Gaza, 'Taco Trump', Musk ‘overboarded', Macron's ‘le slap'
It's been a week that's seen a French doctor, Joel Le Scouarnec, thought to be the country's most prolific paedophile, sentenced to a further 20 years in jail. He's already in prison for other crimes. The 74 year old former surgeon admitted abusing almost 300 people. Many were children under sedation in hospital who didn't know they'd been assaulted until they were told by police. Advocacy groups say that it's exposed serious failings of French health authorities, accusing them of not caring to act when first made aware of his conviction for downloading images of child rape, two decades previously.
It's been the week that Elon Musk said goodbye to the Trump Administration and left his role at the White House. The world's richest man said his time has come to an end at the department of government efficiency just days after his public critique of Trump's so called Big Beautiful tax bill, calling it too expensive and undermining the point of Doge. Washington insiders say it was his time, quoting sources suggesting he'd been seen as a bit of nuisance in the Trump inner circle. White House officials tell reporters he was quote 'off boarded' on Wednesday night.
And it was a week that created an inadvertent legacy moment for Emmanuel Macron, on manoeuvres in south east Asia. A moment likely to be included in every future look back at the President's career. A push in the face from the First Lady. Pay no attention to the couple behind the plane's curtain. 'Play fighting' said the President.
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Euronews
42 minutes ago
- Euronews
China accuses US of violating trade truce and vows firm retaliation
China criticised the US on Monday for 'seriously violating' a trade truce agreed in Geneva last month, an agreement that temporarily reduced steep tariffs on both sides. The Commerce Ministry denounced Washington's moves to stop the sale of chip design software to China, US warnings against using chips made by China's Huawei, and it attacked the revocation of Chinese student visas. 'We urge the US to work with China to immediately correct relevant wrong practices,' the Commerce Ministry said in a statement. 'If the US insists on its own way and continues to damage China's interests, China will continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.' After a breakthrough in early May, Washington lowered tariffs imposed on goods from China from 145% to 30%. Beijing's retaliatory tariffs, meanwhile, were lowered from 125% to 10%. While the deal lasts 90 days, allowing US and Chinese negotiators to reach a more substantial agreement, tensions have since been ratcheting up between the two sides. Trump stoked the hostility on Friday, accusing Beijing of violating the truce, without giving details. 'So much for being Mr. NICE GUY," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later said China had not been removing non-tariff barriers, as per the agreement. He notably criticised Beijing for placing US companies on blacklists and restricting exports of rare earth magnets to the US. Both countries are in a race to develop advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, with Washington seeking to curb China's access to the most advanced computer chips. 'Instead of reflecting on itself, it [the US] has turned the tables and unreasonably accused China of violating the consensus, which is seriously contrary to the facts,' the Commerce Ministry said in Monday's statement. This Wednesday, the US is set to double its current tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25% to 50%.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
Cambodia says to file complaint with ICJ over Thai border dispute
"Cambodia hopes that the Thai side will agree with Cambodia to jointly bring these issues to the International Court of Justice... to prevent armed confrontation again over border uncertainty," Hun Manet said during a meeting between MPs and senators. Military clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted in 2008 and have led to several years of sporadic violence, resulting in at least 28 deaths. The most recent occurred Wednesday, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a location known as the Emerald Triangle -- a joint border area between Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. The day after, Cambodia's foreign ministry sent a letter to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh demanding "an immediate and thorough investigation" into the "unprovoked attack". Describing the incident as "a violation of Cambodian sovereignty", Phnom Penh said it remained committed to resolving the issue through "peaceful and diplomatic avenues". Prime Minister Hun Manet said that even if the Thai side did not agree on bringing the issue to the ICJ, Cambodia would still file the complaint. He added that the border dispute was being "incited by small extremist groups in both countries", which could lead to further clashes. Thailand's ministry of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP. Cambodia's military had said they were attacked first in Wednesday's incident, while the Thai side said their soldiers were responding to gunshots. The Thai and Cambodian militaries met the following day, agreeing to ease tensions. Thailand says a Joint Boundary Committee will meet in the next two weeks to resolve the issue. The Emerald Triangle is among the areas that will be named in the ICJ complaint, Hun Manet said. Another is Ta Moan Thom Temple, the backdrop for a video posted on social media earlier this year showing a woman singing a patriotic Khmer song which led to Bangkok lodging a formal protest to Phnom Penh. Cambodia and Thailand have long been at odds over their more than 800-kilometre-long (500-mile) border, which was largely drawn during the French occupation of Indochina. The 2008 military clashes erupted over a patch of land next to Preah Vihear Temple, a 900-year-old structure near their shared border.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
ECB expected to cut rates again as Trump trade war rumbles on
Even before Trump unleashed his on-off tariff onslaught on the world, the ECB had been bringing borrowing costs down as inflation eased. Worries about sluggish performance in the 20 countries that use the euro have increasingly overshadowed inflation concerns as higher rates have pinched businesses and households. Trump's tariffs have added to the sense of urgency. Europe is in the president's crosshairs over its hefty surplus in traded goods with United States, stoking fears about a heavy hit to the continent's exporters. Predicting a cut when the ECB's governing council meets Thursday, HSBC said the eurozone's "near-term outlook has deteriorated on the recent US tariffs announcements and related uncertainty". Analysts expect another quarter-point reduction that would take the Frankfurt-based institution's key deposit rate to two percent. But observers believe the June cut could be the final one in the current streak, with the ECB likely to pause at its next meeting in July to take stock of the latest economic developments. The ECB's series of cuts stands in contrast to the US Federal Reserve, which has kept rates on hold recently amid fears that Trump's levies could stoke inflation. Global order 'fracturing' Trump has already hit the EU with multiple waves of tariffs -- it currently faces a 10-percent "baseline" levy as well as 25-percent duties on cars, steel and aluminium. He has paused even higher rates on the EU and other trading partners to allow for talks, momentarily easing some of the tensions that had roiled global markets. But in a sign the trade war may be far from over, he threatened last month to swiftly impose a 50-percent tariff on the EU -- only to delay the move a few days later to July 9. Highlighting the alarm felt in Europe, ECB President Christine Lagarde said last week that the global economic order backed by US leadership was "fracturing". "Multilateral cooperation is being replaced by zero-sum thinking and bilateral power plays," she said in a speech in Berlin. But the ECB faces a tricky task in protecting the eurozone from the mercurial US president's trade policies while keeping inflation stable. Euro-area inflation was 2.2 percent in April, slightly above the ECB's two-percent target and higher than expected. May's inflation estimate will be published by Eurostat on Tuesday ahead of the ECB meeting. But most recent signs suggest price pressures are easing faster than previously thought, and the ECB is expected to cut its inflation predictions when it releases its own new economic forecasts Thursday. Downward pressure Most analysts expect Trump's tariffs to add to downward pressure on eurozone inflation, particularly as it might lead China -- facing the highest US levies -- to redirect inexpensive manufactured goods to Europe. The ECB is expected to cut its growth estimates Thursday due to the impact of the trade war, after the EU slashed its forecasts last month. While investors will be on the lookout for any clues from Lagarde about the ECB's next move, analysts warn that heightened uncertainty means she will give little away. The meeting will likely also produce questions over the future next moves for Lagarde. The former head of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab told The Financial Times last week that he had spoken with Lagarde about her taking over as head of the organisation. The ECB brushed away the rumours, saying Lagarde was "determined" to see out her term at the helm of the central bank.
