france24--2020-06-25--Ads for dangerous, unregulated lip injections flood Instagram and Snapchat

Some people advertising injections online falsely claim to be medical doctors ( screengrab # 1 ) , while others say they are “ certified technicians ” ( screengrabs # 2 and # 3 ) without giving any more details .
This excerpt from an Instagram story shows a woman doing an injection with a needle .
This woman is using a Hyaluron Pen .
No questions about a patient ’ s medical history before the injections This beautician is advertising injections using a Hyaluron Pen .
Unknown origins for the products being injected These practices are problematic for a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people who advertise these injections on Instagram often remain vague about their qualifications .
They describe themselves as “ professionals ” , “ practitioners ” or “ certified technicians ” without giving any specifics.Some of the people advertising their services go even further and actually falsely claim to be medical doctors .
However , our team searched the directory of certified doctors via the French Medical Board and didn ’ t find their names .
These false claims are a crime , punishable by prison time and a 15,000 euro fine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors are allowed to inject hyaluronic acid under a patient ’ s skin , according to several doctors who spoke to our team , including experts from the Paris Court of Appeals.If you aren ’ t a doctor and inject this product anyway , then you could face two years in prison and a 30,000 euro fine for illegal medical practice , according to the French criminal code Some practitioners seem to think that they can do these treatments legally using a device called a Hyaluron Pen .
Instead of a needle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the product at 800 km/hr through a tiny hole and under the skin .
The doctors who spoke to our team , however , said that this practice is still illegal -- whether you use a needle or not.Our team spoke to Dermaglow France , a salon that offers this treatment .
`` This technique is legal , but doctors don ’ t like it because they spent 12 years in school to learn how to do [ something like ] that and , after a day of training , we can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , if you look online , you ’ ll find a number of training courses for using the Hyaluron Pen advertised .
Most of them last about a day.Whatever the law says , these practitioners clearly don ’ t have the same knowledge and skills as doctors , which is evident in their practices .
Our investigation revealed that very few ask clients their age or medical history before doing an injection.But asking a client about their medical history is extremely important , according to David Modiano , who practices cosmetic medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if someone has an auto-immune disorder , then we don ’ t do an injection.
” With less training , these practitioners are also more likely to botch the treatment .
`` If the injected substance migrates towards an artery , it could block it , resulting in necrosis [ Editor ’ s note : dead tissue ] .
This , in turn , could lead to blindness .
There is also risk of infection if , for example , the person ’ s skin hasn ’ t been properly disinfected or if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out hasn ’ t been properly sanitized , ” says Sameh Bougossi , who practices cosmetic medicine in Paris.There are also lots of risks associated with the Hyaluron Pen .
`` Because the Pen uses compressed air to inject the product , it is very traumatic for the skin and the product can easily migrate towards an artery .
With a needle , however , you can inject the product slowly , ” says Dr Modiano.Dr Bougossi says there is an important procedure to follow when using these products .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has two labels on it that indicate the lot number , the expiration date and the quantity .
I keep one of those labels and give the other one to the patient.
” Without that label , clients won ’ t actually know what product was injected in them.Dr Bougossi thinks that the small lumps that appeared on the lips of Sheyma might be the result of a “ poor quality product.
” “ I spoke to a blogger whose lips were injected with paraffin oil , ” she said.Dr .
Modiano has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , I saw a patient with fibrosis [ Editor ’ s note : formation of fibrous tissues , or scarring ] .
Her lips had been injected with calcium hydroxyapatite , even though this product shouldn ’ t be used for lips .
How do you know if these technicians are using products that meet health and safety standards ?
” The final major issue is that most of these untrained practitioners are unable to manage potential complications caused by the injections .
`` [ Doctors ] , we know how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs of a problem , ” Dr Modiano said .
He says he and his fellow doctors are concerned about how often they see patients who ’ ve had botched treatments.According to the `` Fake Injectors `` Instagram account , most of these practitioners ignore clients who re-contact them about a problem.According to the medical experts who spoke to our team , these practitioners were likely be charged with a crime if a customer filed a complaint about complications.The person running the `` Fake Injectors `` Instagram account started speaking out against these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Safety of Health Products

FRANCE
Some beauticians have been posting advertisements for lip injections on Instagram. This practice is actually illegal.
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People claiming to be trained professionals have been advertising lip injections on social media alongside photos showing how they can make your lips “more luscious”. Ads for this cheap procedure have attracted large numbers of clients, many of them extremely young, who aspire to certain standards of beauty. But many of these customers don’t consider the danger, or the illegality, of these procedures, which are being done all over France.
Most of these ads are for hyaluronic acid injections, which can be done with a syringe or a special, needle-less device. This acid, which is naturally present in the human body, is also synthetically produced as a dermal filler, adding volume to various parts of your face (cheeks, lips, under your eyes). It’s considered an “invasive medical device” when it is injected.
This screengrab shows an Instagram story advertising hyaluronic acid injections.
This Instagram account advertises hyaluronic acid injections.
"It was like she was butchering me for 15 to 20 minutes"
Twenty-six-year-old Sheyma (not her real name) got a lip injection at beauty salon called Beauty Bar Time in Villeurbanne, France in November 2019.
I contacted the beauty salon on SnapChat and they told me to make an appointment on Planity [Editor’s note: a website where you can make appointments online with different salons]. I had already had lip injections done once at a clinic but I decided to go to Beauty Bar Time because it was much cheaper. There, a 1 ml injection cost 180 euros, whereas the same treatment cost 300 euros in a clinic. When I got to the building where Beauty Bar Time was located, I didn’t see any kind of sign so I had to call them to get in. The beauty salon was in an apartment. The living room was set up as the reception. In the back, there was a kind of bedroom with a few different beds so they could treat multiple clients at once. There were three women working there. The one named Cookie was in charge of the lip injections. She said she was “certified”, but I didn’t ask any questions. The two other women were doing skincare treatments, eyelashes. "She didn’t ask me how old I was or if I had any medical problems” Cookie didn’t ask me how old I was or if I had any medical problems. She put on gloves and she used a needle to inject my lips. I didn’t ask her what product she was using because I thought it was hyaluronic acid. It felt like she was butchering me, jabbing me all over. In total, it was about 15 or 20 minutes of suffering, even though it didn’t hurt at all when I went to the clinic. At the end, she took a video of my lips at a good angle so that she could post it on SnapChat. You could only pay in cash or by Paypal. "Little lumps appeared” I had bruises on my lips for the next 15 days. When I did the procedure at the clinic, the bruises only lasted for five days. After the 15 days, little brown marks and small lumps appeared on my upper lip. I waited to see if they’d go away, but they never did.
These are Sheyma’s lips, more than six months after she got an injection from "Beauty Bar Time".
I re-contacted Beauty Bar Time on Instagram on May 29 to tell them about the complications that I had experienced. I also asked for a reimbursement and told them that I was going to file a complaint and give them bad publicity. They never responded and, instead, blocked me so I can’t send them any more messages. In the end, I got an appointment with a surgeon to get everything removed [Editor’s note: An enzyme, hyaluronidase, can be used to dissolve hyaluronic acid, if that happens to be the product that was injected.] I asked the surgeon to write a statement that I could use when filing a complaint.
Stories like this are incredibly common. Many have been shared on the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account, which tries to raise awareness about the dangers of getting an injection from someone who is untrained and doesn’t have the proper authorization to administer that kind of treatment.
This young teenager also had complications after getting a lip injection at Beauty Bar Time. Her story was shared on the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account.
Our team tried to contact Beauty Bar Time using the WhatsApp number listed on Planity, but we didn’t get a response.
This image, taken in early June, shows the Beauty Bar Time Instagram account.
Why these practices are so problematic...
These practices are problematic for a number of reasons. First of all, the people who advertise these injections on Instagram often remain vague about their qualifications. They describe themselves as “professionals”, “practitioners” or “certified technicians” without giving any specifics.
Claiming to be medical doctors
Some of the people advertising their services go even further and actually falsely claim to be medical doctors. However, our team searched the directory of certified doctors via the French Medical Board and didn’t find their names. These false claims are a crime, punishable by prison time and a 15,000 euro fine, under French law.
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Some people advertising injections online falsely claim to be medical doctors (screengrab #1), while others say they are “certified technicians” (screengrabs #2 and #3) without giving any more details.
Illegal medical practice
In France, only doctors are allowed to inject hyaluronic acid under a patient’s skin, according to several doctors who spoke to our team, including experts from the Paris Court of Appeals.
If you aren’t a doctor and inject this product anyway, then you could face two years in prison and a 30,000 euro fine for illegal medical practice, according to the French criminal code.
This excerpt from an Instagram story shows a woman doing an injection with a needle.
Some practitioners seem to think that they can do these treatments legally using a device called a Hyaluron Pen. Instead of a needle, the Pen uses compressed air to propel the product at 800 km/hr through a tiny hole and under the skin. The doctors who spoke to our team, however, said that this practice is still illegal-- whether you use a needle or not.
Our team spoke to Dermaglow France, a salon that offers this treatment.
"This technique is legal, but doctors don’t like it because they spent 12 years in school to learn how to do [something like] that and, after a day of training, we can do an injection without a needle.”
In fact, if you look online, you’ll find a number of training courses for using the Hyaluron Pen advertised. Most of them last about a day.
This woman is using a Hyaluron Pen.
No questions about a patient’s medical history before the injections
Whatever the law says, these practitioners clearly don’t have the same knowledge and skills as doctors, which is evident in their practices. Our investigation revealed that very few ask clients their age or medical history before doing an injection.
But asking a client about their medical history is extremely important, according to David Modiano, who practices cosmetic medicine in Paris: “For example, if someone has an auto-immune disorder, then we don’t do an injection.”
{{ scope.counterText }} {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }} {{ scope.counterText }} i {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }}
This screengrab shows a survey carried out by the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account, which shows that very few practitioners ask their clients questions before doing the injection.
Botched treatments put clients’ health at risk
With less training, these practitioners are also more likely to botch the treatment.
"If the injected substance migrates towards an artery, it could block it, resulting in necrosis [Editor’s note: dead tissue]. This, in turn, could lead to blindness. There is also risk of infection if, for example, the person’s skin hasn’t been properly disinfected or if the room where the procedure is being carried out hasn’t been properly sanitized,” says Sameh Bougossi, who practices cosmetic medicine in Paris.
There are also lots of risks associated with the Hyaluron Pen.
"Because the Pen uses compressed air to inject the product, it is very traumatic for the skin and the product can easily migrate towards an artery. With a needle, however, you can inject the product slowly,” says Dr Modiano.
This beautician is advertising injections using a Hyaluron Pen.
Unknown origins for the products being injected
Dr Bougossi says there is an important procedure to follow when using these products.
"The box containing the product that we inject has two labels on it that indicate the lot number, the expiration date and the quantity. I keep one of those labels and give the other one to the patient.”
Without that label, clients won’t actually know what product was injected in them.
Dr Bougossi thinks that the small lumps that appeared on the lips of Sheyma might be the result of a “poor quality product.”
“I spoke to a blogger whose lips were injected with paraffin oil,” she said.
Dr. Modiano has seen similar cases.
"The other day, I saw a patient with fibrosis [Editor’s note: formation of fibrous tissues, or scarring]. Her lips had been injected with calcium hydroxyapatite, even though this product shouldn’t be used for lips. How do you know if these technicians are using products that meet health and safety standards?”
"The most common complications that people experience after getting injected by an uncertified technician are hard lumps forming on their lips,” reports the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account.
This photo shows the blogger mentioned by Dr Bougossi. She suffered a botched lip injection in a beauty salon. Her Instagram story was shared by the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account.
Complaints met with silence
The final major issue is that most of these untrained practitioners are unable to manage potential complications caused by the injections.
"[Doctors], we know how to manage complications. We can recognize clinical signs of a problem,” Dr Modiano said. He says he and his fellow doctors are concerned about how often they see patients who’ve had botched treatments.
According to the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account, most of these practitioners ignore clients who re-contact them about a problem.
According to the medical experts who spoke to our team, these practitioners were likely be charged with a crime if a customer filed a complaint about complications.
The person running the "Fake Injectors" Instagram account started speaking out against these practices, alongside the French Agency for the Safety of Health Products.
Article by Chloé Lauvergnier.


