Security was high in Pakistan's capital which is set to host Iran-US talks aimed at striking a permanent deal to end the war in coming days

MISSOULA COUNTY, Mont. – Frenchtown rural and Superior volunteer firefighters responded to a wildland fire off I-90 near mile marker 65 on Thursday. 

The Frenchtown Rural Fire District shared a report about the fire and said crews were able to contain it before it spread to nearby forest lands. 

“Even with the recent rains and green up we have to remain vigilant,” the fire district wrote.

The fire district asked the community to be careful burning over the weekend, citing erratic winds from forecasted thunderstorms. It added that people should check the US National Weather Service before burning.

“Thank you Superior Vol. Fire Department for all the help and lets all stay safe out there!!!" the fire district wrote.

Ukrainians on Friday were wary of Russia's pledge to pause fighting for an Orthodox Easter ceasefire -- first proposed by Kyiv -- this weekend.

The Kremlin said it had ordered a temporary truce to be in effect from Saturday afternoon until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period during which Russia would stop fighting "in all directions".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky -- who has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the four-year war -- said Kyiv was willing to reciprocate.

But in Kyiv there was scepticism over whether Moscow would keep to its promise for a rare respite in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands and decimated eastern Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

"No one believes in these fairytales anymore," Yevgeniy Lamakh, an IT specialist, told AFP in central Kyiv.

"The Russian military lie a lot, usually, as history shows. And in general, they say one thing, but in fact do something completely different," the 29-year-old said.

The truce -- according to Moscow -- will start on 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Saturday.

"Well then do it, if you want to do it!" snorted Dmytro Sova, a 42-year-old actor, speaking to AFP in Kyiv. 

"Even today... Shaheds, missiles are flying at Ukraine. Well, come on then, start the ceasefire," Sova said.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 128 drones in its latest overnight attack.

Russia has fired long-range drones -- usually hundreds -- at Ukraine every single day since May 10, 2025, according to Ukraine's data.

- 'Pessimist' -

Moscow has rejected calls for a longer-term unconditional ceasefire, something that Kyiv has called for, saying it is instead pushing for a final peace settlement.

But negotiations between two sides, brokered by the United States, have stalled over the fate of Ukraine's eastern regions, partly occupied by Russia and that Moscow wants Kyiv to cede. 

Ukraine has frequently ruled it out, saying such move would only embolden Russia and leave it vulnerable to fresh attack.

"They need to be pressured so that they simply sit down at the negotiating table, withdraw their troops from our country and leave forever," Sova said.

The mood in Kyiv contrasted with the streets of Moscow, where locals were optimistic it could be the first step towards a broader agreement.

"I'm only for peace, that's all I can say. Thanks to Putin, maybe things will keep going well from here on," Elena, a 58-year-old hairdresser told AFP.

A view echoed by pensioner Lyubov Pavlenko who called the ceasefire "wonderful" news.

"I'm in favour of peace on Earth. And I want this whole war, of course, to end as soon as possible," the 59-year-old said. 

Russia announced a similar truce with Ukraine over Orthodox Easter last year.

Back then, both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire hundreds of times -- a fact that makes Yuriy Dunai, a 46-year-old Kyiv resident, a "pessimist" as to this latest attempt at halting the war.

"They were not observed a single time. It seems to me that it is not worth expecting a miracle," he told AFP.

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Thousands of US homeland security employees are facing growing uncertainty over their pay after being told Friday's check could be their last until a record-long partial government shutdown is ended.

A memo from the federal government warned staff that without congressional action, funding gaps could halt future checks, US media reported, deepening anxiety among workers already strained by weeks of disruption.

The warning appeared to apply broadly across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), though confusion quickly emerged over whether Transportation Security Administration officers -- who screen passengers at US airports -- would be affected.

The DHS is one of the largest government agencies, employing more than 260,000 people across a wide range of roles including airport security, border enforcement, disaster response and cybersecurity. 

President Donald Trump ordered the department to find funds to compensate essential workers required to stay on the job, allowing some back pay to be issued in recent weeks. But officials say those stopgap measures may not be sustainable if the shutdown drags on.

Union representatives say mixed messaging has left employees unsure whether they can rely on upcoming paychecks.

"There is a feeling of increasing anxiety and uncertainty," a spokesperson for the American Federation of Government Employees told politics news outlet The Hill.

