Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur

France stuck to its hard line against European Union membership talks for North Macedonia and Albania on Tuesday, setting up a showdown between French President Emmanuel Macron and fellow EU leaders later this week in Brussels.

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Saudi Arabia on Oct. 14, meeting with the oil-rich nation's king and crown prince as he seeks to cement Moscow's political and energy ties across the Mideast.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has accused France of leading efforts to disintegrate Syria as it tried to do so in Iraq in response to French President Emmanuel Macron's insistent calls on the Turkish government to immediately cease its cross-border operation into Syrian territories.

Alcohol consumption has dropped by 43% since 2003, according to a World Health Organization report.

WHO has called for a reduction in a number of measures taken by sports-loving Vladimir Putin and his restrictions on alcohol sales and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

In over 40 years in public life, Jacques Chirac managed to be elected to so many high posts, to change his position on so many major issues, to leave such a complicated legacy, that what we choose to say about him probably says more about us than him.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris went off. The lights of the symbol of France were switched off on Thursday evening, in memory of Jacques Chirac. The President (1995-2007) passed away at the age of 86. Monday was declared a day of national mourning in France.

The Élysée Palace will be open until Sunday so that the people can express their condolences.

Jacques Chirac, a two-term French president who was the first leader to acknowledge France's role in the Holocaust and who defiantly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, died on Sept. 26 at 86.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said the former President of France, Jacques Chirac, who died on Thursday aged 86, was a "friend" who constantly supported our country's integration with the NATO and EU structures. "The passing away of the former President of France is a big loss for his country, for Jacques Chirac had a long and brilliant political career in serving France.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos praised late French President Jacques Chirac as "an emblematic personality" who succeeded in "boosting France's status on a European and international level."
In a statement expressing condolences after Chirac's death, Pavlopoulos praised Chirac's contribution to the project of European unification.

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis has said he is "deeply saddened" by the death of former French chief of state Jacques Chirac, whom he calls a genuine statesman and a true friend of Romania. "[I am] deeply saddened by the death of former French President Jacques Chirac, a great leader and a genuine statesman, and a true friend of our country.