Author: Charlot Renaud

France’s blue-chip index scaled record highs today, with a boost from Airbus and Pernod Ricard that also lifted the broader European STOXX 600 index to a one-year high. France’s CAC 40 index at one point rose to 7,387.29 points, beating a lifetime high of 7,384.86 points reached on January 5, 2022. The index was last up 0.9%, leading gains among its regional peers. French stocks have risen nearly 14% so far this year, following a battering in 2022, boosted by hopes that the euro zone will narrowly avoid a recession and surging shares of luxury goods groups that rely heavily…

Former commander of US ground forces in Europe, retired General Ben Hodges reaffirmed his earlier view that Crimea could become the most important battlefield that could finally decide Ukraine’s military confrontation with Russia. But for this, according to the military, the Armed Forces of Ukraine need long-range missiles, writes Ukrinform. “ We are going to do everything possible for Ukraine to win this year. It is quite possible, at least, that Ukraine will liberate Crimea before the end of the summer,” Hodges said. The American military is confident that the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be able to shoot at 150-300 kilometers, and at the same…

Russia on Sunday slammed France President Emmanuel Macron over his remarks about wanting to see Russia defeated in the war against Ukraine and reminded him of the fate of Napoleon Bonaparte while accusing the French president of duplicitous diplomacy with the Kremlin. Macron had told paper Le Journal du Dimanche that France wanted Russia to be defeated in Ukraine but had never wanted to “crush” it. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday (February 19) slammed Macron and invoked Napoleon while accusing France and the West of attempting to “change the government” in Moscow. Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova said…

SK Geo Centric (SKGC), SUEZ, and Loop Industries (Loop) announced on Feb. 15 (Montreal, Canada local time) that the Chemesis industrial platform in Saint-Avold, located in the Grand Est region of France, has been selected as the site for the first European Infinite Loop manufacturing facility. SUEZ is a global leader in circular solutions in water and waste, and Loop is a clean technology company whose mission is to accelerate a circular plastics economy by manufacturing 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and polyester fiber. This international project, supported by the French Ministries of Industry and Ecology, the Grand Est…

In an interview published Saturday night, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that he wants Russia to be “defeated” in its war on Ukraine, but not to be “crushed”.  In the same context, he ruled out that “Russia must be completely defeated and attacked on its territory.” Macron touched on the war in Ukraine in an interview with “Le Journal du Dimanche”, “Le Figaro” and “France International” radio, on his way back on Friday evening from the Munich Security Conference.  French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview published Saturday night that he wants Russia to be “defeated” in its war on Ukraine, but…

Military-ruled Burkina Faso suspends accord with France, orders troops to leave within a month, reports state media. Burkina Faso’s military government has ordered French troops stationed in the West African country to leave within a month. The decision, announced by the official Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB) on Saturday, is the latest sign of deteriorating relations between France and its former colony since a second military coup in September of last year. The AIB said the military government on Wednesday suspended a 2018 military accord that allowed the presence of French troops in the country. There was no immediate comment…

Riot police officers grab a protestor during a demonstration against pension changes today in Paris. Workers in many French cities took to the streets today to reject proposed pension changes that would push back the retirement age, amid a day of nationwide strikes and protests seen as a major test for Emmanuel Macron and his presidency. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly) PARIS (AP) — At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities today amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age — but President Emmanuel Macron insisted he would press ahead with the…

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France & LYON, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News: AFYREN (Paris:ALAFY), a greentech company that offers manufacturers low-carbon, bio-based products through its unique fermentation technology based on a completely circular model, announced the appointment of three new members to its management team as well as new hires to support its development in France and abroad and to step up its R&D activities. Three strategic appointments Ursula Feulner – Director for Industrial Project Management Ursula joins AFYREN’s operations team and will lead the upstream phases of industrial projects, including the construction of new plants. AFYREN benefits from her long experience with the SUEZ…

PARIS (AP) — French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is to unveil on Tuesday a highly sensitive pension overhaul aimed at pushing up the retirement age that has already prompted vigorous criticism and calls for protests from leftist opponents and worker unions. The minimum retirement age to be entitled to a full pension is expected to be gradually increased from 62 to 64 or 65, in line with a longstanding pledge by President Emmanuel Macron. Details are to be released by Borne at a news conference. The government argues that French people live longer than they used to and therefore need…

Rüya Bayegan using prime minister Barzani’s right hand – Rania Majeed – to elbow her way back to KRG? Ankara, Erbil (4/1 – 45). Rüya Bayegan, the CEO of BGN International and its Turkey-based subsidiary Bayegan Group, was once considered an instrumental member of the petrochemical industry in Turkey. However, as of at least October 2022, Bayegan and her husband, Ercüment Bayegan, have been under investigation by Turkish authorities on allegations of fraud, document forgeries and tax evasion as a result of their role in the disastrous Yurtgas scandal. The recent contract between BGN International with the Indonesian state owned oil and gas company Pertamina raises…