A man wielding a knife and scissors was fatally shot by police in Paris on Friday when he tried to attack an officer during a ceremony at the city’s Arc de Triomphe monument, officials said.


Paris Knife Attack: Police Fatally Shoot Man at Arc de Triomphe After Officer Targeted

<p>Paris police on Friday (Feb 14) shot dead a man wielding a knife and scissors, who attacked an officer during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe monument. The man, a French national, had earlier faced terrorist-related charges in Belgium, according to the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office.&nbsp;</p><p>The incident happened during the ceremony to rekindle the flame at the tomb of the unknown soldier. One of the officers was injured in the attack before another officer opened fire on the suspect, shooting several times at him.&nbsp;</p><p>The suspect, identified as Brahim Bahrir, died in the hospital after succumbing to his injuries. AFP reported, citing a source close to the case, that the French citizen, born in 1978, was radicalised and had been on a watchlist.</p><p>Bahrir had earlier called a police station near his home in a Paris suburb, warning that he was going to “carry out a massacre”. This prompted authorities to launch a hunt.</p><p>Earlier in 2012, the man attacked three police officers in Belgium, following which he was sentenced to 17 years in prison on charges including murder and terror. He got out of jail in December last year.</p><p>Following the knife attack, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the paramilitary gendarmes who “intervened forcefully to stop this terrorist attack”.</p><p>“At the Arc de Triomphe this evening, while the Flame was being rekindled, a terrorist attack targeted the Republican Guard,” he said in a post on X. “I salute the exemplary courage and composure of our gendarmes and our Sentinelle soldiers: they put an end to the attack and prevented the worst.”</p><p>“I express the Nation’s solidarity with the injured gendarme. We also think with emotion of the schoolchildren who were present, as well as the members of the Flame Committee,” Macron added. “In the face of Islamist terrorism, the republican flame will always resist.”</p>

Paris police shot dead a knife-wielding man who attacked an officer during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. The French national had prior terror-related charges in Belgium; his identity was not released.

Paris police on Friday (Feb 14) shot dead a man wielding a knife and scissors, who attacked an officer during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe monument. The man, a French national, had earlier faced terrorist-related charges in Belgium, according to the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office. The incident happened during the ceremony to rekindle the flame at the tomb of the unknown soldier. One of the officers was injured in the attack before another officer opened fire on the suspect, shooting several times at him. The suspect, identified as Brahim Bahrir, died in the hospital after succumbing to his injuries. AFP reported, citing a source close to the case, that the French citizen, born in 1978, was radicalised and had been on a watchlist. Bahrir had earlier called a police station near his home in a Paris suburb, warning that he was going to “carry out a massacre”. This prompted authorities to launch a hunt. Earlier in 2012, the man attacked three police officers in Belgium, following which he was sentenced to 17 years in prison on charges including murder and terror. He got out of jail in December last year. Following the knife attack, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the paramilitary gendarmes who “intervened forcefully to stop this terrorist attack”. “At the Arc de Triomphe this evening, while the Flame was being rekindled, a terrorist attack targeted the Republican Guard,” he said in a post on X. “I salute the exemplary courage and composure of our gendarmes and our Sentinelle soldiers: they put an end to the attack and prevented the worst.” “I express the Nation’s solidarity with the injured gendarme. We also think with emotion of the schoolchildren who were present, as well as the members of the Flame Committee,” Macron added. “In the face of Islamist terrorism, the republican flame will always resist.”

<p>Paris police shot dead a knife-wielding man who attacked an officer during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. The French national had prior terror-related charges in Belgium; his identity was not released.</p>

Paris knife attack: French police fatally shoot alleged terrorist at Arc de Triomphe

A knife-wielding man was shot dead by police at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Friday evening after he tried to attack an officer, police said.

The attack took place during the ceremony to rekindle the flame at the tomb of the unknown soldier located directly under the arch.

Paris Knife Attack at Landmark Arc de Triomphe; Incident Sparks Speculations of a Terrorist Attack

<p>Prompting officials to order work to stop at a nearby copper mine, a sinkhole in Chile has doubled in size.</p>

<p>Growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe, the sinkhole now stretches 50 meters (160 feet) across and goes down 200 meters (656 feet).</p>

<p>According to experts, the sinkhole can also fit Seattle's Space Needle and six Christ the Redeemer statues from Brazil stacked head-to-head.</p>

<p>Located near the Alcaparrosa mine operated by Canadian company Lundin Mining, the gaping hole is still being investigated by the National Service of Geology and Mining.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/authorities-in-chile-are-looking-into-a-mysterious-big-sinkhole-close-to-a-copper-mine-503209/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Starting a "sanctioning process", the company said the hole did not affect workers or community members and that it was working to determine the cause.</p>

<p>While 20 per cent of the property is held by Japan's Sumitomo Corporation, Lundin owns the rest of it.</p>

<p>With water visible at the bottom, the hole near the town of Tierra Amarilla measured about 25 meters (82 feet) across.</p>

<p>Water extraction pumps have been installed at the mine and in the next few days would investigate the mine's underground chambers for potential over-extraction, according to geology and mining service.</p>

<p>Destabilising the surrounding land, local officials have expressed worry that the Alcaparrosa mine could have flooded below ground.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>Watch WION's live TV here:</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Prompting officials to order work to stop at a nearby copper mine, a sinkhole in Chile has doubled in size. Growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe, the sinkhole now stretches 50 meters (160 feet) across and goes down 200 meters (656 feet).

Prompting officials to order work to stop at a nearby copper mine, a sinkhole in Chile has doubled in size. Growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe, the sinkhole now stretches 50 meters (160 feet) across and goes down 200 meters (656 feet). According to experts, the sinkhole can also fit Seattle's Space Needle and six Christ the Redeemer statues from Brazil stacked head-to-head. Located near the Alcaparrosa mine operated by Canadian company Lundin Mining, the gaping hole is still being investigated by the National Service of Geology and Mining. × Starting a "sanctioning process", the company said the hole did not affect workers or community members and that it was working to determine the cause. While 20 per cent of the property is held by Japan's Sumitomo Corporation, Lundin owns the rest of it. With water visible at the bottom, the hole near the town of Tierra Amarilla measured about 25 meters (82 feet) across. Water extraction pumps have been installed at the mine and in the next few days would investigate the mine's underground chambers for potential over-extraction, according to geology and mining service. Destabilising the surrounding land, local officials have expressed worry that the Alcaparrosa mine could have flooded below ground. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Sinkhole in Chile doubles in size, large enough to swallow France's Arc de Triomphe

