The collapse of Scholz’s coalition government – which included his Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) – follows months of infighting over budget policy and Germany’s economic direction.

Scholz now intends to lead a minority government with the Greens, relying on temporary parliamentary alliances to pass key legislation.

To shore up support, Scholz said he would seek the backing of opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the conservative CDU, which has been gaining in the polls. 

“We need a government that is able to act, that has the strength to make the necessary decisions for our country,” Scholz said on Wednesday, accusing the FDP’s Christian Lindner of putting party interests first.

Scholz dismissed Lindner for obstructing budget agreements, calling his actions “selfish” at a time of major global developments.

Uncertainty in Europe

The coalition’s collapse adds a new layer of uncertainty for Europe, especially following Republican Donald Trump’s US election victory on Tuesday.

European leaders now face renewed pressure to present a united response to global issues, with Germany’s instability further complicating matters.

“The coalition’s early end leaves Germany somewhat rudderless in what could be an exceptionally turbulent time,” wrote Berenberg bank analyst Holger Schmieding, though he suggested that early elections in 2025 could offer fresh leadership and stability.

Divisions remain within Europe on issues like potential new US tariffs, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and NATO’s future. With France also in political flux following recent elections, both of the EU’s largest economies face internal challenges that could slow efforts to deepen the bloc’s integration.

Scholz will attend an EU summit in Budapest on Thursday to address multiple global crises, including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The summit, hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a known Trump ally and one of the EU’s main sceptics on support for Kyiv, could be tense.

EU leaders chart independent future as Trump takes White House

Tensions and policy disputes

The crisis comes at a pivotal time for Germany, which faces economic stagnation, outdated infrastructure, and military unpreparedness. Political upheaval could drive further frustration with mainstream parties, fuelling support for populist movements like the anti-immigrant AfD.

Months of coalition disagreement over Germany’s economic rescue strategies laid the groundwork for this crisis. Scholz has advocated for capping energy costs to keep Germany attractive to businesses, particularly to support the ailing auto industry. He also proposed expanding aid to Ukraine.

The FDP pushed back, calling for spending cuts, tax reductions and a slower transition to a carbon-neutral economy. After his dismissal, Lindner claimed Scholz had pressured him to breach the “debt brake” – a constitutional cap on federal borrowing set at 0.35 percent of GDP.

Sources close to Scholz revealed that he had proposed raising Germany’s Ukraine aid from 3 billion euros to 15 billion euros by suspending this limit.

“Olaf Scholz refuses to recognise that our country needs a new economic model,” Lindner said. “Olaf Scholz has shown he doesn’t have the strength to give his country a new boost.”

The three other FDP ministers – of transport, justice and education – resigned in solidarity.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens expressed regret over the collapse, saying the coalition failed to resolve next year’s budget funding gap. “Tonight feels wrong and doesn’t feel right. It’s almost tragic on a day like today, when Germany needs to show unity and capacity for action in Europe.”

The political crisis now raises the possibility of a left-right “grand coalition” between the SPD and CDU.

Protesters clashed with security forces, who had deployed heavily along the main highway into Maputo, witnesses reported.

People streamed into the city on foot, while groups elsewhere burned tyres and blocked roads.

The police response with tear gas heightened concerns about escalating violence, as more than a dozen people have already died in the ongoing protests against the election outcome, RFI’s correspondent in Maputo reported.

“The police are using tear gas against the people, shooting anyway,” shouted one protester. Another cried: “In Cabo Delgado, there is a real war, and they’re throwing gas. If you want war, come with your hands. Let’s fight because this is war.”

Potential ‘bloodbath’

Activist Quitéria Guirengane, a member of the Geracao 18 de Marco movement, urged the government to apologise to the people of Mozambique, calling for “reconciliation and the restoration of the truth” to prevent what she warned could become a “bloodbath”.

Guirengane argued that people were not taking to the streets merely due to opposition leader Venancio Mondlane’s call for protests, but rather because they had “awakened from the deep sleep of authoritarianism”.

The Mozambique Bar Association also cautioned that conditions for a “bloodbath” were present, as security forces maintained a strong presence across the capital.

‘Crucial moment’

Mondlane, 50, who had encouraged the protests, told the French news agency AFP that Mozambique was at a “crucial moment”.

“I feel that there is a revolutionary atmosphere that shows that we are on the verge of a unique historical and political transition in the country,” said Mondlane, who is currently outside Mozambique and cited safety concerns as the reason for not attending the protests.

A former radio presenter, Mondlane was runner-up in the election, officially receiving 20 percent of the vote. The ruling Frelimo’s candidate, Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner with 71 percent.

However, Mondlane disputes the results, insisting that he won.

“Our first objective is certainly the restoration of electoral truth,” he said on Wednesday. “We want the popular will expressed at the polls on 9 October to be restored.”

He described his efforts as a “national” and “historical” struggle, adding: “People have realised that it wasn’t possible to bring profound change in Mozambique without taking risks. Now they have to free themselves.”

Post-electoral violence

Human rights groups report that at least 18 people have died in police crackdowns on protests since the 9 October election, which secured Frelimo’s five-decade rule over Mozambique.

The Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, a local NGO, claimed the death toll could be as high as 24.

On Tuesday, Mozambique’s Constitutional Council ordered the electoral commission to clarify voting discrepancies in the presidential, legislative, and provincial elections within 72 hours, according to a letter seen by news agencies.

The electoral commission’s spokesperson has not responded to requests for comment.

Regional impact

South Africa temporarily closed its main border crossing with Mozambique on Wednesday, citing safety concerns as the protests escalated.

The Lebombo port of entry, located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, has seen incidents of vehicles being torched on the Mozambican side, according to government sources.

“Due to these security incidents and in the interest of public safety, the port has been temporarily closed until further notice,” said Michael Masiapato, commissioner of the Border Management Authority. He added that the border would reopen once it was deemed safe.

South Africa’s foreign ministry has advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Mozambique, while logistics company Grindrod announced the suspension of its port and terminal operations in Mozambique as of Thursday.

(with newswires)

After Trump’s declared victory on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s campaign promises to end the Ukraine war but stressed that only real shifts in US policy would change Russia’s stance.

Until then, he said, Russia still sees the US as adversarial.

Peskov’s remarks reflect the strained relations between Moscow and Washington, heightened since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine – the most severe confrontation between the two nations since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Trump’s return to the White House raises questions about the future of democratic institutions and foreign policy, especially with Russia. Peskov suggested that any shift in US-Russia relations would depend on actions after Trump’s inauguration in January, not just campaign rhetoric.

Officially, Russian leaders have taken a neutral stance on US politics, asserting that Moscow does not distinguish between Democratic and Republican presidents.

Ukraine ‘negotiations’

Despite this official neutrality, Russian state media have leaned in favour of Trump, hinting at a preference that aligns with the Kremlin’s broader foreign policy ambitions.

Trump pledged during his campaign to quickly end the Ukraine conflict, though he has not detailed how he would achieve this.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a willingness to negotiate, provided that any talks acknowledge Russia’s territorial gains – a condition firmly rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

With Russian forces still holding significant parts of Ukraine, US support for Kyiv under Trump’s leadership is expected to come under scrutiny.

• Moldova’s vote on EU membership in deadlock as president cites ‘foreign interference’
• Georgia opens probe into disputed elections as opposition cries foul

Russian ‘meddling’

As speculation grows over potential changes to Washington’s backing of Ukraine, the US intelligence community remains vigilant against Russian interference in electoral processes both at home and abroad.

Recent elections in Georgia and Moldova – two post-Soviet countries holding EU candidate status – were marked by accusations of Russian interference, which Moscow denies.

