france24--2020-02-13--French wine industry braces for tough year as US tariffs bite

Bottles of French wine are displayed for sale in a liquor store on December 3 , 2019 in Arlington , Virginia .
- The United States on December 2 , 2019 threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on $ 2.4 billion in French goods in retaliation for a digital services tax it says is discriminatory .
French wine exports to the United States plunged by almost a fifth in the last quarter of 2019 as punitive tariffs kicked in , the FEVS industry body said Wednesday , and warned of a “ challenging year ” ahead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wine and spirits exports last year—some 14 billion euros ( $ 15 billion ) in total—the federation was downbeat as it pointed to uncertainties in its three main markets , the United States , China and Britain .
Even the global increase , it said , was partly motivated by fear as jittery buyers placed “ anticipation ” orders “ in an international context of strong trade tensions and uncertainty ” .
The French Association of Wines and Spirits Exporters repeated a call it launched Tuesday for the government to set up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The 2019 positive result must not be misinterpreted : international political environment and trade tensions had a severe effect on French wines and spirits exports , suggesting 2020 will be a challenging year , ” FEVS president Antoine Leccia said in a statement .
A key concern was the entry into force on October 18 of additional tariffs of 25 percent on French wine exports to the US , which the FEVS blamed for a 17.5 percent drop in bottled still wine exports in the last quarter of 2019 , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week , the French finance ministry said the value of wine exports to the US fell 44 percent from October to November last year .
The tariff hike was in retaliation for EU subsidies to Airbus , arch-rival of America ’ s Boeing .
The FEVS also pointed to an economic slowdown in China and political tensions in Hong Kong , and said its export turnover in the region declined by 3.1 percent .
Conversely , uncertainty related to Brexit negotiations contributed to a 4.4 percent increase in “ anticipated ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the body , though this trend may not last .
“ The international environment creates a high-risk situation for our exports on our top three markets : USA , United Kingdom and China , ” the FEVS said .
The three countries account for 50 percent of France ’ s overall wine and spirits sales .
“ Obviously , the situation appears most worrying—and consequently most urgent—on the US market , ” the statement said .
“ Arbitrary sanctions imposed on our industry as of October 18 , 2019 , threaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading market .
This will have significant long-term repercussions on exporting companies and , more broadly , on the 500,000 wine industry stakeholders.
” Without prompt action from French authorities , the sanctions will have an even bigger impact in 2020 , the FEVS said .
“ It is now essential for our government to provide practical solutions to the demands addressed by our industry since October 2019 , including the creation ... of a 300 million euro compensation fund , ” Leccia said , describing it as an “ emergency ” measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government to shoulder its responsibilities towards our industry.
” The French government has said it wants the European Union to pick up the tab for any compensation .
Jerome Despey of the FranceAgriMer farming agency said at the Wine Paris-Vinexpo trade fair Tuesday that the 300 million euros would cover 250 million euros in tariffs imposed and 50 million euros in lost revenues .
A delegation of winemakers are set to meet Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Friday to discuss their losses .

French wine exports to the United States plunged by almost a fifth in the last quarter of 2019 as punitive tariffs kicked in, the FEVS industry body said Wednesday, and warned of a “challenging year” ahead.
Bottles of French wine are displayed for sale in a liquor store on December 3, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. - The United States on December 2, 2019 threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on $2.4 billion in French goods in retaliation for a digital services tax it says is discriminatory.
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Despite an overall 5.9 percent rise in wine and spirits exports last year—some 14 billion euros ($15 billion) in total—the federation was downbeat as it pointed to uncertainties in its three main markets, the United States, China and Britain.
Even the global increase, it said, was partly motivated by fear as jittery buyers placed “anticipation” orders “in an international context of strong trade tensions and uncertainty”.
The French Association of Wines and Spirits Exporters repeated a call it launched Tuesday for the government to set up a 300 million euro emergency compensation fund.
“The 2019 positive result must not be misinterpreted: international political environment and trade tensions had a severe effect on French wines and spirits exports, suggesting 2020 will be a challenging year,” FEVS president Antoine Leccia said in a statement.
A key concern was the entry into force on October 18 of additional tariffs of 25 percent on French wine exports to the US, which the FEVS blamed for a 17.5 percent drop in bottled still wine exports in the last quarter of 2019, along with a turnover decrease of 40 million euros.
Last week, the French finance ministry said the value of wine exports to the US fell 44 percent from October to November last year.
The tariff hike was in retaliation for EU subsidies to Airbus, arch-rival of America’s Boeing.
The FEVS also pointed to an economic slowdown in China and political tensions in Hong Kong, and said its export turnover in the region declined by 3.1 percent.
Conversely, uncertainty related to Brexit negotiations contributed to a 4.4 percent increase in “anticipated” wines and spirits exports to the UK, said the body, though this trend may not last.
‘High-risk situation’
“The international environment creates a high-risk situation for our exports on our top three markets: USA, United Kingdom and China,” the FEVS said.
The three countries account for 50 percent of France’s overall wine and spirits sales.
“Obviously, the situation appears most worrying—and consequently most urgent—on the US market,” the statement said.
“Arbitrary sanctions imposed on our industry as of October 18, 2019, threaten our growth on the world’s leading market. This will have significant long-term repercussions on exporting companies and, more broadly, on the 500,000 wine industry stakeholders.”
Without prompt action from French authorities, the sanctions will have an even bigger impact in 2020, the FEVS said.
“It is now essential for our government to provide practical solutions to the demands addressed by our industry since October 2019, including the creation... of a 300 million euro compensation fund,” Leccia said, describing it as an “emergency” measure.
“It is time for the government to shoulder its responsibilities towards our industry.”
The French government has said it wants the European Union to pick up the tab for any compensation.
Jerome Despey of the FranceAgriMer farming agency said at the Wine Paris-Vinexpo trade fair Tuesday that the 300 million euros would cover 250 million euros in tariffs imposed and 50 million euros in lost revenues.
A delegation of winemakers are set to meet Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Friday to discuss their losses.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-12--Russia claims Turkey broke Syria deals, rejects Erdogan's accusations of aggression

Turkish-backed Syrian fighters gather in the town of Sarmin , about 8 km southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria on February 11 , 2020 .
Russia on Wednesday accused Turkey of flouting agreements it had made with Moscow on Syria and of aggravating the situation in Idlib where Syrian forces have made gains in their campaign to eliminate the last insurgent bastion in a nine-year-old war .
That offensive has fuelled violence in Idlib , in northwest Syria and bordering Turkey , forcing thousands of civilians to flee and drawing in the Turkish military which has seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelling in the last 10 days .
In one of the strongest signs yet that Syria is placing relations between Moscow , which backs the Syrian government , and Ankara , which backs Syrian anti-government rebels , under increasing strain , the Kremlin , the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Defence Ministry all accused Turkey of bad faith .
The Kremlin said Turkey had failed to deliver on a promise to neutralise militants in Idlib , something it called unacceptable , the Foreign Ministry reminded Ankara its forces were in Syria without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Defence Ministry said Turkish troops were seriously aggravating the situation on the ground in Idlib .
The Defence Ministry also flatly rejected an allegation made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan who said Russian forces and Iran-backed militias were `` constantly attacking the civilian people , carrying out massacres , spilling blood '' .
`` Statements by Turkish representatives about alleged attacks by Russian forces on civilians in the Idlib de-escalation zone do not correspond with reality , '' the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement .
`` The real reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone unfortunately is the non-fulfilment by our Turkish colleagues of their undertakings to separate moderate opposition militants from terrorists . ''
It said the presence of Turkish troops and armour in Idlib was making the situation there much worse , as was the transport of weapons and ammunition across the Syrian-Turkish border .
Russia took issue with Turkey after Erdogan said his military would strike Syrian forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier was hurt as the Syrian government fought to regain control of Idlib .
Kremlin spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal on Syria it had struck with Ankara , but that Russia considered militant attacks in Idlib to be unacceptable and in contravention of that same agreement .
Russia , a close ally of the Syrian government , hashed out a deal with Turkey in 2018 to create a de-militarised zone in Idlib , but those agreements and others between the two countries have come under strain amid mounting tensions in the region .
`` In particular , according to this document ( the agreement ) , the Turkish side undertook to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neutralised , '' said Peskov .
`` We continue to note with regret that these groups are carrying out strikes from Idlib on Syrian forces and also taking aggressive action against our military facilities , '' Peskov told reporters .

