france24--2020-02-13--Week in Review: 'French Oscars' under fire, binge-worthy politics and locusts wreak havoc

With the Oscars behind us and the `` French Oscars '' – the César awards – approaching , French cinema is on parade , but feminist groups are n't pleased about plaudits for director Roman Polanski .
Meanwhile , locusts are raining destruction on East Africa .
And we take a look at bingeable political fiction on French TV .
Catch up on this week 's coverage with our Week in Review .
The ‘ French Oscars ’ , under fire , brace for a Polanski showdown With France ’ s film industry in the midst of a belated # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have set the stage for a showdown with feminist groups by handing Roman Polanski ’ s latest film the lion 's share of nominations .
Mathematician-turned-politician Cédric Villani wears his eccentricity on his sleeve – or , at least , on the lapel of his three-piece suit .
There lurk his signature spider brooches .
They stalk alongside his silken Ascot neckties and above his pocket watch , even on the campaign trail , where Emmanuel Macron 's now ex-protégé is stumping for one of French politics ’ most coveted prizes : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to be Brazil 's biggest military threat over the next 20 years and could invade the Amazon in 2035 , according to a secret report published by Brazilian media on Friday .
Although the French embassy jokingly `` saluted '' its `` limitless imagination '' , the military document is aimed at redefining the country 's foreign policy strategy and could add yet another chapter to its troubled relations with France .
Five weeks ahead of crucial municipal elections in France , with strikes , demonstrations and heightened tensions putting President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence , the new season of a hit political thriller TV series has viewers and voters on the edge of their seats .
Boxed in by US and Israel , an ailing Abbas takes defiant stance against Trump peace plan Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is 84 years old and in fragile health .
Speaking Tuesday at the UN , he roundly rejected US President Donald Trump ’ s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
But he appears to be powerless in the face of the united front presented by the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for urgent action to avoid a major humanitarian crisis as billions of locusts destroy crops across East Africa in the biggest outbreak the region has seen in decades .
Mont Blanc : an end to ‘ wackos ’ on the summit ?
French President Emmanuel Macron was set to unveil measures to protect Mont Blanc during a visit to the mountain on Thursday , after a local mayor complained that “ wackos ” were damaging the famous peak .
YOU ARE HERE In the south of France , a mythic stretch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s known as the `` Three Corniches '' .
This trio of coastal roads are one of the jewels of the French Riviera and offer breath-taking views .
FRANCE 24 takes you for a ride and stops off at a few cultural highlights on the way .
Israel and the Palestinians : An impossible peace process ?
Our guest is Khalil Tafakji , director of the cartography department at the Jerusalem-based Arab Studies Society .
He is also a former member of the Palestinian peace delegation and the author of a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli colonies in the occupied West Bank .
He tells us why he thinks the US `` deal of the century '' is nothing more than the realisation of a vision shared by both left and right-wing Israeli leaders since 1996 .
He also tells us why he believes Benjamin Netanyahu 's ultimate plan is to evict Palestinians from the West Bank .
Completing a survey , requesting a quote , or just spending a few seconds on the homepage of a big brand ’ s website ... Day after day or for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called `` click workers '' are doing paid online `` microtasks '' .
In France , there are over a quarter of a million of these `` micro workers '' .
It 's a new line of work that raises many questions .
French economist Gabriel Zucman has chronicled the rise of inequality in the tax system in the United States , which has left the super-rich paying proportionally lower taxes than the poor .
In his book `` The Triumph of Injustice : How the Rich Dodge Taxes and How to Make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a model for a wealth tax to address this inequality .
He has lent his expertise to the campaigns of Democratic primary candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren She ’ s worked with the likes of Ridley Scott , Jim Jarmusch and Asghar Farhadi .
She was the first Iranian actress to star in a Hollywood film after the 1979 revolution and the first to appear in an Israeli movie .
Golshifteh Farahani speaks to Eve Jackson about her new movie “ Arab Blues ” in which she plays a psychoanalyst trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Arab Spring .
They also talk about her being an Iranian artist in exile and why she loves her adoptive country , France , so much .
With movies that competed for Best International Feature , Best Live Action Short Film and Best Animated Feature at last week 's 92nd Academy Awards , French talent is currently the toast of Hollywood .
Our reporters caught up with some of the directors leading the charge in Los Angeles .
She 's a one-woman powerhouse , carving out a niche for one-of-a-kind performances : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comic timing make her a perfect Fanny Brice , the leading lady in Broadway classic `` Funny Girl '' .
Christina told us about taking inspiration from the go-getting 1930s showgirl when it comes to pushing herself forward for starring roles , and why her job involves a knack for taking `` no '' for an answer .
We also get a glimpse of Christina 's hilarious talent for impressions , and find out who is her favourite French-speaking diva .
The region of Michoacán in Mexico is struggling to lure field scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monthly murders linked to organised crime can deter even the most passionate researchers After psychoactive drugs like magic mushrooms and LSD were embraced by the US counterculture movement of the 1960s , Richard Nixon 's War on Drugs did all it could to suppress the nation 's appetite for hallucinogens .
But , four decades on , research into the therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs is booming .

WEEK IN REVIEW
With the Oscars behind us and the "French Oscars" – the César awards – approaching, French cinema is on parade, but feminist groups aren't pleased about plaudits for director Roman Polanski. Meanwhile, locusts are raining destruction on East Africa. And we take a look at bingeable political fiction on French TV. Catch up on this week's coverage with our Week in Review.
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ARTICLES
The ‘French Oscars’, under fire, brace for a Polanski showdown
With France’s film industry in the midst of a belated #MeToo awakening, the annual César Awards have set the stage for a showdown with feminist groups by handing Roman Polanski’s latest film the lion's share of nominations.
Maths wizard Cédric Villani adds to Macron woes in Paris mayoral equation
Mathematician-turned-politician Cédric Villani wears his eccentricity on his sleeve – or, at least, on the lapel of his three-piece suit. There lurk his signature spider brooches. They stalk alongside his silken Ascot neckties and above his pocket watch, even on the campaign trail, where Emmanuel Macron's now ex-protégé is stumping for one of French politics’ most coveted prizes: The Paris mayor’s office.
Prize-winning mathematician and Paris mayoralty candidate Cédric Villani. © Benoit Tessier, Reuters
Brazil's military elite sees France as country's biggest threat, leaked report reveals
France is expected to be Brazil's biggest military threat over the next 20 years and could invade the Amazon in 2035, according to a secret report published by Brazilian media on Friday. Although the French embassy jokingly "saluted" its "limitless imagination", the military document is aimed at redefining the country's foreign policy strategy and could add yet another chapter to its troubled relations with France.
TV political thriller Baron Noir mirrors real-life politics in France
Five weeks ahead of crucial municipal elections in France, with strikes, demonstrations and heightened tensions putting President Emmanuel Macron and his party on the defence, the new season of a hit political thriller TV series has viewers and voters on the edge of their seats.
The third season of "Le Baron Noir" shares many similarities with Emmanuel Macron's presidency. © Canal+
Boxed in by US and Israel, an ailing Abbas takes defiant stance against Trump peace plan
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is 84 years old and in fragile health. Speaking Tuesday at the UN, he roundly rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But he appears to be powerless in the face of the united front presented by the US and Israel.
VIDEO REPORTS
Africa’s locust ‘crisis’: UN calls for urgent action
The UN on Monday called for urgent action to avoid a major humanitarian crisis as billions of locusts destroy crops across East Africa in the biggest outbreak the region has seen in decades.
Locust outbreak. © Screengrab, France 24
Mont Blanc: an end to ‘wackos’ on the summit?
French President Emmanuel Macron was set to unveil measures to protect Mont Blanc during a visit to the mountain on Thursday, after a local mayor complained that “wackos” were damaging the famous peak.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to unveil measures to protect Mont Blanc when he visits the region on Thursday, February 13, 2020. © AFP / FRANCE 24
TV SHOWS ONLINE
YOU ARE HERE
Breathtaking views of the French Riviera
In the south of France, a mythic stretch of tarmac links Nice to Menton. It’s known as the "Three Corniches". This trio of coastal roads are one of the jewels of the French Riviera and offer breath-taking views. FRANCE 24 takes you for a ride and stops off at a few cultural highlights on the way.
The French Riviera town of Èze. © Screengrab, France 24
THE INTERVIEW
Israel and the Palestinians: An impossible peace process?
Our guest is Khalil Tafakji, director of the cartography department at the Jerusalem-based Arab Studies Society. He is also a former member of the Palestinian peace delegation and the author of a new book that examines the geographical extent of Israeli colonies in the occupied West Bank. He tells us why he thinks the US "deal of the century" is nothing more than the realisation of a vision shared by both left and right-wing Israeli leaders since 1996. He also tells us why he believes Benjamin Netanyahu's ultimate plan is to evict Palestinians from the West Bank.
FOCUS
Microwork, micropay: French 'click workers' try to make ends meet
Completing a survey, requesting a quote, or just spending a few seconds on the homepage of a big brand’s website... Day after day or for just a few hours a month, so-called "click workers" are doing paid online "microtasks". In France, there are over a quarter of a million of these "micro workers". It's a new line of work that raises many questions.
Employee and ‘microworker’ Sanou Sissoko. © Screengrab, France 24
PEOPLE & PROFIT
Gabriel Zucman: The wealth tax guru advising Sanders & Warren
French economist Gabriel Zucman has chronicled the rise of inequality in the tax system in the United States, which has left the super-rich paying proportionally lower taxes than the poor. In his book "The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes and How to Make Them Pay", he lays out a model for a wealth tax to address this inequality. He has lent his expertise to the campaigns of Democratic primary candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren
Professor of Economics, UC Berkeley © FRANCE24
ENCORE!
Golshifteh Farahani: An Iranian actress in exile
She’s worked with the likes of Ridley Scott, Jim Jarmusch and Asghar Farhadi. She was the first Iranian actress to star in a Hollywood film after the 1979 revolution and the first to appear in an Israeli movie. Golshifteh Farahani speaks to Eve Jackson about her new movie “Arab Blues” in which she plays a psychoanalyst trying to set up a practice in Tunisia after the Arab Spring. They also talk about her being an Iranian artist in exile and why she loves her adoptive country, France, so much.
Actress Golshifteh Farahani discusses her latest film, 'Arab Blues'. © Screengrab, France 24
Frenchies in Tinseltown: France enters the Oscars race
With movies that competed for Best International Feature, Best Live Action Short Film and Best Animated Feature at last week's 92nd Academy Awards, French talent is currently the toast of Hollywood. Our reporters caught up with some of the directors leading the charge in Los Angeles.
ENCORE! © France 24
'Funny Girl' Christina Bianco sings up a storm as Fanny Brice
She's a one-woman powerhouse, carving out a niche for one-of-a-kind performances: Christina Bianco's impressive vocal range and comic timing make her a perfect Fanny Brice, the leading lady in Broadway classic "Funny Girl". Christina told us about taking inspiration from the go-getting 1930s showgirl when it comes to pushing herself forward for starring roles, and why her job involves a knack for taking "no" for an answer. We also get a glimpse of Christina's hilarious talent for impressions, and find out who is her favourite French-speaking diva.
ENCORE! © France 24
INSIDE THE AMERICAS
Scientific research threatened by organised crime in Mexico
The region of Michoacán in Mexico is struggling to lure field scientists despite its rich biodiversity. The 3,000 monthly murders linked to organised crime can deter even the most passionate researchers
Inside the Americas © France 24
PERSPECTIVE
The rise of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
After psychoactive drugs like magic mushrooms and LSD were embraced by the US counterculture movement of the 1960s, Richard Nixon's War on Drugs did all it could to suppress the nation's appetite for hallucinogens. But, four decades on, research into the therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs is booming.
PERSPECTIVE © FRANCE 24
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france24--2020-02-14--France's 'stolen children' make emotional return to native Reunion Island

