Barnier, who stepped into the role earlier this month, acknowledged the gravity of France’s public sector deficit in an interview with the French press agency AFP.

The deficit is projected to hit around 5.6 percent of GDP this year and exceed 6 percent by 2025 – far surpassing the European Union‘s 3 percent limit.

Although France was this month placed on a formal procedure for violating EU budgetary rules, the Bank of France has warned that meeting the EU deficit limit by 2027 is “not realistic”.

Tax hikes?

Barnier, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron after a lengthy political struggle, has suggested possible tax rises to stabilise finances – a proposal Macron has consistently rejected during his presidency.

“I am discovering that the country’s budgetary situation is very serious,” Barnier said, underscoring the urgent need for “responsible action” beyond mere statements.

Impeachment proceedings against France’s Macron pass first hurdle

The PM, who has not yet announced his cabinet, will present the 2025 budget to parliament next month, marking a significant early test for his administration.

His scheduled meeting with former prime minister Gabriel Attal was on Wednesday cancelled due to “agenda reasons”.

The meeting was intended to clarify the participation of Macron’s allies in the new government.

Tensions

Outgoing interior minister Gérald Darmanin has firmly rejected any possibility of tax increases, labelling them as “easy” and vowing he will not join a government with unclear tax policies.

“I do not wish to participate in a government that is not clear” on this issue, Darmanin said.

Further complicating matters, François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Bank of France, warned that completely ruling out tax increases is “not wise” or “realistic” given France‘s financial difficulties.

France asks EU for extra time before submitting crucial budget deficit plan

He suggested that while tax increases should avoid impacting the worjking class and small businesses, a targeted effort from large companies or wealthy individuals may be necessary.

Barnier has also faced criticism from within his own ranks.

His failure to form a government quickly and the ongoing debate over tax policy have heightened tensions. 

(with newswires)

The exact whereabouts of the tomb of Joachim du Bellay, a French Renaissance poet, has puzzled researchers for many years.

Du Bellay, a member of a literary group known as La Pleiade, died aged 37 in 1560.

His family asked for him to be buried in Notre Dame’s Saint-Crepin chapel. But when the site was renovated in 1758, no trace of his remains could be found.

His remains’ precise location was shrouded in mystery until 2022 when archaeologists, sifting through the site in the aftermath of the 2019 fire that destroyed much of Notre Dame, found two tombs at the cathedral’s nave.

Five years after devastating fire, race to rebuild Notre-Dame gains pace

The scientists, working for the national institute for preventative archaeology (Inrap), rapidly identified one of them as that of Antoine de La Porte, a cleric who died in the early 1700s.

But they could not immediately figure out who was buried in the other one.

Horse-riding

Using modern methods of analysis, the researchers began to find clues as to his possible identity. All pointed to du Bellay.

A deformation of his iliac bone told them that he did a lot of horse-riding.

Du Bellay “was a skilled rider, he went from Paris to Rome on horseback”, said Eric Cubrezy, a doctor and archaeologist at the Paul-Sabatier University in Toulouse.

In addition, an incision made by a saw in the corpse’s skull, as well as a broken sternum, suggested the body had undergone an autopsy before being embalmed – just like du Bellay.

The final, and most telling, clue was traces of a rare illness, a bone tuberculosis leading to chronic meningitis, consistent with the poet’s medical history.

French daily Le Monde, describing the mystery around the missing corpse as “a cold case“, said the latest find was the “most spectacular result” of the Notre Dame digs launched after the 2019 fire.

The archaeologists themselves preferred to remain cautious.

“There are still some doubts,” said Christophe Besnier, one of the scientists in charge of the excavation site.

(with AFP)

At the trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men for rape on Wednesday, Gisele Pelicot shared her distress, stating, “from the moment I stepped into this courtroom, I have felt humiliated.

“I’ve been labeled an alcoholic and accused of being so intoxicated that I became an accomplice to Mr. Pelicot,” she continued.

Man accused of enlisting strangers to rape drugged wife goes on trial in France

Dominique Pelicot, 71, has confessed to drugging his then-wife with sedatives to render her unconscious, allowing him and dozens of strangers to rape her for nearly a decade.

The mass trial, which began on 2 September in Avignon, has shocked and horrified France.

Women’s rights advocates hope the case will ignite change in a country they argue is deeply rooted in sexism and casual misogyny, where only six percent of reported rape cases lead to prosecution.

Dominique Pelicot admits to rape, acknowledges decade-long sexual abuse of wife

‘Rape is rape’

“I was in a comatose state and the videos that will be shown will prove this,” she said.

“I never, even for a single second, gave my consent to Mr Pelicot or those other men” who are also on trial, she said, accusing them of giving the impression that she was “the guilty party and those 50 men victims”.

Gisele Pelicot said she was reacting to remarks by Guillaume De Palma – one of the lawyers for the defence – who told the court that “there’s rape and there’s rape” in a possible attempt to back up some of the men’s claim that they assumed they were participating in a libertine couple’s sex game.

Rallies across France in support of woman who was drugged, raped

“No, there are no different types of rape,” she said. “Rape is rape”.

The lawyer subsequently apologised to her, saying he had wanted to distinguish the legal definition of rape from the “media” definition.

“I am sorry that these remarks hurt and shocked you,” he said.

(with AFP)

The Gavi alliancee announced on Wednesday that the World Health Organization had prequalified the MVA-BN mpox vaccine for the first time last week. This development clears the way for the United Nations and other international organizations to purchase the vaccine.

In a separate announcement, the Global Fund, established in 2002 to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, pledged more than $9 million to support the mpox response in the Democratic Republic of Congo, currently at the center of the epidemic.

Gavi also announced that it would provide vaccine doses by the end of the year, funded through itsFirst Response Fund,which was launched in June to facilitate quick access to cash for vaccines during health emergencies.

Gavi’s chief Sania Nishtar said in a statement: “We are committed to working with affected governments and our partners to turn these vaccines into vaccinations as quickly and effectively as possible”.

She added the aim was “to build a global vaccine stockpile”, though that would depend on Gavi securing sufficient funding for work through 2030.

• DR Congo to receive its first shipment of mpox vaccines
• France to donate 100,000 mpox vaccines as it prepares for outbreak at home

International emergency

Mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, is caused by a virus that can be transmitted to humans from infected animals, as well as spread between humans through close physical contact.

The disease leads to symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large, boil-like skin lesions, and it can be fatal in some cases.

The WHO declared an international emergency over mpox last month, concerned by the surge in cases of the new Clade 1b strain in the DRC that spread to nearby countries.

