The European Union needs a new roadmap that should be devised in consultation with voters and then put to a referendum, France&#39;s Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said today in comments that may further stir tensions with the ruling Socialist Party. 
 
Macron&#39;s talk of a European-wide referendum goes beyond comments made by President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who both said the EU needed to reinvent itself after Britons voted to leave the bloc but made no reference to a popular vote.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We would first build this new project with European peoples and then submit this new roadmap, this new project, to a referendum,&quot; he said ahead of a debate on the fallout from the British referendum. 
 
Macron said voters should be consulted through a series of debates that he called &quot;democratic conventions&quot;. 
 
&quot;It must be done in the right framework,&quot; the minister added. 
 
Macron, a former investment banker, is one of the embattled Socialist government`s most popular ministers among the public. But his launch last month of his own &quot;En Marche&quot; party a year ahead of a presidential election has fueled speculation that he could be eying the Elysee palace as the ratings of Hollande stay rock-bottom. He has said he would not run in the election. 
 
Macron said a knee-jerk referendum must be avoided. 
 
&quot;The idea would not be to have 27 separate referendums,&quot; Macron said during the debate. &quot;We&#39;ve never had the courage to organise a true European referendum in its real sense. This next project must give it that strength.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
In 2005, a proposed EU constitution was blocked by a referendum in France, due mostly to public opposition to an enlarged, free-marketeering Europe. Dutch voters also rejected the constitution in a separate referendum. 
 
(Reuters)

France's Economy Minister said voters should be consulted through a series of debates that he called 'democratic convention'

The European Union needs a new roadmap that should be devised in consultation with voters and then put to a referendum, France's Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said today in comments that may further stir tensions with the ruling Socialist Party. Macron's talk of a European-wide referendum goes beyond comments made by President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who both said the EU needed to reinvent itself after Britons voted to leave the bloc but made no reference to a popular vote. "We would first build this new project with European peoples and then submit this new roadmap, this new project, to a referendum," he said ahead of a debate on the fallout from the British referendum. Macron said voters should be consulted through a series of debates that he called "democratic conventions". "It must be done in the right framework," the minister added. Macron, a former investment banker, is one of the embattled Socialist government`s most popular ministers among the public. But his launch last month of his own "En Marche" party a year ahead of a presidential election has fueled speculation that he could be eying the Elysee palace as the ratings of Hollande stay rock-bottom. He has said he would not run in the election. Macron said a knee-jerk referendum must be avoided. "The idea would not be to have 27 separate referendums," Macron said during the debate. "We've never had the courage to organise a true European referendum in its real sense. This next project must give it that strength." In 2005, a proposed EU constitution was blocked by a referendum in France, due mostly to public opposition to an enlarged, free-marketeering Europe. Dutch voters also rejected the constitution in a separate referendum. (Reuters)

France's Macron wants new European project, and EU-wide referendum

The damaged black box flight recorders of an EgyptAir plane that crashed into the Mediterranean last month are to be sent to France for repairs, the Egyptian investigative committee said on Thursday. 
 
It said the memory units were damaged from the two recorders recovered from the seabed almost a month after the crash of the Airbus A320. 
 
Investigators hope the recorders will reveal the cause of the May 19 crash of flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo, in which 66 people were killed. 
 
&quot;The memory units of the two flights recorders were damaged,&quot; the investigative committee said in a statement. 
 
It said members of the panel would travel to France next week &quot;with the electronic circuits of the two black boxes to have them repaired in laboratories of the (French air safety agency) BEA and to eliminate salt deposits&quot;. 
 
The repaired units would be returned to Cairo for analysis in Egypt&#39;s aviation ministry laboratories, the committee said. 
 
It also said that French forensic doctors would join their Egyptian counterparts to take part in the recovery operations of body remains at the site of the crash, in which 30 Egyptian passengers and 15 French nationals were among the dead. 
 
The investigative committee began examining the black boxes last Saturday in the presence of representatives from France and the United States, where the engine was made. 
 
The data on the boxes are being unloaded, before they are fully analysed in a procedure that is expected to last several weeks. 
Investigators have said it is too early to determine what caused the plane to crash, although a terror attack has not been ruled out. 
 
France&#39;s aviation safety agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before it disappeared. 
 
Egyptian investigators have confirmed the aircraft had made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before hitting the sea. 
 
