Reporters

Archaeological sites in Sudan can be found across the Nile Valley. These pyramids, temples, statues, jewels and other archaeological treasures date from the Meroitic Empire, an ancient Nubian dynasty that ruled over a vast territory from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD. But this priceless heritage is today under threat from urbanisation, grave robbers and gold diggers. In order to save what's left, the government is raising popular awareness. Our correspondents report.

At the end of September 2020, Azerbaijan launched a rapid military offensive that left thousands dead in Nagorno-Karabakh. Within six weeks, the predominantly Armenian enclave had suffered a crushing defeat and large territorial losses. How are its people coping with the trauma now? And what role is being played by Russia, which brokered the ceasefire signed on November 9, 2020? FRANCE 24's reporters Jonathan Walsh and Mohamed Farhat have been to Nagorno-Karabakh to find out.

China's presence is visible all over Africa. But nowhere as much as in Zambia, the African nation where it invested the most money last year. The ties between Beijing and Lusaka are strong and have existed for decades. Today, China possesses one third of Zambia's national debt. It has invested in the mining and industrial sectors, but also in agriculture. Some Zambians denounce this Chinese presence as a form of neo-colonialism.

In a few weeks, the second season of the immensely popular reality TV show “Ferme Factory” (Farm Factory) will air across Senegal. But in contrast to the glitter and glamour usually associated with such shows, Ferme Factory is far from that: For four months, 20 contestants compete to get their hands as dirty as possible, facing various farming challenges, including both sowing and plowing. The winner is awarded with his or her very own farm, along with three years of agricultural training.

Turkey is torn between the deeply secular heritage of its founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the state religion now promoted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The government is trying to impose its views through psychological pressure and a revised educational curriculum, but is meeting strong resistance. Our Istanbul correspondent Shona Bhattacharyya reports.

It’s tough being a girl in India. But in a highly patriarchal society, the "Pardada Pardadi" school offers many girls the hope of emancipation. Thousands of them receive free education, hot meals and healthcare. The "Pardada Pardadi" school wants women to be brought up with a feminist mindset and to take their rightful place in the country's future. Our reporters take you to discover a school like no other that’s changing the lives of young Indian girls.

New settlers keep arriving every day in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ordered the construction of 800 new settler homes there. In this region, which Israel calls by its Biblical name Judea and Samaria, 2.8 million Palestinians live alongside 450,000 Israelis. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, but they keep expanding, while Palestinians in the area are not even allowed to have electricity. Our correspondent reports from the South Hebron Hills.

No face masks, no lockdown, no closure of restaurants or schools: the Swedish government relied on the Swedes' self-discipline to battle the Covid-19 pandemic. Most of them supported its decisions and working from home became the norm. But in the end, calls to be responsible and socially distance proved insufficient. Although Sweden's Covid-19 figures are no worse than the European average, the country has reported 10 times more deaths than its Scandinavian neighbours.

On both sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, members of the Hazara minority, who practice Shia Islam, have become a prime target for various Sunni terrorist groups such as the Taliban and Islamic State group. In southwestern Pakistan, the Hazaras live in ethnic ghettos. Little information filters out from this highly unstable region, which is off-limits to foreigners. Over on the Afghan side, the Hazaras are also targeted by jihadist groups and those who can afford it now ensure their own security. Our reporters went to meet them.

Ten years ago, the Arab Spring saw huge change across the Middle East and North Africa. FRANCE 24's reporters were there as people power on the streets turned into revolution: from Tunisia to Egypt, to Libya to Yemen.  A decade on, we relive the Arab Spring with footage from our teams on the ground.