Perspective

Ghana is already known as a "fast-fashion graveyard", but a new study has shown unwanted clothing is now being dumped beyond urban areas. Reporters at Unearthed, working with Greenpeace Africa, found mounds of clothes from brands including Next, Primark and H&M clogging areas of the protected Densu Delta. Sam Quashie-Idun, the head of investigations at Greenpeace Africa, told FRANCE 24's Perspective programme that one particular dumpsite now "looms taller than a two-storey building".

As Indigenous Australians mark NAIDOC Week – a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – the country is grappling with the findings of a landmark Aboriginal-led inquiry. The commission found that First Peoples in the state of Victoria suffered genocide and crimes against humanity from the beginning of British colonisation. "Between the 1830s and 1851, it is estimated that the Indigenous population of Victoria was reduced from 60,000 to 15,000," historian Romain Fathi told FRANCE 24 in Perspective. 

The award-winning author of a new book has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how it is the voices and hearing the chatter of his characters that inspires him to write. Swedish-Tunisian writer Jonas Hassen Khemiri's new book "The Sisters" in English or "Les Sœurs" in French follows the lives of three sisters and a curse that weighs on them. In the book they spend 35 years trying to break the curse "Everything you love, you will lose". He spoke to us in Perspective.

"Down with secularism and long live Sharia law". That's the cry that went up a week ago outside the satirical magazine LeMan in Istanbul after it published an image interpreted by some as a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. A violent protest took place outside the office of the magazine, which is known as the "Turkish Charlie Hebdo". Four of its staff members were arrested and the courts subsequently blocked its website in the name of public order.  

The director of ActionAid Zambia has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the dire conditions women are facing in the country because of cuts to USAID. This as the organisation is officially wound down, ending billions of dollars' worth of aid programmes across the world. In Zambia, the cuts mean women are having to sell sex to men in order to be able to go fishing to feed themselves and their families. Faides TembaTemba spoke to us from the UN Conference on Financing for Development in the Spanish city of Seville.

One of the world's leading picture book artists has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his aim to use art to inspire people to make a positive change in the world. Nikkolas Smith is an award-winning artist who seeks to tackle issues like social justice, people who are socially marginalised and even climate change. He has also worked on artwork for big budget films and even for Disney theme parks. His latest project is the book "The History of We", which tells the story of the origins of humanity in Africa. He spoke to us in Perspective.

Amnesty International says it has deep concerns over the level of repressive policing in Kenya. The comments come after the latest demonstrations in the country last Wednesday, when the NGO says 19 people were killed and at least 500 injured after police fired on protesters. The rallies were called to mark one year since deadly protests began over a finance bill and tax rises. Amnesty says that although there was some police restraint in parts of the country last week, in the capital Nairobi the situation exploded again. Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya, spoke to us in Perspective.

A leading sociologist has told FRANCE 24 that we need to stop defining who is worthy based on professional success. She says our current way of measuring worthiness in diplomas alienates more than half the population, leaving them feeling stigmatised. That in turn leads to a rise in far-right populism. Harvard sociologist Michèle Lamont argues in her book "Seeing Others: How to Redefine Worth in a Divided World" that instead of measuring having, we need to measure being. She spoke to us in Perspective.

A new way of ensuring everyone on the planet has access to glasses is being pushed by a global NGO that has just launched in France. A machine has been developed that can make glasses anywhere on the planet for just one single dollar. This as it is estimated that up to 950 million people across the globe are unable to have access to glasses or cannot afford them. That means that many people are born – or become – unable to do any skilled work. In Perspective, we spoke to the executive director of GoodVision France, Maryline Ehlermann.

A man who spent 14 years in prison without charge in Guantanamo Bay until his release in 2016 has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his experience of suffering torture there. Mohamedou Ould Slahi is an engineer from Mauritania who was accused by the US of recruiting for and providing other support for al Qaeda in Afghanistan and even of being involved in organising the 9/11 attacks. While in Guantanamo he says he was subjected to a range of torture methods – from sleep deprivation, to isolation, to beatings. His story was documented in his memoir, "Guantanamo Diary", and was turned into a star-studded 2021 film, "The Mauritanian", which tells the story of him and his lawyer who succeeded in obtaining his release. He spoke to us in Perspective.

The mother of an Israeli hostage still being held by Hamas in Gaza has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the plight of the hostages, 626 days after they were first taken by Hamas. Viki Cohen is the mother of Nimrod Cohen, who was taken from his tank by Hamas when he was just 19 years old. He turns 21 next month. There has been no news of him since March, when he was seen in a Hamas video. She says Israel must stop the war in Gaza to bring the hostages back. She spoke to us in Perspective.

