Focus

On Sunday, Japan sealed a 2-2 draw against the higher-ranked Netherlands in their 2026 World Cup opener. Since qualifying for its first World Cup in 1998, Japan has reached every edition of the tournament and now sits 18th in the FIFA rankings. FRANCE 24's Adam Hancock, Alexis Bregere and Ayana Nishikawa travelled across Japan to uncover the secrets behind the remarkable rise of Japanese football.

The fan zones are open, the stadiums are ready and the biggest World Cup in history is officially underway in the US, Mexico and Canada. Seven matchs are planned in Houston, Texas. The host city expects to attract around half a million visitors and an economic windfall of $1.5 billion. Yet some hotels remain half empty and many fans complain that soaring ticket prices have made the tournament unaffordable. FRANCE 24's Pierrick Leurent and Wassim Cornet report. 

For the first time ever, Cape Verde is heading to the World Cup. The West African island nation – home to fewer than half a million people – will be one of the smallest countries in tournament history. In the capital Praia, preparations are in full swing, with qualification sparking huge excitement and renewed hope among young people. In working-class neighbourhoods, football has long been an escape – and now, a global stage awaits. Sarah Sakho and Simon Martin report. 

Peeling paint, rundown roundabouts and shuttered post offices: in recent years, local public services across the United Kingdom have been in steady decline. But in some communities, volunteers have decided to step in – filling the gaps where the state has fallen short. Our France 2 colleagues report from Yorkshire, with FRANCE 24's Lauren Bain.

In late April, 98 of the world's 100 hottest cities were located in India. From mid-April to May 2026, daily maximum temperatures exceeded 46°C across large parts of the country. During extreme heat, lack of access to cooling can mean the difference between life and death in the world's most populous country. While government data puts the heatwave death toll at 37, social activists say that figure falls far short of the reality faced by people forced to work in scorching temperatures. The heat stress has also been compounded by acute water shortages in several parts of India. FRANCE 24's Navodita Kumari and Fantine Dantzer report.

For several months, Japan has been moving in a more nationalist and conservative direction. The shift has been fuelled by economic challenges at home and growing regional tensions with China. The country's new ultra-conservative prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is expected to accelerate this agenda, with plans to tighten immigration policies and strengthen Japan's defence posture. A report by Adam Hancock, Alexis Bregere and Mélodie Sforza.

It is the moving story of a Russian father and daughter who opposed Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. It all began in March 2022, when 12-year-old Maria drew an anti-war picture at school in response to the invasion launched a month earlier. She was immediately reported by those around her, and the FSB soon visited both her school and her home. Her father was eventually arrested for supporting his daughter and speaking out against the war. He was convicted of discrediting the Russian army. Following his release from a penal colony, he and Maria left Russia and are now refugees in Strasbourg. A report by Elena Volochine, English adaptation by Lauren Bain.

Throughout World War II, discriminatory policies saw thousands of Romani, Sinti, Manush, Yenish and travellers displaced across France, imprisoned in vast internment camps and sent to extermination camps in Eastern Europe. Eighty years ago, the last travellers were freed from French internment camps. Our reporters Antonia Kerrigan and Valentine Erba went to meet with a French survivor of internment.

Ethiopians are heading to the polls for general elections that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party is expected to win. Ahmed, who has been in power since 2018, is accused of authoritarianism and of cracking down on dissent. With his "corridor project", launched in 2024, he wants to modernise the capital Addis Ababa and other cities. But the project has led to the mass eviction of over 10,000 people in Addis Ababa alone. FRANCE 24's Tom Canetti reports.

One of Pakistan's greatest challenges is controlling its rapidly growing population. With more than 258 million inhabitants, the country is already the fifth most populous in the world. By 2030, its population could surpass 300 million, pushing Pakistan into fourth place globally, ahead of Indonesia. This rapid demographic growth is far outpacing the country's capacity for socio-economic development and infrastructure expansion. In several key social sectors, Pakistan continues to lag behind neighbouring India and Bangladesh. Yet contraception remains largely taboo in a society shaped by strong traditional values, where it is sometimes viewed as religiously forbidden. A report by Shahzaib Wahlah and Ondine de Gaulle, in collaboration with Hameer M.

