Prix Goncourt 2022: The ten jurors give their verdict at midday

This Thursday, the 2022 Goncourt Prize will be awarded to the winner. It will necessarily be that of renewal by crowning either the author of a novel, or a woman in her thirties, or a novelist who remained little known to the general public. Indeed, ten jurors of the most prestigious of the French literary awards, namely seven men and three women, deliver their verdict at midday. Thus, in order to decide who wrote the best French novel of the year, as usual, a lunch is organized at the Drouant restaurant in Paris. Two French women, Brigitte Giraud and Cloé Korman, an Italian-Swiss, Giuliano da Empoli, and a Haitian, Makenzy Orcel are the four authors narrowed down by the selection.

Ukrainian grain exports: return to Russia's agreement

Yesterday, Russia resumed its participation in the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports. She claims to have received “written guarantees” from Ukraine on the demilitarization of the sea corridor used for their transport. At the beginning of the week, world cereal prices soared, promising to worsen global food problems and immediately began to fall, despite doubts that Moscow would keep its commitments. The United States stressed that the grain agreement, originally signed in July for four months, must now be renewed. Like the UN, they welcomed this outcome and subsequently praised Turkey's role.

2nd anniversary of the deadly conflict: a cessation of hostilities agreement reached between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray rebels

Less than 48 hours before the 2nd anniversary of the deadly conflict between them in northern Ethiopia, the Ethiopian federal government and the rebel authorities of Tigray have reached an agreement to end hostilities in Pretoria. The African Union (AU) High Representative for the Horn of Africa, the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who led the troika of mediators, announced “the two parties to the Ethiopian conflict have formally agreed on a cessation of hostilities, as well as on methodical, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament.”

IN SHORT

This Thursday, Pope Francis leaves for a four-day visit to Bahrain, the first of a pontiff to the small Gulf kingdom where he is expected to insist on dialogue with Islam, amid calls from NGOs to uphold human rights.

Yesterday, the outgoing president of the Brazilian government Jair Bolsonaro asked his supporters to unblock the country's roads. He endorses the “legitimate demonstrations” at the end of a day when his supporters called for military intervention after Lula's victory in the presidential election.

Two deaths were recorded during yesterday's clashes in a prison in Ecuador, where a state of emergency is in force in two provinces affected by drug trafficking crime after a bloody wave of attacks.

Gilles Simon qualified for the round of 16 at the Paris Masters 1000 by beating American Taylor Fritz (11th) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. It was during the last tournament of his career. On Wednesday night to date, France's Corentin Moutet (64th), a compatriot of Gilles Simon, also won an eighth final. It was his first at past three in the morning when he defeated Britain's Cameron Norrie 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/3).

PSG won with difficulty at Juvenus Turin (2-1) on Wednesday. However, he has already qualified for the round of 16 of the Champions League, an insufficient success to secure first place in Group H, which went to Benfica.