Tag: France

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France among six more countries to formally recognise Palestinian statehood

The leaders of six countries, including France, have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood at a high-level summit ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.

Alongside France, which co-convened the meeting with Saudi Arabia on Monday in New York, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco said they were recognising a Palestinian state.

Leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom, which formally made the move to recognise Palestine a day earlier, also spoke at the meeting.

“We have gathered here because the time has come,” Emmanuel Macron said at the summit convened to revive the long-delayed two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution,” Macron said.

“Today, I declare that France recognises the state of Palestine,” he said.

The additional countries recognising Palestine now join some 147 of the 193 UN member states that had already formally recognised Palestinian statehood as of April this year.

With more than 80 percent of the international community now recognising the state of Palestine, diplomatic pressure has ramped up on Israel as it continues its genocidal war on Gaza, where more than 65,300 Palestinians have been killed and the has been enclave turned into rubble.

Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised Palestinian statehood last year, with Madrid also imposing sanctions on Israel for its war on Gaza.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told the summit on Monday that a two-state solution was not possible “when the population of one of those two states is the victim of a genocide”.

“The Palestinian people are being annihilated, [so] in the name of reason, in the name of international law and in the name of human dignity, we have to stop this slaughter,” Sanchez said.

Macron, in his speech to the summit, also outlined a framework for the creation of a “renewed Palestinian Authority”. The post-war framework envisages an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that would assist in preparing the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take over governance in Gaza.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas commended the countries that had recognised Palestine. He made his statement to the conference by video because he was denied a visa by the administration of US President Donald Trump to attend the UNGA this week.

“We call on those that have not yet done so to do so to follow suit”, Abbas said, adding that the PA also demanded “support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations”.

Israel and the US, which are becoming increasingly isolated internationally on the issue, boycotted the summit, with Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, describing the event as a “circus”.

Although the vast majority of UN member states now recognise Palestinian statehood, new UN member states must have the support of the UN Security Council, where the US has used its veto to block Palestine from becoming a full UN member state.

Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his support for the two-state solution, framing it as the only viable path towards peace after years of failed negotiations and ongoing violence.

Guterres said that statehood for Palestinians “is a right, not a reward”, rejecting US and Israeli claims that it was a reward for Hamas.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, thanked Macron and the UN chief for their efforts towards a two-state solution, which he said is “the only way to achieve just and lasting peace”.

He said the conference comes at a time when “the Israeli occupation authorities continue their aggression and their brutal crimes” against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel also continues its “violations in the West Bank, and its repeated attacks on Arab and Muslim countries, with the most recent attack on Qatar”, he said.

“These actions underline Israel’s insistence on continuing aggressive practices that threaten regional and international peace and stability and undermine efforts of peace in the region,” he added. (AlJazeera)

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Ballon d’Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati win top prizes as Sarina Wiegman lands award for best coach

Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati were crowned the best men’s and women’s player in the world at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.

Dembele, the Paris Saint-Germain and France forward, took the men’s prize after leading his club to a treble-winning season and their first Champions League success. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal,18, was runner-up after being voted the best young player.

A tearful Dembele collected the prize in Paris in front of a partisan crowd that chanted his name. If not for injury, he would have been playing for PSG in Marseille in a rearranged league fixture.

Barcelona and Spain midfielder Bonmati becomes the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or for three consecutive years. Lionel Messi and Michel Platini are the only men to have achieved that feat.

“It’s incredible this feeling. I never thought when I was a kid that I could achieve this because I didn’t think women’s football can exist,” Bonmati said.

“I had idols like Andres Iniesta and Xavi and when I was a kid I only saw them on TV. It’s incredible to be here and make history.

“But all of these trophies are because of collective work. We had a difficult season because we won some trophies, but we also lost some to amazing footballers.”

Arsenal and England’s Alessia Russo got the better of Bonmati in the Champions League and Euros finals, but finished third in the women’s rankings. Her club-mate, Mariona Caldentey of Spain, came second.

Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman was named best women’s coach after England’s triumph over Spain in Switzerland, while PSG boss Luis Enrique picked up the men’s Johan Cruyff award.

England and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton won the inaugural award for best women’s goalkeeper, with Man City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma picking up the seventh edition of the men’s prize for his season with PSG.

Former Lionesses keeper Mary Earps was on stage presenting the award to Hampton, who took her spot as England’s No 1 ahead of the Euros, prompting her to retire from international football five weeks before the tournament.

Arsenal and PSG won the awards for women’s and men’s club of the year after their Champions League successes.

