President Macron has proposed the creation of a new European ”political community". Speaking at a conference on the future of Europe at the European Parliament this afternoon he said that he wanted to revise the EU treaties as well as creating a new political community which would also include Ukraine. However at least 13 of the 27 EU member nations are thought to be opposed to changes to the treaties. A Tweet by the Swedish government said that the suggestion to amend the treaties was not backed by states including Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Sweden itself President Macron also said that there should be a reduction in reliance on energy from Russia and that it is necessary to invest more in renewable energy.The president arrived in Germany this evening for the first official visit of his second term.
Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has been sentenced on appeal to 4 years in prison, 3 of which are suspended. He was also sentenced to a fine of €375,000 and 10 years of ineligibility. The original case concerned the alleged fictitious employment of his wife Penelope, who has received a two year suspended prison sentence. The sentence handed down today to Francois Fillon by the Paris Court of Appeal was less severe than the sentence at first instance in June 2020. Lawyers for the couple have announced that they will file a further appeal.
A woman has died after being attacked in an underground car park in Marseille this morning. The attack happened in the 10th arrondissement and reports say that the attacker was apprehended shortly afterwards nearby. He was apparently not known to the victim.
The Alpes Maritimes Prefecture has warned of traffic disruption this Wednesday May 11 in the Nice West sector. The new IKEA store opens fully to the public on Wednesday at St Isadore and OGC Nice are playing Saint-Etienne at the Allianz Riviera stadium. The Prefecture said that traffic disturbances may occur from 9am and traffic and parking will be "severely disrupted" from 3pm until 11 pm.
BUSINESS
Morrisons supermarket group is acquiring UK convenience store operator McColl's which has been in administration. Under the deal, Morrisons has taken on all 16,000 McColl's staff, its 1,100 shops and two pension schemes. Morrisons is already a major wholesale supplier to the convenience store chain.
Chinese export growth slowed sharply in April compared to March according to new government figures. Exports grew by 3.9% in the month compared to 14.7% in March. China has recently introduced a range of covid-19 measures, including a lockdown in Shanghai, which have impacted the economy.
The UK has announced new sanctions on Russia and Belarus. The Department for International Trade said that new import tariffs will apply to a range of goods including platinum and palladium, which are widely used in electronic devices. New export bans include various chemicals, plastics, rubber and machinery.
SPORT
Football... FC Twente player Jody Lukoki has died at the age of just 29. The cause of his death isn't yet know. He also previously played for Ajax and at national level for DR Congo.
Tennis... British player Dan Evans is out of the Italian Open. He was defeated by Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 6-2. Stan Wawrinka won his first ATP Tour match in 15 months by defeating American player Reilly Opelka. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the event with an achilles injury. The tournament got underway yesterday and continues until next Sunday. The French Open starts at Roland Garros on 22 May.
A new optional regional transport tax for businesses, introduced in France’s 2025 budget, aims to fund eco-friendly mobility projects. ...
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A judge has authorised a dive to inspect the wreckage of a plane in the sea off Antibes. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean on September 11 1968...
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In France, drinking water is heavily contaminated with "forever pollutants," particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as revealed by two studies from ...
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The trial of the Tunisian man accused of the murder of three people in the Nice Basilica attack is continuing in Paris. Yesterday the families of the ...
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Four cities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region made Booking.com's 2025 list of the "most welcoming destinations in France." ...
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