Inside the Americas: Recent Episodes
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Political and social events from the Americas, with exclusive reports and interviews. Every Wednesday at 5.45 pm Paris time.
For the last edition of the show in its current version, we take a look back at some of the many places across the Americas we’ve gone to over the years. We also take a closer look at the hot-button issue of abortion and how a series of electoral wins for reproductive rights groups could spell bad news for Republicans come November in red states like in Florida.
A bipartisan group of US senators have introduced a bill that would criminalise the spread of non-consensual, sexualised images generated through artificial intelligence. It comes after AI-generated images of pop star Taylor Swift circulated this past week on X, formerly known as Twitter. Swift is also the target of conspiracy theories that she's being used as part of a plot to interfere in the upcoming US presidential elections. FRANCE 24's Julia Sieger tells us more.
Former US president Donald Trump steamrolled to victory in New Hampshire this week, cementing his position as the shoe-in Republican nominee. With almost all the votes counted, Trump was ahead of his only remaining rival, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, by about 11 percentage points. Haley, though, is vowing to fight on. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani gives us her analysis.
In this special edition, we focus on Donald Trump's major win in the Iowa caucuses and what that means for this year's US presidential election. With 51 percent of the vote, Trump came out in front by 30 percentage points. His two main rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, finished a distant second and third. The first-in-the-nation vote puts the former president on track to lock in the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential campaign. FRANCE 24's James Andre gives us his analysis.
The US is gearing up for the first big vote of the 2024 presidential campaign. On January 15, Iowa will hold the first caucus of the Republican nominating cycle. Since it looks set to be a shoe-in for Donald Trump, all eyes are on who will come in second. We take a closer look.
This weekend, Chileans will again vote on whether or not to replace the country's constitution. The current one dates back to 1980 and the Pinochet dictatorship. The December 17 referendum is the second attempt to change the text. But for campaigners hoping for a more liberal document, with equal rights for women and Indigenous peoples, this new draft constitution is a big disappointment. We get analysis from Sofia Perez, professor at the Institute of Latin American Studies.
This week, the race for the White House geared up a notch with a new Republican debate. But once again, GOP frontrunner and former president Donald Trump decided not to attend. Just four other Republican candidates are left standing in the run-up to next year's presidential election. We take a closer look.
As the world looks to address climate change at the COP28 summit in Dubai, we take a look at the effects of extreme weather across the Americas – from Canada to Brazil – and at whether or not the region's leaders are prepared to tackle the issue.
One year ago, the company OpenAI released ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot that can deliver complex answers to almost everything. Its massive success kicked off a revolution in the tech industry. But on November 17, the company board fired its CEO Sam Altman, citing a lack of candidness in his communications with the board of directors. His dismissal led to panic among investors and a successful campaign for his very prompt reinstatement. Our Business Editor Bryan Quinn explains.
In this special edition, we zoom in on the tight race for president in Argentina, between far-right populist Javier Milei and ruling party candidate Sergio Massa. The stakes are high in the country plagued by soaring inflation as the two candidates propose opposite plans to resolve Argentina’s worst economic crisis in decades. For more, we talk to Juan Negri, politics professor at Torcuato Di Tella University in Argentina.
With just one year to go before the US presidential election, polls aren't looking good for President Joe Biden, but Democrats are banking on safeguarding issues like abortion rights in order to keep the White House. The US president's approval rating has dropped to 39 percent; not the lowest it's ever been, but still a source of concern. In another poll, Biden is seen trailing Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in five key states. We take a closer look and get analysis from Sean Safford, an associate professor at Sciences Po in Paris.
On November 5, 2024, one year from now, US voters will go to the polls to elect a new president. Joe Biden is seeking a second term, but former president Donald Trump is hoping to make a comeback. We speak to our Washington correspondent Fraser Jackson about the different candidates throwing their hat into the ring and the issues already influencing the campaign, such as the war in the Middle East.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages, the number of hate crimes in the United States is on the rise. The Department of Homeland Security is warning of a heightened threat targeting Arabs, Muslims and Jews in the near to medium term. Vigils have been taking place after a Palestinian American child was stabbed to death by his neighbour in Chicago. The man has been charged with a hate crime. The Jewish community is also worried about the rise of anti-Semitism. This is especially the case in Pittsburgh, five years after a mass shooting at a synagogue there. Our correspondents Fanny Allard and Wassim Cornet report.
