18.07.2026 03:03

Mentissa and the Art of Not Being Finished at Twenty

Paris - 18/07/2026: Sometimes, a song lasting barely three minutes is enough to reopen an entire phase of life. In its summer series on the new female voice in French-language pop, Franceinfo brought Mentissa's "La Vingtaine" back to listeners' attention on 17 July. The song, whose title can be translated as "The Twenties," is not about the polished youth that advertising and social media like to sell, but about its more uncomfortable, more truthful core: uncertainty.Mentissa asks how one describes oneself when one barely knows oneself. The Belgian-French singer portrays one's twenties as an in-between state: you are expected to make decisions, devise plans for the future, appear composed and, preferably, be happy on the side. Yet beneath the rhythmically restrained pop surface is a voice that politely but firmly contradicts this programme. It wants to keep living before allowing itself to be definitively pinned down.The song was released on 18 November 2022 on Mentissa's debut album "La vingtaine", on the Tôt ou tard label. It was written by Mentissa and Joseph Kamel; production was handled by Egil Franzen, Romain Descampe and Rémy Galichet. This very combination helps explain what is distinctive about the track: it does not seek the grand demonstrative gesture, but the precise form for a feeling familiar to many and yet rarely sung about with such little pathos.In Mentissa's song, one's twenties are neither a mere promise nor a mere imposition. They are an age in...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 02:46

Andy Burnham Takes Leadership of the Labour Party Ahead of Taking Office as Prime Minister

London - 18/07/2026: Andy Burnham was declared leader of the British Labour Party on Friday, 17 July. The 56-year-old was the sole candidate to s쳮d Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation as party leader and prime minister on 22 June. Burnham is due to take office as head of government on Monday, 20 July 2026.The decision brings an unusually brief leadership process within the governing party to an end. According to the Labour Party, Burnham secured the required nominations and was confirmed unopposed. In his first speech as party leader, he focused on the goal of restoring trust and political confidence. He also paid tribute...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 02:32

Two Dead After Severe Thunderstorms in France

Saint-Victurnien - 18/07/2026: The severe thunderstorms on Thursday evening claimed at least two lives in France. In Saint-Victurnien, in the Haute-Vienne department, a woman was struck by a falling tree and fatally injured. In Dolomieu, in the Isère department, a man was found dead after a fire in a workshop. According to initial reports, the fire was caused by a lightning strike.The storms swept across large parts of the country on July 16, bringing heavy rain, hail, strong wind gusts and an exceptionally high number of lightning strikes. Météo-France recorded more than 20,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. According to the weather service, this made it the...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 02:15

Senate Suspends Christine Herzog Over Serious Ethics Violations

Paris - 17/07/2026: The French Senate has imposed the most severe disciplinary measure provided for under its rules of procedure on Moselle senator Christine Herzog. The bureau of parliament's upper chamber unanimously decided on a reprimand with temporary exclusion. Herzog may not enter the Luxembourg Palace for 15 public sitting days and must complete training on her duties as an employer.According to the Senate, the internal investigation underlying the decision found proven moral harassment of a parliamentary staff member. The bureau also identified a particularly serious breach of the ethical principles of dignity and integrity. Herzog will additionally lose the majority of her senatorial remuneration for six months. According to a calculation from Senate sources, this amounts to a loss of income of around 32,000 euros.The matter began with a report by the employee at the start of spring 2026. According to sources close to the investigation, she is on sick leave. The Senate's ethics committee subsequently held hearings and conducted disciplinary proceedings. Its findings went beyond an ordinary workplace...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 01:16

Micromania Changes Ownership and Bets on Trading Cards

Paris - 18 July 2026: The French video game retail chain Micromania-Zing has been acquired by a Franco-Canadian consortium of four entrepreneurs. The company confirmed the transaction on 16 July. The buyers are Canadian entrepreneur Stephan Tétrault, Jean-François Chenail, and Sandra and Stephen Callahan. No purchase price was disclosed. The acquisition comes at a time of profound change in video game retail.Under its new owners, Micromania intends above all to strengthen sales of fan merchandise and trading cards. The aim is to position the brand more broadly than before at the intersection of gaming, pop culture and toys. According to the buyers, in-store events are also part of the planned expansion. The strategy therefore places less emphasis on the traditional business of new boxed games and more on physical products with collectible value.Stephan Tétrault is the majority shareholder of EB Games Canada, which emerged from GameStop's Canadian business in 2025. Jean-François Chenail also has a stake in EB Games. Sandra and Stephen Callahan are behind Cobico International and the toy...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 01:00

