France Nature Environnement (FNE), the consumer group CLCV (Consumer Affairs, Housing and Living Environment) and international environmental law group ClientEarth on Wednesday filed a case before the Paris administrative court.

The action, revealed by Radio France and the centrist daily Le Monde, accuses the government of “serious failings” for not recalling cars with fraudulent devices, despite a constitutional duty to guarantee citizens the right to a healthy environment.

The software was designed to detect official emissions tests and switch on pollution controls only during those checks. On the road, cars emitted nitrogen oxides far above legal limits – sometimes between two and 10 times more than allowed.

These gases are linked to thousands of premature deaths.

The three NGOs want the court to recognise the state’s failure and order it to act, with a financial penalty of €50 million every six months if it does not.

Rigged diesel cars caused 16,000 deaths in France, study says

Millions of cars still on roads

The lawsuit follows a formal warning sent in July to then-transport minister Philippe Tabarot and Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

In the letter, seen by Radio France, FNE, CLCV and ClientEarth wrote: “Everything suggests that the French car fleet still contains a large number of vehicles fitted with illegal devices and continues to produce dangerous levels of pollution.”

In 2023, the International Council on Clean Transportation estimated that more than 3.2 million of these vehicles were still in use in France. By this year, that figure had fallen to 2.7 million, covering more than 200 different models sold between 2009 and 2019.

Volkswagen was the first carmaker exposed when the scandal broke in 2015, but inquiries later showed most major manufacturers – including Renault, PSA, Fiat Chrysler and Opel – had sold models with cheating devices.

Deadly consequences

A study published in May by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air linked excess diesel emissions in France to 16,000 premature deaths since 2009.

The group warned that without corrective measures, a further 8,000 deaths and thousands of new childhood asthma cases could occur by 2040. The economic cost is estimated at €45 billion.

“These vehicles can emit between two and 10 times more nitrogen oxides than they are supposed to,” Anne Lassman-Trappier, air quality spokesperson at FNE, said.

“We have been formally urging the French authorities to act since 2023, and now we have no option left but to go to court. It is staggering that the state is prioritising the economic interests of carmakers over the health of the French people.”

EU to ban fossil fuel car sales by 2035, slash truck and bus emissions

Limited recalls

Since 2018, European Union rules have required countries to create a body to check suspect vehicles and enforce recalls. France set up the Vehicle and Engine Market Surveillance Service (SSMVM) in 2020.

But Radio France found that the authority completed only 16 tests for cheating software in 2023 and 20 in 2024. Just four car models were subject to corrective decisions, and only two recalls were actually carried out – covering a total of 16,459 vehicles.

One recall – for 12,800 Peugeot 308 cars – was announced in September, after tests showed the exhaust system allowed excess emissions over time.

“We ask owners to contact their approved dealer so our services can recalibrate the software concerned,” Peugeot said.

Other cases demonstrate how slowly action has been taken. The recall of the Opel Meriva, covering 3,659 vehicles, was not published until a year after excess emissions were detected.

In another case involving the Volvo V40, authorities decided not to extend corrective measures to other models despite identifying high nitrogen oxide levels.

These two cases were among the four models that the SSMVM says have triggered corrective decisions.

European carmakers clash over emission targets ahead of Brussels meeting

Criminal investigations

In the United States, Volkswagen was forced to buy back affected cars and pay billions in compensation soon after the scandal emerged.

In France, several criminal investigations are still underway, with prosecutors seeking fraud charges against Volkswagen, Peugeot-Citroën, Renault and Fiat Chrysler, but no trials have yet begun. All the manufacturers contest the charges.

“We cannot just wait for the courts to act,” said Lassman-Trappier. “The state must remove these vehicles from the market and make the carmakers fix them at their own expense. France has a legal duty. But by protecting the car industry, it is putting lives at risk.”

(with newswires)

Heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine warmly greeted Trump and First Lady Melania Trump after the Marine One helicopter touched down at Windsor Castle shortly at 12:15pm local time.

Inside a ring of steel and out of sight from noisy protesters, William and Catherine walked Trump and his wife a short distance to meet King Charles III and Queen Camilla as the UK’s major charm offensive got underway.

As the president shook hands with the king, a 41-gun salute was fired simultaneously from six World War One-era guns on the castle’s east lawn, as a similar display occurred at the Tower of London, in the centre of the capital.

Some 120 horses, and 1,300 members of the British military took part in the ceremony, which UK officials say marked the largest military ceremonial welcome for a state visit to Britain in living memory.

The Trumps and the royals then embarked on a carriage procession through the Windsor estate towards the nearly 1,000-year-old castle.

Trump’s first 100 days: Trade, diplomacy and walking the transatlantic tightrope

Second state visit

Trump is the first US president to be invited for two state visits, after previously being hosted by Queen Elizabeth II during his last term in office in 2019.

“Charles, as you know, who’s now king, is my friend,” Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving with First Lady Melania Trump to head to Britain aboard Air Force One.

“He’s such an elegant gentleman and he represents the country so well.”

Trump will also meet Labour leader Keir Starmer, not a natural bedfellow for right-wing Trump, but he has worked to win him over since his return to the White House in January.

The visit is “a huge moment for both” men, said Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think-tank.

“For Trump, the state visit is an opportunity to revel in the pomp and ceremony he loves,” she told French news agency AFP.

“For Starmer, the visit is a chance to distract from domestic discontent and shift the limelight onto international issues where he has had greater success.”

Protests, tariffs

Demonstrations were planned in Windsor and central London over Trump’s visit, the scale of which is unprecedented – featuring the first joint flypast by US and UK fighter jets at such an event.

A spokesperson for the Stop Trump Coalition said: “Starmer rolling out the red carpet for Trump sends a deeply dangerous message and does nothing to provide support to communities seeing a surge in racism in the UK.”

Trump indicated that the embattled Starmer will still have his work cut out as Britain seeks to put the finishing touches on a deal to avoid the US president’s sweeping global tariffs.

“They want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit,” Trump said.

Controversies over sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and free-speech culture wars, and Starmer’s political troubles at home could also make for some awkward moments.

Downing Street has said Trump’s visit would see the “unbreakable friendship” between the countries “reach new heights”.

The two nations are set to sign a raft of agreements worth £10 billion (€11.5 billion), including one to speed up new nuclear projects as well as what British officials called “a world-leading tech partnership”.

Trump-Putin summit ends without Ukraine deal

Ahead of the trip, Google said it would invest £5 billion (€5.7 billion) in the UK over the next two years while US finance firms including PayPal and Citi Group announced they would spend £1.25 billion (€1.3 billion).

Ukraine will also be a key topic. Starmer is one of a host of European leaders who have pushed Trump to keep backing Kyiv despite signs of him leaning toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Trump will likely meet with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky next week and still hopes to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

First Lady Melania Trump, who is making a rare public appearance, will take part in an event with Queen Camilla on Thursday.

Background tensions

Despite the pomp, tensions will be lurking in the background.

The White House said Trump would discuss “how important it is for the prime minister to protect free speech in the UK” – a topic raised by Trump’s former ally Elon Musk in a speech to a far-right rally in Britain over the weekend.

Starmer’s spokesman on Monday called Musk’s language “dangerous and inflammatory”.

Starmer has had a difficult few days in which some of his own Labour party members have openly questioned whether he can remain as leader.

From Washington to Warsaw: how MAGA influence is reshaping Europe’s far right

Recently, he has been dogged by questions over his judgement for appointing the now-sacked Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington despite his known friendship with Epstein.

Trump, for his part, is facing awkward scrutiny himself over his own links to the convicted sex offender.

He filed a $15 billion (€12.8 billion) defamation lawsuit against The New York Times on Monday, accusing the outlet of a “decades-long pattern” of smears driven by feelings of “actual malice.”

It reported last week that Trump had threatened legal action against it in relation to its articles on a lewd birthday note allegedly given to Epstein. The Republican president has denied authoring the note.

(with AFP)

The 25-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, arrived in Britain on 12 August. He was due to be put on a flight to Paris on Wednesday under the “one in, one out” scheme agreed in July by Britain and France.

But on Tuesday, London’s High Court granted him an interim injunction after his lawyers argued he may be a victim of trafficking.

“There is a serious issue to be tried in relation to the trafficking claim and whether or not the Secretary of State has carried out her investigatory duties in a lawful manner,” said Judge Clive Sheldon.

The ruling delays what would have been the first return flight under the scheme, which aims to reduce irregular migration. More than 30,000 people have crossed the Channel in small-boat journeys so far this year – the fastest pace since records began in 2018.

UK and France start migrant return scheme to curb illegal Channel crossings

Legal challenge

The man’s lawyers told the court he needed more time to provide evidence of his claim. Court papers show he travelled through Ethiopia and Italy before reaching France, where his mother paid smugglers $1,400 to arrange his Channel crossing.

Home Office lawyers argued he could have claimed asylum in France. They warned that delaying his removal could encourage others to make similar challenges.

Court documents show the Home Office had already rejected his trafficking claim but confirmed in a letter on Tuesday that he has the right to make further representations. The judge ruled he should have 14 days to do so.

“I am going to grant a short period of interim relief,” Sheldon said. “The status quo is that the claimant is currently in this country and has not been removed”.

Anti-migrant unrest erupts despite UK’s tightening of migration policy

Political pressure

The UK-France agreement was announced by Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron in July. Under the deal, France agreed to take back people who arrived illegally in Britain, while the UK would accept the same number of recognised asylum seekers with family ties in the country.

Starmer has made tackling small-boat arrivals a central pledge of his government. But the policy has already come under fire – rights groups say it risks breaching international law, while the opposition says it is too weak.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told LBC radio the injunction proved her party’s concerns.

“We told you so,” she said. “We are basically turning our country into a refuge for anyone who may have even the slightest bit of unhappiness in any other country”.

Nigel Farage, head of Reform UK, also attacked the plan, saying “one in, one out, and with another one in, still means plus one for everyone that crosses the Channel”.

A Home Office spokesperson told the BBC the government still expected flights to go ahead soon. “The interim ruling will not prevent delivery of the wider policy,” the spokesperson said.

No migrant has yet been removed under the scheme, which is likely to face more legal tests in the coming weeks.

(with newswires)

“Financial instability is becoming increasingly entrenched in France, affecting all aspects of life – whether health, leisure or family life,” Henriette Steinberg, secretary-general of Secours Populaire, told news agency AFP.

The charity has published its annual barometer, which shows that a third of French people (31 percent) are struggling to afford enough healthy food for three meals a day.

The survey of 1,000 people, carried out by Ipsos on behalf of Secours Populaire, also found that 39 percent have difficulty paying their electricity bills, while 49 percent can’t afford an annual holiday.

One-third say they are at “significant” or “very significant” risk of falling into poverty in the coming months, having insufficient savings to cope with unforeseen events, such as an increase in fuel prices or the need to help a family member.

One in five French people consider themselves to be in a financially precarious situation for various reasons, including insufficient income, unexpected expenses and excessive deb, while three in five (57 percent) said they had a close family member or friend living in poverty.

France’s Secours Populaire charity marks 80 years with pleas for time, not money

Fifteen years of decline

This figure of 20 percent is a slight drop from last year’s 24 percent. However, despite this “slight improvement” which the charity links to the slowdown in inflation, it calls what the barometer reveals “a social situation that remains very worrying”.

