The Interview

FRANCE 24 spoke to Mahbouba Seraj, a leading women's rights activist in Afghanistan. She told us the Taliban have to "give in" on "red lines" such as women's access to education and work in order to "continue governing". With Afghanistan in dire need of financial assistance, Seraj said she was "angry at the whole world", especially US President Joe Biden. "You cannot let the people of this country die," she said in an emotional plea to the international community.

Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu granted an interview to FRANCE 24 from Taipei. He warned that the threat from China was "very serious" and that Taiwan needs to "be prepared" for possible Chinese military action, "whether it is an all-out invasion or a small skirmish with our military."

It has become a major preoccupation of many governments across the globe; how to build a productive diplomatic relationship with China. This particularly as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to ratchet upwards with Beijing's Winter Olympic Games in February now facing an American diplomatic boycott. Annette Young talks to Canadian-Chinese journalist and author, Joanna Chiu, whose new book 'China Unbound' argues how democracies have effectively enabled Beijing's campaign to increase its global influence. She speaks about the diplomatic toolkit required to ensure a healthy and robust relationship with China.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly granted an interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI in Dakar, Senegal. Parly slammed a "disinformation campaign" aimed at creating "anti-French discourse" in Africa's Sahel region, as France reorganises its military presence there. The minister said she did not believe Russian Wagner Group mercenaries were in the Malian capital Bamako, but added that "that does not mean the current Malian authorities are not planning to bring them there". The arrival of Russian mercenaries in Mali would be "simply unacceptable", she said.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said a preliminary agreement remains "possible" as international negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme have just resumed in Vienna in an attempt to salvage the 2015 agreement. But there is "little time left" according to Grossi, and Tehran must guarantee more transparency to the IAEA, in Iran's own interest.

Guinea's transitional president, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, gave an interview to FRANCE 24 from the capital, Conakry. Doumbouya seized power following a coup d'état on September 5, which ousted Alpha Condé, who had been president for 11 years.

Riyad Al-Maliki, the Palestinian Authority's foreign minister, granted an interview to FRANCE 24. The top Palestinian diplomat regretted that the idea of a Palestinian state is "shrinking". Al-Maliki, who believes an Israeli annexation of the West Bank is "not off the table", called for the urgent resumption of negotiations with Israel.

In an interview with FRANCE 24 at the Paris Peace Forum, US billionaire Frank McCourt strongly criticised tech giants, saying social media is "undermining our democracies". The owner of French football club Olympique de Marseille told us more about his Project Liberty plan. He has invested $100 million in the initiative, which he hopes will "transform the way the internet works".

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said talks with Iran would continue and that an additional round of negotiations between the regional rivals was expected soon.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told FRANCE 24 that recent coups in West Africa are undermining democracy and that events have reached a crucial juncture for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc. “Clearly it is a threat, it is an unfortunate precedent,” he said.