Ugandan transgender activist fights to be counted

FRANCE 24 spoke to Mahbouba Seraj, a leading women's rights activist in Afghanistan. She told us the Taliban have to "give in" on "red lines" such as women's access to education and work in order to "continue governing". With Afghanistan in dire need of financial assistance, Seraj said she was "angry at the whole world", especially US President Joe Biden. "You cannot let the people of this country die," she said in an emotional plea to the international community.

We look at reactions to the assassination of a teenage indigenous activist in Colombia, which is the most dangerous place in the world for environmental activists. In other news, British PM Boris Johnson continues to dominate headlines. Elsewhere, could Showtime's star TV show "Yellowjackets" upend the Netflix binge model? Finally, find out why U2 frontman Bono hates his voice, the band's early songs and even the band's name itself!

Belarusian activist calls on EU leaders to investigate Lukashenko

FRANCE 24 spoke to Ramy Shaath, an Egytian-Palestinian activist who spent two and half years in jail in Egypt on accusations of aiding a terrorist group. He was a member of several secular political groups and a co-founder of the pro-Palestinian BDS movement. Shaath, who was never formally charged, described the conditions of his arrest, detention and finally his release from jail on January 8. He claimed "arbitrary detentions and arrests" increasingly account for "the majority" of inmates in Egyptian jails under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He also said he understood that he was expected to keep silent following his release and had already received threats.

In Durban, Romario Valentine, a young eco-warrior, dedicates his weekends to beach cleanups, environment classes and protecting the planet. Instead of opening gifts on his birthdays, he concentrates on crowdfunding.

A Turkish court has ordered that activist Osman Kavala must stay in jail, where he has been for four years without conviction. He is being held on an espionage charge widely seen as fabricated.

During his first year in office, former president Donald Trump banned most transgender Americans from joining the US military. Shortly after taking office, his predecessor Joe Biden reversed the policy, prohibiting discrimination against transgender troops. On that very same day, Lieutenant Colonel Bree Fram came out publicly as transgender while in a command position. She is now one of the highest ranking, openly transgender officers in the US military. She joined us on Perspective.

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate began her activism back in 2019 by staging a solo climate protest at the gates of the Ugandan parliament, before going on to co-found both the Rise Up Movement and Fridays for Future Uganda. She is currently in Paris as part of a delegation of Ugandan and Tanzanian activists who are fighting to drum up opposition to a huge oil pipeline under construction in East Africa. She joined us for Perspective to tell us more about her activism, her hopes for her meeting with Pope Francis and how she feels about being dubbed the African Greta Thunberg.

The wedding trend burning up Ugandan dancefloors.

Alaa Abdel-Fattah's family hopes that his UK citizenship can secure his release from prison. The activist has spent much of the past decade behind bars, along with many other Egyptian political prisoners.

Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala has been found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government by an Istanbul court. The rights activist was sentenced to life without possibility of parole.

Uganda is one of the few African countries that teaches patriotism in schools. Yes, it is a subject, just like math and English. Our teen reporter Mubuuke Brandlyne spoke with her classmates to find out whether it has made them more patriotic. Do you think other countries should teach patriotism in schools like Uganda does?