Press Review

PRESS REVIEW - Thursday, June 26: There are lots of scathing reactions in the press after the NATO summit in The Hague which saw members commit to spending 5 percent of GDP on defence. As one paper notes: Donald Trump whistles, Europe dances. Also: young, far-left upstart Zohran Mamdani wins the NYC Democratic primary and could be the youngest New York mayor in generations if he wins the election. Plus: is there a new love game in tennis between Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz?

There are plenty of reactions in the press after what US President Donald Trump called a victory at the NATO summit in The Hague: getting NATO members to agree to spend 5 percent of national GDP on defence. All members but Spain have agreed to the proposal. For one Dutch paper, NRC, "Operation Trump succeeded". For French right-wing daily Le Figaro, Trump is imperial in the face of Europe's docility. Le Soir, the Belgian daily, says in its editorial that Trump whistled and Europe danced. It says that between the Dutch rolling out the red carpet for Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte jokingly referring to Trump as "Daddy", Europe bowed down to a US president who humiliated them, insulted them and backed far-right parties against them. And when he didn’t get what he wanted – from Spain – he used threats instead.

Speaking of the Spanish press, the left-wing paper El Pais headlines on Trump's threats that he will impose more tariffs on Spain in retaliation. El Pais's editor wonders: is it diplomatic bullying or survival of the fittest? It adds that Europe must resist Trump and band together against his policies. The paper also urges Europe to build an industrial independence to confront the American arms industry. For the conservative daily ABC, it’s clear who’s responsible: Pedro Sanchez, the Socialist prime minister, who is "plunging Spain into a trade war by trying to defy NATO."

In New York, a 33-year-old upstart has won the Democratic primaries for the New York City mayoral election. There's celebration in the Indian paper Hindustan Times: Zohran Mamdani was born to Indian parents and is a self-described "B-list rapper" who rapped under the name Young Cardamom! His mother is Mira Nair, an award-winning filmmaker. Mamdani's shock win in the Democratic primaries is even more impressive given that he was unknown to most people last year when he announced his bid. Thanks to a Gen Z-focused campaign and general voter revulsion for his rival Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani could well be New York's next mayor. If he wins, he would be the first Indian America and first Muslim mayor, and the youngest in generations.

His victory also has wider repercussions for the Democratic party. As they eye the November midterms next year, they are searching for lessons to be drawn from Mamdani’s victory. Meanwhile, Republicans are clamouring to discredit him – most notably through criticism that he is anti-Israel and accusations that he refused to condemn the Globalize the Intifada movement, which some see as a call to fight against Jews, The New York Times reports. The Washington Post calls his victory a "stunning ascendance" but one which has left the Democrats with an internal ideological battle. The success of Mamdani, on the far left, signifies a major victory for liberal activists and proof that the party's establishment old guard is weak. But moderates warn against adopting ideas and rhetoric that could be seen as extreme in the rest of the country. 

Finally, there could be a new "love game" in tennis. The Times of London reports on rumours of a possible tennis romance between Emma Raducanu, Britain's number one women's player, and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. She was seen watching an Alcaraz game at Queen's Club last week, all smiles. The pair have spoken fondly of each other in press conferences and have known each other a long time. Alcaraz asked Raducanu to play mixed doubles with him at this year's US Open. It seems as if the tennis world is a little starved for a juicy love story. The last big one may have been Steffi Graf and André Agassi back in the late 1990s!

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, June 25: International papers criticise Israel's "genocidal" food distribution system in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Russia is planning to train Chinese troops, according to an exclusive report. Next, Bulgarian papers worry about a black leopard that's roaming free. Finally, inflatable crocodiles threaten the wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos in Venice. 

In Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army since the new food aid distribution system was set up. Many papers are denouncing the system. French Communist paper L’Humanité writes "Gaza, we are not forgetting you", over a photograph of a little girl standing in the rubble. The paper calls Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's policies "genocidal", saying that food distribution in the enclave is turning into a death trap. Italian communist newspaper Il Manifesto describes what's happening as "Hunger games". The paper denounces "the Israeli trap" against the starving Palestinians and what it calls the "murderous food distribution system" in the enclave – the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Spanish centre-left daily El Pais reports that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has called the Gaza aid system an "abomination", citing UNRWA's head Philippe Lazzarini, who calls for a return to the previous practices of aid delivery. Finally, an illustration in the left-wing British daily The Guardian by Ben Jennings shows a single bag of food aid, surrounded by dozens of body bags. 

