The report, published on Tuesday by the National Assembly’s delegation for women’s rights, described the case in which Gisèle Pelicot was drugged and raped repeatedly by both her husband and strangers he recruited online as a watershed moment. 

Dominique Pelicot was found guilty of rape, and 50 other defendants of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. However, the trial also served to highlight flaws in how French law addresses sexual violence, with the defence relying on outdated stereotypes and questioning the victim’s credibility. 

“Now that the Mazan [the village in which the offences took place] rape trial has concluded, which has in many ways been a trial of rape culture itself, it is time to act,” the parliamentary mission said. 

The report’s co-authors, MPs Véronique Riotton and Marie-Charlotte Garin, argue that the law needs urgent reform.  

“The new definition must specify that consent is specific, must be given freely and can be withdrawn at any time,” the report said. 

Mass rape trial revives question of consent within French law

Redefining rape 

French law currently defines rape as “any act of sexual penetration, of whatever nature, or any oral-genital act committed upon another person or upon the person of the perpetrator through violence, coercion, threat or surprise”. 

While these existing criteria would be preserved, the addition of non-consent would help address cases involving paralysis, coercive control or exploitation of vulnerable situations, which currently fall outside the scope of the law.

“By modifying the law, what we want to do is reaffirm that for something to qualify as a sexual relationship, there must be freely given consent. Otherwise it’s an act of violence, of domination – it’s rape,” Garin told RFI.  

“We need to clarify the law, to remind people what constitutes sexuality and what constitutes violence and domination. And the best way to do this is to include the notion of consent.” 

The pivotal 1970s trial that rewrote France’s definition of rape

Consent ‘weaponised’ 

The parliamentary mission highlighted flaws in how rape cases are handled, stating that “without a clear definition” consent is “often weaponised by attackers”.

This, they said, fuels harmful stereotypes about rape, discourages victims from filing complaints, and results in many cases being dismissed. 

“The current definition reinforces societal prejudices about what makes a ‘good’ victim – someone who resists, fights back and behaves ‘exemplarily’ – and what constitutes a ‘real’ rape, involving violence and coercion by a monstrous or foreign attacker,” the report argues. 

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

Divided response 

The proposal has sparked widespread debate in France.  

While President Emmanuel Macron supports the reform, critics argue it could complicate legal proceedings. Some warn it might shift the burden of proof on to the accused, while others fear it could lead to what they call the “contractualisation of sexual relations”. 

Even feminist organisations are divided. Some view the reform as a crucial step toward implementing the Istanbul Convention, which France ratified in 2014. Others express concern that the law may still fail to address situations where consent is coerced or manipulated. 

France’s Council of State is reviewing the draft legislation to ensure it meets legal standards before it is formally introduced. 

European lawmakers convened in Strasbourg this week for two critical debates – the first examining controls on American social media companies, followed by discussions on how to respond to the new US administration.

Several far-right members were notably absent, having left to attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington.

The debates highlighted widespread unease over Trump’s policies, with most members expressing grave misgivings about his approach to global alliances and digital governance.

Trade threats and tariffs

Trump announced plans on Tuesday for new tariffs targeting the European Union.

“The European Union is very, very bad to us,” he told reporters at the White House. “So they’re going to be in for tariffs. It’s the only way… you’re going to get fairness.”

Trump also proposed a 10 percent duty on Chinese imports, citing fentanyl trafficking as a major concern.

Valérie Hayer, who leads the parliament’s centrist Renew Europe group, condemned the president’s isolationist stance.

“Listen to Trump’s speech. Withdrawal from the Paris accords, withdrawal from WHO… Not a word about Europe, not a word about NATO, not a word about Ukraine,” she said.

“For Trump, it’s national withdrawal: America First, pure and simple.”

Greens MEP Madjouline Sbaï condemned Trump’s climate policy, specifically his decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement.

“When you attack justice, when you attack the press and when you attack science – notably with the decree taking the United States out of the Paris Agreement – we are seeing what [political philosopher] Hannah Arendt described: the origins of totalitarism,” Sbaï said.

Trump’s return sharpens Macron’s bid for a stronger, united Europe

Social media regulation

During Tuesday’s initial debate on digital policy, lawmakers focused on concerns over Trump allies Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s control of social media platforms.

“Deregulation gives way to hate speech, pedophile content, terrorist content, misogynistic and racist content,” said Renaissance MP Fabienne Keller.

“Make no mistake, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are not defending freedom of expression. They only want to convey their own ideology.”

Greens MEP David Cormand, a member of the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, described Trump’s administration as “another step in what I consider an imperialist attack by American interests against the European Union”.

Speaking from Davos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a more conciliatory tone, saying she would take a pragmatic approach to the new US administration after earlier expressing hope for “close collaboration” with Trump on “global challenges”.

Her stance sparked criticism from some lawmakers who viewed it as overly submissive to American interests.

Belgian lawmaker Marc Botenga sharply criticised von der Leyen’s approach, suggesting it undermines the EU’s independence.

“We are going to buy more energy and more weapons from the Americans. What kind of Stockholm syndrome is this? It’s an incredible submission,” Botenga said during the debate.

EU ‘ready to defend’ interests after Trump tariff vow

Digital policy rift

The parliament’s divide over digital policy was also clear.

While most MEPs called for stronger enforcement of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) to counter the influence of tech giants, far-right members opposed tighter controls.

Supporters of tighter regulations argued that unchecked platforms allow hate speech, disinformation and harmful content to flourish, threatening democratic processes.

However, far-right lawmakers, including Virginie Joron of the Patriots for Europe group, opposed increasing restrictions on tech companies.

Joron accused EU leaders of targeting Musk unfairly.

“The obsession of many leaders in France and Europe against Musk and his supposed influence over our democracies speaks volumes about what we have become,” she said.

“This desire to strengthen the DSA isn’t to protect European consumers, but to control voters’ ballots.”

On his first day back in office Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico “to repel the disastrous invasion of our country,” saying he would deploy US troops to tackle illegal immigration.

His administration said it would reinstate a “Remain in Mexico” policy that prevailed under Trump’s first presidency, under which people who apply to enter the United States from Mexico must remain there until their application has been decided.

Another of Trump’s moves was to halt the “Humanitarian Parole” program. Under the Joe Biden administration, it was specifically designed for migrants from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela fleeing hardship or persecution in their countries.

Once approved, migrants were allowed to stay in the country for up to two years, get a work permit and be shielded from deportation. 

The programme has been credited with helping to reduce the number of unlawful crossings by migrants from those countries particularly at the US-Mexico border.

Trump vows to act with ‘historic speed and strength’ via executive orders

Thousands in limbo

Trump also took aim at the “Customs and Border Protection (CBP One)” – an asylum application platform used by migrants to enter the United States.

“Existing appointments have been cancelled,” the service said on its website on Monday, leaving thousands of people from different nationalities in limbo.

In the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez, Carly Fernandez received an email cancelling her meeting scheduled for February.

“We fought so hard to get here”, she told RFI correspondent Gwendolina Duval, “My sister wants to go back, she is tired of everything we endured to get here… for nothing…”

Photographs capture heart-rending journey of migrants trying to reach the US

Since 2023, 531,690 people have been granted humanitarian parole, according to Department of Homeland Security. The majority have come from Haiti.

In Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, locals reacted to the announcements with a mixture of despair and resignation.

Séphora, a student at the University of Haiti, believes that these decrees will harm exiles who are looking for a better life.

“This decision is a real blow to migrants, in particular Haitians who, faced with the difficult situation in their country, are looking for a better life elsewhere,” she told RFI’s correspondent Peterson Luxama.

“We cannot say anything: it is his country, and he makes the decisions that he considers to be in the interest of the American people,” she says.

More Kenyan police arrive in Haiti to boost mission against gang violence

Bedson, a resident in Pétion-Ville in a suburb of Haiti, is also disappointed at the lack of humanity behind the decrees.

