2025: The Year in Review

A panel of top journalists look back at the stories that shaped 2025—and ahead to the headlines still unfolding. Filmed at the American Library in Paris on 10 December 2025.

Event Description:
From the first year of President Trump’s second term to political turmoil in France and ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, 2025 has been a challenging year. Join top Paris-based journalists as they reflect on what they have seen and heard on the front lines.

This event is in partnership with the Overseas Press Club of America.

About the speakers:
Dov Alfon, Editor in Chief, Libération. Dov has led the French daily since 2020, boosting subscribers 500% and overseeing award-winning stories. Raised in Paris and Tel Aviv, he was previously editor of Israel’s Haaretz newspaper. He’s also a prize-winning novelist, for his bestseller Long Night in Paris, based on his experiences in Israel’s elite high-tech intelligence unit 8200.

Ben Barnier is a senior correspondent for France Info TV. He has tracked this year’s history-making news from Washington, Kyiv, and Israel, and in between, has analyzed the impact from the studio. He has previously worked for ABC News in London, and has degrees from Sciences-Po and Columbia University’s journalism school.

Saskya Vandoorne is CNN Paris bureau chief. She has covered French political upheaval, as President Macron makes major diplomatic moves globally while fending off troubles at home. Previously based in CNN’s New York headquarters, Saskya has also covered the global economy and reported from Kenya and Ukraine. She has degrees from Durham University and Columbia University’s journalism school.

Moderator: Vivienne Walt is Time & Fortune Paris Correspondent, and contributor to the New York Times DealBook. She has reported from 50 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. She has covered the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the Arab Spring, Gulf global power and Europe’s far-right movements. Her Time covers include interviews with President Macron, Marine Le Pen and Steve Bannon. She graduated from the University of Cape Town, her hometown. She is currently on the Board of Governors of the Overseas Press Club of America.