france24--2020-01-06--Charlie Hebdo trial opens in Paris with most suspects dead or presumed dead

File photo of mourners at a memorial to the victims of the January 7 , 2015 , attacks , outside the former Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris .
As France prepares to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks on January 7 , a trial linked to the massacre that left 12 people dead opened in Paris on Monday .
Reporting from the courthouse , FRANCE 24 ’ s Chris Moore explained that the trial is “ a bit of a ghost trial ” since most of the 24 suspects are dead or presumed dead in Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only five are expected to appear on the dock : 19 suspects fled to parts of Iraq and Syria once controlled by the Islamic State ( IS ) group and have since been killed or are believed to have been killed during the US-led coalition crackdown on the jihadist group .
The much-awaited trial of 24 suspects in the January 2015 attacks on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in Paris opened in the French capital on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the assault .
Families and loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will shed light on the planning operations and networks that enabled radicalised youths to access weapons and conduct the attacks on French soil .
Absent suspects include the Belhoucine brothers , whose eldest son Mohamed is considered the mentor of the Hyper Cacher Jewish supermarket attack .

As France prepares to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks on January 7, a trial linked to the massacre that left 12 people dead opened in Paris on Monday.
File photo of mourners at a memorial to the victims of the January 7, 2015, attacks, outside the former Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris.
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Reporting from the courthouse, FRANCE 24’s Chris Moore explained that the trial is “a bit of a ghost trial” since most of the 24 suspects are dead or presumed dead in Iraq or Syria.
Of the 24, only five are expected to appear on the dock: 19 suspects fled to parts of Iraq and Syria once controlled by the Islamic State (IS) group and have since been killed or are believed to have been killed during the US-led coalition crackdown on the jihadist group.
The much-awaited trial of 24 suspects in the January 2015 attacks on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in Paris opened in the French capital on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the assault.
Families and loved ones of the victims hope the trial will shed light on the planning operations and networks that enabled radicalised youths to access weapons and conduct the attacks on French soil.
Absent suspects include the Belhoucine brothers, whose eldest son Mohamed is considered the mentor of the Hyper Cacher Jewish supermarket attack.
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france24--2020-01-06--Galette des rois: France begins the new year with a cake for kings

The holidays have passed and nationwide protests and transport strikes in France are still ongoing , but patisserie windows throughout the country are stacked with shiny , golden brown galettes des rois , or king cakes , a sure sign that the festivities are not quite over .
The galette , a delicious cake often made with puff pastry and frangipane , is traditionally eaten in France on the first Sunday of January to celebrate the Epiphany , the day commemorating the visit of the Magi , or the Three Kings , to the Christ Child .
Nowadays though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , work , or at home with friends or relatives , throughout the entire month of January .
Galettes vary .
In addition to the traditional frangipane version , filled with a mixture of pastry cream and almond cream , other types abound , and might include apple filling , plums , lemon , chestnuts , chocolate and others .
But no matter how it ’ s made , the galette des rois always hides a much coveted surprise , the fève , literally bean in French , but actually a ceramic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to bite into it is graced not only with a dentist ’ s appointment , but with good luck , and is declared queen ( or king ) of the day .
The lucky royal may then also choose a partner ( king or queen ) and each gets a paper crown to don for the party .
But practices vary .
For example , some say the person who got the charm has to bring the next galette des rois , or else buy a round of drinks for all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the fève goes back to Roman times , when huge feasts were held to celebrate solstice and honour Saturn , the pagan god of agriculture and time .
Masters and slaves would feast together and a bean would be slipped into one of the dishes or baked into a round golden-coloured cake ( shaped like the sun for the solstice ) ; the slave who found the bean would be anointed king for the day .
The Church later instituted the Epiphany on January 6 , to celebrate the meeting of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Balthazar ) and Jesus , and the tradition of the bean in the cake became associated with the Christian feast .
Traditionally , the cake was cut into slices , with one slice , la part du Bon Dieu , or God ’ s portion , set aside and given to a poor person .
The bean was eventually replaced by a ceramic , porcelain or terra cotta figurine depicting Baby Jesus or another religious symbol .
But these too , later evolved to include an endless variety of trinkets , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including famous singers , sports figures , cartoon characters and more .
One can , however , still occasionally bite into a ( more rare ) Mother Mary or saint .
The custom of king cake is also practised in countries other than France , such as Switzerland , Belgium and Canada .
In Spain and some Latin American countries the cake is known as roscon de reyes , an oval-shaped cake symbolising a crown , also eaten on January 6 .
In some areas in the US south , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cake is often shaped like a ring and made of cinnamon roll dough , topped with sugar or colorful icing .
There , it is associated with Mardi Gras , or Carnival , celebrated between the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday .
That cake also hides a trinket , and whoever finds it is expected to bring the next king cake .
In France , king cakes of different sizes , shapes , quality and flavor are sold at bakeries or supermarkets , and the price for a good one can be steep .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large supermarket chain might cost €7 , but one of the same size at a high-end patisserie can set you back €50 or more .
Among the best galettes in Paris in 2020 , according to the French daily Le Figaro , is one the paper crowned the “ most Parisian galette , ” sold at The French Bastards bakery in the capital ’ s 11th arrondissement ( district ) ( €40 for six ) .
That galette is made of puff pastry stuffed with cinnamon frangipane and pieces of roasted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lacey rose-shaped top reminiscent of a stained glass window , in honor of the Notre Dame Cathedral , which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019 .
Another is the fruity Galette Mogador by France ’ s pastry king , Pierre Hermé , based on the chef ’ s signature yellow , passion-fruit and milk-chocolate Mogador macaron .
This galette is made with passion-fruit-infused almond cream , roasted caramelised pineapple and milk chocolate ganache .
It can be found at Hermé ’ s Parisian shops through January 29 ( €35 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If these are too elaborate ( or expensive ) for a simple family gathering , perfectly good king cakes can be bought at your neighborhood bakery or chain .
And for even less , you can make your own galette .
There are plenty of recipes online , from very easy ( yet still delicious ) to more elaborate .
One example is a popular Parisian recipe offered by David Lebovitz , an American best-selling cookbook author and food blogger based in Paris , “ made of creamy almond frangipane sandwiched between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are two main kinds of galette in France , according to Lebovitz ’ s blog .
One is that puff-pastry version he offers in the recipe above , and the other is “ a circular yeasted cake , more popular in the south of France , festooned with colourful , sticky candied fruit '' .
Whether you choose to make the classic galette or the southern French Provençal version , do not forget to bake in the fève .
The French custom when celebrating galette des rois with children is to cut the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go under the table and , without looking , name the person to be served .
This is to prevent cheating by guests who might be tempted to look for conspicuous bumps that might reveal which piece has the lucky king-making charm .
If you can not bear the prospect of tears being shed , you might consider preparing several galettes , or even cheat by throwing in two or three fèves into one cake so that everybody can be queen or king , and sibling wars can be put off for another @ @

