The World This Week

This week saw Ukraine brace for a fourth winter of war as President Volodymyr Zelensky shores up support amid reports of a secret 28-point peace plan involving territorial concessions and military cuts – a proposal blasted by European allies – while rolling blackouts, relentless strikes and a corruption scandal trigger calls for a no-confidence vote. In Washington, a defining moment in President Donald Trump’s second term saw a MAGA rebellion force through the release of all government and FBI files on the Epstein investigation, prompting a visibly irritated president to sign it into law while insisting it marked a victory for transparency. Plus, a G20 summit is taking place in South Africa, but the US is boycotting the event. Produced by Gavin Lee, Antonia Cimini, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux

This week, President Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for one billion dollars after it emerged its Panorama programme misleadingly edited his speech. The US President also sent a formal letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, asking for a pardon for his ally the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s facing a long running trial for alleged bribery and fraud. And after three weeks in prison, Nicolas Sarkozy has been released ahead of an appeal trial to be held next year.

It’s been a week that’s seen a remarkable political upset in New York, where 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani became the city’s youngest mayor in 130 years – and its first Muslim and immigrant leader in generations. The Democratic Socialist's pledge to make New York more affordable galvanised young voters, though his call to tax the rich unsettled the party establishment. In Ukraine, fierce fighting continues for control of Pokrovsk, the fortress city key to Donetsk’s supply lines, as Russia claims to have encircled it and President Volodymyr Zelensky vows defiance on the front line. In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum – after being groped by a man in public – has vowed to criminalise street harassment nationwide, calling it an attack on all women. And here in France, this week saw the controversial opening of Chinese e-commerce giant Shein's first ever physical shop – in a storied Parisian department store. Produced by Gavin Lee, Henri-Pierre Mafulu and Guillaume Gougeon

It’s been a week that saw Britain's king strip his brother Andrew – formerly Prince Andrew – of his last title and ask him to leave the Royal Lodge, just days after the release of Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir. It's also been a week where Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met – Trump calling their 100-minute summit "an outstanding meeting"– as Beijing agreed to pause its rare-earth export curbs in a diplomatic truce. But also a week of horror in Sudan with door-to-door killings of unarmed civilians as paramilitary forces captured El-Fasher following a 500-day siege. And a week of devastation in the Caribbean, where a Category 5 hurricane ripped across islands, with Jamaica's prime minister warning it could be the "storm of the century". Produced by Gavin Lee, Henri-Pierre Mafulu and Guillaume Gougeon.

We assess the fallout of the Louvre heist in France. Also, Israel begins physically marking its areas of control in Gaza, deeper than its government agreed to as part of the Trump peace plan. Several Arab leaders argue that the new demarcation will see Gaza permanently divided into two zones. Finally, US President Donald Trump places sanctions on Russian oil companies. The meeting in Budapest with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is no longer on the cards, and as "talks go nowhere", European allies of Ukraine meet in London.

It’s been a week of global upheaval and fragile progress – from a historic prisoner release and tentative ceasefire in Gaza, to the dramatic fall of Madagascar’s president amid a military rebellion. In the US, political tensions deepen as yet another Trump critic faces federal charges, raising fresh questions about the weaponisation of justice. In the UK, espionage concerns escalate as MI5 names China a "daily threat" after a collapsed spy trial sparked controversy at the highest levels. Plus, is the internet dominated by bots instead of humans? Produced by Gavin Lee, Siobhan Silke, Alessandro Xenos and Guillaume Gougeon

In a week that marked the second anniversary of the Gaza war and saw a breakthrough in peace talks, a ceasefire was agreed upon on Thursday. This agreement should lead to the imminent release of the 48 hostages still held by Hamas, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli troops are also expected to withdraw to an agreed line. President Trump is flying out to Egypt to personally sign the deal, which he is widely credited for, before heading to Israel to mark the moment the captives are freed, expected early next week. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of the war? It’s also been a week that saw another French Prime Minister bite the political dust. Macron loyalist Sebastian Lecornu took on the seemingly poisoned chalice just last month. On Monday – 27 days later – he resigned, becoming the shortest-serving PM in the history of the Fifth Republic. The man nicknamed “the Pickle” couldn’t get France out of one. President Macron has now burned through five PMs in two years. Rather than trigger elections to break the deadlock, he’s fallen back on his previous choice by bringing Lecornu back again. Finally, this week also saw the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, currently in hiding. The panel praised her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela” and her bravery in standing against the authoritarian regime of President Nicolas Maduro.

This week, US President Donald Trump declared "eternal peace for the Middle East" was within reach as he stood side by side with the Israeli prime minister to unveil a new plan for Gaza; the EU talked about its defence response to suspected Russian violations of NATO airspace, and parallel protests erupted in Morocco and Madagascar, organised anonymously on online platforms like TikTok and Discord. 

