Iran refusing to allow independent medical examination of Nobel winner: family

Iranian authorities are refusing to allow an independent medical examination of Nobel peace prize winner Narges Mohammadi after she was beaten during her arrest last week, her family said on Tuesday.Her brother Hamid Reza Mohammadi, who lives in Norway, told reporters in Paris via video link that she had informed her other brother in Iran in a brief telephone call late on Sunday that police had beaten her with truncheons on her face, head and neck.Mohammadi, who won the Nobel prize in 2023, was detained along with dozens of activists on Friday after addressing a memorial ceremony in the eastern city of Mashhad for the lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month.”She has bruises on her neck and face,” Hamid Reza Mohammadi said. “She was in a very bad condition physically.””My brother (inside Iran) has tried to convince them to agree for an independent doctor to examine her to make sure she has no internal bleeding in the head or any other organ.””But they have not agreed to it. We are very worried about how she is being held, where she is being held and how she is treated,” he added.Her husband Taghi Rahmani, who lives in Paris, added: “My brother-in-law asked for an independent doctor to examine her but they refused. Now we are very worried about what will happen to her.”Her supporters had said on Monday that prison authorities twice took Mohammadi to hospital after her arrest. In a separate statement on Tuesday, Amnesty International accused Iranian security forces of carrying out “torture and other ill-treatment” during the arrest, including by “violently beating” Narges Mohammadi and her fellow activist Alieh Motalbzadeh.- ‘Massive repression’ -Iranian authorities have said 39 people were detained at the memorial ceremony, including Alikordi’s brother Javad.But the Mohammadi family’s Paris-based lawyer Chirinne Ardakani said “at least 50 were arbitrarily detained” at the ceremony, which she said was attended by some 1,500 people and was addressed by Narges Mohammadi amid a heavy presence by security forces mounted on motorbikes.She said Mohammadi along with the other activists had been detained after she gave a defiant speech facing the security forces at the memorial for Alikordi, a 45-year-old lawyer who had defended clients arrested at protests.Rights groups, including Mohammadi’s foundation, regard his death as suspicious although the authorities insist he died of a heart attack.Ardakani said Mohammadi had told the gathering that “we stand tall, as brothers and sisters, we will stand tall until victory. Long live the fighters for freedom!””Immediately after saying this she (Mohammadi) was surrounded” and arrested, said Ardakani.Images from the scene posted on social media showed Mohammadi, who was not wearing the Islamic headscarf obligatory for women in Iran, standing on top of a car as the crowd chanted slogans against the authorities.Activists say Iran remains in the throes of a deep crackdown more than five months after the end of the 12-day war against Israel, with 1,400 executed so far this year.A UN fact-finding mission in October reported more than 21,000 arrests during the war, as well as 1,200 executions in the year to that point, well above usual levels.Ardakani said the team of rights groups and lawyers supporting Mohammadi were also planning to file “in the next days” a communication with the office of the prosecutor of the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging “crimes against humanity” are being committed by the Islamic republic.She acknowledged that Iran was not a party to the court and has not signed up to its Rome statue but said an investigation could be opened under its article 15 due to the “massive and generalised character of the repression”. 

