Francia International News

[Exultris]

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CONCORDE FLIES AGAIN It was announced today by Air France that supersonic jetliner Concorde is to rejoin the airline's fleet. The iconic aircraft was once dubbed the 'Queen of the Skies' and could fly from London to New York in as little as 3 hours and 30 minutes, making it the fastest way to travel the globe. However after a crash in 2003, the airliner was quickly retired - despite having only ever crashed once before in it's 27 year history. Transport Minister Sébastien Geiger had a direct role in the reinstatement of the aircraft, working closely with Air France to identify whether the old stock could be reinstated. After careful consideration and safety examinations, the move was approved today by the French Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA). Geiger spoke exclusively to Francia International News saying, "Concorde has always been one of the most important aircraft ever to fly in the skies, she served an impressive 27 years and completely changed the landscape of intercontinental travel. It has always been my dream to see the aircraft fly again and with high-level safety checks and strict guidelines, we can now experience Concorde once again." He spoke of the immediate future of the aircraft, "The FCAA and Air France are both working together to make sure this venture is a success. Air France have already had FCAA approved refit plans and the next step will be looking at the possible routes and airlines for Concorde to work with." According to the Geiger, Concorde was also given the thumbs up from the King himself. "Of course, some would say that this move comes from a certain level of sentimentality, which is true. I was nervous to approach the King with this idea but was relieved to find he was a great user of Concorde back in the day and welcomed it's reintroduction! I hope it'll be able to improve international business and offer opportunities that haven't been around for quite some time." The move wasn't received well by everyone, with protests by aircraft safety campaigners taking place at Charles de Gaulle Airport throughout the day. Valentine Lacan, a housewife from Lyon ,described this move as "a blatant disregard for the safety of passengers." Whilst farmer, Gaspard Genest stated, "the sound of the thing alone is enough to disturb me, we don't need to hear that again!" The Queen of the Skies is set to return as soon as 2019 with existing stock being lined up for refitting and engineering work - more information when it becomes available.​

 

[Exultris]

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ROYAL OUTING

King Louis XX, Queen Clémence and Princess Estelle travelled to Cannes for the opening ceremony of the the 65th Cannes Film Festival, marking the first official appearance for the Royal Family. The King appeared wearing a smart evening suit with a small Francia badge on his lapel, Queen Clémence wore a modest Burgundy evening gown whilst 19 year old Princess Estelle stole the show with a striking golden halter dress. They stood upon the stage where they cut a ceremonial ribbon, signifying the first Cannes Film Festival under the French Monarchy.

The King gave a short speech saying that he was "delighted to be opening Cannes Film Festival" and that "France has always been at the forefront of the arts and that Cannes gives film makers from all over the world the opportunity to showcase their work on the grandest screen of them all."

It is no mystery that Louis XX is an avid film fanatic, he even attended the 63rd Cannes Film Festival before his position as French President. It would seem that his passion for movies has stayed in the family with Princess Estelle saying that she is a lover of all kinds of movies but especially finds herself enjoying the latest big American blockbusters.

Perhaps not the most exciting of public appearances but certainly the beginning of a list of Royal appearances and duties to unfold as the year goes on. ​

 

[Exultris]

NEW NATIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT

Today it was announced that France would once more introduce national service to all 16 year olds for a compulsory term of 12 months. This shake up offers a contemporary twist on the concept, offering young people the opportunity to enlist in services other than those of the military, fire and police force. Instead, young people will also be allowed to work in the areas of health, infrastructure and contribute towards charity work such as caring for the elderly, working with the homeless and mental health.

The new agreement has been launched to help give young people a chance to gain new experience of the world of work, as well as contribute towards a national goal. The King himself served under compulsory conscription and urges young people that they will "gain an insight into the importance of national unity, learn about the world of work and make friendships that will stay with them for the rest of their lives."​

 

[Exultris]

KNIFE CRIME RISES IN PARIS

The French government has been put under scrutiny for their lack of effort in prevent knife crime in the capital. This comes after a substantial rise in crime over the past year, which is not just effected French nationals but also tourists.

When questioned on this, French minister of Justice, Bertrand Monteil, told reporters, "Work is being performed around the clock by the government and senior police officials and that the general public can be assured that France is a safe place."

He did controversially say that a widespread media focus on this form of crime "does nothing to work towards reducing the number of incidents." A statement which did not go down well with French anti-knife campaign group "Sharper Image" who are currently protesting outside the government building of the Palais Bourbon. ​