The holidays have passed and nationwide protests and transport strikes in France are still ongoing, but patisserie windows throughout the country are stacked with shiny, golden brown galettes des rois, or king cakes, a sure sign that the festivities are not quite over.
Advertising Read more
The galette, a delicious cake often made with puff pastry and frangipane, is traditionally eaten in France on the first Sunday of January to celebrate the Epiphany, the day commemorating the visit of the Magi, or the Three Kings, to the Christ Child. Nowadays though, the French feast on king cakes at school, work, or at home with friends or relatives, throughout the entire month of January.
Galettes vary. In addition to the traditional frangipane version, filled with a mixture of pastry cream and almond cream, other types abound, and might include apple filling, plums, lemon, chestnuts, chocolate and others.
But no matter how it’s made, the galette des rois always hides a much coveted surprise, the fève, literally bean in French, but actually a ceramic trinket or charm.
The person lucky enough to bite into it is graced not only with a dentist’s appointment, but with good luck, and is declared queen (or king) of the day. The lucky royal may then also choose a partner (king or queen) and each gets a paper crown to don for the party.
But practices vary. For example, some say the person who got the charm has to bring the next galette des rois, or else buy a round of drinks for all those present.
Originally pagan
The tradition of the galette and the fève goes back to Roman times, when huge feasts were held to celebrate solstice and honour Saturn, the pagan god of agriculture and time.
Masters and slaves would feast together and a bean would be slipped into one of the dishes or baked into a round golden-coloured cake (shaped like the sun for the solstice); the slave who found the bean would be anointed king for the day.
The Church later instituted the Epiphany on January 6, to celebrate the meeting of the Three Kings (Melchior, Gaspard, and Balthazar) and Jesus, and the tradition of the bean in the cake became associated with the Christian feast.
Traditionally, the cake was cut into slices, with one slice, la part du Bon Dieu, or God’s portion, set aside and given to a poor person.
The bean was eventually replaced by a ceramic, porcelain or terra cotta figurine depicting Baby Jesus or another religious symbol. But these too, later evolved to include an endless variety of trinkets, from plain geometric shapes, to cultural symbols, including famous singers, sports figures, cartoon characters and more. One can, however, still occasionally bite into a (more rare) Mother Mary or saint.
The custom of king cake is also practised in countries other than France, such as Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.
In Spain and some Latin American countries the cake is known as roscon de reyes, an oval-shaped cake symbolising a crown, also eaten on January 6.
In some areas in the US south, such as in New Orleans, Louisiana, king cake is often shaped like a ring and made of cinnamon roll dough, topped with sugar or colorful icing. There, it is associated with Mardi Gras, or Carnival, celebrated between the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. That cake also hides a trinket, and whoever finds it is expected to bring the next king cake.
All sizes, shapes and prices
In France, king cakes of different sizes, shapes, quality and flavor are sold at bakeries or supermarkets, and the price for a good one can be steep. The simplest galette for six people at a large supermarket chain might cost €7, but one of the same size at a high-end patisserie can set you back €50 or more.
Among the best galettes in Paris in 2020, according to the French daily Le Figaro, is one the paper crowned the “most Parisian galette,” sold at The French Bastards bakery in the capital’s 11th arrondissement (district) (€40 for a cake for six people).
Tres heureuse de vous présenter ma Galette des rois 2020 "Notre Dame de Paris", en collaboration avec le beurre AOP Charentes-Poitou et The French Bastards ,-) disponible demain ! pic.twitter.com/HaIRalS2Lf — Nina Métayer (@NinaMetayer) January 3, 2020
That galette is made of puff pastry stuffed with cinnamon frangipane and pieces of roasted, chopped almonds, and is decorated with a lacey rose-shaped top reminiscent of a stained glass window, in honor of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019.
Another is the fruity Galette Mogador by France’s pastry king, Pierre Hermé, based on the chef’s signature yellow, passion-fruit and milk-chocolate Mogador macaron. This galette is made with passion-fruit-infused almond cream, roasted caramelised pineapple and milk chocolate ganache. It can be found at Hermé’s Parisian shops through January 29 (€35 for four people or €56 for eight).
If these are too elaborate (or expensive) for a simple family gathering, perfectly good king cakes can be bought at your neighborhood bakery or chain.
And for even less, you can make your own galette. There are plenty of recipes online, from very easy (yet still delicious) to more elaborate.
One example is a popular Parisian recipe offered by David Lebovitz, an American best-selling cookbook author and food blogger based in Paris, “made of creamy almond frangipane sandwiched between layers of buttery pastry”.
French Ephiphany Cake - Galette des rois recipe https://t.co/VI1djm6nEf pic.twitter.com/Vw52MsknwV — David Lebovitz (@davidlebovitz) January 5, 2020
There are two main kinds of galette in France, according to Lebovitz’s blog. One is that puff-pastry version he offers in the recipe above, and the other is “a circular yeasted cake, more popular in the south of France, festooned with colourful, sticky candied fruit".
Whether you choose to make the classic galette or the southern French Provençal version, do not forget to bake in the fève.
The French custom when celebrating galette des rois with children is to cut the cake and then have the youngest child go under the table and, without looking, name the person to be served. This is to prevent cheating by guests who might be tempted to look for conspicuous bumps that might reveal which piece has the lucky king-making charm.
If you cannot bear the prospect of tears being shed, you might consider preparing several galettes, or even cheat by throwing in two or three fèves into one cake so that everybody can be queen or king, and sibling wars can be put off for another day.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-01-06--In menacing Iran’s cultural sites, Trump threatens to commit ‘a war crime’

The ancient Persian city of Persepolis , near Shiraz in southern Iran , is one of the country 's main tourist attractions The Trump administration has yet to offer any evidence backing its claim that last week ’ s killing of a senior Iranian official was legal under international law .
Now the US president has also threatened to target Iran ’ s cultural sites – an action experts say would amount to committing a war crime .
President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that Iranian cultural sites were fair game for the US military , dismissing concerns that targeting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war crime under international law .
Trump ’ s comments came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Friday ’ s strike on General Qassem Soleimani , the head of Iran ’ s elite Quds force , who was widely regarded as the second-most-powerful figure in the Iranian regime .
Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on an airport in Baghdad .
Iran has vowed to avenge Soleimani ’ s death , and Iraq ’ s parliament responded by voting Sunday to oust US troops based in the country – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baghdad with sanctions `` like they 've never seen before '' .
The US president first raised the prospect of targeting Iranian cultural sites in a tweet on Saturday evening , warning that if Iran attacks any American assets to avenge Soleimani ’ s killing , the US has 52 targets across the Islamic Republic that “ WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD '' .
Some are “ important to Iran & Iranian culture ” , Trump added .
Speaking with reporters Sunday as he returned to Washington from his holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled down on his insistence that cultural sites were fair game .
“ They ’ re allowed to kill our people .
They ’ re allowed to torture and maim our people .
They ’ re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people .
And we ’ re not allowed to touch their cultural sites ?
It doesn ’ t work that way , ” Trump said , according to a pool report .
His comments prompted fury in Iran and consternation among critics in the United States and around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history , barbarians have come and ravaged our cities , razed our monuments and burnt our libraries , ” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted on Sunday .
“ Where are they now ?
We ’ re still here , & standing tall.
” After committing “ grave breaches ” in killing Soleimani , Trump is now threatening a “ WAR CRIME ” in targeting cultural sites , Zarif added .
Iran 's wealth of historic monuments preserves the legacy of a civilisation that is a source of great pride among Iranians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diaspora of Iranians in the West .
“ I 'm not sure when he [ Trump ] says cultural sites , does he , for example , mean our Persepolis ?
” asked Mehrdad Khadir , a cultural and political analyst in Tehran , referring in an interview with AP to the ancient ruins invaded by the Greeks in 330 BC .
“ Does he want to be seen as the new Alexander [ the Great ] by Iranians ?
” “ I ’ m really sorry that we are living in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called superpower still doesn ’ t know that attacking cultural sites is a war crime , ” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists in Tehran on Sunday .
Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi compared Trump 's threats to the Islamic State group , Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan , calling the US president a “ terrorist in a suit ” .
Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention .
The United Nations Security Council also unanimously passed a resolution in 2017 condemning the destruction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by the Islamic State ( IS ) group in Iraq and Syria .
At the time , the UN reiterated that actions targeting cultural locations constitute a war crime .
`` The deliberate destruction of our common cultural heritage constitutes a war crime and represents an attack on humanity as a whole , '' said the spokesman for then UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in 2015 .
US experts have also stressed the illegal nature of the action threatened by the US president .
Oona Hathaway , an international law professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official in the Department of Defense 's legal office , told AP that Trump 's threats amounted to “ a pretty clear promise of commission of a war crime ” .
Hathaway pointed to legal problems with both of Trump 's threats on Saturday – the threat to hit 52 targets in Iran for symbolic reasons and the threat to strike Iranian cultural sites – arguing that both would constitute war crimes .
The first threat would be a war crime because Trump justified it on symbolic grounds of retribution for Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , Hathaway explained .
The second threat would amount to a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention on the protection of cultural sites , she added .
Hathaway also said the Soleimani killing was itself most likely illegal because the administration had not proven the threat he posed was so “ imminent ” it required urgent action without consulting Congress .
In interviews with six different US television networks over the weekend , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would have been “ culpably negligent ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it had not killed Soleimani .
However , he did not provide evidence for his previous claims that Soleimani was plotting imminent attacks on Americans , using different language to qualify the magnitude of the threat .
Instead of arguing that an attack instigated by Soleimani had been imminent , Pompeo claimed it was “ inevitable ” .
In his interviews , Washington ’ s top diplomat tip-toed around questions about Trump 's threat to hit cultural sites , insisting that any US military strikes inside Iran would be legal .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Pompeo said .
“ We always have and we always will.
” Pompeo refused to give any details on the 52 potential targets that Trump said had been drawn up to represent each and every hostage held in the stand-off at the US embassy in Tehran that began in 1979 .
But one former official expressed scepticism that military planners would agree to target cultural sites .
`` For what it 's worth , I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national security adviser to former vice president Joe Biden , wrote on Twitter .
`` Trump may not care about the laws of war , but DoD [ Department of Defense ] planners and lawyers do [ ... ] and targeting cultural sites is war crime , '' Kahl added .
Others pointed to a flagrant contradiction between Trump ’ s threats and the US stance on heritage protection .
Nicholas Burns , who served as US ambassador to NATO under former president George W. Bush , said the Trump administration would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of international efforts to deter the Islamic State group from destroying countless pre-Islamic artefacts , including the Syrian UNESCO-listed site of Palmyra .
`` Donald Trump 's threat to destroy Iranian cultural sites would be a war crime under UN Security Council resolution 2347 – supported by the Trump Administration itself in 2017 to warn ISIS+Al Qaeda of similar actions , ” said Burns , who is now a professor at Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government .
`` His threat is immoral and Un-American , '' added the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has taken a leadership role in the protection of antiquities from destruction and illicit trade , particularly in the Middle East , ” said Deborah Lehr , the chairwoman and founder of the Washington-based Antiquities Coalition , in an interview with the New York Times .
“ It would be a shame to see that global good will disappear by the intentional targeting and the destruction of cultural sites , ” she added .
Iran is home to two dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites , including the ruins of Persepolis , the 17th-century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teeming bazaar , and the Golestan Palace in the heart of Tehran .
Its cultural sites reflect the expanse of Iran ’ s history and its contributions to the Golden Age of Islam .
More recently , though , some of the most iconic cultural sites have come to embody the nation ’ s defiance in its stand-off with the United States : Hundreds of thousands gather at the iconic Azadi Tower in Tehran each year to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution and chant anti-American slogans .

