Latest from LeMonde
LeMonde
13 minutes ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Israel army says struck weapons research center in Tehran
Israel's military said Friday, June 20, it struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a center for the "research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project," in the eighth day of war between the two foes. In a statement, the army said it had "completed a series of strikes in the heart of Tehran: dozens of targets were struck, including military missile production sites and the SPND (Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research) headquarters for research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project." According to the Israeli military the SPND headquarters "is used for research and development of advanced technologies and weapons supporting the Iranian regime's military capabilities." The army said that during the night on Thursday more than 60 fighter jets struck dozens of military targets. "Among the targets were sites producing missile components and facilities manufacturing raw materials used in casting missile engines," it added. The military also said it intercepted overnight four UAVs launched from Iran. In a separate statement, the army said it had hit "three ready-to-launch missile launchers aimed at Israeli territory." Israel's defense minister Israel Katz also warned Lebanese militant group Hezbollah against entering the Iran-Israel war, after the Islamic republic's ally said it would act "as we see fit." "I suggest the Lebanese proxy be cautious and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it," Katz said in a statement, adding that "if there is terrorism − there will be no Hezbollah." Israel, claiming that Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, launched air strikes against its arch-enemy a week ago, triggering deadly exchanges. European foreign ministers will hold talks Friday with their Iranian counterpart, hoping to reach a diplomatic solution to the war as US President Donald Trump mulls the prospect of US involvement.
LeMonde
4 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
The US's slow abandonment of Ukraine since 2014
In the recent history of relations between Europe and the United States, two dates stand out: February 24, 2022, and February 24, 2025. The first marked the return of war to Europe, which united the two main partners of the Western community against Russia. The second sealed their divorce. Battered for two decades, their alliance finally broke over Ukraine. In 2022, for months, President Joe Biden's team tried, in vain, to persuade its European allies that Vladimir Putin, leader of Russia, was preparing his troops to invade Ukraine. Europeans did not want to believe it. Even Ukrainians were skeptical. Russia had been waging a low-intensity war in the east of their country for eight years, after seizing Crimea in 2014. They were familiar with the Kremlin's intimidation tactics. On February 19, at the Munich Security Conference, Vice President Kamala Harris made a final private attempt to warn Volodymyr Zelensky. Washington had evacuated its embassy in Kyiv. In reality, by then, the Ukrainian president was aware of what was coming, but just as conscious of the balance of power with Moscow. Frustrated, he finally said to Harris, "What do you want me to do? What will that give you? If I acknowledge it here in this conversation, will you impose sanctions? Close ports to Russian ships?" The vice president replied that sanctions would come later, according to journalist Bob Woodward's account in his 2024 book War: "The punishment can only come after the crime."
LeMonde
5 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
UN: violence against children in war zones hits record high in 2024
From Gaza to the Democratic Republic of Congo, violence against children in conflict zones reached "unprecedented levels" in 2024, a United Nations annual report said Thursday, June 19. "In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25% surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023," according to the report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The report verified 41,370 grave violations against children in 2024 – including 36,221 committed in 2024 and 5,149 committed previously but confirmed in 2024 – the highest number since the monitoring tool was established nearly 30 years ago. The new high beats 2023, another record year, which itself represented a 21% increase over the preceding year. With more than 4,500 killed and 7,000 injured, children continue to bear "the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks," the report said. There was also a marked increase in the number of child victims of multiple violations to 22,495. "The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball – but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings – should keep all of us awake at night," said Virginia Gamba, special representative of the UN secretary-general for children and armed conflict. "This must serve as a wake-up call. We are at the point of no return." In its annual report, the UN compiles violations of the rights of children, those aged under 18, in some 20 conflict zones around the world. In its appendix, a "list