France marks 10 years since deadly Charlie Hebdo attacks

On January 7, 2015, 12 people were killed, including eight editorial staff members of Charlie Hebdo in the attack on the weekly newspaper by the Kouachi brothers, Frenchmen who had pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. (File/AFP)
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Updated 07 January 2025
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France marks 10 years since deadly Charlie Hebdo attacks

  • Macron joined police officers in laying wreaths of flowers against the wall of the former Charlie Hebdo headquarters in the 11th district
  • Germany “shares the pain of our French friends,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said

BERLIN/PARIS:PARIS: A decade after gunmen stormed the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in a deadly assault that shook France to its core and ignited a global outcry in defense of freedom of speech, the nation paused on Tuesday to honor the victims and renew its resolve to fight for liberty and democracy.
President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo led solemn tributes at the site of the attack, where 12 people, including some of France’s most beloved cartoonists, were killed on January 7, 2015. Among those remembered was Ahmed Merabet, a police officer who was gunned down on the street while defending the newspaper.
In a poignant ceremony, Macron stood with his wife, Brigitte, alongside former President François Hollande, who had steered France through the aftermath of the attacks. Macron joined police officers in laying wreaths of flowers against the wall of the former Charlie Hebdo headquarters in the 11th district and the gathering observed a minute of silence. A lone trumpet played, resonating through a neighborhood scarred by that day’s bloodshed and later by the Bataclan massacre in November of the same year.
The attacks plunged France into a year of unparalleled terror, beginning with the Charlie Hebdo assault and culminating in the coordinated November attacks, including the Bataclan tragedy. The nation was left grieving, yet public gatherings became acts of resilience, defying fear and standing firm against violence.
The massacre at Charlie Hebdo, carried out by two brothers claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda, signaled the dawn of a dark new chapter for France. A wave of extremist violence forced the country to reexamine its security measures. In the days following the attack, then German Chancellor Angela Merkel marched arm in arm with Hollande and other world leaders through the streets of Paris — a powerful display of unity in defense of freedom of expression that reverberated far beyond French borders.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, speaking on RTL Tuesday, acknowledged how far France has come. while warning of the persistent dangers. “France has rearmed considerably, but the threat is still there,” he said, pointing to both external dangers and the rise of homegrown radicalization.
“The nature of the threat has changed,” Retailleau added. “It is now primarily endogenous — young individuals radicalized through social media. Last year alone, our services foiled nine attacks, the highest number since 2017.”
The attacks’ impact continued to extend beyond France itself. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shared a message of solidarity on social media, writing, “#JeSuisCharlie spread around the world after the barbaric attack on Charlie Hebdo 10 years ago. Today, as then, we share the grief of our French friends. The attack targeted our shared values of freedom and democracy— we will never accept this.”
The attack on Charlie Hebdo, carried out in retaliation for the newspaper’s irreverent caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, ignited fierce global debates about the limits of free expression. In the days that followed, millions marched in solidarity, brandishing pens and signs declaring, Je Suis Charlie (I am Charlie).
But 10 years on, the unity of that moment has given way to deeper divisions. Charlie Hebdo said its research shows that while a majority of French still believe in the fundamental right to caricature, younger generations increasingly criticize satire they see as divisive or insensitive, particularly toward marginalized communities.
“Are we all still Charlie?” one television special asked. For some, the answer is a resounding yes — a tribute to those who paid the ultimate price for freedom of expression. For others, French media say, it’s a more complicated question.
The newspaper remains unapologetic. Its 10th-anniversary edition features a cover cartoon of a reader perched on an AK-47, captioned “Indestructible.” In an editorial, the magazine’s director, Laurent Sourisseau, known as “Riss,” defended the power of satire. “If you want to laugh, it means you want to live,” he wrote.

Germany “shares the pain of our French friends,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday on the 10th anniversary of a deadly attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that claimed 12 lives.
The “barbaric attack... targeted our common values of liberty and democracy — which we will never accept,” Scholz said in a post in French on X.
 


Italy sees surge in migrant crossings despite PM’s tough stance

Updated 5 sec ago
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Italy sees surge in migrant crossings despite PM’s tough stance

  • Country sees 40% rise driven by Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, despite numbers elsewhere in Europe dropping 
  • Italy struck deals last year with authorities in Libya, Tunisia to halt Mediterranean crossings

London: Italy has experienced a sharp rise in the number of migrants arriving illegally this year, damaging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s reputation for being tough on migration, The Times reported.

