france24--2020-05-24--Covid-19: How the meat industry became a global health liability

From South Dakota to Brazil to Germany , meat processing workers around the world have been among the hardest hit by Covid-19 .
Will the pandemic force us to rethink our food system ?
It started in South Dakota .
On March 25 , even as some of the biggest US cities were just going into lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19 , a worker at a pork processing plant in the city of Sioux Falls ( pop .
181,000 ) tested positive for the virus .
Some at the plant suspected it wasn ’ t the first case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility and largest pork producer in the world , quickly confirmed the March 25 case but said it would continue operations as usual .
Three weeks later , the Sioux Falls plant had become the United States ’ largest Covid-19 hotspot , with 644 of its 3,700 employees infected .
More than half of all the cases in South Dakota could be traced back to the plant .
But it didn ’ t stop there .
From Mississippi to Washington , Texas to Nebraska , one state after another reported outbreaks in beef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had lockdown orders in place ; a few , like South Dakota , did not , but it made little difference for meatpacking workers , who were considered “ essential ” and therefore still expected to show up for work .
As of May 22 , according to the Food & Environment Reporting Network , more than 17,000 US meatpacking workers at 220 facilities have caught the virus , and 66 have died .
Many of these workers also brought the virus home to their families and communities , fuelling the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves , they were given little choice .
With wages averaging around $ 15 an hour at facilities like the Sioux Falls Smithfield plant , many workers live pay check to pay check , and would not be eligible for unemployment benefits if they quit .
Moreover , Smithfield workers say they were given incentives to keep working even if they were sick , including a $ 500 “ responsibility bonus ” promised to those who finished all of their shifts in April .
( The company says all of its hourly workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those “ who miss [ ed ] work due to Covid-19 exposure or diagnosis ” . )
Workers also say they were provided with insufficient protective equipment , despite union representatives raising concerns about Covid-19 contamination as early as the beginning of March , according to the BBC .
The risks faced by these workers highlight the profound inequalities cutting across the Covid-19 crisis not just in the United States , but worldwide .
From Iowa to India , low-wage , often migrant workers have borne the brunt of both the deadly virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meat processing plants illustrate this trend in particularly stark terms .
Over the last month , the kinds of Covid-19 clusters first seen at facilities in the US Midwest and South have cropped up in Brazil , Canada , Australia , Ireland , Spain , Germany , the United Kingdom and France .
At a single Cargill beef processing plant in the Canadian province of Alberta , 949 of about 2,000 employees were infected with the virus and two died .
In Canada as in the United States , meatpacking plants are staffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees .
Many have fled wars and other threats in countries ranging from Ethiopia to El Salvador to Vietnam , and some speak little English .
In Germany and France , slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants were among the first Covid-19 clusters to emerge as lockdown measures began to ease in early May .
Germany ’ s meat industry , too , is heavily dependent on migrant labour : according to unions , about 80 % of employees are temporary workers , mostly from Romania , Poland , Bulgaria and other countries in Eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has the meat industry been so hard hit by Covid-19 ?
“ The one-word answer is monopoly , ” says Raj Patel , a research professor in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin and expert on the global food system .
“ Across the world , the meat industry has been tending towards just a few large players.
” Patel points to a 2016 report by the United States Department of Agriculture showing that the four largest meatpacking companies “ account for nearly 70 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchased for slaughter , compared to just 26 percent in 1980 '' .
In other major meat-producing countries , too , the industry is highly concentrated : for example , a 2011 study by the European Federation of Trade Unions in the Food , Agriculture and Tourism found that in France , Germany and the UK , the top five beef and poultry producers accounted for a large majority of their respective markets .
Patel says the Covid-19 outbreaks seen in so many meat processing plants are an “ object lesson ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is that in order to survive , everyone else has had to follow the kinds of practices that the largest players have adopted ” .
“ Those practices in the meat industry are around people and machines being very close to one another , ” he continues .
“ So the carcasses fly through the line very quickly.
” The faster animal carcasses move along the production line , the closer together workers need to be , putting them at high risk of infection from airborne virus particles .
Some experts have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enclosed conditions in meat facilities could also be a factor , though this remains unconfirmed .
Patel says that , while worker safety protocols and “ line speeds ” may vary from country to country , the standards set by the largest companies are increasingly becoming the global norm .
Furthermore , he says , working conditions in the meat industry can be substandard even in countries like France and Germany , where workers in other industries benefit from above-average labour rights .
“ Actually , German poultry line speeds are much faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
Moreover , the German meat industry relies heavily on subcontracting , with third-party companies responsible for hiring foreign workers on temporary contracts and in some cases lodging them in cramped dorms .
Critics say these practices allowed the heavily immigrant workforce to be exploited , while shielding larger companies from accountability .
In such environments , Patel says , “ workers are considered as expendable as the things that they ’ re slaughtering ” — even in countries like Germany , which have otherwise largely kept Covid-19 in check .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expendable life is to be found that you see the worst effects of industrial monopoly concentration in the meat industry , ” Patel adds .
As the Covid-19 pandemic has put the meat industry in the international spotlight , some have proposed a simple solution : eat less meat .
Patel agrees that a drastic reduction in meat consumption is key to “ any sustainable future ” for the food system , both for workers and the environment , but says calls to simply go vegetarian or vegan are only a “ partial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has highlighted .
He emphasises the need to listen to demands from food workers themselves when charting the transition to a more sustainable food system .
In some cases , that might in fact mean boycotting meat .
In the US , a coalition led by Latino workers in Iowa — one of the states where the meat industry has been hardest hit by Covid-19 — issued a call for a nationwide “ Meatless May ” to protest against “ unforgivable ” conditions in meatpacking facilities .
Another US labour advocacy group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a list of five steps that citizens can take to support at-risk workers , including putting pressure on both corporations and elected officials to guarantee sick pay , health care , the right to organize and other protections .
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has issued a more modest list of recommendations : screen workers for symptoms ; increase space between workers ( notably by reducing the “ rate of animal processing ” ) ; enhance cleaning and disinfection ; and provide multilingual education and training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks , the German government has gone further , announcing reforms to the industry including €30,000 fines for health and safety violations and a ban on subcontracting , effective in January 2021 .
In France , the Confédération Paysanne farmers ’ union has called for a return to smaller-scale , local meat production .
In a statement this week , the group said : “ The re-localisation of ( meat ) processing is one of the necessary steps towards a more resilient system.
” The European Commission has echoed some of these proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also published this week as part of its roadmap for the continent-wide Green Deal announced in January .
The Commission says it plans to promote “ shorter supply chains ” in order “ to enhance resilience of regional and local food systems ” .
The Farm to Fork Strategy also calls explicitly for reducing consumption of meat : “ Moving to a more plant-based diet with less red and processed meat and with more fruits and vegetables will reduce not only risks of life-threatening diseases , but also the environmental impact of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all important steps , but stresses that there are no easy fixes , and that improving conditions in the food industry will also ultimately mean paying more for food .
“ Small-scale farming is part of it , but so is a well-paid migrant labour , and so are dignified wages for everyone , ” so that food produced under fair conditions is affordable to all , he says .
He says workers in the meat industry deserve a “ just transition ” to a more sustainable system , as has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Patel adds that this is a rare opportunity to begin that transition .
“ This is a moment to pivot , ” he says .
“ If ever you wanted a time where sustainable food systems were imaginable , where you had the labour force ready to engage in sustained transformation… now is the moment to do it .
”

