Press Review

FRANCE 24 English

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. -16 H

    Could the US military have struck a primary school by mistake?

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 12: Multiple leaks to the American press by Pentagon officials point the finger at faulty US data that listed an Iranian primary school as a military target, leading to a Tomahawk strike that killed more than 170 people. In other news, UK papers react to the “Mandelson Papers”. And finally, The Guardian reports on an intrepid young fox with an American dream. The New York Times reveals preliminary findings from the Pentagon’s own investigation into the Tomahawk missile strike on a primary school that killed more than 170 people, mostly children, in Minab. Outdated targeting data had registered the building as part of a neighbouring military base, even though this had not been the case since at least 2016. The newspaper asks why the outdated information had not been double-checked before the strike was launched. Journalists at The Washington Post have spoken to numerous Pentagon officials, some of whom believed the building was an arms depot, while others thought it was a factory. It remains unclear whether the school was targeted on the basis of this inaccurate information, or whether the strike was a complete accident. The paper’s coverage includes the account of Abdollah Karyanipak, a father who lost two sons in the attack. And in the UK, the prime minister is facing fresh fallout over the Epstein files — and their sequel, the Mandelson papers, published yesterday. The story is on several front pages, including that of Daily Mail, which writes that the revelations make him “unfit to lead the country”, and calls on his MPs to oust him. The new cache of documents reveals the prime minister had been thoroughly briefed on the close nature of his former US ambassador’s relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but pressed ahead with the appointment anyway. The Guardian describes a due diligence file “littered with red flags” about Peter Mandelson that the prime minister ignored. Meanwhile, Daily Mirror splashes on the former ambassador’s brazen demand for £500,000 in severance pay – even though he ultimately walked away with £75,000. In other news, zoos are irate with weather apps over the sometimes reductive use of rainy icons to represent a day’s forecast – something they say can cost them up to 30 per cent of visitors. Finally, The Guardian has the story of a plucky young fox that boarded a ship from Southampton to New York City, and is now settled at Bronx Zoo.

    6 min

  2. -1 J

    Divided left battles rising far right as France heads to the polls

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, March 11: We look at evidence that the strike on a girls’ school in Minab was carried out by a US missile. In other news, France heads to the polls in council elections with a fractured left wing and a far right hoping for sweeping gains. And finally, new findings could pave the way for improving hedgehog road safety. After the Trump administration dismissed a strike on a girls’ primary school in Minab as an Iranian misfire, The Guardian presents evidence to the contrary. The missile type, based on verified video footage, appears to be a Tomahawk, not a Soumar — indicating it was American. Furthermore, the school’s proximity to an IRGC compound makes it plausible that the US was intentionally targeting other facilities in the area. Since the announcement on Sunday evening that Mojtaba Khamenei would succeed his father as Supreme Leader, he has yet to be seen publicly. Sources told IranWire that, as of Tuesday, President Pezeshkian and his ministers had no contact with the new leader and no clear knowledge of the current situation. This comes amid speculation that Mojtaba Khamenei may have been injured in the strikes that killed his father and much of his family. The President’s son has since posted on social media that Khamenei is alive and well, while Israeli intelligence suspects he is “lightly wounded.” IranWire further describes “total disarray” at the heart of the Pezeshkian administration amid continued US-Israeli strikes, with fears the government may not even succeed in paying salaries before the Iranian New Year on the 20th. Meanwhile, France heads to the polls on Sunday for the first round of voting to elect mayors and councillors, a final electoral litmus test ahead of next year’s presidential election. Le Monde reports a divided left: the Socialists are trying to demonstrate they can remain a substantial political force without La France Insoumise, while La France Insoumise seeks to expand its relatively small local council footprint. This follows a reputational blow for the movement after two activists allegedly attacked a young far-right activist, causing his death, and repeated outbursts by Jean-Luc Mélenchon that have been criticised as antisemitic. France’s three largest cities currently have left-wing mayors, but polling in Le Figaro suggests this may not last. In Paris, a right-wing candidate is close behind the Socialists, while in Marseille the far-right National Rally is neck and neck with the incumbent Socialist. In Lyon, the right appears on track to claim the city from the Greens. The far-right National Rally is not just focused on major cities. 20 Minutes reports that the party has fielded candidates in more towns and villages than ever. Their chances of winning are potentially higher in smaller towns, where local issues can outweigh political ideology. Expanding their presence across the country with local representatives is also seen as a strategic step in improving the party’s broader image.

    5 min

  3. -2 J

    Who's making money off Trump's war in Iran?

