Press Review

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An overview of the stories making the French and international newspaper headlines. From Monday to Friday live at 7:20am and 9:20am Paris time.

  1. 2 HR AGO

    Trump's Tuesday deadline: Will he really ‘bomb Iran into the Stone Age’?

    PRESS REVIEW - Tuesday, April 7: Donald Trump's blatantly disregards accusations of war crimes as he vows to bomb Iran's energy infrastructure if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Australia's most decorated military veteran is arrested and charged with alleged war crimes during the war in Afghanistan. Le Monde looks at how the secret construction of a military base in Somaliland could serve the US, the UAE and Israel. And: Gen Alpha rediscover the joys – and challenges – of landlines! IN THE PRESS - Australia's most decorated war vet has been arrested over war crimes, and it is dominating the press there. Ben Roberts Smith, who is a recipient of Britain’s Victoria Cross medal, was arrested and charged with five counts of war crime murders. It pertains to the deaths of five people during his stint in Afghanistan in the early 2000s. The Sydney Morning Herald reminds us that Roberts Smith unsuccessfully sued the paper for defamation in 2018 over the reporting of these allegations. At the time, the AUS$25 million civil case was the first time in history a court examined claims of war crimes by Australian forces. His final appeal was dismissed last year. The paper publishes the chilling, gruesome details of his alleged crimes. It begins with the most high-profile murder of a farmer in Darwan who was kicked off a slope and then shot in the head. Roberts Smith is also accused of having killed a man with a prosthetic leg and then using the prosthetic as a novelty beer drinking vessel. The Herald writes: If evidence follows in the same way, the jury will hear how "Australia’s most decorated living soldier is a serial killer who relished his crimes". The paper also details the lengths to which he went to justify or cover up the alleged crimes. To the war in Iran where Donald Trump said he is not concerned by war crimes. It comes after the US president threatened to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure if the regime does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s statement has prompted French paper Liberation to declare, "Donald Trump – the lunatic" on its front page. A very nice play on words – the word “lunaire” is juxtaposed with the successfully flyby of the moon by NASA’s Artemis II crew. The Times of London publishes this front-page photo – Donald Trump, Melania and the Easter Bunny posing during festivities on Monday. The Guardian’s columnist here writes that Trump began easter Monday at the White House standing next to a giant bunny and boasting about the war in Iran to a group of children conjuring a "fitting image of a US president falling down what people would call the rabbit hole". It adds: "Blatant and brazen, Trump seems to take every crude stereotype the world has about American chauvinism, jingoism and imperialism and sets about proving them true." Trump's blatant disregard for war crimes accusations is highly ironic, according to a writer for the Australian think-tank Lowy Institute. He has threatened a "bridge and power day" in Iran. Yet, in November 2022, when Russia deliberately targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the Pentagon called it a war crime. The article says: "Those words are now the measure by which America’s own threatened campaign will be judged, by allies, adversaries – and history." As the Guardian reminds us, it puts US service members in an unthinkable dilemma: disobey orders or commit war crimes. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the US’s estrangement with the EU has it looking to other partnerships, in Africa. Le Monde's reporters travelled to Somaliland and exposed a hidden construction site on the outskirts of Berbera, a coastal city in the self-proclaimed republic. Its airport is being transformed into a military base for three of its allies, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Israel, the latter was the first and only country to recognise Somaliland’s independence last December. Le Monde says that Somaliland has piqued the interest of its allies because of its proximity to the strategic Bab el Mandeb strait. It could serve to launch attacks on Yemen. Currently, neighbouring Djibouti – where there is a US base – does not allow this for fear of reprisals. But Somaliland may be more compliant, in exchange for a US recognition of its sovereignty. Finally, the Wall Street Journal details how parents in the US are increasingly putting landlines back in homes to dissuade their kids from getting smartphones! The paper recounts how parents have purchased modern versions of the humble old landline – equipped with Wi-Fi but no screens. It has become a handy tool for their kids to use to talk to friends but without fearing an addiction to screens. Companies have piggybacked on the popularity, producing enticing versions of the landline. There are challenges though – children discover that landlines come with some etiquette. One child learned that it is not OK to call 17 times on the landline. While others discover that if you hold the landline receiver in front of your face like a cell phone, there is no sound! Mind you, it costs more – but at least parents say they can delay the transition to a smartphone for just a little bit longer!  You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    7 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Hungarian elections, academia’s greatest chancer, and Easter-inspired satire