Between January and the end of August, the DRC had recorded nearly 22,000 cases and more than 700 deaths linked to the virus.

By late August, the new strain of the disease had also been detected in neighbouring Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, plus Kenya, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

A single case has been detected in both Sweden and Thailand.

(with AFP)

Published in the journal JAMA Network Open, the research identified plastic fragments in the olfactory bulbs – a brain region responsible for detecting smells – in eight out of 15 deceased people who had lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

It found 16 synthetic polymer particles and fibres within these brain regions.

Most of the microplastics were particles, with polypropylene being the most common polymer detected. Other materials included nylon and polyethylene.

The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence about the widespread presence of microplastics in the human body, with recent studies finding these pollutants in the lungs, liver, and blood.

First of its kind

This study, published on Tuesday, is the first to document the presence of microplastics in human brain tissue directly.

The potential health implications of microplastics entering the brain are still under investigation, but concerns are mounting over their possible neurotoxic effects.

The analysis used infrared spectroscopy to identify and describe the particles, which showed signs of wear, suggesting they had been in the environment for a while.

“Our findings reveal that microplastics can be present in the olfactory bulbs,” the study authors said.

Negotiating an end to plastic pollution, with global treaty

The study suggests that the olfactory pathway, through which sensory information is transmitted to the brain, might be a significant route for microplastics.

“The anatomy of the olfactory system may allow microplastics to enter the brain,” the researchers noted.

The researchers emphasise the need for further investigation into how microplastics might affect neurological health.

As microplastic pollution becomes increasingly widespread, understanding its implications for human health remains a critical area of study.

Nine people, including a young girl, were killed, and 2,800 others injured when thousands of communication beepers, used by Hezbollah fighters, exploded simultaneously.

The devices are used by Hezbollah fighters to avoid detection by regular phone networks. Most of the victims are members of the group.

The attack comes amid ongoing cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah fighters.

At Beirut’s Geitaoui University Hospital, ambulances rushed in one after another, RFI’s Sophie Guignon reported.

Naji Abi Rached, the hospital’s medical director, said: “We’ve received critical cases since the explosions. The hospital is full, operating rooms are overwhelmed, and the emergency unit is overloaded with critically injured patients.”

France calls on its citizens in Lebanon to leave amid regional tensions

Most of the victims suffered injuries to their abdomens, hands and faces, with 200 in critical condition and dozens losing their eyesight.

Bilal Menhem, mayor of the Hezbollah stronghold of Sohmor in the Bekaa Valley, mourned the loss of his 28-year-old son, Abbas, one of the victims of the attack.

“My son is a hero who died a martyr for Lebanon, standing with the oppressed people of Gaza,” Menhem said, repeating Hezbollah’s belief that Israel was behind the explosions.

Country in shock

On Wednesday the government has suspended schools and closed public institutions, while describing the attack as a “criminal aggression” akin to a war crime.

Beirut plans to file a complaint against Israel at the UN Security Council.

The attack, which crippled a vital part of Hezbollah’s communications infrastructure, has raised questions about the group’s vulnerability and the possibility of internal security breaches.

But the group’s military capacity remains intact, with tens of thousands of fighters still active.

Leader Hassan Nasrallah is expected to address the nation on Thursday.

People heading to the mosque for morning prayers turned back as shots rang out in the Banankabougou neighbourhood around 5:30am local time. 

“A group of terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Faladié gendarmerie school. Mopping-up operations are currently underway,” the Mali’s army said in a statement.

They added that the situation was under control.

The army is said to have pushed back the “terrorists” responsible for the assault and urged civilians to go about their daily business.

Multiple attacks

Two places were attacked simultaneously, according to RFI’s contacts in Bamako: the gendarmerie school in the Faladié district, where the shooting lasted about three hours, and a military zone at Bamako-Sénou airport.

The military government confirmed that “some sensitive points of the capital” came under attack.

The gendarmerie school in Faladié, a district on the southeastern outskirts of Bamako, is near the main international airport.

The targeted base there is the one from which the army drones are launched.

The attack was claimed by the Katiba Macina of Jnim, which said it had caused “enormous losses in human life and material”, mentioning in particular the destruction of “several military aircraft”.

The authorities haven’t confirmed any details on possible victims.

Suspected jihadist attack in Mali kills at least 21 civilians

Islamist insurgency

Mali is one of several West African countries fighting an Islamist insurgency that took roots in  its arid north in 2012.

The violence has since spread across the Sahel and more recently to the north of coastal countries, like Côte d’Ivoire.

Thousands have been killed over the years, and millions displaced amid the advance by militants, some of whom have links to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Both governments and fighters have been accused of violence against civilians.

Frustration against the authorities for failing to restore security contributed to two coups in Mali – in 2020 and 2021 – followed by two in Burkina Faso and one in Niger.

Russian Wagner group reports massive losses in Mali

Jihadist attacks have escalated despite the juntas’ promises to improve security.

They decided to replace its old Western alliances with Russian support, including mercenaries from the Wagner group.

At the end of July, some of these experienced Wagner fighters were killed  during a battle near the Algerian border, when the Malian army faced Tuareg rebels.

The army also suffered heavy losses, then was ambushed by jihadists as it withdrew.

It is however rare for insurgents to strike inside the capital, Bamako.

The last attack occurred in 2015, when armed men launched a raid on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako dawn, a raid that killed 20 people.

(with Reuters)

Impeachment proceedings against the French president passed their first round of parliamentary scrutiny Tuesday when the assembly’s 22-person committee judged the procedure admissable, voting 12 to 10 in favour.

The procedure was launched by MPs from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party – the largest group within the leftist NFP alliance.

The result of Tuesday’s vote came as little surprise, since NFP holds 12 seats in the bureau – the assembly’s highest collegiate authority.

NFP won the most votes in snap parliamentary elections in July, though it failed to secure an outright majority.

LFI has accused Macron of carrying out an “anti-democratic coup” after he ruled out choosing its pick for prime minister, naming veteran conservative politician Michel Barnier instead.

A petition, signed by more than 300,000 people, refers to Macron’s “unprecedented authoritarian drift … in the system of representative democracy”.

Left-wing alliance calls for street protests after Macron rules out leftist PM

Unlikely impeachment

Impeachment proceedings have never gone this far before. Ten years ago, a proposal tabled by the right against then Socialist president François Hollande didn’t get beyond the committee stage.

However, there is little chance of Macron being forced to step down.

Under Article 68 of the Constitution, the motion now has to be examined by the assembly’s Law Committe, before being put to a wider vote by MPs.

The text must be approved by two-thirds of MPs – 385 out of 577.