<p>Jared Whipple, a mechanic in Connecticut found several paintings and artwork worth millions in an abandoned barn.</p>

<p>The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reported that the trove included several art pieces by Francis Hines, who used his work in the barn.</p>

<p>His work was compared with Christo and Jeanne-Claude, famous for wrapping installations around Europe, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.</p>

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIX4vsl_o8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIX4vsl_o8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIX4vsl_o8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIX4vsl_o8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by The Warehouse CT (@thewarehousect)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

<p>Hines was an abstract expressionist who&nbsp;wrapped more than 10 buildings in New York including the Washington Square Arch, JFK Airport, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He died in 2016 when he was 96 years old.</p>

<p>Whipple told the news outlet that “I pulled it out of this dumpster and I fell in love with it.”</p>

<p>“I made a connection with it. My purpose is to get Hines into the history books.”</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lunar-samples-collected-by-neil-armstrong-first-person-to-walk-on-the-moon-are-heading-to-auction-470309" hreflang="en">Lunar samples collected by Neil Armstrong, first person to walk on the Moon, are heading to auction</a></strong></p>

<p>After finding the items he&nbsp;contacted the artist’s family. Whipple said that allowed him to keep and sell the art.</p>

<p>He told CT Insider,&nbsp;“I’ve always been a mechanic and I’m known in the skateboarding world but not in the art world. So trying to get people to even open your emails and take you seriously was a huge challenge.”</p>

<p>Historian Peter Hastings Falk said that the hundreds of pieces of art retrieved by Whipple can be sold at around $22,000 apiece and his drawings at around $4,500.</p>

<p>“Hines is really New York’s wrapper,” said&nbsp;Hastings Falk.</p>

<p>Whipple is going to auction them at Hollis Taggart, a New York City-based gallery. It will exhibit the items in New York and Connecticut next month.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Jared Whipple, a mechanic in Connecticut found several paintings and artwork worth millions in an abandoned barn. The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reported that the trove included several art pieces by Francis Hines, who used his work in the barn.

Jared Whipple, a mechanic in Connecticut found several paintings and artwork worth millions in an abandoned barn. The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reported that the trove included several art pieces by Francis Hines, who used his work in the barn. His work was compared with Christo and Jeanne-Claude, famous for wrapping installations around Europe, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Warehouse CT (@thewarehousect) Hines was an abstract expressionist who wrapped more than 10 buildings in New York including the Washington Square Arch, JFK Airport, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He died in 2016 when he was 96 years old. Whipple told the news outlet that “I pulled it out of this dumpster and I fell in love with it.” “I made a connection with it. My purpose is to get Hines into the history books.” Also read | Lunar samples collected by Neil Armstrong, first person to walk on the Moon, are heading to auction After finding the items he contacted the artist’s family. Whipple said that allowed him to keep and sell the art. He told CT Insider, “I’ve always been a mechanic and I’m known in the skateboarding world but not in the art world. So trying to get people to even open your emails and take you seriously was a huge challenge.” Historian Peter Hastings Falk said that the hundreds of pieces of art retrieved by Whipple can be sold at around $22,000 apiece and his drawings at around $4,500. “Hines is really New York’s wrapper,” said Hastings Falk. Whipple is going to auction them at Hollis Taggart, a New York City-based gallery. It will exhibit the items in New York and Connecticut next month. (With inputs from agencies)

Mechanic finds trove of paintings and other artwork worth millions in an abandoned barn

<p>Right-wing contender in the 2022 French presidential election, Marine Le Pen, has accused the French government of breaking the law by hanging European Union's flag off the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.</p>

<p>According to her, “To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colors of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation’s identity, because this monument honors our military glories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-culls-over-600000-poultry-birds-to-contain-bird-flu-virus-threatening-major-outbreak-441656/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>To mark the start of the six-month presidency, France illuminated historic buildings across the country including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in the blue of the EU flag on New Year's Eve.</p>

<p>Marine Le Pen also slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for betraying the duties of his office and displaying arrogant contempt for our history for the sake of personal ambition.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/towards-a-greener-future-france-starts-banning-plastic-packaging-of-fruits-and-vegetables-441580"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Towards a greener future: France starts banning plastic packaging of fruits and vegetables</strong></a></p>

<p>In response, Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">🔵 À partir de ce soir et demain, dans de nombreuses villes, nos monuments vont s’illuminer en bleu, pour marquer le début de la Présidence 🇫🇷 de l’🇪🇺 !<br />
<br />
👉🏻 N’hésitez pas à les prendre en photo 📸📸📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PFUE2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PFUE2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/KtUJmOwrtY">pic.twitter.com/KtUJmOwrtY</a></p>
— Clement Beaune (@CBeaune) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBeaune/status/1476912265756561412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The French conservative party's candidate for next year's presidential election promised to make France Europe's strongest power and stop "uncontrolled immigration" in her first major campaign speech.</p>

<p>France took over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday, affording President Emmanuel Macron the chance to pose as the EU's de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-dozens-of-cars-torched-on-new-years-eve-by-rioters-on-violence-spree-353854"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;France: Dozens of cars torched on New Year’s Eve by rioters on violence spree</strong></a></p>

<p>The 44-year-old has never made any secret of his ambitions to be the motor for further European integration, serving over the last four years as a dynamic sidekick to the more steady German chancellor Angela Merkel in Europe's power couple.</p>

<p>With Merkel now retired and the timely gift of the rotating presidency of the EU Council from January 1, Macron has announced an ambitious agenda for the 27-member bloc that could also serve his domestic campaign for re-election.</p>

<p>"The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe," he said in a New Year's Eve national address that hailed the EU's role during the Covid-19 crisis.</p>

<p>Referring to the French presidency, he vowed that "you can count on my complete commitment to ensure that this period, which comes around every 13 years, is a time of progress for you".</p>

