Pro-Palestinian protestors invading Vuelta course ‘unacceptable’: organisers
Pro-Palestinian protestors invading the Vuelta a Espana course to force the final stage of the cycling Grand Tour to be abandoned was “absolutely unacceptable”, organisers said on Monday.”What happened yesterday was absolutely unacceptable, I regret the image it gave (to the world) and it should not be repeated,” said Javier Guillen, director of the race.Around 100,000 protestors were present during the 21st and final stage of the race which was due to finish with several loops in Madrid, but was cut short around 60 kilometres before the finish in the Spanish capital.Protestors pushed over barriers and stood in the road where cyclists were due to pass in various places along the route, and chanted “Palestine won this Vuelta” after the stage was scrapped.”I don’t think we can take anything good out of what happened yesterday,” Guillen said.”It’s fine for people to take advantage of the Vuelta to make their statement, but we also demand respect for the race.”Various stages of the Vuelta had been shortened because of protests, largely against the private Israel-Premier Tech team’s participation.The protests had also led to moments of tension in the three-week Grand Tour, including crashes, with some cyclists saying they felt unsafe.”Yesterday was a sad, lamentable day, they were very tough moments, the images speak for themselves,” continued Guillen.”The boycott of the race caused us a lot of damage, that’s what hurt us the most, (but) we were able to hold the 21 stages.”Danet Jonas Vingegaard won the race for the first time in his career, adding to two Tour de France triumphs at Grand Tour level.
WTO fishing deal: the net results
The World Trade Organization’s agreement on fisheries subsidies — its first environmentally focused accord — entered into force on Monday after years of thorny negotiations at a time of heightened international trade tensions.Agreed by more than 100 WTO members, including the United States, the European Union and China, the agreement sets binding rules requiring governments to consider the legality and sustainability of the fishing activities they subsidise.”This is the first sustainability agreement of the WTO… It’s a big day,” WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told AFP.Speaking to diplomats during Monday’s ceremony, she described the event as a “historic milestone”.”It seems like a dream,” she said. “We have been waiting a long time for today to happen.” The discussions towards the deal began all the way back in 2001, with WTO members finally reaching an agreement by consensus in June 2022.Below are the main points of the agreement, which was celebrated with a ceremony at the WTO’s Geneva headquarters Monday after being ratified by two-thirds of the membership.Broader rules regarding subsidies for activities that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing remain under negotiation.- Bans -“Each year, governments spend an estimated $22 billion in harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and the depletion of marine resources,” Okonjo-Iweala said.The deal bans subsidies to any vessel or operator engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, or the fishing of overexploited stocks.However, a country can grant or maintain subsidies implemented “to rebuild the stock to a biologically sustainable level”.According to the United Nations, IUU fishing is responsible for depleting between 11 million and 26 million tonnes of fish each year, which “represents 20 percent of the global fish catch”, the WTO chief said.The agreement also prohibits subsidies for unregulated fishing on the high seas, including areas outside the jurisdiction of coastal countries.The agreement “is a significant step forward for the ocean and the coastal communities that depend on it,” said Megan Jungwiwattanaporn, with the Pew Charitable Trusts.- Notification and dispute settlement -The agreement says countries must “take special care and exercise due restraint” when granting subsidies to vessels not flying their own flag, and when granting them to fishing or related activities if the status of the stocks concerned is unknown.Besides regular notifications of subsidies, WTO members are required to update the organisation on how the agreement is being implemented.This includes the status of fish stocks, information on vessels receiving subsidies, and a list of vessels and operators that the country has determined to be engaged in IUU fishing.In the event of disagreements, countries can refer matters to the WTO’s dispute settlement body.- Developing countries -The agreement provides a “peace clause” to the world’s least-developed countries (LDCs) and developing countries, exempting them from subsidy bans within their own exclusive economic zones for two years.Furthermore, developing countries and LDCs whose annual share of the global fish catch does not exceed 0.8 percent can submit their fisheries notifications to the WTO every four years instead of every two years.They will also benefit from technical assistance, and the WTO has set up a special fund to support them, which to date has received $18 million in voluntary contributions.- Agreement could be thrown overboard -The agreement alone “won’t stop the billions in subsidies that fuel overfishing and overcapacity”, warned Rashid Sumaila, a member of NGO Oceana’s board and head of Fisheries Economics Research Unit at the University of British Columbia.And if the second agreement outlining comprehensive rules on overcapacity and overfishing is not adopted within four years, the first agreement will be “immediately terminated”, unless WTO members decide otherwise.
