https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed France has fired cruise missiles from frigates in the Mediterranean and deployed fighter jets from home bases, as part of a wave of punitive strikes against Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180414/french-cruise-missiles-fired-from-med-to-punish-syria Sat, 14 Apr 2018 10:05:34 +0200 french-cruise-missiles-fired-from-med-to-punish-syria French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to "use his influence" with the Syrian regime to allow aid to reach the besieged Eastern Ghouta region. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171104/macron-urges-putin-to-pressure-assad-on-aid Sat, 04 Nov 2017 03:42:58 +0100 macron-urges-putin-to-pressure-assad-on-aid French authorities have launched a criminal probe of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime for alleged war crimes committed between 2011 and 2013, sources said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150930/france-opens-war-crimes-probe-against-assad Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:33:12 +0200 france-opens-war-crimes-probe-against-assad In an interview with French television Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad has accused France of supporting the "terrorists" who oppose his regime. Last week Assad warned that the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris was just the tip of the iceberg. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150421/assad-blasts-france-for-aiding-terrorists-syria-isis Tue, 21 Apr 2015 10:14:56 +0200 assad-blasts-france-for-aiding-terrorists-syria-isis UPDATED: France's President and Prime Minister have accused a group of French MPs of a "moral failing" after they travelled to Syria to meet the President Bashar al-Assad, whom PM Manuel Valls described as a "butcher". https://www.thelocal.fr/20150226/french-pm-slams-mps-for-meeting-with-syrian-butcher-assad Thu, 26 Feb 2015 14:00:00 +0100 french-pm-slams-mps-for-meeting-with-syrian-butcher-assad President François Hollande declared on Thursday that Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad is not a partner of the West in the battle against Islamist extremists in Syria and Iraq, but an ally of the jihadists. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140828/hollande-assad-is-no-anti-jihadist-ally-of-west Thu, 28 Aug 2014 12:09:00 +0200 hollande-assad-is-no-anti-jihadist-ally-of-west Prosecutors in Paris have opened a probe into whether Rifaat al-Assad, uncle of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, used illegal means to acquire his "extraordinary wealth," estimated to be in the billions of euros, it emerged on Monday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130930/france-probes-assad-uncles-extraordinary-wealth Mon, 30 Sep 2013 19:45:00 +0200 france-probes-assad-uncles-extraordinary-wealth France is ready to compromise over its Syria resolution presented to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, according to the Foreign Ministry in Paris after Russia had called it "unacceptable". François Hollande said France is still 'ready to punish' Damascus. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130911/france-ready-to-amend-syria-resolution Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:06:00 +0200 france-ready-to-amend-syria-resolution In a bid to convince the public of the need to strike against the Syrian regime, Paris has released shocking video footage online, as part of its dossier of ‘proof’ that Bashar al-Assad’s forces were behind a recent deadly chemical attack in Damascus. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130903/paris-releases-video-evidence-of-syria-attack Tue, 03 Sep 2013 11:28:00 +0200 paris-releases-video-evidence-of-syria-attack French President François Hollande on Friday warned that a strike on Syria could happen soon, despite his ally, UK Prime Minister David Cameron ruling out British involvement in any military intervention. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130830/hollande-france-could-strike-syria-within-days Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:19:00 +0200 hollande-france-could-strike-syria-within-days French President François Hollande said on Monday he would stand by his American counterpart Barack Obama if the US opted for military intervention in Syria. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the West would make such a decision "in the coming days." https://www.thelocal.fr/20130826/west-will-decide-syria-action-in-coming-days-france Mon, 26 Aug 2013 11:57:00 +0200 west-will-decide-syria-action-in-coming-days-france A French photographer who spent 81 days in captivity in war-torn Syria at the hands of an armed Islamist group, has told of his kidnap ordeal a week after his release, recalling mock executions and scenes of torture. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130801/french-photographer-tells-of-kidnap-ordeal-in-syria Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:43:00 +0200 french-photographer-tells-of-kidnap-ordeal-in-syria Syria's new opposition chief Ahmad Jarba arrived in Paris on Tuesday for a two-day visit aimed at convincing France to boost its support for rebels battling Bashar al-Assad. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130724/syria-opposition-chief-seeks-support-in-france Wed, 24 Jul 2013 10:02:00 +0200 syria-opposition-chief-seeks-support-in-france France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius has claimed he has "no doubt" sarin gas was used by the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, after samples were brought back to France by two journalists. "All options are on the table," said Fabius. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130605/france-confirms-assad-used-sarin-gas-in-syria Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:53:00 +0200 france-confirms-assad-used-sarin-gas-in-syria French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said the European Union may need to rethink its Syria arms embargo to help insurgents fighting the Damascus regime. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130312/arms-embargo-on-syrian-insurgents-is-on-the-table-minister Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:02:00 +0100 arms-embargo-on-syrian-insurgents-is-on-the-table-minister