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, April 6: Ahead of the Hungarian elections, we take a look at the satirical "Two-Tailed Dog Party", who are promising free beer for all while demanding anti-corruption measures. Meanwhile, the police have finally caught up with a French academic who earned prestige and recognition for an award he made up – one he then awarded to himself! And, as Easter Monday approaches, we explore how the resurrection of Christ, millennia on, continues to inspire cartoonists. As Hungary prepares to go to the polls, a journalist from Politico joined members of the Two-Tailed Dog Party on the campaign trail. While their campaign promises may seem lighthearted – such as free beer for everyone – their critiques of Viktor Orban’s government are far more serious. On their campaign bus, filled with arcade-like games, visitors can steer a well-known Orbán associate around a course, collecting coins, or race one of his aides to parliament while dodging homeless people along the way. The activists strongly denounce corruption under the current leadership and are calling for more redistributive politics, as well as measures to tackle corruption in public procurement. Prime Minister Orban is trailing in the polls ahead of Sunday’s vote, having suffered a significant setback last week from an investigation published by Polish news site VSquare. Leaked audio and transcripts of phone calls between Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov reveal Hungary’s efforts to act in Russia’s favour – seeking, and at times successfully obtaining, the de-listing of Russian oligarchs and entities from EU sanctions. In France, Le Monde has uncovered the dubious story of Florent Montclair, the academic who was awarded the so-called "Philology Gold Medal" in 2016 at a ceremony held at the French National Assembly. Previous laureates of the award include renowned linguist Noam Chomsky, who travelled to Paris the following year to collect the prize in front of a 200-strong audience. However, when a Romanian academic was nominated for the award in 2018, journalists discovered that the prestigious medal – which purportedly dated back to 1967 and was supposedly affiliated with Delaware University – was a complete fabrication. Montclair had created the award, and he is now under investigation by French prosecutors for using a false title. Lastly, this Easter weekend, The Week features cartoons poking fun at the policies of Donald Trump’s Christian nationalist regime, as Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Meanwhile, cartoonist Martin Perscheid offered a humorous take on a priest regretting the purchase of an IKEA crucifix – requiring him to nail Jesus to the cross himself.

    6 min

  3. 4 DAYS AGO

    Artemis II: One giant leap for deep space toiletry

    PRESS REVIEW – Friday, April 3: The papers reflect on 1,500 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Libération and Les Échos report an improving outlook in Kyiv, despite four years of bombing and devastation. In other news, Germans are venting their frustration over delays on the Deutsche Bahn – using fictional money to bet on when trains actually arrive. And finally: “Houston, we have a problem – it’s the toilet.” The papers look back on the 1,500 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Libération and Les Échos highlight an improving outlook in Kyiv, despite years of bombing and devastation. In other news, Germans are venting their frustration over delays on the Deutsche Bahn — but with a twist. According to the Times, a website allows users to place bets in fictional money on the actual arrival times of trains, in a country where only 58.5% ran on time last year. Finally, “Houston, we have a problem: it’s the toilet.” Journalists at the New York Times provide a deep dive into Artemis II’s space toilet, designed for the weightless environment of orbit. One astronaut joked the crew was “pretty fortunate… to have a toilet with a door,” an innovation that cost $30 million, according to the Guardian. Shortly after launch, the toilet malfunctioned, forcing the astronauts to alert mission control, who were able to troubleshoot the problem. The Daily Mail captures the incident in a cartoon, showing an astronaut looking sheepish as two aliens comment, “They want to use our loo.”

