Bill seeking declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day scales second reading in Reps

"It cannot be that an autocrat attacks a sovereign country which has the right to the integrity of its territory." That's the firm response directed at Russia from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Speaking exclusively to FRANCE 24 about the war in Ukraine, the EU leader added that "democracy is standing up against autocracy and therefore we stand as one".

A Nigerian school is targeting students from poor families to give them a chance to excel at science, technology, engineering and mathematics for 100 naira (0.25 cents) fee a day, hoping they can hone skills that can help their families climb out of poverty. Faridat Bakare, an 12-year-old student has developed a solar-powered prototype car as she sets her eyes on becoming an engineer.

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.

French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right challenger Marine Le Pen face off in their only debate ahead of Sunday's presidential run-off. For Le Pen, who lags behind Macron in voter surveys, the confrontation is a chance to persuade voters that she has the stature to be president and that they should not fear seeing the far right in power.

Tunisia's president has been carrying out a creeping coup, demolishing the country's hard-fought democratic gains bit by bit. With an economy in turmoil and a splintered opposition, is there anybody that can stop him?

Marchers around the world have used May Day to hold rallies to voice dissatisfaction with their governments. There were mass arrests in Turkey, as well as violence in the French capital, Paris.

Russia's ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has fallen again over the Kremlin's wartime censorship of the Ukraine conflict. From Myanmar to Mexico, journalists continue to risk their lives to deliver the news.

Human Rights Watch accuses Russian private security forces invited into Central African Republic of killing civilians. We speak to the daughter of Rwandan opposition figure Paul Rusesabagina. The “Hotel Rwanda” hero's family has filed a $400 million lawsuit against Kigali over alleged kidnapping and torture. And our reporters look into the mixed press freedom rankings for Africa.

The war in Ukraine overshadows Moscow's annual celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Following the huge military parade, the Russian president has claimed Russia is defending the "Motherland" in Donbas.

Final preparations are under way on Red Square for next Monday's Victory Day military parade. As Russia commemorates victory over the Nazis, will President Vladimir Putin capitalise on the patriotic pomp and ceremony to announce new developments in his Ukrainian offensive?

A nuclear threat from Ukraine? A Ukrainian invasion of Crimea? Ukrainian neo-Nazis? Russian President Vladimir Putin's May 9 speech contained new and familiar accusations amid the war in Ukraine. Most of them are false.

Since 2006, France has commemorated the national day of the abolition of slavery on May 10. France is the only country to have a national day dedicated to remembering the horrors of slavery and the first and only country to have declared slavery a crime against humanity. However, the way this history is taught in schools and addressed in public spaces suggests that it remains something of a taboo. Historian and political scientist Françoise Vergès joined us for Perspective to tell us more.