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

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

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

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

French lawmakers reject Mercosur free trade deal as farmers continue protests

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

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

Phased protests

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

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

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

French farmers wall off public buildings in protest over regulations

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Turmoil’ in Paris

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Asserting sovereignty’

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

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

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

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

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

‘Harmonious transition’

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

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

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

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

Senegal setback 

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

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

Around 350 French troops are based in Senegal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Costly restoration

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

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

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

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

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

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

France mulls charging tourists to enter Notre-Dame cathedral

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

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

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

Reopening ceremony

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government squeezed

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

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

French government still shaky as lawmakers compromise on budget bill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘No woman resorts to abortion with joy’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Access issues remain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conflicting death tolls

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

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

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

He is due to step down in January.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.

Investors deterred

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

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

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

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

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

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

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

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

Deepening ties

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

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

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

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

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

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

Diversifying partnerships

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This has been a record-breaking election year around the world, with voters deeming that something in their respective countries is broken and punishing incumbents.

That sentiment has resonated throughout Ireland’s election campaign, where rival centre-right parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil took turns running the country for a century before forming a coalition administration in 2020.

If some voters are turning against them, the anti-politician mood is also hitting left-of-centre opposition party Sinn Féin, which not long ago appeared destined for power.

With 174 seats to be filled in the Dáil, Ireland’s lower house of parliament, polls suggest voters’ support is split into five roughly even chunks – for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, several smaller parties and an assortment of independents.

Housing crisis

The most pressing issue is the cost and lack of housing. Apartments and houses are expensive – prices rose by 10 percent in the year to August – and there are not enough homes to go around.

A housing commission set up by the government says Ireland has a “housing deficit” of up to 256,000 homes.

Rents have soared, and many young workers can’t afford a place of their own, with the cost of living forcing people in their 20s to emigrate, although there are plenty of jobs in Ireland.

“All the parties have plans to solve the housing crisis, and although they differ, this means that Sinn Féin is no longer in a position to claim this issue, as it did in 2020,” Lisa Keenan, professor of political science at Trinity College Dublin, told RFI.

Although the cost of living and the housing crises have dominated this campaign, none of the main parties – including Sinn Féin – have managed to stand out.

• 34 people arrested in Ireland’s worst rioting in decades

Immigration woes

Immigration has risen up the political agenda as new arrivals have transformed a country long defined by people leaving rather than arriving.

About 20 percent of Ireland’s population was born outside Ireland, and 120,000 foreigners moved to Ireland in the year to April – the biggest number since 2007.

Recent arrivals include more than 100,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people fleeing poverty and conflict in the Middle East and Africa.

“We can also see that immigration has become an issue … and Sinn Féin does not have a particularly restrictive immigration policy. As a result, some of its supporters who are more radical on this topic are dissatisfied,” Keenan says.

As a country of just 5.4 million people, Ireland has struggled to house all the asylum-seekers, leading to tent camps and makeshift accommodation centres that have attracted tension and protests.

A stabbing attack on children outside a Dublin school a year ago, in which an Algerian man has been charged, sparked the worst rioting Ireland had seen in decades.

Unlike many European countries, Ireland does not have a significant far-right party, but anti-immigrant independent candidates are hoping for election in several districts. 

• European court hands victory to Apple and Ireland in €13bn tax ruling

Apple tax windfall 

The main political parties are trying to defuse the discontent, touting plans to get a grip on immigration and build many more houses.

Ireland’s government has one advantage over many others: money, in part from over €13 billion in back taxes that the European Union ordered Apple to pay Ireland.

The government initially opposed that payment, because low taxes are one of the key sweeteners Ireland has traditionally used to attract investment from major foreign companies.

While the threat posed by tariff-loving president-elect Donald Trump to Ireland’s economic model has not come up much on the campaign trail, Prime Minister Simon Harris has said his Fine Gael party “is setting aside a very significant amount into future funds to protect our country from any economic shock”.

Harris is hoping to stay on as prime minister – or taoiseach – but his campaign has been weakened by gaffes.

His brusque treatment of a care worker for the disabled he met last week became the kind of viral political moment that politicians dread.

No coalition with Sinn Féin

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil – led by Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin – has the edge in most polls, and the seasoned politician has been relaxed on the campaign trail.

Encountering handshakes and selfie requests in the shops in Dublin, he acknowledged that “there is a need for new policies”, but not new governing parties.