Mathematically that’s highly unlikely as Macron can count on his centrist Ensemble (Together) coalition and the mainstream right Republicans to vote against.

Outgoing prime minister Gabriel Attal has described the motion as “a declaration of war on our institutions”.

Macron must face political truths as Olympics euphoria wears off

The far-right National Rally (RN) and its allies – with 143 MPs – will not vote in favour either.

RN figurehead Marine Le Pen has termed the motion a “sinister comedy” and accused the left of spreading “disorder and chaos”.

The Socialists have also announced they will not vote to impeach Macron.

Should it pass the MP hurdle, it will then go to the Senate, where Ensemble and the Republicans hold a majority.

Tuesday’s vote is, however, a strong symbolic victory for the leftist alliance.

“It’s an opportunity to put Emmanuel Macron’s early departure on the public agenda,” said LFI MP Clemence Guetté, while fellow MP Antoine Léaument hailed a “parliamentary riposte”.

NFP has called for nationwide demonstrations on Saturday “to depose Macron”.

Political posters of the three presidential candidates started appearing in Tunis as soon as campaigning began, but few people were ready to talk about politics, according to RFI’s correspondent in Tunis, Amira Soualem. 

Just days earlier, the city center was bustling with energetic protesters. In all, an estimated 1,000 to 3,500 people took to the streets to voice their opposition.

“In Tunisia at the moment, there are obstacles to press freedom; several politicians have also been arrested recently. In this context, it is really good that people are moving and denouncing attacks on freedoms,” Karim Jelassi, activist for a centre-left party, told RFI.

Bassem Trifi, head of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, noted that it’s encouraging to see people showing up despite the “climate of fear” marked by “arrests and legal proceedings”.

Documented arrests

Research from Amnesty International  shows that there is a significant rollback of human rights in Tunisia, especially in the last couple of years.

The organisation has documented six successive waves of arrests, which targeted political opponents and perceived critics of the authorities.  

Tunisian opposition candidate arrested amid ‘dictatorial’ pre-election climate

Amnesty has reported that over 70 people, including political opponents, lawyers, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, who have been subjected to arbitrary prosecutions or arbitrary detention since the end of 2022.

At least five journalists and media figures are currently serving prison sentences, in relation to their media work or critical comments.

“This is a very negative development in Tunisia for free speech,” their main researcher told RFI.

As of August 2024, Amnesty also documented at least 40 people arbitrarily detained in Tunisia in relation to the right to freedom of expression and assembly.

Tunisia’s presidential race marred by arrests and claims of intimidation

Last week, about 100 people close to the Islamist party Ennahda were arrested and brought before the judicial anti-terrorism unit, as announced in a press release shared by the party on Saturday.

The authorities also banned the Paris-based African news magazine Jeune Afrique for its criticism of President Saied.

Climate of fear

Fear and dismay seem to be dominating among voters, according to RFI’s correspondent.

“I don’t even know who’s running up,” one told RFI. “There are eight candidates, I believe?” he mistakenly muttered. “I don’t even know who they are.”

Aside from Saied, only two other candidates were approved: Ayachi Zammel, the leader of a liberal party (currently in prison), and Zouhair Maghzaoui of the pan-Arab left-wing People’s Movement, who for long supported Saied before distancing himself from the president.

The administrative court still summons the institution in charge of elections to accept three additional candidates, in vain for now.

The campaign will last for another three weeks until the presidential poll on 6 October 2024. 

(with newswires)

Pelicot, 71, begged her forgiveness, but said he was no different from 50 other men he recruited online to take part in the sexual abuse, adding they all knew what they were signing up for.

Decade of abuse

“I am a rapist, like the others in this room,” he said, referring to his co-defendants.

“She did not deserve this,” he added.

Dominique Pelicot is accused of administering anti-anxiety drugs to ex-wife Gisèle over a period of almost a decade, from 2011 to 2020.

He has been charged with raping her while she was unconscious, and recruiting dozens of other men he met online to do the same.

Man accused of enlisting strangers to rape drugged wife goes on trial in France

Pelicot had admitted the charges, but Tuesday was the first time he was speaking at any length since the trial began on 2 September.

He spoke of his “difficult” childhood, saying his parents “assaulted each other”.

He briefly mentioned what he described as two “traumatic” episodes, being victim of a rape when he was nine years old and another on a construction site as an apprentice.

“I always carried these traumatising events with me,” he said. “You’re not born this way, you become it,” he added.

His ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot, who obtained a divorce from him last month, remained stoic as he spoke, then she took the stand herself.

“Not a for a single second did I doubt this man,” she said. 

“I loved this man for 50 years. I would have sacrificed my own two hands for him.”

‘I’m guilty’

Her former husband then asked her and others for forgiveness.

“She did not deserve this,” he said.

“I am guilty of what I have done. I beg my wife, my children, my grandchildren… to accept my apologies. I ask for forgiveness,” he said.

“I messed it all up… I must pay for it.”

He also presented his apologies to another woman in the case, whose husband is accused of raping her while heavily sedated after following the same modus operandi.

But he said he had never abused his two sons and daughter.

“I had three children, who I never touched,” he said.

The investigation revealed that Pelicot had on his computer naked pictures of his daughter and intimate photos of his two daughters-in-law, taken without their knowledge.

Court appearance

The main defendant had been excused from hearings for much of last week and did not show up on Monday.

His lawyer Beatrice Zavarro told French news agency AFP he was suffering from “a clot in the bladder” and the beginning of a kidney infection.

But a medical exam ordered by the presiding judge found that he was in a fit state to appear in court, avoiding a delay of weeks or even months to the hearings.

The case has prompted outrage across France, with thousands demonstrating in cities at the weekend to demand an end to rape and to support Gisele Pelicot.

Rallies across France in support of woman who was drugged, raped

“Shame must change sides,” said several posters, echoing Gisèle Pelicot’s words that it should be rapists – not their victims – who should be ashamed.

Gisèle thanked demonstrators on Monday.

“Thanks to you I have the strength to see this fight through to the end,” she said.

(with AFP)

There are 11 women on the 27-member Commission team von der Leyen proposed on Tuesday, well short of the gender balance she targeted.

She said the imbalance was even worse – just 22 percent women – before she negotiated with member states for them to propose more women for the jobs.

While in a minority, women will nevertheless occupy six of the eight top positions in the new team.

Estonia‘s ex-premier Kaja Kallas has been named foreign policy chief and Spain’s Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera will lead the green transition as well as becoming the competition and anti-trust czar.

Three other women were also named as vice-presidents.

Push for gender equality stalls as men dominate nominations for EU commission

Security and competitiveness 

The European Commission has the power to propose new EU laws, block mergers between companies and sign free trade deals.

