france24--2020-06-17--France's Covid-19 tracing app hard to link to others, EU official says

France 's StopCovid tracing app may not be able to connect with others across the European Union because it stores data centrally , EU Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday .
A coronavirus contact tracing app being introduced in France may not be able to connect with others across the European Union because it stores datacentrally , EU Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday .
The EU has been hoping that apps developed by member states to track infections will be able to link up when people move within the bloc , mapping the virus 's spread better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revival of travel and tourism .
Member states agreed technical standards for this on Tuesday .
But France 's approach , which allows central location tracking but has also raised privacy concerns , differs from that of Germany , Italy and others , which log contacts by Bluetooth signal on individual smartphones only .
`` It 's somewhat more tricky to develop the technical standards for interoperability between decentralised systems , as I think will be the general rule , and the centralised system that France has been aiming for , '' Vestager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Germany 's app launched on Tuesday , following a standard put in place by Apple and Alphabet 's Google -- whose iOS and Android operating systems run 99 % of the world 's smartphones .
France has also said that access to its centrally held data is a matter of sovereignty .
Its app , `` StopCovid '' , was launched on June 2 and about 1.5 million people have downloaded and activated it - roughly 2 % of the population .
Development of the French app was led by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French companies such as the telecoms firm Orange , the IT consulting group Capgemini and the software company Dassault Systèmes .

A coronavirus contact tracing app being introduced in France may not be able to connect with others across the European Union because it stores datacentrally, EU Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday.
France's StopCovid tracing app may not be able to connect with others across the European Union because it stores data centrally, EU Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday.
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The EU has been hoping that apps developed by member states to track infections will be able to link up when people move within the bloc, mapping the virus's spread better and so creating more security for a revival of travel and tourism.
Member states agreed technical standards for this on Tuesday. But France's approach, which allows central location tracking but has also raised privacy concerns, differs from that of Germany, Italy and others, which log contacts by Bluetooth signal on individual smartphones only.
"It's somewhat more tricky to develop the technical standards for interoperability between decentralised systems, as I think will be the general rule, and the centralised system that France has been aiming for," Vestager told the French parliament in a videoconference.
Matter of sovereignty
Germany's app launched on Tuesday, following a standard put in place by Apple and Alphabet's Google -- whose iOS and Android operating systems run 99% of the world's smartphones.
France has also said that access to its centrally held data is a matter of sovereignty. Its app, "StopCovid", was launched on June 2 and about 1.5 million people have downloaded and activated it - roughly 2% of the population.
Development of the French app was led by the state research institute Inria, with support from French companies such as the telecoms firm Orange, the IT consulting group Capgemini and the software company Dassault Systèmes.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--New Zealand military to oversee borders after new Covid-19 cases

New Zealand 's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said border controls needed to be tightened to ensure similar failures were not repeated New Zealand on Wednesday said the defence force will now oversee the country 's quarantine facilities and strengthen border requirements , after a slip up allowed two people with coronavirus to move around the country .
New Zealand on Tuesday lost its Covid-free status when two women who had been given permission to leave quarantine early on compassionate grounds after arriving from Britain tested positive for the coronavirus .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was appointing the Assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Webb , to oversee all quarantine and to manage isolation facilities , including the processes of exiting people from these facilities .
Ardern said Webb can seek access to military logistics , its operational expertise and , if needed , personnel , for running of the quarantine facilities .
She added that an audit would be done to make sure all processes in place are followed and any changes needed can be made to further strengthen the border facilities .
`` I can not allow the gains we have all made to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ardern said at a news conference in parliament .
New Zealand had trumpeted its achievement last week of becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate COVID-19 and return to pre-pandemic normality , lifting all social and economic restrictions except border controls .
The two women who arrived from Britain on June 7 went into compulsory quarantine after landing , but had been given special permission to leave the facility early to see their dying parent , even though one had symptoms which she attributed to a pre-existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should never have been allowed to leave .
`` This represents an unacceptable failure of the system , '' Ardern said .
`` We require not one but two tests to be undertaken at those facilities .
..it did not , and there are no excuses , '' she said .

New Zealand on Wednesday said the defence force will now oversee the country's quarantine facilities and strengthen border requirements, after a slip up allowed two people with coronavirus to move around the country.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said border controls needed to be tightened to ensure similar failures were not repeated
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New Zealand on Tuesday lost its Covid-free status when two women who had been given permission to leave quarantine early on compassionate grounds after arriving from Britain tested positive for the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was appointing the Assistant Chief of Defence, Air Commodore Digby Webb, to oversee all quarantine and to manage isolation facilities, including the processes of exiting people from these facilities.
Ardern said Webb can seek access to military logistics, its operational expertise and, if needed, personnel, for running of the quarantine facilities.
She added that an audit would be done to make sure all processes in place are followed and any changes needed can be made to further strengthen the border facilities.
"I cannot allow the gains we have all made to be squandered by processes that are not followed," Ardern said at a news conference in parliament.
New Zealand had trumpeted its achievement last week of becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate COVID-19 and return to pre-pandemic normality, lifting all social and economic restrictions except border controls.
The two women who arrived from Britain on June 7 went into compulsory quarantine after landing, but had been given special permission to leave the facility early to see their dying parent, even though one had symptoms which she attributed to a pre-existing condition.
Ardern said the infected person should never have been allowed to leave.
"This represents an unacceptable failure of the system," Ardern said.
"We require not one but two tests to be undertaken at those facilities. ..it did not, and there are no excuses," she said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--Bayern Munich clinch eighth consecutive Bundesliga title

