Shein bans sex dolls after France outrage over ‘childlike’ ones
Asian e-commerce giant Shein said Monday it was banning sex dolls from sale on its sites globally after French authorities condemned it for featuring ones resembling children.France’s finance minister had threatened to ban the retailer from the country if it resumed selling the childlike dolls, just days before it opens its first physical store in Paris.The Paris prosecutors’ office said it had opened investigations against Shein, and also rival online retailer AliExpress, over the sale of sex dolls.The probes were also for distributing “messages that are violent, pornographic or improper, (and) accessible to minors”, the office told AFP.The investigations were launched after France’s anti-fraud unit reported on Saturday that Shein was selling “childlike” dolls of a likely pornographic nature.French daily Le Parisien published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption.The pictured doll measured around 80 centimetres (30 inches) in height and held a teddy bear.Shortly after the fraud watchdog’s statement, Shein announced the dolls had been withdrawn from its platform and it had launched an internal inquiry.It later announced, in a statement on Monday, that it was imposing a “total ban on sex-doll-type products” and had deleted all listings and images linked to them. A spokesperson told AFP the ban applied globally.”These publications came from third-party vendors, but I take personal responsibility,” said Shein’s chief executive Donald Tang.- French warning -France’s finance Minister Roland Lescure had warned Monday he would move to ban the company from the French market if the items returned online.”These horrible items are illegal,” he told the BFMTV broadcaster, promising a judicial investigation.Shein said it was setting up a dedicated team to ensure the “integrity” of content on the sales platform.France’s high commissioner for childhood, Sarah El Hairy, said several websites were being investigated, after French media reported Chinese shopping platform AliExpress sold the same dolls.AliExpress said it had immediately removed the items from its website.The anti-fraud office said in a statement later Monday that it was taking legal action against AliExpress for selling “child-porn-style dolls”.- Shein store in Paris -Shein is due on Wednesday to open its first physical store in the world inside the prestigious BHV Marais department store in central Paris, a move that has sparked outrage in France.Frederic Merlin, the director of the company that owns BHV, said selling the childlike dolls was “unacceptable”, but on Monday defended his decision to allow Shein into the department store.”Only clothes and items conceived directly by Shein for BHV will be sold in store,” he said.Shein, a Singapore-based company which was originally founded in China, has faced criticism over working conditions at its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model.Some brands have pulled their products from BHV Marais since the announcement.France has already fined Shein three times in 2025 for a total of 191 million euros ($220 million).Those sanctions were imposed for failing to comply with online cookie legislation, false advertising, misleading information and not declaring the presence of plastic microfibres in its products.The European Commission is also investigating Shein over risks linked to illegal products, while EU lawmakers have approved legislation aimed at curbing the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Tunisian opponents go on collective hunger strike to support jailed figure
Prominent Tunisian opposition figures including Rached Ghannouchi said Friday they would go on hunger strike in solidarity with a jailed politician whose health they say has severely deteriorated after nine days without food.Jawhar Ben Mbarek, co-founder of the National Salvation Front, Tunisia’s main opposition alliance, launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023.In April, he was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on charges of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group” in a mass trial criticised by rights groups.Members of Ben Mbarek’s family and leaders from opposition Ennahdha and Al Joumhouri parties said they would join the strike.”Jawhar is in a worrisome condition, and his health is deteriorating,” said Ezzeddine Hazgui, his father and a veteran activist, during a press conference in Tunis.Hazgui said “the family would also launch a hunger strike beginning tomorrow”, without specifying which relatives would take part.”We will not forgive (President) Kais Saied,” he said.Rights groups have warned of a sharp decline in civil liberties in the North African country since a sweeping power grab by Saied in July 2021. Many of his critics are currently behind bars.Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party who is also serving hefty prison sentences, said he joined the protest on Friday, according to a post on his official Facebook page.Ghannouchi said his hunger strike sought to support Ben Mbarek, but also to “defend freedoms in the country”.Centrist Al Joumhouri party leader Issam Chebbi, who is also behind bars, announced he launched a hunger strike on Friday as well.Wissam Sghaier, another leader in Al Joumhouri, said some members of the party would follow suit.Sghaier said the party’s headquarters in the capital would serve as a gathering point for anyone willing to join.Relatives and a delegation from the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) visited Ben Mbarek at the Belli Civil Prison where he is held southeast of Tunis and reported a “serious deterioration of his state”.Many gathered near the prison to demand Ben Mbarek’s release.The LTDH said there have been “numerous attempts” to persuade Ben Mbarek to suspend the hunger strike, but “he refused and said he was committed to maintain it until the injustice inflicted upon him is lifted”.On Wednesday, prison authorities denied in a statement that the health of any prisoners had deteriorated because of a hunger strike, without naming Ben Mbarek.
