Ukraine conflict: Is Putin’s nuclear escalation hot air or a genuine threat?



Russian President Vladimir Putin has put his country's nuclear forces on heightened alert, citing "aggressive statements" by NATO leaders on Ukraine. While some analysts caution that Putin would be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his aims, others say the chilling warning does not necessarily indicate his intention to press the nuclear button.



Russia, home to the world’s largest… Doorgaan

Belarus approves hosting nuclear weapons, Russian forces permanently

Belarusians voted Monday to allow the country to host nuclear weapons and Russian forces permanently, results showed, part of a package of constitutional reforms that also extended the rule of leader Alexander Lukashenko.

The referendum was held Sunday as the ex-Soviet country's neighbour Ukraine is under attack from Russian troops and delegations from Moscow and Kyiv are expected to meet for talks on the…

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Candidates shift gears as Ukraine conflict overshadows France’s beleaguered presidential race



With just six weeks to go before France's presidential election, the outbreak of war in Ukraine is shaking up an already bizarre campaign, with candidates forced to roll with the punches and adjust, or even justify, their schedules on the stump.



No presidential campaign in French history has ever seemed so captive to world events and yet so subsidiary as the race ticks forward.… Doorgaan

France seizes cargo vessel targeted by US sanctions on Russia



France on Saturday seized a car cargo ship in the English Channel that Washington says was linked to the son of a former Russian spy chief, in one of the first visible displays of the West enforcing sanctions on Moscow over its Ukraine invasion.



The “Baltic Leader” was headed for St. Petersburg but was diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France between 3 am and 4 am (0200-0300 GMT), Captain… Doorgaan

UEFA moves Champions League final to Paris from St Petersburg



UEFA has moved this year's Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European soccer's governing body said in a statement on Friday.



UEFA also said the home games of Ukrainian and Russian club and national teams competing in UEFA competitions would be played at neutral venues "until further notice".



The governing body thanked French President… Doorgaan

France violated rights of children held in 'inhuman' Syria camps, UN watchdog says



France has violated the rights of French children by leaving them for years in inhuman and life-threatening conditions in Syrian camps for family members of suspected jihadists, a UN watchdog said Thursday.



The UN child rights committee ruled that "France has the responsibility and power to protect the French children in the Syrian camps against an imminent risk to their lives by taking… Doorgaan

Ukraine crisis: A low-cost disinformation campaign aids Putin’s playbook



While Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions of Ukraine as independent this week, pro-Russia online disinformation campaigners unleashed numerous images and videos depicting Ukraine as the aggressor. Their often crude efforts were promptly dismantled by experts and fact-checkers. But for Moscow, quantity overrides quality concerns.



The disinformation examples abound the… Doorgaan

French presidential race: Macron diplomacy in Ukraine crisis keeps challengers at a distance



In normal times, Emmanuel Macron would have hit the campaign trail by now to try for a second term in a presidential election only seven weeks away, plotting strategy, appearing in TV debates and firing up supporters at rallies.



But times are far from normal, and none of this is happening.



Instead, the French president seems chained to his desk, a five o'clock shadow… Doorgaan

France: Live says Putin, Macron agree to work for ceasefire in Ukraine News



French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Macron's office said. The two leaders also agreed on "the need to favour a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and to do everything to achieve one", the Élysée said, adding that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet "in… Doorgaan

Live: France says Putin, Macron agree to work for ceasefire in Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Macron's office said. The two leaders also agreed on "the need to favour a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and to do everything to achieve one", the Élysée said, adding that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet "in the…

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Low blows and a Royal snub: Struggling French left bemoans ‘ugly’ campaign



Paris's Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the Socialist candidate for the French presidency, has lamented an “ugly” campaign for the Elysée Palace dominated by mud-slinging and the revanchist, anti-immigrant rhetoric of the far right. She might just as well have been referring to the tribulations of her equally struggling left-wing rival Christiane Taubira, whose campaign team has accused the Socialists of attempting to… Doorgaan

Let them eat steak: French Communists bounce back with recipe for ‘happy days’

France’s century-old Communist Party is showing signs of a renaissance in the run-up to April presidential elections, propelled by a charismatic candidate who promises happier days for a famously morose – and nostalgic – nation.

The rise of Fabien Roussel began with a juicy steak, a lump of cheese and a splash of red wine – “the essence of French cuisine”, as the Communist Party leader put…

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Live: Russia says pulling back some troops from Ukraine border



Russia said Tuesday it was pulling back some of its forces near the Ukrainian border to their bases, in what would be the first major step towards de-escalation after weeks of tension with the West. European leaders are headed to the region Tuesday for last-minute diplomacy, buoyed by signals from the Kremlin that there was still a way to head off a feared invasion and avoid war. Follow Tuesday's events as they unfold… Doorgaan

Franch Live: Macron begins talks with Putin in Moscow, hoping to 'avoid war'

A number of summit meetings are being held on Monday to try to find a peaceful solution to the crisis over Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron is holding high-stakes talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Washington to meet Joe Biden. Follow the latest developments live.

Europe facing ‘most dangerous moment’ since Cold War: top EU…

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Live: Macron begins talks with Putin in Moscow, hoping to 'avoid war'

A number of summit meetings are being held on Monday to try to find a peaceful solution to the crisis over Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron is holding high-stakes talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Washington to meet Joe Biden. Follow the latest developments live.

Europe facing ‘most dangerous moment’ since Cold War: top EU diplomat

Europe…

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