Tag Archives: France

News

FRENCH MOTHER ARRESTED FOR SLITTING THROATS OF HER 3 CHILDREN NEAR PARIS

A French woman has been arrested after her three children were found with their throats slit at their home near Paris Friday.

Sky News reports that two of the kids—a  9-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son—died of multiple stab wounds. Their 17-year-old brother was still alive when emergency services arrived, but later died of his wounds.

Their father, a doctor, discovered the scene after returning home in the morning from work, according to judicial sources and police. He was reportedly in a state of shock.

“The children had their throats slit but we are still awaiting forensic reports,” authorities told Sky.

Police launched a hunt for the mother after the bodies were found, eventually apprehending her and holding her in Paris.  The family lived in a suburb east of Paris called Dampmart.

Investigators said the couple was having marital problems.

more at  French mother arrested for slitting throats of her 3 children | Fox News.

News

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE PASSES FIRST PARLIAMENTARY VOTE IN FRANCE

Lawmakers in France passed the first part of the Marriage Equality Bill today. They voted on the most controversial article of the bill which redefines marriage as an agreement between two people of the same or opposite sex. The article was passed with an overwhelming majority of 249-97.

The Marriage Equality Bill also seeks to grant same-sex couples equal adoption rights as heterosexual couples.

Over the Channel in Britain, parliament is also set to debate gay marriage next week. The UK government are keen to legalise same-sex marriage, and are expected to win the vote this week. However, the bill will face stiffer opposition in the House of Lords. A final vote in the Commons is expected in May.

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FYI, News

FRENCH LABOR MINISTER: FRANCE “TOTALLY BANKRUPT”

The French labor minister, Michel Sapin, caused a stir on Monday when he described the country as “totally bankrupt” during a radio interview.

The comments will cause yet more embarrassment for French President Francois Hollande.

“There is a state but it is a totally bankrupt state,” Mr Sapin said. “That is why we had to put a deficit reduction plan in place, and nothing should make us turn away from that objective.”

The French government are seeking to reduce their massive deficit through a mixture of spending cuts and tax hikes.

The tax hikes are already causing a capital flight, as the wealthy leave the country to avoid Hollande’s proposed 75% tax rate on the wealthy.

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Random Events, Free Will or Something Darker?

MASS PROTEST IN PARIS AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE

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View Champ de Mars in a larger map

Yesterday, thousands of protesters as a part of three marches, converged on the Champs de Mars in Paris, France, to show their opposition to the Marriage Equality Bill.  The bill would give the right of marriage and adoption to gay individuals. Extending the rights of same-sex couples was a part of Francois Hollande’s presidential election campaign. Police estimate the number of protesters was around 340,000 while the organizers, the Catholic Church and the right-wing opposition, estimate it was around 800,000.

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News

MALI BASED ISLAMIST REBELS VOW ATTACKS ON FRENCH SOIL


The north western African country of Mali has seen intense fighting in recent months. As armed Islamist rebels, backed by al-Qaeda, have taken much of northern Mali, the French President Francois Hollande has provided troops and heavy air support to help the ill equipped Malian army regain ground taken by the rebels.

Now the Islamist rebels have pledged to attack France on French soil.

“France has attacked Islam. We will strike at the heart of France,” Abou Dardar, a leader of Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), one of the Mali-based groups with ties to al Qaeda, told the AFP news agency.

Mali is awaiting more support from other African nations, with America and Britain providing logistical support to the offensive.

There are currently around 550 French troops in the country helping the Malian army.

Read More- France 24

News

FRENCH ACTOR GERARD DEPARDIEU BECOMES RUSSIAN CITIZEN TO AVOID 75% TAX RATE


One of the most popular french actors has taken Russian citizenship, to avoid the new tax rate for millionaires in France. French President Francois Hollande is introducing a tax rate of 75% on earnings above €1 million.

The actor Gerard Depardieu became one of many wealthy Frenchmen to quit the country.

The actor, who grew up in a working class family before becoming a successful actor, has said that he has paid millions in taxes over the years and that the new high tax rate is an attack on success.

Depardieu has now taken up Russian citizenship. He flew into Russia today, where he was greeted by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Russia has a flat income tax rate of 13%.

Depardieu has worked in Russia in the past, and has previously spoken of possibly taking up Russian citizenship.

Depardieu’s friend Arnaud Frilley told France’s RTL radio: “The President [Francois Hollande] called Gerard to ask if he was really serious about leaving France for good.

Gerard told him it wasn’t the taxes themselves that sickened him, but he was sickened by the way France spits on success. At one point he got very annoyed.

He also said he felt the way the media had treated him was terrible and that he needed to take a step back.

But he did say that he would remain French in his heart and that he felt he was a kind of spokesman for all other successful people like him who had not spoken out.”

