france24--2020-02-19--Suspect in German shisha bar shootings posted racist manifesto online, prosecutors say

Police officers secure the area after a shooting in Hanau near Frankfurt , Germany , February 19 , 2020 .
A man suspected of shooting dead nine people in shisha bars in a German town before killing himself and his mother had posted a manifesto online including conspiracy theories and deeply racist views , prosecutors said on Thursday .
The presumed attacker - a 43-year-old German man identified as Tobias R. - was found dead near a gun soon after the shootings late on Wednesday in Hanau , near Frankfurt , authorities said .
At least five of the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador to Berlin told state broadcaster TRT Haber as his government demanded robust action .
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the “ poison ” of racism as her deputy , Olaf Scholz , took to Twitter to say “ Politically , nobody can deny that 75 years after the Nazi dictatorship there is real terror again ” .
The gunman killed a number of people in one bar in downtown Hanau before driving 2.5km to a second bar in town and killing more , police said .
Officers chased a car leaving the scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they found the bodies of the suspect and his 72-year-old mother , both with gunshot wounds .
“ On the suspected perpetrator ’ s home page , he had put up video messages and a kind of manifesto that , in addition to obscure thoughts and absurd conspiracy theories , pointed to deeply racist views , ” Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank said .
Frank told reporters the nine people shot dead had immigrant backgrounds .
His office later said they included German citizens and foreigners aged between 21 and 44 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack , one seriously .
“ We expect German authorities to show maximum effort to enlighten this case .
Racism is a collective cancer , ” Turkish presidency spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter .
The Confederation of the Communities of Kurdistan in Germany said several victims were Kurdish and accused Germany ’ s political leaders of “ not resolutely opposing right-wing networks and right-wing terrorism ” .
Immigration and a slowing economy has helped build support for radical groups at both ends of the political spectrum in Germany , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ origin including one million ethnic Kurds .
Merkel , whose 2015 decision to welcome almost one million asylum seekers fuelled the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) party , told reporters : “ Racism is poison , hatred is poison and this poison exists in society and it is to blame for too many crimes.
” In October , an anti-Semitic gunman opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur , the holiest day of the Jewish year , and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday morning , forensics police in white overalls inspected the crime scene , cordoned off close to Hanau ’ s historic market place .
Can-Luca Frisenna , whose father and brother run one of the two bars attacked , said he rushed there after hearing about the shooting .
“ I heard my father was affected and my little brother , they run the kiosk , ” he said .
“ They were horrified and they were crying and everything .
So everyone was shocked.
” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was deeply shocked and mourned with the families and friends of the victims .

A man suspected of shooting dead nine people in shisha bars in a German town before killing himself and his mother had posted a manifesto online including conspiracy theories and deeply racist views, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Police officers secure the area after a shooting in Hanau near Frankfurt, Germany, February 19, 2020.
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The presumed attacker - a 43-year-old German man identified as Tobias R. - was found dead near a gun soon after the shootings late on Wednesday in Hanau, near Frankfurt, authorities said.
At least five of the victims were Turkish nationals, Ankara’s ambassador to Berlin told state broadcaster TRT Haber as his government demanded robust action.
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the “poison” of racism as her deputy, Olaf Scholz, took to Twitter to say “Politically, nobody can deny that 75 years after the Nazi dictatorship there is real terror again”.
01:51
The gunman killed a number of people in one bar in downtown Hanau before driving 2.5km to a second bar in town and killing more, police said.
Officers chased a car leaving the scene of the last shooting to another address, where they found the bodies of the suspect and his 72-year-old mother, both with gunshot wounds.
“On the suspected perpetrator’s home page, he had put up video messages and a kind of manifesto that, in addition to obscure thoughts and absurd conspiracy theories, pointed to deeply racist views,” Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank said.
Frank told reporters the nine people shot dead had immigrant backgrounds. His office later said they included German citizens and foreigners aged between 21 and 44. Six more people were injured in the attack, one seriously.
“We expect German authorities to show maximum effort to enlighten this case. Racism is a collective cancer,” Turkish presidency spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.
Political Polarisation
The Confederation of the Communities of Kurdistan in Germany said several victims were Kurdish and accused Germany’s political leaders of “not resolutely opposing right-wing networks and right-wing terrorism”.
Immigration and a slowing economy has helped build support for radical groups at both ends of the political spectrum in Germany, which is home to three million people of Turkish origin including one million ethnic Kurds.
Merkel, whose 2015 decision to welcome almost one million asylum seekers fuelled the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, told reporters: “Racism is poison, hatred is poison and this poison exists in society and it is to blame for too many crimes.”
05:58
In October, an anti-Semitic gunman opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack.
At one of the bars on Thursday morning, forensics police in white overalls inspected the crime scene, cordoned off close to Hanau’s historic market place.
Can-Luca Frisenna, whose father and brother run one of the two bars attacked, said he rushed there after hearing about the shooting.
“I heard my father was affected and my little brother, they run the kiosk,” he said. “They were horrified and they were crying and everything. So everyone was shocked.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is German, said she was deeply shocked and mourned with the families and friends of the victims.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-20--Merkel, Macron seek Syria talks with Putin and Erdogan

The leaders of Germany , Russia , Turkey and France attend a news conference after talks on the Syrian conflict in Istanbul , Turkey , in October 2018 .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron told Russia 's Vladimir Putin on Thursday they want to meet him and Turkey 's Recep Tayyip Erdogan to defuse the crisis in Syria .
In their phone call with the President Putin , Merkel and Macron expressed their `` concern over the humanitarian catastrophe for residents of Syria 's Idlib province '' , Merkel 's office said .
A months-long offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Turkey in northwest Idlib has seen close to 1 million civilians flee the violence .
The two European Union leaders `` expressed their willingness to meet President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan to find a political solution to the crisis '' , the chancellor 's office said .
Merkel and Macron `` called for an immediate end to the fighting and unfettered humanitarian access to people in need '' , their statement said .
Since Syria 's civil war erupted in 2011 , the country has never seen so many people displaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine years , millions of civilians have fled their homes and more than 380,000 have been killed .
Russia on Wednesday objected to the UN Security Council adopting a statement that would have called for a ceasefire in Idlib , diplomats said , after a tense closed-door meeting .
The UN urged neighbouring Turkey to admit the new displaced people but Ankara is resisting as it already has some 3.7 million Syrians on its territory .
For its part , Turkey said Thursday it wanted no `` face-off '' with Moscow over Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border but said it might receive US defence missiles to protect Turkish forces .
Tensions have mounted in the last three months between rebel-backer Turkey and Syria ally Moscow over President Bashar al-Assad 's offensive in northwest Idlib , the last-rebel held region in Syria .
Earlier this month , 14 Turks were killed in two separate incidents of regime shelling in Idlib .
Two more were killed on Thursday .
`` We have no intentions of a face-off with Russia , '' Turkey 's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told CNN Turk broadcaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
One of the issues being discussed is the airspace above Idlib and Turkey 's expectations for Russia not to get involved , Akar said .
There has been no concrete agreement between Russia and Turkey after two rounds of talks between their respective delegations in Ankara and Moscow earlier this month .
Ankara insists that it wants to avoid a humanitarian disaster but also wants to avoid a flow of refugees into Turkey .
Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib province , set up after a deal signed with Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 to prevent a regime offensive .
`` There is the threat of air strikes , missiles against our country , '' Akar told CNN Turk channel , adding : `` There could be Patriot support . ''
He was referring to the US-made anti-missile missiles .
Akar ruled out any US troop support in the interview filmed earlier on Thursday before two Turkish soldiers were killed in Idlib in an air strike blamed on Damascus .
Any delivery of US Patriots would be difficult since Ankara purchased the S-400 Russian air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
Despite this and the remaining threat of US sanctions against Turkey over the purchase , Akar said the system `` would be activated ... No one should doubt this . ''
The minister said Turkey still sought to purchase the Patriots , an equivalent of S-400s , despite the US concern over the S-400 system .
He also again criticised the US over its move last year to kick Turkey off its F-35 fighter jet programme as punishment for the S-400 purchase .
`` We are a partner in the programme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Turkey has warned Damascus of an `` imminent '' operation if regime forces do not move back behind Ankara 's military posts in Idlib .

