After seizing control of the town of Kamanyola, about 45 kilometres from Bukavu in South Kivu province, M23 fighters are continuing their advance further south, towards Uvira, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Sporadic gunfire, looting and panic have been reported in several surrounding areas all week, including Uvira.

The United Nations warned on Wednesday that the M23 “continues to advance towards other strategic areas” in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

South Kivu’s provincial capital Bukavu, home to one million people and bordering Rwanda, is roughly 50 kilometres from Burundi, which is dealing with its biggest influx of refugees in 25 years.

Some 42,000 people fled eastern DRC to Burundi in two weeks, according to the UN.

Fleeing shootings

Families are fleeing the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations refugee agency said.

“This is the largest number of refugees that Burundi has seen since the beginning of the 2000s,” Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, representative for the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Burundi, told RFI on Thursday.

“Over the past few days and weeks, we have received thousands of people here in Burundi,” she also told a press conference in Bujumbura, on Wednesday, estimating roughly 30,000 people had crossed.

“People are still pouring in by the thousands every day.”

The Burundian government said last Monday that around 10,000 people had crossed the country’s western border, fleeing the violence in the DRC.

Interior minister Martin Niteretse said the government intended to relocate the refugees to eastern Burundi, “in order to guarantee their safety”. He added they would be granted refugee status.

Some 500 Congolese soldiers and police arrived in the border town of Gatumba on Wednesday, witnesses and a security source said.

The security source said they were disarmed and searched.

Amid the crisis, Congolese Catholic and Protestant leaders have launched efforts to mediate between the parties.

Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), told RFI that war is not a solution. “We need to find a national consensus about all our issues sitting around a table,” he said.

France says Rwanda’s offensive on DR Congo ‘must stop’ as rebels capture Goma

Fear of regional war

The UN is also worried about wider consequences for the whole region.   

Bintou Keita, head of the UN’s DRC peacekeeping mission (Monusco), expressed concern to the UN Security Council over M23’s advance. She said on Wednesday that the group was approaching the “the junction of the three borders between the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi.”

Huang Xia, the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for the Great Lakes region, told the Security Council that M23 and its allies were continuing their advance towards “other strategic areas” in North and South Kivu, warning “the risk of a regional conflagration is more real than ever”.

African Union Summit opens as conflicts rage on the continent

Since October 2023, Burundi has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to help the Congolese army against the M23 and other armed groups.

Late Wednesday military and official sources said some Burundian troops were staging a “tactical withdrawal”, although the army’s spokesman denied any retreat.

Nshole hopes to see an international conference on peace in the Great Lakes region.

The UN Security Council acknowledged the urgency of the situation and once again condemned the actions of the M23 rebels and Rwanda’s involvement. 

 (with newswires)

Arcom, France’s audiovisual regulator, excluded both channels in July from the shortlist of selected candidates for the reallocation of digital terrestrial television frequencies which expire at the end of the month. Arcom confirmed its decision on 12 December.

Arcom pulled up C8 for a lack of editorial control over its programming following a series of incidents on the Touche pas à mon poste show of star presenter Cyril Hanouna that have led to fines of 7.5 million euros.

NRJ12 was upbraided for having too many repeats and too few original programmes.

Canal+ Group, which owns C8, along with NRJ12 – the TV arm of the NRJ Group – launched an appeal against Arcom’s decision.

Decision

“The regulator was legally justified in considering the repeated violations by C8, particularly regarding respect for individual rights, the protection of minors, and control over its programming,” ruled the Council of State in a 16-page document.

“Arcom did not act unlawfully in excluding C8 and NRJ12 in favour of other candidates, based on its assessment of each application and comparison of their respective merits,” the panel added.

Hanouna, 59, hit out at the decision. “It was rigged from the start,” he said. “It’s all scheming and manipulation.”

The Canal+ Group branded the Council of State’s move as incomprehensible. The group, which is owned by French tycoon Vincent Bolloré, said it would endanger the jobs of 400 people.

NRJ12 called the ruling a deep injustice. “NRJ Group and NRJ12 remain fully mobilised to have the irregularity of the decisions taken against them declared at European level and to obtain compensation for the significant damage caused to them,” said a statement.

The impending shutdown of C8 has drawn criticism from right-wing and far-right politicians.

National Rally boss Marine Le Pen said: “The decision is a terrible regression and a troubling move that validates the ayatollahs of single-minded thought.”

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on social media: “C8 had found its audience. Its disappearance from the audiovisual landscape deprives it of a platform for expression.”

Appearing on C8’s set, Éric Ciotti, founder of the Union of the Right for the Republic, denounced the move as a purely political decision.

Possibility

C8 and NRJ12 will be replaced by two new channels: T18, launched by the CMI France group of the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky and OFTV, backed by the Ouest-France group.

The Council of State left a small opening for a reprieve. It asked Arcom to consider a new call for applications for four vacant frequencies starting in June.

In theory, this could allow C8 and NRJ12 to reapply.

(With newswires)

Lille reached the knockout phase after finishing the eight-game group stages in seventh place in the 36-team division.

PSG completed the initial section in 15th and were forced to contest two play-off games.

Luis Enrique’s men negotiated the obstacle with a 10-0 aggregate destruction of Ligue 1 counterparts Brest.

They will host the Premier League leaders at the Parc des Princes before travelling to Anfield for the return leg a week later.

“With a bit more luck we could have finished with five points more and in the top eight automatic qualifying places for the last-16,” said Enrique before the draw.

“But we had to do it the slightly longer way. But no matter, it has prepared us and made us better for what lies ahead. 

“We’ve played teams like Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich so it’s not exactly going to get more difficult. We are ready.”

Bid

Lille, who entertain fourth-placed Monaco on Saturday afternoon in Ligue 1, will take on Dortmund in an attempt to the reach the last eight of European club football’s most prestigious competition for the first time.

Elsewhere, holders Real Madrid play city rivals Atletico and there is an all-German showdown as Bayern Munich take on Bayer Leverkusen.

The two Dutch teams Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven take on Inter Milan and Arsenal respectively while Club Brugge pit their wits against Aston Villa and Benfica vie with Barcelona.

The paths to the final in Munich on 31 May were also outlined during the draw at the headquarters in the Swiss city of Nyon of the competition organisers Uefa.

Should PSG eliminate Liverpool, they will take on Club Brugge or Aston Villa in the last eight. Benfica or Barcelona await Lille in the quarter-finals if they can dispose of last season’s finalists.

Lyon, the sole French representative in the Europa League, play the Romanian side FCSB. A visit to Real Sociedad or Manchester United follows for the winners of that clash.

The plea for new legislation was taken to the Senate – France’s upper house of parliament – by Stéphane Demilly with the support of the Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and the Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin.

“How is it possible to marry someone who is not legally resident in France?” Demilly asked senators in his bid for the bill’s approval.

“Is it conceivable to read the articles of the Civil Code in the town hall of the Republic to someone who has no right to be there? These are the reactions and questions from the people I talk to about it. And yet, our law, as it stands, does not allow us to oppose the marriage of a person in an irregular situation.”

France reinstates border checks as immigration policies tighten

Demilly, the senator for the Somme region in northern France, started his campaign in 2023 following an incident in which Stéphane Wilmotte, the mayor of Hautmont, also in northern France refused to officiate the marriage of a man who had been ordered to leave the country.

A court case was brought against Wilmotte before it was eventually dropped and the man, the imam at a mosque, was deported.

“How is it possible to place an elected representative of the Republic in such a situation?” Demilly said. “How can mayors  risk months of litigation, sometimes compounded by personal and family stress, when they are acting for the good of the region?

“The current legislation against marriages of convenience is not enough, and places civil registrars in situations that are surreal.”

The bill was approved at its first reading with 227 votes in favour and 110 against. It will go back through the National Assembly – the lower house of parliament.

If it passes successfully, the new law will mean that any foreigner wanting to marry must provide the documents to the registrar proving that they have a right to be in France.

If the mayor or registrar remains unconvinced about the validity of the papers, they can pass their concerns to the public prosecutor who can suspend the wedding for two months while authenticity checks are carried out.

“The aim is to give the public prosecutor more time to conduct an investigation,” say papers submitted to the Senate.

“In addition, the text [of the bill] provides that the public prosecutor is deemed to have decided to suspend the celebration of the marriage if he or she has not made a decision within 15 days of the matter being referred to him or her.”

French government to table new immigration law in early 2025

Change

However, opponents say the legislation runs counter to a 2003 decision by the French Constitutional Council, which said that a foreigner’s irregular status cannot in itself be an obstacle to the marriage.

“This draft law is contrary to the constitution,” said the Socialist senator Corinne Narassiguin. “The irregular situation of one of the bride and groom cannot prevent the celebration of the marriage.

Rounding on backers of the bill, she added: “You are confusing the issue by citing sham marriages, which are prohibited by law. In your imagination, it would therefore be impossible to love a foreigner without having the ulterior motive of marrying them just to regularise their situation.

“So, according to you, anyone in an irregular situation who wishes to marry must be presumed to have fraudulent intent. Behind your prejudices and obsessions, there are men and women.”

Earlier this week, prosecutors summoned the mayor of the Béziers in southern France for refusing to officiate a wedding between a French woman and an undocumented Algerian man in 2023. Robert Ménard faces up to five years in prison and a 75,000 euro fine for his stance.

“This draft law will be used to fuel false polemics,” Narassiguin added: “We need to remind ourselves of a few facts. Marriage does not automatically, let alone immediately, lead to regularisation. These procedures are lengthy and offer no guarantee of success.

“Marriage offers no protection against an obligation to leave the country or a deportation order. So, beyond the law, let me tell you that your vision of marriage seems to be a very sad one. This text is ultimately a text against love.”

Macron also robustly defended Volodymyr Zelensky, the embattled leader of war-torn Ukraine, speaking ahead of a planned visit to the White House to meet Trump next week.

