The United Nations has announced it is drastically scaling back its global humanitarian operations due to what it describes as the most severe funding shortfall in its history – a move that could leave tens of millions without crucial support.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed on Monday that it now seeks $29 billion (€25 billion) in funding for 2025, a significant drop from the $44 billion originally requested in December.

The pared-down appeal is described as “hyper-prioritised”, focusing only on the most life-threatening crises.

The funding squeeze comes at a time when global needs are soaring.

The return of Donald Trump to the White House in January has seen the United States – historically the world’s largest donor – slash its foreign aid budget dramatically, sending shockwaves through the humanitarian sector.

Global aid in chaos as Trump proposes to slash funds and dismantle USAID

‘Brutal cuts’

Other major donor countries have followed suit, tightening their purses amid economic uncertainty.

“Brutal funding cuts leave us with brutal choices,” said OCHA chief Tom Fletcher in a statement.

“We’re asking for just one percent of what the world spent last year on war. But more than money, this is an appeal for humanity, for global responsibility and solidarity to prevent needless suffering.”

While visiting a hospital in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province earlier this year, Fletcher warned that cutting support to those most in need is not something to celebrate.

“The impact of aid cuts is that millions die,” he said plainly.

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‘Difficult decisions’

So far this year, the UN has received only $5.6 billion of the $44 billion initially requested – just 13 percent of what it needs to help the world’s most vulnerable communities.

Originally, the plan was to reach 190 million people across more than 70 countries.

Even then, the UN acknowledged it would still leave 115 million people beyond its reach.

With the funding gap widening, aid officials are now forced to make difficult decisions.

“We have been forced into a triage of human survival,” Fletcher admitted. “Too many people will not get the support they desperately need, but we will save as many lives as we can with the resources at hand.”

In practical terms, this means aid will now target the most severe emergencies first, prioritising those in “extreme or catastrophic conditions”.

Fletcher emphasised that every dollar must go where it can save the most lives, as swiftly as possible.

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‘Catastrophic hunger’

Monday’s announcement came alongside a stark joint report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, which highlighted worsening hunger in 13 global hotspots.

Five countries – Sudan, the Palestinian territories, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali – are on the brink of famine, with millions at risk of starvation.

“This report is a red alert,” said WFP chief Cindy McCain. “Without urgent funding and safe access, we simply cannot save lives. The window to prevent catastrophic hunger is closing fast.”

The WFP itself is grappling with a 40 percent cut to its budget for 2025, threatening critical food assistance for 58 million people worldwide.

Despite the scale of the challenge, Fletcher insists the world must not lose hope.

“Human solidarity can still turn this tide,” he said. “With swift, united action, we can prevent the worst and protect the most vulnerable among us.”

(With newswires)

Black walls were installed on Monday around the stands of five Israeli defence firms – Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics.

Rafael, Elbit and IAI produce guided bombs and missiles, while Uvision and Aeronautics produce drones.

The booths displayed “offensive weapons” that could be used in Gaza – in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told France’s  AFP news agency.

“From the outset, we provided a clear framework, which was shared with the Israelis, namely a ban on the display of offensive weapons at the Paris Air Show. The Israeli embassy at Paris has agreed to this”, said the prime minister’s office.

‘Outrageous closure’

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the “outrageous” closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be “immediately corrected”.

“Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers… it’s like creating an Israeli ghetto,” he said on French television channel LCI.

The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the “outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations”.

“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition – weapons that compete with French industries,” it said.

“This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies’ impressive and precise performance in Iran.”

Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles.

French dockers refuse to load cargo of machine gun parts bound for Israel

Downsized Israeli participation

IAI’s president and CEO, Boaz Levy, said the black partition walls were reminiscent of “the dark days of when Jews were segmented from European society”.

Some 75 companies related to weapons production were set to participate at the show which opened on Monday, with military jets, helicopters and drones on display.

Four of the nine Israeli stands remained open, but the Israeli presence is smaller than in the past.

Last week a French court rejected a bid by NGOs to ban all Israeli companies from Le Bourget air shows over concerns about international crimes in Gaza.

Local lawmakers from the Seine-Saint-Denis department hosting the event were absent during French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou‘s visit to the opening of the air show in protest over the Israeli presence.

“Never has the world been so disrupted and destabilised,” Bayrou said at the opening, urging nations to tackle challenges “together, not against each other”.

More than 2,400 companies from 48 countries are showing off their hardware at the weeklong event at the Le Bourget airfield, north of Paris.

(with newswires)

The political temperature is rising in Côte d’Ivoire as President Ouattara’s ruling party prepares to confirm his likely bid for a fourth term.

For their part, opposition groups continue to protest the exclusion of their key candidates from the upcoming presidential election.

On Sunday, thousands of supporters of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) gathered in Yopougon, a densely populated neighbourhood of Abidjan, to show support for Ouattara – widely known by his initials, ADO.

The weekend rally followed weeks of local meetings and set the stage for the party’s official congress next weekend, where his candidacy is expected to be endorsed.

Posting on social media platform X, the ruling party called on supporters to join in a rally on 21 and 22 June with the message “Together, let’s build a peaceful Côte d’Ivoire.”

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Ruling party congress

A large banner behind the stage declared “In Yopougon our champion is ADO” as senior party figures called on supporters to back the long-serving leader once more. “There is only one road – the road of President Alassane Ouattara,” former prime minister Patrick Achi told the crowd.

He added that under Ouattara, Côte d’Ivoire would continue to develop and provide more opportunities for young people.

Ouattara, now 83, has not yet publicly confirmed whether he will stand for re-election, although in January he said he was “eager to continue serving his country”.

His supporters expect a formal announcement at the RHDP congress on 21 – 22 June, which will end with a rally at Ebimpe Stadium, where the national football team recently celebrated its Africa Cup of Nations victory.

Opposition protest candidates’ ban

Meanwhile, frustration is growing among opposition parties after four prominent figures were disqualified from the upcoming October poll.

Just a day before the pro-Ouattara rally, thousands of opposition supporters marched through Abidjan in the rain, demanding that the banned candidates be reinstated.

The main focus of the protests is Tidjane Thiam, leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) – the country’s largest opposition group.

Thiam, a well-known figure internationally, was removed from the voter register in April after a court raised questions about his nationality status at the time of registration.

PDCI activists marched to the gates of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), chanting “Titi for president” – using Thiam’s nickname  – and accusing the electoral body and courts of political interference.

Four Côte d’Ivoire opposition figures barred from October presidential election

Need for change

“Things need to change,” 64-year-old protester Agnero Gnagne told the French news agency AFP, who claimed the country was being run in an increasingly authoritarian manner.

Thiam, who has spent recent months abroad, addressed supporters in a video message, urging them to stay mobilised. “This is not just about me – this is about democracy in our country,” he said, promising to return to Abidjan soon.

Others barred from standing include former president Laurent Gbagbo, ex-youth leader Charles Blé Goudé and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro – all excluded on the basis of past convictions.

Opposition figures argue that these bans are politically motivated and undermine the credibility of the election.

Despite the high tensions, Saturday’s protest remained peaceful, with demonstrators blocked by police a short distance from the electoral commission’s offices.

Party officials were allowed inside briefly to submit a formal complaint.

Wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words “No Reforms, No Election,” the Tanzanian politician Tundu Lissu told the judge that, despite not being sentenced yet, he has been placed in the prison’s death row section.

“I am under constant surveillance by day and night,” Lissu said, adding he has also been “denied the freedom to worship”.

Lissu has been detained since April, a move denounced by international rights groups and monitors who have called for his release. He was charged with treason, but his trial has been adjourned several times.

Lissu has been arrested several times in the past, but this is the first time he has faced such a serious charge, including a potential death sentence.

This comes as authorities in the east African country increasingly crack down on Lissu’s opposition Chadema party ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in October.

Tanzanian politician’s lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary

Denial of justice

Lissu told the packed courtroom on Monday morning that he had been denied confidential access to his lawyers since his detention.

“All the 68 days they have not been allowed to see me or speak to me,” he said.

“It is time to step aside and let me do what I must do. From now on I will be my own lawyer,” he said.

Chadema was disqualified from the upcoming elections after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct.

Lissu has led a forceful charge against the Tanazanian government, vowing his party would not participate in polls without significant electoral reforms.

Kenyan politician, lawyer for Tanzania opposition leader arrested

UN request

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for Lissu’s unconditional release.

A week ago, on RFI’s Spotlight on Africa, Tundu Lissu’s international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, said he had lodged a complaint with the UN Working Group as part of a broader campaign of pressure.

Lissu’s party has also accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of returning to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli.

In May, two activists from Kenya and Uganda were also detained after travelling to Tanzania in solidarity with the opposition leader, both alleging torture and sexual abuse by the officers who detained them.

