The World in Images: Season 3
Season 3 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The World in Images Season 2.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 3 Progress Shield
Good kisses from Africa
Jan 8, 2024
Men, women, children serving displays worthy of colonial exhibitions. A century later, digital “greeting cards” are enjoying great success! Presented by Sonia Devillers, the magazi
Japan: Sushi from Fukushima
Jan 9, 2024
In an unusual video somewhere between a teleshopping ad and a political broadcast, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tucks in to seafood sourced from waters close the Fukus
Putin and Kim Jong-un: The provocative handshake
Jan 10, 2024
Impassive faces, eyes fixed on the camera, two heads of state shake hands in front of a photographer. An analysis of a highly codified political gesture, far from insignificant in
The Oscar-worthy flying squirrel
Jan 15, 2024
Taiwan: In front of its owner, a flying squirrel fakes its accidental death to distract from a mishap. The clip went viral. Animal videos garner millions of clicks online – the mor
The country music video that set the US ablaze
Jan 17, 2024
With his music video "Try That In A Small Town," American country singer Jason Aldean caused a nationwide uproar in the summer of 2023. While some accused him of racist incitement,
Drone Target: My Defenseless Enemy
Jan 23, 2024
A Ukrainian drone films and bombs a Russian trench. The scene unfolds in early 2023 during the Battle of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. The powerful and shocking video went viral as p
One Piece - Manga by Netflix
Jan 24, 2024
In 2023, Netflix decided to adapt "One Piece", the most widely read manga in the world, into a live-action series. Presented by Sonia Devillers, The World in Images analyses visual
Cruise Ships: Top Polluters?
Jan 26, 2024
"Icon of the Seas" is the new star of the cruise industry. Numerous online comments, however, describe the world's largest "dream ship" as an ecological disaster.
Ramzan Kadyrov in camouflage
Jan 29, 2024
The Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov appears in a camouflage jacket – by Louis Vuitton. How do the war in Ukraine and haute couture fit together? The interplay between the war front
Charles III: State Banquet at Versailles
Jan 31, 2024
On September 20, 2023, a glamorous state banquet was held at the Palace of Versailles in honor of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. For the first time, such a reception was filme
Stalingrad: Why Reenact the War?
Feb 1, 2024
A war scene as if you were there: this is a reenactment of the Battle of Stalingrad in Russia. It took place in February 2023, during the 80th anniversary of this pivotal episode o
Ukraine: Olympic boycott on Social Media
Feb 5, 2024
In a video posted on social media in February 2023 by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, a Russian athlete launches a javelin which transforms into a missile. Three other clips wer
Everest, the Polluted Olympus
Feb 7, 2024
On May 17, 2023, mountain guide Tenzi Sherpa posted a video on Instagram of Camp 4 on Mount Everest: The ground there is littered with debris from previous expeditions. The contras
Joe Biden's Mug
Feb 12, 2024
On X, Joe Biden has turned a ridiculous mug into his new communication weapon. A few months before the presidential election, he humorously deflects insults from the opposing camp.
Kim Jong-un's Mysterious Train
Feb 13, 2024
Kim Jong-un in front of his armored special train: The image went around the world in September 2023. The rolling fortress has been the North Korean leader's preferred means of tra
Gaza-Israel: The Iron Wall and the Bulldozer
Feb 19, 2024
October 7, 2023: Hamas breaches the border fence with Israel using a front-end loader. A highly symbolic image. Despite 140,000 tons of iron and steel, the border fence erected by
Under the spell of the avalanche
Feb 20, 2024
The video initially shows, from a safe distance, a snow avalanche racing down a mountainside – and within seconds reaches the person filming... The simultaneously fascinating and t
Putin - Macron: the final table
Feb 21, 2024
February 2022: Putin and Macron sit opposite each other at a six-meter-long table. The symbolic photograph went around the world, was interpreted and caricatured in numerous ways.
