Italy to issue half million non-EU work visas over next three years
03/07/2025
Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments
03/07/2025
Palestinians mourn director of key Gaza hospital killed in Israeli strike
03/07/2025
French air traffic controllers' strike disrupts early summer season travel
03/07/2025
Dozens still missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia's Bali
03/07/2025
Thailand gets third leader this week as king swears in new cabinet
03/07/2025
On the verge of a ceasefire deal in Gaza?
03/07/2025
US pause some weapons deliveries to Ukraine over depleting military stockpiles
03/07/2025
Iran charges two French detainees with 'spying' for Israel
02/07/2025
Thailand-Cambodia border conflict 'instrumentalised, weaponised' for internal political purposes
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LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
Macron threatens retaliation after Iran lays new espionage charges on French detainees
President Emmanuel Macron called the fresh indictments a "provocation towards France" and threatened Tehran with "retaliatory measures" if Iran upheld new charges. "We won't wait to answer," he said, adding that he would soon speak to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian. Cécile Kohler, 40, and Jacques Paris, her 72-year-old partner, have been held in Iran since May 2022 on charges of espionage that their families deny. But Iran has now charged the pair with spying for the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, as well as "corruption of Earth" and "plotting to overthrow the regime," diplomatic and family sources told AFP Agency on Wednesday, July 2. Tehran has not confirmed the new charges, all three of which carry the death penalty. A French diplomatic source has described the allegations as "completely unfounded." Macron did not mention what retaliation could be applied. But Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said earlier in the day that France would decide whether to reimpose sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, depending on whether Tehran released the pair. "Freeing Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris is an absolute priority for us," Barrot said. "We have always told our interlocutors from the Iranian regime that any decisions on sanctions will be conditional on resolving this issue." Iran officially suspended its cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Wednesday. The move came after a 12-day conflict last month between Iran and Israel, which saw unprecedented Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and sharply escalated tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Sanctions 'snapback' possible until deadline The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, accuse Iran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies that, but has gradually broken away from its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal that it struck with world powers, after the US pulled out of it in 2018. Israel has maintained ambiguity about its own atomic arsenal, neither officially confirming nor denying its existence, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that its arsenal amounts to 90 nuclear warheads. The landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal provided Tehran with sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its atomic programme to be monitored by the UN nuclear watchdog. The deal included the possibility of UN sanctions being reimposed through a mechanism called "snapback" if Iran failed to fulfil its commitments, an option that expires in October. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has urged European signatories of the 2015 deal to trigger the "snapback" mechanism and reinstate all UN sanctions on Iran. Iran is believed to hold around 20 European nationals, many of whose cases have never been publicized, in what some Western governments including France describe as a strategy of hostage-taking aimed at extracting concessions from the West. Three other Europeans, who have not been identified, have also been arrested in the wake of the current conflict, two of whom are accused of spying for Israel, according to authorities.
Fashion Network
4 hours ago
- Fashion Network
LVMH and luxury giants undermine EU pushback on US trade threats
For LVMH, the stakes are particularly high. Chairman Bernard Arnault has cautioned that failure to reach a trade deal could have serious consequences for France's wine and spirits industry. Urging restraint, Arnault has advocated for a cooperative path forward and even floated the idea of a US–EU free trade zone. Arnault, who has maintained longstanding ties with Trump, has reportedly visited Washington multiple times since the former president's return to the political spotlight. His son, Alexandre Arnault, also met with officials in May in support of trade de-escalation. 'I hope to succeed, with my modest means and my contacts, in convincing Europe to adopt the most constructive attitude possible,' Arnault told French lawmakers in May. Luxury isn't the only sector weighing in. German automakers—including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen—have also proposed their own solutions directly to US officials. Mercedes, for instance, has shifted production of its GLC SUV to Alabama, while other firms have announced expanded US investments as diplomatic signals. These moves, though strategic, have raised concerns in Brussels. EU officials fear that an over-accommodating response could encourage companies to increasingly shift production and investment across the Atlantic, weakening Europe's industrial core. Industry leaders contend that reciprocal tariffs would do more harm than good. While retaliation may appear symbolic, it risks reducing EU access to essential US-made technologies, components, and research ecosystems—particularly in high-growth areas such as fashion innovation, AI, and biotechnology. Meanwhile, industry groups representing French Cognac and Irish whiskey producers have intensified lobbying efforts, warning that retaliatory tariffs would unjustly penalize products unrelated to the core trade dispute. These sectors rely heavily on the US and Chinese markets for exports and have become particularly vulnerable to policy crossfire. The European Commission has outlined proposed tariffs on $112 billion worth of US goods. However, pressure from member states and industry groups may lead to as much as €70 billion worth of items being removed from the final list—significantly diluting the EU's leverage. As a potential compromise, the EU is reportedly open to a universal 10% tariff on many of its exports, while seeking lower rates for key sectors, such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and luxury goods. With stakes rising, the next few weeks will be critical. For LVMH and other fashion leaders, the hope is that quiet diplomacy will succeed where confrontation may fail—and that maintaining access to the US market remains central to the EU's trade strategy.