US ‘very close’ to TikTok deal with China: US Treasury chief
The United States is “very close” to a deal with China to settle their dispute over TikTok, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday as the two sides resumed trade talks in Madrid.Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng opened the latest round of discussions in Madrid on Sunday, seeking to narrow differences on trade and technology that have strained relations between the world’s two largest economies.The meetings are expected to continue through Wednesday — the deadline for TikTok to find a buyer or face a ban.”On the TikTok deal itself, we’re very close to resolving the issue,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived at Spain’s foreign ministry for a second day of talks. “If we don’t reach an agreement on TikTok, it doesn’t affect the overall relationship between the two countries. It’s still very good at the highest levels,” he added.TikTok is owned by China-based internet company ByteDance.A federal law requiring TikTok’s sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before US President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. But the Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media and who has said he is fond of TikTok, put the ban on pause. – Shaky truce -In mid-June Trump extended a deadline for the popular video-sharing app by another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. That extension is due to expire on Wednesday.While Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, he reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform — which boasts almost two billion global users — after coming to believe it helped him win young voters’ support in the November election.Beijing’s commerce ministry called on Washington on Friday to “work with China on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultations, to resolve each other’s concerns through dialogue and find a solution to the problem”.The talks in Madrid also cover Trump’s threat of steep tariffs on Chinese imports.Trade tensions escalated sharply earlier this year, with tit-for-tat tariffs reaching triple digits and snarling supply chains.Both governments later agreed to lower their punitive tariffs, with the United States imposing 30 percent duties on imports of Chinese goods and China hitting US products with a 10 percent levy, but the temporary truce expires in November.The US-China trade truce has been an uneasy one, with Washington accusing Beijing of violating their agreement and slow-walking export license approvals for rare earths.China is the world’s leading producer of rare earths, used to make magnets essential to the automotive, electronics and defence industries.- Nvidia probe -China on Saturday launched two investigations into the US semiconductor sector. Beijing opened an anti-dumping probe into some IC chips originating from the United States, its commerce ministry said in a statement. The ministry also said in a separate statement it will launch an investigation into whether the United States had discriminated against the Chinese chip sector.And on Monday China said an investigation found US chip giant Nvidia had run afoul of the country’s antitrust rules, and vowed an additional probe.The statement did not provide further details about Nvidia’s alleged legal violations or the further probe.Beijing — which announced the investigation in December — is currently engaged in an intense contest with the United States for supremacy in the critical field of semiconductors.Top diplomats and defence chiefs from both nations held back-to-back phone calls last week, which analysts said could mark a step towards a meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.Trump said in August he expects to visit China this year or shortly afterwards, noting that economic ties between the two countries have improved.
Arab, Muslim leaders hold emergency talks after Israel’s Qatar attack
Leaders from Arab and Muslim countries will gather for an emergency summit in Doha on Monday, a week after Israel’s unprecedented strike on Hamas in Qatar prompted widespread anger.The joint Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit called by Qatar seeks to pile pressure on Israel, which has been facing mounting calls to end the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Hamas says top officials survived last week’s air strike in Doha that killed six people and triggered a wave of criticism, including from US President Donald Trump.A draft final statement seen by AFP warned that “brutal Israeli aggression” put efforts to normalise relations between Israel and Arab states at risk.It “threatens all that has been achieved on the path toward establishing normal relations with Israel, including existing and future agreements”, the draft added.Israel and its main backer the United States have been trying to extend the Abraham Accords that established ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco in 2020.Last week’s attack and Israel’s “genocide (and) ethnic cleansing (in Gaza)… undermines the prospects of achieving peace and peaceful coexistence in the region”, the draft statement said.”The time has come for the international community to stop using double standards and to punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed,” Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told a preparatory meeting at the weekend.Alongside Egypt and the United States, Qatar has led mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas in the war in Gaza.- ‘Actions, not just rhetoric’ -The nearly 60-country grouping in Doha will also emphasise “the concept of collective security… as well as the necessity of aligning together to face common challenges and threats”, according to the draft.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, had left the kingdom for Qatar to attend the summit, state media said.Among the leaders gathering on Monday are Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also attend.An extraordinary meeting of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council would also be held in Doha on Monday, according to Saudi state media.The United Nations Human Rights Council said it would host an urgent debate on Tuesday on Israel’s air strike targeting Hamas in Qatar.Meanwhile US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Israel in a demonstration of Washington’s unwavering support.Aziz Algashian, a Saudi-based researcher into international relations in the Middle East, said “many people are looking at actions, not just rhetoric” from the meeting in Doha.”We’ve exhausted all forms of rhetoric. Now it’s just going to have to be actions — and we’ll see what those actions will be,” he said.
