The World This Week

This week has seen an assassination attempt on populist Slovakian Prime Minister Fico and the passing of the 'Foreign agents' law in Georgia despite mass protests. We look at the advances that Russia is making in Ukraine and the worst violence sweeping New Caledonia in 40 years. Assassination attempt on Slovakian PM Fico The Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is in serious condition in hospital after being shot several times in an assassination attempt Wednesday. We look at hate speech, division and disinformation in the country that many Slovaks say is more polarised than ever. Georgia passes 'foreign agents' law despite pro-EU protest It’s been a week that’s seen the clash of two Georgian dreams. Tens of thousands of pro-EU protestors demonstrated on the streets outside parliament, while MPs from the ruling party – the Georgian Dream – passes a so-called Foreign Agents Act that critics say is a cut-and-paste replica of a draconian Russian law. Russia making advances in Ukrain Some one and a half thousand kilometres across the Black Sea from Georgia is Ukraine, where Russian forces made the largest territorial gain in a single operation since December 2022, according to local reports. Violence in New Caledonia It’s also been a week that’s seen France declare a state of emergency in the overseas territory of New Caledonia, after the worst violence in forty years swept the pacific island. Five people, including two police officers were killed in riots, triggered by changes to voting rights that the local population say will dilute their political influence.

It’s been a week that’s seen intense strain on the US-Israel relationship. President Joe Biden has issued an ultimatum to Washington's strategic ally in the Middle East - if IDF troops storm Rafah, key weapon supplies will stop. It’s been a week of walks in the Pyrenees and a stop at the Shepard's Stop Cafe, as Emmanuel Macron wined and dined China's leader Xi Jinping on a rare grand tour of Europe. History is at a turning point, said the French president, who hopes personal diplomacy can make a difference to tense relations. Finally, it’s been a week that’s seen the spectacular arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseilles, carried on a 19th-century ship. French officials are promising a Games like no other before. We look at whether Paris can avoid the curse of the so-called White Elephant, unlike Athens, Beijing, Rio and Tokyo. Produced by Gavin Lee, Marion Lory and Peter Hutt Sierra.

This week has seen the mass arrests of students at US universities. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators "have a right to dissent, not chaos", said President Joe Biden. It's also been yet another week where a breakthrough seemed possible in talks for a Gaza ceasefire. But come what may, Israel says the Rafah offensive will happen. Meanwhile, it's been a week of warnings for world leaders not to look away from events in Sudan and the so-called invisible war. The US is warning that a massacre is imminent in El Fasher, the capital of north Darfur. Can anything be done to stop it? Finally, it's been the week where Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stepped back from the brink of resigning. After a "time out to reflect" on what he called relentless personal attacks, he has vowed to carry on. But has the decision weakened or strengthened him? Produced by Gavin Lee, Luis Miguel Cabrera, Marion Lory, Guillaume Gougeon and Peter Hutt Sierra.

It's been a week where the midnight oil was burnt in Britain at a late-night session of the House of Lords. The controversial Rwanda bill was finally passed, two years since it was proposed. PM Rishi Sunak says the plan to fly migrants to Africa will be the solution to "stop the boats". But will it actually serve as a deterrent? It's also been a week that’s seen Portugal's president make an unexpected comment. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says his country should pay the costs of its historical involvement in slavery and colonialism. It's a rare instance of an EU leader backing the need for reparations, but the move is not universally popular. Finally this week, the world's third-richest man Elon Musk locked horns with the Australian and Brazilian governments. The social media boss was called an "arrogant billionaire" for refusing to remove violent content and hate speech. He claims free speech is under attack. Produced by Gavin Lee, Luis Miguel Cabrera, Guillaume Gougeon and Juliette Brown.