Russia on Wednesday accused Turkey of flouting agreements it had made with Moscow on Syria and of aggravating the situation in Idlib where Syrian forces have made gains in their campaign to eliminate the last insurgent bastion in a nine-year-old war.
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters gather in the town of Sarmin, about 8 km southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria on February 11, 2020.
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That offensive has fuelled violence in Idlib, in northwest Syria and bordering Turkey, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and drawing in the Turkish military which has seen 13 of its soldiers killed by Syrian shelling in the last 10 days.
In one of the strongest signs yet that Syria is placing relations between Moscow, which backs the Syrian government, and Ankara, which backs Syrian anti-government rebels, under increasing strain, the Kremlin, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Defence Ministry all accused Turkey of bad faith.
The Kremlin said Turkey had failed to deliver on a promise to neutralise militants in Idlib, something it called unacceptable, the Foreign Ministry reminded Ankara its forces were in Syria without the blessing of the Syrian government, and the Defence Ministry said Turkish troops were seriously aggravating the situation on the ground in Idlib.
The Defence Ministry also flatly rejected an allegation made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan who said Russian forces and Iran-backed militias were "constantly attacking the civilian people, carrying out massacres, spilling blood".
'Non-fulfillment'
"Statements by Turkish representatives about alleged attacks by Russian forces on civilians in the Idlib de-escalation zone do not correspond with reality," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
"The real reason for the crisis in the Idlib de-escalation zone unfortunately is the non-fulfilment by our Turkish colleagues of their undertakings to separate moderate opposition militants from terrorists."
It said the presence of Turkish troops and armour in Idlib was making the situation there much worse, as was the transport of weapons and ammunition across the Syrian-Turkish border.
Russia took issue with Turkey after Erdogan said his military would strike Syrian forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier was hurt as the Syrian government fought to regain control of Idlib.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow remained committed to a deal on Syria it had struck with Ankara, but that Russia considered militant attacks in Idlib to be unacceptable and in contravention of that same agreement.
Russia, a close ally of the Syrian government, hashed out a deal with Turkey in 2018 to create a de-militarised zone in Idlib, but those agreements and others between the two countries have come under strain amid mounting tensions in the region.
"In particular, according to this document (the agreement), the Turkish side undertook to ensure that terrorist groups in Idlib were neutralised," said Peskov.
"We continue to note with regret that these groups are carrying out strikes from Idlib on Syrian forces and also taking aggressive action against our military facilities," Peskov told reporters.
"This is unacceptable."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-14--China's coronavirus death toll surpasses 1400, but fewer new cases

A man wears a face mask as he walks past the closed Lama Temple in Beijing on February 13 , @ @ @ @ @ from China 's coronavirus epidemic rose to 1,483 on Friday but the number of new @ @ @ @ @ fell after a change in case definitions caused a massive increase the previous day .
@ @ @ @ @ commission reported 116 more deaths and 4,823 new cases , the majority involving `` clinically @ @ @ @ @ province , the epicentre of the outbreak , had 242 more deaths and over 14,800 @ @ @ @ @ More than 64,600 people have now been infected in the country .
Health officials in @ @ @ @ @ count clinically diagnosed cases to ensure that patients get treated as early as possible instead @ @ @ @ @ laboratory tests to confirm they have the COVID-19 disease .
But the change raised concerns @ @ @ @ @ more serious than Chinese authorities have reported .

The death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic rose to 1,483 on Friday but the number of new infections in hard-hit Hubei province fell after a change in case definitions caused a massive increase the previous day.
A man wears a face mask as he walks past the closed Lama Temple in Beijing on February 13, 2020.
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The central province's health commission reported 116 more deaths and 4,823 new cases, the majority involving "clinically diagnosed" patients.
The province, the epicentre of the outbreak, had 242 more deaths and over 14,800 new cases on Thursday.
More than 64,600 people have now been infected in the country.
Health officials in Hubei said they started to count clinically diagnosed cases to ensure that patients get treated as early as possible instead of having to wait for laboratory tests to confirm they have the COVID-19 disease.
But the change raised concerns that the crisis may be more serious than Chinese authorities have reported.
Japan's first coronavirus death
Japan confirmed its first coronavirus death on Thursday – a woman in her 80s living in Kanagawa prefecture near Tokyo – adding to two previous fatalities in Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Japan is one of the worst affected of more than two dozen countries and territories outside mainland China that have seen hundreds of infections from the flu-like sickness.
A cruise liner quarantined off a Japanese port has more than 200 people confirmed with the disease. Authorities have said they will allow some elderly people to disembark on Friday.
Passengers on another cruise ship that spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries over coronavirus fears started disembarking in Cambodia on Friday.
The MS Westerdam, carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, docked in the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville on Thursday. It had anchored offshore early in the morning to allow Cambodian officials to board and collect samples from passengers with any signs of ill health or flu-like symptoms.
Trump praises Chinese response
The surge of new cases reported on Thursday dented hopes the epidemic might soon be reaching a peak and halted a global stocks rally.
However, the rise in China's reported cases reflected a decision by authorities there to reclassify a backlog of suspected cases by using patients' chest images, and is not necessarily the "tip of an iceberg" of a wider epidemic, a top World Health Organization official said on Thursday.
Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies programme, said more than 14,000 new cases reported in Hubei province on Thursday came after a change to include results from quicker computerised tomography (CT) scans that reveal lung infections, rather than relying just on laboratory tests to confirm cases.
"We've seen this spike in the number of cases reported in China, but this does not represent a significant change in the trajectory of the outbreak," Ryan told a briefing in Geneva, Switzerland.
US President Donald Trump praised China over its response and said Washington was working closely with Beijing. "I think they've handled it professionally, and I think they're extremely capable," Trump said in a podcast broadcast on iHeart Radio.
But Trump's top White House economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, was more critical. "We're a little disappointed in the lack of transparency coming from the Chinese, these numbers are jumping around ... there was some surprise," he told reporters.
Backlash against bureaucrats
The outbreak, believed to have emerged from a Wuhan market where wildlife was traded illegally, has triggered a backlash against local political leaders.
Provincial Communist Party boss Jiang Chaoliang was fired as secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee, and Ma Guoqiang removed as party chief in Wuhan, state media said. They were the two highest-profile officials to be axed since the outbreak.
Economists have been assessing the impact of the outbreak on the world's second-largest economy and are scaling back their expectations for growth this year.
China's economy will grow at its slowest rate since the global financial crisis in the current quarter, according to a Reuters poll of economists who said the downturn will be short-lived if the outbreak is contained.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-13--Senate votes to limit Trump's war powers on Iran, presidential veto expected

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine speaks to journalists after the GOP-dominated Senate voted to curtail President Donald Trump 's war powers with regard to Iran on February 13 , 2020 .
The Republican-dominated US Senate voted Thursday to rein in President Donald Trump 's ability to launch military action on Iran , with eight GOP members joining Democrats to pass the resolution .
The measure requires Trump to seek explicit authorisation from Congress before launching further military action targeting Iran .
The resolution , which passed 55-45 , makes an exception for defending against an `` imminent '' threat .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not expected to be enough support in the Senate to muster the two-thirds majority to override it .
Republicans in the chamber hold 53 of the 100 seats and rarely vote against the president .
Opponents said the resolution ’ s passage would send the wrong message to Tehran .
“ We need to send a message of firmness , and not weakness , ” said Senator Jim Risch , the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee .
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine , a lead sponsor of the resolution , disputed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strength and reflected the importance of Congress weighing in on the decision to deploy US troops .
“ If we ’ re to order our young men and women in uniform to risk their lives and health in war , it should be on the basis of careful deliberation , ” he said .
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a similar resolution last month but there are enough differences between the Senate ’ s version and the House ’ s that it must pass the lower chamber again before it can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Republican-dominated US Senate voted Thursday to rein in President Donald Trump's ability to launch military action on Iran, with eight GOP members joining Democrats to pass the resolution.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine speaks to journalists after the GOP-dominated Senate voted to curtail President Donald Trump's war powers with regard to Iran on February 13, 2020.
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The measure requires Trump to seek explicit authorisation from Congress before launching further military action targeting Iran.
The resolution, which passed 55-45, makes an exception for defending against an "imminent" threat.
Trump has promised a veto and there is not expected to be enough support in the Senate to muster the two-thirds majority to override it. Republicans in the chamber hold 53 of the 100 seats and rarely vote against the president.
Opponents said the resolution’s passage would send the wrong message to Tehran.
“We need to send a message of firmness, and not weakness,” said Senator Jim Risch, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a lead sponsor of the resolution, disputed that. He said the vote showed strength and reflected the importance of Congress weighing in on the decision to deploy US troops.
“If we’re to order our young men and women in uniform to risk their lives and health in war, it should be on the basis of careful deliberation,” he said.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a similar resolution last month but there are enough differences between the Senate’s version and the House’s that it must pass the lower chamber again before it can be sent to Trump’s desk.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-02-13--Huawei hit with fresh charges of sabotage and intellectual property theft from US tech firms