In this edition , we explore the tragic story of France 's `` stolen children '' .
Between 1963 and 1982 , more than 2,000 youngsters were taken from Reunion Island , in the Indian Ocean , to repopulate rural areas of mainland France .
Some were orphans , but others had parents who signed release papers , not always understanding they would never see their children again .
Our reporters followed three sisters on an emotional journey back to their native island in search of answers .
Between 1963 and 1982 , over 2,100 children from the French overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland France to repopulate rural areas such as the central Creuse region .
Some of them were orphans , but others had parents who were deemed incapable of raising them .
Authorities argued they would be getting a better education with the possibility of returning on school holidays to the island in the Indian Ocean .
The French state did not fulfill its promises and decades later the national scandal of the `` stolen children '' broke .
Hundreds of the `` stolen children '' joined forces to form a support group and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained of abusive foster families with some speaking of slavery , as they were forced to work in farms and badly treated .
The group has also stressed the unusually high suicide rate and cases of depression among those picked for the resettlement scheme .
Only 10 percent of the `` stolen children '' ever returned to Reunion Island .
Our reporters Julien Sauvaget and Clovis Casali followed three sisters on a journey back to their native island in search of answers .
They questioned relatives who witnessed their departure and they obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this report , we also see where the `` stolen children '' lived when they arrived in mainland France and the suffering they endured .

In this edition, we explore the tragic story of France's "stolen children". Between 1963 and 1982, more than 2,000 youngsters were taken from Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean, to repopulate rural areas of mainland France. Some were orphans, but others had parents who signed release papers, not always understanding they would never see their children again. Our reporters followed three sisters on an emotional journey back to their native island in search of answers.
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Between 1963 and 1982, over 2,100 children from the French overseas territory of Reunion Island were taken to mainland France to repopulate rural areas such as the central Creuse region. Some of them were orphans, but others had parents who were deemed incapable of raising them. Authorities argued they would be getting a better education with the possibility of returning on school holidays to the island in the Indian Ocean. The French state did not fulfill its promises and decades later the national scandal of the "stolen children" broke.
Hundreds of the "stolen children" joined forces to form a support group and discuss their traumatic experience. They've complained of abusive foster families with some speaking of slavery, as they were forced to work in farms and badly treated. The group has also stressed the unusually high suicide rate and cases of depression among those picked for the resettlement scheme.
Only 10 percent of the "stolen children" ever returned to Reunion Island. Our reporters Julien Sauvaget and Clovis Casali followed three sisters on a journey back to their native island in search of answers. They questioned relatives who witnessed their departure and they obtained their family file from the French administration. In this report, we also see where the "stolen children" lived when they arrived in mainland France and the suffering they endured.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-14--The Ethiopian migrants who make the desperate journey to Saudi Arabia via Yemen

The Ethiopian migrants who make the desperate journey to Saudi Arabia via Yemen Every day , thousands of Ethiopians set @ @ @ @ @ desperate 2,000-kilometre trek in the hope of reaching Saudi Arabia .
Their route takes them @ @ @ @ @ the Red Sea and Yemen , a country ravaged by civil war .
Every year @ @ @ @ @ in the desert or drown while crossing the Gulf of Aden .
Those who make @ @ @ @ @ having starved for days on end , are easy prey for the local mafia who @ @ @ @ @ Our reporters followed these migrants on their journey and documented , with exclusive footage , @ @ @ @ @ .

The Ethiopian migrants who make the desperate journey to Saudi Arabia via Yemen
25:50 REPORTERS © FRANCE 24
By: Charles EMPTAZ | Olivier JOBARD
Every day, thousands of Ethiopians set off on foot on a desperate 2,000-kilometre trek in the hope of reaching Saudi Arabia. Their route takes them across the Djibouti desert, the Red Sea and Yemen, a country ravaged by civil war. Every year, hundreds die of exhaustion in the desert or drown while crossing the Gulf of Aden. Those who make it to Yemen, often having starved for days on end, are easy prey for the local mafia who kidnap them for ransom. Our reporters followed these migrants on their journey and documented, with exclusive footage, the extent of human trafficking.


france24--2020-02-16--French health minister to run for Paris mayor after sex scandal sinks previous candidate

France ’ s Health Minister Agnes Buzyn was named on Sunday as a new candidate for mayor of Paris , a late entry by the country ’ s governing party after a scramble to replace the original contender who abruptly withdrew after a leak of sex videos on social media .
.
The choice of Buzyn , whose profile rose with the outbreak of the new deadly virus from China , came just two days after a frantic search for a candidate began .
It underscored the importance that President Emmanuel Macron ’ s centrist party places on winning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a scandal .
The presidential Elysee Palace quickly named a replacement for Buzyn as health minister , Olivier Veran , a lawmaker and a doctor , like his predecessor .
The post of mayor of Paris is currently held by Anne Hidalgo , a Socialist looking to renew her term and favored in polls in the two-round municipal elections to be held in one month .
The rapid changing of the guard in the important health ministry post came after the withdrawal of Benjamin Griveaux as candidate in the Paris mayoral race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , a leak operation claimed by a controversial Russian performance artist .
Piotr Pavlensky and his companion , meanwhile , were being questioned by police investigators on counts of invasion of privacy and diffusing without permission images of a sexual character after Griveaux filed a complaint for invasion of privacy .
The prosecutor ’ s office said Sunday that the period of interrogation was being prolonged for both until Monday .
Pavlensky claimed responsibility for the leaks , denouncing the “ big hypocrisy ” of Griveaux who put family at the forefront @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer , Juan Branco , who had defended in the past Wikileaks figure Julien Assange , said on TV he was forced to withdraw from the case .
The prosecutor ’ s office would not confirm the claim .
The mayorship of the French capital is a symbol of prestige , and more .
For Macron ’ s young party , The Republic on the Move , which he created to win the presidential race in 2017 , a Paris victory could compensate for losses elsewhere around the country .
“ I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commitment ...
I ’ m doing it to win , ” Buzyn said shortly after being named the governing party contender , reflecting a dramatic change of heart .
On Friday , she said she would refuse to take Griveaux ’ s place , citing her important work amid the COVID-19 which has sickened 12 people in France .
“ Mission impossible , ” was the message of numerous commentators , noting the Paris-born Buzyn ’ s late arrival in the race and the embarrassing stumbles that preceded her .
Rival parties said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post amid a health crisis .
The addition of Buzyn puts three women front and center in the battle for Paris , with conservative former Justice Minister Rachida Dati polling in second place , after the current mayor .
The scandal over the sexually explicit material has led to questions over whether Pavlensky had been a front man for more sinister forces wanting to bring down Griveaux and about the role of social media in a democracy .
The affair also has raised indignation across political classes in a country that respects the @ @ @ @ @