france24--2020-06-25--EU regulator recommends approving remdesivir as first Covid-19 treatment

The European healthcare regulator has recommended the conditional approval of Gilead Sciences Inc 's antiviral treatment remdesivir for use in Covid-19 patients , making it the first treatment to be on track to be green-lit in the continent .
The European Medicines Agency ( EMA ) said on Thursday its human medicines committee ( CHMP ) recommended the drug 's use in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with pneumonia who require oxygen support .
`` Remdesivir is the first medicine against Covid-19 to be recommended for authorisation in the EU , '' the agency said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the European Commission .
The price of the drug in the region is not yet known .
In the United States , it could be priced up to $ 5,080 ( €4,532 ) per course , while Indian generic drugmakers will sell the treatment between 5,000 rupees to 6,000 rupees ( €59-€71 ) .
The EMA endorsement , which comes just weeks after a speedy review , means physicians can prescribe the Gilead drug , to be branded Veklury , in Europe once approved by the European Commission , which usually follows CHMP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorisation allows a treatment to be sold for a year in the 27-nation trading bloc before all necessary data on its efficacy and side-effects are available .
Gilead has to submit final data by December .
Demand for the drug soared after it became a front-runner following promise in trials .
Research published in the leading journal the New England Journal of Medicine in May showed that injections of remdesivir – which was originally intended as treatment against Ebola – speeded patient recovery compared with a placebo .
Gilead expects supply of remdesivir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end , double its previous target , and is planning to begin testing of an easier-to-use inhaled version of the drug , given intravenously as of now .
Remdesivir has already been approved for emergency use in severely-ill patients in the United States , India and South Korea , and has received full approval in Japan .

The European healthcare regulator has recommended the conditional approval of Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral treatment remdesivir for use in Covid-19 patients, making it the first treatment to be on track to be green-lit in the continent.
Advertising Read more
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday its human medicines committee (CHMP) recommended the drug's use in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with pneumonia who require oxygen support.
"Remdesivir is the first medicine against Covid-19 to be recommended for authorisation in the EU," the agency said, adding that the recommendation still needs approval from the European Commission.
The price of the drug in the region is not yet known. In the United States, it could be priced up to $5,080 (€4,532) per course, while Indian generic drugmakers will sell the treatment between 5,000 rupees to 6,000 rupees (€59-€71).
The EMA endorsement, which comes just weeks after a speedy review, means physicians can prescribe the Gilead drug, to be branded Veklury, in Europe once approved by the European Commission, which usually follows CHMP recommendations.
The EU's conditional marketing authorisation allows a treatment to be sold for a year in the 27-nation trading bloc before all necessary data on its efficacy and side-effects are available. Gilead has to submit final data by December.
Demand for the drug soared after it became a front-runner following promise in trials.
Research published in the leading journal the New England Journal of Medicine in May showed that injections of remdesivir – which was originally intended as treatment against Ebola – speeded patient recovery compared with a placebo.
Gilead expects supply of remdesivir to exceed two million courses by year end, double its previous target, and is planning to begin testing of an easier-to-use inhaled version of the drug, given intravenously as of now.
Remdesivir has already been approved for emergency use in severely-ill patients in the United States, India and South Korea, and has received full approval in Japan.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--DR Congo declares end to Ebola epidemic in the east of the country

Ebola workers in eastern DR Congo bore the brunt of militia attacks that hampered efforts to roll back the disease .
DR Congo ’ s government on Thursday officially declared an end to an Ebola epidemic that broke out in the east of the troubled country in August 2018 and went on to claim 2,277 lives .
The outbreak was “ the longest , most complex and deadliest ” in the 60-year history of the Democratic Republic of Congo , Health Minister Eteni Longondo said .
It has only been surpassed by the 2013-16 Ebola epidemic in West Africa that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the epidemic in the east waned , a new outbreak – the DRC ’ s 11th since Ebola was identified in 1976 – was announced in the country ’ s northwest .
For an outbreak to be officially over , there have to be no new cases reported for 42 days , which is double the incubation period of the deadly haemorrhagic microbe .
The eastern outbreak was just three days from reaching the finishing line in April when a new case was reported .
Further cases meant that the clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization ( WHO ) reacted with joy to Thursday ’ s announcement .
“ # Ebola outbreak in # DRC is OVER !
WHO congratulates all those involved in this tough and often dangerous work to end the almost 2-year long outbreak , ” it said on Twitter .
The epidemic in the east was declared by the WHO in July 2019 to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern – a move that steps up international support – given the epicentre ’ s close proximity to neighbouring Rwanda and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kivu , a province battered by militia killings and ethnic violence .
Eleven workers and patients were killed , the UN said .
Two experimental vaccines were brought in to help roll back the disease .
More than 320,000 people received the jab .
The Ebola virus is passed on by contact with the blood , body fluids , secretions or organs of an infected or recently deceased person .
It has a natural reservoir in nature , which is believed to be a species of bat .
The death rate is typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some outbreaks , according to the WHO .
The northwest ’ s outbreak , about a thousand kilometres ( 600 miles ) away from the one in the east , is focused on Mbandaka , a transport hub on the Congo River in the province of Equateur .
It has claimed 13 lives out of 24 cases , according to the WHO .
Equateur was previously hit by Ebola between May and July 2018 .
Thirty-three people died .