Bayern Munich 's Robert Lewandowski in action , following the resumption of play behind closed doors after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) .
Bayern Munich claimed their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title by beating Werder Bremen 1-0 away thanks to Robert Lewandowski 's first-half strike to open up an unassailable lead at the top of the table on Tuesday .
The league 's top scorer latched onto a superb Jerome Boateng cross and fired in his 31st goal of the campaign just before the break to send the Bavarians 10 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rollercoaster season that saw coach Niko Kovac fired in November with Bayern off the leading positions and Hansi Flick taking over , they turned it around after the winter break , are unbeaten since and won their last 11 straight league matches .
Bayern remained unruffled by the two-month break due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and beat Dortmund last month to overcome the last major obstacle en route to a 29th Bundesliga title since the introduction of the top division in 1963 .
It was Bayern 's 30th German league crown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German Cup , having booked a spot in the July 4 final where they face Bayer Leverkusen , and have also won their Champions League round of 16 first leg 3-0 at Chelsea .
`` It is sensational the kind of football we have played in the past few months , '' Flick said .
`` You could feel the passion the joy for the game and the team spirit . ''
`` We have now taken the first step and reached our big goal , '' he added after the team celebrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the pandemic .
`` But we also have the Cup in our sights and then obviously the Champions League games are something you can not plan for and we still need to survive the Chelsea game . ''
Second-bottom side Werder , desperate to avoid a second relegation after 1980 , were bold and matched the Bavarians in the first half for speed and possession .
They also had the better chances until Bayern winger Kingsley Coman 's glancing header in the 24th .
The Bavarians gradually gained ground and broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superb pass for Lewandowski , who turned in the box and fired home in the 43rd minute .
The Polish international , who scored on his return from suspension , is chasing the 40-goal Bundesliga record for one season set by Bayern 's Gerd Mueller in 1972 and had a string of good chances after the break to add to his tally .
But it was keeper Manuel Neuer who proved key for Bayern after they were left with 10 men for the final 10 minutes following the dismissal of Alphonso Davies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet another league title .

Bayern Munich claimed their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title by beating Werder Bremen 1-0 away thanks to Robert Lewandowski's first-half strike to open up an unassailable lead at the top of the table on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski in action, following the resumption of play behind closed doors after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
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The league's top scorer latched onto a superb Jerome Boateng cross and fired in his 31st goal of the campaign just before the break to send the Bavarians 10 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who have three games left.
In a rollercoaster season that saw coach Niko Kovac fired in November with Bayern off the leading positions and Hansi Flick taking over, they turned it around after the winter break, are unbeaten since and won their last 11 straight league matches.
Bayern remained unruffled by the two-month break due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and beat Dortmund last month to overcome the last major obstacle en route to a 29th Bundesliga title since the introduction of the top division in 1963.
It was Bayern's 30th German league crown overall. They could also add the German Cup, having booked a spot in the July 4 final where they face Bayer Leverkusen, and have also won their Champions League round of 16 first leg 3-0 at Chelsea.
"It is sensational the kind of football we have played in the past few months," Flick said. "You could feel the passion the joy for the game and the team spirit."
"We have now taken the first step and reached our big goal," he added after the team celebrated their triumph in front of empty stands due to the pandemic.
"But we also have the Cup in our sights and then obviously the Champions League games are something you cannot plan for and we still need to survive the Chelsea game."
Second-bottom side Werder, desperate to avoid a second relegation after 1980, were bold and matched the Bavarians in the first half for speed and possession.
They also had the better chances until Bayern winger Kingsley Coman's glancing header in the 24th.
The Bavarians gradually gained ground and broke the deadlock with defender Jerome Boateng's superb pass for Lewandowski, who turned in the box and fired home in the 43rd minute.
The Polish international, who scored on his return from suspension, is chasing the 40-goal Bundesliga record for one season set by Bayern's Gerd Mueller in 1972 and had a string of good chances after the break to add to his tally.
But it was keeper Manuel Neuer who proved key for Bayern after they were left with 10 men for the final 10 minutes following the dismissal of Alphonso Davies, making a sensational one-handed save to ensure yet another league title.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-16--US sues to stop former Trump adviser Bolton from releasing book