Death Threats Against Alès Mayor: Investigators Examine Possible DZ Mafia Link

Alès - 18 July 2026: A mailbox, two cartridges and writing on a house wall: in Alès, in the Gard department, death threats against Mayor Christophe Rivenq are keeping investigators busy. The incidents came to light on Thursday, 16 July 2026, at the municipal politician's home. His wife reportedly discovered the envelope that evening. According to consistent reports, it contained two nine-millimetre cartridges.Insulting and threatening messages were also found on the house wall. They bore a signature referring to the so-called DZ Mafia and a "New Generation". For now, this is merely a claim by the unknown authors. According to judicial authorities, there is currently...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 00:47

The Jubillar Case: Why the Field in Mailhoc Had Not Been Searched Until Now

Mailhoc - 18 July 2026: A field on the edge of a wooded area, an access road sealed off, investigators in white protective suits: in Mailhoc, in the Tarn department, the search in the Delphine Aussaguel case has taken a new turn that must still be assessed cautiously. On Thursday, 16 July, gendarmes found bone remains there, the origin of which is now being examined forensically.The site is near departmental road D600 and Chemin de Lobre, around eleven kilometres from the couple's former home in Cagnac-les-Mines. It is an agricultural plot shielded by woodland. This location explains why the site had not previously been part...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 00:30

Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey begins its big-screen journey with a little song

New York - 18 July 2026: Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" opened in American cinemas on Friday, 17 July 2026 - and in its first few hours is already being discussed not only as a monumental event, but also as an unusually playful topic of conversation. Of all things, a brief television appearance has given the film a melody that lodges in the mind faster than some image from the ancient storm.On Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, the cast took on a small, almost unreasonable task: explaining the plot in song within one minute. The vast material was thus turned into a catchy refrain. It is precisely...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 00:16

Tour de France 2026: Why sprint finishes have so far ended in chaos less often

Dole - 18.07.2026: The sprint train surges forward, shoulders touch, brake levers twitch - and yet the picture at this Tour de France has so far remained strikingly calm on many occasions. Of the five stages that, up to Friday, 17 July, promised a classic finale for the fast men, only one was overshadowed by a serious crash in the final kilometre. That is no guarantee of safety, but it is a notable contrast to the usual nervousness of the first two weeks of the Tour.The exception came on Stage 12 on Thursday, 16 July. Around 400 metres from the finish, a crash involving Fernando...

Aktuell Read 18.07.2026 00:01

Macron Warns Against Jumping to Conclusions From Polls on the 2027 Presidential Election

Bruehl - 17 July 2026: President Emmanuel Macron has warned against overestimating current polls on the French 2027 presidential election. At an event in Germany, he pointed out that political constellations are not stable long before election day. He appealed for people not to anticipate the outcome, even though several recent surveys place Marine Le Pen and the Rassemblement National well ahead in the race for the presidency.Macron recalled the months before his own election. In July 2016, many later officeholders had not yet belonged to the political forces that shaped the French government and parliamentary majority in May 2017. The remark points to a central experience of recent French politics: the party landscape, field of candidates and alliances can change rapidly during a presidential campaign.The election is still around nine months away; the first round is expected in spring 2027. The documents published by the state commission for election polls do show a high volume of new surveys since early July. However, they each document snapshots based on different...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 23:45

38-Year-Old Dies After Lightning Strike at Workshop in Dolomieu

Dolomieu - 17 July 2026: A 38-year-old man died in a workshop fire during the night into Friday in Dolomieu, in the north of the Isere department. According to consistent reports, the building was struck by lightning at around 11 p.m. during a severe thunderstorm. The workshop subsequently caught fire. Emergency services found the business owner dead in the destroyed building.According to local reports, the business was a metalworking and welding workshop on Route de Bordenoud. The building had been set up in a former chapel. According to sources close to the investigation, the man is believed to have tried to fight the fire with...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 23:31

Jubillar case: Why the examination of the bones found may take time

Mailhoc - 17 July 2026: Investigators have discovered bone remains in a field in the Tarn, which are now being examined at the Institut de recherche criminelle de la gendarmerie nationale in Pontoise. The discovery was made at a location that Cedric Jubillar, according to investigating authorities, had identified as the place where he allegedly left the body of his wife Delphine. No identification has yet been made.The investigation at the site continued on Friday. For the family of Delphine Jubillar, nee Aussaguel, the discovery is another difficult moment after years of uncertainty. At the same time, authorities are urging caution: the fragments recovered currently...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 22:16