Viktor Gyokeres’ 63 goals for Sporting and Sweden last season earned him the men’s Gerd Muller Trophy. Barcelona and Poland’s Ewa Pajor, scorer of 48 goals, scooped the women’s award. (SkySports)

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Spain reclaims FIFA top ranking, knocks Argentina off No. 1 spot

Spain has returned to the summit of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time in over a decade, dislodging Argentina after a strong run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The updated rankings, released on FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, mark Spain’s first time at the top since 2014. Argentina, which had led the standings since April 2023, dropped to third place, with France moving up to second.

Portugal, Croatia, and Italy recorded slight gains, now occupying fifth, ninth, and tenth positions respectively.

Brazil slipped to sixth following a poor run of form, while Germany fell to 12th after a shock defeat to Slovakia in their qualifiers—pushing them outside the top 10 for the first time since October 2024.

Slovakia proved the biggest movers, climbing 10 places to 42nd after consecutive qualifying wins, including their upset victory against Germany.

Morocco remained just outside the top 10 after securing eight wins in their last nine matches, while other notable risers include The Gambia, Madagascar, Paraguay, Uganda, Libya, Suriname, and the Faroe Islands, each improving by at least five places.

Co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, Canada, moved up two spots to 26th, while Kosovo achieved a historic milestone by climbing four places to 91st.

The latest rankings highlight the shifting balance of power in world football as nations gear up for upcoming qualifiers and tournaments. (Punch)

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Tinubu returns to Abuja after vacation in Europe

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday returned to Abuja after concluding his annual working vacation in Europe.

Tinubu arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and was received by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Also at the airport were his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the President’s return in a statement issued on Monday.

He said Tinubu concluded his work vacation ahead of schedule and would resume official duties on Tuesday.

The President departed Nigeria on September 4 for France, intending to split his annual holiday between France and the United Kingdom.

During his stay in Paris, Tinubu held a private luncheon with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.

Both leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and pledged to strengthen partnerships for mutual prosperity and global stability. (Channels)

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Macron names ally Sébastien Lecornu as new French PM

President Emmanuel Macron has named close ally Sébastien Lecornu as the new French prime minister, 24 hours after a vote of confidence ousted François Bayrou as head of government.

Lecornu, 39, was among the favourites to take over, and he has spent the past three years as armed forces minister focusing on France’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In a statement the Elysée Palace said Lecornu – the seventh PM in the Macron presidency – had been given the task of consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France’s next budget.

Pushing through a budget as head of a minority government was what brought down Bayrou, with left and far-right opponents condemning Lecornu’s appointment.

Bayrou had visited the president hours earlier to hand in his resignation, paving the way for Sébastien Lecornu to become the fifth prime minister of Macron’s second term as president.

Lecornu wrote on social media that he had been entrusted by the president with “building a government with clear direction: defending our independence and our strength, serving the French people, and [ensuring] political and institutional stability for the unity of our country”.

His immediate task is tackling France’s spiralling public debt, which hit €3.3tn (£2.8tn) earlier this year and represents 114% of the country’s economic output or GDP.

Bayrou had proposed €44bn in budget cuts, and his decision to put his plans to a vote of confidence was always going to fail. In the end France’s National Assembly decided to oust his government by 364 votes to 194.

Lecornu’s appointment was welcomed by centrist allies such as Marc Fesneau from Bayrou’s MoDem party. He called on every political force to reach a compromise – “for the stability of the country and its recovery, especially its budget”.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the radical left France Unbowed was unimpressed, complaining that nothing had changed and it was time for Macron’s departure from the presidency.

There had been suggestions that Macron might try to approach the centre left to broaden his minority government, and Olivier Faure of the Socialists had offered his services the night before.

It soon became clear that Faure would not be getting the call: “I slept pretty soundly so I didn’t hear the phone ring.”

On the far right, Marine Le Pen said the president was ”giving Macronism its last shot from his bunker, along with his little circle of loyalists”.

France has had a hung parliament since Macron surprised his country by calling snap national elections last year, after a poor performance in the June 2024 European vote. There are broadly three main political blocs: the left, far right and the centre.

Édouard Philippe, who was Macron’s first prime minister from 2017-20, thought Lecornu was a good choice as he had learned a lot as defence minister.

“I’ve known him for a long time because he was elected like me in Normandy,” the Horizons party leader told TF1 TV. “He knows how to debate and he’ll need this talent for debate and listening to find a deal in circumstances he knows are pretty complicated.”

Philippe believed Lecornu would have to find some way of bringing the Socialists on board. It was certainly possible to find a majority and also necessary, he thought, because without a compromise on a budget deal, a fresh political crisis would erupt and new elections would be inevitable.

More immediately, a grassroots movement called Bloquons Tout – “Let’s Block Everything” – is planning widespread anti-government protests on Wednesday and authorities are planning to deploy 80,000 police.

