Author: Ansell Bergeron

The French government won court approval for its €9.7 billion ($10.7 billion) offer to buy out minority shareholders of Electricite de France SA, paving the way for the state to regain full ownership of the debt-laden utility. Judges at the Paris court of appeals on Tuesday rejected legal challenges brought by disgruntled shareholders. EDF shares rose to €11.98 following the decision, just under the offer price. The finance ministry said it would reopen the tender later this month. President Emmanuel Macron decided last year to fully nationalize EDF, which produces the vast majority of France’s power, as reliability issues at…

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) forged ties with France and French organizations to promote the development of the Philippine maritime industry. Marina, upon the invitation and facilitation of the French Embassies in Manila and Singapore, represented the Philippines at the Sea Asia 2023 in Singapore and explored the latest technological advancements and innovations in the energy transition, efficient operations of ships and zero carbon marine fuels currently in the market. Sonia Malaluan, deputy administrator for planning of Marina, took part in a roundtable discussion on decarbonization hosted by the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Embassy of France and Cluster…

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Warner Bros Discovery have struck a multi-year broadcast partnership extension that will see the US Open Grand Slam remain on the Eurosport pay-TV network in France. Confirmed: Context: Last month, the USTA and Warner Bros Discovery extended its European rights deal for the US Open, covering 45 territories, until 2027. That partnership excluded several major markets, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. In addition to the US Open, the media giant’s tennis content offering in France also includes the Australian Open, the ATP Tour and the ATP Finals event. Coming next: In the buildup…

Turkey continues to move away from the European Union, negotiations on the country’s membership in the union remain without progress due to non-compliance with EU standards, said European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi. “Turkey continues to move away from the European Union, so the EU accession negotiations are at a standstill. The observance of the norms of the rule of law and human rights raises concerns,” he said during a debate on relations with Ankara in the European Parliament. He stressed that Turkey “does not respect fundamental rights”, and the opposition cannot express their opinion. “Turkey’s refusal…

France is bracing for fresh chaos Tuesday with a day of protests planned against Emmanuel Macron’s detested pensions reform, and trade unions calling for a general strike. Protests last Thursday descended into turmoil with clashes between police and protesters, and scenes of violence across the country. In the wake of the unrest, which resulted in more than 450 arrests, the French president was forced to cancel a state visit by King Charles III amid security concerns. Public transport, universities, schools and public services are expected to be disrupted again Tuesday. The impact of the industrial action is being felt across all…

According to news from Russian Satellite News Agency and Agence France-Presse on the 17th, Turkish President Erdogan said after meeting with Finnish President Niinisto on the same day that he has asked the Turkish parliament to vote on Finland’s accession to NATO. Erdogan’s data map issued by Xinhua News Agency “We have decided to start (ratify) Finland’s NATO accession protocol (process) in parliament,” Erdogan said. The British “Guardian” stated that Erdogan also expressed the hope that this process could be completed before May this year and Finland would be approved to join NATO. According to previous media reports, Sweden and…

Slovakia may send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, which are no longer used for flights and take up space in warehouses, Defense Minister Yaroslav Nadya told the local publication Teraz . Nadia stressed that the supply of aircraft to Ukraine should not hit the defense capability of Slovakia. The minister offered to transfer the MiG-29, which in modern realities do not even take to the air. Slovak MiG-29 fighters no longer fly, pilots are not trained for them, and their storage requires expenses. Yaroslav NadiaMinister of Defense of Slovakia Nadia recalled that in the entire Slovak army there are only four pilots who…

Citing data from Spotify and others, a new report has suggested that at least one to three percent of France’s on-demand music streams – or roughly one to three billion plays – were fake in 2021. The European nation’s National Music Center (Centre national de la musique/CNM) just recently disclosed this and other noteworthy figures in what’s billed as “the first documented and concerted study in the world on” streaming manipulation. North of 18 months of work went into the analysis, which focuses chiefly on the prevalence of fake streams as opposed to the practices behind them, according to a…

PARIS (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida started a weeklong trip to Europe and North America in Paris where he held talks Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron on key issues including North Korea and the war in Ukraine. Kishida first visited Notre-Dame Cathedral with Macron before heading to the Elysee presidential palace for a working dinner. Reconstruction work on the cathedral, ravaged by the April 15, 2019 fire, is expected to be completed in time for its reopening to the public next year. Japan’s historic Shuri Castle on the southern island of Okinawa, a UNESCO World Heritage site,…

French police on Friday fired teargas amid clashes with agitated protesters outside a Kurdish community center in central Paris, where a gunman earlier killed three people and injured four others. The clashes with dozens of protesters, mostly from the Kurdish diaspora, broke out when French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin was visiting the scene of the shooting, at Kurdish Cultural Center Ahmet-Kaya on Rue d’Enghien. The suspected attacker has been arrested. All three people killed during the shooting inside and near the center were Kurds, the center’s lawyer confirmed to CNN. The suspect, a 69-year-old French man, was not part of…