The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

September 11, 2017 Picking up the pieces: What lessons from Hurricane Irma?
Now that Irma's weakening, what about next time? As the floodwaters recede, the cost continues to rise. While local communities have started investing in better storm preparation and flood prevention, what's the plan on the national and international level? Was Paris quick enough to protect its Caribbean dependencies? Could emergency services have been deployed before Irma hit, saving lives and preventing looting? What's the long-term plan for the Caribbean or indeed monsoon-hit South Asia? Produced by Michele BARBARO, Theodora LOULOUDIS and Christopher DAVIS.
46 min
September 07, 2017 Storm of the century? Hurricane Irma leaves massive destruction across the Caribbean
Packing 195-kilometer an hour winds, the hurricane Irma has flattened the likes of Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Martin, Saint Barth and is now skirting Haiti, the Dominican Republic, bearing down on Cuba and looks set to become the first Category Five storm to slam into heavily-populated south Florida in a quarter-century. With 12-meter waves predicted, flights out of Miami are full, highways are jammed and supermarket shelves are running bare. Just how big an evacuation's necessary?

Produced by Charles WENTE, Alessandro XENOS, Laure FOURQUET.
48 min
September 06, 2017 Anti-immigrant backlash: Can an open society coexist with closed borders?
The rescinding of the Obama-era decree that allows so-called "Dreamers" to stay in the United States means that 800,000 undocumented residents, all of whom arrived before the age of 16, now face the threat of deportation to the land of their parents. And while Americans grapple over the fate of Dreamers and immigration reform, over in the UK it's legal migrants from EU that are in the crosshairs of the government. Can an open society coexist with closed borders? Produced by Charles WENTE, Alessandro XENOS, Laure FOURQUET.
45 min
September 05, 2017 Kenya Goes Back to the Polls: Landmark Ruling, Renewed Uncertainty
It's a landmark decision for Africa, but will Kenya's do-over of its presidential election be any freer or fairer? The Supreme Court has annulled the August 8 result, sparking cheers among opposition supporters and blushes for international observers who had validated the election. With Kenya haunted by the spectre of 2007's post-electoral violence, will this East African giant come out weaker or stronger from this challenge? Produced by Charles WENTE, François WIBAUX and Laure FOURQUET.
46 min
September 04, 2017 Korea's New Reality: What next after apparent hydrogen bomb test?
Can North Korea be stopped? Amid reports of preparations for fresh missile tests by Pyongyang, South Korea has been conducting live fire drills. But beyond shoring up defenses, what else can Seoul do? And while the North fires missiles, Donald Trump has also criticized the South for not being aggressive enough. Where does that leave President Moon? What about China and Russia, who also share a border with North Korea? Could it all spin out of control? Produced by Charles WENTE, François WIBAUX and Laure FOURQUET.
50 min
August 31, 2017 Macron's moment of truth: Can France reform its labour market?
Four months into his mandate, French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled the big labour reform bill he promised on the campaign trail. Capping severance pay, reviewing collective bargaining, lowering payroll taxes... it's all part of his plan to reduce France's chronic unemployment. What kind of reform do you need in a world where the job market is changing faster than lawmakers can write bills? Produced by Yann PUSZTAI, François WIBAUX and Christopher DAVIS.
47 min
August 30, 2017 After Harvey: Are record-breaking storms the new normal?
After the passage of Hurricane Harvey, Houston has suffered the biggest rainfall on record in US history. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and there could be up to 75 billion dollars in damages. Is it a freak storm, or does global warming mean we should be braced for extreme weather to become the new normal? What's the plan when it comes to prevention? What's the role of government in the face of a planet that could be changing fast? Produced by Daniel BARNEY, François WIBAUX and Christopher DAVIS.
47 min
August 29, 2017 'All options on the table'? North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan
For the first time since 2009, North Korea has fired a missile over Japan, a rocket test that highlights how helpless civilians would be if it was the real thing. The attention-seeking behaviour comes days after the US downplayed failed launches, opening the door to dialogue. It's now over to the United Nations, where yet more sanctions are on the table. How to handle Pyongyang? Can there be a concerted approach? Produced by Michele BARBERO, François WIBAUX and Christopher DAVIS.
46 min
August 28, 2017 Honeymoon over? Macron slides in the polls as he faces first real test
Is the honeymoon over for France's new president? Emmanuel Macron is sliding in the polls ahead of back-to-school protests against plans to loosen French labour laws. How serious is it? What impact could this have on his ambitions to weigh heavily on the world stage? Produced by Michele BARBERO, Jessica HOWARD-JOHNSTON and Chris DAVIS.
46 min
August 24, 2017 The future of shopping: Google and Walmart take on Amazon
It's an episode in the battle for world retail dominance: Internet giant Google and the world's top supermarket chain Walmart have sealed an alliance to move goods online, with an eye to counter the ever-expanding ambitions of Amazon. How we shop is changing fast, with voice-activated services that cater to anticipated tastes. Should we cheer or shudder at that prospect? What kind of consumers are we becoming? Produced by Michaele BARBERO, François WIBAUX and Laure FOURQUET.
46 min

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A live debate on the topic of the day, with four guests. From Monday to Thursday at 7:10pm Paris time.

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