A recent assessment from US intelligence highlighted continued Russian efforts, including social media and state-run media campaigns, to weaken public confidence in democratic elections.

On election day, US cybersecurity agencies were on high alert for potential disinformation and hacking attempts, with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence warning that “Russia [remains] the most active threat.”

Russia-linked disinformation reportedly circulated false claims that officials in battleground states intended to sway the outcome of the the election.

The ODNI’s latest report is part of a series of warnings about foreign actors – notably Russia and Iran – allegedly using disinformation or hacking to influence the election.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday renewed their commitment to building a “more united, stronger, more sovereign Europe” – an ambition they view as critical in light of Trump’s return to the White House.

The two leaders spoke by phone to discuss the implications of the US vote, affirming their shared goal to defend European interests and values while still cooperating with the United States.

Europe must focus on its own capabilities rather than fixate on US actions, the French government insisted.

“We must not ask ourselves what the United States will do, but what Europe is capable of doing”, said government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon on French radio RTL.

Germany’s foreign minister struck a similar tone.

“We must now think big and make big investments in our European security,” said Annalena Baerbock after congratulating Trump on his win.

“This also means that we must free ourselves from the shackles we have put on ourselves, especially when it comes to investing in our security in Germany and the European Union.”

However, she added, this push for self-sufficiency should not replace Europe’s transatlantic partnership.

• Live: Trump claims victory over Harris in US presidential election

Transatlantic shift

European leaders are rallying around the need for increased autonomy across several key areas, including defence, industrial recovery and climate initiatives.

Trump’s re-election could signal major shifts in transatlantic relations – especially concerning trade, security and aid to Ukraine.

Under Joe Biden, the US provided tens of billions of dollars in military and financial support to Kyiv – a contentious issue among US Republicans.

Many American conservatives oppose further aid to Ukraine. Trump’s public criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has raised fears he might cut US support and weapons supplies.

• Zelensky to visit White House as Trump criticises Kyiv’s war strategy

Isolationist policies

Trump may also attempt to negotiate a ceasefire directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, potentially sidelining Ukrainian and European objectives.

While it is likely that Trump would still supply arms to Kyiv, such support could be contingent on European nations increasing their contributions to Ukraine’s defence.

Trump’s approach could also tilt towards an isolationist foreign policy, a viewpoint that has gained traction within the Republican Party.

In the past, Trump has suggested that the US would not defend NATO allies who do not meet specified defence spending obligations – a significant shift away from the US’s traditional role as a guarantor for security in Europe – emphasising that the continent must prepare for a future without the same level of US engagement.

• European leaders seek a common future at Budapest summit but all eyes are on Washington

Trade relations

Brussels is also preparing for potential friction over trade, as a new Trump administration may introduce protectionist policies impacting the European Union.

Trump has previously flagged his intentions to impose tariffs on imports from multiple countries, including a substantial increase on Chinese goods. Such a shift threatens to disrupt the intricate trade ties that underpin the EU’s economy.

The United States stands as the EU’s largest trading partner, with trade exchanges soaring to over €870 billion in 2022.

However, Trump’s repeated criticism of the EU’s trade practices signals a shift that could lead to retaliatory measures, complicating relations between Brussels and Washington. 

As another four years of Trump’s unpredictability looms over the continent, Brussels is bracing itself for a transition in global relations that may reshape traditional alliances and partnerships, putting the future of EU-US relations in a precarious position. 

“These sanctions will bear down on Russian malign activity in Libya, Mali and the CAR (Central African Republic), exposing and combatting Russia‘s illicit activity in Africa,” a government statement said, announcing its latest package of measures against Russia.

The UK government said the measures were the first direct sanctions against Africa Corps by a G7 country.

Moscow was a key player in Africa during Soviet times and has been boosting its influence on the continent again in recent years.

Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group or its successor, Africa Corps, now support several African governments and Russian “advisers” work with local officials.

The British sanctions come before Russia holds a large gathering of African foreign ministers in Sochi, southern Russia, this weekend.

As well as Africa Corps, private military group Espanola and the Bears Brigade organisation are also being sanctioned.

London accused the three groups of “widespread human rights abuses” across the African continent, adding that they had “threatened peace and security in Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic“.

CAR in talks with US security firm as West eyes Wagner’s ground in Africa

Punitive measures

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the sanctions would continue the UK’s “pushback on the Kremlin’s corrosive foreign policy, undermining Russia’s attempts to foster instability across Africa and disrupting the supply of vital equipment for Putin’s war machine” in Ukraine.

The punitive measures are part of the UK’s biggest package of sanctions against Russia since May 2023.

Others targeted include suppliers of machine tools, components for drones, ball bearings and other goods that support Russia’s military.

Also being sanctioned is GRU Russian intelligence agency agent Denis Sergeev.

London believes Sergeev was involved in a chemical weapon attack on the UK city of Salisbury in 2018 against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Both survived but a local woman who came into contact with the weapons-grade nerve agent Novichok died.

UK counter-terrorism chiefs in 2021 said there was enough evidence to charge Sergeev with conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and possession and use of a chemical weapon.

The UK has been one of Ukraine‘s biggest backers in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, committing to delivering £3.0 billion ($3.9 billion) of military aid every year for as long as needed.

“Putin is nearly 1,000 days into a war he thought would only take a few. He will fail and I will continue to bear down on the Kremlin and support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom,” Lammy said.

Other sanctions packages last month took aim at Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers, used to sidestep a Western embargo on oil exports after its invasion of Ukraine.

In October, Britain also sanctioned the chemical and biological arm of Russia’s armed forces and its commander, Igor Kirillov, over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.

Russia was hit with a first wave of sanctions following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The West tightened the screws after Moscow launched a fully-fledged invaded its neighbour in February 2022.

But Russia’s economy has withstood the shock, growing 5.4 percent in the first quarter of this year as its trade relations with Asia and the Middle East soared.

The European agency said the world was passing a “new milestone” of temperature records that should serve to accelerate action to cut planet-heating emissions at the UN negotiations in Azerbaijan next week. 

Last month, marked by deadly flooding in Spain and Hurricane Milton in the United States, was the second hottest October on record, with average global temperatures second only to the same period in 2023. 

Copernicus said 2024 would likely be more than 1.55 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average – the period before the industrial-scale burning of fossil fuels.     

This does not amount to a breach of the Paris deal, which strives to limit global warming to below 2C and preferably 1.5C, because that is measured over decades and not individual years.

“It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first year of more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels,” said Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) deputy director Samantha Burgess. 

“This marks a new milestone in global temperature records and should serve as a catalyst to raise ambition for the upcoming Climate Change Conference, Cop29.”

Climate summit in Azerbaijan criticised over fossil fuel influence

Wild weather

The UN climate negotiations in Azerbaijan, which will set the stage for a new round of crucial carbon-cutting targets, will take place in the wake of the United States election victory by Donald Trump.

Trump, a climate change denier, pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement during his first presidency – and while his successor Joe Biden took the United States back in, he has threatened to do so again.

Meanwhile, average global temperatures have reached new peaks, as have concentrations of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere.  

Scientists say the safer 1.5C limit is rapidly slipping out of reach, while stressing that every tenth of a degree of temperature rise heralds progressively more damaging impacts. 

Last month the UN said the current pace of climate action would result in a catastrophic 3.1C of warming this century, while all current climate pledges taken in full would still amount to a devastating 2.6C temperature rise.   

France declares natural disaster zones for nearly 400 towns flooded in October

Global warming is not just about rising temperatures, but the knock-on effect of all the extra heat in the atmosphere and seas.

Warmer air can hold more water vapour, and warmer oceans mean greater evaporation, resulting in more intense downpours and storms.

