Truth or Fake - Fake video announcing 'coup in France' sparks anger at Élysée Palace
A viral video falsely claiming that a coup d’État has taken place in France has racked up more than 13 million views on social media. Although clearly AI-generated, it sparked tensions between the Élysée Palace and Facebook's parent company, as Meta initially refu»»»
French court jails anaesthetist for life for poisoning 30 patients, killing 12
After a three-and-a-half-month trial, anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier was sentenced Thursday in Besançon to life in prison for all the charges against him, a verdict he plans to appeal. Péchier is accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, between 2008 and 2017. A French court on Thursday sen»»»
Press Review - How much does it cost to live like Emily in Paris? Vanity Fair did the maths
PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, December 18: French paper Le Monde reveals who was behind the viral AI fake news video that announced a coup in France. Next, some good news: a mama polar bear adopts a cub in a rare case of polar bear bonding. Also: the new season of Emily in Paris is out and we calculate »»»
Haykal meets French army chief, foreign experts may inspect sites with army
Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal met Thursday in Paris with French army chief Fabien Mandon ahead of a key meeting with U.S., French and Saudi officials to discuss ways of assisting the army in its mission to boost its presence in the border area. The Paris meeting will discuss reinforcing th»»»
Farmers block roads in Brussels to protest South American free-trade deal
Farmers in tractors blocked roads, threw potatoes and eggs, and set off fireworks in Brussels on Wednesday outside a European Union leaders' summit, prompting police to respond with tear gas and water cannons as protesters rallied against a major free-trade deal with South American nations. Farmers»»»
Farmers head to Brussels to protest EU-Mercosur treaty as European leaders meet
Thousands of European farmers are converging on Brussels on Thursday to protest against the EU-Mercosur treaty as European leaders meet for a summit. Protesters are worried about the prospect of an influx of South American products into the bloc and the reform of agricultural subsidies. Thousa»»»
Naguib Sawiris sets sights on managing three major Egyptian airports
AP news file photo of Naguib Sawiris The Chairman of Orascom Investment Holding (OIH), Naguib Sawiris, has announced his intention to compete for the management contract of the Hurghada International Airport. Sawiris revealed that OIH has recently been approached by prominent British and French fir»»»
Israel Launches Intense Airstrikes in Lebanon as Deadline Looms to Disarm Hezbollah
Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on southern and northeastern Lebanon on Thursday as a deadline looms to disarm the militant Hezbollah group along the tense frontier. The strikes came a day before a meeting of the committee monitoring the enforcement of a US-brokered ceasefire that halted »»»
French, Saudi and U.S. officials question Lebanon’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah – Ya Libnan
Share: Lebanese army members stand on a military vehicle during a Lebanese army media tour, to review the army’s operations in the southern Litani sector, in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, November 28, 2025. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo French, Saudi Arabian and Amer»»»
Velichie Calls for Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman's Resignation
The parliamentary group of Velichie on Thursday issued a declaration calling for the resignation of the Ombudsman and the Deputy Ombudsman. The statement was read from the rostrum of the National Assembly by Velichie MP Larisa Savova. The declaration is based on a series of verifiable facts which, »»»
French anaesthetist who poisoned 12 patients to death jailed for life
A former anaesthetist has been jailed for life for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, including 12 who died. A court in the city of Besançon in eastern France found Frédéric Péchier guilty of contaminating infusion bags with substances that caused cardiac arrest or hemorrhaging. Péchier was first»»»
On This Day, Dec. 18: House impeaches President Trump - UPI.com
On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, charging him with abusing the powers of the presidency and obstructing Congress. 1 of 5 | Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calf., speaks after the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump on Decemb»»»
Saudi Arabia, UAE seek Arab Cup consolation
Doha: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates meet today in the third-place match of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 at Khalifa International Stadium, with both sides chasing consolation after dashing title hopes in the semi-finals. Saudi Arabia enter today’s encounter following a 1-0 defeat to Jord»»»
