The release of the report Saturday comes ahead of the Fifa Congress on 11 December, when a vote will be held to select the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.

Saudi Arabia is the lone candidate for 2034 while Morocco, Spain and Portugal have formed a joint bid for the 2030 tournament, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay all set to host a match as part of the centenary edition.

The Saudi bid “presents a very strong all-round proposition, reflected in the results of the technical evaluation, which assesses the proposed infrastructure (both sporting and general) as well as its commercial potential,” Fifa said in its report.

Effort and time

But football’s world governing body cautioned, “in terms of human rights, the undertaking involved in implementing the various measures… particularly in certain areas, could involve significant effort and time”.

Fifa said that was the basis for the elevated risk rating for a bid that received an average score of 4.2 out of 5 – higher than the combined bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup.

“It is important to note that the bid involves significant opportunities for positive human rights impact,” added Fifa.

Catalyst for reforms

“There is good potential that the tournament could serve as a catalyst for some of the ongoing and future reforms and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia and the region that go beyond the scope of the tournament itself,” the body said.

Football supremos clear plans for 2030 centenary World Cup across the globe

Saudi Arabia has yet to build several proposed stadiums proposed for a tournament that could be held in winter, as was the case in Qatar.

Human rights, a source of deep controversy at the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, threatens to become a major talking point once again in the run-up to 2034.

Rights groups highlight mass executions in Saudi Arabia and allegations of torture, as well as restrictions on women under the conservative country’s male guardianship system.

Has Qatar succeeded in ‘sportswashing’ its global image?

Free expression is severely restricted, with some people handed lengthy jail terms over critical posts on social media.

Saudi Arabia, which is hosting several high-profile events including Formula One and the WTA Finals tennis, is often accused of “sportswashing” – using sport to divert attention from its rights record.

(with AFP)

French X (formerly Twitter) phenomenon Arkunir and streamer Farès Bichard have called on their followers to set a new “European record of blood donation”.

Posts from both in mid-November boosted registrations for a blood donation event being held in Paris from Thursday, 28 November until Sunday, 1 December.

Of 4,100 appointments originally available there were just 350 left the day before the drive began, with 30 percent of those who had signed up younger than 30 years old.

The duo of influencers, who will host a Twitch special on Saturday at 2pm, spontaneously contacted the French national blood bank, EFS, its director Guillaume du Chaffaut told the French AFP news agency.

“Influencers are a good push to help us, along with our usual communication campaigns, to try to reach this younger, more connected, more mobile community,” he said.

French ‘rare blood’ drive seeks to woo diverse donors

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Since their involvement, EFS has seen a 20 percent jump in donors in September and October across France.

This weekend’s blood drive in Paris wraps up the “donor marathon” that the EFS has been running since January in sports facilities, in connection with the 2024 summer Olympics held in Paris.

But du Chaffaut cautions that even if France has a good number of blood donors among young people, they need to be convinced to become regulars – because once they start working, they often slow down their rate of donations, even if they then return later in life.

EFS needs to retain donors to increase plasma supplies, as “65 percent of plasma used in France to make medication comes from abroad, in particular the United States,” du Chaffaut warned.

He added that securing French plasma donations is a “big concern” for the coming years.

(with AFP)

When introducing the bill to parliament last May, the Beninese government stated that the slave trade had “left deep wounds on Africa and the descendants of the deported people” and that it wished to to help reconnect these descendants with their origins. 

Millions of enslaved Africans were dispatched from the shores of West Africa, including from Benin’s beaches.

Following the adoption of a law on 30 July paving the way for recognition of Beninese nationality for Afro-descendants, the government published the terms of the decree on 20 November.

According to RFI’s correspondent in Cotonou, Jean-Luc Aplogan, applications are to be submitted online, with a site under construction and due to be accessible from the start of December.

The move has already aroused great interest among people of African descent, according to our correspondent – particularly among Afro-descendants born in Haiti, Brazil and the Caribbean. People from those countries have become frequent visitors to Benin, notably since the country’s President Patrice Talon made memorials to the slave trade a central tenet of tourism on the country.

Voices from former French colonies reflect on painful slave trade legacy

French support

The idea received early support from prominent French citizens with origins in the West Indies, including Mère Jah, a pioneer of Pan-Africanism from Guadeloupe, who had moved to Benin, and passed away in May this year.

French academic Louis-Georges Tin, leader of campaign group State of the African Diaspora (SOAD), and Martinique-born lawyer Maître Germany met with Benin’s minister of justice in recent years and pleaded the case for nationality for those whose ancestors were deported at the time of colonial slavery.

How Black History month has slowly made its way to France

Benin is the first country to make such a move, with the leader of the opposition, Eric Houndété, calling it “a totally unprecedented initiative”.

SOAD, which represents the interests of Afro-descendants, also welcomed the development, with Tin writing in a statement: “We are very pleased with this result, and we will be proposing to the other African countries with which we have diplomatic relations [that they] draw inspiration from this magnificent example.”

‘Benin embraces us’

Lilith Dorsey, an American citizen living in New Orleans says the move by the Benin government “is extraordinary and will bring us closer to our brothers here.”

Dorsey, an author, dancer and filmmaker, said Benin “feels closer to her homeland”. She now plans to take advantage of the country’s new law to move there.

Nathan Debos, president of New Orleans National Vodou Day – which commemorates the victims of the slave trade – also says he feels more comfortable in West Africa than in the US and intends to take Beninese citizenship. “We have too many problems with racism and it is difficult for us to feel at home,” he said.

Debos is planning to make a pilgrimage to Benin in January to attend a festival of Voodoo in Ouidah, a beach town surrounded by memorials to the slave trade, he told French news agency AFP. “[I am] delighted that Benin extends its hand warmly to us and embraces us.”

‘Dahomey’ film invites colonial past to speak through Benin’s stolen treasures

Freedom of movement

Applicants for Beninese nationality under the new law must meet the following criteria: “Be 18 years of age or older, provide proof of his Afro descent by authenticated testimonies, civil status document or DNA test carried out in a laboratory approved by Benin.” The applicant’s father or mother must also have been born before 1944.

The applicants must travel to Benin to complete the final steps of the process, and stay in the country until nationality is granted. If they are successful, they will be issued a provisional certificate of nationality valid for three years.

Once they’ve obtained nationality, they will have freedom of entry, stay and exit and the right to a passport. These “new Beninese citizens” will not be able to vote, however, nor work in the country’s public administration.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot handed over two prehistoric stone axes, called bifaces, and a stone cutter to Ethiopia’s Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa, during a visit to the national museum in Addis Ababa.

The tools are “samples of nearly 3,500 artifacts from the excavations that were carried out on the Melka Kunture site”, a cluster of prehistoric sites south of the capital that were excavated under the direction of a late French researcher, Barrot said.

France and Ethiopia hold a longstanding bilateral agreement on cooperating in the fields of archaeology and paleontology.

A handover, not a restitution

The artifacts, currently stored at the French embassy in Addis Ababa, will be delivered in their entirety to the Ethiopian Heritage Directorate on Tuesday.

