PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain remained unbeaten and seven points clear at the top of the French league — halfway through the season — after Ousmane Dembélé scored twice in a 2-1 win over Saint-Etienne on Sunday.
Marseille is in second place after 17 rounds, with third-place Monaco 12 points adrift of defending champion PSG, which has beaten both sides.
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PSG's Ousmane Dembele, centre, and Saint-Etienne's Leo Petrot challenge for the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, right, misses a goal by Saint-Etienne's Zuriko Davitashvili, left, during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele, second from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Dembélé scored in the 13th minute and the France winger netted from the penalty spot 10 minutes later after a video review spotted a handball from Léo Pétrot on Achraf Hakimi's cross. The decision seemed harsh as the ball grazed Pétrot's hand without him knowing.
Dembélé moved to 10 league goals, level with teammate Bradley Barcola and one behind co-top scorers Jonathan David (Lille) and Mason Greenwood (Marseille)
Barcola thought he had his 11th goal of the season close to halftime but, on a day of video reviews, the goal was ruled out for a foul by the player himself.
PSG has been linked with a move for Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, but it was another Georgian who scored for 16th-place Saint-Etienne as Zuriko Davitashvili neatly curled in a free kick midway through the second half.
Despite its unbeaten league record, PSG again looked nervous and came close to conceding an equalizer.
Earlier, Deiver Machado scored late as seventh-place Lens won 2-1 at struggling Le Havre to move one point behind Lyon in sixth.
The Colombia defender headed powerfully home from Poland winger Przemyslaw Frankowski's cross in the 77th minute.
Central defender Abdukodir Khusanov was left out of the Lens squad amid reports of an imminent big-money transfer to Premier League defending champion Manchester City reportedly worth 50 million euros ($51 million).
The 20-year-old joined Lens on a four-year contract last season, becoming the first Uzbek to play in Ligue 1. Lens paid just 100,000 euros ($110,000) to sign him from Belarus club Energetik-BGU Minsk.
Veteran winger Andre Ayew put Le Havre ahead in the eighth minute, scoring for the second straight game following his goal against Marseille last weekend.
Striker Goduine Koyalipou equalized in the 28th with a header on debut after joining on Thursday.
Le Havre has lost five straight league games and is in 17th spot.
Elsewhere, improving Strasbourg climbed into ninth place with a 2-1 win at Toulouse in a match where video reviews affected both sides, and rock-bottom Montpellier had two players sent off near the end of a 3-1 home loss to Angers.
Dutch striker Emanuel Emegha scored two first-half goals for Strasbourg and then had a third ruled out for offside in the 38th minute.
Toulouse scored from Ismaël Doukouré's own-goal in the 35th and, in the 75th, striker Zakaria Aboukhlal prepared to take a penalty to make it 2-2 after being fouled. However, the referee changed his mind following a video review and instead awarded Toulouse a free kick right on the edge of the area.
More frustration followed for the home side moments later.
Toulouse thought it had equalized when Frank Magri side-footed in Aboukhlal's pinpoint cross from the left. But VAR intervened again to rule the goal out because United States defender Mark McKenzie was narrowly offside.
Forward Esteban Lepaul netted twice as Angers moved up to 13th place. He scored in each half, either side of a penalty from Montpellier midfielder Téji Savanier.
Montpellier lost its composure in the closing stages when defender Boubakar Kouyaté and captain Jordan Ferri were sent off within one minute of each other.
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PSG's Ousmane Dembele, centre, and Saint-Etienne's Leo Petrot challenge for the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, right, misses a goal by Saint-Etienne's Zuriko Davitashvili, left, during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele, second from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic as an ongoing crackdown on demonstrators has led to hundreds of deaths.
Trump said late Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports mount of increasing deaths and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.
Iran did not acknowledge Trump’s comments immediately. It has previously warned the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has accurately reported on past unrest in Iran, gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran cross checking information. It said at least 544 people have been killed so far, including 496 protesters and 48 people from the security forces. It said more than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
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A witness told the AP that the streets of Tehran empty at the sunset call to prayers each night.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, addressed “Dear parents,” which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
—- By Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Iran drew tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators to the streets Monday in a show of power after nationwide protests challenging the country’s theocracy.
Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators thronging Tehran toward Enghelab Square in the capital.
It called the demonstration an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism,” without addressing the underlying anger in the country over the nation’s ailing economy. That sparked the protests over two weeks ago.
State television aired images of such demonstrations around the country, trying to signal it had overcome the protests, as claimed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier in the day.
China says it opposes the use of force in international relations and expressed hope the Iranian government and people are “able to overcome the current difficulties and maintain national stability.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that Beijing “always opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs, maintains that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected under international law, and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned “in the strongest terms the violence that the leadership in Iran is directing against its own people.”
He said it was a sign of weakness rather than strength, adding that “this violence must end.”
Merz said during a visit to India that the demonstrators deserve “the greatest respect” for the courage with which “they are resisting the disproportional, brutal violence of Iranian security forces.”
He said: “I call on the Iranian leadership to protect its population rather than threatening it.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday suggested that a channel remained open with the United States.
Esmail Baghaei made the comment during a news conference in Tehran.
“It is open and whenever needed, through that channel, the necessary messages are exchanged,” he said.
However, Baghaei said such talks needed to be “based on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral and based on dictation.”
The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, on Monday began calling out Iranian celebrities and leaders on social media who have expressed support for the protests over the past two weeks, especially before the internet was shut down.
The threat comes as writers and other cultural leaders were targeted even before protests. The news agency highlighted specific celebrities who posted in solidarity with the protesters and scolded them for not condemning vandalism and destruction to public property or the deaths of security forces killed during clashes. The news agency accused those celebrities and leaders of inciting riots by expressing their support.
Canada said it “stands with the brave people of Iran” in a statement on social media that strongly condemned the killing of protesters during widespread protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.
“The Iranian regime must halt its horrific repression and intimidation and respect the human rights of its citizens,” Canada’s government said on Monday.
Iran’s foreign minister claimed Monday that “the situation has come under total control” after a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in the country.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran’s foreign minister alleged Monday that nationwide protests in his nation “turned violent and bloody to give an excuse” for U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim, which comes after over 500 have been reported killed by activists -- the vast majority coming from demonstrators.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran has summoned the British ambassador over protesters twice taking down the Iranian flag at their embassy in London.
Iranian state television also said Monday that it complained about “certain terrorist organization that, under the guise of media, spread lies and promote violence and terrorism.” The United Kingdom is home to offices of the BBC’s Persian service and Iran International, both which long have been targeted by Iran.
A huge crowd of demonstrators, some waving the flag of Iran, gathered Sunday afternoon along Veteran Avenue in LA’s Westwood neighborhood to protest against the Iranian government. Police eventually issued a dispersal order, and by early evening only about a hundred protesters were still in the area, ABC7 reported.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran.
Los Angeles police responded Sunday after somebody drove a U-Haul box truck down a street crowded with the the demonstrators, causing protesters to scramble out of the way and then run after the speeding vehicle to try to attack the driver. A police statement said one person was hit by the truck but nobody was seriously hurt.
The driver, a man who was not identified, was detained “pending further investigation,” police said in a statement Sunday evening.
Shiite Muslims hold placards and chant slogans during a protest against the U.S. and show solidarity with Iran in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Activists carrying a photograph of Reza Pahlavi take part in a rally supporting protesters in Iran at Lafayette Park, across from the White House, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Activists take part in a rally supporting protesters in Iran at Lafayette Park, across from the White House in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Protesters burn the Iranian national flag during a rally in support of the nationwide mass demonstrations in Iran against the government in Paris, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