France detains 22-year-old suspect over interior ministry cyberattack
French authorities have detained a 22-year-old man over a cyberattack on the email servers of the French interior ministry that compromised files containing criminal records. Prosecutors say the suspect is known to police and was convicted of similar crimes earlier this year. A 22-ye»»»
Migrants forced to leave Canada after policy change feel 'betrayed'
After accepting a job near Montreal, Mansef Aloui packed up his life in Tunisia, hopeful his children would thrive in Canada -- but his pathway to settle in the country has been shut down. "I'm broken. My life has been upended. My daughter is in her room, she cries day and night," the 50-year-old t»»»
Paris Meeting Sets Three Priorities to Back Lebanese Army
Paris will host a four party meeting on Thursday bringing together representatives of France, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Lebanon, amid fears that an Israeli escalation could upend a ceasefire agreement in place for more than a year. French officials say Paris senses an imminent threat faci»»»
France probes 'foreign interference' after passenger ship hit by remote-control malware
France is investigating whether an organised group linked to a “foreign power” may have been involved in the malware infection of a passenger ship that would allow it to be controlled remotely. The malware discovery onboard the Italian-owned Fantastic was made when the ship was docked in the southe»»»
Fake video claiming ‘coup in France’ goes viral – not even Macron could immediately get it removed
Sometime in the second week of December, an improbable video began making the rounds on French-language social media. France, it claimed, was subject to a coup d’état, and President Emmanuel Macron had possibly been deposed. The video, an AI-generated fake, racked up millions of views and caus»»»
Safonov the hero as PSG clinch Intercontinental Cup
Doha: Goalkeeper Matvei Safonov stole the spotlight as Paris Saint-Germain lifted the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, edging past CR Flamengo 2-1 in a tense penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in a thrilling final on Wednesday. Paris Saint-Germain's Portuguese midfielder #17 Vitinha is cong»»»
Safonov saves four times in shoot-out as PSG win Intercontinental Cup
DOHA: Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov saved four times in the deciding shoot-out as the French club clinched a fourth 2025 trophy with a 2-1 victory on penalties over Brazil's Flamengo in the Intercontinental Cup final at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadiumon Wednesday. Freshly crowned FIFA Wor»»»
SYRIZA MEP says he ‘reacted wrongly’ after alleged assault at Strasbourg bar
Leftist Greek MEP Nikos Pappas, a member of the SYRIZA party who is under investigation by French police after allegedly assaulting a compatriot journalist at a bar in Strasbourg on Tuesday night, has acknowledged, in his first public comments since the news broke, that he “reacted wrongly” to what»»»
French Interior Ministry hit by serious cyberattack
Dubai: The French government said on Wednesday that “a few dozen” confidential records were extracted during a cyberattack on the Interior Ministry that lasted several days, with senior officials describing the breach as serious and announcing immediate measures to strengthen cyber defences, AFP re»»»
LIVE UPDATES: PSG vs CR Flamengo (FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025)
Doha, Qatar: The FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025 reaches its final destination as French giants Paris Saint-Germain face Brazilian powerhouse CR Flamengo at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Both teams arrive with star-studded squads, chasing their first title — where European tactics collide with Brazilian fl»»»
SYRIZA MEP accused of assaulting journalist in Strasbourg
Leftist Greek MEP Nikos Pappas, a member of the SYRIZA party, is under investigation by French police after allegedly assaulting journalist Nikos Giannopoulos in Strasbourg. The incident reportedly occurred around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at a bar where Pappas was drinking with colleagues and the press d»»»
Amiri Guard commander meets French Republican Guard commander
DOHA: Amiri Guard Commander Lieutenant General Staff Hazza bin Khalil Al Shahwani met on Wednesday at the Barzan camp with Commander of the French Republican Guard Gen Francois-Xavier Lesueur and his accompanying delegation. The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation in areas of common interest. »»»
South Africa arrests 7 undocumented Kenyans processing U.S. visas - UPI.com
President Donald Trump meets with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the the White House in May. On Wednesday, South Africa arrested seven undocumented Kenyans working illegally in the country processing refugee visas for the U.S. government. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo»»»