Tourist from Lyon missing in Peru: Police continue search

Puerto Malabrigo - 17/07/2026: Peru's National Police are continuing their search for 30-year-old Frenchman Boris Poyer. The traveler from Lyon has been reported missing in Puerto Malabrigo, in the district of Razuri, Ascope Province, in the northern Peruvian region of La Libertad. The state news agency Andina reported on July 16 that police had begun their search operation the previous day.According to consistent reports by French regional media, Poyer had not been heard from since July 10. This date differs from initial reports that cited July 11. His last known location was Puerto Malabrigo, a coastal town on the Pacific. Peruvian authorities have so far provided no information on what may have led to his disappearance.Police initially focused their efforts on the coastal area and possible routes used by visitors in the surrounding area. Investigators and local volunteers also searched a cave near the La Punta area. According to Andina, they entered the cave more than 25 meters but had to turn back at a very narrow passage. Emergency personnel subsequently ruled out the possibility that the missing man was there.The National Police rescue unit also searched the beach and the adjacent coastline. According to authorities, no sign of an accident victim was found. Police intend to inspect further locations regularly visited by travelers. Neither an accident nor a criminal motive has been publicly confirmed so far; related speculation therefore remains unsubstantiated.French media identified the missing man as Boris Poyer,...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 22:00

UV Protection Shirts Reviewed: Clothing Protects but Does Not Replace All Precautions

Paris - 17 July 2026: UV protection shirts are increasingly promoted in France as a practical alternative or supplement to sunscreen, especially for children at the beach, swimming pool and during sports. A report published on Friday by France Televisions examines the protective effect and price differences of these textiles. The central assessment by specialist authorities is clear: Covering clothing is among the most effective measures against intense sunlight, but it does not provide complete protection in every situation.The national health agency Anses points out that ultraviolet radiation can contribute to sunburn, premature skin aging and skin cancer. It therefore recommends avoiding strong sunlight whenever...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 21:45

Cazeneuve and Hollande Plan Appearance in Paris

Paris - 17/07/2026: Former French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve will appear alongside former President Francois Hollande at a colloquium in Paris on September 4. According to information from Franceinfo, Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France region and a possible candidate for the Elysee Palace, is also expected to attend. Edouard Philippe or a representative from his circle is also expected to take part.The announcement carries particular weight because Cazeneuve officially reaffirmed his presidential candidacy for 2027 on July 16. The former interior minister and head of government under Hollande rejects a Socialist primary. Through his party La Convention, he aims to build an independent platform...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 21:30

Restoration Begins After Fontainebleau Forest Fires

Fontainebleau - 17 July 2026: Following the severe forest fires in the Fontainebleau forest, the Seine-et-Marne Departmental Council has announced its participation in a fundraising campaign by the Fondation du patrimoine. The initiative is intended to finance the restoration of the severely affected natural area. The fire, which broke out on 12 July, is under control after an exceptionally demanding week of operations, but continues to be monitored.According to the Gendarmerie nationale, the two main fire fronts have now been contained, although they have not yet been fully extinguished. Since the operation began, around 800 firefighters and some 100 gendarmes have been deployed in the Seine-et-Marne department. Security forces secured evacuated areas, managed traffic and prevented access to closed forest zones so that firefighting operations could continue without additional risk.According to the Gendarmerie, the fire has damaged more than 2,000 hectares of forest. This affects a significant part of one of the region's best-known woodland areas. For people living nearby and for visitors, the situation remains consequential despite its stabilization:...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 21:15

The Bob Is Back: A Soft Hat With an Astonishingly Persistent Career

Paris - 17/07/2026: It can be crumpled up, st￭ into a jacket pocket and put back on after a quick shake. It is precisely this unpretentious ability that has made the bob, that soft round hat with a small brim, a summer classic. Franceinfo has now devoted an installment of its weekend series "Culte" to the accessory. The feature focuses on an object that never entirely disappeared - and yet feels remarkably fresh.The bob is one of those things long underestimated in fashion because it is too practical. It provides shade without dividing the field of vision as decisively as a baseball cap, and it takes rain as calmly as a bad hair day. Along the Tour de France route, it has become a familiar image of popular festive culture: a hat for long waits, sunshine and small, boisterous communities.Its origins, however, are less clear-cut than its simple shape might suggest. The French term "bob" is explained by the Centre national de ressources textuelles et lexicales as an Anglo-American diminutive...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 21:01

Energy Sector Calls Strike for September 15 Against Cuts to Employee Energy Tariff

