Gaza ceasefire talks resume as Trump upbeat on deal

Indirect Gaza ceasefire talks resumed Tuesday in Qatar, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, who expressed optimism about a possible breakthrough.Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings were focused on a “framework” for the talks.”Indirect negotiations are continuing this morning in Doha, with a fourth meeting being held… the discussions are still focused on the mechanisms for implementation, particularly the clauses related to withdrawal and humanitarian aid,” a Palestinian official close to the talks told AFP.”No breakthrough has been achieved so far, and the negotiations are ongoing,” another Palestinian official said.On the ground, five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza — one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.Netanyahu’s trip to Washington is his third visit since Trump’s return to office. On Monday, Trump expressed confidence a deal could be reached.”I don’t think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well,” Trump told reporters when asked what was preventing an agreement.Sitting across from Netanyahu at the White House, Trump said Hamas was willing to end the Gaza conflict, now entering its 22nd month.”They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” Trump said when asked if ongoing clashes would derail talks.Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was set to join the talks in Doha this week.- ‘Suddenly, an explosion’ -An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was “80-90 percent of what Israel wanted.””I believe that with military and political pressure, all the hostages can be returned,” the official told Israeli media.According to Ariel Kahana of Israel Hayom daily, “President Trump and his advisers are currently exerting considerable effort to reach an agreement that would lead to the release of the hostages and could even end the war in Gaza.”However, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that “there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds.”Netanyahu described the loss of five soldiers in Gaza as a “difficult morning” and mourned “our heroic soldiers who risked their lives in the battle to defeat Hamas and free all our hostages.”Israeli military correspondents reported the deaths occurred due to improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.According to the Israeli military, 450 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign since the start of the ground offensive on October 27, 2023.Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 29 people killed in Israeli strikes across the territory, including three children.Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the agency, said nine people were killed in a drone strike on a camp for displaced people in southern Gaza.”I was in front of my tent preparing breakfast for my four children — beans and a bit of dry bread. Suddenly, there was an explosion,” said Shaimaa Al-Shaer, 30, who lives in the camp.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military when contacted by AFP.The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million people.While Israel has the full backing of the Trump administration, the US leader has increasingly pushed for an end to what he called the “hell” in Gaza and said on Sunday he believes there is a “good chance” of an agreement this coming week.”The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.- Envoy trip -The US proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, two Palestinian sources close to the discussions had earlier told AFP.The group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel’s withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system, they said.Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,523 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.burs-ser/dv

Stocks rise as Trump delays tariffs deadline

Major stock markets mostly rose Tuesday after President Donald Trump extended his tariffs deadline and hinted at a further pushback, though uncertainty over US trade policy capped gains.Shortly before the three-month pause on his “Liberation Day” tariffs was set to expire, Trump said he would give governments an extra three weeks to hammer out deals to avoid sky-high levies on exports to the world’s biggest economy.”The Trump administration’s latest announcements on tariffs offered some relief to financial markets,” noted AJ Bell investment analyst Dan Coatsworth.”On the flipside, this only extends the uncertainty with markets likely to spend the next three weeks trying to guess the ultimate outcome.”The dollar traded mixed against main rivals and oil prices dropped.Trump has sent out letters to more than a dozen countries — including top trading partners Japan and South Korea — setting out what he intends to charge should they not reach agreements by August 1, which replaces Wednesday’s deadline.Investors tentatively welcomed the delay amid hopes officials will be able to reach deals with Washington, with some observers seeing the latest move by the president as a negotiation tactic.The letters said Japan and South Korea would be hit with 25-percent tariffs, while Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia faced duties ranging from 25 percent to 40 percent.When asked if the new deadline was set in stone, the president said: “I would say firm, but not 100 percent firm.”And asked whether the letters were his final offer, he replied: “I would say final — but if they call with a different offer, and I like it, then we’ll do it.”While Wall Street’s three main indices ended down Monday — with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq back from record highs — leading Asian and European stock markets rose.Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the levies on Japan and South Korea “will send a chilling message to others”.”Both have been close partners on economic security matters,” she said, adding that companies from both countries had made “significant manufacturing investments in the US in recent years”.- Key figures at around 1030 GMT -London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,823.12 pointsParis – CAC 40: FLAT at 7,722.91Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.4 percent at 24,165.13Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 39,688.81 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.1 percent at 24,148.07 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,497.48 (close)New York – Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 44,406.36 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1732 from $1.1710 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3585 from $1.3602Dollar/yen: UP at 146.29 yen from 146.13 yenEuro/pound: UP at 86.34 pence from 86.09 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $67.67 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $69.45 per barrel

