'Return hubs' for migrants clear EU parliament hurdle
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:01:3 ISTEuropean lawmakers cleared the way Thursday for tougher penalties for irregular migrants and their potential deportation to so-called "return hubs" outside the bloc. The measures, criticised by human rights groups, are part of a tightening of Europe's immigration rules in response to pressure across the 27-nation bloc to curb migration. FRANCE 24's Dave Keating reports.
Russia's spring offensive in Ukraine expected to focus on 'Fortress Belt' in Donetsk region
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:50:3 ISTRussia's spring offensive in Ukraine is expected to focus on the so-called "Fortress Belt" of heavily defended cities in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow has repeatedly demanded Kyiv relinquish in return for peace. Speaking on FRANCE 24, retired Vice Admiral of the US Navy Robert B Murrett, says that the region is "a veritable highway for any army that wanted to conduct operations further into Ukraine and beyond".
Trump again berates NATO for inaction in securing Strait of Hormuz
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:35:3 ISTDonald Trump lambasted NATO and other allies for rejecting his appeals to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes. "I'm so disappointed in NATO, because this was a test for NATO" the US President said during a cabinet meeting on Thursday. FRANCE 24's Carys Garland reports.
Israeli strike kills Iran's navy commander Alireza Tangsiri
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:57:2 ISTIsrael's Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that an air strike killed the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' navy, Alireza Tangsiri. The US military confirmed the operation and said Tangsiri's death "makes the region safer".
Trump insists Iran is ‘begging to make a deal’ after Tehran dismisses ceasefire plan
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:33:3 ISTA day after Tehran dismissed Donald Trump’s 15-point ceasefire plan, the American leader claimed that Iran was “begging to make a deal,” and that he wasn’t the one pushing for negotiations. Reporting from Tehran for FRANCE 24, Reza Sayah says that Iranian leaders do not consider the exchanges "legitimate negotiations" and that they "are trying to project the message that they're in the driver's seat and will decide how this war ends".
Winding down or spinning out of control? Trump's mixed signals on Iran rattle traditional allies
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:22:3 ISTAs G-Seven foreign ministers root for the offramp in the Iran war, François Picard’s panel weighs the damage done to the region, to the world economy and to transatlantic trust. From Donald Trump’s threats against NATO allies to France denying it disinvited South Africa from next June’s G7 summit to placate Washington, The France 24 Debate weighs US threats… and Iran’s threats.
As 'war of choice' escalates into international crisis, Miller says Trump has 'no strategy'
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:45:4 ISTGenie Godula welcomes Aaron David Miller, former State Department Middle East negotiator, and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. According to Miller, Trump's war on Iran is evolving into systemic entrapment, in which regional dynamics involving Iran, Israel, and the US have escalated into an all-out international crisis. Miller argues that Iranians are ready for "serious negotiation", but doubts Trump's pathway to peace: "I don't think you can do this in phone calls on the back of a cocktail napkin or indirectly negotiated vis-a-vis the Pakistanis or Turks."
Moscow and St Petersburg internet blackouts raise fears of Kremlin surveillance
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:10:4 ISTRestrictions that had left Moscow residents without mobile internet for three weeks – with the Kremlin citing “security” – were lifted on Wednesday while St Petersburg endured a third consecutive day of outages. Some fear an attempt to isolate Russians from information from the outside world amid a parallel government effort to ramp up digital surveillance.
'Tehran assumes war is behind them: Iran will not capitulate, Trump has it all wrong'
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:30:5 ISTNadia Massih is pleased to welcome Danny Citrinowicz, Senior Researcher in the Iran and Shi'ite Axis Program at the Institute for National Security Studies. According to Citrinowicz, the trajectory of the war in Iran hinges not on battlefield dominance alone, but on competing perceptions of resilience, legitimacy, and leverage. Despite America's overwhelming military asymmetry, the Iranian regime interprets its endurance as a form of strategic success, reinforcing its bargaining position and diminishing the likelihood of near-term diplomatic resolution.
Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz: Fertiliser supply chains under strain
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:12:4 ISTAs tensions between the US, Israel and Iran choke the Strait of Hormuz, cutting global energy and fertiliser flows, markets face rising prices and food insecurity. We discuss the global fallout with Carlos Razo from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), exploring the risks for the world's poorest economies and the threat of widespread inflation.
Russia says report it is sending drones to Iran 'lies'
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:51:1 ISTThe Kremlin said Thursday that a report in the Financial Times that it was close to completing a shipment of drones to Iran was "lies". Russia is a close ally of Iran, but denies having sent military aid to its partner since the United States and Israel began attacking the country in February.
