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France
France
The latest breaking news and stories on France, a country in western Europe known as a semi-presidential republic, and the world’s seventh largest economy. Also covering France’s relationship with China and Europe, plus commentary and updates on France’s economy, politics, society and social issues.
Capital
Paris
Head of State
President Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron
Head of Government
Prime Minister Michel Barnier
Snow falls on the streets of central Paris on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Extreme weather

Europe paralysed by snow as brutal cold snap disrupts flights, rail services

Thousands stranded as chaos grounds flights, with black ice sparking fatal accidents, while death toll rises to six in season’s worst freeze.

Ukraine war

Ukraine’s allies agree to ‘robust’ security guarantees in push to end war

Greenland

Use of US military to acquire Greenland ‘always an option’, White House says

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Greenland

‘End of Nato’: Denmark warns US against taking Greenland by force

Denmark’s prime minister says a ‘military attack’ would destroy the transatlantic alliance, while Greenland’s leader urges against panic.

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Danish troops during a military drill in Greenland in September. Photo: Reuters
Vietnam

Vietnam overtakes Thailand as Chinese tourists' top choice for travel

Chinese visitors to Vietnam jumped 41 per cent to 5.3 million, topping the 4.5 million to Thailand, where safety concerns reduced Chinese travellers.

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Paris

Brigitte Macron wins France cyberbullying case over false gender theories

Ten people were found guilty of harassing France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, by spreading viral rumours about her gender and identity.

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Switzerland

Swiss grieve as all 40 bar fire victims identified - many of them under 18

Hundreds march in silence to honour victims of the New Year’s Swiss bar fire who were as young as 14.

People gather during a memorial procession in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Sunday. Photo: AP
Russia

Russia’s Medvedev floats kidnapping scenario involving Germany’s Merz

Following the US raid in Venezuela, Russia’s ex-president said the kidnapping of Germany’s chancellor would be an ‘excellent twist’.

Malaysia

Malaysia, EU threaten action against X, Grok AI for offensive images

Malaysian authorities said they are investigating images produced by Grok after complaints about the misuse of AI to manipulate images of women and minors.

Islamic State

Britain, France bombed suspected Isis arms dump in Syria: UK defence ministry

Intelligence analysis identified an underground facility believed ‍to contain weapons and explosives in mountains ‍near Palmyra, the UK said.

A UK Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft at an undisclosed location in the Middle East. RAF Typhoon FGR4s joined French aircraft in a joint strike against the Daesh group in Syria on Saturday, the UK defence ministry said. Photo: EPA / SGT Lee Goddard / Handout
Ukraine war

Trump ‘not thrilled’ with Putin, says too many people dying in Ukraine war

After a US strike that captured Venezuela’s Maduro, Trump said: ‘I thought … one of the easier ones would be Russia, Ukraine. It’s not’.

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US President Donald Trump, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August. On Saturday, Trump said Putin was killing “too many people”. Photo: AP
United States

Musk’s Grok AI faces scrutiny over complaints it undressed minors in photos

Grok AI under fire for enabling erotic images of minors, violating its own policy, sparking urgent safety fixes and global investigations.

Science

As I see it | We can now watch our own genes dance

Modern biology reveals a real miracle: how broken pieces of molecules evolved into a species that became conscious of its own genetic make-up.

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European Union

Opinion | Can Europe survive its crippling paralysis?

The brutal reality is that the European Union is failing to get its squabbling nations to work as a coherent group.

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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas signs an agreement to transfer to Ukraine a tranche of proceeds from frozen Russian assets during a meeting in Lviv, Ukraine, on May 9. Photo: AP
Africa

Owner of Swiss bar where New Year fire killed 40 insists safety norms followed

‘Everything was done according to the regulations,’ Jacques Moretti, a Frenchman who manages the Le Constellation bar, told local media.

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People light candles near the sealed Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on Friday where a devastating fire left 40 dead and dozens injured during the New Year celebrations. Photo; AP
Switzerland

Champagne sparklers blamed for Swiss inferno that killed 40 people

Witnesses saw a candle in a bottle ignite the ceiling at Le Constellation bar. Officials say the flashover trapped revellers in the basement.

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Switzerland

Swiss investigators rush to identify victims of New Year’s fire

Swiss officials say it may take days to identify victims of the Le Constellation fire, as many young revellers suffered severe burns.

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Science

Could 2,000-year-old machine from tomb in China be earliest binary computer?

Silk-weaving loom dating to Western Han is world’s oldest known ‘computer hardware’ with corresponding ‘software’, China science body says.

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The ancient Chinese loom may well be recognised as the world’s earliest computer, according to the China Association for Science and Technology. Photo: China Silk Museum
Ukraine war

Russia claims Ukrainian drone strike kills 24 in occupied Kherson

Moscow accuses Kyiv of New Year’s Eve attack on civilians as diplomats scramble to save fragile peace talks.

Luxury Hotels

11 exciting luxury hotel openings in 2026, from London and Florence to Kyoto

These ultra-luxe stays and unique experiences span the globe, from the US and Latin America, to Africa and the Middle East.

Crime in Hong Kong

Professor arrested in Hong Kong over drug possession as wife found dead in flat

Police received call from Filipino woman’s husband at 4.13pm on Wednesday after she passed out in their Tuen Mun flat.

Police received a call that a woman had passed out in her home at Avignon in So Kwun Wat, Tuen Mun. Photo: Google Maps
Mainland China

Why Air France-KLM remains bullish on China-Europe travel market despite hurdles

Chinese travellers drive leisure and business bookings as airline eyes long-term growth despite Russian airspace restrictions.

“I’m optimistic about the future prospects,” says Steven van Wijk of Air France-KLM.
Fame and celebrity

Trump takes swipe at Clooney and France after actor gets citizenship

US president mocks film star as the French government defends granting citizenship to George and Amal Clooney.

Social media

France plans social media ban for children under 15

A draft law to protect minors from ‘inappropriate content’ and online harassment would also call for a ban on cellphone use in schools.

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China economy

Opinion | How China’s home-grown luxury labels took on Western brands

Chinese brands are gaining ground at home and worldwide as domestic consumers increasingly turn to labels with Chinese imagery and values.

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People walk past Christmas decorations outside a store of Swiss luxury watchmaker Rolex along a shopping street in Beijing on December 15. Photo: AFP
China-EU relations

Airbus scores major win in China with orders for 148 A320 aircraft

The flurry of orders, worth billions of US dollars, marks a big victory for the European aviation firm over US rival Boeing in a key market.

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Aircraft operated by Air China are parked at an airport in Beijing. The state-owned Chinese airline is one of several buyers in China to place orders for Airbus passenger jets in recent days. Photo: AFP
China food security

Opinion | Be a potato: the lesson of the resilient staple resonates as 2026 approaches

A decade on, the humble tuber’s public adoption remains an elusive goal for China’s planners and yet it offers a lesson for uncertain times.

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Marine Le Pen

France’s president to skip Bardot’s funeral as Le Pen confirms attendance

French screen legend Brigitte Bardot’s final send-off in Saint-Tropez exposes a rift over her controversial far-right legacy.

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