World leaders urged to step up and cooperate for overexploited oceans
07:01
09/06/2025
UN Ocean Conference opens in Nice today to tackle ocean "Emergency'
Environment
09/06/2025
Macron opens UN ocean summit with call for multilateral mobilisation
France
09/06/2025
Global Ocean Summit opens in Nice with calls to boost marine protections
Environment
06/06/2025
French dock workers block shipment of military material for Israel
France
06/06/2025
"Racism in France has always been a question of anti-migrant and anti-Muslim bias"
France
05/06/2025
Protecting minors from harmful content on-line: France requiring pornographic sites to verify age
Europe
03/06/2025
French consumer group sues Nestlé and French ministers amid bottled water scandal
France
03/06/2025
French lawmakers back promoting Dreyfus 130 years after scandal
France
02/06/2025
France's upper house debates fast-fashion bill
France
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Euronews
33 minutes ago
- Euronews
French MEP Rima Hassan detained in Israel following 'illegal entry'
French leftist Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Rima Hassan was on Tuesday awaiting a hearing before an Israeli judge after being detained the day before alongside seven other people. Hassan was part of the 'Freedom Flotilla', a group of activists who set off on 3 June from Catania, Italy, to try to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by boat but who were intercepted by Israel's authorities about 200 kilometres from the coast on Sunday evening. The Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry said then that the crew of the Madleen vessel had been provided with water and sandwiches but Hassan's team said that after a brief, filmed, distribution of sandwiches during the arrest, no water or food was provided during the 16-hour journey to the port of Ashdod, which the crew was forced to spend on the ship's deck until nightfall. The 12 Freedom Flotilla members were then presented with a document urging them to recognise they had entered Israeli territory illegally. Signing it meant immediate expulsion, while refusal would see them brought in front of a judge. Four of them chose the first option including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg as well as Spaniard Sergio Toribio and two French nationals, Baptiste Andre and Omar Faiad. But the other eight refused to sign the document, arguing that the Freedom Flotilla was intercepted in international waters and rejecting the claim they entered illegally. These eight people are now detained awaiting a new hearing before an Israeli judge, who could order their expulsion in the coming days. Hassan's parliamentary immunity guarantees her freedom of expression and protects her from legal action stemming from any EU member state, but does not apply outside of EU territory. The MEP's team denounced the document presented as 'a propaganda operation aimed at legitimising an illegal arrest and detention' and claimed it is 'a blatant violation of her parliamentary immunity'. 'We strongly affirm that their humanitarian mission to Gaza was legal, necessary, and urgent; the arrest violates international law; the detention is illegal and arbitrary," the statement from Hassan's team also reads. The European Parliament told Euronews on Tuesday that its President Roberta Metsola has been in constant contact with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hassan. 'We will remain in round-the-clock contact with all parties until it is resolved safely," a Parliament's spokesperson said. This is not the first time a member of the European Parliament is detained in a third country. In February 2025, three MEPs - Isabel Serra (Spain), Catarina Martins (Portugal), Jussi Saramo (Finland), all from the Left group - were detained and subsequently expelled from El Aaiún, the main city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where they had gone to carry out a human rights observation mission. 'The European Parliament will always insist that all its Members are kept safe and treated with respect as elected representatives of the people of Europe wherever they are in the world", the Parliament also said in its statement to Euronews. Her detention and the Freedom Flotilla's seizure have converted into a much debated political issue in France and in Brussels. France Unbowed published an appeal entitled "Support the Freedom Flotilla, Stop Genocide!", calling for the immediate release of the passengers and the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and MEP Manon Aubry, also called for urgent intervention from President Macron and European and international bodies, declaring they bear a moral responsibility to defend these activists. A rally they organised in Paris on Monday to protest against the detention and Israel's actions in Gaza gathered tens of thousands of people, according to Mélenchon. In the European Parliament, The Left, the Socialists and Democrats and the Greens/European Free Alliance co-signed a statement asking for all the activists to be released. A 14-year-old pupil fatally stabbed a school staff member during a routine bag check on Tuesday at a middle school in eastern France, officials said. The teenager was arrested at the scene. The incident occurred at Françoise Dolto School in Nogent, near Dijon. A police officer assisting with the bag checks sustained minor injuries while apprehending the suspect, who used the same knife in both attacks, according to the National Gendarmerie. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the act as "senseless violence," writing in a post on X: "While she was looking after our children in Nogent, an educational assistant lost her life. The nation is in mourning and the government is mobilised to reduce crime." Though deadly incidents in French schools are rare, there is growing concern about violence on campuses. In response, the Education Ministry introduced bag checks earlier this year. Over two months this spring, officials confiscated 186 knives and detained 32 individuals, the Interior Ministry reported. Prosecutor Denis Devallois confirmed that the suspect had no prior criminal record. Education Minister Élisabeth Borne said the boy had been involved in the school's anti-bullying initiative and was previously suspended briefly for classroom disruption. The stabbing occurred just outside the school gate, where the 31-year-old educational assistant was standing alongside police officers conducting checks. Classes were suspended for the day and counselling was made available for pupils and staff. A fellow classmate described the 14-year-old as "normal" but occasionally "a little bizarre," adding that they never thought he would be capable of such an attack, according to local media reports. The incident follows a similar tragedy in April, when a student stabbed four classmates in western France, killing one. That attack prompted the prime minister to call for stricter measures to combat knife violence in schools.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
14-year-old kills staff member in French middle school knife attack
A 14-year-old pupil fatally stabbed a school staff member during a routine bag check on Tuesday at a middle school in eastern France, officials said. The teenager was arrested at the scene. The incident occurred at Françoise Dolto School in Nogent, near Dijon. A police officer assisting with the bag checks sustained minor injuries while apprehending the suspect, who used the same knife in both attacks, according to the National Gendarmerie. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the act as "senseless violence," writing in a post on X: "While she was looking after our children in Nogent, an educational assistant lost her life. The nation is in mourning and the government is mobilised to reduce crime." Though deadly incidents in French schools are rare, there is growing concern about violence on campuses. In response, the Education Ministry introduced bag checks earlier this year. Over two months this spring, officials confiscated 186 knives and detained 32 individuals, the Interior Ministry reported. Prosecutor Denis Devallois confirmed that the suspect had no prior criminal record. Education Minister Élisabeth Borne said the boy had been involved in the school's anti-bullying initiative and was previously suspended briefly for classroom disruption. The stabbing occurred just outside the school gate, where the 31-year-old educational assistant was standing alongside police officers conducting checks. Classes were suspended for the day and counselling was made available for pupils and staff. A fellow classmate described the 14-year-old as "normal" but occasionally "a little bizarre," adding that they never thought he would be capable of such an attack, according to local media reports. The incident follows a similar tragedy in April, when a student stabbed four classmates in western France, killing one. That attack prompted the prime minister to call for stricter measures to combat knife violence in schools. The road to a diplomatic reset in EU-China relations is paved with escalating tit-for-tat trade measures, casting a shadow over efforts to ease long-standing disputes. On Tuesday, Chinese authorities announced a six-month extension of their anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the EU, citing the complexity of the case as justification for the delay. Initially launched in June 2024, the probe will now run until the end of the year, targeting more than €1.75 billion in pork exports, particularly from Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The announcement came as Brussels and Beijing are seeking to stabilise relations despite years of friction, exacerbated by US president's trade war against China and a shifting global order. A crucial milestone in this process will be the EU-China summit, now confirmed for the second half of July 2025 in Beijing. But China's extension of the investigation into pork imports show that the trade relationship between the EU and China is still fraught, with each side using sensitive sectors, such as electric vehicles for the EU and agriculture for China, as leverage in their negotiations. Pork is a strategically important product for both sides: China is the world's largest consumer, and EU farmers export significant quantities of offal products like ears, feet, and snouts, which are highly valued in Chinese cuisine but have little value in other markets. Pork is a strategically important product for both sides: China is the world's largest consumer, and EU farmers export significant quantities of offal products like ears, feet, and snouts, which are highly valued in Chinese cuisine but have little value in other markets. However, the pork investigation is viewed less as a genuine trade concern and more as a bargaining chip in wider trade negotiations. The pork probe is widely interpreted as China's response to the EU's recent decision to impose tariffs of up to 45% on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs). Brussels argued the tariffs were necessary to counteract state subsidies and prevent market distortion, as Chinese EV manufacturers rapidly increase their presence in Europe. At the time of their announcement, China sharply criticised the EU's EV tariffs as protectionist, warning of 'necessary measures' to defend national interests, signalling that Tuesday's extension of the pork probe might now be part of a broader strategic play. Key discussions on EV tariffs recently took place in Paris, where Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao met with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in talks that covered also broader concerns such as rare earth export controls and public procurement access. At the heart of the negotiations is a potential shift from punitive tariffs to a system of minimum prices for Chinese EVs. This approach aims to address the EU's concerns about unfair competition while avoiding outright trade barriers, potentially serving as a model for future high-tech trade frameworks. 