“The situation in France has deteriorated’ over the last 15 years said Steinberg, while acknowledging the recent “stabilisation”. The charity has published its barometer every year since 2007.

Anne Rubinstein, the inter-ministerial delegate for poverty prevention and control, last week spoke of the “difficulties” encountered by the State in reducing poverty rates – which in 2023 reached their highest level since 1996 in mainland France.

Louvre art school launches crowdfunding drive to help struggling students

Parental guilt

In 2024, Secours Populaire supported 3.7 million people in France, providing food aid and organising activities to counter the isolation poverty can bring.

In the city of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, requests for Secours Populaire’s assistance jumped 30 percent between 2023 and 2024.

Élodie, who volunteers at the local branch of the charity, said: “We have 100 new registrations per month. These are pensioners, foreign students, people whose jobs do not pay enough to lift them out of poverty.”

Poorer children hit hardest as scurvy makes a comeback in France

Living on a financial knife edge has a significant effect on mental health, the survey found, with 74 percent of those struggling financially saying they felt “sad, depressed or hopeless”.

Of the parents surveyed, half said they felt guilty over not being able to give their children the things they want – with more than 20 percent of children in France living in poverty.

PSG entertain the Italian outfit Atalanta at the Parc des Princes for the first of the eight games in the tournament’s league phase.

Enrique’s charges will also host Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United and travel to Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Athletic Bilbao and Sporting.

His side welcomes Atalanta missing star strikers Ousmane Dembélé and Desire Doue. The duo were hurt on international duty for France. Three more players were injured during the 2-0 win over Lens on Sunday in Ligue 1.

“It happens to everyone,” said the 55-year-old Spaniard. “It is a bit of a difficult time for us but I am calm about it.

“We have more confidence than last year at this moment of the Champions League,” he added.

Enrique’s tactics came under fire during the league phase of the 2024/2025 Champions League. His experiment to play Kang-in Lee as a withdrawn centre forward against PSV Eindhoven in October backfired and second choice goalkeeper …blundered cost the game at Bayern Munich.

PSG failed to finish in the eight automatic qualifying places for the last-16 and advanced after a two-match play-off against Ligue 1 counterparts Brest.

Once in the latter stages, PSG seared through Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal to reach the final for a second time.

Champions League: PSG boss Enrique warns against complacency in Brest clash

Champions League triumph

They obliterated Inter Milan 5-0 to register the biggest victory in a final in the competition’s 70-year history.

“For me, it’s harder to win the first than the second or third,” Enrique said. “The first title is always difficult because the players don’t think they’re capable of winning it.

“But we showed the way. Now, the whole of PSG and the young players want to win it and they know they’re capable.

“We’re the European champions, and for Paris as a city, for PSG as a club and for the fans, our aim is to win a second Champions League in order to make even more history.

“It’ll be very difficult to do so, but we need to be ambitious and to always think about how to improve. That’s our mentality.”

While PSG have started the Ligue 1 season with four wins out of four, Atalanta arrive in Paris with one win and two draws from their opening games in Serie A under new coach Ivan Juric.

The 50-year-old Croatian succeeded Gian Piero Gaspirini who had led the side for nine years before departing for Roma.

Champions League: PSG boss Enrique hails team spirit ahead of Arsenal clash

New man in charge

“Atalanta changed their manager this summer, so it’ll be difficult for us to predict how they’ll play,” said Enrique.

“Gasperini has left his mark on the team and it will be a very demanding match for us. But just like in previous seasons, we’re talking about a tough team with quality players who press high and who know how to use the ball.

“It’s always hard to play against Italian teams. We need to adapt to our opponents’ playing style, but that’s one of our qualities.”

After Wednesday night’s match, PSG travel to arch rivals Marseille on Sunday for one of the biggest games in the Ligue 1 calendar. 

Marseille opened their Champions League campaign on Tuesday night with a 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid. Timothy Weah gave the visitors the lead mid way through the first-half at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But France international Kylian Mbappé levelled from the penalty spot after 29 minutes. And the former PSG striker converted a second penalty to complete Madrid’s comeback.

“When we get used to playing at places like the Bernabeu, me, the players and the supporters might have a different impact,” said Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi.

“I’m glad we’re playing PSG straight away,” he added. “Because playing against Madrid or PSG is exactly what this team needs to improve so that it can take another step forward in terms of mentality and ambition.

“It will give us the chance to see if, in the future, we will have a great team.”

The study, led by scientists from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, used climate modelling to estimate the impact of global warming between June and August.

They analysed 854 cities, representing almost one-third of Europe’s population. Global warming made average temperatures 2.2C hotter, the team found.

Based on historical data about how extreme heat drives up mortality, they estimated around 24,400 excess deaths during the three-month period. Nearly 70 percent of those – about 16,500 – were attributed to human-caused climate change.

“The causal chain from fossil fuel burning to rising heat and increased mortality is undeniable,” said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London who co-authored the study.

“If we had not continued to burn fossil fuels over the last decades, most of the estimated 24,400 people in Europe wouldn’t have died this summer.”

Summer of extremes as fires, floods and heatwaves grip the globe

Older people most at risk

More than 85 percent of the estimated deaths were among people aged 65 and older.

Rome recorded the highest toll with 835 deaths linked to climate change, followed by Athens with 630 and Paris with 409.

“An increase in heatwave temperature of just 2C to 4C can be the difference between life and death for thousands of people – this is why heatwaves are known as silent killers,” said study co-author Garyfallos Konstantinoudis.

Most deaths happened indoors, where vulnerable people struggled with underlying health conditions.

“The vast majority of heat deaths happen in homes and hospitals, where people with existing health conditions are pushed to their limits,” Konstantinoudis said. “But heat is rarely mentioned on death certificates.”

Some victims who died outdoors were identified by local media. In Spain, 77-year-old former councillor Manuel Ariza Serrano collapsed and died during a walk in the Córdoba region in August, when temperatures hit 45C.

In northern Italy, 47-year-old father of four Brahim Ait El Hajjam died while laying concrete near Bologna, where the temperature reached 38C.

“He called my mother to tell her that he’d come home to prepare lunch, that he’d be home by noon,” his son Salah told Italian TV station Antena 3.

Heatwaves prompt early harvest across France’s vineyards

Europe’s fourth-hottest summer

This summer was Europe’s fourth-hottest on record. Temperatures climbed as high as 46C in Spain and Portugal, forcing closures of major tourist sites including the Acropolis in Athens and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The researchers said it was not yet possible to compare their findings with official mortality data because most countries take months to release such figures.

“It’s impossible to get real-time statistics right now,” Otto told a press conference, adding that the estimates were “in the right ballpark.”

The analysis has not yet been peer reviewed, but it uses established methods applied in earlier studies. A Nature Medicine study estimated more than 47,000 heat-related deaths across Europe in 2023, while another study put the 2022 toll above 60,000.

“What makes this finding even more alarming is that the methods used in these attribution studies are scientifically robust, yet conservative,” said Akshay Deoras, an atmospheric science researcher at the University of Reading.

“The actual death toll could be even higher.”

The women repatriated to France from Syria are aged between 18 and 34.

Two of them have been taken into police custody, while the third faces possible indictment, according to France’s anti-terror unit PNAT.

The 10 children were handed over to child care services and will be monitored by PNAT and the local prosecutor’s office, it added.

France’s foreign ministry thanked “the Syrian transitional authorities and the local administration in northeastern Syria” for making the operation possible.

As of June, some 120 children and 50 French women remained in the camps, according to Familles Unies (United Families), a group representing their families, which denounced the detention of children “guilty of nothing”.

International donors pledge €5.8bn to help new leaders rebuild Syria

Political issue

In February, the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in northern Syria said that in coordination with the United Nations, it aimed to empty camps by the end of the year.

But repatriation is a sensitive political issue in France, which has been a target of Islamist “terror” groups over the last decade, notably in 2015, when the Bataclan concert hall and the national stadium were attacked.

France violated rights of children held in ‘inhuman’ Syria camps: UN watchdog

In 2022, Europe’s top human rights court condemned France’s refusal to repatriate two of its female citizens who were being held in Syria after joining their Islamist partners.

In a separate case, three women went on trial on Monday in Paris, accused of travelling to the Middle East to join IS and taking their eight children with them.

One of the women is a niece of Jean-Michel and Fabien Clain, who claimed responsibility on behalf of IS for the attacks on 13 November, 2015, when 130 people were killed in Paris.

(with AFP)

Gone are the days when cartels operated as rigid pyramids under a single boss like Pablo Escobar. Today the cocaine economy relies on flexible alliances that connect producers, transporters and distributors across continents – a structure designed to withstand seizures and police crackdowns.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that more than 3,708 tonnes of cocaine were produced in 2023, up 34 percent in a single year.

The United States and Europe remain the main markets, but demand is now rising in Asia and emerging in Africa.

“There is not a single actor who has a hand on everything, but key groups that coordinate and orchestrate the contact between different actors,” Laurent Laniel, analyst at the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), told RFI.

“It is then these actors who carry out the concrete tasks: producing cocaine, transporting it and selling it.”

Balkan cartels use West Africa to push cocaine into Europe, report warns

Colombia’s coca heartlands

Before cocaine reaches Europe’s ports, it begins as coca leaves grown high in the Andes. Thousands of small farmers cultivate the crop across more than 355,000 hectares, mostly in Colombia, with smaller areas in Bolivia and Peru.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes in its latest report that “Colombian criminal organisations continue to dominate the large-scale production of cocaine”.

Colombia alone accounts for two-thirds of global output.

A drug market specialist told RFI that production is concentrated in “five enclaves of production, territories where the state can very hardly intervene, controlled by armed groups – dissidents of the Farc, guerrillas of the ELN, former paramilitaries like the Clan del Golfo”.

These groups tax farmers, demand part of the harvest, control clandestine labs and organise exports directly or through subcontractors.

The picture looks very different in Bolivia, where coca cultivation is legal.

“There are no cartels or armed groups,” Laniel said. “Production is supervised by unions, and it works fairly well – there is no violence at any rate.”

From these valleys, the drug enters international trafficking networks – and that is where Brazilian criminal groups have taken on an increasingly central role.

Brazilian gang at centre

Once processed, cocaine must leave South America, with the maritime route remaining preferred.

Shipments are hidden in containers, carried in semi-submersibles or smuggled by human couriers, or mules. Local groups sometimes handle exports themselves, but often rely on transnational networks that specialise in logistics.

One of the most powerful players is Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital (First Command of the Capital, PCC).

“At the beginning, it was a group of prisoners in Sao Paulo who, after the Carandiru massacre in 1992, created the organisation to demand better detention conditions,” Victor Simoni, researcher for the Interministerial Programme of Applied Research into the Fight Against Drugs (Pirelad), the French government’s anti-drug research initiative, told RFI.

“It was built as both a corporatist movement and a secret society, with a baptism system to become brothers and an internal justice system inside prisons.”

How the Caribbean became a front line in France’s fight against the cocaine trade

From the 2000s, the PCC spread beyond prisons, controlling street-level cocaine sales in the favelas and branching into money laundering, stolen cars, counterfeit medicines and human trafficking.

