Ukraine tension: US and Russia hold 'frank' talks
Russia's foreign minister and his US counterpart have held what they called "frank" talks to try to reduce the chance of a wider conflict in Ukraine.
Sergei Lavrov repeated denials that a huge Russian force assembled near Ukraine's borders would be used to invade Ukraine.
Antony Blinken said America would respond severely to any invasion.
Pro-Russian rebels control large parts of eastern Ukraine since a ferocious war erupted nearly eight years ago.
Some 14,000 people were killed and at least two million fled their homes before fragile peace agreements were brokered.
Chevron and Total withdraw from Myanmar gas project
French energy firm cites worsening human rights for decision in victory for campaigners
The energy firms Chevron and Total have announced they will withdraw from Myanmar, a breakthrough for activists who have campaigned for the companies to cut off what is a major source of revenue for the military junta.
In a statement, Total, which renamed itself TotalEnergies last year, cited the worsening human rights situation in Myanmar, which was plunged into chaos almost a year ago when the military seized power in a coup, ousting the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The French company said the human rights situation and deteriorating rule of law “no longer allows TotalEnergies to make a sufficiently positive contribution in the country”.
Why does Russia want to block Ukraine from joining Nato?
Vladimir Putin vehemently opposed to neighbour signing up to military alliance
Tensions continue to mount along Russia’s border with Ukraine, where Moscow has been amassing a military presence for several weeks now, estimated to amount to around 106,000 soldiers.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied he has any intention of invading the neighbouring state but has presented the West with a series of demands, including an end to the eastern expansion of Nato membership to ex-Soviet states and the curtailment of US and Nato military activity on Russia’s doorstep.
President Putin has meanwhile been warned off even thinking about crossing the border into Ukraine by his US counterpart Joe Biden.
Women in Egypt: Ongoing crackdown stokes solidarity
Persecution, prosecution and public shaming have led to a new wave of solidarity among women in Egypt. Could this kind of grassroots movement gain enough power to change the difficult situation on the ground?
Every morning, Mona Eltahawy posts the same message to her followers on Twitter: "Starting my day and sending love and solidarity to you all."
Displaying solidarity with her predominantly female followers has become essential for the Egyptian-American social media activist,who is among the leading figures when it comes to supporting Arab women in their fight against emotional or sexual harrassment, discrimination, public shaming and persecution.
On the hunt for Syrian war criminals hiding out in Europe
On January 13, in the first European trial against a high-ranking Syrian regime official, a former senior intelligence officer was sentenced to life in prison in Germany for crimes against humanity. Former head of interrogation at a detention centre in Damascus, Anwar Raslan was found guilty on 4,000 counts of torture and the murder of 27 detainees, less than a year after one of his subordinates was convicted by the same German court. It’s been a long road to justice for victims and their lawyers tracking down former torturers who have settled in Europe since 2013.
Russia and China have long vetoed referring Syria to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, so German prosecutors decided to pursue such cases under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Through painstaking hard work, those who hunt for Syrian war criminals have been able to start locating and exposing them. FRANCE 24's Fernande van Tets and Marine Pradel report.
Dozens killed in air raid on Yemen prison: MSF
Dozens of people have been killed in an air raid on a prison in northern Yemen, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) has said, after a night of deadly bombing underlined a dramatic escalation in violence in the country’s long-running conflict.
A Saudi-led military coalition has intensified air raids on what it has said are military targets linked to the Houthi rebel movement, after the Houthis conducted an unprecedented assault on coalition member the United Arab Emirates on Monday and further cross-border missile and drones launches at Saudi cities.
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