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 10: The world's front pages are torn between heralding a global oil crash and relaying Donald Trump's promise of peace on the horizon. Also, between crypto-bets and arms investments, , who’s making money from this war? In other news, France prepares for a first round of voting in municipal elections, seen as a litmus test for next year’s presidential race. And finally, Kim Jong Un’s International Women’s Day address paid North Korean women some… backhanded compliments. The world woke up to two main headlines on Tuesday: one heralding an impending oil shock, and the other leading with Donald Trump's claim that the war was "very complete, pretty much over". Meanwhile, over or not, the Pentagon spent $5.6 billion on munitions in the first two days of the war alone, The Washington Post reports, and the administration are now preparing an additional budget request for congress to sustain the strikes, something likely to anger lawmakers. War is a costly business, but a lucrative one, as Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have understood. The Wall Street Journal has an exclusive on Donald Trump’s sons backing a drone company aiming to manufacture 10,000 drones a month, targeting Pentagon sales and a share of the $1.1 billion the Department of War has committed to spending on US-made drones by 2027. Other winners in this war include six anonymous online gamblers who made $1.2 million betting on the first US strikes on Iran on cryptocurrency prediction markets. The New Yorker, citing a crypto-analytics company, reports the bets may have come from insiders acting on classified information. In other news, here in France the nation heads to the polls on Sunday to elect the country's 350 thousand mayors. Les Echos describes the far-right National Rally hungry to increase their municipal footprint, with more councillors, more mayors, and even a chance of taking charge in France's second city, Marseille. Polling published in Le Monde reflects a shift rightwards in voter priorities: immigration is now voters' third priority, behind cost of living and healthcare, ousting the environment from the top three. This as multiple left-wing lists will face off in many towns, dividing the left-wing vote. And finally, the whole world celebrated International Women’s Day over the weekend – including North Korea, as documented by The Times. Kim Jong Un heaped backhanded compliments on his country's women, whom he described as "physically weak", "wrinkled", and "plain".

    6 min

  4. -3 J

    The 'shadow prince': Mojtaba Khamenei succeeds father as Iran's new Supreme Leader

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 9: The new Supreme Leader embodies both continuity with his father’s hard-line rule and a departure from what was intended to be a non-hereditary system of governance. In other news, Greenpeace has warned of “rogue companies trying to sidestep international law” in the deep seas, while the BBC has published photos from a recent expedition to the Caribbean’s deep waters. Also, a Viking-inspired sport enjoyed a moment of fame in England. Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar ran the headline "The Legitimacy of Blood", after Ali Khamenei's son was appointed to succeed him. While the pro-Hezbollah paper cited the bloodline as a source of legitimacy, L’Orient le Jour criticised what it called a “return to dynastic succession” 40 years after the Iranian revolution. Iran International described the new Supreme Leader as a "shadow prince", who has operated largely out of public view but close to power for decades, playing a key role in suppressing protests in 2009 and 2022, and influencing appointments of senior figures in the Revolutionary Guard. The Times characterised the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as a challenge to Donald Trump, noting that Ali Khamenei had previously said his successor should be “hated by the enemy”. At sea, Greenpeace believe they have evidence that subsidiaries of US company TMC may be in breach of its obligations to the International Seabed Authority. Meanwhile, the BBC brings good news from the deep seas: a recent expedition in the Caribbean, exploring depths of up to six kilometres, has revealed a healthy ecosystem, largely untouched by human activity, with specimens straight out of science fiction. And finally, in Surrey, The Times reports on the little-known, Viking-inspired “wife-carrying” championships held over the weekend, in which duos compete with one partner carrying the other over a 380-metre course. Unsurprisingly, the winners were a Finnish couple, who took home a barrel of ale.

