Macron’s trip – which saw France and Morocco sign deals worth an estimated €10 billion – has made clear which country is Paris’s preferred partner in North Africa.

That risks riling Algeria, which cut its diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021.

In July this year, the Algerian government recalled its ambassador from Paris after Macron publicly backed Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara. 

This week, the French president reiterated his support directly to King Mohammed VI on Moroccan soil. 

Algerian journalist Adlene Meddi told RFI that the intervention was likely to worsen relations between Paris and Algiers.

“France is sacrificing its relations with Algeria in a fairly brutal and spectacular manner,” he said, “and we are going to enter a new phase of crisis that will last much longer than other crises.”

‘Strategic interests’

The Algerian-backed Polisario Front has campaigned for decades for the independence of Western Sahara, which was occupied by Spain until 1975.

Morocco sought to lay claim to it the same year.

The United Nations considers Western Sahara a “non-self-governing territory” and has had a peacekeeping mission there since 1991 with the aim of organising a referendum on the territory’s future.

But Morocco has repeatedly rejected any vote in which independence is an option.

By backing Moroccan sovereignty, Macron “deliberately ignores the aspirations of the Sahrawi people“, Khalil Abdelmalek, an Algerian student of political sociology,” told RFI.

“French support for Morocco reinforces the image of France as a state ready to sacrifice the principles of justice for its strategic interests,” he argued.

France, Morocco sign deals worth €10bn on energy, infrastructure

Shifting alliances

Seeking to break away from French influence and isolate Morocco in the broader Arab world, Algeria is looking to build new alliances.

Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune travelled to Egypt this week for his first foreign trip after his re-election last September.

At a joint press conference on Monday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that Egyptian companies are ready to work on infrastructure and urban development projects in Algeria. Investments will also take place in the energy sector. 

After two days in Cairo, Tebboune travelled to Oman for a three-day state visit. 

Also in Algeria’s sights as privileged partners are Libya and Sudan, countries that are not close to Paris or Rabat.

Experts estimate that Paris has little to gain by neglecting Algeria, as it remains an essential partner in terms of human resources, migration and regional politics.

Algerians also form the largest diaspora living in France, with over 1,600,000 people, ahead of Moroccans (1,060,000) and Portuguese (640,000). 

Earlier this month, the French government notified the European Commission and six neighbouring states – Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain – that it would reintroduce border checks on land, air and sea routes from 1 November until at least April 2025.

It cited “serious threats to public policy, public order, and internal security posed by high-level terrorist activities, the growing presence of criminal networks facilitating irregular migration and smuggling, and migration flows that risk infiltration by radicalised individuals, as well as the irregular crossings on the Channel and North Sea borders, along with rising violence among migrants”.

The decision came as a surprise to many who have grown accustomed to free movement within the European Union’s so-called Schengen Zone.

Concerns are also being voiced about the practical implications of bringing back police checks, raising the spectre of delays at checkpoints and a potential backlog of cross-border travellers.

Widespread controls

While France has reinstated border checks several times since the creation of the Schengen Zone in 1995, such measures have typically been limited to specific routes.

The decision to apply them to all of its borders marks the most widespread resumption of controls to date.

Announcing the move on social media, France’s conservative new Prime Minister Michel Barnier said that the public “expects us to have an effective policy to control immigration”.

But rights organisations complain that France has repeatedly violated EU law by applying certain internal border controls since 2015, despite the Schengen Borders Code that says such controls should not exceed six months without “a new serious threat to public order”.

They also believe the EU is allowing France to continue its “misuse” of border controls under the guise of security, the justification Paris has given for retightening its borders several times since the 2015 terror attacks.

EU countries tighten border checks amid security and migration fears

Following Germany’s lead

France’s decision mirrors action taken by Germany to bolster border security earlier this year.

Saying it wanted to crack down on irregular migration, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government announced on 16 September the restoration of temporary controls on all land borders.

Since then vehicles have still continued to cross borders relatively freely, with random spot checks or targeted inspections.

Travellers have also been reminded to carry valid identification, such as a national identity card or EU passport, when crossing borders.

Hard line on immigration

In France, newly appointed Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has been vocal about tightening immigration policies.

He has cited rising terrorist activities and the increase of criminal networks associated with illegal immigration as pressing concerns for public order and internal security.

Earlier this week, the minister listed a series of measures to police prefects across France that are designed to “amplify and systemise” removal measures aimed at foreign nationals likely to pose a threat to public order in France.

French government to table new immigration law in early 2025

“This is an attack on academic freedom,” Vincent Geisser, director of the French Institute of Research and Study on the Arab and Islamic Worlds at Aix-Marseille University (Iremam), told press agencies.

Dupont, 27, was arrested on 19 October at his home in a suburb of Tunis.

His detention only came to light this week, his supporters having tried to negotiate his release out of the public eye. 

His parents travelled to Tunis a few days ago to discuss the case with France’s ambassador, according to media reports.

Geisser confirmed to RFI that the family had now set up a support committee to demand his release.

Dupont was in Tunisia to conduct sociological research on the country’s 2011 protests.

One of his friends, Edouard Matalon, a librarian visiting from Paris, was also arrested but released the same day after questioning.

According to Matalon, another of their friends, who has dual French-Tunisian nationality, also remains in custody.

Neither Tunisian or French authorities were immediately available for comment. 

‘Exceptional’ measures

After being detained, Dupont was “taken to an interrogation centre, placed in custody, and the same day brought before a military judge”, Geisser said in a press release, calling the last measure “exceptional” for a French student.

Dupont, who started his PhD in 2022, hoped his interviews would provide material for a paper on the social and career paths of “people who might have been active during the 2011 revolution” that toppled longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, according to his supervisor.

“It is not a political topic linked to dissidents or opponents or a security topic, but a typical sociology topic,” Geisser added, calling for his student to be released.

Civil liberties eroded

Dupont’s arrest comes against a backdrop of worsening civil liberties in Tunisia, which recently voted in a presidential election marred by a crackdown on the opposition, independent activists and journalists.

Fear and resignation ahead of Tunisia’s ‘lopsided’ presidential polls

President Kais Saied was re-elected with more than 90 percent of votes, three years after he made a sweeping power grab.

Rights groups fear Saied will tighten his grip on Tunisia, considered the only democracy to have emerged from the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

Amnesty International has documented a significant rollback of human rights in the country, especially in the last couple of years.

(with newswires)

Together with police, Paris city hall launched investigations two years ago to discover how long the 2.1 million people who live in the capital could go without vital supplies.

In a study published this week, urbanism experts at the Atelier Parisien d’Urbanisme (Apur) found the city would could last a week at the most – slightly longer, in fact, than previously estimated.

