Tag: France

Olga de Amaral Connects Ancestral Roots and Modernism at Fondation Cartier

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An installation view of Olga de Amaral’s work at Fondation Cartier in Paris. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: March Domage

At 92 years old, Colombian textile and visual artist Olga de Amaral has recently seen a remarkable resurgence in recognition, with a growing market presence and heightened institutional interest that surged after her 2022 debut with Lisson Gallery. De Amaral’s rich body of work merges fiber art with the spiritual and natural essence of Colombia, blending traditional textile techniques with modernist explorations of geometry, color, materials and three-dimensionality. Her practice draws from her studies at the Cranbrook Academy of Art and her deep connection to pre-Columbian art and Colombian textile traditions.

In conjunction with Art Basel Paris, Fondation Cartier has mounted the first major European retrospective of her work, offering a comprehensive look at her artistic evolution. De Amaral treats textiles as a form of language, creating intricate, textured surfaces that play with light and space. Her works transcend functionality, serving as sacred monuments or portals, bridging the human and cosmic realms.

The exhibition is organized both chronologically and thematically, highlighting how de Amaral’s practice pushes the boundaries of textiles as a mode of expression. It showcases her modernist influences, including the Bauhaus, alongside her relentless experimentation with scale, materials, and light, always maintaining a deep connection to the natural world and the Colombian landscape.

This is the first retrospective in Europe of works by de Amaral, with pieces created in the 1960s through to the present. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: Cyril Marcilhacy

The basement spaces of the exhibition introduce visitors to Olga de Amaral’s expansive exploration over the past five decades, from her early works in the 1960s to her most recent creations. By freeing her pieces from the confines of the wall, the curatorial decision creates an immersive experience, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the elaborately intricate textures and the dynamic interplay between the threads, light and physical space. Upon closer inspection, her works reveal meticulous research into the multiplicity within a single entity, exploring endless variations of material and form.

De Amaral’s experimental approach engages with materials, composition and geometry. Her complex weaving structures incorporate woven strips of various colors, thicknesses, and materials—alternating wool, linen, horsehair, and even plastic threads. This experimentation allows her to transcend the flatness of traditional tapestries, creating volumes and surfaces that explore endless combinations and new visual codes. For instance, the Entrelazados (Interlaced) series intertwines strips of differing colors and textures, while works like Elementos rojo en fuego (Red Elements on Fire) combine wool and horsehair, and Luz Blanca features woven plastic strips that are braided, coiled or knotted.

The artist writes in the exhibition catalog: “As I build surfaces, I create spaces of meditation, contemplation and reflection. Every small unit that forms the surface is not only significant in itself but also deeply resonant with the whole. Likewise, the whole is deeply resonant of each individual element.”

The exhibition showcases her earliest explorations and experimentations with textiles, as well as her monumental works. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: March Domage

Floating freely, Olga de Amaral’s textile works trace their architecture and circular forms as the threads intertwine, giving viewers a glimpse of the broader conceptual explorations she embeds in them—one that transcends materiality and highlights the potential role of textiles as a bridge between earth, human creativity, and the cosmic order. Her weaving process is almost ritualistic, connecting deeply with ancestral traditions and symbolism while incorporating contemporary influences, such as her Bauhaus studies. It’s no surprise that many of her works feel rooted in pre-Columbian tradition, referencing sacred geometries and compositions reminiscent of feather art. For instance, Encalado en la azul (Whitewashed in Lime and Blue Lacquer) features purple and orange rectangular strips sewn together, painted in turquoise with a dense, irregular pattern on a woven cotton base.

De Amaral’s works elevate textiles into a three-dimensional space, as seen in her Lienzos ceremoniales (Ceremonial Cloths), where gold leaf interacts with light, resonating with the spiritual energy of Pre-Columbian Inca artifacts. This transcendence is also evident in the Estelas (Stars/Stelae) series from 1955, where gilded woven cotton structures are reassembled into monumental totems or menhirs. By applying layers of gesso, acrylic paint and gold leaf, she transforms these textiles into evocative forms reminiscent of the funerary and votive sculptures found at Pre-Columbian archaeological sites, unlocking secrets of the universe within their woven forms.

Fondation Cartier offers a fresh and exhaustive perspective on her career and unveils the full complexity of her artistic practice. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: March Domage

Olga de Amaral’s exploration of light, both in and emanating from her materials, is central to her practice. Her golden surfaces radiate a brilliance reminiscent of sacred pre-Columbian gold craftsmanship or astronomical phenomena, inviting contemplation of the energies that shape life in the universe. In parallel, other work mirrors and evokes the relationship between tecnè (craftsmanship) and nature, creating mystical landscapes or natural sensations through powerful material metaphors.

The immersive installation on the upper floor presents both earthy and ethereal works, transforming textiles into organic forms like rocks, lianas or the lightness of fog and moisture. For example, in her Brumas (Mists) series from 2013, suspended, coated threads transition from flat to three-dimensional forms, resembling fine rain. These colorful geometric shapes interact with the surrounding glass walls and the greenery outside, poetically reflecting the elements of air and water. In other works with earthier tones, such as Muro en rojos and Gran Muro, Amaral introduces horsehair, grounding the pieces in a more solid, layered texture, reminiscent of geological formations. These massive textile surfaces evoke the Colombian landscape, with its rivers, mountains and valleys around Medellín. Through these works, de Amaral captures the essence of the Andes, embodying their primordial energy and reinforcing the connection between human labor and the cyclical forces of nature.

The Brumas are diaphanous three-dimensional textiles that evoke water and misty rain. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: March Domage

The exhibition at Fondation Cartier successfully showcases one of the most significant aspects of de Amaral’s practice—her ability to root her work in ancient traditions and spiritual connections with nature, while transcending cultural boundaries. Her exploration of textiles reflects these materials’ ceremonial, historical and symbolic significance across cultures, grounding her creations in the earth and linking them to the natural world.

The shared etymology of “text” and “textiles” from the Latin texere (meaning both weaving and telling) further deepens the resonance of her work, aligning with the Inca’s use of knotted cords as a system for recording information. Through her practice, de Amaral reawakens textiles as a universal language, one that transcends cultural specificity and continues to evolve. As her work demonstrates, textiles are a language that speaks of time, place, and human existence, capable of endlessly unfolding and expanding as it leaves the loom.

With this exhibition, the Fondation Cartier foregrounds the boldness of textile art, long marginalized due to the perception of it as a decorative art practiced by women. © Olga de Amaral. Courtesy Lisson Gallery. Photo: March Domage

“Olga De Amaral” at Fondation Cartier, Paris, is on view through March 16, 2025.

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Elisa Carollo

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October 23, 2024
Sensational mass trial shines a dark light on rape culture in France

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By DIANE JEANTET

AVIGNON, France — They are, on the face of it, the most ordinary of men. Yet they’re all on trial charged with rape. Fathers, grandfathers, husbands, workers and retirees — 50 in all — accused of taking turns on the drugged and inert body of Gisèle Pelicot while her husband recorded the horror for his swelling private video library.

The harrowing and unprecedented trial in France is exposing how pornography, chatrooms and men’s disdain for or hazy understanding of consent is fueling rape culture. The horror isn’t simply that Dominique Pelicot, in his own words, arranged for men to rape his wife, it’s that he also had no difficulty finding dozens of them to take part.

Among the nearly two dozen defendants who testified during the trial’s first seven weeks was Ahmed T. — French defendants’ full last names are generally withheld until conviction. The married plumber with three kids and five grandchildren said he wasn’t particularly alarmed that Pelicot wasn’t moving when he visited her and her now-ex-husband’s house in the small Provence town of Mazan in 2019.

It reminded him of porn he had watched featuring women who “pretend to be asleep and don’t react,” he said.

Like him, many other defendants told the court that they couldn’t have imagined that Dominique Pelicot was drugging his wife, and that they were told she was a willing participant acting out a kinky fantasy. Dominique Pelicot denied this, telling the court his co-defendants knew exactly what the situation was.

Céline Piques, a spokesperson of the feminist group Osez le Féminisme!, or Dare Feminism! said she’s convinced that many of the men on trial were inspired or perverted by porn, including videos found on popular websites. Although some sites have started cracking down on search terms such as “unconscious,” hundreds of videos of men having sex with seemingly passed out women can be found online, she said.

Piques was particularly struck by the testimony of a tech expert at the trial who had found the search terms “asleep porn” on Dominique Pelicot’s computer.

Last year, French authorities registered 114,000 victims of sexual violence, including more than 25,000 reported rapes. But experts say most rapes go unreported due to a lack of tangible evidence: About 80% of women don’t press charges, and 80% of the ones who do see their case dropped before it is investigated.

In stark contrast, the trial of Dominique Pelicot and his 50 co-defendants has been unique in its scope, nature and openness to the public at the victim’s insistence.

After a store security guard caught Pelicot shooting video up unsuspecting women’s skirts in 2020, police searched his home and found thousands of pornographic photos and videos on his phone, laptop and USB stick. Dominique Pelicot later said he had recorded and stored the sexual encounters of each of his guests, and neatly organized them in separate files.

Among those he had over was Mahdi D., who testified that when he left home on the night of Oct. 5, 2018, he didn’t intend to rape anyone.

“I thought she was asleep,” the 36-year-old transportation worker told the panel of five judges, referring to Gisèle Pelicot, who has attended nearly every day of the trial and has become a hero to many sexual abuse victims for insisting that it be public.

“I grant you that you did not leave with the intention of raping anyone,” the prosecutor told him. “But there in the room, it was you.”

Like a few of the other men accused of raping Pelicot between 2011 and 2020, Mahdi D. acknowledged almost all of the facts presented against him. And he expressed remorse, telling the judges, “She is a victim. We can’t imagine what she went through. She was destroyed.”

