france24--2020-05-15--Former Liberian president Sirleaf: 'Let's fight Covid-19, let's also fight malaria'

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences on Africa .
Sirleaf , who was president during the deadly Ebola outbreak of 2014 , voiced concern about the forthcoming economic crisis .
She also called on world leaders not to overlook the fight against malaria .
Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Monrovia , former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Covid-19 had for now been less present in Africa in part because of the climate , maybe because of genes but most definitely because the continent is used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were quick to take decisive action .
Sirleaf said that lockdown and isolation measures were `` necessary '' to stop the spread of the virus , including in Africa , even though they at some point need to be relaxed to allow the economy to restart .
She told FRANCE 24 the Liberian government had responded well to the pandemic and said that the recent decision by President George Weah to re-open religious services had to be coordinated with civil society in order to allay concerns that it might help propagate the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the health crisis was bad , she was concerned for the scale of the economic crisis to come and urged the international community to show solidarity with Africa .
She noted that while solidarity was much better now than during the Ebola outbreak back in 2014 when she was in power , Liberia 's economy still had not fully recovered from Ebola .
She said that debt cancellation for Africa should certainly be on the table .
Finally , she voiced concern that the focus on Covid-19 could provoke an upsurge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first and foremost malaria .
Sirleaf called on world leaders not to overlook this deadly disease .
`` Please pay attention to malaria !
It kills .
It needs the financial support , it needs the technical support , it needs the vaccine , it needs eradication .
Please .
Let 's fight the virus Covid-19 .
Let 's also fight malaria , '' she urged .

In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences on Africa. Sirleaf, who was president during the deadly Ebola outbreak of 2014, voiced concern about the forthcoming economic crisis. She also called on world leaders not to overlook the fight against malaria.
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Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Monrovia, former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Covid-19 had for now been less present in Africa in part because of the climate, maybe because of genes but most definitely because the continent is used to such pandemics and most African countries were quick to take decisive action.
Sirleaf said that lockdown and isolation measures were "necessary" to stop the spread of the virus, including in Africa, even though they at some point need to be relaxed to allow the economy to restart.
She told FRANCE 24 the Liberian government had responded well to the pandemic and said that the recent decision by President George Weah to re-open religious services had to be coordinated with civil society in order to allay concerns that it might help propagate the virus.
The former Liberian president said that while the health crisis was bad, she was concerned for the scale of the economic crisis to come and urged the international community to show solidarity with Africa. She noted that while solidarity was much better now than during the Ebola outbreak back in 2014 when she was in power, Liberia's economy still had not fully recovered from Ebola.
She said that debt cancellation for Africa should certainly be on the table.
Finally, she voiced concern that the focus on Covid-19 could provoke an upsurge in deaths caused by other infectious diseases, first and foremost malaria. Sirleaf called on world leaders not to overlook this deadly disease. "Please pay attention to malaria! It kills. It needs the financial support, it needs the technical support, it needs the vaccine, it needs eradication. Please. Let's fight the virus Covid-19. Let's also fight malaria," she urged.
>> Watch our Debate: How's West Africa doing? Covid-19 tests region's resilience
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france24--2020-05-15--‘We’ll bounce back’: New Yorkers face further lockdown extension

Washington Street in the DUMBO neighbourhood of Brooklyn , with the Manhattan Bridge rising in the background , pictured on May 5 , 2020 .
Lockdown measures in New York City have been extended until May 28 under an executive order signed by state Governor Andrew Cuomo , leaving America 's cultural and commercial capital wondering what its future holds .
Cuomo signed the order Thursday night , a day before statewide lockdown orders were due to expire .
Stay at home orders will be eased for the state 's five least populated regions , however , allowing businesses there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City is the US epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic with more than 20,000 people dead , representing almost a quarter of America ’ s Covid-19 fatalities so far .
Mayor Bill de Blasio has warned New Yorkers they will have to wait until June before a decision can be made on when non-essential businesses , such as its world-renowned museums , can reopen .
Sipping cocktails on a rooftop bar , seeing a concert in Madison Square Garden or being absorbed in the crowds of Times Square : activities symbolic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , exciting metropolis seem unimaginable in the foreseeable future .
`` I 'm bored to tears , '' said sprightly 80-year-old Rhoda Glass , who at this time of year would normally be bouncing between the several charities where she volunteers .
`` I 'm just hoping we come back to a semblance of normal pretty soon , '' she told AFP .
Broadway theaters have said they will not reopen until September at the earliest .
And leaders have warned New Yorkers that they may have to endure the city 's notoriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely popular beaches .
Authorities have already said swimming pools will remain closed and insist it is even too early to say whether schools will be allowed to open in September for the new academic year .
`` We have to be smart , '' Governor Cuomo has said numerous times about reopening , pointing out that countries which eased restrictions too quickly had to shut down again after cases spiked .
Upwards of 700 New York state residents were dying every day at the height of the crisis last month .
Numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 160-mark .
New York City is some way off meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for reopening which include a continuous 14-day decline in deaths and new cases .
Cuomo is committed to the criteria , even as other states reopen without meeting them .
While demonstrations against confinement measures have multiplied across the United States , New Yorkers have largely followed the orders , although sunnier weather has seen residents flock to parks in recent weeks .
Despite emergency field hospitals having come down and sirens noticeably less frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and clapping for essential workers at 7:00 pm are daily reminders the crisis is far from over .
A recent spike in children becoming infected with a rare inflammatory syndrome similar to Kawasaki disease that scientists suspect is linked to Covid-19 has also reignited fears about the virus .
“ Continuing the lockdown is the right decision .
It really sucks but it is what it is , '' 40-year-old trader Shelby , who declined to give her surname , told AFP .
The crisis has exposed inequalities in one of America 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latino communities dying in disproportionately large numbers .
It has also left hundreds of thousands of people unemployed and the city facing a multi-billion-dollar funding crisis that threatens a financial crisis not seen since the 1970s .
That requires federal help .
New Yorkers concerned that the Big Apple might never be the same again take solace in the fact it has recovered from other tragedies , namely the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Sandy .
`` We 'll bounce back .
We 're New Yorkers .
That 's what we do , '' @ @ @

Lockdown measures in New York City have been extended until May 28 under an executive order signed by state Governor Andrew Cuomo, leaving America's cultural and commercial capital wondering what its future holds.
Washington Street in the DUMBO neighbourhood of Brooklyn, with the Manhattan Bridge rising in the background, pictured on May 5, 2020.
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Cuomo signed the order Thursday night, a day before statewide lockdown orders were due to expire. Stay at home orders will be eased for the state's five least populated regions, however, allowing businesses there to get back to work gradually.
New York City is the US epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic with more than 20,000 people dead, representing almost a quarter of America’s Covid-19 fatalities so far.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has warned New Yorkers they will have to wait until June before a decision can be made on when non-essential businesses, such as its world-renowned museums, can reopen.
Sipping cocktails on a rooftop bar, seeing a concert in Madison Square Garden or being absorbed in the crowds of Times Square: activities symbolic of New York's status as a bustling, exciting metropolis seem unimaginable in the foreseeable future.
"I'm bored to tears," said sprightly 80-year-old Rhoda Glass, who at this time of year would normally be bouncing between the several charities where she volunteers.
"I'm just hoping we come back to a semblance of normal pretty soon," she told AFP.
Broadway theaters have said they will not reopen until September at the earliest. And leaders have warned New Yorkers that they may have to endure the city's notoriously sweltering summer months without access to its hugely popular beaches.
Authorities have already said swimming pools will remain closed and insist it is even too early to say whether schools will be allowed to open in September for the new academic year.
"We have to be smart," Governor Cuomo has said numerous times about reopening, pointing out that countries which eased restrictions too quickly had to shut down again after cases spiked.
Lockdown extension ‘right decision’
Upwards of 700 New York state residents were dying every day at the height of the crisis last month. Numbers this week have been hovering around the 160-mark.
New York City is some way off meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for reopening which include a continuous 14-day decline in deaths and new cases.
Cuomo is committed to the criteria, even as other states reopen without meeting them.
While demonstrations against confinement measures have multiplied across the United States, New Yorkers have largely followed the orders, although sunnier weather has seen residents flock to parks in recent weeks.
Despite emergency field hospitals having come down and sirens noticeably less frequent, residents required to wear masks outdoors and clapping for essential workers at 7:00 pm are daily reminders the crisis is far from over.
A recent spike in children becoming infected with a rare inflammatory syndrome similar to Kawasaki disease that scientists suspect is linked to Covid-19 has also reignited fears about the virus.
“Continuing the lockdown is the right decision. It really sucks but it is what it is," 40-year-old trader Shelby, who declined to give her surname, told AFP.
The crisis has exposed inequalities in one of America's most diverse cities, with African-American and Latino communities dying in disproportionately large numbers.
It has also left hundreds of thousands of people unemployed and the city facing a multi-billion-dollar funding crisis that threatens a financial crisis not seen since the 1970s. That requires federal help.
New Yorkers concerned that the Big Apple might never be the same again take solace in the fact it has recovered from other tragedies, namely the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Sandy.
"We'll bounce back. We're New Yorkers. That's what we do," said Glass.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--UK and EU deadlocked after 'very disappointing' trade talks