“Supply disruption had been identified as a major risk, but the authorities had no reliable data on food resilience,” Pénélope Komites, deputy mayor in charge of resilience, told French news agency AFP after the publication of Apur’s analysis on Tuesday.

“We were talking about three days’ self-sufficiency without knowing where this figure came from. Knowing that it is between five and seven days is a bit more reassuring,” she said.

Emergency food stores

Apur estimates that with an average of 1.45 kg of food eaten per person per day, 3,090 tonnes of food are needed to feed the 2,146,000 residents of Paris and provide 6.5 million meals a day.

Its survey first looked at where food is stored in normal times. Researchers found three main places: household cupboards (containing between 36 hours and five days of reserves on average), shops and community catering (two days of reserves) and food logistics warehouses (also two days).

The study suggests establishing basement storage spaces around the city. Land and depots such as warehouses, car parks and exhibition centres should also be designated to store more foodstuffs, it says.

The study equally highlights another significant problem: 95 percent of foodstuffs arrive in Paris by truck. It suggests increasing the use of the river and railways to bring in supplies in an emergency.

The report adds: “The aim of these measures is to ensure the security of the food supply, particularly for resident populations in the event of a one-off crisis that disrupts or slows down the supply chain.”

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Hundred-day goal

City officials are also weighing the feasibility of creating a second wholesale food market in the north of the city to complement the massive Rungis market on its south-eastern fringes. 

In 2022, Paris city chiefs published an action plan to counter a range of problems likely to be faced in the coming decade, including “social, economic, territorial and cultural divides, geopolitical tensions, climate disruption [and] dwindling natural resources”.

“Faced with the challenges of the 21st century, Paris is demonstrating its resilience,” the strategy says. “Resilience means putting in place solutions to better anticipate and overcome any crises that may arise.”

As part of that goal, they want the capital’s population to be able to hold out for 100 days in the event of an emergency.

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An exceptionally powerful Mediterranean storm from Tuesday unleashed heavy rains and torrents of mud-filled water that swept away people and wrecked homes, with the eastern Valencia region hit hardest.

The body coordinating rescue work in the Valencia region announced that 155 bodies had been recovered there by Thursday afternoon.

Officials in Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia had announced a combined three deaths in their regions on Wednesday.

With many people still missing and some areas remaining inaccessible to rescuers, government ministers had warned Wednesday’s provisional toll of 95 was likely to rise.

“Please, stay at home… follow the calls of the emergency services,” pleaded Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

“Right now the most important thing is to save as many lives as possible,” Sanchez told residents of the eastern Valencia and Castellon provinces.

King Felipe VI warned the emergency was “still not over” and national weather service AEMET put parts of eastern and southern regions on high alert levels for rain on Thursday.

Flags flew at half-mast on government buildings and minutes of silence were observed nationwide at the start of three days of national mourning after Spain’s deadliest floods in decades.

Eliu Sanchez, a resident of a suburb of Valencia city, recalled how the merciless currents snatched a man who tried to take refuge on a car.

“I have been told of people who were clinging to trees, but the force made them let go and they were carried away, calling for help. Trucks, everything was going from here to there,” said Sanchez, 32.

Death toll from Spanish floods mounts as torrential rains persist

‘Catastrophe’

Emergency services backed by drones and more than 1,200 troops combed mud-caked towns and villages to find survivors and clear roads of debris.

Abandoned vehicles lay piled on top of each other like dominoes and some residents grabbed planks of wood to plough through layers of thick, sticky mud, AFP journalists saw in the Valencia region.

In Paiporta, a suburb of Valencia city at the epicentre of the damage, 27-year-old musician David Romero lamented a “catastrophe”.

“Neighbourhood after neighbourhood, street after street, there is not a business standing,” he told AFP.

Hundreds of people are being sheltered in temporary accommodation while road and rail transport have been severely disrupted.

It could take up to three weeks to reopen the high-speed line between Madrid and Valencia, Transport Minister Oscar Puente wrote on X.

‘Nobody warned’

Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the length, frequency and intensity of extreme weather events that are increasingly unpredictable and difficult to control.

The political fallout of the disaster started to rumble on Thursday after doubts were raised about the adequacy of warning systems.

Romero said the warnings in Paiporta only arrived when the local river was already overflowing and catching people off guard in the streets, a complaint echoed by 21-year-old Joaquin Rigon.

“Nobody warned of anything… they took out the owner of the bar here dead, drowned, chaos,” Rigon told AFP.

The conservative head of the Valencia region had appeared to shift responsibility to the left-wing central government on Wednesday.

But the interior ministry criticised “erroneous information” on Thursday and said the regions, which have wide powers in Spain’s decentralised political system, are responsible for managing civil protection procedures in emergencies.

(AFP)

Among 20 new measures announced this week, the FFR also plans to introduce drug and alcohol testing. Alcohol is now banned at the national rugby centre in Marcoussis, in stadiums and in changing rooms.

“These are places where players are meant to develop their physical and tactical abilities to the best of their ability,” said FFR vice president Jean-Marc Lhermet.

“The consumption of alcohol is not authorised.”

The decision comes as the French squad began their autumn training sessions at Marcoussis, south of Paris, earlier this week.

Series of scandals

The focus on discipline comes in the wake of a series of high-profile incidents that rocked the French team this year.

In July, fullback Melvyn Jaminet received a 34-week suspension over a racist social media post during their tour in Argentina.

During the same tour, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou were arrested on allegations of sexual assault, which they denied, claiming the encounters were consensual.

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In August, tragedy struck the under-18 French team when player Medhi Narjissi was swept away by a rip tide while swimming in South Africa. His body was never recovered.

National team coach Fabien Galthie has said his players have backed the measures.

“We did a questionnaire, and all the players said yes,” he said. “It was a logical and coherent development in relation to what had happened.”

France are scheduled to play Japan, New Zealand and Argentina next month. 

Eugene Rwamucyo, 65, was accused of aiding his country’s then authorities to disseminate anti-Tutsi propaganda and of participating in mass murder by attempting to destroy evidence of genocide.

Rwamucyo’s trial was the eighth in France relating to the genocide in 1994, when an estimated 800,000 people – mostly ethnic Tutsis – were slaughtered by the Hutu majority.

The former doctor, who practised medicine in France and Belgium after leaving his country, was found guilty of complicity in genocide, complicity in crimes against humanity and conspiring to prepare those crimes.

He was acquitted of charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Prosecutors had asked for 30 years in jail.

In his final statement ahead of the verdict Rwamucyo insisted he was innocent.

“I assure you that I did not order the killing of survivors or allow survivors to be killed,” Rwamucyo said.

“I understand the suffering of those who are still looking for their loved ones… but I cannot help them,” he added.

