Sudanese pro-democracy protesters suffer one of the deadliest days since thousands started taking to the streets in October to denounce the military takeover. Also, sanctions on Mali's military junta continue to bite. The UN's mission in the country has also suspended all but medical evacuation flights. And hosts Cameroon finish top of Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-1 draw against Cape Verde.

Athletes travelling to next month's Beijing Olympics were warned on Tuesday (January 18) about speaking up on human rights issues while in China for their own safety by speakers at a seminar hosted by Human Rights Watch. Rights groups have long criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for awarding the Games to China, citing the treatment by the Chinese government of the Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups, which the United States has deemed genocide.

Early visitors to the Main Press Centre at the Beijing Winter Olympics have been delighted to discover that ice cream is served to them by robots. To buy the ice cream, one must go to the cashier to pay first and get a receipt with a QR code, which you then scan on the machine and the robot will automatically kick into action.

Pro-junta protesters rally in Ouagadougou a day after a military takeover in Burkina Faso. Also, the head of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, blames Monday's fatal crush at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon on an inexplicably closed gate. And Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa changes the name of his party ahead of elections. Our correspondents bring us the latest on all these stories and more.

While the International Olympic Committee has said that politics and sport do not mix, there are many examples to the contrary. Athletes have often been advocates for social change, while activists are angry about Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics despite rampant allegations of human rights abuses. More than 200 global groups have made a joint call for a diplomatic boycott. We take a closer look.

The Olympic torch relay began its second day on Thursday (February 3) atop the Great Wall, with Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan and Chinese Olympic medallists among those taking turns carrying the flame along a route shortened to three days because of COVID-19. The relay for the torch that will open the Feb. 4-20 Winter Games is much more modest than the globe-spanning relay for Beijing's 2008 Summer Games, a tour that was disrupted by protests.

We take a look at the business of this year's Winter Olympics. A report suggests the true cost is 10 times more than the official $3.9 billion price tag, but Beijing is banking on other benefits. Also, Amazon reports another strong sales quarter, with its advertising business playing an increasingly significant role.

China's decision to have a Uyghur athlete light the Olympic cauldron has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who saw it as cheap propaganda ploy to whitewash the oppression of the country's ethnic Uyghur minority.

South Koreans expressed frustration on Wednesday (February 9) after seeing their traditional costume used in last week's Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing, but the Chinese Embassy in South Korea defended the use. A woman wearing what appeared to be a Korean hanbok dress was among those representing China's different ethnic groups during the ceremony. Some South Koreans have complained about recent Chinese assertions that various aspects of Korean culture are of Chinese origin.

We look at a Russian doping scandal involving a budding ice skating champion at the Winter Olympics. Also in Russia, a teenager is sentenced to prison for trying to blow up the Russian intelligence agency in a video game. Plus, a woman says the viral word game Wordle saved her from a terrifying home invasion and finally, we bring you the darling of the US Olympic curling team!

Protesters blocking a major bridge connecting Canada and the US were ordered to clear the area by a court ruling.

The trucker-led protesters occupying the Canadian capital Ottawa show no sign of backing down, despite a newly invoked state of emergency that grants sweeping police powers to try to end the protest over Covid-19 rules. FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien tells us more about the standoff.