France

Clashes on Champs-Elysees as French protesters rage against taxes

24 Nov 2018; AFP: Anti-government protesters clashed with French police on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Saturday, leaving the area cloaked in tear gas and smoke from fires on a fresh day of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron.

Demonstrators wearing the yellow, high-visibility vests that symbolise their movement threw projectiles at police preventing them from moving along the famed shopping avenue, which was decked out in twinkling Christmas lights.

Scientists vote to redefine the kilogram in France

PARIS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists from more than 60 countries and regions gathering in France agreed on Friday to redefine the value of a kilogram in terms of "the Planck constant", a "fundamental constant of quantum physics", which they said would improve the accuracy of scientific measurements, according to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).

Police stop protesters approaching Trump motorcade in Paris

French police stopped two topless protesters who approached the motorcade of US President Donald Trump as he made his way up the Champs-Elysees to a ceremony in Paris marking 100 years since the end of World War I.

One of the protesters, with slogans written on her body, got within metres of the rear of the motorcade after jumping over a barricade.

She was grabbed by a police officer, while a second woman could be seen being hauled away by security services on the edge of the famous avenue, live television pictures showed.

Macron snubs US arms in defence spat with Trump

PARIS, Nov 11 (AFP) Europe should not spend higher defence budgets on US-made weapons, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview due to air Sunday, after a defence row with President Donald Trump.

One of dozens of world leaders attending World War I commemorations in France this weekend, Trump tweeted after landing in Paris that Macron's call for a "real European army" was "insulting".

France’s Macron defends Europe from all sides _ including US

PARIS (AP) — After French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe needs to defend itself from the United States, aides said he was misunderstood.

But the idea isn’t so far-fetched.

Macron is leading a rearguard action to salvage the system of international cooperation the U.S. helped build, but which President Donald Trump has chipped away at since taking office.

While Trump came all the way to Paris for commemorations marking 100 years since the armistice that ended World War I, he’s skipping an international peace forum that Macron is launching Sunday.

Trump, Macron try to project unity

PARIS (AP) — President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are trying to project unity after Trump lashed out at one of America’s strongest allies in Europe.

Trump had claimed Macron insulted the United States when the French president pushed the idea of the continent having its own defense force.

The American and French leaders have had an up-and-down relationship, but they told reporters that they are good friends as they prepared for talks at the Elysee Palace on Saturday.

Indian politician accuses French CEO of 'hiding truth' in Rafale deal

7 Nov 2018; AFP: A senior Indian opposition leader on Tuesday accused the CEO of a French aviation company involved in a controversial fighter jet deal of "trying to hide the truth".

Kapil Sibal, a lawyer and former cabinet minister, said Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier had deliberately tried in recent interviews to "muddy the waters" over the 2016 sale of 36 Rafale planes to India.

New Caledonia rejects independence from France: Early results

4 Nov 2018; DW: Early results suggest voters on the Pacific islands have rejected an independence referendum. Opponents of independence pointed to the territory's economic reliance on France.

Voters on the Pacific islands of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly in favor of remaining part of France on Sunday, according to partial results of an independence referendum. 

European Parliament awards Sakharov Prize to Ukrainian filmmaker convicted of terrorism

PARIS, October 25. /TASS/. The European Parliament has awarded the 2018 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Oleg Sentsov, convicted of terrorism in Crimea, whom Kiev considers to be a Ukrainian national.

The European Parliament's President Antonio Tajani announced the winner.

The Sakharov Prize honors individuals and organizations for achievements in the field of human rights. Sentsov was nominated by the European People's Party. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held in Strasbourg on December 12.

France "will not hesitate" to impose sanctions if Saudi Arabia proves guilty in Khashoggi's death

PARIS, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron told Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that France would take action against Riyadh if an investigation proves it was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In a press release late Wednesday, the president's office said the two leaders discussed the investigation into Khashoggi's death during a phone conversation.

"Macron expressed his profound indignation and asked that all light be shed on the circumstances that led to this tragedy," the Elysee added.

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