The crash came after the bombing of a Russian airliner over Egypt&#39;s restive Sinai Peninsula last October that killed all 224 people on board. 
 
(AFP)

French forensic doctors will join the Egyptian investigation agency in revealing the cause of the May 19 crash that killed 86 people

The damaged black box flight recorders of an EgyptAir plane that crashed into the Mediterranean last month are to be sent to France for repairs, the Egyptian investigative committee said on Thursday. It said the memory units were damaged from the two recorders recovered from the seabed almost a month after the crash of the Airbus A320. Investigators hope the recorders will reveal the cause of the May 19 crash of flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo, in which 66 people were killed. "The memory units of the two flights recorders were damaged," the investigative committee said in a statement. It said members of the panel would travel to France next week "with the electronic circuits of the two black boxes to have them repaired in laboratories of the (French air safety agency) BEA and to eliminate salt deposits". The repaired units would be returned to Cairo for analysis in Egypt's aviation ministry laboratories, the committee said. It also said that French forensic doctors would join their Egyptian counterparts to take part in the recovery operations of body remains at the site of the crash, in which 30 Egyptian passengers and 15 French nationals were among the dead. The investigative committee began examining the black boxes last Saturday in the presence of representatives from France and the United States, where the engine was made. The data on the boxes are being unloaded, before they are fully analysed in a procedure that is expected to last several weeks. Investigators have said it is too early to determine what caused the plane to crash, although a terror attack has not been ruled out. France's aviation safety agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before it disappeared. Egyptian investigators have confirmed the aircraft had made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before hitting the sea. The crash came after the bombing of a Russian airliner over Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula last October that killed all 224 people on board. (AFP)

Egypt fails to retrieve data from black boxes of crashed EgyptAir plane, flight recorders to be sent to Paris

Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union fired up populist eurosceptic parties across the continent on Friday, giving fresh voice to their calls to leave the bloc or its Euro currency. 
 
Right-wing and anti-immigrant parties in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and France demanded referendums on membership of the union, while Italy&#39;s 5-Star movement said it would to pursue its own proposal for a vote on the euro. 
 
Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch anti-immigrant PVV party, said he would make a Dutch referendum on EU membership a central theme of his campaign to become prime minister in next year&#39;s parliamentary election. 
 
&quot;I congratulate the British people for beating the political elite in both London and Brussels and I think we can do the same,&quot; Wilders told Reuters. &quot;We should have a referendum about a &#39;Nexit&#39; as soon as possible.&quot; 
 
On Thursday, Britons voted to leave the 28-nation EU, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War II. 
 
&quot;There is no future any more (for the EU),&quot; Wilders said. 
 
France&#39;s far-right National Front party also called for a French referendum on European Union membership, cheering a Brexit vote it hopes can boost its eurosceptic agenda. 
 
Party leader Marine Le Pen celebrated the result by displaying the British flag on her Twitter page. 
 
&quot;Victory for freedom!&quot; she said. &quot;We now need to hold the same referendum in France and in (other) EU countries.&quot; Her deputy, Florian Philippot said: &quot;Our turn now #Brexit #Frexit.&quot; 
 
Le Pen said last month that if she won next year&#39;s French presidential election she would immediately start negotiations on a series of sovereignty issues including the single currency. If those failed, she would ask voters to back leaving the EU. 
 
She is the front-runner among likely candidates ahead of the vote, although polls see her losing the run-off. 
 
Analysts and a few front-runner officials and allies have said its protectionist, anti-euro policy was partly to blame for holding the party back in the past. But the Brexit vote could help it overcome this, Ifop pollster&#39;s analyst Frederic Dabi said. 
 
OUR TURN 
 
The populist anti-immigration Danish People&#39;s Party (DF), an ally of Denmark&#39;s right-leaning government, also called for a referendum on membership of the European Union. 
 
&quot;I believe that the Danes obviously should have a referendum on whether we want to follow Britain or keep things the way we have it now,&quot; DF party leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl said. 
 
The DF is not in government but is one of three parties supporting the one-party administration. Its call for a popular vote was echoed by the head of the left-wing Red-Green Alliance. 
 
Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rejected the calls, but acknowledged that the British vote raised the possibility of a &quot;slimmer EU&quot;. 
 
In Sweden, the anti-immigration party the Sweden Democrats, which has the support of around 17 per cent of voters according to a poll last month, said it would step up pressure for change. 
 
