European allies back Zelensky after Trump criticism

Ukraine’s European allies put on a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky Monday as they expressed scepticism about parts of the US proposal to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion.Zelensky first held a meeting in London with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany before heading to Brussels later Monday for talks with the heads of the EU and of NATO. Afterwards, he was to fly to Rome for a meeting Tuesday with the Italian prime minister.The discussions came after US President Donald Trump accused Zelensky of not reading his administration’s proposal on a deal to end nearly four years of war sparked by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.That followed days of talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami that ended on Saturday with no apparent breakthrough, but with Zelensky committing to further negotiations.In London, Zelensky spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.At a subsequent press conference, he said that Ukrainian territory was one of the main sticking points in negotiations.”Russia is insisting that we give up territories, but we don’t want to cede anything,” Zelensky said. “There are difficult problems concerning the territories and so far there has been no compromise,” he said, adding that Kyiv had no legal or moral right to give up its land.He also said: “The key is to know what our partners will be ready to do in the event of new aggression by Russia. At the moment, we have not received any answer to this question.”Hours later, in Brussels, Zelensky said on X he had “a good and productive meeting” with NATO chief Mark Rutte, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.”Our positions have been aligned on all issues. We are acting in a coordinated and constructive manner,” Zelensky said.Rutte also called it a “good” discussion and reiterated the support for a “just and lasting peace for Ukraine”, while von der Leyen, also on X, said the EU was “ironclad” in its backing for Kyiv.”Ukraine’s sovereignty must be respected. Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed, in the long term, as a first line of defence for our Union. These priorities were are the centre of our discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte,” von der Leyen said.France’s Macron wrote on X after the London meeting that “we are preparing robust security guarantees and measures for Ukraine’s reconstruction”.Macron said the “main issue” was finding “convergence” between the European and Ukrainian position and that of the United States.Ahead of the London talks, German leader Merz said he was “sceptical about some of the details which we are seeing in the documents coming from the US side, but we have to talk about it”.And Britain’s Starmer said he would not be pushing Zelensky to accept the deal spearheaded by Trump’s administration — the initial version of which was criticised by Ukraine’s allies as overly favourable to Russia.- ‘Disappointed’ -On Saturday, Zelensky said he had a “very substantive and constructive” telephone conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner who were negotiating with Ukrainian officials in Miami.But Trump criticised his Ukrainian counterpart on Sunday, telling reporters: “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago.”Witkoff and Kushner had met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin last week, with Moscow rejecting parts of the US proposal.Before Monday’s talks, Macron slammed what he called Russia’s “escalatory path”.”We must continue to exert pressure on Russia to compel it to choose peace,” he wrote on X.- Hot and cold -Washington’s initial plan to bring an end to the conflict involved Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not captured in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO.The nature of the security guarantees that Ukraine could get to fend off any future Russian invasion has so far been shrouded in uncertainty, beyond an initial suggestion that jets to defend Kyiv could be based in Poland.Trump has blown hot and cold on Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially chastising Zelensky for not being grateful for US support.But he was also frustrated that his efforts to persuade Putin to end the war had failed to produce results and he recently slapped sanctions on Russian oil firms.