The EU 's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier gives a news conference following the third round of Brexit talks with Britain on May 15 , 2020 .
Britain and the European Union both demanded that the other side give ground in talks on a new post-Brexit trade deal or risk severe damage in tetchy exchanges after the latest bout of bargaining ended with scant progress on Friday .
The United Kingdom left the EU on Jan. 31 but the main terms of its membership remain in place for a transition period until the end of this year , giving it time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the bloc .
Failure to reach a deal would convulse global trade just as the world aims to exit the coronavirus lockdown .
But so far the talks have not gone well — and that was the only thing on which both sides agreed on Friday .
`` We made very little progress towards agreement on the most significant outstanding issues between us , '' UK chief negotiator David Frost said after a third week-long round of talks .
The main sticking point has been so-called `` level playing field '' rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says they are indispensible to ensure Britain does not undercut its standards , but which Britain rejects as binding it to European laws .
`` As soon as the EU recognises that we will not conclude an agreement on that basis , we will be able to make progress , '' Frost said .
`` We very much need a change in EU approach for the next round beginning on 1 June . ''
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier fired back by saying the talks have been `` very disappointing '' and heading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There will be no agreement with the UK without a balanced agreement on fisheries and a proper , balanced agreement on level playing field , '' Barnier told a news conference , adding he was determined to get a deal but no longer optimistic it was coming .
`` We will not bargain away our values for the benefit of the British economy , '' he said .
He accused London of trying to pick and chose the tastiest morsels of the EU 's single market but rejecting conditions for access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sterling weakened on Friday as Brussels and London dug their heels in ahead of a key deadline at the end of June .
Both sides are then due to assess progress so far in talked aimed at agreeing trade deal with no tarifss or quotas on any goods , and agree on whether to extend the talks , which London has refused to do .
A senior British official said London proposed exploring no tariffs or quotas on 98-99 % of goods instead .
The EU said honing the detail of such an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would still demand level playing field guarantees .
After years of Brexit political chaos in London , investors and companies are trying to work out if London and Brussels are simply ratchetting up the rhetoric or are so far apart that there could be a cliff-edge at the end of 2020 .
Time is ticking and the EU has a strict timetable , further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic , which has sapped resources and political attention on both sides of the English Channel , as well as complicating the Brexit talks dependant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than virtually .
With no extension of the negotiating time , the EU says any talks would need to wrap up around October to allow for ratification of any new deal by the EU parliament and the 27 national capitals .
The EU is pushing for a broader deal with Britain that would also cover open access to fishing waters , deep security ties , specific obligations on climate , human and labour rights .
London is mostly focused on a narrower trade deal and rejects the strings the EU would want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Prime Minister Boris Johnson — a leading Brexit campaigner — wants to take Britain out of the bloc 's orbit and away from the jurisdiction of its courts .
Goldman Sachs said it still expected a minimalistic trade deal to be sealed this year , which would give Johnson the opportunity to publicly declare his Brexit mission accomplished .
However , the investment bank also said unresolved issues could be pushed into a new `` implementation phase '' of any new trade deal , meaning some EU rules would continue applying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Negotiations on many aspects of a broader new relationship would de facto continue .

Britain and the European Union both demanded that the other side give ground in talks on a new post-Brexit trade deal or risk severe damage in tetchy exchanges after the latest bout of bargaining ended with scant progress on Friday.
The EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier gives a news conference following the third round of Brexit talks with Britain on May 15, 2020.
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The United Kingdom left the EU on Jan. 31 but the main terms of its membership remain in place for a transition period until the end of this year, giving it time to negotiate a new free trade deal with the bloc.
Failure to reach a deal would convulse global trade just as the world aims to exit the coronavirus lockdown. But so far the talks have not gone well — and that was the only thing on which both sides agreed on Friday.
"We made very little progress towards agreement on the most significant outstanding issues between us," UK chief negotiator David Frost said after a third week-long round of talks.
The main sticking point has been so-called "level playing field" rules to ensure fair competition. The EU says they are indispensible to ensure Britain does not undercut its standards, but which Britain rejects as binding it to European laws.
"As soon as the EU recognises that we will not conclude an agreement on that basis, we will be able to make progress," Frost said. "We very much need a change in EU approach for the next round beginning on 1 June."
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier fired back by saying the talks have been "very disappointing" and heading for a stalemate unless London changed tack.
"There will be no agreement with the UK without a balanced agreement on fisheries and a proper, balanced agreement on level playing field," Barnier told a news conference, adding he was determined to get a deal but no longer optimistic it was coming.
"We will not bargain away our values for the benefit of the British economy," he said.
He accused London of trying to pick and chose the tastiest morsels of the EU's single market but rejecting conditions for access all the 27 member states honour.
Sterling weakened on Friday as Brussels and London dug their heels in ahead of a key deadline at the end of June.
Both sides are then due to assess progress so far in talked aimed at agreeing trade deal with no tarifss or quotas on any goods, and agree on whether to extend the talks, which London has refused to do.
A senior British official said London proposed exploring no tariffs or quotas on 98-99% of goods instead. The EU said honing the detail of such an arrangement would take years and the bloc would still demand level playing field guarantees.
Brexit no deal?
After years of Brexit political chaos in London, investors and companies are trying to work out if London and Brussels are simply ratchetting up the rhetoric or are so far apart that there could be a cliff-edge at the end of 2020.
Time is ticking and the EU has a strict timetable, further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has sapped resources and political attention on both sides of the English Channel, as well as complicating the Brexit talks dependant on intense horse-trading done face-to-face, rather than virtually.
With no extension of the negotiating time, the EU says any talks would need to wrap up around October to allow for ratification of any new deal by the EU parliament and the 27 national capitals.
The EU is pushing for a broader deal with Britain that would also cover open access to fishing waters, deep security ties, specific obligations on climate, human and labour rights.
London is mostly focused on a narrower trade deal and rejects the strings the EU would want to attach to a more ambitious new relationship as Prime Minister Boris Johnson — a leading Brexit campaigner — wants to take Britain out of the bloc's orbit and away from the jurisdiction of its courts.
Goldman Sachs said it still expected a minimalistic trade deal to be sealed this year, which would give Johnson the opportunity to publicly declare his Brexit mission accomplished.
However, the investment bank also said unresolved issues could be pushed into a new "implementation phase" of any new trade deal, meaning some EU rules would continue applying to Britain beyond the end of this year. Negotiations on many aspects of a broader new relationship would de facto continue.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-15--Some governments 'using' Covid-19 to stifle dissent, UN human rights chief warns

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers imposed amid the Covid-19 crisis to stifle dissent .
She also called for the response to the pandemic to be `` driven by science-based facts '' , rather than politics or the economy .
Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Geneva , Michelle Bachelet warned that the response to the Covid-19 pandemic should be `` driven by science-based facts '' , rather than politics or the economy .
The two-time former president of Chile pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself , she understood the need to restart the economy but warned that the virus was likely to stay and that all steps should be taken based on `` scientific facts '' .
The UN human rights chief voiced concern that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers , lockdowns and curfews to further stifle dissent and crack down on political foes , human rights defenders and journalists .
`` In many places we have seen that some governments are using it ( the pandemic ) to shrink ... even more ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil society to express and they are also threatening journalists and diminishing the freedom of press and that is unacceptable , '' she told FRANCE 24 .
She urged the US to lift sanctions on Iran and Venezuela , stressing that the sanitary situation called for such a move in order to save lives .
Bachelet added that the medical exemptions to those sanctions touted by the Trump administration were too narrow and said only a suspension or a lifting of the sanctions would have a real impact .
She also said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Libya , noting that the warring parties had ignored the call for a ceasefire and admitting that the UN 's efforts were unsuccessful for now .
Finally , Bachelet warned that if Israel were to annex the West Bank , as the new government plans to do , this would be an `` unacceptable '' violation of international law .

In an interview with FRANCE 24, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers imposed amid the Covid-19 crisis to stifle dissent. She also called for the response to the pandemic to be "driven by science-based facts", rather than politics or the economy.
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Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Geneva, Michelle Bachelet warned that the response to the Covid-19 pandemic should be "driven by science-based facts", rather than politics or the economy. The two-time former president of Chile pointed out that as a former world leader herself, she understood the need to restart the economy but warned that the virus was likely to stay and that all steps should be taken based on "scientific facts".
The UN human rights chief voiced concern that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers, lockdowns and curfews to further stifle dissent and crack down on political foes, human rights defenders and journalists. "In many places we have seen that some governments are using it (the pandemic) to shrink... even more... the civic space and the possibility of civil society to express and they are also threatening journalists and diminishing the freedom of press and that is unacceptable," she told FRANCE 24.
She urged the US to lift sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, stressing that the sanitary situation called for such a move in order to save lives. Bachelet added that the medical exemptions to those sanctions touted by the Trump administration were too narrow and said only a suspension or a lifting of the sanctions would have a real impact.
She also said she was deeply worried about the worsening situation in Libya, noting that the warring parties had ignored the call for a ceasefire and admitting that the UN's efforts were unsuccessful for now.
Finally, Bachelet warned that if Israel were to annex the West Bank, as the new government plans to do, this would be an "unacceptable" violation of international law.
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france24--2020-05-15--Week in Review: Lockdown is lifted, pandemic disarmament and kissing goodbye to 'la bise'