Martin maintains the coalition government has “weathered some very significant shocks to the economy,” including the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

“But we managed to bring the Irish economy back … Why go back to the starting point again?” he added.

Sinn Féin – which aims to reunite the Republic of Ireland and UK-administered territory of Northern Ireland – topped the popular vote at the last election in in 2020, but was shut out of government because neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael would work with it, citing its leftist policies and historic links to the Irish Republican Army.

In recent months its poll ratings have plunged, due in part to a disconnect with working-class voters over immigration.

Party officials say Sinn Féin has gained momentum during the three-week election campaign, but its path to power remains limited by a lack of coalition partners.

Analysts say the most likely election outcome is another Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition.

Staff in the town of Cognac in southwestern France, from which the iconic brandy takes its name, earlier this month went on strike to protest a plan to export the drink in vats, rather than bottles.

Bottles will be subject to additional taxes estimated at 35 percent from China, Cognac’s second-largest export market after the United States.

Hennessy management announced Monday that they would put the plan on ice and the strike had come to an end.

But concern remains strong that Hennessy, part of the LVMH luxury group, and other leading brands will bow to pressure and export their brandies in bulk for bottling in China.

“This idea of relocating bottling is opening a Pandora’s box that could be disastrous,” said Tommy Dupuis, who has worked in the Hennessy factory for 13 years.

AOC extention?

The protesters are demanding in particular an extension of France‘s controlled designation of origin (AOC) labelling system – which aims to protect locally produced products – to include rules protecting local bottling, along the lines of the fizzy drink champagne.

“Today, the AOC does not protect local bottling, this needs to change,” said Matthieu Devers of the CGT union, urging support from the BNIC association of cognac producers.

“If the BNIC makes this decision, we will be able to protect our AOC from A to Z,” said Dupuis.

“Cognac is here and it must stay here,” said Gladys Decou, an employee on the bottling line.

Others fear disastrous economic consequences for the region. “If the production lines are moved, I will lose my job, the others too, and Cognac will become a ghost town. We must not let this happen,” said Alex Barbin, a driver at Hennessy for 15 years.

Since October 11, China has required importers of European brandies – of which cognac represents 95 percent of the total – to submit a deposit or a bank guarantee letter with Chinese customs authorities.

France says still ‘open’ to negotiation over China’s brandy tariffs

The measure is part of what Beijing describes as an anti-dumping investigation. But the move is widely seen as retaliation for the EU imposition of tariffs on electric cars imported from China.

Under the plan, materials including glassware, labels, corks and boxes would be shipped to China, where brandy would then be bottled.

Hennessy had said it was “suspending” – but not cancelling – the plan to follow the “evolution of the political and diplomatic situation”, with Prime Minister Michel Barnier announcing plans to visit China.

The cognac industry, which is heavily dependent on exports, also fears it will be targeted in the United States, its biggest market, following the election of Donald Trump, who plans to step up customs duties across the board.

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

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

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

Driver incentives

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

France announces new measures to combat violence against women

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

How it works

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

France looking for allies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(with Reuters, AFP)

Barnier’s struggles to push the 2025 budget through a polarised parliament have been threatening his fragile coalition government, as opponents on the left and right threaten a vote of no confidence that he is likely to lose.

The austerity budget, which seeks to rein in the public deficit with €60 billion deficit tax hikes and spending cuts, was rejected by the National Assembly before being debated by the Senate.

A commission of seven Senators and seven MPs Wednesday night came up with a compromise version, which will be put to a vote by both chambers.

If it passes, it would mean Barnier would avoid having to resort to using article 49.3 of the constitution that allows for legislation to be passed without a vote – a move that would very likely trigger a no-confidence vote.

Yet the far right National Rally, whose support is key to the government, disapproves of several measures in the compromise bill, including a tax increase on electricity, and a decision to not index pensions to inflation.

The government has been in negotiations with the RN which for weeks has been threatening to vote to bring down the government if their demands are not met.

Some say RN leader Marine Le Pen’s embezzlement trial may be influencing her hard line position.

Widely seen as the front-runner in the 2027 presidential election, she faces the possibility of being barred from running after prosecutors called for a five-year ban from public office.

An aide to centrist lawmaker Gabriel Attal, Barnier’s predecessor as prime minister, said Le Pen’s threats to topple the government were a bid “to eclipse the trial saga.”

In a TV interview on Tuesday, Barnier described the current situation as “extremely concerning,” predicting “extremely serious and turbulent conditions on financial markets” should his government fall.

