Press Review

FRANCE 24 English
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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. 11 HR AGO

    'Mind-blowing corruption': Alleged insider trading over US-Israeli strikes in Iran

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, March 25: Papers discuss Donald Trump's 15-point plan and the US's "fog of diplomacy". Could it be staged for the global markets? Also: brick workers are coerced into selling their kidneys in Pakistan. Finally, Democrat Emily Gregory wins the hotly contested race for the Florida House in a "Mar-a-Lago flip".  An analysis piece in The Guardian says that US President Donald Trump's "rehashed 15-point plan will unlikely appease Tehran". According to diplomats with knowledge of the matter, Trump's latest plan on Iran is probably based on an outdated framework from May 2025. The analysis says that reusing an old plan suggests either a lack of seriousness about the talks or a "desire by Trump" to pretend he has made more progress than in reality. According to The Wall Street Journal, this "fog of diplomacy" might be staged for the markets. An opinion piece says that Trump's incentive is to "calm the markets with news of diplomatic progress" while Iran's incentive is to "deny, deny, deny" and keep the markets in shambles. The article says that this is what Trump does: "offer relief as the trading week begins and bring the pain as it ends".  Papers are also reporting that the markets reacted even before Trump's announcement of talks with Iran. Independent US media Common Dreams writes that "traders placed massive bets just minutes before Trump's post on Iran". The bets were worth around $580 million, to be precise, according to The Financial Times. The move in the market that followed allowed those traders to make a huge profit. US Senator Chris Murphy called the market move a "mind-blowing corruption". An exclusive report by CNN says that a trader made nearly $1 million on Polymarket with "remarkably accurate Iran bets". He has been betting since 2024 and predicting US and Israeli military actions against Iran. The trader won a "staggering 93 percent" of his bets about Iran, although he was betting on "unannounced military operations". CNN says that this highlights concerns that insider trading is on the rise.  Next, in Pakistan, illegal kidney trade criminals are targeting brick kiln workers. A feature article in The Guardian tells the story of illegal kidney traders who approach desperate workers. The paper interviewed a man who works at a brick factory. He was offered 400,000 rupees, or around €1,200, for one of his kidneys. He said yes in hopes of repaying his debt that kept rising, but at the end of the process he was worse off than before. A Pakistani association believes that thousands of brick workers are being coerced into selling their kidneys, a "decision driven by debt, poverty and fear". Finally, we end with a story that wouldn't please Trump. It's a "Mar-a-Lago flip", reports Politico, as Democrat Emily Gregory defeated the Republican state House candidate in a hotly contested race for the Florida House district. That's the area where Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is located. Gregory is a first-time candidate with a background in public and mental health, and now runs a fitness centre for postpartum mums. She said that her win "demonstrates where the Florida voter is".  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

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    The end of Meloni's invincibility? Italian papers react to her failed referendum

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 24, 2026: First, French papers are dedicating their front pages to former prime minister Lionel Jospin, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. Next, Italian front pages discuss the results of Monday's failed referendum. Also, the Financial Times looks into the misuse of public funds in Hungary. Finally, not all climate news is bad news. Most French front pages are remembering former Socialist premier Lionel Jospin, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. Libération remembers him as the incarnation of seriousness in politics and a bastion of the French left. In Switzerland, Le Temps calls him a figure of the "all-powerful Socialist Party".  In Italy, a judicial reform referendum did not go Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's way, as almost 54 percent of voters rejected the proposal. Opposition paper La Repubblica headlines with a great big "No"! Il Fatto Quotidiano headlines with "Italy wakes up". Domani, meanwhile, headlines with "an Italian miracle" and says the result puts an end to "Meloni's illusion of invincibility". On the right, Libero regrets the "survival of an ailing system". La Verita decries one of the "most misleading referendum campaigns in history".  Things are heating up in Hungary in the run-up to April 12 elections, where Viktor Orban's future hangs in the balance. The Financial Times investigates 13 of Orban's associates and how they have fraudulently obtained huge government contracts since he came to power in 2010. According to The Wall Street Journal, corruption investigations are the least of Orban's worries, as the premier battles with voter discontent and economic problems. Finally, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization has released its latest "State of the Climate" report. CNN notes that people have become almost blind to bad climate news. It's not all bad news, though: a one-eyed dog in Northern Ireland has become a conservation hero, as the BBC reports.  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