The Trump administration has yet to offer any evidence backing its claim that last week’s killing of a senior Iranian official was legal under international law. Now the US president has also threatened to target Iran’s cultural sites – an action experts say would amount to committing a war crime.
The ancient Persian city of Persepolis, near Shiraz in southern Iran, is one of the country's main tourist attractions
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President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that Iranian cultural sites were fair game for the US military, dismissing concerns that targeting the country’s heritage would constitute a war crime under international law.
Trump’s comments came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Friday’s strike on General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds force, who was widely regarded as the second-most-powerful figure in the Iranian regime. Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on an airport in Baghdad.
Iran has vowed to avenge Soleimani’s death, and Iraq’s parliament responded by voting Sunday to oust US troops based in the country – in turn, prompting Trump to threaten Baghdad with sanctions "like they've never seen before".
The US president first raised the prospect of targeting Iranian cultural sites in a tweet on Saturday evening, warning that if Iran attacks any American assets to avenge Soleimani’s killing, the US has 52 targets across the Islamic Republic that “WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD".
Some are “important to Iran & Iranian culture”, Trump added.
....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
Speaking with reporters Sunday as he returned to Washington from his holiday stay in Florida, the US president doubled down on his insistence that cultural sites were fair game.
“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way,” Trump said, according to a pool report.
His comments prompted fury in Iran and consternation among critics in the United States and around the world.
“Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted on Sunday. “Where are they now? We’re still here, & standing tall.”
After committing “grave breaches” in killing Soleimani, Trump is now threatening a “WAR CRIME” in targeting cultural sites, Zarif added.
Iran's wealth of historic monuments preserves the legacy of a civilisation that is a source of great pride among Iranians, from hard-liners in Tehran to the diaspora of Iranians in the West.
“I'm not sure when he [Trump] says cultural sites, does he, for example, mean our Persepolis?” asked Mehrdad Khadir, a cultural and political analyst in Tehran, referring in an interview with AP to the ancient ruins invaded by the Greeks in 330 BC.
“Does he want to be seen as the new Alexander [the Great] by Iranians?”
“I’m really sorry that we are living in a world where the president of the biggest so-called superpower still doesn’t know that attacking cultural sites is a war crime,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists in Tehran on Sunday.
Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi compared Trump's threats to the Islamic State group, Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan, calling the US president a “terrorist in a suit”.
'Pretty clear promise' of a war crime
Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention. The United Nations Security Council also unanimously passed a resolution in 2017 condemning the destruction of heritage sites, such as that carried out by the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria.
At the time, the UN reiterated that actions targeting cultural locations constitute a war crime.
"The deliberate destruction of our common cultural heritage constitutes a war crime and represents an attack on humanity as a whole," said the spokesman for then UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in 2015.
US experts have also stressed the illegal nature of the action threatened by the US president.
Oona Hathaway, an international law professor at Yale and a former national security law official in the Department of Defense's legal office, told AP that Trump's threats amounted to “a pretty clear promise of commission of a war crime”.
Hathaway pointed to legal problems with both of Trump's threats on Saturday – the threat to hit 52 targets in Iran for symbolic reasons and the threat to strike Iranian cultural sites – arguing that both would constitute war crimes.
The first threat would be a war crime because Trump justified it on symbolic grounds of retribution for Iran’s hostage-taking of 52 US citizens 40 years ago, Hathaway explained. The second threat would amount to a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention on the protection of cultural sites, she added.
Hathaway also said the Soleimani killing was itself most likely illegal because the administration had not proven the threat he posed was so “imminent” it required urgent action without consulting Congress.
In interviews with six different US television networks over the weekend, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would have been “culpably negligent” in its duty to protect the United States if it had not killed Soleimani.
However, he did not provide evidence for his previous claims that Soleimani was plotting imminent attacks on Americans, using different language to qualify the magnitude of the threat. Instead of arguing that an attack instigated by Soleimani had been imminent, Pompeo claimed it was “inevitable”.
‘Immoral and un-America’
In his interviews, Washington’s top diplomat tip-toed around questions about Trump's threat to hit cultural sites, insisting that any US military strikes inside Iran would be legal.
“We'll behave inside the system,” Pompeo said. “We always have and we always will.”
Pompeo refused to give any details on the 52 potential targets that Trump said had been drawn up to represent each and every hostage held in the stand-off at the US embassy in Tehran that began in 1979.
But one former official expressed scepticism that military planners would agree to target cultural sites.
"For what it's worth, I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites," Colin Kahl, who was national security adviser to former vice president Joe Biden, wrote on Twitter.
For what it's worth, I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites. Trump may not care about the laws of war, but DoD planners and lawyers do...and targeting cultural sites is war crime. https://t.co/HXvJM0kdl0 — Colin Kahl (@ColinKahl) January 4, 2020
"Trump may not care about the laws of war, but DoD [Department of Defense] planners and lawyers do [...] and targeting cultural sites is war crime," Kahl added.
Others pointed to a flagrant contradiction between Trump’s threats and the US stance on heritage protection.
Nicholas Burns, who served as US ambassador to NATO under former president George W. Bush, said the Trump administration would be guilty of hypocrisy given it was part of international efforts to deter the Islamic State group from destroying countless pre-Islamic artefacts, including the Syrian UNESCO-listed site of Palmyra.
"Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iranian cultural sites would be a war crime under UN Security Council resolution 2347 – supported by the Trump Administration itself in 2017 to warn ISIS+Al Qaeda of similar actions,” said Burns, who is now a professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
"His threat is immoral and Un-American," added the former ambassador on Twitter.
Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian cultural sites would be a war crime under UN Security Council resolution 2347–supported by the Trump Administration itself in 2017 to warn ISIS+Al Qaeda of similar actions. His threat is immoral and Un-American. https://t.co/CMdz1ky9CP — Nicholas Burns (@RNicholasBurns) January 5, 2020
“The US has taken a leadership role in the protection of antiquities from destruction and illicit trade, particularly in the Middle East,” said Deborah Lehr, the chairwoman and founder of the Washington-based Antiquities Coalition, in an interview with the New York Times. “It would be a shame to see that global good will disappear by the intentional targeting and the destruction of cultural sites,” she added.
Iran is home to two dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the ruins of Persepolis, the 17th-century grand mosque of Isfahan located in a teeming bazaar, and the Golestan Palace in the heart of Tehran. Its cultural sites reflect the expanse of Iran’s history and its contributions to the Golden Age of Islam.
More recently, though, some of the most iconic cultural sites have come to embody the nation’s defiance in its stand-off with the United States: Hundreds of thousands gather at the iconic Azadi Tower in Tehran each year to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution and chant anti-American slogans.
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france24--2020-01-06--French strikes: Macron government enters crucial week of talks with unions

French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to launch a crucial week of negotiations with labor unions amid nationwide protests and transport strikes against the government 's plans to overhaul the pension system .
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told France Inter radio that “ a compromise has never been so close , ” as talks between the prime minister and worker unions are to resume Tuesday .
Macron was holding a Cabinet meeting Monday ahead of the talks .
The government is “ not inflexible , ” Le Maire said , suggesting there is room for negotiation including on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several unions called for nationwide protests on Thursday and Saturday .
The hard-left union CGT union also called for workers to disrupt the country 's oil depots and refineries later this week .
The national rail company , SNCF , said train traffic was improving Monday across the country , with 8 out of 10 high-speed trains running .
Yet the Paris metro was still severely disrupted , with most of lines open only for a limited amount of time and several stations closed .
In his televised New Year 's address , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pension system but called on his government to find a `` quick compromise ” with unions .
Macron wants to unify France ’ s 42 different pension schemes , some of which grant early retirement , into a single one .
Plans include raising the eligibility age for full pensions from 62 to 64 , the most criticized measure .
Macron says the new system will be fairer and financially sustainable .
Unions fear it will make people work longer for lower pensions .
Recent polls show a majority of French @ @ @ @ @ @ @