The Huawei logo is pictured at the IFA consumer tech fair in Berlin , Germany , September 5 , 2019 .
Chinese tech giant Huawei was hit Thursday with fresh US criminal charges alleging a `` decades-long '' effort to steal trade secrets from American companies .
A US indictment unsealed in New York alleges Huawei and its proxies conspired `` to misappropriate intellectual property '' from six US firms as part of a strategy to grow and become the world 's largest telecom equipment maker .
The new charges including a federal racketeering allegation add to an indictment unsealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade secrets from US carrier T-Mobile .
The indictment names Huawei and several subsidiaries , as well as the company 's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou , who has been arrested in Canada over a related probe into Huawei 's violations of US sanctions .
Huawei called the latest charges `` unfounded and unfair '' and predicted the case would be dismissed .
`` This new indictment is part of the Justice Department 's attempt to irrevocably damage Huawei 's reputation and its business for reasons related to competition rather than law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 'racketeering enterprise ' that the government charged today is nothing more than a contrived repackaging of a handful of civil allegations that are almost 20 years old . ''
Huawei , one of the world 's largest tech firms , has been blacklisted by Washington amid concerns over its ties to the Chinese government and intelligence services .
The sanctions are aimed at blocking Huawei from getting any US telecom equipment contracts and prevent the transfer of American technology to the Chinese firm .
But on Thursday the US Commerce Department delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional 45 days , saying it would help avoid disruption for certain telecom firms as they seek alternatives to Huawei .
The new 16-count indictment says Huawei employed a `` long-running practice of using fraud and deception to misappropriate sophisticated technology from US counterparts , '' a Justice Department statement said , without naming the American companies .
`` Huawei 's efforts to steal trade secrets and other sophisticated US technology were successful , '' according to the statement , which said the company `` obtained nonpublic intellectual property relating to internet router @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robotics '' to gain an `` unfair competitive advantage '' over rivals .
According to the indictment , Huawei entered into confidentiality agreements with US tech firms and then violated those deals .
Huawei is accused of recruiting employees of other companies and `` directing them to misappropriate their former employers ' intellectual property . ''
The indictment also claims Huawei used `` proxies '' such as professors working at research institutions to steal trade secrets and `` launched a policy instituting a bonus program to reward employees who obtained confidential information from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid heightened US-China trade tensions and efforts by Washington to keep Huawei from obtaining contracts for 5G , or fifth-generation wireless networks .
According to the 56-page indictment , Huawei is also accused of using its subsidiaries around the world to conceal its dealings with Iran and North Korea , which are subject to US sanctions .
Meng , arrested in late 2018 , is under house arrest in Canada pending a ruling on whether she will be extradited to face charges in the United States .
Meng is accused of lying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Iran-based affiliate Skycom , putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran .
Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner , members of the Senate Intelligence Committee , welcomed news of Thursday 's indictment .
`` The indictment paints a damning portrait of an illegitimate organization that lacks any regard for the law , '' the lawmakers said in a joint statement .
`` Intellectual property theft , corporate sabotage , and market manipulation are part of Huawei 's core ethos and reflected in every aspect of how it conducts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against competitors and collaborators alike . ''
The US administration has had mixed results in persuading allies to steer clear of Huawei for 5G networks .
France announced Thursday it would not bow to American pressure to exclude Huawei from supplying equipment for its 5G networks , though the Chinese firm could be subject to restrictions .
Last month the EU and UK both released guidelines saying that governments should avoid dependence on `` high risk '' suppliers of 5G equipment when building their next-generation mobile networks , but stopped short of banning @ @ @ @ @

Chinese tech giant Huawei was hit Thursday with fresh US criminal charges alleging a "decades-long" effort to steal trade secrets from American companies.
The Huawei logo is pictured at the IFA consumer tech fair in Berlin, Germany, September 5, 2019.
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A US indictment unsealed in New York alleges Huawei and its proxies conspired "to misappropriate intellectual property" from six US firms as part of a strategy to grow and become the world's largest telecom equipment maker.
The new charges including a federal racketeering allegation add to an indictment unsealed in January 2019 that alleged Huawei stole trade secrets from US carrier T-Mobile.
The indictment names Huawei and several subsidiaries, as well as the company's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who has been arrested in Canada over a related probe into Huawei's violations of US sanctions.
Huawei called the latest charges "unfounded and unfair" and predicted the case would be dismissed.
"This new indictment is part of the Justice Department's attempt to irrevocably damage Huawei's reputation and its business for reasons related to competition rather than law enforcement," the company said.
"The 'racketeering enterprise' that the government charged today is nothing more than a contrived repackaging of a handful of civil allegations that are almost 20 years old."
Huawei, one of the world's largest tech firms, has been blacklisted by Washington amid concerns over its ties to the Chinese government and intelligence services.
The sanctions are aimed at blocking Huawei from getting any US telecom equipment contracts and prevent the transfer of American technology to the Chinese firm.
But on Thursday the US Commerce Department delayed the implementation of some sanctions for an additional 45 days, saying it would help avoid disruption for certain telecom firms as they seek alternatives to Huawei.
'Long-running deception'
The new 16-count indictment says Huawei employed a "long-running practice of using fraud and deception to misappropriate sophisticated technology from US counterparts," a Justice Department statement said, without naming the American companies.
"Huawei's efforts to steal trade secrets and other sophisticated US technology were successful," according to the statement, which said the company "obtained nonpublic intellectual property relating to internet router source code, cellular antenna technology and robotics" to gain an "unfair competitive advantage" over rivals.
According to the indictment, Huawei entered into confidentiality agreements with US tech firms and then violated those deals.
Huawei is accused of recruiting employees of other companies and "directing them to misappropriate their former employers' intellectual property."
The indictment also claims Huawei used "proxies" such as professors working at research institutions to steal trade secrets and "launched a policy instituting a bonus program to reward employees who obtained confidential information from competitors."
The fresh charges come amid heightened US-China trade tensions and efforts by Washington to keep Huawei from obtaining contracts for 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks.
According to the 56-page indictment, Huawei is also accused of using its subsidiaries around the world to conceal its dealings with Iran and North Korea, which are subject to US sanctions.
Meng, arrested in late 2018, is under house arrest in Canada pending a ruling on whether she will be extradited to face charges in the United States.
Meng is accused of lying to HSBC bank about Huawei's relationship with its Iran-based affiliate Skycom, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran.
Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, welcomed news of Thursday's indictment.
"The indictment paints a damning portrait of an illegitimate organization that lacks any regard for the law," the lawmakers said in a joint statement.
"Intellectual property theft, corporate sabotage, and market manipulation are part of Huawei's core ethos and reflected in every aspect of how it conducts business. It uses these tactics indiscriminately against competitors and collaborators alike."
The US administration has had mixed results in persuading allies to steer clear of Huawei for 5G networks.
France announced Thursday it would not bow to American pressure to exclude Huawei from supplying equipment for its 5G networks, though the Chinese firm could be subject to restrictions.
Last month the EU and UK both released guidelines saying that governments should avoid dependence on "high risk" suppliers of 5G equipment when building their next-generation mobile networks, but stopped short of banning any one vendor outright.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-13--British PM appoints Rishi Sunak as finance minister amid cabinet shakeup

UK Treasury chief Sajid Javid unexpectedly resigned on Thursday , throwing a carefully planned shakeup of Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's Conservative government into turmoil .
Javid had been widely expected to keep his job as Johnson fired some Cabinet members and promoted more junior ministers to top jobs .
He smiled as he entered the prime minister ’ s 10 Downing St. office on Thursday morning to meet Johnson .
But a spokesman confirmed soon after that Javid had quit .
The government announced that he would be replaced by Rishi Sunak , who was previously a deputy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s resignation follows reports he had clashed with Johnson ’ s powerful adviser , Dominic Cummings .
Javid had been due to deliver his annual budget in less than a month .
His resignation shakes the government as it faces the challenge of negotiating a new relationship with the 27-nation EU by the end of this year .
Johnson also has ambitious infrastructure plans including a 100 billion-pound ( $ 130 billion ) high-speed railway .
Britain ’ s Press Association news agency reported that Javid had quit after being told to fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff appointed by the prime minister ’ s office .
His resignation is a curve ball in a Cabinet shake-up that was intended to tighten Johnson ’ s grip on government after winning a big parliamentary majority in December ’ s election .
That victory allowed Johnson to take Britain out of the European Union last month , delivering on his key election promise .
Now his Conservative administration faces the even bigger challenge of negotiating a new trading relationship with the EU while also seeking trade deals with the United States and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are aiming to have a deal covering trade , security and other areas in place by the time a post-Brexit transition period ends on Dec. 31 .
So far , the two sides are far apart in their demands .
And even with a deal , the U.K. faces a huge adjustment when decades of seamless trade and travel with the EU end at the start of 2021 .
Johnson had intended to keep the most senior ministers in their jobs .
His office said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab , Home Secretary Priti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were all staying in post .
Several high-profile women in Johnson ’ s government , including Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom , Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers and Housing Minister Esther McVey , all said they had been fired on Thursday morning .
Johnson also sacked Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith — a surprise move .
Smith had been widely praised for helping to end political deadlock that left Northern Ireland without a regional government and assembly for three years .
After pressure from the British and Irish governments , the main Irish nationalist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
As well as reworking his Cabinet , Johnson needs to appoint a new leader for the U.N. climate change conference that Britain is due to host later this year .
The summit , known as the 26th Conference of the Parties , or COP26 , is scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November .
Planning for that has got off to a rocky start , with Johnson last week firing Claire O ’ Neill , a former British government minister appointed last year to head up the event .