In a month of weather extremes, October saw above-average rainfall across swathes of Europe, as well as parts of China, the US, Brazil and Australia, Copernicus said. 

The US is also experiencing ongoing drought, which affected record numbers of people, the EU monitor added.  

Copernicus said average sea surface temperatures in the area it monitors were the second highest on record for the month of October. 

C3S uses billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations to aid its calculations.

Copernicus records go back to 1940 but other sources of climate data such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much deeper in the past.

Climate scientists say the period being lived through right now is likely the warmest the earth has been for the last 100,000 years, back at the start of the last Ice Age.

France produces 2.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year, most of which does not get recycled. In the ongoing battle to reduce waste, a 2021 law is intended to phase out single-use packaging by 2040. We go to a packaging expo to see how this might happen and meet people being pushed to the front lines of waste reduction. (Listen @3’45”)

Bouchot mussel farmers in northern France are sounding the alarm about spider crabs devastating their crops. Warming waters have led to a four-fold increase in crab numbers, a prized marine resource, but which threatens the future of the industry. A mussel farmer talks about the impact, and a marine scientist presents possible solutions. (Listen @19’47”)

A hundred years ago this month, women and girls working in sardine canning factories in Brittany launched a six-week strike that has gone down in history as one of the earliest examples of women successfully organising to defend their labour rights. The granddaughter of one of the strikers describes its legacy. (Listen @12’20”) 

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 transatlantic relationship was always set to change after the 5 November US presidential election, but the question remains whether that change will be seismic under Donald Trump. 

For summit host and ardent Trump supporter, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, all things were already crystal clear even as votes were still being counted. “Good morning, Hungary! On the way to a beautiful victory. It’s already in the bag!”

Other European leaders have been far more reticent. 

The impact of the US results could be felt for years to come, on issues including the war in Ukraine, the European Union’s trade relations with the rest of the world, migration, the Middle East wars and climate change. 

“All this is putting peace, stability and prosperity at risk in our region,” said the invitation letter to the leaders of the European Political Community, which unites almost 50 nations in Europe and its near neighbours, bar Russia and Belarus. 

‘Evaporation’ of US support for Ukraine

Among the leaders likely to attend on Thursday is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to make another plea for more aid as his country fends off Moscow’s invasion.

The timing is laden with significance as Trump has vowed to end the war “within 24 hours” of being elected – something leaders in Kyiv interpret as an impending evaporation of US support with a Trump win. 

Not so long ago, such a meeting – which is also expected to include leaders from non-EU countries like Turkey, Serbia and the United Kingdom – would end with praise for European unity and a common political direction.

Yet with Orban as the host of the summit, friction is as good as assured. 

Orban, who has openly thrown his weight behind Trump and argued that the former president is a “man of peace,” predicted a Trump victory and suggested that civil and criminal cases against him were the result of a politically motivated US Justice Department – a common Trump refrain. 

• Trump hosts Orban at Mar-a-Lago raising European concerns

Future of Europe

Having played the obstructionist for years within the 27-nation EU, Orban now holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, giving him a more prominent platform and making him the host of Thursday’s EPC summit, as well as another gathering of EU leaders on Friday. 

The presidency under Orban caused turmoil from day one, when he declared “Make Europe Great Again” the motto of his six months in charge.

It was a strikingly clear reference to his affection for Trump, which he followed up with unannounced visits to Moscow and Beijing, angering EU leaders who said he wasn’t acting on their behalf. 

In response to Orban’s self-styled “peace mission” many EU countries began boycotting presidency meetings in Budapest, or sending only lower-level bureaucrats rather than ministers.

However, no boycotts are expected for this week’s summits. 

• Hungary’s Orban clashes with EU leaders over Ukraine, migration policies

While Orban has cast the result of US elections as determinative of Europe’s future – he’s even delayed passing Hungary’s 2025 national budget until after a new president is elected – not all EU leaders are comfortable with the bloc’s fate being so tightly bound up with the movements of American politics. 

Donald Tusk, the centre-right prime minister of Poland, said that Europe must forge a more independent path that is less sensitive to changes across the Atlantic. 

“Some claim that the future of Europe depends on the American elections, while it depends first and foremost on us, on the condition that Europe finally grows up and believes in its own strength,” Tusk said in the days before the summit.

“Whatever the outcome, the era of geopolitical outsourcing is over”.

Reports published in France this week claimed Khelif, 25, has XY, or male, chromosomes.

The gender controversy ignited at the Paris Games in August when Khelif defeated Angela Carini in 46 seconds in her opening bout, the Italian reduced to tears and abandoning the fight after suffering a badly hurt nose.

It led to a row that attracted comments from politicians and personalities ranging from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling.

Algeria welcomes home Olympic gold boxing champ Imane Khelif

“We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting,” the IOC said in a statement. 

“The IOC will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports about unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.”

The IOC said Khelif had competed in the women’s category in international competition “for many years”, including at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.

The IOC added that it was “saddened by the abuse that Imane Khelif is currently receiving”.

Khelif, who received a hero’s welcome when she returned to Algeria after her Olympic triumph, has already filed a complaint in France for online harassment.

A lone protester has positioned herself on the central square.

Wearing a pink hat and a black mouth cap, Isabel is standing in front of Philadelphia’s town hall, holding a board that says: “Fascism – Not Welcome in Philly.”

“The outcome to the vote is extremely concerning,” she says. “But I’m not surprised.”

Today, she says, she will stand here with her sign. “I will let people know that racism is not acceptable,” she adds. “Sexism, homophobia, fascism, are not acceptable in this country.

“I am upset and sad, I am terrified. I think a lot of people are.”

Cathy O’Connel, who is on her way to work, agrees.

“Incredibly disappointed in Americans today,” she says.

“I went into last night feeling some shred of hope, and I think Philadelphia turned out the vote for Kamala, which is the reasonable vote.”

Philadelphia for Harris

According to figures published by the Philadelphia city government, 528,783, or well over half a million Philadelphians, or 78.29 percent of the voters cast their ballot for Harris, against 137,163 votes, or 20,27 percent who voted for Trump.

But the Philadelphia vote failed to reflect the mood nationwide.

“I don’t understand how Americans can vote for somebody who runs on a campaign which is just about power for himself, power that he doesn’t plan to share, with anyone who voted for him,” she says

No riots, no violence

Denver Robbins, who has just left the town hall, bears the hallmarks of a Trump voter: beard, baseball cap and a blue denim jacket.

But Robbins is anything but.

“I am honestly surprised that the results turned out this way,” he fumes.

“I did not think that the majority of people of the United States thought that voting him to victory was a good idea.” 

Robbins says he is happy that Philadelphia did not explode in riots and there was no violence, in spite of warnings from organisations such as the International Crisis Group.

“I was pleasantly surprised about how calm it was on Tuesday night and Wednesday,” he says.

Landy, sporting a bright orange windbreaker and a golden pendant of a cross around his neck, is angry.

“I feel that a lot of votes weren’t counted,” he says. “There were a lot of Democrats voting yesterday. I’m frustrated about it. But what can we do?

“People do have to realise that the president still answers to somebody. Just because Trump is in, it doesn’t mean that we just give up. It think it is up to the people,” he says.

‘They own everything’

But Matt Belsner, sporting a lumber jacket and designer sunglasses, doesn’t agree.

“Our president is supposed to be our leader.

“He’s not supposed to be in every single affair that we have, but now we can’t keep him out of it, because they own the Supreme Court, the Senate and the presidency. They own everything,” he says.

“I think the days ahead will be dark.

“If we judge from Trump’s last presidency, the inflation rate will go up, because that’s exactly what he did last time.

