Oil prices sustain months-long highs on fears of US involvement in Israel-Iran war
From the show
Crude oil markets continued to hover around the $75 a barrel mark this Wednesday, sustained by fears that the US could get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. The possibility that Iran could seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world's crude production transits, is also a source of concern. Also in this edition: French authorities recall Citroen cars equipped with defective airbags after the death of a woman in a car accident on Saturday.
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Euronews
6 hours ago
- Euronews
Netflix and France's TF1 join forces as traditional TV struggles
Streaming giant Netflix and major French broadcaster TF1 have signed a deal to merge some of their services at a time when demand for traditional TV is slowing. Starting in Summer 2026, all Netflix members in France will be able to watch TF1 channels and on-demand content from TF1+ directly on Netflix. That includes dramas like Broceliande and soaps such as Demain nous appartient, as well as major live sports matches. These will soon be available alongside Netflix's own French-language offerings and its international series and films. 'This is a first-of-its-kind partnership that plays to our strengths of giving audiences the best entertainment alongside the best discovery experience,' said Greg Peters, co-CEO of Netflix, in a press release. Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of TF1 Group, added: "I am delighted about this new partnership with Netflix, with whom we have already established strong relationships through ambitious co-productions in recent months." TF1 and Netflix have already worked together on projects such as L'Agence and Tout le bleu du ciel. Belmer continued: "As viewing habits shift toward on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation increases, this unprecedented alliance will enable our premium content to reach unparalleled audiences and unlock new reach for advertisers within an ecosystem that perfectly complements our TF1+ platform." It's not yet clear whether Netflix paid an initial fee for the content, and the firms didn't disclose how they will manage subscription and advertising revenues. TF1 is a free-to-air channel in France, meaning it relies on advertising income, even for its streaming services. The TV network currently reaches 58 million monthly viewers through its broadcast channels and serves 35 million users on its TF1+ streaming service. Through Studio TF1, the company also manages over 50 production companies and labels across France and international markets. Airbus SE introduced a new dividend policy on Wednesday, increasing the amount it intends to pay to shareholders in the future. The firm increased its new dividend payout ratio limit from 40% to 50% of the share of profits, bringing the new payout range to 30%-50%. Airbus also hinted at the possibility of paying out a special dividend and introducing share buyback programmes. The planemaker and defence company also said that it would maintain its long-term cash conversion target, a measurement of the firm's efficiency in converting its profits into cash. 'Airbus will reaffirm its commitment to profitable growth and its cash conversion target of around 1 over a 5-year horizon,' the company said. Airbus' share price increased by 3% by around 11.00 CEST, following the announcement. The company's statement comes at a time of global trade uncertainty and supply chain disruptions. Airbus set a goal of handing over 820 aircraft this year. Ongoing supply chain issues slowed the deliveries in the first months of 2025, but Christian Scherer, CEO of the company's core planemaking business, said that Airbus remains "cautiously hopeful" about meeting its 2025 target. Meanwhile, Airbus' defence business is thriving. With the EU preparing a significant defence budget increase, the firm is expecting its military helicopter orders to grow by 50% between 2023 and 2025. Airbus is also developing a drone portfolio, aiming to become a market leader in this segment. Airbus started this week at the Paris Air Show, announcing new orders from Saudi Arabia and Poland. Airbus also recently signed a framework agreement with the French military for purchases of navy drones, and secured another deal with Singapore to deliver military helicopters.
