Latest French News

 

French universities safety financed by a fund for disabled people
9 September

The Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said she would spend €30m to secure French universities. The problem is that this money comes from the Fund for the Integration of Handicapped People into the Civil Service (FIPHFP). This is not the first time that the government uses the FIPHFP's money. Since 2013, almost €300m have been used. The Fund receives contributions from universities which employ less than 6% of disabled workers. The Funds gets €45m each year thanks to these contributions, but this year, they will have to work with €15m only. 

 

Terrorist attack near Notre-Dame in Paris failed
9 September

On Sunday 4 September, a Peugeot 607 was discovered near the cathedral Notre-Dame in Paris without any license plates. Six gas cylinders and three bottles full of diesel were in the car. There was no detonator inside but a burnt cloth was found and could have been used to trigger an explosion. In the car was also a diary with notes written in Arabic which are being translated. The anti-terrorist squad has open an investigation and arrested 7 people linked to radicalised Islam in 5 days. Two couples are being questioned by police, including a woman who is close to the wife of the Hyper casher terrorist, Amedy Coulibaly. Three other women have been arrested, including the daughter of the car owner. The Home Office Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that they are "radicalised and fanaticised" women who were preparing "a new and imminent violent action". He then congratulated the police and the military from the "Sentinelle" operation, who "helped our country prevent a new tragedy."

First gold French medal at the Paralympic Games
9 September

France has won its first gold medal at the Paralympic Games, thanks to the judoka Sandrine Martinet. Team GB has already won 11 medals in cycling and swimming and is now 2nd in the ranking, behind China and their 20 medals.

 

Air China gave racist advice to travellers about London
9 September

The airline company Air China has caused outrage in the UK after giving racist advice to travellers going to London. They warned about areas of London "populated by Indian, Pakistani and black people" in their in flight magazine Wings of China. "We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and for ladies to be always accompanied by another person when travelling" can also be read. Many London MPs were shocked and urged the Chinese ambassador to apologise, They also requested for all magazines to be removed.

 

Dozens of tourists stuck all night in cable cars on Mont Blanc
9 September

Thirty-three people were stuck all night in 6 cable cars on Mont Blanc as three cables got crossed "for unknown reasons" yesterday evening. Fortunately, they had access to emergency blankets, bottles of water and energy bars which are provided in every car. Seventy-seven other tourists were rescued before nightfall but then the conditions became very difficult for a rescue. Everyone has eventually reached the ground safe and sound this morning. 

Theresa May won't follow Vote Leave's Brexit pledges
5 September

Theresa May refuses to follow Vote Leave group's pledges of a points-based immigration system and £100m a week for the NHS. She is attending the G20 meeting in China today, where Japan and the US warned her about the consequences of Brexit. "I'm going to work for what I just said I'm going to work for: the best possible deal for the UK in terms of the relationship that we would have with the EU, following us leaving" she said.

Mother Teresa declared a saint by Pope Francis
5 September

Mother Teresa has been declared a saint by Pope Francis on Sunday in the Vatican. She was mostly known for her fight for the poor and for curing two people miraculously. She also received the Nobel peace prize in 1979. She died 19 years ago in Calcutta.

 

New Polish immigrants are welcome in London, Boris Johnson said
5 September

Boris Johnson said that new generations of Polish immigrants are welcome in London, while he was visiting a Polish school on Saturday. "London is the most welcoming, multicultural, happening city on earth - no disrespect to Warsaw - and there is no room for xenophobia" he said. Poland's Foreign Secretary Witold Waszczykowski mentioned a conversation he had with his British counterpart about Polish citizens in the UK, and Johnson told him "whatever you do, don't take them back, Britain needs them for its economy".

London celebrates the Great Fire
5 September

Exactly 350 years ago, London was consumed by the Great Fire. Yesterday evening, a wooden replica of 17th century London was burned on the Thames to celebrate the event. On 2 September 1666, the fire started in a bakery in Pudding Lane. Within 3 days, it destroyed 80% of the city. Nevertheless, less than 10 people died.

Thousands of people marched for Europe in the UK
5 September

On Saturday, thousands of people in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Oxford gathered to protest against the Brexit vote. The March for Europe took place from Marble Arch to Westminster Parliament, with hundreds of European flags waving above the crowd. Amongst the protesters was the comedian Eddie Izzard who said : "we are still fighting" to stay in the EU.

Salah Abdeslam refused to meet the judge
1 September

Salah Abdeslam, who is the main suspect of the 13 November attacks in Paris, refused to meet the antiterrorist judge early July. He also remained silent in May when questioned about the attacks. His lawyer said Abdeslam refused to talk because of "CCTV [in his cell] which he no longer wants."

Hinkley Point: EDF employee representatives file legal challenge
1 September

Five out of six EDF employee representatives filed a legal challenge, urging to annul the company's investment decision in the Hinkley Point project. They claimed that the chief executive Jean-Bernard Lévy "did not communicate crucial information about this major project" during the board meeting held on 28 July. EDF would currently have to pay around £18bn to build 2 nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point meanwhile the company is struggling financially. 

Camden locks to get empty next weekend
1 September

Camden locks will be emptied between 3 and 4 September for maintenance work. Visitors will be able to visit the 200-year old structures by taking the steps down to discover Camden from a new perspective. More information here.

 

Anti-burkini ban suspended before expiry date
1 September

Nice and Toulon's court suspended the burkini ban in Cannes and Fréjus just before they expired on 31 August. Most of the bans came to an end yesterday but some are still valid until 15 September. Some mayors, in Eze for instance, stopped banning the burkini after the state council decided to overturn the ban in Villeneuve Loubet on Friday 26 August.

France urges to stop TTIP deal talks
31 August

The French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl has urged to stop negotiations for an EU free trade deal with the United States. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal talks have started on July 2013 and France thinks that they are not going anywhere. "The Americans have given nothing" Matthias Fekl claimed, "this is not how allies should negotiate." François Hollande confirmed this position in a speech given during the Ambassadors' week : "The negotiations are bogged down, positions have not been respected, it's clearly unbalanced." France is not the only country wanting to halt the talks. The German vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel admitted that "negotiations with the United States have de facto failed, even though nobody is really admitting it."

 

French government changing after Economy Minister's resignation
31 August

The French government has a new Economy Minister, after Emmanuel Macron resignation yesterday. The current Minister of Finance, Michel Sapin, is now also in charge of the country's economy. The Overseas Territories Minister George Pau-Langevin has resigned "for personal reasons". She was planning to quit in the Autumn but the government did not want reshuffle several times before the presidential election. She has been replaced by Ericka Bareigts, former Minister of Real Equality.

"Strong signal" detected from space by Russian telescope
31 August

A Russian telescope has detected a "strong signal" from star HD164595, in the constellation Hercules. It could be an extra-terrestrial transmission but scientists remain prudent, as it could also be a radio interference or a natural phenomenon. Paul Gilster, the founder of the website Centauri Dream, which revealed the Russian discovery, said that "no one is claiming that this is the work of an extraterrestrial civilisation, but it is certainly worth looking into it."

 

Marine Le Pen takes some distance with the National Front
31 August

Marine Le Pen's campaign has taken a different turn for the presidential election. The name and logo of the National Front have disappeared from her leaflets and social media pages. She even removed her name from her new website marine2017.fr. The changes occurred after her father just registered the trademark "Jean-Marie Le Pen" to the National institute of intellectual property.

 

Birmingham named the funniest city in the UK
31 August

After being called a no-go zone by Fox News last year, Birmingham has now been named the funniest city in the UK, according to a study for the travel website lastminute.com. Be careful not to die laughing! Over three million conversations were analysed on the social media before concluding that Brummies are the country's most hilarious people. The report has classified 25 cities and towns and the second in the ranking is Leeds, just before Cardiff, Hull and Newcastle. 

French Economy Minister resigns
30 August

The French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron met François Hollande today to resign from the government. He wants to commit to his political movement "En Marche !" and, according to the French media Les Echos, thinks about the presidential election of 2017. Emmanuel Macron's resignation is not a surprise, in the past 5 months he was distancing himeslef more and more from the government.

Nicolas Sarkozy questions Le Touquet agreement
30 August

During a rally in Le Touquet, Nicolas Sarkozy said that the UK should open a centre to deal with migrants and asylum requests. "Those who are here in Calais and who want to cross the channel should be processed in England by the British Government," the candidate for the presidential election claimed. "It is not in France that we should do this." Nicolas Sarkozy already announced that he would change the Touquet treaty signed in 2003 by both countries and which determined that the British border will be set in Calais. France then had to take charge of migrants refused on British soil.

The first deradicalisation centre to open in France
30 August

The first deradicalisation centre will soon open in an 18th-century château in Beaumont-en-Véron, near Tours. The village residents are totally opposed to this centre aiming to assist radicalised people who volunteer to go through a process of deradicalisation to change them into law-abiding citizens. People fear this would be an opportunity for extremists to come and meet together in Beaumont-en-Véron. The government has planned to open 13 deradicalisation centres in France.

People in Brittany go swimming with their clothes on to support women wearing burkini
30 August

On Sunday, about 50 people went swimming with their clothes on to support women wearing burkinis, in Brittany. They entered the water wearing hoods, dresses and scarves to show that banning the burkini is ridiculous. "You can go swimming here wearing whatever you want, with whoever you want, without making a fuss about it", they told France 3.

Alain Juppé uses burkini ban to urge tolerance
30 August

Alain Juppé has urged the French to be more tolerant towards Muslims, whereas Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged a national ban of this type of swimwear. "France is diverse" he said during his speech in Chatou, near Paris, on Saturday. "We do not all have the same origins or the same skin colour or the same religion and that should be respected."

 

Mayors refuse to revoke burkini ban
30 August

Even though the French Council of State has declared that the burkini ban breaches the fundamental freedoms, many mayors have however decided not to suspend it. These towns could be asked to stop fining women wearing a burkini. About 30 towns are currently banning the burkini, including Nice and Cannes.

The ambassadors' week: French diplomacy in the spotlight
30 August

The ambassadors' week opened its doors yesterday. This week, the main points of France's foreign policies will be presented and discussed. The programme includes 5 days of debates, conferences and meetings during which French diplomacy will be made accessible to all. People are given the opportunity to interact with ambassadors on the Facebook and Twitter pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Here is the programme of the ambassadors' week

 

Burkini : French state council cancelled the ban in Villeneuve-Loubet
26 August

The French state council has cancelled the by-law banning the burkini in Villeneuve-Loubet. This means people can now wear burkini on this beach. The swimwear is still banned in 30 other towns. In case of a referral to the state council, the other by-laws could also be suspended. The court has stated that the ban was representing "an illegal infringement to the fundamental freedoms."

French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel died aged 86
25 August

The French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel died yesterday, aged 86. Known as the "queen of knitwear", the stylist had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for the past 15 years. 

More than 3000 reservists called to protect France against terrorism
25 August

The Home Office Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, announced that more than 3000 reservists will join forces with the French police to help protect schools and universities throughout the year. An extra of 50 million euros will be allocated to communities to secure their schools against terrorist attacks.

 

Oscar Wilde takes over le Petit Palais
25 August

Paris will celebrate the life and work of Oscar Wilde in an exhibition co-curated by his grandson from 28 September to 15 January. The writer spoke fluent French and regularly visited Paris. He died there aged 46 nd he is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery. Visitors will discover Wilde's manuscripts, photographs and drawings, as well as his personal effects. This is the first time an exhibition about Oscar Wilde is being held in Paris. 

Burkini : French Home Office Minister warns against "stigmatisation"
25 August

After meeting the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), the Home Office Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the burkini ban in many cities "must not lead to stigmatisation or the creation of hostility between French people". The CFCM urged to meet Cazeneuve as they were worried about the fierce debate raging for weeks about its ban on French beaches. "There must be firmness, [...] but also fraternity" the Minister continued. For now, about 30 French cities have banned "beachwear which ostentatiously displays religious affiliation."

UK citizenship should be given to EU medics
25 August

The European doctors and nurses living in the UK should be given automatic rights to British citizenship, the Institute for Public Policy Research said. The think-tank is worried about seeing the medical professionals going back to their home country because of Brexit.

 

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far
25 August

Temperatures hit 33.8C yesterday in Suffolk and 32C in London, making the 24 August the hottest day of the year in the UK so far. The Met Office issued a warning about a mini-heatwave until Friday morning. Public Health England recommends to be vigilent and to take care of yourself as well as vulnerable relatives over the coming days.

Crowdfunding campaign to fill empty stadiums for Paralympic Games
24 August

Tickets sales have been so poor for the Paralympic Games that a crowdfunding campaign has been created to give 2 million tickets to Brazilians. The Games organizers hope that stadiums will be filled so that the athletes can compete in the best possible conditions. "Save the 2016 Paralympics" campaign aims to raise £7m. Visit their website if you wish to help and donate.

Czech Republic wants a European army
24 August

The Czech President Bohuslav Sobotka has urged to put the idea of a common EU army on the agenda of the next EU summit to be held next October. "I am convinced that in the long term we won't be able to do without a common European army" he said. This army would not compete with NATO, it should even become "a reliable partner." Many countries have called for a European army, especially over the last two years, as they fear Islamist terrorists and feel pressure from a significant increase in the number of migrants. The former propositions have always been blocked by the United-Kingdom. 

Nicolas Sarkozy's programme for the presidential election
24 August

Nicolas Sarkozy has published his programme in his book "Tout pour la France", in which he announced that he is running in the next presidential election. He wants to limit immigration and control the borders thanks to what he calls "Schengen II, to reinforce the freedom of movement of the European citizens within the Union, but not for non-EU nationals." The former President thinks that pork-free menus should no longer be offered in school cantines and that the veil should be banned not only in schools but also at universities. He then said he would like migrants to embrace the French way of life: "We are not Anglo-Saxons who allow communities to live side by side while ignoring one another. it is time to engage in a determined combat against multiculturalism. For the last four years, France has been damaged by the tyranny of minorities."

 

British woman stabbed to death by a French man shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Australia
24 August

A 21year-old British woman has been stabbed to death in Australia by a French man who was allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar". It happened in a backpackers hostels, and two other people were also wounded in the attack. Queensland police said the man is not linked to Daesh, but his motivation is still unclear for now. Investigators are also considering the fact that the assaillant might have "mental health or drug" issues.

Alassio

Bathers flee to Italy to escape French burkini ban
24 August

More and more bathers are driving to Italian beaches after more than 15 French cities have banned the burkini. Lifeguards in Alassio noticed a significant increase in women in burkini since policemen began issuing fines those wearing them. The Italian government has rejected the idea of banning burkinis as it is seen as counter-productive and could provoke a violent backlash.

Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is officially running for French presidential election
23 August

Nicolas Sarkozy has officially announced that he is running in the French presidential campaign of 2017. The former President published his decision in his latest book Tout pour la France, which will be on sale from tomorrow. In order for him to be eligible in the primary election, Nicolas Sarkozy had to resign from the head of Les Républicains and has been replaced by Laurent Wauquiez. The primary election for the right will take place on 20 and 27 November. Voters have to choose amongst 13 candidates.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) trebles the risk of breast cancer
23 August

The British Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) has released a study claiming that women using hormone replacement therapy are three times more likely to develop breast cancer than non-users. About one in ten women use combined HRT to ease the symptoms of menopause with oestrogen and progestogen. Previous investigations were made about HRT but they may have understated the increased risks by up to 60%, the ICR said. Once women stop taking the treatment, the risks goes back to a normal level.

 

Huge tourism drop in France
23 August

The regional touristic committee of Ile-de-France published a report announcing that tourism had dropped in Paris during the first half of the year. Tourism professionals lost about €750M (£645M) in revenues since January. Figures show that hotels in Ile-de-France received one million fewer holidaymakers than last year. Tourists were discouraged by terrorist attacks but also by the many strikes as well as the bad weather and the floods. On the French Riviera, hotels reservations dropped by 14% in July. Palaces suffered the most as tourists feared new attacks. The Mercure Croisette Beach in Cannes received calls to cancel 450 nights last month alone.

BTP

Huge rise of race hate crime on UK railways after Brexit vote
22 August

Two weeks after the referendum, British Transport Police recorded 119 race hate incidents on UK railways, about 8 a day. The number of racist comments and attacks between 24 June and 7 July increased by 57% compared to the previous two weeks, and 78% to the same period in 2015. "We will always work tirelessly to ensure those who threaten or intimidate passengers are brought to justice," the BTP's Superintendent Chris Horton said.

British government to fight against radicalisation of inmates
22 August

Justice secretary Elizabeth Truss will announce today the government's actions to fight against radicalisation of inmates. Convicted extremists will be isolated from other inmates in "special units". "Preventing the most dangerous extremists from radicalising other prisoners is essential to the safe running of our prisons and fundamental to public protection" Elizabeth Truss said. 

Teddy Riner 

France's new record at the Olympic Games
22 August

The French team finished the Olympic Games in a great mood yesterday, as they beat their medal record since WWII. They are in 7th place with 42 medals, including 9 gold. The United States are still first in the ranking with 121 medals, just before Team GB who has won an amazing 67 medals and increased the number of medals they won in London, something no other nation has ever done before after hosting the games.

JK Rowling

JK Rowling to release 3 ebooks on Harry Potter's world
19 August

JK Rowling has announced that 3 digital books will be released on 6 September. They will reveal the stories of the Hogwarts School and famous characters such as Professor McGonagall and Dolores Umbridge. The three novels are named "Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists", "Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies" and "Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide". They will be available on Pottermore.com (a website for the young wizard's fan) and via digital booksellers.

Francois Hollande

François Hollande to stop his political career if not reelected in 2017
19 August

The journalists Antonin André and Karim Rissouli have a published a book named Conversations privées avec le président ("Private Conversations with the President"), in which François Hollande claims he "wanted" to be a candidate for the 2017 election. "I will not be a candidate if victory is not possible" he confessed. He then added: "If not reelected, I would end my political career."

 

Londoner saves a man who fell on underground tracks
19 August

Two days ago, at Tottenham Court Road underground station, a man fell on the tracks after feeling unwell. A commuter immediately jumped to help him while other travelers notified the station controller to slow down the next train. The man was taken to hospital and is no longer in danger. Both he and the British Transport Police have publicly thanked the mysterious man for his courageous heartwarming act. 

July was the hottest month of modern history
18 August

July 2016 has been the hottest month since the beginning of recording in 1880, according to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their report indicated that the sea surface temperature and air temperature on land was 0.84C hotter than the average from 1951 to 1980, and 0.11C hotter than the previous July 2015 record. The highest temperature last month was recorded in Kuwait, at 52.5C.

 

French unemployment down
18 August

The number of British people asking for unemployment benefits has fallen, and this was also the case in France during the second quarter of 2016. Unemployment has fallen by 0.3% to 9.9% of the French working population. The figure has dropped under the 10% rate for the first time since the third quarter of 2012. Between April and June, the French Institute of Statistics recorded 2.8 million unemployed in continental France. 

South Kensington

London rents have fallen for the first time in 6 years
18 August

London rents have fallen by 0.5% in July 2016, for the first time since November 2010. The network Countrywide has compared last month rents to July 2015. Brexit seems to be the reason for this drop : landlords in London fear the consequences of leaving the EU and rent their houses, rather than sell them. Because of the increase in the number of properties up for rent, prices have generally fallen, even in South Kensington.

Burkini 

Burkini banned from many French Beaches
17 August

Cannes was the first French city to ban burkinis from its beaches and 6 other Mayors have followed suit. The swimwear covers the women's body and head and has been controversial for days in France. Since its ban last Friday, 4 women have been fined €38 for wearing a burkini in Cannes. The Prime Minister Manuel Valls agrees with the Mayors of these cities, and said to the daily newspaper La Provence. "I support those who took this decision, if their motivation is to encourage people to live together, and not a political strategy" he claimed.

Jobs market in the UK at a better level than expected
17 August

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits has fallen by 8,600 in July, about 763,600 people. Experts were expecting a rise of 9,500 because of Brexit. This fall means that the UK's vote to leave the EU has not yet had an impact on employers' confidence.

2016 medals 

7 more medals for team France
17 August

Since Monday, France has won 7 more medals in Rio, now making it 29. However, the country has lost two ranks and is now in 6th place. So far the French team has won 7 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals. Great Britain is still second in the ranking with 50 medals, 12 more than two days ago.

 

100 extra police officers to protect London's night tube
15 August

The 24-hour travel underground will be launched next weekend in London and Mayor Sadiq Khan will deploy 100 extra police officers to protect travellers at night. As people are expected to stay longer in bars, the enhanced security will help prevent aggressive behaviour. Trains will run all night on Fridays and Saturdays on the Central and Victoria lines.

 

The Grand Beedapest Hotel to help protecting the British nature
15 August

The tea brand Taylors of Harrogate and Kew Gardens have launched a partnership to raise awareness about the role of bees in the production of fruit and vegetables. The insects can relax in their mini-mansion, inspired by Wes Anderson's film The Grand Budapest Hotel. Facilities have been set up, such as a peppermint leaf swimming pool and a rose lemonade restaurant. Is there a bee-tter way to highlight the importance of bees, even in the biggest cities in the world?

Brexit could be delayed to late 2019, Sunday Times claimed
15 August

The UK exit from the EU could be delayed until late 2019, according to The Sunday Times, citing sources close to British Ministers. The government is "chaotic", the newspaper reported, and is not ready to begin negotiations with the EU. "Ministers are now thinking the [Article 50] trigger could be delayed until autumn 2017", a source, who had spoken to members of the government, told the paper. This would be almost a year later than expected. Theresa May had already said she would not start negotiations until early 2017, as the UK is not ready.

Olympic Games: what happened on the first two weeks
15 August

Despite a difficult start during the Rio Olympic Games, France has reached the 6th place with 22 medals, including 7 gold. Thanks to judo, France has won 5 medals. FIrst in the ranking are the United States, with 69 medals, just ahead of Great Britain, who so far has received 38 medals, including 15 gold. The competition ends on 21 August.

Kermiche's release was a "failure", Manuel Valls said
29 July

The French PM Manuel Valls said to the newspaper Le Monde that he thought that Adel Kermiche's release was "a failure, we must admit it." Kermiche was one of the two terrorists who killed Father Jacques Hamel in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. He attempted twice to go to Syria, then was arrested. He has been released and was under house arrest and wearing an electronic tag when he committed the crime. The Prime Minister stated that "judges must work with a different stance on each case.

 

Alcohol consumption in UK airport to be limited
29 July

Tariq Ahmad, the Aviation Minister, is planning to review how alcohol is sold in bars, restaurants and duty free shops in UK airports, to prevent drunken passenger incidents. Travellers who drink too much before could also be banned from boarding their plane. "I think that it is important for the safety and security of all passengers" Ahmad said. As many as 442 people were arrested between 2014 and 2016 for being intoxicated on a plane or at an airport.

 

Hinkley Point: British government delays approval
29 July

The Hinkley Point nuclear plant project was finally approved by the EDF board of directors yesterday. However Greg Clark, the business, energy and industrial strategy secretary, said that "the government will now consider carefully all the component parts of this project and make its decision in the early autumn." The £18bn project has been controversial ever since the talks began. Some EDF managers fear that this could bring the company to bankruptcy and people are generally concerned that this could also potentially mean higher electicity prices in the long term.