<p>The centrist, who made his Europhile views a key part of his political campaign when winning the presidency in 2017, is hoping it will again serve him in elections scheduled for April 10 and 24.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Right-wing contender in the 2022 French presidential election, Marine Le Pen, has accused the French government of breaking the law by hanging European Union's flag off the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Right-wing contender in the 2022 French presidential election, Marine Le Pen, has accused the French government of breaking the law by hanging European Union's flag off the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. According to her, “To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colors of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation’s identity, because this monument honors our military glories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” To mark the start of the six-month presidency, France illuminated historic buildings across the country including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in the blue of the EU flag on New Year's Eve. Marine Le Pen also slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for betraying the duties of his office and displaying arrogant contempt for our history for the sake of personal ambition.” Also read | Towards a greener future: France starts banning plastic packaging of fruits and vegetables In response, Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. 🔵 À partir de ce soir et demain, dans de nombreuses villes, nos monuments vont s’illuminer en bleu, pour marquer le début de la Présidence 🇫🇷 de l’🇪🇺 ! 👉🏻 N’hésitez pas à les prendre en photo 📸📸📸 #PFUE2022 pic.twitter.com/KtUJmOwrtY — Clement Beaune (@CBeaune) December 31, 2021 × The French conservative party's candidate for next year's presidential election promised to make France Europe's strongest power and stop "uncontrolled immigration" in her first major campaign speech. France took over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday, affording President Emmanuel Macron the chance to pose as the EU's de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April. Also read | France: Dozens of cars torched on New Year’s Eve by rioters on violence spree The 44-year-old has never made any secret of his ambitions to be the motor for further European integration, serving over the last four years as a dynamic sidekick to the more steady German chancellor Angela Merkel in Europe's power couple. With Merkel now retired and the timely gift of the rotating presidency of the EU Council from January 1, Macron has announced an ambitious agenda for the 27-member bloc that could also serve his domestic campaign for re-election. "The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe," he said in a New Year's Eve national address that hailed the EU's role during the Covid-19 crisis. Referring to the French presidency, he vowed that "you can count on my complete commitment to ensure that this period, which comes around every 13 years, is a time of progress for you". The centrist, who made his Europhile views a key part of his political campaign when winning the presidency in 2017, is hoping it will again serve him in elections scheduled for April 10 and 24. (With inputs from agencies)

Marine Le Pen accuses French government of breaking law by hanging EU flag off Arc de Triomphe

<p>For almost 60 years, the artist known as Christo dreamed of wrapping the Arc de Triomphe. As a young man, having fled communist Bulgaria, he would gaze at the monument from his tiny garret apartment. A photomontage dated 1962 shows the 164-foot-high arch crudely bundled up. Freedom trumped the sacred. He always wanted people to look again at what perhaps they did not see.</p>

<p><br />
Now, a little over a year after Christo’s death at the age of 84, “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” is a reality. About 270,000 square feet of silvery blue fabric, shimmering in the changing light of Paris, hugs the monument commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 at the giddy height of his power. The polypropylene material, its tone reminiscent of the city’s distinctive zinc roofs, is secured but not held rigidly fast by almost 1.9 miles of red rope, in line with the artist’s meticulous instructions.</p>

<p><br />
“He wanted a living object that, with its moving folds, would turn the monument’s surface into something sensual,” Vladimir Yavachev, Christo’s nephew and project director, told me. Suddenly, at the top of the Champs Élysées, a magical pale object beckons, its glistening lightness anchored by steel slabs weighing 150 tons. The effect is at once disorienting and riveting.</p>

<p><br />
Yavachev moved from New York to Paris two years ago to lead the project. The work has been arduous. France’s League for the Protection of Birds expressed concern about two falcons nesting high in the facade. That led to a first delay, before the pandemic caused a second.</p>

<p><br />
Bastille Day, on July 14, and Armistice Day, on Nov. 11, when ceremonies take place at the monument, left a limited window. Building the cages whose steel bars pass an inch or two from the outstretched hand or foot of a frieze or a funereal relief was painstaking. So was rappelling down to work under the overhangs of the cornice. In all, 1,200 people labored on the wrapping.</p>

<p><br />
“It was difficult, stressful,” lead engineer Sebastien Roger said as we stood under the arch. “You have to be careful, it’s the Arc de Triomphe after all!”</p>

<p><br />
From its official opening Saturday through Oct. 3, the arch has in fact become something else — transformed into an oversize imagined object through the liberating obsession of an artist who refused to accept limits.</p>

<p><br />
Born into the stifling oppression of the Soviet imperium, Christo — whose full name was Christo Vladimirov Javacheff — always had one core guiding idea: the inalienability of freedom. When the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, he made a wall of oil barrels on the Rue Visconti in Paris, a first defiant public statement.</p>

<p><br />
Standing at the Arc de Triomphe this week, President Emmanuel Macron said, “I think that what we believe is this: crazy dreams must be possible.” The wrapping of a monument at once military, historical, artistic and a repository of national memory made French people “extraordinarily proud,” he suggested, “because this is what artistic adventure is all about.”</p>

<p><br />
There was some grumbling. Florian Philippot, a rightist politician, denounced “a garbage bag draped over one of our most glorious monuments.” In the daily Le Monde, Carlo Ratti, an Italian architect, asked if it was environmentally acceptable to use vast amounts of fabric to wrap a monument. In fact, almost all the material used is being recycled, Yavachev said.<br />
<br />
Like Christo’s “The Gates” — all 7,503 of them — that threaded a tapestry of deep saffron across New York City's Central Park in 2005, or the Reichstag wrapped in Berlin in 1995, or the 3,100 umbrellas deployed along inland valleys in Japan and California, the wrapped Arc de Triomphe seems certain to induce in people a sense of collective wonder. The crowds expected are so large that the Place Charles de Gaulle is being closed to traffic on weekends until the arch is unwrapped, allowing viewers to get close without dodging the cars normally slaloming at high speed across the large circular expanse.</p>

<p><br />
As with all of Christo’s major projects, no sponsors or donors were accepted. The wrap has been entirely funded by the artist’s estate.</p>

<p><br />
“My uncle always told me that if you are accountable to anyone, you don’t have freedom,” Yavachev said. “Remember, in art school in communist Bulgaria, he was criticized by the authorities because the peasants in his painting did not look happy enough! That was too much for him.”</p>

<p><br />
Roselyne Bachelot, the culture minister, said: “The Arc de Triomphe is taken away from our gaze and at the same time overexposed to our gaze. This subtraction and this overexposure lie at the core of the work. Thank you, Christo, for offering us the gift of looking in another way, in a new way, at masterpieces built by other artists.”</p>

<p><br />
The Arc de Triomphe, like any great monument, was built to last. Christo’s conceptual art is ephemeral. Within weeks it will be dismantled. There is something liberating in this, perhaps because the fleeting nature of the work makes possession impossible. The work is immense, yet insubstantial. The fabric seems to express something nomadic, in keeping with Christo’s own peripatetic life.</p>

<p><br />
After living in Paris for many years, he moved to New York, living in the country illegally with his wife, Jeanne-Claude, from 1964-67, before getting a green card and becoming a citizen in 1973. By the time the United States opened its arms to him, he had been stateless for 17 years. Freedom meant something. America was also an idea.<br />
This is not the first time that Christo has wrapped a Paris icon. In 1985, after many years of battling the authorities for permission (he was a specialist in the attritional bureaucratic warfare often required to achieve his aims), the artist wrapped the Pont Neuf and the 44 streetlamps on the bridge in a sandstone-colored fabric. Three million visitors came to see the installation during its two-week life.</p>