“These kinds of decisions are not good for us because the hope of many Haitians is to go to other countries to protect ourselves and help our families. I find that these decisions really hurt,” he told RFI.

Castène, for his part, says he is not surprised, because “these decisions were predictable.

“With Donald Trump in power, we couldn’t expect better. Just hours after taking office, he eliminated the CBP-One program, which leaves thousands of migrants unable to set foot on American soil,” he notes.

“These migrants, who sacrificed everything for a better future, now find themselves without resources or prospects facing an uncertain future.”

Massive displacement

Meanwhile, criminal gangs still control some 85 percent of Port-au-Prince, the United Nations estimates, despite the deployment last June of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) under UN auspices.

Gang violence killed at least 5,601 people in Haiti last year, about a thousand more than in 2023, the UN said. More than a million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes, three times as many as a year ago.

Most of those displaced have flooded out of the capital and sought refuge in Haiti’s provinces, overwhelming host communities and straining limited resources.

“Last year alone, 200,000 people were returned to Haiti, to communities that are already struggling to basically survive,” United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Kennedy Okoth Omondi said.

Port-au-Prince sees ‘unprecedented’ displacement as gang violence escalates

UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned these deportations saying “the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in the country simply do not allow for the safe, dignified and sustainable return of Haitians”.

In a further move aimed at curbing immigration, Donald Trump issued an order eliminating the automatic granting of citizenship to anyone born on US soil, a right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the country’s constitution.

If implemented, the order would prevent the federal government from issuing passports, citizenship certificates or other documents to children whose mothers are in the country illegally or temporarily, and whose father is not a US citizen or permanent resident.

18 states, including California and New York as well as human rights groups immediately filed a lawsuit to block the order.

(With newswires)

Four goals in 10 second-half minutes took the mood of the PSG faithful from gloomy to giddy as City, despite being under the cosh for the first-half, bundled their way to a 2-0 lead with goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland in the 50th and 53rd minute respectively.

It was harsh on the hosts who had Achraf Hakimi’s first-half stoppage time goal ruled out for an offside in the build-up.

On the hour mark, it was all square. First, Bradley Barcola surged down the left and cut the ball back for substitute Ousmane Dembélé to sweep home past the Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson after 56 minutes.

Finish

City were the architects of their own demise for the equaliser. Mateo Kovacic was muscled off the ball in midfield, Fabian Ruiz pushed it on to Désiré Doué on the left hand side of the City penalty area and the 19-year-old curled a shot towards the top right hand corner over Ederson. But the ball cannoned off the crossbar and Barcola stabbed home as Ederson lay stricken on the deck. 

City’s famed control freakery under boss Pep Guardiola that has taken them to six English Premier League titles in seven years and the Champions League crown in 2023 could not stem the tide. 

To the elation of a crowd that included the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers basketball teams who are in town for the NBA Paris Games, PSG moved ahead in the 78th minute. Vitinha whipped over a free-kick from the right and Joao Neves stooped to head in past Ederson.

Return

It was redemption for the Portugal international who missed an easier header at the start of the encounter and inadvertently deflected the ball towards Haaland for City’s second.

PSG boss Luis Enrique sent on the defender Lucas Hernandez for Barcola in the 81st minute to shore up the rearguard ahead of the anticipated City onslaught.

But it failed to materialise. And PSG inflicted the coup de grace in stoppage-time when Gonçalo Ramos thrashed in the fourth from the edge of the box.

As the video referees reviewed whether the Portugal international was onside, the fans, confident that victory had been secured, revelled in the theatre. Validation of the goal was the icing on the cake and more raucous singing.

“The fans didn’t stop supporting us even when we were losing,” said Enrique. “We were able to give them a victory after a very special comeback in the second-half. This success is for them and, of course, I congratulate my players.”

The win takes PSG to 10 points and into one of the 16 play-off slots for a place in the last-16 knockout stages.

Reality

City, with eight points, fall to 25th and just outside those berths. However, should they beat Club Brugge at home next week in their final game of the group stages, City will progress to the play-off slots.

“I told the players after the game that PSG were simply better,” said Guardiola. “In football it’s like that. We have to accept it and learn from it. PSG were intense and aggressive. We must move on because we have a tough game against Chelsea on the weekend.” 

PSG, who host Reims on Saturday in Ligue 1, require a draw next week at Stuttgart in their final fixture of the Champions League group stages to advance.

Brest, the other Ligue 1 team in Champions League action on Wednesday night, fared less well.

They lost 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk to drop to 13th in the table with 13 points. Brest play their final game in the group stages next Wednesday against Real Madrid.

On Tuesday night in the Champions League, Monaco ended their dismal run of form with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Defender Wilfried Singo scored early in the first half to secure the team’s first victory in the four games since beating fifth division Union St Jean in the last-64 of the Coupe de France on 22 December.

Ahead of their trip to Italy to take on Inter Milan on 29 January in their final game of the group stages, Monaco have 13 points.

A draw will give them one of the 16 play-off spots. A similar result for Lille, who host the Dutch outfit Feyenoord on 29 January, will also send them into the play-offs.  

The warrant, issued on 20 January, names Assad as “commander-in-chief of the armed forces” in connection with a 2017 bombing in Deraa that killed Salah Abou Nabout, a 59-year-old Franco-Syrian and former French teacher. 

Nabout’s home was reportedly struck by Syrian army helicopters.  

“This case represents the culmination of a long fight for justice, in which I and my family believed from the start,” said Omar Abou Nabout, the victim’s son.  

Legal action 

This is the second French arrest warrant targeting Assad, who fled to Russia after being overthrown by forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in December 2024.  

The first, issued in November 2023, concerned chemical attacks in 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people. 

While prosecutors had appealed the first warrant citing Assad’s head of state immunity, his recent ouster has changed his legal status. 

Omar Abou Nabout expressed hope that “a trial will take place and that the perpetrators will be arrested and judged, wherever they are.” 

Six senior Syrian army officials are also wanted by French authorities in connection with the former teaher’s killing. 

Time to go home? Assad’s demise brings dilemmas for Syrian refugees in Turkey

Broader implications 

French authorities also accuse Assad of complicity in crimes against humanity.  

Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011 with Assad’s crackdown on protesters, has killed more than half a million people and devastated the country’s economy. 

The French judicial system has now issued 14 arrest warrants for Syrian officials since investigations began in 2018. 

International efforts for justice continue, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking to address abuses committed under Assad’s rule.  

Last Friday, ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan met Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria’s new administration, raising hopes for accountability. 

The Assad regime consistently denied using chemical weapons against civilians during the war. 

A four-week ban on commercial fishing aimed at protecting dolphins in France’s Bay of Biscay comes again into force on Wednesday.

It was ordered by the Council of State, France’s top administrative court, and will run until 20 February. 

The initiative, which helped reduce accidental dolphin captures by fourfold last winter, will see about 300 fishing boats from the west of Brittany, all the way down to the Spanish border, remain docked until 20 February.

The French government will cover 80 percent of the fishermen’s revenue.

For over a decade, accidental dolphin captures in the region have exceeded sustainable levels, with up to 4,900 dolphin deaths, according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). 

In response to an infringement procedure from the European Commission and pressure from environmental groups, France is to impose a fishing ban for most vessels over eight meters long for 2025 and 2026.

This unprecedented measure, aimed at protecting fish species threatened by overfishing, is the largest of its kind in the Bay of Biscay since World War II.

French fishing ban great news for dolphins, less so for industry

The number of dolphin deaths from accidental captures dropped significantly, from an average of 6,100 between 2017 and 2023 to just 1,450 between December 2023 and March 2024, according to non-profit Pelagis marine observatory.

“This is effective. The numbers prove it,” said Jérôme Spitz, co-director of Pelagis. 