Fashion Week: The Battle for the Best Seat
Feb 27, 2024
At haute couture shows like Berlin Fashion Week, the celebrities in the front row are at least as important as the new collections. Photos of the stars at the edge of the runway ar
The Murdered Tree
Feb 28, 2024
The tree lies on the ground, in two pieces; the police have cordoned off the area. Images of the felled sycamore maple sparked outrage worldwide. Why does the cutting down of a tre
Tifo, the stadium mural
Mar 5, 2024
This tifo didn't come from football fans attending a match. It's a representation of Pope Francis held up by the crowd during a mass the Holy Father celebrated in the Marseille sta
The Ghost Town
Mar 6, 2024
In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing the local population to flee. Time seems to stand still in the central square of the capit
Rihanna: A Family Photo
Mar 7, 2024
Rihanna poses for a photo with her family: The image of her with her partner Asap Rocky and their two children looks like a spontaneous snap, but in reality is a carefully planned
Orange alert: New York engulfed in smoke
Mar 11, 2024
A huge orange cloud of smoke drifts over New York. On the ground, residents photograph the eerie spectacle. But what is the real eye-catcher?
GIF: Feelings on a Loop
Mar 12, 2024
There are always situations where you just want to disappear into the ground. To humorously illustrate this emotion, there's the Homer Simpson hedge GIF, among others! These animat
Greta Thunberg - The Making of an Icon
Mar 13, 2024
Greta Thunberg is regularly at protests - against climate change, energy multinationals and in support of the Palestinian cause. But how has her image changed since she first start
Putin's Candidacy: A Masterpiece of Staging
Mar 14, 2024
On live television, a member of the military asks the Russian head of state to run in the 2024 presidential election. The staging, which portrays Vladimir Putin as the "savior of t
Digital Field Post
Mar 18, 2024
Russia's war against Ukraine: A soldier in a hopeless situation documents the gruesome reality of war with his smartphone. He posts his "farewell video" on social media, where it i
Libya, the forgotten catastrophe
Mar 20, 2024
This video is among the very first images to reach the world after the flood that killed thousands in Libya. Why did the event fade into the background in the European media?
TikTok: Cooking in Seconds
Mar 21, 2024
One minute to learn an original pasta recipe: The kitchen is conquering social media. A pumpkin, pasta, and Parmesan. Add a few precise movements, point-of-view shots, and a quick
Donald Trump: The Courtroom Sketch
Mar 25, 2024
In April 2023, the legendary American magazine "The New Yorker" chose a courtroom sketch for its cover. The event it depicts is unprecedented: former President Donald Trump is indi
A brief visit to a war zone: a diplomatic blunder
Mar 26, 2024
The line between a diplomatic coup and a PR disaster is sometimes very thin. Photos of Ursula von der Leyen's visit to Kibbutz Kfar Aza less than a week after the Hamas terrorist a
Drug Cartels: Where does the "narco" myth come from?
Mar 27, 2024
Wartime success or media trap? By staging the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, drug trafficker and son of Mexican cartel boss "El Chapo," the Mexican government is fueling the legend of th
Fails: The Funnier the Fall
Mar 28, 2024
Compilations of "fails," or fallouts, are a series of tumbles, slips, and all sorts of unexpected accidents. As absurd as they are hilarious, these videos of falls provoke laughter
Hijacked freighter: A terrorist video goes viral
Apr 2, 2024
The video of a hijacked Israeli freighter went viral around the world – as proof of the Houthi rebels' solidarity with the Palestinians. In wars, where images become weapons, propa
Tourism: Monuments capitulate to the onslaught of visitors
Apr 3, 2024
Hordes of people throng around the Acropolis: The photo is intended to inform, but above all to alarm. Almost everyone can now afford to travel, but this new overtourism threatens
Award-winning war photography
Apr 4, 2024
March 2022, the beginning of the war in Ukraine: Bombs are raining down on Mariupol. A photograph of a severely injured, heavily pregnant woman captures life and death and all huma
Can the NBA logo be changed?