<p><br />
For the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe, a project supported by Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, permission came more quickly — even if those falcons and COVID made life difficult. From July 15, Roger, the engineer, said, teams worked in shifts around the clock to do the preparatory work.</p>

<p><br />
Only once before has the arch been partially covered by fabric. In 1885, on the occasion of the funeral of beloved poet and author Victor Hugo, a large black shroud was hung from the monument. More than 2 million people joined the funeral procession from the Arc de Triomphe to the Pantheon, where Hugo was interred.</p>

<p><br />
Christo loved Paris. It was his second city, alongside New York. “I miss my uncle’s excitement — he would have been hopping around!” Yavachev said. It has been a tough year for the French capital, often under curfew as a result of the pandemic, the restaurants and cafes that are the connective tissue of the city closed for long periods. So, “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” feels like a liberating moment, a major public artwork to which large crowds will throng.</p>

<p><br />
“Christo overwhelms us, prods us, makes us talk,” Hidalgo said. “He plays with light, with the Paris sky that reverberates through his ephemeral work.”</p>

<p><br />
A few years before he died, I met Christo in Doha, Qatar. During a 45-minute interview he refused to sit down, speaking with irrepressible vitality. Eat little, he counseled, in order to channel energy (in his case, yogurt with garlic for breakfast, then nothing until dinner). Decide what you want — the difficult part — and apply yourself without compromise to that end. So determined was he that a posthumous work has come to fruition in Paris with what Yavachev described as his uncle’s spirit “everywhere around me.”</p>

<p><br />
The Arc de Triomphe is many faceted. It began life as a monument to military glory. Names of Napoleon’s great battles are engraved across it. It was a tribute to a victorious emperor. But war is also terrible loss, as the 20th century demonstrated. In 1920, two years after World War I, the tomb of the unknown soldier was placed under the arch. The inscription on it reads: “A French soldier dead for the homeland 1914-1918.” An eternal flame burns.<br />
The presence of the tomb made it impossible for military parades to pass under the arch, as if to declare the futility of war.</p>

<p><br />
During the project, the tomb was carefully respected. The people who tend to the flame every evening at 6:30 p.m. were able to complete their task. One of them told journalists Thursday that “the unknown soldier has been in his shroud for 100 years. Christo left us prematurely and is now in his shroud. And I believe this temporary shroud tells us the arch is wrapped but you will see it again soon — so there is a kind of unity around us.”</p>

<p><br />
Certainly, the wrapped Arc de Triomphe — light, breathing, glimmering — speaks of anything but war. After completing a project, Christo liked to say, “We didded it!” Yes, he did, even from beyond the grave. Freedom is also a fierce act of the imagination.</p>


For almost 60 years, the artist known as Christo dreamed of wrapping the Arc de Triomphe. As a young man, having fled communist Bulgaria, he would gaze at the monument from his tiny garret apartment.

