Valentina Alexandre is a history teacher and tour guide in the United States. The young woman was born in Haiti and traveled to Benin to learn more about her ancestry.

This week marks 60 years since some 200 Algerians were murdered in central Paris by French police. At the height of the Algerian War of Independence, thousands of people, most of them Algerians living in the suburbs of Paris, descended on the capital demanding an end to French colonial rule in Algeria. The state's response was brutal, and those responsible for the massacre enjoyed protection for many years. We look back at the terrible events of October 17, 1961 and hear from a 92-year-old eyewitness.

On October 17, 1961, tens of thousands of French and Algerian citizens took to the streets to protest a curfew imposed in Paris and its suburbs. Dozens were shot, beaten to death or drowned in the brutal police response.

A robotic dog stole the limelight at the Milipol defence and security trade fair near Paris on Tuesday. The 22nd edition of Milipol Paris takes place from Oct. 19 to 22 and plays host to dozens of countries, including Israel, United States and Switzerland. The robotic dog costs "under $1 million", according to Ghost Robotics special projects head Tom Jacobs. He adds that the technology that has advanced in the past few years has enabled the robot dog to keep its balance in difficult terrain

Benin is one of the few countries on the African continent to legalise abortion for most circumstances. The law was passed on Wednesday night following a debate in Parliament, but still needs to be ratified by the constitutional court before it takes effect.

When she was only a teenager, Valerie Ka graced catwalks across the African continent as a model and muse. As her political consciousness grew, she became a flagbearer for contemporary African fashion around the world. Today, in a boutique hotel in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, she is overseeing the very first edition of her latest project: Share Africa.

Statues, thrones, and ceremonial hatchets are among the 26 artefacts on display at the Quai Branly museum in Paris. The week-long exhibition offers visitors the chance to see the treasures looted from the Kingdom of Dahomey before they return to Benin after 130 years in France. We learn more about the political pressure and cultural policies that brought about this historic restitution.

When you picture the French capital, you probably think of beautiful monuments, romantic cafés and pretty parks. But for many tourists in Paris, the city is just too dirty. Whether it’s the urine-soaked streets, ubiquitous dog poop or countless cigarette butts, the reality of everyday Paris is often at odds with the postcard version. Paris authorities pump a lot of money and manpower into keeping the city clean. So what's the problem? Could it be Parisians themselves? In this episode of French Connections Plus, Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula investigate the capital's filthy reputation.

This Tuesday marks the start of a new phase in the November 2015 terror attacks trial in Paris. After weeks of testimony from survivors and relatives of victims, the court will hear from the defendants. Among them is Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving member of the terrorist commando. French terrorism researcher Kevin Jackson has co-authored a graphic novel exploring the backgrounds of the attackers and the events leading up to the atrocities. He joined us for Perspective.

At Thoiry park, in the Yvelines region outside Paris, there are many surprises in store. Thoiry is not a typical zoo, since the animals live in semi-freedom. The safari is the main attraction. Visitors get around in their own cars or on board a so-called bush truck to discover 180 different species of animals up close, including lions and elephants. FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes of the park, which attracts half a million visitors a year.

Carbon consumption by the world's richest individuals is set to continue driving high carbon emissions, according to a new Oxfam report.

The different levels of government have agreed to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria. It is up in the air whether they can be exhibited as planned at the Humboldt Forum.