Japan: Nagasaki marks 80th anniversary of US atomic bomb attack
09/08/2025
Major French wildfire is unlikely to be under control until late on Sunday
09/08/2025
US, Russian leaders set for talks on Ukraine peace deal
09/08/2025
Putin-Trump summit: Zelensky warns against 'decisions without Ukraine'
09/08/2025
War in Ukraine: Trump flags 'swapping of territories' ahead of Alaska talks
09/08/2025
Ghana builds Africa first genetic database to tackle cancer research gap
09/08/2025
Nagasaki survivors say 'never again'
09/08/2025
US astronaut Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13, dead at 97
09/08/2025
Aude: French firefighters optimistic after controlling vast wildfire
09/08/2025
Global calls for Israel to scrap Gaza City takeover plan
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LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
Washington attorney general sues Trump administration over police takeover
The attorney general for the US capital, Washington DC, has sued Donald Trump's administration on Friday, August 15, over what he called a "hostile takeover" of the city's police force, which the Republican president said was necessary to fight violent crime. Earlier this week, Trump placed the capital's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal government control while also sending 800 National Guard troops onto the city's streets. Attorney General Pam Bondi then issued an order to install a hand-picked official, Drug Enforcement Administration chief Terry Cole, as "emergency" police commissioner on Thursday. Federal law governing the capital "does not authorize this brazen usurpation of the District's authority over its own government," Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a filing lodged in federal court. "Defendants have unlawfully seized operational control of MPD, including by assuming positions in the chain of command and issuing policy directives to MPD." "By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District's right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk," Schwalb said in a statement on social media. "This is an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home." Schwalb has asked for a temporary restraining order on Bondi's order, and for the court to declare that Trump's executive order exceeds his authority over the District of Columbia. A hearing has been set for 2:00 pm local time (1800 GMT). Special status Unlike the 50 states, Washington operates under a unique relationship with the federal government that limits its autonomy and grants Congress extraordinary control over local matters. Since the mid-1970s, the Home Rule Act has allowed residents to elect a mayor and a city council, although Congress still controls the city's budget. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said late Thursday that "there is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official." The overwhelmingly Democratic city faces allegations from Republican politicians that it is overrun by crime, plagued by homelessness and financially mismanaged. Yet Washington police data show significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, although that was coming off the back of a post-pandemic surge. Bowser said earlier this week that violent crime was "at its lowest level in 30 years." Washington is also ranked 15 th on a list of major US cities by homeless population, according to government statistics from last year. Trump, meanwhile, has said he wants to tackle homeless encampments, and move those sleeping rough "FAR from the Capital." On his Truth Social platform, Trump this week described Washington as "under siege from thugs and killers," with higher crime rates than "many of the most violent Third World Countries."
Euronews
2 hours ago
- Euronews
Pushing Kyiv to give up land 'will force Ukrainians to the streets'
A possible deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine will include 'land swapping' from both sides, US President Donald Trump said, which in reality means territorial concessions for Ukraine. Kyiv forces do not occupy any of Russia's territory, meaning there could be no deal regarding returning Moscow its land. All of the land in question is the territory Russia has occupied in Ukraine since the first invasion in 2014 followed by Moscow's all-out war in 2022. If Trump pressures Ukraine to relinquish its territory, he would not be convincing Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Instead, he will have to persuade the people of Ukraine. And unlike Trump, Zelenskyy understands who will have the last word, just as he knows that even he cannot convince the Ukrainian people of what they reject. The county's civil society demonstrated it well enough, including just weeks ago. Anton Liagusha, Dean of the Graduate Department of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Kyiv School of Economics, told Euronews that if Ukrainian authorities are pressured into territorial concessions, 'it will force the Ukrainian people to take to the streets.' 'This will not so much be a story of protest against the authorities, but a cry from the Ukrainian people to the whole world to be treated as a great country in the centre of Europe, and not just viewed by the US as a piece of land," Liagusha said. "Ukrainians are a full-fledged nation, and Ukraine is a great state with its own legislation.' Liagusha explained that ever since Ukraine became an independent county, the society has clearly established its decisive power when 'during the Revolution of Dignity (in 2014), and before that the Orange Revolution (in 2004) and before that the Revolution on Granite in 1991, we saw that people do not accept power in terms of authoritarianism and clear hierarchy.' 'The president in Ukrainian society is not a king, meaning that his will does not determine the will of the entire Ukrainian people," he pointed out. 'We all hear what society says' Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022, this balance of power has crystallised even more clearly 'when we see in Ukrainian society that almost every family has been affected by this war, directly or indirectly," according to Liagusha. 