But he wouldn’t call it rape, even if admitting that it was might get him a lighter sentence. That led prosecutors to ask the court to screen the graphic videos of Mahdi D.’s visit to the Pelicot home.

In June, authorities took down the chatroom where they say Dominique Pelicot and his co-defendants met. Since the trial started on Sept. 2, it has resonated far beyond the Avignon courtroom’s walls, sparking protests in French cities big and small and inspiring a steady flow of opinion pieces and open letters penned by journalists, philosophers and activists.

It has also drawn curious visitors to the city in southeastern France, such as Florence Nack, her husband and 23-year-old daughter, who made the trip from Switzerland to witness the “historical trial.”

Nack, who noted that she, too, was a victim of sexual violence, said she was disturbed by the testimony of 43-year-old trucker Cyprien C., a defendant who spoke that day in court.

Asked by the head judge, Roger Arata, whether he recognized the facts, Cyprien C. answered that he “did not contest the sexual act.”

“And the rape?” Arata pressed. The defendant stood silently before eventually responding, “I can’t answer.”

Arata then began to describe what was on the videos implicating him. They are only shown as a last resource and on a case-by-case basis. But for many in the courtroom, such detailed descriptions can last several minutes and be just as heavy as watching them. Gisèle Pelicot, who is in her early 70s, has chosen to remain in the courtroom while the videos are shown. Unable to watch, she usually closes her eyes, stares at the floor, or buries her face in her hands.

Experts and groups working to combat sexual violence say the defendants’ unwillingness or inability to admit to rape speaks loudly to taboos and stereotypes that persist in French society.

For Magali Lafourcade, a judge and general secretary of the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights who isn’t involved in the trial, popular culture has given people the wrong idea about what rapists look like and how they operate.

“It’s the idea of a hooded man with a knife whom you don’t know and is waiting for you in a place that is not a private place,” she said, noting that this “is miles away from the sociological, criminological reality of rape.”

Two-thirds of rapes take place at private homes, and in a vast majority of cases, victims know their rapists, Lafourcade said.

It can be difficult at times to reconcile the facts with the personalities of the accused — described by loved ones as loving, generous and considerate companions, brothers and fathers.

Cyril B.’s tearful older sister told the court: “It’s my brother, I love him. He’s not a mean person.” His partner described him as “kind, his heart on his sleeve and full of attention.” She insisted that he isn’t “macho” and that he had never forced her to do anything sexually that she wasn’t comfortable with.

Although Lafourcade does not believe “all men are rapists,” as some have concluded the trial shows, she said that unlike the #MeToo accusations that have ensnared French celebrities, the Pelicot case “makes us understand that in fact rapists could be everyone.”

“For once, they’re not monsters — they’re not serial killers on the margin of society. They are men who resemble those we love,” she said. “In this sense, there is something revolutionary.”

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Originally Published: October 23, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.

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The Associated Press

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October 23, 2024
Eutelsat uses SpaceX rocket to launch first satellites after merger

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SpaceX logo is screened on a mobile phone for illustration photo.

Beata Zawrzel | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Eutelsat, the world’s third-biggest satellite operator by revenue, launched 20 satellites for its communications network on Sunday, using Elon Musk’s SpaceX in its first move since the merger of two European companies last year.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off, with Eutelsat satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 0513 GMT.

“This is the first OneWeb launch of the satellites since the merger,” CEO Eva Berneke told Reuters in an interview. “We will be launching more satellites over the coming years.”

The Paris-based group formed by the merger in September last year of France’s Eutelsat and Britain’s OneWeb has a constellation of over 600 low earth orbit satellites that cater to broadcasters, telecom companies and radio stations.

“We really want to integrate into the telco ecosystem,” Berneke said. “Satellites are an interesting niche in the overall connectivity ecosystems where telcos are the big boys in the class and satellite will always be a smaller part.”

Eutelsat counts telecom operators such as France’s Orange and Australia’s Telstra as clients and is in talks with others such as AT&T in the U.S.

The company, which has a backlog of orders of $4 billion, is waiting for countries such as India and Saudi Arabia to open up.

India – a market set to grow 36% a year to $1.9 billion by 2030 – is in the process of allowing satellite services. It has experienced friction between domestic players and companies such as Starlink.

Two Asian chipmaking giants had a Friday to remember, but for different reasons.00:0201:26

“We have some of our backlog sitting in the Indian market… It sits there until India gets open, the day it gets open, we’ll start building,” Berneke said.

The company is also in talks with aviation companies to offer in-flight connectivity, including internet browsing, and expects revenue to start increasing from next year, she said.

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October 20, 2024
A Constellation of Salon-Style Fairs Rounded Out Paris Art Week

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Josef Strau and ASMA presented by Gaga, Mexico. © Margot Montigny.

A constellation of salon-style fairs opened in Paris this week, perfectly timed to coincide with an increasingly intense and vibrant Art Basel Paris, helping solidify the French capital’s status as Europe’s premier art hub. Leading the charge on Tuesday was Paris Internationale, which took over the raw, abandoned Central Bergère once again. Its grungy, unfinished atmosphere mirrored the experimental art displayed in the booths. This year, the fair hosted seventy-five galleries from nineteen countries, and a bustling opening day led to strong sales. Japanese artist Kajiito Ito, presented by Tomio Koyama Gallery, sold out his entire collection of paintings and sculptures priced between $3,500-5,000. Meanwhile, Athens-based The Breeder made its debut, showcasing works by artist and choreographer Maria Hassabi alongside sculptures by Georgia Sagri. By the third day, the gallery celebrated the sale of one of Sagri’s works ($30,000-40,000) to a prominent European institutional collection, along with several editions of Hassabi’s golden mirrored photographs, which were placed in private collections for $20,000-30,000. Hassabi is set to present a solo exhibition at the gallery at the end of November.

LoBrutto Stahl’s solo booth featuring the intriguing, esoteric paintings of Georgian artist Tornike Robakidze sold out by the end of the first day. Düsseldorf’s Lucas Hirsch also reported strong early sales of works by Kassel-based painter Lukas Müller, who studied under Albert Oehlen, with paintings going for around $10,000 and a few gouaches for $4,500. By Friday, Ludovico Corsini, now operating independently after parting ways with CLEARING, nearly sold out his booth at Paris Internationale. Javier Barrios’ works of intricate symbolism sold in the $8,000-30,000 range, while pieces by Meriem Bennani moved for $18,000-45,000.

Another standout was the Shanghai-based gallery Plateus, which brought the nature-inspired, meditative abstractions artist Wang Jung created in the open air. The artist spent hours immersed in nature, painting and sketching in the forests of Guangzhou, China, seeking a deeper connection between humanity and the natural world. His lively, gestural brushstrokes convey the movement of the trees, the air in between and their lymph and energy.

Maria Hassabi and Georgia Sagri presented by The Breeder, Athens. © Margot Montigny

Among the new fairs adding to the buzz of Paris Art Week was the first edition of NADA in the city, The Salon, launched in partnership with The Community. Unlike the sun-soaked Basel preview, this fair opened on a rainy, gray day in a modern building in the 10th Arrondissement that once housed SNCF, the French railway. The glass structure provided a sleek, seamless flow around the booths, though the atmosphere was noticeably quieter compared to other fairs—likely because Parisians are still warming up to this American-led event, which felt more like an “American community” gathering transplanted to Paris.

Despite the slower pace, some galleries saw early sales. Local dealer Cadet Capela presented a solo booth featuring works by Blake Daniels, selling two of the three pieces on display at prices between $20,000 and $25,000. “We had a great first day: dynamic, with a very international audience,” Mathieu Capela told Observer. Upstairs, New York favorites like Mrs. gallery showcased works by Alexandra Barth, Megan Bogonovich and Robert Zehnder. “We’ve had strong interest and a couple of small sales,” Sara Salamone, founder of Mrs., said. “We’re staying positive for the weekend and excited to engage with more Parisian and European collectors. It was quieter, but there was a good level of people.”

FR MoCA at The Salon by NADA. Courtesy of FR MoCA

In the next booth, Olympia presented Coleen Herman’s vibrant, gestural abstractions priced between $5,000 and $12,000 in an airy, atmospheric display that drew a lot of attention. Upstairs, Montreal-based Bradley Ertaskiran showcased Veronica Pausova’s intricate reflections on the feminine body, available for $9,000. One of the standout projects at The Salon was a show by the Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art (FR MoCA), a nonprofit, artist-led collective centered around themes of transparency, screens and porosity. Founded by Massachusetts natives Harry Gould Harvey IV and Brittni Ann Harvey, the collective focuses on alternative, cyclical systems to sustain artistic production and co-creation, often collaborating with other galleries to engage communities through their innovative space.

Another highlight was Shary Boyle’s mysterious ceramics, presented by Patel Brown, displayed alongside small canvases by Muriel Jaouich. Boyle’s new ceramic works, created at the Ceramic Work Centre in the Netherlands, have her signature unsettling style but explore themes of silence and the unspoken truths that resonate in today’s world. The collaborative booth by 52 Walker and Mitchell-Innes & Nash (which recently closed the New York gallery to become an art advisory) also made an impression, with several works by the late, great Pope.L.

Patel Brown at The Salon by NADA. JEREMIE BOUILLON

Asia Now, housed in the sumptuous historical palace of the Monnaie de Paris, opened on the same day with a highly curated selection from the very first room. Each year, it seems, the fair elevates its offerings, attracting more established galleries like Esther Schipper, which presented the work of young, talented Korean artist Lee Linju, selling out in the $20,000 range. Perrotin dedicated one side of its booth to Hong Kong artist Ya Chin Chang, whose meticulously detailed paintings quickly sold in the $20,000-25,000 range ahead of a New York show next year. The Drawing Room Manila from the Philippines showcased a solo booth of hand-carved woodwork by Roberto Faleo, with three pieces selling in the early hours for $5,000-7,000. Parisian gallery Galerie LJ also made a strong impression, selling visionary works on paper by Georgian artist Rusudan Khizanishvili in the opening hours.