DR Congo’s government on Thursday officially declared an end to an Ebola epidemic that broke out in the east of the troubled country in August 2018 and went on to claim 2,277 lives.
Ebola workers in eastern DR Congo bore the brunt of militia attacks that hampered efforts to roll back the disease.
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The outbreak was “the longest, most complex and deadliest” in the 60-year history of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Health Minister Eteni Longondo said.
It has only been surpassed by the 2013-16 Ebola epidemic in West Africa that killed 11,300 people.
On June 1, as the epidemic in the east waned, a new outbreak – the DRC’s 11th since Ebola was identified in 1976 – was announced in the country’s northwest.
For an outbreak to be officially over, there have to be no new cases reported for 42 days, which is double the incubation period of the deadly haemorrhagic microbe.
The eastern outbreak was just three days from reaching the finishing line in April when a new case was reported. Further cases meant that the clock was restarted on May 14.
Good news🇨🇩🥳 The 2018 – 2020 #Ebola outbreak in Northeastern #DRC is now over!
There are thousands of stories of personal sacrifice, kindness & bravery behind the response.
Here are just a few👉🏿https://t.co/WBCFRFy7pM pic.twitter.com/u6dNwGOTBx — WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) June 25, 2020
The World Health Organization (WHO) reacted with joy to Thursday’s announcement.
“#Ebola outbreak in #DRC is OVER! WHO congratulates all those involved in this tough and often dangerous work to end the almost 2-year long outbreak,” it said on Twitter.
The epidemic in the east was declared by the WHO in July 2019 to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern – a move that steps up international support – given the epicentre’s close proximity to neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda.
‘Chronic insecurity’
The worst-hit area was North Kivu, a province battered by militia killings and ethnic violence.
“Chronic insecurity” helped make the epidemic “highly complex,” Longondo said.
Eleven workers and patients were killed, the UN said.
Two experimental vaccines were brought in to help roll back the disease. More than 320,000 people received the jab.
.@DrTedros: "The #Ebola repose was a victory for science. The rapid rollout of highly effective vaccines saved lives & slowed the spread of Ebola. For the first time, the world now has a licensed Ebola vaccine." — WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) June 25, 2020
The Ebola virus is passed on by contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected or recently deceased person.
It has a natural reservoir in nature, which is believed to be a species of bat.
The death rate is typically high, ranging up to 90 percent in some outbreaks, according to the WHO.
The northwest’s outbreak, about a thousand kilometres (600 miles) away from the one in the east, is focused on Mbandaka, a transport hub on the Congo River in the province of Equateur.
It has claimed 13 lives out of 24 cases, according to the WHO.
Equateur was previously hit by Ebola between May and July 2018. Thirty-three people died.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--Pandemic could up narcotic use, says UN, as world marks International Day Against Drug Abuse

`` Safe supply '' of narcotic alternatives have been adopted in Vancouver , Canada to help support addicts and the homeless practice social distancing during the coronavirus crisis .
The coronavirus pandemic could see a rise in the use and trafficking of narcotics as well as increased risks for users , warned the UN drugs and crime agency ( UNODC ) in its annual report as the world on Friday marks International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Traficking .
In its 2020 World Drug Report , the UN agency said the Covid-19 crisis could lead to an overall increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheaper products and injecting , both of which could mean greater danger for users .
Rising unemployment and reduced opportunities caused by the pandemic are also likely to disproportionately affect the poorest , making them more vulnerable to drug use and also to drug trafficking and cultivation in order to earn money , the Report says .
“ Vulnerable and marginalized groups , youth , women and the poor pay the price for the world drug problem .
The COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn threaten to compound drug dangers further still , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought to the brink and our societies are struggling to cope , ” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in a statement .
The Vienna-based agency said there were lessons to be learnt from what happened in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis .
The UNODC warned that drug consumption has already been rising at an `` alarming '' rate over the last decade .
It also warned that countries were more likely to further reduce drug-related budgets and to give less priority to anti-trafficking operations and international cooperation in the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of opportunities would increase the chances that poor and disadvantaged people `` turn to illicit activities linked to drugs -- either production or transport '' , the report said .
`` The COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn threaten to compound drug dangers further still , when our health and social systems have been brought to the brink and our societies are struggling to cope , '' UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement accompanying the report .
`` We need all governments to show greater solidarity and provide support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to tackle illicit drug trafficking and offer evidence-based services for drug use disorders and related disease . ''
The pandemic comes on the back of a trend of already rising drug use , especially in developing countries , with UNODC finding 269 million people in 2018 had used drugs at least once , up 30 percent from a decade earlier .
`` This is a very alarming increase .
Not just the increase in the amount of people using drugs , but there are more youths , adolescents , children using drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The UNODC said the pandemic could have a further `` far-reaching impact '' .
Border closures and other measures linked to the virus have already caused shortages of drugs on the street , leading to higher prices and reduced purity , the report said .
Drug traffickers seemed to be relying more on maritime routes , including continuing direct cocaine shipments by sea from South America to Europe , but also now transporting drugs via rivers rather than roads in Latin America , UNODC official Angela Me told a press conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to early 2019 , said the use of cocaine and methamphetamine was rising , with growing methamphetamine markets in Afghanistan and Iraq .
Global cocaine production again reached an all-time high , continuing its record-setting trend .
While the area under coca cultivation remained stable from 2017 to 2018 , production has become more efficient , Me said .
Me also noted how the market in addictive drugs had become `` bigger and more complex '' because of an increasing number of substances being abused , some of which are currently legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug worldwide with an estimated 192 million users in 2018 .
But opioids , used by around 58 million people , remained the most harmful .
Opioids accounted for two-thirds of the estimated 167,000 deaths related to drug use disorders in 2017 .

The coronavirus pandemic could see a rise in the use and trafficking of narcotics as well as increased risks for users, warned the UN drugs and crime agency (UNODC) in its annual report as the world on Friday marks International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Traficking.
"Safe supply" of narcotic alternatives have been adopted in Vancouver, Canada to help support addicts and the homeless practice social distancing during the coronavirus crisis.
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In its 2020 World Drug Report, the UN agency said the Covid-19 crisis could lead to an overall increase in drug use with a shift towards cheaper products and injecting, both of which could mean greater danger for users.
The World Drug Report 2020 is out!
Learn about the:
•Effects of COVID-19 on #drug markets
•Trends in supply chains and drug use
•The changes in trafficking routes...
And much more…#FactsForSolidarity, #WDR2020
📙 https://t.co/lChAzXZ5Xz
📰 https://t.co/EM3KoSENnW pic.twitter.com/IL4yjCJsgK — UN Office on Drugs & Crime (@UNODC) June 25, 2020
Rising unemployment and reduced opportunities caused by the pandemic are also likely to disproportionately affect the poorest, making them more vulnerable to drug use and also to drug trafficking and cultivation in order to earn money, the Report says.
“Vulnerable and marginalized groups, youth, women and the poor pay the price for the world drug problem. The COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn threaten to compound drug dangers further still, when our health and social systems have been brought to the brink and our societies are struggling to cope,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in a statement.
The Vienna-based agency said there were lessons to be learnt from what happened in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.
The UNODC warned that drug consumption has already been rising at an "alarming" rate over the last decade.
It also warned that countries were more likely to further reduce drug-related budgets and to give less priority to anti-trafficking operations and international cooperation in the wake of the pandemic.
Rising unemployment and a lack of opportunities would increase the chances that poor and disadvantaged people "turn to illicit activities linked to drugs -- either production or transport", the report said.
"The COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn threaten to compound drug dangers further still, when our health and social systems have been brought to the brink and our societies are struggling to cope," UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement accompanying the report.
"We need all governments to show greater solidarity and provide support, to developing countries most of all, to tackle illicit drug trafficking and offer evidence-based services for drug use disorders and related disease."
'Very alarming'
The pandemic comes on the back of a trend of already rising drug use, especially in developing countries, with UNODC finding 269 million people in 2018 had used drugs at least once, up 30 percent from a decade earlier.
"This is a very alarming increase. Not just the increase in the amount of people using drugs, but there are more youths, adolescents, children using drugs," Waly told AFP on Thursday.
The UNODC said the pandemic could have a further "far-reaching impact".
Border closures and other measures linked to the virus have already caused shortages of drugs on the street, leading to higher prices and reduced purity, the report said.
Drug traffickers seemed to be relying more on maritime routes, including continuing direct cocaine shipments by sea from South America to Europe, but also now transporting drugs via rivers rather than roads in Latin America, UNODC official Angela Me told a press conference.
The report, which mostly examined data up to early 2019, said the use of cocaine and methamphetamine was rising, with growing methamphetamine markets in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Global cocaine production again reached an all-time high, continuing its record-setting trend.
While the area under coca cultivation remained stable from 2017 to 2018, production has become more efficient, Me said.
Me also noted how the market in addictive drugs had become "bigger and more complex" because of an increasing number of substances being abused, some of which are currently legal.
Cannabis remains the most widely used drug worldwide with an estimated 192 million users in 2018.
But opioids, used by around 58 million people, remained the most harmful.
Opioids accounted for two-thirds of the estimated 167,000 deaths related to drug use disorders in 2017.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--Bitter reminders of colonialism remain as Madagascar celebrates 60 years of independence

As Madagascar celebrates the 60th anniversary of its gaining Independence from France , some citizens still bear the scars of @ @ @ @ @ to the marks on his legs and back , reminders of the manual labour French @ @ @ @ @ to perform as a 20-year-old in 1947 , the year the Malagasy Uprising began .
@ @ @ @ @ was sentenced to seven years in prison .
Others suffered worse fates .
As many @ @ @ @ @ the the two-year uprising , which was one of the earliest revolts in the French @ @ @ @ @ down .
Madagascar wouldn ’ t gain its independence until 1960 .
Some in the @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s dependence on France , Madagascar is still not free .

