Hello from the from our own correspondent studios at Broadcasting House in London.

You've downloaded the latest edition of the program broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

It's introduced by Kate Aide.

Today the French troops doing battle with rebels in Mali has France once again become

the gendarme of Africa.

It's a month since Venezuelan President Uga Chavez has been seen in public.

His people are now speculating about life without him.

From Sweden we hear about the souls of trees and the unique smell of reindeer.

And then there's the roller-skating holy man who impressed the

ladies in 19th century New England.

French troops have been engaged in a ground battle against Islamist militants in Mali.

Armoured French columns have been massing outside the town of Diabale.

Meanwhile Nigerian soldiers, who will be part of a joint West African force against the militants

are expected to arrive in the West African country later this week.

President Francois Hollande says France will pull its forces out once Mali has returned to being stable and safe.

Hugh Schofield in Paris says it all goes to show history is full of ironies.

For as long as I've been covering French news which is more than 20 years now, there's been a constant refrain that it's time to move away from the old idea of what they call here, La France Afrique.

La France Afrique was the network of interests that France left behind in Africa

when it pulled out as a colonial power.

At its best it was a benign attempt to extend the benefits of trade and development and keep French-speaking

Africa part of France's cultural sphere.

At its worst, it was a rotten system that served established interests in France as well as in African states

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