We turn next to Russia and an exclusive article in The Kyiv Post. The Ukrainian paper reports that Russia is planning to train Chinese troops to counter NATO weapons, according to an unnamed Ukrainian intelligence source. The source shared that Moscow will host some 600 Chinese military personnel this year. Staying in Russia, President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on the creation of a national digital service, the financial daily Vedomosti reports. The service will combine the functions of a messaging app and a government service, where Russians will be able to prove their identity through digital ID, for instance. The article doesn't mention anything about privacy concerns or how the data would be stored. 

In Bulgaria, local papers are worried about an animal on the loose. A town in eastern Bulgaria called Shumen is on its toes because of a wild animal – but not one that is usually seen in the Balkans. It's a black leopard and according to Bulgarian officials, it’s been roaming free for more than two months now, as Bulgarian daily Off News reports. Police forces are still trying to catch the animal that they say didn't escape from a zoo, but is privately owned. Balkan Insight reports that the "fugitive black leopard is going viral" with numerous memes circulating online. An AI-generated meme relayed by Euronews portrays the leopard enjoying a traditional Bulgarian meal.

Finally, we end with the inflatable crocodiles that are threatening the wedding of a well-known billionaire. Jeff Bezos's Venice wedding plans have had to be altered, the Guardian reports. The couple had to move their wedding venue after activists threatened to fill the Venice canals with inflatable crocodiles and block the guests from joining the festivities. The wedding has received huge backlash as activists warn that the event could turn the World Heritage Site into a "playground for the rich". 

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, June 24: We bring you all the latest reactions after US President Donald Trump announces a ceasefire between Iran and Israel after 12 days of war. We also look at what the Iranian threat represents for Trump personally and how all these developments play into the crucial NATO summit that kicks off this Tuesday.

A lot of uncertainty surrounds Trump's announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of war. The language in the press is very cautious. The New York Times website's front page reads "Iran announces ceasefire, but status is unclear". There's no comment from Israel, which warns of continued Iranian attacks, while Iranian state television is making the announcement of a ceasefire, hours after Trump's comments. The Washington Post is also reiterating this message, albeit cautiously: "Iran appears to confirm it'll cease attacks on Israel". Haaretz, the Israeli centre-left daily, reports that six waves of missiles have hit Israel since daybreak, killing several people.

The conservative magazine National Review has published an exclusive report which looks at why Trump is particularly wary of the Iranian threat. If US strikes against Iran appear to be an escalation of the conflict, the National Review explains that this stems from a personal fear. The article details how seriously the Trump team has taken the threat of Iran. It feared Iranian retaliation against him after the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. As far back as 2022, Trump's team cancelled certain international events for fear of exposing him to Iranian threats. The magazine even says that the failed 2024 Pennsylvania assassination attempt on Trump never yielded a culprit, but that senior campaign staff suspect it may have been part of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot. This takes on new importance given Trump's approval of US strikes against Iran. The National Review says that those who have worked for Trump for years speculate that the regime's assassination plots against him have "hardened his resolve against Iran".

The Financial Times says the last 48 hours have been a real headspin. On Sunday, Trump appeared open to regime change in Tehran, alarming his isolationalist allies on the right. On Monday, he called for a complete ceasefire. It appears, the FT says, that the trigger for this about-face was the limited nature of Iran's response: attacking a US military base in Qatar, but giving ample notice beforehand. For the Emirati paper The National, it's clear that Trump has gone from being a "peacemaker to a wartime president". It also notes a biting coincidence: just as Trump authorised the US strikes on Iran, Pakistan announced it would be putting his name forward for a Nobel Peace Prize for his "pivotal leadership and peacemaker role in the recent Kashmir conflict". If Trump's goal by attacking Iran was peace, it's a roaring success, the Guardian says ironically with a cartoon of the US president depluming a dove.

All these developments come just as NATO leaders prepare to meet at The Hague for a summit beginning this Tuesday. La Croix, the French daily, is looking at the summit on its front page. "NATO under pressure", the paper says. La Croix's editor says the conflict in the Middle East has forced a change in the order of things to discuss at this summit and it will cause an upheaval in European defence, inevitably shifting some focus away from what the bloc believed was the immediate threat: Russia.