Apr 22, 2024
A white silhouette of a basketball player dribbling against a blue and red background... The iconic NBA logo is instantly recognizable. Yet, there are frequent discussions about ch
"Embedded Journalism": The Dilemma of War Reporters
Apr 23, 2024
In November 2023, French journalists went to the Gaza Strip, "embedded" within the Israeli army that controls the borders. How does war reporting function when reporters are under
Kim Kardashian's Bra
Apr 25, 2024
In a commercial for her new bra, Kim Kardashian offers us an unexpected solution to climate change with a touch of irony: the "Nipple Bra" with integrated nipples. Provocation or i
Joe Biden on TikTok: A completely different kind of campaign
Apr 29, 2024
Joe Biden makes his TikTok debut. With a Q&A video about the Super Bowl, the president is vying for the favor of young American voters. However attractive social networks may seem
Charles III: The Coin of Power
Apr 30, 2024
Canada is minting a coin bearing the likeness of King Charles III – a decision that is causing controversy in the country. Which portraits adorn coins is a far more political matte
Hawaii: Live report from the disaster zone
May 2, 2024
In August 2023, a young man and his family were caught in the wildfires raging on the Hawaiian island of Maui. While fleeing the flames, he filmed with his cell phone. His amateur
When the Marriage Proposal Becomes a Spectacle
May 10, 2024
This short clip of a fairytale-style marriage proposal is just one of many that enjoy great popularity on social media. They come in a glossy, commercial style and reflect a view o
Anatomy of a Film Poster
May 13, 2024
A Palme d'Or, six César Awards, two Golden Globes, and an Oscar – "Anatomy of a Fall" was undoubtedly one of the most talked-about films of 2023. A poster always determines a poten
SpaceX: Musk Plays the Power Game
May 14, 2024
For Starship's second test flight, SpaceX pulled off a successful PR stunt. The polished live video has been viewed over 9 million times on X. A skillfully orchestrated event that
Apple Vision Pro: "Stranger Man" on the Subway - Alone Together?
May 15, 2024
A video of a man sitting on the subway wearing Apple's augmented reality headset went viral. The clip is part of the tech giant's marketing strategy. At the same time, it highlight
Putin: Posing in a Nuclear Bomber
May 21, 2024
The Russian president takes off aboard a bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Vladimir Putin thus fuels his ongoing personality cult, but above all seeks to place nuclear de
"White Party": Celebrities All in White
May 22, 2024
Celebrities from around the world gather for a party at a magnificent villa. The dress code: all in white! Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kylian Mbappé, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez,
AI: Sora, the Factory of Fake Reality
May 23, 2024
The astonishing results of a new AI tool are generating excitement, but also raising concerns. The ultra-realistic video of a woman strolling in Tokyo was never filmed. It was crea
Gaza: Humanitarian aid escalates
May 28, 2024
In the Gaza Strip, starving Palestinians stormed several trucks carrying aid supplies: The video, filmed by a drone, was released by the Israeli army to explain the deaths of 118 p
Ecuador: Hostage Taking Live on Television
May 29, 2024
Since a drug lord escaped from prison, Ecuador has been experiencing an unprecedented wave of violence. Against the backdrop of an extremely tense political situation, members of a
"Kate-Gate": The Princess in the PR Trap
May 30, 2024
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, reveals her cancer diagnosis on live television. The video puts an end to the rumors sparked by her withdrawal from public life, but also highlig
The Instagram Parisian
Aug 27, 2024
In just five steps to becoming the perfect Parisian! German influencer Franziska Nazarenus shows how in her video. What might seem amusing at first glance actually has a historical
AI and Humanoid Robots
Aug 28, 2024
Is giving artificial intelligence a human face reassuring or frightening? The video of the first ever press conference conducted by humanoid robots marked a turning point. But is i
Ruby Bridges: The Eternal Schoolgirl
Sep 2, 2024
Shielded by three white police officers, a little Black girl emerges from a school building, backpack in hand. This image from 1960 became a symbol of the desegregation of the Unit
Warming Stripes: 16 Shades of Climate Change
Sep 5, 2024