EU-Mercosur trade deal stalls as France and Italy demand tougher safeguards
France and Italy said Wednesday they remain opposed to a trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, dashing hopes of the contentious pact being signed this week. Paris demanded "mirror clauses" requiring Mercosur products to comply wit»»»
Italy, France Say it's 'Premature' to Sign EU-Mercosur Trade Deal
Italy and France on Wednesday said they were not ready to back a trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, dealing a blow to hopes of finalizing the deal in the coming days. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been expected to fly to B»»»
Syrian-French talks on cooperation in developing agricultural sector
Damascus, Dec. 17 (SANA) Syria and France discussed the challenges facing Syria’s agricultural sector on Wednesday and explored ways for French support in revitalizing the sector. Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr briefed Jean-Baptiste Faivre, Chargé d’Affaires of the French Embassy in Damascus, a»»»
Dubai's Airports just launched their biggest winter schedule ever – Here's where you can fly
Dubai: European airlines are upsizing for Dubai’s winter rush. Carriers from Europe are quietly turning Dubai into a big-jet battleground this winter, rolling out larger aircraft and extra capacity as demand for the city surges. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Accordin»»»
Felony charges filed over 4-ton cocaine seizure aboard fishing vessel
Greek prosecutors have filed felony charges against an alleged Greek cocaine trafficker and four others in connection with the drug-laden fishing vessel Ourania, authorities said. The alleged ringleader appeared at the prosecutor’s office wearing a bulletproof vest, while investigators believe the »»»
Truth or Fake - Lumpy skin disease: Storm-1516 spreads disinformation about French farmers’ protests
As France battles an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among livestock, some farmers are protesting government measures such as the culling of entire herds. Videos claiming to support them have gone viral online, but some are AI-generated. In this edition of Truth or Fake, we take a closer look at how»»»
German and French Ambassadors Defend Bulgarian Judicial Chief Amid Cybersecurity Controversy
In an unusual diplomatic move, the ambassadors of Germany and France, H.E. Irene Plank and H.E. Marie Dumoulin, personally met with Galina Zakharova, chairwoman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), to express support for the independence of Bulgaria’s judiciary. The joint statement from the two e»»»
Ariane 6 Lifts Off with 2 European Navigation Satellites
A European Ariane 6 rocket blasted off from France's Kourou space base in French Guiana early Wednesday, carrying two Galileo global navigation satellites, according to an AFP correspondent. Lift-off was at 2:01 am local time (0501 GMT) for the fourth commercial flight of the Ariane 6 launch system»»»
US accused of using illegal workers at centre processing refugee claims in South Africa
South Africa has accused the US of using Kenyan nationals who did not have work permits at a facility processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status. Seven Kenyans were arrested after intelligence reports revealed that people "had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas a»»»
TotalEnergies Sells 50% of Greek Renewables Portfolio for 254 Million Euros
French oil major TotalEnergies has agreed to sell 50% of a 424-megawatt portfolio of wind and solar assets in Greece to Spanish investment firm Asterion Industrial Partners for 254 million euros ($297.36 million), it said on Wednesday. The deal values the portfolio at 508 million euros, or approxim»»»
QNB hosts exclusive events during PSG’s tour in Doha
Doha, Qatar: QNB hosted two special events in Doha as part of its Premium Partnership with the French football club, Paris Saint-Germain, during the team’s annual winter tour in Qatar. The tour presents an exciting opportunity for fans and customers to engage with the celebrated Paris Saint-Germain»»»
AI-generated reconstructions of ancient Rome turn out to be full of errors
A number of videos and images created by artificial intelligence that claim to accurately depict ancient Rome have been circulating online. However, these images are far from historically accurate, says one historian. "A Journey Through Time with Artificial Intelligence,” reads the caption on a vid»»»
Benin jails 30 people with links to thwarted coup attempt, legal sources say
Benin on Tuesday jailed around 30 people, most of whom were soldiers, linked to an attempt to oust President Patrice Talon, legal sources said. The attempted coup was defeated by loyalist army forces with the help of the Nigerian air force and French special forces. Benin jailed on Tuesday aro»»»
The Debate - The battle for Marseille: how to win back streets as drug trade soars?
