François Picard is pleased to welcome Thibault Muzergues, political director for Shared Ground and author of "The Woke Right". France enters the final 300 days before its presidential election amid a politically combustible convergence of judicial investigations, institutional distrust and an increasingly fragmented party system. Muzergues argues that while allegations surrounding the far-right National Rally party raise legitimate legal questions, they also expose broader tensions between law, democracy and political legitimacy.

Read moreFrance's National Rally targeted as part of Europe-wide raids over alleged far-right embezzlement

Our guest rejects simplistic narratives of either persecution or impunity. Instead, he contends that the deeper story in France lies in the interaction between increasingly complex institutions, a transformed electoral landscape organised around three competing blocs (liberal, nationalist, new left) and a public mood that favours political outsiders over traditional liberal parties.

Far from seeing judicial affairs as likely to reshape electoral outcomes, Muzergues suggests that campaign dynamics, leadership and voter enthusiasm will ultimately prove more decisive than courtroom verdicts.

In this edition, FRANCE 24's François Picard talks with Dr. Gershon Baskin, Middle East Director of the International Communities Organisation and former hostage negotiator. One thousand days after the outbreak of the Gaza war, Gershon Baskin shares a stark assessment of Israel's political and strategic trajectory. Rather than framing the anniversary solely as a military milestone, he argues that it represents a profound failure of political leadership, strategic planning and institutional accountability.

Baskin's analysis moves beyond battlefield developments to examine the deeper dynamics shaping the conflict: the absence of a national inquiry into October 7, the growing disconnect between military operations and political objectives, the psychological distance separating Israelis and Palestinians and the failure of Israeli politics to seriously confront the Palestinian question.

He also advances an explicitly strategic – rather than purely moral – argument for peace: Israel's long-term security and Palestinian freedom are mutually dependent. An emerging regional economic agenda, backed by Gulf states and potentially driven by an influential American administration, could create a rare opening for a negotiated two-state settlement, he adds. Whether one agrees with his conclusions or not, he offers a comprehensive critique of prevailing assumptions and a vision that reframes peace as a geopolitical necessity.

François Picard is pleased to welcome Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In this wide-ranging interview, Türk presents a coherent vision of human rights as the essential framework through which to understand some of the defining global challenges of the 21st century. Rather than treating migration, climate change, nationality, international law and institutional governance as separate policy questions, Türk argues that they are deeply interconnected manifestations of a broader crisis of solidarity, legality and political responsibility.

The UN human rights chief consistently shifts the discussion away from short-term political pressures and towards universal principles grounded in international law, empirical evidence and shared humanity.

Whether discussing anti-immigrant sentiment, the treatment of asylum seekers, climate responsibility or the weakening of multilateral institutions, Türk returns to a recurring proposition: societies become more stable, not less, when they resist dehumanisation and uphold universal rights.

At the same time, he warns that political polarisation, environmental degradation and the erosion of international institutions risk undermining the very legal and moral architecture designed to protect future generations.

Mali's military junta is facing one of its most serious security challenges in months. A wave of coordinated attacks by the jihadist group JNIM and its Tuareg ally, the FLA, has targeted army positions across the north of the country, raising fresh questions about the government's ability to contain the insurgency.

The armed groups have been seeking to expand their control since capturing the northern city of Kidal in May. There are also reports that they have overrun military positions in Gao, despite the backing of Russian fighters supporting the Malian armed forces.

The latest offensive comes as the junta in Mali appears increasingly under pressure, with concerns growing over the security of the capital, Bamako, and the nearby military stronghold of Kati. Analyst Beverley Ochieng gives some perspective on the situation in this edition.

As French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman amid efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, François Picard speaks to Dawud Al Ansari, a geopolitics and energy analyst. Meanwhile, diplomacy in the Gulf is once again being tested by renewed military tensions. Al Ansari offers a nuanced assessment from an Omani perspective, arguing that the country is playing an increasingly valuable strategic role.

Rather than portraying the Sultanate as simply another Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) monarchy, Al Ansari contends that this small but influential nation has deliberately cultivated its influence through neutrality, mediation and pragmatic diplomacy. While regional security remains fragile despite recent agreements, he argues that Oman will continue to prioritise stability, free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and dialogue between regional adversaries.

