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France to bring laws to control misuse of e-scooters

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The European country of France, where the popularity of e-scooters and the number of young e-scooter users have seen tremendous increases in the recent years, has decided to bring laws to control the misuse of e-scooters.

The law has come as the country has seen several severe e-scooter accidents in the recent past.

Last week, a young man died and a woman serious injured when the e-scooter in which they had been travelling struck a car.

Likewise, several similar incidents have been reported in the recent past.

The proposed regulation will bring cap to the speed of e-scooters from the present speed of 50 km/h to the regulated speed of 20 km/h.

Hereafter, these scooters will not be allowed to travel through the pavements designed for pedestrians.

Moreover, the proposed regulation is likely to disallow the travelling of more than one person in a e-scooter at a time.

E-scooter has many fans in France. Its popularity is partly due to its environment friendly character.


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The ‘oldest woman’ was not fake: says France

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France claims that the oldest person on record was not fake. The officials of France have refused to change the death certificate of Jeanne Calment, the oldest woman on record, despite claims of fraud by Russian researchers.

The death of Jeanne Calment was in 1997, aged 122 years and 165 days. But, the Russian researchers, on account of their studies claims that she died in 1930s.

She had acquired the place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest person.

Reports said that Jeanne also had claimed that she had met the artist Vincent van Gogh (who was born in 1853).

The team of Russian researchers insists that Jeanne’s daughter had taken her identity in order to avoid paying inheritance tax.

But, the French officials discredited the claims of Russian researchers saying that Jeanne’s age is “well-documented”.

Image courtesy: 20minutes .fr, nationalpost .com / images are subject to copyright

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French ‘Spiderman’ urged for peace by scaling a Hong Kong skyscraper with banner

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A French climber Alain Robert, who is known as ‘Spiderman’ has scaled a Hong Kong skyscraper and put up a banner urging peace in the city amid protests.

The 57 year old Robert is known for climbing tall buildings worldwide

The climber, on Friday, had unrolled a banner showing a handshake and the flags of Hong Kong and China.

Hong Kong has been facing with anti-government protests, since a few months that have sometimes led to violent clashes with police.

Robert said that his stunt was an “urgent appeal for peace”. In a statement given to the medias, he said, “Perhaps what I do can lower the temperature and maybe raise a smile. That’s my hope anyway”.

Last August, Robert was banned from climbing buildings in the former British colony for a year. His ban ended two weeks ago.

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French submarine found in Mediterranean after 50 years

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A French submarine named La Minerve, that has been missing since 1968 has been located by a search team. The vessel vanished with 52 sailors on board, near the port of Toulon, on the French south coast, in January 1968.

The submarine was on a particular military mission at the time of its disappearing.

The vessel was located on the seabed in the Mediterranean off the port of Toulon. French Defence Minister Florence Parly tweeted, “It’s a success, a relief and a technical feat. I am thinking of the families who have waited for so long for this moment”.

The crew of La Minerve in 1965. Photograph: STF/AFP/Getty Images

The vessel was discovered at a depth of nearly 1½ miles. There had been several moves before for finding this submarine, but all were unsuccessful.

The submarine was discovered by a boat belonging to the private US company Ocean Infinity, a senior French naval officer told Agence France-Presse.

The submarine has sunk within four minutes, and the cause of this accident has never been established. The families of the missing crew hope that the wreckage will give answers to all these questions.

Image courtesy: france24 .com / images are subject to copyright

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Accidents Health News

The man at the centre of France’s right-to-die case dies

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The life of Vincent Lambert (42), the severely brain-damaged French patient who became the centre of France’s right-to-die case, came to an end on Thursday.

His death occurred after the doctors removed his life supporting aids, says his family. Lambert had came up with a road accident in 2008 and had been suffering from severe brain damage after that accident. At the time of accident, he was just of age 32 and had recently become a father.

He was the subject of a long term legal war between his parents, who wanted to keep him alive, and his wife Rachel, who believes he should have the right to die with dignity.

“He is minimally conscious but he is not a vegetable”, said his mother. “Keeping him artificially alive and totally dependent? For him, that would be unacceptable”, said his wife.

The painless killing or so called Euthanasia is not legal in France. But the law allows the doctors to put the severely and terminally ill patients into deep sedation.

The issue of Lambert, apart from his own family, has been taken up by the whole country, with different opinions and street demonstrations.

His death was reportedly marked at 08:24 (06:24 GMT) on Thursday, nine days after his life aids were removed.

