Perspective

Huge demonstrations have been held over the last few weeks in Spain over its housing crisis, but the issue is not restricted to Spain. Many other countries also have a huge problem with housing, including Ireland, with experts saying that for every street of 10 houses, the country actually needs 12. Now a new exhibition in Paris at the Irish Cultural Centre is trying to reflect the issue. In Perspective, we spoke to the museum's director and one of the artists taking part.

The parents of a 22-year-old Israeli man who was killed when Hamas attacked the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 have told FRANCE 24 how they can still feel him surrounding them even though he's no longer here. Shira and Moshe Shapira say that time doesn't heal, but they are learning how to live with their loss. Their son Aner managed to throw seven grenades back towards Hamas fighters, before an eighth exploded in his hands, killing him. They spoke to us in Perspective.

The author of a new book that tells the story of a White supremacist coup in her hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how those involved and the authorities covered up the event for years. The coup happened back in 1898, but was never mentioned in local schools even when she was a pupil. Lauren Collins is currently living in Paris, where she is a staff journalist for The New Yorker. She spoke to us in Perspective about her book, "They Stole a City".

Far-right candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has pulled off a surprise win in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election. He defied most polls to win with 47 percent, compared to 45 percent for leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva. We spoke to Thomas Zicman de Barros, a research fellow at CEVIPOF, the political research centre at Sciences Po University, and columnist for our sister radio station RFI. He told us that never before in Brazilian history has a candidate who was behind in the first round then succeeded in the second.

New images posted this week by Google Maps show the utter destruction in Gaza. It's been estimated that 61 tonnes of rubble need to be cleared – that's 20 times the amount of rubble generated in all wars across the world over the last 18 years.

A French politics observer says the allegations of anti-Semitism against the head of France's far-right National Rally have really damaged the party. Andrew Smith from Queen Mary University of London says people have been buying into the detoxification of the party, despite its legacy as an anti-Semitic and racist outfit. But that makes this week's allegations against Jordan Bardella even more shocking. Bardella is accused by the investigative news website Mediapart of sending a series of anti-Semitic remarks from 2013 to 2015. Andrew Smith spoke to us in Perspective.

A journalist who has spent more than 20 years investigating Russian leader Vladimir Putin and who is recognised as perhaps Russia's finest investigative journalist has told FRANCE 24 that Putin's aim with the war in Ukraine is simply to prolong his power inside Russia. Roman Badanin has just published a book, "Le Tsar en personne" or "The Tsar in person" which delves into exactly how Putin's mind works. Badanin says Putin acts like a gang member, and his attitude is that "if you beat me, I will beat you even harder". The book is so far out in Russian and French, with an English version to follow. He spoke to us in Perspective.

The author Katie Kitamura, whose latest book has been nominated for both a Pulitzer and Booker Prize, has spoken to FRANCE 24 about her aim for the book to have been written by herself, but also with the reader alongside her.  "Audition" tells the story of an acclaimed actress whose life is turned upside down when a charismatic young man tells her he is her son. Kitamura says we all play different parts in our lives, and she is fascinated by the way they all interact. She spoke to us in Perspective.

The man behind a company that aims to put the stories of Black men and women back at the heart of Paris where they belong has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his mission. Kévi Donat came up with the idea of Le Paris Noir – an agency providing tours in Paris that follow in the historical footsteps of major Black figures to tell their real stories.  

An acclaimed American author has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his theories on how American society's opinion and ideas of social justice have changed since the presidency of Barack Obama. Thomas Chatterton Williams says the left became disillusioned during Obama's second term, and in later years amid the George Floyd protests and Covid-19 pandemic the discourse shifted – initially for the left, but this also impacted the right. The ripples of those times are still resonating today. His latest book is entitled "Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse".