As covid-19 cases are now wreaking havoc across the European continent in particular France, Britain, Greece and Portugal have all reported record daily case numbers. France for one has reported a record high of almost 180,000 confirmed covert cases in the last 24-hour period.

Omicron drives record cases in Europe, France reports 180,000 cases

France, Britain, and Greece reported a record number of COVID cases amid Omicron spread across the European continent.

COVID surge wreaks havoc across the European continent amid Omicron spread

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282. This comes in as the Omicron variant is spreading at a very fast speed, worrying the authorities.&nbsp;

To curb the spread of the virus, the authorities are considering bringing in the concept of vaccine pass. So far, 76.5 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

The vaccine pass will be valid only for those who have received a booster jab. The pass will be mandatory for access to cafes, restaurants and public spaces. It will also be required for international travel.

As of now, France has recorded 122,546 fatalities due to the deadly virus.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-france-records-over-100000-covid-19-infections-for-first-time/a-60255339">Also read |&nbsp;Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13</a>

Meanwhile, the French Prime Minister had earlier warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022.

Jean Castex has warned people that if the people do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation.&nbsp;

However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease".

He further added that the government will be taking extra measures to ensure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy is done away with.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282.

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282. This comes in as the Omicron variant is spreading at a very fast speed, worrying the authorities. To curb the spread of the virus, the authorities are considering bringing in the concept of vaccine pass. So far, 76.5 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. The vaccine pass will be valid only for those who have received a booster jab. The pass will be mandatory for access to cafes, restaurants and public spaces. It will also be required for international travel. As of now, France has recorded 122,546 fatalities due to the deadly virus. Also read | Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13 Meanwhile, the French Prime Minister had earlier warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022. Jean Castex has warned people that if the people do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation. However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease". He further added that the government will be taking extra measures to ensure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy is done away with. (With inputs from agencies)

As Omicron spreads rapidly, France records over 100,000 cases in 24 hours

Amid the global spread of Omicron variant of the COVID-19, France witnessed a record surge of infections with 100,000 daily cases.

France hits record 100,000 daily COVID infection cases amid Omicron spread

A French zoo was temporarily closed after a pack of nine wolves escaped during visiting hours.

The incident took place at the Trois Vallées zoo in Montredon-Labessonnié in the south-west Tarn region.

Four of the wolves were shot dead by park workers and five were anaesthetised by local officials on the scene. No humans were injured in the incident.

“Not many people were in the zoo at the time and at no time was the public in immediate danger,” Fabien Chollet, a local official, told AFP on Friday.

He added that the zoo needed to close until the issues were rectified.

On its website, Trois Vallées zoo said it would shut until mid-January due to “urgent works”.

The park’s owner, Sauveur Ferrara, said the wolves had recently arrived at the zoo, and stressed that they never left the zoo itself.

“Due to the abnormal and dangerous behaviour of some of them, four wolves were sadly killed by the park personnel,” he told AFP, while emphasising that the public were evacuated immediately from the park.

Spanning more than 60 hectares, the park holds more than 600 animals including lions, monkeys and flamingos.

This is not the first time that the park was ordered to close.

In October 2020, the zoo was closed down because of security measures, but the closure order was later lifted by a court.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

A French zoo was temporarily closed after a pack of nine wolves escaped during visiting hours. The incident took place at the Trois Vallées zoo in Montredon-Labessonnié in the south-west Tarn region.

A French zoo was temporarily closed after a pack of nine wolves escaped during visiting hours. The incident took place at the Trois Vallées zoo in Montredon-Labessonnié in the south-west Tarn region. Four of the wolves were shot dead by park workers and five were anaesthetised by local officials on the scene. No humans were injured in the incident. “Not many people were in the zoo at the time and at no time was the public in immediate danger,” Fabien Chollet, a local official, told AFP on Friday. He added that the zoo needed to close until the issues were rectified. On its website, Trois Vallées zoo said it would shut until mid-January due to “urgent works”. The park’s owner, Sauveur Ferrara, said the wolves had recently arrived at the zoo, and stressed that they never left the zoo itself. “Due to the abnormal and dangerous behaviour of some of them, four wolves were sadly killed by the park personnel,” he told AFP, while emphasising that the public were evacuated immediately from the park. Spanning more than 60 hectares, the park holds more than 600 animals including lions, monkeys and flamingos. This is not the first time that the park was ordered to close. In October 2020, the zoo was closed down because of security measures, but the closure order was later lifted by a court. (With inputs from agencies)

French zoo closed temporarily after pack of 9 wolves escape during visiting hours

COVID-19 cases in the UK and France are now rising at an unprecedented pace. The surge has been triggered by the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant.

COVID-19 cases in UK & France rising at an unprecedented pace triggered by Omicron variant

It is usually a busy time of the year for ski resorts but due to a rise in Omicron cases and a reintroduction of restrictive measures in various parts of the world, this festive season isn't looking merry for those in the skiing business.

Skiing season in array due to Omicron spread & reintroduction of restrictive measures

France to make it easier for citizens to take their mother's name once they are adults, the country's Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Sunday (December 19).&nbsp;

A bill has been proposed by ruling LREM party lawmaker Patrick Vignal, which will allow children to easily change their family name through a simple procedure at the local town hall once they turn 18.&nbsp;

The justice minister said that the government would support the proposed bill. The law will be voted on in the coming weeks. Taking to his Twitter, Dupond-Moretti said, "Nobody should have to reveal their intimate reasons for changing their name to the state."&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netherlands-starts-omicron-lockdown-just-as-christmas-season-approaches-438175">Netherlands starts Omicron lockdown just as Christmas season approaches</a>

In France, citizens can change their family name but the procedure is quite long and difficult, which requires them to prove to the justice ministry a legitimate reason for doing so. The new law is intended to simplify the process.&nbsp;

As per a report by Reuters, citizens will be free to keep their father's family name, take their mother's family name or take both in whichever order they wish after the new law.&nbsp;

In an interview with Elle magazine, Dupond-Moretti said the new legislation will make it easier to change the family name of citizens raised by single mothers or by two fathers or two mothers.

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"It will be a law of equality between parents, a law of freedom for every French person. It will be carried by the deputy Patrick Vignal, the deputies of the majority and is supported by a collective, "Bear My Name"," Elle quoted Dupond-Moretti as saying.&nbsp;

"I am thinking in particular of the child who bears the name of a man who was not a father but a progenitor who forgot his homework," the minister said.&nbsp;

The legislation would also be a solution for people wishing to change their family name after traumatic situations such as incest, or violence by a father against the mother of his children, he said.&nbsp;

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Beaucoup de Francais sont fiers de leur nom de famille mais ce n’est pas le cas de tous. 
L’intime n’ayant pas à être dévoilé à l’Etat, passé 18 ans, vous aurez demain la liberté de choisir 1 fois entre le nom de votre père, celui de votre mère ou les deux.<a href="https://t.co/2E6W9PWeCZ">https://t.co/2E6W9PWeCZ</a>
— Eric Dupond-Moretti (@E_DupondM) <a href="https://twitter.com/E_DupondM/status/1472497822440243203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

France to make it easier for citizens to take their mother's name once they are adults, the country's Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Sunday (December 19).