This week FRANCE 24 looks at how lockdown is being lifted in France , an ambitious pandemic response strategy that was created and dismantled a decade ago , and whether the French will kiss goodbye to 'la bise ' .
‘ Everyone needs to meet to talk ’ : Parisians enjoy coffee , company and haircuts as lockdown lifted On the sidewalks of the Marais , the vibrant central Paris neighbourhood that is both quaint and chic , local residents , merchants and workers enjoyed each other ’ s company on the first day of the easing of France ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pandemic disarmament : Why France was ready for Covid-19 a decade too soon An investigation by French daily Le Monde has uncovered the extraordinary chain of events that led successive French governments to build an ambitious pandemic response strategy and then dismantle it almost entirely , leaving the country dangerously exposed to the Covid-19 disease .
Thousands of French schools started to reopen this week as the country emerged from an eight-week lockdown to contain Covid-19 .
Teachers prepared for pupils according to a strict protocol – with masks , hand sanitiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
But some worried that the measures might not be enough to keep staff and children safe .
On May 13 , 1940 , Winston Churchill gave his first address to the House of Commons as prime minister .
While German troops were tearing through Western Europe , a defiant Churchill famously told the British people that there was one objective : “ Victory ” .
In the meantime , he had “ nothing to offer but blood , toil , tears , and sweat ” .
FRANCE 24 looks back at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War , 80 years on .
Faced with critical shortages at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic , French authorities initially rejected the notion of a generalised use of face masks before finally touting the device as essential , and in some situations compulsory .
The government is now relying on mayors acros France to organise distributions of face masks as the country gradually ends eight weeks of strict lockdown .
FRANCE 24 's reporters James André and Alexandra Quarini followed volunteers going door to door in the suburb of Les Lilas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precious items freely .
'Dead and soulless ' : Covid-19 strips Cannes of films , stars and tourists This should have been the biggest week of the year for Cannes , when cinema 's movers and shakers descend on the French Riviera for the world 's most glamorous film festival , showering the city 's businesses with cash .
Instead , the festival 's cancellation has dealt a mighty blow to the local economy , with Covid-19 now threatening further havoc during the all-important summer holiday season .
Deprived of its biggest attraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palais des Festivals into a shelter for the homeless , keeping them safe from the virus .
FRANCE 24 's Achraf Abid and Clovis Casali report .
French parents set up woodland classroom in protest at school closure Most primary schools in France have re-opened as the country emerges from Covid-19 lockdown .
But some local mayors have opted to keep schools shut , prompting parents of a small town in the country ’ s southeast to set up their own school in local woodland .
Author and activist Arundhati Roy on Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political activist Arundhati Roy speaks to FRANCE 24 about the Covid-19 pandemic and the Indian response .
She says that the virus amplifies co-morbidities , and it does the same thing to human societies : `` It exposes infirmities , weaknesses and prejudices . ''
On the post-pandemic world , she tells us that if we were `` sleepwalking '' into a surveillance state before , we 're now `` panic running '' .
Some governments 'using ' Covid-19 to stifle dissent , UN human rights chief warns In an interview with FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers imposed amid the Covid-19 crisis to stifle dissent .
She also called for the response to the pandemic to be `` driven by science-based facts '' , rather than politics or the economy .
Since the beginning of the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic in France , Michelin-starred chef Philippe Etchebest has been warning the government and the general public about the state of the restaurant industry .
All restaurants in France have been closed since March 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they can reopen .
In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Etchebest warned that `` morale could n't be any lower '' among restaurant owners and that there have already been two suicides in the profession .
In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI , Madagascar 's President Andry Rajoelina defended his promotion of a controversial homegrown remedy for Covid-19 despite an absence of clinical trials .
`` It works really well , '' he said of the herbal drink Covid-Organics .
Rajoelina claimed that if a European country had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be so sceptical .
Life after lockdown : Will the French kiss goodbye to 'la bise ' ?
As France slowly opens up after the lockdown , many are wondering about the long-term effects coronavirus is going to have on French society .
One big question is `` to bise or not to bise ? ''
The `` bise '' is the traditional French way of saying hello with one or several kisses .
As health and hygiene dominate the post-lockdown headlines , Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula discuss whether the French will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what are the French going to do with their cherished summer vacation ?
We take a closer look .
Film show : Tom Cruise to be first actor to film in outer space Film critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about NASA 's plans to make Tom Cruise the first actor to shoot a film in outer space .
They also discuss the restored version of David Lynch 's `` Elephant Man '' for its 40th anniversary and what an alternative Cannes Film Festival might look like .
Author Stephanie Danler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell us about the troubled family history that inspired her memoir `` Stray '' .
From the insidious nature of addiction to her attempts to forge her own path far from home , Danler reflects on the experiences and relationships that brought her back to the California of her childhood .
We then discuss the life lessons learned while working at restaurants in New York and how that chapter of her life became the inspiration for the best-selling novel and TV series `` Sweetbitter '' .
'The Great Wall of Japan ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2011 Fukushima disaster – a powerful earthquake and tsunami which killed nearly 18,000 people – the Japanese government took a radical step .
It decided to build a 400-kilometre-long reinforced concrete shield along the country 's northeast coast in a bid to break up future tsunami waves .
This cost €11 billion and took years to build .
But despite the government consulting people in each village , locals remain divided over the project as it blocks their view of the sea .
Our correspondents report .
On February 24 , amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to ban the sale and consumption of certain wild animals , such as the pangolin .
At the time , a wildlife market in Wuhan was suspected of being behind the spread of the coronavirus .
For the many Chinese farmers who had moved into breeding and selling wild animals such as the bamboo rat ( pictured ) , this announcement came as disastrous news .
Our correspondents met one farmer who had invested tens of thousands of euros in his business and can no longer sell his rodents .
Air strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive compensation in the Netherlands ?
During the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria , the US-led coalition carried out around 35,000 air strikes .
Officially , just over 1,300 civilians in Syria and Iraq were killed as collateral victims .
But many NGOs dispute these figures , saying they are in reality much higher .
Since the autumn of 2019 , the Netherlands has seen heated public debate after it was revealed that a 2015 Dutch air strike caused more than 100 civilian deaths in the Iraqi city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now under way , which could lead to compensation for the survivors .
Our team reports .
There were early signs the Covid-19 crisis would have implications far beyond the medical arena .
Images of farmers heartbroken as their harvests never left the farm played beside footage of supermarket shelves stripped of essential supplies .
In a matter of weeks , the coronavirus had exposed the fragility of our food supply system .
While Covid-19 is n't the first or last crisis the world will face , is it the wake-up call needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farm to fork ?
Face masks : France adjusts to a new way of life Faced with controversial shortages of face masks at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic , French authorities initially rejected the notion of a generalised use before finally touting the device as essential , and in some situations compulsory .
In this show we look at the relationship between the French and face masks , and whether they are being welcomed by the general public .
Covid-19 and the future of fashion Fashion has always known how to adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's never been truer than right now .
Face masks , once worn as fashion statements , have become indispensable amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Big luxury groups and smaller outfits alike have repurposed their production lines to produce vital protective equipment .
Covid-19 is forcing the world of fashion to take a long , hard look in the mirror .
Who better to discuss these unprecedented times than Parisian designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac ?
He joins us on the show under lockdown .
How to adapt to new normal ?
WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after lockdown has been lifted , everybody may still be social distancing , warns the World Health Organization .
In a week that 's seen new outbreaks of the virus dampen the mood in countries like France where confinement has been eased , the panel of FRANCE 24 's François Picard asks about testing , contact tracing and whether national interests are hampering the race to find effective remedies and a vaccine against the coronavirus .
The last emperor of Ethiopia : Haile Selassie 's legacy remains divisive Considered by some to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Selassie is also the man who let his people starve to death during several major famines .
The story of Selassie , who was overthrown in a 1974 coup , was consigned to the dustbin of history for years before renewed interest in 2019 .
Our reporters retraced his controversial legacy .