European response

Macron has sought to coordinate a European response to Washington’s shock policy shift in US-Russia relations, hosting this week two emergency meetings with leaders of EU and non-EU nations including Germany, Britain, Canada and Norway.

He said he wanted the French to grasp the magnitude of the threat coming from the Kremlin, calling Russia “an existential threat to Europeans.”

On Thursday, Macron, 47, said in a question-and-answer session on social media that France was entering a “new era.”

“We are entering an era in which each of us must ask what we can do for the French nation and the Republic,” Macron said after discussing Ukraine with party leaders earlier in the day.

Macron expected to meet Trump as Europe scrambles to respond to US shift on Ukraine

Trump has sent shock waves around Europe by saying he is ready to resume diplomacy with Putin to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, over the heads of European countries and Kyiv.

Trump will meet in Washington with Macron on Monday and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday next week, the White House said.

“I’m going to tell him: ‘You can’t be weak with President Putin. That’s not who you are, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest'”, Macron said.

Macron to meet France’s top politicians to thrash out line over Ukraine

‘Strategic mistake’

“I will tell him: ‘If you let Ukraine be taken, Russia will not stop,” he said.

“Not only will it be even stronger, it will continue to invest, but it will take over Ukraine and its army, which is one of the largest in Europe, with all our equipment, including American equipment'”, he added, saying it would be a “huge strategic mistake.”

Macron insisted it was in Trump’s interest to work with Europeans, pointing to Europe’s “capacity for growth” and economic potential.

But he also sought to put a brave face on days of head-spinning US declarations, saying that the “uncertainty” generated by the US president should be “used” against Putin.

Macron also said France and Europe needed to beef up security and that the threat from Russia “will force us to make very strong choices for ourselves, for our defence and our security.”

“We Europeans must increase our war effort,” he added.

Macron stressed he did not plan to send troops to Ukraine “tomorrow” but indicated that France was considering providing security guarantees to Ukraine following a ceasefire deal with Russia.

“I have not decided to send troops to Ukraine tomorrow, no,” he said.

“What we are considering instead is sending forces to guarantee peace once it has been negotiated,” he said.

European fears mount at Munich conference as US signals shift on Ukraine

Speaking to French news agency AFP on Thursday, a French source familiar with the discussions said France was working with European countries to ensure security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire agreement

 Macron threw his weight behind Zelensky after Trump branded the 47-year-old Ukrainian leader a “dictator.”

Tensions between Zelensky and Trump have exploded this week in a series of escalating barbs traded in press conferences and on social media.

 “He is a president elected in a free system,” Macron said, referring to the Ukrainian president.

“This is not the case for Vladimir Putin, who has been killing his opponents and manipulating his elections for a long time.”

 Alexei Navalny, the charismatic leader of the Russian opposition, died on February 16, 2024 in an Arctic penal colony in unclear circumstances. His family and supporters say his murder was sanctioned by the Kremlin.

The French National Assembly adopted the bill put forward by the Greens 231 votes to 51, after the Senate gave it a green light last year.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are human-made chemicals used since the late 1940s to mass produce the non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant treatments that coat everything from frying pans to umbrellas, carpets, dental floss and ski wax.

Because PFAS take an extremely long time to break down – earning them their “forever” nickname – they have seeped into the soil and groundwater, and from there into the food chain and drinking water.

French MPs vote to ban ‘forever chemicals’ except in cookware

Chronic exposure to even low levels of the chemicals has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birthweights and several kinds of cancer.

The French bill aims to prevent the production, import or sale from January 2026 of any product for which an alternative to PFAS already exists.

These include cosmetics and ski wax, as well as clothing containing the chemicals, except certain “essential” industrial textiles.

Non-stick saucepans

A ban on non-stick saucepans was originally included in the draft law, but removed after intense lobbying from the group that owns French manufacturer Tefal.

It will also make French authorities regularly test drinking water for all kinds of PFAS.

Tap water in French cities contaminated by toxic forever chemicals, study warns

There are thousands of different PFAS. Under new EU regulations from next year, member states will have to test their water for 20 types. But the French law could allow analysis to check for further types in water if needed.

In January, a study found that a type of “forever chemical” linked to health problems and birth defects has been found in the tap water of many French cities and towns including Paris.

A 2023 study of snow and soil samples in Austria found that skiers using ski wax containing PFAS to glide faster down the slopes were contaminating runways and soil in remote Alpine areas.

It however added that a much smaller quantity could also be deposited from the atmosphere.

The European Union has been studying a possible ban on the use of PFAS in consumer products, but has not yet implemented such regulation.

(with AFP)

France is officially transferring the Port-Bouët military camp to the Ivorian army today, Thursday 20 February, in a symbolic ceremony attended by French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and his Ivorian counterpart Téné Birahima Ouattara.

Until now, the base had been home to the 43rd French Marine Infantry Battalion (BIMA).

The Port-Bouët camp is now named General Thomas-d’Aquin-Ouattara, in honour of the first Chief of Staff of the Ivorian army, and the French flag will no longer fly over it.

The handover of the site to the Ivorian army was actually decided in April 2023, and the process began a few weeks ago, allowing the military to adapt the 230-hectare camp to its needs.

Since 20 January, a battalion of 90 Ivorian paratroopers has taken up residence there, particularly appreciating the space and access to infrastructure offered by the site.

“We have access to facilities that are all in one place, which makes training easier and helps us remain operationally ready,” Captain Fabrice Yoboué Kouamé, head of the paratrooper detachment, told RFI‘s correspondent in Abidjan.

The deputy commander of the 1st Engineer Battalion of Bouaké, Lieutenant-Colonel Roméo Koffi, is overseeing the final logistical preparations on the parade ground ahead of Thursday’s ceremony.

Providing training

During the ceremony, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and his Ivorian counterpart Téné Birahima Ouattara will also sign new military cooperation agreements between the two countries.

About a hundred French soldiers will remain at the camp to provide training. In January, a military academy for information and communication systems was established in the camp and is currently training a dozen future Ivorian unit commanders.

According to the academy’s director, Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Clément Gbalou, this is a welcome move.

“While, in the past, most of our officers had to go abroad for training, such as in France,” he told RFI. “Thanks to the academy, within a year or two, we will have numerous officers whom we can directly deploy to operational theatres.”

As part of this new French – Ivorian military cooperation, the focus will be on training as well as joint exercises, according to Colonel Ivert, who commands the French inter-army detachment in Côte d’Ivoire.

“The core of our cooperation will be joint training, where everyone contributes to everyone else. These are opportunities that cannot be found elsewhere,” he said.

“Côte d’Ivoire benefits from maintaining French expertise,” another Ivorian officer added.

The French military hopes to complete its withdrawal by next summer.

France’s waning presence in Africa

This handover of the Port-Bouët camp to the Ivorian army is proceeding smoothly, but it nonetheless marks a new stage in the reconfiguration of France’s military presence in Africa.

France to handover last military base in Côte d’Ivoire as retreat from West Africa continues

It comes in response to the growing wave of demands for departure of French soldiers across the former French empire.

In 2022, the end of Operation Barkhane in the Sahel marked the demise of a permanent French military presence in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which also led to the disappearance of historical French military bases.

Now, the departure from Côte d’Ivoire comes after the ones from Gabon last summer, Chad in January, and ahead of Senegal soon—where France still has 300 soldiers.

(With newswires)

The conflict in the eastern DRC has experienced a dramatic escalation recently.

Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman

The city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province, fell to M23 fighters at the end of January.

The rebels are being supported by Rwandan soldiers, a claim that the government in Kigali continues to deny, despite evidence and reports of casualties among Rwandan troops.

Fighting resumes in DRC’s South Kivu ahead of crisis talks

The city has come to symbolise the conflict that has torn apart eastern DRC for more than three decades.

The M23 has launched additional attacks in South Kivu, and despite talks in Tanzania earlier in February and a brief ceasefire, the fighting persists. As a result, millions of Congolese have been displaced, with nearly 3,000 lives lost.

To explore the role of diplomacy in the country, as well as in other violent crises across the continent, my first guest is Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group.

She joins us from Addis Ababa, where the African Union’s headquarters are located, following the release of the group’s annual report outlining the eight priorities the AU should focus on.

We will also hear from civilians fleeing Goma and from Paulin Nkwosseu, the Chief of Field Offices at UNICEF for the DRC.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

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

Among the AI projects being showcased beneath the glass roof of the Grand Palais is a robot that could help to break down barriers in healthcare.

“Our AI will provide practical, tailored answers to questions about sexual health and HIV prevention, which are still very taboo subjects. Our users can ask all the questions they want, and our AI will guide them through self-testing and, if necessary, put them in touch anonymously with clinicians,” said Sarah Morris, marketing manager for South African-American company Audere, which produces this robot.

Why the African continent has a role to play in developing AI

AI diagnostics

While this week’s AI Action Summit in Paris is a showcase for future developments in the sphere, AI is already being used to support healthcare professionals.

One area in which it is widely used is medical imaging, where it helps to detect fractures and cancers – notably breast cancer. In a Paris radiology clinic, between the usual light panels and high-definition screens, a small computer equipped with AI software is now playing a crucial role in analysing mammograms.

“AI can detect suspicious microcalcifications on mammograms, ranking their severity on a scale of one to 10. If the AI classifies an anomaly as an eight, further tests are required,” explained Dr Grégory Lenczner, radiologist and president of the Radiological Society for the Île-de-France region.

But is AI better at detection than an expert radiologist? According to Dr Lenczner, studies show that AI does not detect more anomalies than a human expert. However, in everyday practice, the technology offers valuable confirmation.

“AI is not going to detect more things than an expert radiologist. But in everyday life, you can be disturbed by a phone call or visual fatigue, and the human side comes into play. So the AI confirms that we haven’t missed anything,” he said.