He explained that dolphins are often captured while feeding, and the fishing closure was a key factor in reducing accidental captures. He also noted that mortality levels remained low during non-closure periods.

However, Spitz warned that the situation might change in the coming year due to potential “spikes” in strandings, which can lead to high mortality rates at different times, such as December or March.

Surge in number of dolphin deaths sparks call for halt to Atlantic fishing

Long-term solution?

“I don’t think the current closure is a long-term solution,” he added, calling it an “emergency measure” while awaiting more sustainable structural solutions that would allow both fishing activities and dolphin populations to thrive.

Julien Lamothe, director of the FROM Sud-Ouest fishermen’s organisation, agreed that the closure is a “simplistic solution” to limit interactions, but he also welcomed government support for continued compensation. 

Lamothe is eager to develop large-scale experiments to explore alternative solutions to the closure, including testing repellents.

Over half of the 300 boats receiving compensation are already equipped with “pingers” or acoustic buoys designed to warn or repel dolphins from the danger zone. 

“We now need to prove scientifically that this works,” said France’s Minister of Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher, whose goal is to reopen the Bay of Biscay by February 2027.

Yet, Pelagis’ co-director remains cautious, stressing that no solution has yet shown universal effectiveness. “A combination of different approaches will be necessary for long-term success,” he said, highlighting the value of cameras onboard ships to better understand the circumstances behind accidental captures.

Meanwhile, David Le Quintrec, a fisherman from Lorient in Brittany and president of the French Union of Artisinal Fishermen, expressed frustration over the second fishing closure, which he believes could have been avoided. 

He filed a lawsuit last week with the Council of State against the decree mandating cameras on board about 100 vessels.

(with AFP)

Larry Gbevlo-Lartey has been appointed to liaise with the three-nation Alliance of Sahel States (AES) which includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The presidency also said that Mahama named former minister of communication Edward Omane Boamah as defence minister.

Military coups

Emmanuel Kwesi Aning,an Accra-based security consultant, believes this appointment signals Ghana’s willingness to improve its relationship with junta-led countries in the region.

Speaking to Reuters news agency on Tuesday, Aning said that the retired lieutenant colonel has “credentials and speaks a language the AES leadership understands.”

He added: “His appointment is the first in Ecowas and it’s an attempt to rebuild trust… and start the process of reengagement and the return of the AES to the Ecowas family.”

Between 2020 and 2023, juntas seized control in a series of coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. All three severed military and diplomatic ties with regional allies and Western powers.

Fears for the future in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso over Ecowas withdrawal

The three countries created the alliance last July, underscoring their determination to chart a joint course outside Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States bloc.

Diplomatic relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso broke down in 2022 after former president, Nana Akufo-Addo, alleged it had hired Russian Wagner mercenaries, saying their presence on Ghana’s northern border was distressing.

John Mahama takes oath as Ghana’s president amid severe economic crisis

Need for strong responses

Ghana faces tough regional security problems as almost the whole West African region has become increasingly volatile.

The region has seen six successful coups and several attempted ones in the last four years, not only in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, but also in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Benin and Sierra Leone. Since 2015, there have been at least 17 coups and attempted coups in the region.

Terrorism and insurgencies have also become visible security threats, in the Sahel, in Nigeria, and recently affecting Benin as well.

The Sahel has become the epicentre of global terrorism, as both Islamic State (Isis) and Al Qaeda have established strong footholds in the region.

Meanwhile, the geopolitical landscape is changing in West Africa, as the US, France, Russia and China are vying for influence, putting the region at the centre of cold war-style rivalries.

African security researcher Muhammad Dan Suleiman, Research Fellow at Curtin University, says Mahama is uniquely positioned to champion regional stability. “This is because he has played a pivotal role in the region over the past decade, particularly within ECOWAS,” he wrote in The Conversation.

During his first term as president of Ghana from 2013 to 2017, Mahama was elected Ecowas chairman in March 2014, then his chairmanship was extended for another term in recognition of his leadership and successes.

These included the creation of a multinational task force which assisted in the reversal of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2015, and his handling of the Ebola crisis.

 (with Reuters)

How will 2025 shape up for African nations and their global partnerships? Will Africa secure a more central role in the global diplomatic landscape?

To understand what’s at stake on the continent, the Spotlight on Africa podcast consulted three experts in African politics and diplomacy.

Cameron Hudson from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISC) in Washington DC discusses priorities for South Africa as it takes on the rotating presidency of the G20 group, and in particular its relationship to the United States. 

Michael Dillon from King’s College, London, UK, looks at China’s new strategy that aims to deepen its influence in Africa.

Thierry Vircoulon from IFRI in France analyses the legacy of France in Africa, notably in the Sahel where French troops have been pushed out by military juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

These countries have since established their own Alliance of Sahel States and made the decision to withdraw from the West African bloc Ecowas. Set to take effect on 29 January, security experts and members of the diaspora have voiced concern over what lies ahead.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale’s English language service.

Speaking in Cesson-Sevigne in northwestern France on Monday, Macron emphasised the need to build up the army reserves by encouraging more young people to join.

Macron asked the government and the armed forces to submit proposals by May on how to mobilise more young volunteers to “back up the armed forces” in case of need, seeming to acknowledge the end of the universal national service project that he had long championed.

France wants to have 210,000 active servicemen and 80,000 reservists by 2030.

“In order to build up this reserve, the Defence and Citizenship Day will be revamped,” he added without providing more details about the proposal.

France requires all citizens to participate in a one-day “Defence and Citizenship” course when they turn 18, which includes a presentation of the country’s military forces and a French language test.

“We will have to do a better job of identifying volunteers,” Macron said.

France ‘massively upgrading’ its nuclear weapons: report

France’s last conscripts were demobilised in 2001.

During his presidential campaign in 2017, Macron promised to introduce a month-long compulsory national service, saying he wanted to give young French people “a direct experience of military life”.

The proposal received a cool response from the army, prompting the government to come back with proposals for a compulsory civic service instead.

In 2019, France began a trial project and French authorities planned to eventually make the “Universal National Service” (SNU) compulsory but the country’s political crisis has put the brakes on the development of such a plan.

EU to face ‘responsibilities’

Turning to France’s position in international affairs, Macron again called on Europe to assume more responsibility for its own defence.

“There can be no peace and security in Europe without Europeans,” Macron said, referring to the Ukraine war and to European involvement in the negotiations.

“Let us not delude ourselves. This conflict will not end tomorrow or the day after,” Macron said, speaking as Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th American President.

“The challenge tomorrow, when hostilities cease, will be to give Ukraine guarantees against any return to war on its territory, and assurances for our own security,” Macron pointed out.

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

Trump promised over the summer to end Russia’s war against Ukraine “in 24 hours”, although he did not explain how he planned to do that.

He has also questioned Washington’s commitment to defend NATO allies and the possible slashing of support to Ukraine.

Trump’s return to the White House is a renewed spur to Europeans, long used to conventional and nuclear protection from the US military, to re-examine their own defence.

“What will we do in Europe tomorrow if our American ally withdraws its warships from the Mediterranean? If they send their fighter planes from the Atlantic to the Pacific?” Macron asked his audience.

“The answer will have to come from us.”

In 2023, France adopted a 413-billion-euro military budget for 2024-2030, its most significant spending increase in decades.

  (with AFP)

In the executive order “Restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship” – one of the 78 Trump signed on the day of his second inauguration on 20 January – he writes that the previous administration had “trampled free speech rights”.

Trump vows to act with ‘historic speed and strength’ via executive orders

He accuses Biden’s administration of “censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms” by pressuring social media companies to “moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve”.

The order goes on to attack Biden’s attempts to fight disinformation, saying these were a ploy to advance “the Government’s preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate” and declares: “Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society.”

‘Enemies of the people’

Trump too has previously been accused of attempting to silence those who don’t agree with him. In 2022 he sued Hillary Clinton, whom he had beaten to the presidency in 2016, over her remarks about his campaign’s alleged links to Russia.

