Best RFI English Podcasts (2024)

1
Turkey's Erdogan seeks dialogue with Syria's Assad amid tensions over refugees 5:59

29m ago5:59

5:59

Facing mounting domestic tensions over Syrian refugees, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reaching out to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad for dialogue. The initiative, reportedly supported by Moscow, is complicated by Turkey's significant military presence in Syria. Erdogan's call for talks comes after widespread riots against Syrian refug…

1
Kagame poised to extend rule for fourth term as Rwanda heads to polls 13:50

2h ago13:50

13:50

2024 is a big election year for the world and especially for Africa, and in July all eyes are on Rwanda. Rwandans will cast their ballots on Monday in an election where President Paul Kagame is expected to secure another term, facing the same opponents he defeated in 2017. Kagame, who has effectively led Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, confronts ch…

1
Macron’s big European Parliament loss 36:37

8h ago36:37

36:37

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the European Parliament elections. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan – all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published e…

1
Erdogan and Putin meet at Shanghai summit, reaffirm strong bilateral ties 4:36

8d ago4:36

4:36

Turkey's bid to join the BRICS trading group is the latest move in the Turkish President's delicate balancing act between Western and Eastern allies. The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Almaty, Kazakhstan, provided a platform for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet in person. Their …

1
China’s 1989 sea change 31:24

8d ago31:24

31:24

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Tiananmen Square. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and lots of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published…

1
Does the UK's change of leaders spell better relations with the EU? 6:07

14d ago6:07

6:07

The EU on Friday congratulated Keir Starmer on Labour's election win in Britain, with European Council President Charles Michel calling it "historic". But Labour's landslide victory doesn't mean that London will turn back the clock on Brexit. Keir Starmer has pledged to "make Brexit work" and seek "an ambitious" security pact with the the European …

1
Podcast: France revives hemp farming, New Romance, Paris's 1924 Olympics 33:52

9d ago33:52

33:52

France is reviving its industrial farming of hemp – 'green gold' – in the search for more sustainable, energy-saving building materials. French publishers are flocking to romance, as a new generation of authors are writing for a new and growing audience of young women readers. And when Paris hosted the 1924 Olympics 100 years ago. Hemp farming near…

1
Crackdown on organised crime gifts Istanbul police with luxury supercars 5:25

15d ago5:25

5:25

Istanbul police now have some of the world's most expensive sports cars – spoils of seized assets in a crackdown on international organised crime. It's part of Ankara's efforts to escape international scrutiny over money laundering as it seeks global investment. In the heart of Istanbul, onlookers gather around taking selfies of the police's latest…

1
A nail-biting tennis match 34:10

15d ago34:10

34:10

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Roland Garros French Open Tennis Tournament. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and lots of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Ki…

1
African displacements and the search for refuge, in life and art 22:01

15d ago22:01

22:01

Displacement takes many forms, from refugees forced into exile to returnees who find themselves strangers in what was once home. In this episode, we speak to aid workers about the very different experiences of refugees in Sudan and Mauritania, and hear from an artist who draws inspiration from his own migrations between France, Algeria and beyond. …

1
Protests escalate in Turkey over Azerbaijani oil shipments to Israel amid embargo 5:35

21d ago5:35

5:35

Protests in Turkey are intensifying over Azerbaijani oil deliveries to Israel. Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan imposing a trade embargo on Israel over its war against Hamas, the trade, which passes through a Turkish port, continues. Campaigners in Turkey advocating for a boycott of Israeli trade are focusing on Azerbaijan's oil suppl…

1
Politics make strange bedfellows 27:13

27d ago27:13

27:13

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the possible alliances for South Africa’s ANC political party. There’s some poetry as a starter dish, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and “Music from Erwan” from Erwan Rome. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and …

1
Podcast: Imagining a far-right government in France, forgotten fashion icon revived 34:08

24d ago34:08

34:08

As France heads into snap parliamentary elections with the prospect of the far-right National Rally winning a majority, what powers would its prime minister have, and what would change in France? Also, a look at previous presidents who dissolved parliament and risked getting a result they didn't like. And the story of Jenny Sacerdote – France's Roa…