Budget de la Sécu: Édouard Philippe, le trouble-fête

L’intransigeance d’Édouard Philippe va-t-elle faire trébucher Sébastien Lecornu ? En refusant d’avaliser le budget de la Sécurité sociale, le président d’Horizons concentre les critiques au sein du “socle commun”, de plus en plus sceptique sur sa stratégie vers l’Élysée.Lundi soir, sur LCI, l’ancien Premier ministre a indiqué qu’il recommanderait aux députés Horizons de s’abstenir sur le projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale (PLFSS), qui contient notamment la suspension de la réforme des retraites.Ce texte “n’est pas satisfaisant” mais “je ne suis pas partisan du chaos, je ne propose pas de voter contre. Je n’ai jamais voulu que le gouvernement de Sébastien Lecornu tombe”, a ajouté M. Philippe.Déjà incertain, le vote de l’Assemblée mardi soir vire au couperet pour Sébastien Lecornu, qui campe sur son abandon du 49.3. “Guère optimiste”, une ministre craint des “effets en cascade” de la position d’Horizons au sein des autres groupes.Au sein du parti philippiste, le poids de la responsabilité se fait sentir. “On décidera mardi entre le vote contre ou l’abstention, mais on ne souhaite pas que le budget échoue”, a expliqué au Monde le président de la Commission des Affaires sociales, Frédéric Valletoux.Le signe d’une hésitation ? “Même des hauts gradés” d’Horizons ont été surpris par la position formulée par leur patron, affirme un ministre.”Je ne comprends plus Édouard Philippe (…) Et, quand j’écoute les députés Horizons, je ne suis pas certaine que je sois seule à ne plus le comprendre”, a cinglé l’ancienne ministre et députée Renaissance Agnès Pannier-Runacher.Selon des sources concordantes, le président des députés Horizons, Paul Christophe, avait laissé entendre que son groupe pourrait approuver le PLFSS.Vendredi, lors du vote de la partie recettes, sur les 34 députés que compte le groupe Horizons et apparentés, 19 ont pris part au vote. Et quatre ont approuvé le texte, à rebours de la ligne du parti.Ceux qui rééditeront un vote positif lors du vote global “devront se poser la question de leur appartenance à Horizons”, avertit un proche d’Édouard Philippe.-“Cohérence”-Candidat déclaré à l’Elysée, le maire du Havre avait déjà suscité un flot de critiques après son appel à une démission “ordonnée” d’Emmanuel Macron et à la tenue d’une élection présidentielle anticipée.”Peut-être l’ai-je dit trop brutalement”, a-t-il concédé lundi, après avoir récemment estimé qu’il ne devait “rien” au président qui l’a nommé à Matignon en 2017.Mais sa position sur le budget de la Sécu a remis une pièce dans la machine.”Le fait qu’il fasse un pas de côté comme ça, ne pas être capable de mettre ses ambitions personnelles de côté pendant quelque temps, pour moi, ça le discrédite”, juge une ministre qui lui est pourtant favorable.”Qu’il arrête de régler ses comptes avec Emmanuel Macron”, a lancé Xavier Bertrand (LR), pour qui Édouard Philippe cherche à “accélérer le calendrier électoral”.”Je suis dubitatif sur l’idée d’incarner le créneau du désordre quand son électorat potentiel est très attaché à l’ordre”, glisse un proche du président.Des critiques balayées au nom de la “cohérence” du parti. “Il y aurait quelque chose d’assez surprenant à ce que l’on rende les 34 députés Horizons responsables du vote des 577 députés de l’Assemblée”, rétorque le secrétaire général d’Horizons, Christophe Béchu.La sortie du maire du Havre a aussi ses défenseurs. “A la fin, pour quelqu’un qui est candidat à l’élection présidentielle, ça va être compliqué d’expliquer la situation des finances publiques”, souligne une députée Renaissance.”Édouard Philippe ne veut pas être le porteur du bilan de Macron”, abonde un ancien ministre pour qui le président d’Horizons veut être “celui qui a dit non à la suspension de la réforme des retraites”.Dimanche, le secrétaire général délégué d’Horizons Pierre-Yves Bournazel a appelé Sébastien Lecornu à actionner le 49.3. Ainsi, “il se placerait dans une position bien plus simple” mais “c’est sa responsabilité de le faire ou de ne pas le faire”, a déclaré M. Philippe lundi soir.Le candidat à Élysée a par ailleurs évoqué une modification de la politique familiale pour une application “dès le premier enfant”. Il s’est aussi dit favorable à la création d’un “état d’urgence narco” pour déployer des moyens “dérogatoires au droit commun” pour lutter contre le narcotrafic.

