france24--2020-07-12--Mali protest leader calls for calm after demonstrations turn deadly

Smoke rises as supporters of Imam Mahmoud Dicko and other opposition political parties protest after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita rejected concessions , aimed at resolving a months-long political stand-off , in Bamako , Mali July 10 , 2020 .
A Malian protest leader called for calm Sunday after four more people were killed during demonstrations calling for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita 's resignation , the West African country 's worst civil unrest in years .
Bloody demonstrations rocked the capital Bamako on Friday and Saturday , with witnesses saying that security forces fired live rounds during clashes with protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bamako on Sunday , as hundreds of people converged on the Badalabougou district for the funerals of four people killed in the violence .
In the face of the heightened tensions , Keita had announced he would dissolve the poor Sahel country 's constitutional court , the focus of anger since it overturned provisional results for parliamentary elections earlier this year .
Protests in several cities on Friday descended into violence in which at least three people were killed .
Fresh clashes broke out on Saturday as protesters took to the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jihadist conflict , economic woes and perceived government corruption .
Four civilians -- including a 15-year-old and 17-year-old -- were killed overnight Saturday , a hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity .
An emergency official at a large hospital in Bamako , however , told AFP the actual death toll since Friday stood at 11 not seven .
Six opposition figures have been detained in recent days , of whom one was released late Saturday , as the government cracked down on the June 5 Movement , an opposition alliance tapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer Alfifa Habib Kone said around 20 opposition members had been arrested since Friday .
The movement 's leading figure , influential imam Mahmoud Dicko , tried to tamp down the tensions on Sunday .
`` I once again call on the youth of Mali to show restraint and calm , '' Dicko told AFP shortly before speaking at a funeral .
`` We can truly find and obtain what we want ( through ) patience ( and ) good behaviour , '' he said .
`` But the struggle continues , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` endemic corruption ( is also ) bringing our country to its knees . ''
In a video broadcast earlier on social media , Dicko said : `` Do not set fire to petrol stations or this district .
Calm down , please !
Calm down ! ''
He had recorded the video at his mosque , the scene of especially violent clashes at the weekend .
While the known death toll is currently seven , Dicko 's supporters , echoing the emergency official , have said the total is higher , posting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the videos , at least two dead men can be seen lying in pools of blood , while others have bullet wounds .
Shots can be heard at regular intervals in the distance .
`` You are killing Malians in the mosque with live ammunition .
The mosque is on fire , '' said a man in one the videos , which could not be independently verified .
On Sunday , hundreds crowded around the mosque , walking over spent bullet shells , rubble and the remains of torched tires .
Opposition leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be in hiding .
Fearing that Dicko might be arrested like other leaders of the movement , his supporters erected barricades on Sunday `` in case the police return , '' one of them said .
Clashes have also been reported outside the home of the constitutional court 's president Manassa Danioko , a focus of public anger .
Following a long-delayed parliamentary poll in March -- which Keita 's party won -- the court overturned the provisional results for about 30 seats , which meant several members of Keita 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely believed to have ignited the crisis .
The 75-year-old president , in power since 2013 , said Saturday he had revoked the nominations of all remaining members of the constitutional court so that new judges could be appointed from next week .
Since the outrage that followed the parliamentary election , a disparate group of religious leaders , political and civil society members have joined forces to ramp up pressure on Keita .
Its leaders have called for `` civil disobedience '' , including the non-payment of fines and blocking entry to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power for the violence , a rarity in Bamako .
The former French colony has struggled to contain an Islamist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012 before spreading to the centre of the country and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes .
French Defence Minister Florence Parly said Sunday that a joint EU special ops force formed to back Mali 's fight against jihadist groups would begin to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of around 100 French and Estonian troops will be joined later by contingents from the Czech Republic and Sweden , Parly told the French daily La Croix , adding that Italy may also take part .

A Malian protest leader called for calm Sunday after four more people were killed during demonstrations calling for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's resignation, the West African country's worst civil unrest in years.
Smoke rises as supporters of Imam Mahmoud Dicko and other opposition political parties protest after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita rejected concessions, aimed at resolving a months-long political stand-off, in Bamako, Mali July 10, 2020.
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Bloody demonstrations rocked the capital Bamako on Friday and Saturday, with witnesses saying that security forces fired live rounds during clashes with protesters.
The atmosphere remained tense on the streets of Bamako on Sunday, as hundreds of people converged on the Badalabougou district for the funerals of four people killed in the violence.
In the face of the heightened tensions, Keita had announced he would dissolve the poor Sahel country's constitutional court, the focus of anger since it overturned provisional results for parliamentary elections earlier this year.
Protests in several cities on Friday descended into violence in which at least three people were killed.
Fresh clashes broke out on Saturday as protesters took to the streets of Bamako, angered by a long-running jihadist conflict, economic woes and perceived government corruption.
Four civilians -- including a 15-year-old and 17-year-old -- were killed overnight Saturday, a hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
An emergency official at a large hospital in Bamako, however, told AFP the actual death toll since Friday stood at 11 not seven.
Six opposition figures have been detained in recent days, of whom one was released late Saturday, as the government cracked down on the June 5 Movement, an opposition alliance tapping into the deep-seated nationwide frustration.
But lawyer Alfifa Habib Kone said around 20 opposition members had been arrested since Friday.
'Calm down!' Keita
The movement's leading figure, influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, tried to tamp down the tensions on Sunday.
"I once again call on the youth of Mali to show restraint and calm," Dicko told AFP shortly before speaking at a funeral.
"We can truly find and obtain what we want (through) patience (and) good behaviour," he said.
"But the struggle continues," Dicko said, adding that Mali's "endemic corruption (is also) bringing our country to its knees."
In a video broadcast earlier on social media, Dicko said: "Do not set fire to petrol stations or this district. Calm down, please! Calm down!"
He had recorded the video at his mosque, the scene of especially violent clashes at the weekend.
While the known death toll is currently seven, Dicko's supporters, echoing the emergency official, have said the total is higher, posting videos resembling scenes of war.
In the videos, at least two dead men can be seen lying in pools of blood, while others have bullet wounds. Shots can be heard at regular intervals in the distance.
"You are killing Malians in the mosque with live ammunition. The mosque is on fire," said a man in one the videos, which could not be independently verified.
On Sunday, hundreds crowded around the mosque, walking over spent bullet shells, rubble and the remains of torched tires.
Opposition leaders who have not yet been arrested now appear to be in hiding.
Fearing that Dicko might be arrested like other leaders of the movement, his supporters erected barricades on Sunday "in case the police return," one of them said.
Clashes have also been reported outside the home of the constitutional court's president Manassa Danioko, a focus of public anger.
Civil disobedience
Following a long-delayed parliamentary poll in March -- which Keita's party won -- the court overturned the provisional results for about 30 seats, which meant several members of Keita's party were elected.
This ruling is widely believed to have ignited the crisis.
The 75-year-old president, in power since 2013, said Saturday he had revoked the nominations of all remaining members of the constitutional court so that new judges could be appointed from next week.
Since the outrage that followed the parliamentary election, a disparate group of religious leaders, political and civil society members have joined forces to ramp up pressure on Keita.
Its leaders have called for "civil disobedience", including the non-payment of fines and blocking entry to state buildings.
It blames those in power for the violence, a rarity in Bamako.
The former French colony has struggled to contain an Islamist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012 before spreading to the centre of the country and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.
French Defence Minister Florence Parly said Sunday that a joint EU special ops force formed to back Mali's fight against jihadist groups would begin to deploy on Wednesday.
A first batch of around 100 French and Estonian troops will be joined later by contingents from the Czech Republic and Sweden, Parly told the French daily La Croix, adding that Italy may also take part.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Crew members injured in fire on US Navy ship in California

Firefighting boats spray water onto the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard as smoke rises from a fire onboard the ship at Naval Base San Diego , as seen from Coronado , California , U.S. July 12 , 2020 .
An explosion on a United States Navy ship moored at a base in California set off a major fire on Sunday injuring 21 people , officials and local media said .
The USS Bonhomme Richard , an amphibious assault vessel , was in port in San Diego for maintenance when the explosion erupted .
Thick smoke could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship , as scenes broadcast by CNN showed fireboats using water cannon to try to control the blaze .
The official Twitter account of Naval Surface Forces , US Pacific Fleet , said 17 sailors and four civilians were taken to the hospital for minor injuries .
Several firefighters reportedly also suffered burns and smoke inhalation .
Colin Stowell , head of the San Diego fire department , told CNN that the fire could go on `` for days '' and `` just burn down to the waterline . ''
The cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 160 sailors were on board at the time .
San Diego is the ship 's home port .