France puts Rwandan doctor on trial for alleged role in 1994 genocide

‘One can kill with words’

Prosecuting lawyer Nicolas Peron had said Rwamucyo should be acquitted on the charge of crimes against humanity, saying there was no evidence to show Rwamucyo himself committed summary executions or acts of torture.

But he said in his closing statement the accused should not “escape his responsibilities” as “one can kill with words”.

Rwamucyo, who grew up in a Hutu family, was approached by anti-Tutsi militants in the late 1980s after his return from studying in Russia, according to prosecutors, who accuse him of then spreading anti-Tutsi propaganda.

While teaching at university, he also participated in the execution of wounded patients and helped bury them in mass graves “in a final effort to destroy evidence of genocide”, the prosecution said, quoting witness statements.

His lawyers say Rwamucyo denies any wrongdoing and argues the accusations are based on his opposition to the current Rwandan government.

His participation in the burial of bodies in mass graves was motivated by the wish to avoid a “health crisis” that would have occurred if they had been left out in the open, the lawyers said.

Following an international arrest warrant issued by Rwanda, Rwamucyo was detained in May 2010 by French police following a tip-off by his colleagues in the Maubeuge hospital in northern France, where he was working at the time.

“He was openly anti-Tutsi and publicly expressed his support for the genocidal government,” said Emmanuel Daoud, a lawyer for LDH and FIDH, two human rights organisations who are among the plaintiffs.

In December 2023, a French court sentenced another former doctor, Sosthene Munyemana, to 24 years in prison for his involvement in the 1994 genocide.

(AFP)

Chouviat, 42, died during a police arrest in January 2020, repeatedly saying: “I’m suffocating”.

The three officers – aged 28, 33 and 38 – were not stood down and continue to perform their duties. They were placed under formal investigation for involuntary manslaughter in 2020 while an investigating judge looked into the case.

A fourth officer, a policewoman, was placed under the more favourable status of “assisted witness” and escapes prosecution.

The prosecutor’s request, made public on Tuesday, seeks to bring the three officers before a criminal court on the charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The information was confirmed by a source close to the case, following an initial report from the investigative website Mediapart.

The decision to send the officers to trial rests with the investigating judge.

Riots in France’s banlieues are over for now, but deep-rooted anger remains

Emblematic case

The case of Chouviat, a delivery man and father of five, became emblematic of police violence in France.

He was pinned to the ground during a police check in Paris, still wearing his motorcycle helmet.

According to reports, Chouviat was restrained and handcuffed behind his back for one and a half minutes without the officers checking his condition.

Witness footage reportedly shows Chouviat’s legs moving up and down before he fainted. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died two days later, on 5 January.

Revelations from the forensic report showed that Chouviat said “I’m suffocating” nine times in 13 seconds before losing consciousness.

His pleas were similar to those of George Floyd, an African-American man who died during an arrest in Minneapolis in May 2020 – a case that fuelled the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States.

French police questioned over death of Paris delivery man during arrest

Warning signs unnoticed

Throughout the investigation, the police officers claimed they had believed Chouviat was “continuously rebelling” against his arrest.

“If we had heard the expression ‘I’m suffocating’ even once, we would have stopped,” one officer testified to the judge in July 2020.

However, witnesses interpreted Chouviat’s actions as signs of distress, and footage shows the officers continuing regardless.

Investigators noted the officers were trained to recognise such warning signs.

For the Chouviat family’s lawyers, an involuntary manslaughter charge does not fully capture the intent behind the actions.

“A strangulation hold is by nature deliberate,” said family lawyer Arié Alimi, adding: “If the charge remains involuntary manslaughter, the risk of acquittal is high.”

According to a UN report released on Wednesday, 1,223 people were killed and 522 injured as a result of gang violence and the fight against gangs.

“This represents a 32 percent drop in killings and injuries compared with the first quarter, but an increase of 27 percent compared with the second quarter,” it said.

Almost half of the deaths were attributed to gangs, but some 45 percent were reportedly the result of law enforcement operations.

“At least 106 extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions were carried out by law enforcement officials … Among the victims were six children aged approximately ten years old,” the report said.

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The report also highlighted a 40 percent increase in the number of acts of violence committed by self-defence groups or unorganised members of the population, known as the “Bwa Kale” vigilante movement.

They made up some 8 percent of the overall killings.

At “least 122 individuals – either presumed gang members or accused of common crimes, including animal or telephone theft – were killed with extreme brutality by the population,” the report stated.

“During these incidents, victims were mutilated with machetes, stoned, decapitated, burned alive or buried alive,” it continued.

“Children were not spared. One of the most violent incidents took place in the locality of Les Palmes, in the commune of Petit Goave, where, on 5 September, a 15-year-old boy, accused of stealing a pig, was hit with a machete before being buried alive.”

The report also said 170 people were kidnapped during those months and the persistent use of sexual violence against women and girls continues.

The Auteuil stand at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris will be partially closed for one match to punish fans over homophobic chants during a recent match against Strasbourg.

The sanction takes effect from 5 November, so the stand will be fully open for PSG’s match against Lens this Saturday, but remain shut when PSG hosts Toulouse on 22 November.

On 19 October, the team’s so-called “Ultras” fans chanted homophobic slogans for around 10 minutes during a match against Strasbourg.

The slogans were taken up by a large part of the crowd at Parc des Princes. The stadium announcer intervened twice to stop them, to no avail. 

PSG fans face scrutiny after alleged homophobic chants during Strasbourg clash

Ringleaders identified

Five days after the match, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced that two ringleaders who initiated the chant had been identified. No arrests have been made, however.

Following the chants, PSG “reaffirmed its commitment against all forms of discrimination, including homophobia”, adding that it was taking “all necessary measures, before and during matches, to ensure that the Parc des Princes remains an inclusive venue for all”.

Last week, a meeting dedicated to tackling homophobia was held at the Ministry of the Interior with the French football authorities and Sports Minister Gil Avérous. 

France vows ‘firm response’ to homophobic chants at football match

It was pointed out that in the event of homophobic chanting, a match should be stopped, as set out in a Fifa circular dating back to the 2019-20 season. 

But this measure was criticised by Retailleau, who favoured a “temporary interruption”.

“If there are homophobic chants,” he said, ”the sporting movement must take its responsibilities, there must be a temporary interruption. Stopping matches is very complicated, it’s not the right solution.”

In 2023, the LFP’s Disciplinary Committee also sanctioned PSG for similar offences by closing the tribune completely for one match and one match suspended.

Bajolet is alleged to have instructed agents working for the DGSE, which he led from 2013 to 2017, to pressure entrepreneur Alain Duménil, with whom the agency was engaged in a lengthy dispute.

Duménil claims he was detained at a Paris airport as he prepared to board a flight and threatened with harm to himself and his family unless he handed over 15 million euros, an account the DGSE contests.

