© MOHAMMED BADRA/EPA
© Anadolu via Getty Images
Francia está asediada por las protestas y el vandalismo desatado tras las manifestaciones de las últimas semanas. Unas 800.000 personas salieron en unas 110 marchas a la calle el sábado. Después llegaron los saqueos y los incendios. Murió una persona, y los ayuntamientos de Limoges, Marsella y Lille sufrieron gravísimos daños. Hay más de 2.000 detenidos, y las grandes ciudades de Francia decretaron toques de queda por las noches. El Ejecutivo ha admitido haber perdido el control de la situación, el ministro del Interior presentó su dimisión, aunque fue rechazada por el presidente de la República, Emmanuel Macron. Pero antes de que se apagaran los primeros incendios, la clase política ya tenía un culpable: Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
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Mar Yvette
I'll admit it: I love shopping and the thrill of getting something new.
But ever since my husband and I started doing extended stays in Paris and other cities throughout Europe, I've surprised myself with how little I actually need.
We never check luggage because it's such a hassle, so whenever we get home after living out of carry-on suitcases for three months, I'll look around our apartment, open my closet, and think, "Wow, I forgot about most of this stuff."
Even though I'm a lifelong declutterer and keep our space tidy and organized, I've come to realize that getting by with only what fits in a carry-on has changed my definition of "enough."
Mar Yvette
It's kind of ironic that going to Paris, the fashion capital of the world, is where I've ended up with the smallest wardrobe. But as it turns out, having fewer options saves me a lot of mental energy and has made me more creative and intentional about what I wear.
I pack versatile pieces that work together so I can mix and match, rewear the same few pairs of pants, and do laundry every week. Even winter trips, when I have to pack bulkier clothes, have proven that I can get by with much less than I ever thought possible.
I have dozens of sweaters at home since I'm a bit of a collector, but all I really need are just a few Quince cashmere fisherman turtlenecks.
Mar Yvette
I also love jewelry, hats, and sunglasses, and usually have multiple options based on my mood. But being away for months at a time has made me realize that I'm perfectly fine with having just a few accessories to rotate through.
Whenever I get back from one of our trips, I end up editing my closet because I realize there's so much I don't wear. Yes, it's nice to have all my clothes and accessories, but it also gets easier each time to give stuff away to friends, family, neighbors, or donation centers.
Mar Yvette
It's easy to imagine all sorts of scenarios where I might need certain things, especially when traveling. (Should I pack a pair of heels in case we go to an ultra-fancy dinner? Or what if I suddenly need that scarf I haven't worn in five years?)
News flash: I've never needed something I didn't pack. It's a lesson that has made me less likely to shop on impulse.
I still love going on a T.J. Maxx run and filling up a cart while browsing my favorite sites. However, before I make a purchase, I ask myself if it's something I'll genuinely use or just something that I might hypothetically need one day.
If it doesn't pass the reality check, I don't buy it.
Mar Yvette
Because we're on the move so much, being at home feels even more comforting. I love that our space is decorated with objects that spark joy, but over the last few years, I've become less interested in accumulating stuff.
Instead, I find myself appreciating what we already have — from our shelves full of books and framed photos of our family and travels to my houseplants that our wonderful neighbors take care of while we're away.
Funnily enough, though, the more I appreciate the things we own, the less attached I've become to most of them. I don't even feel much of an urge to buy things for our apartment because I know we'll be leaving again soon.
Mar Yvette
Whether it's my wardrobe, household items, or even food, I've realized I don't need endless options. Like, do I really need 12 types of tea in my cupboard at any given moment? Often, I'm fine with just a few bags of my go-to blends.
Traveling with just a carry-on has made me realize that day to day, I tend to stick to my core favorites and don't really need a million choices for everything. I get plenty of variety when I'm out exploring.
At home, I'm happy to keep things simple and enjoy what I already have. That's more than enough for me.
As SpaceX impacts Ukraine and AI-generated music divides artists and fans, critics are asking what happens when technology has too much control over our lives
This was originally published in TechScape, a newsletter about how technology shapes our lives. Sign up to receive it here
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian, writing to you while sitting in front of Roy Lichtenstein’s monumental Drowning Girl, on view in New York City. Today in tech, we’re discussing the perils of Elon Musk’s one-man global infrastructure, AI-generated music and a Guardian AI conference in Paris.
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© Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
© Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
© Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
The far-right leader’s promise to restore order will appeal to many ahead of next year’s presidential elections – the stakes are suddenly much higher
There is only one clear winner so far from France’s chaos: Marine Le Pen. The violence and rioting that engulfed towns and cities across the country over the weekend, six months before a pivotal presidential election, is a godsend for the hard-right, Eurosceptical, anti-immigration candidate. As buildings burned, shops were looted and police attacked, the rioting largely drowned out peaceful mass protests over the dilapidated state of schools , fuel prices and the cost of living.
