Macron warns about Le Pen and regrets pensions campaign

PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron warned Sunday about far-right leader Marine Le Pen coming to power as he suggested that he should have got more involved in selling his unpopular pension reform to the country. Speaking to Le Parisien newspaper, the 45-year-old joined others across the French political spectrum in warning about anti-immigration Le …

Paris court gives man life term for 1980 synagogue bombing

Paris (AFP) – A Paris court on Friday sentenced Lebanese-Canadian citizen Hassan Diab to life in prison in absentia for the 1980 bombing of a synagogue in which four people died. The court followed prosecutors' request for the maximum possible punishment against Diab, now 69 and a university professor in Canada. Hassan Diab, seen here, is …

Osimhen and Maignan head-to-head as Napoli and Milan chase Champions League glory

Milan (AFP) – Victor Osimhen and Mike Maignan will face off for a place in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday when AC Milan travel south to Naples for the decisive second leg of the all-Italian quarter-final. Nigerian striking sensation Osimhen and France's new first-choice goalkeeper Maignan arrived at two of Italy's most storied clubs via …

France seeks to reassure Taiwan over Macron’s controversial remarks

The French parliament is set to send two delegations to visit Taiwan this month after President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial remarks on China and Taiwan sparked criticism at home and abroad after his trip to State Visit to Beijing.   On the flight returning from  China, where he received a warm welcome,  Macron  said in an interview …

French far-right veteran Le Pen doing well after heart attack: daughter

Paris (AFP) – Jean-Marie Le Pen, the veteran ex-leader of the far right in France, is "doing well" in hospital following a mild heart attack, his daughter and successor Marine Le Pen said Sunday. Father and daughter in the last years underwent a major public political and personal falling out, as Marine Le Pen sought to …

USA sweep into BJK Cup Finals with France, Czech Republic

Paris (AFP) – Jessica Pegula sealed victory for the United States over Austria on Saturday as the record 18-time champions secured their place in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. World number three Pegula made quick work of Julia Grabher, winning 6-1, 6-3, to give the heavily favoured Americans an unassailable 3-0 lead over Austria in …

G7 pledges to quit fossil fuels faster, but no new deadline

Sapporo (Japan) (AFP) – The G7 pledged on Sunday to quit fossil fuels faster and urged other countries to follow suit, but failed to agree to any new deadlines on ending polluting power sources like coal. The language reflects the depth of disagreements among the allies on the balance between climate action and energy security, with …

Australia bans TikTok on government devices due to security fears

Australia said Tuesday it will ban TikTok on government devices, joining a growing list of Western nations cracking down on the Chinese-owned app due to national security fears. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the decision followed advice from the country's intelligence agencies and would begin "as soon as practicable". A person holds a smartphone as Tik …

Messi becomes a target for fan discontent as PSG malaise deepens

Paris (AFP) – A malaise has set in around Paris Saint-Germain since their exit from the Champions League, with a section of the club's support turning on Lionel Messi amid a run of results that has given their domestic rivals an improbable glimmer of hope in the French title race. On Sunday Messi's name was jeered …

France’s Macron opens way to potential assisted dying legalisation

Paris (AFP) – France could be the next European country to legalise euthanasia for the terminally ill after President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for a law on a "French model on the end of life" within months. The president tasked government with drafting a new law "by summer's end" after a public consultation showed openness …

PSG’s Champions League pursuit is a problem ‘at all levels’ – Laurent Blanc

Paris Saint-Germain are struggling to come to terms with again failing to win the Champions League, according to former coach Laurent Blanc. Blanc led Lyon to a 1-0 win at PSG on Sunday, potentially breathing life into the Ligue 1 title race. Laurent Blanc back at the Parc des Princes PSG looked to have the …

Macron says France must boost end-of-life care following citizens’ report

President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France must improve the availability of palliative care and there would be a draft bill by the end of the summer on whether some form of assisted dying should be allowed. He said the bill would build on the work of a group of 184 randomly appointed French citizens …

Burkina Faso expels reporters from French newspapers ‘Le Monde’, ‘Liberation’

Burkina Faso has expelled correspondents from France's Le Monde and Liberation dailies, the newspapers said on Sunday, the latest move the junta running the west African country has taken against French media. Burkina Faso, which witnessed two coups last year, is battling a jihadist insurgency that spilled over from neighbouring Mali in 2015. A photograph …

Vieira sacked by Crystal Palace after winless run

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace sacked manager Patrick Vieira on Friday after a miserable run of one win in 14 Premier League games pulled them into a relegation battle. The London club, without a win in 2023 under the former Arsenal and France midfielder, are 12th in the table but are just three points above the …

France’s music hotspots, boosted by Brad Pitt

Paris (AFP) – They are little corners of French paradise that draw British and American rockstars to record their masterpieces -- with a little help from Brad Pitt. France has long had its share of famous music studios that have attracted not just local talent, but foreign bands hoping some of the country's artistic heritage will …