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron told Russia's Vladimir Putin on Thursday they want to meet him and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan to defuse the crisis in Syria.
The leaders of Germany, Russia, Turkey and France attend a news conference after talks on the Syrian conflict in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2018.
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In their phone call with the President Putin, Merkel and Macron expressed their "concern over the humanitarian catastrophe for residents of Syria's Idlib province", Merkel's office said.
A months-long offensive by Russia-backed Syrian troops against rebels backed by Turkey in northwest Idlib has seen close to 1 million civilians flee the violence.
The two European Union leaders "expressed their willingness to meet President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan to find a political solution to the crisis", the chancellor's office said.
Merkel and Macron "called for an immediate end to the fighting and unfettered humanitarian access to people in need", their statement said.
Since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, the country has never seen so many people displaced in so short a time.
In nine years, millions of civilians have fled their homes and more than 380,000 have been killed.
Russia on Wednesday objected to the UN Security Council adopting a statement that would have called for a ceasefire in Idlib, diplomats said, after a tense closed-door meeting.
The UN urged neighbouring Turkey to admit the new displaced people but Ankara is resisting as it already has some 3.7 million Syrians on its territory.
Turkey doesn't want 'face-off' with Moscow
For its part, Turkey said Thursday it wanted no "face-off" with Moscow over Syria's offensive near the two countries' border but said it might receive US defence missiles to protect Turkish forces.
Tensions have mounted in the last three months between rebel-backer Turkey and Syria ally Moscow over President Bashar al-Assad's offensive in northwest Idlib, the last-rebel held region in Syria.
Earlier this month, 14 Turks were killed in two separate incidents of regime shelling in Idlib. Two more were killed on Thursday.
"We have no intentions of a face-off with Russia," Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told CNN Turk broadcaster, adding talks would continue with Russian officials.
One of the issues being discussed is the airspace above Idlib and Turkey's expectations for Russia not to get involved, Akar said.
There has been no concrete agreement between Russia and Turkey after two rounds of talks between their respective delegations in Ankara and Moscow earlier this month.
Ankara insists that it wants to avoid a humanitarian disaster but also wants to avoid a flow of refugees into Turkey.
Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib province, set up after a deal signed with Russia in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in 2018 to prevent a regime offensive.
Possible 'Patriot support'
"There is the threat of air strikes, missiles against our country," Akar told CNN Turk channel, adding: "There could be Patriot support."
He was referring to the US-made anti-missile missiles.
Akar ruled out any US troop support in the interview filmed earlier on Thursday before two Turkish soldiers were killed in Idlib in an air strike blamed on Damascus.
Any delivery of US Patriots would be difficult since Ankara purchased the S-400 Russian air defence system despite Washington's objections and concerns.
Despite this and the remaining threat of US sanctions against Turkey over the purchase, Akar said the system "would be activated ... No one should doubt this."
The minister said Turkey still sought to purchase the Patriots, an equivalent of S-400s, despite the US concern over the S-400 system.
He also again criticised the US over its move last year to kick Turkey off its F-35 fighter jet programme as punishment for the S-400 purchase. "We are a partner in the programme, not a customer," he added.
Turkey has warned Damascus of an "imminent" operation if regime forces do not move back behind Ankara's military posts in Idlib.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-20--The end of insouciance: Do the French still shrug at sex scandals in politics?

The end of insouciance : Do the French still shrug at sex scandals in politics ?
France has traditionally taken @ @ @ @ @ an exception when it comes to caring , or not caring , about the private @ @ @ @ @ This lax attitude has been called into question recently by the so-called Griveaux scandal .
@ @ @ @ @ ally of President Emmanuel Macron , pulled out of the Paris mayoral race following the @ @ @ @ @ .
So are we witnessing the `` Americanisation '' of French politics ?
Is the @ @ @ @ @ moralising ?
And what role does social media play in all this ?

The end of insouciance: Do the French still shrug at sex scandals in politics?
07:01 FRENCH CONNECTIONS © FRANCE 24
France has traditionally taken pride in being somewhat of an exception when it comes to caring, or not caring, about the private lives of its politicians. This lax attitude has been called into question recently by the so-called Griveaux scandal. Benjamin Griveaux, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, pulled out of the Paris mayoral race following the release of a sex tape. So are we witnessing the "Americanisation" of French politics? Is the atmosphere becoming more puritanical and moralising? And what role does social media play in all this?


france24--2020-02-20--‘Church has no reason to fear history’: Vatican to open wartime archives of Pius XII

Mist covers the dome of St. Peter 's Basilica ( rear ) in the Vatican on February 19 , 2020 .
The Vatican archives of Pope Pius XII will open on March 2 .
More than 150 historians and researchers have signed up to access the soon-to-open Vatican archives of Pope Pius XII , evidence of the intense scholarly interest into the World War II-era pope and his record during the Holocaust , officials said Thursday .
Cardinal José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça , the Vatican ’ s chief librarian , told reporters that all researchers — regardless of nationality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to request permission to use the Vatican ’ s Apostolic Library , which will open the archive on March 2 .
“ The church has no reason to fear history , ” he told reporters .
Some Jewish groups and historians have said Pius , who was pope from 1939-1958 , stayed silent during the Holocaust and didn ’ t do enough to save lives .
His defenders at the Vatican and beyond say he used quiet diplomacy and encouraged convents and other religious institutes to hide Jews .
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerated the process to open the archives ahead of schedule so that researchers could have their say .
Pope Francis announced the archive would be ready March 2 .
One of the historians who plans to be here for the opening is David Kertzer of Brown University , author of several books about Pius ' predecessors and their relations with Jews .
One about Pius XI , “ The Pope and Mussolini , ” won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 2015 .
In an email , Kertzer said the imminent opening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light it will shed on the role played by the pope during the war , had “ generated tremendous excitement in the scholarly world , and beyond.
” “ Much of historical importance will also become clearer for the postwar years , when the pope , among other challenges , worried that the Communist Party would come to power in Italy and played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in blocking it , ” he said .
Calaça de Mendonça warned that the process of studying the millions of pages of documents from six different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not days , weeks or months , and will require patience .
No “ scoops ” are expected in the near term , stressed Monsignor Sergio Pagano , the prefect of the archive .
The documentation includes the archives from the Pius secretariat of state — the main organ of church governance , which includes the Vatican ’ s foreign relations with other countries — as well as those of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Vatican office responsible for mission territories .
Jewish groups and historians have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no business moving forward with Pius ' beatification cause until the Vatican 's full archives were opened .
They have also asked that any beatification be put off until the generation of Holocaust survivors have died .
The American Jewish Committee , which has expressed such appeals , welcomed the opening .
“ We trust that the independent scholarly review of these archival materials will provide greater clarity as to what positions and steps were taken during this period by the Holy See , and help resolve the persistent debates and controversy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosen , in charge of the group 's interreligious affairs .
He said the “ necessary transparency ” would also enhance already strong Catholic-Jewish relations .
Benedict moved Pius one step closer to possible sainthood in December 2009 , when he confirmed that Pius lived a life of `` heroic '' Christian virtue .
All that is needed now is for the Vatican to determine a `` miracle '' occurred .
Pope Francis said in 2014 that the miracle hadn ’ t been identified , suggesting that the process would remain on hold @ @ @ @ @ @

More than 150 historians and researchers have signed up to access the soon-to-open Vatican archives of Pope Pius XII, evidence of the intense scholarly interest into the World War II-era pope and his record during the Holocaust, officials said Thursday.
Mist covers the dome of St. Peter's Basilica (rear) in the Vatican on February 19, 2020. The Vatican archives of Pope Pius XII will open on March 2.
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Cardinal José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça, the Vatican’s chief librarian, told reporters that all researchers — regardless of nationality, faith and ideology — were welcome to request permission to use the Vatican’s Apostolic Library, which will open the archive on March 2.
“The church has no reason to fear history,” he told reporters.
Some Jewish groups and historians have said Pius, who was pope from 1939-1958, stayed silent during the Holocaust and didn’t do enough to save lives. His defenders at the Vatican and beyond say he used quiet diplomacy and encouraged convents and other religious institutes to hide Jews.
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, a great defender of Pius, accelerated the process to open the archives ahead of schedule so that researchers could have their say. Pope Francis announced the archive would be ready March 2.
‘Tremendous excitement’
One of the historians who plans to be here for the opening is David Kertzer of Brown University, author of several books about Pius' predecessors and their relations with Jews. One about Pius XI, “The Pope and Mussolini,” won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 2015.
In an email, Kertzer said the imminent opening of the Pius XII archives, and the light it will shed on the role played by the pope during the war, had “generated tremendous excitement in the scholarly world, and beyond.”
“Much of historical importance will also become clearer for the postwar years, when the pope, among other challenges, worried that the Communist Party would come to power in Italy and played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in blocking it,” he said.
Calaça de Mendonça warned that the process of studying the millions of pages of documents from six different archives will be measured in years, not days, weeks or months, and will require patience.
No “scoops” are expected in the near term, stressed Monsignor Sergio Pagano, the prefect of the archive.
The documentation includes the archives from the Pius secretariat of state — the main organ of church governance, which includes the Vatican’s foreign relations with other countries — as well as those of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Vatican office responsible for mission territories.
Jewish organisation welcomes opening
Jewish groups and historians have argued for years that the Vatican had no business moving forward with Pius' beatification cause until the Vatican's full archives were opened. They have also asked that any beatification be put off until the generation of Holocaust survivors have died.
The American Jewish Committee, which has expressed such appeals, welcomed the opening.
“We trust that the independent scholarly review of these archival materials will provide greater clarity as to what positions and steps were taken during this period by the Holy See, and help resolve the persistent debates and controversy in this regard”, said Rabbi David Rosen, in charge of the group's interreligious affairs.
He said the “necessary transparency” would also enhance already strong Catholic-Jewish relations.
Benedict moved Pius one step closer to possible sainthood in December 2009, when he confirmed that Pius lived a life of "heroic" Christian virtue. All that is needed now is for the Vatican to determine a "miracle" occurred.
Pope Francis said in 2014 that the miracle hadn’t been identified, suggesting that the process would remain on hold, at least for now.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-20--Margaret Atwood: ‘The people who suppress women also pretend there is no climate crisis’