Each of the bloc’s 27 member states will have one seat at the Commission’s table, although its political weight varies greatly depending on the portfolio.

Compared to her first five-year term, “the topic of security, triggered by the Russian war in Ukraine, but also the topic of competitiveness, have … much more impact on the composition and the design” of her new team, von de Leyen told reporters.

Slovakia’s Maros Sefcovic will oversee trade policies, while Lithuania’s Andrius Kubilius will be the EU’s first defence commissioner, with the new role designed to build up European military manufacturing capacity in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Poland‘s nominee Piotr Serafin was appointed to the powerful job of overseeing the EU’s budget.

France’s outgoing Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne replaces Thierry Breton in charge of industrial strategy.

Breton resigned and openly criticised von der Leyen for allegedly “questionable governance” on Monday, and Sejourné’s appointment ensures France still has a strong voice in the Commission.

Macron nominates Sejourne as EU Commissioner after Breton’s surprise exit

Raffaele Fitto, a member of Italy‘s hard-right ruling party, was named as one of six executive vice presidents, in charge of “cohesion and reforms”.

Von der Leyen said the choice reflected Italy’s importance within the 27-country bloc, but the move has riled centrist and leftist groups.

Italy’s far-right Giorgia Meloni emerges stronger from EU vote

All candidates will undergo hearings with lawmakers in the European Parliament who have to sign off on their nomination.

The Commission is to start work on 1 November, but there is speculation that it might not get down to business before January.

(with newswires)

The new Labour government, elected by a landslide in July, immediately scrapped the Conservatives’ controversial scheme to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, calling it an expensive “gimmick”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has instead promised to “smash the gangs” who profit from migrants wanting to cross the Channel from northern France.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Tuesday that up to £75 million (€90 million) of cash from the Rwanda scheme would be redirected to the new Border Security Command agency.

It will be used to fund covert cameras and monitoring technology to help in the gathering of evidence to enable gang ringleaders to be prosecuted, as well as additional border security staff.

“State of the art technology and enhanced intelligence capabilities will ensure we are using every tool at our disposal to dismantle this vile trade,” Cooper said in a statement.

Record number of migrants cross Channel to UK in single day this year

EU cooperation

The UK government says it wants to tackle the problem “upstream”, cooperating with its closest neighbours in mainland Europe to prevent more migrants risking their lives on makeshift boats.

On Sunday, eight people died when their overcrowded vessel capsized off the French coast while trying to cross the busy shipping lane, less than two weeks after at least 12 others lost their lives.

Britain has already increased the number of its officers based at Europol to support European efforts at dismantling organised people-smuggling networks.

Starmer was in Rome on Monday to discuss Italy’s efforts to cut irregular migration, including plans to operate Italian-run migrant centres in Albania.

He praised Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni saying her nationalist conservative government had made “remarkable progress” in reducing illegal arrivals across the Mediterranean by 62 per cent this year.

UK PM Starmer praises Italy’s Meloni for reducing illegal migration

Britain’s former Conservative government had spent some £700 million on the Rwanda scheme and planned to spend more than £10 billion in total, Cooper told parliament.

Describing it as “the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money I have ever seen”, Cooper said it had led to only four people being relocated, all of them voluntarily.

(with newswires)

Marzieh Hamidi had suffered “cyber-harassment including death, rape and other threats via social media,” the prosecutors said on Monday.

They added that a specialist online hate unit was investigating the case of the Afghan taekwondo fighter.

“I want the terrorists threatening me with death to be identified and tried in court, so that I can live freely without fear and in full safety,” Hamidi said in a statement sent to France’s AFP news agency.

The martial artist “has been placed under police protection for an indefinite period,” her lawyer Ines Davau said, hoping the perpetuators of the threats would be “swiftly identified”.

‘Let us exist’

Hamadi did not manage to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics in her under-57 kilogrammes category, but she has been in the media spotlight in France for “speaking out publicly about women’s rights and the Taliban regime,” according to the complaint she filed on 3 September.

Freedom in frames: photographing an Afghan refugee’s Olympic dream

The document states that the current wave of threats followed her denunciation on social media of an August Taliban law barring women’s voices from being heard in public.

Hamidi reiterated her opposition to the law in a press interview and launched the social media hashtag #letusexist.

From 1 September, “a vast wave of hatred smashed down on her Afghan Whatsapp phone number was shared and she received hundreds of calls and thousands of messages in the space of just a few hours,” the complaint read.

Hamidi’s complaint specifies the offences of sharing private information, malicious phone calls, death or rape threats, online harassment and online sexual harassment.

France and allies condemn Taliban decision to ban women from universities

Last week, she told RFI she had been flooded with threatening messages since posting a video on social media at the end of August denouncing “gender apartheid” in her homeland.

She is now under police protection, but feels like she lost her freedom and safety. “I don’t feel safe any more in Paris,” she said.

 (with AFP) 

In an open letter published Le Monde on Monday, Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, the current head of the French bishops’ council, said that “at least some bishops” were aware as early as 1955 of Abbé Pierre’s “seriously bad behaviour” towards women.

Some measures had been taken, including “psychological therapy” and the appointment of an assistant, whose surveillance Abbe Pierre “did his best to [evade]”.

These were considered strong measures at the time, according to Moulins-Beaufort, who reiterated that the French church is committed to making sure the “truth is revealed on the facts of violence and sexual violence”.

French charity turns its back on founding father accused of sexual abuse

Sexual assault accusations

Abbé Pierre, whose real name was Henri Grouès and who founded the Emmaus charity and foundation, has been posthumously accused of sexual assault by several women, including one who was a minor at the time of the alleged incident.

Noting that Abbé Pierre was an adored figure in France in the 1990s, Moulins-Beaufort said that no one had made any allegations at the time.

Since then, the church has opened hotlines and reparations mechanisms, and people have come forward, he said.

Moulins-Beaufort called on the Vatican to follow the French bishops’ lead and open its own archives, to see what it knew about Abbé Pierre.

On Friday Pope Francis admitted that the Vatican had been aware of accusations of sexual violence by Abbé Pierre at least as far back as his death in 2007.

(with AFP)

The crisis was caused by torrential rains, which caused a dam to overflow, flooding vast regions and affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Among the impacted areas was a state-owned zoo, releasing crocodiles and snakes into nearby communities overwhelmed by the rising waters.

The dam was damaged in Alau, near Maiduguri, on the Ngadda River, 20 kilometres south of Maiduguri, on 9 September.

Over the weekend, an additional 50,000 people were displaced in northeastern Nigeria as the floods intensified, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Monday.