Coup d’envoi de la haute couture à Paris, Schiaparelli et Iris van Herpen rêvent d’ailleurs

Entre le futur et les fonds marins, Schiaparelli et Iris van Herpen ont des envies d’ailleurs pour cette semaine de la haute couture, encore et toujours marquée par le chassé-croisé des directeurs artistiques. Schiaparelli a ouvert le bal lundi avec une collection automne-hiver 2025-2026 intitulée “Retour vers le futur”, avec des codes empruntés aux années 1940. Une impressionnante robe à volants noirs et blancs, de longues robes du soir sculpturales, des tailleurs élégants presque trop sages ou encore un manteau taillé comme un rectangle sans manche, au col montant à plumes et brodé d’une grosse fleur argentée, composent ce vestiaire. Le tout dans des tons blanc, noir et argenté, avec quelques touches de rouge vif. Une robe rouge avec un buste de femme moulé sur le dos et accompagné d’un collier en forme de coeur humain, tout en strass rouge, reproduisant les pulsations a été le clou du spectacle.Organisé au Petit Palais, ce nouveau show de l’Américain Daniel Roseberry a réuni un parterre de stars, dont la rappeuse Cardi B qui a fait sensation avec une robe noire ultra-moulante à l’immense encolure ornée de longues franges perlées et un corbeau vivant posé sur ses mains gantées. – Sous l’océan -De retour au calendrier après un an d’absence, Iris van Herpen a proposé une descente dans les fonds marins, avec la méduse comme élément central.Un défilé spectaculaire baptisé “Sympoiesis”, où des lasers donnaient l’impression de modeler ses créations à mesure qu’elles défilaient. La Néerlandaise a présenté des robes moulantes imitant des écailles ou des algues, les queues ondulantes et les nageoires de poissons tropicaux, dans une palette aux tons verdâtres, bleu marine, noir et argent, comme dans les profondeurs abyssales.Le Camerounais Imane Ayissi s’est aventuré du côté de la nature avec une collection appelée “Ikorrok”, qui signifie “un jardin laissé en jachère” dans la langue Ewondo. Le créateur a notamment mis à l’honneur le raffia, sous forme de franges ou bien de grosses fleurs, les imprimés fleuris ou encore des insectes en perle sur ces robes et tailleurs pantalon pour la plupart haut en couleurs.Dans la soirée, l’Italien Giambattista Valli a conclu cette première journée avec une collection très aérienne, avec des robes en tulles, voiles et drapés sur lesquelles s’invitent de grosses roses en tissu et qui se déclinent dans des tons pastels tels “des sorbets touchés par le soleil”, selon la note d’intention.Juste avant le défilé, le couturier s’était vu remettre les insignes d’officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres par la ministre de la Culture Rachida Dati.- Chaises musicales -Confronté à un contexte économique incertain, le secteur du luxe multiplie les changements de direction artistique pour relancer sa croissance. Une dynamique de chaises musicales qui imprime fortement cette édition, dont le temps fort sera le dernier défilé de Demna pour Balenciaga, mercredi midi.Après dix ans à sa tête, le Géorgien de 44 ans, au style iconoclaste, va prendre la direction artistique de Gucci dont les contre-performances plombent l’activité de Kering, qui possède aussi Balenciaga.Il est remplacé par l’Italien Pierpaolo Piccioli qui présentera sa première collection en octobre.Mercredi marquera également les débuts, chez Maison Margiela de Glenn Martens, qui succède à John Galliano. Mardi, Chanel présentera pour la dernière fois une collection imaginée par son studio de création, la cinquième depuis le départ de Virginie Viard en juin 2024. Nommé en décembre, son successeur, Matthieu Blazy, dévoilera sa première collection en octobre. Jusqu’à jeudi, 27 maisons présentent leurs créations, parmi lesquelles Elie Saab, Armani Privé, Aelis, Viktor&Rolf, Adeline André ou encore le couturier syrien Rami Al Ali, qui intègre le calendrier officiel.Cette semaine compte aussi quelques absences remarquées, à commencer par Dior. Après un premier défilé Homme particulièrement suivi le 27 juin, Jonathan Anderson réserve sa première collection haute couture pour janvier 2026.Jean Paul Gaultier manque également à l’appel, puisque le tout nouveau directeur artistique de la griffe, le Néerlandais Duran Lantink fera ses débuts en octobre.

