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New Caledonia Protests Escalate Following Activist Detentions by France

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Protests erupted in New Caledonia following the detention and transfer of seven pro-independence activists to France. These activists were accused of orchestrating riots against a controversial voting reform bill. The unrest led to arson attacks on several buildings, including a town hall and police station across the territory.

Christian Tein, a prominent pro-independence leader among those detained, faced charges related to riots that resulted in fatalities. The violence stemmed from proposed reforms aimed at extending voting rights to long-term residents of New Caledonia, a move perceived by many Kanaks as potentially diluting their political influence.

French President Emmanuel Macron intervened by suspending the reforms to restore order after widespread disruptions, including roadblocks and the temporary closure of the international airport in Nouméa. The situation remains tense, with schools closed and efforts underway to calm the unrest and ensure safety for residents.

Criticism has been directed at France for what some perceive as colonial-era tactics in handling the activists, intensifying tensions in the French territory in the South Pacific.

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Dagestan Attacks: Deadly Violence Strikes Churches and Police

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In recent events in Russia’s Dagestan region, attacks on police officers, churches, and synagogues in cities like Derbent and Makhachkala have resulted in multiple fatalities. More than 15 police officers and several civilians, including a longstanding Orthodox Church priest, were killed. The attackers, some of whom were killed and others still sought by police, have not been definitively identified, though Dagestan has previously experienced Islamist violence.

The assaults targeted Orthodox churches and Jewish synagogues during Pentecost celebrations. Footage shared on social media depicted gunmen in dark clothing attacking police vehicles and setting ablaze religious buildings in Derbent, a city with a historic Jewish community. The violence extended to other locations like Sergokal, where even a police official was detained due to alleged family involvement.

Dagestan, known for its significant Muslim population, has endured previous jihadist attacks by groups such as the Caucasus Emirate and the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus from 2007 to 2017. Despite recent tensions linked to Ukraine and the West, Russian authorities have responded to these incidents, concluding a counter-terrorism operation following the attacks.

President Vladimir Putin has previously emphasized Russia’s stance against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, emphasizing the nation’s unity across diverse faiths and ethnicities. However, recent events challenge this narrative amid ongoing security concerns and geopolitical tensions.

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Barcelona mayor vows to abolish holiday lets

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The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, has announced plans to phase out short-term tourist rentals in the city within five years. He stated that no renewals will be granted for the 10,101 tourist licenses currently in place when they expire by November 2028. These apartments, commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb, will instead be reserved for local residents.

Collboni argued that this measure, equivalent to creating 10,000 new homes, aims to address skyrocketing rents, which have risen by 70% over the past decade, making housing unaffordable. Barcelona faces a housing shortage exacerbated by high tourism rates and its emergence as a tech hub, without sufficient new construction to meet demand, thereby inflating prices.

While some politicians and groups support the move as a way to alleviate housing pressure, others criticize it for infringing on property rights and argue that waiting until 2028 is too long for residents facing immediate displacement. Right-wing critics likened the policy to property expropriation seen in regimes like Venezuela’s, while tourist apartment associations claimed it would drive illegal rentals.

The debate reflects broader tensions in Spain over the impacts of mass tourism on local communities and housing affordability.

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Balkans hit by blackouts as heatwave persists

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On Friday, four Balkan countries—Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, and significant parts of the Croatian coast—experienced simultaneous power outages lasting several hours amid a summer heatwave. The blackouts, which began at 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), were triggered by a surge in power demand as residents used air conditioning to cope with the high temperatures, which approached 40°C.

In Bosnia and Croatia, the outages disrupted traffic lights, leading to transportation chaos in major cities such as Sarajevo and Split. Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, saw even water pumps cease operation. Power suppliers managed to largely restore electricity by the evening but were still investigating the cause of the failure within the interconnected power systems of the four nations.