    5 min

  4. 5 DAYS AGO

    ‘Dumbest alliance break-up in history’: Trump threatens to leave NATO

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 2: Donald Trump hails what he calls the successes of the war in Iran in a televised address. Earlier, he once again threatened to pull the United States out of NATO – a move the Wall Street Journal has described as the “dumbest” in history. Also, Gizmodo celebrates “humanity’s epic return” to the Moon, as NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully lifts off from Cape Canaveral. And finally, an elderly dog fights off a hungry bear to save her family’s farm. Reactions are pouring in over Donald Trump’s threats to pull the United States out of the NATO alliance. The British daily Metro delivered a memorable headline: Trump throws a “star-spangled spanner” in the works! Trump made these threats ahead of his televised address to the American people on Wednesday night, in which he hailed the successes of his war in Iran. The Independent highlighted the belligerence of his statements: “I will bomb Iran into the Stone Age – and I may quit NATO.” Much of the focus in the press has been on Europe’s response. The website EU Observer notes European leaders’ reaction as “fear but not panic.” Politico takes us behind the scenes of meetings between EU leaders, reporting that they are not waiting for Trump to act on his threats. As one official put it, NATO is already under strain, and leaders will not wait for the alliance to crumble completely. They are instead seeking inward solutions, such as boosting national defence budgets. Remarkably, Politico adds, the EU has remained united in refusing to help the US with the war in Iran. Even if Trump wanted to leave NATO, it would not be as simple as he suggests. According to Politico, he has made similar threats in the past without following through. Withdrawing from NATO would require discussion with US lawmakers and a well-thought-out plan – something that has not yet happened. The wsj’s editors are blunt: “This would be the dumbest alliance breakup in modern history.” Could the Iran war achieve what even Vladimir Putin could not – the breakup of NATO? The editorial asks. Doing so, it warns, would be “the height of folly and only serve to help Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing.” Moving on, joy and awe dominate coverage after NASA’s Artemis II mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral, marking the first Moon mission in over half a century. Gizmodo hailed humanity’s “epic return” to the Moon, 53 years after the last mission. Four astronauts have embarked on a ten-day NASA voyage, designed as a test run for a Moon landing planned before the end of the decade. The website tracks each moment of the mission since Wednesday’s launch. “It’s about time!” declares the Wall Street Journal in its editorial. With China planning to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030, the editorial adds, this is a chance to recapture the spirit of the old space race: “Are Americans really going to let Beijing beat them to the first lunar base or Mars landing?” And finally, a heartwarming story of courage. Honey, a half-blind and elderly dog in New Mexico, fought off a hungry bear attempting to break into her family’s chicken coop. According to the New York Post, Honey sustained life-threatening injuries in the battle but successfully defended the farm. She has been nicknamed “the Bear Slayer”. To end on a lighter note, two giant pandas at Washington’s National Zoo were caught last month flirting through their enclosure doors. Watch the adorable video on Smithsonian Magazine’s website. You can catch our press review every morning on FRANCE 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    6 min

  5. 6 DAYS AGO

    Trump's new library draws ridicule as ‘ego tower’ rather than museum

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday 1 April 2026: First, as energy prices continue to rise, Donald Trump slips in the polls. Also, a large-scale scam operating at the highest altitudes has been uncovered among some Everest guides. In sports, four-time world champions Italy have failed to qualify for the third consecutive tournament. Meanwhile, Trump’s new library hits the front page of the Financial Times. And finally, papers take a look at the origins of April Fools’ traditions. A month after the first US-Israeli attacks, energy prices continue to rise, a headache for both drivers and Donald Trump, according to the New York Times. The Guardian reports on Trump’s latest tirade, which pushed oil prices even higher. Trouble abroad is compounded by trouble at home, writes Edward Luce in the Financial Times. He argues that rising oil prices are not the only factor behind Trump’s slide in the polls – his trade and immigration agendas are also facing judicial and popular resistance. Elsewhere in the press, the Times reports on the dangers of climbing the world’s tallest mountain – and not for the reasons you might expect. Investigators uncovered more than 300 fake rescue flights between 2022 and 2025, resulting in a fraud bill of up to $20 million. Italian papers are mourning the end of Italy’s 2026 World Cup campaign. Corriere headlines, “Everyone is heading home,” saying the team must scrap everything and start over. Tutto Sport declares, “Everyone out.” La Repubblica is scathing: “Our Habit of Mediocrity Is Our Downfall,” while Il Gazzettino warns that Italy continues its descent into hell. It might be hell for Italy, but paradise for the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has qualified for the first time in 52 years after beating Jamaica in extra time, reports Flashscore. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s plan for a new library makes the front page of the Financial Times. Not everyone is convinced; the Miami Herald quips that “Trump library looks more like an ego tower than a museum, even by Miami standards”. Finally, it’s April 1, and April Fools’ Day. National Geographic explores the history of April 1 pranks. La Provence highlights the French tradition of the “poisson d’avril,” or “April fish,” stuck to people’s backs without their knowledge. Meanwhile, The Conversation questions the future of April Fools’ in the age of fake news. Finally, it’s April 1, and April Fools’ Day. National Geographic explores the history of April 1 pranks. La Provence highlights the French tradition of the “poisson d’avril,” or “April fish,” stuck to people’s backs without their knowledge. Meanwhile, The Conversation questions the future of April Fools’ in the age of fake news. You can catch our press review every morning on FRANCE 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    7 min