The United States on Tuesday sued former national security adviser John Bolton , seeking to block him from publishing a book about his time in the White House that it said contained classified information and would compromise national security .
The civil lawsuit came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Bolton would be breaking the law if the book were published .
The White House National Security Council `` has determined that the manuscript in its present form contains certain passages - some up to several paragraphs in length - that contain classified national security information , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book `` would cause irreparable harm , because the disclosure of instances of classified information in the manuscript reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage , or exceptionally grave damage , to the national security of the United States , '' according to the lawsuit .
Trump fired Bolton last September after roughly 17 months as national security adviser .
Trump said on Monday that Bolton knows he has classified information in his book , and that he had not completed a clearing process required for any book written by former government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department was trying to get Bolton to complete the clearance process and `` make the necessary deletions of classified information . ''
Bolton 's `` The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir , '' is set to be published on June 23 .
The publisher , Simon and Schuster , said the book provides an insider account of Trump 's `` inconsistent , scattershot decision-making process . ''
Simon and Schuster did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealings with China , Russia , Ukraine , North Korea , Iran , Britain , France and Germany , the publisher said .
`` This is the book Donald Trump doesn ’ t want you to read , '' it said .

The United States on Tuesday sued former national security adviser John Bolton, seeking to block him from publishing a book about his time in the White House that it said contained classified information and would compromise national security.
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The civil lawsuit came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Bolton would be breaking the law if the book were published.
The White House National Security Council "has determined that the manuscript in its present form contains certain passages - some up to several paragraphs in length - that contain classified national security information," the lawsuit said.
Publication of the book "would cause irreparable harm, because the disclosure of instances of classified information in the manuscript reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage, or exceptionally grave damage, to the national security of the United States," according to the lawsuit.
Trump fired Bolton last September after roughly 17 months as national security adviser.
Trump said on Monday that Bolton knows he has classified information in his book, and that he had not completed a clearing process required for any book written by former government officials who had access to sensitive information.
Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department was trying to get Bolton to complete the clearance process and "make the necessary deletions of classified information."
Bolton's "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir," is set to be published on June 23.
The publisher, Simon and Schuster, said the book provides an insider account of Trump's "inconsistent, scattershot decision-making process."
Simon and Schuster did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
The book details Trump's dealings with China, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Iran, Britain, France and Germany, the publisher said.
"This is the book Donald Trump doesn’t want you to read," it said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--WHO halts global hydroxychloroquine trial for Covid-19 over lack of proven benefit

FILE PHOTO : The drug hydroxychloroquine , pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and others in recent months as a possible treatment to people infected with the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) , is displayed by a pharmacist at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo , Utah , U.S. , May 27 , 2020 .
The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in its large multi-country trial of treatments for COVID-19 patients had been halted after new data and studies showed no benefit .
WHO expert Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo said investigators leading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which had been promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump - had reviewed recent evidence and decided to stop recruiting new patients .
`` After deliberation , they have concluded that the hydroxychloroquine arm will be stopped from the Solidarity Trial , '' Henao-Restrepo told a media briefing .
In a statement issued later on Wednesday , the WHO said the decision was based on evidence from the Solidarity Trial itself , as well as from a UK-led trial that had found the drug did not help COVID-19 patients , and from a review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those studies `` showed that hydroxychloroquine does not result in the reduction of mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients , '' the WHO statement said .
It said Solidarity Trial investigators would not add any more patients to the hydroxychloroquine arm .
But it added : `` Patients who had already started hydroxychloroquine but who have not yet finished their course in the trial may complete their course or stop at the discretion of the supervising physician . ''
Data from a UK-led clinical trial known as the Recovery trial found last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for patients with COVID-19 .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday revoked its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 , saying it was no longer reasonable to believe that hydroxychloroquine and the related drug chloroquine would be effective in treating the disease .

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in its large multi-country trial of treatments for COVID-19 patients had been halted after new data and studies showed no benefit.
FILE PHOTO: The drug hydroxychloroquine, pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and others in recent months as a possible treatment to people infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is displayed by a pharmacist at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S., May 27, 2020.
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WHO expert Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo said investigators leading the so-called Solidarity Trial testing the drug - which had been promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump - had reviewed recent evidence and decided to stop recruiting new patients.
"After deliberation, they have concluded that the hydroxychloroquine arm will be stopped from the Solidarity Trial," Henao-Restrepo told a media briefing.
In a statement issued later on Wednesday, the WHO said the decision was based on evidence from the Solidarity Trial itself, as well as from a UK-led trial that had found the drug did not help COVID-19 patients, and from a review of other evidence on hydroxychloroquine.
Data from those studies "showed that hydroxychloroquine does not result in the reduction of mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients," the WHO statement said.
It said Solidarity Trial investigators would not add any more patients to the hydroxychloroquine arm.
But it added: "Patients who had already started hydroxychloroquine but who have not yet finished their course in the trial may complete their course or stop at the discretion of the supervising physician."
Data from a UK-led clinical trial known as the Recovery trial found last week that the anti-malaria drug showed no benefit for patients with COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday revoked its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, saying it was no longer reasonable to believe that hydroxychloroquine and the related drug chloroquine would be effective in treating the disease.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--‘Victory’ at what cost? How Covid-19 exposed cracks in France’s cherished healthcare system