China to impose anti-dumping duties on EU pork for five years

China will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, but at lower rates than temporary levies in place since September, Beijing announced Tuesday.The two economic powerhouses have been locked in a trade spat fuelled by what many European countries view as an unbalanced economic relationship with China.The levies come after a probe launched by China last year concluded that European pork imports “were being dumped, and the domestic industry suffered substantial damages” as a result, the commerce ministry said in a statement Tuesday.The duties will range from 4.9 percent to 19.8 percent — down from temporary levies of 15.6 to 62.4 percent — and will be applied from December 17, it said.”At present, the domestic industry is facing difficulties, and there are strong calls for protection,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said.They added that the investigation’s conclusions were “objective, fair, and impartial”.The agriculture minister of Spain — Europe’s top producer of pork and its derivatives — said Spanish exporters faced an average duty of 9.8 percent, below an overall average of 19 percent.The measures were therefore “acceptable” for Spain and the result “minimised”, Luis Planas told reporters in Madrid.China, the world’s leading consumer of pork, imported 4.3 billion yuan ($600 million) in pork products from Spain alone last year, according to official Chinese customs data.France, meanwhile, exported 115,000 tonnes of pork to China in 2024, according to industry association Inaporc.The French pork industry welcomed Beijing’s decision, with Inaporc describing it as “a relief” for domestic producers.French companies were previously subjected to a provisional duty rate up to 62.4 percent for some products and an average 20 percent for others, Inaporc said.According to the new measures, Groupe Bigard, a major French pork producer, will be charged 9.8 percent, while Danish Crown will be hit with an 18.6 percent levy.- ‘Bargaining chip’ -The current trade spat erupted last summer when the EU moved towards imposing hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that Beijing’s subsidies were unfairly undercutting European competitors.Beijing denied that claim and announced what were widely seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and dairy products.Giuseppe Aloisio, general director of the Spanish meat industry association Anice, told AFP the measure was “unfair” and “punishes an exemplary industry for no reason”.It was “unacceptable that our sector is used as a bargaining chip in a trade dispute — that of electric vehicles — that has absolutely nothing to do with us,” said Aloisio.European producers criticised the imposition of temporary duties on pork in September, denying the dumping allegations.They argued that Chinese consumers pay more than Europeans for products that the latter often ignore, such as pigs’ trotters or ears.The EU ran a trade deficit of more than $350 billion with China in 2024.French President Emmanuel Macron said this month that Europe would consider adopting strong measures against China, including tariffs, if the trade imbalance was not addressed.Alongside trade frictions, China and the EU are at odds on issues such as Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.The EU has urged China to exert pressure on Moscow to end the war, but Beijing has shown no sign of acceding.

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MaPrimeRénov’: l’Anah se fixe comme objectif 120.000 logements rénovés globalement

L’Agence nationale de l’habitat (Anah), qui distribue les aides pour la rénovation des logements, s’est fixé comme objectif mardi, lors de son conseil d’administration, de financer des travaux de rénovation énergétique d’ampleur dans 120.000 logements en 2026, sous réserve de vote du budget de l’Etat. Cet objectif se répartit entre 68.000 rénovations de logements en copropriété et 52.000 logements individuels. Conformément à ce qu’a annoncé le ministre du Logement Vincent Jeanbrun samedi, le guichet de demandes d’aides pour des rénovations globales sera de nouveau ouvert à tous les ménages au 1er janvier.Sans approbation du projet de loi de finances (PLF) pour 2026, tout le dispositif sera cependant suspendu. Cet objectif de 120.000 rénovations est cependant déjà amputé par les 83.000 dossiers encore en stock en cette fin d’année. “Il va y avoir un bouchon total !”, alerte Jacques Baudrier, adjoint PCF chargé du logement à la Ville de Paris, qui appelle à doubler le budget de l’Anah pour répondre à la demande en créant des recettes dédiées.MaPrimeRénov’ pour les rénovations globales a connu un fort afflux de demandes à partir de fin 2024, ce qui a poussé le gouvernement à mettre en pause le dispositif de juin à septembre 2025 et à restreindre ses règles d’octroi de subvention. Pour 2026, l’Anah “a ajusté les paramètres pour garantir la continuité”, notamment en abaissant le montant maximal de subvention par dossier, et assure à l’AFP disposer de “moyens conséquents pour répondre à la demande”.”Chaque territoire aura des objectifs et des moyens et il y aura un dialogue pour surveiller la dynamique tout au long de l’année”, ajoute l’Anah.L’Anah prévoit aussi d’aider 150.000 rénovations par geste -lorsqu’un seul type de travaux est réalisé à la fois – “avec un accent mis sur la décarbonation des modes de chauffage” en cohérence avec la nouvelle Stratégie nationale bas carbone de l’Etat. Au total, le budget d’aides aux particuliers de l’Anah est de 4,4 milliards d’euros, dont 3,4 milliards d’euros pour la rénovation énergétique.La baisse de 555 millions d’euros de l’enveloppe allouée par l’Etat est compensée par un recours accru aux certificats d’économie d’énergie, qui devraient abonder de plus d’un milliard d’euros l’Anah.Pour Maxime Ledez, chercheur à l’Institut de l’économie pour le climat (I4CE), les crédits versés à l’Anah par l’Etat en 2025 “n’ont pas suffi à satisfaire toutes les demandes” et le montant réduit en 2026 “ne suffira probablement pas davantage” malgré les changements de paramètres, selon un billet publié jeudi.Un renforcement de la lutte contre les tentatives de fraude a aussi été acté mardi, avec par exemple la possibilité de réaliser des contrôles physiques à distance.

