Revisited

More than 20 years after the fall of the charismatic Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled the vast African country with an iron fist from 1965 to 1997, many Congolese look back fondly on the era of "Papa Marshal", as he was nicknamed. Our reporters went to DR Congo to explore the legacy of the longtime strongman.

Nearly 30 years after the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in the steppes of eastern Kazakhstan, local people are still suffering the consequences of four decades of exposure to radiation. FRANCE 24's reporters Sophie Guignon and Miyuki Droz Aramaki went to meet them.

"The abode of peace and capital of Islam" – this is how 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta described Baghdad in his writings. The city’s recent history, however, has been anything but peaceful: rocked by the US-led invasion, sectarian violence and deadly terrorist attacks. However, some are now finally beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, as FRANCE 24's Simona Foltyn reports.

Forty years after Idi Amin Dada’s bloody regime came to an end, Ugandans are divided over how to view their former leader. For older Ugandans, the president’s eight years at the helm evokes nothing but bitter memories of terror, torture and massacres. But many younger Ugandans associate him with more positive qualities, such as that of a builder, a nationalist and a separatist. Our reporters went to Uganda to trace Amin’s footsteps.

On September 5, 2017, Hurricane Irma – the most powerful the Caribbean has ever seen – hit Saint-Martin, the small island France shares with the Netherlands. At least 11 people lost their lives on the French side, 95% of which was damaged. Thousands fled in the coming days and months; many are yet to return. FRANCE 24’s Chris Moore and Julie Dungelhoeff covered the aftermath of Irma and witnessed locals struggling to come to terms with the scale of the destruction. A year on, they returned.

On September 5, 2017, Hurricane Irma – the most powerful the Caribbean has ever seen – hit Saint-Martin, the small island France shares with the Netherlands. At least 11 people lost their lives on the French side, 95% of which was damaged. Thousands fled in the coming days and months; many are yet to return. FRANCE 24’s Chris Moore and Julie Dungelhoeff covered the aftermath of Irma and witnessed locals struggling to come to terms with the scale of the destruction. A year on, they returned.

Our reporters returned to Iceland, some 10 years after the tiny island nation plunged into a deep crisis after the country’s banking system collapsed like a house of cards. Icelanders have since called virtually everything they know into question: their financial structures, politics and even the way their society works in general. This has resulted in a near miraculous economic rebound and social reform for the country, where women now play a key role.

As French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe begins a four-day visit to China in the south-eastern city of Shenzhen, our team reports from this former fishing village that’s been transformed into a giant metropolis in the space of a few decades. Shenzhen is now one of China’s richest cities. Foreign capital flows in constantly and every week, new companies spring up.

As French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe begins a four-day visit to China in the south-eastern city of Shenzhen, our team reports from this former fishing village that’s been transformed into a giant metropolis in the space of a few decades. Shenzhen is now one of China’s richest cities. Foreign capital flows in constantly and every week, new companies spring up.

Most French people remember where they were on the night of July 12, 1998. That’s when France was crowned the winner of the football World Cup, after beating Brazil 3-0. After the final, 1.5 million people flocked to the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris to celebrate the victory. “Les Bleus”, a team made up of black, white and North African players, symbolised multicultural France. Twenty years on, ahead of the 2018 World Cup kick-off, our reporters met up with key figures from that time.