“And with the new tariffs he’s proposing in his program, taxes on goods and services are going to skyrocket, because that’s how tariffs work,” he says.

The elections, he says, have torn his family apart. His father, never politically very interested, suddenly voted for Trump.

“During his last presidency Trump just messed up the future for every woman I know. I have a wife, a sister, a mother and maybe, one time, a daughter.

“And I really wish that my father would have thought about that before casting his vote,” he says.

“I’m not fearful for me. I’m a straight, white man. But my heart does go out to everybody who isn’t his favourite target such as women and immigrants.”

Cathy concurs.

“Trump runs on a platform of racism, that is really founded on white supremacy.

She adds that in the narrative of white supremacy, white men protect white women.

“Too many people, including white women, believe that, and feel that a white man like Trump in power will protect them from the threat of immigrants, a narrative which is purely invented,” she says.

Republicans have also taken control of the Senate. Harris, meanwhile, has cancelled her election night party.

Trump’s election as the 47th president of the United States marks an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

With a win in Wisconsin, Trump has cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. That’s the same state that put him over the top when he won in 2016.

Philadelphia trauma surgeon says US gun violence can and must be tackled

Trump has claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate” to govern – promising the cheering crowd at his election night rally in West Palm Beach that his victory would “truly be the golden age of America”.

Harris, 60, had been hoping to become the first woman president in the country’s 248-year history – and the first black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the office.

The Vice President has yet to speak following Trump’s victory. However, her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, told supporters gathered at her election night event at Howard University that Harris would return to campus on Wednesday to “address the nation”.

Check out our blog for a recap of developments as they happened:

Ukraine is reliant on foreign military aid – in particular from Washington – to hold out against Russia‘s invasion, launched nearly three years ago.

Natalia Pichakchi, who fled the southern city of Mariupol that is now controlled by Russian forces after a brutal siege in 2022, said she expected that crucial aid would begin to dry up.

“It’s worrying. It’s disturbing,” she told AFP.

“Something will change; there will not be the same kind of support as before,” she added.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was quick to congratulate Trump on his “impressive victory” Wednesday, saying he hoped his presidency would bring “just peace in Ukraine closer”.

Yet Trump’s aides have suggested forcing Ukraine into territorial concessions by conditioning US assistance.

“I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs,” Zelensky wrote on social media.

“This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer.”

European leaders seek a common future at Budapest summit

‘Wait and see’

Trump, whose running mate JD Vance said he does not care about the fate of Ukraine, has boasted that he can quickly end the Ukraine war.

Behind closed doors, some Ukrainian officials have remained optimistic about a Trump presidency and have advocated a wait-and-see-approach.

That cautious optimism was echoed by Tetiana Podleska, who works in IT and speculated that future US support for Ukraine did not hinge entirely on who was president.

“I think his role is a bit exaggerated that he will drastically change something for the worse,” she said, conceding however that Trump was unlikely to improve Ukraine’s position in the conflict.

“It won’t change for the better, that’s for sure. But I don’t think it will stop completely,” she added, referring to American backing.

Olga Prykhodko, a teacher in Kyiv, said the election results underscored that Ukraine had to make even greater efforts at home to make sure it could prevail in the war.

“Because our lives, our country’s future is in our hands,” she said.

Yet she was still hoping that Ukraine’s allies abroad would make good on promises to stand with the war-battered country.

“I’m concerned that support could decrease, but I hope that reason and democratic principles will prevail in the world,” she told AFP.

Igor Stryzheus, a 52-year-old resident of the Ukrainian capital, was less upbeat about the outlook for Ukraine with Trump in the White House.

“It worries everyone. It worries the whole world – not only Ukraine,” he told AFP in central Kyiv.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens next,” he added.

PSG’s fourth game in the competition seemed a hoary replay of their third fixture at home to PSV Eindhoven.

Domination, ball retention, no formal centre forward, chances and more chances but not enough goals.

PSG exploded into the game against the Spaniards. Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé both spurned good openings within the first eight minutes.

But for all PSG’s early silkiness, their goal came from a good old-fashioned blunder.

Atletico defender Clément Lenglet dawdled on ball on the edge of the box, Dembélé muscled him off it and set up Warren Zaïre-Emery who showed composure beyond his 18 years to coolly chip over the Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

The breakthrough after 14 minutes was no more than the early endeavour deserved.

But within four minutes, Atletico were level via an element of slapstick.

Giuliano Simeone shot at goal, the ball cannoned off PSG defender Nuno Mendes onto Nahuel Molina’s chest and dropped in front of his left foot. The Argentine thrashed it gleefully past the bemused PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma.

And from there, PSG glided through the repertoire of smart movement, cute angles but impotence in front of goal.

Chances

Dembélé blasted wide after Oblak had parried Bradley Barcola’s shot. Hakimi hoofed the ball well over the bar with another chance and then 13 minutes from time, PSG skipper Marquinhos guided a pass through to Hakimi who surged into the box from the right and promptly failed on three counts: to cut back for Randal Kolo Muani to score; slide a pass to an unmarked Fabian Ruiz to score or score himself.

On the sidelines, PSG boss Luis Enrique turned away in furious disbelief at the Moroccan international’s ineptitude.

PSG maintained the pressure with near misses. And with a mutually dissatisfying draw approaching, came the sucker punch.

Oblak saved Kang-in Lee’s shot from the edge of the box.

Atletico moved the ball out to Antoine Griezmann on the left and the former France international, utterly ineffectual throughout the evening, looked up and rifled the ball 40 metres to the right onto Correa’s right foot.

The 29-year-old Argentine, a second-half substitute for compatriot Julian Alvarez, arrowed towards the goal. His shot took a slight deflection to beat Donnarumma.

Status

As the Atletico players finished celebrating the winner, referee Szymon Marciniak added to the drama by simply blowing the whistle for full-time. 

“We tried and tried, right up to the last minute,” said PSG midfielder Vitinha. “Unfortunately, we conceded a goal on their last chance. Would things be easier with a real centre-forward? Well, you never know. That’s our game plan. We’ll get better at it.” 

The result leaves PSG with four points in 25th place in the 36-team league half way through the revamped format.

In the new system, after eight games, the top eight advance automatically to the last-16. Those finishing ninth to 24th face a two-match play-off for the other eight places. Atletico’s win took them up to 23rd with six points.

Elsewhere, Brest maintained their unbeaten run in the competition. The Ligue 1 outfit, playing in the Champions League for the first time, won 2-1 at Sparta Prague to boast fourth place with 10 points after four games.

Edmilson Fernandes put the visitors in front in the 37th minute and a Kaan Kairinen own-goal doubled the advantage. 

Victor Olatunji pulled one back for the hosts in stoppage time.

Barcelona walloped FK Crvena Zvezda 5-2 to go sixth with nine points and Inter Milan beat Arsenal 1-0 to sit just behind Brest on goal difference.

The operation, called “Liberterra II”, took place between 29 September and 4 October and was the largest-ever operation against human trafficking and people smuggling by the global law enforcement organisation.

People rescued included minors forced to work on farms in Argentina, migrants in nightclubs in North Macedonia, people coerced into begging in Iraq or to serve in private households across the Middle East, Interpol said.

Raids led to the rescue of “3,222 potential victims of human trafficking and identified 17,793 irregular migrants”, it said.

Trial begins for eight accused in killing of French teacher Samuel Paty

In addition to police raids, authorities also reinforced strategic border points, monitored nearly 24,000 flights and deployed officers to known trafficking and smuggling hotspots, said the organisation, which is based in Lyon, France.

