France

French President Emmanuel Macron has named François Bayrou as France's new prime minister, marking the fourth such appointment this year amidst the country's ongoing political and financial crises.

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) poses with French President of the Modem party Francois Bayrou and mayor of Pau Francois Bayrou (L) on the balcony of the city hall during a visit in Pau, southwestern France, on July 6, 2023

It’s expensive and rich in calories, but everyone wants “Dubai chocolate” this season. Even at the traditional Christmas Market in Cologne, one of the largest and most famous in Germany, visitors line up for “handmade Dubai chocolate” at the traditional stall of the food trading company Kischmisch, which means “raisin” in Pashto.

The French president’s close ally, centrist François Bayrou, whose name is often mentioned to succeed caretaker Prime Minister Michel Barnier, was expected at the presidential palace for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron around 08:30 local time (09:30 GMT), according to sources close to the consultations.

During meetings with leaders from France and Ukraine, former US President Donald Trump emphasized the need for European nations to take the lead in ensuring Ukraine's security. He proposed deploying European peacekeepers to monitor the ceasefire in Ukraine, asserting that safeguarding Ukraine should be a primary responsibility for European states.

France said on Thursday it was too soon for the European Union to consider lifting sanctions on Syria following the removal of President Bashar al-Assad and would first focus on defining its position on Syria's transition.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will chair a National Security Governmental Council (KYSEA) meeting Friday to consider suspending asylum applications from Syrian refugees after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Some European Union countries have doubled down on their decision to rapidly halt asylum procedures for Syrian migrants in Europe, but said that it was too early to consider sending any of the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled since 2011 back home.

The US press has made the rounds of the American press with the selection of newly elected US President Donald Trump to nominate Kimberly Guilfoyle as his country’s new Ambassador to Greece.

French President Emmanuel Macron will likely name a new prime minister on Thursday, a government source told AFP on Wednesday, almost a week into a political crisis sparked by Michel Barnier's ouster as premier.

The nomination will come "more likely when (Macron) returns" in the evening from a day-long visit to Poland, the source added.