By the 2010s, it had moved into ports and airports – especially Santos, Latin America’s largest port – to secure exports to Europe and beyond.

“The PCC acts as a platform of intermediation. Colombian producers, for example, produce a huge amount but may not have the capacity to send several tonnes to Le Havre or Rotterdam,” Simoni said.

“So the PCC connects them, in exchange for money or services, with logisticians who can get the cocaine into European ports, or with mafias like Italy’s ’Ndrangheta or Balkan networks that want to buy from the Colombians. It also regulates prices, secures shipments and redistributes profits.”

Unlike Escobar’s Medellin cartel, the PCC operates horizontally. “Each link knows only the one before and the one after, which makes the chain hard to trace,” Simoni explained.

This model has proved highly efficient, diversifying routes and delivering purer cocaine at lower prices. As the North American drug war intensified in the mid-2010s, traffickers shifted towards Europe.

“Today, the majority of the waves of coke arriving in Europe are orchestrated by the PCC,” said Simoni, who has studied seizures at the port of Le Havre.

A 2023 report by Global Initiative also linked the PCC to growing flows through West Africa as a staging point for Europe. Experts now view the PCC as one of the main transnational exporters, though Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco remain dominant in North America.

“It seems there is a global understanding between the big criminal groups,” Simoni said. “Everyone has realised that violence harms trafficking and profitability, and that it is better to cooperate.”

The French customs intelligence service, the National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED), reached a similar conclusion in a 2024 Senate report. It noted that “as long as seizures do not reach between 70 and 90 percent of production, we are not biting into the economic model”.

‘Smoking to survive’: How Sierra Leone’s youth got hooked on kush

Fragmented distribution

If the PCC dominates large-scale exports, distribution inside Europe is far more fragmented.

Writing in the Journal of Illicit Economies and Development in 2025, researchers Nicolas Lien and Gabriel Feltran said global criminal logistics now link “a wider variety of producers and retailers”.

They noted that while only a handful of big groups control the centre of the chain, the overall market has no monopoly.

Laurent Laniel adds that alongside the big players, “you still find European traffickers who order directly from Peru, and small groups who buy 10 or 15 kilos to bring into the mainland”.

Ports such as Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Le Havre, Valencia and Barcelona are now the main gateways. In 2023, 419 tonnes of cocaine were seized in Europe, according to the EUDA.

Europol warns that for every tonne intercepted, several slip through. Once the drug reaches street level, the market fragments further, making it quick to recover after police crackdowns.

Local intermediaries are often paid in cocaine itself, fuelling the rise of new markets.

In West Africa, consumption is growing fast. In Europe, some of the seized drugs never leave the port: after one shipment was intercepted in Valencia, part of the cargo was resold locally by corrupt dockers.

This article has been adpated from the original version in French by RFI’s Aurore Lartigue.

A fresh report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization highlighted that the ozone hole over the Antarctic was smaller in 2024 than in recent years, in what it said was “welcome scientific news for people’s and planetary health”.

“Today, the ozone layer is healing,” UN chief Antonio Guterres said in the statement. “This achievement reminds us that when nations heed the warnings of science, progress is possible.”

The WMO said that the decline in depletion “was partially due to naturally occurring atmospheric factors which drive year-to-year fluctuations”.

But it stressed that the long-term positive trend witnessed “reflects the success of concerted international action”.

The bulletin was issued to mark World Ozone Day and the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Convention, which first recognised stratospheric ozone depletion as a global problem.

That 1975 convention was followed by the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, which aimed to phase out ozone-depleting substances found primarily in refrigerators, air conditioning and aerosol sprays.

Recover to 1980s levels

To date, that agreement has led to the phasing out of more than 99 percent of the production and consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances, the WMO said.

“As a result, the ozone layer is now on track to recover to 1980s levels by the middle of this century, significantly reducing risks of skin cancer, cataracts, and ecosystem damage due to excessive UV exposure,” it said.

The bulletin determined that the depth of the ozone hole, which appears over the Antarctic every spring, had a maximum ozone mass deficit of 46.1 million tonnes on September 29 last year – below the 1990-2020 average.

Proof that saving the ozone is world’s biggest environmental success

The WMO highlighted a relatively slow onset, with delayed ozone depletion observed through the month of September, followed by a relatively rapid recovery after the maximum deficit was reached.

“This persistent later onset has been identified as a robust indication of initial recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole,” the bulletin said.

The WMO and the UN Environment Programme co-sponsor a scientific assessment of ozone depletion every four years.

The most recent assessment in 2022 indicated that, if current policies remain in place, the ozone layer should recover to 1980 values – before the hole appeared – by around 2066 over the Antarctic, by 2045 over the Arctic, and by 2040 for the rest of the world.

(with AFP)

Keach Hagey, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future, spoke to RFI’s Thomas Bourdeau. 

RFI: How did you meet Sam Altman? 

Keach Hagey: I knew of Sam Altman through his role as president of Y Combinator [a start-up incubator], but I really met him when I went to interview him for a profile in the Wall Street Journal shortly after the launch of ChatGPT.

He gave us a tour of OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco. Then we talked for about three hours; it was a very intense interview. The idea for the book came shortly after that.

Your book is like a Who’s Who of Silicon Valley. How did you go about bringing all these connections to life?

What interested me was the intellectual history behind the story of AI. It’s a bit like a family tree of ideas… In Silicon Valley, money and ideas often go hand in hand.

What makes the history of AI a little complicated to tell is that the idea of general artificial intelligence and its existential threat were really considered from the very beginning of OpenAI. That’s fascinating.

ChatGPT team calls for global watchdog to oversee superintelligent AI

So Sam Altman and OpenAI were afraid of AI even as they were working on it?

Yes, and it’s really two sides of the same coin. In the beginning, when AI was considered a crazy idea, saying you were afraid of it was also a way of showing how seriously you took it.

You have to believe that something can be real in order to be afraid of it, right? If it’s just fiction, why be afraid of it? 

This ‘family tree of ideas’ also tells us a lot about how Silicon Valley works. 

Silicon Valley is actually very small considering its global influence. It’s really just a small handful of people who come from this little club that was, for many, shaped by Y Combinator.

Sam Altman’s power comes from all the people he knows and all the favours they do for each other. They can all text each other very casually, even at this very high level.

Is Sam Altman a unique character in the tech world?

[PayPal co-founder] Peter Thiel says that Sam Altman embodies the zeitgeist of Silicon Valley, and I think that’s true. He and [Facebook co-founder] Mark Zuckerberg are only a year apart in age, and their stories are, in a way, similar. They are both millennials, both left prestigious universities to found their start-ups.

Of course, Mark Zuckerberg was successful much earlier, but I think they are part of the same culture – Silicon Valley culture, which values youth above all else. Youth and speed are the most important qualities in the tech world.

Meet Jean-Zay, the supercomputer powering France’s AI ambitions

Altman was abruptly fired by his company’s board of directors in November 2023. What a twist…

At the time, I had signed a contract to write a book about him, and it was surreal, honestly. I felt like I was dreaming.

For the next five days, among those involved, as well as the journalists covering the story, I don’t think anyone slept. It was like a fog. Every hour, the story changed. 

Altman subsequently returned as CEO. The OpenAI tree was shaken, but its roots are strong…

The tree played a big role in his return. Minutes after his dismissal, Sam contacted another branch: Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, a friend of his, who became a kind of advisor throughout this process.

Emmett Shear was briefly appointed CEO in the midst of intense negotiations, and he had also been in the first Y Combinator class with Sam Altman, back in 2005. Shear and Chesky knew each other, and Chesky was able to negotiate Sam’s return.

Without this close-knit group of people, I’m not sure Sam Altman would have been able to return so quickly, or at all.

People used to talk about the “PayPal mafia”. Should we now be talking about the “OpenAI mafia”?

Since that dismissal, some OpenAI founders have launched their own AI companies… So it’s true that, in a way, OpenAI is like a breeding ground for the future of AI. In that sense, it’s like the “PayPal mafia”.

But on the other hand, I don’t know if they collaborate in the same way.

In the book, you mention that the Department of Defence has made considerable investments in AI. Is that a trend?

Yes, one of the most surprising developments has been the speed with which these young AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have embraced the idea of collaborating with the defence industry. They both have contracts with the Pentagon.

Until very recently, it was kind of taboo in Silicon Valley to work for the defence sector. I think the previous generation believed that technology was an ideal and would not be part of warfare in this way. I was surprised at how quickly everyone agreed to say “OK, let’s use AI for defence”, without asking too many questions.

Is AI sexist? How artificial images are perpetuating gender bias in reality

It’s also striking how quickly AI is becoming part of everyday life.

That’s true, and it’s one of Sam Altman’s fundamental qualities. He loves speed in his personal life. He loves racing cars. He liked to judge other start-up founders on how quickly they responded to their emails.

Speed is one of the great virtues of his worldview, and his company is built in his image.

What did you learn from writing about Altman’s life?

Sam’s life is a lesson in how to gain power. And in a way, power begins with a certain humility. Sam will say: “What can I do for you? How can I help you?” And that’s how he starts his relationships with people.

Sam’s algorithm is to understand what you need and how to get it. He calls it being helpful. [Tech investor and essayist] Paul Graham says it’s a way to become powerful. It’s actually the same thing because, over time, the entire Silicon Valley network feels indebted to him.

This article was adapted from the original version in French and has been edited for clarity.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)’s Global State of Democracy 2025 report says 94 countries – more than half of those assessed – have declined in at least one key aspect of democratic performance over the past five years.

It warns of setbacks in judicial independence, press freedom and electoral integrity. Those concerns were echoed at the United Nations.

Marking the International Day of Democracy, UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised “the courage of people everywhere who are shaping their societies through dialogue, participation, and trust”, saying such efforts are vital “at a time when democracy and the rule of law are under assault from disinformation, division, and shrinking civic space”.

Since 2014, more countries have slipped backwards than advanced on civil liberties.

IDEA calls this “modern democratic backsliding” – elected leaders using legal means to weaken checks and balances from within. Freedom of expression has declined in 37 countries over the past five years, while media integrity fell in 33.

By contrast, just 17 and 10 countries respectively improved.

Global decline in freedom of expression over last decade, watchdog warns

Backsliding in central, Eastern Europe

IDEA points to sustained pressure on three pillars of democracy since 2007: representative government, checks on power, and civil liberties. Media integrity is under particular strain.

Across Europe, diversity of voices and critical coverage have dropped, undermining the press’s ability to hold governments to account.

The report identifies Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and Turkey among the countries with marked democratic decline.

In Poland, government influence over the courts and public broadcasting has drawn criticism at home and abroad. Meanwhile Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has tightened restrictions on NGOs and the press, with pro-government interests dominating much of the media sector.

Romania saw mass protests in 2017 against legislation that threatened anti-corruption safeguards, while Ukraine continues to face challenges around judicial independence and corruption, despite some reforms in recent years.

Turkey remains an entrenched case of democratic erosion, with civil liberties and checks on power now among the weakest in the region.

Turkey’s embattled civil society fears worst as foreign funding dries up

Western Europe not immune

IDEA warned that even Western European democracies face “downward pressure”.