Chadema is Tanzania’s main opposition party but was disqualified from running in this year’s general election in April, after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct, just a few days after its leader was charged with treason.

 (with AFP)

Several Tuareg community organisations filed a complaint with the office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Sunday, according to RFI‘s correspondent.

The complaint targets the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), the Burkinabe Forces, and Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which recently replaced the Wagner group in Africa.

The charities Imouhagh International, Kel Akal, Diaspora of the United States, and the Azawad Solidarity Association accuse them of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Wagner gets replaced in Mali by Africa Corp, another Russian military group

Serious crimes

The groups say the crimes against humanity and war crimes reported to the prosecutor of the ICC have been committed in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2022.

They include murders, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, looting, and torture, including the discovery in April in Kwala, Mali, of 60 bodies of civilians, visibly tortured, according to these organisations.

They point to the use of mercenaries from Africa Corps – the former Wagner – in the repressive operations carried out by the armies of both countries.

International investigation reveals Wagner Group’s secret prisons in Mali

Mali’s first case

The ICC had already opened an investigation into crimes committed in Mali, following the occupation of Timbuktu in 2012, at the time at the government’s own request.

But the departure of French and UN forces – in 2022 and 2024 – has made the court’s operations on the ground very difficult.

To investigate the crimes committed in Burkina Faso, the prosecutor would need to secure approval from the ICC judges, unless the Burkinabe government decides to refer the case itself.

With this complaint lodged in The Hague, the four plaintiff organisations say they intend to make “a major political and legal statement” to enable Sahelian victims to obtain “recognition, justice and reparation.”

Félix, 34, a former executive of French waste management firm Veolia, was arrested in early August 2023 on the island resort of Langkawi, where he was hoping to open a restaurant.

Police found several hundred grams of cannabis in a common area of the house he shared with his Malaysian business partner, who was also arrested.

Félix’s lawyer Collin Andrew said the hearing began Monday at the Alor Setar High Court in northwestern Malaysia and was then ajourned until Tuesday after the first witness had not brought all the necessary documents to court.

The trial was scheduled to end on Thursday, but it was not known whether sentencing would take place immediately afterwards.

Félix faces the death penalty, or “104 years of cumulative imprisonment, 54 strokes with a cane and a 27,000 euro fine,” his mother Sylvie Félix told France’s AFP news agency.

Drug possession and trafficking are serious crimes in Malaysia that can still carry the death sentence if the amounts are above a certain threshold.

Death sentences, however, are no longer mandatory and no executions have taken place since 2018.

Frenchman on death row in Indonesia leaves jail ahead of transfer home

‘Terrible’ conditions in prison

Felix’s parents spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about his case during a recent state visit to neighbouring Singapore, where they live.

“He heard us and said that this situation is indeed unacceptable and that he would do everything possible to ensure Tom’s release,” Félix’s mother said.

His family insists that, during the investigation, Tom was “exonerated” by his partner, but that the Malaysian police did not take this into account.

Since his arrest 22 months ago, Félix has been held in Perlis prison in “terrible” conditions, according to his lawyer and family.

In footage taken from a documentary broadcast on M6’s 66 Minutes in December 2024, the detainee appears emaciated and refers to his “total despair”.

“It’s not always easy to keep him fighting,” his mother told Le Parisien daily in December 2024.

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“He also has suicidal thoughts; he told me he felt like swallowing a box of sleeping pills and never waking up again.”

Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who was held on death row in Indonesia for drug offences was released in February and returned to France.

Jakarta left it to the French government to grant Atlaoui – the only Frenchman on death row in Indonesia – “clemency, amnesty or a reduced sentence”.

 (with newswires)

Lenny Martinez from France won the final stage on Sunday between Val-d’Arc to Plateau du Mont-Cenis.

The 21-year-old Team Bahrain Victorious cyclist finished the 133.3km stage in three hours, 34 minutes and 18 seconds.

Jonas Vingegaard from Team Visma–Lease a Bike was second – 34 seconds later – and Pogacar finished third to take the overall prize.

The 26-year-old UAE Team Emirates XRG won three of the stages and completed the 1199.6km course in 29 hours, 19 minutes and 46 seconds. Vingegaard was 59 seconds behind. Florian Lipowitz was third.

“It’s been a really amazing week,” Pogacar said. “Once again, the team did a great job. We managed to defend the [yellow] jersey and we can go home happy and prepare for the Tour de France.”

During the final stage, Pogacar reacted with ease to Vingegaard’s last-ditch attack for glory on the final climb to Col du Mont-Cenis.

Attack in mountains

After winning the opening stage by outsprinting Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel, Pogacar made his move in the mountains.

He took charge by winning the sixth stage on Friday when he climbed to the finish line alone to beat Vingegaard by 61 seconds and take an overall lead of 43 seconds over the 28-year-old Dane.

Pogacar captured the seventh stage on Saturday between Grand-Aigueblanche and Valmeinier 1800 in similar fashion. He finished the 131.6km stretch in four hours and 10 minutes.

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“There’s a lot of positives from this week and we turned all the negatives into positives, so it’s all good,” said Pogacar, who claimed a 99th career victory in the 77th edition of the competition.

“There’s not much to do ahead of the Tour de France,” he added. “I will rest a bit, maybe do some extra work for the time trial, and then I’m ready.”

The 2025 Tour de France runs from 5-27 July. It starts with a 184.9km race around Lille and culminates three weeks later with a 132.3km surge from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

Pogacar will attempt to become only the sixth man to win four or more Tours in the 123-year history of the race.

At the UN Ocean Conference in Nice this week, 37 countries led by Canada and Panama signed the first global declaration devoted solely to reducing human-caused ocean noise.

The effort targets the growing din from ships and industrial activity that is disturbing marine life around the world.

“We’re aware of about 130 different marine animals that are negatively impacted by underwater noise,” Mollie Anderson, senior campaign strategist at Canadian NGO Oceans North, told RFI in Nice.

“In some instances, they’re leaving areas altogether where noise is sustained and consistent.”

Sound travels more than four times faster in saltwater than in air, reaching vast distances and interfering with how marine animals communicate, hunt and navigate.

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Arctic under pressure

The problem is especially acute in the Arctic, where melting sea ice is opening new shipping lanes in waters that were once among the quietest in the world.

“In the Northwest Passage alone, there’s been a 30 percent increase in ship traffic since 2016,” Anderson explained. “That is having a significant impact on the marine ecosystem in the Arctic.”

Species like belugas and narwhals, which rely on sound to survive, are already changing their behaviour.

“These specied are having a hard time communicating with each other, performing bottom dives and other essential functions to feed themselves and to take care of their babies,” she said.

The disruption is not only ecological – it’s also affecting people. As noise drives marine mammals away from their usual habitats, indigenous communities are finding it harder to hunt the animals they have long depended on.

“Many of our Indigenous people, particularly Inuit in the Canadian Arctic, are reliant on marine mammals for food security and cultural continuity,” Anderson said.

Niue, the tiny island selling the sea to save it from destruction

Simple steps, urgent need

The new declaration – known as the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean – is voluntary, but calls for quieter ship design, noise limits in marine protected areas and shared access to sound-monitoring technology.

It also aims to help countries with fewer resources to monitor and manage ocean noise.

Some of the most effective changes are also the simplest, Anderson said. “Even a reduction in speed of a few knots can make a big decibel difference.”

Other measures include re-routing ships away from sensitive zones, using more efficient propellers and switching to electric or hybrid engines.

In a recent pilot project, Oceans North measured the sound of an electric vessel using hydrophones – underwater microphones – and found it was significantly quieter than a conventional ship.

Ocean’s survival hinges on finding the billions needed to save it

From promises to policy

While some ports have introduced voluntary guidelines, regulation is needed. “There’s lots of voluntary measures that procurement and ports can adopt, but there’s no real regulation right now,” Anderson said.

“We regulate the roads that we drive on. I don’t see why it should be different for ships in certain areas. They should go faster or slower … That just seems like practical and good public policy to me.”

Panama Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro said the issue has been “sidelined in global environmental discourse” for too long.

The coalition, he said, signals a commitment to “act decisively” to protect marine biodiversity from what he called an “invisible yet powerful threat”.

Under a marine spatial plan adopted in 2022, Niue’s entire economic zone is divided into five areas – balancing strict conservation with sustainable fishing and tourism.  

“We are the astronauts of the Pacific,” says Coral Pasisi, president of the local nonprofit Tofia Niue and one of the architects of the move to sell 20-year conservation pledges for individual square kilometres of ocean.  

“Our culture is shaped by the ocean around us.” 

Pasisi is in Nice this week in her capacity as a scientist and regional leader. She is also director of climate change and sustainability at the Pacific Community (SPC), where she works with island governments on long-term strategies to manage the impacts of climate change and protect ocean resources. 