From South Dakota to Brazil to Germany, meat processing workers around the world have been among the hardest hit by Covid-19. Will the pandemic force us to rethink our food system?
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It started in South Dakota. On March 25, even as some of the biggest US cities were just going into lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, a worker at a pork processing plant in the city of Sioux Falls (pop. 181,000) tested positive for the virus. Some at the plant suspected it wasn’t the first case.
Smithfield, the company operating the facility and largest pork producer in the world, quickly confirmed the March 25 case but said it would continue operations as usual. Three weeks later, the Sioux Falls plant had become the United States’ largest Covid-19 hotspot, with 644 of its 3,700 employees infected. More than half of all the cases in South Dakota could be traced back to the plant.
But it didn’t stop there. From Mississippi to Washington, Texas to Nebraska, one state after another reported outbreaks in beef, pork and poultry plants. Most had lockdown orders in place; a few, like South Dakota, did not, but it made little difference for meatpacking workers, who were considered “essential” and therefore still expected to show up for work.
As of May 22, according to the Food & Environment Reporting Network, more than 17,000 US meatpacking workers at 220 facilities have caught the virus, and 66 have died.
Many of these workers also brought the virus home to their families and communities, fuelling the spread of Covid-19. According to unions and employees themselves, they were given little choice. With wages averaging around $15 an hour at facilities like the Sioux Falls Smithfield plant, many workers live pay check to pay check, and would not be eligible for unemployment benefits if they quit.
Moreover, Smithfield workers say they were given incentives to keep working even if they were sick, including a $500 “responsibility bonus” promised to those who finished all of their shifts in April. (The company says all of its hourly workers were eligible for the bonus, including those “who miss[ed] work due to Covid-19 exposure or diagnosis”.)
Workers also say they were provided with insufficient protective equipment, despite union representatives raising concerns about Covid-19 contamination as early as the beginning of March, according to the BBC.
The risks faced by these workers highlight the profound inequalities cutting across the Covid-19 crisis not just in the United States, but worldwide. From Iowa to India, low-wage, often migrant workers have borne the brunt of both the deadly virus and the economic toll of lockdowns.
Meat processing plants illustrate this trend in particularly stark terms. Over the last month, the kinds of Covid-19 clusters first seen at facilities in the US Midwest and South have cropped up in Brazil, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
At a single Cargill beef processing plant in the Canadian province of Alberta, 949 of about 2,000 employees were infected with the virus and two died. In Canada as in the United States, meatpacking plants are staffed primarily by immigrants and in many cases refugees. Many have fled wars and other threats in countries ranging from Ethiopia to El Salvador to Vietnam, and some speak little English.
In Germany and France, slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants were among the first Covid-19 clusters to emerge as lockdown measures began to ease in early May. Germany’s meat industry, too, is heavily dependent on migrant labour: according to unions, about 80% of employees are temporary workers, mostly from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria and other countries in Eastern and Southern Europe.
Workers ‘as expendable as the things they’re slaughtering’
Why, then, has the meat industry been so hard hit by Covid-19?
“The one-word answer is monopoly,” says Raj Patel, a research professor in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin and expert on the global food system. “Across the world, the meat industry has been tending towards just a few large players.”
Patel points to a 2016 report by the United States Department of Agriculture showing that the four largest meatpacking companies “account for nearly 70 percent of the value of all US livestock purchased for slaughter, compared to just 26 percent in 1980".
In other major meat-producing countries, too, the industry is highly concentrated: for example, a 2011 study by the European Federation of Trade Unions in the Food, Agriculture and Tourism found that in France, Germany and the UK, the top five beef and poultry producers accounted for a large majority of their respective markets.
Patel says the Covid-19 outbreaks seen in so many meat processing plants are an “object lesson” in what happens when industries consolidate, “which is that in order to survive, everyone else has had to follow the kinds of practices that the largest players have adopted”.
“Those practices in the meat industry are around people and machines being very close to one another,” he continues. “So the carcasses fly through the line very quickly.”
The faster animal carcasses move along the production line, the closer together workers need to be, putting them at high risk of infection from airborne virus particles. Some experts have suggested that the cold, humid, enclosed conditions in meat facilities could also be a factor, though this remains unconfirmed.
Patel says that, while worker safety protocols and “line speeds” may vary from country to country, the standards set by the largest companies are increasingly becoming the global norm.
Furthermore, he says, working conditions in the meat industry can be substandard even in countries like France and Germany, where workers in other industries benefit from above-average labour rights.
“Actually, German poultry line speeds are much faster than in the United States,” he says. Moreover, the German meat industry relies heavily on subcontracting, with third-party companies responsible for hiring foreign workers on temporary contracts and in some cases lodging them in cramped dorms. Critics say these practices allowed the heavily immigrant workforce to be exploited, while shielding larger companies from accountability.
In such environments, Patel says, “workers are considered as expendable as the things that they’re slaughtering” — even in countries like Germany, which have otherwise largely kept Covid-19 in check.
“It is in the sites where expendable life is to be found that you see the worst effects of industrial monopoly concentration in the meat industry,” Patel adds.
Calls for a more sustainable food system
As the Covid-19 pandemic has put the meat industry in the international spotlight, some have proposed a simple solution: eat less meat. Patel agrees that a drastic reduction in meat consumption is key to “any sustainable future” for the food system, both for workers and the environment, but says calls to simply go vegetarian or vegan are only a “partial answer” to the problems the pandemic has highlighted.
He emphasises the need to listen to demands from food workers themselves when charting the transition to a more sustainable food system.
In some cases, that might in fact mean boycotting meat. In the US, a coalition led by Latino workers in Iowa — one of the states where the meat industry has been hardest hit by Covid-19 — issued a call for a nationwide “Meatless May” to protest against “unforgivable” conditions in meatpacking facilities.
Another US labour advocacy group, the Food Chain Workers Alliance, has issued a list of five steps that citizens can take to support at-risk workers, including putting pressure on both corporations and elected officials to guarantee sick pay, health care, the right to organize and other protections.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a more modest list of recommendations: screen workers for symptoms; increase space between workers (notably by reducing the “rate of animal processing”); enhance cleaning and disinfection; and provide multilingual education and training.
Under popular pressure following the recent outbreaks, the German government has gone further, announcing reforms to the industry including €30,000 fines for health and safety violations and a ban on subcontracting, effective in January 2021.
In France, the Confédération Paysanne farmers’ union has called for a return to smaller-scale, local meat production. In a statement this week, the group said: “The re-localisation of (meat) processing is one of the necessary steps towards a more resilient system.”
The European Commission has echoed some of these proposals in its Farm to Fork Strategy, also published this week as part of its roadmap for the continent-wide Green Deal announced in January. The Commission says it plans to promote “shorter supply chains” in order “to enhance resilience of regional and local food systems”.
The Farm to Fork Strategy also calls explicitly for reducing consumption of meat: “Moving to a more plant-based diet with less red and processed meat and with more fruits and vegetables will reduce not only risks of life-threatening diseases, but also the environmental impact of the food system.”
Patel says that these are all important steps, but stresses that there are no easy fixes, and that improving conditions in the food industry will also ultimately mean paying more for food.
“Small-scale farming is part of it, but so is well-paid migrant labour, and so are dignified wages for everyone,” so that food produced under fair conditions is affordable to all, he says. He says workers in the meat industry deserve a “just transition” to a more sustainable system, as has been proposed for those working in fossil fuels.
Patel adds that this is a rare opportunity to begin that transition.
“This is a moment to pivot,” he says. “If ever you wanted a time where sustainable food systems were imaginable, where you had the labour force ready to engage in sustained transformation… now is the moment to do it.”
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france24--2020-05-24--China ‘open’ to international investigation into source of Covid-19

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks to reporters via video link at a news conference held on the sidelines of the National People 's Congress ( NPC ) from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 24 , 2020 .
China is `` open '' to international cooperation to identify the source of the novel coronavirus but any investigation must be `` free of political interference '' , China 's foreign minister said Sunday .
Wang Yi blasted what he called efforts by US politicians to `` fabricate rumours '' about the pathogen 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United States and Australia have called in recent weeks for an investigation into the origins of the pandemic .
Both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have accused China of a lack of transparency over the issue , and repeatedly pushed the theory that the virus leaked from a Chinese maximum-security laboratory .
Most scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans , possibly from a market selling exotic animals for meat in the central Chinese city of Wuhan .
`` China is open to working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of the virus , '' Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of China 's annual parliament session .
`` At the same time , we believe that this should be professional , fair and constructive , '' he added .
`` Fairness means the process be free of political interference , respect the sovereignty of all countries , and oppose any presumption of guilt . ''
The World Health Organization has also called on Beijing to invite them in to investigate the source , with China proposing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should only be assessed when the pandemic is over .
WHO members on Tuesday adopted a resolution at the UN body 's first virtual assembly to review international handling of the pandemic .

China is "open" to international cooperation to identify the source of the novel coronavirus but any investigation must be "free of political interference", China's foreign minister said Sunday.
Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks to reporters via video link at a news conference held on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC) from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 24, 2020.
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Wang Yi blasted what he called efforts by US politicians to "fabricate rumours" about the pathogen's origins and "stigmatise China".
The United States and Australia have called in recent weeks for an investigation into the origins of the pandemic.
Both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have accused China of a lack of transparency over the issue, and repeatedly pushed the theory that the virus leaked from a Chinese maximum-security laboratory.
Most scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans, possibly from a market selling exotic animals for meat in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
"China is open to working with the international scientific community to look into the source of the virus," Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of China's annual parliament session.
"At the same time, we believe that this should be professional, fair and constructive," he added.
"Fairness means the process be free of political interference, respect the sovereignty of all countries, and oppose any presumption of guilt."
The World Health Organization has also called on Beijing to invite them in to investigate the source, with China proposing that the "global response" to Covid-19 should only be assessed when the pandemic is over.
WHO members on Tuesday adopted a resolution at the UN body's first virtual assembly to review international handling of the pandemic.
‘A new Cold War’
News of the investigation came as the Chinese foreigh minister warned on Sunday that the United States was pushing relations with China to "the brink of a new Cold War", with tensions soaring over coronavirus, Hong Kong's status and other issues.
"It has come to our attention that some political forces in the US are taking China-US relations hostage and pushing our two countries to the brink of a new Cold War," Wang told reporters.
Longstanding friction between the two powers over trade, human rights and other issues have been pushed to new heights since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Wang did not identify what "forces" he was referring to, but Trump has led world criticism of China's initial response to the pandemic, which has caused more than 330,000 deaths and economic carnage worldwide.
The introduction in China's legislature on Friday of a proposal to impose a security law in Hong Kong to suppress the semi-autonomous city's pro-democracy movement has further raised the temperature, drawing US and world condemnation.
But Wang hit back at Washington, accusing it of seeking to repeatedly "attack and smear" China.
"Aside from the devastation caused by the novel coronavirus, there is also a political virus spreading through the US," Wang said.
”This political virus is the use of every opportunity to attack and smear China. Some politicians completely disregard basic facts and have fabricated too many lies targeting China, and plotted too many conspiracies.”
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-24--Israel’s PM Netanyahu goes on trial for corruption