French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to launch a crucial week of negotiations with labor unions amid nationwide protests and transport strikes against the government's plans to overhaul the pension system.
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French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told France Inter radio that “a compromise has never been so close,” as talks between the prime minister and worker unions are to resume Tuesday. Macron was holding a Cabinet meeting Monday ahead of the talks.
The government is “not inflexible,” Le Maire said, suggesting there is room for negotiation including on the financing of the pension system.
Several unions called for nationwide protests on Thursday and Saturday. The hard-left union CGT union also called for workers to disrupt the country's oil depots and refineries later this week.
The national rail company, SNCF, said train traffic was improving Monday across the country, with 8 out of 10 high-speed trains running.
Yet the Paris metro was still severely disrupted, with most of lines open only for a limited amount of time and several stations closed.
IFOP poll France 24
In his televised New Year's address, Macron vowed to carry out the overhaul of the pension system but called on his government to find a "quick compromise” with unions.
Macron wants to unify France’s 42 different pension schemes, some of which grant early retirement, into a single one. Plans include raising the eligibility age for full pensions from 62 to 64, the most criticized measure.
Macron says the new system will be fairer and financially sustainable.
Unions fear it will make people work longer for lower pensions. Recent polls show a majority of French people still support the protest movement.
(AP)
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france24--2020-01-06--Japan pledges to improve border checks, bail conditions after Ghosn escape

Japan ’ s justice minister vowed Monday to strengthen border checks and review bail conditions after Nissan ’ s former chairman , Carlos Ghosn , fled the country despite supposedly stringent surveillance .
Masako Mori told reporters at a news conference that the ministry has already acted to prevent a recurrence but declined to give details .
Ghosn skipped bail and showed up in Lebanon a week ago , saying he could not get a fair hearing in Japan , where he was awaiting trial on financial misconduct allegations .
The Wall Street Journal reported that Michael L. Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescued hostages , was among those involved in Ghosn ’ s escape plan .
The team that spirited Ghosn out of the country made numerous trips to Japan to scout out possible escape routes , the newspaper reported , citing sources it did not identify .
It said they settled on Osaka ’ s airport , where cargo X-ray scanners were not big enough to handle the man-sized concert equipment box apparently used to get Ghosn aboard a private flight .
He flew from there to Istanbul , then switched to a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Turkish airline company MNG Jet , which said its planes were used illegally .
Mori declined to say who might be held responsible for such a high-profile escape , stressing it was still under investigation .
While out on 1.5 billion yen ( $ 14 million ) bail , Ghosn was living in a home in an upscale part of Tokyo under strict surveillance as part of the conditions for his release .
That raises questions about how he left undetected .
Security cameras at his home operated 24 hours a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be submitted to the court on a monthly basis , according to lawyers ’ documents .
Security footage showed he simply walked out of the house alone around noon on Dec. 29 , NHK TV reported .
Lebanon has said he entered legally with a French passport on Dec. 30 .
He has not been seen since , but has promised to speak to reporters on Wednesday .
Mori denounced his escape as an “ unjustifiable ” crime .
“ Japan ’ s justice system allows investigating the facts while it ensures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , ” Mori told reporters at the ministry .
“ It is set with appropriate procedures and it is operated appropriately.
” Critics say Japan ’ s justice system is too slow and is inhumane .
Ghosn was banned from meeting with his wife while out on bail .
Preparing for his trial has taken more than a year , and a date has not been set .
He was detained , twice , for a total of 130 days before he was released on bail a second time .
Referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Japanese legal system as “ hostage justice , ” Mori said , “ We are aware of the criticisms.
” Ghosn , formerly chairman of Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi , was first arrested in November 2018 .
He is charged with under-reporting his future compensation and breach of trust in diverting Nissan money for his personal gain .
He insists he is innocent .
Mori said each nation has its own judicial system and arrests are rarer in Japan than in other countries , suggesting arrests are made only when the authorities are fairly confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparisons are misleading , ” she said .
French authorities are also investigating Ghosn and the automakers .
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Monday that he was surprised by Ghosn ’ s escape and wants a broader investigation into 11 million euros ( $ 12.3 million ) in questionable expenses under Ghosn ’ s watch at the Netherlands-based headquarters of the alliance between Renault , Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors .
Le Maire wouldn ’ t say where Ghosn should be prosecuted , but said that as Renault ’ s biggest single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure the struggling automaker prospers again .
“ When you are an individual subject to laws , you don ’ t escape justice .
And Carlos Ghosn is an individual like any other , ” Le Maire said Monday on France-Inter radio .
“ He should answer before the justice system.
” Members of Ghosn ’ s legal team say they did not know about his escape plan .
Takashi Takano , one of his lawyers , said he felt sad and betrayed that Ghosn didn ’ t try to prove his innocence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood how Ghosn might have lost hope not only with the prosecutors but with the entire Japanese judicial system .
Yuichi Kaido , another of Ghosn ’ s lawyer , said he was troubled by public support for denying bail to all foreign suspects .
He said in an online statement he feared Japan might react to international criticism of its legal system by becoming more insular and rigid in its views .
Ghosn ’ s bail has been revoked , and Interpol has issued a wanted notice .
Japan does not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mori left open the possibility Japan could seek Ghosn ’ s return .
Such a return so far appears unlikely , and Japan ’ s options are limited .
Mori stressed that any retaliatory action , such as economic sanctions , must be decided on very carefully .
She would not say if Japan has contacted the U.S. or France for help .
“ It is indeed possible to ask for extradition of criminals based on the principle of reciprocity , ” she said , replying to a question about Lebanon .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to carefully study whether it is possible to guarantee this principle of reciprocity and their internal justice system .
”

Japan’s justice minister vowed Monday to strengthen border checks and review bail conditions after Nissan’s former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, fled the country despite supposedly stringent surveillance.
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Masako Mori told reporters at a news conference that the ministry has already acted to prevent a recurrence but declined to give details. Ghosn skipped bail and showed up in Lebanon a week ago, saying he could not get a fair hearing in Japan, where he was awaiting trial on financial misconduct allegations.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Michael L. Taylor, a former Green Beret who has previously rescued hostages, was among those involved in Ghosn’s escape plan.
The team that spirited Ghosn out of the country made numerous trips to Japan to scout out possible escape routes, the newspaper reported, citing sources it did not identify. It said they settled on Osaka’s airport, where cargo X-ray scanners were not big enough to handle the man-sized concert equipment box apparently used to get Ghosn aboard a private flight. He flew from there to Istanbul, then switched to a different plane to fly to Beirut, according to the Turkish airline company MNG Jet, which said its planes were used illegally.
Mori declined to say who might be held responsible for such a high-profile escape, stressing it was still under investigation.
While out on 1.5 billion yen ($14 million) bail, Ghosn was living in a home in an upscale part of Tokyo under strict surveillance as part of the conditions for his release. That raises questions about how he left undetected.
Security cameras at his home operated 24 hours a day, but the footage only had to be submitted to the court on a monthly basis, according to lawyers’ documents. Security footage showed he simply walked out of the house alone around noon on Dec. 29, NHK TV reported.
Lebanon has said he entered legally with a French passport on Dec. 30. He has not been seen since, but has promised to speak to reporters on Wednesday.
Mori denounced his escape as an “unjustifiable” crime.
“Japan’s justice system allows investigating the facts while it ensures the individual basic human rights at the same time,” Mori told reporters at the ministry. “It is set with appropriate procedures and it is operated appropriately.”
Critics say Japan’s justice system is too slow and is inhumane. Ghosn was banned from meeting with his wife while out on bail. Preparing for his trial has taken more than a year, and a date has not been set. He was detained, twice, for a total of 130 days before he was released on bail a second time.
Referring to human rights’ advocates descriptions of the Japanese legal system as “hostage justice,” Mori said, “We are aware of the criticisms.”
Ghosn, formerly chairman of Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi, was first arrested in November 2018. He is charged with under-reporting his future compensation and breach of trust in diverting Nissan money for his personal gain. He insists he is innocent.
Mori said each nation has its own judicial system and arrests are rarer in Japan than in other countries, suggesting arrests are made only when the authorities are fairly confident they have a case.
“Simple comparisons are misleading,” she said.
French authorities are also investigating Ghosn and the automakers. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Monday that he was surprised by Ghosn’s escape and wants a broader investigation into 11 million euros ($12.3 million) in questionable expenses under Ghosn’s watch at the Netherlands-based headquarters of the alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors.
Le Maire wouldn’t say where Ghosn should be prosecuted, but said that as Renault’s biggest single shareholder, the French government wants to ensure the struggling automaker prospers again.
“When you are an individual subject to laws, you don’t escape justice. And Carlos Ghosn is an individual like any other,” Le Maire said Monday on France-Inter radio. “He should answer before the justice system.”
Members of Ghosn’s legal team say they did not know about his escape plan. Takashi Takano, one of his lawyers, said he felt sad and betrayed that Ghosn didn’t try to prove his innocence in court. He also said he understood how Ghosn might have lost hope not only with the prosecutors but with the entire Japanese judicial system.
Yuichi Kaido, another of Ghosn’s lawyer, said he was troubled by public support for denying bail to all foreign suspects. He said in an online statement he feared Japan might react to international criticism of its legal system by becoming more insular and rigid in its views.
Ghosn’s bail has been revoked, and Interpol has issued a wanted notice. Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon, but Mori left open the possibility Japan could seek Ghosn’s return.
Such a return so far appears unlikely, and Japan’s options are limited.
Mori stressed that any retaliatory action, such as economic sanctions, must be decided on very carefully. She would not say if Japan has contacted the U.S. or France for help.
“It is indeed possible to ask for extradition of criminals based on the principle of reciprocity,” she said, replying to a question about Lebanon.
“But, upon doing that, we need to carefully study whether it is possible to guarantee this principle of reciprocity and their internal justice system.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-01-06--Fake news spreads online after Soleimani killing