For almost 60 years, the artist known as Christo dreamed of wrapping the Arc de Triomphe. As a young man, having fled communist Bulgaria, he would gaze at the monument from his tiny garret apartment. A photomontage dated 1962 shows the 164-foot-high arch crudely bundled up. Freedom trumped the sacred. He always wanted people to look again at what perhaps they did not see. Now, a little over a year after Christo’s death at the age of 84, “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” is a reality. About 270,000 square feet of silvery blue fabric, shimmering in the changing light of Paris, hugs the monument commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 at the giddy height of his power. The polypropylene material, its tone reminiscent of the city’s distinctive zinc roofs, is secured but not held rigidly fast by almost 1.9 miles of red rope, in line with the artist’s meticulous instructions. “He wanted a living object that, with its moving folds, would turn the monument’s surface into something sensual,” Vladimir Yavachev, Christo’s nephew and project director, told me. Suddenly, at the top of the Champs Élysées, a magical pale object beckons, its glistening lightness anchored by steel slabs weighing 150 tons. The effect is at once disorienting and riveting. Yavachev moved from New York to Paris two years ago to lead the project. The work has been arduous. France’s League for the Protection of Birds expressed concern about two falcons nesting high in the facade. That led to a first delay, before the pandemic caused a second. Bastille Day, on July 14, and Armistice Day, on Nov. 11, when ceremonies take place at the monument, left a limited window. Building the cages whose steel bars pass an inch or two from the outstretched hand or foot of a frieze or a funereal relief was painstaking. So was rappelling down to work under the overhangs of the cornice. In all, 1,200 people labored on the wrapping. “It was difficult, stressful,” lead engineer Sebastien Roger said as we stood under the arch. “You have to be careful, it’s the Arc de Triomphe after all!” From its official opening Saturday through Oct. 3, the arch has in fact become something else — transformed into an oversize imagined object through the liberating obsession of an artist who refused to accept limits. Born into the stifling oppression of the Soviet imperium, Christo — whose full name was Christo Vladimirov Javacheff — always had one core guiding idea: the inalienability of freedom. When the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, he made a wall of oil barrels on the Rue Visconti in Paris, a first defiant public statement. Standing at the Arc de Triomphe this week, President Emmanuel Macron said, “I think that what we believe is this: crazy dreams must be possible.” The wrapping of a monument at once military, historical, artistic and a repository of national memory made French people “extraordinarily proud,” he suggested, “because this is what artistic adventure is all about.” There was some grumbling. Florian Philippot, a rightist politician, denounced “a garbage bag draped over one of our most glorious monuments.” In the daily Le Monde, Carlo Ratti, an Italian architect, asked if it was environmentally acceptable to use vast amounts of fabric to wrap a monument. In fact, almost all the material used is being recycled, Yavachev said. Like Christo’s “The Gates” — all 7,503 of them — that threaded a tapestry of deep saffron across New York City's Central Park in 2005, or the Reichstag wrapped in Berlin in 1995, or the 3,100 umbrellas deployed along inland valleys in Japan and California, the wrapped Arc de Triomphe seems certain to induce in people a sense of collective wonder. The crowds expected are so large that the Place Charles de Gaulle is being closed to traffic on weekends until the arch is unwrapped, allowing viewers to get close without dodging the cars normally slaloming at high speed across the large circular expanse. As with all of Christo’s major projects, no sponsors or donors were accepted. The wrap has been entirely funded by the artist’s estate. “My uncle always told me that if you are accountable to anyone, you don’t have freedom,” Yavachev said. “Remember, in art school in communist Bulgaria, he was criticized by the authorities because the peasants in his painting did not look happy enough! That was too much for him.” Roselyne Bachelot, the culture minister, said: “The Arc de Triomphe is taken away from our gaze and at the same time overexposed to our gaze. This subtraction and this overexposure lie at the core of the work. Thank you, Christo, for offering us the gift of looking in another way, in a new way, at masterpieces built by other artists.” The Arc de Triomphe, like any great monument, was built to last. Christo’s conceptual art is ephemeral. Within weeks it will be dismantled. There is something liberating in this, perhaps because the fleeting nature of the work makes possession impossible. The work is immense, yet insubstantial. The fabric seems to express something nomadic, in keeping with Christo’s own peripatetic life. After living in Paris for many years, he moved to New York, living in the country illegally with his wife, Jeanne-Claude, from 1964-67, before getting a green card and becoming a citizen in 1973. By the time the United States opened its arms to him, he had been stateless for 17 years. Freedom meant something. America was also an idea. This is not the first time that Christo has wrapped a Paris icon. In 1985, after many years of battling the authorities for permission (he was a specialist in the attritional bureaucratic warfare often required to achieve his aims), the artist wrapped the Pont Neuf and the 44 streetlamps on the bridge in a sandstone-colored fabric. Three million visitors came to see the installation during its two-week life. For the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe, a project supported by Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, permission came more quickly — even if those falcons and COVID made life difficult. From July 15, Roger, the engineer, said, teams worked in shifts around the clock to do the preparatory work. Only once before has the arch been partially covered by fabric. In 1885, on the occasion of the funeral of beloved poet and author Victor Hugo, a large black shroud was hung from the monument. More than 2 million people joined the funeral procession from the Arc de Triomphe to the Pantheon, where Hugo was interred. Christo loved Paris. It was his second city, alongside New York. “I miss my uncle’s excitement — he would have been hopping around!” Yavachev said. It has been a tough year for the French capital, often under curfew as a result of the pandemic, the restaurants and cafes that are the connective tissue of the city closed for long periods. So, “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” feels like a liberating moment, a major public artwork to which large crowds will throng. “Christo overwhelms us, prods us, makes us talk,” Hidalgo said. “He plays with light, with the Paris sky that reverberates through his ephemeral work.” A few years before he died, I met Christo in Doha, Qatar. During a 45-minute interview he refused to sit down, speaking with irrepressible vitality. Eat little, he counseled, in order to channel energy (in his case, yogurt with garlic for breakfast, then nothing until dinner). Decide what you want — the difficult part — and apply yourself without compromise to that end. So determined was he that a posthumous work has come to fruition in Paris with what Yavachev described as his uncle’s spirit “everywhere around me.” The Arc de Triomphe is many faceted. It began life as a monument to military glory. Names of Napoleon’s great battles are engraved across it. It was a tribute to a victorious emperor. But war is also terrible loss, as the 20th century demonstrated. In 1920, two years after World War I, the tomb of the unknown soldier was placed under the arch. The inscription on it reads: “A French soldier dead for the homeland 1914-1918.” An eternal flame burns. The presence of the tomb made it impossible for military parades to pass under the arch, as if to declare the futility of war. During the project, the tomb was carefully respected. The people who tend to the flame every evening at 6:30 p.m. were able to complete their task. One of them told journalists Thursday that “the unknown soldier has been in his shroud for 100 years. Christo left us prematurely and is now in his shroud. And I believe this temporary shroud tells us the arch is wrapped but you will see it again soon — so there is a kind of unity around us.” Certainly, the wrapped Arc de Triomphe — light, breathing, glimmering — speaks of anything but war. After completing a project, Christo liked to say, “We didded it!” Yes, he did, even from beyond the grave. Freedom is also a fierce act of the imagination.

Wrapped Arc de Triomphe is Christo’s fleeting gift to Paris

<p>According to reports, police was&nbsp;deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower.</p>

<p><strong>Watch</strong>:&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-emmanuel-macrons-war-against-radical-islam-338181/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said. However,&nbsp;traffic was back to normal later, police said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-macron-is-paying-the-price-for-not-believing-in-politics-of-appeasement-338397">Also Read:&nbsp;Why Macron is paying the price for not believing in politics of appeasement</a></p>

<p>The area around Champs-Élysées was&nbsp;evacuated briefly as police searched for evidence, reports said.</p>

<p>France is on high alert after the beheading of a teacher this month by an 18-year-old Muslim man.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/anti-macron-protests-soar-across-the-world-in-the-aftermath-of-france-beheading-338335">Also See:&nbsp;Anti-Macron protests soar across the world in the aftermath of France beheading</a></p>

<p>French school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded in a Paris suburb&nbsp;after showing his students Mohammed cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression.</p>

<p>President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the country "will not give up cartoons" as he was vilified by protesters in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Syria, Gaza Strip and Libya.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the French&nbsp;government has urged its citizens to be cautious in countries that have announced the boycott&nbsp;of French products after Turkish President Erdogan backed&nbsp;calls to boycott French goods.</p>

<p>"In several countries in recent days, there have been calls for a boycott of French products, particularly foodstuff, and more generally calls to protest against France," the French foreign ministry said. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is advisable to avoid areas where demonstrations are held, to stay away from gatherings, and to follow the guidance of the relevant French embassy or consulate," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is recommended to be most vigilant, especially when travelling, and in places frequented by tourists and expatriate communities," the French government said.</p>


According to reports, police was deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower. Watch: There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said.

According to reports, police was deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower. Watch: There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said. However, traffic was back to normal later, police said. Also Read: Why Macron is paying the price for not believing in politics of appeasement The area around Champs-Élysées was evacuated briefly as police searched for evidence, reports said. France is on high alert after the beheading of a teacher this month by an 18-year-old Muslim man. Also See: Anti-Macron protests soar across the world in the aftermath of France beheading French school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded in a Paris suburb after showing his students Mohammed cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression. President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the country "will not give up cartoons" as he was vilified by protesters in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Syria, Gaza Strip and Libya. Meanwhile, the French government has urged its citizens to be cautious in countries that have announced the boycott of French products after Turkish President Erdogan backed calls to boycott French goods. "In several countries in recent days, there have been calls for a boycott of French products, particularly foodstuff, and more generally calls to protest against France," the French foreign ministry said. "It is advisable to avoid areas where demonstrations are held, to stay away from gatherings, and to follow the guidance of the relevant French embassy or consulate," it added. "It is recommended to be most vigilant, especially when travelling, and in places frequented by tourists and expatriate communities," the French government said.