Then on Friday the credit agency Fitch will reassess France’s debts and could make its borrowing costs higher if it lowers its rating from AA-. (BBC)

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Canada to recognise Palestinian state at UN General Assembly

Canada plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday, a major policy shift that drew an angry response from US President Donald Trump and was rejected by Israel.

Carney said the move was necessary to preserve hopes of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a long-standing Canadian goal that was “being eroded before our eyes.”

“Canada intends to recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025,” the prime minister said.

This makes Canada — a G7 nation — the third country, following recent announcements by France and the United Kingdom, to signal plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September.

Carney said the worsening suffering of civilians in Gaza left “no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace.”

Israel blasted Canada’s announcement as part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure,” while Trump warned that trade negotiations with Ottawa may not proceed smoothly.

“Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine,” the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.”

Asked by reporters if there was a scenario where Canada could change its position before the UN meeting, Carney said: “There’s a scenario (but) possibly one that I can’t imagine.”

Canada’s intention “is predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms,” Carney said, referring to the body led by President Mahmoud Abbas, which has civil authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Carney said his plans were further predicated on Abbas’s pledge to “hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarise the Palestinian state.”

With Wednesday’s announcement, Carney positioned Canada alongside France, after President Emmanuel Macron said his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during the UN meeting, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.

The Israeli embassy in Ottawa said, “Recognising a Palestinian state in the absence of accountable government, functioning institutions, or benevolent leadership, rewards and legitimises the monstrous barbarity of Hamas on October 7, 2023.”

The PA’s Abbas welcomed the announcement as a “historic” decision, while France said the countries would work together “to revive the prospect of peace in the region.”

Canada’s plan goes a step further than this week’s announcement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Starmer said the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various “substantive steps,” including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.

Carney stressed that Canada has been an unwavering member of the group of nations that hoped a two-state solution “would be achieved as part of a peace process built around a negotiated settlement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority.”

“Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable,” he said, citing “Hamas terrorism” and the group’s “longstanding violent rejection of Israel’s right to exist.”

The peace process has also been eroded by the expansion of Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, Carney said.

The prime minister said a two-state solution was growing increasingly remote, with a vote in Israel’s parliament “calling for the annexation of the West Bank,” as well as Israel’s “ongoing failure” to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

He framed his decision as one aimed at safeguarding Israel’s future.

“Any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state, and one that recognises Israel’s inalienable right to security and peace,” Carney said. (Punch)

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France defends move to recognise Palestinian state

France defended its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood amid domestic and international criticism on Friday, including against the charge that the move plays into the hands of militant group Hamas.

President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.

Macron’s announcement drew condemnation from Israel, which said it “rewards terror”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “reckless” and said it “only serves Hamas propaganda”.

Mike Huckabee, US ambassador to Israel, quipped that Macron did not say where a future Palestinian state would be located.

“I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called ‘Franc-en-Stine’,” he said on X.

Hamas itself — which is designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union — praised the French initiative, saying it was “a positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people”.

But French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday argued that Macron’s initiative went against what the militant group wanted.

“Hamas has always ruled out a two-state solution. By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation,” Barrot said on X.

With its decision, France was “backing the side of peace against the side of war”, Barrot added.

Domestic reactions ranged from praise on the left, condemnation on the right and awkward silence in the ranks of the government itself.

The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, said the announcement was “rushed” and afforded Hamas “unexpected institutional and international legitimacy”.

Marine Le Pen, the RN’s parliamentary leader, said the French move amounted to “recognising a Hamas state and therefore a terrorist state”.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Jean-Luc Melenchon, boss of the far-left France Unbowed party, called Macron’s announcement “a moral victory”, although he deplored that it did not take effect immediately.

By September, Gaza could be a “graveyard”, Melenchon said.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a right winger whose relationship with Macron is tense, declined on Friday to give his opinion, saying he was currently busy with an unrelated “serious topic” linked to the “security of French people on holiday”.

But the vice president of his Les Republicains party, Francois-Xavier Bellamy, blasted the decision as possibly “counter-productive” or, at best, “pointless”.

The move risked “endangering Israeli civilians” as well as “Palestinian civilians who are victims of Hamas’s barbarism”, he said.

Bellamy said that Macron’s move was a departure from the president’s previously set conditions for recognition of Palestine, which included a Hamas de-militarisation, the movement’s exclusion from any future government, the liberation of all Israeli hostages in Gaza and the recognition of Israel by several Arab states.

“None of them have been met,” he said.

Among people reacting to the news in the streets of Paris was Julien Deoux, a developer, who said it had been “about time” that France recognised Palestinian statehood.

“When you’ve been talking about two-state solutions for decades but you don’t recognise one of the two states, it’s a bit difficult,” he told AFP.