The above photo, posted to Joe Biden's social media accounts, shows the US president and vice president receiving an update on the Hamas attack in Israel and deciding their next steps. The US president expressed sympathy, solidarity and support for Israel. We take a closer look at the US military aid provided to the Jewish state, which is being boosted in the wake of the attacks. Plus, there have been numerous pro-Israeli rallies in the US, which is home to the largest Jewish community in the world. Our correspondent Wassim Cornet reports from Los Angeles.
This week, former president and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump was in court for the opening of a civil fraud trial against him. Trump and his adult sons are accused of deceiving banks and insurers by overstating his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion. This isn't the only case against Trump at the moment. For more, we speak to former federal and state prosecutor Eric Lisann.
If you happen to be in San Francisco and need to take a taxi, you might be in for a bit of a surprise. Some 600 driverless taxis are now in operation. But even in a city famous for being at the forefront of technology, these cabs are still hitting a few bumps in the road. Our France 2 colleagues take a closer look.
This week, five US citizens freed from prison in Iran were able to embrace their loved ones back home. Under the deal brokered by Qatar, five Iranians detained in the United States were also released. The agreement included the unfreezing of nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets. So is the deal a sign of warming ties between Washington and Tehran? We put the question to David Smith, Washington bureau chief for the Guardian.
In the US, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says the House of Representatives will open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. That's a long-shot effort to remove the Democrat from office after two impeachments of former Republican president Donald Trump. The focus is on Biden's youngest son, Hunter, and allegations of corruption in business dealings as Catherine Viette explains.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr called for civil and economic rights for Black Americans; an end to racism in the United States. But 60 years after that iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, much more still needs to be done. In this second instalment of Inside the Americas from Atlanta, FRANCE 24's Genie Godula meets the people who are fighting for racial equality today in all its forms.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of the most iconic speeches in history. "I have a dream" was a defining moment of the civil rights movement, changing the course of the nation and paving the way for a transformation of American law and life. Sixty years after that speech, we head to his hometown of Atlanta where we speak to his daughter, close friends and fellow civil rights activists to discover the man behind the myth.
In the US, the judges of the Supreme Court have issued a series of controversial rulings changing years of legal precedent. Most of the group of justices were nominated by Republican presidents. They have chosen to end student debt relief and affirmative action for universities, as well as rolling back LGBT rights. We discuss the impact of these decisions with FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien.
US news outlets have released an audio recording that appears to demonstrate that former president Donald Trump knowingly held on to highly classified documents. CNN and The New York Times both reported on the recording of a July 2021 meeting – after Trump left office – at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. In it, Trump appears to refer to a "highly confidential" document about Iran that he is holding in his hand. We take a closer look.
Donald Trump has pled not guilty to federal charges that accuse him of hoarding hundreds of classified documents and trying to keep them from investigators. Investigators say the former president not only endangered national security, but also refused to hand classified documents back when asked to do so. After making an historic first court appearance as a federal defendant, Trump told his supporters the indictment was both politically motivated and "heinous". We take a closer look and get analysis from FRANCE 24's Shirli Sitbon.
The former US vice president is launching a bid for the White House. This is no normal set of circumstances for Mike Pence, who was loyal to former US President Donald Trump for years, only parting ways with him after the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Pence is polling in the single digits and along with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is entering a growing field of Republican candidates challenging Donald Trump, who is the current frontrunner by far.
For the first time in nine years, leaders from the regional bloc formerly known as the Union of South American Nations have convened this week in Brazil. The gathering of these 11 countries has demonstrated a renewed spirit of cooperation. A notable highlight is Brazilian President Lula da Silva's meeting with Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, a significant move, as diplomatic relations were severed under Lula’s predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. FRANCE24's International Affairs Editor, Oliver Farry, provides further insight into this development.
This week, senators in the southern US state of South Carolina voted to ban abortions after six weeks. That's before many women even know they're pregnant. South Carolina is the latest in a long line of states to either partially or fully ban the procedure. Half of all US states have now passed or attempted to pass restrictions on abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year. We take a closer look.
In Haiti, gang violence is still rocking the capital Port-au-Prince. We look at two very different initiatives to try to keep it in check: a basketball association working to keep kids off the streets and on the court, and a vigilante movement where civilians are taking justice into their own hands.
US authorities are bracing for a surge in illegal immigration along the southern border in the next few days. A Trump-era policy known as Title 42, which allowed for officials to quickly return migrants to Mexico, is set to end late on Thursday. The change could put pressure on an already fragile asylum system. We take a closer look and get analysis from FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien.