France, still ranking in the top 30 of IDEA’s scores, shows emerging warning signs. These include policing of protests, pandemic-era restrictions on privacy and movement, and concerns over judicial independence and lobbying rules.

Italy is named among five EU states described as “dismantlers” of democracy, alongside Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia. IDEA uses the term for governments that systematically undermine checks and the rule of law.

From Washington to Warsaw: how MAGA influence is reshaping Europe’s far right

Guardrails and renewal

Representation scores “collapsed to their worst level in over 20 years, with seven times more countries declining than advancing”, IDEA researchers wrote. 

“Meanwhile, rule of law – the weakest overall performer – fell most strikingly in Europe.”

European states accounted for 38 percent of global downturns in the rule of law between 2019 and 2024, underlining the strain on the continent’s institutions.

The report warns that reversing these trends will require stronger safeguards, including independent courts, plural media, and a vibrant civil society.

The UN Democracy Fund, celebrating its 20th year, says grassroots civil society and independent media remain the front line in defending democratic values – the very institutions now under pressure.

“Democracy faces a perfect storm of autocratic resurgence and acute uncertainty, due to massive social and economic changes,” IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora said.

Now in its third edition, Photoclimat brings together 47 artists from around the world. Their installations trace the work of non-profit groups tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity and defending communities on the frontlines.

The Biennale was created in 2021 by French photographer Nicolas Henry, a member of Le tour d’un monde (A Journey Around a World), a cultural association that develops artistic projects with a social focus.

He says the idea is to use art as a bridge to the work of NGOs.

“The idea of this project is to combine the strength of artistic talent together with the stories of the work done by NGOs. We want to really wake people up – raise awareness,” he told RFI.

He hopes visitors will go further – learning more about the organisations, volunteering or donating.

“But it’s also all about giving meaning to what we do, bringing joy and a good mood that can transform people’s lives. It gives us a sense of direction and a sense of community,” he says.

A powerful tool

Henry believes photography can open the door to difficult issues, especially for younger audiences. And photographry is a powerful tool to begin a discussion.

“It’s a way to introduce these NGOs to the younger generation who may not have heard of them – encouraging them to become ‘actors of society’ when it comes to ecology and social progress,” he says.

One of the headline works sits at Place de la Concorde. It is “Les Voix des Fôrets” (Voices of the Forest), a series by young Filipino photographer Gab Mejia. His black-and-white portraits are displayed on a circular wooden pavilion that doubles as a meeting space for artists.

France’s photojournalism festival opens with focus on war and climate crisis

Mejia worked with Laure d’Astorg from the French NGO Alliance pour la Préservation des Fôrets (Alliance for Forest Preservation) to find a way to celebrate the people behind the mammoth task of saving the world’s endangered forests.

“I wanted the work to share their messages and to transmit a call to action of what we can do to preserve the forests all across the world,” Mejia told RFI.

He says the Philippines, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, has vast primary forests under threat. “It’s part of our identity; we have indigenous communities and local communities who really rely on the forest in the Philippines and the islands.”

Among his subjects was Hernando Chindoy, a Colombian leader working with the Alliance to fight deforestation. Mejia combined photography with digitally rendered sketches to portray the activists.

For d’Astorg, there’s the public message battle, and then there’s the legal one behind the scenes.

Her organisation strives to make sure raw materials derived from the forests, like wood, coffee, cacao are sustainably sourced.

“Forests are in danger, forests in Europe, but also in Amazonia and Basin of Congo and Southeast Asia,” she says.

“The planet is burning and we really need to bring this message and this fight can only be won together with the businesses and the NGOs. We really need to work together to stop deforestation.”

Beauty and the blight: a photographer’s quest to expose an ecological disaster

Elsewhere at Photoclimat, visitors can see British photographer Tim Flach’s portraits of animals, the bold colours of Ghanaian artist Prince Gyasi and the abstract work of Dutch photographer Sanja Marusic.

On the banks of the Seine, other installations focus on oceans and rivers, underscoring the efforts of people and organisations working to protect them.

For Nicolas Henry, Photoclimat is just the beginning of a conversation: a wake-up call he hopes will transform awareness into meaningful action.

Photoclimat runs until 12 October – spanning 6 locations in central Paris and several locations in the Paris suburbs.

From a small-scale security-building mechanism to a heavyweight bloc showcasing China’s geopolitical ambitions, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has evolved dramatically since its inception in 1996.

Originally known as the Shanghai Five, the group was initially formed of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and aimed to resolve border disputes and bolster security cooperation.

“It was really concerned with China’s internal borders with countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and looking at things like drug misuse, gun running and political opposition,” explains Michael Dillon of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London.

Uzbekistan joined in 2001, prompting the rebranding to SCO, and India and Pakistan later became full members, with Iran the most recent addition, two years ago.

Over time, the SCO’s agenda expanded well beyond border security to include economic cooperation, cultural exchange and coordinating their political message.

The organisation now has 10 member states (with observer states such as Afghanistan and dialogue partners including Turkey), highlighting its growing global footprint.

Last month’s much-publicised SCO summit, held in the Chinese port city of Tianjin alongside China’s grand military parade marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War, provided a vivid demonstration of the organisation’s expanded role.

President Xi met with almost 30 world leaders – including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, India’s Narendra Modi and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un – projecting the image of a China-led alliance of mainly authoritarian regimes challenging Western influence.

Putin and Modi in China for Shanghai Cooperation summit hosted by Xi

“Xi Jinping is using this to shape perceptions of China and of himself,” Dillon told RFI. The optics of Xi flanked by Putin and Kim symbolised an assertive bloc willing to counterbalance NATO and the US-led liberal international order.

But how far does the SCO truly stand as a counterweight to NATO?

On this, Dillon is cautious. “It’s beginning to look like it,” he said, but added: “There isn’t any [military coordination], apart from the policing functions across the border with Central Asia … it doesn’t seem to have any military functions outside of China.”

Internal rivalries complicate the picture and prevent the SCO from acting as a fully cohesive bloc, such as the strained relationship between India and Pakistan – both members.

Meanwhile, relations between Europe and the SCO also reveal divisions within the former. While few European Union leaders engage with the organisation, countries such as Turkey and Hungary have shown willingness.

“The EU really does need to respond to China’s increasing influence,” says Dillon.

Russia ties strain EU-China relations as Beijing summit concludes early

But Europe faces challenges due to China’s growing economic leverage and the United States’ diminished credibility in some quarters. “Trump thinks of himself as the great strong man, but it’s clear to seasoned diplomats in China and elsewhere that Washington is incredibly weak,” said Dillon.

According to him, Trump’s actions have inadvertently contributed to China’s rise within Eurasia’s power vacuum. This environment has allowed Beijing to position the SCO as an alternative framework – even attracting traditionally Western-facing countries such as India and Turkey into the fold.

But the summit also exposed underlying tensions within the bloc. Russia’s invitation to Kim Jong-un to Moscow shortly after the Tianjin meeting showcased Putin’s rivalry with Xi for influence over North Korea. Meanwhile, Modi’s absence from the military parade suggested caution among SCO members in fully endorsing China’s military bravado.

Tanks and missiles roll through Beijing as China commemorates 1945 victory

Western observers remain divided on how seriously to take the SCO – both as symbolic political theatre and as a potentially strategic challenge.

Looking ahead, Dillon is sceptical about the SCO transforming into a formal military alliance akin to NATO anytime soon.

“I haven’t seen anything from China recently to suggest they’re trying to turn the SCO into something more permanent and as a counterweight to NATO,” he says. But he acknowledges that institutionalisation of the SCO is likely to be the next “obvious move” if China continues to consolidate its Eurasian coalition.

On Sunday, the Madagascar-born 19-year-old overcame Janice Tjen from Indonesia 6-3, 6-4 to claim the Sao Paulo Open.

Rakotomanga, ranked at 214 in the WTA lists, went into the showdown against the 23-year-old world number 130 as the underdog. But she prevailed in 82 minutes. 

The points harvested from the triumph at the WTA 250 tournament catapulted her 83 places up the rankings ladder to a career high of 131.

Rakotomanga confirmed her new status on Tuesday in Portugal with a three-set win over the Swiss player Valentina Ryser ranked at 252 in the world.

Overwhelmed at the start of the match, Rakotomanga recovered her poise to advance 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

But on Wednesday, Rakotomanga went down to the 23-year-old American Carol Young Suh Lee. The world number 270 won 6-2, 6-3 to advance to Thursday’s quarter-final.

Gauff outwits Sabalenka to lift French Open women’s singles crown

Breakthrough victory

“It’s a great feeling,” Rakotomanga told the French sports newspaper L’Equipe a few hours after her win on the Quadra Central Maria Esther Bueno at the Sao Paulo Open.

“The pressure is easing a little,” she added. “I hadn’t won a trophy and I told myself I needed one before the end of the year. Now it’s done, it’s really great. Some players never manage it.”

It was Rakotomanga’s fourth final of the year. In February, in Macon, central France, she went down in straight sets to Sinja Kraus from Austria.

That defeat on hard courts was followed by a loss on clay in the Burundian capital Bujumbura in March. There was another setback on clay in June at the Biarritz Open.

“After losing in Biarritz, I wrote on Instagram: ‘Third final this season … Still chasing that trophy’”, said Rakotomanga.

“This time, it’s the real deal. I lifted the cup and what’s more, it’s a WTA 250! It’s crazy, I can’t believe it.”

Rakotomanga took up tennis when she lived in Montpelier via the Fête le Mur charity set up by the French former tennis star Yannick Noah. She was noticed by the coach Teddy Andrianjafritrimo who provided the initial guidance.

Since winning the French under-18 national championships in September 2023, she has been under the aegis of Thomas Delgado.

“Sarah respects all players, but she is not overawed by anyone,” Delgado told broadcaster Eurosport. “She knows she is good enough to compete against these players: it’s just that, until now, she hadn’t played them much, so she hadn’t proven it.

“I think she took this title in her stride with great calm and composure.”

Boisson vows to stay in the zone ahead of French Open semi-final with Gauff

New status in France

Rakotomanga’s rise in the WTA rankings places her sixth in the French pecking order.

French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson leads the pack in 49th position while Elsa Jacquemot’s run to the semi-final at the Guadalajara Open in Mexico pushed her up to second at 62 in the world.

Varvara Gracheva at 80, Léolia Jeanjean at 94 and Diane Parry at 101 are France’s other best placed players in the world lists.

The paucity of French female players occupying the upper reaches of the rankings or consistently challenging for the circuit’s most prestigious prizes has left French tennis supremos on the back foot.

Gilles Moretton, the head of the French Tennis Federation, acknowledged there were not enough French players vying for the Grand Slam trophies.

He said just before the French Open in July that there were prospects in the generation who were in their early teens.

That optimism was expressed before Boisson’s surge to the last four at the Roland Garros Stadium.

Though she claimed the Hamburg Open in July, Boisson has failed to make inroads at the two Grand Slam tournaments after the French Open.

She lost in the first qualifying round for Wimbledon and was eliminated in the first round at the US Open where Parry reached the third round.

The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts (Grevio) oversees the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty that came into force in 2014 to establish legally binding standards to prevent violence against women.

In this first thematic report on France’s implementation of the text, the group expressed particular concern about the low rate of prosecutions of perpetrators of sexual violence.

