They're nicknamed the gorillas – or bodyguards – of the French Republic. The police officers of the force's Protection Unit are in charge of the security of French and foreign dignitaries but also candidates for France's presidential elections, as well as other figures who require special protection. We take a rare look at the strenuous selection process policemen and women have to go through before taking on the job. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's James Vasina.

Kinshasa residents welcomed on Wednesday UNESCO's decision to add Congolese rumba to its list of global cultural treasures, although some older fans felt the genre lacked the storytelling power it had in the past.

A former police officer has pleaded guilty to federal charges in the killing of George Floyd. The incident sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and led to the officer's conviction on state murder charges.

His images capture the universality of the human experience, in expressive portraits, breathtaking landscapes or arresting scenes of photojournalism. Steve McCurry's image of a young Afghan girl made the cover of National Geographic in the 1980s, catapulted him to fame and brought the plight of the country's refugees to the world's attention. As his body of work is brought together for a retrospective at the Musée Maillol in Paris, the photojournalist gives us his take on the current situation in Afghanistan, why children are naturally photogenic and how he finds inspiration in the people he photographs.

Global health body said the new variant has a "substantial growth advantage over delta". More data is still needed to determine the severity of the strain.

The shutdown was initiated over fears of the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Meanwhile, Germany's health minister has ruled out a lockdown before Christmas. Follow DW for the latest.

With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The EESC is the body that brings together European employers, trade unionists and representatives of social, occupational, economic and cultural organisations.

With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

2021 began with the promise of vaccines to the rescue. But as one variant begets another, rich nations talk of boosters and jabs for kids while much of the developing world still waits for first doses.

The future is now: Today, a virtual Mona Lisa or a cat meme can be worth millions. Welcome to the world of NFTs. Fraudulent — or the future of the art world?

In the world of politics, youth appears to be having a moment. Gabriel Boric is the latest to become the youngest ever president at 35 to lead Chile. Here's a list of Five other young country leaders around the world.

The head of the World Health Organization says rich countries are merely prolonging the pandemic by fueling vaccine inequality. "No country can boost its way out of the pandemic," he says.