In this March 8 , 2020 photo , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem .
A new page in Israeli history opens Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu becomes the first sitting premier to face criminal charges , accused of a string of corruption allegations he denies .
After more than 500 days of electoral deadlock in which he fought for his political survival Netanyahu is to take his seat in the Jerusalem District Court for a new battle -- to stay out of prison and avoid a stain on his legacy .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is the first Israeli prime minister born after the foundation of the state in 1948 and the longest-serving in its history .
But the impending trial is a deeply-unwanted first .
In 2009 , prime minister Ehud Olmert stepped down after police recommended he be indicted for graft .
He was later tried and convicted of taking bribes and sentenced to 27 months in prison , but was paroled after less than a year and a half .
Like Netanyahu , Olmert came from the right-wing Likud party , although he subsequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fighting tooth and nail to avoid Olmert 's fate .
Among the charges he faces is that he sought to illegally trade favours in exchange for positive coverage for himself in Yediot Aharonot , Israel 's top-selling newspaper .
He is also accused of accepting cigars , champagne and jewellery worth 700,000 shekels ( 180,000 euros ) from wealthy personalities in exchange for favours .
Perhaps most serious of all is the claim that Netanyahu offered media mogul Shaul Elovitch regulatory changes worth millions of dollars to his telecom giant Bezeq in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
news website .
That charge is also the most complex , said Amir Fuchs , a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute , who says it differs from `` classic '' bribery cases where money changes hands .
In this case , Fuchs argued , the allegation is that Netanyahu `` is getting only media coverage , '' rather than cash .
`` It is unprecedented , '' he told reporters .
But in the Bezeq case , Fuchs adds , Netanyahu is accused of doing far more than seek flattering write-ups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of this site even on the specifics of which posts to make , or which pictures to make . ''
Netanyahu denies all the accusations and claims he is the victim of a witch hunt by the media and legal officials .
After months of suspense and repeated police questioning of Netanyahu , Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in January filed charges against the premier .
Many commentators considered this the premier 's political death warrant .
But Netanyahu retained the Likud leadership and after three inconclusive general elections managed to hammer out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benny Gantz .
Under the agreement , Netanyahu will continue to lead the government for 18 months before handing over the premiership to Gantz .
Netanyahu 's trial had been due to open in mid-March , but the COVID-19 pandemic lead to a postponement to May 24 , and the proceedings will be marked by social-distancing and other hygiene measures .
Netanyahu 's lawyers requested that he be excused from appearing in person on Sunday afternoon ( 1200 GMT ) at the opening of a trial that will stretch over months or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his attendance , to hear the formal reading of the charges against him and confirm that he has read and understands them , was merely technical .
But the court rejected the request , citing a clause in Israeli criminal law stating that `` a person may not be tried on criminal charges except in his presence . ''
Under Israeli law , a sitting prime minister does not have automatic immunity from prosecution but also is not obliged to resign when charged , only when convicted and after all avenues of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , professor of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , argues that there is `` a basic incompatibility '' between Netanyahu 's role as head of the government and his status as a criminal defendant .
In the latter role , Shany says , the premier will be `` fighting very aggressively and maybe effectively to weaken the government authorities that are prosecuting him '' .
`` There is a very serious conflict of interest situation , '' he said .
Once the trial is under way the three judges selected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand Netanyahu 's presence in court when they consider it necessary .
At any time before the verdict Israeli law allows Netanyahu to change his plea in exchange for lesser or fewer charges .
Such plea bargains are common in Israeli courts .

Benjamin Netanyahu professed his innocence at the start of his corruption trial on Sunday, saying he was being framed in the first criminal prosecution of a serving Israeli prime minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wearing a face mask, looks on while standing inside the court room as his corruption trial opens at the Jerusalem District Court May 24, 2020.
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Flanked by a clutch of cabinet ministers from his right-wing Likud party, and speaking forcefully, Netanyahu appealed to public opinion, addressing television cameras in the courthouse hallway before taking his seat on the defendants' bench.
"These investigations were tainted and stitched-up from the first moment," Netanyahu said about charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud at the centre of three graft cases against him.
01:38
Outside the courthouse, and separated by metal barriers and police, hundreds of his supporters and opponents held noisy demonstrations. Chants of "Bibi, king of Israel" from Netanyahu faithful using his nickname echoed through the court building.
Netanyahu, 70, was indicted in November in cases involving gifts from millionaire friends and for allegedly seeking regulatory favours for media tycoons in return for favourable coverage.
He drove in a motorcade to court after attending the first working session of his new "unity" cabinet, sworn in a week ago after a surprise power-sharing deal with his main opponent Benny Gantz. Its inauguration ended more than a year of political deadlock in the wake of three inconclusive elections.
05:12
In his hallway appearance, Netanyahu dubbed prosecutors and police the "Just Not Bibi Gang", reasserting that he was a victim of a political witch-hunt abetted by a left-wing media to drive him from office.
"I am appearing here today, as your prime minister, standing tall and with head high," Netanyahu said, vowing to beat the charges and continue to lead Israel in his current fifth term.
He is Israel's longest-serving leader, now in office for more than 11 straight years, plus three years in the 1990s.
On the street, a supporter's sign read: "Netanyahu, you'll never walk alone".
"Crime Minister," countered a banner draped over a barrier in the other camp's protest area.
In the courtroom, one of the judges asked Netanyahu whether he had read and understood the indictment.
The prime minister then stood up and replied: "Yes, your Honour."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-24--New York Times marks grim Covid-19 milestone with 1,000 obituaries

A tweet from the New York Times showing its front page for Sunday , May 24 appears on a computer screen in Los Angeles on May 23 .
The page is devoted to a thousand people who died of the coronavirus .
As the United States approached 100,000 coronavirus deaths , The New York Times on Sunday marked the grim milestone with a stark memorial on its front page -- one-line obituaries for 1,000 victims .
`` The 1,000 people here reflect just one percent of the toll .
None were mere numbers , '' the newspaper said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was entirely covered in text .
The United States has been the hardest-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic by far , in deaths and number of infections .
As of Saturday evening , the US had recorded 97,048 deaths and 1.6 million cases of the virus , and will likely reach 100,000 fatalities in a matter of days .
Victims featured by the Times included `` Joe Diffie , 62 , Nashville , Grammy-winning country music star , '' and `` Lila A. Fenwick , 87 , New York City , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School . ''
Also : `` Myles Coker , 69 , New York City , freed from life in prison , '' `` Ruth Skapinok , 85 , Roseville , Calif. , backyard birds were known to eat from her hand , '' and `` Jordan Driver Haynes , 27 , Cedar Rapids , Iowa , generous young man with a delightful grin . ''
Marc Lacey , the paper 's national editor , said , `` I wanted something that people would look back on in 100 years to understand the toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The milestone of 100,000 deaths loomed as US states across the country ease lockdown measures .
President Donald Trump , with an eye on his re-election prospects in November , has pressed for a further reopening of the country as job losses mount and the economy slows from coronavirus shutdowns .
`` TRANSITION TO GREATNESS , '' Trump tweeted Saturday evening , his slogan for the reopening of America .
But many online commentators noted the dissonance between the staggering death toll and Trump 's tweet .
George Conway , a frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House counselor Kellyanne Conway , tweeted the newspaper front page -- alongside a photo of Trump playing golf on Saturday .

As the United States approached 100,000 coronavirus deaths, The New York Times on Sunday marked the grim milestone with a stark memorial on its front page -- one-line obituaries for 1,000 victims.
A tweet from the New York Times showing its front page for Sunday, May 24 appears on a computer screen in Los Angeles on May 23. The page is devoted to a thousand people who died of the coronavirus.
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"The 1,000 people here reflect just one percent of the toll. None were mere numbers," the newspaper said in a short introduction on the front page, which was entirely covered in text.
The United States has been the hardest-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic by far, in deaths and number of infections.
As of Saturday evening, the US had recorded 97,048 deaths and 1.6 million cases of the virus, and will likely reach 100,000 fatalities in a matter of days.
Victims featured by the Times included "Joe Diffie, 62, Nashville, Grammy-winning country music star," and "Lila A. Fenwick, 87, New York City, first black woman to graduate from Harvard Law School."
Also: "Myles Coker, 69, New York City, freed from life in prison," "Ruth Skapinok, 85, Roseville, Calif., backyard birds were known to eat from her hand," and "Jordan Driver Haynes, 27, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, generous young man with a delightful grin."
Marc Lacey, the paper's national editor, said, "I wanted something that people would look back on in 100 years to understand the toll of what we're living through."
The milestone of 100,000 deaths loomed as US states across the country ease lockdown measures.
President Donald Trump, with an eye on his re-election prospects in November, has pressed for a further reopening of the country as job losses mount and the economy slows from coronavirus shutdowns.
"TRANSITION TO GREATNESS," Trump tweeted Saturday evening, his slogan for the reopening of America.
But many online commentators noted the dissonance between the staggering death toll and Trump's tweet.
George Conway, a frequent critic of Trump and husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, tweeted the newspaper front page -- alongside a photo of Trump playing golf on Saturday.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-24--Muslims worldwide begin celebrating Eid al-Fitr under Covid-19 restrictions