One month after the stunning assassination of the brother of an anti-gangland activist, French president Emmanuel Macron returning to the Mediterranean port for an update on the government’s xx-euro plan to win back the streets and offer hope to fed-up citizens of France’s second largest city. The »»»
French lawmakers adopt 2026 social security budget, suspend Macron's flagship pension reform
French lawmakers on Tuesday adopted the 2026 social security budget, which includes the suspension of President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform, as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu races to finalise a 2026 spending plan by year's end. France's lower house of parliament, the Nationa»»»
Sarkozy faces possible indictment over witness tampering in Libya funding case
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's legal woes looked set to continue as prosecutors on Tuesday said they would seek indictments against him, his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and nine others for alleged witness tampering in the Libya campaign funding case. French prosecutors on Tuesday said »»»
Dembele and Bonmatí win FIFA Best Awards in Doha; Wiegman scoops fifth prize
DPA Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Demele and Spain star Aitana Bonmati won the FIFA Best player awards for 2025 on Tuesday following a vote. France men’s international Dembele, who helped PSG to a treble including their first Champions League title in May, also won the rival Ballon d’Or award»»»
EU won’t succeed where Hitler and Napoleon failed – Italian deputy PM
The European Union will not succeed in bringing Russia “to its knees” where Adolf Hitler and Napoleon failed, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has said, arguing that sanctions meant to weaken Moscow have instead backfired on Western economies. Western governments have imposed sweeping s»»»
France in focus - Can Christmas save France's châteaux?
In France's Loire Valley, castles are relying on the magic of Christmas to secure their future. Each winter, historical landmarks are turned into festive, fairy-tale settings, drawing tens of thousands of visitors. But beyond the lights and decorations lies a pressing challenge: how to preserve the»»»
PSG must pay Mbappé €60.9 million, French labour court rules
A Paris labour court on Tuesday ordered Paris Saint-Germain football club to pay former player Kylian Mbappé €60 million ($70.6 million) in unpaid salary and bonuses, bringing a partial end to one of the most acrimonious disputes in French football. Lawyers for PSG and Mbappé argued last month befo»»»
French farmers’ ire over cattle cull leads to blocked roads, likely delay for Mercosur trade deal
Protesting French farmers blocked roads across France Tuesday over a mass cull to prevent the spread of a bovine disease. Anger over the sanitary measure combined with farmers’ concerns about a planned Mercosur trade deal has forced France to seek a delay in the EU vote, which officials say is»»»
Qatar set to make history by hosting two FIFA finals on two consecutive days
DOHA: Qatar is set to make history by being the first country to host two major FIFA finals in two consecutive days. The FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final Qatar 2025 will take place 24 hours ahead of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 Final, showcasing the country’s ability to host multiple mega-sporting e»»»
Qatar set to make history by hosting two FIFA finals on two consecutive days
Doha: Qatar is set to make history by being the first country to host two major FIFA finals in two consecutive days. The FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final Qatar 2025 will take place 24 hours ahead of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 Final, showcasing the country’s ability to host multiple mega-sporting e»»»
EU leaders discuss establishment of new reparations body for Ukraine
BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- European leaders discussed the establishment of a new international body in The Hague, under the name "International Claims Commission for Ukraine," which would be tasked with adjudicating compensation to be paid to Ukraine for damages resulting from the Russian attack.Th»»»