
Tariffs: In France, even the prime minister criticizes the EU's 'submission' to Trump
"Submission." With this condemnation, Bayrou broke with his usual political line. As an MEP from 1999 to 2002 and co-founder and president of the European Democratic Party, the centrist prime minister has typically been among the EU's most ardent supporters. Now, he has suddenly accused its leading figure, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, of having betrayed her mission by accepting that European products exported to the US would face 15% tariffs, all while American imports to Europe do not face similar penalties.
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LeMonde
4 hours ago
- LeMonde
US court upholds order blocking immigration agents' patrols in California
A US appeals court has upheld an order blocking immigration agents from carrying out patrols in California. The patrols have led to indiscriminate detentions without reasonable grounds to suspect people of being undocumented immigrants. The ruling, delivered by a three-judge panel late on Friday, August 2, denies the federal government's appeal to overturn a temporary July order to halt "roving patrols" in Los Angeles, which immigration rights groups have described as illegally using racial profiling. California residents and advocacy groups sued the Department of Homeland Security over the detentions. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong had ordered an end to the arrests. She had argued that such actions by agents violate a person's constitutional rights, which safeguard against unreasonable seizures by the government. She had said the detentions were being made "based upon race alone," on whether a person was speaking Spanish or English with an accent or because of their place of work, and ordered them stopped. The Jason Gavidia case Friday's ruling by the US Ninth Circuit Court of appeals described the case of plaintiff Jason Gavidia. A US citizen, born and raised in East Los Angeles, Gavidia was arrested outside a tow yard in Montebello by agents carrying military-style rifles on June 12. "The agents repeatedly asked Gavidia whether he is American – and they repeatedly ignored his answer: 'I am an American,'" the ruling said. Agents asked what hospital he was born in, and Gavidia responded he did not know, but said he was born in "East LA." The court said Gavidia told the agents he could show them his government-issued ID. "The agents took Gavidia's ID and his phone and kept his phone for 20 minutes. They never returned his ID." A victory against ICE raids Los Angeles and the surrounding suburbs have been ground zero for President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown. He ordered the US military deployed there for weeks, and agents have rounded up migrants at car washes, bus stops, stores and farms. The ruling said the government's defense team argued that "certain types of businesses, including car washes, were selected for encounters because (...) they are likely to employ persons without legal documentation." Help us improve Le Monde in English Dear reader, We'd love to hear your thoughts on Le Monde in English! Take this quick survey to help us improve it for you. Rights groups hailed the order as a victory for those seeking to bar the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from conducting the raids. "This decision is further confirmation that the administration's paramilitary invasion of Los Angeles violated the Constitution and caused irreparable injury across the region," said attorney Mohammad Tajsar of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California. "We look forward to holding the federal government accountable for these authoritarian horrors it unleashed in Southern California."


Euronews
5 hours ago
- Euronews
Kilis-Aleppo natural gas pipeline opened: Gas flow to Syria started
The export of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Syria via Turkey began on Saturday with the opening of the Turkey-Syria natural gas pipeline. The inauguration ceremony was held in the Turkish city of Kilis only seven kilometres from the Syrian border. It was attended by Turkish Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bakyraktar, Qatar Development Fund President Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed Al-Bashir and Azberbaijani Economic Minister Mikayıl Jabbarov. In his opening speech, Bayraktar said that the new pipeline means the electricity supply in Syria will be increased from between three and four hours a day to ten hours a day. Electricity will now be exported from Turkey to Syria from eight different points, Bayraktar said, with the export capacity expected to increase in the coming years. "With the new connections, the capacity will reach 860 megawatts," he said. Speaking to Euronews, Bayraktar said that European countries expecting Syrians to return home "need to put concrete projects in place to turn expectations into reality." He said that "Turkey has been an important host" to Syrians who fled their country due to war. While many of these people want to return to their home country, he said the conditions need to be provided for them to do so. "Many countries, especially European countries, refuse our Syrian brothers and sisters and do not accept them, Turkey has been and continues to be a very important host in this sense." "Syria has many needs, infrastructure needs and other needs. Therefore, it is important for the European Union countries, European countries, Western countries to support, embrace and contribute to these projects that are necessary for the normalisation of life there in this sense," he said. The minister had previously announced that Turkey would cooperate with Azerbaijan and Qatar in natural gas exports to Syria. He said that a significant increase in energy production would help with "accelerating the return" of Syrians in Turkey. Bayraktar also announced the signing of an agreement with Azerbaijani state-owned oil and gas company SOCAR for natural gas. Energy cooperation Immediately after the EU and the US lifted sanctions on Syria, it was announced in May that a $7 billion (€6.04 billion) strategic cooperation agreement was signed between Kalyon Holding and Cengiz Holding from Turkey, UCC from Qatar, Power International from the US and the Syrian Ministry of Energy. Within the scope of the agreement, the groups intended to build natural gas cycle power plants across Syria within the next three years. A solar power plant is also expected to be built in around two years. The consortium aims to ensure Syria's energy supply security, environmental sustainability and regional development. Energy supply during the civil war Syrians have been struggling with serious energy shortages since the start of the civil war. The years-long war paralysed more than 50 percent of the country's electricity grid, reducing electricity generation capacity from 8,500 megawatts to 3,500 megawatts. It is stated that the main reason for this is the serious damage to power plants in the regions of Mkharde, Aleppo and Zayzoun. Before the civil war in 2011, Syria was producing and exporting 400 thousand barrels of oil per day. However, now it can only produce 20 thousand barrels and is dependent on imports. The natural gas sector, which was just developing in 2011, is almost non-existent today.