UK Treasury chief Sajid Javid unexpectedly resigned on Thursday, throwing a carefully planned shakeup of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative government into turmoil.
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Javid had been widely expected to keep his job as Johnson fired some Cabinet members and promoted more junior ministers to top jobs.
He smiled as he entered the prime minister’s 10 Downing St. office on Thursday morning to meet Johnson. But a spokesman confirmed soon after that Javid had quit.
The government announced that he would be replaced by Rishi Sunak, who was previously a deputy to Javid at the Treasury. Javid’s resignation follows reports he had clashed with Johnson’s powerful adviser, Dominic Cummings.
Javid had been due to deliver his annual budget in less than a month. His resignation shakes the government as it faces the challenge of negotiating a new relationship with the 27-nation EU by the end of this year. Johnson also has ambitious infrastructure plans including a 100 billion-pound ($130 billion) high-speed railway.
Britain’s Press Association news agency reported that Javid had quit after being told to fire all his aides and replace them with staff appointed by the prime minister’s office.
02:58
His resignation is a curve ball in a Cabinet shake-up that was intended to tighten Johnson’s grip on government after winning a big parliamentary majority in December’s election. That victory allowed Johnson to take Britain out of the European Union last month, delivering on his key election promise.
Now his Conservative administration faces the even bigger challenge of negotiating a new trading relationship with the EU while also seeking trade deals with the United States and other countries.
Britain and the EU are aiming to have a deal covering trade, security and other areas in place by the time a post-Brexit transition period ends on Dec. 31.
So far, the two sides are far apart in their demands. And even with a deal, the U.K. faces a huge adjustment when decades of seamless trade and travel with the EU end at the start of 2021.
Johnson had intended to keep the most senior ministers in their jobs. His office said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove were all staying in post.
Several high-profile women in Johnson’s government, including Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom, Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers and Housing Minister Esther McVey, all said they had been fired on Thursday morning.
Johnson also sacked Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith — a surprise move. Smith had been widely praised for helping to end political deadlock that left Northern Ireland without a regional government and assembly for three years. After pressure from the British and Irish governments, the main Irish nationalist and British unionist power-sharing parties returned to work last month.
As well as reworking his Cabinet, Johnson needs to appoint a new leader for the U.N. climate change conference that Britain is due to host later this year. The summit, known as the 26th Conference of the Parties, or COP26, is scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November.
Planning for that has got off to a rocky start, with Johnson last week firing Claire O’Neill, a former British government minister appointed last year to head up the event.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-13--Weinstein's defence makes closing arguments attacking victims' credibility

Film producer Harvey Weinstein leaves New York Criminal Court for his sexual assault trial in the Manhattan borough of New York City , New York , U.S. , February 13 , 2020 .
REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A lawyer for Harvey Weinstein on Thursday took aim at the credibility of the women accusing the former movie producer of sexual assault and urged jurors in the closing arguments of his New York trial to acquit him .
Weinstein , 67 , has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann , a onetime aspiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense lawyer Donna Rotunno began by telling the jurors to use their common sense in evaluating the evidence .
`` Historically , you are the last line of defense in this country from the overzealous media , from the overzealous prosecution , '' she said .
The jury is expected to hear the prosecution 's closing argument on Friday in the trial that began more than a month ago .
The trial is a milestone for the # MeToo movement in which women have accused powerful men in business , entertainment , media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct .
The former producer , who was behind films including `` The English Patient '' and `` Shakespeare in Love , '' has denied any nonconsensual sex .
Rotunno said during closing arguments it was `` disingenuous '' for prosecutors to argue that the six women who testified at Weinstein 's trial had acted independently .
`` In October 2017 , the biggest story in the world was about Harvey Weinstein , '' she said , referring to the first news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They all knew that story . ''
Haleyi testified at trial that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in his home in 2006 .
Some time later , she said , she went to see him in a hotel in an effort to `` regain some sort of power . ''
Weinstein pulled her onto a bed and had sex with her , Haleyi testified .
Haleyi said she `` went numb '' during the encounter and did not want to have sex with Weinstein .
Under cross-examination , she said she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several friendly emails to Weinstein after the encounter .
On Thursday , Rotunno said Haleyi and Weinstein had `` more of a relationship than she wants you to believe , '' pointing to Haleyi 's emails and her decision to accept plane tickets from Weinstein to Los Angeles and London after the alleged assault .
Rotunno said the `` real time communication '' between Haleyi and Weinstein would lead `` any reasonable person '' to conclude they had a good relationship .
Mann had testified that Weinstein raped her in a Manhattan hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` extremely degrading '' relationship with him .
That relationship continued for years and included consensual sex , Mann said .
Rotunno said Mann 's emails with Weinstein , as well as trial testimony from two of her friends at the time , indicated that she did not appear distressed after the alleged rape , undermining her story .
She said Mann `` could n't keep anything straight '' under cross-examination .
Jurors also heard earlier in the trial from actress Annabella Sciorra , who testified that Weinstein came to her apartment one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raped her .
The allegation is too old to be charged as a separate crime , but it could act as an aggravating factor to support the most serious charge in the case , predatory sexual assault , which carries a possible life sentence .
Rotunno told jurors Sciorra 's story did not add up , saying there was no way for Weinstein to get past her doorman and arrive at her apartment unannounced .
`` Ask yourself if it makes sense , about how he got up there , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosie Perez , who said Sciorra had told her about the attack soon after it happened , noting that Sciorra herself said she did not remember telling Perez .
`` Rosie did what a friend does , she lied , '' Rotunno said .

A lawyer for Harvey Weinstein on Thursday took aim at the credibility of the women accusing the former movie producer of sexual assault and urged jurors in the closing arguments of his New York trial to acquit him.
Film producer Harvey Weinstein leaves New York Criminal Court for his sexual assault trial in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, February 13, 2020.
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Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013.
Weinstein's defense lawyer Donna Rotunno began by telling the jurors to use their common sense in evaluating the evidence.
"Historically, you are the last line of defense in this country from the overzealous media, from the overzealous prosecution," she said.
00:57
The jury is expected to hear the prosecution's closing argument on Friday in the trial that began more than a month ago.
The trial is a milestone for the #MeToo movement in which women have accused powerful men in business, entertainment, media and politics of sexual misconduct.
Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct.
The former producer, who was behind films including "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," has denied any nonconsensual sex.
Rotunno said during closing arguments it was "disingenuous" for prosecutors to argue that the six women who testified at Weinstein's trial had acted independently.
"In October 2017, the biggest story in the world was about Harvey Weinstein," she said, referring to the first news reports about allegations against Weinstein. "They all knew that story."
Haleyi testified at trial that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in his home in 2006. Some time later, she said, she went to see him in a hotel in an effort to "regain some sort of power." Weinstein pulled her onto a bed and had sex with her, Haleyi testified.
Haleyi said she "went numb" during the encounter and did not want to have sex with Weinstein. Under cross-examination, she said she had not been forced. She acknowledged sending several friendly emails to Weinstein after the encounter.
On Thursday, Rotunno said Haleyi and Weinstein had "more of a relationship than she wants you to believe," pointing to Haleyi's emails and her decision to accept plane tickets from Weinstein to Los Angeles and London after the alleged assault.
Rotunno said the "real time communication" between Haleyi and Weinstein would lead "any reasonable person" to conclude they had a good relationship.
Rotunno then turned to Mann's testimony.
Mann had testified that Weinstein raped her in a Manhattan hotel room early in what she called an "extremely degrading" relationship with him. That relationship continued for years and included consensual sex, Mann said.
Rotunno said Mann's emails with Weinstein, as well as trial testimony from two of her friends at the time, indicated that she did not appear distressed after the alleged rape, undermining her story.
She said Mann "couldn't keep anything straight" under cross-examination.
Jurors also heard earlier in the trial from actress Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Weinstein came to her apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her. The allegation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but it could act as an aggravating factor to support the most serious charge in the case, predatory sexual assault, which carries a possible life sentence.
Rotunno told jurors Sciorra's story did not add up, saying there was no way for Weinstein to get past her doorman and arrive at her apartment unannounced.
"Ask yourself if it makes sense, about how he got up there," she said.
She also discounted testimony from actress Rosie Perez, who said Sciorra had told her about the attack soon after it happened, noting that Sciorra herself said she did not remember telling Perez.
"Rosie did what a friend does, she lied," Rotunno said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-13--Pentagon shifts another $3.8 billion to building Trump's Mexico border wall

US President Donald Trump visits a section of the US-Mexico border wall in Otay Mesa , California , on September 18 , 2019 .
The US Defense Department is shifting another $ 3.8 billion from procurement and other operations towards paying for a wall on the US-Mexican border , official documents sent to the US Congress showed Thursday .
The move took to $ 9.9 billion the total the Pentagon has been forced by President Donald Trump to reallocate to the barrier , after Congress repeatedly blocked funding .
The president declared a national emergency last year to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other needs for the wall , which aims to deter migrants from entering the country illegally .
In January an appeals court backed Trump ’ s diversion of already-purposed federal budget funds to the project , removing a stay on spending set by a lower court after opponents filed suit .
The Pentagon told Congress it was transferring the $ 3.8 billion to “ counter-drug activities ” on the border in support of the Department of Homeland Security .
The money was to be culled from various programs for buying tactical vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Navy , and combat and transport aircraft for the Navy and Air Force .
Trump promised to build the wall along most of the 2,000-mile ( 3,200-kilometer ) US-Mexico border—paid for by Mexico—during his 2016 presidential campaign .
After he was elected however he sought some $ 25 billion from Congress but was repeatedly turned back amid opposition to his harsh stance against undocumented migrants already living in the country .
Meanwhile the number of illegal border-crossers detained soared as hundreds of thousands of migrants poured into the US , mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A crackdown and changes in policy that made it far more difficult stay in the United States after submitting an asylum request has seen border apprehension numbers plunge in recent months .
The figure stood at fewer than 37,000 last month , from more than 58,000 a year earlier .