France’s Health Minister Agnes Buzyn was named on Sunday as a new candidate for mayor of Paris, a late entry by the country’s governing party after a scramble to replace the original contender who abruptly withdrew after a leak of sex videos on social media.
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The choice of Buzyn, whose profile rose with the outbreak of the new deadly virus from China, came just two days after a frantic search for a candidate began. It underscored the importance that President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party places on winning the mayor’s office — and emerging from a scandal.
The presidential Elysee Palace quickly named a replacement for Buzyn as health minister, Olivier Veran, a lawmaker and a doctor, like his predecessor.
French Health Minister #Buzyn has just announced she will replace #Griveaux as candidate of Macron's party for #ParisMayor. Critics say that with the world scrambling to contain the #coronavirus epidemic, this is hardly a good time for the country's top health official to quit. — Michele Barbero (@MicheleBarbero) February 16, 2020
The post of mayor of Paris is currently held by Anne Hidalgo, a Socialist looking to renew her term and favored in polls in the two-round municipal elections to be held in one month.
The rapid changing of the guard in the important health ministry post came after the withdrawal of Benjamin Griveaux as candidate in the Paris mayoral race after explicit videos began circulating on social media, a leak operation claimed by a controversial Russian performance artist.
Piotr Pavlensky and his companion, meanwhile, were being questioned by police investigators on counts of invasion of privacy and diffusing without permission images of a sexual character after Griveaux filed a complaint for invasion of privacy. The prosecutor’s office said Sunday that the period of interrogation was being prolonged for both until Monday.
Pavlensky claimed responsibility for the leaks, denouncing the “big hypocrisy” of Griveaux who put family at the forefront of his campaign.
Pavlensky’s lawyer, Juan Branco, who had defended in the past Wikileaks figure Julien Assange, said on TV he was forced to withdraw from the case. The prosecutor’s office would not confirm the claim.
The mayorship of the French capital is a symbol of prestige, and more. For Macron’s young party, The Republic on the Move, which he created to win the presidential race in 2017, a Paris victory could compensate for losses elsewhere around the country.
“I am doing this with my heart, with commitment ... I’m doing it to win,” Buzyn said shortly after being named the governing party contender, reflecting a dramatic change of heart. On Friday, she said she would refuse to take Griveaux’s place, citing her important work amid the COVID-19 which has sickened 12 people in France.
“Mission impossible,” was the message of numerous commentators, noting the Paris-born Buzyn’s late arrival in the race and the embarrassing stumbles that preceded her. Rival parties said she was “abandoning” her ministerial post amid a health crisis.
The addition of Buzyn puts three women front and center in the battle for Paris, with conservative former Justice Minister Rachida Dati polling in second place, after the current mayor.
The scandal over the sexually explicit material has led to questions over whether Pavlensky had been a front man for more sinister forces wanting to bring down Griveaux and about the role of social media in a democracy. The affair also has raised indignation across political classes in a country that respects the private lives of politicians.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-16--At least one dead as Storm Dennis hammers Britain

People look at flood water in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells , after the River Teme burst its banks in western England , on February 16 , 2020 , A man died after falling into a river on Sunday as Storm Dennis swept across Britain with the army drafted in to help deal with heavy flooding and high winds .
The man fell into the River Tawe , in south Wales , police said .
“ A male has fallen into the river at # Ystradgynlais at approximately 10am this morning and has sadly be found deceased further along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Dyfed Powys Police said in a tweet .
The government weather agency earlier issued a rare red warning for the area , saying there was a risk of “ significant impacts from flooding ” that included a “ danger to life from fast flowing water , extensive flooding to property and road closures ” .
A record 594 flood warnings and alerts were in place on Sunday , extending from Scotland ’ s River Tweed to Cornwall in southwest England .
Winds of over 90 miles per hour ( 150 kilometres per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south Wales .
Pictures circulated on social media showed the nearby River Taff bursting its banks , while rescue workers rushed to get people trapped in their homes in Powys to safety .
“ The forecast is for very significant levels of rain , especially in the eastern valleys of South Wales , ” said Jeremy Parr , from government body Natural Resources Wales .
“ Impacts could be severe overnight , and everyone should take the warnings extremely seriously , ” he added .
Police declared major incidents in parts of Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Some communities have been cut-off ... , but emergency service workers are working tirelessly to put measures in place to ensure the safety of residents , ” South Wales Police said in a statement .
Roads and railways were badly affected by the downpours and winds , having barely recovered from a similar storm last week .
The Ministry of Defence deployed troops in West Yorkshire , northern England , which suffered badly from flooding caused by last weekend ’ s Storm Ciara .
“ Our armed forces are always ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need it , ” said defence minister Ben Wallace .
British Airways and easyJet confirmed they had grounded flights , with footage posted online showing a massive Airbus A380 jet being blown about as it attempted to land .
Meanwhile , two bodies were pulled from rough seas off the south England coast on Saturday as the storm barrelled in .
One of the men is assumed to have been the subject of a search triggered when an LPG tanker reported that one of its crew was unaccounted for .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France was also affected by the storm , especially Britanny where the Finistere and Morbihan regions were placed on orange alert for rain and flooding , according to the national weather service , Meteo-France .
Around 14,000 homes were left without electricity .
“ Winds will be increasing throughout the day on Sunday across Germany , Denmark and southern Sweden , ” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly .

A man died after falling into a river on Sunday as Storm Dennis swept across Britain with the army drafted in to help deal with heavy flooding and high winds.
People look at flood water in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells, after the River Teme burst its banks in western England, on February 16, 2020,
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The man fell into the River Tawe, in south Wales, police said.
“A male has fallen into the river at #Ystradgynlais at approximately 10am this morning and has sadly been found deceased further along the river in the Tebanos area,” Dyfed Powys Police said in a tweet.
#Control_RED are now on duty until 08:00 tomorrow morning. Please can we remind people again NOT to drive through flood water. Stay safe and stay out of the water #StormDennis pic.twitter.com/SfxrLeG5WG — Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (@DerbyshireFRS) February 16, 2020
The government weather agency earlier issued a rare red warning for the area, saying there was a risk of “significant impacts from flooding” that included a “danger to life from fast flowing water, extensive flooding to property and road closures”.
A record 594 flood warnings and alerts were in place on Sunday, extending from Scotland’s River Tweed to Cornwall in southwest England.
In Rhondda Cynon Taff, Pontypridd and Taff's Wells have also been badly affected by floods with cars and streets under water https://t.co/jXEDamhbas #StormDennis pic.twitter.com/5jsx7ngnn1 — BBC Wales News (@BBCWalesNews) February 16, 2020
Winds of over 90 miles per hour (150 kilometres per hour) were recorded in Aberdaron, south Wales.
Pictures circulated on social media showed the nearby River Taff bursting its banks, while rescue workers rushed to get people trapped in their homes in Powys to safety.
“The forecast is for very significant levels of rain, especially in the eastern valleys of South Wales,” said Jeremy Parr, from government body Natural Resources Wales.
“Impacts could be severe overnight, and everyone should take the warnings extremely seriously,” he added.
Police declared major incidents in parts of Wales and England, with landslides also reported.
“Some communities have been cut-off..., but emergency service workers are working tirelessly to put measures in place to ensure the safety of residents,” South Wales Police said in a statement.
This is an extraordinary map of where is beening affected by flooding from #StormDennis. Over 500 live flood warnings and alerts - and I’m afraid more to come - keep close to the detail here https://t.co/K5GUW3z87V pic.twitter.com/wDcVC5TnrB — John Curtin (@johncurtinEA) February 16, 2020
Roads and railways were badly affected by the downpours and winds, having barely recovered from a similar storm last week.
The Ministry of Defence deployed troops in West Yorkshire, northern England, which suffered badly from flooding caused by last weekend’s Storm Ciara.
“Our armed forces are always ready to support local authorities and communities whenever they need it,” said defence minister Ben Wallace.
British Airways and easyJet confirmed they had grounded flights, with footage posted online showing a massive Airbus A380 jet being blown about as it attempted to land.
Meanwhile, two bodies were pulled from rough seas off the south England coast on Saturday as the storm barrelled in.
One of the men is assumed to have been the subject of a search triggered when an LPG tanker reported that one of its crew was unaccounted for.
He was last seen several hours earlier.
Northwestern France was also affected by the storm, especially Britanny where the Finistere and Morbihan regions were placed on orange alert for rain and flooding, according to the national weather service, Meteo-France.
Around 14,000 homes were left without electricity.
“Winds will be increasing throughout the day on Sunday across Germany, Denmark and southern Sweden,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-16--US passengers evacuated from quarantined cruise ship off Japan