A nurse at the Robert Ballanger hospital in Aulnay-sous-Bois north of Paris , among the area 's hardest hit by Covid-19 in France .
Days after French President Emmanuel Macron declared a “ first victory ” in the country ’ s battle against Covid-19 , health workers protesting in cities across France told a very different tale of a crisis that has rattled a healthcare system long touted as the world 's best .
Anne-Sophie has had to swallow many bitter pills over the past three months , but there is one that still sticks in her throat : She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flattering assessment of its own response to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The French people are not being told the truth , ” said the 42-year-old head nurse at a care home for the elderly east of Paris , who declined to give her full name .
“ It is simply not true to pretend we were not overwhelmed.
” France ’ s nursing homes account for more than a third of the nearly 30,000 fatalities attributed to Covid-19 in France – the world ’ s fifth-highest confirmed death toll .
Despite government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the pandemic , there has been ample evidence of emergency rooms turning away elderly patients for want of beds .
“ Those who made it to hospital were saved .
But eight of our residents were turned away and five of them died , ” she told FRANCE 24 .
“ It ’ s a failure in our duty to help those in danger.
” Anne-Sophie ’ s tale of the crisis mirrors the accounts that have emerged from hundreds of care homes across the country : a skeleton staff , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading like wildfire and residents dying in solitude , their families kept at bay .
The head nurse was among thousands of health workers who gathered in central Paris on Tuesday to vent their anger at decades of budget cuts that have weakened a public health system once touted as the envy of the world .
Thousands more rallied in cities across France , determined to turn the broad public sympathy enjoyed during the pandemic into tangible advances for hospital and nursing home employees – those Macron has lauded as `` heroes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve long known that our health system is no longer the world ’ s best – that ’ s just a slogan for the government , ” said Bruno Franceschi , an emergency room nurse at the Hôpital Bicêtre south of Paris .
“ We ’ ve been saying for years that our hospitals are chronically ill. ” '' The silver lining from this crisis is that , now , the French public knows it too.
” Tuesday ’ s protest came two days after Macron heaped praise on France ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling the crisis during a televised address to the nation that critics decried as “ an exercise in vindication ” .
A short distance from the rally , behind row after row of police officers in riot gear , French lawmakers in the National Assembly began carrying out their own assessment of the country ’ s pandemic response , a process that will see them quiz top officials , ministers and their advisers over the next six months to shed light on the state ’ s possible “ failings ” .
Opposition parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry , keen to earn some political dividend from the particularly acute criticism France ’ s government has faced compared to many other administrations .
On Tuesday , the panel of 32 lawmakers began by questioning Jérôme Salomon , the director-general of French health services , whose daily briefings made him one of the public faces of the pandemic in France .
Salomon had warned Macron that France was unprepared for a pandemic when serving as his adviser during the 2017 presidential campaign .
But he steadfastly denied any shortcomings by the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he hailed as “ extremely rapid ” .
Grilled on the hot-button issue of masks , Salomon blamed past administrations for the crippling shortage .
Asked why the government initially said the public need not wear masks , he said this was in line with World Health Organization recommendations .
Challenged on the lack of testing , he suggested the French were reluctant to be tested – conceding only that “ perhaps we could have been more didactic ” .
On four occasions Salomon was asked whether he had any regrets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeating instead that the “ unprecedented , massive , rapid , brutal and global ” crisis had simply caught everyone off guard .
“ He answers nothing and evades every question , ” raged one lawmaker taking part in the inquiry , according to French daily Le Monde .
“ We still don ’ t know in what areas [ Salomon ] thinks France wasn ’ t ready , nor what he did to prepare the country.
” The astonishing lack of preparedness with which France and other Western countries weathered the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts noting that the lessons of past epidemics – such as SARS and the H5N1 bird flu – had been largely forgotten .
Last month , an investigation by Le Monde uncovered the extraordinary chain of events that led successive French governments to build an ambitious pandemic response strategy and then dismantle it almost entirely , leaving the country to face the novel coronavirus `` disarmed '' .
Addressing senators on March 19 , three days into a nationwide lockdown ordered to stem the spread of Covid-19 , Health Minister Olivier Véran summed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had left France so desperately exposed .
“ In 2010 , the state had a stock of one billion surgical masks , ” he said .
“ When I took over at the ministry , there were 150 million.
” As he spoke , and in the months preceding the crisis , millions of masks were simply being torched , based on the assumption that they had expired or were ineffective .
The result of this stunning fiasco is well known : a desperate shortage of protection for even frontline workers , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly in masks from China , and a belated effort to revive a national production capacity that had been abandoned in recent years .
Two days before Véran ’ s Senate hearing , his predecessor Agnès Buzyn spoke candidly about the extraordinary twist that had seen her plucked out of the ministry a month earlier , despite the worsening outbreak , to lead Macron ’ s party in Paris mayoral elections .
“ I knew the tsunami wave was coming for us .
( ... ) We should have stopped the elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , referring to the government ’ s controversial decision to go ahead with the first round of municipal elections on March 15 , despite the fast-spreading outbreak .
That decision is one of several grievances that are being carried to French courts this week , with a range of complaints targeting Salomon , his ministry , the Santé Publique France health agency and France ’ s prisons administration , among others .
Mayoral candidate Chafia Zehmoul , from the Lyon area , was the first to sue the French state for failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of campaigning .
“ I shook hands and hugged people throughout the campaign , then after the vote I lost touch with several members of my team , ” she recalled in an interview with FRANCE 24 .
“ I later found out they had been taken to hospital .
Two have died and another two of their relatives have perished too .
I was shocked.
” On Tuesday , the Paris chief prosecutor said he had opened a probe into the French state 's handling of the coronavirus outbreak , with possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` endangering life '' .
The preliminary investigation is not aimed at determining `` political or administrative responsibility , '' Prosecutor Remy Heitz told AFP , but whether national decision-makers had committed `` possible criminal offences '' .
Macron , as head of state , has immunity from prosecution and is not a target of the inquiry , nor are government ministers who can be held accountable only by the Court of Justice of the Republic ( CJR ) , an administrative tribunal , which has itself received 80 complaints .
Plaintiffs who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a group of general practitioners ( GPs ) , known as the Collectif C19 , who accuse Health Minister Véran of breaking a promise to equip all health workers with the more protective FFP2 masks .
According to the French Order of Doctors , which does not include hospital workers , some 30 GPs have died in France after contracting Covid-19 .
Another group , dubbed Collectif Inter-Blocs , has filed a complaint against 32 French hospitals for failing to equip frontline staff with FFP2 masks , leaving them with less protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide France ’ s Covid-19 “ heroes ” with adequate protection was a recurrent theme at Tuesday ’ s protest in Paris , where some health workers recalled having to beg dental surgeries , chemical labs and cosmetics factories to donate blouses , gloves and other equipment .
“ They put our lives in danger and consequently those of our patients too , ” said 28-year-old Inès , a nurse at a dialysis clinic in Paris .
“ The government must be held accountable for this.
” Though her clinic was relatively spared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis throughout the health system , including “ surgeries cancelled , beds requisitioned , transplants postponed and nurses dragged out of retirement ” .
Like many other protesters , she said the pandemic had merely exposed chronic vulnerabilities that health workers have long denounced – and which are turning more and more people away from the profession .
“ We rely on China for our masks , America for our thermometers and rubbish-bag manufacturers for our makeshift blouses – and all went missing , ” said Céline Philippard , a care-giver at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doumer in the hard-hit Oise department , north of Paris .
“ When it came to saving lives , patients were sorted ; we were told there would be no room for those from our unit , ” she added .
“ It ’ s inhuman , it ’ s unthinkable.
” Tuesday 's protest marked the climax of a series of demonstrations in favour of hospitals in recent weeks .
It was designed to heighten the pressure on the government as it leads broad consultations on healthcare reform .
Macron ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French hospitals .
But no figures have been put on the table so far , including on the contentious issue of health workers ’ salaries , which rank among the lowest in the Western world and have steadily decreased over the years relative to inflation .
Hospital workers also want assurances that there will be no more of the hospital closures that have turned swaths of rural and suburban France into so-called “ medical deserts ” .
“ As a result of this crisis , we finally have the attention of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the head nurse at the care home .
“ It ’ s now or never to obtain what we ’ ve been asking for so long.
” She and her colleagues were heartened by the presence of many people from other professions – like 41-year-old Julie Adore , an artist who had never rallied with health workers before .
“ It ’ s not enough to clap from our windows once a day , ” she said , a reference to the daily round of applause the French gave their healthcare workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show our support by standing side by side with doctors and nurses .
They don ’ t need government medals .
They need beds , masks and money .
”

