Latest news with #LFI
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Climate Activist Greta Thunberg To Visit Gaza
Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and other activists will set sail Sunday for Gaza on a humanitarian ship aimed at protesting Israel's war on the territory, a French-Palestinian lawmaker said. The trip is organised by the Freedom Flotilla, a coalition of groups opposed to the blockade on humanitarian aid for Gaza that Israel imposed on March 2 and has only recently begun lifting. Rima Hassan, a European Parliament member also taking part in the trip, said the operation had "several aims: to condemn the humanitarian blockade and ongoing genocide, the impunity granted to the state of Israel and raise international awareness." Hassan, an outspoken figure for French left-wing party LFI, has caused controversy in the past with her statements on the Middle East. She was due to visit the occupied Palestinian territories in February with a European Parliament delegation, but said she was refused entry to Israel. Thunberg, who rose to fame organising teen climate protests in her native Sweden, was due to travel to Gaza on a Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship earlier this month, but it was damaged en route. Activists said they suspected an Israeli drone strike was responsible. "To guarantee our security, and also the success of our mission, we need maximum mobilisation by the public for this initiative," Hassan said on social media. Aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days, but humanitarian groups warn the war-ravaged territory is facing mass starvation. The White House said Thursday Israel had "signed off" on a new Gaza ceasefire proposal by US President Donald Trump, but Palestinian militant group Hamas said it could not accept the deal (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
LeMonde
7 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann: 'I will not take part in a primary' for the 2027 presidential election
As left-wing and Green leaders call for a primary to pick a joint candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, Member of the European Parliament Raphaël Glucksmann rejected this strategy – just like Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the radical-left party, La France Insoumise (LFI). The founder of the Socialist-allied Place Publique movement, who came in third – and on top on the left – in the 2024 European elections, does not want to suggest that LFI's platform could be reconciled with his own project, which he will begin to present on June 23. He gave Le Monde a preview.
France 24
27-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
French PM Bayrou denies prior knowledge of Catholic school abuse claims
French Prime Minister François Bayrou struck a defiant tone in parliament on Wednesday as he insisted during a tense hearing that he only knew of claims of sexual abuse at a Catholic school from media reports. The 73-year-old politician faced one of the most delicate moments of his five months in office as he responded to questions from a committee investigating claims of sexual abuse at a Catholic school. Bayrou has faced opposition claims that as education minister between 1993 and 1997 he knew of widespread physical and sexual abuse at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram school in southwestern France over many decades. But on Wednesday he stuck by his previous statements and said that during his time as education minister he had "not received any information other than what was reported in the press". "I had nothing to hide," he said. He signalled his desire to co-operate, saying the inquiry into what he called the "MeToo for children" was finally taking place. "For me, this hearing is very important. It is very important for the boys and girls who have been victims of violence, particularly sexual violence, for decades," he added. But tensions were on full display as the two co-rapporteurs of the commission, Paul Vannier and Violette Spillebout, questioned Bayrou about what he knew about alleged violence, sexual assault and rape committed at the school near the southwestern town of Pau where Bayrou has been mayor since 2014. During the hearing Bayrou accused Vannier, a lawmaker with the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI), of seeking to "fuel a scandal". The French prime minister also said he did not feel that the commission was "completely objective". Several of Bayrou's children attended the school, and his wife taught religious studies there. French PM Bayrou testifies on child abuse scandal 05:35 Bayrou has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and denounced what he calls a campaign of "destruction" against him. 'I have confidence in him' Centrist Bayrou, the sixth prime minister of President Emmanuel Macron 's mandate, was named head of government last December. He has been given the daunting task of hauling France out of months of political crisis. Until now Bayrou has managed to survive a no-confidence vote in a divided parliament but the Bétharram affair has damaged his credibility and his approval rating has been declining in recent weeks. Bayrou's popularity rating has dropped below that of Macron, according to a poll published last week, with only 27 percent of French people approving of his work. Analysts have said Bayrou could face further pressure depending on his performance during the hearing. "The Bétharram school scandal may not be sufficient in itself to bring down Bayrou but could embolden his parliamentary enemies, and supposed friends, to pull the plug on the government for other reasons," said the Eurasia Group. "Reasons for dissatisfaction abound," the political risk consultancy added, pointing to France's budgetary crisis. Macron threw his support behind the embattled prime minister. French PM Bayrou's daughter reveals abuse at Catholic camp 00:54 "We have talked about it a lot and I know that I have confidence in him," he told TF1 television Tuesday evening, referring to the Bétharram affair. Bayrou's statements have been contradicted by a number of people including his own daughter. In April, Bayrou's eldest daughter accused the clergy running the school of systemic abuse, saying a priest beat her during summer camp when she was 14. Helene Perlant, who is now 53 and uses her mother's name, said however that her father did not know about the incident. 'If he lies, he's dead' Few in Bayrou's team believe that he will be brought down over the scandal. But "if he lies before parliament, he's dead", said a supporter of Macron, asking not to be named. A Bayrou associate stressed that the prime minister was not the subject of the inquiry. The inquiry focuses on "the methods used by the state to monitor and prevent violence in schools". After hearing witnesses, victims and former ministers, the two rapporteurs plan to deliver their conclusions in June. Around 200 legal complaints have been filed since February last year accusing priests and staff at Bétharram of physical or sexual abuse from 1957 to 2004. Some of the boarders said the experience had scarred them for life, recounting how some priests visited boys at night. "The state has failed and has not protected the children of Bétharram," said Alain Esquerre, who represents a collective of school survivors.
