France

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'National Treasures' Stolen in French Museum Heist

Thieves made off with porcelain artifacts worth $11M

(Newser) - In the early hours of Thursday, thieves broke into the Adrien Dubouché National Museum in Limoges, France, making off with three porcelain artifacts valued at roughly $11 million. The stolen pieces—two Chinese porcelain dishes from the 14th and 15th centuries and an 18th-century Chinese vase—are all classified...

Depardieu to Face Rape Claim in New Trial

Actor Charlotte Arnould accuses him of raping her twice at his Paris home in 2018

(Newser) - Gerard Depardieu, the French actor convicted in May of sexually assaulting two actors on a film set in 2021, has apparently not seen his final day in court. Fellow French actor Charlotte Arnould, 29, said Tuesday on Instagram that Depardieu, 76, will soon face trial for allegedly raping her in...

Tesla's European Sales Slump Is No Blip

Company sees 8th straight month of year-over-year declining registrations in some markets

(Newser) - Tesla's troubles in Europe stretched into an eighth straight month in August, as the electric vehicle maker faced a combination of rising competition, political controversy, and weakening brand loyalty. Fresh registration data from France, Denmark, and Sweden shows Tesla's revamped Model Y failed to reverse the sales...

After 128 Years, France Returns King Toera's Skull
France Returns
the Skull of a King
Aug 27, 2025 2:24 PM CDT

France Returns the Skull of a King

New law speeds return of colonial-era remains to Madagascar

(Newser) - France has formally returned the skull of King Toera, a ruler beheaded by French troops in 1897, to Madagascar. The handover took place at a Tuesday ceremony in Paris, where the skulls of two other court members were also returned. The remains had spent over a century stored at...

Woman Fined After Complaints About Noisy Cat on Train

French rail operator cites 'acute tensions' with other passengers

(Newser) - A French woman was fined the equivalent of almost $130 after her cat's persistent meowing on a high-speed train sparked complaints from fellow passengers. Camille, who was traveling from Brittany to Paris with her cat Monet and her boyfriend Pierre, says Monet "meowed a bit" at the start...

France Summons Jared Kushner's Dad Over 'Unacceptable' Remarks

Charles Kushner, US ambassador to France, said country isn't doing enough about antisemitism

(Newser) - France has summoned the American ambassador to Paris after the diplomat, Charles Kushner, wrote a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging the country did not do enough to combat antisemitism, the AP reports. France's foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday announcing it had summoned Kushner to appear Monday...

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,...

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