Why are French police struggling to curb migrant Channel crossings?
08/07/2025
'Restatement of that historic commitment: Renegotiate important Franco-British bilateral agreements'
UK
06/07/2025
The Seine closes for a day due to bad weather in Paris.
France
05/07/2025
Tour de France gets under way on home soil for first time in five years
France
05/07/2025
Title contenders Pogacar, Vingegaard eye Yellow Jersey
France
05/07/2025
French cognac brands sales to China fell 70%
France
05/07/2025
Seine reopens to Paris swimmers after century-long ban
France
05/07/2025
Pogacar and Vingegaard looking to repeat their victory at the Tour de France
France
05/07/2025
Riders gear up for Tour de France 2025 opener in Lille
France
05/07/2025
French police may be allowed to intercept boats offshore
France
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France 24
17 minutes ago
- France 24
European court to rule in Semenya sports gender case
The European Court of Human Rights' decision comes after a row engulfed the 2024 Paris Olympics over the gender of an Algerian boxing champion. South African runner Semenya, 34, was the Olympic 800m champion in 2012 and 2016 and world gold medallist in 2009, 2011 and 2017. She is classed as having "differences in sexual development", but has always been legally identified as female. Semenya has refused to take drugs to reduce testosterone levels since World Athletics, track and field's governing body, introduced new rules on women competitors in 2018. So, she has since been barred from competing in her favoured 800m. Semenya has said she hopes the ECHR will protect athletes' human rights and "inspire all young women to be and accept themselves in all their diversity". Antoine Duval, a sports law expert at the Asser Institute in The Hague said the case would "determine what comes next in terms of challenging the rules for access to women's competitions". Semenya has already tried other tribunals to try to change the rules. The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled against her in 2019 and the decision was validated by the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne in 2020. It judged that a testosterone level comparable to that of men gave female athletes "an insurmountable advantage". 'Human guinea pig' The ECHR in 2023 ruled that Semenya was the victim of discrimination by the CAS. Swiss authorities, supported by World Athletics, appealed to the European court's 17-member Grand Chamber. The ECHR decision was however largely symbolic as it did not call into question the World Athletics ruling nor allow Semenya to return to competition without taking medication. There are many types of "differences in sexual development", a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs. Formerly known as intersexuality, they occur in approximately one in 1,000 to 4,500 births. Before the 2009 world championships, where Semenya won the 800m gold aged just 18, she was forced to undergo gender testing. She was subsequently put on medication to reduce testosterone levels, spending several months sidelined by World Athletics. Semenya, born with the "46 XY" chromosome rather than the XX chromosome most females have, said she felt she was being treated like a "human guinea pig" and vowed to never again allow it. Testosterone is produced by men and women, but men produce 20 times more of the sex hormone. How much the hormone boosts performance remains a matter of debate. 'Degrading' The International Olympic Committee is weighing reintroducing gender testing, while several sports have already embraced the practice. World Athletics and World Boxing have adopted chromosomal testing -- generally a cheek swab to check for the SRY gene, that reveals the presence of the Y chromosome. World Aquatics in 2023 adopted a policy that foresees such testing. Supporters say such screening simplifies access to women's competition, and UN rapporteur Reem Alsalem has said such tests are "reliable and non-invasive". But Madeleine Pape, a sociologist of gender in sport, says there is a lack of research proving that transgender athletes or those with one of the many forms of DSD gain a "disproportionate advantage" over XX competitors. Human Rights Watch has argued that World Athletics regulations "are degrading and invasive of privacy, on grounds that are scientifically contested". The gender debate reignited in June around Paris Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif. Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling were among those who stoked a row over the Algerian's gender.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Macron wraps up UK state visit with defence pact 'reboot'
Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are also expected to discuss maintaining support for Ukraine and curbing undocumented cross-Channel immigration. Ahead of the summit, which follows two days of events spanning pomp and politics, trade and culture, France and Britain announced their "defence relationship" will be "refreshed". They will order more Storm Shadow cruise missiles -- long-range, air-launched weapons jointly developed by the allies -- while stepping up work on a replacement system. The missiles have been shipped to Ukraine in significant numbers to help Kyiv in its war with Russia since 2022. Starmer and Macron will also agree to deepen nuclear cooperation and "work more closely than ever before on nuclear deterrence", according to Britain's defence ministry. A new declaration will for the first time state that the British and French deterrents are independent but can be coordinated, and that an "extreme threat to Europe" could "prompt a response by both nations", the ministry said. Threats 'multiplying' The partnerships -- to be developed under a refreshed Lancaster House agreement first struck in 2010 -- herald a new "entente industrielle", making "defence an engine for growth", it added. "From war in Europe, to new nuclear risks and daily cyber-attacks -- the threats we face are multiplying," Starmer said in a statement. "As close partners and NATO allies, the UK and France have a deep history of defence collaboration and today's agreements take our partnership to the next level. "We stand ready to use our shared might to advance our joint capabilities -- equipping us for the decades to come while supporting thousands of UK jobs and keeping our people safe." Late Wednesday, at a speech to London's financial community, Macron said the two countries were "stronger together". Starmer and Macron will also on Thursday dial into a meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing" on Ukraine. Britain and France are spearheading talks among the 30-nation coalition on how to support a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, including potentially deploying peacekeeping forces. Starmer's office said this week that the call would "discuss stepping up support for Ukraine and further increasing pressure on Russia". They will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, according to the French presidency. 'Innovative solutions' Macron's visit, the first by an EU head of state since Brexit, has been loaded with Anglo-French bonhomie and unifying rhetoric, alongside the usual pageantry of such occasions. Macron and his wife Brigitte received a particularly warm welcome Tuesday from the Francophile King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The pair toasted a new "entente amicale" at a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle, hailing the importance of cross-Channel relations amid various emergent threats. Wednesday saw the French president's visit turn to politics, with a Downing Street meeting with Starmer focused on migrant small boat crossings -- a potent political issue in Britain. It is set to feature again at Thursday's summit. Downing Street said the two leaders had "agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model" of cross-Channel people smugglers. Macron also met with Anglo-French business representatives during the visit, while joining Starmer at the British Museum to formally announce a landmark cultural exchange. France will loan the famous Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the 1066 Norman conquest of England, to the British Museum for 10 months from September 2026. In return, London will lend French museums the collection from the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo site, one of England's most important archaeological sites, as well as other medieval "treasures".
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
Luis Enrique eyes more history for PSG after reaching Club World Cup final
Two goals from Fabian Ruiz either side of an Ousmane Dembele strike, as well as a late effort from substitute Goncalo Ramos, gave PSG an emphatic 4-0 semi-final victory at MetLife Stadium against a Madrid team who have just started working under new coach Xabi Alonso. "It is a beautiful victory and we are happy to be in the final," said Luis Enrique. PSG came into the Club World Cup at the end of a campaign in which they won Ligue 1 and the French Cup before thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history. Victory against Chelsea in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey would mean PSG winning every competition in which they have taken part this season. "That is the objective we have had since the beginning but it is always very difficult to achieve these things -- very few teams can do what we are trying to do," said the 55-year-old. "We are one game away from making history for Paris and for a French club by winning every competition we have taken part in. That means a lot for us and for our fans." PSG have been outstanding in 2025 and are such a well-oiled machine under Luis Enrique that they appear unstoppable, while Alonso only took over from Carlo Ancelotti as Real coach prior to the tournament in the United States. "It is a new set-up for them. He has only just come in while we have been working together for two years, so this is normal," said Luis Enrique, appointed as PSG coach in July 2023, of his compatriot. "He needs time to get a pre-season in to work with his team. He can't be judged. The two situations cannot be compared." Meanwhile the Spaniard said Dembele had again shown he was a serious candidate to win the Ballon d'Or after the France forward played a starring role in PSG's victory. Dembele was starting for the first time at the Club World Cup having come into the tournament with an injury suffered playing for France last month. His goal to make it 2-0 was his 35th for PSG in 52 games in all competitions since last August. "For me, when it comes to the Ballon d'Or, I must say that the players who can win it have to not just score goals and set up goals but help their team to win trophies.