Nearly eight million checks were carried out against Interpol’s databases, and a total of 2,517 arrests were made during the week, of which 850 were specifically on human trafficking or migrant smuggling charges, according to the organisation’s preliminary figures.

“In their relentless pursuit of profit, organised crime groups continue to exploit men, women and children – often multiple times over,” said Interpol secretary general Jurgen Stock.

“The results of this operation highlight the vast scale of the challenge facing law enforcement, underscoring that only coordinated action can counteract these threats,” he said.

The trial, held in Lille, exposed the dangers and high profits of the illegal crossings from France to England.

The defendants were apprehended in a Europe-wide police operation in 2022, leading to dozens of arrests and the seizure of boats, life jackets, outboard engines, paddles, and cash.

The longest sentence of 15 years, along with a €200,000 fine, was given to 26-year-old Iraqi Kurd Mirkhan Rasoul, identified as one of the ringleaders.

Other sentences ranged from two to 10 years in prison.

“The defendants are not volunteers helping their fellow humans but merchants of death,” the prosecutor said, describing how boats were loaded “up to 15 times their theoretical capacity”.

“These sentences are obviously very severe,” said Kamel Abbas, a lawyer for one of the defendants already jailed in France. “That’s a testimony of the scale of the case, and of the intention to severely punish the smugglers.”

Most of the accused were not present in court for the verdicts. Some followed the proceedings remotely from prisons across northern France, while others were tried in absentia, with warrants issued for their arrest.

Fourteen of the defendants were Iraqi nationals, with the others hailing from Iran, Poland, France, and the Netherlands.

All except the French defendant were barred from remaining in France after serving their sentences.

• Interpol says over 2,500 arrests made in human trafficking crackdown

Profit was ‘sole motive’

Craig Turner, deputy director of the British National Crime Agency (NCA), involved in the arrest of one of the defendants, said the network was one of the most prolific organisers of crossings.

“Their sole motive was profit, and they didn’t care about the fate of migrants they were putting to sea in wholly inappropriate and dangerous boats,” Turner said.

“We are putting more resources into disrupting and dismantling the criminal gangs behind it than ever before,” Turner added.

According to a statement from the NCA, the criminal network was making approximately €100,000 from each crossing.

• EU leaders embrace foreign ‘return centres’ to counter illegal migration

Deadliest crossing

The trial comes in what has been a particularly deadly year for attempted crossings of the English Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

More than 31,000 migrants have made the perilous Channel crossing so far this year – more than in all of 2023 – though fewer than in 2022.

At least 56 people have perished in the attempts this year, according to French officials, making 2024 the deadliest since the crossings began to surge in 2018.

Despite French and British efforts to stop it, the route remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty.

Migrants favour the UK for reasons of language, family ties, or perceived easier access to asylum and work.

• Cross-Channel migrant crossings top 25,000 as UK government vows to ‘smash the gangs’

Tafficking ‘on par with terrorism’

Europe’s increasingly strict asylum rules, growing xenophobia and hostile treatment of migrants are also pushing many migrants north.

On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for international cooperation against smuggling gangs, likening the issue to a global security threat on par with terrorism.

Starmer told a conference of international police organisation Interpol that “people-smuggling should be viewed as a global security threat similar to terrorism”.

He added that intelligence and law-enforcement agencies should try to “stop smuggling gangs before they act” in the same way they do in counterterrorism operations.

French and Dutch authorities have been investigating Netflix over alleged tax fraud and off-the-books work, with searches conducted at various locations in France.

Netflix‘s Amsterdam headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa was also targeted for a search by a team of officials from both France and the Netherlands.

“French and Dutch authorities have been cooperating on this criminal case for many months,” a judicial source told AFP on Tuesday. 

The investigation – which began in November 2022 – focuses on Netflix’s tax filings for 2019 through to 2021.

Last year, Netflix insisted that it complies with tax law in all countries where it operates, after the probes were revealed in a media report.

French outlet La Lettre A had reported that Netflix’s French operation was structured until 2021 so that all subscribers signed up with a Dutch subsidiary – thereby “minimising its tax bill”.

In 2019 and 2020, this setup allowed Netflix to pay less than one million euros in taxes, despite having around seven million subscribers in France.

Investigators are looking into whether Netflix continued to use this strategy to minimise its reported profits and thereby its tax bill, La Lettre A added.

• France wants Netflix, Amazon to invest 25% of revenue locally
• ‘Lupin’ star Omar Sy signs acting and production deal with Netflix

Tax optimisation

The French subsidiary reported very low operating margins compared to the US mothership in 2021 and 2022, the outlet said, paying just €6.5 million in tax on its profits in 2022.

But its practice of billing a large share of revenue to entities outside France represented a “tax optimisation strategy that is legal” under certain conditions, La Lettre A added.

Despite the investigation, Netflix remains a dominant player in the French market, with 10 million subscribers.

The company says it confirms with local laws on commissioning French content, paying the full rate of VAT and contributing to a film industry levy.

In 2023, it invested 250 million euros into French productions, including the popular series “Lupin”, which became a global hit.

Netflix earned over almost €9 billion in revenue worldwide from its 282 million subscribers from July to September this year, with net profit reaching just over €2 billion.

(with AFP)

11 departments fall under the “natural disaster zone” designation, which will open the way to insurance compensation for people affected by last month’s floods.

380 towns were affected in Ardèche, Rhône, Loire, Alpes-Maritimes, Yvelines, Essonne, Lozère, Loire-Atlantique, Eure-et-Loir, Haute-Loire and Corrèze.

Almost all of the municipalities were affected by floods and mudslides over the same period from October 16 to 20 this year.

In total, more than a thousand people were evacuated; roads, railways and schools were closed and several thousand homes were deprived of electricity.

National weather bureau Météo-France said that flooding in Ardèche had been “the most intense ever recorded over two days since the beginning of the 20th century”.

Olivier Amrane, the president of the Ardèche departmental council said “we have never experienced a disaster of such magnitude”.

Millions of euros in damages

Meanwhile, France’s public insurance fund CCR estimated the cost of the floods 17 and 18 October in the centre-east, south-east and Ile-de-France to be somewhere between €350 million and €420 million.

The combination of heavy rainfall falling on already-saturated ground, after a rainier than normal month of September led to significant overflows in local rivers, the insurance agency said.

Natural disaster prevention fund takes centre stage in French budget debate

Last week, Météo France reported that just over a year’s worth of rain fell on France over the first ten months of 2024 – for the first time in 35 years.

On average, 940 millimetres of rain fell between 1 January and 29 October 2024, compared to 935 mm over one year, according to data from the institute, which uses the average rainfall between 1991 and 2020 as a reference.

“This excess rainfall is nevertheless not unprecedented in several regions,” the weather bureau said.

Corsica, as of 29 October, was still far from its average cumulative figure over one year with 20 percent less rainfall, while Normandy in the north clocked 11 percent less than its average.

Other regions, like Ile de France –where Paris is situated – saw a 20 percent increase in average rainfall.

Adaptation plan

French Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher warned that the increase in natural disasters goes hand in hand with climate change.

“I believe that today we must look at the situation head on. These are episodes that we are going to experience more and more regularly,” she warned on 18 October.

Climate change is driving record threats to human health, experts warn

On 25 October, Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced the launch of a two-month national consultation to complete France’s new adaptation plan to global warming.

The plan is designed based on the hypothesis of a warming of 4°C in France by the end of the century compared to the pre-industrial era (compared to 1.7°C at this stage ).

It includes 51 measures around five main areas: protecting population, insuring risks, adapting human activities, protecting natural and cultural spaces and mobilising public and private bodies.