How can a conflict that's regarded as the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world become known as the forgotten war? Aid agencies say that after exactly a year of civil war in Sudan, driven by a power struggle between two military factions, the world has turned away. The UN estimates that at least 14,000 Sudanese civilians have been killed. Another 8 million are displaced; 4 million of them children. Some 18 million people are facing acute hunger. Iran-Israel shadow war out in the open This week, in the midst of escalating conflict in the Middle East, the US, the UK, France and Germany urged Israel to use restraint in responding to an Iranian missile and drone attack in the early hours of Sunday. That, says Iran, was its revenge on Israel for striking its consulate in Syria. Fast forward to the early hours of Friday morning and explosions were heard in the central Iranian province of Isfahan in an apparent Israeli air strike. So what happens next? First criminal trial of a former US president Dateline New York for a first in US history: an ex-president heading into court for a criminal trial. Jury selection for Donald Trump's trial has been a challenge, with the inherent difficulty of selecting 12 fair and independent jurors – plus six alternates – who aren't biased for or against such a divisive figure. Can a Trump jury really be independent? India sees world's biggest election The world’s biggest election, which has just got under way in India, will be taking place for the next six weeks. It involves 968 million eligible Indian voters, more than 2,500 political parties and one likely result: a third term for the Hindu nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi. The latest approval ratings make him the most popular leader in the world right now, with popularity scores of 78 percent. Is a Modi win guaranteed?

Could this week be remembered as a turning point in Israel's war in Gaza? Israel has admitted it killed seven aid workers in Gaza, stemming from a "serious failure due to a mistaken identification" that has led to widespread condemnation. Western countries say initial Israeli answers that it was a "tragic accident" are not sufficient. The recently unwavering support from the US is now wavering and conditional on the steps Israel takes in protecting civilians. Will new president bring radical change? Good week for democracy after elections in Senegal Half a thousand kilometres southwest of Gaza, in Senegal, the new president was sworn in on Tuesday. In a surprise for many observers, it was a fair election, after months of protests against the government of Macky Sall and the jailing of key opposition leaders. Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was barely a week out of prison, won the election outright in the first round and surprised even seasoned Senegal analysts and their predictions of a likely rigged and unfair election. A worthy Paris Olympics headliner? Culture war over French singer Aya Nakamura Aya Nakamura is the most listened-to French artist in the world, with more than a billion downloads on Spotify and twice that in YouTube views. Born Aya Danioko in Mali, the 28-year-old grew up in the Paris suburbs. Nakamura is her stage name. This week, President Emmanuel Macron backed the idea of her singing at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, this after far-right figures said she was unsuitable for the role. Produced by Luis Miguel Cabrera, Rebecca Gnignati and Laura Burloux.

It’s been a week of international disbelief at Russia's insistence in linking Ukraine to the Moscow concert hall shooting, despite all evidence pointing to the Islamic State group. We look at Putin's motive and also the threat posed by IS-K in Europe. It was also a week where the French principle of secularism became a flashpoint again. A headteacher resigned after receiving death threats for ordering pupils to remove their headscarves. The government is suing a pupil for falsely alleging the teacher assaulted her. We assess President Emmanuel Macron's so-called ruthless approach to extremism. Finally, it was a quiet week for royal trolls and conspiracy theorists, in light of the announcement that Catherine, Princess of Wales has cancer. King Charles III, who is also undergoing treatment, delivered a pre-recorded Easter message praising friendship in a time of need. We ask whether it's the job of the mainstream media to report on social media storms and teacup conspiracies at all.

It’s been a good week for the world’s most powerful woman. EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen moves a step closer to another five years in office as she announced her candidacy for a second term. Israel-Hamas war: No end in sight A week of raised hopes for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, which came to nothing and saw increasing US frustration with Israel. France enshrines abortion rights in constitution It’s been an historic week here in France. The country became the first in the world to explictly include the right to abortion in its constitution. President Macron wants his European neighbours to follow suit Gavin Lee is joined by our panel of guests to discuss the news that made headlines this week. Produced by Luis Miguel Cabrera, Alessandro Xenos, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux.

Is there no end in sight to war in Gaza? The week began with a flurry of diplomacy to seal a truce before Ramadan, but that has now gone quiet, what with more than 100 civilians killed after a scramble surrounding an aid convoy delivery in Gaza City. Final act of resistance: Thousands turn out for Navalny's funeral. His funeral turned into a protest. Thousands turned out to a small church on the outskirts of Moscow to pay their final respects to Alexei Navalny, two weeks after the Kremlin critic's sudden death in an Arctic prison colony. Fifteen years and counting: The World This Week then and now. The camera can be oh so cruel. It is there to remind us that actually, 15 years is a long time. From the financial crisis to the Arab Spring, Brexit and the rise of populism, Covid and superpower tensions, global warming and the dawn of the digital age, this studio on Fridays has been the place where the Paris press corps took stock. Produced by Charles Wente, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz.