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French plan to tax tech giants: US issues inquiry

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Donald Tump has raised an order for investigation on the planned taxation of tech giants, which would seriously affect the American tech companies. This could be a move that results in retaliatory tariffs.

Robert Lighthizer, the US representative said, “The United States is very concerned that the digital services tax… unfairly targets American companies”.

The unfair trade practices could pave the way for Washington to impose punitive tariffs. Trump had repeatedly done this since taking office.

The parliament of France would be approving the tax implementations on Thursday.

Reports said that the tech giants like Google and Facebook will be charged with a 3% levy on revenue made inside France.

An estimated amount of around half-a-billion euro a year would be brought in with the new tax rule.

The new tax rule insists that any digital company with a revenue of more than €750m – of which at least €25m is generated in France – would be subject to the tax.

Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the panel have welcomed the latest inquiry.

In a joined statement, they said, “The digital services tax that France and other European countries are pursuing is clearly protectionist and unfairly targets American companies in a way that will cost US jobs and harm American workers”.

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France Bans Breast Implants Linked to Rare Cancer

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France becomes the first country to ban a type of breast implant that has been linked to a rare form of cancer. The implants produced by six manufacturers are being banned. The ban includes different models of the implants (macro-textured and polyurethane implants), with a textured surface.

It is reported that these implants are linked to a rare cancer which affects the immune system. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration in US have conducted public hearings on breast implants. The meeting said that a decision will be announced “in the coming weeks”.

In a statement, the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) said that the ban was a “precautionary measure” taken in light of the “rare but serious danger” posed by the implants.

As France had taken decisions to ban theses implants, several other nations like Canada and the Netherlands are reportedly announcing similar plans that halts the production and usage of these textured breast implants.

Image courtesy: independent. co. uk / images are subject to copyright

europe times european daily trending world news PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi questioned by the French judges
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PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi questioned by the French judges

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Nasser Al-Khelaifi , the PSG president has been questioned in France by
by investigating magistrates regarding a corruption probe over the awarding to Doha of the World Athletics championships, as per reports.

Al-Khelaifi was questioned on Wednesday. The investigating magistrates termed him a “person of interest” since the case examined also looks at the circumstances in which the Olympic Games were awarded to Rio de Janeiro for 2016 and Tokyo for 2020.

The AFP had requested for comment, but Francis Szpiner, Al-Khelaifi’s lawyer did not respond for this. A company named Oryx Qatar Sports Investment, is jointly owned by Al-Khelaifi and his brother Khalid.
The magistrates were looking specifically at two payments of $3.5 million in 2011 given to a sports marketing firm run by Papa Massata Diack by this company.

Al-Khelaifi is also the head of the TV network BeIN sports in Switzerland. He is in the crosshairs of an investigation into “private corruption “, concerning the attribution of the broadcasting rights to two football World Cups.

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Oil slick threatens Brittany coast after cargo ship sinks

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After an Italian cargo ship, carrying 45 containers of “dangerous materials” sank in the Atlantic, an oil slick was heading towards the French coastline on Thursday. The Italian-registered ship had also carried 2,200 tons of fuel.

The oil slick was 10 kilometres (six miles) long and one km wide in size. This could hit the southwest region near the port city of Bordeaux this weekend.

Francois de Rugy, the environment minister said on Wednesday : “According to our forecasts, fragments could reach some areas of the coast in Nouvelle-Aquitaine by Sunday or Monday owing to bad weather, which also risks making the anti-pollution operation more difficult”.

Four ships will be send by France to help battle the oil slick at sea. Francois said that a clean-up operation on land will also be arranged.

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europe times news world daily trending Dutch government's purchase of a stake in Air France-KLM - France on great shock
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Dutch government’s purchase of a stake in Air France-KLM – France on great shock

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France got shocked as the Dutch government suddenly purchased a stake in Air France-KLM. This was in attempt to counter French influence. France has reacted frostily to this.

Shares in the airline company was down by 11% as the Netherlands government announced that it was acting to protect “Dutch interests”.

France owns a share of 14.3% and to match with this, the Dutch bought a stake of 14%. Bruno Le Maire, the French Finance Minister insisted that the company should be “managed without national public interference”.

Dutch finance minister, Wopke Hoekstra said “Buying this stake ensures we have a seat at the table,”. This indicated a desire to have more influence over Dutch economic interests and jobs, and the status of Schipol airport, in Amsterdam.

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