Creation must remain ‘fundamentally human’, says expert ahead of Paris AI summit

For Anne, a patient whose routine mammogram result was normal, this additional layer of analysis is reassuring. “It reassures me because, in fact, there are two opinions. For me, it’s complementary.”

There is a risk, however, that AI can raise unnecessary doubts by suggesting false anomalies. “It can waste our time and, above all, cause the patient to have to go for more X-rays and worry for nothing,” explains Dr Christine Salem. 

While the process is yet to be perfected, it is expected that the more AI is used in the medical field, the better it will perform.

New solutions for disabilities

The Paris summit coincides with the 20th anniversary of France’s Disability Act, and AI is raising hopes in this area too.

Blind since birth, Manuel Pereira uses Be My Eyes, an AI application which, among other functions, describes photos. Scanning the screen of his phone, he says AI is already transforming daily life for visually impaired people.

But, he says, we still need to go much further. “The dream would be to establish a natural dialogue with the everyday appliances we use – the fridge, the oven and so on. You’re standing in front of your oven, and you say to it, OK, I’ve just put in a veal roast, can you programme to cook it for 30 or 40 minutes.”

Macron announces €109 bn investments in AI as leaders, tech giants meet in Paris

He dreams of being able to use AI systems in which the user wears glasses that are connected to their mobile phone – something which is already in use in the United States but currently banned in France. “You’ll be able to walk down the street and ask artificial intelligence ‘tell me what you see’, which will make people more independent in their daily lives.”

However, Pereira also raises a paradoxical point – AI technology can be intimidating for older people, when they are the ones most often affected by the type of health problems it can help solve.

This article has been adapted from the original French version.

The applications, which the United Nations cultural arm will examine in July 2026, were developed in collaboration with the municipal and regional councils that administer the two sites, according to a Ministry of Culture communiqué.

The D-Day landings on beaches along the Normandy coast in 1944 turned the tide of the Second World War in Europe. The Ministry said the beaches represent a “place of gathering around a universal message” and carry “the memory of a fight for freedom and peace”.

The area proposed for Unesco World Heritage status is made up of the five sectors of the Landings as defined by the Allies in 1944: Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Juno Beach, Gold Beach and Sword Beach, spanning more than 80 kilometres of coastline.

The coastline is littered with the legacy of the war, from the bunkers of the Atlantic Wall to the wrecks of French, English and German warships.

The application was initiated in 2014 and initially submitted in 2018 but its examination by the Unesco World Heritage Committee scheduled for 2019 was postponed, with the organisation saying it was considering “the evaluation of sites associated with recent conflicts”.

Cultural treasures in Africa and French Polynesia join Unesco heritage list

‘The logical next step’

The committee lifted this moratorium in January 2023, allowing memorial applications submitted before 2022 to be examined outside the quota of one application per year and per state, the Ministry said.

“We all hope that this application will succeed, it is the logical next step in the process of remembrance and commemoration,” Michael Dodds, director of the Normandy Regional Tourism Committee, told French news agency AFP.

Remembering D-Day’s heavy toll on French civilians

Unesco has adopted several guiding principles concerning the participation of all stakeholders potentially affected by a conflict.

Since then, five memorial sites have become World Heritage Sites, including 139 burial sites from the First World War located in France and Belgium, and four memorials commemorating the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda.

France’s second application concerns “the system of fortresses of the Seneschal of Carcassonne, built in the 13th to 14th centuries”.

This system is made up of eight monuments situated between the departments of Aude and Ariège: the ramparts of Carcassonne and the nearby castles of Lastours, Termes, Aguilar, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus, Puilaurens and Montségur, the Ministry said.

“Built on rocky peaks in grandiose landscapes,” these monuments “illustrate a pivotal period in history and offer a unique example of military architecture giving them exceptional universal value”.

(with AFP)

Naâman released his final song Mon Amour in December as a testament to life and love. “Life only dies in books”, he sang.

Born in Normandy, he fell in love with the music of Bob Marley aged 12 and went on to become a leading figure on the French reggae scene combining hip-hop and raggamuffin with more traditional beats.

His catchy hit Outta Road garnered some 29 million views online.

RFI’s World Music Matters met Naâman in 2015 for the release of his second album Rays of Resistance where, among other things, he talked about transcending the ego in music.

Countries are looking for sovereignty in artificial intelligence and at a major AI summit in Paris this week, France and the EU backed a “third path” approach to AI – midway between the US’ private tech firm-dominated model and China’s state-controlled technology. With a focus on regulation to ensure trust, France is creating public/private partnerships, and encouraging companies to develop home-grown products. Linagora, an open-source software developper, recently released a large language model (LLM) trained on French and European content, in contrast to American LLMs like ChatGPT that are trained on mainly US content. While chatbot Lucie got off to a rocky start, Linagora’s General Manager Michel Maudet says there’s a clear need for technology focused on Europe, able to address the nuance of the continent’s languages and culture. (Listen @0′)

French MPs recently voted a controversial draft bill to end birthright citizenship on the overseas department of Mayotte to discourage illegal immigration from neighbouring Comoros. Prime Minister François Bayrou supports the proposed measure and has called for a wider debate on immigration and what it means to be French. His earlier remarks that there was a feeling immigrants were “flooding” France have caused outrage on the left in particular.  We talk to Tania Racho, a researcher on European law and who also works for an association fighting disinformation on migration issues, about the reality of immigration in France. While the data does not support claims France is overwhelmed with foreigners, people’s perceptions – nourished by a fixation on migration by both politicians and media – tell a different story. (Listen @18’40”)

Twenty years after the 11 February 2005 law on disability and inclusion, daily life for France’s 12 million people living with disabilities has improved. But since the law underestimated the timelines and costs of accessibility, there’s still a lot of work to be done. (Listen @14’30”)

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. 

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).

This anniversary fell on Saturday, 8 February, and on Monday Google announced that it had changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for those using its Maps application inside the United States, complying with an executive order by President Trump.

The tech giant wrote in a blog post that users outside the US will continue to see both the original and the new name, created by the Trump administration, for the Gulf of Mexico, as is the case with other disputed locations.

“People using Maps in the US will see Gulf of America, and people in Mexico will see Gulf of Mexico. Everyone else will see both names,” Google wrote.

Following another of Trump’s orders, Denali – the highest mountain peak in North America, located in Alaska – will revert back to its former name of Mount McKinley, honouring former US president William McKinley. This is a reversal of a decision made by former president Barack Obama in 2015 to give the mountain back its traditional Alaskan native name (meaning “the high one”) which had been in use in Alaska for centuries.

Trump’s renaming of the mountain has sparked criticism from indigenous groups in Alaska, who have long advocated for maintaining the Denali name

As Trump declares ‘Gulf of America,’ US enters name wars

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Google wrote: “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”

It added that the changes are made once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) – a database of names and locations of cultural and geographical features in the US – has been updated.

“When official names vary between countries, [Google] Maps users see their official local name,” Google said. “Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names.”

Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, wrote to Google to ask it to reconsider. She also sardonically suggested that the company could rename the United States “Mexican America”, pointing to a map from before a third of her country was seized by the US in 1848.

Territorial disputes

The naming of places, like the drawing of maps, is an unavoidably political consideration, particularly when it comes to territorial disputes, and Google Maps has juggled toponymy and cartography over its 20 years of existence.

In the midst of the Arab Spring in August 2011, as rebel troops took over Tripoli, RFI reported that Google Maps had erased the name of the city’s Place Verte (“Green Square”) and replaced it with Place des Martyrs (“Martyrs’ Square”) – its previous name before Muammar Gaddafi’s regime changed it. This despite the fact that Gaddafi was still alive at this time. 

Google rivals join forces in online maps

However, in the previous month South Sudan had been recognised by the United Nations following its independence from Sudan – but not by Google Maps.

In 2016, the tech company found itself in the crosshairs of the government of India, the world’s second most populous country. The Indian administration launched a bill to impose strict controls – on pain of fines or even imprisonment – on how the country was represented on all online mapping tools.

Google maps thus had to adapt to New Delhi’s preferences regarding territorial disputes with Pakistan over Kashmir, claimed by Islamabad, and with China over Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing wanted to make an independent state.

Middle East conflict

The same year, the US company found itself at the centre of a social media storm, particularly in the Arab-Muslim world, when a union of Palestinian journalists pointed out that neither the word “Palestine” nor the designation “Palestinian Territories” appeared on Google Maps. Nor, at that time, did the words “Gaza” or “West Bank”.

Palestinian towns were indicated, and the 1967 borders were drawn in dotted lines. But as for the disappearance of the terms “Gaza” and “West Bank”, Google blamed a “bug”. Still today, “Palestinian Territories” does not appear.

NGOs on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict continue to keep a tally of West Bank villages not mentioned or “wiped off the map”. The Avaaz Foundation, a non-profit organisation, launched a campaign aimed at the Silicon Valley giant named #ShowTheWall, to have Israel’s controversial separation barrier shown on Google Maps.

‘We do our best’

Google Maps has been known to play it safe and attempt to keep both parties of a conflict on side. Following the 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea by the Russian Federation, to avoid incurring the wrath of either Kyiv or Moscow – and for fear of being banned in either territory – the company created three maps of the location that year.

For Russian users, Crimea was shown as separated from Ukraine by a border. For the Ukrainians, the map remained as before, showing Crimea attached to their territory, without a border. For the search engine’s users in the rest of the world, Crimea was shown bordered with two dotted lines, reflecting a conflict.

This is also the current state of affairs on the application with Georgia and Kosovo, although not currently with eastern Ukraine.

Germany opens anti-cartel probe into Google Maps

“We do our best to represent disputed borders,” explained a spokeswoman for Google Maps at the time. “Where appropriate, the borders of these disputed areas are drawn in a special way.”

In a divided world, and with those divisions played out in the digital sphere, such ability to adapt is increasingly crucial.

This article was adapted from the original French version.

The Spurs said his condition was discovered when he returned to the team’s headquarters in Texas following the game featuring stars from different NBA teams in San Francisco on Monday.

DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs.

It becomes serious when the clots break loose, travel through the bloodstream and reach the lungs.

Treatment will likely entail blood-thinning medication to address the clot.

Wembanyama – nicknamed Wemby – was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists this season and was on course to win the defensive player of the year crown.

Wembanyama opts out of basketball World Cup duty with France

That award is offered to players who have featured in at least 65 games. Wembanyama’s 2024/25 adventure ends after 46 matches.

Wembanyama, 21, rose to 2.21m tall in Le Chesnay, some 17 kilometres west of Paris, and turned out for the club Nanterre 92 in north-western Paris between 2014 and 2021 before moving to ASVEL Lyon-Villurbanne.

He went to the Spurs in 2023 as the top young recruit and maintained his trajectory to claim the accolade of rookie of the season – best player in his first NBA campaign.

Last month, he was the protagonist in the NBA’s drive to boost its international appeal when the Spurs played the Indiana Pacers in Paris.

Shortly after jetting in from the US, Wembanyama limbered up with his teammates amid a phalanx of photographers and reporters at his old stomping ground at the Palais des sports Maurice-Thorez in Nanterre.

He was the main draw the following day at the inauguration of two basketball courts in his home town.

In the first game against the Pacers at the AccorArena in Bercy, south-eastern Paris, Wembanyama left the court with personal statistics of 30 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocks in the 140-110 victory and was accordingly anointed the man of the match.

Fans savour NBA in Paris as Wembanyama’s wizardry spurs his team to victory

Form

The modern NBA game requires tall men to be comfortable playing away from the basket, able to handle the ball and defend against opponents on the perimeter of the hoop. Defenders are expected to block shots at one end and shoot three-pointers at the other.

Wembanyama displayed that full repertoire before the home fans in Bercy. When Wembanyama left for the States, France national team head coach Vincent Collet said: “There are tall guys who shoot with their feet in the cement, but Victor is able to move and shoot, it’s something quite unique.”

His absence from the Spurs line-up will come as a blow. The team lies 12th in the 15-team Western Conference – well outside the berths for the end of season play-offs.

More than 59 million Germans are eligible to vote.

At stake are the composition of parliament, the selection of a new Chancellor, the balance of political power, and Germany’s role – alongside France – as a cornerstone of the European Union’s stability.

The cabinet of Olaf Scholz, which was dissolved after a no-confidence vote on  7 November, was made up of a coalition between Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Alliance 90/The Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP,)  and nicknamed the “traffic light coalition” after the colours representing the political affiliations.

In the end, the FDP couldn’t agree with Scholz’s fiscal policies, walked away, and new elections had to be organised within months. 

• German Chancellor Scholz loses no confidence vote ahead of February elections

An election with 29 parties

According to the website of Germany’s election commissioner, 29 parties will take part in the elections on 23 February 2025 competing for some 733 seats.

A poll taken on 10 February by the Institute for New Social Answers (INSA), shows that the largest opposition party – the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – led by Friedrich Merz, will be the likely winner, but with the lowest outcome ever – 30 percent of the vote, while Scholz’s SPD may fall to only 15.5 percent. 

Elesewhere, the hard-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) scored a solid 22 percent in the same poll, and the extreme left is hopelessly divided.

The German Marxist-Leninist Party (MLPD) that runs with the slogan “Make Socialism Great Again” competes against the Socialist Equality Party (SGP,) a Trotskyist splinter group born in West-Germany in 1971. 

Meanwhile, hard-left Die Linke (the offspring of the former East-German Socialist Unity Party (SED) struggling to match former deputy party chief Sahra Wagenknecht, who formed her own political alliance.

Wagenknecht (estimated to win 5-7 percent) may even come in ahead of Die Linke (6 percent.), while the current SPD coalition partner The Greens are estimated to win 12 percent.

Apart from the left-right divide, small one-issue parties, including the Pirate Party and the Party for Rejuvenation Research (Partei für Verjungungforschung), which propagates eternal life, take part as well.

Breaking the “firewall”?

It is going to be hard for Merz, the likely winner, to form a coalition, according to Gero Neugebauer, a specialist on German party politics. This is particularly so, he said, after Merz’s approach to the AfD.

On 29 January, citing the “deadly knife attacks in Magdeburg” by an immigrant, the CDU proposed a “massive sharpening of the German immigration policy.”

The motion was supported by the AfD, marking the first time that a German party broke the “firewall” against the hard right.

The motion passed by 348 to 344 votes, and a second reading, on 31 January was narrowly rejected with 349 to 338 with five abstentions. 

The CDU-AfD joint move led to massive demonstrations in Berlin and other cities. Merz was quick to distance himself from the temporary alliance, and claimed that the AfD is “destroying” the CDU.

However, Neugebauer told RFI: “Prospective coalition partners, such as the Greens or the Social Democrats, have said: ‘Merz, you have destroyed the central rule of democratic political culture, which was a complete non-engagement with the AfD.'”

As a result, they may now be reluctant to form a coalition government, he added.

Meanwhile the AfD received a strong nod of approval from outside sources: the US and Hungary.

On 9 January, Elon Musk, in a 74-minute conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel, expressed his support for the AfD, and one week later appeared on a large screen addressing a 4,500 strong AfD rally in Halle, in the former East Germany.

He hailed the right-wing party stating that “only AfD can save Germany. End of story.”

‘Black sheep’

Later in January, Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban, in an interview with Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung invited AfD head Alice Weidel, saying that “we were the black sheep of Europe, now we are the future.”

And last week, Germany’s and Europe anti-immigrant, right-wing groups were encouraged by JD Vance, the US vice-president, who, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, reproached Germany, and other EU countries for “censoring” free speech and suppressing ideas, while approving of political visions that are promoted by the EU’s hard-right party on immigration.

• France, Germany reject US interference after Vance urges Europe to accept far right

German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, (SPD) immediately retorted that “this democracy was just called into question by the US vice president, not just the German democracy but that of Europe as a whole,” and that Vance comparing “the condition of Europe with what prevails in some authoritarian regimes” is “not acceptable”.

US criticism didn’t stop there. A day earlier, during a Nato defence ministers’ summit, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth urged EU countries to increase their defence spending.

He urged member states to up their contribution to the alliance from two percent to five percent of their respective GDPs, indicating that the US would gradually withdraw its massive military support for the EU, and let Brussels (and London) pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Just days before the US officals came to Europe, Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Vance, speaking in Munich, remarked that there are chances for a “reasonable peace settlement” now. 

The Putin-Trump phonecall resulted in the first high level meeting between Moscow abnd Washington in three years, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Ryiadh on 19 February. Putin said that the US-Russia talks were ‘first step’ in restoring relations.

• Paris summit exposes European divisions as US shift forces unity on Ukraine

Yalta again?

But Washington’s actions inspired Ralf Fücks, a former MP for the Green party and now head of the Berlin-based think tank Zentrum Liberale Moderne, to write an editorial for weekly Der Spiegel, about the current state of play.

He expressed his fear that the fate of Ukraine, and the EU as a whole, is being decided by the US and Russia, over the heads of European leaders – just as happened in Yalta, when “Europe was divided between the great powers,”

He also urged Europe to form a close security alliance with Ukraine and to significantly strengthen its own defence capabilities.

Earlier, Pistorius also emphasised Germany’s and Europe’s responsibility to increase military spending in order to support Kyiv in resisting the Russian invasion.

Ironically, Trump’s shift in stance has highlighted that the German Greens and the SPD are now the only parties advocating substantial military aid for Ukraine. How this will resonate with voters on Sunday remains to be seen.

In his home country, L’Equipe’s front page declared: “Ole, ole, ole” while the Spanish newspaper As – traditionally a pro-Madrid tract – carried the headline: “Mbappé is already Cristiano” and showed a video of a young Mbappé in a Real Madrid shirt next to his childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo.

“From idol to reference point … and the measure of all things,” said the article. “Mbappé began his Madrid career in the same way as Cristiano Ronaldo, with a packed Bernabeu and a: ‘One, two, three… Hala Madrid! 

“A way of winning over Madrid fans, but the real test would come later, that of the huge numbers that the Portuguese star left behind in his time at the Bernabéu. Nine seasons, 438 games, 451 goals and a host of records. Among them, six seasons over 50 goals. The same goals that Mbappé is now being asked to score and that Kylian is on the way to achieving.”

On 11 February, Mbappé scored in Madrid’s 3-2 victory in the first leg against City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

And within four minutes of the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, he ran on to Raul Asencio’s floated pass in between City defenders Ruben Dias and John Stones and coolly lobbed the goalkeeper Ederson to extend the aggregate lead to 4-2.

Range

Just after the half hour mark, taking a pass from Rodrygo, a neat piece of footwork left Josko Gvardiol sliding on the deck and into irrelevance before he slammed the ball past Ederson.

For the third, from the right hand side of the City penalty area, a sumptuous left-footed pass into the net past Ederson’s despairing dive.

“This is the type of game we want to play,” said Mbappé. “People told me about these nights at the Bernabeu and now I can see it with my own eyes and I want to live through many more of them.”

After years of speculation, Mbappé went from Paris Saint-Germain to Madrid last summer. He struggled in his first few months  and also had to endure allegations of raping a woman while on holiday in Stockholm.

The case was dropped in December and Mbappé has reasserted himself as one of the world’s best strikers with 18 goals in his last 18 matches.

“I knew that I couldn’t have done worse than I was doing,” Mbappe told Movistar after the game against City.

Work

“I had to play with personality. My adaptation time was over and I have to show my quality. Making my dream come true is one thing but I want to play well here, mark an era and write history at Real Madrid,” he explained.

Wednesday night’s haul took his tally to 28 goals for Real Madrid in 38 games making him the first striker since Ronaldo in 2009/10 to score 25 goals in his first season at the club.

“Mbappé has the quality to reach the level of Cristiano at Madrid,” Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said after the game.

