Paris’s Gothic jewel Notre-Dame to reopen five years after fire

The world gets a first look inside a resplendent new Notre-Dame on Friday, as France’s President Emmanuel Macron conducts a televised tour to mark the cathedral’s imminent re-opening.

Five-and-a-half years after the devastating fire of 2019, Paris’s Gothic jewel has been rescued,…[Read more]

France declines to say whether it would arrest Putin under ICC warrant

France, which is under pressure over its stance on an international arrest warrant issued for Israel’s prime minister, declined on Thursday to say whether it would be prepared to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin under a similar warrant.
The International Criminal Court…[Read more]

Chad ends defence cooperation agreement with France

Chad’s government said on Thursday it has ended its defence cooperation pact with France, a move that could see French troops leave the Central African country.
In a statement, Chad’s foreign ministry said the country, a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region,…[Read more]

Kılıçdaroğlu faces first hearing in insult case

The first hearing in the case against former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, accused of “insulting a public official,” was held on Nov. 22.

Kılıçdaroğlu, who faces up to 11 years and eight months in prison along with a potential political ban, was welcomed…[Read more]

Türkiye reaffirms support for ‘honorable’ Palestinian resistance

Türkiye remains steadfast in its support of Palestine’s “honorable resistance”, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz told Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in a phone call on Friday.

“Under the leadership of our President Mr. (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan, we will resolutely co…[Read more]

Ankara attack disrupts talks between the PKK and Turkish government

Turkey likely to maintain military pressure on the Kurdish armed group while keeping the door open for dialogue

Efforts to initiate dialogue between Turkey’s government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) appear to have been disrupted following an attack by the armed group o…[Read more]

5th-century amulet depicting biblical figure King Solomon spearing the devil discovered in Turkey

Archaeologists in Turkey say they have discovered an ancient amulet depicting a Biblical figure in a battle against the devil.

The rare artifact was found during an ongoing excavation project in Hadrianopolis, an ancient city near Karabük, and…[Read more]

Fund-raisers in Tokyo generated 942 million yen for parties in ’23

Some 108 organizations held 274 political fund-raising parties in Tokyo in 2023, generating 942.21 million yen ($6.1 million) in total, a political fund balance report showed.

The report was released by the Tokyo metropolitan government’s Secretariat to Election Adm…[Read more]

Tokyo inflation likely exceeded BOJ’s 2% target again in November – Reuters poll

Consumer inflation in Tokyo for November likely surpassed the Bank of Japan’s 2 per cent price target following a reduction in fuel subsidies and with an increase in food costs, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.

The core consumer price index (CPI) in Tokyo, a leading…[Read more]

India, Japan Discuss Defense Pact to Boost Military Cooperation, Tech Ties

The proposed pact was discussed at a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani that took place on the sidelines of a regional security conclave in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos.

India and Japan on Friday deliberated on…[Read more]

China to allow 30-day visa exemption for Japan visitors from Nov. 30

China said Friday it will restart its unilateral visa-free arrangement for short-term Japanese visitors on Nov. 30, allowing stays of up to 30 days, a measure believed to be aimed at promoting tourism and trade amid a downturn in the world’s second-largest economy.

The…[Read more]

Germany’s Scholz, China’s Xi hold talks at G20

EU tariffs on electric vehicles from China and the war in Ukraine were on the agenda as the leaders of two of the world’s largest economies met on the sidelines of the summit in Rio de Janeiro.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, met on the sidelines of the G20…[Read more]

Germany suspects sabotage behind severed undersea cables

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea looks like an act of sabotage and a “hybrid action”, without knowing who is to blame.

A 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany was severed in the early hours of…[Read more]

Germany on mysteriously severed cables in the Baltic Sea: it’s sabotage

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday, the 19th of November, at a meeting of the Council of the European Union that “nobody believes” that two telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea were “cut accidentally”, but that it was not k…[Read more]

Chancellor candidate for Germany’s Green Party pledges Taurus missiles to Ukraine if elected

Missiles, which could potentially reach Moscow, have been point of contention in German politics

German Green Party chancellor candidate Robert Habeck said Sunday that he would approve the delivery of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine if he w…[Read more]

Xi Jinping said China is ready to boost China-France ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on Tuesday that China is committed to continuing the steady and positive progress of its relationship with France, News.azreports citing Xinhua.

China is willing to work with France to make greater contribution to the sound development of China-Europe…[Read more]

French farmers escalate protests against EU trade deal with South America’s Mercosur

French farmers launched new protests Tuesday against a proposed deal between the EU and the four South American countries of the Mercosur trade bloc. The French government is strongly opposed to the deal but protesters want French President Emmanuel Macron to do…[Read more]

Charles Dumont, composer of Édith Piaf’s Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, dies at 95

Singer-songwriter also composed melodies for stars including Dalida, Jacques Brel and Barbra Streisand

Charles Dumont composed melodies for French and international stars ranging from Dalida to Jacques Brel, Juliette Gréco and Barbra Streisand. But the sin…[Read more]

Gisèle Pelicot slams ‘macho’ society that ‘trivialises rape’ in closing statement

In her closing statement of the mass rape trial that has sent shockwaves across the country, survivor Gisèle Pelicot said it was time for “macho” society that “trivialises rape” to change. “I’ve lost 10 years of my life that I’ll never make up for,” she added…[Read more]