France to make it easier for citizens to take their mother's name once they are adults, the country's Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Sunday (December 19). A bill has been proposed by ruling LREM party lawmaker Patrick Vignal, which will allow children to easily change their family name through a simple procedure at the local town hall once they turn 18. The justice minister said that the government would support the proposed bill. The law will be voted on in the coming weeks. Taking to his Twitter, Dupond-Moretti said, "Nobody should have to reveal their intimate reasons for changing their name to the state." ALSO READ | Netherlands starts Omicron lockdown just as Christmas season approaches In France, citizens can change their family name but the procedure is quite long and difficult, which requires them to prove to the justice ministry a legitimate reason for doing so. The new law is intended to simplify the process. As per a report by Reuters, citizens will be free to keep their father's family name, take their mother's family name or take both in whichever order they wish after the new law. In an interview with Elle magazine, Dupond-Moretti said the new legislation will make it easier to change the family name of citizens raised by single mothers or by two fathers or two mothers. ALSO READ | Facebook pays fine in Russia over content deemed illegal "It will be a law of equality between parents, a law of freedom for every French person. It will be carried by the deputy Patrick Vignal, the deputies of the majority and is supported by a collective, "Bear My Name"," Elle quoted Dupond-Moretti as saying. "I am thinking in particular of the child who bears the name of a man who was not a father but a progenitor who forgot his homework," the minister said. The legislation would also be a solution for people wishing to change their family name after traumatic situations such as incest, or violence by a father against the mother of his children, he said. Beaucoup de Francais sont fiers de leur nom de famille mais ce n’est pas le cas de tous. L’intime n’ayant pas à être dévoilé à l’Etat, passé 18 ans, vous aurez demain la liberté de choisir 1 fois entre le nom de votre père, celui de votre mère ou les deux.https://t.co/2E6W9PWeCZ — Eric Dupond-Moretti (@E_DupondM) December 19, 2021 × (With inputs from agencies)

'A law of equality': France to make it easier for citizens to take mother's family name

Omicron travel chaos: Countries that imposed travel curbs over new Covid variant

As a part of the parliamentary delegation, some lawmakers from France visit Taiwan amid tensions with China.

French lawmakers part of parliamentary delegation embarks to Taiwan amid China tensions

As the Omicron variant takes over the world, French Prime Minister has warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022.<o:p></o:p>

Jean Castex has warned people that if the locals do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation. However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease".

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-reports-highest-number-of-covid-19-cases-for-the-third-consecutive-day-437786">UK reports highest number of COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day</a></o:p>

As the fear of the new variant increases, people will be made eligible for booster jabs now four months after their second dose of Covid vaccination, Castex announced. He also added that the government will be taking extra measures to make sure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy can be eradicated from the ground level. <o:p></o:p>

"While we have given time, a lot of time for those French people who were hesitant and had doubts, in January we will strengthen the incentive for vaccination, because it is not acceptable that the refusal of a few million French people to be vaccinated, puts the life of an entire country at risk," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-witnesses-highest-ever-daily-covid-cases-amid-omicron-spread-437804">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-witnesses-highest-ever-daily-covid-cases-amid-omicron-spread-437804/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

One shocking rule announced recently is that all travellers coming from the UK — an Omicron hotspot — will have to prove to the officials that their reason for travel was necessary and urgent. The authorities justified that the new rules new rules "faced with the extremely rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK".<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, Canada, too, has announced an end to the travel ban on all foreign travellers from nearly 10 African countries, namely South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt.<o:p></o:p>

Health minister said the travel restrictions were imposed "to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada and buy us some time," but now these restrictions are “no longer needed”.<o:p></o:p>

As the Omicron variant takes over the world, French Prime Minister has warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022. Jean Castex has warned people that if the locals do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation.

As the Omicron variant takes over the world, French Prime Minister has warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022. Jean Castex has warned people that if the locals do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation. However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease". Also read | UK reports highest number of COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day As the fear of the new variant increases, people will be made eligible for booster jabs now four months after their second dose of Covid vaccination, Castex announced. He also added that the government will be taking extra measures to make sure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy can be eradicated from the ground level. "While we have given time, a lot of time for those French people who were hesitant and had doubts, in January we will strengthen the incentive for vaccination, because it is not acceptable that the refusal of a few million French people to be vaccinated, puts the life of an entire country at risk," he said. WATCH | One shocking rule announced recently is that all travellers coming from the UK — an Omicron hotspot — will have to prove to the officials that their reason for travel was necessary and urgent. The authorities justified that the new rules new rules "faced with the extremely rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK". Meanwhile, Canada, too, has announced an end to the travel ban on all foreign travellers from nearly 10 African countries, namely South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. Health minister said the travel restrictions were imposed "to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada and buy us some time," but now these restrictions are “no longer needed”.

As France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant in 2022, Canada lifts travel ban

French defence minister Florence Parly is visiting India with an eye on boosting defence ties. Has the AUKUS snub pushed Paris closer to New Delhi? Is France more reliable than the United States for India? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: France offering nuclear submarines to India?

During her 2-day visit to India, France Defence Minister Florence Parly said that Paris is committed to New Delhi's Make in India Initiative.

France committed to PM Modi's Make in India initiative says France Defence Minister Florence Parly

Portugal, one of the countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates worldwide, began inoculating over-fives Saturday, and France said it was ready to roll out jabs for them from next week.

Europe is currently battling to rein in the spread of the highly mutated Omicron variant of the coronavirus, believed to be much more infectious, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned the new strain could be dominant in Europe by mid-January.&nbsp;

A number of countries have already opened up their immunisation drives to younger children, even though the EU's health agency has warned that jabs alone will not be sufficient to stop the variant's rise.

In Portugal, where 88.9 percent of the population is vaccinated, more than 60,000 children aged between five and 11 were set to receive their first jab of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine this weekend.&nbsp;

And in France, health minister Olivier Veran said that jabs will start to be administered to children in the same age group from Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-evidence-to-suggest-new-variant-omicron-less-severe-than-delta-reveals-uk-study-437843">Also read |&nbsp;No evidence to suggest new variant Omicron less severe than Delta, reveals UK study</a>

"If all goes well, we will start vaccination of children on the afternoon of December 22 in specially adapted centres," he told France Inter radio.

But even as children line up to get jabs, the EU health agency ECDC has said measures like mask-wearing, distance working and the prevention of crowds were essential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems in the time available, with vaccines alone taking too long.

The EU's medicines watchdog last month approved the lower-dosage Pfizer-BioNTech shot for five to 11-year-olds, an age group experiencing high coronavirus infection rates across the continent.

Denmark, which has seen a surge in cases attributed to the new Omicron variant, and some Austrian regions already began offering jabs to younger kids in November.

The United States was the first large country to take the plunge and has so far vaccinated more than five million children in the five-to-11 age bracket.&nbsp;

Portugal, one of the countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates worldwide, began inoculating over-fives Saturday, and France said it was ready to roll out jabs for them from next week.