“He has to work because Cristiano set the bar very high, Mbappé has just started at this club.

“For the quality he has, and the excitement he has to play here, he can reach Ronaldo’s level but it won’t be easy for him, he has to work.”

Mbappé’s former teammates at PSG cruised into the last-16. They walloped Brest 7-0 at the Parc des Princes to complete a 10-0 aggregate victory.

Elsewhere in the play-offs, PSV Eindhoven advanced after beating Juventus 3-1 and Dortmund, who lost in the 2024 Champions League final to Madrid, progressed at the expense of Sporting Portugal.

The draw for the last-16 will take place on Friday afternoon in the Swiss city of Nyon, the headquarters of the competition organisers Uefa.

PSG are scheduled to meet either Liverpool or Barcelona while Madrid will either take on city rivals Atletico or Bayer Leverkusen.

“Both would be difficult games,” said Mbappé of the impending assignment. “So it’s better to have a difficult game without having to travel.”

EU envoys agreed on a 16th package of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, EU diplomats said, including a ban on primary aluminium imports, sales of gaming consoles and the listing of 73 shadow fleet vessels.

The package, which largely sticks to the European Commission’s proposal, is expected to be adopted by EU foreign ministers next week, to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The EU is clamping down even harder on circumvention by targeting more vessels in Putin’s shadow fleet and imposing new import and export bans,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media.

“We are committed to keep up the pressure on the Kremlin,” she added.

The aluminium import ban will be phased in a year from the official adoption of the package, which also adds 48 individuals and 35 entities to its sanctions list that includes asset freezes and a travel ban, diplomats said.

More talks

The French president contacted the US president on the phone before Monday’s mini-summit in Paris.

Emmanuel Macron still hopes to convince US President Donald Trump that nothing can be negotiated without the Ukrainians and that the Europeans must be able to “put forward their own solutions.”

New talks are taking place in Paris today, Wednesday.

The talks were set to take place Wednesday afternoon, with most participants taking part by video link, according to the Elysee.

Macron to host new emergency talks on Ukraine

This progress on the latest EU sanctions comes after Trump’s administration said on Tuesday it had agreed to hold more talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine.

This came after an initial meeting that excluded Kyiv, a departure from Washington’s previous approach that rallied US allies to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Europe scrambles to boost defence as US wavers on Ukraine support

More sanctions

The European Union along with other Western powers has been ratcheting up restrictions in recent months to squeeze Russia’s oil exports. In addition to the vessels, the envoys agreed to prohibit transactions with ports and airports in Russia used to circumvent the Group of Seven price cap on Russian oil.

The newly sanctioned ships will be added to the already listed 79 ships, mainly tankers, used by Russia to sell oil outside the price cap or vessels that help in Moscow’s war effort such as shipping ammunition from North Korea.

The package also expands the criteria the EU will be able to use to sanction owners and operators of the shadow fleet, including captains, as well as those providing support to the military.

Sales of video game consoles, joysticks and flight simulators would also be restricted as they could be used by Russia’s military to control drones, one of the diplomats said.

Other bans include exports of chromium and certain chemicals as well as a service ban for oil and gas refineries.

 (with newswires)

The European Union is stepping up to support its farmers with a major agricultural policy overhaul aimed at fair competition and sustainability.

Due to be published this Wednesday, the plan includes stricter import standards, addressing concerns over global trade imbalances and easing regulatory burdens on farmers.

The move comes after months of protests across Europe – particularly in France – where farmers decried unfair competition from imports with lower health and environmental standards.

French agriculture, vital to the country’s economy, has been hit hard by market pressures and regulatory challenges.

French farmer convoys head to Paris as protests continue over pay, conditions

Levelling the playing field

The European Commission’s “Vision for Agriculture and Food” will impose stricter regulations on imported goods, ensuring they meet EU food safety standards.

Brussels is expected to ban hazardous pesticides prohibited in the EU from re-entering through imported goods 

For French farmers, this could mean fairer competition.

France has long pushed for higher standards on imports to protect its agricultural sector.

However, the move may trigger international trade disputes as US crops – such as soybeans – could be targeted in response to recent tariffs on European goods.

Mercosur deal in sight as EU chief von der Leyen pushes past French objections

New era for EU farming

Beyond trade, the policy proposes reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), shifting subsidies from large landowners to small farms, young farmers, and those working in environmentally sensitive areas.

Currently, subsidies favour large landowners, but this change aims to direct funds to those in need.

For France – which receives a significant portion of EU farming subsidies – the shift could be transformative.

Small farms, crucial to rural communities, stand to gain, while industrial agribusinesses may need to adapt. 

Celia Nyssens-James of the European Environment Bureau called the shift “a big deal,” emphasising that it rewards sustainability and rural development.

French farmers protest EU-Mercosur deal, block motorways in southern France

Less bureaucracy, more support

The EU also aims to simplify bureaucracy, making it easier for small- and medium-sized farmers to access funding.

French farmers have long complained about excessive red tape, and these reforms could provide much-needed relief. 

Additionally, the plan seeks to reduce dependency on external suppliers, particularly fertilizers from Russia, a concern heightened by recent geopolitical tensions. 

With €387 billion earmarked for farming in the current EU budget , upcoming negotiations for the 2028-2034 CAP will be a major political battleground.

The proposed changes signal a commitment to fairer competition and stronger support for European farmers, particularly in France.

(With newswires)

 “President Macron is expected at the White House early next week,” a White House official told the French news agency AFP Wednesday evening on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky also said last night, Wednesday, that he will meet US envoy Keith Kellogg on Thursday and is hoping for “constructive” work with the US. 

 “We are scheduled to meet with General Kellogg tomorrow, and it is very important for us that the meeting and our work with America in general be constructive,” Zelensky said in his daily evening address on Wednesday.

European fears mount at Munich conference as US signals shift on Ukraine

Europe and Ukraine

This as French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday held a new meeting on Ukraine in a bid to coordinate a European response to what he called an “existential threat” from Russia after a shock policy shift in Washington.

He said France and its allies agreed Ukraine’s rights and European security concerns should be taken into account in any deal to end the Ukraine war, ahead of him travelling to Washington next week.

“The position of France and its allies is clear and united. We wish for peace in Ukraine that is lasting,” Macron said on X after the meeting with the leaders of 19 countries including Canada, with most taking part by video link.

Macron held the new meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday afternoon in a bid to coordinate a European response to what he has called an “existential threat” from Russia after the shock US policy shift.

 “We stand by Ukraine and will carry out all our responsibilities to ensure peace and security in Europe,” Macron said after the video conference call.

But he said participants, which included the heads of state or government of EU nations but also Iceland and Norway, stressed Ukraine should be included and “its rights respected” in the process.

They said “robust and credible guarantees” were needed to ensure a lasting deal, and “European security concerns” would need to be taken into account.

“We are convinced of the need to increase our defence and security spending and capacities for Europe and each

Macron was speaking to leaders of 19 countries including Canada, with most taking part by video link, according to the presidency.

Coordinated response

Urging a coordinated response to Washington‘s apparent pivot towards Moscow, Macron had already on Monday hosted key European leaders as well as NATO and EU chiefs for emergency talks.

Several smaller European countries including Romania and the Czech Republic were reportedly aghast at not having been invited to that gathering despite being strong supporters of Ukraine, leading Macron to convene the Wednesday meeting.

Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden were present in person at the meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the presidency said.

The leaders of Lithuania, Cyprus, Finland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Island, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia and the Czech Republic also joined via video conference call.

Hungary and Slovakia, whose prime ministers are seen as close to Putin, as well as NATO member Turkey, whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is eager to act as a mediator, were not on the list of participants.

Europe scrambles to boost defence as US wavers on Ukraine support

European ‘frustration’

French daily Le Monde earlier pointed to the “frustration of the European countries” not invited to Monday’s talks.

But Le Monde also said that the leaders of some of these countries were in a difficult political situation as they were “confronted with a strong increase in pro-Russian forces on their domestic political scene”.

France has been one of Ukraine’s main Western backers since Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.

“Russia poses an existential threat to Europeans,” Macron said in an interview with French regional newspapers published on Tuesday.

“Do not think that the unthinkable cannot happen, including the worst.”

Macron appeared open to the idea of sending forces to Ukraine but emphasised that this could take place only in the most limited fashion and away from conflict zones.

France, along with Britain, were considering sending “experts or even troops in limited terms, outside any conflict zone,” he said.

Trump caused consternation on Tuesday by blaming Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for Russia’s invasion.

France delivers first Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine amid uncertainty over US support

French government spokeswoman Sophie Primas said on Wednesday that Trump’s comments were part of a series of “incomprehensible” remarks that raised questions about the “coherence” of the US position on Ukraine.

Difficult choices

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France may have to make some difficult choices.

“Russia has decided to make enemies of us, and we must open our eyes, realise the scale of the threat and protect ourselves,” he told broadcaster RTL.

“If we do nothing, if we remain blind to the threat, the front line will move ever closer to our borders.”

To keep up the pressure on Moscow, EU countries on Wednesday agreed a new round of sanctions on Russia, diplomats said.

(With newswires)

According to a statement from the office of Lebanon‘s President, Joseph Aoun, “Lebanon is continuing its diplomatic contacts with the United States and France to complete Israel’s withdrawal from the remaining territories it occupied in the last war”.

Both helped broker an Israel-Hezbollah truce, to press Israel to complete its withdrawal from the country after the deadline passed on Tuesday.

Decision-makers are “unified in adopting the diplomatic option, because nobody wants war,” Aoun also added in the statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, Lebanon said any Israeli presence on its soil constituted an “occupation”.

Aoun – along with Lebanon’s prime minister and parliament speaker – warned that the government would ask the UN Security Council to push Israel to leave, and said that Lebanese armed forces were ready to assume duties on the border.

Beirut underlined it had “the right to adopt all means” to make Israel withdraw.