A British surgeon who has been traveling to and from Gaza to provide medical aid has spoken to FRANCE 24 about her frustration that the situation there is not fully recognised globally. Doctor Victoria Rose has completed several block stints in hospitals in Gaza, working to save lives. She says that what she witnessed is often suppressed or dismissed as fake news, but in reality, she has seen the indiscriminate bombing of the entire population. She spoke to us in Perspective.

The leaders of an Australian delegation visiting the world's largest refugee camp have spoken to FRANCE 24 about the plight of the Rohingya community there. The group, in conjunction with the Refugee Council of Australia, have travelled to the Cox's Bazar camp in Bangladesh in a bid to raise awareness. It's been almost eight years since hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled violence in Myanmar, with no prospect of returning home. In Perspective, we spoke to Noor Azizah, herself a former Rohingya refugee, who is now co-executive director of The Rohingya Maiyafuinor Collaborative Network; as well as prominent human rights advocate and former Socceroo (Australian international football) star player Craig Foster.

The Bhopal gas tragedy, which happened over 40 years ago, continues to kill people even today. That's the message brought to France this week by two leading activists who continue to push for justice. The initial leak, which is still considered the world's worst industrial accident, killed over 3,500 people within days in the central Indian city of Bhopal in December 1984, after they breathed in poisonous gas leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide factory. According to government estimates, more than 15,000 people have died in the years since, although activists say the figures are in reality far higher. In Perspective, we spoke to Rachna Dhingra, coordinator of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal; and Satinath Sarangi, founder of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

For those suffering from mental health problems, the internet can be a door to getting help and finding a community, but it can also open a user to extremely damaging content that encourages self-harm. Adele Zeynep Walton is campaigning for a safer digital world after her sister Aimee took her own life in 2022, having spent time on a pro-suicide forum. Walton's book "Logging Off: The Human Cost of Our Digital World" draws attention to a growing, insidious phenomenon.

The head of Stop Ecocide International has spoke to FRANCE 24 from the UN Ocean Conference in the south of France about the need to legally recognise crimes against the environment as serious crimes. Jojo Mehta jointly founded the organisation back in 2017 with the aim of using the law to make destructive practices illegal. She says we don't take damage to the environment seriously enough, and that her aim is to be able to hold individuals accountable for their environmental crimes. She spoke to us in Perspective.

One of the world's leading climbers and photographers has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his passions and his mental health struggles. Cory Richards grew up with a perfect early childhood living in the Rocky Mountains. But when things went wrong, he ended up institutionalised, then on the street. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and still struggles with his mental health. His new book in English "The Color of Everything: A Journey to Quiet the Chaos Within" has just been translated into French as "Les brûlures de glace" or "Ice Burns". He spoke to us in Perspective.

One of the world's leading cancer specialists has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the need to detect cancer early and prevent it from ever taking hold, rather than having to treat people later. Professor Alexandra Leary is an oncology specialist in gynaecological cancers and deputy director of the oncological department of the Gustave Roussy cancer research hospital outside Paris. She is just back from a major gathering of the world's top cancer specialists in Chicago. She spoke to us in Perspective.

One of the world's leading researchers on the state of our oceans has spoken to FRANCE 24 as the UN Ocean Conference got underway in the French Riviera city of Nice. The event is focused on "accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean". We spoke to Chris Bowler, the scientific coordinator of the Tara Ocean Programme – first about that programme and then about his reaction to French President Emmanuel Macron's opening speech at the conference in Nice.

As France welcomes Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Paris for a state visit, France is also celebrating a whole year of cultural exchanges with Brazil. One of the institutions taking part is a museum in Paris dedicated to one of Brazil's best-known artists, the late Frans Krajcberg, who spent his life working between the two countries. 

The head of Amnesty International in Ukraine has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the vital importance of the independent investigation of crimes committed during the Russian full-scale invasion. Veronika Velch told us that it is crucial to do this work, even if it may appear meaningless right now. She says that there is a profound difference between the way Russia is carrying out the war, and the way Ukraine is defending itself. Velch says that eventually there will be justice, because otherwise peace cannot be restored for the generations to come. She spoke to us in Perspective.