Worries over AI spending, US government shutdown pressure stocks
Stock markets mostly retreated Friday as the prolonged US government shutdown dragged on investor sentiment, along with worries about an AI bubble dismissed by President Donald Trump.Large tech names that have propelled major US equity indices to repeat records throughout 2025 were under pressure most of the day, although some big names inched into positive territory late in the session.US stocks finished Friday’s session mixed, with the Dow and S&P 500 narrowly positive, while the Nasdaq ended lower.But equity markets have hit resistance in recent days amid concerns that stocks are overvalued and doubts over tens of billions of dollars in new AI investments that have been announced.The worries include that “data centers might not be profitable in the near future.” said Tom Cahill of Ventura Wealth Management, who also emphasized the drag from the record-length government shutdown.”There are several data points that suggest that the labor market is really cooling and with all the uncertainty around the government shutdown and tariffs, that’s probably going to continue to weigh on hiring,” Cahill said.But Trump on Friday rejected talk of any AI bubble.”No, I love AI. I think it’s going to be very helpful,” Trump said in response to an AFP reporter about whether there is an AI bubble.”It’s truly going to be the future, and we’re leading the world.”US stocks got a boost late in the session on a revised offer from Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer that could end the shutdown, although leading Republicans quickly rejected the proposal.Investors have pointed to the shutdown as a source of unease because of the lack of government data. But analysts said there is also rising worry about the economic impact as well.”The longer this lasts the more damage it does,” said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management.”We’re at the point where investors are starting to realize it is causing real damage.”The shutdown is denting consumer sentiment, according to a University of Michigan survey that showed a decline in November compared with October.”With the federal government shutdown dragging on for over a month, consumers are now expressing worries about potential negative consequences for the economy,” said surveys director Joanne Hsu.The University of Michigan data came a day after a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years last month.Investors have been forced to use private data as a guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy because of the lack of official data.The shutdown also forced the cancelation of hundreds of flights on Friday after Trump’s administration ordered reductions to ease the strain on air traffic controllers who are working without paMarkets were also pressured by official data showing China’s exports fell in October for the first time in eight months as trade tensions flared in the weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump reached a detente.London’s top-tier FTSE 100 index was dragged down by double-digit falls in the share prices of online property business Rightmove and British Airways owner IAG following earnings updates that undershot market expectations.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 46,987.10 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,728.80 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 23,004.54 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 9,682.57 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,950.18 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.7 percent at 23,569.96 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 50,276.37 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 26,241.83 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,997.56 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1563 from $1.1547 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3160 from $1.3137Dollar/yen: UP at 153.46 yen from 153.06 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.86 pence from 87.90 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $63.63 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $59.75 per barrelburs-jmb/des
Worries over AI spending, US government shutdown pressure stocks
Stock markets mostly retreated Friday as the prolonged US government shutdown dragged on investor sentiment, along with worries about an AI bubble dismissed by President Donald Trump.Large tech names that have propelled major US equity indices to repeat records throughout 2025 were under pressure most of the day, although some big names inched into positive territory late in the session.US stocks finished Friday’s session mixed, with the Dow and S&P 500 narrowly positive, while the Nasdaq ended lower.But equity markets have hit resistance in recent days amid concerns that stocks are overvalued and doubts over tens of billions of dollars in new AI investments that have been announced.The worries include that “data centers might not be profitable in the near future.” said Tom Cahill of Ventura Wealth Management, who also emphasized the drag from the record-length government shutdown.”There are several data points that suggest that the labor market is really cooling and with all the uncertainty around the government shutdown and tariffs, that’s probably going to continue to weigh on hiring,” Cahill said.But Trump on Friday rejected talk of any AI bubble.”No, I love AI. I think it’s going to be very helpful,” Trump said in response to an AFP reporter about whether there is an AI bubble.”It’s truly going to be the future, and we’re leading the world.”US stocks got a boost late in the session on a revised offer from Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer that could end the shutdown, although leading Republicans quickly rejected the proposal.Investors have pointed to the shutdown as a source of unease because of the lack of government data. But analysts said there is also rising worry about the economic impact as well.”The longer this lasts the more damage it does,” said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management.”We’re at the point where investors are starting to realize it is causing real damage.”The shutdown is denting consumer sentiment, according to a University of Michigan survey that showed a decline in November compared with