TIG Post

Tag: France

  • Telegram founder allowed to leave Franceb after arrest, authorities continue case against him

    Telegram founder allowed to leave Franceb after arrest, authorities continue case against him

    Founder and CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been allowed to return to his home in Dubai while French authorities continue their legal case against him.

    The billionaire was arrested in August 2024 after being accused of not doing enough to control illegal activities on Telegram. He denies claims that he failed to help law enforcement stop drug trafficking, child abuse content, and fraud. Telegram has also rejected accusations of poor moderation.

    This case is historic, as it is the first time a tech leader has been arrested for crimes linked to their platform.

    In a message on his Telegram channel, Durov said, “The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home.”

    He was first detained in Paris when he arrived on his private jet, and French judges initially refused to let him leave. However, on Monday, a French court announced that his travel restrictions had been lifted from March 15 to April 7. No further details were given about his release conditions.

    Durov was born in Russia and holds multiple citizenships, including French, Emirati, and St Kitts and Nevis. Telegram is widely used in Russia, Ukraine, other former Soviet countries, and Iran.


    ‘Relentless efforts’
    Telegram has about 950 million users worldwide and has always promoted itself as a platform that values user privacy over the stricter policies followed by other major social media companies.

    However, investigations by the BBC and other media outlets have revealed that criminals have been using the app to sell drugs, offer cybercrime and fraud services, and even share child abuse content.


    It led one expert to brand it “the dark web in your pocket”.

    The firm has previously said his arrest is unfair, and he should not be held liable for what users do on the platform.
    From his home in Dubai, Mr Durov thanked the French judges for letting him go home.


    He also thanked his lawyers for their “relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations”.

    Since Pavel Durov’s arrest, Telegram has made several changes to how it operates.

    The platform has joined the Internet Watch Foundation, an organization that helps detect, remove, and report child abuse content online.

    Telegram has also announced that it will share the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who break its rules with the police if requested through legal channels.

    Additionally, the company has started publishing transparency reports showing the amount of content it removes. This is a common practice in the tech industry, but Telegram had previously refused to follow it.

  • Foreign Minister engages US, France Ambassors on fostering cordial relation

    Foreign Minister engages US, France Ambassors on fostering cordial relation

    Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has engaged a number of prominent individuals upon assumption of office to maintain the cordial relationship between Ghana and the countries she trades with.

    Last week, the minister held disucssions with US Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Virginia E. Palmer and French Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Jules-Armand Aniambossou.

    The Minister in a post on Facebook noted that “there are much better days on the horizon for Ghana-US relations”, adding that “We are committed to advancing the frontiers of Ghana-France bilateral relations.”

    Accoridng to the sector minister, it was sincerely a delight to host these ambassadors during their working visit.

  • France beat Italy to win Nations League Group A2

    France beat Italy to win Nations League Group A2

    Adrien Rabiot scored two headers as France secured a 3-1 victory over Italy at the San Siro, overtaking the Azzurri to win Nations League Group A2.

    The Marseille midfielder opened the scoring by heading in Lucas Digne’s corner, giving Les Bleus an early lead. Aston Villa defender Digne later saw his free-kick hit the crossbar before deflecting in off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, doubling France’s advantage.

    Italy, needing to lose by only one goal to remain top of the group, found a lifeline when Andrea Cambiaso scored with a cushioned volley. However, Rabiot sealed the win with an excellent header into the top corner from Digne’s pinpoint left-wing free-kick.

    Both Rabiot and Digne marked their 50th international caps in the match.

    Moise Kean nearly salvaged Italy’s top spot in stoppage time, but his effort was denied by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Reflecting on the game, Maignan said: “We were out for revenge. It was about pride after losing at home against them,” referring to Italy’s 3-1 victory at the Parc des Princes in September.

    The defeat marked Italy’s biggest home loss in a competitive match since a 3-0 loss to Sweden in 1983.

    France coach Didier Deschamps, who notably left Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé out of the squad, praised his team’s performance. “We had a young squad,” he said. “I wanted to see a lot of players, and winning here against an Italian team who were full of confidence is a great performance.”

    Both teams had already secured spots in the Nations League quarter-finals in March. France will head into the next stage as a seeded team, while Italy will not, following the group standings.

  • Amin Adam pleads with French businesses to stay in Ghana

    Amin Adam pleads with French businesses to stay in Ghana

    Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has appealed to French businesses to remain in Ghana, assuring them that the government is working to improve the business climate, including addressing concerns about tax-related challenges and alleged harassment by Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) officials.

    At the Annual Cocktail event with the French business community and the launch of the France-Ghana Economic Report 2023-2024, held at the French Ambassador’s residence in Accra, Dr. Amin Adam urged members of the French Chamber of Commerce to reconsider any plans to relocate their operations. He emphasized that measures are being taken to resolve issues affecting foreign investors.

    “I want to appeal to you to continue to stay in Ghana because we are addressing all the issues that you have raised with me,” Dr. Amin Adam said.

    He highlighted government action taken to withdraw GRA officials accused of harassing businesses. “Issues relating to taxes and harassment of businesses by tax collectors, you will notice, have been resolved. We’ve had to withdraw all the tax collectors who were allegedly harassing businesses from those centres of operation, and so you won’t see them anymore,” he added.

    The Finance Minister’s remarks were part of ongoing efforts to reassure foreign investors that the government remains committed to creating a supportive, stable environment for business growth in Ghana.

    https://twitter.com/FranceandGhana/status/1855003224874328445

  • TikTok faces lawsuit in France over allegedl harmful content linked to two suicide cases

    TikTok faces lawsuit in France over allegedl harmful content linked to two suicide cases

    Seven families in France have filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming the social media platform exposed their teenage children to harmful content, leading to tragic outcomes.

    According to their lawyer, Laure Boutron-Marmion, the case alleges that TikTok’s algorithm directed the teens toward videos promoting suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders—content that allegedly contributed to two of the teenagers, both aged 15, taking their own lives.

    The families have brought the case to the Créteil judicial court as a joint legal action, marking the first grouped lawsuit of its kind against TikTok in Europe, Boutron-Marmion told franceinfo.

    “The parents want TikTok’s legal liability to be recognised in court,” she said, adding: “This is a commercial company offering a product to consumers who are, in addition, minors. They must, therefore, answer for the product’s shortcomings.”

    ‘There are no guardrails.’ This mom believes an AI chatbot is responsible for her son’s suicide
    TikTok, like other social media giants, has long been scrutinised for how it monitors content on its platform.

    Similar to Meta, which faces numerous lawsuits over Facebook and Instagram, TikTok has been accused in the United States of allegedly enticing and addicting millions of young users, with claims that this damages their mental health.

    TikTok has yet to respond to the latest allegations. However, the company has previously emphasised its commitment to addressing issues related to children’s mental health.

    Earlier this year, CEO Shou Zi Chew assured U.S. lawmakers that TikTok has invested in various measures aimed at safeguarding young users on the app.

  • Antoine Griezmann announces retirement from France’s national team

    Antoine Griezmann announces retirement from France’s national team

    Antoine Griezmann has officially retired from international football after a decade-long career with the French national team, as he announced on Monday.

    The 33-year-old forward played a crucial role in leading France to three major finals, including the Euro 2016 final, the victorious 2018 World Cup campaign, and the 2022 World Cup final loss. He also helped France win the 2021 UEFA Nations League.

    Griezmann’s final outings for France occurred during this month’s Nations League matches, following the team’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 semifinals. The Atlético Madrid star now concludes his international journey.


    “It is with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life,” Griezmann posted on social media. “Thank you for this magnificent, tricolour adventure, and see you soon.”

    “Today, with profound emotion, I announce my retirement as a France national team player,” Griezmann said. “After ten incredible years marked by challenges, successes and unforgettable moments, it’s time for me to turn the page and make room for the new generation.

    “Wearing this shirt has been an honour and a privilege … I leave the France national team with a sense of pride and gratitude. I had the honour of representing our country, and the chance to experience extraordinary moments, like becoming a world champion.

    “I’ll continue to follow Les Bleus with passion. I’m convinced that the future is bright, and I can’t wait to see the next generation shine.”

    Antoine Griezmann made his first appearance for the French national team in March 2014 during a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in a friendly match. Since his debut, Griezmann has been coached by Didier Deschamps, who has been at the helm of France’s national team since 2012.

    In 2016, Griezmann featured in all seven matches as France advanced to the final of the European Championship, only to lose 1-0 to Portugal.

    In 2018, he played a pivotal role in France’s World Cup triumph in Russia, starting every match and netting four goals, including one from the penalty spot in the final against Croatia.

    Griezmann adopted a deeper midfield role during the 2022 World Cup, where France again reached the final but lost to Argentina on penalties.

    He accumulated 137 caps for France, scoring 44 goals. Over the weekend, Griezmann started for Atlético Madrid in their 1-1 draw with Real Madrid in La Liga.

    The forward has openly expressed his desire to finish his career playing in Major League Soccer (MLS).

  • France denies match-fixing claims at Futsal World Cup

    France denies match-fixing claims at Futsal World Cup

    France has dismissed claims of match-fixing after suffering a 4-1 loss to Iran, a result that inadvertently placed them in a more favourable section of the draw at the Futsal world Cup in Uzbekistan.

    The match saw France struggle in the first half, ultimately leading to a relatively easy victory for Iran after France allowed a questionable first goal, sparking outrage from several other teams.

    This led to complaints being lodged with FIFA by some of those teams.

    “FIFA is aware of complaints filed by participating teams at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024 regarding the Group F match between France and IR Iran,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement.

    “No further comment will be made while this process is ongoing.”

    The French Football Federation was not immediately available for comment.

    France coach Raphael Reynaud said the way the match played out was about avoiding bookings and injuries.

    “It was Iran’s responsibility to be in charge of the game,” he said. “The draw is more open for us, but our main goal was not to get booked and to avoid injuries.”

    While both teams had already qualified for the round of 16, the result means France will take on Thailand before a potential quarterfinal against Paraguay, while Iran will face Morocco ahead of a possible clash against world No. 1 Brazil.

    “Iran and France, coaches and players alike, have disgraced my sport. You are a disgrace to the world,” Thailand coach Miguel Rodrigo wrote on X.

    Retired Brazil great Falcao was quoted by French media as saying: “It shows a lack of respect for the World Cup. The match was clearly fixed from the first minute.”

  • Kevin De Bruyne fumes over team-mates’ display in Belgium-France clash

    Kevin De Bruyne fumes over team-mates’ display in Belgium-France clash

    Kevin De Bruyne voiced his frustration with his Belgium teammates following their disappointing Nations League loss to France, calling the performance “unacceptable.”

    Despite a slow start, France found their rhythm and secured a 2-0 win over Belgium, courtesy of goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele.

    Throughout the match, the Belgian side looked disorganised, failing to link up effectively or pose a threat to France’s defence.

