Radio France Internationale in English, international radio news and feature programmes

Nigeria/EU - Europe gives Nigeria €677m to promote peace

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:48:36 GMT

The European Commission has signed a 677 million euro ($1 billion dollar) deal to help Nigeria tackle challenges in its restive oil-producing region, promoting peace, good governance and trade, the EU said Friday.

EU - presidency - Van Rompuy becomes first president of Europe

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:09:03 GMT

Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has been named as the first ever full-time president of the European Council. Former EU trade commissioner, Britain's Catherine Ashton, was named as high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

Russia - religious killing - Orthodox priest who criticised Islam is slain

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:53:38 GMT

A Russian Orthodox priest who was an outspoken critic of both Islam and ultra-nationalist groups was shot dead in his Moscow church by a masked assassin, investigators said Friday. The man had reportedly contacted the federal security services several times over death threats.

Sport - Africa Cup of Nations - Draw pits Ghana against Ivory Coast

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:39 GMT

In Luanda, the draw for the 16-team 2010 Africa Nations Cup has taken place. World Cup qualifiers Ghana and Ivory Coast will clash in the first round after they were drawn in Group B with Burkina Faso and Togo.

Pakistan - UN bomber arrest - Police arrest suspected UN bomber

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:41:21 GMT

Police in Pakistan claim to have arrested the man they suspect was behind last month’s attack on a United Nations office in Islamabad. News of his arrest came as the US announced they had killed eight militants with a missile strike in the north-west of the country.

Afghanistan - suicide bomb - Suicide bomber kills 15 in Farah

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:08:16 GMT

At least 15 people were killed on Friday when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck in the south-western city of Farah. Another 34 were wounded.

France/Ireland - World Cup play-offs - French minister calls for Ireland rematch but FIFA says Non

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:01:54 GMT

A senior member of the French government broke ranks on Friday by calling for the controversial World Cup qualifier between France and Ireland to be replayed. FIFA, however, has turned Ireland's request for a re-match.

France/Ireland - World Cup play-offs - Henry says fairest solution to handball row is a replay

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:51 GMT

France captain Thierry Henry has moved to diffuse the row over Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Ireland by saying that "the fairest solution" would be to replay the match.

France/Nepal - animal rights - Bardot plea for an end to animal slaughter in Nepal

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:02:43 GMT

The legendary French movie star turned animal rights campaigner Brigitte Bardot has written to Nepal's president urging him to stop a mass animal sacrifice from going ahead next week. She has also appealed to the government of Catalonia to back a campaign to ban bullfighting in the north-eastern Spanish region.

France - fashion - South Korean supermodel found dead in Paris flat

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:53:03 GMT

Twenty-year-old South Korean supermodel Daul Kim has been found hanged in her apartment in Paris. The news was reported by her agency, Next, and later confirmed as a suicide by the South Korean embassy.

Somalia - RFI - Mogadishu correspondent survives shooting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:39:28 GMT

The Mogadishu correspondent for RFI's English-language service is recovering after being hit in the arm by a stray bullet on Wednesday. He believes he was caught up in a firefight and that he was not targeted by gunmen.

South Sudan / RFI - RFI opens new FM in Juba

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:03 GMT

This week, RFI began broadcasting on FM in south Sudan. All of the English-language service's programmes will be aired daily on 90.4 FM.

France - AZF trial - Total and AZF boss off the hook for factory explosion

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:08:21 GMT

A French court in Toulouse has ruled that the former director of a chemical plant owned by the oil giant Total is not responsible for a 2001 explosion at the factory that killed 31 people, one of the worst industrial accidents in France.

Bangladesh - coup verdict, 34 years on - Court rules killers of founding father Mujib will hang

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:38:47 GMT

The Bangladesh Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by five former army officers convicted of killing the nation's founding President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in a coup more than 34 years ago. The ruling paves the way for the execution of the killers, some 13 years after they first came to trial.

Pakistan - suicide bomb - Bomber kills at least 19 outside courthouse

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:18:19 GMT

A suicide blast in Peshawar on Thursday killed 19 people in what was the sixth attack on the city in 11 days. Officials said an attacker on foot tried to enter the city’s court buildings and when he was stopped by security, he blew himself up.

Afghanistan - Karzai sworn in - analysis - Afghans and Western leaders wary of Karzai anti-corruption pledges

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:15 GMT

Taking the oath of office as Afghanistan’s President on Thursday, Hamid Karzai promised to tackle corruption, violence and poverty during his second term. But his erstwhile foreign backers have put him on notice, and Afghans know he faces a huge challenge.