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    'A big confusion': All sides claim victory after French municipal elections

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 23: France's municipal elections are all over the French front pages. International papers try to make sense of the results, as all sides seem to be claiming victory. Next, Hittler is elected as mayor of a small French town, beating out Zielinsky. Finally, the first ever British SNL episode aired at the weekend, and critics are divided. The French municipal elections are all over the country's front pages. Aujourd'hui en France presents the eclectic collection of France's new mayors. Left-wing website Mediapart headlines with "a big confusion" and describes a fragmented political landscape. Liberation talks about "relief" on the left. L'Humanité celebrates the left's victories in French big cities. On the right of the press, l'Opinion says left-wing alliances between France Unbowed and the Socialist Party were mostly punished by voters. Le Figaro also mentions anti-left-alliance blockades on its front page. Libération sums up the situation by saying it is a "cacophony of contradictory self-satisfaction".  In the international papers, Politico chooses to give its own pick of the winners and losers of this election. Le Belgian paper Le Soir says that right-wing parties were able to capitalise on the political tension in the country, despite a big loss in Paris. The Financial Times says that the National Rally's wins in the south of France will come in useful for 2027.  Meanwhile, Le Parisien reports that Hittler has retained his mayorship.  In the UK, a lot of ink has been spilled over the first ever British edition of "Saturday Night Live". The Guardian gives it three stars. The Times says it is not funny yet. Variety magazine calls it "the TV equivalent of taking a photo in a red phone box next to Big Ben, before going to eat a burger in Five Guys". 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

  4. 5 DAYS AGO

    'Online diplomacy': How Trump narrates war in Iran on Truth Social

    PRESS REVIEW – Friday, March 20: Donald Trump is turning to "online diplomacy" to defend his actions in Iran and lambast his critics on Truth Social. The Times of London looks at how Monica Witt, a US servicewoman-turned-spy for Iran, could play a crucial role in the war. Also: a Belgian court charges a former diplomat with involvement in the killing of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of independent DR Congo. Plus: a little possum is found among plush toys at an airport gift shop in Australia. There's lots of focus on the growing cost of US President Donald Trump's war in Iran. The Guardian puts forward one figure: $12.7 billion, or the total amount spent by the US on the sixth day of the war. That sum is likely to have exceeded $18 billion now. The paper asks: where are America's war dollars going? It says that the same amount of money could have funded new subsided housing, the annual salary of half of America's firefighters or annual medical coverage of 3.6 million children. Amid growing criticism of the war, Trump has taken to his own social media platform, Truth Social, to narrate the conflict and defend his actions, whether that means threatening Iran or railing against NATO or the media. It is what The Wall Street Journal calls a new form of "online diplomacy". Trump has posted 90 times about Iran, Israel and war-related topics since late February. The Journal explains that never before has a US president so openly shared his thoughts about war planning and decision making in real time. Staying on Iran, the Times of London talks about Monica Witt, a former US counterintelligence agent-turned-Iranian spy. She was a decorated US veteran with access to top secret information who was recruited as an Iranian spy by agents linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In 2013, Witt defected to Iran, in what was one of the biggest intelligence betrayals in recent American history. Experts say she could be a deadly secret weapon for the Islamic Republic and could be guiding or informing some elements of Iranian military strategy. A six-month stint in Iraq proved pivotal: this was when Witt started taking an interest in Islam, eventually converting to Islam. Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of what is known today as DR Congo, was assassinated 65 years ago. A Brussels court ruled this week that a former Belgian diplomat should stand trial over his murder. This story makes the front page of the French-language version of German daily Deutsche Welle. Former Belgian diplomat Etienne Davignon, 91, is the only person alive of the 10 people accused by the Lumumba family of involvement. He was charged with war crimes this week. A former vice president of the European Commission, Davignon has denied the charges. The New York Times recounts Lumumba's brutal assassination in 1961. He was beaten, tortured and executed by firing squad. His body was dissolved in acid and a UN report blamed Belgian mercenaries and local officials. Lumumba had led a national political party pressing for independence. As the first prime minister of independent DR Congo, his government failed to gain control of the military and, as a result, was never stable. Nonetheless, he is revered as the Nelson Mandela of his day: charismatic, with a distinctive style and incendiary speeches – including one delivered before Belgium's royal family, in which he described Belgium's rule as "humiliating slavery". Finally, The Guardian reports that a little possum found its way onto the most improbable of shelves at an Australian airport. The little brushtail possum nestled up among plush toys at the Hobart Airport gift shop this week. A passenger reported that the possum had taken up residence amid the most Australian of plush toys: kangaroos, bilbies, dingoes and Tasmanian devils. The little marsupial remained calm as it was escorted out of the terminal. Staff at the shop say they will vote on a name and put up a photo of the possum in remembrance! 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