Just over half of French people, angry over the proposed budget, want the government to fall, according to a poll published Thursday.

The poll conducted by Ifop-Fiducial for Sud radio showed that 67% opposed the budget,

In an Elabe poll for BFM TV on Wednesday, 63% of those surveyed said President Emmanuel Macron should resign if Barnier’s government fell.

(with AFP, Reuters)

Ukraine is bracing for what could be its toughest winter of the almost three-year war as Moscow steps up its aerial bombardment of the war-torn country and its troops advance on the frontlines in the east.

“There are emergency blackouts all over the country due to the enemy’s attack on our energy sector. There is no end in sight,” said the CEO of the Yasno energy supplier Sergey Kovalenko.

President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s chief of staff said Russia was “continuing their tactics of terror”, seeking to plunge Ukrainian civilians into darkness and cut of heating in the coldest months of the year.

“They stockpiled missiles for attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, for warfare against civilians during… winter,” Andriy Yermak said in a post on Telegram.

The combined missile and drone attack, launched in waves throughout the early hours of Thursday, knocked out electricity for more than a million subscribers in Ukraine’s west, hundreds of kilometres from the front lines.

“As of now, 523,000 subscribers in Lviv region are without electricity,” regional head Maksym Kozytskyi said on social media.

‘Massive enemy attack’

The western region, which borders EU and NATO member Poland, has been spared the worst of the fighting of Russia’s 33-month invasion but has been targeted in Russian drone and missile attacks sporadically.

Regional officials said at least another 280,000 were cut off in the western Rivne region and another 215,000 in the northwestern Volyn region, which also borders Poland.

The full extent of the damage was still being assessed on Thursday morning, with Russian drones also having targeted the capital Kviv, the northeastern city of Kharkiv and port city of Odesa on the Black Sea and other regions reporting power outages.

“Power engineers are working to ensure backup power supply schemes where possible. They have already started restoration work where the security situation allows,” the energy ministry said.

It said it was the 11th massive Russian attack on Ukraine‘s civilian energy infrastructure this year.

In an early morning warning posted on social media as the strikes were unfolding, Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko said facilities were “under massive enemy attack”.

The strikes, which came as temperatures hit 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) in many Ukrainian cities, are the latest in two weeks of dramatic escalation in the near three-year war.

A senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, this month warned Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may make this winter the “harshest since the start of the war”.

Both sides have fired new weapons in an attempt to gain an upper hand ahead of Donald Trump being inaugurated as US president in January.

Russia earlier this week said it was preparing its own retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on its territory using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.

Missile escalation

Kyiv has launched at least three attacks on Russian border regions with the missiles since the White House gave it permission to fire them on Russian territory.

Moscow responded to the first strike by firing a never-before-seen hypersonic ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro and Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the nuclear-capable missile could be used against Western countries next.

Trump on Wednesday named staunch loyalist and retired general Keith Kellogg as his Ukraine envoy, charged with ending the Russian invasion.

The incoming president has criticised US aid to Ukraine and boasted he could secure a ceasefire in hours – comments that have triggered concern in Kyiv that the US could push it to cede land.

Kellog, an 80-year-old national security veteran, co-authored a paper this year calling for Washington to leverage military aid as a means of pushing for peace talks.

Concerned at a string of Russian advances on the frontline, the outgoing Joe Biden administration has also urged Ukraine drop the minimum age of conscription from 25 to 18 to plug severe manpower shortages.

Russia’s defence ministry also said Thursday it had downed 25 Ukrainian drones fired overnight, including 14 over the southern Krasnodar territory – just to the east of the annexed Crimean peninsula.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘It’s absolutely disappointing’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The European Union is gearing up for significant challenges as it enters a new term under Ursula von der Leyen, beginning with her second mandate as the head of the European Commission.

A total of 370 MEPs voted in favour of the new Commission’s composition, 282 voted against, and 36 abstained.

Following the green light from the Strasbourg-based parliament, the EU executive still needs to be formally approved by the European Council – with a qualified majority – before it takes office take office on 1 December.

The new Commission, consisting of 27 members, will address the key priorities for the bloc’s future..

Taking over from Josep Borrel, Estonia’s former Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will take the lead as the EU’s chief diplomat, while Lithuania’s Andrius Kubilius will oversee efforts to enhance European defence capabilities.

