Reporting on the coronavirus: Egypt muzzles critical journalists

France is home to some of the biggest luxury brands in the world. While many everyday businesses have struggled to bounce back from the health crisis, it’s been just the opposite for the most exclusive French labels. Jean-Noël Kapferer, professor emeritus of marketing, talks us through the success of luxury brands bouncing back from the pandemic. We also see how the luxury sector is making its way into the second-hand market, bringing in a whole new clientele.

Around the world, people have had to change how they work because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of those changes look set to become permanent. What could all this mean for European employers, employees and work-life balance? We take a closer look with two MEPs.

A Cairo court has sentenced Egypt's revolution activist Alaa Abdel Fattah to 5 years behind bars for spreading “fake news”. Rights groups slammed the trial as a “sham”. Meanwhile, anti-crime protests in Goma turned deadly. Congolese police fired tear gas and live rounds while civilians set up road blocks and burnt tires. Finally, our reporters in Cote d’Ivoire meet with a standup comedian determined to use humour to break down stereotypes. He pokes fun at clichés about his notorious hometown, Abobo.

With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.⁣

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣⁣

Antiviral drugs like Paxlovid could slash hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus. Treatment would bring us a step closer to the end of the pandemic.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣

Travel plans are being disrupted around the world amid a surge in coronavirus cases, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Airlines in the US, Australia and other countries have canceled hundreds of flights, citing the impact of omicron infections on employees and passengers.

Children have been out of school for over a year, raising worries about students falling behind. In India this month, some states have started allowing schools to reopen. But in Delhi, many are choosing to stay away, over fears of a third wave.

German police are running "at full capacity all the time" and struggling to cope with stress as they deal with violent and aggressive protesters, the police union has said.

The year 2021 didn’t get off to a great start, to say the least. The Covid-19 pandemic had already brought the world as we knew it to a standstill, and this year – once again – fashion weeks from London to New York were struck from calendars in the same of social distancing. But nevertheless, fashion has always known how to adapt. A new-found focus on inclusive casting and sustainable processes has been the result. FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of the year's fashion highlights.