&quot;We demand that Sweden immediately starts to renegotiate the (EU) deals we have made and that the Swedish people will be able to speak up about a future EU-membership in a referendum,&quot; party leader Jimme Akesson said. 
 
Italy&#39;s second most popular party, the opposition 5-Star Movement described the Brexit vote as a lesson in democracy and promised to pursue its own proposal for an Italian referendum on the euro. 
 
The party, considered a genuine contender for government at the next general election, wants Italy to hold a &quot;consultative&quot; or non-binding referendum on whether to remain in the euro zone. 
 
&quot;Whether you like it or not the British people have chosen,&quot; said lower house deputy Alessandro Di Battista, a member of 5-Star&#39;s leadership committee. 
 
The right-wing Northern League, a member of Italy&#39;s opposition centre-right, was more outspoken. &quot;Thank you Great Britain, next it is our turn,&quot; party leader Matteo Salvini said. 
 
(Reuters)

Dutch, Swedish and French right-wing parties demand independent referendums following Britain's exit from the European Union

Britain's vote to leave the European Union fired up populist eurosceptic parties across the continent on Friday, giving fresh voice to their calls to leave the bloc or its Euro currency. Right-wing and anti-immigrant parties in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and France demanded referendums on membership of the union, while Italy's 5-Star movement said it would to pursue its own proposal for a vote on the euro. Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch anti-immigrant PVV party, said he would make a Dutch referendum on EU membership a central theme of his campaign to become prime minister in next year's parliamentary election. "I congratulate the British people for beating the political elite in both London and Brussels and I think we can do the same," Wilders told Reuters. "We should have a referendum about a 'Nexit' as soon as possible." On Thursday, Britons voted to leave the 28-nation EU, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War II. "There is no future any more (for the EU)," Wilders said. France's far-right National Front party also called for a French referendum on European Union membership, cheering a Brexit vote it hopes can boost its eurosceptic agenda. Party leader Marine Le Pen celebrated the result by displaying the British flag on her Twitter page. "Victory for freedom!" she said. "We now need to hold the same referendum in France and in (other) EU countries." Her deputy, Florian Philippot said: "Our turn now #Brexit #Frexit." Le Pen said last month that if she won next year's French presidential election she would immediately start negotiations on a series of sovereignty issues including the single currency. If those failed, she would ask voters to back leaving the EU. She is the front-runner among likely candidates ahead of the vote, although polls see her losing the run-off. Analysts and a few front-runner officials and allies have said its protectionist, anti-euro policy was partly to blame for holding the party back in the past. But the Brexit vote could help it overcome this, Ifop pollster's analyst Frederic Dabi said. OUR TURN The populist anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DF), an ally of Denmark's right-leaning government, also called for a referendum on membership of the European Union. "I believe that the Danes obviously should have a referendum on whether we want to follow Britain or keep things the way we have it now," DF party leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl said. The DF is not in government but is one of three parties supporting the one-party administration. Its call for a popular vote was echoed by the head of the left-wing Red-Green Alliance. Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rejected the calls, but acknowledged that the British vote raised the possibility of a "slimmer EU". In Sweden, the anti-immigration party the Sweden Democrats, which has the support of around 17 per cent of voters according to a poll last month, said it would step up pressure for change. "We demand that Sweden immediately starts to renegotiate the (EU) deals we have made and that the Swedish people will be able to speak up about a future EU-membership in a referendum," party leader Jimme Akesson said. Italy's second most popular party, the opposition 5-Star Movement described the Brexit vote as a lesson in democracy and promised to pursue its own proposal for an Italian referendum on the euro. The party, considered a genuine contender for government at the next general election, wants Italy to hold a "consultative" or non-binding referendum on whether to remain in the euro zone. "Whether you like it or not the British people have chosen," said lower house deputy Alessandro Di Battista, a member of 5-Star's leadership committee. The right-wing Northern League, a member of Italy's opposition centre-right, was more outspoken. "Thank you Great Britain, next it is our turn," party leader Matteo Salvini said. (Reuters)

Nexit, Frexit or Italeave? British vote fires up EU's 'Outers'

Two men linked to a jihadist who killed a French police officer and his partner were charged and detained by an anti-terror court on Saturday. 
 
