France says the South Pacific territory of New Caledonia will have more freedoms
The agreement — hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as ″historic'' — still needs final approval in New Caledonia, a nickel-rich archipelago east of Australia and 10 time zones away from Paris. The accord may face a vote by New Caledonians in February.
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35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
French left urges Macron to act over US plan to destroy contraceptives
France's left-wing politicians on Saturday called on President Emmanuel Macron to intervene over US plans to destroy nearly $10 million worth of female contraceptives in Europe, calling it an "affront" to public health. A State Department spokesperson told AFP this week that "a preliminary decision was made to destroy certain" birth control products from "terminated Biden-era USAID contracts." The US Agency for International Development, the country's foreign aid arm, was dismantled by Donald Trump's administration when he returned to office in January, replacing former president Joe Biden. Under the plan, some $9.7 million worth of implant and IUD contraceptives stored in Belgium are reportedly set to be incinerated in France. An open letter signed by French Green leader Marine Tondelier and several female lawmakers called the US decision "an affront to the fundamental principles of solidarity, public health and sexual and reproductive rights that France is committed to defending." In the letter, they urged the French president "not to be complicit, even indirectly, in retrograde policies," saying women's contraception products such as IUDs and implants were intended for "low- and middle-income countries." "Cutting aid for contraception is shameful, destroying products that have already been manufactured and financed is even more mind-boggling," Tondelier told AFP. The Greens urged Macron to request the suspension of the plan "as part of a joint initiative with the European Commission." They also called on him to back humanitarian organisations that say they are ready to redistribute the contraception products. Separately, Mathilde Panot, parliamentary leader of the hard left France Unbowed (LFI) party, also urged Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou to take action. "You have a responsibility to act to prevent this destruction, which will cost lives," she said on X. "These resources are vital, particularly for the 218 million women who do not have access to contraceptive care." The US plan has sparked outrage from global health NGOs, with Doctors Without Borders denouncing the "callous waste." "It is unconscionable to think of these health products being burned when the demand for them globally is so great," said Rachel Milkovich of the medical charity's US office. The State Department spokesperson said the destruction will cost $167,000 and "no HIV medications or condoms are being destroyed." Doctors Without Borders says that other organisations have offered to cover the shipping and distribution costs of the supplies, but the US government declined to sign off. US lawmakers have approved slashing some $9 billion in aid primarily destined for foreign countries. sde-ama-as/ach
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Frustration, Gaza alarm drove Macron to go it alone on Palestine recognition
By John Irish and Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) -President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would become the first Western member of the United Nations Security Council to recognise a Palestinian state in September has caused diplomatic ructions from the Middle East through Europe to Washington. But it did not come out of the blue. When Macron visited the Egyptian town of Al-Arish on the border with Gaza in April, he was struck by the mounting humanitarian crisis and made clear on his return home that Paris would soon opt for recognition. Working with Saudi Arabia, Macron came up with a plan to have France plus G7 allies Britain and Canada recognise Palestinian statehood, while pushing Arab states to adopt a softer stance towards Israel through a United Nations conference. But despite weeks of talks he failed to get others on board. Three diplomats said London did not want to face the wrath of the United States, and Ottawa took a similar stance, leaving Macron to go it alone. "It became increasingly apparent that we could not wait to get partners on board," said a French diplomat, adding France will work to get more states on board ahead of conference on a two-state solution in September. Domestically Macron was under rising pressure to do something amid widespread anger at the harrowing images coming out of Gaza. Although with both Europe's biggest Muslim and Jewish communities and a polarised political landscape, there was no obvious course of action that would satisfy all sides. Israel and its staunch supporter the United States have blasted France's move, branding it a reward for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which ran Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 triggered the current war. Macron had discussed the matter extensively with both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in advance. Trump said on Friday that France's decision didn't "carry any weight" but added Macron was "a good guy". CONFERENCE PLAN French officials previously considered an announcement at a conference scheduled for June at the United Nations, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, to sketch out a roadmap to a viable Palestinian