    De Bruyne, clearly upset by the lack of cohesion and attacking spark, openly criticised his team’s efforts in the post-match interview.


    Speaking to Belgian broadcaster VTM, the 33-year-old midfielder expressed his disappointment and said: “I can’t say here what went wrong. I already did that to the team at halftime.

    I cannot repeat that in the media, but it has to be better in every way. If the standard we want to reach is the best, but we’re no longer good enough to get to that level, then you have to give everything. If you don’t even do that, it’s over.”

    Belgium’s “Golden Generation,” once considered one of the most talented groups of players in world football, have struggled to build on the promise of their third-place showing at the 2018 World Cup, but that is not De Bruyne’s main gripe.

    “I can accept that we’re not as good as in 2018,” the Manchester City star said. “I was the first to see that, but other things are unacceptable. I’m not going to say what.”

    De Bruyne also criticised Belgium’s tactical setup, suggesting that the team’s style of play is hindering their ability to perform at their best.

    “We are too many at the back. If you stay with six at the back, there is no connection,” he reasoned. “It is what it is. It is not about transition, but about people who do not perform their tasks.”

    Following a frustrating conclusion to the international break, Kevin De Bruyne will be keen to bounce back as he prepares to join Manchester City for their Premier League clash against Brentford on Saturday.

  • “I’m not going to change course” – France’s Deschamps after loss to Italy

    “I’m not going to change course” – France’s Deschamps after loss to Italy

    France’s head coach Didier Deschamps affirmed on Sunday that he would continue with his planned squad rotations ahead of Monday’s Nations League match against Belgium in Lyon.

    Despite a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Italy in Paris last Friday, Deschamps maintained that this loss would not affect his strategy to implement multiple lineup changes.

    He emphasised that the pre-arranged adjustments would go ahead as scheduled, indicating his confidence in the approach.

    “The six Nations League matches must be used to introduce new players and distribute playing time,” he told the pre-match press conference.

    “If we had a different schedule and were playing World Cup qualifiers, I would not have chosen this course, that’s for sure. But I chose it because I believe that we have to go through it. I’m not going to change course.”

    Following their first two Nations League matches, France will face Israel and Belgium next month before wrapping up their Group A2 campaign with fixtures against Israel and Italy in November.

    Speaking after the Italy loss, where France took an early lead within 20 seconds but ultimately lost 3-1, Deschamps stated that he is seeking a strong response from his team.

    He emphasised the importance of rebounding from the defeat as they move forward in the competition

    “I can’t be satisfied with the match against Italy, nor can the players. Tomorrow is another game, another context, a different team with the same obligation,” he added.

    “The course I have taken is to give as much playing time to as many players as possible. Whatever the playing time, there is always pressure, you have to perform as well as possible.”

    Belgium, meanwhile, are still hurting after their Euro 2024 exit at the hands of France, with manager Dominic Tedesco feeling they showed them too much respect in their round-of-16 loss this summer in Düsseldorf, Germany.

    “At the European Championship, it was a close one against France. We could have won too,” Tedesco said at a press conference on Sunday. “France were a bit better; they deserved to win, but we also had our chances.

    It would be a lie if I said that match is forgotten; it still hurts. I often think about the European Championship, but you also must look ahead.”

    Belgium began their campaign with a 3-1 win over Israel behind closed doors on Friday in Debrecen, Hungary, where they had switched the match for security reasons.

  • Spain wins Olympic men’s gold at Paris 2024

    Spain wins Olympic men’s gold at Paris 2024

    Spain‘s remarkable run in international football continued as they narrowly defeated France in a dramatic Olympic men’s final at Paris 2024, securing the gold medal.

    Despite France’s valiant comeback from a 3-1 deficit to force extra time, Spain ultimately emerged victorious.

    The hosts initially took an early lead, but Spain quickly turned the tide, scoring twice before the break. France, led by Thierry Henry, staged an impressive second-half rally to draw level and push the match into extra time. However, it was Spain’s substitute, Sergio Camello, who held his nerve during the tense moments, scoring twice in extra time to seal the victory.

    Camello’s goals set off wild celebrations among the Spanish team, who surrounded the Rayo Vallecano forward as they clinched their first Olympic gold since 1992. This victory adds to Spain’s growing list of achievements, coming just over a month after their men’s team triumphed in the European Championship against England.

    In addition to their Olympic success, Spain’s dominance extends to youth and women’s football, with the men’s under-19 team winning the European Championship last month and the women’s team claiming the World Cup title last year.

    For France, the loss was bittersweet. Although they initially felt the sting of defeat, the mood shifted to one of celebration as the squad received their silver medals. Reflecting on the journey, Henry expressed pride in his team’s efforts, saying, “It wasn’t easy to build this team up, but I’m proud of the work we did.”

    With France unable to secure the gold, Great Britain maintained fifth place in the Paris 2024 medal standings. Both nations have won 14 gold medals, but Team GB edges ahead with a total of 57 medals, just one more than France.

  • Teen helps Spain beat France to secure Euro 2024 final slot

    Teen helps Spain beat France to secure Euro 2024 final slot

    In a thrilling Euro 2024 semi-final, Spain triumphed over France with a 2-1 victory, propelled by a historic goal from Lamine Yamal.

    The 16-year-old sensation became the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history, securing Spain’s place in the final.

    France started strong, with Randal Kolo Muani heading in a cross from Kylian Mbappe to take an early lead. However, Yamal responded with a stunning strike from outside the box in the 21st minute, making history at the age of 16 years and 362 days.

    Just four minutes later, Spain took the lead as a shot from Dani Olmo was deflected into the net by French defender Jules Kounde.

    The first half was a spectacle of attacking football, with France mounting a determined response in the second half. Aurelien Tchouameni’s header was saved, and Mbappe’s ambitious effort was thwarted.

    The French captain, who played without a face mask for the first time since breaking his nose earlier in the tournament, had a significant chance to equalize late in the game but missed, summing up his recent form.

    Spain’s defense stood strong, showcasing their balance between offensive prowess and defensive solidity. They remained on track for a potential fourth European Championship title, having won all six of their matches and scoring a tournament-high 13 goals.

    The team’s success has been driven by their younger players, with Yamal and 21-year-old winger Nico Williams making significant impacts throughout the tournament.

    Yamal’s performance has been particularly remarkable. At just 16, he has already had a standout season with Barcelona, becoming their youngest ever player and goalscorer.

    His confidence and skill were on full display as he delivered a swerving strike into the top corner, solidifying his status as one of football’s most promising talents.

    France, despite their strong lineup, struggled to capitalize on their opportunities. Didier Deschamps’ side, who reached the World Cup final two years ago, fell short in attack, managing just four goals in the tournament, with only one from open play.

    Mbappe, who scored only once at Euro 2024, has not been at his best since his injury in the opening game against Austria. His excellent cross for France’s goal showed glimpses of his ability, but he was largely absent in the crucial moments.

    As Spain prepares to face either England or the Netherlands in Sunday’s final, they do so as deserved finalists, having been the standout team of the tournament.

  • France knocks out Portugal in 2024 Euros

    France knocks out Portugal in 2024 Euros

    France triumphed over Portugal in a dramatic penalty shootout to secure their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals after a tense match in Hamburg.

    Theo Hernandez clinched the victory with his decisive penalty, following Joao Felix’s miss that hit the outside of the post, marking the only error in the shootout.

    The French players immediately rushed to celebrate with their fans, while a disheartened Portugal team, who had previously won a shootout against Slovenia, acknowledged their supporters with applause. This match marked the end of an era for Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who had announced that this would be his final European Championship.

    The much-anticipated duel between 39-year-old Ronaldo and France’s Kylian Mbappe did not live up to expectations as neither player made a significant impact.

    Ronaldo successfully converted his penalty, while Mbappe, who was wearing a mask due to a broken nose, had to be substituted in extra time after sustaining a blow to the face, preventing him from participating in the shootout.

    The match itself was closely contested with few clear opportunities.

    Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha were both thwarted by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and France’s Randal Kolo Muani saw his shot deflected narrowly wide by Ruben Dias. Eduardo Camavinga also missed a golden chance, sending his shot wide from close range.

    During extra time, Ronaldo had a prime opportunity to score but sent Francisco Conceicao’s cutback over the bar, leaving fans in disbelief. Portugal’s luck finally ran out as they faced their second shootout in consecutive games.

    France now advances to face Spain in the semi-finals in Munich, with the match scheduled for Tuesday at 20:00 BST.

  • Portugal to face France in UEFA Euro 2024 quarterfinal match

    Portugal to face France in UEFA Euro 2024 quarterfinal match

    As Euro 2024 progresses, the highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown between Portugal and France promises to be a riveting contest. Both teams, considered tournament favorites, have had their fair share of struggles, particularly in their attacking departments.

    Portugal’s journey to the quarterfinals has been a rollercoaster. The Selecao began with two victories but then suffered a surprising defeat to Georgia.

    Their advancement to the quarterfinals was secured through a dramatic penalty shootout win over Slovenia. While Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes have managed to find the back of the net, veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo has faced challenges in front of goal.

    The 39-year-old, participating in a record sixth European Championship, missed a crucial penalty against Slovenia in extra time, leading to an emotional outburst.

    Although Ronaldo converted in the subsequent shootout, his place in the lineup is under scrutiny as his goal-scoring prowess appears to be waning. Despite taking the most shots in the tournament (20), Ronaldo has not scored in his last eight Euro matches.

    On the other side, France, pre-tournament favorites and two-time world champions, have also been underwhelming, failing to score from open play so far.

    Kylian Mbappe, recovering from a broken nose sustained in the opener, scored a penalty against Poland, while France’s other two goals have been own goals by their opponents.

    Assistant coach Guy Stephan defended Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann amidst criticism, highlighting the difficulties Mbappe faces playing with a protective mask and the fatigue from a grueling season. Stephan emphasized Griezmann’s experience and contributions, noting his 133 caps and 44 goals for France.

    Both teams’ misfiring forward lines will need to spark to life if they hope to advance. The winner of this contest will face either Germany or Spain in the semifinals in Munich.

    Friday’s match is also a nostalgic rematch of the Euro 2016 final, where Portugal stunned host nation France with a 1-0 victory in extra time, thanks to Eder’s goal. France will be aiming for their third European Championship title, while Portugal seeks to add to their solitary 2016 triumph.

  • Playing with a mask is horrible – Mbappe bemoans after Belgium clash

    Playing with a mask is horrible – Mbappe bemoans after Belgium clash

    France captain Kylian Mbappe expressed his frustration with playing while wearing a mask, describing the experience as “absolutely horrible.”

    The 25-year-old striker sustained a broken nose following a collision during France’s 1-0 victory against Austria in their opening game of Euro 2024. After missing the subsequent goalless draw with the Netherlands, Mbappe returned to the field, scoring in the 1-1 draw with Poland.