Screenwriters in Hollywood are striking for the first time in 15 years. Negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and TV networks – as well as Netflix, Amazon and Disney – broke down after the two sides failed to find an agreement on issues like pay, mandatory staffing and guarantees against artificial intelligence. We take a closer look.
This week, Joe Biden announced he is seeking re-election. The 80-year-old US president says he wants to "finish the job". His announcement came as no surprise and sets the stage for a possible rematch next year between Biden and former president Donald Trump. In a campaign video announcing his bid, Biden took aim at what he called "MAGA extremists". But is Biden's advanced age a problem? We get some analysis with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis.
Production on some of your favourite TV shows could soon come to a halt, after unions representing thousands of TV and film writers voted overwhelmingly in support of a strike. The Writers Guild of America polled their members to gauge support for labour action and the results were unprecedented: almost 98 percent of writers were in favour. FRANCE 24's Culture reporter Olivia Salazar-Winspear tells us more.
This week, Twitter owner Elon Musk was back in the headlines with lawsuits, media rows and a secret plan to develop new artificial intelligence, after he said he wouldn't. Our Tech Editor Peter O'Brien breaks it all down for us.
Donald Trump is a former US president, a candidate for re-election and now also a criminal defendant. The first former US president to face criminal charges is using the case against him to build support for another White House bid in 2024. Prosecutors accuse him of running a scheme to conceal damaging information from American voters before the 2016 election, including by paying hush money to a porn star. In this special edition, we take a closer look at the case and speak to Eric Lisann, a lawyer, legal analyst and former US federal prosecutor.
In this special edition, we focus on the continuing crisis in Haiti. The country, which has still not recovered from the devastation of the 2010 earthquake and a hurricane six years later, has been spiralling even deeper into disaster since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise almost two years ago. Some 531 people have been killed in gang violence in Haiti since the start of the year alone.
Some 531 people have been killed so far this year in Haiti as a result of ongoing violence and unrest. There are estimates that armed gangs now control about half of the country, including the capital Port-au-Prince. As the situation spirals out of control, the UN human rights office is calling for the international community to deploy a specialised force to the Caribbean nation. We take a closer look.
The Biden administration has made tackling climate change a key plank of its platform. But a new decision from the White House has left environmental activists fuming. This week, it approved a massive oil drilling project in Alaska known as the Willow Project. We take a closer look and get analysis from FRANCE 24's Environment Editor Valérie Dekimpe.
Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has often been called the Trump of the Tropics, and this week he made an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US. The former Brazilian president has been living in Florida following his defeat to leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in October of last year. Since then, rumours have been flying about when Bolsonaro might return to Brazil to stage a political comeback. For more, we speak to political analyst Guilherme Casaroes.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill giving him control of Walt Disney World's self-governing district. A five-member board will now be appointed to oversee the government services provided in the state's Disney properties. DeSantis is taking aim at Disney over the company's opposition to the state's "Don't Say Gay" law. The move also comes ahead of an expected announcement of his 2024 presidential run.
This week, the US president made a whirlwind trip to Ukraine and Poland. Joe Biden wanted to reassure allies that his administration is aware of the threats and impacts created by the grinding Russian invasion of Ukraine. He began his trip with a surprise visit to Kyiv, a highly complex security operation. A day later, he delivered a message of hope and support in Warsaw. FRANCE 24's international affairs editor Angela Diffley gives us her analysis.
The next presidential election in the United States is still 20 months away, but a second Republican has already thrown her hat in the ring: Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and ex-US ambassador to the United Nations. She says she wants a "new generation" of leadership in Washington. Haley will now have to take on her former boss Donald Trump who announced his bid for re-election last year.
This week, tensions between the US and China spiked further after an alleged spy balloon was shot down by Washington. Beijing later said it would firmly defend its interests after President Joe Biden vowed to protect the sovereignty of the United States. China continues to insist the balloon was for civilian purposes and had veered off course. FRANCE 24's Science Editor Shirli Sitbon explains why this spying technology is in fact nothing new.
This week, America was rocked by the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols. The 29-year-old Black man was killed during a traffic stop by an elite police unit made up of five police officers who are also Black. His beating in Memphis, Tennessee was viewed across the country through a series of video recordings. Nichols was laid to rest on Wednesday at a funeral attended by US Vice-President Kamala Harris, who condemned the deadly "act of violence".