According to its research, 83 percent of these cases are dismissed, and up to 94 percent in cases of rape.

EU court condemns French failure to protect rights of underage rape victims

Grevio is urging French authorities to “take strong measures” to ensure that sexual violence is more widely prosecuted, particularly by “improving investigations and evidence gathering”.

The group is also calling for police and judicial responses to be enhanced through improved investigation and evidence-gathering and the adoption of a definition of sexual violence based on the absence of the victim’s freely given consent.

Grevio expressed alarm at an increase in attacks against girls and young women, citing data from the National Observatory on Violence Against Women, according to which “more than half of the victims of sexual violence and rape in 2022 and 2023 were minors.”

Young victims, young perpetrators

The number of young perpetrators is high, with a growing acceptance among young men of the “masculinist” stereotypes conveyed on social media, the report noted.

Grevio however acknowledged that legislative advances had been made to strengthen the protection of women and their children, in the wake of the 2019 Grenelle Forum on Domestic Violence.

Experts welcomed the implementation of new measures, such as anti-relationship bracelets, emergency assistance for women who have left their violent partners, and the “new start package” aimed at quickly releasing aid to these women.

France set to include consent in legal definition of rape

However, one of the challenges faced by French authorities is dealing with sexual assault committed by minors.

According to the psychiatrist Anne-Hélène Moncany, around 11,500 minors commit sexual violence each year, which represents around 30 percent of perpetrators of sexual violence against other minors.

President of the French Federation of Resource Centers for Those Working with Perpetrators of Sexual Violence (FFCRIAVS), Moncany points to “a real difficulty in representing children as potential aggressors”.

“There is an urgent need to lift this taboo to protect children,” she told French news agency AFP.

Focus on support

A report with some forty recommendations will be submitted to the government on Tuesday, urging it to strengthen prevention measures.

Adrien Taquet, former secretary of state for child protection and co-rapporteur with child psychiatrist Clémentine Rappaport said the treatment of perpetrators needs to be reviewed.

Taquet criticised the current approach as “solely repressive, based more on punishment than on more comprehensive support.”

“The only way to hope to break the cycle of violence is for this punishment to be accompanied by therapeutic, social, and educational support,” he says.

(with AFP)

The defendants are members of Ultime Liberté (Ultimate Freedom), an association that fights to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia in France.

They are accused of helping dozens of people purchase pentobarbital, a drug used for physician-assisted suicide in countries such as Belgium and Switzerland, between August 2018 and November 2020.

Many of the defendants, whose ages range from 74 to 89, are retired teachers with no criminal records.

They are charged with trafficking illegal substances and face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, although any sentences are expected to be much more lenient given mitigating factors, including their age.

In France, pentobarbital is only authorised to euthanise animals, while in the United States, the drug is used to carry out executions.

French parliament adopts long-debated bill to legalise assisted dying

Few countries regulate assisted dying, and in many it remains a crime to help someone end their life, even in cases of severe and incurable suffering.

The debate on assisted dying has raged in France for years.

In May, the lower house of parliament approved a right to die bill on first reading, the initial step in a lengthy process that could grant patients medical assistance to end their lives in clearly defined circumstances.

Die with dignity

Bernard Senet, a doctor on trial, said he had helped people who were suffering to die in better conditions.

“I am at peace because I do not feel guilty,” he said.

Outside the Paris court on Monday, about 70 members of the association rallied in support of the defendants.

“We are satisfied that there is a trial so that we can bring [the issue] to public attention,” Monique Denis, the wife of one of the defendants, told French news agency AFP.

“And perhaps public opinion will come out in favour of changing the law,” the 69-year-old added.

Ultime Liberté’s campaign goes beyond the demands of traditional pro-euthanasia associations, advocating for the right for people to control the manner and timing of their death, whether terminally ill or not.

How 184 random citizens helped shape France’s debate on assisted dying

“Suicide has been decriminalised since the Revolution but there are many laws that prevent the freedom to commit suicide, non-violent suicide,” Claude Hury, head of Ultime Liberté, told AFP ahead of the trial.

She said her group wanted to help people age peacefully and die with dignity.

“Our goal is not to kill people,” Hury said.

“It is to help them continue to age while being very serene about the end, provided they have this magic pill at home so they can stop when they decide to, rather than waiting for the medical diktat.”

Shipped from the US

The investigation began in 2019 following a US report on a network that shipped pentobarbital worldwide in liquid form, disguised in bottles labelled “natural cosmetics”.

Armed with a list of buyers provided by US investigators, French authorities carried out around one hundred searches across the country in October 2019.

The buyers were mostly elderly or seriously ill people, though some suicides appeared unrelated to age or illness.

The investigation found that some members of the association accompanied those wishing to die by giving them information on how to order the drug or even helping them obtain it.

‘My life, my death’: French woman battles for right to die with dignity

By sharing the information only with those who requested it, the activists did not intend to “encourage or facilitate a decision to commit suicide” but rather to “accompany” that decision, said the investigating judge.

One member said he joined the association after a relative used the group to end their life.

“I am here to see if I can help in some way, so that when I’m 80 and ill, I won’t have to do it behind closed doors,” said the 61-year-old, releasing only his first name, Franck.

France’s draft law would allow assisted dying only in an “advanced” stage of illness, which it defines as “entering an irreversible process characterised by a worsening health condition of the sick person that affects the quality of their lives”.

If approved, France would join a small group of European countries that give the right to aid in dying, including Austria, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

(with AFP)

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry – led by former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay – concluded that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”.

Pillay, an 83-year-old South African judge who once presided over the Rwanda tribunal, told reporters: “Genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur … The responsibility lies with the State of Israel.”

The report argues that Israeli authorities and forces have carried out four of the five acts defined in the 1948 Genocide Convention: killing members of a group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group in whole or in part, and imposing measures to prevent births.

It also highlights statements by Israeli civilian and military leaders as evidence of intent.

Pillay singled out President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of “inciting the commission of genocide” while Israeli authorities failed to act against such rhetoric.

‘Recognition brings obligation’: How declaring genocide could reshape war in Gaza

‘Distorted and false’

Israel’s foreign ministry blasted the report as “distorted and false”, calling for the “immediate abolition” of the commission. Israeli officials have accused the investigators of acting as “Hamas proxies”, claiming they were “notorious for their openly antisemitic positions”.

“The report relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others,” the ministry said, insisting the inquiry ignored Hamas’s atrocities while singling out Israel for condemnation.

Behind the scenes, Israeli diplomats have long viewed the commission as irredeemably biased, describing it as a “kangaroo court” designed to reach a guilty verdict no matter what evidence was presented.

For Israel’s supporters, the accusations of genocide reflect a broader pattern of international institutions holding the Jewish state to a higher standard than its adversaries.

For Palestinians, the inquiry represents a moment of validation after nearly two years of war.

‘Nowhere in Gaza is safe’ says RFI correspondent amid call for global media access

Targeting future generations

One of the most striking elements of the UN inquiry centred on reproductive health. Investigators highlighted Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s main fertility centre, the Al-Basma IVF Clinic, which was bombed in December 2023, obliterating some 4,000 embryos along with around 1,000 sperm samples and eggs.

The commission said it had found no credible evidence of any military use of the site, concluding that the attack amounted to “a measure intended to prevent births within the group” – one of the acts defined as genocidal under international law.

Rights groups have echoed that assessment. The organisation Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice described the strike as an act of “reproductive violence” designed to erase Gaza’s future generations, while other NGOs have urged that the targeting of IVF facilities and maternity wards be treated as evidence in international courts.

France backs ICC after arrest warrant for Israeli, Hamas leaders

Evidence for ICC

The commission stressed that its work is not judicial, but its findings may provide evidence for international courts.

Pillay confirmed her team had already shared “thousands of pieces of information” with the International Criminal Court, which last year issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes.

According to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry – which the UN generally treats as reliable – nearly 65,000 people have been killed since Israel’s campaign began in October 2023, most of them civilians.

The UN says almost the entire population has been displaced at least once, while famine has gripped Gaza City as Israeli forces step up their offensive that began after Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel almost two years ago, which left 1,219 people dead.

Shorn of star strikers Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué who were both injured on international duty with France last week, three more PSG players were hurt during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Lens in Ligue 1 at the Parc des Princes.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went down and was substituted in the first-half. South Korea international Kang-in Lee suffered the same fate just after the pause. With 20 minutes remaining, Lucas Beraldo had to be carried off on a stretcher after twisting his ankle.

“We tried to change players to give everyone the game time that they need,” said PSG boss Luis Enrique after the match.

“But it was a difficult game because some of them got injured. We have to accept the situation.”

The 55-year-old Spaniard, who has steered PSG to eight trophies since taking over in July 2023, added: “I have different options for the game against Atalanta.

“For me, it’s important to have several versatile players. I can change many players’ positions. I trust the entire team.”

PSG boss Enrique embraces underdogs tag in crunch Champions League tie at Bayern

Return to Champions League

Marseille will be the first of the French top flight sides in action. Last Friday night at the Vélodrome, they warmed up for their game at Real Madrid on Tuesday night with a 4-0 thumping of Lorient.

“Last year we didn’t play in any European competitions,” said Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi on the eve of the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. “So we’re proud to be in the tournament.

“It’s important for Marseille to be in not just any competition but in the Champions League,” added the 46-year-old Italian.

“We will have to be alert in defence and in attack we must be ambitious. We have a lot of quality in the squad and we’re not afraid.”

After the visit to Madrid, Marseille will also play Ajax, Sporting Portugal, Atalanta, Newcastle United, Union Saint-Gilloise, Liverpool and Club Bruges.

“It isn’t going to be a party against Madrid, it’s the start of something difficult,” De Zerbi added.

For the 2024/2025  tournament, the Champions League underwent a revamp

Instead of eight groups of four teams each producing a top two for the last-16 knockout stages, the reconfigured format paraded a 36-team league system in which the top eight sides qualify automatically for the last-16.

Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th take part in a two-match play-off for the eight other spots. The bottom 12 are eliminated.

Donnarumma eclipses Alisson as PSG oust Liverpool in Champions League

Road to glory

On their road to glory, PSG had to negotiate Ligue 1 counterparts Brest in the play-offs before outwitting Liverpool in the last-16, Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and Arsenal in the semis.

After dispatching the English Premier League’s finest, PSG annihilated Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.

After Atalanta, PSG go on the road to Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen before hosting Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.

Games in Spain and Portugal against Athletic Club and Sporting respectively precede PSG’s final match in the league stages against Newcastle United at the Parc des Princes.

Once Dembélé and Doué are restored to the line-up, PSG are expected to feature among the favourites for the 2026 title along with Madrid who have won European club football’s most prestigious trophy a record 15 times in its 70-year history.

“There are many teams who could win the cup,” said De Zerbi. “Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool …but honestly, I’m not thinking about that.

“All I know is that I have to do a good job with my team against Madrid who have a new coach.”

Under former midfielder Xabi Alonso, Madrid have started the La Liga season with four wins from their four games. France international Kylian Mbappé has scored four of his team’s eight La Liga goals.

Champions League: PSG boss Enrique hails team spirit ahead of Arsenal clash

Xabi Alonso pedigree

“Alonso is a great coach,” added De Zerbi. “He’s very clear about how he sets out his team and he’s been influenced by all the great coaches he has played for.

