TheNewsGuru

Tag: France

  • First photos: Macron arrives Afrika Shrine

    First photos: Macron arrives Afrika Shrine

    The President of France, Mr Emmanuel Macron, has arrived at Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s iconic Afrika Shrine in Ikeja Lagos.

     

    He arrived the entertainment hub in a casual white shirt, with sleeves rolled and was seen at the balcony, acknowledging cheers from a large crowd of Nollywood actors, actresses and entertainers.

     

    Macron after his discussions with Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, headed to Lagos.

     

    He arrived at the Presidential Lounge of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) exactly 9:05 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

     

    Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had arrived at the lounge at exactly 8:10 p.m. to receive the French president.

     

    Also on ground to receive Macron were the top echelons of the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

     

    He left the airport in a long convoy at about 9.30 p.m. for the visit to the Afrika Shrine of the late Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

     

    Celebrities like Rita Dominic, Dakore Akande, Banky W and others were amongst the entertainers spotted at the event.

     

    Check out the videos and pictures below

     

     

     

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BkyWY8qh9Gb/?taken-by=thenewsgurung

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1014264606381019137

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1014275257891545088

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1014257766045712384

     

     

     

  • Buhari holds talks with French leader, Macron today

    Buhari holds talks with French leader, Macron today

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who returned to Abuja last night from AU Summit in Mauritania, is billed to hold bilateral talks with President Emmanuel Macron of France at presidential villa, Abuja, today at 4.00p.m.

    The French leader would discuss issues bordering on security and terrorism with President Buhari.

    Macron had on Monday in Nouakchott during the closing ceremony of the AU Summit met with the Nigerian leader.

    Macron will after his engagement with Buhari visit the Afrika Shrine, a nightclub in Lagos founded by Nigerian music legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    Social commentators believed that Macron would become the first “real president” to enter the club synonymous with marijuana smoke, sexy backup dancers and protest music.

    `And he is not a stranger to Nigeria. He trained as a senior civil servant at the French Embassy in Lagos in 2004, seven years after Fela died.

    Buhari on Monday night returned to Abuja after attending the 31st Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in Nouakchott.

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Bello, Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari and some government functionaries welcomed the President at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

     

  • French president calls for European funding for towns hosting refugees

    French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called for a European programme to fund local authorities that house and integrate refugees.

    In a speech to the European Parliament, Macron lauded European integration as the only way to regain sovereignty faced with global challenges such as migration, climate change, the growing digital economy, and the growth of authoritarian powers.

    “In this world and in this difficult moment, European democracy is, I profoundly believe, our best chance,’’ Macron told European deputies.

    Macron argued that the European Parliament should make progress on migration issues, digital taxation and reform of the euro zone before the end of its current term in 2019.

    He said it should “unblock the poisoned debate” on relocation of refugees from states with high numbers of refugees to those less affected by migration movements.

    “As well as on the EU’s controversial Dublin regulations which say that the state where an asylum seeker first arrived is responsible for dealing with their asylum request.

    “But the parliament should also “go beyond this debate, by building the internal and external solidarity that our Europe needs.

    “I therefore propose to create a European programme that gives direct financial assistance to local authorities who host and integrate refugees,’’ he stressed.

    Macron argued that the parliament should also approve an interim proposal for tax on major digital firms to put an end to the most shocking excesses.

    “And by 2019, a roadmap should be put in place for reform of the euro zone, including a budgetary capacity favouring stability and convergence,’’ he added.

     

  • France builds WhatsApp rival due to surveillance risk

    The French government is building its own encrypted messenger service to ease fears that foreign entities can spy on private conversations between top officials, France digital ministry said on Monday.

    None of the world’s major encrypted messaging apps, including Facebook’s (FB.O) WhatsApp and Telegram, a favorite of President Emmanuel Macron, are based in France, raising the risk of data breaches at servers outside the country.

    The ministry said about 20 officials and top civil servants are testing the new app which a state-employed developer has designed with the aim that its use will become mandatory for the whole government by the summer.

    “We need to find a way to have an encrypted messaging service that is not encrypted by the United States or Russia.

    “You start thinking about the potential breaches that could happen, as we saw with Facebook, so we should take the lead,’’ the digital ministry said.

    The U.S. social network, which bought WhatsApp in 2014, has drawn heavy criticism since it acknowledged that information about many millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

    “The French government’s encrypted app has been developed on the basis of free-to-use code found on the Internet and could be eventually made available to all citizens,’’ the ministry added.

    The ministry however declined to give the names of either the codes or the messaging service.

    Reuters

  • Super Falcons full squad set for France friendly

    Super Falcons full squad set for France friendly

    Nigerian Super Falcons welcomed Holland-based Sophia Omodiji, Cyprus-based Ngozi Ebere as well as the home-based players invited for the team friendly match against France on Friday.

    The players arrived on Wednesday night to complete the squad of 18 players invited by coach Thomas Dennerby for the high-profile friendly.

    The Super Falcons twitter handle also revealed that the team will be having two training sessions before the game tomorrow.

    The Super falcons first training session will come up by 10am France time at the Le Clos Fleuri ground while the second session will take place at MmArena by 6pm on Thursday.

    The team tweet also reads, “With the arrival of Holland-based Sophia Omidiji and Cyprus-based Ngozi Ebere, we now have a full house of 18 players in camp at the Mecure Hotel ahead of Friday’s friendly against France

    Complete Sports

  • Italy protests to France over border incident

    Italy on Saturday protested to France over a incident in which French border police entered a clinic run by a non-governmental organization that cares for migrants trying to cross the Alps, the foreign ministry said.

