France

While Britain toils over its messy divorce with the European Union, France's president Emmanuel Macron is embarking on a drive to deepen the economic integration of a bloc he says needs to be more protective of its citizens, reported Reuters.

Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, will represent the country and carry out charity work but not have the official status of First Lady, following opposition to giving her this title, the presidency announced on Monday (Aug 21), Channel News Asia reported. 

The government is gearing up for a return to work next week with preparations for two key events at the top of the agenda: a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled for September 7 and 8 and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) a few days after that. According to sources, Tsipras's first meetings are due on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Six French soldiers have been injured when they were run over by a car outside their barracks in Paris this morning.

The vehicle, a BMW, rammed the group as they were leaving their barracks in Levallois-Perret, a northwestern suburb of the French capital, Paris police have said.

French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to backpedal on the issue of creating an official First Lady position for his wife amid attacks from left-wing opponents and a petition against the move, officials and reports said.

Less than three months after he was elected, the French president’s popularity has fallen after announcing budget cuts launching a divisive labor reform and engaging in a damaging dispute with the military.

Breitbart News reports that a series of opinion polls were conducted last week showing the popularity of Macron plummeting.

The Elysee Palace has abandoned the idea of ​​introducing a special status to the First Lady and allocating funds for its maintenance, BFMTV reported on Thursday.

The most deprived department in France is expected to be a big winner now Paris is in line to host the 2024 Olympics with thousands of homes and a new swimming center to be built in Seine-Saint-Denis for the games.

The Greek ministries of Education, Research and Health and France's Institut Pasteur in Paris have signed an agreement aiming to further strengthen ties as well as scientific and technological exchanges.

French President Emmanuel Macron has made his first major intervention in the corporate world by nationalising a shipyard to stop it falling into Italian hands.

In a move that shows the limits of the new government’s economic liberalism, the finance ministry on Thursday said the state was exercising its pre-emption right to buy out all the shareholders in STX France.