12/04/2013 / SYRIA
Why al Qaeda has admitted its role in the Syrian conflict
On Tuesday, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq publicly unveiled its links to the jihadist group al-Nusra Front, which is fighting against the regime in Syria. In turn, the head of the al-Nusra Front has pledged allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri, who as Osama Bin Laden’s successor is at the helm of the entire terrorist organisation and has recently called for an Islamic holy war in Syria. FRANCE 24 talked to a jihadist fighter who shared his analysis of al Qaeda’s strategy in the Syrian conflict. Read more…
12/04/2013 / YEMEN
Mutinying infantry wreaks havoc in Yemeni city
In Yemen, the smallest spark could tip the country into armed conflict. In the country’s southeast, already weakened by separatists and al Qaeda, the mutiny of an infantry group on Saturday caused a spiral of violence in the streets of Radah. Read more...
Contributors
11/04/2013 / GREECE
Ierissos, the small Greek town that won’t give in to gold mining
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, police conducted a surprise raid on the homes of two men suspected of having carried out an arson attack on a gold mine in northern Greece. The police action caused outrage in the small town of Ierissos, where many residents have been fighting the mine’s expansion. Our Observer tells us that people are fed up with the police’s strong-arm tactics. Read more…
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10/04/2013 / MOROCCO
Moroccan politician uses personal militia to attack estranged wife
Amateur footage shows a villa in a residential neighbourhood in Rabat being attacked by about a hundred men armed with sticks and shovels. This was the rather unusual attempt by a former member Morocco’s parliament to resolve a conflict with his wife. Read more...
Contributors
09/04/2013 / WORLD
Watch our new show: "The Observers Direct"
Following the success of the weekly “France 24 Observers” television show, we are proud to announce a new, 12-minute monthly show in which we go meet our Observers all over the world. It’s called “Observers Direct”. Read more and watch the show…
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09/04/2013 / FRANCE
Vicious attack in Paris: “This is the face of homophobia”
The picture, posted on Facebook, is hard to look at. It shows a young man with two black eyes, a broken front tooth, and blood smeared all over his face and shirt. The caption: “This is the face of homophobia”. Shortly after being assaulted in the street, the young Dutch man living in Paris shared his story. Read more...
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08/04/2013 / Central African Republic
The day Bangui fell: rebels, looting… and stolen cookies
Sunday, March 24. After three days of fighting, Seleka rebels captured Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. They ransacked the city, targeting international NGOs as well as national organisations. Our Observer works for one of these. She tells us about this extremely tense day, where fear and absurdity were present in equal measure. Read more...
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05/04/2013 / IRAN
Dancing to defy the Iranian regime
Like every year, on April 2, Iranians celebrated Sizdeh Bedar, a popular holiday that has survived despite the Islamic republic’s attempts to get rid of it. Men and women danced and sang songs to keep this centuries-old tradition alive, but also to defy the regime and its draconian laws. Read more...
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04/04/2013 / SOUTH KOREA
Kim Jong-un’s warmongering exasperates S. Korean citizens
As North Korea grows more bellicose by the day, its neighbour and sworn enemy to the south is trying to keep cool. However, South Korea’s government has warned that it would strike back with force should North Korea try to launch an attack. Three of our Observers in Seoul talk about what it’s like to live under the threat of war. Read more...
04/04/2013 / EGYPT
On the menu at Egypt’s most prestigious university: maggots and nails
Students at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo are furious. They have been protesting against the dismal hygienic conditions at their university after several hundred students fell ill due to food poisoning. Read more…
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