Anne Rigail, the CEO of Air France, has promised to strengthen the company’s “prevention and victim support system… with a focus on awareness and accelerating the training of all our staff”.

The airline will provide staff with an independent listening unit, and set up a dedicated service to tackle sexual discrimination and harassment.

“The protection of our 40,000 employees is a priority,” Rigail said, following a meeting with France’s transport minister Philippe Tabarot last week. “Everyone must be able to perform their duties without fear of harassment or sexist behaviour.”

‘He pinned me against the ovens’

Tabarot had demanded “explanations” from the French airline following the publication of an investigation by Radio France in which several female flight attendants complained of widespread sexual harassment, often by superiors.

Staff are angered by a culture that has allowed the normalisation of sexist behaviour, particularly during layovers.

Flight attendant Dominique described a dinner with two pilots, at which she accidentally dropped her credit card near one of their feet.

“He spread his legs, picked it up, then rubbed it against his crotch before putting it in his mouth. Then he leaned over the table, got close to my face, and I realised he wanted me to retrieve my credit card with my mouth.”

Sexism and workplace inequality is rife in most areas of French life, research shows

Mathilde, another flight attendant, said she has suffered harassment almost daily during her 20-year career. On one flight, the chief steward grabbed her by the hips and thrust himself against her when she was crouching down. 

“I told him to stop and he answered: ‘You don’t realise how much you turn me on.’ He pinned me against the ovens with his hands on my breasts.”

The harassment continued at the hotel where the crew were staying. “He pulled me towards him and kissed me in full view of the staff. Then, on the return flight, he grabbed my hand and put it on his penis.”

Mathilde informed her superiors but the steward denied the allegations and no action was taken. “His word was obviously worth more than mine,” she said. She filed a police complaint but three years on, the investigation is still ongoing.

‘All-powerful’ pilots

Flight attendants are not alone in making these complaints. Lucie, a captain, criticised the way her male counterparts are protected.

“I am an instructor captain. If they behave this way with me, their superior, imagine how they act with the flight attendants,” she told Radio France. “Every time I’ve experienced such incidents I reported them to management, but there have never been sanctions. The pilots are all-powerful.”

According to a September 2024 audit report commissioned by Air France’s management, nearly half of flight attendants working on long-haul flights find their relationship with pilots uncomfortable or highly uncomfortable.

The report concluded that there is a “status of absolute power among pilots,” which is “maintained by management”.

French men drawn to ‘traditional masculinity’, women face sexism: annual survey

Following the Radio France investigation, French newspaper Libération has collected further testimonies. “When I joined Air France [18 years ago] I was told ‘what happens on a layover stays on a layover’,” flight attendant Béatrice told the paper.

The unique conditions of the aviation industry can expose staff to this type of behaviour, according to Marjolaine Vignola, a lawyer specialising in sexual harassment in the workplace.

“Working conditions involve close physical proximity and a particular kind of camaraderie among colleagues, especially during layovers. Staying at the same hotel, having a drink at the bar… they’re informal moments, grey areas with high risks of sexual harassment since they blur the lines between professional and personal interactions,” she told RFI.

She also points to a corporate culture with a very gendered hierarchy, “where positions of responsibility are often held by men, and the image of the submissive and dedicated flight attendant in uniform contributes to the level of risk”.

‘Fear of retaliation’

While the #Metoo movement has helped women in other industries, notably cinema, to speak out, an internal Air France report last year – seen by Radio France – said many women in the company were afraid to do so, fearing they would not be taken seriously.

“The silence reflects the fear that victims feel – fear of retaliation from their employer,” said Vignola. “The prevailing silence is symptomatic of a corporate culture that tolerates this type of behaviour.”

French film director Ruggia convicted of sexually abusing actress Adèle Haenel

Rigail appeared to address those concerns in an internal video viewed by Libération. Speaking to the company’s 40,000 staff, the CEO said: “We must all acknowledge that today, these situations are likely to occur. I expect the entire management team to do everything necessary to ensure that employees can speak up and feel protected.”

Staff should be protected by Air France’s anti-harassment charter, but the largest of the pilots’ unions, the SNPL, has refused to sign it. “This charter is not suited to our nomadic lifestyle,” Carl Grain, a captain and the president of SNPL’s Air France section, told Radio France.

However, Alter, another union, takes a different view. David Buchard, a pilot and Alter union representative, said that the Radio France investigation “also reveals a failure of Air France’s management to protect staff”.

As early as 2021, Alter had on several occasions alerted management over the “normalisation” of behaviour that could lead to “dramatic” situations, even calling into question “flight safety”. 

The union has called for in-person training led by external organisations to educate pilots, captains and instructors.

According to Libération, Air France carried out 18 enquiries into alleged sexual harassment in 2023 and 2024, leading to 11 disciplinary sanctions including three dismissals.

The airline has promised to conduct an independent investigation into the latest allegations revealed by Radio France.

The bill – which comes into force on Tuesday – was approved unanimously by lawmakers on 13 February after a two-year process.

The bill prohibits the sale and distribution in France of devices “pre-filled with a liquid and not refillable, whether or not they have a rechargeable battery.”

Pre-filled disposable e-cigarettes, known as “puffs”, are popular with young people, can have a high nicotine content, are cheap, and come in many flavours including apple, watermelon and chocolate.

The wording follows the recommendations of the European Commission.

This is a “strong measure” which will make it possible to “protect our youth and prevent the spread of new vectors of entry into smoking and addiction”, Health Minister Yannick Neuder, in a message published on social media platform X.

In a statement, the League Against Cancer association hailed a “major breakthrough” but urged authorities to go further by “banning new nicotine products and derivatives.”

Affordable, enticing flavours

A 2023 EU study found that while rechargeable cigarettes – or vapes – are more commonly used, single-use vapes remain particularly popular among people aged 15 to 24.

Fifteen percent of adolescents aged 13 to 16 have already used “puffs” and, among them, 47 percent say they began their introduction to nicotine this way, according to a 2023 BVA survey for Alliance against Tobacco (ACT).

Their affordability and ease of use, combined with widespread social media marketing, make them even more enticing to young buyers.  

Health authorities in France and Belgium say that chronic nicotine consumption is especially harmful to the adolescent brain and could encourage use of other drugs.

EU moves to ban smoking and vaping in outdoor spaces

In December 2024, Belgium approved legislation to become the first EU country to ban disposable e-cigarettes, with a ban from 1 January.

The European Union aims to achieve a tobacco-free generation by 2040, reducing the 27-country bloc’s smoking population from around 25 percent now to less than five percent of the total.

“It is a great victory in a two-pronged battle that we were fighting: an environmental battle against the polluting lithium batteries in these ‘puffs’, and a health battle for our schoolchildren,” Francesca Pasquini, the author of the bill, told French news agency AFP.

She said she hoped that France’s example could inspire other countries.

The United Kingdom has already announced a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes by June this year.

(with AFP)

In African embassies, few voices are willing to speak out on the war in Ukraine. Many of the diplomats contacted by RFI were reluctant to discuss the subject – a silence that reflects a posture widely adopted by African states since the Russian invasion three years ago: that of strategic neutrality.

This reticence can be largely explained by economic considerations. “A number of African countries are dependent on deliveries of Russian and Ukrainian cereals and fertilisers. They can’t afford to break with either side,” explained Emmanuel Dupuy, president of think tank the Institute for European Perspective and Security Studies (IPSE) and a lecturer in geopolitics.

Diplomatic balancing act

Some states have adopted a pragmatic approach. Morocco, for example, is torn between expressing support for Ukraine – as a way of bolstering its own position on the Western Sahara – and adopting a cautious attitude towards Russia, so as not to jeopardise its veto on this issue in the United Nations Security Council.

S.Africa wants ‘inclusive’ talks on ending Ukraine war, invites Zelensky

Dr. Serigne-Bamba Gaye, a consultant in geopolitical issues, calls this “African pragmatism”. “Africa maintains an open dialogue with all its partners. The example of South Africa is particularly revealing: although a member of BRICS alongside Russia, Pretoria continues to maintain relations with Ukraine, while consolidating its strategic partnership with Moscow,” he said.

The African battleground

The continent has in turn become a diplomatic battleground for Moscow and Kyiv, with the two capitals redoubling their efforts to rally support, using both strategic and symbolic arguments.

In its search for allies, Ukraine is positioning itself first and foremost as the target of an illegal invasion, a narrative that has particular resonance in African countries that have themselves suffered under colonisation.

Kyiv is seeking to generate solidarity by emphasising the right of a people to self-determination. On the diplomatic front it is stepping up its initiatives, notably through the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Switzerland, in June 2024, which was attended by several African leaders.

Rejection of colonialist discourse

For its part, Russia is exploiting its network of historic alliances, while playing on an anti-Western rhetoric that resonates with certain African states. Former Malian ambassador Oumar Keita sums this up as follows: “The Western bloc really wants to impose, above all, human rights. Africans are very wary of this colonialist rhetoric. And Africa is in tune with Russia’s policy. We can’t say that Russia is a truly democratic country, but since Europe imposes democracy, it’s a bit complicated.”

African troops ‘forced to Ukraine frontlines’ while Russians stay in camp

Senegal too is navigating Western pressure to condemn Russian aggression and the need to preserve its ties with Moscow. Macky Sall, in his role as then-chairman of the African Union, discussed the Grain from Ukraine programme – a humanitarian initiative under which Ukraine would supply grain to the poorest countries in Africa – with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December 2022, but refrained from any outright break with Russia, a key player in energy and military exports to the continent.

