Reporters

In northeastern Ivory Coast, along the border with Burkina Faso, tension has become a permanent reality. The jihadist threat spreading from the Sahel is no longer the only concern. A new danger has emerged: the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland, or VDPs – auxiliary forces supporting the Burkinabé army. FRANCE 24's Julia Guggenheim, Damien Koffi and M'ma Camara report.

Nearly five years ago, the Taliban seized control of Kabul and imposed Sharia law in Afghanistan. The women's cycling team, which was due to take part in international competitions, found itself more threatened than ever before. An unprecedented plan was put in place to smuggle the professional cyclists out of the country in complete secrecy. Reporters Matteo Born and Alain Rimbert look back at this incredible operation.

Every year, a nationwide military lottery determines the fate of tens of thousands of young men in Thailand. Military conscription is mandatory for all men aged 21 and over. Following armed confrontations between Thailand and Cambodia in July 2025 and again in December, tensions remain high despite a ceasefire and the Thai military is on heightened alert. A story by Antoine Morel, Constantin Simon, Aruna Popuri and Adrien Quilico.

Located about 150 kilometres north of Zambia's capital Lusaka, Kabwe is considered one of the most polluted places in the world, following decades of lead and zinc mining. A simple blood test of two children confirms reports of severe lead contamination. FRANCE 24's Caroline Dumay, Stefan Carstens and Eunice Masson report.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Latvia has been providing massive support to war-torn Ukraine. Like Estonia and Lithuania, this small Baltic state is among the European countries hosting the highest number of Ukrainian refugees relative to its population. Our reporters Valentine Patry and Hugo Laridon went to Latvia to meet some of those who are helping Ukrainians.   

Over the past few years, cryptocurrency has become part of everyday life for nearly one in 10 Nigerians. Some use it to get around the naira, the Nigerian currency, which has lost much of its value in recent years. Others, particularly young people, buy and sell crypto assets on trading platforms in the hope of quick returns. Yassin Ciyow reports.

Not far from the North Pole, in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, lies a piece of Russia. In NATO member state Norway, two Russian villages, or "settlements" as Moscow calls them, have been active for decades. This frozen, hostile land at the ends of the Earth has caught Moscow's interest.

In Canada's oil heartland of Alberta, separatism is no longer just a slogan. An unprecedented movement of independence supporters, aided by a reform from the western province's conservative government, has just cleared the way for a referendum to be held on October 19. This is a first in Canada since Quebec's failed independence referendum in 1995.

On the most dangerous parts of Ukraine's front line, it's almost as common these days to hear Spanish as Ukrainian. Many Colombian soldiers are now fighting in Ukraine, lured by the comparatively high salaries, but also by a sense of adventure and of helping a good cause. Our reporters Gulliver Cragg and Catalina Gomez travelled around Colombia and Ukraine to understand what drives these men to go to war and what their families think.

In Senegal, a generation of young men pin their hopes on football as a chance for a better future. These footballers are prepared to sacrifice everything to reach foreign leagues, making them the perfect targets for fake recruiters. FRANCE 24's Sarah Sakho and Simon Martin investigate this shadowy network and the measures being put in place to stop it.