Belgian prosecutors said Tuesday that they were seeking to put a 92-year-old former diplomat on trial over the 1961 killing of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba.Etienne Davignon is the only one still alive among 10 Belgians who were accused of complicity in the murder of the independence icon in a 2011 lawsuit filed by Lumumba’s children.If …
Xi Jinping celebrated China’s “eternal friendship” with Central Asia at a summit in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, as the Chinese leader blasted tariffs and sought to assert Beijing’s influence in a region historically dominated by Russia.The summit in Astana brought together Xi with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.Under Russia’s orbit until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian states have courted interest from major powers including China, the European Union and the United States since becoming independent.At the summit, the group signed a pact of “eternal” friendship as Xi called for closer ties with the resource-rich region.”We should… strengthen cooperation with a more enterprising attitude and more practical measures,” said Xi in comments carried by state news agency Xinhua. Central Asia is also seen as a key logistics hub, given its strategic location between China, Russia, the Middle East and Europe.- ‘No winners’ -Speaking as Western leaders gathered on the other side of the world for the G7 in Canada, Xi refreshed his criticism of US President Donald Trump’s trade policies.”Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners,” Xinhua quoted him as saying.While Central Asian leaders continue to view Russia as a strategic partner, ties with Moscow have loosened since the war in Ukraine.China has also shown willingness to invest in massive infrastructure projects in the region, part of its Belt and Road initiative that uses such financing as a political and diplomatic lever.In a meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s president, Xi called for moves to “advance high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and foster new drivers of growth in clean energy, green minerals and artificial intelligence”.The five Central Asian nations are trying to take advantage of the growing interest in their region and are coordinating their foreign policies accordingly.They regularly hold summits with China and Russia to present the region as a unified bloc and attract investment.High-level “5+1″ format talks have also been organised with the European Union, the United States, Turkey and other Western countries.”The countries of the region are balancing between different centres of power, wanting to protect themselves from excessive dependence on one partner,” Kyrgyz political scientist Nargiza Muratalieva told AFP.- Biggest trade partner -Russia says China’s growing influence in the region does not pose a threat.”There is no reason for such fears. China is our privileged strategic partner, and the countries of Central Asia, naturally, are our natural historical partners,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.But China has now established itself as Central Asia’s leading trading partner, far outstripping the EU and Russia.Construction of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway and the China-Tajikistan highway, which runs through the Pamir Mountains to Afghanistan, are among its planned investments.New border crossings and “dry ports” have already been built to process trade, such as Khorgos in Kazakhstan, one of the largest logistics hubs in the world.”Neither Russia nor Western institutions are capable of allocating financial resources for infrastructure so quickly and on such a large scale, sometimes bypassing transparent procedures,” said Muratalieva.Kazakhstan said last week that Russia would lead the construction of its first nuclear power plant but that it wanted China to build the second.”Central Asia is rich in natural resources such as oil, gas, uranium, gold and other minerals that the rapidly developing Chinese economy needs,” Muratalieva said.”Ensuring uninterrupted supplies of these resources, bypassing unstable sea routes, is an important goal of Beijing,” the analyst added.- Human rights -China also positions itself as a supporter of the predominantly authoritarian Central Asian leaderships.At the last Central Asia-China summit, Xi called for “resisting external interference” that might provoke “colour revolutions” that could overthrow the current leaders in the region.”Beijing sees the stability of the Central Asian states as a guarantee of the security of its western borders,” Muratalieva said.Central Asia border’s China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, where Beijing is accused of having detained more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims, part of a campaign the UN has said could constitute crimes against humanity.burs/bk-mmp/jc/rlp