The climate stripes are meant to make global warming visually tangible. In just a few years, they have gained worldwide symbolic power. Can a simple graphic achieve more than a rep
Neom: Saudi Arabia's City of the Future
Sep 9, 2024
In 2024, the first computer-generated images of Aquellum, one of the future districts of the futuristic megacity Neom, were shared on TikTok. This urban utopia is a showcase for Sa
Tucker Carlson's Putin Interview
Sep 10, 2024
Tucker Carlson was the first Western journalist to interview Russian president Vladimir Putin since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The former Fox News presenter and Trump sup
Ukraine: A War of Symbols
Sep 16, 2024
Artist Émeric Lhuisset's reinterpretation of a famous 1891 painting is part of a memory war between Russia and Ukraine. His photograph has gone viral: Ukrainians have appropriated
Elon Musk in Auschwitz
Sep 17, 2024
The photo of Elon Musk in Auschwitz was taken in January 2024. Musk visited the symbolic site to polish his image after facing criticism for antisemitic remarks. Public admission o
Flooding: When Your Home Goes Underwater
Sep 18, 2024
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. A standout picture from the floods in France in April 2024 was a photo of man standing inside his living room with nearly one metr
10 Downing Street
Sep 23, 2024
10 Downing Street, in the heart of London's Westminster district, is a highly symbolic address: one glance at its famous black lacquered door is enough to conjure up the residence
Taliban: Patrol on Inline Skates
Sep 24, 2024
The video shows members of the Taliban city guard skillfully gliding through Kabul on inline skates. The Islamist regime seized power in Afghanistan again in 2021. Since then, the
Mark Zuckerberg's Apology
Sep 25, 2024
Mark Zuckerberg was summoned to a US Senate hearing where he faced serious accusations about the dangers of his social media platforms. But was his apology to parents sincere or ju
Front Pages in Memoriam
Sep 30, 2024
On July 17, 2023, all of France mourned Jane Birkin, and all the daily newspapers published obituaries. "Libération" featured a full-page black-and-white photograph of the singer a
Hurricanes & Extreme Weather Trends
Oct 1, 2024
A multicoloured whirlwind approaches the Mexican coast: this is the satellite image of Hurricane Otis in 2023. Published on X (Twitter) shortly before the disaster, the video was w
Mukbang: Eating videos on the internet
Oct 3, 2024
A young, pretty woman fills her stomach with tons of food. The video illustrates the Mukbang phenomenon that comes from South Korea: the staging of a well-timed eating spree, follo
The horseshoe crab and the fascination of the abyss
Jan 15, 2024
The horseshoe crab has been roaming the seabed for more than 450 million years and yet it has never been photographed so clearly. For this feat, this photo won the prestigious Wild
West Bank: A Hospital Raid
Oct 10, 2024
In January 2024 a commando unit of 12 Israeli soldiers carried out a raid in a hospital in the West Bank. Their objective was to kill members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad that they c
Russia: The Desecration of the Ballot Box
Oct 14, 2024
A young woman invalidates the ballots in a ballot box. During the presidential elections in March 2024, several incidents occurred at Russian polling stations. These symbolic attac
Calvin Klein: Man As Object
Oct 16, 2024
The latest Calvin Klein ad campaign turns actor Jeremy Allen White into a "man-object" in a series of suggestive and sexualised poses. Is the way advertising treats the male body c
The Magic of the Supermoon
Oct 17, 2024
A giant moon rises behind a mountain spur. The so-called "blue supermoon" is a rare phenomenon. The impressive photo circulated widely in the media and testifies to the long-standi
Navalny's Funeral: A Bastian of Resistance
Oct 22, 2024
A silent congregation pays its respects to Alexei Navalny. This photograph of the funeral of Putin's main political opponent tells of the end of hope for democracy in Russia. But
NPC Videos: Game or Fetishism?
Oct 23, 2024
During a live stream, Japanese artist Natue Coco presents herself as an anime character. These NPC (Non-Player Character) streams, with their repetitive dialogue and gestures, have
FIghter Jets to Ukraine
Oct 28, 2024
In a slickly produced video posted on social media, Volodymyr Zelensky hails the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Ukraine. But why this public display from the Ukrainian president?