The big blue blindspot: why the ocean floor is still an unmapped mystery

Identity and survival

Niueans depend on the sea not just for food – which supplies more than 70 percent of their protein – but for stories, identity and survival.  

“We are surrounded by the ocean. We live off the ocean,” Pasisi told RFI. 

When a scientific expedition with National Geographic’s Pristine Seas team filmed the abundance of life beneath their waters in 2016, it brought many residents face to face with their marine heritage for the first time.  

The result was a groundswell of support to protect the island’s 127,000 square kilometre exclusive economic zone. 

Longevity blueprint

Niue’s conservation model is designed not just to protect the ocean, but to fund its guardianship for a generation.

It centres on Ocean Conservation Commitments, which are 20‑year sponsorships that help cover the costs of monitoring, enforcement and local stewardship. 

Within its waters lies the Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area – a zone covering 40 percent of Niue’s waters, where all fishing and extractive activity is banned. 

Ocean’s survival hinges on finding the billions needed to save it

At its heart is Beveridge Reef, a submerged coral atoll teeming with life: schools of grey reef sharks, singing humpback whales and the katuali – a rare venomous sea snake found nowhere else on Earth. 

“On every dive at Beveridge Reef, we saw sharks – up to 80 grey reef sharks at a time,” said Alan Friedlander, chief scientist at Pristine Seas. 

According to the organisation, the reef has “some of the highest densities of this species found anywhere in the world”. 

Generational wisdom

The conservation sponsorships treat the Moana Mahu sanctuary as a shared global asset, absorbing carbon dioxide and preserving biodiversity. 

“What we basically did was democratise that area into square kilometres … to help make sure that this is not a paper park – that we can actually protect it robustly,” Pasisi says.  

Behind Niue’s ocean strategy is a deeper legacy – one rooted in lived experience and generational wisdom.  

“When I take my children out to fish and spearfish, when I teach them what to shoot and what not to shoot, what to take and what not to take, it’s not my Western system of education and learning that taught me that,” Pasisi explains.  

“It is the knowledge that was passed down to me from my father, my mother and their parents. And that’s 4,000 years of knowledge. 

“The ocean made us who we are. Now we’re making sure it’s there for those who come after us.” 

Since its founding in 1975, ESA has contributed to a broad range of scientific and technological areas. One of its most notable moments came in 2014 with the Rosetta mission, when the Philae lander became the first human-made object to land on a comet. The event drew global attention and is considered a major milestone in robotic space exploration.

Copernicus and Galileo

ESA has also developed long-running programmes such as Copernicus and Galileo, which continue to serve scientific, environmental, and practical purposes. Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation programme, uses satellite data to monitor environmental changes. According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, “Without those satellites that we have built – and Europe has built many of those – we would not understand the extent of climate change.”

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Meanwhile, Galileo, ESA’s satellite navigation system, now in its 30th year, has become a key infrastructure for location and timing services. Aschbacher described it as “the most accurate navigation system in the world,” with wide applications across transport, telecommunications, and emergency services.

Over the years, ESA has also expanded its international cooperation. It works with agencies in the United States, Japan, India, the UAE, and Australia, among others, across a range of missions and projects. “Partners want to work with us. We have something interesting to offer,” Aschbacher said, referring to ESA’s role in collaborative initiatives.

 New objectives?

Looking to the months ahead, a major point of focus is the ESA Ministerial Council, to be held in November. Occurring every three years, the council allows ESA’s 22 member states to allocate funding to various programmes. Unlike some international agencies, ESA operates on a voluntary contribution model. “I have to make proposals that are very attractive that member states want to participate and want to put money in. Otherwise, I’m not succeeding,” said Aschbacher.

The funding proposals being prepared for the Council span a wide range of domains, including Earth observation, satellite navigation, telecommunication, astronaut missions, launch systems, and planetary exploration, including the Moon and Mars.

First commercial launch of Europe’s Ariane 6 carrying French military satellite

ESA also has a busy launch schedule for 2025, with over ten missions planned. These include new Sentinel satellites under the Copernicus programme, further Galileo satellites, as well as the April launch of Biomass Earth Explorer mission, which will measure tropical forest biomass as part of broader efforts to monitor carbon cycles.

Several smaller missions based on CubeSats and micro-satellites are also in development, incorporating onboard artificial intelligence to process data in orbit more efficiently.

ESA is placing increased emphasis on the role of space-based technologies across different sectors. In Aschbacher’s view, their relevance is likely to expand significantly in coming decades.

“Space today already has many applications… but in 20 years from today, you cannot live without space technology,” he said, comparing the trajectory of space tech to the early development of the internet.

As ESA reaches the 50-year mark, attention is focused not just on past achievements but also on how space technologies might be integrated more deeply into scientific research, infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and industry in the years ahead.

Despite hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people, the situation in the country has received limited international attention, insufficient humanitarian funding and minimal political engagement, according to the NGO.

“It’s a case study in global neglect,” Laila Matar, NRC’s director of communications, told RFI. “There’s little media coverage, no meaningful diplomatic engagement and chronic underfunding. People are really struggling to survive.”

Cameroon is grappling with humanitarian emergencies driven by three distinct situations – violence in the far north, ongoing conflict in the anglophone regions, and an influx of refugees from neighbouring Central African Republic.

These crises have left the country’s services overwhelmed and under-resourced.

Uprooted and forgotten, Cameroon’s climate refugees living in despair

According to the NRC’s report, covering 2024, 11 percent of Cameroon’s population now faces acute food insecurity.

“1.4 million children are crammed into poorly maintained and overcrowded classrooms,” said Matar. “There’s simply no meaningful investment coming in from the global community.”

Cameroon’s 2024 humanitarian response plan was only 45 percent funded, leaving a gap of more than $202 million (almost €178m).

Alongside Cameroon, the NRC’s report highlights nine other displacement crises suffering from similar neglect and lack of aid funding, including those in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso, each grappling with ongoing conflict.

‘Inward-looking policies’

To explain this reduced support and lack of engagement, Matar says: “Donor fatigue is certainly a factor. But more worrying is the shift we’re seeing from international solidarity to more inward-looking, security-focused policies in countries that used to be generous donors.”

Several developed countries have made significant cuts to their overseas aid budgets.

France announced it would reduce public development assistance by more than €2 billion – nearly 40 percent of its annual allocation.

The United Kingdom has cut its overseas development assistance from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income, while Germany and the Netherlands are amongst others to have announced substantial reductions in foreign aid.

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

This comes as the United States – formerly the worlds largest contributor to overseas relief funding – has shut down or drastically reduced several aid programmes, including USAID, amid accusations of inefficiency from the Trump administration. 

These decisions carry serious consequences for the humanitarian work of NGOs such as the NRC.

“We’re layering compromise upon compromise,” Matar told RFI. “And those compromises are deadly.”

Global aid in chaos as Trump proposes to slash funds and dismantle USAID

The NRC report also makes an impassioned plea for a shift in priorities, with the organisation’s secretary-general Jan Egeland saying: “Displacement isn’t a distant crisis. It’s a shared responsibility. We must stand up and demand a reversal of brutal aid cuts which are costing more lives by the day.”

While governments and institutions must lead the charge, Matar stressed that ordinary people also have a role to play.

“Humanitarian aid works. It helps people start to dream of a future again,” she said. “We can write to our MPs, speak out, and demand that our governments stop cutting aid in our name. We don’t need these crises to come to our borders to care about them.”

“The British don’t do anything like anybody else,” La Gacilly Photo Festival’s curator Cyril Drouhet told journalists at a press conference in Paris, as he unveiled the So British theme of this year’s programme.

“They drive on the left, they have their own currency, they play darts, they believe in ghosts and still have a monarchy. And that’s probably why we love them.”

Beyond the quirky humour and eccentricity seen in many of the photographs selected for the festival, there is also a keen observation of contemporary society with all its contradictions.

For Drouhet, the British “know how to cleverly capture a soul: the soul of an era, the soul of a country, the human soul.”

So near, yet so far

In a thousand-year history made up of “misunderstandings” (read: wars), “hostility” (rivalry), “admiration” (marriages) and “respect” (alliances), Drouhet says that despite all this, France and the United Kingdom have an unbreakable bond.

The British ambassador to Paris Menna Rawlings told journalists: “British photography has always pushed the limits. Photographs are more than just technical images – they are a reflection of global issues, social issues [and] have the power to tell stories.”

Sebastião Salgado’s 40-year journey in photographs celebrated in Deauville exhibition

Among the exhibits is a poignant link to photographic history, with a tribute to Anna Atkins (1799-1871), a pioneer in the technique of “cyanotypes” used by botanists.

In 1843, Atkins published Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, considered the first book of its kind and a major reference for scientists as well as an inspiration for contemporary photographers and artists.

The award-winning war reporter Don McCullin has been invited as one of the big names at the festival, with an exhibition entitled “Life and Death, and what’s left behind”.

