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Paris introduces curtain ban on e-scooter rental

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The last of the around 15,000 electric scooters available for rent by phone app on a 'take-it-here-leave-it-there' basis and which have since 2018 flooded - some say encumbered - Parisian streets, were rounded up on Thursday ahead of a ban on the controversial machines that begins on Friday.

Opposition parties sceptical over Macron's referenda 'innovation'

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Cross-party talks on a proposition by French President Emmanuel Macron to introduce a series of referenda on major issues, in an attempt to unblock his party's predicament in parliament where it is without an absolute majority, ended in the early hours of Thursday after 12 hours of discussions and with opposition party leaders voicing their scepticism over the project.

France defies Niger coup leaders' order to withdraw ambassador

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In an increasingly tense standoff, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France will not comply with the demand made last Friday by Niger's junta that its ambassador leave the West African country within 48 hours.

French education minister bans Muslim abayas at state schools

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Newly appointed education minister Gabriel Attal said that the wearing of long, flowing dresses favoured by some Muslim women would no longer be allowed when the new term begins next week because they violated the French principle of secularism, or laïcité.

France to spend €200m destroying wine as demand falls

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Problems for the industry include falling demand as more people drink craft beer; most of the €200m will be used to buy excess stock, with the alcohol sold for use in items such as hand sanitiser, cleaning products and perfume.

Marine Le Pen 'likely' to win next French election warns minister

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In a direct challenge to the president, interior minister Gérald Darmanin warns country must get tough on crime or risk opening door to the hard-Right.

Two fatal shootings in three days in French city of Nîmes

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Both shootings - in which the victims were aged 10 and 18 - took place in the Pissevin area of the historic city which has become plagued by drug violence.

Macron stirs debate with talk of shorter school holidays

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The French president believes there are too many but unions say the real issues are a heavy curriculum and term dates.

French grape pickers advised to start work early to beat the heat

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Soaraway temperatures are affecting large parts of France and were expected to peak at 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in the wine-growing Rhone valley.

Boy, 10, shot dead in France amid suspected drugs violence

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Police are working on the assumption of mistaken identity, after the boy was shot while travelling in a car with his uncle through the deprived Pissevin area of Nîmes.