Senior US officials said on Tuesday that representatives will begin formal talks with the Taliban "within a few" days at a new office in Doha, Qatar. The Afghan Taliban opened the office to help restart talks on ending the 12-year-old war, saying it wanted a political solution that would bring about a just government and end foreign occupation.to begin direct peace talks with Taliban 'within days'www.france24.com

Google is preparing to launch Internet-beaming balloons into the stratosphere with the aim of extending online access to the entire world. Is the initiative philanthropic, or just the latest attempt by Google to expand its empire?balloons to bring Internet to remote areaswww.france24.com

The Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s infected dreamers from all over the world with mining fever, tempting them to the uncharted wilderness of northwest Canada. In today’s show the director Thomas Arslan and actress Nina Hoss talk about 'Gold:' a film following a band of German immigrants in search of a better life. Also on the show the next generation of Mali's desert bluesmen, Terakaft plus the Syrian soap opera made for the holy month of Ramadan far from its war torn setting. By Eve JACKSON. Syrian soap operas, Mali musicians and Germans in search of goldwww.france24.com

G8 leaders on Tuesday threw their weight behind calls for a peace conference on Syria to be held "as soon as possible" after the conflict dominated the summit and caused frosty tensions between Russia and other world leaders.leaders call for Syria peace talks at frosty summitwww.france24.com

Mali has reached a deal with Tuareg separatist rebels paving the way for Malian government troops to return to the rebel-held northern town of Kidal ahead of planned elections in July, Mali’s chief negotiator said on Tuesday. The deal is signed.reaches deal with Tuareg rebelswww.france24.com

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Our latest updates on Twitter: [BREAKING NEWS] US officials to meet Taliban 'within days'US officials to meet Taliban 'within days' Senior US officials say that they will enter peace talks with the Taliban in Doha 'within the coming days'.

FRANCE - A leaked letter in which IMF chief Christine Lagarde pledges her allegiance to former president Nicolas Sarkozy has caused bewilderment in France, raising further suspicions over fraud at the highest levels of government. baffled by IMF chief’s bizarre letter to Sarkozywww.france24.com

YOUR PHOTOS OF BRAZIL PROTESTS

G8 leaders launched free trade talks between the EU and the US. On Tuesday, they'll be looking at tax evasion and transparency. Meanwhile, French winemakers gathering at the Vinexpo event in Bordeaux are hoping China doesn't impose tariffs on European wine exports.trade talks launched by G8 and French winemakers worry about Chinese sanctions

FRANCE - The trial of French footballers Franck Ribery (left) and Karim Benzema (right) begins in Paris Tuesday as the two men face charges of paying for sex with a minor in 2008 and 2009.footballers on trial for paying a minor for sexwww.france24.com

BRAZIL - Tens of thousands of people marched in Brazil’s biggest cities on Monday night, as protests against a rise in the cost of public transport and the huge sums being spent to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup spread across the South American country. protests over World Cup costs & rise in the cost of public transport spread nationwide

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned European powers on Monday that they will “pay the price” if they send weapons to rebel forces seeking to topple him. Such a move would lead to terrorism in Europe, he told a German magazine.Assad says Europe will ‘pay price’ for arming rebelswww.france24.com

Tunisian college grads and police clash over unemployment | The ObserversUnemployment is such a major problem for youth in the Tunisian city of Metlaoui that it led to clashes with police last week. In the mineral-rich region of Gafsa, the young and educated can no longer bear the disappointments of endemic unemployment.

Montreal Major Michael Applebaum was arrested by Quebec’s anti-corruption police on Monday, raising fears of another prolonged corruption scandal after the city's previous mayor had to step down last year following a criminal probe.mayor arrested by anti-corruption policewww.france24.com

Obama's ratings plummet after string of scandalsIn the wake of a series of controversies, a new poll finds Barack Obama at his lowest job approval rating in more than a year and a half. FRANCE 24 interviewed a political analyst for insight into how worried the US president should be. By Jon FROSCH.

USA - “Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give an American, and the more panicked talk we hear from people like him ... the better off we all are,” Snowden said.blames US officials’ 'litany of lies' for leakwww.france24.comIn a live Q&A with readers of The Guardian’s website, Edward Snowden discussed the reasons for his disclosure, rumours...

WIKI - An employee of a right-wing Israeli NGO has been accused of making biased edits to the English-language Wikipedia page on the Israeli-Arab conflict, raising concerns that political outfits are misusing the website to promote their own interests. By HAARETZ.Wikipedia editing in Israel raises concerns of political meddlingwww.france24.com

TRADE - "Some say they belong to the left, but in fact they are culturally extremely reactionary," the Commission president said in an interview with the "International Herald Tribune" published on Monday.fear of US trade deal 'reactionary', Barroso sayswww.france24.comJose Manuel Barroso has criticised French moves to protect EU cultural industries as "reactionary" ahead of upcoming talks on a massive EU free trade agreement with the United States.

Our latest updates on Twitter: [BREAKING NEWS] Greek court overturns closure of state broadcasterGreek court overturns closure of state broadcaster A Greek court has overturned a governmental decree which saw the closure of the country’s state broadcaster last Tuesday. The ERT can now resume programming until a final decision is made, a judicial source said.

LIBYA - Muammar Gaddafi's second-eldest son, Saif al-Islam, and other former regime officials will stand trial in August for crimes committed during the 2011 uprising, an aide to the prosecutor said on Monday.to try Gaddafi son Saif al-Islam in Augustwww.france24.com

AIRLINES - The 50th Paris Air Show started on Monday. Matthew Warren was there and spoke to the VP of Marketing for Commercial Airplanes at Boeing, Randy Tinseth, about the company's expectations for the week ahead.Paris Air Show starts with Airbus and Boeing going head-to-head

Iranian president-elect Hassan Rohani pledged on Monday to follow a “path of moderation” and promised greater openness over the country’s nuclear programme in his first press conference since his election victory on Friday. Rohani hopeful of deal on nuclear programmewww.france24.com

Our latest updates on Twitter: [BREAKING NEWS] Iran's president-elect Rohani pledges greater transparency on nuclear, rules out halting uranium enrichmentIran's president-elect Rohani pledges greater transparency on nuclear, rules out halting uranium enr Iranian president-elect Hassan Rohani has called for greater transparency on the country’s nuclear programme but ruled out suspending uranium enrichment in his first press conference since his election on Friday.

Snowden leaks reveal Britain spied on G20 membersDocuments leaked by former CIA employee Edward Snowden reveal that Britain spied on G20 delegates from other member nations – including Turkey and South Africa – at a London summit in 2009, Britain's "Guardian" newspaper reported on Monday.

G8 - Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US President Barack Obama ahead of the G8 summit on Monday for what could be contentious talks on Syria, with their policies on President Bashar al-Assad appearing to be on a collision course.Putin meet for Syria talks as G8 summit openswww.france24.com

TURKEY - Hundreds of thousands of the Turkish prime minister’s supporters watched him speak at a rally in Istanbul on Sunday. But unrest continued as riot police fired tear gas to thwart anti-government demonstrators and unions called a strike. PM addresses rally as police thwart oppositionwww.france24.com

French vegans march on Paris FRANCE - On Saturday, hundreds of people marched through southern Paris calling for an end to the killing of animals for food. France 24's Caroline Clarkson was there.photo© C. Clarkson : One of the "die-ins", where the activists played dead for several minutes.

BRAZIL - The Confederations Cup opener in Brasilia was marred by trouble at a protest outside the stadium on Saturday, when riot police clashed with crowds of people demonstrating against the high cost of this and next year's World Cup.mar Brazil Confederations Cup openerwww.france24.com