The shutdown, which enters its eighth week on Saturday, stems from a standoff in Congress over immigration enforcement and border security funding, with Democrats seeking new limits on federal agencies and Republicans pushing to secure longer-term financing.

The impasse means tens of thousands of federal workers have either been sent home or are working without guaranteed pay, with some relying on loans, food banks or second jobs to make ends meet.

At the TSA, the strain has already disrupted operations. Absences surged at major airports earlier in the shutdown, and hundreds of officers have resigned since February, according to officials.

DHS workers have been informed in a memo from department heads that they are slated to receive a check on Friday for back pay up until April 4.

But they were warned not to expect further pay until Congress restores DHS funding. 

Authorities warn that continued uncertainty could trigger further staffing shortages, potentially disrupting travel in the coming months, including during major events such as the FIFA World Cup.

Congress is set to return from recess next week, when lawmakers will face renewed pressure to reach a deal.

Republican leaders are weighing a party-line funding package for parts of DHS, though divisions within the party and uncertainty over White House support could complicate efforts to end the shutdown quickly.

ft/ksb

Crowds of flag-waving Hungarians have been cheering on their candidates for an election on Sunday, as Prime Minister Viktor Orban and challenger Peter Magyar hold frantic last-minute rallies.

"We came out here because we have faith in Peter Magyar, and we've had enough of the old system," Attila Jozsa told AFP at the opposition leader's rally in the city of Gyor, 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Budapest, on Thursday.

"We believe there will be some kind of change across the whole country," added the 55-year-old electrician, who used to vote for Orban's Fidesz party.

Around 20,000 people, including many youngsters, packed a square in Gyor, according to an AFP photographer.

"Where is the money?" supporters of Magyar's party, Tisza, thundered in unison, referring to accusations against local Fidesz politicians over millions of euros of public funds that have gone missing.

Magyar has campaigned on pledges to offer better public services and fight alleged graft by the government of Orban, who has been in power since 2010.

"Give change a chance," Magyar appealed to voters in Gyor.

Opinion polls show a clear lead for Tisza.

Before the rally, many gathered lined up to have a quick chat with Tisza candidates to get their autographs and bought Hungarian flags, or Tisza-branded souvenirs and clothing from pop-up vendors as music blared.

One woman held a placard saying "there's no time for fear" and a child brought pictures he had drawn of Magyar.

- 'Really bad for Hungary' -

Also on Thursday, around 2,000 Orban supporters gathered in Hungary's second largest city Debrecen, as the nationalist leader appealed to them to "not put everything at risk" and to "protect what we have achieved".

"It would be really bad for Hungary if Tisza win," said Attila Szoke, a 55-year-old taxi driver, who worked in London for 22 years but returned home in 2022.

"I don't trust Magyar, from one day to the next he turned and stabbed Fidesz in the back," he said, referring to the opposition's ties with Fidesz -- he was formerly married to former justice minister Judit Varga. 

Debrecen has long been a Fidesz stronghold but the city is projected to swing to Tisza on Sunday.

A flag draped on a balcony overlooking the rally read "Tisza is surging", a slogan of Magyar's party, referring to the river Tisza, the same as the party's acronym.

Counter-protesters met cheers for Orban with chants of "filthy Fidesz" and "Russians go home", a reference to Orban's ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

- 'Bid goodbye' -

Hundreds of predominantly young Tisza supporters mingled in the crowd, with one telling AFP he came along to "bid goodbye" to Orban.

"I would consider returning to Hungary if Orban is kicked out," said Laszlo Udvarhelyi, a 35-year-old sales accountant from Debrecen who lives in Frankfurt.

Both camps have accused the other of seeking to benefit from foreign interference.

Orban, the closest ally of US President Donald Trump in the EU, hosted US Vice President JD Vance this week.

He has also maintained ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine and frequently clashes with Brussels.

"It's far more important that Hungary belongs to Western Europe, not to Russia," said 17-year-old Kolos, who did not want to give his full name for fear of reprisals, holding an EU flag at the Tisza rally in Gyor.

"Even though Fidesz and the government portray the European Union today as Hungary's greatest enemy, that is simply not the case," he said, describing the EU as the "guarantor of democracy in Hungary".

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A Swedish man suspected of exploiting his "vulnerable" wife to have sex with scores of men for payment, went on trial on Friday for aggravated pimping, rape and assault.

The 62-year-old Swedish suspect, who denies the charges, was arrested in October after his wife reported him to police in the north of the country. He has been in custody ever since.