The power loss affected Croatia’s tourism sector, with Dubrovnik’s restaurants, pubs, and supermarkets closing and leaving tourists in disarray. Montenegro’s Energy Minister, Sasa Mujovic, attributed the blackouts to a sudden spike in power consumption due to the heat. Reports from Montenegro’s Vijesti TV mentioned a fire in a power transmission line near the Bosnian border, though its connection to the blackouts was unclear.

In Albania, power was restored within half an hour, but officials warned of a high risk of further outages due to continued high energy usage. The western Balkans are transitioning from coal-based energy production, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, to solar energy. However, industry officials indicate that the aging power infrastructure is not yet fully equipped to handle this shift.

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Roberto Baggio Injured in Home Robbery

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Roberto Baggio, the renowned former footballer who played for Juventus and AC Milan, recently endured a harrowing experience at his home in northern Italy. At around 10:00 PM local time, intruders broke into his villa in Altavilla Vicentina. During the robbery, Baggio, aged 57, was struck on the forehead with a gun, resulting in a minor injury that required stitches. He was quickly taken to an emergency room in Arzignano for treatment. Despite the physical wounds, Baggio emphasized the emotional toll of the incident, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support and stating his determination to overcome the fear that lingered after the ordeal.

Luca Zaia, the president of the Veneto region, publicly denounced the robbery, describing Baggio as a cherished symbol of both local and national football. He extended well wishes for Baggio’s recovery, acknowledging the trauma inflicted upon the footballer and his family. The incident unfolded while Baggio and his loved ones were watching a European Championships football match, underscoring the sudden and shocking nature of the intrusion.

Reports indicate that Baggio and his family were held captive in a room while the burglars searched the premises for valuables over a span of about 40 minutes. Eventually, Baggio managed to free himself and alert the authorities, who are now investigating the incident with the help of CCTV footage from the scene. The community and fans alike have rallied around Baggio, expressing solidarity and hoping for justice to be swiftly served against those responsible for the violent break-in.

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Farm Laborer Dies in Italy After Arm Severed by Machinery

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An Indian farm laborer in Italy, Satnam Singh, tragically died after being abandoned by the roadside following a severe accident. Singh’s arm was severed, and his legs were crushed by heavy machinery while working in a vegetable field in Lazio, near Rome. His employer, Antonello Lovato, allegedly transported Singh and his wife in a van, leaving them near their home, with Singh’s severed arm placed in a fruit box. Medical assistance arrived an hour and a half later, and Singh was airlifted to a hospital in Rome, where he died on Wednesday. Lovato is now under investigation for criminal negligence and manslaughter.

Lovato’s father claimed that Singh had been warned to stay away from the machinery but did not heed the advice. Italy’s Minister of Labour, Marina Calderone, condemned the incident as an “act of barbarity.” Singh, in his early 30s, had been living and working in Italy as an undocumented migrant for around two years. The Indian embassy in Italy expressed deep sorrow over Singh’s death and stated that it was coordinating with local authorities.

The Flai CGIL trade union has called for a strike of agricultural workers on Saturday to protest Singh’s death. Union secretary general Maurizio Landini highlighted the severe exploitation within the agricultural sector, likening it to modern slavery, especially for undocumented workers.

The Lazio area, where Singh worked, hosts large farms and a significant Punjabi and Sikh population, many of whom work as farmhands. Undocumented laborers in Italy often fall victim to the “caporalato” system, where middlemen illegally recruit workers for extremely low wages. Even legally documented workers frequently earn far below the legal minimum wage. A 2018 study by the Italian National Institute of Statistics found that nearly a quarter of the agricultural workforce in Italy was employed through this method. This exploitative system also affects workers in the service and construction industries.

Despite the outlawing of caporalato in 2016, following the death of an Italian woman working under harsh conditions, the exploitation persists. Thousands of agricultural workers in Italy, both Italian and migrant, work without contracts in dangerous conditions, often paying for transportation to remote fields and living in isolated, substandard housing without access to education or healthcare. In 2018, 16 agricultural workers died in two separate road accidents in Puglia, prompting African migrant laborers to strike against poor working conditions. Recently, two individuals in Puglia were arrested for caporalato, having recruited and exploited several dozen workers.

