News / World by Press Association 09/11/2018, 1:48 pm FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter French authorities have seized a Ryanair plane and forced 149 passengers to disembark because of a dispute over subsidies to the Irish airline. The French civil aviation authority said it had impounded the plane on the tarmac of Bordeaux-Merignac airport on Thursday as a “last resort”. Ryanair did not publicly comment on the seizure. In a statement, the aviation authority said France had repeatedly tried to get Ryanair to pay back regional funds handed to the airline in 2008-2009. The European Commission later ruled those funds illegal, saying they gave Ryanair an unfair economic advantage. The aviation authority called it “regrettable that the state was forced” to evacuate the plane. It said the passengers were put on another Ryanair flight five hours later. Sign up to our Daily newsletter More from the … [Read more...] about France impounds Ryanair plane on tarmac before take-off
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Polls: Populist Anti-Mass Migration Parties Leading in France, Hungary, and Italy
Fresh polling show a massive surge in support for anti-mass migration populist parties in France, Italy, and Hungary with the pro-sovereignty parties now leading their rivals going into next year’s European Parliament election. A Hungarian national poll released earlier this week, conducted by Medián, shows Fidesz, the party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, along with their Christian Democratic People’s Party allies, to have increased their already huge lead over their rivals to a total score of 63 per cent, with the second most popular party Jobbik at a mere 11 per cent.In Italy, the popularity of populist Interior Minister Matteo Salvini continues to see the League dominate the polls where the party has consistently outperformed their coalition partners, the Five Star Movement, since July. Salvini has been shown to be the most trusted politician in Italy according to a poll from the Giorno newspaper released in July. The Five … [Read more...] about Polls: Populist Anti-Mass Migration Parties Leading in France, Hungary, and Italy
Anti-Semitic acts surge in France, government promises action
PARIS (Reuters) - Violence against Jews and other acts of anti-Semitism have surged in France in the past nine months, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Friday, promising stepped-up action against perpetrators. Citing new government statistics, Philippe said acts of anti-Semitism had risen 69 percent in the year to September, compared with the same period in 2017, an increase he said should worry everyone in France. In the two previous years there had been a downward trend in the figures. "Not remaining indifferent means taking better care of victims, acknowledging their complaints and more efficiently punishing those who carry out attacks," Philippe said in a post on his Facebook account. Jewish community organizations have reported particular hostility in low-income French suburbs with large Muslim populations. France has both Europe's largest Jewish community of 400,000 people and biggest Muslim population of 5.7 million. In recent years there have been a number of … [Read more...] about Anti-Semitic acts surge in France, government promises action
France’s Prime Minister warns of new ‘Night of Broken Glass’ after anti-Semitic attacks soar 69 PER CENT
FRANCE’S prime minister has warned of a new "Night of Broken Glass" after anti-Semitic attacks across the country soared by 69 per cent this year. Edouard Philippe made the claim on the 80th anniversary of the November 1938 pogroms in Germany when Nazis attacked Jewish businesses and synagogues. He posted on Facebook: "Every aggression perpetrated against one of our fellow citizens because he is Jewish sounds like a new breakage of glass." Although Philippe did not point to particular acts of physical violence, he made it clear that online hate crimes and related offences had risen significantly. Referring specifically to Kristallnacht – the Night of Broken Glass – Mr Philippe said: "Why remember, in 2018, such a painful memory? "Because we are very far from having finished with anti-Semitism. While [anti-Semitism] has been declining for two years, the number of these acts has increased by more than 69% in the first nine months of 2018." Philippe said that in relation … [Read more...] about France’s Prime Minister warns of new ‘Night of Broken Glass’ after anti-Semitic attacks soar 69 PER CENT
Macron provokes anger over tribute to France’s Nazi collaborator Pétain
Homage will paid to Marshal Philippe Pétain and other World War One French army leaders at a service at Les Invalides in Paris on Saturday as part of the commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. Macron himself won't be present but the head of France's armed services will be there. But given that Pétain went on to rule the so-called Vichy France regime which collaborated with the Nazis in World War Two, notably over the deportation of tens of thousands of Jews to death camps, questions have been raised over whether Pétain should be among those honoured. However when asked about he controversial choice Macron defended Pétain - who was later imprisoned for committing treason - as one of the heros of World War One even if he did go on to make "disastrous choices" during World War Two. "Marshall Pétain was a great soldier during World War One," said Macron. "That's a reality of our country". "French politicians and … [Read more...] about Macron provokes anger over tribute to France’s Nazi collaborator Pétain