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Japan Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Macron navigates rocky path to recognizing Palestinian state
By John Irish French President Emmanuel Macron is leaning towards recognizing a Palestinian state, but diplomats and experts say such a move may prove a premature and ineffective way to pressure Israel into moving towards a peace deal with the Palestinians. They say it could deepen Western splits, not only within the already-divided European Union, but also with the United States, Israel's staunchest ally, and would need to be accompanied by other measures such as sanctions and trade bans if recognition were to be anything more than a symbolic gesture. French officials are weighing up the move ahead of a United Nations conference, which France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting between June 17-20, to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel's security. If Macron went ahead, France, home to Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim communities, would become the first Western heavyweight to recognize a Palestinian state, potentially giving greater momentum to a movement hitherto dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of Israel. "If France moves, several (European) countries will follow," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Reuters. Macron's stance has shifted amid Israel's intensified Gaza offensive and escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and there is a growing sense of urgency in Paris to act now before the idea of a two-state solution vanishes forever. "We must move from words to deeds. Faced with facts on the ground, the prospect of a Palestinian state must be maintained. Irreversible and concrete measures are necessary," Macron's Middle East adviser Anne-Claire Legendre told delegates at a preparatory meeting in New York on May 23. Diplomats caution that while Macron now favors the move, he has yet to make a final decision, and things could change - including a potential Gaza ceasefire accord - before mid-June. However, his diplomats are scrambling to ensure the best conditions are in place for him to make the decision, including full assessments at the U.N. conference on the reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarming Hamas or future reconstruction. ISRAELI LOBBYING Israeli officials have spent months lobbying to prevent what some have described as "a nuclear bomb" for bilateral relations. The idea that France, one of Israel's closest allies and a G7 member, could recognize a Palestinian state, would certainly infuriate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When Britain and Canada joined France this month to say they could impose concrete measures on Israel and commit to recognizing a Palestinian state, Netanyahu issued a firm rebuke, accusing the leaders of the three countries of antisemitism. Diplomats say Canada and Britain remain lukewarm for now about recognition, suggesting the priority is to make a difference on the ground, something that may dampen Macron's ambitions. According to two sources familiar with the matter, Israel's warnings to France have ranged from scaling back intelligence sharing to complicating Paris' regional initiatives - even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank. Whether that would materialize seems unlikely, given the likely international fallout fueling one of Israel's greatest fears: deepening isolation, particularly with regard to Europe, its key trade partner. "(But) the reaction will be negative across the board (in Israel)," Tamir Hayman, Executive Director at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) told Reuters, adding it would feed an ultra-right narrative in Israel that the world is against it. "It would be useless and a waste of time." SHIFTING FRENCH VIEWS Macron strongly backed Israel after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. But he has steadily sharpened his language against Israel over its actions in Gaza, where the death toll among Palestinians has risen to more than 50,000, according to Palestinian health officials. "We need to move toward recognition. Over the next few months, we will," Macron said during an interview on April 9. Even then, he hedged, setting vague conditions and saying he aimed to build momentum with a coalition backing France while nudging Muslim states toward recognizing Israel. However, there are no indications for now that any new Muslim or Arab states are ready to move towards normalizing ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia, the ultimate prize for Israeli normalization, is in no position for any rapprochement given the anger in many Muslim countries over events in Gaza. "Regional peace begins with recognizing the state of Palestine, not as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic necessity," Manal Radwan, an adviser to the Saudi foreign minister, said in New York on Friday. She did not mention the possibility of recognizing Israel. Macron's critics argue that recognition should come as part of negotiations towards a two-state solution - not before - and warning that an early move could weaken incentives for Palestinians to engage. Underlining divisions within the EU, one European diplomat said: "It is our view that this recognition would not be helpful now or encourage more action within the member states." Others say recognition must be twinned with other measures such as a Europe-wide ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories and specific sanctions on Israeli officials. French officials say they will not be swayed by such criticism or by the Israeli pressure. "If there is a moment in history to recognize a Palestinian state even if it's just symbolic then I would say that moment has probably come," said a senior French official, adding that Macron may also want to leave a trace in history before his presidential mandate expires in 2027. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
