france24--2020-02-10--China’s Xi dons mask for rare hospital visit as more than 900 die of coronavirus

Photo released Feb. 10 , 2020 shows Chinese President Xi Jinping wearing a protective facemask as a health official checks his temperature at the Anhuali Community in Beijing .
Chinese President Xi Jinping donned a face mask and had his temperature checked Monday while visiting medical workers and patients affected by the deadly coronavirus that has killed more than 900 people .
The Chinese president , who has called the virus a `` demon '' , made a rare visit Monday to meet frontline medical staff at a hospital treating infected patients .
Calling the situation at the virus epicentre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged `` more decisive measures '' to contain the spread of the epidemic , said state broadcaster CCTV .
Xi has largely kept out of the public eye since the virus outbreak spiralled across the country from the epicentre in Hubei province to infect more than 40,000 people .
He appointed Premier Li Keqiang to lead a working group tackling the outbreak , and it was Li who visited ground zero in Wuhan last month .
On Monday Xi donned a blue mask and white surgical gown to meet doctors at Beijing Ditan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and speak via video link to doctors in Wuhan , state media said .
He then visited a residential community in central Beijing to `` investigate and guide '' efforts to contain the epidemic , said CCTV .
Video footage showed Xi having his temperature taken with an infrared thermometer , then speaking with community workers and waving at smiling residents leaning out of their apartment windows .
The outbreak has prompted unprecedented action by the Chinese government , including locking down entire cities in Hubei province as well as cutting transport links @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of millions of people to stay indoors .
The sweeping measures turned cities into ghost towns -- but there were some signs of normality returning on Monday .
Roads in Beijing and Shanghai had significantly more traffic and the southern city of Guangzhou said it would start to resume normal public transport .
However , for those at work , it was not an easy balance to strike .
`` Of course we 're worried , '' said a 25-year-old man surnamed Li in a Beijing beauty salon that reopened Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first take their temperature , then use disinfectant and ask them to wash their hands . ''
The Shanghai government suggested staggered work schedules , avoiding group meals and keeping at least one metre away from colleagues .
Many were encouraged to work from home and some employers simply delayed opening for another week .
State media reported that passenger numbers on the Beijing subway were down by about half on Monday compared to a normal work day .
Large shopping malls in the capital were deserted and many banks closed .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work for a half-day , with other workers due to take over in the afternoon .
The rest of the day he would work from home .
`` It makes our work more difficult because we need to access the systems in our office , '' he told AFP .
Schools and universities across the country remained shut .
The toll has overtaken global fatalities in the 2002-03 SARS epidemic when China drew international condemnation for covering up cases -- though it has drawn praise from the WHO this time .
Chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghebreyesus , said there had been some `` concerning instances '' of cases overseas in people with no travel history to China .
`` We may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg , '' he tweeted , as a team of WHO experts departed for China .
In Hong Kong , thousands of people stranded aboard the World Dream cruise ship for five days were allowed to disembark Sunday after its 1,800 crew tested negative for the coronavirus .
But another 65 people aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship moored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , the health ministry said Monday , bringing the total number of known infections to 135 .
The Diamond Princess has been in quarantine since arriving off the Japanese coast early last week after the virus was detected in a former passenger who got off the ship last month in Hong Kong .
In China , the eastern city of Wuxi said anyone trying to enter from provinces with high numbers of cases would be `` persuaded to go back '' , while Suzhou , near the financial hub of Shanghai , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I just checked and it would take 18 hours for me to go to work by bicycle , '' wrote one frustrated commuter on China 's Twitter-like social media site Weibo .
Travel authorities said there had been 11 million journeys by train , road or plane Saturday -- 84 percent down on the same day last year .
About 800 vehicles from `` hard-hit areas '' have been denied entry into Shanghai over the last month , according to state news agency Xinhua .
Beyond China , the tourism industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries banning arrivals from the mainland and major airlines suspending flights .
Online rental site Airbnb has suspended all bookings in Beijing until February 29 .

Chinese President Xi Jinping donned a face mask and had his temperature checked Monday while visiting medical workers and patients affected by the deadly coronavirus that has killed more than 900 people.
Photo released Feb. 10, 2020 shows Chinese President Xi Jinping wearing a protective facemask as a health official checks his temperature at the Anhuali Community in Beijing.
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The Chinese president, who has called the virus a "demon", made a rare visit Monday to meet frontline medical staff at a hospital treating infected patients.
Calling the situation at the virus epicentre "still very grave", Xi urged "more decisive measures" to contain the spread of the epidemic, said state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi has largely kept out of the public eye since the virus outbreak spiralled across the country from the epicentre in Hubei province to infect more than 40,000 people.
He appointed Premier Li Keqiang to lead a working group tackling the outbreak, and it was Li who visited ground zero in Wuhan last month.
On Monday Xi donned a blue mask and white surgical gown to meet doctors at Beijing Ditan hospital, observe the treatment of patients and speak via video link to doctors in Wuhan, state media said.
He then visited a residential community in central Beijing to "investigate and guide" efforts to contain the epidemic, said CCTV.
Video footage showed Xi having his temperature taken with an infrared thermometer, then speaking with community workers and waving at smiling residents leaning out of their apartment windows.
The outbreak has prompted unprecedented action by the Chinese government, including locking down entire cities in Hubei province as well as cutting transport links nationwide, closing tourist attractions and telling hundreds of millions of people to stay indoors.
The sweeping measures turned cities into ghost towns -- but there were some signs of normality returning on Monday.
Strike a balance
Roads in Beijing and Shanghai had significantly more traffic and the southern city of Guangzhou said it would start to resume normal public transport.
However, for those at work, it was not an easy balance to strike.
"Of course we're worried," said a 25-year-old man surnamed Li in a Beijing beauty salon that reopened Monday.
"When customers come in, we first take their temperature, then use disinfectant and ask them to wash their hands."
The Shanghai government suggested staggered work schedules, avoiding group meals and keeping at least one metre away from colleagues.
Many were encouraged to work from home and some employers simply delayed opening for another week.
State media reported that passenger numbers on the Beijing subway were down by about half on Monday compared to a normal work day.
Large shopping malls in the capital were deserted and many banks closed.
One bank employee in Shanghai was heading to work for a half-day, with other workers due to take over in the afternoon.
The rest of the day he would work from home.
"It makes our work more difficult because we need to access the systems in our office," he told AFP.
Schools and universities across the country remained shut.
The toll has overtaken global fatalities in the 2002-03 SARS epidemic when China drew international condemnation for covering up cases -- though it has drawn praise from the WHO this time.
Chief of the UN health body, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said there had been some "concerning instances" of cases overseas in people with no travel history to China.
"We may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg," he tweeted, as a team of WHO experts departed for China.
There’ve been some concerning instances of onward #2019nCoV spread from people with no travel history to 🇨🇳. The detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespread transmission in other countries; in short, we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg. — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 9, 2020
Infections soar on cruise ship
In Hong Kong, thousands of people stranded aboard the World Dream cruise ship for five days were allowed to disembark Sunday after its 1,800 crew tested negative for the coronavirus.
But another 65 people aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship moored off Japan have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus, the health ministry said Monday, bringing the total number of known infections to 135.
The Diamond Princess has been in quarantine since arriving off the Japanese coast early last week after the virus was detected in a former passenger who got off the ship last month in Hong Kong.
In China, the eastern city of Wuxi said anyone trying to enter from provinces with high numbers of cases would be "persuaded to go back", while Suzhou, near the financial hub of Shanghai, suspended all passenger transport to surrounding counties.
"I just checked and it would take 18 hours for me to go to work by bicycle," wrote one frustrated commuter on China's Twitter-like social media site Weibo.
Travel authorities said there had been 11 million journeys by train, road or plane Saturday -- 84 percent down on the same day last year.
About 800 vehicles from "hard-hit areas" have been denied entry into Shanghai over the last month, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Beyond China, the tourism industry remains in the doldrums, with several countries banning arrivals from the mainland and major airlines suspending flights.
Online rental site Airbnb has suspended all bookings in Beijing until February 29.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-10--Women, children abducted, killed in Nigeria's Borno state

Photograph taken on February 10 , 2020 , of trucks burnt down by jihadists .
in northeast Nigeria 's restive Borno state , a regional government spokesman said on February 10 , 2020 .
Jihadists killed at least 30 people and abducted women and children in a raid in northeast Nigeria 's restive Borno state , a regional government spokesman said on Monday .
The attack Sunday evening targeted the village of Auno on a key highway linking to regional capital Maiduguri .
The jihadists stormed in on trucks mounted with heavy weapons , killing , burning and looting before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Ahmad Abdurrahman Bundi said .
They targeted travellers who had stopped for the night and torched vehicles .
AFP journalists saw the smouldering wreckage of trucks , buses and cars lining the road at the scene of the attack .
The jihadists `` killed not less than 30 people who are mostly motorists and destroyed 18 vehicles , '' Bundi said in a statement after visiting the scene .
The assault , some 25 kilometres ( 15 miles ) west of Maiduguri , occurred in an area where fighters from the Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been active , mounting roadblocks to target security forces and civilians .
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack .
Witnesses said jihadists set alight 30 vehicles in the raid , including trucks that had stopped overnight on their way to Maiduguri .
`` Many of the drivers and their assistants who were sleeping in the vehicles were burnt alive , '' said Babakura Kolo , a member of a state-backed anti-jihadist militia .
The jihadists combed through the village , looting and burning shops and property before withdrawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the militants took away three buses carrying women and children to Maiduguri which had parked in the village for the night .
`` We still do n't know how many women and children they took away but the number is huge , '' he said .
Auno lies on the 120-kilometre highway linking Maiduguri to Damaturu , a major regional city in neighbouring Yobe state .
The highway has been increasingly targeted by ISWAP militants in recent months .
Jihadists disguised as soldiers have set up roadblocks to abduct and kill passing travellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the security forces .
The UN has complained of an upsurge of violent attacks in recent weeks across the conflict zone .
The increase comes after the Nigerian army last year launched a new strategy that saw it withdraw troops from remote bases into larger so-called `` super camps '' .
The military says the tactic has helped to stem jihadist attacks but local residents and aid workers say it appears to have bolstered the jihadists by leaving vast swathes of territory unprotected .
Last month four Nigerian soldiers were killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops positioned in Auno .
The decade-long Islamist insurgency has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes in northeast Nigeria .
The jihadists have split into rival factions with one group affiliated to Islamic State group and the other loyal to longtime Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau .
The violence has spread to neighbouring Niger , Chad and Cameroon , prompting the creation of a regional military coalition to fight the insurgents .
( AFP )