WEEK IN REVIEW
This week FRANCE 24 looks at how lockdown is being lifted in France, an ambitious pandemic response strategy that was created and dismantled a decade ago, and whether the French will kiss goodbye to 'la bise'.
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ARTICLES
‘Everyone needs to meet to talk’: Parisians enjoy coffee, company and haircuts as lockdown lifted
On the sidewalks of the Marais, the vibrant central Paris neighbourhood that is both quaint and chic, local residents, merchants and workers enjoyed each other’s company on the first day of the easing of France’s Covid-19 lockdown. FRANCE 24 reports.
Marais resident Valérie Geoffroy receives her sandwich order from Guy Abergel at Chez Hanna, a Middle Eastern restaurant on the Rue des Rosiers on May 11, 2020. © Philippe Theise
Pandemic disarmament: Why France was ready for Covid-19 a decade too soon
An investigation by French daily Le Monde has uncovered the extraordinary chain of events that led successive French governments to build an ambitious pandemic response strategy and then dismantle it almost entirely, leaving the country dangerously exposed to the Covid-19 disease.
French teachers anxious as schools gradually reopen after Covid-19 lockdown
Thousands of French schools started to reopen this week as the country emerged from an eight-week lockdown to contain Covid-19. Teachers prepared for pupils according to a strict protocol – with masks, hand sanitiser and markings on the ground for social distancing. But some worried that the measures might not be enough to keep staff and children safe.
‘Blood, toil, tears, and sweat’: Churchill’s ‘electric’ speech, 80 years on
On May 13, 1940, Winston Churchill gave his first address to the House of Commons as prime minister. While German troops were tearing through Western Europe, a defiant Churchill famously told the British people that there was one objective: “Victory”. In the meantime, he had “nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat”. FRANCE 24 looks back at that crucial moment in the Second World War, 80 years on.
VIDEO REPORTS
Paris suburb distributes free masks as France eases lockdown measures
Faced with critical shortages at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, French authorities initially rejected the notion of a generalised use of face masks before finally touting the device as essential, and in some situations compulsory. The government is now relying on mayors acros France to organise distributions of face masks as the country gradually ends eight weeks of strict lockdown. FRANCE 24's reporters James André and Alexandra Quarini followed volunteers going door to door in the suburb of Les Lilas, east of Paris, to distribute the precious items freely.
Local groups take it upon themselves to distribute masks in France. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
'Dead and soulless': Covid-19 strips Cannes of films, stars and tourists
This should have been the biggest week of the year for Cannes, when cinema's movers and shakers descend on the French Riviera for the world's most glamorous film festival, showering the city's businesses with cash. Instead, the festival's cancellation has dealt a mighty blow to the local economy, with Covid-19 now threatening further havoc during the all-important summer holiday season. Deprived of its biggest attraction, the city has turned its famed Palais des Festivals into a shelter for the homeless, keeping them safe from the virus. FRANCE 24's Achraf Abid and Clovis Casali report.
French parents set up woodland classroom in protest at school closure
Most primary schools in France have re-opened as the country emerges from Covid-19 lockdown. But some local mayors have opted to keep schools shut, prompting parents of a small town in the country’s southeast to set up their own school in local woodland.
TV SHOWS ONLINE
THE INTERVIEW
Author and activist Arundhati Roy on Covid-19 and the Indian response
Acclaimed author and political activist Arundhati Roy speaks to FRANCE 24 about the Covid-19 pandemic and the Indian response. She says that the virus amplifies co-morbidities, and it does the same thing to human societies: "It exposes infirmities, weaknesses and prejudices." On the post-pandemic world, she tells us that if we were "sleepwalking" into a surveillance state before, we're now "panic running".
Author and activist Arundhati Roy on Covid-19 and the Indian response. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Some governments 'using' Covid-19 to stifle dissent, UN human rights chief warns
In an interview with FRANCE 24, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers imposed amid the Covid-19 crisis to stifle dissent. She also called for the response to the pandemic to be "driven by science-based facts", rather than politics or the economy.
Covid-19: 'French restaurant owners are in distress,' Michelin-starred chef warns
Since the beginning of the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic in France, Michelin-starred chef Philippe Etchebest has been warning the government and the general public about the state of the restaurant industry. All restaurants in France have been closed since March 15 and there is no word yet on when they can reopen. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Etchebest warned that "morale couldn't be any lower" among restaurant owners and that there have already been two suicides in the profession.
Michelin-starred chef Philippe Etchebest warns about the state of the French restaurant industry. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Exclusive: Madagascar's president defends controversial homegrown Covid-19 cure
In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI, Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina defended his promotion of a controversial homegrown remedy for Covid-19 despite an absence of clinical trials. "It works really well," he said of the herbal drink Covid-Organics. Rajoelina claimed that if a European country had discovered the remedy, people would not be so sceptical.
FRENCH CONNECTIONS
Life after lockdown: Will the French kiss goodbye to 'la bise'?
As France slowly opens up after the lockdown, many are wondering about the long-term effects coronavirus is going to have on French society. One big question is "to bise or not to bise?" The "bise" is the traditional French way of saying hello with one or several kisses. As health and hygiene dominate the post-lockdown headlines, Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula discuss whether the French will kiss this cherished practice goodbye. Also, what are the French going to do with their cherished summer vacation? We take a closer look.
FRENCH CONNECTIONS © France 24
ENCORE!
Film show: Tom Cruise to be first actor to film in outer space
Film critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about NASA's plans to make Tom Cruise the first actor to shoot a film in outer space. They also discuss the restored version of David Lynch's "Elephant Man" for its 40th anniversary and what an alternative Cannes Film Festival might look like.
Tom Cruise plans to become the first actor to shot a film at the ISS. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
'Stray': Stephanie Danler's poetic reading of place, exodus and family ties
Author Stephanie Danler dials in from lockdown in Los Angeles to tell us about the troubled family history that inspired her memoir "Stray". From the insidious nature of addiction to her attempts to forge her own path far from home, Danler reflects on the experiences and relationships that brought her back to the California of her childhood. We then discuss the life lessons learned while working at restaurants in New York and how that chapter of her life became the inspiration for the best-selling novel and TV series "Sweetbitter".
Writer Stephanie Danler talks about her memoir, 'Stray'. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
FOCUS
'The Great Wall of Japan': Locals divided over anti-tsunami shield
After the 2011 Fukushima disaster – a powerful earthquake and tsunami which killed nearly 18,000 people – the Japanese government took a radical step. It decided to build a 400-kilometre-long reinforced concrete shield along the country's northeast coast in a bid to break up future tsunami waves. This cost €11 billion and took years to build. But despite the government consulting people in each village, locals remain divided over the project as it blocks their view of the sea. Our correspondents report.
A local resident explains how the 'great wall' of Japan works. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Chinese farmers hit hard by ban on lucrative wildlife trade
On February 24, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese authorities decided to ban the sale and consumption of certain wild animals, such as the pangolin. At the time, a wildlife market in Wuhan was suspected of being behind the spread of the coronavirus. For the many Chinese farmers who had moved into breeding and selling wild animals such as the bamboo rat (pictured), this announcement came as disastrous news. Our correspondents met one farmer who had invested tens of thousands of euros in his business and can no longer sell his rodents.
One bamboo rat breeder in China laments the end to the sale of wild animals. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Air strikes on IS group: Will collateral victims receive compensation in the Netherlands?
During the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the US-led coalition carried out around 35,000 air strikes. Officially, just over 1,300 civilians in Syria and Iraq were killed as collateral victims. But many NGOs dispute these figures, saying they are in reality much higher. Since the autumn of 2019, the Netherlands has seen heated public debate after it was revealed that a 2015 Dutch air strike caused more than 100 civilian deaths in the Iraqi city of Hawija. A legal procedure is now under way, which could lead to compensation for the survivors. Our team reports.
Survivor of a Dutch air strike in Iraq talks about the toll of the fight against IS. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
DOWN TO EARTH
Covid-19: Global food supply on a razor's edge
There were early signs the Covid-19 crisis would have implications far beyond the medical arena. Images of farmers heartbroken as their harvests never left the farm played beside footage of supermarket shelves stripped of essential supplies. In a matter of weeks, the coronavirus had exposed the fragility of our food supply system. While Covid-19 isn't the first or last crisis the world will face, is it the wake-up call needed to reform how our food gets from farm to fork?
Coronavirus crisis has affected farming around the world. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
FRANCE IN FOCUS
Face masks: France adjusts to a new way of life
Faced with controversial shortages of face masks at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, French authorities initially rejected the notion of a generalised use before finally touting the device as essential, and in some situations compulsory. In this show we look at the relationship between the French and face masks, and whether they are being welcomed by the general public.
Learning the etiquette of face masks in Paris. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
FASHION
Covid-19 and the future of fashion
Fashion has always known how to adapt to the world around it – and that's never been truer than right now. Face masks, once worn as fashion statements, have become indispensable amid the coronavirus pandemic. Big luxury groups and smaller outfits alike have repurposed their production lines to produce vital protective equipment. Covid-19 is forcing the world of fashion to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Who better to discuss these unprecedented times than Parisian designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac? He joins us on the show under lockdown.
Future fashions with Benetton. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
THE DEBATE
How to adapt to new normal? WHO warns Covid-19 'may never go away'
Long after lockdown has been lifted, everybody may still be social distancing, warns the World Health Organization. In a week that's seen new outbreaks of the virus dampen the mood in countries like France where confinement has been eased, the panel of FRANCE 24's François Picard asks about testing, contact tracing and whether national interests are hampering the race to find effective remedies and a vaccine against the coronavirus.
REVISITED
The last emperor of Ethiopia: Haile Selassie's legacy remains divisive
Considered by some to be the greatest moderniser of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie is also the man who let his people starve to death during several major famines. The story of Selassie, who was overthrown in a 1974 coup, was consigned to the dustbin of history for years before renewed interest in 2019. Our reporters retraced his controversial legacy.
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france24--2020-05-16--Rwanda genocide suspect Kabuga arrested in Paris region

