A “parcel bomb” exploded in downtown Lyon, France Friday; injuring at least eight pedestrians in the city’s famed historic district.
“Those hurt in the explosion on Victor-Hugo Street, including a girl aged eight, appear to have suffered superficial injuries. A cyclist was seen leaving the parcel outside a bakery on a street corner, reports say. Anti-terrorist prosecutors have taken over the investigation in the country’s third-biggest city. French President Emmanuel Macron described the blast as an ‘attack,’” reports the BBC.
#BREAKING: A bomb has gone off in Lyon, France. Multiple people have reportedly been injured: https://t.co/c6Ok41aSnU pic.twitter.com/OfTv90N058
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 24, 2019
According to officials, the device was filled with screws, nuts, and bolts to maximize injuries.
Explosion à #Lyon angle rue Victor Hugo et rue Sala. Périmètre de sécurité mis en place. Pour votre sécurité éviter le secteur. pic.twitter.com/g9bAgH2oaf
— Préfète de région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes et du Rhône (@prefetrhone) May 24, 2019
“The area where the explosion occurred, on the narrow strip of land between the Saone and Rhone rivers in the historic city centre, has been evacuated, according to AFP journalists at the scene,” adds France 24.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
FRANCE BRACES: Security Forces Deployed as Yellow Vest Protesters Eye Versailles
French authorities are bracing for another weekend of violent demonstrations throughout the country, with Yellow Vest organizers eyeing the ex-royal city of Versailles as their next target in the anti-Macron movement.
“The Versailles chateau and gardens, a symbol of French state power and one of Europe’s top tourist attractions, will be closed on Saturday as authorities expect hundreds of protesters in the wealthy suburb, 20 km (12 miles) west of Paris,” writes Reuters.
Thousands of demonstrators have shut down key tourist attractions throughout Paris -such as the Eiffel Tower- as well as bridges, highways, and toll booths across France.
Versailles was a historically pivotal site during the 1789 French Revolution that ultimately led to the end of Royal-rule dating back centuries.
Read the full report at Reuters.
FRANCE FURY: French Government to Impose $570 MILLION ‘Digital Tax’
The French government is poised to implement a new “digital tax” on large corporations -such as Google, Amazon and others- that generate a substantial amount of revenue through online sales and shipping.
“The levy of as much as 5 percent of French sales will start Jan. 1 and potentially raise about 500 million euros ($570 million) for the state,” reports Bloomberg. “Under the plan, which the cabinet will discuss on Wednesday, the tax will apply to any company with global revenue of more than 750 million euros and French sales above 25 million euros.”
The new tax scheme comes just months after the so-called ‘Yellow Vest’ protests swept through France, with angry residents clashing with police over high energy costs, massive taxes, lack of employment, and other issues.
French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to overhaul the nation’s tax code in recent weeks but is struggling to cope with plummeting poll numbers and a series of economic challenges.
Read the full report at Bloomberg.