Donald Trump and his inner circle are using unrest in France to push unsubstantiated claims blaming the riots on immigration, even showing French protest footage at midterm rallies. But there is no evidence linking immigration to the unrest, and it's prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to accuse world leaders of making “stupid comments” at France’s expense. Trump’s focus comes as Republicans face mounting pressure ahead of the midterms and his approval rating hits a reported record low.

In the first round of Brazil’s presidential elections, Flavio Bolsonaro got the most votes in 15 electoral districts in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, compared with 9 for Lula. This part of the city, long associated with the left and the social policies of Lula’s Workers’ Party, is now shifting towards former president Jair Bolsonaro’s son.

Angela Diffley is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, LIVE from Kyiv. And he warns, "I'm seeing, I'm smelling a Yalta II. I'm smelling another Munich (1938), where we're seeing appeasement of the aggressor." Ukraine faces the possibility that its sovereignty and security could become mere bargaining chips in an era Zalmayev describes as great-power "collusion". He delivers a forceful critique of the Trump administration's approach to Russia, arguing that Washington is weakening Ukraine's negotiating position while offering Vladimir Putin little incentive to abandon his maximalist demands. At stake, he suggests, are the cohesion of the transatlantic alliance, and the credibility of Western security commitments.

Tuesday, October 20 saw protests in more than 50 US cities against the rise of artificial intelligence. Demonstrators are calling for a moratorium on AI development, and the sentiment is shared by many: according to a recent study, 71 percent of Americans believe AI will lead to job losses. In the heart of Silicon Valley, record investment is now on a collision course with public fear and uncertainty. FRANCE 24's Pierrick Leurent and Valérie Defert report, with Wassim Cornet.

The midterm elections are just two weeks away in the United States and Donald Trump is stumping for candidates in states that he won by double digits in 2024. Polls showing support for the Republican Party is slipping drastically, even in some deep red states. Story by Monte Francis.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Navi Pillay described the US sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court (ICC) hours after her award as "a shock" and "unacceptable". The South African judge also defended the UN commission of inquiry she chaired which concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza: "We didn't come to that conclusion lightly." Rejecting claims that the ICC targets Africa, she said "the court is not selective".

Two weeks out from the US midterm elections, there's bipartisan pushback against data centres that suck the water and power out of communities. Just two years ago, ChatGPT was still a brand-new thing, and AI was admired with awe by most voters. Like in 2024, the hot-button issue in swing constituencies remains inflation, or "the price of eggs". But anxiety over the end of the month is now coupled with anxiety over the end of the world.

Both candidates in Brazil's presidential election called for their rival's disqualification Tuesday over allegations of social media malfeasance, according to court filings. Left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s campaign said they will request the annulment of right-wing rival Flavio Bolsonaro's candidacy over alleged election interference by tech giant Meta, while Bolsonaro's team is accusing Lula of "abuse of power" in the mass sharing of government postings on WhatsApp.