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PODCAST

Focus

FRANCE 24 English

Our Focus programme brings you exclusive reports from around the world. Every day at 8:45am Paris time.

news & politics

All Episodes

00:07:38

Gang warfare plunges Haiti's capital into crisis

Focus ·

2024/03/06

Sunday's major prison break in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, in which gangs allowed thousands of inmates to escape, has plunged the country even deeper into chaos. Authorities declared a state of emergency and curfew in the capital, 80 percent of which is controlled by criminal gangs. Since the shock assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, the country has been mired in a political crisis, which has in turn led to a security and humanitarian disaster. Amid a brutal turf war between

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00:05:52

Winter drought threatens livelihoods in Himalayas...

Focus ·

2024/03/04

This winter, the Himalayan region on the Indian side experienced record high temperatures and an unprecedented drought. With almost no snowfall, this January was the hottest and driest in 43 years. Meteorologists say temperatures in recent months have been up to eight degrees above normal. Climate change is also leading to the fast melting of glaciers. More than 200 million inhabitants living in the Himalayans are struggling to survive and are forced to migrate. FRANCE 24's Nabeel Ahmed, Selma

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00:05:19

'White gold' rush: US lithium industry sparks hopes...

Focus ·

2024/03/01

The volcanic subsoil of Imperial Valley in Southern California is home to one of the world's largest lithium deposits. The mineral is key to producing batteries for electric cars. But the local community could be completely transformed by the arrival of the lithium industry. While thousands of jobs might be created, the environment risks paying a price. Our US West Coast correspondents Wassim Cornet and Pierrick Leurent report on locals' hopes and fears.

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00:06:08

In crowded Dakar suburb, residents feel abandoned by...

Focus ·

2024/02/29

Many suburbs of the Senegalese capital Dakar suffer from high levels of poverty, crime and unemployment. Keur Massar is one such suburb. This vast, overpopulated area is the poorest zone in the Dakar region. The sense of abandonment felt by residents there has been growing for years, and now the country's presidential elections have been postponed indefinitely. Our correspondents report.

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00:04:59

Chinese copycats: Pet owners clone furry friends to...

Focus ·

2024/02/28

If you've ever loved and lost a pet, you may have dreamt of being able to bring it back to life. In China, where animal cloning is legal, this already possible. Several companies offer cloning services to pet owners, using the DNA of the dead animal to create a new pet that's very much like the old one. The procedure can cost up to €45,000 depending on the size of the animal. Despite the ethical questions raised by cloning, business is booming. Our correspondents report.

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00:04:49

Kenya's running paradise: Marathoners flock to 'Iten...

Focus ·

2024/02/27

2024 will be a eventful year for track and field. The World Athletics Indoor Championships kicks off the calender this weekend in Glasgow, then the Olympic games will take place this summer. For years, Kenyans have swept the long-distance running competitions. Our Focus report takes us to the northwest of Kenya - to a village that is now known as an incubator for athletic champions. Runners from all over the world flock to Iten, hoping to pick up some of their sporting secrets. Our colleagues at

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00:06:14

Ultra-Orthodox Jews break with tradition to enlist in...

Focus ·

2024/02/26

In Israel, ultra-Orthodox Jews make up 15 percent of the population and enjoy a special status. They do not pay certain taxes and are exempt from military service, a privilege that has been questioned by some politicians since the war against Hamas broke out. But following the October 7 attacks, thousands of young ultra-Orthodox men have come forward to volunteer in the armed forces, even if their families don't always support them in this endeavour. Our team on the ground reports.

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00:05:40

Russian war crimes in Ukraine: The quest for justice

Focus ·

2024/02/23

Two years after Russia's full-scale invasion began, around a fifth of Ukrainian territory remains under Russian occupation – a repressive regime where arbitrary detentions, beatings and torture are the norm. Victims and activists want to ensure that such war crimes don't go unpunished; Ukrainian courts have already tried some perpetrators, and other cases are ongoing. Our correspondent Gulliver Cragg met with one man who, having been a victim, turned investigator himself.

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00:05:08

Indonesia's religious minorities fear radical Islam

Focus ·

2024/02/14

Voters in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim democracy, have cast their ballots to elect a new president. In this country of 270 million people, where Sunni Muslims are the majority, some 12 percent of the population belong to religious minorities: Christians, Shiites, Buddhists and Hindus, among others. This mosaic of religious communities has historically lived together in peace. But over the past two decades, radical Sunni groups have targeted minorities, with more than 600 incidences of

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00:06:00

Cameroon's Anglophone crisis: Separatists threaten...

Focus ·

2024/02/09

For the past seven years, Cameroonian authorities have been struggling to contain the separatist movement in the country's Anglophone regions. But lately, clashes have been spilling into the French-speaking neighbouring regions. In Bamenyam, located about six hours from Cameroon's capital Yaoundé, nine people were killed and about 10 others were abducted when gunmen ambushed the village in November of last year. Since then, authorities have stepped up security to prevent future attacks. Our

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00:05:39

Canada: Applications for English-speaking...