Muslim men in Indonesia take part in prayers during Eid al-Fitr , the Muslim festival marking the end the holy fasting month of Ramadan , at a mosque in Palu , Central Sulawesi Province , amid the spread of Covid-19 on May 24 , 2020 .
Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eid al-Fitr Sunday , many under coronavirus lockdown , but lax restrictions offer respite to worshippers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections .
The festival , one of the most important in the Muslim calendar marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , family feasts and shopping for new clothes , gifts and sweet treats .
But this year , the celebration is overshadowed by the fast-spreading respiratory disease , with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections .
Further dampening the festive spirit , multiple countries -- from Saudi Arabia to Egypt , Turkey and Syria -- have banned mass prayer gatherings , a festival highlight , to limit the spread of the disease .
Saudi Arabia , home to Islam 's holiest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew from Saturday after infections more than quadrupled since the start of Ramadan to around 68,000 -- the highest in the Gulf .
Eid prayers will be held at the two holy mosques in the cities of Mecca and Medina `` without worshippers '' , authorities said on Saturday , citing a royal decree .
Mecca 's Grand Mosque has been almost devoid of worshippers since March , with a stunning emptiness enveloping the sacred Kaaba -- a large cube-shaped structure towards which Muslims around the world pray .
Jerusalem 's Al-Aqsa mosque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will reopen to worshippers only after Eid , its governing body said .
In Lebanon , the highest Sunni religious authority has announced the reopening of mosques only for Friday prayers .
Worshippers , however , will be subject to temperature checks and sanitary controls before they enter .
Meanwhile , Muslims across Asia -- from Indonesia to Pakistan , Malaysia and Afghanistan -- thronged markets for pre-festival shopping , flouting coronavirus guidelines and sometimes even police attempts to disperse large crowds .
`` For over two months my children were homebound , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of four , at a bustling market in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi .
`` This feast is for the kids , and if they ca n't celebrate it with new garments , there is no point in us working so hard throughout the year . ''
Pakistan , which gave into religious pressure by allowing mosque prayers throughout the fasting of Ramadan , is yet to make a decision over mass gatherings during Eid .
In Indonesia -- the world 's most populous Muslim nation -- people are turning to smugglers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the annual end-of-Ramadan travel that could send infections soaring .
More than 3,500 Tunisians who travelled home just ahead of the holiday will have to spend it away from their families , forced to quarantine for two weeks in hotels after arriving from abroad .
Atef Maherzi , a doctor repatriated Tuesday from Saudi Arabia , said she would be catching up with family over Skype , foregoing her usual role of host .
`` Usually , I 'm the mistress of the house , but this time , my husband will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 death tolls across the Middle East and Asia have been lower than in Europe and the United States , but numbers are rising steadily , sparking fears the virus may overwhelm often underfunded healthcare systems .
Iran , which has experienced the Middle East 's deadliest outbreak , has called on its citizens to avoid travel during Eid as it battles to control infection rates .
Iran shut schools and places of worship and banned inter-city travel for the Persian New Year holidays in March , but the restrictions were recently eased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country was focusing hard on avoiding `` new peaks of the disease '' caused by people `` not respecting health regulations '' .
The exact date of Eid has yet to be set in the Shiite-majority country , but will likely be Monday , in line with the Shiite community 's celebrations in Iraq , as announced by top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani .
Sunnis in Iraq will mark the start of the festival on Sunday .
The neighbouring United Arab Emirates has tightened its lockdown , with the night-time curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) instead of 10:00 pm during Ramadan .
But that has not stopped some families from planning getaways to luxury beachfront hotels in Ajman or Ras Al-Khaimah emirates .
However , Muslims in many countries are set for frugal celebrations amid growing financial distress .
The twin shocks of coronavirus restrictions and falling oil prices have plunged the region into the worst economic crisis in decades .
The coronavirus restrictions have hit businesses hard , including retailers who would normally be preparing for the festive rush , as Muslims save their money for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear .
In the Syrian capital Damascus , Eid shoppers rummaged through flea markets for clothes at bargain prices as the war-ravaged and sanctions-hit country grapples with a much more entrenched economic crisis .
`` The flea market is the only place I can buy something new to wear for the Eid holidays , '' 28-year-old Sham Alloush told AFP .
`` Had it not been for this place , I would n't have been able to buy new clothes at all . ''
But promising some laughs in these dire times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will host a virtual show on Sunday called `` The Socially Distant Eid Comedy Night '' .
`` This Ramadan has been particularly difficult for communities around the world , '' said Muddassar Ahmed , head of the Concordia Forum , the organiser of the event .
`` We 're proud to be pulling together some of the brightest Muslim comedic talent to entertain those celebrating the Eid festival at home , people looking to learn a little bit about Muslim culture , or really anyone in need of a good laugh .
@

Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eid al-Fitr Sunday, many under coronavirus lockdown, but lax restrictions offer respite to worshippers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections.
Muslim men in Indonesia take part in prayers during Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim festival marking the end the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at a mosque in Palu, Central Sulawesi Province, amid the spread of Covid-19 on May 24, 2020.
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The festival, one of the most important in the Muslim calendar marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is traditionally celebrated with mosque prayers, family feasts and shopping for new clothes, gifts and sweet treats.
But this year, the celebration is overshadowed by the fast-spreading respiratory disease, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections.
Further dampening the festive spirit, multiple countries -- from Saudi Arabia to Egypt, Turkey and Syria -- have banned mass prayer gatherings, a festival highlight, to limit the spread of the disease.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, began a five-day, round-the-clock curfew from Saturday after infections more than quadrupled since the start of Ramadan to around 68,000 -- the highest in the Gulf.
Eid prayers will be held at the two holy mosques in the cities of Mecca and Medina "without worshippers", authorities said on Saturday, citing a royal decree.
Mecca's Grand Mosque has been almost devoid of worshippers since March, with a stunning emptiness enveloping the sacred Kaaba -- a large cube-shaped structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.
Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site, will reopen to worshippers only after Eid, its governing body said.
In Lebanon, the highest Sunni religious authority has announced the reopening of mosques only for Friday prayers. Worshippers, however, will be subject to temperature checks and sanitary controls before they enter.
Fears of 'new peaks'
Meanwhile, Muslims across Asia -- from Indonesia to Pakistan, Malaysia and Afghanistan -- thronged markets for pre-festival shopping, flouting coronavirus guidelines and sometimes even police attempts to disperse large crowds.
"For over two months my children were homebound," said Ishrat Jahan, a mother of four, at a bustling market in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.
"This feast is for the kids, and if they can't celebrate it with new garments, there is no point in us working so hard throughout the year."
Pakistan, which gave into religious pressure by allowing mosque prayers throughout the fasting of Ramadan, is yet to make a decision over mass gatherings during Eid.
In Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim nation -- people are turning to smugglers and fake travel documents to get around bans on the annual end-of-Ramadan travel that could send infections soaring.
More than 3,500 Tunisians who travelled home just ahead of the holiday will have to spend it away from their families, forced to quarantine for two weeks in hotels after arriving from abroad.
Atef Maherzi, a doctor repatriated Tuesday from Saudi Arabia, said she would be catching up with family over Skype, foregoing her usual role of host.
"Usually, I'm the mistress of the house, but this time, my husband will receive the guests alone."
The COVID-19 death tolls across the Middle East and Asia have been lower than in Europe and the United States, but numbers are rising steadily, sparking fears the virus may overwhelm often underfunded healthcare systems.
Iran, which has experienced the Middle East's deadliest outbreak, has called on its citizens to avoid travel during Eid as it battles to control infection rates.
Iran shut schools and places of worship and banned inter-city travel for the Persian New Year holidays in March, but the restrictions were recently eased.
Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that the country was focusing hard on avoiding "new peaks of the disease" caused by people "not respecting health regulations".
The exact date of Eid has yet to be set in the Shiite-majority country, but will likely be Monday, in line with the Shiite community's celebrations in Iraq, as announced by top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
Sunnis in Iraq will mark the start of the festival on Sunday.
'Comedy night'
The neighbouring United Arab Emirates has tightened its lockdown, with the night-time curfew starting at 8:00 pm (1600 GMT) instead of 10:00 pm during Ramadan.
But that has not stopped some families from planning getaways to luxury beachfront hotels in Ajman or Ras Al-Khaimah emirates.
However, Muslims in many countries are set for frugal celebrations amid growing financial distress.
The twin shocks of coronavirus restrictions and falling oil prices have plunged the region into the worst economic crisis in decades.
The coronavirus restrictions have hit businesses hard, including retailers who would normally be preparing for the festive rush, as Muslims save their money for masks, gloves and other COVID-19 protective gear.
In the Syrian capital Damascus, Eid shoppers rummaged through flea markets for clothes at bargain prices as the war-ravaged and sanctions-hit country grapples with a much more entrenched economic crisis.
"The flea market is the only place I can buy something new to wear for the Eid holidays," 28-year-old Sham Alloush told AFP.
"Had it not been for this place, I wouldn't have been able to buy new clothes at all."
But promising some laughs in these dire times, 40 Muslim comedians from across the world will host a virtual show on Sunday called "The Socially Distant Eid Comedy Night".
"This Ramadan has been particularly difficult for communities around the world," said Muddassar Ahmed, head of the Concordia Forum, the organiser of the event.
"We're proud to be pulling together some of the brightest Muslim comedic talent to entertain those celebrating the Eid festival at home, people looking to learn a little bit about Muslim culture, or really anyone in need of a good laugh."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-23--UK PM Johnson resists calls to fire adviser Cummings for breaking lockdown

