Perspective

It's been well documented that there's no love lost between the US president and the FBI, with Donald Trump recently accusing the bureau of "trying to overthrow the presidency". But what about his ties to the FBI before he entered the White House? We speak to David Carr-Brown, co-director of a new documentary, "An American Affair: Trump & the FBI".

With more discussion of policy – and fewer insults – than last time, US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden took part in their second and final televised debate, just 12 days before the November 3 election day. The pair clashed on everything from the coronavirus pandemic to the president's tax returns and the question of race in America. So, who came out on top? And at this stage, does it even matter? We spoke to Timothy Lynch, a professor of American politics at the University of Melbourne.

Luis Arce's landslide victory in Bolivia's presidential election caps off an extraordinary year for the country. How did Arce manage to turn his socialist party's fortunes around following the dramatic departure of socialist president Evo Morales last November? We speak to Angus McNelly, a researcher in Latin American politics at London's Queen Mary University. He tells us that the party has not been tainted by the irregularities in the re-election of Morales last year, which led to the former leader fleeing to Mexico and then settling in Argentina.

France is holding a national tribute to Samuel Paty, the history teacher murdered outside his school because of a class he gave on freedom of speech in which he showed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. We spoke to Gabriel Lattanzio, an English teacher at a secondary school on the outskirts of Paris. For him, the fact that some people, including parents, felt they could speak out against Paty shows that teachers are "discredited". Lattanzio says the government vowing full support for teachers is not enough. "I feel like I'm on the frontline of making kids better," he told FRANCE 24.

Plato, Aristotle and Socrates are just a few well-known ancient philosophers. But what about their female counterparts? What about the woman who taught Socrates? Or the sage said to be behind Plato's theory on love? Their names are often lacking when it comes to teaching philosophy and that is something Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting wanted to change. They put together a book called "The Philosopher Queens". Written by female philosophers about female philosophers, it highlights the worlds of women who were drawing crowds as far back as 400 BC and brings us right up to today's thinkers.

Hundreds of scientists from 20 different countries spent an entire year trapped in the ice of the Arctic, camped out in extreme temperatures. Living through months of complete darkness and the constant threat of polar bears, they studied the ice sheets around them. The German-led expedition returned last week and the immediate conclusion was that the ice on the Arctic would be gone within decades. Sea ice scientist Stefanie Arndt tells us the trip was beautiful but also a cause for concern: this could be the last big group of scientists to see the Arctic in such icy conditions.

The US presidential election is now just around the corner, and voter turnout is going to be key. “For Freedoms” is an artists' collective whose mission statement is to translate “civic joy” into “civic engagement”. We speak with the group’s Executive Director Claudia Pena.

As a self-imposed Brexit deadline comes and goes, fractious trade talks between Britain and the European Union continue. We discuss the economic impact of this most messy of divorces with Elsa Leromain, researcher at the Institute of Economics and Social Research at the Catholic University in Louvain.

As if their harrowing experiences of fleeing war and persecution weren’t enough, refugees and migrants face an increasingly brutal welcome upon their arrival in the countries they thought would offer a safe haven. FRANCE 24 speaks to François Gemenne, author of the book “We All Have a Black Friend”, about the West’s changing attitude toward both migration and migrants.

More than 25 percent of breast cancer cases are preventable. That's the stunning statistic from Breast Cancer UK during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The organisation is pushing the message that diet, exercise, cutting back on alcohol and controlling your weight are vital. The organisation also says that as the coronavirus continues to disrupt health services, it's up to individuals to do their part. We spoke to Chief Executive Officer, Thalie Martini.