‘Aquarius’, refugees and ‘Europe’s soul’

It has been five years since the German government enacted the prostitution protection act. Lawmakers say it protects vulnerable people; many sex workers say it is discriminatory, stigmatizing and has increased risks.

Ghana's smock garment used to be reserved for royal use. These days, a flood of imported yarn has opened the market to near universal use, and the smock has become a Ghanaian clothing icon. Yet the country's collapsed cotton industry has left the financial fortunes of weavers and smock makers hanging by a thread.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a comprehensive in-principle free trade agreement with the UK, arrived at after 16 months of talks. London said the deal ends tariffs on British exports such as clothing, footwear, ships and bulldozers. It estimated that trade between the two countries last year was worth £2.3 billion ($3.2 billion, 2.7 billion euros).

France, Austria, Italy, Spain and Britain have agreed to withdraw digital services taxes on US tech giants in 2023, while the US will drop retaliatory punitive tariffs.

The two sides seem worlds apart after the first day of discussions, which were intended to be about rising energy prices, but ended up being overshadowed by an increasingly bitter feud over the rule of law.

"Big John," as the dinosaur was nicknamed, went for millions above the initial estimate from French auction house Druot.

Germany is relatively new to the list of countries with a minimum wage. Now, government coalition talks are considering raising it without using the country's independent expert commission. There are pros and cons.

The head of the Fairtrade Foundation says consumers, businesses and governments need a ‘reality check’ on the situation facing farmers in developing countries. CEO Michael Gidney speaks to FRANCE 24 ahead of the COP26 climate conference, where Fairtrade will be bringing a pledge for businesses. In this pledge, companies will promise to invest in more sustainable supply chains and provide guaranteed prices to farmers.

A giant puppet representing an uprooted Syrian child named Little Amal arrives at the port of Folkestone, in the United Kingdom, as she comes to the end of a journey across Europe that began in Turkey. The 3.5 metre-tall puppet created by Handspring Puppet Company is meant to focus attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.

Luxembourg joins only two other countries and a handful of US states in decriminalizing the cultivation of cannabis for recreational use. However, Germany may not be far behind.

A cocktail bar owner in Bangkok hopes fruity mocktails seasoned with Kratom, a recently decriminalised tropical herb, will help keep his business afloat amid a seven-month ban on alcohol service in the Thai capital. The city, once a popular nightlife spot, is under a curfew and bars, pubs and restaurants are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks as part of coronavirus restrictions.

Facebook reported an annual 17 per cent jump in third-quarter net profit, driven by an increase in daily active users and strong advertising sales despite the platform facing multiple controversies that have led to calls for tighter regulation.