Tag: France News

French student protesters say they’re just getting started

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Protesters holding blank signs outside a French government building with police present

After a heavy-handed response to the student protests sweeping France, the government has changed tack. It has banned police from using stun grenades after a student’s hand was blown off earlier in the week and there are promises to listen more to protesters’ demands. But with hundreds of schools still facing blockade and calls for more protests, will it be enough? What has the government said? “Empathy” and a little more “pedagogy” is what French President Emmanuel Macron demanded of police forces facing student protesters, said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, following a massive day of protests on Tuesday.

“The president recalled the necessity to maintain order, intervene each time there’s serious violence, all while asking us to act with the greatest proportionality,” Nunez told radio station RTL Wednesday, after an emergency ministerial meeting. Nunez, a former chief of Paris’ police, said that he had ordered forces to refrain from using the type of stun grenade linked to a teenager losing his hand in protests on Monday. “We don’t deal with a movement of highschoolers like we deal with a movement of adults,” Nunez said. France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told lawmakers Tuesday that high schools would replace lessons until the end of the week with a “period of internal democracy” to air grievances and discuss solutions. While refuting any suggestion of police repression, Lecornu condemned violence on the margins of protests, which were mostly peaceful Tuesday, despite the dramatic scenes that dominated coverage.

In an address to the nation Wednesday, Lecornu said parliament would debate on November 12 a budget proposal that includes 64 billion euros ($71.6 billion) in funding for education, a slight increase from last year. He also said the government has launched five initiatives to respond to students’ needs, including efforts to renovate school facilities, improve students’ schedules and provide more opportunities to express their concerns. “We have a duty to listen to them. Taking young people seriously means supporting their engagement just as much as sharing the difficulties, but also the constraints, with them,” he said. The proposal for discussion is a tried and tested tactic of Macron, who has historically favored attempts to integrate public debate into policy making. His government tried to calm the Yellow Vests protests with a similar listening campaign in 2019. Meanwhile, 18 investigations into officers’ conduct during the protests have been opened by police internal investigators, Nunez said, adding they would examine the proportionality of police actions.

Police forces “are there to protect the high schoolers,” he said. Are protests getting worse? On Thursday, 224 high schools were closed – a 30% decrease from Wednesday morning, Reuters reported, citing the education ministry. That will leave 94% of high schools fully or partially open, the ministry added. According to the interior ministry, 488 people were detained around the high school protests Tuesday. The student blockade actions on Wednesday were a fraction of the hundreds of thousands who marched with workers’ unions Tuesday in support of students across France. But it’s a sign of the rancor among students that protests are continuing day-to-day. Student unions have called for a day of protests on October 17 and five major teaching unions said they would strike Thursday in solidarity with their students, with little sign that school blockades will halt in the meantime. What do students want? More teachers, smaller class sizes and buildings better adapted to the climate are the most common demands of high school protesters.

Student union leaders, who represent some of the young people protesting, have also called for a 10-billion-euro ($11.2-billion) investment in high school and university-level education. A 10-point list of proposals drawn up by student unions included rethinking student workloads, ending a controversial university admissions system, ending police violence against students and creating more student accommodation. Sabrine Kharbach, spokesperson of the Student Union federation of unionized students, told BFMTV that blockades would continue until their demands were met. Anaïs Ella, spokesperson for Les Lycéens, a student association, told CNN that Lecornu didn’t address the demands laid out by student unions. She said that some of the prime minister’s proposals – including filling teaching posts in exam-year classes – “was the basics of the education system.” She said that money would solve some of their demands but that a deeper reset in relations between the government and students was needed. “We are the ones most directly affected by the national education system, yet we aren’t actually listened to,” she added.

Since the weekend, there have been concerted efforts among students to reject the violence that has marred protests. Student Angelo Via, 19, who protested in the street Tuesday, told CNN there was a feeling of “powerlessness” in the face of violent police actions, despite many students protesting peacefully. He hopes the protests will bring about “radical change,” especially regarding education budgets. What’s next? There will be relief in France at the interior minister’s decision to ban one type of police grenade, as the injuries suffered by some teenage protesters has sparked widespread horror. But the proposal for time for debate has been met with skepticism in some quarters. The main union for school directors, SNPDEN-UNSA, said that the single day set aside for discussions was insufficient to respond to problems in depth.

Nicolas Bonnet, national secretary of the union, told BFMTV that, “something other than a mere consultation period was required to get out of this crisis.” There are whispers in France of these protests transforming into another Yellow Vests movement, which was leaderless, nationwide and unified a broad church of grievances. Mimicking the months-long violent protests – the longest in French history – that rocked Macron’s first term, students and journalists have already begun referring to the next day of protest set for Thursday as “Act IV.”