China displaces old foe Japan in South Koreans' minds ahead of vote
Anti-Chinese feeling has spread among South Koreans -- online, at right-wing rallies and in Seoul's Chinatown. By Oliver Hotham and Lillian Ding Shops selling steaming snacks line the streets of Seoul's Daerim neighborhood, home to thousands of ethnic Chinese, some feeling the pressure from mounting anti-Beijing sentiment ahead of South Korea's election. China has displaced longtime foe and former colonial power Japan in many South Koreans' minds as the country's most distrusted neighbor in recent years. And ahead of Tuesday's vote, anti-Chinese feeling has spread among South Koreans -- online, at right-wing rallies and in Seoul's Chinatown. Many of the quarter's Chinese residents, such as 74-year-old Yu Shunzi, flocked to South Korea seeking economic opportunities in the 1990s and 2000s. "A lot of Koreans still think China is a very backward country and discriminate against Chinese a lot," she told AFP. Yu, who arrived in 2007 from the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang, said the situation is so bad that she planned to move back when the economy allowed. "I want to go home, but with the exchange rate being this low, I'd lose a lot of money," she said. While former colonial master Japan has long had a difficult relationship with South Korea, Seoul's ties with China have increasingly come under the spotlight. In 2022, polling conducted by Hankook Research showed for the first time that South Koreans distrusted China more than they did Japan -- a trend that has continued in recent years. Former leader Yoon Suk Yeol referred to vague allegations of Chinese spying when he tried to justify his declaration of martial law, which led to his ousting. Conspiracy theories have since run rampant among the South Korean right, fueling the distrust. But analysts also say that a series of clashes between Beijing and Seoul in recent years over history, territory and defense are the deeper cause of the schism. "China's growing assertiveness is the main reason behind South Korea's negative views about the country," said Ramon Pacheco Pardo from King's College London. "Most South Koreans have no affinity towards today's China," the international relations professor told AFP. Seoul has long trodden a fine line between top trading partner China and defense guarantor the United States. Relations with China nosedived in 2016 following the South's decision to deploy the US-made THAAD missile defense system. Beijing saw it as a threat to its own security and reacted furiously, imposing a string of restrictions on South Korean businesses and banning group tours as part of sweeping economic retaliation. A series of public spats about the origins of Korean cultural staples such as kimchi, which China had claimed as its own, also left a bitter taste. Yoon's administration deepened that divide, cleaving close to the United States and seeking to improve ties with Japan. "Under his leadership, Seoul made its position unmistakably clear: it stood with Washington and its allies, not Beijing," Claudia Kim, assistant professor at City University of Hong Kong, told AFP. Opposition leader and election frontrunner Lee Jae-myung has publicly hinted that a softer line might be in the works if he wins. Beijing won't "miss the opportunity to improve relations with the South" if Lee wins, Cheong Seong-chang at Seoul's Sejong Institute told AFP, suggesting a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping could even take place. Lee has also raised alarm bells by saying that a future conflict between China and Taiwan would not be South Korea's concern. That could put him on a collision course with the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has made containing China a cornerstone of its bid to reshape the international order. "Trump's focus on deterring China may lead to a mismatch of foreign policy priorities with Lee," Edward Howell, a lecturer in politics at the University of Oxford, told AFP. Compounding deepening distrust of China has been a surge of conspiracy theories. Analysis by AFP revealed many of the most widely-circulated pieces of misinformation tap into fears of meddling by China. Rallies in support of ex-president Yoon have featured calls to oust alleged "pro-Chinese Communist Party" forces, as well as posters with anti-Chinese slurs and slogans advocating for Chinese nationals to be deported. A recent editorial in Beijing's state-run nationalist tabloid Global Times condemned "far-right" forces in South Korea for "stirring up xenophobia" against Chinese people. In Seoul's Chinatown, Li Jinzi, 73, complained about a culture of "misinformation" that was breeding negative feelings towards her home country. "Fake news breeds misunderstandings," she said. © 2025 AFP
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
T.M.R. businesses say they're taking financial hit as Hydro-Québec project limits access