Army chief Joseph Aoun elected Lebanese president, ending two-year wait

In the south of the country, many Lebanese returned to destroyed or heavily damaged homes, farms and businesses after more than a year of fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that included two months of all-out war, which halted with the 27 November ceasefire.

“The entire village has been reduced to rubble. It’s a disaster zone,” said Alaa al-Zein, a resident who returned to the town of Kfar Kila.

Israel had announced just before the pullout deadline that it would keep troops in “five strategic points” near the border, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar saying they would withdraw “once Lebanon implements its side of the deal”.

France warns of new EU sanctions on Israeli settlers as tensions rise

The Israeli army had said it would remain on the five hilltops, overlooking swathes of both sides of the border, “temporarily” to “make sure there’s no immediate threat”.

The UN has called Israel’s incomplete pull-out a violation of Security Council resolution 1701, though it has allowed many displaced residents to return to border villages.

 (with AFP)

The men were accused of raping a 39-year-old woman after a night out drinking following their international debuts in France’s opening Test match of their South American tour on 6 July against Argentina in Mendoza.

Buenos Aires detention

Auradou and Jegou, who play for the French top flight sides Stade Palois and Stade Rochelais respectively,  denied any wrongdoing and said the sex was consensual in a room at the Diplomatic Hotel in Mendoza.

They were detained in Buenos Aires on 8 July as the France squad prepared to leave for Montevideo for their second game against Uruguay and escorted back to Mendoza.

They were placed under house arrest in Argentina as they awaited trial. In September, judges allowed them to return to France pending the conclusion of their case.

Argentina court allows French rugby players accused of rape to return home

In December, judges dismissed the case the men but lawyers representing the woman said she would appeal against that decision.

“After analysing all the evidence gathered in the case, it is clear that the version of events maintained by the plaintiff is not supported by the objective elements in the case file,” Wednesday’s ruling stated.

“On the contrary, the video evidence, the testimonies, the medical and psychological expert reports, as well as the messages from the plaintiff in the hours and days following the events, have implacably refuted the accusatory hypothesis.”

“This is the judicial epilogue of this case, which is symbolic and special because it has shown that you can be accused without foundation by someone who lied to the courts,” Auradou’s and Jégou’s French lawyer Antoine Vey told Reuters news agency.

“We’ve had a succession of rulings that have established the players’ innocence.”

Auradou and Jégou, both 21, played the first two Six Nations matches for France against Wales and England, and are part of the squad preparing to face Italy on Sunday.

The woman’s legal team said on Wednesday it would appeal against Wednesday’s ruling at the French Supreme Court.

Discipline crackdown

In the wake of July’s incident, French rugby chiefs have vowed to crack down on discipline during official tours, especially after games.

“The model that we’ve had for years, based on empowerment and taking responsibility, is not working,” said Florian Grill, president of the French rugby federation.

“There was a kind of acceptance of these excesses. We’re going to come up with a plan that includes controls and financial or sporting sanctions.

Judges to review rape case against French rugby players in Argentina

“People have to take responsibility, especially those lucky enough to wear the national shirt.”

Before Auradou and Jégou were arrested, France full-back Melvyn Jaminet was dispatched from the tour squad for publishing an offensive video in which he can be heard saying: “The first Arab I meet on the street, I’m going to head butt him.”

The video was shared on social media by La France Insoumise politician Sébastien Delogu.

In a statement posted on X, the French rugby federation (FFR) condemned Jaminet’s comments as unacceptable and contrary to the fundamental values of the sport.

Jaminet apologised for the remarks, but was banned from playing for eight and a half months. RC Toulon, his French Top 14 club, also suspended him but stopped short of sacking him.

(With newswires)

The UN rights office warned the situation in eastern DRC was “deteriorating sharply, resulting in serious human rights violations and abuses”.

“Our office has confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week,” rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons,” she said.

She urged “Rwanda and M23 to ensure that human rights and international humanitarian law are respected”.

M23 fighters and Rwandan soldiers have seized Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces respectively.

In South Kivu, more than 150,000 people have been forced to flee, UN refugee agency UNHCR said.

UN experts say Rwanda effectively controls M23 and has at least 4,000 troops fighting alongside it.

The DRC government accuses Rwanda of “expansionist ambitions” and says it is stealing vast amounts of minerals.

‘Chaotic’ situation

Shamdasani also said the situation was “very chaotic”, and the UN rights office was “receiving a lot of information… which we are not able to confirm or verify”.

It had, however, confirmed a case of three boys, thought to be aged between 11 and 15, who had been killed in Bukavu on Sunday “during an altercation with members of M23”.

The boys were allegedly wearing uniforms and carrying weapons found in an abandoned DRC army camp, firing shots and looting stores, she said.

“What appears to have happened is that they were asked to surrender their weapons and they refused to do so and they were killed,” she said.

The rights office had also documented cases of “ill treatment, conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, child and forced recruitment, intimidation and death threats”, she said.

Prison breaks from South Kivu’s Kabare and Bukavu jails on Friday had made matters worse.

She said the UN had received “reports that journalists, human rights defenders and members of civil society organisations have been threatened, and forced to leave”.

Thousands fleeing to Burundi

UN rights chief Volker Turk “expresses his horror at the events unfolding in South and North Kivu, and the impact this is having on civilians”, she said.

“The risks of this spilling over into an even deeper and wider conflict are frighteningly real.”

The fighting has already spurred an exodus towards neighbouring Burundi, UNHCR warned.

The crisis in the DRC and the African Union response

“Between 10,000 and 15,000 people have crossed into Burundi over the last few days,” spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh told reporters. “Most of those arriving are Congolese, mainly from the Bukavu area,” he added.

He highlighted reports of thousands more people arriving through “unofficial border points”, including across rivers, “with reports of several individuals drowning”.

“Conditions in the communities near the border are extremely dire, with a lack of shelter, water and sanitation facilities,” he said.

 (AFP)

Mali’s military said there had been a “series of clashes” with “armed terrorist groups” in the area.

Wagner attack

A relative of the driver of one of the vehicles from the northern city of Gao told French news agency AFP that the group was bound for Algeria when the deadly attack occurred.

“The driver of the first vehicle is my cousin,” they said on the condition of anonymity.

“They encountered a group of Wagner mercenaries and some Malian soldiers who shot at them. In the first car, everyone died. My cousin too,” they said, specifying that the passengers included migrants and nomads.

Mali’s army said in a statement late on Monday that “seven terrorists” had been “neutralised” and weapons and ammunition recovered.

“Air strikes targeted a group of terrorists in the area of clashes, destroying a pick-up truck and neutralising its occupants,” the army said, without commenting on the information from local sources.

A military source had earlier denied the claims, saying an investigation had begun but “the army killed no one”.

“What happened is serious. These were civilians who were killed in the two vehicles in the Tilemsi region,” a representative from the Gao region told AFP.

“In total, in the two vehicles, there are at least 20 dead,” he said.

Mali accuses Algeria of fuelling Sahel insecurity by supporting Tuareg rebels

The separatist rebel group Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) condemned the continuation of “ethnic cleansing carried out by the Bamako junta against the Azawad population”.

The FLA statement claimed two vehicles “were intercepted by the terrorist coalition FAMA (Malian Armed Forces) / Wagner”.

Former Wagner media operative lifts the lid on Russian disinformation in CAR

“Among the passengers, at least 24 people, including women and children, were coldly executed by the Malian army and Wagner’s Russian mercenaries,” the statement continued.

Mali, run by a military junta following coups in 2020 and 2021, has spent the past dozen years mired in a security crisis due to violence by groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

The military junta has been supported by Wagner mercenaries since breaking ties with former colonial ruler France.

The NGO Human Rights Watch in December denounced the “atrocities” committed against civilians by the Malian army and its Russian ally Wagner, as well as by Islamist armed groups.

 (AFP)

“This is the first time that a French minister has come to the southern provinces,” Dati said, using Morocco’s name for the area.

“This is a strong symbolic and political moment,” she told reporters, describing the visit as “historic”.

Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony controlled by Rabat but claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

In July, France became the second permanent UN Security Council member after the US to back Morocco’s position.

Accompanied by Moroccan Culture Minister Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Dati launched a French cultural mission in Laayoune, Western Sahara’s main city.

She promised to open the territory’s first French culture centre to “benefit children in the region, but also teachers, schools, students and teacher trainers”.

In Dakhla, the Western Sahara’s second city some 530 kilometres south of Laayoune, Dati said she is set to sign a cooperation agreement in the field of cinema and audiovisual art.

Angry Algiers

French support for Rabat over Western Sahara has angered both the Polisario Front and Algiers.

“The visit of a French government official is of particular gravity,” the Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday, adding it was “condemnable on more than one account”.

“It reflects a blatant contempt for international law by a permanent member of the Security Council, contributes to the consolidation of Morocco‘s fait accompli in Western Sahara – a territory where the decolonisation process remains unfinished and where the exercise of the right to self-determination remains unfulfilled.”

Algiers also slammed the “detestable image of a former colonial power in solidarity with a new one”.

Meanwhile, the separatist Polisario Front accused France of defying international law and “showing utter contempt for the rights of the Sahrawi people”.

With Franco-Algerian relations at an all-time low, can they get back on track?

Closening French-Moroccan relations

The United Nations considers Western Sahara a “non-self-governing territory” and has had a peacekeeping mission there since 1991. Its stated aim is to organise a referendum on the territory’s future but Rabat has repeatedly rejected any vote in which independence is an option, instead proposing autonomy under Morocco.

France’s stance on Western Sahara has been ambiguous in recent years, often straining ties between Rabat and Paris.

But in July, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Morocco’s autonomy plan was the “only basis” to resolve the Western Sahara dispute.

The turnabout drew a strong reaction from Algiers and marked a further slide in diplomatic relations between Paris and Algiers.