Sahel alignment with Moscow

While many African countries have sought to maintain such strategic neutrality, some have changed their position. Mali is a striking example: after abstaining from voting on UN resolutions concerning Ukraine in 2022, in 2023 Bamako rallied to Russia’s position and voted against a resolution calling for an end to the war and demanding that Russia leave Ukrainian territory, in line with the growing rapprochement between the two countries.

This change in position was accompanied by a clear diplomatic break with Kyiv. Maliand Niger ceased relations with Ukraine on 4 and 6 August last year respectively, accusing Kyiv of “supporting international terrorism”.

This decision was precipitated by comments from Andriy Yusov, spokesman for Ukrainian Military Intelligence, who claimed Malian armed groups had used Ukrainian information during an offensive against the Malian army and Wagner Group mercenaries in Tinzaouaten in July 2024.

“Everything was fine between the two countries until Ukrainian officials made subversive remarks,” said Oumar Keita, a former Malian ambassador. For Bamako, these statements amounted to unacceptable interference, and reinforced the junta’s desire to strengthen its ties with Moscow.

“Wagner is still in Mali, close to the Malian army, fighting the terrorists. That says it all,” Keita added, in justification of the rapprochement with Moscow.

Russia eyes Libya to replace Syria as Africa launchpad

Burkina Faso has joined its Alliance of Sahel States partners in aligning itself with Russia. The trio have asked the UN to take measures against Ukraine, illustrating a clear break with Ukraine.

According to Keita, this change of heart is also rooted in a feeling of disappointment with the West: “Mali was really disappointed because it was not supported in its fight against terrorism. That same position is still [the case] today.”

Africa on the international stage

“What has changed in three years is not so much Africa’s position, but the unity of the Western bloc,” according to Dr. Gaye. “The arrival of Donald Trump has upset the global balance, undermining unconditional support for Ukraine and paving the way for unilateral initiatives to try to resolve the conflict.”

He believes that while the African continent has demonstrated a pragmatic approach by refusing to align itself with or apply Western sanctions, it is still struggling to impose a common strategy in the face of the many crises that affect it. From instability in the Sahel to conflicts in Central Africa and Sudan, these internal security situations are limiting its diplomatic influence.

Niger embraces Russia for uranium production leaving France out in the cold

“The resurgence of conflicts in Central Africa, Sudan and the Sahel illustrates a persistent strategic weakness,” he said. “Africa must adopt a more assertive pragmatism, not only to carry weight on the international stage, but above all to resolve its own crises. Otherwise, it will remain on the sidelines of major global decisions.”

This article has been adapted from the original French version.

In 2022, the death of 75,647 children before their fifth birthday was recorded in the WHO’s European region – which comprises 53 countries, including several in Central Asia.

The top five causes of death were “preterm birth complications, birth asphyxia, congenital heart anomalies, lower respiratory infections, and neonatal sepsis,” the health body said in a report.

The region is known for strong health systems but “is largely stagnating or even backsliding on a range of indicators from child and adolescent health to chronic diseases”, the WHO said.

“Many infants and children still die unnecessarily before the age of five years,” the WHO report said.

“In some countries mortality in children under five, and even maternal mortality, is also plateauing or increasing or reversing… there is no time to be complacent,” Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, director of the WHO’s division of country health policies and systems, said during an online press conference.

Evolving threats

While the child death rate remains very low in Europe, there are considerable differences between the best and worst performing countries.

Most EU countries have between 1.5 and 4.1 deaths of under fives per 1,000 births, in contrast to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, where the rate is between 18.2 and 40.4.

The UN health agency noted other worrying issues for the health of children and adolescents in the region.

WHO launches plan for free child cancer medicines in low-income countries

It said one in five adolescents suffers from a mental health condition, suicide remains the leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, and girls systematically report lower levels of mental well-being compared with boys.

“Our young people are also facing new and evolving threats,” Hans Kluge, regional director for Europe, said at the press conference.

In addition, 15 percent of teenagers say they have been victims of cyberbullying, one in 10 teenagers aged 13 to 15 use some form of tobacco product and almost one in three school-age children is overweight, with one in eight obese.

The organisation has launched a consultation with 53 member states to define its priorities and plans for the next five years.

Ageing population

“In our online and interconnected world, our young people are ironically feeling lonelier than ever before, with many struggling with their weight and self-confidence, setting them up for poor health as adults,” Kluge said.

“Protecting and improving child health provides dividends throughout a person’s life while reducing the cost to society.”

Global fertility rate to plunge by end of century, study says

“This couldn’t be more crucial because for the first time ever, there are more people aged over 65 years than under 15 years in the European region,” he added.

Kluge also said he believed change was urgent, as the population of Europe is getting older, but young people’s way of life is worrying.

“The European region must be bold and innovative in its efforts to build healthier, more stable societies, but must also realise that health security is key to national and international security,” Kluge said.

(with AFP)

European politicians are attempting to gain a foothold in the looming peace negotiations after Trump sidelined them as well as the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky by making direct contact with Putin on 12 February.

“You can discuss whatever you want with Putin,” said Kallas at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “But if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal.”

Trump has fuelled fears that Ukraine might be humiliated. Questioning Zelenksy’s political legitimacy, Trump said: “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law.”

In a post on social media, Trump added: “A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.” 

Kallas said: “To look at the messages that come from the United States, then it’s clear that the Russian narrative is there, very strongly represented.”

Kallas’s visit to the American capital comes as part of intense diplomatic activity in the city. The French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the US on Monday – the third anniversary of the Russian invasion – and joined Trump in the Oval Office to take part in a call with the heads of the G7 leading economies and Zelensky.

A video posted by Zelensky on social media showed Trump behind his desk during the G7 call with Macron on his right hand side and US Vice President JD Vance to his left.

At their meeting later, Macron was expected to present several proposals warning Trump over the dangers of accepting a bad agreement over Ukraine.

“I’m going to tell him: being weak in the face of Putin, it’s not in your interest,” Macron said on his social networks last week. “Otherwise how else will you be able to be strong in the face of China and Iran?”

Kudos

Macron is the first European leader to visit Trump since his inauguration on 20 January. He will be followed by the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. During Starmer’s visit, Kallas is due to conclude two days of meetings with Rubio and other senior officials.

Trump’s acolytes have also caused concern in Europe over their approach towards Ukraine and the commitment to honouring American obligations to the defence bloc Nato.

“It’s clear that the statements coming from the United States make us all worried,” Kallas added. “I want to stress that Nato is a defence alliance that is there for the defence of all the members, and it has worked well, also for America.”

In response to Washington’s equivocation, EU leaders will meet in Brussels next week for an emergency summit on Ukraine and bolstering their own defences with increased spending.

They are expected to agree a new package of arms for Ukrainian air defences as well as artillery shells and missiles.

“The details, especially the numbers, will be decided and discussed at the extraordinary European summit on 6 March,” said Kallas.

(With newswires)

Meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the two leaders said there was progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, although Macron insisted on US security guarantees for Kyiv.

“This peace cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine,” Macron told a joint news conference on Monday.

Ukraine “fought over these past few years for its independence and for its sovereignty, but also for our collective security”, Macron said. “I think that no one in this room wants to live in a world where it’s the law of the strongest and international borders can be violated from one day to the next.”

Macron said Trump had “good reason” to re-engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin but warned of Europe’s own experience in negotiating after an earlier conflict in Ukraine a decade ago.

“In 2014, our predecessors negotiated peace with President Putin, but because of the lack of guarantees and especially security guarantees President Putin violated this peace,” Macron said.

“So this is why being strong and having deterrence capacities is the only way to be sure it will be respected,” he said.

Macron, who has mulled sending French troops to Ukraine to preserve any peace, said it was critical for the United States to offer “backup” for any European peacekeeping force.

“A lot of my European colleagues are ready to be engaged, but we do need this American backup, because this is part of the credibility of the security guarantees,” he said.

A path forward

Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have both ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine.

The French president said he would work with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who visits the White House on Thursday, on a proposal to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a deal.

“After speaking with President Trump, I fully believe there is a path forward,” said Macron.

The French president rushed to Washington after Trump sent shock waves around the world when he declared his readiness to resume diplomacy with Russia and hold talks to end the Ukraine war without Kyiv.

EU leaders in Ukraine to mark third anniversary of Russia’s invasion

Trump’s recent embrace of Russia has sparked fears not only that it could spell the end of US support for Kyiv, but for the rest of Europe too.

The US president said Monday he was confident of bringing an end to the war, and that he expected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in the next two weeks.

Trump expressed optimism that the US and Ukraine were nearing a deal that would give the US access to Ukraine’s critical minerals to help repay the more than $180 billion (€174 billion) in American aid delivered to Kyiv since the start of the war in 2022.

“I think we could end it within weeks – if we’re smart. If we’re not smart, it will keep going,” Trump said earlier in the Oval Office alongside Macron.

Macron later agreed that a truce was possible in “weeks,” in an interview with Fox News, but he stressed earlier that Kyiv “must be involved” in talks to end the war.

Flexibility

Trump meanwhile added that Putin was ready to “accept” European troops deployed in Ukraine as guarantors of a deal to end fighting.

But the billionaire tycoon repeated his demands that Europe bears the burden for future support of Ukraine, and that the US recoups the billions of dollars in aid it has given Kyiv.

He also declined to call Putin a dictator – despite calling Zelensky one last week – or to comment on the UN resolutions.