“This is a handover, not a restitution, in that these objects have never been part of French public collections,” Laurent Serrano, culture advisor at the French embassy, told AFP.

“These artifacts, which date back between 1 and 2 million years, were found during excavations carried out over several decades at a site near the Ethiopian capital,” he added.

‘Titanic’ task of finding plundered African art in French museums

Barrot’s visit to Ethiopia was part of his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa which began on Wednesday.

The main topics on the agenda were the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the future of French military presence in the region. 

In Ethiopia, home to the African Union (AU) headquarters, his focus was on international institutional reforms, particularly regarding the United Nations Security Council. 

France supports the AU’s campaign for better representation at the UN, backing proposals for two permanent African seats on the UN Security Council. 

(with AFP)

The visitors arrived at the Parc des Princes on the back of four successive defeats to face a team that had won five games on the trot in the French top flight.

And within two minutes of kick-off, it appeared the respective sequences would continue.

Achraf Hakimi stabbed home after Gonçalo Ramos set him up with a neat back-heeled flick from Nuno Mendes’ cross.

The strike animated the home faithful on a bitterly cold night in the French capital and they should have been further heartened seven minutes later when Vitinha engineered an opening for himself only to shoot straight at the Nantes goalkeeper Patrik Carlgren.

The 32-year-old Swede also thwarted Hakimi and Kang-in Lee as PSG dominated possession and racked up the chances.

For all Carlgren’s acrobatics, he should have been eliminated from the equation in the 35th minute following more slick play from Ramos but Bradley Barcola fluffed his moment to double the advantage.

Chances

PSG paid the price for their lack of precision minutes later. Matthis Abline was set free down the left wing mid way into the PSG half and the France under-21 international bedazzled Willian Pachco with his fleet feet to fire the ball across the PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma into the net for a classy equaliser.

On the cusp of half-time, Joao Neves compounded the hosts’ woes when he failed to slide the ball into the net after Carlgren had parried a piledriver from Mendes.

Neves was guilty of another glaring miss 12 minutes into the second-half. PSG boss Luis Enrique swapped Barcola and Lee for Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé respectively in an attempt to inject more guile. Nantes’ defenders, revelling in their doughtiness, absorbed the pressure.

“We came here knowing that we would suffer,” said Nantes boss Antoine Kombouaré after the match. “But my players fought for every ball and they deserve the credit for the result.

“When you play here, you know PSG will have the ball. They press you and they wear you out. But they lacked clarity in front of goal. We had two chances and we took one of them.”

Result

The result took PSG seven points clear at the top. Monaco can cut the deficit to four points with victory on Sunday night at third-placed Marseille.

“We did everything right,” lamented Enrique. “We dominated possession and we created chances but it was ever thus … success in football comes from goals and not chances created. The team tried until the end which is important.”

The stalemate ended a miserable week for the French champions. They lost 1-0 at Bayern Munich on Tuesday night in the Champions League to lie just outside the qualifying berths for the second phase with three games remaining in the group stages.

“It’s inexplicable,” added Enrique. “We’ve got fantastic stats but it’s just not happening for us. We had 24 shots on goal tonight –  eight on target. We did as much as possible but Nantes defended well.”

The draw leaves Nantes in the relegation zone flaunting renewed hope. “It’s not enormous as it’s only one point,” said Kombouaré.

“But it stops the sequence of defeats and it’s a point at the Parc des Princes which you don’t really expect.

“That and the performance will give us something to build on for next weekend’s game against Rennes.”

The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in a 26 October parliamentary election that the pro-EU opposition said was fraudulent.

The interior ministry said 107 people were detained for “disobedience to lawful police orders and petty hooliganism.”

“Throughout the night… protesters threw various objects, including stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles, and metal items, at law enforcement officers,” it said, adding that “10 employees of the ministry of internal affairs were injured.”

The ministry had said that 32 police officers were wounded and 43 protestors detained on Thursday.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement Thursday that Georgia will not seek to open accession talks with the European Union until 2028 ignited a furious reaction from the opposition and two days of protests.

He later accused the opposition and the EU ambassador to Georgia of distorting his words, and insisted membership in the bloc “by 2030” remains his “top priority.”

Clashes outside parliament

On Friday, reporters from French news agency AFP saw riot police fire water cannon and tear gas at pro-EU protesters gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, who tossed eggs and fireworks.

Clashes broke out later between protesters and police, who moved in to clear the area outside parliament, beating demonstrators, some of whom threw objects.

“I extend my gratitude to the minister of internal affairs and every police officer who yesterday defended Georgia’s constitutional order and safeguarded the nation’s sovereignty and independence,” Kobakhidze told a news conference on Saturday.

Protests were also held in other cities across Georgia on Friday, independent TV station Mtavari reported.

Independent TV station Pirveli said one of its journalists was hospitalised with serious injuries.

Georgia’s special investigation service said it had opened a probe into “allegations of abuse of official authority through violence by law enforcement officers against protesters and media representatives.”

Risk of international isolation

Hundreds of public servants, including from the ministries of foreign affairs, defence, and education, as well as a number of judges issued joint statements protesting Kobakhidze’s decision to delay EU accession talks.

Some 160 Georgian diplomats have criticised the move as contradicting the constitution and leading the country “into international isolation.”

More than a hundred schools and universities suspended academic activities in protest.

Pro-Western opposition parties are boycotting the new parliament, while President Salome Zurabishvili has sought to annul the election results through the country’s constitutional court.

Georgian president calls for new elections to resolve political crisis

In a televised address to the nation on Friday evening, the pro-Western president – at loggerheads with the ruling party – said: “The resistance movement has begun… I stand in solidarity with it.”

“We will remain united until Georgia achieves its goals: to return to its European path, secure new elections.”

 After the October vote, a group of Georgia’s leading election monitors said they had evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud.

Brussels has demanded an investigation into what it said were “serious (electoral) irregularities” reported by election monitors.

Georgian Dream MPs voted unanimously Thursday for Kobakhidze to continue as prime minister, even as the opposition boycotted parliament, which faces a serious legitimacy crisis.

‘Brutal repression’

“Police actions in Tbilisi mark another punitive attack on the right to peaceful assembly,” said Amnesty International.

France, Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden and Lithuania were among the countries to voice concern.

The human rights office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said: “The action of law enforcement officials while policing peaceful protests in Georgia is of deep concern and a serious breach of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”

European leaders seek a common future at Budapest summit

“The disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force impacted a large number of protestors and journalists during protests in which the overwhelming majority of demonstrators were peaceful.”

The Council of Europe condemned what it described as “brutal repression”, urging Georgia to remain “faithful to European values.”

In recent years, critics accuse Georgian Dream – in power for more than a decade – of having moved the country away from Europe and closer to Russia.

(with AFP)

US President Joe Biden signalled this week that Turkey could have a role in mediating peace in the Middle East.

“The United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza,” Biden told reporters.

However, US officials have downplayed Turkey’s mediating role due to Ankara’s ties to Hamas.

“We don’t believe the leaders of a vicious terrorist organisation should be living comfortably anywhere, and that certainly includes in … a major city of one of our key allies and partners,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said earlier.

