Week in Review: Netanyahu's annexation plan, China's campaign against Uighurs and Hollywood before the censors
This week FRANCE 24 looked at how Israeli PM Benyamin Netanyahu's annexation plan is threatening the Palestinian and Israeli economies; breaking the silence on China's campaign against the Uighurs; divisive colonial statues in South Africa; and the racy days of Hollywood – before the arrival of film censors.
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ARTICLES
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to begin annexing parts of the West Bank as soon as July 1 threatens to have severe repercussions on both the Palestinian and Israeli economies, which are already struggling from the effects of a global pandemic.
Breaking the silence on China’s ‘two-faced’ campaign against Uighurs
More than three years after her father, a retired government official in China’s Uighur region, was arrested, Subi Mamat Yuksel finally spoke up about her family’s ordeal. The violations may have followed official Chinese directives, but the abuse was so severe that Beijing’s use of fear as a tool to silence Uighur families has backfired.
VIDEO REPORTS
‘We disinfect everything’: Amsterdam’s red-light district re-opens
Amsterdam’s red-light district re-opened on Wednesday, July 1 after being closed for more than three months during the Covid-19 lockdown, though sex workers have been advised to avoid kissing and follow strict hygiene measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Fires rage across Amazon rainforest, sparking fears of another disastrous summer season
In the month of June alone, almost 2,250 separate fires were recorded in the Amazon rainforest – up from around 1,900 fires detected in the same period last year. NGOs are worried that this summer will see a repeat of the infernos that raged across the Amazon last summer.
Field hospitals and evacuations: The part of France where Covid-19 continues to rage
Military aircraft began evacuating Covid-19 patients from French Guiana on June 28 in the latest sign that health services in the French overseas department are struggling to cope with a soaring number of coronavirus cases.
TV SHOWS ONLINE
US sanctions against international court staff are unprecedented, says ICC’s Fatou Bensouda
Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), tells FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman that the United States’ decision to sanction the ICC officials investigating alleged war crimes committed by US troops in Afghanistan is an act of pure “political revenge”.
‘Our rights, our democracy are at stake’, says Philippine journalist convicted of ‘cyberlibel’
Maria Ressa, a prominent investigative journalist in the Philippines, is facing up to six years in jail after she was convicted of “cyberlibel”. In an interview with FRANCE 24, she claimed that the case against her was fabricated as part of a deliberate campaign to stifle press freedom under the regime of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Special edition: African advancement and the consequences of colonialism
While the murder of George Floyd in the United States has revived anti-racism movements around the world, it has also stirred up the painful history of colonialism. In this special edition, FRANCE 24 takes a look at the history behind the tumultuous relationship between Europe and Africa. Reports from South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon and DR Congo explore the complicated collective memory of former colonial powers and the nations they controlled.
Tesla becomes world's most valuable carmaker after share price surge
Tesla has become the world's most valuable carmaker after a surge in its share price over the last year. It surpassed Toyota in market capitalisation during trading on Wall Street on Wednesday. The electric carmaker's sales are still just a fraction of the larger players in the industry, but it has seen significant growth in the past year. The International Energy Organisation expects electric car sales to suffer less of a slump than traditional vehicles this year.
Equivalent of 400 million jobs lost during pandemic, ILO says
The International Labour Organization has said the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on jobs has been much worse than previously expected. Its latest report showed the number of hours worked globally between April and June was 14% lower than in 2019, which the ILO said is the equivalent of the loss of 400 million jobs. The employment situation is unlikely to recover until 2021, according to the UN agency, and then only if the virus is under control.
Ken Follett: 30 years after the multi-million selling success of Pillars of the Earth - the prequel
Ken Follett has sold more than 150 million books worldwide. His works have been read in more than 80 countries and translated into more than 30 languages. He’s most famous for the Pillars of the Earth and the World Without End, both tomes set in the middle ages. Follet speaks to FRANCE 24's Eve Jackson about his new novel The Evening and the Morning due out in September, which is the prequel to Pillars of the Earth.
Film Show: Forbidden Hollywood shows the movies made before censors arrived
Film critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about the week’s film news including "Capital in the 21st Century," the La Rochelle Film festival, a tribute to Gone With the Wind actress Olivia de Havilland for her 104th birthday and the re-release of ten 1930s movies from Hollywood’s racy days.
'It's a good time to be versatile', says hip-hop artist Tkay Maidza
For the past eight years, Tkay Maidza has been honing her sound to become one of Australia's top rap ambassadors. The Zimbabwean born hip-hop artist who was for some time tempted by a career in architecture, broke into the music business when she was just 16-years-old. She went on to tour the globe and work with dance pop artists including France's Martin Solveig. FRANCE 24 catches up with her to discuss her new album "Last Year Was Weird Vol.2" which is set to be released in August.
Keeping a 'fragile' peace on Lebanon's border with Israel
Stationed in Lebanon for more than 40 years, the UN's blue helmets work to preserve a fragile peace along the border with Israel. Since the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, the border area has enjoyed a period of relative calm, one which UNIFIL hopes to maintain. But just a few weeks away from the renewal of its mandate, the UN force is facing criticism on multiple fronts.
In Germany’s K-town, fears for the economy as Trump threatens to withdraw US troops
American President Donald Trump is threatening to withdraw thousands of American troops from Germany. He accuses Germany of not contributing enough to NATO. The overall number of US soldiers based in Germany dropped massively at the end of the Cold War. But the country still hosts more troops than any other European country. FRANCE 24 went to Kaiserslautern where more than half of the American soldiers are based. It’s a region where the American presence is an essential part of the economy.
Special edition: Israel's contentious annexation plan for the West Bank
This edition is focused on Israel’s planned annexation of settlements in the West Bank. The term ‘annexation’ is used when a state unilaterally incorporates another territory within its borders. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called these zones “an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland”. Palestinians say the plan is an “existential threat" and have threatened to respond with their own measures.
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