Trump insists Iran operations 'extremely' ahead of schedule
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:48:5 ISTUS President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Iran war was "extremely" ahead of schedule, as he pushed Tehran to make a deal at his first cabinet meeting since the conflict began nearly a month ago. As Tehran publicly rebuffed negotiations, Trump again cited the original timeframe of four to six weeks that he gave early on in the joint US-Israeli military offensive. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Angela Diffley tells us more.
US claims 'strong signs' for deal with Iran
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:47:1 ISTSpeaking at a cabinet meeting, the #Trump administration claimed there were strong signs a #deal could soon be reached with #Iran for a #ceasefire.
G7 wants 'lasting peace and stability' in Middle East, France's foreign minister says
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:17:3 ISTG7 nations want to "create the conditions for lasting peace and stability" in the Middle East, France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said at a two-day conference outside Paris on Thursday. The talks aim to narrow differences with the US on the Middle East war.
Russian oil tanker nears Cuba in test of US resolve on blockade
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:16:1 ISTRussian officials confirmed Wednesday that Moscow is sending fuel to Cuba as humanitarian aid, intensifying geopolitical tensions as a Russian oil tanker likely bound for the island approaches the Caribbean. Moscow’s announcement comes amid a US effort to choke off oil supplies to Havana that has led to a worsening energy crisis and an unfolding humanitarian disaster.
REPLAY: US President Donald Trump holds cabinet meeting
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:09:1 ISTPresident Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran to make a deal to end US and Israeli bombing or face more strikes on their country. "They now have the chance, that is Iran, to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and to join a new path forward," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Watch our replay.
A post-#MeToo reckoning in the French jazz scene
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:53:3 ISTMusicians from the world of jazz have been speaking out about the sexism and sexual violence that has long cast a shadow over their corner of the music industry. FRANCE 24’s reporters went to meet the women who are now working to change that culture and are demanding justice and accountability.
'100% human?' We tested 10 AI-detection tools
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:53:2 ISTThe proliferation of AI-generated images has created demand for a new kind of tool: sites and apps that claim to determine whether an image was created or modified by AI. We tested 10 of the tools on the same image.
Venezuela's Maduro back in US court after stunning capture
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:29:1 ISTOusted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro will appear Thursday in a New York court for the second time since his capture by US forces in an extraordinary nighttime raid. The stunning operation deposed the strongman who had led Venezuela since 2013 and has since forced the oil-rich country to largely bend to the will of US President Donald Trump.
French Jazz faces #MeToo reckoning as women push for change
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:27:4 ISTSince the MeToo movement sent shockwaves across creative industries, France’s film and theatre sectors have undergone a visible reckoning, with victims speaking out and calls for accountability gaining ground. Yet, according to a recent editorial signed by prominent jazz musicians, the country’s jazz scene has yet to confront entrenched sexism and long-silenced sexual violence. FRANCE 24’s Solène Clausse and Yong Chim went to find out how women in the industry are turning things around.
Lead Imagineer on the new 'Frozen' ride at Disneyland Paris
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:22:0 ISTFrance is famous for its theme parks: Puy du Fou, Parc Astérix and the one that's the most visited in Europe: Disneyland Paris. The park is about to open the World of Frozen, part of the new Disney Adventure World park. Fans of Elsa, Anna and Olaf are in for a treat! We speak to the creative mind behind the new park, Michel den Dulk, in this edition of Entre Nous.
Football: Who is behind France's so-called "World Cup song"?
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:09:2 ISTAhead of their friendly #football game with #France, all Brazilian supporters are talking about is 'Imbattables', dubbed France's 2026 #WorldCup song.
Transgender women banned from competing in Olympic games
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:59:1 ISTThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday banned transgender women from competing in games, and said only "biological females" will be allowed to participate in women's events. The IOC is reintroducing testing for gender to determine eligibility, which will also rule out many athletes with differences in sexual development.
Iraq caught between US and Iran, facing attacks from both warring sides & Iran-aligned actors within
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:24:1 ISTOliver Farry is pleased to welcome Hayder Al-Shakeri, Research Fellow with the MENA programme at Chatham House. Al-Shakeri describes Iraq as a state navigating a precarious balance between two powerful allies whose conflict is increasingly unfolding on its own territory. This position is not merely diplomatic but deeply structural, rooted in economic dependence, security arrangements, and geographic realities that bind Iraq simultaneously to both Washington and Tehran. The lack of strong institutions, and a fully-functioning central government, constrains the state’s ability to respond.