The editors of the Washington Post, meanwhile, reiterate a common gripe of Trump's – that Europe needs to more for its security. Spain has already rejected NATO's calls for the Alliance to dedicate 5 percent of its budget to defence spending, with NATO chief Mark Rutte agreeing to exempt Madrid. A somewhat exasperated Post says that Spain’s obstinance gives Trump fodder to call into question the US's commitment to NATO and gives other European countries an excuse to drag their feet down the road on the issue of defence spending.

As Politico advises: "If you ask European officials, the goal is simple at this summit. Keep it short, keep it smooth and keep Donald Trump from blowing it up."

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, June 23: First, we look at global front pages reacting to US President Donald Trump's intervention in Iran. Next, papers are divided over the US bombing of Iran – it's an "illegal" act for some, but an opportunity for peace for others. Meanwhile, the Iranian press condemn Trump's move, saying the US "will pay". Finally, we look at illustrators' takes on the ongoing war.

The news that the US has struck Iran's nuclear sites is making front pages worldwide. Spanish daily La Vanguardia headlines with "Trump goes to war". British paper The Financial Times writes that "Trump declares victory with massive air strikes". It then quotes Trump, who says that the US is "not at war with Iran but with its nuclear programme". "The gamble of the bombs", reads the headline in French conservative newspaper La Croix. The paper says that the attack marks a new phase in the ongoing conflict. Israeli right-wing daily The Jerusalem Post writes that "History remembers those who stand tall". The paper says that Israel and the US stand "shoulder to shoulder in defence of the free world". French left-wing paper L'Humanité takes the opposing view, with an apocalyptic front page of the bombings entitled "Peace according to Trump". The paper says that the latest actions are plunging the Middle East into chaos.

Inside, papers are also reacting differently to Trump's decision to intervene. An editorial in the British daily the Guardian says that Trump's bombing is "an illegal and reckless act" and that "the world is likely to pay a steep price". The paper says that Trump's move is "handy for leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping" who might want to carry out similar attacks. And although an immediate crisis in the Middle East "can be contained", the cost of his reckless act may not be fully felt and understood "for decades". Belgian left-wing paper Le Soir writes "Here lies the international order, blown up by the law of the strongest", adding that it isn't clear at all what's next. A column in Politico says that the strikes are showing us what kind of president Trump actually is. Politico says it's "hard to define Trump's foreign policy" because he has made many "contradictory moves". The paper says his latest decision shows that he is in a phase where he's willing to take "enormous risks with little concern about the blowback". 

However, some analysis pieces are defending and praising Trump's move. The New York Times has an opinion piece entitled "Trump's courageous and correct decision". The article says that many US presidents have promised they will stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but it was Trump who demonstrated that "those pledges were not hollow". The columnist writes calls it "a courageous and correct decision that deserves respect, no matter how one feels about the president". The Wall Street Journal has a similar opinion piece entitled "Trump meets the moment on Iran". It says that his actions "spare the world from an intolerable risk", adding that it creates "an opportunity for a more peaceful Middle East".

The US intervention is of course the major story in the Iranian press, with all the papers condemning the move. "You will pay" writes the state-controlled Tehran Times – that's what Iran vowed after the US officially entered the war. According to the paper, Trump is wrong about the effectiveness of his attack. Iranian state-owned channel Press TV quotes the country's foreign minister, who says that the US attacks "mark an unprecedented collapse in international relations", warning that this could have "disastrous consequences". The opposition website Iran Wire reports on a division that's forming in Iran – hardline Iranian officials are calling for retaliation against the US, while many citizens blame their own government and its nuclear ambitions for bringing the war to Iran. 

Finally, we look at illustrators and their cartoons in Cartoon Movement following the US strikes on Iran. 

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, June 19: We take a look at reactions from the press as US President Donald Trump continues to dither on whether the US will intervene in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Also, a study warns that the global carbon budget could be exhausted within three years, after which point climate change will be irreversible. Finally, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders get a pay raise thanks to a Netflix series and a study shows how much pet owners pay to celebrate pet birthdays!

In the press today: The world's media continues to focus on the growing conflict between Israel and Iran. Le Monde wonders if the spectre of a US intervention looms in Iran. Such an intervention is also creating huge divides within Donald Trump’s administration. The French daily notes that only the US possesses large enough bombs that could destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. The big question is whether the US will get involved and for the moment Donald Trump’s response is HE MAY OR HE MAY NOT, as the Independent says on its front page. Trump appears to be "taunting" Iran over the airstrikes. Metro opts for a play on words to sum up the crisis: an "ARMAGGE-DON"!