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Serbia Threatens Euro 2024 Exit Over Fan Chants

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Serbia has threatened to withdraw from Euro 2024 due to chants between fans during the Croatia-Albania match on Wednesday, where chants about the killing of Serbians were heard during the 2-2 Group B draw. Jovan Surbatovic, the general secretary of the Serbian Football Association, called for severe sanctions from UEFA, stating, “What happened is scandalous and we will ask [European governing body] Uefa for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition.”

Serbia, part of Group C, lost 1-0 to England in their tournament opener on Sunday. Surbatovic expressed confidence that punishments would follow, especially after UEFA revoked the credentials of Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku. Sadiku made a provocative double-handed eagle gesture, symbolizing Albania’s national flag, towards Serbian fans during the England game, exacerbating tensions between Serbian nationalists and ethnic Albanians, predominantly in Kosovo.

Surbatovic demanded that UEFA sanction both federations involved, indicating Serbia’s willingness to reconsider their participation if no actions were taken. The Serbian FA also sent a letter to UEFA’s general secretary Theodore Theodoridis, condemning the “shameful joint chanting.”

The BBC reached out to UEFA for comments on the issue. Serbia was previously fined £12,250 for fan misconduct during the England match, and both Serbia and Albania faced fines for displaying nationalist banners during their opening matches.

Surbatovic claimed, “We were punished for isolated cases and our fans behaved much better than the others,” emphasizing that the actions of a single fan should not tarnish the entire Serbian fanbase. He appealed to Serbian fans to continue demonstrating gentlemanly conduct.

Serbia’s next game is against Slovenia at 14:00 BST on Thursday.

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Macron condemns antisemitism after Jewish girl is raped

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French President Emmanuel Macron has raised serious concerns about the growing threat of antisemitism in schools after a 12-year-old Jewish girl was raped in what police have classified as a hate crime. According to French media, the girl reported being in a park in Courbevoie, north-west of Paris, with a friend last Saturday when three boys, two aged 13 and one aged 12, approached her. She knew at least one of them. The boys dragged her to an isolated location, where they hurled antisemitic abuse at her and raped her.

The boys were arrested on Monday, and two of them were charged with gang rape, antisemitic insults and violence, and issuing death threats. One of the attackers reportedly threatened to kill the girl if she went to the police. In response to the attack, people took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against antisemitism, carrying banners with messages such as “It could have been your sister.”

Macron addressed the attack during a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday. He asked the Minister of Education, Nicole Belloubet, to ensure that schools hold discussions on racism and antisemitism in the coming days to prevent “hateful speech with serious consequences” from “infiltrating” classrooms. Belloubet later condemned the crime on social media, stating that “every part of this crime is revolting.” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called the attack “absolutely despicable, unbearable, and unspeakable,” noting that antisemitism has been on the rise in France since October 7.

Chief Rabbi of France Haim Korsia expressed horror at the incident and called for the perpetrators to be firmly punished. He emphasized that no one can be excused from the current surge in antisemitism. A January 2024 report by the Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) highlighted a 284% increase in antisemitic acts between 2022 and 2023, with nearly 13% occurring in schools. The report noted a significant spike in such incidents following the October 7 Hamas attacks against communities in Israel.

The attack and the rise in antisemitism come amid a heated election campaign in France, after President Macron called a snap parliamentary election two weeks ago. Politicians from various parties quickly condemned the incident and vowed to combat antisemitism.

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French film star Anouk Aimée dies aged 92

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French film star Anouk Aimée, renowned for her work with many of Europe’s most influential directors, has passed away at the age of 92. Aimée, whose career spanned eight decades, starred in numerous films, including Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman,” which earned her an Oscar nomination. She died at her Paris home on Tuesday, as confirmed by Sébastien Perrolat of the TimeArt agency to the AFP news agency. Her daughter, Manuela Papatakis, shared that she was by her mother’s side at the time of her death. Papatakis expressed her grief on Instagram, posting a black-and-white photograph of Aimée and mentioning that she, her daughter Galaad, and her granddaughter Mila, were deeply saddened by Aimée’s passing.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati paid tribute to Aimée on X, praising her as a world-famous icon and a prominent figure in French cinema who worked with major directors like Jacques Demy, Claude Lelouch, and Federico Fellini.