Number 10 Downing Street special advisor Dominic Cummings gets out of his car as he arrives at his home in London on May 23 , 2020 after allegations he broke coronavirus lockdown rules by travelling across the country in March .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted calls on Saturday from opposition parties to sack senior adviser Dominic Cummings after he travelled 400 km ( 250 miles ) to northern England while his wife showed COVID-19 symptoms .
Cummings , who masterminded the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union during the Brexit referendum , travelled to Durham in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already in place .
Johnson 's office said Cummings made the journey to ensure his 4-year-old son could be properly cared for as his wife was ill with COVID-19 and there was a `` high likelihood '' that Cummings would himself become unwell .
`` I behaved reasonably and legally , '' Cummings told reporters outside his house after telling them to stay 2 metres apart in accordance with government guidelines .
Asked if he would consider his position , he said : `` Obviously not . ''
He then chided reporters for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 Brexit referendum .
`` You guys are probably all about as right about that as you were about Brexit : do you remember how right you all were about that ? ''
Cummings said .
`` I can tell you that the PM provides Mr Cummings with his full support , '' Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told reporters , adding that he did not know when the prime minister found out about the journey .
Downing Street said Cummings ' `` actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines '' .
The Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported the story , reported later on Saturday that Cummings may have made a second trip to northern England during the lockdown .
Reuters was unable to immediately verify those reports .
But opposition parties called for Johnson to sack Cummings and Labour called on the country 's most senior civil servant , Mark Sedwill , to open an investigation into the journey .
`` The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for the prime minister ’ s most senior adviser , '' Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings ' journey , Johnson imposed a lockdown in the United Kingdom and asked people to stay at home .
He said on March 23 that people `` should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home '' .
Shortly after Johnson announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 , Cummings sprinted out of Downing Street on March 27 and developed symptoms on the weekend of March 28-29 .
Government guidelines say that those who have COVID-19 or suspect they have it should self-isolate for at least seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave their house for any reason .
The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats called for Cummings to be sacked .
Other prominent figures have resigned after breaking lockdown rules .
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson quit as a member of the government 's scientific advisory group after he was visited at home by his girlfriend .
Scotland ’ s chief medical officer , Catherine Calderwood , stepped down after she was caught making two trips to her second home .

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted calls on Saturday from opposition parties to sack senior adviser Dominic Cummings after he travelled 400 km (250 miles) to northern England while his wife showed COVID-19 symptoms.
Number 10 Downing Street special advisor Dominic Cummings gets out of his car as he arrives at his home in London on May 23, 2020 after allegations he broke coronavirus lockdown rules by travelling across the country in March.
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Cummings, who masterminded the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union during the Brexit referendum, travelled to Durham in late March, when a strict lockdown was already in place.
Johnson's office said Cummings made the journey to ensure his 4-year-old son could be properly cared for as his wife was ill with COVID-19 and there was a "high likelihood" that Cummings would himself become unwell.
"I behaved reasonably and legally," Cummings told reporters outside his house after telling them to stay 2 metres apart in accordance with government guidelines.
Asked if he would consider his position, he said: "Obviously not." He then chided reporters for being wrong about the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum.
"You guys are probably all about as right about that as you were about Brexit: do you remember how right you all were about that?" Cummings said.
Ministers voiced support for the senior adviser.
"I can tell you that the PM provides Mr Cummings with his full support," Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told reporters, adding that he did not know when the prime minister found out about the journey.
Downing Street said Cummings' "actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines".
The Guardian and the Mirror newspapers, which first reported the story, reported later on Saturday that Cummings may have made a second trip to northern England during the lockdown. Reuters was unable to immediately verify those reports.
"Sack Cummings"
But opposition parties called for Johnson to sack Cummings and Labour called on the country's most senior civil servant, Mark Sedwill, to open an investigation into the journey.
"The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for the prime minister’s most senior adviser," Labour said.
Just a few days before Cummings' journey, Johnson imposed a lockdown in the United Kingdom and asked people to stay at home. He said on March 23 that people "should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home".
Shortly after Johnson announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, Cummings sprinted out of Downing Street on March 27 and developed symptoms on the weekend of March 28-29.
Government guidelines say that those who have COVID-19 or suspect they have it should self-isolate for at least seven days along with their household and not leave their house for any reason.
The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats called for Cummings to be sacked.
Other prominent figures have resigned after breaking lockdown rules.
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson quit as a member of the government's scientific advisory group after he was visited at home by his girlfriend. Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, stepped down after she was caught making two trips to her second home.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-24--Afghanistan's Ghani to accelerate Taliban prisoner release after agreeing to Eid ceasefire

Former Afghan Taliban fighters stand next to weapons before handing them over as part of a government peace and reconciliation process at a ceremony in Jalalabad , Afghanistan on March 1 , 2020 .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani vowed Sunday to speed up the release of Taliban prisoners after welcoming a surprise offer by the insurgents of a three-day ceasefire during the Eid holiday .
`` As a responsible government we take one more step forward -- I announce that I will expedite the Taliban prisoner releases , '' Ghani said in an address to the nation marking Eid al-Fitr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press on with the release of the Afghan security personnel they hold .
A US-Taliban deal signed in February stipulated that the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners while the insurgents would free about 1,000 Afghan security force personnel .
The prisoner swap is seen as a confidence-building move ahead of long-awaited peace talks between the government and Taliban .
Kabul has so far released about 1,000 Taliban inmates while the insurgents have freed about 300 Afghan security force personnel .
The Eid al-Fitr holiday marks the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 there has only been one other pause in the fighting -- a three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and Kabul , also marking the end of Eid in 2018 .
That ceasefire was initiated by Ghani .

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani began a process Sunday to release up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture after the insurgents proposed a surprise ceasefire during the Eid holiday.
Former Afghan Taliban fighters stand next to weapons before handing them over as part of a government peace and reconciliation process at a ceremony in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on March 1, 2020.
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Ghani also said the government was ready to hold peace talks with the Taliban after accepting their offer of a three-day truce over the Eid al-Fitr holiday starting Sunday that marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The decision to release the prisoners was a "good will gesture" and was taken "to ensure success of the peace process", Ghani's spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter.
Ghani said earlier Sunday he would expedite the process of freeing Taliban inmates.
A US-Taliban deal signed in February stipulated that the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners while the insurgents would free about 1,000 Afghan security force personnel.
The prisoner swap is seen as a confidence-building move ahead of long-awaited peace talks between the government and Taliban.
Before Sunday's announcement, Kabul has already released about 1,000 Taliban inmates while the insurgents have freed about 300 Afghan security force personnel.
Ghani also said a government delegation was "ready to immediately start the peace talks" with the insurgents.
Government negotiators would be headed by Ghani's former bitter rival Abdullah Abdullah after the two signed a power-sharing deal last week that ended a months-long political crisis.
Freed Taliban must not fight
The Taliban have repeatedly mocked members of Ghani's administration, referring to them as "puppets" controlled by foreign powers.
The militants' offer of a truce comes just days after leader Haibatullah Akhundzada urged Washington "not to waste" the opportunity offered by the deal with the US that set the stage for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.
US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who brokered the deal, said on Twitter Saturday that the ceasefire was "a momentous opportunity that should not be missed" while pledging that the United States would "do its part to help".
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also urged the two sides to seize the opportunity to start peace talks, with the release of prisoners as the first step.
But he said in a statement Sunday that he expected "the Taliban to adhere to their commitment not to allow released prisoners to return to the battlefield".
He also urged the two sides to avoid escalating violence after Eid.
US President Donald Trump's administration has made it a priority to end America's longest war, and in a bid to pull out foreign forces US officials have been pushing the Taliban and government leaders to hold peace talks.
Analysts however say the Taliban have been emboldened by the deal with the US, and Afghan government officials have reported more than 3,800 attacks since it was signed, killing 420 civilians and wounding 906.
'Want lasting peace'
Khalilzad has maintained that the insurgents have kept up their end of the bargain by not attacking coalition forces -- even if recent violence violated the spirit of the accord.
His remarks came after a horrific attack against a maternity hospital in Kabul that killed dozens -- including mothers and infants -- and a suicide bombing at a funeral.
The Taliban denied involvement in the attacks, but Ghani blamed them and the Islamic State group for the violence.
War-weary Kabul residents expressed relief after the truce was announced.
"I'm happy that we are witnessing a rare ceasefire in Afghanistan," said 18-year-old barber Abidullah Nasimi as he offered morning prayers at a Kabul mosque.
"But this is not enough, we want a permanent ceasefire and end of bloodshed so that we have lasting peace in the country."
Since the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 there has only been one other pause in the fighting -- a three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and Kabul, also marking the end of Eid in 2018.
That ceasefire was initiated by Ghani.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-24--White House bans entry to US from Brazil due to Covid-19

People are seen at the President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport , amid the spread of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) , in Brasilia , Brazil May 24 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump on Sunday suspended travel from Brazil , which has emerged as a major new hotspot in the coronavirus pandemic , the White House said .
Non-Americans who have been in Brazil in the 14-day period prior to when they seek admittance to the US can not come to America , said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany .
Trade is not affected by the new rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country , '' she said in a statement .
With nearly 350,000 confirmed cases , Brazil now has the second-biggest caseload in the world , after the United States .
It has registered more than 22,000 deaths .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is a political ally of Trump and with his brash , not politically correct way of speaking , he has been dubbed the `` Tropical Trump . ''
And , like Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , famously comparing the virus to a `` little flu '' and arguing that stay-at-home measures are unnecessarily hurting Latin America 's largest economy .

