france24--2020-01-23--China shuts down public transport in city at centre of virus outbreak

Passengers pass by a health screening banner for people arriving from Wuhan , China at the international arrival terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang , Malaysia on January 21 , 2020 .
China placed Wuhan , the city at the centre of a virus outbreak , under effective quarantine on Thursday , suspending outbound flights and trains in a drastic step to contain a contagious disease that has killed 17 , stricken hundreds and reached other countries .
Authorities in Wuhan , a major transport hub , also suspended public buses and subways , and said residents should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people `` without a special reason '' .
More than 570 people have been infected with the virus across China -- with most cases found in Wuhan , where a seafood market that illegally sold wild animals has been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak .
The coronavirus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) , which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003 .
Like SARS , it can be passed among people through the respiratory tract .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was confirmed on December 31 , and it has since been detected in Japan , Macau , South Korea , Taiwan , Thailand and the United States .
The World Health Organization on Wednesday delayed a decision on whether to declare a global health emergency -- a rare instrument used only for the worst outbreaks .
After a meeting of an emergency committee in Geneva , WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he needed `` more information '' .
The emergency committee will meet again from 1100 GMT on Thursday , after its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts were split over declaring a public health emergency .
Tedros praised China 's `` very , very strong measures '' to contain the outbreak .
Asked about Wuhan 's transport shutdown , Tedros said : `` By having a strong action not only will they control the outbreak in their country but they will also minimise the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally '' .
Wuhan 's special anti-virus command centre said the quarantine measures , which come into effect from 0200 GMT , are meant to `` effectively cut off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and guarantee the people 's health and safety , '' according to state media .
The city 's tourism and culture department cancelled all group tours until February 8 , according to the official Xinhua news agency .
The city had already warned people to avoid entering or leaving Wuhan .
Large public events for the Lunar New Year holiday , which starts Friday , were cancelled .
Authorities in Wuhan also made it mandatory to wear a mask in public places , according to state media .
The hashtag `` Wuhan is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Twitter-like Weibo , with more than 30 million views .
With hundreds of millions of people travelling across China this week for the Lunar New Year holiday , the National Health Commission announced on Wednesday measures to curb the disease -- including sterilisation and ventilation at airports and bus stations , as well as inside planes and trains .
The Chinese government has classified the outbreak in the same category as the SARS epidemic , meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the illness as well as the ability to implement quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been able to confirm the exact source of the virus .
Michael Ryan , head of the WHO 's health emergencies programme , said : `` There are many unknowns to address in this event including clinical severity and the true extent and nature of disease transmission . ''
Animals are suspected to be the primary source of the outbreak , with Chinese health officials saying that the virus originated from the market where wild animals were illegally sold .
But the WHO has confirmed that the virus can be passed between people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Chinese health officials said it could mutate and spread further .
Countries have intensified efforts to stop the spread of the pathogen -- known by its technical name 2019 Novel Coronavirus ( 2019-nCoV ) .
Passengers are facing screening measures at five US airports and a host of transport hubs across Asia .
European airports from London to Moscow have also stepped up checks and Nigeria , which has many citizens working in China , said it would start checks at entry points .
The US-based patient , a man in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but who lives near Seattle , is resting comfortably at a medical centre and should return home in the `` near future '' , a medical officer said .
Chinese authorities on Thursday reported dozens of new infections , bringing the confirmed total to 571. WHO chief Tedros said there was `` stability '' for the moment .
`` We do n't see any significant variation but at the same time we also believe that we have to be cautious , '' he said .
Tedros also praised China 's openness about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior US State Department official said Washington was `` still concerned '' about transparency in the Chinese government .
During the SARS epidemic , the Chinese government took months to report the disease and initially denied WHO experts access to southern Guangdong province , where it originated .

China placed Wuhan, the city at the centre of a virus outbreak, under effective quarantine on Thursday, suspending outbound flights and trains in a drastic step to contain a contagious disease that has killed 17, stricken hundreds and reached other countries.
Passengers pass by a health screening banner for people arriving from Wuhan, China at the international arrival terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia on January 21, 2020.
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Authorities in Wuhan, a major transport hub, also suspended public buses and subways, and said residents should not leave the city of 11 million people "without a special reason".
More than 570 people have been infected with the virus across China -- with most cases found in Wuhan, where a seafood market that illegally sold wild animals has been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak.
The coronavirus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
02:45
Like SARS, it can be passed among people through the respiratory tract.
The first case of the new virus was confirmed on December 31, and it has since been detected in Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday delayed a decision on whether to declare a global health emergency -- a rare instrument used only for the worst outbreaks.
After a meeting of an emergency committee in Geneva, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he needed "more information".
The emergency committee will meet again from 1100 GMT on Thursday, after its chair, Didier Houssin, said the experts were split over declaring a public health emergency.
Tedros praised China's "very, very strong measures" to contain the outbreak.
Asked about Wuhan's transport shutdown, Tedros said: "By having a strong action not only will they control the outbreak in their country but they will also minimise the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally".
'Sealed off'
Wuhan's special anti-virus command centre said the quarantine measures, which come into effect from 0200 GMT, are meant to "effectively cut off the virus spread, resolutely curb the outbreak and guarantee the people's health and safety," according to state media.
The city's tourism and culture department cancelled all group tours until February 8, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The city had already warned people to avoid entering or leaving Wuhan. Large public events for the Lunar New Year holiday, which starts Friday, were cancelled.
Authorities in Wuhan also made it mandatory to wear a mask in public places, according to state media.
The hashtag "Wuhan is sealed off" was trending on China's Twitter-like Weibo, with more than 30 million views.
With hundreds of millions of people travelling across China this week for the Lunar New Year holiday, the National Health Commission announced on Wednesday measures to curb the disease -- including sterilisation and ventilation at airports and bus stations, as well as inside planes and trains.
Unknowns
The Chinese government has classified the outbreak in the same category as the SARS epidemic, meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the illness as well as the ability to implement quarantine measures.
But they still have not been able to confirm the exact source of the virus.
Michael Ryan, head of the WHO's health emergencies programme, said: "There are many unknowns to address in this event including clinical severity and the true extent and nature of disease transmission."
Animals are suspected to be the primary source of the outbreak, with Chinese health officials saying that the virus originated from the market where wild animals were illegally sold.
But the WHO has confirmed that the virus can be passed between people, at least those in close contact, and Chinese health officials said it could mutate and spread further.
Countries have intensified efforts to stop the spread of the pathogen -- known by its technical name 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Passengers are facing screening measures at five US airports and a host of transport hubs across Asia.
European airports from London to Moscow have also stepped up checks and Nigeria, which has many citizens working in China, said it would start checks at entry points.
The US-based patient, a man in his 30s who is originally from Wuhan but who lives near Seattle, is resting comfortably at a medical centre and should return home in the "near future", a medical officer said.
China 'commendable'
Chinese authorities on Thursday reported dozens of new infections, bringing the confirmed total to 571.
WHO chief Tedros said there was "stability" for the moment.
"We don't see any significant variation but at the same time we also believe that we have to be cautious," he said.
Tedros also praised China's openness about the outbreak as "commendable".
But a senior US State Department official said Washington was "still concerned" about transparency in the Chinese government.
During the SARS epidemic, the Chinese government took months to report the disease and initially denied WHO experts access to southern Guangdong province, where it originated.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-23--Trump tried to cheat to win re-election, say Democrats at impeachment trial