The issue of increased defence spending has escalated across the Union, with von der Leyen advocating for an investment of €500 billion over the next decade to address security concerns, particularly in light of fears surrounding reduced American support under Trump and a potential shift in US commitment to Ukraine.

• Von der Leyen returns as commission boss after EU strikes deal on top jobs

Economy and ecology

Economic policy is another key focus as the EU seeks to strengthen its competitiveness against both the US and China.

Trade relationships will be subject to scrutiny, particularly given Trump’s threat of imposing tariffs on EU goods.

Slovakia’s Maros Sefcovic will handle trade strategies, while France’s Stéphane Sejourné will tackle industrial strategy amid challenges such as rising energy costs and competition from Chinese manufacturers.

On the environment, Teresa Ribera from Spain will lead the charge on competition and green transition policies, working closely with Sejourné to balance the EU’s growth ambitions in tandem with climate goals, especially as the continent aims towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral future by 2030.

• Roberta Metsola secures second term as EU parliament president

Trade and industry

Since the beginning of her first mandate, von der Leyen’s leadership style has shifted perceptions of the EU Commission, by strengthening its operational capacity and focus.

She has weeded out commissioners she didn’t see eye to eye with – such as France’s Thierry Breton – and benefited from a political alignment that has seen countries fill her new team with fellow conservatives.

Her first term began in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, when she advocated for joint initiatives like vaccine procurement and strategic energy independence from Russia.

Considering the current economic climate, the European Commission must also address challenges such as low productivity and weak investment, especially as the bloc looks to implement a “clean industrial deal” which aims to decarbonise the economy while ensuring energy security and independence.

Furthermore, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and fostering research and innovation in sectors like Artificial Intelligence will be crucial to revitalising European industries.

One immediate bone of contention is the proposed trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur bloc, which has sparked backlash from French farmers who are up in arms over competition from lower-priced imports.

The EU is looking to finalise the pact with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay during a summit in Montevideo next month. 

But France is frantically trying to find allies to derail plans to create the world’s biggest free trade zone.

Von der Leyen plans to push forward with a vision for sustainable agriculture and food systems, in a bid to balance free trade with local agricultural interests.

• EU leaders discuss top jobs after far-right gains in June elections

Security and migration

Since the onset of the Ukraine war, boosting military capacities has also become a pressing concern.

The addition of a dedicated defence commissioner in Kubilius highlights the EU’s commitment to a coordinated, common defence strategy.

However, as the EU consolidates its military resources, calls for a unified funding scheme – similar to its Covid pandemic recovery fund – remain contentious among member states.

Addressing the European Parliament ahead of the vote to confirm the members of her second Commission.this Wednesday, von der Leyen stated: “Our freedom and sovereignty depend more than ever on our economic strength. Our security depends on our ability to compete, innovate and produce”. 

Finally, immigration policy is especially pertinent in light of the new far-right political shift across Europe following July’s elections.

While irregular crossings have decreased by around 43 percent this year, the EU is charged with revisiting asylum legislation and tackle strategies for managing migration effectively.

In October, EU leaders called for urgent new legislation to increase and speed up migrant returns and for the commission to explore “new ways” to counter irregular migration. 

Von der Leyen has promised to work swiftly to put a proposal on the table, even though the bloc adopted a long-negotiated reform of its asylum policies only a few months ago. 

Jean-Noël Barrot’s visit to Chad and Ethiopia comes as France is expected to announce significant reductions in its military presence across the continent in the coming months. 

During his visit to Adré, a town close to Chad’s eastern border with Sudan, Barrot aims to reaffirm France’s commitment to its humanitarian promises. “France is keeping its commitments,” a source close to the minister told RFI. 

The Sudan crisis remains a key priority for French diplomacy. France led international humanitarian efforts in April when it hosted a donor conference that secured pledges worth 2 billion euros.  

However, the situation has deteriorated since then, with the UN now describing it as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. 

In the capital N’Djamena, Barrot is expected to meet with Chadian authorities to discuss the future of French military bases in the country. France’s military presence in Africa has been a contentious issue as it plans to scale back operations. 

While no formal announcements are expected during the trip, the discussions are likely to shape France’s long-term strategy in the region. 

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

Institutional reforms

The second leg of Barrot’s trip takes him to Ethiopia, home to the African Union (AU) headquarters. His agenda includes discussions on international institutional reforms, particularly regarding the United Nations Security Council. 

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

The issue of reform has gained momentum as African leaders continue to push for changes to reflect the continent’s growing influence on the world stage. 