    Despite his return to form, he found wearing the protective mask uncomfortable. As he prepares to lead his team in the Euro 2024 last-16 match against Belgium on Monday, Mbappe’s discomfort with the mask remains a challenge.

    “I didn’t think it would be, but playing with a mask is absolutely horrible,” Mbappe said before the Belgium game in Dusseldorf.

    “I have changed [the mask] because every time there was something that wasn’t right.

    “It is really difficult. It limits your vision and the sweat gets blocked up so you have to take it off to let it run away.

    “As soon as I can take it off I will do, but I don’t have a choice. That is how my tournament is going to be. I can only play like that.

    “It is really annoying, but I have to just say thanks to the mask.”

    Mbappe’s goal against Poland was a penalty, meaning France are yet to score from open play at the tournament.

    “It’s not the group matches anymore,” boss Didier Deschamps said. “It’s a new competition within the competition.

    “You have to be efficient. To win matches, you have to score. That’s not done by snapping your fingers, but you need to move the cursor [closer to goal].”

    In the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, France secured a 1-0 victory en route to claiming the championship.

    Similarly, Belgium secured their spot in the next round by drawing 0-0 against Ukraine after finishing second in their group.

    Despite both teams’ slow starts, Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco is optimistic, pointing to the chances they are creating as signs that their fortunes will soon change.

    “The quality and quantity of chances we made in the first three games was unbelievable,” he said.

    “It is unbelievable that we scored only two goals in three games, and France too, but this is football.”

    Belgium were booed after the goalless draw with Ukraine, but midfielder Orel Mangala believes the fans will be behind them on Monday.

    “I believe that has been cleared up,” he said.

    “I can understand that [reaction]. We we were all frustrated. Now we are facing a new match and I hope that all the fans stand with us and we’ll play with a lot of imagination.”

  • Black Satellites touchdown in France to begin European tour

    Black Satellites touchdown in France to begin European tour

    Ghana’s Under-20 national team, the Black Satellites, has commenced a crucial training tour in Europe ahead of the upcoming 2024 WAFU B U20 tournament.

    Led by Head Coach Desmond Ofei, the 22-man squad arrived in France on June 27, 2024, marking the beginning of their intensive preparation schedule on the continent.

    During their stay, the Black Satellites are slated to participate in a series of friendly matches across France and Belgium, aimed at fine-tuning their skills and team cohesion.

    Their fixtures include a match against Belgian club KV Mechelen on July 2, 2024, at K. Rumstse SK in Tourcoing, Nord, followed by a clash with Royal Antwerp U23 on July 19, 2024, at Oude Bosuilbaan in Antwerp.

    Training sessions will be conducted regularly at the Rue de l’Union à 70 Stadium in Tourcoing, Nord, providing ample opportunities for Coach Desmond Ofei to refine the team’s tactics and strategy during the three-week tour.

    This training period marks the first gathering of the Black Satellites since their triumphant gold medal performance at the 2023 All Africa Games, underscoring their ambition and readiness to compete at the highest level in youth football.

  • Euro 2024: England, France, and Netherlands qualify for the knockout stage

    Euro 2024: England, France, and Netherlands qualify for the knockout stage

    England, France, and the Netherlands booked their places in the Euro 2024 knockout phase after Albania succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Spain on Monday.

    Despite none of these top teams playing on Monday, Albania’s loss confirmed their progression with the four points each team has accumulated from their initial two group-stage games guaranteeing them a spot among the third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stages.

    England narrowly defeated Serbia in their Group C opener and later drew with Denmark on Thursday.

    Meanwhile, France and the Netherlands both started with wins before playing to a goalless draw against each other on Friday.

    Spain, already qualified for the last 16, took the lead after 13 minutes when Dani Olmo set up Ferran Torres for a stunning low finish off the post.

    Spain dominated the match with close attempts from Torres, Mikel Merino, and Joselu.

    Despite Albania’s determined efforts, including shots from Kristjan Asllani and substitute Armando Broja that tested keeper David Raya, they succumbed to defeat.

    With this loss, Albania exits the tournament, while Spain progresses as the top team in Group B.

  • Euro 2024: France, Netherlands set remarkable record with goalless draw

    Euro 2024: France, Netherlands set remarkable record with goalless draw

    The goalless draw between France and the Netherlands on Friday ended an extraordinary Euros streak that had lasted since the previous tournament.

    As noted by StatMuse, the match at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig was the first 0-0 game since England and Scotland’s stalemate at Euro 2020.

    Prior to this, 50 consecutive games had seen at least one goal.

    Despite the draw, it wasn’t a setback for either team as both had secured wins in their opening matches.

    Now, France and the Netherlands will vie for the top spot in Group D, with France set to play Poland and the Netherlands gearing up to face Austria.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JMpk-bM3YY

    England’s Euro 2024 campaign has mirrored their previous tournament performance so far.

    The draw against Scotland in Euro 2020 followed a narrow win over Croatia, leading to criticism of Gareth Southgate’s tactics.

    England then beat the Czech Republic in their final group game and eventually made it to the final of Euro 2020.

    The next round of fixtures kicks off on Saturday, June 22, with three games on the schedule: Georgia vs. Czech Republic, Portugal vs. Turkey, and Belgium looking for their first tournament win against Romania.

  • Mbappe gets a new custom mask to protect broken nose

    Mbappe gets a new custom mask to protect broken nose

    Kylian Mbappe, the renowned French football star, has been spotted sporting a new accessory during training with the French national team – a facemask. This development comes after Mbappe suffered a nose injury during a match against Austria at Euro 2024.

    The incident occurred when Mbappe engaged in an aerial clash with Austrian defender Kevin Danso, resulting in a broken nose for the Real Madrid superstar. Despite the injury, Mbappe continued to play until the 90th minute when he was eventually substituted.

    The severity of the injury was evident as Mbappe was seen covered in blood, prompting medical attention on the field. Additionally, he received a yellow card for re-entering the field prematurely before collapsing and being substituted out of the game.

    In an effort to expedite his return to action, Mbappe has been spotted wearing a facemask in France’s training sessions. The mask, adorned in France’s national colors, serves as protection for his injured nose as he prepares to potentially feature in the upcoming match against the Netherlands.

    Mbappe’s resilience and determination to continue training despite his injury showcase his commitment to representing his country on the football pitch. Fans eagerly await his potential return to action as France aims for success in Euro 2024.

  • Mbappe to wear mask in subsequent games after breaking nose, likely to miss Netherlands game

    Mbappe to wear mask in subsequent games after breaking nose, likely to miss Netherlands game

    France captain Kylian Mbappe (25) sustained a broken nose late in his team’s 1-0 Euro 2024 victory over Austria on Monday, the French Football Federation confirmed after the match.

    The injury occurred when Mbappe collided with Austrian defender Kevin Danso’s shoulder while contesting a header.

    He was substituted shortly before the end of the game and transported to the hospital in an ambulance for X-rays.

    “Kylian Mbappe suffered a broken nose during the second half of the Austria v France match this Monday in Duesseldorf,” a statement from the federation said.

    “The captain of the French team was first taken care of by the medical staff and doctor Franck Le Gall, who diagnosed a broken nose.

    The diagnosis was confirmed during radiological examinations at the Duesseldorf hospital.

    “Kylian Mbappe has returned to the base camp of the French team. He will undergo treatment in the coming days, without undergoing surgery immediately.”

    France face the Netherlands on Friday and Mbappe is now a doubt for that clash—a huge blow for France.

    “A mask will be made so as to allow the number 10 of the French team to consider resuming competition after a period devoted to treatment,” the FFF said.

  • France’s Macron shocks world, risks losing seat with a surprise election

    President Emmanuel Macron has announced snap parliamentary elections later this month following a significant victory by his rival Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in the European Parliament vote.

    Exit polls indicate the far-right party is poised to win 32% of the vote, more than double that of Macron’s Renaissance party.

    In a televised address from the Élysée Palace, Macron declared the dissolution of parliament and stated that the two rounds of voting would take place on June 30 and July 7, just weeks before the Paris Olympics.

    This dramatic and unexpected announcement came an hour after voting closed and exit polls were released in France’s EU elections.

    Macron’s decision followed closely on the heels of a public call by National Rally’s 28-year-old leader, Jordan Bardella, urging the president to call parliamentary elections.

    “I have heard your message,” the president told French voters, “and I will not let it go without a response.”
    “France needs a clear majority in serenity and harmony,” he said, adding that he could not resign himself to the far-right’s progress “everywhere in the continent.”

    Barely two years into his second term, President Emmanuel Macron already lacks a majority in the French parliament.

    Although the European vote theoretically does not impact national politics, Macron has evidently concluded that continuing his mandate without fresh public consultation would overly strain the political system.

    The forthcoming parliamentary elections will not affect Macron’s position as president, as they are separate from the presidential elections, and his term still has three more years to run.


    Ms Le Pen, who has twice been defeated by Mr Macron in presidential elections, immediately reacted, saying her party was “ready to exercise power, ready to put an end to mass immigration”.

    He could have continued, dismissing the far right’s significant victory as a European anomaly that would be corrected in more crucial elections. He could have relied on the upcoming European football championship in Germany and, most importantly, the Paris Olympics to distract people from politics for a few months.

    This was certainly the expectation of the Paris commentariat, who thought he would downplay his party’s defeat. However, it seems the president anticipated this outcome and had already planned his response.

    Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella were celebrating their victory even before Macron’s announcement.

    Given that the results were almost exactly as predicted by the polls, Macron had ample time to consider his options. The reality is that he is in a difficult position.

    Without a majority, passing any bill through the National Assembly is already challenging. With much of the country now clearly against him, any new legislation—such as the upcoming budget—could prove to be highly contentious.

    So he has plumped for “clarity”. If National Rally has the votes, then, he says, they should be given the chance to govern.

    Obviously, the president will hope his own Renaissance party can mount a fightback at the elections on June 30 and July 7, or that other parties will do better too.

    But he must appreciate that the odds favour another victory for National Rally. Maybe not one as sweeping as Sunday’s result, but enough for it to become the biggest party in parliament.


    At which point we might well have Prime Minister Marine Le Pen, or indeed Jordan Bardella.

  • Massive manhunt underway for French jail break group that shot prison officers

    Massive manhunt underway for French jail break group that shot prison officers

    A serious search is underway in France on Wednesday for a group of armed people who killed two prison officers and injured three others in order to liberate a prisoner they were transporting.

    The French Minister of Interior, Gerald Darmanin, said that a lot of effort was put into finding the escaped convict, Mohamed Amra, and the people who attacked the group taking him on Tuesday. Hundreds of police officers were involved in the search.

    France was really surprised by how violent the attack was. Workers at prisons in Paris and other places stood quietly for a few moments on Wednesday to remember the officers who were killed.

    Darmanin, talking on Wednesday on RTL radio, said he hopes Amra can be caught soon. He didn’t give all the details about the search, but he said that 450 officers are looking for the attackers and any clues about where they are in the area where the attack happened.