Macron warns Trump: ‘No weakness’ with Putin as France enters ‘new era’

At the United Nations, the United States sided with Russia twice on Monday, as Washington sought to avoid any condemnation of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

For his part, Putin has been biding his time since his ice-breaking call with Trump less than two weeks ago.

Putin said in an interview with state television Monday that European countries can “participate” in talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, his first sign of flexibility on the issue.

Meanwhile, Zelensky called for peace “this year” as he met European leaders in Kyiv and said he would step down in exchange for peace with a guarantee that Ukraine could join NATO.

(with newswires)

Longoria railed at the performance of referee Jérémy Stinat who rejected Marseille appeals for a penalty and dismissed Marseille defender Derek Cornelius for two bookable offences.

“Let Pablo Longoria tell it like it is: this is real corruption!” said the 39-year-old Spaniard after the Ligue 1 clash.

Before Saturday’s game at the Stade Abbé-Deschamps, Marseille officials had openly expressed their concern over Stinat’s appointment as the main referee for the match.

The 46-year-old former footballer had been the fourth official in the Coupe de France tie against Lille where Marseille’s director of football Medhi Benatia was suspended for three months for his behaviour towards Stinat.

On Wednesday, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Longoria’s sporting advisor, will also come under scrutiny for branding Stinat’s performance at Auxerre as scandalous.

Former Cote d’Ivoire boss Gasset takes over at Marseille

Punishment

The 56-year-old Italian’s sanction is likely to be lighter.

If the watchdogs decide “excessive or inappropriate behaviour”, they can impose a three-match suspension. “Offensive behaviour” can lead to a four-match ban.

“Rude or insulting behaviour” could result in a suspension of up to 12 matches, and “intimidating or threatening behaviour” could be punished by a six-month ban.

Longoria’s comments brought immediate condemnation from Antony Gautier, the referees’ boss at the French Football Federation as well as the outfit’s top executive Philippe Diallo.

“Calling into question the integrity of our referees is defamatory, unacceptable and reprehensible,” he said.

On Sunday , Safe, the union for officials operating in the top four divisions, said its members would sue for defamation.

On Monday, Longoria apologised for his outburst. “I would like to say that there is no corruption in French football,” he said in an interview with the French news agency  AFP.

Marseille host PSG amid battle against homophobic chanting on terraces

Form

“The form wasn’t appropriate and I regret using that word.”

Longoria, who took over as president at Marseille in 2021, added: “I’m very self-critical, and I can’t accept this type of image. A club president can’t behave like that. Nothing justifies the form and I’m not happy with myself.

“Everyone has explained to me the meaning of the word corruption in French, because in Spanish it has a broader meaning. Mind you, that doesn’t justify anything. But I’ve never in my life thought about something like exchanging money or financial transactions, and I’d never allow myself to do that.”

The loss at Auxerre – Marseille’s fifth of the season – left them 10 points adrift of pacesetters Paris Saint-Germain who capitalised on the defeat with a 3-2 victory at Lyon on Sunday night to surge 13 points clear with 11 games remaining. The win allowed Auxerre to climb to 11th in Ligue 1 with 28 points afer 23 games.

(With newswires)

In African embassies, few voices are willing to speak out on the war in Ukraine. Many of the diplomats contacted by RFI were reluctant to discuss the subject – a silence that reflects a posture widely adopted by African states since the Russian invasion three years ago: that of strategic neutrality.

This reticence can be largely explained by economic considerations. “A number of African countries are dependent on deliveries of Russian and Ukrainian cereals and fertilisers. They can’t afford to break with either side,” explained Emmanuel Dupuy, president of think tank the Institute for European Perspective and Security Studies (IPSE) and a lecturer in geopolitics.

Diplomatic balancing act

Some states have adopted a pragmatic approach. Morocco, for example, is torn between expressing support for Ukraine – as a way of bolstering its own position on the Western Sahara – and adopting a cautious attitude towards Russia, so as not to jeopardise its veto on this issue in the United Nations Security Council.

S.Africa wants ‘inclusive’ talks on ending Ukraine war, invites Zelensky

Dr. Serigne-Bamba Gaye, a consultant in geopolitical issues, calls this “African pragmatism”. “Africa maintains an open dialogue with all its partners. The example of South Africa is particularly revealing: although a member of BRICS alongside Russia, Pretoria continues to maintain relations with Ukraine, while consolidating its strategic partnership with Moscow,” he said.

The African battleground

The continent has in turn become a diplomatic battleground for Moscow and Kyiv, with the two capitals redoubling their efforts to rally support, using both strategic and symbolic arguments.

In its search for allies, Ukraine is positioning itself first and foremost as the target of an illegal invasion, a narrative that has particular resonance in African countries that have themselves suffered under colonisation.

Kyiv is seeking to generate solidarity by emphasising the right of a people to self-determination. On the diplomatic front it is stepping up its initiatives, notably through the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Switzerland, in June 2024, which was attended by several African leaders.

Rejection of colonialist discourse

For its part, Russia is exploiting its network of historic alliances, while playing on an anti-Western rhetoric that resonates with certain African states. Former Malian ambassador Oumar Keita sums this up as follows: “The Western bloc really wants to impose, above all, human rights. Africans are very wary of this colonialist rhetoric. And Africa is in tune with Russia’s policy. We can’t say that Russia is a truly democratic country, but since Europe imposes democracy, it’s a bit complicated.”

African troops ‘forced to Ukraine frontlines’ while Russians stay in camp

Senegal too is navigating Western pressure to condemn Russian aggression and the need to preserve its ties with Moscow. Macky Sall, in his role as then-chairman of the African Union, discussed the Grain from Ukraine programme – a humanitarian initiative under which Ukraine would supply grain to the poorest countries in Africa – with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December 2022, but refrained from any outright break with Russia, a key player in energy and military exports to the continent.

Sahel alignment with Moscow

While many African countries have sought to maintain such strategic neutrality, some have changed their position. Mali is a striking example: after abstaining from voting on UN resolutions concerning Ukraine in 2022, in 2023 Bamako rallied to Russia’s position and voted against a resolution calling for an end to the war and demanding that Russia leave Ukrainian territory, in line with the growing rapprochement between the two countries.

This change in position was accompanied by a clear diplomatic break with Kyiv. Maliand Niger ceased relations with Ukraine on 4 and 6 August last year respectively, accusing Kyiv of “supporting international terrorism”.

This decision was precipitated by comments from Andriy Yusov, spokesman for Ukrainian Military Intelligence, who claimed Malian armed groups had used Ukrainian information during an offensive against the Malian army and Wagner Group mercenaries in Tinzaouaten in July 2024.

“Everything was fine between the two countries until Ukrainian officials made subversive remarks,” said Oumar Keita, a former Malian ambassador. For Bamako, these statements amounted to unacceptable interference, and reinforced the junta’s desire to strengthen its ties with Moscow.

“Wagner is still in Mali, close to the Malian army, fighting the terrorists. That says it all,” Keita added, in justification of the rapprochement with Moscow.

Russia eyes Libya to replace Syria as Africa launchpad

Burkina Faso has joined its Alliance of Sahel States partners in aligning itself with Russia. The trio have asked the UN to take measures against Ukraine, illustrating a clear break with Ukraine.

According to Keita, this change of heart is also rooted in a feeling of disappointment with the West: “Mali was really disappointed because it was not supported in its fight against terrorism. That same position is still [the case] today.”

Africa on the international stage

“What has changed in three years is not so much Africa’s position, but the unity of the Western bloc,” according to Dr. Gaye. “The arrival of Donald Trump has upset the global balance, undermining unconditional support for Ukraine and paving the way for unilateral initiatives to try to resolve the conflict.”

He believes that while the African continent has demonstrated a pragmatic approach by refusing to align itself with or apply Western sanctions, it is still struggling to impose a common strategy in the face of the many crises that affect it. From instability in the Sahel to conflicts in Central Africa and Sudan, these internal security situations are limiting its diplomatic influence.

Niger embraces Russia for uranium production leaving France out in the cold

“The resurgence of conflicts in Central Africa, Sudan and the Sahel illustrates a persistent strategic weakness,” he said. “Africa must adopt a more assertive pragmatism, not only to carry weight on the international stage, but above all to resolve its own crises. Otherwise, it will remain on the sidelines of major global decisions.”

This article has been adapted from the original French version.

Hundreds of people have gathered in the Glass House of the Berlin Arena, an old bus factory located at the bank of the river Spree that now hosts techno parties and other events.

The atmosphere is one of exaltation and speeches are received with thunderous applause, happy shouting and whistles.

They are celebrating the fact that the Die Linke party (“The Left”) garnered 8.5 percent of the votes in Germany’s national elections held on Sunday.

During the previous elections in 2021, it did not make the 5 percent threshold needed to enter the Bundestag (parliament).

Scholz’s SPD suffers historic election loss, as Germany’s far-right AfD doubles in size

This time the heated campaign energised voters, with a turnout of 84 percent, the highest level since Germany‘s reunification in 1990.

“I’m absolutely enthusiastic about it. It is absolutely amazing. And nobody expected it,” Tess, one of the Die Linke supporters tells RFI. 

Die Linke is an offspring of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) that ruled communist East Germany for seven decades.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the SED morphed into the Democratic Socialist Party (PDS) and, in 2005 changed its name to Die Linke, which reached its biggest success in 2009 with 11.9 percent of the votes.

Its popularity faded, and in 2021, the party disappeared from the Bundestag due to lack of support. 