New Zealand is facing a major brain drain. Even former prime minister Jacinda Ardern has chosen to relocate to Australia. Her decision has reignited a debate over the country's persistent struggle to retain its talent, against a backdrop of a stagnating economy and a soaring cost of living. Our Auckland correspondent Emma Garboud-Lorenzoni reports.

Just after taking office, Chile's new far-right President José Antonio Kast pledged to expel more than 300,000 undocumented migrants. Two months into his presidency, the mass departures that many predicted have not happened. The construction of a border wall with Peru, modelled on US President Donald Trump's wall, does not seem to be stopping migrants from attempting to cross into Chile. But in Tacna, the last Peruvian city before the Chilean border, life is becoming increasingly difficult for migrants. FRANCE 24's Martin Chabal and Agathe Fourcade report, with Wassim Cornet.

In the occupied West Bank, illegal Israeli settlements are dramatically increasing, encouraged by the Israeli government and protected by the army. Meanwhile, Palestinians are suffering greater numbers of violent attacks by extremist settlers, for which they almost always receive no justice. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Florent Marchais.

Last year, for the first time in its history, Israel recorded a negative migration balance. In 2024, 82,700 Israelis left the country, an all-time record. In Europe, Germany is benefiting the most, attracting 18 percent of this emigration according to the OECD. Settling in Germany is facilitated by reparation laws that give descendants of Holocaust victims easier access to German nationality. Since 2022, passport applications have surged, despite a rise in anti-Semitism in the country. FRANCE 24's Anne Mailliet, Kilian-Davy Baujard and Willy Mahler report.

On the French Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe, there is one gun for every 10 residents. Since the beginning of the year, 12 people have already been shot and killed by gunfire. Anti-crime brigades are doing their best to address the issue, but the number of offenders is on the rise and they are increasingly young. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Lauren Bain.

On May 15, Palestinians commemorated the Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic), referring to the forced exodus of Palestinians during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Around the same time, Israelis celebrated what they call the "reunification of Jerusalem" in 1967, meaning the occupation and then annexation of the Palestinian part of the city. One land, two historical narratives. Is it still possible to reconcile them? FRANCE 24's Claire Duhamel and Amira Souilem report.

In 2025, Panchayat became the most-watched series in India. Its success stems from its story about the head of a village council in a rural area of ​​Uttar Pradesh. In recent years, stories from rural India have permeated the film industry, even reaching prestigious international award ceremonies. This rural revival has fostered the growth of independent rural cinema, particularly with the emergence of new streaming platforms. Since 2019, the platform STAGE has produced several hundred films in local dialects, targeting a potential audience of 50 million people, a segment long ignored by the multi-billion dollar Bollywood film industry. A report by Selma Daoui and Nabeel Ahmed.

Half of all households in South Korea's capital Seoul have just one inhabitant. That trend is likely to continue, with more than 40 percent of men and women aged 25 to 49 saying they do not want to get married. Local authorities now consider solitude a serious public health issue. Seoul's municipal government is investing more than €260 million over five years to tackle what it calls an epidemic of loneliness. FRANCE 24's Chloé Borgnon, Junwon Bae and Justin McCurry report.

Salmon is one of the most widely consumed fish in the world, with global demand exploding in recent years. In Chile, salmon farming has become the country's second-largest industry after mining, accounting for more than a quarter of global production. For the country's southern regions, it has brought an economic boom. But this success comes at a cost: deadly workplace accidents, polluted waterways and a disastrous effect on wildlife in the area. FRANCE 24's Agathe Fourcade and Martin Chabal report.

In London, the Tube and iconic red double-decker buses are deeply woven into the city's fabric. When these ageing vehicles retire, some are given a surprising second life and transformed into unique dining experiences. From underground carriages turned into restaurants to vintage buses serving afternoon tea, these repurposed icons offer a nostalgic journey through the British capital's history and culture. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Guillaume Gougeon.

