Author: France 24

As the Haute Couture collections wrap up in the French capital, we take a look at some of the highlights in a season where arrivals and departures have cast a shadow over many of the major houses’ collections. Fashion editor Samantha Tse talks us through a transitional collection for Chanel, as the label awaits the arrival of its new artistic director, Matthieu Blazy. Echoing the Met museum’s glitzy annual gala, the Bal d’Eté in Paris brought together celebrities like Keira Knightley, Sofia Coppola, Penelope Cruz and Diane Kruger to raise funds for the Louvre’s Decorative Arts Museum.

Ben Healy won stage 6 of the Tour de France after a solo performance. Mathieu Van der Poel reclaimed the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar by one second.

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a sweeping new round of tariffs targeting eight countries, with Brazil hit the hardest. The move, which comes despite a US trade surplus with the South American giant, raises economic and political tensions as the August 1 implementation date looms. Meanwhile in corporate news, Nvidia has become the first publicly traded company to surpass a $4 trillion valuation, overtaking the size of France’s entire GDP.

Israel will increase humanitarian access to Gaza under a new deal with the European Union, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday. The move comes as Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 52 people, including eight children, were killed by Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.

The 11th century Bayeux Tapestry will return to Britain for the first time in almost 1,000 years, when it goes on display at London’s British Museum in September 2026. The 68-metre-long artifact, which depicts the 1066 Norman conquest of England, will be exchanged for artifacts from British archaeological sites.

Paris Saint-Germain easily defeated Real Madrid (4-0) and will meet Chelsea in the Club World Cup final on July 13.

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, July 9: Papers report on the blazing wildfires in Syria, Spain and France. Over in Russia, where independent media are discussing the “alleged suicie” of a high-profile politician, who was found dead hours after being fired. Also, Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot praises Hitler and shares hateful comments on X after its latest update. Finally, magazines discuss Kate Middleton’s “fashion diplomacy” during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain. 

Dr. Marwan al-Sultan, the head of Gaza’s Indonesia Hospital, was a renowned figure in the Palestinian territory. When he was killed last week in an Israeli strike, the Gaza Strip was left to cope with just one cardiologist as international groups warn of the devastating toll of the 21-month war on the enclave’s health sector.

Film critic Perrine Quennesson tells us why Palme d’Or-winning director Julia Ducournau’s latest feature “Alpha” divided critics when it screened at Cannes. She explains how leading actor Tahar Rahim transformed himself for the role and salutes the French filmmaker’s imaginative use of imagery in her daring films.

Tadej Pogacar is in the history books once again. The 26-year-old became the fourth-youngest rider to secure his 100th career win as he outsprinted Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Vingegaard in stage 4 of the Tour de France. Van der Poel retained the leader’s yellow jersey ahead of Wednesday’s time trial.