g argument during the second day of the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump in this frame grab from video shot in the U.S. Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington , U.S. , January 22 , 2020 .
Democrats Wednesday accused President Donald Trump at his historic Senate impeachment trial of seeking to `` cheat '' to ensure re-election in November , as they began laying out their detailed case for removing him from office .
Adam Schiff , head of the House of Representatives ' prosecution team , took to the Senate floor to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chamber that was hearing only the third-ever impeachment trial of a US president .
The Democratic lawmaker described how Trump solicited foreign interference in US elections , `` abusing the powers of his office to seek help from abroad to improve his re-election prospects at home . ''
`` And when he was caught , he used the powers of that office to obstruct the investigation into his own misconduct , '' said Schiff , who headed the probe that led to Trump 's December 18 impeachment by the Democratic-controlled House .
Schiff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- and not the Senate -- should decide whether Trump should remain in the White House .
`` The president 's misconduct can not be decided at the ballot box for we can not be assured that the vote will be fairly won , '' Schiff said .
Trump stands accused of withholding military aid from Ukraine to pressure his Ukrainian counterpart to announce an investigation into Democrat Joe Biden , his potential election rival in November .
`` President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign help with his re-election , '' Schiff said at the nationally televised proceedings .
`` In other words , to cheat .
If this conduct is not impeachable , then nothing is . ''
Interspersing his remarks with video testimony from the House inquiry , graphics and references to the Constitution , Schiff appealed to the Senate 's 100 members to put aside partisanship in deciding Trump 's fate .
`` These are politically charged times , '' he acknowledged .
`` Tempers can run high , particularly where this president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffries made the argument that a US president must distinguish himself from non-democratic world leaders .
`` Vladimir Putin is above the law in Russia .
( Recep Tayyip ) Erdogan is above the law in Turkey , '' Jeffries said .
`` But in the United States of America no one is above the law , not even the president , '' he added .
`` That is what this moment is all about . ''
Republicans , who hold a 53-47 edge , have shown little inclination , however , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a history of lashing out ferociously at his perceived enemies .
`` I did n't hear anything new at all , '' Republican Senator John Barrasso said during a trial break .
Sixty-seven senators , a two-thirds majority , are needed to remove Trump from office and a series of votes Tuesday on the trial 's ground rules followed strict party lines .
Republicans shot down repeated efforts by Democrats to introduce White House witnesses and documents at the start of the trial .
Trump blasted the proceedings as a `` witchhunt '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he expected the Senate to clear him `` fairly quickly . ''
The president defended the Republicans ' rejection of Democratic efforts to force former national security advisor John Bolton and others to testify at his trial saying of Bolton , for example , that it would present a `` national security problem . ''
Trump then went on a Twitter tear , firing off a record number of tweets and retweets in a single day of his presidency -- 150 as of 8:30 pm .
With reports swirling that some Democrats were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter , who served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company when his father was vice president , to testify in exchange for key administration officials being called as witnesses , the top Democrat waved it off .
A witness trade is `` off the table , '' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said .
House impeachment managers have 24 hours over three days to make their case that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
White House lawyers then have 24 hours to present their defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask written questions to be read out aloud by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts , who is presiding over the trial .
Roberts ' role is mostly ceremonial but he did warn both sides during heated exchanges Tuesday to watch their decorum .
`` Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are , '' Roberts said .
Trump 's personal attorney , Jay Sekulow , said the White House will `` challenge aggressively the case that they 're putting forward . ''
`` There 's a lot of things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an orderly and systematic fashion , '' he told CNN .
The next few days are likely to be an endurance test for senators , 14 of whom are 75 or older .
Senators are barred from having electronics at their desks and they have been spending their time chatting quietly or scribbling on notepads when not listening intently .
Lawmakers did perk up when a protester made the first interruption of the trial , yelling from the Senate 's public gallery before he was removed by police .
The four Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House have been forced to take time off from campaigning ahead of the first state vote to choose their party 's nominee in Iowa on February 3 .

Democrats Wednesday accused President Donald Trump at his historic Senate impeachment trial of seeking to "cheat" to ensure re-election in November, as they began laying out their detailed case for removing him from office.
g argument during the second day of the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump in this frame grab from video shot in the U.S. Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 22, 2020.
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Adam Schiff, head of the House of Representatives' prosecution team, took to the Senate floor to deliver hours of methodical arguments to a hushed chamber that was hearing only the third-ever impeachment trial of a US president.
The Democratic lawmaker described how Trump solicited foreign interference in US elections, "abusing the powers of his office to seek help from abroad to improve his re-election prospects at home."
"And when he was caught, he used the powers of that office to obstruct the investigation into his own misconduct," said Schiff, who headed the probe that led to Trump's December 18 impeachment by the Democratic-controlled House.
Schiff shrugged off Republican arguments that American voters -- and not the Senate -- should decide whether Trump should remain in the White House.
"The president's misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box for we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won," Schiff said.
Trump stands accused of withholding military aid from Ukraine to pressure his Ukrainian counterpart to announce an investigation into Democrat Joe Biden, his potential election rival in November.
"President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a strategic partner at war with Russia to secure foreign help with his re-election," Schiff said at the nationally televised proceedings.
"In other words, to cheat. If this conduct is not impeachable, then nothing is."
Interspersing his remarks with video testimony from the House inquiry, graphics and references to the Constitution, Schiff appealed to the Senate's 100 members to put aside partisanship in deciding Trump's fate.
"These are politically charged times," he acknowledged. "Tempers can run high, particularly where this president is concerned."
Fellow House manager Hakeem Jeffries made the argument that a US president must distinguish himself from non-democratic world leaders.
"Vladimir Putin is above the law in Russia. (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan is above the law in Turkey," Jeffries said.
"But in the United States of America no one is above the law, not even the president," he added. "That is what this moment is all about."
'Fairly quickly'
Republicans, who hold a 53-47 edge, have shown little inclination, however, to break ranks with a president who has a history of lashing out ferociously at his perceived enemies.
"I didn't hear anything new at all," Republican Senator John Barrasso said during a trial break.
Sixty-seven senators, a two-thirds majority, are needed to remove Trump from office and a series of votes Tuesday on the trial's ground rules followed strict party lines.
Republicans shot down repeated efforts by Democrats to introduce White House witnesses and documents at the start of the trial.
Trump blasted the proceedings as a "witchhunt" and a "hoax" and said he expected the Senate to clear him "fairly quickly."
The president defended the Republicans' rejection of Democratic efforts to force former national security advisor John Bolton and others to testify at his trial saying of Bolton, for example, that it would present a "national security problem."
Trump then went on a Twitter tear, firing off a record number of tweets and retweets in a single day of his presidency -- 150 as of 8:30 pm.
With reports swirling that some Democrats were mulling pushing for Biden or his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company when his father was vice president, to testify in exchange for key administration officials being called as witnesses, the top Democrat waved it off.
A witness trade is "off the table," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
House impeachment managers have 24 hours over three days to make their case that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
White House lawyers then have 24 hours to present their defense.
Senators will then have an opportunity to ask written questions to be read out aloud by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over the trial.
Roberts' role is mostly ceremonial but he did warn both sides during heated exchanges Tuesday to watch their decorum.
"Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are," Roberts said.
Endurance test
Trump's personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, said the White House will "challenge aggressively the case that they're putting forward."
"There's a lot of things to rebut and we'll do it in an orderly and systematic fashion," he told CNN.
The next few days are likely to be an endurance test for senators, 14 of whom are 75 or older.
Senators are barred from having electronics at their desks and they have been spending their time chatting quietly or scribbling on notepads when not listening intently.
Lawmakers did perk up when a protester made the first interruption of the trial, yelling from the Senate's public gallery before he was removed by police.
The four Democratic senators seeking to challenge Trump for the White House have been forced to take time off from campaigning ahead of the first state vote to choose their party's nominee in Iowa on February 3.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-22--Weinstein rape trial opens with contrasting portrayals of ex-Hollywood producer

Harvey Weinstein leaves his sexual assault trial at New York Criminal Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City , January 22 , 2020 .
Prosecutors on Monday portrayed former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as a serial predator who used his power to manipulate and sexually assault young women , while the defence argued that his accusers engaged in consensual sex that they later reframed as attacks .
During opening statements in the high-profile rape case , New York prosecutors accused Weinstein of committing violent attacks on aspiring actresses who suffered shame and humiliation as they internalised trauma from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails from the accusers to Weinstein would show they maintained warm relations , which could undermine a case that appears to rely primarily on the testimony of the accusers .
Weinstein , 67 , has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women , Mimi Haleyi and Jessica Mann .
He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge , predatory sexual assault .
The trial is a watershed moment for the # MeToo movement , in which women have gone public with allegations against powerful men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man seated right there was not just a titan in Hollywood , he was a rapist , '' said Assistant District Attorney Meghan Hast as Weinstein looked on from the defence table .
She described in detail Weinstein 's alleged attacks on former production assistant Haleyi and actress Mann , as well as on actress Annabella Sciorra .
Sciorra 's allegation is too old to be the basis of a separate charge but is being used by prosecutors to establish a pattern of serious sex crimes against multiple women .
Sciorra is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weinstein 's spokesman , Juda Engelmayer .
The Manhattan District Attorney 's office declined to comment .
Hast told a jury of seven men and five women that Weinstein manipulated women with promises to open doors in Hollywood , coaxing them to hotel rooms or private apartments and then overpowering and violently attacking them .
One female juror seemed to wince at the graphic details , which included Hast recounting Weinstein forcibly performing oral sex on Haleyi , yanking out her tampon .
Weinstein 's lawyer , Damon Cheronis , said the evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relabeled as attacks .
Haleyi reached out to Weinstein multiple times after the alleged assault , including once to “ reminisce ” about their time together in 2006 , Cheronis said .
The lawyer said Mann repeatedly sought out Weinstein 's company and told the producer she loved him and even wanted him to meet her mother .
`` While the narrative they painted for you is one that may reinforce your preconceived notions , it 's not the truth , '' Cheronis told jurors.
“ You don ’ t call Harvey Weinstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to introduce him to your mother in 2015 , ” he said .
Hast cautioned jurors that rape is n't a `` back alley '' attack at the hands of a stranger .
She promised to bring in an expert to explain that victims are often assaulted by someone they know and do not report the crime .
Victims even `` reach back out to their attacker , '' she said .
Since 2017 , more than 80 women , including many famous actresses , have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct .
Weinstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with critically acclaimed pictures such as `` The English Patient '' and `` Shakespeare in Love , '' has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual .
Justice James Burke told potential jurors last week that they must decide Weinstein 's case based on the evidence and not make the trial `` a referendum on the # MeToo movement . ''
The trial began on Jan. 6 and could last about six more weeks .
Regardless of the outcome of the trial , Weinstein faces additional charges in California .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jan. 6 that Weinstein had been charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2013 .