    Will the Jalisco cartel's new US-born leader complicate Trump's war on drugs?

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 19: We look at why Russian oil is the big winner from the US and Israel's war in Iran. Also, the New York Times reveals sexual assault and rape allegations against the late US civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. In Mexico, the new leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is a US-born citizen, which will complicate efforts to eradicate him. Plus: researchers reveal the science behind bad jokes in the workplace. The war in Iran has sparked an unprecedented energy crisis around the world and one country stands to profit from it: Russia. The energy crisis is dominating the British dailies after Israel struck the world's largest gas field in Qatar. The Guardian calls it a dangerous escalation in the war. Iran and Qatar share the Pars site, which accounts for 70 percent of Iran's domestic supply and contributes significantly to Qatar's gas exports. The Middle East conflict is providing an unexpected boom for Russian oil. The Wall Street Journal focuses on Etibar Eyyub, an Azeri oil trader whose main client is the Russian oil company Rosneft. Described as Moscow's "shadow fleet kingpin", he is responsible for finding buyers for the $50 billion of oil produced each year by Russia. Ships he controlled via shell companies were sitting pretty with millions of barrels of unsold oil. Now with the Strait of Hormuz closed, the only way for global oil supplies to get close to meeting demand is for the Russian crude that he handles to reach world markets. In the process, Eyyub and Russian oil prices are experiencing a "second awakening." Russia seeks to benefit from the war, but has no intention of come to its ally Iran's aid. Foreign Affairs magazine explains why Russia is "watching Iran burn."  Despite Tehran providing support to Russia in its war against Ukraine, Russia has provided little support to Iran – beyond helping with targeting data and advance drone tactics. Foreign Affairs explains that when Russian's friends are in need, it does nothing. It was the same for Bashar al-Assad's regime, toppled by rebels in 2024, and in the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2023, as well as the US's abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The Kremlin's impotence – and refusal to help – also lay bare the limitations of Russian power to shape outcomes around the world. The New York Times publishes damning evidence of sexual abuse allegations against a beloved civil rights leader. Cesar Chavez, who died in 1993, co-founded the United Farm Workers labour union. For decades, he helped improve wages, living conditions and health care while elevating the status of Latino Americans. He also coined the phrase, "Si se puede" which later inspired Barack Obama's "Yes, We Can" slogan. Behind the scenes, several women say he sexually abused them while they were teenagers and in some cases raped them. Due to his status within the union and fears that they would not be taken seriously, the women were forced to live with the trauma for decades. Their stories are revealed in the Times. Turning to Mexico, the alleged new leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is a US-born citizen. The Wall Street Journal recounts that no sooner was El Mencho buried in a gilded coffin this month, than his stepson began ascending to the throne. Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez was born in California – meaning an American citizen now appears to be in charge of Mexico's most powerful drug cartel. This could potentially complicate US efforts to eradicate the narcotics trade. The rules for surveiling US citizens are very bureaucratic and could only take place if authorities prove Valencia Gonzalez is acting as an agent of foreign power. It could also complicated Trump's efforts if he follows through with his publicly expressed desire to carry out targeted assassinations against Mexican drug lords.  Finally, a new study shows that lame jokes can actually serve a purpose, at least in the workplace! The Times of London reports that researchers tracked the use of humour to combat tedium across 531 talks at 14 biology-related conferences. They observed how often scientists tried to make a joke. Men attempted it more than women. Some 870 jokes were attempted and about 580 landed mildly or fell flat. Just one in 10 elicited real laughs, but researchers concluded that even the lame jokes served to break the ice! We leave you with a few science jokes:  Why did the biologist break up with the physicist? They had no chemistry. Why can't you trust atoms? Because they make up everything. 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