Nearby, Berlin’s Kornfeld gallery saw quick success with the sale of a large work by Rao Fu for $44,000 in the fair’s first hours—Fu’s demand has risen notably since his collaboration with Perrotin. “We’re thrilled by the overwhelming response from prominent museum professionals, curators, and collectors across the globe, particularly from France and Southeast Asia,” a gallery rep told Observer. “The sale of Tamara Kvesitadze’s kinetic sculpture to a collector in China, along with the enthusiastic reception of Egani’s striking Jean-Michel Basquiat portrait, underscores the international resonance of the artists we represent. It’s a testament to the dynamic and diverse energy of the fair.” Square Street Gallery from Hong Kong echoed this satisfaction. “It’s been an incredible start to the fair,” director Leon Jago told Observer. “We brought Daisuke Tajima’s work to Asia Now for his inaugural European presentation, and we received an excellent response from collectors and curators alike.”

View of the entrance to Asia Now entrance. Courtesy of Asia Now

The fair also presented a section co-curated by Nicolas Bourriad (who is behind this year’s Gwangju Biennial) and Alexander Burenkov. Centered around the notion of ceremony, the section featured work by eighteen artists who explored or revived the “ritual” as a space of spirituality, conviviality and social connectivity. Among them were up-and-coming and established artists from the region, like Charwei Tsai, ZADIE XA, Leelee Chan, Ming Wong and Trevor Yeung, who represented Hong Kong at the Venice Biennale this year.

Last but not least, another relatively new fair that collectors seemed to have appreciated was OFFSCREEN, which took place not far from the Grand Palais at Grand Garage Haussmann (yes, a former garage) and featured twenty-five works by artists Alfredo Jaar, Gordon Matta Clark and Lita Albuquerque, among others. This avant-garde fair focuses on experimental, image-based artworks, including video, film, photography and mixed-media installations. The late Belgian director Chantal Akerman was this year’s guest of honor, and her work was displayed in collaboration with Marian Goodman Gallery.

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Elisa Carollo

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October 19, 2024
Highlights and Sales from an Effervescent Art Basel Paris VIP Preview

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Art Basel Paris 2024 on opening day. Courtesy of Art Basel

The majestic Grand Palais quickly filled with a steady stream of art lovers there for Art Basel Paris’ VIP preview day. The atmosphere was positive and the mood upbeat, spurring healthy sales and lively negotiations from the early hours. Collectors and professionals from across the globe descended on the preview, with many traveling from the Americas and Asia. Among the notable attendees were Chloe Sevigny, Natalie Portman, Owen Wilson, Princess Maria-Anunciata von Liechtenstein, Queen Rania of Jordan, Raf Simons, Sheikha Mayassa, Sheikha Nawar Al Qassimi, Philip Tinari, Massimiliano Gioni, Adrian Cheng, George Economou, Maya Hoffmann and Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, to name a few.

Pace Gallery’s booth “Mystic Sugar” curated by Paulina Olowska at Art Basel Paris. Sebastiano Pellion di Persano

At the entrance, Gladstone’s booth greeted fairgoers with a monumental Dubuffet hanging on the wall, juxtaposed with a sculpture by Sarah Lucas and drawings by Marisa Merz, an homage to the Arte Povera artists celebrated in the show at La Bourse—Pinault Collection. Pace Gallery stood out with “Mystical Sugar,” curated by Paulina Olowska, featuring an extensive work that dominated the booth alongside pieces by Louise Nevelson, Kiki Smith and Lucas Samaras. In the first few hours, all four of Olowska’s paintings sold, as did several sculptures by Nevelson and Smith. In the backroom, Lee Ufan’s Response from 2024 led sales, complementing works by Ufan, Agnes Pelton, Max Ernst, Leonor Fini and Alexander Calder.

Next door, Blum & Poe presented a solo booth of Asuka Anastacia Ogawa, which sold out by the afternoon, with prices ranging from $22,000 to $100,000. Not far away, Eva Presenhuber’s solo presentation of new works and furniture by Tschabalala Self also sold out in the early hours, with prices ranging from $175,000 to $320,000. Jeffrey Deitch curated a booth featuring rarely seen artists like Myrlande Constant and Ella Kruglyanska, with a focus on Judy Chicago and a standout selection of Rammellzee works, ahead of his upcoming show in NYC.

PPOW saw strong results, selling all of its Grace Carney pieces in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, along with a central piece, a large table with a hand-painted tablecloth and porcelain vases by Ann Agee, sold as a pair for $14,000-18,000. MASSIMODECARLO also did brisk work, selling twenty-five pieces on the first day, including a Matthew Wong painting consigned directly from the estate, presented alongside a work by Salvo. Other sales included a piece by Dominique Fung ($36,000), various works by Jean-Marie Appriou, two by Tomoo Gokita, three by France-Lise McGurn and one by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, who currently have a museum exhibition at Le Musée D’Orsay.

Among the notable sales on the first day, White Cube sold a Julie Mehretu work for $9.5 million, a Howardena Pindell piece for $1.75 million and a Lucio Fontana slash for $1.3 million.

Jeffrey Deitch at Art Basel Paris. Photo by Andrea Rossetti. Courtesy of the artists and Jeffrey Deitch, New York and Los Angeles.

Standing out in the Hauser & Wirth booth was a striking spider by Louise Bourgeois, paired with a powerful Ed Clark, which reportedly sold by the end of the day for $950,000. Also sold was a work by Barbara Chase Riboud for $2.2 million and a large Mark Bradford for $3.5 million. Of particular interest, the external wall featured a large Jeffrey Gibson, hinting at a potential new collaboration with the gallery, while the other wall showcased a vibrant, explosive work by Frank Bowling. Meanwhile, Lisson Gallery sold two pieces by Colombian artist Olga de Amaral—one for $800,000 and the other for $400,000—both to a private U.S. collection. The sales coincided with the artist’s current show at Foundation Cartier in Paris, one of many exhibitions opening alongside Art Basel Paris.

Lisson Gallery at Art Basel Paris. Courtesy Art Basel

In celebration of Surrealism’s 100th anniversary, many booths honored artists from the movement in the city where it began. Di Donna offered a beautiful dialogue between Jean Tanguy and Wilfredo Lam, while Nahmad devoted their entire booth to works by Dalí, Picabia, Max Ernst, Tanguy, De Chirico, Picasso and Magritte, along with a stunning floating mobile by Calder. In the masterworks section, featuring pieces priced in the five- to six-digit range, Van De Weghe presented a 1964 Pablo Picasso and a 1985 Great American Nude by Tom Wesselmann, riding the wave of momentum from the “Pop Forever” show at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Tornabuoni’s booth featured a standout monumental map by Alighiero Boetti, covering an entire wall. New York dealer Aquavella showcased a series of masterpieces by Fontana, De Kooning, Basquiat and Thiebaud, with a gallery representative telling Observer that “a lot of good collectors” had come through throughout the morning.

Among the best-curated booths, The Modern Institute from Glasgow dedicated its entire presentation to a site-specific, immersive installation by artist Martin Boyce, titled Before Behind Between Above Below. Combining various works and elements, Boyce created a liminal interior space exploring the boundary between the real and imagined and the collapse of architecture and nature. The installation drew inspiration from Jan and Joël Martel’s cubist trees, first exhibited at the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in 1925, right in front of the Grand Palais.

The Modern Institute at Art Basel Paris. The Modern Institute

Once the ground floor became too crowded to navigate, many collectors sought breathing room in the upstairs sections, where more space allowed for new discoveries, particularly in the terrace corridor of the “Emergence” section. A standout in this area was the experimental Jakarta-based gallery Rho Projects, showcasing Kei Imazu’s intriguing blend of historical memory, traces,and digital structures (priced between $15,000 and $20,000). Another highlight was a large, narrative-rich painting by young Polish artist Jeh Eustachy Wilsky, presented by Piktogram, stretching across the entire booth.

SEE ALSO: Lukewarm and Less Engaging, London’s 1-54 Had Little New to Say This Year

Upstairs also housed a range of thriving galleries, including Karma, Clearing, Mariane Ibrahim, Sultana and Société. Société’s booth had a future-forward feel, featuring Trisha Baga’s pictorial explorations of the digital realm and a divinatory video by Lu Yang. Nearby, Ortuzar Projects presented a solo booth of Takako Yamaguchi, fresh from the Whitney Biennial, which quickly attracted buyers. With prices set at $300,000, only three works remained by midday.

Throughout the VIP day at Art Basel Paris, the atmosphere was effervescent, proving that collectors are still eager and excited about bold new moves—especially with this being the first Art Basel in its new, opulent historic venue, which truly has no architectural equal worldwide.

SCAD at Design Miami Paris with an Alumni Booth presenting the work of Trish Andersen, Lærke Lillelund, Bradley Bowers and Eny Lee Parker. Photo Chia Chong. Courtesy of SCAD.

Design Miami Paris also saw a successful opening, launching its second edition the day before with a similarly packed VIP reception at L’Hôtel de Maisons. Inside the lavish 18th-century mansion, exhibitors presented a curated selection of historic and contemporary collectible designs, with strong sales early on. Notably, Galerie Downtown-LAFFANOUR (Paris) sold a full-scale Jean Prouvé post-war prefabricated house (1946) for over one million euros.