Suitcases and big bags prohibited on Cannes beaches
28 July

It is now prohibited to bring suitcases and big bags on the beaches of Cannes, until 31 October. The mayor David Lisnard took this decision to help prevent terrorist attacks and calm people's fears. Those found not respecting the rules will be asked to leave or will be fined. 

French media to stop publishing terrorists names and photos
28 July

A number of French newspapers, TV channels and radios have decided to stop publishing names and photographes of terrorists. The newspapers Le Monde and La Croix, the TV channels BFM-TV, RFI and France 24 and the radio Europe 1 want to avoid a "glorification" of the killers. Other media, as France Télévisions, think the anonymization of terrorists would "trigger social anxiety" and a conspiracy theory.

 

Attack in Normandy: second killer's identity released
28 July

The identity of the second terrorist of the attack in Normandy has been released. His name is Abdel Malik Nabil Petitjean, aged 19. He was known to the intelligence services having been intercepted after attempting to reach Syria. 

 

More troops to be sent to France regions
28 July

After the attack in Normandy, killing a priest and wounding 3 other people, the Minister of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian is to send more troops from the sentinelle forces to the regions. The Sentinelle operation was created after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January 2015. French soldiers are sent to protect sensitive areas and major events.

Adel Kermiche

Attack in Normandy: what we know about the assailants
27 July

Yesterday, two men armed with knives took 5 hostages in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy. They killed Father Jacques Hamel before being shot dead by the police. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the men were "soldiers of ISIS". The identity of one of the killers has not been released yet. The second one was Adel Kermiche, aged 19. He was known by the anti-terrorist services. He attempted to go to to Syria twice last year then was charged of "criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise" and was sent to prison. He was wearing an electronic tag when he attacked the church, and was allowed to leave his house between 8:30am and 12:30 on weekdays.

Priest killed and 3 injured in hostage taking near Rouen
26 July

During morning mass, two men armed with knives entered the church at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy and took 5 hostages. The assaillants cut the priest Jacques Hamel's throat and injured 3 others, including one in a serious condition. The murderers were shot dead by the police. Daesh has since claimed responsibility for this act. François Hollande and Bernard Cazeneuve immediately left Paris to go to the crime scene and said this was an "ignominious terrorist attack".

Air France crew on strike from 27 July to 2 August
26 July

Air France-KLM has planned a strike to start on 27 July until 2 August. They claimed that more than 90% of their long-haul flights and about 70% of their short and medium-haul flights should be maintained. The airline is expecting a 35% strike rate among cabin crew. They are calling for negotiations about their salary and work rules.

 

Three new palaces in France
26 July

Three luxury French hotels have received the prestigious palace distinction : the Peninsula in Paris, the Cap Eden Roc near Antibes, on the French Riviera and Cheval Blanc in Saint Barts, in the Caribbean. Only 19 hotels are currently known as "palaces" in France. Created in 2010, the "Palace" award recognises the most luxurious establishments in the country.

Queen's dresses on display in Buckingham Palace
26 July

From 23 July to 2 October, Queen Elizabeth's most iconic dresses will be on display in Buckingham Palace. About 80 outfits, such as her wedding dress, and 62 hats will be exhibited. Visitors will be able to see the evolution of fashion throughout the years and royalty requirements about what should be worn on special events.

 

Solar Impulse 2 completed tour around the globe
26 July

Solar Impulse 2 landed in Abu Dhabi this morning and completed its tour around the world. The Swiss solar powered plane started its journey in March 2015 and spent about 23 days in the air. This round-the-world tour represents a technological revolution, as this is the first ever solar powered airplane to complete an around the world tour without using any fossil fuel. 

Controversy growing over security measures in Nice
25 July

The controversy is growing over the lack of security measures in Nice on 14 July. Sandra Bertin, a police officer who was in charge of CCTV, told Le Journal du Dimanche and the TV channel France 2 that the Home Office pressed her to amend her report. "I was asked to write about the presence of the national police, who I have not seen on screen" she said. The Home Office Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has denied her claims. He said he would sue Sandra Bertin for defamation. He stated that "this controversy was ridiculous as these documents will not prevent us from discovering the truth."

Motorists queued up to 14 hours in huge traffic between Dover and Calais
25 July

Last weekend, a massive tailback forced motorists to queue for up to 14 hours to reach Calais by ferry. The Port of Dover said that the problem was a combination of the huge number of holidaymakers and the unusually slow French border control on the English side, which were "seriously unstaffed". Controls were also reinforced after the attacks in Nice on 14 July. This morning, the police said that the delays have eased but could last for weeks.

 

Christine Lagarde to stand trial over Tapie affair
25 July

Christine Lagarde will stand trial for negligence over the Tapie affair. The head of the IMF will face the Law Court of the Republic, which oversees government officials' crimes. Christine Lagarde was the Economy Minister when she validated a three-person arbitration panel for the case between Bernard Tapie and the bank Le Crédit Lyonnais. The sentence for negligence can go as high as one year of imprisonment and a 15,000 Euro fine.

Police on high alert amid fears of summer riots
25 July

Police are on high alert in London amid fears of new riots in August. They have been told that some violence was planned on 6 August in Tottenham, on the march celebrating the 5th anniversary of the death of Mark Duggan. Police officers fear a repeat of the 2011 riots. Gangs would also be plotting disorders on 28 and 29 August, during the Notting Hill carnival.

Chris Froome

Christopher Froome wins his third Tour de France
25 July

Christopher Froome won his third Tour de France yesterday in Paris crowning him the best British cyclist ever. The last stage was won by André Greipel but Froome, who kept the yellow jersey for 14 days, achieved the best score over the whole competition. The second place went to the French Romain Bradet, before the Colombian Nairo Quintana.

Faroe Island

Discover the Faroe Islands thanks to sheep
21 July

As Google Street View never came to the Faroe Islands, their inhabitants decided to create their own mapping programme. They tied 360-degree cameras on 5 sheep, which could frolic around the islands. The images and GPS co-ordinates were sent back to the Visit Faroe Islands manager Durita Dahl Andreassen, who subsequently transmitted them to Google. You can now discover the Faroe Islands without moving from your chair thanks to this ingenious initiative

Controversy over security measures in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations
21 July

The French daily Libération has revealed that only one police car was blocking the Promenade des Anglais on 14 July. These security measures now seem ridiculous given the size of the crowd which turned out to be close to 30,000 people on the night. The Home Office Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has ordered an inquiry to be conducted by the General Inspectorate of the National Police. The Minister also said he wanted a "transparent action" which would "reveal the truth about the security put in place by the local police at the time while useless controversies spread."

Theresa May

Theresa May to discuss Brexit plans with François Hollande
21 July

Prime Minister Theresa May met Angela Merkel yesterday and is about to talk with François Hollande about Brexit. She stated this week that she wanted to maintain strong bilateral relationships with EU states. Even though the UK will not trigger Article 50 before 2017, the country is already planning its exit from the EU, as the British government refused its scheduled presidency of the EU Council.

 

French cigarette brands could be banned
21 July

The French newspaper Le Figaro said yesterday that some cigarette brands could be banned, because their name is linked to famous actors and make smokers want to buy them more by association. Serge Gainsbourg used to smoke Gitanes and Gauloises for instance are seen in many films. Marlboro Gold, Lucky Strike and Fortuna would also be concerned. Cigarette companies are worried and requested to meet François Hollande, the Prime Minister Manuel Valls and the Health Minister Marisol Touraine.

Pierre Gattaz

President of the MEDEF comes to London to "promote France"
21 July

Pierre Gattaz, President of Medef, the biggest French business organisation, will be in London on 21 and 22 July to "enhance France's attractiveness." He will meet his counterparts from at the CBI to discuss Brexit, as well as agreements that could be found and applied before and after the UK leaves the EU as well as with Florence Gomez, MD of the CCFGB. Pierre Gattaz will emphasize the fact that entrepreneurs will continue to have access to the single market if they move to France.

Liam Fox

The UK will not trigger Article 50 this year
20 July

The government informed the High Court that Article 50 will not be invoked this year. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Theresa May said she would not trigger the process until Scotland decides whether they want to stay in the UK. Liam Fox, the International Trade secretary stated that Britain is "scoping" free trade deals with a dozen non-EU countries in time for Brexit on 1 January 2019.

 

French Assembly voted to extend state of emergency for 6 months
20 July

Last night, the French national Assembly voted to extend the state of emergency for 6 months. It still needs to be passed by the Senate. It was supposed to come to an end on 26 July. But after the attacks in Nice, which killed 84 people and injured 303 others, François Hollande said he would prolong it. The state of emergency had already been extended three times since the 13 November attacks.

Polanski and Assayas

Roman Polanski and Olivier Assayas to adapt French novel
20 July

The directors Roman Polanski and Olivier Assayas are working together to adapt Delphine de Vigan's novel Based on a True Story. A writer struggles with the release of her new book and gets help from a creepy admirer. De Vigan's book received the Prix Renaudot last year, which is one of the most prestigious French literary prizes.

Three girls and their mother stabbed in French holiday resort
20 July

Three girls, aged 8, 10 and 13, and their mother were stabbed on Monday in a French holiday resort called VVF (Village Vacances de France) in the Hautes-Alpes. The assailant has been arrested and told the police that he did almost not "remember what happened", a press release stated. He was in the holiday resort with his wife and children and the victims said he attacked them "without a word".

Promenade des Anglais

Cars back on the Promenade des Anglais
19 July

Five days after the 14th July attack in Nice, the Promenade des Anglais has re-opened to traffic. Only a small part, where 84 people died, was closed to allow the police to collect forensic evidence. Yesterday, hundreds of people moved the gifts and flowers left to pay tribute to the victims, to gather near the Promenade.

Peter Sagan

Tour de France: Peter Sagan wins stage 16 and Froome keeps the yellow jersey
19 July

Yesterday, the Slovak Peter Sagan won the Tour de France stage 16 in Bern. It is his third victory in the Tour. Christopher Froome keeps the yellow jersey which he secured 9 days ago. Today is a resting day for the cyclists, they will continue the Tour on Wednesday to finish in Finhaut-Emosson (Switzerland).

Manuel Valls

Manuel Valls booed in Nice
19 July

The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls was in Nice yesterday to pay tribute to the 84 victims and more than 300 injured in the 14th July attacks. The audience booed him and shouted "murderer". The French are getting more and more angry towards the government since the Charlie Hebdo killings. On the Promenade des Anglais, people have thrown garbage at the place where the truck driver was killed.

Nice: what we know so far
18 July

Four days ago, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove an 19-ton truck into the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais killing 84 people and as many as 18 others are still in hospital in a very critical condition. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was a 31-year old Tunisian delivery driver. Police knew him for theft and GBH. However, he was never linked to terrorism before 14 July. He had rented the truck 3 days before and had previously driven on the Promenade in reconnaissance. People described him as impulsive and violent and as a wife beater (she had filled for divorce). Six of his relatives are suspected of assisting him and are now being questioned by the police.
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday 16 July. The Home Office Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the killer "was radicalised really quickly".
People wonder how the truck managed to reach the Promenade without being stopped. Bernard Cazeneuve has pointed out that "police vans were blocking the Promenade des Anglais. The truck got on the pavement and drove in a very violent way to commit this crime."
The victims families, the wounded as well as traumatised people will receive "terrorist attack damages", Juliette Méadel, junior Minister to Victims assistance stated.
Thousands gathered at 12 today for a minute's silence on the Promenade des Anglais.

David Davis 

EU migrants coming before official Brexit could be sent back home, David Davis said
18 July

Brexit Minister David Davis declared on Sunday 17 July that EU migrants who come to the UK before it leaves Brussels could be sent home. "We may have to say that the right to indefinite leave to remain protection only applies before a certain date" he stated. He later continued on Sky News saying that the new government "want to get a generous settlement for the people here already - they did not pick the circumstance, we did" - and a similar agreement for the British people living in the EU.

 

Vigil to pay tribute to Nice victims tomorrow at Trafalgar Square
18 July

People will gather to pay tribute to Nice attack victims from 6pm at Trafalgar Square tomorrow. People are invited to bring candles, French goodies and food, especially from Nice, to show solidarity to the country and the victims' families. The French embassy in London has opened a book of condolence, which is accessible from 9am to 4:30pm (work days only) at the French consulate as well as an online book.

La Cité radieuse 

Le Corbusier's work recognised as World Heritage
18 July

UNESCO has registered new sites on its World Heritage List, including the architectural work of Le Corbusier. As many as 17 buildings, spread in 7 countries (including France, Japan, Argentina and India) were chosen for being "an outstanding contribution to the modern movement". The Swiss and French architect is mostly known for his rough concrete buildings, such as the Cité Radieuse in Marseilles, which aim was to meet the new needs of society.

What is a national mourning day?
18 July

After the attacks in Nice, killing 84 people including 10 children, France declared three national mourning days from 16 to 18 July. This is a rare decision and its aim is to show the respect of the nation towards the victims of a particularly violent event. Nothing is mandatory during this period of time. Flags are usually half-masted and institutions and schools observe a minute's silence at midday. Mourning days were declared after the 13 November attacks in Paris, as well as Charlie Hebdo shooting in January 2015. Before this date, three mourning days were decided throughout the EU for 11 September 2001 attacks.

Nice

 

At least 84 dead and 50 in very critical condition after terrorist attack in Nice
15 July

A truck ploughed into the crowd on Promenade des Anglais in Nice during the Bastille Day celebrations. At least 84 people were killed, including many children, and 50 others have been critically wounded. More than 120 people in shocked were driven to hospital. Rumours about hostage-taking which spread in the social media were refuted by the Home Office.

The lorry driver was shot dead by the police as he got out of his cab. For now, his identity has not been released and his motivation for committing this attack is not yet known. The police said they found weapons in the truck.

For now nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the killings.

François Hollande stated this attack was of "an undeniable terrorist nature". The state of emergency, which was meant to end on 26 July, has been extend for another three months. The Vigipirate alert system in Alpes-Maritimes has been raised to "terror threat".

France will observe three days of national mourning on 16, 17 and 18 July.

Macron warned by François Hollande
15 July

During his 14-July interview, French President François Hollande warned the Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron: "When you are part of the government, there are rules: solidarity, team spirit, supporting the government's record. Not respecting them means leaving" he claimed. The President referred to Macron's political movement "En Marche!" which the Minister said he wanted to lead to "victory in 2017". "In a government, there cannot be any personal initiatives and even less presidential ones" Hollande said.

 

Boris Johnson booed at the French Residence during 14th July Celebrations
15 July

The new Foreign secretary Boris Johnson, whose grandmother was French, was booed yesterday as he addressed the guests during the Bastille Day celebrations at the French Residence. He promised the French residents living in the UK could stay if a similar agreement were signed for Britons living in other EU countries. The French junior minister to Digital Axelle Lemaire responded that Johnson could not deny that Brexit will change for ever the relationship between France and the UK.

Theresa May

Theresa May moves to 10 Downing Street
13 July

Theresa May has now taken David Cameron's place at 10 Downing Street as the new Prime Minister. She is expected to reshuffle the government by end of play today. Theresa May will then have the responsibility to "negotiate the best deal for Britain as we leave the EU", she said on 11 July, after learning she would replace David Cameron. "Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it" she continued.

Mohamed Merah

Mohamed Merah: the French state convicted
13 July

The French state has been convicted for the death of a soldier, killed by Mohamed Merah. They will indemnify the victim's family. In 2011, the state stopped watching Merah. Three months later, he killed 4 people including 3 kids in front of a Jewish school in Toulouse, then shot the Master caporal Abel Chennouf. The court considers that the state could have prevented this tragic event to happen.

Francois Hollande's hairdresser paid a fortune
13 July

The weekly newspaper Le Canard Enchainé revealed that President François Hollande's hairdresser has been receiving €9,895 gross monthly salary since 2012. His contract also provides him "potential residence allowance" and "family benefits" which were not highlighted by the media. The hairdresser's lawyer claimed that he had to close his shop to work for the President 24/7.

Emmanuel Macron wants to lead his political movement "to victory"
13 July

The first meeting of the French Economy Minister's political movement "En Marche!" took place yesterday evening in Paris. Even though Emmanuel Macron did not say he would run in the presidential election, he claimed his motivation to the 2,000 audience members. "This is the movement of hope" he said, "we will lead it to victory in 2017!"

Axelle Lemaire

French junior minister Axelle Lemaire will meet the French community tonight
13 July

Axelle Lemaire, the French junior minister for Digital, will meet the French community in London tonight. The meeting will take place at the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair from 7:30pm. She will talk about the consequences of Brexit for the French living in the UK.

 

Airbus registered 129 orders at Farnborough international airshow
13 July

Yesterday was a good day for the French company Airbus: they registered as many as 129 orders at the Farnborough International Airshow, near London. These orders which come from all over the world could bring in more than €14bn for Airbus.

Paris coloured with origamis
12 July

The street artist Mademoiselle Maurice has created a gigantic and colourful mural in the 13th district of Paris. She worked on it together with the Mathgoth gallery to fix 15,000 paper birds on a building which is be destroyed. She brought back happiness to the capital with her multicoloured luna shapes.

Theresa May to be PM tomorrow
12 July

Theresa May will replace Prime Minister David Cameron tomorrow and could quickly trigger Article 50 to start the process of leaving the EU. David Cameron was not expected to leave No 10 before September but Andrea Leadsom's sudden withdrawing has accelerated the process. Theresa May will be the second female Prime Minister, after Margaret Thatcher who led the country between 1979 and 1990. 

BHL

Bernard-Henri Lévy in London to present his documentary Peshmerga
12 July

The French philosopher, writer and director Bernard-Henri Lévy was in London yesterday to present his documentary Peshmerga before its official release in the UK. The film shows Kurdish soldiers and their fight against DAESH in Iraq. Bernard-Henri Lévy then explained why he went to the front and said it was "a great privilege" to make this film. He also described Daesh fighters as "cowards".

Nantes resurrects thanks to art
12 July

The beautiful city of Nantes, in Loire-Atlantique, has suffered from the lack of culture and is now resurrecting thanks to art brought by Jean Blaise. The creator has organised free events and exhibitions around the city. Many facilities have been installed to appeal to visitors, such as a phone cab turned into an aquarium, an electricity pylon in the moat of the 14th century castle and even a gigant stork used as a bar.

Sport: This weekend's news
11 July

Emotions ran high over the weekend.

On Saturday, the British Christopher Froome took the Tour de France yellow jersey after winning stage eight. The two-time champion Alberto Contador has withdrawn from the competition due to a fever. At Wimbledon, Serena Williams won in two sets 7-5 6-3 against Angelique Kerber thus equalling Steffi Graf's Open era record of major titles.

On Sunday, Portugal won 1-0 against France and were crowned Champions of the Euro 2016 tournament thanks to a goal by Eder during extra time. Andy Murray triumphed in three sets over Milos Raonic and wins his second Wimbledon champion title. Lewis Hamilton has won the F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone for Mercedes, followed by his team-mates Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen (Red Bull). Last but not least, the French basketball team has now qualified for the Rio Olympic Games. Tony Parker and his mates won 83-74 against Canada.

Cecile Duflot

French Greens want their primary election
11 July

The French Green party EELV want to organise their own primary election in October, just as the Republicain and Socialist parties. The decision was taken after Nicolas Hulot, the main hope for the party, claimed he would not run for the presidential election. 

Petite Ecole d'Ealing

La Petite Ecole d'Ealing is now 30 years old
11 July

La Petite Ecole d'Ealing celebrated its 30th birthday on 9 July. It was the very first "French Saturday school" in London and allowed more than 340 bilingual children aged from 3 to 17 to learn French and keep some cultural ties with their country. The Senator representing the French living abroad Olivier Cadic, the Vice Consul General Eric Bayer and the Consular Delegate Patricia Connell were there to take part in the festivities.

Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May 

Next Prime Minister to be a woman
8 July

The Tories voted yesterday to select the two final contenders to replace David Cameron as leader of the Conservative party. On 9 September, they will chose between Theresa May, current Home Secretary who was in favour of staying in the EU, and Andrea Leadsom, the junior Energy Minister and pro-Brexit. May is the favourite. She received 199 votes on 7 July, against 84 for Leadsom. The two women will now meet the party's grassroots voters.

Antoine Griezmann 

Euro 2016: France to play final !
8 July

France qualified for the Euro Championships final yesterday, thanks to Antoine Griezmann's double strike. Les Bleus won 2-0 against Germany in a wild Stade Vélodrome. They will play Portugal on Sunday 10 July at Stade de France at 8pm (London time). Allez les Bleus !

Boris Johnson 

Commons passes the motion for "EU nationals right to remain"
7 July

A motion, backed by Boris Johnson, was passed in the Commons by 245 to 2. The motion asks the government to "commit to giving the right for EU nationals currently living in the UK to remain in the UK". Andy Burnham, the shadow Home Secretary, said it would be a comforting message for EU citizens after Theresa May refused to guarantee their right to stay in the UK.

Tony Blair

Tony Blair mauled by the Chilcot report
7 July

The Chilcot report was published on 6th July, analysing the part that the UK played in the 2003 Iraq war. The 6417-page document reveals that at the time, Sadam Hussein "was not an imminent threat". So contrary to what Tony Blair said when defending his decision, joining the US attack was therefore not necessary. Blair stated that this was "the hardest, most momentous, most agonising decision he took in 10 years as British prime minister". However, he also stated that he did not regret invading Iraq, claiming it was "the right decision". Between 2003 and 2009, 179 British soldiers were killed in Iraq.

Manuel Valls 

"Bienvenue à Paris ! Welcome !" French PM said to British companies
7 July

French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, wants to make Paris more attractive to British companies. "Bienvenue à Paris ! Bienvenue en France ! Welcome !" he claimed. Manuel Valls has pledged to reduce both the tax regime for expatriates as well as corporate tax which will be cut from 33% to 28%. He also wants to create "as many international classes as are needed in schools" to ensure that foreign children are able "to learn in their native language". Manuel Valls wants his plan to be put into place by next September to attract as many British companies as possible after Brexit

 

£15bn of property funds suspended over Brexit fears
7 July

Since the beginning of the week, 6 commercial property funds have been temporarily frozen, representing over £15bn. Investors started pulling money from these property funds because they were afraid that Brexit would reduce their value. As a result, more than half of British property funds are now totally frozen.

Stock market

Sterling hits its lowest level in 31 years
6 July

The pound plunged to its lowest level in 31 years against the dollar today. At 8am, sterling hit $1.29 and €1.17. It has dropped almost 15% since the 23 June referendum.

Tsonga

Wimbledon: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to play Andy Murray in quarter-finals
6 July

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is playing Andy Murray today in the Wimbledon quarter-finals. Tsonga is the last French player remaining in the British competition after his compatriot, Richard Gasquet, forfeited due to a bad back. Today's winner will play either Roger Federer or Marin Cilic in the final.

Manuel Valls

French Labour Law: Manuel Valls uses Article 49-3 again
5 July

The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has used Article 49-3 again to pass the Labour Law without the approval of the French Assembly. As a result, he has engaged the responsibility of his government and could be forced to dismiss it if 10% of the MPs were to announce a motion of censure within the next 24 hours. However, Les Républicains party said they would not this time.

Sigmar Gabriel

German vice chancellor wants to offer dual citizenship to young Britons living in the EU
5 July

Sigmar Gabriel, the German vice chancellor, said during his Social Democratic party's meeting that he wants to offer dual citizenship to young Britons living in the EU. "Let's offer it to the young Britons living in Germany, Italy or France so that they can remain EU citizens," Gabriel claimed. As many as 61% of Britons under the age of 24 years voted for the UK to remain in the EU.