An explosion on a United States Navy ship moored at a base in California set off a major fire on Sunday injuring 21 people, officials and local media said.
Firefighting boats spray water onto the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard as smoke rises from a fire onboard the ship at Naval Base San Diego, as seen from Coronado, California, U.S. July 12, 2020.
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The USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel, was in port in San Diego for maintenance when the explosion erupted.
Thick smoke could be seen billowing from large sections of the ship, as scenes broadcast by CNN showed fireboats using water cannon to try to control the blaze.
The official Twitter account of Naval Surface Forces, US Pacific Fleet, said 17 sailors and four civilians were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Several firefighters reportedly also suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
Colin Stowell, head of the San Diego fire department, told CNN that the fire could go on "for days" and "just burn down to the waterline."
The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.
About 160 sailors were on board at the time. San Diego is the ship's home port.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-12--France and Britain agree to form joint unit to fight migrant traffickers

Britain 's Home Secretary Priti Patel ( C ) and French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin ( R ) , wearing face masks , look at French police equipment during their visit in Calais on July 12 , 2020 .
The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the `` unsustainable '' numbers crossing the Channel illegally .
France 's new Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and his British counterpart Priti Patel met on Sunday in Calais in northern France , a regio where migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find a way to get to Britain .
`` We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation , '' Patel wrote on Twitter after the meeting .
She said they had discussed `` the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel . ''
The Franco-British unit will allow services to share intelligence quickly and will consist of six British and six French police officers based in Coquelles outside Calais , Darmanin told reporters .
Traffickers `` are those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who want to cross the English Channel and who , no doubt , are not being punished sufficiently at the moment , '' said Darmanin .
Channel crossing attempts have increased over the last year despite the danger of heavy maritime traffic , strong currents and low water temperatures .
`` Together , we must strengthen our security cooperation , in particular in fight against the illegal crossings of the English Channel by migrants risking their lives , '' Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he hosted Patel .
In 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and British authorities while trying to make the crossing - four times more than in 2018 , according to French officials .
The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced the trend , with the reduced number of trucks going through the Channel Tunnel leading migrants to opt for small boats instead .
French emergency services rescued 21 migrants in three operations on Saturday after their bids to reach Britain floundered in the Channel , officials said .
Darmanin said he had told Patel that more resources were needed to combat the migrant trafficking .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect the coast but we still need more resources both in terms of equipment and human resources . ''

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the "unsustainable" numbers crossing the Channel illegally.
Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel (C) and French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin (R), wearing face masks, look at French police equipment during their visit in Calais on July 12, 2020.
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France's new Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and his British counterpart Priti Patel met on Sunday in Calais in northern France, a regio where migrants have traditionally gathered in a bid to find a way to get to Britain.
"We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation," Patel wrote on Twitter after the meeting.
She said they had discussed "the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel."
Pleased to meet newly appointed French Interior Minister @GDarmanin to discuss the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel.
We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation. pic.twitter.com/t60e60sxP9 — Priti Patel (@pritipatel) July 12, 2020
The Franco-British unit will allow services to share intelligence quickly and will consist of six British and six French police officers based in Coquelles outside Calais, Darmanin told reporters.
Traffickers "are those who take advantage of the human distress of people who want to cross the English Channel and who, no doubt, are not being punished sufficiently at the moment," said Darmanin.
Channel crossing attempts have increased over the last year despite the danger of heavy maritime traffic, strong currents and low water temperatures.
"Together, we must strengthen our security cooperation, in particular in fight against the illegal crossings of the English Channel by migrants risking their lives," Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he hosted Patel.
More resources needed
In 2019, 2,758 migrants were rescued by the French and British authorities while trying to make the crossing - four times more than in 2018, according to French officials.
The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced the trend, with the reduced number of trucks going through the Channel Tunnel leading migrants to opt for small boats instead.
French emergency services rescued 21 migrants in three operations on Saturday after their bids to reach Britain floundered in the Channel, officials said.
Darmanin said he had told Patel that more resources were needed to combat the migrant trafficking.
"The British government has done a lot to protect the coast but we still need more resources both in terms of equipment and human resources."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-12--France kicks off spectators' return to European football as PSG take on Le Havre

PSG 's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Dijon , at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris , France , Saturday , February 29 , 2020 .
For the first time since the coronavirus shut down sports and chased away spectators , fans returned Sunday to elite European soccer , turning out in their thousands to see Paris Saint-Germain 's superstars back on a field .
For their return to work , PSG 's marquee attacking duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe sported face masks in red , white and blue PSG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wore messages of thanks for health workers on their kit .
“ Now it 's for real ... we 're back , ” Mbappe tweeted before kickoff against Le Havre .
The exhibition match in the Normandy port city was the first encounter in front of fans to feature one of Europe ’ s elite clubs since the outbreak erupted .
Only 5,000 people were allowed inside Le Havre 's 25,000-seat Stade Oceane to see the French League 2 club take on PSG 's star-studded squad , with Neymar and Mbappe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mercy on the field with Mauro Icardi and Neymar both scoring twice .
That rare sound of real fans erupting into cheers at their team scoring was heard nine times as PSG beat Le Havre 9-0 .
Upper tiers of seating were empty .
Spectators had to wear face masks to get into the arena , although many then took them off once settled in their seats .
Families and friends sat together in groups but groups stayed separated .
Ball carriers wore masks and gloves .
Loudspeakers broadcast appeals for social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their shoes into trays of disinfectant .
PSG players had the words “ Tous unis '' ( All united ) and “ Merci ” ( Thank you ) on their kit to show appreciation for health workers .
Among Europe 's top 5 leagues , only France is letting spectators back into soccer stadiums .
Germany finished its season without fans but the league and clubs are exploring plans to play 2020-21 with fans .
Play has resumed without fans in Spain , England and Italy .
France stopped its league and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its outbreak .
The return of fans comes as the country 's death toll this week surpassed 30,000 and amid growing concerns of a possible second wave of infections .
Football matches are blamed for having helped speed the initial spread of the pandemic across Europe .
In Serbia , matches played in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic were followed last month by players and the CEO of Red Star Belgrade testing positive for the coronavirus .
The 24-man squad picked by Paris coach Thomas Tuchel was gearing up after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitive matches of the season .
PSG plays the finals of the French Cup and the League Cup later this month and the quarterfinals of the Champions League in August .

For the first time since the coronavirus shut down sports and chased away spectators, fans returned Sunday to elite European soccer, turning out in their thousands to see Paris Saint-Germain's superstars back on a field.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Dijon, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, February 29, 2020.
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For their return to work, PSG's marquee attacking duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe sported face masks in red, white and blue PSG colors on their way into the arena and wore messages of thanks for health workers on their kit.
“Now it's for real ... we're back,” Mbappe tweeted before kickoff against Le Havre. The exhibition match in the Normandy port city was the first encounter in front of fans to feature one of Europe’s elite clubs since the outbreak erupted.
NOW IT’s FOR REAL...WE’RE BACK ❤⚽ pic.twitter.com/bJMk7GGW5q — Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) July 12, 2020
Only 5,000 people were allowed inside Le Havre's 25,000-seat Stade Oceane to see the French League 2 club take on PSG's star-studded squad, with Neymar and Mbappe in the starting XI.
PSG showed little mercy on the field with Mauro Icardi and Neymar both scoring twice. That rare sound of real fans erupting into cheers at their team scoring was heard nine times as PSG beat Le Havre 9-0.
Upper tiers of seating were empty. Spectators had to wear face masks to get into the arena, although many then took them off once settled in their seats. Families and friends sat together in groups but groups stayed separated. Ball carriers wore masks and gloves. Loudspeakers broadcast appeals for social distancing. Pitch-side photographers were made to step with their shoes into trays of disinfectant.
PSG players had the words “Tous unis" (All united) and “Merci” (Thank you) on their kit to show appreciation for health workers.
Among Europe's top 5 leagues, only France is letting spectators back into soccer stadiums. Germany finished its season without fans but the league and clubs are exploring plans to play 2020-21 with fans. Play has resumed without fans in Spain, England and Italy.
France stopped its league and never resumed it in the wake of its outbreak. The return of fans comes as the country's death toll this week surpassed 30,000 and amid growing concerns of a possible second wave of infections.
Football matches are blamed for having helped speed the initial spread of the pandemic across Europe. In Serbia, matches played in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic were followed last month by players and the CEO of Red Star Belgrade testing positive for the coronavirus.
The 24-man squad picked by Paris coach Thomas Tuchel was gearing up after four months of inactivity for its last competitive matches of the season. PSG plays the finals of the French Cup and the League Cup later this month and the quarterfinals of the Champions League in August.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-12--Sudan allows non-Muslims to drink alcohol and bans female genital mutilation

Civilians walk past graffiti reading in Arabic `` Freedom , Peace , Justice and Civilian '' in the Burri district of Khartoum , Sudan , July 10 , 2019 .
Sudan will permit non-Muslims to consume alcohol and the country will strengthen women 's rights , including banning female genital mutilation ( FGM ) , its justice minister said late on Saturday .
This marks a reversal of almost four decades of hardline Islamist policies .
About 3 % of Sudan 's population is non-Muslim , according to the United Nations .
Alcoholic drinks have been banned since former President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , throwing bottles of whisky into the Nile in the capital Khartoum .
The transition government which took over after autocrat Omar al-Bashir was toppled last year has vowed to lead Sudan to democracy , end discrimination and make peace with rebels .
Non-Muslims will no longer be criminalised for drinking alcohol in private , Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari told state television .
For Muslims , the ban will remain .
Offenders are typically flogged under Islamic law .
Sudan will also decriminalise apostasy and ban FGM , a practice which typically involves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ external genitalia of girls and women , he said .
Women do not need permit to travel Women will also no longer need a permit from male members of their families to travel with their children .
Nimeiri 's introduction of Islamic law was major catalyst for a 22-year-long war between Sudan 's Muslim north and the mainly Christian south that led in 2011 to South Sudan 's secession .
Bashir extended Islamic law after he took power in 1989 .
Sudanese Christians live mainly in Khartoum and in the Nuba mountains near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also follow traditional African beliefs .
The transition government led by Abdalla Hamdok runs the country in an uneasy coalition with the military which helped remove Bashir after months of mass protests .

