French driver ‘stole luggage and cash' from David Lammy and wife
A French chauffeur is due in court this year over claims that he stole luggage and cash from the foreign secretary during a trip to the Alps.
David Lammy became embroiled in a disagreement with the driver over a disputed €700 fee after he and his wife, Nicola Green, were driven from Italy to the French Alps in April.
The Lammys claim that the Avignon-based driver, who provides a car service for VIPs, demanded more money when they arrived at their destination, even though it was agreed that the fare had been paid in full when they set off. While making his demand, it is claimed that the unnamed driver, who was sitting beside Green, opened a compartment between the seats and showed her a
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Down by the river: a meditation on mental health
During periods of deep turmoil in her personal life, Dutch photographer and mother of six, Marjolein Martinot, sought solace in nature. Each evening she'd walk to a nearby river in the south of France with her camera in hand. There she captured the quiet beauty of the natural world in the golden light of dusk, forming connections with the animals and families she encountered at the river's edges – jumping, splashing, climbing and swinging from the trees. Riverland is available to purchase from Stanley Barker Marjolein Martinot: 'At once, I felt connected again. Connected to life, to the beautiful nature around me, but most importantly, I felt connected to myself again. For me there is almost no nicer experience than being by yourself, surrounded by peace and quiet in a beautiful natural setting. Finding worthwhile moments, and then to be able to capture these with the camera. It is purely therapeutic – distracting and comforting, and often extremely stimulating as well. It is just a great recipe to feel much better overall' 'The first inspiration for Riverland started while I was photographing a bunch of little boys in trees on the Creuse river of the Indre. It was in the early months of the global Covid pandemic, and it felt almost surreal to be there during those challenging times, and to be photographing these happy and enchanting moments. Something shifted inside of me then, and it made me want to come back there and make more work. I subsequently kept on searching for other unique moments in natural scenery, all in and around the rivers of southern France. This image is the core of the work for me' Through these intimate, unguarded moments – children mid-leap, ripples catching the last light of day, trees bending towards the water, and horses galloping in the fading glow – Martinot began to piece together a new sense of self. She writes: 'I photographed this young couple lying down on the grass, near a branch of the Aveyron river in the region of the Tarn-et-Garonne. They were lying down exactly like this when I asked if I could take their photo, and then told them to please not move. I loved the simple intimacy of the moment and the sweet, content gaze of the girl' 'At some point I started noticing that the project contained a bit of a fairytale vibe, both in mood and scenery, and even in character. That kind of made sense though as in a certain way, the whole project was also an act of escapism for me. It was around that moment that I came up with the title Riverland' 'Maybe it's a bit of a cliche, but I've always appreciated the river as a metaphor for life. It just seems to echo life in such a simple, beautiful and poetic way. Rivers are like the veins of the world, connecting places, plus you never know what or whom you might encounter there, and I just loved that idea. I randomly selected southern rivers in France as starting points for my travels and subsequently followed some of the trails along them. This is a photo of water lily leaves, floating on the surface of a small river in the department of Tarn-et-Garonne' 'After I photographed these wild flowers, I remember thinking that they somehow reminded me of the Coronavirus images I'd seen. Perhaps it's the way the 'tentacles' appear here. In a certain way, they depict the daunting moments of the global pandemic for me' 'Sometimes I just saw someone lovely and/or interesting, and then asked them directly (and naturally also the parents) if I could take their portrait. I was quite lucky in that respect, as most people accepted. I always asked for contact information and then sent them photos of the shoot afterwards. I love taking portraits of people. When taking a portrait, the interaction is often intimate and special. That tiny instant of someone's personality coming through is a lovely experience. Being a naturally shy person, these one-on-one encounters give me a real boost' 'Finding the right light was crucial for the poetic mood I was after in my pictures. With a couple of exceptions, most of the photos for Riverland were taken either very early in the morning at the first available light, or in late afternoon/early evening – at dusk or even later' 'For years I had been struggling to find enough time to express myself genuinely and creatively – both as a woman and as an artist. The times we were (and still are) living in made things feel much worse. With the many horrible things going on in the world, and with so many negative outlooks, I was often finding myself feeling overwhelmed and depressed. Turning towards nature seemed like an obvious answer, and I did just that' 'The work contains a mixture of nature and portrait photography. The nature and landscape photos are mostly quiet and slightly ethereal perhaps, while in contrast to that, some of the portraits might be perceived as rather straightforward and direct. The combination of the two just appealed to me as it resonated with my feelings at the time, and it confronted me with myself in some way as well' 'Some of the photos of people in the book were spontaneous captures as I stumbled upon them because they were perfect in the given situation, and I was afraid that if they became too aware of me photographing it all could end up looking staged. However, I always introduced myself afterwards and asked for permission to continue shooting. I consistently ended up talking to the people I met, as I think that it's an essential part of the whole process. These girls were from Germany, and were vacationing with their parents in the Hérault department' 'As the work was being shot with film and on analogue cameras, it meant that I couldn't see the results right away. However, often when I had a good feeling at the time of taking the picture, it turned out to be so as well. This photo was taken with an old Rolleiflex camera. The introverted mood of the moment just resonated with me'
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Criminals turn to drones and social media to sell illegal cigarettes