While huge funeral processions for Qassem Soleimani get under way in Iran , fake news about his killing has been spreading online .
Soleimani , leader of Iran ’ s elite military unit the Quds Force , was killed by a United States-ordered air raid in Baghdad , Iraq , on January 3 .
Over the weekend , there were some misattributed videos and photos about the attack .
Here are two of them , and we 'll keep adding to this article as we see more appear .
This video was shared on Twitter , and retweeted more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted it claiming that it was a ‘ leaked ’ video of a missile hitting Iran .
In the video , filmed on a mobile phone out of the window of someone ’ s home , one can see bright spots in the sky and hear bangs , before a huge explosion as the missile hits earth .
The person holding the camera cries out and steps away from the window .
The Twitter account who posted the video , @ BonillaaxxMusic , tweeted again saying that `` projectiles '' had hit a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baghdad ’ s city centre on January 5 .
However , the fact-checking site HoaxEye found the same video posted on YouTube in November 2018 .
The YouTube video was posted by the account NEWSDZTECH .
Digging a little deeper and plugging the YouTube URL into Amnesty International ’ s DataViewer tool shows the video appearing several times in YouTube under different titles .
They all say that the video shows rockets raining down over Ashkelon , a city in southern Israel near Gaza , on November 12 , 2018 .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you find news articles about the rocket strikes over the city on that date , and many have embedded this video .
Yonat Friling , a producer for the right-wing American television channel Fox News , tweeted on January 3 a photo that allegedly showed graffiti scrawled on a wall in Tehran .
She said that the message in Persian read , `` Thank you Trump '' .
The message is praising US President Donald Trump ( it ’ s saying something like ‘ good job , Trump ’ , or ‘ well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not related to Friday ’ s air strike .
Images of the graffiti have been posted online before in a video , as far back as 2018 , by an account under the name of @ HeshmatAlavi – so it certainly didn ’ t appear after Trump ordered Friday ’ s assassination .
Friling has since apologised for sharing the photo and deleted her original tweet .

DEBUNKED
On the left, a photo of Iranian graffiti praising Trump; on the right, a rocket blast in Israel.
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While huge funeral processions for Qassem Soleimani get under way in Iran, fake news about his killing has been spreading online. Soleimani, leader of Iran’s elite military unit the Quds Force, was killed by a United States-ordered air raid in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 3. During the following weekend, there were some misattributed videos and photos about the attack. We'll keep adding to this article as we see more appear.
A video of a missile hitting a convoy?
Just a few hours after the American drone hit the convoy that was transporting Qassem Soleimani, this video started circulating online. A number of media outlets picked it up, from the New York Post, to the Daily Mail and The Mirror. On social media, a number of publications saying that the video showed the drone strike on Soleimani's convoy reached 700,000 views.
لحظة العدوان الامريكي الغاشم و اغتيال القائدين الشهيدين قاسم سليماني و ابو مهدي المهندس pic.twitter.com/vbBmAonbV5 قناة العهد (@AhadTv) 3 janvier 2020
The source is the same in all of these publications: Al Ahad TV, an Iraqi media owned by Asaïb Ahl al-Haq, a Shiite militia created by the Quds Force.
However, there are a lot of clues that this video can't show the attack on Solemani. If we compare it with photos of the wreckage published by journalists and media outlets in Baghdad, the attack happened here, near the Baghdad airport:
It's on a kind of motorway going in both directions, separated by a central reservation. There's a wall bordering the road, on the side that Soleimani's convoy was travelling on. There is also a row of palm trees and traffic signs a few metres from where the strike occurred, as we can see in the photo below:
This photo of the wreckage was published on CNN.
Here we've transposed the elements we identified in the photo above to this satellite photo.
We can clearly see that the location of the strike isn't anything like the background in the video: in the video, the explosion happens in a narrow space, we can see at least two walls and a row of parked cars, making it look more like a car park than a road. In the background, we can also see a few buildings, which aren't in the area where the attack took place.
The FRANCE 24 Observers team hasn't been able to find where the original video comes from - if you think you might have an idea, please get in touch via our Twitter account @InfoIntoxF24!
The missile hitting Iran
This video was shared on Twitter, and retweeted more than 400 times, with the account who posted it claiming that it was a ‘leaked’ video of a missile hitting Iran. In the video, filmed on a mobile phone out of the window of someone’s home, one can see bright spots in the sky and hear bangs, before a huge explosion as the missile hits earth. The person holding the camera cries out and steps away from the window.
The Twitter account who posted the video, @BonillaaxxMusic, tweeted again saying that "projectiles" had hit a military base in Al Balad and also Baghdad’s city centre on January 5.
However, the fact-checking site HoaxEye found the same video posted on YouTube in November 2018. The YouTube video was posted by the account NEWSDZTECH.
Digging a little deeper and plugging the YouTube URL into Amnesty International’s DataViewer tool shows the video appearing several times in YouTube under different titles. They all say that the video shows rockets raining down over Ashkelon, a city in southern Israel near Gaza, on November 12, 2018. If you type in "ashkelon rocket 2018" you find news articles about the rocket strikes over the city on that date, and many have embedded this video.
Pro-Trump graffiti
Yonat Friling, a producer for the right-wing American television channel Fox News, tweeted on January 3 a photo that allegedly showed graffiti scrawled on a wall in Tehran. She said that the message in Persian read, "Thank you Trump".
The message is praising US President Donald Trump (it’s saying something like ‘good job, Trump’, or ‘well done Trump’) – but it is not related to Friday’s air strike. Images of the graffiti have been posted online before in a video, as far back as 2018, by an account under the name of @HeshmatAlavi – so it certainly didn’t appear after Trump ordered Friday’s assassination.
Friling has since apologised for sharing the photo and deleted her original tweet.
I have deleted the tweet anout the graffiti in Tehran. It was sent to me by a person who claimed to be an Iranian Student and asked to be anonymous. I apologize. Thanks for the kind people who pointed out my mistake. Lesson learned. Yonat Friling (@Foxyonat) January 3, 2020
Another video of the air strike on Soleimani… this time, from a video game
Some people online shared images that allegedly showed a drone strike on the vehicles allegedly transporting Qassem Soleimani. This video was even shared by a TV channel in Turkey.
TV100'de yayınlanan ve Kasım Süleymani’nin vurulma anını gösterdiği iddia edilen görüntüler "AC-130 Gunship Simulator" isimli bir oyundan.
👉 https://t.co/lUI7N02b6s pic.twitter.com/DY2mStdyEY Teyit (@teyitorg) 6 janvier 2020
The FRANCE 24 Observers team video had already verified this video a few days before in a different context. The video actually comes from a mobile phone game [link in French].


france24--2020-01-06--Roadside bomb attack kills five Malian soldiers

A vehicle of the FAMA ( Mali Armed Forces ) patrols in the streets of Gao on July 24 , 2019 .
Five Malian soldiers were killed Monday in a roadside bomb attack , a government spokesperson said , in the latest violence to hit the West African country ’ s volatile central region .
The troops were travelling in the region of Alatona , near the border with Mauritania , when their convoy hit a homemade bomb and then came under fire .
Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military and civilian lives since .
More than 140 Malian soldiers died in jihadist attacks between September and December .
A Malian army refuelling truck that had left the town of Diabaly in the centre of the country hit the bomb early on Monday morning , said a non-commissioned officer who was sent in to reinforce the area .
Militants , who were travelling on motorbikes and in cars , also fired on the soldiers .
“ There were deaths on our side and on the side of the assailants , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told AFP .
“ The reinforcements came in time and we recovered our ( dead ) bodies and the wounded , ” the officer said , adding that he was unaware of the total number of victims .
Four vehicles were destroyed in the ambush , according to government spokesperson Yaya Sangare .
Despite some 4,500 French troops in the Sahel region , plus a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in Mali , the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
Hiding homemade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means of attack used by jihadists .
Otherwise known as improvised explosive devices , they kill and maim scores of victims every year in Mali .
The UN said in October that 110 civilians in Mali had died in roadside bomb attacks during the first six months of 2019 .