Some of the older members trace their current membership back to the days of the SED, the party that became notorious for its iron rule, complete subordination to the USSR’s Communist Party and its regime of Stasi secret police that monitored and persecuted the population of East Germany.

But today, the party wants to radiate youthfulness and enthusiasm.

Commentators on German radio, say that Die Linke is now a “youthful party” that cares, among other things, about ecology – something that used to be the monopoly of the Green party.

Germany’s pivotal election: rising AfD, struggling left, and Europe’s uncertain future

Die Linke is also gaining ground in response to the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party which came second in the polls with a record 20 percent, driven by fears over immigration and with strongest gains in its heartland in the ex-communist east.

“Of course it is very frightening to see that the far-right party is the second most successful party.” says Nico, another Linke supporter who is at the election night event at Berlin Arena. “But still we are very happy that we are back as a party,” he tells RFI.

Friedrich Merz, whose CDU/CSU alliance claimed victory with 28 percent of the vote, now has to form a coalition.

He is most likely to side with the vanquished Social Democrats (SPD) of the outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz but has pledged not to include the AfD in the future composition.

But both Tess and Nico think that Die Linke should not form a part of the government either.

“Die Linke is an opposition party,” says Tess, laughing away the idea of Die Linke governing. 

Nico agrees: “The promises that were made by the other parties are not going to be upheld. And that’s why there has to be a social opposition in the parliament. And that’s going to be the Left Party,” he says confidently.

“We are here today to demonstrate for law and order and against left-extremism and politically motivated violence,” Ferhat Sentürk told RFI.

He was one of the organisers of a rally of extreme right wing sympathisers and neo-nazis that got permission to march through the centre of Berlin on Saturday.

The group consisted of a few hundred, mostly young, people, clad in black, some with dead-head facemasks and caps. 

They planned to march 1.5 kilometers from Dorothea Schlegel-Platz, near Friedrichstraße U-Bahn station, to Berlin’s main railway station.

The demonstrators were surrounded by a massive police force, separating them from large groups of antifa protestors who were gathering in the streets at the other side of the station and at the opposite quai of the River Spree.

Despite the heavy police presence, one counter-protester managed to get through the cordon.

“These guys are racist and anti-semitic,” said Karoline Preisler, dressed in red and holding a bouquet of colourful tulips. 

“I hope my message is clear. Anti-semitism wasn’t defeated in Germany, it wasn’t defeated in the streets. We have to fight it”.

She explained she is worried about the upcoming elections: “Right-wing parties are becoming more popular. 

“In the past, democratic parties did not tackle one very important theme: migration. Migration belongs to everyday life, but the problems it generates are not being solved,” she told RFI.

Meanwhile, Sentürk – the organiser of Saturday’s rally – boasted that “Germany is finally standing up” and is happy that “the right or centre-right political discourse is finally ignited,” referring to recent attempts by the opposition CDU to cooperate with the hard-right AfD on a migration law.

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

The CDU-AfD joint move already led to massive demonstrations in Berlin and other cities earlier this month, but CDU leader Friedrich Merz was quick to distance himself from the temporary alliance, claiming the AfD is out to “destroy” the CDU.

But the seed of distrust between the CDU and potential coalition partners was sown.

The CDU-AfD deal broke the longstanding barrier between mainstream political parties and the AfD, thus complicating coalition negotiations that are set to begin after Sunday’s elections. 

Sentürk and his group welcome the broader shift to the right in both German and European politics. They also admire US President Donald Trump.

“We support Donald Trump and his policies. From his first day in office, he made an impact on Europe, dismantling the left-wing agenda in a single day—and we think that’s fantastic. We like it. Happily. I wish him all the best.”

By 11:30am on Saturday, a long line of police cars with blue flashlights started to move slowly, and hundreds of hard-right protesters followed, chanting “immigrants out” to a drumbeat.

Marchers at the front carried their name – the “Bürgerliche Allianz Deutschland” or German Civil Alliance – and their acronym: B.A.D.

The group then set to cross the Wiedammer bridge, but was faced with thousands of antifa protesters gathered on the other side of the river, beating drums and chanting “Nazis ‘Raus!” or Nazis! Out!

The groups were separated by police in full riot gear, wearing helmets, shields and guns. Members of the groups exchanged obscene gestures and yelled curses at each other. 

Along the way, different antifa demonstrators tried to intervene and block the progress of the far-right supporters. 

At key intersections, counter-protesters who had anticipated the far-right march’s route – sat down, blocking the progress of the group.

The group would then come to a standstill. In order to keep his followers from rioting, Sentürk would grab the microphone and hold speeches that would last several minutes, followed by marching music.

The police, consulting maps, would then plot an alternative route and guide the group around the blockades. 

By the end of the day, there were several standoffs between the groups and in some cases, police had to resort to pepper spray to disperse the protesters.

More demonstrations are planned for the remainder of the weekend.

Polling stations will open across Germany at 08:00am, Sunday. 

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. 

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

His first comments as the go-to face of the impending winter extravaganza were as assured as yesteryear’s surge to glory. 

“The challenge ahead of me is like a long field of bumps,” quipped Grospiron, who embarked on a career as a motivational speaker after hanging up his skis. “So you’re going to need strong knees … don’t worry, I’m used to it.

“We’re going to encounter bumps, but our mission is going to be to overcome them, to face them. The bigger the obstacle, the greater the opportunity behind it, and that’s what we’re going to be working on together with the organising committee.”

Top of the list will be the selection of a chief executive to help share the load. Around €600 million worth of sponsorship will also need to be secured to pad out the two billion euros allocated for the 26th Winter Olympic Games.

The egos of local, regional and national political leaders will have to be flattered and pampered while adhering to the icy demands of national and international Olympic administrators.

Global warming – leading to the amount and quality of the snow – will be a likely concern.

In the flurry of interviews after his anointment, Grospiron maintained his composure. 

Former skiing champion Grospiron takes on role as face of 2030 Winter Olympics

Task

“I don’t see it as a nightmare at all,” Grospiron told RFI. “On the contrary, I see it as a big challenge. And big challenges lead to big victories, and small challenges to small victories.

“What’s interesting about this project is that in France, we have extraordinary resources and we’re going to be able to mobilise them.

“They are already well mobilised to serve this project. It is a magnificent project that should also help to provide answers to the climate challenges we face”. 

Sports administrators in France are basking in the glow of a successful Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

The three-time Olympic canoeing champion, Tony Estanguet, headed that organising committee with drive and panache and French athletes then harvested record hauls of medals to justify the financial investments in their bids for personal and national kudos.

In the wake of those coups, regional government officials gleefully parade their savoir-faire during tours with delegations from future Olympic cities such as Los Angeles and Brisbane.

“It’s all about teamwork and synergy,” said Grospiron. “Managing to unite all the energies that will enable us to get there. Obviously, Paris 2024 leaves a legacy in terms of human resources, that are, shall we say, plug and play. And that’s a real opportunity”.

Grospiron emerged as a candidate after former biathlete Martin Fourcade quit at the beginning of February. Fourcade, France’s most successful Winter Olympian with six golds and a silver from Vancouver, Sochi and Pyeonchang between 2010 and 2018, fell out with local politicians and clashed over the siting of the organising committee’s headquarters. The 36-year-old preferred a base in Grenoble, Chamonix, Albertville or Aix-les-Bains rather than Lyon.

French Alps the only bidder to host 2030 Winter Olympics

Chance

His withdrawal was a huge blow to the prestige of the project a few months after President Emmanuel Macron described him as the Estanguet of the Alps.

Though unable to boast a dazzling array of Winter Olympic hardware – Grospiron took bronze in the moguls in 1994 – a sense of pragmatism emerges from the 55-year-old’s experiences as chef de mission for the France team at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics and as head of Annecy’s bid to stage the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“The only politics I’m going to have is knowing what’s good for the project and how the elected representatives are going to be able to help me deliver these Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Grospiron insisted. “Because that’s really what’s at stake.

“Tony [Estanguet] was faced with the same thing and he succeeded. He managed to get people on board the project”.

After an opening ceremony along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the ice sports, except for the speed skating, will be staged in the city.

Some 600km away to the north, La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand in the Haute-Savoie section will provide the venues for the cross country skiing and biathlon. La Plagne, Courcheval and Méribel in the Savoie cluster will host inter alia the bobsleigh, luge and the alpine skiing. Serre Chevalier and Montgenèvre in the Briançon cluster will stage the freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

“On the basis of the budgetary realities and the environmental realities we face, we have to find solutions that will enable us, that must enable us to deliver games,” said Grospiron.

“The concept of these Olympic Games is a fragmented one that would have made purists howl 30 years ago,” he added.

“And I understand that. But this concept is an opportunity to spread the load, particularly of spectators. And that’s an opportunity”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Territorial disputes

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

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

Google rivals join forces in online maps

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

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

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

Middle East conflict

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

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

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

‘We do our best’

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

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

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

Germany opens anti-cartel probe into Google Maps

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

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

This article was adapted from the original French version.

The 25-year-old man, identified by officials as Youcef A. and known on social media as Zazou Youssef, had been charged in the western city of Brest with “advocating an act of terrorism” on the platform.

Prosecutor Camille Miansoni had recommended a prison sentence of two years for the charge that is punishable by up to seven years.

Youssef appeared in a video posted on the popular platform on 31 December calling for attacks in France and violence in Algeria.

The police prefect in France’s western Finistere region, Alain Espinasse, ordered a judicial investigation after officers made him aware of the video.