Jihadists killed at least 30 people and abducted women and children in a raid in northeast Nigeria's restive Borno state, a regional government spokesman said on Monday.
Photograph taken on February 10, 2020, of trucks burnt down by jihadists. in northeast Nigeria's restive Borno state, a regional government spokesman said on February 10, 2020.
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The attack Sunday evening targeted the village of Auno on a key highway linking to regional capital Maiduguri.
The jihadists stormed in on trucks mounted with heavy weapons, killing, burning and looting before kidnapping women and children, state government spokesman Ahmad Abdurrahman Bundi said.
They targeted travellers who had stopped for the night and torched vehicles.
AFP journalists saw the smouldering wreckage of trucks, buses and cars lining the road at the scene of the attack.
The jihadists "killed not less than 30 people who are mostly motorists and destroyed 18 vehicles," Bundi said in a statement after visiting the scene.
The assault, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of Maiduguri, occurred in an area where fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been active, mounting roadblocks to target security forces and civilians.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
'Burnt alive'
Witnesses said jihadists set alight 30 vehicles in the raid, including trucks that had stopped overnight on their way to Maiduguri.
"Many of the drivers and their assistants who were sleeping in the vehicles were burnt alive," said Babakura Kolo, a member of a state-backed anti-jihadist militia.
The jihadists combed through the village, looting and burning shops and property before withdrawing, he said.
Kolo told AFP the militants took away three buses carrying women and children to Maiduguri which had parked in the village for the night.
"We still don't know how many women and children they took away but the number is huge," he said.
Auno lies on the 120-kilometre highway linking Maiduguri to Damaturu, a major regional city in neighbouring Yobe state.
The highway has been increasingly targeted by ISWAP militants in recent months.
Jihadists disguised as soldiers have set up roadblocks to abduct and kill passing travellers and have above all targeted Christians and members of the security forces.
The UN has complained of an upsurge of violent attacks in recent weeks across the conflict zone.
The increase comes after the Nigerian army last year launched a new strategy that saw it withdraw troops from remote bases into larger so-called "super camps".
The military says the tactic has helped to stem jihadist attacks but local residents and aid workers say it appears to have bolstered the jihadists by leaving vast swathes of territory unprotected.
Last month four Nigerian soldiers were killed and seven injured when the jihadists attacked troops positioned in Auno.
The decade-long Islamist insurgency has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes in northeast Nigeria.
The jihadists have split into rival factions with one group affiliated to Islamic State group and the other loyal to longtime Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.
The violence has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting the creation of a regional military coalition to fight the insurgents.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-10--Human Rights Watch urges Mali to investigate massacres

Human Rights Watch on Monday called on Mali to bring to justice jihadist and ethnic militants who killed more than 450 people in the centre of the war-torn country last year .
Massacres committed in the centre of the West African country amounted to “ the deadliest year for civilians ” since 2012 , the NGO said in a report .
Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012 , and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives .
Despite the presence of foreign troops , the conflict has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
Human Rights Watch pointed to the ethnic mosaic of central Mali as the “ epicentre ” of violence in the country .
“ Armed groups are killing , maiming , and terrorizing communities throughout central Mali with no apparent fear of being held to account , ” said report author Corinne Dufka in a statement .
Ethnic killings increased in central Mali following the emergence of the Katiba Macina group in 2015 .
Led by jihadist preacher Amadou Koufa , Katiba Macina has recruited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been accused of ethnically-motivated attacks .
Other ethnic groups such as the Bambara or the Dogon have formed self-defence groups , which have in turn been accused of reprisal massacres .
Fourteen Fulani people were killed in central Mali in January , for example , in an apparent spate of ethnic violence .
Interviewing 147 victims or witnesses to attacks , Human Rights Watch said that at least 456 people were killed in central Mali last year , and hundreds more were wounded .
It said while Malian authorities convicted about 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence , ” they had yet to question or prosecute the leaders of armed groups .
“ The Malian government ’ s failure to punish armed groups on all sides is emboldening them to commit further atrocities , ” Dufka said in a statement .

Human Rights Watch on Monday called on Mali to bring to justice jihadist and ethnic militants who killed more than 450 people in the centre of the war-torn country last year.
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Massacres committed in the centre of the West African country amounted to “the deadliest year for civilians” since 2012, the NGO said in a report.
Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives.
Despite the presence of foreign troops, the conflict has since spread to the centre of the country as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Human Rights Watch pointed to the ethnic mosaic of central Mali as the “epicentre” of violence in the country.
“Armed groups are killing, maiming, and terrorizing communities throughout central Mali with no apparent fear of being held to account,” said report author Corinne Dufka in a statement.
“Armed groups are killing, maiming, and terrorizing communities throughout central Mali with no apparent fear of being held to account."@CorinneDufka in new report @hrw
https://t.co/JVWjIJCrg7 pic.twitter.com/y9pY7sqzri — Jan Kooy (@KooyJan) February 10, 2020
Ethnic killings increased in central Mali following the emergence of the Katiba Macina group in 2015.
Led by jihadist preacher Amadou Koufa, Katiba Macina has recruited mainly from among the Fulani people and has been accused of ethnically-motivated attacks.
Other ethnic groups such as the Bambara or the Dogon have formed self-defence groups, which have in turn been accused of reprisal massacres.
Fourteen Fulani people were killed in central Mali in January, for example, in an apparent spate of ethnic violence.
Interviewing 147 victims or witnesses to attacks, Human Rights Watch said that at least 456 people were killed in central Mali last year, and hundreds more were wounded.
It said while Malian authorities convicted about 45 people for “smaller incidents of communal violence,” they had yet to question or prosecute the leaders of armed groups.
“The Malian government’s failure to punish armed groups on all sides is emboldening them to commit further atrocities,” Dufka said in a statement.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-10--Paris court confirms suspended sentence, fine for ‘playboy’ son of E.Guinea leader

The son of Equatorial Guinea 's leader was handed a 30-million-euro fine by a Paris court Monday on top of a suspended jail term for using public money to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Europe .
Teodorin Obiang , the son of Equatorial Guinea 's leader Teodoro Obiang Nguema , had been convicted in 2017 of embezzlement .
He had been handed a three-year jail term as well as the $ 32.9 million fine , with both sentences suspended .
Obiang , who is also vice president , challenged the penalty only to have the Paris appeals court return a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended provision from the fine .
The notorious playboy fond of fast cars and Michael Jackson memorabilia was not in court for the ruling .
Obiang , 50 , was put on trial on charges of using money plundered from his country 's state coffers to fund a jet-set lifestyle in France , where he bought a six-storey mansion in an ultra-posh part of the capital .
The judges in his initial trial , which he did not attend , had ruled that his 107-million-euro mansion -- which boasts a hammam , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confiscated , along with other assets .
The case , initiated by anti-corruption NGOs , is one of three involving families of African leaders which campaigners hope signals a new willingness of French authorities to tackle money laundering .
Paris has long been a favoured destination for the ill-gotten gains of wealthy figures linked to political leaders in Africa , particularly in France 's former colonies .
When investigators first raided the home , they hired trucks to haul away a fleet of Bugattis , Ferraris , a Rolls-Royce Phantom and other cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forestry minister before being promoted by his father to vice president , putting him in pole position to succeed him as leader when the post becomes vacant .
Africa 's only Spanish-speaking nation , Equatorial Guinea is the continent 's third-biggest oil producer but more than half of its 1.2 million population live below the poverty line .
It is regularly accused by human rights reports of corruption , repressive laws , extrajudicial killings and torture .
President Obiang has ruled with an iron fist for four decades .
He overthrew his uncle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August 1979 and became president a few months later .
He has since seen off at least half a dozen assassination or coup attempts .
The latest of them , in December 2017 , reportedly involved a group of men from Chad , Central African Republic and Sudan .
( AFP )