October.”With the federal government shutdown dragging on for over a month, consumers are now expressing worries about potential negative consequences for the economy,” said surveys director Joanne Hsu.The University of Michigan data came a day after a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years last month.Investors have been forced to use private data as a guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy because of the lack of official data.The shutdown also forced the cancelation of hundreds of flights on Friday after Trump’s administration ordered reductions to ease the strain on air traffic controllers who are working without paMarkets were also pressured by official data showing China’s exports fell in October for the first time in eight months as trade tensions flared in the weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump reached a detente.London’s top-tier FTSE 100 index was dragged down by double-digit falls in the share prices of online property business Rightmove and British Airways owner IAG following earnings updates that undershot market expectations.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 46,987.10 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,728.80 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 23,004.54 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 9,682.57 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,950.18 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.7 percent at 23,569.96 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 50,276.37 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 26,241.83 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,997.56 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1563 from $1.1547 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3160 from $1.3137Dollar/yen: UP at 153.46 yen from 153.06 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.86 pence from 87.90 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $63.63 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $59.75 per barrelburs-jmb/des
A la COP30, Lula appelle à accélérer la sortie des énergies fossiles
Le président brésilien Lula a appelé vendredi à une sortie “juste” et “ordonnée” des énergies fossiles, envoyant un signal politique fort au sommet de dirigeants mondiaux en prélude à la COP30 à Belem.Deux ans après l’adoption inédite à la COP28 à Dubaï d’un engagement général à sortir progressivement des énergies fossiles, le thème ne figure pas officiellement à l’agenda de la conférence de l’ONU sur le climat, qui s’ouvrira lundi pour près de deux semaines dans cette ville d’Amazonie brésilienne.Mais certains pays comme le Brésil, huitième producteur mondial de pétrole, veulent remettre le sujet dans les débats, en l’absence notable de grands pays pétroliers, à commencer par les Etats-Unis de Donald Trump.”La Terre ne peut plus supporter le modèle de développement basé sur l’utilisation intensive de combustibles fossiles qui a prévalu au cours des 200 dernières années”, a lancé Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva au deuxième et dernier jour du sommet.Le président brésilien avait appelé jeudi à l’ouverture à définir “une feuille de route” pour “surmonter la dépendance aux combustibles fossiles”.Cela avait d’autant plus surpris que le Brésil vient de se lancer dans l’exploration pétrolière au large de l’Amazonie, au grand dam des écologistes et des représentants indigènes.Mais Lula argumente que l’exploitation pétrolière peut servir à financer la transition énergétique pour les pays en développement.- “Transition centrale” -Alors que la cause climatique reflue, éclipsée par les tensions géopolitiques et commerciales, certains pays ne veulent pas relâcher la pression.Parmi ces pays figurent de nombreux Européens. Malgré leurs récentes divisions, ils se targuent de réduire depuis plus de trois décennies leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de viser -90% d’ici 2040.Jeudi, le président français, Emmanuel Macron, avait appelé chaque pays à “élaborer sa stratégie pour éliminer progressivement les combustibles fossiles”.De nombreuses petites îles dont l’avenir est hypothéqué par l’intensification des cyclones et la montée des océans donnent aussi de la voix.”La transition vers l’abandon des combustibles fossiles est centrale”, a exhorté Surangel Whipps, président de l’archipel pacifique des Palaos, inquiet du “manque chronique d’ambition collective”.S’il a appelé à “accélérer sur tous les fronts” à Belem, le chef de l’ONU Climat, Simon Stiell, a voulu convaincre que la transition est déjà en marche.L’année dernière, 2.000 milliards de dollars ont été investis dans les énergies renouvelables, soit deux fois plus que dans les combustibles fossiles, a-t-il souligné.- “Un grand pas” -“Le Brésil espère que cette question de l’abandon des combustibles fossiles soit effectivement inscrite à l’agenda” de la COP, a déclaré à l’AFP Joao Paulo Capobianco, secretaire exécutif du ministère brésilien de l’Environnement.”Il est évident que personne n’attend une décision”, a-t-il toutefois prévenu. La nécessité d’un consensus entre 200 pays rend en effet les chances d’un accord quasi-nulles.”Je pense que la COP peut permettre qu’un grand pas soit franchi. Cela dépend de l’influence politique”, dit à l’AFP Adna Albuquerque, 57 ans, saluant la position de Lula.Cette spécialiste des peuples autochtones travaille comme bénévole dans les préparatifs du “Village COP”, un grand espace au sein de l’Université fédérale de Belem. Près de 3.000 indigènes de tout le Brésil et d’autres pays vont y loger durant la conférence climat.- Première classe -Pendant ce temps, des initiatives concrètes avancent.Un groupe de pays comprenant la France, l’Espagne et le Kenya veut profiter de la COP30 pour élargir le nombre de pays qui envisagent de taxer les premières classes des compagnies aériennes ainsi que les jets privés, a appris l’AFP de source proche des discussions.”Il est juste que ceux qui ont le plus, et donc polluent davantage, paient”, a estimé vendredi le Premier ministre espagnol, Pedro Sanchez.Et le Brésil a lancé un fonds visant à protéger les forêts tropicales, baptisé TFFF, et abondé par la Norvège, l’Indonésie, la France, le Portugal et l’Allemagne.Le chancelier allemand, Friedrich Merz, a promis une “contribution substantielle” de son pays, mais sans en préciser le montant.