Local authorities are mobilising aid for the disaster victims, but the scale of need is overwhelming, and healthcare workers are concerned about the potential for an outbreak of disease.

Displacement and disease

The United Nations coordinator in the country, Mohamed Malick Fall visited the region over the weekend, and reported that “a good half of the city [Maiduguri] is impacted.”

“At least 400,000 people in the city are affected, with enormous health needs,” Malick Fall told RFI. “The need for latrines, access to drinking water and food as well. My big fear now is to see an epidemic of cholera or another water-borne disease.”

The flood has killed at least 30 people according to Nigeria‘s emergency agency and affected a million others, with thousands of people forced into camps for displaced people.

The authorities first set up eight camps to accommodate people displaced by the disaster.

The figure rose to “30 camps around the city” of Maiduguri, Trond Jensen, head of OCHA, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in Nigeria, told RFI on Monday.

But according to the NGO Save The Children, some other families “are still trapped in their homes” and the city’s two main hospitals are flooded.

They are exposed to waterborne diseases, and diarrhoea, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres; malaria is around with a lot of mosquitoes.

The floods are described as the worst in 30 years, by the local authorities.

In one of the camps, Bintu Amadu was among hundreds of frustrated people waiting for hours to see a doctor because her son had diarrhoea.

“We have not received any aid, and our attempts to see a doctor have been unsuccessful. We have been waiting for medical attention since yesterday, but to no avail,” she said.

Hunger risks

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that “more than 550,000 hectares of agricultural land have been flooded” this year across the country, especially in the Northeast, where malnutrition is already chronic because of the insecurity that reigns in this region.

Mathias Goemaere, a field coordinator for MSF, said that even before the floods, residents in Borno were struggling with malnutrition, following years of the Islamist insurgency that has driven people from their farms.

Meals, shelter and basic necessities are gradually being distributed, but “​​​​​it’s a race against time to help the victims,” warned the United Nations coordinator, Malick Fall.

“This crisis comes on top of the one linked to the Boko Haram, which has already displaced many people,” for 15 years,” he said.

In the last two weeks of August, more than 1.5 million people were displaced across 12 countries in West and Central Africa due to floods, and about 465 have been killed, according to the United Nations humanitarian affairs office.

Prison break

The city centre of Maiduguri was not spared: the market, schools, administrative buildings were hit by the floods.

Last week, as the rains continued to pour, over 280 prisoners even managed to escape a jail in Maiduguri, when its walls collapsed.

Seven of the escaped inmates have been recaptured in operations by security agencies, Umar Abubakar, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Services said in a statement.

“The floods brought down the walls of the correctional facilities including the Medium Security Custodial Centre, as well as the staff quarters in the city,” Abubakar said.

Operations to recapture the remainder of the inmates are underway.

 (with newswires)

Peter Cherif, 42, faces terrorism-related offences allegedly committed between 2011 and 2018, when he was in Yemen within the ranks of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) – the al-Qaeda affiliate that claimed responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

He also faces charges relating to the 2011 kidnapping and detention in Yemen of three French aid workers, members of the humanitarian organisation Triangle génération humanitaire.

He risks life imprisonment if convicted.

Cherif, also known as Abou Hamza, was arrested in Djibouti in December 2018 after years of allegedly fighting in the ranks of AQAP.

At the time of his arrest, the then minister for the armed forces said it was “very good news because this terrorist played an important role in organising the Charlie Hebdo attack”.

The Paris court now has to establish how significant that role was.

From Paris to Iraq and back

Cherif grew up with Saïd and Cherif Kouachi – the perpetrators of the Charlie Hebdo attack – in the north-east of Paris.

All three were members of the so-called “Buttes-Chaumont” terrorist network, led by preacher Farid Benyettou.

In 2004, Cherif left to fight in Iraq within the ranks of al-Qaeda. He was captured a few months later by US forces and sentenced to 15 years in a prison in Baghdad, but escaped to Syria in 2007.

He was later extradited to France, sentenced to five years in prison in 2011, but fled to Yemen before serving his time.

In 2015 he was placed on a US “designated global terrorist” list as a member of AQAP.

He spent seven years in Yemen before moving to Djibouti in 2018 under a false identity, with his wife, who later died, and their two children.

Just three months later, he was arrested and handed over to France.

For Charlie Hebdo lawyer Richard Malka, the trial will be important in understanding Cherif’s trajectory.

“He was born into a Christian family and converted to Islam. He wanted to be a paratrooper, but ended up a jihadist,” Malka told RFI. 

“He went from the Buttes de Chaumont to Bin Laden. His trajectory is obviously full of lessons worth meditating on. But it’s been more or less followed by tens of thousands of young people all over Europe.”

Who were the Charlie Hebdo killers?

‘Facilitating’ the mission

Cherif is accused of “participating” in AQAP’s military activities, and “contributing to the manufacture of improvised explosive devices and searching for targets for attacks”.

Investigating judges believe that he “facilitated the integration into AQAP of one of the Kouachi brothers, most probably Chérif”, and that he had knowledge of the plan to carry out an attack in France.

According to several witnesses, including Cherif’s late girlfriend, AQAP advised foreign fighters in Yemen to return to their countries of origin to stage attacks.

Cherif is also believed to have maintained contact with Cherif Kouachi on his return to France.

Wiretapping of Cherif’s cell showed “the persistence of his radical Islamist convictions” and “his rejection of French society”, investigators said.

However, during the investigation, Cherif denied any knowledge of such a mission.

In 2020, he was a witness during the trial over the 2015 attacks and claimed to have had “nothing to do” with the operation.

Sefen Guez Guez, one of his lawyers, told French news agency AFP:  “Cherif knows that the Charlie Hebdo trial weighs heavily in the balance, but he will come forward with a sincere statement.”

France steps up plans to deal with Islamic radicalisation from the Caucasus

Few remaining Charlie Hebdo suspects

Seventeen people died in the Charlie Hebdo attack, including 12 killed by Saïd and Cherif Kouachi.

The brothers were shot dead by police two days after the massacre, so were never tried.

Lawyer Richard Malka hopes the trial will provide more insight into the process of radicalisation.

“What makes people abandon some of the most comfortable countries in the world, even if they’re not perfect, to go and live in total barbarism and behead and slit people’s throats? How is that possible? he said.

“This trial will perhaps be an opportunity to go a bit further as [Cherif] is the only individual accused of instigating the attacks to have faced trial.”

The trial runs through to 4 October.

(with newswires)

Breton’s unexpected resignation Monday comes a day before von der Leyen was expected to announce the makeup of the next Commission following June’s European Parliament elections.