The son of Equatorial Guinea's leader was handed a 30-million-euro fine by a Paris court Monday on top of a suspended jail term for using public money to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Europe.
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Teodorin Obiang, the son of Equatorial Guinea's leader Teodoro Obiang Nguema, had been convicted in 2017 of embezzlement.
He had been handed a three-year jail term as well as the $32.9 million fine, with both sentences suspended.
Obiang, who is also vice president, challenged the penalty only to have the Paris appeals court return a heavier sentence on Monday by removing the suspended provision from the fine.
The notorious playboy fond of fast cars and Michael Jackson memorabilia was not in court for the ruling.
Obiang, 50, was put on trial on charges of using money plundered from his country's state coffers to fund a jet-set lifestyle in France, where he bought a six-storey mansion in an ultra-posh part of the capital.
The judges in his initial trial, which he did not attend, had ruled that his 107-million-euro mansion -- which boasts a hammam, a disco and gold-plated taps -- should be confiscated, along with other assets.
The case, initiated by anti-corruption NGOs, is one of three involving families of African leaders which campaigners hope signals a new willingness of French authorities to tackle money laundering.
Paris has long been a favoured destination for the ill-gotten gains of wealthy figures linked to political leaders in Africa, particularly in France's former colonies.
When investigators first raided the home, they hired trucks to haul away a fleet of Bugattis, Ferraris, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and other cars as evidence.
Obiang was agriculture and forestry minister before being promoted by his father to vice president, putting him in pole position to succeed him as leader when the post becomes vacant.
Africa's only Spanish-speaking nation, Equatorial Guinea is the continent's third-biggest oil producer but more than half of its 1.2 million population live below the poverty line.
It is regularly accused by human rights reports of corruption, repressive laws, extrajudicial killings and torture.
President Obiang has ruled with an iron fist for four decades.
He overthrew his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in a bloody coup in August 1979 and became president a few months later.
He has since seen off at least half a dozen assassination or coup attempts.
The latest of them, in December 2017, reportedly involved a group of men from Chad, Central African Republic and Sudan.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-10--FEMEN leader Inna Shevchenko on her path to becoming a feminist activist

FEMEN leader Inna Shevchenko on her path to becoming a feminist activist Born just months before Ukraine declared independence , @ @ @ @ @ leader of an international women 's protest movement called FEMEN , which protests against patriarchy @ @ @ @ @ dictatorship and religion .
This month she published an illustrated book on her childhood in @ @ @ @ @ first name is Inna '' , in which she explains where her activism began and @ @ @ @ @ no other choice but to keep fighting for the full freedom of women - this @ @ @ @ @ torture and being forced into a life in exile .

FEMEN leader Inna Shevchenko on her path to becoming a feminist activist
08:07 PERSPECTIVE © FRANCE 24
Born just months before Ukraine declared independence, Inna Shevchenko is now the leader of an international women's protest movement called FEMEN, which protests against patriarchy, the sex industry, dictatorship and religion. This month she published an illustrated book on her childhood in Ukraine, entitled "My first name is Inna", in which she explains where her activism began and why she feels she has no other choice but to keep fighting for the full freedom of women - this despite facing death threats, torture and being forced into a life in exile.


france24--2020-02-11--India's ruling party sees likely defeat in New Delhi elections

Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP ) supporters celebrate at the party headquarters in New Delhi , India , on February 11 , 2020 .
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s Hindu nationalist party was facing a stunning defeat by a regional party Tuesday in elections in the national capital that were seen as a referendum on Modi ’ s policies such as a new national citizenship law that excludes Muslims .
Saturday ’ s New Delhi legislative elections pit Modi ’ s Bharatiya Janata Party against the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party , or “ common man ’ s ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixing state-run schools and providing cheap electricity , free health care and bus transport for women during its five years in power .
Modi and Home minister Amit Shah appealed to majority Hindus by focusing on national issues such as the citizenship law , which triggered widespread protests , at the expense of problems facing the capital ’ s millions of residents .
With more than 75 % of the votes counted , the Aam Admi Party , or AAP , was leading in 63 of the 70 constituencies and the BJP in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Congress party , led by Sonia Gandhi , was unlikely to win any seats .
A defeat is a setback to Modi ’ s prestige , coming less than eight months after he led the BJP to a resounding victory in national elections .
The party won all seven of the capital ’ s parliamentary seats in those polls .
The victory will be a major boost for AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal , the 51-year-old incumbent New Delhi chief minister and anti-corruption crusader .
Kejriwal joined hundreds of his supporters in celebrating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brief speech .
he said the election “ has given birth to a new brand of politics — politics of development ” meeting people ’ s basic needs .
There was no immediate reaction from the BJP ’ s top leadership .
Kejriwal launched his party in 2012 and campaigned to rid the Indian political system and government of corruption and inefficiency .
The party ’ s symbol — a broom— and its promise to sweep the administration of graft struck a chord with New Delhi 's nearly 20 million people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s party won 67 seats and the BJP three .
Modi and Home Minister Shah campaigned vigorously in an attempt to unseat the AAP and capture power in New Delhi .
The BJP last ruled New Delhi in the 1990s .

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party was facing a stunning defeat by a regional party Tuesday in elections in the national capital that were seen as a referendum on Modi’s policies such as a new national citizenship law that excludes Muslims.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters celebrate at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, on February 11, 2020.
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Saturday’s New Delhi legislative elections pit Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party against the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party, or “common man’s” party, whose pro-poor policies focused on fixing state-run schools and providing cheap electricity, free health care and bus transport for women during its five years in power.
Modi and Home minister Amit Shah appealed to majority Hindus by focusing on national issues such as the citizenship law, which triggered widespread protests, at the expense of problems facing the capital’s millions of residents.
With more than 75% of the votes counted, the Aam Admi Party, or AAP, was leading in 63 of the 70 constituencies and the BJP in seven, the Election Commission said. The Congress party, led by Sonia Gandhi, was unlikely to win any seats.
Full results were expected later Tuesday.
A defeat is a setback to Modi’s prestige, coming less than eight months after he led the BJP to a resounding victory in national elections. The party won all seven of the capital’s parliamentary seats in those polls.
The victory will be a major boost for AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, the 51-year-old incumbent New Delhi chief minister and anti-corruption crusader.
Kejriwal joined hundreds of his supporters in celebrating the party’s performance. In a brief speech. he said the election “has given birth to a new brand of politics — politics of development” meeting people’s basic needs.
There was no immediate reaction from the BJP’s top leadership.
Kejriwal launched his party in 2012 and campaigned to rid the Indian political system and government of corruption and inefficiency.
The party’s symbol — a broom— and its promise to sweep the administration of graft struck a chord with New Delhi's nearly 20 million people.
In the 2015 elections, Kejriwal’s party won 67 seats and the BJP three.
Modi and Home Minister Shah campaigned vigorously in an attempt to unseat the AAP and capture power in New Delhi. The BJP last ruled New Delhi in the 1990s.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-11--Protesters clash with security forces in Lebanon ahead of Cabinet vote of confidence

Riot police spray water at anti-government demonstrators during a protest against the parliament giving a confidence vote to the cabinet in the central Beirut on February 11 , 2020 .
Clashes broke out Tuesday between Lebanese protesters and security forces near the parliament building in central Beirut , where the new Cabinet is scheduled to submit its policy statement ahead of a vote of confidence .
The meeting is being held amid a crippling economic and financial crisis , Lebanon ’ s worst in decades .
Police threw a tight security dragnet around the area , and special forces and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed by protesters trying to prevent Cabinet ministers and legislators from reaching parliament .
“ No confidence , ” chanted some of the protesters .
The meeting is scheduled to begin before noon and last until Wednesday .
Lebanon has been gripped by anti-government protests since October .
Demonstrators are calling for sweeping reforms and an end to a political class they deem as corrupt and incompetent , blaming it for the rapidly worsening financial crisis .
The protests forced the resignation of the former prime minister , Saad Hariri .
New Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new government ’ s policy statement , which includes a rescue plan to try get Lebanon out of its economic and financial crisis , the worst since the end of the country ’ s 1975-90 civil war .
A group of protesters surrounded the car of one Cabinet minister , Demianos Kattar , as he was on his way to the nearby government headquarters , pelting it with eggs pounding it with their fists before an army and police force pushed them away .
Security forces fired tear gas in another street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to remove part of a giant concrete wall .
In other streets , troops forced protesters from the middle of the street to allow traffic to flow .
According to a copy of the government policy statement published by local media , it includes an “ emergency rescue plan ” and reforms in the judicial , financial and administrative fields , as well as fighting corruption and fixing the country ’ s finances .
Lebanon has one of the highest debt ratios in the world , standing at more than 150 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years with no economic growth and high unemployment .

