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. 8 HR 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

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    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

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    '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

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    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

  5. 12 MAR

    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

  6. 11 MAR

    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

  7. 10 MAR

    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

  8. 9 MAR

    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
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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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