>> you are watching france for 24. here are the stories making headlines. august deadline -- u.s. president joe biden says the world's longest war will be over th u.s. troops all but gone, it is prompting concern in afghanistan where the taliban continues to make gains. ogre correspondent is standing by with more. hunt for suspects in haiti. the government says it is tracking down those responsible for killing its president. some are in custody, but big

questions about who is behind the killing are still unanswered. and day three. the con film festival place post to some big -- the cannes film festival plays host to some big stars. this is "live from paris." hi, everyone. thanks for joining us. america's longest war will end on august 31. that was the message from president biden this thursday. he acknowledged that as the u.s. has a most completely withdrawn troops from afghanistan that the taliban has grown stronger and is making major gains, but he said that a taliban takeover is not inevitable.

he promised to help translators and other u.s. allies in the country who want to live in the u.s.. he said the drawdown of american troops has happened quickly and safely. >> military commanders advised me that once i made the decision to end the war, we needed to move swiftly to conduct the main elements of the drawdown. in this context, speed is safety. thanks to the way we have managed our withdrawal, no u.s. forces or any forces have lost. >> for more on this story, we are joined by our washington correspondent. this has been going on for some time. the original plan was to complete the withdrawal by september 11, but it looks like it will happen sooner. >> es, joe biden talked about august 31st, 2021 -- yes, joe biden talked about august 30 1,

20 21. that september 11 deadline was always symbolic, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. we heard joe biden say that once he decided to pull out, he wanted to do it as fast as possible because he felt that was the safest way, but he also had a message to those who say it is happening too fast, those asking for six more months or another year. he said just one more year is not a solution but a recipe for being there indefinitely. he also had a message for those who say maybe the u.s. must remain there indefinitely in one way or another. he said he did not want to send a new generation of american troops into a war without a reasonable expectation of a different outcome. for him, it was the right

decision, and it had to be done, despite the situation on the ground, of for us. we are seeing the violence pick up. the taliban making gains in afghanistan, but joe biden insisted that he felt afghan forces were ready to take on the taliban. he was asked if it was inevitable for the taliban to take over. he said no, he does not believe that is the case. he feels afghan forces have been extremely well trained by the americans and allies and that they are totally well-equipped to face that onslaught from the taliban, and he also insisted that despite this full withdrawal, america would stand by with the afghan leaders, with afghan people, but he said the afghans themselves had to come together and that the u.s. would be right there supporting them

humanitarianly but also military-wise. >> he also made some promises to those who helped the u.s. during this long war including translators and others. what did he have to say directly to them? >> that the u.s. was not going to leave them behind. that they stood by the u.s. throughout those 20 years and that the u.s. would now be standing behind them and to everything it can -- and doing everything it can to bring those who want to leave afghanistan out and into the united states. he said already, 2500 of those special immigrant visas have been issued, have been validated. he set about half those afghans had actually used those visas to come to the united states, but there is an increasing worry that because of the situation on the ground, that those afghans,

thousands of them, including their families, who are still there, still going through the process of that is the, that they will face retaliation from the taliban. this agreement that more needs to be done to get those who want to get out -- to get them out of there. joe biden insisted they are doing everything they could. he is working with congress to try to pass a new law so this process could be streamlined to break a little bit of the red tape, to make it much faster. he also confirmed that they were going to start flights out of afghanistan in august to take those afghans still in the process of applying for that special immigrant visa to either u.s. facilities outside of the mainland united states, but also to third countries in the region for further so that these

afghans who want to get out can get out very quickly and can wait for their visa process to be approved in a safe location. that was really his message to those terprete, those trslators, all those people who worked with american forces throughout these two decades, really telling them, giving them the message that the u.s. is not forgetting them as it is pulling out. >> it looks like time is really taking for that to take place. thanks a lot. now to haiti with the government says it is hunting down the mastermind behind the assassination of the president. that's the word from the country's chief of police. security forces have killed seven alleged suspects. six others are still in custody. the perpetrators have been described as foreigners.

