France

What Cinco de Mayo really celebrates

By Fernanda Figueroa, Associated Press

Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. In the United States the date is seen as a celebration of Mexican American culture, stretching back to…

Britain and France accuse Russia of slow-walking Ukraine ceasefire efforts

By Lorne Cook, Illia Novikov, Associated Press

Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for a full and immediate 30-day halt in the fighting.

4 things to know about Marine Le Pen’s embezzlement sentence and the political impact

By Associated Press

French far-right leader Le Pen has been sentenced to a five-year ban on running for public office, a major political earthquake. The ruling, which takes effect immediately, is likely to bar her from running in France’s next presidential election.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen barred from seeking public office for 5 years after embezzlement verdict

By Sylvie Corbet, John Leicester, Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press

Le Pen denounced the verdict in an interview with French TV channel TF1 as a “political” move aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election and said that millions of French people “are outraged.”…

Prosecutor in Gérard Depardieu in sexual assault case calls for 18-month suspended sentence

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

Paris’ public prosecutor has requested that French actor Gérard Depardieu be found guilty and given a 18-month suspended prison sentence on the last day of the four-day trial over accusations by two women of sexual assault on a film set.

Accuser tells a trial that actor Gérard Depardieu groped her on film set

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

A woman accusing French actor Gérard Depardieu of sexual assault has told a landmark trial in Paris that he groped her buttocks and her breasts several times in three separate incidents on a film set.

French actor Gérard Depardieu stands trial in Paris for alleged sexual assaults on film set

By Sylvie Corbet, John Leicester, Associated Press

The case is seen as a potential watershed for the #MeToo movement in France.

Paris planning talks on security force for Ukraine expected to draw more than 30 nations

By John Leicester, Associated Press

Such an international force would aim to dissuade Russia from launching another offensive after any ceasefire in Ukraine comes into effect.

Unexploded World War II bomb disposal in Paris causes hours of travel chaos including Eurostar line closure

By Samuel Petrequin, John Leicester, Associated Press

A French government minister says that train services will gradually resume and roads will reopen after the disposal operation of an unexploded World War II bomb caused transportation chaos in Paris.

France will keep providing military intelligence to Ukraine after U.S. freezes info sharing

By Associated Press

The U.S. said Wednesday it had paused its intelligence sharing with Ukraine, cutting off the flow of vital information that has helped the war-torn nation target Russian invaders.