Focus

Over one and a half million South Sudanese have fled the war and famine in their country. An estimated 800,000 of them have escaped to neighbouring Uganda and more than 2,000 are still crossing the border every day. Uganda has been generous to these refugees, but the strain is starting to show. Our team reports from the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda, the largest in the world. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Elom Marcel Toble.

Despite the security situation worsening in Afghanistan, the European Union is sending back Afghan nationals whose asylum applications have been denied. Under an agreement signed between the EU and the Afghan authorities last October, 80,000 Afghans will be flown back to their country, where terrorist attacks are on the rise. Our correspondents went to meet some of these rejected asylum seekers on their arrival in Kabul. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Elom Marcel Toble.

For several years, French politicians have been championing the idea that home-grown talent and manufacturing are key to solving the country's unemployment woes. The "Made In France" label aims to revive old industries and inject a dose of patriotism into consumers. But for basic goods, it’s not always easy to justify the high costs involved. Our reporters have been to a sock factory in northern France. They discovered a French company with a proud past, but a highly uncertain future. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Marcel Elom Toble.

At the end of last year, the UN raised the alarm that South Sudan's civil war could spiral into genocide. A new report now says there has been a "massive increase" in human rights violations. To make matters worse, a famine has been declared, with five million people in need of aid and 100,000 of them at risk of starvation. Aid agencies have begun distributing food, but government forces are accused of obstructing aid deliveries to opposition-held areas. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett, Gaëlle Esso and Laura Burloux.

Fetching as much as 1,000 euros per kilo or more, ivory is considered a status symbol in China, the world's largest market for it. But that's all set to change. China is banning the ivory trade by the end of this year. The government hopes that, by closing dozens of shops over the next few months, the trade can be all but eliminated. Conservationists have hailed the move as a victory in the fight against the illegal poaching of elephants. But how will the ban be implemented? Our team reports. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Laura Burloux.

An estimated 22,000 asylum seekers currently in France are in a situation of legal limbo. They are deemed eligible to apply for asylum in the EU - but under what's known as the Dublin Regulation, they have to return to the EU country where they were first formally registered. That usually means Greece, Italy or Hungary - but can also be Germany or Sweden. Our team went to meet some of these asylum seekers in Paris, who now face the prospect of being uprooted again. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Laura Burloux.

Rome's first female mayor, Virginia Raggi, was hailed as a breath of fresh air when she swept to election victory on a wave of anti-establishment sentiment in June 2016. The Five Star Movement she represents, though, is running into trouble as the new mayor faces the grim reality of power and the challenge of honouring her campaign promises. Our correspondents report from the Italian capital on what she has achieved so far. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Laura Burloux.

It's been three years since Vladimir Putin signed off on Russia's annexation of Crimea - a unilateral act which landed Moscow with a wave of sanctions from Europe and the United States. Last year, Russia started building a bridge across the Kerch Strait which separates the peninsula of Crimea from the Russian mainland. It's a colossal project and of great importance to Putin. Our correspondents report on the progress so far. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Laura Burloux.

The first round of France's presidential election is less than a month away and one thing seems clear: far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen is set to reach the second round run-off. Among her supporters, perhaps surprisingly, are young people. According to one poll, 25 percent of French people aged 18 to 30 say they plan to vote for Le Pen. Who are these youngsters and what are the reasons for their choice? FRANCE 24's team reports. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett, Josh Vardey and Aline Schmidt.

French conservative presidential candidate François Fillon is a practicing Catholic. In a book which kicked off his presidential bid, he wrote an entire chapter about his faith. But in the past weeks, Fillon’s campaign has been dogged by a string of scandals. Although this has taken its toll, many Catholic voters are standing by their champion. Our team on the ground reports from Paris and Avignon. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.