Voters decide whether foreign criminals should be expelled

In Switzerland, voters are to decide whether foreigners convicted of certain crimes should be deported once they complete their sentence. The conservative Swiss People's Party has been leading a heated campaign to throw out the "black sheep". The current law allows for criminals to be deported from Switzerland, but it is not always enforced. The campaign has provoked much debate, but the latest poll shows a slim majority of Swiss people in favour of changing the law.

FOCUS

By Vicky MORGAN

Programme prepared by Kate Williams, Marie Billon and Patrick Lovett

28/10/2009 - FOCUS

Washington seeks extradition of an Iranian man from France

Washington is requesting the extradition of Iranian citizen Majid Kakavand, imprisoned in France for having bought "sensitive technology" for the Iranian military. The French judiciary is to provide a decision on this complex case by December.

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27/10/2009 - FRANCE

French government rushes to farmers' rescue

After a wave of protests by angry farmers across the country, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has unveiled an unprecedented 650-million-euro aid package to help the industry out of its worst crisis in thirty years.

27/10/2009 - CHINA

China's failure to reform 're-education' camps

In the early days of the People's Republic of China, labour re-education camps were set up to keep dissidents in check. Decades later, the camps are still open and have become a growing embarrassment for the government in Beijing.

26/10/2009 - TUNISIA

Ben Ali makes it five in a row

As Tunisia's Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali secured a fifth term in office, the only surprise was his failure to secure 90% of the vote. FRANCE 24's special correspondent in Tunis sent us this report on a landslide victory that had never been in doubt.

26/10/2009 - INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE

Karadzic genocide trial set to begin in The Hague

The trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was due to start in The Hague today in the absence of Karadzic himself, who faces charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the Bosnian War.