LONDON, June 11 (Reuters) - Tobacco smugglers and black market salesmen are increasingly using technologies such as social media and drones to deliver cigarettes to smokers in Europe and avoid law enforcers, a report by consulting group KPMG published on Wednesday found. The report, produced annually and commissioned by Philip Morris International (PM.N), opens new tab, looks at illegal consumption of cigarettes on the continent - which big tobacco companies say costs them sales and authorities say costs them tax revenues. In 2024, KPMG found that almost 40 billion illicit cigarettes were consumed across 38 European nations, based in part on a study of empty packs collected in those countries. It also cited interviews with law enforcement. The gangs' flexible strategies have helped to drive a 10.8% increase in illicit consumption versus 2023, according to KPMG, which also attributed the rise to higher taxes and prices in markets including France and the Netherlands. The report said criminal groups had shifted towards smuggling smaller packages, more often, via budget airlines. They are also making greater use of rail and drones, and are increasingly bypassing physical stores to sell directly to consumers on social media, it continued. The more recent change in tactics follows another shift from 2020, when the groups moved production closer to end-markets, partly in response to the pandemic disruption, but also reducing the chance of detection. KPMG said in 2024 the groups had also begun holding less inventory, which is reflected in a decrease in the size of illicit cigarette seizures as the gangs mitigate their risks and reduce the impact of raids by law enforcers. Big tobacco companies say tax increases have driven growth in illicit cigarette consumption. Public health campaigners and institutions such as the World Bank, however, have said such claims are overblown and that high taxes can support public health by reducing tobacco consumption, while generating revenues for governments.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Greta Thunberg news latest: Climate campaigner breaks silence after being deported by Israel over Gaza aid boat
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in France after being deported by Israel for attempting to break the country's 18-year naval blockade of Gaza. The 22-year-old activist told reporters in France that Israel had violated international waters by intercepting the Gaza-bound, UK-flagged Madleen that she and 11 other activists had sailed from Sicily to the Egyptian coast. 'I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel,' she said. She laughed off criticism from Donald Trump, who had described her as an angry person, saying: 'I think the world needs a lot more young angry women to be honest, especially with everything going on right now.' At least five of the 12 activists arrested on board the Madleen flotilla are expected to be deported on Tuesday, according to Israeli broadcaster Kan. The group were picked up off the coast of Egypt earlier on Monday morning and taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they were detained. They had been attempting to take a symbolic amount of aid into Gaza. Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of war crimes Greta Thunberg has accused Israel of systematic war crimes against Palestinians Speaking to reporters after arriving in Paris, the activist said: 'The real story is that there is a genocide going on in Gaza and a systematic starvation following the siege and blockade now, which is leading to food, medicine, water that are desperately needed to get into Gaza is prevented from doing so. 'But of course there are many attempts like this mission both by sea and land to break that siege and open up a humanitarian corridor.' 'This is a continued violation of international law and war crimes that Israel is systematically committing against Palestinians by not letting aid come to starving people, and mass slaughtering in every possible way,' the 22-year-old Swede said. She added: 'We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing on a civilian ship carrying humanitarian aid on international waters. We did not break laws. We did nothing wrong.' Jabed Ahmed11 June 2025 04:00 Israel commits 'extermination' in Gaza by killing in schools, UN experts say UN experts have said in a report that Israel committed the crime against humanity of "extermination" by killing civilians sheltering in schools and religious sites in Gaza, part of a "concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life." The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel was due to present the report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council on 17 June. "We are seeing more and more indications that Israel is carrying out a concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life in Gaza," former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who chairs the commission, said in a statement. "Israel's targeting of the educational, cultural and religious life of the Palestinian people will harm the present generations and generations to come, hindering their right to self-determination," she added. The commission examined attacks on educational facilities and religious and cultural sites to assess whether international law was breached. Israel disengaged from the Human Rights Council in February, alleging it was biased. Its diplomatic mission said on Thursday that the commission's latest report was an "attempt to promote its fictitious narrative of the Gaza war", and proved that its members "care more about bashing Israel than protecting the people of Gaza." In its report, the commission said Israel had destroyed more than 90% of school and university buildings and more than half of all religious and cultural sites in Gaza. Jabed Ahmed11 June 2025 03:00 How many times have sailors tried to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza? There have been at least eleven occasions when Israel has intercepted activists or pro-Palestinian militants attempting to break its blockade on Gaza, we can report. Israel's blockade on Gaza has been in place since late 2007. The most significant incident happened in May 2010, when a six-boat flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy around 90 miles from Gaza. Nine people were killed after Israeli commandos opened fire on activists, having boarded the flagship vessel, the Mavi Marmara, Israel claims the activists began attacking the soldiers first. Neither account has been confirmed. There were additional, major attempts by activists in July 2011, June 2015 and August 2018. The vessels were all boarded without incident by Israeli forces. Like the Madleen, several were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Several