This Week in Explainers: Why France’s Macron is forced to prove that his wife is a woman

More than 10 days after he was shot dead on a college campus, Charlie Kirk, the American right-wing activist and Donald Trump ally, will be laid to rest today. The shocking killing has put the US at a dangerous crossroads… the ideological divide in the country is only widening.

Trump and his circle have been all praise for Kirk; they have also been cracking down on those who might have been critical of the activist-influencer. The US president has declared Antifa, a far-left movement, a “major terrorist organisation”. The late-night comedy show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has been taken off the air indefinitely over commentary on Kirk’s assassination, raising questions about free speech in the country.

Amid all this, Donald Trump was in the UK for a state visit with his wife, Melania, which can be summed up in two words: pomp and protests. The two-day trip included a warm reception by the British royal family at Windsor Castle, and then a bilateral with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the country house of the premier. The two leaders spoke about trade, defence, and international conflict.

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In a rather odd case, French President Emmanuel Macron will be providing proof in a US court to prove that his wife, Brigitte, is a woman. The Macrons are suing American far-right influencer and political commentator Candace Owens for defamation after repeatedly alleging that the French First Lady was assigned male at birth.

A few geopolitical developments in the week have given India reasons to watch out. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a mutual defence pact. And the US has said it will revoke the sanctions waiver granted for operations at Iran’s Chabahar Port, which will have implications for India.

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Pakistan was left red-faced once again. It lies on Operation Sindoor are being exposed, this time by none other than its homegrown terrorists. We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup.

1. The US is still reeling from the assassination of Charlie Kirk. As the probe into the killing continues, more and more details emerge about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused from Utah. Robinson was reportedly in a relationship with his roommate, Lance Twiggs, a trans person. A text conversation between the two after the shooting reveals a possible motive. Did Robinson kill Kirk because of his hateful views on transgender rights?

2. Days after the assassination, Donald Trump declared Antifa a major terrorist organisation. What is this extreme left group that the US administration has targeted? Did Tyler Robinson, who is said to have leftist views, have links to this body? We explain.

3. Is the US no longer a space for free speech? The killing of Charlie Kirk has led to a spate of firings and suspensions. The most high-profile among them is late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. His hit show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has been taken off the air indefinitely after his remarks about Kirk’s murder. This is not an isolated case. Several reporters have been forced to step down, and the Pentagon is cracking down on social media posts of American troops.

4. Donald Trump, meanwhile, visited the UK for a two-day state visit. There was pomp, pageantry and protests. Even though many demonstrated against the visit, the British royals and leadership rolled out the red carpet for the President and First Lady, Melania. Here’s what the country got in return.

5. France’s Macrons find themselves in the middle of an ugly lawsuit. They are planning to present photographic and scientific evidence to a US court to prove French First Lady Brigitte Macron is a woman. The couple will present the documents in a defamation suit against right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who has repeatedly said that Mrs Macron was born male. We look at the case.

6. In a big development that has alerted India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a defence pact on Wednesday (September 17). The agreement states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”. In a cautious statement, the Indian government said that it will “study the implications” of this development for its national security as well as for regional and global stability. But what could this deal mean for New Delhi? This explainer analyses.

7. Guess who is exposing the Pakistani establishment. Believe it or not, their homegrown terrorists. Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Masood Ilyas Kashmiri inadvertently said something that India has long accused its neighbour of – supporting the terror outfit. He said that Pakistani army chief Asim Munir ordered senior military officials to attend the funerals of those killed in Operation Sindoor. That’s not all. A Lashkar commander also spoke about its headquarters being hit in May, even as Pakistan continues to claim that it does not harbour terrorists.

🚨 🇵🇰👺 After Jaish commander ilyas kashmiri now Lashkar-e-Taiba Commander Qaasim has torn apart Pakistan’s lies on Muridke terror camps.

👉 Standing in front of the demolished Markaz E Taiba camp, which destroyed in #OperationSindoor, he admits that many terrorists… pic.twitter.com/S80p9wLSFy

— OsintTV 📺 (@OsintTV) September 19, 2025

That’s all from us this week. This reading list will get you up to date with world news. You can also find more such explainers here.

PS: If you are reading this on your phone, if Mark Zuckerberg is to be believed, you could soon be ditching it for Meta’s smart glasses.