Saad Rajraji, 27, and Charaf-Din Aberouz, 29, were charged with having links to a terrorist group, but were not found to have any connection to the IS-inspired murder of the police couple carried out by Larossi Abballa last Monday. 
 
The two men had been convicted along with Abballa in September 2013 as part of a network to send jihadists to Pakistan, judicial sources close to the investigation said. 
 
A third man arrested in the case was released without charge. 
 
Abballa, a convicted radical who had been under surveillance, murdered the police officer and his partner outside their home and then was killed himself in a police raid. 
 
Before he was killed, Abballa posted a live Facebook video of himself in which he admitted the murders and urged fellow jihadists to carry out more bloodshed. 
 
Monday`s assault in a small town northwest of Paris was the first deadly strike in France since the coordinated attacks in the capital by an Islamic State cell in November, which killed 130 people. 
(AFP)

The men were charged with having links to a terrorist group, but they had no connection to the murder of the French couple

Two men linked to a jihadist who killed a French police officer and his partner were charged and detained by an anti-terror court on Saturday. Saad Rajraji, 27, and Charaf-Din Aberouz, 29, were charged with having links to a terrorist group, but were not found to have any connection to the IS-inspired murder of the police couple carried out by Larossi Abballa last Monday. The two men had been convicted along with Abballa in September 2013 as part of a network to send jihadists to Pakistan, judicial sources close to the investigation said. A third man arrested in the case was released without charge. Abballa, a convicted radical who had been under surveillance, murdered the police officer and his partner outside their home and then was killed himself in a police raid. Before he was killed, Abballa posted a live Facebook video of himself in which he admitted the murders and urged fellow jihadists to carry out more bloodshed. Monday`s assault in a small town northwest of Paris was the first deadly strike in France since the coordinated attacks in the capital by an Islamic State cell in November, which killed 130 people. (AFP)

2 linked to French police killer charged

French economy minister Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday the European Union should act quickly and firmly if Britain votes next week to leave the European Union. 
 
Britain`s EU referendum will be held on Thursday, with an EU summit set for a few days later on June 28 at which Macron said EU leaders should take a firm stand with regard to the UK. 
 
&quot;You are in or out... The European Council should give the British an ultimatum about their intentions, and France`s president will be very clear about that,&quot; Macron said in an interview with Le Monde published Saturday. 
 
&quot;We cannot, in the interests of the EU, leave any ambiguity to linger and to let too much time pass,&quot; Macron said. 
 
If Britain leaves the bloc, &quot;the day after the exit, there will no longer be a financial passport for British establishments,&quot; he added. 
 
Macron said in his view if the British want to maintain access to the European market, they should contribute to the EU budget, just like non-members Norway and Switzerland. 
 
If London refuses, &quot;then that would be a total exit,&quot; said the economy minister, a strong EU advocate. 
 
Campaigning in Britain on the EU referendum was suspended Saturday for a third day following the killing of a pro-Europe lawmaker and amid calls for a less acrimonious political debate. 
 
The WhatUKThinks average of the last six opinion polls currently shows 52 percent of voters in favour of &quot;Leave&quot; and 48 percent for &quot;Remain&quot;, excluding undecided voters. 
(AFP)

The day after the exit, there will be no financial passport for British establishments, says French economy minister Emmanuel Macron

French economy minister Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday the European Union should act quickly and firmly if Britain votes next week to leave the European Union. Britain`s EU referendum will be held on Thursday, with an EU summit set for a few days later on June 28 at which Macron said EU leaders should take a firm stand with regard to the UK. "You are in or out... The European Council should give the British an ultimatum about their intentions, and France`s president will be very clear about that," Macron said in an interview with Le Monde published Saturday. "We cannot, in the interests of the EU, leave any ambiguity to linger and to let too much time pass," Macron said. If Britain leaves the bloc, "the day after the exit, there will no longer be a financial passport for British establishments," he added. Macron said in his view if the British want to maintain access to the European market, they should contribute to the EU budget, just like non-members Norway and Switzerland. If London refuses, "then that would be a total exit," said the economy minister, a strong EU advocate. Campaigning in Britain on the EU referendum was suspended Saturday for a third day following the killing of a pro-Europe lawmaker and amid calls for a less acrimonious political debate. The WhatUKThinks average of the last six opinion polls currently shows 52 percent of voters in favour of "Leave" and 48 percent for "Remain", excluding undecided voters. (AFP)

France warns Britain of Brexit consequences

Delving into the history of a family art business she once shunned, French celebrity journalist Anne&nbsp;Sinclair&nbsp;is returning to public life by reconnecting with her roots.