Hamas tensions

Hamas leaders reportedly relocated to Turkey after the collapse of ceasefire efforts in November.

Erdogan, a staunch supporter of Hamas, has described the group as a “liberation movement”. Following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Erdogan declared a national day of mourning.

“There are rumours, and I don’t know how true they are, that many of those people have actually received Turkish citizenship as well,” Soli Ozel, a lecturer at the Institute for Human Studies in Vienna told RFI.

In a move seen as an attempt to placate Washington, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that there are no plans for Hamas to open a political bureau in Turkey.

Turkish presidential adviser Mesut Casin defended the policy: “Ankara will continue its position hosting Hamas number one. Number two, they will continue dialogue with Hamas in order to establish peace”.

Turkish President Erdogan ready to rekindle friendship with Trump

Complex ties

Despite tensions between Turkey and Israel, they maintain back-channel communication.

In November, the head of Israel’s intelligence agency Shin Bet met his Turkish counterpart in Ankara. The meeting reportedly centred on the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

“We have 101 hostages that are still, we don’t know their fate,” says Gallia Lindenstrauss, an Israeli foreign policy specialist at the Institute for National Security Studies.

“There are attempts to at least receive information about who’s alive, who’s dead, who’s holding them – Hamas or Islamic Jihad.”

Lindenstrauss cautioned that Israel remains sceptical of Turkey’s ability to act as a neutral mediator.

“It would be very hard for Israel in general and specifically Prime Minister Netanyahu to trust Turkey to be a mediator that will be respectful to both sides,” she said.

While Erdogan’s public rhetoric often inflames tensions, analysts say Turkish-Israeli relations are shaped more by pragmatism than politics.

“Turkey and Israel have one way of dealing with one another in public and another way of dealing with one another diplomatically and in security cooperation,” Ozel explains.

In a possible effort to build trust, Turkish authorities recently extradited three Uzbek suspects linked to the murder of an Israeli rabbi in the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt and Turkey’s closer ties spark hope for peace among Libya’s rival factions

Challenges remain

As Israel intensifies its military campaign against Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a Gaza ceasefire for now.

“The reason for having a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas,” Netanyahu said Tuesday.

“From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own. We will increase our pressure on Hamas.”

Despite Ankara’s overtures, Israel has warned that Hamas leaders are not safe from targeting, even in Turkey.

“They will find these Hamas leaders and target them wherever they find them,” Lindenstrauss maintains.

A recent poll shows that 62 percent of French people are “concerned” by Trump’s win, and eight out of 10 have a negative image of him.

His re-election was not as much of a surprise as his win in 2016 “but it was sort of a disappointment”, says Celia Belin, head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

“The French had to realise that Americans, by a substantial margin, picked Donald Trump – someone who feels very foreign to European interests, very aggressive, very bullish.”

Listen to an interview with Celia Belin in the Spotlight on France podcast, listen here: 

European unity

Trump has questioned the US’s commitment to NATO, and has threatened to impose on tariffs on all imports.

While so far he has detailed the tariffs he would impose on Mexican, Canadian and Chinese goods, he has not mentioned Europe – but given the US is the continent’s largest export market for many goods, the impact of any tariffs would likely be severe.

France, under Macron, will continue to look out for European interests, Belin says, stressing that European unity is key – more so than ever, with the French President’s party in an unstable coalition government, 

“The French know – and the rest of Europe knows – that they will only be strong as long as they’re working together to find collective positions and agree on ways to [be persuasive], or retaliate against some of Trump’s decisions,” she adds.

Europe has ‘avoided bearing burden of its own security’, says Macron

Muted congratulations

On Europe’s far-right, while leaders including Viktor Orban of Hungary enthusiastically congratulated Trump on his win, the reaction at that end of the political spectrum in Francehas been more circumspect. This stands in contrast to 2016, when RN leader Marine Le Pen was the first to congratulate Trump, even before the race had been called.

Following this year’s election Le Pen wrote, rather more soberly: “Americans have freely chosen their president. This new political era should contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations and the pursuit of constructive dialogue and cooperation on the international stage.”

Le Pen did not demonstrate support for Trump during his election campaign, and appears to be distancing herself from him – at least in terms of style, if not substance.

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

Differing approaches

According to Belin, Trump’s win “could appear to validate some of the far right’s theses, both in France and in other European countries, which is that the public is demanding tougher immigration policies, that there is a rejection of progressive policies, and a criticism of the elite”.

But in France, where the far-right RN holds more power than ever before, the party has been taking a different approach.

“The National Rally has been trying to legitimise itself by appearing more responsible, by toning down some of the rhetoric, by abandoning its more radical positions on Europe, for example,” says Belin, pointing out that this approach is very different from Trump’s anti-establishment bombastic style.

Support for the far right may be at an all-time high in France, but disapproval of Trump is higher, and RN appears to have decided – for now – that Trump’s approach is “too disruptive, too extreme, too outrageous”.

The results of July’s snap parliamentary election in France showed voters shying away from giving the RN a mandate, and Belin stresses that this was linked to the fact that some candidates “were too extreme or too incompetent or not ready to govern” – again, the opposite of what is happening in the US, which she says has elected “a class of incompetent, loyal disruptors”.

Proof in the policies

In the end, it is his policies that could determine how the far right views Trump. If the US imposes tariffs on European goods, as it did during Trump’s first term in office, when European steel and aluminum exports were targeted, Europeans could suffer.

“Some of the policies of the Trump administration will directly negatively impact the European working class, or the French working class – which these [far-right] groups are supposedly trying to protect, and this will do a lot to unite everyone against the US,” Belin says.

“I think this fascination for Trump will be short-lived when our farmers and our industries are hit by tariffs, when we see disruption coming from the US deregulation that works against us. All of this, I think, will put a dampener on support for Trump.”

Listen to an interview with Celia Belin in the Spotlight on France podcast, episode 119, here.

Between 20 and 34 million people are believed to work as waste pickers worldwide, playing a crucial role in recovering recyclable material.

“We’re the biggest business in the world,” 54-year-old Maria Soledad Mella Vidal, a Chilean waste picker, told French news agency AFP.

“We don’t have money, infrastructure or machinery… but we are extremely proud because our contribution to the environment is real.”

Representatives of nearly 200 nations are gathered in South Korea to agree on a landmark deal to curb plastic pollution that litters the planet.

Just nine percent of plastic is currently recycled globally.

But estimates suggest over half of what is recycled is recovered by waste pickers.

Johnson Doe joined the sector at 16 in Ghana‘s capital Accra.

“There was no formal job around, so the only work to do was to be a waste picker,” he told AFP.

Every day, the 39-year-old waits for waste trucks to arrive at one of the city’s dumps so he can collect recyclable items for sale to an intermediary.

He earns three dollars a day on average, “enough to sustain myself”, he said.

After more than two decades in the job, plastic no longer holds any secrets for him.

“We can tell,” he said, examining a plastic bottle placed before him and rattling off the different plastic components.

“I love this job,” he added. “But what we need is integration, respect and inclusion.”

Plastic-eating mealworms found in Kenya offer hope for waste crisis

‘We should be involved’

As observers, waste pickers can sit in on negotiations, but do not have the right to participate despite their direct experience with the problem.

