AFP - Squid Business

A close-up of a stack of newspapers resting on a desk, symbolizing information and media.

Air Canada annonce la reprise de ses vols après l’intervention du gouvernement pour stopper la grève

Ukraine: le chef de l’Otan lui aussi à Washington lundi avec Zelensky

European leaders to join Zelensky for Ukraine talks with Trump

European leaders will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Washington on Monday seeking an end to Moscow’s invasion, after President Donald Trump dropped his push for a ceasefire following his Alaska summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.Securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, more than three years after the Kremlin ordered the invasion, had been one of Trump’s core demands before the summit, to which Ukraine and its European allies were not invited.But after a meeting that yielded no clear breakthrough, Trump ruled out an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine — a move that would appear to favour Putin, who has long argued for negotiations on a final peace deal. Ukraine and its European allies have criticised it as a way to buy time and press Russia’s battlefield advances, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen among the leaders set to try and bend Trump’s ear on the matter.Ahead of the Washington visit on Monday, von der Leyen said on X she would welcome Zelensky for a meeting in Brussels on Sunday which other European leaders would join by video call, before accompanying the Ukrainian leader on his US trip at his “request” with “other European leaders”.The German government confirmed Merz was among those other European leaders, and would try to emphasise “interest in a swift peace agreement in Ukraine”.Finland said its president, Alexander Stubb, would also travel to Washington.Trump briefed Zelensky and European leaders on his flight back from Alaska to Washington, saying afterwards that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement which would end the war.”Ceasefire agreements “often times do not hold up,” Trump added on his Truth Social platform.But Zelensky has appeared unconvinced by the change of tack, saying on Saturday that it “complicates the situation”.If Moscow lacks “the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater — peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades,” he said on social media.- ‘Harsh reality’ – Trump expressed support during his call with Zelensky and European leaders for a proposal by Putin to take full control of two largely Russian-held Ukrainian regions in exchange for freezing the frontline in two others, an official briefed on the talks told AFP.Putin “de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas,” an area consisting of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine, the source said.In exchange, Russian forces would halt their offensive in the Black Sea port region of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, where the main cities are still under Ukrainian control.Several months into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia in September 2022 claimed to have annexed all four Ukrainian regions even though its troops still do not fully control any of them.”The Ukrainian president refused to leave Donbas,” the source said.Trump notably also said the United States was prepared to provide Ukraine security guarantees, an assurance Merz hailed as “significant progress.”But there was a scathing assessment of the summit outcome from the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who accused Putin of seeking to “drag out negotiations” with no commitment to end the bloodshed.”The harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war any time soon,” Kallas said.- Zelensky back in White House -The main diplomatic focus now switches to Zelensky’s talks at the White House on Monday.The Ukrainian president’s last Oval Office visit in February ended in an extraordinary shouting match, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berating Zelensky for not showing enough gratitude for US aid.In an interview with broadcaster Fox News after his sit-down with Putin, Trump had suggested that the onus was now on Zelensky to secure a peace deal as they work towards an eventual trilateral summit with Putin.”It’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done,” Trump said.- European pressure -In an earlier statement, European leaders welcomed the plan for a Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit but added that they would maintain pressure on Russia in the absence of a ceasefire.Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine raged on, with both Kyiv and Moscow launching attack drones at each other Sunday.Back in Moscow, Putin said his summit talks with Trump had been “timely” and “very useful.”In his post-summit statement in Alaska, Putin had warned Ukraine and European countries not to engage in any “behind-the-scenes intrigues” that could disrupt what he called “this emerging progress.”

Emmanuel Macron se rendra lundi à Washington avec le président ukrainien Zelensky (Elysée)

Ukraine: Von der Leyen et d’autres dirigeants européens à Washington lundi avec Zelensky

Zelensky à Bruxelles dimanche pour la visioconférence avec les dirigeants européens (Commission) cjc/bpi

Hopes for survivors wane as landslides, flooding bury Pakistan villages

Pakistani rescuers dug homes out from under massive boulders on Sunday as they searched for survivors of flash floods that killed at least 344 people, with more than 150 still missing.Since Thursday, torrential rains across the country have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the rubble.Most of the deaths, 317, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses.More than 150 people are missing in hardest-hit Buner district, where at least 208 people were killed and “10 to 12 entire villages” were partially buried, officials told AFP.”They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes or swept away by floodwaters,” said Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority. “Separately, in Shangla district, dozens of people are also reported missing,” Khattak added.”There is no electricity or mobile signal in Buner, as power lines and mobile towers were damaged,” he added.The spokesman for the province’s rescue agency told AFP that around 2,000 rescue workers were involved across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts.”The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,” said Bilal Ahmad Faizi.”The chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim,” he added.AFP journalists in Buner saw half-buried vehicles and belongings lying strewn in the sludge, with mud covering houses and shops.A grave digger, Qaiser Ali Shah, told AFP he dug 29 burial places in the last two days.”I have also dug six graves for children. With each grave, it felt as though I was digging it for my own child,” he told AFP.”For the first time, my body simply refused to carry me through. That’s why today I apologised and said I cannot do this work anymore.”Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded.”Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape,” shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud.”The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away,” he added.The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas.”We were trapped in our homes and could not get out,” another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP.”Our entire poor community has been affected… This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away,” he added.- Mass funerals -On Saturday, hundreds gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground.Fallen trees and straw debris were scattered across nearby fields, while residents shovelled mud out of their homes.Pakistan’s meteorological department has forecast “torrential rains” with monsoon activity “likely to intensify” from Sunday onwards.The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction.”The intensity of this year’s monsoon is around 50 to 60 percent more than last year,” said Lieutenant General Inam Haider, chairman of the national disaster agency.”Two to three more monsoon spells are expected until the first weeks of September,” he told journalists in Islamabad.Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September.The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have killed more than 650 people, with more than 920 injured.Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency.Monsoon floods in 2022 submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people.Another villager in Buner told AFP on Saturday that residents had spent the night searching through the rubble of their former homes.”The entire area is reeling from profound trauma,” said 32-year-old schoolteacher Saifullah Khan.”I helped retrieve the bodies of the children I taught. I keep wondering what kind of trial nature has imposed on these kids,” he said.

