Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker “They’re coming from the bedroom and receiving at home,” the designer explained. “They need to make an entrance. I think it comes from all of the films and photographs that are always running through my mind.” By her own admission, cocktail hour is the designer’s home base, and some of the evening looks here will likely connect. A leopard jacquard bustier gown with marabou trim comes to mind. A crisply tailored black jacket with mesh skirt nodded to the naked dressing trend while keeping things decent. Among the one of a kind numbers was a one-shouldered, fully embroidered poncho dress that checked the “negligee for entertaining at home” box. Though it occupies a very rarified world, this collection had enough compelling options—at a fraction of the prices demanded at the city’s biggest houses—that it will probably keep the tiny atelier inside the designer’s shop of the Rue de Luynes seeing la vie en rose. Gunfire, arson, and threats — French prisons are under attack as drug gangs push back against the government’s anti-narcotics crackdown, CNN reports several prisons across France have come under attack in a coordinated wave of violence that authorities believe is linked to the government’s intensified war on narcotics According to the French prison officers’ union UFAP gunmen fired military-grade weapons at the entrance of Toulon prison while vehicles were set ablaze outside facilities in Villepinte a prison officer was personally threatened at home Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin condemned the attacks saying they were meant to "intimidate staff in several prisons ranging from burning vehicles to firing automatic weapons." promising a new generation of high-security prisons to isolate major gang leaders "The French Republic is facing up to the problem of drug trafficking and is taking measures that will massively disrupt the criminal networks," he declared on X The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has taken over the investigation enlisting France’s domestic intelligence agency Although graffiti reading "DDPF" — potentially standing for "French prisoners’ rights" — was found at multiple crime scenes authorities have yet to confirm any organized militant group’s involvement France’s growing drug crisis is being blamed on a surge in South American cocaine flooding European markets Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau revealed that 47 tons of cocaine had been seized in just the first 11 months of 2024 — double the amount confiscated in all of 2023 He warned that the influx had sparked a wave of brutal gang activity dragging even smaller towns into the orbit of cartel-style violence Retailleau ordered immediate reinforcement of prison and staff security while UFAP issued a statement decrying the attacks as "targeted The spike in narco violence has also pushed French politics rightward boosting the far-right National Rally party and fueling support for tough-on-crime policies Darmanin and Retailleau have made the fight against drug trafficking a top priority with lawmakers now poised to approve sweeping new legislation to strengthen police powers and establish a national anti-organized crime prosecutor’s office Among recent law enforcement victories was the recapture of Mohamed Amra aka "The Fly," a high-profile fugitive whose prison transport escape in February left two guards dead As France fortifies its prisons, the United States is also stepping up its anti-cartel operations. Last week, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the seizure of $510 million worth of illegal narcotics from vessels near Peru and Ecuador calling the bust a major blow to the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels PARIS — Several prisons in France have been hit by a wave of attacks overnight the justice minister has said.Gérald Darmanin said prisons had faced "intimidation attempts" ranging from vehicle burning to automatic weapon fire.La Parisien reports that vehicles were set on fire in several prison car parks while a prison in Toulon was targeted by gunshots from an automatic weapon.The newspaper lists six establishments as being targeted: in Toulon Darmanin said he was traveling to Toulon to offer his support to affected officers.Without directly attributing blame for the attacks he said the French government was "facing up to the problem of drug trafficking" and taking measures that would "profoundly disrupt" criminal networks.The prison guard union expressed its "deepest concern and anger" following the "extremely serious" attacks overnight.The union posted updates from the aftermath of several attacks on X including images of bullet holes in the Toulon prison windows and of burnt-out vehicles in other prison car parks.It called for urgent government action to protect prison staff The requested content cannot be loaded.Please try again later Mathieu has become a social media sensation after being spotted working at Intersport Football can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams - but that wealth doesn’t always last forever and life after the final whistle can take players down paths nobody expects he was celebrating a historic treble with Barcelona lifting the Champions League trophy alongside Lionel Messi the 41-year-old is going viral for something very different: working in a French sports shop Mathieu has become an unlikely social media sensation after being spotted wearing a staff vest in an Intersport branch near Marseille he’s seen smiling alongside two other people his distinctive tattoo essentially confirming the surreal scene is indeed real Once a dependable figure in Luis Enrique’s Barça squad now a friendly face helping customers pick out boots and kits The reactions have ranged from disbelief to admiration Some assumed the photo had been doctored or AI-generated hoping to meet the former French international who once played in El Clásicos and Champions League finals Mathieu’s story is a reminder that football’s riches don’t always guarantee lifelong luxury Despite a successful career that included spells with Toulouse Barcelona and Sporting CP 0  and over 100 games in La Liga - he’s chosen a low-key life since retiring in 2020 after a knee injury Mathieu is still involved at a local level turning out for Luynes Sports FC in Regional 