smaller efforts were also intercepted by Israel, largely in the two years between 2009 and 2011. In March 2011, the Israelis intercepted a freighter called the Victoria in the Mediterranean with 50 tonnes of concealed weapons allegedly bound for Gaza. Last month, two drones hit another vessel destined for Gaza while it was off the coast of Malta. It was run by the same organisation that manages the Madleen, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The FFC claimed those drones were Israeli. Israel declined to comment. Jabed Ahmed11 June 2025 01:57 Who was on board the Madleen? There were a dozen activists aboard the Gaza-bound Madleen when it was intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Egypt on Monday morning. Below is a list of the 12 people: Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate and social justice activist Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament representing France's far-left La France Insoumise party Omar Faiad, a French journalist with Al Jazeera who is covering the trip Yanis Mhamdi, a journalist at the French independent media outlet, Blast, also there to report on the trip Pascal Maurieras, a French activist and experienced flotilla participant Thiago Avila, a Brazilian journalist, social activist and politician who has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause for almost two decades Baptiste Andre, a French physician who is expected to assist passengers or demonstrators injured in possible confrontations with Israeli forces Yasemin Acar, a German activist of Kurdish descent and part of the FCC's steering committee Reva Viard, a climate activist from France Suayb Ordu, a Turkish activist Sergio Toribio, a crew member from Spain and a member of the marine conservation NGO, Sea Shepherd Marco Van Rennes, a Dutch marine engineering student and crew member Tom Watling11 June 2025 00:58 Yemen missile launched toward Israel 'most likely' intercepted, military says The Israeli military said on Tuesday that a missile launched from Yemen toward Israel had 'most likely' been intercepted, hours after Israel deployed its navy to hit targets in the Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodeidah. Israel threatened Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement – which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Gaza – with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist. 'Additional interceptors were launched due to the possibility of falling shrapnel from the interception,' the Israeli military said in a later statement after sirens sounded in several areas. Andy Gregory10 June 2025 23:58 Watch: Israeli government criticises Greta Thunberg 'selfie yacht' Andy Gregory10 June 2025 22:57 Activists 'shielded by their passports', says Freedom Flotilla Coalition The activists on board the flotilla acknowledge that 'by virtue of their passports', they are 'shielded from the daily brutality' endured by Palestinians, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has said. In a statement, the FCC said it 'acknowledges that by virtue of their passports of privilege, the Madleen 12 are shielded from the daily brutality and horrendous systemic torture Palestinians endure under Israeli occupation. 'According to Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, as of June 4, 2025, there are over 10,400 Palestinians held captive in Israeli dungeons. Of those, more than 400 are children and more than 3,500 are held without trial, charge, or minimal due process.' Andy Gregory10 June 2025 21:55 Thirty six people killed near aid sites in Gaza, health officials say Palestinians desperately trying to access aid in Gaza have come under fire again, with 36 people killed and 207 injured on Tuesday, the Palestinian health ministry said. Experts and humanitarian aid workers say Israel's blockade and 20-month military campaign have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine. At least 163 people have been killed and 1,495 wounded in a number of shootings near aid sites run by the new Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. In southern Gaza, at least eight people were killed while trying to obtain aid around Rafah, according to Nasser Hospital. In northern Gaza, two men and a child were killed and at least 130 were wounded on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties. They said most were being treated for gunshot wounds. Witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire at around 2am local time, several hundred yards from the aid site in central Gaza. Crowds of Palestinians seeking desperately needed food often head to the sites hours before dawn, hoping to beat the crowds. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at people it referred to as suspects. It said they had advanced toward its troops hundreds of yards from the aid site prior to its opening hours. UK will never accept forced displacement of Gazans, vows Foreign Office minister Sir Keir Starmer's government 'will never accept the unlawful transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza', a Foreign Office minister has vowed. Hamish Falconer told the Commons: 'The situation in the West Bank cannot be seen in isolation from events in Gaza – extremist rhetoric advocating forced displacement of Palestinians, denial of essential aid. 'The creation of new Israeli settlements in the Strip is equally appalling and dangerous. This government will never accept the unlawful transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza strip. 'The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic in Gaza. While Israel's ground and air operations expand, Gazans have now been pushed into less than 20 per cent in the territory. 'Hospitals have been destroyed and damaged. The entire population of Gaza is now at risk of famine. Meanwhile, Israel's newly-introduced measures for aid endanger civilians and foster desperation – they are inhumane.' Andy Gregory10 June 2025 19:58 Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of war crimes Greta Thunberg has accused Israel of systematic war crimes against Palestinians Speaking to reporters after arriving in Paris, the activist said: 'The real story is that there is a genocide going on in Gaza and a systematic starvation following the siege and blockade now, which is leading to food, medicine, water that are desperately needed to get into Gaza is prevented from doing so. 'But of course there are many attempts like this mission both by sea and land to break that siege and open up a humanitarian corridor.' 'This is a continued violation of international law and war crimes that Israel is systematically committing against Palestinians by not letting aid come to starving people, and mass slaughtering in every possible way,' the 22-year-old Swede said.