Afghanistan - unrest - Ten killed in suicide blast during Karzai inauguration

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:34:21 GMT

A suicide bomber has killed 10 civilians in southern Afghanistan, the second attack on the same day President Hamid Karzai was sworn into office. The bombing in Uruzgan province followed a suicide attack in neighbouring Zabul, which killed two US soldiers.

US/Koreas - nuclear talks revival - Obama envoy to visit North Korea in December

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:26:32 GMT

A US envoy will visit North Korea on December 8 to try to bring the communist state back to nuclear disarmament talks, President Barack Obama has announced. Meanwhile tension remain between the US and South Korea over a stalled free trade pact.

Iran - nuclear rift - UN to inspect nuclear site after Iran rejects fuel deal

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:05:49 GMT

UN experts will visit a controversial uranium enrichment plant south of Tehran on Thursday. This comes as US President Barack Obama warned of "consequences" after Iran dismissed a UN-brokered nuclear fuel deal.

Economy - OECD predictions - Economies grow, debt spending must end by 2010, says OECD

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:28:17 GMT

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts global economic activity will be back to normal within 25 months. The Paris-based grouping of 30 of the world's richest nations also warned of rising national debts from continued stimulus spending.

France/Ireland - World Cup play-offs - Controversial handball goal brands Henry "Le Cheat"

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:40:12 GMT

Irish commentators have blasted French footballer Thierry Henry "Le Cheat" after he knocked Ireland out of the World Cup with a clear handball in Paris last night. Internet football forums were awash with criticisms of the skipper, while Swedish referee Martin Hansson was condemned in his homeland for missing the manoeuvre.

France - Yves St Laurent auction - Chairs and carpets and knick-knacks... oh my!

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:05:56 GMT

More than 1,200 bits and bobs from the estate of renowned French couturier Yves St Laurent are destined for the auction block Tuesday, kicking off a four-day sale all proceeds going to fight Aids, according to St Laurent's lover, Pierre Berge.

France - Chirac - Chirac memoirs set to become best-seller

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:23:24 GMT

The memoirs of former French president Jacques Chirac, in bookstores on Thursday, look set to top the bestseller list with 230,000 copies up for sale. Every Step Should Be A Goal has given Chirac the opportunity to settle old scores with both former president Valery Giscard d'Estaing and current president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Focus on France 20 November 2009 - Raging handball row won't change a thing

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:25:33 GMT

The row following Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier between France and Ireland is continuing, with French skipper Thierry Henry agreeing a replay would be the fairest solution - and former Irish captain Roy Keane telling his country to get over it.

Normandy’s "A Bon Port" harbours culture in Dieppe

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:30:42 GMT

In November 2009, the Festival d'Automne en Normandie, the Normandy Autumn Festival, provided a weekend of entertainment as part of a five-week-long jamboree.

Indie rockers take the French capital

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:26:37 GMT

Indie music fans in France get treated to a festival each year put on by Les Inrockuptibles magazine. Here's a look at Les Inrocks 2009.

Your comments, right to reply and news about RFI - US in Colombia and burkas in France

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:15:54 GMT

Copyright notice

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:44:49 GMT

What you can and can't do with material on this site

Blend of an era: South Africa’s jazz age

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:36:12 GMT

A homage to the photographic work by Jurgen Schadeberg of South African jazz artists that goes back six decades.

features

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:10:12 GMT

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Afghanistan presidential election 2009

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:21:14 GMT

Afghanistan held its second direct presidential election on 20 August 2009. Reports, interviews with candidates and analysis of the 2009 contest, plus a look back at events since the 2001 invasion.

Berlin wall anniversary

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:41:50 GMT

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a key moment in world history. What were its effects on western and eastern Europe? And on French politics? Did the collapse of communism in Europe also have an effect on Africa?

specials

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:31:25 GMT

A series of radio reports from all over the world on music, health, economics, fashion, and history

Dossier archive

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:16:02 GMT

In-depth reports and background from around the world: audio, photos and more from our reporters, wherever they go.

About us

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:40:36 GMT

Iran/France - Reiss trial - French researcher accused of spying appears in Tehran court

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:49:07 GMT

Clotilde Reiss, the 24-year-old French researcher accused by Iran of spying and provoking riots, appeared in a Revolutionary court Tuesday for her second trial date. She has been staying in the French embassy in Tehran since being released on bail after her first court appearance in August.