Source: French student protesters say they’re just getting started | CNN

It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.
Proverbs 20:25

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UK records its hottest June day and France its hottest day ever as heatwave sweeps Europe

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The UK has broken its all-time temperature record for June and France has recorded its hottest day ever for the second day running, as a heatwave affecting more than 90 million people sweeps across swathes of Europe. As the UK and France registered record-breaking temperatures, the World Health Organization warned that the extreme temperatures are “putting lives at risk”. 1:55 Europeans grapple with scorching June heatwave Temperatures bolstered by climate breakdown hit 36.1C (97F) in Gosport, Hampshire, according to provisional data from the UK Met Office. Earlier in the afternoon 35.8C (96F) was logged at Wiggonholt in West Sussex.

France recorded its hottest day since measurements began in 1947 as the temperature climbed slightly higher than the record set one day earlier. The national weather service, Météo-France, said the country’s national heat index, an average of the day- and night-time highs measured at 30 weather stations across France, hit a new record of 30C (86F), the latest in a series of never-before-registered highs. The previous record of 29.4C (84.9F) was set during the heatwaves of August 2003 and July 2019. The previous June record for the UK of 35.6C (96F) was set in Camden Square in London in 1957 and was reached again in Southampton in 1976.

The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK is 40.3C (104.5F), reached on 19 July 2022 at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Much of western Europe continued to swelter under extreme heat. At least 94 million people, most of them in France and Spain, were expected to experience temperatures above 35C (95F), according to AFP calculations. Across Europe, more than 350 million people – nearly two-thirds of the population – were exposed to temperatures of more than 30C (86F), the news agency added. In Spain, the national weather agency said the daily average temperature on Monday was 28.08C (82.5F) and 28.17C (82.7F) on Tuesday – the highest ever recorded for June, while France expanded the number of departments under red alert.

Météo-France placed 72 departments – home to more than three-quarters of the population of mainland France – under red alerts for extreme heat on Thursday, up from 58 one day earlier. Across the country, more than 50 departments have recorded temperatures of 40C (104F) or higher since the heatwave began on 17 June, according to an AFP analysis of French weather data. As Météo-France forecast that the extreme heat would continue into the weekend across much of the country, officials rescheduled end-of-school exams and shortened visiting hours at the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. The city of Paris said it was launching a “level 4 heatwave plan” that included measures such as keeping most parks and gardens open all night and extending the hours of municipal swimming pools.

Outreach teams were also being deployed to contact people living on the streets, it said in a statement. Across Italy, 16 cities including Rome were under red alert for heat, and construction workers and delivery riders were told not to work between 12.30pm and 4pm. In the Netherlands, an extreme heat warning led to the cancellation of outdoor sports, scaled-down ​public transport and the shortening of school days, while local authorities in Switzerland offered free daytime cinema screenings in air-conditioned theatres. Across Europe, schools, hospitals, care homes and workplaces have struggled to handle sweltering temperatures that stress organs and push people beyond what their bodies can handle. Coping measures this week have resulted in trains driving more slowly, hospitals cancelling appointments, schools closing early or completely, and hosepipe bans.

In the UK, poorly insulated buildings and inadequately adapted infrastructure struggled to cope with the extreme heat. At least 1,000 schools and nurseries will be partly or fully closed in England and Wales on Thursday and Friday, with some bringing in early finishing times or relaxed uniforms. Transport bosses have urged people to avoid travelling and are warning those that do to “prepare for a disrupted journey”. Outside Buckingham Palace, the ceremonial guard changes were cancelled for the rest of the week, while organisers of the London climate action week said the soaring temperatures had forced them to cancel several events on extreme heat.

The Met Office issued a rare red extreme heat warning for 9am on Wednesday until 9pm on Thursday. Further amber warnings are in place for Friday and Saturday. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering,” said Stephen Belcher, the Met Office’s chief scientist. “Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.”

Source: UK records its hottest June day and France its hottest day ever as heatwave sweeps Europe | Extreme heat | The Guardian

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

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Red heat alerts issued in France, Italy and Spain as 40C temperatures forecast

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Heatwave conditions in Western Europe with temperature gradients from hot to extremely hot

Red heat alerts have been issued in France, Spain and other nations across western and central Europe as heatwave conditions are forecast to intensify in the coming days with highs of more than 40C. More than half of France’s regions are currently under the harshest weather warning, with hundreds of schools ordered to close and highs of 42C hitting Bordeaux on Monday, forecaster Météo-France said. Two children aged two and four have been found dead in their family car in the town of Carpentras in the south of France, in an accident being linked to the weather.

Similar red warnings have been issued by the authorities in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg. BBC Weather Temperatures are expected to peak in many areas on Wednesday The rising temperatures are being driven by hot air moving north from the Sahara desert, which is in turn trapping hot air over the affected areas, with forecasters suggesting the conditions could result in one of the longest heatwaves in recent years. Scientists have said that recurring heatwaves are a marker of global warming, with Météo-France noting that of the 51 heatwaves recorded in France since 1947, 34 have taken place since 2000 and 26 since 2011.