Five Malian soldiers were killed Monday in a roadside bomb attack, a government spokesperson said, in the latest violence to hit the West African country’s volatile central region.
A vehicle of the FAMA (Mali Armed Forces) patrols in the streets of Gao on July 24, 2019.
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The troops were travelling in the region of Alatona, near the border with Mauritania, when their convoy hit a homemade bomb and then came under fire.
Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.
More than 140 Malian soldiers died in jihadist attacks between September and December.
A Malian army refuelling truck that had left the town of Diabaly in the centre of the country hit the bomb early on Monday morning, said a non-commissioned officer who was sent in to reinforce the area.
Les #FAMa ont été victimes le 6 janvier 2020 d'une attaque terroriste à Alatona. une mission d'escorte administrative FAMa est tombée dans une embuscade avec emploi #EEI. Au cours de cette opération 05 FAMa ont trouvé la mort Les FAMa ont en outre enregistré 04 véhicules détruits pic.twitter.com/Trd6xYdLN6 — Forces Armées Maliennes (@FAMa_DIRPA) January 6, 2020
Militants, who were travelling on motorbikes and in cars, also fired on the soldiers.
“There were deaths on our side and on the side of the assailants,” the officer, who requested to remain anonymous, told AFP.
“The reinforcements came in time and we recovered our (dead) bodies and the wounded,” the officer said, adding that he was unaware of the total number of victims.
Four vehicles were destroyed in the ambush, according to government spokesperson Yaya Sangare.
Despite some 4,500 French troops in the Sahel region, plus a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in Mali, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Hiding homemade bombs under well-travelled roads is a frequent means of attack used by jihadists. Otherwise known as improvised explosive devices, they kill and maim scores of victims every year in Mali.
The UN said in October that 110 civilians in Mali had died in roadside bomb attacks during the first six months of 2019.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-06--Trump warns Iraq of sanctions 'like they've never seen before', Iran of 'major retaliation'

Iraq 's parliament called on Sunday for U.S. and other foreign troops to leave as a backlash grows against the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general , and President Donald Trump doubled down on threats to target Iranian cultural sites if Tehran retaliates .
Deepening a crisis that has heightened fears of a major Middle East conflagration , Iran said it was taking another step back from commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers .
Iran 's most prominent general , Qassem Soleimani , was killed on Friday in a U.S. drone strike on his convoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried U.S.-Iranian hostilities into uncharted waters .
An Iranian government minister denounced Trump as a `` terrorist in a suit '' after the U.S. president sent a series of Twitter posts on Saturday threatening to hit 52 Iranian sites , including targets important to Iranian culture , if Tehran attacks Americans or U.S. assets to avenge Soleimani 's death .
Talking to reporters aboard Air Force One on the way to Washington from Florida on Sunday evening , Trump stood by those comments .
`` They 're allowed to kill our people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our people .
They 're allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people .
And we 're not allowed to touch their cultural sites ?
It does n't work that way , '' he said .
Democratic critics of the Republican president have said Trump was reckless in authorizing the strike , and some said his comments about targeting cultural sites amounted to threats to commit war crimes .
Many asked why Soleimani , long seen as a threat by U.S. authorities , had to be killed now .
Trump also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if U.S. troops were required to leave the country , Iraq 's government would have to pay Washington for the cost of a `` very extraordinarily expensive '' air base there .
He said if Iraq asked U.S. forces to leave on an unfriendly basis , `` we will charge them sanctions like they 've never seen before ever .
It 'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame . ''
The Iraqi parliament passed a resolution calling for an end to all foreign troop presence , reflecting the fears of many in Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in another war between two bigger powers long at odds in Iraq and across the region .
While such resolutions are not binding on the government , this one is likely to be heeded : Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence as soon as possible .
Iran and the United States have been competing for clout in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein .
Before Trump 's comments to reporters , a State Department spokeswoman said the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal nature and impact of the resolution , and strongly urged Iraqi leaders to reconsider the importance of the two nations ' ongoing economic and security relationship .
Some 5,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq , most in an advisory role .
Abdul Mahdi said that despite the `` internal and external difficulties '' the country might face , canceling its request for help from U.S.-led coalition military forces `` remains best for Iraq on principle and practically . ''
He said he had been scheduled to meet Soleimani the day he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been due to deliver an Iranian response to a message from Saudi Arabia that Abdul Mahdi had earlier passed to Tehran .
Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran had been about to `` reach a breakthrough over the situation in Iraq and the region '' , Abdul Mahdi said .
Despite decades of U.S.-Iran enmity , Iranian-backed militia and U.S. troops fought side by side during Iraq 's 2014-17 war against Islamic State , their common enemy .
Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in Friday 's strike .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelmingly Shi'ite lawmakers , as the special session was boycotted by most Sunni Muslim and Kurdish lawmakers .
One Sunni member of parliament told Reuters both groups feared that kicking out U.S.-led forces would leave Iraq vulnerable to insurgents , undermine security and heighten the power of Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias .
The 'E3 ' group of countries comprising France , Britain and Germany called on Iran to refrain from any violent action and urged it to go back to respecting arrangements laid out in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight Islamic State and called on Iraqi authorities to continue to give the necessary support to the coalition .
It was Trump 's withdrawal of the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposition of sanctions on Iran that touched off a new spiral of tensions after a brief thaw following the accord .
On Sunday , Iran further distanced itself from the agreement , saying it would continue to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but would respect no limits to its uranium enrichment work .
That meant `` there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of enrichment and research and development and ... it will be based on Iran 's technical needs , '' state TV said , quoting a government statement .
It said the rollback of its nuclear commitments could be reversed if Washington lifted sanctions on Tehran .
As head of the Revolutionary Guards ' Quds Force , Soleimani masterminded Iran 's clandestine and military operations abroad , creating an arc of Shi'ite power with the help of proxy militias confronting the regional might of the United States , Israel and Saudi Arabia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ chanting , beating their chests and wailing in grief , turned out across Iran to show their respects after his body was returned to a hero 's welcome .

Iraq's parliament called on Sunday for U.S. and other foreign troops to leave as a backlash grows against the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general, and President Donald Trump doubled down on threats to target Iranian cultural sites if Tehran retaliates.
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Deepening a crisis that has heightened fears of a major Middle East conflagration, Iran said it was taking another step back from commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers.
Iran's most prominent general, Qassem Soleimani, was killed on Friday in a U.S. drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport, an attack that carried U.S.-Iranian hostilities into uncharted waters.
An Iranian government minister denounced Trump as a "terrorist in a suit" after the U.S. president sent a series of Twitter posts on Saturday threatening to hit 52 Iranian sites, including targets important to Iranian culture, if Tehran attacks Americans or U.S. assets to avenge Soleimani's death.
....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
Talking to reporters aboard Air Force One on the way to Washington from Florida on Sunday evening, Trump stood by those comments.
"They're allowed to kill our people. They're allowed to torture and maim our people. They're allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we're not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn't work that way," he said.
Democratic critics of the Republican president have said Trump was reckless in authorizing the strike, and some said his comments about targeting cultural sites amounted to threats to commit war crimes. Many asked why Soleimani, long seen as a threat by U.S. authorities, had to be killed now.
Republicans in Congress have generally backed Trump's move.
Trump also threatened sanctions against Iraq and said that if U.S. troops were required to leave the country, Iraq's government would have to pay Washington for the cost of a "very extraordinarily expensive" air base there.
He said if Iraq asked U.S. forces to leave on an unfriendly basis, "we will charge them sanctions like they've never seen before ever. It'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame."
The Iraqi parliament passed a resolution calling for an end to all foreign troop presence, reflecting the fears of many in Iraq that Friday's strike could engulf them in another war between two bigger powers long at odds in Iraq and across the region.
While such resolutions are not binding on the government, this one is likely to be heeded: Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence as soon as possible.
Iran and the United States have been competing for clout in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
Vote on foreign troops
Before Trump's comments to reporters, a State Department spokeswoman said the United States was waiting for clarification of the legal nature and impact of the resolution, and strongly urged Iraqi leaders to reconsider the importance of the two nations' ongoing economic and security relationship.
Some 5,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, most in an advisory role.
Abdul Mahdi said that despite the "internal and external difficulties" the country might face, canceling its request for help from U.S.-led coalition military forces "remains best for Iraq on principle and practically."
He said he had been scheduled to meet Soleimani the day he was killed, and that the general had been due to deliver an Iranian response to a message from Saudi Arabia that Abdul Mahdi had earlier passed to Tehran. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran had been about to "reach a breakthrough over the situation in Iraq and the region", Abdul Mahdi said.
Despite decades of U.S.-Iran enmity, Iranian-backed militia and U.S. troops fought side by side during Iraq's 2014-17 war against Islamic State, their common enemy. Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in Friday's strike.
Sunday's parliamentary resolution was passed by overwhelmingly Shi'ite lawmakers, as the special session was boycotted by most Sunni Muslim and Kurdish lawmakers.
One Sunni member of parliament told Reuters both groups feared that kicking out U.S.-led forces would leave Iraq vulnerable to insurgents, undermine security and heighten the power of Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias.
Nuclear deal
The 'E3' group of countries comprising France, Britain and Germany called on Iran to refrain from any violent action and urged it to go back to respecting arrangements laid out in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The three nations also reaffirmed their determination to fight Islamic State and called on Iraqi authorities to continue to give the necessary support to the coalition.
It was Trump's withdrawal of the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposition of sanctions on Iran that touched off a new spiral of tensions after a brief thaw following the accord.
On Sunday, Iran further distanced itself from the agreement, saying it would continue to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but would respect no limits to its uranium enrichment work.
That meant "there will be no limitations in enrichment capacity, level of enrichment and research and development and ... it will be based on Iran's technical needs," state TV said, quoting a government statement. It said the rollback of its nuclear commitments could be reversed if Washington lifted sanctions on Tehran.
As head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, Soleimani masterminded Iran's clandestine and military operations abroad, creating an arc of Shi'ite power with the help of proxy militias confronting the regional might of the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners, many chanting, beating their chests and wailing in grief, turned out across Iran to show their respects after his body was returned to a hero's welcome.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-07--Rockets fired at Iraqi airbase hosting American forces

Rockets have been fired at Iraq 's al Asad airbase , which hosts U.S. forces , a U.S. official told @ @ @ @ @ on condition of anonymity .
The official said there was no immediate information on any @ @ @ @ @ attack as tensions mount with Iran following a U.S. drone strike on Friday that killed @ @ @ @ @ .

