France

PARIS, Nov 20 (Reuters) - France is sending police special forces to restore order in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe hit by rioting and looting amid protests against COVID-19 protocols, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Saturday.

"The first message is that the state will stand firm," Darmanin told reporters after holding a crisis meeting on the situation in the Caribbean archipelago with Overseas Territory Minister Sebastien Lecornu.

PARIS (AP) — France’s minister of the sea vowed Sunday to “continue the fight” in the country’s dispute with Britain over fishing rights.

Minister Annick Girardin met with fishermen in northern France on Sunday.

“We fight every day for these ships, for these licenses, and we will not give up,” she told reporters, criticizing the British interpretation of post-Brexit rules over fishing rights as “inadmissible.”

PARIS, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A large fire broke out in a building on boulevard des Capucines, near the Place de L'Opera square in central Paris on Saturday, sending clouds of smoke rising into the air.

"Firemen are intervening, avoid the area," the Prefecture de Police said in a statement on Twitter.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

PARIS, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Several outbreaks of severe bird flu in Europe and Asia have been reported in recent days to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in a sign the virus is spreading quickly again.

The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has put the poultry industry on alert after previous outbreaks led to the culling of tens of millions of birds. Outbreaks also often lead to trade restrictions.

PARIS, Nov 14 (Reuters) - There are serious steps being taken in Libya towards compromise over an election planned for December as part of a peace process, the country's Presidency Council head Mohamed al-Menfi told Reuters.

"We must be optimistic and think that the elections will be on time with the agreement of Libyans," he said in an interview.

"Now there are serious steps to make a consensus to hold the election on time on Dec. 24," he added, without giving any details.

PARIS, November 12. /TASS/: Russian agencies are collaborating with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to approve the use of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday.

"No, the issue was not brought up today, but we have it under control," the Russian foreign minister said when asked whether the Sputnik V authorization was touched upon at the talks with the French defense and foreign ministers.

PARIS, Nov 13 (NNN-XINHUA) – Some 28 heads of state and government, gathered in Paris last night, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

In his video message, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, praised the role of UNESCO in promoting dialogue and mutual understanding.

13 Nov 2021; MEMO: Recent remarks by a far-right French politician on the migration crisis at the EU's borders with Belarus sparked concern across the country on Friday.

Speaking to the French BFM TV news channel on the recent events transpiring on the Belarusian-Polish border, Julien Odoul, a member of the far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen, said the main task of European authorities must be to protect Europeans.

PARIS, November 12. /TASS/: The military and political situation in Europe is deteriorating while NATO keeps beefing up its military presence near the Russian borders, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting of the Russia-France Council in the 2x2 format on Friday.

PARIS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - World powers will push for sanctions against anyone who disrupts Libya's electoral process and political transition, they agreed at a conference on Friday in Paris.

The meeting, which included the leaders of France, Libya, Germany, Italy and Egypt, as well as the U.S. vice president, was to cement backing for the planned vote on Dec. 24 and efforts to remove foreign forces.