Author: France 24

When the Clooney family were granted French citizenship, the news made headlines around the world. The US president weighed in on their choice, sparking a war of words; we learn more about the transatlantic row pitting Hollywood against la vie en France. Also, a new film about the British featherweight who became a giant of boxing brings “Prince” Naseem Hamed’s life and career to the big screen. Plus we take a closer look at the frozen landscape that helped Claude Monet refine his painting technique during a very cold snap. 

Iran’s supreme leader signaled that security forces would crack down on protesters, directly challenging U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to support those peacefully demonstrating. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed Trump as having hands “stained with the blood of Iranians” while State media referred to demonstrators as “terrorists,” setting the stage for a violent crackdown. Human Rights Lawyer and Amnesty International Iran Researcher Raha Bahreini offers an unflinching view into the latest wave of civil unrest in Iran: Economic grievances and a widespread demand for systemic change, all under the violent shadow of a brutally oppressive regime.

After a wild night of drama, Paris Saint-Germain claimed their first trophy of the year at Marseille’s expense, prevailing 2-2 before winning 4-1 on penalties. The Parisians kick off 2026 in style, lifting a record-extending 14th Trophée des champions, their 12th in the last 13 editions.

Between traffic, excessive use of car horns, building sites and religious celebrations, the ears of residents in Indian megacities like New Delhi and Mumbai rarely get a moment of respite. Authorities remain silent on possible solutions to combat this health scourge. Our correspondents Lisa Gamonet and Alban Alvarez report.

The EU is set to pass a trade deal with South American trade bloc Mercosur after Brussels unveiled new concessions this week. HSBC has agreed to pay nearly 268 million euros to the French treasury to settle up a case over fraud on dividend tax payments. And, protest from hundreds of UK pubs over higher business rates seems to have convinced lawmakers.

British-Hungarian author David Szalay joins Eve Jackson on arts24 to discuss his controversial Booker Prize-winning novel “Flesh”, which follows István – a silent, violent and unsettling protagonist – from a bleak Hungarian housing estate to London’s super-rich elite. Szalay reveals why he called his book “risky,” how he made readers care about someone who says “OK” 400 times and what happens when Stormzy and Dua Lipa champion your work.

Yemeni separatist leader Aidarous Al-Zubaidi has fled to the United Arab Emirates with Emirati help after a failed military advance that strained relations between the Gulf countries, the country’s Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday.  Al-Zubaidi was accused of high treason and removed from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council on Wednesday. 

Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning holders, face arch-rivals Olympique de Marseille this Thursday in Kuwait in the Trophée des champions. After a trophy-laden 2025, PSG are eager to kick off 2026 in the same dominant fashion. Marseille, for their part, are chasing their first piece of silverware since 2012.

French doctors are striking over the Social Security Financing Act for 2026. According to Dr. Anna Boctor, Paediatrician and President of Jeunes Médecins, this signals an “authoritarian drift” in healthcare governance in a country long admired for its universal health care. Conditioning reimbursements on who prescribes care rather than why it is prescribed raises fundamental questions about medical autonomy, public health strategy, and democratic accountability.

Warner Brothers Discovery has rejected the latest takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, saying it’s still inferior to a rival offer from Netflix. Despite a $40 billion guarantee from billionaire Larry Ellison, WBD’s board says the plan is a risky leveraged buyout, financed by debt. But first, the United States says it’s “selectively” removing sanctions to bring Venezuelan oil back into international markets, starting with the sale of up to 50 million barrels to the US.