Ukraine saga continues, Canada's Freedom Convoy fever, Identity politics in India's elections

This Friday marks day 15 of a truckers' protest against Covid-19 vaccine rules that has blocked the capital Ottawa and halted traffic across the Ambassador Bridge, where $400 million worth of goods pass every day to and from the United States. The movement has forced work to slow down and stoppages at car factories on the Michigan side of the border. The movement has inspired freedom convoys in France. They've been barred from setting camp in the French capital. Many of the protesters participating in the convoy took part in the Yellow Vest movement. Their attempt to emulate the Canadians comes two months before France's presidential election.

In India, regional elections kicked off in several states this week, including Uttar Pradesh which has a population of 204 million. It's a high-stakes vote for a prime minister grappling with high inflation and trying to rebound from his climbdown on an unpopular farm reform. The ruling Hindu nationalists are going all in on identity politics in the run-up to the vote, with the arrest of journalists in Kashmir, the backing of a Hijab ban in schools in the southern state of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh's incumbent far-right Chief Minister Yogi Adithinayath campaigning on the building of Hindu temples on the site where the Ayodhya mosque once stood.

We end with an odd and rather disturbing story about Kurt Zouma's cat. The brother of the French international filmed the West Ham defender using his cat pet as a soccer ball. He's since been stripped of his cat, his sponsorship deal with Adidas, and his popularity, with copious booing every time Zouma touched the ball during the London side's 1-0 win over Watford.

Produce by Juliette Laurain, Sophie Pizzimenti and Léopoldine Iribarren.

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