Several heads of state, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, are gathering in Bucharest this Wednesday for the B9 summit, which brings together NATO's eastern flank countries amid growing tensions linked to the war in Ukraine. Even in Romania, the conflict feels increasingly present. In recent months, Russian attacks have intensified against Ukrainian Danube ports located just a few hundred metres from the Romanian border. 

In the United States, home ownership used to be part of the American dream. But today, in cities like Los Angeles, housing has become unaffordable for millions of essential workers. Nurses, teachers and firefighters are often no longer able to live near their workplaces due to soaring property prices. With exorbitant rents and endless commutes, many are being pushed to their limits. FRANCE 24's Wassim Cornet and Pierrick Leurent went to meet some of these Americans grappling with a housing crisis.

As Europe commemorates the 81st anniversary of the Allied victory over the Nazis this May 8, many in Germany are discovering long-buried family secrets. Nazi party membership lists – saved from destruction in 1945 – are now available online. In just a few clicks, the Nazi past of millions of German families is within reach.

Located in the heart of the Indian metropolis of Mumbai, Dharavi is one of the world's most densely populated slums; home to nearly 1 million people. Made famous by the film "Slumdog Millionaire", Dharavi is set to be transformed by a major redevelopment plan that will build skyscrapers, sanitation systems, parks, schools and hospitals. But this massive project requires the relocation of part of its population and is causing concern among the thousands of residents who have lived and worked in Dharavi for several generations. FRANCE 24's Khansa Juned, Nabeel Ahmed and Alban Alvarez report.

In 2025, the US Supreme Court provisionally authorised the Trump administration to lift Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in the United States. This status had allowed them to work legally and remain in the country as long as their return to Venezuela was deemed dangerous. Nearly 600,000 people now live in a state of profound legal uncertainty. FRANCE 24's Fanny Allard and Fraser Jackson report from Florida.

Many pharmaceutical giants use monkeys to test drugs and vaccines. But since China banned the export of primates in 2020, prices have skyrocketed, fuelilng an international black market. At the heart of this illegal trafficking are Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. FRANCE 24's Justin McCurry, Théo Collet, Antoine Morel and Cyrille Charpentier report. 

In Indonesia, almost 1 million minors are thought to have an online gambling habit. Worse, authorities say more than 80,000 online players are aged below 10. For these youngsters, gambling is not a pastime they can control, but a dangerous obsession, driven by a desperate desire for a quick and easy way out of poverty. This despite gambling being illegal in the Muslim-majority country. In 2024, Indonesia recorded dozens of suicides linked to online gambling. FRANCE 24 reports.

Behind ordinary-looking TikTok adverts for "rose sellers" lies a sordid reality: a recruitment scheme linked to prostitution, often targeting minors. A team from our sister channel France 2 dug into hundreds of social media videos showing how pimps in France are recruiting young girls via TikTok, promising them easy money and a glamorous lifestyle. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Lauren Bain.

Despite fluctuations in its price, gold continues to fuel economies and often greed across Africa. Deep in the Sahara, in Mauritania, extraction sites are multiplying across the desert. In the past few years, this gold rush has become a key pillar of the Mauritanian economy. FRANCE 24's Sarah Sakho and Simon Martin report.

Last year, the Election Commission of India launched a "Special Intensive Revision", or SIR, describing it as an exercise to eliminate duplicate or deceased voters. So far, 13 states and federally administered territories have completed the task, leading to the deletion of over 55 million voters from the electoral rolls. But this exercise has become a political flashpoint in West Bengal, where 9 million voters have been deleted ahead of a crucial state election.

As the stalemate continues in the Strait of Hormuz and peace talks between Washington and Tehran appear to be stalled, life in Iran seems to have returned to normal since the ceasefire. Society is even undergoing a major transformation, a process that began several months ago and has intensified against the backdrop of the war in recent weeks. FRANCE 24 correspondent Siavosh Ghazi filmed these rare images from the Iranian capital for this report filed with Alice Brogat and Lauren Bain.