'People are fighting against the aggressor, for democracy, and for our country to become a member of the European Union and be part of Europe," he said. And so, whatever decisions are made with the participation of the president, it means that these decisions can be confirmed by Ukrainian society through direct street demonstrations.' This was proven yet again in July when thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets to protest against the bill that could have effectively eliminated the independence of the country's anti-corruption institutions. Thousands of Ukrainians demonstrated until Zelenskyy proposed a new bill only days later to restore the independence of the anti-corruption bodies. Nationwide protests forced the government to overturn the initial bill in a move widely seen as a win for democracy in Ukraine, even during Russia's all-out war. Demonstrators made it clear that their anger was directed solely at the bill, and their demands were limited to restoring the independence of anti-corruption bodies. But after three revolutions in just over 30 years, one of which resulted in ousting the pro-Russian Victor Yanukovich in 2014, Ukrainian presidents and authorities are very sensitive to the voice of the street. Having signed a new bill, Zelenskyy himself said, 'We all hear what society says. We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the efficiency of each institution.' Zelenskyy surely knows what to expect from Ukrainian civil society should there be pressure to cede territories. But Ukraine's foreign partners, specifically the US, do not seem to comprehend it. When asked why, Liagusha said the reasons can be explained by the level of comfort of life. 'Life in the United States and many European countries is more or less stable and comfortable," he explained. "These societies have long lacked experience with large-scale protests and the high level of activity seen in Ukrainian civil society.' Liagusha also points out that Western democracies primarily view Ukrainian civil society as self-organised groups of people that are created or organised to solve specific tactical problems and issues. 'There is no understanding that the volunteer movement, civil society for the protection of human rights, and activists in various fields are truly such a society and are the creators of the new Ukrainian state.'
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
Paris Saint-Germain eyes crown as Ligue 1 season kicks off
Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping a severely curtailed summer break does not come back to bite them as the Ligue 1 season begins this weekend, headlined by the newly-crowned European champions and featuring the return to France of Paul Pogba. It is just the second time that the French top flight has boasted the Champions League winners among its ranks, with PSG's success against Inter Milan in May following Marseille 's triumph in 1993. Luis Enrique's team added the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday as they came from two goals down against Tottenham before winning on penalties. The nature of that success was made all the more remarkable given they had just a week's pre-season training under their belts, and no friendly matches. That is after they went all the way to the Club World Cup final in the United States, their 3-0 defeat against Chelsea on July 13 bringing the curtain down on a marathon 65-game season. That did not take the shine off their achievement in winning the Champions League, but those exertions risk having an impact on Luis Enrique's players further down the line. "What we did last season had been the objective for all PSG supporters, for the whole club, and for everyone who played for the club," PSG's coach said this week. "Now we want to keep on making history, and that means winning consecutive Champions Leagues, so that is our objective. That is the dream." PSG return to action against Tottenham in season opener 05:02 Put another way, continued European success is the priority over winning a 12th domestic title in 14 years. PSG are nevertheless overwhelming favourites to do that as they attack the season having added goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth. Lyon back from brink French football has been mired in crisis due to difficulties finding a domestic broadcast partner willing to offer the kind of money needed to help teams beyond PSG compete with their European counterparts. At the end of last season, the French league pulled the plug on a cut-price deal with streaming platform DAZN. Instead it has launched its own platform, a bold step which may succeed in the long run but for now means clubs have no guaranteed television income. Seven-time champions Lyon 's woes almost led to them being relegated – they were initially demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog before successfully appealing that punishment. However, they were told they would have to cut their wage bill and transfer budget for this campaign and the future still looks uncertain – key players such as Rayan Cherki, Alexandre Lacazette and goalkeeper Lucas Perri have all departed. Marseille and Monaco completed the podium in Ligue 1 last season and surely have the best chance of challenging PSG this time. Monaco have signed Pogba on a two-year deal, giving the 2018 World Cup winner a chance to revive a career that has been stalled by injury and an 18-month doping ban. Capital derby returns Pogba is now 32 and has hardly played in three years, but Monaco are hopeful he can help them make a real push at the top of the table. "The next step for us is to have a team that is mentally stronger, that really believes it can go far in the Champions League and challenge Paris," said Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro. Pogba has never previously played in France having left Le Havre for Manchester United as a teenager. Fellow 2018 World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, has returned to Ligue 1 aged 38 to join Lille. It remains to be seen what impact he might have, and whether Paris FC can feature prominently following promotion. They have big ambitions after a takeover last year by the Arnaults, one of the world's wealthiest families. It is the first time since 1990 that two Parisian teams have featured in the top flight, and the rivalry between them will be stoked by the fact Paris FC will play home games at the Stade Jean-Bouin – a stone's throw from PSG's Parc des Princes. Paris FC have already invested significant sums in the transfer market but will probably have to wait before seriously challenging their neighbours. "Everyone is eagerly looking forward to the derbies, but we know very well that the gulf between us is huge. They are on another planet," said Paris FC president Pierre Ferracci.