“He knows inside out how Madrid works. He’s got young, quality players who have a great future ahead of them.”

Monaco were among the four French clubs to taste the enhanced Champions League. They finished the league stages in 17th place with 13 points from their eight games.

They then fell to Benfica in the play-offs.

For their return to the competition, Monaco play at Club Bruges on Thursday night.

Head coach Adi Hütter is expected to field the Russia international Aleksandr Golovin who missed the Ligue 1 game at Auxerre with a muscle strain.

Monaco emerged from the tussle at the Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps with a 2-1 victory.

“We didn’t want to take any risks with Golovin,” said Hütter “That’s why we didn’t want him to make the trip, especially before the match in Bruges.”

Monaco will host the Premier League outfits Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in October.

Trips to Bodo Glimt in Norway and Pafos in Cyprus follow in November and just before Christmas, Monaco will take on the Turkish side Galatasaray. 

Monaco’s league stage campaign culminates with a voyage to Real Madrid on 20 January and a visit to the Stade Louis II of the Serie A giants Juventus on 28 January.

Wanjiru, 21, died in 2012 after she reportedly went partying with British soldiers at a hotel in central Nanyuki town, where Britain has a permanent army garrison.

The Office for the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it had informed the court “that evidence gathered links the suspect, a United Kingdom citizen, to the murder”.

Nairobi High Court judge Alexander Muteti said there was “probable cause to order the arrest of the accused and his surrender before this court for his trial”, granting a warrant for “one citizen and resident of the United Kingdom“.

Following the judge’s ruling, the ODPP said in a statement on X that “extradition proceedings would now be initiated to ensure the suspect is brought before a Kenyan court”.

Wanjiru’s sister, Rose Wanyua Wanjiku, 52, welcomed the announcement. “Let justice prevail”, she told France’s AFP news agency.

“As a family we are very happy because it has been many years but now we can see a step has been made,” she said.

UK ‘cooperating’ with Kenya murder inquiry: officials

‘Accelerate progress’

A spokesperson for the British government acknowledged the DPP had “determined that a British National should face trial in relation to the murder of Ms Wanjiru in 2012”.

“Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice,” the government said in a statement.

The spokesperson said there would be no further comment at this stage due to ongoing legal proceedings.

In October 2021, The Sunday Times reported that a soldier had confessed to his comrades to killing Wanjiru and showed them her body.

The report alleged that the murder was taken to military superiors, but there was no further action.

A Kenyan investigation was opened in 2019 but no results have been disclosed. The ODPP said earlier that a team of senior prosecutors had been assembled to review the case.

British defence minister John Healey met the family earlier this year, stressing the need to “accelerate progress” on the case.

Since Kenya gained independence in 1963, Britain has kept a permanent army base near Nanyuki around 200 kilometres north of the capital Nairobi.

The British Army Training Unit in Kenya is an economic lifeline for many in Nanyuki but has faced criticism over incidents of misconduct by its soldiers.

A recent investigation by the British Army found some soldiers stationed at the base continued to use sex workers despite a 2022 ban on doing so.

(with AFP)

In Manje township, Blantyre, the presence of political parties is visible everywhere – flags flutter from electrical poles and trees along the roads.

As one of Malawi‘s most densely populated townships, Manje has become a hotspot for rallies and campaign visits over the past two months, with voters now heading to polling stations as the country decides its future leadership.

Economy in crisis

Seventeen candidates are contesting the presidency, but the race has centered on Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who recent IPOR Malawi polling shows leading with 41 percent support, and Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party at 31 percent.

Other significant candidates include former Reserve Bank Governor Dalitso Kabambe (UTM party), Atupele Muluzi (UDF), and sitting Vice President Michael Usi.

The election comes as Malawi grapples with severe economic challenges that have dominated campaign messaging.

According to the World Bank, food price inflation has exceeded 20 percent while the kwacha, Malawi’s currency, has lost 44 percent of its value since 2023, leaving a quarter of the country’s 23 million citizens facing acute food insecurity.

Most Malawians live below the poverty line in one of the world’s poorest countries, heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture that has been battered by droughts, cyclones, and floods.

High youth unemployment persists, with thousands queuing at immigration offices hoping to work in stronger economies such as South Africa.

Prices of essential commodities, including maize, have skyrocketed, and the scarcity of loans on the official market has made sustaining major businesses increasingly difficult.

Malawi’s economic crisis pushes prices beyond the reach of struggling population

A tight race

On Saturday, Mutharika held one of his final campaign rallies just hours before the official campaign period ended, addressing jubilant supporters clad in the party’s colour of blue.

“In 2018, you received me here in large numbers,” he told the crowd. “But these numbers are more than in 2018. Your votes should exceed 2019. [This election is] very important because we will choose whether this country should continue going down or improve.”

Meanwhile, Chakwera addressed his supporters in the capital, Lilongwe, during his final rally, promising continuity and solutions to pressing economic issues that have dominated voter concerns.

“I have heard your concerns about rising prices, shortages of fuel, and delays in business,” he said. “I promise you that the solutions will start from the very day I take the oath again.”

This marks only the second election conducted under the 50+1 constitutional threshold established by Malawi’s Constitutional Court in 2020, meaning a run-off would be required if no candidate wins an outright majority.

Presidential candidates have historically struggled to cross the 50 percent threshold in Malawi – since 1990, only Bakili Muluzi in 1999 and Bingu wa Mutharika in 2009 achieved outright majorities, according to electoral records.

Voters’ verdict

Political scientist Wonderful Mkutche noted that the elections are taking place amid serious economic challenges, including a shortage of foreign exchange.

“Malawians are feeling the pinch of the economy. And that has also made most of the voters or Malawians focus on what the leaders are saying in terms of the economy,” he said.

The Malawi Electoral Commission, which has confirmed all 17 presidential candidates for the ballot, must announce results within eight days of polling unless directed otherwise by a court.

Six international observer missions are monitoring the vote to ensure transparency.

Malawi: Protestors take to streets over racist video ridiculing children

As polling day unfolds across the country, from bustling townships such as Manje to rural villages, the economic struggles of Malawi remain central to voters’ minds, shaping what could be one of the country’s most consequential elections in recent memory.

Should a run-off be required, it would place extraordinary demands on the nation’s democratic institutions, at a time when citizens are most focused on immediate economic relief.

Cameroonians are set to go to the polls for the presidential election on 12 October, but the opposition remains fragmented, despite efforts to unite behind a single candidate to challenge President Paul Biya, who, at 92, is seeking an eighth term.

In the first week of September, the United Nations raised concerns over whether rising tensions in the country could jeopardise the possibility of free and fair elections.

According to Enrica Picco, Central Africa director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), this lack of unity, combined with the perception of an absent or weak opposition, could lead to low voter turnout. The ICG also warns that ongoing instability in the country may further depress participation.

On Saturday, Issa Tchiroma Bakary was named the opposition’s “consensus candidate” for the October vote. But will this be enough to galvanise voters?

The 10 other opposition candidates, who remain officially in the race, have yet to comment on Tchiroma Bakary’s appointment.

We have Enrica Picco on the line to discuss the potential flashpoints and the ICG’s recommendations ahead of the election.

Fears over divided opposition and instability, as Cameroon heads to the polls

 Oil pollution in Nigeria

In Nigeria, major oil companies are facing allegations that they have abandoned decades of pollution in the Niger Delta without addressing the environmental damage.

A UN-appointed panel of experts has written to Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, warning that the firms cannot simply sell off their assets to evade their responsibilities to local communities.

We’ll hear the reaction of community member Celestine AkpoBari, an Ogoni-born activist who coordinates the Ogoni Solidarity Forum and leads the Miideekor Environmental Development Initiative (MEDI).

Oil giants accused of dodging Niger Delta clean-up as UN panel intervenes

South Africa and the US

Finally, in South Africa, since Donald Trump assumed office in the United States, companies, business leaders and diplomats have been working behind the scenes to strengthen relations, particularly for the hundreds of South African seasonal farmers who spend a few months each year in the US to supplement their income.

One prominent advocate for these farmers is Neil Diamond, president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US, based in Atlanta.

We discuss the importance of these work opportunities in the US for South Africans, as well as the final three months of South Africa’s G20 presidency — a historic first for an African nation.

Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.

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

“It’s estimated that between June and August 2025, extreme weather events in these regions will cost the economy nearly €43 billion and €126 billion by 2029,” Sehrish Usman from the University of Mannheim, the study‘s lead author, told RFI.

In total, experts calculated that around 100 heat waves, almost 200 droughts and more than 50 floods hit various regions of Europe.

The researchers did not only account for direct losses such as the destruction of roads or crops, they also looked at the long-term impact.

“A heatwave, for example, reduces both working hours and productivity, affects people’s health, and influences investment in the region, employment, demographics – even sectors like tourism,” Usman said.

France, Spain, and Italy were some of the worst affected countries, and each already faces over €10 billion of losses this year, which could exceed €30 billion in the medium term.

France’s summer of heatwaves exposes hidden mental health cost

The study’s authors warn that their figures are likely an underestimate, as they do not fully reflect the compounding effects of simultaneous events – like heatwaves and droughts, which often occur together – nor do they include other impacts of climate change, such as wildfires.

The researchers stress the urgent need for adaptation wherever possible, and they call for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to try to curb the effects of global warming.

Severe drought across Europe

More than half of Europe and the Mediterranean basin was affected by drought in the first ten days of August, according to an analysis of European Drought Observatory (EDO) data, compiled by French news agency AFP. 

The 51.3 percent figure is the highest level registered for the period of 1 – 10 August since data collection began in 2012.

Around half of the area has been affected by drought since mid-April 2025, a situation worse than the severe drought of the summer of 2022.

The Drought Observatory Indicator determined by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service uses satellite imagery to measure precipitation or rainfall, soil moisture and the state of vegetation.

Europe’s heatwave dries fields and leaves farmers counting crop losses

Last week, Copernicus reported the world’s third-hottest August on record.

The average temperature globally for August was 1.29 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, marginally cooler than the monthly record set in 2023 and tied with 2024.

Such incremental rises may appear small, but scientists warn that is already destabilising the climate and making storms, floods and other disasters fiercer and and more frequent.

In its monthly bulletin, Copernicus said that western Europe experienced the continent’s most pronounced above-average temperatures, with southwest France and the Iberian Peninsula particularly affected.

Spain suffered a 16-day heatwave that caused more than 1,100 deaths, according to the Carlos III Health Institute. 

(with newswires)

The 84 NGOs, which include Oxfam, Amnesty International, the Human Rights League, and the Platform of French NGOs for Palestine, on Monday launched a campaign calling on states – particularly members of the European Union and the United Kingdom – to ban all commercial or investment activities related to Israel’s settlements.

The European Union is Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for approximately 32 percent of total merchandise trade, or approximately €42 billion annually.

The campaign also calls for a ban on financial institutions providing loans to companies involved in projects within the settlements.

All of Israel‘s settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have Israeli planning permission.

Widespread poverty, suffering

According to Oxfam, Israel’s settlement project “has fragmented the West Bank and destroyed the Palestinian economy, resulting in widespread poverty and suffering”.