Focus ·

2024/02/08

In Quebec, a reform by the provincial government has sparked anger from its two most prestigious Anglophone universities, McGill and Concordia. Undergraduate tuition fees will increase by more than 30 percent for Canadians from other provinces, while a new tax will be levied on these institutions for each international student. The measure is intended to better fund Francophone institutions but also aims for a "linguistic rebalancing," according to Quebec's government.

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00:05:21

Ahead of Pakistan's elections, parties hope to woo...

Focus ·

2024/02/07

Pakistan is gearing up for parliamentary elections on February 8. With 60 percent of the population under the age of 30, the youth vote will be decisive. Historically, voter turnout in Pakistan has been particularly low among young voters. Moreover, Pakistan's two-year political and economic crisis has profoundly damaged their confidence in the electoral process. In a bid to connect with the youth, political parties are turning to social media. Our correspondents Shahzaib Wahlah and Sonia Ghezali

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00:05:25

Seventy years after First Indochina War, French...

Focus ·

2024/02/06

It has been nearly 70 years since the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, which lasted from March to May 1954 and ended in victory for Vietnam against the French forces. France is still trying to find the bodies of soldiers who went missing during the First Indochina War. Two men have spent decades searching for clues about the death of their uncle, who served in the French air force. We join them during their quest in northern Vietnam. Long Tran and Rosa Le Gall report.

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00:05:41

Ukraine divided over controversial mobilisation bill

Focus ·

2024/02/05

Can Ukraine recruit enough soldiers to maintain its defence against Russia? This week, parliament is expected to debate a new version of an already-delayed mobilisation bill. After almost two years of war, the men sent to the front line are exhausted. Most Ukrainian soldiers have had fewer than 10 days' leave in the past year. The mobilisation bill proposes limiting military service to three years, but also reducing the conscription age from 27 to 25 and tightening penalties for those who fail to

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00:06:02

Israeli society more divided than ever over issue of...

Focus ·

2024/02/02

As negotiations on a new ceasefire agreement with Hamas continue, Israeli society is deeply divided. The majority of families of hostages are calling on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to negotiate the release of their loved ones and put an end to the war in Gaza. Yet a large section of the population rejects any deal with Hamas and wants the offensive in the Palestinian enclave to continue. So far, only negotiations have permitted the release of hostages, as seen during last November's truce, in

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00:05:28

Nagorno-Karabakh refugees face difficult exile in...

Focus ·

2024/02/01

Armenia joins the International Criminal Court (ICC) this Thursday, with the hope of being able to use its judicial mechanisms to protect itself against its neighbour Azerbaijan. Yerevan and Baku have waged two wars over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan took control of the Armenian-majority enclave in a lightning offensive last September, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee to Armenia. Now living in poverty, they dream of returning home to Nagorno-Karabakh. Our correspondent

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00:05:15

Facebook accused of inciting ethnic violence in Ethiopia

Focus ·

2024/01/31

Social media can play a complex role during times of war. In Ethiopia, many have criticised Facebook for its alleged role in promoting hate speech during the conflict in Tigray. An investigation tracked down relatives, who have linked Facebook posts to the killing of loved ones. Meta, Facebook's parent company, says it has carried out an internal audit on the operation of its algorithm in Ethiopia, but cannot publish its findings for security and confidentiality reasons. The issue is of crucial

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00:06:06

With 'siege' of Paris, French farmers vent anger at...

Focus ·

2024/01/30

French farmers are blockading key motorways around Paris for a second consecutive day this Tuesday. They are determined to show that they can hold out for several days if new measures due to be announced by the French government continue to disappoint. So what are the underlying reasons for their anger? FRANCE 24's Gaëlle Fonseca and Clovis Casali met farmers in the French countryside and went to the French agriculture ministry. They also travelled to Brussels, where the EU's Common Agricultural

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00:05:55

Germany: After leaked deportation plans, civil...

Focus ·

2024/01/29

Germany's far-right AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) party is gaining momentum. For the past few months, it has been capitalising on widespread fears among the population over the war in Ukraine, immigration and inflation, as well as the challenges faced by the ruling coalition. The AfD has been on the radar of German intelligence services for several years, and some regional branches of the party are clearly identified as a threat due to their radicalism. But it was the revelations from

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00:09:57

Ahead of Olympics, France seeks to boost role of...

Focus ·

2024/01/26

With just six months to go until the Paris Olympics, there's increasing scrutiny of the value France places on physical education. Athletes like track and field star Stéphane Diagana have criticised the government for not "taking sport more seriously" in schools, while unions want more investment in infrastructure. President Emmanuel Macron has made a series of announcements aimed at making France a great sporting nation and helping young people be more active. Some have welcomed the initiatives,

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