"My memory is fine." With those words, US President Joe Biden dismissed his critics after succession of gaffes. The US presidential election campaign is only starting, the vote's not until November, and for the oldest incumbent in history, it's been a bad week. A matter of months? Gaza truce deal far from done At that Thursday press conference, Joe Biden did not just lose his patience with the special prosecutor. After four months of war, Israeli forces are now pounding Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah and Israel's prime minister is pouring cold water on hopes of a truce deal any time soon, despite US, Qatar and Egyptian mediators being hard at it. Beacon of democracy? Uproar in Senegal as president extends his stay For decades now, it has been hailed as a rare beacon of democracy in a neighbourhood peppered by coups and corruption, but it is not a good luck when gendarmes in Senegal clear parliament of opposition MPs so that presidential elections scheduled for later this month can be delayed until December. And the winner is...Taylor Swift overshadows build-up to Super Bowl And the winner is...Taylor Swift, of course. On Sunday, she became the first artist to win Best Album for a fourth time at the Grammies in Los Angeles. That was before tour dates in Japan and ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl in Las Vegas, where her boyfriend Travis Kelce is the star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers. Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz.

After nearly four months of war in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis and the mounting civilian death toll have triggered growing international calls for a ceasefire. Amid intense diplomacy, a deal is taking shape. The first truce, in November of last year, lasted just seven days; this one could endure for one or two months and free many or all of the remaining 100 or more Israeli hostages in stages. Biden ups pressure on Israel: US sanctions West Bank settlers over violence It’s one of the Biden Administration's strongest critiques of Israel since the war in Gaza began, but it does not directly address the war. The US president has approved sanctions on four Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Inevitable spillover? US blames Iranian-backed militia for deadly attack on soldiers Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base to honour three American service members killed in a drone attack in Jordan. Washington has blamed an Iranian-backed militia group in Iraq for that attack, and the Pentagon warned that multi-tiered action is coming. Clear signal to Moscow? Ukraine's Zelensky welcomes EU's €50 billion aid package While aid in the US for Ukraine has stalled in Congress, more help is on the way from Europe. All 27 EU leaders have agreed on a €50 billion aid package for Ukraine. This money is not for the frontline, but for the Ukrainian government to keep the lights on. Meanwhile, Hungary's PM Viktor Orban reiterated that peace talks should start between Ukraine and Russia, since each day that goes by tilts in favour of Moscow. France farmers lift blockade: Protesters head home as anger spreads elsewhere in Europe The effects of the war in Ukraine are one of the major grievances of European farmers. Here in France, farmers are upset over cheaper cereals and poultry from Ukraine, as well as low wages and what they deem excessive regulation. But the two largest unions agreed to lift their blockades of key roads after winning a number of concessions from the French government. Protests – be they roadblocks, lane closures or demonstrations – have affected more than 150 locations around France for the past week, with motorways around major cities including Paris and Lyon affected. It was the first major crisis for France's new PM Gabriel Attal. Among the concessions he offered: an annual €150 million for livestock farmers and a ban on food imports treated with a pesticide already banned in France. Cleared of all charges: India releases pigeon accused of spying for China Finally, a suspected Chinese spy in India has been cleared of all charges and released after spending eight months in detention. Its identity has not been released. That's because it's a pigeon, whose ordeal began in May when it was captured in Mumbai with two rings tied to its legs, carrying a message that was said to look like it was in Chinese. It is not the first time a bird has come under police suspicion in India. Produced by Charles Wente, Rebecca Gnignati, Imen Mellaz and Guillaume Gougeon.

It is the beginning, not the end for South Africa's complaint before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The court found that Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid in, but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. Macron in India: France guest of honour at 75th Republic Day Happy 75th birthday to India. Like the French, they love a military parade for Republic Day. And just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guest of honour on Bastille Day, a French contingent was invited to march in New Delhi while their commander-in-chief watched from the review stand. Farmers on the brink: What's driving Europe-wide protests? Emmanuel Macron will return to France to a farmers' revolt. Tractors are converging on Paris this Friday ahead of the government's announcement of a farm bill to streamline paperwork and in scenes reminiscent of Wednesday in Warsaw or last week in Berlin, French agriculture workers are fuming mad. Hits and misses: Oscar nominations serve up snubs and surprises Nothing is more subjective than awards season. In Los Angeles, the nominations are out for the Oscars (Academy Awards). A few short years after a boycott campaign against the under-representation of women by the Oscars, this time, a record three movies directed by women are up for best picture. But elsewhere, there was a notable absent. Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz.