Le président chinois Xi Jinping et les dirigeants d’Asie centrale ont célébré mardi leur “amitié éternelle” lors d’un sommet au Kazakhstan regroupant les cinq ex-républiques soviétiques centrasiatiques et Pékin, qui affirme sa puissance dans la région aux dépens de l’influence historique de la Russie.Ce deuxième sommet “Asie centrale-Chine” à Astana réunissaient Xi Jinping avec les chefs d’Etat du Kazakhstan, du Kirghizstan, de l’Ouzbékistan, du Tadjikistan et du Turkménistan.Hormis la signature de ce “traité de bon voisinage, d’amitié et de coopération éternels”, la Chine a aussi annoncé un prêt d’environ 209 millions de dollars pour les pays centrasiatiques, qui occupent une place majeure dans les grands projets d’infrastructures chinois des “Nouvelles routes de la soie”.Sous influence russe entre le milieu du XIXe siècle et la chute de l’URSS en 1991, l’Asie centrale, à la situation géographique stratégique entre Asie et Europe et regorgeant de ressources naturelles, est convoitée par les grandes puissances tentant d’y concurrencer Moscou.Avant la session plénière du sommet, Xi Jinping avait tenu des entretiens bilatéraux, appelant à multiplier la coopération tous azimuts avec cette immense région grande comme l’Union européenne mais seulement peuplée de 80 millions d’habitants.Selon le média étatique Chine nouvelle, il avait notamment appelé à “faire progresser la construction du chemin de fer Chine-Kirghizistan-Ouzbékistan”, l’un des projets phares de Pékin.- Nucléaire -Le Kazakhstan, pays hôte et première économie centrasiatique, a qualifié la “coopération énergétique de facteur clé de la stabilité régionale”, selon le cabinet du président Tokaïev, soulignant notamment le nucléaire comme domaine important de coopération.Et ce alors qu’Astana a annoncé samedi que les Russes construiraient la première centrale nucléaire kazakhe et les Chinois probablement une deuxième, symbole de la concurrence régionale.De plus, les entreprises chinoises multiplient les accords dans le domaine énergétique, recherchant par exemple du gaz au Turkménistan, de l’uranium au Kazakhstan et des terres rares au Tadjikistan.”L’Asie centrale est riche en ressources naturelles, dont l’économie chinoise en plein essor a besoin. Pour Pékin, s’assurer d’un approvisionnement ininterrompu de ces ressources en contournant les voies maritimes instables est un objectif important”, souligne, à l’AFP, la politologue kirghize, Narguiza Mouratalieva.Si les dirigeants centrasiatiques maintiennent de forts liens avec Moscou, le recul de l’influence russe s’accentue depuis la guerre en Ukraine.Les cinq anciennes républiques soviétiques de la région profitent de cet intérêt croissant et coordonnent leurs politiques étrangères, comme en témoigne la multiplication des sommets “5+1”.Ces formats “5+1″ sont régulièrement organisés avec la Chine et la Russie mais aussi l’Union européenne (UE), les Etats-Unis, voire la Turquie et d’autres Etats occidentaux.”Les pays centrasiatiques oscillent entre différents centres de pouvoir, souhaitant se protéger d’une dépendance excessive à l’égard d’un seul partenaire”, note la politologue Narguiza Mouratalieva.- Moscou pas inquiet -Lundi, le porte-parole du Kremlin, Dmitri Peskov, a assuré “ne pas craindre” ce rapprochement entre la Chine, un “partenaire stratégique privilégié”, et les pays centrasiatiques, des “partenaires historiques naturels”.Mais la Chine s’est désormais imposée comme le premier partenaire commercial de l’Asie centrale, avec des échanges évalués à 95 milliards de dollars en 2024, selon les douanes chinoises, loin devant l’Union européenne (64 milliards d’après le Conseil de l’UE en 2023) et la Russie, avec 44 milliards.”Ni la Russie, ni les institutions occidentales ne sont capables d’allouer des ressources financières aux infrastructures aussi rapidement et à une telle échelle, parfois en contournant des procédures transparentes”, explique Narguiza Mouratalieva.La Chine se pose également en soutien des régimes centrasiatiques, majoritairement autoritaires.”L’Asie centrale borde la région autonome ouïghoure du Xinjiang (et) Pékin considère la stabilité des Etats centrasiatiques comme une garantie de la sécurité des frontières occidentales” chinoises, explique Mme Mouratalieva.  Car la Chine est accusée d’avoir placé en détention plus d’un million de Ouïghours, une minorité musulmane, dans sa région du nord-ouest dans le cadre d’une politique qui, selon l’ONU, pourrait s’accompagner de “crimes contre l’humanité”.Cela alimente la méfiance d’une partie des populations locales envers Pékin, tout comme la dette grandissante et les enjeux fonciers, suscitant chez elles la crainte d’une perte de souveraineté.
