Focus

With his promise to build a wall between the US and Mexico, Donald Trump has made combatting illegal immigration a pillar of his presidency. But Mexico is already the US's firm ally in trying to push back immigration. Since its Southern Border Plan was launched in 2014, Mexico has deported around 150,000 Central American migrants each year - even though many of them are fleeing extreme violence back home. Our correspondents report from the Mexico-Guatemala border. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

Fuel poverty affects more than 10 million people in France. Financial aid programmes have been stepping in to help these people to heat their homes, many of which are poorly built and insulated. A FRANCE 24 team met with one organisation that's helping to lift those on the breadline out of fuel poverty. A programme prepared by Elise Duffau and Emerald Maxwell.

The next presidential election in Russia is planned for early 2018 and the opposition is already getting organised. But the right to protest is extremely limited and tightly controlled. This means that activists opposed to President Putin are using innovative ways to make their voices heard. Our correspondent reports. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

Last month saw the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, resume his draconian war on drugs. The initial crackdown was suspended earlier this year after rogue police men kidnapped and murdered a South Korean businessman, resulting in a diplomatic fallout between the two countries. Dubbed "operation double barrel" by local authorities, an estimated 8,000 alleged drug users and dealers have been killed since the campaign was launched in July last year. Some 2,500 people have been killed by the country’s police, others by vigilantes and criminals taking advantage of the current climate of impunity.

Despite human rights groups voicing their concerns amid a growing number of criminal allegations against the president himself, the mercurial leader remains popular with his peoples. According to a recent poll, as many as 85 percent support the measures used in the drug crackdown campaign, and many feel they have helped bring down the country’s crime rates over the past twelve months.

A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

Despite heightened surveillance and draconian control measures, the answers from nuclear analysts is far from unanimous. Despite these questions, the French power giant that manages them, EDF, wants to prolong their life by ten or even 20 years. Furthermore, the public utility's finances are at least €37 billion in debt. What's more, EDF is due to build two more reactors in Britain - this after embarrassing revelations of neglect relating to the manufacturer of the reactors, Creusot.

We take a closer look after France's nuclear watchdog expressed concern.

A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

On Sunday, the Turks will vote in a referendum on a proposed constitutional reform that would see the implementation of a presidential regime, greatly strengthening President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s powers. It’s expected to be a tight race, even though polls currently predict a “yes” camp victory. Who are the people behind the main political groups opposing this change? Our correspondents went to meet them. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

Hungary, an EU member state, is openly fighting NGOs and other bodies financed abroad. And especially those linked to George Soros. Although the billionaire investor is of Hungarian origin he is currently being targeted by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party. This week, parliament voted through a law to shut down a prestigious Soros-financed university and NGOs funded by the investor are also coming under attack. A new Hungarian law, allegedly aimed at promoting transparency, is worrying NGOs funded by foreign backers. While the government insists the law will be in accordance with EU rules, those targeted by the law say Orban is trying to silence any critical voices.

A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

Japan is watching the demise of one of its main companies: Toshiba is expecting to post an annual net loss of €8.5 billion. The electronic giant has been hard hit by the billions of losses linked to its American nuclear firm Westinghouse. To keep the company in business, Toshiba has had no choice but to sell off some of its crown jewels, starting with its praised flash memory business. But in doing so, Toshiba risks becoming a mere shadow of what it once was. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

With less than two weeks to go until the first round of France's presidential election, today's FOCUS takes a look at the state of the country's public schools. We spoke to teachers about literacy issues, overcrowded classrooms, a lack of discipline, constant changes to the curriculum and more. A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett and Aline Schmidt.

For more than two weeks, mass protests and strikes have paralysed the French department of Guiana. The association Pour que la Guyanne décolle (Get Guianna going) has called on the French state to free up some €3 billion in financial aid to provide the social investment so desperately needed to renew roads and buildings, and improve the health system, schools and security. Many Guiana residents feel that although the region belongs to France, the French Republic has abandoned them in terms of its financial responsibilities. Our reporters traveled to Guiana to speak to those who feel forgotten by the French state and when, how and why, this feeling became so deeply entrenched within their society.

A programme prepared by Patrick Lovett, Jessica Sestili and Elom Marcel Toble.