Donald Trump is in turn going to the World Economic Forum in Davos: the American president is due to speak this Wednesday, January 21 at 1:30 p.m., in a highly anticipated speech at a time when his threats of new customs duties are worrying European partners. The day will also be marked by several major political speeches: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will speak at 9:00 a.m., UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at 10:00 a.m., then Argentine President Javier Milei at 2:45 p.m.
This sequence comes the day after a remarkable speech by Emmanuel Macron, Tuesday January 20, on the Davos stage. The French head of state denounced a situation that he considers ” crazy “, raising the hypothesis that the European Union could be forced to use for the first time its anti-coercion instrument, nicknamed the “bazooka”, against the United States in the event of a trade war. He deplored the tariff threats brandished by Donald Trump against EU member countries, while defending the European model: “slow but predictable”based on the rule of law. Emmanuel Macron also insisted on the need to remain focused on peace in Europe, particularly in “resolving the issue of the war in Ukraine”. Finally, he called for a “ European preference » in order to better protect the industry of the Old Continent, judging the Europeans “too naive” in the face of increasingly tough global competition.
2 – Japan: sentencing of Tetsuya Yamagami for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
In Japan, the Nara court is due to deliver the sentence this Wednesday, January 21, for Tetsuya Yamagami, tried for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Aged 45, the accused is being prosecuted for premeditated murder as well as for violating the arms control law, after shooting the former leader using a homemade weapon during an electoral rally on July 8, 2022, in the middle of the street in Nara.
At the opening of his trial, Yamagami pleaded guilty, admitting the facts: “It’s all true, I did it”he declared at the hearing. His lawyer nevertheless indicated that he wanted to contest certain charges. If convicted, the accused faces a heavy prison sentence; the death penalty exists in Japan, but remains more frequently imposed in cases involving several victims.
The murder of Shinzo Abe, in a country where gun crimes are extremely rare, caused a global shock wave. According to the prosecution, Yamagami acted out of resentment linked to the links attributed to Abe with the Unification Church, known as the “Moon sect”.
3 – Theatrical release of “Mage of the Kremlin”
The Mage of the Kremlin hits theaters this Wednesday, January 21. Directed by Olivier Assayas, the film adapts the novel by Giuliano da Empoli (2022) and retraces, over nearly thirty years, the making of power in post-Soviet Russia. At the heart of the story: Vadim Baranov, brilliant strategist turned eminence grise, who shapes the rise of a former KGB agent promised to lead the country: Vladimir Putin. A broad and dizzying political thriller, the feature film observes the mechanisms of vertical authority and a system where everything is calculated.
Assayas adopts a distanced staging, letting the viewer appreciate the implacable logic of the regime, between manipulations, communication and control. Paul Dano, chilling as an occult advisor, plays a manipulator with methodical coldness, while Jude Law opts for a very mimetic composition of a “larger than life” Putin. Alicia Vikander completes this triangle through a fresco where attacks, oligarchies, crises and symbols of modern Russia parade. Duration: 2 hours 25 minutes.
4 – Champions League: Marseille faces Liverpool
OM host Liverpool this Wednesday, January 21 (9 p.m.) at the Vélodrome, during the 7th day of the Champions League, in an atmosphere that promises to be electric. This prestigious poster comes at an ideal time for Marseille, which seems to have regained collective solidity and benchmarks in the game under Roberto De Zerbi. Buoyed by a positive dynamic, the Olympians remain on a remarkable success against Angers (5-2), symbol of an attack in full success. Mason Greenwood, in great form, embodies this offensive threat, alongside Paixao and Aubameyang.
Facing them, the reigning English champion Liverpool is going through a period of doubt, despite a spectacular transfer window and massive investments. OM can therefore hope to take advantage of this fragility, even if its defense remains subject to improvement. In this context, the Vélodrome could become a decisive factor: during big European evenings, Marseille fervor often transforms the stadium into a volcano. For Marseille, this shock is also an opportunity to reconnect with its identity: to challenge a continental giant and make an entire city vibrate.
5 – The good news of the day
The Tatoï estate, the former summer palace of the Greek royal family located 29 km north of Athens, will be open to the public in 2026, announced Culture Minister Lina Mendoni. The objective is to make it a vast accessible green space dedicated to various activities, marking a major step in the development of the site. At the same time, conservation work was carried out on nearly 45,000 objects found on site, from a heritage collection of more than 100,000 pieces: clothing, books, everyday objects, works of art, cars and carriages.
For the minister, Tatoï is a central place of modern Hellenism, concentrating an essential part of the political and social memory of the country. The estate was extensively renovated after the 2021 fire, for more than 70 million euros. The announcement was made during the funeral of Irene of Greece, buried in Tatoï alongside many members of the dynasty.