This week, the US state of California was rocked by two mass shootings just two days apart. The massacres are just the latest in a long line of shootings that have made the US the world's number one country in gun ownership and gun deaths. The carnage pushed President Joe Biden to renew calls for Congress to act quickly on a ban on assault weapons. To get some analysis, we speak to Jaclyn Schildkraut, interim executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Peru has been rocked by violent protests since early December. Back then, Pedro Castillo, the leftist president who had vowed to tackle the country's poverty and inequality, attempted to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. The move was widely condemned as unconstitutional and Castillo was arrested and replaced by his vice-president, Dina Boluarte. But her future as president is now in jeopardy too, with thousands of protesters in Lima calling on her to resign. In this special edition, we take a closer look at Peru's political unrest and speak to Peruvian political analyst Gonzalo Banda.
On Sunday January 8 in Brazil, over 1,500 supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro were arrested after they stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in the capital Brasilia. Authorities have issued arrest warrants for two former senior officials, including one who used to be Bolsonaro's justice minister and who recently served as security chief in Brasilia. We look back at how Sunday's events unfolded. We also speak to political scientist Guilherme Casarões to understand how the riots were able to happen, as well as the similarities with the US Capitol attack almost exactly two years ago.
There was gridlock in Washington this week as US Republican Kevin McCarthy failed to become House speaker on the first ballot, something that hasn’t happened for a century. It was supposed to be an easy win for the Republican favourite, but he was blocked three times in one day by a small group of rebels from within his own party. The stalled vote is just another sign of the increasing divisions in the Republican Party.
In this special edition of Inside the Americas, we head to Brazil, where Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to return to office as president for the third time. But while Lula may be back, the country he's set to govern is far from united behind him.
Cuba is seeing its biggest exodus since Fidel Castro took power in 1959. According to US government data, over the past year nearly 250,000 Cubans have emigrated to the United States. The figure represents more than 2 percent of the island's population and more than 4 percent of its working population. The exodus can be explained by deteriorating living conditions in Cuba, where people face constant blackouts and lack of access to food and medicine. For more, we speak to Ted Hanken, an associate professor of Latin American studies at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York.
Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock has defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a run-off vote in Georgia. It was the final Senate seat left undecided from the 2022 midterms. While the Democrats already held the majority, Warnock's victory now gives the party an outright, 51-seat hold on the Senate. It's also a symbolic win for the party, since Warnock beat a candidate who was handpicked by Donald Trump.
It's the biggest legal consequence so far in the wake of the January 6 insurrection. Stewart Rhodes, who heads the Oath Keepers militia, has been found guilty of seeking to keep Donald Trump in power by carrying out a mob attack on the US Capitol. A conviction on sedition is very rare and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail. We take a closer look.
Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is challenging the election he lost last month to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro blames a software bug and is demanding that the electoral authority annul most of the votes cast on electronic voting machines. Although Lula's victory has already been ratified by the Superior Electoral Court, Bolsonaro's claims could fuel protests from a small but committed group of his supporters.
This week, NASA's next-generation Moon rocket blasted off with three test dummies aboard. The successful launch brings the United States one step closer to putting astronauts back on the surface of the Moon. If everything goes according to plan, Artemis 1 will propel a capsule to orbit around the Moon and then return to Earth with a splashdown expected in the next three weeks. For more, we speak to Jean-François Clervoy, an astronaut at the European Space Agency who was previously at NASA.
The US midterms saw more of a pink wave than a red one as President Joe Biden's Democrats fared better than expected against the Republicans. However, the GOP still looks on track to narrowly win the House of Representatives and block much of Biden's agenda for the last two years of his term. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis breaks down the results so far and explains what they mean for former president Donald Trump's influence on US politics.
America goes to the polls next week for crucial midterm elections that could see the Democrats lose control of Congress. In this special edition, we look at why Tuesday's vote is so important. We also take a trip down the Mississippi River to talk to voters about some of the key campaign issues. Finally, we report on how the city of Charlottesville has changed since a young woman was killed at a protest against White supremacists there in 2017.
There are just a few days to go until the second round of the presidential run-off in Brazil. Both incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and his left-wing rival Lula da Silva are leaving no stone unturned in trying to convince voters that they've got what it takes to lead the country going forward. Bolsonaro is considering raising the minimum wage and adjusting the salaries of civil servants for inflation. This comes as universities in the country say they're desperate after years of budget cuts imposed during his term in office. Our correspondents report.
There are just a few days to go until the second round of the presidential run-off in Brazil. Both incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and his left-wing rival Lula da Silva are leaving no stone unturned in trying to convince voters that they've got what it takes to lead the country going forward. Bolsonaro is considering raising the minimum wage and adjusting the salaries of civil servants for inflation. This comes as universities in the country say they're desperate after years of budget cuts imposed during his term in office. Our correspondents report.