Portugal, one of the countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates worldwide, began inoculating over-fives Saturday, and France said it was ready to roll out jabs for them from next week. Europe is currently battling to rein in the spread of the highly mutated Omicron variant of the coronavirus, believed to be much more infectious, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned the new strain could be dominant in Europe by mid-January. A number of countries have already opened up their immunisation drives to younger children, even though the EU's health agency has warned that jabs alone will not be sufficient to stop the variant's rise. In Portugal, where 88.9 percent of the population is vaccinated, more than 60,000 children aged between five and 11 were set to receive their first jab of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine this weekend. And in France, health minister Olivier Veran said that jabs will start to be administered to children in the same age group from Wednesday. Also read | No evidence to suggest new variant Omicron less severe than Delta, reveals UK study "If all goes well, we will start vaccination of children on the afternoon of December 22 in specially adapted centres," he told France Inter radio. But even as children line up to get jabs, the EU health agency ECDC has said measures like mask-wearing, distance working and the prevention of crowds were essential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems in the time available, with vaccines alone taking too long. The EU's medicines watchdog last month approved the lower-dosage Pfizer-BioNTech shot for five to 11-year-olds, an age group experiencing high coronavirus infection rates across the continent. Denmark, which has seen a surge in cases attributed to the new Omicron variant, and some Austrian regions already began offering jabs to younger kids in November. The United States was the first large country to take the plunge and has so far vaccinated more than five million children in the five-to-11 age bracket.

Portugal, France begin vaccinating younger children

A group of six French lawmakers visited Taiwan in a show of support in the face of China’s belligerence towards the island.

Francois de Rugy, who heads the France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, said the French government had been positive about moves to strengthen ties between the sides.

“We see that a certain number of countries are obviously deploying very important armament programs. This is of course the case for China, for Russia, which is rearming itself, it is also the case with the US, which is investing in armament as well, and it is also the case with some European countries, including France, to take on challenges of new threats or risks of (power) unbalances.”

“So, in such cases, we think that Taiwan's position is particular. Taiwan is particular because it is threatened, such threats are new and very obvious. Besides, it (Taiwan) is in a zone where a new power equilibrium is yet to be built between the US and China,” Rugy said.

Another parliamentarian Aina Kuric stressed the need for democracies “to support each other” at a joint news conference on Friday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-loses-another-ally-to-china-as-nicaragua-recognises-chinese-sovereignty-435709">Taiwan loses another ally to China as Nicaragua recognises Chinese sovereignty</a>

The French lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for a five-day visit. The latest visit follows a similar trip led by another group of French parliamentarians in October that China sought to discourage.

On Wednesday, China's foreign ministry criticised the latest French visit, saying “relevant parties should... stop sending false signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/while-us-was-hosting-democracy-summit-china-targeted-our-allies-taiwan-436971">While US was hosting democracy summit, China targeted our allies: Taiwan</a>

“China firmly opposes any official and political exchanges between Taiwan and other countries,” said spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Beijing claims Taiwan as a province of China. Unification is a key goal of the Chinese premier Xi Jinping, who has not ruled out taking Taiwan by force.

China conducted military drills near the Taiwan Strait following a visit by a group of American lawmakers last month.

Taiwan's defence minister has warned that military tensions between the island and China were at their highest in four decades, after around 150 Chinese warplanes -- a record number -- made incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone in October.

(With inputs from agencies)

A group of six French lawmakers visited Taiwan in a show of support in the face of China’s belligerence towards the island. Francois de Rugy, who heads the France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, said the French government had been positive about moves to strengthen ties between the sides.

A group of six French lawmakers visited Taiwan in a show of support in the face of China’s belligerence towards the island. Francois de Rugy, who heads the France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, said the French government had been positive about moves to strengthen ties between the sides. “We see that a certain number of countries are obviously deploying very important armament programs. This is of course the case for China, for Russia, which is rearming itself, it is also the case with the US, which is investing in armament as well, and it is also the case with some European countries, including France, to take on challenges of new threats or risks of (power) unbalances.” “So, in such cases, we think that Taiwan's position is particular. Taiwan is particular because it is threatened, such threats are new and very obvious. Besides, it (Taiwan) is in a zone where a new power equilibrium is yet to be built between the US and China,” Rugy said. Another parliamentarian Aina Kuric stressed the need for democracies “to support each other” at a joint news conference on Friday. Also read | Taiwan loses another ally to China as Nicaragua recognises Chinese sovereignty The French lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for a five-day visit. The latest visit follows a similar trip led by another group of French parliamentarians in October that China sought to discourage. On Wednesday, China's foreign ministry criticised the latest French visit, saying “relevant parties should... stop sending false signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces”. Also read | While US was hosting democracy summit, China targeted our allies: Taiwan “China firmly opposes any official and political exchanges between Taiwan and other countries,” said spokesman Zhao Lijian. Beijing claims Taiwan as a province of China. Unification is a key goal of the Chinese premier Xi Jinping, who has not ruled out taking Taiwan by force. China conducted military drills near the Taiwan Strait following a visit by a group of American lawmakers last month. Taiwan's defence minister has warned that military tensions between the island and China were at their highest in four decades, after around 150 Chinese warplanes -- a record number -- made incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone in October. (With inputs from agencies)

French lawmakers visit Taiwan to show support in the face of China’s belligerence

Zinedine Zidane remains one of the biggest names in world football. After a glittering career for France, having led them to their maiden World Cup title in 1998, the talismanic footballer had retired two years before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, the star player returned to the field and even led the national side in the 2006 edition.

Zidane, aged 34 in 2006, led from the front for France in the mega event which was held in Germany. He was in emphatic form and almost single-handedly took the team to the summit clash, where they faced Italy. Prior to the finale, Zidane was in rollicking touch as he scored in the Round of 16 win over Spain and also in the semi-final versus Portugal. In addition, he had assisted Thierry Henry's quarter-final winner against Brazil.

While Zidane's performances earned him the Golden Ball award in the 2006 edition, his infamous headbutt to Italy's Marco&nbsp;Materazzi drew maximum eyeballs and served as a huge jolt to his overall showing in the tournament.

The headbutt came in the final moments of the regulation time, with both France and Italy tied at 1-1. After scoring the first goal in the final, Zidane-led France were tied at 1-1 with Italy courtesy Materazzi's strike. Thus, there was tension in the middle.

What unfolded from thereon ended Zidane's international career in an absurd and most unthinkable manner. The war of words with Materazzi led to the French captain losing his cool and going for a headbutt; leading to the Italian's injury. As a result, he was shown the red card; ending his international career all of a sudden. Here's a throwback video of how things panned out during the 2006 FIFA WC final for Zidane:

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-meet-dinesh-patel-a-rare-breed-of-indian-sportsman-and-a-top-gun-in-baseball-437655">EXCLUSIVE | Meet Dinesh Patel: A rare breed of Indian sportsman and a top gun in baseball</a>

Quoted by Italian media, Materazzi spilled the beans on the Zidane headbutt while taking up fans' questions on Instagram live last year. "I wasn't expecting it in that moment. I was lucky enough that the whole episode took me by surprise because if I had expected something like that to happen and had been ready for it, I'm sure both of us would have ended up being sent off," Materazzi said.

"There had been a bit of contact between us in the area. He had scored France's goal in the first half and our coach (Marcello Lippi) told me to mark him. After that first brush between us, I apologised but he reacted badly. The late tackles, altercations and exchanges continued until 110 minutes, when things reached a head. After the third clash, I frowned and he retorted: 'I'll give you my shirt later'. I replied that I'd rather have his sister than his shirt," he concluded.

