Author: France 24

Stellantis, the owner of Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Chrysler and other brands, has announced plans to pause production at two of its European plants – in Poissy, France and Pomigliano, Italy, citing weak market demand in Europe. Thousands of workers will be furloughed. Plus, the OECD says global economic growth is holding up better than expected for now, but warns the full impact of higher US tariffs is still unfolding. 

In this episode of arts24, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the first passenger train, award-winning travel writer Monisha Rajesh joins Eve Jackson to share her immersive, rail-bound adventures across continents. Her latest book, “Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train”, takes readers on 18 unforgettable journeys – from sipping pisco sours aboard Peru’s Andean Explorer to watching the sunrise over Istanbul’s skyline.

Israel will indefinitely shut the only crossing between the West Bank and Jordan starting Wednesday, Palestinian and Jordanian authorities said on Tuesday. The move follows last week’s deadly shooting in which a Jordanian truck driver killed an Israeli soldier and a reserve officer at the border, and just hours after France joined many Western countries in recognising a Palestinian state.

Ousmane Dembélé has been named 2025 Ballon d’Or. PSG scooped most of the other awards.

France has joined several of its European peers in formally recognising a Palestinian State.  At a world summit in New York on Monday,  President Emmanuel Macron called on the world to do everything it could to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution and outlined a framework for a “renewed Palestinian Authority”.  Nearly two years since it began the war has devastated the livelihoods of Palestinian people but also dealt a serious blow to Israel’s economy. 

On today’s music show on Arts24, Jennifer Ben Brahim sits down with Chicago-born, New York-based singer, songwriter, and producer KeiyaA. Known for her gossamer vocals and genre-blending sound – mixing jazz, soul, and electro – KeiyaA made waves with her debut album Forever, Ya Girl, earning critical acclaim and fans like Solange, Jay-Z, and Moses Sumney. Five years later, she returns with her sophomore album Hooke’s Law, a deeply personal journey of self-love that serves as a musical diary of one of the most challenging periods of her life.

On Monday, cities across Italy witnessed pro-Palestinian protests, strikes, and blockades, following union calls to “denounce the genocide in Gaza” and push for diplomatic and economic sanctions against Israel. Meanwhile, while neighbouring countries such as the UK and France move to recognise Palestinian statehood, the Italian government has opted for a more cautious approach.

The clash between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain has been postponed due to severe weather in Marseille. The game will take place on Monday at 8pm, during the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point on Wednesday, to a range between 4.0 percent and 4.25 percent, and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labour market.

Protests against a budget proposal bring much of France to a halt, Israel launches a ground assault on Gaza City, and giant images of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein greet US President Donald Trump upon his arrival for a state visit to Britain: here’s a look at the week’s most striking images.