The Debate

Unbreakable Kim? China's Xi visits Russia-backed North Korean leader

It takes convincing these days to get China's leader to go abroad. Xi Jinping has just wrapped up what was only his first foreign visit of 2026. Why Pyongyang? It's hard to deduce from official readouts of that two-day state visit to neighbouring North Korea. Was it politeness after a pair of visits by Kim Jong Un to Beijing? Celebrations of the 65th anniversary of their mutual defence pact? Or is it those ever closer ties between North Korea [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/north-korea/] and Russia [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/russia/]? Moscow's help in exchange for support in the war against Ukraine [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/ukraine/] has been followed up by North Korea's boast of plans to "exponentially" ramp up its nuclear arsenal. We ask about what was unsaid during Xi [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/xi-jinping/]'s visit to Pyongyang and whether those claims of a construction boom and growth inside one of the world's most reclusive states are true. For instance, is North Korea serious when it talks of developing a tourist industry? And if that growth is for real, how's China [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/china/] taking the news? Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

Who calls the shots? Trump tries to rein in Netanyahu, salvage Iran deal

The US president believed those who insisted he could wrap up hostilities by the end of March, long before the November midterms. If not, the off-ramp would be easy to find. But did Donald Trump factor in that his main ally in the war against Iran was also gearing up for a campaign? That's right: Benjamin Netanyahu is running for re-election. This past weekend, Israel [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/israel/]'s prime minister ignored the US president and did what most of his constituents want, bombing both Beirut and Iran. Trump could easily cut off Israel for ignoring him, but does he even dare, what with a coalition of Evangelicals [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/evangelicals/] and pro-Israel lobbyists so embedded with the Republican establishment that supports him? Read moreIran launches missiles at Israel in first bombardment since fragile ceasefire [https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260607-iran-launches-missiles-at-israel-in-first-bombardment-since-fragile-ceasefire] We ask about Trump [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/donald-trump/]'s options and the fading hope of all those investors and world leaders, who hope that if they just close their eyes long enough, good business sense will prevail and the Strait of Hormuz [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/strait-of-hormuz/] will return to the free-flowing passage it was before February 28. With hardliners in both Israel and Iran [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/iran/] finding that war is the best insurance policy for their political survival, how does Washington secure a deal that guarantees closure? Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

Cancer breakthroughs: Does a string of advances signal turning point?

It’s not every day that a standing ovation at a medical conference goes viral. Dateline: Chicago, at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Doctors from around the world rose to their feet to applaud the announcement of a new pill that doubles survival time for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease. The conference also brought major advances in breast, bladder and head and neck cancers, among others. So why are breakthroughs coming so quickly? Is it the same wave of innovation that delivered Covid vaccines in record time? The growing use of artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated data science? Or a political determination to intensify the fight against diseases that affect an ever-growing share of the population? That broader question inevitably leads to prevention. We'll examine access to screening, lifestyle choices and a factor that often receives far less attention than it deserves: environmental exposure. From air pollution to industrial chemicals, many cancer risks lie beyond the control of any one individual. Case in point: the bill passed on Wednesday by the French Parliament to reduce cadmium levels in fertilisers and food. Lawmakers backed stricter measures than those proposed by the government, which has faced pressure from France's powerful agricultural lobby. The dangers of tobacco and alcohol are well known. But how many of the cancers we develop are shaped not only by personal choices, but also by political decisions and commercial interests?   Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

Can Europe own its digital destiny? EU unveils tech sovereignty roadmap

The list is long: strategic sectors in which Europe is rarely master of its own destiny – energy, manufacturing, even its nuclear deterrence. But what about digital? Who even owns the personal data of Europe's citizens? The European Commission is unveiling its tech sovereignty roadmap this Wednesday. At the dawn of the artificial intelligence revolution, as investors around the world anticipate record-breaking stock market debuts by Silicon Valley giants this month, and as the US president tightens controls on exports of sensitive AI technologies, how can this old continent scale up and compete? Should it build its own chips, store its own data, and train its workforce to adapt to the massive labour-market disruption already underway? Is it too late? Have the United States and China already won the race? And how can Europe achieve sovereignty while preserving what is arguably the EU's greatest strength: its rules-based order?   Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

The Macron method: How to deal with Putin's Russia?

Here's one for free speech absolutists to chew on: What should the French government do when the former head of Russian state television's French-language channel is offered a place of rank on an all-news station with a free-to-air broadcast license and she touts Kremlin propaganda lines with little or no pushback or fact-checking? Introducing Xenia Fedorova, who's just had her 10-year residency permit approved and who's become the darling of far-right shipping magnate-turned-media mogul Vincent Bolloré, the same Bolloré who’s swooped for French TV, radio, print and publishing outlets. Read moreFormer RT France chief Xenia Fedorova fuels concerns over pro-Kremlin influence in French media [https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260529-former-rt-france-chief-xenia-fedorova-fuels-concerns-over-pro-kremlin-influence-in-french-media] How much of what Fedorova says is opinion and how much is disinformation? How much can one billionaire's personal views shape French public opinion ahead of a presidential poll next year where the pro-Putin, pro-Trump far right [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/far-right/] holds the early lead? Contrast that with current state policy. On Sunday, France [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/france/] seized another sanctioned Russian tanker with UK [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/united-kingdom/] support. In the face of repeated Russia-linked aggressions big and small, Emmanuel Macron [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/emmanuel-macron/] and Keir Starmer [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/keir-starmer/] have doubled down in their support for Ukraine [https://www.france24.com/en/tag/ukraine/]. How much can and should Europeans push back? Read moreFrance backed by Britain intercepts sanctioned oil tanker sailing from Russia [https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260601-france-and-allies-intercept-sanctioned-russian-oil-tanker-in-atlantic] Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.