Prosecutors on Monday portrayed former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as a serial predator who used his power to manipulate and sexually assault young women, while the defence argued that his accusers engaged in consensual sex that they later reframed as attacks.
Harvey Weinstein leaves his sexual assault trial at New York Criminal Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, January 22, 2020.
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During opening statements in the high-profile rape case, New York prosecutors accused Weinstein of committing violent attacks on aspiring actresses who suffered shame and humiliation as they internalised trauma from the encounters.
Defence attorneys countered that emails from the accusers to Weinstein would show they maintained warm relations, which could undermine a case that appears to rely primarily on the testimony of the accusers.
Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women, Mimi Haleyi and Jessica Mann. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault.
01:24
The trial is a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement, in which women have gone public with allegations against powerful men in business and politics.
"The man seated right there was not just a titan in Hollywood, he was a rapist," said Assistant District Attorney Meghan Hast as Weinstein looked on from the defence table.
She described in detail Weinstein's alleged attacks on former production assistant Haleyi and actress Mann, as well as on actress Annabella Sciorra. Sciorra's allegation is too old to be the basis of a separate charge but is being used by prosecutors to establish a pattern of serious sex crimes against multiple women.
Sciorra is expected to testify on Thursday, according to Weinstein's spokesman, Juda Engelmayer. The Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment.
Juror winces
Hast told a jury of seven men and five women that Weinstein manipulated women with promises to open doors in Hollywood, coaxing them to hotel rooms or private apartments and then overpowering and violently attacking them.
One female juror seemed to wince at the graphic details, which included Hast recounting Weinstein forcibly performing oral sex on Haleyi, yanking out her tampon.
Weinstein's lawyer, Damon Cheronis, said the evidence would show that consensual interactions were being relabeled as attacks.
Haleyi reached out to Weinstein multiple times after the alleged assault, including once to “reminisce” about their time together in 2006, Cheronis said.
The lawyer said Mann repeatedly sought out Weinstein's company and told the producer she loved him and even wanted him to meet her mother.
"While the narrative they painted for you is one that may reinforce your preconceived notions, it's not the truth," Cheronis told jurors.“You don’t call Harvey Weinstein a predator in 2020 when you want to introduce him to your mother in 2015,” he said.
Hast cautioned jurors that rape isn't a "back alley" attack at the hands of a stranger. She promised to bring in an expert to explain that victims are often assaulted by someone they know and do not report the crime. Victims even "reach back out to their attacker," she said.
More than 80 accusations
Since 2017, more than 80 women, including many famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein, who reshaped the independent film industry with critically acclaimed pictures such as "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
Justice James Burke told potential jurors last week that they must decide Weinstein's case based on the evidence and not make the trial "a referendum on the #MeToo movement."
The trial began on Jan. 6 and could last about six more weeks.
Regardless of the outcome of the trial, Weinstein faces additional charges in California.
Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced on Jan. 6 that Weinstein had been charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2013.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-23--Aircraft fighting bushfires crashes in Australia, killing three crewmembers

The NSW Rural Fire Service Large Air Tanker ( LAT ) drops fire retardant on the Morton Fire burning in bushland close to homes in Penrose in the NSW Southern Highlands , south of Sydney , Australia on January 10 , 2020 .
Three American crew helping to battle Australia 's devastating bushfires were killed Thursday when their water-bombing plane crashed in mountainous terrain during a sortie to tackle another outbreak of the deadly blazes .
Officials said the Hercules C-130 plane erupted in a large fireball on impact in a national park in the Snowy Mountains shortly before 1:30pm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crash was not immediately known , but New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons had said earlier in the day that high winds were making flying the water tankers `` very difficult '' .
`` We 've got a number of firefighters and a number of crew that are in the area and working to contain and work around the fire , '' Fitzimmons said .
The incident brought the death toll in Australia 's bushfires to at least 31 since the crisis began in September .
The highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian firm Coulson Aviation , which had been contracted to help fight the fires .
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the crash highlighted the danger faced by firefighters as they attempted to extinguish massive blazes across Australia 's southeast .
`` There are in excess of 70 aircraft that have been used today alone and today is a stark and horrible reminder of the dangerous conditions that our volunteers , ( and ) our emergency services personnel ... ( face ) on a daily basis , '' she said .
The crash happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by scorching temperatures and strong winds , flared to emergency status following a brief lull brought by rain and cooler temperatures .
Bushfires also forced the closure of Canberra Airport Thursday , with all flights in and out of the country 's capital suspended to allow the deployment of aerial firefighting crews to battle the approaching flames .
Temperatures soared to 40 degrees Celsius ( 104 degrees Fahrenheit ) in Sydney , where a bushfire also broke out in a northwestern suburb of Australia 's biggest city .
Wind gusts had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 55 miles per hour ) in some areas , but Fitzsimmons said the winds were stronger than expected , especially in the fire-ravaged southeast .
Unprecedented bushfires have devastated vast swathes of the country since September , destroying more than 2,000 homes and burning 10 million hectares ( 100,000 square kilometres ) of land - an area larger than South Korea or Portugal .
Scientists estimate that one billion animals have died in the fires , which environmental groups say have driven many species closer to extinction .
The blazes have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean-up operations in some areas , including intense storms that have battered parts of Australia with giant hail , floods and landslides .
Heavy rainfall has helped to contain and , in some cases , extinguish long-running blazes but an expected return to searing heat and gusting winds Thursday was flagged as a cause for concern as dozens of fires continued to burn .
Cooler weather was forecast to return on Friday , but the bushfire season still has weeks left to run .
Coulson Aviation , which owned the crashed Hercules , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other large air tankers `` pending review '' of the aircraft .
The company said it was `` deeply saddened '' to confirm the three fatalities , adding it would send a team to the crash site to assist in emergency operations .
`` Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three crew members onboard , '' the Coulson family said in a statement .
The months-long bushfire crisis has sparked renewed calls for Australia 's conservative government to take immediate action on climate change , with street protests urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's reliance on coal .
A major coal conference in Wollongong -- situated in a coal-producing region south of Sydney that has been hit by massive blazes -- was cancelled this week in response to what local climate activists said was a `` planned mass protest '' .

Three American crew helping to battle Australia's devastating bushfires were killed Thursday when their water-bombing plane crashed in mountainous terrain during a sortie to tackle another outbreak of the deadly blazes.
The NSW Rural Fire Service Large Air Tanker (LAT) drops fire retardant on the Morton Fire burning in bushland close to homes in Penrose in the NSW Southern Highlands, south of Sydney, Australia on January 10, 2020.
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Officials said the Hercules C-130 plane erupted in a large fireball on impact in a national park in the Snowy Mountains shortly before 1:30pm (0230 GMT).
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons had said earlier in the day that high winds were making flying the water tankers "very difficult".
"We've got a number of firefighters and a number of crew that are in the area and working to contain and work around the fire," Fitzimmons said.
The incident brought the death toll in Australia's bushfires to at least 31 since the crisis began in September.
The highly experienced US firefighting trio was working for Canadian firm Coulson Aviation, which had been contracted to help fight the fires.
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the crash highlighted the danger faced by firefighters as they attempted to extinguish massive blazes across Australia's southeast.
"There are in excess of 70 aircraft that have been used today alone and today is a stark and horrible reminder of the dangerous conditions that our volunteers, (and) our emergency services personnel...(face) on a daily basis," she said.
The crash happened as at least seven fires, whipped up by scorching temperatures and strong winds, flared to emergency status following a brief lull brought by rain and cooler temperatures.
Temperatures soar
Bushfires also forced the closure of Canberra Airport Thursday, with all flights in and out of the country's capital suspended to allow the deployment of aerial firefighting crews to battle the approaching flames.
Temperatures soared to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Sydney, where a bushfire also broke out in a northwestern suburb of Australia's biggest city.
Wind gusts had been forecast to reach 90 kilometres per hour (55 miles per hour) in some areas, but Fitzsimmons said the winds were stronger than expected, especially in the fire-ravaged southeast.
Unprecedented bushfires have devastated vast swathes of the country since September, destroying more than 2,000 homes and burning 10 million hectares (100,000 square kilometres) of land - an area larger than South Korea or Portugal.
Scientists estimate that one billion animals have died in the fires, which environmental groups say have driven many species closer to extinction.
The blazes have been followed by extreme weather that has hampered clean-up operations in some areas, including intense storms that have battered parts of Australia with giant hail, floods and landslides.
Heavy rainfall has helped to contain and, in some cases, extinguish long-running blazes but an expected return to searing heat and gusting winds Thursday was flagged as a cause for concern as dozens of fires continued to burn.
Cooler weather was forecast to return on Friday, but the bushfire season still has weeks left to run.
Coulson Aviation, which owned the crashed Hercules, said it had grounded operations of its other large air tankers "pending review" of the aircraft.
The company said it was "deeply saddened" to confirm the three fatalities, adding it would send a team to the crash site to assist in emergency operations.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three crew members onboard," the Coulson family said in a statement.
The months-long bushfire crisis has sparked renewed calls for Australia's conservative government to take immediate action on climate change, with street protests urging Prime Minister Scott Morrison to reduce the country's reliance on coal.
A major coal conference in Wollongong -- situated in a coal-producing region south of Sydney that has been hit by massive blazes -- was cancelled this week in response to what local climate activists said was a "planned mass protest".
(France 24 with AP and AFP)
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france24--2020-01-23--Fashion legend Jean-Paul Gaultier takes final bow at star-studded finale in Paris