She was France&#39;s star television interviewer in the 1980s and 1990s. But her gilded life was upended five years ago when her husband, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was arrested in New York on charges, since dropped, of sexual harassment of a hotel maid.

While U.S. prosecutors investigated the case that forced the Socialist politician to resign as managing director of the International Monetary Fund and abandon plans to run for president in France,&nbsp;Sinclair&nbsp;stood by her man in public - before divorcing him after their return to Paris.

She used some of their &quot;sad, enforced stay&quot; in New York to research a book on her grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, one of Europe&#39;s greatest 20th century art merchants, who was the exclusive dealer of Picasso, Braque and Matisse.

&quot;When I was growing up, my family told me a lot about him but I wanted to be on my own and make my career outside of the art family,&quot;&nbsp;Sinclair, 67, now editorial director of the French edition of the Huffington Post online newspaper, told Reuters in an interview.

More than 60 masterpieces that went through Rosenberg&#39;s galleries in Paris and New York - some looted by the Nazis and recovered after World War Two - will go on display for the first time together in the Belgian city of Liege in September.

The exhibition of works from public and private collections, including a couple of&nbsp;Sinclair&#39;s personal heirlooms, will tell the story of &quot;21 rue La Boetie&quot;, the address of Rosenberg&#39;s pre-war Paris gallery. It was raided by the Nazis in 1940 and handed to their French collaborators, who turned it into an anti-Semitic propaganda centre.

&quot;A gallery that was a temple of art became a temple of horror,&quot;&nbsp;Sinclair&nbsp;said.

The Pompidou Centre and the Picasso Museum in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Vienna&#39;s Albertinum, all former customers of Rosenberg, who died in 1959, and of his son Alexandre, who ran the gallery after his death until 1987, are lending works for the show.

Sinclair&nbsp;said her grandfather took big commercial risks to promote the work of his proteges Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Leger before their avant garde styles were widely acclaimed. He sold works by Impressionist masters to pay for their canvases, but only sold his first Picasso as late as 1925.

&quot;He had to sell a lot of other paintings to buy the modern art he believed in,&quot;&nbsp;Sinclair&nbsp;said. Rosenberg built friendships with his artists, documented in many letters preserved in family archives. Picasso became a neighbour and close friend.

When the Jewish merchant and his family fled Paris in 1940, during the phoney war before Germany invaded France, Matisse visited him in a rented house near Bordeaux for long conversations about beauty, nature and art as the drums of war beat ever closer.

After the family emigrated to the United States a few weeks later, French informers helped the German embassy locate and remove paintings Rosenberg had hidden at the house and in a bank vault in the nearby town of Libourne.

Sinclair&nbsp;said Rosenberg, a private man who eschewed the social life of his wealthy clients and had left-wing political sympathies, was painfully aware that he was a merchant with an eye for art, but not a creator himself.

Nowadays, Rosenberg might be categorised as belonging to the &quot;caviar left&quot;,&nbsp;Sinclair&nbsp;said, citing a label often applied by critics to herself and Strauss-Kahn because of their lifestyle.

&quot;That&#39;s typically French... If you are rich, you have to be on the right,&quot; she said. &quot;I was accused a lot of being from the &#39;caviar left&#39; because I&#39;m a bourgeoise. I earned my living by my work with comfort, and it&#39;s always an accusation.&quot; 
(Reuters)

Sinclair's grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, was one of the greatest art merchants in Europe and exclusive dealer of Picasso,Braque and Matisse