In a week of coordinated, choreographed diplomacy, a number of Western leaders formerly recognised Palestinian statehood. Benjamin Netanyahu said the move rewarded terrorism, insisting there would never be a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Russian violations of NATO airspace have been a dominant theme of the UN summit. And former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison. He's been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case dubbed the Libya Connection. 

This week has seen major upheavals on the global stage: Trump’s lavish and unprecedented UK state visit offered a boost to embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while the US grappled with political fallout and free speech debates following activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Meanwhile, Israel faced a damning UN report accusing it of genocide in Gaza, charges it strongly rejected, and France was rocked by mass strikes against austerity as President Macron contended with both political unrest and a bizarre defamation case targeting his wife. Produced by Gavin Lee, Henri-Pierre Mafulu and Guillaume Gougeon.

This week has seen another changing of the guard in the French government. Former defence minister Sébastien Lecornu has assumed the role of French prime minister. In the US, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot dead by a sniper as he spoke to students at Utah Valley University. And an unprecedented Israeli attack on Hamas's negotiating team in Doha has left international observers asking if Israel has crossed a red line in its ongoing war.

In this edition of The World This Week: China's military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II sees President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un side by side; former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is back in court on charges of trying to violently overturn the 2022 election result; and Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel reflects on her country's policies during the 2015 migrant crisis.

In this edition of The World This Week: Is Donald Trump's 50-day deadline to Vladimir Putin "Much ado about nothing?", the Afghan leak and the UK superinjunction, plus why did Israel bomb Damascus?

In this edition of The World This Week: US President Donald Trump appeared to lose patience with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize; and French President Emmanuel Macron made a three-day state visit to the UK. It's been a grim, record-breaking week for Ukraine, with Russia unleashing an unprecedented wave of missiles and drones, including decoys to overwhelm air defences. Amid the chaos, Trump seemed equally thrown: confused by Putin, then reversing course to reinstate military aid to Kyiv after pausing it just last week. Washington is now dangling sanctions as the carrot turns to stick in ceasefire efforts. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. But what about a ceasefire in Gaza? Can Trump put pressure on Netanyahu to end the war? Finally, it's been pageantry over politics as the Macrons embarked on a three-day state visit to the UK. Kicking off with cocktails at Windsor Castle "The Entente" – a symbolic mix of British gin and French pastis – the visit marked a reset in post-Brexit ties. There were toasts with the king and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a nuclear cooperation deal and a plan to stop migrant crossings. Macron couldn't resist a little "I told you so" on Brexit. Produced by Gavin Lee, Rebecca Gnignati, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux. 

This week, the war in Gaza appeared to get closer to a 60-day truce. The past seven days also saw a corruption trial facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed by an Israeli court. The move came hours after US President Donald Trump took to social media, claiming the case was a witch hunt and would interfere with the Israeli prime minister's urgent diplomacy to negotiate a deal for Gaza.   While diplomats talked up a chance for a ceasefire, Israeli fighter jets significantly increased their missile fire across the strip.  Since Saturday, at least 300 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas-run health authorities, with a beachside cafe that’s been seen as a rare place for respite destroyed, killing dozens of people. Israel says Hamas militants were the target.  Meanwhile, the UN's special rapporteur for the occupied territories Francesca Albanese delivered one of the most damning assessments of Israeli actions in the conflict so far, repeating her stance that a genocide is taking place, which Israel vehemently denies. Going further, Albanese – an independent expert appointed by the UN to investigate human rights issues – labelled the global companies who deal with Israel as complicit, and called the sole provider of aid, the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, nothing but a death trap. The US government is calling for Albanese to be dismissed, calling her anti-Semitic.  Stateside on Independence Day, Trump signed his self-titled "One Big Beautiful Bill", with critics calling him a reverse Robin Hood. We also take a look at what's behind the sentencing of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algiers. His five-year jail term was upheld on appeal this week. Produced by Gavin Lee, Charles Wente, Henri-Pierre Mafulu, Aurore Laborie and Laura Burloux.

This week has seen unprecedented US intervention in Iran, in a pre-dawn operation code-named "Midnight Hammer". It's also seen another high profile message leak on the Signal app and deadly protests in Kenya.  Seven "silent assassins", the US B-2 Spirit bombers flew 18 hours from Missouri into Iranian airspace, to fire 14 of the world's most powerful bombs at the main enrichment site at Fordo and at Natanz. The overall attack involved 125 fighter jets, several strategic feints, and submarine fire. Not a shot was fired in response. "Complete and utter obliteration" claimed President Donald Trump. Iran hit back later at the US, with ballistic missiles targeting the American base at Qatar, though it telegraphed in advance. Some 24 hours later, a ceasefire was agreed between Iran and Israel. It's holding so far, after a questionable start and presidential outrage at both sides.  This week has also seen another high profile message leak on the Signal app. This time a private thank you note, a "Dear Donald" message sent by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, that said "Congratulations for your decisive action in Iran, something no one else dared to do" and "Flying into another big success at The Hague. It was not easy but we’ve got them all signed onto 5 percent! Europe is going to pay in a BIG (capital letters) way, and it will be your win."  The leaker: Trump, of course, who published it on Truth Social ahead of the NATO summit. No harm done, said Rutte, the so-called Trump whisperer, who later went on to allude to him as "Daddy". Plus, it's been a week that's seen thousands of Kenyans protesting against police brutality and government corruption in cities across the country. Security forces barricaded President William Ruto's office, as police fired water canon, tear gas and reportedly live fire too, as they clashed with demonstrators in Nairobi. At least 16 people were killed. The protests marked a year since a grassroots movement first took to the streets of the capital, against the president's planned tax law – a movement that spread nationwide after the deaths and disappearances of some of the demonstrators.  Produced by Gavin Lee, Charles Wente, Siobhan Silke, Aurore Laborie and Laura Burloux.