MaPrimeRénov’: l’Anah se fixe comme objectif 120.000 logements rénovés globalement

L’Agence nationale de l’habitat (Anah), qui distribue les aides pour la rénovation des logements, s’est fixé comme objectif mardi, lors de son conseil d’administration, de financer des travaux de rénovation énergétique d’ampleur dans 120.000 logements en 2026, sous réserve de vote du budget de l’Etat. Cet objectif se répartit entre 68.000 rénovations de logements en copropriété et 52.000 logements individuels. Conformément à ce qu’a annoncé le ministre du Logement Vincent Jeanbrun samedi, le guichet de demandes d’aides pour des rénovations globales sera de nouveau ouvert à tous les ménages au 1er janvier.Sans approbation du projet de loi de finances (PLF) pour 2026, tout le dispositif sera cependant suspendu. Cet objectif de 120.000 rénovations est cependant déjà amputé par les 83.000 dossiers encore en stock en cette fin d’année. “Il va y avoir un bouchon total !”, alerte Jacques Baudrier, adjoint PCF chargé du logement à la Ville de Paris, qui appelle à doubler le budget de l’Anah pour répondre à la demande en créant des recettes dédiées.MaPrimeRénov’ pour les rénovations globales a connu un fort afflux de demandes à partir de fin 2024, ce qui a poussé le gouvernement à mettre en pause le dispositif de juin à septembre 2025 et à restreindre ses règles d’octroi de subvention. Pour 2026, l’Anah “a ajusté les paramètres pour garantir la continuité”, notamment en abaissant le montant maximal de subvention par dossier, et assure à l’AFP disposer de “moyens conséquents pour répondre à la demande”.”Chaque territoire aura des objectifs et des moyens et il y aura un dialogue pour surveiller la dynamique tout au long de l’année”, ajoute l’Anah.L’Anah prévoit aussi d’aider 150.000 rénovations par geste -lorsqu’un seul type de travaux est réalisé à la fois – “avec un accent mis sur la décarbonation des modes de chauffage” en cohérence avec la nouvelle Stratégie nationale bas carbone de l’Etat. Au total, le budget d’aides aux particuliers de l’Anah est de 4,4 milliards d’euros, dont 3,4 milliards d’euros pour la rénovation énergétique.La baisse de 555 millions d’euros de l’enveloppe allouée par l’Etat est compensée par un recours accru aux certificats d’économie d’énergie, qui devraient abonder de plus d’un milliard d’euros l’Anah.Pour Maxime Ledez, chercheur à l’Institut de l’économie pour le climat (I4CE), les crédits versés à l’Anah par l’Etat en 2025 “n’ont pas suffi à satisfaire toutes les demandes” et le montant réduit en 2026 “ne suffira probablement pas davantage” malgré les changements de paramètres, selon un billet publié jeudi.Un renforcement de la lutte contre les tentatives de fraude a aussi été acté mardi, avec par exemple la possibilité de réaliser des contrôles physiques à distance.