the united nations security council met this thursday to address the crisis. >> the first round of parliamentary and presidential elections took place on september 26 with the second round in november. when the prime minister met with us yesterday, he said the intent is to maintain this calendar, and we are working with local election authorities and with the prime minister for elector matters and to look at the issues and do our utmost to meet this stage. >> we spoke to the u.s. ambassador to haiti about the crisis unfolding there. here is what he had to say about the interim government and who exactly is in charge at the

moment. >> there was an entering government. the prime minister was there when the assassination occurred, but the main prime minister was in the process of warming this government, but unfortunately, they did not have time to be implemented for assumed duties, but since the assassination occurred, there was a political vacuum, and that could not be left like this. you should have had an interim government to step in, but now, i think leaders can sit down together and try to free our defenses. there is a way to do that, and i believe the prime minister is waiting to talk to everybody and see how they can move forward.

but the most important thing is they will find a way together. >> south africa's former president jacob zuma is spending a second night behind bars. he turned himself in to authorities wednesday. he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court for failing to appear before a commission. reports say he was in good spirits and not receiving any special treatment. he will be eligible for parole in just four months. >> in this case, there is no stipulation. this effectively means the former president will be eligible for parole once a sentence has been set. former president zuma will be afforded dignity. >> it was a test to see how the coronavirus might spread at a

concert, and the results showed concertgoers did not face a higher risk of contracting covid-19. an experiment by the paris hospital authority included some 5000 participants who attended an indoor concert while standing and not socially distance. but they did wear masks and take an antigen test. authorities say in the end, there was no difference in transmission rates. time not to had to the riviera for day three of the can combustible -- the cannes film festival. as far as the films go, there is still a lot to take in. i know there has been a lot of

activity there on day three. some big stars done to test in attendance. crews from some very big films. what can you tell us. >> as you can see, the red carpet is ready and waiting for the cast and crew of this evening's screening of the film "the worst person in the world." this film centers on a young woman who is a bit lost, a bit capricious, so it remains to be seen how the will go down with riddick's, but as you mentioned, the big star of the hollywood event was matt damon. the film features some french talent. matt damon is not just here for

the film. he is also doing a master class, where you can sit in and listen to actors and directors share some of their secrets. those are set to be very well attended. >> it would be fun to be a fly on the wall for that one. i know there has been a major debate in the film industry centering on gender equality, that is efforts to see more women's work center dot these high-profile events. how are they doing with that? >> ever since the times up initiative in the u.s., they've been making efforts to redress that balance. we saw an all-female red carpet premiere to highlight women's place in the industry, especially at higher levels, and this year, the jury is made up of more women than men, but when

it comes to the official selection of films in competition, only 4 worm made by female directors, which can seem a bit dispiriting, but it is not such a bleak picture if you look elsewhere. in the alternative sections, i have 11 films of 25 feature-length films which were made by women around the world. the female talent is there. i was talking to someone earlier who was a great supporter of those sort of initiatives to promote and push female talent. that's helen mirren, someone who has had a lot of success here at the cannes film festival, twice winner of the best actress award. she says we should prepare ourselves for a daily job -- a daily of -- a deluge of female talent just as soon as they get

the opportunities. >> so many films to watch, i know you have your work cut out for you. that is it for now. an interview with helen mirren is coming up. stay tuned. ♪ she has form with regal roles, cleopatra, queen elizabeth the first and second. that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helen mirren's cv. her career on stage and on screen has resulted in an oscar,

baptist, and two prizes here at canne -- in an oscar, bafta's, and two prizes here at cannes. now we are off to meet her. hello. it is a pleasure to meet you. >> thank you. >> proceedings are under way. you are an ambassador for the official brand for the festival. after such a strange year, a cultural hiatus, what is it like to return to cinema? >> there was maybe not a dry eye in the house for the feeling that life, it can carry on. there was a time when you really felt that chain -- that things had changed forever. and there's nothing wrong with that, incidentally. i think resettling is sometimes

not a bad idea. sometimes festivals, many of the things just get over inflated, or it constantly gets bigger and bigger and bigger until it explodes. to reset is not such a bad thing, and cannes this year is in my experience quieter than normal, but just the fact that it is back, the appreciation of film, the fact that cinemas and film and all sorts of detainment where people gather together have been so curtailed. >> l'oreal is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that slogan, "because i'm worth it." notions of beauty have defined -- have evolved over the years. how do you define beauty? >> i don't define beauty. it is just the wrong word.