Days after French President Emmanuel Macron declared a “first victory” in the country’s battle against Covid-19, health workers protesting in cities across France told a very different tale of a crisis that has rattled a healthcare system long touted as the world's best.
A nurse at the Robert Ballanger hospital in Aulnay-sous-Bois north of Paris, among the area's hardest hit by Covid-19 in France.
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Anne-Sophie has had to swallow many bitter pills over the past three months, but there is one that still sticks in her throat: She cannot accept the government’s flattering assessment of its own response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The French people are not being told the truth,” said the 42-year-old head nurse at a care home for the elderly east of Paris, who declined to give her full name. “It is simply not true to pretend we were not overwhelmed.”
France’s nursing homes account for more than a third of the nearly 30,000 fatalities attributed to Covid-19 in France – the world’s fifth-highest confirmed death toll. Despite government claims that French hospitals “coped” with the pandemic, there has been ample evidence of emergency rooms turning away elderly patients for want of beds.
“Those who made it to hospital were saved. But eight of our residents were turned away and five of them died,” she told FRANCE 24. “It’s a failure in our duty to help those in danger.”
Anne-Sophie’s tale of the crisis mirrors the accounts that have emerged from hundreds of care homes across the country: a skeleton staff, a desperate shortage of protective gear, infections spreading like wildfire and residents dying in solitude, their families kept at bay.
The head nurse was among thousands of health workers who gathered in central Paris on Tuesday to vent their anger at decades of budget cuts that have weakened a public health system once touted as the envy of the world. Thousands more rallied in cities across France, determined to turn the broad public sympathy enjoyed during the pandemic into tangible advances for hospital and nursing home employees – those Macron has lauded as "heroes in white coats".
“We’ve long known that our health system is no longer the world’s best – that’s just a slogan for the government,” said Bruno Franceschi, an emergency room nurse at the Hôpital Bicêtre south of Paris. “We’ve been saying for years that our hospitals are chronically ill.”
"The silver lining from this crisis is that, now, the French public knows it too.”
"We can't do magic". France's Covid-19 'superheroes' rally for beds, masks, more staff and decent wages - not medals pic.twitter.com/g1vS49VlfT — bendodman (@bendodman) June 16, 2020
Parliament grilling
Tuesday’s protest came two days after Macron heaped praise on France’s health workers and defended his own record in handling the crisis during a televised address to the nation that critics decried as “an exercise in vindication”.
A short distance from the rally, behind row after row of police officers in riot gear, French lawmakers in the National Assembly began carrying out their own assessment of the country’s pandemic response, a process that will see them quiz top officials, ministers and their advisers over the next six months to shed light on the state’s possible “failings”.
Opposition parties had placed high hopes in the cross-party inquiry, keen to earn some political dividend from the particularly acute criticism France’s government has faced compared to many other administrations. On Tuesday, the panel of 32 lawmakers began by questioning Jérôme Salomon, the director-general of French health services, whose daily briefings made him one of the public faces of the pandemic in France.
Salomon had warned Macron that France was unprepared for a pandemic when serving as his adviser during the 2017 presidential campaign. But he steadfastly denied any shortcomings by the government in its response to the crisis, which he hailed as “extremely rapid”.
Grilled on the hot-button issue of masks, Salomon blamed past administrations for the crippling shortage. Asked why the government initially said the public need not wear masks, he said this was in line with World Health Organization recommendations. Challenged on the lack of testing, he suggested the French were reluctant to be tested – conceding only that “perhaps we could have been more didactic”.
On four occasions Salomon was asked whether he had any regrets and each time he sidestepped the question, repeating instead that the “unprecedented, massive, rapid, brutal and global” crisis had simply caught everyone off guard.
“He answers nothing and evades every question,” raged one lawmaker taking part in the inquiry, according to French daily Le Monde. “We still don’t know in what areas [Salomon] thinks France wasn’t ready, nor what he did to prepare the country.”
From ready to unready
The astonishing lack of preparedness with which France and other Western countries weathered the coronavirus storm has been widely documented, with experts noting that the lessons of past epidemics – such as SARS and the H5N1 bird flu – had been largely forgotten.
Last month, an investigation by Le Monde uncovered the extraordinary chain of events that led successive French governments to build an ambitious pandemic response strategy and then dismantle it almost entirely, leaving the country to face the novel coronavirus "disarmed".
Addressing senators on March 19, three days into a nationwide lockdown ordered to stem the spread of Covid-19, Health Minister Olivier Véran summed up the bewildering haemorrhage of equipment that had left France so desperately exposed.
“In 2010, the state had a stock of one billion surgical masks,” he said. “When I took over at the ministry, there were 150 million.”
As he spoke, and in the months preceding the crisis, millions of masks were simply being torched, based on the assumption that they had expired or were ineffective.
The result of this stunning fiasco is well known: a desperate shortage of protection for even frontline workers, a frantic – and costly – race to fly in masks from China, and a belated effort to revive a national production capacity that had been abandoned in recent years.
From emergency rooms to courtrooms
Two days before Véran’s Senate hearing, his predecessor Agnès Buzyn spoke candidly about the extraordinary twist that had seen her plucked out of the ministry a month earlier, despite the worsening outbreak, to lead Macron’s party in Paris mayoral elections.
“I knew the tsunami wave was coming for us. (...) We should have stopped the elections, it was a travesty,” she said, referring to the government’s controversial decision to go ahead with the first round of municipal elections on March 15, despite the fast-spreading outbreak.
That decision is one of several grievances that are being carried to French courts this week, with a range of complaints targeting Salomon, his ministry, the Santé Publique France health agency and France’s prisons administration, among others.
Mayoral candidate Chafia Zehmoul, from the Lyon area, was the first to sue the French state for failing to inform the public of the dangers of campaigning.
“I shook hands and hugged people throughout the campaign, then after the vote I lost touch with several members of my team,” she recalled in an interview with FRANCE 24. “I later found out they had been taken to hospital. Two have died and another two of their relatives have perished too. I was shocked.”
On Tuesday, the Paris chief prosecutor said he had opened a probe into the French state's handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with possible charges including "involuntary homicide" and "endangering life".
The preliminary investigation is not aimed at determining "political or administrative responsibility," Prosecutor Remy Heitz told AFP, but whether national decision-makers had committed "possible criminal offences".
Macron, as head of state, has immunity from prosecution and is not a target of the inquiry, nor are government ministers who can be held accountable only by the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), an administrative tribunal, which has itself received 80 complaints.
Plaintiffs who have taken their case to the CJR include a group of general practitioners (GPs), known as the Collectif C19, who accuse Health Minister Véran of breaking a promise to equip all health workers with the more protective FFP2 masks. According to the French Order of Doctors, which does not include hospital workers, some 30 GPs have died in France after contracting Covid-19.
Another group, dubbed Collectif Inter-Blocs, has filed a complaint against 32 French hospitals for failing to equip frontline staff with FFP2 masks, leaving them with less protective surgical masks instead.
Hospital beds, not medals
The failure to provide France’s Covid-19 “heroes” with adequate protection was a recurrent theme at Tuesday’s protest in Paris, where some health workers recalled having to beg dental surgeries, chemical labs and cosmetics factories to donate blouses, gloves and other equipment.
“They put our lives in danger and consequently those of our patients too,” said 28-year-old Inès, a nurse at a dialysis clinic in Paris. “The government must be held accountable for this.”
Though her clinic was relatively spared, Inès stressed the knock-on effects of the crisis throughout the health system, including “surgeries cancelled, beds requisitioned, transplants postponed and nurses dragged out of retirement”.
Like many other protesters, she said the pandemic had merely exposed chronic vulnerabilities that health workers have long denounced – and which are turning more and more people away from the profession.
“We rely on China for our masks, America for our thermometers and rubbish-bag manufacturers for our makeshift blouses – and all went missing,” said Céline Philippard, a care-giver at the geriatric unit of the Hôpital Paul Doumer in the hard-hit Oise department, north of Paris.
“When it came to saving lives, patients were sorted; we were told there would be no room for those from our unit,” she added. “It’s inhuman, it’s unthinkable.”
Tuesday's protest marked the climax of a series of demonstrations in favour of hospitals in recent weeks. It was designed to heighten the pressure on the government as it leads broad consultations on healthcare reform.
Macron’s government has promised to invest massively in French hospitals. But no figures have been put on the table so far, including on the contentious issue of health workers’ salaries, which rank among the lowest in the Western world and have steadily decreased over the years relative to inflation.
Hospital workers also want assurances that there will be no more of the hospital closures that have turned swaths of rural and suburban France into so-called “medical deserts”.
“As a result of this crisis, we finally have the attention of the government and the public,” said Anne-Sophie, the head nurse at the care home. “It’s now or never to obtain what we’ve been asking for so long.”
She and her colleagues were heartened by the presence of many people from other professions – like 41-year-old Julie Adore, an artist who had never rallied with health workers before.
“It’s not enough to clap from our windows once a day,” she said, a reference to the daily round of applause the French gave their healthcare workers during the lockdown. “We must show our support by standing side by side with doctors and nurses. They don’t need government medals. They need beds, masks and money.”
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france24--2020-06-17--US imposes new sanctions on Assad entourage, vows 'sustained campaign' against Syrian regime