In the heart of North Philadelphia, where gunshots echo far too frequently, Dr. Jessica Beard stands on the front lines of America’s gun violence epidemic.

As a trauma surgeon at Temple University Hospital, she regularly witnesses the devastating impact of firearms on her community.

But Beard is not just saving lives in the operating room. As Director of Research of the Philadelphia Centre for Gun Violence Reporting (PCGVR) she’s also leading ground-breaking research that challenges how we understand and report on gun violence in the United States.

In an interview with RFI, Beard reveals the complex web of historical racism, media narratives, and policy failures that contribute to the ongoing crisis.

From the lingering effects of “redlining” to the harmful impact of sensationalised news coverage, her insights paint a picture of a deeply rooted problem that defies simple solutions.

As the nation grapples with an issue that claims nearly 40,000 lives annually, Beard’s work offers a fresh perspective on how America might begin to heal its wounds.

RFI: You’re in North Philadelphia. Could you describe the situation with regards to guns?

Jessica Beard: This area around our hospital is a place where people get shot very frequently. And our hospital takes care of the largest number of people who are shot in the entire state of Pennsylvania.

We know from our research that gun violence risk is actually place-based, meaning that people who live in certain neighbourhoods and cities in the United States are more likely to get shot.

And our research shows that this is in part due to “redlining,” a racist practice that prevented black people from getting mortgages to own homes.

In Philadelphia, areas that experienced “redlining” are still the areas where people get shot today.

“Redlining” is not the only thing that’s contributing to community gun violence, but it’s a marker of systemic and structural racism and disinvestment in people and places.

US gun culture alive and kicking in battleground state of Pennsylvania

RFI: In Europe, people are alarmed to read about US school shootings and other gun incidents each year. How does this work in the American mind, how is it normal to be allowed to have weapons that can cause this kind of damage?

Jessica Beard: Gun culture has for a long time been a part of American culture. And I think it’s kind of hard to generalise about the relationship between gun ownership and gun violence.

In North Philadelphia, many of the people who get shot are shot with illegal firearms. Whereas in rural Pennsylvania, the problem largely is firearm suicide. And in fact, the numbers are pretty similar.

In rural Pennsylvania, gun ownership places you at risk of shooting yourself or harming yourself.

Research from the 1990s shows that women who live in homes with guns are more likely to be shot by intimate partner violence.

But unfortunately in the United States, because of political reasons, there was a ban on research on firearm violence. In the 1990s, Congress actually banned funding for gun violence research that might be meant to support restriction in firearm access.

That [ban] was lifted by President [Barack] Obama, and there’s been more and more investment in gun violence research.

Left-leaning gun owners look for alternatives in the US

RFI: Can you tell us more about your research into US media reports of gun violence?

Jessica Beard: We looked at local television news in Philadelphia and we collected 7,000 TV news clips, and watched a sample of them. We that most clips frame gun violence through the lens of crime. The majority of narrators are police. You will very rarely see somebody like me talking about gun violence on local TV news.

News reports focus just on a single shooting event without context, causes, and solutions, called “episodic” crime reporting.

When audiences view these reports, they tend to blame victims. They don’t see gun violence as preventable; they see it as inevitable. And in fact, our big concern is that racist stereotypes can be perpetuated both about the people and the places where gun violence happens.

We also asked patients who had been shot in the summer of 2021, a big peak in gun violence in our city, how they felt about news reports about their injuries.

They felt dehumanised by the “episodic” crime reports, they felt that their safety was being threatened when certain things were mentioned like the hospital that they were treated at, and they felt retraumatised by graphic content.

About 10 percent of these news reports actually contain a clip of the shooting event, which can be very traumatising to the people involved but also result in this normalisation of violence and a desensitisation to violence that I think American news audiences have.

France shares ‘grief’ and ‘rage’ following Texas school massacre

RFI: How are the two presidential candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump different in their approach to gun violence?

Jessica Beard: Vice President Harris has started and is coordinating an Office for Gun Violence Prevention out of the White House, a federal move to identify and collaborate with doctors like me and other public health folks to support evidence-based interventions.

This Office urges Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, requiring safe storage of firearms, which should prevent unintentional injury, requiring universal background checks for all gun sales, eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and enacting the Safer America Plan, which would support community interventions to prevent gun violence.

We’re also hopeful now that the Surgeon General has declared gun violence to be a public health problem. And that the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control are funding gun violence research.

When it comes to firearm suicide and intimate partner violence, there are other policies that seem to prevent those. One of those is called Extreme Risk Protection Orders. So in states that have enacted ERPOs, as they call them, the rate of firearm suicide is lower.

An ERPO  would be that you go to a judge and you can ask for a temporary removal of firearms from a person that you think is at risk, maybe your loved one, for example.

We saw a spike in gun violence, related to the containment policies and related to Covid and loss of access to social supports for our communities. And our hospital saw double the rate of shootings following March 2020 and into 2021.

But we’re actually at an all-time low for shootings in our city now so we’ve seen that come back down which is a big relief.

RFI: And Trump? 

Jessica Beard: I haven’t seen any plans to decrease gun violence.

RFI: So what ideas do you have to improve the situation?

Jessica Beard: I’m most interested in preventing community gun violence. A community violence intervention is basically community outreach by credible messengers after a shooting to prevent retaliation.

So what that looks like at Temple [Hospital] is if someone gets shot, they come into the hospital and they receive social services, they can receive psychological care and referral, receive victim services.

The truth is that those programs are under-resourced and grant-funded. So my advice would be that those who care for people who are shot are funded in a way that is sustainable.

What also seems to work is investment in parks, green spaces, schools, and social services. We have neighbourhoods and parts of our cities that don’t have access to health care, social supports, and schools, so community investment is one of the main solutions to community violence.

Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday: “The two are… in good health, so any claim regarding their poor condition is denied,” citing a report from the authorities.

The spokesperson was referring to French couple Cecile Koehler and Jacques Paris, who were arrested on charges of espionage and will have their next court hearing on 24 November.

In October 2022, Iran‘s state television aired what it called “espionage confessions” by the two detainees.

The French government condemned the broadcast as “shameful, revolting and unacceptable”, labelling the pair as “state hostages”.

Family members of French nationals imprisoned in Iran appeal to the UN

Last month, dozens of people protested in Paris over what Kohler’s sister, Noemi Kohler, described as the couple’s “alarming” physical and psychological condition.

In an interview, Noemi Kohler said the couple – who are being held in the high-security Evin prison outside the capital – were “only allowed out three times a week that they almost never see the light of day and that they sleep on the floor, without mattresses”.

She also alleged their lawyers had never been allowed to visit them.

France pushes for ‘immediate release’

Jahangir, however maintains the couple “have been in contact with their relatives through the consulate”, adding that they “have all human and legal rights”.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had previously met with families of French nationals detained in Iran, saying his government was pushing for their immediate release.

Another French citizen – identified only by his first name – Olivier, has been in detention since October 2022 and the French authorities have not released details of his case.

They are among several European passport holders in Iranian custody, some of them dual nationals.

French foreign minister receives families of citizens detained in Iran

This comes as Foreign Minister Barrot also praised the “courage” of a young Iranian woman who was arrested after publicly stripping as a protest against harassment by security agents, in a video that has gone viral on social media.

Speaking on France 2 broadcaster on Tuesday, Barrot expressed admiration for the woman, calling her “a symbol of resistance” and “an icon in the fight for women’s rights in Iran and wherever women’s freedoms are under threat.”

(with Newswires)

The accused had faced charges including treason and inciting a military coup, and had been arraigned in batches of 76 and 43 last Friday.

One of the charges carried the death penalty.

“The case has been struck out and the 119 protesters have been released,” according to Deji Adeyanju, counsel to the protesters.