Among the standout presentations, SCAD took over the elegant staircase with a cascade of abstract forms and vivid colors in a fiber site-specific installation by artist and alumna Trish Andersen. The school also showcased the creative talents of alumni Lærke Lillelund, Bradley Bowers and Eny Lee Parker. Other highlights included fashion designer Rick Owens’ striking pair of Tomb Chairs in the gardens, presented by Salon 94 Design (New York), alongside rare pieces by Gaetano Pesce, such as his Palladio Cabinet (Milk colored prototype) (2007) and Flower Origami Table (2023). The award for “Best Gallery Presentation at Design Miami Paris 2024” went to Galerie Gastou (Paris) and Galerie Desprez-Bréhéret (Paris), which brought a significant collection of minimalist works by Jean Touret in wood and iron, shown in dialogue with contemporary pieces by Agnès Debizet.

The garden of Design Miami at the fair’s opening. IVAN EROFEEV

Art Basel Paris and Design Miami Paris continue through Sunday, October 20.

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Elisa Carollo

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October 17, 2024
Gagosian Is About to Stage James Turrell’s Largest Exhibition in Europe in Over 25 Years

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James Turrell, Dhatu, 2010; From the series Ganzfeld, 1976–, light installation and mixed media, dimensions variable. © James Turrell Photo: Mike Bruce Courtesy the artist and Gagosian.

If you’re making the rounds at the European art fairs this October and want to fill the gap between the London and Paris art weeks, Gagosian has you covered: the gallery just announced it will present the largest survey of James Turrell’s work in Europe in twenty-five years, opening on October 14 at its Le Bourget location in the northeastern Paris suburbs. The ground floor will feature two new mesmerizing large-scale installations by the renowned Light and Space artist: All Clear (a “Ganzfeld” piece) and Either Or (a “Wedgework” piece), both from 2024. All Clear envelops visitors in a pavilion where colored light saturates the space, creating a disorienting effect known as the “Ganzfeld effect,” where the lack of visual cues distorts depth and perspective. By flooding the room with light, Turrell overwhelms the senses, suspending the viewer in a sensory void. Meanwhile, Either Or manipulates projected light to create the illusion of architectural expansion beyond the room’s physical boundaries. Reflected off surfaces, the lights form ethereal yet tangible geometric shapes, giving the impression of a portal that appears simultaneously concrete and otherworldly.

View of the rainbow over Roden Crater. © James Turrell Photo: Florian Holzherr Courtesy the artist and Gagosian

The exhibition will also include a selection of Turrell’s seminal historical works, accompanied by archival materials that reveal the intricate engineering process behind his creations. Featured pieces include holograms, models, prints and plans for Roden Crater (1976–), his monumental project transforming a volcanic cinder cone in Northern Arizona into an immersive art experience. This masterpiece, integrating nature, technology and the cycles of geological and celestial time, is considered a culmination of Turrell’s exploration of human visual and psychological perception. After acquiring the dormant cinder cone in 1977, Turrell began constructing tunnels and apertures that interact with sunlight, working in harmony with nature to craft this unique light installation.

The surrounding hallways will display six new in-wall “Glassworks” connected to his recent exhibition at Gagosian Athens, alongside a collection of aquatints and woodcuts inspired by his Aten Reign installation at the Guggenheim Museum in 2013. As a master of light and space, Turrell has long investigated how to manipulate and compose complex phenomena that affect our perception, bridging optics with sensory, psychological and meditative aspects of light. “My desire is to set up a situation to which I take you and let you see,” the artist said in a statement. “It becomes your experience.”

SEE ALSO: Refik Anadol Is Launching the World’s First Museum of A.I. Art

Focusing on the materiality of light and the possibility of painting with it, Turrell has been able to build on the sensorial experience of space, color and perception. “We usually use light to illuminate things,” he went on. “I am interested in the ‘thingness’ of light itself.” Somehow anticipating the experimental dimension of art that is so popular in today’s museum strategies, his practice combines scientific principles and cutting-edge technologies with spiritual concerns, aiming to craft experiences that inspire a deeper awareness of our interaction with light and space. “Light does not so much reveal as it is the revelation itself,” he concluded. His installations encourage viewers to contemplate the interplay of light, time and space, transcending physical limits and elevating the sensory experience into a timeless, interconnected dimension of spiritual insight and contemplation.

James Turrell, Guardian, 2017; From the Wedgework series, 1969–, light installation and mixed media, dimensions variable. © James Turrell Photo: Florian Holzherr Courtesy the artist and Gagosian

“James Turrell, At One” opens at Gagosian’s Le Bourget gallery on October 14.

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Elisa Carollo

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October 1, 2024
Kamali’s sophomore show for Chloé in Paris dazzled with lightness

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PARIS (AP) — Chemena Kamali’s sophomore collection for Chloé was a luminous exploration of femininity, blending the house’s heritage with a fresh, sensual energy for spring. Set against a backdrop of sun-faded apricots, blushes and soft whites, the Paris collection captured Kamali’s vision of a summer that she surmised as: “when you pause, escape, explore and recharge.” It celebrated Chloé’s free-spirited DNA, infused with a lightness that felt both nostalgic and forward-looking.

Here are some highlights of Thursday’s shows at Paris Fashion Week, including a French honor for Naomi Campbell:

Kamali’s joyful freedom

“There’s a liberating expression of total freedom,” Kamali said of her spring display.

This freedom flowed through silk charmeuse gowns, lingerie-inspired crop tops and peek-a-boo designs.

Echoes of Karl Lagerfeld’s ‘70s Chloé lingered in exaggerated shoulders and standout pieces, like a loose-fitting, vivid blue coat. “Chloé is not a passing moment; it’s an eternal state of mind,” Kamali noted, grounding her collection in the house’s long-standing ethos of optimism and instinct.

Layering played a central role, but Kamali kept it light and intuitive, reflecting what she called a “very personal way of dressing.” Sheer fabrics and sun-worn lace mixed effortlessly with ribbed jerseys, creating looks that felt weightless and spontaneous, a signature of Kamali’s debut collection. “What matters to me is the feeling and intuition,” she said.

A standout moment came in the form of a dramatic trapeze-shaped silk gown, its dynamic silhouette swirling with movement. It epitomized Kamali’s ability to honor Chloé’s romantic roots while infusing a modern sensibility. “The mood is light, weightless, sensual and joyful,” she explained. That joyful freedom was a defining thread from start to finish.

With her second outing, Kamali proved she is the right designer to lead Chloé. She crafted a spring collection that balanced nostalgia and sensuality while pushing the house toward a bright, optimistic future.

Mugler’s Cadwallader takes a bite at fashion

Casey Cadwallader delivered a striking show for Mugler, equal parts theatrical and innovative. The hair, sculpted into harsh fringes like a viper’s fang, set the tone for a collection defined by sharp architectural lines. Curving lapels adorned tight jackets, while tendrils of latticed silk flowed into skirts that bled vibrant yellows, creating a visual spectacle.

The collection boldly embraced femininity, featuring a bust that echoed the form of seashells and a densely packed bustier resembling a diving whale. This daring aesthetic aligns with Cadwallader’s aim to infuse the brand with a fresh energy, moving away from the extravagance that some original Mugler fans long for.

Oversized tubular arms complemented a webbed skirt-coat, while a transparent loose trench evoked the look of a sea medusa, reinforcing Cadwallader’s commitment to pushing boundaries.

Naomi Campbell honored in France amid charity controversy

Iconic British model Naomi Campbell was awarded a prestigious honor in France, being named a knight in the Order of Arts and Letters at the culture ministry for her significant contributions to French culture.

However, this recognition comes as Campbell faces scrutiny back home, having been barred from serving as a charity trustee in England and Wales for five years. This decision follows a three-year investigation into the financial activities of her charity, “Fashion for Relief,” which was found to have been “poorly governed” and lacking in “adequate financial management.”

The Charity Commission, which oversees charities in England and Wales, reported multiple instances of misconduct, revealing that only 8.5% of the charity’s expenditures went to charitable grants over a six-year period from 2016. Notably, the inquiry uncovered that charity funds were misused for Campbell’s luxury hotel stays during events in Cannes, alongside personal expenses such as spa treatments and room service.

In response to a question from the AP, Campbell said, “I’ve just found out today about the findings and I am extremely concerned. We are investigating on our side. I was not in control of my charity; I put the control in the hands of a legal employer. We are investigating to find out what and how, and everything I do and every penny I ever raised goes to charity.”

Alongside Campbell, fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich has been disqualified for nine years after receiving unauthorized payments for consultancy services, while trustee Veronica Chou has been barred for four years. The charity, founded in 2005 to unite the fashion industry in addressing global poverty, was dissolved earlier this year, having raised over $15 million for various causes worldwide.

Despite the controversy, Campbell’s honor in France highlights her lasting impact on the cultural landscape.

Rick Owens enchants with gothic splendor

At Thursday’s show at the Palais de Tokyo, Rick Owens unleashed a captivating spectacle that felt like a dramatic descent into a realm inhabited by gothic aliens. The atmosphere was thick with smoke and suspense as an army of biblical figures marched out in impressive diagonal formations, their asymmetrical knee-high leather boots featuring translucent heels, making each step a statement.

Owens’ trademark angular, alien-like geometric shoulders dominated the runway, capturing the essence of his singular vision—one that merges dark romanticism with avant-garde aesthetics. The collection was a testament to his ability to blend his gothic instincts with a sense of reverent irreverence, reminiscent of the “delicate time” he referenced in previous collections, where beauty and horror coexist.

As the show unfolded, a billowing coven emerged, clad in oversized black priest-like hoods and flowing tulle cloaks that draped elegantly over their forms. Some models donned discreet headscarves, striking a balance between reverence and defiance, perfectly embodying Owens’ commentary on societal norms. This juxtaposition echoes his commitment to inclusivity, presenting a vision of fashion that celebrates diversity while challenging conventional beauty standards.