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency ( SANA ) on July 2 , 2017 , shows Syria 's 2,000 pound note , featuring a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad .
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad 's wife and dozens of others as it vowed a vast pressure campaign under a new law that has already rattled the war-torn nation 's economy .
`` We anticipate many more sanctions and we will not stop until Assad and his regime stop their needless , brutal war against the Syrian people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
He called the sanctions `` the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Assad regime revenue and support it uses to wage war and commit mass atrocities against the Syrian people . ''
Pompeo was announcing the coming into force of the Caesar Act , which punishes any companies that work with Assad and has already led the Syrian currency to plummet in value .
The first batch of designations target 39 people or entities , including Assad personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time she has been targeted by US sanctions .
Under the law , any assets in the United States will be frozen .
President Assad has been under US sanctions since he began to crush an uprising in 2011 .
Born in Britain to a cardiologist father and diplomat mother , Asma al-Assad is a former investment banker who had styled herself as a progressive reformer and modern face of the Assads .
But Pompeo in his statement charged that Asma al-Assad , with the support of her husband and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Syria 's most notorious war profiteers . ''
Others designated under the Caesar Act include Mohammed Hamsho , one of Syria 's most prominent businesspeople , and the Fatemiyoun , an Iranian-led division of Afghan Shiite Muslims that has been deployed to prop up Assad .
Assad , backed by Russia and Iran , has succeeded in winning back virtually all of Syria except the Idlib area after a war that has killed more than 380,000 people .
The Caesar Act , passed by the US Congress last year with bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalization without accountability for human rights abuses .
It penalizes in the United States any company that deals with Assad and blocks reconstruction assistance from Washington .
Syria 's central bank on Wednesday devalued the pound after the currency depreciated for weeks on the black market in anticipation of the law .
Pompeo said the goal was to force Assad into accepting Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015 -- which called for a ceasefire , elections and political transition in Syria .
A UN-driven process has made no headway , with Assad last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian airpower to retake Idlib .
Pompeo said the United States was undertaking the pressure campaign `` in full cooperation with other like-minded countries . ''
The European Union has imposed its own sanctions over Syria and a French court separately on Wednesday convicted an uncle of Bashar al-Assad over money-laundering and misappropriation of government funds .
The Caesar Act is named after a former Syrian military photographer who fled at great personal risk in 2014 with 55,000 images of brutality in Assad 's jails .