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News

FRENCH COURT REJECTS 75 PERCENT MILLIONAIRES’ TAX

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By Emile Picy and Catherine Bremer

PARIS | Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:25am EST

(Reuters) – France’s Constitutional Council on Saturday rejected a 75 percent upper income tax rate to be introduced in 2013 in a setback to Socialist President Francois Hollande’s push to make the rich contribute more to cutting the public deficit.

The Council ruled that the planned 75 percent tax on annual income above 1 million euros ($1.32 million) – a flagship measure of Hollande’selection campaign – was unfair in the way it would be applied to different households.

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the government would redraft the upper tax rate proposal to answer the Council’s concerns and resubmit it in a new budget law, meaning Saturday’s decision could only amount to a temporary political blow.

FULL ARTICLE

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FRANCE TAKES STEPS TOWARDS MEDICALLY ASSISTED SUICIDE

French President Francois Hollande has commissioned a report, published today, which supports the legalization of euthanasia for the terminally ill.

The report is the first step towards the legalisation of medically assisted suicide in France.

The French public are already in favor of a change in the law, with polls suggesting that 89% of the population want the law changed.

Legislation could be produced as early as June 2013.

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News

PARIS HIT BY WAVE OF STREET MUGGINGS AND GRAVE ROBBERIES – TELEGRAPH

Paris hit by wave of street muggings and grave robberies – Telegraph.

The record high price of precious metals and austerity in Paris have led to a wave of street muggings and grave robberies across the French capital.

Pantin cemetery, northern Paris, has seen a number of graves dug up and gold teeth and jewellery stolen. Pantin cemetery is the largest in Paris, with a million graves.

As well as the grave robbers and muggers, precious metal thieves have caused extensive damage and led to long delays on the French rail network. Thieves have been stealing the copper cables used along the railways.

 

 

News

EUROPE’S FIRST GAY FRIENDLY MOSQUE OPENS IN PARIS FRANCE


Europe’s first gay friendly mosque has opened in Paris, France. The new mosque opened in a small room inside the house of a Buddhist monk.

The “mosque” has been critised by Muslim leaders in Paris who have said that it is, “against the spirit of Islam”. However the founder of the mosque says he is breaking “prejudices in Islam”.

The mosque will also break with traditional Muslim teaching of women. The founder, French-Algerian gay rights activist and practicing Muslim Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, says he wants to also allow women to lead Friday prayers.

Read More at France 24

Entertainment, FYI

FRENCH DOCUMENTARY ABOUT GAY SENIORS AIRS AS FRANCE DECIDES ON GAY MARRIAGE

Sébastien Lifshitz’s “Les Invisibles” (“The Invidables”) is a documentary about the lives of elderly homosexual and lesbian couples in France. The documentary is released this week at a time France is gripped by the debate about same-sex marriage and gay adoption.

The documentary looks at the lives of gay men and women and how they explored their sexuality through a time that same-sex marriage was not in the public consciousness.

Lifshitz has made name for himself creating gay-themed documentaries. Although he argues “Les Invisables” is not about the national debate in France surrounding same-sex marriage, he agrees his documentary is his contribution to the conversation.

French lawmakers are set to vote on same-sex marriage in a few months time.

Read More of France 24s interview with Sébastien Lifshitz

FYI, News

FRANCE SUPPORTS PALESTINE’S BID FOR NON-MEMBER OBSERVER STATUS AT THE UN

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French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has told the French parliament that France will vote in favour of the Palestinian Authorities UN bid to be made a non-member observer. If the Palestinian bid is successful it would implicitly recognise Palestinian statehood, and would give the Palestinian’s access to bodies like the International Court of Human Rights in the Hague. The Palestinian’s could then file complaints against Israel.

The rest of Europe remains divided over the issue. Portugal and Spain say they will vote for the motion, but Germany are opposed to any change in the Palestinian’s United Nations status. Britain remains undecided. The United States and Israel are strongly opposed to the move.

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FRANCE HAS BEEN STRIPPED OF “AAA” CREDIT RATING BY MOODY’S

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The rating’s agency Moody’s has stripped France of it’s AAA credit rating. The agency cited France’s continued exposure to the eurozone debt crisis, but also said the inflexible labour market and low levels of innovation were seriously hindering France’s growth prospects.

In a statement Moody’s said: “Further shocks to sovereign and bank credit markets would further undermine financial and economic stability in France as well as in other euro area countries.

“The impact of such shocks would be expected to be felt disproportionately by more highly indebted governments such as France.”

The move is a serious blow to the socialist governments economic policies. Francois Hollande’s government is trying to push through labour reforms, though some believe they do not go far enough.

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ANTI-AUSTERITY RALLIES ACROSS EUROPE END IN VIOLENCE

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There were strikes and anti-austerity rallies across Europe on Wednesday. General Strikes were called in Spain and Italy. Rallies were also held in France and Greece. The protests in Spain ended as police fired rubber bullets, in violent clashes between protesters and police. In Italy at least 17 police officers were injured as protests in Rome, Milan and Turin turned violent.

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