French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation amid criticism that he has failed to act over the crisis sparked by his economic reforms. Here are the key takeaways from his speech. ‘I take my share of responsibility for this’ In the long-awaited speech, Macron said protesters’ anger and indignation was “deep, and in many ways legitimate” but “no anger justifies attacking a police officer, a gendarme or damaging a shop…
Posts tagged as France
France to deploy 65,000 security personnel for next ‘gilets jaunes’ protest
Thursday, December 6, 2018France will deploy 65,000 security personnel on Saturday for more protests from the ‘gilets jaunes’ (‘yellow vest’) movement. Prime Minister Édouard Philippe told French senators on Thursday that ‘exceptional measures’ were being put in place for the demonstrations. France has been rocked by consecutive weekends of demonstrations from the ‘gilets jaunes’ protesters. The movement began online over moves to raise a fuel tax but have since snowballed into anger over…
After weeks of unrest, France suspends fuel tax meant to help curb climate change
By James MCAULEY on Wednesday, December 5, 2018French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced Tuesday that the French government will temporarily suspend a carbon tax plan that triggered weeks of often violent protests nationwide. To help curb climate change, the government had proposed the taxes, which were slated to take effect in January and were designed to wean consumers off diesel and other polluting fuels and to favor electric cars. But the price increases those taxes represented led…
Woman with a backpack barricades herself inside French bank and threatens to blow it up
Thursday, November 29, 2018A woman has barricaded herself in a bank in southern France, threatening to blow up the building, local police say. The woman is reportedly 60 years old and entered the bank in in Alès, in the Occitanie region, wearing a backpack, at around 9.30am local time. The Credit Lyonnais (LCL) bank has been evacuated and police have surrounded the building. The woman walked in ‘without any specific claim or specific…
Study demands ‘new energy’ in France-UK defense ties to weather Brexit fallout
Saturday, November 10, 2018Defense ties between France and the U.K. need a shot in the arm to ensure the two countries can remain closely aligned in a post-Brexit world, according to a pair of British and French think tanks. London’s looming exit from the European Union has the potential to put a wedge between the two long-standing allies, as the Macron government in Paris see its future intertwined with that of a strong…
President Vejonis to attend events in France
Friday, November 9, 2018President Raimonds Vejonis will be visiting France on November 10 and 11 for events to mark the centenary of the Armistice of November 11, 1918 that ended the First World War, the Latvian president’s agenda shows. US President Donald Trump and dozens of other heads of state are also scheduled to attend the commemorative events planned in Paris to mark the 100 years since the end of World War I. The main ceremony will…
France weather: Red alert as flash floods kill six in south-west
Monday, October 15, 2018At least six people have been killed by flash floods in the Aude region of south-western France. Local authorities say several months’ worth of rain fell in just a few hours overnight, leaving roads blocked in some areas. One woman was swept away by the River Aude, local broadcaster BFMTV reports. Alain Thirion, the prefect of Aude, said people were stranded on rooftops and would have to be evacuated by…
Prime Minister: we will continue deepening our strategic partnership with France
Thursday, September 27, 2018Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis bid farewell to outgoing France’s Ambassador to Lithuania, Philippe Jéantaud, thanking France for its role in strengthening the Baltic security, as well as his personal efforts in taking further the bilateral relations. The Prime Minister welcomed the excellent relations between Lithuania and France, pointing out the need for further deepening the strategic partnership. “We appreciate France’s role in strengthening the security of Lithuania and the entire…
France’s Macron admits to military’s systematic use of torture in Algeria war
Thursday, September 13, 2018France will formally recognize the French military’s systemic use of torture in the Algerian War in the 1950s and 1960s, an unprecedented step forward in grappling with its long-suppressed legacy of colonial crimes. President Emmanuel Macron announced his watershed decision in the context of a call for clarity on the fate of Maurice Audin, a Communist mathematician and anti-colonial militant who was tortured by the French army and forcibly disappeared…
France calls for new, closer EU cooperation with Russia
Friday, August 31, 2018President Emmanuel Macron of France, who is advocating European defence cooperation alongside NATO, has envisaged more up-to-date, closer relations between the European Union and Russia. Canadian-British news agency Reuters reported that Macron stated on Thursday, August 30 during a visit to Finland, that the EU’s relations with Russia needed to be «brought up to date», but without «forgetting the last few years». «On matters like cybersecurity, defense, strategic relationships, we…