The man, who is reportedly a former Hell's Angel with a tattoo around his eye, appeared in court wearing a grey chequered shirt and appeared calm as prosecutor Ida Annerstedt read out the charges. 

According to the prosecutor, he had for years made money from pressuring his wife "to perform and submit to sexual acts".

"He is charged with aggravated pimping. He has facilitated an operation in which his partner and later wife have sold sex," Annerstedt told AFP during a break in the proceedings.

The wife was not present in the courtroom but was following the proceedings via a video link, where only her lawyer was shown so that she remained anonymous.

After the charges were read out, the trial continued behind closed doors.

- 'Ruthless exploitation' -

The man is accused of creating online adverts, setting up meetings, keeping guard and pressuring the woman to perform sexual acts online in order to attract more clients.

The prosecutor, who also claims the man created and supported a drug addiction for the woman, has labelled it "ruthless exploitation".

"I maintain that he has exploited her situation in that she has been under the influence of drugs, she has been under the influence of alcohol, and she has had a serious fear of him," Annerstedt told AFP, noting that the charges included assaults and threats.

When reading out the charges, Annerstedt said the defendant had threatened to kill the plaintiff if she left him.

The plaintiff was warned not to make him mad, because then "the monster would be released," Annerstedt told the court.

The accused was believed to have profited over 500,000 kronor ($53,700), according to the prosecutor.

Martina Michaelsdotter, the accused's lawyer, told AFP that her client denied the charges against him.

Under Sweden's law on prostitution, selling sex is not illegal. But paying for sex or facilitating its sale is against the law.

In addition to being charged with aggravated pimping and four assaults, the suspect is charged with eight rapes and four attempted rapes.

The rape charges include one incident when the suspect allegedly compelled his wife to have sex with a particular client and several where he made her perform sexual acts on herself for online videos.

Such offences are classed as rape under Swedish law because the victim had not given consent.

The case has caused shock in Sweden and comparisons have been made with France's Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was convicted in 2024 of drugging her and letting scores of men rape her while unconscious.

- 120 buyers -

Prosecutor Annerstedt previously told AFP the woman had, to "some extent", "agreed to sell sex" but had objected to doing so with certain people or under certain circumstances.

"She had certain boundaries. There are situations where he didn't respect those boundaries and steamrollered her after she said 'no'," Annerstedt told AFP.

The offences allegedly occurred between August 11, 2022, and October 21, 2025.

Annerstedt said that 120 buyers had been identified and that so far 26 had been charged, but she noted they had only been charged with buying sex as they were not under the impression the woman was participating unwillingly.

Public broadcaster SVT reported, citing police investigations, that many of the buyers were under the impression they were chatting with the woman when booking meetings and discussing prices, while the prosecutor argues they were in fact talking to the man.

Some buyers had also allegedly paid by performing services, with one repairing a generator in the couple's recreational vehicle and another by doing a horoscope, according to the broadcaster.

The trial started out dealing with the charges against the husband, but other accused would be called at later dates.

Martina Michaelsdotter, the accused's lawyer, told AFP that her client disputed the charges against him.

"He acknowledges that, to some extent, he has been involved in the plaintiff's business," she said, adding that that this involvement had been in accordance with the plaintiff's instructions and wishes.

"If one were to put a label on that role, I'd say it has been partly administrative and, for example, involved providing support with technical matters," Michaelsdotter said.

"There has been no form of coercion or threat, no violence. He has not in any way caused her either psychological or physical suffering, or made her dependent on either alcohol or drugs," the lawyer said.

The defendant did plead guilty to minor doping charge, related to steroids found in his possession.

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Inflation in the United States rose sharply in March, government data showed Wednesday, as higher energy prices due to the war in the Middle East hit Americans hard.

The nationwide sticker shock put pressure on President Donald Trump, who has ordered peace talks with Iran and faces mid-term elections in November.

The rate of inflation rose to 3.3 percent year-on-year in March, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). By comparison, this same consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.4 percent year-on-year a month earlier.

Gasoline prices surged by 21.2 percent between February and March -- the largest monthly increase since the government began publishing a related index in 1967, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said.

Excluding volatile energy and food prices, the inflation rate rose 2.6 percent compared to 2.5 a month earlier.

Markets had anticipated the surge, according to the consensus published by MarketWatch. 

The United States and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28 and Tehran retaliated by blocking traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway used to carry a fifth of the world's oil and gas deliveries.