This trip marks Barrot’s first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office in September – underscoring the region’s strategic importance to French foreign policy at a time when France’s military role in Africa is evolving. 

France wants to reshape its military footprint on the continent, with major changes expected to be announced in the months ahead. The country is seeking to maintain influence through diplomatic and humanitarian channels rather than primarily through military presence. 

Beyond the violence, hunger stands as another devastating consequence of the conflict in Sudan, which is currently experiencing the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.

Both armies are accused of using hunger as a weapon of war and hampering the passage of humanitarian aid. The country remains largely underfunded and the crisis in Sudan has been largely forgotten.

According to RFI’s reporter in Sudan, Al-Shuhada hospital in Bahri in the northern suburb of Khartoum has just been retaken from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces by the regular army .

Just a few hundred metres from the front lines, a different battle unfolds – a fight against malnutrition and hunger, which have now claimed more lives than the war itself.

UN mission calls for peacekeeping force in Sudan, suspects war crimes

Hospitals in dire state

In front of the doors of a nutrition service, Selwa Zakaria is waiting for medical staff.

“My two daughters died of hunger,” she told RFI. “The first four months ago – she was 12 years old. The second – a year-and-a-half-year old – died a week ago. We have nothing to eat.”

Fatima Haroun tends to malnourished babies, carefully weighing them one by one on the scales.

“In September alone, we recorded 20 deaths of children under [the age of] five,” she told RFI.

“The day before yesterday, a baby died here, we couldn’t do anything. We are facing a Level 1 famine. But no one realises the seriousness of the cases we receive here. I received a family who, when they have nothing to eat, they have to resort to Nile silt on a plate!”

Starved-looking figures also wait in the hospital lobby. A young boy named Fayad, who is nothing but skin and bones, is taken care of by Doctor Imad.

“When I received him in the emergency room, he was dehydrated, hypotensive,” the doctor told RFI. “He lacked sugar, water, everything.”

The doctor asks Fayad if he can talk. The boy can’t answer. His lips barely move.

Looking to flee

The Sudanese people who manage to escape the areas surrounded by fighting arrive in critical condition.

Azza Hussein has just left the Samarab neighborhood, a kilometre from the hospital.

“There was no food.The markets are empty. People are dying here and there,” he told RFI.

“In our neighborhood, there have been 150 deaths in two weeks. My neighbours, for example, died of sudden dysentery, and others died because of [dirty] well water. There is also dengue fever. Burials are happening in a hurry so that the bodies do not spread diseases.”

In normal times, these diseases do not kill if they are treated, but hunger makes them scourges, according to the director of the hospital Hadil El-Hassan.

Sudan’s health ministry declares cholera epidemic after 22 deaths

People’s immune systems are severely weakened. Across Sudan, the war has led to the destruction or looting of factories and markets. Citizens are under siege, with no access to food.

“We can’t send food to them,” El-Hassan said.

He calls for humanitarian corridors to be opened, especially to the areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.

Sudan at ‘cataclysmic breaking point’ amid multiple crises, UN warns

In the current chaos, precise figures are impossible to determine, he says, but the number of deaths from hunger is countless.

“They are the [collateral damage] of the war,” he adds.

The conflict has also uprooted more than eleven million people within its borders and two million refugees to neighbouring countries. 

While hunger threatens to kill more than fighting, humanitarian aid remains underfunded, distributed in rare locations. Most Sudanese feel completely abandoned.

In a carefully worded statement, the ministry said it would respect international justice obligations while noting that immunity rules protect leaders of states that are not ICC members, such as Israel. 

“A state cannot be held to act in a way that is incompatible with its obligations in terms of international law with regards to immunities granted to states which are not party to the ICC,” the foreign ministry said. 

“Such immunities apply to Prime Minister Netanyahu and other ministers in question, and must be taken into consideration should the ICC ask us to arrest them and hand them over.” 

Conflicting remarks

The announcement follows conflicting remarks from French officials about whether Netanyahu would face arrest if he travelled to France.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier previously stated that France would “rigorously apply its obligations” regarding the ICC warrant. 

Warrants were issued earlier this month for Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif. All three are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. 

France has committed to respecting its obligations under the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty, which requires full cooperation with the court.  

Divisions emerge as ICC targets Netanyahu and Hamas over war crimes

However, the ministry acknowledged that Article 98 of the statute permits exceptions for diplomatic immunity for leaders of non-member states, creating a potential conflict. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot indicated certain state leaders may be protected from ICC prosecution. 