Sudan will permit non-Muslims to consume alcohol and the country will strengthen women's rights, including banning female genital mutilation (FGM), its justice minister said late on Saturday. This marks a reversal of almost four decades of hardline Islamist policies.
Civilians walk past graffiti reading in Arabic "Freedom, Peace, Justice and Civilian" in the Burri district of Khartoum, Sudan, July 10, 2019.
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About 3% of Sudan's population is non-Muslim, according to the United Nations.
Alcoholic drinks have been banned since former President Jaafar Nimeiri introduced Islamic law in 1983, throwing bottles of whisky into the Nile in the capital Khartoum.
The transition government which took over after autocrat Omar al-Bashir was toppled last year has vowed to lead Sudan to democracy, end discrimination and make peace with rebels.
Non-Muslims will no longer be criminalised for drinking alcohol in private, Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari told state television. For Muslims, the ban will remain. Offenders are typically flogged under Islamic law.
Sudan will also decriminalise apostasy and ban FGM, a practice which typically involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia of girls and women, he said.
Women do not need permit to travel
Women will also no longer need a permit from male members of their families to travel with their children.
Nimeiri's introduction of Islamic law was major catalyst for a 22-year-long war between Sudan's Muslim north and the mainly Christian south that led in 2011 to South Sudan's secession.
Bashir extended Islamic law after he took power in 1989.
Sudanese Christians live mainly in Khartoum and in the Nuba mountains near the South Sudan border. Some Sudanese also follow traditional African beliefs.
The transition government led by Abdalla Hamdok runs the country in an uneasy coalition with the military which helped remove Bashir after months of mass protests.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-12--Global dengue prevention efforts stifled by coronavirus pandemic

While 2019 was the worst year on record for global dengue cases , experts fear an even bigger surge is possible due to the coronavirus pandemic .
To slow the spread of the coronavirus , governments issued lockdowns to keep people at home .
They curtailed activities that affected services like trash collection .
They tried to shield hospitals from a surge of patients .
But the cascading effects of these restrictions also are hampering efforts to cope with seasonal outbreaks of dengue , an incurable , mosquito-borne disease that is also known as “ breakbone fever '' for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Singapore and Indonesia have dealt with concurrent outbreaks of dengue and coronavirus this year .
In Brazil , where there are over 1.6 million COVID-19 infections , at least 1.1 million cases of dengue have been reported , with nearly 400 deaths , according to the Pan American Health Organization .
Dengue cases are likely to rise soon with the start of seasonal rains in Latin American countries like Cuba , Chile and Costa Rica , as well as the South Asian countries of India and Pakistan .
Dengue typically isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require hospitalization .
Prevention efforts targeted at destroying mosquito-breeding sites , like removing trash or old tires and other objects containing standing water , are still the best ways to curb the spread of the disease .
But coronavirus-era lockdowns and other restrictions have meant that these efforts have been reduced or stopped altogether in many countries .
In northwestern Pakistan , plans to disinfect tyre shops and markets that had dengue outbreaks in 2019 were shelved due to funds being used for the coronavirus , said Dr. Rizwan Kundi , head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health workers who would destroy mosquito-breeding sites in India ’ s capital of New Delhi are also screening people for the virus .
Having to identify thousands of virus cases has meant that dengue surveillance has suffered in many Latin American countries , added Dr. Maria Franca Tallarico , the head of health for the Americas regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies .
Experts say that disrupting such prevention efforts is ominous for the global battle against dengue .
The World Health Organization says 2019 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , with every region affected , and some countries were hit for the first time .
Aedes aegypti , the mosquito that spreads dengue , is most prevalent in cities , and experts warn that increased urbanization and warming temperatures due to climate change means that its range will keep increasing .
Experts say that while reduced travel means fewer opportunities for mosquitoes to bite people with dengue to become carriers themselves , the coronavirus pandemic has introduced other variables .
Staying home - one way to slow outbreaks of COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for spreading dengue , said Singapore ’ s National Environment Agency ( NEA ) .
That 's because the Aedes mosquito bites during the day , and with more people staying home , where mosquito populations are high , the more likely they are to be bitten .
The impact is already visible .
Singapore recorded a five-fold increase in the mosquito larvae detected in homes and common corridors of residential areas during the two-month coronavirus lockdown period , compared with the previous two months .
By July 6 , the total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15,500 .
The NEA says the number of cases this year is expected to exceed the 22,170 cases reported in 2013 , which at the time was the largest dengue outbreak in Singapore ’ s history .
Oliver Brady , an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , said Central America and the Caribbean were at higher risk due to overlapping outbreaks .
Working with communities in Latin America to stop mosquitoes from breeding had been the most successful anti-dengue strategy in recent years , Tallarico said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said they didn ’ t know whether these measures were still happening , and “ this is the big concern for us.
” A shortage of protective equipment also means limiting the number of first responders who can check on people with fever or cough , she said .
“ My concern is that you have ( many ) more cases of dengue ... but the capacity of the system to notify ( and ) test is limited , ” she said .
Dengue patients need acute care , and this could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that overwhelms health care systems , said Scott O ’ Neill , founder and director of the World Mosquito Program .
“ The health care system is already crumbling .
I am not sure how ( India ’ s ) existing health care system will be able to handle this load , ” said Dr. S.P Kalantri , a public health specialist .
Global research into dengue also will be affected by the coronavirus pandemic , Brady said .
At the WMP Tahija Foundation Research Laboratory in Yogyakarta , Indonesia , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it became too difficult to enroll patients with the social-distancing measures , ” O ’ Neill said .
The facility is now being used as a COVID-19 testing site .
Similarly , the National Institute of Malaria Research in New Delhi has stopped all field work after it was converted into a center for validating COVID-19 testing kits , said Dr. R.C Dhiman , who studies mosquitoes and climate change .
In Bangladesh , where dengue season is just starting , the launch of a mobile app to help people report their cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afsana Alamgir Khan , who oversees the country 's dengue program .
Experts say such disruptions by the coronavirus will only increase the risks of dengue infections .

While 2019 was the worst year on record for global dengue cases, experts fear an even bigger surge is possible due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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To slow the spread of the coronavirus, governments issued lockdowns to keep people at home. They curtailed activities that affected services like trash collection. They tried to shield hospitals from a surge of patients.
But the cascading effects of these restrictions also are hampering efforts to cope with seasonal outbreaks of dengue, an incurable, mosquito-borne disease that is also known as “breakbone fever" for its severely painful symptoms.
Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and Indonesia have dealt with concurrent outbreaks of dengue and coronavirus this year. In Brazil, where there are over 1.6 million COVID-19 infections, at least 1.1 million cases of dengue have been reported, with nearly 400 deaths, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
Dengue cases are likely to rise soon with the start of seasonal rains in Latin American countries like Cuba, Chile and Costa Rica, as well as the South Asian countries of India and Pakistan.
Dengue typically isn’t fatal, but severe cases may require hospitalization. Prevention efforts targeted at destroying mosquito-breeding sites, like removing trash or old tires and other objects containing standing water, are still the best ways to curb the spread of the disease. But coronavirus-era lockdowns and other restrictions have meant that these efforts have been reduced or stopped altogether in many countries.
In northwestern Pakistan, plans to disinfect tyre shops and markets that had dengue outbreaks in 2019 were shelved due to funds being used for the coronavirus, said Dr. Rizwan Kundi, head of the Young Doctor’s Association.
Health workers who would destroy mosquito-breeding sites in India’s capital of New Delhi are also screening people for the virus.
Dengue surveillance down due to virus
Having to identify thousands of virus cases has meant that dengue surveillance has suffered in many Latin American countries, added Dr. Maria Franca Tallarico, the head of health for the Americas regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Experts say that disrupting such prevention efforts is ominous for the global battle against dengue.
The World Health Organization says 2019 was the worst year on record for dengue cases, with every region affected, and some countries were hit for the first time.
Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that spreads dengue, is most prevalent in cities, and experts warn that increased urbanization and warming temperatures due to climate change means that its range will keep increasing.
Experts say that while reduced travel means fewer opportunities for mosquitoes to bite people with dengue to become carriers themselves, the coronavirus pandemic has introduced other variables.
Staying home - one way to slow outbreaks of COVID-19, especially in cities - poses greater risks for spreading dengue, said Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA). That's because the Aedes mosquito bites during the day, and with more people staying home, where mosquito populations are high, the more likely they are to be bitten.
Singapore looks set for record outbreak
The impact is already visible. Singapore recorded a five-fold increase in the mosquito larvae detected in homes and common corridors of residential areas during the two-month coronavirus lockdown period, compared with the previous two months. By July 6, the total of dengue cases in Singapore was more than 15,500. The NEA says the number of cases this year is expected to exceed the 22,170 cases reported in 2013, which at the time was the largest dengue outbreak in Singapore’s history.
Oliver Brady, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said Central America and the Caribbean were at higher risk due to overlapping outbreaks.
Working with communities in Latin America to stop mosquitoes from breeding had been the most successful anti-dengue strategy in recent years, Tallarico said. But with strict limitations on movement, she said they didn’t know whether these measures were still happening, and “this is the big concern for us.”
A shortage of protective equipment also means limiting the number of first responders who can check on people with fever or cough, she said.
“My concern is that you have (many) more cases of dengue ... but the capacity of the system to notify (and) test is limited,” she said.
Dengue patients need acute care, and this could lead to a “double whammy” that overwhelms health care systems, said Scott O’Neill, founder and director of the World Mosquito Program.
“The health care system is already crumbling. I am not sure how (India’s) existing health care system will be able to handle this load,” said Dr. S.P Kalantri, a public health specialist.
Global research into dengue also will be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Brady said.
At the WMP Tahija Foundation Research Laboratory in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which has been studying dengue for years, “it became too difficult to enroll patients with the social-distancing measures,” O’Neill said. The facility is now being used as a COVID-19 testing site.
Similarly, the National Institute of Malaria Research in New Delhi has stopped all field work after it was converted into a center for validating COVID-19 testing kits, said Dr. R.C Dhiman, who studies mosquitoes and climate change.
In Bangladesh, where dengue season is just starting, the launch of a mobile app to help people report their cases was delayed by the pandemic, said Afsana Alamgir Khan, who oversees the country's dengue program.
Experts say such disruptions by the coronavirus will only increase the risks of dengue infections.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Spanish judge blocks new Covid-19 lockdown in Catalonia