The intricate craftsmanship used in the collection exemplified Owens’ mastery. Each piece, from the cloaks to the striking silhouettes, invited viewers to appreciate humble fabrics. This aligns with his insistence that he presents “the most excellent aesthetics” possible, recognizing the nuanced interplay between the dark and the light in our world.

While some may find Owens’ aesthetic too avant-garde or even gloomy, this show reaffirmed his position as a provocative force in fashion. The theatricality and elaborate design remind us of his role as one of the last independent designers in Paris, navigating the complexities of the fashion landscape with fierce authenticity.

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Associated Press journalist Marine Lesprit contributed to this report.

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September 28, 2024
Loewe puts on spring explosion of flowers and form at Paris Fashion Week

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PARIS (AP) — Loewe’s latest VIP-filled collection dazzled at the Paris Fashion Week runway Friday, presenting an explosion of flowers and form that captured designer Jonathan Anderson’s innovative spirit.

The Northern Irish designer again showed his talent for infusing theatricality into his designs, showcasing whimsical creations like a surreal giant hoop skirt that lent the display an eccentric, circus-like feel. A stunning white gown adorned with vibrant floral prints radiated energy.

Here are some highlights of spring-summer ready-to-wear shows:

Loewe’s twists

Unexpected lines and twists on classic silhouettes dominated the runway, with the giant hoop transforming floral patterns into eccentric spectacles. Anderson expertly wove together historical inspirations from the Renaissance with the carefree looseness of the 1920s, mixed with surreal structured skirts and peplums that evoked a rich sense of heritage. All designs had something off-kilter about them.

A standout piece, a beautiful feathered poncho featuring a Van Gogh print, dazzled with its artistic flair. It illustrated Anderson’s ability to transform art into fashion and resonated deeply with camera-ready audiences. Each piece seemed to challenge the viewer’s expectations, daring them to reconsider the boundaries of traditional fashion.

In its exploration of bold concepts and mind-bending forms, the display occasionally veered into the overly conceptual. But Anderson still delivered a wealth of wearable pieces. The collection included striking items like a black trench coat with a fashion-forward midriff cut-out, which exuded rock-star magnetism and exemplified the brand’s leather heritage.

The piece, along with others, showcased Anderson’s mastery in balancing creativity with practicality.

Schiaparelli shines with bold whimsy

Daniel Roseberry’s latest collection for Schiaparelli focuses on blending high fashion with refreshing accessibility. Though it featured less of the Surrealism associated with the late, great house founder Elsa Schiaparelli, the collection still celebrated whimsy, albeit a dialed down version.

Gone are the days of celebrity-driven runways. Instead, Roseberry crafted an eclectic mix of bold silhouettes and playful designs. Standout pieces included denim with a unique U-shaped dip at the waist, paired with curve-hugging ivory bodysuits that highlighted an hourglass shape. This motif, evident in a zip-front dress and sleek halter top, appeared throughout the collection, showcasing Roseberry’s knack for redefining femininity.

With fewer embroideries this season, the designer emphasized texture and details. Models strutted in gathered mesh jersey dresses, with fabric coiled like a braid, and dresses accented with suede for added luster.

Footwear also stole the spotlight, featuring Roseberry’s signature trompe l’oeil sneakers alongside leather babouche slides adorned with golden toe rings — transforming everyday items into artistic statements.

Roseberry drew inspiration from the women in his life who crave statement pieces that are effortlessly chic, with daring patterns, exaggerated shoulder pads, and bold floral motifs.

In a fashion landscape often driven by commercial pressures, Schiaparelli’s latest show carved out a dynamic space for creativity. Roseberry proved he can balance artistic whimsy with wearable elegance.

Issey Miyake’s papery beauty

Issey Miyake’s latest collection unfolded like a poetic exploration into the art of simplicity and craft. Much like the house’s previous offerings, this collection combined innovative techniques with tradition — a hallmark that has continued under the vision of Satoshi Kondo and the design atelier.

This time, the team explored paper as a medium and inspiration, delving into its textures, lightness, and nostalgic feel. If previous shows dabbled in geometry and fluidity, Friday’s collection was about the fragility and strength of paper through airy, pleated garments and origami-inspired folds.

The collection began with kamiko pieces — garments made of traditional washi paper — that paid homage to Japan’s centuries-old crafts. This nod to the past didn’t come at the expense of wearability.

The Fold-to-Form pieces were nothing short of architectural brilliance, with angular, origami-inspired folds. It felt like a natural extension of the Miyake legacy: one part innovation, one part reflection on the past.

The house’s fixation on textiles sometimes tipped into over-conceptualization. The EAU series, with its water-like transparency and fluidity, had all the ethereal beauty one could expect, but the weight of its metaphor — garments flowing like water — felt familiar.

Marketing madness

As Paris Fashion Week unfolds, so too do the latest gimmicks. The newest trend and subject of front-row chatter was the introduction of Uber Fashion cars, designed in collaboration with fashion house Coperni. The vehicles feature a metallic sheen inspired by the brand’s Swipe Bag.

Fashion-conscious riders could book a free ride in these cars by selecting the Uber Fashion option in the app, and each ride even comes with a custom playlist to enhance the Fashion Week experience, according to Uber. However, availability is on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning that many may be unable to secure a ride amidst the event’s chaos. It’s yet another example of how the fashion industry seeks to capitalize on Fashion Week’s excitement.

Victoria Beckham blows in a new breeze

Victoria Beckham’s latest collection swept through Paris with the force of a Greek myth, evoking the Victory of Samothrace as a twisted cropped vest opened the show. It billowed like a gleaming shard of fabric, as if it were poised to take flight off the runway — setting the tone for a collection that danced between poetry and practicality.

The windswept aesthetic was unmistakable throughout, from a sheer pastel top that exposed nipples in a diagonal cascade down the torso, to loose-waisted signature trousers with a billowing slit. Beckham’s recurring play with proportions was here, albeit with a softer, more sculptural touch, subtly nodding to her signature focus on elongating the body. This time, her references to Ancient Greece gave her collection a new kind of dynamism that felt almost ethereal. Gigi Hadid, draped in a gleaming green gown with a gathered skirt, moved like a sculpture come to life — a striking moment that embodied this unexpected, but highly welcome, more poetical direction for the former Spice Girl.

But amid the billowing silhouettes and minimalism, Beckham deftly anchored designs with the staples that have made her brand so popular. Florals made an appearance — subtle, yet essential — as did her commitment to relaxed, modern tailoring. While the poetical gestures floated through, the bread-and-butter of the house remained: practical, wearable luxury.

Yet the collection walked a fine line between creativity and wearability — a line Beckham has navigated with mixed success in the past. While the draped, windswept garments invoked a sense of playful experimentation, critics of her previous work may wonder if her eccentricity is in danger of overpowering the brand’s practical core. Beckham’s last few seasons have seen her balancing the theatrical with the everyday, but the sheer pastels and sculptural gowns here flirted with pushing that envelope a little too far.

Still, Beckham has proven her command of deconstruction and silhouette, and here it paid off. The architectural approach she’s honed, from slashed jackets to exposed backs, found new life in this Grecian motif. Her ability to expose and conceal in the same breath, to deconstruct and rebuild, once again highlights her strength in mastering complex garment construction—a talent honed across her Parisian shows.

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September 28, 2024
Air France is partnering with Elon Musk’s Starlink to offer free high-speed Wi-Fi during flights

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Air France announced on Thursday that starting in summer 2025, passengers would have access to “ultra-high-speed” Wi-Fi on its flights through Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Starlink will eventually be rolled out to Air France’s entire fleet, with access available for free to all travel cabins. Users will have to sign up for and log into the airline’s Flying Blue loyalty program to use the service.

“During the flight, customers will be able to easily stay in touch with friends and family, follow all the world’s news live, play video games online, and of course stream TV, films, and series,” Air France said in a release. “The service will be accessible from smartphones, digital tablets, and laptops, and each customer will be able to connect several devices simultaneously.”

Air France noted that during the transition to Starlink, there will still be a free “Message Pass” for Flying Blue members as well as a paid Wi-Fi option for expanded connectivity needs.

The announcement comes just over a week after United Airlines unveiled a similar partnership with Starlink. Delta Airlines, a major Air France partner, was the first to roll out Starlink on its flights starting in 2023 and is in the process of adding the Wi-Fi to international flights.

Air France, and other airlines that have switched to the SpaceX service, boast that Starlink offers stronger streaming and faster connectivity due to its low-Earth orbit satellites that can provide internet access in remote regions and over the ocean.

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Brooke Seipel

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September 26, 2024
The bells are back at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. They’ll ring for the post-fire reopening

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PARIS (AP) — Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is getting its bells back, just in time for the medieval landmark’s reopening following a devastating 2019 fire.

A convoy of trucks bearing eight restored bells — the heaviest of which weighs more than 4 tons — pulled into the huge worksite surrounding the monument Thursday on an island in the Seine River.

They are being blessed in a special ceremony inside the cathedral before being hoisted to hang in its twin towers for the Dec. 8 reopening to the public.

Cathedral Rector Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, wearing a hardhat as he prepared to enter the cathedral and bless the bells, called them ‘’a sign that the cathedral will again resonate, and that its voice will be heard again. A sign of the call to prayer, and a sign of coming together.”

The bells will be raised one by one and tested out, but they won’t ring in full until the day of the reopening, said Philippe Jost, overseeing the massive Notre Dame reconstruction project. He called the bells’ arrival ‘’a very beautiful symbol of the cathedral’s rebirth.’’

