
France to ban under 15s from social media, knife sales
PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron wants to ban under-15s from using social media.
He also wants to restrict the sale of knives to minors.
It comes after a 14-year-old boy stabbed a teaching assistant to death.
But, the French President is not stopping there, he wants to expand the ban to the entire European Union.

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eNCA
3 hours ago
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Macron urges renewed nuclear dialogue after Israel's Iran strikes
France's President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged the US and Iran to resume nuclear talks following a wave of Israeli strikes against Iran. "Iran bears a heavy responsibility in the destabilisation of the whole region," he said after Western nations in recent days accused Tehran of deliberately escalating its nuclear programme, despite several rounds of US-Iran talks. "We call for the resumption of dialogue and the reaching of a deal." US President Donald Trump's Middle East pointman Steve Witkoff had been set to hold a sixth round of talks with Iran on Sunday in Oman. After Israel's deadly strikes early on Friday, Trump afterwards urged Iran to "make a deal, before there is nothing left", warning of "even more brutal" attacks to come. Macron, who earlier on Friday defended Israel's right to protect itself, said France could help in the case of an Iranian retaliation against Israel. "If Israel were to be attacked in retaliation by Iran, France, if in a position to do so, would take part in protection and defence operations," he said. Macron earlier in the day spoke by phone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Elysee said, following a spike in diplomatic tensions. The French presidency said the phone conversation took place but did not provide details. Relations between Macron and Netanyahu have been strained in recent months over Israel's blockade of Gaza and France's plans to recognise a Palestinian state. - UN meeting postponed - France and Saudi Arabia have been planning to co-chair a UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians next week in New York. But Macron said on Friday evening that meeting had been postponed. "While we have to postpone this conference for logistical and security reasons, it will take place as soon as possible," Macron said at a press conference. Israel pounded Iran in a series of air raids, striking 100 targets including nuclear and military sites, as well as killing the armed forces' chief of staff. In the aftermath of the strikes, Macron also spoke with leaders including Trump and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Earlier Friday, Macron said Israel had the right to defend itself and ensure its security but also called for de-escalation. "To avoid jeopardising the stability of the entire region, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to de-escalate," he said on X. Macron spoke after convening a meeting of the National Defence and Security Council. "All necessary steps will be taken to protect our nationals and our diplomatic and military missions in the region," Macron said. Iran has gradually broken away from its commitments under the nuclear deal it struck with world powers including the United States and France in 2015. The landmark deal provided Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its atomic programme, but it fell apart after the unilateral withdrawal of the United States during Trump's first term in 2018.

TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
France's Macron says Iran responsible for destabilising region
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Iran bore a heavy responsibility for destabilisation of the Middle East and that it had pushed ahead with an unjustified nuclear programme, but he also urged restraint after Israel struck Iran. After a day of talks with regional and international leaders following Israeli strikes on Iranian military targets, notably its nuclear sites, Macron said Tehran was close to a 'critical point' in acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iran has consistently denied seeking one. 'Iran bears a very heavy responsibility for the destabilisation of the region,' Macron said. 'Iran is continuing to enrich uranium without any civilian justification and to levels that are very close to what is needed for a nuclear device.' While he urged restraint, Macron acknowledged that resuming diplomatic efforts, specifically US negotiations on a nuclear deal with Iran that started two months ago, would be difficult. 'The situation has a risk of uncontrolled escalation,' he said, adding that Iran's activities threatened Europe. Warning of a possible impact on the global economy, Macron said France would defend Israel if it were attacked by Iran, as it had done in the past, but he ruled out taking part in any operation against Tehran. France and Israel, traditionally close allies, have had frosty relations in recent months with Macron increasingly critical of Israel's war in Gaza. Macron said France's support for Israel was not unconditional and that Paris had the right to disagree with some Israeli government decisions because 'they are sometimes against Israel's security interests'.


eNCA
8 hours ago
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Spain economy minister urges fair, balanced EU-US tariff deal
Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said a tariff pact between the EU and Washington should be "fair and balanced," although both sides remain far from a deal as a July deadline approaches. "There is still a long way to go to reach an agreement, but there remains the will to do so," Cuerpo told AFP in an interview on Thursday. His comments came on the sidelines of a trip to Houston, Texas, as he sought to reassure Spanish businesses rattled by US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs. Trump has slapped a 10 percent tariff on almost all trading partners including the European Union since returning to the presidency in January. He also threatened to impose heftier duties of 50 percent on the bloc, although pausing the higher rate until July 9. For now, Trump's existing tariffs, including 25 percent US duties on imported automobiles and 50 percent levies on steel and aluminum, are affecting European companies, Cuerpo said. Pressure is mounting as July approaches. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC this week that an EU deal will likely be among the last that Washington completes, even as he remained optimistic that both sides would reach this goal. Arriving at a deal by July 9 would be ideal as it signals "certainty and confidence," Cuerpo said. He maintained that things are "progressing," stressing that "there is unanimity among the 27 member states to reach a fair and balanced agreement." - No 'overreaction' - He added that while Europe has prepared a response package to Trump's tariffs, Brussels is holding off implementation so that it cannot be "interpreted as an escalation in this tariff conflict." It is critical that the EU gives a "very clear signal" that it wants to strike a deal with the Trump administration, he said. "The fundamental thing is to avoid any element of overreaction," he added. Besides the EU, higher US tariffs on goods from dozens of economies including Japan and India are also due to take effect in July. Trump has taken an especially harsh stance on China as Beijing pushed back on US levies, with both sides engaging in an escalating tariffs war that has only been temporarily rolled back. The Spanish minister expects Trump's tariffs to have limited effect on his country's economic growth this year, given its smaller exposure to the US market. But he warned that certain sectors like olive oil and wine are at higher risk as more of such exports head to the United States. In the interim, Cuerpo noted the importance too of the Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between the European Union and four South American nations including Brazil. Asked if a new global trade order is emerging, Cuerpo said: "This feeling is widely shared." "We are witnessing a rebalancing of these trade relations at the international level and what nobody knows is what's the new point we will reach," he added. By Moisés Ávila