A Catalan regional police officer controls a checkpoint on the road leading to Lleida on July 4 , 2020 .
Spain 's northeastern Catalonia region locked down the area following a surge in new coronavirus cases .
A Spanish judge barred Catalan authorities from confining about 160,000 people to their homes but the region ’ s leader urged people to stay home anyway to stem a surge in coronavirus cases .
Catalan leader Quim Torra said he would approve a new decree to make it compulsory .
Spain , which has been one of the European countries worst affected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month , when the pandemic seemed to have come under control .
But with dozens of new clusters seen around the country , and in particular in the northeastern Catalan region , local authorities are taking new measures either to lock down small areas or make it mandatory to wear a mask everywhere in public .
People in the Lleida area have been banned from leaving it since July 4 , except for specific reasons such as going to or from work .
But the judge ruled that the move by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustained campaign for independence from Spain - to impose home confinement went too far and did not go through the right channels .
“ What is proposed today goes far beyond a simple limitation of movement and seriously affects constitutionally recognized rights , ” Judge Elena Garcia-Munoz Alarcos said in the ruling .
Torra , who is president of the Catalan regional government , said he could simply not accept such a ruling .
“ We can not understand that there is bureaucratic obstacles in decisions that are taken for the health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference .
“ It ’ s a luxury to lose time with legal resolutions .
We can not allow this.
” Asking people to stay home , he said his government would adopt a new decree on Monday to try and solve any legal issues regarding the confinement order .
According to decree which the judge struck down , people would only have been able to leave their home for work , to see a doctor , buy groceries or do sports .
Gatherings of over 10 people would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to leave the Lleida area under the lockdown decided earlier this month , but they can move freely within the area , the judge said .
La Rioja , Navarra , Aragon and Andalusia regions are set to make it compulsory from Monday to wear a face mask indoors and outdoors , authorities said , following a similar move in Catalonia , the Balearic Islands and Extremadura .
In the rest of the country , masks are compulsory only if you can not be at least 1.5 meter away from people .

A Spanish judge barred Catalan authorities from confining about 160,000 people to their homes but the region’s leader urged people to stay home anyway to stem a surge in coronavirus cases.
A Catalan regional police officer controls a checkpoint on the road leading to Lleida on July 4, 2020. Spain's northeastern Catalonia region locked down the area following a surge in new coronavirus cases.
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Catalan leader Quim Torra said he would approve a new decree to make it compulsory.
Spain, which has been one of the European countries worst affected by the coronavirus, lifted a nationwide confinement last month, when the pandemic seemed to have come under control.
But with dozens of new clusters seen around the country, and in particular in the northeastern Catalan region, local authorities are taking new measures either to lock down small areas or make it mandatory to wear a mask everywhere in public.
People in the Lleida area have been banned from leaving it since July 4, except for specific reasons such as going to or from work.
But the judge ruled that the move by the regional authorities - who have mounted a sustained campaign for independence from Spain - to impose home confinement went too far and did not go through the right channels.
“What is proposed today goes far beyond a simple limitation of movement and seriously affects constitutionally recognized rights,” Judge Elena Garcia-Munoz Alarcos said in the ruling.
Torra, who is president of the Catalan regional government, said he could simply not accept such a ruling.
“We cannot understand that there is bureaucratic obstacles in decisions that are taken for the health and life of citizens,” Torra told a news conference. “It’s a luxury to lose time with legal resolutions. We cannot allow this.”
Asking people to stay home, he said his government would adopt a new decree on Monday to try and solve any legal issues regarding the confinement order.
According to decree which the judge struck down, people would only have been able to leave their home for work, to see a doctor, buy groceries or do sports. Gatherings of over 10 people would have been banned.
People will still not be able to leave the Lleida area under the lockdown decided earlier this month, but they can move freely within the area, the judge said.
La Rioja, Navarra, Aragon and Andalusia regions are set to make it compulsory from Monday to wear a face mask indoors and outdoors, authorities said, following a similar move in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Extremadura.
In the rest of the country, masks are compulsory only if you cannot be at least 1.5 meter away from people.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-13--Polish President Andrzej Duda wins re-election

Polish President and presidential candidate of the Law and Justice ( PiS ) party Andrzej Duda talks to the media after the announcement of the first exit poll results on the second round of the presidential election , at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw , Poland , July 12 , 2020 .
Right-wing Polish President Andrzej Duda has won a new five-year term , beating his liberal europhile rival Rafal Trzaskowski , official results showed on Monday .
With 99.97 percent of ballots counted , the national election commission said Duda had won 51.21 percent against 48.79 percent for Warsaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of closest elections in Poland ’ s history , reflecting the deep divisions in this European Union nation .
Sunday ’ s vote was originally planned for May but was delayed amid bitter political wrangling .
It follows a bitter campaign dominated by issues of culture in which the government , state media and the influential Catholic church all mobilised in support of Duda , a social conservative .
Duda , who is backed by the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party , campaigned on traditional values and social spending in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second five-year term .
As the race became tighter in recent weeks , Duda turned further to the right in search of votes .
He seized on gay rights as a key theme , denouncing the LGBT rights movement as an “ ideology ” worse than communism .
Duda ’ s campaign also cast Trzaskowski as someone who would sell out Polish families to Jewish interests , tapping into old anti-Semitic tropes in a country that was home to Europe ’ s largest Jewish community before it was decimated by Germany in @ @ @

Right-wing Polish President Andrzej Duda has won a new five-year term, beating his liberal europhile rival Rafal Trzaskowski, official results showed on Monday.
Polish President and presidential candidate of the Law and Justice (PiS) party Andrzej Duda talks to the media after the announcement of the first exit poll results on the second round of the presidential election, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, July 12, 2020.
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With 99.97 percent of ballots counted, the national election commission said Duda had won 51.21 percent against 48.79 percent for Warsaw Mayor Trzaskowski.
The result showed it was one of closest elections in Poland’s history, reflecting the deep divisions in this European Union nation.
Sunday’s vote was originally planned for May but was delayed amid bitter political wrangling.
04:56
It follows a bitter campaign dominated by issues of culture in which the government, state media and the influential Catholic church all mobilised in support of Duda, a social conservative.
Duda, who is backed by the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, campaigned on traditional values and social spending in this mostly Catholic nation as he sought a second five-year term.
As the race became tighter in recent weeks, Duda turned further to the right in search of votes. He seized on gay rights as a key theme, denouncing the LGBT rights movement as an “ideology” worse than communism.
Duda’s campaign also cast Trzaskowski as someone who would sell out Polish families to Jewish interests, tapping into old anti-Semitic tropes in a country that was home to Europe’s largest Jewish community before it was decimated by Germany in the Holocaust.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Mexico surpasses Italy to become country with fourth-highest Covid-19 death toll