Margaret Atwood : ‘ The people who suppress women also pretend there is no climate crisis ’ Multi award-winning Canadian @ @ @ @ @ cited as one of the most powerful and prophetic voices writing today .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ literature 's most chilling dystopia : Gilead in `` The Handmaid 's Tale '' .
@ @ @ @ @ year ’ s Booker Prize for `` The Testaments '' , alongside Bernardine Evaristo 's @ @ @ @ @ Other '' .
Atwood sat down with FRANCE 24 's Janira Gomez at the Hay @ @ @ @ @

Margaret Atwood: ‘The people who suppress women also pretend there is no climate crisis’
11:26 ENCORE! © FRANCE 24
By: Janira GOMEZ
Multi award-winning Canadian author Margaret Atwood is often cited as one of the most powerful and prophetic voices writing today. She’s the creator of contemporary literature's most chilling dystopia: Gilead in "The Handmaid's Tale". The feminist icon won last year’s Booker Prize for "The Testaments", alongside Bernardine Evaristo's "Girl, Woman, Other". Atwood sat down with FRANCE 24's Janira Gomez at the Hay Festival Cartagena in Colombia.


france24--2020-02-20--Butchers call out ‘appalling’ conditions at Benin’s main slaughterhouse

Huge amounts of pork and beef are processed every day at the slaughterhouse , which is located in Akpakpa , the largest neighbourhood in Cotonou .
That meat is then sold at the main markets in the city .
The slaughterhouse is a public entity and is funded by fees paid by the butchers who go there to slaughter their animals.Our team interviewed one of the butchers who uses the facility .
He requested to remain anonymous but spoke out about the poor management .
In response to the photos , Yao Akpo , the director of livestock farming at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fishing , published a statement on the government ’ s website on February 11 claiming that the facility was respecting sanitation norms .
He also told consumers that they could keep buying and eating meat without fear .
The statement also highlighted the fact that there are two slaughterhouses located on the site in question .
The newer establishment opened its doors in 2018 .
However , our Observers say that quite a few butchers still have to use the “ dirty ” part of the facility .
They told our team that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is only used for slaughtering cows.The evening before the statement was released , the director of the slaughterhouse , Mohamed Sossouhounto , was fired .
In an article published on the website Banouto , he confirmed that they had decided to cut power between midday and 4am to cut costs .

BENIN
These photos, posted by Médard Koudébi, the president of the NGO Bénin Diaspora Assistance, show unhygienic conditions at a slaughterhouse in Cotonou.
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People across Benin have been shocked and horrified by photos of the largest slaughterhouse in Cotonou that were posted online in early February, including images showing butchers using dirty water to wash the animals before slaughter. Our Observers spoke out about the high level of dysfunction that has led to such unsanitary conditions at the facility.
The shocking photos of the Cotonou slaughterhouse show pigs being washed with filthy water and rotting animal intestines and excrement near a water tank. The images were first posted on Facebook on February 2 by the France-based NGO Bénin Diaspora Assistance.
"It’s a serious public health problem”
The France 24 Observers team spoke with Médard Koudébi, the president of the NGO, which is based in France. Koudébi explained how the NGO received complaints from butchers and sent collaborators on the ground to go and investigate the slaughterhouse.
The butchers who work in the Cotonou slaughterhouse are forced to work in extremely unsanitary conditions. The butchers use water from a borehole that isn’t drinkable. The dirty water that they’ve used then flows into the yard because all of the drains are blocked. This polluted water then seeps into the ground and is again extracted when the butchers draw water from the borehole to wash the meat. For a period lasting several months, the slaughterhouse didn’t even have any electricity.They hadn’t paid their bills so the national energy company came and cut off the power. That meant that the cold room used to conserve meat wasn’t working. This is a serious public health problem. It was the butchers who work at the slaughterhouse who sounded the alarm, which meant we could then investigate the high level of dysfunction at the facility and denounce it.
“The smells are disgusting and suffocating”
Huge amounts of pork and beef are processed every day at the slaughterhouse, which is located in Akpakpa, the largest neighbourhood in Cotonou. That meat is then sold at the main markets in the city. The slaughterhouse is a public entity and is funded by fees paid by the butchers who go there to slaughter their animals.
Our team interviewed one of the butchers who uses the facility. He requested to remain anonymous but spoke out about the poor management.
There are serious problems with hygiene in the slaughterhouse. We became ill from all of the nauseating and overpowering smells. Since late November, there hasn’t been water or electricity at the facility so we have to use water from a borehole, which isn’t drinkable. Our meat went bad because management kept shutting down the cold room that is meant to preserve it. They said that they wanted to save money. They once shut it between 9am and 4am the next morning. We lost a lot. It’s terrible management because we pay at least 13,000 CFA francs [20 euros] for each cow that we slaughter there and 500 CFA francs CFA [75 euro cents] for each sheep.
Government claims that the facility respects sanitation norms
In response to the photos, Yao Akpo, the director of livestock farming at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing, published a statement on the government’s website on February 11 claiming that the facility was respecting sanitation norms. He also told consumers that they could keep buying and eating meat without fear.
The statement also highlighted the fact that there are two slaughterhouses located on the site in question. The newer establishment opened its doors in 2018.
The new slaughterhouse has the equipment necessary to manage the polluted water that is a concern to the population. The water treatment plant on site also treats polluted water before it flows into public pipes. Another system was put in place to carry both solid waste and polluted water from the old slaughterhouse to the water treatment plant in the new slaughterhouse before it flows into public pipes. The slaughterhouse has a dirty section and a clean section. The images that circulated online were taken in the dirty section.
However, our Observers say that quite a few butchers still have to use the “dirty” part of the facility. They told our team that the newly renovated part of the slaughterhouse is only used for slaughtering cows.
The evening before the statement was released, the director of the slaughterhouse, Mohamed Sossouhounto, was fired. In an article published on the website Banouto, he confirmed that they had decided to cut power between midday and 4am to cut costs.
Article written by Hermann Boko.


france24--2020-02-20--South Sudan's president, opposition leader agree to form unity government

South Sudan 's President Salva Kiir ( L ) and ex-vice president and opposition leader Riek Machar ( R ) meet at the State House in Juba , South Sudan on February 20 , 2020 .
South Sudan President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar agreed on Thursday to form a unity government , a long-delayed step towards ending more than six years of war .
The rivals have overseen a conflict that has left at least 380,000 dead and forced four million from their homes .
`` We have agreed to form the government in two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing on other things and I am hopeful we will resolve them all , '' Machar said after meeting Kiir .
The president confirmed that they had agreed to a joint government for the third time since independence in 2011 -- an experiment which has ended in disaster twice before .
`` As the president , I will be appointing the vice presidents , and I will start by appointing Riek tomorrow ( Friday ) in the morning and I will dissolve the government today and then form a new government on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are changes which will bring peace . ''
The formation of a unity government was the cornerstone of a September 2018 peace deal .
But it has been delayed twice by failure to move forward on crucial issues such as forming a unified army , carving out state borders and creating a protection force to assure Machar 's security .
Kiir said his forces would be in charge of Machar 's protection and of security in Juba .
`` I have taken responsibility of protection , as the unified forces are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He urged some 190,000 people living under United Nations protection in tent cities across the nation `` to come out , because the dawn of peace has come '' .
The progress came after weeks of mounting pressure from the region and the United States , which on Thursday welcomed the deal , citing Machar 's `` firm commitment to form an inclusive unity government '' by Saturday .
Machar was sacked as vice president in 2013 and later accused of plotting a coup against Kiir , kickstarting a civil war characterised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic cleansing .
A 2015 peace deal brought Machar back as vice president and he returned to Juba with heavy security .
When the deal fell apart in July 2016 , the capital was plunged into a brutal battle between their rival armies and Machar was forced to flee on foot .
The ensuing war drew in new parts of the country and other local grievances and disputes came to the fore .
Experts have warned against rushing into a new unity government before all the outstanding issues are resolved , saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ragged bands of war-weary troops from both sides have been brought together in camps but formal training of a planned 83,000-strong army has yet to begin and soldiers are cooped up without adequate food and water , an AFP visit to one such site showed .
The other key issue has been the number of states -- highly sensitive because it affects the control of key resources such as oil .
Kiir this month said he would compromise by cutting the current 32 regional states to 10 -- but Machar resisted the addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However the South Sudanese parliament on Thursday endorsed the incorporation of the 10 states and three administrative areas into the constitution .
Even if the unity government is formed , a UN report released on Thursday highlighted some massive challenges .
A three-member commission looked into rights abuses from the signing of a peace deal in September 2018 to December 2019 and delivered a damning indictment of `` predatory and unaccountable elites '' .
The commission said these elites had gone so far as to `` deliberately starve '' civilians in pursuit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juba said Thursday that despite a slight reduction in the number of people facing food insecurity , some 6.5 million people -- more than half of the population -- could be experiencing severe hunger by the middle of this year .
Other issues included in the rights report were the continued use of child soldiers by both sides , bloody localised conflicts , sexual violence and plunder of public funds -- all of which continued unhindered by the latest peace process .
`` The Commission notes with grave concern that beyond climate-induced factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have pursued policies responsible for the starvation of the population in Wau and Unity State , '' said the commission , referring to areas in the north of the country .
Meanwhile , corruption had robbed the state of precious resources and `` made several officials extremely wealthy at the expense of millions of starving civilians '' , said the report , which found millions of dollars in tax collections had been diverted and disappeared .