  6. 18 MAR

    Morocco taking AFCON title from Senegal dubbed 'joke of the century'

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, March 18, 2026: The Africa Cup of Nations has seen another unbelievable turn as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of their 2025 African Champions title, to give it to Morocco. Also, the Guardian reveals that the UK took part in negotiations between Iran and the United States in Geneva and had judged a war unnecessary. Next, The New York Times has a long read about weapons being smuggled from the US to Mexico. Finally, Banksy's identity is revealed.  The Africa Cup of Nations has taken another mind-boggling turn. It's "the joke of the century", according to the Senegalese daily Le Soleil. Le Dakarois reports that the Confederation of African Football's appeal board decided that Senegal were "declared to have forfeited the final" by walking off, and therefore automatically lose 3-0. The Guinean website Le Djely calls it a disproportionate decision. The mood in Morocco is quite different. Moroccan news site 360 says that CAF has "saved African football from the grip of unsportsmanlike conduct".  Meanwhile, an exclusive report in the Guardian reveals that the UK's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, attended the US-Iran talks in Geneva in late February, after which he judged that Tehran's offer had been significant enough to prevent a war in the Middle East. This in part explains the UK government's reluctance to back the US attack on Iran.  A long read in The New York Times looks into the American weapons being smuggled into Mexico and used by violent drug cartels. Firearms are sold in American gun shops and on websites and phone apps and are then funnelled to Mexican cartel members. The paper says as many as 1 million weapons could be being smuggled into Mexico every year.   Finally, in the UK, one of art's worst kept secrets has just been solved. Reuters has uncovered Banksy's identity. The Times, though, says that the street artist's identity has been known since the early 2000s: "he's a shortsighted bloke from Bristol called Robin". The Wall Street Journal explains that although anonymity helped Banksy move undetected, it did make art collectors uneasy and his art is now going to sell for a lot more. For Sky News, the revelation of Banksy's identity will only add to his legacy as an artist of the people.   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. 17 MAR

    'Coalition of the unwilling': Allies refuse to clean up Trump's Strait of Hormuz mess