Euronews
9 hours ago
- Euronews
Planes drop aid into Gaza as Israeli fire reportedly kills at least 18
Planes dropped aid from European countries and beyond into Gaza on Saturday, though both aid groups and Palestinians say changes have been only incremental. The aid comes from a coalition of Jordan-led nations, including Germany, France and Spain. To circumvent restrictions on aid trucks crossing overland into Gaza, they have orchestrated parcels being dropped from the skies. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the first French aid drop of several tonnes of food was carried out on Friday and that more would continue over the weekend. Spain reportedly dropped 12 tonnes of aid deployed in 24 parachutes. This is enough for around 11,000 people, according to Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. Germany said 14 tonnes of food and medical aid was dropped off by plane, but German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul said that 'sufficient quantities of relief supplies can only be provided to the people by land.' Both Italy and the Netherlands are set to begin airdropping aid into Gaza next week, according to the country's governments. 'We expect Israel to do more to enable humanitarian aid via land routes and to fully honour its humanitarian agreements with the EU,' Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told the Dutch parliament. 'The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end.' Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had given the green light to military forces for the 'transport and airdrop of basic necessities to civilians in Gaza, who have been severely affected by the ongoing conflict.' Hunger has grown in Gaza during the past 22 months of war between Israel and Hamas because of aid restrictions, humanitarian workers warn. Experts say the 'worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in Gaza.' Israel enforced a complete blockade on food and other supplies for two and a half months beginning in March. It said its objective was to increase pressure on Hamas to release dozens of hostages it has held since its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Though the flow of aid resumed in May, the amount is a fraction of what aid organizations say is needed. Situation on the ground At least 18 people were killed by Israeli fire in Gaza on Saturday, according to local hospitals. Eight of these people were reportedly aid seekers. Near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution site, Yahia Youssef, who had come to seek aid Saturday morning, described a panicked scene now grimly familiar. After helping carry out three people wounded by gunshots, he said he looked around and saw many others lying on the ground bleeding. 'It's the same daily episode,' Youssef said. In response to questions about several eyewitness accounts of violence at the northernmost of the Israeli-backed American contractor's four sites, the GHF media office said 'nothing (happened) at or near our sites.' The group's efforts to deliver aid to Gaza has been marred by violence and controversy. However, Israel and the GHF have said they have only fired warning shots and that the death toll of aid seekers has been exaggerated. An Israeli strike also hit a family house in an area between the towns of Zawaida and Deir al-Balah, killing two parents and their three children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Another strike hit a tent close to the gate of a closed prison where the displaced have sheltered in Khan Younis, killing a mother and her daughter, they said. Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions about the strikes or deaths near the aid sites. Hostage's families protest to end war Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and their supporters protested in Tel Aviv and urged their government to push harder for the release of their loved ones. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the region Steve Witkoff joined them a day after visiting Gaza. Of the 251 hostages who were abducted when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, around 20 are believed to be alive in Gaza. The war began when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians. A subsequent Israeli offensive has to date killed over 60,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry whose figure does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The Israeli military says almost 900 of its soldiers have died since the start of the war.