France: Bomb scare in Paris after ammunition bag reportedly discovered

The areas around the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in central Paris were evacuated on Tuesday following a bomb alert and discovery of a bag of bullets.

News Alert: Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower in Paris evacuated following bomb alert

<p>Paris police said Friday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-brings-out-army-ahead-of-next-yellow-vest-protest-204633">"yellow vest" protests </a>would be banned on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday, a week after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators rioted and looted shops on the iconic Paris avenue.</p>

<p>Protesters will also be stopped from entering streets surrounding the Arc de Triomphe, at the top of the avenue, as well as several nearby areas, including the presidential Elysee Palace and the National Assembly, the Paris prefect's office said.</p>

<p>"There are serious reasons to believe that violence and damages are likely during the scheduled demonstrations," the office said.</p>

<p>Similar bans were planned in other major cities, including Toulouse, in southwestern France, where officials said the main city square will be out of bounds for demonstrators.</p>

<p>Protests will also be outlawed in much of the southern city of Nice, where Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday.</p>

<p>The Paris prefect's office said anyone defying the bans would face fines, part of tough new measures vowed by the government to prevent another flare-up of violence.</p>

<p>In other areas of Paris, "the right to demonstrate, which is a fundamental freedom, will be allowed", but "any riotous groups will be immediately dispersed," police warned.</p>

<p>Last Saturday, police appeared to hang back as hundreds of violent protesters rampaged along the Champs-Elysees, burning and looting more than 100 businesses in unrest that cost the Paris police chief his job.</p>

<p>Addressing the new Paris police chief Didier Lallement on Thursday, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner demanded a "zero tolerance" approach towards violent demonstrators.</p>

<p>"Black blocs belong in prison, not on the Champs-Elysees," he said, referring to the black-clad anarchists that overran the Champs-Elysees on Saturday.</p>

<p>The weekly Saturday protests began on November 17 over fuel tax increases and quickly ballooned into an anti-government rebellion against Macron's policies, seen by the protesters as geared towards the rich.</p>

<p>Although several of the initial protests ended in rioting, the clashes with police had eased as participation dwindled in recent weeks.</p>

<p>Destruction of property is estimated to have cost 200 million euros ($227 million) so far over the 18 weeks of protests, according to Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.</p>


Paris police said Friday that "yellow vest" protests would be banned on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday, a week after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators rioted and looted shops on the iconic Paris avenue.

Paris police said Friday that "yellow vest" protests would be banned on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday, a week after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators rioted and looted shops on the iconic Paris avenue. Protesters will also be stopped from entering streets surrounding the Arc de Triomphe, at the top of the avenue, as well as several nearby areas, including the presidential Elysee Palace and the National Assembly, the Paris prefect's office said. "There are serious reasons to believe that violence and damages are likely during the scheduled demonstrations," the office said. Similar bans were planned in other major cities, including Toulouse, in southwestern France, where officials said the main city square will be out of bounds for demonstrators. Protests will also be outlawed in much of the southern city of Nice, where Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday. The Paris prefect's office said anyone defying the bans would face fines, part of tough new measures vowed by the government to prevent another flare-up of violence. In other areas of Paris, "the right to demonstrate, which is a fundamental freedom, will be allowed", but "any riotous groups will be immediately dispersed," police warned. Last Saturday, police appeared to hang back as hundreds of violent protesters rampaged along the Champs-Elysees, burning and looting more than 100 businesses in unrest that cost the Paris police chief his job. Addressing the new Paris police chief Didier Lallement on Thursday, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner demanded a "zero tolerance" approach towards violent demonstrators. "Black blocs belong in prison, not on the Champs-Elysees," he said, referring to the black-clad anarchists that overran the Champs-Elysees on Saturday. The weekly Saturday protests began on November 17 over fuel tax increases and quickly ballooned into an anti-government rebellion against Macron's policies, seen by the protesters as geared towards the rich. Although several of the initial protests ended in rioting, the clashes with police had eased as participation dwindled in recent weeks. Destruction of property is estimated to have cost 200 million euros ($227 million) so far over the 18 weeks of protests, according to Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Paris police ban 'yellow vest' protests on Champs-Elysees Saturday

<p>Paris police detained nearly 300 people Saturday ahead of fresh anti-government<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/france-yellow-vest-protests-timeline-of-unrest-182371"> "yellow vest" protests </a>which authorities fear could turn violent for the third weekend in a row.</p>

<p>Clad in their luminous road safety jackets, dozens of demonstrators who accuse <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/france-fuel-protest-president-emmanuel-macron-to-address-next-week-on-yellow-vest-movement-182168">President Emmanuel Macron </a>of only looking out for the rich gathered at dawn on the Champs-Elysees, the scene last Saturday of the worst rioting in Paris for decades.</p>

<p>"We had to come to Paris to be heard," said protester Herve Benoit, arriving with three friends from the Dordogne in western France.</p>

<p>He called on the government to boost people's spending power and increase taxes on the wealthiest.</p>

<p>By 8.40 am (0740 GMT) police had already detained, 278 people.</p>

<p>Some 8,000 police were deployed, carrying out checks on people arriving at train stations and at protest hotspots such as the Champs-Elysees and Bastille monument.</p>

<p>A source close to the operation told AFP that at least 34 people were arrested for carrying masks, hammers, slingshots and rocks that could be used to attack police.</p>

<p>Shops, museums, the Eiffel Tower and many metro stations were closed as much of the city-centre went on effective lockdown.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Top-flight football matches and concerts were cancelled.</p>

<p>Last weekend's violence, which saw some 200 cars torched and the Arc de Triomphe vandalised, shook France and plunged Macron's government into its deepest crisis so far.</p>

<p>Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said he expected "only a few thousand people" to descend on Paris after the 8,000 protesters counted last weekend, "but among them are ultraviolent individuals".</p>

<p>"These past three weeks have produced a monster that its creators no longer control," Castaner said, vowing "zero tolerance" towards those aiming to wreak further destruction.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/france-pm-philippe-confirms-fuel-tax-suspensions-calls-for-calm-181453">Prime Minister Edouard Philippe</a> on Friday evening met a delegation of self-described "moderate" yellow vests who have urged people not to join the protests.</p>

<p>After the meeting, a spokesman from the movement, Christophe Chalencon, said Philippe had "listened to us and promised to take our demands to the president".</p>

<p>"Now we await Mr Macron. I hope he will speak to the people of France as a father, with love and respect and that he will take strong decisions," he said.</p>

<p>Philippe said some 89,000 police were being mobilised nationwide, with a dozen armoured vehicles deployed in Paris for the first time in decades.</p>