  6. 31 MAR

    'Dumb judges': Trump heckles Supreme Court ahead of pivotal birthright case

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 31: Donald Trump fumes at the Supreme Court as its judges prepare to hear arguments in a constitutional case over his 2025 executive order on birthright citizenship. Also, the Financial Times alleges that Pete Hegseth sought to make investments in defence companies right before the US's war on Iran. Plus, a chilling trial begins in France into a freemason mafia accused of murder and assault. US President Donald Trump has heckled US Supreme Court judges on his social media platform Truth Social. It comes as they begin hearing arguments on April 1 into Trump's birthright executive order. USA Today reminds us that Trump's order was signed on the first day of his second term and aims to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States when a children's mother was in the country illegally, or visiting temporarily. It's now up to Supreme Court justices to decide on the constitutionality of the executive order.  The Washington Post explains that the case is pivotal because the definition of a US citizen was established in the 14th amendment and has been interpreted by the Supreme Court for more than 125 years. The Post predicts that Trump's chances of winning are very low, even if its editors concede: "There are reasonable policy critiques of birthright citizenship in its current form." Trump's argument is that the amendment extends birthright only to the children of citizens and permanent legal residents. The text doesn't specify either way – and opponents of the order saw laws are already in place to combat the practice of "birth tourism". In his trademark blunt style, Trump took to Truth Social to rant against birthright citizenship as being "about the babies of slaves". He added: "Dumb judges and justices will not a great country make." As the Wall Street Journal explains, Trump's relationship with the Supreme Court has never been more toxic. It now risks getting worse – several conservative justices have hinted that they may be sceptical about the validity of his order. In other news, the Pentagon has demanded a retraction after a Financial Times report alleging that a broker for defence chief Pete Hegseth sought to invest in weapons companies shortly before the war on Iran. The British daily reported that Hegseth's broker at Morgan Stanley contacted global asset manager BlackRock in February about a multimillion-dollar investment in major defence companies. The investment didn't go ahead because the fund was not yet available, but the timing of the investment is controversial – taking place just as the defence secretary's own department was preparing a large-scale military campaign in Iran. Here in France, a murder trial has begun involving a chilling freemason mafia network near Paris. Le Monde reports that twenty-two people are on trial, including soldiers, businessmen, a doctor and former intelligence agents. Prosecutors accuse them of murder, attempted murder, assault and criminal conspiracy on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor lodge in the western Parisian suburb of Puteaux. The network is accused of having ordered several hit jobs. The Times of London explains that authorities were tipped off after a botched contract killing in July 2020. Two "bored spies" were arrested with possession of weapons near the home of Marie‑Hélène Dini, a business coach. According to the paper, the pair, who "dreamt of going undercover", were asked to join a secret mission. They say they were told it was a hit job ordered by the French government on Dini, who was said to be an agent for Israel's Mossad. She was in fact simply a rival business coach. The network is also accused of other hit jobs, including the murder of a racing car driver. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    5 min

  7. 30 MAR

    Clitoral nerves mapped for first time, thirty years after male counterpart

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 30: Papers discuss the use of artificial intelligence in war and the ethics behind it. Staying with AI, German actress Collien Fernandes says Germany is a haven for perpetrators, after she revealed her husband has been sharing deepfake porn of her. Next: a story about squatters living in Gangnam, the richest part of Seoul. Finally, scientists have mapped the nerves of the clitoris for the first time. Papers are discussing the use of artificial intelligence in warfare. The title of French daily Libération's front page reads "AI, war in automatic mode". It's an analysis piece that says AI now plays a significant role in military operations, including in Gaza, Iran and Ukraine. It talks about the many different uses of AI, like US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's "AI first" approach. What has changed with AI is that there's no need for data analysts to analyse information collected by satellites or video anymore – it's now AI's work, so "in practical terms, AI accelerates the kill chain". Read moreStreamlining the kill chain: how AI is changing modern warfare The article also talks about the cognitive gap between the person who launches the attack and the victim. A study by King's College London says that AI models appear to make decisions that lead to escalation much faster – they threaten to use nuclear weapons in nearly 95 percent of the simulated scenarios. Le Monde interviewed a philosopher who specialises in military ethics. She believes that "the use of lethal autonomous weapons controlled by AI goes against the principles of a just war". She says that in order to ensure the proportionality of the strike, data needs to be verified in advance by humans, in order to carry out what's been dubbed "effective human oversight".  In some shocking news, German actress Collien Fernandes revealed publicly last week that her ex-partner had been spreading deepfake pornography of her – a case dubbed "digital rape". Der Spiegel reports that she said Germany is a haven for perpetrators and only 2.4 percent of digital violence is reported. She says that her own experience with law enforcement has been discouraging. In other AI news, it turns out it's not a good idea to ask AI bots for personal advice. Twelve percent of US teenagers turn to chatbots for emotional support advice – they ask for relationship advice and even draft breakup texts. The problem, however, is that AI usually validates user behaviour and doesn't provide the "tough love" that's sometimes needed. AI just convinces people they are right and makes them less likely to apologise.   Moving to South Korea, The New York Times reports about "the squatters living in the richest part of Seoul": the Gangnam district. The feature article follows the story of Miss Lee. The government has offered more than $3,000 for her hut and told her to vacate or face eviction. But owning a home is a struggle and she has "nowhere else to go," so she is fighting to stay. In Gangnam, which inspired the K-pop hit "Gangnam Style", prices have been spiking faster and higher than anywhere else in Seoul.  Finally, there's some good news for women around the world: The Guardian reports that scientists have finally mapped the nerves inside the clitoris. This comes almost 30 years after they did the same thing for the penis. This is beneficial and not only for orgasms – understanding this organ could help prevent poorer sexual function after pelvic operations. It could also help with reconstructive surgery after female genital mutilation – "one of the most extreme examples of cultural misogyny". The Guardian writes that a cultural taboo around female sexuality has held back scientific investigations. The clitoris only entered standard medicine textbooks in the 20th century.  You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    6 min

