European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will step down from her post several months early, in order to have more "freedom to engage on matters that are not monetary policy." The comments will fuel speculation about her future plans, ahead of a presidential election in her native France. The resignation also sparks a succession race, as Europe faces a turbulent fiscal future. Also in the show - oil giant TotalEnergies reports record profits as the EU warns on household energy bills.

The British actor Patrick Stewart has died at 86, a statement released on Thursday said. Stewart was an acclaimed actor in Britain with the Royal Shakespeare Company before he starred in the beloved sci-fi TV show "Star Trek" in the 80s and later in the "X-Men" franchise.

François Picard is pleased to welcome Dr Joseph Downing, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at Aston University. In modern France, the politics of insecurity increasingly extends beyond questions of crime and public order to encompass deeper struggles over national identity, disappearance of the political centre and erosion of democratic values. The emergence of far-right extremist violence, alongside the persistent stigmatization of ethnically diverse working-class suburbs, raises urgent questions about the relationship between fiery and divisive political rhetoric and far-right radicalization. Downing examines these interrelated challenges against the backdrop of a deadly shooting in the Paris suburbs, allegedly motivated by racist and anti-Muslim hostility.

François Picard is pleased to welcome Dr Joseph Downing, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at Aston University. In modern France, the politics of insecurity increasingly extends beyond questions of crime and public order to encompass deeper struggles over national identity, disappearance of the political centre and erosion of democratic values. The emergence of far-right extremist violence, alongside the persistent stigmatization of ethnically diverse working-class suburbs, raises urgent questions about the relationship between political rhetoric, radicalization and the erosion of democratic moderation. Downing examines these interrelated challenges against the backdrop of a deadly shooting in the Paris suburbs, allegedly motivated by racist and anti-Muslim hostility. For Downing, the attack illustrates a broader shift in Europe's extremist landscape, in which the rise of far-right political violence demands greater public and institutional attention: "This is really one of the first and one of the most serious right-wing nationalist, nativist-inspired terror attacks that you see in France." Yet Downing's analysis reaches beyond the horrific attack. He challenges the political representation of France's working-class suburbs as centres of Islamist radicalism, describing such portrayals as a divisive rhetorical strategy that stigmatizes communities whose residents are overwhelmingly engaged in ordinary civic and economic life. His central political concern is the weakening of the democratic centre. Amid rising living costs, social insecurity and the circulation of polarizing identity narratives through digital media, he argues that political movements on the ideological fringes gain an advantage by offering apparently simplistic, and often divisive solutions, to deeply complex problems. "The centre of politics in France, as in many other democracies, is struggling to hold." Perhaps most revealingly, Downing identifies the deliberate or careless conflation of racial identity, migration status and religious extremism as a particularly damaging feature of contemporary political discourse. By treating French citizens of African or Arab heritage as perpetual outsiders, political commentators risk reinforcing the very divisions that undermine national cohesion. The interview therefore opens onto a wider question at the heart of contemporary democratic politics: what happens when narratives of national insecurity become more politically influential than the social realities they claim to describe? Downing's reflections illuminate not only the challenges facing France but also the wider vulnerabilities of democratic societies confronting political polarization, economic anxiety and the normalization of exclusionary rhetoric.

What in the name of political free speech is off limits? Can you say whatever you want on the campaign trail, no matter how false or racist it is?

A man suspected of a gun attack in the Paris suburbs last week, killing one person and wounding seven including a child, has admitted to "targeting individuals who appeared to be Muslim, African, or North African," prosecutors said on Thursday. The attack came amid an increasingly tense political climate, with just six months to go before next spring's presidential election. 

As France continues to pick up the pieces after riots and looting broke out on the fringes of nationwide peaceful demonstrations on October 17, the government is pushing forward a bill that would make protesters have to pay up to €10,000 in reparations for damage caused during public unrest – even if they were not directly responsible for the vandalism.