Materazzi-starrer Italy had the last laugh following the Zidane headbutt. The match went down to the wire, i.e. to the penalty shootout where Italy triumphed over the opposition by 5-3. Materazzi had a memorable outing, barring the headbutt from Zidane, as he scored his second goal in the penalty.&nbsp;

Zinedine Zidane remains one of the biggest names in world football. After a glittering career for France, having led them to their maiden World Cup title in 1998, the talismanic footballer had retired two years before the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Zinedine Zidane remains one of the biggest names in world football. After a glittering career for France, having led them to their maiden World Cup title in 1998, the talismanic footballer had retired two years before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, the star player returned to the field and even led the national side in the 2006 edition. Zidane, aged 34 in 2006, led from the front for France in the mega event which was held in Germany. He was in emphatic form and almost single-handedly took the team to the summit clash, where they faced Italy. Prior to the finale, Zidane was in rollicking touch as he scored in the Round of 16 win over Spain and also in the semi-final versus Portugal. In addition, he had assisted Thierry Henry's quarter-final winner against Brazil. While Zidane's performances earned him the Golden Ball award in the 2006 edition, his infamous headbutt to Italy's Marco Materazzi drew maximum eyeballs and served as a huge jolt to his overall showing in the tournament. The headbutt came in the final moments of the regulation time, with both France and Italy tied at 1-1. After scoring the first goal in the final, Zidane-led France were tied at 1-1 with Italy courtesy Materazzi's strike. Thus, there was tension in the middle. What unfolded from thereon ended Zidane's international career in an absurd and most unthinkable manner. The war of words with Materazzi led to the French captain losing his cool and going for a headbutt; leading to the Italian's injury. As a result, he was shown the red card; ending his international career all of a sudden. Here's a throwback video of how things panned out during the 2006 FIFA WC final for Zidane: ALSO READ | Cigars, BMW cars and luxury villa: Diego Maradona's belongings up for auction a year after his demise × ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE | Meet Dinesh Patel: A rare breed of Indian sportsman and a top gun in baseball Quoted by Italian media, Materazzi spilled the beans on the Zidane headbutt while taking up fans' questions on Instagram live last year. "I wasn't expecting it in that moment. I was lucky enough that the whole episode took me by surprise because if I had expected something like that to happen and had been ready for it, I'm sure both of us would have ended up being sent off," Materazzi said. "There had been a bit of contact between us in the area. He had scored France's goal in the first half and our coach (Marcello Lippi) told me to mark him. After that first brush between us, I apologised but he reacted badly. The late tackles, altercations and exchanges continued until 110 minutes, when things reached a head. After the third clash, I frowned and he retorted: 'I'll give you my shirt later'. I replied that I'd rather have his sister than his shirt," he concluded. Materazzi-starrer Italy had the last laugh following the Zidane headbutt. The match went down to the wire, i.e. to the penalty shootout where Italy triumphed over the opposition by 5-3. Materazzi had a memorable outing, barring the headbutt from Zidane, as he scored his second goal in the penalty.

THROWBACK: France's Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt to Marco Materazzi in 2006 WC final - watch

Tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border are showing no signs of diminishing and the prolonged crisis has angered the west. In the latest, France has sent warnings to Russia. In case Ukraine is attacked, The Emmanuel Macron government has threatened strategic consequences.

France warns Russia of ‘consequences’ over Ukraine

Gravitas: Macron's plans for European supremacy

A French mountaineer who had found a box containing precious stones from the wreckage of an Air India flight that crashed in 1966 at the Alps will get to keep half of the fortune.

French mountaineer allowed to keep half of precious stones found at Air India crash site

French President Emmanuel Macron hails the referendum result as New Caledonia votes to stay with France. Over 96% of voters reject independence.

New Caledonia votes to stay with France, with over 96% of voters rejecting independence

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past.

But the scene was in France, last weekend, where Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right polemicist who has scrambled French politics, launched his presidential campaign with a rally in front of thousands of ardent supporters.

“On est chez nous!” (“This is our home!”), they chanted in a cavernous convention center filled with spotlights, speakers and giant screens in Villepinte, a suburb northeast of Paris.

At one point during the rally, anti-racism activists were attacked in the sort of brawl rarely seen at French political events. Earlier in the day, fans booed a television news crew, forcing it to be temporarily evacuated, and several journalists reported being insulted and beaten.

The outcome of Zemmour’s campaign remains unclear four months before France’s presidential election, with President Emmanuel Macron still ahead in the polls, and fierce competition emerging from the right. But the rally offered a glimpse of where the election could head, and which Trumpian tones it could take.

Unlike Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the traditional far right, who has long sought success by softening her party’s far-right views, Zemmour has bet that a full-on promotion of his reactionary ideas can fuel his rise.

He has done so by mastering the codes of social and news media, and by appealing to a somewhat wealthier and more educated base than the traditional far right. Recent polls suggest this approach has worked; about 15% of French voters say they intend to vote for him in the first round of voting.

“He’s the one who breaks a dam,” said Vincent Martigny, a professor of political science at the University of Nice. Voters who once balked at supporting Le Pen have now embraced his more extremist ideas, Martigny said.

But this quest to stake out a position on the extreme right may also backfire, as shown at last Sunday’s rally, when dozens of his supporters attacked anti-racism activists. The violent brawl could stain his image and undermine his attempts to broaden his electoral base, according to political analysts.

Still, as with Trump, no scandal to date has done any lasting damage to Zemmour’s political ambitions as he taps into widespread fears that French identity is being whittled away by immigration. Those fears have been heightened by a number of terrorist attacks in recent years, some committed by the children of immigrants.

Last Sunday's crowd of about 12,000 people in the Villepinte convention center reflected some of the forces that have fueled the candidate’s meteoric rise — upper-middle-class voters and some segments of an educated, affluent youth.

Men close to retirement age in hunting jackets and loafers waved French flags and cheered alongside young people dressed in crisp polo shirts; many displayed Roman Catholic crosses around their necks.

“Zemmour is someone who can actually make our ideas triumph and save France,” said Marc Perreti, a 19-year-old student from Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb of Paris.

In contrast with the affluent voters seen at Zemmour’s rally, Le Pen’s support comes mainly from the working class. A recent study showed Zemmour scoring well among the upper middle class, at 16% compared with 6% for Le Pen.

There was widespread nodding at the rally when Zemmour talked of France’s “great downgrading, with the impoverishment of the French, the decline of our power and the collapse of our school.”

And there were loud cheers when he mentioned “the great replacement, with the Islamization of France, mass immigration and constant insecurity.”

The so-called great replacement, a contentious theory that claims the West’s population is being replaced by immigrants, has been cited by white supremacists in mass shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, and El Paso, Texas.

But Sophie Michel, a former history teacher and a mother of nine, said she believed the theory, pointing to the growing number of immigrant families living in her apartment building in western Paris.

“We’re the last white people there,” she said. “This is for real.”

The name of Zemmour’s new party, Reconquest, evokes the centuries-long period known as the Reconquista, when Christian forces drove Muslim rulers from the Iberian Peninsula.