After filing out of their buses in the central Iraqi town of Ayn Tamr on Tuesday, Iranian pilgrims anxiously sought out internet connections, desperate for word from their loved ones back home.The more than 400 Iranians had recently completed their hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and since crossing the border by land into Iraq, they had not received any updates.One woman dressed in black collapsed in tears after receiving a message informing her that her son was missing after Israeli strikes on Tehran, and that her son-in-law — an official killed in a bombardment — had been laid to rest in her absence.Other women sighed with relief when they finally connected with children and grandchildren via video call.”We fear for our children,” Amna Hammudi said, her voice trembling, before finally managing to reach her kids in Iran after two days of silence.”We are all worried about our families, our cities and our country,” the mother of four added.In a parking lot in Ayn Tamr, near the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 10 buses wait for permission to transport the pilgrims to the Mehran border crossing between Iraq and Iran.- ‘They brought war on us’ -Iraq is expected to receive 76,000 Iranian pilgrims by land after they were stranded in Saudi Arabia by airport closures following the surprise Israeli attack on Iran last week.It will welcome 2,500 Iranian pilgrims a day in the hope of facilitating their return home, according to Sami al-Massudi, the head of the Iraqi body for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.Aziz Yussef, 55, said he was still in Saudi Arabia when he learned that a strike hit one kilometre (0.6 miles) from his house in the western city of Kermanshah.”They brought war on us. They are not only fighting us, but also Gaza and Syria, and the Americans are not stopping them,” Yussef said.Yussef urged the Iraqi government to speed up the process of getting pilgrims like him home, but even if he crosses into Iran, he doesn’t know how he will reach Kermanshah.Whenever an internet connection is available, Yussef and his wife are glued to their phones and the television, hoping for good news.- ‘God knows’ -On Friday, Israel launched a surprise attack on its arch foe Iran, hitting military and nuclear facilities and killing top commanders and atomic scientists.It has kept up its bombing campaign since then, with at least 224 people killed in strikes, according to Iranian authorities. Iran has responded with multiple missile salvos targeting Israeli cities, killing at least 24 people there, according to the prime minister’s office.Residential areas in both countries have suffered deadly strikes, and large numbers of people have fled Iran’s capital.US President Donald Trump warned early Tuesday that Tehran residents should “immediately evacuate” amid fears of a broader conflict that could engulf the region.Kadir Ansari, 70, had just contacted his family back home. “They are good,” he said with relief.In residential areas, “there are no armies and no bombs. You are sleeping, and they hit you,” he added.Ansari was still in Medina in Saudi Arabia when he learned about the Israeli assault, and now he fears what may come next.Nonetheless, he insists on going back to Kermanshah.”God knows” what will happen after that, he said.
Israel’s strikes on Iran have targeted several of its nuclear facilities as it claims the country is seeking to develop nuclear weapons — an accusation Tehran denies.Experts told AFP that while the attacks had caused some damage to Iran’s nuclear programme, they are unlikely to have delivered a fatal blow.Here is an update on Iran’s nuclear sites as of Tuesday.- What is the extent of the damage? -Israel’s operation included strikes on Iran’s underground uranium enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow, and on its Isfahan nuclear site, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said, citing Iranian officials.A key, above-ground component of Iran’s Natanz nuclear site has been destroyed, including its power infrastructure, the IAEA reported Monday.The UN watchdog added Tuesday that satellite images indicated possible “direct impacts” on the underground section of the plant, where thousands of centrifuges are operating to enrich uranium.At the underground Fordow enrichment plant, Iran’s second uranium enrichment facility, the IAEA said it observed “no damage” following the attacks. At the Isfahan nuclear site, however, “four buildings were damaged” — the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and a metal processing facility under construction, the IAEA said.Significant uranium stockpiles are believed to be stored around the Isfahan site.Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group’s Iran project director, told AFP that if Iran managed to transfer significant quantities to “secret facilities,” then “the game is lost for Israel”.Iran’s only nuclear power plant, the Bushehr plant, was not targeted, nor was the Tehran research reactor.