“Now we are asking for their rehabilitation and compensation by their various state governments.”

The country’s attorney general took over the case from the police and dropped the charges after bringing forward the matter due to be heard in January.

• Nigeria anti-hardship protests turn deadly as police fire shots, tear gas
• Nigerian president calls for end to violent nationwide protests

Presidential order

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the release of all minors detained during anti-government protests in August, and dropped the charges against them.

Information Minister Mohammed Idriss said that President Tinubu had directed the police chief to free the 40 minors remanded in custody after their trials began this month.

“[The] President has ordered the immediate release of all minors arrested by the police,” he told journalists in the capital Abuja.

The minors were arrested by the police and charged with treasonable offenses of intending to destabilise the country and inciting mutiny following their participation in nationwide End Bad Governance protests this August.

Amnesty International said at least 22 people died during the demonstrations in clashes with security forces. 

Health issues

Some of the minors collapsed in court in Abuja on Monday, fuelling condemnation by civil society groups, bar organisations and the general public.

A rights group said the minors have been held since August by the Nigerian police after participating in protests against worsening insecurity and deprivation in the country.

Scenes of young Nigerians fainting while in court over their involvement in widespread anti-government protests have sparked controversy over detention conditions and police violence.

Social media was awash with videos showing several youths, likely underage, sitting or lying on the courtroom floor, holding their stomachs while half-faint.

The clips generated backlash from both politicians and civil society.

“The footage reveals minors, some so weak that they could barely stand, others fainting from sheer exhaustion and lack of nourishment,” said politician Peter Obi, who unsuccessfully contested the 2023 presidential election.

“These children appeared visibly malnourished and starved,” he wrote on X.

 (with wires)

Barrot will travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories this Wednesday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and “respect for international humanitarian law”.

Speaking on France 2 television, France’s chief diplomat declared: “France has a role to play in conveying messages, and that is why I will be going to Israel and the Palestinian territories tomorrow evening to meet the authorities and humanitarian actors, to convey France’s voice in this region where the war has already gone on far too long”. 

“Violations of international humanitarian law are unacceptable and must stop”, he stressed, as Israel is accused of numerous human rights violations in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

France – Israel tensions

Israel has also banned the activities of UNRWA – the UN agency for Palestinian refugees – which it accuses of complicity with Hamas, provoking an international outcry.

His visit comes at a time where tensions between Israel and Paris have spiked in recent weeks, following statements by President Emmanuel Macron calling for a halt of arms sales to Gaza and accusing Israel of “sowing barbarity”.

However, Barrot insists: “Dialogue has never been broken off”.

This will be his second visit to Israel after first travelling to the country to mark the anniversary of 7 October Hamas attacks last month.

• France pays tribute to 7 October attack victims, families
• Israel slams Macron as a ‘disgrace’ over French arms fair ban

US plays ‘essential role’ for peace

When asked by France 2 whether a win for former President Donald Trump could boost Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Barrot replied: “The United States plays an essential role in ending the Israeli-Arab conflict … we are alongside the US – notably on Lebanon – to propose peace formulas to ensure a lasting peace in the region.”

Paris and Washington pushed for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in September, but those efforts fell through.

Since then, Washington has done little to raise pressure on Israel to end its operation in Lebanon. 

Barrot said Paris would work with whoever won Tuesday’s vote.

He pointed to former US Republican President Ronald Reagan’s suspension of some weapons deliveries to Israel after its 1982 invasion of Lebanon as an example of how Washington could still do more.

“The war has lasted far too long and the use of force must give way to the use of dialogue and diplomacy,” Barrot said.

France produces 2.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year, most of which does not get recycled. In the ongoing battle to reduce waste, a 2021 law is intended to phase out single-use packaging by 2040. We go to a packaging expo to see how this might happen and meet people being pushed to the front lines of waste reduction. (Listen @3’45”)

Bouchot mussel farmers in northern France are sounding the alarm about spider crabs devastating their crops. Warming waters have led to a four-fold increase in crab numbers, a prized marine resource, but which threatens the future of the industry. A mussel farmer talks about the impact, and a marine scientist presents possible solutions. (Listen @19’47”)

A hundred years ago this month, women and girls working in sardine canning factories in Brittany launched a six-week strike that has gone down in history as one of the earliest examples of women successfully organising to defend their labour rights. The granddaughter of one of the strikers describes its legacy. (Listen @12’20”) 

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 bitter rivals embarked on a final frenzied campaign blitz Monday with both hitting must-win Pennsylvania on the last day of a tight and volatile US presidential election campaign.

Pennsylvania is the single biggest swing state prize under the US Electoral College system, which awards influence in line with population.

Republican Trump has promised a “landslide” as he seeks his return to the White House, while Democrat Harris said the “momentum” was on the side of her bid to be America’s first woman president.

Deadlock

But the polls suggest a different story on the eve of Election Day – total deadlock in surveys nationally and in the seven swing states where the result is expected to be decided.

The world is anxiously watching the election, which is set to have profound implications for conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine, and for tackling climate change.

Both sides say they are encouraged by early turnout numbers, with over 78 million people having voted already, around half of the total number of ballots cast in 2020.

No middle ground

The closeness of the 2024 White House race reflects a deeply divided United States, as it chooses between two candidates whose visions could scarcely be more different.

Media outlets and political parties have poured millions of dollars into advertising campaigns that leave little room for middle ground.

This stark divide is a reflection of the American political system, where the winner-takes-all approach often marginalises third-party candidates and reinforces the dominance of the two major parties.

US elections: Who are the running mates for the key candidates?

As election day approaches, the spotlight has fallen on undecided voters who may ultimately tip the scales in this tight race.

Campaign volunteers have been working tirelessly, engaging directly with potential voters in an effort to sway opinions and drive turnout.

To discuss what is at stake, RFI’s Jan van der Made spoke to analyst J. Wesley Leckrone, Chair Political Science Widener University, Daniel Hopkins, Political Scientist University of Pennsylvania and Daniel Laurison, Associate Professor Sociology at Swarthmore College and former campaigner for Barack Obama.

Erdogan has avoided commenting on the US election, but Ankara sees the outcome of the 5 November vote as key for Turkish-US relations.

Each of the contenders, Vice-President Kamala Harris and Trump, are expected to take significantly different approaches to Turkey’s long-time leader.

“During the past Trump presidency, the political relationship at the highest level between Erdogan and Trump was a strong one,” says Sinan Ulgen, head of the Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, an Istanbul think tank.

Ties with President Joe Biden have been notably less friendly, however, if Harris were to win the relationship with Erdogan is likely to be a much more shallow one, Ulgen believes.

Face-to-face time

Erdogan met Trump nine times during his 2017-21 presidency, including on a state visit to Washington.

In contrast, he met Biden only briefly on the sidelines of international summits, with US-Turkish relations mainly conducted at foreign-minister level.

“Erdogan has been in power for more than 20 years and Biden is the only US president who has refused to meet him in an official capacity, either in the US capital or in the Turkish capital,” says international relations professor Serhat Guvenc of Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.

“For Erdogan, leader-to-leader talks are key to achieving his goals. And probably, he thinks deep down that he can sort out many things through personal contact, connections or personal engagement.”

Such interaction, especially with the most powerful person in the world, is also seen as vital to Erdogan’s status at home.

“It’s very important for his domestic standing and legitimacy,” says Asli Aydintasbas, a political commentator and visiting fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

“He has built a personalised system but also convinced voters, particularly his base, that he is a consequential leader, that Turkey is rising, that he is very important, he is on par with the US president and the Russian president, that everybody is looking up to Erdogan.”