Now a judge has ruled there is sufficient evidence to try Bajolet for complicity in attempted extortion over the 2016 incident, according to a ruling seen on Tuesday by the news agency AFP. 

It orders him to appear in criminal court outside Paris, where he will face the charge of “arbitrary infringement of individual liberty as a holder of public authority”.

Shadowy fortune

The case has provided a rare glimpse into the financial interests of the DGSE, which is entrusted with managing a war chest designed to secure the state in the event of a national emergency. 

Seeded by the damages paid to France after World War I, the capital was kept separate from the agency’s operational budget and placed in investments that helped it grow substantially over the decades.

But by the turn of the century, with little external oversight to monitor them, the DGSE’s investments had turned risky and were losing it considerable sums, according to an investigation by Le Monde. 

Seeking to extricate itself from loss-making companies and recover its funds, the service entered into a deal to exchange shares with Duménil in the early 2000s.

But the French-Swiss businessman – who has since been sanctioned for tax fraud and other wrongdoing – promptly transferred the remaining assets and liquidated their holding companies, leaving the DGSE with now worthless shares.

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‘You robbed the government’

The agency pursued the case in the courts for over a decade, but failed to recoup a loss it estimates at some 15 million euros.

In March 2016, Duménil alleges, the DGSE resorted to shadier means.

According to statements to investigators seen by Le Monde, he claims he was stopped by border police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and handed over to two plain-clothes DGSE agents.

“‘You robbed the government of 13 million, which today makes 15 million with interest’,” Duménil said one of the agents told him. “‘You have to give it back to us’… He was very threatening, talking about me ending up in a wheelchair or worse.” 

The businessman says the agents also showed him pictures of his family and friends: “They wanted to make me understand that they could also go after any of these people.” 

Spy agency on trial

Duménil was allowed to leave and subsequently filed a complaint, which has been dismissed several times but allowed to stand on appeal. 

While the identity of the DGSE agents remains classified, director Bajolet was indicted in late 2022 for allegedly ordering their actions. 

A career diplomat, he acknowledges approving the plan to intercept Duménil at the airport, but told investigators he did not give detailed instructions and hoped only to revive discussions between each side’s lawyers. 

The DGSE denies Duménil was ever detained or threatened. It has not commented on the latest developments in the case.

Bajolet’s trial, for which a date has not yet been set, threatens to bring the agency further scrutiny.

After the judge’s ruling on 23 October, Duménil’s lawyers William Bourdon and Nicolas Huc-Morel said in a statement: “Beyond the trial of Bernard Bajolet, this will be the trial of the DGSE and the twisting of its work to private ends.”

French military spy agency celebrates 30th birthday as war rages on

Georgia’s opposition immediately raised objections that the Prosecutor’s Office would not conduct an independent investigation because its head was appointed by the parliament, which is dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Georgian Dream – which has deepened the country’s ties with Russia – declared victory in Saturday’s election after authorities said it won about 54 percent of the vote with almost all ballots counted.

The balloting was seen by many Georgians as a choice between continuing to support the ruling party or seeking closer integration with the European Union.

European observers said the election took place in a “divisive” environment marked by intimidation and instances of vote-buying, double voting and physical violence.

Georgian observers also reported multiple violations and said the results do not reflect “the will of the Georgian people”.

The EU and United States have called for a full and transparent investigation of the alleged violations.

Opposition protests in Tbilisi

This comes as thousands of people rallied outside the parliament building Monday night to hear opposition speakers, including President Salome Zourabichvili, denounce what they called a stolen election.

The nation of just under four million people – which lies between Russia and Turkey – was granted EU candidate status in 2022, but Brussels halted the process indefinitely after the parliament, dominated by Georgian Dream, adopted a “foreign influence law,” similar to ones enacted in Russia to crack down on dissent.

The party was set up by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister but has stayed out of public view since 2013.

The investigation was requested by the Central Election Commission, and Zourabichvili was summoned for questioning Thursday about the allegations.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office others “who may possess information related to the alleged criminal act” also would be questioned.

Election officials also have announced a partial recount of ballots cast at a number of polling stations, aimed at addressing some of the accusations.

It isn’t clear when that will be completed, with a CEC statement saying ballots from five polling stations randomly selected in each election district will be recounted.

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‘Nobody can be fooled’

However, Salome Samadashvili of the opposition Strong Georgia coalition, questioned whether the Prosecutor’s office was independent of Ivanishvili’s influence.

“If somebody thinks that they can fool the Georgian people or our international partners into believing that Bidzina will investigate his own election fraud, they are mistaken. Nobody can be fooled,” Samadashvili said.

“That is why we are saying that the investigation should be conducted by an international mission with the adequate mandate and qualifications. Until this is done, this election cannot and will not have legitimacy or trust,” she added.

President Zourabichvili – who has a mostly ceremonial role – suggested that “Russian elections” were held in the country, and said “technology was used to whitewash counterfeiting. Such a thing has never happened before.”

However, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of Georgian Dream, has urged Zourabichvili to turn over evidence of vote-rigging and has concluded that she has none.

A 180-page report by the Ministry of Territorial Administration examined 211 parties, ordering 53 dissolved and 54 suspended for three months.

Another 67 parties were placed under observation, being given three months to provide the appropriate documents to the ministry. If they fail to comply, they face suspension.

Thirty-seven parties were not assessed.

“The end result is that for the 53 parties dissolved, there are illegible registrations or registrations with falsified signatures of ministers,” said Camara Touré Djénabou, who coordinates civil status reforms at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation.

Some parties, she added, date back to the early 1990s and have never held a bank account.

Djénabou said that parties under observation scored at least 70 percent on compliance but need to meet the remaining 30 percent in the coming three months.

‘Necessary clean up’

The department’s minister, Ibrahim Khalila Condé, defended the survey as a necessary “clean-up” of Guinea’s political arena.

However, critics argue it’s a move to exclude key figures like ousted president Alpha Condé, former presidential candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo, and former prime minister Sidya Touré, all of whom are currently in exile.

“We at the UFDG have always said that the ministry evaluates the entities for which it is responsible,” Souleymane de Souza Konaté, a spokesperson for the Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG), told RFI.

“It is in this capacity that we lent ourselves to the exercise because we found it legitimate.”

Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who took power in September 2021, has pledged to restore civilian rule by the end of 2024.

Since he seized control, many political opponents have faced arrest or exile.

The junta has banned demonstrations, dissolved a collective calling for the return of civilians to power and withdrawn some private media licences.

Dramatic videos shared overnight show people trapped by floodwaters, with some climbing trees to avoid being swept away.

Carlos Mazon, Valencia’s regional leader, said some residents remain isolated in areas that are currently unreachable.