- Can the programme be destroyed? -While “Israel can damage Iran’s nuclear programme… it is unlikely to be able to destroy it,” Vaez said, saying that Israel did not have the massively powerful bombs needed “to destroy the fortified, bunkered facilities in Natanz and Fordow”.Destroying those would require US military assistance, added Kelsey Davenport, an expert with the Arms Control Association.She also noted that Israel’s unprecedented attack would not erase the expertise Iran had built up on nuclear weapons, despite killing nine Iranian nuclear scientists.- What are the risks to the Iranian population? -The IAEA has not detected any increase in radiation levels at the affected sites.”There is very little risk that attacks on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities would result in a harmful radiation release,” Davenport said.But an attack on the Bushehr plant could “have a serious impact on health and the environment”, she said. After Israel launched its strikes, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that nuclear facilities “must never be attacked” and that targeting Iranian sites could have “grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond”.- Is Iran close to developing a nuclear bomb? -After the United States under President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from a landmark deal that sought to curb Tehran’s nuclear activities, Iran has gradually retreated from some of its obligations, particularly on uranium enrichment.As of mid-May, the country had an estimated 408.6 kilogrammes (900 pounds) enriched to up to 60 percent — just a short step from the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.Iran theoretically has enough near-weapons-grade material, if further refined, for about 10 nuclear bombs, according to the definition by the Vienna-based IAEA.Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed state producing uranium to this level of enrichment, according to the UN nuclear watchdog.- How much damage has Israel inflicted on Iran’s nuclear programme? -While the IAEA has been critical of Iran’s lack of cooperation with the UN body, it says there are “no credible indications of an ongoing, undeclared structured nuclear programme”.Tehran has consistently denied ambitions to develop nuclear warheads.But Davenport warned that the strikes could strengthen factions in Iran advocating for an atomic arsenal.”Israel’s strikes set Iran back technically, but politically the strikes are pushing Iran closer to nuclear weapons,” she said.
US President Donald Trump said he wants a “real end” to the conflict between Israel and Iran, not just a ceasefire, as the arch foes traded fire for a fifth day on Tuesday.Israeli warplanes targeted dozens of missile launchers in western Iran and killed a senior commander, the military said, drawing retaliatory fire from the Islamic republic.Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem shortly after sirens sounded in many parts of Israel warning of incoming missiles, with the military warning of another barrage in the afternoon.Israeli police reported that debris fell in the central Tel Aviv area and the fire brigade said it was tackling a blaze.The Israeli military said it killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani in an overnight strike on a “command centre in the heart of Tehran”, just four days after his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid, was killed in Israel’s surprise attack.Israel also said it targeted multiple missile and drone sites in western Iran overnight and again later on Tuesday, with black-and-white footage showing some of them exploding.Despite mounting calls to de-escalate, neither side has backed off from the missile blitz that began Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented aerial campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities.A new wave of Israeli strikes on Tehran — including a dramatic hit on state television headquarters that the broadcaster said killed three people — prompted both sides to activate missile defence systems overnight.Iranian media reported several explosions in the central city of Isfahan, home to a key nuclear facility.Residential areas in both countries have suffered, while foreign government scrambled to evacuate their citizens.A cyberattack on Tuesday crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran’s main state-owned banks, the Fars news agency reported.