But Gil, a 79-year-old pensioner who gave only his first name, said he felt “betrayed” by his president.

“As a Frenchman, I’m ashamed to see that tomorrow Hamas could come to power in the territory,” he said.

While France would be the most significant European country to recognise a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could do the same.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call on Friday with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state”.

Germany, meanwhile, said on Friday it had no plans to recognise a Palestinian state “in the short term”.

Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.

Once France follows through on its announcement, a total of at least 142 countries will have recognised Palestinian statehood. (Vanguard)

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Wales team bus involved in crash on way to training for Euro 2025 game

The Welsh national football team have been involved in a traffic collision while heading to training in Switzerland.

Wales women are set to play France tomorrow evening in their second game of Euro 2025 however their bus was involved in a crash on their way St. Gallen Arena on Tuesday (8 July) afternoon.

Tuesday’s training session at the stadium has been cancelled but manager Rhian Wilkinson reassured the media that everyone was OK. She and captain Angharad James had been travelling in a separate car on their way to a press conference.

The team will instead train at their base in Weinfelden.

Shortly after the incident, Wilkinson told members of the media that the situation was “developing” but added: “Everyone is OK, our priority is just to get them all together and away form the scene and then reassess.

“We’ve got great staff and really good support for them and we’ll be checking in to make sure they continue to be OK.

“Also, and just as importantly, I believe the other car involved – I think everyone is OK there as well.”

She added: “Football is secondary and I think yes we are shaken just because we don’t know. We are away from the team right now so they’ve had to experience that but equally we have a great group.

“I’ve been assured everyone is fine. We’ve practised for the unexpected and I think that’s what you can call this.

“Football is secondary but equally we’ll check back in and make sure everyone is in a good spot and then start working towards football again after that.”

In a statement, the FAW said: “The Cymru national team bus has been involved in a road traffic accident whilst travelling to Arena St Gallen for their match day -1 training session ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 match against France.

“All passengers on the Cymru national team bus and in the other vehicle are unharmed. The FAW’s priority has been to remove the players from the scene and return to the Cymru training base to complete their preparations for tomorrow’s match.”

In a press conference at the stadium, France manager Laurent Bonadei sent the team “a message of support, because beyond football, health is so important”.

He added: “I heard they cancelled their training. I hope they’re OK and I hope they’re OK tomorrow. It will be a pleasure to meet them tomorrow.” (ITV)

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Wildfires break out near Marseille as airport suspends all flights

A fast-moving wildfire broke out close to the southern French city of Marseille on Tuesday, forcing the city’s airport to suspend all flights.

Some 168 firefighters, two helicopters and 68 engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out in the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau.

Around 350 hectares (865 acres) have been hit with no reports of casualties.

Pictures online showed flames racing down the hillside as plumes of smoke could be seen falling towards the city.

The prefecture urged people in the affected areas to stay indoors and off the roads.

With the fire approaching Marseille, the prefecture also advised residents in the northern area of the city to remain inside with doors and windows closed to prevent toxic smoke from entering their homes.

Marseille Provence Airport announced that the runway had been closed at around midday on Tuesday.

Several weeks of heatwaves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days. (ITV)

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Nations League: Yamal shines as Spain edge France in nine-goal thriller

Spain booked their place in the UEFA Nations League final with a dramatic 5-4 victory over France on Thursday in Stuttgart, setting up a clash with Portugal, who defeated Germany 2-1 a day earlier.

The Spaniards raced into an early lead with goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Merino in the 22nd and 25th minutes respectively, both assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal.

The momentum remained with Spain as 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal converted from the penalty spot in the 54th minute to make it 3-0.

Just a minute later, Pedri added a fourth goal after another fine move involving Williams, putting Spain in complete control of the semi-final.

Although Kylian Mbappé reduced the deficit with a penalty in the 59th minute, Yamal responded almost immediately with his second of the night in the 67th minute to restore Spain’s four-goal advantage at 5-1.

France, however, mounted a fierce late comeback. Rayan Cherki struck in the 79th minute, followed by an own goal from Dani Vivian in the 84th.

Substitute Randal Kolo Muani added a fourth in stoppage time, assisted by Cherki, but it proved too little too late for Didier Deschamps’ side.

Meanwhile, in Munich on Wednesday, Portugal came from behind to defeat Germany 2-1. Florian Wirtz opened the scoring for the hosts in the 48th minute, but Francisco Conceicao levelled for Portugal in the 63rd before Cristiano Ronaldo secured the win five minutes later with a decisive goal in the 68th.

Following their respective victories, Portugal and Spain will meet in the final on Sunday at the Allianz Arena in Munich by 1900 GMT, while Germany will face France in the third-place play-off at the MHPArena in Stuttgart by 1300 GMT. (Punch)