Iran: US fighter jet downed, The space race, Syrians leaving Germany?

It has been a week that began with President Trump addressing the nation for the first time since the Iran war began five weeks ago. Expectations that he might signal an end to the conflict – or announce a ground offensive, or a split from NATO – were not met. Instead, his 18-minute speech echoed his social media rhetoric: a mix of “we’re almost done” and threats of escalating attacks, including striking every Iranian power plant if a deal is not reached. On the Strait of Hormuz, he told allies simply to “just take it”.

Meanwhile, Iran’s president reached out to Americans in an open letter, accusing Trump of acting under Israeli influence, while Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi said the country was prepared for six more months of war. Tensions spiked on Friday when reports emerged that a US F-15 had been shot down over Iranian territory, with state TV urging Iranians to capture the crew. Across the globe, countries felt the ripple effects of the energy crisis, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted: “This is not our conflict”, despite pressure from Washington.

Amid the geopolitical turmoil, the world turned its eyes skywards as four astronauts – three Americans and one Canadian – embarked on humanity’s first lunar mission in five decades. Their ten-day, half-million-mile journey aims to fly past the far side of the Moon, scout future landing sites, and lay the groundwork for a lunar gateway station, edging humanity ahead in the space race towards Mars.

Produced by Gavin Lee, Théophile Vareille, Guillaume Gougeon and Laura Burloux