Focus

Just this weekend, seven French troops in Mali were injured and one UN peacekeeper killed in a four-hour rocket, mortar and car bomb attack on their camp at Timbuktu airport. Five years after the French army intervened in Mali to stop an Islamist insurgency, our reporters Claire Paccalin and Fanny Allard have been to the east of the country, which is still far from stabilized. They followed French and Malian soldiers in their operations to fight terrorists and win the trust of the population. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin.

Kennengelernt haben wir sie als begnadete Rapperin, die den Spagat schafft zwischen Aufmüpfigkeit und Ausgelassenheit. Auf ihrem neuen, dritten Album zeigt sich Steff la Cheffe musikalisch so nachdenklich wie noch nie. Im Focus erzählt sie über den schwierigen Entstehungsprozess der neuen Lieder. Die Chefin ist wieder da. 5 Jahre nach ihrem Erfolgsalbum «Vögu zum Geburtstag» und der Hitsingle «Ha ke Ahnig» veröffentlicht Steff la Cheffe ein neues Album mit schlichten, ruhigen Songs und sehr persönlichen Texten.

Dem Rap bleibt die Bernerin treu, aber sie hat sich musikalisch geöffnet und erzählt im Gespräch mit Dominic Dillier auch von ihrem menschlichen Reifeprozess in ihrem dreissigsten Lebensjahr.

As French rail workers continue their rolling strikes against planned reforms, millions of passengers are looking for other ways to get around. In Paris, several private initiatives exist that allow commuters to rent an electric scooter or bicycle through an app on their smartphones. The vehicles can be found throughout the city and don't have to be hooked up to a dock after use. Our reporters take a look at whether this new model could offer a viable alternative to public transport. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin.

India is soon to implement what could be the world's largest public healthcare programme. Dubbed "Modicare", the ambitious scheme is designed as a safety net for millions of citizens who struggle to afford healthcare. It's being seen as PM Narendra Modi's signature initiative to woo the rural and urban poor. Currently, the Indian government spends only 1% of its GDP on health. Our correspondents report. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin.

Right from the beginning of the war in Syria, Rowaida Kanaan decided to speak out against the atrocities of the Assad regime. As a result, Kanaan was arrested, imprisoned and tortured for months at a time in Syrian regime jails. Today, the former maths teacher lives in exile in Paris, where she is trying to build a new life for herself. Our reporters Alaaedin Sallal and Alexandra Renard went to meet her.

On April 10, 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast, putting an end to three decades of bloodshed in Northern Ireland. Twenty years on, peace is a reality on the streets. But divisions remain and Belfast has been without a devolved government for the past 15 months. Meanwhile, Brexit has called the political stability of the 1998 deal into question. Our correspondents Herve Amoric and Steve O'Reilly report. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett, Rebecca Martin and James Vasina.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is in France this week. He is meeting President Emmanuel Macron to discuss, among other things, tourism in the kingdom. Currently the country is closed to foreign visitors, apart from pilgrims. The crown prince wants to open things up and is looking at developing the historic site of Al-Ula, in the north of Saudi Arabia - with the help of France. Our regional correspondents report from this archaeological treasure in the desert. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett, Rebecca Martin and Wassim Cornet.

On Sunday, Hungarians will cast their ballots in a general election. The ruling Fidesz party of PM Viktor Orban is expected to win the vote. Orban is the man who invented the term "illiberal democracy" and has been criticised for his authoritarian tendencies and opposition to the EU's policy on migrants. But his victory is not a foregone conclusion. Amid a series of scandals, corruption is becoming a thorny issue for Fidesz, as FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin.

The Iranian island of Qeshm, in the Persian Gulf, is home to one of the country’s most traditional societies. Young women are often married off at puberty, rarely venture out of their villages alone, and sometimes mask their faces. But things are beginning to change. More and more young women are being encouraged to study and now dream of leading a different life from that of their mothers. Our correspondents report. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin.

China has some 12 million Catholics. Those who turn their backs on the state-run church body and swear allegiance to the Pope in Rome are forced to practice their faith in underground churches. But Beijing and the Vatican could be on the verge of re-establishing diplomatic relations for the first since 1951. Our Shanghai correspondents report. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Rebecca Martin