President Emmanuel Macron sought to calm flaring tensions with Muslims around the world on Saturday (31), telling an Arab TV channel he understood that caricatures of the prophet Mohammed could be shocking while lashing out at "lies" that the French state was behind them.
France is on edge after the republication in early September of cartoons of the prophet by the Charlie Hebdo weekly, which was followed by an attack outside its former offices, the beheading of a teacher and an attack on a church in Nice on Thursday that left three dead.
The country was further shaken by a new incident on Saturday, when an attacker armed with a sawn-off shotgun shot an Orthodox priest as he closed his church in the French city of Lyon before fleeing, a police source said.
The 52-year-old priest, who has Greek nationality, was shot in the liver at point-blank range and taken to hospital in a serious condition, sources said.
A suspect was arrested later Saturday, Lyon's public prosecutor said, with the motive of the attack remaining unclear.
- Softer tone -
Macron sparked protests across the Muslim world after the murder earlier this month of teacher Samuel Paty -- who had shown his class a cartoon of Mohammed -- by saying France would never renounce its laws permitting blasphemous caricatures.
But in an apparent bid to reach out to Muslims, Macron gave a long interview setting out his vision to Qatar-based TV channel Al-Jazeera, seeking to strike a softer tone.
"I can understand that people could be shocked by the caricatures, but I will never accept that violence can be justified," he said.
"I understand the feelings that this arouses, I respect them. But I want you to understand the role that I have. My role is to calm things down, as I am doing here, but at the same time it is to protect these rights."
He added: "I will always defend in my country the freedom to speak, to write, to think, to draw."
- 'Relied on lies' -
Macron lashed out at "distortions" from political leaders over the cartoons of the prophet, saying too often people were led to believe that they were a creation of the French state.
He slammed "a confusion that has been fed by many media -- and sometimes political and religious leaders -- which is to say that these caricatures are in a way the project or the creation of the French government or the president".
He also denounced calls for a boycott of French goods, backed in particular by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and taken up by some retailers in Muslim countries, as "unworthy" and "unacceptable".
He said the campaign was created by some private groups "who relied on lies... sometimes from other leaders" about the caricatures.
Even before the attack on Paty, Macron had promised a tough new campaign against Islamist radicalism in France, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people since 2015.
Protests erupted Friday in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mali, Mauritania and Lebanon, the latest in a string of mass rallies denouncing France.
- 'Too early to say' -
France is still reeling from the latest attack in Nice, which Macron has already described as "Islamist" terror.
French authorities were on Saturday seeking to ascertain if a young Tunisian suspected of killing three people in a knife rampage inside a Nice church had outside help.
Brahim Issaoui, 21, only arrived in Europe from Tunisia last month and, according to prosecutors, killed a church employee, a Brazilian woman and a French woman in the attack in the Notre-Dame Basilica on Thursday morning.
The attacker cut the throat of Nadine Devillers, 60, and the sexton Vincent Loques, 55. A Brazilian mother, Simone Barreto Silva, who was stabbed several times, took refuge in a nearby restaurant but died of her wounds there.
Issaoui was shot by police multiple times and is currently in a grave condition in hospital. Investigators have been unable to question him and his precise motivations remain unclear.
"It is still too early to say if there were others complicit, what his motivations were in coming to France and when this idea took root in him," said a source close to the inquiry who asked not to be named.
Investigators believe Issaoui travelled illegally to Europe via Italy's Mediterranean island of Lampedusa on September 20.
He arrived at the mainland Italian port of Bari on October 9 before coming to Nice just one or two days before the attack.
French police on Saturday arrested another Tunisian man, bringing to four the number of people being held in connection with the deadly attack in Nice.
TEN people were killed on Tuesday after a suspected shooter opened fire in a school in Graz, southeastern Austria, according to the city’s mayor.
Mayor Elke Kahr told Austrian press agency APA that the victims included several students, at least one adult, and the suspected shooter.
"Currently, a police operation is underway... The reason for the deployment was that gunshots were heard in the building," police said on X, confirming the incident.
Police and interior ministry officials were not immediately available for comment, AFP reported.
Police sources told APA that “the situation is very unclear at the moment.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was “deeply shocked” by the reports.
“Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence,” Kallas posted on X. “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Austrian people in this dark moment.”
Austria, with a population of nearly 9.2 million, rarely sees public attacks. It is listed among the ten safest countries globally, according to the Global Peace Index.
Though school shootings are less common in Europe compared to the United States, several such incidents have occurred in recent years.
In January 2025, an 18-year-old fatally stabbed a student and a teacher at a school in northeastern Slovakia.
In December 2024, a 19-year-old stabbed a seven-year-old student to death and injured others at a primary school in Zagreb, Croatia.
In December 2023, a student carried out an attack at a university in Prague, killing 14 and injuring 25.
Earlier that year, a 13-year-old shot and killed eight classmates and a security guard at an elementary school in Belgrade. Six children and a teacher were also injured. The shooter later contacted the police and was arrested.
In 2009, a former pupil killed nine students, three teachers and three passers-by in a school shooting in Winnenden, southern Germany, before taking his own life.
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Keir Starmer had indicated last month that he would reverse the cuts. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE GOVERNMENT will reinstate winter fuel payments to millions of pensioners this year, reversing an earlier decision that had removed the benefit for most recipients in England and Wales. The move comes after months of criticism and political pressure on prime minister Keir Starmer.
After taking office in July, Starmer's Labour government had removed the winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners as part of broader spending cuts.
The government said at the time that the cuts were necessary to address a gap in the public finances created by the previous Conservative administration.
Means-testing remains for wealthier pensioners
On Monday, the government announced it would restore the payments to 9 million pensioners. Only about 2 million people earning above £35,000 will remain excluded from the £200–£300 heating subsidy during the winter months.