<p>Shops around the Champs-Elysees boulevard boarded up their windows and emptied them of merchandise on Friday, while the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and other museums were shut.</p>

<p>Department stores were also staying closed due to the risk of looting on what would normally be a busy shopping weekend in the run-up to Christmas.</p>

<p>Foreign governments are watching developments closely in one of the world's most visited cities.</p>

<p>The US embassy issued a warning to Americans in Paris to "keep a low profile and avoid crowds", while Belgium, Portugal and the Czech Republic advised citizens planning to visit Paris over the weekend to postpone their visit.</p>

<p>In a warning of impending violence, an MP for Macron's party, Benoit Potterie, received a bullet in the post on Friday with the words: "Next time it will be between your eyes."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Calls on social media for protesters to attack the police or march on the presidential palace have especially rattled the authorities.</p>

<p>Macron this week gave in to some of the protesters' demands for measures to help the poor and struggling middle classes, including scrapping a planned increase in fuel taxes and freezing electricity and gas prices in 2019.</p>

<p>But the "yellow vests", some of whom who have become increasingly radicalised, are holding out for more. Many are calling on Macron to resign.</p>

<p>The protesters began blocking roads, fuel depots and shopping centres around France on November 17 over soaring petrol prices that have hit people in the provinces who get around by car.</p>

<p>Since then the movement has snowballed into a wider revolt against former investment banker Macron.</p>

<p>Protests at dozens of schools over university reforms and a call by farmers for demonstrations next week have added to a sense of general revolt.</p>

<p>The hardline CGT union, hoping to capitalise on the movement, has called for rail and metro strikes next Friday to demand immediate wage and pension increases.</p>

<p>Macron's decision early in his presidency to slash taxes on France's wealthiest is particularly unpopular with the protesters.</p>

<p>Arguing that such a move was necessary in order to boost investment and create jobs, he has so far ruled out re-imposing the "fortune tax".</p>

<p>But the policy, along with hikes on pensioners' taxes, cuts in housing allowances and a string of comments deemed insensitive to ordinary workers, has led critics to label him a "president of the rich".</p>

<p>Macron had previously vowed to stay the course in his bid to shake up the French economy and not be swayed by mass protests that have forced previous presidents to back down.</p>

<p>His U-turn on higher fuel taxes which were intended to help France transition to a greener economy marks a major departure.</p>


Paris police detained nearly 300 people Saturday ahead of fresh anti-government "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for the third weekend in a row.

Paris police detained nearly 300 people Saturday ahead of fresh anti-government "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for the third weekend in a row. Clad in their luminous road safety jackets, dozens of demonstrators who accuse President Emmanuel Macron of only looking out for the rich gathered at dawn on the Champs-Elysees, the scene last Saturday of the worst rioting in Paris for decades. "We had to come to Paris to be heard," said protester Herve Benoit, arriving with three friends from the Dordogne in western France. He called on the government to boost people's spending power and increase taxes on the wealthiest. By 8.40 am (0740 GMT) police had already detained, 278 people. Some 8,000 police were deployed, carrying out checks on people arriving at train stations and at protest hotspots such as the Champs-Elysees and Bastille monument. A source close to the operation told AFP that at least 34 people were arrested for carrying masks, hammers, slingshots and rocks that could be used to attack police. Shops, museums, the Eiffel Tower and many metro stations were closed as much of the city-centre went on effective lockdown. Top-flight football matches and concerts were cancelled. Last weekend's violence, which saw some 200 cars torched and the Arc de Triomphe vandalised, shook France and plunged Macron's government into its deepest crisis so far. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said he expected "only a few thousand people" to descend on Paris after the 8,000 protesters counted last weekend, "but among them are ultraviolent individuals". "These past three weeks have produced a monster that its creators no longer control," Castaner said, vowing "zero tolerance" towards those aiming to wreak further destruction. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Friday evening met a delegation of self-described "moderate" yellow vests who have urged people not to join the protests. After the meeting, a spokesman from the movement, Christophe Chalencon, said Philippe had "listened to us and promised to take our demands to the president". "Now we await Mr Macron. I hope he will speak to the people of France as a father, with love and respect and that he will take strong decisions," he said. Philippe said some 89,000 police were being mobilised nationwide, with a dozen armoured vehicles deployed in Paris for the first time in decades. Shops around the Champs-Elysees boulevard boarded up their windows and emptied them of merchandise on Friday, while the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and other museums were shut. Department stores were also staying closed due to the risk of looting on what would normally be a busy shopping weekend in the run-up to Christmas. Foreign governments are watching developments closely in one of the world's most visited cities. The US embassy issued a warning to Americans in Paris to "keep a low profile and avoid crowds", while Belgium, Portugal and the Czech Republic advised citizens planning to visit Paris over the weekend to postpone their visit. In a warning of impending violence, an MP for Macron's party, Benoit Potterie, received a bullet in the post on Friday with the words: "Next time it will be between your eyes." Calls on social media for protesters to attack the police or march on the presidential palace have especially rattled the authorities. Macron this week gave in to some of the protesters' demands for measures to help the poor and struggling middle classes, including scrapping a planned increase in fuel taxes and freezing electricity and gas prices in 2019. But the "yellow vests", some of whom who have become increasingly radicalised, are holding out for more. Many are calling on Macron to resign. The protesters began blocking roads, fuel depots and shopping centres around France on November 17 over soaring petrol prices that have hit people in the provinces who get around by car. Since then the movement has snowballed into a wider revolt against former investment banker Macron. Protests at dozens of schools over university reforms and a call by farmers for demonstrations next week have added to a sense of general revolt. The hardline CGT union, hoping to capitalise on the movement, has called for rail and metro strikes next Friday to demand immediate wage and pension increases. Macron's decision early in his presidency to slash taxes on France's wealthiest is particularly unpopular with the protesters. Arguing that such a move was necessary in order to boost investment and create jobs, he has so far ruled out re-imposing the "fortune tax". But the policy, along with hikes on pensioners' taxes, cuts in housing allowances and a string of comments deemed insensitive to ordinary workers, has led critics to label him a "president of the rich". Macron had previously vowed to stay the course in his bid to shake up the French economy and not be swayed by mass protests that have forced previous presidents to back down. His U-turn on higher fuel taxes which were intended to help France transition to a greener economy marks a major departure.

