French teenager goes missing in 'worrying disappearance' while cycling across Iran
"This disappearance is worrying. We are in contact with the family about this," the French diplomatic source said, when asked about the missing person notices on social media. French nationals are advised not to travel to Iran as the government is implementing "a deliberate policy of taking Western hostages," the source added. The source was unable to confirm if the young Frenchman was among the Europeans recently arrested in Iran on charges of spying for Israel.
Iran is believed to hold around 20 European nationals, many of whose cases have never been publicised. Three other Europeans, who have not been identified, have also been arrested in the wake of the recent conflict, two of whom have been accused of spying for Israel. Two French nationals Cecile Kohler, 40, and Jacques Paris, her 72-year-old partner, have been held in Iran since May 2022 on charges of espionage that their families deny.
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Sunday to demand the release of Kohler and Paris, according to the ministry, which did not say if the French minister raised the case of Monterlos.
Iran earlier this week charged Kohler and Paris with spying for Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, as well as "corruption of Earth" and "plotting to overthrow the regime," diplomatic and family sources told AFP on Wednesday. Tehran has not confirmed the new charges, all three of which carry the death penalty. France says their "arbitrary" arrest and the conditions of their detention are "tantamount to torture."
Monterlos had given details of his trip on a post on a crowdfunding platform, writing that he was in his final year of high school in eastern France and wanted to cycle across Europe and Asia.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
21 minutes ago
- LeMonde
French energy giant EDF takes 12.5% stake in new UK nuclear power plant
French energy giant EDF will have a 12.5% stake in new British nuclear power plant Sizewell C, London and Paris revealed on Tuesday, July 8, in the first deal announcement of President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the UK. France's state-owned EDF will invest "around £1.1 billion ($1.5 billion) for a 12.5-percent participation," the French government said in a statement regarding a project aimed at meeting Britain's net-zero and energy security targets. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a separate statement that the investment will help deliver "lower energy bills" and "better energy security" for Britain. The announcement comes after Starmer's Labour government said in June it would invest £14.2 billion in Sizewell C, which is being built in eastern England. Britain's government is the majority shareholder in Sizewell C, after Chinese company CGN exited the project. The plant, which is set to cost £20-30 billion to build according to current estimates, is not expected to start generating electricity until 2035. The UK has refocused on shoring up nuclear power since the start of the war in Ukraine, in the name of energy security and faced with a fleet of ageing power stations. Labour also wants to increase the share of non-carbon-emitting energy. The UK government has pledged to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 81 percent on 1990 levels by 2035 and reach net-zero by 2050. The use of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is highly controversial, however, with many environmental groups warning about safety risks and the disposal of nuclear waste. The Sizewell C announcement has been met with anger by some local residents worried about the impact of the new plant on the local town of Leiston in Suffolk. Nearby is the Sizewell B nuclear power station, which is due to close in 2035, and Sizewell A, which is in the process of being decommissioned. EDF is also building the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in southwestern England, although it has been blighted by delays and rising construction costs.
LeMonde
36 minutes ago
- LeMonde
France will lend Bayeux Tapestry to the UK, Macron announces
Emmanuel Macron first made the announcement as a post-Brexit gesture in 2018, during the 35 th Franco-British summit at Sandhurst in Berkshire, England. Seven years later, the promise is becoming reality: the Bayeux Tapestry, the thousand-year-old embroidery depicting the feats of William the Conqueror and the Norman invasion of England in 1066, will be loaned to the United Kingdom. The French presidential office made the announcement as Macron began a state visit to the UK on Tuesday, July 8. The nearly 70-meter-long linen masterpiece is expected to be displayed for almost a year, from summer 2026 to August 2027, at the British Museum in London. "At a time when Franco-British relations are warming, it makes sense," said Hervé Morin, centrist president of the Normandy administrative region, who had strongly advocated for the loan. The project took shape as the museum holding the tapestry prepared to close its doors for two years on September 1. "You cannot understand how deeply the histories of Normandy and the United Kingdom are intertwined," Morin said. "The blood of Charles III is that of William the Conqueror," he emphasized, already looking ahead to the 2027 celebrations marking the 1,000 th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Brussels launches sixth ‘omnibus' to ease chemical rules – but not everyone is reassured
The European Commission presented on Tuesday its sixth 'omnibus' simplification package since the start of Ursula von der Leyen's mandate. This time, the target is the EU's chemical sector, a cornerstone of European industry, according to Commission Vice-President for Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, but one that he says is 'increasingly under threat'. The reform package, officially titled the Action Plan for the Chemical Industry, combines new support measures for Europe's ailing producers with a set of rule changes designed to ease red tape and cut costs. The Commission claims it will save the industry over €360 million annually by simplifying how hazardous chemicals, cosmetics and fertilisers are labelled, regulated and authorised. But not everyone is convinced the latest push to modernise EU law is entirely harmless. Green lawmakers warn the simplification could undermine years of progress on health and environmental protection, accusing the Commission of siding with big industry at the expense of consumers. Speaking in Strasbourg, Stéphane Séjourné defended the plan as an 'industrial package above all', not merely a chemicals policy. 'We're talking about a sector that has seen its global market share nearly halved in the last 20 years,' he said, warning that Europe was risking the loss of its production base if it didn't act swiftly. He pointed to the closure of around twenty large chemical sites in recent years, and described steam crackers - essential, high-emission chemical plants - as ageing and in need of major investment. Séjourné said the aim was to keep these strategic assets in Europe while using the green transition to modernise them and improve competitiveness. 'We fully stand by our decarbonisation strategy,' he added, 'but it must also support our industrial resilience.' The action plan promises to lower energy costs through extended state aid rules and speed up investment in green technologies like hydrogen and chemical recycling. It also outlines the creation of a Critical Chemicals Alliance to identify vulnerable supply chains and reduce Europe's dependence on imports for key substances used in sectors like automotive, defence and healthcare. Alongside these broader industrial goals, the Commission's Chemicals Omnibus introduces a raft of changes to EU rules, including simpler formats for chemical labelling and lighter procedures for cosmetics and fertilising products. These changes, the Commission insists, will not compromise safety. 'This is about reducing the administrative burden, not the level of protection,' said Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment and Circular Economy. 'We know that Europeans care deeply about chemical safety, and we believe that strong environmental standards can go hand in hand with strong business.' Roswall highlighted public concerns over harmful substances, particularly PFAS, also known as the 'forever chemicals', which have been found in the blood of nearly the entire Dutch population, according to recent research. The Commission said it is preparing a wide ban on PFAS in consumer goods, and plans to allow their continued use only in strategic sectors like health and defence, under strict conditions. But the Green group in the European Parliament is warning of a dangerous shift in priorities. 'Health protection is thrown overboard to increase the profits of the chemical industry,' said Greens/EFA co-president Bas Eickhout in a statement on Tuesday. He accused the Commission of weakening legislation, particularly on cosmetics, by allowing the continued use of substances previously banned due to cancer or reproductive toxicity risks. The Greens also criticised the move to undo some of the labelling rules introduced just last year, arguing it punishes companies that already made costly investments to comply, while rewarding those that lagged behind. While the Commission insists the reforms are part of a wider industrial strategy, the new chemicals package adds to a growing list of sector-specific 'omnibus' packages adopted in recent months, covering everything from farming to defence.