state while also ensuring Israel's security. But the conference was postponed amid intense U.S. diplomatic pressure and after Israeli air strikes on Iran. Macron's announcement on Thursday is linked to a rescheduled and rejigged version of the U.N. conference, now planned to take place Monday and Tuesday. That meeting will be at ministerial level, but Paris decided it would hold a second event with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, where Macron will announce formal recognition. Some analysts say Macron has used the carrot of recognition to extract concessions from Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority which is a moderate rival to Hamas, and other regional players. "Macron here is acting as a catalyst to get the Palestinians to deliver on the needed reforms, to get the Arabs to deliver on a stabilization force and the disarming of Hamas," said Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of the Strategic Europe blog run by the Carnegie Europe think tank. Others say while recognition has symbolic value, there will still be no functioning Palestinian state whenever the war in Gaza comes to an end. "Recognition by a European heavyweight like France is indicative of the rising frustration with Israel's intransigent policies," said Amjad Iraqi, senior analyst at International Crisis Group. "What's the point of recognising a state if they're doing little to stop it from turning into ruins?" French officials point to months of intense Israeli lobbying to try to prevent Macron's move - and Netanyahu's fierce criticism of it - as evidence that it matters a lot to Israeli leaders. Sources familiar with the matter say Israel's warnings to France had ranged from scaling back intelligence-sharing to complicating Paris' regional initiatives - even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank. But French officials concluded that Netanyahu would do whatever he thought was in his interests in the West Bank anyway, regardless of what France did on recognition. Israel's parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of a non-binding declaration urging the government to apply Israeli law to the West Bank, widely seen as a de facto annexation of the territory. That added to the urgency in Paris. "If there is a moment in history to recognise a Palestinian state, even if it's just symbolic, then I would say that moment has probably come," said a senior French official. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'He belongs in The Hague': Keir Starmer fiercely criticised over Gaza speech
KEIR Starmer has been warned he 'belongs in The Hague' for failing to call out and act on the genocide being committed in Gaza by Israel. The Prime Minister has faced fierce criticism following a speech where he said the 'appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting' and called for the need for a regional 'lasting peace'. However, despite his comments where he claims his 'ultimate goal' is to improve the lives of Palestinian's he has been told his government are "complicit" in the suffering of tens of thousands of people in Gaza due to his inaction against Israel. Starmer is under increasing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state, as 221 MPs signed a cross-party letter, organised by the Labour backbencher Sarah Champion, demanding he take the step. READ MORE: I love standing on the soil of Scotland, Donald Trump says after landing in country It comes as French President Emmanuel Macron declared France would recognise a Palestinian state in September at a UN conference earlier this week. On Friday, Starmer set out his pathway where a Palestinian state could be recognised in a speech. He said: 'The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible. 'Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace. Starmer added: 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering – which of course, will always be our ultimate goal.' Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana was one of many people who has criticised the Prime Minister for failing to call out the ongoing genocide in [[Gaza]] and highlighted the UK Government's complicity in the ongoing war on the region. She wrote on Twitter/X: 'The 'appalling scenes in [[Gaza]]' have been enabled by the arms, surveillance & diplomatic cover Keir Starmer's Labour government have provided to a genocidal apartheid state. (Image: Jeff Moore) 'He still refuses to call it a genocide because he is complicit in it. 'Keir Starmer belongs in The Hague.' Journalist Matt Kennard also shared Sultana's calls for Starmer to stand in The Hague to answer for the UK Government's complicity in Gaza as he said: 'Another British spy plane literally in the sky over Gaza collecting intelligence for Israel as he posted this statement. 'Starmer belongs in the Hague. We must make sure he ends up there.' The charity Save the Children also shared Starmer's speech, where they edited the text to remove passive language like 'unfolding' and 'situation' and replaced it with words like 'deliberate' and 'assault' as well as attributing the horrific starvation of Palestinians to Israel. Along with the graphic, the charity replied: 'Fixed it for you, Keir Starmer. 'The UK is an ally to Israel's atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank. 'Now is the time to make our voices heard: Call on the UK Government to end its complicity.' Meanwhile, sharing a picture of Starmer during his speech, prominent trade unionist Howard Beckett, said: 'A picture that will chime through history. 'Starmer's GB is damned. He should answer in The Hague.'