of shame" calls out those responsible for these violations – a powerful coalition of Haitian gangs was added this year – which include child killings and mutilations, recruitment to violence, kidnappings, denial of humanitarian aid and sexual violence. The Israeli armed forces, which were named last year along with Palestinian militant group Hamas, remain on the list. Conflict casualties The Palestinian territories occupy the top spot in the dismal rankings, with more than 8,500 serious violations, the vast majority attributed to Israeli forces, including more than 4,800 in the Gaza Strip. This figure includes confirmation of 1,259 Palestinian children killed in Gaza, and the UN notes it is currently verifying information on an additional 4,470 children killed in 2024 in the war-torn territory. Violence erupted there following Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The report also calls out Israel's military operations in Lebanon, where more than 500 children were killed or injured last year. Following the Palestinian territories, the countries where the UN recorded the most violence against children in 2024 are: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (more than 4,000 grave violations), Somalia (more than 2,500), Nigeria (nearly 2,500), and Haiti (more than 2,200). "List of shame" inductees include Haitian gang coalition "Viv Ansanm," blamed for a 490% increase in violations, including child recruitment, murders and gang rapes. Another addition to the list is Colombian drug cartel Clan del Golfo, which is accused of child recruitment. Colombia in general recorded a significant increase in cases of forced recruitment, with 450 children in 2024 compared to 262 the previous year. Remaining on the list are the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have been fighting in Sudan for more than two years. Also listed again is the Russian army for its actions in Ukraine, where the report records a 105% increase in serious violations between 2023 and 2024.
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- Business
- LeMonde
Chinese cities are facing the financial abyss of their subway systems
In recent days, the economic press and several Chinese observers have been stunned to discover the debt levels of 28 Chinese subway companies: 4.3 trillion yuan (€525 billion). Spotless, air-conditioned and automated, these systems offer a means of transport as practical as it is prestigious for the cities that adopt them. Their operating costs, however, have proven exorbitant. Of the 55 Chinese cities with subway networks, 28 have released their operating results for 2024. For example, Shenzhensubwayo − the country's busiest with daily peaks of 11.8 million passengers − reported a daily loss of 100 million yuan. In 2024, the deficit for the company, which is owned by the municipality, reached 33.46 billion yuan, as reported on May 28 by the online business publication Zhigu Qushi. Another example is the Foshan subway in the Guangdong province. The company generated 586 million yuan from ticket sales and received 2 billion yuan in public subsidies, but spent 2.7 billion yuan, ending the year in the red. In Chongqing, staffing costs represented half of the total operating costs (including energy, maintenance and cleaning). Security is also a major expense; a Chinese subway station operates much like a train station or airport, with passengers and their bags scanned at the entrance, not to mention the large numbers of security guards who patrol the platforms and trains.
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Who is Gonjeshke Darande, the group behind the cyberattack targeting Sepah Bank in Iran?
While missiles and bombs have flown between Israel and Iran since the large-scale attack launched by Israel on Friday, June 13, the conflict has also extended into cyberspace. On Tuesday, June 17, the group Gonjeshke Darande ("Predatory Sparrow" in Farsi) claimed responsibility for a cyberattack against Sepah Bank, one of the country's largest financial institutions. 24 hours later, on its Telegram channel, the group announced it had targeted Nobitex, the main cryptocurrency exchange platform in Iran, which Gonjeshke Darande described as "a key tool for the regime to finance terrorism and circumvent sanctions." While the group reportedly stole and made disappear as much as $90 million from Nobitex, the full impact of the attack on Sepah Bank has not been completely confirmed. However, the claim is credible, as Gonjeshke Darande has already demonstrated its ability to damage Iranian interests. Although some of its malicious software had been used as early as 2019 against Iranian interests in Syria, the group emerged publicly in summer 2021, when it claimed responsibility for two major operations. The first such operation targeted the Iranian railways, delaying trains and disrupting station activity; the hackers even altered information screens to display the phone number of the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The following day, the website of the Ministry of Transport was hit by another cyberattack. "Our goal with this attack was to express our disgust at the abuses and cruelty inflicted by the government on the Iranian nation," the group wrote on its Telegram channel at the time.