In a report published Monday, the NGOs singled out a handful of specific companies, including Carrefour France, which is accused of being “directly involved in the illegal settlements by allowing the sale of its products there”.

The supermarket chain signed a franchise agreement in 2022 with Electra Consumer Products and its subsidiary Yenot Bitan, which has “at least nine” stores in the settlements.

Carrefour told French public radio France Inter that the franchise agreement “excludes any stores located in the occupied territories.”

British equipment manufacturer JCB is accused of delivering machinery which is used both to destroy Palestinian homes and crops and to build illegal settlements, according to the NGOs.

The Spanish travel company eDreams-Opodo, the German group TUI, Siemens, Danish shipping company Maersk, and Barclays Bank were also called out over their partnerships, transport services, or financial activities linked to Israeli settlements.

France urges EU to reassess Israel trade partnership over Gaza rights abuses

The NGOs note that since being informed of the report, a few companies have changed their practices, including Opodo-eDreams and Maersk.

Currently products originating from the settlements may be imported into Europe, but do not benefit from the preferential tariffs of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and since an EU court ruling in 2019, they must be labelled as originating from Israeli settlements.

The NGOs cite a landmark advisory opinion issued by the European Court of Justice in July 2024 in which it considers member states obligated “to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and required “to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

The NGOs’ report follows a previous submission to the UN Human Rights Council in July by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

More settlement plans

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s plans to expand its settlements.

Speaking at a signing ceremony for a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, he vowed that there would be “no Palestinian state.”

Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12 square kilometre tract of land known as E1, but the plan had been stalled for years in the face of international opposition.

France condemns Israel’s west bank settlement plan as serious breach of international law

The site sits between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, near routes connecting the north and south of the Palestinian territory.

Last month, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich backed plans to build around 3,400 homes on the ultra-sensitive parcel of land.

His announcement drew condemnation, with UN chief Antonio Guterres saying the settlement would effectively cleave the West Bank in two and pose an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state.

Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians, as well as about 500,000 Israeli settlers.

Two people were arrested and around 20 injured in scuffles with authorities as demonstrators occupied the route at several points in the Spanish capital in protest at the presence of the Israel Premier Tech team in the three-week event.

Jonas Vingegaard claimed his first La Vuelta crown as a Visma–Lease a Bike rider after event organisers abandoned the 103.6km 21st stage between Alalpardo and Madrid with 50km remaining.

Vingegaard, a two-time winner of the Tour de France, completed the 3,000km course in 74 hours 20 minutes and 28 seconds.

Joao Almeida from Portugal, a cyclist for the UAE Team Emirates XRG, was 76 seconds behind and Britain’s Tom Pidcock was third. The Q36.5 rider finished three minutes and 11 seconds off the pace.

The trio celebrated their feats at the 80th edition of the race in a hotel car park away from the crowds in the central plazas.

“It’s a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us,” Vingegaard said. “I’m really disappointed about that.

“I was looking forward to celebrating this overall win with my team and the fans. Everyone has the right to protest, but not in a way that influences or endangers our race.”

As the riders lamented the disrupted conclusion, politicians from Spain and Israel became embroiled in a row over the behaviour of protesters.

Speaking during a Socialist Workers’ party rally in the southern city of Malaga, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “Our respect and recognition for the athletes and our admiration for the Spanish people who are mobilising for just causes like Palestine.”

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the opposition Popular Party, lashed out at Sanchez.

UN declares famine in Gaza, first ever in the Middle East

Ways to protest

“The head of the government is proud of the behaviour of a few who, to show their support for Gaza, threw barriers at the national police (…) Not me. I defend freedom of expression as long as it does not involve violence or unrest.”

Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida also criticised Sanchez and described Sunday’s events as a “sad day” for the Spanish capital.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar posted on social media that Sanchez and his government were a disgrace to Spain.

“He encouraged demonstrators to take to the streets,” Saar said. “The pro-Palestinian mob heard the incitement messages – and wrecked the La Vuelta cycling race.”

Yolanda Diaz, Spain’s labour minister, also waded into the spat. “Spanish society does not tolerate the normalisation of the genocide in Gaza in sporting or cultural events,’” she said. “Our society is an example of dignity.”

Oscar Lopez, the minister of public service, added: “The fact that the people of Madrid are protesting against genocide does not damage Spain’s image. On the contrary (…) I regret it for La Vuelta, but I regret it even more for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who are being massacred.”

The 2025 La Vuelta has been hit by protests since it started in Turin in Italy on 23 August. Protesters carrying Palestinian flags slowed down Israel-Premier Tech riders during the fifth stage in Figueres on 27 August.

Flotilla bound for Gaza finally sets sail amid escalating Israeli strikes

Stage chalked off

On 3 September, the 11th stage in Bilbao was chalked off due to protests leading the UCI – world cycling’s governing body – to issue a statement calling for calm.

“The UCI reiterates the fundamental importance of the political neutrality of sports organisations within the Olympic Movement, as well as the unifying and pacifying role of sport,” it said.

“Major international sporting events embody a spirit of unity and dialogue, transcending differences and divisions.

“In this sense, the UCI reaffirms its commitment to the political neutrality, independence, and autonomy of sport, in accordance with the founding principles of the Olympic Movement.

“The UCI expresses its solidarity and support for the teams and their staff as well as the riders, who should be able to practise their profession and pursue their passion in optimal conditions of safety and serenity.”

Despite the plea, incidents continued. On 7 September during the 15th stage between A Veiga/Vegadeo and Monforte de Lemos, a man carrying a Palestine flag caused a crash when he ran towards the road as riders approached. Javi Romo pulled out the next day due to injuries he sustained after his fall.

(With newswires)

Tanzania’s electoral commission said Monday it had disqualified Mpina, the candidate for the Alliance for change and transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), the country’s second opposition party.

“The Commission has accepted the objection submitted by Mr. Hamza Saidi Johari, Attorney General, against the nomination of Mr. Luhaga Joelson Mpina as a candidate for the presidency,” the commission wrote Monday in a statement in which it said it had dismissed two other objections to Mpina’s candidacy.

The decision comes four days after Mpina successfully challenged a first decision in court to disqualify him by the Office of registrar of political parties, which cited complaints that his party had failed to comply with nomination procedures.

ACT Wazalendo dismissed the disqualification as “baseless” and politically-motivated.

The party said it would formally challenge incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s own nomination, which the electoral commission on Monday also rejected.

Tanzania’s opposition rallies against ‘cosmetic’ electoral reforms

At her election campaign launch at the end of August, Hassan told supporters her party had “accomplished major milestones” and has “the energy to continue leading our country”.

She promised expanded healthcare and to tackle controversy over hospitals withholding bodies of deceased persons over unpaid bills.

She also promised to establish a reconciliation commission and start the process of drafting a new constitution, though she gave no details of what these processes would involve.

Uphill battle

Hassan came to power without being directly elected after taking over from John Magufuli when he died in March 2021, and she has taken no chances in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary votes.

Opposition parties face an uphill battle trying to dislodge Hassan and her ruling Party of Revolution (Chama cha Mapinduzi) (CCM) party, amid a government crackdown on rivals.

Mpina’s disqualification means Hassan would potentially face opposition only from smaller parties in the 29 October election.

The leading opposition party, Chadema, was disqualified in April after it refused to sign the electoral code of conduct.

Freed Tanzanian opposition leaders ‘beaten’ during mass arrests

Chadema presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu, has been in jail for over five months, charged with treason, which he has denied.

Rights groups like Amnesty International say Lissu’s detention and the unexplained abductions of government critics in recent months point to a government crackdown ahead of Tanzania‘s election.

Hassan’s candidature has faced some criticism from within her own party – such as former ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, who resigned in July.

“I have observed with deep regret a leadership orientation that fails to adequately defend human rights, peace, and human dignity,” he said in a letter to Hassan.

(with newswires)

Among the defendants is Jennyfer Clain, 34, the niece of Jean-Michel and Fabien Clain, two prominent figures of the Islamic State (IS) who were known for having recorded the claim of responsibility for the 13 November terrorist attacks in Paris.

Both were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole, and were killed in an airstrike in 2019.

Appearing with her are her sister-in-law, Mayalen Duhart, and Christine Allain, the mother of their two husbands and the grandmother of their nine children.

The three are appearing before a specially-composed court without a jury – a standard practice in terrorist cases in France.

The trial is expected to run until 26 September, and the defendants face up to 30 years in prison.

The indictment, quoted by the French news agency AFP, claims the women’s departure to Syria was part of “a trajectory that had been ideologically committed for over ten years to Salafi-jihadism”.

Clain ‘clan’

The defendants are part of what investigators refer to as the “Clain clan“: over 20 members of the family, based near Toulouse, left France with their spouses and children to go to Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2015.

Among them were Marie-Rosane Clain, three of her children – including Fabien and Jean-Michel – and several grandchildren, including Jennyfer.

Jennyfer Clain, who began a religious education at the age after her stepfather, Mohamed Mongi Amri, had converted the family to Islam, entered into a religious marriage at 15 in order to join her uncles in Egypt.

Former wife of IS commander to stand trial in France on Yazidi genocide charges

She married Kevin Gonot, a friend of Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, who later became an IS member, and is currently in prison in Iraq, where he was initially sentenced to death for membership in IS before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

In 2014 Jennyfer Clain followed Gonot to Raqqa, Syria, where his mother, Christine Allain, was also living.

She had converted to Islam a few years earlier, after being introduced to the Koran by her eldest son, Thomas Collange, who had also converted his partner, Mayalen Duhart.

Starting in 2004, the couple travelled to Syria multiple times and settled there permanently in 2014, three years after the war began.

Back to France

Christine Allain, Jennyfer Clain, and Mayalen Duhart arrived in France in 2019 along with nine children aged between 3 and 13 years old, and they were formally charged.

They had been arrested two months earlier in Turkey, on the Syrian border. For two years after the fall of Raqqa they had been wandering – their husbands had already been arrested.

Top French jihadist and wife handed jail terms

Investigating judges decided to refer the three women to a criminal court because they had “remained for an extended period” within jihadist groups.

Prosecutors argue that Jennyfer Clain “integrated and contributed to the functioning of the Islamic State”, embraced its ideology, benefitted from housing and financial support provided by the group, and maintained regular contact with active members of IS throughout her stay.

What responsibility?

Interviewed in 2021, she claimed she had only “carried out normal daily activities” and played “no role” within IS, stating her main concern was her four children.

Her lawyer, Guillaume Halbique, hopes her ideological transformation during her time in custody will be taken into account.

From the moment she was placed in isolation at the start of her detention in France, “she realised she could ask questions and think for herself,” he said, adding that all she wants today is to care for her children as best she can.

Jennyfer Clain and Mayalen Duhart are facing charges of neglecting their parental responsibilities – a charge that has been imposed since 2017 on any parent who took their minor children to the Iraq-Syria conflict zone.

The women are accused of deliberately taking their children, who had been born and living in France, to a war zone to join a terrorist group, thereby exposing them to serious physical and psychological risks, including long-term trauma.

Jennifer Clain’s four children, with whom she has maintained contact during her detention, will be civil parties in the trial, represented by their own lawyer.