French designer Jeal-Paul Gaultier acknowledges the audience at the end of his star-studded fashion show in Paris on January 22 , 2020 .
Jean-Paul Gaultier has bowed out of fashion with all the cheek and showmanship with which he lit it up over the last half-century .
The legendary French provocateur bid farewell Wednesday with an hour-long feelgood musical spectacular with an orchestra and a cast of hundreds to celebrate the friends and the often outrageous looks that helped make him a star .
With what seemed like the entire fashion world gathered to pay tribute , the mammoth production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conical breasts sticking out of it being carried down a set worthy of Cecil B. DeMille .
It was Gaultier 's knowing joke that the conical bra he famously put on Madonna will probably end up on his tombstone .
British singer Boy George closed the show , with fashionistas on their feet as the designer emerged in the same blue work overalls as his studio staff when the curtain lifted to reveal the backstage .
Raised onto the shoulders of some of the 220 models who had sashayed down the runway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his name to the strains of the Culture Club hit `` Church of the Poison Mind '' .
The ode to freaks and outsiders echoed the way the maverick designer pioneered body-positive thinking and gender fluidity long before they became fashionable .
American singer Beth Ditto and the bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst were among the atypical models he managed to charm onto the catwalk .
While Madonna herself did not make it to the show , the `` French Madonna '' Mylène Farmer did , along with a galaxy of Gallic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beatrice Dalle .
In a touching message before the curtain lifted , Gaultier gave the world a lesson in sustainability and making do .
`` There are too many clothes and too many that are never worn .
Do n't throw them away , recycle them , '' he said , declaring his final collection was his first `` upcycled haute couture '' one .
`` When I was a child my mother told me how she would turn my father 's old worn trousers into skirts .
That marked me .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , '' Gaultier said .
`` I have been doing that since ...
In my first show and in this my last there are creations made with the jeans I 've worn , '' he said .
`` It 's the most beautiful of materials .
Like a lot of humans , it becomes even more beautiful as it gets older . ''
The flamboyant creator stunned fans on Friday by announcing that the haute couture show in the French capital would be his last .
Many believe the 67-year-old showman may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Fashion Freak Show '' , a cheeky cabaret revue based on his life has been a popular and critical hit .
With its catchphrase `` Tout le monde est beau ! ''
( `` Everybody looks so good !
`` ) , it was a feelgood smash when he premiered it at the Folies Bergère in Paris in 2018 .
It is now touring Russia after an acclaimed London run .
Gaultier 's perfume range and high-end haute couture business , Gaultier Paris , will live on , the brand told AFP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been saying , ' I am going to have to make a decision ( about the future ) ' , '' said fashion historian Olivier Saillard .
`` I think the success of the show has shown him a way , '' he added .
`` It has been wonderful for him to see the public laughing and crying with him , '' the historian told AFP .
`` It is so much more joyful than a fashion show , which lasts 11 minutes and where people are always on their phones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had previously carved out a cult following as a presenter of the late-night 1990s television show `` Eurotrash '' .
Gaultier stopped designing ready-to-wear clothes in 2015 to concentrate on haute couture - extravagant handmade clothes which only the world 's richest women can afford .
Never less than flamboyant , Gaultier was a fashion prodigy .
From the start he challenged gender stereotypes and conventional ideas of beauty , once placing an advert for `` atypical '' models .
`` The facially disfigured should not refrain from applying , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a father '' to many top designers he had mentored over the years , but `` he feels fashion has changed terribly '' .
Nor was it a secret that Gaultier was unhappy with the Catalan luxury conglomerate Puig , which bought his brand in 2011 .
`` He will be back , but in a different way , '' said Saillard .

Jean-Paul Gaultier has bowed out of fashion with all the cheek and showmanship with which he lit it up over the last half-century.
French designer Jeal-Paul Gaultier acknowledges the audience at the end of his star-studded fashion show in Paris on January 22, 2020.
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The legendary French provocateur bid farewell Wednesday with an hour-long feelgood musical spectacular with an orchestra and a cast of hundreds to celebrate the friends and the often outrageous looks that helped make him a star.
With what seemed like the entire fashion world gathered to pay tribute, the mammoth production began with a black coffin with two conical breasts sticking out of it being carried down a set worthy of Cecil B. DeMille.
It was Gaultier's knowing joke that the conical bra he famously put on Madonna will probably end up on his tombstone.
British singer Boy George closed the show, with fashionistas on their feet as the designer emerged in the same blue work overalls as his studio staff when the curtain lifted to reveal the backstage.
Raised onto the shoulders of some of the 220 models who had sashayed down the runway, he threw kisses as the audience chanted his name to the strains of the Culture Club hit "Church of the Poison Mind".
The ode to freaks and outsiders echoed the way the maverick designer pioneered body-positive thinking and gender fluidity long before they became fashionable.
American singer Beth Ditto and the bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst were among the atypical models he managed to charm onto the catwalk.
While Madonna herself did not make it to the show, the "French Madonna" Mylène Farmer did, along with a galaxy of Gallic stars including "Betty Blue" actress Beatrice Dalle.
In a touching message before the curtain lifted, Gaultier gave the world a lesson in sustainability and making do.
"There are too many clothes and too many that are never worn. Don't throw them away, recycle them," he said, declaring his final collection was his first "upcycled haute couture" one.
"When I was a child my mother told me how she would turn my father's old worn trousers into skirts. That marked me. You can love a garment again by transforming it," Gaultier said.
"I have been doing that since... In my first show and in this my last there are creations made with the jeans I've worn," he said.
"It's the most beautiful of materials. Like a lot of humans, it becomes even more beautiful as it gets older."
The flamboyant creator stunned fans on Friday by announcing that the haute couture show in the French capital would be his last.
'Laughing and crying'
Many believe the 67-year-old showman may now throw himself into showbiz.
His "Fashion Freak Show", a cheeky cabaret revue based on his life has been a popular and critical hit.
With its catchphrase "Tout le monde est beau!" ("Everybody looks so good!"), it was a feelgood smash when he premiered it at the Folies Bergère in Paris in 2018.
It is now touring Russia after an acclaimed London run.
Gaultier's perfume range and high-end haute couture business, Gaultier Paris, will live on, the brand told AFP.
"For years now Jean-Paul Gaultier has been saying, 'I am going to have to make a decision (about the future)'," said fashion historian Olivier Saillard.
"I think the success of the show has shown him a way," he added.
"It has been wonderful for him to see the public laughing and crying with him," the historian told AFP.
"It is so much more joyful than a fashion show, which lasts 11 minutes and where people are always on their phones taking photos."
The impish creator had previously carved out a cult following as a presenter of the late-night 1990s television show "Eurotrash".
Gaultier stopped designing ready-to-wear clothes in 2015 to concentrate on haute couture - extravagant handmade clothes which only the world's richest women can afford.
Body-positive pioneer
Never less than flamboyant, Gaultier was a fashion prodigy.
From the start he challenged gender stereotypes and conventional ideas of beauty, once placing an advert for "atypical" models.
"The facially disfigured should not refrain from applying," he added.
Saillard said the couturier was "like a father" to many top designers he had mentored over the years, but "he feels fashion has changed terribly".
Nor was it a secret that Gaultier was unhappy with the Catalan luxury conglomerate Puig, which bought his brand in 2011.
"He will be back, but in a different way," said Saillard.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-23--Germany returns artworks looted by Nazis to French Jewish family

German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Gruetters returns three artworks to a descendant of a Jewish French collector , who owned the pieces until his death in 1941 , at the chancellery in Berlin , Germany on January 22 , 2020 .
The German government Wednesday handed three works of art stolen during the Nazi occupation of France back to descendants of their original owner , the collector and Jewish lawyer Armand Dorville .
It was part of a programme to return artefacts looted by the Nazis , including two paintings , `` Dame en robe du @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gown ) and `` Portrait d'une dame '' ( portrait of a woman ) , by Jean-Louis Forain .
The third was a drawing by Constantin Guys , a Dutch-born Frenchman who worked as a Crimean War correspondent .
They are among hundreds of looted items logged for return to owners or their descendants by German-Austrian collector Cornelius Gurlitt , who died in 2014 .
The Nazis engaged his father Hildebrand - who was part-Jewish - to sell items either stolen or confiscated from Jewish owners .
Dorville died in 1941 and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collectors .
The family was unable to flee occupied France and most members were killed by the Nazis , who occupied the country from 1940-1944 .
Several close relatives of Dorville 's brother Charles perished at Auschwitz .
`` It is no longer possible to make up for the suffering of the Dorville family under the Nazi persecution but we must render them visible and this restitution comprises an important gesture of historic justice , '' said Germany 's commissioner for culture and the media , Monika Gruetters .
Investigators discovered some 1,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pablo Picasso , in the house of Cornelius Gurlitt in 2013 .
To date just 13 have been returned to the families of their original owners .