He has also called journalists the “enemy of the people” and launched defamation cases against several large US media outlets, including ABC News, CBS, CNN and publisher Simon & Schuster.

“Here in the United States, we don’t see the government’s job as just policing what is misinformation or disinformation,” said David Keating, president of the non-profit organisation, the Institute for Free Speech, whose stated mission is to “promote and defend the First Amendment rights” and which represents plaintiffs in free speech cases.

“The remedy here is more speech, not censorship,” said Keating.

Trump targets opponents, faces criticism from cathedral pulpit

Meta changes

In a move seemingly aligned with Trump’s views on “censorship” of online platforms, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg last week announced that his company will stop using a third-party fact-checking programme.

Instead, like Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Meta will now move to a “Community Notes programme” whereby users “decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context”.

On X, any user who has had a profile on the platform for longer than six months and has an active phone number, and has not previously violated the site’s behavioural code, can become a “fact checker”, while maintaining anonymity. 

Keating, who said he participated in this programme on X, said: “It tries to get people with different political points of view to agree on what an actual fact check should look like, and most of the ones that I’ve seen pop up on the platform are actually quite good.”

French NGOs to quit social media platform X following Trump inauguration

He also stressed that fact checking is something that’s protected under the First Amendment, but what it does not protect, he added, is incitement to violence.

“This doesn’t mean that you can’t call for the overthrow of the government even by violent means – as just a general rule, that’s actually OK,” he explained.

“But if you were, say, before a crowd, and the crowd is getting angry and you’re riling the crowd up and then you’re giving the crowd specific instructions – ‘here’s what we’re going to do to teach the people in power lesson, we’re going to go and burn down that building, and here’s how we’re going to do it, and let’s go’ – that’s… incitement to violence, and that’s a violation of the law.”

Reacting to Trump’s pardoning of the Capitol rioters, US Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a statement on 21 January.

It said that “Trump-inspired thugs attacked and trashed the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election,” and called the pardon “a national embarrassment”.

Marseille had displayed a large portrait of him in front of the town hall while Watson was imprisoned in Greenland for 149 days.

“Being in prison was an opportunity to focus international attention on Japan’s crimes, the fact that they are killing whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary. This is not my opinion; it is the opinion of the International Court of Justice,” Watson said during a press conference in Marseille.

“And I would like to thank the mayor of Marseille and the people of Marseille for the incredible support I received while I was in prison,” he added.

‘Prison helped our cause’: Sea Shepherd’s Paul Watson plans next steps in France

Watson’s detention by Denmark followed the country’s response to an Interpol Red Notice from 2012, following an arrest warrant issued by Japan.

“We will confront Interpol, politically and legally […] Not just for me but for hundreds of others. Countries use Interpol as a political weapon against whistleblowers and activists,” Watson said.

The environmental activist did not say if he would return to the sea immediately.

He stated that his priority was to prevent Japan from returning to the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, as well as stopping Iceland from killing whales this summer. He also plans to halt the illegal slaughter of pilot whales in the Danish Faroe Islands archipelago.

(with newswires)

“I’ll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration,” Trump told a crowd in Washington after his inauguration on Monday.

“I will implement an immediate regulation freeze, which will stop Biden bureaucrats from continuing to regulate,” Trump went on, adding he will also “issue a temporary hiring freeze to ensure that we’re only hiring competent people who are faithful to the American public.”

Among the executive orders signed, several have caught the world’s attention, in particular, leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement and pardoning rioters who ransacked Congress in January of 2021.

Trump also rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals for allegedly committing violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the new White House website said.

The White House adds that Trump will “take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities,” declaring drug cartels as “terrorist organisations” and stressing his old mantra of “cleaning the swamp,” in Washington DC by streamlining the federal bureaucracy.

Wrath of God

Earlier in the day, thousands of the president’s supporters wearing Trump hats, shawls, trousers or even branding orange wigs reminiscent of Trump’s hairdo, queued up outside hoping to get a glimpse of their hero.

The inaugural parade was originally to take place in different locations along the length of Pennsylvania Avenue, with groups of performers and musicians from 30 states taking part. 

But just three days before the event, icy temperatures saw all activities moved indoors.

Trump withdraws US from Paris climate agreement for second time

Religious preachers standing along the queue with banners and loudspeakers blasting about the “wrath of God” and demanding the passers-by to “repent” made for a surreal atmosphere.

“We’re excited,” Nelissa Hayes, sporting a white Trump baseball hat, told RFI. “We’re happy.

“(Trump) will turn our country around in the right direction, protect our children, protect our citizens, protect our border, put America back on track and make America great again,” using the mantra of the Trump campaign. 

“He said that he will fulfil all his promises. We’re happy we are here, we’re in line,” says Jason Blechennel, another Trump fan.

Lori from Oregon, who had been queueing since 7am planning to get a glimpse from Trump, who had promised to come to the Capitol One Arena, had given up hope to enter.

Thousands march in Washington DC to protest Trump’s presidency

Frustrated

“I just follow these people. The atmosphere is great,” adding that “it is a very special day for me. Because I love President Trump. And I love (Vice-President) JD Vance. And I love America. And they represent the America that I love.”

Temperatures dropped on Sunday from around freezing point to -11C on Monday prompting Trump to express concern that people might get “sick or hurt” if they stood outside too long.

Yet thousands braved the cold anyway hoping, often in vain, to get into the Arena, which could house only one tenth of the 200,000 people that had come down to Washington to watch the parades.

One distinguished looking gentleman from Boston, wearing a red ski-cap says that he is “Very frustrated. I have a VIP pass, and then I tried to get into it, and it was all over, due to bad weather.”

Nelissa doesn’t mind. “I was a little disappointed,” she told RFI. “But you know what: I think I care more about the safety of our new incoming President.”

In a Starbucks not far from the Arena, enjoying a hot coffee with her mother, Maria from California rejoices. “Look, before last November it was kind of embarrassing to say that you would vote for Trump. You didn’t really want to talk about it. You thought you were a minority. But now it appears we are not.”

Others join in with agreement, and the group ends with chanting “USA! USA!”

On Tuesday, Trump will still go to an interfaith National Prayer Service at 11 am at the Washington National Cathedral, after which life in the US capital will turn to a new political page under Donald J. Trump’s second presidency.

Trump’s action, hours after he was sworn in to a second term, echoed his directive in 2017, when he announced that the US would abandon the global Paris accord.

The pact is aimed at limiting long-term global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels or, failing that, keeping temperatures at least well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Trump also signed a letter to the United Nations indicating his intention to withdraw from the 2015 agreement, also known as Cop21, which allows nations to provide targets to cut their own emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas.

Those targets are supposed to become more stringent over time, with countries facing a February 2025 deadline for new individual plans.

According to Trump, the Paris accord is among a number of international agreements that don’t reflect US values and “steer American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people.”

Instead of joining a global agreement, “the United States’ successful track record of advancing both economic and environmental objectives should be a model for other countries,” Trump said.

Global temperatures exceeded 1.5C warming limit in 2024

The outgoing Biden administration last month offered a plan to cut US greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent by 2035.

Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a key architect of the Paris accord, told Associated Press that the planned US withdrawal was unfortunate but said action to slow climate change “is stronger than any single country’s politics and policies.”

Momentum

The global context for Trump’s action is “very different to 2017,” Tubiana said Monday, adding that “there is unstoppable economic momentum behind the global transition, which the US has gained from and led but now risks forfeiting.”

The International Energy Agency expects the global market for key clean energy technologies to triple to more than $2 trillion (€1.9 trillion) by 2035, she said.

“The impacts of the climate crisis are also worsening. The terrible wildfires in Los Angeles are the latest reminder that Americans, like everyone else, are affected by worsening climate change,” Tubiana said.