“If [emergency services] have not arrived, it’s not due to a lack of means or predisposition, but a problem of access,” Mazon said, adding that reaching certain places was “absolutely impossible”.

Travel warnings

Regional emergency services have urged citizens to avoid road travel and stay informed through official channels.

Train routes to Madrid and Barcelona have been suspended, while schools and other essential services in the worst-hit areas remain closed.

Footage on social media shows firefighters rescuing drivers stranded in flooded streets in the town of Alzira.

Spain’s UME military unit, specialised in rescue operations, has been deployed to assist local emergency workers.

Spain’s weather agency AEMET has issued a red alert in Valencia, a major citrus-growing region, with some areas recording up to 200mm of rainfall.

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Climate change

The death toll appears to be the worst in Europe from flooding since 2021, when almost 200 people died, mainly in Germany.

Scientists say extreme weather events in the region are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

Meteorologists believe the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.

The rain has reportedly subsided in Valencia, but more storms are forecast through Thursday.

Humbert, seeded 15th, enjoyed a straight sets win over the 31-year-old American Marcos Giron.

Fils also progressed in straight sets. He saw off the experienced German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last-16 for the first time at the Paris Masters.

Arthur Rinderknech, who came through the qualifying rounds and Adrian Mannarino, who was given an invitation by the tournament organisers into the main draw, also advanced with wins over Alex Michelsen and Zizou Bergs respectively.

Bergs, who emerged from the qualifying round, claimed the first set 6-3. But Mannarino swept through the second 6-2. And he edged the decider 6-4 to set up a clash with Jordan Thompson from Australia.

“I think Arthur and Hugo have been playing at a really high level for a few months now,” said Mannarino.

“It’s almost logical that they’re at this stage. For lower-ranked players like me and Rinderknech, it’s a pleasant surprise to find ourselves at this stage.”

There was disappointment though for the partisans at the Accor Arena in Bercy.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – who claimed the most prestigious title of his career last weekend at the ATP500 event in Basel – lost in three sets to the Russian Karen Khachanov.

The 2018 champion secured his berth in the third round 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.

“‘It’s an end-of-year tournament,” added Mannarino. “So there are quite a few withdrawals and sometimes tables open up.

“You have to seize those opportunities and of course it’s great for French tennis to have some good players back in the middle of the week, which hasn’t been happening recently.”

The Swedish furniture company formally committed to the fund on Wednesday, handing a declaration of intent to Evelyn Zupke, Germany’s commissioner for the victims of East Germany’s communist-era injustices.

The agreement comes after “close exchanges over several years” between Ikea, the victims’ organisation UOKG and Zupke, who became the government commissioner on the issue in 2021.

“For me, Ikea’s commitment to supporting the hardship fund is an expression of a responsible approach to the dark chapters of the company’s history,” Zupke said. 

Ikea first acknowledged in 2012, after an independent investigation, that some of its suppliers in East Germany had employed political prisoners to produce goods for the company in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

“We deeply regret that products for Ikea were also produced by political prisoners,” said Walter Kadnar, the head of Ikea in Germany.

• Former Ikea France executives in court to challenge spying convictions
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When it took office in 2021, Germany’s three-way coalition government pledged to establish a hardship fund for victims of crimes committed under the East German government before German unification in 1990.

The German parliament is due to vote on the establishment of the fund in the coming weeks.

Kadnar said Ikea had long ago assured the people affected that it would atone for the mistreatment they faced. 

“We therefore welcome the implementation of the hardship fund and are pleased to be able to keep our promise,” he said.

The report was released as heatwaves, fires, hurricanes, droughts and floods have lashed the world during what is expected to surpass 2023 to become the hottest year on record.

It also comes just weeks before the United Nations Cop29 talks are held in Azerbaijan – and days before a US election that could see climate change sceptic Donald Trump return to the White House.

The eighth Lancet Countdown on health and climate change, developed by 122 experts including from UN agencies such as the World Health Organization, painted a dire picture of death and delay.

Out of 15 indicators that the experts have been tracking over the last eight years, 10 have “reached concerning new records,” the report said.

These included the increasing extreme weather events, elderly deaths from heat, spread of infectious diseases, and people going without food as droughts and floods hit crops.

Lancet Countdown executive director Marina Romanello told AFP the report showed there are “record threats to the health and survival of people in every country, to levels we have never seen before”.

‘Fuelling the fire’

The number of over-65s who died from heat has risen by 167 percent since the 1990s, the report said.

Rising temperatures have also increased the area where mosquitoes roam, taking deadly diseases with them.

Last year saw a new record of over five million cases of dengue worldwide, the report noted.

Around five percent of the world’s tree cover was destroyed between 2016 and 2022, reducing Earth’s capacity to capture the carbon dioxide humans are emitting.

Why extinguishing Africa’s dirty cooking fuel crisis is a global priority

It also tracked how oil and gas companies – as well as some governments and banks – were “fuelling the fire” of climate change.

Despite decades of warnings, global emissions of the main greenhouse gases rose again last year, the World Meteorological Organisation said earlier this week.

Large oil and gas companies, which have been posting record profits, have increased fossil fuel production since last year, the report said.

Many countries also handed out fresh subsidies to fossil fuels to counteract soaring oil and gas prices after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Fossil fuel subsidies amounted to $1.4 trillion in 2022, which is “vastly more than any source of commitments to enable a transition to a healthier future,” Romanello said.

‘No more time to waste’

But there were also “some very encouraging signs of progress,” she added.

For example, deaths from fossil fuel-related air pollution fell by nearly seven percent to 2.10 million from 2016 to 2021, mainly due to efforts to reduce pollution from burning coal, the report said.

The share of clean renewables used to generate electricity nearly doubled over the same period to 10.5 percent, it added.

And there are signs that climate negotiations are paying more attention to health, Romanello said, pointing to the Cop talks and national climate plans to be submitted early next year.

“If action is not taken today, the future will be very dangerous,” she warned.

“There is really no more time to waste – I know we have been saying this for many years – but what we are seeing is that the wasted time has been paid in lives.”

For people at home, Romanello advised a climate-friendly diet, travelling without burning dirty energy, ditching banks that invest in fossil fuels and voting for politicians promising greater action on global warming.

The organisation – which has been reporting on homeless deaths in France since 2012 – says the number of people who died on the streets last year increased significantly from 2022, when 624 people were reported deceased. 

However, the association points out that the latest figures should be interpreted with caution, as a significant proportion of deaths have not been included in their study, as it is difficult to know precisely how many homeless people there are in France. 

According to the Abbé Pierre Foundation, there are around 330,000 homeless in France, while the latest official estimate from France’s INSEE statistics institute – dating from in 2012 – put the number at 143,000.

For 2023, the collective counted 735 homeless people who had died – a total that could be revised upwards to 826 if the study were to include people who were no longer on the streets, but had been homeless during their lives. 