Thousands of Rwandan refugees trying to flee their country , August 22 , 1994 ( archives ) .
Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga , who is accused of funding militias that massacred about 800,000 people , was arrested on Saturday near Paris after 25 years on the run , the French justice ministry said .
French police on Saturday arrested one of the last key suspects in the 1994 Rwandan genocide , describing him as its `` financier '' and one of the world 's most wanted fugitives .
Kabuga , once one of Rwanda 's richest men , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris suburbs , the public prosecutor 's office and police said in a joint statement .
The operation , carried out at dawn , resulted in the arrest of a fugitive `` who has been sought by the judicial authorities for 25 years '' , the statement said .
Around 800,000 people - Tutsis but also moderate Hutus - were slaughtered over 100 days by ethnic Hutu extremists during the 1994 genocide .
The statement said Kabuga , aged 84 , had been living in Asnieres-sur-Seine north of Paris and had been hiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It described him as `` one of the world 's most wanted fugitives '' .
Kabuga is accused of creating the notorious Interahamwe militia that carried out massacres in the 1994 genocide .
He also helped create the equally notorious Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines that incited people to carry out murder in its broadcasts .
`` Felicien Kabuga is known to have been the financier of the Rwandan genocide , '' it said , adding that he had spent time in Germany , Belgium , the Democratic Republic of Congo , Kenya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1997 on seven counts including genocide .
The Rwanda tribunal formally closed in 2015 and its duties have since been taken over by the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals ( MICT ) , which also deals with cases left over from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia .
A top UN prosecutor welcomed the arrest , saying it showed that suspects would be still brought to justice .
`` The arrest of Felicien Kabuga today is a reminder that those responsible for genocide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 years after their crimes , '' said Serge Brammertz , chief prosecutor of the MICT in The Hague .
`` Today 's arrest underlines the strength of our determination . ''
He should now rapidly appear before French prosecutors who should order him to be remanded in custody .
Judicial authorities can then rule on sending him to The Hague to face justice .
`` Following completion of appropriate procedures under French law , Kabuga is expected to the transferred to the custody of the Mechanism , where he will stand trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
Kabuga is expected to be tried at the mechanism 's branch in Arusha in Tanzania , an official from the proscecutor 's office told AFP .
His eventual transfer to UN custody was likely to take some time because of the COVID-19 pandemic , tribunal sources said .
In 1994 , Kabuga was part of the inner circle of then Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana .
His daughter was married to one of the president 's sons .
It was the assassination of Habyarimana on April 6 , 1994 that unleashed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Augustin Bizimana and top-ranking military figure Protais Mpiranya -- both still at large -- Kabuga was one of the three most significant suspects still sought over the genocide , the statement said .

Rwandan genocide suspect Félicien Kabuga, who is accused of funding militias that massacred about 800,000 people, was arrested on Saturday near Paris after 25 years on the run, the French justice ministry said.
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French police on Saturday arrested one of the last key suspects in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, describing him as its "financier" and one of the world's most wanted fugitives.
Kabuga, once one of Rwanda's richest men, was living under a false identity in the Paris suburbs, the public prosecutor's office and police said in a joint statement.
The operation, carried out at dawn, resulted in the arrest of a fugitive "who has been sought by the judicial authorities for 25 years", the statement said.
"He really was the biggest fish in the international hunt for fugitives," says FRANCE 24’s international affairs correspondent Douglas Herbert. "His arrest near Paris today is a reminder that even a quarter of a century later, fugitives can still be captured if you’re given the proper coordination."
The operation that led to Saturday’s arrest "was a collaborative international effort between police and agencies from France to Belgium to London, Germany, Austria… really you can just go across the map", says Herbert.
02:58
Around 800,000 people – Tutsis but also moderate Hutus – were slaughtered over 100 days by ethnic Hutu extremists during the 1994 genocide.
The statement said Kabuga, aged 84, had been living in Asnières-sur-Seine, north of Paris, and had been hiding with the complicity of his children.
It described him as "one of the world's most wanted fugitives".
Kabuga is accused of creating the notorious Interahamwe militia that carried out massacres in the 1994 genocide. He also helped create the equally notorious Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines that incited people to carry out murder in its broadcasts.
"Félicien Kabuga is known to have been the financier of the Rwandan genocide," it said, adding that he had spent time in Germany, Belgium, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Switzerland.
"He was the bankroller," says FRANCE 24's Herbert. He "also bought the machetes that were used in this massacre".
'Brought to account'
Kabuga was indicted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1997 on seven counts including genocide.
The Rwanda tribunal formally closed in 2015 and its duties have since been taken over by the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), which also deals with cases left over from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
A top UN prosecutor welcomed the arrest, saying it showed that suspects would be still brought to justice.
"The arrest of Félicien Kabuga today is a reminder that those responsible for genocide can be brought to account, even 26 years after their crimes," said Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of the MICT in The Hague.
"Today's arrest underlines the strength of our determination."
He should now rapidly appear before French prosecutors who should order him to be remanded in custody. Judicial authorities can then rule on sending him to The Hague to face justice.
>> Kabuga arrest ‘opens up a lot of questions’, says member of Rwanda civil plaintiffs group
"Following completion of appropriate procedures under French law, Kabuga is expected to the transferred to the custody of the Mechanism, where he will stand trial," the MICT said in a statement.
Kabuga is expected to be tried at the mechanism's branch in Arusha in Tanzania, an official from the proscecutor's office told AFP.
His eventual transfer to UN custody was likely to take some time because of the Covid-19 pandemic, tribunal sources said.
In 1994, Kabuga was part of the inner circle of then Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana. His daughter was married to one of the president's sons.
It was the assassination of Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, that unleashed the genocide.
Along with former defence minister Augustin Bizimana and top-ranking military figure Protais Mpiranya – both still at large – Kabuga was one of the three most significant suspects still sought over the genocide, the statement said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-16--Iran sentences French academic Fariba Adelkhah to five years in prison

This handout picture taken in 2012 in an unlocated location and released on July 16 , 2019 by Sciences Po university shows Franco-Iranian academic Adelkhah Fariba as her lawyer confirmed she had been sentenced to five years in prison in Iran , May 16 2020 .
Iran sentenced a French-Iranian academic to five years in prison on national security charges on Saturday , according to her lawyer Said Dahghan .
Fariba Adelkhah was `` sentenced to five years for gathering and conspiring against national security , and one year for propaganda against the Islamic republic '' , Dehghan said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to serve the longer , five-year jail term and added that she intended to appeal .
61-year-old Adelkhah , a specialist in Shiite Islam and a research director at Sciences Po University in Paris , was in Evin prison in Tehran as she awaited her trial .
Adelkhah ’ s French colleague Roland Marchal was arrested while visiting her , according to Dehghan , who represents both academics .
Their case has raised tensions between Iran and France , which has called for them to be released as a “ gesture ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hunger strike for six weeks to protest her detention .
She ended it on February 12 .
Iran has repeatedly criticised France for what it calls its “ interference ” in the case .
The Islamic republic does not recognise dual nationality .

Iran sentenced French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah to five years in prison on national security charges Saturday, her lawyer said, adding that she plans to appeal.
This handout picture taken in 2012 in an unlocated location and released on July 16, 2019 by Sciences Po university shows Franco-Iranian academic Adelkhah Fariba as her lawyer confirmed she had been sentenced to five years in prison in Iran, May 16 2020.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian denounced a "political" verdict and demanded Adelkhah's immediate release.
The case of Adelkhah and her French colleague and partner Roland Marchal, who were arrested together in June last year, has been a thorn in relations between Tehran and Paris for months.
Marchal was released in an apparent prisoner swap in March that drew strong criticism from the United States.
The 61-year-old Adelkhah has remained in custody ever since her arrest.
A research director at Sciences Po university in Paris, she is a dual French-Iranian citizen, a status Iran does not recognise.
The academic was "sentenced to five years for gathering and conspiring against national security, and one year for propaganda against the Islamic republic," her lawyer Said Dehghan told AFP.
The sentences were to be served concurrently, he said, adding that his client intended to appeal against her conviction.
The punishment caused dismay in France.
"I strongly condemn (this verdict). This sentence is not based on any serious element... it has a political nature," Le Drian said in a statement.
Iranian authorities must "immediately free" Adelkhah and grant her a visit by French consular officials, he added.
Her trial opened on March 3 with the final hearing held on April 19 at branch 15 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court.
Adelkhah has been severely weakened by a 49-day hunger strike she mounted between late December and February, her lawyer said.
Argument for appeal
Her French colleague Marchal, who was detained while visiting her in Tehran, is also a researcher at the Centre for International Research (CERI) at Sciences Po.
He is a specialist in sub-Saharan Africa, while she is a specialist in Shiite Islam.
>> French academic Roland Marchal speaks out after nine months of detention in Iran
Marchal was freed after France released Iranian engineer Jallal Rohollahnejad, who faced extradition to the United States over accusations he violated US sanctions against Iran.
Washington has said that it "deeply regrets" that decision.
Dehghan said Marchal's release gives grounds for appeal against the charge of "gathering and conspiring against national security".
"At least two people must be involved for this charge to stand," he said.
Adelkhah's defence team also plans to argue that her personal academic opinion regarding the Islamic dress code enforced in Iran cannot amount to "propaganda against a political system."
Following Adelkhah's hunger strike, her support committee expressed concern over her vulnerability to any outbreak of the coronavirus in the prison where she has been held.
Iran is battling the Middle East's deadliest Covid-19 epidemic, which has claimed more than 6,900 lives.
Dehghan had recently indicated that Adelkhah continued to "suffer from kidney disease as a consequence of her hunger strike."
'Kafkaesque'
Arrests of foreign citizens have increased since the United States unilaterally withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and major powers in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions.
Those detained, who have included a number of dual nationals, have mostly been accused of spying or of acting against Iran's national security.
A support committee, which was set up to campaign for their release, condemned Adelkhah's conviction and jail sentence as "Kafkaesque".
"It was not a proper legal process. There was clearly no open debate," said committee member Jean-Francois Bayart, a Geneva based academic.
The support committee also called on scientific institutions to "suspend all scientific co-operation with Iran".
Bayart said Adelkhah had been caught up in wider political issues over which she had no control.
Iran has been increasingly critical of European governments, particularly France, over their failure to do more to save the 2015 nuclear deal by enabling companies to get round renewed US sanctions.
"The intensity of this arm-wrestling contest does not surprise us," Bayart said.
"It's an opaque and arbitrary process and an utterly asymmetric bargaining situation because one of the protagonists is in jail."
But Bayart added that despite the after-effects of her hunger strike, Adelkhah remained "extremely combative, lucid and determined".
Marchal is not the only Western national to have been freed by Iran in a prisoner swap in recent months.
In February, Iran released an unidentified German in exchange for Iranian Ahmad Khalili, who was in custody for circumventing US sanctions.
In December, it freed US academic Xiyue Wang in exchange for scientist Massoud Soleimani and said it was open to further swaps.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-16--Germany's Bundesliga is the first of Europe's major football leagues to restart