Haiti has been grappling with food and fuel shortages, spiralling inflation and now an outbreak of cholera. US officials say they're in talks with international partners who are interested in playing a role in bringing the security situation under control. This comes after the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry issued an appeal for help. We take a closer look.
Haiti has been grappling with food and fuel shortages, spiralling inflation and now an outbreak of cholera. US officials say they're in talks with international partners who are interested in playing a role in bringing the security situation under control. This comes after the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry issued an appeal for help. We take a closer look.
In the United States, the midterms are now less than one month away. Local and statewide races are being held across the country with all 435 seats of the House and a third of the Senate up for grabs. And abortion has become one of the big hot-button issues, as FRANCE 24's Annette Young reports from Kentucky.
In the United States, the midterms are now less than one month away. Local and statewide races are being held across the country with all 435 seats of the House and a third of the Senate up for grabs. And abortion has become one of the big hot-button issues, as FRANCE 24's Annette Young reports from Kentucky.
Last year, half of the coaches of America's National Women's Soccer League were fired following players' complaints of emotional and sexual abuse. This week, a follow-up investigation into the scandal showed that this kind of abuse is systemic in women's football in the US. Our Sports Editor Selina Sykes tells us more.
Last year, half of the coaches of America's National Women's Soccer League were fired following players' complaints of emotional and sexual abuse. This week, a follow-up investigation into the scandal showed that this kind of abuse is systemic in women's football in the US. Our Sports Editor Selina Sykes tells us more.
We bring you a special edition on the upcoming elections in Brazil. On October 2, some 156 million Brazilians will head to the polls to elect a third of their senators, 513 deputies, all 27 governors and Brazilian state legislatures, as well as a president. There are 11 candidates running for Brazil's top job, but the presidential contest looks set to be a face-off between current far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
We bring you a special edition on the upcoming elections in Brazil. On October 2, some 156 million Brazilians will head to the polls to elect a third of their senators, 513 deputies, all 27 governors and Brazilian state legislatures, as well as a president. There are 11 candidates running for Brazil's top job, but the presidential contest looks set to be a face-off between current far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
As Brazil prepares for the first round of presidential elections in October, we take a closer look at the importance of the Evangelical Christian vote. Four years ago, the vast majority of that electorate supported Jair Bolsonaro, but today their loyalties are wavering. Our correspondents Fanny Lothaire, Louise Raulais, Julia Courtois and Perrine Juan report.
As Brazil prepares for the first round of presidential elections in October, we take a closer look at the importance of the Evangelical Christian vote. Four years ago, the vast majority of that electorate supported Jair Bolsonaro, but today their loyalties are wavering. Our correspondents Fanny Lothaire, Louise Raulais, Julia Courtois and Perrine Juan report.
French retail giant Carrefour is accused of deforestation in the Amazon. According to global advocacy group Mighty Earth, the group sources ingredients from meat and soy traders with shocking practices. Carrefour controls roughly a quarter of the food distribution market in Brazil. For more, we speak to Alex Wijeratna, Senior Director of Mighty Earth.
French retail giant Carrefour is accused of deforestation in the Amazon. According to global advocacy group Mighty Earth, the group sources ingredients from meat and soy traders with shocking practices. Carrefour controls roughly a quarter of the food distribution market in Brazil. For more, we speak to Alex Wijeratna, Senior Director of Mighty Earth.
Progressive US lawmaker Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez was arrested on Tuesday at an abortion rights protest. Donning bandanas reading "We won't back down", she along with other prominent Democratic lawmakers marched from the Capitol building to the Supreme Court, denouncing the Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In total, 35 people were arrested, including 17 - exclusively Democratic - members of Congress.
This week, NASA unveiled the first astounding images of the distant cosmos taken by its James Webb Space Telescope. In this image, we can see a star-forming region in the Carina Nebula, located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. These high-resolution images are the most detailed ever seen of this little-known corner of our universe, revealing nebulas, galaxy clusters and stars from billions of years ago.
It was supposed to be a festive celebration marking the 246th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Instead, it was yet another reminder of rampant gun violence in the country as a gunman disguised in women's clothing opened fire on a parade in a Chicago suburb, killing several people. The 21-year-old assailant has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder. FRANCE 24's Alison Sargent has been looking at reactions to this latest mass shooting.
This week, the House committee investigating the insurrection at the US Capitol heard new bombshell testimony. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, said that Donald Trump knew crowds gathered to hear him on January 6, 2021 were armed. She testified that he even tried to grab the steering wheel of his presidential limo when his security team refused to take him to the Capitol.