    “He said the ways used are big. ” “We are making a lot of progress. ”

    The group of vehicles was taking Amra back to jail in a town called Évreux in Normandy. They had just been to court in Rouen. But on the way, they were attacked on the A154 freeway.

    “Amra, who is 30 years old, has been in trouble with the law since he was 15. He has been convicted of robbery and other crimes at least 13 times. ” Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau reported this.

    The prosecutor said that one of the officers who was killed was a 52-year-old captain in the prison service. He had worked there for almost 30 years and was a father of two. The other officer who was killed was 34 years old and was going to be a father.

  • British-Palestinian physician refused permission to enter France to attend Senate meeting

    British-Palestinian physician refused permission to enter France to attend Senate meeting

    A renowned physician from Britain and Palestine was denied entry into France, where he intended to address the Israel-Hamas conflict.

    Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta is currently being kept in a holding area at the Charles de Gaulle airport and will be sent out of the country. This decision was made by French Sen Raymonde Poncet-Monge, who had invited him to speak at the Senate.

    “Poncet-Monge expressed his disappointment on X. ”

    A French person in charge said that Abu Sitta was not allowed to enter because all countries in the Schengen area were told not to let him in by Germany. The person in charge, who wasn’t allowed to give their name, wouldn’t share any details or more information.

    Abu Sitta shared on social media that he was not allowed to go to France because Germany had banned him from entering Europe for a year. Last month, Germany refused to let him come in. France and Germany are part of a border-free area in Europe called the Schengen zone. Abu Sitta said on Saturday that he was going back to London.

    The French government and Paris airport officials did not want to talk about what happened or explain it.

    Abu Sitta was asked by a group in the French Senate to talk about Gaza at a meeting on Saturday. The meeting had doctors, reporters, and legal experts who have experience with Gaza.

    Abu Sitta was not allowed to go to Germany for a conference supporting Palestine last month. He said he was stopped at passport control, kept for a long time, and then told he had to go back to the UK. The airport police said he was not allowed in because of safety concerns for people at the conference and public order.

    Abu Sitta, who recently helped as a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, has worked during many fights in the Palestinian areas, starting in the late 1980s during the first Palestinian uprising. He has also worked in other places with fighting, like Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

    France has been experiencing a lot of arguments and fighting because of the conflict in the Middle East ever since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. Recently, the police in France have removed students from campuses where they were protesting and doing sit-ins, which is similar to what is happening in the United States.

  • Central African Republic and France agree to boost bilateral cooperation

    Central African Republic and France agree to boost bilateral cooperation

    The Central African Republic and France have agreed upon a roadmap to enhance bilateral cooperation, seeking to mend strained ties.

    This agreement follows a meeting held in Paris on Wednesday between CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera and French President Emmanuel Macron.

    President Touadera’s visit to France, his second in over six months, signifies increasing efforts from both nations to improve relations.

    These ties had been strained when the CAR government began heavily relying on military and political support from Russia.

    Although the specifics of the agreement are yet to be fully disclosed, the roadmap aims to establish a constructive partnership framework that upholds the state’s sovereignty, as stated in a joint announcement by both countries.

    Additionally, it aims to contribute to stability, foster national unity, and promote the economic and social progress of the CAR.

    Despite France’s condemnation of alleged human rights violations by the Russian paramilitary group Wagner in its former colony, French influence in the CAR has diminished.

    This cooperation opportunity might offer France a chance to repair its reputation in the CAR, where anti-French sentiments have grown in recent years.

  • France to sue student who fraudulently accused principal of taking away headscarf

    France to sue student who fraudulently accused principal of taking away headscarf

    The French government is taking a high school student to court after she falsely said her old principal hurt her after he told her to take off her headscarf at school. The prime minister of the country talked about this on Wednesday.

    The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, said the government will always support the officials who are facing challenges with religious influence in schools.

    He said those things in an interview on French TV channel TF1.

    Secularism in France has been a big issue, especially with the Muslim population, which is the largest in Europe. Last year, France said Muslim women can’t wear long robes called abayas, even though people said this is not fair.

    The teacher at Maurice Ravel Lycée school in Paris asked a young woman to take off her headscarf because it’s against French law to wear religious symbols in state institutions.

    The student said no and tried to scare the school principal by saying he physically hurt her while taking off her headscarf, according to Attal.

    She said the teacher grabbed her shoulder, as reported by CNN affiliate BFMTV.

    The student was over 18 years old when the incident happened on February 28, according to BFMTV.

    Attal said her accusations were posted on social media, which caused people to threaten the school principal with death.

    The education ministry said on Tuesday that they have arrested two people who they believe are responsible for making death threats.

    The principal was supposed to retire in June. But because of the incident and security advice, the principal retired early. The student involved also left the school.

    Paris prosecutors didn’t think the young woman’s complaint was true, so they didn’t take her to court. The government then decided to sue the girl for lying about the principal.

    “We can’t ignore anything, and I will always pay attention to this question,” he said.

    Two well-known murders of teachers have made people more scared about the threat of Islamist extremism in schools.

    Last year, a teacher was killed and some other people were hurt in a knife attack in Arras, northern France. The person who did it was heard saying “Allahu Akbar. ” In 2020, Samuel Paty was killed by having his head cut off after showing some cartoons from Charlie Hebdo to his students in a class.

    The country has made some rules about what Muslim people can wear, and it has made some people mad.

    The French President Emmanuel Macron said before that “religious symbols shouldn’t be in French schools” under the country’s rule of “secularism. ” This means that religion should be separate from the government and public affairs.

    France is taking action, not just in schools. In 2022, politicians supported a rule that says people can’t wear hijabs or other noticeable religious symbols during sports competitions. The right-wing Les Républicains party suggested a change to the rules because they think wearing a hijab during sports could be dangerous for the athletes.

  • Islamists who struck Russia also attempted to strike France – Macron

    Islamists who struck Russia also attempted to strike France – Macron

    French President Emmanuel Macron said that the people who killed 137 others in a concert hall near Moscow were part of a group linked to the Islamic State. This group had tried to carry out attacks in France recently, but didn’t succeed.

    This is why the French government raised the country’s security alert to the highest level on Sunday, according to Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Extra soldiers will be ready to be on patrol in important places, like schools.

    The Islamic State said they were responsible for the attack in Moscow on Friday.

    Russia doesn’t agree with the United States that the Islamic State did the shooting in Moscow. They say Ukraine might be responsible. Macron said it was selfish and unhelpful.

    Macron said that Islamic State claimed the attack and our intelligence services and main partners have information that it was indeed Islamic State who did it.

    This particular group. In the last few months, they tried to attack our country several times. Attal later said there was a plan to attack the city of Strasbourg in eastern France, but it did not happen.

    “The Islamic State said they were responsible for the attack in Moscow and also planned to attack European countries, so we raised our security level to the highest. ” Attal said this while at a train station in Paris.

    “We will use special methods all over France,” he said.

    Around 3,000 soldiers are currently involved in the “Sentinelle” operation, where they patrol places like train stations, places of worship, schools, and theaters. Another 4,000 people will be ready to take action if needed, Attal said.

    France has stopped two potential attacks since the beginning of the year.

    France has had many attacks by Islamist people in the last ten years. The scariest one was in 2015 at the Bataclan concert hall and some cafes and bars in Paris. Some people in Paris said it made them realize why security needs to be increased.

    IT worker Raffele Alegretti said the Moscow concert hall attack reminds him of the Bataclan years, and it has left a lasting impact on him.

    Macron said that France will work more closely with Russian intelligence to fight against groups that are attacking many countries. He mentioned this when he visited French Guiana.

    The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, did not talk about Islamic State when talking about the attackers. He said they were trying to escape to Ukraine. Russia started a war with Ukraine when it invaded the country in February 2022.

    Putin said that some people on the Ukrainian side were ready to secretly bring the gunmen across the border. Ukraine says they didn’t do the attack. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Putin is trying to blame Ukraine for not stopping the attack in Russia.

  • It’s a good one for us – France coach on PSG benching Mbappe

    It’s a good one for us – France coach on PSG benching Mbappe

    Manager of the France national team, Didier Deschamps, sees Kylian Mbappé’s reduced playing time at Paris Saint-Germain as a potential benefit for the upcoming European Championship and Olympic Games.

    Mbappé, who will depart PSG as a free agent after this season, has only played the full 90 minutes in three matches since February 14.

    These include a Champions League victory against Real Sociedad, a French Cup triumph over Nice, and a recent Ligue 1 win against Montpellier on Sunday.

    Asked about Mbappé’s game time, Deschamps told reporters on Monday: “It’s important to be physically fresh for a major competition. In any case, all the players will arrive at the end of the season feeling a little tired.

    “If that fatigue can be reduced a little [all the better],” the French coach added ahead of a friendly against Germany on March 23.

    A move to Real Madrid this summer could prevent Mbappé from fulfilling his dream of playing at this summer’s Paris Olympics, after France under-23 coach Thierry Henry said on Monday that Madrid had turned down a request to release players for the Games.

    “Real Madrid’s stance on the Olympic Games is a bit outdated,” Deschamps said. “But business people are the ones who decide. If it’s not on an official FIFA date, if they say no, the answer is no.”

  • Abortion becomes fundamental right after bill approved by French parliament

    Abortion becomes fundamental right after bill approved by French parliament

    French lawmakers have agreed on a new rule that will protect a woman’s right to have an abortion in the French Constitution. This decision was made during a special meeting of parliament at the Palace of Versailles on Monday.

    The bill was passed by a large majority of 780-72 votes, and almost everyone in the meeting stood up and clapped for a long time.

    In France, people were really happy and celebrating because the President, Emmanuel Macron, promised to protect women’s rights after abortion rights were limited in the United States.

    Both the National Assembly and the Senate have agreed to change Article 34 of the French Constitution to make sure that women have the right to get an abortion.

    A law to make sure women can have an abortion is going to be voted on in France. Lawmakers are meeting at the Palace of Versailles for this important vote.

    President Emmanuel Macron promised to take action because there were laws changing that make it harder for women to get an abortion in the United States.

    The French government wants to change Article 34 of the Constitution to make sure women have the right to get an abortion as long as the law allows it.

    Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed on the bill. Monday’s meeting is likely just a formality.

    Before the important vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal spoke to 925 lawmakers in Versailles. He said that France should be a leader in women’s rights and show other countries how to defend women’s rights.

    “We owe it to women to do what is right,” Attal said. He honored Simone Veil, who was an important lawmaker and feminist. In 1975, she fought for the law that made abortion legal in France.

    “We can make history change,” Attal said in a passionate and determined speech. “He said to a big applause that he wanted to make Simone Veil proud. ”

    The National Assembly, which is part of the government, agreed with the proposal in January by a large majority. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, which is an important step for a law promised by Macron’s government. This law is meant to make sure that women can’t be denied the right to have an abortion.

    The rule needs to be agreed upon by at least three out of every five people in the meeting.