While construction on the cathedral started in the 12th century, the bronze bells damaged in the fire are from the 21st century. They were built according to historical tradition to replace older bells that had become discordant, to mark the monument’s 850th anniversary.

The cathedral’s roof and spire, which collapsed in the fire, have been replaced, and scaffolding is being gradually removed from the site.

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September 26, 2024
France’s biggest lender says there are ‘too many’ European banks as UniCredit moves on Commerzbank

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A sign on the exterior of a BNP Paribas SA bank branch in Paris, France, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

France’s BNP Paribas on Thursday said there are simply too many European lenders for the region to be able to compete with rivals from the U.S. and Asia, calling for the creation of more homegrown heavyweight banking champions.

Speaking to CNBC’s Charlotte Reed at the Bank of America Financials CEO Conference, BNP Paribas Chief Financial Officer Lars Machenil voiced his support for greater integration in Europe’s banking sector.

His comments come as Italy’s UniCredit ups the ante on its apparent takeover attempt of Germany’s Commerzbank, while Spain’s BBVA continues to actively pursue its domestic rival, Banco Sabadell.

“If I would ask you, how many banks are there in Europe, your right answer would be too many,” Machenil said.

“If we are very fragmented in activity, therefore the competition is not the same thing as what you might see in other regions. So … you basically should get that consolidation and get that going,” he added.

Milan-based UniCredit has ratcheted up the pressure on Frankfurt-based Commerzbank in recent weeks as it seeks to become the biggest investor in Germany’s second-largest lender with a 21% stake.

UniCredit, which took a 9% stake in Commerzbank earlier this month, appears to have caught German authorities off guard with the potential multibillion-euro merger.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has previously called for greater integration in Europe’s banking sector, is firmly opposed to the apparent takeover attempt. Scholz has reportedly described UniCredit’s move as an “unfriendly” and “hostile” attack.

Germany’s position on UniCredit’s swoop has prompted some to accuse Berlin of favoring European banking integration only on its own terms.

Domestic consolidation

BNP Paribas’s Machenil said that while domestic consolidation would help to stabilize uncertainty in Europe’s banking environment, cross-border integration was “still a bit further away,” citing differing systems and products.

Asked whether this meant he believed cross-border banking mergers in Europe appeared to something of a farfetched reality, Machenil replied: “It’s two different things.”

“I think the ones which are in a nation, economically, they make sense, and they should, economically, happen,” he continued. “When you look at really cross border. So, a bank that is based in one country only and based in another country only, that economically doesn’t make sense because there are no synergies.”

Earlier in the year, Spanish bank BBVA shocked markets when it launched an all-share takeover offer for domestic rival Banco Sabadell.

The head of Banco Sabadell said earlier this month that it is highly unlikely BBVA will succeed with its multi-billion-euro hostile bid, Reuters reported. And yet, BBVA CEO Onur Genç told CNBC on Wednesday that the takeover was “moving according to plan.”

Spanish authorities, which have the power to block any merger or acquisition of a bank, have voiced their opposition to BBVA’s hostile takeover bid, citing potentially harmful effects on the county’s financial system.

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September 26, 2024
French immigration rules to be reviewed as far right weaponises murder

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‘If we have to change the rules, let’s change them,’ says conservative Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.

France’s interior minister has signalled he will push for tighter immigration policies as the far right seeks to use a gruesome murder to put pressure on the government.

Addressing the arrest of a Moroccan man for the murder of a 19-year-old female student, Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday that the “abominable crime” required not just rhetoric, but action, as far-right parties demanded when commenting on the case.

“It is up to us, as public leaders, to refuse to accept the inevitable and to develop our legal arsenal, to protect the French,” Retailleau said. “If we have to change the rules, let’s change them.”

The hardline rhetoric on migration is not new from Retailleau, a member of the conservative Republicans party who has previously advocated for stricter immigration rules and quicker deportations.

Outgoing French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin is applauded by newly-appointed Bruno Retailleau during a handover ceremony in Paris, September 23 [Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters]

The suggestion is in line with the demands of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, which has threatened it could topple France’s fragile governing coalition if its immigration concerns are not addressed.

“It’s time for this government to act: our compatriots are angry and will not be content with just words,” RN chief Jordan Bardella said of the murder of the student, identified only by her first name Philippine.

Greens lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau pushed back against the anti-migrant rhetoric, warning that the far right was using the murder case to “spread its racist hatred”.

Bungled deportation

The unnamed suspect in the killing has been identified as a 22-year-old male Moroccan national.

He was arrested on Tuesday in the Swiss canton of Geneva, according to the AFP news agency.

According to the prosecutors, the suspect was convicted in 2021 of a rape committed in 2019, when he was a minor.

The suspect had been due to be deported from France after serving time in jail for the crime, Le Monde newspaper reported.

He was sent on June 20 to a detention centre for undocumented migrants pending his removal.

However, a judge set him free on September 3, noting that the deportation process faced administrative delays, under the condition that he check in regularly with police.

Three days later, the paperwork to deport him was completed, but the man had disappeared, they said.

France routinely issues deportation orders, but only about 7 percent of them are enforced, compared with 30 percent across the European Union.

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September 25, 2024
France announces new center-right government 2 months after divisive elections

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The French presidential palace unveiled a long-awaited new government Saturday dominated by conservatives and centrists. It came more than two months after elections that produced a hung parliament and deepened political divisions as France grapples with growing financial and diplomatic challenges.

A left-wing coalition secured the most seats in June-July parliamentary elections but failed to win a majority. Student groups and activists from the hard-left France Unbowed party held protests around the country Saturday against a government they say rejects the voters’ will.

President Emmanuel Macron named conservative Michel Barnier as prime minister earlier this month even though Barnier’s Republicans party had a poor showing in the elections, and Barnier put together the government after difficult negotiations. Macron approved, and it was announced at the presidential palace.

Marine Le Pen’s far-right anti-immigration party National Rally has no seats in Barnier’s government but has enough votes in parliament to bring it down. The party won an indirect victory with the appointment of staunch conservative Bruno Retailleau as new interior minister, whose remit includes critical domestic issues like national security, immigration, and law enforcement.

The makeup and direction of France’s government is important because the country is a leading voice in EU policy, among the biggest world’s economies and a nuclear-armed, veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council.

The 39-member Cabinet includes primarily ministers from Macron’s centrist alliance and the conservative Republicans.

Jean-Noël Barrot is the new foreign minister, a centrist politician known for his work in digital transformation and European affairs. He brings extensive experience in navigating complex international issues notably within the EU.

How French voters prevented a far-right majority

04:42

The new finance minister is Antoine Armand, an emerging figure in French politics now tasked with steering France’s fiscal policies and managing the upcoming 2025 budget, amid pressure from Brussels to address France’s mounting debt.

Sébastien Lecornu retains his post as defense minister. He has been instrumental in bolstering France’s military capabilities, including modernizing defense systems and managing military aid to Ukraine. His leadership in defense will be crucial as France navigates its role within NATO and handles rising geopolitical tensions over the wars in Ukraine and the Mideast.

Barnier’s ability to govern effectively is already under scrutiny, with his political opponents on the left vowing to challenge him at every turn and the far right saying it will monitor the government closely.

The left-wing New Popular Front alliance surprised many by winning the most seats in the risky snap elections that Macron called in the wake of a far-right victory in the European Parliament elections in June.

But the New Popular Front was not given a chance to form a minority government, and refused to make concessions and join a more left-leaning government alliance.

Barnier, a 73-year-old political veteran known for his role as the European Union’s Brexit negotiator, is no stranger to complex political tasks. However, forming a government that can survive in such a divided parliament will test his extensive experience and political acumen.

Barnier’s first major political test will come on Oct. 1, when he is set to deliver his general policy speech to the National Assembly.

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September 21, 2024
Several people have died trying to cross the English Channel from France, authorities say

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Several people died early Sunday during a failed attempt to cross the English Channel from northern France, French authorities said.

A rescue operation is underway, and survivors of the tragedy have been taken to the sports hall in the northern town of Ambleteuse, according to a statement from the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais region.

The incident Saturday occurred nearly two weeks after a boat carrying migrants ripped apart in the English Channel as they attempted to reach Britain from northern France, plunging dozens into the treacherous waterway and leaving 13 dead, officials said.

On Saturday, French coast guard and navy vessels rescued 200 people from the treacherous waters in the Pas-de-Calais area, according to a report sent by French maritime authorities in charge of the Channel and the North Sea.

They said they observed 18 attempts of boat departures from France to Britain on Saturday.

Before Saturday’s accident, at least 43 migrants had died or gone missing while trying to cross to the U.K. this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

In July, four migrants died while attempting the crossing on an inflatable boat that capsized and punctured. Five others, including a child, died in another attempt in April. Five dead were recovered from the sea or found washed up along a beach after a migrant boat ran into difficulties in the dark and winter cold of January.

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September 15, 2024
Protesters Rally in France Against Prime Minister Barnier

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PARIS — Thousands of protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday, responding to a call from a far-left party leader who criticized as a “power grab” the president’s appointment of a conservative new prime minister, Michel Barnier.

The protests directly challenged President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bypass a prime minister from the far-left bloc following a deeply dividing —and divided — legislative election result in July. Authorities did not record a huge turnout nationwide.

The left, particularly the France Unbowed party, views Barnier’s conservative background as rejecting the electorate’s will, further intensifying the EU’s second economy’s already charged political atmosphere. Saturday’s demonstrators denounced Barnier’s appointment as denying democracy, echoing France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Melenchon’s fiery rhetoric from recent days.

In Paris, protesters gathered at Place de la Bastille and tensions ran high as police prepared for potential clashes. Some carried placards reading “Where is my vote?”

At the head of the Parisian procession, Melenchon spoke passionately, declaring that “the French people are in rebellion. They have entered into revolution.”