Breton has serve as the bloc’s internal market commissioner since 2019, and French President Emmanuel Macron had put forward Breton’s name to be reappointed, which had been taken as a given.

His portfolio also included defence and space, and he had been tipped to get a promotion to be a commission vice president stewarding industrial growth.

But Breton said that von der Leyen had asked him to step down.

Asked to step down

“In the very final stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future College, you asked France to withdraw my name,” Breton wrote in a letter to von der Leyen, posted on X.

He said the request was made “for personal reasons” that had not been discussed directly with him, and that von der Leyen had “offered, as a political trade-off, an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College”.

“You will now be proposed a different candidate,” he said.

Macron’s office on Monday said that he had proposed Stephane Sejourne, the country’s outgoing foreign minister and a close political ally, to replace Breton. 

Tense relationship

One of the EU’s most influential figures, Breton has had a strained relationship with the von der Leyen during their five years together in the EU’s executive arm.

He reportedly angered her by publicly criticising her nomination as the conservative EPP’s party candidate to head the Commission for a second term.

Von der Leyen has been pushing member countries to put forward more women commissioners, after most, including France, ignored her request for a choice between one man and one woman candidate.

As the EU’s second-biggest member state, France is vying for a major post in the new 27-member Commission.

How the portfolios are divvied up will send a strong signal regarding the EU’s political direction and the relative influence of each member state.

Having to replace Breton adds to France’s political tension as Macron’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier is still trying to pull together a new government.

(with newswires)

The Paris prosecutor wants Dahbia Benkired to have her day in court on charges of rape, torture and murder of 12-year-old Lola in October 2022.

Police had identified Benkired from CCTV footage from the building where Lola lived.

She was arrested the day after Lola’s body was found in a trunk in the courtyard of the building.

Benkired later admitted to committing “harm of a sexual nature and other violent acts against (Lola) that caused her death, and hid her body in the trunk,” prosecutors said at the time, though she denied it was premeditated.

An autopsy found Lola died from asphyxiation, and her body had many lesions, particularly around her neck.

Benkired, who suffers from personality disorders, underwent a psychological evaluation that concluded her judgment was not impaired at the time of the murder.

Paris police charge woman for murder of 12-year-old Lola whose body was found in suitcase

The prosecutor’s office confirmed media reports Monday that it had asked for the case to go to trial last week.

If the judge agrees to hear the case, Benkired could face life in prison, if convicted.

Benkired, who is Algerian, was in France on an expired student visa.

The fact that she was still in France at the time of the murder outraged many on the far right, which organised demonstrations against what they said was the government’s poor management of illegal immigration.

Lola’s parents had specifically asked that their daughter’s murder not be used for political ends.

(with AFP)

The ministry, known as the Quai d’Orsay, says it is committed to ensuring that more women are nominated for major posts and to supporting the career advancement of female staff.

In a report published on “feminist diplomacy” in July 2023, France’s High Council on Equality – an independent French consultative body reporting to the Prime Minister – lamented that within the foreign ministry, men still occupied the most prestigious positions.

In setting new targets, the ministry is now aiming for a proportion of 40 percent of female first-time nominees by 2026 and intends to reach a proportion of 40 percent of women in senior positions by 2027.

According to the ministry, this year more than 45 percent of ambassadors appointed for the first time will be women, while among newly-appointed consuls-general, over 40 percent will also be women.

Particular attention will also be paid to salaries.

Women’s health ‘key issue’

Starting in January, the Quai d’Orsay will endeavour to identify the functions where gender imbalance is most glaring, with a view to redressing the situation.

The ministry says it will ensure that women have fairer access to posts abroad where the residence allowance is highest.

Other measures include those relating to women’s health, presented as “an issue for a successful working life”.

Push for gender equality stalls as men dominate nominations for EU commission

Notable decisions include covering the cost of air travel to France for staff working in countries where abortion is prohibited or sanctioned, and all foreign affairs employees will undergo training in the fight against sexual violence.

“The plan has been drawn up in full consultation with the trade unions,” the ministry said.

As a sign that equality for women is also a matter for men, Julien Steimer – the Director General of Administration – will be oversee the plan’s implementation.

Since December 2019, public employers in France are required to implement a multi-year action plan on professional equality.

In a travel advisory published Sunday, the French foreign ministry urged French nationals to put off travel to Venezuela, and called on those who are there to stay away from political demonstrations or meetings and avoid making any public statements about the political situation in the country.

The ministry said this was due to a “resurgence of tensions” following the 28 June presidential election which sparked mass opposition protests against Nicolas Maduro’s contention that he won.

A large part of the international community, including the European Union, has not recongised Maduro’s win because of alleged electoral fraud. The United States has recognised opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzales the winner.

On Sunday the Venezuelan Interior Minister announced the arrest of six foreign nationals, including three Americans, two Spanish and a Czech, accused of being involved in an alleged CIA-backed plot to assassinate Maduro.

The United States has rejected the accusations from Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who said that hundreds of arms had been confiscated, and said the detainees had “contacted French mercenaries” to try to attack Venezuela.

The arrests come after the US placed 16 senior government officials under sanctions Thursday, and the Spanish parliament earlier this week recognised Gonzalez, who has taken refuge in Spain, as the winner of the election.

(with AFP)

Mali’s leader said Sunday that the three countries would soon be putting into circulation a biometric passport of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The introduction is being done “with the aim of harmonising travel documents in our common area and facilitating the mobility of our citizens throughout the world”, Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goita said in a televised address on Sunday evening.

He spoke on the eve of the one year anniversary of the three countries’ decision to form their own alliance, after cutting ties with France.

In January Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger quit the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), which they said was under the influence of former colonial powers.

Goita on Sunday also promised that a common investment bank and stabilisation funds would be put in place, along with a common news channel to “promote a harmonious dissemination of information in our three states”.

• Malian junta suspends TV5 Monde, citing ‘lack of balance’ in reporting

Ecowas, which has sought to convince the three countries, which have been run by military leaders since a series of coups started in 2020, to reconsider their decision to leave, and has warned that their withdrawal would undermine the freedom of movement and common market of the 400 million people living in the bloc.

(with Reuters)

“We must have a strong and effective navy to live in peace on our lands,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after commissioning the latest of six planned submarines.

Along with a new helicopter carrier, frigates and over a dozen warships under construction, this is part of Erdogan’s push to bolster the Turkish navy.

“It fits Erdogan’s political agenda of exerting influence overseas, from Qatar to Somalia to Libya,” said Serhat Guvenc, a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul.

“For the navy, it means a greater role in the defence of the country – no longer just territorial, but forward defence from overseas.”