Fashion Network
4 hours ago
- Fashion Network
LVMH and luxury giants undermine EU pushback on US trade threats
Luxury powerhouse LVMH is at the forefront of quiet corporate diplomacy as the European Union scrambles to respond to looming US tariff threats. With a July deadline approaching, the group is among several major firms pushing for a softer stance in high-level trade talks. Behind closed doors, LVMH and other European multinationals have reportedly urged Brussels and national governments to pursue a compromise over confrontation regarding Donald Trump 's proposed 50% tariffs on EU imports. The luxury sector—deeply reliant on the US market—has become a leading voice advocating de-escalation to safeguard transatlantic business. Executives from companies such as LVMH and Mercedes-Benz are reported to have participated in informal talks with US representatives, urging EU officials to soften their countermeasures. According to sources familiar with the discussions, this included recommendations to exclude iconic American goods—such as bourbon—from the EU's proposed retaliation list. For LVMH, the stakes are particularly high. Chairman Bernard Arnault has cautioned that failure to reach a trade deal could have serious consequences for France's wine and spirits industry. Urging restraint, Arnault has advocated for a cooperative path forward and even floated the idea of a US–EU free trade zone. Arnault, who has maintained longstanding ties with Trump, has reportedly visited Washington multiple times since the former president's return to the political spotlight. His son, Alexandre Arnault, also met with officials in May in support of trade de-escalation. 'I hope to succeed, with my modest means and my contacts, in convincing Europe to adopt the most constructive attitude possible,' Arnault told French lawmakers in May. Luxury isn't the only sector weighing in. German automakers—including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen—have also proposed their own solutions directly to US officials. Mercedes, for instance, has shifted production of its GLC SUV to Alabama, while other firms have announced expanded US investments as diplomatic signals. These moves, though strategic, have raised concerns in Brussels. EU officials fear that an over-accommodating response could encourage companies to increasingly shift production and investment across the Atlantic, weakening Europe's industrial core. Industry leaders contend that reciprocal tariffs would do more harm than good. While retaliation may appear symbolic, it risks reducing EU access to essential US-made technologies, components, and research ecosystems—particularly in high-growth areas such as fashion innovation, AI, and biotechnology. Meanwhile, industry groups representing French Cognac and Irish whiskey producers have intensified lobbying efforts, warning that retaliatory tariffs would unjustly penalize products unrelated to the core trade dispute. These sectors rely heavily on the US and Chinese markets for exports and have become particularly vulnerable to policy crossfire. The European Commission has outlined proposed tariffs on $112 billion worth of US goods. However, pressure from member states and industry groups may lead to as much as €70 billion worth of items being removed from the final list—significantly diluting the EU's leverage. As a potential compromise, the EU is reportedly open to a universal 10% tariff on many of its exports, while seeking lower rates for key sectors, such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and luxury goods. With stakes rising, the next few weeks will be critical. For LVMH and other fashion leaders, the hope is that quiet diplomacy will succeed where confrontation may fail—and that maintaining access to the US market remains central to the EU's trade strategy.