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's wife and dozens of others as it vowed a vast pressure campaign under a new law that has already rattled the war-torn nation's economy.
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on July 2, 2017, shows Syria's 2,000 pound note, featuring a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad.
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"We anticipate many more sanctions and we will not stop until Assad and his regime stop their needless, brutal war against the Syrian people," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
He called the sanctions "the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Assad regime revenue and support it uses to wage war and commit mass atrocities against the Syrian people."
Pompeo was announcing the coming into force of the Caesar Act, which punishes any companies that work with Assad and has already led the Syrian currency to plummet in value.
The first batch of designations target 39 people or entities, including Assad personally as well as his wife Asma -- the first time she has been targeted by US sanctions.
Under the law, any assets in the United States will be frozen. President Assad has been under US sanctions since he began to crush an uprising in 2011.
Born in Britain to a cardiologist father and diplomat mother, Asma al-Assad is a former investment banker who had styled herself as a progressive reformer and modern face of the Assads.
But Pompeo in his statement charged that Asma al-Assad, with the support of her husband and her own Akhras family, "has become one of Syria's most notorious war profiteers."
Effects felt in Syria
Others designated under the Caesar Act include Mohammed Hamsho, one of Syria's most prominent businesspeople, and the Fatemiyoun, an Iranian-led division of Afghan Shiite Muslims that has been deployed to prop up Assad.
Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has succeeded in winning back virtually all of Syria except the Idlib area after a war that has killed more than 380,000 people.
The Caesar Act, passed by the US Congress last year with bipartisan support, seeks to prevent Assad's normalization without accountability for human rights abuses.
It penalizes in the United States any company that deals with Assad and blocks reconstruction assistance from Washington.
Syria's central bank on Wednesday devalued the pound after the currency depreciated for weeks on the black market in anticipation of the law.
Pompeo said the goal was to force Assad into accepting Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015 -- which called for a ceasefire, elections and political transition in Syria.
A UN-driven process has made no headway, with Assad last year launching a major offensive backed by Russian airpower to retake Idlib.
Pompeo said the United States was undertaking the pressure campaign "in full cooperation with other like-minded countries."
The European Union has imposed its own sanctions over Syria and a French court separately on Wednesday convicted an uncle of Bashar al-Assad over money-laundering and misappropriation of government funds.
The Caesar Act is named after a former Syrian military photographer who fled at great personal risk in 2014 with 55,000 images of brutality in Assad's jails.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-17--France blasts ‘extremely aggressive’ Turkish intervention against NATO mission targeting Libyan arms

