Focus

FRANCE 24 English

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Our Focus programme brings you exclusive reports from around the world. Every day at 8:45am Paris time.

5H AGO · VIDEO

Italy, a pioneer in regulating artificial intelligence

Italy has become a pioneer in regulating artificial intelligence (AI). Last autumn, the Italian parliament approved a draft bill concerning the "Provisions and delegations to the government on artificial intelligence", a legal framework aimed at regulating the development of the technology. Our Italy correspondent Natalia Mendoza reports.

5 min
1D AGO · VIDEO

Driverless robotaxis arrive in US cities, but are they safe?

In the United States, driverless taxis piloted by artificial intelligence are appearing in cities from Los Angeles to Miami. But are these phantom drivers more or less prone to accidents than humans? Do robotaxis pose risks to our safety? Our France 2 colleagues went for a test drive.

6 min
5D AGO · VIDEO

Indians suffer from health scourge of noise pollution

Between traffic, excessive use of car horns, building sites and religious celebrations, the ears of residents in Indian megacities like New Delhi and Mumbai rarely get a moment of respite. Authorities remain silent on possible solutions to combat this health scourge. Our correspondents Lisa Gamonet and Alban Alvarez report.

6 min
6D AGO · VIDEO

In Japan, organised crime finds new recruits online with 'yami baito'

A new type of criminal activity known as yami baito is spreading in Japan. The modus operandi is simple: online ads offer easy, well-paid jobs such as parcel deliveries. But behind these tasks lie illegal activities. Many young recruits end up involved in scams, burglaries or phone fraud. They're the new foot soldiers of a vast criminal network that often preys on vulnerable elderly people. Our correspondents report.

5 min
JAN 6 · VIDEO

Back to textbooks: Denmark rolls back digital learning

Denmark has long been hailed as a digital champion, with online public services, digital IDs and tablets in schools as early as 2011. But authorities are now shifting course in the education and social sectors, following alarming figures on children’s mental health and school performance. A massive return to analogue life is underway: mobile phones are banned in schools and after-school clubs, a return to pre-digital learning is being rolled out and social media will soon be banned for anyone under 15. Our team reports from Copenhagen.

5 min
JAN 5 · VIDEO

Italy faces mounting criticism ahead of Winter Olympics

Italy is getting ready to host the Winter Olympics, known as Milan Cortina 2026. The event is an opportunity to showcase the country to the rest of the world and is being held in four Italian regions. But less than two months before the arrival of the Olympic torch, the organisers are facing serious challenges and criticism is mounting over the Games' environmental impact. Our Italy correspondents report.

5 min
12/19/2025 · VIDEO

Switzerland goes bunkers as citizens revamp fallout shelters

Despite being a neutral country, Switzerland counts hundreds of thousands of fallout shelters – enough to accommodate its entire population in the event of armed conflict. This culture of civil protection is a legacy of the Cold War. Now the war in Ukraine has revived interest in Switzerland's unique system, both at a national and international level. FRANCE 24's Jade Levin reports, with Josh Vardey.

6 min
12/18/2025 · VIDEO

A decade on, Greek island of Lesbos remains symbol of Europe's migration crisis

For more than a decade, the Greek island of Lesbos has been a symbol of Europe's migration crisis. Located close to Turkey, the island was a major entry point to the European Union back in 2015. But since then, arrivals have sharply decreased as Europe has tightened its border controls and outsourced part of its migration policy. Mortaza Behboudi reports from Lesbos, where refugees have often suffered a traumatic journey.

6 min

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5

out of 5

4 Ratings

Short but great

03/10/2021

ordamn

France24 does real embedded, produced, truly global journalism and it shows. I know it’s expensive, but I wish there were more of it; we need more than just the BBC, NPR, AJ & DW. (Side note: From what I can tell, France24 reporting seems less biased and more respectful of non-Western Europeans than either the BBC or DW, so congrats on doing that mostly right too!)
I Love These Focus Pieces

12/04/2018

Jack_McCoy

I love the Focus segments on France 24, which take me to different places around the world. You meet people from other countries and hear their stories. The professionalism in these 5-6 minute pieces is A++. It’s nice to have the segments as podcasts, so you can listen or watch on the go.