France

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Jellyfish Force Nuclear Plant to Shut Down

Gravelines facility in France is one of the biggest in Europe

(Newser) - A swarm of jellyfish forced one of the largest nuclear power plants in Europe to shut down over the weekend, reports the Guardian . The Gravelines nuclear plant in northern France, which typically supplies electricity to about 5 million homes, was forced offline late Sunday after its cooling system's filters...

France Sends Crews to Keep Fatal Wildfire From Reigniting

Residents return to area while more firefighters are dispatched

(Newser) - About 1,400 firefighters were deployed Saturday in France's southern Aude region to prevent the country's largest wildfire in decades from reigniting, as all residents were allowed to return to their homes. Aude prefect Christian Pouget said the fire has been contained since Thursday after burning more than...

France's 'Water-Gate' Is Shaking Up the Bottled Water Industry

Filtration, climate change, contamination cover-up claims shake the water industry

(Newser) - France's bottled water giants are facing a reckoning, with the spotlight on whether labels like Perrier can still claim the title "natural mineral water." The controversy follows media reports that a third of mineral water sold in France had been quietly filtered to remove contaminants, a...

UK Launches 'One in, One Out' Deportation Plan

Migrants crossing English Channel in small boats will be sent back to France, government says

(Newser) - The UK government has launched its "one in, one out" deportation plan with France, detaining the first arrivals intercepted crossing the English Channel. Migrants in life jackets were seen disembarking from Border Force vessels in Dover on Wednesday, the first day of the policy, the BBC reports. The...

In France, the Biggest Wildfire in Decades

A 'catastrophe on an unprecedented scale'

(Newser) - A fire that broke out Tuesday afternoon in southern France has quickly burst into the biggest blaze the country has seen in 76 years, reports the New York Times , with the country's prime minister, François Bayrou, calling it a "catastrophe on an unprecedented scale." A look...

Man Arrested After Lighting His Cigarette From Eternal Flame

French officials pursue charges after viral social media incident

(Newser) - When a man lit his cigarette from the eternal flame at Paris's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he ignited more than just tobacco—he set off a wave of outrage and an official investigation. Now, French Veterans Minister Patricia Miralles is promising to "make an example of...

On Her First Try, Rider Wins Tour de France
First Tour de France Is a Win
Aug 3, 2025 2:30 PM CDT

First Tour de France Is a Win

Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt had given herself three years to achieve goal

(Newser) - French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt won the women's Tour de France at her first attempt on Sunday, launching an attack to clinch the final stage and increase her overnight lead. It gave Ferrand-Prévôt a resounding victory. She finished 3 minutes, 42 seconds ahead of 2023 champion...

French Resort Town: Topless Men Will Be Fined $175
French Resort Town:
Topless Men Will
Be Fined $175
in case you missed it
Aug 2, 2025 12:30 PM CDT

French Resort Town: Topless Men Will Be Fined $175

Les Sables d'Olonne is cracking down on people wearing beachwear away from the beach

(Newser) - A resort town on France's Atlantic coast is fed up with people strolling around in their beachwear. In a post on Facebook , Yannick Moreau, mayor of Les Sables d'Olonne, slammed the "indecent behavior" of some visitors, especially topless men, CNN reports. "It's a question of...

Macron Announces France Will Recognize Palestinian State

Netanyahu denounces the move, which would be the first recognition by a Group of 7 nation

(Newser) - France will officially recognize Palestine as a state in September, President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday, reflecting his nation's commitment "to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East." The formal announcement that France will establish formal diplomatic relations with Palestine will be made during a session...

Glass Bottles May Hold More Microplastics Than Plastic Ones

Study finds paint on metal caps sheds plastic particles into drinks

(Newser) - A new study reveals that the simple act of opening a metal bottle cap could be adding unexpected microplastics to your favorite drink—potentially making glass bottles the most contaminated of all. Researchers at France's food safety agency looked at beer, water, wine, and soft drinks packaged in...

French Statue of Liberty Mural Not-So-Subtly Mocks Trump

Vis-a-vis Lady Liberty covering her eyes

(Newser) - As statements go, it's a big one. A towering mural in France of the Statue of Liberty covering her eyes is racking up millions of views online with its swipe at President Trump's immigration and deportation policies. Amsterdam-based street artist Judith de Leeuw described her giant work in...

French PM Wants to Ax 2 Holidays, Public Isn't Having It

Proposal sparks backlash as Bayrou warns of urgent budget shortfall

(Newser) - France's prime minister has sparked fierce debate by proposing the abolition of two national holidays, aiming to tackle soaring debt with a plan that could topple his own government, the BBC reports. François Bayrou's controversial plan to tackle the country's ballooning debt hinges on scrapping...

Vive la Revolution! France Is Throwing a Party

It's Bastille Day

(Newser) - Swooping warplanes, axe-carrying warriors, a drone light show over the Eiffel Tower and fireworks in nearly every French town—it's Bastille Day. France celebrated its biggest holiday Monday with 7,000 people marching, on horseback, or riding armored vehicles along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees, the most iconic avenue...

French Prisoner Escapes in Another Inmate's Bag

Authorities say he smuggled himself into the luggage of a person being released

(Newser) - A 20-year-old prison inmate in France is on the run after a strange escape: He smuggled himself into a bag of another inmate being released, reports the BBC . The unidentified escapee "took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out,...

France Agrees to a 'State of Caledonia'

All-nighter in Paris ends in agreement Macron calls historic

(Newser) - France announced a sweeping, hard-fought agreement Saturday aimed at granting more autonomy to the restive South Pacific territory of New Caledonia, but the plan stops short of the independence sought by many Indigenous Kanaks. The agreement—hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as "historic''—would need final approval...

It's a Big Move for the Iconic, Fragile Bayeux Tapestry

It will return to Britain on loan after 9 centuries away

(Newser) - "One of the most iconic pieces of art ever produced in the UK," in the words of Britain's culture secretary, will return to the country after nearly a millennium spent abroad. The legendary Bayeux Tapestry—a nearly 230-foot-long embroidered artwork depicting the Norman Conquest of England...

Bee Attack in French Town Injures 24

3 wounded critically; mayor thinks Asian hornets were threatening beehives

(Newser) - An unusual attack by bees in the French town of Aurillac has left 24 people injured, including three in critical condition, according to local authorities. The Prefecture of Cantal, in south-central France, said passersby were stung over a period of about 30 minutes on Sunday morning, reports the AP . Firefighters...

Cannes Makes 'Drastic' Move on Visiting Cruise Ships

Resort town to ban vessels with more than 1K people starting Jan. 1, in effort to fight overtourism

(Newser) - The French Riviera resort of Cannes is imposing what its city council calls "drastic regulation" on cruise ships, banning any vessels carrying more than 1,000 people from its harbor starting next year. The home of the world's premier film festival is joining a growing global backlash against...

Florida Retirees Face Trial Over Gold From 1746 Shipwreck

Couple in their 80s accused of illegally selling gold from shipwreck off the coast of France

(Newser) - A Florida couple in their 80s are now facing trial in France over gold bars looted from the wreck of an 18th-century French ship. The strange saga of Eleonor "Gay" Courter and her husband, Philip , 82, has captured attention on both sides of the Atlantic. And this week,...

New Rule in France to Curb Public Smoking Takes Effect

It's now banned at beaches and parks, though it's fine at outdoor cafes

(Newser) - A new rule that significantly reduces places where smokers can light up in France took effect on Sunday, reports the Guardian . The measure makes it illegal to smoke at beaches or public parks—or pretty much anywhere where children might be present. However, one French tradition is safe: It's...

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