Born Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus in Paris in 1932, Aimée’s father was Jewish, though she was raised Catholic. After the German occupation of Paris in 1940, her family sent her to the countryside and changed her name for safety. Aimée debuted on screen as a teenager in the 1946 film “La Maison Sous La Mer” and adopted her character’s name, Anouk. French poet and screenwriter Jacques Prevert suggested she change her surname to Aimée, meaning “loved.”

Aimée was in high demand for Italian and French films. Her career took off with Fellini’s acclaimed 1960 film “La Dolce Vita” and continued with “8½” in 1963. However, it was her role in Lelouch’s 1966 film “A Man and a Woman” that cemented her status as an icon of romantic cinema. This performance earned her a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and an Oscar nomination, making her the first actor nominated for an Oscar for a French-language performance. Although she did not win, the film received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Throughout her career, Aimée starred in 70 films and received an honorary César Award in 2002. In 2019, she attended the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Lelouch’s sequel to “A Man and a Woman,” where she reunited with her co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant.

Renowned for her beauty and acting talent, Aimée was named one of the “100 sexiest stars in film history” by Empire magazine in 1995. She had one daughter, Manuela, with film director Nico Papatakis, one of her four husbands. She was also married to composer Pierre Barouh and British actor Albert Finney. Aimée spent her later years in the Montmartre district of Paris.

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Heiress Marlene Engelhorn Distributes Inherited Millions to 77 Organizations

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A citizens’ group has decided how to distribute the fortune of Marlene Engelhorn, an Austro-German heiress. Earlier this year, Engelhorn established a panel of 50 individuals to determine how to allocate the millions she inherited from her grandmother. The funds will benefit 77 organizations, including social and climate groups, as well as notable left-wing entities.

Marlene Engelhorn, 32, gained attention in January for announcing her intention to donate €25 million (£21 million), the majority of her inheritance. As a descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn, the founder of the German chemical and pharmaceutical giant BASF, Engelhorn is a vocal proponent of wealth redistribution. She selected a panel, chosen by a pollster to reflect Austrian society, to decide the fate of her inheritance.

From March to June, the group convened over six weekends in Salzburg to devise a plan for the money. They decided it should be distributed to 77 various organizations, charities, and think tanks, addressing issues like environmental protection, education, integration, health, social matters, poverty, homelessness, and affordable housing in Austria. Donations range from €40,000 (£33,400) for climate change data-based reporting to €1.6 million for the Austrian Nature Conservation Federation. A million euros were allocated to the left-wing Momentum Institute and Attac Austria, an opponent of neoliberal economic policies and deregulated financial markets. Religious charities, including projects by the Catholic aid organization Caritas, also received funds. In most cases, the donations will be distributed over several years.

The youngest panel member, 17-year-old student Kyrillos Gadalla from Vienna, expressed that he had “learnt a lot” from the experience. In her statement, Engelhorn emphasized that her inherited wealth, which gave her unearned power, contradicts democratic principles and has now been redistributed according to democratic values.

Engelhorn inherited millions following the death of her grandmother, Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto, in September 2022. Traudl’s wealth was estimated by Forbes at $4.2 billion (£3.3 billion; €3.8 billion). Even before her grandmother’s passing, Engelhorn declared her intention to donate a substantial portion of her inheritance. While the exact amount she retains is unknown, she previously stated in 2021 that she planned to give away at least 90% of her wealth, as she had not earned it and merely benefited from a “birth lottery.” Engelhorn has also advocated for the reinstatement of inheritance tax in Austria, which was abolished in 2008, making Austria one of the few European countries without such a tax.

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