Page 17 - France

Triathlon training cancelled: What is the controversy surrounding Seine?

2024 Paris Olympics: The Olympic triathlon training session was cancelled on Monday for the second consecutive day due to poor water quality of the Seine River

Paris Olympics 2024: Dupont leads France to a gold medal in Rugby sevens

In a seven-minute clinic that'll long define his legacy, Antoine Dupont scored two tries and created another to deliver a coveted gold medal for France and end two-time champion Fiji's Olympic dominance in rugby sevens. One of the world's best rugby players, Dupont was saved for the second half on Saturday in a tactical ploy that worked to perfection when he swung momentum with his first touch of the ball and then guided France to an emphatic 28-7 victory. The mercurial playmaker skipped the Six Nations tournament and switched his attention from the traditional 15s format to rugby sevens in March to chase his once-in-a-lifetime chance to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil. He can return to the French XV as an Olympic champion, at least partly erasing the pain of his Rugby World Cup disappointment on home soil last year. Just a huge award for us, for rugby, for all the country, Dupont said. "We really felt that we represent rugby, but we represent all the French sport as well.

Arson, malicious attacks disrupt train lines in France ahead of Olympics

Around 250,000 travellers were affected by disruptions caused by the Paris train attack on the eve of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Why is Paris 2024 Olympics set to be the greenest Olympics in history

Paris Olympics 2024 will largely depend on renewable energy sources, including geothermal and solar power; France has put in place several environmentally friendly initiatives

Paris Olympics 2024: What’s so special about the opening ceremony?

The Paris Olympics is all set to begin today, on July 26th, and among other things its opening ceremony is much talked about. What's so special this time? Watch the video to find out.

Paris Olympics 2024: France to kick off games under tight security

Some 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 private security staff will ensure the safety of the parade along the river Seine, its banks and surrounding monuments

Why is Paris making headlines for all the wrong reasons ahead of Olympics?

Just as France is gearing up to host 15 million visitors, its capital city is garnering attention for reports of Covid-19 cases, theft, and an airport strike on the inaugural day of Olympic Games

French Talent Passport: How Indian techies can live and work in France

The French Tech Visa is a way for tech professionals to obtain a residence permit in France

Will keep centrist caretaker govt on through Paris Olympics, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he will maintain the country's centrist caretaker government through the end of the Olympic Games in mid-August to avoid disorder. His announcement in a TV interview came shortly after the leftist coalition that won the most votes in this month's parliamentary elections selected little-known civil servant Lucie Castets as their choice for prime minister. Macron said the current caretaker government will handle current affairs during the Olympics," which run through Aug. 11. Until mid-August, we're not in a position to be able to change things because it would prompt disorder, he said. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. The parliamentary elections left the National Assembly with no dominant political bloc in power for the first time in France's modern Republic. Macron, who has a presidential mandate until 2027, has the ultimate say in who is to be appointed as prime minister. However, the prime ...

France's new lawmakers set to pick a speaker as political turmoil persists

France's influential lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, will elect its speaker on Thursday evening after a chaotic early election called by President Emmanuel Macron produced a hung legislature. Two figures emerged as favorites after two nonconclusive rounds of vote: outgoing Speaker Yal Braun-Pivet of Macron's centrist party, and the candidate of the leftist coalition, communist lawmaker Andr Chassaigne. The parliamentary election earlier this month resulted in a split between three major political blocs: the New Popular Front leftist coalition, Macron's centrist allies and the far-right National Rally party. None of them won an outright majority. Thursday's opening session of the National Assembly comes two days after Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers, but asked them to handle affairs in a caretaker capacity until a new government is appointed, as France prepares to host the Paris Olympics at the end of the ...

Paris Olympics 2024: French troops secure River Seine for opening ceremony

French soldiers and police are being deployed both in and along the River Seine to make it safe during the grandiose opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, when thousands of athletes will sail down the river at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. The unprecedented decision to use a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) stretch of the Seine as a spectacular stage for the July 26 ceremony in front of a 320,000-strong crowd has created a huge challenge for security services, who will need to ensure the safety of Olympians and spectators alike. French authorities said 45,000 police officers and gendarmes are being deployed for the occasion, as well as 10,000 soldiers of the so-called Sentinelle military operation. A specially-created battalion has been tasked to secure the embarkation zone for athletes located along Paris' eastern portion of the river. The battalion's mission includes the full protection of the area, the boats and the attendees, in close coordination with other security forces. This ...