NHS staff: love your EU colleagues!
5 July

The NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told his staff to thank and share their love with their European colleagues. The NHS fears that foreign doctors and nurses will leave the UK because of Brexit. He said an a special Brexit unit within the NHS was being created to deal with issues caused by the UK leaving the EU. Almost 1 in 10 doctors and 1 in 14 nurses who currently work for the NHS are EU citizens and might move back to their home country.

Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish wins stage 3 of the Tour de France
5 July

The British cyclist Mark Cavendish won the Tour de France stage three yesterday. His victory had to be confirmed with a photo finish because of the narrow lead he had on André Greipel. It is Cavendish's second win in this year's Tour and his 28th victory in his career.

Christine Lagarde

IMF chief: the GDP of the UK will plunge because of Brexit
5 July

The IMF chief Christine Lagarde said to the French newspaper Le Monde that the UK's GDP will plunge because of Brexit. She predicted a drop between 1.5% and 4.5% by 2019 compared to what it would be if they were to stay in the EU. She said that the European leaders will need "political courage" to fight against "uncertainty" to carry out the necessary reforms.

Alain Juppé

Alain Juppé : the UK must leave the EU quickly
5 July

Alain Juppé who is running in the Républicains primaries was in London yesterday to meet the French community. He declared that the UK needs to leave the EU quickly. "When you get divorced, you do not get to stay at home," he said. However, he claimed that he does not want to "punish the UK" but "that the people of the UK had made their choice". 

Le Canard Enchainé

The French satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné turns 100 today
5 July

The French satirical weekly publication Le Canard enchaîné is 100 years old today. It was created during the First World War by Maurice Maréchal and his wife with Henri-Paul Deyvaux-Gassier in response to the censorship and propaganda of the French government at the time. The paper is famous for revealing political secrets such as the Bokassa diamond affair which rocked the presidency of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. 

George Osborne

George Osborne plans to cut corporation tax to fight Brexit fears
4 July

The chancellor George Osborne is planning to cut corporation tax to 15% to encourage companies to stay in the UK. The government fears that many companies could decide to leave to EU countries as a result of Brexit. Osborne was already planning to cut corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020, but has not specified any date for the new cut.

Antoine Griezmann

Euro 2016: France crushed Iceland and qualified for semi-finals
4 July

Les Bleus crushed the Icelanders yesterday in Paris with a 5-2 victory. Despite heavy rain, Giroud, Payet, Griezmann and Pogba scored one goal each during the first half. France will now play Germany, on Thursday 7 July in Marseilles.

Theresa May

The future of EU citizens in the UK is uncertain, Theresa May warns
4 July

Home Secretary Theresa May said that the future of EU citizens living in the UK is uncertain. The frontrunner in the race for the Conservative party leadership warned there could be an upsurge in immigration before the UK leaves the EU. Before the 23 June referendum, Theresa May claimed she wanted to "guarantee the position" of EU citizens living in the UK and British expats in the EU. However, she admitted that this topic was up for negotiation. 

Michel Rocard

Former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard died aged 85
4 July

The Former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard died on Saturday 2 July, aged 85. He was François Mitterrand's Prime Minister between 1988 and 1991. A national tribute will be paid to him on Thursday, in the Invalides in Paris. 

French Senate

French Senate passes a revised version of Labour Law
29 June

Yesterday, the French Senate passed a revised version of the controversial Labour Law, by 185 to 156 votes. The socialist and communist senators voted against it, while a majority of the right-wing senators voted for it. Whilst this was happening, between 64,000 and 200,000 people were protesting against the reforms. The new bill will now be analysed by the French National Assembly.

 

Tens of thousands protesters against Brexit
29 June

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside Parliament to protest against Brexit on Tuesday. As many as 10,000 people were expected in Trafalgar Square, which cannot hold more people. But 50,000 protesters turned up and had to be diverted towards Westminster. They peacefully protested against the referendum results and called for Brexit to be called off.

Je suis Charlie

Another death threat against Charlie Hebdo
29 June

On 22 June, the police opened an investigation into renewed death threats against the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Several "very threatening" messages were published on their Facebook page. They claimed they will target once again its journalists. A close source to the weekly newspaper said that they had not received any threats "for a long time until now" . The journalists are still under high protection ever since last year's attacks, which killed 12 members of staff.

Strasbourg

The French do not want a "Frexit" referendum
29 June

According to a poll by TNS Sofres OnePoint for the newspapers Le Figaro, RTL and LCI, 45% of French people want to stay in the EU. About 33% of those surveyed were in favour of "Frexit" and 22% did not answer. Only 28% think Brexit will have a good impact on the EU whilst 48% thought it would have a negative impact. The poll also reveals that 55% of respondents wanted more autonomy for member countries within the EU.

France map

The new French regions have been named
28 June

The 13 new French regions finally know their name. The deadline to release them was on 1st July. Forget about the French geography you learnt at school, here is the new map.

The City 

The UK lost AAA rating after Brexit
28 June

The credit agency Standard & Poor has downgraded the UK's AAA rating to AA. The agency has warned the UK of financial, economical and constitutional risks after voting Brexit. Standard & Poor have even confirmed that the rating could still be cut further.

Iceland team

Iceland qualifies to play France in quarterfinals
28 June

Iceland surprised us all yesterday by winning 2-1 against England. They have now qualified for the quarterfinals and will be playing France. The France-Iceland game is to be held at Stade de France in Paris at 8pm on Sunday 3 July.

Jon Davies

The Watermans Art Centre celebrates 20 years of French Impressions
27 June

On Saturday, Watermans celebrated the 20th anniversary of its monthly French cinema talk: French Impressions, organised and hosted by Jon Davies. About 90 people attended the event and voted for their favourite French film ("Au Revoir les enfants"), director (François Truffaut), actor (Daniel Auteuil) and actress (Marion Cotillard), but also picked the most forgettable film ("Astrea et Céladon") they had ever seen. "The Brand New Testament" (with Benoit Poelvoorde and Catherine Deneuve) was then screened to close the event. 

Antoine Griezmann

France qualified for quarterfinals thanks to Griezmann's goals
27 June

You could feel the tension yesterday afternoon during the game between France and Ireland. "Les Bleus" were under pressure after Brady scored a penalty in the first 2 minutes of the match. There was a sigh of relief amongst French supporters when Griezmann scored his first goal then sheer delight and pure exaltation when he scored a second goal. Within 4 minutes, Les Bleus had turned the game around. The French team has now qualified for the quarterfinals with the next match kicking off, at 8pm on Sunday. Ireland were voted best fans in the world. 

Eu Petition

Brexit: More than 3.7m signatures calling for a second referendum
27 June

Since the EU referendum results were released on Friday morning, a petition calling for a referendum posted on Parliament's official website since 25 May, calling for a second referendum has spread on social media. It has already reached more than 3.7 million signatures. The Parliament will consider it for debate, as it does for any petition with more than 100,000 signatures. The authorities said they have already removed about 77,000 fraudulent signatures. 

Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron says France should revoke the Touquet Treaty
27 June

The French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said France should revoke the 2003 Touquet Treaty, a bilateral agreement signed with the UK to fight illegal immigration. This Treaty is the reason why migrants are stopped at Calais on their way to England. The Minister had already threatened the UK to let migrants cross the Channel if Brexit went through.

Jeremy Corbyn

Brexit causes crisis within Labour party
27 June

Brexit has divided the Labour party like never before. Jeremy Corbyn's decision to sack Hilary Benn as shadow Foreign Secretary was followed by the resignation of 11 senior shadow cabinet members this weekend. The Labour leader has been highly criticised for his lack of involvement during the Remain campaign, but said he had no intention of resigning. 

Jonathan Coe 

Jonathan Coe awarded Officier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
27 June

The British novelist Jonathan Coe was elevated to the rank of Officer in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on 22 June. This is a prestigious honour for people who have "contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world". In 2004, the writer had already been made Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts and des Lettres.

EU referendum: the United Kingdom votes leave
24 juin 

Yesterday, the British people decided to reject the EU after 43 years of membership. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union with 51.9% in favour of leaving and 48.1% who voted to remain. A record turnout rate was achieved with 72.2% of registered voters participating. About 60% of Londoners voted Remain, as well as 62% of Scots and 55.7% of the people of Northern Ireland.

Pro-EU Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he will resign in time for the next Conservative Conference in October. "The negotiation with the European Union will need to take place under the next Prime Minister, and the new Prime Minister will also need to decide whether to invoke Article 50 [of the Lisbon Treaty], the legal process of leaving the EU" he said this morning. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty triggers a 2-year deadline for a country to leave the European Union.

The pound plunged to its lowest level since 1985. At 11am, Sterling reached €1.23. The Bank of England has tried to reassure the market as its governor Mark Carney said £250bn of reserve funding can be made available. "Some market and economic volatility can be expected as this process unfolds, but we are well prepared for this," Mark Carney said in a statement this morning. "The Bank of England will not hesitate to take additional measures as and when required, as markets adjust."

The UK is now divided and many politicians have already reacted to the UK vote. Ukip leader Nigel Farage declared the 23 June to be the UK's "Independence Day" and has asked for this day to become a public holiday. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon said a second independence referendum is "highly likely" while Irish republicans are calling for the reunification of Ireland.

Abroad, the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a tweet that "it's a sad day for Europe and the UK", followed by his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault who added "Europe will continue and must react and rediscover the confidence of its people." Others are calling for an EU referendum in their countries, such as Geert Wilders, the leader of the Netherlands' right-wing party Dutch Party of Freedom, and the French leader of the National Front Marine Le Pen.

Polling station

Referendum: Do not forget to vote
23 June

UK citizens have until 10pm today to vote in the EU referendum. For months now, the referendum has been widely debated, at length, and has been at the forefront of British politics, creating a huge uncertainty. The final result will not be known until 7am tomorrow morning although the exit polls are likely to give us some idea of the likely outcome. 

François Hollande and Angela Merkel want to reform the European Union
23 June

François Hollande and Angela Merkel want the UK to stay in the EU, and they appear prepared to consider reforms whatever the outcome. The French president has announced that he will meet the German Chancellor next week "to work on the relaunching the construction of the EU."

UEFA

Euro 2016: France will face Ireland in the last 16
23 June

France will face Ireland in the last 16 at 2pm (UK time) on Sunday 26 June and England is to play Iceland at 8pm on Monday 27 June. If both France and England qualify, then they will play each other in the quarter finals on Sunday 3 July at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. 

 

Labour Law: François Hollande makes a U-turn and allows demonstration in Paris
23 June

After strong disagreement between the government and the Unions, the demonstration to oppose the Labour Law planned for today was finally authorised, but only on a route proposed by French Home Office minister, Bernard Cazeneuve. François Hollande and Manuel Valls had threatened to ban the demonstration because of the damage caused by the demonstrators on 14 June. The French government has announced that 2,000 police officers will be securing the route.

Croissant

Operation Croissant to urge people in the UK to vote remain in the EU

23 June

Approximately 15 young volunteers arrived in London from Paris yesterday to distribute 600 croissants and hand out short notes to convince UK voters to remain in the EU. However, they were not allowed to distribute the said croissants as this could influence the electorate on the eve of the referendum. The volunteers were not prevented from giving out postcards which contained messages of love for British people. They ended up giving the croissants away to the homeless.

Amazon

Paris Mayor declares war to Amazon
23 June

Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, told Amazon that she was not happy about their new delivery service: "Prime Now". This service claims to be able to deliver within 2 hours not only books but also fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, 7 days a week from 8am to 10pm. Anne Hidalgo believes that "this service is likely to distabilise irremediably the equilibrium of the high street shops". The town hall was apparently not informed until "a few days before its launch". Paris will appeal for limitations to be placed on the service offered by Amazon to prevent "unfair competition". 

Philharmonie

Incredible but true: football in harmony with music
23 June

Some lucky people who were watching Spain-Croatia at the Philharmonie in Paris on Tuesday experienced something totally innovative, with the commentarors being replaced by 50 musicians. Organised by Tatane, the match was broadcast with a 3-minute time lag to allow the conductor to prepare the music according to the action on the ground (music from a western for a penalty and "The Final Countdown" for a victory). The evening was very well received by the 3800 or so people in the audience and on social media. 

Flood in Paris

A new flood in Paris is just a question of when
23 June

According to Colombe Brossel, councillor at the Paris Town Hall, the city will one day have to face the flood of the century. But the capital is not ready for it. " The question is not whether there will be a flood, but when it will be" according to Colombe Brossel on BFM TV. Measures have to be put in place to ensure that the flood does not reach what was seen back in 1910 when the water rose by 8.62m. A flood of that size is not just about material damage it is about the health impact it could have on the population due to contaminated waters.

 

EU referendum: do not forget to vote tomorrow!
22 June

On 23 June, the UK will be going to the polls to decide on whether it will or not remain in the EU. Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. More than 46,5 million people are registered to vote in this referendum, 150,000 more than in last year's general elections.

Nicolas Sarkozy 

Les Républicains primary elections: Nicolas Sarkozy leads the polls
22 June

Nicolas Sarkozy is the new favourite politician of the right-wing party Les Républicains, according to a poll by Odoxa. Alain Juppé dropped 15 points, leaving the first place to the party's leader, who gathered 66% of votes. He is still not officially candidate for the party's primary election but seems to gain ground for the French presidency.

the peninsula 

Paris luxury hotels suffer from drop in tourism
22 June

The managing directors of the Peninsula hotel and the Bristol hotel, two of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, left their posts because of the significant drop in the number of tourists visiting the capital. Because of the recent terrorist attacks and the prostpect of more violent protests, the wealthiest visitors are staying away from Paris, which registered a drop of 13.7% in the number of tourists this year. Luxury hotels have indicated that their revenue per room has dropped on average by 20% in June 2016 when compared to June 2015.

UCL

Rent cut and freeze agreed for UCL students
22 June

Students of University College London have accepted an offer to cut and freeze their rent next year. About 1,000 students refused to pay their rent, claiming their accommodation was too expensive and in bad condition. UCL then proposed to cut charges for poorer students by more than £1,000. These offers could cost the university £850,000 a year. The success of this rent strike could mean that other British Universities may follow suit. 

Theatre 

Theatre built to celebrate Anglo-French friendship vandalised
21 June

The New Elizabeth theatre in Northern France, built as a tribute to Anglo-French friendship, has been vandalised a few days before its opening. It was designed by British architect, Andrew Todd. "Irresponsible Politicians - Shame" and "The Debt" were spray-painted in French on the walls of the wooden building. These critics claim that the €6M spent on the theatre is a waste of money. The police are investigating. 

Paul Pogba

Real Madrid and Juventus negotiate over Paul Pogba's transfer
21 June

The midfielder Paul Pogba's contract with Juventus runs until 2019 but negotiations have started with Real Madrid over his transfer, which could cost the club as much as €90M (£69M). The French player, who began his career with Manchester United in 2011, said he admires the Real's coach Zinédine Zidane. This is one of the reasons why he is interested in the possibility of moving to Spain.

François Hollande

Primary election to be held in France by socialist party
20 June

On Saturday 18 June, the French socialist party national board voted unanimously in favour of a primary election. The vote will take place on 22 and 29 January 2017. If François Hollande decides to run, this will be the first time during the Fifth Republic that an outgoing President has had to take part in a primary election. The Green party EELV has already said it will not take part in these elections as they think "it only concerns the socialist party.

Euro 2016

Les Bleus: what will be their next game?
20 June

France has qualified for the last sixteen and thanks to their 0-0 score against Switzerland, they finish top of their group. "Les Bleus'" next game will take place at 2pm on Sunday 26 June in Lyon. But it is still unclear as to which team they will face. However, the Northern Ireland team is the most likely. We will find out on Wednesday evening.

Jo Cox memorial

More than £850,000 raised for Jo Cox memorial fund
20 June

fund created in tribute to MP Jo Cox, who was killed last week, has now received more than £850,000 worth of donations. The money raised will be shared between three charities which she was particularly fond of : the Royal Voluntary Service (to fight against loneliness in West Yorkshire), HOPE not hate (to combat extremism within local communities in Britain) and the White Helmets (to search and rescue workers in Syria).

Fessenheim nuclear plant 

EDF refuses to shut down Fessenheim nuclear plant
20 June

The government has been asking EDF to close France's oldest nuclear plant for weeks. However the electricity company has refused to shut down the Fessenheim power station (in Alsace) and is demanding €2bn in compensation. The Minister of Ecology and Energy Ségolène Royal has offered them €100million instead. François Hollande has been trying to reduce France's dependence on nuclear power since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. EDF is struggling with debt while the Hinkley Point project is threatening the company with bankruptcy, specialists said.

Commemoration

Commemoration of De Gaulle's 18 June 1940 Speech in Carlton Gardens
20 June

Général de Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June was commemorated around his statue in Carlton Gardens on Saturday. The French Senators Olivier Cadic and Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam joined forces with the Ambassador Sylvie Bermann. A number of wreaths were laid after a schoolgirl read the speech made by the General de Gaulle on air on 18 June 1940. Four people were also awarded the Legion d'Honneur including the French Consul to the UK, Madame Sylvaine Carta-Le Vert.

Jo Cox 

Pro-EU MP Jo Cox was shot, stabbed and died of her wounds yesterday
17 June

The Labour and pro-EU MP Jo Cox died yesterday after being shot and stabbed in the street in Birstall, West Yorkshire. The suspect, a 52-year old man, is under arrest. His motive for killing the Labour MP is still not clear but a witness said the man was shouting "Britain first!" All political campaigning in the EU referendum was suspended for one day. Many politicians have paid tribute to the 41-year old woman, such as David Cameron, François Hollande and Hillary Clinton.

Facebook accused of Brexit bias
17 June

Facebook users accused the social network of being bias in favour of Brexit. Indeed, the surfers were invited to give their opinion "in favour of leaving the EU" but not in favour of remaining in the Eu. This was only available on the mobile version of Facebook, and not the desktop version. Facebook has denied being in favour of leaving the EU and the option was removed.

Sturridge 

Euro 2016: England is now top of Group B and Northern Ireland beat Ukraine despite hail storm
17 June

Yesterday afternoon in Lens, England won against Wales with a 2-1 score. Wales scored first thanks to Bale, then England bounced back with Vardy and Sturridge's goals. A few hours later, Northern Ireland beat Ukraine despite the terrible weather in Lyon. The game was briefly halted because of hail but this did not prevent the Northern Irish team to score two goals (by McAuley and McGinn). 

Baguette

Oh my baguette! The French eat less bread
17 June

The French eat less bread on a daily basis, according to the French Milling Association, which registered a 7.5% decrease in consumption in 2015. French people eat on average 120g per person per day, which is about half a baguette, about 9g less than in 2014. The organisation pointed out that this was three times less than 60 years ago. Diets prohibiting bread/gluten and the price increase would be the main reasons for this drop in consumption.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Dominique Strauss-Kahn fined €10,000 in "Lille Carlton" case
17 June

Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been fined €10,000 in damages for the anti-prostitution organisation Mouvement du Nid. The Douai's Court of Appeal claimed that DSK knew that he was having what he called a "recreational time" with prostitutes. The former IMF director was acquitted last year of aggravated pimping. Strauss-Khan's lawyers said they will appeal.

 

France team is qualified for the last sixteen
16 June

Les Bleus won their second game of the Euro 2016 against Albania in Marseilles yesterday, thanks to two goals by Griezmann and Payet. The French team is now qualified for the last sixteen. But the French coach Didier Deschamps has been particularly annoyed by the Stade Vélodrome's lawn, which he said was a "disaster". According to him, this could be linked to AC/DC's concert last month. UEFA said the next teams will not be able to train in the stadium the day before the games. 

 

Major International Companies threaten Vote Leave with legal action for using their logos
16 June

Vote Leave are being threatened with legal action by Vauxhall, Toyota, Unilever and Nissan, for using their logos on their campaign leaflets. These companies believe that by using their logos, Vote Leave implied that they were supporting Brexit. "We weren't consulted or asked if we were happy for our name to appear. If we had been, we would never have allowed this to happen," Unilever said. "Our position couldn't be clearer. We firmly support [the UK] remaining" in the EU.

Terrorists are on their way to France and Belgium, an alert says
16 June

Belgian security forces received a note warning both France and Belgium that "fighters left Syria about a week and a half ago to reach Europe via Turkey and Greece by boat without passports." The terrorists would then separate in two groups and go to France and Belgium to commit several attacks. However, French authorities remain cautious about this alert as this is not the first time they receive such a warning.

New Tate Modern extension inaugurated yesterday
16 June

The new Tate Modern pyramidal extension was inaugurated yesterday, presented by its architects the Swiss Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. The two men had redesigned the former power plant which was inaugurated in 2000 to create a modern art museum. The new extension, called the Switch House, increases by 60% the size of the museum. Visitors will now be able to view 800 artworks by 300 artists. 

Jean-Maurice Ripert

Euro 2016: Russia summons French ambassador
16 June

Russia's Foreign Office has summoned the French ambassador, Jean-Maurice Ripert, to complain about the "anti-Russian" wave against its supporters during the . France was warned that creating a russophobic mood would worsen the relations between the two countries. Forty-three Russian fans were arrested in Lille on Tuesday, and eleven were released a few hours later.

 

More than £23,000 raised for Positive Planet at the French Chamber gala dinner
15 June

More than £23,000 were raised yesterday at the French Chamber gala dinner in London for Positive Planet. This foundation, chaired by professor Jacques Attali, aims to build a better world for future generations. The French band L.E.J. were there to perform their best known songs. 

Russian fans

Euro 2016: new clashes between Russian, English and Welsh supporters in Lille
15 June

Russian "ultras" attacked English and Welsh fans yesterday evening in Lille, but nobody was harmed. Punches were thrown as English supporters were chanting "We hate Russia". Police used pepper spray to separate the fans, who had gathered to watch the England-Wales game in Lens and, the Russia-Slovakia game in Lille, only 33km away.

Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé awarded the World's Best Pastry chef title
15 June

The Alsatian chef Pierre Hermé was awarded the prestigious title of "World's Best Pastry Chef" by the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy yesterday in New York. Called "the Picasso of Chefs" by the media, Pierre Hermé is best known for his delicious macarons, something he did not really like when he started pastry! 

Necker hospital

Windows broken by Labour law protesters at Hospital for Sick Children in Paris
15 June

Yesterday, violent protesters demonstrating against the French Labour law through projectiles at the Necker Hospital for Sick Children in Paris. Windows were broken and part of the hospital vandalized. AP-HP ("public assistance - Paris hospitals") have decided to file a complaint. The police said that 80,000 protesters gathered yesterday, more than one million according to the union. 

 

The questions of Baccalauréat philosophy exam
15 June

French pupils start the "Bac" today with philosophy as their first exam. The question for the scientific section was "Does working less mean living a better life?", while the economic section students were answered "Do we always know what we want?" The question for the literary section was "Are our moral convictions based on experience?"

 

Euro 2016: English supporters sentenced to prison for Marseilles violence
14 June

Two English supporters have been sentenced to imprisonment for two and three months, and a two-year ban from entering France. They were judged for their part in the violence between English and Russian fans in Marseilles last Saturday when they were seen throwing bottles at supporters and police officers. A group of Russian fans should also be deported from France as they represent "a threat to public order", according to Alpes-Maritimes local authority.

