A royal farewell to Prince Philip, Raul Castro resigns and a French publisher says “the scar”
Britain honored Prince Philips’ life at a funeral limited to 30 guests by the Covid-19 pandemic while Raul Castro resigned as head of Cuba’s Communist Party. Globally, calls for the waiver of vaccine patents are mounting amid confusion over the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Here in France, we talked to the leading American coronavirus consultant, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and a publisher asks the authors to stop sending manuscripts when unwanted submissions were nailed down after a year of lockdown.
Demonstrators against the coup d’état, issues of different ethnic groups, hold traditional rallies in Rangoon, March 2021. © AFP
ARTICLES
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: A life in pictures
Britain said goodbye to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with a funeral at St George’s Chapel in a service that paid tribute to his seven decades of public service as a companion to Queen Elizabeth II. We looked back at key images from his life.
A page appears in Cuba when Raul Castro takes his place for the next generation
Raul Castro left his formal political life during a Communist Party congress and resigned from the post of party secretary general, the country’s most powerful role. The move is a new step in the power transition from the Castro family to a generation born after the 1959 revolution.
Myanmar’s ethnic groups are united in the fight against the army, with a view to federal rights
If the coup in Myanmar on 1 February has accomplished one thing, it has been to bridge some of the differences that have long kept the country’s ethnic minorities apart. Now these are protesting side by side and taking up arms against the junta, these groups hope to build a fairer Myanmar.
A grueling shopping street for commissioners approaching the month of Ramadan, in southern Lebanon, April 10, 2021. © Aziz Taher, Reuters (illustration)
Could it save the world from waiving patents on Covid-19 vaccines?
One year after Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic and the world’s pharmaceutical companies threw themselves into the race to find a vaccine, the competition is now about patenting their jabs. However, as intellectual property rights drive up prices and may restrict vaccine availability, calls have escalated to temporarily waive patents.
The leading French publisher asks prospective writers to stop submitting manuscripts
Stop sending us your manuscripts! This is the message that the French publisher Gallimard sent out to future authors in April after receiving a flood of grants.
This photo taken on November 2, 2020 shows books displayed in the bookstore of the Librairie des Abbesses in the Montmartre district of Paris on November 2, 2020. AFP – STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN
Calls for a “coherent” EU policy for AstraZeneca when public confidence falters;
A mixed bag of vaccine strategies that determine who gets which vaccine prevails throughout the EU and the UK following the revelations of possible links between AstraZeneca and blood clots, calling for a “coherent” policy amid fears of growing confusion and lagging public confidence in vaccinations.
In a crisis-ridden Lebanon, Hezbollah is opening supermarkets for eligible customers
The Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah has inaugurated a chain of supermarkets filled with Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian products at reduced prices that are available with a batch card. It is a welcome initiative in a country paralyzed by a financial crisis and food shortages. But critics say it is another message from the powerful Shiite movement to gain loyalty by providing services in a weak state and overseeing a parallel economy.
Pakistan is blocking access to social media following violent protests against France
The Pakistani government ordered the country’s telecom agency to temporarily shut down social media and instant messaging platforms on Friday after days of violent protests against France.
France is considering declaring Covid-19 Victim National Day
France is considering declaring a day of national tribute to the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic, after crossing the milestone of 100,000 deaths on Thursday, in response to calls for such a tribute to surviving families and associations. A psychologist tells Jowharthat talking about death can help survivors overcome the loss of their loved ones.
The French Parliament approves landmark proposals stating the age of sexual consent to 15 years
French lawmakers gave final approval on Thursday to legislation on the minimum age for sexual consent to 15, following a wave of allegations of sexual assault and incest described as France’s second #MeToo movement.
VIDEO REPORTS
Restoring Notre-Dame Cathedral: Specialists tackle famous stained glass windows
Two years after a devastating flame tore through the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, specialists examine the cathedral’s famous centuries-old stained glass windows before the restoration.
In this file photo taken on April 16, 2019, roses were laid near the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a day after it was destroyed by a fire. © Ludovic Marin, AFP
TV PROGRAMS
INTERVIEW
Dr Anthony Fauci at Covid-19: ‘We encourage people to be vaccinated’
In an interview with FRANCE 24, top US immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed the state of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States and around the world. The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the White House medical adviser welcomed the faster vaccination rate in the United States, saying it gave him hope that the situation could be “under control” within a “reasonable” time frame.
Interview © FRANCE 24
TECHNIQUE 24
Covid-19 vaccine apps: Connects people with doses
In this issue, we tell you how individuals in France take matters into their own hands and develop apps to ensure that no doses of Covid-19 vaccine are wasted and that people can have an appointment with their doctors. This comes when many citizens complain about the slow launch of France’s vaccination campaign.
YOU ARE HERE
Treasures of the Volcanoes: France’s Auvergne Mountains
The Auvergne Regional Nature Park with its 400,000 hectares is located in central France, the largest volcanic ensemble in Europe. In July 2018, UNESCO listed the Chaîne des Puys mountain range as a World Heritage Site. Since then, an entire population has strived to preserve this invaluable heritage. We meet the park rangers who study the little creatures in these open spaces and the craftsmen who produce enameled lava from the dormant volcanoes.
You are here © France 24
REPORTS
Sudan’s archeological treasures in danger
Archaeological sites in Sudan are found across the Nile Valley. These pyramids, temples, statues, jewels and other archeological treasures date from the Meroitic Empire, an ancient Nubian dynasty that ruled over a large territory from the 3rd century BC. to the 4th century AD. But today this invaluable heritage is threatened by urbanization, grave robbers and gold diggers. To save what is left, the government is raising public awareness.
REPORTS © France 24
FRANCE IN FOCUS
Access to euthanasia: A French dead end?
This week we focus on a sensitive issue: euthanasia. The right to die has not yet been legalized here in France, despite the fact that a majority of citizens support the move. But a year away from the next presidential poll, members of parliament are now raising the pressure on Emmanuel Macron to get a breakthrough through new legislation. We take a closer look at the legal situation in France and hear from specialist Philippe Bataille. Our reporters also meet Alain Cocq, an activist who fights for the right to die.
ENCORE!
Delgrès: Creole rock’n blues infused with the historical and the personal
The French trio Delgrès is known for their bluesy rock and Creole lyrics which they have toured extensively around France and the USA. They were inspired by the little-known historical figure Louis Delgrès, who fought back against Napoleon’s restoration of slavery in the French Caribbean in 1802. Delgrès frontman Pascal Danaë joins Marjorie Hache in the studio to discuss her second album, “4:00 AM”, and how he builds on the personal, the historical and what is happening right now.
ENCORE! © France 24
THE 51 PERCENT
Fighting feminism: Mexican activists push for government action
Activists are occupying a government building in Mexico City as they demand that the federal government do more to stop gender-based violence in a country where about 3,700 women were killed last year. In addition: it is a condition that affects one in 10 women; takes an average of ten years to diagnose and can in some cases lead to infertility. But why do we not know more about endometriosis? Plus the story of Miss Potkin; London’s mother who went on strike over household chores and then went viral on Twitter as a result.
Fighting Femicide in Mexico City © France 24