Two of Michel’s children also attended the rally, along with hundreds of young people. Hortense Bergerault, 17, said she followed Zemmour on Instagram, where he has nearly 150,000 followers, ranking only behind Macron and Le Pen among the presidential candidates. “I have many friends who are really into it,” she said.

Martigny, the political scientist, said Zemmour was the product of “culture wars” that had gradually spread far-right ideas across society, especially through Fox News-style news networks, clearing “a space for a Trumpian player in the French political life.”

“They have understood that there is no lasting political victory without a prior cultural victory,” Martigny said of Zemmour’s team.

This cultural win was evident in Villepinte, where many supporters referred to Zemmour’s books and TV appearances as eye-opening experiences. Some wore baseball caps reading “Ben voyons!” — a rejoinder that Zemmour often uses to dismiss criticism and that roughly translates to “Oh, come on!” The crowd even chanted the phrase when Zemmour, speaking from his lectern, mocked those accusing him of being a fascist.

Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Zemmour’s campaign, said that although France and the United States were two different countries, they had “obviously” looked at Trump’s 2016 presidential run “because it was a success.”

Raphaël Llorca, a French communications expert and member of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute, said Zemmour had successfully waged a “battle of the cool” designed to popularize his extreme ideas and “reduce the cost of adherence” to the far right.

His YouTube campaign-launching video, riddled with cultural references, has drawn nearly 3 million viewers — evidence of his command of pop culture codes, Llorca said.

“The cool is a way to defuse and neutralize otherwise extremely violent” ideas, he added.

In October, Zemmour said his success would depend on his ability to appeal to both the conservative, bourgeois electorate and that of the Yellow Vests, the mostly working-class movement that protested against economic injustice that Le Pen has long courted.

Whether he can achieve that balancing act is far from clear, as shown by the attendance at the rally. The main economic proposal he outlined last weekend — slashing business taxes — is unlikely to speak to working-class voters.

Zemmour’s theatrical entrance into the convention center, to the sound of dramatic music, did little to eclipse the fact that he has so far failed to garner support from any major political figure or party. This remains a major difference from Trump, who could count on the powerful Republican Party and solid financial backing.

Zemmour said he was the target of the media and the elites. He praised the crowd before him for standing up to these attacks. “The political phenomenon of these rallies, it’s not me, it’s you!” he shouted.

But some of his supporters might also prove to be his greatest liability.

Midway through his speech, dozens of sturdy militants threw punches at several activists from SOS Racisme, an anti-racism organization, who had stood on chairs at the rally and revealed T-shirts spelling out the phrase “NO TO RACISM.”

Prosecutors have opened investigations into the violence, including one against a man who lunged at and grabbed Zemmour as he walked toward the stage.

Diers, the spokesperson, said the anti-racism activists had acted provocatively and that he had called on supporters “not to use force unreasonably.”

Llorca, the communications expert, said that with such a polarizing campaign, Zemmour risked “being overwhelmed” by the extremism of his own supporters.

The French news media later reported that some of those who had attacked the anti-racism activists were neo-Nazi militants. As they chased down the activists toward the entrance hall, wearing black mufflers that hid their faces, they were stopped by a security staff member.

“Thank you for being there,” he told them. “You did the job!”

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past.

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past. But the scene was in France, last weekend, where Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right polemicist who has scrambled French politics, launched his presidential campaign with a rally in front of thousands of ardent supporters. “On est chez nous!” (“This is our home!”), they chanted in a cavernous convention center filled with spotlights, speakers and giant screens in Villepinte, a suburb northeast of Paris. At one point during the rally, anti-racism activists were attacked in the sort of brawl rarely seen at French political events. Earlier in the day, fans booed a television news crew, forcing it to be temporarily evacuated, and several journalists reported being insulted and beaten. The outcome of Zemmour’s campaign remains unclear four months before France’s presidential election, with President Emmanuel Macron still ahead in the polls, and fierce competition emerging from the right. But the rally offered a glimpse of where the election could head, and which Trumpian tones it could take. Unlike Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the traditional far right, who has long sought success by softening her party’s far-right views, Zemmour has bet that a full-on promotion of his reactionary ideas can fuel his rise. He has done so by mastering the codes of social and news media, and by appealing to a somewhat wealthier and more educated base than the traditional far right. Recent polls suggest this approach has worked; about 15% of French voters say they intend to vote for him in the first round of voting. “He’s the one who breaks a dam,” said Vincent Martigny, a professor of political science at the University of Nice. Voters who once balked at supporting Le Pen have now embraced his more extremist ideas, Martigny said. But this quest to stake out a position on the extreme right may also backfire, as shown at last Sunday’s rally, when dozens of his supporters attacked anti-racism activists. The violent brawl could stain his image and undermine his attempts to broaden his electoral base, according to political analysts. Still, as with Trump, no scandal to date has done any lasting damage to Zemmour’s political ambitions as he taps into widespread fears that French identity is being whittled away by immigration. Those fears have been heightened by a number of terrorist attacks in recent years, some committed by the children of immigrants. Last Sunday's crowd of about 12,000 people in the Villepinte convention center reflected some of the forces that have fueled the candidate’s meteoric rise — upper-middle-class voters and some segments of an educated, affluent youth. Men close to retirement age in hunting jackets and loafers waved French flags and cheered alongside young people dressed in crisp polo shirts; many displayed Roman Catholic crosses around their necks. “Zemmour is someone who can actually make our ideas triumph and save France,” said Marc Perreti, a 19-year-old student from Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb of Paris. In contrast with the affluent voters seen at Zemmour’s rally, Le Pen’s support comes mainly from the working class. A recent study showed Zemmour scoring well among the upper middle class, at 16% compared with 6% for Le Pen. There was widespread nodding at the rally when Zemmour talked of France’s “great downgrading, with the impoverishment of the French, the decline of our power and the collapse of our school.” And there were loud cheers when he mentioned “the great replacement, with the Islamization of France, mass immigration and constant insecurity.” The so-called great replacement, a contentious theory that claims the West’s population is being replaced by immigrants, has been cited by white supremacists in mass shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, and El Paso, Texas. But Sophie Michel, a former history teacher and a mother of nine, said she believed the theory, pointing to the growing number of immigrant families living in her apartment building in western Paris. “We’re the last white people there,” she said. “This is for real.” The name of Zemmour’s new party, Reconquest, evokes the centuries-long period known as the Reconquista, when Christian forces drove Muslim rulers from the Iberian Peninsula. Two of Michel’s children also attended the rally, along with hundreds of young people. Hortense Bergerault, 17, said she followed Zemmour on Instagram, where he has nearly 150,000 followers, ranking only behind Macron and Le Pen among the presidential candidates. “I have many friends who are really into it,” she said. Martigny, the political scientist, said Zemmour was the product of “culture wars” that had gradually spread far-right ideas across society, especially through Fox News-style news networks, clearing “a space for a Trumpian player in the French political life.” “They have understood that there is no lasting political victory without a prior cultural victory,” Martigny said of Zemmour’s team. This cultural win was evident in Villepinte, where many supporters referred to Zemmour’s books and TV appearances as eye-opening experiences. Some wore baseball caps reading “Ben voyons!” — a rejoinder that Zemmour often uses to dismiss criticism and that roughly translates to “Oh, come on!” The crowd even chanted the phrase when Zemmour, speaking from his lectern, mocked those accusing him of being a fascist. Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Zemmour’s campaign, said that although France and the United States were two different countries, they had “obviously” looked at Trump’s 2016 presidential run “because it was a success.” Raphaël Llorca, a French communications expert and member of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute, said Zemmour had successfully waged a “battle of the cool” designed to popularize his extreme ideas and “reduce the cost of adherence” to the far right. His YouTube campaign-launching video, riddled with cultural references, has drawn nearly 3 million viewers — evidence of his command of pop culture codes, Llorca said. “The cool is a way to defuse and neutralize otherwise extremely violent” ideas, he added. In October, Zemmour said his success would depend on his ability to appeal to both the conservative, bourgeois electorate and that of the Yellow Vests, the mostly working-class movement that protested against economic injustice that Le Pen has long courted. Whether he can achieve that balancing act is far from clear, as shown by the attendance at the rally. The main economic proposal he outlined last weekend — slashing business taxes — is unlikely to speak to working-class voters. Zemmour’s theatrical entrance into the convention center, to the sound of dramatic music, did little to eclipse the fact that he has so far failed to garner support from any major political figure or party. This remains a major difference from Trump, who could count on the powerful Republican Party and solid financial backing. Zemmour said he was the target of the media and the elites. He praised the crowd before him for standing up to these attacks. “The political phenomenon of these rallies, it’s not me, it’s you!” he shouted. But some of his supporters might also prove to be his greatest liability. Midway through his speech, dozens of sturdy militants threw punches at several activists from SOS Racisme, an anti-racism organization, who had stood on chairs at the rally and revealed T-shirts spelling out the phrase “NO TO RACISM.” Prosecutors have opened investigations into the violence, including one against a man who lunged at and grabbed Zemmour as he walked toward the stage. Diers, the spokesperson, said the anti-racism activists had acted provocatively and that he had called on supporters “not to use force unreasonably.” Llorca, the communications expert, said that with such a polarizing campaign, Zemmour risked “being overwhelmed” by the extremism of his own supporters. The French news media later reported that some of those who had attacked the anti-racism activists were neo-Nazi militants. As they chased down the activists toward the entrance hall, wearing black mufflers that hid their faces, they were stopped by a security staff member. “Thank you for being there,” he told them. “You did the job!”