While Europe broadly has seen numbers of migrants decline, Italy saw an increase of 40 percent despite Meloni’s government striking deals last year with authorities in Libya and Tunisia to halt Mediterranean crossings, which initially led to a 58 percent drop.

The number of migrants reaching Italy so far this year is 8,232, up from 5,912 in the same period in 2024.

The increase has been driven by a 68 percent rise from Libya, facilitated by hundreds of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis arriving in the North African country to make the journey to Europe.

So far this year, 3,195 Bangladeshis and 1,247 Pakistanis have crossed into Europe, with more than half traveling to Italy.

Frontex, the EU’s border force, said labor deals between Libya and Bangladesh were making the journey easier for migrants.

It added that overall, there had been a drop in people reaching Europe of around 25 percent, including to Greece, Spain and the Balkans. The total number to reach Europe so far this year stands at around 25,000. The number of crossings from France to the UK, meanwhile, is down 28 percent.

Frontex said traffickers are using faster boats with more engines to avoid the Italian Coast Guard, with migrants paying up to €8,000 ($8,737) for the crossing.

“Smugglers are using them to get people quickly out of Libyan waters, avoiding patrols in the early stages,” a Frontex spokesman said.

“In January alone, nearly 30 of these types of boats carrying nearly 1,500 people were detected.” 


Ghosts of fast fashion: Has colonialism ruined Bangladesh’s luxury fabric trade?

Updated 57 min 50 sec ago
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Ghosts of fast fashion: Has colonialism ruined Bangladesh’s luxury fabric trade?

  • Dhaka was the global center of muslin and fine handloom weaving until British colonial rule
  • Top model and designer Bibi Russell spearheads a movement to revive Bangladeshi textile art

DHAKA: Now a hub of cheap, mass-produced clothing for global brands, Bangladesh was for centuries known as the opposite — a center of coveted luxury textiles. The European appeal of these fine fabrics in the late 18th century marked the beginning of the industry’s decline, ultimately leading to its eventual erasure.

Historically, eastern Bengal — now Bangladesh — was renowned for its master weavers of silk and cotton textiles and particularly for muslin, a lightweight fabric crafted from extremely fine handspun yarns.

Dhaka became the center of muslin weaving in the early 17th century when the fabric became popular on the Indian subcontinent under the Mughal Empire. It dominated the global market for 200 years.

“Dhaka muslin was a symbol of tradition and royal nobility in this land. It was celebrated for its magnificent design and exceptional craftsmanship, earning worldwide acclaim. So fine was its weaving that an entire muslin sari could easily pass through a finger ring,” said Mohammad Ayub Ali, head of the muslin revival project at the Bangladesh Handloom Board, which works to preserve classical Bengali weaving techniques.

“Traders from various European countries, including England, the Netherlands, Portugal and Greece, were actively engaged in the muslin trade.”

This flourishing market was, however, soon overshadowed by colonial influence. Bengal’s textile industry began to wither after the British East India Company conquered the region in the mid-18th century, took control of the industry and exploited it beyond its limits.

In his 1772 work “Considerations on India Affairs,” merchant William Bolts of the British East India Company describes weavers being forcibly taken from their workplaces to produce textiles at English factories. Some resorted to self-mutilation — cutting of their own thumbs — in a desperate attempt to escape forced labor.

Another devastating blow to the native industry came with the tariffs imposed by the British colonial rulers, as England entered the Industrial Revolution and itself began mass-producing fabrics.

“The British rulers suppressed our local cotton producers and muslin weavers to create a favorable market for (their) textiles. Cheap textiles started to pour into our markets ... In the middle of the 19th century, muslin production in Dhaka was completely stopped,” Ali said.

“We were forced to import British clothes ... We once had 100 percent local input in cotton production, weaving and the expertise required to create world-class garments. But now, we only produce ready-made clothing as tailors.”

Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of ready-made garments in the world, after China, producing large volumes quickly and cheaply. Around 4 million people are employed in factories, where unsafe working conditions, frequent deadly accidents and monthly wages that rarely exceed $120 regularly make headlines in both local and international press.