President Donald Trump on Sunday suspended travel from Brazil, which has emerged as a major new hotspot in the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said.
People are seen at the President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brasilia, Brazil May 24, 2020.
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Non-Americans who have been in Brazil in the 14-day period prior to when they seek admittance to the US cannot come to America, said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Trade is not affected by the new rule.
"Today’s action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country," she said in a statement.
With more than 360,000 confirmed cases, Brazil now has the second-biggest caseload in the world, after the United States. It has registered more than 22,000 deaths.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is a political ally of Trump and with his brash, not politically correct way of speaking, he has been dubbed the "Tropical Trump."
And, like Trump, Bolsonaro has downplayed the health crisis, famously comparing the virus to a "little flu" and arguing that stay-at-home measures are unnecessarily hurting Latin America's largest economy.
Brazil downplayed Trump's move as standard procedure.
"The decision... is identical to measures taken previously that suspended travel from other countries affected by COVID-19, including China, Iran, the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as the European Union's Schengen zone," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Brazil had itself already barred foreigners from entering the country because of the pandemic.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-24--UK PM defends top aide over lockdown breach, announces schools to partially reopen

A handout image released by 10 Downing Street , shows Britain 's Prime Minister Boris Johnson standing in front of the government 's newest slogan `` Stay Alert , Control the Virus , Save Lives '' as he speaks during a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic , inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 24 , 2020 .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday he would n't fire his chief aide for allegedly violating the national lockdown rules that he helped to create by driving the length of England to his parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Defying a growing clamor from public and politicians , Johnson said Dominic Cummings had acted “ responsibly , legally and with integrity ” when he drove 250 miles ( 400 kilometers ) from London to Durham , in northeast England , with his wife and son at the end of March .
Britain 's lockdown , which began March 23 , stipulated that people should remain at their primary residence , leaving only for essential local errands and exercise .
Anyone with coronavirus symptoms was told to completely isolate themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near extended family because his wife was showing COVID-19 symptoms , he correctly thought he was also infected and he wanted to ensure that his 4-year-old son was looked after .
Johnson told a news conference that Cummings had `` followed the instincts of every father and every parent.
” He said Cummings , his wife and son followed the rules by self-isolating for 14 days once they reached Durham .
But critics of the government expressed outrage that Cummings had broken strict rules that for two months have prevented Britons from visiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even attending the funerals of loved ones .
The opposition Labour Party has called for an official investigation .
Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson 's defense of Cummings was “ an insult to sacrifices made by the British people.
” '' The prime minister ’ s actions have undermined confidence in his own public health message at this crucial time , '' he said .
Former Labour lawmaker Helen Goodman , whose father died in a nursing home during the outbreak , said Cummings ’ behavior was “ repellent.
” “ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we all made ?
What was the point of the miserable , lonely death that my father had ?
” she told the BBC .
Speaking inside the prime minister 's 10 Downing St. residence , Johnson said “ I can totally get why people might feel so confused and ... so offended by the idea that it was one thing for the people here and one thing for others . ''
But he said Cumming 's “ particular childcare needs ” left him “ no alternative ” but to make the 250-mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that Cummings was spotted again in Durham on April 19 , after he had recovered and returned to work in London .
But they have not confirmed or denied report that Cummings visited a scenic area 30 miles ( 50 kilometers ) from Durham on April 12 .
Cummings is a key but contentious figure in Johnson ’ s administration .
A self-styled political disrupter who disdains the media and civil service , he was one of the architects of the successful campaign to take Britain out of the European Union , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory in December .
The coronavirus cut a swath through the top ranks of Britain ’ s government in March and April , infecting people including Cummings , Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Johnson himself , who has said that the medical staff at a London hospital saved his life .
Despite the government 's support for Cummings , several lawmakers from Johnson ’ s Conservative Party joined the opposition in calling for the aide to be sacked .
“ Dominic Cummings has a track record of believing that the rules don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny that should come to anyone in a position of authority with contempt , ” tweeted Conservative lawmaker Damian Collins .
“ The government would be better without him.
” Another Tory legislator , Steve Baker , said Cummings must resign for not “ abiding by the spirit , at least , of the slogans which he has enforced on the rest of the country.
” Johnson ’ s government is already facing criticism for its response to a pandemic that has hit Britain harder than any other European country .
Britain ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36,793 , the second-highest confirmed total in the world after the United States .
Statistics that include suspected as well as confirmed virus cases put the toll well over 40,000 .
The U.K. is gradually easing its lockdown , allowing more outdoor recreation and letting some shops and businesses reopen .
Johnson confirmed Sunday that primary schools can start reopening in June , though many parents and teachers worry that it is n't yet safe to do so .
Johnson said the government was still aiming to have pupils in the first and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classrooms on June 1 , though he acknowledged that “ may not be possible for all schools.
” Cummings is one of several senior U.K. officials to be accused of flouting the lockdown rules .
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson stepped down as government scientific adviser earlier this month after a newspaper disclosed that his girlfriend had crossed London to stay with him during the lockdown .
In April , Catherine Calderwood resigned as Scotland ’ s chief medical officer after twice traveling from Edinburgh to her second home .

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday he wouldn't fire his chief aide for allegedly violating the national lockdown rules that he helped to create by driving the length of England to his parents' house while he was infected with the coronavirus.
A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson standing in front of the government's newest slogan "Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives" as he speaks during a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 24, 2020.
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Defying a growing clamor from public and politicians, Johnson said Dominic Cummings had acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity” when he drove 250 miles (400 kilometers) from London to Durham, in northeast England, with his wife and son at the end of March.
Britain's lockdown, which began March 23, stipulated that people should remain at their primary residence, leaving only for essential local errands and exercise. Anyone with coronavirus symptoms was told to completely isolate themselves.
Cummings says he traveled to be near extended family because his wife was showing COVID-19 symptoms, he correctly thought he was also infected and he wanted to ensure that his 4-year-old son was looked after.
'Followed father's instinct'
Johnson told a news conference that Cummings had "followed the instincts of every father and every parent.” He said Cummings, his wife and son followed the rules by self-isolating for 14 days once they reached Durham.
But critics of the government expressed outrage that Cummings had broken strict rules that for two months have prevented Britons from visiting elderly relatives, comforting dying friends or even attending the funerals of loved ones. The opposition Labour Party has called for an official investigation.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson's defense of Cummings was “an insult to sacrifices made by the British people.”
"The prime minister’s actions have undermined confidence in his own public health message at this crucial time," he said.
This was a test of the Prime Minister and he has failed it.
It is an insult to sacrifices made by the British people that Boris Johnson has chosen to take no action against Dominic Cummings. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 24, 2020
Former Labour lawmaker Helen Goodman, whose father died in a nursing home during the outbreak, said Cummings’ behavior was “repellent.”
“What was the point of the sacrifice that we all made? What was the point of the miserable, lonely death that my father had?” she told the BBC.
Speaking inside the prime minister's 10 Downing St. residence, Johnson said “I can totally get why people might feel so confused and ... so offended by the idea that it was one thing for the people here and one thing for others."
But he said Cumming's “particular childcare needs” left him “no alternative” but to make the 250-mile trip.
Denial of second trip
Government ministers have denied a claim that Cummings was spotted again in Durham on April 19, after he had recovered and returned to work in London. But they have not confirmed or denied a report that Cummings visited a scenic area 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Durham on April 12.
Cummings is a key but contentious figure in Johnson’s administration. A self-styled political disrupter who disdains the media and civil service, he was one of the architects of the successful campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, and orchestrated the Conservatives’ decisive election victory in December.
The coronavirus cut a swath through the top ranks of Britain’s government in March and April, infecting people including Cummings, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Johnson himself, who has said that the medical staff at a London hospital saved his life.
Despite the government's support for Cummings, several lawmakers from Johnson’s Conservative Party joined the opposition in calling for the aide to be sacked.
“Dominic Cummings has a track record of believing that the rules don’t apply to him and treating the scrutiny that should come to anyone in a position of authority with contempt,” tweeted Conservative lawmaker Damian Collins. “The government would be better without him.”
Another Tory legislator, Steve Baker, said Cummings must resign for not “abiding by the spirit, at least, of the slogans which he has enforced on the rest of the country.”
Johnson’s government is already facing criticism for its response to a pandemic that has hit Britain harder than any other European country. Britain’s official coronavirus death toll stands at 36,793, the second-highest confirmed total in the world after the United States. Statistics that include suspected as well as confirmed virus cases put the toll well over 40,000.
Schools to start reopening on June 1
The U.K. is gradually easing its lockdown, allowing more outdoor recreation and letting some shops and businesses reopen.
Johnson confirmed Sunday that primary schools can start reopening in June, though many parents and teachers worry that it isn't yet safe to do so.
Johnson said the government was still aiming to have pupils in the first and final years of primary school back in classrooms on June 1, though he acknowledged that “may not be possible for all schools.”
Cummings is one of several senior U.K. officials to be accused of flouting the lockdown rules.
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson stepped down as government scientific adviser earlier this month after a newspaper disclosed that his girlfriend had crossed London to stay with him during the lockdown. In April, Catherine Calderwood resigned as Scotland’s chief medical officer after twice traveling from Edinburgh to her second home.
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-24--Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu professes innocence at start of corruption trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , wearing a face mask , looks on while standing inside the court room as his corruption trial opens at the Jerusalem District Court May 24 , 2020 .
Benjamin Netanyahu professed his innocence at the start of his corruption trial on Sunday , saying he was being framed in the first criminal prosecution of a serving Israeli prime minister .
Flanked by a clutch of cabinet ministers from his right-wing Likud party , and speaking forcefully , Netanyahu appealed to public opinion , addressing television cameras in the courthouse hallway before taking his seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These investigations were tainted and stitched-up from the first moment , '' Netanyahu said about charges of bribery , breach of trust and fraud at the centre of three graft cases against him .
Outside the courthouse , and separated by metal barriers and police , hundreds of his supporters and opponents held noisy demonstrations .
Chants of `` Bibi , king of Israel '' from Netanyahu faithful using his nickname echoed through the court building .
Netanyahu , 70 , was indicted in November in cases involving gifts from millionaire friends and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tycoons in return for favourable coverage .
He drove in a motorcade to court after attending the first working session of his new `` unity '' cabinet , sworn in a week ago after a surprise power-sharing deal with his main opponent Benny Gantz .
Its inauguration ended more than a year of political deadlock in the wake of three inconclusive elections .
In his hallway appearance , Netanyahu dubbed prosecutors and police the `` Just Not Bibi Gang '' , reasserting that he was a victim of a political witch-hunt abetted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
`` I am appearing here today , as your prime minister , standing tall and with head high , '' Netanyahu said , vowing to beat the charges and continue to lead Israel in his current fifth term .
He is Israel 's longest-serving leader , now in office for more than 11 straight years , plus three years in the 1990s .
On the street , a supporter 's sign read : `` Netanyahu , you 'll never walk alone '' .
`` Crime Minister , '' countered a banner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp 's protest area .
In the courtroom , one of the judges asked Netanyahu whether he had read and understood the indictment .
The prime minister then stood up and replied : `` Yes , your Honour . ''


