Syria, Lebanon leaders in Qatar for first official visits

The presidents of Syria and Lebanon arrived in Qatar on separate visits Tuesday, the first official trips by both leaders to the wealthy Gulf state since taking office.Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha, the Qatari leader’s office said in a statement.Qatar has been a key backer of the new administration in Damascus after longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December.The talks between the Qatari and Syrian leaders “covered the most prominent regional and international developments, and an exchange of views on ways to enhance security and stability”, Shiekh Tamim’s office said. Earlier, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani posted on X that he was accompanying Sharaa on his “first presidential visit to the country that has stood by Syrians from day one and has never abandoned them”.Sharaa and Shaibani’s Qatar trip comes on the heels of a Sunday visit to the United Arab Emirates, where they met Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.Sharaa led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that spearheaded the offensive that ousted Assad from power on December 8.His new administration has received support from several countries, including key backers Turkey and Qatar, as well as multiple Arab states.Qatar was one of the first Arab countries to back the armed rebellion that erupted after Assad’s government crushed a peaceful uprising in 2011.Unlike other Arab nations, Doha did not restore diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad.The new authorities have engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity since taking power, and Sharaa has visited several Arab countries as well as Turkey.- ‘Important interlocutor’ -Later on Tuesday Lebanese President Joseph Aoun touched down in Doha, accompanied by foreign minister Youssef Raggi, the Lebanese presidency said in a statement.Earlier, Aoun’s office had said talks between the Qatari and Lebanese delegations would continue into Wednesday afternoon and include a meeting with the Qatari emir. A day earlier, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Sharaa in Damascus in an effort to reboot ties between the two neighbours.Beirut and Damascus have been seeking to improve relations since the overthrow of Assad, whose family dynasty exercised control over Lebanese affairs for decades and has been accused of assassinating numerous officials in Lebanon who expressed opposition to its rule.Middle East analyst Andreas Krieg said since the fall of the Assad government, Qatar had emerged as “the most important interlocutor with the Sharaa government in the Arab world, at least after Turkey”. He said the gas-rich Gulf emirate was a “diplomatic force multiplier to the Sharaa government in Syria” and would be able to connect the new Syrian authorities with Lebanon, “which is, for both countries, extremely important”. Sheikh Tamim visited Damascus in January, becoming the first head of state to visit since Assad’s ouster.Doha has pledged to support the rehabilitation of Syria’s infrastructure, and has signed multiple deals to provide the war-ravaged country with much-needed power.Syrian authorities are seeking assistance including from wealthy Gulf states for reconstruction after nearly 14 years of war.Qatar is also one of the providers of financial and in-kind support to the Lebanese army and pledged support for reconstruction in February after the recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Les Bourses européennes terminent en hausse

Les Bourses européennes ont terminé en hausse mardi, naviguant au gré des annonces boursières de Donald Trump, avec d’une part, une réflexion quant à d’éventuels droits de douane sur la pharmacie et les semi-conducteurs et d’autre part, des propos plus rassurants concernant l’automobile.La Bourse de Paris a terminé en hausse de 0,86%, Francfort de 1,43%, Londres de 1,41% et Milan de 2,39%.

