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Ukraine war: Europe split clouds Macron talks with Scholz in Berlin

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French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are meeting in Berlin amid tensions over Europe’s response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Macron emphasized that Europe’s security, including France’s, is on the line in Ukraine, warning that a Russian victory would be detrimental to Europe. However, Scholz has been more cautious, rejecting the deployment of Germany’s Taurus cruise missiles.

Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of arms, exacerbated by the delay in a $60 billion US military aid package due to Republican opposition in Congress. Despite being the largest European contributor of military aid to Ukraine, Germany faces pressure to do more. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, also attending the meeting, urged their three countries to rally European support for Ukraine, emphasizing the need for tangible assistance over mere rhetoric.

Differences between Paris and Berlin have widened, with Scholz insisting that deploying long-range missiles would require German troops in Ukraine, a stance Macron disagreed with. Macron, while acknowledging the possibility, stressed France’s commitment to peace and warned of Russia’s expansionist ambitions beyond Ukraine.

Ahead of the meeting, Scholz assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of their commitment to organizing support for Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for armored vehicles, artillery, and air defense.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted Ukraine’s dire need for ammunition, attributing recent Russian advances to this shortage. He urged NATO allies to provide necessary support. A Czech-led initiative to procure weapons from outside Europe has secured funding for 300,000 shells, with deliveries expected by June.

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Alain Delon: Police seize 72 guns from French film star’s home

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French authorities discovered 72 firearms and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition at the residence of iconic actor Alain Delon, located in Douchy-Montcorbon, approximately 135km south of Paris. The actor, renowned for his tough-guy roles in classics like “The Samurai” and “Borsalino,” did not possess the necessary permit to legally own these weapons.

The search was initiated after a court-appointed official observed a firearm at Delon’s home and reported it to a judge. Delon, aged 88, has been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2019 and is facing family disputes that have garnered public attention. His children have publicly aired grievances, leading to legal battles and accusations.

Concerns arose when his children accused his former live-in assistant of “moral harassment,” a claim that was disputed by the assistant’s lawyer. Delon’s most recent notable appearances include receiving an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 and attending the funeral of his friend and fellow actor Jean-Paul Belmondo in Paris later that year.

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French Resistance man breaks silence over German prisoners executed in 1944

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Excavation work is about to commence in central France to search for the bodies of around 40 German soldiers who were executed by the French Resistance in June 1944. The revelation came from Edmond Réveil, a 98-year-old former member of the local branch of the Resistance group known as Francs-tireurs et partisans (FTP). Réveil, the sole surviving member from his unit, personally witnessed the mass execution at a location called Le Vert near Meymac.

In a recorded testimony, Réveil recounted how his detachment of 30 fighters was escorting German prisoners through the countryside when they received the order to kill them. The detachment’s commander, codenamed Hannibal, was deeply affected by the order but adhered to the discipline within the Resistance. Volunteers were sought to carry out the execution, and although each fighter was assigned a victim, Réveil and a few others refused to participate. The prisoners were made to dig their own graves on a hot day before being killed, and quicklime was poured over their bodies. The memory of the incident was never spoken of again.

Réveil had kept this secret for 75 years, even from his family, until he unexpectedly revealed it in 2019 at a local meeting of the National Veterans’ Association. The mayor of Meymac, Philippe Brugere, explained that Réveil felt a great burden that he was the last witness to this event and believed that if he didn’t speak out, the truth would remain unknown.

Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, action on the case was delayed. Only recently was the investigation reopened, and the story was made public by the local newspaper La Montagne. French and German historians have since confirmed the basic details of the events described by Réveil. The incident occurred shortly after D-Day, when the Resistance staged an uprising in Tulle, resulting in the capture of approximately 50 to 60 German soldiers. In retaliation, on June 9, the Germans publicly hanged 99 hostages in the town.

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UK confirms supply of Storm Shadow long-range missiles in Ukraine

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The UK has confirmed its decision to supply Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which were requested by Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces. The Storm Shadow missile, with a range of over 250km (155 miles), offers a significant advantage compared to the US-supplied Himars missiles, which have a range of approximately 80km (50 miles). The UK Defense Secretary, Ben Wallace, stated that these missiles would provide Ukraine with the best chance of defending itself, as they can be launched from aircraft, allowing Ukrainian pilots to operate at a safer distance from the frontlines.

The Storm Shadow missile operates by dropping to a low altitude to avoid detection by enemy radar and then uses an infrared seeker to lock onto its target. The announcement of this decision was made by Mr. Wallace in the House of Commons, following repeated requests from Ukraine for more support from Western nations. The UK’s decision to provide these missiles was prompted by Russia’s targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and the move aims to enable Ukraine to push back Russian forces from its sovereign territory.