(with AFP)

France’s most powerful farming union, the FNSEA, has called for a nationwide day of action on Friday 25 September, turning up the pressure on the country’s new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu.

The union’s president, Arnaud Rousseau, told Le Journal du Dimanche that farmers would take to the streets across all departments to protest against what they see as unfair global competition.

The main targets are the EU’s trade pact with South America’s Mercosur bloc, tariffs slapped on French exports by former US president Donald Trump, and what Rousseau described as “a flood of international imports that do not respect our standards”.

The timing couldn’t be trickier for Lecornu, as the French government is already bracing for a day of strikes and demonstrations organised by French trade unions on 18 September.

Just a week later, farmers will be out in force, adding a fresh layer of pressure on the fledgling prime minister.

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

Mercosur under the spotlight

At the heart of the FNSEA’s anger is the EU–Mercosur agreement, which the European Commission signed off earlier this month.

While the text offers potential limits on certain agricultural imports in an effort to soothe French concerns, Rousseau insists it still undermines local producers. “We want guarantees that our sovereignty, especially food sovereignty, will be protected,” he said.

Unlike other unions, the FNSEA skipped the nationwide mobilisation on 10 September. “We didn’t take part simply because farmers are working!” Rousseau argued, pointing out that grape harvests are still underway, herds are on their summer pastures, maize and beet crops are being gathered, and cereal sowing has begun.

“We didn’t want to be drawn into the political manoeuvring around that protest,” he added.

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

Expectations from PM Lecornu

Asked what he expects from Lecornu, Rousseau’s message was clear – vision and direction.

“I want from Mr Lecornu what I already expected from his predecessors: a roadmap to lift French agriculture out of doubt and give us the means to invest and innovate, so that we can guarantee the country’s sovereignty – above all its food sovereignty.”

The FNSEA’s show of force on 25 September will be a critical test for both France’s new prime minister and for Europe’s contentious trade agenda.

Cameroonians are set to go to the polls for the presidential election on 12 October, but the opposition remains fragmented, despite efforts to unite behind a single candidate to challenge President Paul Biya, who, at 92, is seeking an eighth term.

In the first week of September, the United Nations raised concerns over whether rising tensions in the country could jeopardise the possibility of free and fair elections.

According to Enrica Picco, Central Africa director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), this lack of unity, combined with the perception of an absent or weak opposition, could lead to low voter turnout. The ICG also warns that ongoing instability in the country may further depress participation.

On Saturday, Issa Tchiroma Bakary was named the opposition’s “consensus candidate” for the October vote. But will this be enough to galvanise voters?

The 10 other opposition candidates, who remain officially in the race, have yet to comment on Tchiroma Bakary’s appointment.

We have Enrica Picco on the line to discuss the potential flashpoints and the ICG’s recommendations ahead of the election.

Fears over divided opposition and instability, as Cameroon heads to the polls

 Oil pollution in Nigeria

In Nigeria, major oil companies are facing allegations that they have abandoned decades of pollution in the Niger Delta without addressing the environmental damage.

A UN-appointed panel of experts has written to Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, warning that the firms cannot simply sell off their assets to evade their responsibilities to local communities.

We’ll hear the reaction of community member Celestine AkpoBari, an Ogoni-born activist who coordinates the Ogoni Solidarity Forum and leads the Miideekor Environmental Development Initiative (MEDI).

Oil giants accused of dodging Niger Delta clean-up as UN panel intervenes

South Africa and the US

Finally, in South Africa, since Donald Trump assumed office in the United States, companies, business leaders and diplomats have been working behind the scenes to strengthen relations, particularly for the hundreds of South African seasonal farmers who spend a few months each year in the US to supplement their income.

One prominent advocate for these farmers is Neil Diamond, president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US, based in Atlanta.

We discuss the importance of these work opportunities in the US for South Africans, as well as the final three months of South Africa’s G20 presidency — a historic first for an African nation.

Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and 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. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Ali Shahzad, Jocelyne D’Errico, and a composition by B. Trappy.  

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

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Love is Stronger”, written and performed by B. Trappy; “Coups et Blessures” written by Adrien Gallo and performed by BB Brunes, and “Misty”, by Erroll Garner and Johnny Burke, performed by Sarah Vaughan with Quincy Jones and His Orchestra.

The ePOP video competition is open!

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.

The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.

How do you do it?

With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.

From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.

Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!

Click here for all the information you need.

We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!

French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for the creation of a military force to secure any peace deal made between Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey, which boasts NATO’s second-largest army, is seen as a key player in any such move – especially given that Washington has ruled out sending US troops.

For its part, Ankara has said it is open to joining a peacekeeping mission.

“Macron finally came to terms [with the fact] that Turkey is an important player, with or without the peace deal. Turkey will have an important role to play in the Black Sea and in the Caucasus,” said Serhat Guvenc, professor of international relations at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.

Macron last month held a lengthy phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, focused on the Ukraine conflict, and thanked him for his diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Turkey eyes Ukraine peacekeeping role but mistrust clouds Western ties

Turning point

For Professor Federico Donelli of Trieste University, this marks a dramatic turnaround. Previously, the two leaders have frequently exchanged sharp words, especially over Turkey’s rising influence in West Africa and the Sahel.

“In Paris, public opinion and the press criticised this move by Turkey a lot,” said Donelli. “At the same time, the rhetoric of some Turkish officers, including President Erdogan, was strongly anti-French. They were talking a lot about the neocolonialism of France and so on.”

Donelli added that cooperation over Ukraine has pushed France to reconsider its Africa stance.

“As a consequence of Ukraine, the position of France has changed, and they are now more open to cooperating with Turkey. And they [understand] that in some areas, like the Western Sahel, Turkey is better than Russia, better than China,” he said.

Analysts also see new openings in the Caucasus. A peace agreement signed in August between Azerbaijan, which was backed by Turkey, and Armenia, which was supported by France, could provide further common ground.

Macron last month reportedly pressed Erdogan to reopen Turkey’s border with Armenia, which has been closed since 1993. Turkish and Armenian officials met on the countries’ border on Thursday to discuss the normalisation of relations.

Turkey walks a tightrope as Trump threatens sanctions over Russian trade

‘Pragmatic cooperation’

But clear differences remain, especially when it comes to Syria. The rise to power of Turkish-backed President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seen as undermining any French role there.

“For Erdogan, the victory of al-Sharaa in Damascus on 24 December is the revenge of the Ottoman Empire, and Ankara doesn’t want to see the French come back to Syria,” said Fabrice Balanche, a professor of international relations at Lyon University.

Balanche argued that France is losing ground to Turkey across the region.

“It’s not just in Syria, but also in Lebanon – the Turks are very involved, and in Iraq, too. We [the French] are in competition with the Turks. They want to expel France from the Near East,” he said.

Despite this rivalry, Guvenc predicted cooperation will continue where interests align.

“In functional terms, Turkey’s contributions are discussed, and they will do business, but it’s going to be transactional and pragmatic cooperation, nothing beyond that,” he said.

One such area could be the Palestinian territories. Both Macron and Erdogan support recognition of a Palestinian state and are expected to raise the issue at this month’s United Nations General Assembly.

For now, shared interests are likely to outweigh differences – even if only temporarily.

For many critics of French President Emmanuel Macron, his nomination of close ally Sebastien Lecornu to replace François Bayrou as prime minister is a slap in the face, and further proof that the government is ignoring people’s wishes.  Participants in a movement to shut down the country on Wednesday talk about feeling unheard, and draw comparisons with the anti-government Yellow Vest movement from 2018-2019. (Listen @0′)

Tourists have long been drawn to the “village” of Montmartre, with its famed Sacre Cœur basilica, artists’ square, winding cobbled streets, vineyards and pastel-shaded houses. But the rise of influencers and instagrammers who post picture-postcard decors, as featured in hit films and Netflix series, have turned it into a must-see destination. With tourists now outnumbering residents by around 430 to one, the cohabitation is under strain. Béatrice Dunner, of the Association for the Defence of Montmartre, is calling on local authorities to follow the example of Amsterdam and tackle overtourism before it’s too late. (Listen @13′)

On 15 September 1635, a group of French colonists claimed the Caribbean island of Martinique, establishing a plantation economy reliant on slavery. Its economic and cultural legacy continues to shape the island today as an overseas department. (Listen @6’35”)

Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani

Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).

The bombing was attributed by Russian and Hungarian officials to Ukrainian drone forces, with Ukraine justifying the strike as part of its broader campaign against Russia following the latter’s invasion in 2022.

The strike resulted in oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia being cut off, and also exposed political divides at the heart of Central Europe’s energy security, sparking a diplomatic fallout between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava.

“The bombing drives home the point that Russian energy supplies remain a point of contest, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, which remains dependent on [oil] coming from the east,” said Andreas Goldthau, director of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt in Germany.

Pipeline dispute shows Central Europe’s struggle to cut ties with Russian oil

‘Not a matter of supply’

Despite EU-wide efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy – which Goldthau acknowledges is “no longer a big issue for Europe as a whole” – Hungary and Slovakia stand as outliers, locked into long-term contracts and dependent on the Druzhba line.

When the pipeline was struck multiple times in August and September, forcing a halt to crude deliveries, both governments were forced to draw on strategic reserves.

But how Hungary and Slovakia are coping, is “more a political choice than anything else,” Goldthau told RFI.

“It is not a matter of supply, but a matter of price and transport logistics, because it could eat into the margins of refineries if you have to source it from other parts and other geographies.”

Central Europe, he added, “could source through ports in Croatia, and they could have done this already by now, but they chose not to”.

‘A political decision’

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government responded to the strike angrily, calling it “an attack on Hungary’s sovereignty”.

The country’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, said: “Ukraine knows very well that the Druzhba pipeline is vital for Hungary’s and Slovakia’s energy supply, and that such strikes harm us far more than Russia.”

Both Budapest and Bratislava have demanded EU intervention and accused Kyiv of jeopardising their security, just as reserves were being tapped to keep refineries running.

From Washington to Warsaw: how MAGA influence is reshaping Europe’s far right

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested the attacks might hinge on Hungary lifting its EU accession veto, warning: “The existence of the friendship depends on what Hungary’s position is.”

Ukrainian officials also say that Hungary and Slovakia have failed to diversify away from Russian oil, despite ample opportunity and EU support.

According to Goldthau, Russian leverage over the EU “is gone, by and large”. He explained: “The EU’s main suppliers are now the United States and Norway. Kazakhstan comes into play, but Russia no longer plays a role.”

Ukraine, he noted, “no longer gets any Russian oil or any Russian gas, it merely functions as a transit country”.

The attack and subsequent diplomatic spat might have provided Hungary and Slovakia “a perfect occasion to pivot and seek alternative supplies, but it’s a purely political decision to do that or not,” Goldthau said. “Whatever changes that [decision] lies at home, and not abroad.”

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Eric Mbotji, Hossen Abed Ali, and Jayanta Chakrabarty. 

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

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Seven Seconds” by Youssou N’Dour, Neneh Cherry, Cameron McVey, and Jonathan Sharp, performed by Youssou N’Dour and Neneh Cherry; “Babe” by Gary Barlow, played by Take That, and “Never Let You Go” written and performed by Klaus Waldeck and Patrizia Ferrara.

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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.