Harvey Weinstein New York retrial for sex crimes begins

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s retrial on rape and sex assault charges began Tuesday, forcing survivors who helped fire up the “#MeToo” movement to prepare to testify against him once more.Weinstein’s 2020 conviction by a jury was overturned last year by an appeals court that ruled that the way witnesses were handled in the original New York trial was unlawful.The voiding of the jury’s verdict by the New York Court of Appeals was a setback to survivors of the #MeToo movement against sexual violence and the promotion of justice for them.Weinstein was wheeled in to court wearing a dark blue suit, and adjusted his tie as he took his seat at the defense table while the trial lawyers spoke to the judge.Judge Curtis Farber said he expected presentation of evidence to last five to six weeks.”I am hopeful the trial will be over by the end of May,” he said.Several dozen prospective jurors indicated they felt they could not give Weinstein a fair trial because of what they knew about the case.The onetime Miramax studio boss was charged with the sexual assault of former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006, the rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013, and a new count for an alleged sexual assault in 2006 at a hotel in Manhattan. Haleyi and Mann testified in the earlier trial, sharing graphic accounts of their interactions with Weinstein.Lindsay Goldbrum, a lawyer for the unnamed woman who brought the new complaint, told reporters outside court that “she had the honor of representing an incredible woman.””They are going to ensure Weinstein is held accountable for his heinous crimes against women,” she said.”The fact they are going to testify again is testimony to their bravery.”Weinstein, 73, said he hopes the case will be judged with “fresh eyes,” more than seven years after investigations by the New York Times and the New Yorker led to his spectacular downfall and a global backlash against predatory abusers.Weinstein is serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted on separate charges in California in 2023 for raping and assaulting a European actor a decade prior.- ‘Fry Harvey’? -The producer of a string of box office hits like “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love,” Weinstein has battled health issues.”It’ll be very, very different because of the attitude of New York City, New York state and, I think, the overall country,” said his lawyer Arthur Aidala.”Five years ago, when you guys were here, there were protests. There were people chanting: ‘Fry Harvey, he’s a rapist’… I think that, overall, has died down,” he said, adding that he hoped jurors would try the case on its merits.Aidala separately told Fox 5 Monday that Weinstein had several ailments, including a “horrible infection in his mouth, his throat — and he’s struggling to speak, and when you’re about to go on trial you need to communicate with your lawyer.”Weinstein has never acknowledged any wrongdoing and has always maintained that the encounters were consensual.Accusers describe the movie mogul as a predator who used his perch atop the cinema industry to pressure actors and assistants for sexual favors, often in hotel rooms.Since his downfall, Weinstein has been accused of harassment, sexual assault or rape by more than 80 women, including actors Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lupita Nyong’o and Ashley Judd.In 2020, a jury of New Yorkers found Weinstein guilty of two out of five charges — the sexual assault of Haleyi and the rape of Mann.But the conviction and the 23-year prison sentence were overturned in April 2024.In a hotly debated four-to-three decision, New York’s appeals court ruled that jurors should not have heard testimonies of victims about sexual assaults for which Harvey Weinstein was not indicted.The three survivors of Weinstein’s alleged crimes are expected to testify once again.”I’m going on jury duty — I hope I don’t get that (trial),” said a woman smoking a cigarette outside the courthouse.

Trump says China ‘reneged’ on Boeing deal as tensions flare

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that China has gone back on a major Boeing deal, after a news report that Beijing ordered airlines not to take further deliveries of the US aviation giant’s jets.Trump’s comments on social media followed a Bloomberg news report about the halt. The report also said that Beijing requested Chinese carriers to pause purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US firms.”Interestingly, they just reneged on the big Boeing deal, saying that they will ‘not take possession’ of fully committed to aircraft,” said Trump in a Truth Social post, referring to China as trade tensions flared between the world’s two biggest economies.But he did not provide further details on the Boeing pact he was referring to.Although Trump has slapped new tariffs on friend and foe since returning to the presidency this year, he reserved his heaviest blows for China — imposing additional 145 percent levies on many Chinese imports.Trump took aim at Beijing again on Tuesday, saying on Truth Social that China did not fully fulfil an earlier trade deal. He appeared to be referencing a pact that marked a truce in both sides’ escalating tariffs war during his first term.The US president said China bought only “a portion of what they agreed to buy,” charging that Beijing had “zero respect” for his predecessor Joe Biden’s administration.Trump also vowed to protect US farmers in the same post, noting that farmers were often “put on the Front Line with our adversaries, such as China,” when there were trade tussles.Since the start of the year, Trump has imposed steep duties on imports from China, alongside a 10 percent “baseline” tariff on many US trading partners.His administration recently widened exemptions for these tariffs, excluding certain tech products like smartphones and laptops from the global 10 percent tariff and latest 125 percent levy on China.But many Chinese imports still face the total 145 percent additional tariff, or at least an earlier 20 percent levy that Trump rolled out over China’s alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain.In response, Beijing has introduced counter tariffs targeting US agricultural goods — and later retaliated with a sweeping 125 percent levy of its own on imported American products.China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to AFP queries on the aircraft deliveries, and Boeing has declined to comment on the Bloomberg report.Boeing shares were around 1.5 percent lower on Tuesday morning.

