Author: staff
The Macron-backing group’s latest move is seen as a way of negating the far right’s argument that its voters are not being heeded. The exclusion of National Rally lawmakers from parliamentary jobs only fuels the party’s narrative of being a victim of the system, a pro-Macron MP said. Any effort to bring in far-right MPs would further erode the so-called firewall or cordon sanitaire, invoked in many Western European countries and the European Parliament to keep the far right away from key institutional roles despite its growing electoral clout. According to French parliamentary convention, the allocation of leadership positions —…
By Euronews with AP Published on 07/08/2025 – 22:05 GMT+2 France’s highest court on Thursday blocked a key part of a contentious farming law that would have brought back a banned pesticide. According to the French Constitutional Court, the measure failed to protect the environment and future generations. The rest of the law – known as the “Duplomb law,” after the senator who proposed it – was allowed to stand. The bill aimed to loosen rules for farmers and fast-track projects like water storage. It was backed by the government and major farming unions and passed in early July. However, it was met…
The judges stressed that neonicotinoids — a class of insecticide that includes acetamiprid and that works by obstructing the nervous systems of insects — can be allowed in exceptional situations but only for a limited time and for well-defined crops. These conditions were not respected in the text of the law, the judges found. The law, which was dubbed “Loi Duplomb” after the conservative senator who introduced it, was a response to the massive farmer protests of 2024. It had already been approved in the parliament. The law is backed by the government and by major farming lobbies but is…
Dans le communiqué accompagnant sa décision, les magistrats se fondent sur la Charte de l’environnement, intégrée à la Constitution depuis 2005. Ils considèrent que cette réintroduction, “faute d’encadrement suffisant”, méconnaît ce texte. Le Conseil constitutionnel a validé, mais sous conditions, des dispositions elles aussi décriées facilitant l’implantation d’ouvrages de stockage de l’eau, souvent désignés sous le terme de “mégabassines”. A l’exception d’un article considéré comme un cavalier législatif, la Rue de Montpensier a validé le reste de la loi. Les Sages estiment également que les circonstances d’adoption du texte sont conformes à la Constitution. Fin mai, les promoteurs de cette…
The EU has offered to provide help to France, which is battling a wildfire that was described by French Prime Minister François Bayrou as “a disaster of unprecedented scale.” “Europe stands with France as the worst wildfires in its recent history rage in Aude. My thoughts are with the brave firefighters as they battle the blaze,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. “We are ready to mobilise rescEU resources to support efforts to bring the fires under control,” she added, referencing an EU program to provide disaster response resources. A wildfire in the southern region of…
The current volume of fuel entering Gaza is now “enough to sustain critical life-saving operations but not sufficient to allow all humanitarian programmes to run,” said the report. The report is based on evidence and information collected from humanitarian partners, like the United Nations and the Red Cross, as well as from EU delegations, adding that there are discrepancies with numbers provided by Israel. It also complained that the Commission wasn’t in the position to verify information on the ground as Israel is not allowing access “neither at high-level (Director-General) nor at operational level.” In the period covered by report,…
Israel has taken some “notable positive” steps to improve the situation in Gaza including resuming fuel delivery, but the humanitarian situation is “very severe”, and the scale of destruction “unprecedented”, according to a confidential report seen by Euronews and circulated by the EU’s External Action Service to member states. The report is a regular update presented to EU diplomats on Wednesday on the steps taken so far by Israel to implement a deal agreed with the bloc less than a month ago to improve humanitarian aid access into Gaza. At the time the EU announced that it had agreed “significant steps”, including a…
By Euronews Published on 07/08/2025 – 16:45 GMT+2 Israeli airline El Al said Thursday that its Paris office was vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti, in what it said was a “deeply disturbing” attack on its premises. The graffiti was found early on Thursday, and no one was hurt, according to El Al airline. The office was empty when the incident occurred, the airline said. The airline said it was handling the matter with the “utmost gravity” and working “in close coordination” with authorities in France and Israel. El Al said it “unequivocally condemns all forms of violence, particularly those driven by hatred,”…
BRUSSELS ― Palestinians trying to get a Belgian humanitarian visa to escape the bloodshed in Gaza face impossible demands and a blocked exit, lawyers say. “Today, the consulate general in Jerusalem informed me that my client, who is currently trapped in Gaza, must travel to Jerusalem to apply for a visa,” Thomas Verellen, an assistant professor in EU law who also provides legal assistance, wrote on LinkedIn. “That’s simply impossible.” Verellen added that Belgium’s “inflexible stance” on remote visa applications is having “devastating” consequences in Gaza. Large swathes of Gaza have been reduced to rubble in retaliatory strikes following Hamas’…
Billed as China’s first dedicated canine gym, Gogogym has quickly attracted attention from pet owners eager to keep their animals active and healthy. The facility offers hydrotherapy, underwater treadmills, and guided exercises aimed at improving mobility and overall health. “These methods are much gentler on the body than land treadmills,” said pet therapist Lu Yilin. Dog owners say the gym helps with weight management and long-term joint care for ageing pets.