A bus arrives near the cruise ship Diamond Princess , where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus , at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama , south of Tokyo , Japan , February 16 , 2020 Americans began leaving a quarantined cruise ship off Japan on Monday to board chartered flights home as the number of new coronavirus cases diagnosed on the vessel jumped to 355 .
The evacuation came as Japanese authorities stepped up warnings over the deadly outbreak , urging citizens to avoid crowds and “ non-essential gatherings.
” The Diamond Princess was placed in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former passenger tested positive for the virus .
But US authorities announced Saturday they would offer Americans on board the option to leave the ship and fly home , where they will face another 14-day isolation period .
Several other governments have announced plans to remove their citizens from the ship as well .
Late Sunday and into the early hours of Monday , Americans who opted to leave were brought off the ship in groups , passing through a makeshift passport control but undergoing no health checks , American passenger Sarah Arana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by personnel in head-to-toe protective suits and were told that the more than a dozen vehicles would travel in a convoy .
`` I am happy and ready to go , '' Arana told AFP before leaving the ship .
`` We need a proper quarantine , this was not it . ''
The US government should have intervened `` much sooner , at the beginning , '' the 52-year-old medical social worker said .
`` This was too much for Japan , and they shouldn ’ t have had to bear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The people of Japan did not deserve this .
I am full of gratitude . ''
But other Americans on board declined the evacuation , despite being warned they will still have to wait two weeks and test negative for the virus before being allowed back to the United States .
`` My health is fine .
And my two-week quarantine is almost over .
Why would I want to be put on a bus and a plane with other people they think may be infected when I have spent nearly two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matt Smith , an American lawyer on the ship with his wife .
He described a fellow American passenger standing on her balcony chanting `` USA , USA '' as buses arrived to collect them .
`` Of course , in contravention of the rules of quarantine , she ’ s not wearing a face mask , and she ’ s talking with a passenger on the adjacent balcony ... And you wanted me to get on a bus with her ? ''
Earlier Sunday , health minister Katsunobu Kato said 1,219 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus , with 355 diagnosed with the illness .
Japan has not been able to test all those on board due to limited supplies of testing kits , facilities and manpower , which are also needed by authorities tracking the spread of the virus on land .
But the health ministry said Saturday that passengers older than 70 are being examined and those testing negative and in good health will be allowed to leave the ship from Wednesday .
Tests on younger passengers were expected to start Sunday and healthy people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it said .
‘ A new phase ’ Other governments announced though that they too would seek to repatriate their nationals , with Hong Kong announcing plans to charter a flight for 330 city residents on the ship .
Canada announced a similar decision , while Australia and Taiwan are considering such a move , local media said .
In Japan , the number of new infections has continued to rise , with six new cases reported on Sunday , most of them in Tokyo .
At least 59 cases have now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen among the hundreds of Japanese nationals and their relatives repatriated from Wuhan , China , the epicentre of the outbreak .
A fifth evacuation flight left to China on Sunday night .
With the rise in local infections , Kato warned the country was `` entering a new phase . ''
`` We are seeing infection cases that we are unable to trace back their transmission routes , '' he told reporters .
`` We want to ask the public to avoid non-urgent , non-essential gatherings .
We want elderly and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added .
`` I think it ’ s important that we exercise Japan ’ s collective strength . ''

Americans began leaving a quarantined cruise ship off Japan on Monday to board chartered flights home as the number of new coronavirus cases diagnosed on the vessel jumped to 355.
A bus arrives near the cruise ship Diamond Princess, where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus, at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan, February 16, 2020
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The evacuation came as Japanese authorities stepped up warnings over the deadly outbreak, urging citizens to avoid crowds and “non-essential gatherings.”
The Diamond Princess was placed in a 14-day quarantine in early February after a former passenger tested positive for the virus.
But US authorities announced Saturday they would offer Americans on board the option to leave the ship and fly home, where they will face another 14-day isolation period. Several other governments have announced plans to remove their citizens from the ship as well.
Late Sunday and into the early hours of Monday, Americans who opted to leave were brought off the ship in groups, passing through a makeshift passport control but undergoing no health checks, American passenger Sarah Arana told AFP.
Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers Cheryl and Paul Molesky are being flown back to the U.S. from Yokohama, Japan, cutting their 14-day #coronavirus quarantine short.
As soon as they arrive back in the U.S. though, they'll enter another two-week quarantine period pic.twitter.com/Bu2N26xsBM — QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) February 16, 2020
They boarded buses driven by personnel in head-to-toe protective suits and were told that the more than a dozen vehicles would travel in a convoy.
"I am happy and ready to go," Arana told AFP before leaving the ship. "We need a proper quarantine, this was not it."
The US government should have intervened "much sooner, at the beginning," the 52-year-old medical social worker said.
"This was too much for Japan, and they shouldn’t have had to bear the burden," she added. "The people of Japan did not deserve this. I am full of gratitude."
00:39
Declining to leave
But other Americans on board declined the evacuation, despite being warned they will still have to wait two weeks and test negative for the virus before being allowed back to the United States.
"My health is fine. And my two-week quarantine is almost over. Why would I want to be put on a bus and a plane with other people they think may be infected when I have spent nearly two weeks isolated from those people?" tweeted Matt Smith, an American lawyer on the ship with his wife.
He described a fellow American passenger standing on her balcony chanting "USA, USA" as buses arrived to collect them.
"Of course, in contravention of the rules of quarantine, she’s not wearing a face mask, and she’s talking with a passenger on the adjacent balcony... And you wanted me to get on a bus with her?"
Earlier Sunday, health minister Katsunobu Kato said 1,219 people on the ship had now been tested for the virus, with 355 diagnosed with the illness.
Japan has not been able to test all those on board due to limited supplies of testing kits, facilities and manpower, which are also needed by authorities tracking the spread of the virus on land.
But the health ministry said Saturday that passengers older than 70 are being examined and those testing negative and in good health will be allowed to leave the ship from Wednesday.
Tests on younger passengers were expected to start Sunday and healthy people will be allowed to disembark after Wednesday, it said.
‘A new phase’
Other governments announced though that they too would seek to repatriate their nationals, with Hong Kong announcing plans to charter a flight for 330 city residents on the ship.
Canada announced a similar decision, while Australia and Taiwan are considering such a move, local media said.
In Japan, the number of new infections has continued to rise, with six new cases reported on Sunday, most of them in Tokyo. At least 59 cases have now been confirmed, including more than a dozen among the hundreds of Japanese nationals and their relatives repatriated from Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the outbreak.
A fifth evacuation flight left to China on Sunday night.
With the rise in local infections, Kato warned the country was "entering a new phase."
"We are seeing infection cases that we are unable to trace back their transmission routes," he told reporters.
"We want to ask the public to avoid non-urgent, non-essential gatherings. We want elderly and those with pre-existing conditions to avoid crowded places," he added.
"I think it’s important that we exercise Japan’s collective strength."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-15--Couple suspected of leaking Macron ally sex tape arrested

Russian artist Pyotr Pavlensky speaks during a press interview with AFP at his lawyer 's office in Paris on February 14 , 2020 .
- Pavlensky was placed in custody on February 15 , A Russian dissident artist who published screenshots of sexual images that forced President Emmanuel Macron ’ s candidate for Paris City Hall to pull out of the race was arrested in the French capital on Saturday , the prosecutor ’ s office said .
His girlfriend , who is suspected of having received the video , has also been arrested .
Benjamin Griveaux , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bid to become mayor of Paris on Friday after it was alleged he sent sexual images of his genitals to a woman who is not his wife .
Griveaux has not disputed that he sent the messages .
The Russian artist 's girlfriend was also arrested on Saturday evening on charges of invasion of privacy and publishing images of a sexual nature without consent , the Paris prosecutor 's office said .
Her arrest stemmed from the release by Pavlensky of a video of a man masturbating accompanied by screengrabs of racy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pavlensky claimed the messages were sent by former government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux , who was the candidate of the ruling Republic on the Move party ( LREM ) for Paris mayor in next month 's municipal elections .
His girlfriend , who was not named by investigators , is suspected of having received the video .
Pyotr Pavlensky , who has lived in exile in France , said he had posted the sex video to expose Griveaux ’ s `` hypocrisy '' .
The Russian artist is best known for works of performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground in Moscow ’ s Red Square and setting fire to a door at the headquarters of Russia ’ s state security agency or the Bank of France .
The prosecutor ’ s office said Pavlensky had been arrested and held for questioning at a police station in central Paris in connection with another case about violence perpetrated on New Year ’ s Eve .
It added that Griveaux had filed a complaint on Saturday afternoon for privacy violation and that an investigation had been opened .
Under French law , so-called `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pornographic material without a person ’ s content , can be punished by up to two years in prison and a €60,000 ( $ 65,000 ) fine .
Officials at Macron ’ s party on Saturday were still discussing who should replace Griveaux and run under the party ’ s banner in next month ’ s mayoral elections , and expected to have a name early next week , the party said in a statement .

