france24--2020-06-09--France pledges 15 billion euros in aid for aviation sector

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announces a 15 billion euro aid package for the aviation sector at a press briefing in Paris , June 9 , 2020 .
The French government will provide 15 billion euros ( $ 16.9 billion ) to support the country 's aviation industry , which has been hammered by travel restrictions imposed to blunt the coronavirus pandemic , Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday .
`` We are declaring a state of emergency to save our aeronautics industry so that it can be more competitive , '' Le Maire said at a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't intervened right away , a third of the jobs in the sector would have disappeared ... that 's around 100,000 of the 300,000 direct and indirect jobs in the sector , '' he added .
The southwestern French city of Toulouse is home to the headquarters of pan-European aircraft maker Airbus , which for decades has supported hundreds of suppliers and service providers in the region .
But orders have dried up as airlines worldwide warn they are facing catastrophe as the prospects for travel remain highly uncertain as the COVID-19 crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already announced that Air France-KLM , which posted a 1.8 billion euro loss in the first quarter , will get seven billion euros in loans either from , or backed by the state .
That money will allow it to go through with a purchase of 60 Airbus A220 planes and 38 long-haul A350 jets .
The French state and Airbus , as well as Dassault Aviation , Thales and Safran , will contribute 200 million euros each to a fund for small- and mid-size firms , in particular to help them invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes 1.5 billion euros to spur research on a future `` carbon neutral plane '' over the next three years , with a goal of having the plane operation by 2035 , Le Maire said .
Defence Minister Florence Parly , who attended the press conference alongside Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne , said 600 million euros of planned military orders would be accelerated , including the purchase of three Airbus A330s that will be converted to refuelling planes , and eight Caracal troop transport helicopters .
The military will also double its orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some 100 million euros , to develop light surveillance planes and drones , `` ensuring 1,300 jobs for the next three years , '' Parly said .
The support for the aviation sector comes after French President Emmanuel Macron promised eight billion euros for the auto sector , with a focus on developing the electric vehicle market .

The French government will provide 15 billion euros ($16.9 billion) to support the country's aviation industry, which has been hammered by travel restrictions imposed to blunt the coronavirus pandemic, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday.
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"We are declaring a state of emergency to save our aeronautics industry so that it can be more competitive," Le Maire said at a press conference in Paris.
"If we hadn't intervened right away, a third of the jobs in the sector would have disappeared... that's around 100,000 of the 300,000 direct and indirect jobs in the sector," he added.
The southwestern French city of Toulouse is home to the headquarters of pan-European aircraft maker Airbus, which for decades has supported hundreds of suppliers and service providers in the region.
But orders have dried up as airlines worldwide warn they are facing catastrophe as the prospects for travel remain highly uncertain as the COVID-19 crisis takes its toll.
The government has already announced that Air France-KLM, which posted a 1.8 billion euro loss in the first quarter, will get seven billion euros in loans either from, or backed by the state.
That money will allow it to go through with a purchase of 60 Airbus A220 planes and 38 long-haul A350 jets.
The French state and Airbus, as well as Dassault Aviation, Thales and Safran, will contribute 200 million euros each to a fund for small- and mid-size firms, in particular to help them invest in carbon-reduction technologies.
The plan also includes 1.5 billion euros to spur research on a future "carbon neutral plane" over the next three years, with a goal of having the plane operation by 2035, Le Maire said.
Defence Minister Florence Parly, who attended the press conference alongside Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne, said 600 million euros of planned military orders would be accelerated, including the purchase of three Airbus A330s that will be converted to refuelling planes, and eight Caracal troop transport helicopters.
The military will also double its orders reserved for small- and mid-size firms, to some 100 million euros, to develop light surveillance planes and drones, "ensuring 1,300 jobs for the next three years," Parly said.
The support for the aviation sector comes after French President Emmanuel Macron promised eight billion euros for the auto sector, with a focus on developing the electric vehicle market.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-09--Covid-19 lockdowns saved millions of lives and easing curbs risky, studies find

Lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 have saved millions of lives and easing them now carries high risks , according to two international studies published on Monday .
`` The risk of a second wave happening if all interventions and all precautions are abandoned is very real , '' Samir Bhatt , who co-led one of the studies by researchers at Imperial College London , told reporters in a briefing .
Most European nations , worried about the economic impact of their lockdowns , have started to ease restrictions as the number of new COVID-19 cases falls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdowns and social distancing steps in 11 European countries and found they had `` a substantial effect '' , helping to lower the infection 's reproductive rate , or R value , below one by early May .
The R value measures the average number of people that one infected person will pass the disease on to .
An R value above 1 can lead to exponential growth .
`` But any claims that this is all over , that we 've reached the herd immunity threshold , can be firmly rejected , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only at the beginning of this pandemic . ''
The Imperial team estimated that by early May , between 12 and 15 million people in total in Austria , Belgium , Britain , Denmark , France , Germany , Italy , Norway , Spain , Sweden and Switzerland - around 4 % of their combined population - had been infected with COVID-19 .
By comparing the number of deaths counted with deaths predicted by their model if no lockdown measures had been introduced , they found some 3.1 million deaths were averted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , published alongside the Imperial-led one in the journal Nature , estimated that lockdowns in China , South Korea , Italy , Iran , France and the United States had prevented or delayed around 530 million COVID-19 cases .
Focusing on those six nations , the U.S. team compared infection growth rates before and after the implementation of more than 1,700 local , regional and national policies designed to slow or halt the spread of COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus .
They found that without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates of SARS-CoV-2 grew by 68 % a day in Iran and an average of 38 % a day across the other five countries .
`` Without these policies , we would have lived through a very different April and May , '' said Solomon Hsiang , who co-led the second study at the University of California , Berkeley .

Lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 have saved millions of lives and easing them now carries high risks, according to two international studies published on Monday.
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"The risk of a second wave happening if all interventions and all precautions are abandoned is very real," Samir Bhatt, who co-led one of the studies by researchers at Imperial College London, told reporters in a briefing.
Most European nations, worried about the economic impact of their lockdowns, have started to ease restrictions as the number of new COVID-19 cases falls.
The Imperial study analysed the impact of lockdowns and social distancing steps in 11 European countries and found they had "a substantial effect", helping to lower the infection's reproductive rate, or R value, below one by early May.
The R value measures the average number of people that one infected person will pass the disease on to. An R value above 1 can lead to exponential growth.
"But any claims that this is all over, that we've reached the herd immunity threshold, can be firmly rejected," Bhatt said. "We are only at the beginning of this pandemic."
The Imperial team estimated that by early May, between 12 and 15 million people in total in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland - around 4% of their combined population - had been infected with COVID-19.
By comparing the number of deaths counted with deaths predicted by their model if no lockdown measures had been introduced, they found some 3.1 million deaths were averted.
A second study by scientists in the United States, published alongside the Imperial-led one in the journal Nature, estimated that lockdowns in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France and the United States had prevented or delayed around 530 million COVID-19 cases.
Focusing on those six nations, the U.S. team compared infection growth rates before and after the implementation of more than 1,700 local, regional and national policies designed to slow or halt the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
They found that without anti-contagion policies in place, early infection rates of SARS-CoV-2 grew by 68% a day in Iran and an average of 38% a day across the other five countries.
"Without these policies, we would have lived through a very different April and May," said Solomon Hsiang, who co-led the second study at the University of California, Berkeley.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--Thousands pay their respects to George Floyd before his funeral in Houston

