Perspective

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.

One of the world's leaders in human rights has spoken to FRANCE 24 about her passion for the subject, her deep desire to help people in need, and her love for the world's institutions, such as the UN, that are designed to help combat human rights abuses. Agnès Callamard is currently secretary general of Amnesty International, and was until 2021 the UN's special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions. She worked, among many others, on the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Her new book is entitled "Une enquêtrice à l'ONU", or "An investigator at the UN". She spoke to us in Perspective.

The US Democratic Party here in Paris is defending its record amid the barrage of news coming from the White House. With the daily announcements from US President Donald Trump flooding the media, many have been asking "Where are the Democrats?". This past weekend, though, "Hands Off!" protests were held across the United States, in the largest nationwide show of opposition since Trump returned to office in January. In Perspective, we spoke to Fred Hoffman, spokesperson and secretary for Democrats Abroad in France.

"If you put a positive message to a beat, everybody will listen to it." That's of the mottos of influential bassist Reggie Washington, who has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his love for music, and his wish to pass its delights on to the rest of the planet. Washington, who is in the middle of a tour of European countries, says that he plays music "from the heart" and that it's medicine to the world. He played a key role in the modern jazz revolution of the 1980s and 1990s, touring and recording with the best. He is also co-founder of the organisation Black Lives. He spoke to us in Perspective.

An author described by the Los Angeles Times as a writer of unique genius has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his new novel "Wild Houses". Colin Barrett, who grew up in the northwest of Ireland, bases his books around a series of characters from the region. "Wild Houses" tells the story of a small-town revenge kidnapping that goes very wrong. He says that as a writer you don't choose the subjects and locations yourself, but they choose you. He spoke to us in Perspective.

The director of a highly controversial film that's accused of criticising the regime in Russia has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the incredible success of the film and the threats he has faced because of it. "The Master and Margarita" was filmed before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but once released after the invasion it took on a new meaning. It has now become one of the highest grossing films ever in Russia. Its director Mikhaïl Lockshin, who is also highly critical of the war in Ukraine, spoke to us in Perspective. 

The UN agency for children UNICEF is warning that the world is facing one of the greatest food and nutrition crises of our time. That as 45 million children around the world suffer from wasting, 150 million children have stunted growth, and every single year maternal malnutrition contributes to 800,000 newborn deaths. Those figures are released as the Nutrition for Growth summit, which is held every four years, is taking place here in Paris. The summit is designed to discuss the major issues and for global leaders to deliver bold political and financial commitments to accelerate progress on nutrition. In Perspective, we spoke to UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell. "If you invest in children, it's something that pays off forever down the road," she told us.

The world's glaciers are losing an average of 273 billion tonnes of ice per year – that's equivalent to around three Olympic-sized swimming pools per second. They have been doing so since the year 2000, and the problem is accelerating. Those are just some of the findings of a huge international study involving 35 research teams. In Perspective, we spoke to Michael Zemp, director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service.

A Ukrainian NGO is aiming to shine a light on the conditions for Ukrainians living in areas that have been occupied by Russia. It has documented thousands of cases, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and denial of any kind of fair trial. These human rights violations are faced not by captured soldiers, but by ordinary people living in Crimea and the east of Ukraine. In Perspective, we spoke to Lyubov Smachylo from the NGO Media Initiative for Human Rights.

A Russian-American filmmaker has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how her new film captures the last days of resistance to the regime in Russia before the invasion of Ukraine. Julia Loktev, who was born in what was then Leningrad, grew up in the United States. Her film "My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow" follows the staff of the television channel TV Rain, which aims to tell the truth about the Russian regime. Since the documentary was filmed, TV Rain has been forced to close in Russia and has set up home in Amsterdam, from where it now broadcasts. She spoke to us in Perspective.

In Perspective, Oliver Farry speaks to American author Alice Austen about her new novel "33 Place Brugmann". The book tells the stories of 14 characters in a Brussels apartment building on the eve of World War II, a building that Austen herself once lived in.

Oliver Farry speaks to Juliette Démas, London correspondent for the French daily Libération, who is the author of a new book, "Les affamés du Royaume" ("The Famished of the Kingdom"). It looks at the poverty crisis in the UK, which has seen an increasing number of people relying on food banks and has been exacerbated by years of austerity measures, Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation.

Oliver Farry speaks to investigative journalist Mat Youkee whose new book, "Forty Days in the Jungle: Behind the Extraordinary Survival and Rescue of Four Children Lost in the Amazon", tells the incredible story of the four siblings who were discovered in the Colombian jungle in June 2023, 40 days after being the only survivors of a plane crash.

Just under two years ago, fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out in Sudan, sparking a civil war that continues to rage. At least 150,000 people are believed to have died in the fighting, with more than 8.2 million displaced. The United Nations calls it the world's most devastating humanitarian situation. In addition to famine, vulnerable populations face sexual abuse. Earlier this month, UNICEF reported that armed fighters had raped hundreds of children, both boys and girls. This follows a report last year that gender-based violence, by both sides, including sexual slavery, was rampant in areas where the war was being waged. Oliver Farry speaks to Kamel Al Sharif, Area Programme Manager at the Norwegian Refugee Council about the revelations.

It is a film that really pulls at your heartstrings, showing the life of an incredible woman, with a fascinating history as she struggles to leave her home in Brazil to head to a new life in Portugal. The film, shot and produced by her granddaughter – Carolina Sá, a Portuguese-Brazilian journalist and podcast director. The film, her first, translates in English as “To Say Goodbye”, or “Dizer Adeus” in Portuguese, a very intimate portrait off her grandmother's farewell to her life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The material gathered was also crafted into a new narrative as well, this time in the form of a radio documentary or podcast. She spoke to us in Perspective.