THE RADIO

Montreal, a city described by tourist guides as "North America’s Europe" for its cultural richness and joie de vivre, is the Canadian centre of Covid-19. 

​

Representing more than half of Quebec's 50,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, the island is, however, easing its restrictions. 

​

Most stores reopened this week and people are enjoying the first heatwave of the year after a harsh winter.

Mathiew Leiser reports from Montreal:

Voting is underway in Canada's general election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party is facing a stiff challenge from the Conservative Party lead by Andrew Scheer.

But it's not just a race between the two big parties, a feature of this campaign has been the rise of smaller parties.

Joining me now from Montreal is our correspondent Mathiew Leiser-Harding..

A law aimed at toughening Canada’s gun legislation is about to be adopted (27th), reopening an intense political debate that has torn Canadian society apart for thirty years.

It is the culmination of the governing Liberal Party’s promise to make it harder to buy and use handguns and assault weapons.

With 266 deaths recorded in 2017,  gun violence in Canada is much lower than in the US but higher than in most European countries.

Mathiew Leiser reports from Montreal.

A counter-movement to the anti-government protests in France held its first march in Paris on Sunday.

Police said ten thousand people took part, surpassing the Yellow Vests who had turned out in the city for the eleventh consecutive Saturday.

The Newsroom's Mathiew Leiser has this report

From dancing queens - to dancing chickens - the Eurovision Song Contest has brought us a whole host of acts.

This year's showdown -- to be held in Israel -- is still four months away but we already know some of the candidates.

Bilal Hassani, a young singer, and social media influencer has won the right to represent France after beating off competition from some of his country's most renowned singers.

Mathiew Leiser reports:

An unusual soldier joined the Polish army during World War II - an orphaned brown bear who treated his unit like family.

Now, British-Polish filmmakers hope to release a family-friendly animated film "A Bear Named Wojtek" in 2020 for the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

The Newsroom's Mathiew Leiser reports:

A normal direct flight from Paris to Shanghai takes about 11 hours, but for the 282 passengers aboard the Air France flight AF116, it took them more than 80 hours to reach the city in China. Mathiew Leiser has more:

In France, a group of charities or NGOs including Greenpeace and Oxfam have launched a lawsuit against the French state.

They're accusing the government of not taking sufficient action to tackle climate change.

This report by the Newsroom's Mathiew Leiser begins with a promise by the French leader.

Police in France have used tear gas, water cannons and armoured vehicles to control around eight thousand demonstrators in Paris.

It's the fourth weekend in a row that so-called 'yellow vest' protesters have taken to the streets -- in what began as a campaign against higher fuel prices, but has become a more general anti-government movement that includes some extremist groups. 

French authorities say an estimated hundred and twenty five thousand people have taken part nationwide.

But different police tactics are reported to have minimised the violence. 

​

But those 'Yellow Vest' protests weren't confined to the capital.

I spoke to The Newsroom's Mathiew Leiser who's been looking at the situation in the rest of France:

Burning cars, tear gas and water cannon - these are the scenes on the Champs Elysees, where the yellow vest protesters have once again been out in the heart of Paris and other cities - demonstrating against a fuel eco-tax and against economic reform plans that they fear will cost them dearly.

There were many injuries and over 200 arrests on Saturday.

Their protests are proving one of the most sustained challenges to the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.

Speaking at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires he condemned the violence, saying no cause justified attacking the security forces, looting shops or setting buildings on fire.

​

But what about outside Paris. I asked this question to the Newsroom's Mathiew Leiser: 

A promotional photo for a prestigious French art school has drawn derision on social media, after black students were digitally added to the image. I got more on the story from Mathiew Leiser:

The Oscars 2018 have already been awarded, but the equivalent in the video games industry is still to come. The nominees for the Game Awards 2018 have just been announced. Created in 2014, the ceremony attracted over 18 million viewers online last year. Our reporter, Mathiew Leiser, takes a look at this year nominees:

The French government has announced that Facebook will allow French regulators to go inside the company to examine how it combats online hate speech.  It's the first time the social media giant has opened its doors in such a way. Mathiew Leiser reports:

Tributes have been paid to one of France's most popular singers, Charles Aznavour, who has died at the age of ninety-four.

Aznavour was born in Paris to Armenian immigrants and was acting by the age of eleven. 

Throughout his career, which spanned more than seventy years, Charles Aznavour recorded more than twelve hundred songs in eight languages.

Mathiew Leiser had a look at the tributes...

Many women in France have suffered catcalling from men. Now after a new law was put in place in August, one man living near Paris has become the first to be sentenced for it. Mathiew Leiser reports:

Paris is famous for its historical monuments like the Eiffel Tower. But a series of new landmarks, where men can relieve themselves in public, are raising eyebrows. Mathiew Leiser has been to try them out.

​

In June last year, a prominent figure in French politics passed away, Simone Veil. Her death sparked a wave of emotion with thousands of people demanding that she be buried in the Pantheon, the final resting place for the country’s most famous citizens. The people’s demand has been heard and today the former minister and Holocaust survivor will be buried in the secular mausoleum. Mathiew Leiser reports :   

Whereas many French people continue to demonstrate regularly against government labour reform, those responsible for voting the laws in are complaining they are overworked, that’s the finding of a survey of MPs. The newsroom’s Mathiew Leiser told me more about the study.

The French President former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla is being charged with gang violence after he’s filmed beating protesters on 1st of May. Emmanuel Macron has been accused of being slow to react and finally spoke out via an aid on Sunday evening. The Newsroom reporter Mathiew Leiser is here:

If made its way through three continents since it was stolen by the Nazis during World War Two. Now a painting by the famous French impressionist Auguste Renoir has finally been returned to its original owner. With more here's Mathiew Leiser. 

The story of a nine-year-old goalkeeper whose achievements on the football pitch have become a hit on social media.  Mathiew Leiser takes up the story: