Space wars: Meet the French soldiers scanning the skies

A hundred years ago, painters, sculptors, writers and musicians battled for gold, silver and bronze at the Olympics. To mark a year until the Paris Games, we're looking at the artistic side of the world's biggest sporting event with an exclusive interview with highly acclaimed theatre director Thomas Jolly, who's in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies.

Bruno Le Maire has said cutting all economic ties with China, as some in the West have proposed, is "an illusion." Germany is among the countries seeking to reduce what it sees as a perilous reliance on the Asian giant.

The health and cost-of-living crises has disproportionately affected the poor and women in developing Asia, hurting their chances of long-term improvement.

The annual meeting (24-26 August) hosted by the US Federal Reserve will be closely watched, especially Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Friday. While the policy of raising interest rates to lower inflation is no longer in doubt, observers will be watching out for clues as to when the US central bank might consider lowering rates again. The Federal Reserve has repeatedly stressed the importance of reaching the 2 percent inflation target.

"We cannot give Marine Le Pen an inexorable path to power," French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin warned, as speculation grows that he might be vying to succeed Emmanuel Macron.

Niger's military junta on Friday announced ordered French ambassador Sylvian Itte to leave the country within 48 hours. Macron reiterated Paris' support for ousted President Mohammed Bazoum.

France says it will not budge in its refusal to engage with Niger's coup leaders. A month after their takeover, they issued a Monday deadline to the French ambassador to leave their country, but Paris has insisted its envoy will stay put. Also, Africa sets its own stage in Kenya for conversations about its experience of the ravages of climate change. With the first ever Africa climate summit now a week away, we speak to its CEO about the existential stakes faced by the continent.

On 17 August 2023, popular protests over the high inflation rate and deteriorating economic situation in Syria erupted in the Druze majority city of Al-Suwayda, with hundreds of participants. These grew, and by 20 August, thousands of protesters chanted slogans demanding the downfall of Assad regime.

This week we're at the 2023 annual MEDEF meeting, where the largest employers' federation in France gets leaders of the country's business community together to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead – one of them being the transition to a green economy. A world leader when it comes to waste treatment and solutions is French group Veolia. Its CEO Estelle Brachlianoff told FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin about the solutions that waste can provide when it comes to energy.

Food bank Les Restos du Coeur, responsible for one third of food assistance in France, warns that financial difficulties could force it to close within the next three years. We take a look at how France's richest man reacted to the announcement and why he drew criticism. We also discuss concerns about the rising popularity of the far right in France, and finish with some shocking falsehoods in online learning materials for high school students in Sao Paulo.

Schools in France told dozens of girls in abayas to go home on the first day of the school year, a minister says. The government argues the garments go against secularism rules.