Rubio talks Gaza with Netanyahu after Qatar strike
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday discussed the Gaza war with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar caused US unease and threatened to derail already flailing attempts to reach a ceasefire.Rubio scheduled a solidarity visit a week before a French-led summit at the United Nations to recognise a Palestinian state, a prospect fervently opposed by Netanyahu’s right-wing government.But talks were made more difficult last week when President Donald Trump’s administration was caught off guard by an Israeli attack in Qatar against Hamas leaders who were meeting to discuss a new US ceasefire proposal for Gaza.Rubio met with Netanyahu one-on-one for about an hour and a half before starting an expanded meeting with aides, according to a US official.Rubio said he would speak to Netanyahu about Israeli military plans to seize Gaza City, the largest urban centre in the devastated territory, as well as the government’s talk of annexing parts of the occupied West Bank in hopes of precluding a Palestinian state.Rubio said Trump wants the Gaza war to be “finished with” — which would mean the release of hostages and ensuring Hamas is “no longer a threat”.Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed another 17 people on Monday, all but one in Gaza City, said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the Gaza civil defence agency.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.- ‘Eternal capital’ -The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the Israelis were pushing more residents into the already overcrowded Al-Mawasi, which lacks basics such as food and water and where disease is spreading.The war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 64,871 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.Trump, for years a fervent defender of Netanyahu, on Sunday again voiced support for Qatar, which is home to the largest US air base in the region and has assiduously courted the US president, including by gifting a luxury jet.”Qatar has been a very great ally. Israel and everyone else, we have to be careful. When we attack people we have to be careful,” said Trump.But the United States has not joined European powers in pressing Israel to end the offensive, who fear it will aggravate the already severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of its 2.4 million people have been displaced at least once since the outbreak of the war.Despite the objections over the Qatar strike, Rubio opened the visit on Sunday with a highly symbolic show of support as he joined Netanyahu at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray.With Rubio at his side, Netanyahu said the Israel-US alliance has “never been stronger”.- Controversial tunnel -Rubio, a devout Catholic, later posted that his visit showed his belief that Jerusalem is the “eternal capital” of Israel.Until Trump’s first term, US leaders had shied away from such overt statements backing Israeli sovereignty over contested Jerusalem, which is also holy to Muslims and Christians.Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, in a sharp break with most of the world.Hamas called Rubio’s prayer stop a “blatant assault on the sanctity” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslim sacred site above, and a “flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo in occupied Jerusalem”.Rubio separately is expected Monday to attend the inauguration of a tunnel for religious tourists that goes underneath the Palestinian neighourhood of Silwan to the holy sites.The project has stirred fears among Palestinian residents that it could further dilute their presence, allowing Israelis to bypass Palestinians and possibly putting at risk the physical foundations of their homes.Fakhri Abu Diab, 63, a community spokesman in Silwan, said Rubio should instead come to see homes, such as his own, that have been demolished by Israel in what Palestinians charge is a targeted campaign to erase them.”Instead of siding with international law, the United States is going the way of extremists and the far right and ignoring our history,” he said.Rubio played down the political implications, calling it “one of the most important archaeological sites in the world”.