Colombians have elected a new president. Gustavo Petro, 62, is set to become the first leftist in the country's top job. The former rebel of the now defunct M-19 movement beat millionaire businessman Rodolfo Hernandez in Sunday's election. Petro will take the oath of office in August, replacing the deeply unpopular Ivan Duque. For analysis, we speak to Gerard Martin, a political sociologist based in Medellin, Colombia.
The Mexican state of Michoacan is facing an unprecedented wave of violence. More than 800 homicides have been recorded there since January, making it Mexico's most violent state. Criminal groups are waging war to control territory, while the state's residents have become hostages and victims of the violence. Our correspondents Quentin Duval, Laurence Cuvillier and Juan José Estrada Serafín report.
This week, the US pledged close to $2 billion in private sector funds to help fight migration, adding to another billion already promised in December. US Vice President Kamala Harris made the announcement on day one of the Summit of the Americas, which is taking place in Los Angeles. The move is supposed to help control migration from Central America, one of the major themes of the talks. But there were some key players missing from the US-hosted summit. We take a closer look.
The US town of Uvalde, Texas began to bury its dead this week after the country's worst school shooting in a decade. Nineteen students and two teachers were shot dead by an 18-year-old gunman. When President Joe Biden went to console grieving families, he was greeted with protesters shouting "Do something!". But can he actually do anything? FRANCE 24's international affairs commentator Douglas Herbert gives us his analysis.
Over two thirds of young Colombians say their lives have got worse over the past year, which saw a fierce crackdown on anti-government protests in a country still recovering from five decades of conflict. Six years after the peace deal with the FARC rebels, many young people are backing the former mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro, in the May 29 presidential election. If he wins, Petro would become Colombia's first-ever leftist leader. In this special edition of Inside the Americas, we meet several young Colombians who are hoping for change.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden visited the site of a deadly attack motivated by racial hatred. On May 14, an 18-year-old went on a shooting rampage in the city of Buffalo, killing 10 and injuring three, with the express purpose of targeting Black people. In an emotional speech, the US president spoke out against White supremacy, saying it was a "poison in our body politic".
The US has pledged tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine. With time of the essence, President Joe Biden signed legislation that was last used during World War II. We take a closer look at the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 and get analysis from FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator, Douglas Herbert.
In this week's show, we take a look at why the constitutional right to abortion in the United States appears to be in the crosshairs of the Supreme Court. This happened after a leaked draft showed the Court may be ready to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which ruled that the constitution protected a woman's right to legal termination. Our international commentator Douglas Herbert will break down the implications of this event.
After buying Twitter for $44 billion, Elon Musk is promising to protect free speech and bring about much-needed changes, including taking on bots and introducing an edit button to the platform. We take a closer look at the billionaire Tesla founder. For more analysis on what changes the latter might bring to Twitter, we speak to Chris Bail, Director of the Polarization Lab at Duke University.
Although El Salvador has seen a fall in the number of homicides, the country suffers from another type of crime that the government avoids talking about. Gangs are stepping up kidnappings and forced disappearances, terrorising the most vulnerable, who increasingly end up dead. Faced with the authorities' silence, who keep no official register, victims' loved ones are speaking out. Our regional correspondents Laurence Cuvillier and Matthieu Comin report.
Brazil has more than three million "ghost citizens": people who don't have a birth certificate or ID card. In administrative terms they do not exist and have no access to public health care or education. They also can't vote. But in the run-up to October's elections, these people could constitute a potential political force. Our correspondents Perrine Juan, Louise Raulais and Tim Vickery take a closer look at the legal and social workers who are trying to help "ghost citizens".
Ukraine's president spoke to the UN Security Council by video link on Tuesday. In his first speech to the body since Russia's invasion, Volodymyr Zelensky called for accountability. His plea followed the discoveries of civilian victims in the town of Bucha, killings that Zelensky says are tantamount to attempted genocide and war crimes committed by Russia. We take a closer look.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for young students. Opponents, who fear for the impact on youngsters, refer to the measure as the "Don't say gay" bill. We take a closer look at the controversial legislation, which will impact children between the ages of five and nine.
As the war in Ukraine continues, US President Joe Biden is heading to Europe to meet EU leaders and attend an emergency NATO summit. His trip will also take him to Poland, which has taken in a vast majority of the 3.6 million Ukrainians who have escaped the conflict.
As Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky made a landmark virtual address to the US Congress this week. US lawmakers gave him a standing ovation the moment he showed up on screen. Speaking almost three weeks after the Russian invasion first began, Zelensky showed a graphic video of victims of the war and referred to the September 2001 terror attacks in the US, saying Ukraine has been experiencing a 9/11 every day for three weeks.
Solidarity for Ukraine was front and centre during US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address this week. Biden reiterated that American troops will not fight in Ukraine, but warned that NATO territory would be defended. He also announced that US airspace would be closed to Russian planes and warned oligarchs that their assets would be seized. To find out more about the effectiveness of such sanctions, we speak to Daniel Tannebaum, who's Global Head of Sanctions at Oliver Wyman and a former compliance officer with the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the US Treasury Department.
It's being hailed a “historic victory” by campaigners, as Colombia becomes the latest Latin American nation to decriminalise early abortions for all women. Terminations will now be permitted in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, having previously only been possible in limited circumstances, such as in cases of rape, or if there was a risk to the mother's health. President van Duque, whose term in office ends later this year, has slammed the constitutional court's ruling as “heinous”.
The trucker-led protesters occupying the Canadian capital Ottawa show no sign of backing down, despite a newly invoked state of emergency that grants sweeping police powers to try to end the protest over Covid-19 rules. FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien tells us more about the standoff.
"Freedom Convoy" protests are still paralysing the Canadian capital Ottawa. The truckers are also blocking the busiest international crossing in North America. The Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario carries a fourth of all trade between Canada and the US. Canadian lawmakers are becoming increasingly worried about the economic effects of the protests against vaccine mandates and other Covid-19 restrictions. Our correspondents François Rihouay, Joanne Profeta and Gloria Henriquez report.
Bomb threats have been disrupting classes at close to 20 predominantly Black universities in the United States. After a handful of threats on Monday, the first day of Black History Month in the US, more than a dozen campuses went into lockdown over new threats the next day. Tensions are also high over an ongoing battle on the public school teaching of critical race theory. It says racism is not just the product of individual bias, but embedded in America's legal systems and policies.
Joe Biden says he isn't ruling out personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine. The threat from the US president comes as tensions between Moscow and the West continue to heat up. On Tuesday, the third instalment of US military equipment landed in Ukraine and more than 8,000 American troops stationed in Europe have been placed on standby.
The rollout of 5G service may seem like a great thing to device lovers, but for some international airlines it's a major worry. This week, American phone carriers AT&T and Verizon agreed to a partial delay in activating their 5G networks in the US over safety concerns. For more, we speak to technology policy expert Roslyn Layton.
This week, Joe Biden made a passionate speech on voting rights, comparing that fight to the battle to end racial segregation in the 1960s. For the first time ever, the US president is directly pushing to get rid of a vote-blocking device in the Senate known as the filibuster. That requires close to two thirds of senators to pass a bill, as opposed to a simple majority. Biden, a former senator himself, says the voting rights issue is a "battle for America's soul".
On January 6 of last year, thousands of supporters of Donald Trump poured into Washington. They were convinced he had won the 2020 presidential election instead of Joe Biden and were determined to stop Congress from confirming his loss. The rioters stormed the US Capitol building in shocking images seen live around the world. Some 140 police officers were injured, one dying the day after the attack. Four others who guarded the Capitol that day went on to take their own lives. In this special edition, we look back at the events of that fateful day.
Last weekend, the US was hit by a cluster of perhaps the most devastating tornadoes in its history. In Kentucky alone, more than 70 people are known to have been killed by the severe weather system, and deaths were also reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee. US President Joe Biden, who has signed a disaster declaration for Kentucky, paid a visit to the region and called the situation there "an unimaginable tragedy". We take a closer look at the scale of the damage.
Some 30 countries around the world have already legalised gay marriage, but just a handful of them are in Latin America. They include Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and now Chile can be added to that list. People there celebrated this week as the Chilean Congress voted to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption. The decision now needs to be signed by the president, who backs the law.
The Empire State building was lit up with the colours of the French flag this week, in honour of the American-French performer Josephine Baker, who was inducted into France's Panthéon mausoleum on Tuesday. In the US, Josephine Baker is just as beloved as she is in France, and nowhere more so than in Harlem, in New York City. Our correspondents Jessica Le Masurier, Yves Schaeffner and Fanny Chauvin met with New Yorkers to explore Baker's legacy.
In the US, more than a dozen lawsuits have been filed and a criminal investigation has been opened after the disaster at the Astroworld festival last week. Eight people died and hundreds were injured at the concert stampede in Houston, Texas. The youngest of those killed was just 14 years old. The lawsuits say Travis Scott and surprise guest Drake incited the crowd and that concert producer Live Nation failed to provide adequate security.