The German government Wednesday handed three works of art stolen during the Nazi occupation of France back to descendants of their original owner, the collector and Jewish lawyer Armand Dorville.
German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Gruetters returns three artworks to a descendant of a Jewish French collector, who owned the pieces until his death in 1941, at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany on January 22, 2020.
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It was part of a programme to return artefacts looted by the Nazis, including two paintings, "Dame en robe du soir" (woman in an evening gown) and "Portrait d'une dame" (portrait of a woman), by Jean-Louis Forain. The third was a drawing by Constantin Guys, a Dutch-born Frenchman who worked as a Crimean War correspondent.
They are among hundreds of looted items logged for return to owners or their descendants by German-Austrian collector Cornelius Gurlitt, who died in 2014. The Nazis engaged his father Hildebrand - who was part-Jewish - to sell items either stolen or confiscated from Jewish owners.
Dorville died in 1941 and his collection was distributed to museums and private collectors.
The family was unable to flee occupied France and most members were killed by the Nazis, who occupied the country from 1940-1944.
Several close relatives of Dorville's brother Charles perished at Auschwitz.
"It is no longer possible to make up for the suffering of the Dorville family under the Nazi persecution but we must render them visible and this restitution comprises an important gesture of historic justice," said Germany's commissioner for culture and the media, Monika Gruetters.
Investigators discovered some 1,500 works, including drawings and prints by Pablo Picasso, in the house of Cornelius Gurlitt in 2013. To date just 13 have been returned to the families of their original owners.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-01-22--What we know so far about the new SARS-like virus

Two medical personnel carry a box outside a hospital in China 's central Wuhan province , where coronavirus patients are being treated .
A new SARS-like virus has killed 17 people in China , infected hundreds and reached as far as the United States , with fears mounting about its spread as hundreds of millions travel for Lunar New Year celebrations , which start Friday .
The World Health Organization on Wednesday decided to extend by a day emergency talks on a deadly outbreak of a SARS-like virus originating in China , postponing its decision on whether to declare a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision about whether or not to declare a public health emergency of international concern is one I take extremely seriously and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of the available evidence , '' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters .
Many countries have stepped up screening of passengers from Wuhan , the Chinese city identified as the epicentre , and the WHO has called an emergency meeting .
Chinese state media say the city of Wuhan is shutting down outbound flights and trains as the country battles the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sickened hundreds and killed 17 .
The official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday that the city also asked people not to leave Wuhan without specific reasons .
Here 's what we know so far about the virus : It 's entirely new The pathogen appears to be a never-before-seen strain of coronavirus -- a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ( SARS ) , which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2003 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department of epidemiology at the Institut Pasteur in Paris , told AFP the current virus strain was 80 percent genetically identical to SARS .
China has already shared the genome sequencing of this novel coronavirus with the international scientific community .
It has been named `` 2019-nCoV '' .
It 's being passed between humans The WHO said Monday it believed an animal source was the `` primary source '' of the outbreak , and Wuhan authorities identified a seafood market as the centre of the epidemic .
But China has since confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now passing from person to person , without any contact with the now-closed market .
The virus has infected more than 400 people across the country , with most cases in Wuhan , according to officials .
Li Bin of China 's National Health Commission on Wednesday said 1,394 people were still under medical observation .
Doctor Nathalie MacDermott of King 's College London said it seems likely that the virus is spread through droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing .
Doctors at the University of Hong Kong published an initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus which estimated that there have been some 1,343 cases in Wuhan -- similar to a projection of 1,700 last week by scientists at Imperial College , London .
Both are much higher than official figures .
It is milder than SARS Compared with SARS , the symptoms appear to be less aggressive , and experts say the death toll is still relatively low .
`` It 's difficult to compare this disease with SARS , '' said Zhong Nanshan , a renowned scientist at China 's National Health Commission at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's mild .
The condition of the lung is not like SARS . ''
However , the milder nature of the virus can also cause alarm .
The outbreak comes as China prepares for the Lunar New Year Holiday , with hundreds of millions travelling across the country to see family .
Professor Antoine Flahault , director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva , told AFP that the fact that the virus seems milder in the majority of people is `` paradoxically more worrying '' as it allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are detected .
`` Wuhan is a major hub and with travel being a huge part of the fast approaching Chinese New Year , the concern level must remain high , '' said Jeremy Farrar , Director of the Wellcome Trust .
The WHO will hold a meeting on Wednesday to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a `` public health emergency of international concern '' and if so , what should be done to manage it .
Cases have so far been confirmed in Thailand , Japan , Taiwan , South Korea , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO has only used the rare label a handful of times , including during the H1N1 -- or swine flu -- pandemic of 2009 and the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016 .
The Chinese government announced Tuesday it was classifying the outbreak in the same category as the SARS outbreak , meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the disease and the potential to implement quarantine measures on travel .
But if the WHO decides to take this step , it would put the Wuhan virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of very serious epidemics .
As the number of confirmed deaths and infections has risen , so has concern worldwide about the disease spreading to other countries .
In Thailand , authorities have introduced mandatory thermal scans of passengers arriving at airports in Bangkok , Chiang Mai , Phuket and Krabi from high-risk areas in China .
In Hong Kong , where hundreds died during the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003 , authorities have said they are on high alert , carrying out scans at the city 's airport -- one of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land and sea crossing points .
The United States also ordered the screening of passengers arriving on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan , including at airports in New York , San Francisco and Los Angeles .
Taiwan has issued travel advisories , and went to its second-highest alert level for those travelling to or from Wuhan .
Vietnam has also ordered more border checks on its border with China .

A new SARS-like virus has killed 17 people in China, infected hundreds and reached as far as the United States, with fears mounting about its spread as hundreds of millions travel for Lunar New Year celebrations, which start Friday.
Two medical personnel carry a box outside a hospital in China's central Wuhan province, where coronavirus patients are being treated.
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The World Health Organization on Wednesday decided to extend by a day emergency talks on a deadly outbreak of a SARS-like virus originating in China, postponing its decision on whether to declare a global public health emergency.
"The decision about whether or not to declare a public health emergency of international concern is one I take extremely seriously and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of the available evidence," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.
Many countries have stepped up screening of passengers from Wuhan, the Chinese city identified as the epicentre, and the WHO has called an emergency meeting.
Chinese state media say the city of Wuhan is shutting down outbound flights and trains as the country battles the spread of a new virus that has sickened hundreds and killed 17.
The official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday that the city also asked people not to leave Wuhan without specific reasons.
Here's what we know so far about the virus:
It's entirely new
The pathogen appears to be a never-before-seen strain of coronavirus -- a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2003.
Arnaud Fontanet, head of the department of epidemiology at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, told AFP the current virus strain was 80 percent genetically identical to SARS.
China has already shared the genome sequencing of this novel coronavirus with the international scientific community.
It has been named "2019-nCoV".
It's being passed between humans
The WHO said Monday it believed an animal source was the "primary source" of the outbreak, and Wuhan authorities identified a seafood market as the centre of the epidemic.
But China has since confirmed that there was evidence the virus is now passing from person to person, without any contact with the now-closed market.
The virus has infected more than 400 people across the country, with most cases in Wuhan, according to officials. Li Bin of China's National Health Commission on Wednesday said 1,394 people were still under medical observation.
Doctor Nathalie MacDermott of King's College London said it seems likely that the virus is spread through droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing.
Doctors at the University of Hong Kong published an initial paper on Tuesday modelling the spread of the virus which estimated that there have been some 1,343 cases in Wuhan -- similar to a projection of 1,700 last week by scientists at Imperial College, London.
Both are much higher than official figures.
It is milder than SARS
Compared with SARS, the symptoms appear to be less aggressive, and experts say the death toll is still relatively low.
"It's difficult to compare this disease with SARS," said Zhong Nanshan, a renowned scientist at China's National Health Commission at a press conference this week. "It's mild. The condition of the lung is not like SARS."
However, the milder nature of the virus can also cause alarm.
The outbreak comes as China prepares for the Lunar New Year Holiday, with hundreds of millions travelling across the country to see family.
Professor Antoine Flahault, director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, told AFP that the fact that the virus seems milder in the majority of people is "paradoxically more worrying" as it allows people to travel further before their symptoms are detected.
"Wuhan is a major hub and with travel being a huge part of the fast approaching Chinese New Year, the concern level must remain high," said Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust.
International public health emergency?
The WHO will hold a meeting on Wednesday to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern" and if so, what should be done to manage it.
Cases have so far been confirmed in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Macau and the United States.
The WHO has only used the rare label a handful of times, including during the H1N1 -- or swine flu -- pandemic of 2009 and the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016.
The Chinese government announced Tuesday it was classifying the outbreak in the same category as the SARS outbreak, meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the disease and the potential to implement quarantine measures on travel.
But if the WHO decides to take this step, it would put the Wuhan virus in the same category as a handful of very serious epidemics.
Global precautions
As the number of confirmed deaths and infections has risen, so has concern worldwide about the disease spreading to other countries.
In Thailand, authorities have introduced mandatory thermal scans of passengers arriving at airports in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi from high-risk areas in China.
In Hong Kong, where hundreds died during the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003, authorities have said they are on high alert, carrying out scans at the city's airport -- one of the world's busiest -- and at other international land and sea crossing points.
The United States also ordered the screening of passengers arriving on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, including at airports in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Taiwan has issued travel advisories, and went to its second-highest alert level for those travelling to or from Wuhan. Vietnam has also ordered more border checks on its border with China.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-22--US-French tax truce a respite in tense relations with EU