• More than 2,000 children in France still sleeping rough: Unicef
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Limited life expectancy

Les Morts de la Rue has also underlined that the average age of the people who died is 49 – almost 30 years younger than the general population.

The vast majority of deaths involved men, although the proportion of women has also increased.. 

Nearly a third of deaths took place in public places, followed by care centres – up on previous years – indicating the difficulty homeless people face when trying to access care or being cared for at the end of life.

Some 22 percent of deaths were due to external causes – such as transport accidents or assault – while less than one percent of deaths were linked to the consumption of alcohol or drugs.

The group has also be critical of a number of government measures that penalise homeless people, such as the law against illegal occupation of housing and police orders banning food distribution in certain districts of Paris and Calais.

For the first time, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) faces strong opposition bolstered by former president Ian Khama, who is campaigning against Masisi after a bitter public fallout.

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana declared independence on 30 September 1966, adopting a democratic system. The BDP has held power since then, with independence leader Seretse Khama as its first president.

The current BDP candidate, 60-year-old Masisi, was selected by Khama’s son Ian, who was president from 2008 to 2018, to succeed him when he reached his two-term limit.

One of four presidential candidates, he’s the favourite to win the election, which is open to one million registered voters.

Masisi, a US-educated former school teacher, won the 2019 polls with 52 percent of the vote. Shortly after taking office, he reversed several of Khama’s policies, including lifting a ban on trophy hunting, and removed the intelligence chief, a key Khama ally.

It was the start of a long, public feud.

Return from exile

After a self-imposed exile in South Africa, Khama returned to Botswana six weeks ago, calling his decision to hand power to Masisi in 2018 a “mistake”.

Unable to run for president himself, Khama has thrown his support behind the opposition, particularly the populist Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), whose presidential candidate, 57-year-old Mephato Reatile, is a long-time Khama ally.

However, the BPF’s influence is limited to certain regions and lacks the national reach of other parties.

The main opposition alliance aiming to unseat the ruling BDP is the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), a coalition of left-leaning parties which took nearly 36 percent of the vote in the 2019 elections.

The UDC went to court to have the results thrown out over “irregularities” but the case was dismissed.

Its presidential candidate is the 54-year-old human rights lawyer Duma Boko, also leader of the Botswana National Front.

Boko has put the creation of “meaningful, decent, well-paying jobs” at the centre of his campaign and raised questions about the transparency of the election commission.

Finally, there is Dumelang Saleshando, 53, who heads the social democratic Botswana Congress Party (BCP) which won 15 percent in 2019, when it was part of the UDC.

It quit the coalition in 2023, complaining of internal dysfunction, in a blow to the opposition’s chances on Wednesday.

Unemployment surge

With the opposition divided, Masisi is still expected to win, despite rising discontent at the end of his first term.

Under Masisi, Botswana’s economic growth has shrunk, suffering from weakened demand for diamonds amid competition from lab-grown stones.

Diamonds constitute the country’s main source of income, representing 30 percent of GDP and 80 percent of its exports.

Unemployment has surged past 25 percent this year, with young people particularly affected, while the disparity between rich and poor is among the highest in the world, according to the World Bank.

Many have also critcised Masisi’s close relationship with Zimbabwe’s authoritarian president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom the opposition alleged was interfering ahead of voting day.

(with AFP)

The extra taxes of up to 35 percent were announced Tuesday after an EU probe found Chinese state subsidies were undercutting European automakers, but the move has faced opposition from Germany and Hungary, which fear provoking Beijing‘s ire and setting off a bitter trade war.

China slammed Brussels’s decision on Wednesday morning, saying it did not “agree with or accept” the tariffs and had filed a complaint under the World Trade Organization‘s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism.

“China will… take all necessary measures to firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” Beijing’s commerce ministry said.

EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said Tuesday that “by adopting these proportionate and targeted measures after a rigorous investigation, we’re standing up for fair market practices and for the European industrial base”.

“We welcome competition, including in the electric vehicle sector, but it must be underpinned by fairness and a level playing field,” he said.

French cognac hit hard by Chinese anti-dumping measures

But Germany’s main auto industry association warned the tariffs heightened the risk of “a far-reaching trade conflict”, while a Chinese trade group slammed the “politically motivated” decision even as it urged dialogue between the two sides.

The duties will come on top of the current 10 percent on imports of electric vehicles from China.

The decision became law following its publication in the EU’s official journal on Tuesday, and the duties will enter into force from Wednesday.

Once they do, the tariffs will be definitive and last for five years.

The extra duties also apply, at various rates, to vehicles made in China by foreign groups such as Tesla, which faces a tariff of 7.8 percent.

Chinese car giant Geely — one of the country’s largest sellers of EVs — faces an extra duty of 18.8 percent, while SAIC will be hit with the highest at 35.3 percent.

Ailing companies

The tariffs do not have the support of the majority of the EU’s 27 member states but in a vote early this month, the opposition was not enough to block them, which would have required at least 15 states representing 65 percent of the bloc’s population.

The EU launched the probe in a bid to protect its automobile industry, which employs around 14 million people.

France, which pushed for the investigation, welcomed the decision.

“The European Union is taking a crucial decision to protect and defend our trade interests, at a time when our car industry needs our support more than ever,” French Finance Minister Antoine Armand said in a statement.

EU, China hold ‘constructive’ talks on electric vehicle tariffs but still no agreement

But Europe‘s bigger carmakers, including German auto titan Volkswagen, have criticised the EU’s approach and have urged Brussels to resolve the issue through talks.

The extra tariffs are “a step backwards for free global trade and thus for prosperity, job preservation and growth in Europe”, the German Association of the Automotive Industry’s president Hildegard Mueller said on Tuesday after the announcement.

Volkswagen, which has been hit hard by rising competition in China, has previously said the tariffs would not improve the competitiveness of the European automotive industry.

That warning came weeks before the ailing giant announced plans on Monday to close at least three factories in Germany and cull tens of thousands of jobs.

Retaliatory moves

Talks continue between the EU and China, and the duties can be lifted if they reach a satisfactory agreement, but officials on both sides have pointed to differences.

Discussions have been focused on minimum prices that would replace the duties and force carmakers in China to sell vehicles at a certain cost to offset subsidies.

“We remain open to a possible alternative solution that would be effective in addressing the problems identified and WTO-compatible,” Dombrovskis said.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU urged Brussels and Beijing “to accelerate talks on establishing minimum prices and, ultimately, to eliminate these tariffs”.

The EU could now face Chinese retaliation, with Beijing already saying on October 8 it would impose provisional tariffs on European brandy.

Beijing has also launched probes into EU subsidies of some dairy and pork products imported into China.