French policeman and wife killed, Isis claims responsibility
14 June

A French policeman and his wife were stabbed to death yesterday evening in front of their house in the Yvelines, near Paris. Their 3-year old child is shocked but has not been harmed. The 25-year old assaillant was killed by the police when they stormed the house. Isis has claimed responsibility for their murder. President François Hollande called this act a "coward murder, which is undoubtedly a terrorist attack."

Eiffel tower

Paris and London's tribute to Orlando shooting victims
14 June

Yesterday evening, Paris and London paid tribute to the victims of the shooting in Orlando. The Eiffel Tower was lit in the LGBT colours while, in London, hundreds gathered in Soho for a two-minute silence which ended with applause for the 49 people killed in the gay club.

Government picture Orlando 

At least 49 dead in shooting in Orlando
13 June

Early Sunday morning, a man shot dead at least 49 people in a gay club in Orlando, Florida, and injured 53 others. This is the deadliest mass shooting in the USA and the worst terror attack since 9/11. The gunman has been identified as Omar Seddique Mateen, aged 29, and potentially linked to ISIS and already interviewed by the FBI 3 years ago but was not found to be a threat, according to them at the time. The terrorist was killed during the attack. The French government told its support to the USA with this picture of Marianne.

Stade Velodrome

Euro 2016: England and Russia could be disqualified, UEFA warns
13 June

UEFA has warned England and Russia that they could be disqualified from Euro 2016 if there is more violence during the championship. On Saturday, 35 people, 3 in a serious condition, were injured as the two teams met in Marseilles for the qualification game, which ended with a 1-1 draw. The UK government offered to send some police reinforcement to France to help contain fans for the England v Wales match in Lens next Thursday.

Dimitri Payet and Olivier Giroud

France wins 2-1 against Romania
13 June

The French team won the Euro 2016 opening match against Romania on Friday at Stade de France. Les Bleus started the competition on a high note, with a 2-1 score thanks to Olivier Giroud and Dimitri Payet's goals. The next France game against Albania will be held on Wednesday in Marseilles. Come and support Les Bleus with us at the Yager Bar! One free drink offered with every ticket. 

Euro Championships start today !
10 June

The Euro Championships start today with the first game being France v Romania at Stade de France. Come and support Les Bleus with us at the Yager Bar from 8pm. You will get a free drink with every ticket!

The Vieux port of Marseilles 

Clashes between French and English football fans in Marseilles
10 June

Violent clashes broke out last night in Marseilles between French and English supporters. Reports say that English fans were singing "Isis, where are you?" Police were called to disperse approximately 200 English from the Irish Pub on the Vieux Port. Two English supporters have been arrested and one has been seriously injured.

Eurostar

Eurostar: London-Paris in more than 15 hours
10 June

Passengers of the 8pm Eurostar on their way to Paris on 8th June did not get there until 11:30am the next day! The train had to stop "because of works on the line" Eurostar tweeted. Eurostar were unable to find any hotel rooms for the passengers and therefore decide to taken them back to London. They then had to sleep at St Pancras station. The next day they got onboard the 8am train and finally arrived in Paris at 11:30am. Eurostar have apologised to their passengers and have offered them compensation.

French app launched to alert football supporters of terror attack
9 June

The French Home Office has launched a smartphone app alerting users in case of a terrorist attack near them. SAIP, for "Système d'alerte et d'information des populations" (Alert and information system for inhabitants), is free and available in French and in English. In case of an attack, the smartphone turns red and gives advice on what to do and how to behave. The user can register 8 different places, such as the areas where he/she intends to go later and/or the place where his/her family lives. This app completes the existing alert system (police siren, radio messages...).

 

Mayor Sadiq Khan breaks his key election pledge

9 June

Mayor Sadiq Khan has broken his key election pledge by announcing that he will only freeze public transport fares for single journeys. This means that people using Oyster cards, Travelcards and pay-as-you-go caps on contactless cards will not benefit from this 4-year freeze. The Mayor said that he cannot control journeys covered by non-TfL (Transport for London) operators.

EU referendum registration extended to midnight today
9 June

If you were unable to register online on Tuesday for the 23 June EU referendum, you can still do it until 23:59pm today. Note that only UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are allowed to vote in the referendum. Click here to register online.

Dior dresses

Dior store great opening on New bond Street
9 June

Dior has officially opened its brand new London store yesterday. An orchestra was performing outside, welcoming the 700 guests who were arriving to inaugurate the opening of their exceptionally large new venue. A glass dome, sculptures and marble stairway decorate the 4-floor store designed by the American architect Peter Marino.

Binmen strike leaves Paris dirty before Euros 2016
9 June

Rubbish collection has been significantly affected in Paris over the last 4 days because of the refuse collectors' strike. Rubbish has been piling up in the capital's streets one day before the start of the European Championship. Workers are blocking access to incinerators to protest against the labour reforms.

French waitress assaulted for serving alcohol during Ramadan
9 June

A French waitress was assaulted in Nice for serving alcohol during Ramadan. Two men punched her and one of them said : "If I were God, I would hang you". The whole scene was recorded on CCTV camera. The waitress and the owner of the bar have pressed charges against them. 

EU referendum : you can still register online, Cameron said
8 June

You can still register online to vote in the EU referendum, David Cameron said. Yesterday was officially the last day to register. But the site crashed more than an hour before the deadline as tens of thousands of people visited it at the same time. To register online to vote in the 23 June referendum, click here

Euro 2016: British football fans potential terror targets
8 June

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) warned the British football fans that they are potential terror targets. All the gatherings to watch the European Championships, such as screenings in parks, bars and pubs, could be at risk. Dean Haydon, Commander of the FCO, said that "there is a threat. But the threat level is currently at severe and has not changed for many years." However, they have confirmed that there is no specific threat to the UK for now.

Societe Generale building

Jérôme Kerviel wins unfair dismissal case against Société Générale
8 June

The French bank Société Générale has been ordered to pay Jérôme Kerviel €455,000 (£355,000) in damages for unfair dismissal. Jérôme Kerviel, an ex-trader, lost almost €5bn (£3.9bn) of the bank's money in 2008 and almost bankrupted it as a result. The court said that the bank knew about Kerviel's risky behaviour and only dismissed him because of the consequences of his actions, and not the actions themselves. The Société Générale has appealed against the decision.

Red wine

Incredible but true: the French drink less
8 June

Yesterday, the association "Avec Modération" published a study about the French drinking habits. The results reveal that only 8% of French people drink alcohol on a daily basis, against 15% in 2011. But this study does not include the nights when young people drink alcohol to get drunk, which are not regular but intense. "This is dangerous to think that we are becoming reasonable" the President of Fédération Addiction, Jean-Pierre Couteron, said. "French people buy lower volumes of alcohol on a daily basis, but they buy better quality."

Last day to register to vote in the EU referendum
7 June

You can register to vote in the EU referendum until 23:59pm today. Registering online only takes a few minutes. Only UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are allowed to vote in the referendum. On the 23 June, voters will decide whether the UK should remain in the European Union. 

CRS

Euro 2016: 13,000 police officers mobilised in Paris
7 June

As many as 13,000 police officers are being mobilised for the Euro Championships in the capital, the Chief of the Paris Police force said. The competition starts on Friday night and the police will be sent to the Stade de France and Parc des Prince, as well as the fan zones at the Champ-de-Mars and in Saint-Denis. 

A French man arrested suspected for planning terror attacks during Euro
7 June

On 21 May, a 25-year old French man was arrested at the border between Ukraine and Poland. He was trying to smuggle in weapons, detonators and 125kg of TNT. He had planned "15 terror attacks to take place during Euro 2016" the Ukrainian police forces said. They had been following the man from Lorraine since December 2015, when he said he wanted to help the Army but was more interested in buying guns.

The French chamber's general meeting gathered 300 people
7 June

About 300 people gathered yesterday for the French chamber's general meeting. The event took place in the beautiful Reed Smith offices, in the City. The people also celebrated Peter Alfandary's 30 years of work as one of the chamber's board of directors.

Flood

French floods could cost up to €2bn
6 June

The estimate damage caused by the flood in Northern and Centre France could cost between €600,000 and €2bn, according to insurers. They included the consequences of the floods on tourism, public transport, agriculture and the damaged caused to thousands of homes. If the government declares a state of natural disaster, which should be done on Wednesday, the victims will receive some compensation. "An emergency budget of €600,000 has already been allocated in Seine-et-Marne for shelters and to help things return to normal" the department said.

Pilot

Air France pilots strike from 11 June to 14 June
6 June

Air France pilots unions are calling to go on strike from 11 June to 14 June. The traffic might be significantly affected for the first days of the Euro Championships. The impact it will have on air traffic is still unknown but short and medium haul flights should be the most affected. The pilots of the main French airline company are protesting against salary cut. 

French strikes: improvements to come in rail traffic
6 June

French rail unions and SNCF managers will meet this afternoon to negotiate working time proposals. The traffic will still be affected by strikes but improvements should be felt by the end of play today. 6 TGV and TER trains out of 10 should be running. Other lines in Paris are still being paralysed because of strikes and floods. Eurostars are not being affected and are operating normally.

Novak Djokovic 

The new winners of French Open
6 June

The French Open finals took place last weekend and all the winners were completely new. Novak Djokovic won in four sets against Andy Murray (3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4). The 22-year old Garbine Muguruza won against Serena Williams (7-5, 6-4). The Men's double was won by the Lopez brothers against the Bryans twins (6-4 6-7(7) 6-3). Last but not least, for the first time in 45 years, a French duo won the women's double title. Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia beat the Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (6-3, 2-6, 6-4).

Muhammad Ali 

Muhammad Ali dies aged 74
6 June

Muhammad Ali, the icon we called "The Greatest", and who was not only a world champion in boxing but also a political activist, died on Friday aged 74. He had been suffering from Parkinson disease for about 30 years. Ali died of a septic shock at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. His funeral will take place on Friday 10 June in Louisville, Kentucky, his home town.

Louvre Pyramid

Louvre museum shut to save masterpieces from Flooding
3 June

Heavy rain has been falling for days in France, making the Seine burst its banks. Officials closed the Louvre museum today to allow the staff to evacuate the masterpieces from the rooms presenting risks of flood. The Ministry of Environment warned that the river has already reached 6m and could exceed 6.50m by the end of today. Paris public transport has been affected and many routes cannot operate, such as the RER C near the Seine and the Transilien N line between Montparnasse and Western Ile-de-France.

Referendum polling cards sent to EU citizens living in the UK by mistake
3 June

Voting papers and polling cards for the EU referendum have been sent to some EU citizens by mistake because of a "system issue" the Electoral Commission said. These people are not eligible to vote in the 23 June Referendum. This means some voters could have their vote cancelled although this only affects "a small number of people" according to the Electoral Commission. Only UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are allowed to vote in the referendum.

Bordeaux vines

Wine specialists claim 2015 is "an exceptional year" for Bordeaux wines
3 June

The Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences claims that 2015 is an "exceptional vintage" year for Bordeaux wines, both "in terms of quality and in terms of quantity." It is said to be better than the 2010, 2009 and 2005 vintages by oenologists. The wines were made from grapes harvested between September and October 2014. They are still very young but have delighted the specialists. The vines enjoyed the particularly beautiful weather in 2014 in the Bordeaux region, especially in June, which was the sunniest month of June in a century.

French air strike suspended for the weekend
2 June

Four out of five air controller unions have suspended their strike action for the 3 and 5 June. "There will be no flight disturbance this weekend" the French Secretary of State for Transport, Alain Vidalies, said. Air controllers have been urging their employer to stop workforce cuts and have also been demanding for higher pay.

Emmanuel Macron 

French Economy Minister investigated by the tax office
2 June

Emmanuel Macron is being investigated by the tax office. Thanks to the French publications Le Canard Enchainé and Mediapart, it has been discovered that he may have given incorrect information about the value of his wife's house and should have paid the wealth tax. The Economy Minister had to make changes to his income-tax declaration for 2013 and 2014. Since 2013, France's public officials have been asked to be transparent about their assets.

Mona Lisa

US warns citizens of terror attack risks in Europe
1 June

Yesterday, the US State Department warned its citizens about the high risk of new terror attacks in Europe over the summer months. The country claims that crowds would present "greater targets for terrorists planning attacks in public locations" across the continent.

Vineyards damaged

French vineyards ravaged by hailstones
1 June

Violent hailstorms in France ravaged vineyards this weekend, threatening wine production for the next two years. Vineyards in Cognac, Chablis, Beaujolais and Madiran were hit by hailstones the size of ping pong balls. "Leaves and bunches of grapes have been devastated" said a winegrower from Madiran (in the South West of France), "The vines are so damaged that next year's harvest is also threatened."

TGV train 

Open-ended strike in French transport
1 June

French transport unions have started an open-ended strike to protest against the labour reforms. It is believed that 40% of TGV trains and more than half the trains in Paris will be affected. This is likely to have a major impact on buses and road traffic. The civil aviation union has also called on its members to go on strike from Friday 3 June until Sunday 5 June.

Roman Polanski 

Roman Polanski threatened with extradition again
1 June

The Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro yesterday re-opened Roman Polanski's case in Poland and asked for his extradition to the US. The film director, who lives in France and owns an appartment in Poland, admitted he had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. He was imprisoned for 42 days and threatened with extradition after he fled the US to take refuge in Europe.

Cite du Vin in Bordeaux 

Wine city opening in Bordeaux
1 June

Yesterday, François Hollande inaugurated the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. The expected 450,000 visitors a year will be able to discover more about viticulture and about Bordeaux as the world's wine capital. The city now has a building which is both futuristic and subtle, created by the architects Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières.

Meteo France alert

France: 19 departments on flood alert
31 May

After 24 hours of heavy rain, 19 departments are still under "orange alert". Inhabitants in many regions: Centre, Ile-de-France, Haute-Normandie, Yonne and Nièvre have been warned that they are at risk. Rail traffic has been disrupted and about one hundred houses have had to be evacuated.

Old bangers banned from Paris roads to reduce pollution
31 May

From 1st July, cars registered before 1997 and motorised two-wheel vehicle made before May 2000 will be banned during week days in Paris. This procedure is part of the city's anti-pollution plan. Six different coloured badges will be created to inform policemen of the car details. By 2020, any vehicle registered before 2010 will be banned from the French capital. 

Winners of Prix Albert Londres

Claire Meynial, Sophie Nivelle Cardinale and Etienne Huver win the French journalism awards
31 May

On 27 May at the French Residence in London, three French journalists were awarded the Prix Albert-Londres. Albert Londres Prize is to Francophone journalists what the Pulitzer prize is to the Anglophone world. Claire Meynial received the printed press award for her articles about the Ebola epidemic and Sophie Nivelle Cardinale and Etienne Huver won the audio-visual category for their report Disappeared of Syria, An Invisible War, about President Bachar al-Assad's victims.

G7 

A Brexit would be a "serious risk to growth", G7 leaders warn
27 May

As they met in Japan for the G7 summit, the leaders of the 7 most powerful countries in the world warned British citizens about the negative effect Brexit would have on the global economy. "A UK exit from the EU would reverse the trend towards greater global trade and investment and the jobs they create and is a further serious risk to growth" the warning said.

Souchon and Voulzy 

Alain Souchon and Laurent Voulzy in concert in London on 26 May
27 May

The French singers Alain Souchon and Laurent Voulzy were in London yesterday for a concert to present their eponymous album, released in 2014. The two friends were at the Eventim Apollo for a 2-hour long show, which also included a "happy birthday" song from the audience for Alain Souchon, who has just turned 72.

Policemen during protests

French Labour law: strikes bring France to a stand still
27 May

Yesterday, the many strikes in France paralysed the country. Between 15,000 and 30,000 protesters blocked the streets in Paris alone, trains and flights were cancelled, 12 out of 19 nuclear plants reduced their output and 6 out of 8 refineries were still closed, preventing thousands from buying petrol for their cars. Another national strike is scheduled for 14 June when the Senate is due to start debating the bill. 

Disneyland Paris

Euro Disney accused of employment discrimination
27 May

Euro Disney Group is on trial for allege employment discrimination, accused by anti-racist association SOS-Racisme of sorting job seekers according to their ethnicity. The legal proceedings took 10 years, an unusually long time, to come to court because the prosecutor's office resisted any trial saying that a discriminatory intent by the company was not proven. The group denies the allegations.

Mcdonald's

McDonald's suspected of tax evasion in France
27 May

McDonald's headquarters in Guyancourt (near Paris) were searched on 18 May. The company is suspected of tax evasion. The alleged fraud is estimated at 75 millions a year. 

Kiosk

No national newspapers in newsagents because of the French Book union strike
26 May

There will be no national newspapers in French newsagents today following a call to strike by the national newspaper union against the new labour reforms. This is the third time in two months : "Our newspapers are held hostages by the union. This third non-publication, just like the two others, are not linked to our newspapers nor our printing plants." The printing companies are not working today but the papers are available online.

Raymond Blanc

French workers are lazy, according to Raymond Blanc
26 May

The famous chef Raymond Blanc has said that French workers are lazy and do not appreciate the "beauty of work". "In France, we relax" he added, claiming that this is the reason why he came to the UK. "Hard work is something you acknowledge and reward [in the UK]. There is no jealousy of someone who is successful."

Manuel Valls

"Changes could be made" but "we will not cancel the Labour law" Manuel Valls said
26 May

Manuel Valls said on French radio RMC that "there will be improvements and changes" but it is out of the question to "cancel the law". He was answering questions about the labour reforms, which have been causing major unrest in France for several weeks now. "I think these reforms are relevant for the country. I am calm and determined" he added.

Sweeteners could cause diabetes
26 May

A study suggests that using aspartame could increase diabetes risk. More and more low-sugar sweeteners are used today in products, including by obese people to manage diabetes. But their effects are not as positive on health as originally thought. Tests were carried out on 3,000 adults, some of them using aspartame and others not. The results have linked sweeteners to glucose intolerance.

Cointreau event

Laetitia Casta in London to crown the winner of the Cointreau Creative Crew UK Grant Scheme
25 May

The French model and actress Laetitia Casta was in London on Tuesday to crown Juliet Remembered, the winner of the Cointreau Creative Crew UK Grant Scheme. This £20,000 prize rewards creativity and helps the winner finance his/her project. Juliet Remembered is a short film about a former actress traumatised by the death of her husband. The British actress and model Lily Cole won the True Icon award and Tin Drum Pictures won the Newcomer Award.

Anti Eu Flag 

Brexit would condemn the UK to "irrelevance", historians warn
25 May

More than 300 historians, including Niall Ferguson and Simon Schama, wrote a letter to The Guardian to warn British citizens : leaving the EU would "condemn ourselves to irrelevance and Europe to division and weakness." "As historians of Britain and of Europe, they continued, we believe that Britain has had in the past, and will have in the future, an irreplaceable role to play in Europe."

Google office 

Raid in Google's Paris headquarters, suspected of fraud
25 May

French police have raided Google's French headquarters in Paris yesterday. Google is suspected of financial fraud and money laundering. The financial prosecution service opened the investigation in June 2015. The magistrates have revealed that Google is suspected of not declaring all its activities in France to avoid paying taxes.

Polling station 

British expats lost Supreme court appeal for EU Referendum
25 May

After appealing against the initial judgement of the High court, British expats lost their appeal and their right to vote in the EU referendum. UK citizens living abroad for more than 15 years will not be allowed to say whether they want their country to remain in the EU.

Nogent nuclear plant

Strike planned in French nuclear plant
25 May

A strike has been decided by workers of the French nuclear plant in Nogent-sur-Seine. From tonight, they will close the plant and stop producing electricity for 24 hours. The unions are also protesting against the labour reform and said their "aim is not to crash the network, but [they] are going up to the next level."

Stade Velodrome

Marseilles is getting ready to deal with English supporters
25 May

Marseilles will host the match England v Russia on the second day of the European Championship. French police still remember the clash between British and Turkish fans, 18 years ago. French police forces are to be trained to be able to deal efficiently with any incidents.

Jean-Louis Cayrou 

French gardener accused of killing his English mistress
25 May

Jean-Louis Cayrou, a French gardener, is on trial for the murder of Patricia Wilson, his British employer and former mistress. She was found dead in 2012 in her house in Aveyron, Southern France, after she put an end to their relationship. 

No, the UK does not spend £350m a week on the EU
24 May

Vote Leave campaign members have been claiming everywhere, even on their bus, that the EU costs the UK £350m a week. But, according to an analysis by The Guardian, these figures are highly misleading. Brexiters do not take into account the rebate or the subsidies the United Kingdom receives and the positive economic impact on both the public and private sectors. After analysing the Treasury figures, The Guardian reaches the conclusion that the country actually spends "£136m a week, less than 40% of the amount splashed on the Vote Leave battlebus."

Refinery 

French riot police deployed to unblock refineries
24 May

French riot police have been deployed to unblock refineries from union picketing prostest against the Labour law. Strikers blockade in the refinery of Fos-sur-Mer (in the South of France) was broken this morning and petrol stations received fuel a few hours later.

Students

EU undergraduate owe £89m in student loans
24 May

EU graduates left British universities without ever paying back a total of £89m in loans in 2014. The figures from the Student Loan Company show that the amount of loans unpaid by EU student going home without repaying their loan has increased by £64m in 5 years. But the number of British students who left the country without paying their loans is even larger : they owed the UK £367m in 2014.

Beginning of a fuel shortage in France due to industrial action
23 May

When the labour law does not cause marches, it provokes the beginning of a fuel shortage: 6 out of 8 French refineries are closed today to protest against the reform. Yesterday, 1,500 petrol stations ran out of fuel in Northern and Western France. People had to queue for hours to fill up their tanks. But the French government promised that there will be no shortage. "We have the stocks to face the blockages" Manuel Valls confirmed, and continued by claiming his "commitment to make the reforms".

Nuclear Reactors 

Hinkley Point: EDF UK chief once again before MPs
23 May

British MPs asked Vincent de Rivaz, EDF's boss in the UK, to appear before them tomorrow. The committee wants him to explain why the energy company has furhter delayed their final investment decision until next September, instead of May. Vincent de Rivaz already met the MPs on 23 March and said that "clearly and categorically, Hinkley Point C will go ahead". Doubts have grown regarding the £18bn nuclear contract. 

Ken Loach 

Cannes: Palme d'or for Ken Loach and Grand Prix for Xavier Dolan
23 May

I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach's new drama, received the Palme d'or at the Cannes Film Festival. It is the second time that the British director wins this highly coveted prize, his film The wind that shakes the barley had won in 2006. The Quebecker Xavier Dolan was awarded the Grand Prix du Jury for Juste la fin du monde (It's only the end of the world). Olivier Assayas was crowned Best director for Personal Shopper, ex-æquo with Cristian Mungiu for Bacalaureat (Graduation). 

Gael Monfils 

French tennis player Gaël Monfils pulls out of Roland Garros
20 May

French tennis player Gaël Monfils, currently 14th on the ATP ranking list, forfeited for Roland Garros due to a viral infection. The French Open starts next Sunday. The 3rd best world tennis player, Roger Federer, also decided to pull out of the competition, because of a back injury.

Jean-Claude Gaudin and Martine Vassal

Jean-Claude Gaudin in London: "Choose Marseilles !"
20 May

The Mayor of Marseilles Jean-Claude Gaudin was in London yesterday to promote his city with the slogan "Choose Marseilles!" He was looking for investors to help push the city's economic, digital and touristic development. Mr Gaudin opened an ephemeral Provençal village in Hay's Galleria, where visitors can sample life in a provencal village as well as discover products from Marseilles.