FBI agents fired for kneeling during racial justice protest file suit

A group of former FBI agents filed a lawsuit on Monday claiming they were unlawfully fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in the US capital.The 12 agents were fired earlier this year by FBI Director Kash Patel, who has been accused by Democrats of purging the bureau’s ranks of agents perceived as being disloyal to President Donald Trump.The lawsuit filed by the agents — nine women and three men — in a federal court in Washington seeks their reinstatement and names Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi as defendants.In their complaint, the agents, who filed the suit anonymously, recounted the circumstances in the capital on the day they took a knee.It was June 4, 2020, less than two weeks after the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a Black man whose murder by a white police officer sparked nationwide racial justice protests.The FBI agents, who had a background in counterintelligence and counterterrorism, were deployed by the bureau in a “powder keg” downtown Washington without the “training, protective gear, or less-than-lethal munitions that would enable them to engage in crowd control,” they said.”They were confronted by a mob that included hostile individuals alongside families with young children,” they said, and they “made a considered tactical decision” to take a knee.”Responding to the dangerous situation before them, Plaintiffs avoided triggering violence by assuming a kneeling posture associated with de-escalations between law enforcement officers and their communities during this period of national unrest,” they said.”Plaintiffs’ de-escalation response was immediately successful,” they said, and “as a result of their tactical decision to kneel, the mass of people moved on without escalating to violence.”They said their actions were reviewed and cleared by the FBI and Justice Department at the time.But more than five years later they received dismissal letters from Patel accusing them of “unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of government.”The suit is the latest against the FBI by a former agent alleging unjust dismissal.David Maltinsky, a gay 16-year FBI veteran, filed a lawsuit last month claiming he was unlawfully fired from the bureau for displaying a gay pride flag at his desk.

Italie: l’AC Milan renverse le Torino et repasse en tête

L’AC Milan, mené 2 à 0 sur le terrain du Torino, s’est finalement imposé 3 à 2 grâce à un doublé de Christian Pulisic, pourtant malade, pour reprendre les commandes du Championnat d’Italie, lundi en clôture de la 14e journée.Après 20 premières minutes calamiteuses qui ont vu le Torino marquer par Nikola Vlasic, sur pénalty (10e) et Duvan Zapata (17e), le Milan a fini par se réveiller.L’international français Adrian Rabiot a réduit le score (2-1, 24e) d’une frappe lointaine en pleine lucarne pour son premier but depuis qu’il a rejoint l’AC Milan en provenance de l’OM fin août.L’entrée en jeu en seconde période de Pulisic, ménagé car grippé, a fait capituler le Torino. L’international américain a égalisé à la 67e minute sur son premier ballon, une minute après avoir remplacé Davide Bartesaghi.L’ancien joueur de Dortmund a donné la victoire à son équipe à la 77e minute en reprenant instantanément un centre de Samuele Ricci.”J’étais malade ces derniers jours, un peu mieux aujourd’hui (…) Le plus important, ce ne sont pas mes buts, c’est d’avoir gagné ce match”, a déclaré Pulisic sur la plateforme DAZN.”On ne peut pas commencer un match en concédant aussi facilement deux buts, il va falloir qu’on regarde attentivement la vidéo et qu’on continue à travailler”, a prévenu de son côté Rabiot.Autre bémol, la sortie sur blessure de Rafael Leao, touché aux adducteurs.Grâce à ce treizième match consécutif de Serie A sans défaite, Milan est revenu avec ses 31 points à la hauteur de Naples, vainqueur de la Juventus Turin (2-1) dimanche mais 2e à la différence de buts défavorable (+10 contre +11).L’Inter, impressionnant vainqueur de Côme (4-0) samedi, est sur les talons de ce duo de tête (30 pts).L’AS Rome (4e, 27 pts) a en revanche perdu le contact après sa deuxième défaite consécutive, dimanche à Cagliari (1-0).En bas de classement, le Genoa s’est imposé 2 à 1 à Udine et a bondi grâce à cette deuxième victoire consécutive à la 14e place, son meilleur classement cette saison.