Bayern Munich 's midfielder Serge Gnabry ( C ) celebrates scoring during the German Bundesliga football match between Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn in Munich , Germany .
February 21 , 2020 .
Football in Germany returns to the pitch on Saturday as the Bundesliga becomes the first of Europe 's top leagues to swing back into action since the coronavirus lockdown .
The German Football League ( DFL ) convinced Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country 's regional leaders to allow play to resume by agreeing to submit to an extraordinary set of guidelines to prevent infection .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the players ' shouts and the referees ' whistles .
Germany has suffered far fewer deaths from coronavirus than other large European countries , but it is still too dangerous for crowds to return .
Borussia Dortmund will take on local rivals Schalke 04 in the Ruhr Derby on Saturday .
That fixture would normally have attracted an 82,000 crowd to Dortmund 's Signal Iduna Park but supporters will be locked out .
On Sunday , Bayern Munich , who were four points clear at the top of the table when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume their quest for an eighth successive Bundesliga title when they play in the capital against Union Berlin .
To minimise the risk of infection , players and staff are being tested regularly and each club has been in a week-long quarantine ahead of the matches .
Teams will arrive at stadiums in several buses in order to meet social distancing requirements inside the vehicles .
Once on the pitch , players have been warned not to hug to celebrate goals .
Substitutes and coaches on the bench must wear protective masks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented rules .
Augsburg 's new coach Heiko Herrlich has ruled himself out of Saturday 's match at home to Wolfsburg after leaving the team hotel to buy toothpaste .
`` I made a mistake , '' Herrlich said .
`` I did not live up to my function as a role model for my team and the public . ''
While Herrlich was criticised , there was sympathy for Union Berlin coach Urs Fischer after he broke quarantine following a family bereavement .
It means he must miss his side 's clash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes to the Fischer family in this difficult time , '' said Union president Dirk Zingler .
Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou , 34 , has been suspended by Hertha Berlin for shaking hands with team-mates .
Bavaria 's state leader Markus Soeder warned that those who fail to follow the regulations should expect consequences .
`` If the health experts have given you these suggestions , if the league itself has worked out concepts at great expense , then you have to abide by these rules , '' Soeder said Friday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in case there is any doubt , there will be ' a red card ' . ''
The coronavirus has claimed over 7,800 lives in Germany .
A poll by broadcaster ARD showed 56 percent of the German public are opposed to football 's return and the players have been warned that the eyes of the nation are upon them .
`` Down to the last player , everyone knows to abide by the rules , '' said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge .
With leagues still suspended in England , Italy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footballing world 's attention to itself .
Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned the matches will `` look and feel different '' .
Teams only started squad training sessions last week having previously worked in small groups .
`` With so few days of preparation , it 's impossible to say where we stand . ''
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller said his teammates were raring to go .
`` When I see the emotions we have developed over the last few days , even in a training game , it shows our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote on LinkedIn .
The clubs want to finish the nine remaining rounds of matches by June 30 in order to claim around 300 million euros ( $ 324 million ) in television money .
Several clubs are reported to be suffering deep financial problems .

Football in Germany will lead the way on Saturday as its Bundesliga becomes the first of Europe's major leagues to swing back into action since the coronavirus lockdown.
Bayern Munich's midfielder Serge Gnabry (C) celebrates scoring during the German Bundesliga football match between Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn in Munich, Germany. February 21, 2020.
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In the standout match of the day, Borussia Dortmund hosted Schalke 04 in the Ruhr derby in the cavernous Signal Iduna Park, which would normally have been packed with 82,000 spectators.
Instead no more than 300 people were in the stadium and the only sound when Norwegian forward Erling Braut Haaland scored the opening goal for Dortmund in the first half was the players' voices.
Professional football returned to western Europe earlier in the day as the second-tier Bundesliga 2 resumed with four matches.
South Korean Lee Jae-Sung scored the first league goal in over two months when he gave Holstein Kiel a third-minute lead at Regensburg.
In order to get the political green light to resume, the German Football League (DFL) has tested players and coaches regularly for the virus and teams have been in quarantine for the past week.
Players and staff must follow stringent hygiene guidelines.
Teams arrived at stadiums in several buses in order to meet social distancing requirements inside the vehicles. Once play began, players were banned from shaking hands or embracing to celebrate goals.
Borussia Dortmund have a tradition of celebrating in front of the Yellow Wall after victories.
They still did it with no fans 🙌pic.twitter.com/U79BnLy3gU — Goal (@goal) May 16, 2020
Although Germany has suffered far fewer deaths from coronavirus than other large European countries, it is still too dangerous for crowds to return.
On Sunday, Bayern Munich will resume their quest for an eighth successive Bundesliga title when they play in the capital against Union Berlin.
Bayern were four points clear at the top of the table when the season was suspended in March with Dortmund leading the chasing pack.
Mass testing
The DFL has made no secret of the fact that several clubs are already in a dire financial situation as a result of the lockdown.
If they are able to complete the nine remaining rounds of matches by June 30, clubs could receive around 300 million euros ($324 million) in money from television contracts.
Clubs in England, Spain and Italy, where leagues are weeks away from returning to action, will be watching to see how the weekend's games go.
The Bundesliga is expecting millions of extra fans to watch television coverage worldwide, with particular interest in football-mad Brazil and Mexico.
But in Germany, there are concerns that fans will try to approach stadiums to support their teams from afar. Police in Dortmund appealed to fans to stay at home.
"The whole world will be looking at Germany, to see how we get it done," Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.
"If we manage to ensure that the season continues, it will send a signal to all leagues."
Some have already fallen foul of the rules.
Augsburg's new coach Heiko Herrlich has ruled himself out of Saturday's match against Wolfsburg after leaving the team hotel to buy toothpaste.
"I made a mistake," Herrlich said. "I did not live up to my function as a role model for my team and the public."
While Herrlich was criticised, there was sympathy for Union Berlin coach Urs Fischer after he broke quarantine following a family bereavement.
It means he must miss his side's clash with Bayern.
"All our sympathy goes to the Fischer family in this difficult time," said Union president Dirk Zingler.
Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, 34, has been suspended by Hertha Berlin for shaking hands with team-mates.
Bavaria's state leader Markus Soeder warned that those who fail to follow the regulations should expect consequences.
"If the health experts have given you these suggestions, if the league itself has worked out concepts at great expense, then you have to abide by these rules," Soeder said Friday.
The coronavirus has claimed over 7,800 lives in Germany and a poll by broadcaster ARD showed 56 percent of the German public are opposed to football's return.
But Aleksander Ceferin, the president of European football's governing body UEFA, said the return to action was a "good sign".
"It's not just about football. People are depressed because of the lockdown and the uncertainty. Football brings a certain normality and positive energy. It makes it easier to be at home, when you can watch sport," he told Bein Sport.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-16--Italy announces lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions from June 3

A plane lands at the Fiumicino airport , amid the coronavirus disease outbreak , in Rome , Italy , May 3 , 2020 .
Italy 's government on Saturday approved a decree which will allow travel to and from abroad from June 3 , in a major development as it moves to unwind one of the world 's most rigid coronavirus lockdowns .
The government will allow free travel across the country from that same day .
Some regions had pushed for a swifter rollback , but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has insisted on a gradual return to normal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 31,600 Italians have died of COVID-19 since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 , the third-highest death toll in the world after that of the United States and Britain .
In a bid to contain the contagion , Italy was the first European country to impose nationwide restrictions in March , only sanctioning an initial relaxation of the rules on May 4 , when it allowed factories and parks to reopen .
Shops are due to open on May 18 and the government decided that all movement within individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning people will be able to visit friends .
The inter-regional and foreign travel ban will remain in place until after Italy 's June 2 Republic Day holiday , preventing any mass travel over that long-holiday weekend .
But all travel curb will be lifted from June 3 - a major milestone on Italy 's road to recovery , with the government hoping to salvage the forthcoming vacation season , when Italians traditionally escape the cities for their annual summer breaks .
The regions can reactivate all sectors of the economy that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as safety protocols are followed .
National health authorities will monitor the situation to make sure infections are kept in check , the decree said .
Shops and restaurants across the country are preparing to reopen under strict social distancing and hygiene rules , as recommended by health authorities .
`` The challenge is huge , so big it is hard to quantify , and most of all there is uncertainty .
The sense of uncertainty is dominating everything , '' said Alberto Volpe , manager of a clothing shop in central Rome @

