Eighty years after millions of Parisians fled the French capital to escape the German army, a new exhibit puts a forgotten part of French history in the spotlight. We also look at the Vatican Observatory's search for alien life and France's Polanski dilemma, after the controversial director took top prize at the César awards (known as the "French Oscars").

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ARTICLES

‘Real battle’ ahead after Biden overtakes Sanders as Democratic front-runner

The Super Tuesday Democratic primary results have cemented the Democratic contest as a two-horse race and set the stage for a drawn-out tussle for the 2020 presidential nomination.

South Korea seeks criminal charges against Christian sect over coronavirus spread

Investigators in South Korea are seeking to establish the extent to which 12 executives of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus can be held criminally responsible for the rapid spread in the country of COVID-19, the illness that results from the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: France requisitions face masks for use only by health professionals, those infected

French authorities will requisition all face mask stocks and production in the coming months, President Emmanuel Macron has announced, reserving them for use by those actually infected with the coronavirus and those working in the healthcare industry.

Eighty years after millions fled the German army, revisiting the ‘Paris Exodus'

In the summer of 1940, millions of Parisians fled the French capital in a matter of days to escape the advancing German army. Eighty years after “l’exode de Paris”, an exhibition at the Liberation of Paris Museum puts a neglected part of French history in the spotlight.

A family flees Paris in June 1940 with all their worldly goods. © Roger Viollet

Blockbuster Raphael show opens in Rome amid coronavirus angst, conservation row

An exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death opened in Rome this week, with experts hailing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to admire the Renaissance artist’s greatest works in a single show. But the event’s opening has been marred by the coronavirus outbreak sweeping Italy and a row over a treasured portrait some feared was too fragile to move.

Louvre museum reopens in Paris as staff agree to end coronavirus protest

The Louvre museum in Paris reopened to the public on Wednesday after management took steps to allay staff fears over the coronavirus spread, which had sparked a two-day closure.

Red soles: Celebrating shoe designer Christian Louboutin's eclectic inspirations

In the first major Paris retrospective devoted to flamboyant French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, an exhibition at Le Palais de La Porte Dorée explores his eclectic influences and inspirations.

Christian Louboutin at the Exhibition[niste] exhibition in Paris. © Christian Louboutin

VIDEO REPORTS

Kissing goodbye to ‘la bise’? Coronavirus threatens traditional French greeting

It is used to greet friends, family and colleagues across France, but the traditional "bise" – a kiss on each cheek – may now be a health hazard, with government officials advising against it amid the coronavirus epidemic.

French government health officials have advised against greeting people with a kiss amid the coronavirus outbreak. © TF1 / FRANCE 24

‘Anyone but Trump’: The Texas evangelicals who plan to vote Democrat

Texas is home to one of the largest evangelical populations in the country, most of which traditionally votes Republican. But some current and former members of the evangelical community have turned to the Democrats, espousing more progressive beliefs.

A liberal church in Austin, Texas, where parishioners lean towards the Democratic Party © France 24 screen grab

TV SHOWS ONLINE

THE INTERVIEW

Nobel laureates Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, exoplanet pioneers

In 2019, Swiss astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering the first exoplanet 24 years ago. It was named 51 Pegasi b and is located outside our Solar System, 51 light years away from the Sun. Mayor and Queloz sat down with FRANCE 24 to discuss their groundbreaking research and address the question of whether there could be life beyond our Solar System.

The Interview © Screen grab

FRENCH CONNECTIONS

Does Polanski's César award highlight a deep problem in French society?

The elite world of French cinema is divided over the 45th César Awards ceremony, the French equivalent of the Oscars. A movie by the controversial and divisive Franco-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski won three awards, including the coveted Best Director prize. This was a bitter pill to swallow for many, including feminist groups who had called for a boycott of the ceremony.

French Connections: The Polanksi dilemma © Screen grab

FOCUS

Yankee go home? In Iraq, anti-IS group coalition compromised

Since 2014, thousands of mainly US troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the local Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. But back in January, the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad sparked an escalation in the region, and coperation between the international coalition and Iraqi forces may be suffering.

Focus © FRANCE 24

FASHION

Paris fashion week: Innovation and progressive values take centre stage

This year, three strong messages were conveyed at Paris fashion week: At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri once again flaunted her feminist credentials and Marine Serre embraced recycling while Dawei advocated for courtesy and respect. Chinese designer Dawei chose to self-quarantine, on the remote chance that he brought coronavirus from Beijing.

Paris Fashion Week © Screen grab

ENCORE

Carly Rae Jepsen returns to heart-crushing synth pop hits in her fourth album

With dozens of millions of albums sold over the past decade, Carly Rae Jepsen is one of Canada’s biggest pop stars. Thanks to worldwide favourites like "Call me maybe" or "I really like you", she’s perfected the art of catchy, upbeat and yet heart-crushing synth-pop hits. The Juno-winning, Grammy-nominated star sat down with FRANCE 24’s Florence Villeminot before a recent gig in Paris to talk about her fourth album, "Dedicated".

Tokyo: Culture vibes in Japan's new era

When people think of Japan they often think of harmony, tranquility and rules but also manga, Hello Kitty, Pokémon and rainbows. Cuteness, which translates as "kawaii" in Japanese, has become Japan's worldwide image. But the host country of the 2020 summer Olympics has so much more to offer. FRANCE 24's culture editor Eve Jackson takes viewers to Tokyo to check out the vibrant cultural scene in the world's largest city.

Encore! © Screen grab

YOU ARE HERE

The talented craftspeople of France's Limousin region

In France's Limousin region, arts and crafts are a tradition. For six generations, a family of tilers have been decorating the roofs of houses in the area. In an old factory, they make flat tiles by hand, baked in an old gas oven. Another Limousin tradition is wool processing.

LIMOUSIN © FRANCE 24

TECH24

Vatican Observatory: Looking to the heavens for answers

Every year, billions of dollars worldwide are spent on the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. From the SETI Institute in California to the Vatican, we tell you what scientists are learning on the probability that other galaxies are indeed hosting life.

Tech24 © Screen grab

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