A French consumer association has filed a lawsuit against US smartphone maker Apple and Japanese printer manufacturer Epson for allegedly deliberately designing their products to fail after a shorter period than would otherwise occur in order to spur new sales.
Thomas Barnouin, 36, linked to a French jihadist cell that included Toulouse terrorist Mohamed Merah, is reported to have been captured about ten days ago in Hassakeh, north-eastern Syria, with two other French members of the Islamic State group.
The number of unemployed in France fell by 0.8 percent in November to total 3.45 million according to official data released Wednesday, while President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo that he expects 'major results within 18-24 months'.
Jérôme Brochot, who runs a restaurant in the fading former mining Burgundy town of Montceau-les-Mines, has renounced his coveted Michelin star because what he calls the economic 'disaster' of the local region means he no longer has the turnover to pay for the personnel, produce and precision demanded of the award.
The French government is planning to introduce compulsory monthly justifications from those receiving unemployment benefits that they have actively sought to find a job without which their benefits will be suspended, reported investigative and satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné citing an internal labour ministry document.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in July he wanted emergency shelters 'everywhere' for homeless migrants by the year's end, but while failing that target, with thousands continuing to sleep rough in cities and woodlands, the government is now focussing on tougher measures to expel migrants and also to prevent them entering the country from Africa.