    No big political parties in France’s parliament have questioned the right to abortion, including Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party and the conservative Republicans. But some lawmakers disagreed with adding the right to have an abortion to the constitution in past votes in both the senate and the house.

    Le Pen, who got a lot of seats in the National Assembly two years ago, said on Monday that her party will vote for the bill, but she also said it’s not necessary to make this a big day in history.

    Many people in France support the right to have an abortion. A new survey found that more than 80% of people support this, which is the same as other surveys in the past. The survey also found that most people support putting it in the constitution.

    People in France were celebrating before the important meeting of the parliament.

    Sarah Durocher, who is a leader in the Family Planning movement, said that Monday’s vote is a win for feminists and a loss for people who are against giving choices to women.

    Women’s rights activists believe that if the right to have an abortion is included in the constitution, it will be more difficult to stop women from choosing to end a pregnancy in France.

    “We made sure this important right is more protected,” said Anne-Cécile Mailfert from the Women’s Foundation. “Women in France can always have the right to choose to have an abortion now and in the future. ”

    The government said that the right to have an abortion is in danger in the United States. This is because the Supreme Court recently overturned a 50-year-old rule that used to protect this right.

    “Sadly, this is not just happening in one place. In many countries, including Europe, there are people who want to stop women from being able to choose to have an abortion. ”

    The choice made by the United States. The decision of the Supreme Court to take away women’s right to have an abortion has caused a lot of discussion in Europe. This has made the topic of abortion a big part of the public debate in France, especially at a time when there is a lot of political change happening.

    Mathilde Philip-Gay, who knows a lot about the laws in France and America, said it’s important not to let up on getting laws that help women. She’s worried because far right political groups are gaining power and want to take away women’s rights in many countries.

    Philip-Gay said that it might not be a problem in France because most people there are in favor of abortion. “But those people might eventually choose a very conservative government to rule, like what happened in the U. S” It can also happen in other parts of Europe, like France.

    Adding abortion into the French constitution will make it more difficult for people who are against abortion to argue against it in the future. But with the right political plan, they could still try to challenge it.

    Yael Braun-Pivet, the first female president of the French parliament, said that everything we think we have accomplished can disappear in a moment.

    Changing the constitution in France is difficult and doesn’t happen very often. Since 1958, the French Constitution has been changed 17 times. In 2008, the government gave more power to parliament and allowed French people to complain to the Constitutional Court.

  • France President had this to tell Mbappe during state dinner on Real Madrid transfer

    France President had this to tell Mbappe during state dinner on Real Madrid transfer

    Emmanuel Macron shared a light-hearted moment with Kylian Mbappe regarding his rumoured move to Real Madrid during a state dinner at the Elysee Palace.

    Mbappe, accompanied by the Emir of Qatar, was invited to the dinner on Tuesday, where he had the opportunity to meet with French President Macron.

    Upon his arrival, Macron is reported to have jestingly remarked to Mbappe, “You’re going to create problems for us,” with a smile on his face. This remark is believed to allude to Mbappe’s anticipated transfer to Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain, which is owned by Qatar.

    Mbappe’s potential move to Madrid has been the subject of long-standing speculation, with Macron previously playing a role in influencing the forward’s future. Macron disclosed that he advised Mbappe against joining Los Blancos in 2021, encouraging him to remain in the French capital.

    Despite Macron’s efforts last summer to keep Mbappe at PSG, it now seems likely that the 25-year-old will make the switch to the Santiago Bernabeu during the upcoming transfer window.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J2Kuhlg5yhk

    Macron also spoke about the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which saw Mbappe and France beaten in the final by Argentina: The French president said: “There are also so many beautiful memories, in less serious but as vibrant moments as this 2022 World Cup. Kylian Mbappe’s extraordinary game, the memory of (Randal) Kolo Muani’s saved shot, which still remains bitter in French hearts.

    “But that’s the thing with the king of sports. They have had a fantastic tournament, with what I think was the most spectacular final in history. France was there with its fans, its security forces, its companies like RATP and its footballers.”

    Madrid has not yet made an official announcement regarding Mbappe’s signing, but the confirmation is anticipated once it is certain that Los Blancos cannot face PSG in this season’s Champions League. Upon his move to the Spanish giants, Mbappe is expected to receive a world-record signing fee for a five-year contract.

    Meanwhile, PSG is already scouting for a replacement and has been linked with several players, including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.

  • French demonstrators struck by car killing a female farmer

    French demonstrators struck by car killing a female farmer

    A woman who grows food on a farm died, and her husband and teenage daughter were injured in a car crash while farmers in France were protesting.

    Farmers in the south-west of France have blocked important roads for several days. This area is one of the most important for farming in the country.

    The local prosecutor said that it seemed like the accident near Toulouse was not on purpose.

    Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau said it was a “very sad event for everyone”.

    Tuesday’s accident happened when farmers in France started blocking roads more after a meeting with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. The meeting was about their concerns with new environmental rules and higher energy prices.

    The car hit some straw bales and hit three people while driving on the main road near Pamiers, 70km south of Toulouse, when it was still dark on Tuesday morning.

    The woman who passed away was known as a person who raised and took care of cows. Officials said her husband was badly hurt and her 14-year-old daughter’s condition was very concerning.

    The authorities detained all three people in the car. They were driving from Toulouse to Andorra, which is another two hours south.

    An investigation has started into a serious crime, but the local prosecutor thinks it may not have been on purpose.

    The farmer who died was in a farmers’ union called FNSEA. The president of the union, Arnaud Rousseau, said it is hard to deal with this tragedy at a time when French agriculture is facing many problems.

    “I want to let the people on the ground know that French farmers fully support them. ”

    The farmers’ protests are spreading all over France. The leader of the Young Farmers union, Arnaud Gaillot, said he has never seen so many determined people. “If we have to, we will block off Paris. ” “Some of our members have nothing left to lose, their survival is in danger,” he told RTL radio.

    Trucks and tractors stopped the A7 motorway in southeast France. One of the vehicles had the words “we’re dying to feed you” written in red on it.

    The newest protests began in the south-western part last week. Even though it’s a very important area for farming, the FNSEA says that farmers here earn the least amount of money compared to other farmers.

    They are already being called “green jackets”, a name referring to the gilets jaunes protests in France against high fuel prices.

    Last week, more than 400 tractors blocked the middle of Toulouse, where about 800,000 people live. Farmers also blocked some important highways in the south west by setting up places to sleep in the middle of the roads.

    The French interior minister said on Monday that he will not tell the police to break up the blockades because he knows the situation is very sensitive politically.

  • France prohibits fishing for a while in order to save dolphins

    France prohibits fishing for a while in order to save dolphins

    France has decided to stop most of the fishing in the Bay of Biscay for a while to keep dolphins safe.

    It will begin on Monday and continue until February 20, impacting fishing areas along the country’s Atlantic coast.

    According to experts in France, about 9,000 dolphins die in the bay every year because they get caught in fishing gear by accident.

    Local fishermen think the ban is “crazy” and are worried about not making money. But the government said they will give money to make up for it.

    Last year, the State Council, the main administrative court in the country, said that environmentalists wanted to protect the marine animals better, so they had to move.

    According to the news agency AFP, this ban is the first one since World War Two, and it will last for about a month. Fishing will almost completely stop in the area from Finistere in Brittany to the Spanish border during the ban.

    Boats that are longer than 8 meters (26. 2 feet) will be impacted, and it is estimated that about 450 French boats will not be able to be used.

    Some people in the industry think they might lose a lot of money, but the French government said they will give them money to make up for it. Minister Christophe Béchu told TF1 TV that most of the money lost will be given back, and they will give it back quickly.

    Raymond Millet, a fisherman from La Rochelle, says that boats 9 to 11 meters long are not used for catching dolphins.

    “It’s ridiculous to shut down businesses like this for a whole month. ”

    Some people say the money offered by officials is not enough. The French fishing industry group CNPMEM criticized environmental groups and said the marine animals are not at risk.

    Environmentalists say animals can get stuck or tangled in things like nets, ropes, and fishing lines. The International Whaling Commission says that smaller animals often die right away because they can’t come up to the water’s surface to breathe.

    Bigger animals can get stuck dragging heavy ropes, buoys, or nets for a long time before they die, said the IWC.

    Philippe Garcia, who is in charge of the group that protects sea animals, said that fishermen should follow the ban.

    “He said if the fishermen don’t cooperate, it will be bad for them because it will make environmentalists’ arguments stronger if dolphins keep dying. “

  • Macron turns to right over birthrate and education

    Macron turns to right over birthrate and education

    French President Emmanuel Macron has made a decision to support right-wing policies.

    Everyone agreed after he talked for a long time on TV on Tuesday.

    He wanted students to wear the same clothes at school, to stop drug gangs, and to increase the number of babies being born in France.

    Left-leaning analysts were upset about his apparent change from the carefully balanced politics of the past few years.

    But they believed that his true feelings were always on the right side.

    People on the right were happy that he seemed to agree with them now, but they thought he was just pretending.

    Macron spoke in front of about 100 reporters for 2. 5 hours at the Elysée palace.

    It was supposed to be an opportunity for people to “meet the nation” and set the focus for his final three years in office, following criticism that he had lost his ability to make changes after being re-elected in 2022.

    It happened a week after President Macron chose a new government with Gabriel Attal, who is the youngest prime minister in French history. Attal is in charge of a group of people in the government, and they are more conservative than the people who were in this role before.

    Hugh wrote about Macron choosing a 34-year-old, Attal, as the youngest Prime Minister of France.

    The president’s words showed that he changed his plans to deal with the increasing influence of the extreme right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen. Her party, National Rally (RN), is expected to win the most votes in the European elections in June.

    He believed that teaching French values to kids in school was important for keeping France’s identity.

    He said that each new group of people must understand the Republic, including its history, responsibilities, freedoms, and culture, starting from when they are young.

    He said that if an experiment in 100 schools next year goes well, everyone in school will have to wear a uniform in 2026. This idea is usually supported only by some of the political right.

    He wanted schools to teach the national anthem and have ceremonies for giving out diplomas. He also wanted 16-year-olds to do community service. He also promised to make rules to limit how long kids can use screens.

    However, the president’s most obvious use of conservative ideas was a promise to make more policies to encourage people to have more babies, because the birth rate in France is going down. In 2023, fewer than 700,000 babies were born, which is the lowest number since World War Two.

    The French press often says that policies like these are only for “reactionary” governments, like the one led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary. Macron wants to make it easier for people to have fertility treatments and have more time off work when they become parents.

    The left-wing newspaper Libération said that the speech showed a conservative view of France, and promised to keep fighting illegal immigration and drug gangs.

    Le Monde said the president was looking back at the old France and feeling nostalgic.

    The newspaper Le Figaro, which is conservative, thinks that the president openly changed his policy. He has never been so close to meeting the public’s expectations, and we should be happy about it.

