Paris Calls for Stopping Boycott of French Products

Men flash the victory gesture as they pose for a picture next to a sign condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for his comments over the Prophet Mohammed in Syria's Idlib on October 25, 2020. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
Men flash the victory gesture as they pose for a picture next to a sign condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for his comments over the Prophet Mohammed in Syria's Idlib on October 25, 2020. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
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Paris Calls for Stopping Boycott of French Products

Men flash the victory gesture as they pose for a picture next to a sign condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for his comments over the Prophet Mohammed in Syria's Idlib on October 25, 2020. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
Men flash the victory gesture as they pose for a picture next to a sign condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for his comments over the Prophet Mohammed in Syria's Idlib on October 25, 2020. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)

France on Sunday urged Middle Eastern countries to stop retail companies from boycotting French products.

The foreign affairs ministry said in a statement that in recent days there had been calls to boycott French products, notably food products, in several Middle Eastern countries as well as calls for demonstrations against France over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

"These calls for boycott are baseless and should stop immediately, as well as all attacks against our country, which are being pushed by a radical minority," the statement said.

France will not give up cartoons, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday evening in a ceremony dedicated to the memory of teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded.



Russia Says it Struck Ukrainian Energy Facilities

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
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Russia Says it Struck Ukrainian Energy Facilities

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Russia said on Thursday it had attacked energy facilities in Ukraine that support Kyiv's military-industrial complex.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that over the last 24 hours it had used its air force, drones, missiles and artillery to target energy facilities, military airfields and Ukrainian military personnel across multiple locations.
Reuters could not independently confirm the extent of the attacks or the damage they inflicted.
Russia regularly reports such strikes, describing recent ones as retaliation for Kyiv's use of Western-supplied missiles to strike deep into Russian territory
The ministry also reported that Russian troops had downed a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet, 97 drones and six US-supplied HIMARS missiles overnight.