Pakistan lodge protest as India tensions spill into cricket
Pakistan lodged a complaint on Monday with cricket’s governing body about the match referee in their Asia Cup clash with India after simmering tensions between the countries spilled over into sport.India beat their arch-rivals by seven wickets on Sunday in Dubai as the neighbours met for the first time in cricket since their military conflict in May.Tensions simmered after the match as India’s players left the field without shaking hands.Pakistan blamed the India side and also allege match referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe told captain Salman Agha not to shake the hand of India skipper Suryakumar Yadav before the game. There was no handshake between the captains.”The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the match referee of the ICC code of conduct and the MCC laws pertaining to the spirit of cricket,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi wrote on social media.The PCB demanded the immediate removal of Pycroft from the remainder of the regional T20 tournament.The International Cricket Council has been contacted for comment.In his post-match press conference, Suryakumar said his team acted on the advice of the Indian government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).”We are aligned with the Indian government and the BCCI,” said Suryakumar when asked why his team did not shake hands with the Pakistan players.As a protest, Pakistan did not send their captain Agha to post-match duties.The two teams are likely to meet again in a Super Four match in Dubai on Sunday, provided Pakistan win their last group game against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.They can also meet for a third time in the September 28 final in Dubai if results go their way.India and Pakistan were playing for the first time since cross-border hostilities in May left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire.The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing, a charge Islamabad denies.
Privée de financements publics, une radio locale américaine lutte pour sa survie
Une lumière blanche s’allume au-dessus de la porte du studio d’Allegheny Mountain Radio, le signe que Bonnie Ralston vient de prendre l’antenne de cette petite radio communautaire, située dans une région montagneuse de Virginie, aux Etats-Unis.Casque sur les oreilles, elle énonce les titres du jour d’une voix légèrement chevrotante: fermetures de routes, arrivée des couleurs de l’automne dans les forêts, distribution d’aide alimentaire, résultats sportifs… Derrière ce rituel, la bénévole de 59 ans se dit inquiète.Donald Trump a fait voter en juillet la suppression de fonds fédéraux à l’audiovisuel public.Ces coupes ciblent en priorité les radios et télévisions nationales NPR et PBS, accusées par le président américain de dérive progressiste.Mais elles affecteront aussi des centaines de stations de télé et radio locales qui diffusent une partie de leurs contenus. Dès l’année prochaine, Allegheny Mountain Radio sera ainsi privée de subventions qui représentaient 60 à 65% de son budget.”On ne sait pas ce qui va nous arriver”, s’inquiète Bonnie Ralston.La petite station, qui emploie dix personnes, a les réserves suffisantes pour survivre au moins un an, assure son directeur, Scott Smith.Mais “on ne pourra pas continuer à fonctionner dans le rouge et à puiser dans les réserves indéfiniment. On sait qu’à un moment donné, on va se retrouver à court d’argent si nous ne trouvons pas d’autres sources de revenu”, explique-t-il.”Au bout du compte, c’est notre existence même qui est en jeu”, regrette M. Smith, carrure imposante et longue barbe grise.- Conséquences dramatiques – Nichée au coeur des Monts Allegheny, dans les Appalaches, dans l’est des Etats-Unis, la radio est l’un des seuls médias locaux.Peu de signaux radio extérieurs parviennent dans cette zone reculée, à une centaine de kilomètres du premier centre commercial, où le réseau téléphonique est capricieux. Allegheny Mountain Radio est “absolument essentielle pour l’information locale”, de la météo aux fermetures de classes ou de routes, souligne Jay Garber, le maire de Monterey, un village de 120 habitants qui fait partie de l’un des trois comtés couverts par la station.D’autant que la plupart des habitants sont âgés et continuent de s’informer grâce aux médias traditionnels.C’est le cas de Polly Turner, 74 ans, qui dit dépendre largement d’Allegheny Mountain Radio pour suivre l’actualité.”Nous en avons besoin, nous serions perdus sans ça”, confie cette femme aux cheveux gris, qui ne possède pas d’ordinateur.Chris Wayne redoute quant à lui des conséquences dramatiques si la station venait à disparaître.”Dès que vous sortez un peu de la ville, le réseau téléphonique disparaît. La radio devient le seul moyen d’apprendre, par exemple, qu’une inondation arrive”, alerte cet habitant de 42 ans, soulignant que Monterey se situe en contrebas de la rivière Jackson, un important cours d’eau.- Critiques -Dans cette région rurale qui a massivement soutenu Donald Trump à la dernière présidentielle, Allegheny Mountain Radio n’a pas toujours fait l’unanimité.”Certains disent que nous sommes gauchistes parce que nous diffusons les journaux de NPR”, témoigne Scott Smith, le directeur de la radio, ajoutant toutefois que “la majorité des gens ici comprennent la valeur de ce que nous apportons”.Depuis l’adoption par le Congrès des coupes voulues par le président républicain, les témoignages de soutien ont afflué.Allegheny Mountain Radio a reçu des dons de plus de 200 personnes à travers les Etats-Unis. De quoi rendre son directeur “optimiste”.”Quand vous recevez ce niveau de soutien et de reconnaissance, cela ne fait que renforcer votre détermination”, affirme Scott Smith, qui promet de “ne pas céder et de continuer à se battre pour trouver des solutions”.
