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Spotlight

Spotlight

Written by: FRANCE 24 English
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FRANCE 24's prime time interview of the day goes beyond the headlines: join us as news-making guests from around the globe go in depth on the stories that matter. Every day at 6:15pm Paris time.

France Médias Monde
Politics & Government
Episodes
  • 'US Justice Dept being destroyed from within: Demise of rule of law, entrenching autocratic forces'
    Feb 9 2026

    François Picard is pleased to welcome Legal Analyst and former US federal prosecutor Eric Lisann to offer in-depth analysis of the Epstein files in the US and across the globe. Mr. Lisann offers a damning account of the state of American democracy in the wake of the Epstein fallout worldwide: the US Department of Justice "was a primary pillar or institution in safeguarding democracy and the rule of law in the United States," he explains. "But it has been totally destroyed from within right now, and the consequences to society are severe."

    He's prosecuted cases, worked deep inside the system, and what he's laying witness to now is not just mere dysfunction, it’s what he describes as the dismantling of US institutions in a very deliberate manner. For him, the handling of the Epstein files represents political theater, not legal prudence: from the selective pardoning speculation, to the careless and wildly unpredictable redactions that hide the powerful and expose the victims. And all that remains is a justice system under siege, a disillusioned public, and a power structure increasingly immune to scrutiny. It’s about whether we still have institutions that serve justice or the ruling elite.”

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    11 mins
  • Universities innovate, Big Pharma develops: Public and philanthropic funding crucial to treat cancer
    Feb 5 2026

    As FRANCE 24 marks World Cancer Day, François Picard welcomes Lars Henning Milman Engelholm, Associate Professor and Group Leader at the Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet / Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen. From his lab in Copenhagen, Professor Engelholm describes a seismic shift underway in pancreatic cancer research, the result of a decade-long commitment to the steady evolution of translational science.

    At the heart of this shift are antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): highly targeted therapies designed to reach what conventional treatments cannot. Engelholm's approach focuses on the complex biology of pancreatic tumours, where cancer cells are supported by surrounding stromal cells. His work highlights the vital role of university-led research in areas the pharmaceutical industry often deems too uncertain or unprofitable to pursue.

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    11 mins
  • Pas de deux: Petro, Trump found a 'perfect sparring partner for their respective political agendas'
    Feb 3 2026

    François Picard is pleased to welcome Elizabeth Dickinson, Deputy Director for Latin America at the International Crisis Group. She offers a nuanced, clear-eyed perspective on the shifting dynamics between the United States and Colombia. Through the lens of US domestic politics, Colombia's internal electoral cycle and the regional impact of counternarcotics policy, Ms. Dickinson underscores how spectacle and substance often coexist.

    This Tuesday sees US President Donald Trump host his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro at the White House. While headline-grabbing rhetoric draws public attention, the deeper currents of security cooperation, strategic alignment and mutual interest remain remarkably stable, even in the midst of stormy weather.

    For Ms. Dickinson, "a successful outcome of this meeting would simply be that it's a bit boring: a return to the quiet, hard work these two countries have carried out together for decades."

    She argues "that cooperation never ceased, not during the Trump administration nor Petro's, despite disagreements over the details."

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    7 mins
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