 

French navy sent to patrol Channel to stop migrants
20 May

The French navy has been asked to patrol the English Channel to stop migrants from trying to reach the British coasts. The government fears that summer would be a time when a growing number of migrants will attempt to cross the sea and risk their lives on inflatable boats.

Ryanair

Ryanair reported to police for backing Stay In campaign
20 May

Ryanair has been reported to police for selling cheap flights for British expats so they can vote Remain in the EU referendum. Vote Leave campaign accused the airline company of bribery and breaking the election law.

Camille Lacourt

Camille Lacourt wins gold twice at European Swimming Championships in London
20 May

French swimmer Camille Lacourt won gold in both the 50m and 100m backstroke races at the European Swimming Championships in London this week.

 

Couples in France couples can now divorce by mutual consent, without seeing a judge
20 May

Yesterday, the French National Assembly adopted the divorce by mutual consent without seeing a judge. This is one of the reforms of French justice system aiming to relieve courts. Couples will now be able to negotiate their divorce together with their lawyers and their separation will be effective within 15 days.

Cigarettes

Plain cigarettes packs sold from today in France
20 May

As of today, plain cigarettes packs will be sold in tobacconists shops in France. Brand names will appear in a small typeface together with a health message, but there will no longer be the brand logo. This is the first time ever that cigarettes are sold in plain packaging in Europe. Australia has been selling them in this format since 2012. 

A320

A320 plane missing between Paris and Cairo with 15 French passengers
19 May

The flight MS804 of EgyptAir company, which took off yesterday evening from Charles de Gaulle airport, vanished between Paris and Cairo with 56 passengers, including 15 French passengers. The plane is said to have made two rapid turns and lost 22,000 feet before disappearing from radars above the Mediterranean sea. "No theory is ruled out" François Hollande has said, and at this stage nothing is excluded neither is an act of terrorism nor a technical fault. 

CRS 

The state of emergency extended to 26 July
19 May

The French minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve had requested an extension of the state of emergency until 26 July, and the Senate has now adopted it. The aim is to ensure total safety for both Euro 2016 and the Tour de France. It is the third time that the state of emergency is extended since November 2015.

Flag 

Within 5 years, refugees will repay twice over what they cost to the EU
18 May

According to a study by Tent Foundation, an NGO helping migrants to find a home, refugees will repay twice over what they cost to the EU. Within 5 years, receiving migrants would increase public debts by €69bn but their taxes and daily consumption would help the GDP rise by as much as €126,6bn. "The main misconception is that refugees are a burden," Philippe Legrain, former adviser of the EU president, said, "Once they arrive they can contribute to the economy." 

French Police 

French policemen march against "anti-cop hatred"
18 May

French police unions call for forces to protest today, place de la République, against the "anti-cop hatred" they felt during marches against the labour law. The police forces "think they are blamed whereas they are the victims of violence", Philippe Capon, from the UNSA-Police union, said. People must realise the marchers' violence we are confronted to." Since the beginning of the marches against the El Khomri's law, more than 300 policemen have so far been injured, according to the ministry of the Interior.

Olivier Assayas 

Boos against Olivier Assayas's film in Cannes
18 May

Olivier Assayas's film Personal Shopper was booed in Cannes during its press screening. Critics did not warmn to say the least to the story of a professional shopper haunted by her brother's death. Too many product placement, useless sex scenes and a disasppointing scenario, were some of the comments made by journalists. The only asset of Personal Shopper seems to be its main actress, Kristen Stewart, César winner for her part in Sils Maria, giving once again a breathtaking performance.

Francois Hollande

François Hollande still backs Hinkley Point project
18 May

During an interview on French radio Europe 1, François Hollande said that he was "in favour of this project going ahead" concerning the Hinkley Point nuclear reactors. "The French nuclear industry represents 200,000 jobs, this is our energetic independence" he claimed. If the President stands firm, it is because he does not want to leave the project to EDF's Chinese rival.

Marchers

Marches and strikes yesterday against French labour reform
18 May

Yesterday, 220,000 protesters marched in France's largest cities for the 10th national mobilisation day against the labour reforms. The main transport companies and lorry drivers took part in the movement and many spilsovers were reported across France. The protest is against the government's use of the 49-3 clause of the French Constitution to bypass opposition. 

Vegetables

As much as 270M meals wasted each year by British stores
17 May

A study by Wrap, a watchdog, found that British retailers and manufacturers incinerate about 230,000 tonnes of food each year. The surplus could be donated to charities and provide 270 million meals for people in need. Many retailers have signed the Courtauld Commitment 2025 that aims to reduce food waste by a fifth by 2025. But this does not include donation to charities, which Wrap urges through this study.

George Osborne

Brexit could mean a £400bn loss for the UK, George Osborne warns
17 May

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne claimed that Brexit could mean a £200bn loss in overseas investment and another £200bn in trade, every year. These figures come from a forecast scenario made by the Treasury for 15 years after Brexit in case the negotiations with the EU fail.

Arnaud Montebourg

Arnaud Montebourg proposes an "alternative project for France"
17 May

On Monday 16 May, former French Finance minister Arnaud Montebourg called on French citizens to "build in the following months an alternative plan" for the country. He still did not confirm that he would run for president in 2017,"because it is better to have a project without any candidate, rather than loads of candidates without any project", he claimed.

Christine Lagarde

Women French ministers join forces against sexual harassment
16 May

A week after Denis Baupin resigned, accused of sexual assault and harassment, 17 former female French ministers wrote in the newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche a call to toughen the law to protect women. Amongst the signatories are Christine Lagarde, former Finance minister and current head of the IMF, Fleur Pellerin and Roselyne Bachelot. "We will not remain silent anymore" the statement said. The ministers claimed they will systematically denounce "sexist comments and inappropriate behaviour."

Jamala 

Ukraine won the Eurovision song contest
16 May

The winner of Eurovision 2016 is Ukraine. The singer Jamala seduced the audience with her politically charged song about the deportation of Tatar people from Crimea by the USSR in 1944. France finished in 6th place thanks to Amir. The country had not reached the top 10 since 2009 when Patricia Kaas made it to 8th place. The UK has been ranked third from last.

Madeleine LeBeau

French actress Madeleine LeBeau died
16 May

French actress Madeleine LeBeau died on 1st May aged 92. She was the last surviving cast member of the iconic Oscar winning film Casablanca. The film was released in 1942 featuring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

La Défense in Paris

French companies are getting ready for Brexit
16 May

About 18% of French companies have identified commercial opportunities in case of Brexit, against 13% of British businesses, according to a research by Pinsent Masons. To obtain these figures, they questioned more than 1,000 French, German and British companies. As many as 33% of French businesses have made a contingency plan in case the UK leaves the EU, against 24% of British firms.

Labour law protests

Hectic day for the French Labour law
13 May

Thursday 12 May was a hectic day for Myriam El Khomri's Labour law. The Assembly had to vote for or against the motion of censure announced by the right-winged MPs. It was finally rejected. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people protested all over France against the use of the article 49-3 of the Constitution.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis could open the doors to women in church
13 May

Pope Francis said yesterday that he is considering setting up a commission to decide whether women could serve as deacons. When asked about this possibility, he replied that "it would be good for the church to clarify this point". Expanding women's role would be a major change for the Catholic Church. Deacons can preside at baptisms, weddings and funerals but cannot take confessions nor perform mass.

Hinkley Point

China has secret plans to take over the Hinkley Point project
13 May

Chinese companies have secret plans to build nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point, Lord Howell of Guildford reported, George Osborne's father-in-law. They could bypass EDF and build smaller reactors and quicker than their French counterpart. The latter said yesterday that their £18billion project could rise to £21billion and lasts 10 more years than predicted.

Didier Deschamps 

Euro 2016: Didier Deschamps reveals the French squad
13 May

French coach Didier Deschamps revealed yesterday the names of the "Bleus" for the Euro 2016. Hatem Ben Arfa will not be part of the 23 squad, but will be one of the reserves. Without any surprise, the forwards Olivier Giroud, André-Pierre Gignac and Antoine Griezman will compete with the midfielders Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Lassana Diara. Finally, Bacary Sagna, Christophe Jallet and Raphael Varane will be the defenders of the competition. To see the complete list, click here.

woody Allen

69th Cannes Film Festival opened yesterday
12 May

The 69th Cannes Film Festival officially opened on the Croisette yesterday. The jury climbed the stairs, including their president the director George Miller, along with Vanessa Paradis, Kirsten Dunst and Donald Sutherland. Woody Allen launched the festivities with his latest film Café Society, about a young New Yorker in the ‘30s who hopes to make it in Hollywood.

Michel Sapin

Michel Sapin: the UK needs to stamp out tax secrecy
12 May

The French Finance Minister Michel Sapin urged the UK to quickly stamp out tax secrecy in British overseas territories and other Crown dependencies. "We want Britain to go right to the end, as fast as possible, in order for all these jurisdictions to respect the same transparency rules," he claimed. The Minister insisted on the importance of "international cooperation" to fight against tax fraud. His statement follows the Panama Papers affair, revealing hundreds of cases of tax avoidance by the world's richest people.

Anne Hidalgo 

Anne Hidalgo slams Donald Trump in London
11 May

The Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo paid a visit to the new London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday. They joined forces against Donald Trump and his suggestion that Muslims should be banned from entering the US. She was still on the platform at St Pancras station when she said that the Republican candidate is "so stupid, my God!". Sadiq Khan added Donald Trump should recognise "that it is possible to be both western and Muslim and to be friends with the Paris Mayor.

Sadiq Khan confirms £1.50 "Hopper" bus fare
11 May

The new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed yesterday the introduction of a new bus fare for next September. Travellers will be allowed up to two journeys within an hour for the price of one. This change will help people who need to catch more than one bus each day.

Emmanuelle Cosse

Emmanuelle Cosse backs Denis Baupin accused of sexual assault
11 May

The French Housing Minister claimed on FranceInfo, one of the main radio stations in France, that she "trusts [her] husband" Denis Baupin. The latter, a Green MP, has been accused by a number of elected women from within his party of both sexual assault and harassment. He resigned from his job as vice-president of the National Assembly on Monday but denied the charges. Emmanuelle Cosse said that she is "affected as woman, as a wife and as a Minister." But she refused make any comments the case: "These facts are extremely serious and if they are proved, this must be resolved in court."

French flag 

French re-education camps for radicalised Islamists
11 May

As many as 13 re-education centres should open by the end of 2017 to welcome young radicalised Islamists. The first one will open in September to teach patriotic duties and how to "rediscover their critical faculties." The following centres will take charge of radicalised people who have been judged in court.

French Assembly

French Assembly divided by Labour law
11 May

Manuel Valls confirmed yesterday that he would use Article 49-3 of the French Constitution to drive through Myriam El Khomri's bill. Right-wing MPs were not pleased and they announced a motion of censure. The government could be forced to resign on Thursday 12 May, even though it is unlikely that a majority of MPs (289 votes) will adopt the motion.

Michel Platini

UEFA: Michel Platini resigned
10 May

Michel Platini announced his resignation as UEFA president when he learned that the Court of Arbitration for Sports (C.A.S) had banned him for 4 years on Monday 9 May. The sanction meant he can no longer work in the the world of football. He would therefore not be able to open the Euro 2016 competition. The C.A.S found Michel Platini to be guilty of a conflict of interest and of breaking the Fifa ethical code. He has been at the heart of a criminal investigation for eight months into the "dishonest payment" of €1.8M by Joseph Blatter.

Bernard Cazeneuve

80% drop in anti-Semitic and Anti-Muslim acts in France
10 May

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced yesterday that there had been an 80% decline in anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim acts for the first quarter of 2016. The figures are compared with the same period in 2015. Bernard Cazeneuve claimed that we still need to be careful: "The reduced number of these acts does not mean that the society has beaten [violence]," he stated, "this means that we have been more vigilant and this has started to bear fruit."

UCL

London students in rent strike
10 May

About 1,000 students in London are taking part in a strike to protest against the price of their student accommodation. The members of the Cut the Rent campaign are from University College London (UCL), Goldsmiths, Roehampton and Courtauld Institute. They claim their rent is too high compared to their poor housing conditions. "Rents have increased by 50% since 2012" a member of the campaign said. They also state that every student should be able to have access to affordable housing.

Rodin's statue by Richard Drew

A Rodin statue sold $20M in New York
10 May

Auguste Rodin's marble statue called "L'Eternel Printemps" was sold for $20M (£13.8M) yesterday in New York. This is a record for the French sculptor. This piece of art represents a couple kissing, and is another version of "Le Baiser" exhibited in Rodin museum in Paris.

Italian gendarmerie 

Two men suspected of planning terrorist attacks arrested in Italy

10 May
Two men have been arrested in Bari, Italy, suspected of planning terrorist attacks in their country. Their jihadist cell was also targeting Belgium, France and England. 3 other members are sought by the police. 

Manuel Valls

Manuel Valls submits an anti-jihad plan
9 May

This morning, Manuel Valls submitted an anti-jihad plan, including 80 measures combatting radicalisation. The French Prime Minister proposed strengthening the sanctions for those guilty of terrorist acts and the extension of the minimum sentence from 22 years to 30 years. More intrusive surveillance will be authorised to avoid radicalisation in prison. Finally, about ten citizenship and rehabilitation centres should open by the end of 2017, about one per region.

Passeport

It will now be easier to change your first name in France
9 May

Last week, French MPs adopted a bill called "modernising the 21st century's justice", included measures making it simpler to change your first name. Until now, a lawyer was needed to instruct a family judge. The 2,800 requests a year will be dealt with a registrar, which means the mayor and his deputies. He will also be authorised to refuse a first name if he considers that it is not in the child's best interests.

Meeting 

53% of French workers "would do anything" to be successful
9 May

According to an OpinionWay poll, 53% of French "would do anything" to be successful in their company. As many as 10% of respondents would "have sex". But "flatter your boss" is the most efficient way to be successful according to 43% of workers.

Joan of Arc's ring

Joan of Arc's ring: England gives up its claim
5 May

The British Arts Council said today that it gives up getting the Maid of Orléans' ring back. The jewel was bought by the Puy du Fou park on 26 February at an auction. It was the cause of a new conflict between France and England on who should own the relic. The ring will therefore be at the park on Joan of Arc's day on 8 May.

Siné's cartoon

Former Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Siné died
5 May

The cartoonist Siné has died after a lung operation. He was 87. The former Charlie Hebdo caricaturist had been seriously ill despite the remission of his cancer. In the latest issue of his magazine Siné Mensuel, he said that he often thought about "death, prowling and digging around (him) like a truffle pig."

Turkish passport

Visa-free travel in the EU for Turkish citizens
5 May

As a part of its fight against the migrant crisis, the European Commission announced that Turks will no longer need a visa to visit the EU. It is one of the concessions to Ankara regarding their accord to make migrants return to Turkey. But the country needs to meet 72 conditions, from the respect of fundamental rights to the establishment of biometric passport. The government claimed it currently fulfills 67 criteria.

Picnic

Air pollution warnings as temperatures are rising
5 May

The government has published air pollution warnings as UK temperatures are rising. The South-West of England and Western Scotland could face higher risks with 27C predicted for Sunday. The department responsible for official pollution warnings, advises those who have lung or heart problems to stay inside and avoid any intense activity.

Jeannette Guyot

French resistant Jeannette Guyot died aged 97
5 May

French resistant heroin Jeannette Guyot died last week aged 97. She was part of a spy operation in 1944 called "Operation Sussex". The operation was designed to obtain information about the Germans' positions in Northern France. She was one of the most decorated women of the WWII.

 

France: only 16.7% have passed the new highway code
5 May

The new French highway code was introduced on Monday 2 May and has so far been a great failure. Only 16.7% of candidates have passed the exam, against 70% before the reform. 1,000 new questions have added, some dealing with new technologies and eco-minded driving. But the driving schools have not been ready and many candidates have not yet received the updated books. Emmanuel Barbe, Interministerial Delegate for Road Safety, said the questions will be changed.

 

Foie gras

French foie gras threatened by bird flu scare
5 mai

4,000 foie gras farms from South-West France were closed on Monday 2 May to eradicate bird flu. They will be disinfected before reintroducing ducks and goslings. The prices might rise for Christmas and some French people will have to consider Bulgarian foie gras, which is said to be not as good. Foie gras represents 5% of French output and this bird flu scare could cost the country about €270M.

Polling station

French presidential election to be held on Sunday 23 April and Sunday 7 May
4 May

French government spokesman, Stéphane Le Foll, has announced the dates for the 2017 elections. The French will go to the polls on 23 April and 7 May to elect their president and then on 11 and 18 June for the legislative elections. The Senatorial elections will be held on 24 September 2017.

David Cameron

David Cameron has given 50 reasons to stay in the EU
4 May

David Cameron published on Twitter a link to the Stay In campaign website with the caption: "With just 50 days until the EU referendum, here are 50 reasons why we're stronger, safer and better off in Europe." Among the reasons listed are free access for "British businesses (...) to sell to 500 million consumers" and "between 3 and 4 million jobs in Britain linked to our trade with the EU."

Public deficit: France has to make an extra effort
4 May

In its economic forecasts, the European Commission is not really optimistic regarding the evolution of the French public deficit. Although the French government is France committed to reduce its deficit below 3% by 2017, Brussels anticipates that it will be nearer 3.2% of its GDP. However, the European Commission specified that its analysis was based on "unchanged policies". This means that France could still change things if additional efforts were made. According to the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici, reaching "its target by 2017 is possible."

500 euros banknote 

€500: the "Bin Laden" of banknotes
4 may

The European Central Bank (ECB) will decide today the fate of the €500 bill. According to the ECB, it represents only 3% of banknotes. Called the "Bin Laden", because you know it exists but no one has ever been able to see one, it should be removed as it "is more used to hide than to buy", the French Minister of Finance Michel Sapin claimed.

EU states could be fined €250K for each refugee they turn down
4 May

The European Commission will present its plan to fight the migrant crisis. The EU countries refusing to host asylum seekers could be fined €250,000 per refugee they turn down. Quotas for migrants should be established according to each country's wealth and population size. The United Kingdom is not part of this process.

Johnson and Johnson

Johnson & Johnson fined $55m in talcum powder cancer case
4 May

Johnson & Johnson's baby powder is suspected of causing cancers and has so far cost $55m to the American company. A woman claimed that she developed ovarian cancer after using their products for her personal hygiene. And this is not the first time Johnson & Johnson are condemned for such a case. They were accused of negligence for not warning their customers that their product is carcinogenic.

Jean Gachassin

French Tennis Federation's headquarters searched for corruption and tickets trafficking case
4 may

The French Tennis Federation's (FFT) headquarters were searched yesterday as part of the investigation into asset misappropriation and influence peddling. FFT's President Jean Gachassin is suspected of corruption related to Roland Garros tickets and into "the conditions of awarding the contract for the extension of the stadium". The investigation started after the Ministry of Sports received a whistleblowing letter in 2015.

Smartphone

It is now cheaper to use your phone from other EU countries
3 May

Last October, the European Parliament adopted a regulation that reduces the data roaming charges paid when using your phone from another EU country. Since Saturday 30 April, you are now only paying an additional €0.05 per call, €0.02 to send an SMS and €0.05 per MB of data on your local tariffs. These fees will totally disappear from June 2017 when you will pay the same price as if you were calling from your home country.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton joins forces with Tony Blair against Brexit
3 May

Bill Clinton joins forces with Tony Blair to urge citizens to vote to remain in the EU. The former US President is planning to visit the UK as he and his wife think "that transatlantic co-operation is essential, and that co-operation is strongest when Europe is united" Hillary Clinton's senior policy adviser claimed. His position against Brexit was released two weeks after Barack Obama had told the UK that in case of Brexit, the UK would be put "at the back of the queue" in trade deals with the US.

 

French Labour law presented today to parliament
3 May

The controversial bill of Labour law is being presented to French MPs today, who will discuss it for two weeks. This text has been a source of fierce debate for two months and Manuel Valls has rejected the idea of imposing it through article 49-3 of the Constitution. While MPs are analysing the projects, protestors have gathered in front of the National Assembly.

Isabelle Kocher

Isabelle Kocher is the first French woman among CAC 40 bosses
3 May

After an annual general meeting, Isabelle Kocher, Engie's managing director delegate, has succeeded Gérard Mestrallet as chief executive. She is the first French woman running a CAC 40 company (French equivalent to the FTSE 100). Before her, the American Patricia Russo was the first woman nominated on the Alcatel-Lucent board between 2006 and 2007.

Sadiq Khan

London Mayor Elections: Sadiq Khan leads the polls
2 May

According to the Financial Times, who published poll results on Sunday 1st May, Sadiq Khan could win London Mayoral Elections. The Labour candidate's score was 20 percentage points ahead of his rivals, including Conservative party leader Zac Goldsmith. If Sadiq Khan wins, he would be the first Muslim Mayor of any western country's capital.

Je suis Charlie

More tolerance in France in 2015, but also more racist acts
2 May

The French Consultative Commission for Human Rights published a report on racism, which shows that tolerance has increased in 2015, after a 4-year decline. The main reason: rejection of amalgams after the shootings of Charlie Hebdo and 13 November. However, these attacks are also the reason for three times as many anti-Muslim acts compared to 2014.

City of London

100 leading City names back Brexit
2 May

More than 100 City Senior heads have signed a letter calling to vote "leave" in the referendum. According to them, the UK "can thrive and grow outside the European Union." The signatories are highly respected names such as former HSBC chief Michael Geoghegan, the Chairman of Marshall Wace, Paul Marshall, and the Chief Executive of CMC Markets, Peter Cruddas. The main reason for their backing of Brexit is that they "worry that the EU's approach to regulation now poses a genuine threat to our financial services industry and to the competitiveness of the City of London."

Vote

British expats will not be able to vote for UK referendum
29 April

The UK citizens who have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years will not be given the right to vote in 23 June referendum, the high court said. The legal challenge was brought by two expats, a lawyer working in Belgium and a 94-year-old second world war veteran living in Italy.

Salah Abdeslam

French state will pay for Abdeslam's lawyer
29 April

French state will pay for Salah Abdeslam's lawyer. The main suspect of 13 November attacks in Paris cannot pay for his defence, he therefore has the right to legal aid. The law gives financial aid to people who are citizens of an EU country and who earn less than €1,000 a month. Abdeslam, is suspected of leading the worst attacks ever made in France. The law can sometimes be ironic...

Michel Sapin 

French GDP growth of 0,5% in the first quarter of 2016
29 April

This morning, the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Research (Insee) said the French GDP growth is 0,5% in the first quarter of 2016. The Finance Minister Michel Sapin is proud of this increase and claimed "a solid growth has started". Growth is up compared to the last quarter of 2015 ( 0,3%) especially thanks to the households' consumption rate, which is the highest since the end of 2014 ( 1,2%).

 

24 in custody and 78 policement injured by vandalism as Nuit Debout protest escalate
29 April

There have been peaceful protests for nearly one month against El Khomri's labour law project, but yesterday, the situation escalated after the police try to disperse protesters. Some threw bottles and stones at officers. 78 policement were injured, according to the Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve. 24 people have been taken into custody and damages were made near Place de la République.