There is a direct link between the exploitative sector and colonial legacy.

“The colonizers systematically dismantled our thriving artisan economy ... The destruction of that heritage was not just about economics; it was about erasing a culture of excellence and self-reliance,” top Bangladeshi model and celebrated designer Bibi Russell, renowned for her efforts to revive her homeland’s textile art, told Arab News.

“While Bangladesh has become one of the largest exporters of ready-made garments in the world, we must ask ourselves at what cost. The fast fashion industry has created millions of jobs, but it has also perpetuated a system where workers are often undervalued, artisans are sidelined, and our natural resources are exploited. In many ways, it reflects a continuation of the exploitative systems of the past, where the value of human skill and creativity is sacrificed for profit.”

Bibi Russell speaks to Bangladeshi TV in December 2024. (Bibi Russell)

Russell is an advocate of the growing defashion movement, which calls for a shift away from the disposable culture of fast fashion — including its overconsumption, environmental degradation and the exploitation of workers in countries where labor laws and wages are poor.

She believes such a change is possible as the world is waking up and the global fashion landscape is changing, with consumers becoming more conscious of sustainability and ethical practices.

“Bangladesh has an incredible opportunity to lead this change ... Our history shows that we are resilient, and I see an opportunity to reclaim our legacy as a hub of quality and innovation, not just quantity,” she said.

“By investing in our craftspeople and celebrating their work, we can create an industry that uplifts rather than exploits, honors rather than erases ... This is our moment to rewrite the narrative — not as victims of a colonial legacy, but as innovators and creators.”


Thailand says assured of Uyghurs’ safety after US visa bans

Updated 15 March 2025
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Thailand says assured of Uyghurs’ safety after US visa bans

  • Thailand on Saturday responded to a United States visa ban on officials from the kingdom involved in deporting dozens of Uyghurs back to China, saying it had “received assurances” of their safety

BANGKOK: Thailand on Saturday responded to a United States visa ban on officials from the kingdom involved in deporting dozens of Uyghurs back to China, saying it had “received assurances” of their safety.
The Thai government has suffered intense criticism from around the world for its decision to hand over at least 40 Uyghurs, who were flown by special plane to China’s northwestern Xinjiang region in late February.
The Uyghurs had spent years languishing in Thai detention facilities after fleeing China more than a decade ago.
On Friday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on an unspecified number of former or current officials from Thailand involved in the deportation.
Thailand’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Saturday it noted the US decision adding it had “received assurances from the Government of China concerning the safety of the Uyghurs.”
It said Thailand “will continue to follow up on the well-being of this group.”
Thailand is the oldest US ally in Asia but maintains friendly relations with Beijing.
“Thailand has always and will continue to value the long-standing and close treaty alliance with the United States,” the statement said.
The United States accuses China of genocide over its mass camps for Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim minority in the northwestern Xinjiang region.
China rejects the accusations and says it is providing vocational education to improve Uyghurs’ future.


Ukraine says shot down 130 Russian drones launched overnight

Updated 15 March 2025
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Ukraine says shot down 130 Russian drones launched overnight

KYIV: Ukraine said Saturday it had downed 130 Russian-launched drones across the country at night, as international efforts to end the three-year war intensify.
Kyiv’s air force said the Iranian-made Shahed drones were downed over 14 regions and that Moscow had also attacked with two ballistic missiles.


Musk says Starship to depart for Mars at end of 2026

Updated 15 March 2025
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Musk says Starship to depart for Mars at end of 2026

Washington: SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Saturday its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard, adding that human landings could follow “as soon as 2029.”
“Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely,” Musk said on his X social network.
Starship — the world’s largest and most powerful rocket — is key to Musk’s long-term vision of colonizing Mars.
NASA is also awaiting a modified version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.
But before SpaceX can carry out those missions, it must prove the vehicle is reliable, safe for crew, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling — critical for deep space missions.
SpaceX faced a setback this month when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ended in a fiery explosion, even as the booster was successfully caught in its orbital test.
It was a near replay of the previous attempt.
Minutes after liftoff and booster separation, a live video feed showed the upper stage tumbling uncontrollably before the signal abruptly cut.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said SpaceX will be required to conduct an investigation before it can fly again.