France will delay its tax on big tech firms like Google and Facebook in exchange for the United States 's promise to hold off retaliatory tariffs — a potential sign of goodwill in the U.S. and European Union 's increasingly tense relations over trade .
France will delay its tax on big tech firms like Google and Facebook in exchange for the United States 's promise to hold off retaliatory tariffs — a potential sign of goodwill in the U.S. and European Union 's increasingly tense relations over trade .
After U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the EU with bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maire said Wednesday he had negotiated a truce with U.S. Treasury chief Steven Mnuchin on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland .
Le Maire said France would delay collection of the digital tax until December , parking the issue until after the next U.S. presidential election where Trump hopes to secure another four-year term .
The 3 % tax on the revenues of big internet companies only came into force last July and prompted outrage in the U.S. , which launched retaliatory tariffs against French wine , cheese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually agreed a month later to try to create an international agreement on how to tax digital business by mid-2020 , but neither side would back off their punitive taxes .
They agreed to on Wednesday in Davos .
Le Maire , Mnuchin and the head of the Paris-based Organization or Economic Co-operation and Development , José Ángel Gurría , will meet Thursday to work on an international approach to taxes on digital companies .
“ I absolutely expect we will come to a solution because there is no plan B , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davos .
It remains unclear whether they can find an international agreement , as it would involve dozens of countries with often conflicting views .
Le Maire said France was not in a position to scrap its tax until such an international accord has been reached and insisted that companies reliant on internet business need to pay taxes wherever they are based and wherever they operate .
The French measure is an attempt to get around tax avoidance measures by multinationals , which pay most of their taxes in the EU country they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low rates .
That effectively means the companies pay next to no tax in countries where they have large operations “ Digital companies will pay their fair tax in 2020 , ” Le Maire told reporters in Davos .
At face value , the deal appears to dial down the risk of a wider trade war between the U.S. and the EU , of which France is part of .
However , Trump and Mnuchin both took a noticeably tough line on the EU that stoked concerns that the months ahead could see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , who last week reached an interim trade deal with China easing tensions between the world ’ s two biggest economies , ratcheted up his criticism of the EU and said its approach to trade was in fact worse than Beijing 's .
“ They have trade barriers where you ca n't trade , ” he said at a press briefing at the conclusion of his two-day stay in Davos .
“ They have tariffs all over the place .
They make it impossible .
They are , frankly , more difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said he wanted to get a first trade deal with China before taking on deeper negotiations with the EU .
Trump has used tariffs - or the threat of them - repeatedly to wrest trade concessions from U.S. trading partners including China , Mexico and Canada .
In October , he slapped tariffs worth $ 7.5 billion on EU goods in October after prevailing in a case over airplane subsidies .
He has also repeatedly raised the specter of tariffs on European cars .
The EU Commission 's new president , Ursula @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump in Davos on Tuesday , said the two agreed to move quickly to resolve any trade disputes .
“ I think that we have a lot in common and lot to work for , ” she said .
`` There is a golden rule that we first of all negotiate with our American friends.
” Even erstwhile allies , such as Britain , could face retaliation from the U.S. if they push ahead with their own digital tax plans .
Dozens of governments have enacted or are contemplating such taxes on big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Britain , which is scheduled to leave the EU on Jan. 31 and is keen to strike a trade deal with the U.S. as well as with its former partners in the bloc , has become caught up in the dispute .
Britain is due to impose a 2 % levy on the digital business of firms making 500 million pounds ( $ 640 million ) a year in global revenues from April .
Britain 's Treasury chief , Sajid Javid , sought to walk a fine line on the issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our digital services tax in April , ” he said in Davos .
“ It is a proportionate tax and a tax that is deliberately planned as a temporary tax .
It will fall away when there is an international agreement.
” Mnuchin told the same panel that the two men would have “ some private conversations about that.
” “ We ’ ve been pretty clear that we think the digital tax is discriminatory in nature , ” Mnuchin said .
Alluding to plans by dozens of countries contemplating such taxes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to just arbitrarily put taxes on our digital companies , we will consider arbitrarily putting taxes on their car companies .
”

France will delay its tax on big tech firms like Google and Facebook in exchange for the United States's promise to hold off retaliatory tariffs — a potential sign of goodwill in the U.S. and European Union's increasingly tense relations over trade.
France will delay its tax on big tech firms like Google and Facebook in exchange for the United States's promise to hold off retaliatory tariffs — a potential sign of goodwill in the U.S. and European Union's increasingly tense relations over trade.
Advertising Read more
After U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the EU with bigger tariffs, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Wednesday he had negotiated a truce with U.S. Treasury chief Steven Mnuchin on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Le Maire said France would delay collection of the digital tax until December, parking the issue until after the next U.S. presidential election where Trump hopes to secure another four-year term.
The 3% tax on the revenues of big internet companies only came into force last July and prompted outrage in the U.S., which launched retaliatory tariffs against French wine, cheese and other products.
The two countries eventually agreed a month later to try to create an international agreement on how to tax digital business by mid-2020, but neither side would back off their punitive taxes. They agreed to on Wednesday in Davos.
Le Maire, Mnuchin and the head of the Paris-based Organization or Economic Co-operation and Development, José Ángel Gurría, will meet Thursday to work on an international approach to taxes on digital companies.
“I absolutely expect we will come to a solution because there is no plan B," Gurría told The Associated Press earlier in Davos.
It remains unclear whether they can find an international agreement, as it would involve dozens of countries with often conflicting views.
Le Maire said France was not in a position to scrap its tax until such an international accord has been reached and insisted that companies reliant on internet business need to pay taxes wherever they are based and wherever they operate.
The French measure is an attempt to get around tax avoidance measures by multinationals, which pay most of their taxes in the EU country they are based in — often at very low rates. That effectively means the companies pay next to no tax in countries where they have large operations
“Digital companies will pay their fair tax in 2020,” Le Maire told reporters in Davos.
At face value, the deal appears to dial down the risk of a wider trade war between the U.S. and the EU, of which France is part of.
However, Trump and Mnuchin both took a noticeably tough line on the EU that stoked concerns that the months ahead could see a new escalation in trade tensions.
Trump, who last week reached an interim trade deal with China easing tensions between the world’s two biggest economies, ratcheted up his criticism of the EU and said its approach to trade was in fact worse than Beijing's.
“They have trade barriers where you can't trade,” he said at a press briefing at the conclusion of his two-day stay in Davos. “They have tariffs all over the place. They make it impossible. They are, frankly, more difficult to do business with than China.”
Trump said he wanted to get a first trade deal with China before taking on deeper negotiations with the EU.
Trump has used tariffs - or the threat of them - repeatedly to wrest trade concessions from U.S. trading partners including China, Mexico and Canada. In October, he slapped tariffs worth $7.5 billion on EU goods in October after prevailing in a case over airplane subsidies. He has also repeatedly raised the specter of tariffs on European cars.
The EU Commission's new president, Ursula von der Leyen, who met with Trump in Davos on Tuesday, said the two agreed to move quickly to resolve any trade disputes.
“I think that we have a lot in common and lot to work for,” she said. "There is a golden rule that we first of all negotiate with our American friends.”
Even erstwhile allies, such as Britain, could face retaliation from the U.S. if they push ahead with their own digital tax plans. Dozens of governments have enacted or are contemplating such taxes on big tech companies that operate in their countries.
Britain, which is scheduled to leave the EU on Jan. 31 and is keen to strike a trade deal with the U.S. as well as with its former partners in the bloc, has become caught up in the dispute.
Britain is due to impose a 2% levy on the digital business of firms making 500 million pounds ($640 million) a year in global revenues from April.
Britain's Treasury chief, Sajid Javid, sought to walk a fine line on the issue.
“We plan to go ahead with our digital services tax in April,” he said in Davos. “It is a proportionate tax and a tax that is deliberately planned as a temporary tax. It will fall away when there is an international agreement.”
Mnuchin told the same panel that the two men would have “some private conversations about that.”
“We’ve been pretty clear that we think the digital tax is discriminatory in nature,” Mnuchin said.
Alluding to plans by dozens of countries contemplating such taxes, he said: “If people want to just arbitrarily put taxes on our digital companies, we will consider arbitrarily putting taxes on their car companies.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-01-22--Bernard Arnault: France’s ‘wolf-in-cashmere’ billionaire

