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Reuters
7 days ago
- Climate
- Reuters
Wildfire loses intensity in southern France, firefighters continue battle
MARSEILLE, July 9 (Reuters) - A wildfire that reached the northwestern outskirts of France's second city of Marseille lost intensity overnight, but firefighters were still battling the flames on Wednesday. Residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were once again allowed out. "With the fire in northern Marseille now clearly under control, we can announce this morning that the 16th arrondissement is no longer on lockdown," Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan said in a post on social media platform X. "I call on all Marseille residents to exercise the utmost caution in the area, as emergency services are hard at work," he said. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. Local officials said the airport for France's second-largest city could close for commercial flights to prioritise air resources if the fire flared up again. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. Hundreds of firefighters, aided by helicopters and aircraft, have been fighting the flames, which have been fanned by winds of up to 70 kph (43 mph) that brought plumes of smoke over the southern coastal city. Officials said the blaze was caused by a car that caught on fire. The fire had burnt through 700 hectares (2.7 square miles) but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters late on Tuesday that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. Climate change has made wildfires more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. Philippe, a victim of the fires whose surname was not given, told BFM that he had slept poorly after evacuating and hoped to return to his home at noon on Wednesday. "There is nothing we can do," he said. "It is very very, very hard."
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Wildfire loses intensity in southern France, firefighters continue battle
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox MARSEILLE - A wildfire that reached the northwestern outskirts of France's second city of Marseille lost intensity overnight, but firefighters were still battling the flames on Wednesday. Residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were once again allowed out. "With the fire in northern Marseille now clearly under control, we can announce this morning that the 16th arrondissement is no longer on lockdown," Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan said in a post on social media platform X. "I call on all Marseille residents to exercise the utmost caution in the area, as emergency services are hard at work," he said. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. Local officials said the airport for France's second-largest city could close for commercial flights to prioritise air resources if the fire flared up again. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. Hundreds of firefighters, aided by helicopters and aircraft, have been fighting the flames, which have been fanned by winds of up to 70 kph (43 mph) that brought plumes of smoke over the southern coastal city. Officials said the blaze was caused by a car that caught on fire. The fire had burnt through 700 hectares (2.7 square miles) but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters late on Tuesday that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. Climate change has made wildfires more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. Philippe, a victim of the fires whose surname was not given, told BFM that he had slept poorly after evacuating and hoped to return to his home at noon on Wednesday. "There is nothing we can do," he said. "It is very very, very hard." REUTERS
France 24
30-05-2025
- France 24
Twenty-five people brought before French judge for attempted kidnapping of crypto tycoon's family
Twenty-five people will be brought before an investigating judge on Friday for attempting to kidnap the daughter and grandson of a wealthy crypto businessman and for criminal conspiracy, the Paris court said. Videos of the brazen kidnapping attempt, which took place in broad daylight on a Parisian street on May 13, were filmed and disseminated on social media, and showed three masked men wrestling with two people while their getaway van idled nearby. The two people targeted were the family of Pierre Noizat, the CEO and co-founder of Paymium, a French cryptocurrency exchange platform. In an interview with BFM television, Noizat praised their "heroic" behaviour as well as that of the man who used a fire extinguisher against the attackers, saying he was "exemplary". It was the third violent attack targeting crypto players and their families in recent months.