France’s ever tighter ties with Morocco leads Algeria to seek other allies

Algeria cut diplomatic relations with Rabat in 2021 – the year after Morocco normalised ties with Israel under a deal that awarded it US recognition of its annexation of Western Sahara.

Macron renewed French support for Morocco’s plan in October, while the foreign minister promised to expand France’s consular presence to the territory. Economic deals worth over $10 billion were signed, leading to Moroccan mediating the release of four French “spies” held in Burkina Faso.

Also in October, the UN Security Council called for parties to “resume negotiations” to reach a “lasting and mutually acceptable solution” for the Western Sahara dispute.

(with AFP)

The upper house Senate, dominated by the right and centre-right, approved Monday the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) with 225 votes to 104.

Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin had asked senators to “move as quickly as possible out of this period of uncertainty and instability” by adopting the health budget, nearly four months after it was first submitted to parliament.

The Senate vote on France’s deficit-ridden public health sector brings an end to an unprecedented and prolonged budgetary process, after the State budget for 2025 was also definitively adopted by Parliament on 6 February. Prime Minister Bayrou pushed it through without a vote and survived the ensuing vote of no confidence.

Concessions to Socialists

The government does not have a clear majority in parliament and had to make concessions to avoid the risk of losing a vote of confidence, which befell the previous Barnier government.

The 2025 budget projects a 3.4 percent increase in healthcare spending, up from the initial 2.8 percent, in line with demands made by the Socialist Party.

This includes an additional €1 billion for hospitals, and a tripling of the emergency fund for elderly care homes.

The government also had to abandon plans to increase the ticket moderateur (a patient’s out-of-pocket expense after health insurance reimbursement), scale back the cuts imposed on businesses regarding social security exemptions, and scrap the proposal to de-index pensions from inflation.

The Senate-backed proposal to introduce seven additional unpaid working hours per year also failed to get approval.

France’s proposed budget cuts set to slash overseas development aid

€22 billion deficit

While taxes on fizzy drinks and online gaming have been increased, they are by no means enough to offset the concessions and down-sizing of cuts to health spending.

As a result, France’s social security deficit is expected to reach a record €22.1 billion, rather than the €16 billion originally forecast.

An increasingly ageing population is also set to put added strain on an already stretched system.

In mid-February the public auditor (Cour des comptes) warned of “uncontrolled spending”.

France’s overall deficit is running at around six percent of GDP. The belt-tightening 2025 budget is aimed at getting that down to 5.4 percent. It looks increasingly unlikely that target will be reached. And it’s way above the EU limit of 3 percent introduced in 2024.

Public auditor warns France’s national finances are in ‘worrying state’

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty said Cairo is “working on drawing up a comprehensive multi-phase plan for Gaza’s early recovery and reconstruction, ensuring Palestinians remain in their own homeland without being threatened with displacement,” the state-run news agency reported Monday.

Abdelatty made the remarks during a meeting with the UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini. 

Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said the proposal calls for establishing “secure areas” within Gaza where Palestinians can live while Egyptian and international construction firms remove and rehabilitate the strip’s infrastructure.

The plan, it said, should be finalised by “next week”.

Around a quarter of a million housing units have been destroyed in Israel’s 16-month campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ 7 October attack, according to UN estimates. More than 90 percent of the roads and more than 80 percent of health facilities have been damaged or destroyed.

Egypt‘s plan will be in three phases, and take up to five years, two Egyptian officials told AP news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Phase one should start after the emergency Arab summit in Cairo on 27 February.

Ahead of that, officials from Egypt, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan are to meet on Thursday in Saudi Arabia to discuss the proposed reconstruction.

US ‘take over’

The proposal comes after Trump called for the US to “take over” Gaza and redevelop it as a “Riviera of the Middle East“. This would involve the permanent resettlement of its 2 million Palestinian population elsewhere.

France’s President Macron has slammed the proposal.

The Al-Ahram newspaper says Egypt’s own plan was designed to “refute American President Trump’s logic” and counter “any other visions or plans that aim to change the geographic and demographic structure of Gaza Strip”.

Trump has pressured both Egypt and Jordan to take in Gaza’s residents as part of the US plan. Both countries have refused. Right groups say the plan amounts to “ethnic cleansing”, a potential war crime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he remains committed to Trump’s plan for the “creation of a different Gaza”.

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz says he will establish a special directorate for the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in Saudi Arabia on Monday, is pushing Trump’s plan. However, last Thursday he said the US was up to hearing alternative proposals. “If the Arab countries have a better plan, then that’s great,” he told American radio.

Israel says committed to Trump plan for Gaza displacement

Critical phase

Gaza is nearing a critical juncture with the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas due to run out in early March. The two sides still have to negotiate a second phase to ensure the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a long-term end to the war.

Any reconstruction plan will be impossible to implement without a deal on the second phase, including an agreement on who will govern Gaza in the long term.

Netanyahu has vowed that “neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority” will govern Gaza at the end of the war, which has seen more than 48,000 Palestinians killed and sparked a humanitarian crisis.

Hamas has said it is willing to cede power in the enclave. On Sunday a Hamas spokesman told AP that the group has accepted either a Palestinian unity government without its participation or a committee of technocrats to run the territory.

(with AP)

With European policymakers still reeling from US Vice President JD Vance’s withering attack on the European Union at an annual security conference in Munich, key leaders attended the meeting at the Elysée Palace on Monday called at the last minute by President Emmanuel Macron.

This comes amid worries that Trump will freeze Europe out of peace talks with Moscow that will also exclude Kyiv, fears that have been heightened by an unprecedented meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday between the top diplomats from Russia and the United States.

The Paris summit weighed measures including ramping up defence spending to be less dependent on the US, providing security guarantees to Kyiv, and sending troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers in the event of a ceasefire.

Speaking to RFI, former French MEP Sylvie Goulard described the developments as part of a long-standing issue. “What the American authorities have said is worrying, but not totally surprising.

“For years, Democratic administrations have emphasised the need for Europe to make more effort in its own defence. And when I say effort, I’m not just talking about the one per cent of GDP.

“It’s a like a mental preparation to become fully grown up and capable of defending ourselves collectively. Even though war is already on European soil”.

Macron calls Zelensky, Trump

Following Monday’s talks at the Elysée Palace, Macron held spoke with both Trump and Zelensky by telephone, calling for “strong and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine so that any peace deal does not end up like the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements that failed to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Posting on social mediat after the call, Zelensky said he and Macron shared a “common vision” for how to achieve peace, including that “security guarantees must be robust and reliable”. 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement.”

But he insisted Washington had to be involved, saying “there must be a US backstop, because a US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.”

After the talks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that any debate on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine was “completely premature” and “highly inappropriate” while the war is ongoing.

Europe scrambles to boost defence as US wavers on Ukraine support

‘Peace through strenghth’

There was no joint statement or major announcements after the Paris meeting, however, which participants said needed to be left for discussion within the EU or NATO.

“Everyone at this meeting is aware that transatlantic relations, the NATO alliance and our friendship with the United States have entered a new phase. We all see that,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that “Ukraine deserves peace through strength” and this should be “respectful of its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, with strong security guarantees”.

“Ready and willing,” was how NATO chief Mark Rutte described Europe’s position after the Paris meeting. “The details will need to be decided but the commitment is clear.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her government was “open-minded” on the issue of troops but warned a key question was if the United States was “going to back up on Europe” if troops were sent.

Russia is “threatening all Europe now,” she added, warning the US against attempts to agree a “fast” ceasefire that would give Russia the chance “to mobilise again, attack Ukraine or another country in Europe.”

Goulard agreed on the need for European unity, telling RFI that for the continent to speak with one voice, “some people need to keep quiet”.

“That’s the problem. The world has changed and all the young, dynamic and sometimes aggressive countries around us are not going to tolerate a horde of Europeans.

“But when you above all hear the calls for help from Mr Zelensky who tells us that this war is not Ukraine’s war, but that it is Russia’s war against Europe, Vladimir Putin’s Russia … I think we have to listen”.

Nato chief Rutte insists Trump and Putin peace plan must include Ukraine

European allies close ranks

Macron has described Trump’s return for a second term in the White House as an “electroshock” but also warned against any peace deal that could amount to “capitulation.”

According to French newspaper Le Monde, the rupture between Europe and the United States is “historic”, but added that Europe had to show its capacity to ensure its own defence.

“European blindness came to an abrupt end in Munich. From now on, the security of the continent depends essentially on the Europeans themselves, and on their ability to maintain their unity,” it added.

With Britain signalling that the deployment of troops to Ukraine is no longer out of the question, the shift in Washington’s position on Ukraine has reinforced a sense of European unity that had been wavering, pushing Western allies to close ranks in response.

Goulard highlighted the implications for Eastern Europe: “The situation is worrying because, for a number of European countries, we belong to NATO and [need] American protection.

“Beyond all the treaties, the reality of American military power [is that the US] spends nearly $900 billion a year on defence,” which is why the European Union has lived in peace, she explains.

“For the countries of Central and Eastern Europe … any possible withdrawal of the United States must be assessed calmly. For the moment, it is not on the table, but it would mark a considerable change”.

The Paris talks concluded late Monday as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with a Russian delegation including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh on Tuesday, ahead of a future meeting between Trump and Putin in the Saudi capital.

The conflict in the eastern DRC has experienced a dramatic escalation recently.

Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman

The city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province, fell to M23 fighters at the end of January.

The rebels are being supported by Rwandan soldiers, a claim that the government in Kigali continues to deny, despite evidence and reports of casualties among Rwandan troops.

Fighting resumes in DRC’s South Kivu ahead of crisis talks

The city has come to symbolise the conflict that has torn apart eastern DRC for more than three decades.

The M23 has launched additional attacks in South Kivu, and despite talks in Tanzania earlier in February and a brief ceasefire, the fighting persists. As a result, millions of Congolese have been displaced, with nearly 3,000 lives lost.