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Sécheresse sévère et risque de pénurie d’eau à Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo, ville la plus peuplée d’Amérique Latine et poumon économique du Brésil, est frappée par la pire sécheresse en une décennie, qui menace l’approvisionnement en eau des 22 millions d’habitants de cette mégalopole.Les mesures de rationnement déjà mises en place par les autorités pourraient s’intensifier, alors que les précipitations sont depuis trois années consécutives en dessous de la moyenne calculée par l’Institut national de météorologie (Inmet).Le réservoir Jaguari-Jacarei, le plus grand de la région, situé au nord-est de Sao Paulo, est rempli mardi à seulement 18% de sa capacité, selon l’Agence nationale des Eaux.Ce niveau critique s’approche de celui de la sécheresse de 2014, qui avait plongé Sao Paulo dans une des pires crises hydriques de son histoire.Des journalistes de l’AFP ont constaté que le niveau avait tellement baissé qu’une grande partie du réservoir était à sec, l’eau s’écoulant dans de maigres ruisseaux. De vastes zones de terre craquelée s’étendent dans les alentours.”Depuis le mois d’août, le niveau de l’eau n’a cessé de baisser. Ça fait vraiment peur”, dit à l’AFP Daniel Bacci, propriétaire d’une auberge proche du barrage.”La semaine dernière il a plu un peu, mais pas assez pour faire remonter le niveau”, déplore-t-il.Les prévisions météorologiques indiquent toutefois une augmentation du volume de précipitations lors des premiers mois de 2026, ce qui pourrait atténuer la situation.Dès le mois d’octobre, les autorités locales ont mis en place un plan de rationnement de l’eau, réduisant la pression dans les canalisations sur des durées pouvant aller jusqu’à 16 heures par jour.Si la situation se détériore au point d’atteindre des niveaux d’eau proches de zéro dans les barrages, des mesures plus drastiques pourraient être prises, comme des coupures tournantes de l’approvisionnement.Le régime des précipitations a changé à Sao Paulo au cours des dernières décennies, ce que les experts attribuent entre autres au changement climatique. Les pluies sont moins abondantes que la moyenne annuelle, mais plus violentes durant la saison humide.La semaine dernière, des orages accompagnés de violentes rafales de vent ont semé le chaos à Sao Paulo, privant des centaines de milliers de personnes d’électricité durant plusieurs jours et provoquant l’annulation de centaines de vols.

Stocks retreat on US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes

Stock markets fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on renewed hopes for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.The US Labor Department reported that unemployment climbed to 4.6 percent in November, its highest level in four years.The report, delayed by a lengthy government shutdown, also indicated that the US economy lost 105,000 jobs in October.Hiring picked up again in November to 64,000, but this was still a slower pace than before.”Today’s US data releases were overall weaker than expected, although not as bad as some had feared either,” said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.”The market was pricing in just shy of 50 percent chance of a March cut before the jobs report, but in the immediate aftermath of the report that was up to around 60 percent.While poor data boosting the chance of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve can often prop up stocks, Wall Street’s main indices pushed lower on signs of a weaker economy.Separate data showed US retail sales held stable in October, while analysts had been looking for a small gain, and September’s rise was revised down to 0.1 percent.But eToro analyst Bret Kenwell pointed out that part of the report that is used for calculating gross domestic product hit its highest level since the summer.”Today’s update underscores two themes that have been in place: A resilient consumer and a cooling labor market,” he said.Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent dropped below $60 per barrel for the first time since May, while the main US crude contract WTI briefly fell below $55 per barrel for the first time since 2021.A deal to end the war in Ukraine could ease sanctions on Russian oil, adding to oversupply concerns already weighing on the market.US President Donald Trump said Monday that a deal to end the war was closer than ever, after Washington said it offered Kyiv NATO-like security guarantees and voiced confidence Moscow would accept.Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, also pointed out that prices on Middle Eastern oil for immediate trade are lower than those for futures contracts. “When this happens, expectations are that future prices will fall back towards spot price levels, which can aggravate price declines,” she said.European defence stocks slid Tuesday following the update on the talks, analysts said. “A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine looks to be back on the agenda but there have already been multiple false dawns this year,” noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown.Weak UK jobs data strengthened expectations that the Bank of England will trim borrowing costs on Thursday. The European Central Bank is set to hold interest rates steady this week.The yen held gains against the dollar ahead of an expected rate hike by the Bank of Japan on Friday, and the euro rose against the dollar.Worries over the tech sector were also weighing on sentiment, with recent warnings about an AI-fuelled bubble compounded by disappointing earnings last week from Oracle and Broadcom.”Investors appear to be increasingly concerned about high tech valuations,” said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison.”Doubts have crept in over the probability, and time taken, to see a return on AI investment,” he added.- Key figures at around 1630 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 48,157.75 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.6 percent at 6,777.75New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 22,970.18London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 9,684.79 (close) Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 8,106.16 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 24,076.87 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.6 percent at 49,383.29 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.5 percent at 25,235.41 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.1 percent at 3,824.81 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1772 from $1.1750 on MondayDollar/yen: DOWN at 154.81 yen from 155.25Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3425 from $1.3372Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.69 pence from 87.87Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.6 percent at $59.00 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.7 percent at $55.28 per barrelburs-rl/