Local France
7 hours ago
- Local France
French word of the Day: Macaron
Why do I need to know macaron? Because you might be confused about why your car needs a cake. What does it mean? The most common use of macaron - roughly pronounced as mah-cah-rohn - is in the world of pâtisserie. They are delicious small cakes made of two almond-based discs sandwiched together with a cream filling. They come in a variety of different colours and flavours and are, as we might have already mentioned, delicious. If you're invited to a French person's house for dinner or drinks and you want to take a small gift you can never go wrong with a nice box of macarons from your local pâtisserie. Advertisement There is, however, a second usage that might be familiar to motorists. This one refers to a small round sticker that you put in your windscreen showing that you have a permit or permission to be in a certain place. The most common use is for residents' parking - you display the sticker to show that you are a resident and can therefore park on the street. There are other types of macaron , however, for example to show you can access staff parking or even displaying a cross-border worker status for frontier crossings. You might see street signs warning that a macaron is required for this area. France also has a handy little app that aims to bring all the various different parking schemes together in one place - it is called The other commonly used phrase for a sticker, usually displayed in a car, is une vignette . Neither cake nor sticker should be confused with the (current) French president - he is Macron, with no 'a'. Use it like this Les riverains peuvent bénéficier d'un macaron gratuit leur permettant de stationner sans durée limitée - Residents can get a free sticker which entitles them to unlimited parking Pas de parking, sauf macaron - No parking, except for sticker holders J'ai oublié d'afficher mon macaron et j'ai reçu une amende - I forgot to display my pass, so I got a parking fine Les macarons pistache sont les meilleurs, sans aucun doute - Pistachio macarons are the best, no question.
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
How Paris's Seine river keeps the Louvre cool in summer
Since 1991, the river water has been cooling more than 800 buildings via a humble but hard-working system that is still relatively under-utilised worldwide. Paris boasts the largest such urban cooling network in Europe: 110 kilometres (68 miles) of subterranean pipes criss-crossing the City of Light, reducing its need for energy-guzzling air conditioning. "It's like 'Batman'!" exclaimed a passer-by in the chic and touristy eighth arrondissement or district of Paris, as a manhole cover was removed to reveal a spiral staircase to the cooling network below. The technology is not new: the headquarters of the United Nations in New York has been using water from the East River for cooling since the 1950s. But much planning and construction is necessary and as such, these efficient and sustainable cooling systems remain relatively rare. But in Paris, the network has grown considerably in recent years to confront more intense and frequent heatwaves, with the first of the summer forecast this coming weekend. The process works much the same as a district heating network, but in reverse: heat is transferred from the air to chilled water pumped via pipes to buildings around the city. But unlike conventional air conditioning, it does not blast hot air into the streets, according to Fraicheur de Paris, which manages the Seine cooling network and others in Barcelona, Singapore and Dubai. The company, co-owned by the French energy utility Engie, says it also offers significant savings in electricity consumption, chemical use and emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide. Beat the heat Heatwaves could push summer temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) by 2050 in Paris, said Raphaelle Nayral, secretary general of Fraicheur de Paris. The city needs a more sustainable solution than air conditioning units with their associated heat and energy burden, she added. "Otherwise we will make this city completely uninhabitable," Nayral said. Studies have shown that air conditioners can increase the heat in urban centres by around 0.5C when used in large numbers, a figure that rises as more units are installed. Air conditioning also accounts for seven percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the UN estimates. This is in part due to energy use but also leaking refrigerant gases, which are potent warming agents. For the Paris network, 12 cooling power stations pump chilled water from the Seine to 867 sites across the city, including the national parliament building. Even in winter, the river can prove useful for cooling server rooms and other technology and heat-intensive operations across the city. 'Song of the Seine' In the eighth district, 30 metres underground and spread over four floors, the river's water is pumped through a series of black tanks and large green pipes with a shrill din. "It's a bit like the song of the Seine," Raynal said with a smile over the whirring of compressors. The process is subject to numerous environmental standards. To prevent damage to the Seine ecosystem, water drawn for cooling cannot be discharged back into the river if there is a difference of more than 5C (9F) between the two. Other sites served by the Paris network include department stores and offices, the train network, concert halls, and arguably the world's most famous museum, the Louvre. One hospital has been also connected, and there are hopes of extending the cooling benefit to retirement homes, schools and daycare centres across the city. "By 2042, the network should more than double, with 245 kilometres of distribution... to provide new cooling when the city is overheating," Nayral said.