To explore the role of diplomacy in the country, as well as in other violent crises across the continent, my first guest is Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group.

She joins us from Addis Ababa, where the African Union’s headquarters are located, following the release of the group’s annual report outlining the eight priorities the AU should focus on.

We will also hear from civilians fleeing Goma and from Paulin Nkwosseu, the Chief of Field Offices at UNICEF for the DRC.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

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

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.

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 18 January, I asked you a question about our article “’Exhausted’ Frenchman held in Iran since 2022 reveals identity in plea for help”. It was about Olivier Grondeau, a 34-year-old French national, who was arrested and sentenced to five years behind bars for “conspiracy against the Islamic Republic”.

In the article, you learned that there are two other French nationals currently in Iran’s prisons. You were to send in their names, as well as the crime with which they’ve been charged.

The answer is, to quote our article: “The other two French nationals – teachers Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris – were detained in May 2022 on charges of seeking to stir up labour protests. Their families strongly deny the accusations.” 

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sabah binte Sumaiya from Bogura, Bangladesh: “Which profession do you find is the best, and why?”

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

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member John Yemi Sanday Turay from Freetown, Sierra Leone. John Yemi is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations John Yemi, on your double win !

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are M. N. Sentu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Habib Ur Rehman, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Sharifa Akter Panna from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, and Rahematun Nesan from Odisha, India.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Slap Bass” by Paul Mottram; “Rose of Tehran” by E. Dozor; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the traditional Kanak chant “Lue ixoe wael qa kiki”, sung by the Wetr Dance Troupe.  

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

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myer’s article: “Namibian independence leader Sam Nujoma dies aged 95”, which will help you with the answer. 

You have until 10 March to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 March podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

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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.   

Countries are looking for sovereignty in artificial intelligence and at a major AI summit in Paris this week, France and the EU backed a “third path” approach to AI – midway between the US’ private tech firm-dominated model and China’s state-controlled technology. With a focus on regulation to ensure trust, France is creating public/private partnerships, and encouraging companies to develop home-grown products. Linagora, an open-source software developper, recently released a large language model (LLM) trained on French and European content, in contrast to American LLMs like ChatGPT that are trained on mainly US content. While chatbot Lucie got off to a rocky start, Linagora’s General Manager Michel Maudet says there’s a clear need for technology focused on Europe, able to address the nuance of the continent’s languages and culture. (Listen @0′)

French MPs recently voted a controversial draft bill to end birthright citizenship on the overseas department of Mayotte to discourage illegal immigration from neighbouring Comoros. Prime Minister François Bayrou supports the proposed measure and has called for a wider debate on immigration and what it means to be French. His earlier remarks that there was a feeling immigrants were “flooding” France have caused outrage on the left in particular.  We talk to Tania Racho, a researcher on European law and who also works for an association fighting disinformation on migration issues, about the reality of immigration in France. While the data does not support claims France is overwhelmed with foreigners, people’s perceptions – nourished by a fixation on migration by both politicians and media – tell a different story. (Listen @18’40”)

Twenty years after the 11 February 2005 law on disability and inclusion, daily life for France’s 12 million people living with disabilities has improved. But since the law underestimated the timelines and costs of accessibility, there’s still a lot of work to be done. (Listen @14’30”)

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. 

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).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not hold back on the hospitality when hosting Sharaa, sending one of his presidential jets to fly the new Syrian leader and his large delegation to Ankara.

The Turkish president was keen too to underline the significance of the meeting. “I see today’s historic visit as the beginning of a period of permanent friendship and cooperation between our countries,” he declared in a joint press statement with the Syrian leader.

Erdogan also announced that Turkey’s institutions and ministries are coordinating efforts to help with Syria’s reconstruction.

Sharaa was quick to praise this assistance, saying: “The significant support is still tangible through Turkey’s ongoing efforts to ensure the success of the current leadership in Syria politically and economically, ensuring the independence, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.”

Macron calls Syrian leader to discuss transition, terrorism, sanctions

Ties with Turkey

The new Syrian leader developed close ties with Ankara during the years of fighting the Assad regime. The Turkish military protected the Idlib enclave where Sharaa was based, while Turkey offered refuge to many Syrians fleeing the fighting. 

“Ankara will definitely be viewed as a positive outside contributor by these new Syrian rulers because of the fact that we here in Turkey are hosting over 5 million Syrians and that, also, Turkey helped protect Idlib,” said Aydin Selcen, a former senior Turkish diplomat who served in the region, now an analyst for the independent Turkish news outlet Medyascope.

However, Selcen cautions that Ankara should not overestimate its influence when it comes to dictating policy for its Syrian neighbour. “The centre of this Syrian endeavour, of this restructuring or this fresh beginning, will be Damascus. It will not be Doha, it will not be Ankara, it will not be Geneva,” he said.

Erdogan hails Syria leader’s ‘strong commitment’ to fighting terror

‘Islamic background’

While the Syrian and Turkish leaders meeting in Ankara lasted more than three hours and was followed by an exchange of warm words, no concrete announcements came out of it – only vague commitments to cooperation in security and development.

And despite Ankara’s strong support for the Syrian rebels, Syria’s new leader chose to make his first overseas visit as president to Saudi Arabia, one of Turkey’s main rivals in the region.

International relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankara’s Middle East Technical University says the Syrian president is sending a message to Ankara.

“He [Sharaa] is an Arab nationalist with an Islamic background, not a Turkish one,” said Bagci. “And that’s why many people expect that in the long run, there will be different opinions on certain regional issues [with Turkey].”

For several years, Saudi and Turkish leaders have been engaged in a competition for influence among Sunni Arab countries. But Ankara is at a disadvantage, with its economy in crisis. Unlike oil-rich Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, it has little cash to offer to pay for Syria’s rebuilding.

‘Realpolitik’

Sharaa also appears ready to broaden his horizons further as he seeks to rebuild his country. “He has turned out to be such a realpolitik buff. He’s turning and negotiating with almost everyone, including the Russians,” observed Sezin Oney, an international relations commentator for Turkey’s Politikyol news outlet.

“They [Syria] will also be approaching Turkey with their own interests, and whether they’re aligned with Turkey’s interests is another question,” she added.

Turkey’s ongoing military presence in Syria as part of its war against a Kurdish insurgency by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could become a point of tension between Ankara and Syria’s new rulers, experts predict.

Iran too – like Russia, also a key backer of the ousted Assad regime – is now seeking to reposition itself to reach out to the new Syrian regime.

Russia’s interest in Syria

“There are some pragmatic approaches,” said professor of international relations Bilgehan Alagoz, an Iran expert at Istanbul’s Marmara University. 

“The Iranian authorities have already started to label Assad as a person who didn’t act in accordance with Iran in order to have some new approach towards the new system in Syria.”

Ankara still has cards to play with Syria, being well positioned to offer support in helping to rebuild the country with its expertise in construction, energy and security. But experts warn Turkey faces a battle for influence in Damascus, as Syria seeks to widen its opportunities.

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.

RFI English listeners have been very generous with their wonderful graphics for World Radio Day that they have posted on the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook page – there’s even a World Radio Day quiz from Anand Mohan Bain, the president of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh India – so don’t miss out!

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 11 January, I asked you a question about France’s ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy. That week, Sarkozy’s trial on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi began.

You were to refer to Melissa Chemam’s article “France’s ex-president Sarkozy on trial over alleged Gaddafi pact”, and send in the answer to this question: What was former French president Nicolas Sarkozy convicted of on 18 December, and what was his penalty?

The answer is, to quote Melissa: “This new trial is starting barely half a month after France’s top appeals court on 18 December rejected Sarkozy’s appeal against a one-year prison sentence for influence peddling, which he is to serve by wearing an electronic tag rather than in jail.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What do you remember about the first time you caught a fish?” It was suggested by Ratna Shanta Shammi from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

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

The winners are: RFI English listener Shahanoaz Akter Ripa, the president of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh. Shahanoaz is also this week’s bonus question winner.

Congratulations Shahanoaz, on your double win !

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Mogire Machuki from Kisii, Kenya; Najimuddin, the president of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in West Bengal, India; Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria, and Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusenen in Denmark.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Preparation” from the film The Little Prince, written by Hans Zimmer and Richard Harvey; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Histoire de Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier, performed by Serge Gainsbourg and orchestra.  

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 “French PM pushes through budget, faces second no-confidence vote”, which will help you with the answer.

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

Since its launch in 2013, and even more so since 2018, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair has grown into one of the most significant cultural events for African art, drawing gallery owners and artists from across the continent and beyond.

The galleries represent artists from all over the continent, from Ghana to South Africa, Tunisia to Angola.

The fair took place in the iconic events’ venue La Mamounia, in the heart of Marrakesh.

Since 2024, the art fair has also had exhibition spaces for younger artists in Dada, a gathering space for art, food and music near La Medina.

This year’s fair was held from 30 January to 2 February, during which the entire city hosted various art events, including exhibitions at the El Badi Palace and MACAAL, a museum dedicated to contemporary African art and artists from the African diaspora.

To understand how the fair built a platform for African art, RFI spoke to the fair’s founder and director, Touria El Glaoui on the opening day in Marrakesh.

El Glaoui shared how she frequently travels to African countries to discover new artists, events, and galleries. She also noted that new participants from across the African continent—and now even from Japan and Korea—are coming to the fair seeking representation.

We also visited other sites that make the event special, including art galleries, like Loft. 

“We opened the gallery sixteen years ago and we are a Moroccan gallery based in Morocco but with a real openness to the international scene,” Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the gallery, told RFI.

“We’re open to Africa. We represent African artists from its diaspora. We’ve also worked with European artists,” she added. “We’re not closed off at all because, for me, there shouldn’t be any separation in art. I think that, on the contrary, we need to open up perspectives and integrate the Moroccan art market into the international stage.”

Our guests this week:

–Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 contemporary African art fair;

–Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist;

-Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery.  

Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam.

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

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.