Despite being the world's top producer of crude oil, the United States also felt the pain, as prices at the gas pump shot up. 

A gallon (3.78 liters) of regular gasoline currently costs an average of $4.15 in the United States, compared to approximately $3 just before the war.

- More price pain ahead -

The Trump administration -- elected in part on a promise to quash inflation -- maintains that the war's economic disruptions will be temporary.

US Vice President JD Vance said Friday he hoped for a "positive" outcome as he departed Washington for US-Iran peace talks being held in Pakistan this weekend. 

But experts predicted more economic pain ahead due to the war in Iran, especially for middle and lower-income households in the United States already squeezed by rising energy and airfare prices.

Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, said that inflation soared in March to the highest level in almost two years.

"This is only the beginning. Food prices, travel and shipping costs are all going up in April and will exacerbate the pain," she said.

"March CPI was as expected, so no surprises. But there is a huge increase in fuel prices, boosting inflation" Christopher Low of FHN Financial told AFP.

"And we got the news last night that the ceasefire is not being honored by either side, apparently," he said. "There's still very little traffic through the Strait of Hormuz." 

When Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, inflation was falling, compared to a peak in the spring of 2022. 

The war in Ukraine, which had started a few months earlier, had driven prices at the pump even higher than they are today.  

The CPI index was rising by 2.3 percent year-over-year in April 2025 -- coinciding with the US president's announcement of a sharp increase in tariffs on imported goods. 

Inflation started to creep up, though Washington refused to acknowledge this as a consequence of the tariff war. 

Price growth slowed again late last year, largely thanks to gasoline prices, relatively moderate at the time. 

During the Federal Reserve's most recent meeting in mid-March, Chairman Jerome Powell explained that the war risked delaying efforts to bring inflation under control in the United States. 

The US central bank's target for inflation is two percent -- an objective it has not met in five years due to a succession of shocks to the economy: the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and tariffs.

myl-ksb/dw

Pope Leo XIV and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first meeting Friday, a private audience at the Vatican where discussions ranged from the Iran war to basketball.

The French leader wanted above all to discuss "the resolution of the crisis in the Middle East" with the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, a spokesman for Macron's office told reporters ahead of the meeting.

Lebanon, where deadly Israeli strikes threatened this week's temporary truce between the United States and Iran, is a particular cause for concern for both men.

After the meeting, Macron said he was "very happy" to meet the pontiff, writing on X: "We share the same conviction -- in the face of the world's fractures, action for peace is a duty and a requirement."

In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Leo and his top officials had discussed with Macron "conflicts around the world, expressing hope that peaceful coexistence can be re-established through dialogue and negotiation".

There were also lighter moments, with Vatican footage showing Macron presenting the pope with a jersey signed by members of the French national basketball team.

Chicago-born Leo, the first American pope, is a sports fan, enjoying baseball and basketball, while he swims and plays tennis regularly at his out-of-town residence.

This week, he met members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team after his general audience, where the 70-year-old was seen attempting the trick of spinning a ball on his finger.

- US criticism -

Both Macron and Pope Leo have called for dialogue to end the war in the Middle East and distanced themselves from the bellicose rhetoric of US President Donald Trump, whose decision to launch strikes on Iran triggered the war.

Leo condemned this week the "unacceptable" threats to Iran's civilian population, after Trump warned that "a whole civilisation will die" if Iranian leaders did not bow to his demands.

Macron has also been critical, saying there was "too much talk, and it's all over the place".

Both welcomed the US-Iranian ceasefire and have urged a diplomatic solution to the war, which has expanded across the Middle East and roiled the global economy.

It was not the first time that Leo, who took office last May following the death of Pope Francis, has criticised the government of his native country, after denouncing its treatment of migrants as "inhuman".

The Vatican on Friday denied a media report that a top Pentagon official gave the Holy See's envoy to the United States a "bitter lecture" in January following comments by Pope Leo seen as critical of Trump.

The story "does not correspond to the truth in any way", spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters, the day after the Pentagon dismissed the account as "highly exaggerated and distorted".

In a January speech, Leo XIV did not name Trump but lamented that dialogue was being replaced by "diplomacy based on force", and that war was "back in vogue".

- France visit? -

Macron is not a practising Catholic but had a good relationship with Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, meeting him three times and discussing with him both global crises and spirituality.