france24--2020-05-24--Food security: ‘What’s needed is equity, security and trust’

Women work at an onion field near Gazawa , Cameroon on March 7 , 2020 .
French researcher Pablo Servigne says cheap food exports from the Global North have destroyed the livelihoods of farm workers in poor countries .
Does Covid-19 threaten our food security ?
Pablo Servigne , a French researcher who has spent the last several years studying the risks of societal collapse , says the Covid-19 crisis calls globalisation itself into question — but warns that we must avoid a fresh surge in nationalism .
Pablo Servigne is an agronomist by training and the author of several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mutual aid .
His best-known work , though , is on societal “ collapse ” , which has given birth to an entire sub-field of research and popular scholarship known in France as collapsologie .
Servigne is also the editor of the magazine Yggdrasil : Collapse and Renewal , whose latest issue is dedicated to food security .
In this interview with FRANCE 24 , he calls on governments to develop new , bottom-up agricultural strategies to secure food systems .
He also stresses the need for greater solidarity between countries in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Do countries need to implement strategies to recover the independence of their food systems ?
The food issue requires strategies at the local , regional , national and global levels .
And even at the individual level !
The ideal thing would be to coordinate all of this , but it ’ s extremely complicated .
If other countries are already working on their own local strategies , that ’ s great , and we should begin to coordinate those efforts .
Strengthening the local level should not be seen as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resilience .
On the contrary , we have to be able to count on others , too , in case of trouble .
The key thing is that we have to be able to eat first in order to help others .
How can we avoid countries turning inward , and instead continue to cooperate across borders ?
For example , countries like Algeria , Morocco and Egypt count on French wheat… The identitarian turn has accelerated with Covid-19 , and it ’ s a major risk for the coming years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ view of diplomatic secrets or trade negotiations… I think bonds of solidarity will develop on a case by case basis .
Maintaining that solidarity starts by helping others to no longer depend on us , but all of this goes against 50 years of neoliberal ideology and globalisation !
In general , to avoid turning inward , it is essential to avoid a sense of injustice , insecurity and mistrust — on the part of any one country ’ s population , but also between countries .
In other words , what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust .
Everywhere .
I ’ ll let you extrapolate that to international relations… The financial crisis of 2008 led to food riots in some developing countries .
Do you worry that we could see this repeat itself with the global economic crisis triggered by Covid-19 ?
Yes , but it won ’ t be because of high fuel prices , or because of grain harvests , which have apparently been excellent this year .
Other indicators are in the red : many economies and agricultural systems have been disrupted by declines in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders , closed restaurants , suspended exports , etc .
And we ’ re expecting more natural disasters this year , of which many will be climate-related .
That ’ s without counting political and social conflicts , which will also disrupt supply chains .
I think this year will mark a major return to local sourcing .
In any case I hope so , because we don ’ t have a choice .
We shouldn ’ t forget that transportation and trade emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and destroy biodiversity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve written about the food system in the Global North creating insecurity in the Global South ?
It ’ s still too soon to fully understand the effects of this pandemic .
What we ’ ve been saying — though we ’ re not the only ones — is that the food systems in the North , and in particular in Europe and the United States , are heavily subsidised , mechanised and industrialised , so they export commodities to the South at very low prices , destroying the livelihoods of farm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s deeply unjust !
These countries then come to depend on our products and on global trade , they go into debt and their farmers come to fill the slums .
And here in France , we don ’ t even know how to feed ourselves — we have to import our vegetables from Spain !
This globalisation , it ’ s been totally messed up .
This article was adapted from the original in French .

Does Covid-19 threaten our food security? Pablo Servigne, a French researcher who has spent the last several years studying the risks of societal collapse, says the Covid-19 crisis calls globalisation itself into question — but warns that we must avoid a fresh surge in nationalism.
Women work at an onion field near Gazawa, Cameroon on March 7, 2020. French researcher Pablo Servigne says cheap food exports from the Global North have destroyed the livelihoods of farm workers in poor countries.
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Pablo Servigne is an agronomist by training and the author of several best-selling books on agroecology, resilience and mutual aid. His best-known work, though, is on societal “collapse”, which has given birth to an entire sub-field of research and popular scholarship known in France as collapsologie. Servigne is also the editor of the magazine Yggdrasil: Collapse and Renewal, whose latest issue is dedicated to food security. In this interview with FRANCE 24, he calls on governments to develop new, bottom-up agricultural strategies to secure food systems. He also stresses the need for greater solidarity between countries in the face of climate change.
FRANCE 24: Do countries need to implement strategies to recover the independence of their food systems?
The food issue requires strategies at the local, regional, national and global levels. And even at the individual level! The ideal thing would be to coordinate all of this, but it’s extremely complicated. If other countries are already working on their own local strategies, that’s great, and we should begin to coordinate those efforts. Strengthening the local level should not be seen as an inward-looking approach, especially when it comes to resilience. On the contrary, we have to be able to count on others, too, in case of trouble. The key thing is that we have to be able to eat first in order to help others.
How can we avoid countries turning inward, and instead continue to cooperate across borders? For example, countries like Algeria, Morocco and Egypt count on French wheat…
The identitarian turn has accelerated with Covid-19, and it’s a major risk for the coming years. I don’t have an inside view of diplomatic secrets or trade negotiations… I think bonds of solidarity will develop on a case by case basis. Maintaining that solidarity starts by helping others to no longer depend on us, but all of this goes against 50 years of neoliberal ideology and globalisation! In general, to avoid turning inward, it is essential to avoid a sense of injustice, insecurity and mistrust — on the part of any one country’s population, but also between countries. In other words, what’s needed is equity, security and trust. Everywhere. I’ll let you extrapolate that to international relations…
The financial crisis of 2008 led to food riots in some developing countries. Do you worry that we could see this repeat itself with the global economic crisis triggered by Covid-19?
Yes, but it won’t be because of high fuel prices, or because of grain harvests, which have apparently been excellent this year. Other indicators are in the red: many economies and agricultural systems have been disrupted by declines in household income, labour shortages, closed borders, closed restaurants, suspended exports, etc.
And we’re expecting more natural disasters this year, of which many will be climate-related. That’s without counting political and social conflicts, which will also disrupt supply chains. I think this year will mark a major return to local sourcing. In any case I hope so, because we don’t have a choice. We shouldn’t forget that transportation and trade emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and destroy biodiversity.
Does the Covid-19 crisis confirm what you’ve written about the food system in the Global North creating insecurity in the Global South?
It’s still too soon to fully understand the effects of this pandemic. What we’ve been saying — though we’re not the only ones — is that the food systems in the North, and in particular in Europe and the United States, are heavily subsidised, mechanised and industrialised, so they export commodities to the South at very low prices, destroying the livelihoods of farm workers in the poorest countries.
That’s deeply unjust! These countries then come to depend on our products and on global trade, they go into debt and their farmers come to fill the slums. And here in France, we don’t even know how to feed ourselves — we have to import our vegetables from Spain! This globalisation, it’s been totally messed up.
This article was adapted from the original in French.
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france24--2020-05-24--Air France must slash domestic traffic in exchange for state aid, minister says