- ‘Complete give-up’ -Trump said on Tuesday that he wanted a “complete give-up” by Iran in return for peace, without elaborating on the outcome he seeks.”I’m not looking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire,” he told reporters after cutting short his attendance at a Group of Seven summit in Canada.Trump, who has said Washington was not involved in Israel’s initial strikes, again warned Iran against targeting US troops and assets in the Middle East, saying “we’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off”.The US president had earlier issued an extraordinary warning on his Truth Social platform, saying: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”Fearing the violence, many residents have fled Tehran since Friday.On Tuesday, long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations as the remaining residents rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies.Security checkpoints have been set up across Tehran, adding to the atmosphere of tension as authorities monitor movement in and out of key districts.Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the United States was deploying “additional capabilities” to the Middle East, with a US aircraft carrier reportedly heading to the region.China accused Trump of “pouring oil” on the conflict.”Making threats and mounting pressure will not help to promote the de-escalation of the situation, but will only intensify and widen the conflict,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.At the G7 summit, leaders including Trump called Monday for “de-escalation” while stressing Israel had the right to defend itself and that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon”.- Iran ‘will continue’ -After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel said its surprise air campaign aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — an ambition Tehran denies.The UN nuclear watchdog said there appear to have been “direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls” at Iran’s Natanz facility.Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says it has 90 nuclear warheads.The escalation has derailed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington and stoked fears of broader conflict.At least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then.Netanyahu said Israel was “changing the face of the Middle East, and that can lead to radical changes inside Iran itself”.After several rounds of talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme in recent weeks, Iran said after the start of Israel’s campaign that it would not negotiate with the United States while under attack.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that “absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue”.Iranian state television said the Tel Aviv headquarters of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency was among the Revolutionary Guards’ targets.burs-dv/ami/kir
A quelques heures de la fin prévue du conclave sur les retraites, impulsé par François Bayrou, les négociations entre partenaires sociaux ne progressent pas, ont indiqué mardi les participants à la mi-journée, avant de reprendre les débats en début d’après-midi.La négociation “n’a pas avancé”, a déploré juste avant la pause déjeuner Yvan Ricordeau, le représentant de la CFDT, qui a agité le spectre d’un échec.”Je ne sais pas comment ça va se terminer cet après-midi, mais si l’heure du déjeuner ne permet pas au patronat de revenir à une situation un peu plus humaine, je pense que ce (mardi) soir on va avoir un problème”, a aussi regretté à ce moment Pascale Coton, la représentante de la CFTC.”On n’est pas d’accord sur… tout”, a renchéri Christelle Thieffine, négociatrice de la CFE-CGC au retour de son déjeuner. Les négociations ont repris en début d’après-midi, avec une fin théoriquement prévue dans la soirée. Pour tenter de mettre de l’huile dans les rouages, le Premier ministre, François Bayrou, s’est dit prêt lundi à accorder “quelques jours de plus” aux cinq participants encore présents: CFDT, CFTC, CFE-CGC côté syndical, Medef et CPME côté patronal. Mais les syndicats ont martelé qu’ils ne souhaitaient pas poursuivre les discussions si le Medef, principal représentant patronal, ne mettait pas sur la table de nouvelles propositions.- “Insupportable pour nous” -Les syndicats veulent en particulier obtenir que la pénibilité et l’usure soient prises en compte pour pouvoir partir avant 64 ans, l’âge légal fixé par la réforme Borne de 2023.  La CFDT, en particulier, veut obtenir une possibilité de départ anticipé pour manipulation de charges lourdes, postures pénibles ou exposition aux vibrations mécaniques, dans le cadre d’un compte pénibilité (C2P) déjà existant.Le patronat refuse pour l’instant une telle mesure. Ce serait “insupportable pour nous”, a déclaré mardi matin en arrivant au conclave Eric Chevée, le représentant de la CPME (patronat pour petites et moyennes entreprises).La CPME a proposé à la place un dispositif qui consisterait à créer des “points d’usure” pour les personnes “qui doivent porter des charges lourdes, subir des postures pénibles ou des vibrations mécaniques”, ouvrant “droit à des formations, des aides à la reconversion”.Mais les syndicats accusent le patronat de privilégier la reconversion plutôt que les départs anticipés.Parmi les autres “points durs”, la CFTC a également mis comme “ligne rouge” – objectif impératif – le passage à 66 ans de l’âge de départ sans décote (contre 67 ans), également rejeté par le patronat.