Putting aside his images from war zones, the veteran photographer, born in 1935, has since turned his lens to the landscapes of Somerset, where he now lives.

A British perspective 

For Mélina Le Blaye, the festival’s director, photography “invites us to open our horizons, and transform ourselves”.

“In this world where images are omnipresent but often ephemeral, we want to take the time to contemplate and to put things into perspective,” she said.

From Martin Parr’s beachside snapshots to Mary Turner’s unassuming portraits of quiet, run-down mining towns and marginalised communities, it is clear there is no one, single Britain. The social and environmental terrain is uneven and complex, both beautiful and gritty.

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

The UK is also synonymous with music that defined generations. The exhibition of work by Terry O’Neill (1938-2019) takes the viewer behind the scenes of the music business with surprising portraits of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Elton John, to name a few.

The Year of the Sea

Organisers have also reserved a major part of the festival for nine exhibitions on environmental themes, with a particular focus on what France has designated “The Year of the Sea”.

The opening of the festival on 1 June comes a week ahead of a key United Nations Oceans Conference, to be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June.

Stunning images of sea life mix with those from coastal locations facing the effects of climate change, by photographers including France’s Laurent Ballesta and India’s Supratim Bhattacharjee.

Guided tours of Africa

The environment-themed exhibits also include photo reports from Africa, such as those from French photographer Frédéric Noy, who takes viewers to Tanzania to discover nature sanctuaries in need of protection – such as Udzungwa Mountains National Park, where monkey populations are threatened by urbanisation.

His work explores the difficult choices of local people, aware of the need for preservation, but under pressure to survive – the park’s forest being a source of food and firewood.

Noy says it is difficult for locals to accept outsiders when they are distrustful of the West’s discourse of “saving the planet”, given these same wealthy countries profit from Africa’s resources.

By photographing their plight, Noy is asking the public to see both sides of the story, with “humility and patience”.

How exiled photographer Ernest Cole captured apartheid’s human toll

Françoise Huguier’s work offers a guided tour of her years spent on the African continent – including in Burkina Faso, South Africa, Benin and Ethiopia – as seen in the “Africa and Me” collection.

She became particularly attached to Mali, where she founded the Photographic Encounters of Bamako event in 1994, helping discover artists such as Seydou Keïta and Malik Sidibé – now known around the world.

La Gacilly Photo Festival is outdoors and free to the public from 1 June to 5 October, 2025.

Alcaraz saved three match points during the final in Paris before overcoming Sinner after five hours and 29 minutes.

The 22-year-old Spaniard will begin his tilt for a third consecutive Wimbledon title at the Queen’s Club championships in west London.

Sinner, 23, will defend his crown in Halle, central Germany.

“I’ve had a few sleepless nights since the final in Paris,” Sinner said after a practice session on the grass courts at Halle.

“It’s not easy to get over that. But it has got better with every day that has passed. You then have to focus on what tasks lie ahead.

“The best way to get rid of the negative thoughts is to play another tournament,” the Italian added.

“Then, quite simply, you have to perform at your best on the court again. I’m definitely mentally ready again for every match here in Halle. The first training session was still a bit difficult. But here too, the feeling gets better with every shot.”

Sinner won his first tournament in Halle shortly after he rose to number one in the ATP world rankings.

Year as number one

Just over a year after his first rise to pole position he remains the top dog – a feat only Jimmy Connors, Lleyton Hewitt, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have achieved since the current rankings system was established in August 1973.

“It’s an honour for me to be part of such a group,” Sinner said. “On the other hand, you write your own story all quite apart from these statistics.”

Sinner will feature in the first round of the doubles on Monday with compatriot Lorenzo Sonego against Karen Khachanov and Alex Michelsen before playing in the singles on Tuesday against Yannick Hanfmann from Germany.

“It’s obviously a very special moment to come back to Halle, where I won my first tournament as number one,” Sinner added. 

“That was simply a big milestone, something that will always have a special place in my career.”

Roland Garros: Five things we learned on Day 15: no new name on the cup

Alcaraz, who spent three days in Ibiza celebrating his epic victory in Paris, kicks off his bid for a second Queen’s trophy on Tuesday against compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

“I went out on the first day, and the other two I didn’t go out at night,” said Alcaraz of his trip to the Spanish island with his friends.

“I went to bed at midnight on both of those occasions although I did go out in the early evening. I’m getting older and my body can’t take it any more.”

At Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, Alcaraz beat Djokovic to hoist one of the most prestigious prizes in sport.

Should Alcaraz triumph on 13 July, he will join Federer, Djokovic, Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg as the only men to have won three consecutive crowns since tennis was opened up to professional players in 1968.

Earlier this month, Trump signed a proclamation banning the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against “foreign terrorists” and other national security threats.

In an internal diplomatic cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department proposed extending the restrictions to a further 36 countries, including 25 on the African continent.

The cable, first reported in the Washington Post, outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and sought corrective action.

“The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days,” the cable sent out over the weekend said.

Targeted countries

Among the concerns the Trump administration raised was the lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was “questionable security” of that country’s passport.

Other concerns related to visa overstays, lack of cooperation over deportations, nationals involved in acts of terrorism in the United States, or antisemitic and anti-American activity.

The cable noted that not all of these concerns pertained to every country listed.

African Union condemns Trump travel ban amid strained Africa-US relations

It instructs US diplomats to give listed countries until 8 a.m. Wednesday to submit initial action plans to meet the new requirements.

The countries that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address concerns within the next 60 days are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The ban that came into effect earlier this month applied to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The African Union expressed its “deep concern” over that bill. 

(with newswires)

PSG claimed the French Super Cup in January and followed the success up with the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France and Champions League.

“It has been a very long season,” Enrique told broadcaster DAZN. “What I see in training is motivation. That’s the objective.”

The game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena kicked off at midday in temperatures of 31C.

“It’s not easy to play in these conditions in this heat,” Enrique added. “We played a very good match. Mobility is important, it’s one of our characteristics but you have to know when to use that mobility.”

PSG took the lead after 19 minutes when midfielder Fabian Luiz finished off a slick move on the edge of the Atletico penalty area with a shot past goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Vitinha doubled PSG’s advantage on the cusp of half-time.

After the break, Julian Alvarez thought he had halved the deficit but his strike was ruled out because of Koke’s foul on Désiré Doué in the prelude to the goal.

Atletico wilt in heat

Clément Lenglet compounded Atletico’s woes when he was sent off in the 77th minute for a second bookable offence and substitute Senny Mayulu effectively wrapped up the game 10 minutes later when he stabbed home from close range.

Kang-in Lee added the fourth from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

“We’re happy with a difficult match,” Enrique added. “It was difficult to make those efforts but that’s the ambition of the players. It’s great for a coach to see that. Everyone is ready.”

PSG, like Atletico Madrid, qualified for the 32-team tournament on the basis of their performances in the Champions League between 2021 and 2024.

Champions League: PSG boss Enrique targets place in legend with win over Inter

“When we had the ball, we couldn’t always link our lines effectively,” Atletico boss Diego Simeone told Mundo Deportivo.

“In terms of determination and commitment, I saw a team that tried but couldn’t get the job done.

“PSG is a team full of young talent. When Luis [Enrique] needed support on the left flank, PSG simply splashed out 70 million euros to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January.”

PSG face the Brazilian outfit Botafogo – 2-1 winners over Seattle Sounders – in their second Group B game in Pasadena on Friday a few hours after Atletico play Seattle Sounders.

The top two from the pool move into the last-16 knockout stages.

“We’re working together as a team,” Enrique added. “That’s the right way to grow.”

Israel’s strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders off guard, are the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the US from its traditional role as global policeman.

Speaking on a flight to Canada for the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the crisis with Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other world leaders.

Britain is sending fighter jets and other military reinforcements to the Middle East.

“We do have longstanding concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme. We recognise Israel’s right to self-defence, but I am absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There is a huge risk of escalation for the region and beyond,” Starmer said, adding that he expected “intense discussions” at the summit.

Trump is the summit’s wild card

As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting.

With other leaders seeking to persuade Trump not to impose tariffs, the summit risks becoming a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity.

Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are his inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Greenland on Sunday for a highly symbolic stop en route to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory’s leader and Denmark’s prime minister aboard a Danish helicopter carrier.

Macron’s office said the trip to Greenland is a reminder that Paris supports the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the UN charter.

France’s Macron to visit Greenland to stop US ‘preying’ on it

Macron, one of the few leaders to have known Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter.

However, despite their occasional rapport, Macron’s approach to Trump has failed to yield major results, with France caught up in the president’s planned tariffs on the European Union.

Nor did it bring any US security guarantees for Ukraine, despite Macron’s efforts, together with Starmer, to build a coalition of nations that could deploy forces after any ceasefire with Russia, in the hope of convincing the Trump administration to provide backup.