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar agreed on Thursday to form a unity government, a long-delayed step towards ending more than six years of war.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (L) and ex-vice president and opposition leader Riek Machar (R) meet at the State House in Juba, South Sudan on February 20, 2020.
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The rivals have overseen a conflict that has left at least 380,000 dead and forced four million from their homes.
"We have agreed to form the government in two days on 22nd February. We are still discussing on other things and I am hopeful we will resolve them all," Machar said after meeting Kiir.
The president confirmed that they had agreed to a joint government for the third time since independence in 2011 -- an experiment which has ended in disaster twice before.
"As the president, I will be appointing the vice presidents, and I will start by appointing Riek tomorrow (Friday) in the morning and I will dissolve the government today and then form a new government on the 22nd," he said.
"These are changes which will bring peace."
The formation of a unity government was the cornerstone of a September 2018 peace deal.
But it has been delayed twice by failure to move forward on crucial issues such as forming a unified army, carving out state borders and creating a protection force to assure Machar's security.
Kiir said his forces would be in charge of Machar's protection and of security in Juba.
"I have taken responsibility of protection, as the unified forces are still under training," he said.
He urged some 190,000 people living under United Nations protection in tent cities across the nation "to come out, because the dawn of peace has come".
The progress came after weeks of mounting pressure from the region and the United States, which on Thursday welcomed the deal, citing Machar's "firm commitment to form an inclusive unity government" by Saturday.
'Deliberately starving' civilians
Machar was sacked as vice president in 2013 and later accused of plotting a coup against Kiir, kickstarting a civil war characterised by violence, rape and UN warnings of ethnic cleansing.
A 2015 peace deal brought Machar back as vice president and he returned to Juba with heavy security.
When the deal fell apart in July 2016, the capital was plunged into a brutal battle between their rival armies and Machar was forced to flee on foot.
The ensuing war drew in new parts of the country and other local grievances and disputes came to the fore.
Experts have warned against rushing into a new unity government before all the outstanding issues are resolved, saying it could lead to disaster once again.
Ragged bands of war-weary troops from both sides have been brought together in camps but formal training of a planned 83,000-strong army has yet to begin and soldiers are cooped up without adequate food and water, an AFP visit to one such site showed.
The other key issue has been the number of states -- highly sensitive because it affects the control of key resources such as oil.
Kiir this month said he would compromise by cutting the current 32 regional states to 10 -- but Machar resisted the addition of three "administrative areas".
However the South Sudanese parliament on Thursday endorsed the incorporation of the 10 states and three administrative areas into the constitution.
Even if the unity government is formed, a UN report released on Thursday highlighted some massive challenges.
01:34
A three-member commission looked into rights abuses from the signing of a peace deal in September 2018 to December 2019 and delivered a damning indictment of "predatory and unaccountable elites".
The commission said these elites had gone so far as to "deliberately starve" civilians in pursuit of their war.
Three UN agencies and Juba said Thursday that despite a slight reduction in the number of people facing food insecurity, some 6.5 million people -- more than half of the population -- could be experiencing severe hunger by the middle of this year.
Other issues included in the rights report were the continued use of child soldiers by both sides, bloody localised conflicts, sexual violence and plunder of public funds -- all of which continued unhindered by the latest peace process.
"The Commission notes with grave concern that beyond climate-induced factors, both government forces and armed groups have pursued policies responsible for the starvation of the population in Wau and Unity State," said the commission, referring to areas in the north of the country.
Meanwhile, corruption had robbed the state of precious resources and "made several officials extremely wealthy at the expense of millions of starving civilians", said the report, which found millions of dollars in tax collections had been diverted and disappeared.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-21--China reports uptick in new coronavirus cases, South Korea infections spike

An eruption of new virus cases in South Korea , Iran and Chinese hospitals and prisons rekindled concerns Friday about the spread of a deadly disease that has killed more than 2,200 people .
The World Health Organization warned nations they could face a serious problem if they fail to `` hit hard now '' against the new coronavirus , which has infected more than 75,000 in China and over 1,100 abroad .
China has pointed to official numbers showing a drop in new cases this week as evidence that its drastic containment measures are working , but fresh cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 500 others were reported in prisons across the country .
Chinese authorities have placed tens of millions of people under quarantine in hard-hit central Hubei province and restricted movements in other cities far from the epicentre .
Countries have banned travellers from China and airlines have suspended flights to and from the country .
But clusters and outbreaks continue to emerge , and 11 people have now died outside mainland China .
Chinese officials said a potential vaccine could be submitted for clinical trials around late April .
South Korea on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's overall figure to 156 , as the number of infections linked to a religious sect spiked , making it the worst-infected country outside China .
More than 80 members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu have now been infected , starting with a 61-year-old woman who developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services before being diagnosed .
The mayor of Daegu -- South Korea 's fourth-biggest city , with a population of over 2.5 million -- has advised residents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major US base in the area has been restricted .
The streets remained open Friday with most people wearing masks , but many businesses were closed due to the outbreak and workers on motorcycles sprayed disinfectant outside the church .
Outside the church , Seo Dong-min , 24 , told AFP : `` With so many confirmed cases here I 'm worried that Daegu will become the second Wuhan , '' referring to Hubei 's capital , where the virus first emerged .
Iran confirmed three new cases after two elderly men died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qom , prompting Iraq to ban travel to and from its neighbour .
Health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpour said two of the new cases were also in Qom and the other was in Arak , south of the holy city .
In Australia , two people who had been evacuated from a virus-wracked cruise ship off Japan tested positive for mild cases of the COVID-19 illness .
Hundreds of people have been allowed to leave the ship after testing negative for the disease and many have returned to their home countries to face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia will fuel questions about Tokyo 's policy of allowing former Diamond Princess passengers to return home after testing negative .
Two former passengers , both Japanese and in their 80s , died in Japan on Thursday .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday that now `` is the time to attack the virus '' while the number of cases abroad remains low .
`` If we do n't hit hard now using the window of opportunity we might be faced with a serious problem , '' he said .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public enemy number one and it 's not being treated as such . ''
China reported 118 more deaths on Friday , raising the toll to 2,236 , most of them in Hubei .
The National Health Commission also said in its daily update that China tallied 889 new cases .
The number is up from the previous day when it reported the lowest number of new infections in nearly a month , fuelling hopes that the epidemic is nearing its peak .
Among those , 258 were outside Hubei , ending a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the country .
New hotspots were found in prisons and hospitals .
Seven guards and 200 inmates tested positive for the virus at Rencheng prison in eastern Shandong province .
Eight officials were fired over the issue .
An official newspaper in Hubei reported 230 cases at the Wuhan Women 's Prison , whose warden was dismissed , and 41 others at another penitentiary in Shayang county .
Another 34 cases have been found at Shilifeng prison in eastern Zhejiang province , leading to the ouster of its director and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said 36 people , including medical staff , patients and their families , have now tested positive for the virus at Fuxing hospital , which has been under partial lockdown since January 31 .
At Peking University People 's Hospital , a patient became infected after a visit from two relatives who tested positive for the virus .
Most of China remains paralysed over fears of contagion , with people slowly trickling back to work , schools remaining closed , and Beijing ordering returnees to self-quarantine for 14 days .