Echoes of Trump at a rally for France’s far-right upstart

France has refused to join the diplomatic boycott of the winter Olympics that is scheduled to take place in Beijing, calling such a move “insignificant”.

French President Emanuel Macron said that the boycott, led by the US and other western nations, is just a “symbolic step” and added that it won’t have any significant impact.

So far, only three countries— Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada—apart from US have openly declared their diplomatic boycott, saying that they would not send government representatives to the 2022 Winter Olympics to protest against China’s human rights record.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-announces-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-winter-olympics-2022-435220">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces 'diplomatic boycott' of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022</a>

These countries said that they would only send their athletes to participate in the event.

The boycott was also in response to a crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong and concerns about Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who was not seen for weeks after she accused a top government official of sexual assault.

“To be clear: You either have a complete boycott, and not send athletes, or you try to change things with useful actions,” AFP quoted Macron as saying at a news conference on Thursday.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/winter-olympics-china-warns-australia-uk-us-for-diplomatic-boycott-says-will-pay-price-for-wrong-acts-435445">&nbsp;Winter Olympics: China warns Australia, UK, US for diplomatic boycott, says 'will pay price for wrong acts'</a>

He, however, added that he was “in favour of action that has a useful outcome”.

Questioning the utility of the diplomatic boycott, Macron noted that he “didn’t hear anybody in the world say: Let’s not send our athletes. So, we’re talking about something rather symbolic,” he said.

France would instead work with the International Olympic Committee on a charter guaranteeing the protection of athletes “given what has happened over recent weeks”, Macron said in an apparent reference to tennis player Peng Shuai.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-announces-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-winter-olympics-citing-human-rights-violations-by-china-435284">Canada announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics citing human rights violations by China</a>

Beijing had reacted strongly to the boycott, saying that the countries “will pay the price for their mistaken acts”.

Meanwhile United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he had accepted an invitation to attend the opening of the games.

(With inputs from agencies)

France has refused to join the diplomatic boycott of the winter Olympics that is scheduled to take place in Beijing, calling such a move “insignificant”. French President Emanuel Macron said that the boycott, led by the US and other western nations, is just a “symbolic step” and added that it won’t have any significant impact.

France has refused to join the diplomatic boycott of the winter Olympics that is scheduled to take place in Beijing, calling such a move “insignificant”. French President Emanuel Macron said that the boycott, led by the US and other western nations, is just a “symbolic step” and added that it won’t have any significant impact. So far, only three countries— Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada—apart from US have openly declared their diplomatic boycott, saying that they would not send government representatives to the 2022 Winter Olympics to protest against China’s human rights record. Also read | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces 'diplomatic boycott' of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 These countries said that they would only send their athletes to participate in the event. The boycott was also in response to a crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong and concerns about Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who was not seen for weeks after she accused a top government official of sexual assault. “To be clear: You either have a complete boycott, and not send athletes, or you try to change things with useful actions,” AFP quoted Macron as saying at a news conference on Thursday. Also read | Winter Olympics: China warns Australia, UK, US for diplomatic boycott, says 'will pay price for wrong acts' He, however, added that he was “in favour of action that has a useful outcome”. Questioning the utility of the diplomatic boycott, Macron noted that he “didn’t hear anybody in the world say: Let’s not send our athletes. So, we’re talking about something rather symbolic,” he said. France would instead work with the International Olympic Committee on a charter guaranteeing the protection of athletes “given what has happened over recent weeks”, Macron said in an apparent reference to tennis player Peng Shuai. Also read | Canada announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics citing human rights violations by China Beijing had reacted strongly to the boycott, saying that the countries “will pay the price for their mistaken acts”. Meanwhile United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he had accepted an invitation to attend the opening of the games. (With inputs from agencies)

French President Macron calls diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics ‘insignificant’

France is moving forward to take over European Union's rotating Presidency in 2022. As French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for the Presidency of the EU, he has vowed to work towards a strong and sovereign European Union.

French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for the 2022 EU Presidency

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1.

The rotating presidency of six months is coming to France as Belarus is facing allegations that it had engineered a refugee crisis by forcing Middle East migrants across border to Poland and Lithuania, both EU states.

European Union has seen differing opinions among countries in the block over the issue of response to immigration and policing of common external borders of Schengen area.

"A sovereign Europe, for me, has the foremost aspect of being capable to keep its borders under control," Macron told a news conference at which he presented France's priority for its EU presidency.

Among France's proposals will be setting up an emergency reaction capability to help EU states facing crises at their borders, Macron said.

He also wants the bloc to have regular political meetings on migration - like euro zone states already do on economic matters.

Macron faces a presidential election in April, and conservative and far-right parties are likely to make migration, on which he is viewed by some as a soft touch, a campaign issue.

Macron also said the EU needed to define a new defence strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective.

He said he wanted to "Europeanise" France's security relationship with the West African Sahel region, where French soldiers are deployed in the fight against Islamist militants.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1.