“If there is a discussion… we should be involved,” Doe said.

Mella Vidal, the waste picker from Chile, is also an expert on plastics and wants a ban on single-use items, which is under discussion in the negotiations.

She also wants a redesign of plastic products to facilitate recycling, giving the example of the pill strip for the paracetamol she is taking to combat a cold.

“It’s PS (polystyrene). It has no value in the market. And on top of that, there’s a thin layer of aluminium stuck on top. It’s an eco-design problem, like yoghurt pots,” she said.

Mella Vidal no longer works at dump sites, which have disappeared with new rules in Chile on sanitary landfills.

Instead, she gets up at 5am to scour the street for recyclables before waste trucks pass through, sorting what she finds in the courtyard of her house.

“No machine can replace the relationship between a waste picker and waste,” she said.

“A nail or a piece of glass can jam a sorting machine. Nothing stops us.”

In 2022, a UN resolution recognised the contribution of waste pickers to the fight against plastic pollution, and the sector wants that enshrined in any deal in Busan.

Ghana grapples with crisis caused by world’s throwaway fashion

A growing movement

They say it would open the door to legal recognition of their work.

“A lot of people prejudge us. They think we’re criminals or drug addicts,” said Mella Vidal.

The profession is also dangerous, exposing workers to toxic chemicals, poorly regulated work sites and even violence.

In 1992, 11 waste pickers were killed in Colombia by security guards who planned to sell their corpses to a medical school.

A twelfth was able to escape and alert police.

The crime shocked Colombia and helped galvanise a movement.

The day the massacre was uncovered, 1 March, is now International Waste Pickers Day.

About 460,000 people now belong to the International Alliance of Waste Pickers, a union whose members attend international meetings like the negotiations in Busan.

Among their demands is better health protection given the toxic substances to which they are regularly exposed.

“We are not getting support from the government or from anybody,” said Doe.

“And it’s because we are not mentioned in the policies. So if we have a legal treaty that mentions waste pickers, we will have support.”

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5) is due to conclude on 1 December.

France’s FNSEA farmer’s union plans to mobilise across the country on 9 and 10 December, according to its president Arnaud Rousseau.

This latest action will address farmers’ income, the pricing of agricultural products and ongoing trade negotiations with distributors.

Speaking on RMC radio on Friday morning, Rousseau said that the aim is to conclude the series of protests with a meeting with Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

Following a series of demonstrations at the start of the year, farming unions resumed their protests in mid-November, united behind their demand for better incomes and opposition to the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur.

French lawmakers reject Mercosur free trade deal as farmers continue protests

Posting on social media; Rousseau said: “For a year, we’ve been on the ground to get results in the farmyards … [our] threat to the current government leads us to believe that the progress expected … will not necessarily be forthcoming. This is the case with cash loans … [and] is a matter of the utmost urgency for farmers.”

• French farmers call off border blockade after talks with Prime Minister Barnier
• French farmers protest EU-Mercosur deal, block motorways in southern France

Phased protests

The FNSEA – in partnership with the Young Farmers union (JA) – has structured its action into three phases: the first addressing Mercosur, the second focused on standards and administrative simplification, and the final phase – over the coming days – dedicated to income concerns.

Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard is scheduled to meet with FNSEA-JA later this Friday, followed by discussions with the Modef and Coordination rurale unions, in a bid to advance on concrete measures to ease farmers’ daily challenges.

The Confédération paysanne – which also advocates for improved incomes and the cutting of red tape while supporting existing standards – will also hold a meeting with Genevard in the near future.

French farmers wall off public buildings in protest over regulations

The announcement made by Chad’s foreign ministry could now lead to the full withdrawal of 1,000 French troops and warplanes.

It reportedly took France by surprise, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot – who was in Chad on Wednesday – not informed of the decision. 

The move was only published on the Chadian Foreign Affairs website once Barrot was on a plane to continue his African tour in Ethiopia.

President Emmanuel Macron was not called by Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby either. 

A high-ranking observer told RFI that even Déby’s inner circle appeared to have been surprised by the timing of the announcement.

• Chad is ‘not a slave who wants to change masters’, says president

‘Turmoil’ in Paris

Meanwhile, the French presidency, the prime minister’s office, army staff and intelligence services were reportedly in turmoil on Friday, with a crisis defence council meeting held at the Élysée Palace.

According to French diplomats traveling with Barrot, there was nothing to suggest that N’djamena would make such a major announcement.

After the meeting between the Déby and Barrot on Thursday, ChadianForeign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah described France as “an essential partner“, but said Chad had “grown, matured and is a sovereign state” that guards its sovereignty closely.

In light of Chad’s intention to have France withdraw its troops, the statement has taken on a more dramatic meaning.

According to RFI’s correspondent in N’Djaména, many locals have welcomed the decision, with some saying it was long overdue.

• French foreign minister tackles Sudan crisis and UN reform on Africa trip

‘Asserting sovereignty’

The foreign ministry said Chad – the last country in the Sahel to host French forces – could now “fully assert its sovereignty” after more than 60 years of independence.

The decision would also enable Chad to redefine its strategic partnerships, it added.

A key ally for Western nations in the fight against Islamist militants, Chad has shifted closer to Russia in recent years.

The decision to end the defence cooperation agreement is another nail in the coffin of France’s historic and colonial role in west and central Africa after it was forced to pull its troops out of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso following military coups.

The juntas in those countries have turned to Moscow for support, welcoming mercenaries who operate across the Sahel region – a band of countries stretching from Africa’s northwest to northeast coasts

‘Harmonious transition’

“In accordance with the terms of the accord, Chad will respect the modalities of the termination including the necessary deadlines, and will collaborate with French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition,” the ministry statement said.

The announcement came on the same day French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Chad’s border with Sudan.

Although there was no sign Paris had been warned of the decision, a French envoy submitted proposals to President Emmanuel Macron about reducing France’s military presence in Chad, Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire, where thousands of French troops have been based for decades.

• France launches embezzlement inquiry into Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby
• France to reduce military presence in West and Central Africa

Senegal setback 

In a further blow to France, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomayé Fayé told French state TV on Thursday that it was inappropriate for French troops to maintain a presence in his country.

He stopped short of saying if or when French troops would be asked to leave, but said Paris would be the first to know.

Around 350 French troops are based in Senegal.

Despite the shock announcement, Chad’s foreign ministry emphasised that ending the defence pact should in no way undermine the friendly relations between the two countries.

Earlier this year, Chad ordered a small contingent of US special forces to leave.

The US said in September it was in talks about their possible return. The Pentagon has not confirmed whether it currently has a presence in Chad.

Eight days ahead of the 7 December reopening of the cathedral, Macron conducted an inspection, broadcast live on television, which provided the first official insight into how the 850-year-old edifice now looks inside.

“Sublime,” said a visibly pleased Macron, who was accompanied by Paris‘ archbishop Laurent Ulrich, the culture minister, the mayor of Paris and other officials.

“It is much more welcoming,” he added, praising Notre-Dame’s pale-coloured stones and saying everyone involved in the reconstruction should “be proud”.