    The president picked a plan for his speech. He will talk for 30 minutes first. Then, he will answer questions from journalists for two hours.

    The detailed format worked well for President Macron because he is very good at discussing every possible topic in great detail and he enjoys doing it. He didn’t do a good job of avoiding the risk of looking intellectually conceited. He may have been trying to hide the fact that he didn’t have much to say by using a lot of words.

    Marine Le Pen said the press conference was “another never-ending talk”.

  • France’s youngest PM Gabriel Attal: A look into his personal life

    France’s youngest PM Gabriel Attal: A look into his personal life

    Gabriel Attal’s personal life has drawn considerable interest since his historic appointment as France’s first openly gay and youngest Prime Minister on January 9, 2024. A trusted and reliable member of President Emmanuel Macron’s team, Attal is known for his strong communication skills, particularly in handling contentious issues such as the immigration law debate and the fast-approaching European elections.

    While Attal’s professional accomplishments are well chronicled, his private life offers a fascinating insight into the person behind the political persona. Questions about his life partner and the balance he maintains between his thriving career and personal obligations have ignited interest in his life beyond politics.

    Is Gabriel Attal, France’s Prime Minister, in a marital relationship?
    The straightforward response is, no. Gabriel Attal, the noteworthy French politician, is not bound by the restraints of marriage. However, he shares a close relationship with fellow politician Stéphane Séjourné. Séjourné, who is 36 years old, is a member of Macron’s Renaissance (RE) party and has been serving his constituents in the European Parliament since 2019.

    Their professional paths crossed in 2015 during their involvement in Macron’s En Marche! movement, setting the stage for a lasting bond. Despite not being legally married, Gabriel Attal, the trailblazing openly gay prime minister, shares a deep connection with Stéphane Séjourné. They currently live together in a Parisian apartment, their common interests in politics, cinema, and literature resonating within their shared home.

    In terms of his acceptance of his sexual orientation, Attal’s journey has been marked by openness and bravery. Following his election as a representative for the 10th constituency of Hauts-de-Seine in the National Assembly in 2017, he publicly declared his sexual orientation. His announcement carried a wider message of hope and resilience, especially for young individuals on similar journeys.

    How do Gabriel Attal and Stéphane Séjourné balance their careers?
    In the complex world of French politics, Gabriel Attal and Stéphane Séjourné stand out not just for their professional achievements but also for the strong bond they maintain. Despite their demanding schedules and extensive travel due to professional commitments, they manage to stay connected, using technology to overcome geographical distances.

    Their shared moments in Paris provide a much-needed break from their busy schedules. Whether it’s a night at the cinema, enjoyable dinners with friends, or visits to cultural landmarks, they treasure these moments of quality time in the City of Lights.

    For Gabriel, his relationship with Séjourné goes beyond the traditional boundaries of companionship. It serves as a haven of comfort and unwavering support during turbulent times. While acknowledging their occasional differences, Gabriel highlights the deep respect and admiration they have for each other’s views and decisions. Describing Séjourné as his “best friend” and “soulmate,” Gabriel provides a glimpse into a relationship rooted in understanding, respect, and genuine affection.

  • Attal, 34, chosen by Macron to be France’s youngest prime minister

    Attal, 34, chosen by Macron to be France’s youngest prime minister

    Gabriel Attal has been appointed as the new prime minister of France. Emmanuel Macron wants to improve his presidency by appointing a new government.

    At 34 years old, he is the youngest prime minister in modern French history. Even younger than Socialist Laurent Fabius, who was 37 when he became prime minister in 1984.

    Mr Attal takes over from Élisabeth Borne, who quit after being in the job for 20 months.

    During that time, she had problems because she didn’t have enough support in parliament.

    Gabriel Attal, who is currently in charge of education, has made a very noticeable appointment.

    He has been given the job of leading the French government in the upcoming important European Parliament elections in June.

  • Prime minister of France Elizabeth Borne steps down ahead of anticipated reorganisation

    Prime minister of France Elizabeth Borne steps down ahead of anticipated reorganisation

    France’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne will no longer be working as the Prime Minister after being in the position for less than two years.

    She quit her job at the same time as President Emmanuel Macron is likely to change his top team before the upcoming European elections.

    Mr Macron said that Ms. Borne has been very brave, dedicated, and committed in her job.

    We don’t know who will be chosen to take her place yet.

    Ms Borne will stay in her job until a new prime minister is in charge, according to the Élysée Palace.

    She was the second woman to be the leader of France and served for a longer time than Édith Cresson, who was also a prime minister under François Mitterrand from 1991-92.

    In recent weeks, there have been many plans to change the government as Mr Macron tries to become more popular before the June election. This is also happening because France will be hosting the Olympic Games this year.

    He has three years left as president. Commentators say he needs to make big changes to improve his government’s success after several protests and laws that were not approved.

    The government lost an important vote on immigration rules in December, which was seen as a crisis.

    The law was finally approved after making some changes to please conservative groups. However, Macron’s party will still have a tough competition in the upcoming European election.

    Ms Borne leaving might start big changes, and some important people in the government might take her place.

    The 34-year-old education minister Gabriel Attal is the top candidate for the job. He will be the youngest prime minister of France and the first to openly say he is gay.

    The armed forces minister Sebastien Lecornu, who is 37 years old, and ex-agriculture minister Julien Denormandie are being considered as potential options for the job.

    A new prime minister will not be announced until Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the Élysée Palace who spoke to the BBC.

    The leader of France is supposed to handle the government’s daily tasks and lead the Council of Ministers.

    In 2022, Mr. Macron’s party didn’t have enough votes in parliament, so the new prime minister will have a hard time making the President’s ideas into laws.

    The new prime minister will be the fourth person to be in charge since Mr. Macron became president in 2017.

  • Plane with Indian nationals, detained in France, arrives in India

    Plane with Indian nationals, detained in France, arrives in India

    A plane carrying hundreds of Indian nationals who were held for days at an airport in France over human trafficking fears has arrived in India.

    The chartered Airbus A340, which had been flying from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nicaragua, aroused suspicion during a refuelling stop.

    It left with 276 passengers but 25 people including two minors remained in France after applying for asylum.

    Two suspected traffickers also remain in France for further investigation.

    However the two were set free by the courts.

    The Legend Airlines flight landed in Mumbai early on Tuesday local time.

    Indian passengers who reached Mumbai airport after the French authorities allowed 276 of them to travel
    Image caption,French authorities had grounded the plane over suspicion of trafficking

    Photos shared by news agency ANI show several passengers sitting on plastic chairs at the Mumbai airport after the flight landed. Some of the passengers could be seen leaving the airport but BBC Marathi reports that most of them refused to answer questions from the media.

    The plane had initially been prevented from leaving Châlons-Vatry Airport, about 130km (81 miles) from Paris, on Thursday after authorities received an anonymous tip-off that some passengers might be “victims of human trafficking”, Parisian prosecutors say.

    Most of those aboard were believed to be Indian citizens working in the UAE. A third of the passengers are reported to be from India’s affluent western state of Gujarat.

    French authorities reportedly also suspected that the people on board might have been travelling to Nicaragua before attempting to enter the US or Canada.

    It was not clear whether authorities had definitively determined that no crime had been committed before allowing the plane to leave.

    It is also unclear why the flight went to Mumbai instead of resuming its journey to Nicaragua.

    Legend Airlines is a Romanian charter airline with a fleet of four planes, according to the online flight tracker Flightradar.

  • Diplomatic tensions escalate as France shuts Niger Embassy amidst dispute with military junta

    Diplomatic tensions escalate as France shuts Niger Embassy amidst dispute with military junta

    France has announced the indefinite closure of its embassy in Niger. The move comes as a manifestation of the strained relationship between the two nations. 

    The embassy says it is “no longer able to function normally or fulfill its missions” due to restrictions imposed by Niger’s military government.

    Local embassy personnel have been summarily dismissed, as revealed by former French ambassador Sylvain Itté in a formal communication. This move adds another layer of complexity to the diplomatic fallout between France and Niger.

    This comes as the last French troops have left Niger after being ordered out by the country’s military leaders.

    Niger’s relationship with France has soured since the military toppled President Mohamed Bazoum in July.

    In September, Mr Itté and several French staff left the country, a month after the military regime ordered the ambassador’s exit and set up a blockade around the embassy premises in the capital, Niamey.

    The embassy had been attacked by thousands of pro-junta protestors shortly after the coup, but were dispersed by Nigerien forces before they could enter the building.

    Under Mr Bazoum, France had more than 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to help fight jihadist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

    Most had already left before Friday’s deadline and the last 157 have now pulled out.

    There are concerns that the French withdrawal could worsen the security situation in the region, which is now witnessing increasing attacks by Islamist fighters.

    In order to try and contain the insurgency, Niger’s junta has signed a new defence alliance with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali.

    Like Niger, these are both former French colonies where the military has seized power in recent years.

    There has been a rise in anti-French sentiment, with the former colonial power blamed for failing to halt the Islamist attacks, and accused of retaining excessive political and economic influence long after independence.

    The US, however, retains two military bases in Niger, where more than 600 American troops remain stationed.

    The US considers its military presence in Niger crucial to countering the growing influence of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in West Africa’s Sahel region.

    Mali’s military junta is working with Wagner mercenaries in the fight against jihadists. The group has been accused of widespread human rights abuses.

  • British boy missing for six years located in France – Authorities

    British boy missing for six years located in France – Authorities

    A 17-year-old boy from England who disappeared in Spain in 2017 has been found in France, the authorities confirmed.

    The teenager named Alex Batty was found in the town of Revel, which is east of Toulouse, on Wednesday morning.

    Six years ago, 11-year-old Alex was on vacation with his mom and grandpa in Spain when they went missing.

    A police officer told the media that Alex was brought to a police station by a driver who was worried about him.

    The boy said he had been in France for two years, the police source said. The police also said he looked like the last picture of Alex.

    He was healthy and said he was not treated badly in any way.

    The office in Toulouse said to the media that they can confirm the identity of the missing child. The family said it’s true.

    In 2018, Alex’s grandmother, Susan Caruana, said on the BBC that she thought Alex’s mom and grandpa had taken him to live with a spiritual group in Morocco. She also takes care of him legally.

    She said they wanted a different way of living and didn’t want Alex to attend school.

    A reporter in the area told the media that a delivery driver saw the boy walking with a backpack and skateboard in the mountains and felt bad for him, so he gave him a ride.

    Remi Buhagiar from La Depeche newspaper said that the boy and the person spent three hours in the car and the boy shared his story.

    “He said he had been living in a traveling community where people move from place to place. ” He didn’t have to, but he thought his mother was strange and didn’t want to live like that. He wanted to do his own thing, so he left.

    Alex walked through the hills for many days, Mr Buhagiar said.

    “I don’t know if she received the message,” he said.

    Many people are drawn to the area near the Pyrenees mountains because they want to live in different ways.

    The British police have been reached out to through the embassy in Paris.

