Inside the Americas

The US state of California is in the midst of a major housing crisis. One of its consequences is that thousands of people are living in their cars. California accounts for almost half of the homeless population in the United States. Some cities are now opening up parking lots where the homeless can more safely spend the night. We take a closer look.

In the Brazilian city of Rio, thousands of residents have been facing a drinking water crisis. Experts have recorded an abnormal amount of geosmin, a substance produced by micro algae that proliferate in water. Authorities and the company in charge of water distribution insist the substance isn't dangerous. But many residents are complaining of nausea and stomach aches. Our correspondents Fanny Lothaire, Pierre Le Duff and Laura Damase take us to the areas of Rio most affected and also to the source of the problem.

In the US, the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump are shifting into their final phase. Things are now moving to the Senate for a landmark trial. The top judge in that Senate trial is Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a stipulation required by the US Constitution. But the definition of his role in an impeachment trial is still poorly defined, with analysts saying it comes with more risks than responsibilities.

An air strike on two sites in Iraq housing US forces has revived US-Iran tensions. For the Iranians, it was payback for a targeted US drone strike that killed Iran's top general. The escalation in tensions has left many Democrats up in arms. They fear Trump is abusing his power and putting America in an uncomfortable position. Our correspondent Matthieu Mabin takes a closer look.

In this special edition of Inside the Americas marking the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in the United States, we take a look at the plight of black farmers in the US, who are still suffering from racism today. We also examine the legacy of slavery with George Imongo Kintiba, lecturer at the African American Studies Department of the University of Maryland.

The rate of mothers dying in childbirth is dropping around the world - almost everywhere, it seems, except the United States. The maternal mortality rate there is actually rising and has more than doubled in the past twenty years. Over 700 American women die each year from complications related to pregnancy and there are massive disparities along racial lines. Black women are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Our correspondent Jessica Le Masurier reports from New York.

Thirty years ago in Canada, a gunman walked into a university in Montreal, shooting fourteen women dead. It took decades for that massacre to be described as a femicide, a targeted attack on females. Sexism and violence against women are still very present in Canada today. Last year alone, one woman or girl was killed every two and a half days. FRANCE 24's François Rihouay and our team in Montreal report.

Three American men got their first taste of freedom this week after 36 years in jail. They were sentenced to life in prison in 1984 for the murder of a Baltimore teenager, a crime they didn't commit. But after much lobbying, their case was reviewed and they were finally set free. We find out more.

In Bolivia, tensions are running high in the wake of the resignation of Evo Morales. The president stepped down on November 10 and fled for asylum in Mexico after weeks of protests over a disputed election. His departure has split the capital La Paz into rival neighbourhoods, with some households preparing themselves for reprisal attacks. Our correspondents Pascale Mariani and Simone Bruno report, with Camille Nedelec.

November 2019 will go down as a turning point in Bolivian history, marking the end of Evo Morales's presidency and nearly a decade and a half of socialist rule. He's now flown off to Mexico, while Bolivia's Constitutional Court has endorsed the deputy speaker of the Senate, Jeanine Añez. She proclaimed herself interim president, filling the power vacuum. We take a closer look at the major players in Bolivia's political chaos.