1
Turkey set on rebuilding bridges with China to improve trade 6:09

26d ago6:09

6:09

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's visit to China earlier this month is the latest diplomatic effort by Ankara to become a strategic trade hub between Europe and China. But Beijing's suspicions over Ankara's support of Chinese Uyghur dissidents is widely seen as an obstacle. Bilateral trade and developing new trade routes were at the top of Tur…

1
Check the source! 23:34

29d ago23:34

23:34

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the disinformation campaign around the European Union’s “Green Deal” campaign. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, and plenty of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome…

1
Global South amplifies calls for compensation for historical injustices 17:41

30d ago17:41

17:41

This week, we are addressing the issue of reparations for historical injustices, including slavery, colonial violence, and war crimes. Calls for compensation are gaining momentum, particularly in the Global South, with a strong focus on the Caribbean and Africa. These reparations could take various forms, primarily financial compensation. Activists…

1
How Turkey's support for Ukraine is a double-edged sword 4:49

1M ago4:49

4:49

Turkish companies are emerging as significant suppliers of weapons to Ukraine and are supporting United States efforts to resolve Kyiv's ammunition shortages. However, this support is a challenge to Ankara's efforts to balance its relationship with Moscow and its Western allies. Turkey has managed to tread a fine diplomatic line by maintaining ties…

1
Exile or prison? 38:13

1M ago38:13

38:13

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the last-minute film added to the Cannes Film Festival line-up. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, the latest from the Roland Garros French Open, and plenty of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above a…

1
Podcast: D-Day and its aftermath seen through French and American eyes 26:57

1M ago26:57

26:57

The United States played a key role in the Allied effort to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis, but not everyone sees it in the same light. As France marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, an American veteran reflects on the differing ways the US and France remember the war. Meanwhile, historians recall the large number of civilians killed during…

1
Plundered art and artefacts 35:04

2M ago35:04

35:04

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about plundered art in French museums. There’s a quick trip to Switzerland, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! W…

1
Turkey's Saturday Mothers keep up vigil for lost relatives 4:43

1M ago4:43

4:43

Turkey's longest-running peaceful protest has entered its thousandth week. For decades, the "Saturday Mothers" have been holding silent vigils to demand justice for relatives who disappeared while being held by security forces. At Galatasaray Square, in the heart of Istanbul, a mother calls out for justice for a child who's not been seen for decade…

1
With South Africa's ANC losing majority, coalition government looms 18:38

2M ago18:38

18:38

In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, Melissa Chemam discusses the recent elections in South Africa and the possibility of the ruling ANC losing its overall majority, potentially forcing it into a coalition government. On 29 May, South Africans participated in parliamentary and provincial elections in the most fiercely contested vote since the en…

1
A best friend as a hero 9:02

2M ago9:02

9:02

Feast your ears on listener Rodrigo Hunriche’s “My Ordinary Hero” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above! Hello everyone! This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Ordinary Hero” essay by listener Rodrigo Hunrichse from Chile. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too! If your essay goes on the air, y…

1
President Raisi's death casts shadow over diplomatic tensions with Turkey 4:39

2M ago4:39

4:39

Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was laid to rest on Thursday, concluding days of funeral rites attended by thousands of mourners after his death in a helicopter crash last week. Experts say the tragedy may well increase tensions between Iran and Turkey, both vying for influence in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands marched in Raisi's home town …

1
Forgotten Sudan 26:08

2M ago26:08

26:08

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Sudan conference in Paris. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers – who also cooked up “Music from Paul” for us this week - and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitc…

1
South Africa's 2024 Elections: young voters and the legacy of apartheid 17:11

2M ago17:11

17:11

South Africa is holding general and provincial elections on 29 May. In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, we look at young people and the elections and how the country has changed since the end of apartheid in 1994. First, we talked to the director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, Ivor Ichikowitz, who outlines the impact of corruption in Sout…

1
Wingèd Victory 25:00

2M ago25:00

25:00

This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Nike and the Olympic medals. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, publis…

1
Greek and Turkish leaders ready for diplomacy talks amid Aegean tensions 4:58

2M ago4:58

4:58

Greece and Turkey are stepping up rapprochement efforts, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visiting Turkey on Monday for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The trip is part of detente attempts after years of tensions centered on territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea. Monday's meeting follows Erdogan's visit to Athens last December, w…

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