The casket of George Floyd is removed after a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church , Monday , June 8 , 2020 , in Houston , U.S. David J .
Thousands of mourners braved sweltering heat on Monday to view the casket of George Floyd , whose death from a police officer kneeling on his neck ignited worldwide protests against mistreatment of African Americans and other minorities by U.S. law enforcement .
American flags fluttered along the route to the Fountain of Praise church in Houston , where Floyd grew up , as throngs of mourners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus formed a solemn procession to pay final respects .
Filing through a Houston church in two parallel lines , some people bowed their heads , others made the sign of the cross or raised a fist , as they reached Floyd 's open casket .
Fire officials said several people , apparently overcome by temperatures up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit ( 34 degrees Celsius ) while waiting in line , were taken to local hospitals .
`` I 'm glad he got the send-off he deserved , '' Marcus Williams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said outside the church .
`` I want the police killings to stop .
I want them to reform the process to achieve justice , and stop the killing . ''
The public viewing came two weeks to the day after Floyd 's death was captured by an onlooker 's video .
As a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , Floyd , 46 , an unarmed black man suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $ 20 bill , died in handcuffs , lying face down on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and groaning , `` I ca n't breathe . ''
As the public viewing unfolded in Houston , Derek Chauvin , 44 , the police officer charged with second-degree murder in the case , made his first court appearance in Minneapolis by video link , with a judge ordering his bail raised from $ 1 million to $ 1.25 million .
Chauvin 's three co-defendants , accused of aiding and abetting Floyd 's murder , were previously ordered held on $ 750,000 bond each .
Floyd 's dying words became a rallying cry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial and other social boundaries around the United States and abroad .
Demonstrations , unleashed amid anxiety and joblessness from the coronavirus pandemic , invigorated the Black Lives Matter movement , thrusting calls for racial justice and police reforms to the top of America 's political agenda ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
Protests in a number of U.S. cities were initially punctuated by episodes of arson , looting and clashes with police , deepening a political crisis for President Donald Trump as he repeatedly threatened to order active-duty military troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , who is challenging the Republican Trump in the Nov. 3 election , met with Floyd 's relatives for more than an hour in Houston on Monday , according to the family 's lawyer , Benjamin Crump .
`` He listened , heard their pain and shared in their woe , '' Crump said of Biden 's private meeting .
`` That compassion meant the world to this grieving family . ''
Floyd was due to be buried on Tuesday .
In Washington , Democrats in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate crime and to allow victims of police misconduct and their families to sue law enforcement for damages in civil court , ending a legal doctrine known as qualified immunity .
Their 134-page bill also would ban chokeholds and require the use of body cameras by federal law enforcement officers , place new restrictions on the use of lethal force and facilitate independent probes of police departments that show patterns of misconduct .
The legislation does not call for police departments to be de-funded or abolished , as some activists have demanded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
Trump `` is appalled by the defund-the-police movement , '' White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told a media briefing .
She said Trump was weighing various proposals in response to Floyd 's death .
Biden opposes the movement to defund police departments as a response to police brutality but supports the `` urgent need '' for reform , a spokesman for his presidential campaign said on Monday .
Huge weekend crowds gathered across the country and in Europe for some of the largest Black Lives Matter rallies seen since Floyd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calm prevailed over the demonstrations .
The high-spirited atmosphere was marred late on Sunday when a man drove a car into a rally in Seattle and then shot and wounded a demonstrator who confronted him .
The suspect , Nikolas Fernandez , was charged on Monday with assault .
Separately , a man described by prosecutors as an admitted member of the Ku Klux Klan and `` propagandist for Confederate ideology , '' was arrested on suspicion of driving his pickup truck into a rally near Richmond , Virginia , late on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 36 , was charged with assault and battery , malicious wounding and felony vandalism .

Thousands of mourners braved sweltering heat on Monday to view the casket of George Floyd, whose death from a police officer kneeling on his neck ignited worldwide protests against mistreatment of African Americans and other minorities by U.S. law enforcement.
The casket of George Floyd is removed after a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston, U.S. David J.
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American flags fluttered along the route to the Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd grew up, as throngs of mourners wearing face coverings to prevent spread of the coronavirus formed a solemn procession to pay final respects.
Filing through a Houston church in two parallel lines, some people bowed their heads, others made the sign of the cross or raised a fist, as they reached Floyd's open casket. Fire officials said several people, apparently overcome by temperatures up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) while waiting in line, were taken to local hospitals.
"I'm glad he got the send-off he deserved," Marcus Williams, a 46-year-old black resident of Houston, said outside the church. "I want the police killings to stop. I want them to reform the process to achieve justice, and stop the killing."
00:31
The public viewing came two weeks to the day after Floyd's death was captured by an onlooker's video. As a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, Floyd, 46, an unarmed black man suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill, died in handcuffs, lying face down on a Minneapolis street, gasping for air and groaning, "I can't breathe."
As the public viewing unfolded in Houston, Derek Chauvin, 44, the police officer charged with second-degree murder in the case, made his first court appearance in Minneapolis by video link, with a judge ordering his bail raised from $1 million to $1.25 million.
Chauvin's three co-defendants, accused of aiding and abetting Floyd's murder, were previously ordered held on $750,000 bond each.
Floyd's dying words became a rallying cry for an outpouring of rage that crossed racial and other social boundaries around the United States and abroad.
Demonstrations, unleashed amid anxiety and joblessness from the coronavirus pandemic, invigorated the Black Lives Matter movement, thrusting calls for racial justice and police reforms to the top of America's political agenda ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Protests in a number of U.S. cities were initially punctuated by episodes of arson, looting and clashes with police, deepening a political crisis for President Donald Trump as he repeatedly threatened to order active-duty military troops into the streets to help restore order.
Police 'defunding' stirs controversy
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who is challenging the Republican Trump in the Nov. 3 election, met with Floyd's relatives for more than an hour in Houston on Monday, according to the family's lawyer, Benjamin Crump.
"He listened, heard their pain and shared in their woe," Crump said of Biden's private meeting. "That compassion meant the world to this grieving family." Floyd was due to be buried on Tuesday.
In Washington, Democrats in Congress unveiled legislation to make lynching a federal hate crime and to allow victims of police misconduct and their families to sue law enforcement for damages in civil court, ending a legal doctrine known as qualified immunity.
Their 134-page bill also would ban chokeholds and require the use of body cameras by federal law enforcement officers, place new restrictions on the use of lethal force and facilitate independent probes of police departments that show patterns of misconduct.
The legislation does not call for police departments to be de-funded or abolished, as some activists have demanded. But lawmakers called for spending priorities to change.
Trump "is appalled by the defund-the-police movement," White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told a media briefing. She said Trump was weighing various proposals in response to Floyd's death.
Biden opposes the movement to defund police departments as a response to police brutality but supports the "urgent need" for reform, a spokesman for his presidential campaign said on Monday.
Huge weekend crowds gathered across the country and in Europe for some of the largest Black Lives Matter rallies seen since Floyd's death, as a general mood of calm prevailed over the demonstrations.
The high-spirited atmosphere was marred late on Sunday when a man drove a car into a rally in Seattle and then shot and wounded a demonstrator who confronted him. The suspect, Nikolas Fernandez, was charged on Monday with assault.
Separately, a man described by prosecutors as an admitted member of the Ku Klux Klan and "propagandist for Confederate ideology," was arrested on suspicion of driving his pickup truck into a rally near Richmond, Virginia, late on Sunday. The suspect, Harry H. Rogers, 36, was charged with assault and battery, malicious wounding and felony vandalism.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--Hard-hit NYC begins its Covid-19 comeback as infection rate plummets

Masked cyclist rides past a sign instructing people how to stay safe as New York City enters phase one of reopening after its Covid-19 lockdown , Harlem , NYC , June 8 , 2020 .
Exactly 100 days after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in New York City , some workers began returning to jobs on Monday at the start of reopening from a citywide shutdown to battle the epidemic that killed nearly 22,000 of its residents .
People who had been staying home for months boarded subways and buses as the most populous U.S. city began Phase One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is clearly the hardest place in America to get to this moment because we 're the epicentre , '' Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard .
New York , by far the hardest-hit US city , on Monday reported the rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus fell to a new low of 3 % , well below its threshold for reopening of 15 % , de Blasio said .
As some 400,000 workers head back to 32,000 construction sites , wholesale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the city , de Blasio urged them to wear face masks and use social distancing to keep Covid-19 cases on a downward trend - particularly those who use mass transit to get to work .
Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee Projjal Dutta distributed free hand sanitiser and surgical masks to subway riders in Harlem .
He said that although he had continued his MTA office job virtually from home , this was his first day physically back at work .
Subway rider Jim Duke , who commutes from the New York suburb of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had few enough riders to accommodate social distancing from other commuters .
`` There 's not a lot of people on there , so it 's fairly easy .
So far , '' said Duke , wearing a face mask .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that the rest of the state had already entered the same reopening phase without a jump in infections , largely because of restrictions that limit restaurants to serving guests only outdoors and retailers to making only curbside sales .
`` If we follow those guidelines in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a spike , just like there has n't been a spike across the rest of the state , '' Cuomo said .
De Blasio said the city is opening 20 miles ( 32 km ) of new bus routes and new bus lanes from June through October to increase spacing between mass transit passengers .
The mayor said he was cautiously monitoring the virus ' spread after thousands of protesters – many without masks – swarmed New York streets for daily marches against racism following the May 25 death of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure reopening can continue and eventually bring customers back to hair salons , restaurants and other businesses .