A Ghanaian oncology nurse who has won an international award for her work has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the need to invest in nursing. Naomi Ohene Oti is an Oncology Nurse Specialist and Head of Nursing at Ghana's National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre. She has just been named the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, with the prize aiming to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary contribution of nurses across the world. "Nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare, so when they (governments) get it right (in terms of investing in nursing), the system also will get it right," she told us in Perspective.

A well-known French mathematician who has given a free lecture to students in Gaza online has spoken of his delight at being part of a new programme aiming to ensure that education for Gazans continues. While media coverage of Gaza often features attacks on hospitals and schools, the organisation Academic Solidarity with Palestine says that at least 12 universities and colleges have also been destroyed, along with nearly 100 university professors killed. Michel Broué is now one of a series of high-profile academics – including Nobel Prize winners – who are giving their time in a bid to ensure education in the enclave does not die. He spoke to us in Perspective.

An environmentalist who's been fighting for the protection of Colombia's Atrato River has spoken to FRANCE 24 about why the waterway is vital for the environment and for the local Indigenous community. The Atrato was protected nearly 10 years ago after people got together to persuade Colombia's constitutional court to force the government to take action. Special protections are now in place. But campaigners say the measures do not go far enough. Rodrigo Rogelis, researcher and deputy director of the SIEMBRA socio-legal centre, is currently in Paris to speak at Sciences Po university. He spoke to us in Perspective.

The president of Signal, a secure messaging app, spoke to FRANCE 24 about the urgent need to protect personal data. Meredith Whittaker highlighted how a handful of big tech companies collect vast amounts of information – often with little oversight and frequent misuse. She emphasised the need for structural change to regulate how companies handle user data. Signal is advocating for stronger privacy protections while defending freedom of expression. She spoke to us in Perspective.

A feminist group in France working to combat sexual violence spoke to FRANCE 24 about the case of former French surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, who is accused of sexually abusing hundreds of his patients, many of them children. The case is due to conclude this week. However, it has received far less publicity in France and worldwide than the recent Gisèle Pelicot trial, prompting questions about why this is the case.

The author of a new book on the lack of reparations for the 12.5 million people shipped across the Atlantic in the slave trade has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how none of them or their families are yet to be internationally compensated. The trade is described in the book as surely one of the most heinous crimes against humanity committed in the modern era – all to help grow the sugar, tobacco, indigo and coffee trades. Many people perished on the African shores or during the voyage. The book “Reparations for Slavery and the Slave Trade: A Transnational and Comparative History” has also just been translated into French, and its author Ana Lucia Araujo, who is a professor of History at Howard University spoke to us in Perspective.

The curator of a new exhibition in Paris dedicated to the legendary barefoot diva, Cesaria Evora, spoke to FRANCE 24 about the singer's profound influence on world music. Evora began her career as a teenager, performing for sailors in her native Cape Verde, but it wasn't until the age of 50 that she was discovered in Paris. Evora's deep captivating voice singing songs in the Morna style soon became famous across the planet. Curator Emilie Silva joined us in Perspective.

Leading anthropologist Pedro Cesarino speaks to FRANCE 24 about his new book, “Les vautours n'oublient pas” (The vultures never forget), which was inspired by the struggles of young Indigenous people in the Amazon. Caught between ancestral traditions and a modern world of mining, corruption, and violence, they live at the crossroads of two conflicting realities. Through the story of a mother searching for her missing son, Cesarino highlights the deep fractures in Brazilian society.

Hundreds of aid trucks are needed daily to meet the food needs of people in Gaza, not just the five allowed in by Israel yesterday, says Ahmed Bayram, media advisor for the Norwegian Refugee Council. Speaking to us in Perspective, Bayram stressed that aid must "gush" into the enclave and called for increased diplomatic pressure to make that happen.

A silent majority in Romania was mobilised to ensure the win of pro-European candidate Nicusor Dan in Sunday's presidential election, according to Sorin Ionita, president of Bucharest-based think tank Expert Forum. Ionita, who spoke to FRANCE 24, said the uptick in votes from the first to the second round went to show “how volatile and how emotional the elections were”, adding, “it's something that doesn't happen every day in politics.”

Ukraine and Russia are holding their first direct talks in three years this Thursday, but Russian President Vladimir Putin is skipping them, after his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky challenged him to a face-to-face meeting. Instead, a lower-level Russian delegation has been sent to Istanbul for the negotiations. After landing in Ankara for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelensky was set to decide whether he would attend the talks, having previously said that he would only take part if Putin did too. Former French ambassador to Russia, Claude Blanchemaison, gives us his insight in our Perspective programme.