The world is now long-term 1.3 degrees Celsius above mid-1800s temperatures. Most but not all climate monitoring agencies said global temperatures last year passed the warming mark of 1.5 degrees Celsius and all said it was the warmest year on record.

Trump’s return sharpens Macron’s bid for a stronger, united Europe

The US – the second biggest annual carbon polluting country behind China – put 4.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in the air in 2023, down 11 percent from a decade earlier, according to the scientists who track emissions for the Global Carbon Project.

But carbon dioxide lasts in the atmosphere for centuries, so the United States has put more of the heat-trapping gas that is now in the air than any other nation.

The US is responsible for nearly 22 percent of the carbon dioxide put in the atmosphere since 1950, according to Global Carbon Project.

(with newswires)

“After more than a year of negotiations, French authorities have succeeded in convincing the US and Canadian authorities of the safety of HPAI vaccination,” the French agriculture ministry said Monday in a statement, referring to Highly pathogenic avian influenza, the virus known as bird flu.

Bird flu has decimated flocks in France and the US in recent years, and has been spreading through Europe this winter.

France has been trying to limit the spread with a vaccination campaign it started in October 2023, focused on ducks raised for foie gras, which are particularly vulnerable.

But some countries, including the US and Canada, were concerned that vaccinated birds may not show signs of infection, meaning it is impossible to determine whether the virus is in a flock.

France reports bird flu outbreak just weeks after declaring virus-free status

More steps to come

In a reversal, they are now allowing imports of unvaccinated poultry and products from unvaccinated poultry the Agriculture Ministry said.

Poultry exports to the US and Canada are small, however, compared to poultry genetic material  – hatching eggs and chicks – whose export status is still still being worked out.

The US also lifted its embargo on exports of ducks and duck products from other European Union member states, the French ministry said.

(with Reuters)

Accused of being at the origin of a deadly drug trafficking war in France’s second largest city, 34-year-old Félix Bingui was arrested on 8 March, 2024 in Casablanca.

In April 2024, during a hearing at the Rabat Court of Cassation, he agreed to be extradited to France.

He arrived in France on Tuesday and is expected to be heard by the investigating judge, according to a report in Le Parisien daily newspaper.

Reacting on social media platform X, the newly-appointed French Justice Minister, Gérald Darmanin wrote that the extradition was a “victory against narcobanditism”.

Darmanin, who was Interior Minister when Bingui was arrested, thanked the Moroccan authorities for their cooperation in the extradition process, “which will finally allow French justice to judge him”.

The arrest warrant issued by a Marseille investigating judge accused Bingui of “importing narcotics through an organised gang, the transport, detention, acquisition and transfer of narcotics, criminal association (…) money laundering and non-justification of resources”.

Macron launches major police operation to end Marseille drug wars

Bingui’s lawyer Philippe Ohayon said he “hoped that the magistrates responsible for the case [would] approach the subject with serenity and complete independence, while respecting the rights of the defense.” 

Born in Alès, in the Gard region, Bingui has an extensive police record, Le Parisien said, adding Bingui went by the nickname “le chat”.

“He started with burglaries, he was arrested the first time for a big burglary in Montpellier and slowly, he slid towards drug trafficking and settling scores,” police officer Bruno Bartocetti, told France 3 Provence-Alpes television.

Bingui regularly travelled back and forth between Marseille and Morocco until the outbreak of a “war” between the “Yoda” gang and the rival “DZ Mafia” in February 2023 which forced him to stay in Morocco.

The turf war between the two gangs for control of lucrative deal points – up to €80,000 in daily turnover in certain places – has scarred the city and prompted a major crackdown by authorities.

According to Le Parisien, 35 of the 49 drug trafficking deaths in 2023 were in connection to these two main gangs.

Must remain ‘vigilant’

On Tuesday, both the Chief police prefect and the Marseille prosecutor presented their latest report on the security situation.

While the number of deaths linked to drug trafficking in the southern city had decreased to 24 in 2024, police remain on their guard.

The decrease in the number of these “narchomicides”, as Marseille police call them, is partly due to “the victory of the DZ Mafia over the Yoda clan”, chief prosecutor Nicolas Bessone told AFP

“But we must remain very vigilant, there are still ongoing conflicts,” he said, referring to what he calls “narcoterrorism”, whereby gangs use weapons to terrorise “everyone and in particular the population who live there”.

According to Prefect Pierre-Edouard Colliex, the drop in the number of deaths can also be credited to the “historic mobilisation” of police and justice services.

In 2024, more than 2,000 people were indicted in Marseille on drug offenses, of whom 833 were placed in pre-trial detention, and several commandos were arrested before they could take action.

Marseille’s drug war victims, perpetrators younger than ever: prosecutor

The prosecutor said that “more than half of juvenile delinquency” in Marseille is linked to the drug trade, citing some 480 arrests of teenagers in the past year.

Attracted by the mirage of “easy money” for running errands for gangs, these youths come from all around France, the prosecutor said.

For him, authorities must not let up on the gangs, taking the lead from the “XXL cleanup” measures launched by President Emmanuel Macron from Marseille in March.

The latest statistics come as lawmakers prepare to debate a bill to develop further measures against drug trafficking in France.

(with AFP)

Blier, who was born in 1939, died peacefully at home Monday night in Paris, surrounded by his wife and children, his son Leonard Blier, said.

Several French personalities praised his career, noting that his works were firmly rooted in a bygone era.

“In films that captured the spirit of their time, he gave iconic roles to some of the greatest actors. Bertrand Blier was a remarkable and unconventional filmmaker, passionately devoted to the freedom of creation,” wrote French Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

“Both a writer and a filmmaker – cynical yet provocative, moralistic yet jaded – Bertrand Blier loved women, but he made them suffer at the hands of his male characters,” Gilles Jacob, a former president of the Cannes Film Festival, added.

Depardieu’s career

He followed in his father’s footsteps, starting in cinema as an assistant director. In 1963, he directed his father Bernard Blier, in his first feature, “If I Were A Spy”.

In 1974, Blier shocked France and launched Gérard Depardieu’s career with Les Valseuses, a subversive tale about a pair of joyriding young thugs on a sex and crime spree across the country.

The title, which means testicles in French slang, was rather primly translated as “Going Places” for its American release.

Based on Blier’s own novel, it became a cult classic and was the first of his nine movies with Depardieu, whom Blier later described as “my pet actor, my cinema brother, my alter-ego”.

A parable of male unease at women’s liberation, many at the time found Les Valseuses morally ambiguous and its sex scenes brutal and vulgar, but its theme would dominate almost all of his later work.

His work is currently facing criticism for its misogyny and the way it portrays male dominance. In recent years, some of his actresses, such as Miou-Miou and Brigitte Fossey, have shared that they sometimes experienced his crude humor as an humiliation or an assault.

‘Wounded machismo’

The same ‘wounded machismo’ ran through his biggest international hit, Trop belle pour toi (“Too Beautiful For You”) in 1989, with Depardieu playing a man who grows bored by his beautiful wife and falls for his much plainer secretary.

Regarded as something of a modern classic, the New York Times called it an “exceptionally rich romantic comedy”.

It also won Blier the jury prize at the Cannes film festival and five Cesars including best actress for Depardieu’s then real-life partner, Carole Bouquet, who played the wife.

“What intrigues me again and again is how male friendships are relatively unproblematic, and yet when men approach what they passionately desire, then their problems begin,” he said.

Blier burst onto the scene at a time when France’s New Wave directors were running out of steam, with his black comedies peopled with marginal figures, villains, rogue policemen and prostitutes, seen as unique and unclassifiable.

He said he found modern cinema “irritating”, though many found echos of his work in that of Spanish surrealist director Luis Bunuel.

Oscar success

In 1979, he won the best foreign film Oscar with the menage-a-trois comedy “Get Out Your Handkerchiefs”, again featuring the Depardieu-Dewaere duo.