Air France must commit to reducing CO2 emissions to receive state aid , May 24 2020 .
Air France will @ @ @ @ @ reduce its domestic air traffic in exchange for state loan guarantees , French Environment Minister @ @ @ @ @ .
Domestic routes were served by alternatives in the form of high-speed trains , she @ @ @ @ @ France Inter radio .
The government last month offered the airline a 7 billion euro @ @ @ @ @ package made up of state-guaranteed bank loans and loans directly from the state .
In @ @ @ @ @ , the airline had promised to reduce domestic CO2 emissions by 50 % by 2024 @ @ @ @

Air France will have to "drastically" reduce its domestic air traffic in exchange for state loan guarantees, French Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday.
Air France must commit to reducing CO2 emissions to receive state aid, May 24 2020.
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Domestic routes were served by alternatives in the form of high-speed trains, she noted in an interview with France Inter radio.
The government last month offered the airline a 7 billion euro ($7.6 billion) package made up of state-guaranteed bank loans and loans directly from the state.
In exchange for the loan guarantees, the airline had promised to reduce domestic CO2 emissions by 50% by 2024, Borne added.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-24--Covid-19: Argentina extends mandatory lockdown until June 7

A man wearing a face mask as a preventive measure against the coronavirus disease ( Covid-19 ) walks in front of closed shops , in Buenos Aires , Argentina May 21 , 2020 .
Argentina extended until June 7 a mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires on Saturday and tightened some movement restrictions , after a steady increase in the city 's confirmed coronavirus cases in recent days .
Officials will tighten traffic controls between the capital and Buenos Aires province , the area with the second highest concentration of cases , President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city 's more populated neighborhoods and access to public transportation will also be rolled back .
Some businesses had been allowed to reopen under a previous lockdown extension .
The lockdown , due to expire on Sunday , has been in place since March 20 , though officials have relaxed restrictions in some areas of the country .
Argentina has a commercial flight ban until Sept. 1 , one of the world 's strictest travel measures during the pandemic .
The country recorded 704 new infections on Saturday , one of the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The country has 11,353 cases , mostly in Buenos Aires , where the city 's low-income neighborhoods have been particularly hard hit , government data showed .
The death toll is at 445 .
Fernandez said the rising case load was the driving factor in extending the isolation period in Buenos Aires , where 87 % of new cases over the last two weeks were confirmed .
`` We are doing things well and I thank everyone , but much remains to be done , '' Fernandez said .
Argentina is still outpaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its neighbors including Brazil , which has the world 's second highest number of cases at 347,398 and a death toll of 22,013 , Brazilian government data showed .
Argentina registered a death rate of 9.8 per 100,000 people as of May 22 , compared to 94.3 in Brazil and 47.2 in Peru , according to a report presented by Fernandez .

Argentina extended until June 7 a mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires on Saturday and tightened some movement restrictions, after a steady increase in the city's confirmed coronavirus cases in recent days.
A man wearing a face mask as a preventive measure against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) walks in front of closed shops, in Buenos Aires, Argentina May 21, 2020.
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Officials will tighten traffic controls between the capital and Buenos Aires province, the area with the second highest concentration of cases, President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised press conference.
Commercial activity in some of the city's more populated neighborhoods and access to public transportation will also be rolled back. Some businesses had been allowed to reopen under a previous lockdown extension.
The lockdown, due to expire on Sunday, has been in place since March 20, though officials have relaxed restrictions in some areas of the country. Argentina has a commercial flight ban until Sept. 1, one of the world's strictest travel measures during the pandemic.
The country recorded 704 new infections on Saturday, one of the highest single-day increases since the pandemic began. The country has 11,353 cases, mostly in Buenos Aires, where the city's low-income neighborhoods have been particularly hard hit, government data showed. The death toll is at 445.
Fernandez said the rising case load was the driving factor in extending the isolation period in Buenos Aires, where 87% of new cases over the last two weeks were confirmed.
"We are doing things well and I thank everyone, but much remains to be done," Fernandez said.
Argentina is still outpaced in infections and deaths by many of its neighbors including Brazil, which has the world's second highest number of cases at 347,398 and a death toll of 22,013, Brazilian government data showed.
Argentina registered a death rate of 9.8 per 100,000 people as of May 22, compared to 94.3 in Brazil and 47.2 in Peru, according to a report presented by Fernandez.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-24--People smugglers disembark migrants near beach in Sicily

Italian police detain and check immigrants found along the road and in the countryside in Palma di Montechiaro near Agrigento , Sicily on May 24 , 2020 .
People smugglers managed to disembark an estimated 70 migrants , probably all Tunisians , from two boats near a beach in Sicily on Sunday before sailing away , the Italian news agency ANSA reported , citing police .
It was initially reported that some 400 migrants had landed on the beach and the incident sparked a helicopter search for their vessels .
This report said the boats dropped the migrants off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the historic town of Agrigento in southern Sicily .
The coastguard backed by a helicopter searched for boats , ANSA said .
The migrants left the beach in small groups , setting off across the island , local press reports said .
Some stopped motorists to ask for water or for a ride , the Agrigento Notizie daily said .
The local mayor told reporters the migrants were likely all Tunisians after speaking to some of them .
Italian authorities said 52 people , mainly from sub-Saharan Africa , arrived Sunday aboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 35 feet ) long on the small island of Linosa near Italy 's southernmost island Lampedusa .
On Saturday , about 20 people arrived on board a rubber dinghy , among the bathers , on a beach in Marsala , a town in eastern Sicily .
In addition , six Tunisians managed to dock with a tiny boat in Lampedusa on Saturday , while 40 of their compatriots were then intercepted near the island 's coastline and escorted to the port by the coastguards .
A boat carrying seven people also docked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interior ministry figures as of Friday , 4,445 migrants have arrived in Italy since the start of the year .

People smugglers managed to disembark an estimated 70 migrants, probably all Tunisians, from two boats near a beach in Sicily on Sunday before sailing away, the Italian news agency ANSA reported, citing police.
Italian police detain and check immigrants found along the road and in the countryside in Palma di Montechiaro near Agrigento, Sicily on May 24, 2020.
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It was initially reported that some 400 migrants had landed on the beach and the incident sparked a helicopter search for their vessels.
This report said the boats dropped the migrants off a few metres (yards) from shore near the historic town of Agrigento in southern Sicily.
The coastguard backed by a helicopter searched for boats, ANSA said.
The migrants left the beach in small groups, setting off across the island, local press reports said.
Some stopped motorists to ask for water or for a ride, the Agrigento Notizie daily said.
The local mayor told reporters the migrants were likely all Tunisians after speaking to some of them.
Italian authorities said 52 people, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, arrived Sunday aboard a boat no more than 10 metres (35 feet) long on the small island of Linosa near Italy's southernmost island Lampedusa.
On Saturday, about 20 people arrived on board a rubber dinghy, among the bathers, on a beach in Marsala, a town in eastern Sicily.
In addition, six Tunisians managed to dock with a tiny boat in Lampedusa on Saturday, while 40 of their compatriots were then intercepted near the island's coastline and escorted to the port by the coastguards.
A boat carrying seven people also docked in Sardinia on Friday evening.
According to interior ministry figures as of Friday, 4,445 migrants have arrived in Italy since the start of the year.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-25--Japan’s Abe lifts state of emergency, says virus outbreak under control

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 's news conference is broadcast on large screens at Shinjuku district in Tokyo on May @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted the state of emergency imposed nationally to combat @ @ @ @ @ in the number of new cases .
`` We had very stringent criteria for lifting @ @ @ @ @ We have judged that we have met this criteria , '' Abe told a nationally @ @ @ @ @ Today we will lift the state of emergency nationwide , '' he said .
Social @ @ @ @ @ for most of the country on May 14 as new infections fell , but the @ @ @ @ @ four other prefectures under watch .
The world 's third-largest economy has escaped an explosive @ @ @ @ @ infections and 839 deaths so far , according to NHK public broadcaster .

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted the state of emergency imposed nationally to combat coronavirus following a sharp decline in the number of new cases.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's news conference is broadcast on large screens at Shinjuku district in Tokyo on May 25, 2020.
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"We had very stringent criteria for lifting the state of emergency. We have judged that we have met this criteria," Abe told a nationally televised news conference.
"Today we will lift the state of emergency nationwide," he said.
Social distancing curbs had been loosened for most of the country on May 14 as new infections fell, but the government was keeping Tokyo and four other prefectures under watch.
The world's third-largest economy has escaped an explosive outbreak with more than 16,600 infections and 839 deaths so far, according to NHK public broadcaster.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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