In a week of escalating conflict between Israel and Iran that's been decades in the making, assassinations, air strikes and missile attacks have pushed the region to the brink. Iran is striking back, with seven days of air raid sirens across Israel and a hospital hit in Beersheba. As the crisis deepens, US President Donald Trump faces a pivotal choice: whether to join the fight and unleash the only weapons capable of destroying Iran’s underground nuclear site at Fordow. A decision is promised within two weeks.  Meanwhile, across Europe, protests erupted over "over-tourism". Demonstrators in Spain, Portugal, and Italy took to the streets with slogans like “Your Holiday, Our Misery.” In Barcelona, tourists were targeted with water pistols. In Venice, the arrival of Jeff Bezos for his three-day wedding sparked outrage. “No Space for Bezos” read the signs. Produced by Gavin Lee, Charles Wente, Antonia Cimini, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux.

It’s been a week of escalating global tensions. Israel launched a series of targeted strikes on Iran – codenamed Operation Rising Lion – aimed at crippling Tehran's nuclear capabilities. Iran has vowed a swift response. In the United States, protests erupted in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement, as federal officers intensified roundups of undocumented migrants – part of President Donald Trump’s broader plan for mass deportations. Meanwhile in Ukraine, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa came under heavy fire. Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults yet, striking the capital with a wave of 315 drones and ballistic missiles. And in Europe, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte delivered a stark warning in London: defence spending is no longer optional –it’s existential. Produced by Gavin Lee, Charles Wente, Siobhan Silke, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux.

This week, Ukraine launched Operation Spider's Web. Some 18 months in the planning and personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelensky, simultaneous drone attacks were launched across Russian airfields, destroying its fighter jets and strategic bombers. The Ukrainian intelligence service claimed 40 planes had been left burning on the tarmac. Russia described it as terrorism and President Vladimir Putin vowed revenge. It's also been a week that’s seen two new presidents elected. A hard-right nationalist in Poland won by a whisker in the runoff vote. It was the opposition-backed candidate, Karol Navrovski, a historian and amateur boxer, who prevailed, dealing a blow to the centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his chances of reforming the country. Meanwhile in South Korea, Lee Jae-myung won a snap election following the downfall of his disgraced predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol after his disastrous attempt to declare martial law last December. The new leader, who on the night that troops tried to take over the National Assembly had rallied people to come out on the streets, now pitches himself as the unifier of a divided country.It's been a back to the future week for President Donald Trump, who is once again banning citizens of several countries from entering the US. Those nations include Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, with echoes of 2017, both on the grounds of protecting against terrorism. This time Trump referred to Sunday's attack on an Israeli peace March in Colorado, which was carried out by an Egyptian suspect. Notably, Egypt wasn't on the list. And it’s been a week when relations between Trump and Elon Musk fell apart quicker than a Space X Falcon 9 launch. We also take a closer look at Starbase, Musk's controversial new city in Texas.Produced by Andrew Hilliar, Aurore Laborie and Gavin Lee. 

This week saw Israel attempt a new plan to distribute food in Gaza, bypassing the UN and using American private contractors known as the Gaza Humanitarian Fund. But it was suspended on day one after looting, chaos and security measures were overwhelmed by desperate crowds. Meanwhile, the once-steadfast support of Israel's key allies has seen a diplomatic erosion, with private outrage turning to public condemnation. It's also been the week that Elon Musk said goodbye to the Trump administration and left his role at the White House. The world's richest man said his time has come to an end at the Department of Government Efficiency, just days after his public critique of Trump's so-called big beautiful tax bill, calling it too expensive and undermining the point of DOGE. Washington insiders quoted sources suggesting Musk had been seen as a bit of nuisance in the Trump inner circle. White House officials told reporters he was "offboarded" on Wednesday night. Finally, it was a week that created an inadvertent legacy moment for French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to Southeast Asia: a push in the face from the first lady. The moment is likely to be included in every future look back at the president's career. Pay no attention to the couple behind the plane's curtain, it was just "play fighting", the French president said. Produced by Siobhan Silke, Aurore Laborie and Gavin Lee.