Perspective

The Deputy Director and Chief Curator of one of the world’s leading art museums — the Guggenheim in New York — has spoken to France 24 about how her new exhibition in Paris is her love letter to France. Naomi Beckwith is currently in Paris, working temporarily at the Palais de Tokyo on her exhibition 'Echo Delay Reverb – American Art – Francophone Thought.' She explained that it tells the story of how the flourishing of new ideas in 1960s France — its philosophies and theories — migrated to the United States and profoundly influenced the development of American culture. She spoke to us in Perspective.

New research shows that children who go onto the social media app TikTok and make enquiries about mental health will quickly find depressive content, and that within a few hours they are bound to see content from users expressing the will to kill themselves. That research from Amnesty Tech is entitled "Dragged Into the Rabbit Hole". The organisation says the findings highlight TikTok's ongoing failure to address its systemic design risks affecting children and young people, and also illustrate the failings of the European Union's Digital Services Act. Since 2023, the act requires platforms to identify and mitigate systemic risks to children's rights. In Perspective, we spoke to Lauren Armistead, deputy director at Amnesty Tech.

The grandson of the pioneer of Afrobeat Fela Kuti, and the son of African musical royalty Femi Kuti, has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how he is carrying on the family tradition. Mádé Kuti is now redefining Afrobeat, whilst at the same time remaining true to his family history and the genre's political, musical and cultural roots. This Monday evening, he is in concert in Paris at La Maroquinerie, and he also has a new album out entitled "Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From?". He spoke to us in Perspective.

As a fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza, the occupied West Bank remains a flashpoint. Since October 7, settler violence and Israeli demolitions have reached unprecedented levels. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Anne-Claire Yaeesh, Handicap International’s Director for the Palestinian Territories, said these developments have “completely changed the face of the West Bank”. According to rights groups, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced since January, following the launch of a large-scale Israeli military operation, and many are unable to access basic services such as healthcare. Yaeesh noted that one of her organisation’s partners, the Al Jaleel Health Centre in Jenin, had been attacked. She said employees “found out on social media”, where videos showed “Israeli soldiers playing and throwing” wheelchairs.

France’s new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has proposed freezing President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform in a bid to avert a no-confidence vote. The concession meets a key demand from the Socialist Party, whose support is crucial in parliament. Paul Smith, a French politics expert at the University of Nottingham, told FRANCE 24 he was surprised Lecornu “went as far as he did” by suspending Macron’s flagship economic reform until the next presidential election. He added that “an awful lot of decisions depend on timing”, noting that this move will keep the pension reform front and centre ahead of the 2027 vote.

Hours after returning from a Gaza peace summit in Egypt alongside President Emmanuel Macron, French-Israeli activist Ofer Bronchtein told FRANCE 24 that negotiations must continue following a historic hostage and prisoner swap. Bronchtein, co-founder and president of the International Forum for Peace, warned, “I really hope nobody is going to look for an excuse [...] to go back into fighting.” He was instrumental in pressing Macron to recognise a Palestinian state at September’s UN General Assembly, stressing that “there is no other solution” than mutual recognition of each side’s right to exist.

A leading NGO official has spoken to FRANCE 24 abut her intense relief after the announcement of a peace deal for Gaza. Shaina Low works for the Norwegian Refugee Council. She spoke to us about her and her colleagues' reaction to the news, and what is needed now in term of humanitarian aid to help Palestinians in Gaza. She spoke to us in Perspective.

A leading commentator on French politics has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how France's political crisis has not yet been solved, but there do seem to be "potential routes forward". French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he will name a fourth prime minister in just over a year before Friday night. France is now moving away from the likelihood of snap parliamentary elections. Outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu appeared on national television last night where he said a way forward is possible, pointing potentially to Macron appointing a more left-wing prime minister to see if that could provide the stability needed. In Perspective, we spoke to Andrew Smith, historian of modern France at Queen Mary University of London.

The author of a highly acclaimed book about poverty and how it affects children has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the worst part of her own difficult childhood was feeling that she was not loved. "Poor" is the story of Katriona O'Sullivan, who grew up in abject poverty and chaos in a family of five children. She became pregnant and homeless at just 15 years old and barely survived for the next five years. Yet O'Sullivan has not only survived – she has thrived, become an academic and published her memoir, which has now been translated into French as "Pauvre". She spoke to us in Perspective.

An aid worker who has just returned from Gaza City has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the latest situation there. Hunter McGovern from Doctors Without Borders left when the NGO was forced to abandon its work due to the encroaching Israeli forces. He says there was an "absolute breakdown" as they pulled out, and that for the people who live there, no 10 minutes went by without the noise of either the destruction of buildings or drone strikes. He spoke to us in Perspective.