The Chinese press never misses an opportunity to criticise the US. It's certainly the case for an official newspaper of the Communist Party. The editors of the Global Times warn that the US must stop "fueling the war machine in the Middle East". It blames the US for unilaterally withdrawing from the past Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for aid and sanctions. The paper also warns that Iran’s national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should not be violated. It adds: From Afghanistan to Iraq, history has long proven that US military interventions have never brought peace but sown the seeds of anti-American hatred.

The British Daily Telegraph meanwhile notes that a day after Israel attacked Iran on Friday, a cargo plane left China with its final destination marked as Luxembourg. However, that flight never reached European skies. Instead, it fell off the radar over Iranian skies. The paper relays concern about what China might have sent to Iran, aviation experts note that the Boeing 747 freighters are used mostly for transporting military equipment and weapons. 

In other news, a new study sounds the alarm about the environment and notably our attempts to limit global average surface warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The details of the report are on the science website, Phys.org. A new study from Earth System Science Data warns that the estimated remaining carbon budget for 1.5 degrees is 130 million tons of carbon dioxide. This means that the world is on track to exhaust this budget within three years. After this, the effects of global warming will be extreme and irreversible. The study also reiterated that a majority of global warming over the past decades is a direct result of human activity including burning fossil fuels, deforestation and international aviation, which has now returned to pre pandemic levels.

It’s not all doom and gloom in the press. E! Online reports that the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have seen their salaries increase by around 400%. The raise comes in the wake of a hit Netflix series that revealed what it takes to become a cheerleader. One of the surprises in season one was how little the cheerleaders were paid – and why many had to keep their day jobs. A veteran cheerleader shared that she was earning about $15 an hour and $500 per appearance, with some reportedly making less than the team's waterboys. In season two, the series revealed that cheerleaders can now earn up to $75 an hour. It’s a small but symbolic step forward for women’s pay.

Finally, a study has revealed just how much UK pet owners spend to celebrate their prized pet’s birthdays! The Independent reports that a recent survey by a card company found that 83 percent of Gen Z participants and 79 percent of millennials said they celebrated a pet’s birthday. This is far higher than the 39 percent of people over 55 who do the same. More than one in two UK pet owners buy a present and or cake, with average amount of 120 pounds or about 160 euros. Recent celebrity pets have had special vegan cakes, an ice sculpture, 100-dollar bills shot from a money gun and in one case in China, a dog themed light display! That’s a lot of money considering you might get at best a tail wag from your dog or, if you have a cat, total indifference!

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, June 18: Papers describe scenes of "humiliation and death" in Gaza as Palestinians seek aid distribution. We also look at Kosovo, where the trial over the massacre in Pristina 26 years ago has finally started. Plus, Brazil's new "bill of devastation" supported by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stands in stark contrast to the Brazilian leader's climate ambitions. Finally, Brad Pitt's wardrobe choices are raising eyebrows. 

With the press focused on news of the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is deteriorating. The New York Times reports that seeking aid has gotten "just too risky" for some Gazans. "I'll never try again" reads the headline, quoting one Palestinian man who says he saw many dead and injured people while trying to get aid. He tried to get supplies twice and didn't manage to get anything both times, the paper reports. According to The New York Times, more than 70 Palestinians were killed on Monday and Tuesday while trying to reach aid distribution points. Left-wing French daily Le Monde headlines with "In Gaza, humiliation and death to get food". The paper says that dozens of people die every day while trying to reach aid. The paper then talks about a video filmed on June 11 of starving Gazans on their feet for hours, waiting for the start of the aid distribution. When it finally begins, Le Monde describes an image of a "wild, desperate stampede". An Israeli activist interviewed by the paper describes the video as "simply apocalyptic", saying that "this is the hell we've created in Gaza". Finally, the British daily The Guardian has an editorial on what it calls "Gaza's engineered famine". "Stop arming the slaughter – or lose the rule of law", writes the paper. It says that while Palestinians starve, Western governments "defend Israel and dismantle the very rules they claim to uphold".