Lebanon's new cabinet won a vote of confidence in parliament on Tuesday based in part on a financial rescue plan it put forward for grappling with a deep financial crisis.
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Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated Lebanese lawmakers who sat through an eight-hour session before holding a vote that saw 63 out of 84 MPs present give their confidence to the new government.
Speaking just before the vote, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said his government's priority was preserving foreign currency needed for critical imports and that all options for dealing with Eurobonds maturing this year were being studied.
Reporting from the capital, Beirut, FRANCE 24’s Leila Molana-Allen said the all-day session began with Diab “laying out the Cabinet statement and their plans, saying they were going to tackle corruption…[that] they were going to figure out plans to help the poorest in society, they were going to back local industry, local commerce”, she explained.
Diab also said he would have to implement “painful” measures to revive the economy. Lebanon has one of the highest debt ratios in the world, standing at more than 150 percent of GDP and worsening over recent years with no economic growth and high unemployment.
The prime minister said his Cabinet was “going to abide by the austerity measures that international donors have said they have to enact in order to access the $11 billion potential funds for Lebanon. Many Lebanese here feel they cannot face any more austerity, they’re already in a dire situation,” explained Molana-Allen.
The international community has pledged more than $11 billion in desperately needed financial aid, but made it conditional on the speedy implementation of economic reforms.
03:27
Protesters clash with police outside parliament
Earlier Tuesday, protesters clashed outside the parliament building with security forces who used teargas and water cannon to disperse them.
The Red Cross said a total of 373 people were treated for teargas exposure and other injuries, including 45 who were hospitalised.
Diab, a little-known academic and former education minister, was tasked with forming a government in December after mass rallies against official corruption and economic woes forced premier Saad Hariri to resign.
But more than three months on, angry demonstrators charge that the new cabinet fails to address their demands and won't be able to rescue Lebanon's ailing economy.
Before the session started in an area cordoned off by riot police and soldiers, protesters mobbed and threw water bottles at the tinted-glass vehicles of lawmakers in a bid to stop them reaching parliament.
But enough lawmakers reached the chamber to make the vote valid. One member of parliament turned up with a black eye, following a brief trip to hospital after he was wounded trying to reach the chamber.
Human Rights Watch condemned the use of force against demonstrators."Security forces were throwing tear gas and beating people," said Aya Majzoub, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-11--Louvre throws open blockbuster Leonardo show for free all-nighters

People take pictures with mobile phone at an oil painting by Atelier Leonardo da Vinci 's `` Salvator Mundi '' ( Version Ganay ) , during the opening of the exhibition `` Leonardo da Vinci `` , on October 22 , 2019 , at the Louvre museum in Paris .
Short of something to do at around 4 am on a weekend in Paris late in February ?
How about a ( free ) visit to the Paris Louvre museum ’ s show-stopping exhibition of the Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci , hailed by critics as the most significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Louvre announced on Sunday that for its final days of opening on Friday February 21 , Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 , the exhibition would be open all night as well as for its regular daytime hours .
“ For visitors it will be a unique chance to see or see again all these works by this genius of the Renaissance and in a particular atmosphere at night , ” the head of the Louvre , Jean-Luc Martinez , told the Journal du dimanche newspaper .
Entry will be free but a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be obligatory .
Over 30,000 tickets will be up for grabs .
The aim is to “ say again to everyone that this museum is for everybody , ” added Martinez .
The exhibition , which opened in late October , marks 500 years since the death of Leonardo in the historic town of Amboise in the Loire Valley on May 2 , 1519 .
It groups 162 works including loans by Queen Elizabeth II of Britain from the Royal Collection , the British Museum , the Hermitage of Saint Petersburg and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s most famous work the Mona Lisa which , although in the Louvre , organisers decided should remain in its usual exhibition space to avoid overcrowding .
> > Encore !
Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre : Historic exhibition marks 500 years since artist 's death The other notable no-show is the Salvator Mundi , the work that became the most expensive painting ever sold when it fetched $ 450 million at a Christie ’ s auction in 2017 .
Mystery now surrounds the painting—whose authenticity is disputed by some experts—as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever since the record-shattering sale .
Rumours have on occasion swirled it might make an appearance at the exhibition but so far it hasn ’ t .

Short of something to do at around 4am on a Paris weekend in late February? Now you can visit the Louvre museum’s exhibition of Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci, hailed by critics as the most significant display of his works in years, for free.
People take pictures with mobile phone at an oil painting by Atelier Leonardo da Vinci's " Salvator Mundi" (Version Ganay), during the opening of the exhibition " Leonardo da Vinci ", on October 22, 2019, at the Louvre museum in Paris.
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The Louvre announced on Sunday that for its final days of opening – from Friday February 21 through Sunday February 23 – the exhibition would be open all night as well as during its regular daytime hours.
“For visitors it will be a unique chance to see, or see again, all these works by this genius of the Renaissance and in a particular atmosphere at night,” the head of the Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez, told the Journal du dimanche newspaper.
Entry will be free but a reservation made online from this Tuesday will be obligatory. More than 30,000 tickets will be up for grabs.
The aim is to “say again to everyone that this museum is for everybody”, Martinez added.
✨ ÉVÉNEMENT : LÉONARD DE VINCI ✨
Avant sa clôture, l’#ExpoLéonard sera ouverte gratuitement pendant 3 nuits consécutives ! 🌙
➡À compter du vendredi 21 février 2020 à 21h, l’exposition sera ouverte 24h/24 jusqu’à 17h45 le lundi 24 février, dernier jour de l’exposition. pic.twitter.com/xhWtoh1uIe — Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) February 9, 2020
The exhibition, which opened in late October, marks 500 years since the death of Leonardo in the town of Amboise in the Loire Valley on May 2, 1519.
It groups 162 works including loans by Queen Elizabeth II of Britain from the Royal Collection, the British Museum, the Hermitage of Saint Petersburg and the Vatican.
05:40
It does not include Leonardo’s most famous work the Mona Lisa, which – although housed in the Louvre – organisers decided should remain in its usual exhibition space to avoid overcrowding.
02:11
>> Encore! Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre: Historic exhibition marks 500 years since artist's death
The other notable no-show is the Salvator Mundi, the work that became the most expensive painting ever sold when it fetched $450 million at a Christie’s auction in 2017. Rumours were circulating that it might make an appearance at the exhibition.
Mystery now surrounds the painting – whose authenticity is disputed by some experts –as it has not been seen in public since the record-shattering sale.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-02-11--Deadly Storm Ciara cuts path of destruction across Europe

Cars are seen submerged as flood water covers the roads and car parks in Mytholmroyd , northern England , on February 9 , 2020 , after the River Calder burst its banks when Storm Ciara swept across the country .
Fierce winds and heavy rains claimed at least six lives across northern Europe on Monday as Storm Ciara disrupted travel , grounded hundreds of flights , flooded roads and left vast areas without power .
In one of the region ’ s most violent storms for years , one man died and another was reported missing in southern Sweden when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic , one man died when his car went off the road trying to avoid a fallen tree .
Several other people were also injured in the country as winds blew up to 180 kilometres ( 110 miles ) an hour , leaving 100,000 people without power , even toppling over a truck .
In Slovenia , a 52-year-old man died on Monday when a tree fell on his car as he travelled in the northeast of the country .
In southern Poland , a 40-year-old woman and her young daughter were killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds .
Police in London said that a man was killed in his car on Sunday when a tree fell on to a motorway southwest of the capital .
In the west of Germany , falling trees seriously injured three people : two women in Sarrebruck—one of whom was in a critical condition—and a 16-year-old boy in Paderborn .
The storm has swept across the region since the weekend .
It caused extensive flooding in England , cut power to 130,000 homes in northern France and played havoc with air , rail and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm also cut power to 35,000 households in northern Austria on Monday .
It forced more than 700 flights in four German cities - Frankfurt , Munich , Dusseldorf and Cologne - to be cancelled .
In the Netherlands , around 220 flights were cancelled Monday morning at Amsterdam ’ s Schiphol airport—Europe ’ s third-busiest—most destined for other European cities .
Around 240 flights never took off on Sunday .
And having closed one of the big storm surge barriers as the tempest approached on Sunday night , Dutch police reported more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tiny Luxembourg cancelled school classes , and in the Belgian capital Brussels , morning rush-hour traffic ground to a halt due to street closures and flooding .
In the German city of Frankfurt the winds toppled a crane on to the roof of the cathedral , causing extensive damage .
In France on Monday , 90,000 homes of the 130,000 that suffered power outages a day earlier were still without power .
Britain ’ s newspapers and the country ’ s Met Office described Ciara as “ the storm of the century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the destruction it wrought .
And Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill warned : “ While Storm Ciara is clearing away , that doesn ’ t mean we ’ re entering a quieter period of weather .
“ Blizzards aren ’ t out of the question.
” In northern England , the West Yorkshire towns of Hebden Bridge and neighbouring Mytholmroyd were among the worst hit by the storm , as floods submerged cars and cut power to tens of thousands .
More than 170 flood warnings remained in place Monday .
Much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern Europe ’ s coastline .
Channel ferry services between the southern English port of Dover and Calais in northern France resumed Monday morning after being halted the day before .
A whole Belgian offshore wind farm was shut down as powerful gusts caused the turbines to stop automatically for safety reasons .
And the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark and Sweden was closed for several hours .
The storm also forced the closure of large parts of the German rail network , but Deutsche Bahn had reopened some lines by Monday morning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sporting calendar , causing the cancellation of top-flight football fixtures in Belgium , England , France , Germany and the Netherlands .
But there was an upside for passengers flying British Airways to London from New York .
The storm gave the plane a strong tail wind , helping it finish in the sub-sonic flight record time of 4 hours 56 minutes , according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24 .