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1. The rotating presidency of six months is coming to France as Belarus is facing allegations that it had engineered a refugee crisis by forcing Middle East migrants across border to Poland and Lithuania, both EU states. European Union has seen differing opinions among countries in the block over the issue of response to immigration and policing of common external borders of Schengen area. "A sovereign Europe, for me, has the foremost aspect of being capable to keep its borders under control," Macron told a news conference at which he presented France's priority for its EU presidency. Among France's proposals will be setting up an emergency reaction capability to help EU states facing crises at their borders, Macron said. He also wants the bloc to have regular political meetings on migration - like euro zone states already do on economic matters. Macron faces a presidential election in April, and conservative and far-right parties are likely to make migration, on which he is viewed by some as a soft touch, a campaign issue. Macron also said the EU needed to define a new defence strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective. He said he wanted to "Europeanise" France's security relationship with the West African Sahel region, where French soldiers are deployed in the fight against Islamist militants. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron speaks of 'sovereign' EU during French presidency

France&nbsp;will not join a diplomatic boycott by other Western countries of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, Education and Sports Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Thursday.

Asked about a boycott announced by the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada, Blanquer told RMC radio and BFM television that&nbsp;France&nbsp;"won't do it".&nbsp;

"We need to be careful about the link between sports and politics," Blanquer said during the interview.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-announces-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-winter-olympics-citing-human-rights-violations-by-china-435284">Canada announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics citing human rights violations by China</a>

"Sports is a world apart that needs to be protected from political interference. If not, things can get out of control and it could end up killing all of the competitions."

He said that&nbsp;France&nbsp;would carry on condemning human rights violations in China.&nbsp;

He will not travel to the Chinese capital, he said, but junior sports minister Roxana Maracineanu will represent the French government.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he was still seeking a common EU stance on the issue when asked about a possible boycott during a press conference at around the same time.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-embassy-in-australia-reacts-to-diplomatic-boycott-of-winter-olympics-mountains-cant-stop-the-river-435253">Chinese Embassy in Australia reacts to diplomatic boycott of Winter Olympics: 'Mountains can't stop the river'</a>

"When it comes to the issue of the diplomatic boycott, this question will be dealt with at the European level," he told journalists.&nbsp;

China warned Western nations on Thursday they would "pay the price" for a diplomatic boycott.

Washington announced its boycott earlier in the week, saying it was prompted by widespread rights abuses by China and what it sees as a "genocide" against the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang.

France will not join a diplomatic boycott by other Western countries of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, Education and Sports Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Thursday.

France will not join a diplomatic boycott by other Western countries of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, Education and Sports Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Thursday. Asked about a boycott announced by the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada, Blanquer told RMC radio and BFM television that France "won't do it". "We need to be careful about the link between sports and politics," Blanquer said during the interview. ALSO READ: Canada announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics citing human rights violations by China "Sports is a world apart that needs to be protected from political interference. If not, things can get out of control and it could end up killing all of the competitions." He said that France would carry on condemning human rights violations in China. He will not travel to the Chinese capital, he said, but junior sports minister Roxana Maracineanu will represent the French government. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he was still seeking a common EU stance on the issue when asked about a possible boycott during a press conference at around the same time. ALSO READ | Chinese Embassy in Australia reacts to diplomatic boycott of Winter Olympics: 'Mountains can't stop the river' "When it comes to the issue of the diplomatic boycott, this question will be dealt with at the European level," he told journalists. China warned Western nations on Thursday they would "pay the price" for a diplomatic boycott. Washington announced its boycott earlier in the week, saying it was prompted by widespread rights abuses by China and what it sees as a "genocide" against the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang.

France minister confirms country will not join boycott of Beijing Olympics

Eric Zemmour is the new face of the French far-right. He launched his campaign for the 2022 Presidential Elections with a violent rally - where his supporters clashed with anti-racism protesters. Palki Sharma tells you why Zemmour's candidacy led to violence.

Gravitas: Far-right presidential candidate launches campaign with a violent rally

French officials have freed a Saudi man a day after he was arrested on suspicion of links to the murder of the dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, saying Wednesday that it was a case of mistaken identity.

French authorities arrested the man on Tuesday at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris because his name and age matched that of Khalid Alotaibi, 33, who is accused of being part of the team that killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. There is an outstanding Turkish arrest warrant against that Alotaibi, as well as an Interpol red notice.

Rémy Heitz, the prosecutor general, said in a statement that extensive verifications of the arrested man’s identity had established that the warrant did not apply to him. He was freed Wednesday.

The arrest briefly reignited international speculation over the killing at a time when Saudi Arabia and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are seeking to rebuild their international reputations.

Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi writer and columnist, was killed in October 2018 after entering the consulate to obtain the paperwork he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée. Once inside, he was confronted by a team of Saudi agents who tried to persuade him to return to the kingdom, according to a report by a United Nations expert on the killing. When he refused, they killed him. His remains have never been found.

A CIA assessment after the killing concluded that it was likely to have been ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed. In February, President Joe Biden allowed the release of an intelligence report that concluded that Prince Mohammed had approved the plan to capture or kill Khashoggi.

But the Saudis have called the killing a rogue operation and Crown Prince Mohammed has denied that he ordered it or knew about it in advance.

The mix-up at the Paris airport came just days after President Emmanuel Macron of France, on a visit to several Gulf states this week, stopped in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed.

Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticized Macron, accusing him of rehabilitating Crown Prince Mohammed on the international stage. But Macron defended the visit, telling reporters that Saudi Arabia was a key player in the region.

“Who can think for one second that you help Lebanon, that you preserve peace and stability in the Middle East, if you say ‘We don’t talk to Saudi Arabia anymore,’ the most populated and most important country in the Gulf?” Macron said.

“That doesn’t mean that I support, it doesn’t mean that I forget, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t demanding partners,” he added. “It’s just acting for our country and for the region’s interests.”

A Turkish trial of the suspects in Khashoggi’s killing has been proceeding slowly, mainly because Saudi Arabia has refused to hand over any of the accused.

A Saudi court sentenced five men to death and three to prison terms for the murder, but the death sentences were replaced by prison terms after one of Khashoggi’s sons said he and his siblings had pardoned the killers.

But access to the trial was limited, the names of those convicted were never made public and rights groups dismissed the process as a sham.

French officials have freed a Saudi man a day after he was arrested on suspicion of links to the murder of the dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, saying Wednesday that it was a case of mistaken identity.