By Amit Bachar has already lost about $50,000 in revenue for the month of May after construction took over the area where his car wash is located in the Town of Mount Royal. The owner of Details Car Wash said his income has been slashed by nearly half since a Hydro‑Québec project began this spring. The detours and heavy traffic have made it much harder for customers to access his services located on busy Jean-Talon St. and accessible by Lucerne Rd. 'It makes me very sad, very stressed, and it's affecting my life financially and mentally,' Bachar said in an interview Friday afternoon with The Gazette. 'And I feel like they just don't care about us. And it's not fair.' Details Car Wash has been around for nearly 50 years, and Bachar has been running it for 18 years. He said he employs about 20 people, but with fewer cars coming in because of ongoing road closures and detours, he's trying to find ways to keep afloat. One worker has already quit. The Hydro‑Québec project to build an underground transmission line began in late April, but Bachar said he only found out about two weeks before it started. One of his workers was given a verbal notice, he said. Jean-Talon St. was blocked off in front of his business but reopened this week so cars can now more easily exit the car wash. But Lucerne Rd., which is used to access the entrance of the car wash, is down to one lane. It comes during Details Car Wash's busiest time of year, he added. 'The time is so hard already for small businesses. Believe me, there is not a lot of money here,' Bachar said. 'Business down 80 per cent at District Bagel' Other merchants are also feeling squeezed. Shulem Greenwald, owner of District Bagel, said he has lost about 80 per cent of his business in the last week after construction picked up in front of his entrance on Lucerne Rd. He estimated the project has cost him thousands of dollars, noting only a handful of customers popped by for lunch. The detour to access District Bagel is long, he added. 'When you Google it at night, it takes seven extra minutes. But during the day and it's busy in traffic and to detour — probably if somebody wants to come, grab a sandwich or bagel or anything — they'll have to spend an extra 25 minutes just to get to my place,' Greenwald said. Bachar said he understands the necessity of infrastructure projects, but Hydro‑Québec hasn't gone far enough to help. In an email to Bachar this week, a Hydro‑Québec employee pointed to a number of mitigation measures, including signage for local detours and police on site to ease traffic. 'We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please know that we are within our rights to carry out our work,' the email reads. In an email to The Gazette, Hydro‑Québec described the construction of an underground transmission line to connect two substations as a 'major work.' 'This work will improve the quality of service in a context of increased demand at the Mont-Royal substation,' it wrote, adding the project will be fully completed by the end of summer. It said that mitigation measures were communicated to merchants beforehand and it remains in 'constant contact with the affected businesses.' It also noted work was sped up to free an area near those companies. 'We plan to finish our excavation and paving work on June 6 in this specific area, in order to free up access to the businesses at the corner of Lucerne and Jean-Talon,' Hydro‑Québec said. The end of work can't come soon enough for Bachar, who said he would consider a line of credit against his house or borrow money to keep Details Car Wash open, if needed. 'We work very, very hard,' he said. This story was originally published May 30, 2025 at 5:42 PM.
Montreal Gazette
26-05-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
‘They're attacking culture': Quebec's new French packaging rules spark backlash
By Sébastien Caza should be a poster child for Quebec's efforts to safeguard the French language. Instead, he's an outspoken critic of new language rules taking effect June 1 — measures that could put his employer, the Ontario-based Long & McQuade music store chain, on the wrong side of the law. The culprit: all-English packaging on guitar strings and other products. 'English is the universal language in the music world and our little nation of Quebec is not going to change that,' said Caza, a district manager at Long & McQuade, which employs about 300 people at 18 Quebec stores. A manufacturer might sell only a few hundred guitar strings a month in Quebec — barely a blip compared to the tens of thousands sold globally, he said. Translating into French or other languages 'isn't worth it for them, it's too complex. They will choose to no longer sell the product,' Caza said. 'Quebec is so small — it represents between 0.3 and 0.4 of the world market.' As of June 1, the OQLF says, 'the generic or descriptive elements of a trademark (such as ingredients, colour, scent, or other characteristics of the product) must also appear in French.' Failure to follow the rules could result in fines of $3,000 to $30,000 per day for organizations. Fines are doubled or tripled for subsequent offences. Last month, the U.S. government said requiring generic terms and product descriptions in Quebec to be translated into French is a 'technical barrier to trade.' The change is among several language measures coming into force June 1, including tougher restrictions on commercial signs. A francophone who has spent years helping Long & McQuade comply with Quebec language rules, Caza said the packaging requirements could devastate his industry. 'If products are removed from stores, well, you'll log in to Amazon, you'll order the guitar strings, and you'll receive the box. Jeff Bezos will make money. Meanwhile, music stores will close or become smaller.' The government has said the rules apply to websites. 'Technically, yes, but don't tell me the billions of products Amazon sells are all in French,' said Michel Rochette, Quebec president of the Retail Council of Canada. Amazon 'tries to comply, but they cannot, and it's not possible.' Some websites, such as Chinese online retailers Shein and Temu, 'are not regulated at all,' he added. 