Delving into the history of a family art business she once shunned, French celebrity journalist Anne Sinclair is returning to public life by reconnecting with her roots. She was France's star television interviewer in the 1980s and 1990s. But her gilded life was upended five years ago when her husband, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was arrested in New York on charges, since dropped, of sexual harassment of a hotel maid. While U.S. prosecutors investigated the case that forced the Socialist politician to resign as managing director of the International Monetary Fund and abandon plans to run for president in France, Sinclair stood by her man in public - before divorcing him after their return to Paris. She used some of their "sad, enforced stay" in New York to research a book on her grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, one of Europe's greatest 20th century art merchants, who was the exclusive dealer of Picasso, Braque and Matisse. "When I was growing up, my family told me a lot about him but I wanted to be on my own and make my career outside of the art family," Sinclair, 67, now editorial director of the French edition of the Huffington Post online newspaper, told Reuters in an interview. More than 60 masterpieces that went through Rosenberg's galleries in Paris and New York - some looted by the Nazis and recovered after World War Two - will go on display for the first time together in the Belgian city of Liege in September. The exhibition of works from public and private collections, including a couple of Sinclair's personal heirlooms, will tell the story of "21 rue La Boetie", the address of Rosenberg's pre-war Paris gallery. It was raided by the Nazis in 1940 and handed to their French collaborators, who turned it into an anti-Semitic propaganda centre. "A gallery that was a temple of art became a temple of horror," Sinclair said. The Pompidou Centre and the Picasso Museum in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Vienna's Albertinum, all former customers of Rosenberg, who died in 1959, and of his son Alexandre, who ran the gallery after his death until 1987, are lending works for the show. Sinclair said her grandfather took big commercial risks to promote the work of his proteges Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Leger before their avant garde styles were widely acclaimed. He sold works by Impressionist masters to pay for their canvases, but only sold his first Picasso as late as 1925. "He had to sell a lot of other paintings to buy the modern art he believed in," Sinclair said. Rosenberg built friendships with his artists, documented in many letters preserved in family archives. Picasso became a neighbour and close friend. When the Jewish merchant and his family fled Paris in 1940, during the phoney war before Germany invaded France, Matisse visited him in a rented house near Bordeaux for long conversations about beauty, nature and art as the drums of war beat ever closer. After the family emigrated to the United States a few weeks later, French informers helped the German embassy locate and remove paintings Rosenberg had hidden at the house and in a bank vault in the nearby town of Libourne. Sinclair said Rosenberg, a private man who eschewed the social life of his wealthy clients and had left-wing political sympathies, was painfully aware that he was a merchant with an eye for art, but not a creator himself. Nowadays, Rosenberg might be categorised as belonging to the "caviar left", Sinclair said, citing a label often applied by critics to herself and Strauss-Kahn because of their lifestyle. "That's typically French... If you are rich, you have to be on the right," she said. "I was accused a lot of being from the 'caviar left' because I'm a bourgeoise. I earned my living by my work with comfort, and it's always an accusation." (Reuters)

France's Sinclair mines family art history for comeback

<div style="text-align: justify;">The Syrian government said today that German special forces were present, alongside French and American military personnel, in northern Syria. Germany has denied their presence.&nbsp; 
 
Syrian state media said the government strongly condemned the presence of French and German forces in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani, and Manbij. 
 
&quot;Syria considers it explicit and unjustified aggression towards (Syria&#39;s) sovereignty and independence,&quot; state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying. 
 
The US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are staging an offensive against Islamic State near Manbij, while Kobani is under the control of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF. 
 
Germany&#39;s defence ministry said repeated claims by the Syrian government that German special forces were in northern Syria were not and had never been true. 
 
&quot;There are no German special forces in Syria. The accusation is false,&quot; a ministry spokesman said. 
 
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian civil war now in its sixth year, said French special forces were building a base for themselves near Kobani. 
 
France&#39;s defence minister said last week that there were special forces operating in Syria helping the SDF advance towards Manbij. 
 
The Observatory also said German, French and American military advisers, and French and American special forces, were assisting the SDF in its fight against Islamic State but had so far remained in a support role and had not fought on front lines. 
(Reuters)</div>

Damascus says presence of German forces is 'unjustified aggression' on their sovereignty, Germany denies they are even there

The Syrian government said today that German special forces were present, alongside French and American military personnel, in northern Syria. Germany has denied their presence. Syrian state media said the government strongly condemned the presence of French and German forces in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani, and Manbij. "Syria considers it explicit and unjustified aggression towards (Syria's) sovereignty and independence," state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying. The US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are staging an offensive against Islamic State near Manbij, while Kobani is under the control of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF. Germany's defence ministry said repeated claims by the Syrian government that German special forces were in northern Syria were not and had never been true. "There are no German special forces in Syria. The accusation is false," a ministry spokesman said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian civil war now in its sixth year, said French special forces were building a base for themselves near Kobani. France's defence minister said last week that there were special forces operating in Syria helping the SDF advance towards Manbij. The Observatory also said German, French and American military advisers, and French and American special forces, were assisting the SDF in its fight against Islamic State but had so far remained in a support role and had not fought on front lines. (Reuters)

German special forces in Syrian territory, claims Assad government

France launched an app to alert users to attacks, on Wednesday, two days before the Euro 2016 soccer championship. The app was developed after last year&#39;s terror attacks in Paris.&nbsp; 
 
The Interior Ministry app, called SAIP, flashes a warning on a user&#39;s mobilephone screen if there is an attack close to their location or suspicion of an imminent strike. Users can also request alerts for up to eight geographic areas&nbsp;including individual districts in the capital. 
 