People wait in line along the street before entering the area where stores are open , during the gradual reopening of commercial activities in the city , as the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak continues , in Mexico City , Mexico July 6 , 2020 .
Deaths in Mexico from the coronavirus pandemic rose above 35,000 on Sunday , with the Latin American country overtaking Italy for the world 's fourth-highest death total , according to Reuters data .
But leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Sunday that the pandemic was `` losing intensity '' in Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative media '' for causing alarm .
Mexico on Sunday recorded 276 additional fatalities and 4,482 new infections to bring its coronavirus death toll to 35,006 , with 299,750 confirmed cases .
Italy has recorded 34,954 deaths and 243,061 cases .
Mexico trails the United States , Brazil and the UK in total deaths .
While Italy appears to have tamed the virus , the pandemic is showing few signs of easing in Mexico , where the government has faced criticism for reopening its economy too soon .
Lopez Obrador said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was optimistic .
`` The report is positive , good .
The conclusion is that the pandemic is going down , that it is losing intensity , '' he said in a video message .
Lopez Obrador also backed Hugo Lopez-Gatell , Mexico 's deputy health minister and coronavirus czar , after criticism of his handling of the crisis .
Lopez-Gatell has kept revising his projections for total fatalities and as recently as June forecast up to 35,000 deaths through October .
In early May , the estimate was 6,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , whose population numbers about 120 million , is the 16th highest in the world , according to data by research firm Statista .
But Mexican officials say the true toll is likely much higher due to limited testing .
A Reuters analysis of funeral-home data in May indicated a toll more than double the reported figures .
Several former officials have criticised Lopez Obrador 's administration for its management of the epidemic .
Former Health Minister Salomon Chertorivski , who held the post from 2011 to 2012 , said on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting globally established criteria for doing so .
He added that Mexico might need to impose a new lockdown .
`` There are three fundamental variables : a reduction in the last 14 days in the numbers of contagions , reduction in recent days in the number of deaths , and reduction in the number of hospitalized people , '' Chertorivski told Mexican newspaper Reforma .
`` None of those three parameters were achieved . ''

Deaths in Mexico from the coronavirus pandemic rose above 35,000 on Sunday, with the Latin American country overtaking Italy for the world's fourth-highest death total, according to Reuters data.
People wait in line along the street before entering the area where stores are open, during the gradual reopening of commercial activities in the city, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues, in Mexico City, Mexico July 6, 2020.
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But leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Sunday that the pandemic was "losing intensity" in Mexico, and blamed what he called "conservative media" for causing alarm.
Mexico on Sunday recorded 276 additional fatalities and 4,482 new infections to bring its coronavirus death toll to 35,006, with 299,750 confirmed cases. Italy has recorded 34,954 deaths and 243,061 cases. Mexico trails the United States, Brazil and the UK in total deaths.
While Italy appears to have tamed the virus, the pandemic is showing few signs of easing in Mexico, where the government has faced criticism for reopening its economy too soon.
Lopez Obrador said he was briefed on the pandemic this past week and was optimistic.
"The report is positive, good. The conclusion is that the pandemic is going down, that it is losing intensity," he said in a video message.
Lopez Obrador also backed Hugo Lopez-Gatell, Mexico's deputy health minister and coronavirus czar, after criticism of his handling of the crisis.
Lopez-Gatell has kept revising his projections for total fatalities and as recently as June forecast up to 35,000 deaths through October. In early May, the estimate was 6,000.
The coronavirus death toll per million residents in Mexico, whose population numbers about 120 million, is the 16th highest in the world, according to data by research firm Statista.
But Mexican officials say the true toll is likely much higher due to limited testing. A Reuters analysis of funeral-home data in May indicated a toll more than double the reported figures.
Several former officials have criticised Lopez Obrador's administration for its management of the epidemic.
Former Health Minister Salomon Chertorivski, who held the post from 2011 to 2012, said on Thursday the government had reopened the economy before meeting globally established criteria for doing so. He added that Mexico might need to impose a new lockdown.
"There are three fundamental variables: a reduction in the last 14 days in the numbers of contagions, reduction in recent days in the number of deaths, and reduction in the number of hospitalized people," Chertorivski told Mexican newspaper Reforma.
"None of those three parameters were achieved."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Court overturns Man City’s two-year ban from European football

A general view of the pitch before an English Premier League football match .
Manchester City ’ s two-year suspension from European football was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) on Monday , allowing the club to compete in next season ’ s Champions League .
CAS ruled that City did not breach Financial Fair Play ( FFP ) rules by disguising equity funding as sponsorship .
Sport ’ s highest court also reduced a fine for failing to cooperate with UEFA to 10 million euros ( $ 11.30 million ) from 30 million euros @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported by the ( UEFA ) Adjudicatory Chamber of the CFCB ( Club Financial Control Body ) were either not established or time-barred , ” CAS said in a statement .
UEFA , European soccer ’ s governing body , had ruled in February that City had committed serious FFP breaches and failed to cooperate with its investigation .
Missing out on the Champions League would have cost City , who have denied any wrongdoing , as much as 100 million pounds ( $ 126.02 million ) in prize money and broadcast revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenues .
The FFP regulations are designed to stop clubs running up big losses through spending on players .
They also ensure sponsorship deals are based on their real market value and are genuine commercial agreements—and not ways for owners to pump cash into a club to get around the rules .
CAS said its full legal ruling , with details of the case and the decision , would be published in the coming days .
“ Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , the Club welcomes the implications of today ’ s ruling as a validation of the Club ’ s position and the body of evidence that it was able to present , ” City said in a statement .
“ The Club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered , ” the club added .
UEFA said it remained committed to FFP .
“ UEFA notes that the CAS panel found that there was insufficient conclusive evidence to uphold all of the CFCB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that many of the alleged breaches were time-barred due to the 5 year time period foreseen in the UEFA regulations .
“ Over the last few years , Financial Fair Play has played a significant role in protecting clubs and helping them become financially sustainable and UEFA and ECA ( European Club Association ) remain committed to its principles .
”

Manchester City’s two-year suspension from European football was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday, allowing the club to compete in next season’s Champions League.
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CAS ruled that City did not breach Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by disguising equity funding as sponsorship. Sport’s highest court also reduced a fine for failing to cooperate with UEFA to 10 million euros ($11.30 million) from 30 million euros.
“Most of the alleged breaches reported by the (UEFA) Adjudicatory Chamber of the CFCB (Club Financial Control Body) were either not established or time-barred,” CAS said in a statement.
UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, had ruled in February that City had committed serious FFP breaches and failed to cooperate with its investigation.
Missing out on the Champions League would have cost City, who have denied any wrongdoing, as much as 100 million pounds ($126.02 million) in prize money and broadcast revenue, as well as matchday and other revenues.
The FFP regulations are designed to stop clubs running up big losses through spending on players. They also ensure sponsorship deals are based on their real market value and are genuine commercial agreements—and not ways for owners to pump cash into a club to get around the rules.
CAS said its full legal ruling, with details of the case and the decision, would be published in the coming days.
“Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Club welcomes the implications of today’s ruling as a validation of the Club’s position and the body of evidence that it was able to present,” City said in a statement.
“The Club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered,” the club added.
UEFA said it remained committed to FFP.
“UEFA notes that the CAS panel found that there was insufficient conclusive evidence to uphold all of the CFCB’s conclusions in this specific case and that many of the alleged breaches were time-barred due to the 5 year time period foreseen in the UEFA regulations.
“Over the last few years, Financial Fair Play has played a significant role in protecting clubs and helping them become financially sustainable and UEFA and ECA (European Club Association) remain committed to its principles.”
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-13--France’s new PM vows help for Covid 19-hit French Guiana

French Prime Minister Jean Castex during a visit to Cayenne , in the French overseas department of Guiana , on July 12 , 2020 .
As virus numbers soar in French Guiana , France ’ s new prime minister traveled Sunday to the South American territory and promised not to ignore its suffering .
French Guiana , which borders Brazil , now accounts for about a quarter of new daily cases reported in all of France , though has less than 0.5 % of the French population .
More than a quarter of tests in French Guiana have been positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health agency statistics .
In an unusually long-distance trip just a week after he joined the French government , Prime Minister Jean Castex and other top officials visited a field hospital set up to help handle virus patients , a food distribution center and a virus crisis center .
“ Our presence testifies to the support of the entire government : in this ordeal , we will not leave anyone on the side of the road , ” Castex tweeted from the trip .
The government has sent in medics and the army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island of Martinique to relieve strapped French Guiana hospitals .
However Castex didn ’ t publicly announce any specific new aid during the one-day trip , and did not meet directly with the territory ’ s locked-down population , conferring instead with medical workers , aid workers and local officials .
The virus has highlighted inequalities that have long plagued territories like French Guiana , a former colony that is now considered an integral part of France and uses the euro currency .
Some 60 % of its population lives below the French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists lament large swathes of territory without medical care and shortages of medical professionals .

