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by Jérôme Rivet Agence France-Presse FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron takes his push for deeper European integration to Germany Tuesday, where he and Chancellor Angela Merkel will open the world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt. In his landmark speech on the future of Europe last month at the Sorbonne university in Paris, Macron stressed that “culture will always be the strongest cement of the European Union.” France is this year’s guest of honor […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Catalan independence would not enjoy international recognition, France’s minister for European affairs said Monday as the Spanish region’s leader threatens to announce a split. Pressure has mounted on Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to back down after hundreds of thousands of protesters last week rallied to defend national unity. “If there were a declaration of independence it would be unilateral and it wouldn’t be recognized,” Nathalie Loiseau said on CNews digital […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — French prosecutors have charged three men in connection with a makeshift explosive device made of gas canisters placed inside an apartment block in western Paris, a judicial source told AFP on Saturday. The three, identified as Amine A, his cousin Sami B, and Aymen B., were charged late Friday with “attempted murder in an organised group in connection with a terrorist enterprise” and placed in pre-trial detention, the source said. All three were […]
by Pierre Rochiccioli Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) – Five years ago, Mohamed Merah went on a nine-day shooting spree in southern France, killing three soldiers and gunning down a teacher and three children at a Jewish school before being shot dead by police. On Monday, his brother’s trial opens under tight security in Paris, where he faces charges of helping to plan the assault. Abdelkader Merah is the first to face a trial arising […]
AMIENS, France (AFP) – Twenty-nine fans were hurt, five of them seriously, when a barrier collapsed Saturday at a stadium in the northern French city of Amiens as away supporters celebrated their opening goal. A fence separating Lille fans from the pitch gave way as they surged forward to celebrate the goal against Amiens, a regional rival that has just been promoted to the top flight in French football. Several tumbled about one and a half meters (five […]
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Beyonce has returned to music to raise money for hurricane relief, delivering verses in Spanish in a remix of Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin’s hit “Mi Gente.” The collaboration marks the first new music by the pop superstar since she gave birth in June to twins — whom she references in the song. Beyonce, releasing the song late Thursday, announced on Instagram that all her proceeds would go to […]
by Julie Chabanas and Adam Plowright Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — The maker of France’s TGV trains announced Tuesday a “merger of equals” with German industrial leader Siemens in a giant and politically tricky deal to create a new European rail champion. The state-controlled Alstom, the manufacturer of French high-speed trains, which are a source of national pride, called the tie-up with its German competitor “a key moment in Alstom’s history, confirming its position […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel on her election win, promising that the two key European partners would keep up their “essential cooperation.” “I called Angela Merkel to congratulate her. We will continue our essential cooperation with determination for Europe and for our countries,” Macron said on Twitter. Merkel won her fourth term in office on Sunday, scoring around 33 percent of the vote with her […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Works began Monday to boost security at the Eiffel Tower as an anti-terrorism measure, city hall said, with bulletproof glass walls set to go up around the world’s most visited monument. The changes come after a string of jihadist attacks in the French capital over the past two years in which more than 200 people have died. A bulletproof glass wall will be installed around the monument’s gardens under the 30-million-euro […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer has touched off a public debate about banning phones in schools as he seeks to implement a campaign pledge by President Emmanuel Macron. In an interview with Express magazine, the minister suggested that pupils might be asked to deposit their phones in secure boxes when arriving at school or for classes. “At our cabinet meetings, we drop our phones in lockers before sitting down together. It […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — The French government will press ahead with President Emmanuel Macron’s flagship labor reforms despite the first mass protests against his pro-business agenda, a leading minister said Wednesday. “It stems from a campaign promise made by Emmanuel Macron,” Work Minister Muriel Penicaud said, referring to changes aimed at giving companies more flexibility in hiring and firing. “We are implementing the things that the French people asked us to do, so we’re not going to […]
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — President Vladimir Putin warned Friday of a “major conflict” looming on the Korean Peninsula, calling for crisis talks as France’s foreign minister warned of a possible threat to Europe. Nuclear-armed North Korea on Tuesday fired a ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific, escalating tensions over its atomic program which have led to bellicose exchanges between Washington and Pyongyang. Putin warned that the region was “on the brink of a major conflict”. “The problems […]