Italy's government on Saturday approved a decree which will allow travel to and from abroad from June 3, in a major development as it moves to unwind one of the world's most rigid coronavirus lockdowns.
A plane lands at the Fiumicino airport, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Rome, Italy, May 3, 2020.
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The government will allow free travel across the country from that same day. Some regions had pushed for a swifter rollback, but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has insisted on a gradual return to normal to prevent a second wave of infections.
More than 31,600 Italians have died of COVID-19 since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21, the third-highest death toll in the world after that of the United States and Britain.
In a bid to contain the contagion, Italy was the first European country to impose nationwide restrictions in March, only sanctioning an initial relaxation of the rules on May 4, when it allowed factories and parks to reopen.
Shops are due to open on May 18 and the government decided that all movement within individual regions should be allowed that same day, meaning people will be able to visit friends.
The inter-regional and foreign travel ban will remain in place until after Italy's June 2 Republic Day holiday, preventing any mass travel over that long-holiday weekend.
But all travel curb will be lifted from June 3 - a major milestone on Italy's road to recovery, with the government hoping to salvage the forthcoming vacation season, when Italians traditionally escape the cities for their annual summer breaks.
The regions can reactivate all sectors of the economy that might still be shuttered, so long as safety protocols are followed. National health authorities will monitor the situation to make sure infections are kept in check, the decree said.
Shops and restaurants across the country are preparing to reopen under strict social distancing and hygiene rules, as recommended by health authorities.
"The challenge is huge, so big it is hard to quantify, and most of all there is uncertainty. The sense of uncertainty is dominating everything," said Alberto Volpe, manager of a clothing shop in central Rome.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-16--US House of Representatives passes a $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) ( C ) heads to the House Chamber to vote on a resolution to change the rules to allow lawmakers to cast votes remotely for the first time in its 231-year history , due to the constraints created by the coronavirus , May 15 , 2020 in Washington , D.C .
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly approved a $ 3 trillion bill crafted by Democrats to provide more aid for battling the coronavirus and stimulating a faltering economy rocked by the pandemic .
By a vote of 208-199 Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders , who control the Senate , have vowed to block despite some Republican support for provisions aimed at helping state and local governments .
Republican President Donald Trump has promised a veto if it were to reach his desk .
However , the Democrats ' measure could trigger a new round of negotiations with congressional Republicans and Trump , who have been talking about the need for new business liability protections in the age of coronavirus or additional tax cuts .
Democrats oppose both of those ideas .
Following the vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 27-28 would be set aside for voting on some sort of coronavirus-related bill if one is ready by then .
He provided no details on the contents of such a bill .
The U.S. economy has suffered a devastating blow from the coronavirus outbreak .
Some 36.5 million people - or more than one in five workers - in the United States have filed for unemployment since the crisis began .
The 1,800-page relief bill passed on Friday , called the Heroes Act , would extend to all corners of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in aid to struggling state governments , another round of direct payments to individuals and families to help stimulate the economy , and hazard pay for healthcare workers and others on the front line of the pandemic .
`` Many of them have risked their lives to save lives and many of them may lose their jobs '' as state and local government revenues plummet during the crisis , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a day-long debate .
The No .
2 Republican , Steve Scalise , urged the House to defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` socialist giveaway '' and blaming China , where the coronavirus emerged late last year , for the suffering brought by the pandemic .
Passage of the bill came as the United States has recorded more than 85,000 deaths from COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
The number of U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths far outpace any other country .
Meanwhile , U.S. Capitol officials announced that tourists and other visitors will not be allowed into the massive complex until June 9 , instead of the previously announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Trump administration have collaborated on four coronavirus bills totaling about $ 3 billion , passing them with overwhelming bipartisan support .
This fifth bill , however , failed to attract Republican backing in the House except for Representative Peter King of New York , an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak .
As Democrats and Republicans sparred over the bill and its cost , the rhetoric sometimes became rancorous .
Democratic Representative Tim Ryan rattled off the destructive impact of a pandemic that has left millions unemployed , families unable to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet growing demands .
`` The Republican Party says 'we do n't have any money to help ya . '
Are you kidding me ? ''
he shouted across the aisle in the House chamber that divides the two parties .
Earlier on Friday the House also approved a change in its rules to allow members to temporarily cast their votes by proxy during the crisis if Pelosi deems it necessary .
The Democratic initiative , which was opposed by Republicans , marked an historic shift for Congress , which had never before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the House chamber .
It came as Congress struggled to function amid the pandemic , with members mainly sheltering at home in an effort to help stop the spread of the virus .
Under the new proxy-voting rules , House members could cast votes from remote locations .
Friday 's votes brought about 400 House members back to Washington for only the third time since late March .
The session was governed by social distancing and other protective measures so the House does not become a breeding ground for the illness it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members wore masks and some donned surgical gloves .

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly approved a $3 trillion bill crafted by Democrats to provide more aid for battling the coronavirus and stimulating a faltering economy rocked by the pandemic.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (C) heads to the House Chamber to vote on a resolution to change the rules to allow lawmakers to cast votes remotely for the first time in its 231-year history, due to the constraints created by the coronavirus, May 15, 2020 in Washington, D.C.
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By a vote of 208-199 Democrats won passage of a bill that Republican leaders, who control the Senate, have vowed to block despite some Republican support for provisions aimed at helping state and local governments.
Republican President Donald Trump has promised a veto if it were to reach his desk.
However, the Democrats' measure could trigger a new round of negotiations with congressional Republicans and Trump, who have been talking about the need for new business liability protections in the age of coronavirus or additional tax cuts.
Democrats oppose both of those ideas.
Following the vote, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced that May 27-28 would be set aside for voting on some sort of coronavirus-related bill if one is ready by then.
He provided no details on the contents of such a bill.
The U.S. economy has suffered a devastating blow from the coronavirus outbreak. Some 36.5 million people - or more than one in five workers - in the United States have filed for unemployment since the crisis began.
The 1,800-page relief bill passed on Friday, called the Heroes Act, would extend to all corners of the U.S. economy. It includes $500 billion in aid to struggling state governments, another round of direct payments to individuals and families to help stimulate the economy, and hazard pay for healthcare workers and others on the front line of the pandemic.
"Many of them have risked their lives to save lives and many of them may lose their jobs" as state and local government revenues plummet during the crisis, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a day-long debate.
The No. 2 Republican, Steve Scalise, urged the House to defeat the huge bill, calling it a "socialist giveaway" and blaming China, where the coronavirus emerged late last year, for the suffering brought by the pandemic.
Passage of the bill came as the United States has recorded more than 85,000 deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The number of U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths far outpace any other country.
Meanwhile, U.S. Capitol officials announced that tourists and other visitors will not be allowed into the massive complex until June 9, instead of the previously announced May 16.
Since March, Congress and the Trump administration have collaborated on four coronavirus bills totaling about $3 billion, passing them with overwhelming bipartisan support.
This fifth bill, however, failed to attract Republican backing in the House except for Representative Peter King of New York, an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
Heated debate
As Democrats and Republicans sparred over the bill and its cost, the rhetoric sometimes became rancorous.
Democratic Representative Tim Ryan rattled off the destructive impact of a pandemic that has left millions unemployed, families unable to pay their rents and food banks struggling to meet growing demands.
"The Republican Party says 'we don't have any money to help ya.' Are you kidding me?" he shouted across the aisle in the House chamber that divides the two parties.
Earlier on Friday the House also approved a change in its rules to allow members to temporarily cast their votes by proxy during the crisis if Pelosi deems it necessary.
The Democratic initiative, which was opposed by Republicans, marked an historic shift for Congress, which had never before allowed lawmakers to cast votes from anywhere but the House chamber.
It came as Congress struggled to function amid the pandemic, with members mainly sheltering at home in an effort to help stop the spread of the virus.
Under the new proxy-voting rules, House members could cast votes from remote locations.
Friday's votes brought about 400 House members back to Washington for only the third time since late March.
The session was governed by social distancing and other protective measures so the House does not become a breeding ground for the illness it is trying to contain. Many House members wore masks and some donned surgical gloves.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-16--Brazil loses its second health minister in less than a month