Turkey and Russia closer than ever despite Western sanctions

Lack of chemistry?

Aydintasbas questions how easy it would be for Erdogan to develop a relationship with Harris, even if she were ready to engage more directly than Biden.

“I cannot imagine what type of chemistry Harris and Erdogan would have. They don’t come from similar backgrounds. It’s difficult to imagine the two developing a very close personal relationship, to be honest,” the analyst says.

Erdogan has often spoken warmly of his relationship with Trump – despite the fact he got hit by sanctions during his time in the White House over the detention of an American pastor, prompting the Turkish lira to crash in 2018.

Trump once even vowed to “totally destroy and obliterate” the Turkish economy over Turkey’s threats to attack US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces.

“We have memories of the threats and sanctions,” warns Murat Aslan of the pro-government Seta Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research in Ankara.

Invoking the 2018 crisis, Aslan said: “Rather than words, I think deeds are important.”

Erdogan hopes a U-turn can salvage Turkey’s floundering economy

High-risk candidate

The Middle East is another potential sticking point.

Trump is calling for more support for Israel in its wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, and analysts say differences could again emerge between the US and Turkish leaders.

“Trump’s approach to the Middle East and the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel could actually escalate the tension in the Middle East to the extent that a regional war could be unavoidable,” warns Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, who directs the German Marshall Fund’s office in Ankara.

“So yes, a Trump presidency has many opportunities for Turkey – but at a very high risk.”

Meanwhile, though there has been little direct contact between Biden and Erdogan, Turkish-US relations have shown signs of improvement in recent months.

With the two Nato allies increasingly cooperating and better managing their differences, Aydintasbas suggests, there are merits for Ankara to both candidates.

“A Kamala Harris administration would mean more continuity, but the promise of stability in Turkish-US relations,” she says. “Whereas Trump is so unpredictable that it could be very good one day, very bad one day.”

With the Middle East war continuing to rage, Trump’s unpredictability remains a risk to Ankara – but Erdogan will likely still covet the opportunity to renew his relationship with the US strongman.

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! And we are so pleased that “one of our own” has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! 

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 30 September, Marine Le Pen – the leader of the French far-right party the National Rally – along with her father and 25 colleagues went on trial over alleged misappropriation of European funds.

They’re accused of using European parliamentary funds to pay for assistants, who actually worked for her National Rally party, formerly called the National Front, rather than on European affairs.

If found guilty, Le Pen could face a maximum of ten years behind bars and a 1 million euro fine – and a possible five-year ban on standing for public office. 

You were to re-read our article “French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on trial for misuse of EU funds”, and send in the answer to this question: How many euros has the European Union Parliament estimated that Le Pen and her colleagues in the National Rally party allegedly embezzled?

The answer is, to quote our article: “The EU Parliament estimated in 2018 that 6.8 million euros had been embezzled. Marine Le Pen has always denied any wrongdoing.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Can you remember the first time you received new clothes from your parents?”, which was suggested by Ratna Shanta Shammi from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

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

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Deepita Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Deepita is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Deepita, on your double win!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Hasina Zaman Hasi, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria, as well as Sakawat Hossain from Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Last but assuredly not least, RFI English listener Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India. 

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Hadouk” by D. Malherbe and L. Ehrlich, played by Kosinus; “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, performed by the composer; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “We Swing (The Cypher)” by Jean Baylor, Marcus Baylor, Eric Scott Reed, Keith Loftis, and Dezron Douglas, performed by The Baylor Project.

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-listen to Melissa Chemam’s 18 October Spotlight on Africa podcast, “Ghana grapples with crisis caused by world’s throwaway fashion”, or re-read her article of the same name, both of which will help you with the answer.

You have until 25 November to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 7 December 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

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.   

October and November are set to host a series of events celebrating African art across the continent, in Europe and even farther afield.

Spotlight on Africa dives into perspectives from diverse African cultures, focusing on the voices and visions of the diaspora.

RFI journalists Ollia Horton and Melissa Chemam take us to the heart of two major art fairs: Paris’s Also Known As Africa (AKAA) and London’s 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair.

Listeners will hear from Victoria Mann, founder and director of AKAA, and founder of La Maison Gaston gallery, Christelle Clairville, whose work brings Caribbean influences to the dialogue around African identity.

French-Belgo-Congolese artist Tiffanie Delune, exhibiting in London, shares her journey through the art world.

Curators Grada Kilomba and Helio Menezes weigh in from the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Meanwhile, ahead of the Dakar Biennale, French-Algerian artist Dalila Dalleas Bouzar discusses her preparation and the importance of the event to her work.

Episode mixed by Hadrien Touraud and Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

More than 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing extremely critical levels of hunger, according to the UN. Seventy percent of crop fields and livelihoods have been destroyed during the Israeli military offensive.

The war, which has claimed 42,000 lives in Gaza and left hundreds of thousands wounded, has also spread to the West Bank and Lebanon. Civilians as well as UN peacekeepers have been targeted by Israel’s forces.

“I used the word ‘catastrophe’ for the first time back in October 2023,” Albanese told RFI, “when Israel had killed 8,000, 6,000 people in the first weeks of the conflict and destroyed entire neighbourhoods, bakeries, churches, and targeted UN buildings and universities.

“This is not the way wars are conducted.”

Albanese was speaking as she prepared to launch her latest report on the situation in Gaza and the other Palestinian territories, which she presented to the UN General Assembly earlier this week.

In it, she takes a long view of the current conflict, arguing that Israel’s military actions form part of a systematic attempt to displace Palestinians that goes back decades – and which she calls a genocide.

“Israel occupies that land, according to the International Court of Justice, unlawfully,” Albanese said. 

“So Israel unlawfully occupies a territory, oppressing its people, who of course retaliate. Then they wage a war against them. It doesn’t work that way.”

Hamas attack, one year on – a view from Gaza

‘Emptying the land’

Albanese acknowledges the deadly violence inflicted on Israelis by the attacks of 7 October last year, and she has advocated for the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed against civilians by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.

But she warns that the trauma of 7 October has deepened Israeli animosity towards Palestinians and spurred calls for vengeance, providing the government with an opportunity to escalate its actions in the occupied territories with the goal of making them unliveable.

“As we speak, Israel is running extermination raids neighbourhood per neighbourhood in the areas that were already forcibly evacuated, ethnically cleansed of nearly 1 million people in northern Gaza,” Albanese told RFI.

“Only 400,000 people remained, who have been starved, abused and bombed. What the people in Gaza have gone through is really unspeakable, and now it is emptying the land completely.”

Hamas attack, one year on – a view from Israel

Israel and UN at odds

The war has brought Israel’s already tense relations with the United Nations to a low point, with the Israeli parliament this week approving a controversial bill to ban the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA – considered a lifeline for Gaza – from operating on Israeli territory.

Israel claims many of the agency’s staff belong to Hamas or other terrorist groups, and accused some of them of involvement in the 7 October attacks.

The UN says it investigated the allegations and identified problems with neutrality, but no proof of terror links. It warns that restricting UNRWA will have a devastating effect on aid supply chains into Gaza.

More broadly, UN leaders have called for a ceasefire and denounced starvation, mass displacements, atrocities, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Albanese has proved an especially controversial figure, calling for the UN to consider suspending Israel as a member state over its actions. 

Her stance has drawn accusations of bias and antisemitism from Israel’s allies, notably the United States, which cancelled a briefing she was due to give the US Congress this week.

Washington and others argue that Israel has the right to defend itself – though Albanese questions whether its military operations are truly making it safer.

“Is it protection?” she asked. “How is what Israel is doing going to make its citizens protected? This is the question. And the blindness at the political level is mind-blowing.”

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.