    The episode angered many politicians, some of whom saw it as a violation of Italian territory.

    The ministry, which had earlier summoned the French ambassador for an explanation, said in a statement that it had conveyed the Rome government’s “firm protest for the behavior of the French customs agents, which was unacceptable …”

    The NGO, Rainbow for Africa, said that on Friday evening the French brought a Nigerian migrant to the railway station of the Italian border town of Bardonecchia.
    The NGO said they entered the clinic, which is in the train station, and conducted a urine test on the man because they suspected him of drug trafficking.

    The foreign ministry said France had been told earlier this month that the station was no longer accessible for its police because it was now being used for humanitarian purposes.

    In their account of the incident, French customs said they had the written consent of the man for the test and the NGO had also given them permission to use the facilities for it. The test was negative.

    French customs said they had followed regulations and were ready to clarify with the Italians any legal and operational procedures to avoid future incidents.

    Massimiliano Fedriga of the right-wing League, which made big gains in recent elections, said the French had made Italy look like the laughing stock of Europe.

    “French police do whatever they want on Italian territory without being disturbed, as if they are at home. What happened in Bardonecchia is grave and shows how our so-called friends in Europe have little or no consideration for us,” he said in a statement.

    Reuters

  • FIFA called to investigate racial chants against Pogba

    Anti-racism campaigners has urged FIFA to investigate alleged racist abuse aimed at French player, Paul Pogba by Russian fans.

    A pitch-side photographer reported the incidence as monkey chants could be heard from the crowd in St. Petersburg during France’s 3-1 win over Russia.

    The abuse was also allegedly audible on a television broadcast after Pogba scored France’s second goal.

    Piara Powar, head of the anti-discrimination group Fare Network, said: “There should be enough there for FIFA to initiate proceedings.

    “If photographers heard it pitch-side, then there must have been stewards and other officials who also heard it.

    “If, toward the end of March, these guys don’t know what to do, and they’re not initiating procedures and protocols that exist, then that doesn’t bode very well for the World Cup.

    “So close to the World Cup, questions are being asked as to why it wasn’t dealt with as it occurred during play.”

    French sports minister Laura Flessel has also called for action. In a post on Twitter, she wrote: “Racism has no place on the soccer field. We should act together at a European and international level in order to stop this intolerable behaviour.”

    Laura Flessel

    ✔@FlesselLaura

    « Le racisme n’a pas sa place sur les terrains de football. Nous devons agir de concert au niveau européen et international afin de faire cesser ces comportements inadmissibles » #FRARUS #exaequo.
    Crédits FFF/ Bastien Lheritier.
    · Paris, France

  • IWD: France will ‘name, shame’ firms who pay women less – Macron

    France will “name and shame” employers who pay women less than men, President Emmanuel Macron said in comments marking International Women’s Day on Thursday.

    “We are going to put in place a system that will allow us to name the businesses where the law is least respected and where checks show the greatest salary gaps,” Macron said.

    The French government says that women are on average paid 9 per cent less than men of the same age in the same position.

    Macron said, calling out businesses with the biggest pay gaps “will make a difference, because nobody wants to be wearing the dunce’s cap.” .

    The French government is to make computer software available to companies to enable them to track the gap in pay between the sexes.

    The number of labour inspectors dealing with equal pay issues will also be beefed up from just over 1,000 to more than 7,000, minister for male-female equality Marlene Schiappa told RTL radio.

    Schiappa said said the government would shift the focus of equality measures from procedures to results.

    Plans published by the government would also oblige companies with significant pay gaps to dedicate a “significant share” of any planned pay rises to increasing women’s pay.

  • PSG forward, Neymar to have surgery on injured foot

    Paris St-Germain forward Neymar will have surgery after suffering a fractured metatarsal and sprained ankle in Sunday’s Ligue 1 win over Marseille.

    It means the 26-year-old Brazilian will miss Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Real Madrid.

    PSG coach Unai Emery initially said Neymar had a “small chance” of facing Real, before Neymar’s father said he would be out for “six to eight weeks”.

    The club said Neymar will be operated on in Brazil at the end of the week.

    PSG added that after “three days of planned care” it was a joint decision by the club’s medical staff and the Brazilian national team to opt for surgery.

    The striker joined PSG for a world record £200m fee from Barcelona last August and has scored 29 goals in 30 games.

    PSG are 14 points clear of second-placed Monaco in the league and on 6 March will host Champions League holders Real Madrid, trailing 3-1 from the first leg.

  • Pichai announces Google’s AI research centre for France after meeting Macron

    Following a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Google’s chief executive Sundar Pichai on Monday, the tech giant has announced it will open a research centre in Paris devoted to artificial intelligence.

    “The different achievements in this country, including in science, art and the academic field, make it an ideal place for the creation of a centre of theoretical research in artificial intelligence,” Pichai said in a statement.

    The announcement came as Macron welcomed 140 multinational business leaders to Versailles in Paris on Monday night, ahead of the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday.

    Google said it will extend its headquarters in the capital to accommodate the centre — the third to open worldwide, after California and Switzerland.

    The number of staff in Paris is set to increase from 700 to 1,000.

    Facebook earlier announced its intention to double the number of researchers at its own AI centre, opened in Paris in 2015, from 30 to 60.

    The social media giant will also invest EUR 10 million by 2022 to “accelerate artificial intelligence” in France.

    The announcements “signal the competitiveness of France” in the growing sector, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

    Both companies intend to open programmes in France to help train tens of thousands of people in digital skills.