France

Alarm in France over fate of prize-winning French-Algerian writer

French President Emmanuel Macron is concerned about the "disappearance" of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, his office said, after reports that the prize-winning novelist had been arrested in Algeria. Sansal, a major figure in francophone modern literature, is known for his strong stances against both authoritarianism and Islamism as well ...

Michel Polnareff: A Striking Comeback with New Album and Tour

At 80 years old, Michel Polnareff, the iconoclast of French chanson, is making a much-anticipated comeback with a new single, an unreleased album, and a tour across France and London. The French-American artist revealed on his Instagram account that his "final tour," titled Ma derrière tournée, will take him across France in 2025, with a major ...

France's Macron Meets China's Xi on G20 Sidelines

French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio, as observed by AFP journalists. On the first day of the summit on Monday, Macron spoke of a "very fractured" world order and accused the two largest economies on the planet, the United States and China, of "not ...

Composer of Piaf's 'Non, je ne regrette rien' Dies Aged 95

Songwriter and singer Charles Dumont, best known for composing Non, je ne regrette rien ("No, I do not regret anything")—immortalized by Edith Piaf—has died at 95, his partner announced to AFP on Monday.  Dumont, who also collaborated with American singer Barbra Streisand and French-Italian 1960s star Dalida, passed away at home after a long ...

Apatosaurus Skeleton Sells for 6 Million Euros at French Auction

A skeleton of a 22-meter-long dinosaur (70 feet) was sold for six million euros ($6.4 million) on Saturday, as reported by auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa. An anonymous collector purchased the vegetarian apatosaurus, which was excavated in the United States, for 4.7 million euros, bringing the total to six million euros after fees. ...

Macron Heads to Argentina to Sway Milei on Global Climate Stance

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected in Argentina on Saturday to meet with libertarian President Javier Milei, an admirer of Donald Trump, in hopes of “reintegrating him” into the “international consensus” ahead of the G20 summit in Brazil. The French President is scheduled to arrive in Buenos Aires in the evening, where he will ...

French Court Orders Release of Lebanese Militant Held Since 1984

A French court on Friday ordered the release of pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, jailed for 40 years for the 1982 killings of two foreign diplomats, prosecutors said. The court said Abdallah, first detained in 1984 and convicted in 1987 over the murders, would be released on December 6 provided he leaves France, French ...

Italy and Security-Tight France Lock Up Nations League Quarter-Final Spots

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris. Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in ...

Israel Face France in Paris Football Match Under Tight Security

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week. The Paris police chief has described the match at the Stade de France as "high risk" and Israel has urged fans to avoid the fixture, which authorities fear could ...

Israel Wants to “Maintain the Ability to Strike” Lebanon “at Any Time”, According to Barrot

Israel wants to “maintain the ability to strike” Lebanon “at any time” as part of a ceasefire agreement with the Hezbollah, which constitutes a violation of the country's sovereignty, revealed the French Foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, on Wednesday. Barrot, who was in Israel last week, noted a hardening in Tel Aviv positions, during ...

France, Italy and Portugal Target Nations League Quarters

France, Italy and Portugal lead the teams attempting to secure a place in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, while England's promotion hopes have been hit by a series of withdrawals. With European champions Spain and Germany already qualified for the last eight, six spots are still to be filled going into the final two rounds of group ...

French-Iranian Relations: Between Rifts and Distrust 2/2

Building on long-standing cultural ties, France and Iran have maintained a difficult relationship following the rise of the Islamic Republic and the Iran-Iraq War. However, the issue of nuclear weapons will deepen the rift between the two countries. Second Rift: The Issue of Iran's Nuclear Program In the early 2000s, Iran was suspected of ...