In 1980, he won a Cesar for Buffet Froid (Cold Cuts), a mixture of absurd and realism, in which he directed his father for the last time, inevitably alongside Depardieu.

A born iconoclast, he was never happier than when poking fun at social mores, and had another hit with the provocative Tenue de Soiree (Evening Wear) in 1986, took on homosexuality and sex triangles.

By the 1990s and 2000s after a string of commercial flops, Blier was having trouble securing funding for his films.

In 2010 he returned to surrealism with the “Clink of Ice” which broached cancer, with an alcoholic writer played by Jean Dujardin talking about his illness, which takes the form of a man played by Albert Dupontel.

(with AFP)

“Fifty years of the European Space Agency (ESA) have been fifty years of remarkable successes. Over these decades, we have developed and launched an extraordinary number of satellites and rockets,” ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told RFI.

ESA’s foundation

The European Space Agency was officially established on 30 May 1975 through the merger of two earlier organisations: the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO), focused on scientific research, and the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO), dedicated to developing rockets.

Its founding was a response to the growing realisation that European nations could achieve far more in space exploration and technology by pooling resources and expertise.

Today, ESA comprises 22 member states and collaborates with international partners, including NASA, to advance space science and innovation.

Ariane 6 rocket debuts successfully restoring Europe’s space independence

Agency achievements

Highlighting some of the agency’s achievements, Aschbacher emphasised that programmes developed over the past two to three decades have significantly impacted both our global economy and our understanding of the planet.

“Climate change is one critical area where our knowledge has deepened. Thanks to Copernicus satellites and space-based observations, we now have a much clearer understanding of how the climate system functions and how severe the changes to our planet truly are.

“It is fair to say that without these satellites—which Europe has been instrumental in building, providing critically important measurements—we would not fully comprehend the extent of climate change today.”

He further noted that ESA has been pioneering satellites designed for diverse applications such as agriculture, forestry, maritime navigation, air traffic management, and global positioning.

“With the Galileo navigation system, we have developed the most accurate navigation system in the world. It provides precise positional data every single second, supporting industries such as the automotive sector and mobile telecommunications,” he explained.

Aschbacher also highlighted the groundbreaking success of the Rosetta mission, which achieved the historic milestone of landing a probe on a comet and conducting detailed measurements of its environment.

Vega-C launch marks milestone for Europe’s space programme

ESA in 2025

This year marks another pivotal period for ESA due to an ambitious schedule of ten space missions, including Sentinel missions as part of the Copernicus programme, advancements in the Galileo navigation system, and the Earth observation mission Biomass, which will globally measure forest biomass and contribute to climate monitoring and ecological research.

In addition, ESA’s Ministerial Council, convened every three years to decide the agency’s future priorities and funding, will take place this November. The meeting is expected to shape the next era of ESA’s contributions to science, technology, and space exploration.

 “If there is a need to defend Europe’s economic interests, we are ready to do so,” Valdis Dombrovskis said when asked about the threat by Trump – who so far has stopped short of announcing immediate new tariffs on US trading partners.

A potential trade conflict would have a “substantial economic cost for everyone, including the United States,” Dombrovskis added following a meeting of Finance Ministers in Brussels.

“If it becomes necessary to defend Europe’s economic interests, we are prepared to do so, just as we did during the first Trump administration (2017-2021), when it introduced tariffs on steel and aluminium,” he emphasised.

At the time, Europeans had responded “proportionately,” noted the European Commissioner, with retaliatory tariffs on American products such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Bourbon whiskey.

In response to Donald Trump’s threats, the European Union must also “work on strengthening the resilience of its economy,” argued Valdis Dombrovskis, by “diversifying” its trade agreements globally.

Just before Donald Trump’s inauguration, the EU announced on Friday the reinforcement of its trade partnership with Mexico. For more about the inauguration follow our live blog for updates.

Trump promised an avalange of emergency actions Sunday at the massive “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” on the eve of his inauguration, starting with a crackdown on an “invasion” of immigrants at the border with Mexico.

“Starting tomorrow, I will act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country,” Trump told a cheering crowd at a Washington arena the day before he is sworn in for a second term.

“We’re going to stop the invasion of our borders,” added Trump, who has suggested that he will order police to take action in cities with big immigrant populations as soon as he takes office.  

The billionaire lashed out at the “failed administration” of outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden.

Trump also said he will immediately sign a record number of executive orders, undoing many of Biden’s policies including on diversity and on drilling for oil in offshore sites and on federal land. 

‘We’re being laughed at’

The rally featured celebrity backers including actor Jon Voight and musician Kid Rock, who all paid fulsome tribute to Trump.

Long lines of Trump supporters formed outside the arena despite icy conditions. The weather turned from drizzle to snow in the late afternoon. 

“We have a lot of problems,” Jeff Wilford, a ceramics salesman who came to Washington to witness the inauguration, told RFI.

“We haven’t any strenghth in the world any longer. We’re being laughed at.”

Wilford is certain that Trump will “restore” the people’s faith in the government. “He is going to secure our borders. He is going to make sure that our economy flourishes. He is going to usher in a Golden Age of a New America,” he says.

This optimism is the mantra spoken by many of the thousands of Trump supporters, who repeat known slogans such as “he’ll make America great again”.

Thousands march in Washington DC to protest Trump’s presidency

“People’s protest

“He is going to fix the mess,” says Michael Vaskin, who is holding a two-metre high Trump sign over his head. He had been queuing up since 6 o’clock in the morning.

According to Vaskin, the Biden administration set Americans against one another.

Biden “made us believe that “6 January” attack on the Capitol was an insurrection, he goes on.

“It wasn’t. It was a people’s protest,” he says. “We love Trump, we support our country. We support this great nation. And it is America for us, it is America first!

The inauguration on Monday, as well as the planned parade, will now be held inside, because of the extreme weather conditions.

“I am disappointed it moved indoors,” Vaskin told RFI. Like Wilford, he had planned to go to the National Mall to see some of the festivities, but now his ticket is worthless.

UN confronts uncertainty as Trump’s new agenda takes shape

“It is for safety and health reasons,” he says, Trump did it “because he loves Americans. He doesn’t want us to wait in line in the cold and get sick and hurt. I believe he does the right thing,” he says. 

By Sunday evening, most of Washington’s centre was a no-go area for cars, and long lines of metal fences were set up to prevent anybody into areas leading up to the Capitol and its surroundings.

Inauguration day itself will be dominated by the swearing-in ceremonies of Trump as President and JD Vance as Vice President, Trump’s inaugural address, the “honorary departure” of outgoing President Joe Biden and his Vice-President Kamala Harris, signing ceremonies, a luncheon, inspection of military troops and the presidential parade, which will also take place in the Capital One Arena due to the cold weather conditions. 

Teachers and administrative staff went back to school in Mayotte on Monday, a week later than anticipated, because of the threat from cyclone Dikeledi that swept through last week.

The school district on the archipelago employs just over 10,000 people, including more than 8,000 teachers, who are preparing to welcome back some 117,000 students.

Many – staff and students alike – are still without shelter, water or electricity, over a month after Chido swept through.

Some school buildings served as temporary shelters in the first week after the storm.

Many suffered damage, like the Nord high school in Acoua, whose roof blew off, and walls were reduced to rubble.

“Many classrooms are unusable,” school librarian Véronique Hummel told RFI. “Electricity only came back a month after the cyclone, and water only came back on the morning of Tuesday 14 January.”

She wonders how teaching will be in these conditions. There is also the question of how many teachers will actually be present.

Mayotte struggles to recover a month after devastating cyclone Chido

Students, teachers suffering

“There is a concern that because some have lost their homes, and are wondering how they’re going to manage,” said Jacques Mikulovic, superintendent of the Mayotte school district, which was already struggling to recruit before the cyclone.

“We want them to return so we can help them find a solution.”

