- FRANCE 24

21/05/2012 - SERBIA

Serbia's new president - nationalist or not?

Serbia has elected a new president - and it's not the one that most people were expecting. Tomislav Nikolic has unseated Boris Tadic, the man in power since 2004. Observers are worried about the new head of state, who used to be part of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. He once said he would prefer to be allied with Russia than join the EU, but he has since toned down the rhetoric, saying he will take Serbia to Europe after all.

16/05/2012 - FRANCE

Extraordinary first day in an extraordinary job: Hollande is sworn in as French president

Your first day as president of your country is always likely to be unforgettable. But for François Hollande, it was doubly so. Amid the pomp and ceremony surrounding the inauguration of France's 24th President, François Hollande also managed to get drenched by torrential rain, ride up the Champs Elysées in style through the sunroof of his car, and have his plane struck by lightning on the way to visit German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin.

10/05/2012 - USA

Obama comes out in support of gay marriage

Just one day after North Carolina became the 31st state to ban gay marriage, US President Barack Obama has "come out" to say that he supports same-sex unions. He hasn't always been in favour of it but says his opinion has evolved, largely because of his daughters' friendships with children of gay couples. Only six US states currently allow gay marriage, and the issue is one of many that could affect the outcome of presidential elections in November.

27/03/2012 - PAKISTAN

Training Western jihadists

Around 100 Westerners, including a dozen French citizens, are currently being monitored by intelligence services in Islamabad. Some are joining the "Holy War" in training camps along the Pakistani-Afghan border. Between 2006 and 2010, Pakistan was the destination of choice for these "jihad tourists". Mohamed Merah, the 23-year-old Frenchman who killed seven people in Toulouse, also claimed to have trained in one such camp.

23/03/2012 - MALI

Renegade soldiers claim coup in Bamako

A group of mutinous soldiers claim to have ousted the government in a coup d'état in Mali. The rebels took over the presidential palace and a television channel to announce that borders would be closed and state institutions shut until a new order is established. They're angry that the government has not done enough to tackle an uprising in the north. Meanwhile, President Amadou Toumani Touré is thought to have been taken to safety.

13/03/2012 - AFGHANISTAN

War in Afghanistan: has it been worth it?

The shock at this weekend's killing of 16 Afghan civilians, including several children, by a US soldier has been as heartfelt in America as it has in Afghanistan. The Taliban have sworn revenge on what they say call "occupying forces" in the country,while US voters are increasingly concerned about getting their troops out, believing the war is unwinnable and saying that the cost of it - particularly the human one - has not been worth its while.

28/01/2012 - ENVIRONMENT

What 'wood' you use?

It may come as a surprise that environmentalists are increasingly turning to wood as a renewable, alternative energy source. Find out why it's environmentally-friendly and how it could reduce your household energy bill in this week's show.

23/01/2012 - EGYPT

Egyptians welcome new MPs into Parliament

Hundreds of Egyptians turned out on Monday to witness the 508 newly-elected MPs take their seats in Parliament, appointed in a vote held after the downfall of ex-President Hosni Mubarak. Although they've achieved their dream at having a new government, revolutionaries are conscious that Wednesday 25th January marks a year since the start of the uprising, and not all of their demands have yet been met.

22/01/2012 - HEALTH

PIP: a global health scandal

PIP - three letters which stir up fear in any woman with breast implants. This week we talk to women with silicone implants made by the French manufacturer, Poly Implant Prothèse, to find out how the global health scandal is affecting their daily lives.

14/01/2012 - ENVIRONMENT

How fashion can be eco-friendly

Changing the way we make clothes could reduce our impact on the environment. From shoes made out of car tyres in Ethiopia to fabric produced from stinging nettles in The Netherlands, France 24 looks at how both protecting the environment and sporting the latest trends is possible.