Exactly 100 days after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in New York City, some workers began returning to jobs on Monday at the start of reopening from a citywide shutdown to battle the epidemic that killed nearly 22,000 of its residents.
Masked cyclist rides past a sign instructing people how to stay safe as New York City enters phase one of reopening after its Covid-19 lockdown, Harlem, NYC, June 8, 2020.
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People who had been staying home for months boarded subways and buses as the most populous U.S. city began Phase One of its hopeful journey toward economic recovery.
"This is clearly the hardest place in America to get to this moment because we're the epicentre," Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
New York, by far the hardest-hit US city, on Monday reported the rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus fell to a new low of 3%, well below its threshold for reopening of 15%, de Blasio said.
As some 400,000 workers head back to 32,000 construction sites, wholesale and manufacturing centers and some retail sites across the city, de Blasio urged them to wear face masks and use social distancing to keep Covid-19 cases on a downward trend - particularly those who use mass transit to get to work.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee Projjal Dutta distributed free hand sanitiser and surgical masks to subway riders in Harlem. He said that although he had continued his MTA office job virtually from home, this was his first day physically back at work.
Subway rider Jim Duke, who commutes from the New York suburb of Putnam County, said normally packed trains had few enough riders to accommodate social distancing from other commuters.
"There's not a lot of people on there, so it's fairly easy. So far," said Duke, wearing a face mask.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that the rest of the state had already entered the same reopening phase without a jump in infections, largely because of restrictions that limit restaurants to serving guests only outdoors and retailers to making only curbside sales.
"If we follow those guidelines in New York City, there should not be a spike, just like there hasn't been a spike across the rest of the state," Cuomo said.
De Blasio said the city is opening 20 miles (32 km) of new bus routes and new bus lanes from June through October to increase spacing between mass transit passengers.
The mayor said he was cautiously monitoring the virus' spread after thousands of protesters – many without masks – swarmed New York streets for daily marches against racism following the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, to be sure reopening can continue and eventually bring customers back to hair salons, restaurants and other businesses.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--US prosecutors say Prince Andrew not cooperating in Epstein probe

US investigators have alleged that Britain 's Prince Andrew has refused to help in the Epstein investigation U.S. prosecutors accused Britain 's Prince Andrew on Monday of evading their efforts to question him over his contacts with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein , but lawyers for the prince accused them of seeking publicity rather than his help .
U.S. investigators want to interview Andrew , Queen Elizabeth 's second son , about his friendship with Epstein - who was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking minors when he died last August in a New York City federal prison - as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Manhattan-based federal prosecutor , U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman , said Andrew had `` sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate '' but had given no interview to federal authorities and had repeatedly declined such requests .
Berman was responding to a report by Britain 's Sun newspaper , confirmed to Reuters by a U.S. law enforcement official , that U.S. authorities investigating Epstein 's life and death had sent the British government a formal request , known as a mutual legal assistance treaty ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the prince .
The MLAT is a procedure used in criminal investigations to gather material from foreign countries which can not readily be obtained on a police cooperation basis .
Britain 's Home Office ( interior ministry ) said it did not comment on the existence of any MLAT requests .
Buckingham Palace is not commenting on the legal case .
`` If Prince Andrew is , in fact , serious about cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation , our doors remain open , and we await word of when we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
Earlier on Monday , Andrew 's lawyers said in a statement following the Sun article that the prince , whose official title is the Duke of York , had offered his help to the U.S. Department of Justice ( DOJ ) three times this year .
`` Unfortunately , the DOJ has reacted ... by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero cooperation , '' Andrew 's lawyers Blackfords said .
`` In doing so , they are perhaps seeking publicity rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said in a statement .
Andrew has publicly stated he will cooperate with any `` appropriate law enforcement agency '' .
But in March , Berman said the prince had `` shut the door on voluntary cooperation and our office is considering its options '' .
In answer to a question U.S. Attorney General William Barr told Fox News in an interview on Monday there were no plans to extradite Andrew .
`` I do n't think it 's a question of handing him over .
I think it ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , '' he said .
If the MLAT request is granted , U.S. prosecutors could ask for Andrew , who stepped down from public duties because of the furore over his links to Epstein , to voluntarily attend an interview to give a statement or potentially force him to attend a court to provide evidence under oath .
`` Any pursuit of an application for mutual legal assistance would be disappointing , since the Duke of York is not a target of the DOJ investigation and has recently repeated his willingness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement from the prince 's lawyers said .
A U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation probe is focusing on British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell , a longtime associate of Epstein 's , and others who facilitated his alleged trafficking of underage girls , law enforcement sources told Reuters in December .
Maxwell , whose whereabouts are currently unknown , has denied the allegations against her .
An official U.S. medical examiner last year ruled Epstein 's death a suicide , though a pathologist hired by Epstein ’ s brother suggested evidence indicated he might have @ @ @

U.S. prosecutors accused Britain's Prince Andrew on Monday of evading their efforts to question him over his contacts with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, but lawyers for the prince accused them of seeking publicity rather than his help.
US investigators have alleged that Britain's Prince Andrew has refused to help in the Epstein investigation
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U.S. investigators want to interview Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son, about his friendship with Epstein - who was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking minors when he died last August in a New York City federal prison - as part of their inquiry into possible co-conspirators.
The Manhattan-based federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, said Andrew had "sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate" but had given no interview to federal authorities and had repeatedly declined such requests.
Berman was responding to a report by Britain's Sun newspaper, confirmed to Reuters by a U.S. law enforcement official, that U.S. authorities investigating Epstein's life and death had sent the British government a formal request, known as a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) submission, asking for access to the prince.
The MLAT is a procedure used in criminal investigations to gather material from foreign countries which cannot readily be obtained on a police cooperation basis.
Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) said it did not comment on the existence of any MLAT requests. Buckingham Palace is not commenting on the legal case. "If Prince Andrew is, in fact, serious about cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation, our doors remain open, and we await word of when we should expect him," Berman's office said in a statement.
Earlier on Monday, Andrew's lawyers said in a statement following the Sun article that the prince, whose official title is the Duke of York, had offered his help to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) three times this year.
"Unfortunately, the DOJ has reacted ... by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero cooperation," Andrew's lawyers Blackfords said.
"In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered," they said in a statement.
No extradition
Andrew has publicly stated he will cooperate with any "appropriate law enforcement agency". But in March, Berman said the prince had "shut the door on voluntary cooperation and our office is considering its options".
In answer to a question U.S. Attorney General William Barr told Fox News in an interview on Monday there were no plans to extradite Andrew.
"I don't think it's a question of handing him over. I think it’s just a question of having him provide some evidence," he said.
If the MLAT request is granted, U.S. prosecutors could ask for Andrew, who stepped down from public duties because of the furore over his links to Epstein, to voluntarily attend an interview to give a statement or potentially force him to attend a court to provide evidence under oath.
"Any pursuit of an application for mutual legal assistance would be disappointing, since the Duke of York is not a target of the DOJ investigation and has recently repeated his willingness to provide a witness statement," the statement from the prince's lawyers said.
A U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation probe is focusing on British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein's, and others who facilitated his alleged trafficking of underage girls, law enforcement sources told Reuters in December.
Maxwell, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, has denied the allegations against her.
An official U.S. medical examiner last year ruled Epstein's death a suicide, though a pathologist hired by Epstein’s brother suggested evidence indicated he might have been strangled.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--North Korea cuts all official communication lines with South

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un takes part in the 13th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers ' Party of Korea ( WPK ) in this image released June 7 , 2020 by North Korea 's Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) .
North Korea is severing all official communication links with the South , it announced Tuesday in a move analysts said was aimed at manufacturing a crisis on the divided peninsula .
Since last week the North has issued a series of vitriolic denunciations of the South over activists sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a regular basis .
Authorities in the North have organised large-scale rallies of citizens across the country in support of their threats , which come with inter-Korean ties at a standstill for months despite three summits between the North 's leader Kim Jong Un and the South 's President Moon Jae-in in 2018 .
The move will cut all official communication links between the two sides , but the immediate effect will be limited -- Pyongyang has refused to engage with Seoul for months , with few if any conversations on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest development comes just three days before the two-year anniversary of a landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore .
Negotiations over the North 's nuclear programme have been deadlocked since the collapse of a second meeting in Hanoi last year over what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief .
The impasse has left Pyongyang increasingly frustrated over the lack of concessions and analysts say it has taken no substantive steps towards giving up its weapons .
It has increasingly turned its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out a series of weapons tests and other provocations in recent months -- including last month shooting at a Southern guardpost in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula .
Pyongyang `` will completely cut off and shut down the liaison line '' between North and South from noon on Tuesday , the official Korean Central News Agency said , along with military hotlines and a communication link between the headquarters of the North 's ruling Workers ' Party and the South 's presidential office .
The decision was taken by Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and key adviser , and ruling party vice chairman Kim Yong Chol , KCNA said , in an explicit demonstration of the sibling 's increasing authority in government .
Last week she issued a statement threatening to scrap a military pact with the South and close a liaison office -- where activities have already been suspended for months due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Calls by the South to the North on the hotlines went unanswered on Tuesday morning , officials in Seoul said .
Tuesday 's statement repeatedly denounced defectors who send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle criticising Kim over his weapons programmes and human rights abuses .
It called them `` disgusting riff-raff '' and accused Seoul of complicity in their actions .
`` This has driven the inter-Korean relations into a catastrophe , '' KCNA said , describing Seoul as an `` enemy '' .
`` We have reached a conclusion that there is no need to sit face to face with the south Korean authorities and there is no issue to discuss with them . ''
Analysts say the move signals an acceleration in Pyongyang 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South .
Since last month 's DMZ shooting -- which the South repeatedly insisted was accidental -- the North has `` tried to shake up the situation with a low-level provocation '' , said Shin Beom-chul , an analyst at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy .
`` It is trying to shake South Korea 's policy towards the North , '' he said .
`` With Kim Yo Jong in charge , this wo n't be a one-time thing , '' he added .
`` They are starting with South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US . ''
The two sides remain technically at war after Korean War hostilities ended with an armistice in 1953 that was never replaced with a peace treaty .
Pyongyang is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its banned weapons programmes but has carried out a series of tests in recent months -- often describing them as multiple launch rocket systems , although Japan and the US have called them ballistic missiles .