    5 min

  5. -6 J

    'Operation Epstein Distraction': Sexual assault allegations against Trump emerge

    PRESS REVIEW – Friday, March 6: International papers discuss US President Donald Trump's "warrior transformation" and speculate about how the new war in the Middle East could benefit Russia. Also: the US Department of Justice publishes an interview that outlines sexual assault allegations against Trump. Finally, is the US president trying to distract attention from the Epstein files with the new war? This question has inspired quite a few cartoons. Papers from across the world are following the war in the Middle East. Spanish daily El País writes that "two out of three Spaniards oppose the war against Iran". However, "61 percent support sending a frigate to Cyprus in response to the Iranian attacks" and as a commitment to defend the European Union.  French newspaper La Croix headlines with "Trump's warrior transformation". The attack on Iran shows a dramatic turnaround by the US president, who was once opposed to "endless wars". Lebanese newspaper L'Orient-Le Jour headlines with "an entire population forced to flee", showing a scared child on the street and massive traffic jams after Israeli forces ordered the evacuation of Beirut's southern suburbs.  Israeli papers are not always on the same page. An analysis in the left-wing paper Haaretz says that "Trump's fantasies for Iran go beyond regime change". It says that the joint US-Israeli war is a "bid to consolidate a new regional order in the Middle East". Trump's vision for this order is not democratic values, human rights or international law, says the analysis. The paper reminds us that his central partners in the Gulf states are authoritarian monarchies where the ultra-rich employ poor migrants from the Global South. Therefore, the new emerging order is driven by economic interests: defence technologies, AI, crypto, real estate and finance, where the Gulf is a "haven for capital," not limited by the "perils of democracy". An analysis in the right-wing paper The Times of Israel says that the Gulf states are living "their worst nightmare", because they've spent decades trying to avoid direct conflict with Iran. The article says that Iran hopes that inflicting enough pain on its neighbours will pressure Trump to end the war. But this strategy might end up backfiring: the Gulf states are cooperating even more closely with Israel, opening pathways to new alliances.  The Washington Post writes that "Russia could benefit from the new war", as Trump's attention may be totally diverted with weapons rerouted to the Middle East. Russian oil might be put back on the table amid surging oil prices. The Ukrainian paper The Kyiv Independent writes that "in the Middle East, chaos is Putin's new ally". The opinion piece says that people shouldn't be worried that Putin will intervene on behalf of Iran; he will instead try to exploit the new war. Meanwhile, Politico reports that the US Department of Justice has published documents that outline sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump. It's a trio of FBI interviews with a woman who says that Trump sexually assaulted her when she was a young teenager, between the ages of 13 and 15. She was introduced to him by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her central allegation is that the president forced her to perform oral sex on him – she says she then bit his private parts to defend herself, after which he punched her. These files come as Democrats have been investigating whether the US Justice Department deliberately withheld material that includes sexual assault allegations against Trump.  Finally, we take a look at some cartoons that imply Trump attacked Iran only to divert global attention from the Epstein files. "Operation Epstein Distraction" was renamed to "Operation Epic Fury" so that's it's not too obvious, says one of the cartoons wryly.   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. 5 MARS

    Trouble in MAGA paradise over war with Iran

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 5: The mass exodus from southern Lebanon makes front pages. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is lambasted for a lack of clarity on its war with Iran, including from the US president's own supporters. Plus, we get some bad news on sea levels globally, but there’s good news for Punch, the baby macaque in a zoo near Tokyo. The front page of French Catholic newspaper La Croix reads "Lebanon trapped". Libération tells the stories of the tens of thousands forced to flee the south of the country, some of them leaving with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, L'Orient-Le Jour hypothesises about Israel's next steps: the type of ground offensive, and Israeli hopes of dictating a new security order in southern Lebanon after the disarming of Hezbollah. The French-language Lebanese paper does not preclude the possibility of an Israeli incursion into Iran too, which could have a knock-on effect on Lebanon, by weakening Hezbollah's number one backer. Meanwhile in the US, Democratic lawmakers emerged dumbfounded on Wednesday from a classified briefing by the Trump administration on the war. The New Republic cites lawmakers less convinced than ever that there is a plan, and increasingly fearful of the US deploying troops on the ground. Politico, meanwhile, evokes a chaotic last-minute scramble to evacuate civilians, bolster intelligence gathering and send drone defence systems to the region after the outbreak of war, implying that the conflict has taken on proportions the administration did not anticipate. The New Republic describes a "MAGA Meltdown" still in its infancy, meanwhile, as prominent voices in the MAGAsphere speak out against the war, which they deem a betrayal of Trump's "America First" policy. In climate news, a new study shows sea levels have been inaccurately recorded all over the world, and in most cases underestimated. The New York Times explains that this means hundreds of millions more people than we realised face the threat of rising sea levels. Finally, the Guardian brings us some good news for Punch the monkey in Japan's Ichikawa Zoo, who, rejected by his mother and bullied by the group, turned to an Ikea soft toy in the form of an orangutang. After a few sad weeks with only the teddy for comfort, his keepers are pleased to say that he's now interacting more with the other monkeys, even if he still curls up with his toy when it's time for bed. 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

  7. 4 MARS

    Dubai influencers 'interrupted' by Iran strikes wake up from a 'senseless dream'