Regardless of their personal situation, those teachers who are there all express concern for their students.

“These students are in a very precarious situation, and there’s a lot of uncertainty,” said Anaëlle Bracieux, who teaches French as a second language.

“We’re waiting to see if everyone will be there, if anyone has left, if any have moved or have been injured.”

Rebuilding bill

Meanwhile, in mainland France, lawmakers started debating an emergency bill for Mayotte that would waive certain city planning rules to speed up rebuilding homes and other buildings, including schools.

The bill only addresses reconstruction, and not the thorny issue of migration.

A bill restricting birthright citizenship in Mayotte – an attempt to stem migration from neighbouring islands – will be reviewed on 6 February.

The reconstruction bill is the first text from the new government under François Bayrou to be debated in the National Assembly, and several opposition lawmakers deemed it inadequate while it passed through committee.

But despite the criticism, it passed, with no group willing to be blamed for getting in the way of a law intended to rebuild Mayotte as quickly as possible.

Modelled on the reconstruction of Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral, the proposed legislation calls for the creation of a public operator to coordinate the reconstruction, which would be headed by General Pascal Facon, the former commander of Operation Barkhane, France’s anti-terrorist force in the Sahel.

The law would give the state power to allow local authorities to set aside rules on public procurement, planning and eminent domain.

The government hopes to have the bill passed in the National Assembly by the end of the month so it can be sent to the Senate on 3 February.

The European Commission accused China of pressuring innovative European high-tech companies into lowering their fees by allowing its courts to set binding worldwide royalty rates.

“The EU’s vibrant high-tech industries must be allowed to compete fairly and on a level playing field,” said Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s trade commissioner.

“Where this is not the case, the Commission takes decisive action to protect their rights”.

The action comes as trade tensions are soaring worldwide with tariff-loving Donald Trump set to be inaugurated as US President.

EU leaders chart independent future as Trump takes White House

It adds to a longer-running spat between Beijing and Brussels, which has seen the pair accuse each other of unfair practices and take a series of tit for tat measures.

The EU slapped hefty tariffs on electric cars made in China last year. In turn Beijing targeted European brandies and launched probes into EU subsidies of some dairy and pork products.

The latest challenge revolves around so-called “standard essential patents” protecting technologies enabling the manufacturing of goods to meet a certain standard.

European companies hold many such patents, notably in the telecom sector, according to the EU.

Consultations

By letting its courts set worldwide royalty rates, China was forcing EU companies to give its firms cheaper access to those technologies, the 27-nation bloc alleged.

The practice also unduly interfered with the competence of EU courts for European patent issues, according to the commission.

Brussels said it requested consultations at the WTO – the first step of the international body’s dispute settlement procedure – as “no satisfactory negotiated solution has been forthcoming from China”.

Trade war intensifies as EU to slap extra tariffs on Chinese-made EVs

Under WTO rules, the two parties have 60 days to settle the matter before the claimant can request that a panel is set up to rule on it.

China said on Monday it “regrets” the European Union’s decision.

“China strictly adheres to WTO rules and its accession commitments, continuously improving intellectual property rights protection legislation and enforcement,” Beijing’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

“China will…firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” it said.

The case is related to another challenge launched in 2022 where Brussels accused Beijing of barring EU owners of high-tech patents from turning to European courts to protect their intellectual property.

China is the EU’s second largest trading partner for goods after the United States. Bilateral trade reached €739 billion ($762 billion) in 2023, according to the commission.

(with AFP)

How will 2025 shape up for African nations and their global partnerships? Will Africa secure a more central role in the global diplomatic landscape?

To understand what’s at stake on the continent, the Spotlight on Africa podcast consulted three experts in African politics and diplomacy.

Cameron Hudson from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISC) in Washington DC discusses priorities for South Africa as it takes on the rotating presidency of the G20 group, and in particular its relationship to the United States. 

Michael Dillon from King’s College, London, UK, looks at China’s new strategy that aims to deepen its influence in Africa.

Thierry Vircoulon from IFRI in France analyses the legacy of France in Africa, notably in the Sahel where French troops have been pushed out by military juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

These countries have since established their own Alliance of Sahel States and made the decision to withdraw from the West African bloc Ecowas. Set to take effect on 29 January, security experts and members of the diaspora have voiced concern over what lies ahead.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale’s English language service.

Erdogan was quick to congratulate Trump on his election victory, making clear his desire to work with him again.

“Donald Trump is a man who acts with his instincts, and Erdogan is too,” explains Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations with Ankara’s Middle East Technical University. 

“They are not intellectuals as we used to have, big political leaders after World War II. They are tradespeople. They are very pragmatic ones, and they are political animals. In this sense, they like transactional policies, not value-based policies.”

Syria a key focus

Erdogan’s top priority is expected to be securing the withdrawal of US forces from Syria, where they support the Kurdish militia YPG in the fight against the Islamic State.

Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency in Turkey for decades.

During his first presidency, Trump promised to pull US forces out of Syria, though this move faced strong resistance from American officials.

Sezin Oney, a commentator with Turkey’s independent Politikyol news portal, said new challenges in Syria make an early withdrawal unlikely.

“Not to have the ISIS resurgence again or this HTS presenting a threat to the United States, the Trump administration would be interested in protecting the YPG and the Kurds, their alliance with the Kurds,” said Oney.

“We already have the (US) vice president, JD Vance, pointing out the ISIS resurgence.”

Turkey steps up military action against Kurds in Syria as power shifts

Israel and Iran

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel could ease another potential point of tension between Erdogan and Trump, as Erdogan has been a strong supporter of Hamas.

Meanwhile, both Ankara and Washington share concerns over Iran’s regional influence, which could encourage cooperation between the two leaders.

“Trump administration is coming in with a desire to stabilise relations with Turkey,” said Asli Aydintasbas, an analyst with the Brookings Institution.

“We are likely to see more and more of a personal rapport, personal relationship, which had been missing during the Biden administration,” she added. “President Erdogan and President Trump will get along famously. But it does not mean Turkey gets all of its policy options.”

Success of rebel groups in Syria advances Turkish agenda

Fighter jets and Ukraine

Erdogan is also hoping the Trump administration will lift a Congressional embargo on advanced fighter jet sales. Experts suggest Turkey could play a key role in any Trump-led efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, given Erdogan’s ties with both Russia and Ukraine.

“If Trump is pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine between Russia and Ukraine, in this case Turkey could be very helpful as a potential mediator,” said Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, head of the German Marshall Fund’s Ankara office.

But Unluhisarcikli warned of potential challenges.

“What happens in Syria could be a test for the US-Turkey relationship very early on. Turkey is actually preparing for a new intervention in northeast Syria against what Turkey sees as a terrorist organisation, and what the United States sees as a partner on the ground.”

Economic risks

Trump’s previous presidency saw tensions with Erdogan peak after Trump threatened to destroy Turkey’s economy over its plans to attack US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces. This move triggered a sharp drop in the Turkish lira.

With Turkey’s economy now weaker than before, analysts say Erdogan will need to proceed cautiously in his dealings with the new Trump administration.

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.

WORLD RADIO DAY is coming up – it’s on 13 February. As we do every year, we’ll have a feast in The Sound Kitchen, filled with your voices.

Send your SHORT recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr by 1 February. This year’s theme is “Radio and Climate Change”, but you don’t have to talk about the theme – if you just want to say “hello!”, that’s fine, too.

Be sure you include your name and where you live in your message.

Most importantly, get under a blanket to record. This will make your recording broadcast quality.

Bombard me with your greetings !!!!

The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!

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!

This week’s quiz: On 7 December, I asked you a question about the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which had just begun to hear evidence from 98 countries and 12 organizations about climate change, and how to establish rules for rich nations to support poorer ones, who are on the frontlines of climate change.