France 24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
UN: 14,000 malnourished children in Gaza 'at risk of death' within a year
The figure has made headlines across the media: 'UN says 14,000 babies could die in Gaza in next 48 hours under Israeli aid blockade', reported British daily The Guardian in its morning newsletter on May 20. The figure was provided the same day by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher. It was then picked up by several English-speaking media outlets, such as NBC. A number of French media organisations also shared the number, including broadcaster TV5 Monde, French weekly Le Nouvel Obs, or FRANCE 24's English edition, which used a report by Agence France-Presse. These reports all highlighted the growing international pressure on Israel to permit humanitarian aid into Gaza. On May 19, Israel had just announced it would allow a limited amount of aid into the enclave, following an 11-week blockade. Numerous organisations had denounced the blockade. On May 12, Beth Bechdol, the deputy director-general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), told French daily Le Monde that Gaza is facing 'one of the worst food crises in the world'. In the UK, MP Olivia Blake also used the figure of 14,000 babies to ask Foreign Secretary David Lammy what further action would be taken by the government 'to bring this devastation to an end'. In France, several MPs from the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) also shared this number. Among them is LFI MP David Guiraud, who shared the May 20 BBC 4 interview of Fletcher, who originally provided the figure. 'Let me describe what is on those trucks. This is baby food, baby nutrition. There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them,' Fletcher said in the interview. BBC interviewer Anna Foster responded, '14,000 babies in 48 hours is an extraordinary figure.' 'It's chilling. It's utterly chilling,' Fletcher replied, vowing to 'keep going' in delivering the aid. 14,000 children with severe acute malnutrition 'at risk of death' by April 2026, IPC says The BBC questioned Fletcher about the source of the 14,000 babies figure, as detailed in an article published the same day. In response, Fletcher said he relied on 'strong teams on the ground' – but provided no further details. When asked for clarification by the BBC, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said the figure came from a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The IPC is a UN-backed tool that classifies the severity and magnitude of food insecurity and acute malnutrition worldwide. In its latest report on the Gaza Strip, published May 12, the IPC states that the enclave is 'still confronted with a critical risk of famine', adding that 'the entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people (one in five) facing starvation'. As to the number of malnourished children, the IPC reports that 14,100 children aged 6 months to 5 years old are actually experiencing 'severe acute malnutrition'. When contacted by FRANCE 24 on May 21, the IPC clarified this figure and the situation of the 14,100 children, explaining, 'If they don't get access to enough food, these children are at risk of death if they're not treated over a one-year period.' As humanitarian organisations like Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) or UNICEF highlight, severe acute malnutrition 'results from insufficient energy, fat and/or other nutrients to cover individual needs'. It often manifests as a 'skeletal appearance resulting from significant loss of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat' or a 'shiny skin which may crack, weep, and become infected'. Fletcher thus falsely claimed that '14,000 babies' could die within the next 48 hours. This figure refers to children aged 6 months to 5 years old, and is a projection over a year. In the following days, several pro-Israel accounts accused Fletcher of 'lying'. When questioned by the BBC on May 20, the UNOCHA clarified the figure, pointing 'to the imperative of getting supplies in to save an estimated 14,000 babies suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Gaza, as the IPC partnership has warned about. 'We need to get the supplies in as soon as possible, ideally within the next 48 hours,' they added. Gaza's humanitarian crisis remains dire Despite the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Israeli army is still largely obstructing aid deliveries. On May 19, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the partial resumption of humanitarian aid to the enclave. But the UN reported on May 21 that it had only collected a total of around 90 truckloads of aid for Gaza. Before October 7, 2023, and during the ceasefire between January 19 and March 2, about 500 trucks of aid entered Gaza daily. On May 12, while Israel still fully blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza, the IPC stated: 'Over 60 days have passed since all humanitarian aid and commercial supplies were blocked from entering the territory. Goods indispensable for people's survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks.'