An eruption of new virus cases in South Korea, Iran and Chinese hospitals and prisons rekindled concerns Friday about the spread of a deadly disease that has killed more than 2,200 people.
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The World Health Organization warned nations they could face a serious problem if they fail to "hit hard now" against the new coronavirus, which has infected more than 75,000 in China and over 1,100 abroad.
China has pointed to official numbers showing a drop in new cases this week as evidence that its drastic containment measures are working, but fresh cases emerged at two Beijing hospitals and more than 500 others were reported in prisons across the country.
Chinese authorities have placed tens of millions of people under quarantine in hard-hit central Hubei province and restricted movements in other cities far from the epicentre.
Countries have banned travellers from China and airlines have suspended flights to and from the country.
But clusters and outbreaks continue to emerge, and 11 people have now died outside mainland China.
Chinese officials said a potential vaccine could be submitted for clinical trials around late April.
Prisons and hospitals
China reported 118 more deaths on Friday, raising the toll to 2,236, most of them in Hubei.
The National Health Commission also said in its daily update that China tallied 889 new cases. The number is up from the previous day when it reported the lowest number of new infections in nearly a month, fuelling hopes that the epidemic is nearing its peak.
Among the new cases, 258 were outside Hubei, ending a 16-day streak of new infections falling in the rest of the country. New hotspots were found in prisons and hospitals.
Seven guards and 200 inmates tested positive for the virus at Rencheng prison in eastern Shandong province. Eight officials were fired over the issue.
An official newspaper in Hubei reported 230 cases at the Wuhan Women's Prison, whose warden was dismissed, and 41 others at another penitentiary in Shayang county.
Another 34 cases have been found at Shilifeng prison in eastern Zhejiang province, leading to the ouster of its director and another official.
In Beijing, health officials said 36 people, including medical staff, patients and their families, have now tested positive for the virus at Fuxing hospital, which has been under partial lockdown since January 31.
At Peking University People's Hospital, a patient became infected after a visit from two relatives who tested positive for the virus.
Most of China remains paralysed over fears of contagion, with people slowly trickling back to work, schools remaining closed, and Beijing ordering returnees to self-quarantine for 14 days.
South Korean sect
South Korea on Friday confirmed 52 more cases, taking the country's overall figure to 156, as the number of infections linked to a religious sect spiked, making it the worst-infected country outside China.
More than 80 members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu have now been infected, starting with a 61-year-old woman who developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services before being diagnosed.
The mayor of Daegu – South Korea's fourth-biggest city, with a population of over 2.5 million – has advised residents to stay indoors, while access to a major US base in the area has been restricted.
The streets remained open Friday with most people wearing masks, but many businesses were closed due to the outbreak and workers on motorcycles sprayed disinfectant outside the church.
"With so many confirmed cases here I'm worried that Daegu will become the second Wuhan," 24-year-old Seo Dong-min told AFP outside the church, referring to Hubei's capital, where the virus first emerged.
Iran reports two more deaths
Iranian health authorities on Friday reported two more deaths from the virus and said the fatalities were from among 13 new confirmed cases in Iran.
The report by the semiofficial Mehr news agency came as Iranians voted in nationwide parliamentary elections. After authorities reported two earlier deaths this week, the death toll from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, stands at four in Iran.
So far, 18 cases have been confirmed in Iran, including the four who died.
The spokesman of the health ministry, Kianoush Jahanpour, said the newly detected cases are all linked with the city of Qom, where the first two elderly patients died on Wednesday.
Jahanpour said the new cases were either from Qom or from people who had visited the city recently. He said four of them have been hospitalized in the capital, Tehran, and two in the northern province of Gilan.
"We are also concerned about the increase in #COVID19 cases in the Islamic Republic of #Iran, where there are now 18 cases and four deaths.
WHO has supplied testing kits, and will continue to provide further support"-@DrTedros #coronavirus — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 21, 2020
Minoo Mohraz, an Iranian health ministry official, said the virus “possibly came from Chinese workers who work in Qom and traveled to China.” She did not elaborate. A Chinese company has been building a solar power plant in Qom.
Concerns over the spread of the virus prompted authorities in Iran this week to close all schools and Shiite seminaries in Qom, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of Tehran.
Lebanon reports first case
In Lebanon, Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Friday reported the Mediterranean country’s first case of the new coronavirus.
At a news conference in Beirut, he said the patient was a 45-year-old woman who arrived Thursday on a flight from Qom. He said the woman was in “good health” and the ministry was also following up on the cases of two other people suspected of having the illness.
A medical source at the hospital where the woman is being treated told AFP that she returned from Iran with a high fever, but that her immunity was good and her condition stable.
Lebanon’s health minister said that all the people who were on the same flight from Iran had been contacted by the health authorities.
He said that anyone returning from Iran would be asked to observe a two-week home quarantine.
Italy reports first cases conceived in-country
In Italy, health officials reported the country's first cases of contagion in people who had not been in China. The new cases brought to sixteen the number of people in Italy known to be infected, a more than fourfold increase since Thursday.
Indicating how seriously the Italian government saw the domestically acquired infections, the country’s health ministry ordered anyone who had been in direct contact with the new patients to be quarantined for 14 days, and suspended all public activities, including school and sports events, in the northern areas affected by the outbreak.
The first to test positive for the virus was a 38-year-old Italian man from Lombardy who held several meetings with someone who had recently been in China, regional welfare chief Giulio Gallera said. The man's wife subsequently tested positive, as did a person who came into contact with the man while playing sports.
Officials in Lombardy said five health workers had tested positive, while neighbouring Veneto confirmed its first two cases.
Former cruise ship passengers test positive in Australia
In Australia, two people who had been evacuated from a virus-wracked cruise ship off Japan tested positive for mild cases of the COVID-19 illness.
Hundreds of people have been allowed to leave the ship after testing negative for the disease and many have returned to their home countries to face further quarantine.
The two cases in Australia will fuel questions about Tokyo's policy of allowing former Diamond Princess passengers to return home after testing negative.
Two former passengers, both Japanese and in their 80s, died in Japan on Thursday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday that now "is the time to attack the virus" while the number of cases outside China remains low.
"If we don't hit hard now using the window of opportunity we might be faced with a serious problem," he said. "This virus is very dangerous and it's public enemy number one and it's not being treated as such."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-21--Germany tightens security at mosques, other sites after far-right shootings

Germany 's top security official said Friday that authorities will step up the police presence throughout the country and keep a closer watch on mosques and other sites after the racially motivated shootings that killed nine people .
A 43-year-old German man fatally shot the victims of immigrant backgrounds in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau on Wednesday night before killing his mother and himself .
The man , identified as Tobias Rathjen , left a number of rambling texts and videos espousing racist views and claiming to have been under surveillance since birth .
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said state-level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday agreed to increase the law enforcement presence around the country .
Seehofer said there would be more surveillance at “ sensitive sites , '' including mosques , and a high police presence at railway stations , airports and borders .
The attack came amid mounting concern about far-right extremism reflected in earlier attacks and the rise of the anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany , or AfD .
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Germany on Thursday evening to hold vigils for the shooting victims as calls grew for authorities to crack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official in the center-left Social Democratic Party , a junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel 's governing coalition , accused AfD of providing ideological fodder to people like the Hanau shooter .
“ One person carried out the shooting in Hanau , that 's what it looks like , but there were many that supplied him with ammunition , and AfD definitely belongs to them , ” Lars Klingbeil told German public broadcaster ARD on Friday .
Parts of Alternative for Germany already were under close scrutiny from Germany 's domestic intelligence agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for far-right attacks , including an anti-Semitic attack on a synagogue and the killing of a regional politician last year .

Germany's top security official said Friday that authorities will step up the police presence throughout the country and keep a closer watch on mosques and other sites after the racially motivated shootings that killed nine people.
A police car is seen behind flowers placed at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the Hanau shooting in front of a shisha bar in Hanau near Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on February 21, 2020. - Thousands of people took part in vigils across Germany on February 20, 2020, after a gunman with apparent far-right beliefs killed nine people at a shisha bar and a cafe in the city of Hanau on February 19, 2020. The suspect, a 43-year-old German, was found dead at his home after the rampage along with his 72-year-old mother in what appeared to be a murder-suicide.
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A 43-year-old German man fatally shot the victims of immigrant backgrounds in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau on Wednesday night before killing his mother and himself. The man, identified as Tobias Rathjen, left a number of rambling texts and videos espousing racist views and claiming to have been under surveillance since birth.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said state-level security officials and security agencies he consulted Thursday agreed to increase the law enforcement presence around the country. Seehofer said there would be more surveillance at “sensitive sites," including mosques, and a high police presence at railway stations, airports and borders.
The attack came amid mounting concern about far-right extremism reflected in earlier attacks and the rise of the anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany, or AfD.
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Germany on Thursday evening to hold vigils for the shooting victims as calls grew for authorities to crack down on far-right extremism.
A top official in the center-left Social Democratic Party, a junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition, accused AfD of providing ideological fodder to people like the Hanau shooter.
“One person carried out the shooting in Hanau, that's what it looks like, but there were many that supplied him with ammunition, and AfD definitely belongs to them,” Lars Klingbeil told German public broadcaster ARD on Friday.
Parts of Alternative for Germany already were under close scrutiny from Germany's domestic intelligence agency. The party has rejected all responsibility for far-right attacks, including an anti-Semitic attack on a synagogue and the killing of a regional politician last year.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-21--Week-long ‘reduction in violence’ to start at midnight, say Taliban, Afghan officials

Afghan , international and Taliban forces will observe a seven-day period of reduced violence in Afghanistan beginning at midnight ( 1930 GMT ) , an Afghan official and Taliban leaders said on Friday .
The agreement was struck during protracted negotiations between U.S. and Taliban representatives that began in Qatar in 2018 , and could lead to a withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan , they said .
`` Based on the plan , the reduction in violence ( RIV ) will start between the Taliban and international and Afghan security forces for one week , '' Javid Faisal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told Reuters .
`` We hope it is extended for a longer time and opens the way for a ceasefire and intra-Afghan talks , '' he added .
Three senior Taliban leaders - two in Doha and one in Afghanistan - also confirmed to Reuters that they had agreed on reduction of violence in Afghanistan for seven days starting Friday night .
All three spoke on condition of anonymity .
The Taliban is expected to make a formal announcement of the RIV later on Friday .
One Taliban leader based in Doha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be called a `` ceasefire . ''
`` Every party has the right of self defence but there would no attacks on each other ’ s positions in these seven days , ” the Taliban leader said .
“ It is to create a security environment in Afghanistan and can be extended if things go well after signing of a peace accord with the U.S. , ” he added .
Officials privy to the talks had said last week that an agreement with the Taliban would be followed by negotiations on an intra-Afghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghan delegation that would include government officials .
The Taliban have previously refused to speak directly to the Kabul government , which they denounce as a U.S. puppet .
Afghan forces will keep up normal military operations against other terrorist groups , such as Daesh , or Islamic State , during the RIV period , Faisal said , adding that Afghan forces will also retaliate to the smallest violation of the understanding by the Taliban .
`` Local government and security officials have been instructed by the president himself on how to follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period , '' he said .
U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment .
U.S. and Taliban negotiators have been meeting in Doha since 2018 even though fighting has raged in Afghanistan and thousands of civilians and combatants have been killed as the insurgents have expanded their territorial control .