As Madagascar celebrates the 60th anniversary of its gaining Independence from France, some citizens still bear the scars of colonialism.
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Randriamamonjy can point to the marks on his legs and back, reminders of the manual labour French and Senegalese riflemen forced him to perform as a 20-year-old in 1947, the year the Malagasy Uprising began. When he refused, he was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Others suffered worse fates. As many as 90,000 Malagasies died during the the two-year uprising, which was one of the earliest revolts in the French colonies and was brutally shut down. Madagascar wouldn’t gain its independence until 1960.
Some in the country say that with the nation’s dependence on France, Madagascar is still not free.
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france24--2020-06-26--Back to the skies as Paris’s Orly airport reopens after three-month shutdown

A Transavia flight bound for Porto , Portugal gets a `` water salute '' at Orly airport , Paris on June 26 , 2020 .
The first flight took off from Orly airport south of Paris at 6:25am Friday , marking a reopening after shutting down on March 31 due to the coronavirus crisis , but with just a fraction of its normal flights .
A Transavia plane bound for the Portuguese city of Porto was sprayed by water cannons from the airport fire brigade vehicles in a so-called `` water salute '' ceremony before taking off .
The reopened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via 70 takeoffs and landings , compared with 600 a day before the virus crisis grounded aircraft worldwide .
Airlines including Air France , Transavia , easyJet , Vueling and Air Caraïbes account for most of the traffic at Orly , flying to the Caribbean , Reunion Island , Italy , Spain , Portugal , Iceland and Croatia , among others .
Around 8,000 passengers are expected to pass through Orly 's four terminals on Friday , less than 10 percent of the daily average of around 90,000 .
Increased traffic in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tunisia reopen their borders .
`` We are facing an extremely brutal and long crisis , and we are bracing for a resumption that will be somewhat long , if not extremely long , '' Alain Battisti , head of France 's national federation of commercial aviation ( Fnam ) said Tuesday .
As part of new safety measures , Orly 's operator Aéroports de Paris ( ADP ) has installed 137 Plexiglass screens at counters and 150 sanitiser dispensers , along with more than 7,000 posters and stickers to ensure social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to check the temperatures of passengers .
Others dressed in protective white suits and masks sprayed disinfectant on surfaces like automatic check-in screens .
Almost all the stores at Orly 3 were to open on Friday , apart from a few exceptions such as a self-service sweet shop .
Orly is the French capital 's second-largest hub after Charles de Gaulle airport ( CDG ) north of Paris .
Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country 's Covid-19 lockdown , though traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in the month of May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who live under the French capital ’ s air corridors said they dreaded the end of three months of peaceful nights , a `` paradise '' where they recalled birds singing instead of roaring jet engines .
Luc Offenstein , a retired commuter train driver who had campaigned to curb air traffic noise , said the area had got used to a new way of life .
Residents near Orly have fared better than those at Charles de Gaulle because they benefit from a curfew on flights between 11:30pm and 6am .
Orly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Charles de Gaulle airport ( CDG ) north of Paris .
Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country 's Covid-19 lockdown , though traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in the month of May .

The French capital's Orly airport reopened on Friday after a three-month closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but traffic was thin and also briefly disrupted by climate protesters storming the runway.
A Transavia flight bound for Porto, Portugal gets a "water salute" at Orly airport, Paris on June 26, 2020.
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A plane operated by low-cost carrier Transavia took off for the Portuguese city of Porto, the first commercial flight since the number two Paris airport came to a halt on March 31.
Two firetrucks on either side of the plane shot arcs of water over the stationary aircraft in celebration, with the passengers inside waiting to taxi to the runway.
But hours later, Extinction Rebellion activists stormed the runway, lit flares and attached themselves to bicycles with locks around their necks to protest the bailing out of the aviation industry, which suffered huge losses with the grounding of air traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Twenty-nine people were arrested including a journalist from ecological news website Reporterre, according to an Extinction Rebellion tweet.
🔴🔴🔴 Action en cours #ExtinctionRebellion rentre sur les pistes d’Orly pour crasher la réouverture #DangerPublic pic.twitter.com/i2D9zITkZk — Extinction Rebellion France 🐝🌺 (@xrFrance) June 26, 2020
Before their arrest, the activists rolled out banners saying "let's save the living not airplanes" and "15 billion to relaunch the catastrophe", in reference to the French government €15 billion (around $17bn) bailout for the aviation industry.
'Says a lot about the airport's security'
Extinction Rebellion carried out a similar action at London Heathrow airport in October last year.
The group wants governments to adopt policies that cut harmful emissions to a net level of zero by 2025.
"It's symbolic to face a plane, to face what is putting us in danger," one of the group's activists, who gave his name as Franck, told AFP over the phone.
@flightradar24 First day of reopening of #ORY Paris Orly Airport. Extinction Rebellion has invaded its runways, asking the end of the domestic flights in France pic.twitter.com/Xb9RPzK7Vp — Jean-Robert (@Jean_Robert_29) June 26, 2020
The activists warned the airport's security 20 minutes before they stormed the runway, Franck said, and added that he was surprised by the time it took French police to react.
"It says a lot about the airport's security, anyone can enter," Franck said.
"The government is trying to do a publicity stunt by outlawing a couple of domestic flights, but at the same time it is financing the revival of the aviation industry with billions of public money. Where is the logic?" said Extinction Rebellion in a statement.
Gradual reopening
Some 8,000 passengers were expected on Friday, less than 10 percent of the daily average of around 90,000 before the virus crisis grounded aircraft worldwide.
Increased traffic in July will depend on whether Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia reopen their borders. and on whether the virus remains under control.
Orly is the French capital's second-largest hub after Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) north of Paris. Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country's Covid-19 lockdown, though traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in the month of May.
The International Air Transport Association said earlier this month that the world's airlines were one course for a combined net loss of more than €74 billion ($84bn) this year.
As part of new safety measures, Orly's operator Aéroports de Paris (ADP) has installed 137 Plexiglas screens at counters and 150 sanitiser dispensers, along with more than 7,000 posters and stickers to ensure social distancing.
Staff also used thermal cameras to check the temperatures of passengers. Others dressed in protective white suits and masks sprayed disinfectant on surfaces such as automatic check-in screens.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--United States, Europe battle resurgence of Covid-19 cases

Truck driver Oswaldo Monroy , 62 , is tested for COVID-19 at an International Brotherhood of Teamsters testing site , as the spread of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) continues , in Wilmington , near the Port of Los Angeles , California , U.S. , June 25 , 2020 .
The United States on Thursday battled a resurgence of coronavirus cases in a number of states including Texas , while the World Health Organisation warned that several European countries were also facing dangerous upticks .
The pandemic -- which has claimed more than 480,000 lives around the world -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the hardest-hit country in the region , had close to 55,000 deaths and 1.2 million infections , while Mexico on Thursday surpassed 25,000 fatalities .
In the United States , after hitting a two-month plateau , the rate of new cases is now soaring in the south and west , with the confirmed infection rate nearing levels last seen in April .
Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June .
Republican Governor Greg Abbott had been confident that Texas had escaped the worst of the US outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 692 deaths in 24 hours , according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention , with nearly 122,000 lives lost overall -- by far the highest toll in the world .
Abbott was forced Thursday to halt the state 's phased reopening and moved to free up hospital beds .
`` The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses , '' said Abbott , an ally of President Donald Trump , who has faced stark criticism for his handling of the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our state corral the spread . ''
Twenty-nine states are now facing a rebound in cases .
Experts blame a patchwork of responses at the official level , the politicisation of face masks and physical distancing , and the widespread onset of `` quarantine fatigue '' among restless Americans .
US health officials now believe based on antibody surveys that some 24 million people may have already been infected -- 10 times higher than the officially recorded figure of around 2.4 million .
They say the demographics of the outbreak are changing as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of a desire to return to their pre-pandemic `` normal . ''
In search of that sense of normality , a few dozen tourists braved scorching heat in Paris to climb the Eiffel Tower 's iron stairs as it reopened to tourists -- without the lifts , deemed too small for social distancing .
`` I 'm tearing up , but they 're tears of joy , '' said Therese , 60 , from the southwestern city of Perpignan .
Norway , which has some of the most severe travel restrictions still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim to relax the measures with Schengen and EU nations by mid-July .
And in Britain , some took the new relaxed regime too far , with thousands crowding the beach in the English coastal town of Bournemouth to soak up the sun .
The local council declared a major incident and said the beachgoers ' behaviour had been `` just shocking . ''
The joyous reopening of tourist sites and beaches was nevertheless tempered by a new warning from the World Health Organisation that Europe is not yet in the clear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 11 nations , `` accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe . ''
Parts of Lisbon reinstated lockdown measures , following in the path of two western German districts .
However , Europe 's current caseload compares favorably with that of the Americas , with the US and Brazil continuing to lead the world in confirmed cases and deaths .
Governments are still struggling to balance the public health needs of fighting a virus that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the devastating global economic impact .
There was more grim news for the world 's airlines , with Australia 's Qantas announcing it was cutting 6,000 staff and Germany 's Lufthansa moving closer to a $ 10 billion state rescue when the plan was approved by the European Union .
The International Monetary Fund is the latest to quantify the economic harm -- predicting that global GDP will plunge by 4.9 percent this year and wipe out $ 12 trillion over two years .
And the problems suffered by Qantas and Lufthansa reveal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- and more broadly , the tourism sector .
Governments have been desperately trying to keep firms from laying off staff -- Spain on Thursday extended its state-funded furlough scheme until the end of September , three months longer than it had planned .
The EU gave a boost to the prospects of antiviral remdesivir on Thursday by recommending it for use -- the first treatment to be given the green light in Europe .
But until a vaccine or treatment is found , experts have warned that restrictions on economic activity -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the norm .
Iran 's death toll surpassed 10,000 on Thursday , with health officials recording more than 100 fatalities for the seventh consecutive day .
China , where the disease was first detected late last year , meanwhile declared that it had controlled an outbreak in Beijing that had briefly raised fears of a second wave and prompted restrictions and several million tests .