As virus numbers soar in French Guiana, France’s new prime minister traveled Sunday to the South American territory and promised not to ignore its suffering.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex during a visit to Cayenne, in the French overseas department of Guiana, on July 12, 2020.
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French Guiana, which borders Brazil, now accounts for about a quarter of new daily cases reported in all of France, though has less than 0.5% of the French population. More than a quarter of tests in French Guiana have been positive in recent weeks, according to public health agency statistics.
In an unusually long-distance trip just a week after he joined the French government, Prime Minister Jean Castex and other top officials visited a field hospital set up to help handle virus patients, a food distribution center and a virus crisis center.
Surplus patients flown to Martinique
“Our presence testifies to the support of the entire government: in this ordeal, we will not leave anyone on the side of the road,” Castex tweeted from the trip.
The government has sent in medics and the army has flown patients to the French Caribbean island of Martinique to relieve strapped French Guiana hospitals.
However Castex didn’t publicly announce any specific new aid during the one-day trip, and did not meet directly with the territory’s locked-down population, conferring instead with medical workers, aid workers and local officials.
The virus has highlighted inequalities that have long plagued territories like French Guiana, a former colony that is now considered an integral part of France and uses the euro currency. Some 60% of its population lives below the French poverty level, and local officials and activists lament large swathes of territory without medical care and shortages of medical professionals.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Iran report details series of errors behind decision to fire on Ukraine passenger jet

This handout photograph taken and released on January 11 , 2020 by The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine , shows the fragments and remains of the Ukraine International Airlines plane Boeing 737-800 that crashed outside the Iranian capital Tehran on January 8 , 2020 .
A misaligned missile battery , miscommunication between troops and their commanders and a decision to fire without authorization all led to Iran ’ s Revolutionary Guard shooting down a Ukrainian jetliner in January , killing all 176 people on board , a new report says .
The report released late Saturday by Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the Jan. 8 crash near Tehran .
Authorities had initially denied responsibility , only changing course days later after Western nations presented extensive evidence that Iran had shot down the plane .
The report may signal a new phase in the investigation into the crash , as the aircraft ’ s black box flight recorder is due to be sent to Paris , where international investigators will finally be able to examine it .
It also comes as public opinion remains low over Iran ’ s government as it faces both crushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The shootdown happened the same night Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting U.S. soldiers in Iraq , its response to the American drone strike that killed Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan. 3 .
At the time , Iranian troops were bracing for a U.S. counterstrike and appear to have mistaken the plane for a missile .
The civil aviation report does not acknowledge that , only saying a change in the “ alertness level of Iran ’ s air defense ” allowed previously scheduled air traffic to resume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moments where the shootdown of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 could have been avoided .
The report said the surface-to-air missile battery that targeted the Boeing 737-800 had been relocated and was not properly reoriented .
Those manning the missile battery could not communicate with their command center , they misidentified the civilian flight as a threat and opened fire twice without getting approval from ranking officials , the report said .
“ If each had not arisen , the aircraft would not have been targeted , ” the report said .
Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the aircraft with a Russian-made Tor system , known to NATO as the SA-15 .
In 2007 , Iran took the delivery of 29 Tor M1 units from Russia under a contract worth an estimated $ 700 million .
The system is mounted on a tracked vehicle and carries a radar and a pack of eight missiles .
The report did not say why the Guard moved the air defense system , though that area near the airport is believed to be home to both regular military and bases of the paramilitary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian flight had done nothing out of the ordinary up until the missile launch , with its transponder and other data being broadcast .
“ At the time of firing the first missile , the aircraft was flying at a normal altitude and trajectory , ” the report said .
The plane had just taken off from Imam Khomeini International Airport when the first missile exploded , possibly damaging its radio equipment , the report said .
The second missile likely directly struck the aircraft , as videos that night show the plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crashing into a playground and farmland on the outskirts of Tehran .
The report put the blame entirely on the crew of the missile battery .
Already , six people believed to be involved in the incident have been arrested , judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili reportedly said in June .
He said at the time three had been released on bail while the other three remained held .
In recent months , Iran has repeatedly delayed releasing the aircraft ’ s so-called black box , which includes data and communications from the cockpit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , under international regulations , has a right to be part of the investigation as the plane involved was a Boeing .
Iran is to send the black box to France on July 20 , where Ukrainian and French experts are expected to examine it , Iran ’ s state-run IRNA news agency recently reported .
Iranian officials did not have the equipment on hand to read data from the box .
The plane , en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv , was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 57 Canadians - including many Iranians with dual citizenship - and 11 Ukrainians , according to officials .
The route was popular with those traveling onward to Canada .
After the assassination of Soleimani in the U.S. drone strike , millions came out for funeral processions in his honor across Iran .
However , his burial - which also saw a stampede that killed dozens - came just as the Guard shot down the airliner , igniting public anger against a paramilitary force that answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei @

A misaligned missile battery, miscommunication between troops and their commanders and a decision to fire without authorization all led to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard shooting down a Ukrainian jetliner in January, killing all 176 people on board, a new report says.
This handout photograph taken and released on January 11, 2020 by The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, shows the fragments and remains of the Ukraine International Airlines plane Boeing 737-800 that crashed outside the Iranian capital Tehran on January 8, 2020.
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The report released late Saturday by Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization comes months after the Jan. 8 crash near Tehran. Authorities had initially denied responsibility, only changing course days later after Western nations presented extensive evidence that Iran had shot down the plane.
The report may signal a new phase in the investigation into the crash, as the aircraft’s black box flight recorder is due to be sent to Paris, where international investigators will finally be able to examine it. It also comes as public opinion remains low over Iran’s government as it faces both crushing U.S. sanctions and vast domestic economic problems.
The shootdown happened the same night Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting U.S. soldiers in Iraq, its response to the American drone strike that killed Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan. 3.
At the time, Iranian troops were bracing for a U.S. counterstrike and appear to have mistaken the plane for a missile. The civil aviation report does not acknowledge that, only saying a change in the “alertness level of Iran’s air defense” allowed previously scheduled air traffic to resume.
The report detailed a series of moments where the shootdown of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 could have been avoided.
The report said the surface-to-air missile battery that targeted the Boeing 737-800 had been relocated and was not properly reoriented.
Those manning the missile battery could not communicate with their command center, they misidentified the civilian flight as a threat and opened fire twice without getting approval from ranking officials, the report said.
“If each had not arisen, the aircraft would not have been targeted,” the report said.
Western intelligence officials and analysts believe Iran shot down the aircraft with a Russian-made Tor system, known to NATO as the SA-15. In 2007, Iran took the delivery of 29 Tor M1 units from Russia under a contract worth an estimated $700 million. The system is mounted on a tracked vehicle and carries a radar and a pack of eight missiles.
The report did not say why the Guard moved the air defense system, though that area near the airport is believed to be home to both regular military and bases of the paramilitary Guard.
The report notes that the Ukrainian flight had done nothing out of the ordinary up until the missile launch, with its transponder and other data being broadcast.
“At the time of firing the first missile, the aircraft was flying at a normal altitude and trajectory,” the report said.
The plane had just taken off from Imam Khomeini International Airport when the first missile exploded, possibly damaging its radio equipment, the report said. The second missile likely directly struck the aircraft, as videos that night show the plane exploding into a ball of fire before crashing into a playground and farmland on the outskirts of Tehran.
The report put the blame entirely on the crew of the missile battery. Already, six people believed to be involved in the incident have been arrested, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili reportedly said in June. He said at the time three had been released on bail while the other three remained held.
In recent months, Iran has repeatedly delayed releasing the aircraft’s so-called black box, which includes data and communications from the cockpit leading up to the shootdown. The U.S., under international regulations, has a right to be part of the investigation as the plane involved was a Boeing.
Iran is to send the black box to France on July 20, where Ukrainian and French experts are expected to examine it, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency recently reported. Iranian officials did not have the equipment on hand to read data from the box.
The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians - including many Iranians with dual citizenship - and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials. The route was popular with those traveling onward to Canada.
After the assassination of Soleimani in the U.S. drone strike, millions came out for funeral processions in his honor across Iran. However, his burial - which also saw a stampede that killed dozens - came just as the Guard shot down the airliner, igniting public anger against a paramilitary force that answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-13--Mahmoud Dicko, the populist imam challenging Mali’s President Keita