A week-long partial truce came into effect across Afghanistan early Saturday, with the Taliban, the US and Afghan forces all signed up to a lull that could be a turning point in the long conflict.
File photo of Taliban members at the 2019 Afghanistan peace talks in Qatar.
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If the so-called "reduction in violence" holds, it will be a major step towards withdrawing US troops after more than 18 years -- and launching Afghanistan into an uncertain future.
Both US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Taliban issued statements saying they had agreed to sign an accord on February 29 in Doha, following the one-week partial truce.
"Upon a successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the US-Taliban agreement is expected to move forward," Pompeo said, adding that talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government would "start soon thereafter".
Afghanistan's National Security Council spokesman Javed Faisal and Taliban sources said a "reduction in violence" between US, Taliban and Afghan security forces had been agreed.
The United States has been in talks with the Taliban for more than a year to secure a deal in which it would pull out thousands of troops in return for Taliban security guarantees and a promise to hold peace talks with the government in Kabul.
A reduction in violence would show the Taliban can control their forces and demonstrate good faith ahead of any signing, which would see the Pentagon withdraw about half of the 12,000-13,000 troops currently in Afghanistan.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Friday that the partial truce would start at midnight.
"Our next steps on the peace process will depend on the evaluation of the week of the reduction in violence," Ghani, who this week secured a second term in office, said in a televised address.
"The Afghan security forces will remain on active defence status during the week".
In a statement, the Taliban said warring parties would "create a suitable security situation" ahead of a deal signing.
The Taliban's political spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, separately tweeted that the agreement would see "all" foreign forces leave Afghanistan.
01:42
But a senior US administration official stressed that any withdrawal would be "conditions based."
For now at least, the US wants to leave troops in Afghanistan on a counter-terrorism mission to fight jihadists such as the Islamic State group.
The reduction of US forces "is very much tied to delivery on the commitments that (the Taliban) have made," the US official told reporters.
One Taliban source in Pakistan said that if an agreement was signed February 29, talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, needed to cement a broader peace deal, would be slated to start on March 10.
The international community hailed the announcement, with NATO saying the deal could make way for "sustainable peace," while Russia labelled it an "important event" for the ending the war.
Pakistan, which helped facilitate the talks between the US and the militants, also welcomed the news.
Stand down
In southern Kandahar province, which is seen as the Taliban's heartland, one insurgent told AFP he had received orders to stand down.
But another Taliban commander based in Kandahar, Hafiz Saeed Hedayat, said he had only been ordered to refrain from attacking major cities and highways.
"This means maybe the violence will continue in the districts," Hedayat said.
Taliban expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said the move signalled a change in thinking for both the Taliban and the US after years of fighting.
"Both sides have shown their commitment to sign the peace deal, and it's a big development," he said.
The US and the Taliban have been tantalisingly close to a deal before, only to see President Donald Trump nix it at the eleventh hour in September.
The attempt to stem Afghanistan's bloodshed is laced with complications, including the fear that competing forces could exploit a lull to secure a battlefield advantage.
The reduction in violence is "still just the first step", Andrew Watkins, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, told AFP.
"Those talks will be a tough road of their own, but are the best avenue to peaceful settlement to Afghanistan's conflict."
'Bringing peace'
On Thursday, the deputy leader of the Taliban said the insurgents were "fully committed" to a deal with Washington.
"That we stuck with such turbulent talks with the enemy we have fought bitterly for two decades, even as death rained from the sky, testifies to our commitment to ending the hostilities," Sirajuddin Haqqani wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times.
Haqqani is also head of the Haqqani network, a US-designated terror group that is one of the most dangerous factions fighting Afghan and US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks, America has spent more than $1 trillion in fighting and rebuilding in Afghanistan.
About 2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with unknown tens of thousands of Afghan troops, Taliban fighters and Afghan civilians.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-21--Iran votes in elections dominated by conservative candidates

Iranians were voting Friday for a new parliament which conservatives are expected to dominate , with turnout seen as a key measure of support for Iran 's leadership as sanctions weigh on the economy and isolate the country diplomatically .
The disqualification of some 9,000 potential candidates , most of them reformists and moderates , by Iran 's powerful Guardian Council raised the possibility of lower-than-usual turnout .
Reporting from the capital , Tehran , FRANCE 24 ’ s Reza Sayah said the Guardian Council this year had barred around 90 sitting moderate or reformist lawmakers , leading many Iranians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote was a legitimate democratic exercise .
“ Analysts say this apparent purge of reformists is an indication that Iran ’ s establishment is reshaping the government from one that was led by the moderates and reformists who wanted to open relations with the West , who wanted the [ 2015 ] nuclear deal , to one that now will be dominated by conservatives and hardliners who are going to take a much more firm stance against the US , implementing more anti-US policies , which doesn ’ t bode well for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and improved relations with the West , ” noted Sayah .
Iranians have seen the price of basic goods skyrocket , inflation and unemployment rise and the local currency plummet since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and imposed tough sanctions.Wary of the growing frustration on the streets , Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been urging Iranians to vote.Speaking to reporters shortly after he cast his ballot in Tehran Friday , Khamenei noted that , “ Anyone who cares about Iran 's national interests should participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are running in 208 constituencies for the 290-seat chamber .
> > Read more on moderates sidelined in Iran 's elections Washington slaps new sanctions Tensions with the US hit an all-time high this year following a US airstrike which killed Iran ’ s top general , Qassem Soleimani .
The strike led to a confrontation in which Iranian forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane after it took off from Tehran , killing all 176 people on board .
Most of those killed were Iranian .
The shoot-down , and attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crash sparked public anger and protests in Iran , which were violently put down by the administration .
On Thursday , Washington slapped sanctions on five Iranian officials in charge of vetting candidates , including Ahmad Jannati , a powerful cleric .
`` The Trump administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections to favour the regime 's malign agenda , '' said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The Guardian Council slammed the sanctions , saying they showed US disdain for democracy .
`` America 's regime has shown through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian Council that it has nothing to do with democracy , '' said its spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaee , who was among those hit with sanctions .
`` We are now even more determined to safeguard the people 's vote , '' he tweeted .
'People are not hopeful' Turnout in Friday 's elections is widely viewed as a critical test of the legitimacy of Iran 's democratic process with the state unleashing all stops to encourage Iranians to vote .
On the eve of the elections , state media aired a short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy navy ships closing in on Iran .
Hessameddin Ashena , a senior adviser to President Hassan Rouhani , warned on Twitter that abstention `` increases ( among other things ) the possibility of a military aggression '' .
Turnout in Iran 's past 10 elections averaged 60.5 percent , according to the interior ministry .
The Guardian Council said it expected at least 50 percent of registered voters to cast ballots .
Many voters , however , have voiced disinterest .
`` We voted for Mr Rouhani with a dream , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , in my opinion , people are not hopeful any more , '' said Mohammed , who spoke from his carpet shop and only gave one name .
'Only a formality' '' I honestly do n't want to vote , because it wo n't fix our problems and is of no use , and this election is only a formality just so they can show to the world that they are chosen by the nation , while it is not so , '' said Pari Aghazadeh , a fashion designer .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread across Iran and turned violent before being crushed in a deadly crackdown .
Tehran and Washington have nearly gone to war twice in the past seven months , most recently after the US assassinated prominent Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on January 3 .
The `` martyrdom '' of the hugely popular general provoked an outpouring of grief in Iran .
Millions of people turned out to mourn his death , but that unity suffered a blow after Iran finally admitted that it had shot down a Ukrainian airliner on January 8 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further anger by denying for several days that Iran was to blame , before owning up to a jittery reaction by a missile operator .
The disaster unfolded as Iran 's defences were on high alert in case the US retaliated to Iranian strikes hours earlier on American troops stationed in Iraq in response to the killing of Soleimani .
Voting for the parliament , or Majles , lasts 10 hours but can be extended .
Final results are not expected before Sunday .
Apart from the parliament , voters will also choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Experts , a 88-strong clerical body that appoints and monitors the supreme leader .

