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The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
French Consulate draws up plans for Bastille Day celebrations
The French Consulate is geared up to celebrate Bastille Day, also the National Day of the French Republic, on Monday (July 14). On Bastille Day eve (Sunday), a torchlight procession will be taken out from the Dupleix Statue on Goubert Avenue. This symbolic night march commemorates the Storming of the Bastille, a defining moment of the French Revolution. It symbolises the unity of the French people in forming a republic and serves as a reminder of the shared values and enduring friendship between France and India, the French Consulate said in a press note. Etienne Rolland-Piègue, Consul General of France in Pondicherry and Chennai, will lead the Bastille Day ceremonies. Wreaths will be placed at the War Memorials of Puducherry at 8.30 a.m. and Karaikal at 9.30 a.m. The War Memorials will remain open to families for one hour after the official ceremonies for private wreath-laying. The traditional July 14 fireworks display will take place on the seafront in front of the Consulate General of France. According to the Consulate, the long-standing strategic partnership shared by France and India in the Indo-Pacific region was recently reaffirmed by the visit of Sophie Primas, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Her visit to Chennai and Puducherry highlights the significant role of French enterprises in creating employment, transferring skills, and contributing to the dynamic economic development of the region. Additionally, Samuel Ducroquet, France's Ambassador for Sports, visited India to promote Indo-French cooperation and inclusivity in the field of sports. Meanwhile, the continued visits of Ambassador Thierry Mathou to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry reflect the deep and enduring friendship between France and India, as well as the growing cooperation across multiple domains. In Chennai, this year's celebration that took place on Friday, was attended by Yann Delaunay, Executive Director of France Volontaires, who is visiting India on the occasion of the launch of the Indo-French Volontariat International en Enterprise Alumni Network.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Europe wildfires map: Where summer fires have struck from France and Spain to Greece
Thousands have been forced to evacuate and dozens have been injured in wildfires across Europe that have been fanned by extreme heatwaves across the continent. Spanish authorities ordered more than 18,000 residents in the northeastern Tarragona province to remain indoors on Tuesday, with several dozen evacuated, as a raging wildfire consumed nearly 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of vegetation. The blaze broke out early on Monday in a remote area near the village of Pauls, and firefighting efforts have been severely hampered by strong winds and rugged terrain. Two people died in a separate wildfire on 1 July in the Catalonia region, where Tarragona is located. In the south of France, a wildfire that reached the outskirts of Marseille injured 110 people and locals have been warned that while the fire has been contained for now, it remains a concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," head of the area council Martine Vassal told broadcaster BFM. The fire had burned through 700 hectares by late Tuesday and had destroyed at least 10 homes. Firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze, which authorities believe was caused by a car that caught fire on the side of a highway. A separate blaze broke out near the city of Narbonne, marking France's first major fire of the summer according to government spokesperson Sophie Primas. Ms Primas added in an interview with RTL that the wildfire season had started earlier this year. In Greece, at least 5,000 tourists were forced to evacuate parts of Crete last week as a massive wildfire scorched forests and olive groves on the Greek island. Around 230 firefighters, along with 46 engines and helicopters, rushed to tackle the blaze on Thursday, which broke out the day before in the forested hills near Lerapetra on the island's southern coast. Winds of up to 50mph spread the blaze south, as reinforcements flew in from Athens to help put out the fire. The inferno destroyed homes in places including Agia Fotia, while at least four people were rushed to hospital after inhaling smoke, according to the BBC. The previous week, a large fire south of Athens prompted authorities to evacuate five communities as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius and the blaze, fanned by strong winds, threatened homes. The ongoing heatwave forced Greek officials to in Athens to protect visitors and workers.