A Russian dissident artist who published screenshots of sexual images that forced President Emmanuel Macron’s candidate for Paris City Hall to pull out of the race was arrested in the French capital on Saturday, the prosecutor’s office said. His girlfriend, who is suspected of having received the video, has also been arrested.
Russian artist Pyotr Pavlensky speaks during a press interview with AFP at his lawyer's office in Paris on February 14, 2020. - Pavlensky was placed in custody on February 15,
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Benjamin Griveaux, one of Macron’s closest lieutenants, abandoned his bid to become mayor of Paris on Friday after it was alleged he sent sexual images of his genitals to a woman who is not his wife. Griveaux has not disputed that he sent the messages.
The Russian artist's girlfriend was also arrested on Saturday evening on charges of invasion of privacy and publishing images of a sexual nature without consent, the Paris prosecutor's office said.
Her arrest stemmed from the release by Pavlensky of a video of a man masturbating accompanied by screengrabs of racy text messages sent to a woman.
Pavlensky claimed the messages were sent by former government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux, who was the candidate of the ruling Republic on the Move party (LREM) for Paris mayor in next month's municipal elections.
His girlfriend, who was not named by investigators, is suspected of having received the video.
Pyotr Pavlensky, who has lived in exile in France, said he had posted the sex video to expose Griveaux’s "hypocrisy".
Complaint for privacy violation
The Russian artist is best known for works of performance art including nailing his scrotum to the ground in Moscow’s Red Square and setting fire to a door at the headquarters of Russia’s state security agency or the Bank of France.
The prosecutor’s office said Pavlensky had been arrested and held for questioning at a police station in central Paris in connection with another case about violence perpetrated on New Year’s Eve.
It added that Griveaux had filed a complaint on Saturday afternoon for privacy violation and that an investigation had been opened.
Under French law, so-called "revenge porn", or the publishing of pornographic material without a person’s content, can be punished by up to two years in prison and a €60,000 ($65,000) fine.
Officials at Macron’s party on Saturday were still discussing who should replace Griveaux and run under the party’s banner in next month’s mayoral elections, and expected to have a name early next week, the party said in a statement.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-16--Pompeo vows ‘collective’ approach to Africa troop presence

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks during a press conference with Senegal 's Foreign minister at the Presidential Palace in Dakar on February 16 , 2020 , e. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the United States favoured a “ collective ” approach with its allies when deciding on troop numbers deployed in Africa against jihadist insurgents .
“ We ’ ll get it right , we ’ ll get it right collectively , I ’ m convinced of that , ” Pompeo told reporters in Dakar .
Pompeo said he had no specific announcement to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against jihadist groups in the Sahel region of Africa .
But he said the US would work closely with Senegalese and other forces in the region as well asits European partners , especially France .
“ We have an obligation to get security right here , in the region , it ’ s what will permit economic growth and we ’ re determined to do that , ” he said .
“ When our review is done we ’ ll have a conversation with not just Senegal but all the countries in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why we ’ re doing what we ’ re doing and we ’ ll deliver an outcome that works for all of us.
” Senegal Foreign Minister Amadou Ba said that the United States had informed his government of its “ wish to withdraw combat troops ” .
This , he said , would still leave an American military presence , notably in the areas of training and intelligence .
But he also insisted that Washington remained a crucial ally in the fight against jihadist violence that has plagued the Sahel .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with major challenges linked to insecurity and terrorism , ” Ba said .
“ It needs the United States of America as a strategic ally for a definitive return to peace and stability .
”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the United States favoured a “collective” approach with its allies when deciding on troop numbers deployed in Africa against jihadist insurgents.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks during a press conference with Senegal's Foreign minister at the Presidential Palace in Dakar on February 16, 2020, e.
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“We’ll get it right, we’ll get it right collectively, I’m convinced of that,” Pompeo told reporters in Dakar.
Pompeo said he had no specific announcement to make about any cuts in US troops deployed against jihadist groups in the Sahel region of Africa.
But he said the US would work closely with Senegalese and other forces in the region as well asits European partners, especially France.
“We have an obligation to get security right here, in the region, it’s what will permit economic growth and we’re determined to do that,” he said.
“When our review is done we’ll have a conversation with not just Senegal but all the countries in the region, we’ll talk through why we’re doing what we’re doing and we’ll deliver an outcome that works for all of us.”
Senegal Foreign Minister Amadou Ba said that the United States had informed his government of its “wish to withdraw combat troops”.
This, he said, would still leave an American military presence, notably in the areas of training and intelligence.
But he also insisted that Washington remained a crucial ally in the fight against jihadist violence that has plagued the Sahel.
“More than ever, Africa is faced with major challenges linked to insecurity and terrorism,” Ba said.
“It needs the United States of America as a strategic ally for a definitive return to peace and stability.”
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-16--Beyond rockets and air strikes: The Israeli-Palestinian trade war

A Palestinian woman collects olives during harvest in a field adjacent to Israel 's controversial separation barrier which separates the Palestinian village of Dura , near Hebron , from an Israeli settlement in the south of the occupied West Bank on October 19 , 2019 .
Israel blocked Palestinians exports from leaving the territories on February 9 , in another chapter of the trade war they have been fighting since September , when the Palestinian Authority banned Israeli veal from entering its territories .
The battle threatens both Israeli farmers and particularly the already fragile Palestinian economy , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beyond rockets and air strikes , Israel and the Palestinian authority have been fighting another kind of battle .
A month after US president Donald Trump unveiled his controversial Middle East plan , the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority ( PA ) has now reached a state of full-blown trade war .
On February 12 , the PA led by President Mahmoud Abbas hailed `` a victory for International law '' as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ( UNHCR ) office released a list of 112 companies it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights by operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank .
This first-ever international attempt to name and shame businesses was slammed as `` shameful '' by Israel , where officials fear the list could be used to boycott firms .
The move could add a new chapter to tensions with the Palestinian Authority .
Three days before the UNHCR report , the Israeli military ignited another battle as they announced the blocking of all West Bank agricultural goods , the Times of Israel reported .
Following Defence Minister Naftali Bennet 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military said it would not allow Palestinian farmers to transfer products through the Allenby Bridge , West Bank 's only direct export route to the world and its sole border with neighbour Jordan .
According to the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories ( COGAT ) , a unit of the Israeli ministry of defence responsible for the civil activities in the Palestinian territories , this was an immediate response to the `` Palestinian boycott of veal , which has seriously harmed Israeli cattle farmers '' .
For as negotiations with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Palestinians had decided in September to ban all Israeli calf from entering its territories , a surprise decision that saddled Israeli farmers with huge losses .
The veal ban is only part of a political , bureaucratic and economic `` disengagement '' strategy conceived by Abbas ' Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh .
Originally an economist , Shtayyeh is trying to push for higher independence for the Palestinian territories , whose economy is completely dependent on its Israeli neighbour - especially imports , exports and basic goods .
`` We are exercising our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging direct imports in order to strengthen our economy , '' Palestinian Economy Minister Khaled Al-Assili said on what the local media nicknamed the `` calf war '' .
Under pressure by Israeli farmers , Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu retaliated : in early February , the Hebrew state banned all produce imports from the West Bank .
The Palestinian Authority quickly struck back , banning multiple Israeli products from its territories , such as vegetables , fruits and beverages .
Deprived of their own ports and airports , Palestinians can only export products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ashdod and Haifa ports , as stipulated by the 1994 Paris protocol regulating trade issues , where Palestinian products , including dates and olive oil , are then sent mainly to Europe and neighbouring Jordan .
The latest Israeli measures are `` very dangerous '' , Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Riyad al-Atari said .
`` There will be negative effects , but the negative consequences will also affect the Israeli economy , '' he added .
Israeli and Palestinian economies are deeply intertwined , despite tensions .
The latter imported $ 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – 71 percent of the sector 's Palestinian importations , according to the latest data .
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Economy , it also exported $ 88 million worth of produce to the Hebrew state – marking 68 percent of Palestinian exports .
As the 'calf war ' is expected to continue , the Palestinian agriculture could be strongly impacted , with its produce prevented from reaching Israel , Jordan and World markets .
`` We have asked the government to create an emergency fund to deal with this crisis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Abbas Melhem , director of the Palestinian Farmers ' union , told FRANCE 24 .
The Palestinian government seems to have heeded farmers ' calls and announced urgent measures last week .
It also intends to ask for international intervention and is considering bringing the case to international courts of justice , as well as the World Trade Organization .
All in order to interrupt what they call `` the economic and agricultural Israeli war '' .
But apart from calling for the international community to react , the PA has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US cut $ 200 million of aid after President Abbas froze their relations - a retaliation to Trump 's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel 's undivided capital .
Then Israel cut $ 138 million of tax handovers to the Palestinian Authority on February 2019 , further strangling its funds .
In 2018 and 2019 , Palestinian territories ' GDP growth has almost completely stalled around 1 percent , with an unemployment rate of 26 percent in 2018 , according to the World Bank .
The institution said the situation was `` unbearable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this economic dead end would be to strengthen exports and services , the World Bank estimates - a highly unlikely situation for now , given the latest escalations in the trade war .
This article has been adapted from the original in French by Henrique VALADARES .