According to authorities, Youssef had been living in France on a temporary residency permit and had appealed against a previous sentence for vandalism during riots in 2023.

In addition to the jail term, the court said Youssef could not reside in France for 10 years.

TikTok has said it banned the account from which the video was uploaded, for posting several videos that broke its rules on hate speech.

Second case

Also on Monday, prosecutors in Montpellier requested a six-month suspended prison sentence against Boualem Naman, an Algerian influencer known under the pseudonym “Doualemn”.

He was arrested last month after posting a video on TikTok allegedly calling for violence against an Algerian anti-regime protester.

He was deported to Algiers, but authorities there refused to accept him and sent him back to Paris.

France accuses Algeria of ‘humiliation’ after deported influencer is denied entry

At his hearing on Monday, Naman acknowledged the facts, while emphasising that he had not made “not calls for murder”. He expressed his “regret”, explaining that he had “lost his temper”.

Placed in detention upon his return, the father of two was released on 6 February after the courts suspended the deportation order and canceled his “OQTF” (obligation to leave French territory).

Political tension

Three other Algerians suspected of inciting violence in TikTok videos were also arrested last month, with at least two of them facing terror-related charges.

The arrests come amid growing political tensions between Paris and its former North African colony.

In particular after President Emmanuel Macron renewed French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a landmark visit to the kingdom last year.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is mostly under the de facto control of Morocco. But it is claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, who are demanding a self-determination referendum and are supported by Algiers.

(with AFP)

Most of those who undertake these journeys are either unemployed or engaged in low-paying, menial work. Many are influenced by friends who encourage them to risk their lives in the hope of securing a better future in Europe.

Irregular travel

According to statistics from the Ghana Immigration Service, a total of 5,142 Ghanaian youth have been repatriated from Libya since 2017 for travelling irregularly without proper documentation.

Richard Armah, a 30-year-old man from Nsoatre in the Bono Region of Ghana, is among those deported. Although he survived the harsh conditions of the Sahara Desert, he never made it to Europe in search of greener pastures. Instead, he returned with scars on his body, which now prevent him from undertaking strenuous work.

Ghana scraps visas for African passport holders in landmark shift

Armah told RFI, “Irregular migration is having a severe impact on the youth. In 2017, while working at the Fiapre Tollbooth, I had a stable income but still chose to travel to Europe through the Sahara Desert. Nearing Libya, we were kidnapped and brutally mistreated. The ordeal left me with scars all over my body as a reminder of the suffering we endured.

“I saw many lifeless bodies scattered across the desert. I was terrified, but turning back was not an option because of where we were,” he recounted.

Armah added, “Migration is good, but we must use the right means to travel so that you do not suffer the way I suffered.”

Travelling to Libya

Lord Yeboah’s story is not different from Armah’s. A mason by profession, he was lured into travelling to Libya by a friend.

“I was working as a mason in Dormaa Ahenkro when a friend persuaded me to go to Libya, believing I could earn a better income there. I travelled from Accra to Agadez, but three days after arriving, we were abandoned in the desert,” he said.

“It took us one week and two days to reach Libya. As soon as we arrived, the authorities seized our passports and threw us into prison. We were with other African nationals who were not fed well,” he recounted.

Now, Yeboah warns young Ghanaians against making the same mistake. “It took the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IOM to bring us home. I strongly advise the youth never to risk their lives travelling to Libya. If you have [money], invest it in agriculture instead,” he said.

Reflecting on his experience, he added, “What I witnessed was horrifying; many lost their lives along the way. The conditions in Libya are far worse than in Ghana.”

Interventions

Due to the high rate of irregular migration among the youth in the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions, the European Union funded the construction of Ghana’s first-ever Migration Information Centre in Sunyani.

The centre is part of an effort to promote safe and legal migration and is a key component of the Ghana Integrated Migration Management Approach (GIMMA) project, implemented by the Ghana Immigration Service and the International Organisation for Migration.

Superintendent Francis Kofi Apau, the Officer in Charge of the Migration Information Centre, stated that efforts to raise awareness are being intensified.

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

“Our region has a high rate of irregular migration, so we have enhanced our educational campaigns on the importance of travelling through legal channels. More people are now utilising our services,” he explained.

He added, “We visited several Senior High Schools to educate students on the importance of migrating the right way. They are vulnerable, as some consider embarking on this dangerous journey to Europe after completing school.”

Initiative by deportees

Some of the deportees have taken their future into their own hands by venturing into agriculture. One such group is the Dormaa East Migrant Association, comprising 45 returnees from Libya who are engaged in dry-season vegetable farming.

Samuel Donkor, the leader of the group, said in an interview with RFI, “We chose to venture into dry-season vegetable farming because there is already a market for our produce. We cultivate green peppers and tomatoes, and with plenty of free arable land available here, we needed to find a way to sustain ourselves after being deported from Libya.”

Donkor urged young people to consider agriculture as a viable option. “Agriculture has the potential to create jobs, especially for those of us from this region. Don’t waste your time and energy on a dangerous journey to Europe. The little money you have can be invested in agriculture to build a better future.”

After a two hour meeting with four farmers’ unions Monday morning Bayrou set out with Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard to tour the stands of the fair, tasting products from different regions and speaking with producers and farmers.

Bayrou praised the “positive” interactions with the FNSEA, Jeunes agriculteurs, Coordination rurale and Confédération paysanne unions, which he said “recognise the very big efforts” made by the government to meet their demands.

Yet, there are still “problems to resolve on prices, revenue, which is the most important problem”, he said.

The Senate is currently debating a lifting of a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides, which some farmers say is important to allow them to continue to be competitive.

Bayrou said there is a “balance to be found”.

Agriculture Show opens in Paris with Morocco as guest of honour

While the main unions welcomed the meeting, and the government’s willingness to simplify regulations, the Confederation Paysanne was “extremely shocked by government’s remarks on food sovereignty”, said spokesperson Laurence Marandola.

On Sunday, visiting the agriculture fair, Genevard called for France to “produce more to eat better… produce more to import less”.

At the opening of the fair the day before, President Emmanuel Macron promised to do everything he could to “protect this French and European food sovereignty.”

Macron promises France will stand firm against EU-Mercosur trade deal

The FNSA has called on the lifting of environmental regulations in order to produce more, but the Confederation Paysanne considers it “irresponsible to call to produce more to export more while flouting the production capacity, the issue of limits and the sharing of resources”, Maradola said.

Food sovereignty is a key concept for the far right, and the National Rally’s president Jordan Bardella came to the fair Monday for the second time, as he called on European far right groups to suspend the European Green deal.

(with newswires)

The bulletin added that no new episodes of asthma-like respiratory distress had occurred and that the monitoring of his mild kidney insufficiency had not raised further concerns. Oxygen therapy continues to be administered through a canula but with slightly reduced flow and oxygen levels.

Work resumes

The Vatican also said that Pope Francis resumed some work in the afternoon including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

Pope calls for Gaza ceasefire, Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange in Easter message

The pope had suffered a respiratory crisis on Saturday which required high flows of supplemental oxygen and blood transfusions. He is still considered to be in a critical condition due to a complex lung infection and the doctors maintain that his prognosis remains guarded. His age, frailty and the fact he had part of one lung removed when he was a younger man are all part of the underlying concerns, but doctors have warned earlier this week that the main threat he faces is sepsis. So far, they said, there are no sig

Pope Francis had been suffering from bronchitis for a week when he was admitted to the hospital on February 14^th as the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

Doctors soon diagnosed pneumonia in both lungs and said he was being treated with a combination of cortisone and antibiotics.

On Sunday evening, the Vatican’s top priest,  Cardinal Pietro Parolin, led the faithful in a night-time recitation of the Rosary prayer in Saint Peter’s Square. Twenty-seven cardinals were present for the prayer.

“For 2,000 years the Christian people have prayed for the pope when he was in danger or sick,” the cardinal said.

Corsica welcomes Pope Francis with speeches, mass and historic firsts

Hospitalisation continues

Meanwhile the faithful all over the world are praying for the pope’s health to improve and for him to be able to return to his work at the Vatican.  Messages wishing him well and a speedy recovery have been pouring in and doctors have warned that even when he does return to his duties at the Vatican doctors will continue to be monitor him very carefully.

Instead of his Angelus prayer on Sunday, which was cancelled, Pope Francis issued a brief note saying: “I am confidently continuing my hospitalisation at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment — and rest is also part of the therapy!”

The result of the appeal comes as no surprise, but the decision was made quickly on Monday.

The verdict “remains unchanged”, said judge Tatiana Sokolova, after Vinatier appeared in court to appeal the October 2024 conviction, and once again apologised for failing to register as a foreign agent.

During his trial in October, Vinatier – an expert on the former USSR – claimed that he was unaware of the requirement to register as a foreign agent under Russian law.

The law has been used to crack down on Kremlin critics, but not usually foreign citizens.

Vinatier, who was working in Russia for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss NGO that mediates in conflicts outside official diplomatic channels, is one of several Westerners to have been arrested in Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Increased tension

He has been incarcerated since June 2024.

The French Foreign Affairs Ministry criticised the verdict, saying that Vinatier “was arbitrarily convicted”, and called for his “immediate release” and the repeal of Russia’s law on foreign agents which “goes against the commitments that Russia has made in terms of human rights”.

Vinatier’s arrest and conviction come as relations between Russia and France are increasingly tense, notably over the war in Ukraine.

Western countries have accused Russia in the past of arresting foreign in order to negotiate prisoner exchanges.

