Author: France 24

Kethevane Gorjestani is pleased to welcome Ian Lesser, Author and Senior Director for Foreign and Security Policy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). According to Mr. Lesser, the current crisis in the Middle East is not simply a regional conflict, rather a systemic shock to the global order. What we are witnessing is the convergence of energy insecurity, strategic distrust, and shifting alliances across Europe, Asia, and the United States. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime chokepoint, has sparked serious political, diplomatic and economic challenges. European actors are increasingly compelled to think beyond traditional transatlantic frameworks, while…

Paris Saint-Germain went four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win at home against Toulouse on Friday night. Ousmane Dembélé scored the first of his two goals of the evening midway through the first half with an impressive long-range volley.

Oil prices rose and stocks fell on Wednesday following US President Donald Trump’s speech in which he warned he would hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next two to three weeks. Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly begun collecting tolls from ships seeking safe passage through the Hormuz Strait. We’ll take a closer look at how this process is unfolding and whether it could be formalised. Also in this edition, SpaceX has filed for what could become the world’s largest ever Initial Public Offering.

On a visit to #Japan, French President Emmanuel #Macron shared a ‘kamehameha’ moment with PM Sanae #Takaichi – a nod to one of Japan’s most famous #manga and #anime franchises, ‘Dragon Ball’. Macron is on a state visit to #Tokyo for talks on security ties and industrial cooperation.

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Dr Christian Bueger is a Research Fellow at UNIDIR, and the Academy of International Affairs NRW, and Professor of International Relations at the University of Copenhagen. He offers an analysis of the evolving crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing the multi-dimensional nature of diplomacy and the structural limits of military solutions. He argues that the situation remains far from stable, despite recent developments suggesting potential diplomatic progress. Maritime security, especially in the current context, cannot be restored through force.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned on Friday, three days after failing to qualify the national team for the 2026 World Cup and one day after the announcement that Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina was stepping down.

Fertility treatments such as IVF are becoming increasingly common. But a study by UK-based organisation Fertility Matters at Work suggests that nearly two-thirds of respondents do not feel comfortable speaking to their employer about support during the process. Our guests, Becky Kearns – CEO and co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work – and Suzy Jackson, COO of RVO Health, say both employers and governments can help change that.

Filmmaker Ilker Catak explains how his political thriller – exploring authoritarianism and the artistic process – grew out of a desire to examine the complexities of marriage. “Yellow Letters”, which won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival, serves as a cautionary tale. Catak says the story is not confined to Turkey – where his characters’ lives are upended by creeping censorship – but offers a broader warning about the fundamental freedoms that must be defended.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps has launched a campaign aimed at recruiting children as young as 12 for the “defence of the homeland”. More than a month into the war triggered by the US and Israel, rights groups highlight the life-threatening risks for Iranian children and stress that the use of minors in the military constitutes a war crime. 

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 30: Papers discuss the use of artificial intelligence in war and the ethics behind it. Staying with AI, German actress Collien Fernandes says Germany is a haven for perpetrators, after she revealed her husband has been sharing deepfake porn of her. Next: a story about squatters living in Gangnam, the richest part of Seoul. Finally, scientists have mapped the nerves of the clitoris for the first time.