The United States on Thursday battled a resurgence of coronavirus cases in a number of states including Texas, while the World Health Organisation warned that several European countries were also facing dangerous upticks.
Truck driver Oswaldo Monroy, 62, is tested for COVID-19 at an International Brotherhood of Teamsters testing site, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Wilmington, near the Port of Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 25, 2020.
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The pandemic -- which has claimed more than 480,000 lives around the world -- continued to pummel Latin America. Brazil, the hardest-hit country in the region, had close to 55,000 deaths and 1.2 million infections, while Mexico on Thursday surpassed 25,000 fatalities.
In the United States, after hitting a two-month plateau, the rate of new cases is now soaring in the south and west, with the confirmed infection rate nearing levels last seen in April.
Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott had been confident that Texas had escaped the worst of the US outbreak.
The United States recorded 37,667 cases and 692 deaths in 24 hours, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, with nearly 122,000 lives lost overall -- by far the highest toll in the world.
Abbott was forced Thursday to halt the state's phased reopening and moved to free up hospital beds.
"The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses," said Abbott, an ally of President Donald Trump, who has faced stark criticism for his handling of the crisis.
"This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread."
Twenty-nine states are now facing a rebound in cases.
Experts blame a patchwork of responses at the official level, the politicisation of face masks and physical distancing, and the widespread onset of "quarantine fatigue" among restless Americans.
US health officials now believe based on antibody surveys that some 24 million people may have already been infected -- 10 times higher than the officially recorded figure of around 2.4 million.
They say the demographics of the outbreak are changing as younger people engage in more risky behavior out of a desire to return to their pre-pandemic "normal."
Pushed 'to the brink'
In search of that sense of normality, a few dozen tourists braved scorching heat in Paris to climb the Eiffel Tower's iron stairs as it reopened to tourists -- without the lifts, deemed too small for social distancing.
"I'm tearing up, but they're tears of joy," said Therese, 60, from the southwestern city of Perpignan.
Norway, which has some of the most severe travel restrictions still in force, said Thursday it would aim to relax the measures with Schengen and EU nations by mid-July.
And in Britain, some took the new relaxed regime too far, with thousands crowding the beach in the English coastal town of Bournemouth to soak up the sun.
The local council declared a major incident and said the beachgoers' behaviour had been "just shocking."
The joyous reopening of tourist sites and beaches was nevertheless tempered by a new warning from the World Health Organisation that Europe is not yet in the clear.
WHO regional director Hans Kluge warned that in 11 nations, "accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe."
Parts of Lisbon reinstated lockdown measures, following in the path of two western German districts.
However, Europe's current caseload compares favorably with that of the Americas, with the US and Brazil continuing to lead the world in confirmed cases and deaths.
Delicate balance
Governments are still struggling to balance the public health needs of fighting a virus that has infected at least 9.5 million people with the devastating global economic impact.
There was more grim news for the world's airlines, with Australia's Qantas announcing it was cutting 6,000 staff and Germany's Lufthansa moving closer to a $10 billion state rescue when the plan was approved by the European Union.
The International Monetary Fund is the latest to quantify the economic harm -- predicting that global GDP will plunge by 4.9 percent this year and wipe out $12 trillion over two years.
And the problems suffered by Qantas and Lufthansa reveal the pain felt in the airline industry -- and more broadly, the tourism sector.
Governments have been desperately trying to keep firms from laying off staff -- Spain on Thursday extended its state-funded furlough scheme until the end of September, three months longer than it had planned.
The EU gave a boost to the prospects of antiviral remdesivir on Thursday by recommending it for use -- the first treatment to be given the green light in Europe.
But until a vaccine or treatment is found, experts have warned that restrictions on economic activity -- and spiraling death tolls -- could remain the norm.
Iran's death toll surpassed 10,000 on Thursday, with health officials recording more than 100 fatalities for the seventh consecutive day.
China, where the disease was first detected late last year, meanwhile declared that it had controlled an outbreak in Beijing that had briefly raised fears of a second wave and prompted restrictions and several million tests.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--Russian court finds acclaimed director Serebrennikov guilty of fraud

Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov has maintained the fraud charges against him were `` absurd '' .
A Moscow court on Friday convicted acclaimed Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov of fraud , in a long-running case that critics slam as fabricated .
The judge ruled that Serebrennikov , 50 , and some co-defendants were guilty of misappropriating 129 million rubles ( $ 2 million ) of state funds that financed a theatrical project .
An icon of the Russian arts scene , Serebrennikov was appointed artistic director in 2012 of the Gogol Centre , a venue has turned into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal intelligentsia .
The case against him sparked condemnations from rights groups , including Human Rights Watch , the Forum on Human Rights ( FIFDH ) and the Federation of European Film Directors ( FERA ) .
Serebrennikov and his co-defendants were charged in 2017 for embezzling funds for a performing arts project called Platform , which received state funding and which promoted modern dance , theater , and music in Russia .
The accusation pursued by the state was a false claim , according to Human Rights Watch , that one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , when in fact it was staged numerous times .
It sparked a social media campaign in Russia , with people using the hashtag # ябылнаплатформе ( “ I was at Platform ” ) .

A Moscow court on Friday handed acclaimed Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov a three-year suspended jail sentence after finding him guilty of embezzlement, in a long-running case that critics slam as fabricated.
Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov has maintained the fraud charges against him were "absurd".
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The judge ruled that Serebrennikov, 50, and two co-defendants were guilty of misappropriating 129 million rubles ($2m/€1.8m) of state funds that financed a theatrical project.
The three defendants, who deny the charges, were ordered to return the money.
An icon of the Russian arts scene, Serebrennikov was appointed artistic director in 2012 of the Gogol Centre, a venue that he has turned into a home for Moscow's artists and liberal intelligentsia.
He earned international acclaim in 2018 for his film "Leto", about the Soviet-era underground rock scene, which competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
>> Cannes review: 'Leto', Soviet Russia’s summer of love and rock 'n' roll
The case against him sparked condemnations from rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, the Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH) and the Federation of European Film Directors (FERA).
Serebrennikov and his co-defendants were charged in 2017 for embezzling funds for a performing arts project called Platform, which received state funding and which promoted modern dance, theatre and music in Russia.
The accusation pursued by the state was a false claim, according to Human Rights Watch, that one of Platform’s shows did not take place, when in fact it was staged numerous times. It sparked a social media campaign in Russia, with people using the hashtag #ябылнаплатформе (“I was at Platform”).
A huge joy here outside the courtroom: Kirill #Serebrennikov was sentenced to three years of probation and not to six years in a correction prison camp, as prosecutes wanted pic.twitter.com/oE6dOT04UT — Anna Nemtsova (@annanemtsova) June 26, 2020
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--Elated fans abandon social distancing to greet Liverpool Premier League win after 30-year wait

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for the English title as they were crowned Premier League champions on Thursday , triggering jubilant scenes as fans ignored social distancing to celebrate uproariously .
Jurgen Klopp 's men sealed a 19th league title with a record seven games remaining after Chelsea 's 2-1 defeat of second-placed Manchester City left the 2018 and 2019 champions an unbridgeable 23 points adrift .
Liverpool 's first English title since 1990 -- further delayed by the coronavirus shutdown -- earns them their maiden trophy in the Premier League , which was introduced in 1992 and has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United .
Klopp was in tears after Liverpool 's long-awaited win , which follows their Champions League and Club World Cup victories last year , when they finished just a point behind City in the Premier League .
`` It 's such a big moment , I am completely overwhelmed , '' an emotional Klopp told Sky Sports .
`` Tonight it is for you out there .
`` It 's incredible .
I hope you stay at home , or go in front of your house if you want , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this moment and it is a joy to do it for you . ''
However , thousands of fans , many in face masks , converged on Anfield , lighting flares , chanting and celebrating with a replica trophy , while motorists drove up and beeped their horns .
Congratulations poured in from around the world with basketball star LeBron James , actor Samuel L. Jackson and former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki among those paying tribute .