Elsewhere the conditions have seen: Spain’s state weather service Aemet warn of “extremely high” temperatures for the season until Wednesday “between five and 10 degrees above what is typical” – with some areas set to reach 44C. A red alert has been issued for the Basque country, with highs in San Sebastian forecast to rise to 40C, almost double its average for this time of year Italy issue red alerts for 12 cities, including Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome after several days of temperatures above 35C Five people die in fatal swimming accidents over the weekend in Germany, where temperatures have already reached as high as 38C

The UK’s Met Office issue a rare red heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday for parts of England and Wales, amid forecasts suggesting temperatures could reach 38C in some areas Firefighters battle a wildfire near near Akraifnio, in central Greece, that has forced the temporary closure of a major motorway following hot, dry weather and strong winds The IRM meteorological institute in Belgium forecasting record temperatures in the coming week. Meanwhile, the country’s train operator announced some peak hour trains would be cancelled for Monday and Tuesday due to the heat.

Temperatures are expected to peak in many parts of the continent on Wednesday, with 41C forecast for Paris. In the capital on Monday, several train lines also reduced services. France’s national railway operator SNCF urged “vulnerable” people to avoid or postpone train travel this week. Some 845 schools in France were shut, while a further 1,800 are allowing pupils to finish classes early, the education ministry said. But more than a million high school students were to take their oral final exams for the baccalaureate amid the heat. A red heat alert is the highest of four warnings issued by Météo-France, and advises people to exercise extreme caution in conditions that are potentially life-threatening.

Dozens of other regions in France are under an orange alert – the second-highest warning – with an estimated 63 million people in total affected across the country. BBC Weather Figures show temperatures are expected to be significantly higher than average in some areas of Europe The full circumstances of the deaths of the children found in their family car in the south of France are not yet clear but they had been returning from a shopping trip with their mother and reportedly found themselves stuck inside the family car with the windows shut, amid highs of 39C.

Ambulance workers tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the pair. The local state prosecutor said the precise cause of death had yet to be determined, but “it is probably linked to the heatwave”. Meanwhile, the French government has urged people not to try to cool off in unsupervised areas such as lakes and rivers, after 13 drowning deaths at the weekend. In the south-west Gironde region, local authorities on Sunday said three people – aged between 80 and 95 years – had died, partly due to the intense heat.

Source: Red heat alerts issued in France, Italy and Spain as 40C temperatures forecast

And said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”
Luke 9:48

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France confirms data breach at government agency that manages citizens’ IDs

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crop cyber spy hacking computer system in darkness

France confirms data breach at government agency that manages citizens’ IDs The French government agency that handles the issuing and management of citizens’ identity documents, including national IDs, passports, and immigration documents, confirmed Wednesday that it experienced a data breach. In an announcement, the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS) said the data stolen in the breach could include full names, dates and places of birth, mailing and email addresses, and phone numbers on an undisclosed number of citizens.

ANTS said the investigation to determine how the breach happened and its impact is ongoing, and people whose data was affected are being notified.  ANTS, which said it detected the attack on April 15, did not specify how many people were affected by the breach. But some reporting suggests millions may have had some of their personal information stolen.  According to Bleeping Computer, a hacker has advertised the stolen data on a hacking forum, claiming to have a database with 19 million records. The hacker’s forum post referenced the same kind of stolen information as mentioned in ANTS’ announcement, and was published before ANTS publicly disclosed the breach on April 20.

Source: France confirms data breach at government agency that manages citizens’ IDs | TechCrunch

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling.
Ephesians 4:4

France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years

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French and Chinese flags above a bronze rooster and dragon in a formal conference room.

PARIS — France said China has executed a French citizen convicted of drug trafficking after keeping him on death row for more than 15 years. Chan Thao Phoumy, 62, was executed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, despite French authorities’ clemency appeals, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Saturday. It didn’t say when the sentence was carried out. A Chinese court sentenced him to death in 2010. The ministry’s statement expressed “consternation” and added: “We particularly regret that Mr. Chan’s defense did not have access to the final court hearing, which constitutes a violation of his rights.”

“We extend our condolences to his family, whose grief we share,” it said. In a short statement Sunday that didn’t mention Chan by name, the Chinese Embassy in Paris said that China “treats defendants of all nationalities equally, handles all cases impartially and strictly in accordance with the law.” France abolished the death penalty by act of parliament in 1981, and has become a vigorous campaigner against its use and for its abolition everywhere. China’s use of executions — carried out by firing squads or lethal injections — is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive. Amnesty International says China is the world’s lead executioner, believed to sentence and put to death thousands of people annually.

Source: France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years – ABC News

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12