Israel blocked Palestinians exports from leaving the territories on February 9, in another chapter of the trade war they have been fighting since September, when the Palestinian Authority banned Israeli veal from entering its territories. The battle threatens both Israeli farmers and particularly the already fragile Palestinian economy, which is highly dependent on the Hebrew state.
A Palestinian woman collects olives during harvest in a field adjacent to Israel's controversial separation barrier which separates the Palestinian village of Dura, near Hebron, from an Israeli settlement in the south of the occupied West Bank on October 19, 2019.
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Beyond rockets and air strikes, Israel and the Palestinian authority have been fighting another kind of battle. A month after US president Donald Trump unveiled his controversial Middle East plan, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) has now reached a state of full-blown trade war.
On February 12, the PA led by President Mahmoud Abbas hailed "a victory for International law" as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) office released a list of 112 companies it said are complicit in violating Palestinian human rights by operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
This first-ever international attempt to name and shame businesses was slammed as "shameful" by Israel, where officials fear the list could be used to boycott firms. The move could add a new chapter to tensions with the Palestinian Authority.
Blocking produce
Three days before the UNHCR report, the Israeli military ignited another battle as they announced the blocking of all West Bank agricultural goods. Following Defence Minister Naftali Bennet's press release on February 9, the military said it would not allow Palestinian farmers to transfer products through the Allenby Bridge, West Bank's only direct export route to the world and its sole border with neighbour Jordan.
According to the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit of the Israeli ministry of defence responsible for the civil activities in the Palestinian territories, this was an immediate response to the "Palestinian boycott of veal, which has seriously harmed Israeli cattle farmers".
For as negotiations with the Hebrew state fell apart in late 2019, Palestinians had decided in September to ban all Israeli calf from entering its territories, a surprise decision that saddled Israeli farmers with huge losses.
'Calf war' part of Palestinian 'disengagement' strategy
The veal ban is only part of a political, bureaucratic and economic "disengagement" strategy conceived by Abbas' Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Originally an economist, Shtayyeh is trying to push for higher independence for the Palestinian territories, whose economy is completely dependent on its Israeli neighbour - especially imports, exports and basic goods.
"We are exercising our natural right to diversify our markets, encouraging direct imports in order to strengthen our economy," Palestinian Economy Minister Khaled Al-Assili said on what the local media nicknamed the "calf war".
Escalations and retaliations
Under pressure by Israeli farmers, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu retaliated: in early February, the Hebrew state banned all produce imports from the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority quickly struck back, banning multiple Israeli products from its territories, such as vegetables, fruits and beverages.
Deprived of their own ports and airports, Palestinians can only export products via Israel's ports, such as the Ashdod and Haifa ports, as stipulated by the 1994 Paris protocol regulating trade issues, where Palestinian products, including dates and olive oil, are then sent mainly to Europe and neighbouring Jordan.
The latest Israeli measures are "very dangerous", Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Riyad al-Atari said. "There will be negative effects, but the negative consequences will also affect the Israeli economy," he added.
Israeli and Palestinian economies are deeply intertwined, despite tensions. The latter imported $600 million worth of Israeli produce in 2018 – 71 percent of the sector's Palestinian importations, according to the latest data. According to the Palestinian ministry of economy, it also exported $88 million worth of produce to the Hebrew state – marking 68 percent of Palestinian exports.
As the 'calf war' is expected to continue, the Palestinian agriculture could be strongly impacted, with its produce prevented from reaching Israel, Jordan and world markets.
"We have asked the government to create an emergency fund to deal with this crisis and provide farmers with the means to resist," Abbas Melhem, director of the Palestinian Farmers' union, told FRANCE 24.
'Unbearable' situation
The Palestinian government seems to have heeded farmers' calls and announced urgent measures last week. It also intends to ask for international intervention and is considering bringing the case to international courts of justice, as well as the World Trade Organization. All in order to interrupt what they call "the economic and agricultural Israeli war".
But apart from calling for the international community to react, the PA has very limited resources. In mid-2018, the US cut $200 million of aid after President Abbas froze relations - a retaliation to Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital. Then Israel cut $138 million of tax handovers to the PA on February 2019, further strangling its funds.
In 2018 and 2019, Palestinian territories' GDP growth has almost completely stalled around 1 percent, with an unemployment rate of 26 percent in 2018, according to the World Bank. The institution said the situation was "unbearable".
The only way out of this economic dead end would be to strengthen exports and services, the World Bank estimates - a highly unlikely situation for now, given the latest escalations in the trade war.
This article has been adapted from the original in French by Henrique VALADARES.
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france24--2020-02-16--Record high Antarctic temperatures sparks global sea rise worries

Temperatures in Antarctica hit 20.75°C on February 9 , according to a team of scientists on Seymour Island , marking the first time the Polar continent has broken the 20°C barrier .
Its warming reinforces concerns that melting ice could rise global sea levels by dozens of metres .
`` We 've been monitoring temperatures here for the past 18 years and I never even dreamed that I would one day see such high temperature in the region , '' Marcio Francelino , Brazilian professor and responsible for the Seymour Island station , told Brazilian newspaper Estado de São Paulo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became the latest region to break a new temperature record , two days after an already alarming peak , when the mercury hit 18.3°C at the Argentinian Esperanza research base .
The United Nations had then urged countries to act , after what was already the highest reading on the continental Antarctic Peninsula .
`` It 's simply a signal that something different is happening in the area , '' scientist Carlos Ernesto Schaefer told AFP .
Because `` we ca n't use this to anticipate climate changes in the future '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this high in Antarctica , '' said Schaeffer , who works on a Brazilian government project which monitors the impact of climate change on permafrost and biology in sites across the Atlantic .
He described the new record as `` incredible and abnormal '' .
According to British Newspaper the Guardian , these new records still need to be confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization , but they are consistent with the local trend .
The peninsula and nearby islands have seen their average temperature rise by almost 3°C since pre-industrial era , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet .
Although researchers have struggled to link individual events to climate change , scientists ' future scenarios have proven right so far .
Antarctic more vulnerable to sea rise than predicted Even taken individually , the latest temperature spike in the Polar continent is bad news .
According to a new study published February 12 by Australian researchers in the PNAS journal , the Antarctic 's vast western ice sheet is extremely vulnerable to sea rises .
They identified a gap in the ice sheet record between 129,000 and 116,000 ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during this period .
A second one could be faster , since the previous one `` was likely caused by less than 2°C ocean warming '' , said Christ Turney , professor in Earth and Climate Science at UNSW Sydney and lead author of the PNAS study .
Poles warming faster than rest of the world The last decade was officially the hottest , according to records , with the last five years being the warmest ever .
January 2020 was the hottest January ever witnessed .
The Earth 's poles have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
Since 2006 , 430 tons of ice have melted in the Arctic area and in Greenland , according to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo .
The Brazilian scientists working on the Antarctic programme say this new temperature record appears to be influenced by changes in ocean currents but also by El Niño events .
`` Many currents are dependent on cold waters coming from the Antarctic .
So this kind of phenomenon causes others , and it generates turbulences in austral oceans , which affects the atmospheric dynamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Schaefer told G1 .
According to a study published on February 14 in the Earth System Dynamics review , Antarctic melting could raise sea levels by 58 centimetres by the end of the century .
But the region stores about 70 percent of the world 's fresh water stock in the form of snow and ice , according to the Guardian .
In case it were all to melt , sea levels could rise not only by 58 centimetres but rather by 50 to 60 metres .
`` The 'Antarctica Factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk , and also the greatest uncertainty , for sea-levels around the globe , '' lead-author Anders Levermann from the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research told AFP .
It could have unpredictable consequences , threatening more than one billion people living in vulnerable areas .
Temperatures in eastern and central Antarctica are relatively stable , but this might not be the case for its Western part , past the Seymour Islands .
Its Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers could melt rapidly in case of a sustained jump in temperature .
The team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts to carbon emissions , such as stipulated in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change , could help limit the loss of ice-sheet and slow the process .
But emissions creep higher every year .
The world is therefore likely to have to face significant challenges to communities living at low-sea level by 2100 .
`` What we know for certain is that not stopping the burning of coal , oil and gas will drive up the risks for coastal metropolises from New York to Mumbai , Hamburg or Shanghai , '' @ @ @