Tanzania opposition says election disqualification is unconstitutionalTue, 15 Apr 2025 15:40:40 GMT

Tanzania’s main opposition party on Tuesday declared its disqualification from upcoming national polls was unconstitutional, only a week after its leader was detained and charged with treason.The east African nation’s authorities have increasingly cracked down on its opposition, with the Chadema party accusing President Samia Suluhu Hassan of returning to the repressive tactics of her …

Tanzania opposition says election disqualification is unconstitutionalTue, 15 Apr 2025 15:40:40 GMT Read More »

Trump eyes near 50 percent cut in State Dept budget: US media

The US State Department is expected to propose an unprecedented scaling back of Washington’s diplomatic reach, multiple news outlets reported Tuesday, shuttering programs and embassies worldwide to slash the budget by almost 50 percent. The proposals, contained in an internal departmental memo said to be under serious discussion by senior officials, would eliminate almost all funding for international organizations such as the United Nations and NATO.Financial support for international peacekeeping would be curtailed, along with funding for educational and cultural exchanges like the Fulbright Program, one of the most prestigious US scholarships.The plan comes with President Donald Trump pressing a broader assault on government spending, and a scaling back of America’s leading role on the international stage.But the American Foreign Service Association called the proposed cuts “reckless and dangerous” while former US ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul decried a “giant gift to the Communist Party of China.”The memo says the State Department will request a $28.4 billion budget in fiscal year 2026, beginning October 1 — $26 billion less than the 2025 figure, according to The New York Times.Although it has little to say about humanitarian aid, programs tackling tropical disease, providing vaccines to children in developing nations and promoting maternal and child health would go, the Times reported.USAID — the sprawling development agency eyed for closure by Trump and Musk — is assumed by the memo’s authors to have been fully absorbed into the State Department, said The Washington Post.Only the Republican-controlled Congress — which needs Democratic votes to pass most laws — has the authority to sign off on the cuts.But the proposals will likely loom large in lawmakers’ negotiations over the 2026 budget.Government departments were facing a deadline of this week to send the White House their plans for cuts, but the State Department has yet to make any public announcements. It is not clear if Secretary of State Marco Rubio has endorsed the April 10 memo, but he would need to sign off on any cuts before they could be considered by Congress. The document earmarks 10 embassies and 17 consulates for closure, including missions in Eritrea, Luxembourg, South Sudan and Malta, according to politics outlet Punchbowl News. Five consulates earmarked for closure are in France while two are in Germany, Punchbowl reported. The list also includes missions in Scotland and Italy.In Canada, US consulates in Montreal and Halifax would be downsized to “provide ‘last-mile’ diplomacy with minimal local support,” the website reported, citing the document.US missions to international bodies such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the UN’s children’s fund, UNICEF, would be merged with the diplomatic outposts in the city where they are located.AFP contacted the State Department for comment but there was no immediate response.

