The week in pictures: War in the Middle East, Trump’s State of the Union address and New York snow

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Asia / Pacific

From the US-Israeli strikes on Iran to clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, FRANCE 24 looks back at the week's most striking images.

Issued on: 01/03/2026 - 17:55

2 min Reading time

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:388/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:720/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:1024/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.webp 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px"> <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="auto" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:1024/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:388/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:720/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b1fa577a-158d-11f1-9004-005056bf30b7/w:1024/p:16x9/000-999Y46H.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px" width="1024" height="576" alt="A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026" loading="eager" class="a-img "/> A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. © Atta Kenare, AFP

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:246/000-99E34PD.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:388/000-99E34PD.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:720/000-99E34PD.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:980/000-99E34PD.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:980/000-99E34PD.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:246/000-99E34PD.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:388/000-99E34PD.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:720/000-99E34PD.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/248c0c7a-154d-11f1-950c-005056a97e36/w:980/000-99E34PD.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A man holds up an Iranian pre-1979 Islamic Revolution flag and a sign reading "Khamenei is dead!" during a rally expressing support for US and Israeli military action against Iran." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A man holds up an Iranian pre-1979 Islamic Revolution flag and a sign reading "Khamenei is dead!" during a rally expressing support for US and Israeli military action against Iran's Islamic Republic government on February 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. © Elijah Nouvelage, AFP

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:246/AP26056097537626.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:388/AP26056097537626.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:720/AP26056097537626.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:980/AP26056097537626.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:980/AP26056097537626.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:246/AP26056097537626.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:388/AP26056097537626.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:720/AP26056097537626.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15ad7034-13bf-11f1-9353-005056bf30b7/w:980/AP26056097537626.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, February 24, 2026." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, February 24, 2026. © Kenny Holston, AP

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:246/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:388/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:720/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:980/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:980/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:246/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:388/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:720/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c36da230-1193-11f1-8f2c-005056a90284/w:980/2026-02-24T141412Z-1832341408-RC28SJAW2EVJ-RTRMADP-3-UKRAINE-CRISIS-ANNIVERSARY.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A cemetery in Chernihiv, Ukraine, on February 24, 2026, four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine." style="max-height:573px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A cemetery in Chernihiv, Ukraine, on February 24, 2026, four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. © Maksym Kishka, Reuters

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP26058270694882.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP26058270694882.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP26058270694882.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26058270694882.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26058270694882.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP26058270694882.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP26058270694882.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP26058270694882.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/8503f764-13bf-11f1-b820-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26058270694882.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Afghan Taliban soldiers look toward the Pakistani side, with one peering through the sight of his rifle, on the Afghan side of the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan in Torkham, Afghanistan." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Afghan Taliban soldiers look toward the Pakistani side, with one peering through the sight of his rifle, on the Afghan side of the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan in Torkham, Afghanistan, February 27, 2026. © Wahidullah Kakar, AP

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:246/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:388/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:720/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:980/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:980/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:246/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:388/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:720/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/2812381c-13c0-11f1-b0c0-005056bfb2b6/w:980/2026-02-26T230717Z-1912550586-RC2XTJAM81WE-RTRMADP-3-USA-TRUMP-EPSTEIN-CLINTON.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton speaks to the members of the media, on the day she appeared for a deposition in the House Oversight Committee investigation of late Jeffrey Epstein" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton speaks to the members of the media, on the day she appeared for a deposition in the House Oversight Committee investigation of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in New York, US, February 26, 2026. © Shannon Stapleton, Reuters

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:246/AP26056506511443.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:388/AP26056506511443.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:720/AP26056506511443.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:980/AP26056506511443.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:980/AP26056506511443.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:246/AP26056506511443.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:388/AP26056506511443.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:720/AP26056506511443.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/e5321086-1260-11f1-8fb6-005056a97e36/w:980/AP26056506511443.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A man walks his dogs on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, February 25, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A man walks his dogs on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, February 25, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. © Yuki Iwamura, AP

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP26057641991476.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP26057641991476.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP26057641991476.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26057641991476.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26057641991476.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP26057641991476.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP26057641991476.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP26057641991476.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/27350ee4-13be-11f1-9cbc-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP26057641991476.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Palestinians gather for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City, February 26, 2026." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Palestinians gather for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City, February 26, 2026. © Abdel Kareem Hana, AP

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<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:246/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:388/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:720/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:980/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" decoding="async" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:980/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:246/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:388/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:720/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c53f4f24-13c2-11f1-afbc-005056bf30b7/w:980/2026-02-23T170602Z-1485530800-RC2JRJAZLJL5-RTRMADP-3-MEXICO-VIOLENCE-MENCHO.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A newspaper seller arranges newspapers reporting the wave of violence in Mexico, following the killing of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho', in a military operation, in Mexico City, Mex" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A newspaper seller arranges newspapers reporting the wave of violence in Mexico, following the killing of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho', in a military operation, in Mexico City, Mexico, February 23, 2026. © Quetzalli Nicte-Ha, Reuters