Erin Ogunkeye welcomes Lt. General (ret.) Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army Europe and NATO Allied Land Command. The dismissal of senior military officers without public explanation raises fundamental questions about institutional trust and the relationship between civilian authority and military leadership. For General Hodges, the reported firing of Lt. General Brett Sylvia reflects a potentially troubling pattern within the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Equally striking is his criticism of the reluctance of retired senior commanders to speak publicly against policies they consider damaging. Hodges said he was "disappointed and surprised" by the limited public resistance among former four-star generals.

Following Spain's deadly high-speed train crash, Delano D'Souza is joined by Francisco Badea, Director of FEM Expert Engineering, Railway Structural & PRM Certification Expert. Batea challenges explanations that reduce railway disasters to isolated human mistakes. “It is basically an absurdity to say that it depended on one person and one human mistake,” he argues, emphasizing that modern railway networks operate through multiple layers of protection, including automated safeguards, train-detection technologies, operational protocols and institutional oversight. “The system has been designed in a way that this type of accident should never happen.”

Medical staff and residents at a treatment centre in Ituri danced and sang to celebrate a first since May: the centre is no longer treating any confirmed Ebola cases.

They have left everything behind to get away from US President Donald Trump's America. Entrepreneurs, academics, scientists and students: tens of thousands of US citizens have moved to Ireland in recent years. Last year alone, some 10,000 Americans settled there and nearly 100 even applied for asylum – citing political, racial or gender persecution.

Booker Prize-winning author Ian McEwan sits down with Olivia Salazar-Winspear to discuss the 22nd century society he created in "What We Can Know", as his latest novel is translated into French. While his characters grapple with the aftermath of the great "derangement", in a world where many of the 21st century's capital cities have been submerged, we discuss our upcoming reckoning with the climate crisis. 

The Brazilian election results had barely been announced before the defeated presidential candidate, Flavio Bolsonaro, packed his bags and fled with his family to the United States. The move may have dealt a serious blow to the already tarnished family brand, but does it spell the end for “Bolsonarism”?

A humanitarian aid mission is set to enter the Ukrainian town of Oleshky, a Ukrainian official said on Thuirsday, as a localised truce between Kyiv and Moscow, brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, held for a third day. Some 2,000 residents in the Russian occupied city have been cut off from essential supplies amid reports that many are starving.

The economy is the number one issue for most American voters, as they worry about high food and energy costs. But can the results of November's midterm elections really impact the cost-of-living crisis? "There isn't a ton that anyone can do about it, regardless of who wins the midterms," says Greg Ip, chief economics commentator at The Wall Street Journal.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived at Toledo University Hospital on Thursday to visit those injured in the train accident in Urda – in which at least 69 people died – who are being treated at this hospital, 15 of whom are in the ICU. The King and Queen will meet with the medical team and subsequently visit several of the injured, who will be accompanied by their families. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from oledo University Hospital.

Tens of thousands of US citizens have fled the United States since Donald Trump's return to power two years ago. Given the language and a shared history, Ireland has been among the top choices for Americans looking for an alternative. FRANCE 24's team reports.

The United States has fired its top military planner, The Atlantic reported Wednesday, in a surprise shake-up as President Donald Trump appears to be preparing to resume large-scale strikes against Iran. Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was removed this week from his role as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His ouster would be the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the military since Trump returned to power a year ago.

India's food industry feeds more than a billion people every day. But ensuring that what reaches consumers is safe has become an increasingly difficult challenge. The country has witnessed a rise in cases of food adulteration, with sometimes fatal consequences. As concerns over adulteration and poor hygiene grow, questions are being raised about whether regulators can effectively oversee such a sprawling sector.

In the United States, Democrats are turning to Barack Obama to rally voters ahead of the midterm elections, a crucial test that could shape the remainder of Donald Trump's presidency. The former president has addressed three campaign rallies this week, with the latest one in Atlanta, Georgia. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Angela Diffley has more.