'You can find anything online, with or without any kind of respect for Quebec regulations.' Caza said the Coalition Avenir Québec government's actions could lead to job cuts and revenue losses not only at music stores, but also at shops that sell hunting, fishing and hobby equipment. All sell imported, specialized products. The OQLF has said it will investigate potential rule violations if a citizen files a complaint. The CAQ government permitted anonymous complaints starting in 2022, leading to a surge in denunciations. Caza is steeling himself for the government to come calling. 'If someone files a complaint on the OQLF site, I will receive an email: 'Mr. Caza, you have 10 days to remove this product. Have a nice day.'' Until June 1, 2027, companies are allowed to sell non-compliant products manufactured before June 1, 2025. Caza said he's not sure how he'll prove a product was made before the deadline. 'We don't sell milk — there's no date on guitar strings,' he said, adding that he may have to dig up invoices to determine when each package was ordered. Caza said he understands the need to protect French. As head of Long & McQuade's francization committee, he oversees compliance with Quebec language laws, including requirements for French-language software and internal communications. He said the company has spent millions over five years to meet those obligations. 'We are here for the protection of French,' Caza said. Rochette said the government initially seemed open to discussing the packaging requirements, 'but there are no exceptions at all, so there is a major problem for some stores because they can't change the labelling themselves. 'We asked for flexibility, but nothing is on the table. So on June 1, a lot of stores will find it difficult keeping many products on their shelves.' Caza said about 85 per cent of products in Long & McQuade stores have English-only packaging, including microphones, wireless systems and amplifiers. The company can't create French stickers for every product because that would cost millions. Graphic artists, translators and printing technicians would be required. 'We're not a printing company — we sell joy, we sell music,' he said. Caza said he told the government stores could simply add small QR code stickers to every product that would take customers to Long & McQuade's website, where French descriptions are available. However, the province appears to have rejected that suggestion, he said. The rules also target instruction manuals and warranty cards. Long & McQuade is working with manufacturers to provide French alternatives. Most manuals are already multilingual, Caza said. As for warranty cards, non-French ones are being replaced with a QR code that sends customers to a website where they can fill them out in any language. The rules technically also apply to words on products — words like 'input,' 'treble,' and 'reverb' on guitar amplifiers, for example. But Caza said the government has indicated it will make an exception for those words, as it did with appliances such as washing machines, stoves and coffee makers. Caza, a professional bassist for 35 years, said the government is doing real damage to the cultural industry. 'They're attacking culture, attacking musicians, attacking specialized stores,' he said. 'The culture industry is already difficult in Quebec. We don't need to add another problem for musicians.' The packaging rules are among several measures taking effect now under Bill 96, a major 2022 overhaul of the Charter of the French Language, commonly known as Bill 101. One change affects companies with 25 to 49 employees. They must now register with the OQLF and show they comply with language requirements. Until now, the cutoff was 50 employees. Commercial signage is also a major focus of the new rules. As of June 1, companies with names in English or another language must add enough French wording so French is 'markedly predominant.' That regulation is creating headaches for stores of all sizes, Rochette said, noting that overhauling signs is complicated by differing municipal bylaws and landlord restrictions. Companies have had less than a year to ensure their signs comply. That's because the government only revealed key details — including the fact that the space allotted to French must be twice as large as that of other languages — in June 2024. That did not give businesses enough time, Rochette said. 'Retailers have only had a few months to comply with a big scope of change.' Several major retail chains with English in their names appear not to be yet compliant with the new regulations. The Gazette contacted several of them, but did not get responses. Rochette said he had asked for an emergency meeting with French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge several months ago. It will take place on Monday with officials who work for the minister. Retailers still hope Quebec will allow some exceptions to the packaging rules and give an extension to the sign deadline. Rochette said he's concerned unless the rules are relaxed or the government signals a willingness to be flexible, companies could be publicly targeted for violating regulations through no fault of their own. It's not unheard of for the Premier François Legault government to reverse course on French rules. In April, after The Gazette revealed the OQLF had ordered Montreal's transit agency not to use the English word 'Go' in messages such as 'Go! Canadiens Go!' on buses, Roberge ordered the OQLF to back down.
