French military bases in Africa will now self-identify as schools

Emmanuel Macron wants to rebrand Paris’ presence in its former colonies as cultural and economic projects

French military bases in Africa will now self-identify as schools

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Macron: ‘New era’ in economic, military strategy in Africa

Monday’s speech came at a time when France’s influence on the continent is facing its biggest challenges in decades. Growing anti-French sentiment has led to street protests in several West and North African countries.

In addition, historical economic ties that France had with the region are under pressure from the growing commercial presence of Russia, China and Turkey.

Macron acknowledged that Africa now is a “field of competition” and urged French businesses to “wake up” and get involved in the fight.

In the past year, French troops had to withdraw from Mali, which turned instead to private Russian military contractors of the Wagner group, and most recently from Burkina Faso, which also appears to increasingly look towards Moscow.

India: legal proceedings against British communications network unveils geopolitical positions

On February 14, Indian authorities carried out a procedure at the headquarters of the British broadcaster BBC in New Delhi. The operation is part of a tax audit, however it came after the publication of a documentary in which the BBC gave a biased treatment of the 2002 religious clashes in Gujarat, western India. On a geopolitical level this and other events reveal how different governments move their pieces in the global chess game, in what could be strange two-handed moves.

India: legal proceedings against British communications network unveils geopolitical positions

Tunisia to the West: ‘We Got This

https://youtu.be/1ikZ6aMy7-w

President Kais Saied of Tunisia has ordered Europe’s top trade union official to leave the North African country which has stunned the Europe.

Tunisia to the West: ‘We Got This

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Tunisia orders top European trade union official expelled

Tunisia president rejects foreign interference after U.S. concern over arrests

Russia-Tunisia Trade Up 60% in 2022, Ambassador Says

US military ends search for balloons shot down over Alaska and Lake Huron

Military says objects are thought to have landed in difficult terrain, after hobbyists suggested one could belong to them.

US military ends search for balloons shot down over Alaska and Lake Huron

Most likely, we’ll never know if they really did shoot down a pico balloon. They’re too embarrassed.

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Did an F-22 shoot down an Illinois hobby group’s small radio balloon?

A military spokesperson tells NPR it’s their understanding that the FBI has spoken to the hobbyist group in question — the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade, based just north of Chicago — in an apparent attempt to determine whether their small balloon might have inadvertently caused a big ruckus.

When the prediction showed K9YO-15 heading from Alaska over the Yukon, [Dan] Bowen said, “we really hoped it wouldn’t be intercepted. But we knew the moment that the intercept was reported, whose it was and which one it was.”

Asked if he believes the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade’s balloon was shot down, Bowen didn’t hesitate.

“Yes. Absolutely,” he said. “You know, I would say with 98% certainty.”