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Macron swears in testy exchange with Mayotte residents

France — Link

The French president, who on Friday ended his brief visit to France's cyclone-hit Indian Ocean territory, met with angry residents complaining over delays in the supply of drinking water and food, when he told them that, without France, 'you’d be in a bath of shit 10,000 times worse'. 

Macron pays tribute to Gisèle Pelicot's 'dignity and courage'

France — Link

French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to Gisèle Pelicot for her bravery during the trial of her husband and 50 other men who, over a peiod of several years, raped her after she was drugged into a comatose state, declaring that her 'dignity and courage moved and inspired France and the world'.

All 51 defendants convicted in Gisèle Pelicot rape trial

France — Link

Dominique Pelicot, 72, was on Thursday sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping and organising the rape of his wife Gisèle over several years at their home in southern France, while the 50 men he invited to rape her after he had drugged her were also all convicted, but supporters of the victim spoke of their disappointment that the sentences were lighter than those demanded by prosecutors.

Macron arrives in cyclone-devastated Mayotte

France — Link

President Emmanuel Macron arrived on Thursday in Mayotte, France's Indian Ocean territory, to inspect the severe structural damage caused at the weekend by Cyclone Chido, powered by winds reaching 225 kilometres per hour which flattening vast areas of habitation. 

Sarkozy loses final appeal against corruption conviction, ordered to wear electronic tag

Justice

Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday lost his ultimate appeal against his conviction in 2021 for “active corruption” and “influence peddling”. France’s highest appeal court also upheld the sentence he was handed of three years in prison, two of them suspended, and a three-year ban on holding public office and voting. Sarkozy, 69, will serve his prison sentence at home wearing and electronic tag. Michel Deléan reports.

Sarkozy corruption conviction upheld on final appeal

France — Link

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his ultimate appeal against his conviction for corruption, centred on an offer to provide a magistrate with a coveted post in Monaco in exchange for confidential legal information concerning him, and his one-year jail sentence will be served at home wearing an electronic tag.

Macron is finished says Le Pen

France — Link

Marine Le Pen, figurehead and presidential candidate of the far-right Rassemblement National party has told French daily Le Parisien that 'Emmanuel Macron is finished, or nearly' and that she is 'preparing for early presidential elections'.

Mediapart quits Musk's X in stand against disinformation

France — Opinion

With Donald Trump’s re-election to the White House, billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X, the former Twitter, has become transformed into a weapon of mass disinformation. Mediapart refuses to serve the cause of the enemies of journalism and the public general interest, explains publishing editor Carine Fouteau.

Relief efforts stepped up in Mayotte after devastating cyclone

France — Link

Interior minister Bruno Retailleau has arrived in Mayotte and told French media: "It will take days and days to establish the human toll".

'Fast food medicine': how remote GP consultations have become a lucrative industry in France

France — Investigation

Since the Covid-19 crisis, the use by patients of companies who provide telephone and online health consultations with doctors has soared in France. Financial groups are now investing in what has become a fast-growing sector. However, these services are becoming increasingly expensive for the state health insurance system, which has to reimburse the cost of them. Caroline Coq-Chodorge and Manuel Magrez report on the growing role of remote healthcare providers in the country.  

Close to 1,000 now feared dead after cyclone hits Mayotte

France — Link

Cyclone Chido has also caused extensive damage in nearby islands Comoros and Madagascar, as well as Mozambique.

At least five killed in shootings around French migrant camp

France — Link

Man, 22, hands himself in after one person shot in Wormhout, near Dunkirk, and four more at Loon-Plage camp.

At least 14 killed as cyclone devastates France's Mayotte

France — Link

Officials warn it will take days to know the full toll after Cyclone Chido swept across the Indian Ocean island on its way to east Africa.

More of the same: Macron signals no change as centrist François Bayrou becomes new prime minister

Politique

Despite the fact that prime minister Michel Barnier’s government was toppled by a vote of no confidence, Emmanuel Macron has no intention of changing course or adopting different political alliances. After much hesitation, he has tasked veteran centrist and key ally François Bayrou with forming a government capable of lasting until the summer. By doing so the head of state is hoping to secure the goodwill of a section of the Left. Mediapart's political correspondent lyes Ramdani reports on the president's thinking behind the choosing of his sixth prime minister.

François Bayrou named as new French prime minister

France — Link

The 73-year-old former justice minister, who ran for president three times before rallying behind Macron in 2017, is the founder of the centrist Democratic Movement political party (MoDem), and mayor of the southwestern town of Pau.