Iran launched a missile attack on U.S.-led forces in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday in retaliation for the U.S. drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
What is said to be missiles are seen in the night sky, after Iran fired missiles on at least two Iraqi air bases hosting U.S.-led coalition forces, in this still image taken from a video shot at an unknown location on January 8, 2020.
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Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles from its territory against at least two Iraqi facilities hosting U.S.-led coalition personnel at about 1:30 a.m. (2230 GMT), the U.S. military said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet late on Tuesday that an assessment of casualties and damage from the strikes was under way and that he would make a statement on Wednesday morning.
"All is well!" Trump, who visited the al-Asad air base in December 2018, said in the Twitter post.
One source said early indications were of no U.S. casualties. Other U.S. officials declined to comment.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed they fired the missiles in retaliation for last week's killing of Qassem Soleimani, according to a statement on state TV.
The force advised the United States to withdraw its troops from the region to prevent more deaths and warned U.S. allies including Israel not to allow attacks from their territories.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement that the bases targeted were al-Asad air base and another facility in Erbil, Iraq.
"As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend U.S. personnel, partners, and allies in the region."
03:48
Hours earlier on Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the United States should anticipate retaliation from Iran over Friday's killing in Iraq of Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force.
"I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form," he told a news briefing at the Pentagon, adding that such retaliation could be through Iran-backed proxy groups outside of Iran or "by their own hand."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran "took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter", targeting the bases where the attack against its citizens and senior officials was launched.
"We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," he wrote in a post on Twitter.
If the U.S. military was indeed spared casualties, and Iran has completed its threatened retaliation for the U.S. drone strike on Soleimani, as Zarif suggested, there might be an opportunity for Washington and Tehran to seek an off-ramp to their increasingly violent confrontation.
Asian stock markets, which had been roiled by the attack, pared some of their losses after the tweets from Trump and Zarif. U.S. crude prices also retreated after surging almost 5% on worries any conflict could cut oil supplies.
'We will take revenge'
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it would ban U.S. carriers from operating in the airspace over Iraq, Iran, the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Singapore Airlines had already diverted all flight routes from Iranian airspace.
Democrats in the U.S. Congress and some of the party's presidential contenders warned about the escalating conflict.
"Closely monitoring the situation following bombings targeting U.S. troops in Iraq," U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Twitter. "We must ensure the safety of our service members, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence. America & world cannot afford war."
Soleimani, a pivotal figure in orchestrating Iran's long-standing campaign to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq, was also responsible for building up Tehran's network of proxy armies across the Middle East.
He was a national hero to many Iranians but viewed as a dangerous villain by Western governments opposed to Iran's arc of influence running across the Levant and into the Gulf region.
A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that Tehran was considering several scenarios to avenge Soleimani's death. Other senior figures have said the Islamic Republic would match the scale of the killing when it responds, but that it would choose the time and place.
"We will take revenge, a hard and definitive revenge," the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, told throngs who crowded the streets for Soleimani's funeral on Tuesday in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran.
Soleimani's burial went ahead after several hours of delay following a stampede that killed at least 56 people and injured more than 210, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.
Iran TV reported Soleimani was buried after the missile attacks. "His revenge was taken and now he can rest in peace," it said.
The missiles were launched on Wednesday at the same time that he was killed last on Friday.
Soleimani's body had been taken to holy Shi'ite Muslim cities in Iraq and Iran, as well as the Iranian capital, Tehran, before arriving to be buried in the city cemetery's "martyrs section", according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.
In each place, huge numbers of people filled thoroughfares, chanting: "Death to America" and weeping with emotion. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wept as he led prayers in Tehran.
Prompted by the strong public backlash over Soleimani's killing on Iraqi soil, lawmakers in Iraq voted on Sunday to demand a removal of all foreign forces from the country.
More than 5,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq along with other foreign forces as part of a coalition that has trained and backed up Iraqi security forces against the threat of Islamic State militants.
Some 115 German soldiers are stationed in Erbil and all are fine, a spokesman for Bundeswehr operations said.
A NATO official told Reuters it would move some of its several hundred trainers out of Iraq. Canada said on Tuesday some of its 500 Iraq-based forces would be temporarily moved to Kuwait for safety reasons.
U.S. officials have said Soleimani was killed because of solid intelligence indicating forces under his command planned attacks on U.S. targets in the region, although they have provided no evidence.
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said 13 "revenge scenarios" were being considered, Fars news agency reported. Even the weakest option would prove "a historic nightmare for the Americans", he said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-07--US insists it has no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team , 82nd Airborne Division , walk toward an awaiting aircraft prior to departing for the Middle East from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , U.S. January 5 , 2020 .
The United States has no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq , the White House and Pentagon insisted Tuesday , as Iraq premier Adel Abdel Mahdi said he had received a US letter signalling a pullout .
President Donald Trump said withdrawing the more than 5,000 US troops in Iraq would be the `` worst thing '' for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that US policy has not changed , dismissing as a mere `` draft '' the unsigned letter from a US general to Iraq 's government saying Washington would redeploy troops `` in due deference to the sovereignty '' of the country .
`` At some point we want to get out , but this is n't the right point , '' Trump said .
`` It 's the worst thing that could happen to Iraq . ''
`` Our policy has not changed .
We are not leaving Iraq , '' Esper told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter , to the best of my knowledge , '' Esper added .
Washington continued to defend itself from the fallout from its drone strike last Friday killing powerful Iranian General Qasem Soleimani just after he arrived in Baghdad from Damascus .
The killing of the key Iranian player in regional politics and security drew outrage from Iran and Soleimani 's many supporters in Iraq .
On Sunday the Iraqi parliament voted in support of expelling US troops , and the idea gained force Monday when the letter from the head of Task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , announcing a US exit was revealed .
Seely wrote the US-led coalition would `` be repositioning forces in the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement . ''
Trump and Esper strongly denied pullout plans , and Trump even suggested the letter could be a `` hoax . ''
But its existence continued to ripple through Iraqi and US politics , with no explanation of why it was circulated .
`` It was an official letter written in such a manner , '' Abdel Mahdi told a televised cabinet meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece of paper that fell off the printer or reached us by coincidence , '' he said .
The letter discussed `` redeploying with an aim to withdraw from the country .
The expressions were very clear , '' he said .
But Trump warned that a US departure would leave a gap that would be filled by Iran , whose powerful political influence in Iraq was spearheaded by Soleimani .
`` If we leave , that would mean that Iran would have a much bigger foothold , and the people of Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
That I can tell you , '' Trump told reporters .
`` The Iraqi people were not happy when the suggestion was made yesterday that we were thinking about leaving at some point , '' he said .
`` But at some point , we will want to leave . ''
US officials also defended the decision to kill Soleimani , who was a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in charge of Middle East regional affairs , and who was considered one of the most powerful people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pentagon continued to withhold details of the rationale for Friday 's drone strike , Esper said Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against US assets .
`` I think it 's more fair to say days , for sure , '' Esper said .
`` They were n't there to discuss a vacation .
They were n't there to go to a nice resort some place in Baghdad , '' Trump said of Soleimani and top Iraqi military figure Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , also killed in the strike .
`` They were there to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of lives by terminating his life . ''
Esper said he fully expected Tehran to retaliate , and cautioned that while the United States `` is not seeking a war with Iran , we are prepared to finish one . ''
`` We are seeking a diplomatic solution but first , this will require Iran to de-escalate , '' he said .
`` It will require the regime to come to the table with the goal of preventing further bloodshed . ''

