Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur

From French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Beijing to CIA Director William Burns' visit to Saudi Arabia, the past weeks have underlined one thing: the US is standing on the sidelines merely observing events in stark contrast to US' previous role: that of global broker and policeman.

Another night of protests and arrests in France over the controversial pension reform pushed by President Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his recent comments on Taiwan, in which he said France should not be drawn into an escalation between the US and China, the BBC reported.

Macron made the comments in an interview over the weekend following his three-day state visit to China. He also said that being an ally of the US does not mean being a "vassal".

Laurence Boone, France's minister of state for European affairs, expresses Paris' satisfaction at the lowering of Greek-Turkish tensions. Speaking to Kathimerini, she praises the Greek response to the earthquakes in Turkey and confirms France's abiding interest in the Mediterranean.

During his visit to the Netherlands yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron renewed his call for greater European sovereignty. In the eagerly awaited speech, Macron said that both the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine have made it clear that Europe needs to reduce its dependencies in order to preserve its identity, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.

Emmanuel Macron has come under fire after he said Europe should not become a "vassal" and should avoid being drawn into a conflict between the US and China over Taiwan, the Guardian reported.

"Europe must reduce its dependence on the United States and avoid being drawn into a confrontation between China and the United States over Taiwan", French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with several media outlets on his way back from a three-day state visit to China.

Protesters started a fire at one of French President Emmanuel Macron's favorite restaurants in Paris on Thursday during clashes with riot police at the upmarket left-bank brasserie.

Staff at La Rotonde in the Montparnasse area of the city were forced to put out flames on the awning of the restaurant where Macron held a victory party during his successful 2017 election bid.

Clashes broke out in Paris next to a Left Bank pub favored by French President Emmanuel Macron, Reuters reported.
The awning of the Caf de la Rotonde was briefly set on fire.

In recent weeks France has been shaken by constant and violent demonstrations. The reason is the increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64. The reform is highly unpopular but is key to Emmanuel Macron's program, and what he was elected upon as president. It was not voted through in parliament, but Macron pushed it through by decree, as the Constitution allows.