  • Teachers walk out after fight about naked painting at French school

    Teachers walk out after fight about naked painting at French school

    France’s education minister went to a school where some students didn’t want to see a painting of naked women. This made the teachers leave their work.

    The students said their teacher made mean comments about race and Islam, but the school says it’s not true.

    The teachers at Jacques-Cartier school near Paris said they didn’t want to work.

    There were a lot of problems at the school since the beginning of the school year. Parents kept complaining about the work their kids had to do and the punishments given out.

    The problem started when a teacher showed Diana and Actaeon, a painting from the Renaissance period that tells a story from a book called Metamorphoses.

    Sophie Venetitay from the Snes-FSU teachers union said that some 11 and 12-year-old students in their first year of high school were upset by a painting made by Italian artist Giuseppe Cesari in the 17th century.

    “Some students looked away, felt upset, and said they were surprised,” Ms. She also mentioned that “some students claimed the teacher said racist things” during a class conversation.

    The day after, a French news source said that a parent sent a letter to the principal saying that their child was not able to talk during a class conversation.

    Staff felt like they did not have enough help and were working in a bad environment, Ms Venetitay said.

    She said that this case reminds her of the violent murder of Samuel Paty. He was killed after showing drawings of the Prophet Muhammad in a class.

    The French government thinks that false stories about the teacher caused an 18-year-old Chechen refugee who had been radicalized to kill him near the school in a Paris suburb. Six teenagers were found guilty of being involved in the murder last week.

    Education Minister Gabriel Attal said that students who made complaints at Jacques-Cartier school will be punished, and a team will check the school to make sure it follows the rules of the country.

    On Tuesday, the school started classes again after being closed for a few days.

  • France join forces to veto immigration bill

    France join forces to veto immigration bill

    A very important immigration reform bill that French President Emmanuel Macron‘s government wanted to pass did not pass.

    Politicians from different sides voted on Monday to say no to the bill.

    The government says the bill is meant to manage immigration and help migrants blend in better.

    The people on the left think the rules are too strict, and the people on the right think the rules are not strict enough.

    The new law would allow the government to send away migrants who have been in prison for five years or more. It would also make it harder for migrants to bring their family to France.

    The new law is not as strict as the one suggested by the Senate, which is mostly controlled by the right. That law would have made it much harder for illegal immigrants to get healthcare and benefits.

    Mr Macron’s tough Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, strongly backed the proposed law. He said on X (formerly Twitter) before the vote that if the bill passed, the government could send “very dangerous” foreign nationals, like drug dealers, out of the country.

    However, he was not able to persuade opposing members of Parliament to support him. Instead, different groups within the opposition voted for a motion to say no to the bill. Members of the National Rally team up with members of France Unbowed, the Republicans, and smaller parties to defeat the government.

    Before the vote, Arthur Delaporte, a member of Parliament for the centre-left Socialist party, said his party would vote against the bill because he thought it was unfair, shocking, and a danger to freedom.

    Mr Macron’s party did not win the most seats in parliament in the June 2022 elections. From that time on, the government has often struggled to get enough votes in parliament.

    The Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne is not allowed to use a special power to pass laws without a vote in order to approve this draft.

  • Two shot dead as suspect apprehended by Swiss police

    Two shot dead as suspect apprehended by Swiss police

    A man in Switzerland got arrested for shooting and killing two people and injuring another person in the town of Sion.

    Police in Valais area said that there were gunshots in two different places on Monday.

    A 34-year-old woman was murdered in a parking lot just after 7:00 am, and a 41-year-old man was also killed shortly after.

    The man who was thought to have shot a gun was found north of Sion at 3:43pm after looking for him for eight hours.

    Valais police got a call at 07:15 about someone getting hurt in a car park on Rue Oscar-Bider.

    Gunshots were heard at the Sarosa painting company and another location in the Ronquoz and Potence areas, according to a local newspaper, Le Nouvelliste.

    The police said a woman was shot and died.

    “A little while later, a man was killed by a gunshot, and a woman was hurt by a gunshot too. ”

    Both of them lived in the Valais area. A 49-year-old woman from Valais also got hurt.

    The police caught and arrested the suspect in St-Léonard on Monday afternoon.

    The police put up barriers on the roads around Valais to stop the suspected shooter from fleeing the country.

    Sion is a town near the borders of Italy and France.

    There are a lot of police in the town, and some are armed and standing at the places where the crimes happened.

    The police are looking into a murder case.

    Switzerland, a place with about nine million people, has a lot of people owning guns.

    A group called Small Arms Survey keeps track of how many guns people have around the world. They say there are about 2. 3 million firearms owned by regular people.

  • Macron faces criticism over French religious dispute

    Macron faces criticism over French religious dispute

    Emmanuel Macron has been accused of betraying France because he joined in a Jewish ceremony at his official home, the Elysée Palace.

    In a country where people believe strongly in keeping religion separate, lighting a Hanukkah candle in a historic meeting hall caused a lot of disagreement among politicians from all sides.

    The president asked France’s top Rabbi Haïm Korsia to light the first candle on a special candelabra to start the Jewish festival called Hanukkah. President Macron received an award for working against antisemitism.

    But when a video of the ceremony showed up on social media soon after, there was a lot of anger and excitement.

    French people with influence and opinions were upset because the president made a big mistake by bringing religion into the secular aspects of the presidency.

    To my knowledge, this has never happened before. “David Lisnard, who is a well-known right-wing leader and mayor of Cannes, says it goes against secularism. ”

    The Elysée is not a religious place. Secularism is non-negotiable,” said Occitania region’s Socialist president, Carole Delga.

    “Will Macron do this for other religions too. Some yes, some no. That’s risky,” said Alexis Corbière from the far-left France Unbowed.

    Even some Jewish people in France were confused. Yonathan Arfi, who leads the French Jewish Council, said that this should not happen again.

    French Jews have always seen secularism as a way to protect and have freedom. He said that anything that makes secularism less strong also makes Jews less strong.

    The concept of “secularism” became a part of French law in 1905 after a long battle between the government and the Roman Catholic Church. It allowed people to believe what they want, but no longer allowed the government to be involved with the Church or show any signs of religion in public places.

    The law is very important in France. It makes sure that everyone is treated the same no matter what religion they follow. It also says that people are seen as individuals and not just as part of a group.

    Critics will see Emmanuel Macron breaking a long-standing rule as proof of his big ego and feeling like he is above everyone else.

    On Friday, the president visited Notre-Dame cathedral and said he was not sorry for inviting the chief rabbi. He said it was all about unity and peace.

    “If the president had participated in a religious act or ceremony, it would have broken the rule of separating religion from government. ” “He said that’s not what happened. ”

    The gesture comes after a long series of political events about Gaza, where President Macron has been criticized for making policy decisions without proper planning.

    Critics think he has not been clear about his position on the war. Sometimes he seems to support Israel a lot, and other times he tries really hard to make Arab people happy. He does this because he wants to keep both the Jewish and Muslim people in France happy.

    Not long after October 7th, Mr. Macron went to Israel and suggested a group of countries join together to fight against Hamas, similar to the coalition that defeated Islamic State (IS).

    He was accused of not supporting Palestinians in France and then he arranged a conference to help Gaza, but Israel wasn’t asked to come.

    He made some Jews even more upset by not going to a march against antisemitism. In an interview on the BBC, he talked about babies being bombed by the Israeli air force.

    Some people think that the recent action at the Elysée shows a new way of governing the country.

    In France’s foreign ministry, professional diplomats are frustrated because they feel like they are not being listened to by President Macron.

    “One day, Macron is about to say he will assist the Israeli army in destroying Gaza. ” Two weeks later, a former diplomat said on the BBC that Israel kills babies.

    “Alright, we understand that it’s all about internal politics. ” But here, he’s pushing away the Muslims and then the Jews.

  • Give us any date for external debt restructure, we will take it – Finance Minister tells China, France

    Give us any date for external debt restructure, we will take it – Finance Minister tells China, France

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has expressed the country’s openness to any new cut-off date proposed by external creditors for the restructuring of Ghana’s external debt, especially with China.

    He emphasized the importance of concluding the debt restructuring exercise to allow Ghana to access the $600 million credit facility under the International Monetary Fund’s second tranche bailout package.

    China, a major creditor to Ghana, has suggested a March 2020 cut-off date for all loans given to Ghana, deviating from the initially agreed-upon date of December 2022, causing delays in Ghana’s meeting with the IMF Board for the next tranche of $600 million.

    “The issue is for the membership of the Official Creditor Committee to get comfortable. We hope that by the end of next week, we will have what we need so that the Fund Board can sit”, he said.

    The Finance Minister highlighted that the involved parties are aiming for a level of debt restructuring that won’t significantly impact their future operations.

    “Everybody is looking at the comparability of treatment in there and China and France certainly are co-chairs, so they have a good impact on what will happen, but we should be okay,” he said.

    Previously, Dr. Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, claimed that the negotiation had encountered challenges, and the upcoming $600 million package is in a state of uncertainty.

     “Mr. Speaker, it will interest you to know that there is a deadlock in the negotiation between Ghana and the International Official Creditors Committee (OCC) made up of China and the Paris Club 50. There is a major disagreement on the cut-off point, regarding the external debt that must be excluded from the restructuring. Mr. Speaker, I do not need to sound the alarm that at this point, Ghana is between a rock and a hard place.”

    Prior to this, the Finance Minister expressed confidence that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) board would give approval for the second tranche of the country’s deal with the Fund by the year’s end.

    “My deep sense is that we will get whatever is appropriate for the Fund Board to be able to make their decision in November. I am confident about it. And yes, we did meet with the officials from Paris Club and there was pretty positive assurance”, he said.

  • New sanctions hit Hamas leader’s properties

    New sanctions hit Hamas leader’s properties

    France has declared that, as part of fresh penalties, it will be freezing Yahya Sinwar‘s assets.

    A directive that was published in the Official Journal states that starting on December 5th, Sinwar’s finances and financial resources will be blocked for six months.

    The exact quantity of Sinwar’s French holdings is unknown.

    Following a slew of similar actions by the US, UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron sanctioned senior leaders of the Palestinian militant group and Hamas’s financiers last month.

  • Paris attack: Suspect’s mother ‘raised concern’ prior to assault

    Paris attack: Suspect’s mother ‘raised concern’ prior to assault

    The mother of a man who is believed to have stabbed a German tourist to death near the Eiffel Tower in Paris had expressed worries about her son a few weeks before the incident, according to a prosecutor.

    Two more people, including a man from Britain, got hurt in the attack on Saturday.

    A 26-year-old man from France was arrested, and officials who investigate terrorism are looking into the case.

    The French minister inside the country said the person who attacked failed to receive proper care for their mental health.

    Gérald Darmanin said to BFM TV that the person who attacked had a serious mental illness. He also said that doctors had mentioned on a few occasions that the person was getting better, acting more normal, and could be released from care.