Across France and the rest of Europe, people are in shock at scenes of arson and pillage in city centres, the wrecking of symbols of the republic such as the 19th-century town hall in peaceful provincial Limoges and the bust of Marianne in Marseille’s city hall, and the looting of more than 2,000 shops.
Paul Taylor is a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre
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© Photograph: Firas Abdullah/Anadolu/Getty Images
© Photograph: Firas Abdullah/Anadolu/Getty Images
© Photograph: Firas Abdullah/Anadolu/Getty Images
Me entristece ver cómo las protestas en Francia, que comenzaron con estudiantes reclamando más profesores y recursos para la educación pública, han terminado siendo noticia por los incendios y los destrozos. El incendio del Ayuntamiento de Limoges es injustificable, pero me indigna que una minoría radical haya conseguido desviar la atención de unas reivindicaciones que merecen ser escuchadas. Lo que empezó como una movilización por las condiciones educativas se ha convertido en un debate sobre violencia. Mientras tanto, los problemas que denuncian los estudiantes siguen ahí. Es una pena que quienes salieron a la calle para defender su futuro hayan acabado perdiendo el protagonismo frente a quienes recurrieron a la agresividad. Los disturbios no deberían hacernos olvidar que detrás de estas movilizaciones hay jóvenes que reclaman algo tan básico como una formación de calidad.
© Emma Da Silva (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
The Ukrainian leader says talks with US envoys covered security guarantees and he hopes to hear Russia’s response tomorrow
Nordic correspondent
As well as Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also meet the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre and the Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norway’s new King Haakon during his visit to Oslo.
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© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
The Ukrainian leader says talks with US envoys covered security guarantees and he hopes to hear Russia’s response tomorrow
Nordic correspondent
As well as Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also meet the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre and the Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norway’s new King Haakon during his visit to Oslo.
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© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
© Photograph: Heiko Junge/Pool NTB/AP
France’s cities were calm overnight under curfews imposed after last weekend’s scenes of chaos, as protest groups announced a new round of demonstrations next Saturday.
Reeling from a weekend of extraordinary violence, the government is scrambling to reassure people it has learned its lesson from security shortcomings that left the centres of cities such as Paris, Marseille and Lyon largely unprotected from post-demonstration rioters and looters.
“The targeted curfews have contributed to the calm of last night,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a post on X, adding that the measure could be extended “where the situation requires it”.
High-school pupil strikes and demonstrations against falling standards and growing dilapidation have spiralled into a national outpouring of anger at rising prices and the sense that health, housing and welfare needs are also no longer being met.
Furthermore, they have stoked a febrile political atmosphere as candidates from the far right and far left lead the field for a presidential election next April and May.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin told CNews television that 123 people held at the weekend were in detention awaiting trial. In a separate TV appearance on Monday evening, he said around 2,500 remained in custody for questioning.
The calm of the night hands the government a breather after weeks of protests that have exhausted police and public authorities. But new challenges await next Saturday.
“We carry on,” France’s main student union UNEF said in a flyer posted on social media, pledging to keep up the pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and his government to fix what students and pupils say is a broken and under-financed education system.
Separately, groups identifying themselves as “gilets jaunes” (yellow vests) called for scattered protest actions against spiralling fuel costs.
The yellow vest movement, which has largely calmed down over the past few years, was born in 2018 during Macron’s first term over plans to raise petrol taxes. Weekly traffic blockades and bouts of street violence continued for months.
Lecornu vowed on Monday that the government would learn lessons from last weekend’s protests and ensuing chaos.
“There were things that went well, and things that were screwed up,” he said. “My determination to restore order is absolute.”
France’s main labour unions, including the CGT – often the driving force behind large organised demonstrations – did not join the calls for protests next Saturday.
Estelle Brachlianoff (París, 54 años) es una de las pocas mujeres que dirige una multinacional de la entidad de Veolia, que opera en más de 50 países y emplea a alrededor de 215.000 personas. En su apretada agenda en Madrid, que incluye una reunión con la exministra de Economía, Elena Salgado, -ahora representante de CriteriaCaixa en el consejo de Veolia- y un encuentro al más alto nivel con los jefes del Estado de Francia (Emmanuel Macron) y España (Felipe VI), saca un hueco para conversar con EL PAÍS Negocios.
The scenes of social unrest and violence at the weekend are an ominous portent, ahead of elections which may deliver a far-right presidency
In Emmanuel Macron’s book Revolution, published ahead of the 2017 presidential election that he went on to win, he promised to restore hope to a country that was losing faith in its future. As Mr Macron’s lame-duck second term enters its last phase against a quasi-insurrectionary backdrop of torched public buildings and looted shops, the failure of that political project appears total.