Iranians voted Friday for a new parliament which conservatives are expected to dominate, with turnout seen as a key measure of support for the country's leadership as sanctions weigh on the economy and isolate the country diplomatically.
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Polls closed in Iran at midnight local time after multiple extensions, the news agencies Tasnim and Fars reported. There was no official announcement on voter turnout.
The vote had been due to end at 1430 GMT, but it was extended at least five times and finally closed at 2030 GMT to allow a maximum number of people to cast their ballots.
The disqualification of some 9,000 potential candidates, most of them reformists and moderates, by the powerful Guardian Council had raised the possibility of lower-than-usual turnout.
Reporting from the capital, Tehran, FRANCE 24’s Reza Sayah said the Guardian Council this year had barred around 90 sitting moderate or reformist lawmakers, leading many Iranians to question whether Friday’s vote was a legitimate democratic exercise.
“Analysts say this apparent purge of reformists is an indication that Iran’s establishment is reshaping the government from one that was led by the moderates and reformists who wanted to open relations with the West, who wanted the [2015] nuclear deal, to one that now will be dominated by conservatives and hardliners who are going to take a much more firm stance against the US, implementing more anti-US policies, which doesn’t bode well for what’s left of the nuclear deal and improved relations with the West,” noted Sayah.
02:38
Iranians have seen the price of basic goods skyrocket, inflation and unemployment rise and the local currency plummet since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and imposed tough sanctions.
Wary of the growing frustration on the streets, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had urged Iranians to vote.
Speaking to reporters shortly after he cast his ballot in Tehran Friday, Khamenei noted that, “Anyone who cares about Iran's national interests should participate in the election."
Around 7,000 candidates were running in 208 constituencies for the 290-seat chamber.
>> Read more: Moderates sidelined in Iran's elections
01:10
New US sanctions
Tensions with the US hit an all-time high this year following a US airstrike which killed Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani. The strike led to a confrontation in which Iranian forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane after it took off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Most of those killed were Iranian.
The shoot-down, and attempts by officials to initially conceal the cause of the crash, sparked public anger and protests in Iran, which were violently put down by the administration.
On Thursday, Washington slapped sanctions on five Iranian officials in charge of vetting candidates, including Ahmad Jannati, a powerful cleric.
"The Trump administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections to favour the regime's malign agenda," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The Guardian Council slammed the sanctions, saying they showed US disdain for democracy.
"America's regime has shown through illegal sanctions... on members of the Guardian Council that it has nothing to do with democracy," said its spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaee, who was among those hit with sanctions.
"We are now even more determined to safeguard the people's vote," he tweeted.
'People are not hopeful'
Turnout in Friday's elections is widely viewed as a critical test of the legitimacy of Iran's democratic process with the state unleashing all stops to encourage Iranians to vote.
On the eve of the elections, state media aired a short clip showing votes transforming into torpedoes hitting enemy navy ships closing in on Iran.
Hessameddin Ashena, a senior adviser to President Hassan Rouhani, warned on Twitter that abstention "increases (among other things) the possibility of a military aggression".
01:14
Turnout in Iran's past 10 elections averaged 60.5 percent, according to the interior ministry.
The Guardian Council said it expected at least 50 percent of registered voters to cast ballots.
Many voters, however, voiced disinterest.
"We voted for Mr Rouhani with a dream, and then we didn't achieve anything. So, in my opinion, people are not hopeful any more," said Mohammed, who spoke from his carpet shop and only gave one name.
"I honestly don't want to vote, because it won't fix our problems and is of no use, and this election is only a formality just so they can show to the world that they are chosen by the nation, while it is not so," said Pari Aghazadeh, a fashion designer.
Apart from the parliament, voters were also called upon to choose replacements for deceased members of the Assembly of Experts, a 88-strong clerical body that appoints and monitors the supreme leader.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-02-21--Vigils held in Germany for victims of 'racist' gunman

A mourner reacts during a vigil for the victims of a shooting in Hanau , near Frankfurt , Germany , February 20 , 2020 .
Thousands of people took part in vigils across Germany on Thursday after a gunman with apparent far-right beliefs killed nine people at a shisha bar and a cafe in the city of Hanau .
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the `` poison '' of racism , as anger mixed with grief over the latest and deadliest attack linked to Germany 's extreme right in recent months .
The suspect , 43-year-old German Tobias R. , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rampage along with his 72-year-old mother in what appeared to be a murder-suicide .
Hundreds of people , many carrying candles or a white rose , gathered in silence in Hanau in the evening to show solidarity with the victims .
Large crowds also gathered in Frankfurt and at Berlin 's Brandenburg Gate , some carrying signs that read `` Take racism personally '' or `` Never Again !
`` , in scenes replicated across dozens of German cities .
The nine people killed at the two bars late Wednesday evening were aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` migrant background , '' although some were German citizens , chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank said .
He added that evidence , including video footage and a `` manifesto '' found on the suspect 's website , showed Tobias R. had `` a very deeply racist attitude '' .
The Turkish presidency said five Turkish nationals were among those killed .
A Bulgarian and a Bosnian were also among the dead .
The Kon-Med association of Kurds in Germany said there were `` several victims of Kurdish origin '' , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tougher stance against `` far-right terrorism '' .
Speaking in Berlin , Merkel said : `` Racism is a poison , hatred is a poison and this poison exists in our society and it is already to blame for far too many crimes . ''
She recalled the murders carried out by the neo-Nazi `` NSU '' cell between 2000-07 , as well as last June 's killing of pro-migrant politician Walter Luebcke as examples of the threat posed by the far right .
She also cited October 's deadly anti-Semitic attack in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Jewish hatred in Germany .
Wednesday 's rampage started at around 10:00 pm ( 2100 GMT ) at the Midnight shisha bar in central Hanau , some 20 kilometres ( 12 miles ) east of Frankfurt .
The gunman reportedly rang the doorbell and then shot at people in the smoking section , mass-market daily Bild said .
He fled the scene by car before opening fire at the Arena Bar & Cafe .
After a massive manhunt , the suspect was found dead at his flat , along with his mother .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frank said investigators were trying to determine if the suspect had accomplices , or contacts in Germany or abroad who might have known about the attack plans .
Relatives and friends of the victims gathered at the Arena bar on Thursday , an AFP reporter said , tearfully embracing one another .
`` I could n't be any more upset , '' said Inge Bank , 82 , who lives near the bar .
`` We have to nip it in the bud if the Nazi party is coming back , '' Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through World War II .
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier placed a wreath of white flowers outside the Arena bar on Thursday evening before addressing the main Hanau vigil .
Steinmeier , who serves as a moral compass for the nation , condemned the shooter 's `` brutal act of terror '' .
But he said he was heartened to see `` thousands , maybe even tens of thousands '' turning out across the country to honour the victims .
`` We stand together , we want to live together and we show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strongest way to fight hatred , '' he said , to the occasional shout of `` Nazis Out ! ''
from the crowd .
Elsewhere , Frankfurt 's Eintracht football team held a minute 's silence ahead of its Europa League match against RB Salzburg .
In a rambling 24-page document seen by AFP , the alleged gunman wrote that people from more than two dozen countries , including Turkey and Israel , should be `` destroyed '' .
He also said he had never been with a woman , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unspecified secret services .
King 's College London counter-terrorism expert Peter Neumann tweeted that the text contained `` various , but mostly extreme-right views , with a do-it-yourself ideology , cobbled together out of parts found on the internet '' .
As condemnation of the Hanau violence poured in , the co-leader of the far-right AfD party Joerg Meuthen stood out by saying the shootings were `` neither right- nor left-wing terrorism '' but the actions of `` a madman '' .
Politicians from across the political spectrum , however , accused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and fomenting anti-foreigner sentiment in recent years .
German police have identified around 60 far-right adherents as `` dangerous '' individuals capable of carrying out a violent attack .
Last Friday , they arrested 12 members of a German extreme-right group believed to have been plotting `` shocking '' large-scale attacks on mosques , similar to the ones carried out in New Zealand last year .