North Korea is severing all official communication links with the South, it announced Tuesday in a move analysts said was aimed at manufacturing a crisis on the divided peninsula.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un takes part in the 13th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in this image released June 7, 2020 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
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Since last week the North has issued a series of vitriolic denunciations of the South over activists sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border -- something defectors do on a regular basis.
Authorities in the North have organised large-scale rallies of citizens across the country in support of their threats, which come with inter-Korean ties at a standstill for months despite three summits between the North's leader Kim Jong Un and the South's President Moon Jae-in in 2018.
The move will cut all official communication links between the two sides, but the immediate effect will be limited -- Pyongyang has refused to engage with Seoul for months, with few if any conversations on the lines aside from test calls.
The latest development comes just three days before the two-year anniversary of a landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore.
Negotiations over the North's nuclear programme have been deadlocked since the collapse of a second meeting in Hanoi last year over what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief.
The impasse has left Pyongyang increasingly frustrated over the lack of concessions and analysts say it has taken no substantive steps towards giving up its weapons.
It has increasingly turned its anger towards Seoul rather than Washington, carrying out a series of weapons tests and other provocations in recent months -- including last month shooting at a Southern guardpost in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula.
Pyongyang "will completely cut off and shut down the liaison line" between North and South from noon on Tuesday, the official Korean Central News Agency said, along with military hotlines and a communication link between the headquarters of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the South's presidential office.
The decision was taken by Kim Yo Jong, the leader's sister and key adviser, and ruling party vice chairman Kim Yong Chol, KCNA said, in an explicit demonstration of the sibling's increasing authority in government.
Last week she issued a statement threatening to scrap a military pact with the South and close a liaison office -- where activities have already been suspended for months due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Calls by the South to the North on the hotlines went unanswered on Tuesday morning, officials in Seoul said.
'Disgusting riff-raff'
Tuesday's statement repeatedly denounced defectors who send leaflets to the North by balloon and bottle criticising Kim over his weapons programmes and human rights abuses. It called them "disgusting riff-raff" and accused Seoul of complicity in their actions.
"This has driven the inter-Korean relations into a catastrophe," KCNA said, describing Seoul as an "enemy".
"We have reached a conclusion that there is no need to sit face to face with the south Korean authorities and there is no issue to discuss with them."
Analysts say the move signals an acceleration in Pyongyang's strategy to ramp up pressure on the South.
Since last month's DMZ shooting -- which the South repeatedly insisted was accidental -- the North has "tried to shake up the situation with a low-level provocation", said Shin Beom-chul, an analyst at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.
"It is trying to shake South Korea's policy towards the North," he said.
"With Kim Yo Jong in charge, this won't be a one-time thing," he added. "They are starting with South Korea and the hard-line stance will expand to the US."
The two sides remain technically at war after Korean War hostilities ended with an armistice in 1953 that was never replaced with a peace treaty.
Pyongyang is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its banned weapons programmes but has carried out a series of tests in recent months -- often describing them as multiple launch rocket systems, although Japan and the US have called them ballistic missiles.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--France to ban police chokeholds after protests over George Floyd death

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks in front of the Elysee Palace on May 19 2020 .
France said on Monday it would ban the controversial chokehold method used to detain suspects , after the death in custody of George Floyd in the United States intensified anger over the behaviour of French police .
A wave of global protests in the wake of Floyd 's fatal arrest magnified attention on the 2016 death in French police custody of Adama Traore , a 24-year-old black man , and renewed controversy over claims of racism and brutality within France 's police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday it had received almost 1,500 complaints against officers last year -- half of them for alleged violence .
Seeking to take serious action after a string of protests in recent days , Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the chokehold method `` will be abandoned '' .
`` It will no longer be taught in police and gendarmerie schools .
It is a method that has its dangers , '' he said in a televised press conference , while stressing he would pursue a policy of `` zero tolerance '' for racism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a place in our society and even less in our Republican police , '' said Castaner , adding too many officers `` have failed in their Republican duty '' in recent weeks , with several instances of racist and discriminatory remarks revealed .
`` It is not enough to condemn it , '' said Castaner .
`` We have to track it down and combat it . ''
Earlier on Monday , President Emmanuel Macron urged his government to `` accelerate '' steps to improve police ethics .
The presidency said Macron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philippe on Sunday after some 23,000 people protested in several French cities on Saturday to demand `` justice '' for victims of crimes allegedly committed by police officers .
The French demonstrations started in response to an expert report clearing the three officers who arrested Traore .
This was in spite of one of the officers having told investigators the young man had been pinned to the ground with their combined body weight , and a report commissioned by Traore 's family finding he had died due to the police members ' actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Tuesday to demand justice for Traore and Floyd , defying a coronavirus ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people , followed on Saturday by more protests in several French cities .
Floyd had similarly died after being pinned to the ground while under arrest .
Media outlets last week published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French police members repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality .
The IGPN watchdog said on Monday that complaints against officers rose by nearly a quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months of weekly `` yellow vest '' anti-government protests .
The rallies often sparked tense confrontations that left several officers injured by rioting protesters , but also civilians beaten or struck by rubber bullets .
According to an official count , about 2,500 demonstrators and 1,800 law enforcement agents were injured in yellow vest protests .
Activists say two dozen people lost an eye as police used rubber bullets to rein in the rallies , and five lost a hand to stun grenades .
Just this year , video footage showed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on his back , another tripping a woman , and yet another firing a rubber bullet at point-blank range .
Last month , a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in one eye in a police operation in the poorer northern suburbs of Paris .
He said they struck him .
Macron has instructed Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet to look into Traore 's death , and Castaner to step up measures to `` improve the ethics '' of the police force , the presidency said .
The IGPN report said nearly 40 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police action during protests , and 13 percent during identity checks and 14 percent during detention .
Also on Monday , France 's human rights ombudsman Jacques Toubon raised the alarm over a `` crisis of public confidence in the security forces '' and urged a reversal of what he described as a `` warring mentality '' in law enforcement .

France said on Monday it would ban the controversial chokehold method used to detain suspects, after the death in custody of George Floyd in the United States intensified anger over the behaviour of French police.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks in front of the Elysee Palace on May 19 2020.
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A wave of global protests in the wake of Floyd's fatal arrest magnified attention on the 2016 death in French police custody of Adama Traore, a 24-year-old black man, and renewed controversy over claims of racism and brutality within France's police.
The country's police watchdog said on Monday it had received almost 1,500 complaints against officers last year -- half of them for alleged violence.
Seeking to take serious action after a string of protests in recent days, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the chokehold method "will be abandoned".
"It will no longer be taught in police and gendarmerie schools. It is a method that has its dangers," he said in a televised press conference, while stressing he would pursue a policy of "zero tolerance" for racism in law enforcement.
"Racism does not have a place in our society and even less in our Republican police," said Castaner, adding too many officers "have failed in their Republican duty" in recent weeks, with several instances of racist and discriminatory remarks revealed.
"It is not enough to condemn it," said Castaner. "We have to track it down and combat it."
Earlier on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron urged his government to "accelerate" steps to improve police ethics.
The presidency said Macron had met Castaner and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Sunday after some 23,000 people protested in several French cities on Saturday to demand "justice" for victims of crimes allegedly committed by police officers.
'Crisis of confidence'
The French demonstrations started in response to an expert report clearing the three officers who arrested Traore.
This was in spite of one of the officers having told investigators the young man had been pinned to the ground with their combined body weight, and a report commissioned by Traore's family finding he had died due to the police members' actions.
Some 20,000 people rallied in Paris last Tuesday to demand justice for Traore and Floyd, defying a coronavirus ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people, followed on Saturday by more protests in several French cities.
Floyd had similarly died after being pinned to the ground while under arrest.
Media outlets last week published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French police members repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality.
The IGPN watchdog said on Monday that complaints against officers rose by nearly a quarter last year, when police were deployed for months of weekly "yellow vest" anti-government protests.
The rallies often sparked tense confrontations that left several officers injured by rioting protesters, but also civilians beaten or struck by rubber bullets.
According to an official count, about 2,500 demonstrators and 1,800 law enforcement agents were injured in yellow vest protests.
Activists say two dozen people lost an eye as police used rubber bullets to rein in the rallies, and five lost a hand to stun grenades.
Just this year, video footage showed a riot officer punching a bloodied protester held down on his back, another tripping a woman, and yet another firing a rubber bullet at point-blank range.
Last month, a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in one eye in a police operation in the poorer northern suburbs of Paris. He said they struck him.
Macron has instructed Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet to look into Traore's death, and Castaner to step up measures to "improve the ethics" of the police force, the presidency said.
The IGPN report said nearly 40 percent of cases reported last year arose from police action during protests, and 13 percent during identity checks and 14 percent during detention.
Also on Monday, France's human rights ombudsman Jacques Toubon raised the alarm over a "crisis of public confidence in the security forces" and urged a reversal of what he described as a "warring mentality" in law enforcement.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-09--Reverend Al Sharpton decries Trump's 'wickedness' at George Floyd funeral