Vinatier was not among the prisoners involved in the biggest post Cold War prisoner exchange in August 2024.

(with AFP)

Following the setback at the Abbé-Deschamps stadium, Longoria ranted at the performance of referee Jérémy Stinat who dismissed the Marseille defender Derek Cornelius for two bookable offences. Marseille were also denied a penalty when Quentin Merlun was shoved off the ball in the Auxerre penalty area.

In his rage, Longoria fumed at what he described as scandalous and shameful decision-making.

“Let Pablo Longoria tell it like it is: this is real corruption!” added the 39-year-old Spaniard.

However, the comments brought immediate condemnation from Antony Gautier, the referees’ boss at the French Football Federation (FFF) as well as the outfit’s top executive Philippe Diallo.

“I would like to offer my full support to Jérémy Stinat, who was the victim of unacceptable comments made by OM’s directors,” said Gautier in a statement sent to the French news agency AFP.

Diallo also backed Stinat adding: “Calling into question the integrity of our referees is defamatory, unacceptable and reprehensible. 

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the comments made by the president of Olympique de Marseille against French refereeing in general and the referee of their match against Auxerre in particular.”

The French referee’s union, Safe, said it wanted Longoria’s scandalous remarks referred to the disciplinary watchdogs.

“No, Mr Longoria, French referees are not corrupt!” added the union in a statement. “Losing a match cannot justify calling into question the probity of French referees.

“To suggest that there is an organised system of corruption is not only defamatory of referees in professional leagues: it shows a lack of understanding of their work and their commitment to football, and it is a slur on all referees, both professional and amateur, with all the consequences that this can entail.”

On Monday, Longoria reined in his fury.

“I would like to say that there is no corruption in French football,” he told AFP.

Form

“The form wasn’t appropriate and I regret using that word.”

Longoria, who took over as president at Marseille in 2021, added: “I’m very self-critical, and I can’t accept this type of image. A club president can’t behave like that. Nothing justifies the form and I’m not happy with myself.

“Everyone has explained to me the meaning of the word corruption in French, because in Spanish it has a broader meaning. Mind you, that doesn’t justify anything. But I’ve never in my life thought about something like exchanging money or financial transactions, and I’d never allow myself to do that.

“I would like to say that there is no corruption in French football. That there are things that are not clear and that need to be improved, yes. And that’s what annoys me enormously. We need to improve a lot of things to avoid confusion for everyone.”

The loss – Marseille’s fifth of the season – left them 10 points adrift of pacesetters Paris Saint-Germain who capitalised on the defeat with a 3-2 victory at Lyon on Sunday night to surge 13 points clear with 11 games remaining.

“‘Even if there’s no reason for it, you have to understand how you get so angry,” added Longoria. “My first responsibility is to defend my club. There have been a lot of refereeing decisions this season in which I feel Marseille have been disadvantaged.”

The win allowed Auxerre to climb to 11th in Ligue 1 with 28 points afer 23 games.

Marseille remained second despite the defeat. However, Nice moved to within three points following a 2-0 success over Montpellier. 

During a meeting of the ruling Sacred Union coalition on Saturday,  Felix Tshisekedi told his ally to avoid internal quarrels: “We must unite,” he said. “Let’s stand together to face the enemy.”

Presidency spokesperson Tina Salama added that Tshisekedi would form a government of national unity as soon as possible and make changes in the leadership of the coalition, without giving further details.

Since the start of the year, Congo has faced back-to-back losses in North and South Kivu provinces, fueling criticism of the authorities’ military strategy.

The M23 movement has captured swathes of eastern Congo, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, and valuable minerals, exacerbating fears of a wider war.

Rwandan-backed M23 gains in eastern DRC spark UN warnings and regional fears

Political frictions

Meanwhile, in Kinshasa, some members of the fractious opposition are openly predicting Tshisekedi’s presidency will not last.

“His management is one of the causes of the current crisis,” said opposition figure Herve Diakiese, criticising the move to form a unity government.

“Tshisekedi is more concerned with saving his power, whereas we are more concerned with saving the Congo, and this can be done with or without him,” he added. 

Former president Joseph Kabila also criticised the bad governance of his successor on Sunday, saying he had a leading role in intensifying the conflict in the east of the country.

The unrest could not solely be blamed on the advances of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed movement or tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali, Kabila wrote in an opinion piece in South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper.

Since Tshisekedi took over in 2019 after winning the previous year’s election, the situation in the DRC had deteriorated to the point at which it was “close to imploding,” he added.

Listen to our podcast: The crisis in the DRC and the African Union response

Long-lasting regional tensions

Some 7,000 people have died since January in fighting in eastern DRC, the prime minister, Judith Suminwa Tuluka, told a high-level meeting of the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

At least 450,0000 people are without shelter after 90 displacement camps were destroyed, she added.

According to Ocha, around 700,000 people have fled their homes since 2023.

42,000 of them have crossed over into Burundi in the past two weeks, according to the United Nations.

The M23 says it is fighting in the Kivus to protect the rights of the DRC’s Tutsi minority. Its advance is the gravest escalation in more than a decade of the long-running conflict.

The group resumed fighting in 2021, two years after Tshisekedi came to power. Tshisekedi was then reelected in December 2023 for a second term.

 (with newswires)

The Sudanese Armed Forces said Sunday it had retaken control of the town of el-Gitaina, south of the capital, Khartoum, and ended the siege on el-Obeid to the west, hours after the RSF signed a political charter in Kenya for a “government of peace and unity” to establish a parallel government with allied political and armed groups.

The signatories agreed that Sudan should be a “secular, democratic, non-centralised state” with a single national army, though it preserved the right of armed groups to continue to exist.

The RSF and the army have been fighting for control of the county since April 2023, and until last week, a third faction, Abdelaziz al-Hilu’s faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North had been fighting both the army and the RSF in the north of the country.

But in an unexpected turn of events, Hilu’s group was one of the key signatories to the RSF charter, providing a boost to the weakened paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemeti.

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

The RSF has conquered nearly all of Darfur, but is unable to cement its hold on the region and appears on the verge of losing all of Khartoum to the army.

Hilu controls much of South Kordofan state from his foothold in the Nuba Mountains, as well as pockets of Blue Nile state bordering Ethiopia.

The new rebel alliance could grant border access to neighbouring countries, all of whom, except Egypt, support the RSF.

Egypt rejects RSF charter

“We reject any calls for the formation of parallel frameworks to the current framework in Sudan and affirm our full support for Sudan,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said at a press conference with his Sudanese counterpart Ali Youssef, adding that Sudan’s territorial integrity was a key concern for Egypt.

The alliance has drawn concern from the United Nations, and is a further sign of the splintering of the country during the war which has left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced at least 12 million, with gross human rights violations by all sides.

Sudan government rejects UN-backed famine declaration

Hemeti has been accused of widespread abuses, including genocide, and was the subject of sanctions by the United States in January.

Famine was officially declared in December in five parts of Sudan, and the African Union has called the conflict the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The medical charity MSF said on Monday that it has been forced to suspend its activities in the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, due to escalating attacks and fighting in and around it.

The camp is faced with famine, and MSF’s field hospital was treating patients with gunshot and shrapnel wounds.

(with Reuters)

“We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe. In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on social media.

She arrived with the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, in a show of solidarity in the face of an attempt by US President Donald Trump to broker an end to the war with a rapprochement with Russia.

Rival UN resolutions

The US has submitted a draft United Nations resolution on the anniversary to rival a text drafted by Ukraine and its European allies, which makes no mention of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and simply calls for a “swift end” to the conflict.

The text reiterates that the UN’s main purpose is to maintain international peace and security and peacefully settle disputes.

The 193-member UN General Assembly has repeatedly backed Ukraine’s sovereignty within its internationally-recognised borders since the war began.

The 15-member Security Council is set to vote on the same US text later on Monday, and it needs at least nine votes in favour to pass, and no vetoes by the US, Russia, China, Britain or France to be adopted.

General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. No country holds a veto in the assembly.

(with newswires)

Exit polls from Germany’s election were released right on time at 6:00 PM on Sunday, showing the CDU/CSU in the lead with 29 percent of the vote. The AfD followed with 19.5 percent, while the Socialist SPD secured third place at 16 percent. The Green Party came in at 13.5 percent, and Die Linke surprised many by earning 8.5 percent.

While most results were in line with expectations, the liberal FDP faced a major setback. After playing a key role in bringing down the previous government – leading to this very election – the party is projected to receive just 4.9 percent of the vote.

This puts them just below the crucial 5 percent threshold needed to enter parliament.

Another unexpected twist came from Die Linke. Pre-election polls had estimated the party at around 5 percent, but exit polls suggest a much stronger showing at 8.5 percent.

If confirmed, this would mark a major victory for a party with deep roots in East Germany’s former Communist regime.

Die Linke’s biggest rival – the party led by dissident member Sahra Wagenknecht – performed poorly in the polls and is unlikely to meet the 5 percent threshold needed to sit in the Bundestag.

In the wake of the exit polls, all of Germany’s parties have organised “election night” events, but the atmosphere will differ vastly from one to the other.

The AfD is celebrating, but their premises was cordoned off by police over plans by left-wing groups to “interfere” with their festivities.

Celebrations notwithstanding for the victorious CDU, party leader Friedrich Merz is now facing the unenviable task of forming a coalition.

“The mathematics have begun” according to one commentator with the national ARD TV channel.

As there will likely be only five parties in parliament, the combinations are limited.