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 17: Donald Trump has called on US allies to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz as the energy crisis intensifies. But after those allies refused to help, Trump promptly threatened NATO. In the midst of the EU's energy crisis, Belgium's prime minister has suggested "normalising" relations with Russia, which sparked outrage in the Belgian press. Plus: Britain scrambles to control a meningitis outbreak and a new letter reveals just how poor Claude Monet was in the early part of his career. France, the UK, Germany, Japan and other US allies have refused to respond to Donald Trump's calls to secure the Strait of Hormuz. They say they will not be dragged into the war against Iran, at the risk of provoking the ire of the US president. The Financial Times headlines on allies' refusal to "send warships" and quotes the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as saying that NATO is a "defense alliance", not an intervention one. The paper also evokes Trump's "coalition of the unwilling." In the Italian press, Il Fatto Quotidiano accuses Trump of pyromania – seeking help to extinguish the fire that he himself started. Trump responded by blackmail and threatened a "very bad future for the NATO alliance". The Independent's opinion writer Sean Grady wryly notes that Trump has gone from his cry-baby phase, where he would throw a tantrum if he didn't get his way, to his "surly teenager" phase. In the wake of soaring energy prices due to the US war on Iran, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever has faced backlash for suggesting that Europe should normalise relations with Russia to help secure cheaper energy options. Politico reports that he made those comments at the weekend to L'Echo newspaper. De Wever called the suggestion "common sense" and added that in private, EU leaders agreed with him. Politico says that the PM's high support in his native Dutch-speaking Flanders region but also French-speaking Wallonia could explain his willingness to push a politically sensitive argument. French magazine Courrier International has compiled reactions from the Belgian press, who have been quick to condemn his comments. De Standaard explains that de Wever's five-party coalition already caused controversy on the question of recognising the Palestinian state six months ago. It lamented that "Belgian diplomacy looks more and more like a Mexican army" – a French phrase referring to a group of barely organised people. An opinion writer says de Wever is seeking a seat at the peace table at the worst time, noting that extending an olive branch to Russia at the moment when energy prices are rising makes Europe look like beggars. In the UK, a meningitis health crisis has already killed two people and there's panic on the front pages. The Daily Mirror evokes "terror on campus" as unprecedented measures are being taken in Kent to contain the meningococcal infection before the Easter break. The outbreak is believed to have spread at a nightclub two weeks ago. A college student and a high school student named Juliette have both died. The Daily Star relays Juliette's father's devastation, while her picture is splashed across other newspapers. Meningitis, commonly treated with antibiotics, is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord – but can be deadly if untreated. There's also criticism after British health authorities waited for the weekend before informing the public about the outbreak, leading possibly to a larger spread of the disease. The Guardian describes Covid-era like scenes of panic at the University of Kent as students queue for antibiotics. Finally, a new letter going up for auction details just how poor famed French impressionist artist Claude Monet was. During his early career, Monet faced severe poverty. He was forced to secure a loan of 1,000 francs from Gustave Manet, the brother of fellow artist Edouard Manet in 1875. The Daily Telegraph recounts that Manet drove a hard bargain and insisted on receiving the proceeds of 35 of Monet's paintings in payment – the current-day value is over €1 billion! A letter signed by Monet in 1875 details his trials and tribulations: his sick wife and a cruel landlord threatening eviction. That letter is on sale now for around €100,000. The deal with Manet included Monet's painting "La Japonaise", depicting his wife Camille in a kimono. It's now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and is valued at around €100 million. The letter is proof that Monet was the original poor, starving artist. 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. 16 MAR

    Are 'immature men' to blame for decreasing birth rates in the UK?

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 16: French papers analyse the first round of the country's municipal elections. Next: Cubans protest amid worsening economic conditions. Also: The New York Times tells the story of a difficult recovery after an act of violence. Finally, researchers look into the delayed "maturation" of men and its effect on women's willingness to become mothers. French papers are reacting to the first round of municipal elections. Les Echos writes that there's a sharp drop in voter turnout – to only 56 percent – despite it being "one of the French people's favourite elections". In an editorial, the paper says that we are seeing the "rise of extremes" – a worrisome signal ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. La Croix sees no "clear trend" emerging on a national level and calls the first round "scattered". The Catholic paper writes that the second round is shaping up to be intense. Right-wing paper Le Figaro's headline reads "the major shake-up of the first round". The "solid position" of the far-right National Rally and the "spectacular rise" of the far-left France Unbowed show an "increasingly fragmented political landscape". This assessment is echoed in the left-wing paper Libération. The paper says that after two terms under President Emmanuel Macron, "the democratic crisis has worsened under his rule".  In Cuba, people have taken to the streets to protest against worsening living conditions. The Wall Street Journal reports that Cubans are blaming the authoritarian regime for their "dire living conditions". In Moron, residents sacked the headquarters of the ruling Communist Party over the weekend and made a bonfire with the furniture. Meanwhile, El País reports that Havana has confirmed that it is in talks with the United States. People are protesting because Cuba's economy is on the brink of collapse, after an oil blockade was recently imposed by the Trump administration. Spanish newspaper Diario de Cuba quotes a pro-Kremlin Russian writer who says that Russia may lose one of its historical partners: the Cuban regime. The Russian writer says that Russia has invested "tens of billions of dollars in Cuba since the Soviet era". In other news, The New York Times tells Emine Yilmaz's bittersweet story of recovery after she was pushed into a passing subway car – an act of violence that left her severely handicapped.  Finally, researchers in Britain are studying why fewer women want to have babies. British paper The Times says that around 3 million women across the UK will miss out on motherhood and "immature men" could be to blame, according to the research.  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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About

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.

Information

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

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