Accompanied by his wife Brigitte, Macron toured the key areas of the cathedral, including the nave, choir and chapel, and spoke to experts.

Notre-Dame will welcome visitors and worshippers again over the December 7-8 weekend, after a sometimes challenging restoration to return the imposing Paris cathedral to its former glory after it was badly damaged by fire on 19 April, 2019.

Macron at the time set the ambitious goal to rebuild the masterpiece of Gothic architecture within five years and make it “even more beautiful” than before, a target that the French authorities say has been met.

The “building site of the century” was a “challenge that many considered insane”, Macron said on the eve of his visit on Friday.

The French president is hoping the re-opening of Notre-Dame will be a major feather in his cap amid the current political deadlock following early parliamentary elections this summer.

World leaders are expected to attend but the guest list has yet to be unveiled.

With Notre-Dame set to reopen nearly half of France plans to make a pilgrimage

Costly restoration

Some 250 companies and hundreds of experts were brought it for restoration work costing hundreds of millions of euros.

All 2,000 people who contributed to the effort have been invited to Friday’s event, of whom at least 1,300 are expected to attend.

“This final site visit is an opportunity to thank them in particular – from wood craftsmen to those of metal and stone, from scaffolders to roofers, from bell makers to art restorers, from gilders to masons and sculptors, from carpenters to organ builders, from architects, archaeologists, engineers and planners to logistical and administrative functions,” Macron said.

The restoration cost a total of nearly 700 million euros (more than $750 million at today’s rate).

It was financed from the 846 million euros in donations that poured in from 150 countries in an unprecedented surge of solidarity.

The 19th-century gothic spire has now been resurrected with an exact copy of the original, the stained windows have regained their colour, the walls shining after fire stains cleaned and a restored organ ready to thunder out again.

France mulls charging tourists to enter Notre-Dame cathedral

Unseen to visitors is a new mechanism to protect against any future fires, a discreet system of pipes ready to release millions of water droplets in case of a new disaster.

Notre-Dame, which welcomed 12 million visitors in 2017, expects to receive an even higher figure of 14 to 15 million after the reopening, according to the church authorities.

French ministers have also floated the idea of charging tourists an entrance fee to the site but the Paris diocese has said free admission was an important principle to maintain.

Reopening ceremony

Macron had hoped to speak inside Notre-Dame to mark the reopening but after negotiations with the diocese, he was now set to speak in the forecourt only.

France is by its constitution a secular country with a strict division between church and state.

The next day, Sunday 8 December, will see the first mass and consecration of the new altar.

Macron said in December 2023 he had invited Pope Francis to the reopening of the cathedral but the head of the Catholic church announced in September, to the surprise of some observers, that he would not be coming.

Instead, the pontiff is making a landmark visit during the subsequent weekend to the French island of Corsica.

The French Catholic church has in recent years been rocked by a succession of sexual abuse allegations against clerics, including most recently the monk known as Abbe Pierre who became a household name for providing aid to the destitute.

Over five years on, the investigation into what caused the fire is ongoing, with initial findings backing an accidental cause such as a short circuit, a welder’s torch or a cigarette.

Le Pen has spent the past two months dividing her time between the National Assembly and court appearances in a criminal case that could affect her eligibility to run in the 2027 presidential elections. 

The accusations centre on claims that European parliamentary assistants were hired with EU funds but worked exclusively for the benefit of Le Pen’s RN party. 

Government squeezed

With the legal proceedings on hold, Le Pen is now concentrating on strengthening her party’s position with the upcoming 2025 budget vote, which is causing market turbulence and risks bringing down the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier.  

“It’s a question of whether we can change a budget that is bad, unfair, violent, and if not, of drawing the political consequences,” she said, adding it was important to challenge it. 

French government still shaky as lawmakers compromise on budget bill

RN‘s position on the budget vote gives it unprecedented leverage over government policy, with National Rally deputies in a position to support or topple the government. 

Party leaders have been vocal in the media, increasing pressure on Barnier’s government.

RN has hinted that its lawmakers could vote in favour of a no-confidence motion unless concessions are made. 

The party appears to be using its leverage to secure concessions during final budget negotiations, particularly targeting cuts to the state medical aid budget for foreign nationals – a policy victory they could present to voters. 

The RN’s threat of supporting a no-confidence vote puts significant pressure on the government to consider the party’s demands. 

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Alan Holder from Isle of Wight, England, and Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India.

Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Nunca es Suficiente” written by Natalia Lafourcade, Daniela Azpiazu, and Anthony Lopez, sung by Natalia Lafourcade; “Lake Como” by Giselle Galos, performed by Sweet People, and “Dance Little Lady, Dance” by Gerry Shury and Ron Roker, sung by Tina Charles.

The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 December. Be sure and tune in! 

After three days of fierce debate, the first draft of the bill was passed on 29 November, 1974. And while the right to abortion has since been enshrined in the French constitution, a world first, the bill’s adoption by the National Assembly half a century ago was far from a given.

Newly elected president Valéry Giscard d’Estaing had promised to decriminalise abortion, but his justice minister, Jean Lecanuet, who was tasked with drafting the legislation, refused to do it for personal, ethical reasons.

Health minister Simone Veil instead took up the challenge, and presented the bill to an (overwhelmingly male) National Assembly – opening the debate with a speech in which she argued that women were getting abortions regardless of the law, which should therefore be changed.

“We can no longer close our eyes to the 300,000 abortions a year that, each year, scar the women of this country, which flout our laws and humiliate or traumatise those who resort to them,” she said.

‘No woman resorts to abortion with joy’

In what was a call for politicians to accept the current reality, Veil continued: “I would like to share with you a woman’s conviction. Please excuse me for doing so before this assembly, made up almost exclusively of men. No woman resorts to abortion with joy. It is always a tragedy and will always be a tragedy.”

As a Jewish woman and a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, Veil’s support for the legislation drew personal, often anti-Semitic, attacks and even death threats.

During the debates in parliament, lawmakers – many of them Catholic – made religious and moral arguments against legalising abortion.

But after concessions on adding a conscience clause for doctors who refused to perform the procedure, the bill was adopted with 284 votes for and 189 against. Support came largely from the left and centre, and opposition from d’Estaing’s right wing.

The bill was then approved by the Senate, coming into force on 17 January, 1975 for five years, and was made permanent in 1979.

Subsequent laws extended these rights, reducing a stipulated waiting period and allowing voluntary abortions until 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Beyond that period, two doctors and a psychologist may approve the procedure if there is a risk to the health of the mother, or if the foetus is expected to suffer from an incurable disorder.

• Number of abortions in France reaches highest level in 30 years
• French Senate approves bill making abortion a constitutional right

Access issues remain

In March of this year, the right to abortion was enshrined in the constitution, although access remains uneven.

Why changing the constitution doesn’t guarantee access to abortion in France

Over the last 50 years, “the means of accessing abortion have changed,” according to France’s demographics institute, Ined, in a study published on Wednesday.

Today most abortions in France are carried out using medication, before seven weeks of pregnancy have passed, and are provided outside of hospitals, especially following the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, Ined warns, abortion access varies depending on location within France, “putting a constraint on the methods, conditions, and by extension the possibility to choose the way of ending a pregnancy”.

