Suspect in murder of Tunisian man to appear before French judge

PARIS: A Frenchman accused of murdering his Tunisian neighbour in the south of France will appear before an anti-terrorism judge on Thursday, the national anti-terror prosecutor's office said.
Christophe B. is accused of killing Hichem Miraoui in an attack Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has described as both 'racist' and 'probably also anti-Muslim'.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors have taken over the case, the first time a far-right racist attack has been treated as a 'terrorist' offence since the unit was created in 2019.
The suspect wanted to 'disrupt public order through terror', according to a source close to the case.
Christophe B., a French national in his 50s, shot and killed Miraoui, a Tunisian man in his 40s, on Saturday in the southern town of Puget-sur-Argens before wounding another neighbour, a Turkish national.
He posted racist videos on social media both before and after the attack, according to regional prosecutor Pierre Couttenier.
Retailleau said Tuesday that the killing of Miraoui was 'clearly a racist crime', 'probably also anti-Muslim' and 'perhaps also a terrorist crime'.

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Greenpeace steals Macron wax figure for anti-Moscow protest

The Star

2 hours ago

The Star

Greenpeace steals Macron wax figure for anti-Moscow protest

Greenpeace activists on Monday stole a wax figure of President Emmanuel Macron from a Paris museum and placed it in front of the Russian embassy as part of a protest against French economic ties with Moscow in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. According to a police source, two women and a man entered the Grevin Museum posing as tourists and, once inside, changed their clothes to pass for workers. The activists slipped out through an emergency exit with the wax work, estimated to be worth 40,000 euros (RM193,644), which they had covered up. The museum said that the activists had called to promise that the statue would be returned "unharmed". "They had clearly done their research very thoroughly," a museum spokeswoman told AFP. According to the spokeswoman, the activists distracted a security guard by asking a question about a disabled access lift, while some of them donned maintenance coats. After making away with the Macron wax figure, the Greenpeace activists placed it in front of the Russian embassy in a protest against the economic ties between France and Russia in the gas, chemical fertilizer and nuclear sectors. Greenpeace activists set up a wax statue of Macron - allegedly taken from the Grevin Museum - outside the Russian Embassy in Paris on June 2, protesting France's gas and fertilizer imports from Russia. Photo: AFP The action in front of the embassy lasted only a few minutes. The activists unfurled a Russian flag behind the Macron statue, while one man held up a yellow placard reading "Business is business". The activists also threw fake banknotes around. "For us, France is playing a double game," said Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France. "Emmanuel Macron embodies this double discourse: he supports Ukraine but encourages French companies to continue trading with Russia," Julliard said. Julliard said Greenpeace targeted Macron because he had a particular responsibility, adding that the French president "should be the first" among European leaders to end trade contracts with Russia. France has been one of the most vocal supporters of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Macron has taken the lead in seeking to forge a coordinated European response to defend Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump shocked the world by directly negotiating with Russia. The wax figure of Jacques Chirac was stolen from the Grevin Museum in 1983, when he was mayor of Paris. The statue was found a few days later at the Vincennes Zoo. The statue of Valery Giscard d'Estaing was stolen by angry motorcyclists during his term at the Elysee Palace between 1974 and 1981. - AFP

[UPDATED] Malaysia to continue diplomatic efforts for Palestinian cause

New Straits Times

3 hours ago

New Straits Times

[UPDATED] Malaysia to continue diplomatic efforts for Palestinian cause

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said regional leaders have agreed to continue consultations and explore urgent solutions to the Gaza crisis, reaffirming a united front against Israeli aggression. Speaking after attending Aidiladha prayers at Masjid Putra, Anwar said his recent conversations with foreign counterparts — including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — had focused on the worsening situation in Gaza. "In all these discussions, we expressed a clear and united stance on Gaza — to stop the violence, reject all efforts to obstruct humanitarian aid, and to strongly condemn Israel's brutal and aggressive actions," he said. Anwar said the leaders had agreed to continue consultations and find alternative ways to resolve the crisis as soon as possible. Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and has consistently voiced strong support for the Palestinian cause. The country has long advocated for Palestinian statehood and regularly condemns Israeli actions in the occupied territories. The United States recently vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, arguing that it would undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts. The move was heavily criticised by other members of the United Nations Security Council. It marked the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the United States — a key Israeli ally — also blocked a resolution calling for an end to the fighting. Asked whether Malaysia would raise the matter directly with the United States following its latest veto, Anwar said the government had already conveyed its position. "We have expressed our views, and they are already known to the international community. But this is not something one country can resolve on its own. "As we did with the Gulf states recently through Asean-GCC cooperation, we are rallying other nations to issue firm statements and pressure the world to stop the violence," he said. Anwar also criticised countries that publicly condemned Israel while continuing to supply it with weapons. "To condemn while selling arms to Israel is an act that clearly violates international and humanitarian law," he said. The conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, prompting a large-scale Israeli military offensive in Gaza. The war has left Gaza's population facing severe shortages of food, water and medicine, as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.

New Straits Times

5 hours ago

New Straits Times

Malaysia to continue diplomatic efforts for Palestinian cause

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will continue exploring diplomatic avenues to support the struggle of the Palestinian people, including those in Gaza, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said Malaysia remains in close contact with other world leaders who share similar concerns over the ongoing violence in the besieged territory. "Most of my recent discussions with heads of state who called in conjunction with Aidiladha, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian and the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have revolved around Gaza. The United States recently vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, which it said would undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.