Temperatures in Antarctica hit 20.75°C on February 9, according to a team of scientists on Seymour Island, marking the first time the Polar continent has broken the 20°C barrier. Its warming reinforces concerns that melting ice could raise global sea levels by dozens of metres.
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"We've been monitoring temperatures here for the past 18 years and I never even dreamed that I would one day see such high temperature in the region," Marcio Francelino, Brazilian professor and responsible for the Seymour Island station, told Brazilian newspaper Estado de São Paulo.
On February 9, the Antarctic became the latest region to break a new temperature record, two days after an already alarming peak, when the mercury hit 18.3°C at the Argentinian Esperanza research base. The United Nations had then urged countries to act, after what was already the highest reading on the continental Antarctic Peninsula.
"It's simply a signal that something different is happening in the area," scientist Carlos Ernesto Schaefer told AFP. Because "we can't use this to anticipate climate changes in the future".
'Incredible and abnormal'
"We'd never seen a temperature this high in Antarctica," said Schaeffer, who works on a Brazilian government project which monitors the impact of climate change on permafrost and biology in sites across the Atlantic. He described the new record as "incredible and abnormal".
According to British Newspaper the Guardian, the new records still need to be confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization, but they are consistent with the local trend. The peninsula and nearby islands have seen their average temperature rise by almost 3°C since pre-industrial era, one of the fastest rates in the planet.
Although researchers have struggled to link individual events to climate change, scientists' scenarios have proven right so far.
Antarctic more vulnerable to sea rise
Even taken individually, the latest temperature spike in the Polar continent is bad news.
According to a new study published February 12 by Australian researchers in the PNAS journal, Antarctica's vast western ice sheet is extremely vulnerable to sea rises.
They identified a gap in the ice sheet record between 129,000 and 116,000 years ago, meaning there had already been a melting during this period. A second one could be faster, since the previous one "was likely caused by less than 2°C ocean warming", said Christ Turney, professor in Earth and Climate Science at UNSW Sydney and lead author of the PNAS study.
Poles warming faster than rest of the world
The last decade was officially the hottest, according to records, with the last five years being the warmest ever. January 2020 was the hottest January ever witnessed.
The Earth's poles have also been warming faster than the rest of the world. Since 2006, 430 tons of ice have melted in the Arctic area and in Greenland, according to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo.
The Brazilian scientists working on the Antarctic programme say this new temperature record appears to be influenced by changes in ocean currents but also by El Niño events.
"Many currents are dependent on cold waters coming from the Antarctic. So this kind of phenomenon causes others, and it generates turbulences in the Austral Ocean, which affects the atmospheric dynamic. The whole thing is very interrelated," Schaefer told G1.
Sea could rise by 60 metres
According to a study published on February 14 in the Earth System Dynamics review, Antarctic melting could raise sea levels by 58 centimetres by the end of the century.
But the region stores about 70 percent of the world's fresh water stock in the form of snow and ice, according to the Guardian. In case it were all to melt, sea levels could rise not only by 58 centimetres but rather by 50 to 60 metres.
"The 'Antarctica Factor' turns out to be the greatest risk, and also the greatest uncertainty, for sea-levels around the globe," lead-author Anders Levermann from the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research told AFP. It could have unpredictable consequences, threatening more than one billion people living in vulnerable areas.
Temperatures in eastern and central Antarctica are relatively stable, but this might not be the case for its Western part, past the Seymour Islands. Its Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers could melt rapidly in case of a sustained jump in temperature.
The team behind the Australian study said that rapid cuts to carbon emissions, such as stipulated in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, could help limit the loss of ice-sheet and slow the process.
But emissions creep higher every year. The world is therefore likely to have to face significant challenges to communities living at low-sea level by 2100.
"What we know for certain is that not stopping the burning of coal, oil and gas will drive up the risks for coastal metropolises from New York to Mumbai, Hamburg or Shanghai," Levermann said.
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france24--2020-02-16--New China coronavirus cases drop for third straight day

Women wearing face masks ride shared bicycles , as the country is hit by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus , in Beijing , China February 15 , 2020 .
The number of new cases from China 's coronavirus epidemic dropped for a third consecutive day on Sunday , as the World Health Organisation chief warned it was `` impossible '' to predict how the outbreak would develop .
Global concern remains high about the spread of the virus , which first emerged in China 's central Hubei province in December , with the first death outside Asia reported in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumped to 1,665 in mainland China on Sunday after 142 more people died from the virus .
More than 68,000 people have now been infected -- but the number of new cases of the COVID-19 strain continued to decline .
In hardest-hit Hubei , the number of new cases slowed for a third consecutive day and at 139 , the number of deaths was level with Saturday 's toll .
The number of new cases in other parts of the country has dropped for twelve straight days .
Taiwan recorded on Sunday its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shih-chung said during a news conference that the deceased person was a man in his sixties , who had not traveled abroad recently and had diabetes and hepatitis B .
The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned however that it was `` impossible to predict which direction this epidemic will take '' .
`` We ask all governments , companies , and news organisations to work with us to sound the appropriate level of alarm without fanning the flames of hysteria , '' he said , speaking at the Munich Security Conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We do n't know how much time . ''
The UN health body has asked China for more details on how diagnoses are being made .
An international team of WHO experts will arrive in Beijing this weekend for a joint mission with Chinese counterparts .
The scale of the epidemic ballooned on Thursday after authorities in Hubei changed their criteria for counting cases , retroactively adding thousands of new patients to their tally .
Hubei added more than 14,000 cases in a single day after officials there started counting people clinically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those with a positive lab test result .
Chinese authorities have placed some 56 million people in Hubei and its capital Wuhan under quarantine , virtually sealing off the province from the rest of the country in an unprecedented effort to contain the virus .
Local authorities around the country have introduced measures to try and stop the virus spreading .
Beijing 's municipal government has enacted a rule requiring all people coming to the capital to quarantine themselves for 14 days , warning that violators would be punished , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an 80-year-old Chinese tourist in France was the fourth person to die from the new coronavirus , with the other deaths in the Philippines , Hong Kong and Japan .
The biggest cluster outside China is on a quarantined cruise ship off Japan , with 355 infections now as dozens more cases were confirmed .
The US , Canada and Hong Kong said they will evacuate their own citizens from the ship , and quarantine them on home soil .
Several countries have banned arrivals from China and major airlines have cut services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest country to bring its citizens out of Wuhan , with a plane carrying 175 Nepalis arriving in Kathmandu early Sunday .
The virus spread last month as millions travelled across the country for the Lunar New Year holiday , which was extended to try and prevent more infections .
People have slowly started to return to work in the past two weeks , though many are doing their jobs from home and schools remain closed .
With the government facing criticism over its handling of the crisis , Chinese President Xi Jinping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stability .
The government must `` increase use of police force and strengthen the visible use of police '' during the crisis , Xi said in a February 3 speech published by state media on Saturday .
A number of local officials have been sacked for their role in mishandling the outbreak -- including the province 's top two health officials , and the political chiefs of Hubei and Wuhan who were replaced with Xi loyalists .
On Sunday , a host of new reprimands were made against officials in the virus-hit province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county who `` cut corners and worked around the centralised quarantine order , '' according to Hubei authorities .
Five other party officials from across Hubei were given warnings for offences such as not preventing mass gatherings in their areas .
China 's central bank said it will also disinfect banknotes with ultraviolet light or high temperatures and store them for up to 14 days before they are put back into circulation .