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for the English title as they were crowned Premier League champions on Thursday, triggering jubilant scenes as fans ignored social distancing to celebrate uproariously.
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Jurgen Klopp's men sealed a 19th league title with a record seven games remaining after Chelsea's 2-1 defeat of second-placed Manchester City left the 2018 and 2019 champions an unbridgeable 23 points adrift.
Liverpool's first English title since 1990 -- further delayed by the coronavirus shutdown -- earns them their maiden trophy in the Premier League, which was introduced in 1992 and has been won 13 times by their arch-rivals Manchester United.
Yes. It feels THAT good. I want to thank all our supporters watching us from all corners of the world. You made this possible for us and I hope we can keep bringing you the joy you deserve. 🎶 now they’re gonna believe us 🎶 😀 pic.twitter.com/bqkXM1Fjpj — Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) June 26, 2020
Klopp was in tears after Liverpool's long-awaited win, which follows their Champions League and Club World Cup victories last year, when they finished just a point behind City in the Premier League.
"It's such a big moment, I am completely overwhelmed," an emotional Klopp told Sky Sports. "Tonight it is for you out there.
"It's incredible. I hope you stay at home, or go in front of your house if you want, but not more. We do it together in this moment and it is a joy to do it for you."
However, thousands of fans, many in face masks, converged on Anfield, lighting flares, chanting and celebrating with a replica trophy, while motorists drove up and beeped their horns.
Congratulations poured in from around the world with basketball star LeBron James, actor Samuel L. Jackson and former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki among those paying tribute.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--US House passes police reform bill but deadlock awaits in Senate

Protesters take part in an anti-police brutality march in front of the White House as racial inequality protests continue in Washington , U.S. , June 25 , 2020 .
Democrats pushed sweeping new police guidelines through the US House on Thursday amid a polarising debate after the high-profile killing of African-American George Floyd sparked nationwide protests and calls for change .
The measure , which bans choke holds and no-knock warrants , restricts officer immunity , combats racial profiling and establishes a database to track police misconduct , passed largely along party lines .
It sets up a showdown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intention of passing it .
Applause rang out when the bill passed by 236 votes to 181 , with three Republicans joining the chamber 's Democrats in support .
President Donald Trump is opposed to the House measure , and on Tuesday said the Democrats were aiming to `` weaken our police '' and end officer immunity .
Instead he backs a narrower , Senate Republican proposal .
That measure was blocked by Democrats on Tuesday and there were no signs of new negotiations .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said her chamber 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose final words `` I ca n't breathe '' before his death at the hands of Minneapolis police `` changed the course of history in our nation . ''
The legislation `` will fundamentally transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism , curb police brutality and save lives , as it puts an end to shielding police from accountability , '' Pelosi said .
`` We do n't paint all police with the same brush , but for those who need to be painted with that brush , we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Pelosi and other Democrats have dismissed the Senate measure because it mimics the words of reform while requiring no specific action .
Instead of direct mandates , the Republican proposal would incentivize change by denying federal grants to police departments that do not end choke holds or no-knock warrants .
Republicans say their bill would be a good starting point for negotiations .
Democrats argue it falls well short , and Pelosi said it would be `` a moral failure to accept anything less than transformational change . ''

Democrats pushed sweeping new police guidelines through the US House on Thursday amid a polarising debate after the high-profile killing of African-American George Floyd sparked nationwide protests and calls for change.
Protesters take part in an anti-police brutality march in front of the White House as racial inequality protests continue in Washington, U.S., June 25, 2020.
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The measure, which bans choke holds and no-knock warrants, restricts officer immunity, combats racial profiling and establishes a database to track police misconduct, passed largely along party lines.
It sets up a showdown in the Senate where Republican leadership has no intention of passing it.
Applause rang out when the bill passed by 236 votes to 181, with three Republicans joining the chamber's Democrats in support.
President Donald Trump is opposed to the House measure, and on Tuesday said the Democrats were aiming to "weaken our police" and end officer immunity.
Instead he backs a narrower, Senate Republican proposal. That measure was blocked by Democrats on Tuesday and there were no signs of new negotiations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said her chamber's bill is named after George Floyd, whose final words "I can't breathe" before his death at the hands of Minneapolis police "changed the course of history in our nation."
The legislation "will fundamentally transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism, curb police brutality and save lives, as it puts an end to shielding police from accountability," Pelosi said.
"We don't paint all police with the same brush, but for those who need to be painted with that brush, we need to take the action contained in this bill."
Pelosi and other Democrats have dismissed the Senate measure because it mimics the words of reform while requiring no specific action.
Instead of direct mandates, the Republican proposal would incentivize change by denying federal grants to police departments that do not end choke holds or no-knock warrants.
Republicans say their bill would be a good starting point for negotiations. Democrats argue it falls well short, and Pelosi said it would be "a moral failure to accept anything less than transformational change."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--NASCAR releases photo of noose found in Black racing driver Bubba Wallace's garage

A noose found in the Number 43 garage stall , assigned to driver Bubba Wallace , at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega , Alabama , U.S. June 21 , 2020 is seen in a photograph released by NASCAR on June 25 , 2020 .
NASCAR said on Thursday it had completed its own investigation into the noose found in the garage of Bubba Wallace , the only Black driver competing in the top series , without determining who did it or how it got in the stall .
An FBI investigation into the incident that put a global spotlight on NASCAR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been committed .
The noose , a symbol connected to lynching and America 's slave history , found in Wallace 's stall at the Talledaga Superspeedway on Sunday may have been there since last October .
NASCAR continued to conduct its own probe in an effort to discover how the noose got into the garage and how it went unnoticed for so long .
While NASCAR said it was able to roughly pinpoint when the noose was made , there was no way given garage access and procedures at the time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and why .
NASCAR president Steve Phelps said the noose was not in place when last October 's race began but was created at some point during that weekend .
`` We have completed our own investigation , '' confirmed Phelps during a conference call on Thursday .
`` I could speculate but it would not do any good .
`` I know we like complete resolution here and have all the answers but based on all the video and photographic evidence and all the interviews we were not able to determine who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's not fulfilling , I wish there was more we could do but we ca n't so we have drawn this matter to a close . ''
NASCAR said in wake of the incident it had conducted a sweep of all 29 tracks the series visits and 1,684 garage stalls and found 11 with pull down ropes tied in a knot and only one noose .
Going forward , Phelps said NASCAR would conduct routine sweeps of garages and install additional security cameras .
NASCAR will also consider changes to its code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members involved in the sport complete sensitivity and unconscious bias training .
`` Our ultimate conclusion from this investigation is to ensure that this never happens again , '' said Phelps .
`` That no one walks by a noose without recognising the potential damage it can do . ''

NASCAR said on Thursday it had completed its own investigation into the noose found in the garage of Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver competing in the top series, without determining who did it or how it got in the stall.
A noose found in the Number 43 garage stall, assigned to driver Bubba Wallace, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, U.S. June 21, 2020 is seen in a photograph released by NASCAR on June 25, 2020.
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An FBI investigation into the incident that put a global spotlight on NASCAR determined on Tuesday that no federal crime had been committed.
The noose, a symbol connected to lynching and America's slave history, found in Wallace's stall at the Talledaga Superspeedway on Sunday may have been there since last October.
NASCAR continued to conduct its own probe in an effort to discover how the noose got into the garage and how it went unnoticed for so long.
While NASCAR said it was able to roughly pinpoint when the noose was made, there was no way given garage access and procedures at the time to determine with any certainty who tied it and why.
NASCAR president Steve Phelps said the noose was not in place when last October's race began but was created at some point during that weekend.
"We have completed our own investigation," confirmed Phelps during a conference call on Thursday. "I could speculate but it would not do any good.
"I know we like complete resolution here and have all the answers but based on all the video and photographic evidence and all the interviews we were not able to determine who crafted the noose.
"I know that's not fulfilling, I wish there was more we could do but we can't so we have drawn this matter to a close."
NASCAR said in wake of the incident it had conducted a sweep of all 29 tracks the series visits and 1,684 garage stalls and found 11 with pull down ropes tied in a knot and only one noose.
Going forward, Phelps said NASCAR would conduct routine sweeps of garages and install additional security cameras.
NASCAR will also consider changes to its code of conduct and sanctions and mandate all members involved in the sport complete sensitivity and unconscious bias training.
"Our ultimate conclusion from this investigation is to ensure that this never happens again," said Phelps. "That no one walks by a noose without recognising the potential damage it can do."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-26--'Ayouni', the documentary film that puts a face to Syria's forcibly disappeared