Paris - 17 July 2026: The unions representing France's electricity and gas industries have called for an industry-wide strike and day of action on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. CGT, CFE-CGC, CFDT and FO are opposing government plans to revise the so-called employee energy tariff. The specific form of work stoppages is to be decided within the individual companies and occupational groups.The tariff is a historic component of the social status of the electricity and gas industries, stemming from the nationalization of the sector in 1946. It grants employees and retirees, including at EDF, Engie, Enedis, GRDF and local energy suppliers, heavily discounted prices for electricity...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 20:45

After the Flames: How France Plans to Make Its Forests More Resilient

Paris - 17 July 2026: At first, the charred areas tell only of loss: blackened trunks, ash on the paths, a forest that has lost its familiar face. But while a high wildfire risk remained in force on Friday in parts of the Mediterranean region and Corsica, researchers and forestry experts are already looking to what comes next. The issue is not simply replanting trees, but rethinking forests for a drier, hotter climate.Météo-France points to severely dried-out vegetation, which encourages the outbreak and rapid spread of fires. Conditions were also tense at times in northern France on July 17 because of strong northerly winds. The...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 20:30

Two Dead After Severe Thunderstorms in France

Saint-Victurnien - 17.07.2026: Following the severe thunderstorms on Thursday evening, France is mourning two fatalities. In Saint-Victurnien, in the Haute-Vienne department, a 31-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell onto a picnic area during a storm gust. The Limoges public prosecutor's office confirmed the incident. Another man died in the Isere department during the severe weather.The thunderstorms moved across a large part of the country on July 16, bringing heavy rain in some areas, very strong wind gusts and large hail. Meteo-France had warned of a particularly dangerous period of thunderstorms on Thursday and during the night into Friday. According to the weather service,...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 19:00

Athanor Trial: 30 and 25 Years in Prison for the Alleged Masterminds

Paris - 17.07.2026: An exceptionally complex criminal trial came to an end at the Paris courthouse on Friday. The two men accused of being central figures in the Athanor group, Daniel Beaulieu and Frédéric Vaglio, were sentenced to 30 and 25 years in prison respectively. The specially constituted criminal court acquitted five other defendants.Twenty-two men and women had been standing trial before the Paris criminal court since March 30. The case revolved around a group named after a Masonic lodge in Hauts-de-Seine. The judges examined a murder, attempted killings, acts of violence, intimidation and further allegations. The individual responsibility of the accused varied considerably.Beaulieu, a...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 18:47

Wildfires Put Ontario Under Pressure

Toronto - 17 July 2026: Canada's wildfire season intensified significantly in mid-July. In Ontario alone, authorities recorded 191 active fires on Friday. According to the provincial government, 81 fires were not under control. The sparsely populated regions of northern Ontario are particularly affected, where the extent of the burned areas, difficult access and new outbreaks are complicating the deployment of firefighting crews and aircraft.Premier Doug Ford said in Toronto that the province would provide all necessary resources to protect at-risk communities. The Ministry of Natural Resources also reported 20 new fires in northeastern Ontario. The government in Toronto has precautionarily asked Ottawa for support with evacuations. This means that not only firefighting, but also logistics for remote Indigenous and rural communities, is taking center stage.The nationwide situation remains dynamic. On 9 July, Canada's Department of Public Safety counted 796 active wildfires, including 60 uncontrolled fires assigned full suppression priority. At that point, 1.4 million hectares had burned since the beginning of the year. The figure of nearly 2.8 million hectares...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 18:31

Severe storms cause major damage in France

Saint-Etienne - 17/07/2026: Violent thunderstorms caused severe damage in numerous regions of France on Thursday evening and during the night into Friday. Large hailstones, heavy rain and in some cases very strong wind gusts particularly affected areas in the center and southeast of the country. According to Meteo-France, more than 20,000 lightning strikes were recorded nationwide on July 16. This made it the most thunderstorm-active day of 2026 so far.According to consistent reports, the severe weather claimed two lives. In Haute-Vienne and the Isere department, people aged around 30 died in each case. Authorities and emergency services were continuously deployed in several departments because roads...

Aktuell Read 17.07.2026 18:15

Brown Algae Harvest in Lanildut Collapses – Industry Fears Consequences of Ocean Warming

Lanildut - 17 July 2026: Algae harvesters in the Breton port of Lanildut are reporting a drastic decline in their harvest for the current season. According to them, several vessels are returning with holds only half full. The businesses see their economic foundation at risk and attribute the development primarily to ocean warming. Long-term intensive exploitation of the stocks is also cited as a possible contributing factor.Lanildut, in the department of Finistere, is considered Europe's most important port for harvesting brown algae. From May to September, around 15 specialized vessels usually bring between 40,000 and 55,000 tonnes of the species Laminaria digitata ashore. The algae,...

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