The Reverend Al Sharpton speaks during the funeral service for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston , Texas , U.S. , June 9 , 2020 .
A civil rights leader at Tuesday 's funeral for George Floyd , whose death in custody sparked worldwide protests , accused US President Donald Trump of `` wickedness '' for cracking down on demonstrators instead of police brutality .
Reverend Al Sharpton also told the service in Houston that Trump 's efforts to stop the protests with force , including the use of rubber bullets , rather than seek justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to police officers that they are above the law .
`` We are fighting wickedness in high places ! ''
Sharpton thundered , uttering the phrase repeatedly as he accused Trump of `` scheming on how you can spin the story rather than how you can achieve justice . ''
`` You call in your cabinet , trying to figure out how it 's going to affect your vote , rather than how it 's going to affect our lives , '' the renowned religious and rights advocate told the guests .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to clear out peaceful protesters and then take a Bible and walk in front of a church and use a church as a prop ?
Wickedness in high places , '' Sharpton said .
As funeral attendees applauded , Sharpton berated the president for failing to directly address how a Minneapolis policeman pressed his knee against a handcuffed Floyd 's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds until well after Floyd 's body went limp .
Trump did phone the Floyd family to offer his sympathy , and he has described the 46-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' that `` should never have happened . ''
Sharpton stressed the presidential response has been insufficient .
`` What about the human right of George Floyd ? ''
he said .
`` The signals that we 're sending is that if you are in law enforcement , that the law does n't apply to you . ''
Sharpton noted what many protesters have spoken out about in the weeks since Floyd 's killing , that systemic racism is pervasive and needs to be addressed .
`` We are not fighting some disconnected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic problem that 's been allowed to permeate since we were brought to these shores , '' Sharpton said , invoking the four-century legacy of slavery in America .

Houston said farewell to George Floyd in a rousing hometown funeral Tuesday, with poignant tributes and calls for justice for the 46-year-old African American whose death "touched the world" and ignited global protests against police brutality and racism.
Roxie Washington holds Gianna Floyd, the daughter of George Floyd as they attend the funeral service for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Houston.
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Politicians, civil rights activists and celebrities joined in sharing memories of the man they called a "gentle giant" after his golden casket was carried into the sanctuary by six pallbearers in masks, as a row of police officers stood at attention and saluted.
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton delivered a fierce eulogy, punctuated by the deep chords of a church organ, in which he accused President Donald Trump of showing indifference over Floyd's death, and sending police a signal of impunity.
"We are fighting wickedness in high places!" Sharpton thundered, uttering the phrase over and over as he accused Trump of "scheming on how you can spin the story rather than how you can achieve justice."
"You sit now trying to figure out how you're going to stop the protest, rather than how you're going to stop the brutality," he said, charging: "The signals that we're sending is that if you are in law enforcement, that the law doesn't apply to you."
Acknowledging the presence of the parents of previous victims of police violence -- including Eric Garner, Botham Jean and Michael Brown -- Sharpton said they "know better than anyone else the pain" of the Floyd family.
"Until we know the price for black life is the same as the price for white life, we're going to keep coming back to these situations over and over again," the preacher told The Fountain of Praise Church in southern Houston.
02:06
Though the occasion was solemn, the church echoed with music and words of fond remembrance for a man whose savage death galvanized a movement.
"Even in a pandemic, people are walking out in the streets not even following social distancing because you've touched the world," Sharpton said.
"And as we lay you to rest today, the movement won't rest until we get justice."
Floyd died on May 25 as a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee into his neck for almost nine minutes, his pleas of "I can't breathe" becoming a rallying cry for protesters.
His death has come to embody fractured relations between communities of color and police in the US and beyond as tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets.
The Fountain of Praise was the final stage in a series of ceremonies before Floyd's coffin was conveyed by horse-drawn carriage in the early evening to his final resting place by his mother's grave.
On the way to the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery, the cortege passed hundreds of well-wishers who chanted Floyd's name. "Rest in power" was scrawled in blue chalk on the road, while one held up a sign saying: "We will never forget."
Some 500 guests -- all masked due the coronavirus pandemic -- were at the funeral, including actors Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, filmmaker Tyler Perry, singer Ne-Yo and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather who is reportedly paying all expenses.
'He made a difference'
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who has visited the family, offered words of condolence to Floyd's children in a video message urging them to "change the world for the better" in their father's name.
"Today now is the time, the purpose, the season to listen and heal," said Biden, who suffered his own tragedy with the deaths of a wife and two children.
"Now is time for racial justice... Because when there's justice for George Floyd we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America."
The funeral comes after the Minneapolis authorities pledged to dismantle and rebuild the police department in the city where Floyd died during an arrest for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
Derek Chauvin, the 44-year-old white officer who was filmed pressing his knee on the handcuffed Floyd's neck, faces up to 40 years if convicted on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.
His bail was set on Monday at $1 million with conditions, or $1.25 million without.
Three other policemen involved in Floyd's arrest are charged with aiding and abetting his murder. All four officers have been fired.
The arrest was caught on chilling cellphone video played in all corners of the world over the past two weeks.
Heavy-handed policing
Floyd was born in North Carolina, but grew up in Houston's predominantly African American Third Ward where he was remembered as a towering high school athlete and good-natured friend.
Demonstrators have taken to the streets for two weeks of the most sweeping US protests for racial justice since the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The demonstrations were marred by several nights of violence that focused attention at home and abroad on police brutality as numerous videos have emerged that allegedly show incidents of heavy-handed policing.
The Democrats have introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress, that they hope will make it easier to prosecute officers for abuse, and rethink how they are recruited and trained.
Some US cities have already begun to embrace reforms -- starting with bans on the use of tear gas and rubber bullets.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-09--Anti-racism protesters in Paris take a knee for George Floyd

A demonstrator wearing a protective face mask raises his fist during a protest at the Place de la Republique square , following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody , in Paris , France June 9 , 2020 .
Hundreds of anti-racism protesters in Paris took a knee and held an eight minute silence on Tuesday in memory of George Floyd , the black American whose death after a police officer knelt on his neck has unleashed a global outpouring of sadness and outrage .
Holding placards reading `` stop police violence '' , `` stop racism '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the final words of Floyd as he lost consciousness , the protesters bowed heads beneath the statue of Marianne , who personifies the French Republic , in Place de la Republique .
Some raised a fist as a mark of respect for victims of police brutality .
`` We ’ re here to fight against police violence , against all this racism that has been going on for generations .
We can not continue like this .
This should be punished , '' said Kathleen Mergirie , a 30-year-old black woman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago ignited worldwide protests against racism and police brutality , including in France where people of African and Arab descent often complain that the police 's record of violence remains unaddressed .
Earlier in the day , Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said France had at times in its history failed to live up to the challenge of meeting Republic 's founding principles , liberty , equality and fraternity .
Police kept a low profile at the Paris protest .
Scores of protesters also gathered peacefully in the western city of Nantes .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous chokehold used to detain suspects and promised zero tolerance of racism among law enforcement agents .