The United States has no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq, the White House and Pentagon insisted Tuesday, as Iraq premier Adel Abdel Mahdi said he had received a US letter signalling a pullout.
US Army paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, walk toward an awaiting aircraft prior to departing for the Middle East from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States on January 5, 2020.
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President Donald Trump said withdrawing the more than 5,000 US troops in Iraq would be the "worst thing" for that country.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper underscored that US policy has not changed, dismissing as a mere "draft" the unsigned letter from a US general to Iraq's government saying Washington would redeploy troops "in due deference to the sovereignty" of the country.
"At some point we want to get out, but this isn't the right point," Trump said. "It's the worst thing that could happen to Iraq."
"Our policy has not changed. We are not leaving Iraq," Esper told reporters.
"There is no signed letter, to the best of my knowledge," Esper added.
Fallout from drone strike
Washington continued to defend itself from the fallout from its drone strike last Friday killing powerful Iranian General Qassem Soleimani just after he arrived in Baghdad from Damascus.
The killing of the key Iranian player in regional politics and security drew outrage from Iran and Soleimani's many supporters in Iraq.
On Sunday the Iraqi parliament voted in support of expelling US troops, and the idea gained force Monday when the letter from the head of Task Force-Iraq, US Brigadier General William Seely, announcing a US exit was revealed.
Seely wrote the US-led coalition would "be repositioning forces in the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement."
Trump and Esper strongly denied pullout plans, and Trump even suggested the letter could be a "hoax."
Mystery letter
But its existence continued to ripple through Iraqi and US politics, with no explanation of why it was circulated.
"It was an official letter written in such a manner," Abdel Mahdi told a televised cabinet meeting Tuesday.
"It's not a piece of paper that fell off the printer or reached us by coincidence," he said.
The letter discussed "redeploying with an aim to withdraw from the country. The expressions were very clear," he said.
But Trump warned that a US departure would leave a gap that would be filled by Iran, whose powerful political influence in Iraq was spearheaded by Soleimani.
"If we leave, that would mean that Iran would have a much bigger foothold, and the people of Iraq do not want to see Iran run the country. That I can tell you," Trump told reporters.
"The Iraqi people were not happy when the suggestion was made yesterday that we were thinking about leaving at some point," he said.
"But at some point, we will want to leave."
US officials also defended the decision to kill Soleimani, who was a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in charge of Middle East regional affairs, and who was considered one of the most powerful people in Iran.
While the White House and Pentagon continued to withhold details of the rationale for Friday's drone strike, Esper said Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against US assets.
"I think it's more fair to say days, for sure," Esper said.
US expects retaliation
"They weren't there to discuss a vacation. They weren't there to go to a nice resort some place in Baghdad," Trump said of Soleimani and top Iraqi military figure Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, also killed in the strike.
"They were there to discuss bad business, and we saved a lot of lives by terminating his life."
Esper said he fully expected Tehran to retaliate, and cautioned that while the United States "is not seeking a war with Iran, we are prepared to finish one."
"We are seeking a diplomatic solution but first, this will require Iran to de-escalate," he said.
"It will require the regime to come to the table with the goal of preventing further bloodshed."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-07--Carlos Ghosn's legal team accuses Nissan of 'perversion of truth’

Carlos Ghosn , President and Chief Executive Officer of Renault , attends the company 's annual shareholders meeting in La Defense business district , near Paris , April 29 , 2008 .
French carmaker Renault sticks to its target of a 2008 operating profit margin of 4.5 percent , despite a weaker dollar and pound and a faster than forecast rise in raw material prices , Ghosn told the annual general meeting .
Fugitive Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn 's legal team opened fire on Tuesday on Nissan Motor Co Ltd , , charging the automaker used a `` flawed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's arrest and stop him from more closely integrating Nissan and its French alliance partner Renault SA .
Ghosn 's legal team issued the statement hours ahead of his expected appearance at a press briefing in Lebanon , where he has taken refuge after a daring escape from Japan on Dec. 31 .
The one-time auto industry star has said he will fight to restore his reputation , tarnished by accusations of criminal misconduct and by Nissan 's struggles since his ouster .
Ghosn was awaiting trial in Japan on charges of financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo residence , crossed Japan on a bullet train and was smuggled onto charter jets that delivered him from Osaka to Lebanon via Istanbul .
Ghosn has said he fled a rigged Japanese justice system after authorities delayed his trial into 2021 .
In their statement , Ghosn 's lawyers said Nissan `` never once '' tried to interview the executive , or share with him evidence it had accumulated against him .
Turkish and Japanese authorities are investigating how Ghosn was smuggled out of Japan and through a Turkish airport on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` red notice '' seeking Ghosn 's arrest .
Japanese authorities on Monday issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn 's wife , Carole , for alleged perjury in connection with her husband 's financial dealings .
The statement from Ghosn 's legal team seeks to focus attention on his charge that he was the victim of a coup by Nissan executives who opposed giving up more authority to Renault .
Ghosn was arrested by Japanese police on Nov. 19 , 2018 .
Nissan said an internal investigation found that Ghosn had engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had under-reported his income in violation of Japanese law .
In their statement , Ghosn 's lawyers said Nissan 's claim of `` a robust , thorough internal investigation '' is a `` gross perversion of the truth . ''
Instead , the lawyers wrote , the investigation `` was initiated and carried out for the specific , predetermined purpose of taking down Carlos Ghosn to prevent him from further integrating Nissan and Renault , which threatened the independence of Nissan . ''
The former Nissan and Renault SA chairman has denied all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victim of `` backstabbing '' and `` conspiracy '' by Nissan executives who wanted to derail his efforts to merge the two automakers .
Ghosn 's legal team also accused Nissan of allowing Hari Nada , an executive `` whose own conduct was the subject of the investigation , '' to run the probe of Ghosn .
The statement also charged that Latham & Watkins , the law firm that assisted Nissan 's investigation , was not independent because it has long acted as outside counsel for the company .
Ghosn 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncover evidence that then-CEO Hiroto Saikawa had also benefited from improper compensation .
Saikawa resigned last year after admitting he had been overpaid in violation of internal procedures .

Fugitive former Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's legal team opened fire on Tuesday on Nissan Motor Co Ltd, charging the automaker used a "flawed, biased" internal investigation to engineer Ghosn's arrest and stop him from more closely integrating Nissan and its French alliance partner Renault SA.
In this file photo taken on November 08, 2018, then-Chairman and CEO of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Carlos Ghosn looks on during a visit of French President Emmanuel Macron at the Renault factory in Maubeuge, France.
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Ghosn is set to hold a highly anticipated press conference in Lebanon on Wednesday, the first by the fugitive car magnate since his Houdini-like escape from trial in Japan on December 31.
The globe-trotting mogul, once a giant of the car industry, has given few media statements since he jumped bail and landed in his native Lebanon almost two weeks ago, in the latest twist to a gripping saga.
The encounter with the media is scheduled for 3pm local time (2pm Paris time) at Lebanon’s press syndicate headquarters. A day in advance, journalists were already gathering outside the building.
A fight to restore reputation
The one-time auto industry star has said he will fight to restore his reputation, tarnished by accusations of criminal misconduct and by Nissan's struggles since his ouster.
Ghosn was awaiting trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct when he slipped away from his Tokyo residence, crossed Japan on a bullet train and was smuggled onto charter jets that delivered him from Osaka to Lebanon via Istanbul. Ghosn has said he fled a rigged Japanese justice system after authorities delayed his trial into 2021.
In their statement, Ghosn's lawyers said Nissan "never once" tried to interview the executive, or share with him evidence it had accumulated against him.
Turkish and Japanese authorities are investigating how Ghosn was smuggled out of Japan and through a Turkish airport on his way to Beirut. Interpol has issued a "red notice" seeking Ghosn's arrest.
'Victim of a coup'
Japanese authorities on Monday issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn's wife, Carole, for alleged perjury in connection with her husband's financial dealings.
The statement from Ghosn's legal team seeks to focus attention on his charge that he was the victim of a coup by Nissan executives who opposed giving up more authority to Renault.
Ghosn was arrested by Japanese police on Nov. 19, 2018. Nissan said an internal investigation found that Ghosn had engaged in personal use of company money and had under-reported his income in violation of Japanese law.
In their statement, Ghosn's lawyers said Nissan's claim of "a robust, thorough internal investigation" is a "gross perversion of the truth." Instead, the lawyers wrote, the investigation "was initiated and carried out for the specific, predetermined purpose of taking down Carlos Ghosn to prevent him from further integrating Nissan and Renault, which threatened the independence of Nissan."
The former Nissan and Renault SA chairman has denied all charges against him and said he was the victim of "backstabbing" and "conspiracy" by Nissan executives who wanted to derail his efforts to merge the two automakers.
Ghosn's legal team also accused Nissan of allowing Hari Nada, an executive "whose own conduct was the subject of the investigation," to run the probe of Ghosn. The statement also charged that Latham & Watkins, the law firm that assisted Nissan's investigation, was not independent because it has long acted as outside counsel for the company.
Ghosn's lawyers said Nissan's investigation failed to uncover evidence that then-CEO Hiroto Saikawa had also benefited from improper compensation. Saikawa resigned last year after admitting he had been overpaid in violation of internal procedures.
Watch Ghosn’s press conference live on FRANCE 24.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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