Trade tensions between China and the EU are not limited to electric cars, with Brussels also investigating Chinese subsidies for solar panels and wind turbines.

The EU is not alone in levying heavy tariffs on Chinese electric cars.

Canada and the United States have in recent months imposed much higher tariffs of 100 percent on Chinese electric car imports.

The explosive growth of generative artificial intelligence, which creates content like text, images, audio and synthetic data, is expected to add millions of metric tonnes of electronic waste annually by the end of the decade, a study in Nature Computational Science has said.

This rise in e-waste is due to the rapid expansion of AI applications and data centres, which demand frequent upgrades of high-performance computing hardware.

Short life cycles for advanced processors and storage equipment mean devices are replaced often to meet rising demand, resulting in a surge of discarded electronics.

If left unchecked, researchers warn that e-waste could spiral, further contributing to environmental pollution and resource depletion worldwide.

Resource-intensive

Generative AI models, such as large language models, are highly resource-intensive, requiring powerful servers, processors and storage solutions to operate effectively.

As big-tech companies race to develop more sophisticated models and hardware, e-waste from discarded equipment is piling up.

At the current adoption rate, e-waste from generative AI could reach between 1.2 and 5 million metric tonnes annually by 2030 – a thousand-fold increase over today’s levels.

Researchers estimate that this jump in waste is largely tied to applications like ChatGPT, which run on hardware with an expected lifespan of only two to five years.

AI-related e-waste often contains hazardous materials like lead, chromium and mercury, which pose severe health and environmental risks if not properly managed. Globally, just over 12 percent of e-waste is recycled.

• AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn

Towards a circular economy

To address the rising tide of e-waste, researchers recommend moving towards a circular economy by extending hardware life, remanufacturing components and recycling materials from old devices.

Implementing these practices could reduce AI-related e-waste by up to 86 percent.

Asaf Tzachor, co-author of the Nature report, told the MIT Technology Review that extending the lifespan of technology by using equipment for longer is one of the most effective ways to reduce e-waste.

“Refurbishing and reusing components can also play a significant role, as can designing hardware in ways that make it easier to recycle and upgrade,” Tzachor said.

“For companies and manufacturers, taking responsibility for the environmental and social impacts of their products is crucial. This way, we can make sure that the technology we rely on doesn’t come at the expense of human and planetary health.”

This shift would require grassroots e-waste collection and recycling initiatives to keep valuable metals – like gold, copper, and silver – out of landfills. By refurbishing older devices and designing easily recyclable hardware, tech companies can help curb AI’s environmental impact.

• AI steals spotlight from Nobel winners who highlight Its power and risks

Barriers to reducing e-waste

Reducing e-waste generated by artificial intelligence is not without its challenges.

Data security is a major barrier, as companies often destroy used devices to protect sensitive information. Secure data erasure technology could allow for safe reuse without compromising privacy.

Recycling also remains expensive due to the cost of safely handling hazardous materials, even though recycled metals hold significant economic value.

The Global E-Waste Monitor estimates that only 22 percent of electronic trash is formally recycled, with much of it ending up in informal recycling systems in lower-income countries, where safe processing methods are usually unavailable.

This looming crisis calls for sustainable AI development. According to the Nature report, as AI technologies advance, manufacturers and companies need to take responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their products.

Researchers say industry standards for sustainable hardware use and cross-border cooperation in waste management will be key to addressing the issue.

Libya resumed oil exports this month after a pause caused by a dispute over control of the country’s central bank, which oversees oil exports.

“This was a serious crisis,” said Jalel Harchaoui from the Royal United Services Institute. “And while it’s partly fixed, there are still issues that need attention.”

The row between Libya’s two rival administrations which led to the temporary halt, was only resolved by intense negotiations, but Harchaoui claims the conflict’s repercussions continue.

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

“A lot of players, including armed groups in Tripoli, are trying to take advantage of whatever has happened over the last several weeks. So I’m not describing a scenario of war, but I’m describing a more volatile environment,” he said.

Turkish-Egyptian relations

However, a recent rapprochement between Egypt and Turkey could offer hope of easing Libyan tensions.

“We agreed to consult between our institutions to achieve security and political stability,” pledged Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at a press conference last month in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Libya once was a point of Turkish-Egyptian rivalry, with Cairo backing the eastern Libyan administration in Benghazi of Khalifa Haftar and Ankara supporting the western Tripoli-based Government of National Unity. Now, Egyptian-Turkish collaboration is key to resolving the latest Libyan crisis.

“Both countries can push the Tripoli-based government at least to accept something or come to the least terms that they can agree,” said Murat Aslan of the SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, a pro-Turkish government think tank. “So it’s a win-win situation for both Egypt and Turkey.”

Economic crises

With both the Turkish and Egyptian economies in crisis, the economic benefits of cooperating in Libya are seen as a powerful force behind the country’s rapprochement and Libyan collaboration.

Fighting between rival militias in Libya kills dozens

“These two countries are very important to one another,” said Aya Burweila, a Libyan security analyst

“They’ve figured out a way to divide spheres and work together. Even in the east now, Turkish companies have cut lucrative deals, infrastructure deals, just as Egypt has.

“So economy and money drive a lot of these political friendships and reapportionment.”

Ankara is looking to Cairo to use its influence over Hafta to support an agreement it made with the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity to explore widely believed energy reserves in Libyan waters.

Libya’s stability at greater risk with turmoil in Niger and Sudan, UN warns

At the same time, Cairo is pressing to remove Ankara-supported Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh of Libya’s Government of National Unity. Despite differences, Harchaoui says Cairo and Ankara are committed to cooperation.

“What has already been decided is that they are going to speak and they are going to speak on a daily basis,” said Harchaoui.

“And then at every crucial moment, they are going to make sure and Turkey, specifically, is going to make sure that Egypt is on board.

“But we need more tangible results from the dialogue that has already been in place,” he added.

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.

It’s time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution – or resolutions if you are really ambitious! – by 15 December.

Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners!

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 Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. 

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 Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ Spotlight on France podcast no 115, Alison produced a piece on France’s current governmental crisis, and the lack of an ability in the French political landscape to compromise – as Alison noted: “France does not have the tradition of coalition building more commonly found in Germany, Switzerland and the Nordic countries.”

As social scientist Loïc Blondiaux told Le Monde: “The idea of deliberation – organised, reasoned debate in the form of an exchange of arguments – has never had the force and legitimacy in France that it has in other countries … a specific trait of our political culture is, on the contrary, contempt for consensus. Compromise is often seen as synonymous with giving in and weakness.”

I asked you to re-listen to Alison’s report, and send in the answer to this question: How many political groups are there in France’s National Assembly?