Fierce winds and heavy rains claimed at least six lives across northern Europe on Monday as Storm Ciara disrupted travel, grounded hundreds of flights, flooded roads and left vast areas without power.
Cars are seen submerged as flood water covers the roads and car parks in Mytholmroyd, northern England, on February 9, 2020, after the River Calder burst its banks when Storm Ciara swept across the country.
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In one of the region’s most violent storms for years, one man died and another was reported missing in southern Sweden when their boat capsized.
In the Czech Republic, one man died when his car went off the road trying to avoid a fallen tree. Several other people were also injured in the country as winds blew up to 180 kilometres (110 miles) an hour, leaving 100,000 people without power, even toppling over a truck.
In Slovenia, a 52-year-old man died on Monday when a tree fell on his car as he travelled in the northeast of the country.
In southern Poland, a 40-year-old woman and her young daughter were killed by roofing torn away by the storm-force winds.
Police in London said that a man was killed in his car on Sunday when a tree fell on to a motorway southwest of the capital.
In the west of Germany, falling trees seriously injured three people: two women in Sarrebruck—one of whom was in a critical condition—and a 16-year-old boy in Paderborn.
The storm has swept across the region since the weekend.
Extensive damage
It caused extensive flooding in England, cut power to 130,000 homes in northern France and played havoc with air, rail and road travel in several countries.
The storm also cut power to 35,000 households in northern Austria on Monday.
It forced more than 700 flights in four German cities - Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Cologne - to be cancelled.
In the Netherlands, around 220 flights were cancelled Monday morning at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport—Europe’s third-busiest—most destined for other European cities. Around 240 flights never took off on Sunday.
And having closed one of the big storm surge barriers as the tempest approached on Sunday night, Dutch police reported more than 600 kilometres of traffic jams Monday.
Tiny Luxembourg cancelled school classes, and in the Belgian capital Brussels, morning rush-hour traffic ground to a halt due to street closures and flooding.
In the German city of Frankfurt the winds toppled a crane on to the roof of the cathedral, causing extensive damage.
Pictures taken on February 10, 2020 show the cathedral in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, damaged by a construction crane which collapsed during the passage of storm #Ciara @AFPphoto #AFP pic.twitter.com/CJm4RDQBOH — Yann Schreiber (@YannSchreiber) February 10, 2020
In France on Monday, 90,000 homes of the 130,000 that suffered power outages a day earlier were still without power.
Britain’s newspapers and the country’s Met Office described Ciara as “the storm of the century” in terms of the scale of the destruction it wrought.
And Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill warned: “While Storm Ciara is clearing away, that doesn’t mean we’re entering a quieter period of weather.
“Blizzards aren’t out of the question.”
In northern England, the West Yorkshire towns of Hebden Bridge and neighbouring Mytholmroyd were among the worst hit by the storm, as floods submerged cars and cut power to tens of thousands.
More than 170 flood warnings remained in place Monday.
Wind farm shut
Much of the initial damage and disruption was along northern Europe’s coastline.
Channel ferry services between the southern English port of Dover and Calais in northern France resumed Monday morning after being halted the day before.
A whole Belgian offshore wind farm was shut down as powerful gusts caused the turbines to stop automatically for safety reasons.
And the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark and Sweden was closed for several hours.
The storm also forced the closure of large parts of the German rail network, but Deutsche Bahn had reopened some lines by Monday morning.
The weather also played havoc with Europe’s sporting calendar, causing the cancellation of top-flight football fixtures in Belgium, England, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
But there was an upside for passengers flying British Airways to London from New York.
The storm gave the plane a strong tail wind, helping it finish in the sub-sonic flight record time of 4 hours 56 minutes, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-11--More than 100 US troops now diagnosed with brain injuries from Iran strike

US soldiers stand at the site where an Iranian missile hit at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province , Iraq , on January 13 , 2020 .
The U.S. military on Monday disclosed a more than 50 % jump in cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran ’ s missile attack on a base in Iraq last month , with the number of service members diagnosed climbing to over 100 .
No U.S. troops were killed or faced immediate bodily injury when Iran fired missiles at the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drone strike at the Baghdad airport on Jan. 3 .
The missile attacks capped a spiral of violence that had started in late December .
Both sides have refrained from further military escalation , but the mounting number of U.S. casualties could increase scrutiny on the Trump administration ’ s approach to Iran .
Reuters was first to report earlier on Monday that there were over 100 cases of TBI , up from the 64 previously reported last month .
The Pentagon , in a statement , confirmed that so far 109 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mild traumatic brain injury .
It added that 76 of them had returned to duty .
The U.S. military in the past had said to expect an increase in numbers in the weeks after the attack because symptoms can take time to manifest and troops can sometimes take longer to report them .
Army General Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said last month that the service members suffering from traumatic brain injuries had been diagnosed with mild cases .
He added that the diagnosis could change as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include headaches , dizziness , sensitivity to light and nausea .
Pentagon officials have repeatedly said there has been no effort to minimize or delay information on concussive injuries .
But the disclosures following Tehran ’ s attack have renewed questions over the U.S. military ’ s policy regarding how it internally reports suspected brain injuries and whether they are treated publicly with the same urgency as loss of limb or life .
U.S. Republican Senator Joni Ernst said more answers were needed .
“ I ’ ve called on the Pentagon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deployed forces who may be exposed to blast injuries in Iraq , ” Ernst said on Twitter .
U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to play down the brain injuries last month , saying he “ heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things ” following the attack , prompting criticism from lawmakers and a U.S. veterans group .
Various health and medical groups for years have been trying to raise awareness about the seriousness of brain injuries , including concussions .
Since 2000 , about 408,000 service members have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Pentagon data .

The U.S. military on Monday disclosed a more than 50% jump in cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran’s missile attack on a base in Iraq last month, with the number of service members diagnosed climbing to over 100.
US soldiers stand at the site where an Iranian missile hit at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq, on January 13, 2020.
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No U.S. troops were killed or faced immediate bodily injury when Iran fired missiles at the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at the Baghdad airport on Jan. 3.
The missile attacks capped a spiral of violence that had started in late December. Both sides have refrained from further military escalation, but the mounting number of U.S. casualties could increase scrutiny on the Trump administration’s approach to Iran.
Reuters was first to report earlier on Monday that there were over 100 cases of TBI, up from the 64 previously reported last month.
The Pentagon, in a statement, confirmed that so far 109 U.S. service members had been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury. It added that 76 of them had returned to duty.
The U.S. military in the past had said to expect an increase in numbers in the weeks after the attack because symptoms can take time to manifest and troops can sometimes take longer to report them.
Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last month that the service members suffering from traumatic brain injuries had been diagnosed with mild cases. He added that the diagnosis could change as time passed.
Symptoms of concussive injuries include headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and nausea.
Pentagon officials have repeatedly said there has been no effort to minimize or delay information on concussive injuries. But the disclosures following Tehran’s attack have renewed questions over the U.S. military’s policy regarding how it internally reports suspected brain injuries and whether they are treated publicly with the same urgency as loss of limb or life.
U.S. Republican Senator Joni Ernst said more answers were needed.
“I’ve called on the Pentagon to ensure the safety & care of our deployed forces who may be exposed to blast injuries in Iraq,” Ernst said on Twitter.
U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to play down the brain injuries last month, saying he “heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things” following the attack, prompting criticism from lawmakers and a U.S. veterans group.
Various health and medical groups for years have been trying to raise awareness about the seriousness of brain injuries, including concussions.
Since 2000, about 408,000 service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, according to Pentagon data.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-11--US 2020 elections: Follow the New Hampshire primary on our live blog

US 2020 elections : Follow the New Hampshire primary on our live blog Voters in New Hampshire are picking their @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic nomination ahead of the US presidential election in November .
Follow the developments @ @ @ @ @

US 2020 elections: The New Hampshire Democratic primary as it happened
Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire's high-stakes Democratic primary on Tuesday, according to US network projections, leaving rivals including party stalwart Joe Biden in his wake as he staked his claim to challenge President Donald Trump in November. Read below to see how the whole event unfolded.
03:08 A first-time voter at Ward 5 polling station in Concord, New Hampshire, on February 11, 2020. © Jessica Le Masurier
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france24--2020-02-11--Boxed in by US and Israel, an ailing Abbas takes defiant stance against Trump peace plan