We turn next to Kosovo, where it's been 26 years after the massacre carried out by Serbs in Pristina during the 1998-1999 war. Balkan Insight reports in collaboration with the BIRN (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network) that the trial over the Pristina massacre finally started on Monday. The analysis says it's still unclear whether justice is being served. Many of the defendants didn’t show up in court and are being tried in absentia because they are out of reach to the Kosovo authorities. The paper says there is almost no judicial cooperation with the Serbian legal authorities. Pristina Insight reports that one Serb has since been found guilty of wartime rape of an ethnic Albanian woman and sentenced to 15 years in jail. The trial was held behind closed doors to protect the victim's identity. The paper says that few wartime rape survivors in Kosovo have spoken out about what they went through because of the social stigma around sexual abuse that remains hard to break.

In Brazil, actions threatening the Amazon rainforest contradict President Lula's environmental promises. The Conversation writes about Brazil's "bill of devastation" that's pushing the Amazon towards a tipping point in terms of temperature and longer dry seasons. The bill has Lula’s implicit approval, despite his climate ambitions. The bill is said to relieve "low-impact projects" of unnecessary bureaucracy. But the paper says it will allow the state to attract investment by loosening environmental restrictions. Another project is also putting the iconic river in danger. French left-wing L’Humanité reports that Brazil is auctioning off oil and gas concessions "to the delight of the oil and gas industry". The concessions will be around the mouth of the Amazon River. Environmentalists believe that Brazil's credibility on climate issues has been seriously damaged and that Lula is betting on oil and gas expansion to stimulate economic growth.

Finally, Brad Pitt has been working on a new film with a straightforward title: "F1: The Movie". The Telegraph calls it Pitt's new "spectacular racing drama" that's like "Barbie for dads". Pitt's pre-premiere fashion is also dividing the papers The Times calls it "Brad's midlife crisis wardrobe" and according to Harper's Bazaar, he has unleashed his "inner fashion guy" with his latest outfits – velvet blue vest, an all-yellow fit and a tie-dye ensemble. 

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, June 17: We start with a look at the global headlines discussing the Israel-Iran war. Next, we turn to analysis pieces discussing Trump's motives for (non)intervention in Iran. Meanwhile, the Trump family has a new venture: a golden smartphone "built in the US". Finally, a 135-year-old tortoise reaches a new personal milestone.

For a fifth day in a row, the war between Israel and Iran is dominating global headlines. Iranian daily The Tehran Times reports on the attacks on Iran's state TV. Journalists there say they aren't "giving up". The Israeli right-wing daily The Jerusalem Post focuses on the Israeli Defence Forces' military gains: 80 to 90 percent of the Iranian missiles have been intercepted, according to the paper. The paper also says that Israel destroyed a third of Iran's ballistic missile launchers. French left-wing daily Le Monde reports that Iran was "hit from all sides and threatened with chaos". The left-wing British daily Morning Star headlines with "NO RESPITE". The paper says that the conflict shows no signs of slowing down. The Financial Times writes that Israel claims "control" of the skies of Tehran. It says that so far, the conflict has cost more than 260 lives. 

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is trying to position himself as a peacemaker in the new war. Al Jazeera writes that Trump's cabinet is "less hawkish" on Iran. The paper says that the US president has surrounded himself with supporters "possibly influencing his appetite for war" or his lack thereof. Al Jazeera writes that Trump’s actions will reveal how the US president responds to the "deep ideological rift" within his Republican supporters. On the one hand are his "America First" supporters, who prioritise domestic policy and non-intervention. On the other are those who are more eager to pursue military intervention to force regime change abroad. The New York Times calls Trump's choice to intervene or not a "last-chance diplomacy or a bunker-busting bomb". The paper says that if Trump decides to get involved in the war, this will imperil any chance of a nuclear disarmament deal. The Times says that only America’s "bunker buster" bomb can reach the nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow that Israel is trying to destroy. Launching it, however, would of course mean US involvement in the war. British daily The Guardian reports that a Democratic senator, Tim Kaine, has proposed to prohibit US forces from taking action against Iran without approval from Congress, in an effort to curb Trump's war powers.

Staying with Trump, it seems that his family has another business venture on the way: this time, a mobile phone company. It's called "Trump Mobile" – a wireless service offer paired with a gold smartphone, as the Associated Press reports. The Trump company promises to have the phones ready by the summer. Trump's son Eric says that it’s all about being patriotic, emphasising that the phones will the built in the US in the future. But The Wall Street Journal is sceptical, saying the phone cannot be made in the US for its announced price of $499 by August. The paper says that supply chain experts agree that because of Trump’s tariffs, the US would need years and billions of dollars to establish factories that produce phone parts like those in China, and even if that's possible, the price would be many times higher than that of an iPhone, for instance. The tech magazine Wired has "9 urgent questions about Trump Mobile" – from privacy concerns to confusing promises. The final urgent question is "can you get a refund?"... and no, "you absolutely cannot", says the magazine that consulted Trump Mobile's terms of use. 

