It was a Thursday the French would just as soon forget. Bottlenecks at the exits of Paris and city dwellers who could raced to get out before Act II of a national lockdown. And if the second wave of Covid was not enough to dampen an already grey autumn mood, another gruesome terror attack, three killed in a stabbing spree inside Notre Dame Basilica in the heart of Nice, a city already targeted during a 2016 Bastille Day rampage. The suspect, a newly-arrived 21-year old from Tunisia's south. It is the third time in just over three months.
Samuel Paty was beheaded by an 18-year old who had to pay pupils to identify his victim, this after a row over a civics class on free speech that included cartoons of the prophet spiraled into a social media campaign against the teacher. How does Emmanuel Macron plan to protect other "faces of the Republic"? To the US next, where the last presidential looked like the calm before the storm... We take a look at youth-driven protests in Nigeria and Thailand. Also, the European Parliament has sided with vegetarians and environmentalists against the beef industry.
’The World This Week’ looks at the Helsinki Summit between Putin and Trump. Specifically discussion centers around a follow-up meeting in Washington proposed by President Trump. A possible first US visit in over 10 years for the Russian President. We then go to France, still revelling in their World Cup success, however one Frenchman may not be so happy. Emmanuel Macron has, this week, been faced with his first Presidential scandal - a security handler sacked over beating protestors.
In the United States, the Trump administration has gone back on its decision to separate migrant children from their parents at the border. But confusion still reigns over the fate of the 23-hundred kids detained. Can this situation be remedied? Also on the programme, Turkish President Erdogan is likely to win Sunday's presidential elections.The government's human rights violations and lack of freedom of the press are well known abroad. Is the government a dictatorship?
First came the horrific images reportedly out of the besieged Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta and claims of at least 40 dead. Then came Donald Trump's tweet warning Russia that he would fire missiles at Syria. But with the deadline for action passed, is striking Syria still a good strategy? Also on the program, Facebook's founder apologized before Congress for privacy breaches and agreed to some regulations. And Hungary's Viktor Organ's landslide election victory.
Theresa May acknowledged in her speech today that Britain will have less access to EU markets after Brexit. However, she also asked for some special rules to apply to the UK after Brexit. Meanwhile, Brussels says it will not accept cherry-picking. Also, Silvio Berlusconi returned to the political center stage in Italy ahead of elections on Sunday. And Donald Trump caused an international uproar over steel and aluminium tariffs.