the majority of us are not beautiful. there are beautiful people who walk on this planet, and we can all see them and appreciate them, but the majority of us are not beautiful like that, but we can put on style. we can put on swagger. we can put on confidence. we can put on wit and charm and lots of other things that are just as attractive as sheer beauty, you know, so i think in a way, that word, the beauty industry, it alienates people. it did for me for many years, i have to save. i was annoyed that i was given images of 16-year-old girls when i was 35, and if i used this cream, i would look 16, you know, with absolutely no mark of any living on this face whatsoever, and that annoyed me.

luckily, we've gone way beyond that. >> serious questions about the provenance of women in the industry are being asked right now, and cannes has tried to make more efforts striving towards women's equality. how is the light on women initiative trying to address that balance. >> it is all about opportunity, isn't it? an recognition of the work that is done. with this award, l'oreal is affording young female directors both opportunity and recognition, and that is all important. especially for the young. then it will reverberate on for the next 10, 15 years, and then we will see a sea change.

when you say we have for, that is not a big number, but 10 years ago, there probably would not have an one. already, the water is trickling out of the dam. i'm sure there will come a time when female directors say don't call us female directors, we are directors, and i understand that. it is totally legitimate. but until you reach a point it is equal, it is just as well to encourage and to mentor. >> you have played some very powerful women over the course of your career, winning an academy award for your per trail of queen elizabeth ii. the next figure for you is golda meier, the only woman to serve as israeli prime minister. can you tell us what drew you to that role? >> it is intesting y mention that.

it is not set in stone, the project. golda was an extraordinary woman. that is interesting, when you look at female leaders, and she was a very early leader and also let her country through a war, the very thing that women are not supposed to be any good at. i'm hopeful it will happen so i can start investigating who she was. >> when you approach overall the research for someone who is still alive, i wonder if there is something you that allows you to nail the person, for example. gesticulations, voice? >> all those things are important, obviously, especially with a person like her majesty. everyone has seen her or hurt her. nose what she looks like, how

she walks, how she holds herself, so you have to obey those things, but then want to go beyond that. you want to go to who the person is inside of all of that. to do that, i basically started her from before she knew she was going to be queen. there was the possibility her parents could have another child. it it had been male, then he would have an king. before that mantle really well upon her, to see who the real personality was before she took on this incredible sense of duty . i think of the queen as a submarine. she is a submarine, and imming along with all of her own personality, her own thoughts, her own fears, her own insecurities, all of the things that make her, and the queen

that we see is like the periscope that comes up and just looks around. and we see the periscope. we don't see the submarine. i wanted to see her be the submarine. >> no member of the royal family will speak publicly about this. >> she's no longer a member of the royal family. >> what are you talking about? >> will someone please save these people from themselves? >> questions are being asked about why the queen has not addressed her subjects during this time of national grief. >> 70% of people believe your actions have damaged the monarchy. >> as an artist, someone in the public eye over the years, you have never been shy about

speaking out in public issues. where does this come from? >> i was taught as a young woman to argue at the dinner table. my father was russian. russians love an argument -- not an argument, a discussion. that was how i was brought up, to have these deep, philosophical discussions. i have always had a cross in this about the unfairness of life in general, and as the unfairness of life hits you as a young person, it is devastating. it is not bear why -- it is not bear -- it is not fair. the unfairness of how women were perceived and what was available

for women to do and be when i became conscious of that at 13, 14 years old then struck me as being profoundly unfair. it made me so cross when i was, like, 15 years old. i was so angry. >> you have had great success in the years at the cannes film festival. there are so many international cinema events these days. what makes this one special? >> i don't know. it is a combination of the french sheik -- the french chic and french glamour and french vulgarity because there is a side of cannes that is so over-the-top, but at the same time, mixed with this deep love of film as art.

there's the glamour, the commercial film market, where people are selling scripts, you know, selling concepts, selling distribution, the commercial side of it, and then there is the art realm side of it, which is the festival where the types of films that are shown are very serious and seriously considered always art films. it is a heady mix, all of those things. it is very special, and there's no other festival like it. >> with that, thank you very much for your time. and [speaking french] ♪

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07/08/21 07/08/21 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> post killers have to be brought to justice. what we could do now, it is a request of the international to help us in identifying those killers, to be part of this internatiol manhunt and investigation because