Did the map of the Middle East suddenly just get bigger? On Tuesday, Iran hit points in Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria and – all the way over on its eastern border – separatist militants in Balochistan province. It was payback for recent attacks targeting police in its own Sistan and Baluchestan province. Hitting nuclear-armed Pakistan came as the neighbouring countries were carrying out joint naval exercises. How about never? Netanyahu rejects US-backed Saudi peace plan The plan is straightforward: Gulf states rebuild Gaza and Israel signs onto Saudi Arabia's decades-old roadmap for lasting peace with the Palestinians. The Americans are on board. One party, though, still needs convincing: Israel. China's baby bust: Population drops for second year in row China's troubles may only just be starting: for the second year running, the population is declining with two million fewer people: that's double the drop of 2022. Despite the lifting in 2016 of the country's one-child policy, the birth rate seems stuck, fuelling that favorite question: will the country grow old before it grows rich? For whom the bell rings? Macron's education minister apologises over private school row French politics junkies call her AOC: sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who last week was also promoted to education minister when her predecessor Gabriel Attal became prime minister. There were doubting Thomases who wondered if she could handle both portfolios in a year when Paris hosts the Olympics. Then, within 48 hours of her nomination, she hit the political third rail when, on a visit with Attal to a public school northwest of the capital, Oudéa-Castéra was asked why she took her child out of a Paris Latin Quarter public primary school to put him in an exclusive private Catholic school. Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati, Peter Hutt-Sierra and Imen Mellaz.

The attacks on commercial shipping off Yemen had gone on for nearly two months. Now comes the response: an international coalition led by the US and the UK have hit 60 targets in 16 locations, according to the Pentagon. At least people have been five killed in Iran-aligned Houthi rebel strongholds. Israel's war on Gaza is having its day in court. South Africa, a fellow member of the 1948 Genocide Convention, is lodging the charge that with more than 23,000 killed since the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas, Israel's campaign aims to bring about the" total destruction" of Gaza's population. Remember when Emmanuel Macron ran for president at 39? Now, in his term-limited second mandate, without a majority in parliament, and with polling stuck in the doldrums, he's appointed France's youngest-ever prime minister. Gabriel Attal is taking the reins from the technocratic Elisabeth Borne, who in her 20 months on the job, dutifully pushed through unpopular pension and immigration reforms. When a popular anti-corruption crusader was assassinated in Ecuador on the presidential campaign trail, few outside the Americas noticed. Now, the whole world's paying attention after massive weekend jailbreaks that included the brief takeover of a private television station. Dozens of prison guards are still held hostage. The crisis was sparked by plans to move the leader of the Los Choneras drug gang, Adolfo Macias, to a high-security facility. Better known as Fito, he has not been seen since the weekend. Thankfully no one was hurt, but after tragedies that befell earlier models of the 777, Boeing's got explaining to do about the fuselage door that flew off an Alaska Airways flight shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon. Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz.

It's dirty, it's crowded, there's always a strike, the waiters are rude…and it's the place to go in 2024. We bring you a special edition of The World This Week, as the French capital gets set to host the Olympics for the first time in exactly 100 years. Why is it that for better or worse, old stereotypes stick about the City of Light? With Olympic events designed to showcase the grandeur of Paris's historical sights, we ask how the 2,000-year-old city is evolving today. Is the world’s top tourist destination thriving…or losing its soul? Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz. Read moreCould Emily afford to rent in Paris? An author's guide to surviving gentrification

As 2023 draws to a close, our panel of guests look back on the stories that made the news: the Israel-Hamas war, Russia's continued war in Ukraine, Africa coups and elections, the Turkey-Syria earthquake and much more. Produced by Charles Wente, Guillaume Gougeon and Juliette Brown.