Hundreds of anti-racism protesters in Paris took a knee and held an eight minute silence on Tuesday in memory of George Floyd, the black American whose death after a police officer knelt on his neck has unleashed a global outpouring of sadness and outrage.
A demonstrator wearing a protective face mask raises his fist during a protest at the Place de la Republique square, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Paris, France June 9, 2020.
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Holding placards reading "stop police violence", "stop racism" and "I can't breathe", the final words of Floyd as he lost consciousness, the protesters bowed heads beneath the statue of Marianne, who personifies the French Republic, in Place de la Republique.
Some raised a fist as a mark of respect for victims of police brutality.
"We’re here to fight against police violence, against all this racism that has been going on for generations. We cannot continue like this. This should be punished," said Kathleen Mergirie, a 30-year-old black woman.
Floyd's killing in Minneapolis two weeks ago ignited worldwide protests against racism and police brutality, including in France where people of African and Arab descent often complain that the police's record of violence remains unaddressed.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said France had at times in its history failed to live up to the challenge of meeting Republic's founding principles, liberty, equality and fraternity.
Police kept a low profile at the Paris protest. Scores of protesters also gathered peacefully in the western city of Nantes.
On Monday, the French government banned a dangerous chokehold used to detain suspects and promised zero tolerance of racism among law enforcement agents.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--Covid-19: France's daily death toll remains below 100 for seventh day in a row

A health worker stores samples in the covid-19 test department of the Broussais Hospital as the lockdown introduced two months ago to fight the spread of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) starts to ease in Paris , France , May 11 , 2020 .
Picture taken May 11 , 2020 .
France 's coronavirus death toll rose by 87 or 0.3 percent to 29,296 on Tuesday , the highest daily toll since June 2 , but remained under 100 for the seventh day in a row , health ministry data showed .
On Monday , 54 Covid-19 deaths were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of daily confirmed coronavirus infections increased by 403 or 0.3 percent to 154,591 , up on the 211 seen on Monday and 343 on Sunday , but remained below the more than 500 seen on Thursday through Saturday .
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 continued its weeks-long decline and fell by 354 to 11,961 , while the number of people in intensive care units fell below 1,000 for the first time since March 19 , down 69 to 955 .
Both numbers are important measures of a health system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After the government lifted a strict 55-day lockdown on May 11 , the hospital and mortality data have been on steady downtrends , but the number of new confirmed infections has stubbornly remained at a few hundred per day .
In the past seven days , France counted an average of 467 new infections per day compared to an average of 478 the first week after lockdown ended .
Besides confirmed cases , France also reports probable cases , but these have not been updated in more than a week .
Adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 37,000 - to Tuesday 's confirmed cases yields a total of 191,588 cases , putting France in ninth place in the world by that count , behind Spain , Italy and Peru , and ahead of Germany .

France's coronavirus death toll rose by 87 or 0.3 percent to 29,296 on Tuesday, the highest daily toll since June 2, but remained under 100 for the seventh day in a row, health ministry data showed.
A health worker stores samples in the covid-19 test department of the Broussais Hospital as the lockdown introduced two months ago to fight the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) starts to ease in Paris, France, May 11, 2020. Picture taken May 11, 2020.
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On Monday, 54 Covid-19 deaths were reported, on Sunday 13.
The number of daily confirmed coronavirus infections increased by 403 or 0.3 percent to 154,591, up on the 211 seen on Monday and 343 on Sunday, but remained below the more than 500 seen on Thursday through Saturday.
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 continued its weeks-long decline and fell by 354 to 11,961, while the number of people in intensive care units fell below 1,000 for the first time since March 19, down 69 to 955.
Both numbers are important measures of a health system's ability to deal with the epidemic.
After the government lifted a strict 55-day lockdown on May 11, the hospital and mortality data have been on steady downtrends, but the number of new confirmed infections has stubbornly remained at a few hundred per day.
In the past seven days, France counted an average of 467 new infections per day compared to an average of 478 the first week after lockdown ended.
Besides confirmed cases, France also reports probable cases, but these have not been updated in more than a week.
Adding last week's probable cases - about 37,000 - to Tuesday's confirmed cases yields a total of 191,588 cases, putting France in ninth place in the world by that count, behind Spain, Italy and Peru, and ahead of Germany.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has died aged 55

Burundi 's President Pierre Nkurunziza has died at the age of 55 , June 9 2020 .
Burundi ’ s government says President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack at age 55 .
A statement on Tuesday says the president was admitted to a hospital overnight Saturday after not feeling well .
He appeared better Sunday but “ to very great surprise ” his health abruptly worsened Monday morning , and several hours of effort failed to revive him .
Nkurunziza took office 15 years ago , and his decision to run for a disputed third term in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of people dead .
Facing allegations of widespread abuses , his government angrily rejected scrutiny , becoming the first country to leave the International Criminal Court .
His death comes on the heels of elections on May 20 in which his hand-picked successor , Evariste Ndayishimiye , secured a seven-year term as president -- a result confirmed by the constitutional court last Thursday .
Ndayishimiye was due to be sworn in in August .
The statement from Burundi 's presidency said the country would observe seven days of mourning beginning Tuesday .

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of heart failure, the government said Tuesday, just months before he was to step down after 15 turbulent years at the head of the troubled nation.
Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has died at the age of 55, June 9 2020.
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Nkurunziza, 55, first began to feel unwell after attending a volleyball match on Saturday, and appeared to be improving until he took a turn for the worse on Monday and his heart stopped, the presidency said in a statement.
"Despite intense efforts, the medical team was not able to save the patient," said the statement, adding that doctors had spent several hours trying to revive him. A post on the government's official Twitter account early Tuesday evening announced Nkurunziza's death "with great sadness", and a statement from the presidency said he died in a hospital in the eastern city of Karuzi.
JUST IN: Govt of Burundi announce death of President Pierre Nkurunziza.
According to this statement Mr Nkurunziza died after suffering a heart attack. pic.twitter.com/Ui8fEwozga — Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) June 9, 2020
Many Burundians heard the news via a statement read out on national television and radio, which disrupted its programming to broadcast religious songs in Kirundi, the national language.
Nkurunziza's wife, first lady Denise Bucumi, is currently recovering from the coronavirus in a Nairobi hospital after being evacuated late last month.
Nkurunziza's death comes as he was preparing to leave office following the election last month of his hand-picked successor Evariste Ndayishimiye.
In a Twitter post Tuesday night, Ndayishimiye praised Nkurunziza's "legacy" and vowed to "continue his high-quality work that he has done for our country, Burundi".
An evangelical Christian who believed he was chosen by God to rule the East African nation, Nkurunziza was elected by parliament in 2005 at the tail end of a brutal civil war. He was re-elected in 2010.
In 2015, his decision to run for a third term sparked outrage among the opposition who claimed it was unconstitutional, leading to protests and a failed coup which plunged the country into violence.
Growing isolation
At least 1,200 people were killed and some 400,000 fled the country, and following Nkurunziza's successful election, a climate of fear prevailed with rights groups regularly denouncing a crackdown on the opposition and media.
Burundi, which the World Bank ranks among the world's three poorest countries, has been under sanctions from its major donors since then.
Nkurunziza exacerbated the country's international isolation by withdrawing from the International Criminal Court in 2017, and last year he shut down a local United Nations rights office which was probing killings, enforced disappearances and other rights abuses in the country.
More recently Burundi expelled staffers from the World Health Organization despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Nkurunziza had come in for heavy criticism over his handling of the pandemic and his claims God had protected Burundi from its worst ravages.
Officially Burundi has recorded 83 cases and one death, however doctors in Bujumbura speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity say many cases and deaths are going unreported.
"If all over the world we talk about the coronavirus pandemic, but we were able to gather without any problem, hold an electoral campaign without any problem, send our children to school and go to the market without worries... it is the hand of God which shows he has placed a special sign above our Burundi," Nkurunziza said last month.
Change of power
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed were among the first world leaders to express their condolences Tuesday evening, with Kenyatta hailing Nkurunziza's "contribution to the integration and progress of the region".
The country remains under the tight control of the ruling CNDD-FDD political party and its notoriously violent youth league, the Imbonerakure, which the United Nations has described as a militia.
In May 2018, Burundi approved in a referendum constitutional reforms that would have enabled Nkurunziza to rule until 2034, after a campaign Human Rights Watch said was marked by widespread repression and abuses.
But in a surprise move, Nkurunziza announced the following month that he would not run again.
His death comes on the heels of elections on May 20 that saw Ndayishimiye secure a seven-year term as president -- a result confirmed by the constitutional court last Thursday.
Ndayishimiye was due to be sworn in in August.
Julien Nimubona, a Burundian political scientist, told AFP Tuesday that the president of the National Assembly, Pascal Nyabenda, should take over on an interim basis before Ndayishimiye's swearing-in, in accordance with Burundi's constitution.
Like Ndayishimiye, Nkurunziza fought for the ethnic Hutu rebellion during the country's 1993-2006 civil war with the minority Tutsi-dominated army. The war left some 300,000 dead.
The ruling party granted him the title of "visionary" earlier this year.
Tuesday's statement from the presidency said the country would observe seven days of mourning to mark his death.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-09--In the wake of George Floyd's killing, a growing chorus to cut police funding