'Negotiations for an agreement on a price undertaking, which would then replace the existing duties we have in place, are continuing at both technical and political level,' a European Commission spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. This latest clash echoes earlier episodes in China-EU trade relations. Last week, the EU hit back with restrictions on Chinese medical device makers, limiting their access to public procurement contracts in response to Beijing's 'Buy China' policy, which disadvantages EU firms in Chinese markets. All these moves reflect an established pattern of reciprocal measures, with both sides targeting politically sensitive industries to gain a negotiating advantage. Another potential flashpoint is China's restriction of rare earth mineral exports, which are critical components for many EU manufacturing sectors. Though initially aimed at the United States, these restrictions have implications for Europe and are now part of a wider toolkit of Chinese leverage. The EU now hopes that these restrictions will soon be lifted and addressed the topic in Paris' talks last week. 'All we have so far is an indication from the Chinese government via a statement by the spokesperson for their Commerce Ministry that they are indeed looking at this issue and that they're going to find a way to address it,' said a European Commission spokesperson on Tuesday. 'As far as we know, nothing has been formally communicated to us in a structured way,' the spokesperson continued, adding that once the bloc receives such communication, it will need time to assess it. Amid the back-and-forth, there have also been signs of goodwill. China recently expanded market access for certain Spanish food products in an apparent signal that it remains open to negotiation. A crucial milestone in this process is the EU-China summit, now confirmed for the second half of July 2025 in Beijing. Both sides hope it will serve as a platform to recalibrate their economic ties and potentially defuse one of the most complex and consequential trade disputes of the decade.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
French Senate to vote on regulating fast fashion
The bill is targeted at Chinese-founded e-commerce giant Shein, which has a reputation for selling lower quality clothes at a very low price. Easy to order and replace, fast fashion items are exported to France on a large scale, causing pollution and saturating markets. Adopted by the lower house National Assembly in March 2024, the bill will be voted on by the Senate later on Tuesday and is expected to pass, with backing from the government and widespread support in the chamber. The vote is not the final legislative hurdle: a joint committee of senators and lower house deputies is expected to meet from September to produce a joint text, prior to the final adoption of the law. The text plans to "reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry", said Anne-Cecile Violland, the centre-right member of parliament who proposed the bill. Fast fashion is a growing market in France and between 2010 and 2023, the value of advertised products grew from 2.3 billion euros to 3.2 billion euros. Around 48 clothing items per person are released into the French market each year, and 35 are thrown away every second in the country, according to the state environmental agency Ademe. Fast fashion poses a "triple threat", said the minister for ecological transition, Agnes Pannier-Runacher. "It promotes overconsumption, causes ecological disaster and threatens our businesses," she said. Slamming an "invasion" of products that "do not last", the minister expressed hope it would help change things in Europe. Once adopted in France, the European Commission will be notified to ensure it complies with European law according to Pannier-Runacher. Targeting fast fashion The Senate, dominated by the right, modified the bill to target "ultra" fast fashion companies, such as Asian websites Shein ou Temu. The Senate's amendments plan to leave out French and European brands that may be affected by the bill, such as Zara, H&M and Kiabi. The fashion giants will still be obliged to notify their customers about the environmental impact of their products, according to the new bill. "I have no intention of making French brands that contribute to our country's economic vitality pay a single euro,' said rapporteur Sylvie Valente Le Hir, member of the right-wing The Republicans party. The bill will impose stricter sanctions on fast fashion companies by scoring their "environmental communication". This "eco-score" will affect all fast fashion companies, Pannier-Runacher said. Those with the lowest scores will be taxed by the government up to 5 euros per product in 2025 and up to 10 euros by 2030. This tax cannot go beyond 50 percent of the price of the original product. Advertisement ban The bill would impose sanctions on influencers who promote such products and ban fast fashion advertisements. The regulation of the fast fashion industry will only succeed with a "collective effort", and not by targeting "a single actor," Shein spokesperson Quentin Ruffat told RTL radio on Monday. According to Ruffat, the law will add "a tax of 10 euros per sold item of clothing by 2030" and "impact the purchasing power" of French people. Environmental organisations are also worried that the law may be misinterpreted. Debates may amount to an interesting framework which still lacks substance, according to Green Senator Jacques Fernique. On Monday, the Textiles Industry Union (UIT) recognised the bill as "a first step" and hoped for its "rapid adoption ... even if the text does not entirely fit our expectations".
