Author: France 24

Ben Croll and Dheepthika Laurent look at the all the winners – and losers – from the César awards ceremony in Paris, including Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” and the moving family drama “The Ties That Bind Us”. Ben takes us through the highlights of the evening, including a lifetime achievement award for actor Jim Carrey and Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani’s tribute to Iranian protesters.

Israeli attacks killed five people in Gaza on Thursday, the territory’s health officials said. Medics reported two killed in an air strike in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood and others in drone strikes on police checkpoints in Khan Younis and near Bureij camp. Israel’s military said it killed a militant posing a threat.

PSG once again showed moments of weakness but ultimately prevailed as the European champions advanced to the Champions League round of 16 after a 2-2 draw at home against 10-man Monaco (5-4 on aggregate). They will face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the round of 16, with the draw scheduled for Friday.

France is Europe’s second-largest consumer of benzodiazepines – a class of sedatives that includes drugs like Valium and Xanax. Every year, nearly 10 million patients are prescribed these pills to treat anxiety and insomnia. While they are intended only for short-term use, treatments are often extended indefinitely, without proper supervision. Dependency sets in, affecting everyone from teenagers to elderly patients. FRANCE 24’s Olivia Bizot reports. 

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked the EU for a fact-finding mission over disruptions to a pipeline which delivers Russian crude oil. Hungary has accused Ukraine of ‘deliberately threatening’ its energy security ahead of key parliamentary elections. The Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline is still used by Hungary and Slovakia, which remain dependent on Russian oil imports despite European efforts. Also in the show – German lawmakers consider ending the 8-hour workday. 

Award-winning ⁠Korean director Park ​Chan-wook will preside over the ​jury of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, the organisers said on Thursday (February 26).

The new round of negotiations in Geneva comes after the US carried out a massive military build-up in the region and President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if a deal is not reached. FRANCE 24’s Shirli Sitbon tells us more.

Paris Saint-Germain survived a tense night against Monaco on Wednesday, drawing the second leg but advancing on aggregate after playing much of the match against 10 men. Late drama and a red card shifted momentum as the holders did just enough to secure their place in the Champions League last 16.

In his State of the Union address, US President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that the economy is doing well ahead of key midterm elections. Also in this edition: the Pentagon tells Anthropic it has until Friday to loosen AI safeguards, or lose its $200 million contract. Plus the Louvre’s president resigns after a series of crises and what auditors consider to be a mismanagement of funds.

In this edition of our film show, critic Emma Jones talks to Eve Jackson about the latest film releases, including “The History of Sound” from director Oliver Hermanus. It stars Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor as two men who fall in love in the shadow of World War I. The film premiered in competition at Cannes to lukewarm reviews, but Emma argues its quiet, repressed portrayal of a gay relationship shaped by its era is exactly what gives it emotional force.