- Prime seniors “pas évoquée” -“C’est un mandat que j’ai de mon organisation, on ne peut pas faire autrement”, a indiqué Pascale Coton, représentante de la CFTC.Les syndicats ont en tout cas enterré la proposition sortie du chapeau lundi par François Bayrou d’une “prime” pour inciter les salariés seniors à retarder leur départ à la retraite.”Ce n’est ni une demande d’une organisation syndicale, ni d’une organisation patronale. Elle n’a fait l’objet d’aucun chiffrage et d’aucune étude de faisabilité, et pour l’instant, elle n’a pas été évoquée”, a souligné Yvan Ricordeau à la mi-journée.Même si ça ne faisait pas grand mystère depuis le début, le Medef a entériné depuis le 10 juin qu’il ne bougerait pas sur l’âge de départ à 64 ans. Cela ne signifie pas forcément une fin de non-recevoir pour les syndicats. Tout dépendra de ce que le patronat lâchera en termes de carrière des femmes, de pénibilité, ou d’augmentation de cotisations sociales.”S’il y a un accord (au conclave), il y aura débat au Parlement, mais je ne remettrai pas en chantier s’il n’y a pas d’accord”, a déclaré François Bayrou devant l’Assemblée nationale mardi. La fin du conclave est un instant de vérité pour le Premier ministre. Il s’était engagé au début du processus à présenter un éventuel accord de cette concertation devant le Parlement. Le Premier ministre avait lancé ce nouveau format de discussions après un compromis noué avec les socialistes pour éviter une censure du gouvernement. “Nous avons toujours été extrêmement clair: si le Parlement n’avait pas le dernier mot (sur les retraites), c’était la censure”, a rappelé devant la presse mardi le porte-parole du groupe PS à l’Assemblée nationale, Arthur Delaporte. L’idée de ce conclave était aussi de rendre moins impopulaire la réforme des retraites Borne de 2023, qui porte progressivement de 62 à 64 ans le départ à la retraite. Tout en essayant de revenir à l’équilibre financier, alors qu’un déficit du système s’annonce à hauteur de 6,6 milliards d’euros en 2030.pgr-lby-boc-sl/ito/tes
A quelques heures de la fin prévue du conclave sur les retraites, impulsé par François Bayrou, les négociations entre partenaires sociaux ne progressent pas, ont indiqué mardi les participants à la mi-journée, avant de reprendre les débats en début d’après-midi.La négociation “n’a pas avancé”, a déploré juste avant la pause déjeuner Yvan Ricordeau, le représentant de la CFDT, qui a agité le spectre d’un échec.”Je ne sais pas comment ça va se terminer cet après-midi, mais si l’heure du déjeuner ne permet pas au patronat de revenir à une situation un peu plus humaine, je pense que ce (mardi) soir on va avoir un problème”, a aussi regretté à ce moment Pascale Coton, la représentante de la CFTC.”On n’est pas d’accord sur… tout”, a renchéri Christelle Thieffine, négociatrice de la CFE-CGC au retour de son déjeuner. Les négociations ont repris en début d’après-midi, avec une fin théoriquement prévue dans la soirée. Pour tenter de mettre de l’huile dans les rouages, le Premier ministre, François Bayrou, s’est dit prêt lundi à accorder “quelques jours de plus” aux cinq participants encore présents: CFDT, CFTC, CFE-CGC côté syndical, Medef et CPME côté patronal. Mais les syndicats ont martelé qu’ils ne souhaitaient pas poursuivre les discussions si le Medef, principal représentant patronal, ne mettait pas sur la table de nouvelles propositions.- “Insupportable pour nous” -Les syndicats veulent en particulier obtenir que la pénibilité et l’usure soient prises en compte pour pouvoir partir avant 64 ans, l’âge légal fixé par la réforme Borne de 2023.  La CFDT, en particulier, veut obtenir une possibilité de départ anticipé pour manipulation de charges lourdes, postures pénibles ou exposition aux vibrations mécaniques, dans le cadre d’un compte pénibilité (C2P) déjà existant.Le patronat refuse pour l’instant une telle mesure. Ce serait “insupportable pour nous”, a déclaré mardi matin en arrivant au conclave Eric Chevée, le représentant de la CPME (patronat pour petites et moyennes entreprises).La CPME a proposé à la place un dispositif qui consisterait à créer des “points d’usure” pour les personnes “qui doivent porter des charges lourdes, subir des postures pénibles ou des vibrations mécaniques”, ouvrant “droit à des formations, des aides à la reconversion”.Mais les syndicats accusent le patronat de privilégier la reconversion plutôt que les départs anticipés.Parmi les autres “points durs”, la CFTC a également mis comme “ligne rouge” – objectif impératif – le passage à 66 ans de l’âge de départ sans décote (contre 67 ans), également rejeté par le patronat.