Kuwait Times
28-05-2025
- Kuwait Times
France foils crypto kidnapping plot, arrests over 20
PARIS: France has foiled the latest in a spate of kidnapping plots targeting cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, and detained more than 20 people over that attempt and another against crypto boss Pierre Noizat's family, a police source said Tuesday. The new kidnapping attempt, near the western city of Nantes, was foiled on Monday before it was carried out, the police source said, without providing further details. It came after a series of attempted abductions targeting cryptocurrency traders and their families, prompting one prominent crypto entrepreneur to call on authorities to 'stop the Mexicanisation of France'. Authorities on Monday and Tuesday arrested 24 people as part of a probe into the Nantes abduction attempt, as well as an investigation into the attempted kidnapping in mid-May of Noizat's pregnant daughter and young grandson. Noizat is the CEO and co-founder of Paymium, a French cryptocurrency exchange platform. 'The entire commando unit was arrested,' said the police source, referring to the attack on Noizat's family. The public prosecutor's office said it would issue a statement at a later date, probably on Friday. In an interview with BFM television, Noizat has praised his 'heroic' son-in-law and a neighbor armed with a fire extinguisher, who thwarted the attempted kidnapping in broad daylight in the heart of Paris. The kidnappings have raised concerns about the security of wealthy crypto tycoons, who have notched up immense fortunes from the booming business. 'Rise in kidnappings' French authorities have also been investigating the May 1 abduction of a crypto-millionaire's father who was later rescued by police. The victim, for whom a ransom of several million euros was demanded, was freed after being held for more than two days, in a raid on a house outside Paris. Six people have been charged in connection with that kidnapping. Five of them—aged 18 to 26 - were being prosecuted for organized extortion, kidnapping and false imprisonment involving torture or acts of barbarity by an organized gang, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in early May. On January 21, kidnappers seized French crypto boss David Balland and his partner. Balland co-founded the crypto firm Ledger, valued at the time at more than $1 billion. Balland's finger was cut off by his kidnappers, who had demanded a hefty ransom. He was freed the next day, and his girlfriend was found tied up in the boot of a car outside Paris. At least nine suspects have been charged in that case, including the alleged mastermind. Ledger co-founder Eric Larcheveque, who received a ransom demand when Balland was kidnapped, urged authorities to 'stop the Mexicanisation of France'. Mexico has been plagued by drug-linked murders and disappearances for decades. 'For several months now, there has been a rise in sordid kidnappings and attempted kidnappings. In broad daylight. In the heart of Paris,' Larcheveque said on X. 'Today, to succeed in France, whether in crypto-assets or elsewhere, is to put a target on your back.' In mid-May, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with crypto currency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security. - AFP
NDTV
28-05-2025
- NDTV
France Crypto Kidnapping Plot Foiled, Over 20 Arrested: Source
France has foiled the latest in a spate of kidnapping plots targeting cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, and detained more than 20 people over that attempt and another against crypto boss Pierre Noizat's family, a police source said Tuesday. The new kidnapping attempt, near the western city of Nantes, was foiled on Monday before it was carried out, the police source said, without providing further details. It came after a series of attempted abductions targeting cryptocurrency traders and their families, prompting one prominent crypto entrepreneur to call on authorities to "stop the Mexicanisation of France". Authorities on Monday and Tuesday arrested 24 people as part of a probe into the Nantes abduction attempt, as well as an investigation into the attempted kidnapping in mid-May of Noizat's pregnant daughter and young grandson. Noizat is the CEO and co-founder of Paymium, a French cryptocurrency exchange platform. "The entire commando unit was arrested," said the police source, referring to the attack on Noizat's family. The public prosecutor's office said it would issue a statement at a later date, probably on Friday. In an interview with BFM television, Noizat has praised his "heroic" son-in-law and a neighbour armed with a fire extinguisher, who thwarted the attempted kidnapping in broad daylight in the heart of Paris. The kidnappings have raised concerns about the security of wealthy crypto tycoons, who have notched up immense fortunes from the booming business. 'Rise In Kidnappings' French authorities have also been investigating the May 1 abduction of a crypto-millionaire's father who was later rescued by police. The victim, for whom a ransom of several million euros was demanded, was freed after being held for more than two days, in a raid on a house outside Paris. Six people have been charged in connection with that kidnapping. Five of them -- aged 18 to 26 -- were being prosecuted for organised extortion, kidnapping and false imprisonment involving torture or acts of barbarity by an organised gang, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in early May. On January 21, kidnappers seized French crypto boss David Balland and his partner. Balland co-founded the crypto firm Ledger, valued at the time at more than $1 billion. Balland's finger was cut off by his kidnappers, who had demanded a hefty ransom. He was freed the next day, and his girlfriend was found tied up in the boot of a car outside Paris. At least nine suspects have been charged in that case, including the alleged mastermind. Ledger co-founder Eric Larcheveque, who received a ransom demand when Balland was kidnapped, urged authorities to "stop the Mexicanisation of France". Mexico has been plagued by drug-linked murders and disappearances for decades. "For several months now, there has been a rise in sordid kidnappings and attempted kidnappings. In broad daylight. In the heart of Paris," Larcheveque said on X. "Today, to succeed in France, whether in crypto-assets or elsewhere, is to put a target on your back." In mid-May, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with crypto currency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security.