Trump is due to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings between other leaders are possible on Sunday, but the summit programme does not begin until Monday.

Peter Boehm, Canada’s sherpa for the 2018 G7 summit in Quebec and a veteran of six G7 summits, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war.

“Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,” Boehm said. “The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.”

‘He tends to be a bully’

Leaders who are not part of the G7 but have been invited by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico, and the UAE. Avoiding tariffs will remain a priority.

“Leaders, and there are some new ones attending, will want to meet Donald Trump,” Boehm said. “Trump doesn’t like the big round table as much as he likes the one-to-one.”

Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught, as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm, as Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting.

“He tends to be a bully,” Chrétien said. “If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something outrageous. Let him do it and keep talking normally.”

Starmer had a warm Oval Office meeting with the president in February, wooing Trump with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III. Trump has praised the British prime minister, despite their political differences.

Zelensky expected to meet Trump

Last month, Britain and the US announced a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on UK cars, steel and aluminium. It has yet to take effect, but British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might renege.

Starmer’s attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the UK’s former colony, close ally, and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump’s stated desire to make Canada the 51st state.

Asked if he has told Trump to stop the 51st state threats, Starmer told The Associated Press: “I’m not going to get into the precise conversations I’ve had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.”

The war in Ukraine will be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of a meeting with the US president.

Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years.

German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a “six against one” event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues.

“The only problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news,” said Chrétien.

(With newswires)

Macron reiterated his criticism of Trump’s intention to take control of the territory.

“I don’t think that’s something that should be done between allies,” he said as he was greeted at Nuuk airport by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

“It’s important to show that Denmark and Europe are committed to this territory, which has very high strategic importance and whose territorial integrity must be respected,” Macron said. He was making a stop on his way to a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations in Canada, which will also be attended by Trump.

Macron, who is visiting Greenland for the first time, said, “It means a lot to me to convey a message of friendship and solidarity from France and the European Union to help this territory face its various challenges: economic development, education, as well as the consequences of climate change.”

In a speech last week at the UN Ocean Conference, Macron also mentioned Greenland and the deep seas, saying they are not “up for grabs” in remarks that appeared largely directed at Trump.

Macron’s role in Europe

In recent months, Macron has sought to reinvigorate France’s role as the diplomatic and economic heavyweight of the 27-nation European Union.

The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump’s threats to withdraw support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues across the continent.

Macron hosts summit on Ukraine, pledges €2bn in military aid to Kyiv

Sunday’s visit was also be an occasion to discuss how to further enhance relations between the EU and Greenland on matters such as economic development, the low-carbon energy transition, and critical minerals. The leaders will also exchange views on efforts to curb global warming, according to Macron’s office.

Later on Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen, and Nielsen held a meeting on a Danish helicopter carrier, underlining France’s concerns over security issues in the region.

Trump and Greenland

Last week, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary, but refused to answer repeated questions during a heated congressional hearing on Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations.

Hegseth’s comments were the latest controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration about the Arctic island. The president himself has said he will not rule out military force to take over Greenland, which he considers vital to American security in the high north.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that several high-ranking officials under the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had instructed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and attitudes towards US resource extraction there.

Nielsen said in April that US statements about the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland “will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.”

(With newswires)

Strikes in both countries persisted throughout the day, as the death rose following Israel’s large-scale attacks on Friday aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, sparking retaliation.

The intensity of the exchanges between the two adversaries has reached new heights, fuel;ing concerns of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East, even as world leaders call for restraint and a halt to the violence.

After decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East.

Tehran-Washington nuclear talks on Sunday cancelled after Israel strikes targets in Iran

Israel’s operation, which began early Friday, has targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, killing dozens of people including top army commanders and atomic scientists, according to Tehran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit “every target of the ayatollah regime”, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned further strikes would draw “a more severe and powerful response”.

In Bat Yam, outside of Tel Aviv, Israeli first responders wearing helmets and headlamps combed through the rubble of a building as dawn broke.

Two women, aged 69 and 80, a girl and a 10-year-old boy were killed, while about 100 others were wounded, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom (MDA).

In Shfela region, west of Jerusalem, another 37 people were wounded, the MDA spokesperson added.

In the north of Israel, in the Western Galilee, rescuers said a strike late Saturday destroyed a three-storey building, killing three women.

A woman in her 20s also died after an Iranian missile hit a home in the Haifa region, leaving about a dozen people wounded, MDA said.

An MDA spokesman told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 that around 200 people were wounded in the overnight missile strikes fired by Iran.

Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and 320 wounded in Friday’s first wave of Israeli strikes. Iranian authorities have not provided an updated toll as of early Sunday.

‘Nuclear project’ sites struck

Israel’s military said it had struck Iran’s defence ministry headquarters, “nuclear weapons project” infrastructure sites and other targets, including fuel tankers, just before 2:40 am on Sunday.

The targeted sites, including the “headquarters of the SPND (Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research) nuclear project”, advanced Iran’s efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, according to Israel.

Iranian news agency Tasnim earlier reported that an Israeli strike had targeted the defence ministry headquarters in Tehran and damaged one of its buildings. The ministry did not comment.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday that the country had struck sites used by Israeli warplanes for refuelling, in retaliation for the strikes carried out by Israel.

“The Iranian armed forces’ offensive operations will continue more fiercely and more broadly if the depravity and attacks (against Iran) continue,” the Guards said in a statement.

Overnight, Israel stuck two fuel depots in Tehran, the Iranian oil ministry said Sunday.

According to the ministry, the oil depots at Shahran northwest of Tehran and another reservoir south of the city were hit.

An AFP journalist saw a depot at Shahran on fire

Foreign concern

Netanyahu maintained Israel’s operation had the “clear support” of US President Donald Trump.

Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in a phone call on Saturday that the conflict between Iran and Israel “should end”.

According to a statement from his office, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Washington’s “dishonesty” for supporting Israel while engaged in nuclear talks with Iran — which mediator Oman said would no longer take place on Sunday.

Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the Israeli attacks undermined negotiations and were pushing the region into a “dangerous cycle of violence”.

Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and killed its highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.

The Israeli military said its strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian commanders.

Iranian media reported five Guards killed Saturday in Israeli strikes, while authorities in one northwestern province said 30 military personnel had been killed there since Friday.

Iran’s Red Crescent said an ambulance was hit Saturday in Urmia city, killing two.

Iran called on its citizens to unite in the country’s defence, while Netanyahu urged them to rise up against the government.

Highlighting the global unease, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against a “devastating war” with regional consequences, in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara said.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that his country was deploying fighter jets and other “assets” to the Middle East “for contingency support”, while he also urged de-escalation.

(With newswires)

“The Iran US-talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X, adding that “diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace”.

Earlier on, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had confirmed to Qatari-owned television station Al Jazeera that the negotiations were cancelled.

Asked on Saturday, “Can we have a clear confirmation that Sunday’s talks are cancelled?”, Araghchi responded, “Yes”.

Tehran called discussions about its nuclear programme with the Washington as “meaningless” after Israel launched its biggest-ever military strike against Iran, which Tehran accuses the US of supporting.

(With newsagencies)

In June 2024, protests erupted across Kenya against a new bill that would mean a sharp rise in taxes – with 40 percent of people in the country living in poverty and the government regularly embroiled in corruption scandals.

“It was spontaneous, leaderless and unlike anything our country had ever seen,” said Hanifa Adan of the movement. The 28-year-old emerged as one of the most high-profile figures in what became known as the “Gen Z protests”.

The demonstrations reached a climax on 25 June, when thousands stormed the parliament where lawmakers were debating the bill – ultimately forcing President William Ruto to withdraw it.

In the course of the protests, 60 people died amid a violent police response, and dozens were arbitrarily detained.

Following this brutal response, in the weeks that followed the protests dwindled.

“State violence was brutal and traumatising, and it was meant to intimidate and silence us. But instead, it exposed the desperation of a system clinging to power,” said Adan.

Kenya probes deadly violence that erupted during tax hike protests

Fractured movement

Kenya has rarely seen protests of this kind, which observers have called a new form of political uprising in the country – in which young people cast off the ethnic and geographic divides which had long defined their politics, to focus instead on policies.

But divides began to emerge within the movement. While some continued to engage in street protests, notably over women’s rights and against police brutality, others took a different path – like Kasmuel McOure, 27.

He had gained notoriety during the protests with his fiery statements, but he subsequently joined the establishment, allying with veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, who recently forged an alliance with the government.

McOure now calls himself “a party man through and through” – a move perceived by many protesters as a betrayal.

“If you’re going to play politics then let’s play it properly,” he told French news agency AFP.

Some observers say he may intend to run for parliament at the next election in 2027. He has said that young people “must take political power” and that the Gen Z movement was too disorganised to foster real change.