Barrot told FranceInfo that Paris was “very attached to international justice and to the ICC being able to work independently”. 

He added that “it will ultimately be up to the judicial authority to make a ruling”. 

Netanyahu reportedly contacted French President Emmanuel Macron last week to voice his anger about the ICC’s decision and seek assurance that France would not enforce the arrest warrant. 

The 80-year-old is being held under Article 87 of the Algerian penal code, which covers terrorism, threats and state security. 

“If there must be an investigation, it in no way justifies extending the detention of Boualem Sansal,” said his lawyer François Zimeray in a statement.  

Describing the detention of an elderly writer as “a serious act”, he added: “Whatever injuries or sensitivities are invoked, they are inseparable from the very concept of freedom, which has been hard-won in Algeria.” 

Sansal was taken into custody on 16 November at Algiers airport and has since been questioned by Algeria’s anti-terrorism prosecutor. The legal period of police custody was reportedly due to end on Wednesday. 

‘Revisionist delusions’

The charges against Sansal are linked to comments he made in October to French media, where he discussed historical ties between western Algeria and Morocco, including the city of Oran.  

The remarks angered Algerian authorities, who interpreted them as undermining the country’s sovereignty. 

The Algerian state news agency APS accused Sansal of “revisionist delusions” and claimed he questioned Algeria’s existence, independence and history.  

Global outrage grows over Franco-Algerian writer’s detention in Algeria

APS also alleged that “France is defending a negationist who questions the existence and sovereignty of Algeria”. 

Sansal’s detention has sparked outcry in France, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot describing the charges as baseless. 

“Nothing in Boualem Sansal’s activities justifies the accusations that have led to his imprisonment,” Barrot told FranceInfo.  

“The detention of a French writer without grounds is simply unacceptable.”  

Barrot said state services are fully mobilised in Algiers and Paris to monitor Sansal’s situation and allow him access to consular protection.” 

The heaviest sentence requested is for Dominique Pelicot, Gisèle’s former husband, who prosecutors say orchestrated the attacks by sedating her with tranquillisers and inviting strangers he met online to assault her.  

The sentences range from four years for the least-involved defendant to 20 years, reflecting the severity of each accused’s role in the crimes. 

“With your verdict, you will show that ordinary rape does not exist. That accidental or involuntary rape does not exist,” said Laure Chabaud, one of two public prosecutors at the criminal court in Vaucluse told the court.  

“You will deliver a message of hope to victims of sexual violence. You will return a part of her stolen humanity to Gisèle Pelicot.” 

Tough sentences 

The sentences requested are significantly higher than the average for rape cases in France, which was 11.1 years in 2022, according to the Ministry of Justice. Prosecutors argue that the gravity of the crimes in this case demands tougher penalties.  

The prosecution laid out detailed sentencing requests after 11 weeks of hearings. 

The lightest sentence, four years, was sought for Joseph C, aged 69, who was charged only with sexual assault. The remaining 49 defendants face sentences between 10 and 18 years, with one man who attacked Gisèle six times among those facing the harshest penalties. 

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

Dominique Pelicot has acknowledged his actions throughout the trial. “I am guilty of what I did… I ruined everything, I lost everything. I must pay,” he said early on in the proceedings. 

Prosecutors described Pelicot as the “mastermind” of the abuse, which occurred in the couple’s home in Mazan, southern France.  

Wider impact 

The case has drawn international attention, with Gisèle, now 71, becoming a powerful symbol of resilience. She refused to have the proceedings held behind closed doors, a rare choice in sexual violence cases in France. 

She has since been hailed as an icon in the fight against violence against women.  

“This trial challenges our society,” said Jean-François Mayet, one of the prosecutors. “It forces us to rethink relationships between men and women, and to understand and respect the emotions, desires, and needs of others. 

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

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

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

Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.

Investors deterred

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

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

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

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

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

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

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

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

Government restrictions

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

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

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

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

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

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

International interest

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

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

Police break up French-Italian wine fraud ring

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

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

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that “one of our own” has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! 

It’s time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions – or wishes – for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, or what you hope to see happen in 2025, go ahead and send it to us. We’ll need your resolutions and/or wishes by 15 December.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. 

Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You have until 6 January to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 11 January 2025 podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.

Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.   

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. 