Hanouna a mis le cap vers M6, ses dirigeants saluent un “joueur d’équipe”

Le projet de Cyril Hanouna pour septembre chez M6 devient plus concret. “La collaboration se passe très bien” avec l’animateur star, un “joueur d’équipe”, ont assuré ses dirigeants à des représentants des journalistes, qui restent sur leurs gardes.Les présidents des sociétés de journalistes de RTL et M6 avaient demandé cette rencontre au plus haut niveau, inquiets de “déclarations souvent vindicatives et parfois méprisantes” à l’égard de leur groupe par Cyril Hanouna. Le roi du clash officiait jusque fin février sur la chaîne C8 puis en mars en ligne. Il avait promis avant septembre une “diète médiatique” et n’est plus présent que sur les ondes. “Le travail a officiellement commencé” autour de ses deux futures émissions quotidiennes de divertissement, pour Fun Radio et la chaîne W9, dans le groupe M6, rapportent les représentants du personnel mardi dans un message interne qu’a pu consulter l’AFP. Si “le choix des chroniqueurs n’est pas encore arrêté”, “les discussions ont débuté autour des aspects concrets: décors, lieux de tournage, ligne éditoriale” notamment, leur ont précisé mercredi dernier David Larramendy, président du groupe, et Hervé Béroud, directeur de l’information.”Les fondamentaux du projet restent inchangés depuis le départ: apolitique et sans conflits (…) La collaboration se passe très bien, dans le même esprit que celui défendu initialement”, leur a-t-il été souligné. Ainsi “il y a deux postures, croire ou ne pas croire” et “il faudra juger sur pièce”.Cyril Hanouna a “une volonté affirmée de changer de discours” et “l’animateur s’affiche aujourd’hui clairement comme un joueur d’équipe”, estiment ainsi David Larramendy et Hervé Béroud, selon ces propos rapportés.Son recrutement constitue “une opportunité stratégique majeure, malgré les critiques externes”, “notamment de TF1 ou des partisans de Bolloré” dont il s’est séparé, est-il ajouté.”Des garde-fous sont en place, contractualisés (mais confidentiels), et des outils de protection sont prévus pour encadrer le projet”, qui a vocation à “générer de l’audience”, ont-ils insisté. – sous haute surveillance -Les journalistes du groupe M6 s’étaient prononcés fin janvier à une vaste majorité contre son arrivée, puis ont dit leur “vigilance”. Figure de la chaîne, Karine Le Marchand a dit aussi rester “vigilante”, après avoir menacé de quitter le groupe.Début mars, Cyril Hanouna s’est déjà fait recadrer par son futur employeur après avoir égratigné un de ses animateurs vedettes, Bruno Guillon. “Ils m’ont supplié pour que j’aille sur Fun Radio (…) pour avoir quelqu’un qui porte un peu la station (…) Il n’a qu’à partir Bruno Guillon”, avait-il lancé.Fin mars lors du festival Séries Mania à Lille, M. Larramendy avait assuré avoir “toute confiance” en Cyril Hanouna, “un talent comme il n’en existe quasiment plus en télé”. “C’est une personne qui parle à tous les publics”, avait expliqué le patron, qui refuse de faire de la télé “un quant-à-soi qui ne parle plus à certaines catégories de population”. Dans le passé, “il y a eu des dérapages, des choses pour lesquelles nous sommes en désaccord total” et “on le lui a dit”, avait-il ajouté. Les écarts de l’animateur ont valu un total de 7,6 millions d’euros d’amende à C8. La chaîne, dans le giron du milliardaire ultraconservateur Vincent Bolloré, a cessé d’émettre fin février après le non-renouvellement inédit de sa fréquence par l’Arcom, le régulateur de l’audiovisuel. Au fil des années, l’émission “Touche pas à mon poste” (TPMP), animée par Cyril Hanouna, avait pris une tournure de plus en plus politique. Soutenu à droite et à l’extrême droite, boycotté à gauche, Cyril Hanouna lui-même n’écarte pas une candidature à l’Elysée en 2027.Selon un sondage Toluna-Harris Interactive sur les “outsiders” potentiels publié lundi par L’Opinion, 11% des Français indiquent qu’ils pourraient voter pour lui si l’élection présidentielle avait lieu dimanche prochain. “Ma grande fierté est d’être devant Clémence Guetté” de LFI, créditée d’un score de 9%, a taclé lundi Cyril Hanouna sur Europe 1, où il présente une émission les après-midis jusque fin juin.Â