The coalition possibilities – as they stand – are a troika of either CDU-SPD-Greens or CDU-SPD-Die Linke.

As the CDU – and other parties – have rejected forming a coalition government with the AfD, an alliance with the far right is highly unlikely.

Nevertheless, AfD leader Alice Weidel has claimed, just minutes after the results were announced, that the AfD is “now a mainstream party” and that their hand “remains outstreched” to the CDU.

But even if Merz breaks his election promises – as he showed that he is not against cooperating with the AfD, given a recent joint proposal on immigration – he would still need a third party to form a government. 

Merz is due to give a press conference on Monday, where he may shed light on what he has in mind for the days and weeks of political horse-trading ahead. 

In January, United States President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause in all foreign development aid, pending assessment of its consistency with his “America First” foreign policy, and dismantled the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This foreign aid freeze has affected development programmes around the world, leaving shipments of medical supplies, including HIV drugs, stranded and disaster response teams unable to deploy. Waivers for “life-saving humanitarian assistance” too have been hampered.

South Africa is particularly severely affected, as Trump has issued an executive order to cut all funding to the country, citing disapproval of its land reform policy and its genocide case against US ally Israel.

South Africa unites against Trump as US freezes aid over land reform

South Africa has the world’s largest population of people living with HIV – more than 8 million – and has become a hub for research on a potential vaccine. But key clinical trials and research have already been halted.

Results on ice

South African lab technician Nozipho Mlotshwa was waiting for test results for the vaccine, when the order came from USAID to stop work.

The first round of vaccines she and her colleagues made in Johannesburg had produced an immune response in rabbits, which was promising but not conclusive. The team tweaked the formula and sent off four new versions for pre-clinical tests.

“This was very exciting, we were getting quite good results,” Mlotshwa, 32, told news agency Reuters from her lab in the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit at the city’s University of the Witwatersrand.

Now the animal blood samples containing the results are sitting untouched in a freezer.

A trial of an earlier, separate vaccine candidate, which was about to be tested on humans in South Africa as well as Kenya and Uganda, is also on ice.

Trump’s aid freeze could cause millions more AIDS deaths: UN agency

These labs are part of a wider South African-led HIV vaccine development scheme known as BRILLIANT and funded entirely by a $45 million grant from USAID. It is now unclear if or when the project will be resumed.

‘We were gaining momentum’

The project is one of many worldwide to be hit by Trump’s actions since he took office last month. Others affected include efforts to protect food crops from pests and diseases, and the publication of a paper on the mpox outbreak – which has now been blocked.

“It feels like you’re building something and you could really make a huge difference,” Nigel Garrett, chief scientific officer at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, said. “And then it’s wiped away.”

HIV’s ability to mutate quickly has confounded efforts to create a vaccine ever since it was first identified in 1983. The researchers in Johannesburg are using the mRNA technology behind some of the Covid-19 vaccines.

Several other mRNA-based HIV vaccine candidates worldwide have reached clinical trials, but BRILLIANT is unique in being African-led, aiming to develop capacity for producing vaccines in Africa.

For the past year the Johannesburg team had been working with genetic sequences from two South African patients who have HIV but whose bodies produce a rare type of antibody that neutralises the virus. They are trying to simulate that immune response.

“We were gaining momentum,” said Patrick Arbuthnot, director of the research unit, adding: “An HIV vaccine is the holy grail of the field.”

World Aids Day Q&A: Discrimination still prevents access to life-saving care

‘Good for the world’

Ntobeko Ntusi, CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, is spearheading the HIV vaccine search.

“Most of the landmark and groundbreaking studies have been conducted in this country. But these have been good for the whole world,” he said.

Ntusi says he does not expect funding for projects like BRILLIANT to resume, given the executive order on aid to South Africa.

The council gets around a third of its funding from US federal sources, for research that is mostly on HIV and tuberculosis but covers other areas including maternal and infant mortality and antimicrobial resistance, he said.

Garrett, from the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, says the vaccine that was ready for testing on humans was a mix of two substances developed in the US and the Netherlands, which have shown promise but never been tested together. They are now sitting in storage.

“We had a huge opportunity, good funding. It’s difficult for other funders to fill that gap,” he concluded.

 (Reuters)

The trial of Joel Le Scouarnec, who stands accused of an unprecedented scale of child sexual abuse, has sent shockwaves through France, raising questions about the public healthcare system’s ability to protect its most vulnerable patients.

In 2017, police uncovered a cache of sex dolls, wigs, and child pornography at Le Scouarnec’s home following his arrest for raping a six-year-old neighbour.

Investigators also found electronic diaries meticulously detailing nearly three decades of alleged rapes and sexual assaults on hundreds of young patients across various hospitals.

This discovery led to Le Scouarnec’s conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four minors, including his nieces and a patient.

Amélie Leveque – one of the surgeon’s alleged victims – told FranceInfo:

“No one can imagine the horror. He made vulgar gestures, using foul language. That’s why I describe him as ‘wicked’… because this is a little, nine-year-old girl recalling it. I cried a lot… I never thought anything like this could ever happen to me during an operation”.

Echoes of Pellicot rape trial

But Le Scouarnec’s alleged crimes go beyond those convictions.

Prosecutors have now charged him with the aggravated rape and sexual assault of 299 people – many of them children – some of whom were allegedly abused while under anaesthesia.

The former surgeon, now 74, has reportedly admitted to many of these accusations, though his lawyers have declined to comment ahead of the trial.

The opening of the trial in the Breton town of Vannes coincides with a period of intense scrutiny of sexual crimes in France, following the conviction of Dominique Pellicot in December.

Pellicot was found guilty of drugging his wife and facilitating her rape by dozens of men, a case that horrified the world and highlighted systemic failures in preventing such crimes.

Systemic failures

Le Scouarnec’s case will cast a light on the country’s healthcare oversight mechanisms.

In 2005, Le Scouarnec received a suspended four-month sentence for child pornography and secured a job at Quimperlé public hospital the following year.

Despite a psychiatrist’s concerns about his behaviour in 2006, he continued practicing in public hospitals and working with children until his arrest in 2017.

This has left victims and advocacy groups questioning how the healthcare system failed to protect minors.

Prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger has initiated a separate investigation to determine if any agencies or individuals bear criminal liability for failing to prevent the alleged abuse.

Victims traumatised

The investigation into Le Scouarnec’s alleged crimes has been painstaking, involving the tracking down of potential victims by matching diary descriptions with hospital records.

Many victims, anesthetised during the alleged abuse, had no recollection but exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress, as documented by psychiatrists.

One particularly harrowing account involves Mathis Vinet, who was 10 when he was allegedly assaulted by Le Scouarnec in 2007.

Mathis’s life spiralled into substance abuse following the hospital visit, and he died of an overdose in 2021, shortly after learning of the alleged abuse.

His family – plaintiffs in the case – blame Le Scouarnec for Mathis’s death.

A man who went on a stabbing rampage in Mulhouse, Alsace on Saturday – killing one and wounding several others – was on a terrorism watchlist and subject to deportation orders.

The knife-wielding suspect is a 37-year-old Algerian-born man identified as Brahim Abdessemed.

President Macron has condemned the incident, unequivocally labelling it an “Islamist terrorist act” and reaffirming the nation’s commitment to eradicating terrorism.

Posting on X, Macron expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the solidarity of the French people.  

The assault occurred around 4:00 PM local time near the Covered Market in Mulhouse, coinciding with a demonstration supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Witnesses reported that the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” – “God is great” – multiple times during the rampage.

He first targeted municipal police officers, inflicting serious injuries on two – one officer sustained a wound to the carotid artery, while another was stabbed in the chest.

Three additional officers suffered minor injuries. A 69-year-old Portuguese national, who intervened to assist the officers, was fatally wounded.

The assailant was apprehended at the scene. 

Paris trial begins over 2013 Islamic State kidnappings of Westerners in Syria

Assailant’s background

Brahim Abdessemed reportedly arrived in France illegally in 2014 and had been under scrutiny by French intelligence services for his radical Islamist views.

In December 2023, he was convicted for “glorifying terrorism” after posting a 15-minute video in which he recited verses from the Koran and called on Muslims to “take up arms and fight the infidels”.

He was sentenced to six months in prison and issued an order to leave French territory.

Despite being placed under house arrest, efforts to deport him were unsuccessful due to Algeria’s refusal to accept his repatriation.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau revealed that France had attempted to expel Abdessemed ten times, but each attempt was thwarted by Algeria’s non-cooperation.

Man jailed for knife attack aimed at French magazine Charlie Hebdo

Combatting terrorism

In the aftermath of Saturday’s attack, President Macron expressed his condolences to the victim’s family and emphasised the government’s determination to combat terrorism on French soil.

He stated, “Once again, Islamist terrorism has struck, and we are in mourning.”

Prime Minister François Bayrou echoed these sentiments, denouncing the act as fanaticism and extending sympathies to the affected families.

The attack has affected the residents of Mulhouse, a city of approximately 110,000 people near the German border.

Mayor Michèle Lutz expressed her shock at the incident, stating: “Horror has just seized our city”.

The local community has rallied together, holding vigils and offering support to the victims’ families and the injured officers.

Heightened security at Strasbourg Christmas market after attack in Germany

Investigation underway

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Retailleau visited Mulhouse to assess the situation and support local authorities.

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has taken charge of the investigation, focusing on charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.

Authorities are probing Abdessemed’s history, including his radicalisation process and potential connections to extremist networks.