The answer is: As Laure Gillot-Assayag, a researcher in political science and philosophy told Alison: “There are 11 political groups in the National Assembly, it’s a record … a culture of compromise is more necessary than ever if the government is to function in such a deeply divided political landscape.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the most wonderful thing you’ve ever seen in a museum?”

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

The winners are: Saleem Akhtar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. Saleem is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Saleem!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sakirun Islam Mitu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; also from Rajshahi, RFI English listener Sumaiya Akter, a member of the World Dx International Radio Fan Club.

Rounding out this week’s list of lucky winners are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and finally, RFI English listener Abdul Rehman, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Take a Hike” by Rik Carter and Phil Brown; “Galerie” by Bruno Letort; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Identité” by Gaël Horellou, performed by Horellou and his ensemble.

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 Amanda Morrow’s article “Ecosystems hang in the balance as Colombia hosts crucial biodiversity talks”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 18 November to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 23 November 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

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France

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.   

On October 11, Fitch’s decision to downgrade France’s economic outlook to “negative” serves as a warning to Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who is struggling to push his 2025 budget through parliament. The credit agency’s assessment signals a potential downgrade if the government fails to take swift action to improve public finances.

France’s fiscal situation appears increasingly precarious. The deficit, now at €167 billion (5.5 percent of GDP), could  surpass 6 percent  by year’s end. With national debt projected to hit €3.5 trillion, or 114.7 percent of GDP, France is far beyond EU limits.

France braces for economic judgment amid political turmoil and record debt

EU rules require member states to keep budget deficits below 3 percent of GDP and debt under 60 percent of GDP.

Fitch predicts that the deficit will hover around 5.4% in both 2025 and 2026 due to ongoing political uncertainty and the challenges in implementing fiscal reforms. The agency believes the budget could pass before the year’s end, but the government may need to make concessions to win support from opposition parties. 

All eyes are now on Moody’s which will reveal its judgement on France’s economy and credit-worthiness on 25 October. 

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Antoine Armand emphasised the government’s commitment to improving the economy following Fitch’s assessment, but will that be enough?

RFI spoke to Erik Norland, Chief Economist with the Chicago-based CMEGroup about the possible scenarios France’s economic planners are facing.

Over 405,000 people – both Lebanese and Syrian – have crossed into Syria from Lebanon since the start of Israel’s offensive, according to figures from UN refugee agency UNHCR.

Approximately 60 percent are under 18, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said on Thursday, and most are struggling to meet basic needs.

The returnees are mainly people who had sought sanctuary in Lebanon from the civil war in Syria, now in its 13th year. “In Lebanon, there have been nearly one million Syrian refugees just since 2011,” says Metin Corabatir of the Research Centre on Asylum and Migration, an Ankara-based NGO.

He warns this could be just the beginning of the exodus if the fighting in Lebanon continues, threatening to overwhelm Syria.

“We are not talking only about Syrian refugees going back to Syria, but the Lebanese population is moving, crossing the border to Syria. And Syria would either try to close the borders or force them to go north to the Turkish borders,” Corabatir told RFI.

“This really would lead to a catastrophic situation for people, for countries and may pull Turkey into more tensions with Israel.”

Anti-refugee backlash

People fleeing Lebanon have been arriving at refugee camps in north-east Syria, close to the Turkish border. But Turkey, already hosting an estimated five million refugees, including over three million Syrians, is facing growing public backlash over their presence.

“Turkey basically cannot handle more refugees,” warns Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, head of the Ankara office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, an international think tank.

Earlier this year, tensions spilled over into violence against refugees in the provincial city of Kayseri. The issue has become a significant political liability for the government, with opinion polls routinely finding large majorities wanting refugees to leave.

Even if the country has the practical capacity to take more people in, “I don’t see Turkey accepting a massive new wave of refugees”, predicts Unluhisarcikli. 

Turkey’s Syrian refugees face local hostility as economic problems mount

Border barricades

In the last couple of years, Ankara has constructed a wall along its border with Syria in a bid to prevent more refugees from entering Turkey. 

Murat Aslan, of the pro-government Seta Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, believes such efforts will only continue as the war in the Middle East threatens to trigger a new exodus.

“Turkey does not want any further waves coming from another region because Turkey is just experiencing and mending an economic crisis,” he says. “Inflation is currently under control, and we expect a decrease in it.

“What does another wave of refugees mean? A lot of spending, a lot of inflation, and other than this, societal insecurity. That’s why Turkey will not tolerate another wave.”  

But such a stance will likely be tested if Israel continues its offensive, creating more refugees and with them, the risk of Turkey facing a humanitarian crisis on its border.

Turkey continues to host more refugees than anyone else, but for how long?

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.

It’s time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution – or resolutions if you are really ambitious! – by 15 December.

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 21 September, I asked you a question about a gender equality plan at France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  We reported on that plan in our article “France’s foreign ministry unveils two-year gender equality strategy”.

You were to re-read the article and send in the answer to this question: What is the Foreign Ministry’s goal for promoting women to important posts? What is the percentage they are aiming for?

The answer is, to quote our article: “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.” 

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How would you define a truly happy person?”, which was suggested by Sabah Binte Sumaiya from Bogura, Bangladesh:

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

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Hans is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Hans, on your double win.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata, India; Mizanur Rahman from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Faiza Zainab – who’s also a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.

Last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Tafriha Tahura from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Mazurka no. 4″ by Frédéric Chopin, arranged by Serge Forté and performed by the Serge Forté Trio; “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima” by Krzysztof Penderecki, performed by Antoni Wit and the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra; “La Grande Galerie de la Zoologie” by Philippe Hersant, performed by the Ensemble Bestiaire Fabuleux; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, performed by McFerrin.

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 Paul Myers’ article “Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich sets women’s world record at Chicago Marathon”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 11 November to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 16 November 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,  

Ghana is being swamped by millions of unwanted clothes from the West, creating an environmental disaster as textile waste piles up across the country.

The scale of damage to public health and the environment has been laid bare in a new Greenpeace report that exposes the devastating impact of discarded clothing on communities and ecosystems in Ghana. 

About 15 million items of second-hand clothing arrive in Ghana each week. Nearly half cannot be resold.

The unsellable clothes end up in informal dumps or are burned in public washhouses, contaminating the air, soil and water.

“The situation is catastrophic. These clothes are literally poisoning our communities,” said Sam Quashie-Idun from Greenpeace Africa, speaking to RFI.

The report shows how Ghana has become a dumping ground for the world’s unwanted textiles, with devastating consequences for local ecosystems.

“What we’re seeing is environmental racism. The Global North is using Ghana as its trash can,” said Hellen Dena of Greenpeace Africa.

The flood of cheap, disposable fashion reflects broader problems with global waste management and environmental justice.

To explore this issue further, RFI spoke to Sam Quashie-Idun and Hellen Dena from Greenpeace Africa.  

Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.

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.