The US Defense Department is shifting another $3.8 billion from procurement and other operations towards paying for a wall on the US-Mexican border, official documents sent to the US Congress showed Thursday.
US President Donald Trump visits a section of the US-Mexico border wall in Otay Mesa, California, on September 18, 2019.
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The move took to $9.9 billion the total the Pentagon has been forced by President Donald Trump to reallocate to the barrier, after Congress repeatedly blocked funding.
The president declared a national emergency last year to be able to draw federal budget funds already allocated to other needs for the wall, which aims to deter migrants from entering the country illegally.
In January an appeals court backed Trump’s diversion of already-purposed federal budget funds to the project, removing a stay on spending set by a lower court after opponents filed suit.
Multiple courts have said it is illegal for Trump to pillage military funds for his xenophobic border wall. Not one court has given his unlawful power grab a stamp of approval.
We’ll be back in court to block these additional, unauthorized transfers. https://t.co/2a6FXsouaV — ACLU (@ACLU) February 13, 2020
The Pentagon told Congress it was transferring the $3.8 billion to “counter-drug activities” on the border in support of the Department of Homeland Security.
The money was to be culled from various programs for buying tactical vehicles for the Army National Guard, vessels for the Navy, and combat and transport aircraft for the Navy and Air Force.
Trump promised to build the wall along most of the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border—paid for by Mexico—during his 2016 presidential campaign.
After he was elected however he sought some $25 billion from Congress but was repeatedly turned back amid opposition to his harsh stance against undocumented migrants already living in the country.
The President’s latest effort to steal Congressionally-appropriated military funding in order to build his wasteful, ineffective border wall undermines our national security and the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution. — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 13, 2020
Meanwhile the number of illegal border-crossers detained soared as hundreds of thousands of migrants poured into the US, mostly from Central America, seeking asylum.
A crackdown and changes in policy that made it far more difficult stay in the United States after submitting an asylum request has seen border apprehension numbers plunge in recent months.
The figure stood at fewer than 37,000 last month, from more than 58,000 a year earlier.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-13--Iran purges reformists as legislative election campaign kicks off

Thousands of Iranian candidates approved to run in parliamentary elections kicked off their campaigns Thursday ahead of next week 's vote , even after authorities barred thousands of others from running , mainly reformists and moderates .
The Feb. 21 parliamentary elections come amid some of the highest tensions between Tehran and Washington in the past four decades .
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has slammed the disqualifications but earlier this week , he urged the crowds in Tehran marking the anniversary of the country 's 1979 Islamic Revolution to turn out at the polls in large numbers .
The vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popularity of the relatively moderate and pro-reform bloc led by Rouhani , who has struggled to deliver on campaign promises to improve people 's lives as Iran 's economy buckles under the weight of U.S. economic sanctions .
Also , a high turnout in the polls will be seen as a vote of confidence in the country 's Shiite theocracy , something Iran has tried to showcase amid the crisis with Washington .
Tensions with the United States could strengthen hard-liners by reinforcing long-held distrust of the West .
The crisis escalated further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed Iran ’ s top general , Qassem Soleimani , and led to a tense confrontation in which Iranian forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane after it took off from Tehran , killing all 176 people on board .
The shootdown , and attempts by officials to initially conceal the cause of the crash , sparked public anger and protests in Iran .
The current 290-member parliament , elected in 2016 , has more than 100 reformists and moderates , while the rest of the chamber is split between independents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s constitutional watchdog which vets prospective candidates , had barred more than 7,000 people from out of over 14,000 who had applied in December to enter the race .
That left over 7,000 candidates running in the Feb. 21 elections for the 290-seat parliament .
The majority of those rejected were reformist and moderate candidates but there were also some hard-liners among those barred and 90 current lawmakers .
The hopefuls now have a week for campaigning , which is to end next Wednesday .
In Tehran , which accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are only several relatively well-known moderates and reformists on the list , with the rest not known to average citizens .
The hard-liners running for seats in the next parliament are headed by former Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf .
The moderates and reformists have championed improved ties with the West and expanded social freedoms , but they suffered major setbacks since President Donald Trump 's election .
Trump pulled the U.S. out of Tehran 's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers , setting the agreement - which was championed by Rouhani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new and tougher sanctions on Iran , which sent its economy into free fall .
( AP )

Thousands of Iranian candidates approved to run in parliamentary elections kicked off their campaigns Thursday ahead of next week's vote, even after authorities barred thousands of others from running, mainly reformists and moderates.
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The Feb. 21 parliamentary elections come amid some of the highest tensions between Tehran and Washington in the past four decades. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has slammed the disqualifications but earlier this week, he urged the crowds in Tehran marking the anniversary of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution to turn out at the polls in large numbers.
The vote is seen as a test of the popularity of the relatively moderate and pro-reform bloc led by Rouhani, who has struggled to deliver on campaign promises to improve people's lives as Iran's economy buckles under the weight of U.S. economic sanctions.
Also, a high turnout in the polls will be seen as a vote of confidence in the country's Shiite theocracy, something Iran has tried to showcase amid the crisis with Washington.
Tensions with the United States could strengthen hard-liners by reinforcing long-held distrust of the West. The crisis escalated further after a U.S. airstrike in January that killed Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, and led to a tense confrontation in which Iranian forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane after it took off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. The shootdown, and attempts by officials to initially conceal the cause of the crash, sparked public anger and protests in Iran.
The current 290-member parliament, elected in 2016, has more than 100 reformists and moderates, while the rest of the chamber is split between independents and hard-liners.
The powerful Guardian Council, the country’s constitutional watchdog which vets prospective candidates, had barred more than 7,000 people from out of over 14,000 who had applied in December to enter the race. That left over 7,000 candidates running in the Feb. 21 elections for the 290-seat parliament.
The majority of those rejected were reformist and moderate candidates but there were also some hard-liners among those barred and 90 current lawmakers. The hopefuls now have a week for campaigning, which is to end next Wednesday.
In Tehran, which accounts for 30 seats in the chamber, there are only several relatively well-known moderates and reformists on the list, with the rest not known to average citizens. The hard-liners running for seats in the next parliament are headed by former Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
The moderates and reformists have championed improved ties with the West and expanded social freedoms, but they suffered major setbacks since President Donald Trump's election. Trump pulled the U.S. out of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, setting the agreement - which was championed by Rouhani - hurtling toward collapse, and reimposed new and tougher sanctions on Iran, which sent its economy into free fall.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-13--Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan faces two new rape charges in France

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been charged with raping two women besides two others he was already facing accusations over , his lawyer told AFP Thursday .
The 57-year-old Ramadan , a Swiss national , was already charged in France with raping a disabled woman in 2009 and a feminist activist in 2012 .
He denies the charges .
On Thursday , as Ramadan appeared before investigating magistrates in Paris , more charges were added relating to two other women who were identified by investigators from photos found on his computer .
He arrived for the session accompanied by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pursue Tariq Ramadan at all costs and against the evidence , ” his lawyer Emmanuel Marsigny told AFP .
The two women themselves had not originally filed complaints , but both say they were involved in brutal sexual relationships with Ramadan—one from November-December 2015 and the other in March 2016 .
“ It was something other than physical rape , it went beyond that ... there was a moral rape , ” one of the women had said in testimony seen by AFP .
“ He had such a hold on you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But this relationship was consensual , yes , ” she said .
“ I asked him to be milder , but he said ‘ it is your fault , you deserve it ’ and that he needed to be obeyed , which is what I did , ” said the other .
Ramadan , a father of four whose grandfather founded Egypt ’ s Muslim Brotherhood , was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University until he was forced to take leave when rape allegations surfaced at the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2017 .
He was taken into custody in February 2018 and held for over nine months before being granted bail on claims that he raped two women in France—one in 2009 and the other in 2012 .
Authorities in Switzerland are also investigating him after receiving a rape complaint in that country .
Ramadan insists all his relationships have been consensual .
Being charged in France does not necessarily mean a suspect will end up on trial , as a case can still be dropped for lack of evidence .

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been charged with raping two women besides two others he was already facing accusations over, his lawyer told AFP Thursday.
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The 57-year-old Ramadan, a Swiss national, was already charged in France with raping a disabled woman in 2009 and a feminist activist in 2012. He denies the charges.
On Thursday, as Ramadan appeared before investigating magistrates in Paris, more charges were added relating to two other women who were identified by investigators from photos found on his computer.
He arrived for the session accompanied by his wife.
“There is a desire to pursue Tariq Ramadan at all costs and against the evidence,” his lawyer Emmanuel Marsigny told AFP.
“This case is becoming grotesque.”
The two women themselves had not originally filed complaints, but both say they were involved in brutal sexual relationships with Ramadan—one from November-December 2015 and the other in March 2016.
“It was something other than physical rape, it went beyond that... there was a moral rape,” one of the women had said in testimony seen by AFP.
“He had such a hold on you that you did everything that he demanded. But this relationship was consensual, yes,” she said.
“I asked him to be milder, but he said ‘it is your fault, you deserve it’ and that he needed to be obeyed, which is what I did,” said the other.
Ramadan, a father of four whose grandfather founded Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University until he was forced to take leave when rape allegations surfaced at the height of the “Me Too” movement in late 2017.
He was taken into custody in February 2018 and held for over nine months before being granted bail on claims that he raped two women in France—one in 2009 and the other in 2012.
Authorities in Switzerland are also investigating him after receiving a rape complaint in that country.
Ramadan insists all his relationships have been consensual.
Being charged in France does not necessarily mean a suspect will end up on trial, as a case can still be dropped for lack of evidence.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-13--US mulls troop cuts in Africa as strategy switches to ‘containing’ extremists

