Tag Archives: France

Euronews reports: France’s parliament has unanimously backed proposed legislation that would ban so-called gay conversion therapy. The new law would introduce prison sentences and fines for people who attempt to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBT citizens. French lawmakers voted 115-0 on Tuesday night for the draft law proposed by members of President Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche! …

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis expressed “shame” for himself and the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday for the scale of child sexual abuse within the church in France and acknowledged failures in putting the needs of victims first. The pope spoke during his regular audience at the Vatican about a report released Tuesday that estimated some 330,000 French children …

The Associated Press reports: French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was convicted Thursday and sentenced to a year of house arrest for illegal campaign financing of his unsuccessful 2012 reelection bid, will appeal the ruling, his lawyer said. The court said Sarkozy would be allowed to serve the one-year sentence at home by wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet. Sarkozy’s lawyer, Thierry …

Agence France-Presse reports: France’s Naval Group said Wednesday it will send a “detailed and calculated proposal” to Australia in the coming weeks of the costs it expects Canberra to pay for scrapping a massive contract to purchase French submarines. Australia in 2016 agreed to buy 12 diesel-powered submarines built by Naval Group in a deal dubbed the “contract of the …

CNN reports: The French government has immediately recalled its ambassador to the US for consultation in response to the recently announced national security partnership with the United Kingdom and Australia. Philippe Étienne, the French ambassador to the US, confirmed the news when reached for comment. In a statement, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, said …

Politico Europe reports: Marine Le Pen hit out at Emmanuel Macron on Sunday and sought to tamp down talk that controversial TV star Eric Zemmour is stealing her thunder on the far right as she launched her third bid for the French presidency. Le Pen told her far-right National Rally members in the seaside town of Fréjus, southern France, that …

CNN reports: A French government decree issued on Thursday bumped the United States and Israel from the country’s “green” list, down to “orange,” effectively prohibiting nonessential travel to France for unvaccinated visitors. France’s move follow restrictions imposed on US travelers from several other European destinations. Earlier this week, Spain changed its entry policy for arrivals from the US, requiring them …

The New York Times reports: A vaccination center in southeastern France inundated with a fire hose, its walls vandalized with words equating vaccines with “genocide.” A piece of paper found in a vaccination center in Toulouse, France, with a message: “One day all this will blow up.” These episodes were highlighted in the French news media this week as France’s …

The Associated Press reports: France took a big step Monday into a post-pandemic future by requiring people to show a QR code proving they have a special virus pass before they can enjoy restaurants and cafes or travel across the country. The measure is part of a government plan to encourage more people to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot and …

The Associated Press reports: France’s parliament approved a law early Monday requiring special virus passes for all restaurants and domestic travel and mandating vaccinations for all health workers. Both measures have prompted protests and political tensions. President Emmanuel Macron and his government say they are needed to protect vulnerable populations and hospitals as infections rebound and to avoid new lockdowns. …

Cycling News reports: The spectator who caused a mass crash on the opening day of the Tour de France has been arrested and placed in custody, according to RTL. Race organisers threatened legal action in the aftermath of Saturday’s incident and French police soon opened an enquiry, launching a search for the culprit. After appealing for witnesses, the person has …

CBS Sports reports: A spectator at the Tour de France who caused a massive crash involving dozens of cyclists is missing as race authorities plan to sue her. Tour de France deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told AFP news agency they plan to sue the woman “so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for …

The New York Daily News reports: French authorities are looking for the fan who caused a bloody crash Saturday during the Tour de France — an incident punishable by up to a year behind bars — as the race’s organizers plan to sue the clueless sign-brandishing spectator, according to reports. Prosecutors in Brittany on Sunday began an investigation to find …

Cycling News reports: Primoz Roglic and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) were among just two of the fallers in a massive crash on stage 1 of the Tour de France. The incident took place with 45km to go. The incident appeared to be caused by a spectator on the side of the road, with the Jumbo-Visma team the most heavily involved. …

ABC News reports: A 28-year-old Frenchman who described himself as a right-wing or extreme-right “patriot” was sentenced to four months in prison Thursday for slapping President Emmanuel Macron in the face. Damien Tarel was also banned from ever holding public office in France and from owning weapons for five years over the swipe Tuesday, which caught Macron’s left cheek with …

The Guardian reports: A medieval martial arts enthusiast who slapped the French president, Emmanuel Macron, across the face will appear before a judge in a fast-track trial on Thursday. Damien Tarel had acknowledged striking Macron while the president was on a visit to a professional training college, but told investigators it was not premeditated, the prosecutor Alex Perrin said in …

The BBC reports: French President Emmanuel Macron has been slapped in the face on an official visit to the south-east of France. In a video circulating on social media, Mr Macron is seen walking up to a barrier on a trip to Tain-l’Hermitage outside the city of Valence. A man in a green T-shirt slaps Mr Macron in the face …

The New York Times reports: Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader aiming to be France’s next president, came to launch her latest campaign in the seaside resort where her firebrand father once announced his own bid for the presidency from the family home. But the recent trip to the family base at La Trinité-sur-Mer in western France, where Ms. Le …

The Verge reports: Spot, the quadruped robot built by US firm Boston Dynamics, has appeared alongside soldiers during military exercises carried out by the French army. The robot was apparently being used for reconnaissance during a two-day training exercise, but the deployment raises questions about how and where Boston Dynamics’ machines will be used in future. Pictures of the exercises …

The BBC reports: French schools will close for at least three weeks as part of new national restrictions to fight rising Covid cases, President Emmanuel Macron says. Mr Macron said that schools would move to remote learning from next week. Lockdown measures, introduced in some areas of France earlier this month, are also being extended to other districts. All non-essential …