First impressions on social media were mixed. 
 
&quot;&#39;Things are getting better?&#39; The creation of #SAIP leaves you thinking that, at least in terms of security, it&#39;s not really the case,&quot; said one Twitter user, referring to President Francois Hollande&#39;s mantra that life for the French is improving. 
 
&quot;Not very reassuring, but it is useful,&quot; said another Twitter user. 
 
Britain this week cautioned fans travelling to France for the tournament that stadiums, fan zones and transport hubs were &quot;potential targets for terrorist attacks&quot;, echoing warnings from French intelligence agencies and the United States.

The app called SAIP flashes a warning on a user's mobilephone screen if there is an attack close to their location

France launched an app to alert users to attacks, on Wednesday, two days before the Euro 2016 soccer championship. The app was developed after last year's terror attacks in Paris. The Interior Ministry app, called SAIP, flashes a warning on a user's mobilephone screen if there is an attack close to their location or suspicion of an imminent strike. Users can also request alerts for up to eight geographic areas including individual districts in the capital. First impressions on social media were mixed. "'Things are getting better?' The creation of #SAIP leaves you thinking that, at least in terms of security, it's not really the case," said one Twitter user, referring to President Francois Hollande's mantra that life for the French is improving. "Not very reassuring, but it is useful," said another Twitter user. Britain this week cautioned fans travelling to France for the tournament that stadiums, fan zones and transport hubs were "potential targets for terrorist attacks", echoing warnings from French intelligence agencies and the United States.

France unveils smartphone emergency app ahead of Euro 2016

France will &quot;go all the way&quot; to ensure that multinationals operating on its soil pay their taxes and more cases could follow after Google and McDonald&#39;s were targeted by tax raids, Finance Minister Michel Sapin said.

Sapin, speaking in an interview with Reuters and three European newspapers, ruled out negotiating any deal with Google on back taxes, as Britain did in January.

Dozens of French police raided Google&#39;s Paris headquarters on Tuesday, escalating an investigation on suspicions of tax evasion. Investigators searched McDonald&#39;s French headquarters on May 18 in another tax probe.

&quot;We&#39;ll go all the way. There could be other cases,&quot; Sapin said.

Raids this month by police and justice investigators build on the work started by tax authorities three or four years ago, when they transferred tax data to judicial authorities that look into any possible criminal angle, Sapin said.

Google, McDonald&#39;s and other multinational firms such as Starbucks are under increasing pressure in Europe from public opinion and governments angry at the way businesses exploit their presence around the world to minimise the tax they pay.

However,&nbsp;Google says it is fully complying with French law.&nbsp;McDonald&#39;s declined to comment on the search, referring back to past comments that it is proud to be one of the biggest tax payers in France.

Sapin said he could not discuss what sums were at stake because of the confidentiality of tax matters.

A source in his ministry had said in February that French tax authorities were seeking some 1.6 billion euros ($1.78 billion) in back taxes from Google.

&nbsp;

NO DEAL

Asked if tax authorities could strike a deal with the tech giant, Sapin&nbsp;said: &quot;We don&#39;t do deals like Britain, we apply the law.&quot;

Google agreed in January to pay 130 million pounds ($190 million) in back taxes to Britain, prompting criticism from opposition lawmakers and campaigners that the sum was too low.

&quot;There won&#39;t be negotiations,&quot; Sapin said, adding that there was always the possibility of some marginal adjustments &quot;but that&#39;s not the logic we&#39;re in.&quot;

Google, now part of Alphabet Inc, pays little tax in most European countries because it reports almost all sales in Ireland. This is possible, thanks to a loophole in international tax law, but it hinges on staff in Dublin concluding all sales contracts.