Time Out
09-07-2025
- Time Out
Is it safe to travel to Marseille? Latest advice after rapid wildfire spread
Marseille was the place to be in 2024 thanks to its vibey nightlife, lovely beaches and Mediterranean climate, but it's also the latest Euro-summer hotspot to be affected by a scorching heatwave and subsequent wildfires. Thanks to an area of high pressure trapping hot air from north Africa, much of southern Europe has been scorched by unseasonably high temperatures over the last couple of weeks, and the dry conditions left behind have left huge swathes of land susceptible to quick fire spread, all fanned by warm, dry winds. On Tuesday, a wildfire broke out near France 's second city, and while it's being contained for now, authorities are concerned the conditions could mean it re-escalates quickly. Flights, train services and roads into and out of the city remain affected. It's obviously worrying news if you're headed to Marseille, so here is all the latest information about whether it's safe for you to travel. Where are the wildfires in Marseille? A wildfire reached the outskirts of Marseille on Tuesday July 8, leading to the lockdown of the city's 16th arrondissement and prompting hundreds of evacuation orders across the city as well as directives for locals to remain indoors, according to the Independent. It's thought that the fire has burnt through 700 hectares (which is around 7km squared), and was fanned so far due to winds of up to 70km per hour. Reports say that the burning could be smelt in central Marseille. A separate fire also broke out near the southern French city of Narbonne, and government spokesperson Sophie Primas said that the wildfires have come earlier in the season than previous years. Is it safe to travel? The French fire brigade worked overnight to try and contain the blaze, and while it has been pushed back it's yet to be fully extinguished. So far, 110 people have been treated for smoke inhalation and related injuries, and 60 houses have been affected with 10 burnt down. All flights to and from Marseille were grounded on Tuesday, and while the airport has since reopened (as of 9.30am local time on Wednesday), there are talks of closing it again for commercial flights so that resources can be flown in if necessary. Train traffic was also halted, and railways and roads are still feeling the effects today. What's the latest UK Foreign Office advice? There's no travel advice which recommends against visiting France, but the FCDO's 'safety and security' page reads as follows: 'Wildfires can start anywhere in France during the summer months, particularly along the Mediterranean coast and in Corsica. The French weather service has launched a fire alert map for travellers to check. Fires have become more frequent because of drought and high temperatures. French authorities may evacuate areas and close roads for safety reasons. If you're staying in a high-risk area: check the local safety and emergency procedures; be vigilant; follow the advice of local authorities.' Can I get a refund if I choose not to travel because of wildfires? In terms of flights, you'll be covered as a UK traveller if you're travelling from a UK airport, arriving at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline, or arriving at an EU airport on a UK airline. This means that the operator is responsible for providing you with accommodation and food for as long as you're delayed. You should also be offered a refund instead of an alternative flight, but this stuff doesn't necessarily apply if the reason for cancellation is out of the airline's control (such as a natural disaster). You also won't automatically be able to cancel without a penalty necessarily, as the government hasn't advised against travel – speak to your travel provider directly to see what can be done. Where else in Europe has been affected by wildfires and heatwaves? Europe has been scorched by a heatwave recently, due to a 'heat dome' where high pressure trapped hot air that journeyed in from north Africa. It led to extremely high temperatures in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Türkiye and France, and you can read more in our guide here. 50,000 people were evacuated from Izmir, Türkiye due to wildfires in the region last week, and wildfires also spread across Crete due to the high temperatures and strong winds. The UK also experienced unseasonably high temperatures, with London and other areas in the south of England reaching highs of 35C. There's more on that here.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
France orders extra 800,000 cars off the road over Takata airbag scandal
France is ordering an extra 800 ,000 cars with Takata airbags to be taken off the road, two weeks after a woman died in the northeastern town of Reims from injuries related to a faulty airbag. The move is the latest twist in the auto industry's biggest-ever product recall, eight years after the company at the centre of the crisis - Japan's Takata Corp - filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States and Japan. After her 2014 Citroen C3 was hit by a truck, the woman in Reims died after she was struck by a metal piece expelled by an airbag that was ejected from her car, the Reims prosecutor's office said. Citing the incident, French transport minister Philippe Tabarot said late Tuesday that all cars with the technology should be recalled, no matter how old they were. He also ordered all manufacturers to tell drivers in Corsica and other overseas departments to stop driving vehicles with the Takata airbags, whatever their production year, until they are repaired, and issued the same order for all cars with such equipment produced until 2011 in mainland France. The government had previously said vehicles built between 1998 and 2019, from 30 brands, could potentially be recalled. According to a ministry estimate based on carmaker data, the expanded recall will bring the total to 2.5 million. Within that total, the ministry has doubled the number of compulsory recalls - or so-called "stop drive" orders - to 1.7 million. French government spokesperson Sophie Primas said on Wednesday the expanded recall was being undertaken out of an abundance of caution. Takata, which was mainly acquired by a Chinese-owned, U.S.-based company, said at the time of its bankruptcy filing that it had recalled or expected to recall about 125 million vehicles worldwide by 2019. Representatives for Takata's new owner were not immediately available to comment.
TimesLIVE
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
France orders extra 800,000 cars off the road over Takata airbag scandal
France is ordering an extra 800,000 cars with Takata airbags to be taken off the road, two weeks after a woman died in the northeastern town of Reims from injuries related to a faulty airbag. The move is the latest twist in the auto industry's biggest-ever product recall, eight years after the company at the centre of the crisis — Japan's Takata Corp — filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Japan. After her 2014 Citroën C3 was hit by a truck, the woman in Reims died when she was struck by a metal piece expelled by an airbag ejected from her car, the Reims prosecutor's office said. Citing the incident, French transport minister Philippe Tabarot said on Tuesday that all cars with the technology should be recalled, no matter how old they were. He also ordered all manufacturers to tell drivers in Corsica and other overseas departments to stop driving vehicles with the Takata airbags, whatever their production year, until they are repaired, and issued the same order for all cars with such equipment produced until 2011 in mainland France. The government had previously said vehicles built between 1998 and 2019, from 30 brands, could potentially be recalled. According to a ministry estimate based on carmaker data, the expanded recall will bring the total to 2.5-million. Within that total, the ministry has doubled the number of compulsory recalls — so-called 'stop drive' orders — to 1.7-million. French government spokesperson Sophie Primas said on Wednesday the expanded recall was being undertaken 'out of an abundance of caution'. Takata, which was mainly acquired by a Chinese-owned, US-based company, said at the time of its bankruptcy filing that it had recalled or expected to recall about 125-million vehicles worldwide by 2019.