The numbers of abortions carried out in France have also been increasing since 2017, with 243,623 recorded in 2023.

Police reportedly opened fire and killed two protesters this week as hundreds of people gathered in the northern city of Nampula.

The country has been gripped by weeks of protests since electoral authorities declared Daniel Chapo of the ruling Frelimo party winner of the 9 October presidential election. Frelimo has governed Mozambique since 1975.

UN Resident Coordinator Catherine Sozi on Thursday urged Mozambican authorities to investigate the mowing down of a woman by a military vehicle on Wednesday.

The Mozambican Ministry of Defence confirmed she had been taken to Maputo Central Hospital for treatment and that her injuries were not life-threatening.

Videos of the incident, widely shared on social media, showed a military vehicle driving over the victim as she stood behind a banner supporting opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane.

The incident took place during a new wave of demonstrations called by Mondlane following his rejection of the poll results.

Mozambique’s armed forces said in a statement that they “accidentally ran over a citizen” and would take responsibility for her medical care at the hospital. 

• At least 30 die in Mozambique election protests says rights group
• Mozambique opposition calls strike amid election fraud claims and assassinations

Conflicting death tolls

Human Rights Watch said on Monday that at least 10 children have been killed by security forces since late October.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, a local civil society organisation, stated last week that it was aware of 65 people killed by police.

President Filipe Nyusi said in a state of the nation address on 19 November that 19 people had died, including five police officers. 

He is due to step down in January.

The United States, Britain, Canada, Norway and Switzerland condemned “the escalation of violence against civilians”, including Wednesday’s brutal incident.

As protests continued, international observers urged dialogue to address the crisis.

The UN and other organisations have called on the Mozambican government to respect the right to peaceful assembly and investigate allegations of excessive force.

“Negative narratives about Africa have real consequences for people’s lives and futures,” said Abimbola Ogundairo, campaign lead for the NGO Africa No Filter, which produced the report and works to promote balanced storytelling about the continent.

The organisation’s latest research found these biases cost African economies $4.2 billion annually in lost investment opportunities.

It found that persistent portrayals of poverty, conflict and corruption have far-reaching consequences, from deterring investment to increasing borrowing costs for African nations.

Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.

Investors deterred

Using case studies and data analysis, the report examined how media narratives influence investment, particularly during election periods. It compared African countries to their global peers and quantified the costs of misrepresentation.

The report also quantified how biased media coverage correlates with sovereign bond yields – a critical financial indicator.

It found that even nations with strong democratic institutions are often framed through lenses of instability and corruption – reinforcing negative stereotypes and overshadowing progress.

The Spotlight on Africa podcast explores this issue, featuring interviews with both Ogundairo, who is from Nigeria, and the acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, from Mauritania.

Both emphasise the need for African voices to take control of the continent’s narrative.

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Tinubu began his two-day trip on Thursday with a ceremony at Les Invalides in central Paris, accompanied by President Emmanuel Macron, the leaders’ two wives and representatives of the French army and ministries.

It comes as Nigeria aims to tackle economic challenges, including insecurity and corruption, which have left more than half of the population of 129 million people living in poverty.

A major oil producer with a robust film industry, Nigeria offers significant potential for foreign investment.

Macron, who has long sought a “renewal” between Paris and Africa, said his country will “continue to invest” in Nigeria, at a time when France’s influence on the continent is waning.

Travelling with Tinubu is a delegation of entrepreneurs and young business leaders in Paris for a packed programme of meetings, including dinner with the Macrons and talks at the French Development Agency.

Deepening ties

Among them is Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Baobab Plus, a French-Nigerian renewable energy company, who told RFI Tinubu’s visit was a chance to deepen ties and encourage sustainable growth.

“A lot of people in Nigeria don’t have access to electricity, so we’re supporting the government by bridging the gap,” he said.

“There’s a connection in terms of technological and financial support that is key.”

Osinowo hopes to move beyond aid-based relationships between Africa and Europe, pushing instead for increased investment to boost Nigeria’s economy and create jobs.

“This is essential so that people don’t have to migrate and cause different migration issues around the world,” he added.

Nigeria’s Tinubu sworn in as president, bringing hopes of economic prosperity

Diversifying partnerships

France is looking to diversify its economic partnerships in Africa following military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon.

Nigerians, it appears, have quite a positive image of France.

Because Nigeria is not a former colony, it has a simpler relationship with France than most of its neighbours, Abuja-based political scientist Jibrin Ibrahim told RFI.

Meanwhile the arts have also played a role in fostering positive perceptions of France.

Uchenna Pedro, founder of lifestyle platform Bella Naija and one of Forbes Africa’s 50 Most Influential Women, said France had much to offer Nigeria as a potential partner – particularly in the creative industries.

Her platform already has ties to French companies, such as L’Oréal, in the beauty and fashion industries.

“French industries in my domains bring high value, and France’s belief in the arts makes it a great partnership,” said Pedro, who is part of the young leaders of the French Africa Foundation 

Singer-songwriter and activist Chioma Ogbonna, known as Cill, agrees that French industries in the cultural domain bring high value.

“Because of how the arts and the creative industry thrives here in France and how it is prioritised, it is an important destination for Africans and Nigerians especially,” she said.

About 1,500 women drivers in Paris will be available to take female passengers through the new service option launched Thursday, Uber said in a press release.

However, waiting times are expected to be longer than standard rides due to the limited number of women drivers. They could average 15 minutes compared to just four minutes for regular Uber rides.

“With Uber by Women, we are taking concrete steps to offer more choice to women and bring more peace of mind to those who need it during their journeys,” said director of Uber France Laureline Serieys.

Driver incentives

To attract more women to the platform, Uber will offer female drivers a “substantial reduction” in the fees it charges for each ride. The company hopes this will help increase the number of women working as drivers while improving security for passengers.

France announces new measures to combat violence against women

“I am convinced that the flexibility, independence and ability to generate income that Uber offers are particularly well-suited to many women’s lifestyles,” Serieys said.

How it works

The option is available exclusively to female passengers. Uber said reminders about this rule will be displayed in the app, and female drivers can cancel a ride without penalties if a male rider tries to use the service.

If no female drivers are available within a reasonable timeframe, the option will not appear on the app for passengers.

The service has already been introduced in several European countries including Poland and the Czech Republic.

It comes days after Uber launched another feature allowing parents to track teenage passengers’ journeys in real time using PIN verification.

The lower house of parliament voted nearly unanimously Wednesday against the deal that is being negotiated in Brussels, a day after the upper house voted the same – a rare show of political consensus in a politically divided France.

The deal between the 27-member European Union and Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay was agreed on in 2019, but has stalled as it moves through approval votes in individual countries.

France says the free trade agreement will devastate its agriculture sector, and farmers again took to the streets last week to express opposition, saying it will bring unfair competition.

A second week of farmers protest this week is focused more on what they call constraints put on them by regulations – a main topic of concern during massive farmer protests that broke out at the start of the year.