The worst scenes of urban violence for years overshadowed a weekend of protest that gravely undermined what is left of the French president’s authority. As police lost control of the streets, more than 2,000 shops were ransacked. Far-left groups targeted town halls and local buildings, and engaged in pitched battles with the police, whose disastrously heavy-handed response to last week’s high school protests has succeeded only in escalating tensions.
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© Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP
© Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP
© Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP
Last weekend there were mass protests across France, with more than half a million people estimated to have been involved. The unrest included rioting, looting and violent clashes with outnumbered police in cities including Paris, Marseille and Limoges. The interior minister conceded that police ‘lost control’ in some cities, while President Emmanuel Macron demanded a full security review. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Europe correspondent, Jon Henley – watch on YouTube
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© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
Last weekend there were mass protests across France, with more than half a million people estimated to have been involved. The unrest included rioting, looting and violent clashes with outnumbered police in cities including Paris, Marseille and Limoges. The interior minister conceded that police ‘lost control’ in some cities, while President Emmanuel Macron demanded a full security review. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Europe correspondent, Jon Henley – watch on YouTube
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© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images
Carl Court/Getty Images
Resale websites including Vinted have removed suspicious listings after they were flooded with apparently stolen goods in the wake of riots that swept across France.
Perfumes, designer handbags, cosmetics and even Pokémon cards have appeared on second-hand marketplaces following a weekend of violence that saw shops ransacked, The Telegraph — which, like Business Insider, is part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network — reported.
Screenshots circulating on social media show products being offered for a fraction of their retail prices, including bags overflowing with Sephora cosmetics advertised for as little as €10 (£8.40).
The listings have triggered suspicions that looters are trying to sell stolen goods online. eBay and Vinted have removed some items and stepped up their monitoring of suspicious activity.
One advert on Vinted showed six Sephora lip glosses being sold for €15, while another offered six tubes of cleansing cream for just €12.
Sephora France sells comparable own-brand lip glosses for around €13 each, meaning six would ordinarily cost around €78.
Screenshot
Other listings included Christian Dior perfumes advertised for €250 and large quantities of make-up still in their original packaging.
In one case, Pokémon trading cards allegedly stolen from a shop in Lille were advertised on Vinted, with some still bearing their original price stickers.
Hundreds of cards were reportedly found scattered across streets in the northern French city after a fire at Le Coin des Barons, a shop specialising in collectable cards.
A trophy said to have been stolen from French e-sport club Team Vitality was advertised on eBay for €1,250.
The silver StarLadder Counter-Strike trophy was photographed against a graffiti-covered wall and listed under the title: "STOLEN RARE VITALITY CS2 TROPHÉE."
Team Vitality confirmed that its Paris premises had been looted during Saturday's unrest, with trophies and computer equipment stolen and display windows smashed.
The listings emerged as France struggled to contain some of its worst civil unrest in years, caused by anger over the cost of living and deteriorating public services.
More than half a million people joined demonstrations on Saturday, with violent clashes breaking out in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities.
French authorities said more than 2,400 people had been arrested by Sunday, while nearly 1,000 police officers were injured.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has stepped up powers to ban protests as he acknowledged intelligence "failures" over the riots.
The unrest has spread beyond France, with demonstrations about living costs and public spending also taking place in Belgium, Portugal and Italy.
French retailers have been left counting the cost, with supermarket giant Carrefour reporting damage to 50 stores, including 20 that were looted.
Sephora closed its French stores on Saturday evening and kept them shut on Sunday after several branches were ransacked.
Vinted said it had taken immediate action to identify and remove listings connected to the violence.
A spokesman said: "The sale of stolen goods, or soliciting them, is strictly prohibited on Vinted, and we have zero tolerance for it."
The company said it had stepped up monitoring and would take action against offenders, including permanently banning accounts. It added that it was working with law enforcement and French authorities to identify suspicious sellers.
An eBay spokesman said: "The sale of stolen property is strictly prohibited on eBay."
The company said it used technology to identify suspicious activity and worked closely with police to investigate criminal behaviour.
The spokesman added: "If we receive confirmation from law enforcement that an item has been stolen, we remove it immediately and take action against the seller."
This story originally appeared on The Telegraph and is courtesy of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which harnesses the resources of the company's newsrooms to publish ambitious scoops, investigations, interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis. It allows journalists — including those from Business Insider, POLITICO, The Telegraph, WELT, BILD, Onet, and Fakt — to collaborate on major stories for an international audience of hundreds of millions across platforms.
Last weekend there were mass protests across France, with more than half a million people estimated to have been involved. The unrest included rioting, looting and violent clashes with outnumbered police in cities including Paris, Marseille and Limoges. The interior minister conceded that police ‘lost control’ in some cities, while President Emmanuel Macron demanded a full security review. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Europe correspondent, Jon Henley – watch on YouTube
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© Photograph: Guardian Design
© Photograph: Guardian Design
© Photograph: Guardian Design
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