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is 84 years old and in fragile health .
Speaking Tuesday at the UN , he roundly rejected US President Donald Trump ’ s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
But he appears to be powerless in the face of the united front presented by the US and Israel .
Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday reiterated the Palestinian people ’ s rejection of US President Donald Trump ’ s peace initiative in a speech at the UN Security Council .
But with Trump in the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , the Palestinians ’ situation is as precarious as ever .
A day before he spoke at the UN , Abbas withdrew a request for a Security Council vote on a strong resolution rejecting the US peace plan outright and condemning it as a violation of international law .
The resolution was unlikely to get the nine of 15 votes necessary to pass , and would have been vetoed by the US in any case .
In another blow to the Palestinians and Abbas , the US State Department on Monday released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time since 1993 includes no aid at all for the West Bank and Gaza Strip .
The Trump administration stopped providing economic and humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in 2018 , but until now maintained the security funding ( which stood at $ 75 million this year ) .
In the new budget request , that security aid now appears to be conditioned on Congress 's approval of the $ 200 million Diplomatic Progress Fund , which is supposed to cover Trump ’ s peace plan .
“ Until today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an antagonistic position against the Palestinians that left no room for any good expectations from this administration , ” Elias Zananiri , vice chairman of the PLO ( Palestine Liberation Organisation ) Committee for Interaction with the Israeli Society , told FRANCE 24 in an e-mail .
“ Moreover , the entirely one-sided stand the Trump Administration has taken has discredited the US from being a fair and impartial mediator in any peace efforts in the region .
While financial support is needed , no one can suggest that it should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US diktats , ” Zananiri said .
> > THE INTERVIEW : Israel and the Palestinians : An impossible peace process ?
When Trump and Netanyahu unveiled their plan on January 28 , Abbas was furious .
“ They called me from Washington and I did not pick up the phone , ” Abbas was quoted as saying by the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post .
“ I said no and I will continue to say no ... We are going for difficult days and we are beginning to bear the consequences of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all points of friction .
All young people must be encouraged.
” But does Abbas have the power to stand up to the US and Israel ?
Zananiri said Abbas has never enjoyed stronger support from the Palestinians and the Arab world , as well as “ most countries that did not endorse Trump ’ s vision at all '' .
But the question remains of what will happen after Abbas is no longer in power : He is 84 years old and in fragile health , but there is no immediate plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My worries stem from the question of what may happen later in the near future as no Palestinian leader would ever accept tomorrow what President Abbas rejects , ” Zananiri said .
Danny Rubinstein , a former journalist for the Israeli daily Haaretz and a long-time Arab affairs analyst , told FRANCE 24 that “ the more fragile Abbas becomes , the more suspicious he is of his surroundings and his perceived rivals .
He keeps appointing people and then removing them.
” The Palestinians have not held presidential elections since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arafat , when Abbas won nearly 64 % of the vote .
The last parliamentary elections , in 2006 , led to a split between Fatah and its main rival , Hamas .
The two groups have been in conflict ever since .
In 2007 , the leadership was divided , with Hamas ruling the Gaza Strip and Fatah ruling the Palestinian Authority from Ramallah in the West Bank .
But Trump ’ s peace plan has managed to unite the Palestinians in their rejection of it : Though it allows for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been viewed by most Palestinians as greatly favouring Israel , and paving the way for Israeli annexation of large areas of the West Bank .
The day the plan was unveiled , Abbas met with the Palestinian leadership at his Ramallah headquarters .
Zananiri says that during the meeting , Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called to support Abbas ’ s rejection of the deal and to express the hope that the groups would soon be able to put their differences behind them .
“ President Abbas responded with readiness to dispatch a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconciliation talks , so that the split that has existed since Hamas took over Gaza Strip by military force back in June 2007 would come to an end .
Currently , there are two senior Fatah officials , members of the Central Committee , who are in Gaza for discussions with various factions to set a date for the national dialogue session that both President Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh agreed on , ” Zananiri said .
There was even hope that the Trump plan would get Hamas to agree to holding elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for all of us to go back to the people and the voters to decide what shape of a political regime we want for the future.
” Several Fatah officials who are close to the Palestinian leader might vie to succeed Abbas , who is also known as Abu Mazen .
Rubinstein said these included “ three or four from the security establishment , like Tawfik Tirawi , Majed Faraj , Mahmoud Aloul and Jibril Rajoub '' .
“ But they fight among themselves and Abbas does nothing to stop this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successors could be Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh , an economist and long-time Abbas ally , or the influential businessman Mohammed Dahlan , the former leader of Fatah in Gaza and one of Abbas ’ s fiercest opponents , who is currently living in exile in Dubai .
Rubinstein cited Ghassan Khattib , a politician of the Palestinian People ’ s Party , who has been saying for the past two years that `` there is no use talking about a successor to Abu Mazen '' , predicting : `` Abu Mazen will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They say that after that there will be chaos , with factional fighting for power , but no president , ” Rubinstein said .

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is 84 years old and in fragile health. Speaking Tuesday at the UN, he roundly rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But he appears to be powerless in the face of the united front presented by the US and Israel.
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Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday reiterated the Palestinian people’s rejection of US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative in a speech at the UN Security Council.
But with Trump in the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now seeking re-election for a third time in one year, the Palestinians’ situation is as precarious as ever.
A day before he spoke at the UN, Abbas withdrew a request for a Security Council vote on a strong resolution rejecting the US peace plan outright and condemning it as a violation of international law. The resolution was unlikely to get the nine of 15 votes necessary to pass, and would have been vetoed by the US in any case.
In another blow to the Palestinians and Abbas, the US State Department on Monday released its 2021 budget request, which, for the first time since 1993 includes no aid at all for the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Trump administration stopped providing economic and humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in 2018, but until now maintained the security funding (which stood at $75 million this year). In the new budget request, that security aid now appears to be conditioned on Congress's approval of the $200 million Diplomatic Progress Fund, which is supposed to cover Trump’s peace plan.
“Until today, the US under Trump has taken such an antagonistic position against the Palestinians that left no room for any good expectations from this administration,” Elias Zananiri, vice chairman of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) Committee for Interaction with the Israeli Society, told FRANCE 24 in an e-mail.
“Moreover, the entirely one-sided stand the Trump Administration has taken has discredited the US from being a fair and impartial mediator in any peace efforts in the region. While financial support is needed, no one can suggest that it should be traded for political defeatism or succumbing to US diktats,” Zananiri said.
>> THE INTERVIEW: Israel and the Palestinians: An impossible peace process?
When Trump and Netanyahu unveiled their plan on January 28, Abbas was furious.
“They called me from Washington and I did not pick up the phone,” Abbas was quoted as saying by the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post. “I said no and I will continue to say no... We are going for difficult days and we are beginning to bear the consequences of the refusal. Resistance must be escalated at all points of friction. All young people must be encouraged.”
But does Abbas have the power to stand up to the US and Israel?
Zananiri said Abbas has never enjoyed stronger support from the Palestinians and the Arab world, as well as “most countries that did not endorse Trump’s vision at all".
But the question remains of what will happen after Abbas is no longer in power: He is 84 years old and in fragile health, but there is no immediate plan to replace him or to call elections.
“My worries stem from the question of what may happen later in the near future as no Palestinian leader would ever accept tomorrow what President Abbas rejects,” Zananiri said.
Danny Rubinstein, a former journalist for the Israeli daily Haaretz and a long-time Arab affairs analyst, told FRANCE 24 that “the more fragile Abbas becomes, the more suspicious he is of his surroundings and his perceived rivals. He keeps appointing people and then removing them.”
The Palestinians have not held presidential elections since 2005, after the death of Yasser Arafat, when Abbas won nearly 64% of the vote. The last parliamentary elections, in 2006, led to a split between Fatah and its main rival, Hamas. The two groups have been in conflict ever since. In 2007, the leadership was divided, with Hamas ruling the Gaza Strip and Fatah ruling the Palestinian Authority from Ramallah in the West Bank.
But Trump’s peace plan has managed to unite the Palestinians in their rejection of it: Though it allows for a demilitarised Palestinian state, the plan has been viewed by most Palestinians as greatly favouring Israel, and paving the way for Israeli annexation of large areas of the West Bank.
The day the plan was unveiled, Abbas met with the Palestinian leadership at his Ramallah headquarters. Zananiri says that during the meeting, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called to support Abbas’s rejection of the deal and to express the hope that the groups would soon be able to put their differences behind them.
“President Abbas responded with readiness to dispatch a senior delegation to talk to Hamas and resume reconciliation talks, so that the split that has existed since Hamas took over Gaza Strip by military force back in June 2007 would come to an end. Currently, there are two senior Fatah officials, members of the Central Committee, who are in Gaza for discussions with various factions to set a date for the national dialogue session that both President Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh agreed on,” Zananiri said.
There was even hope that the Trump plan would get Hamas to agree to holding elections, Zananiri said. “It is about time for all of us to go back to the people and the voters to decide what shape of a political regime we want for the future.”
Several Fatah officials who are close to the Palestinian leader might vie to succeed Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen. Rubinstein said these included “three or four from the security establishment, like Tawfik Tirawi, Majed Faraj, Mahmoud Aloul and Jibril Rajoub".
“But they fight among themselves and Abbas does nothing to stop this,” Rubinstein added.
Two other possible successors could be Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, an economist and long-time Abbas ally, or the influential businessman Mohammed Dahlan, the former leader of Fatah in Gaza and one of Abbas’s fiercest opponents, who is currently living in exile in Dubai.
>> Exclusive interview with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
Rubinstein cited Ghassan Khattib, a politician of the Palestinian People’s Party, who has been saying for the past two years that "there is no use talking about a successor to Abu Mazen", predicting: "Abu Mazen will be the last Palestinian president.”
“They say that after that there will be chaos, with factional fighting for power, but no president,” Rubinstein said.
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france24--2020-02-11--Sudan agrees to transfer 'those indicted by the ICC' to the Hague

Sudan has agreed to hand over those wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes , a top Sudanese official and spokesman said Tuesday , although he did not mention by name ousted leader Omar al-Bashir , who is wanted by the ICC for genocide .
The Hague-based ICC has charged Bashir and three of his former aides with genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan 's western region of Darfur , which was the site of a brutal conflict that began in 2003 .
`` Those who have been indicted by the ICC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi , a member of the ruling sovereign council , was quoted as saying in a statement .
Taishi , a member of the Sovereign Council and a government negotiator , said the council had agreed with rebel groups in Darfur to hand over those wanted by the International Criminal Court to face justice .
He did not say when they would transfer those wanted by the ICC , and the transitional administration would need to ratify the ICC ’ s Rome Statute to allow for the transfer of the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a news conference in South Sudan 's capital , Juba , where the government and rebels are holding talks to end the country 's decades-long civil war .
Earlier on Tuesday , Sudanese Information Minister Faisal Saleh told reporters in Khartoum that the government and Darfur rebel groups had agreed that all those wanted by the ICC should appear before the tribunal.Along with Bashir , the ICC has indicted two other senior figures in his regime : Abdel-Rahim Muhammad Hussein , who was interior and defence minister during much of the conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security chief at the time.During the Darfur conflict , rebels among the territory ’ s ethnic Central African community launched an insurgency in 2003 , complaining of discrimination and oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum .
The government responded with a scorched-earth assault of aerial bombings and unleashed the Janjaweed , a militia of largely Sudanese Arabs .
Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million driven from their homes .
Responding to the announcement , a lawyer for Bashir told Reuters that his client refuses to deal with the ICC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and that Sudan 's judiciary is capable of dealing with his case .
Bashir has said the allegations made by the ICC , the world ’ s first permanent court for prosecuting war crimes , are part of a Western conspiracy .
A spokesman for the ICC declined to comment .
The Hague-based court issued its first arrest warrant for Bashir in 2009 – its first for a sitting head of state – and a year later issued a second one .
Bashir faces five counts of crimes against humanity for murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rape ; two counts of war crimes for attacks against civilians ; and three counts of genocide for killings and creating conditions meant to bring about the destruction of the targeted group , allegedly committed between 2003 and 2008 in Darfur .
Sudan 's civilian government , which is running the country under a three-year transition with the military , has been seeking to make peace with rebels in Darfur and other neglected regions which had been fighting Bashir 's government for years .
Darfur rebels and residents have long demanded that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been largely calm since 2010 , though there have been occasional skirmishes over the past three years .
( FRANCE 24 with AFP , AP and REUTERS )