Union flag

British consumers' confidence drops to its lowest level
29 April

Worries about the UK referendum and its consequences on the British economy have affected the consumers' confidence to its lowest level in 15 months. This is the outcome of a report made by the market research firm GfK. The score reached 6 points in August 2015, its level in March was 0 and dropped to -3 for the first two weeks of April 2016, which lower than expected by the experts. 

François Hollande 

François Hollande tells the French "things are getting better", but they disagree
28 April

On 14 April, François Hollande said to the tv presenter, David Pujadas, that France "is getting better" but, according to a poll by Elabe, 83% of French people disagree. As many as 78% of the 1,000 respondents fear a "social explosion" with a rising number of social conflicts in the country. The French still have no confidence in the future.

David Cameron

 

Leaving the EU means a "triple threat" to the UK, said Cameron and Barber
28 April

Leaving the EU represents a "triple threat" to jobs, wages and every day prices, said David Cameron and former trade union leader Brendan Barber. The two men joined forces to encourage the electorate to vote to remain in the EU on 23 June. This is a surprising alliance of a conservative leader and a trade union leader but both men claimed that "it is right that the rules of conventional politics be temporarily set aside" under exceptional circumstances.

 

Traffic Jam

Bank holiday weekend: be careful on the roads
28 April

This weekend will be the busiest May Day bank holiday, according to the traffic data company Inrix. A least 90 minutes of delay are predicted on the roads out of West London. About 10 million cars are expected on British roads for the highest "level of recreational car journeys" said Simon Williams, an RAC spokesman.

La Rochelle 

Magnitude 5 earthquake in Charente-Maritime
28 April

This morning, the inhabitants of Charente-Maritime, near La Rochelle, were awakened by a magnitude 5 earthquake. No major damage has been reported. It is the biggest tremor in Charente-Maritime since 1972. 

Salah Abdeslam extradited to France
27 April

Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect of the terrorist attacks in Paris, has been extradited from Belgium to France this morning and will meet judges regarding his indictment. He was arrested on 18 March, 4 days before a series of suicide bombings in Brussels, killing 32 people and injuring hundreds. 

Patrick Drahi gathers French media in telecom operator
27 April

Patrick Drahi, owner of the operator SFR and the group Altice, bought NextRadioTV (including the French media BFMTV and RMC) last year, and invested in the newspaper Libération and the magazines L'Express and L'Etudiant. He stated this morning that he is gathering his media activities with the telecom operator. SFR is planning to create 5 paid television channels about sports.

 

 

Mitsubishi has also lied about its vehicles for 25 years
27 April

Yesterday, Mitsubishi admitted that it has been lying about the fuel emissions tests of its vehicles since 1991. The company still does not know if this affects cars sold outside Japan. "Dozens of models" are affected, according to the Japanese newspapers Nikkei. Most of the concerned cars were made by Mitsubishi and sold under the name of Nissan.

 

Pound 

 

Sterling bounces back
27 April

Investors are getting more confident as Brexit fears have been shriking over the last week week or so. Sterling reached €1.29 on 26 April, achieving its February level, before Boris Johnson stated he backed Brexit. Barack Obama's address over the UK staying in the EU has somewhat reassured investors. To be continued...

 

Bakery 

French prefer local products
27 April

While it used to be trendy to buy "Made in France" products, most French consumers now tend to turn to small local businesses and producers. According to a poll carried out by Opinion Way, 63% of French people regularly buy regional products, even if this means payinga bit more to support the local economy. As many as 42% of respondents like to know where their purchases come from and 32% consider them better than the industrial ones.

Submarine

France wins a €34bn contract with Australia to build submarines
26 April

The French industrial group DCNS has been chosen by Australia to build and maintain 12 submarines. The contract is worth €34bn (£26bn). The partnership between the two countries will last about 50 years, according to the Elysée's press release. "This new success will create jobs and development in both France and Australia" assured the government.

Car splash 

London serial splasher wanted
26 April

In London, a new kind of crime frightens pedestrians. With his 4x4, a man splashes walkers on Kentish Town streets on each rainy day. The police is actively trying to arrest the vilain and is asking for the public to help apprehend him as soon as possible. 

 

Canned tuna is dangerous for you, French magazine warns
26 April

The French magazine 60 Millions of Consumers has warned citizens about heavy metals found in tuna cans. The group compared 15 brands of tuna, such as the popular Petit Navire and Saupiquet, but also the cheapest brands Auchan and Leader Price. The results are frightening: mercury, arsenic and fish organs were found in every single can. The doses vary according to the brand, the "healthier" being the tuna from Leader Price.

VW

Volkswagen: not a single car fixed in the UK since the emissions scandal
26 April

Seven months after the Volkswagen fraud on anti-pollution tests made the headlines, not a single car has yet been fixed in the UK. Robert Goodwill, Transport Minister, said he is "disappointed" by the situation. British Ministers were accused of "frightening complacency" because the process to fix the 1.2 million affected diesel cars in the country has still not been approved by the Department for Transport. 

Paul-Eluard

"Nuit Debout" is also a way to fight against drug dealers
26 April

The residents of the city Paul-Eluard in Saint-Denis, near Paris, are also following the movement "Nuit Debout", but they are not protesting against El Khomri's labour law. Their objective: fighting against the back and forth of drug dealers in the number 7 building . For more than a week, about 15 residents have spent the night in front of their tower block despite the risks of reprisal. Deputy mayor of Saint Denis, Slimane Rabahallah, was part of the movement that asked for more than 200 additional policemen to be sent to the city.

Dominic Raab

If Brexit goes through, Britons would need a visa to visit Europe
25 April

According to the Justice Minister and pro-Brexit Dominic Raab, if the UK leaves the EU, British citizens could need a visa to go to Europe. He said this is a necessary step to "make sure we keep Britain safe."

Napoleon III

 

Napoleon III celebrated in Vichy
25 April

From the 22 to 24 April, Vichy went back in time and wore dresses and suits from the 19th century to celebrate Napoleon III. The Emperor and his wife gave to the city its famous health resorts that made it a popular place in the 1860s. For the 9th year in a row, history lovers showed visitors Vichy as it was 150 years ago.

 

Marine Le Pen

Marine Le Pen is not welcome in the UK
25 April

Gisela Stuart, co-chair of the Vote Leave campaign, sent a letter to the Home Secretary Theresa May urging to ban Marine Le Pen from coming to the United Kingdom. The French National Front leader said she was planning to visit Britain to back Brexit. But the anti-EU members think her presence would not be "conducive to the public good" because of her "divisive and inflammatory comments" about Muslims. Theresa May said she does not comment on individual cases.

Hinkley Point

 

Hinkley Point: the final decision delayed once again
25 April

EDF managers said they would tell their decisions on Hinkley Point nuclear plant project next month. They finally decided to delay the deadline until Autumn. The £18bn project has made French unions and Greenpeace grind since they have been claiming for months that the nuclear reactors would be too expensive and could lead EDF to a dangerous situation.

 

Obama

Obama warns Britons about Brexit
25 April

During his visit to David Cameron on 22 April, Barack Obama has warned Britons that, in case of Brexit, the "UK is going to be in the back of the queue" for trade deals with the US. He claimed that "it leverages UK power to be part of the EU." In an interview to the BBC, the American President added that the negotiations for a new trade deal between the UK and the US could take 5 to 10 years.

Amir Haddad

 

Eurovision: France could win... this time!
22 April

According to the bookmakers' forecasts, France has a good chance to win this year's Eurovision. Amir Haddad, 31, is among the favourites. He will represent France on 14 May with his song "J'ai cherché". Some hope for France, who has not won since 1977, was ranked 25 out of 27 in 2015.

Pizza

The best pizza in the world is French
22 April

French pizzaiolo Ludovic Bicchierai, who lives in Bouches-du-Rhône, has received the award for the best pizza during the World Cup championship in Parma. The jury was seduced by his "bouillabaisse" recipe. He is the first French person to win this highly coveted prize. 

Jean-Vincent Placé

Jean-Vincent Placé: Hinkley Point is in "a strategic impasse"
22 April

The nuclear plant project at Hinkley Point is once again dividing French Ministers. Yesterday, Jean-Vincent Placé, junior Minister and former leader of the Ecology party, claimed that EDF is in "a strategic impasse". He maintained that "both EDF's money and France's money has to be invested in renewable energy", reminding all that the government is planning to reduce the share of the nuclear energy in France to 50% of the total electricity production by 2025.

Wineyards

Bordeaux: people in danger because of pesticides
22 April

People living in the Bordeaux wine region are blaming winemakers for making people sick because of intensive use of pesticides. They have noted a rise in the number of childhood cancers in villages close to vineyards. People started to be more concerned in 2009 when the labourer Denis Bibeyran died of bile duct cancer. Since then, his sister called for a ban of pesticides in vineyards near schools and hospitals and recognise that Denis Bibeyran's cancer was an occupational disease.

Cop21

Heads of State in New York ready to sign COP21 agreement
22 April

On Earth day, about 60 Heads of State will gather today at the UN headquarters in New York to ratify the COP21 agreement. The deal was finalised during the Conference of the parties in Paris in December 2015. 160 countries have committed to limit global temperature increase to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

Sommelier

The best sommelier in the world is Swedish
22 April

This week, the Swede Arvid Rosengren was crowned the Best Sommelier in the world during the competition held in Argentina. The two French contestants, David Biraud and Julie Dupouy (who was representing Ireland), lost to Rosengren in the final round, who incidently had already won the award for best European sommelier in 2013. 

Queen Elizabeth II

The 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II
21 April

Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday today. For the occasion, the Royal Post has released a special stamp showing four generations of monarchs with a photo of the Queen, her son Charles, Prince William and little George. Elizabeth II has reigned over the United Kingdom for 64 years, more than Queen Victoria, who was Britain's monarch for 63 years between 1837 and 1901. 

Press freedom

 

France comes 45th on Reporters Without Borders' ranking
21 April

France has reached the 45th place out of 180 in the press freedom ranking according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in 2016. The country has lost 7 places since last year, because "the media landscape is basically made of groups whose owners - industrialists in particular - may have other objectives in mind than defending editorial independence" as stated on RSF website. The United Kingdom is rated 38th, losing 4 places since 2015. 

Marine Le Pen

Marine Le Pen wants to come to London to back Brexit
21 April

No date has been set yet, but the National Front President Marine Le Pen is planning to come to London to back the Brexit campaign. She has been asking for France to organise a similar referendum and wants to give her support to the Vice-President of Europe of Nations and Freedom Group, Janice Atkinson.

David Cameron

The Europeans don't want the Brits to leave
20 April

According to a poll by TNS for the French media Le Figaro-RTL-LCI made in 5 countries of the EU (Germany, Spain, France, Poland and the UK), a majority of Europeans want the Brits to stay in the EU. As many as 78% of Germans, 67% of Spaniards, 59% of French people and 54% of Poles want the UK to remain in the EU. And even if the opinions are divided in the UK, at least according to the latest polls 38% of Brits think their country should not leave the EU.

Police 

French government wants to extend the state of emergency
20 April

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve is submitting a proposition from the government to extend the state of emergency until the end of the Tour de France and Euro 2016. Manuel Valls stated today on Radio France Info that Euro 2016 is "a major event that has to be both safe and a feast." The state of emergency has already been extended twice, once in November and then in February.

Nuclear station

François Hollande has to decide what to do with Hinkley Point
20 April

François Hollande is gathering his Ministers today to decide whether EDF will build the nuclear reactors in Hinkley Point. The £18 billion (€24bn) project is a big risk to take for the French company, which already has £29 billion (€37bn) debts. The Minister of Economy Emmanuel Macron highly supports this plan but others, such as the Minister of the Environment Ségolène Royal, expressed some reservations. 

Bordeaux wine

France: the leading wine exporter in 2015
19 April

France was the leading wine exporter in 2015, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, with 29% of the international exports. The international wine trade has increased by 75% since 2005, from €16 billion to €28.3 billion last year. France is still the biggest wine consumer, with about 41 litres a year per capita.

Christophe Sirugue

Minimum social benefits for those between 18-25 years old
19 April

French socialist MP Christophe Sirugue gave Manuel Valls a report named "Reconsidering the minimum social benefits: a common coverage." He proposed to merge the various minimum social benefits into one single allowance of €400 (£316) a month. He also plans to allow people aged 18 years or over to be included. Today people have to be 25 be eligible. Is it an electoral strategy, a year before the presidential elections, or a real interest in young people ?

Midwife

The Royal College of Midwives wants the UK to stay in the EU
19 April

The Royal College of Midwives is in favour of the UK's membership of the European Union. According to the chief executive of the RMC Cathy Warwick, the EU helps to provide rights for pregnant women, who need paid time off for their appointments. "I believe midwifery in the UK is stronger for it," she said, speaking of the EU, "I believe patient care is safer because of it, and I believe working conditions are better as a result of it."

France Fed Cup 

France to Fed Cup final
19 April

On Sunday, France beat Netherlands in the Fed Cup semifinal. The two best French players Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic won 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 against Kiki Bertens and Richel Hogenkamp. They will face the Czechs in November in their first final since 2005.

Pope Francis 

Pope Francis took 12 Syrian refugees to Vatican
18 April

On Saturday, Pope Francis took 12 Syrian refugees to Rome from the Greek island of Lesbos. The three Muslim families were not chosen because of their religion. "All refugees are the children of God" the Pope said to the media. "Before they are numbers, refugees are first and foremost human beings." He continued quoting Mother Teresa: "It's a drop in the ocean, but after this drop the ocean will never be the same again.

Marine Le Pen

 

Marine Le Pen wants a referendum to ensure Franxit
18 April

The President of the National Front party stated that she wishes France could have its very own referendum to leave the EU. She was talking about Brexit and said she hopes "the French will soon have such an occasion. I wish everyone could give their opinion" about the place of their country in the European Union.

 

François Hollande 

Survey: Hollande eliminated in the first round
18 April

According to several surveys for the French media BFMTV-Le Parisien and RTL-LCI-Le Figaro, whatever the scenario, François Hollande would be eliminated in the first round of the presidential elections. With 15% of voting intentions, the President would be overtaken by Marine Le Pen for the National Front (31%) and Nicolas Sarkozy for the Republicans (20%). Emmanuel Macron seems more likely to go to the second round as he raised 21% of voting intentions. For the Republicans, Nicolas Sarkozy could be overtaken by Alain Juppé, who would get 34% of votes. 

Hug

 

Hug a Brit campaign has gone viral
18 April

A few weeks before the EU referendum, the campaign "Hug a Brit" was launched and has now gone viral. The principle is simple: hug a British citizen to show him your love for his country and encourage him to stay in the European Union. A joyful campaign which has spread throughout Europe and even reached the USA and Australia.

Stay In Campaign

 

Brexit: let the campaign begin
15 April

The official EU referendum campaign has officially started. The In Campaign and Vote Leave have now 10 weeks to convince voters whether or not the UK should leave the EU. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn made his first major intervention stating that citizens should back Britain's continued membership of the EU. 

François Hollande

François Hollande: Headscarves will not be banned from universities"
15 April

In a television broadcast yesterday, French President François Hollande said he disagrees with his Prime Minister Manuel Valls regarding the prohibition of headscarves in universities. "University is a place of freedom", he said, "with rules which have always encouraged political, union and religious freedom." He continued stating that "there will not be a new law regarding headscarves, and the Constitution would not permit it."

Emmanuel Macron

French Minister Emmanuel Macron in London for the French Tech Hub inauguration
15 April

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron was in London yesterday for the inauguration of the French Tech Hub, a meeting of French start-ups based in London, and specialised in high tech. The Minister was attending the meeting with Axelle Lemaire, the Secretary of State for Digital Economy. The founder of the political movement "En Marche!" congratulated the entrepreneurs for their work: "We need talented people in London, and I will be glad if you succeed and also if you want to come back [to France]." "The country needs major changes in the coming years," he continued, "and you are part of theses changes."

Lace 

Chanel comes to the aid of Calais lace
14 April

The luxury firm confirmed its participation in the capital of the company Holesco, controlling the firm Sophie Hallette, one of the specialists of Calais lace. The French lace industry is in great financial difficulty because of astrong asian competition. Romain Lescroart, Holesco CEO, thinks of this entry in their capital as a sign of "recognition and support." However, Chanel's participation is still "a minority, less than 10%" Romain Lescroart specified. In a press release, Chanel said "the aim of this partnership is to perpetuate the historical lace industry, which is the pride of the heritage of Calais and Caudry."

François Hollande

"The French do not expect very much" from François Hollande
14 April

Today, the results of a survey by Odoxa for the newspaper Le Parisien were released: 71% of French people are not interested in what their President will say on TV tonight, during a show in which he answers the questions of citizens. About one in two supporters said he was not interested. "The French do not expect very much from the President's actions," Odoxa's manager Gaël Sliman commented. "An overwhelming majority thinks he will only run the day-to-day affairs." 

Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema will not play for Euro 2016
14 April

Yesterday, Karim Benzema said on his Twitter account that he will not be selected for Euro 2016. This was confirmed by the French Football Federation (FFF) in a press release. The Real Madrid striker is still being questioned for Mathieu Valbuena's sextape case, but "there is no legal obstacle to his selection" the FFF said, but "the ability of players to work towards unity, in and around the group, are also taken into account by the Federation.

Vote Leave 

Vote Leave designated as the official Brexit campaign
14 April

Vote Leave has been designated by the Electoral Commission as the official campaign party to leave the EU in the 23rd June referendum. The group is now allowed to spend up to £7 million it has raised to run its campaign and send a leaflet to every British home. Vote Leave is supported by Mayor of London Boris Johnson and MP Michael Gove.

Bataclan

Bataclan will reopen one year after the attacks
13 April

Today, the Bataclan settled on Twitter that concerts will take place from mid-November, one year after 13 November. attacks. A specific date has not been released yet, but we know that Pete Doherty will sing there on 16 November. Renovations have just started, which, according to the staff, will only"repair the infrastructure and equipment of the room, without changing the way it used to be". 

Church

 

French bishops take measures against paedophilia
13 April

During the press conference of the French Bishops held in Paris on Monday, Monseignor Georges Pontier explained that the episcopate had taken measures to fight paedophilia in the French Catholic Church. They plan to have a call-centre for victims, and also an "independent national Commission" which, according to Bishop Pontier, will "assist bishops judge the situation of priests who committed reprehensible acts." Finally, he wants to "shed light on" paedophilia cases, "even the old ones." This press conference took place after the inquiry concerning the Archbishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin who is blamed for "not reporting sexual assault on a minor."

 

Zac Goldsmith

Zac Goldsmith said Sadiq Khan "provided cover for extremists"
13 April

During his speech for the launch of his manifesto, the Tory candidate for London mayoral elections Zac Goldsmith accused his opponent Sadiq Khan of giving "platforms, oxygen and even cover - over and over and over again - to those who seek to do our police and capital harm" but specified: "I don't believe he is an extremist." Goldsmith was blamed for running a "racist" campaign by the labour MP Yvette Cooper. 

Manuel Valls

Manuel Valls in favour of banning headscarves from universities
13 April

The French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, said during an interview for the newspaper Libération that he was in favour of banning headscarves from universities by "we should to it." He claimed being "inflexible on the rules about securalism in Universities." Several French ministers disagreed with the introduction of such a law, such as Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, minister of Education, who thinks that "we are dealing with young adults" in university.

 

Classroom

Seine-Saint-Denis: parents' associations want to picket 200 schools
13 April

The parents associations in Seine-Saint-Denis, near Paris, said they wanted to picket 200 primary schools to protest against the lack of substitute teachers. According to the organisations leading the protests, every day, 400 teachers in primary schools are not replaced when sick. The Parents associations ask the government to automatically replace absent teachers, this would imply doubling the number of people passing the teacher exam.

 Marseilles

In Marseilles, it pays to be clean
13 April

The start-up Terradona from Gardanne, near Marseilles, is testing a recycling system which enables people to earn money. It is a simple principle: put your rubbish in an intelligent container, log in thanks to the app Cliiink or a contactless card, then receive points which are then turned into vouchers or coupons redeemable in certain shops. The concept was introduced during the MedCop 21 last june. It certainly pays recycle.

Euro 2016

Brussels terrorists wanted to target the Euro 2016
12 April

Mohamed Abrini, one of the Brussels terrorists arrested last Friday, also known as "the man in the hat", explained to police officers that they were planning to "act during the Euro Championship." In March, François Hollande had already stated that "the security will be maximal" during the competition, which will take place between 10 June and 10 July in several French cities including Paris, Marseilles and Lille. 

Nuit Debout

"Nuit Debout": protestors have returned after being removed
12 April

Yesterday evening, protestors of the group called "Nuit Debout" returned to place de la République in Paris for the twelfth night in a row, to show their willingness to see Myriam El Khomri's Labour law project cancelled. They had initially been given the authorisation to protest until last Sunday evening only. First thing on Monday morning, the police removed the protestors including their tents, banners and other facilities without any violence.

Emmanuel Macron 

"En Marche!": Emmanuel Macron creates his own political movement
12 April

Emmanuel Macron, French Economy Minister, said last week that he had created his own political movement, called "En Marche!". It will "not be right-wing nor left-wing". He denies having any ambition for the 2017 election. "This is not a movement for another candidature for the Presidential election", he claimed, "my priority is the situation of the country." On Sunday evening on France 2, one of the main TV channels in France, he stated his movement had already been joined by 13,000 people. 

Rifle

Brussels attacks: the terrorists wanted to target France
11 April

The terrorist group which attacked Brussels on 22 March actually wanted to target Paris again, according to the Belgian federal state prosecutor, who claims they were "surprised by the speed of progress in the ongoing investigation, so they urgently decided to strike in Brussels." According to the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, "this is an additional evidence that there are major threats throughout Europe and, obviously, France in particular."

Air France plane

Air France: gay stewards want to be able to refuse to go to Iran
11 April

Now that the female flight attendants have the right to refuse to go to Teheran to avoid being forced to wear the veil, gay stewards released a petition to have a same opt out clause . Homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran, and even if says the sexual preferences don't affect the way they work, the author of the petition claims this is "inconceivable to force someone to go to a country where his peers are punished for being what they are."

   

Turned down by the Vatican, Laurent Stefanini named ambassador to Unesco

7 April

 

The Holy See turned him down because of his homosexuality, so Laurent Stefanini has been appointed ambassador to Unesco. For more than a year, tensions between France and the Vatican have been mounting because no answer was forthcoming from the Holy See (corresponding to a refusal).

 
Client soliciting

 

It is now illegal to pay for sex in France

7 April

 

After two years of fierce debate, the French Parliament has approved a law to fine the clients of sex workers’ clients. They will be fined €1,500 (£1,200) for a first offence and €3,500 (£2,800) for a subsequent offence. This law was proposed by the socialist party to fight prostitution. France is now the fifth European country to criminalise prostitutes’ clients, after the UK, Norway, Iceland and Sweden.

 

 
 

Jean-Marie Le Pen fined €30,000 for saying Nazi gas chambers are a “detail”

7 April

 

Jean-Marie Le Pen has been fined €30,000 (£24,000) for calling the Second World War gas chambers “a detail” of history. The Paris criminal court convicted the National Front co-founder of contesting crimes against humanity, and rejected the  parliamentary immunity he was invoking.