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Livingston 1 Ross County 1: Livi fan spitting claim mars Premiership play-off final first leg as Martindale blasts 'vile' incident
The Lions were pegged back by a controversial late penalty, which sparked ugly scenes amongst the home support By Ian Steven Livingston's first leg playoff tussle against Ross County descended into chaos at the final whistle as a Libi fan was accussed of spitting in the face of a Ross County coach and overshadowed what was a finely-poised contest. With Staggies celebrating their late Ronan Hale penalty to cancel out Danny Wilson first-half opener, a man from the home support approached the Ross County bench and appeared to spit at assistant manager Carl Tremarco, prompting a revolted Davie Martindale to lament: 'It's disgusting, it's vile, it's disappointing. ' The club were quick to apologise to Ross County with manager Martindale visibly frustrated with an element of discordant behaviour creeping into Scottish football recently. Martindale said: 'I'm not really too versed on it, but if it was what I've heard, it's disgusting, it's vile, it's disappointing. It's no reflection on our full fan base. It's an individual, so really disappointing. 'I've been feeling football's been getting out of hand the last two or three years. I say this old analogy, I'll pay my money and I can shout what I want. This all comes from remember, maybe not just this incident, but I do feel there's an entitlement there. 'Certain parts of fan bases that they feel they can come shout abuse. I can come to a football game. I pay my money and I can do what I want. Don't believe in it. Don't agree with it. I think it's the only sport in the world that you can come and abuse your own players, fellow players, it isn't representative of our fan base. I've been here 11 years and really that's the first time that I've known that something like this has happened, so really disappointing. 'You were seeing it in the relegation we went through, my wife couldn't even go and sit in the stand. My daughter couldn't even go and sit in the stand.. We're going through a tough time. Does that give people the right to come and abuse you at games of football? 'If you come away and you're abusing people at games of football, shouting, abuse at them, I think then it lays the foundations for all the things to happen, bottles to be thrown, fans confronting players. 'I do feel that it's kind of growing because I don't think we're dealing with the problem on the stands. Is it really OK to pay your money and come and shout abuse at people? I don't get it, I genuinely don't get it. It shouldn't be allowed anywhere near football in any form. 'So we've gotta start setting the tone. We've gotta start setting the line in the sand, what's acceptable and what's not. "We are sitting here talking about that, but it doesn't represent our fan base. It's happened. It's happened, but I'm sure the club will deal with it. And I should apologise for everybody at the club. I'm sure I speak for everybody at the club to Don Cowie's staff because it's unacceptable and it shouldn't even be happening.' Livingston had looked poised to take a slender lead to the Highlands after Danny Wilson slammed home a Stephen Kelly penalty in the first half, and despite calls for a spot kick for a foul on Lewis Smith, the Lions could not extend their lead, with Wilson giving away a cheap penalty in injury time after VAR intervened, leaving Martindale frustrated with the officiating. He added: 'We were unlucky not to win. I thought we created enough chances. They had a lot of set plays. The game was pretty direct. We dealt with them fairly well. 'Jerome comes up there big save. I don't think they cause any problems outside the set plays. And even then we score from a set play. So we dealt with them fairly well. Ironically, we score with a set play, but I felt we built the game quite well. At times they came and pressed, but I felt we built the game quite well. 'I thought we had the better opportunities in the game. And we probably should have had another goal. If we'd looked after the ball a wee bit better, finishing and execution. I think we got a couple of transitions in the game and we just need to take care in that final third, a wee bit more care. 'So I thought we tried to build the game but create some half decent chances. Just final thought. I'm obviously disappointed, but I think it's a penalty from Danny. I that I think it's soft, but I think it's a penalty. 'So you want to go and grab the opposition player shirt in your box, you're going to ask for trouble. But again, I'll caveat that with, I thought it was a penalty for Smithy as well, so I thought it was a penalty on Smithy. Okay. Disappointed. We are so late in the game, but the game's very much of a muchness and if I'm really honest, I feel we would have to score up there anyway. 'And again, that's not really changed. I think we'd need to go up there. We'd need to score. I don't think you're getting a win now. It's an aggregate win over two legs and being honest with you, nothing's really changed for that perspective when we go there. And we need to score.' The sides go again on Monday night in Dingwall for the second leg.