French officials have freed a Saudi man a day after he was arrested on suspicion of links to the murder of the dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, saying Wednesday that it was a case of mistaken identity. French authorities arrested the man on Tuesday at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris because his name and age matched that of Khalid Alotaibi, 33, who is accused of being part of the team that killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. There is an outstanding Turkish arrest warrant against that Alotaibi, as well as an Interpol red notice. Rémy Heitz, the prosecutor general, said in a statement that extensive verifications of the arrested man’s identity had established that the warrant did not apply to him. He was freed Wednesday. The arrest briefly reignited international speculation over the killing at a time when Saudi Arabia and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are seeking to rebuild their international reputations. Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi writer and columnist, was killed in October 2018 after entering the consulate to obtain the paperwork he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée. Once inside, he was confronted by a team of Saudi agents who tried to persuade him to return to the kingdom, according to a report by a United Nations expert on the killing. When he refused, they killed him. His remains have never been found. A CIA assessment after the killing concluded that it was likely to have been ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed. In February, President Joe Biden allowed the release of an intelligence report that concluded that Prince Mohammed had approved the plan to capture or kill Khashoggi. But the Saudis have called the killing a rogue operation and Crown Prince Mohammed has denied that he ordered it or knew about it in advance. The mix-up at the Paris airport came just days after President Emmanuel Macron of France, on a visit to several Gulf states this week, stopped in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed. Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticized Macron, accusing him of rehabilitating Crown Prince Mohammed on the international stage. But Macron defended the visit, telling reporters that Saudi Arabia was a key player in the region. “Who can think for one second that you help Lebanon, that you preserve peace and stability in the Middle East, if you say ‘We don’t talk to Saudi Arabia anymore,’ the most populated and most important country in the Gulf?” Macron said. “That doesn’t mean that I support, it doesn’t mean that I forget, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t demanding partners,” he added. “It’s just acting for our country and for the region’s interests.” A Turkish trial of the suspects in Khashoggi’s killing has been proceeding slowly, mainly because Saudi Arabia has refused to hand over any of the accused. A Saudi court sentenced five men to death and three to prison terms for the murder, but the death sentences were replaced by prison terms after one of Khashoggi’s sons said he and his siblings had pardoned the killers. But access to the trial was limited, the names of those convicted were never made public and rights groups dismissed the process as a sham.

Wrong man arrested over Khashoggi killing, France says

French police officials detain a man suspected in the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Meanwhile, the Saudi embassy refutes the detained man's involvement and has demanded immediate release.

French police arrests possible suspect in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Dozens of protesters gathered near the venue of France's far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour's rally on December 5. The leader's rally took place in Villepinte, near Paris. Police made arrests as protests were undeclared. The demonstrations took place near Villepinte Expo Hall.

It was Zemmour's first rally as an official candidate for presidential elections in 2022.

The rally was initially planned to take place at a venue in Paris, but was moved to Villepinte amid calls for protests, including by the anti-fascist Antifa group, at the original venue.

Zemmour, who was a prominent French far-right commentator, announced his candidacy on Tuesday (November 30) via a video played out live on Youtube and called on voters to take the country back "from minorities that oppress the majority."

A former journalist who has been convicted for inciting racial hatred, he becomes the top contender to challenge Marine Le Pen, leader of the more established far-right National Rally, for a place in a second round against President Emmanuel Macron.

His candidacy turns the election into a test of the endurance and limits of Europe's far right, which surged across the continent in the last decade but shows signs of reaching a ceiling as it pushes against boundaries of acceptable speech.

Zemmour, 63, is a hardline critic of Islam and immigration and has drawn support both from Le Pen's voter base and from the mainstream conservative right but has also alienated some voters that Le Pen had long sought to reassure.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Dozens of protesters gathered near the venue of France's far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour's rally on December 5. The leader's rally took place in Villepinte, near Paris.

Dozens of protesters gathered near the venue of France's far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour's rally on December 5. The leader's rally took place in Villepinte, near Paris. Police made arrests as protests were undeclared. The demonstrations took place near Villepinte Expo Hall. It was Zemmour's first rally as an official candidate for presidential elections in 2022. The rally was initially planned to take place at a venue in Paris, but was moved to Villepinte amid calls for protests, including by the anti-fascist Antifa group, at the original venue. Zemmour, who was a prominent French far-right commentator, announced his candidacy on Tuesday (November 30) via a video played out live on Youtube and called on voters to take the country back "from minorities that oppress the majority." A former journalist who has been convicted for inciting racial hatred, he becomes the top contender to challenge Marine Le Pen, leader of the more established far-right National Rally, for a place in a second round against President Emmanuel Macron. His candidacy turns the election into a test of the endurance and limits of Europe's far right, which surged across the continent in the last decade but shows signs of reaching a ceiling as it pushes against boundaries of acceptable speech. Zemmour, 63, is a hardline critic of Islam and immigration and has drawn support both from Le Pen's voter base and from the mainstream conservative right but has also alienated some voters that Le Pen had long sought to reassure. (With inputs from agencies)

France: Protesters march near far-right leader's rally, arrests made

Dozens of protesters gathered near the venue of France's far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour's rally on December 5. The leader's rally took place in Villepinte, near Paris. Police made arrests as protests were undeclared. The demonstrations took place near Villepinte Expo Hall. It was Zemmour's first rally as an official candidate for presidential elections in 2022.

France presidential elections: Zemmour launches 2022 bid with rally

A man dressed in a ninja costume, wielding a sword, was shot by the French police after he attacked two female officers in Paris.

The incident took place near a petrol station in the northwestern France of Cherbourg city on Thursday.

According to reports, the attacker&nbsp;had stolen a vehicle and caused an accident, following which two policewomen were called in&nbsp;at the site.

When the police officers approached the assailant, both of them were attacked by his word, resulting in an injury in the face for one police officer and the chin for the other.

The man— dressed in black in the style of traditional Japanese ninja fighters — was shot three times by the officers and was flown to hospital by helicopter in serious condition.

The two police officers involved are in good condition, authorities said.

French Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin expressed his support for the police force.

"While intervening in a vehicle theft in Cherbourg, two police officers were injured," Darmanin tweeted, adding, “(My) support to the national police."

Cherbourg's mayor Benoît Arrivé also expressed his gratitude for the work of the police, saying, "All my support to the forces of order."

Last month, a policeman in the French Rivera city of Cannes survived a knife attack after an assailant approached four officers outside the police station who were preparing to go on control.

The assailant approached the officers asking for information before opening the door of the vehicle they were in and stabbing one of the officers in the chest with a knife. The attacker then attempted to stab a second officer before he was neutralized.

(With inputs from agencies)

A man dressed in a ninja costume, wielding a sword, was shot by the French police after he attacked two female officers in Paris. The incident took place near a petrol station in the northwestern France of Cherbourg city on Thursday.

A man dressed in a ninja costume, wielding a sword, was shot by the French police after he attacked two female officers in Paris. The incident took place near a petrol station in the northwestern France of Cherbourg city on Thursday. According to reports, the attacker had stolen a vehicle and caused an accident, following which two policewomen were called in at the site. When the police officers approached the assailant, both of them were attacked by his word, resulting in an injury in the face for one police officer and the chin for the other. The man— dressed in black in the style of traditional Japanese ninja fighters — was shot three times by the officers and was flown to hospital by helicopter in serious condition. The two police officers involved are in good condition, authorities said. French Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin expressed his support for the police force. "While intervening in a vehicle theft in Cherbourg, two police officers were injured," Darmanin tweeted, adding, “(My) support to the national police." Cherbourg's mayor Benoît Arrivé also expressed his gratitude for the work of the police, saying, "All my support to the forces of order." Last month, a policeman in the French Rivera city of Cannes survived a knife attack after an assailant approached four officers outside the police station who were preparing to go on control. The assailant approached the officers asking for information before opening the door of the vehicle they were in and stabbing one of the officers in the chest with a knife. The attacker then attempted to stab a second officer before he was neutralized. (With inputs from agencies)

Man dressed as ninja shot by French cops after attacking two policewomen with sword

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