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France Seizes Suspected Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker in Mediterranean

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The French navy, with support from allied forces including the United Kingdom, has seized an oil tanker in the western Mediterranean Sea suspected of being part of Russia’s sanction-busting “shadow fleet”, officials announced on Thursday. The vessel, named Grinch, was intercepted between Spain and Morocco while sailing from Russia’s northern port of Murmansk under what authorities say was a false or irregular flag.

President Emmanuel Macron said the operation was carried out in accordance with international law and aimed at enforcing sanctions intended to curb revenue that helps finance Russia’s war against Ukraine. The tanker was boarded and diverted for further inspection after French maritime authorities confirmed doubts over its documentation. France’s maritime prosecutor in Marseille has launched a judicial investigation into the incident.

The UK provided key tracking and monitoring support through its naval assets as part of a broader effort to disrupt “shadow fleet” operations, which involve ageing tankers used to evade Western sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action and urged further measures to ensure sanctioned oil no longer funds Russia’s military operations. This marks another high-profile enforcement against vessels linked to sanctions evasion following similar actions by Western countries.

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EU Lawmakers Consider Legal Challenge to Mercosur Deal

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EU lawmakers are set to vote on Wednesday whether to refer the European Union’s free trade agreement with Mercosur—comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—to the EU Court of Justice. A legal challenge by 144 lawmakers could delay the deal by up to two years and potentially block its implementation. The agreement, the EU’s largest-ever trade pact, still requires approval from member states before taking effect.

Opponents, led by France, argue the deal will increase imports of cheap beef, sugar, and poultry, threatening domestic farmers. The legal challenge seeks a court ruling on whether the pact can be provisionally applied before full ratification and whether it limits the EU’s ability to enforce environmental and consumer health standards. Court opinions typically take around two years to be delivered.

Supporters, including Germany and Spain, stress the pact’s importance in offsetting trade disruptions caused by U.S. tariffs and reducing dependency on China by securing access to critical minerals. They also note that Mercosur governments are growing impatient after decades of negotiations, making timely EU approval crucial.

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France PM Pushes 2026 Budget Through Without Vote

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French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that he will use Article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass the 2026 budget without a parliamentary vote, after securing enough support to survive an expected no-confidence motion. Lecornu expressed regret for going back on his previous promise to avoid this procedure but said it was necessary to finalize the centrist government’s deficit-cutting budget. The lower house is expected to approve the income side of the legislation before it moves to the Senate.

To gain Socialist backing while keeping conservatives from opposing, the government has increased support for low-income households, extended affordable university meals, and promised more affordable housing. Measures to fund these initiatives include extending a corporate surtax on large companies, projected to raise €8 billion. Socialist leader Boris Vallaud indicated that these concessions might prevent the need for a no-confidence vote.

France has faced political instability over the budget, losing two governments and risking a snap election. While neither major party is fully satisfied with the proposals, they are reluctant to trigger early elections ahead of the presidential vote. Hard-left France Unbowed has promised to file a no-confidence motion, though analysts say the final budget, with higher taxes and increased spending, may weigh on investment and economic growth in 2026.

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Germany Returns Nazi-Stolen Bayeux Tapestry Fragments to France

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Germany has returned two small fragments of the Bayeux Tapestry to France, more than eight decades after they were taken during the Nazi occupation in 1941. The pieces of unembroidered linen were discovered in the state archives of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, where historians were reviewing the collection of German textile expert Karl Schlabow, who is believed to have removed them while researching the tapestry under a Nazi-led project.

Archivists identified the fragments during a 2023 inventory, finding them preserved on a glass plate along with documents that helped trace their origin to the Bayeux Tapestry. Rainer Hering, head of the archive, said it was “obvious” the fragments had to be returned, and formally handed them over to the mayor of Bayeux on Thursday. The fragments are thought to have been taken from the underside of the famous embroidery, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

The return comes amid renewed attention on the 11th-century tapestry, which is scheduled to be displayed at the British Museum in September under a loan agreement between France and the UK. The move has sparked controversy, with critics warning the fragile artefact should not travel. Despite concerns raised by artists and historians, the British Museum has pledged to safeguard the tapestry, which is insured for £800 million and has been listed on Unesco’s “Memory of the World” register since 2007.

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Marine Le Pen’s Appeal on EU Funds Misuse Begins in Paris

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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has begun a critical appeal in Paris that could determine her eligibility to run in the 2027 presidential election. She was banned from holding public office in March after being convicted, along with eight former National Rally (RN) lawmakers, of misappropriating over €4 million in European Union funds. The case stems from payments made to staff working for the party instead of the European Parliament between 2004 and 2016.

Le Pen maintains that her actions were legitimate and hopes to convince the new panel of judges of her innocence. She also appealed her initial sentence of four years’ imprisonment, with two years suspended and two under home detention, and a €100,000 fine. The appeal hearing, which also involves the RN and ten other co-defendants, is scheduled to conclude on February 12, with a ruling expected before summer.

If the five-year ban is upheld, Le Pen would be barred from contesting the 2027 election. In such a scenario, her protégé, 30-year-old RN party president Jordan Bardella, is expected to lead the party’s presidential bid. The European Parliament is seeking more than €3 million in damages, while the RN must also pay a €2 million fine, half of which has been suspended.