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, March 4: The war in the Middle East has transformed the lives of influencers and expats living in Dubai. But first: papers discuss why US President Donald Trump chose to strike Iran. Also: junior doctors in England use ADHD as an excuse to skip working overnight. Finally, a story about mini (and maxi) pet pigs.  Papers are still analysing the rationale behind the US strikes on Iran. The Guardian writes that Trump "has still not settled on reasons for going to war with Iran". The paper's analysis piece says that his administration has run through a number of justifications – from Iran planning an imminent strike and the country's evolving nuclear programme, to lobbying by Israel. The Washington Post writes that for the first time, Donald Trump acknowledged a personal dimension to his decision to attack Iran. He cited Iran's alleged efforts to assassinate him in 2024, saying, "I got him before he got me", "I got him first". The paper says that in 2024, Trump went through two assassination scares and had to ramp up his security measures. However, no evidence has yet connected Iran with those two assassination attempts.  In Dubai, influencers and expats are still trying to grasp their new reality. French investigative paper Mediapart calls it "the end of illusions". The paper writes that the "Emirati city has awakened from a senseless dream" in which it thought it was a zone immune to the crises affecting the world. The Guardian writes that influencers have been "interrupted by Iran strikes". The paper writes that online, residents are posting videos of parties, but also missiles in the sky and emergency messages urging residents to take shelter. Dubai has long been painted as a safe playground for the ultra-rich and one of the safest places on Earth, the paper notes, but "this image of safety has been shattered". A cartoon by Stephen Collins makes fun of Dubai expats "having their first ever geopolitical thoughts".  Next, junior doctors in England are trying to dodge night shifts by claiming they have ADHD, The Times reports. The number of doctors who say they are neurodivergent has almost doubled since the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper says that junior doctors are using social media to coach each other on how to avoid night shift work.  Finally, The Wall Street Journal writes about the myth of the "teacup pig", and those who had to find out the truth the hard way.  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. 3 MARS

    Papers discuss future of Ukraine after Trump's 'Iran gamble'

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 3: Papers discuss the new war in the Middle East and what it could mean for Russia's war in Ukraine. Also: Russian independent paper Meduza analyses the narrative of Russian state TV. Finally, did Jim Carrey attend the César Awards... or was it his clone?  International papers focus on the new war in the Middle East. "Struck at its heart, Iran is choosing a strategy of chaos," reads the headline on the front page of French daily Le Figaro. The paper says that the Iranian regime is "faced with an existential threat", so it chose to set the Middle East "on fire", trying to save itself. "Devastating" reads the headline on the front page of the left-wing British daily Morning Star. The paper reminds us that "Iran has long threatened to drag the region into total war" if it gets attacked. Meanwhile, the title of a feature article in The New York Times reads "As Maduro and Khamenei learned, it's harder than ever for leaders to hide". The article explains how a surge in sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence has transformed US intelligence. Today, it's much easier to track foreign leaders in real time. The New York Times writes that this ability opens up new horizons for presidents like Trump who wish to change "the attitude of foreign regimes – or change their leadership".  Papers are also discussing the impact of the conflict on Russia's war in Ukraine. Politico writes that "Trump's Iran gamble risks leaving Ukraine as a forgotten war". The paper says that Europeans are struggling to deal with Trump's "inflammatory interventions", but there is one thing that's worse: losing his attention. European officials fear that the new war will distract Trump, who will lose interest in ending Russia's war in Ukraine.  If the US gets itself into a long war in the Middle East, Ukraine may lose access to American-made weapons as well. It's an analysis echoed in The Kyiv Independent, too. The Ukrainian paper discusses how Zelensky's backing of Trump will impact Ukraine. It says that for Kyiv it's a logical choice, since Iran is a Russian ally and Volodymyr Zelensky wants to show that his country is reliable. However, it's unclear whether the strategy will work, because Trump's hostility towards Iran or Venezuela hasn't affected his relationship with Russia.  The Russian independent paper Meduza analyses the narrative of Russian propaganda about the new war. Russian state TV channels are saying that "diplomacy is ruined" and "what is happening is reminiscent of wars in Iraq and Libya". They paint America as a "predator" and as someone who's been planning the war in Iran for a long time. State media also warn that Russia needs "to draw conclusions" from what is happening in Iran. The fear of Russia being the next target is also present in an illustration called "Panic in the Kremlin" by Ukrainian cartoonist Serhiy Kolyada. We see Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov watching the news from Iran, looking scared behind their desks.  Finally, a conspiracy theory surrounding Jim Carrey's appearance at France's César Awards has gone viral. Many people think that a clone went to the awards and not the actor himself. Vogue France says that it all started as a joke, with people saying he got botox or a full facelift. The joke then turned into a more intense theory: what if this isn't the real Jim Carrey? Drag artist Alexis Stone posted a picture on Instagram suggesting that he had impersonated Carrey, fuelling even more conspiracy theories. Gregory Caulier, the general delegate of the awards ceremony, had to send a statement to Variety Magazine calling the rumours a "non-issue" and speaking about the actor's dedication to learning his speech in French. 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
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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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    FRANCE 24 English
  • Création
    FRANCE 24 English
  • Années d’activité
    2020 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    38
  • Classification
    Tous publics
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    © France Médias Monde
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    Press Review
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