The number of new cases from China's coronavirus epidemic dropped for a third consecutive day on Sunday, as the World Health Organisation chief warned it was "impossible" to predict how the outbreak would develop.
Women wearing face masks ride shared bicycles, as the country is hit by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, in Beijing, China February 15, 2020.
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Global concern remains high about the spread of the virus, which first emerged in China's central Hubei province in December, with the first death outside Asia reported in France this weekend.
The death toll jumped to 1,665 in mainland China on Sunday after 142 more people died from the virus. More than 68,000 people have now been infected -- but the number of new cases of the COVID-19 strain continued to decline.
In hardest-hit Hubei, the number of new cases slowed for a third consecutive day and at 139, the number of deaths was level with Saturday's toll.
The number of new cases in other parts of the country has dropped for twelve straight days.
“This is a time for facts, not fear.
This is a time for rationality, not rumours.
This is a time for solidarity, not stigma”-@DrTedros at #MSC2020 on #COVID19 #coronavirus — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 15, 2020
Taiwan recorded on Sunday its first coronavirus fatality. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said during a news conference that the deceased person was a man in his sixties, who had not traveled abroad recently and had diabetes and hepatitis B.
The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned however that it was "impossible to predict which direction this epidemic will take".
"We ask all governments, companies, and news organisations to work with us to sound the appropriate level of alarm without fanning the flames of hysteria," he said, speaking at the Munich Security Conference.
"China has bought the world time. We don't know how much time."
The UN health body has asked China for more details on how diagnoses are being made.
An international team of WHO experts will arrive in Beijing this weekend for a joint mission with Chinese counterparts.
Quarantined cruise ship
The scale of the epidemic ballooned on Thursday after authorities in Hubei changed their criteria for counting cases, retroactively adding thousands of new patients to their tally.
Hubei added more than 14,000 cases in a single day after officials there started counting people clinically diagnosed through lung imaging, in addition to those with a positive lab test result.
Chinese authorities have placed some 56 million people in Hubei and its capital Wuhan under quarantine, virtually sealing off the province from the rest of the country in an unprecedented effort to contain the virus.
Local authorities around the country have introduced measures to try and stop the virus spreading.
Beijing's municipal government has enacted a rule requiring all people coming to the capital to quarantine themselves for 14 days, warning that violators would be punished, according to official media.
Outside mainland China, an 80-year-old Chinese tourist in France was the fourth person to die from the new coronavirus, with the other deaths in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan.
The biggest cluster outside China is on a quarantined cruise ship off Japan, with 355 infections now as dozens more cases were confirmed.
The US, Canada and Hong Kong said they will evacuate their own citizens from the ship, and quarantine them on home soil.
Several countries have banned arrivals from China and major airlines have cut services to the country.
Nepal became the latest country to bring its citizens out of Wuhan, with a plane carrying 175 Nepalis arriving in Kathmandu early Sunday.
Social stability
The virus spread last month as millions travelled across the country for the Lunar New Year holiday, which was extended to try and prevent more infections.
People have slowly started to return to work in the past two weeks, though many are doing their jobs from home and schools remain closed.
With the government facing criticism over its handling of the crisis, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for tighter policing to protect social stability.
The government must "increase use of police force and strengthen the visible use of police" during the crisis, Xi said in a February 3 speech published by state media on Saturday.
A number of local officials have been sacked for their role in mishandling the outbreak -- including the province's top two health officials, and the political chiefs of Hubei and Wuhan who were replaced with Xi loyalists.
On Sunday, a host of new reprimands were made against officials in the virus-hit province, including the deputy governor of Qichun county who "cut corners and worked around the centralised quarantine order," according to Hubei authorities.
Five other party officials from across Hubei were given warnings for offences such as not preventing mass gatherings in their areas.
China's central bank said it will also disinfect banknotes with ultraviolet light or high temperatures and store them for up to 14 days before they are put back into circulation.
(FRANCE with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-02-16--Turkey denies flouting agreement with Russia in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu meets with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during the Munich Security Conference in Munich , Germany , February 15 , 2020 .
Turkey dismissed on Saturday Russian accusations that it has flouted de-escalation agreements with Russia and Iran in Syria 's Idlib province , and threatened to take military action in the area if diplomatic efforts with Moscow fail .
Turkey and Russia , which back opposing sides in Syria 's war , agreed in 2018 to set up a de-escalation zone in the northwestern province .
But their fragile cooperation has been disrupted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which 13 Turkish soldiers have been killed in the past two weeks .
Ankara has said it will use military power to drive back the Syrian forces unless they withdraw by the end of February , and President Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey will strike government forces anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier was hurt .
Erdogan discussed the situation in separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday and U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday , but there was no immediate word of a diplomatic breakthrough .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Turkey , which has poured military forces into Idlib , has aggravated the situation and failed to neutralise militants there .
But Turkey blames the situation on the advances by Syrian government forces in Idlib .
`` We can not overlook the cruelty happening in our neighbour , '' Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told broadcaster NTV .
`` Turkey has fulfilled its responsibilities in Idlib . ''
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey wanted to resolve matters with Russia over Idlib through diplomacy .
But , speaking during an international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` If it wo n't work through diplomatic channels , we will take the necessary steps . ''
Ankara has been angered by the seizure by Syrian government forces of Turkish military observation posts established in Idlib under the 2018 deal .
`` It is impossible for us to remain silent against their siege .
We are doing what is necessary against them , '' NTV quoted Erdogan as saying on a flight back from Pakistan .
Erdogan also chided the United States , a NATO ally , saying U.S. statements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Istanbul later on Saturday , Erdogan again said Turkey would drive back Syrian forces unless they withdrew to the borders outlined by Ankara and Moscow in 2018 .
But he also appeared to bring forward his end-of-February deadline .
`` The solution in Idlib is the ( Syrian ) regime stopping its hostility and withdrawing to the borders in the agreements .
Otherwise , we will handle this before the end of February , '' Erdogan said .
`` We would like to do this with the support of our friends .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard way , we are also up for that , '' he said , apparently referring to Ankara 's Western allies .
`` Until we clear Syria of terrorist organisations and the cruelty of the ( Syrian ) regime , we will not rest easy . ''
Despite the tough rhetoric , Russian and Turkish officials are talking behind the scenes .
Turkish and Russian officials held talks in Ankara on Saturday and Cavusoglu said a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow on Monday for talks .
Cavusoglu also had talks with Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday - the first ministerial level meeting between Ankara and Moscow since the situation deteriorated in Idlib .
Cavusoglu tweeted that he had a `` positive meeting '' with Lavrov but that Turkey would not be `` making an evaluation '' until after Monday 's talks in Moscow .
Lavrov said Russia had very good ties with Turkey , but the sides did not always agree on issues .
Cavusoglu was also quoted by Russian news agencies as saying differences over Syria should not affect Ankara 's relations with Moscow or disrupt a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile defence systems which has strained Turkey 's ties with Washington .
Erdogan said his phone call with Putin - his second since the Turkish troops were killed - had been positive and that statements by other Russian officials that criticised Turkey did not reflect the tone of the call .
However , Erdogan later criticised Russia for its support of Assad in the conflict : `` Russia 's efforts to capture land for a regime that is the enemy of its own people is nothing more than extending its life through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't work and , God willing , the regime will suddenly turn into a corpse . ''
In the conflict in Syria , which began in 2011 , Turkey has supported rebels looking to oust Assad .
Erdogan said this week the Turkey-backed rebels launched an offensive to retake some areas they had lost to Syrian forces .
State-run Anadolu news agency said buses carrying commandoes and trucks with more military equipment had been sent to reinforce the Turkish observation posts .
The increased violence in Idlib has caused hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north to the Turkish-Syrian border .
Turkey , which hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees , has said it can not handle a new influx .
Syrian state media said Syrian troops had began clearing barricades from a highway between Damascus and Aleppo after recovering full control of the road for the first time in more than seven years .
Syrian state media also reported advances by Syrian government forces towards rebel-held Atarib , some 24 km ( 15 miles ) west of Aleppo , and three towns to its northwest .
On Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkish-backed Syrian rebels shot down a government helicopter west of Aleppo in the Idlib region .

Turkey dismissed on Saturday Russian accusations that it has flouted de-escalation agreements with Russia and Iran in Syria's Idlib province, and threatened to take military action in the area if diplomatic efforts with Moscow fail.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu meets with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 15, 2020.
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Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria's war, agreed in 2018 to set up a de-escalation zone in the northwestern province. But their fragile cooperation has been disrupted by a Syrian government offensive in Idlib, in which 13 Turkish soldiers have been killed in the past two weeks.
Ankara has said it will use military power to drive back the Syrian forces unless they withdraw by the end of February, and President Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey will strike government forces anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier was hurt.
Erdogan discussed the situation in separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday and U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, but there was no immediate word of a diplomatic breakthrough.
Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, says Turkey, which has poured military forces into Idlib, has aggravated the situation and failed to neutralise militants there.
But Turkey blames the situation on the advances by Syrian government forces in Idlib.
"We cannot overlook the cruelty happening in our neighbour," Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told broadcaster NTV. "Turkey has fulfilled its responsibilities in Idlib."
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey wanted to resolve matters with Russia over Idlib through diplomacy. But, speaking during an international security conference in Munich, he added: "If it won't work through diplomatic channels, we will take the necessary steps."
Ankara has been angered by the seizure by Syrian government forces of Turkish military observation posts established in Idlib under the 2018 deal.
"It is impossible for us to remain silent against their siege. We are doing what is necessary against them," NTV quoted Erdogan as saying on a flight back from Pakistan.
Erdogan also chided the United States, a NATO ally, saying U.S. statements of support did not instil trust.
Speaking in Istanbul later on Saturday, Erdogan again said Turkey would drive back Syrian forces unless they withdrew to the borders outlined by Ankara and Moscow in 2018. But he also appeared to bring forward his end-of-February deadline.
"The solution in Idlib is the (Syrian) regime stopping its hostility and withdrawing to the borders in the agreements. Otherwise, we will handle this before the end of February," Erdogan said.
"We would like to do this with the support of our friends. If we have to do it the hard way, we are also up for that," he said, apparently referring to Ankara's Western allies.
"Until we clear Syria of terrorist organisations and the cruelty of the (Syrian) regime, we will not rest easy."
A 'positive meeting'
Despite the tough rhetoric, Russian and Turkish officials are talking behind the scenes. Turkish and Russian officials held talks in Ankara on Saturday and Cavusoglu said a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow on Monday for talks.
Cavusoglu also had talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Munich on Saturday - the first ministerial level meeting between Ankara and Moscow since the situation deteriorated in Idlib.
Cavusoglu tweeted that he had a "positive meeting" with Lavrov but that Turkey would not be "making an evaluation" until after Monday's talks in Moscow. Lavrov said Russia had very good ties with Turkey, but the sides did not always agree on issues.
Cavusoglu was also quoted by Russian news agencies as saying differences over Syria should not affect Ankara's relations with Moscow or disrupt a contract for the purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems which has strained Turkey's ties with Washington.
Erdogan said his phone call with Putin - his second since the Turkish troops were killed - had been positive and that statements by other Russian officials that criticised Turkey did not reflect the tone of the call.
However, Erdogan later criticised Russia for its support of Assad in the conflict: "Russia's efforts to capture land for a regime that is the enemy of its own people is nothing more than extending its life through a respirator. Soon even a respirator won't work and, God willing, the regime will suddenly turn into a corpse."
In the conflict in Syria, which began in 2011, Turkey has supported rebels looking to oust Assad. Erdogan said this week the Turkey-backed rebels launched an offensive to retake some areas they had lost to Syrian forces.
State-run Anadolu news agency said buses carrying commandoes and trucks with more military equipment had been sent to reinforce the Turkish observation posts.
The increased violence in Idlib has caused hundreds of thousands of people to abandon their homes and head north to the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey, which hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, has said it cannot handle a new influx.
Syrian state media said Syrian troops had began clearing barricades from a highway between Damascus and Aleppo after recovering full control of the road for the first time in more than seven years.
Syrian state media also reported advances by Syrian government forces towards rebel-held Atarib, some 24 km (15 miles) west of Aleppo, and three towns to its northwest.
On Friday, Turkish and Syrian state media reported Turkish-backed Syrian rebels shot down a government helicopter west of Aleppo in the Idlib region.
(REUTERS)
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