Indonesia Combats Terrorism

Islamist radicals have been conducting a deadly campaign in Indonesia; and both locals and westerners have been targeted. The deadliest attack happened in 2002 when more than two hundred people were killed in the Bali bombings. Several members of the Al-Qaeda linked group Jemaah Islamiyah were later convicted for the attack. Security forces have since claimed several victories. The country has also launched a programme to de-radicalize militants.

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By Cyril PAYEN

25/04/2013 - FRANCE

Closing the pay gap between men and women

The French government says it's getting tough on employers who flout equal pay laws. Recently two companies were fined for violating equality legislation. According to the European Commission, the problem isn't restricted to France. Brussels says that, on average, men are paid 16 per cent more than women across the European Union.

25/04/2013 - CHINA

Hollande the salesman visits new Chinese president

French President Francois Hollande has become the first foreign head of state to be received by new Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While his predecessor irked China over issues such as Tibet, Hollande is seeking to forget the past and start relations afresh - not least to boost the French economy. His hopes of launching new trade ties are helped by the fact that Shanghai is home to the largest community of French expatriates in China... and that the Chinese love all things French.

24/04/2013 - AFGHANISTAN

TV fans defend Afghan soap opera against conservative critics

Afghanistan's TV industry is thriving. Since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, more than 40 channels have been created. Shows are usually imported from India, Turkey and even South Korea. But one of them is different: "University FM" is an Afghan-made soap opera that's breaking taboos by running storylines on arranged marriages and Islamism. The show has done well in the ratings, but it's provoked anger, particularly in a country where actresses are still considered by many to be prostitutes.

23/04/2013 - FRANCE

France legalises same-sex marriage in face of protests

It's an issue that has divided French society for months, but this Tuesday, the National Assembly finally approved a bill making France the 14th country in the world to allow same-sex marriage. The bill also grants gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt children. But the past months have been marred by widespread demonstrations, for and against, and even a spate of violent homophobic attacks. We look back at the debate and division leading up to Tuesday's historic vote.

23/04/2013 - POLAND

Polish community seeks to learn more about its Jewish heritage

Poland is marking 70 years since the start of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. It was the first major act of resistance against the occupying Nazis during World War II and went down in history as a heroic act to restore the dignity of a condemned people. Indeed, of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis, half of them were Polish. Poland had the largest Jewish population of any country before World War II; it now has only around 20,000.