Le journaliste Julien Arnaud rejoint BFMTV

Le journaliste Julien Arnaud, qui co-présentait l’émission “Télématin”, quitte France 2 pour rejoindre BFMTV à la rentrée, a annoncé la chaîne d’information continue mardi.BFMTV a indiqué dans un communiqué lui confier “la présentation d’un grand rendez-vous d’information du lundi au vendredi de 10h à 12h”.Le directeur général de cette chaîne, Fabien Namias, a salué l’arrivée d’un journaliste “rompu à l’information en continu, à l’exercice de l’interview”.Julien Arnaud, 51 ans, avait quitté le groupe TF1 au terme de 27 ans de carrière à l’été 2024, pour succéder à Thomas Sotto comme présentateur de “Télématin”, l’émission matinale du service public, aux côtés de Flavie Flament.Il a aussi assuré la présentation de journaux télévisés de 20H durant les congés d’Anne-Sophie Lapix, qui a elle aussi quitté France Télévisions depuis.Julien Arnaud va piloter le 20H de France 2 à partir de mi-juillet comme prévu pour l’été, a indiqué Alexandre Kara, patron de l’information de France Télé, en conférence de presse.”On souhaite plein de bonnes choses à Julien”, à qui “on a proposé plein de choses” mais “il a préféré” partir, a-t-il relevé.

Gaza civil defence says 29 killed in Israeli strikes

Gaza’s civil defence agency on Tuesday said that 29 people were killed in Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory devastated by 21 months of war.Among those were nine people killed in a drone strike on a camp for displaced people near Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, according to civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.Shaimaa Al-Shaer, 30, a resident of the Al-Sanabel camp, told AFP: “I was in front of my tent preparing breakfast for my four children — beans and a bit of dry bread. Suddenly, there was an explosion.”Smoke and dust filled the area. Debris and stones flew in all directions and hit our tent,” she added.”Four children who were playing in front of the neighbouring tent were injured. I saw people carrying martyrs. We don’t know where death comes from, the bombings continue.” Bassal said that 20 other people, including at least three children and two women, were killed in six other strikes on Tuesday across the Gaza Strip.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military when contacted by AFP.The military earlier announced that five of its soldiers were killed in northern Gaza and two others were severely wounded.Due to restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties accessing the area, AFP is unable to independently verify the death tolls and details shared by the parties involved.The war was triggered by Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.The attack resulted in 1,219 deaths on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data.Of the 251 people abducted that day, 49 are still hostages in Gaza, including 27 declared dead by the Israeli army.At least 57,523 Gazans, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory campaign, according to data from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.The figures are deemed reliable by the UN.

Cambodian garment workers fret Trump’s new tariff threat

As Cambodian garment workers took breaks from toiling in sweltering factories on Tuesday, they feared for their jobs after US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 36 percent tariff.”I beg the US to reduce the tariff for the sake of workers in Cambodia,” 38-year-old Im Sothearin told AFP as she rested from her work in an underwear factory in the capital Phnom Penh.”If they charge a high tariff, it is only workers who are going to suffer,” said the mother-of-three who earns only $300 a month.”Factories might be closed or workers will have their wages lowered, or be forced to work faster.”Cambodia — a major manufacturer of low-cost clothing for Western brands — was among the nations hardest hit by Trump’s “Liberation Day” blitz of tariff threats in April.The US president originally outlined a 49-percent rate if Cambodia failed to broker a deal with Washington. On Monday, he lowered it to 36 percent and extended the negotiation deadline to August 1.While the levy is lower than the original eye-watering figure, it has done little to allay anxieties.”If the tariff is that high, companies won’t have money to pay,” 28-year-old pregnant worker Sreymom, who goes by only one name, told AFP as she bought fruit on her lunch break.”I am worried that we won’t have jobs to do,” the 11-year veteran of the factory floor said. “I want the tariff to be reduced more.”Cambodia’s chief negotiator in talks with Washington called the reduction in the proposed rate — announced in a letter among more than a dozen Trump despatched to trade partners — a “huge victory”.”We are so successful in negotiations,” Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol told reporters in Phnom Penh. “We still have a chance to negotiate further to reduce the tariff rate more.”But back in April commerce ministry spokesman Penn Sovicheat told AFP that harsh US tariffs on his country were “not reasonable”.Cambodia said it had about $10 billion in exports to the United States last year, mainly garment products.The nation has been paying a 10-percent standby rate as negotiators rush to make a deal.Many factories in Cambodia are Chinese-owned. The White House previously accused the kingdom of allowing Chinese goods to stop over on the way to US markets, thereby skirting steeper rates imposed on Beijing.Yi Mom has had a two-decade career in the garment industry. But she frets it may be ended if Cambodia fails to soften the blow threatened by the United States.”I fear that the high tariff will affect factories and will result in fewer jobs for workers,” said the 47-year-old.”Then we will have low wages and will not be able to support our families.”