Vietnam's Mekong Delta is under serious threat from climate change. The agricultural region, which produces half of the country’s food supply, is being hit hard by rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion, which devastate rice crops. The landscape is changing, and with it, the delicate balance of an entire ecosystem. FRANCE 24's William de Tamaris, Aruna Popuri, Melodie Sforza and Justin McCurry report. 

After emergency services received the first distress calls during the November 13, 2015 Paris terror attacks, police officers from the anti-crime brigade were the first to arrive at the Bataclan concert hall. Outside, they came under fire from automatic assault rifles. Inside, they only had their handguns to stop the carnage. Ten years on, the police have learned lessons. These everyday police officers, who are the first responders in the event of a terror attack, are now better equipped thanks to new gear and more thorough training. FRANCE 24's Marie Schuster was given exclusive access to their preparation.

Pakistan is one of the worst affected countries by period poverty. According to UNICEF, nearly 44 percent of girls lack access to the minimum resources needed to manage their periods, whether at home, at school or at work. Limited access to menstrual hygiene products, clean water and sanitation facilities, coupled with a lack of information, has serious consequences, preventing many girls and women from attending school or work. Our correspondents report.

Since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government came to power three years ago following a serious political crisis, Iraq has been experiencing one of the calmest and most stable periods of the last two decades. The capital Baghdad is currently undergoing major renovation work. FRANCE 24's Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports, with Josh Vardey.

As the COP30 climate summit opens in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belem, Brazil is stepping up its race for oil. The government agency in charge of environmental protection recently authorised oil giant Petrobras to drill several oil wells at the mouth of the Amazon River. Environmental protection groups predict the move will lead to an ecological and social disaster. But on the border with French Guiana, many in the town of Oiapoque are eagerly awaiting the oil. FRANCE 24's Marine Resse, Fanny Lothaire and Jan Onoszko report.

With the COP30 climate summit under way in Brazil, we take you to the United Arab Emirates, one of the most arid countries in the world. There, the government has implemented a cloud-seeding programme to increase rainfall. While the UAE mainly uses seawater desalination to obtain water, it has also employed this cutting-edge technology as drought continues to worsen in the Middle East. It's therefore a necessity, but also a soft power tool for the Gulf monarchy, which plans to become a global leader in access to "blue gold" and will host the next UN Water Conference in 2026. FRANCE 24's Amélie Zaccour and Sophie Guignon report, with Josh Vardey.

The COP30 climate summit will open on November 10 in Belem, a city in Brazil's Amazon, as the rainforest continues to be threatened by deforestation. One reason is the mining of gold – essential for smartphones and computers. Peru is South America's leading producer of the precious metal. With prices reaching record highs, artisanal mines are operating at full capacity, polluting the rainforest in the process. In response, some are now trying to reduce the environmental impact of their activities and offering "clean" gold. FRANCE 24's Agathe Fourcade and Martin Chabal report, with Wassim Cornet.

In the Ukrainian village of Kivshovata, south of Kyiv, air raid sirens have become part of everyday life. Although far from the front line, Kivshovata lies on the flight path for Russian drones and missiles. It is also home to a unique youth orchestra that has become famous in Ukraine for its piece the "Shahed Overture", which reproduces the sounds of a night of war. Our correspondent Gulliver Cragg reports.

As Europe tightens up its borders and makes migration policy stricter, Spain has surprised with a welcoming approach to migrants. Between January and June of this year, 77,000 asylum seekers arrived in Spain. The Socialist-led government sees immigration as an economic asset and has rolled out measures to legalise and integrate new arrivals. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris, Maude Petit-Jové and Mathilde Lopinski report.

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate in New York City's mayoral race, is shaking up US politics. The 34-year-old could make history on Tuesday by becoming the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor. His Socialist policies have electrified younger voters, while frightening conservatives and the old guard of the Democratic Party. Can a socialist stand up to US President Donald Trump and win? Our correspondents Jessica Le Masurier and Yves Schaeffner followed Mamdani on the campaign trail. 

French tomato producers are seeing red, angry at what they believe is unfair competition from Morocco. In one of the most arid parts of the North African country, thousands of workers pick tomatoes that will eventually be sold to French supermarkets for just 99 cents a basket – that's two to three times cheaper than French tomatoes. But at what price? The Franco-Moroccan company Azura faces accusations of exploiting migrant workers on its ultra-modern farms. It opened its doors to our France 2 colleagues.

Three years after her arrival at the Palazzo Chigi, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni still enjoys high approval ratings. The strict budget policies of her government have paid off: credit rating agencies have upgraded Italy's sovereign debt rating.

Dutch voters head to the polls on October 29 and far-right parties have made immigration the central issue of the campaign. This hardline rhetoric led to anti-immigrant riots in September in The Hague and violent protests in towns where asylum centres are set to open. Geert Wilders' anti-immigration PVV is expected to become the largest party in parliament after the elections, but other parties are also adopting his anti-immigrant narrative and rising in the polls, notably the far-right party JA21. FRANCE 24's Fernande van Tets and Alix Le Bourdon report.

Twenty-three years after obtaining its independence, East Timor is starting a new chapter in its history. The small Southeast Asian country has just joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, the region's most influential bloc. The move, which was finalised during this week's ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, gives the state diplomatic recognition as it attempts to put its turbulent past behind it and focus on development. FRANCE 24's Juliette Chaignon, Guillaume Gosalbes, Aruna Popuri and Justin McCurry report from the capital Dili.

Over 6000 Ukrainian prisoners have been liberated from Russian prisons since the beginning of the war. But behind the scenes of their touching reunions with loved ones is their hidden traumas- both physical and mental. For former detainees, the long road to healing has just begun. A report by our colleages at France 2 (English adapt by Lauren Bain). 

The election campaign in Ivory Coast has come with an upsurge in disinformation on social media. Supporters of both the ruling and opposition parties have circulated fake news about presidential candidates and Abidjan is concerned about destabilisation attempts from abroad, including from its neighbour Burkina Faso. As a response, the Ivorian government has begun censoring posts and making arrests. This report by Julia Guggenheim and Damien Koffi (Adapted by Tom Canetti).

When the Islamic State group was defeated in 2019, more than 40,000 men, women, and children were held in the al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria. Alongside civilians fleeing the fighting, families of Islamic State group members were also detained. Faced with the ongoing challenge of managing this sprawling camp, authorities have begun implementing a large-scale repatriation policy. Most Iraqi residents have returned home, while Syrians are being allowed to leave in small numbers. Among those who have managed to leave, some families have chosen to return to the northeastern province of Deir ez-Zor. These women linked to the IS group are now trying to find their place in today’s Syria, as FRANCE 24’s Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports.

Illegal meat trafficking is on the rise, with quantities seized by customs becoming increasingly significant. From simple steak portions hidden under car bonnets to entire quarters of beef stacked on the back seats, the illegal import of meat from France to Switzerland has massively increased in recent years. The reason for this illicit trade: the price of meat, which is two to three times lower on the French side.

The state of Kerala, in southern India, is home to the country's most famous spice route. From the hills where the spices are grown to the ports where they're shipped across the world, we take you on a journey through the colours, flavours and traditions of this timeless trade. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Guillaume Gougeon.

Earlier this month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law that made assisted dying permanent in the state, after an initial law was passed in 2016. At the time, the change was a turning point in the approach to end-of-life care for people with terminal illnesses. Almost 10 years on, how have views changed on the practice? Has it become more accepted among doctors? And has assisted dying been resorted to unnecessarily, as many critics feared? FRANCE 24's Pierrick Leurent reports, with Wassim Cornet.