Finally, a zoo in Miami is celebrating the world’s oldest tortoise dad! He is 135 years old as he was born at the end of the 19th century. Goliath has gone through 25 American presidencies and two World Wars. He has now reached a new milestone – fatherhood – after unsuccessfully trying a couple of times before. Yogether with his girlfriend Sweet Pea – aged between 85 and 100 years old – they are the world's oldest tortoise parents. The Times reports that the couple is doing well after the birth, sharing a photo of the proud dad.

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, June 16: The conflict between Iran and Israel features on many front pages and is widely debated in the inside pages. Also, the controversial FIFA Club World Cup continues to make headlines, but perhaps not for the right reasons. Next, MI6 appoints a female head for the first time in 116 years. Finally, German soldiers get a telling-off for causing "romantic strife".

The conflict between Israel and Iran continues to rage on, and features on many front pages this Monday morning. The Jerusalem Post leads with a photo of the destruction following a strike in the residential neighbourhood of Bat Yam. Iran Daily has photos of the aftermath of an Iranian strike on an Israeli power station in Haifa. Tehran Times, meanwhile, highlights the civilian victims of Israel's latest strikes on Iran. The Lebanese paper L'Orient-Le Jour points the finger at US President Donald Trump. French daily Libération says it is a "dynamic of the worst", saying it is in the interest of both parties to continue the conflict in order to stay in power. L'Humanité takes a clear stance on its front page, calling the conflict Benjamin Netanyahu's war without limits.

The Guardian has an opinion piece by Simon Tisdall. He says that the behaviour of the three leaders involved in the war – Trump, Netanyahu and Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei – raises serious doubts about their judgment, common sense, motives and even their sanity. The New York Times, meanwhile, says that diplomacy with Iran is damaged but not dead. Foreign Policy discusses how the war might end. It says that darker scenarios are most likely, including a potential regional war.

The past weekend has been a busy one for football fans after the launch of FIFA's controversial Club World Cup. The tournament is making headlines, but not for the best reasons. The Telegraph headlines with "Bayern thrash team of forklift drivers and fizzy drinks salesmen 10:0 in FIFA farce". Meanwhile, The Times reports that the Professional Footballers Association has joined a legal action against FIFA for abuse of power.

In the UK, the Financial Times reports that Britain's foreign intelligence agency MI6 has appointed its first woman leader – a first in the organisation's 116-year history. Meanwhile in Germany, soldiers can now be punished for having an affair with each other's spouses because of the "danger of romantic strife eroding morale", as The Times reports.

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, June 13: Iranian state media say Tehran will punish the "Zionist regime" after massive Israeli strikes on nuclear sites and military commanders in Iran. Meanwhile, the Israeli press say Tel Aviv struck because a "point of no return" was reached over Iran's nuclear programme. We also look at reactions from the international press, with French daily Le Figaro calling the strikes a "bitter setback" for US President Donald Trump. 

Iran's state-controlled channel Press TV confirms that commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, including senior general Hossein Salami and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, have been "martyred". Press TV quotes the leader of the Islamic revolution in Iran, who says that the "Zionist regime has prepared a bitter and painful fate for itself", adding that Iran's defence ministry is "fully ready" to punish Israel severely. Press TV is actively tweeting too, claiming that Iranian civilian neighbourhoods and residential buildings in Tehran have been targeted. The news channel reports that in the Narmak neighbourhood of Tehran, five people were killed and 20 injured. 

The Israeli press is also reacting. Left-wing daily Haaretz writes that Israel launched "pre-emptive strikes" and is preparing for retaliation from Iran. The paper says that although various reports state that the United States formally expressed its opposition to the attacks, it remains unclear whether the US offered to share intelligence or aerial refuelling capacity. The paper says this option would allow the White House to participate "while maintaining some sort of plausible deniability". The editor-in-chief of the right-wing Jerusalem Post quotes the IDF's chief of staff, who says the strikes were launched because Israel reached "a point of no return". "History taught us: when faced with threats to destroy us, we must never bow our heads." In an analysis piece, The Jerusalem Post writes that Israel struck because Iran's nuclear ambitions "are no longer hypothetical". The paper says that intelligence showed that Iran had enriched enough uranium to produce some 15 nuclear warheads and was actively conducting nuclear tests. 