Hopes for survivors wane as landslides, flooding bury Pakistan villages

“Ramener tout le monde”: manifestations en Israël pour la libération des otages à Gaza

Des manifestations se tiennent dimanche dans plusieurs villes d’Israël pour demander au Premier ministre Benjamin Netanyahu de mettre fin à la guerre dans la bande de Gaza et obtenir un accord pour la libération des otages qui y sont retenus.Un immense drapeau israélien, floqué de portraits de personnes kidnappées, a été déployé à Tel-Aviv sur la “place des otages”, devenue emblématique depuis le début de la guerre, déclenchée le 7 octobre 2023 par l’attaque sans précédent du Hamas en Israël.Cette mobilisation survient alors qu’Israël a annoncé se préparer à prendre le contrôle de Gaza-ville et de camps de réfugiés voisins avec pour but affiché de vaincre le mouvement islamiste palestinien et libérer les otages enlevés le 7-Octobre.Cette annonce a suscité en Israël l’effroi de familles d’otages qui craignent que l’opération entraîne la mort de leurs proches, et exigent un accord négocié pour la libération de tous les captifs.Plusieurs importants axes routiers ont été temporairement coupés par des manifestants, notamment l’autoroute reliant Tel-Aviv à Jérusalem.- “Faites pression sur le Hamas” -Dimanche, premier jour de la semaine en Israël, l’activité était nettement réduite dans les rues de Jérusalem, et de nombreux magasins fermés à Tel-Aviv, a-t-on également constaté.Tôt le matin, des dizaines de manifestants postés devant la résidence de M. Netanyahu à Jérusalem demandaient au gouvernement de “mettre fin à la guerre” et “ramener tout le monde”, en référence aux otages.A Tel-Aviv, des centaines de personnes, brandissant là aussi les portraits des kidnappés, drapeaux israéliens et bannières jaunes, la couleur symbole des otages, ont commencé à se rassembler sur la “place des otages”, épicentre de la protestation où une manifestation doit se tenir en fin d’après-midi.”Nous faisons tous les efforts pour les ramener (…) On peut avoir des désaccords, mais en vérité, tout le peuple d’Israël veut que nos frères et sœurs rentrent à la maison”, a déclaré sur cette place le président israélien Isaac Herzog.”Nous ne vous oublions pas un seul instant”, a encore lancé M. Herzog à l’attention des otages. “Je veux dire aux familles endeuillées et inquiètes: Nous sommes avec vous”. “Et je veux dire au monde: (…) Faites pression sur le Hamas”, a-t-il ajouté.Le Forum des familles et des disparus, principale association des proches d’otages, mais aussi l’opposition, une partie du monde économique et syndical, ont appelé à une grève de solidarité ce dimanche avec les otages à Gaza.Dans un communiqué, le Forum a assuré que des “centaines de milliers de citoyens israéliens paralyseront le pays aujourd’hui avec une revendication claire: Ramenez les 50 otages, mettez fin à la guerre”.”Si nous ne les ramenons pas maintenant, nous les perdrons à jamais”, s’est alarmé le Forum.”Depuis 22 mois, nous appelons à un accord global, mais nos appels tombent dans l’oreille de sourds et des cœurs endurcis. Le temps presse (…) Seul le peuple pourra ramener les otages à la maison”, a-t-il plaidé.- “Le jeu du Hamas” -Des partisans de M. Netanyahu et de l’extrême droite ont fustigé le mouvement. “Bloquer les routes principales en Israël et perturber la vie des citoyens est une grave erreur et une récompense pour l’ennemi”, a déploré le ministre de la Culture, Miki Zohar.Le ministre d’extrême droite des Finances, Bezalel Smotrich, a également dénoncé une “campagne (…) qui fait le jeu du Hamas”.”Attaquer les familles des otages alors que vous portez la responsabilité de la captivité de leurs enfants par le Hamas depuis près de deux ans nous affaiblit et nous divise. Les soutenir est ce qui nous renforce et les renforce”, a riposté l’opposant Benny Gantz. Le chef de l’opposition, Yair Lapid, a lui dénoncé une “vague de messages répugnants” de ces ministres. “N’avez-vous aucune honte?”, a-t-il apostrophé.La police israélienne a indiqué que des “milliers de policiers et de soldats des forces de sécurité frontalières” avaient été déployés dans tout le pays. En fin de matinée, elle a fait état de 32 manifestants arrêtés pour avoir troublé l’ordre public et entravé la liberté de circulation.Parmi les 251 otages capturés lors de l’attaque du 7-Octobre, 49 restent détenus à Gaza, dont 27 décédés, selon l’armée israélienne.Le Hamas et le Jihad islamique ont diffusé début août trois vidéos montrant deux otages décharnés et affaiblis, qui ont choqué en Israël et suscité une condamnation internationale.Après 22 mois de guerre, le Premier ministre est sous forte pression interne et internationale, sur le sort des otages et pour faire taire les armes dans la bande de Gaza, dévastée et en proie à une catastrophe humanitaire. L’attaque du 7-Octobre a entraîné côté israélien la mort de 1.219 personnes, en majorité des civils, selon un décompte de l’AFP réalisé à partir de données officielles.L’opération israélienne à Gaza y déjà fait 61.897, majoritairement des civils, selon les données du ministère de la Santé du Hamas, jugées fiables par l’ONU.