The Local France 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 Macron urges lifting of Qatar embargo French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged the lifting of a Saudi-led embargo on Qatar in effect since June. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170916/macron-urges-lifting-of-qatar-embargo Sat, 16 Sep 2017 16:21:27 +0200 macron-urges-lifting-of-qatar-embargo France aims to be 'facilitator' in Gulf crisis talks French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in Doha on Saturday that Paris wants to assist Kuwait-led mediation on the crisis between Qatar and four other Arab states. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170715/france-facilitator-qatar-gulf-crisis-talks Sat, 15 Jul 2017 15:49:19 +0200 france-facilitator-qatar-gulf-crisis-talks French PM calls on Gulf to take Syria refugees French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has called on the Gulf states to accept more refugees fleeing Syria, saying that a "humanitarian disaster" could erupt in the Balkans if Europe does not control its borders. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151128/french-pm Sat, 28 Nov 2015 09:32:25 +0100 french-pm Qatar sues French politician for terror claim Qatar is suing a far-right French politician for defaming the country "and all its citizens" after he linked the Gulf emirate to "terrorism" following the deadly Charlie Hebdo attack. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150601/qatar-sues-french-politician-over-terror-claims Mon, 01 Jun 2015 17:10:22 +0200 qatar-sues-french-politician-over-terror-claims France opens probe into Qatar forced labour French prosecutors said Saturday they had opened a preliminary probe into a lobby group's claims that construction giant Vinci is using forced labour on building projects for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150425/france-opens-probe-into-qatar-forced-labour Sat, 25 Apr 2015 13:54:29 +0200 france-opens-probe-into-qatar-forced-labour French footballer case spotlights Gulf 'abuse' A French footballer's struggle to leave Qatar has highlighted the controversial "kafala" system giving sponsors control over foreign workers' lives in the country that will host the 2022 World Cup. https://www.thelocal.fr/20131207/trapped-footballer-case-puts-spotlight-on-gulf-abuse Sat, 07 Dec 2013 17:19:00 +0100 trapped-footballer-case-puts-spotlight-on-gulf-abuse Qatar removes Zidane statue after outcry A statue in Qatar that immortalises the headbutt delivered by French football legend Zinedine Zidane to Italian player Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final has been removed following angry complaints that it was a violation of Islamic values. https://www.thelocal.fr/20131030/zidanes-headbutt-on-display-on-qatar-corniche Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:17:00 +0100 zidanes-headbutt-on-display-on-qatar-corniche Call for probe into sale of Printemps to Qataris The purchase of the famous upmarket French department store Printemps by investors from Qatar needs to be investigated by authorities for possible corruption, money laundering and tax fraud, unions demanded this week. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130524/call-for-fraud-probe-in-sale-of-printemps-to-qataris Fri, 24 May 2013 13:49:00 +0200 call-for-fraud-probe-in-sale-of-printemps-to-qataris Qatar joins French-speaking club France on Tuesday justified a decision to admit Gulf state Qatar into a bloc of French-speaking nations as an associate member, arguing that the country was committed to popularising the language. https://www.thelocal.fr/20121016/qatar-joins-french-speaking-club Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:24:07 +0200 qatar-joins-french-speaking-club Qataris seek PSG sponsorship deal A Qatari investor is in advanced discussions with Paris Saint-Germain about a 100-million-euro ($130 million) per year sponsorship contract over several seasons, sources in France and Qatar told AFP on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20120919/qataris-seek-psg-sponsorship-deal Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:21:00 +0200 qataris-seek-psg-sponsorship-deal