Finally, we turn to reactions from the international press. The New York Times writes that Israel's attack aims to "cripple" Iran's nuclear programme. The paper says that the major attack could escalate into a war involving the most powerful militaries in the Middle East. Al Jazeera calls it a "major strike". American broadcaster NBC News highlights the fact that the strikes were conducted without US involvement. French right-wing Le Figaro says that the Israeli strikes are a "bitter setback for Trump", who claims to be a "peacemaker". The paper writes that the US president asked Israel to choose diplomacy and not attack Iran, but only a few hours later, the strikes began. The Wall Street Journal reports that oil prices rose by more than 8 percent after Israel's attack, reaching their highest level since February. It adds that the rise shows that traders don't think the US will lift restrictions on Iranian barrels. 

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, June 12: In Syria, women are now obliged to wear fully-covering burkinis to the beach. Also, there's "simmering discontent" about Syria's Committee for Civil Peace. A new post-Brexit deal is agreed between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar. In France, a duo that faked 18th-century furniture is found guilty of forgery. Finally, designer dogs might not be as cute as they seem.

In Syria, women are now obliged to wear burkinis to public beaches. Burkinis are garments that cover the whole body, head to toe. British daily The Times writes that "Liberals fear setback" after the new regulation. This would mean Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa imposing a strict interpretation of Islam in the country, The Times says. The former al Qaeda commander toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December, promising that "Syria will not deeply intrude on personal freedoms" – a promise met with scepticism, the paper writes. 

Elsewhere in Syria, discontent is simmering among some supporters of the uprising against the country's ousted dictator. The New York Times writes about Syria's Committee for Civil Peace – a newly founded group cooperating with former Assad supporters to "restore calm". But supporters of the uprising against Assad regime accuse the new leaders of not holding the old regime to account. One source told The New York Times that many of them were hoping for "punishment of those who committed war crimes". The committee, however, says it's working to de-escalate tensions with Syria's minorities. But instead, the paper says it re-opens a simmering dilemma – "how to achieve justice and reconciliation in a population that endured decades of violent repression".

Next, a post-Brexit deal has been reached over the future of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The British daily The Guardian writes that the deal between the UK and Spain is historic. Gibraltar is a disputed territory, located at the bottom of Spain. The new deal will make travel across the border with Spain much easier, with no land border checks. That’s good news for the 15,000 people who cross the border every day. Many of them live in Spain but work in Gibraltar. The Times of London asks whether the deal is a "post-Brexit success", four years in the making. It could repair rocky relations, says the article, but it will be "closely scrutinised by Eurosceptics". Spanish daily El Periodico writes that "on paper" the deal puts an end to old disputes. With the fence finally demolished, Gibraltar will be more part of Spain and its territory will be "less alien" to Spanish people. It calls the deal a "moral victory" for Spain and a "concession" from the British side. De facto sovereignty, however, remains British, the paper reminds us. 

In France, a multimillion-euro furniture scam has been punished. The Guardian headlines "French furniture expert and restorer guilty of fake 18th-century chair scam". The two men faked furniture, including chairs, and claimed they were used by historic figures like Marie Antoinette before selling them for huge sums. The Guardian calls it "one of the biggest forgery scandals to hit the French art world for decades". The two men scammed a Qatari prince and – most notably – the Palace of Versailles. French daily Le Télégramme writes that the "two genius forgers were convicted". Bill Pallot, the art expert in question, was sentenced to four years in prison, mostly suspended, and will have to pay a €200,000 fine. During the trial, he said: "We thought we'd do it for fun, to see if the art market could see (...). It went like clockwork". In its headline, Le Parisien uses his nickname - "le Père la chaise" - a wordplay on the famous Parisian cemetery. The nickname literally means "the father chair" or the father of chairs. Pallot got that nickname after writing a book about seats and chairs of the 18th century. That's where he got his chair expertise from, before committing the scam. 

Finally, designer dogs aren't as great as they seem, according to a new study. British daily The Telegraph says that researchers found that some popular dog breeds such as miniature poodles are more likely to experience acute diarrhoea. All designer dogs are in fact 34 percent more likely to have this issue, according to the study.  

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.