Theo Croker, a Florida-born trumpet player, composer and producer, has a background in jazz but is known for pushing the boundaries of genres and mixing different musical styles. The Grammy-nominated artist tells FRANCE 24 that going "against the norm" and thinking "outside of a box or genre" were always part of his personality. His new album, "Dream Manifest", which will be released in June, continues in this vein. He says the record gives listeners an "uplifting feeling to manifest your dreams", but still contains a dark side. "We will definitely explore duality on this album," he tells us in Perspective. He is playing at Paris's New Morning concert venue this Wednesday.

As one of the most renowned and well-loved musicals, auditioning for "The Lion King" seemed somewhat out of reach for Phindile Ndlovu. "I thought 'maybe it's too big for me, maybe they won't take me'," she tells FRANCE 24. Ultimately, though, the South African native went on to play Rafiki — the shaman of the Pride Lands — in both the Spanish and French versions of the production. "I think I'm the only person in my family who actually got to be an artist and go outside of South Africa," she says. The musical is now playing at the Mogador Theatre in Paris, and Ndlovu says she is adapting well to French life: "I love the country, I'm loving the people, obviously." She says what makes "The Lion King" special is its broad appeal, promising to "captivate" audiences of all ages.

After more than three years of war in Ukraine, simple cultural pleasures like seeing a comedy show or going to the theatre have become both moments of refuge and an act of resistance for the people of Kyiv. Foreign artists have almost stopped travelling to the country since Russia's full-scale invasion, but one of those who have is Spanish conductor Félix Ardanaz. Speaking on FRANCE 24's Perspective programme, Ardanaz recounted his experience in leading a performance of "Carmen" at the National Opera of Ukraine. He said he was "shocked" to see how people in Kyiv had become used to living in a "permanent state of danger", adding that the musicians who decided to stay in Ukraine to continue the country's cultural scene are "real heroes".

As cardinals voted for a second day to choose the next head of the Catholic church, speculation continued over which names might be put forward inside the Sistine Chapel. Whoever the next pope may be, he will have to tackle issues both within the church and on an international scale. On FRANCE 24's Perspective programme, cultural anthropologist Marc Loustau says the next pontiff would need "a steady diplomatic hand" amid a changing global order. He adds that Pope Francis "tried to use his moral charisma" to bring warring parties closer together to broker peace but ultimately failed.

Despite ongoing peace talks, fighting continues in parts of DR Congo between local forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The M23 has taken control of much of the eastern part of DR Congo since January – its first major advance being the capture of Goma in North Kivu province. Award-winning photojournalist Hugh Kinsella Cunningham has been documenting these takeovers as well as their impact on civilians. Speaking on FRANCE 24's Perspective programme, he described how civilians were ordered by the rebels to leave displacement camps and return to their villages, which had been ravaged by fighting.

Nollywood – Nigerian cinema – is the world's second-largest film industry in terms of output and has evolved a great deal since emerging in the 1990s. However, it still faces challenges as a relatively young industry, including profitability. One of the international events helping to shine a spotlight on films made in Nigeria and other African countries is the NollywoodWeek Film Festival in Paris. As the twelfth edition gets underway this week, we speak to Serge Noukoué and Nadira Shakur, the event's founders. They tell us how Nollywood filmmakers are now "much more daring" and discuss how the industry is navigating the age of streaming.

The head of one of the main relief agencies trying to help the people of Sudan says the situation in the country is the worst it has ever been. She says the month of April has been the bloodiest for civilians in the conflict so far, with over 500 people slaughtered in the North Darfur region alone following months of famine. Sudan is facing a continuing spike in violence in the devastating civil war that is now in its third year and has claimed tens of thousands of lives. In Perspective we spoke to Mathilde Vu, advocacy manager at the Norwegian Refugee Council.

The general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the importance of May Day, or International Workers' Day. Esther Lynch is in Paris to join the demonstrations here as she says the day is about celebrating how workers' friendship with each other – and their solidarity and unity – have won the rights that have been gained. Her organisation warns, though, that Europe should do more to protect jobs, and ensure it is not bullied out of its social model. She spoke to us in Perspective.

"We knew he would come in swinging, and he did swing." That's the analysis of US political expert Jeremy Ghez, who says that US President Donald Trump has a worldview that disrupts decades of US foreign policy, but what really matters to him is his brand name in defence of the middle classes. As part of our special coverage of Trump's first 100 days back in power, Ghez spoke to us in Perspective. We also hear from our Los Angeles correspondent Wassim Cornet on the Trump administration's unprecedented attack on US higher education.