1 and working on his coaching qualifications But it’s his unexpected day job that has captured attention perhaps because it flies in the face of what we expect retired footballers to do And maybe that’s the point - not every ex-pro needs to chase the limelight Some just want to stay close to the sport in their own way There’s something oddly grounding about seeing a former Champions League winner behind the counter It strips football of its gloss for a moment it’s still just people - like Mathieu -figuring out what comes next Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox Yamal steals the show in Champions League draw Inter slump puts season at risk ahead of Barca trip Yamal stardust could give Barca edge on Inter Milan Dubai's Eyejamp secures Season 5 Championship match There may have been a significant international contingent but Norwegian star Square De Luynes turned the Group 3 Stockholm Cup into a procession cantering home under Rab Havlin by seven lengths the son of Manduro had to overcome a wide draw in stall 11 but was taken swiftly to the front by Havlin readily pursued by last year's runner-up Crowned Eagle Luke Morris was working hard on Crowned Eagle and he could never land a blow to finish an eventual eighth for whom this was a sixth win in the 1m4f race Square De Luynes ran out an equally impressive winner of the Listed Norsk Derby last year where he scored by seven and a quarter lengths Members can read the latest exclusive interviews news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com Published on 22 September 2019inInternational Copyright © 2025 Spotlight Sports Group Limited or its licensors You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed flags of the three Scandinavian nations – Norway and Denmark – flutter gently in a warming breeze and teenage racegoers are stroking runners in their saddling boxes There’s a party in the manor house opposite and cheers ring out as our big race hero is paraded with a thousands-strong crowd setting down drinks to stand for the national anthem and lying to the edge of a royal deer park Klampenborg exudes the authority of a track 10 times its size and Bernard Condren and Claudia Claydon have flown over to do the honours “I started my Goffs role in the spring of 2007,” Zwicky explains later by email I’d estimate over 90% of trade to Scandinavia came from the UK particularly with the trade of yearlings and mares in foal.” Zwicky says the past eight to 10 years have seen an ever-growing demand from Scandinavian clients at the Irish sales thanks to Irish companies discovering the potential of Norwegian testament to the graft of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing “Their work is second-to-none,” says Zwicky “The number of clients purchasing yearlings in Ireland to be trained abroad doesn’t differ much from 15 years ago But the money spent on those yearlings has increased quite a bit.” Zwicky is clear this shouldn’t be seen as a sign of weakness in the Scandinavian sales “Fewer than 200 Scandinavian-bred yearlings are sold at public auction each year,” he explains “so it seems only natural that clients are attracted to purchase outside the Nordic countries.” we’re very well looked after,” says Norwegian owner Magne Jordanger who’ll be selling two yearlings at Orby next month: a pinhook by Mehmas Swedish consignor Anna Sundström – who’s based at Coulonces in Normandy – is also sending three lots to Orby for a Nordic partnership this year: a filly by Invincible Spirit They’re part of five pinhooks from the November Sale with the other two heading to Doncaster (a filly by Starspangledbanner Jordanger bought the top lot at last year’s Orby Book 1 (a €575,000 son of Kodiac) having gone into training with Richard Hannon who’s still searching for a suitable race from which to launch his career “I believe Nordic buying power could improve further on the international stage,” says Zwicky “Ten years back we started pinhooking foals to be turned at the Danish yearling sale an abundance of blue and yellow is worn not in a sign of neighbouring Swedish loyalty but in support of trainer Niels Petersen’s star three-year-old he’ll be running a string of horses in Sweden making use of a weekend where he can stop off to race on the journey home “racing in Scandinavia is treated more as a hobby than an industry but big owners will always want to travel to the foreign sales.” Petersen says that if buyers hit a good Scandinavian horse was bought as a yearling at Arqana for €26,000 He raced in Petersen’s wife’s colours at two and was then sold to a partnership inside the yard Square De Luynes went almost unbeaten in Scandinavia before finishing 11th (to Hukum) in Dubai last year Scandinavian jurisdictions often operate as one unit Talks to merge SÅEF’s Swedish Yearling Sale with the Scandinavian Open Sale – held annually at York Stud just north of the Danish capital – fell through and Norwegian owner Morten Buck says he understands growing concerns about potential fissures in cross-border co-operation who frequently attends the Scandinavian sales says the missed opportunity may prove damaging “I think it’s ridiculous to have two sales in Scandinavia,” he admits “Most horses will be travelling to Denmark leaving just 44 or so catalogued in the Swedish auction.” Both Buck and Jordanger agree that long term harmonisation relies as much on building a new racecourse at Bara Planning has got the green light from Svensk Galopp “I think it will help buyers to feel confident about the future.” Jordanger tasted international success with the likes of Valley Chapel and Appel Au Maitre Valley Chapel died in Hamburg (after five group wins) but Appel Au Maitre still stands at Denmark’s Hjortebo Stud His progeny are on regular display up here while Valley Chapel lends his name to a race at Jägersro the course where Jordanger’s Stall Perlen has racked five Swedish Derby wins We speak as Oslo-based trainer Annike Bye Hansen has travelled to Goodwood with two entries and Stockholm Cup-winning Hard One To Please (finished sixth to Hamish in a Group 3) Jordanger calls Hard One To Please a “tough horse” but says Scandinavian racing needs a real standard bearer with the star appeal of Appel Au Maitre About us Contact us Advertise with us Company information Careers Privacy statement Terms of service Commenting policy Change cookies settings