LVMH Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Arnault presents the group 's annual results at the LVMH headquarters in Paris , January 29 , 2019 .
On Friday , French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault briefly toppled Amazon ’ s Jeff Bezos to become the richest person in the world .
Now relegated back to second wealthiest in the world , Arnault remains the richest person in Europe .
Arnault lasted just a couple of days at the top before Bezos recovered his regular position .
But this was the second time in recent months that Arnault has borrowed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Arnault .
The CEO of the LVMH group ( Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy ) earned an estimated profit of €35.1 billion over the course of the year .
This breaks down as €4,020,307 every hour , or €66,700 a minute .
He is one of only three people ever to make it into the exclusive centi-billionaires club , along with Bezos and Bill Gates .
Arnault first dethroned Bezos on December 16 , 2019 .
This triumph lasted even shorter , less than five hours , before Bezos returned to the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jewelry company Tiffany , causing their stocks to rise .
Arnault ’ s story is not exactly rags-to-riches , but it does reveal a man driven by ambition who built his own empire .
He was born Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault on March 5 , 1949 in the French city of Roubaix , near the Belgian border .
His father Jean Léon Arnault was a manufacturer and the owner of the civil engineering company , Ferret-Savinel .
His mother Marie Josèphe Savinel made two major contributions to her son ’ s future .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had a “ fascination for Dior ” , according to her son in an interview with the Financial Times , who said she wore its Diorissimo scent .
She could not have known that her son would eventually own Dior .
Arnault still plays the piano , which remains one of his major hobbies , along with tennis .
Indeed , the piano played a central role in his second marriage .
He is said to have wooed Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier with his own performance of etudes by composer Chopin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ École Polytechnique , France ’ s most prestigious engineering school whose alumni include three Nobel laureates , Carlos Ghosn and former president Valéry Giscard d ’ Estaing .
Having qualified as an engineer , he joined his father 's company .
He married his first wife Anne Dewavrin in 1973 and they had two children , a daughter Delphine and a son Antoine .
Delphine is widely considered to be her father ’ s natural successor and is currently executive vice president of Louis Vuitton .
Arnault proved his business acumen in 1976 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the construction side of the business and focus instead on real estate .
Arnault succeeded his father as president of this new company called Ferinel , specialising in holiday accommodation .
He moved his young family to America in 1981 , in an open reaction to the rise of the French Socialists and their determination to tax the rich .
He spent three years in the United States , growing his family ’ s property business .
Upon his return to France in 1983 , he made a crucial business move .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the textile industry when the landmark firm Boussac went bankrupt .
The French government , under then president Mitterand , was looking for someone to rescue Boussac , an empire that comprised a number of floundering businesses , including Dior .
Arnault ’ s eye was firmly fixed on this couture prize .
He wanted Dior .
He proceeded to sell off much of the other operations under the Boussac name , keeping only a few including Dior .
He now owns 96.5 percent of Dior .
By this time , top-end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vuitton had merged to form LVMH .
Arnault started investing in this golden egg in 1987 .
He soon became its biggest shareholder .
Then began one of the fiercest battles in French fashion as Arnault fought to oust first the former chairman Henry Racamier and then many of the top executives .
He gained a reputation then for ruthlessness , along with the nickname ‘ the wolf in cashmere ’ .
Having mercilessly filleted the company of many of its loyal servants – and acquiring many newly unemployed enemies in the north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of brilliant business decisions .
He wanted to expand , but only with the best .
He set about bringing some of the top labels in the world into the LVMH fold .
The company ’ s portfolio now features 75 brands , including fashion houses Christian Lacroix , Celine , Givenchy , Fendi , Marc Jacobs and Dior .
It also involves wines and spirits , including champagne brand Dom Pérignon , cognac makers Hennessy , Glenmorangie Scottish whisky and New Zealand winemakers Cloudy Bay .
There is jewelry with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with beauty chainstore Sephora .
The group extends to the famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice , a range of top hotels with Michelin starred restaurants called Cheval Blanc in Courchevel in the French Alps and the historic Paris department store Le Bon Marche .
Arnault himself own properties across the world and a private island in the Bahamas .
No sign of slowing down With all this , 70-year old Arnault and his LVMH domain show no signs of slowing down .
Their latest major acquisition was last November , when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approximately €14.7 billion .
Forbes has described Arnault as ‘ one of the world ’ s ultimate tastemakers ’ .
Arnault has not always been an entirely loyal servant to France .
He controversially tried – and failed – to get Belgian nationality when France ’ s 2012 budget looked set to severely tax the wealthy .
The French government had changed hands , Nicholas Sarkozy was out and François Hollande was in .
This resounded deeply as Arnault was part of Sarkozy ’ s inner circle ; he had even been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1996 .
Arnault ’ s attempt to become Belgian did , however , serve to undermine his famously patriotic approach to business .
Along with being an incredibly successful businessman and investor , Arnault is also a passionate and savvy art collector .
His first purchase at an art auction was an early 20th-century depiction of Charing Cross Bridge by Claude Monet .
He now owns work by Jean-Michel Basquiat , Damien Hirst , Maurizio Cattelan , Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso .
Arnault is also the visionary behind the Louis Vuitton Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this iconic contemporary art museum was described as a “ cloud of glass ” when it opened in 2014 .
It soon found a place in the elite global art landscape as one of the most important galleries in Europe .
The key to his business method is timing .
As he said himself , “ I think in business , you have to learn to be patient .
Maybe I ’ m not very patient myself .
But I think that I ’ ve learned the most is be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s the right time .
”

On Friday, French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault briefly toppled Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to become the richest person in the world. Now relegated back to second wealthiest in the world, Arnault remains the richest person in Europe.
LVMH Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Arnault presents the group's annual results at the LVMH headquarters in Paris, January 29, 2019.
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Arnault lasted just a couple of days at the top before Bezos recovered his regular position. But this was the second time in recent months that Arnault has borrowed the crown.
2019 was a good year for Arnault. The CEO of the LVMH group (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) earned an estimated profit of €35.1 billion over the course of the year. This breaks down as €4,020,307 every hour, or €66,700 a minute. He is one of only three people ever to make it into the exclusive centi-billionaires club, along with Bezos and Bill Gates.
Arnault first dethroned Bezos on December 16, 2019. This triumph lasted even shorter, less than five hours, before Bezos returned to the top. It occurred after LVMH acquired luxury jewelry company Tiffany, causing their stocks to rise.
‘Fascination for Dior’
Arnault’s story is not exactly rags-to-riches, but it does reveal a man driven by ambition who built his own empire.
He was born Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault on March 5, 1949 in the French city of Roubaix, near the Belgian border.
His father Jean Léon Arnault was a manufacturer and the owner of the civil engineering company, Ferret-Savinel.
His mother Marie Josèphe Savinel made two major contributions to her son’s future. She made him take piano lessons and she had a “fascination for Dior”, according to her son in an interview with the Financial Times, who said she wore its Diorissimo scent. She could not have known that her son would eventually own Dior.
Arnault still plays the piano, which remains one of his major hobbies, along with tennis. Indeed, the piano played a central role in his second marriage. He is said to have wooed Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier with his own performance of etudes by composer Chopin.
He graduated in 1971 from the École Polytechnique, France’s most prestigious engineering school whose alumni include three Nobel laureates, Carlos Ghosn and former president Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. Having qualified as an engineer, he joined his father's company.
He married his first wife Anne Dewavrin in 1973 and they had two children, a daughter Delphine and a son Antoine. Delphine is widely considered to be her father’s natural successor and is currently executive vice president of Louis Vuitton.
Arnault proved his business acumen in 1976 when he persuaded his father to sell off the construction side of the business and focus instead on real estate. Arnault succeeded his father as president of this new company called Ferinel, specialising in holiday accommodation.
He moved his young family to America in 1981, in an open reaction to the rise of the French Socialists and their determination to tax the rich. He spent three years in the United States, growing his family’s property business.
‘The wolf in cashmere’
Upon his return to France in 1983, he made a crucial business move. He identified a golden opportunity to expand into the textile industry when the landmark firm Boussac went bankrupt.
The French government, under then president Mitterand, was looking for someone to rescue Boussac, an empire that comprised a number of floundering businesses, including Dior.
Arnault’s eye was firmly fixed on this couture prize. He wanted Dior. He proceeded to sell off much of the other operations under the Boussac name, keeping only a few including Dior. He now owns 96.5 percent of Dior.
By this time, top-end luxury goods brands Moet Hennessy and Louis Vuitton had merged to form LVMH. Arnault started investing in this golden egg in 1987. He soon became its biggest shareholder.
Then began one of the fiercest battles in French fashion as Arnault fought to oust first the former chairman Henry Racamier and then many of the top executives. He gained a reputation then for ruthlessness, along with the nickname ‘the wolf in cashmere’.
Having mercilessly filleted the company of many of its loyal servants – and acquiring many newly unemployed enemies in the north of France - Arnault proceeded to make a series of brilliant business decisions. He wanted to expand, but only with the best. He set about bringing some of the top labels in the world into the LVMH fold.
The company’s portfolio now features 75 brands, including fashion houses Christian Lacroix, Celine, Givenchy, Fendi, Marc Jacobs and Dior. It also involves wines and spirits, including champagne brand Dom Pérignon, cognac makers Hennessy, Glenmorangie Scottish whisky and New Zealand winemakers Cloudy Bay.
There is jewelry with Bulgari and watches with Tag Heuer, along with beauty chainstore Sephora.
The group extends to the famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice, a range of top hotels with Michelin starred restaurants called Cheval Blanc in Courchevel in the French Alps and the historic Paris department store Le Bon Marche.
Arnault himself own properties across the world and a private island in the Bahamas.
No sign of slowing down
With all this, 70-year old Arnault and his LVMH domain show no signs of slowing down. Their latest major acquisition was last November, when they agreed to buy luxury jeweler Tiffany for approximately €14.7 billion.
Forbes has described Arnault as ‘one of the world’s ultimate tastemakers’.
Arnault has not always been an entirely loyal servant to France. He controversially tried – and failed – to get Belgian nationality when France’s 2012 budget looked set to severely tax the wealthy.
The French government had changed hands, Nicholas Sarkozy was out and François Hollande was in. This resounded deeply as Arnault was part of Sarkozy’s inner circle; he had even been a witness at Sarkozy’s wedding in 1996. Arnault’s attempt to become Belgian did, however, serve to undermine his famously patriotic approach to business.
Along with being an incredibly successful businessman and investor, Arnault is also a passionate and savvy art collector. His first purchase at an art auction was an early 20th-century depiction of Charing Cross Bridge by Claude Monet. He now owns work by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan, Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.
Arnault is also the visionary behind the Louis Vuitton Foundation. Designed by American architect Frank Gehry, this iconic contemporary art museum was described as a “cloud of glass” when it opened in 2014. It soon found a place in the elite global art landscape as one of the most important galleries in Europe.
The key to his business method is timing. As he said himself, “I think in business, you have to learn to be patient. Maybe I’m not very patient myself. But I think that I’ve learned the most is be able to wait for something and get it when it’s the right time.”
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-01-22--Italy's 5-Star leader Di Maio resigns as party implodes