A former supporter of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , imam Mahmoud Dicko has emerged as a formidable opponent to the Malian president .
With no end in sight to Mali ’ s economic and security crises , a prominent conservative cleric has emerged as the most potent challenge to a widely discredited political establishment perceived as having run out of ideas and solutions .
Days after orchestrating a protest movement that brought down Mali ’ s prime minister , in April last year , popular cleric Mahmoud Dicko was asked whether he intended to trade religion for politics .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am a leader and I have opinions , ” he told French-speaking magazine Jeune Afrique .
“ If that is political , then yes , I am political.
” Just over a year later , the prominent imam is at the forefront of an even larger protest movement that has brought tens of thousands of protesters to the streets of Bamako to call for another resignation — that of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , the embattled Malian president commonly known as IBK .
Protesters accuse Keita and his government of failing to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a continued jihadist insurgency in the north , to intercommunal violence in the centre and a crippling economic crisis in the south , where 90 percent of the country ’ s population lives .
Triggered by the disputed results of legislative elections in March , the recent protests turned violent at the weekend as security forces cracked down on protesters and opposition leaders , killing at least four people in Bamako ’ s worst civil unrest in years .
The protest movement has brought together a motley coalition of opposition politicians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dicko acting as the undisputed crowd puller , whipping up hostility towards the government and then calling for restraint .
A one-time Keita ally , the 66-year-old cleric is no political novice .
Dubbed the “ people ’ s imam ” by his own supporters , he has played a prominent role in public life for more than a decade , chairing the country ’ s High Islamic Council from 2008 to 2019 .
Dicko was born into a leading family from Timbuktu , the ancient “ city of 333 saints ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his brand of Islam defies easy categorisation , blending the social conservatism nurtured by his training in Saudi Arabia with a form of reverence for the mystical traditions of West Africa .
The imam first rose to prominence in 2009 , leading a protest campaign that forced Mali ’ s then President Amadou Toumani Touré to water down a reform of family law that would have expanded women ’ s rights .
More recently , he secured the withdrawal of a school textbook that touched on the subject of homosexuality .
In between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting the 2015 terrorist attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako was divine punishment for Malians who “ imported ” homosexuality from the West .
And while he welcomed France ’ s military intervention to repel jihadist insurgents in 2013 , he has since likened the troops ’ continued presence to colonial-era practices , stoking an anti-French sentiment that has angered Paris and embarrassed Mali ’ s president .
But the troublesome imam wasn ’ t always a thorn in Keita ’ s side .
In 2013 , he backed IBK for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips abroad — most notably in the Gulf , where his Saudi connections were particularly valued .
His conservative credentials also facilitated on-off talks with jihadi insurgents back home , as Keita ’ s government alternated between armed confrontation and attempts to sway the more moderate , homegrown factions .
The decision by former prime minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga to relieve Dicko of that role precipitated the imam ’ s fallout with the government .
Angered by the snub , the “ people ’ s imam ” rallied tens of thousands of supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s removal — which he duly obtained .
According to sociologist Bréma Ely Dicko ( no relation ) , both the cleric and his mentor Mohamed Ould Bouyé Haïdara , also known as the chériif de Nioro , felt sidelined by the government they once supported .
“ They were both frustrated , and the regime they once helped became the regime they had to fight , ” he explained .
In further evidence of his scarcely concealed political ambitions , Mahmoud Dicko quit the High Islamic Council later that year to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coordination des Mouvements , Associations et Sympathisants ( CMAS ) .
Since then , Mali ’ s fractured opposition has gravitated around his movement , hoping to tap on its broad appeal .
“ Many opposition figures who would have stood no chance of seizing power are now relying on the imam and his followers for leverage , thereby handing him considerable political clout , ” said analyst Aly Younkara in an interview with French daily Le Monde .
With Keita ’ s many foes now loosely allied in the so-called June 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first day of protests last month , Dicko has emerged as the unofficial spokesperson for the many grievances voiced by Malians exasperated by the continuing economic and security crisis .
“ We have problems between communities , within the army and even between clerics – problems everywhere , ” Dicko told FRANCE 24 ’ s sister company , radio RFI in June .
“ There is poor governance and a deep malaise in the country .
Corruption is rampant .
I say it and I say it again !
” The latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute over parliamentary elections , which saw the country ’ s constitutional court reverse provisional results and hand additional seats to the president 's party .
The decision infuriated many Malians , exasperated by cronyism and corruption in a country starved of functioning public services .
Keita , who won a second term in 2018 , has sought to appease the protesters by promising to dissolve the court and re-run elections for some contested seats .
But the weekend ’ s bloodshed and the arrest of several M5 leaders have hardened the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept this nonsense , '' one M5 spokesman , Nouhoum Togo , told REUTERS on Sunday , referring to the president ’ s proposals .
`` We demand [ Keita ’ s ] resignation plain and simple . ''
As the crisis festers , much will depend on Dicko ’ s stance in the coming weeks — and how far he can control Mali ’ s feuding opposition leaders , many of whom are both more secular and more confrontational vis à vis Keita than he is .
In a sign of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the growing importance of religious leaders in a secular state with a mainly Muslim population , both Keita ’ s envoys and international mediators have been sounding out the imam before reaching out to the traditional opposition .
On Saturday , Dicko ’ s supporters erected barricades around his mosque in Bamako , fearing an attempt to arrest the popular imam .
But the cleric himself struck a more conciliatory tone , appealing for calm and an end to the violence .
Speaking to FRANCE 24 ahead of the weekend protests , Dicko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the president to step down , but wanted further gestures from him .
“ We think it [ the resignation ] will cause more problems than it will resolve , '' he explained .
`` Mali 's problem is not about a government of national unity .
It is a problem of governance . ''
The imam stressed that change must be secured through peaceful means , adding : “ My age and my position command that I be measured.
” He repeated that message on Sunday , as some opposition leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pleading for calm in a video message posted online : “ Do not set fire to petrol stations or this district .
Calm down , please !
Calm down !
” This article was translated from the original , which was in French .

With no end in sight to Mali’s economic and security crises, a prominent conservative cleric has emerged as the most potent challenge to a widely discredited political establishment perceived as having run out of ideas and solutions.
A former supporter of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, imam Mahmoud Dicko has emerged as a formidable opponent to the Malian president.
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Days after orchestrating a protest movement that brought down Mali’s prime minister, in April last year, popular cleric Mahmoud Dicko was asked whether he intended to trade religion for politics.
“I am not a politician, but I am a leader and I have opinions,” he told French-speaking magazine Jeune Afrique. “If that is political, then yes, I am political.”
Just over a year later, the prominent imam is at the forefront of an even larger protest movement that has brought tens of thousands of protesters to the streets of Bamako to call for another resignation — that of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the embattled Malian president commonly known as IBK.
Protesters accuse Keita and his government of failing to address Mali’s multiple crises, ranging from a continued jihadist insurgency in the north, to intercommunal violence in the centre and a crippling economic crisis in the south, where 90 percent of the country’s population lives.
Triggered by the disputed results of legislative elections in March, the recent protests turned violent at the weekend as security forces cracked down on protesters and opposition leaders, killing at least four people in Bamako’s worst civil unrest in years.
The protest movement has brought together a motley coalition of opposition politicians, anti-corruption activists and religious figures — with Dicko acting as the undisputed crowd puller, whipping up hostility towards the government and then calling for restraint.
Between Riyadh and Timbuktu
A one-time Keita ally, the 66-year-old cleric is no political novice. Dubbed the “people’s imam” by his own supporters, he has played a prominent role in public life for more than a decade, chairing the country’s High Islamic Council from 2008 to 2019.
Dicko was born into a leading family from Timbuktu , the ancient “city of 333 saints”. As with other local religious leaders, his brand of Islam defies easy categorisation, blending the social conservatism nurtured by his training in Saudi Arabia with a form of reverence for the mystical traditions of West Africa.
The imam first rose to prominence in 2009, leading a protest campaign that forced Mali’s then President Amadou Toumani Touré to water down a reform of family law that would have expanded women’s rights. More recently, he secured the withdrawal of a school textbook that touched on the subject of homosexuality.
In between, the outspoken cleric stirred outrage by suggesting the 2015 terrorist attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako was divine punishment for Malians who “imported” homosexuality from the West.
And while he welcomed France’s military intervention to repel jihadist insurgents in 2013, he has since likened the troops’ continued presence to colonial-era practices, stoking an anti-French sentiment that has angered Paris and embarrassed Mali’s president.
Talking to jihadis
But the troublesome imam wasn’t always a thorn in Keita’s side. In 2013, he backed IBK for the presidency and accompanied him on several trips abroad — most notably in the Gulf, where his Saudi connections were particularly valued.
His conservative credentials also facilitated on-off talks with jihadi insurgents back home, as Keita’s government alternated between armed confrontation and attempts to sway the more moderate, homegrown factions.
The decision by former prime minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga to relieve Dicko of that role precipitated the imam’s fallout with the government. Angered by the snub, the “people’s imam” rallied tens of thousands of supporters last year to call for the PM’s removal — which he duly obtained.
According to sociologist Bréma Ely Dicko (no relation), both the cleric and his mentor Mohamed Ould Bouyé Haïdara, also known as the chériif de Nioro, felt sidelined by the government they once supported. “They were both frustrated, and the regime they once helped became the regime they had to fight,” he explained.
In further evidence of his scarcely concealed political ambitions, Mahmoud Dicko quit the High Islamic Council later that year to found his own Islamist movement, the Coordination des Mouvements, Associations et Sympathisants (CMAS). Since then, Mali’s fractured opposition has gravitated around his movement, hoping to tap on its broad appeal.
“Many opposition figures who would have stood no chance of seizing power are now relying on the imam and his followers for leverage, thereby handing him considerable political clout,” said analyst Aly Younkara in an interview with French daily Le Monde.
‘Problems everywhere’
With Keita’s many foes now loosely allied in the so-called June 5 Movement (M5), named after the first day of protests last month, Dicko has emerged as the unofficial spokesperson for the many grievances voiced by Malians exasperated by the continuing economic and security crisis.
“We have problems between communities, within the army and even between clerics – problems everywhere,” Dicko told FRANCE 24’s sister company, radio RFI in June. “There is poor governance and a deep malaise in the country. Corruption is rampant. I say it and I say it again!”
The latest wave of protests was sparked by a dispute over parliamentary elections, which saw the country’s constitutional court reverse provisional results and hand additional seats to the president's party. The decision infuriated many Malians, exasperated by cronyism and corruption in a country starved of functioning public services.
Keita, who won a second term in 2018, has sought to appease the protesters by promising to dissolve the court and re-run elections for some contested seats. But the weekend’s bloodshed and the arrest of several M5 leaders have hardened the movement.
"We are not going to accept this nonsense," one M5 spokesman, Nouhoum Togo, told REUTERS on Sunday, referring to the president’s proposals. "We demand [Keita’s] resignation plain and simple."
‘Calm down!’
As the crisis festers, much will depend on Dicko’s stance in the coming weeks — and how far he can control Mali’s feuding opposition leaders, many of whom are both more secular and more confrontational vis à vis Keita than he is.
In a sign of the imam’s clout, and of the growing importance of religious leaders in a secular state with a mainly Muslim population, both Keita’s envoys and international mediators have been sounding out the imam before reaching out to the traditional opposition.
On Saturday, Dicko’s supporters erected barricades around his mosque in Bamako, fearing an attempt to arrest the popular imam. But the cleric himself struck a more conciliatory tone, appealing for calm and an end to the violence.
Speaking to FRANCE 24 ahead of the weekend protests, Dicko claimed the opposition had dropped its demand for the president to step down, but wanted further gestures from him.
“We think it [the resignation] will cause more problems than it will resolve," he explained. "Mali's problem is not about a government of national unity. It is a problem of governance." The imam stressed that change must be secured through peaceful means, adding: “My age and my position command that I be measured.”
He repeated that message on Sunday, as some opposition leaders reportedly went into hiding to escape arrest, pleading for calm in a video message posted online: “Do not set fire to petrol stations or this district. Calm down, please! Calm down!”
This article was translated from the original, which was in French.
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france24--2020-07-13--California reverses re-opening restaurants, malls and salons as Covid-19 cases surge