New course

The change has transformed the navy’s mission.

“Turkish sailors used to sail off to sea, but they would come back on the same day to their home bases and spend the night in their homes. That’s no longer the case,” Guvenc says.

“The Turkish navy is evolving into a major regional power.”

Turkey’s military presence abroad includes bases in Qatar, Libya and Somalia, with naval agreements in place. Ankara claims its expansion addresses growing threats around the region.

“When you look at the conflicts in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea, they are all around Turkey,” said Mesut Casin, a Turkish presidential adviser and professor at Yeditepe University.

He also pointed to Turkey’s NATO role: “The naval modernisation benefits NATO and the security of Western allies, especially in terms of oil and navigation security.”

Ankara has been quick to flex its new naval muscles. Four years ago, Turkish warships allegedly targeted a French NATO vessel enforcing an arms embargo on Libya.

Turkey and Egypt bury the hatchet with a dozen new bilateral deals

Regional concerns

Greece, with longstanding territorial disputes with Turkey in the Aegean and Mediterranean, has voiced particular concern. Israel, too, has raised alarms over Turkey’s naval growth, including military drones deployed in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.

“Some of Turkey’s naval moves, like the UAV base in Northern Cyprus, could be aimed at Israel,” said Gallia Lindenstrauss, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

“This doesn’t mean again there will be a direct confrontation, but it does mean that it is something that the Israeli army has to calculate for.”

Greece is also modernising its navy in response to what it sees as the Turkish threat. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently reaffirmed the need for a “deterrent power” against Turkey.

Growing military buildup in Azerbaijan and Armenia a concern for peace talks

Meanwhile, Israel’s growing naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the deployment of advanced naval assets and joint military exercises with regional partners, is adding to Turkish concerns.

“The Turkish military has begun to feel concerned about the deployment of its [Israel’s] nuclear missile capable submarines in the Mediterranean,” said naval expert Guvenc.

“As long as they were in the Red Sea or Indian Ocean, it wasn’t a problem. But once they shifted to the Mediterranean, it became a potential threat.”

Guvenc is warning that escalating regional suspicions risks spiraling out of control.

“It’s a vicious circle. Turkey builds a new navy to address threats, and now its neighbours feel threatened by Turkey’s naval growth. This is how arms races start, and they don’t tend to end well.”

Turkish shipyards are working at full capacity to meet the country’s growing naval demands. Analysts say this will likely only deepen fears and tensions with its neighbours.

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note!  I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

This week’s quiz: On 15 July, Rwandans were voting for their next president, as well as the members of the country’s 80-seat lower house of parliament.

There was little doubt that the current president, Paul Kagame, would win his fourth term. And he did, with 99.18 percent of the vote. 

There actually were two opposition candidates, which you read about in our article “Rwanda heads to the polls to likely re-elect Kagame for fourth term”.

You were to send in the answer to this question: What are the names of the two opposition candidates who ran against the incumbent president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, in the 15 July polls?

The answer is: Democratic Green party leader Frank Habineza and the independent Philippe Mpayimana.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile: “What do you think young people should do? Should they work, save, ensure their future, and put off traveling until they are more established? Or should they ‘seize the day’ and go while they’re young?”

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India. Radhakrishna is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI Listeners Club members from Bangladesh: Sharifa Akter Panna from Kishoreganj, and Faruq Ahmed from Dhaka. There’s also Club member Zenon Teles from Goa, India – Zenon is also the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist – Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers.

Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Zannatul Zuthi from Narayanganj, Bangladesh.

Congratulations winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Allegro vivo” from the Symphony in C major by Georges Bizet, performed by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic; “La Campanella” by Nicolo Paganini, performed by Igor Oistrakh; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Day Tripper” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, performed by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66.  

Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “High expectations as Algeria’s President Tebboune begins new mandate”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 7 October to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 12 October podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.

Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club,  

The Paralympics in Paris shone a light on disability and the challenges disabled people in France face in getting access to sport. Novosports, one of only 40 sports clubs in the capital open to players with disabilities, is entirely focused on inclusive sports, where people with and without disabilities can train together. Club founder Jerome Rousseau talks about developing inclusive volleyball, and club members talk about the importance of opening sport up to everyone. (Listen @1’55”)

Decades before the Paralympic Games were born, the world’s first multi-discipline competition for athletes with a disability took place in Paris in the summer of 1924. Reserved for deaf competitors, the International Silent Games were a landmark in the history of inclusive sport and laid the foundations for today’s contests. Historian Didier Séguillon, curator of an exhibition on the Games at the National Institute for Deaf Young People, discusses their origins and legacy. (Listen @10’15”)

Since recent parliamentary elections in France failed to give any political party a ruling majority, the three main blocs – the left-wing NFP alliance, the centre-right Ensemble coalition and the far-right National Rally – have been at loggerheads. The new prime minister has to form a unity government, but this involves compromise on all sides – a notion that’s often equated in France with “giving in”. Laure Gillot-Assayag, a researcher in political science and philosophy, argues that in such a politically divided landscape, France needs a culture of compromise more than ever. (Listen @17’10”)

Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. 

Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).

The Egyptian president received a full diplomatic reception, with military bands and horses parading the Egyptian flag through the streets of the Turkish capital on Wednesday.

Erdogan did not hold back in welcoming a man he once dubbed a “brutal dictator”, and signalled a new era of partnership between the two countries.

“With our joint declaration, we confirmed our will to advance our cooperation in all fields, including industry, trade, defence, health, environment and energy,” the Turkish president declared.

String of bilateral agreements

The two leaders signed no fewer than 17 agreements to deepen bilateral trade, diplomatic and military cooperation.

The goal is to expand their annual commercial exchanges to over €13 billion in five years, from a little over €9 billion now.

They also discussed their concerns linked to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the shared desire to see a ceasefire there – part of a wider trend of converging regional interests.

Sisi’s visit follows Erdogan’s trip to Cairo in February, which resulted from years of efforts to mend damaged relations.

Ankara and Cairo cut ties in 2013 after Sisi, then defence minister, ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi – Turkey’s ally and part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

• Turkey and Egypt turn page on decade of friction with show of friendship

Question of Somaliland

Despite the decade of estrangement, trade between the two countries never ceased: Turkey is Egypt’s fifth-largest trading partner, while Egypt is Turkey’s largest in Africa.

With the Egyptian and Turkish economies in difficulty, the need to increase bilateral trade is seen as a powerful impetus towards rapprochement and a driving force for cooperation.

It could also ease tension in oil-rich Libya, which has been in a state of civil war for over a decade and where Cairo and Ankara back rival governments.