    Prosecutor Jean-François Ricard said the suspect promised to support the Islamic State group (IS).

    The prosecutor said that Armand R, who was born in France to Iranian parents, became a Muslim when he was 18 years old. In 2016, he was sent to jail for four years because he wanted to go to Syria and join IS.

    Mr Ricard said the police were watching the suspect because they thought he might be involved in extremism. They have also arrested three people, including some of his family, for questioning.

    He said that the attacker’s mother told the news that she was worried about her son’s behavior because he had become withdrawn and quiet in late October.

    But, there wasn’t enough information to start a new trial, he said.

    The police said the person they think did the bad thing was supposed to be getting help for mental health problems.

    The person who died in the attack was a tourist from Germany who worked as a nurse.

    Mr Darmanin said the person who got hurt was with his wife when someone attacked and killed him with a knife on Quai de Grenelle.

    He said a taxi driver saved the wife’s life and the suspect ran away over a bridge over the River Seine.

    After going to the other side of the river, he hurt two more people: a 60-year-old man from France and a 66-year-old tourist from Britain who got hit in the eye with a hammer.

    The police used a Taser to stop the suspect and arrested them for planning to kill someone. They are also suspected of trying to kill someone as part of a terrorist plot.

    The two hurt people got help from emergency workers and on Sunday, the Health Minister said to the French media that they were doing well.

    A video posted online seemed to show the police catching the suspect with guns not too far from where the attack happened.

    Mr Darmanin said the person who attacked was heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” and told police that he was upset because many Muslims are dying in Afghanistan and Palestine.

    The suspect also said that France helped cause the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza.

  • France to outlaw smoking in parks and beaches

    France to outlaw smoking in parks and beaches

    France will stop people from smoking on beaches and in public parks. The government wants to prevent 75,000 deaths each year from smoking-related illnesses.

    The government wants to stop people from smoking by 2032. They have made some rules to help achieve this.

    The French health minister, Aurélien Rousseau, said that people will not be allowed to smoke at the beach, in parks, forests, and near schools in France soon.

    The minister didn’t say when exactly, but he hinted that people might get fines as soon as next year in an interview with CNN-affiliate BFMTV.

    Rousseau said that the price of cigarettes will go up slowly. In 2025, a pack will cost 12 euros ($13), and in 2027, it will cost 13 euros ($14).

    France had already decided in September that it would not allow disposable e-cigarettes.

    “We want this plan to stop making smoking seem unimportant,” Rousseau said to BFMTV.

    “He said we need to stop finding enjoyment in smoking, and we shouldn’t accept that 200 people die each day from smoking-related causes. “

  • Samuel Paty: Six French teens on trial for death of a teacher

    Samuel Paty: Six French teens on trial for death of a teacher

    Six young people are in court in Paris because they are accused of being involved in the killing of a teacher named Samuel Paty.

    The kids are being accused of saying mean things and telling the person who hurt Mr. Paty, a refugee from Chechnya, where to find him at the school.

    The kids were 13 to 15 years old when the killing happened in 2020, and the trial was kept private.

    The news says that the people who are accused could go to prison for 2. 5They covered their faces when they went to court on Monday.

    Mr Paty was killed on October 16, 2020 after he showed his students cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad during a lesson on freedom of speech.

    The youngest person involved was 13 years old when the crime happened. She got in trouble at school nine days before Mr Paty was killed, but it wasn’t because of his murder.

    She came to the court wearing a black jacket with the hood covering her head, as reported by AFP news agency.

    She is accused of lying to her father about getting in trouble for talking to Mr. Paty about Muslim students leaving the class.

    She was not in the class. Despite this, her father put up videos on social media asking for Mr Paty to be fired.

    The lawyers think that these videos made Abdoullakh Anzorov go from Normandy to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, near Paris, to do the killing.

    Anzorov, who was 18 years old, was killed by police at the scene.

    The other five suspects are accused of helping Anzorov find Mr. Paty at the school for €300. Anzorov told someone that he wanted to make a video of Mr. Paty apologizing for showing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

    Next year, eight more grown-ups will have another trial because they are also accused of being involved in the murder. This includes Brahim Chnina, the father of the 13-year-old girl who is being judged.

    One man is accused of going with Anzorov to buy weapons, and the other is accused of driving him to the school where Mr. Paty worked on the day he was killed.

  • Vale makes effort to strengthen its ties with France

    Vale makes effort to strengthen its ties with France

    People are working on a plan to renew the connection between the Guensey Parish of the Vale and a town in France. They believe that this will be good for the island.

    Twinning is when two places like towns or villages become friends and share their cultures and social activities.

    The Vale Douzaine is working to reconnect with Barneville Carteret, a town in the northwest of France.

    The parish and the town became twinned in 1989. But now, because the people who were in charge of keeping the twinning going are no longer around, the two places aren’t as friendly anymore.

    ‘Good things for neighborhoods’

    Guernsey, the Vale, and Barneville Carteret are connected mainly by boats and the people who work in the marine industry.

    “The marina at Carteret is very busy and I’ve been there many times. We always feel welcome from the yacht club and the people in charge, both as a group and as individuals. ”

    “I think it would be good for both communities to exchange their cultures. ”

    St Saviour’s Parish and Monteburg have been connected since the 1980s when farmers in France got in touch with farmers in Guernsey.

    St Saviour’s Parish has been paired with Montebourg, a town in Normandy, since 1993. They visit each other every year and have a strong connection.

    People from St Saviour go to La Foire de la Chandeleur for a fair and market with cattle, and people from Montebourg go to the West Show.

    Stuart Crisp, who leads the St Saviour’s Multiple Twinning Association, said: “For us, a twinning charter encourages people from both communities to visit each other and helps to boost tourism, social interaction, and the economy. ”

    He said, “This year was very special for us because it was our 30th year of twinning. ”

    “It’s great to confirm the friendship between Montebourg and St. ”

    “Twinning is important for both places and it’s a chance to speak French and share our cultures. “

  • France undocumented workers go on strike due to an alleged “overexploitation”

    France undocumented workers go on strike due to an alleged “overexploitation”

    On Tuesday morning, more than 30 companies in the Ile-de-France region witnessed a coordinated strike by hundreds of undocumented workers, condemning their alleged overexploitation and demanding their regularization.

    Approximately 500 individuals, primarily of African origin, took part in this action, occupying 33 companies in various sectors such as construction, logistics, cleaning, and distribution, primarily in Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis.

    Notably, 34 of these workers entered the headquarters of a temporary employment agency in Saint-Denis, near the Stade de France.

    They were employed in roles such as garbage collection and construction work, especially for projects related to the Olympic Games and Greater Paris.

    Accompanied by union activists, they displayed a banner from the CGT (General Confederation of Labor) and pledged to remain on the premises until their regularization is achieved.

    The majority of the striking workers are employed as temporary laborers for subcontractors, working on behalf of major companies like Veolia, Chronopost, and Carrefour. The CGT, which is supporting their action, has accused these companies of masking the overexploitation of these undocumented immigrants.

    “We are on strike in our companies to win our regularization and our rights,” assure those concerned in this text.

    “We want to make things happen,” explained Mamadou Kébé, who obtained his regularization after a year of strike between October 2008 and 2009.

    “These workers must be able to enjoy the rights for which they contribute and pay taxes,” judged the man who now leads the immigration collective of the CGT 93.

    Every year, between 7,000 and 10,000 workers are regularized. For the CGT, who pegs this workforce’s size at a few hundred thousand individuals, this number is insufficient.

    According to the union’s press release, immigrants make up “40 to 62% of workers in the home help, construction, hotel and catering, cleaning, security, and agri-food sectors” in Ile-de-France.

  • France, Belgium and Portugal secure their places at Euro 2024 

    France, Belgium and Portugal secure their places at Euro 2024 

    France, Belgium, and Portugal have officially secured their spots at Euro 2024 after claiming victories on Friday.

    In a bid to guarantee their qualification, these teams had to secure wins and were driven to victory by their standout players.

    Kylian Mbappe played a pivotal role in France’s triumph over the Netherlands in Amsterdam by scoring a brace. The PSG star found the back of the net on both sides of the halftime break, and despite Quilindschy Hartman pulling one back for the Netherlands with seven minutes remaining, France maintained their lead.

    With this win, Didier Deschamps’ squad has the opportunity to vie for the title of European champions for the first time since 2000.

    The France boss said: “We qualified but it was never easy.

    “To be able to do it two games to go, even if there is room for improvement, I am very proud to see what this group has achieved.”

    Sevilla winger Dodi Lukebakio emerged as the hero for Belgium, securing their place in Germany with a 3-2 victory over Austria. The 26-year-old matched Kylian Mbappe’s two-goal performance, giving Domenico Tedesco’s team a comfortable lead before Romelu Lukaku extended it. Although Austria managed two late goals of their own, it was not enough.

    Cristiano Ronaldo played a starring role for Portugal, leading them to a 3-2 victory and securing their spot in the upcoming competition. The Al-Hilal striker scored in both halves in an entertaining match against Slovakia, guaranteeing Roberto Martinez another opportunity at international silverware.

    The draw for the tournament is scheduled for Saturday, December 2, with the 24 qualifying teams placed into six groups of four. All three of these teams will be considered favorites to contend for the championship, which commences on Friday, June 14.

    Germany will feature in the tournament’s opening match in Munich, and the final is set to take place in Berlin on Sunday, July 14.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IltqWwQM4Fg
  • Teacher stabbed to death in French school

    Teacher stabbed to death in French school

    A teacher was murdered and two people were badly hurt in a stabbing incident at a school in France, according to authorities.

    The attack occurred at the Gambetta high school in Arras at around 11:00 AM. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin shared this information.

    The person who attacked someone has been caught and is now under control of the authorities.

    According to people who saw it happen, he yelled “Allahu Akbar”, which means “God is greatest”, while carrying out the attack.

    The teacher who was killed was someone who taught the French language. Two other people who were hurt were a teacher and a security guard.

    The police say that the guy, who is in his 20s, is from Chechnya and is involved in radical Islam. The security services already know about him.

    According to French media, he used to go to the school.

    The French authorities are investigating an attack for possible links to terrorism. They are looking into charges of murder and attempted murder connected to a terrorist group.

    News channel BFMTV says that the police have also caught the attacker’s brother.

    The police say everything is okay now.

    French President Emmanuel Macron will go to the school later today, while the National Assembly in Paris has stopped its meeting to support the victims.

    The attack happened during a time when there was more conflict between the Muslim and Jewish communities in France. This conflict was because of the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

    But the police say there is no evidence connecting it to the Middle East.

    The attack happened almost three years after another teacher, Samuel Paty, was killed and had his head cut off at his school in a place near Paris.

    The person who committed the attack was a young man named Abdullakh Anzorov. He was 18 years old and came from Russia. He was also a Muslim and had sought refuge in another country. The police quickly responded to the attack and shot and killed him.