Syria’s Sharaa vows to promote coexistence, one year after Assad’s ousting

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to usher in an era of justice and coexistence a year after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to mark the anniversary.Sharaa’s Islamist-led alliance launched a lightning offensive in late November last year and took Damascus on December 8, bringing a sudden end to more than five decades of Assad family rule and over a decade of civil war.Jubilant crowds thronged the streets of the capital and other major cities, many people waving Syrian flags, AFP correspondents said, after mosques in the Old City began the day broadcasting celebratory prayers at dawn.”Today, with the dawn of freedom, we declare a historic break with that legacy, a complete dismantling of the illusion of falsehood, and a permanent departure from the era of despotism and tyranny, ushering in a bright new dawn — a dawn founded on justice, benevolence… and peaceful coexistence,” Sharaa said in a speech to mark the occasion.His speech was followed by continued celebrations across Syria with fireworks exploding above the massive crowds who chanted along to revolutionary songs played over loudspeakers.Sharaa also reaffirmed “our commitment to the principle of transitional justice to ensure accountability for all those who violated the law and committed crimes against the Syrian people”.Multi-confessional Syria’s fragile power transition has also been shaken by sectarian massacres in the country’s Alawite coastal heartland and deadly clashes in Druze-majority Sweida in the south.The authorities announced investigations after some government forces or allies were implicated in the violence.The civil war, which erupted in 2011 with the Assad government’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, killed more than half a million people and displaced millions.Tens of thousands of people are still missing, many after disappearing into the former government’s prisons, with families awaiting justice for Assad-era atrocities.- ‘Like a miracle’ -“What happened over the past year seems like a miracle,” said Iyad Burghol, 44, a doctor, noting major developments including President Donald Trump’s embrace of Sharaa, a former jihadist who once had a US bounty on his head.After years of war and economic crisis, people need basics like electricity “but the most important thing to me is civil peace”, Burghol told AFP.Sharaa has made progress abroad like restoring Syria’s international standing and winning sanctions relief, but he faces major challenges at home including gaining people’s trust, guaranteeing security, rebuilding institutions and keeping his fractured country united.”The current phase requires the unification of efforts by all citizens to build a strong Syria, consolidate its stability, safeguard its sovereignty, and achieve a future befitting the sacrifices of its people,” Sharaa said following dawn prayers at Damascus’s famous Umayyad Mosque.Humanitarian worker Ghaith Tarbin, 50, expressed hope the government would now “prioritise civil peace” after years of war laid waste to swathes of the country. – Challenges ahead -Syria’s authorities have announced major investment deals including for infrastructure but most Syrians are yet to see major improvements.Security remains a persistent problem, and critics have accused the new government of marginalising minorities and failing to protect them.Some have called for decentralisation or self-determination, which Sharaa has staunchly opposed, insisting on a centralised state.Amnesty International said “the new government’s response to serious violations committed since they came to power… will be a litmus test of its commitment to pursuing justice and accountability”.Human Rights Watch said the authorities “have taken positive steps on justice, transparency, and rights but failed to prevent continued violence and atrocities”.In a statement, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “what lies ahead is far more than a political transition; it is the chance to rebuild shattered communities and heal deep divisions” and forge a nation where all Syrians “can live securely, equally, and with dignity”.But not everybody was celebrating on Monday.An AFP correspondent said shops were shut in and around the coastal city of Jableh, where a prominent Alawite spiritual leader had urged members of the religious minority — to which the Assads belong — to boycott the celebrations in protest against the new authorities.In the country’s Kurdish-held northeast, the authorities announced a ban on public gatherings on Monday, citing security concerns.Under a deal agreed in March, the Kurdish administration was to integrate its institutions into the central government by year-end, but progress has stalled.In a statement on Monday, Kurdish authorities expressed support for the celebrations but condemned a video in which defence ministry personnel said they would reach the northeast.Israeli military operations and demands for a demilitarised zone in southern Syria are further challenges, despite ongoing negotiations between the two countries to address the security concerns of both sides. burs-mam-lg/nad/dcp/rmb

Ex-Trump lawyer resigns as top federal prosecutor

A former personal lawyer to US President Donald Trump resigned as a top federal prosecutor on Monday, a week after an appeals court ruled she had been serving unlawfully.Alina Habba, 41, announced her resignation as acting US attorney for the District of New Jersey in a statement on X.”I have decided to step down,” Habba said. “But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me.”Federal prosecutors are subject to Senate confirmation and New Jersey’s two Democratic senators had opposed her nomination.Trump sought to keep Habba in her position on an interim basis, but the appeals court ruled last week that her appointment violated the law regarding the filling of federal vacancies.It was the second time in a week that a federal court ruled that a US attorney picked by Trump was unlawfully appointed.In the other case, a judge disqualified Lindsey Halligan from serving as the acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and threw out the indictments Halligan obtained against Trump foes James Comey, a former FBI director, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.The judge said Halligan had been unlawfully appointed because her predecessor was also serving in an acting capacity and US law does not allow two successive interim prosecutors.The Trump administration’s appointments of interim US attorneys without Senate confirmation in at least two other states — California and Nevada — have also been met with legal challenges.Attorney General Pam Bondi said the court ruling in Habba’s case had made it “untenable for her to effectively run her office, with politicized judges pausing trials designed to bring violent criminals to justice.””These judges should not be able to countermand the President’s choice of attorneys entrusted with carrying out the executive branch’s core responsibility of prosecuting crime,” Bondi said in a statement.Bondi said Habba would join the Justice Department as her senior advisor overseeing US attorneys around the country.