California on Monday ordered all indoor restaurants , bars and movie theaters to close again as coronavirus cases soared across America 's most populous state .
Churches as well as businesses including gyms , shopping malls , hair salons and non-essential offices must also close indoor operations in 30 of the state 's worst-hit counties , including Los Angeles , Governor Gavin Newsom announced .
`` We 're moving back into a modification mode of our original 'stay-at-home ' order , '' said Newsom , whose state is by far the largest by population and richest in America .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,358 new coronavirus cases on Sunday , bringing its total to nearly 330,000 including more than 7,000 deaths .
Like the governors of Texas , Arizona , and Florida -- which were also hit hard in the virus ' second spike -- California delegated the reopening process to local jurisdictions , initially declined to issue a statewide mask order and reopened bars .
The announcement came as education officials in Los Angeles and San Diego said schools would remain closed when classes resume with online-only lessons next month .
Elsewhere , the mayors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a return to stay-at-home orders to staunch an alarming spike in coronavirus cases , but are being hindered by state governors who favor less restrictive measures .
While new lockdowns have been ordered around the world in cities like Melbourne , Manila and Tangier , such actions are much harder to accomplish in the United States where decentralized power structures can result in political turf wars .
Officials in the greater Houston area , home to more than six million people , have called for a new lockdown after it saw nearly 1,600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly recommend that for the next two weeks , that if I were the governor , I would just bring things down , shut things down for the next couple of weeks , '' said the city 's Democratic mayor Sylvester Turner over the weekend .
But the Republican governor Gregg Abbott has so far resisted , placing his hopes on a state-wide mask order to bring down the caseload .
Texas was among the first states to begin reopening , on May 1 .
Bars reopened on May 22 but the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and made the wearing of the masks mandatory on July 3 .
In Atlanta , Georgia , Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , who has had COVID-19 , announced Friday she was bringing the city back to Phase 1 reopening -- restrictive measures that allow only essential trips away from home .
This sparked a power struggle with Republican Governor Brian Kemp who tweeted that her actions were `` non-binding and legally unenforceable . ''
Kemp in turn blamed Atlanta 's problems on Bottoms -- seen as a potential vice presidential candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her of failing to enforce state restrictions .
In coronavirus-stricken Florida , more than 15,000 new cases were reported Sunday , a state record , and the rate of deaths has also started to rise .
Until the new surge that began in June , its Republican Governor Ron DeSantis bragged that his state 's laissez-faire approach was correct .
Since that time , he has ordered bars closed but refused to issue mandatory mask directives or impose lockdowns , relying on local city and county authorities to make those calls .
Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led by Republicans , have so far resisted -- but that might soon change .
The number of COVID-19 patients in the city 's intensive care wards is seven times higher than it was in March and April , according to Mayor Francis Suarez , who also contracted the illness , early on in the crisis .
Asked by CNN on Monday whether he would consider a stay-home-order , he said : `` If we get to a point where we do n't feel like we can care for the people that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're going to have to strongly look at . ''
At the federal level , the administration 's policy is to recommend the use of masks and against the opening of bars -- but nothing is mandatory .
President Donald Trump has consistently played down the surge , repeatedly and falsely attributing it entirely to higher levels of testing .
`` We have a lot of cases because we have a lot of testing , far more than any other country in the world , '' he said Monday .
Experts however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of people hospitalized and the percentage of people testing positive is also rising in many states .

California on Monday ordered all indoor restaurants, bars and movie theaters to close again as coronavirus cases soared across America's most populous state.
Advertising Read more
Churches as well as businesses including gyms, shopping malls, hair salons and non-essential offices must also close indoor operations in 30 of the state's worst-hit counties, including Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom announced.
"We're moving back into a modification mode of our original 'stay-at-home' order," said Newsom, whose state is by far the largest by population and richest in America.
The move came as the Golden State reported 8,358 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing its total to nearly 330,000 including more than 7,000 deaths.
Like the governors of Texas, Arizona, and Florida -- which were also hit hard in the virus' second spike -- California delegated the reopening process to local jurisdictions, initially declined to issue a statewide mask order and reopened bars.
The announcement came as education officials in Los Angeles and San Diego said schools would remain closed when classes resume with online-only lessons next month.
Turf wars
Elsewhere, the mayors of Houston and Atlanta are calling for a return to stay-at-home orders to staunch an alarming spike in coronavirus cases, but are being hindered by state governors who favor less restrictive measures.
While new lockdowns have been ordered around the world in cities like Melbourne, Manila and Tangier, such actions are much harder to accomplish in the United States where decentralized power structures can result in political turf wars.
Officials in the greater Houston area, home to more than six million people, have called for a new lockdown after it saw nearly 1,600 cases in 24 hours.
"I strongly recommend that for the next two weeks, that if I were the governor, I would just bring things down, shut things down for the next couple of weeks," said the city's Democratic mayor Sylvester Turner over the weekend.
But the Republican governor Gregg Abbott has so far resisted, placing his hopes on a state-wide mask order to bring down the caseload.
Texas was among the first states to begin reopening, on May 1. Bars reopened on May 22 but the governor had to close them a month later, and made the wearing of the masks mandatory on July 3.
In Atlanta, Georgia, Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has had COVID-19, announced Friday she was bringing the city back to Phase 1 reopening -- restrictive measures that allow only essential trips away from home.
This sparked a power struggle with Republican Governor Brian Kemp who tweeted that her actions were "non-binding and legally unenforceable."
Kemp in turn blamed Atlanta's problems on Bottoms -- seen as a potential vice presidential candidate to run alongside Joe Biden -- accusing her of failing to enforce state restrictions.
Hospitals stretched
In coronavirus-stricken Florida, more than 15,000 new cases were reported Sunday, a state record, and the rate of deaths has also started to rise.
Until the new surge that began in June, its Republican Governor Ron DeSantis bragged that his state's laissez-faire approach was correct.
Since that time, he has ordered bars closed but refused to issue mandatory mask directives or impose lockdowns, relying on local city and county authorities to make those calls.
Local leadership in Miami, which is also led by Republicans, have so far resisted -- but that might soon change.
The number of COVID-19 patients in the city's intensive care wards is seven times higher than it was in March and April, according to Mayor Francis Suarez, who also contracted the illness, early on in the crisis.
Asked by CNN on Monday whether he would consider a stay-home-order, he said: "If we get to a point where we don't feel like we can care for the people that are getting sick, that's something that we're going to have to strongly look at."
At the federal level, the administration's policy is to recommend the use of masks and against the opening of bars -- but nothing is mandatory.
President Donald Trump has consistently played down the surge, repeatedly and falsely attributing it entirely to higher levels of testing.
"We have a lot of cases because we have a lot of testing, far more than any other country in the world," he said Monday.
Experts however say this explanation is inadequate, because the number of people hospitalized and the percentage of people testing positive is also rising in many states.
(AFP)
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