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[ad_1] More than a million people took part in demonstrations across France on Thursday, halting trains and cutting electricity production, in protest against government plans to raise the retirement age by two years to 64. The government said a total of 1.12 million people had taken part in the demonstration, including 80,000 at a march in Paris, which saw police clash briefly with some protesters. The stoppages are a major test for President Emmanuel Macron, who said on Thursday that his pension reform plan, which opinion polls show is hugely unpopular, was “just and responsible” and had to be carried out. Protesters disagreed. “It’s salaries and pensions that must be increased, not the retirement age,” read one large banner carried by workers that opened the protest march in Tours, in western France. “I’ll have to prepare my walking frame if the reform goes through,” said Isabelle, 53, a social worker, saying her job was too tough to add two more years. The turnout was

[ad_1] Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has left for a state visit to France where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron, a statement said on Wednesday. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the annual speech of the Saudi King at the Shura Council in the capital Riyadh on November 20, 2019. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the annual speech of the Saudi King at the Shura Council in the capital Riyadh on  The 37-year-old prince, who is overseeing sweeping social and economic reforms in the oil-rich monarchy, will also take part in the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris next week, the Royal Court statement said. On Monday Prince Mohammed, often known as "MBS", will attend an official Saudi reception for Riyadh's candidacy to host Expo 2030. The trip underlines close French ties with the resource-rich Gulf. In December 2021, Macron became one of the first Western leaders to meet Prince Mohammed in Saudi

[ad_1] Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Indian community event at La Seine Musicale, in France. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to the development and said, "in the coming days, Indian tourists can pay in Indian rupees at the Eiffel Tower" In a significant announcement, France on Thursday adopted United Payments Interface (UPI), becoming the first country in Europe and the only nation in the EU to adopt the payment system in partnership with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to the development and said, “In the coming days, Indian tourists can pay in Indian rupees at the Eiffel Tower." The Prime Minister was addressing Indian community at an event at La Seine Musicale in Paris. The recent development is in line with the India-Singapore fast payment linkage. Earlier this year, India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow signed an agreement, enabling users from both countries to conduct seamless, real-time and secure cross-border transactions

[ad_1] Paris  — Just 10 months before the opening of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, the French capital is battling an invasion of bedbugs. The tiny pests were first reported in hotels and vacation rental apartments across the city during the summer. Then there were sightings in movie theaters and, in recent days, there have even been reports of bedbugs crawling around on seats in both national high-speed trains and the Paris Metro system. One metro train driver was dismayed to find some of the unwelcome guests in his driver's cabin. A suspected bedbug is seen crawling on the armrest of a train travelling between Paris and Lille, France, in a photo posted online by X user "LaTogolaise." Reuters/TWITTER/@_LaTogolaise Horrified train passengers have shared videos of the insects on social media, prompting many travelers to pay extra attention before the

[ad_1] Paris CNN  —  Between four and 10 people are believed to be trapped under rubble in the southern French port city of Marseille after a building collapsed early on Sunday, according to French authorities. A “violent explosion” at around 12:30am local time is believed to be the cause of the collapse, according to Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan. Investigations are ongoing. Eighty people have already been evacuated, rescuers told CNN affiliate BFMTV. Efforts are being complicated by the dangerous situation on the ground with rubble having to be removed before the fire can be fully put out, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told BFM, during a visit to the scene. Darmanin said rescuers are also concerned about firefighting water endangering the lives of any buried survivors. Local residents des

[ad_1] Qatar and France mediated a deal to allow medicine deliveries to hostages in Gaza, as well as aid deliveries in the occupied territory, Doha announced Tuesday. In a statement to the official Qatar News Agency, the foreign ministry announced the deal "between Israel and (Hamas), where medicine along with other humanitarian aid is to be delivered to civilians in Gaza in exchange for delivering medication needed for Israeli captives in Gaza". Amid the ongoing brutal aggression on Gaza, Israeli forces Tuesday targeted the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warehouse in Deir al-Balah city in the besieged enclave. The warehouse, which was a critical part of the UN body’s efforts to provide essential supplies in Gaza, suffered significant damage during the artillery shelling, intense gunfire, and the impacts of surrounding air attacks. Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawaneh said on Tuesday that peace with Israel remained a strategic choice bu

[ad_1] Protesters clashed with security forces across France on Monday as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets for Labour Day to vent their anger against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform . Unions had been hoping for a vast turnout across France for the May 1 protests to further rattle Macron, who has been greeted by pot-bashing and jeers as he toured the country seeking to defend the reforms and relaunch his second mandate. Macron last month signed a law to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, despite months of strikes against the bill. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne slammed as "unacceptable" violence that erupted in several cities. "In many cities in France, this May Day was a moment for responsible mobilisation and commitment. The scenes of violence on the sidelines of the demonstrations are all the more unacceptable," she wrote on Twitter . Paris's city hall told

[ad_1] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan condemned the attack on the employees of AZTV, the official state television of Azerbaijan, in France. In a tweet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan stated, "We strongly condemn the attack on Azerbaijani journalists of AzTV in France." "We expect that this heinous attack against journalists will be investigated by French law enforcement agencies in a short period of time, criminals will be identified and punished," the ministry said. AzTV employees were attacked while filming in France. As a result, the correspondent and the operator of the TV sustained minor injuries. The crew of the state television AzTV in France was attacked, the press service of "Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting" CISC said in a statement. According to Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting, journalist Kamil Balakishiyev and cameraman Ogtay Gasymov were attacked the previous day in Nanterre whe

[ad_1] Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who made France her home and charmed the country with her English grace, natural style and social activism, has died at age 76. The London-born star and fashion icon was known for her musical and romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Their songs notably included the steamy "Je t'aime moi non plus" ("I Love You, Me Neither"). Birkin's ethereal, British-accented singing voice interlaced with his gruff baritone in the 1969 duet that helped make her famous and was forbidden in Italy after being denounced in the Vatican newspaper. The style Birkin displayed in the 1960s and early 1970s — long hair with bangs, jeans paired with white tops, knit mini dresses and basket bags — still epitomizes the height of French chic for many women around the world. Birkin was also synonymous with a Hermes bag that bore her name. Created by the Paris fashion house in 1984 in

[ad_1] Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Indian community event at La Seine Musicale, in France. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to the development and said, "in the coming days, Indian tourists can pay in Indian rupees at the Eiffel Tower" In a significant announcement, France on Thursday adopted United Payments Interface (UPI), becoming the first country in Europe and the only nation in the EU to adopt the payment system in partnership with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to the development and said, “In the coming days, Indian tourists can pay in Indian rupees at the Eiffel Tower." The Prime Minister was addressing Indian community at an event at La Seine Musicale in Paris. The recent development is in line with the India-Singapore fast payment linkage. Earlier this year, India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow signed an agreement, enabling users from both countries to conduct seamless, real-time and secure cross-border transactions

[ad_1] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan condemned the attack on the employees of AZTV, the official state television of Azerbaijan, in France. In a tweet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan stated, "We strongly condemn the attack on Azerbaijani journalists of AzTV in France." "We expect that this heinous attack against journalists will be investigated by French law enforcement agencies in a short period of time, criminals will be identified and punished," the ministry said. AzTV employees were attacked while filming in France. As a result, the correspondent and the operator of the TV sustained minor injuries. The crew of the state television AzTV in France was attacked, the press service of "Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting" CISC said in a statement. According to Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting, journalist Kamil Balakishiyev and cameraman Ogtay Gasymov were attacked the previous day in Nanterre whe