A US Army instructor demonstrates a weapon to Malian soldiers on April 12 , 2018 during an anti-terrorism exercise at the Kamboinse - General Bila Zagre military camp near Ouagadougo , Burkina Faso .
The United States announced Wednesday an initial plan for adjusting its military presence in Africa.The adjustment comes as a new US government report says that the US military has switched from trying to degrade Islamic extremist groups in West Africa ’ s sprawling Sahel region to merely trying to contain them .
The first change will see part of one infantry unit , around 800 troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military trainers and advisors to support local forces in “ spotlight African countries , ” Defense Department officials said .
“ The message I ’ m relaying to my ( African ) partners is we are not walking away , ” US Army Africa commander Major General Roger Cloutier told reporters .
The move is the first resulting from a sweeping Pentagon review of the presence of US forces around the world in an effort to better align that presence with US defense priorities—which list China and Russia as the principle threats to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US deployments meant to confront Islamic militant threats , including in Africa .
But the Pentagon is also wary of leaving a vacuum in certain areas , like in Africa , for the Chinese and Russians to fill , which could give them strategically valuable footholds .
US strategy aims to 'contain ' extremist groups The troops adjustment comes after the release earlier this week of a quarterly report by the inspectors general for the Pentagon , State Department and USAID - the first to be unclassified as interest surges in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The US depends especially on French and various African partner forces in West Africa in field operations , but the US strategy has changed from trying to degrade , or reduce the effectiveness , of those extremist groups in the Sahel to trying to keep them from growing their membership and spreading into new areas , AFRICOM told the Pentagon inspector general in the quarter ending Dec. 31 .
The security situation in Burkina Faso “ is deteriorating faster than anywhere else in the Sahel , ” says the new report , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The West African nation is staggering under a growing number of extremist attacks as fighters move in from neighbouring Mali .
Hundreds of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled .
Extremist groups affiliated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida in West Africa ’ s Sahel “ are neither degraded nor contained , ” the report warns , citing AFRICOM .
The United States has about 6,000 military personnel throughout Africa , including 800 in West Africa , 500 Special Forces in Somalia and an unspecified number at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently announced it would increase its troop presence in the Sahel to more than 5,000 and has started arming its drones , while French leaders have urged the U.S. against cutting its military presence .

The United States announced Wednesday an initial plan for adjusting its military presence in Africa.The adjustment comes as a new US government report says that the US military has switched from trying to degrade Islamic extremist groups in West Africa’s sprawling Sahel region to merely trying to contain them.
A US Army instructor demonstrates a weapon to Malian soldiers on April 12, 2018 during an anti-terrorism exercise at the Kamboinse - General Bila Zagre military camp near Ouagadougo, Burkina Faso.
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The first change will see part of one infantry unit, around 800 troops, replaced with a similar number of military trainers and advisors to support local forces in “spotlight African countries,” Defense Department officials said.
“The message I’m relaying to my (African) partners is we are not walking away,” US Army Africa commander Major General Roger Cloutier told reporters.
“We are still engaged.”
The move is the first resulting from a sweeping Pentagon review of the presence of US forces around the world in an effort to better align that presence with US defense priorities—which list China and Russia as the principle threats to the country.
That could mean reducing US deployments meant to confront Islamic militant threats, including in Africa.
But the Pentagon is also wary of leaving a vacuum in certain areas, like in Africa, for the Chinese and Russians to fill, which could give them strategically valuable footholds.
US strategy aims to 'contain' extremist groups
The troops adjustment comes after the release earlier this week of a quarterly report by the inspectors general for the Pentagon, State Department and USAID - the first to be unclassified as interest surges in the US military’s activities in Africa.
The US depends especially on French and various African partner forces in West Africa in field operations, but the US strategy has changed from trying to degrade, or reduce the effectiveness, of those extremist groups in the Sahel to trying to keep them from growing their membership and spreading into new areas, AFRICOM told the Pentagon inspector general in the quarter ending Dec. 31.
The security situation in Burkina Faso “is deteriorating faster than anywhere else in the Sahel,” says the new report, citing the US Africa Command (AFRICOM). The West African nation is staggering under a growing number of extremist attacks as fighters move in from neighbouring Mali. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled.
Extremist groups affiliated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida in West Africa’s Sahel “are neither degraded nor contained,” the report warns, citing AFRICOM.
The United States has about 6,000 military personnel throughout Africa, including 800 in West Africa, 500 Special Forces in Somalia and an unspecified number at an air base in Niger.
France recently announced it would increase its troop presence in the Sahel to more than 5,000 and has started arming its drones, while French leaders have urged the U.S. against cutting its military presence.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP)
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france24--2020-02-14--Candidate from Macron’s party withdraws from Paris mayoral race over sex tape allegations

Emmanuel Macron ’ s candidate for Paris mayor , Benjamin Griveaux , withdrew from the race over a leaked sex video Friday , in a blow for the French president ’ s party ahead of March local elections .
Griveaux , 41 , said he opted for retreat to protect his family after a website published the video with messages addressed to a woman , which was said to have come from the former government spokesman .
It then spread on social media .
“ A website and social networks have launched vile attacks concerning my private life .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one should ever be subjected to such abuse , ” Griveaux said at AFP headquarters in Paris .
“ For more than a year , my family and I have been subjected to defamatory remarks , lies , rumours , anonymous attacks , the revelation of stolen private conversations and death threats , ” he said .
“ As if this was not enough , yesterday a new level was reached , ” said Griveaux , adding he was not willing to expose his family any further .
“ This is going too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republic on the Move ( LREM ) party , but recent polls showed him trailing in third place in Paris , which Macron won comfortably in the 2017 presidential election .
Macron tapped Griveaux to be the LREM ’ s Paris mayoral candidate , causing a rift in the party that led to the president asking rival Cedric Villani to step aside .
Villani refused , triggering his exclusion from the ruling party .
Wresting control of the capital would be a huge prize for Macron as he seeks to consolidate his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2022 .
It would also help offset heavy losses he is expected to face in rural areas , where his policies have met fierce resistance and fired up the “ yellow vest ” protest movement .
One of Macron ’ s closest political allies , Griveaux resigned as a junior minister and government spokesman in March last year to run for mayor .

Emmanuel Macron’s candidate for Paris mayor, Benjamin Griveaux, withdrew from the race over a leaked sex video Friday, in a blow for the French president’s party ahead of March local elections.
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Griveaux, 41, said he opted for retreat to protect his family after a website published the video with messages addressed to a woman, which was said to have come from the former government spokesman.
It then spread on social media.
“A website and social networks have launched vile attacks concerning my private life. My family does not deserve this. No one should ever be subjected to such abuse,” Griveaux said at AFP headquarters in Paris.
“For more than a year, my family and I have been subjected to defamatory remarks, lies, rumours, anonymous attacks, the revelation of stolen private conversations and death threats,” he said.
“As if this was not enough, yesterday a new level was reached,” said Griveaux, adding he was not willing to expose his family any further.
“This is going too far.”
France's Interior Minister Christophe Castaner vowed legal consequences for the unauthorised posting of the video, which was claimed by a controversial Russian activist and performance artist who once nailed his scrotum into Moscow's Red Square.
Castaner emphasised it was illegal to post videos without the consent of their author and warned violations could be punished by significant fines and up to two years' imprisonment.
Mayoral race polls showed Griveaux in third
The ambitious Griveaux helped found the Republic on the Move (LREM) party, but recent polls showed him trailing in third place in Paris, which Macron won comfortably in the 2017 presidential election.
Very interesting to see how Paris reacts to its own Weiner moment - with outrage at the intrusion on a politician's privacy. Mayor Anne Hidalgo calls for 'respect for the private life', while Griveaux's former rival says the revelation is "a grave menace for our democracy". https://t.co/Ox3VEEDoix — Benjamin Ramm (@BenjaminRamm) February 14, 2020
Macron tapped Griveaux to be the LREM’s Paris mayoral candidate, causing a rift in the party that led to the president asking rival Cedric Villani to step aside.
Villani refused, triggering his exclusion from the ruling party.
Wresting control of the capital would be a huge prize for Macron as he seeks to consolidate his base ahead of an expected re-election bid in 2022.
It would also help offset heavy losses he is expected to face in rural areas, where his policies have met fierce resistance and fired up the “yellow vest” protest movement.
One of Macron’s closest political allies, Griveaux resigned as a junior minister and government spokesman in March last year to run for mayor.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-02-14--‘The English have landed’: France finally starts lifting menstrual taboo