“I thought the majority of the people who were calling themselves leaders were agitating for the sake of agitating,” he said.  

Death in custody

With the death of the blogger Albert Ojwang in custody last weekend, new protests have erupted this week. 

The first march began in the capital, Nairobi, on Monday, near the Central Police Station where Ojwang died. Some protesters clashed with the police after officers used tear gas on the crowd.

Kenya protests erupt after activist Albert Ojwang dies in police custody

For Amnesty International in Kenya, Ojwang’s death highlights major concerns about Kenya’s police – which are not new.

“Why would the Directorate of Criminal Investigations use so much public taxes to arrest Albert Ojwang in Homa Bay and drive 350km past several police stations and courts to Central Police Station, Nairobi? Why would a suspect commit suicide after peacefully complying with an arrest and actively calling for family and friends to raise bail for him?” the organisation wrote in a statement, co-signed by groups working on police reforms.

Amnesty is calling on Kenyan authorities to admit a UN fact-finding team to independently investigate the cases of deaths and abductions by the police.

“Without independent and external investigation, these practices shall remain a threat to Kenyan lives, the rule of law, national security and the public interest,” the statement concluded.

 (with AFP)

It was the largest ever relocation of rhinos, which can weigh up to two tonnes, Rwandan officials said.

Once abundant across sub-Saharan Africa, rhino numbers have dramatically fallen due to hunting by European colonisers and large-scale poaching.

The animals were transported in two loads of 35 – first aboard a Boeing 747, then by road – from South Africa’s Munywana Conservancy to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, according to the Rwanda Development Board.

“A dedicated veterinary team will closely monitor their health and behaviour for several weeks to ensure proper adaptation to their new environment and management of any stress associated with the move,” it added in a statement.

Breeding stronghold

The move was part of the African Parks rhino rewilding initiative, supported by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which aims to support population growth and secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda.

According to the International Rhino Foundation, rhino poaching in Africa rose by 4 percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 rhinos poached in 2023.

South Africa is home to most of the world’s rhinos, including the critically endangered black rhino, and is a hotspot for poaching – driven by demand in Asia, where the horns are used in traditional medicine.

Rhino horn is highly sought after on the black market, where the price by weight rivals that of gold and cocaine.

African rhino numbers rise for first time in decade despite poaching

The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as “near threatened”, with roughly 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The northern white rhino has all but vanished, with just two females left alive, in Kenya.

At least 34 rhinos were killed each month, the South African environment minister said in May.

Dehorning to ward off poachers

In a bid to tackle the problem of poaching, conservationists in South Africa have turned to the procedure of “dehorning” rhinos.

The practice resulted in a nearly 80-percent reduction in the poaching of the animals during a seven-year study in a major South African conservation area, according to a report published in the journal Science last week.

Sawing off the sought-after horns also comes at a fraction of the cost of other counter-poaching measures such as deploying rangers or tracking dogs, according to the study.

Can science save the last two white rhinos left on the planet?

The study was carried out between 2017 and 2023 in 11 reserves around South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park.

During this period, some 1,985 rhinos were poached in the reserves, despite €64 million being spent – mostly on reactive law enforcement measures which netted around 700 poachers.

In contrast, dehorning 2,284 rhinos cut poaching by 78 percent at just 1.2 percent of that cost.

(with AFP)

For a long time, the story of football in Suriname has been that of how this small country transformed a team 7,000 kilometres away.

After the Netherlands’ success in the 1970s, when they rose from the semi-professional doldrums to reach World Cup finals in Germany ’74 and Argentina ’78, and national hero Johann Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or in 1971, 1973 and 1974, in the decade that followed the country’s run of luck seemed to be over.

The Netherlands failed to qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain or for Mexico ’86, nor for the Euros in France in 1984.

Then came a reprieve – a win at the 1988 Euros in Germany, thanks in large part to the Surinamese-born trio of Frank Rijkaard, Aron Winter and team captain Ruud Gullit.

Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, all born in Suriname, went on to make the Dutch national team shine in the 1990s, with the Netherlands reaching the semi-finals of the France ’98 World Cup.

Their heirs today are Virgil van Dijk, Xavi Simons, Georginio Wijnaldum and Denzel Dumfries – all born in the Netherlands to Surinamese parents.

Across the Atlantic, Suriname – an impoverished country of 600,000 people – watched its children and grandchildren help its former coloniser excel. Seedorf did attempt to develop football in his motherland, but despite significant personal investment, the training centre he planned never came to fruition.

Suriname poised for cash inflow from newly discovered oil

Stars aligning

Today, however, with the 2026 World Cup – hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada – on the horizon, Suriname is hoping to turn the tables.

After years of refusing to do so, since November 2019 the country’s football authorities have allowed footballers from its diaspora – most of whom were born in the Netherlands – to play for the national team.

Furthermore, Suriname, despite being located in South America, takes part in the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers – for national teams which are members of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football – thanks to its cultural and historical ties to the Caribbean.

And with the three traditionally dominant countries – the US, Mexico and Canada – automatically qualifying as hosts, and the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, it seems the stars could be aligning to give Suriname its best chance to date of qualifying.

‘It’s going to happen’

“We’ve made a lot of progress. We’re in the Concacaf Nations League A, among the top 14,” Soerin Mathoera, president of the Surinamese Football Association, told French news agency AFP. “We’re hoping to qualify for this World Cup and we’re making the necessary efforts to bring players of Surinamese origin into the national team.”

He added: “It’s a journey for them, [some of them] don’t know Suriname and have never been here.”

Roberto Gödeken, assistant manager of the national team and manager of Suriname’s most successful club SV Robinhood, echoed this: “Compared to previous years, the path is much more accessible. We have a good chance of qualifying.”

Dutch sports journalist Diederik Samwel, author of the book “Suriname on the Road to the World Cup”, says: “There’s so much talent here – in the country, in the Netherlands and in the rest of Europe – that it’s going to happen at some point. And there’s a great opportunity here.”

Mixed reactions as Dutch leader apologises for 250 years of slavery

First steps

Renske Adipi, midfielder for SV Robinhood and the national team, is currently the only player at the club able to make a living from football and is awaiting a transfer abroad.

Samwel calls him an example of a “technically excellent Creole player with great stamina”, adding: “Foreign observers are immediately impressed by the talent and skills of these amateur players, [even if] there are sometimes shortcomings at a tactical level.”

Suriname took the first step to glory on Friday by beating Puerto Rico 1-0 in their Concacaf World Cup qualifier.

Their main rivals include Costa Rica, who have taken part in every World Cup since Brazil 2014; Honduras (with three appearances, in 1982, 2010 and 2014) and Panama, who last qualified in 2018 for the tournament held in Russia. 

If they qualify, says Gödeken: “It would be historic, it would put Suriname on the world map.”

This article was adapted from the original version in French (with AFP).

Archaeologists believe the ship was sailing from northern Italy loaded with ceramics and metal bars before it sunk.

Despite modern household waste dotting its sunken cargo at 2,567 metres below sea level, the team says they are excited about the potential of an archaeological site largely preserved intact.

“It’s the deepest shipwreck ever found in French territorial waters,” Arnaud Schaumasse, head of the culture ministry’s underwater archaeology department, said on Wednesday.

Drone discovery

An underwater drone found the sunken ship by chance in early March in waters near Saint Tropez, deputy maritime police chief Thierry de la Burgade said.

“The sonar detected something quite big, so we went back with the device’s camera, then again with an underwater robot to snap high-quality images,” he said.

The drone was patrolling the seabed as part of a government project to explore and monitor France’s deep-sea resources, from minerals to internet cables.

France to relaunch search for 16th-century shipwrecks

Archaeologist Marine Sadania said experts discovered 200 jugs with pinched spouts among the wreckage, at the site they have dubbed “Camarat 4”.

Some of these jugs were marked with the monogram “IHS” – the first three letters of the Greek spelling of Jesus – or covered with plant-inspired or geometric patterns.

Those details may indicate that the jugs hailed from the Liguria region in what is now northern Italy, Sadania said.

Experts also identified piles of around 100 yellow plates, two cauldrons, an anchor and six cannons.

‘As if time froze’

“The site – thanks to its depth, which prevented any recovery or looting – has remained intact, as if time froze, which is exceptional,” Sadania added.

Outrage as 2,200-year-old shipwreck looted off French Riviera

Over the coming two years, she and her colleagues plan to draw up a 3D digital version of the ship, as well as extracting samples from the site to study them before returning them to the public domain.

Until now, the lowest depth at which French authorities had found a sunken vessel was 2.3 kilometres below sea level, off the southern city of Toulon in 2019.

That wreckage belonged to La Minerve, a French submarine that sunk to its demise in 1968 with 52 navy crew on board.