Mr. Wallace emphasized that the donation of these missile systems was a response to Russia’s aggression and would not have been necessary if Russia had not invaded Ukraine. However, he acknowledged that the range of the Storm Shadow missiles provided by the UK is not comparable to Russia’s own missile systems, some of which have much greater reach. Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, assured that longer-range missiles would not be used to attack targets within Russia itself and offered guarantees that the weapons would not be involved in attacks on Russian territory.

The Kremlin responded to the UK’s decision by stating that it would take an appropriate military response if Ukrainian forces used the British-supplied Storm Shadow weapons. The Storm Shadow missile has previously been used by the British and French air forces in various conflicts, including the Gulf, Iraq, and Libya. It should be noted that while the British-supplied missiles can only be fired from aircraft, the French missiles can be launched from ships and submarines.

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Macron counting on Xi to ‘bring Russia to senses’

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Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, has pleaded with Xi Jinping, the leader of China, to assist in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

He told Mr. Xi in Beijing, “I know I can count on you to bring Russia to its senses, and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.” China and France, according to Mr. Xi, have the “capacity and obligation” to preserve world peace.

Moscow, meanwhile, declared that the onslaught will carry on since there were currently “no prospects for a peaceful conclusion.”

After years of deteriorating relations between the West and China, which has hesitated to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Macron is in China on a state visit that is being closely watched.

Also, Mr. Macron wants to improve business connections. He is joined by a sizable business group as well as Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who he asked to participate in meetings with the Chinese leadership.

In the late afternoon on Thursday, Mr. Macron was treated to a lavish military display in Beijing before meeting Mr. Xi for private talks that were described as “frank” and “warm” by Chinese and French officials.

Following the meeting, Mr. Xi addressed the media and urged “reasonable restraint” from the international community, stating that China “advocates for peace talks and wants a political settlement.”

He also reaffirmed the prohibition against using nuclear weapons in the conflict. Earlier this week, Russia declared its intention to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, close to the ally’s western border with Nato countries.

Mr Macron said “we can’t have a safe and stable Europe” as long as Ukraine remained occupied, and that it was “unacceptable” that a member of the UN Security Council had violated the organisation’s charter.

The French president addressed Mr. Xi directly throughout the press conference, striking a friendly tone throughout his statement. It contrasted with Mr. Xi’s lethargic press conference delivery.

Later, in a different press conference, Ms. von der Leyen emphasised that it would be against international law and “seriously undermine” the relationship between the EU and China if Beijing sent weapons to Russia.

She said that she wanted Beijing to play a role that “promotes a just peace” and that she “firmly” supported Volodymyr Zelensky, the leader of Ukraine, in his peace proposal, which asks for the complete departure of Russian soldiers.

China has released its own peace plan which Western nations have been generally dismissive of, saying it sides too much with Russia. But Mr Zelensky has expressed interest in it and called for direct talks with Mr Xi – who has yet to publicly respond.

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France to bring in bill to tackle radical Islam

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The European country of France is preparing to bring in a powerful bill to tackle radical Islam, amidst rising criticism against the country’s tougher stand.

In a bold move, the French cabinet has cleared the bill. The bill has come in response to a recent series of attacks by extremists.

The law toughens rules on home schooling and hate speech.

France is at present going through a tough period. In the recent history, the country has witnessed several terror attacks.

The new bill has been projected as a part of the effort put by French President Emmanuel Macron to uphold secular values.    

The bill is not free of criticism. Several people have come forward to criticize the bill. It has been alleged that the bill was being used to target religion.

The French government has denounced the allegation. It has projected the bill as an attempt to free Muslims from the grip of radicals. It has even named the bill as a law of protection.  

The government has asserted the bill was not aimed against any religion.

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French stuntman Vincent Reffet dies in accident

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Vincent Reffet, a French stuntman famous for airborne feats using jetpacks and carbon-fibre wing packs, has been killed in Dubai.

He has died during a training session organised in the UAE city of Dubai.

Mr. Reffet was a world-renowned stuntman. He was a member of a stunt team developed by Jetman Dubai, a company based in Dubai.

It attained global attention for his flights over the waterfront waterfront and the Alps of the UAE city of Dubai.

At this moment it remains unclear how the accident has happened. More details in connection with the issue is expected to go public in the near future itself.

Other members of his team have expressed their grief on the death of Mr. Reffet. They have released a joint statement, saying their thoughts and prayers were with the family of the legendary stuntman and all those who knew and worked with him.

The stunt man was known for his skydiving skills. He performed numerous stunts throughout his career, including BASE-jumping off the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

Though the legend has passed away, several wonderful performances he has given will remain in the heart of his fans as evergreen memories.

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