“There will be no pause, no truce. I call you to a long-term battle,” he added.

In the southwestern city of Montauban, a rally speaker told the crowd that “the people have been ignored.” Other protests took place is some 150 locations nationwide.

While Barnier was meeting with healthcare workers at Paris’ Necker Hospital for his first official visit as prime minister, opponents say the unrest in the streets is shaping his government’s future.

Barnier, who is working to assemble his Cabinet, expressed a commitment to listening to public concerns, particularly about France’s public services.

Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), warned that Barnier was “under surveillance” by his party as well. Bardella, speaking at the Chalons-en-Champagne fair, called for the prime minister to include his party’s priorities in his agenda, particularly regarding national security and immigration.

Barnier, 73, is the oldest of the 26 prime ministers that have served modern France’s Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, who was 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago.

Attal was forced to resign after Macron’s centrist government performed poorly in the July snap legislative elections. Macron called the election in the hopes of securing a clear mandate, but it instead produced a hung parliament, leaving the president without a legislative majority and plunging his administration into turmoil.

Attal was also France’s first openly gay prime minister. French media and some of Macron’s opponents, who immediately criticized Barnier’s appointment, quickly dug up that, when serving in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law that decriminalized homosexuality.

Though Barnier brings five decades of political experience, his appointment offers no guarantee of resolving the crisis. His challenge is immense: He must form a government that can navigate a fractured National Assembly, where the political spectrum is deeply divided between the far left, far right, and Macron’s weakened centrist bloc. The outcome of the snap poll, far from providing clarity, has only served to destabilize both the country and Macron’s grip on power.

The president’s decision to turn to Barnier, a seasoned political operator with deep ties to the European Union, is seen as an attempt to bring stability to French politics. And Barnier, who gained prominence as the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has faced daunting tasks before.

Critics say Macron, elected on the promise of a break from the old political order, now finds himself battling the instability he once promised to overcome.

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September 7, 2024
French woman Gisele Pelicot says police uncovering alleged mass rape organized by husband

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A French woman whose husband is accused of enlisting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was drugged said at his trial Thursday that police had saved her life by uncovering the crimes.

“The police saved my life by investigating Mister P.’s computer,” Gisele Pelicot told the court in the southern city of Avignon, referring to her husband, who is one of 51 men from all walks of life standing trial over the alleged attacks.

Pelicot had initially wished to remain anonymous but has since appeared in public and her lawyer said she’d agreed to be fully identified. She insisted that the trial take place in public so the full facts of the case could emerge.

Gisele P. listens to her lawyer Stephane Babonneau addressing media as she leaves the courthouse during the trial of her husband, accused of drugging her for nearly 10 years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France, in Avignon, Sept. 5, 2024.

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Pelicot, now 71, had remained stoic and silent through the three first days of the high-profile case, communicating only through her lawyers. But she revealed her emotion on the stand Thursday when she recounted the moment in November 2020 when investigators first showed her the images of a decade of sexual abuse allegedly orchestrated and filmed by her husband, identified in court as Dominique P.

“My world is falling apart. For me, everything is falling apart. Everything I have built up over 50 years,” she told the court. “Inside, I’m in ruins.”

“Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me,” she said of the images as her husband listened with his head bowed.

“I’m lying motionless on the bed, being raped,” she added, calling the video “barbaric.”

“They treat me like a rag doll,” she told the panel of five judges, adding that she had only gained the courage to watch the video in May, years after she was first made aware of it.

“Don’t talk to me about sex scenes. These are rape scenes,” she said, stressing that she had never engaged in swinging or any other libertine sex.

Lawyers for some of the defendants questioned in court on Wednesday whether the couple had had a libertine relationship, or whether it was credible that Pelicot had noticed nothing for the entire decade of the alleged abuse.

The line of questioning appeared to upset the plaintiff, although she stayed put while her three children briefly left the courtroom.

“Of course she was offended,” said her lawyer, Antoine Camus. “She wanted to respond. We felt her bobbing up and down behind us, saying, ‘I want to answer. I just have to answer’ and we told her, ‘Tomorrow!’”

“I am absolutely not complicit,” she said Thursday. “I never pretended to sleep, nothing of the sort.”

A folder labelled “abuse”

Pelicot’s husband is accused of abusing her between 2011 and 2020, drugging her with sleeping pills and then recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her, lead investigator Jeremie Bosse Platiere told the court Wednesday.

Dominique Pelicot was exposed by chance after he was caught filming up women’s skirts in a local supermarket.

On Tuesday, he answered “yes” when asked if he was guilty of the accusations against him.

The 71-year-old father of three allegedly documented his actions with meticulous precision on a hard drive with a folder labelled “abuse.”

That enabled French police to track down more than 50 men suspected of raping his wife while she was drugged. A third of them were identified using facial recognition software, Bosse Platiere said.

The senior police chief for the Hautes-Alpes region said he had hand-picked investigators “who had the stomach” to face videos and images of abuse.

As part of their investigation police drew up a list of 72 individuals suspected of abusing Pelicot. The investigators counted around 200 instances of alleged rape, by her husband and more than 90 strangers they say he enlisted through an adult website.

Prosecutors say the alleged assaults took place between July 2011 and October 2020, mostly in the couple’s home in Mazan, a village of 6,000 people in the southern region of Provence.

Most of the suspects face up to 20 years in prison for aggravated rape if they’re convicted.

Eighteen of the 51 accused are in custody, including Dominique Pelicot, but 32 other defendants are attending the trial as free men, having not been placed under arrest. One other suspect, who remains at large, will be tried in absentia.

The trial is expected to last four months, until late December, which Camus said would be “a totally awful ordeal” for Gisele Pelicot.

“For the first time, she will have to live through the rapes to which she was subjected for 10 years,” of which she has “no memory,” he told AFP.

Dominique Pelicot admitted to investigators that he gave his wife powerful tranquilizers, often Temesta, an anxiety-reducing drug.

The alleged abuse started when the couple was living near Paris and continued after they moved to Mazan two years later, prosecutors said.

The suspect was said to have given the men strict instructions so they would not wake her up when they abused her during the night. No aftershave or cigarette odor were allowed, and they had to warm their hands before touching her, and get undressed in the kitchen so they would not accidentally leave clothes behind in the bedroom.

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September 5, 2024
At least 12 people killed after boat capsizes in English Channel

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At least two people missing and dozens rescued after boat travelling from France to Britain capsizes.

At least 12 people have died and dozens have been rescued after the boat they were travelling in capsized during an attempted crossing of the English Channel, authorities say.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 12 people were dead and rescue operations were under way on Tuesday to find two people still missing.

He said he would travel to the site, near the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, later in the afternoon.

“Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open,” said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel near Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Etienne Baggio, a spokesman for the French maritime prefecture that oversees that stretch of sea, said rescuers have pulled 65 people from the water.

Baggio described it as the deadliest migrant boat tragedy in the English Channel this year. Many of those on board didn’t have life vests, he said. It was not immediately clear how the boat ripped open or what kind of boat it was. Some attempt the crossing in rubber dinghies.

The maritime prefecture said the boat got into difficulty off Gris-Nez point between Boulogne-sur-Mer and the port of Calais farther north.

Sea temperatures off northern France were about 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).

United Kingdom Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the deaths “horrifying and deeply tragic”.

In a statement, Cooper criticised the “gangs behind this appalling and callous trade in human lives”, adding they “do not care about anything but the profits they make”.

At least 30 refugees and migrants have died or gone missing while trying to cross to the UK this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

At least 2,109 people have tried to cross the English Channel on small boats in the past seven days, according to UK Home Office data updated on Tuesday.

The data includes people found in the channel or on arrival.

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September 3, 2024
The Backlash Over Keeping Olympic Rings on Eiffel Tower

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As much as the French capital reveled in the celebratory air of the Olympics this summer, many are less than thrilled to discover Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plan to keep the iconic Olympic rings on France’s most iconic monument even after the Games.

“The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the [International Olympic Committee]. So yes, they will stay on the Eiffel Tower,” Hidalgo said in an interview published in Ouest-France on Saturday. She told the news outlet that, thanks to the Olympics, the French “have fallen in love with Paris again” and that she wanted “this festive spirit to remain.”

Hidalgo’s plan to permanently alter the facade of the Eiffel Tower has sparked opposition from heritage conservation advocates, her peers, and even the family of the monument’s architect Gustave Eiffel.

The Association of Descendants of Gustave Eiffel, consisting of about 70 living descendants of the architect, said in a press release cited by French media on Sunday that “it does not seem appropriate to us” that the Eiffel Tower, a historical symbol of Paris and France, “should be added to the symbol of an external organization in a lasting way, whatever its prestige.”

Built for the 1889 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower was initially meant to be dismantled after 20 years. But the structure was retained after Eiffel suggested that it be used for a variety of scientific purposes, including meteorological research and optical telegraph communications. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.

Olivier Berthelot-Eiffel, president of the descendants group, told AFP that while they “don’t see any problem” with the Olympic rings staying on the tower “a little longer” after the Paralympic Games, which conclude on Sunday, “the Eiffel Tower is not intended as an advertising antenna.” He added that Hidalgo should have consulted the Paris Council and other experts about such a decision.

Meanwhile, heritage conservation group SOS Paris accused Hidalgo of trying to leave her personal legacy on the iconic architecture. “Using the most famous monument in France to establish one’s dogma and remind the whole world, forever, that Anne Hidalgo made the 2024 Olympics, is going really far,” the group posted Sunday on X.

