France
EUROPE
French Speech Laws Allow Rivals to Attack Opponents
France detained a sitting MEP and opened a hate-speech probe against its top news channel in the same week; French law, it turned out, had room for everyone.
EUROPE
Guardians Go Radical: France’s Masonic Trial
Inside a quiet Parisian suburb, men pledged to secrecy and brotherhood allegedly ran hit squads, murdered a racing driver, and tried to kill business rivals.
LIFESTYLE
Sephora Kids: Beauty Brands Sell Children Anxiety
As Italy's competition watchdog opened an investigation into LVMH-owned Sephora this week, the "Sephora kids" trend stopped looking like a fad and started looking like a governance failure.
EUROPE
France: The End of Macron’s Middle Ground
The tallies from the municipal ballots gave the political fringes a triumph that the French establishment had not planned for.
LIFESTYLE
Perfume Capitals: Grasse Fields and Dubai Malls Compete for Status
One town grows the flowers. One city sells the dream. Both claim the title.
Popular
Super Intelligence: The Datacentre Is the New Science Lab
As Europe funds brilliant laboratories, are datacentre owners harvesting the discoveries?
Strasbourg Naked Golden Trump Trolls the Monument Tradition
A naked golden Trump in Strasbourg shows how statues, once made to flatter rulers, now serve to roast them.
Hanning Affair Hurts German Intel Cred
Germany's ex-spymaster undermined allied confidence and gave Moscow-friendly politicians a talking point.
Rubio Cherry-Picks Ancient Greece to Sell Modern Nationalism
Rubio urged the West to copy ancient Greek loyalty, yet ancient Athens thrived on argument, dissent and noisy assemblies.
Young Voters Could Decide France’s Next President
Hate-speech allegations bruise Bardella and energise Mélenchon, but household finances and young-voter turnout will determine who wins France's presidency.