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French Farmers Step Up Protests Against Mercosur Trade Deal by Targeting Imports

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French farmers intensified their protests on Monday by stopping trucks and checking imported food at key transport hubs, including the country’s largest container port at Le Havre and on a major motorway north of Paris. The actions were aimed at opposing the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal, which farmers say would expose them to unfair competition from cheaper agricultural products imported from South America and beyond.

The pressure has grown since most European Union member states approved the deal last week, despite France voting against it. Farmers’ unions argue that imported goods often do not meet the same environmental, health and labour standards required of European producers, making it difficult for them to compete on price. Protesters at Le Havre said they had already spotted products such as mushrooms and sheep offal from China entering the supply chain.

Protests also spread to other parts of the country, with farmers blocking fuel depots, ports and transport routes in regions including La Rochelle, Bayonne and the French Alps. Unions plan to bring tractors into Paris for a major demonstration, followed by another rally in Strasbourg later this month, as they seek to persuade the European Parliament to reject the Mercosur agreement.

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France Unveils Voluntary Military Service to Boost National Readiness

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France has launched a nationwide recruitment drive for a new 10-month voluntary military service aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to respond to growing security and civil-defence challenges. The programme, announced by President Emmanuel Macron last year, will begin in September and is open to French citizens aged 18 to 25 who want to contribute to national resilience in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Under the scheme, 3,000 young people will join the army, navy or air force from September, with numbers rising to 4,000 in 2027 and up to 10,000 a year by 2030. Participants will earn about 800 euros a month and carry out a wide range of tasks, including disaster relief, counter-terrorism surveillance and technical roles such as drone operation, mechanical work, medical support and logistics.

The initiative is part of a wider European shift as countries reassess their defence needs amid concerns about Russia and uncertainty over long-term U.S. security commitments. French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said the programme supports a move toward a more flexible “hybrid” military model, with recruits free to return to civilian life, join the reserves or pursue full-time service after completing their term.

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French Farmers Block Paris Over Mercosur Trade Deal

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French farmers staged a pre-dawn blockade of roads and landmarks in Paris to protest the European Union’s proposed trade agreement with South American Mercosur nations. Members of the Coordination Rurale union, joined later by FNSEA and young farmers’ groups, drove tractors along the Champs Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, causing traffic jams stretching up to 150 km, while police maintained a calm presence.

Protesters voiced concerns that the Mercosur deal would flood Europe with cheap food imports, undermining domestic agriculture, and criticized the government’s handling of the lumpy skin disease outbreak, advocating vaccination instead of culling. Senior union member Stephane Pelletier described farmers as feeling abandoned and betrayed by the trade accord.

The demonstration adds pressure on President Emmanuel Macron ahead of an EU member vote expected Friday. While Paris secured some concessions, the deal remains politically sensitive, with municipal elections approaching and strong opposition from the far right. France has vowed to continue opposing the agreement in the European Parliament if it is approved.

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Western Europe Faces Fresh Snow and Ice as Storm Goretti Disrupts Travel

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Western Europe prepared for another bout of severe winter weather on Wednesday as storm Goretti, the first named storm of the year, swept in from the Atlantic. Heavy snow fell across parts of France, including the Paris region, while cold weather and ice warnings covered large areas of France and Britain. Authorities warned that conditions were likely to worsen in the coming days, particularly in southern Britain.

The storm triggered widespread transport disruptions, with flight cancellations, train delays and blocked roads reported across several countries. Dutch airline KLM cancelled around 600 flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, marking a sixth consecutive day of disruption, citing heavy snowfall and shortages of aircraft de-icing fluid. In France, bus services in Paris were suspended, and aviation authorities ordered airlines to significantly cut flights at the main Paris airports.

Governments urged caution as conditions affected daily life and supply chains. French officials banned trucks and school buses from roads in many northern regions, while Dutch authorities advised people to work from home if possible. Retailers warned of potential supply disruptions, especially for fresh produce, as snowfall heavier than usual for the region continued to strain transport networks.

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Brigitte Bardot to Be Laid to Rest in Saint-Tropez by the Sea

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French cinema legend Brigitte Bardot, who died last month at the age of 91, will be buried on Wednesday in the Riviera resort town of Saint-Tropez. Her funeral service will take place at Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church, followed by a private burial in a local cemetery overlooking the sea, in the town where she spent much of her later life away from the public eye.

A public tribute open to residents and fans will be held at the Pré des Pêcheurs in La Ponche, the historic quarter of Saint-Tropez. Bardot rose to international fame in the 1950s with And God Created Woman, becoming a defining symbol of liberated femininity and a global pop culture icon. She was also the first celebrity to model for a bust of Marianne, emblem of the French Republic.

After retiring from films in 1973, Bardot withdrew from public life to focus on animal welfare, becoming one of France’s most prominent animal rights activists. In later years, her outspoken support for the far-right National Front and controversial remarks on social issues led to multiple convictions for inciting racial hatred. Several political figures, including Marine Le Pen and Equality Minister Aurore Bergé, are expected to attend the funeral.

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