Read More: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Has a Lot Riding on the 2024 Olympics

Even for Hidalgo, there are a few issues still to be ironed out. She said that the current Olympic rings attached to the Eiffel Tower, which are too heavy to permanently withstand winter weather conditions, will need to be replaced with lighter replicas from the same manufacturer. She also said that the city would have to think of a way to conceal the rings when needed, to protect it from breaching the Olympics’ political neutrality rules. (Last year, the tower was lit up with customized colors and messages in shows of solidarity with women’s rights protesters in Iran and a warring Ukraine.)

A Change.org petition opposing the move to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower was started on Sunday and has garnered thousands of signatures as of Monday. “Once the party time is over, our emblematic monument must return to its natural state,” it reads.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who unsuccessfully ran against Hidalgo for mayor in 2020, also weighed in on Sunday: “The Eiffel Tower is a protected monument, the work of an immense engineer and creator,” she posted on X. “Before any decision is made or any announcement is made in this matter, it is important that all procedures and consultations aimed at protecting heritage are respected.”

Criticisms have also reverberated among social media users, who are increasingly echoing calls to classify the Eiffel Tower as a historical monument. While the Eiffel Tower was listed as a historical monument in 1964, it has not been classified as one—a status that would give it the highest level of protection. In February, a proposal by Dati to classify the Eiffel Tower was struck down by Hidalgo.

Others have decried the Olympic rings as having “no place” on the Eiffel Tower.“Keeping the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower after the Olympics,” a popular French account posted on X, “is exactly like refusing to take down the Christmas decorations in your house because you had a great Christmas Eve.”

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September 2, 2024
Hunter Woodhall gears up for Paralympics after watching wife Tara Davis-Woodhall earn gold at the Paris Games

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Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall have won medals, yes. But they’ve also won the hearts of millions of Americans.

The track and field stars, already a budding internet sensation, set off a new wave of admiration after a video of the couple celebrating Davis-Woodhall’s gold win in women’s long jump went viral during the Paris Games.

The moment captured Davis-Woodhall making another jump after her after winning 23-foot leap, this time into the arms of her husband, Paralympic champion Hunter Woodhall. Videos of the warm embrace have garnered millions of views across social media.

Tara Davis-Woodhall, left, of the United States, celebrates with her husband Hunter Woodhall after winning the women’s long jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France.

Bernat Armangue / AP

“Baby, you’re the Olympic champion!” Woodhall was caught saying on camera.

“I haven’t been on social media that much, so I don’t know how viral it’s gone!” Davis-Woodhall told People during a recent interview. “Everyone’s been telling me the whole world’s been seeing it, [but] that’s just Hunter and I.”

Woodhall, a double-amputee sprinter originally from Syracuse, Utah, will have his own chance to vie for gold during the Paralympics, which kicked off in Paris on Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 8. According to a spokesperson, Woodhall will compete in the men’s 100m on Sept. 1 and again on Sept. 2 if he qualifies. He’s also representing Team USA in the men’s 400m and 4x100m Universal Relay on Sept. 6.

Woodhall departed Paris on Aug. 11 to finish his preparations, and arrived back in City of Light on Aug. 26, according the spokesperson. His wife, who was in Rome for the Rome Diamond League, was set to rejoin Woodhall on Saturday, the spokesperson said.

After being born with a condition called fibular hemimelia, Woodhall had an amputation to remove his lower legs. Doctors told his parents that he would never be able to walk, a prognosis he was determined to prove wrong.

“They said I’d never walk, so I learned to run instead,” Woodhall’s Instagram bio says.

The Paralympic athlete started his track and field career in the fifth grade and became the first double amputee athlete to earn a D-1 scholarship, competing for the University of Arkansas.

Germany’s Johannes Floores (R) and USA’s Hunter Woodhall (L) react after the final men’s 4x100m relay T42-47 during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images

Davis-Woodhall has been enmeshed in the track and field world since age 4, thanks to her family. The youngest of five, she attended her older siblings’ track meets regularly as a child and got interested in long jump after seeing her sister take part in the event, according to NBC. Davis-Woodhall’s dad, Ty Davis, was her coach all the way through high school, where she set records for long jump and 100m hurdles at both the state and national level. Davis-Woodhall now has a track invitational at her high school named after her, according to the spokesperson.

The California native attended the University of Georgia before transferring to the University of Texas where she competed in long jump and hurdles. She brings a cowboy hat to her meets to honor her Texas ties.

Davis-Woodhall made her Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Games after recovering from a string of injuries including two broken vertebrae, a broken ankle and a broken hip.

“I sat in COVID, I figured out who I was and just tuned in to my body and what I needed to do for the upcoming season,” she told CBS News in 2021. “And luckily, my season played out really well.”

Tara Davis of Team United States competes in the Women’s Long Jump Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Matthias Hangst / Getty Images

Outside of long jump, she’s competed in 60m and 100m hurdles, triple jump, and women’s 200m for USA Track & Field.

The couple’s romance began in 2017, after they met at a high school track meet in Pocatello, Idaho. They recount their first encounter in a YouTube video.

According to their telling, Woodhall traveled from Utah, and Woodhall-Davis from California for an event called the Simplot Games. It was there where the two, both 18-years-old at the time, serendipitously caught each others’ eyes on the track turf. Woodhall was watching his Davis-Woodhall run the hurdle race when he texted his friend Tucker saying, “This is the girl I’m going to marry.” The next day, after the Woodhall ran and won the 400m race, Woodhall-Davis greeted him afterwards. “I just needed a hug,” Woodhall recalled her saying. “That’s really how we met,” he said.

The two tied the knot in Texas in 2022 and now reside in Arkansas. They run a popular YouTube channel called “Tara and Hunter” that documents their athletic ventures and day-to-day life as a married couple. It currently has 863,000 subscribers.

“Being in each other’s sport I think that’s a different way of sharing our love,” said Davis-Woodhall in an interview shared by CBS Mornings. “Not only do we love each other as humans, we love each other as athletes.”

2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

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September 1, 2024
France hands Telegram CEO Pavel Durov preliminary charges over alleged criminal activity on the app

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Paris — French authorities handed preliminary charges to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation. Free-speech advocates and authoritarian governments have spoken in Durov’s defense since his weekend arrest, with the chief Kremlin spokesman in Moscow warning Thursday that the case must “not to run into political persecution.”

“We consider him a Russian citizen and as much as possible we will be ready to provide assistance,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that the Russian government would be “watching what happens next” in the case of the technology entrepreneur. Durov was born in Russia but left the country about a decade ago and now holds citizenship there, as well as in France, the United Arab Emirates and the small Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The case has called attention to the challenges of policing illegal activity online, and to Durov’s own unusual biography and multiple passports.

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, is seen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 23, 2016.

Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty

Durov was detained Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping investigation opened earlier this year. He was released earlier Wednesday after four days of questioning. Investigative judges filed preliminary charges Wednesday night and ordered him to pay 5 million euros (about $5.5 million) in bail and to report to a police station twice a week, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office.

The Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed government official in the UAE as saying that country was “in touch with the French authorities about this case,” along with Durov’s representatives, adding that the welfare of UAE citizens was a priority and the government would provide assistance if required.

The allegations against Telegram and Pavel Durov

The French prosecutors’ allegations against Durov include that his platform is being used for criminal purposes, including the propagation of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams said it was important to note that French authorities have not claimed that Durov is or was personally involved in the alleged crimes. They argue instead that his company, which enables users to communicate through encrypted messages, making it difficult for authorities to monitor or review those communications, has not cooperated in other criminal investigations.

The first preliminary charge against him was for “complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group,” a crime that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros, the prosecutor’s office said.

Preliminary charges under French law mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but want to allow more time for further investigation.

David-Olivier Kaminski, a lawyer for Durov, was quoted by French media as saying “it’s totally absurd to think that the person in charge of a social network could be implicated in criminal acts that don’t concern him, directly or indirectly.”

Prosecutors said Durov was, “at this stage, the only person implicated in this case.” They did not exclude the possibility that other people were being investigated, but declined to comment on other possible arrest warrants. Any other arrest warrant would be revealed only if the target of such a warrant is detained and informed of their rights, prosecutors said in a statement to the AP.

French authorities opened a preliminary investigation in February in response to “the near total absence of a response by Telegram to judicial requests″ for data for pursuing suspects, notably those accused of crimes against children, the prosecutor’s office said.

Russia “ready” to help Durov amid its own crackdown on free speech

Durov’s arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics as, in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

The Russian government has also implemented a wide range of new laws since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 making it illegal to iterate or publish virtually any criticism of the Kremlin’s military or the war, which it refers to as a special military operation.

Hundreds of journalists and democracy advocates have fled Russia in recent years, and many others remain imprisoned on charges stemming from the draconian laws curbing free speech in the country. Russia has also detained a number of foreign journalists who have reported on the war, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was convicted on espionage charges before being freed in a prison swap at the beginning of August. The Journal and the U.S. government always dismissed the charges as baseless.

Putin crackdown widens, Russian-American arrested and charged with treason

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Kremlin spokesman Peskov said he hoped Durov “has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defense,” adding that Moscow stood “ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to the Telegram CEO but acknowledging the “situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France.”

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country’s Shiite theocracy, Durov’s arrest drew comments from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued veiled praise for France for being “strict” against those who “violate your governance” of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Monday that Durov’s arrest wasn’t a political move but part of an independent law enforcement investigation. Macron said in post on X that his country “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression, but that “freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”

The history of Telegram and Pavel Durov in Russia

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov’s arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving.”

“Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation,” it said.

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities. In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site which he had launched in 2006.

The company came under pressure during the Russian government’s crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said authorities demanded the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later that it hand over personal data of users who took part in the 2013-2014 popular uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said in a recent interview that he had turned down those demands and left the country.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy stance had offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news.

Telegram also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war and to deliver missile and air raid alerts.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation.

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August 29, 2024