Nearly 300 detained as Paris braces for 'yellow vest' protests

<p>World leaders gathered in Paris will lead global commemorations on Sunday to mark 100 years since the end of World War I at a time of growing nationalism and diplomatic tensions.</p>

<p>Around 70 leaders including US and Russian Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice in the French capital.</p>

<p>British Prime Minister Theresa May and Queen Elizabeth will attend a separate event in London, while New Zealand and Australia are holding their own ceremonies.</p>

<p>The Paris commemorations, centred on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, are set to feature warnings about the modern-day danger of nationalism.</p>

<p>"This day is not just about remembering, but should be about a call to action," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday after visiting the forest clearing in eastern France where the Armistice was signed.</p>

<p>Merkel will give the opening address alongside UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a conference called the Paris Peace Forum which will take place after a memorial service on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday morning.</p>

<p>Conceived by French President Emmanuel Macron, the Forum is intended to highlight the importance of international institutions in helping resolve conflicts, avert wars and spread prosperity.</p>

<p><strong>Tensions lurk</strong></p>

<p>But despite the show of unity at the Arc de Triomphe, where school children will read out messages written by soldiers in eight languages, tensions are expected to lurk beneath the surface.</p>

<p>US President Donald Trump, whose hardline nationalism has badly shaken the Western alliance, arrived in Paris on Friday criticising host Macron for being "insulting."</p>

<p>Trump took umbrage at a recent interview in which Macron talked about the need for a European army and listed the US along with Russia and China as a threat to national security.</p>

<p>The "America First" leader, who faced criticism on Saturday for cancelling a trip to an American cemetery because of the rainy weather, will snub the Paris Peace Forum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Other attendees of the memorial service and Forum include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Canadian premier Justin Trudeau and Israel's Benyamin Netanyahu, as well as Putin.</p>

<p>With far-right nationalist politicians coming to power from Brazil to Italy to Austria, 40-year-old centrist Macron is set to invoke the war to make the case for international cooperation.</p>

<p>"We want to make these commemorations a time to reflect on the present, not just the past, so that they have a meaning for us today," an aide to Macron said earlier this week.</p>

<p>He will deliver a short speech during Sunday's ceremony, which organisers have made deliberately international and cross-cultural.</p>

<p>The French-born Chinese-American cellist Yo-yo Ma will perform, as will West African singer Angelique Kidjo, and a European youth orchestra with a Russian conductor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some 10,000 police have been drafted in to ensure maximum security in a city repeatedly targeted by jihadists since 2015.</p>

<p>Macron is also set to speak later at UN cultural body UNESCO and at the Peace Forum.</p>

<p>The Forum is part of the "fightback" against nationalism worldwide, chief organiser Justin Vaisse told AFP as he played down the significance of Trump's decision not to attend.</p>

<p>"The aim of the forum is to show that there are lots of forces in the international system -- states, NGOs, foundations, intellectuals, companies -- who believe we need a world of rules, an open world and a multilateral world," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Other ceremonies</strong></p>

<p>About 70 current-day nations were involved in the conflict that had six empires and colonial powers at its heart: Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the Ottoman Empire.</p>

<p>Around 10 million soldiers are generally estimated to have been killed during the fighting and more than double that number wounded overall.</p>

<p>Between five and 10 million civilians are estimated to have been killed.</p>

<p>In Britain, church bells are set to ring out across the country at 11 am, at the same time as a national remembrance service at the Cenotaph in London.</p>

<p>In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will address crowds at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Sunday morning.</p>


World leaders gathered in Paris will lead global commemorations on Sunday to mark 100 years since the end of World War I at a time of growing nationalism and diplomatic tensions.

World leaders gathered in Paris will lead global commemorations on Sunday to mark 100 years since the end of World War I at a time of growing nationalism and diplomatic tensions. Around 70 leaders including US and Russian Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice in the French capital. British Prime Minister Theresa May and Queen Elizabeth will attend a separate event in London, while New Zealand and Australia are holding their own ceremonies. The Paris commemorations, centred on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, are set to feature warnings about the modern-day danger of nationalism. "This day is not just about remembering, but should be about a call to action," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday after visiting the forest clearing in eastern France where the Armistice was signed. Merkel will give the opening address alongside UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a conference called the Paris Peace Forum which will take place after a memorial service on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday morning. Conceived by French President Emmanuel Macron, the Forum is intended to highlight the importance of international institutions in helping resolve conflicts, avert wars and spread prosperity. Tensions lurk But despite the show of unity at the Arc de Triomphe, where school children will read out messages written by soldiers in eight languages, tensions are expected to lurk beneath the surface. US President Donald Trump, whose hardline nationalism has badly shaken the Western alliance, arrived in Paris on Friday criticising host Macron for being "insulting." Trump took umbrage at a recent interview in which Macron talked about the need for a European army and listed the US along with Russia and China as a threat to national security. The "America First" leader, who faced criticism on Saturday for cancelling a trip to an American cemetery because of the rainy weather, will snub the Paris Peace Forum. Other attendees of the memorial service and Forum include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Canadian premier Justin Trudeau and Israel's Benyamin Netanyahu, as well as Putin. With far-right nationalist politicians coming to power from Brazil to Italy to Austria, 40-year-old centrist Macron is set to invoke the war to make the case for international cooperation. "We want to make these commemorations a time to reflect on the present, not just the past, so that they have a meaning for us today," an aide to Macron said earlier this week. He will deliver a short speech during Sunday's ceremony, which organisers have made deliberately international and cross-cultural. The French-born Chinese-American cellist Yo-yo Ma will perform, as will West African singer Angelique Kidjo, and a European youth orchestra with a Russian conductor. Some 10,000 police have been drafted in to ensure maximum security in a city repeatedly targeted by jihadists since 2015. Macron is also set to speak later at UN cultural body UNESCO and at the Peace Forum. The Forum is part of the "fightback" against nationalism worldwide, chief organiser Justin Vaisse told AFP as he played down the significance of Trump's decision not to attend. "The aim of the forum is to show that there are lots of forces in the international system -- states, NGOs, foundations, intellectuals, companies -- who believe we need a world of rules, an open world and a multilateral world," he said. Other ceremonies About 70 current-day nations were involved in the conflict that had six empires and colonial powers at its heart: Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Around 10 million soldiers are generally estimated to have been killed during the fighting and more than double that number wounded overall. Between five and 10 million civilians are estimated to have been killed. In Britain, church bells are set to ring out across the country at 11 am, at the same time as a national remembrance service at the Cenotaph in London. In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will address crowds at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Sunday morning.

World leaders mark 100 years since WWI Armistice in Paris

arc-de-triomphe

Arc De Triomphe, News on Arc De Triomphe, stories on Arc De Triomphe, articles on Arc De Triomphe, Arc De Triomphe stories at Wion, Arc De Triomphe news, Arc De Triomphe latest news

arc de-triomphe