This week&#39;s police raid is part of a separate judicial investigation into aggravated tax fraud and the organised laundering of the proceeds of tax fraud.

Should it be found guilty of that, Google faces either up to 10 million euros ($11 million) in fines or a fine of half of the value of the laundered amount involved.

A preliminary inquiry into McDonald&#39;s was opened early this year after former investigating magistrate and politician Eva Joly filed a lawsuit in December on behalf of an employee committee, a judicial source said.

French business magazine L&#39;Expansion reported last month that authorities had sent McDonald&#39;s France a 300 million euro bill for unpaid taxes on profits believed to have been funneled through Luxembourg and Switzerland.

It said tax officials had accused the giant U.S. burger chain of using a Luxembourg-based entity, McD Europe Franchising, to shift profits to lower-tax jurisdictions by billing the French division excessively for use of the company brand and other services.

The judicial source confirmed the investigation was looking into this.

The government said this week that it had raked in 3.3 billion euros in back taxes and penalties from just five multinationals in 2015.

&quot;Nothing prevents big groups from coming to us and declaring their taxes,&quot; Sapin said.

Google, McDonald's and other multinational firms such as Starbucks are under increasing pressure in Europe for evading tax. The governments are angry at the way businesses are exploiting their presence around the world to minimize the tax they pay. Google, however, has said that it is complying with the French law of paying taxes.

France will "go all the way" to ensure that multinationals operating on its soil pay their taxes and more cases could follow after Google and McDonald's were targeted by tax raids, Finance Minister Michel Sapin said. Sapin, speaking in an interview with Reuters and three European newspapers, ruled out negotiating any deal with Google on back taxes, as Britain did in January. Dozens of French police raided Google's Paris headquarters on Tuesday, escalating an investigation on suspicions of tax evasion. Investigators searched McDonald's French headquarters on May 18 in another tax probe. "We'll go all the way. There could be other cases," Sapin said. Raids this month by police and justice investigators build on the work started by tax authorities three or four years ago, when they transferred tax data to judicial authorities that look into any possible criminal angle, Sapin said. Google, McDonald's and other multinational firms such as Starbucks are under increasing pressure in Europe from public opinion and governments angry at the way businesses exploit their presence around the world to minimise the tax they pay. However, Google says it is fully complying with French law. McDonald's declined to comment on the search, referring back to past comments that it is proud to be one of the biggest tax payers in France. Sapin said he could not discuss what sums were at stake because of the confidentiality of tax matters. A source in his ministry had said in February that French tax authorities were seeking some 1.6 billion euros ($1.78 billion) in back taxes from Google. NO DEAL Asked if tax authorities could strike a deal with the tech giant, Sapin said: "We don't do deals like Britain, we apply the law." Google agreed in January to pay 130 million pounds ($190 million) in back taxes to Britain, prompting criticism from opposition lawmakers and campaigners that the sum was too low. "There won't be negotiations," Sapin said, adding that there was always the possibility of some marginal adjustments "but that's not the logic we're in." Google, now part of Alphabet Inc, pays little tax in most European countries because it reports almost all sales in Ireland. This is possible, thanks to a loophole in international tax law, but it hinges on staff in Dublin concluding all sales contracts. This week's police raid is part of a separate judicial investigation into aggravated tax fraud and the organised laundering of the proceeds of tax fraud. Should it be found guilty of that, Google faces either up to 10 million euros ($11 million) in fines or a fine of half of the value of the laundered amount involved. A preliminary inquiry into McDonald's was opened early this year after former investigating magistrate and politician Eva Joly filed a lawsuit in December on behalf of an employee committee, a judicial source said. French business magazine L'Expansion reported last month that authorities had sent McDonald's France a 300 million euro bill for unpaid taxes on profits believed to have been funneled through Luxembourg and Switzerland. It said tax officials had accused the giant U.S. burger chain of using a Luxembourg-based entity, McD Europe Franchising, to shift profits to lower-tax jurisdictions by billing the French division excessively for use of the company brand and other services. The judicial source confirmed the investigation was looking into this. The government said this week that it had raked in 3.3 billion euros in back taxes and penalties from just five multinationals in 2015. "Nothing prevents big groups from coming to us and declaring their taxes," Sapin said.

French finmin rules out Google tax deal, more firms could be targeted

france

France, News on France, stories on France, articles on France, France stories at Wion, France news, France latest news