It’s a landmark case: brought by students in 2019 from the University of Vanuatu – the Pacific Island nation heavily impacted by climate change – led to a UN General Assembly resolution in 2023, asking the ICJ for a formal opinion on the legal obligations of states to protect the climate system. The court will also consider whether large polluting nations can be held liable for damages to vulnerable countries like small island states.

You were to re-read Paul Myer’s article “Small island nations lead fight for climate justice at UN’s top court”, and send in the answer to this question: In addition to the small island states and developing countries, who else will the ICJ hear from?

The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “The court will also hear from the United States and China – the world’s top two emitters of greenhouse gases. The oil producer group OPEC will also give its views.

The 15 judges at the ICJ will hear submissions until 13 December and deliver their decision next year.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Liton Ahamed Mia from Naogaon, Bangladesh: What do you remember about your first boat journey, and how did you feel when you were back on land?

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

The winners are: Fatematuj Zahra, the co-secretary of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Fatematuj is also this week’s bonus question winner

Congratulations on your double win, Fatematju!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week is A. K. M. Nuruzzaman, the president of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and two RFI Listeners Club members from India: Babby Noor al Haya Hussen from Baripada, and Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State.

Rounding out the list of this week’s winners is RFI English listener Liton Islam Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Hungarian Folk Dances by Bela Bartok, performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; “Dance With Pennons” from Three Japanese Dances by Bernard Rogers, performed by the Eastman Wind Ensemble conducted by Frederick Fennell; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “The Intrepid Fox” by Freddie Hubbard, performed by Hubbard and the Freddie Hubbard Quintet.

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 “’Exhausted’ Frenchman held in Iran since 2022 reveals identity in plea for help”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 10 February to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 February 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 often fraught relations between France and its former colony Algeria have hit an all-time low after a series of disagreements over Western Sahara, the detention of a French-Algerian writer and a French-Algerian blogger accused of inciting violence. Both countries have spoken of “humiliation” and “dishonour”. Arab world specialist  Adlene Mohammedi talks about bilateral relations being polluted by internal affairs – notably Algiers’ lack of democratic legitimacy and the increasing influence of the far right in France. And while the sorely needed level-headed diplomacy  is more needed than ever, it’s been run down in both countries.   (Listen @2’05”)

France’s remarkable geological diversity means the country is prime dinosaur territory – home to fossils from all three periods of the dinosaur age.  The first dinosaurs were discovered in France in the 19th century, but as paleontologist Eric Buffetaut explains, many of the major finds have been in the last 40 years, thanks to amateur paleontologists around the country. (Listen @21’25”)

France enacted a law decriminalising abortion on 17 January 1975. Ollia Horton talks about the legacy of that right and how despite being  enshrined in the constitution, access 50 years later is still not guaranteed. (Listen @14’40”)

Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. 

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).

Syrian refugee Hasan Sallouraoglu and his family have carved out a new life in Istanbul with a thriving pastry shop in Istanbul‘s Sultanbeyli district, home to around 60,000 Syrians.

With Assad gone, the question of whether to return to Syria now looms. “It’s been 10 years, and my shop has been open for the last eight years. We can start a shop there in Syria, too,” explained Sallouraoglu.

However, Sallouraoglu, with an ironic smile, acknowledges returning to Syria is a hard sell for his family. “There is not much excitement in my family. We see the news and we see that our country is completely destroyed on the ground. Ninety percent of it has been destroyed, so we need time to think,” said Sallouraoglu.

Across the road from Sallouraoglu’s pastry shop, the owner of a clothes shop, Emel Denyal, is considering returning to her home in Aleppo but says such a move could mean breaking up her family.

Nostalgia

“We are all thinking about returning. But the children aren’t interested. They love being here. They want to stay here,” said Denyal.

 ‘We still feel nostalgic for our land. We are still missing Syria because we were raised in Syria,” added Denyal, “The Syrian generation growing up in Turkey doesn’t think about going back. The elderly and my husband are considering returning, but my children aren’t. Can we find a solution?”

Since Assad fled Syria, Turkish authorities claim about 35,000 Syrians out of the nearly four million living in Turkey have gone home.

The Refugee Association in Sutlanebeyli provides assistance to some of Istanbul’s 600,000 Syrian refugees. Social welfare director Kadri Gungorur says the initial euphoria over Assad’s ousting is making way to a more pragmatic outlook.

“The desire to return was very strong in the first stage but has turned into this: ‘Yes, we will return, but there is no infrastructure, no education system, and no hospitals,’ said Gungorur.

Gungorur says with only 12 families from Sultanbeyli returning to their homes, he worries about the consequences if Syrians don’t return in large numbers. “If the Syrians do not return, the general public may react to the Syrians because now they will say that ‘Syria is safe. Why don’t you return?'”

Over the past year, Turkish cities, including Istanbul, have witnessed outbreaks of violence against Syrians amid growing public hostility towards refugees.

 Turkish authorities have removed Arabic from shop signs in a move aimed at quelling growing resentment made worse by an ailing economy.

Concerns for women

Turkish presidential adviser Mesut Casin of Istanbul’s Yeditepe University claims the government is aware of the Turkish public’s concern.   

“We all saw the civil war in Syria. Four million immigrant people in Turkey and that has brought a lot of problems in Turkey …even criminal actions. There’s also the problem of border security. Turkish public opinion is opposed to the Syrian people today,” said Casin.

Erdogan is promising to facilitate the quick return of Syrian refugees. However, such aspirations could well be dependent on the behaviour of Syria’s new rulers,

“The Syrians you have in Turkey are mostly women and children. So it has to be a government and administration friendly to women and children, specifically women,” says analyst Sezin Oney of the independent Turkish news portal Medyascope. 

“But we don’t know with these, Islamist, jihadist groups. Will they be really friendly towards these othe groups? So I don’t see the return of the Syrians who are in Turkey, really,” added Oney.

Erdogan is pledging that the return of the Syrians will be voluntary. However, analysts suggest more decisive action may be necessary, as the Turkish leader knows if the refugees do not return home quickly, it could have political consequences.

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.

WORLD RADIO DAY is coming up – it’s on 13 February. As we do every year, we’ll have a feast in The Sound Kitchen, filled with your voices.

Send your SHORT recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr by 1 February. This year’s theme is “Radio and Climate Change”, but you don’t have to talk about the theme – if you just want to say “hello!”, that’s fine, too.

Be sure you include your name and where you live in your message.

Most importantly, get under a blanket to record. This will make your recording broadcast quality.

Bombard me with your greetings!!!!

The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!

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!

This week’s quiz: On the 23rd of November, I asked you a question about the legislative elections in Senegal, which were won by a comfortable margin by Pastef, the ruling party.

The win came just a few months after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye secured the presidency, pledging economic transformation, social justice, and a fight against corruption, so now the way is cleared for Faye and Pastef to carry out ambitious reforms. May they succeed!

You were to re-read our article “Senegal’s ruling Pastef party on track to get large majority in elections”, and send in the answer to these questions: How many registered voters are there in Senegal, how many members are there in the Parliament, and for how long do those MPs serve?

The answer is, to quote our article: “Senegal’s roughly 7.3 million registered voters were called to elect 165 MPs for five-year terms.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the best thing to wake up to?”

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

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan, who is also this week’s bonus question winner.

Congratulations on your double win, Kashif!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India, and Nahid Hossen, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. There’s RFI Listeners Club member Sunil Dhungana from Braga, Portugal, and last but not least, RFI English listener Renu Sharma from Rajasthan, India.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Slavonic Dance op. 46 No. 6 by Antonin Dvorak, performed by the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by George Szell; “Jarabi”, written and performed by Toumani Diabaté and Sidiki Diabaté; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “La Musette” by Léojac and René Flouron, performed by Berthe Sylva with the Orchestre des Concerts Parisiens conducted by André Cadou.

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

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “France’s ex-president Sarkozy on trial over alleged Gaddafi pact”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 3 February to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 8 February 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.   

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.