The initial decision had faced opposition from dozens of Labour MPs and was seen as a factor in the party’s recent electoral setbacks, including gains made by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in local elections. Reform UK also leads in national opinion polls.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision to exclude wealthier pensioners still stands and defended the initial cuts.
“Because of those decisions, our public finances are now in a better position, which means that this year we're able to pay the winter fuel payment to more pensioners,” she said.
Treasury costings and political fallout
The Treasury said the reversal would cost £1.25 billion, while means-testing the benefit would still result in savings of about £450 million. It added that the move would not lead to permanent additional borrowing and that funding plans would be set out in a budget later this year.
Speaking at a press conference in Wales, Farage claimed credit for the U-turn.
“The Labour government are in absolute state of blind panic, they are not quite sure what to do,” he said. “Reform are leading now much of their agenda.”
Starmer had indicated last month that he would reverse the cuts.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the earlier policy change had resulted in around 85 per cent of pensioner households losing access to the benefit.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries. (Photo: Getty Images)
KEMI BADENOCH has said she will not speak to women wearing burqas or other face coverings at her constituency surgery.
In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries.
Badenoch also said employers should have the right to ban staff from wearing burqas, stating, “Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear.”
She said, “If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering. I’m not talking to people who are not going to show me their face.” She added, “There’s a whole heap of stuff that is far more insidious... things like first-cousin marriage… My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear.”
Afzal Khan, Labour MP and vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, criticised the remarks. He said: “Trying to outflank Reform UK on immigration or culture wars... erodes trust in politics itself.”
The issue was raised after Reform MP Sarah Pochin questioned Keir Starmer about banning the burqa. Nigel Farage has also called for a debate.
Zia Yusuf, chair of Reform, resigned over the issue but has since returned. He told The Sunday Times he might vote for a ban but said other issues were more urgent.
Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said he had spoken to women in burqas in the past.
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Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins locals in celebrating compassion and culture at Croydon's vegan picnic
A sunny Sunday afternoon turned into a celebration of kindness, flavour, and connection as Croydon's Lloyd Park played host to a vibrant vegan picnic on 8 June. Marking The Big Lunch, a UK-wide community initiative, local vegetarians and vegans gathered with loved ones for a day of delicious food, music, and togetherness.
Plant-based plates with a powerful message
Tables brimmed with a colourful spread of plant-based dishes, proof that vegan food lacks neither taste nor variety. But this picnic wasn’t just about food. It served as a gentle reminder that compassion can be a lifestyle choice. Veganism, rooted in the idea of reducing harm to animals, is growing steadily in the UK, not only for ethical reasons but also for its potential health benefits.
Families and friends share plant-based meals and music under the summer sun
The event was graced by the Worshipful Mayor of Croydon, Richard Chatterjee, and his wife Angelena. Councillor Manjul Hammeed also joined the gathering, lending civic support to the growing movement. Local faith institutions, including Coulsdon Hindu Mandir and Thornton Heath Durga Mandir, extended their support, underlining the event’s inclusive, multicultural spirit.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins Croydon's growing plant-based community at the weekend event
The Big Lunch, a UK tradition of togetherness
This celebration was part of The Big Lunch, a grassroots movement launched by the Eden Project in 2009. Backed by The National Lottery Community Fund, the idea is simple: get neighbours to connect over food and laughter. Over the years, The Big Lunch has become a calendar highlight in many communities across the UK, creating friendships and reminding people that building bonds can start with a shared meal.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee and many local faith groups support the inclusive vegan gathering
As the plates emptied, music and dance filled the park. Laughter, conversation, and rhythm took over, capturing the very spirit the Eden Project set out to nurture, community.
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Officials said work is also ongoing to redesign existing non-AC local trains to improve ventilation so that automatic door closing systems can be installed. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE RAILWAY Ministry has decided to install automatic door closing systems in existing and new local trains on the Mumbai Suburban network, following the deaths of four commuters and injuries to nine others who fell from overcrowded trains in Thane district on Monday, officials said.
A senior official said that after the incident, the Railway Minister and Railway Board officials held a detailed meeting and tasked the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai with manufacturing non-air-conditioned local trains with automatic doors for Mumbai Suburban services.
“The first train of the new design will be ready by November 2025 and after necessary tests and certification, it will be put into service by January 2026,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, while speaking to PTI.
“This is in addition to the 238 AC trains already under manufacturing for Mumbai suburban services,” Kumar added.
Officials said work is also ongoing to redesign existing non-AC local trains to improve ventilation so that automatic door closing systems can be installed.
The Railway Minister and Railway Board officials held a detailed meeting with the ICF, Chennai team on Monday to address the issue, officials said.
“The purpose was to find a practical solution to the issue of automatic door closing in local non-AC trains in Mumbai. The major issue with automatic door closing in non-AC trains is suffocation because of reduced ventilation,” a railway official said.
Kumar said the new non-AC trains will undergo three major design changes to address ventilation concerns.
“First, the doors will have louvres. Second, coaches will have roof-mounted ventilation units to pump in fresh air. And third, the coaches will have vestibules so that passengers can move from one coach to another and balance out the crowd in a natural way,” he said.
Four commuters died and nine were injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains in Thane district during the Monday morning rush hour, officials said.
The incident occurred near Mumbra railway station when the trains were passing each other on a steep turn.
Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, said the victims were travelling on the footboard of two trains—one headed to Kasara and the other to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai.
According to the police, the commuters were hanging from the doors of the crowded trains and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed in opposite directions.
The guard of the Kasara-bound train alerted the railway authorities. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, where four were declared dead on arrival, officials said.