Cities around the globe are clearing their billboards of adverts for flights, cruise ships and petrol cars in a bid to reduce global warming. Amsterdam is the latest city to join the movement, becoming the first capital in the world to approve a legal ban on fossil fuel advertisements. Following the historic win, Dutch activists are now calling for restrictions to be enforced on a national level. FRANCE 24's Valérie Dekimpe and Alexandra Renard report.

For the past three years, war has been raging in Sudan betwe en the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leading to more than 11 million Sudanese being displaced. After Chad, Libya is the largest host country of Sudanese refugees. In the southeastern Kufra province, 250 kilometres from the Sudanese border, between 40 000 and 60 000 Sudanese refugees live either in encampments or towns. FRANCE 24's Lilia Blaise and Hamdi Tlili report.

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been completely closed for six months, a direct consequence of the conflict between Kabul and Islamabad. Despite several mediation attempts, negotiations have failed, and the two countries remain at a diplomatic impasse in a war that has already displaced tens of thousands of people and claimed numerous lives. 

Thirty-two years after the genocide in Rwanda, the country is undetaking its most sensitive task yet: reintegrating the last remaining perpetrators into the very heart of the lands where they once committed murder. Those walking out of prison today are often those who have served their full 30-year sentences. The challenge is daunting: how can these men and women be transformed into productive citizens within a society that has changed so radically? Our correspondent Aurore Bayoud reports, with Tom Canetti.

It looks almost impossible: cars and motorbikes racing at full speed inside towering vertical arenas in India. These dangerous stunt shows are known as the "wells of death", where drivers cling to the walls as gravity seems to disappear. The races attract large numbers of young Indians and have gone viral on social media. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Guillaume Gougeon.

With its mountains, hills and fragile cliffs, Italy is one of the European countries most susceptible to hydrogeological disasters: landslides, sinkholes, erosion and floods. The situation is causing concern for the country's local authorities. Over 500,000 buildings are situated in areas exposed to landslides, and nearly 38,000 churches, monuments, historic and cultural heritage sites are at risk. Our Italy correspondent Natalia Mendoza reports. 

In the last few years, Madrid has become a destination of choice for wealthy Latin American investors, as well as for young Americans. The latter are settling in the most historical areas of the Spanish capital, driving up prices in an already competitive housing market. FRANCE 24's Maude Petit-Jové and Sarah Morris report.

This Wednesday marks three years since the start of the civil war in Sudan, a conflict that has forced 14 million people to flee their homes. Some 4 million of them have left their country altogether. While many have fled to neighbouring countries, some have chosen Kenya. The capital Nairobi has become a hub for welcoming not only Sudanese refugees, but also political and even armed groups linked to the conflict.

After a month and a half spent living under the threat of drones, residents of Iraqi Kurdistan are exhausted. Just 24 hours before the ceasefire, a civilian was killed in a drone attack blamed on Iran by Kurdish authorities. In total, around 700 drone and missile attacks have targeted US positions and certain Kurdish interests. Victims' loved ones are devastated by the war between Iran and the United States, of which they are the indirect victims. FRANCE 24's Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports, with Josh Vardey.

As global attention remains focused on the Middle East, a parallel contest of influence is unfolding in the Far North, where NATO troops have recently carried out a large-scale exercise simulating a Russian invasion. Armoured vehicles, ships, helicopters, and thousands of soldiers braved sub-zero conditions to test their readiness and send a clear message to Moscow. This report from our colleagues at FRANCE 2 and FRANCE 24's Guillaume Gougeon.

Hungary's election on Sunday could have repercussions far beyond its borders. Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban came to power in 2010, Hungary has become the only EU member state ranked as “partly free” by Freedom House – but it is also a model for far-right movements elsewhere. Orban's ties to Russia have also hindered Europe's response to the war in Ukraine. With polls showing a strong lead for the centre-right opposition Tisza party, our regional correspondent Gulliver Cragg reports.