French President Macron accepts formal resignation of PM Gabriel Attal

The development comes ahead of the Olympics that is due to start in France from next week

French Prez accepts PM's resignation, keeps him as head of caretaker govt

French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the prime minister's resignation on Tuesday but kept him on as head of a caretaker government. Macron's office said in a statement that Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers on Tuesday. Attal and other government members are to handle current affairs until a new government is being appointed, the statement said. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. France is about to host the Paris Olympic Games at the end of the month. Attal offered his resignation last week after a chaotic election result left the government in limbo. Macron asked him to remain temporarily as the head of the government pending a further decision, with France about to be under an international spotlight as it hosts the Paris Olympics. French media said the prime minister's resignation is expected to be formally accepted by Macron by Tuesday evening. The move would allow Attal to take up h

France's Bastille Day parade meets Olympic torch relay in exceptional year

Paris is hosting an extra-special guest for France's national holiday Sunday the Olympic flame lighting up the city's grandiose military parade for Bastille Day. Just 12 days before the French capital hosts exceptionally ambitious and high-security Summer Games, the torch relay is joining up with thousands of soldiers, sailors, rescuers and medics marching in Paris beneath roaring fighter jets to mark Bastille Day. While people around France mark the day with concerts, parties and fireworks, here's a look at what the holiday's about, and what's different this year: What does Bastille Day celebrate?On July 14, 1789, revolutionaries stormed the Bastille fortress and prison in Paris, heralding the start of the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy. The holiday is central to the French calendar, with events across the country. It aims to embody the national motto of 'liberty, equality and fraternity,' though not everyone in France feels the country lives up to that promise. T

Macron refuses resignation of France PM for 'stability of country'

President Emmanuel Macron refused the resignation of France's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after a chaotic election result left the government in limbo. Voters split the legislature on the left, centre and far right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy. Macron gambled that his decision to call an early election would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics, when the country will be under an international spotlight. The French stock market fell upon opening before quickly recovering, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed, but offered his resignation .

People in France welcome far right's defeat but fear rise in hate speech

For many French voters of diverse backgrounds, last Sunday's parliamentary election results were a relief, seemingly an embrace of the country's ethnic variety instead of a victory for xenophobic far-right forces. It was a moment of joy, a light at the end of the tunnel, Loven Bensimon said about the ballot results. She celebrated Sunday with thousands of others who rallied against the far right at Place de la Republique in Paris around a giant patchwork French flag that read, France is the fabric of migrations. But the fight is not over, said Bensimon, 27, a Black woman who works in communications. We have to fight against the racism we face every day, and which has been more visible in the past few weeks. Thought to be on the verge of seizing a majority in the National Assembly, the anti-immigration National Rally eventually came in third in Sunday's vote, after centrists and leftists joined forces. Candidates in three-way races dropped out of the runoff to favor the challenger ..

Euro Cup 2024 semifinal highlights: Spain beats France 2-1, reaches final

After seeing off another one of the pre-tournament favorites to reach the Euro 2024 final, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has warned England or the Netherlands that his team can still improve. Spain reached the European Championship decider with a 2-1 victory over France on Tuesday, with 16-year-old Lamine Yamal becoming the youngest-ever scorer at the continental tournament. France took an early lead when Randal Kolo Muani headed in a cross from Kylian Mbapp, who played without a mask, before Yamal's moment of brilliance in the 21st minute. Dani Olmo scored the clincher four minutes later. We were in a difficult stretch after not expecting to concede so early. I just took the ball and wanted to put it right there. I am very happy," Yamal said. I don't try to think about it too much, just enjoy myself and help the team, and if it goes my way, then I am happy (for the goal) and for the win. Spain, which is chasing a record fourth European Championship title, will play England or the

Carla Bruni charged with witness tampering in husband's campaign case

Former supermodel and French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was given preliminary charges Tuesday for involvement in alleged efforts to pressure a witness who accused ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy of receiving illegal campaign financing from Libya. Bruni-Sarkozy was placed under judicial supervision on Tuesday, which included a ban on contact with all those involved in the proceedings with the exception of her husband, according to a judicial official not authorized to be publicly named when speaking about an ongoing investigation. Preliminary charges against Bruni-Sarkozy include witness tampering and participation in a criminal association with an attempt to commit fraud in efforts to deceive magistrates investigating her husband on suspicion of receiving illegal funds during his 2007 presidential election campaign, the official said. Bruni-Sarkozy's lawyer did not respond to requests for comment. After she was questioned by police in May, her lawyers said she provided 'useful ...

French elections: Left bloc wants to rule but centrists demand a role

The left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) won the most seats in the National Assembly but fell short of an absolute majority by about 100 seats

Le Pen faces investigation for 2022 French election campaign funding

The Paris prosecutor opened the case after it was alerted by the country's campaign-funding watchdog in 2023, an official said in an email