World stocks mostly lower as markets await Fed decision

Global stock markets were mostly soft on Monday as investors avoided risks ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting, which may yield clues to the direction of interest rates in coming months.A bid by Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery, meanwhile, brought the tech and entertainment sectors to life, as the market braced for a bidding war with Netflix.A monetary easing at Wednesday’s Fed meeting is fully priced into stock prices, analysts said, but investors will scour the central bank’s statement and news conference for insights into how many rate reductions might be on the cards next year, against a backdrop of stubborn inflationary pressures.”Investors have priced in that rate cut already and now are anxiously waiting for the tone of the Fed,” said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management, who noted “a divide” among Fed policy makers that adds to uncertainty about 2026 monetary policy.Analysts said stocks could pull back if Powell seems to close the door to further cuts next year.”Investors want Fed Chair (Jerome) Powell to at least imply that they are still open to an additional cut in January,” said Sam Stovall of CFRA Research. “They don’t want it to just be one and done.”Frankfurt outperformed other European markets after German industrial production unexpectedly jumped in October — another sign that Europe’s crisis-wracked top economy may be turning a corner.In New York, Warner Bros. Discovery shares jumped 4.4 percent after Paramount countered last week’s Netflix bid for the company with an all-cash offer worth $108.4 billion.Netflix fell 3.4 percent faced with the big-gun competitive bid.Paramount Skydance surged by 9.0 percent in what was seen as a relief rally after analysts had predicted last week that a Netflix/Warner linkup could pose a major threat to Paramount’s business.The hostile offer sets up a bidding war between Paramount — whose CEO is David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, an ally of Donald Trump — and streaming behemoth Netflix.Stock in Walt Disney — also seen in the crosshairs of a future Netflix/Warner behemoth — rose by more than two percent. Meanwhile, Boeing advanced 2.2 percent after announcing that it completed the takeover of supplier Spirit AeroSystems, saying the move will allow for more seamless operations and enhance quality control.The deal is worth $8.3 billion, including Spirit debt assumed by Boeing.IBM climbed 0.4 percent as it unveiled a deal to purchase US data management company Confluent for $11 billion, seeking to expand its footprint into the increasingly important field of real-time data for AI.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,739.32 (close)New York – S&P 500 – DOWN 0.4 percent at 6,846.51 (close)New York – Nasdaq – DOWN 0.1 percent at 23,545.90 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,645.09 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 8,108.43 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 24,046.01 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 50,581.94 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.2 percent at 25,765.36 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,924.08 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1640 from $1.1642 on FridayPound/dollar: FLAT at $1.3328 Dollar/yen: UP at 155.86 yen from 155.33 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.34 pence from 87.35 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.0 percent at $62.49 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $58.88 per barrelburs-jmb/msp

Trump says Europe heading in ‘bad directions’

US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Europe was heading in “very bad directions,” in a fresh broadside just days after his new security strategy slammed the continent over mass migration.Trump hit out at a “nasty” $140 million fine by the European Union against tech tycoon Elon Musk’s X social network — while admitting he didn’t know much about it — before widening his attack.”Look, Europe has to be very careful. (They’re) doing a lot of things. We want to keep Europe Europe,” Trump told reporters at the White House.”Europe is going in some bad directions. It’s very bad, very bad for the people. We don’t want Europe to change so much. They’re going in some very bad directions.”The Republican’s comments follow criticism in the new US national security strategy released last week of Europe as being over-regulated and facing “civilizational erasure” from migration. In extraordinary language aimed at close allies, the strategy said Trump’s administration would be “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.”Trump and the Europeans are also increasingly at odds over US plans to end the war in Ukraine, with fears in Europe that Washington aims to force Kyiv into surrendering land to Russia.The Kremlin welcomed the changes to Trump’s strategy, saying on Saturday it was “largely consistent” with Russia’s vision.Trump’s position towards Europe echoes that of Musk, the president’s former ally, who has repeatedly aired inflammatory claims about migration in the EU.Musk said after X was fined for breaking the EU’s digital rules that the bloc should be “abolished.” Brussels dismissed his statements as “completely crazy.” When asked about the fine, Trump said that “I don’t think it’s right” before clarifying that “Elon has not called me to ask for help on that one” and saying he would get more details later.