An Irish artist whose work has become synonymous with social injustices has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how he wants to take revenge, not by violence, but by painting. Brian Maguire has dedicated his artwork to trying to help marginalised groups as a way of expressing his anger about how some people can fly, when others have to walk. His work is on display now at the Irish Cultural Centre here in Paris. He spoke to us in Perspective.

A winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how she wanted to be a makeup artist in her small village in northern Iraq before her life was nearly destroyed by the Islamic State group. In 2014, when Nadia Murad was just 21 years old, IS group terrorists attacked her community, killing hundreds of people, including her mother and six of her nine brothers. Along with nearly 7,000 other Yazidi women and children, she was abducted and like many of them was raped, beaten and tortured for several months. Now, though, she is a powerful voice for all survivors of genocide and sexual violence. Her story is documented in her book "The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic State". She spoke to us in Perspective.

A French astronaut who has been to space three times on board the Space Shuttle has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the US's aim to put a man on the Moon once again. The Artemis programme is well underway, with the aim of going to the Moon this side of 2027, for the first time since 1972. Jean-François Clervoy is involved in the mission himself: he is a Venturi Space ambassador. The company is working with NASA on some of the technology required for the programme. He spoke to us in Perspective.

An Iranian filmmaker who has been documenting the life of a woman in Gaza for her film that has been accepted for the Cannes Film Festival has told FRANCE 24 how she continues to send her messages, even though she knows she was killed in an Israeli air strike. Sepideh Farsi had been following the life of Fatma Hassona, but a week and a half ago, the day after they heard the film had been selected for Cannes, Hassona was killed, along with nine members of her family. The director of "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk" spoke to us in Perspective.

The curator of a new exhibition here in Paris on artificial intelligence has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the technology's wonders, but also its dangers. The exhibition at the Musée du Jeu de Paume in the Tuileries Gardens in central Paris uses art to tell the story of AI through the ages, with a series of exhibits and artistic works. The exhibition also aims to show the distinction between analytical AI, such as facial recognition; and generative AI, which is more creative. We spoke to chief curator Antonio Somaini in Perspective.

The translator who has translated into French the latest collection of poems by the late US civil rights icon Maya Angelou has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the pressure of getting it right. Santiago Artozqui has just finished translating her collection entitled "I shall not be moved" in English and "Rien ne me fera plier" in French. He told us that Angelou "had a voice, had something to say and knew how to say it". He spoke to us in Perspective.

Does life on this planet belong in tidy, static categories? Or is it a dynamic swirl of complexities? That question is at the heart of a book that tackles the subject of every living thing. It centres on the differing arguments of two men from the 18th century: Swedish doctor and biologist Carl Linnaeus, who espoused the "tidy" theory; and French naturalist Georges Louis de Buffon, who had a more complex way of looking at things. The book explores the clash of their conflicting worldviews that has continued well after their deaths. The author of "Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life", Jason Roberts, spoke to us in Perspective. His book has now been translated into French as "Tout ce qui vit et respire" or "Everything that lives and breathes".

A leading Israeli peace activist has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how people need to pick a side in the Middle East conflict. But he says those sides are the right-wing Israeli government and Hamas, as opposed to the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, both of whom want peace. Itamar Avneri is a founding member of the Israeli grassroots movement Standing Together. He spoke to us before attending a conference for peace at Paris's City Hall. Organised with the NGO Les Guerrières de la Paix, the event is bringing together Israeli and Palestinian peace activists in a bid to find concrete solutions. He joined us on Perspective.

A world-renowned filmmaker whose films are linked and mirror the events of the Lebanese civil war that broke out exactly 50 years ago has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the conflict is still having a huge effect on the country. Ziad Doueiri said that even though the war ended 35 years ago, it continues to impact Lebanon, with more recent events like the Beirut port explosion and the collapse of the country's financial system. He also told us of his ongoing shock at the current conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza, but how he tries to keep an optimistic outlook. He spoke to us in Perspective.

A Paris-based fashion designer has spoken of her desire to create top fashion, but in a responsible way. Christine Phung trained here in Paris and has worked for top brands like Lacoste, Rossignol and Vanessa Bruno, but she is now branching out with her own fashion brand. Her aim is to bring strength and joy to those who wear her sustainable creations. She spoke to us in Perspective.