Their relationship also had its tensions, with the late Argentine criticising the inclusion of abortion in the French constitution, and Macron's proposal to introduce assisted dying in France.

Vatican footage showed Macron and Leo -- a more reserved character than his predecessor --  greeting each other formally in their first meeting, and speaking English.

The French president was expected to invite Leo to visit France soon.

Francis never made a state visit to France and declined to attend the opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2024, five years after its devastation by fire.

Friday's meeting at the Vatican comes three days before the pope visits the former French colony of Algeria, the first trip there by a pontiff.

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The head of a prominent anti-disinformation watchdog has warned of the dangers posed by AI chatbots, saying children are particularly vulnerable.

"Social media broadcasts to billions, AI whispers to one," Imran Ahmed, who heads the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), told a disinformation conference this week.

"No society should build machines that can meet a child in their loneliest moment and offer them harm as if it were help," Ahmed told the Cambridge Disinformation Summit. 

In Wednesday's lecture by video call to his former university, Ahmed cited the case of a UK mother killed by her own son, allegedly acting on the instructions of a chatbot.

"None of us is immune, when a machine can offer lethal guidance to a young person as if it were fact," he said.

Ahmed, a British national who lives in the United States, is among five Europeans whom the US State Department has said would be denied visas.

This comes even though he holds US permanent residency and his wife and daughters are American citizens.

- 'System under pressure' -

According to the centre's most recent report "Killer Apps", eight out of 10 AI chatbots were willing to assist teen users "in planning violent attacks, including a school shooting, religious bombings, and high-profile assassinations". 

Out of 10 chatbots only Anthropic's Claude and Snapchat's My AI consistently refused to assist would-be attackers.

In a 2025 investigation entitled "Fake Friend", the watchdog tested ChatGPT, one of the world's most popular AI chatbots. 

"Within minutes, it produced instructions for self-harm, suicide planning, and substance abuse," Ahmed said, adding in some cases it also generated goodbye letters for children contemplating ending their lives.  

Unlike social media and other systems that "just amplify harmful content," AI chatbots generate and personalise it "at the moment of greatest vulnerability".

"The intimacy is deeper and the harm may be harder to detect before it's too late," Ahmed said, adding the systems learn what you fear, what you want, what you are ashamed of and respond in real time, with no human judgement or editorial restraint.

A father of two daughters, Ahmed said: "My wife and I lie awake at night talking about how to protect them from systems that could reach them before we even know it is happening."

He stressed that time to act is limited and called for new laws to regulate AI.

"We spent a decade learning that social media companies will not self-regulate. We have now perhaps 18 months before the same lesson becomes undeniable for AI."

Ahmed said he was "the only one" of the five people threatened by a US visa ban still in the United States, adding he is now "fighting in federal court against that unconstitutional threat to send me to prison".

The US State department has accused the five of attempting to "coerce" US-based social media platforms into censoring viewpoints they oppose.

When powerful industries "lash out like this", Ahmed said, "it is the sound of a system under pressure." 

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Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and England's Justin Rose were set for early starts chasing co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns as Friday's second round of the Masters began at Augusta National.

Defending champion McIlroy, trying to become only the fourth golfer to capture back-to-back Masters titles, and Burns were on five-under par 67 after 18 holes.

With magical escapes from the trees that would have made Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros proud, five-time major winner McIlroy managed his second-best Masters start despite finding only five of 14 fairways, just one on the front nine.

"The first seven holes were really important, that I played them in par," McIlroy said. "I made some good swings from where I found myself."

Burns, the 54-hole leader at last year's US Open, managed his lowest round in 13 at Augusta National despite the firm greens.

"They're only going to get firmer," Burns said. "As the golf course speeds up, it only gets more difficult out there, and I think it's going to be a really good test."

Past champion Patrick Reed, fellow American Kurt Kitayama and Australian Jason Day shared third on 69 and like the co-leaders were set for afternoon starts on the firm and fast layout.

That left the early stage to 2013 US Open champion Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up who lost to McIlroy in a playoff last year, and four-time major winner Scheffler, who seeks his third green jacket in five seasons.

Both are three adrift in a pack on 70 that also includes later starters Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion from Ireland, and 10th-ranked Xander Schauffele, a US two-time major winner seeking his first Masters crown.

Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters winner, went eagle-birdie at the par-five second and par-four third holes, but couldn't get lower in afternoon heat on hardened greens, settling for pars at the par-five 13th and 15th holes but expecting better conditions on Friday morning.