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

Turkey’s media regulator, RTUK, revoked the station’s licence, claiming it had failed to comply with an earlier fine and suspension.

That order came after a guest earlier this year referred to the 1915 killings of Armenians by Turkey’s then-Ottoman rulers as a genocide.

RTUK ruled that the comment incited public hatred. While Acik did pay the fine, it didn’t come off air, saying it was appealing the initial ruling in court.

The revocation of its broadcasting licence has drawn international condemnation and alarm. “Acik Radio has always adopted a moderate language, reflecting various political views,” Erol Onderoglu, the Turkey representative for Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) told RFI. 

Onderoglu warns that banning Acik is part of a wider trend in the country of “eliminating media pluralism and weakening remaining minority voices”. He continued: “It is in line with a political mission to impose a single official view on society, what they call national and patriotic journalism.”

‘Cultural hub’

In Istanbul’s Kadikoy district, listeners have been chanting in protest over Acik Radio’s removal from the airwaves.

Elif Unal, an avid listener, said the station has been an important part of everyday life for a long time. “They ban everything that makes us smile, that makes us feel happy,” she said. “Most of the people in Istanbul, across Turkey, open their eyes listening to Acik Radio. Acik Radio is important because it’s a cultural hub and also a political supporter of many organisations, NGOs and activists.”

Armenians warn ethnic cleansing risks being forgotten – again

Protestor Mete Atature said he grew up listening to Acik. “Whichever programme you are listening to, you’ll learn something. Not like a lecture, not like an education programme, but there’s always something it leaves you with, and I miss that.”

He added: “From one side, of course, it’s a shock. From another side, it’s not unexpected, given the way the whole country is going. There is less and less free speech, and there’s more oppression, and this is another example.”

Diverse voices

Since its launch in 1994, Acik Radio has sought to bridge Turkey’s deep cultural and political divides. Volunteers produce and present social and cultural programmes that represent the country’s diverse population, including minorities.

Yetvart Danzikyan hosted Acik’s show “Radio Agos,” a programme aimed at Turkey’s Armenian minority.

“We tried to make the unheard voices of not only the Armenian community but also all the other minorities, the Greek, Jewish, and Suryani communities,” he said, adding that they were trying to bring even more unheard voices to the station’s programmes.

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

Turkey’s main opposition parties are supporting the station, and say the closure is a government attempt to further tighten its grip on the country’s media.

For now, Acik has returned to broadcasting via the internet, securing a licence under the new name of APACIK Radio. 

But those who run the station feel they are fighting an uphill battle. “The general atmosphere is getting towards more repression in Turkey,” Acik’s co-founder Omer Madra said wearily. “But we are very determined to fight on, and we’ve had some magnificent support from all the regions of the country.”

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

It’s time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution – or resolutions if you are really ambitious! – by 15 December.

Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that “one of our own” has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! 

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. 

Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

This week’s quiz: In mid-October, our beloved sportsman Paul Myers wrote about yet another speedy Kenyan: Ruth Chepngetich. Chepngetich not only won the Chicago Marathon on 13 October, she set a world record, too. She finished the 42-kilometer course in two hours, nine minutes, and 56 seconds – beating the previous long-distance record set by almost two minutes. That record was set by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. 

Chepngetich also became the first woman to win the Chicago Marathon three times, since its inception in 1977.

You were to re-read Paul’s article “Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich sets women’s world record at Chicago Marathon”, and send in the answers to these questions: What are the names and nationalities of the women who took second and third place in the 2024 Chicago Marathon race?

The answer is: Ethiopian Sutume Kebede came second in two hours, 17 minutes and 32 seconds. Irine Cheptai from Kenya was third, with two hours, 17 minutes, and 52 seconds.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you describe real friendship? Give an example.” The question was suggested by Lata Akhter Murshida from Bogura, Bangladesh.

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

The winners are: RFI English listener Pradip Chandra Kundu from West Bengal, India. Pradip is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Pradip, on your double win.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ali Shahzad, a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh as well as Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India.

Last but assuredly not least, RFI English listener Tesha Akhter from Rajshahi, Bangladesh.  

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Sanoftob” by Thierry David; “Virtual Lifestyle” by Jean-Paul Merkel; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and In the Steppes of Central Asia by Alexander Borodin, performed by Evgeny Svetlanov and the USSR State Symphony Orchestra.

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

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Isabell Martinetti’s article “Paris Photo fair focuses on photo books and their publishers”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 16 December to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 December podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.

Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.   

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.