Sudan has agreed to hand over those wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, a top Sudanese official and spokesman said Tuesday, although he did not mention by name ousted leader Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the ICC for genocide.
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The Hague-based ICC has charged Bashir and three of his former aides with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan's western region of Darfur, which was the site of a brutal conflict that began in 2003.
"Those who have been indicted by the ICC, they have to go there," Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi, a member of the ruling sovereign council, was quoted as saying in a statement.
Taishi, a member of the Sovereign Council and a government negotiator, said the council had agreed with rebel groups in Darfur to hand over those wanted by the International Criminal Court to face justice. He did not say when they would transfer those wanted by the ICC, and the transitional administration would need to ratify the ICC’s Rome Statute to allow for the transfer of the former president to The Hague.
He spoke at a news conference in South Sudan's capital, Juba, where the government and rebels are holding talks to end the country's decades-long civil war.
01:38
Earlier on Tuesday, Sudanese Information Minister Faisal Saleh told reporters in Khartoum that the government and Darfur rebel groups had agreed that all those wanted by the ICC should appear before the tribunal.Along with Bashir, the ICC has indicted two other senior figures in his regime: Abdel-Rahim Muhammad Hussein, who was interior and defence minister during much of the conflict, and Ahmed Haroun, a senior security chief at the time.During the Darfur conflict, rebels among the territory’s ethnic Central African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of discrimination and oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum.
The government responded with a scorched-earth assault of aerial bombings and unleashed the Janjaweed, a militia of largely Sudanese Arabs. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million driven from their homes.
Bashir refuses to deal with ICC
Responding to the announcement, a lawyer for Bashir told Reuters that his client refuses to deal with the ICC as it is a "political court" and that Sudan's judiciary is capable of dealing with his case.
Bashir has said the allegations made by the ICC, the world’s first permanent court for prosecuting war crimes, are part of a Western conspiracy.
A spokesman for the ICC declined to comment. The Hague-based court issued its first arrest warrant for Bashir in 2009 – its first for a sitting head of state – and a year later issued a second one.
Bashir faces five counts of crimes against humanity for murder, forcible transfer, extermination, torture and rape; two counts of war crimes for attacks against civilians; and three counts of genocide for killings and creating conditions meant to bring about the destruction of the targeted group, allegedly committed between 2003 and 2008 in Darfur.
Sudan's civilian government, which is running the country under a three-year transition with the military, has been seeking to make peace with rebels in Darfur and other neglected regions which had been fighting Bashir's government for years.
Darfur rebels and residents have long demanded that Bashir should be tried. The region has been largely calm since 2010, though there have been occasional skirmishes over the past three years.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-11--Lebanese govt wins no confidence vote despite protests

Lebanon 's new cabinet won a vote of confidence in parliament on Tuesday based in part on a financial rescue plan it put forward for grappling with a deep financial crisis .
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated Lebanese lawmakers who sat through an eight-hour session before holding a vote that saw 63 out of 84 MPs present give their confidence to the new government .
Speaking just before the vote , Prime Minister Hassan Diab said his government 's priority was preserving foreign currency needed for critical imports and that all options for dealing with Eurobonds maturing this year were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Beirut , FRANCE 24 ’ s Leila Molana-Allen said the all-day session began with Diab “ laying out the Cabinet statement and their plans , saying they were going to tackle corruption… [ that ] they were going to figure out plans to help the poorest in society , they were going to back local industry , local commerce ” , she explained .
Diab also said he would have to implement “ painful ” measures to revive the economy .
Lebanon has one of the highest debt ratios in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of GDP and worsening over recent years with no economic growth and high unemployment .
The prime minister said his Cabinet was “ going to abide by the austerity measures that international donors have said they have to enact in order to access the $ 11 billion potential funds for Lebanon .
Many Lebanese here feel they can not face any more austerity , they ’ re already in a dire situation , ” explained Molana-Allen .
The international community has pledged more than $ 11 billion in desperately needed financial aid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementation of economic reforms .
Protesters clash with police outside parliament Earlier Tuesday , protesters clashed outside the parliament building with security forces who used teargas and water cannon to disperse them .
The Red Cross said a total of 373 people were treated for teargas exposure and other injuries , including 45 who were hospitalised .
Diab , a little-known academic and former education minister , was tasked with forming a government in December after mass rallies against official corruption and economic woes forced premier Saad Hariri to resign .
But more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge that the new cabinet fails to address their demands and wo n't be able to rescue Lebanon 's ailing economy .
Before the session started in an area cordoned off by riot police and soldiers , protesters mobbed and threw water bottles at the tinted-glass vehicles of lawmakers in a bid to stop them reaching parliament .
But enough lawmakers reached the chamber to make the vote valid .
One member of parliament turned up with a black eye , following a brief trip to hospital after he was wounded trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condemned the use of force against demonstrators .
`` Security forces were throwing tear gas and beating people , '' said Aya Majzoub , Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch .
( FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS )


france24--2020-02-11--Fighting continues in Idlib as Turkey-Russia talks end inconclusively

A member of a Syrian civil defence team , known as the White Helmets , tries to extinguish a burning car at the site of a reported airstrike on the industrial area of Idlib , in Northern Syria , on February 11 , 2020 .
Government forces seized control of a highway in northwest Syria for the first time since 2012 on Tuesday as they pressed their campaign to eradicate the last rebel strongholds in Idlib province and the Aleppo countryside , a war monitor said .
In Ankara , talks between Turkey and Russia ended without agreement on stopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been killed in Syria in one week .
Relief agencies meanwhile said an exodus of hundreds of thousands of civilians from the afflicted areas was the largest such movement in nine years of war and a new humanitarian crisis was unfolding .
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had seized the entire length of the M5 highway after driving rebels from their last foothold on the road .
The M5 runs from Aleppo in the north to the capital Damascus then on to southern Deraa .
They took control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburb of Aleppo from insurgents .
The latest advances by President Bashar al-Assad ’ s Russian and Iranian-backed troops came after 13 Turkish soldiers were killed in the Idlib region in the past week , prompting some of the most serious confrontations between Ankara and Damascus of the war .
Ankara deployed thousands of soldiers to stem the Syrian offensive .
Turkish-backed Syrian rebels downed a helicopter believed to belong to the Syrian government in the town of Nairab , Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Tuesday .
Since the new push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 600 square km of territory and in recent days have taken control of dozens of towns and villages .
Last week they recaptured the crossroads town of Saraqeb , on the M5 .
Turkey has several military personnel stationed there to prevent further Syrian advances after eight of its soldiers were killed by Syrian shelling .
A Russian delegation arrived in Ankara on Saturday days after the attack to hold talks aimed at stopping clashes .
On their final day of talks , a second Syrian attack on Turkish troops in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ankara has said that it retaliated to both attacks , destroying several Syrian targets .
It said would drive back Assad ’ s forces unless they withdraw by the end of the month .
It also told the Russian team that attacks against Turkish posts must stop immediately .
The Russians left Turkey after talks ended on Monday , a Turkish diplomatic source said , with no apparent agreement .
The Kremlin said on Tuesday all attacks on Russian and Syrian forces in Idlib had to stop .
Rescue teams in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several towns in Idlib , with most air raids on towns in western Aleppo , including a residential area in the city of Daraat Izza .
At least 13 civilians were killed overnight in the air strikes , they said .
The rapid advances by Assad ’ s forces in Idlib have driven nearly 700,000 people from their homes towards the closed-off Turkish border in the past 10 weeks .
Most of those displaced are women and children .
“ This is , from our initial analysis , the largest number of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis began almost nine years ago , ” Jens Laerke , spokesman for the United Nations ’ OCHA humanitarian agency , told reporters in Geneva .
“ So it ’ s the fastest growing displacement we have ever seen in the country .
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Andrej Mahecic said the harsh winter weather was making their suffering worse and shelter was hard to find .
“ Even finding a place in an unfinished building is becoming nearly impossible , ” he said , adding that mosques were full .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian refugees , says it can not absorb any more .
It said it will halt new migrant waves from Idlib and its military will remain there .
One Turkish politician urged President Tayyip Erdogan to go further .
“ There will be no peace in Turkey until Assad is brought down from his throne .
Turkey must start plans to enter Damascus now , and annihilate the cruel ones , ” said Devlet Bahceli , chairman of Erdogan ’ s nationalist partner party .
Witnesses and rebels said on Tuesday a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rocket launchers and armoured vehicles , crossed the border into Idlib overnight .
Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have also begun an new offensive against the government forces near army-controlled Saraqeb and Nairab to push troops away from Idlib city , where more than one million people live .
The battle for Idlib is a crucial stage of a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of combatants and civilians , made millions refugees in their own country or overseas , and fractured the wider Middle East since it broke out amid the Arab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assad , Syria ’ s ruler for nearly 20 years , have failed to dislodge him but he now presides over a devastated country .
Moscow ’ s military intervention in 2015 helped swing the war decisively in Assad ’ s favour .
Despite being on opposing sides , Turkey and Russia collaborate for a political solution to the conflict .