France looking for allies

With both houses of parliament voting to reject the deal, France is sending a strong message to other European countries, said Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

Poland has joined France in opposing the agreement, and need two other European countries to form a blocking minority.

French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that France was working with Poland, Austria, Italy and other EU countries “that have the same concerns”.

The opposition clashes with Brazil, which has been pushing for a swift approval.

“I intend to sign this agreement this year,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday, adding that France does not get to decide on the outcome.

“Ursula von der Leyen has the power to make the agreement happen,” he said, referring to the head of the European Commission, which determines trade policy for the EU.

Germany and Spain have both said they want the trade deal completed swiftly.

(with Reuters, AFP)

Logistical issues left crowds waiting to vote although polls were scheduled to close at 9pm on Wednesday.

Ballot counting had started at some polling stations with early results initially expected by Saturday according to the electoral calendar.

In the face of criticism from political parties and voters over the long queues, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) said it was extending voting hours.

On Thursday morning, “some people were still voting,” ECN spokesman Siluka De Wet told AFP.

At the University of Science and Technology in Windhoek, voting stopped at 05:00 am on Thursday, polling officers told AFP.

The vote could usher in the desert nation’s first woman leader even as her party, the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) faces the strongest challenge to its dominance on politics since Namibia’s 1990 independence from South Africa.

After casting her ballot, SWAPO’s candidate and current vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, called on the country’s 1.5 million people registered to vote “to come out in their numbers”.

Namibia’s ruling party on edge as country holds presidential polls

‘It’s absolutely disappointing’

According to Namibia’s electoral law, those in queues before polls close should be allowed to vote.

Some voters told AFP they queued for 12 hours, blaming technical problems, including issues with voter identification tablets and insufficient ballot papers.

“It’s absolutely disappointing,” said Reagan Cooper, a 43-year-old farmer among the hundred or so voters outside the town hall polling station in Windhoek.

“The voters have turned out, but the electoral commission has failed us,” Cooper told AFP.

Armed with folding chairs and umbrellas to cope with the slow-moving lines and blazing sun, many Namibians spent half the day waiting to vote.

Polling site managers told AFP that problems with tablets used to check voters’ identities using fingerprints included untimely updates, overheating and dead batteries.

The main opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), blamed the ECN for the long lines and cried foul play.

“We have reason to believe that the ECN is deliberately suppressing voters and deliberately trying to frustrate voters from casting their vote,” said Christine Aochamus of the IPC.

SWAPO has governed since leading mineral-rich Namibia to independence but complaints about unemployment and enduring inequalities could force Nandi-Ndaitwah into an unprecedented second round.

IPC leader Panduleni Itula, a former dentist and lawyer, said Wednesday he was optimistic he could “unseat the revolutionary movement”.

For the first time in Namibia’s recent history, analysts say a second voting round is a somewhat realistic option.

That would take place within 60 days of the announcement of the first round of results due by Saturday.

Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter but not many of its nearly three million people have benefitted from that wealth.

“There’s a lot of mining activity that goes on in the country, but it doesn’t really translate into improved infrastructure, job opportunities,” said independent political analyst Marisa Lourenco, based in Johannesburg.

“That’s where a lot of the frustration is coming from, (especially) the youth,” she said.

Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 percent, according to the latest figures from 2018, almost triple the national average.

US President Joe Biden signalled this week that Turkey could have a role in mediating peace in the Middle East.

“The United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza,” Biden told reporters.

However, US officials have downplayed Turkey’s mediating role due to Ankara’s ties to Hamas.

“We don’t believe the leaders of a vicious terrorist organisation should be living comfortably anywhere, and that certainly includes in … a major city of one of our key allies and partners,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said earlier.

Hamas tensions

Hamas leaders reportedly relocated to Turkey after the collapse of ceasefire efforts in November.

Erdogan, a staunch supporter of Hamas, has described the group as a “liberation movement”. Following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Erdogan declared a national day of mourning.

“There are rumours, and I don’t know how true they are, that many of those people have actually received Turkish citizenship as well,” Soli Ozel, a lecturer at the Institute for Human Studies in Vienna told RFI.

In a move seen as an attempt to placate Washington, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that there are no plans for Hamas to open a political bureau in Turkey.

Turkish presidential adviser Mesut Casin defended the policy: “Ankara will continue its position hosting Hamas number one. Number two, they will continue dialogue with Hamas in order to establish peace”.

Turkish President Erdogan ready to rekindle friendship with Trump

Complex ties

Despite tensions between Turkey and Israel, they maintain back-channel communication.

In November, the head of Israel’s intelligence agency Shin Bet met his Turkish counterpart in Ankara. The meeting reportedly centred on the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

“We have 101 hostages that are still, we don’t know their fate,” says Gallia Lindenstrauss, an Israeli foreign policy specialist at the Institute for National Security Studies.

“There are attempts to at least receive information about who’s alive, who’s dead, who’s holding them – Hamas or Islamic Jihad.”

Lindenstrauss cautioned that Israel remains sceptical of Turkey’s ability to act as a neutral mediator.

“It would be very hard for Israel in general and specifically Prime Minister Netanyahu to trust Turkey to be a mediator that will be respectful to both sides,” she said.

While Erdogan’s public rhetoric often inflames tensions, analysts say Turkish-Israeli relations are shaped more by pragmatism than politics.

“Turkey and Israel have one way of dealing with one another in public and another way of dealing with one another diplomatically and in security cooperation,” Ozel explains.

In a possible effort to build trust, Turkish authorities recently extradited three Uzbek suspects linked to the murder of an Israeli rabbi in the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt and Turkey’s closer ties spark hope for peace among Libya’s rival factions

Challenges remain

As Israel intensifies its military campaign against Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a Gaza ceasefire for now.

“The reason for having a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas,” Netanyahu said Tuesday.

“From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own. We will increase our pressure on Hamas.”

Despite Ankara’s overtures, Israel has warned that Hamas leaders are not safe from targeting, even in Turkey.

“They will find these Hamas leaders and target them wherever they find them,” Lindenstrauss maintains.

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Alan Holder from Isle of Wight, England, and Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India.

Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Nunca es Suficiente” written by Natalia Lafourcade, Daniela Azpiazu, and Anthony Lopez, sung by Natalia Lafourcade; “Lake Como” by Giselle Galos, performed by Sweet People, and “Dance Little Lady, Dance” by Gerry Shury and Ron Roker, sung by Tina Charles.

The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 December. Be sure and tune in! 

“Negative narratives about Africa have real consequences for people’s lives and futures,” said Abimbola Ogundairo, campaign lead for the NGO Africa No Filter, which produced the report and works to promote balanced storytelling about the continent.

The organisation’s latest research found these biases cost African economies $4.2 billion annually in lost investment opportunities.

It found that persistent portrayals of poverty, conflict and corruption have far-reaching consequences, from deterring investment to increasing borrowing costs for African nations.

Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.

Investors deterred

Using case studies and data analysis, the report examined how media narratives influence investment, particularly during election periods. It compared African countries to their global peers and quantified the costs of misrepresentation.

The report also quantified how biased media coverage correlates with sovereign bond yields – a critical financial indicator.