François Hollande 

Europe's delays on Jihadists registration are "unacceptable", François Hollande says
6 April

In an interview published today by the German media Bild, François Hollande explains the delays of Jihadists registration, which he thinks is "unacceptable". "This is a major problem with Europe: it takes too much time to make a decision" the French Head of State claims, while urging to "go faster". "We will therefore be more effective and we will be able to convince the Europeans that they really are protected" he continues. He also highlights the efforts made by Germany and salute Merkel's country for its solidarity.

Michel Sapin

"Panama Papers": the French Finance Minister wants the Société Générale to come clean
6 April

The French Minister of Finance Michel Sapin told the Société Générale that everything should be "laid on the table" about the "Panama Papers" affair. The bank is accused of creating a thousand offshore companies in Panama. "The CEO of Société Générale has committed to transparency" the Minister added. He also asked for help from the UK and Australia because France does not have all the necessary information.

Myriam El Khomri

French labour law: 11 hours of daily rest are "sacred"
6 April

In the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the French MPs in committee adopted an amendment imposing 11 hours of rest between two working days. This time can not be compressed, except in special cases. Jean-Louis Roumégas, EELV (Green party) deputy claimed that these 11 hours of rest are "sacred" and are an "imperative for health and quality of life".

Tourists in Paris 

Tourism in Paris suffers from terrorist attacks
6 April

The number of tourists in Paris has dropped: the National Independents Group (GNI), an organisation working for hotels and restaurants, noticed that the number of hotel reservations had dropped by 15% for the Easter weekend alone. This decrease is believed to be directly attributed to the 13 November attacks in Paris and the Brussels bombings on 22 March. On Monday 4 April, SNCF, AccordHotels and the Ile-de-France region have launched an international campaign to make tourists come back to the French capital. Their strategy: lower prices for train tickets and hotel rooms until September 2016.

 Alexandre de Juniac 

Air France-KLM: Alexandre de Juniac will resign from CEO position
5 April

On Tuesday 5 April, Air France-KLM announced the CEO of the company will leave his office at the end of July. He will become President of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Geneva. In a press release, Air France-KLM said that they had started a "succession plan" with a recruitment firm.

Alain Juppé

Alain Juppé wants to amend the right of birthplace
5 April

Alain Juppé, French candidate for the right-wing primary elections, claimed during his visit to Guyana, that he would like to amend the right of birthplace. He thinks the acquisition of French nationality by a child being born on the French territory, should only apply when at least one of the parents is in a legal situation. The Mayor of Bordeaux thinks there are too many "abuses" due to the "weaknesses" of the current right of birthplace.

Taxi

The French government will create a fund to redeem taxi licenses
5 April

On Monday 4 April, the French Secretary of State for the Transport Alain Vidalies gave a "roadmap" to end the taxi crisis. In this document, he proposed "the acquisition by the State of transferable licenses for the taxi drivers who volunteer" but this will only concern the licenses which were bought. Licenses are generally given for free by the government, but in such a limited number that some drivers have to wait for years before getting their precious paper. Many drivers decided to sell their license, and the price can go up to €300,000 (£214,000). But with the "VTC" ("tourism car with chauffeur"), the licenses have now lost their value, seriously worrying the drivers who have bought theirs at a high cost. The acquisition fund should be put into place this Summer.

Banksy

Banksy's work exhibited in Paris for the Urban Art Fair
4 April

The work of the mysterious British artist Banksy will be exhibited as part of the first international urban art fair, which will be at the Carreau du Temple in Paris between 22 and 24 April. His stencils and statues will be shown together with creations by JonOne, Katre and Kool Koor. The fair will also take place in many different galleries in Paris, but also in Marseilles, Berlin, Amsterdam and many other but Banksy will only be at the Carreau du Temple.

AirFrance 

Air France and the veil: flight attendants allowed to refuse to go to Iran
4 April

Air France has accepted to create a "volunteering" system for their staff for flights between Paris and Teheran. Female flight attendants and pilots who do not want to wear the veil will be allowed to refuse being part of the crew and will work on other flights instead. The airlines must respect the law of the country in which they land in, and the flight attendants are requested to wear trousers, a long jacket and to use their scarves to cover their hair.

Zaventem airport 

Brussels' Zaventem airport partially re-opens
4 April

Almost two weeks after the Brussels attacks that killed thirty-two and injured more than three hundred people, Zaventem airport partially re-opened on Sunday 3 April. 3 "symbolic" return flights were organised by Brussels Airlines and 8 are scheduled for Monday. "We are planning to increase the number of flights day after day" Brussels Airlines spokesman, Geert Sciot said. The airport resumed its activity under strict surveillance.

Place de la République

 

"Nuit Debout", protests continue against the French labour law
4 April

Since 31 March, hundreds of people gather every night Place de la République in Paris to protest against Myriam El Khomri's labour law. The demonstration is peaceful and creative as films are being shown and bands are playing music. After expressing their discontent 4 nights in a row, citizens, unionists and other protesters plan to get together again Place de la République tonight. 

Olivier Award

Olivier Awards: Kenneth Cranham rewarded for his role in "The Father"
4 April

On Sunday 3 April, Kenneth Cranham received the best actor Olivier Award for his role in "The Father", in which he plays Andre, a man with Alzheimer. Two years ago, Robert Hirsch, was awarded a Molière in France for the same role. Florian Zeller's French play also won Molière prizes for best actress and best play in 2014.

 Pound 

New National Living Wage of £7.20/hour from 1 April
1 April

From today, workers in the UK, aged over 25 years will earn 50p per hour more than last month. The National Living Wage has been raised from £6.70 (€8.38) to £7.20 (€9.02) per hour. Good news for the 1.3 million concerned workers, but 60,000 jobs could be lost according to the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR). The living wage is not a minimum wage but is compulsory for workers aged 25 and more. In France, the current minimum wage is €9.67 (£7.71) per hour, and in Germany, the last to adopt one, the national living wage is €8.50/h (£6.79).

 Europe flag 

"The EU spends more on communication than anti-terrorism" Vote Leave said
1 April

According to a study by pro-Brexit researchers, the EU will spend €20 million (£16 million) more on communication strategies than anti-terrorism policy this year. The European Parliament will allocate €79 million on "propaganda" whereas the European Court of Justice will receive €521,000. Matthew Elliot, chief executive of Vote Leave, considers this situation as wasteful spending : "the EU makes us less safe (...) and sees the migration crisis and recent terrorist attacks as an opportunity for greater political integration."

Passport 

The number of applications for British citizenship rises in Brexit fear
1 April

The number of migrants applying for British citizenship has raised by a quarter since David Cameron started the negotiations to improve the UK's relationship with the EU. According to Home Office figures, the number of enquiries went from 4,179 in the third quarter of 2015 to 5,245 in the last three months. These figures show people's concern about the possibility of the UK living the EU, when the referendum takes place on 23rd June.

Laurence Rossignol

Veiled women compared to "negroes" French women's rights minister faux pas
31 March

In an interview for BFMTV, a French radio station, about fashion brands creating hijabs, the women's rights minister Laurence Rossignol compared veiled women to "american negroes who support slavery". She then said she should not have used theses terms but claimed that this is still her opinion. On the internet, critics were numerous, asking for the minister to be censured.

 Stéphane Le Foll

French Agriculture Minister wants animal cause defenders in all slaughterhouses
31 March

Within a few months, three cases of animal mistreatment and shocking images from CCTV cameras in French slaughterhouses have been revealed. The latest took place in the Basque Country, where employees bled out the animals without correctly stunning them. The French Agriculture Minister claimed he wanted animal rights representatives to work in all slaughterhouses around the country. These employees will be under special "protection" and hold a "whistleblower status" so that they will not be under pressure from other workers. 

Roissy airport

Eight-year-old boy held for a week in Paris airport
31 March

His mother wanted his son to go to France so that he could have a better life. On 21 March, he arrived in Paris, unaccompanied, at Roissy airport, but the 8year-old boy does not have any identity papers. He therefore cannot enter French territory and has been "detained" in the waiting zone. Campaigners accused the French authorities of breaking the children rights convention. The Paris Appeal Court could send the boy back to Comoros.

Nuclear station

An EDF board member wants to postpone the Hinkley Point project
31 March

Christian Taxil, an EDF board member, wrote a letter in which he claims the project for the nuclear power station at Hinkley Point is "not credible". In his view, the conditions are not right to build the reactors in Southern England because of EDF's finances, which have been seriously weakened in the last three years. The Hinkley Point project has provoked lengthy debate. The EDF finance chief, Tomas Piquemal, resigned on 7 March, judging the project would lead the company to bankruptcy.

François Hollande

François Hollande abandons his plans to take away French nationality off terrorists
30 March

After four months of fierce debate, François Hollande decided on 30 March to abandon his plan to withdraw French nationality from bi-national terrorists. The National Assembly and the Senate could not agree on the question, which means that the French president could not meet the Congress. "But I will not deviate from my commitment to ensure the country" he claimed.

Strikes in France

French Labour Law: new strikes planned for 31 March
30 March

It seems that the Myriam El Khomri's Labour Law affair is far from being closed. French trade unions asked the workers of the public sector to march in the streets on Thursday 31 March. SNCF and RATP are concerned, as well as airports, schools and France Télévision. Rail and air traffic will be disrupted and TV programmes disturbed.

Jean Pierre Coffe

French TV host Jean-Pierre Coffe dies at 78
30 March

The partner of Jean-Pierre Coffe, a French TV and radio host and food chronicler, confirmed his death during the night from Monday to Tuesday. The causes of his death have not yet been communicated. Jean-Pierre Coffe was known for his colourful glasses and his strong negative opinion about junk food.

Surgeon

Strikes yesterday in Paris hospitals
30 March

Hospital staff in Paris gathered on Tuesday 29th March in front of the headquarters of Assistance Publique to protest against the reforms affecting their working schedule.. This reform was proposed by the Chief Executive of the AP-HP, and plans changes in working hours, causing the removal of some days off (known as RTTs) for 75.000 agents.

 

London

 

Sterling suffers again from Brexit and Brussels attacks
24 March

23 March was a hard day for the pound. After Brexit doubts, Brussels terrorist attacks created fear in the Stockmarket, pushing Sterling to its lowest level since 2010. The main reason for this drop is the market fears that the attacks would boost the chances of the UK leaving the European Union. At 8:50 this morning, the pound was 1.259 against euro. By 4:30pm, it had levelled out and it was back to 1.267. To be continued... 

 Cow

A case of mad cow confirmed by French agriculture ministry
24 March

French agriculture ministry has confirmed today that a case of mad cow disease has been found in the Ardennes. The case was suspected last week and analysed by a British laboratory. The ministry stated this case was the third in Europe since 2015.

 Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy met the French living in London
24 March

Nicolas Sarkozy was in London yesterday to meet the French citizens living in the British capital. During this public meeting at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel, the President of Les Républicains answered the questions of the French and British people asked about his politics.

Nicolas Sarkozy

Wiretapped conversations of Nicolas Sarkozy accepted by French Courts
23 March

The French Court of Cassation declared nearly all the wiretapped conversations between Nicolas Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog to be acceptable legal evidence. The court will now be able to try the former President for corruption and influence peddling in the context of the Bettencourt affair previously dismissed in 2014. The phone-taps reveal that the judge Azibert, magistrate of the Court of Cassation, gave Nicolas Sarkozy information covered by legal privilege, in return for a top position in Monaco. There could therefore be a trial at the correctional court, which could jeopardise his candidature for the 2017 presidential election.

 Plantu's drawing 

Attacks in Brussels: at least 34 dead and 202 injured (up-date)

22 March

 

This morning at about 8am, two explosions took place in Brussels' airport and a third one in Maelbeek metro station, leading to at least 34 dead and 202 injured. Isis claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Belgian authorities released a photo of three men suspected of being the bombers of the airport. The Belgian government has declared three days of national mourning. All flights going to Brussels were diverted to Paris. The governments leaders expressed their support to Belgium and France has sent 1,600 additional policemen to help control borders. 

Marseille

A Briton wants to clean up Marseilles

22 March

 

Eddie Platt, from Leeds, lives in Marseilles, France's second largest city. Tired of seeing the beautiful streets filled with rubbish, he decided to create the Facebook page “1 Déchet par jour / 1 Piece of rubbish”. His goal is to encourage people to clean up their city by throwing at least one piece of rubbish found in the street in the bin. On 21 March, Eddie Platt met Ségolène Royal, the French Environment Minister, who wanted to pay tribute to his determination and his involvement in keeping France tidy.

  Police 

At least 21 dead in explosions in Brussels
22 March

On 22 March around 8:30am, four days after Salah Abdeslam was arrested in Brussels, three explosions took place : two at Zaventem airport and one in Maelbeek tube station situated in the European district of the Belgian capital. Two hours later, the provisional assessment was at least 21 dead and at least 70 injured.

 

 

 Handcuffs 

Salah Abdeslam fights his extradition to France
21 March

Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect of 13 November attacks in Paris, refuses his extradition to Paris, where he would face trial. He is currently being questioned by the Belgian police. His lawyer, Sven Mary, will submit a complaint against François Molins, the Paris Prosecutor, for breaching the confidentiality of a judicial investigation. The Prosecutor revealed that Abdeslam "was supposed to blow himself up in the Stade de France, but changed his mind".

 

 David Cameron

Brexit: the UK could lose 1m jobs and £100bn, CBI warns
21 March

According to a study commissioned by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), if the UK leaves the European Union, it could cost the country's economy in excess of £100 billion and lead to almost 1 million jobs losses by 2020. Household incomes could be up to £3,700 lower. The CBI warns that British citizens will end up paying the price of leaving the EU. It could result in long-lasting economic damage from which the UK would not recover for years.

 Vote 

France: UDI members say "no" to the right-wing primary elections
21 March

The 23,000 members of the Independents and Democrats Union (UDI), the centrist party, were asked to vote electronically on Sunday 20 March to decide whether they will take part in the primary election of the right-wing party Les Républicains (LR - former UMP) . As many as 67% of them voted against it. The main reason for their overwhelming rejection is the lack of agreement between the two parties for the presidential elections of 2017. UDI's President Jean-Christophe Lagarde had called for members to vote against taking part in the primary elections.

 Rugby 

Rugby: Grand Slam for England in the Six Nations Tournament
19 March

England won against France 31-21 (three tries to none) on Saturday 19 March. Eddie Jones' team scored 2 tries during the first 20 minutes of the match, whereas the French did not score any. Les Bleus finished in fifth place with 4 points in front of Italy with nil point.

  Police

Salah Abdeslam arrested in Brussels
18 March

Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris attack, was arrested in Molenbeek on Friday 18 March, according to the Belgian police. An important police operation was launched after his DNA and fingerprints were found in a flat in Brussels examined by the Belgian federal prosecutor on Tuesday 15 March. François Hollande is in Brussels to talk with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

  Whisky

Whisky tops the list of favourite for French people

Far ahead of pastis, vodka and rum, whisky is now the most appreciated alcohol in French parties. According to a study by the retail consultant Bonial, a French adult drinks an average of 2.15 litres of whisky a year. The country is now the largest consumer of whisky, ahead of Uruguay and the USA. The French Federation of Spirits has confirmed that whisky sales correspond to 38.7% of the overall spirit market. The most successful brand is Jack Daniel's, followed by Ballantines and Clan Campbell. France also produces its own whisky and sells more than 700,000 bottles a year.

Joan of Arc 

French medieval park Puy du Fou buys Joan of Arc’s ring

Joan of Arc’s ring, brought to England by Cardinal Henry Beaufort after her trial, was auctioned in London in February and sold to the French medieval themed park Puy du Fou for £300,000. The ring was cherished by the Maid of Orléans as it was a gift from her parents, and she used to look at it before going into battle. Joan of Arc claimed she was wearing it when she had her vision of St Catherine. The authenticity of the ring still has not been proven, but it matches the descriptions given by Joan of Arc. Philippe de Villiers, the founder of the Puy du Fou, plans to exhibit the ring in a “dedicated place in the park” and is organising an official ceremony on 20th March.

  Police

Ivory Coast attack by al-Qaida: 18 people killed, including 4 French nationals

On Sunday 13th March, gunmen from al-Qaida opened fire on a beach in the resort of Grand-Bassam, a popular seaside town in Ivory Coast. At least 18 people have been killed, including 4 French citizens and 3 members of the Ivorian special forces, and 33 have been injured. The Elysée has stated in a press release that the French President of the Republic extended his condolences to all the victims’ families. The Ivorian government confirmed that the 3 assailants have been killed by the security forces. The attack has been claimed by al-Qaida. The names of the victims and that of the gunmen have not yet been released. The day after the killing, Hamed Bakayoko, the Ivorian interior Minister announced three days of national mourning.

 Sterling

 

Brexit: Sterling on a Roller-coaster ride

Doubts surrounding the outcome of the June referendum sent the pound down. In the week of 22nd February alone sterling lost 2.4% against the U.S. dollar, its lowest level since March 2009. As for the pound versus the Euro, it has been floating between 1.26 euros and 1.30 euros. The UK leaving the EU is a subject of fear in the financial markets, as the consequences remain unpredictable. The market reacted negatively after Boris Johnson announced his support to the "leave" campaign. Bank of America Merrill Lynch has predicted that the UK leaving the EU could trigger an even more significant downfall: "Our calculations suggest that Sterling was overvalued. In an extreme simulation, in which capital inflows slow down before the referendum, the pound could face a significant downturn."

 Barack Obama

Obama disappointed about France and the UK's handling of Libya

"I had more faith in the Europeans, given Libya's proximity, being invested in the follow-up" said Barack Obama to The Atlantic Magazine. On 10 March, the U.S. President shared his disappointment with the magazine on how France and the UK dealt with the Libyan crisis. According to him, David Cameron was "distracted by a range of other things" while Nicolas Sarkozy "wanted to trumpet of flights he was taking in the air campaign, despite the fact that we had wiped out all the air defences." "Complete chaos and civil war broke out in Libya" claimed Obama. The two countries and Nato's intervention in Libya lead to the execution of its dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, Libya remains divided by two rival factions and politically unstable. David Cameron has refused to comment on Barack Obama's statements but his official spokeswoman has recognised that "there are some real challenges in Libya."

 François Hollande

François Hollande criticised for award to Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

Mohammed Ben Nayef, heir to the Saudi throne, received the Legion d’Honneur, the highest French national honour, from François Hollande on 4th March. The ceremony happened quietly but faced critics from social media and political opponents. Saudi Arabia has been criticised many times for its violation of Human Rights, especially for the ever increasing number of people sentenced to death each year. The latest beheading happened on 6th March. This is the 70th person executed in slightly more than two months. “The Legion of Honour is supposed to show an example to follow, and should be public”, Europe-Ecologie-les-Verts party’s spokesman Julien Bayou says. “It seems that we are being held hostage because of our business relationships with Saudi Arabia, just as we are with Qatar.” The President of the National Front, Marine Le Pen, gave her vision of the situation: “For the president to do this so quietly, may mean that he is ashamed of his actions.” Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Foreign Affairs minister, explained that this is a “part of a normal protocol” . François Hollande was decorated by Saudi Arabia during his last visit there.

 Ministère des familles 

French government creates the Ministry of “Families”

The Ministry of “Family” changes into “Families”, according to a decree on the Journal Officiel. François Hollande explained he wants to “recognise all” types of families: blended families, single-parents, same-sex parents. It is outdated to think that there is only one family type.” The government is aiming to be more inclusive by recognising that there are many different possible types of family units. After the publication of the decree, the “Manif pour tous” expressed their discontent, claiming that “by not talking about “the” family (…) you are denying its existence.

David Cameron

Calais’ “Jungle” on the agenda of the Franco-British summit

During the 34th Franco-British summit, Prime Minister David Cameron promised an additional €22 million to help France deal with the Calais’ “Jungle” removal. This extra aid, added to the €66 million already given by the UK, will be allocated to “support the work of the French police” and accommodate migrants, according to an official report. A quarter of the “Jungle” has been evacuated within a week, according to the vice-prefect of Pas-de-Calais, Vincent Berton. It represents “about 5 acres” out of 18. Since 29th February, the authorities have been removing the camps and trying to convince them to go to the temporary legal centre, where they can sleep in a warmer environment. “We must act in a very pragmatic and human way and always respect people” Vincent Berton underlines. According to the Pas-de-Calais prefecture, the “Jungle” evacuation could last for more than a month.  

GP

Marisol Touraine aims to reinforce the attractiveness of becoming GPs.

The Health Minister is preparing a number of measures designed to satisfy the reuests of self-employed GPs. Some of the reforms are likely to include paid maternity leave for GPs, the regionalisation of the exam’s “numerus clausus” (which determines the number of students given access to their second year of studies) and a “re-certification” of the practitioners every 6 years, in order to improve their continuing education. 

ID cards

The French National Assembly adopts the revocation of French citizenship

The French National Assembly adopted the revision of the French Constitution on 10 February: 317 deputies voted for vs 199 against and 51 have abstained. The text plans to include in the Constitution both the state of emergency and the revocation of French citizenship for people who have been found guilty of committing terrorist crimes or offences. The text now needs to be approved by the Senate. 

Jean-Marc Ayrault

Manuel Valls announces his new government reshuffle

The last government reshuffle of Hollande’s presidency has finally taken shape and comes with several surprises. We knew that Laurent Fabius would leave the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take the helm of the Constitutional Council. However, everyone expected Ségolène Royal to come to fill his post but in fact he is being replaced by former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. The Président’s ex-partner stays at the head of the Ministry of Ecology. Apart from Laurent Fabius, 3 other Ministers leave the government: Sylvia Pinel (Ministry of Housing), Marylise Lebranchu (Ministry of Civil Service) and Fleur Pellerin (Ministry of Culture). Emmanuelle Cosse, leader of the ecologist party EELV, is replacing Sylvia Pinel, whereas Audrey Azoulay replaces Fleur Pellerin and Annick Girardin takes some of Marylise Lebranchu’s former responsibilities. In addition, Jean-Yves Le Drian remains at the head of the Ministry for Defence, thus holding concurrently a Ministry and the Presidency of Brittany. François Hollande will explain his choices on TV at 8pm tonight (11 February).  

Uber user

Two UberPop France managers taken to court

UberPop is once again being taken to court, for “misleading commercial practice” and “illegal exercise as taxi drivers”. The two managers could be sentenced to up to 5 years in prison and heavily fined. 

Jean-Luc Mélenchon

Jean-Luc Mélenchon announces his candidacy for the 2017 presidential elections

Jean-Luc Mélanchon declared on TF1 news that he will be running in the 2017 Fench presidencial elections.  He had previously mentioned it, but has now officially announced his candidacy. “We need to change our way of producing, of exchanging and of consuming”, explained the Euro-deputy. 

La Marseillaise

French children will be taught the Marseillaise again

The French government has declared 2016 to be the Year of the Marseillaise. A guide entitled Get Singing, Young Citizens has even been sent to school teachers giving them instructions on how to get children to perform the national anthem in different conditions: solos, as a duos, as a choir, with a piano or with an orchestra. This decision is designed to strengthen patriotism in the aftermath of the 2015 terrorist attacks, and in preparation for the Euro 2016 football championship due to take place in France this summer. Another unspoken motive could be to take the Marseillaise back from the far-right party. 

