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Le Figaro: Paris-Moscow Cold War

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Le Figaro — Oct. 12, 2016

"Paris-Moscow: the big chill" writes French daily Le Figaro on its front page Wednesday a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin postponed his planned visit to Paris next week, amid rising tensions between Russia and France over the Syrian conflict.

Tensions between French President François Hollande and Putin have reached new heights since the French president's suggested last weekend that Russia could be guilty of war crimes in Syria. Meanwhile, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to end air strikes on the Syrian city of Aleppo.

This morning, Russian senators ratified a Russia-Syria agreement for the "indefinite deployment" of Russia's air task force in Syria, news agency Tass reports. One Russian official said the move was "the first but far from the last step" towards consolidating the country's positions "not only in Syria and in the Middle East, but also in the whole world."

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Society

Meet The "Patchers," Burkina Faso's Mobile Tailors Cutting Corners On-The-Go

Seven days a week, the "patchers" of Burkina Faso roam the streets of the country's capital, looking out for any clothes that might need mending.

Photo of one of Ouagadougou's "rafistoleurs" carrying his sewing machine on his shoulder

One of Ouagadougou's "rafistoleurs" with his sewing machine

Flora Toelo Karambiri

OUAGADOUGOU — They are easy to spot as they crisscross the capital of Burkina Faso. With sewing machines on their shoulders and scissors in hand, they travel around in search of their daily tasks. Many in urgent need make use of their services to adjust an outfit, mend holes, replace a zipper, sew on buttons or repair a tear.

These are the mobile tailors or rafistoleurs ("patchers") of this West African nation of 22 million. They save people time, trouble and often money, and are a common sight on the streets of Ouagadougou.

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