The bus of the NGO 'Families for freedom ' , which calls for the release of prisoners forcibly disappeared in Syria at the hands of the regime or various armed groups .
Award-winning Palestinian director Yasmin Fedda 's latest documentary , `` Ayouni '' , sheds light on Syria 's forced disappearances through the intimate stories of Noura , widow of cyber-activist Bassel Safadi , and Machi , sister of Italian priest Paolo Dall'Oglio , who was abducted in Raqqa in 2013 and whose whereabouts are unknown .
`` I do n't know if he 's alive .
I ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Until I see his body , I ca n't mourn him , '' said Noura Ghazi , who learned in August 2017 that her husband , Bassel Khartabil Safadi , had been executed , five years after he was detained in Damascus and two years after he disappeared .
But she knows nothing else .
Not where , nor when , nor how : `` With a gun ?
Day or night ?
” she demanded .
For years , the 38-year-old Syrian lawyer and human rights activist has been travelling around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` most basic right to say goodbye to my husband '' .
Ghazi shares the questions that haunt her in `` Ayouni '' , Fedda 's latest documentary , which will be available for streaming on July 1 .
The Palestinian filmmaker , nominated for a Bafta and the maker of several films about Syria , where she spent her childhood , filmed Ghazi in her quest to find answers about her absent husband .
Fedda also followed Immacolata – known as `` Machi '' , the sister of Father Paolo Dall'Oglio .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1980s founded the Syrian Catholic monastery of Mar Mûsa , north of Damascus , and was later kidnapped in Raqqa by the Islamic State group on July 27 , 2013 .
He has not been heard from since .
Like Safadi and Dall ’ Oglio , approximately 100,000 people have been forcibly disappeared after being arrested by Bashar al-Assad 's regime or abducted by various armed militias , including the Islamic State group , since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in 2011 , according to Amnesty International .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotions For six years , Fedda filmed these two women , who did not know each other but were brought together by a common tragedy .
`` I had started a project on Father Dall'Oglio , a friend of mine , when we learned of his kidnapping .
My film then took a different turn , '' the director told FRANCE 24 .
From Iraq to Italy through Lebanon and the United Kingdom , she recorded their secrets , their tears and their questions , and filmed their struggle for truth and justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complexity of their emotions .
In six years , there have been different stages , ranging from anger to hope , but the search for truth has always kept them going , '' Fedda said .
As Machi told her brother 's kidnappers in a video posted in 2014 , `` we hope to hug Paolo , but we are ready to mourn his death . ''
Neither a journalistic investigation – although the facts are verified – nor a human rights campaign film - though the film ’ s release partners include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign , “ Ayouni ” is the film of an auteur .
It is a thought-provoking documentary about war crimes seen through the lens of intimate stories .
`` It 's not just a film about Syria and forced disappearances , it 's a film that touches on universal themes , '' said Fedda .
The `` bride and groom of the revolution '' '' 'Ayouni ' means eyes in Arabic , '' Fedda explained .
`` But it 's also a term of affection for the people you love .
It can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either what people see or as a testimony of love.
” It ’ s this second meaning that unites Noura and Bassel , `` the bride and groom of the revolution '' .
The couple met in 2011 during an anti-Assad demonstration in Douma .
Through video archives , Fedda introduces us to Bassel , a Palestinian-Syrian activist and open-source developer who played a leading role in the free Internet movement , notably by creating Arabic versions of Wikipedia and the Firefox web browser .
`` I wanted to make him a presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The couple got engaged in 2011 , before the revolution turned into war .
Although Assad has already ordered his armies to fire on demonstrators , Noura and Bassel still believed in change .
`` We have come such a long way ... '' they said in archive footage .
But in March 2012 , Bassel was arrested by the regime .
Nevertheless , the couple got married in Adra prison on January 7 , 2013 , hiding from the guards .
Then Bassel disappeared from the radar in 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executed .
Allegedly .
Noura has learned to learn to live with the uncertainty but has been relentless in her attempts to find out what happened .
Ghazi , a lawyer and founder of the NGO Nophotozone , which provides legal assistance to the families of the disappeared , has become the voice of tens of thousands of Syrian families who have seen their loved ones vanish into the jails of the Damascus regime .
Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in 2011 , an estimated 100,000 people have been forcibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded their case again before the UN Security Council , at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron .
`` I 'm here to tell you about the suffering of the families of the forcibly disappeared , mostly men , leaving us women to raise children without fathers , '' she said in a video conference .
`` I am here to talk to you about the violations of Bashar al-Assad who flouts our laws and our Constitution .
( ... ) I am here to talk to you about the lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I demand justice and I am ready to pay the high price for it . ''
Fedda relayed the plea in her generous and empathetic documentary .
`` I would be happy if my film could make a modest contribution to making their struggle known , '' the director concluded .
This has been translated from the original article in French .

Award-winning Palestinian director Yasmin Fedda's latest documentary, "Ayouni", sheds light on Syria's forced disappearances through the intimate stories of Noura, widow of cyber-activist Bassel Safadi, and Machi, sister of Italian priest Paolo Dall'Oglio, who was abducted in Raqqa in 2013 and whose whereabouts are unknown.
The bus of the NGO 'Families for freedom', which calls for the release of prisoners forcibly disappeared in Syria at the hands of the regime or various armed groups.
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"I don't know if he's alive. I can't be sure he's dead. Until I see his body, I can't mourn him," said Noura Ghazi, who learned in August 2017 that her husband, Bassel Khartabil Safadi, had been executed, five years after he was detained in Damascus and two years after he disappeared. But she knows nothing else. Not where, nor when, nor how: "With a gun? Day or night?” she demanded. For years, the 38-year-old Syrian lawyer and human rights activist has been travelling around the world in search of answers and the "most basic right to say goodbye to my husband".
Ghazi shares the questions that haunt her in "Ayouni", Fedda's latest documentary, which will be available for streaming on July 1. The Palestinian filmmaker, nominated for a Bafta and the maker of several films about Syria, where she spent her childhood, filmed Ghazi in her quest to find answers about her absent husband. Fedda also followed Immacolata – known as "Machi", the sister of Father Paolo Dall'Oglio. The latter is the Italian priest who in the 1980s founded the Syrian Catholic monastery of Mar Mûsa, north of Damascus, and was later kidnapped in Raqqa by the Islamic State group on July 27, 2013. He has not been heard from since.
Like Safadi and Dall’Oglio, approximately 100,000 people have been forcibly disappeared after being arrested by Bashar al-Assad's regime or abducted by various armed militias, including the Islamic State group, since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in 2011, according to Amnesty International.
""Machi" Dall'Oglio holds a photo of his brother, Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, kidnapped in Syria in 2013 by the Islamic State group and missing ever since. © Ayouni, Yasmin Fedda 2020
An auteur's film about the complexity of emotions
For six years, Fedda filmed these two women, who did not know each other but were brought together by a common tragedy. "I had started a project on Father Dall'Oglio, a friend of mine, when we learned of his kidnapping. My film then took a different turn," the director told FRANCE 24. From Iraq to Italy through Lebanon and the United Kingdom, she recorded their secrets, their tears and their questions, and filmed their struggle for truth and justice.
"I tried to capture the complexity of their emotions. In six years, there have been different stages, ranging from anger to hope, but the search for truth has always kept them going," Fedda said. As Machi told her brother's kidnappers in a video posted in 2014, "we hope to hug Paolo, but we are ready to mourn his death."
Neither a journalistic investigation – although the facts are verified – nor a human rights campaign film - though the film’s release partners include Amnesty International and pro-democracy NGO The Syria Campaign, “Ayouni” is the film of an auteur. It is a thought-provoking documentary about war crimes seen through the lens of intimate stories.
"It's not just a film about Syria and forced disappearances, it's a film that touches on universal themes," said Fedda.
The "bride and groom of the revolution"
"'Ayouni' means eyes in Arabic," Fedda explained. "But it's also a term of affection for the people you love. It can therefore be read in two ways: either what people see or as a testimony of love.”
It’s this second meaning that unites Noura and Bassel, "the bride and groom of the revolution". The couple met in 2011 during an anti-Assad demonstration in Douma. Through video archives, Fedda introduces us to Bassel, a Palestinian-Syrian activist and open-source developer who played a leading role in the free Internet movement, notably by creating Arabic versions of Wikipedia and the Firefox web browser. "I wanted to make him a presence before filming his absence," she said.
The couple got engaged in 2011, before the revolution turned into war. Although Assad has already ordered his armies to fire on demonstrators, Noura and Bassel still believed in change. "We have come such a long way..." they said in archive footage. But in March 2012, Bassel was arrested by the regime. Nevertheless, the couple got married in Adra prison on January 7, 2013, hiding from the guards. Then Bassel disappeared from the radar in 2015, the year in which he was allegedly executed. Allegedly. Noura has learned to learn to live with the uncertainty but has been relentless in her attempts to find out what happened.
A plea against violations in Syria
Ghazi, a lawyer and founder of the NGO Nophotozone, which provides legal assistance to the families of the disappeared, has become the voice of tens of thousands of Syrian families who have seen their loved ones vanish into the jails of the Damascus regime. Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in 2011, an estimated 100,000 people have been forcibly disappeared. On June 16, Ghazi pleaded their case again before the UN Security Council, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
"I'm here to tell you about the suffering of the families of the forcibly disappeared, mostly men, leaving us women to raise children without fathers," she said in a video conference. "I am here to talk to you about the violations of Bashar al-Assad who flouts our laws and our Constitution. (...) I am here to talk to you about the lack of political will to put an end to it. I demand justice and I am ready to pay the high price for it."
Fedda relayed the plea in her generous and empathetic documentary. "I would be happy if my film could make a modest contribution to making their struggle known," the director concluded.
This has been translated from the original article in French.
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france24--2020-06-26--Suspect in Glasgow stabbing incident shot dead, officer among six injured

Police and emergency services respond at the scene of a fatal stabbing incident in central Glasgow on June 26 , 2020 .
A male suspect was shot dead following a stabbing incident at a hotel in central Glasgow in which several people were injured , Scottish police said Friday , adding that the incident is not being treated as terror-related .
Scottish police confirmed that the male suspect was shot by an armed officer , saying that one police officer was injured in dealing with the incident but it had been contained .
`` The individual who was shot by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief constable Steve Johnson said in a statement .
`` Six other people are in hospital for treatment to their injuries including a police officer , who is in a critical but stable condition , '' he added .
Police later said the incident `` is not being treated as terrorism .
The investigation is continuing . ''
Greater Glasgow Police said emergency services were dealing with the incident on West George Street in the centre of Glasgow .
`` The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was `` deeply saddened '' by the incident .
`` My thoughts are with all the victims and their families , '' Johnson added in a tweet .
`` Thank you to our brave emergency services who are responding . ''
Earlier reports in the British media suggested two other people had died at the Park Inn in West George Street , which is currently being used to house asylum seekers .
However , there was no official confirmation of the fatalities .
An eyewitness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several people covered in blood being treated by emergency services , and armed police on the scene , at around 1.15pm ( 1215 GMT ) .
Another eyewitness in the hotel described the scene as `` full of blood '' .
`` I was in my room and I heard loud screams from downstairs , '' a man who gave his name as John told the BBC .
`` I got worried and went to check what was going on .
When I opened the lift , it was all blood . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a critical but stable condition .
Last week , three people died in the southern English town of Reading when a man wielding a five-inch knife went on the rampage in a park .
Police said they were treating that incident as terrorism .