Libyan security analyst Aya Burweila says that Libya has become an important arena for both countries.

“Because the lines in the sand are so set – and each country has its sphere of influence – this has helped both countries realise that it’s much more lucrative if they cooperate rather than fight each other,” she told RFI.

Sisi and Erdogan also discussed tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia over the breakaway state of Somaliland, following reports that Egypt has started deploying weapons to Mogadishu.

The deployment is part of Egypt‘s bitter dispute with Ethiopia over its Grand Renaissance Dam, which Cairo claims seriously threatens vital water supplies from the Nile River.

• Newly reconciled, Turkey and Egypt could be a force for stability in Africa

Rivalry paused, not ended?

However, analysts suggest Egypt could also be seeking to challenge Turkey’s influence in Somalia – in which it has heavily invested – as well as complicating Ankara’s efforts to mediate between the Somali and Ethiopian governments.

Elem Eyrice-Tepeciklioglu, a professor of African studies at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, acknowledges the danger – but predicts Erdogan and Sisi will initially seek common ground.

“Both Egypt and Turkey can cooperate in Somalia, especially in terms of security,” she observes.

“They can implement joint anti-terrorism initiatives. They can combine their efforts in development projects. They can involve themselves in political stabilisation initiatives, and so on.

“But they can also compete with each other for a more significant role and influence in Somalia.”

For now, though, most experts seem to agree that with the spectre of a wider regional conflict and increasing economic pressures, Erdogan and Sisi are fully aware that cooperation, rather than rivalry, is in both their interests. 

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

Only a few days are left to submit your video to the ePOP competition. 

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects.

You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine.  And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!

Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry.  You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.

The competition closes 12 September. We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note!  I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

This week’s quiz: On 13 July I asked you yet another question about France’s snap legislative elections.

As you know, the left coalition New Popular Front won the most seats, followed by Macron’s centre-right alliance, with the far-right National Rally in third place. None of the parties have an absolute majority.

There’s been something of a “cease-fire” during the Olympic Games, so not much has been done. However, the French constitution sets strict deadlines for when key positions must be filled; one of these is the appointment of chairs for each of the eight standing parliamentary committees. That was your question – what are those eight standing committees, and by which date must the chairs of each committee be decided?

The answer is: Finance, foreign affairs, defence, economy, social affairs, culture, sustainable development, and law. The date for deciding the chairs was 20 July. So that has happened: six of the eight committees are headed by the centre-right coalition, and the other two were taken by the left coalition.

The centre-right and the left coalition joined forces and no position was allocated to the far-right National Rally.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What was your biggest life-changing decision, and how did it change your life?”

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: RFI English listener Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar from the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Malik is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Malik!

There are two winners from India this week: Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in Hariharpara, and Mousumi Khatun, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad. Moving over to Bangladesh, there’s Shrabonty Shermin, a member of the RFI Surfers’ Society Bangladesh in Rajshahi, and RFI English listener Rowshan Ara Labone from Dhaka.

Congratulations winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Pendulum” by Eberhard Weber, performed by the composer and Paul McCandless; “Contrapunctus 1” from J.S. Bach’s The Art Of Fugue, BWV 1080, performed by the Emerson Quartet; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Street Life” by Joe Sample and Will Jennings, performed by The Crusaders.

Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Golden glory for French para-triathletes despite delays over Seine water quality”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 30 September to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 5 October podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.

Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club,  

This week, we focus on the presidential election in Algeria, scheduled for 7 September, with a potential second round two weeks later, if none of the candidate reaches 51 percent in the first round.

The campaign ended on Tuesday, 3 September. Most experts expect incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune to win again, while only two challengers have been allowed to run: Abdelaali Hassani of the moderate Islamist party, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), and Youcef Aouchiche of the centre-left Socialist Forces Front (FFS). 

• Few surprises in store as Algeria’s presidential election nears

The opposition has, however, complained of intimidation with dozens of people arrested last month over alleged election fraud.

Opposition leader Fethi Ghares was even detained  during the last week of the campaign, accused of “insulting the president” and spreading disinformation online.

Meanwhile, Algerian officials are tightening restrictions on civil liberties, Amnesty International reports. The human rights group says that the authorities’ actions aim to limit citizens’ rights to free speech, peaceful protest, and form associations.

To understand how opponents, political parties and civil society navigate the civic space, RFI spoke to Nadège Lahmar, the consultant on Algeria for Amnesty. 

Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau. 

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale. 

Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as the Heart of India. Located right in the middle of the country, the Indian region shows everything India has to offer through its abundant diversity. The IFTM trade show, which took place in Paris at the end of September, presented the perfect opportunity for travel enthusiasts to discover the region.

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board, sat down to explain his approach to sustainable tourism.

“Post-covid the whole world has known a shift in their approach when it comes to tourism. And all those discerning travelers want to have different kinds of experiences: something offbeat, something new, something which has not been explored before.”

Through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Shukla wants to showcase the deep history Madhya Pradesh has to offer.

“UNESCO is very actively supporting us and three of our sites are already World Heritage Sites. Sanchi is a very famous buddhist spiritual destination, Bhimbetka is a place where prehistoric rock shelters are still preserved, and Khajuraho is home to thousand year old temples with magnificent architecture.”

All in all, Shukla believes that there’s only one way forward for the industry: “Travelers must take sustainable tourism as a paradigm in order to take tourism to the next level.”

In partnership with Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board.

Also known as the Land of the Beautiful Islands, Malaysia’s landscape and cultural diversity is almost unmatched on the planet. Those qualities were all put on display at the Malaysian stand during the IFTM trade show.

Libra Hanif, director of Tourism Malaysia, explained the appeal of the country as well as the importance of promoting sustainable tourism today: “Sustainable travel is a major trend now, with the changes that are happening post-covid. People want to get close to nature, to get close to people. So Malaysia being a multicultural and diverse [country] with a lot of natural environments, we felt that it’s a good thing for us to promote Malaysia.”

Malaysia has also gained fame in recent years, through its numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include Kinabalu Park and the Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley.

Green mobility has also become an integral part of tourism in Malaysia, with an increasing number of people using bikes to discover the country: “If you are a little more adventurous, we have the mountain back trails where you can cut across gazetted trails to see the natural attractions and the wildlife that we have in Malaysia,” says Hanif. “If you are not that adventurous, you’ll be looking for relaxing cycling. We also have countryside spots, where you can see all the scenery in a relaxing session.”

With more than 25,000 visitors at this IFTM trade show this year, Malaysia’s tourism board got to showcase the best the country and its people have to offer.

In partnership with Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. For more information about Malaysia, click here.