RFI English

French prosecutors investigate left-wing mayor over alleged misuse of public funds French financial prosecutors have opened an investigation into Bally Bagoyoko, the mayor of Saint-Denis, over suspected misuse of public funds during his employment by the Paris public transport operator RATP when he was also serving as a local elected official with the France Unbowed party. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzfN.g

Looking up: Amateur meteorite hunters search for clues to origins of universe French astronaut Sophie Adenot made history this month as the first French woman to perform a spacewalk. Back on Earth, space enthusiasts across France are finding their own ways to reach for the stars. In the third of a five-part series, RFI hears from volunteers in south-west France who are searching for meteorites as part of a citizen science project designed to help researchers recover fragments from space. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/Czew.g

French PM visits Mayotte to speed up 'slow' reconstruction after cyclone Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrives in the French overseas territory of Mayotte on Wednesday to try to speed up the reconstruction of the archipelago, 18 months after Cyclone Chido caused widespread destruction. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/Czd1.g

Nigerian president orders rescue operation after mass kidnapping in mosque Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered the military and other security agencies to launch an immediate rescue operation after the mass kidnapping of worshippers during an attack on a mosque in the north-central Niger State last week. While local authorities are still verifying the number abducted, local residents said about 600 women, children and elderly people were missing. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzZi.g

Namibia to rebury remains of political prisoners returned by South Africa Two Namibian colonial-era political prisoners, whose remains were returned by South Africa last week, are to be reburied in Namibia as part of Wednesday’s Heroes Day ceremonies. They are among a group of Namibians who died in South Africa under apartheid or during the colonial period and whose remains have been repatriated. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzZG.g

France says US risks ‘blocking everything’ at UN talks to protect world’s soils The soil that grows the world's food and holds its water is becoming less productive, yet governments are struggling to agree on how to respond to this crisis. As political talks at Cop17, the United Nations conference on desertification and land degradation, stepped up in Mongolia on Tuesday, France's environment ambassador Barbara Pompili warned that disputes involving the United States are threatening progress. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzVj.g

US and Denmark push for nationwide expansion of UN arms embargo in Sudan The United States on Monday urged the United Nations Security Council to expand an arms embargo on the Sudanese region of Darfur to cover all of Sudan, saying the nation's brutal conflict risks regional expansion. The suggestion was supported by Denmark, which holds the Council's rotating presidency. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzV1.g

Looking up: French radio enthusiast captures ISS signals from his garage Astronaut Sophie Adenot made history this month as the first French woman to perform a spacewalk. Back on Earth, space enthusiasts across France are finding their own ways to reach for the stars. In the second episode of a five-part series, RFI hears from Vincent Plousey, a radio ham from Tavaux in eastern France whose hobby is picking up signals from the ISS using homemade antennas built in his garage. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzUF.g

Survivors of Guinea's deadly landfill collapse say authorities ignored warnings Two days after a deadly landfill collapse in Guinea, rescuers are using giant excavators to search for victims. Anger is rising among residents, who say they had warned authorities that the rubbish dump was precarious. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzT9.g

French village reels from tornado that damaged hundreds of homes Hundreds of damaged homes, widespread power cuts and blocked roads confronted residents of southwestern France on Tuesday after a tornado tore through the village of Pomas, injuring 39 people, two of them critically. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzRP.g

At least 40 killed as gangs attack displaced people near Haiti capital At least 40 people have been killed, some execution-style, after gangs attacked displaced people sheltering in a church near Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince at the weekend, local authorities said. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzQL.g

French astronaut Sophie Adenot to make second spacewalk to finish repairs French astronaut Sophie Adenot is to leave the International Space Station again on Tuesday for a second time, a week after she became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzOc.g

Saudi Arabia to invest $7 bn in theme parks near Paris: French presidency France and Saudi Arabia on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding for a six-billion-euro ($7 billion) Saudi investment to create three theme parks near Paris, including one likely to be manga-themed, the office of the French president said. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzMX.g

Ukraine's allies pledge to continue support with focus on air defence Ukraine's allies on Monday pledged to keep up their support in the war against Russia, with a renewed focus on air defence investment to counter a shortage of US Patriot interceptors. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzMV.g

Saudi Arabia to invest $7 bn in theme parks near Paris: French presidency France and Saudi Arabia on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding for a six-billion-euro ($7 billion) Saudi investment to create three theme parks near Paris, including one likely to be manga-themed, the office of the French president said. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzMB.g

Looking up: Hunting stars and nebulae from the peaks of the French Alps French astronaut Sophie Adenot made history this month as the first French woman to perform a spacewalk. Back on Earth, space enthusiasts across France are finding their own ways to reach for the stars. In a five-part series this week, RFI meets some of them. First up is astrophotographer Aude Nowak, who climbs high into the French Alps to capture stars, nebulae and the Milky Way. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzLF.g

Malian PM's visit to Algeria underlines need for mutual security goals The acting head of the Malian government, General Abdoulaye Maiga has begun a two-day visit to Algeria. It comes amid a thaw after months of tension. RFI spoke to Bakary Sambe, the Director of the Timbuktu Institute about the security situation and what the countries hope to gain from the meeting. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzL4.g

Mediterranean migrant rescue ships threatened by Libyan groups, warns NGO A leading group monitoring and providing aid to migrants crossing the Mediterranean have warned that its rescue ships have been facing increasing threats and harassment from Libyan groups. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzIs.g

Six million Somalis face acute hunger as drought and conflict worsen Six million people in Somalia are facing acute hunger, with nearly two million children at emergency levels, as severe drought, conflict and falling humanitarian funding deepen what the UN describes as one of the world’s worst malnutrition crises. Medical charity MSF tells RFI it's sounding the alarm "before it's too late". 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzHe.g

Violence against healthcare workers in DRC hampers Ebola response Healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been coming under attack, the United Nations and Red Cross have warned, hampering efforts to stem the spread of the Ebola virus, which is spreading 'exponentially'. 👉 Read more: https://rfi.my/CzH8.g