European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday she wanted to open the door for Canada to become the European Union's first "associate member". France 24's Douglas Herbert tells us more.
France's ex-culture minister Rachida Dati appeared in court Wednesday on corruption charges linked to dealings with the Renault-Nissan group, just months after her bruising defeat in the Paris mayoral race.
A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced a former school aide to one year of house arrest with an ankle tag for sexually abusing nine children – the first conviction since a nationwide scandal erupted over abuse in France's childcare system. Nearly 200 similar cases are under investigation in Paris alone, with parents and advocacy groups saying their trust in schools is collapsing.
For humanitarian doctors and healthcare workers operating in active conflict zones, the challenges are seemingly endless: from so-called "double tap" strikes that put emergency workers at risk, to roadblocks, evacuation orders and even the positioning of humanitarian organisations in the political debate. Pierre Catoire, emergency doctor and vice-president of Mehad — A French NGO dedicated to healthcare in conflict zones — speaks to FRANCE 24 about how medical professionals go about their work in such conditions.
With tear gas, grenades and a new law, French authorities are targeting unlicensed music gatherings. Those in the rave scene explore the parallels with the UK in the 90s When Spiral Tribe fled England in 1992, they left behind an indelible mark on rave history. The itinerant sound system collective are best known for their involvement with Castlemorton Common festival, an unlicensed free party drawing more than 30,000 people and lasting nearly a week. After a drawn-out and notoriously expensive trial for public order offences, Spiral Tribe were acquitted of all charges. They decided to drive their repurposed military caravans out of the UK and never look back. Their documented history often stops there. But little known is the fact that they then kicked off “the biggest illegal underground movement that Europe had ever seen”, says Spiral Tribe associate Sebastian Vaughan, AKA electronic musician 69db. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Whitney Wei16 Sept
French motorists are flocking to gas stations operated by TotalEnergies, where gasoline prices are capped, but its rivals are accusing the oil giant of unfair competition with the government's support.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is delivering a major state of the European Union speech on Wednesday setting out her priorities for the next year and her vision for tackling the challenges faced by the world’s biggest trading bloc. France 24's Armen Georgian tells us more.
For the UN's International Day of Democracy we ask: “how is democracy doing in France and globally?” We also take a look at Le Monde's Ipsos poll on the presidential election as well as studies on the effect US politics is having on democracy globally. Finally, we will break down a common misperception that backsliding is due to “democracy not delivering”.
Earlier this year, HBO Max content boss Sarah Aubrey told us her team wanted to replicate the success of Emmy-winner The Pitt around the world, and France appears to be one of the first destinations. Unveiled today at La Rochelle Fiction Festival, HBO Max is making Rush [working title], a medical drama set in Paris […]
Deadline•Max Goldbart16 Sept
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince sought backing Tuesday from the president of Egypt, his ally across the Red Sea, as the kingdom faces increased attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi shipping and infrastructure that have helped drive a surge in global oil prices. France 24's Rochelle Ferguson Bouyahi tells us more.
Canadian Prime Minister was given a standing ovation at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect of Canada becoming the 27-nation bloc's first “associate member”. "We want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible," von der Leyen said as she pitched closer cooperation on tech, defence and energy.
France would back Dutchman Klaas Knot to succeed Christine Lagarde as head of the European Central Bank provided the powerful post of ECB chief economist went to a French candidate, people familiar with the matter have told Reuters.
France's former culture minister Rachida Dati goes on trial at a Paris court Wednesday in a corruption case involving charges of lobbying for Renault-Nissan when she was a European parliament member. The high-profile case centres on a contract signed in October 2009 between Dati and fugitive businessman Carlos Ghosn, then head of Renault-Nissan. Dati denies the allegations.
ITA Airways will operate Pope Leo XIV's flight from Rome Fiumicino to Paris Orly on September 25, using an Airbus A321neo for the papal journey to France.
Cosmetics group L'Oreal became France's most valuable listed company yesterday, surpassing Louis Vuitton owner LVMH as high-end luxury companies remain under pressure after years of slowing sales and lacklustre earnings.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen is set to deliver the annual State of the Union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, at a time when the European Union is being hit by multiple crises, including migration, AI, climate change and Russia’s war on Ukraine. Watch live on FRANCE 24 at 9am Paris time (GMT+2).
France's incoming ambassador to the US has been cleared to take up his post after Paris apologised for criticism of Washington over a UN vote. Aurelien Lechevallier, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron to replace Laurent Bili, is expected to arrive in Washington in the coming weeks following the diplomatic dispute.
European Union envoys have pushed back the expiry of EU Russia sanctions listings by seven days until September 22, a spokesperson for the EU's Irish presidency said on Monday, after failing to agree on a six-month renewal. At issue is whether to de-list Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov. France has joined Slovakia in a call to remove him, citing national security concerns, EU diplomats said. FRANCE 24's August Hakansson reports.
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Rex Li, Professor of International Relations at King's College London, says that China "is trying to promote an alternative international security order and project itself as a stabilising force in world politics", adding that while Beijing "is increasingly willing to play a more significant part in ending the conflict in the Middle East, so far we haven't seen any concrete proposals coming from China".
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Rex Li, Professor of International Relations at King's College London, says that China "is trying to promote an alternative international security order and project itself as a stabilising force in world politics", adding that while Beijing "is increasingly willing to play a more significant part in ending the conflict in the Middle East, so far we haven't seen any concrete proposals coming from China".