The head of Italy 's 5-Star Movement stepped down as party leader Wednesday , following a string of parliamentary defections , falling poll numbers and questions about the movement 's future .
Luigi Di Maio said he had finished his work , that an era had ended , and that he would trust his successor to lead the party going forward .
“ It 's time for the 5-Star Movement to be refounded , '' he told a gathering of party faithful in Rome , ending days of speculation that he would step down as party leader while remaining Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in crisis for months , most acutely since the movement flipped coalition partners in September .
But even earlier , it was beset by infighting and has seen the defections or expulsions of 31 lawmakers since the party won 33 % of the vote in the 2018 election .
It was the 5-Stars ' biggest victory nationally since its birth as a grassroots , anti-establishment protest movement led by comic Beppe Grillo .
Analysts have long said the party has struggled to pivot into an effective governing force , hobbled by its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League party and , since September , with the center-left Democratic Party .
In the process , it has alienated voters by defying some of its core values .
The conflict came to a head a few days before a regional election this weekend that is likely to see Matteo Salvini ’ s League party score well in the traditional leftist stronghold of Emilia Romagna .
Latest polls showed the League and the Democratic candidate running close .
Analyst Massimiliano Panarari , writing Wednesday in the La Stampa newspaper , said a decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as party leader would spare him blame should the candidate closest to the ruling coalition , Democrat Stefano Bonaccini , lose .
Panarari said Di Maio is the “ natural scapegoat , '' because he has collected so many jobs — deputy premier , labor minister and minister of economic development in the first 5-Star government , and now foreign minister .
The 5-Stars ' support has now shrunk to polling nationally only around 15-16 % .
Premier Giuseppe Conte said he respected Di Maio 's decision , while dismissing suggestions that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
“ Certainly , I would be sorry on a personal level , '' he told RTL102 radio .
Emiliana De Blasio , a communications sociologist at Rome 's Luiss University , said Di Maio 's downfall is linked to the fact that he rose in party ranks representing the movement 's right-wing , and as such could work with Salvini when the League was in the government .
“ The rapid fall is probably best represented by the fact that the government in this moment is made up of an alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole 5-Star Movement seems to have moved towards the center-left , '' she said .
De Blasio noted that Di Maio never finished university and had no relevant work experience before being selected to head the party , a prime example of the fluid , non-traditional leadership ethos that guides the 5-Stars .
While he is capable and clever , “ the 5-Star Movement is made up of many personalities , and Di Maio is only one of the personalities , '' she said .

The head of Italy's 5-Star Movement stepped down as party leader Wednesday, following a string of parliamentary defections, falling poll numbers and questions about the movement's future.
Advertising Read more
Luigi Di Maio said he had finished his work, that an era had ended, and that he would trust his successor to lead the party going forward.
“It's time for the 5-Star Movement to be refounded," he told a gathering of party faithful in Rome, ending days of speculation that he would step down as party leader while remaining Italy's foreign minister.
The 5-Stars have been in crisis for months, most acutely since the movement flipped coalition partners in September. But even earlier, it was beset by infighting and has seen the defections or expulsions of 31 lawmakers since the party won 33% of the vote in the 2018 election.
It was the 5-Stars' biggest victory nationally since its birth as a grassroots, anti-establishment protest movement led by comic Beppe Grillo.
Analysts have long said the party has struggled to pivot into an effective governing force, hobbled by its uneasy governing alliances first with the right-wing League party and, since September, with the center-left Democratic Party. In the process, it has alienated voters by defying some of its core values.
The conflict came to a head a few days before a regional election this weekend that is likely to see Matteo Salvini’s League party score well in the traditional leftist stronghold of Emilia Romagna.
Latest polls showed the League and the Democratic candidate running close.
Analyst Massimiliano Panarari, writing Wednesday in the La Stampa newspaper, said a decision by Di Maio to step aside now as party leader would spare him blame should the candidate closest to the ruling coalition, Democrat Stefano Bonaccini, lose.
Panarari said Di Maio is the “natural scapegoat," because he has collected so many jobs — deputy premier, labor minister and minister of economic development in the first 5-Star government, and now foreign minister.
The 5-Stars' support has now shrunk to polling nationally only around 15-16%.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said he respected Di Maio's decision, while dismissing suggestions that his resignation as party leader could destabilize the government.
“Certainly, I would be sorry on a personal level," he told RTL102 radio.
Emiliana De Blasio, a communications sociologist at Rome's Luiss University, said Di Maio's downfall is linked to the fact that he rose in party ranks representing the movement's right-wing, and as such could work with Salvini when the League was in the government.
“The rapid fall is probably best represented by the fact that the government in this moment is made up of an alliance with the Democratic Party, so the whole 5-Star Movement seems to have moved towards the center-left," she said.
De Blasio noted that Di Maio never finished university and had no relevant work experience before being selected to head the party, a prime example of the fluid, non-traditional leadership ethos that guides the 5-Stars.
While he is capable and clever, “the 5-Star Movement is made up of many personalities, and Di Maio is only one of the personalities," she said.
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-01-23--Davos Debate: Tackling the digital tax dilemma

As the United States and France agree to a truce in their dispute over the French tax on big digital @ @ @ @ @ Bruno Le Maire joins a special FRANCE 24 debate from the World Economic Forum in @ @ @ @ @ rulebook on this issue needs to be overhauled .
Can a new global plan on @ @ @ @ @ digital economy succeed , without sparking a trade war ?
FRANCE 24 ’ s business @ @ @ @ @ moral and practical issues at stake with French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire , OECD @ @ @ @ @ International chief Delia Ferreira Rubio and Columbia Law School professor Katharina Pistor .
Watch our @ @ @ @ @ videoplayer above .

Davos Debate: Tackling the digital tax dilemma
43:18 THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24
As the United States and France agree to a truce in their dispute over the French tax on big digital companies, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire joins a special FRANCE 24 debate from the World Economic Forum in Davos on how the international rulebook on this issue needs to be overhauled. Can a new global plan on how best to tax the digital economy succeed, without sparking a trade war?
Advertising FRANCE 24’s business editor Stephen Carroll discusses the moral and practical issues at stake with French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, Transparency International chief Delia Ferreira Rubio and Columbia Law School professor Katharina Pistor. Watch our Debate by clicking on the video player above.
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