A male suspect was shot dead following a stabbing incident at a hotel in central Glasgow in which several people were injured, Scottish police said Friday, adding that the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Police and emergency services respond at the scene of a fatal stabbing incident in central Glasgow on June 26, 2020.
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Scottish police confirmed that the male suspect was shot by an armed officer, saying that one police officer was injured in dealing with the incident but it had been contained.
"The individual who was shot by armed police has died," assistant chief constable Steve Johnson said in a statement.
"Six other people are in hospital for treatment to their injuries including a police officer, who is in a critical but stable condition," he added.
Police later said the incident "is not being treated as terrorism. The investigation is continuing."
The incident in West George Street #Glasgow is not being treated as terrorism. The investigation is continuing. pic.twitter.com/wE2zjPI4PL — Police Scotland (@policescotland) June 26, 2020
Greater Glasgow Police said emergency services were dealing with the incident on West George Street in the centre of Glasgow.
"The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to the general public," police said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident.
"My thoughts are with all the victims and their families," Johnson added in a tweet. "Thank you to our brave emergency services who are responding."
Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on West George Street in Glasgow. The street is currently closed off and the public are asked to avoid the area at present. The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to the general public. pic.twitter.com/xk5sDUTmtr — Greater Glasgow Police (@GreaterGlasgPol) June 26, 2020
Earlier reports in the British media suggested two other people had died at the Park Inn in West George Street, which is currently being used to house asylum seekers.
However, there was no official confirmation of the fatalities.
An eyewitness told Sky News that she had seen several people covered in blood being treated by emergency services, and armed police on the scene, at around 1.15pm (1215 GMT).
The reports from Glasgow City Centre are truly dreadful. My thoughts are with everyone involved. I am being updated as the situation becomes clearer. Please help the emergency services do their jobs by staying away from the area - and please don’t share unconfirmed information. — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) June 26, 2020
Another eyewitness in the hotel described the scene as "full of blood".
"I was in my room and I heard loud screams from downstairs," a man who gave his name as John told the BBC.
"I got worried and went to check what was going on. When I opened the lift, it was all blood."
Police Scotland said its injured officer was in a critical but stable condition.
Last week, three people died in the southern English town of Reading when a man wielding a five-inch knife went on the rampage in a park. Police said they were treating that incident as terrorism.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-26--US has 'serious problem' with resurgent coronavirus, Fauci warns

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered bars to be closed by noon on June 26 and for restaurants to be reduced to 50 percent occupancy as coronavirus cases spike .
Top government expert Anthony Fauci warned Friday the United States is facing a `` serious problem '' from a resurgent coronavirus , as Texas and Florida ordered bars to stop serving alcohol amid a record-breaking spike in their Covid-19 cases .
The two populous southern states , home to some 50 million people , were spared the worst of the outbreak in spring but are now being battered .
With close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is by far the hardest-hit country in the world .
It never fully emerged from its first wave , and figures suggest the past week has seen the most new cases reported since the start of the pandemic , mainly driven by a rise in infections in the south and west .
On Friday Vice President Mike Pence said new cases had surmounted 40,000 in one day .
Underscoring the severity of the situation , the White House coronavirus task force reconvened Friday after a two month absence .
Fauci stressed the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faring better should not take anything for granted .
`` The only way we 're going to end it is by ending it together , '' he said .
Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June .
But the strategy has backfired : the state saw a record 5,596 new coronavirus cases Thursday , a major jump from 10 days ago when it had 1,254 new cases in a day .
`` It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Governor Greg Abbott , a Republican ally of President Donald Trump .
As a result , bars will be required to close but may provide delivery and take-out .
Restaurants can remain open with 50 percent capacity indoors , and outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more require local government approval .
Lina Hidalgo , the chief executive of Harris County , the most populous in Texas which includes the city of Houston , issued a stay-at-home advisory — though she does not have the authority to make it mandatory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of Covid-19 Friday , as well as 39 new deaths and 212 additional hospitalizations .
`` We got into June and COVID kind of fell off the headlines , '' Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters .
`` I think people were naturally just wanting to get back into a normal swing of things . ''
Fauci 's forthrightness at the task force briefing contrasted with Pence , who sought to reassure Americans the situation was not comparable to the height of the crisis in April .
`` We 're in a much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did slow the spread , we flattened the curve , '' Pence said .
In fact , the US graph of new cases has not assumed the bell shape seen in other countries — that is , the curve has not been flattened .
Pence also said that `` today surmounted 40,000 new cases in a single day . ''
The vice president did not wear a mask for the briefing .
Face coverings have become a deeply polarized political issue , despite epidemiologists being broadly in favor .
He also defended rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , where crowds gathered indoors without many wearing masks or social distancing .
`` The freedom of speech , the right to peacefully assemble is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States , and we have an election coming up , '' he said .
The number of new cases are comparable to April 's peak , but the death rate has not returned to earlier levels .
This may be partly because it takes three to four weeks for the most sick individuals to die — but experts also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of younger people are getting infected .
Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) said that around two months ago , 27 percent of US deaths were occurring from pneumonia , mainly linked to COVID-19 , but that figure had since fallen to its baseline level of seven percent .
In addition , doctors have learned how to manage the disease better and can use the antiviral drug remdesivir and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids like dexamethasone to treat it .

Top government expert Anthony Fauci warned Friday the United States is facing a "serious problem" from a resurgent coronavirus, as Texas and Florida ordered bars to stop serving alcohol amid a record-breaking spike in their Covid-19 cases.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered bars to be closed by noon on June 26 and for restaurants to be reduced to 50 percent occupancy as coronavirus cases spike.
Advertising Read more
The two populous southern states, home to some 50 million people, were spared the worst of the outbreak in spring but are now being battered.
With close to 125,000 deaths, the United States is by far the hardest-hit country in the world.
It never fully emerged from its first wave, and figures suggest the past week has seen the most new cases reported since the start of the pandemic, mainly driven by a rise in infections in the south and west.
On Friday Vice President Mike Pence said new cases had surmounted 40,000 in one day.
Underscoring the severity of the situation, the White House coronavirus task force reconvened Friday after a two month absence. Fauci stressed the country was "interconnected" and areas currently faring better should not take anything for granted.
"The only way we're going to end it is by ending it together," he said.
Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June.
But the strategy has backfired: the state saw a record 5,596 new coronavirus cases Thursday, a major jump from 10 days ago when it had 1,254 new cases in a day.
"It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," said Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump.
As a result, bars will be required to close but may provide delivery and take-out.
Restaurants can remain open with 50 percent capacity indoors, and outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more require local government approval.
Lina Hidalgo, the chief executive of Harris County, the most populous in Texas which includes the city of Houston, issued a stay-at-home advisory — though she does not have the authority to make it mandatory.
Florida meanwhile reported a record 8,942 new cases of Covid-19 Friday, as well as 39 new deaths and 212 additional hospitalizations.
"We got into June and COVID kind of fell off the headlines," Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters.
"I think people were naturally just wanting to get back into a normal swing of things."
Pence defends mass rallies
Fauci's forthrightness at the task force briefing contrasted with Pence, who sought to reassure Americans the situation was not comparable to the height of the crisis in April.
"We're in a much stronger place. The truth is we did slow the spread, we flattened the curve," Pence said.
In fact, the US graph of new cases has not assumed the bell shape seen in other countries — that is, the curve has not been flattened. Pence also said that "today surmounted 40,000 new cases in a single day."
The vice president did not wear a mask for the briefing. Face coverings have become a deeply polarized political issue, despite epidemiologists being broadly in favor.
He also defended rallies held by Trump in Oklahoma and Arizona last week, where crowds gathered indoors without many wearing masks or social distancing.
"The freedom of speech, the right to peacefully assemble is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States, and we have an election coming up," he said.
Outbreak getting younger
The number of new cases are comparable to April's peak, but the death rate has not returned to earlier levels.
This may be partly because it takes three to four weeks for the most sick individuals to die — but experts also think it's because a higher proportion of younger people are getting infected.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that around two months ago, 27 percent of US deaths were occurring from pneumonia, mainly linked to COVID-19, but that figure had since fallen to its baseline level of seven percent.
In addition, doctors have learned how to manage the disease better and can use the antiviral drug remdesivir and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids like dexamethasone to treat it.
(AFP)
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