FRANCE 24 marked Gandhi’s 150th anniversary this week, looked at the aftermath of a massive chemical fire in Rouen, spotlighted a Paris Fashion Week that is going green and had a taste of France’s take on tacos.

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ARTICLES

‘We want the truth!’ Fear and suspicion in Rouen after chemical plant blaze

Days after a massive fire ravaged a chemicals factory in Rouen, anxious local residents and environmental activists staged a protest in the northern French city – unconvinced by the government’s assurances that the air and water are safe.

Potential dioxin emissions from Rouen chemical plant fire raises concerns

It is possible that a major industrial fire in Rouen last week produced dioxin emissions, the head of a French environmental agency said this week, amid calls for more testing to be made public.

Mixing Modi with the Mahatma as India marks Gandhi’s anniversary

As India marked the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth on Wednesday, critics accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of opportunistically appropriating the legacy of the “father of the nation” while ignoring the lessons of Gandhi’s assassination.

Children wear masks of Mahatma Gandhi at a school in Chennai on September 30, 2019, ahead of the 150th anniversary of Gandhi's birth. Arun Sankar, AFP

Jeff Koons’ tulips honouring Paris attacks victims inaugurated at Petit Palais

Paris inaugurated a Jeff Koons sculpture of tulips given to France by the artist to honour the victims of the 2015 attacks. “Tulips bouquet” was installed near the Petit Palais museum after a long-running controversy over its location.

TV SHOWS ONLINE

FRENCH CONNECTIONS

Remembering Jacques Chirac

French Connections looked at the legacy of former president Jacques Chirac, who passed away last week at the age of 86. The self-styled affable rogue had one of the longest political careers in Europe and was one of France’s favourite politicians.

Screengrab, France 24

MIDDLE EAST MATTERS

The 12,000-year-old Turkish town to disappear under water

After decades of legal wrangling, Turkish authorities have begun flooding a 12,000-year-old town as part of a dam project to power the region. Hasankeyf is one of the oldest sites of continuous human settlement on Earth. Its some 3,000 residents say they are devastated about leaving both their legacy and livelihoods behind.

TALKING EUROPE

‘Boris Johnson should resign’, former Italian PM Enrico Letta tells FRANCE 24

Italy's former prime minister Enrico Letta says Boris Johnson should resign after the UK’s highest court ruled unanimously that his attempt to prorogue the British parliament was “unlawful”.

FRANCE IN FOCUS

Burger à la carte: France’s take on fast food

When we think of France, we tend to think of haute cuisine. But fast food is as much a part of daily life in France as it is anywhere else in the world, especially among younger generations. Across the country, 32,000 businesses serve up burgers, pizzas and other fast-food favourites. Food historian Loïc Bienassis helps us dispel the gourmet myth and explain France’s fast-food phenomenon.

Screengrab, France 24

REPORTERS

An African success story: Togo’s princesses of wax print

A colourful patterned fabric with cult status in Africa has become all the rage on this season’s catwalks. The wax-printed fabric is virtually worth its weight in gold. In Togo in the 1970s, a group of women nicknamed the “Nana Benz” made their fortune with it. Today, a new generation of “Nanettes” are taking up the mantle but they face new challenges trying to keep the business alive.

Screengrab, France 24

THE 51%

Making it work: Can dual-income couples have it all?

Is it possible for both members of a couple to have demanding careers? We talk to INSEAD professor and author Jennifer Petriglieri, who has just written a book about how couples can thrive in both love and work. Also, we explore how some French companies are rethinking their approach to paternity leave as more fathers say they want to spend time with their newborns.

ENCORE!

Paris Fashion Week: Politics and climate change meet ‘la mode’

From Dior and Stella McCartney’s climate-conscious collections to John Galliano’s anti-Brexit show, we bring you the highlights from the Spring Summer 2020 shows.

Screengrab, France 24

THE INTERVIEW

‘Our desire to open Sudan to foreign investment can only happen if sanctions are lifted’, Sudan interim PM Abdallah Hamdok says

In an exclusive interview on FRANCE 24, Sudan’s interim Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok urged the Trump administration to take Sudan off the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, claiming that it was blocking much-needed foreign financial aid and debt renegotiation.

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