Art and posters can be seen at a memorial for George Floyd that has been created at the place where he was taken into police custody and later died in Minneapolis , Minnesota , U.S. , June 1 , 2020 .
Just a few weeks ago , calls to defund police departments circulated primarily among activists .
Today , increasing numbers of cities are taking measures to do so , and experts are waiting to see if a similar movement might take hold in Europe and elsewhere .
George Floyd was far from the first black man to die in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but his death on May 25 under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis was the catalyst that gave life to a movement that , until recently , had currency only among activists .
“ Very few people took it seriously until yesterday , ” Dennis Kenney , professor of criminal justice at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York , said .
“ It was injected into the mainstream by nine city council members in Minneapolis.
” Kenny was referring to a pledge by a veto-proof majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police department and build “ a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe ” , as Council President Lisa Bender said to CNN .
That wouldn ’ t mean not having a police department , Bender said , but would rather entail increasing funding for community-based programs and devise a new approach to public safety and emergency response .
Los Angeles and New York have also said they would move funds away from police and into programs that benefit disenfranchised communities , and officials in Chicago and Durham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea .
Top Democrats , though , including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden , are not supporters of the defunding movement , nor are most Republicans .
While some proponents of the defunding movement would like to see a complete abolition of police departments , many others go less far and , like Bender , advocate reducing the budgets of police departments and limiting the roles they play .
There is room to cut .
In some US cities police are allotted as much as 40 percent of municipal budgets .
Defund proponents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that money directed into programs that would help decrease structural inequities by improving things such as housing , healthcare , education and food availability .
“ Let ’ s think about other ways that we can use that money , not only to promote safety in our black neighbourhoods , but also to deal with a whole attendant range of social problems that have ended up falling on police because there ’ s no one else to do it , ” Ian Loader , professor of criminology at the University of Oxford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include issues of mental health , addiction and intrusive police relationships with schools .
While such problems exist in the UK and Europe , they are exacerbated in the US , where the welfare state is underdeveloped in comparison and there are fewer publicly funded services available .
Supporters of the defund movement would also like to see the role of police curbed and find ways that communities could take on certain responsibilities that police are not necessarily qualified for .
“ We have basically come to see the police as one-stop shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call the police because they ’ ll come , and they ’ ll do something.
” But law enforcement is not always well-equipped to handle situations that require de-escalation , such as mental health and domestic violence calls .
“ Police have limited tools to be able to respond , ” Kenny said .
Indeed , an analysis by Minneapolis city council members showed that the majority of calls that came into the 911 emergency call centre in that city were for mental health services , health , emergency medical personnel and fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in most police departments .
Nationally about 10 percent of calls involve dealing with a mentally ill person and roughly 25 percent of those killed by police suffer from mental illness , Kenney said .
“ The police are not trained to deal with people who have mental health problems , and therefore you get this terrible situation where the police are operating with the mindset of crime control , ” said David Scott , who teaches criminology at the Open University in the UK .
“ If the police are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community but are also generating harm for members of those communities… then surely it doesn ’ t take a big step in the imagination to say let ’ s not give them the money.
” “ Police end up doing what could better be done by someone else , ” Loader echoed .
“ What makes police unique is that they have the capacity to inflict violence on people to temporarily solve problems .
No one else can do that , and that ’ s a dangerous resource for them to have.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put the power back into the hands of local communities .
“ The end goal is a much smaller , much more reactive response to community demands ; a police force that is there for those moments when intervention in social life is actually required , ” Loader said .
Wanting to curb police roles doesn ’ t mean giving up security .
“ Even if you take the question of safety very seriously , it doesn ’ t mean you need the police , ” Loader said , adding that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seen as keeping people safe but rather regulating and controlling them .
People in these communities are looking for a new paradigm .
“ How can you think about public safety either without the police or without resorting to police first ?
” Loader said activists are considering .
One of the obstacles to real change may be the very way police departments see themselves and are viewed by different sectors of the public .
The idea that police exist to “ serve and protect ” extends only to certain communities—primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which generally embrace the police .
That is not the case in disadvantaged and minority neighborhoods , where police are chiefly engaged in maintaining order and control .
“ For those people who have been at the sharp end of the police , those people who have been policed , in effect , there has never been a massive amount of popularity because the police have treated them very badly , ” Scott said .
“ There is this sense that the police perceive themselves as crime fighters… when actually what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impoverished communities to keep them in check.
” “ In structurally divided societies , the police do two things : they provide a general sense of order from which everyone benefits and produce a social structure that benefits some more than others , ” Loader added .
“ They are oriented to both control and protection , and the lower down the hierarchy of race or class you get , the more the balance of protection and control starts to shift .
”

Just a few weeks ago, calls to defund police departments circulated primarily among activists. Today, increasing numbers of cities are taking measures to do so, and experts are waiting to see if a similar movement might take hold in Europe and elsewhere.
Art and posters can be seen at a memorial for George Floyd that has been created at the place where he was taken into police custody and later died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., June 1, 2020.
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George Floyd was far from the first black man to die in police custody in the United States, but his death on May 25 under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis was the catalyst that gave life to a movement that, until recently, had currency only among activists. “Very few people took it seriously until yesterday,” Dennis Kenney, professor of criminal justice at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said. “It was injected into the mainstream by nine city council members in Minneapolis.”
Kenny was referring to a pledge by a veto-proof majority of the Minneapolis city council to dismantle the police department and build “a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe”, as Council President Lisa Bender said to CNN. That wouldn’t mean not having a police department, Bender said, but would rather entail increasing funding for community-based programs and devise a new approach to public safety and emergency response.
Los Angeles and New York have also said they would move funds away from police and into programs that benefit disenfranchised communities, and officials in Chicago and Durham, North Carolina have expressed support for the idea. Top Democrats, though, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, are not supporters of the defunding movement, nor are most Republicans.
While some proponents of the defunding movement would like to see a complete abolition of police departments, many others go less far and, like Bender, advocate reducing the budgets of police departments and limiting the roles they play. There is room to cut. In some US cities police are allotted as much as 40 percent of municipal budgets. Defund proponents would like to see a portion of that money directed into programs that would help decrease structural inequities by improving things such as housing, healthcare, education and food availability.
“Let’s think about other ways that we can use that money, not only to promote safety in our black neighbourhoods, but also to deal with a whole attendant range of social problems that have ended up falling on police because there’s no one else to do it,” Ian Loader, professor of criminology at the University of Oxford, said activists are suggesting. Those areas include issues of mental health, addiction and intrusive police relationships with schools. While such problems exist in the UK and Europe, they are exacerbated in the US, where the welfare state is underdeveloped in comparison and there are fewer publicly funded services available.
Supporters of the defund movement would also like to see the role of police curbed and find ways that communities could take on certain responsibilities that police are not necessarily qualified for.
“We have basically come to see the police as one-stop shopping,” Kenny said. “People call the police because they’ll come, and they’ll do something.” But law enforcement is not always well-equipped to handle situations that require de-escalation, such as mental health and domestic violence calls. “Police have limited tools to be able to respond,” Kenny said.
Indeed, an analysis by Minneapolis city council members showed that the majority of calls that came into the 911 emergency call centre in that city were for mental health services, health, emergency medical personnel and fire services. And that’s the case in most police departments. Nationally about 10 percent of calls involve dealing with a mentally ill person and roughly 25 percent of those killed by police suffer from mental illness, Kenney said.
“The police are not trained to deal with people who have mental health problems, and therefore you get this terrible situation where the police are operating with the mindset of crime control,” said David Scott, who teaches criminology at the Open University in the UK. “If the police are not only failing to address the needs of the community but are also generating harm for members of those communities… then surely it doesn’t take a big step in the imagination to say let’s not give them the money.”
“Police end up doing what could better be done by someone else,” Loader echoed. “What makes police unique is that they have the capacity to inflict violence on people to temporarily solve problems. No one else can do that, and that’s a dangerous resource for them to have.”
Proponents of defunding the police want to put the power back into the hands of local communities. “The end goal is a much smaller, much more reactive response to community demands; a police force that is there for those moments when intervention in social life is actually required,” Loader said.
Wanting to curb police roles doesn’t mean giving up security. “Even if you take the question of safety very seriously, it doesn’t mean you need the police,” Loader said, adding that in minority and low-income communities the police aren’t seen as keeping people safe but rather regulating and controlling them. People in these communities are looking for a new paradigm. “How can you think about public safety either without the police or without resorting to police first?” Loader said activists are considering.
One of the obstacles to real change may be the very way police departments see themselves and are viewed by different sectors of the public. The idea that police exist to “serve and protect” extends only to certain communities—primarily middle class and affluent white ones, which generally embrace the police. That is not the case in disadvantaged and minority neighborhoods, where police are chiefly engaged in maintaining order and control.
“For those people who have been at the sharp end of the police, those people who have been policed, in effect, there has never been a massive amount of popularity because the police have treated them very badly,” Scott said. “There is this sense that the police perceive themselves as crime fighters… when actually what they’re doing is differentially policing marginalized and impoverished communities to keep them in check.”
“In structurally divided societies, the police do two things: they provide a general sense of order from which everyone benefits and produce a social structure that benefits some more than others,” Loader added. “They are oriented to both control and protection, and the lower down the hierarchy of race or class you get, the more the balance of protection and control starts to shift.”
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france24--2020-06-09--Eiffel Tower will reopen to public on June 25 following Covid-19 lockdown lift