(with AFP)

But as a cacophony of ship foghorns sounded the close of the UN Ocean Conference in France, a lack of funding pledges and the total omission of fossil fuels disappointed some observers.

The summit was just the third — and largest yet — dedicated entirely to what the United Nations calls an “emergency” in the world’s oceans.

More than 60 heads of state and government joined thousands of business leaders, scientists and environmental campaigners over five days in the southern city of Nice.

Nations vow to cut shipping noise as sea life struggles to be heard

Treaty tide

There was unanimous praise for efforts to ratify the high seas treaty designed to protect marine life in the 60 percent of oceans that lie beyond national waters.

Some 19 countries formally ratified the pact at Nice, taking the overall tally to 50 — but 60 nations are needed to bring the treaty into force.

France’s oceans envoy, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, said the numbers would be reached by September and the treaty should take effect by January, 2026.

Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, welcomed the “incredible progress” but urged “all remaining nations to ratify without delay”.

The summit sought a collective lift for oceans even as countries brace for tough talks over deep-sea mining in July and a plastic pollution treaty in August.

More than 90 ministers called in Nice for the treaty to enshrine limits on plastic production — something fiercely opposed by oil-producing nations.

The summit also rallied behind a defence of science and rules-based oversight of common resources — most notably the unknown depths of the oceans — in a direct rebuke of US President Donald Trump.

Trump was not present in Nice and rarely mentioned by name, but his shadow loomed as leaders thundered against his unilateral push to mine the ocean floor for nickel and minerals.

Seabed row

France and like-minded countries vowed to block any effort to permit deep-sea exploration at negotiations over a mining code at the International Seabed Authority next month, said Poivre d’Arvor.

“Nobody knows what is there in the deep sea… you cannot launch recklessly down this path,” he said in a closing address.

Macron rallies nations to protect oceans as UN sounds alarm on marine crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged caution, warning against turning the deep sea into “the wild west”.

Leaders “made it unmistakably clear: deep-sea mining is one of the biggest threats facing our ocean, and the world is saying no”, said Sofia Tsenikli from the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.

But for all the rhetoric, a global alliance opposed to deep-sea mining only attracted four new members at Nice, rising to 37 nations.

Missing billions

Greece, Samoa and Colombia were among 14 nations who unveiled plans for vast new marine protected areas, taking the share of the world’s oceans under conservation to more than 10 percent.

Some also announced restrictions on bottom trawling, a destructive fishing method captured in grisly detail in a new David Attenborough documentary.

Activists had pushed for a total ban on this kind of trawling, which uses heavy weighted nets dragged across the ocean floor.

Developing nations hoping their larger and wealthier counterparts would open the chequebook in Nice were disappointed.

Small island nations in particular have long complained they lack the finances required to build seawalls against rising tides and protect their waters from illegal fishers.

While private donors pledged around 8.7 billion euros ($10 billion) over the next five years, the UN says $175 billion a year is needed for sustainable ocean development.

Fossil fuels — the main driver of climate change, ocean warming and the acidification of the seas — were notably absent for a summit dedicated to marine protection.

“Ignoring the imperative of phasing out offshore oil and gas is not just an injustice: it is inadmissible,” said Bruna Campos from the Center for International Environmental Law.

The summit closed with the unanimous adoption of a political statement, negotiated over many months, that contained no mention of coal, oil and gas.

“We must all reckon with the reality that you cannot protect the ocean without confronting the biggest root cause bringing it to the breaking point,” former US special climate envoy John Kerry said in a statement.

(With newswires)

At dawn in Busia County, western Kenya, 10-year-old Angela Wanjiru lies motionless on a wooden bench in front of a rural dispensary. Her fever is high, and her mother anxiously fans her with a creased piece of cardboard. This is Angela’s third malaria attack in three months, a deadly cycle that is well known to families in this mosquito-infested region.

Kenya sees more than 5 million malaria cases per year – and 12,000 deaths from the disease. Malaria continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to child survival and economic productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.

But in some parts of the region, a quiet revolution is in the air – quite literally.

In Ghana and Sierra Leone, drone technology is being used to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds before outbreaks erupt.

These drones, powered by artificial intelligence-enabled cameras, patrol fields, wetlands and riverbanks. They scan for standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs.

When an infestation location is found, the drones deposit larvicide at the infestation point before the insects even hatch.

Malaria fight under threat as US funding cuts raise fears in Africa

‘We could end the cycle’

This initiative, introduced by governments and local partners with support from Japanese start-up SORA Technology, is already showing good results.

SORA Technology co-founder and CEO Yosuke Kaneko says the idea came out of his own experiences in Africa. “I was shocked at how many children still die from malaria, which can be prevented and cured. We thought that if we could add AI and aerial monitoring to the mix, we could end the cycle.”

He added: “Drones allow us to access areas that health personnel often have difficulty reaching in a timely manner, safely and with accuracy that does make a real difference.”

Kaneko says his team works in close proximity with ministries of health, community leadership and local drone pilots. “The technology only works if the people it’s supposed to help trust it. That’s why training locals and building capacity in-country is at the core of what we do.”

The women carrying the burden of Kenya’s rural healthcare on their backs

Prevention rather than cure

Dr. Margaret Njeri, an epidemiologist in Nairobi, sees this initiative as a breakthrough. “We’ve relied on bed nets and medication for decades. Those are still important, but they’re not enough. This kind technology is what we’ve been seeking.”

Africa accounts for more than 90 percent of global malaria deaths, with young children the most vulnerable. Despite progress in reducing transmission over the past two decades, rising resistance to drugs and insecticides is forcing a rethink in strategy.

Malaria policy advisor Dr. Peter Okeke, who is based in Abuja, believes the drone model can be replicated across the African continent. “It’s smart prevention – cheaper than treatment, more humane than reacting to outbreaks and, ultimately, more sustainable.”

Faith Atieno, a community health volunteer in Homa Bay County, western Kenya, has witnessed the devastating impact of malaria on children in her community – like Angela.

“We’ve heard how valuable these drones are proving in other African countries. If we had them here, I am sure that we could save many lives,” she says. “It’s not just about technology. It’s about giving our children a better chance.”

The right-wing ex-president ruled France from 2007-2012 and has been beset by legal problems since leaving office following a bruising presidential election defeat.

An appeals court last year upheld his conviction for illegal attempts to secure favours from a judge and ordered him to wear an electronic ankle bracelet instead of serving a one-year jail sentence.

The decision to revoke his award had since been expected, according to the rules of the order, despite current French President Emmanuel Macron saying he was opposed to the move.

Sarkozy corruption trial wraps up over Libya campaign fund allegations

Sarkozy becomes the second former head of state to be stripped of the award after Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain, who was convicted in August 1945 for high treason and conspiring with the enemy.

Sarkozy, whose electronic tag was removed this month, is using his last remaining legal avenue, an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, to defend himself against the conviction.

He is currently on trial in a separate case on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

.

The court is to give a verdict in September with prosecutors asking for a seven-year prison term for Sarkozy, who denies the charges.

Despite his legal problems, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the right and is known to regularly meet with Macron.

(With newswires)

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 winners’ 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.

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” and 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: Brother 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 Brother 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 10 May, I asked you about a scientific summit held earlier that week here in Paris. It was about bringing to Europe US scientists whose research funds were being threatened – and now, many have been canceled – by US President Donald Trump.

The summit, called “Choose Europe for Science”, was attended by EU commissioners, scientists, and ministers for research from member countries, and hosted by Paris’s Sorbonne University. It closed with speeches by French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

You were to re-read our article “France hosts summit to lure scientists threatened by US budget cuts” and send in the answer to this question: Which specific research specialties are the Europeans hoping to attract? Amongst possible others, which specific sectors of research are the Europeans targeting?

The answer is, to quote our article: “Macron’s office said France and the EU are targeting researchers in a number of specific sectors, including health, climate, biodiversity, artificial intelligence and space.”

The first “refugee scientists”, as they’re being called, are on their way here.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you greet friends and relatives? How do you greet people you are being introduced to for the first time? What do these forms of greeting mean to you?” The question was suggested by Jocelyne D’Errico from New Zealand.

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, as well as RFI Listeners Club members Rubi Saikia from Assam, India and Sahadot Hossain Khoka from Sunamganj, Bangladesh. Last but assuredly not least, RFI English listener Rajesh Dhakal from Mechi, Nepal.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  “Peaceful Journey” by Imade Suputra; the “Gigue” from the French Suite no. 2 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Andras Schiff; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Quatre Bergerettes, four 18th-century French folksongs arranged by Siegfried Behrend and Sharon Isbin, performed by mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer and guitarist Sharon Isbin.

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

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French Polynesia unveils world’s largest marine protected zone”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 7 July to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 12 July 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.   

Tundu Lissu is the leader of Tanzania’s main opposition Party for Democracy and Progress (Chadema). He was arrested on 9 April.