A la COP30, Lula appelle à accélérer la sortie des énergies fossiles
Le président brésilien Lula a appelé vendredi à une sortie “juste” et “ordonnée” des énergies fossiles, envoyant un signal politique fort au sommet de dirigeants mondiaux en prélude à la COP30 à Belem.Deux ans après l’adoption inédite à la COP28 à Dubaï d’un engagement général à sortir progressivement des énergies fossiles, le thème ne figure pas officiellement à l’agenda de la conférence de l’ONU sur le climat, qui s’ouvrira lundi pour près de deux semaines dans cette ville d’Amazonie brésilienne.Mais certains pays comme le Brésil, huitième producteur mondial de pétrole, veulent remettre le sujet dans les débats, en l’absence notable de grands pays pétroliers, à commencer par les Etats-Unis de Donald Trump.”La Terre ne peut plus supporter le modèle de développement basé sur l’utilisation intensive de combustibles fossiles qui a prévalu au cours des 200 dernières années”, a lancé Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva au deuxième et dernier jour du sommet.Le président brésilien avait appelé jeudi à l’ouverture à définir “une feuille de route” pour “surmonter la dépendance aux combustibles fossiles”.Cela avait d’autant plus surpris que le Brésil vient de se lancer dans l’exploration pétrolière au large de l’Amazonie, au grand dam des écologistes et des représentants indigènes.Mais Lula argumente que l’exploitation pétrolière peut servir à financer la transition énergétique pour les pays en développement.- “Transition centrale” -Alors que la cause climatique reflue, éclipsée par les tensions géopolitiques et commerciales, certains pays ne veulent pas relâcher la pression.Parmi ces pays figurent de nombreux Européens. Malgré leurs récentes divisions, ils se targuent de réduire depuis plus de trois décennies leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de viser -90% d’ici 2040.Jeudi, le président français, Emmanuel Macron, avait appelé chaque pays à “élaborer sa stratégie pour éliminer progressivement les combustibles fossiles”.De nombreuses petites îles dont l’avenir est hypothéqué par l’intensification des cyclones et la montée des océans donnent aussi de la voix.”La transition vers l’abandon des combustibles fossiles est centrale”, a exhorté Surangel Whipps, président de l’archipel pacifique des Palaos, inquiet du “manque chronique d’ambition collective”.S’il a appelé à “accélérer sur tous les fronts” à Belem, le chef de l’ONU Climat, Simon Stiell, a voulu convaincre que la transition est déjà en marche.L’année dernière, 2.000 milliards de dollars ont été investis dans les énergies renouvelables, soit deux fois plus que dans les combustibles fossiles, a-t-il souligné.- “Un grand pas” -“Le Brésil espère que cette question de l’abandon des combustibles fossiles soit effectivement inscrite à l’agenda” de la COP, a déclaré à l’AFP Joao Paulo Capobianco, secretaire exécutif du ministère brésilien de l’Environnement.”Il est évident que personne n’attend une décision”, a-t-il toutefois prévenu. La nécessité d’un consensus entre 200 pays rend en effet les chances d’un accord quasi-nulles.”Je pense que la COP peut permettre qu’un grand pas soit franchi. Cela dépend de l’influence politique”, dit à l’AFP Adna Albuquerque, 57 ans, saluant la position de Lula.Cette spécialiste des peuples autochtones travaille comme bénévole dans les préparatifs du “Village COP”, un grand espace au sein de l’Université fédérale de Belem. Près de 3.000 indigènes de tout le Brésil et d’autres pays vont y loger durant la conférence climat.- Première classe -Pendant ce temps, des initiatives concrètes avancent.Un groupe de pays comprenant la France, l’Espagne et le Kenya veut profiter de la COP30 pour élargir le nombre de pays qui envisagent de taxer les premières classes des compagnies aériennes ainsi que les jets privés, a appris l’AFP de source proche des discussions.”Il est juste que ceux qui ont le plus, et donc polluent davantage, paient”, a estimé vendredi le Premier ministre espagnol, Pedro Sanchez.Et le Brésil a lancé un fonds visant à protéger les forêts tropicales, baptisé TFFF, et abondé par la Norvège, l’Indonésie, la France, le Portugal et l’Allemagne.Le chancelier allemand, Friedrich Merz, a promis une “contribution substantielle” de son pays, mais sans en préciser le montant.