A 2015 campaign against the so-called `` Tampon Tax '' has been credited with helping to change attitudes to menstruation in France .
The French are world-leaders when it comes to coining euphemisms for women ’ s periods , including one derived from the Battle of Waterloo .
Spurred on by a new generation of female activists , they are finally coming to terms with a natural and invevitable aspect of women 's lives – and looking for ways to improve their wellbeing .
If you think bees are dying by the millions because of pesticides and climate change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood is to blame .
At least that ’ s what Pliny the Elder wrote in his `` Natural History '' some 2,000 years ago , one in a long list of wild myths that have linked women ’ s periods to just about every calamity , from blighted crops to mayonnaise turning sour .
Pliny ’ s infamous assertion resurfaced this week in a 107-page report on how to lift “ menstrual taboos ” , co-authored by two members of France ’ s National Assembly .
Informed by the work of feminist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details 47 recommendations to ensure menstruation is better understood and is no longer “ a cause of anguish and suffering ” for women .
“ Periods have long been a taboo subject because they were seen as dirty and impure , ” said Laëtitia Romeiro Dias , a lawmaker from the ruling LREM party who co-authored the report with her colleague Bénédicte Taurine , of the opposition La France insoumise , a leftwing party .
“ A refusal to talk openly about the subject has enabled all sorts of misconceptions to be passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she added .
“ This ignorance has to stop ” According to a 2016 survey carried out in 190 different countries , the French make greater use of slang terms and euphemisms when referring to periods than any other people .
They also have some of the most colourful expressions , such as `` Les Anglais ont débarqué '' ( “ The English have landed ” ) , a reference to the British redcoats who fought off Napoleon ’ s army at the Battle of Waterloo .
Though often quaint and humourous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak openly about a natural and inevitable aspect of women ’ s lives .
In France and elsewhere , this failure continues to affect the wellbeing of schoolgirls and women , breeding shame , illness and injustice .
In their report , Romeiro Dias and Taurine stressed that “ deconstructing the taboo ” of periods necessarily involves changing the way it is approached at school , both when and how .
French pupils are first taught about periods in secondary school , aged 13 or thereabouts .
That ’ s too late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going through puberty earlier than ever before .
It ’ s not uncommon for them to get their first period at 10 , while still at primary school , ” she explained .
“ If it happens to you and no one has talked about it before , it ’ s scary .
There ’ s blood , you don ’ t know why , and you think you ’ re sick.
” The lawmaker also regreted the fact that menstruation is taught “ in correlation with sexuality ” .
“ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t be hearing that you might get pregnant , ” she argued .
“ The questions asked should be , ‘ Does it hurt , is it serious , what hygienic and protective habits must we adopt ?
’ ” A failure to get the right message across can lead to serious risks for women ’ s health , the report noted , pointing to the threat of Toxic Shock Syndrome ( TSS ) , a rare infection with life-threatening consequences .
In an interview with French daily Le Parisien last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how an infection caused by her menstrual cup spread to her internal organs and ultimately resulted in her losing both her feet and parts of her fingers .
The woman , a nurse , blamed the packaging of the menstrual cup , saying it did not make it clear when the cup should be removed before it could trigger TSS .
French health authorities have announced further research on the toxicity of certain substances found in tampons , pads and cups .
Existing studies have determined that menstrual cups are safe and effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used for extensive periods , just like tampons .
“ The packaging for such products is often very detailed and scientific , and therefore unreadable , ” Romeiro Dias said .
“ Instructions need to be a lot clearer given how important a public health issue this is.
” ‘ Women keep quiet and use old newspapers ’ Several of the lawmakers ’ proposals focus on improving access to menstrual protection for women who live in poverty and are in a vulnerable situation , and who are reluctant to seek the help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , two junior ministers announced on Wednesday that menstrual protection would be distributed freely , during a one-year trial , to women in need .
Gender Equality Minister Marlène Schiappa and her colleague Christelle Dubos , who holds the health and solidarity portfolio , said the scheme would start with a budget of one million euros .
It is expected to focus on schools , hospitals , shelters and prisons .
The ministers ’ announcement was hailed as a victory by charities .
“ We ’ re talking about basic necessities here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many women , ” said Nadège Passereau of ADSF , a women ’ s health charity and advocacy group that distributes sanitary kits to women in need .
“ Such products are currently only available in homeless shelters , where women are often reluctant to ask for them , ” Passereau added .
“ One mustn ’ t forget all of this was taboo for a long time .
It ’ s only recently that we ’ ve started to talk about sanitary pads .
Women keep quiet and use old newspapers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their health , exposing them to yeast infections , fibroids and , ultimately , sterility.
” Passereau , whose charity distributes 12,000 packets of sanitary pads each year , said growing awareness of the issue has helped better address women ’ s specific needs .
“ We now know that sanitary pads must be included in the kits distributed at shelters – and not just razors , as used to be the case when people associated homelessness with males only , ” she explained .
The private sector has also come on board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that help collect tampons and pads for donation .
One local start-up , Marguerite et Cie , has placed solidarity at the very heart of its business model : for every item sold another is donated to ADSF – and its products are organic too .
‘ You don ’ t seriously think we ’ ll pay to stick chlorine in our pussies ?
’ Passereau credited a new generation of social-media-savvy campaigners with helping to bring about a radical change in attitudes to menstruation in recent years , a phenomenon sometimes referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the founder of Règles élémentaires , another charity that looks after women in menstrual poverty , said she first developed an awareness of the issue a few years ago while studying at a British university and witnessing collections of tampons , pads and other sanitary products – a practice she helped introduce back home in France with her charity , founded in 2015 .
France was behind the curve at the time , but it soon caught up , spurred on by a high-profile row over the so-called “ Tampon Tax ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tax on tampons and bring it in line with other essential products .
“ Ever since then , there has been a huge mobilisation on social media , ” said Heuzé-Sarmini , describing the topic as “ highly Instagrammable ” .
In one popular Instagram post that caused a stir last year , 20-year-old Paris student Irene posted a picture of herself without menstrual protection , bleeding on her leggings .
Demanding free sanitary protection for all women , the post read : “ We pay the price of oppression , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequality ; you don ’ t seriously think we ’ ll also pay to stick chlorine in our pussies while you continue to stigmatise and demonise our blood [ ? ]
” Weeks later , a YouGov/HuffPost survey found that young adults in France were overwhelmingly in favour of free sanitation as well as paid leave from work for women who experience painful periods , something only a handful of countries currently allow .
Règles élémentaires said women spend on average between €8,000 and 23,000 on menstrual products in their lifetime – a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million women in France living in “ menstrual poverty ” , many of them cash-strapped students .
In this respect , the government ’ s promise to experiment with free distributions marks an important first step , says Heuzé-Sarmini , though more needs to be done .
“ It was our first priority , now we want three more measures , ” she explained .
“ We want vouchers or pre-paid cards for women in need , so that they can make their own , intimate choices .
We want health insurance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case for some students .
And we want distributors in all public and private spaces , from schools to office buildings , to make sanitary products as readily available as condoms.
” Only then , she added , when sanitation is available to all , in broad daylight , will menstruation finally cease to be a taboo subject .