It found that even nations with strong democratic institutions are often framed through lenses of instability and corruption – reinforcing negative stereotypes and overshadowing progress.

The Spotlight on Africa podcast explores this issue, featuring interviews with both Ogundairo, who is from Nigeria, and the acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, from Mauritania.

Both emphasise the need for African voices to take control of the continent’s narrative.

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Grapes have been grown for centuries in Manisa, western Turkey. It is here that Fulya Akinci and her Spanish husband, Jose Hernandez Gonzalez, decided they wanted to be a part of the transformation of the country’s wine industry.

“In 2005, in 2006, maybe when you went to a restaurant, you would order red wine or white wine, that was it,” explains Akinci. “In the last 15 years, there has been a real boom. We have so many, we say, boutique wineries. Now, with these small wineries, the quality has changed a lot.”

With their wine label Heraki, Akinci and Hernandez Gonzalez are part of this surge of new, small producers – a group which has grown to number around 200, from only a handful a decade ago. The couple trained at a wine school in Bordeaux and have worked in vineyards around the world. Hernandez Gonzalez explained that it was Turkey’s untapped potential that persuaded him and Akinci to produce their own wine there.

“As a foreigner, when I came to Turkey I was really surprised about the biodiversity of different grape varieties,” he said. “This is a country with many different grape varieties. Also, [there was] the potential of the soils and the climate. We have mountains, we have the coasts – many different climates to make grapes. And the potential of those grapes to make wine is huge.”

France asks for EU help to destroy ‘unprofitable’ Bordeaux vines

Government restrictions

Hernandez Gonzales explained that rather than making wine from vines used worldwide, they decided to use indigenous grapes. “One of our main ideas here at Heraki was to make wines from those local grapes.”

In five years, their production has increased from a couple of thousand to 20,000 bottles. But the couple says this has been an uphill struggle. “We have some difficulties because of the bureaucracy – so much paperwork – and some pressures over tax… so huge pressures on us. It’s not easy at all,” explained Akinci.

Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK), which enjoys large support among Muslims, has, since coming to power in 2002, hiked alcohol taxes to 65 percent, among the highest in the world. There are also growing restrictions on wine production, sales and advertising. “We love making wine, but it’s not easy at all. It’s hard, and every day is getting worse and worse,” said Akinci.

Turkey’s broadcasting authorities banned images of alcohol on television back in 2013, and in much of the country securing alcohol licences is difficult.

Turkish radio ban is latest attack on press freedom, warn activists

But meanwhile, government adverts promoting Turkey as a tourist destination abroad often highlight the country’s wines as an attraction. With much of the wine industry based in tourism centres, experts say tourists are helping to drive demand and grow the reputation of Turkish wines.

International interest

“Wine producers have started to get better prices for their wines. They can now make money, against all the odds. There is international interest,” said wine consultant Sabiha Apaydın Gonenli. Through her Kok Koken Toprak Conference (Root Soil Wine Conference) international symposiums, she promotes Turkey’s wine industry internationally.

However, she warns the industry still has a long way to go. “It’s not that economically viable at the moment because it is very small. In order to market this, you need support. You can’t do this alone, wine producers need to come together.”

Police break up French-Italian wine fraud ring

As for Heraki wines, they are now being stocked at a top European restaurant and have secured a German distributor. But despite such successes, Akinci says wine-making in Turkey remains a bittersweet experience.

“One day, we are so happy to make wine here, and we are thinking about increasing the volume and making other things. Then another day, we’re thinking about closing up and going to Spain.”

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.

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, 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! 

It’s time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions – or wishes – for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, or what you hope to see happen in 2025, go ahead and send it to us. We’ll need your resolutions and/or wishes 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 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!

We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Jahangir Alam from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Jahangir is also the president of the World DX International Radio Fan Club in his fair city. Welcome, Jahangir!

This week’s quiz: On 26 October, I asked you a question about The COP16 Biodiversity Summit, which opened on  21 October and ran through the first of this month, November. Held in Cali, Columbia, it was attended by leaders and delegates from over 200 countries.

RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow wrote about what was at stake at this COP, in her article “Ecosystems hang in the balance as Colombia hosts crucial biodiversity talks”.

Not much has happened since COP15 – as Amanda noted, as of this date, only 17 percent of land and about 8 percent of oceans are protected – a far cry from the 30 percent committed to at COP15.

Money pledged is also far behind schedule: and that was your question. You were to re-read Amanda’s article and send in the answer to this question: How much money was promised by wealthy nations to support biodiversity protection in developing countries, and how much has actually been secured?   

The answer is, to quote Amanda: “Talks at Cop16 will focus on pressuring wealthy nations to deliver the promised US 30 billion annually to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. So far, pledges to a new biodiversity fund have fallen far short, with only about 400 million secured – and even less disbursed. Countries like China may also be called on to play a larger financial role.”  

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Imagine that France’s president Emmanuel Macron came to visit your city. Which three places would you take him?”

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

The winners are: RFI English listener Malik Shoaib Ahmad Khokhar from Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Malik is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Malik!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are our brand-new RFI Listeners Club member Jahangir Alam from Rajshahi, Bangladesh, as well as RFI English listeners Kripa Ram Kaga from Sirajganj, Bangladesh; Bari from the Friends Radio Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and last but assuredly not least, our brother journalist Suresh Agrawal, from Odisha, India.

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Les Pommes de Grand-Mère” from Le Grand Cahier by Alexander Litvinovsky, performed by the Metamorphose String Orchestra conducted by Pavel Lyubomudrov; “Zingaro” by Rene Aubrey; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and  “Intro” by Alan Braxe and Fred Falke.

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

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Senegal’s ruling Pastef party on track to get large majority in elections”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 6 January to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 11 January 2025 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.   

The Academie Française, guardian of the French language since 1635, has issued the 9th edition of its official dictionary, with 21,000 new words compared to the 8th edition of 1935. President Macron has praised the academy’s steady pace, which “prevents it from giving in to the temptations of ticks and trends”. Writer Frederic Vicot, one of the “immortels” on the dictionary commission, talks about how writers, historians and scientists have pooled their talents over the decades to get the best definitions possible. But the dictionary has its detractors – a group of  linguists have slammed the opus as useless and outdated given the time it takes to publish. Florent Moncomble from the “Community of Appalled Linguists” outlines why both the choice of terms, and the academy’s methodology, are problematic. (Listen @0′) 

Donald Trump’s recent election to a second term as President of the United States came as a shock to many in France, who’d been less than enthusiastic about his first term in office. Trump’s intent to impose import tariffs is set to impact the economies of both France and Europe more widely, and his approach towards Ukraine runs against France’s unwaving support. Celia Belin, head of the Paris office of the European council on Foreign Relations, talks about what France needs to do to face a second Trump presidency, and reflects on the impact his election will have on France’s far right. (Listen @19’50”) 

The collapse of the Malpasset dam in the south of France, on 2 December 1959, decimated the Reyran river valley. More than 400 people died and the town of Frejus was cut off for days. The disaster prompted a wave of fundraising and solidarity, in what is considered the first example of international solidarity following a catastrophe. (Listen @15’30”) 

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).

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.