France 24
21-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
What AI detection tools got wrong in the case of a photo tweeted by a French politician
"I bet a 100 bucks that this is AI,' reads a comment on a May 11 tweet by the three-time French presidential candidate and far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The comment, left by an account named Lapin du Futur (Futuristic Rabbit), accuses the leader of the French far-left political party France Unbowed (LFI) of having used artificial intelligence to modify a photo he shared of an anti-Islamophobia protest that took place the same day in Paris. One of the photos tweeted by Mélenchon shows him standing with several deputies from his party on the front lines of a protest. Behind them, there are thousands of protesters brandishing many different flags, including the French flag, the Palestinian flag and LFI's flag. A number of social media users, like Lapin du Futur, claimed that the photo was generated by AI and that the French flags were added. Lapin du Futur's post alone garnered more than two million views. "The prompt [Editor's note: the request provided to AI software] was 'add French flags'. None of the French flags are real,' claimed another social media account in a post that garnered more than 700,000 views. Some social media users have pointed to certain details in the photo that often indicate that an image has been AI-generated, like people's hands looking strange or deformed. In the case of this photo, one protester holding up a flag appears to have only four fingers. Another person seems to have six fingers. Another social media user shared screenshots from an AI-detection tool, which determined that it was 'likely' that the image was generated by AI. AI-detection tool Sightengine determined that there was a 90% probability that the image was generated by AI. Another tool, Decopy AI, said there was a 95% probability. And yet, there were French flags However, this image was not AI-generated and the French flags were not added to the image. No other elements were either. A number of LFI deputies also took to social media to post photos taken during the protest on Place de la Bastille in Paris, including Thomas Portes and Aly Diouara. Other accounts with links to France Unbowed also shared images. In all of the photos, you can see several French flags held by protesters. You can also see the French flags in videos of the protest posted by French media outlet BFM and images published by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on their website and YouTube page. Some social media users have also raised questions about the number of protesters in the photo, claiming that the numbers have been artificially inflated. However, the photos by other sources show the same crowd sizes on Place de la Bastille. The Paris police prefecture counted 3,700 protesters, while protest organisers said that 15,000 people had attended. As for the hands that appear to have four or six fingers, a close verification of the image reveals that each hand does actually have five fingers. If you look closely at the photo, then you can see the fifth finger of the hand holding the flagpole, partially hidden by the pole. As for the other hand, what looks like a sixth finger is actually an effect created by the angle of the hand and the shadow cast on the person's wrist (see more details below). False positives detected from minor edits to contrast and colours The FRANCE 24 Observers team contacted the press service of France Unbowed (LFI), who refuted all accusations that the image had been AI-generated. However, the party did clarify that 'contrast was added, the brightness was reduced and the vibrancy of the photo was accentuated' during the editing process. It turns out that basic edits like this can actually confuse tools meant to detect AI-generated images like Sightengine, which was cited by a number of social media users who said Mélenchon's photo was false. Our team contacted Sightengine, who confirmed that their tool detected both 'images completely generated by AI but also real photos that contained elements generated or modified by AI' like some of the above edits. "It might flag partial modifications or small edits or improvements carried out using generative AI tools,' said representatives of Sightengine. France Unbowed sent the original image – without any changes to contrast or colours – to our team. When we ran it through Sightengine, it didn't detect any possible use of AI. This supports the theory that the tool initially concluded that the photo was likely AI-generated only because of the colour and contrast correction. The same is true for the tool which initially concluded that there was a 99.13% probability that the photo posted by Mélenchon was AI-generated. In an email to our team sent on May 15, the company behind the tool said that its product 'may have some errors in the accuracy of multi-person photo recognition', indicating that it was primarily a tool 'aimed at the recognition of single-person photos'. The company promised that they would 'make immediate improvements' to the tool, following this error. 'There is AI integrated into almost all photo editing tools' "Today, there are elements of generative AI integrated into nearly all of the [photo editing] tools that we use,' said Emmanuelle Saliba, who runs the investigation bureau at GetReal, a company that detects deepfakes. The company was founded by Hany Farid, an expert in the analysis of manipulated photos and videos. Saliba explained that Photoshop, for example, "uses AI in the 'enhance' function as well as in editing". That's also the case for Lightroom, the photo editing programme that was used by France Unbowed. Lightroom explains on its site that it uses AI to improve the sharpness of images or to adjust " colours and tones'. After a careful analysis of the image using both detection algorithms and analysis of the shadows, GetReal concluded that the photo posted by Mélenchon is 'real'. A number of other AI-detection tools also did not conclude that the flags were AI-generated, including the algorithms developed by a European research and development project focused on disinformation analysis. "None of these algorithms shows any sign of AI generation in these images,' said Denis Teyssou, the editorial lead at AFP's Medialab and "We are looking for something tangible, especially signs left by image generators in the signal,' he said, unlike other AI detectors, which might say that an image is likely generated by AI because of small edits on colour or contrast. Due to the proliferation of audio, video, and images generated by AI, numerous free AI-detection tools are now available. However, it is important to remain prudent as these tools can produce false positives, wrongly identifying content as artificially generated. This is a major challenge as most of these tools do not explain their criteria for detection, nor the technical aspects that led to images being detected as AI-generated.