Government forces seized control of a highway in northwest Syria for the first time since 2012 on Tuesday as they pressed their campaign to eradicate the last rebel strongholds in Idlib province and the Aleppo countryside, a war monitor said.
A member of a Syrian civil defence team, known as the White Helmets, tries to extinguish a burning car at the site of a reported airstrike on the industrial area of Idlib, in Northern Syria, on February 11, 2020.
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In Ankara, talks between Turkey and Russia ended without agreement on stopping clashes in which 13 Turkish soldiers have been killed in Syria in one week.
Relief agencies meanwhile said an exodus of hundreds of thousands of civilians from the afflicted areas was the largest such movement in nine years of war and a new humanitarian crisis was unfolding.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had seized the entire length of the M5 highway after driving rebels from their last foothold on the road. The M5 runs from Aleppo in the north to the capital Damascus then on to southern Deraa.
They took control of the highway after capturing a western suburb of Aleppo from insurgents.
The latest advances by President Bashar al-Assad’s Russian and Iranian-backed troops came after 13 Turkish soldiers were killed in the Idlib region in the past week, prompting some of the most serious confrontations between Ankara and Damascus of the war.
Ankara deployed thousands of soldiers to stem the Syrian offensive.
Turkish-backed Syrian rebels downed a helicopter believed to belong to the Syrian government in the town of Nairab, Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Tuesday.
Since the new push began, government forces have recaptured more than 600 square km of territory and in recent days have taken control of dozens of towns and villages.
Last week they recaptured the crossroads town of Saraqeb, on the M5. Turkey has several military personnel stationed there to prevent further Syrian advances after eight of its soldiers were killed by Syrian shelling.
A Russian delegation arrived in Ankara on Saturday days after the attack to hold talks aimed at stopping clashes. On their final day of talks, a second Syrian attack on Turkish troops in the Taftanaz area killed five more troops.
Ankara has said that it retaliated to both attacks, destroying several Syrian targets. It said would drive back Assad’s forces unless they withdraw by the end of the month. It also told the Russian team that attacks against Turkish posts must stop immediately.
The Russians left Turkey after talks ended on Monday, a Turkish diplomatic source said, with no apparent agreement.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday all attacks on Russian and Syrian forces in Idlib had to stop.
Air raids
Rescue teams in the region said Russian and Syrian war planes bombed several towns in Idlib, with most air raids on towns in western Aleppo, including a residential area in the city of Daraat Izza. At least 13 civilians were killed overnight in the air strikes, they said.
The rapid advances by Assad’s forces in Idlib have driven nearly 700,000 people from their homes towards the closed-off Turkish border in the past 10 weeks. Most of those displaced are women and children.
“This is, from our initial analysis, the largest number of people in a single period since the Syrian crisis began almost nine years ago,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations’ OCHA humanitarian agency, told reporters in Geneva. “So it’s the fastest growing displacement we have ever seen in the country.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Andrej Mahecic said the harsh winter weather was making their suffering worse and shelter was hard to find.
“Even finding a place in an unfinished building is becoming nearly impossible,” he said, adding that mosques were full.
Turkey, which already hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, says it cannot absorb any more. It said it will halt new migrant waves from Idlib and its military will remain there.
One Turkish politician urged President Tayyip Erdogan to go further.
“There will be no peace in Turkey until Assad is brought down from his throne. Turkey must start plans to enter Damascus now, and annihilate the cruel ones,” said Devlet Bahceli, chairman of Erdogan’s nationalist partner party.
Witnesses and rebels said on Tuesday a new column of Turkish reinforcements, including tanks, rocket launchers and armoured vehicles, crossed the border into Idlib overnight.
Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have also begun an new offensive against the government forces near army-controlled Saraqeb and Nairab to push troops away from Idlib city, where more than one million people live.
The battle for Idlib is a crucial stage of a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of combatants and civilians, made millions refugees in their own country or overseas, and fractured the wider Middle East since it broke out amid the Arab Spring in 2011.
Forces arrayed against Assad, Syria’s ruler for nearly 20 years, have failed to dislodge him but he now presides over a devastated country. Moscow’s military intervention in 2015 helped swing the war decisively in Assad’s favour.
Despite being on opposing sides, Turkey and Russia collaborate for a political solution to the conflict.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-11--Africa’s locust ‘crisis’: UN calls for urgent action

The UN on Monday called for urgent action to avoid a major humanitarian crisis as billions of locusts destroy crops across East Africa in the biggest outbreak the region has seen in decades .
The locusts have plagued a number of countries since the start of the year , including Somalia , Ethiopia , Yemen and Kenya , and crossed the border into Uganda over the weekend .
South Sudan and Tanzania could also soon be under threat from the vast swarms .
“ It 's time for the international community to understand that it 's an issue that needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will turn into a situation of a plague , ” said Dominique Burgeon , director of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation ’ s emergencies and rehabilitation division .
“ There will be high levels of acute food insecurity , there will be millions more people that will require food assistance and it will take us years to control the situation . ''
An average locust swarm of around 40 million insects can travel up to 150 km a day and consume enough food in that time to feed 35,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in immediate aid from state donors to help fund spraying and other eradication techniques .
But so far , just $ 20 million has been made available .

The UN on Monday called for urgent action to avoid a major humanitarian crisis as billions of locusts destroy crops across East Africa in the biggest outbreak the region has seen in decades.
East Africa is in the midst of one of the largest locust outbreaks the region has seen in decades.
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The locusts have plagued a number of countries since the start of the year, including Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Kenya, and crossed the border into Uganda over the weekend. South Sudan and Tanzania could also soon be under threat from the vast swarms.
“It's time for the international community to understand that it's an issue that needs to be dealt with now. Otherwise, it will turn into a situation of a plague,” said Dominique Burgeon, director of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation’s emergencies and rehabilitation division.
“There will be high levels of acute food insecurity, there will be millions more people that will require food assistance and it will take us years to control the situation."
An average locust swarm of around 40 million insects can travel up to 150 km a day and consume enough food in that time to feed 35,000 people.
The UN is seeking $76 million in immediate aid from state donors to help fund spraying and other eradication techniques. But so far, just $20 million has been made available.
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france24--2020-02-11--Blockbuster Leonardo da Vinci show open all night and for free at the Louvre

People take pictures with mobile phone at an oil painting by Atelier Leonardo da Vinci 's `` Salvator Mundi '' ( Version Ganay ) , during the opening of the exhibition `` Leonardo da Vinci `` , on October 22 , 2019 , at the Louvre museum in Paris .
Short of something to do at around 4am on a Paris weekend in late February ?
Now you can visit the Louvre museum ’ s exhibition of Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci , hailed by critics as the most significant display of his works in years , for free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its final days of opening – from Friday February 21 through Sunday February 23 – the exhibition would be open all night as well as during its regular daytime hours .
“ For visitors it will be a unique chance to see , or see again , all these works by this genius of the Renaissance and in a particular atmosphere at night , ” the head of the Louvre , Jean-Luc Martinez , told the Journal du dimanche newspaper .
Entry will be free but a reservation made online from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30,000 tickets will be up for grabs .
The aim is to “ say again to everyone that this museum is for everybody ” , Martinez added .
The exhibition , which opened in late October , marks 500 years since the death of Leonardo in the town of Amboise in the Loire Valley on May 2 , 1519 .
It groups 162 works including loans by Queen Elizabeth II of Britain from the Royal Collection , the British Museum , the Hermitage of Saint Petersburg and the Vatican .
It does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mona Lisa , which – although housed in the Louvre – organisers decided should remain in its usual exhibition space to avoid overcrowding .
> > Encore !
Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre : Historic exhibition marks 500 years since artist 's death The other notable no-show is the Salvator Mundi , the work that became the most expensive painting ever sold when it fetched $ 450 million at a Christie ’ s auction in 2017 .
Rumours were circulating that it might make an appearance at the exhibition .
Mystery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is disputed by some experts –as it has not been seen in public since the record-shattering sale .


france24--2020-02-11--Golshifteh Farahani: An Iranian actress in exile

She 's worked with the likes of Ridley Scott , Jim Jarmusch and Asghar Farhadi .
She was the first @ @ @ @ @ a Hollywood film after the 1979 revolution and the first to appear in an Israeli @ @ @ @ @ to Eve Jackson about her new movie “ Arab Blues ” where she plays a @ @ @ @ @ a practice in Tunisia after the Arab Spring .
They also talk about her being @ @ @ @ @ and why she loves her adoptive country , France , so much .

Golshifteh Farahani: An Iranian actress in exile
11:25 ENCORE! © FRANCE 24
She's worked with the likes of Ridley Scott, Jim Jarmusch and Asghar Farhadi. She was the first Iranian actress to star in a Hollywood film after the 1979 revolution and the first to appear in an Israeli movie. Golshifteh Farahani speaks to Eve Jackson about her new movie “Arab Blues” where she plays a psychoanalyst trying to set up a practice in Tunisia after the Arab Spring. They also talk about her being an Iranian artist in exile and why she loves her adoptive country, France, so much.