Keyword: Christmas

The 'fake news' story about a French Muslim youth 'beaten up for celebrating Christmas'

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Quick to react to the story, interior minister Gérald Darmanin; seen here at the Élysée in June 2019. © Ludovic Marin / AFP Quick to react to the story, interior minister Gérald Darmanin; seen here at the Élysée in June 2019. © Ludovic Marin / AFP

A news story stating that a Muslim youth was beaten up on Boxing Day for having celebrated Christmas made the headlines in France. The only problem is that, on closer inspection, there is little evidence that the main claim in the story is true. This did not stop it being reported by many media, or prevent police trade unions and the interior minister Gérald Darmanin from expressing their condemnation of the alleged motives of the attack. David Perrotin and Ilyes Ramdani report on the making of a 'fake news' story.

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French railways U-turn on cancelled unaccompanied children's trains

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French railways operator SNCF has finally reopened Christmas chaperoned train services for unaccompanied minors which had been cancelled because of continuing strike action against proposed pension reforms, which was notably due to affect children from divorced couples living far apart.

Christmas plans threatened as French strike drags on

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Many travellers are reconsidering their holiday travel plans as unions stood united in their opposition to the government's plans to fuse the country's 42 pension schemes into a single, points-based system.

France deploys massive security presence on streets over Christmas

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A total of 97,000 security personnel from the police and armed forces are being deployed across France over the Christmas period in what the interior ministry described as “the context of a still-elevated terrorist threat”.

France steps up security for churches

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Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has announced tightened security over the Christmas period for many of France's 50,000 churches.

France to boost security measures at churches during Christmas

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Interior minister urges local parishes to strengthen protection measures next week; in April a plot to attack a church near Paris was foiled.