- Prime seniors “pas évoquée” -“C’est un mandat que j’ai de mon organisation, on ne peut pas faire autrement”, a indiqué Pascale Coton, représentante de la CFTC.Les syndicats ont en tout cas enterré la proposition sortie du chapeau lundi par François Bayrou d’une “prime” pour inciter les salariés seniors à retarder leur départ à la retraite.”Ce n’est ni une demande d’une organisation syndicale, ni d’une organisation patronale. Elle n’a fait l’objet d’aucun chiffrage et d’aucune étude de faisabilité, et pour l’instant, elle n’a pas été évoquée”, a souligné Yvan Ricordeau à la mi-journée.Même si ça ne faisait pas grand mystère depuis le début, le Medef a entériné depuis le 10 juin qu’il ne bougerait pas sur l’âge de départ à 64 ans. Cela ne signifie pas forcément une fin de non-recevoir pour les syndicats. Tout dépendra de ce que le patronat lâchera en termes de carrière des femmes, de pénibilité, ou d’augmentation de cotisations sociales.”S’il y a un accord (au conclave), il y aura débat au Parlement, mais je ne remettrai pas en chantier s’il n’y a pas d’accord”, a déclaré François Bayrou devant l’Assemblée nationale mardi. La fin du conclave est un instant de vérité pour le Premier ministre. Il s’était engagé au début du processus à présenter un éventuel accord de cette concertation devant le Parlement. Le Premier ministre avait lancé ce nouveau format de discussions après un compromis noué avec les socialistes pour éviter une censure du gouvernement. “Nous avons toujours été extrêmement clair: si le Parlement n’avait pas le dernier mot (sur les retraites), c’était la censure”, a rappelé devant la presse mardi le porte-parole du groupe PS à l’Assemblée nationale, Arthur Delaporte. L’idée de ce conclave était aussi de rendre moins impopulaire la réforme des retraites Borne de 2023, qui porte progressivement de 62 à 64 ans le départ à la retraite. Tout en essayant de revenir à l’équilibre financier, alors qu’un déficit du système s’annonce à hauteur de 6,6 milliards d’euros en 2030.pgr-lby-boc-sl/ito/tes
US retail sales declined more than expected in May, government data showed Tuesday, dragged by a slowdown in auto sales as consumers pulled back after hurrying to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.As Trump’s levies begin to take effect through the country, analysts are keeping a close watch on how consumers — a critical driver of the world’s biggest economy — respond to resulting uncertainty and any price increases down the line.Last month, overall sales fell by 0.9 percent from April to $715.4 billion, according to data released by the Department of Commerce. It was the largest decline since the start of the year, and bigger than the 0.6 percent drop expected by a Briefing.com consensus forecast.From a year ago, retail sales were up 3.3 percent, still a slowdown from the 5.0 percent rate in April.Analysts said consumers likely brought forward major purchases like cars in anticipation of Trump’s tariffs — the president imposed a sweeping 10 percent levy on almost all US partners in April.Trump also separately slapped steeper tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum and automobiles, fueling concern that these would push inflation up in the coming months.Excluding autos and parts, retail sales in May were still 0.3 percent down from the prior month.Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers slumped 3.5 percent on-month, while those at restaurants and bars fell 0.9 percent.Declines in spending were also seen at electronics and appliance stores, grocery stores and gas stations, the report said.- ‘Overly reassuring picture’ -For now, there are “few signs” in key sales components that consumer demand for imported goods is collapsing, said Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.Despite declines elsewhere, sales were still up at furniture and clothing stores.But underlying sales volumes could drop in the coming months as tariffs are passed on, he said.Economists anticipate a more notable hit to consumer costs once businesses run down on existing inventory.”Tariffs haven’t hit domestic prices in earnest yet, so these data paint an overly reassuring picture,” said Nationwide financial markets economist Oren Klachkin. “We expect to see a larger impact in the summer when the levies will pass through into consumer prices,” he added.Currently, Klachkin said, the consumer “isn’t spending lavishly and is understandably price sensitive.”A key question this week is how a weaker-than-expected retail sales report might influence the Federal Reserve’s deliberations as the central bank opened its two-day policy meeting Tuesday.The Fed has been cautious when it comes to lowering interest rates further despite Trump calling for larger rate cuts in the face of benign inflation data.Policymakers are watching for the effects of tariffs on prices and the jobs market before acting further.The bank is widely expected to keep rates unchanged for a fourth straight meeting, while releasing its economic projections as well on Wednesday afternoon.Separately, US industrial production edged down unexpectedly in May as a drop in utilities output outweighed slight increases in manufacturing and mining.