Golden Statues at the Trocadero square near the Eiffel tower wears a protective mask during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in Paris , France , May 2 , 2020 .
The Eiffel Tower , one of the most visited sites in Paris , will reopen to the public on June 25 more than three months after shuttering in France 's coronavirus lockdown , its operators said on Tuesday .
The Eiffel Tower , one of the most visited sites in Paris , will reopen to the public on June 25 more than three months after shuttering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operators said Tuesday .
The 10-tonne metal landmark will emerge from its longest closure since World War II with limited visitor numbers at first , and face masks mandatory for all over the age of 11 , said the Eiffel Tower website .
`` At first , only visits by the stairs will be available , '' and not by elevator , it said , as a means of ensuring a safe distance between people to limit infection risk .
`` To ensure that ascending and descending visitors do not meet in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the East pillar and descent by the West pillar , '' added the website , with a limited number of visitors per floor at a time .
The top level will remain closed for now , `` since the lifts taking visitors from second to top floor are small .
It might re-open during the summer . ''
Online ticket office to be reopened 'soon' The statement said ground markings will be put in place to ensure people keep their distance from one another , with `` daily cleaning and disinfection of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monument , completed in 1889 , receives about seven million visitors every year , about three-quarters of them from abroad , according to the tower website .
The tourism industry of France , one of the world 's most visited countries , has taken a hard hit under a lockdown to halt the Covid-19 pandemic , with hotels , restaurants , museums , and theatres closed .
These included some of the French capital 's most famous landmarks such as the Louvre museum , due to reopen on July 6 , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The re-opening date of our online ticket office will be soon communicated , '' said the Eiffel website .
`` We strongly encourage our visitors to opt for online ticket purchase , in order to avoid the wait at the Tower 's ticket offices . ''

The Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited sites in Paris, will reopen to the public on June 25 more than three months after shuttering in France's coronavirus lockdown, its operators said on Tuesday.
Golden Statues at the Trocadero square near the Eiffel tower wears a protective mask during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Paris, France, May 2, 2020.
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The Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited sites in Paris, will reopen to the public on June 25 more than three months after shuttering in France's coronavirus lockdown, its operators said Tuesday.
The 10-tonne metal landmark will emerge from its longest closure since World War II with limited visitor numbers at first, and face masks mandatory for all over the age of 11, said the Eiffel Tower website.
"At first, only visits by the stairs will be available," and not by elevator, it said, as a means of ensuring a safe distance between people to limit infection risk.
"To ensure that ascending and descending visitors do not meet in the stairs, ascent will take place from the East pillar and descent by the West pillar," added the website, with a limited number of visitors per floor at a time.
The top level will remain closed for now, "since the lifts taking visitors from second to top floor are small. It might re-open during the summer."
Online ticket office to be reopened 'soon'
The statement said ground markings will be put in place to ensure people keep their distance from one another, with "daily cleaning and disinfection of public spaces at the tower."
The monument, completed in 1889, receives about seven million visitors every year, about three-quarters of them from abroad, according to the tower website.
The tourism industry of France, one of the world's most visited countries, has taken a hard hit under a lockdown to halt the Covid-19 pandemic, with hotels, restaurants, museums, and theatres closed.
These included some of the French capital's most famous landmarks such as the Louvre museum, due to reopen on July 6, and the Palace of Versailles which opened Saturday.
"The re-opening date of our online ticket office will be soon communicated," said the Eiffel website.
"We strongly encourage our visitors to opt for online ticket purchase, in order to avoid the wait at the Tower's ticket offices."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-09--Family of black Frenchman who died in police custody call for protests

Assa Traore , sister of Adama Traore , a 24-year-old black Frenchman who died in a 2016 police operation , poses during an interview in Beaumont-sur-Oise , near Paris , June 7 , 2020 .
The family of a black Frenchman who died in police custody in circumstances similar to the killing of George Floyd in the United States spurned talks with the justice minister and called on Tuesday for more street protests instead .
Adama Traore was celebrating his 24th birthday on July 19 , 2016 , when three police officers used their weight to restrain him .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station , he was unconscious and could not be revived .
Medical experts differ on whether Traore died because of the restraint or because of an underlying medical condition .
His family demands that the officers involved be held to account and thousands marched in their support in Paris last Saturday .
No one has ever been charged with Traore 's death .
`` We 're demanding acts of justice , not discussions , '' Assa Traore , Adama 's sister , told a press conference .
`` We 'll protest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The family and 'Truth for Adama ' campaign group called for a mass protest in central Paris on Saturday .
Worldwide anger over the killing of Floyd , including in France , has given new momentum to the Traore family 's campaign .
Accusations of brutality and racism against French police remain largely unaddressed , rights groups say .
France has at times fallen short in treating all people equally , a founding principle of the Republic , Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said after meeting police officers in a Paris suburb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect , he added .
Describing the conditions in which Floyd died as `` monstrous '' , Philippe acknowledged that the worldwide outpouring of emotion `` resonated with the fears and feelings of a part of the French population '' .
`` Collectively , we have not always necessarily been up to the challenge of the Republic 's principles . ''
The government said on Monday it was banning a chokehold used to detain suspects and it promised zero tolerance for racism among police .

The family of a black Frenchman who died in police custody in circumstances similar to the killing of George Floyd in the United States spurned talks with the justice minister and called on Tuesday for more street protests instead.
Assa Traore, sister of Adama Traore, a 24-year-old black Frenchman who died in a 2016 police operation, poses during an interview in Beaumont-sur-Oise, near Paris, June 7, 2020.
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Adama Traore was celebrating his 24th birthday on July 19, 2016, when three police officers used their weight to restrain him. By the time he arrived at the police station, he was unconscious and could not be revived.
Medical experts differ on whether Traore died because of the restraint or because of an underlying medical condition.
His family demands that the officers involved be held to account and thousands marched in their support in Paris last Saturday. No one has ever been charged with Traore's death.
"We're demanding acts of justice, not discussions," Assa Traore, Adama's sister, told a press conference."We'll protest in the streets, every week, if necessary."
The family and 'Truth for Adama' campaign group called for a mass protest in central Paris on Saturday.
Another large demonstration in Paris today! Against racist police violence, in solidarity with the #GeorgeFloyd protests in the US, and demanding justice for #AdamaTraore—a Black man who died in police custody in France in 2016. Powerful! #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/UHZYx5kEqd — Jerome Roos (@JeromeRoos) June 2, 2020
Worldwide anger over the killing of Floyd, including in France, has given new momentum to the Traore family's campaign. Accusations of brutality and racism against French police remain largely unaddressed, rights groups say.
France has at times fallen short in treating all people equally, a founding principle of the Republic, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said after meeting police officers in a Paris suburb. The police must also be shown respect, he added.
Describing the conditions in which Floyd died as "monstrous", Philippe acknowledged that the worldwide outpouring of emotion "resonated with the fears and feelings of a part of the French population".
"Collectively, we have not always necessarily been up to the challenge of the Republic's principles."
The government said on Monday it was banning a chokehold used to detain suspects and it promised zero tolerance for racism among police.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-09--'Now is the time for racial justice': Joe Biden at George Floyd's funeral

Pallbearers carry the casket following the funeral of George Floyd June 9 , 2020 , at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston George Floyd 's funeral took place on Tuesday in Houston , two weeks after his death while being held by police in a Minneapolis street , as more anti-racism rallies inspired by his treatment were set to take place in the United States and Europe .
George Floyd , whose death has sparked a global protest movement , is to be buried beside his mother in a cemetery in Houston .
• “ When there is justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on our way to racial justice in America , ” said Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in a video address at George Floyd 's funeral in Houston .
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a global fight against racism and discrimination .
• The mayor of Houston announced a ban on chokeholds by police .
• Houston police will increase their audit of taser and body camera usage .
• Pastor Steve Wells told mourners at George Floyd ’ s funeral that they have “ awakened the conscience of a nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Reverend Al Sharpton reserved his sharpest criticism for President Donald Trump .
“ You take rubber bullets and tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters , and then take a Bible and walk in front of a church , and use a church as a prop .
Wickedness in high places , ” Sharpton said .
Follow the events as they unfolded on our liveblog :

LIVE
George Floyd's funeral took place on Tuesday in Houston, two weeks after his death while being held by police in a Minneapolis street, as more anti-racism rallies inspired by his treatment were set to take place in the United States and Europe.
Pallbearers carry the casket following the funeral of George Floyd June 9, 2020, at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston
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George Floyd, whose death has sparked a global protest movement, is to be buried beside his mother in a cemetery in Houston.
“When there is justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America,” said Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in a video address at George Floyd's funeral in Houston.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a global fight against racism and discrimination.
The mayor of Houston announced a ban on chokeholds by police.
Houston police will increase their audit of taser and body camera usage.
Pastor Steve Wells told mourners at George Floyd’s funeral that they have “awakened the conscience of a nation”.
Delivering the eulogy, the Reverend Al Sharpton reserved his sharpest criticism for President Donald Trump. “You take rubber bullets and tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters, and then take a Bible and walk in front of a church, and use a church as a prop. Wickedness in high places,” Sharpton said.
Follow the events as they unfolded on our liveblog:
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