Author: France 24

As war shakes their home country, Iranians of the diaspora in Paris have raised their voices, calling for peace, solidarity and a sustainable transition from autocracy. 

The US has made an outreach to Iranian Kurdish dissident groups as “Operation Epic Fury” rattles the pieces of the Middle East geostrategic chess game. The Kurds in other countries have a history of being pawns in Washington’s games and have at times used their leverage to their advantage. But under the Trump administration, Iran’s Kurds face colossal challenges.

France’s women’s team began the World Cup 2027 qualifying campaign with a win over Ireland (2-1). Substitute Melvine Malard scored a brace.

Swiss food giant Nestlé is facing criticism over the sugar content of Cerelac, its infant cereal brand sold in Africa. An investigation by the NGO Public Eye found that while the product is sold without added sugar in Europe, African versions can contain up to 15 percent sugar.

Oil prices have steadied for the first time since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. But concerns about energy security and prices are weighing on consumers. In France, long queues formed at petrol stations, despite the Energy Minister’s assertion that the public shouldn’t worry about shortages. Also in the show – shipping giants Maersk, Cosco, and Hapag-Lloyd suspending all operations in the Gulf, and the Trump administration plans to raise global tariffs to 15% ‘sometime this week.’ 

German culture officials plan to summon organisers of the Berlin film festival Thursday after the event was rocked this year by controversy over the Israel-Palestinian conflict and Gaza war. Bild daily reported that Tricia Tuttle, the US director of the Berlinale, is expected to be sacked at the meeting, citing sources close to the KBB, the state-owned company that runs the festival. FRANCE 24’s Nick Holdsworth reports from Berlin.

A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 4th. The Pentagon also warned the operation in Iran was “far from over”. “We are seeing an administration that is trying to make a very confused narrative seems to take on the air of cohesion”, says FRANCE 24’s Douglas Herbert.

Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt reached the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday after a 2-1 win at Inter Milan secured a 5-2 aggregate victory, sealing the biggest result in the club’s history and setting up a tie with either Manchester City or Sporting Portugal.

Iran took the risky gambit of closing the Strait of Hormuz, which could backfire and hurt its own economy.  France 24’s Yuka Royer speaks with Iranian-Austrian economist Mahdi Ghodsi from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies about Iran’s unsustainable economic path and whether it’s headed for hyperinflation. 

A male ballet dancer has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his love for ballet and his aim to encourage more men to dance en pointe. The art of dancing on the tip of your toes is usually seen as a musical box-style female role, but Kadeem En Pointe has trained himself to be able to do it as well. He spoke to us in Perspective about his desire to inspire people through dance.