Tiktok: Chine et Etats-Unis “très proches” d’un accord à Madrid selon le Trésor américain
La Chine et les États-Unis sont “très proches” d’un accord concernant TikTok, a affirmé lundi le secrétaire au Trésor des États-Unis Scott Bessent à Madrid, où les deux pays ont entamé un deuxième jour de discussions commerciales.”Sur l’accord TikTok lui-même, nous sommes très proches de résoudre le problème. Il y a une série d’autres points qui restent non résolus”, a déclaré à la presse Scott Bessent.”Si nous ne parvenons pas à un accord sur TikTok, cela n’affectera pas la relation globale entre les deux pays. Elle reste très bonne”, a-t-il toutefois ajouté, expliquant avoir “beaucoup de respect pour [ses] homologues”.Les négociations commerciales entre les deux plus grandes économies du monde ont repris lundi au ministère espagnol des Affaires étrangères, au lendemain de l’ouverture de ce nouveau cycle de discussions visant à régler les divergences sur le commerce et la technologie qui ont tendu leurs relations, a constaté une journaliste de l’AFP.Les délégations sont dirigées par le secrétaire au Trésor des États-Unis, Scott Bessent, d’une part, et le vice-premier ministre chinois, He Lifeng d’autre part et pourraient se poursuivre jusqu’à mercredi.L’ordre du jour comprend deux des questions les plus épineuses des relations bilatérales entre les deux pays: la menace du président Donald Trump d’imposer des tarifs douaniers élevés sur les importations chinoises et la demande de Washington que TikTok soit vendu avant, d’ici le 17 septembre à un propriétaire non chinois, sous peine d’être interdit aux Etats-Unis.- Suspicions chinoises sur les puces Nvidia -Mais, signe que les tensions ne sont pas apaisées entre les deux géants malgré l’espoir d’un accord sur TikTok, Pékin a lundi accusé le géant américain des puces Nvidia d’avoir violé ses lois anti-monopole et annoncé une “enquête approfondie”.”Suite à une enquête préliminaire, il a été déterminé que NVIDIA Corporation a violé la loi anti-monopole de la République populaire de Chine”, a affirmé l’Administration d’État pour la régulation du marché (SAMR) dans un communiqué, sans préciser de quelles violations il s’agissait.Le régulateur chinois des marchés va donc approfondir l'”enquête préliminaire” qu’il avait lancée en décembre sur Nvidia.Les résultats financiers de Nvidia publiés le mois dernier ont suscité des inquiétudes concernant ses activités en Chine, de plus en plus scrutées par Washington dans un contexte de fortes tensions commerciales et géopolitiques.Cette annonce survient en outre après le lancement par la Chine au cours du week-end d’enquêtes dans le secteur des semi-conducteurs aux États-Unis.Les tensions commerciales entre Pékin et Washington ont connu des hauts et des bas en 2025, les deux pays se lançant dans l’augmentation répétée de leurs tarifs douaniers respectifs. Au cours de l’année, ces tarifs entre les États-Unis et la Chine ont atteint des niveaux trois fois supérieurs à la normale des deux côtés, perturbant les chaînes d’approvisionnement.Depuis, Washington et Pékin ont conclu un accord visant à désamorcer les tensions, abaissant temporairement les droits de douane à 30% pour les États-Unis et à 10% pour la Chine. En août, les deux pays ont décidé de reporter de 90 jours l’entrée en vigueur de nouvelles hausses tarifaires sur leurs exportations réciproques, prolongeant ainsi la trêve commerciale jusqu’au 10 novembre.Le ministère chinois du Commerce a appelé vendredi Washington à “travailler avec la Chine sur la base du respect mutuel et de consultations égales, pour résoudre les préoccupations mutuelles par le dialogue et trouver une solution au problème”, selon un communiqué. Les réunions à Madrid pourraient poser les bases d’un possible sommet entre Trump et le dirigeant chinois Xi Jinping plus tard cette année.