Harris vs Trump: The Dog & Cat Effect
Oct 29, 2024
“They’re eating the dogs”. When Donald Trump affirmed in a televised presidential debate that Haitian immigrants were eating Americans' pets, this fake news story spawned a multit
Apple: The Apple Crushed by Its Own Ad
Oct 30, 2024
In this commercial, a hydraulic press crushes a trumpet, paint cans, and a guitar, leaving only a slim iPad tablet. But why did this image of the virtual world, crushing symbols of
Smog alert: Thick air in New Delhi
Oct 31, 2024
It's a recurring scene every year: New Delhi's most famous street is shrouded in dense smog. The Indian government regularly emphasizes its efforts to combat the problem. But these
The New Yorker – The Cover as Artwork
Nov 4, 2024
The US magazine The New Yorker demonstrates its support for Kamala Harris with a portrait of the presidential candidate on its cover. Unlike other print media, The New Yorker commi
US Politics: Red or Blue?
Nov 5, 2024
Blue for the Democrats, red for the Republicans. The results map of the American election is everywhere in the media, showing a divided nation. But the use of these colours to repr
Israel: Horrific War Trophies
Nov 6, 2024
This a video of celebration, filmed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip, is one of a series of images posted on social networks by Israeli soldiers enjoying their destruction of
El Salvador parades its "guilty" prisoners
Nov 12, 2024
Prisoners arrested for embezzlement face the press. In El Salvador, accustomed to parades of the condemned, the scene is striking in its staging. A look back at the "punitive commu
Ukraine: An AI Spokesperson
Nov 13, 2024
The new spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an AI created avatar. How are these extremely convincing AI avatars shaking up power structures?
Charles III: The Portrait of a King
Nov 14, 2024
Unveiled in May 2024 at Buckingham Palace, the very first official portrait of Charles III sparked intense controversy. But why does a painted portrait ignite such passion? Let's t
Blue Screen: The World in Breakdown Mode
Nov 19, 2024
In July 2024, the Blue Screen of Death will appear on millions of Windows devices. The error message has sparked science-fiction-like fears: What if digital addiction leads to huma
Death of Yahya Sinwar: Images of Martyrdom
Nov 20, 2024
Israeli drone footage of their enemy, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, living out his last moments before being killed, were shared by the IDF on social media. But whose narrative does t
Netanyahu: Murder by Phone
Nov 25, 2024
On September 27, 2024, Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the pro-Iranian terrorist group Hezbollah for over 30 years, by telephone. Wit
North Korea from an unusual perspective
Nov 26, 2024
In March 2024, two videos and some photos from North Korea were posted on Reddit. The drone footage went viral on social media. Where does this fascination with images from the Eas
New Zealand: A Haka in the Parliament
Nov 27, 2024
In December 2023, a video of a haka, a ceremonial maori dance, during a session of the New Zealand Parliament went viral on social media. This performance by a newly elected Maori
Brand Image: Clash of the Giants
Nov 28, 2024
In a poster advertising campaign, Intermarché denounced the price increases of some products – explicitly mentioning the giant Unilever. The British corporation obtained an injunct
North Korea: At the Heart of the Nuclear Bomb Factory
Dec 2, 2024
The photo shows Kim Jong-un between rows of centrifuges where uranium is enriched. The metal is essential for the production of nuclear weapons. What does the release of this photo
The Return of the Russian Agents
Dec 3, 2024
A married couple and their children, both spies, are triumphantly welcomed by Vladimir Putin himself in August 2024. They are part of the largest prisoner exchange since the end of
World Press Photo 2024: Universal Suffering
Dec 4, 2024
On 17 October 2023, more than 110 civilians were killed by the Israeli army at Khan Younes in the Gaza strip. The Palestinian photographer Mohammed Salem captured a tragic scene of
A Photographic Hunt for Extinct Species
Dec 5, 2024
No one had seen it for over 60 years, but now a photograph has been taken: The Attenborough long-beaked echidna has been photographed for the first time in its natural habitat by a
Indonesia: Politicians as comic characters
Dec 9, 2024
It's a completely new phenomenon: In the Indonesian election campaign, a presidential candidate and his running mate are being portrayed as cute comic characters on posters. What's
Fascinated by Volcanoes
Dec 10, 2024
In January 2024, a spectacular volcanic eruption in Iceland threatened the town of Grindavik, attracting journalists and the general public who wanted to capture the moment on came
Mini soaps: the shorter the better?
Dec 13, 2024
The tried-and-tested formula “love, revenge and money” directly on your smartphone: mass-produced micro-dramas are the latest craze and are instantly addictive... Discover My Bill