Thousands of people took part in vigils across Germany on Thursday after a gunman with apparent far-right beliefs killed nine people at a shisha bar and a cafe in the city of Hanau.
A mourner reacts during a vigil for the victims of a shooting in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Germany, February 20, 2020.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the "poison" of racism, as anger mixed with grief over the latest and deadliest attack linked to Germany's extreme right in recent months.
The suspect, 43-year-old German Tobias R., was found dead at his home after the rampage along with his 72-year-old mother in what appeared to be a murder-suicide.
Hundreds of people, many carrying candles or a white rose, gathered in silence in Hanau in the evening to show solidarity with the victims.
Large crowds also gathered in Frankfurt and at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, some carrying signs that read "Take racism personally" or "Never Again!", in scenes replicated across dozens of German cities.
'Deeply racist'
The nine people killed at the two bars late Wednesday evening were aged between 21 and 44 and all had a "migrant background," although some were German citizens, chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank said.
He added that evidence, including video footage and a "manifesto" found on the suspect's website, showed Tobias R. had "a very deeply racist attitude".
The Turkish presidency said five Turkish nationals were among those killed.
A Bulgarian and a Bosnian were also among the dead.
The Kon-Med association of Kurds in Germany said there were "several victims of Kurdish origin", and criticised German authorities for not taking a tougher stance against "far-right terrorism".
Speaking in Berlin, Merkel said: "Racism is a poison, hatred is a poison and this poison exists in our society and it is already to blame for far too many crimes."
She recalled the murders carried out by the neo-Nazi "NSU" cell between 2000-07, as well as last June's killing of pro-migrant politician Walter Luebcke as examples of the threat posed by the far right.
She also cited October's deadly anti-Semitic attack in Halle, which raised alarm over rising anti-Jewish hatred in Germany.
'Nazis Out!'
Wednesday's rampage started at around 10:00 pm (2100 GMT) at the Midnight shisha bar in central Hanau, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) east of Frankfurt.
The gunman reportedly rang the doorbell and then shot at people in the smoking section, mass-market daily Bild said.
He fled the scene by car before opening fire at the Arena Bar & Cafe.
After a massive manhunt, the suspect was found dead at his flat, along with his mother. Both were killed by gunshot.
Prosecutor Frank said investigators were trying to determine if the suspect had accomplices, or contacts in Germany or abroad who might have known about the attack plans.
Relatives and friends of the victims gathered at the Arena bar on Thursday, an AFP reporter said, tearfully embracing one another.
"I couldn't be any more upset," said Inge Bank, 82, who lives near the bar.
"We have to nip it in the bud if the Nazi party is coming back," Bank said, adding that she had lived through World War II.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier placed a wreath of white flowers outside the Arena bar on Thursday evening before addressing the main Hanau vigil.
Steinmeier, who serves as a moral compass for the nation, condemned the shooter's "brutal act of terror".
But he said he was heartened to see "thousands, maybe even tens of thousands" turning out across the country to honour the victims.
"We stand together, we want to live together and we show that over and over again. That is the strongest way to fight hatred," he said, to the occasional shout of "Nazis Out!" from the crowd.
Elsewhere, Frankfurt's Eintracht football team held a minute's silence ahead of its Europa League match against RB Salzburg.
Growing threat
In a rambling 24-page document seen by AFP, the alleged gunman wrote that people from more than two dozen countries, including Turkey and Israel, should be "destroyed".
He also said he had never been with a woman, which he blamed on being "watched" by unspecified secret services.
King's College London counter-terrorism expert Peter Neumann tweeted that the text contained "various, but mostly extreme-right views, with a do-it-yourself ideology, cobbled together out of parts found on the internet".
As condemnation of the Hanau violence poured in, the co-leader of the far-right AfD party Joerg Meuthen stood out by saying the shootings were "neither right- nor left-wing terrorism" but the actions of "a madman".
Politicians from across the political spectrum, however, accused the anti-Islam, anti-immigrant AfD of normalising hate speech and fomenting anti-foreigner sentiment in recent years.
German police have identified around 60 far-right adherents as "dangerous" individuals capable of carrying out a violent attack.
Last Friday, they arrested 12 members of a German extreme-right group believed to have been plotting "shocking" large-scale attacks on mosques, similar to the ones carried out in New Zealand last year.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-21--Trump ally Roger Stone gets 40 months' prison for obstructing Congress's Russia investigation

Former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone departs following his sentencing hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington , U.S. , February 20 , 2020 .
Donald Trump 's longtime ally Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in prison for impeding a congressional investigation , in a case that ignited a firestorm over the US president 's political interference in the justice system .
Stone , a veteran Republican operative and one of the president 's oldest confidants , was convicted in November of lying to Congress , tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheat in the 2016 election .
`` The truth still matters , '' said US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson as she handed down the sentence to Stone , who will remain free while his request for a new trial is considered .
`` Roger Stone 's insistence that it does n't , his belligerence , his pride in his own lies are a threat to our most fundamental institutions , to the very foundation of our democracy . ''
Trump said soon after he believed Stone had a `` very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long run , accusing the jury without evidence of being `` tainted . ''
The president controversially commuted the sentences this week of nearly a dozen criminals with links to his friends and political allies -- including a corrupt politician and a tax fraud police chief .
But he ruled out immediately issuing to Stone the pardon many had been expecting .
`` I 'm going to let this process play out , '' he said at an event in Las Vegas .
`` At some point , I 'll make a determination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked outrage by decrying a `` miscarriage of justice '' after prosecutors he smeared as corrupt recommended Stone be jailed for up to nine years , in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines .
The president has attacked the jury previously , as well as Jackson , who last year jailed former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for unlawful lobbying and witness tampering .
Attorney General Bill Barr , who has been blasted for being too close to Trump , personally intervened to have the `` extreme and excessive '' recommendation withdrawn , prompting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At Thursday 's hearing , Jackson hit out at the `` extraneous commentary '' surrounding the case and `` the unprecedented actions of the Department of Justice within the past week . ''
But she added that she chose a lower sentence because she was moved by letters from Stone 's relatives and friends , casting the 67-year-old grandfather as a caring family man who had helped NFL players with brain injuries , rescued dogs and supported criminal justice reform .
Stone is the sixth aide of Trump -- who was impeached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquitted by the Senate -- to be convicted of charges arising from special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe into Russian election interference .
Barr said the president 's comments had had no impact on his decision but has found himself vilified by Democrats who accuse him and the president of undermining the rule of law .
In addition , more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials have signed a statement calling for Barr to resign .
In a rare public rebuke , the attorney general said the Trump 's Twitter pronouncements in ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
His attempt to distance himself from the president was met with skepticism however by critics who accuse Barr of having repeatedly acted more like Trump 's personal lawyer than a public servant .
And Trump has continued in any case to be outspoken in his support for Stone , who appeared in court in a striped suit and a polka-dot tie .
The self-avowed `` dirty trickster '' was convicted of lying in testimony to Congress about acting as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks , which released documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton during the 2016 White House race .
The seven-count indictment also accused Stone of threatening an associate and his dog to stop him cooperating with investigators .
Stone accused jury members of being biased against him and appealed to overturn their verdict .
Jackson had previously forbidden Stone from posting on social media about his trial , after he shared a picture of her on Instagram with what appeared to be the crosshairs of a gun sight .
She said Thursday his actions had risked the safety of the court and rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was brought over his political advocacy .
`` He was not convicted and is not being sentenced for exercising his first amendment rights , his support of the president 's campaign or his policies , '' said Jackson .
`` He was not prosecuted , as some have complained , for standing up for the president .
He was prosecuted for covering up for the president . ''

Donald Trump's longtime ally Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in prison for impeding a congressional investigation, in a case that ignited a firestorm over the US president's political interference in the justice system.
Former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone departs following his sentencing hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., February 20, 2020.
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Stone, a veteran Republican operative and one of the president's oldest confidants, was convicted in November of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to cheat in the 2016 election.
"The truth still matters," said US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson as she handed down the sentence to Stone, who will remain free while his request for a new trial is considered.
"Roger Stone's insistence that it doesn't, his belligerence, his pride in his own lies are a threat to our most fundamental institutions, to the very foundation of our democracy."
Trump said soon after he believed Stone had a "very good chance" of being cleared in the long run, accusing the jury without evidence of being "tainted."
The president controversially commuted the sentences this week of nearly a dozen criminals with links to his friends and political allies -- including a corrupt politician and a tax fraud police chief.
But he ruled out immediately issuing to Stone the pardon many had been expecting.
"I'm going to let this process play out," he said at an event in Las Vegas. "At some point, I'll make a determination... We're waiting."
Trump sparked outrage by decrying a "miscarriage of justice" after prosecutors he smeared as corrupt recommended Stone be jailed for up to nine years, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines.
'Unprecedented'
The president has attacked the jury previously, as well as Jackson, who last year jailed former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for unlawful lobbying and witness tampering.
Attorney General Bill Barr, who has been blasted for being too close to Trump, personally intervened to have the "extreme and excessive" recommendation withdrawn, prompting all four prosecutors to quit the case.
At Thursday's hearing, Jackson hit out at the "extraneous commentary" surrounding the case and "the unprecedented actions of the Department of Justice within the past week."
But she added that she chose a lower sentence because she was moved by letters from Stone's relatives and friends, casting the 67-year-old grandfather as a caring family man who had helped NFL players with brain injuries, rescued dogs and supported criminal justice reform.
Stone is the sixth aide of Trump -- who was impeached last year for abusing his power but acquitted by the Senate -- to be convicted of charges arising from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election interference.
Barr said the president's comments had had no impact on his decision but has found himself vilified by Democrats who accuse him and the president of undermining the rule of law.
In addition, more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials have signed a statement calling for Barr to resign.
In a rare public rebuke, the attorney general said the Trump's Twitter pronouncements in ongoing cases were making his job "impossible."
His attempt to distance himself from the president was met with skepticism however by critics who accuse Barr of having repeatedly acted more like Trump's personal lawyer than a public servant.
'Covering up' for Trump
And Trump has continued in any case to be outspoken in his support for Stone, who appeared in court in a striped suit and a polka-dot tie.
The self-avowed "dirty trickster" was convicted of lying in testimony to Congress about acting as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, which released documents hacked by Russia that embarrassed rival Hillary Clinton during the 2016 White House race.
The seven-count indictment also accused Stone of threatening an associate and his dog to stop him cooperating with investigators.
Stone accused jury members of being biased against him and appealed to overturn their verdict.
Jackson had previously forbidden Stone from posting on social media about his trial, after he shared a picture of her on Instagram with what appeared to be the crosshairs of a gun sight.
She said Thursday his actions had risked the safety of the court and rejected any suggestion that the case against him was brought over his political advocacy.
"He was not convicted and is not being sentenced for exercising his first amendment rights, his support of the president's campaign or his policies," said Jackson.
"He was not prosecuted, as some have complained, for standing up for the president. He was prosecuted for covering up for the president."
(AFP)
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