Former police captain Eric Adams is set to become the next mayor of New York City after winning Tuesday's vote. The Democratic candidate has a nuanced stance on law enforcement issues, as both an African American man and a former officer. In his acceptance speech, Adams called for unity, while telling his story of a working-class child who grew up to become mayor.
A Brazilian Senate committee has backed criminal charges against President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. A 1,200-page report accuses the president of downplaying the disease and questioning the safety of vaccines, exposing the public to mass infections. However, the Senate committee doesn't have the power to bring charges, and it's unlikely that the attorney general or lower house speaker will open criminal proceedings, since both are Bolsonaro allies.
According to a Senate report out of Brazil, the country's far-right president should face at least 10 charges, including crimes against humanity, for his handling of the pandemic. It paints a damning portrait of Jair Bolsonaro's government: one of corruption, negligence and incompetence. With more than 600,000 deaths, Brazil has the world’s second-highest Covid-19 mortality rate.
The Biden administration is once again urging courts to step in and suspend a new Texas law that bans most abortions. This latest wrangling comes after an appeals court reinstated the law after a brief 48-hour window. The legal showdown between the state of Texas and the Biden administration is likely to wind up in the US Supreme Court. We take a closer look.
It's been a bad week for Facebook. The social media giant saw a six-hour outage of its own site, plus Instagram and WhatsApp. Facebook was also hit with testimony from former employee Frances Haugen, who slammed the company for prioritising profit over protecting its users. Testifying before the US Congress this week, she said the platforms – specifically Instagram – are fuelling eating disorders and body shaming that's particularly dangerous for teenage girls. Haugen also urged the government to regulate social media to help tackle the crisis, with some members of Congress happy to oblige.
Peru has the world's highest number of Covid-19 deaths compared to its population. The figures have kept the country's potential tourists at bay for months. But little by little, travellers are starting to return, attracted by iconic sites like Machu Picchu and the former Inca capital Cusco. Our correspondent Thomas Nicolon reports on how people working in Peru's tourism industry are now hoping for better days.
Autumn in New York is synonymous with the UN General Assembly. This year's event was held mostly in person for the first time in two years. Over 100 world leaders came to town, including US President Joe Biden, who made his debut UN address. It was a chance for Biden to promote America's wins – and dance around some of the country's more controversial diplomatic moves. We take a closer look.
This week, the governor of California decisively defeated a Republican campaign to remove him from office. Gavin Newsom easily survived the recall election, leaving dozens of challengers far behind. The victory sends a strong message that California voters are still behind Newsom and the traditional polices of the deeply Democratic state. We take a closer look at the recall mechanism.
Twenty years ago, two passenger planes slammed into both towers of the World Trade Center in New York. It was the worst terrorist attack in US history, watched live around the world. In this special show, we try to understand how the consequences are still being felt today. We talk to first responders who now suffer from devastating health issues. We also see how security measures were stepped up in the wake of the attacks and how education has adapted to a new generation that wasn't born during 9/11.
This week, America put an end to its 20-year war in Afghanistan. In addition to taking control of the country, the Taliban have also recuperated huge quantities of US military equipment left behind. Much of it was originally meant to be used by Afghan armed forces to defend themselves. Pictures of Taliban soldiers in full US army gear have now got many people worried. Our tech editor Peter O'Brien tells us more about the Taliban's military capabilities.
As a series of destructive wildfires make headlines, why is the western part of North America so prone to wildfires and how is climate change making them worse? We take a closer look.
Cuba is grappling with its largest protests since the era of Fidel Castro. The demonstrations come as the country is facing its worst surge in Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. But it's the economic crisis, and a shortage of food and medicine, that has drawn so many to the streets as the government blames the US for its economic sanctions.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is known by many for his Tesla vehicles and his exploits in outer space. But he's also causing quite a stir on Earth – in a tiny town in southern Texas, to be precise. Many residents in Boca Chica Village say they're being pushed out as Musk's company SpaceX constructs its launch site and rocket production facility there. We take a closer look.
Dozens of people have died in Canada since last week due to record high temperatures which have hit highs of over 46°C. According to the Met Office, the ongoing heatwave is a result of a pressure system which isn't moving. We take a closer look at the phenomenon known as a heat dome.
NFL player Carl Nassib has taken to Instagram to come out as gay. The move is being called a watershed moment for American football, the country's most popular sport. Nassib's announcement comes as he enters his sixth season in the league and during Pride Month. We take a closer look.