  8. 27 MAR

    Donald Trump takes credit for transgender ban at LA's 2028 Olympics

    PRESS REVIEW – Friday, March 27: We look at reactions in the Indian press after parliament approved a controversial law which critics say will curtail the rights of transgender people. The International Olympic Committee makes a landmark ruling to forbid transgender female athletes from participating in female events, beginning with LA's 2028 Olympics. A bandaged Lindsey Vonn graces the cover of Vanity Fair and talks about her Winter Olympics ordeal. Plus: Japan's viral Punch the monkey has found love! India's parliament has passed a law that will roll back rights for transgender people. The move is sparking a lot of reaction. As Human Rights Watch explains, the bill amends the 2014 law in which the Indian government recognised transgender people as a third gender. Under the controversial legislation passed this week, it will now remove the right to self-identify and limit recognition to those defined by physical or biological traits. There are an estimated 2 million transgender people in India, although the real number is believed to be much higher. Indian MP Derek O'Brien writes in the Indian Express that the bill will require the mandated reporting of gender-affirming surgery by the medical board and local authorities. He says this will violate the principles of personal liberty and essentially force people to disclose their transgender identity. Authorities say it will better protect them, but O'Brien argues that it will reinforce the conditions that make protecting them necessary. The Hindu, another Indian paper, reports that the bill now awaits the approval of Droupadi Murmu, the Indian president. Amidst widespread protests, the All Indian feminist alliance penned a letter to her, urging not to sign it. They condemned the "undue and unjustifiable haste" with which the bill was passed. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has moved to ban transgender female athletes from competing in future women's Olympic events. The Guardian reports that Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, said the landmark decision was taken because it is not fair for biological males to compete in the female category. The IOC's decision will ban transgender women athletes from the female category of events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and future Games. Athletes who wish to compete in the female category will have to undergo a one-time SRY masculinity gene test. The decision also extends to DSD athletes, those with differences of sexual development such as Caster Semenya, the South African athlete who identifies as female but has some male chromosomes too.  The Guardian, in an analysis piece, calls the decision "seismic". It notes that four and half years ago, the IOC was hailing the participation of Laurel Hubbard, the transgender weightlifter from New Zealand. Now with this decision, it has made one the most astonishing U-turns from a governing body in modern times. The decision also reflects a changed political climate.  Elsewhere, Vanity Fair's new cover features Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, just weeks after her horrific crash in Milan Cortina. She talks about the moments after that crash, the pain, nearly losing her leg to amputation, her long road to recovery and why she hasn't ruled out a comeback. Finally, a baby macaque at a Japanese zoo who went viral for cuddling a plush toy has reportedly found love. You might remember Punch the monkey – we talked about him here on the press review several weeks ago. He melted hearts with his cuddling of an orangutan plush toy after being rejected by his tribe. The Times of London says Punch's many superfans can rejoice because it appears he has found love with another primate. He's been seen getting cosy with a female macaque at the monkey mountain enclosure. In an Oedipal twist, it appears that his new lady looks a lot like his mother! You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

    5 min
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An overview of the stories making the French and international newspaper headlines. From Monday to Friday live at 7:20am and 9:20am Paris time.

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  • Channel
    FRANCE 24 English
  • Creator
    FRANCE 24 English
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © France Médias Monde
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    Press Review
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