The incident has reignited debates over France’s immigration policies and the challenges associated with deporting individuals deemed security threats, especially when their countries of origin refuse repatriation.

It has also sparked discussion on the balance between civil liberties and security measures, as well as the effectiveness of France’s counter-terrorism strategies.

Speaking to French broadcaster BFMTV on Friday, education minister Elisabeth Borne said: “I want us to be able to organise, together with the prefect, the prosecutor and the representative of the education system, regular bag searches at the entrance of schools.”

The spot searches will begin in the spring, and will be carried out by police as teachers and school staff are not authorised to search pupils.

The new policy was prompted by stabbings becoming “much more common,” Borne said.

Macron condemns ‘Islamist terror’ after deadly Mulhouse knife attack

Schools under surveillance

She added she would also seek a rule change by which any pupil found with a bladed weapon at school would automatically have to appear before a disciplinary council. Any such case would also trigger a notification of prosecutors “without exception”. Currently such a procedure is at the discretion of heads of schools.

Minute of silence in memory of French teachers killed by jihadists

At the start of the month, a 17-year-old high school student was seriously wounded in a stabbing at his school in Bagneux, a southwestern suburb of Paris.

Seine-Saint-Denis, a region north of the capital with above-average crime rates, this month placed around 20 middle and high schools under police surveillance, with some 100 officers deployed.

The move was to help “prevent a repeat of violent acts” after a series of incidents, the authorities said.

French teen dies of heart failure after knife attack near school

(with AFP)

The United States’ military presence in Syria has been called into question, as President Donald Trump faces conflicting pressure from Turkey and Israel over the 2000-strong US force supporting a Syrian Kurdish-led coalition.

The US force is supporting an Arab-Kurdish coalition of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in its war against the Islamic State (IS) group.

Thousands of IS militants are currently being held in SDF prisons, but the US military presence now hangs in the balance. 

Turkey analyst Sinan Ciddi, of the Washington-based research institute, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies says Trump is in a dilemma because he ran on this promise of putting America first. “Getting out of foreign entanglements, not committing US troops and US money to parts of the world in which the US doesn’t have any interest,” he tells RFI.

However, Ciddi warns a quick withdrawal would not be without risk: “The dilemma for Trump is that in a theatre such as Syria, if he were to pull back 2,000 troops, then you’ve got this major security threat.”

Turkey’s Erdogan sees new Trump presidency as opportunity

Turkey labels SDF ‘insurgents’

However, a US pullout would be welcomed by its NATO ally Turkey. Ankara strongly opposes Washington’s military support for the SDF, which it accuses of being linked to Kurdish insurgents fighting Turkey.

International relations expert Bilgehan Alagoz, of Istanbul’s Marmara University, maintains the US deployment has poisoned relations between the two allies, but says a withdrawal by Trump would offer a reset in ties.

“I believe that there is going to be a new ground between Turkey and the United States,” Alagoz said. “And Turkey will guarantee the safety of US soldiers and a successful withdrawal from Syria. So it is all going to be a kind of new negotiation between Turkey and the United States.”

Until now, US soldiers in Syria have prevented the Turkish military – massed on the Syrian border – from overwhelming the SDF, but time may be running out for the Kurdish-led forces.

“Assuming that the US withdraws at one point from Syria … this will mean the end of the diplomatic umbrella for the SDF that the US was able to put over them,” according to Aydin Selcen, a former Turkish diplomat and now foreign policy analyst for Turkey’s Medyascope independent news outlet.

Selcen warns that the SDF has only a small window to secure its future: “Time is of the essence for the SDF to get their act together and join forces with Damascus… to fold their forces into the Syrian armed forces, which would also satisfy Ankara’s security concerns.”

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

Israel sees SDF as key against IS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has close ties with Syria’s new leaders, and is demanding that the SDF disband or face a Turkish assault.

However, the Israeli government is voicing support for American backing for the SDF, given the risk posed by the Islamic State.

“We know that the SDF controls prisons in which there are around 10,000 Islamic State fighters and families,” explains Gallia Lindenstrauss, a foreign policy specialist at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

“Nobody wants to see the resurgence of the Islamic State. And I think in this respect, the US understands this is a small number of troops [and] they are effective. So why pull them out?”

Paris hosts global conference on shaping Syria’s future

Lindenstrauss told RFI: “Israel has voiced that it does want to see the West continue supporting the Kurdish presence in northeast Syria, so there will be Israeli diplomatic efforts to keep the [US] troops there.”

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, recently underlined the importance of the Syrian Kurds as an ally to Israel – a message that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to have delivered to Trump during his visit to Washington this month, Ciddi believes.

“We’ve seen an increase in moves by the Israeli government to provide more formal and government support for non-state actors, such as the Syrian Kurds,” he said. “Because they understand that hitherto they’ve been entirely reliable in thwarting some of the major security concerns that the Israelis hold close to their heart.”

Greece is reacting furiously against France over the potential sale of the Meteor air-to-air missile to Turkey. The missile sale and the Turkish bid to procure Europe’s Eurofighter threatened to erase Greece’s military edge over its rival Turkey.

Despite France and Greece recently signing a defence pact, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly rejected Greek calls to block the missile sale, which is made by a European consortium headquartered in France.

“I think that France’s decision is related to what is going on in Ukraine,” claims international relations Professor Federico Donelli of Trieste University in Italy

“Turkey and European countries have the same geo-strategic interest,” adds Donelli. “If you ask Turkey and Turkish policymakers, for them, the main threat to the security and stability of the country and integrity of the country remain Russia. So I think that on this point that France, Turkey, even other European countries converge”.

Turkey’s Erdogan sees new Trump presidency as opportunity

Force

With more than 800,000 personnel in its armed forces, including reservists, Turkey is Nato’s second-largest army.

The importance of the Turkish military to European security could be ascending with the looming threat of Russia and Washington demanding Europe take more responsibility for its defence.

“We think it’s an important part of being in a shared alliance together that the Europeans step up while America focuses on areas of the world that are in great danger,” warned United States Vice President JD Vance at this month’s Munich Security Conference.

Turkey’s poor human rights record has strained relations with the European Union, along with the authoritarian reputation of the Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But such concerns are being trumped by security fears.

“After the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Turkey is starting to be perceived by Nato members as an important ally,” explains Donelli.

“Maybe it’s not the best ally ever because we know that Turkey’s not an easy partner, but at the same time it is the most useful one”. 

Turkish President Erdogan ready to rekindle friendship with Trump

Threat

European leaders met this month to discuss Ukraine and the security threat facing the continent. With the Turkish army dwarfing its European counterparts, Ankara says it can play a key role in Europe’s defence.

“European allies understood that without Turkey, we cannot continue the defence of the European continent and Euro-Atlantic security,” claims Turkish presidential advisor Mesut Casin. “And is Turkey ready to support this European security and defence capability? The answer is: ‘Yes.'”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, too, is eyeing Turkey’s military. During his visit to Turkey on Tuesday, Zelenskyy underlined the importance of Ukraine’s allies deploying soldiers to guarantee any peace agreement reached with Russia.

“Two issues that are very, very important: a strong Ukrainian army, and the deployment in Ukraine from other armies like from Europe, and the United States, our partners,” declared Zelensky at a joint press conference with Erdogan.

Zelensky said he had discussed the issue with Erdogan but that it was too early to reveal the outcome of the talks. While Erdogan has close ties with his Ukrainian counterpart, the Turkish leader has also maintained good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Casin insists if all agree, Ankara is well placed to assist. “Turkey, maybe we send our troops to peacekeeping operations. Why do I say it like this? Turkey joined many UN peacekeeping operations, and the Turkish army is very powerful,” said Casin.

The Turkish military has participated in some of the world’s most difficult UN peacekeeping operations, from Kosovo to Somalia.

However, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov ruled out any Nato peacekeepers in Ukraine. Nevertheless, the importance of Turkey’s large and capable army could still play a key role in Europe as European concerns grow over the reliability of their American ally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This week’s quiz: On 25 January, I asked you a question about our article “French NGOs to quit social media platform X following Trump inauguration”. Earlier that week, more than 80 French NGOs and organizations said they would stop using the social media platform X – formerly Twitter – owned by Elon Musk. Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is considered by these NGOs as: “a “danger” to freedom of expression and democratic values.”

You were to send in the names of four NGOs who will no longer use X as of the 20th of January, the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The answer is, to quote our article: “The signatories include La Ligue des droits de L’Homme, (The Human Rights League), France Terre d’asile – a non-profit organisation that supports asylum seekers – the charity Emmaüs France, and Greenpeace.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany. Helmut’s question was: “Are you religious and do you believe in God – and how do you see and define God or the divine in the world?”

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

The winners are: RFI English listener Maryam Nawaz, a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Maryam is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Maryam, on your double win !

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Naved Raiyan, the president of the RFI Fan Club in West Bengal, India, and RFI English listeners Mehedi Hasan from Chittagong, India; Noor Alam from Jessore, Bangladesh, and Sultana Begum from Sirajganj, also in Bangladesh.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Liebesleid” by  Fritz Kreisler, performed by Itzhak Perlman and Samuel Sanders;  “Manhã de Carnaval” by Luiz Bonfá and Antônio Maria, performed by Luiz Bonfá; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Helter Skelter” by Paul McCartney, performed by The Beatles.

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: “Claudel bronze sculpture found by chance fetches €3 million at France auction”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 17 March to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 22 March podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

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

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

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

Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Congratulations, winners!

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

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

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

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

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

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.   

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

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

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

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. 

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

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.