He also places France's recent engagement within a broader geopolitical context. The Elysée’s diplomatic and economic initiatives reflect a wider strategic interest in reducing regional instability that carries significant consequences for global energy markets and European economies. At the same time, Oman faces pressing domestic challenges. In particular, the country must diversify its economy and create opportunities for a predominantly young population, making international partnerships increasingly important.

Al Ansari also notes that geopolitical leverage is never static. While Iran has demonstrated its ability to use the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic instrument, the analyst contends that the power of the lever is likely to diminish over time as neighbouring states invest in alternative trade routes and infrastructure. The discussion ultimately presents Gulf geopolitics not as a fixed balance of power, but as an evolving landscape shaped by diplomacy, economics and long-term strategic adaptation.

The images emerging from Tehran are striking. Tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black have gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla for the funeral and lying in state of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his assassination on February 28, the first day of joint US-Israeli strikes on the Iranian capital.

The images emerging from Tehran are striking. Tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black have gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla for the funeral and lying in state of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his assassination on February 28, the first day of joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

State television has broadcast scenes of mass mourning throughout the week: worshippers filing past the late Supreme Leader's coffin, emotional prayers, and crowds chanting calls for revenge. In a rare move, a limited number of Western media outlets have been permitted to film the ceremonies, offering the outside world a glimpse of a carefully choreographed display of national mourning.

The week-long commemorations have prompted intense debate among analysts. For some, the unprecedented public turnout reflects genuine grief and uncertainty over Iran's future. For others, the ceremonies represent a calculated projection of strength by a regime determined to demonstrate continuity and resilience despite an extraordinary crisis.

Questions also remain over the country's political succession. Mojtaba Khamenei, widely viewed by some observers as a potential successor to his father, has yet to appear publicly. However, three of his brothers attended the funeral ceremonies, alongside relatives mourning members of the Khamenei family reportedly killed in the February 28 attack, including the Ayatollah's wife, eldest daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and three-year-old granddaughter.

To examine what these scenes reveal about the state of the Islamic Republic, and what they could mean for Iran's political future, Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American journalist, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, and host of the Iran Podcast joins this edition of Spotlight.

The heatwave that's seen much of northern Europe melting in the past week is moving eastwards, with Germany and Hungary reaching or exceeding 40°C in the past 24 hours.

Here in France, residents finally saw a break from baking temperatures and the tropical nights with the cooler Atlantic air coming in from the west.

And a momentous moment: a barrage of lightning flashes and storms for more than an hour on Saturday night. Tables were sent flying from the terraces of restaurants, plates and food with it, crashing to the floor with people running inside to take cover and watch.

In a viral moment, the Eiffel Tower was struck by lightning.

The episode left some wondering why lightning doesn't damage the Eiffel Tower, if it is safe for people to be within the tower, on the observation deck, or even in the restaurants with the ongoing tempest. It turns out the Eiffel Tower is struck several times a year by lightning. Completed in 1889, as the centre piece of the World Fair in Paris, Gustave Eiffel designed the tower not only as a spectacle and to withstand lightning, but to act as a scientific data station.

Michael Troubat is the President of France Paratonnerres, the company that handles lightning protection for the Eiffel Tower, and tells us more in this edition.

We’re also joined by Marie Segura, the co-founder of My Private Paris, who does curated luxury tours of the capital.

Armenia sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In contrast to much of the European Union where the drag scene is mainstream, it remains underground in Armenia. Performers face stigma, police pressure, threats of violence, and rejection by their own families.

Despite all this, drag queens have built a vibrant, bustling community that has attracted both local Armenians and international crowds. They make up a passionate and determined microculture challenging ultraconservative norms. And this avant-garde scene is, in turn, being influenced by Armenia’s evolving political landscape.

As Yerevan strengthens ties with the EU and distances itself from Moscow, conservative Christian country has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Russians fleeing the war in Ukraine – reshaping Armenian society in unexpected ways.

Renée Bertini and Kal Berjikian from ENTR as well as FRANCE 24's François Picard take us inside this hidden microculture in an upcoming documentary, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center.