Treason charges were brought against him on 10 April, and he could receive the death penalty.

Amnesty International’s regional director for east and southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, reacted by saying that the Tanzanian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Tundu Lissu, whose arbitrary arrest and detention comes amid a growing crackdown on opposition leaders ahead of the October 2025 general election.

He added, “The authorities’ campaign of repression saw four government critics forcibly disappeared and one unlawfully killed in 2024. The police have also prevented opposition members from holding meetings and other political gatherings, subjecting them to mass arrest, arbitrary detention, and unlawful use of force.”

Tanzanian politician’s lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary

However, the opposition leader has not been released, nor have the charges been dropped. On the contrary, other members of his party have since been arrested and even subjected to torture.

Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania’s economic capital, Dar es Salaam, between 19 and 23 May, after attempting to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

The crisis extends beyond Tanzania to neighbouring Uganda and Kenya, where activists from a rights coalition in Kenya also accused police officers of sexually torturing Kenyan and Ugandan activists last month.

In this context, this week on Spotlight on Africa, RFI speaks to Tundu Lissu’s international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, who has lodged a complaint with the UN Working Group as part of a broader campaign of pressure.

This month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Lissu’s arrest as politically motivated. Amsterdam also stated that he intends to petition the US State Department to impose sanctions.

Meanwhile, in Namibia, the first national commemoration was held on 28 May for the victims of mass killings by colonial-era German troops, in what is widely recognised as the first genocide of the 20th century.

When first the Herero and then the Nama revolted against the colonial administration, the response from Germany was brutal. An extermination order was sent by the Second Reich, and several concentration camps were built across the country.

Namibia holds controversial first commemoration of German colonial-era genocide

Some organisations representing victims’ descendants have declined to take part.

To discuss what is at stake with this commemoration, for Namibia but also for other former African colonies, we talk to the German historian Henning Melber, of the Nordic Africa Institute, who is also affiliated to the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein in South Africa.

He says that while the announcement of an official Namibian Genocide Memorial Day has been long overdue, the chosen date of 28 May remains controversial, and that communities of descendants were excluded.

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 winners’ 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.

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” and 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: Brother 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 Brother 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 3 May, I asked you a question about women’s right to vote. Frenchwomen were granted the right to vote in 1944; the first election they voted in was in 1945. This is long after many of their sisters in other countries.

You were to re-read our article “How French women won, and used, their right to vote in 1945”, and send in the answer to this question: Which country was the first to grant women the right to vote, and in which year? I also asked you to send in the names and dates of the countries that followed the ground-breaker.

The answer is, to quote our article: “New Zealand was the pioneer, granting women the right to vote in 1893, followed by Australia in 1901, Finland in 1906, Denmark in 1915, Uruguay in 1917, Germany in 1918, the United States in 1920, and the United Kingdom in 1928.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, which was suggested by Father Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon. Father Steve wanted to know: What big anniversary do you have coming up? A birthday? A wedding? Something else? How will you celebrate it? How many guests will you invite?

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Mr. M. Ganesan from Goa, India, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Mr. Ganesan.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week – all women, to celebrate our big sister suffragettes who opened the door for us – are Hasina Zaman Hasi, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Jocelyne D’Errico from New Zealand; Jahan Ara Hussain from Odisha, India, and Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj in Bangladesh.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  “Eid Al-Adha Mubarak” by Babu and Shahnawaz, sung by Nawal Khan; Duet for Viola and Violoncello and Obligato Eyeglasses WoO 32 by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Keith Hamm and Julie Hereish; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Oi! Altas undas que venetz sus la mar” by Raimbaut de Vaqueiras, performed by the Eduardo Paniagua Spanish-French-Moroccan Ensemble.

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 Amanda Morrow’s article “The big blue blindspot: why the ocean floor is still an unmapped mystery”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 30 June to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 5 July 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.   

On Wednesday, a suburb of Istanbul witnessed the latest demonstration in support of the city’s detained mayor. Despite the protest taking place in a traditional electoral stronghold of President Erdoğan, tens of thousands attended.

İmamoğlu masks

In a recent attempt to quell the unrest, Istanbul’s governor’s office issued a decree ordering the removal of all images, videos, and audio recordings of İmamoğlu from state buildings and public transport across the city. Within hours, social media was flooded with footage of people wearing İmamoğlu masks while riding public transport.

Turkey’s youth rise up over mayor’s jailing and worsening economy

“Up to 75% are against İmamoğlu’s arrest, as the aversion to Erdoğan’s attempt to sideline his opponent with foul play was widely distributed by all parties,” claimed political analyst Atilla Yeşilada of Global Source Partners, citing recent opinion polls.

Yeşilada argues that the poll’s findings underscore the opposition’s success in winning over public opinion.

“There is a strong reaction. This is not a temporary thing. It’s a grievance that will be held and may impact the next election whenever they are held,” he added.

Recent opinion polls also show İmamoğlu enjoying a double-digit lead over Erdoğan in a prospective presidential race, with a majority of respondents believing the corruption charges against the mayor are politically motivated—a claim the government denies.

Erdogan’s jailed rivals

Political analyst Sezin Öney of the independent Turkish news portal Politikyol suggests Erdoğan may have expected İmamoğlu to follow the same fate as other jailed rivals, whose influence faded once imprisoned. “The government is counting on the possibility that İmamoğlu is jailed, is out of sight, out of mind, and the presidency will have his ways,” explained Öney.

Further arrests as Turkey cracks down on protests over jailed Istanbul mayor

Turkish authorities have persistently sought to curtail İmamoğlu’s presence on social media. His accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky have been frozen following court rulings.

The fate of opposition journalists

Similar actions have been taken against opposition journalists and their supporters. “The operation goes deeper and deeper in recent months; it’s just a very concerted policy to create a blackout in this vibrant society,” claimed Erol Önderoğlu, Istanbul representative of the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders.

The legal crackdown on the Istanbul municipality continues, with further waves of arrests extending even to İmamoğlu’s personal bodyguard. His party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is also under investigation for alleged irregularities at its party congress.

Analyst Öney predicts that further crackdowns are likely, given the potential implications for Erdoğan’s political future. “I am sure this is being calculated and recalculated every day—whether it’s beneficial to throw more cases at him (İmamoğlu), by weakening his party, the Republican People’s Party, weakening him personally, or whatever is convenient. But the sky is the limit,” explained Öney.

Nevertheless, each new crackdown appears only to fuel the momentum behind opposition protests, which continue to attract large crowds across the country—including in Erdoğan’s own political bastions.

Protest movement

The leader of the main opposition CHP, Özgür Özel, has earned praise for his energetic performances and has won over many former sceptics. However, analyst Yeşilada questions whether Özel can sustain the protest movement.

“I feel in the summer months, it’s very difficult to keep the momentum; the colleges are closed, and people are shuffling through the country, so if that (protests) is the only means of piling the pressure on Erdoğan, it’s not going to work,” warned Yeşilada.

Istanbul’s mayorial elections mean more than just running the city

Yeşilada believes the opposition leader must elevate his strategy. “Özel needs to find new tricks. It will take two things: A) hearing what the grassroots are saying, in particular the younger generation, and B) being able to reshuffle the party rank and file so true activists are promoted—so they can energise the base,” he added.

In 2013, Erdoğan weathered a wave of mass protests which largely dissipated with the closing of universities and the arrival of the summer holidays. This year, he may again be relying on summer to quieten dissent. For the opposition, the challenge is to ensure that Erdoğan’s summer is anything but peaceful.

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Alan Holder from Isle of Wight, England, and Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India.

Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all.  

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  “A Million Roses” by Raymond Pauls and Leon Briedis, performed by L’Orchestre Dominique Moisan; “Anak” by Freddie Aguilar, performed by Aguilar and his orchestra, and “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira, Wyclef Jean and Archie Pena, performed by Shakira and Wyclef Jean.

The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 June. Be sure and tune in! 

On 26 May, pro-EU centrist Nicușor Dan was sworn in as President of Romania, having vowed to oppose “isolationism and Russian influence.”

Earlier, Dan had emerged victorious in a closely contested election rerun, widely viewed as pivotal for the future direction of the NATO and EU member state of 19 million people, which shares a border with war-torn Ukraine.

The vote followed a dramatic decision by Romania’s Constitutional Court five months prior to annul a presidential election, citing allegations of Russian interference and the extensive social media promotion of the far-right frontrunner—who was subsequently barred from standing again.

Although nationalist and EU-sceptic George Simion had secured a commanding lead in the first round, Dan ultimately prevailed in the second-round run-off.

RFI speaks with Claudiu Năsui, former Minister of Economy and member of the Save Romania Union, about the pressing challenges facing the country—from economic reform and political polarisation to the broader implications of the election for Romania’s future, including its critical role in supporting Ukraine amid ongoing regional tensions.

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.