"I played pretty solid. A lot of good stuff," Scheffler said. "I hit it nice, made some good iron shots, but it got so firm late in the day, it was pretty challenging."

Rose delivered five birdies in his opening round, four of them on Augusta's par-five holes, but closed with back-to-back bogeys to stumble from the heels of the leaders.

"Every hole you're just being patient through experience, knowing that grinding out the pars is a good thing," Rose said. "Just eating up the holes is a good thing."

The holes ate hopefuls as well with some big names struggling to make Friday's cut to the low 50 and ties.

Scotsman Robert MacIntyre shared 82nd on 80 with Spain's Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner, on 78 and two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau on 76 in a share of 56th.

Rose expects Augusta National will remain a test of patience as well as shotmaking with lightning-fast greens.

"I can't even point to anywhere where you can be aggressive," he said.

"I think it's in their control really how they want it to be... when it gets completely rock hard and you can't access any pin anywhere, then a lot of good shot-making is taken out of the equation."

js/jc

Celine Dion's fans are not the only ones excited about the megastar's new tour in Paris -- hotels, restaurants and shops are hoping for a multimillion-euro boost from concertgoers in the French capital.

The 58-year-old Canadian singer announced last month that she was returning to the stage for 16 concerts after a lengthy break prompted by a rare health condition.

She could prove the latest in a series of stars to bring with them significant economic uplift from music fans, following Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour and as the South Korean mega-group BTS embarks on its tour.

The Eiffel Tower was lit up to honour the return of the singer -- who sings both in French and English -- and with the city covered in billboards and posters, Parisian businesses are hoping the tour will prove a major money spinner.

Dion's tour could bring an additional 300 million to 500 million euros ($351-$585 million) into the city, said Alexandra Dublanche, president of Choose Paris Region, the organisation that promotes the wider Paris area.

This includes ticket sales, hotel and restaurant bookings, retail spending and more, she told AFP, adding that international visitors tend to spend more than domestic travellers.

When Swift held four concerts in Paris in 2024, the city saw an economic boost of around 150-180 million euros, Dublanche said.

Dion has said she was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disorder, and she was forced to cancel her last tour dates due to both the Covid pandemic and ill health.

The latest tickets for Dion's shows went on sale Friday, with an estimated half a million fans to attend the concerts, a third from overseas, according to Dublanche.

Others have put the figure higher, with MKG Consulting estimating the potential economic impact at more than one billion euros, including a 180-million-euro boost for the Parisian hotel industry.

MKG analyst Vanguelis Panayotis said the economic benefits could reach 1.2 billion euros if taking into account transportation, and all the associated expenses and logistics of Dion's support team as well as fans.

-'Driver of travel' -

Swift's Eras tour became the highest-grossing musical tour in history, with ticket revenues estimated at more than $2 billion and hundreds of millions of dollars in extra economic activity in cities where she performed.

"Major musical events are a driver of travel," said Vanessa Heydorff, managing director for France at Booking.com.

The hotel reservation site said that searches for Paris around the dates of Dion's concerts increased by 49 percent.

The Adagio chain, which has ten hotels in the city's La Defense district where the concerts will be held, saw a 400 percent increase in bookings.

"This will be good for Paris because the capital is currently experiencing a drop in hotel occupancy rates" due to the international situation, said Didier Arino, chief executive at the consulting firm Protourisme.

Arthur Lemoine, CEO of the high-end Galeries Lafayette department stores, said they saw a boost in shoppers during Swift's concerts, not only during the days when she was performing in Paris, but also around the timing of gigs in the neighbouring city of Lyon.

"Celine Dion's presence in Paris for a month and a half should definitely benefit business on Boulevard Haussmann," he said, referring to the high-end street that is home to Galeries Lafayette's flagship store.

After South Korea's BTS announced two coming concert dates in Paris, searches for hotels in the French capital soared by 590 percent, according to the Hotels.com website.

"This phenomenon is part of a broader trend called 'gig-tripping', where the concert becomes the starting point but not the sole reason for booking a trip," said Heydorff, adding the challenge was to keep the visiting fans within the region in the days before and after the concert.

For Panayotis, at MKG, "Events that draw fans -- whether a singer, an artist or a football team -- are becoming an extremely powerful indicator of tourism spending, something we're seeing everywhere."

"There's a real strategic advantage [for cities] in attracting events of this kind because they generate extremely strong economic benefits," he said.

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