The Kurdish women fighting the Islamic State group in Syria; France embraces facial recognition despite privacy concerns; Brazil's former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva speaks to FRANCE 24; and why not everyone is laughing at the "Joker".

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ARTICLES



Europe ‘lacks leverage’ over Turkey amid Erdogan migrant threat

As European governments decry Turkey’s offensive on Kurdish forces in Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the EU that Ankara will let millions of migrants flow into the continent unless Europe halts its criticism. Analysts say the threat exemplifies the lack of influence European powers have over Turkey.



Concerns over technology, ethics as French politicians embrace facial recognition

France has seen several initiatives to encourage the use of facial recognition software – much to the chagrin of civil liberty groups.

France confirms second academic detained in Iran since June



A second French academic is being held in Iran since being arrested with his Franco-Iranian colleague in June, the French foreign ministry confirmed this week, describing his continued detention as "unacceptable".



Notre-Dame Cathedral 'not yet totally saved' six months after fire

Six months after a devastating fire, melted scaffolding atop fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed in the coming weeks to allow restoration work to begin next year.

Screen grab France 24

EXCLUSIVE

‘Our goal is to clear Syria border of terrorists,’ senior Erdogan adviser tells FRANCE 24

Ibrahim Kalin, special adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tells FRANCE 24 that Turkish troops are making every effort to protect civilians as they push into northern Syria to force Kurdish forces from along the border area.



TV SHOWS ONLINE



FOCUS

A losing strategy? Hong Kong protests grow more violent

Ever since it was stormed by pro-democracy demonstrators on July 1, Hong Kong's Legislative Council had been shut down. It has now resumed sessions and is expected to formally withdraw the legislation that kicked off the protest movement: a bill which would have allowed suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. But will the move be enough to calm protesters who fear Beijing will ultimately suppress Hong Kong's freedoms? In recent weeks, clashes with police have become increasingly violent as some protesters take a more hard-line approach.

Screen grab France 24



MIDDLE EAST MATTERS

Telling the tales of the women of IS group: FRANCE 24 meets writer Azadeh Moaveni

"The Brides of Jihad", "Married to the Islamic State" and "Women under the Caliphate": These are just a few examples of the lurid newspaper headlines about the girls and women, hailing from over 50 countries, who joined the extremist group in Iraq and Syria. Iranian-American writer Azadeh Moaveni travelled across the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe to tell the tales of these women. She has just published a book on the subject, entitled "Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS".





FRANCE IN FOCUS

France's Bayeux Calvados prize: Rewarding war reporters

The French town of Bayeux, in the Calvados department of Normandy, was the first major town to be liberated by the Allies in 1944 following the D-Day landings. That wartime heritage continues today as it is also home to the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award, a prestigious series of prizes recognising excellence in war reporting. To tell us more, we’re joined by Le Monde journalist and editor Rémy Ourdan, who won the prize in 2000 and 2012.



THE 51 PERCENT

The mothers fighting against drug dealers in Paris suburbs

As parts of the French capital suffer from a crack and heroin epidemic, we meet the mothers who are taking on the city's drug dealers. And amid a push to increase female participation in local French politics, just how hard is it to be a mayor when you're also a working mother?

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YOU ARE HERE

Bike riding along France's Saône River

There are those who cross France’s River Saône by boat and those who discover it by bike. The route between Saint-Jean-de-Losne and Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, in eastern France, boasts plenty to discover: Tourists can enjoy nature and the treasures found along the river's banks. From time to time, they stop to visit a castle or meet a ceramic artist. FRANCE takes you along for the ride.

Screen grab France 24



THE INTERVIEW

Egypt: Jailed activist Ramy Shaath 'is a prisoner of conscience', wife tells FRANCE 24



Céline Lebrun-Shaath is the wife of Ramy Shaath, a Palestinian-Egyptian activist who has been jailed in Egypt since July. Shaath is the coordinator in Egypt of the boycott campaign against Israel, BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions). He is also the son of Nabil Shaath, a well-known Palestinian Authority figure who is an adviser to PA leader Mahmoud Abbas. Shaath has been charged with assisting a "terrorist group" and might have to wait two years for a trial. Lebrun-Shaath, a French national, tells FRANCE 24 her husband is a "prisoner of conscience".

Exclusive: ‘I want my innocence,' Brazil’s Lula tells FRANCE 24

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva granted an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 from the federal police headquarters in Curitiba, where he is imprisoned. Known as "Lula", he has already served a year and a half in jail for corruption. He said he wants to "prove that the liars are the ones who have accused me". "I don’t want a lighter sentence, I want my innocence," the 74-year-old former leader told FRANCE 24.

Screen grab France 24

ENCORE

Film show: Why FRANCE 24's film critic isn't laughing at 'Joker'

Critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about the week’s releases, including her disappointment with "Joker" starring Joaquin Phoenix. She also discusses the experiment of Ang Lee's "Gemini Man" starring Will Smith as a 51-year-old hitman as well as a digital version of himself, a 23-year-old clone.

Screen grab France 24



US musician and actor Common gives love the last word

Saluted as the voice of a more conscious school of hip-hop, Common has been stacking up the hits since the early days of gangsta rap, with a positive message that pushes a compassionate approach. His latest album reflects upon landmark events in his personal life and blends his trademark beats with a soul-jazz sound. He tells us about putting aside his first love, music, to pursue acting projects, about the philanthropic work he does in the criminal justice system and how a fellow Chicagoan got him invited to the White House.

Screen grab France 24



Film show: 'Sisters in Arms' depicts Kurdish-led female brigades fighting IS group

We take a look at French journalist Caroline Fourest’s portrait of the all-female brigades fighting for the future of the Kurdish people, "Sisters in Arms"; Francis Ford Coppola as the guest of honour at Lyon's Lumière festival; and FRANCE 24's new culture documentary, "Canada's Indigenous Renaissance".



FASHION

Black Fashion Xperience: Celebrating black design in all its diversity

Based between Senegal and France, Adama Ndiaye is an unrelenting champion of Africa on the world stage. Not only is she the founder of Dakar Fashion Week and the Federation of African Fashion, these days she's also the brains behind Black Fashion Xperience here in Paris. It's a joyous celebration of an impressive range of designers, among them Mimi Plange (Ghana), Sakia Lek (Republic of Congo) and Tokyo James (Nigeria). "This isn't about colour, it's about culture", she told FRANCE 24.

Screen grab France 24

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