S. Royal & N. Hulot

Last government reshuffle before the 2017 presidential elections

French President François Hollande and his Prime Minister Manuel Valls are planning a reshuffle - the last one until the 2017 presidential election. Jean-Louis Debré's mandate at the head of the Constitutional Council will end in March and Laurent Fabius seems to be the perfect candidate to replace him. The President asked Ségolène Royal, his ex-partner with whom he has 4 children, to replace Laurent Fabius as Foreign minister. Royal has accepted, leaving her seat at the Ministry of Ecology empty. The ecologist Nicolas Hulot has refused to replace her, so for the moment the full composition of the new government remains a mystery. This game of musical chairs should end in the coming days, and might be determining for the 2017 presidential campaign. 

Taubira

French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira resigns

Christiane Taubira resigned on 27 January after having repeatedly expressed her doubts about the government's controversial plan to revoke French citizenship from dual nationals convicted of terrorism. She is replaced by Jean-Jacques Urvoas, MP for the Finistère department in Brittany, who supports the constitutional reform.  

Banksy French Embassy London

Banksy creates artwork outside French Embassy in London

Banksy is well-known for his outspoken stance and the new artwork which appeared outside the French Embassy in London is no exception. The artwork depicting the famous Les Misérables poster engulfed in tear gas, criticises its use against migrants living in the "jungle" camp outside Calais.

Mustang poster

Mustang will represent France at the Oscar 2016

The drama film Mustang, directed by Turkish-born and French-raised film director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, has been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 88th Academy Awards. The film is set in a remote Turkish village and depicts the life of five young sisters, who face numerous challenges as they grow up in a conservative society.

André Courrèges

The fashion designer André Courrèges is dead

The French fashion designer André Courrèges, known for his futuristic designs, has passed away on 7 January, at the age of 92. He was the founder of Maison Courrèges and promoted miniskirt and trousers for women in the 1960s. 

Je Suis Charlie

Sad anniversary

7 January - One year ago, 17 people died in the terrorist attacks targeting Charlie Hebdo, policemen and a cacher supermarket. Let's not forget the victims and keep fighting for press freedom. 

Michel Galabru

Michel Galabru passed away. He was 93. 

DEATH - Michel Galabru died on 4th January. Galabru was one of the most popular French actor and played in over 250 films such as Le Gendarme de St Tropez, La Guerre des boutons and more recently Love like poison.

Michel Delpech

Michel Delpech dies aged 69

HOMMAGE - The French singer Michel Delpech passed away on 2 January. Numerous artists and politicians have paid tribute to this amazing artist. Among the singer's greatest successes: Chez Laurette (1965), Pour un Flirt (1971) and Quand j'étais Chanteur (1975).  

French flags

French flags as tribute to victims of Paris attacks

COMMEMORATIONS - François Hollande has asked the French to hang the national flag on their house on Friday 27 November as a sign of support for the victims of the Paris attacks on the day of the commemorations. The families of the 130 victims and the 351 wounded who are well enough to attend have all been invited to the ceremony, which will begin at 10.30am in the Invalides in Paris.  

 

France at war

TERRORIST ATTACKS - Six coordinated attacks were carried out in Paris and Saint-Denis (north suburb, just outside Paris), on Friday, November 13, by three groups of armed men. To date, 130 people have died, 352 were injured and 98 of them very seriously. 7 attackers were killed, 6 of them after detonating bombs they were carrying. On Saturday 14 November, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for all these attacks.

On 19th November, the French Assembly voted the extension and the re-inforcement of the state of emergency.

 

 “Air Cocaïne” Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos have escaped

 

Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos, two French pilotes who had been sentenced for drug dealing to 20 years imprisonment in the Dominican Republic, have escaped and are back in France. They had been assigned to compulsory residence and were waiting to go through the court of appeal. It would appear that “a group of friends” helped them escape. The Quay d’Orsay have denied any involvement in their escape but it would seem however that a French politician might have played a part.

 


 

 

EU referendum bill passed 

EUROPE - A bill backing the organisation of a referendum regarding the UK’s membership of the EU has been overwhelmingly passed in the House of Commons, with 544 MPs voting for it, against a mere 53.

 

Cameron's "dangerous" plans 

France has criticised PM David Cameron on his “dangerous” plans for renegotiation over the UK’s position in the EU. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius stated that if these negotiations were in order to grant the UK “a special status” then the answer would be “no”.

 

Lost in transportation

HOLIDAYS - Last weekend a Belgian bus driver got mixed up and drove his passengers in the direction of La Plagne, a village in the Pyrenees instead of La Plagne, a winter sports resort in the Alps. He said he got confused because of his GPS which failed to warn him that there were two French villages with the same name. He realised his mistake near Toulouse… The result for his passengers: a 1200km detour and a 24-hours delay!  

 

Helicopter crash in Argentina

ACCIDENT - Two helicopters collided yesterday the 10th of March in Argentina. The 8 French passengers – shooting a reality show – and the 2 Argentinian pilots were killed. Among the victims: the sailor Florence Arthaud (57), who had won the Route du Rhum in 1990 and the Transpacific race in 1997, the swimmer Camille Muffat (25), who won a gold medal at the London Olympic games in 2012 and the boxer Alexis Vastine (28), who received a bronze medal in Beijing in 2008. The French President François Hollande expressed his deep sadness and regretted the loss of the three athletes, who have “helped France stand out so much”. The Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared: “the whole of France is plunged into mourning”. An investigation will be carried out to ascertain the circumstances of this drama. 

 

 A French « bitch » steals Prince Harry!

CINEMA - Camille Cottin, main actress of the French TV series « Connasse », aired on the Canal Plus Channel, has decided to think big. Not only did she make the jump from TV to cinema, but she seems pretty determined to climb the social ladder too. How? By putting her hands on Prince Harry, of course! After all, he is just one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe... The first screening of the movie “Connasse, Princesse des Coeurs”, filmed both as a fiction and a hidden camera will be held on the 29 april 2015 in France. And you will see, the “bitch” has no limit: insolent, provocative and shameless… there is no doubt, she has not changed one little bit.  

Europe facing the economic crisis: the state members went in alone

EUROPE - These are the results of a study published in February by France Stratégie, a government research centre. In an eight-page report entitled "Social divergence in Europe after the crisis", the organisation developed the different trajectories used by each of member states since 2010, and they have identified "several breaks" within the EU. The analysis is worrying: the wealth gap is widening in Europe, and is forecast to widen over the next few years... Southern countries are breaking away from central and northern European countries not only in terms of employment but also in spending and inequalities. Many countries did have a choice but to reduce their expenditures to survive the crisis. Now that the policies are about to end, will the various member states economies converge again?


New issue of Charlie Hebdo: "Here we go again!"

MEDIA - The 1179th edition of Charlie Hebdo will be released on 25 February. It is the second edition of the satirical newspapers since the Paris attacks, which killed eight people of Charlie's team. Luz drew the front page again, but this time there is no drawing of the prophet Mohammed on it. There is however a group of people and among them: Marine Le Pen, Nicolas Sarkozy, the Pope Francis, all running after a dog who is holding an issue of Charlie Hebdo. "Here we go again", we can read in caption. Approximately 2.5 million copies of this edition will be printed vs 7 million copies for the "survivor issue".


Five teenagers arrested following the desecration of 250 graves in a Jewish cemetery in France

SOCIETY - This weekend, hundreds of graves were desecrated in a Jewish cemetery of Sarre-Union, in Alsace, Bernard Cazeneuve, the home secretary said - an anti-Semitic act that François Hollande qualified as "despicable and barbaric." On Monday 16 February, five teenagers aged between 15 and 17 were arrested after one of them came forward. They all face a seven year prison sentence.


French skier Jean-Baptiste Grange crowned world champion in slalom 

SPORTS - Fantastic! On Sunday 15 February, Jean-Baptiste Grange won the gold in the world slalom championship, ahead of the Germans Fritz Dopfer and Felix Neureuther. After four years plagued by injuries, the French skier becomes world champion once again having previously won the title in 2011. France leaves the US with three medals in total, thanks to the two additional medals won by Adrien Théaux (Super G) and Alexis Pinturault's (Giant slalom).

French actor Louis Jourdan, star of Octopussy and Gigi, dies aged 93

CINEMA - Louis Jourdan passed away on 14 February in his house in Beverly Hills. He was 93 years old. In the 1950s, he became one of most celebrated actors in Hollywood and thanks to his charm and elegance, he embodied the image of the perfect "French lover". He will be mostly remembered for his roles in Letter from an unknown woman, Paradine Case and Gigi opposite Maurice Chevalier and Leslie Caron and will remain the unforgettable and terrible Kamal Khan in the James Bond movie Octopussy.

Double terror attack in Copenhagen during a tribute to Charlie Hebdo

TERRORIST ATTACK - On 14 February, two shootings occurred in Copenhagen. Around 3:30pm, a man opened fire on the Krudttønden cultural centre café, where a conference about Islam and freedom of speech was being held - both the French Ambassador to Denmark and the controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks were attending the debate. One person was killed and three policemen were wounded. A second attack happened later, outside a synagogue, one unarmed security guard was killed. On Sunday morning the terrorist responsible for both the attacks was shot dead by the Danish police.

A baker brought to justice for working too much

ECONOMICS - A year ago, Stéphane Cazenave's baguettes were voted the best in France, a real publicity coup for this artisan from the South West. Over the past few days, the Saint-Paul-les-Dax's baker has been in the news once more, but not for the same reasons: This time, because his bakery is opened 7 days a week when it should be closed for one day whole each week.  He is accused of not abiding by the law that stipulates that bakeries must close for at least 24 hours a week. He now has the choice between either paying a fine or making some of his employees redundant. Incredible but true!

Six nations championship: France beaten by Ireland

SPORTS - On 14 February, the French rugby team lost 18-11 in Dublin on the second day of the tournament - first defeat for les bleus. France ends up third in the ranking, behind England and Ireland, now unbeaten for nine games. The next game for France is against Wales on 28th February.

Wiltshire police apologise for keeping records of readers of Charlie Hebdo

INTELIGENCE - It was Anne Keat, a pensioner from the small town of Corsham, who sounded the alarm last week: she told, in a letter to the Guardian, that her newsagent had to give the police the names of all the people who had purchased the last Charlie Hebdo. And a few days later, the police did confirm they had asked newsagents to send them the list of all the people who had bought the satirical newspaper. This request, according to the police, was made to estimate the level of "tensions in the community" and thus "improve public safety". The police apologised and the records of those concerned have been deleted.


French Muslim secondary school accused of antisemitism

EDUCATION - For a few days, Averroès secondary school in Lille is mired in controversy. One of its teachers, Soufiane Zitouni, has accused the private Muslim school of letting antisemitic and extremist Islamic ideas circulate. In an open letter entitled "Why I quit Averroès secondary school" published on 6 February in Libération, the professor of philosophy denounced an "almost cultural anti-Semitism among several students" and the school's "double-standard" regarding "our secular republic." The secondary school has decided to file a complaint, meanwhile the local education authority is planning its inspection.

Bordeaux crus are too expensive British wine merchants say

 

FOOD - Thirteen of the UK main wine merchants wrote an open letter urging château owners to lower their 2014 en primeur wines' prices - currently around €200 (£150) per bottle. They point out that "many private UK customers have now as a result been put off from buying wines en primeur" and want to return to the 2008 vintage prices. "People have not really made money on it since 2008", Justin Gibbs, the market director of Live-ex, explained. The thirteen signatories still praise Bordeaux crus' qualities, and add that their intention is to defend the Bordeaux primeur wine market.

French police get a new boss

SOCIETY - On 5 February, Bernard Petit, the number one of the French Police, was indicted for "violation of the secrecy of an investigation and the disclosure of information on an instruction in order to impede the progress of the investigation or of the truth." He is suspected of having informed Christian Prouteau, a former Prefect, about on-going investigations related to him. Bernard Petit was immediately suspended. The "36" therefore has a new boss, Christian Sainte, who should start this week.

France, first European tourist destination

 

ECONOMICS - According to the latest figures published by Eurostat France remains the first tourist destination in Europe. In 2014, the number of tourists in Europe reached a new record. With 402.9 million nights booked in 2014, France is still ahead of Spain (401.3 million, 3.1% compared to 2013): a close call! This year is therefore a new challenge for France, especially since January has been pretty bad for Parisian hotels after the Paris attacks.

Five people arrested in Lunel in an antijihadist operation

 

SOCIETY - For the past few weeks, this small town in the South of France has become a source of media attention. It is estimated that since October no less than fifteen young people have left Lunel to fight in Syria; six of them have already lost their lives - almost one-tenth of the number of French people who have recently died there. At the end of January, an investigation on a jihadist network led to five people being arrested.

Handball: France quintuple world champion

SPORTS - And one more which makes five ! The French handball team has become world champion for the fifth time in its history, an absolute record. On Sunday, the "experts" - as they are called - won against Qatar, 25 to 22 in a very tight game. Twenty years after its first world cup, the French team is now world, Olympic and European champion, what a performance! Next world cup in 2017... in France: no doubt it will be an amazing sporting event.

French Prime minister boots antiterrorist resources 

INTERNATIONAL - Two weeks after the Paris and the Montrouge terrorist attacks, Manuel Valls announced a three-year plan to reinforce France's antiterrorist arsenal; by 2017, 736 million euros (£564bn) should be spent on material and human resources. The prime minister detailed the measures the government intends to put in place in response to a growing terrorist threat: more police with 2680 jobs created to « improve surveillance », a legal framework for the actions of the intelligence services, and an expression of « national indignation » at the parliament, the creation of a website to raise awareness amongst people... The French prime minister wishes above all to prevent the growth of radicalisation.  

François Hollande's popularity increases by 21 points in one month

POLITICS - Never before had a French president seen his popularity rating gain 21 points in less than one month. After the attacks that hit France, François Hollande's popularity leaped by 21 points (Ifop-Fiducial), to reach 40% of approval rating - Less than 6 months ago he was under the symbolic threshold of 20%. Why did he become suddenly so popular? Thanks to his flawless handling of the terrible events two weeks ago: the government actions were effective and the French President managed to rally the French together, and to gather leaders from around the world. Caution though: this historical rebound could be short lived. In the past, president Mitterrand, in the midst of the Gulf War, and then president Chirac, during the 1998 football World Cup, had known similar improvement in their popularity... but it did not last. To be continued!

Paris sues Fox News for its delirium about the "no go zones" in Europe

MEDIA - To understand better the recent attacks in France, Fox News, the first news channel in the US, called upon "experts" . And last week, they all got carried away about the existence of "no go zones"where the police and non-Muslims are not allowed in France. Amongst other areas, they identified Belleville and The Père Lachaise neighbourhoods in Paris for instance and in the UK, the whole city of Birmingham with its one million inhabitants. Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, decided to sue the American news channel over conveying an "insulting" false image of the French capital; Fox News had even pinpointed those areas as governed under sharia law. The journalists at Fox News apologised several times for their wrong information and blamed it on poor research.


Thank you for this moment by Hollande's former partner to be adapted for the screen

CULTURE - Valerie Trierweiler's revenge has no end... Her book about her love story with the French President until their break up is about to be turned into a film. So far,  as many as 730,000 copies of the book have been printed in France alone and it has been translated into 12 languages and yet this does not seem to be enough for Valerie Valerie Trierweiler. Hollande's former partner gave the green light to one of her friends, Saïda Jawad, to adapt the book. "Romarin Films [...] is currently developing the film adaptation of the best seller and is considering co-production agreements with French and international companies" the actress and producer declared to Gala. Valérie Trierweiler will have her word to say about the movie, Saïda Awad specified. We are all looking forward to discovering the casting... will Julie Gayet play Valerie Trierweiler?

12 killed and 4 badly injured at satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris

TERRORIST ATTACK - France is in shock. On 7 January, around 11.30am, two men armed with automatic weapons stormed the Charlie Hebdo newspaper headquarter located in the 11th Arrondissement of Paris. In total, approximately 30 shots were heard. Twelve people were gunned down including the designers Charb, Cabu, Wolinski and Tignous and two policemen. The two terrorists managed to escape in a getaway car shouting "we have avenged the prophet Mohammad"," Charlie Hebdo is dead!". After a manhunt lasting a few hours in Paris, the police released photos of Chérif and Said Kaouchi, aged 32 and 34. The two men are wanted for the attack on Charlie Hebdo. 48h after the shooting, the two brothers were located in Damartin, a small town in the North West of Paris. They barricaded themselves into a printing house after having taken one of the employees hostage. 

French socialist and communist parties want UMP HQ to become council housing

POLITICS - On 19 December, the Paris council approved the PCF's (French Communist party) wish to have the current UMP HQ address designated as a potential future council housing estate. In other words, the land can only be sold to be developed as council housing - and when this occurs the property value dramatically drops. Ian Brossat (PCF) says: "Rue de Vaugirard, where the UMP HQ is located, is very poor in council housing." Outraged, the opposition denounced an "expropriation": "it is hard to believe that an authority such as the Paris City council is prepared to prevent a party from living, working... it is absolutely not democratic, it is seriously wrong", claims Pierre Yves Bournazel (UMP). Who is next..?     

 

UBER Vs Parisian taxis: France says non to Uber

BUSINESS - From 1st January 2015, the American company Uber will no longer be legal in France thanks new French regulations. The Taxis Parisiens had denounced that the Uber App was an unfair competition method and had asked the government to intervene. This new law is much more stringent for taxis and cars with drivers and will make it impossible for Uber to operate. Uber had already been made illegal both in Germany and in India.

Miss France 2015 : Camille Cerf, Miss Nord Pas de Calais elected

PEOPLE - « No one has ever seen a Miss France coming from Dunkirk, they are all so ugly there » (from the film Intouchables). Omar Sy, it seems you were wrong: Camille Cerf is from the North of France and has just rectified this misconception by being elected Miss France 2015. The 20-year-old student - today, it's her birthday, bon anniversaire Camille! - was selected out of 33 candidates who all dreamed of receiving the crown. Camille Cerf who represented the Nord Pas de Calais could not have made her region more proud: it is the first time a Ch'ti Miss has won this title... even Dany Boon congratulated her! 


French actors' salary capped by the CNC

CINEMA - The National Center of Cinematography (CNC) has taken a number of steps to reduce movies stars' colossal wages. Actors, scriptwriters, directors or producers' salaries will now be capped according to the production costs of a film (15% or less of the costs if the film budget is less than 4 million euros and 8% if the budget is between 4 and 7 million euros). If an actor earns a bigger percentage for one movie then the film will not receive any financial support from the CNC. This decision should ensure that excesses observed over the past few years will not be repeated. Some better paid actors will probably not be terribly happy about this.

Former French minister Yamina Benguigui in trouble with the law 

POLITICS - "I will not be surrounded, at the Elysée palace, by people who have been convicted of wrong doing", François Hollande promised in 2012. In order to be true to his word, the French President has had since then to let go five of his close collaborators or ministers. Cahuzac, Morelle, Thévenoud, Arif, Lamdaoui; they have all been asked either to resign or have left the government of their own accord because of trouble with the tax office or the justice department. It is now Yamina Benguigui's turn. She is suspected of having under declared her revenues between May 2012 and March 2014 (AFP), when she was Minister for la Francophonie. On all sides of the political spectrum, the list of scandals is getting longer!

Léa Seydoux and Monica Bellucci in the next James Bond movie : two French girls for 007!

CINEMA - Monica Bellucci (French at heart) and Lea Seydoux will both be in Spectre, the new James Bond movie, to be released in the UK in October 2015. The spy we all love so much has always had a little something for beautiful French women... Léa Seydoux, as Madeleine Swann, will be the eighth French James Bond girl. And for the fourth time, Daniel Craig will be once more playing the world best known secret agent. This 24th episode promises to be even more explosive than the last one. Oooh James!!!!

 

French MPs vote for recognition of Palestinian state

WORLD - On 2 December, the French Assembly adopted the socialist motion for the recognition of the Palestinian state, by 339 votes to 151. However, a majority of UDI and UMP MPs were against it, judging such a vote is normally the prerogative of the government and should only be considered when the Israeli and Palestinians have come to an agreement. The vote is purely symbolic and is part of a European initiative which sees this recognition as a way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. An "act of hope and determination for peace", Bruno Le Roux (Socialist Party) praised. On 11 December, the Senate will have to vote on a similar text.

Nicolas Sarkozy elected leader of UMP

POLITICS - Sarkozy is back in the game: on 29 November, Nicolas Sarkozy was elected head of the UMP with 64.5% of the votes, ahead of Bruno Le Maire (29.18%) and Hervé Mariton (6.32%). This is not a great achievement for the former President, who, back in 2004, became leader of his party with 85% of the votes. His latest score tends to indicate that there is room for other contenders... and Alain Juppé and François Fillon have realised that. They have both refused to join the committee of ex Prime Ministers that Nicolas Sarkozy was hoping to form. The fight for the 2016 primaries is likely to be fierce. 

French Assembly votes the new 13-region map

POLITICS - This week, the French Assembly approved the revised map of France's regions. After a six-hour-long debate - the Alsatian UMP MPs being strongly against the merger with the Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine regions - the assembly ended up adopting the text, without any changes. If this is now accepted by the Senate, then the number of regions will be reduced from 22 to 13, by 2016.


Triangle Tower project : Anne Hidalgo has not said her last word

ENVIRONMENT - The Triangle Tower does not even get off the ground... On 17 November, the Council of Paris rejected the construction project for this 180m high skyscraper. Anne Hidalgo, who was fervently defending it, has lost a fight... but not the war: the Mayor of Paris is demanding a new vote, reproaching the UMP for not respecting confidentiality. On Monday, the councillors showed their ballot papers before the final vote. The vote could now be cancelled. To be continued...

New French Senate votes 2015 social security budget

ECONOMICS - On the night of 14 to 15 November, the Senate, which recently swung back to the right, struck a blow in its first important vote on the 2015 social security budget. The UMP and centrist senators made it pretty clear about their intentions pretty clear: with their amendments, they made changes to the Assembly vote. Savings of an extra billion euros, removing child benefit charges, retirement at the age of 64... left-wing MPs will have to stick together for the funding of the Social Welfare (PLFSS) vote to carry their measures.

Head of Paris School of journalism accused of plagiarism

INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE - How ironic: the head of the Paris School of journalism guilty of plagiarism! On 17 November, Agnès Chauveau was suspended after the revelations made by Arrêt sur Image: the website showed the copy and paste of long article extracts in her chronicles for France Culture and the Huffington Post. The woman defended herself from "any form of dishonesty", saying that she had "forgotten" to name some sources, "but it was never on purpose".


 

Thank You for This Moment: former French First Lady's book lands in UK

CULTURE - François Hollande really should not read the English press, this weekend: the literary bomb dropped by Valérie Trierweiler on 4 September in France is about to explode again... in the UK. Merci pour ce moment becomes Thank You For This Moment: A Story Of Love, Power And Betrayal. The book has already sold over 600,000 copies, and been translated into eleven different languages. "At the Elysée, the worst is feared" (Le Parisien): the former First Lady is making her comeback across the Channel, and there is a good chance that the French President will get another drubbing from the British press.


Tennis: Could France win the Davis Cup?

SPORTS - Will France become world champions? Five French players will be facing Switzerland this weekend in the Davis Cup Final. Led by their captain, Arnaud Clément, France will do everything possible to win the trophy that has eluded it since 2001. There is more hope for the French team now that the Swiss number-one, Roger Federer, hurt his back a week ago when the 33-year-old player forfeited against Djokovic for the Barclays ATP World Tour Final - Andy Murray had to step in his place for an exhibition game at the London O2 ...