Brazil ’ s health minister resigned on Friday after less than a month on the job in a sign of continuing upheaval over how the nation should battle the coronavirus pandemic , quitting a day after President Jair Bolsonaro stepped up pressure on him to expand use of the antimalarial drug chloroquine in treating patients .
Dr. Nelson Teich , an oncologist and health care consultant , took the job April 17 faced with the task of aligning the ministry ’ s actions with the president ’ s view that Brazil 's economy must not be destroyed by restrictions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's predecessor , Luiz Henrique Mandetta , also had rejected the use of chloroquine , which also had been touted by U.S. President Donald Trump as a treatment .
Four Cabinet ministers who spoke after Teich 's resignation defended the idea of patients being allowed to use the drug if they want to , including Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and the military 's chief of staff , Gen. Walter Braga Netto .
Officials say almost 15,000 people have died in Brazil from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , though some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to insufficient testing .
The peak of the crisis has yet to hit Latin America ’ s largest nation , experts say .
Gen. Eduardo Pazuello , who had no health experience until he became the Health Ministry ’ s No .
2 official in April , will be the interim minister until Bolsonaro chooses a replacement .
Brazilian media have said that Teich 's ability to do his job had been weakened by the appointment of dozens of military personnel to jobs in the ministry .
“ Life is made up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave , ” Teich told journalists in capital Brasilia .
He did not explain why he left the job and refused to answer questions .
Braga Netto , the military chief , said Teich left the job “ for personal reasons.
” Bolsonaro did not comment .
Easing of rules for use of chloroquine Teich ’ s resignation came one day after Bolsonaro told business leaders in a videoconference he would ease rules for using chloroquine to treat people infected with the coronavirus .
Teich has frequently called use of the drug “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned of its side effects .
The Health Ministry previously allowed chloroquine to be used in coronavirus cases only for patients hospitalized in serious condition .
At Bolsonaro ’ s urging , the country ’ s Army Chemical and Pharmaceutical Laboratory boosted chloroquine production in late March .
Researchers last month reported no benefit in a large analysis of the drug or a related substance , hydroxychloroquine , in U.S. hospitals for veterans .
Last month , scientists in Brazil stopped part of a study of chloroquine after heart rhythm problems developed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two doses being tested .
Governors who have recommended quarantine measures and refrained from touting the drug ’ s unproven potential said Teich ’ s resignation reflects Bolsonaro ’ s failure to manage the pandemic .
Rio de Janeiro Gov .
Wilson Witzel , a former ally of Bolsonaro , said “ no one can do serious work with interference in ministries . ''
“ That is why governors and mayors need to lead the pandemic crisis , and not you , Mr. President , ” Witzel said on Twitter .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s most hard-hit states , said Teich ’ s exit “ brings enormous insecurity and concern.
” “ It is unacceptable that in the face of this serious health crisis , the focus of the government is still on political and ideological discussions .
That is an affront to the nation , ” Camilo Santana said .
On April 16 , Bolsonaro fired Teich ’ s predecessor , Mandetta , who had become the embodiment of challenges to the president 's opposition to governors ’ quarantine recommendations and restrictions on businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and warned failure to do so would cause Brazil to descend into “ chaos ” .
Teich took office pledging to balance health care concerns and the president ’ s economic worries .
He did not openly challenge the president ’ s views , but did defend stay-at-home measures .
Miguel Lago , executive director of Brazil ’ s non-profit Institute for Health Policy Studies , which advises public health officials , said Teich wasn ’ t able to build his own team , didn ’ t have Mandetta ’ s political strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scientific recommendations .
`` He clearly had limitations , ” Lago said .
“ He would not challenge what has been consensus among the scientific community .
He would never accept the chloroquine thing that Bolsonaro wanted him to do , to recommend publicly that chloroquine was a remedy to be used in the public health system.
” Hours after Teich left the job , the Health Ministry began listing figures on chloroquine distribution as part of its main charts about government initiatives against the pandemic , alongside intensive care unit beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu vaccines .
Risk consultancy Eurasia Group analyst Filipe Gruppelli Carvalho said that the Health Ministry 's capacity for ” an effective coordinating role looks to have dropped with Mandetta ’ s exit ” .
“ Ultimately , Teich ’ s dismissal reinforces our view of increasing risks from the government ’ s poor response to the pandemic , which could contribute to a weaker presidency and decline in support for Bolsonaro in the post-pandemic phase , ” he said .
The newspaper Folha de S.Paulo published an editorial after Teich 's exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own survival above state policies and national interest.
” “ The resignation of another health minister — in less than a month and during the most serious sanitary emergency of contemporary history — exposes the downfall of a president that does n't even pretend to govern the country , ” the newspaper said .
“ As if the economic and sanitary calamities were not enough , he turned himself into a crisis to be faced.
” After Teich ’ s resignation was announced , pot-banging protests were heard in different regions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Brazil’s health minister resigned on Friday after less than a month on the job in a sign of continuing upheaval over how the nation should battle the coronavirus pandemic, quitting a day after President Jair Bolsonaro stepped up pressure on him to expand use of the antimalarial drug chloroquine in treating patients.
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Dr. Nelson Teich, an oncologist and health care consultant, took the job April 17 faced with the task of aligning the ministry’s actions with the president’s view that Brazil's economy must not be destroyed by restrictions to control spread of the virus.
Teich's predecessor, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, also had rejected the use of chloroquine, which also had been touted by U.S. President Donald Trump as a treatment.
Four Cabinet ministers who spoke after Teich's resignation defended the idea of patients being allowed to use the drug if they want to, including Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and the military's chief of staff, Gen. Walter Braga Netto.
Officials say almost 15,000 people have died in Brazil from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, though some experts say the figure is significantly higher due to insufficient testing. The peak of the crisis has yet to hit Latin America’s largest nation, experts say.
Gen. Eduardo Pazuello, who had no health experience until he became the Health Ministry’s No. 2 official in April, will be the interim minister until Bolsonaro chooses a replacement. Brazilian media have said that Teich's ability to do his job had been weakened by the appointment of dozens of military personnel to jobs in the ministry.
“Life is made up of choices and today I decided to leave,” Teich told journalists in capital Brasilia. He did not explain why he left the job and refused to answer questions.
Braga Netto, the military chief, said Teich left the job “for personal reasons.” Bolsonaro did not comment.
Easing of rules for use of chloroquine
Teich’s resignation came one day after Bolsonaro told business leaders in a videoconference he would ease rules for using chloroquine to treat people infected with the coronavirus. Teich has frequently called use of the drug “an uncertainty,” and this week warned of its side effects.
The Health Ministry previously allowed chloroquine to be used in coronavirus cases only for patients hospitalized in serious condition.
At Bolsonaro’s urging, the country’s Army Chemical and Pharmaceutical Laboratory boosted chloroquine production in late March.
Researchers last month reported no benefit in a large analysis of the drug or a related substance, hydroxychloroquine, in U.S. hospitals for veterans. Last month, scientists in Brazil stopped part of a study of chloroquine after heart rhythm problems developed in one quarter of people given the higher of two doses being tested.
Governors who have recommended quarantine measures and refrained from touting the drug’s unproven potential said Teich’s resignation reflects Bolsonaro’s failure to manage the pandemic.
Rio de Janeiro Gov. Wilson Witzel, a former ally of Bolsonaro, said “no one can do serious work with interference in ministries." “That is why governors and mayors need to lead the pandemic crisis, and not you, Mr. President,” Witzel said on Twitter.
The governor of Ceara, one of Brazil’s most hard-hit states, said Teich’s exit “brings enormous insecurity and concern.”
“It is unacceptable that in the face of this serious health crisis, the focus of the government is still on political and ideological discussions. That is an affront to the nation,” Camilo Santana said.
Bolsonaro fired Teich's predecessor
On April 16, Bolsonaro fired Teich’s predecessor, Mandetta, who had become the embodiment of challenges to the president's opposition to governors’ quarantine recommendations and restrictions on businesses. Bolsonaro was eager to resume economic activity and warned failure to do so would cause Brazil to descend into “chaos”.
Teich took office pledging to balance health care concerns and the president’s economic worries. He did not openly challenge the president’s views, but did defend stay-at-home measures.
Miguel Lago, executive director of Brazil’s non-profit Institute for Health Policy Studies, which advises public health officials, said Teich wasn’t able to build his own team, didn’t have Mandetta’s political strength and wasn’t willing to violate the scientific recommendations.
"He clearly had limitations,” Lago said. “He would not challenge what has been consensus among the scientific community. He would never accept the chloroquine thing that Bolsonaro wanted him to do, to recommend publicly that chloroquine was a remedy to be used in the public health system.”
Hours after Teich left the job, the Health Ministry began listing figures on chloroquine distribution as part of its main charts about government initiatives against the pandemic, alongside intensive care unit beds, personal protection equipment, tests and flu vaccines.
Risk consultancy Eurasia Group analyst Filipe Gruppelli Carvalho said that the Health Ministry's capacity for ”an effective coordinating role looks to have dropped with Mandetta’s exit”.
“Ultimately, Teich’s dismissal reinforces our view of increasing risks from the government’s poor response to the pandemic, which could contribute to a weaker presidency and decline in support for Bolsonaro in the post-pandemic phase,” he said.
The newspaper Folha de S.Paulo published an editorial after Teich's exit saying Bolsonaro is trying to “put his own survival above state policies and national interest.”
“The resignation of another health minister — in less than a month and during the most serious sanitary emergency of contemporary history — exposes the downfall of a president that doesn't even pretend to govern the country,” the newspaper said. “As if the economic and sanitary calamities were not enough, he turned himself into a crisis to be faced.”
After Teich’s resignation was announced, pot-banging protests were heard in different regions of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
(AP)
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