The French are world leaders when it comes to coining euphemisms for women’s periods, including one derived from the Battle of Waterloo. Spurred on by a new generation of female activists, they are finally coming to terms with a natural and inevitable aspect of women's lives – and looking for ways to improve their wellbeing.
A 2015 campaign against the so-called "Tampon Tax" has been credited with helping to change attitudes to menstruation in France.
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If you think bees are dying by the millions because of pesticides and climate change, think again – women’s menstrual blood is to blame.
At least that’s what Pliny the Elder wrote in his "Natural History" some 2,000 years ago, one in a long list of wild myths that have linked women’s periods to just about every calamity, from blighted crops to mayonnaise turning sour.
Pliny’s infamous assertion resurfaced this week in a 107-page report on how to lift “menstrual taboos”, co-authored by two members of France’s National Assembly. Informed by the work of feminist campaigners and advocacy groups, the report details 47 recommendations to ensure menstruation is better understood and is no longer “a cause of anguish and suffering” for women.
“Periods have long been a taboo subject because they were seen as dirty and impure,” said Laëtitia Romeiro Dias, a lawmaker from the ruling LREM party who co-authored the report with her colleague Bénédicte Taurine, of the opposition La France insoumise, a left-wing party.
“A refusal to talk openly about the subject has enabled all sorts of misconceptions to be passed on from one generation to another,” she added. “This ignorance has to stop.”
Call it menstrual blood, period
According to a 2016 survey carried out in 190 different countries, the French make greater use of slang terms and euphemisms when referring to periods than any other people. They also have some of the most colourful expressions, such as "Les Anglais ont débarqué" (“The English have landed”), a reference to the British redcoats who fought off Napoleon’s army at the Battle of Waterloo.
Though often quaint and humourous, such euphemisms also reflect a historic failure to speak openly about an inevitable aspect of life. In France and elsewhere, this failure continues to affect the wellbeing of schoolgirls and women, breeding shame, illness and injustice.
In their report, Romeiro Dias and Taurine stressed that “deconstructing the taboo” of periods necessarily involves changing the way it is approached at school, both when and how.
French pupils are first taught about periods in secondary school, aged 13 or thereabouts. That’s too late, said Romeiro Dias.
“Girls are going through puberty earlier than ever before. It’s not uncommon for them to get their first period at 10, while still at primary school,” she explained. “If it happens to you and no one has talked about it before, it’s scary. There’s blood, you don’t know why, and you think you’re sick.”
The lawmaker also regreted the fact that menstruation is taught “in correlation with sexuality”.
“When you first get your period, you shouldn’t be hearing that you might get pregnant,” she argued. “The questions asked should be, ‘Does it hurt, is it serious, what hygienic and protective habits must we adopt?’”
A failure to get the right message across can lead to serious risks for women’s health, the report noted, pointing to the threat of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), a rare infection with life-threatening consequences.
In an interview with French daily Le Parisien last month, a 36-year old mother-of-three explained how an infection caused by her menstrual cup spread to her internal organs and ultimately resulted in her losing both her feet and parts of her fingers. The woman, a nurse, blamed the packaging of the menstrual cup, saying it did not make it clear when the cup should be removed before it could trigger TSS.
French health authorities have announced further research on the toxicity of certain substances found in tampons, pads and cups. Existing studies have determined that menstrual cups are safe and effective, though warning that they should not be used for extensive periods, just like tampons.
“The packaging for such products is often very detailed and scientific, and therefore unreadable,” Romeiro Dias said. “Instructions need to be a lot clearer given how important a public health issue this is.”
‘Women keep quiet and use old newspapers’
Several of the lawmakers’ proposals focus on improving access to menstrual protection for women who live in poverty and are in a vulnerable situation, and who are reluctant to seek the help of charities.
Picking up on the report, two junior ministers announced on Wednesday that menstrual protection would be distributed freely, during a one-year trial, to women in need. Gender Equality Minister Marlène Schiappa and her colleague Christelle Dubos, who holds the health and solidarity portfolio, said the scheme would start with a budget of one million euros. It is expected to focus on schools, hospitals, shelters and prisons.
The ministers’ announcement was hailed as a victory by charities.
“We’re talking about basic necessities here, which are still luxury items for many women,” said Nadège Passereau of ADSF, a women’s health charity and advocacy group that distributes sanitary kits to women in need.
“Such products are currently only available in homeless shelters, where women are often reluctant to ask for them,” Passereau added. “One mustn’t forget all of this was taboo for a long time. It’s only recently that we’ve started to talk about sanitary pads. Women keep quiet and use old newspapers, which further undermines their dignity and threatens their health, exposing them to yeast infections, fibroids and, ultimately, sterility.”
Passereau, whose charity distributes 12,000 packets of sanitary pads each year, said growing awareness of the issue has helped better address women’s specific needs.
“We now know that sanitary pads must be included in the kits distributed at shelters – and not just razors, as used to be the case when people associated homelessness with males only,” she explained.
The private sector has also come on board, she noted, pointing to brands that help collect tampons and pads for donation. One local start-up, Marguerite et Cie, has placed solidarity at the very heart of its business model: for every item sold another is donated to ADSF – and its products are organic too.
‘You don’t seriously think we’ll pay to stick chlorine in our pussies?’
Passereau credited a new generation of social-media-savvy campaigners with helping to bring about a radical change in attitudes to menstruation in recent years, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as period activism.
Tara Heuzé-Sarmini, the founder of Règles élémentaires, the leading French charity in the fight against period poverty, said she first developed an awareness of the issue a few years ago while studying at a British university and witnessing collections of tampons, pads and other sanitary products – a practice she helped introduce back home in France with her charity, founded in 2015.
France was behind the curve at the time, but it soon caught up, spurred on by a high-profile row over the so-called “Tampon Tax”, which forced the government to lower the tax on tampons and bring it in line with other essential products.
“Ever since then, there has been a huge mobilisation on social media,” said Heuzé-Sarmini, describing the topic as “highly Instagrammable”.
In one popular Instagram post that caused a stir last year, 20-year-old Paris student Irene posted a picture of herself without menstrual protection, bleeding on her leggings. Demanding free sanitary protection for all women, the post read: “We pay the price of oppression, the price of misogyny, the price of inequality; you don’t seriously think we’ll also pay to stick chlorine in our pussies while you continue to stigmatise and demonise our blood [?]”
Weeks later, a YouGov/HuffPost survey found that young adults in France were overwhelmingly in favour of free sanitation as well as paid leave from work for women who experience painful periods, something only a handful of countries currently allow.
Règles élémentaires, which helps women in need to access sanitary protection, said women spend on average between €8,000 and 23,000 on menstrual products in their lifetime – a financial burden that leaves an estimated 1.7 million women in France living in “menstrual poverty”, many of them cash-strapped students.
In this respect, the government’s promise to experiment with free distributions marks an important first step, says Heuzé-Sarmini, though more needs to be done.
“It was our first priority, now we want three more measures,” she explained. “We want vouchers or pre-paid cards for women in need, so that they can make their own, intimate choices. We want private health insurance firms to reimburse sanitary products, following the example set by the LMDE, the leading provider for students. And we want dispensers in all public and private spaces, from schools to office buildings, to make sanitary products as readily available as condoms.”
Only then, she added, when dispensers are available and visible to all, in broad daylight, will menstruation finally cease to be a taboo subject.
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france24--2020-02-14--French politicians outrage after sex tape ends Paris mayoral bid for Macron ally

Rivals from across France 's political spectrum joined in a chorus of alarm and dismay Friday , and warned that French democracy is in danger after an online leak of sexual images led an associate of French leader Emmanuel Macron to pull out of the race to become mayor of Paris .
Rapid expressions of support for Benjamin Griveaux , even from political rivals , were a striking reminder of the longstanding and widely held view in France that public servants ’ private lives are largely off limits .
A Russian performance artist claimed responsibility for posting the sexually explicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bid for Paris City Hall .
Politicians warned that people will no longer want to stand for elected office if they run the risk of their private affairs becoming public , and that the leaking of sexually explicit material to take Griveaux out of the municipal elections was a threat to France ’ s proud democratic traditions .
“ We ’ re not trying to elect saints , ” said Sebastien Chenu , a spokesman for the far-right National Rally party , normally an unforgiving political opponent of Griveaux ’ s centrist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the far-left , former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon also expressed support , saying Griveaux was the victim of score-settling and that French public life must not become prey to voyeurism .
“ The publication of intimate images to destroy an adversary is odious , ” Melenchon tweeted .
Lawmaker Cedric Villani , who split from Griveaux ’ s party to stand against him in Paris , warned in a tweet that his rival was the victim of an attack that posed “ a serious threat for our democracy.
” Griveaux previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s government .
His sudden withdrawal from the mayoral race left Macron ’ s centrist party without a candidate in the French capital for the municipal elections next month .
A grim-faced Griveaux announced the withdrawal himself on Friday morning , saying he ’ d been targeted by “ vile attacks ” on the internet and social media .
The newspaper Liberation said Pyotr Pavlensky called the daily on Thursday night and said he obtained the video from an unnamed source who had a relationship with Griveaux .
Liberation quoted Pavlensky as saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ hypocrisy.
” “ He is someone who is always playing up family values , who says he wants to be the mayor of families and always cites as examples his wife and children .
But he does the opposite , ” Liberation quoted Pavlensky as saying .
Paris is the most coveted of France ’ s municipalities and a political fiefdom that has been used in the past , notably by former French President Jacques Chirac , as a springboard for higher office .

Rivals from across France's political spectrum joined in a chorus of alarm and dismay Friday, and warned that French democracy is in danger after an online leak of sexual images led an associate of French leader Emmanuel Macron to pull out of the race to become mayor of Paris.
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Rapid expressions of support for Benjamin Griveaux, even from political rivals, were a striking reminder of the longstanding and widely held view in France that public servants’ private lives are largely off limits.
A Russian performance artist claimed responsibility for posting the sexually explicit videos that apparently prompted Griveaux to end his bid for Paris City Hall.
Politicians warned that people will no longer want to stand for elected office if they run the risk of their private affairs becoming public, and that the leaking of sexually explicit material to take Griveaux out of the municipal elections was a threat to France’s proud democratic traditions.
“We’re not trying to elect saints,” said Sebastien Chenu, a spokesman for the far-right National Rally party, normally an unforgiving political opponent of Griveaux’s centrist camp. Chenu was speaking on BFM-TV.
Very interesting to see how Paris reacts to its own Weiner moment - with outrage at the intrusion on a politician's privacy. Mayor Anne Hidalgo calls for 'respect for the private life', while Griveaux's former rival says the revelation is "a grave menace for our democracy". https://t.co/Ox3VEEDoix — Benjamin Ramm (@BenjaminRamm) February 14, 2020
On the far left, former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon also expressed support, saying Griveaux was the victim of score-settling and that French public life must not become prey to voyeurism.
“The publication of intimate images to destroy an adversary is odious,” Melenchon tweeted.
Lawmaker Cedric Villani, who split from Griveaux’s party to stand against him in Paris, warned in a tweet that his rival was the victim of an attack that posed “a serious threat for our democracy.”
Griveaux previously served as a spokesman for Macron’s government. His sudden withdrawal from the mayoral race left Macron’s centrist party without a candidate in the French capital for the municipal elections next month.
A grim-faced Griveaux announced the withdrawal himself on Friday morning, saying he’d been targeted by “vile attacks” on the internet and social media.
A Russian performance artist noted for macabre, politically charged actions reportedly claimed responsibility for the posts.
The newspaper Liberation said Pyotr Pavlensky called the daily on Thursday night and said he obtained the video from an unnamed source who had a relationship with Griveaux.
Liberation quoted Pavlensky as saying that he wanted to denounce Griveaux’s “hypocrisy.”
“He is someone who is always playing up family values, who says he wants to be the mayor of families and always cites as examples his wife and children. But he does the opposite,” Liberation quoted Pavlensky as saying.
Paris is the most coveted of France’s municipalities and a political fiefdom that has been used in the past, notably by former French President Jacques Chirac, as a springboard for higher office.
(AP)
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