Is Washington's patience wearing thin? It all started on Tuesday, when Israel's prime minister issued a video address in Hebrew. Within hours, Joe Biden had reacted, first at a fundraiser where he called on Netanyahu to sack his far-right coalition partners, then at a White House Hanukkah ceremony where the US president called on Israel to stop its "indiscriminate" bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip. The US Senate is putting off its Christmas recess for a shot on voting on military aid for Israel and for Ukraine. Ukraine's president has been globetrotting this week, with stops that included Washington, where Volodymyr Zelensky lobbied senators as well as the pro-Trump speaker of the House of Representatives. Mike Johnson is holding out for domestic border control reform. To keep Kyiv's financial lifeline alive, Zelensky travelled all the way to Buenos Aires for last Sunday's inauguration of Argentina's new populist president, Javier Milei, but the main reason was to lobby Viktor Orban ahead of a crucial EU summit. In the end, Hungary's prime minister left the room to abstain when fellow leaders approved the start of membership negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova. But despite the European Commission unfreezing €10 billion in funds for Budapest, held up over Hungary's rule of law issues, it was still a no to a four-year, €50-billion aid package for Kyiv. No one expected a COP28 summit hosted by the world's seventh-biggest oil producer to save the planet in 12 days, but COP28 in Dubai did conclude with a document that for the first time recognises the need to transition away from fossil fuels. Finally, relatives are bemoaning the second death of World War II hero Léon Gautier. The last surviving French soldier from D-Day, who landed on the Normandy beaches with France's Kieffer commando, died back in July aged 100. Relatives are now suing over a book on Amazon and Kindle written by a certain Grace Shawn that's filled with factual errors, including Gautier's supposed detention in Germany. Grace Shawn is unknown. Amazon has pulled the book over the outrage. But we did find that for £8.99, one can buy a biography of Gautier, written by a certain Gilbert Predmore. How concerned should we be about books being generated by artificial intelligence? Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Imen Mellaz.

It's back to the brutal reality of war. A week ago at this time, some were still holding out hope of that a week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be revived. Now, it's house-to-house combat in the streets of Gaza's central city of Khan Younis and a fresh draft resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire at the United Nations Security Council. For the first time in over half a century, a UN Secretary-General has invoked article 99 of the UN Charter. Some $50 billion are on hold in the US after Senate Republicans insisted on tying aid to a tightening of domestic border controls. What does this mean for aid to Ukraine going forward? The 2024 Olympics are in Paris, but the scandal of the week is eleven time zones away, in the village of Teahupo'o on the French Polynisean island of Tahiti, which is hosting the surfing competition at next summer's Games. The vintage wooden judging tower beloved by surfers the world over had to go, insisted the International Olympic Committee. But when it came time to break ground on a new metal tower for judges and journalists, it happened just as environmentalists had predicted: the wrecking of the bay's delicate coral reef. As far back as 1988, Time Magazine put saving the environment on the cover for its Person of the Year. For 2023, it's Taylor Swift who succeeds last year's choice of Volodymyr Zelensky. The US pop star's current Eras tour is breaking box office records. Is she a wise choice? Produced by Charles Wente, Guillaume Gougeon and Marguerite Lacroix.

Our panel of journalists review the news that made headlines this week. Israel launches new air strikes on Gaza after a seven-day truce. Meanwhile in Dubai, leaders gather for the COP28 summit. UK-Greece relations deteriorate following a row over the Parthenon Marbles. Finally, we look back at the legacy of US politician Henry Kissinger, who died this week aged 100. Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Guillaume Gougeon and Samy Vicente Lacerda.

Where does the four-day truce lead? Thirteen hostages have been released by Hamas this Friday. The deal had been in the offing all week. A truce for four days; a release of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners being freed. Also, how will Geert Wilders change the Netherlands? The country has a reputation as one of the most liberal societies in Europe, if not the whole world. So why did Dutch voters this week endorse the far-right candidate in the elections? Wilders was once thought of as a niche political act. It seems now he has taken centre stage. Can Javier Milei's populism pay off? Argentina has a not-too-distant past peppered by the worst of far right extremism. Many still bear the scars, both physical and mental, of the military junta that fell only after losing the Falklands War in 1982. Memories of voters are clearly getting shorter as they voted in a far-right president (he calls himself an anarcho-capitalist). What's behind the firing and rehiring of Sam Altman? OpenAI has taken on the aspect of a soap opera. The ins and outs have made headlines that have had business editors the world over shouting "stop the press". Our discussion now veers towards the future and how artificial intelligence will change it, and what role will be played by a certain Sam Altman. Produced by Charles Wente, Guillaume Gougeon, Rebecca Gnignati and Louise Guibert.