File photo taken August 7 , 2019 , of a firgate in the Mediterranean Sea .
France 's defence ministry on Wednesday denounced an `` extremely aggressive '' intervention by Turkish frigates against a French navy vessel participating in a NATO mission in the Mediterranean .
Turkey , however , has denied the claims .
The French sailors were trying to check a cargo on suspicion it was taking arms to Libya – forbidden under a UN embargo .
Turkish frigates carried out radar targeting three times , suggesting a missile strike was imminent , France 's defence ministry said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act that is unacceptable by an ally against a NATO ship , '' a French defence ministry official , who did not want to be named , told AFP .
`` We consider this an extremely grave matter , '' the official added .
`` We can not accept that an ally behaves this way , that it does this against a NATO ship , under NATO command , carrying out a NATO mission . ''
In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday , French foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnès von der Mühll accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` hostile and aggressive '' manner towards its NATO allies to prevent them from enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya .
The violations , she added , were the main obstacles to achieving peace and stability in the North African nation .
The disclosure of the incident , which occurred a few weeks ago , came as NATO defence ministers held talks via video conference on Wednesday .
Turkey denied the claim that its navy harassed a French warship on a NATO mission , calling it `` completely untrue '' .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the French warship did not establish communications with the Turkish ship during the incident .
`` Turkey is fulfilling its obligations as an ally today as always , '' the official said .
`` It has saddened us that the matter has reached this stage . ''
Tensions between NATO members France and Turkey have flared recently over their rival policies on the Libyan civil war .
Turkey supports the UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) in Tripoli led by Fayez al-Sarraj .
France , despite public denials , has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army ( LNA ) based in eastern Libya .
Turkish support has been critical to the GNA in staving off a 14-month-long assault on Tripoli by Haftar 's forces .
That offensive came to an end earlier this month when the GNA managed to seize back all of western Libya .
> > Pro-Haftar powers ‘ looking for alternatives ’ after opponents seize all of western Libya This week , Ankara condemned as `` unacceptable '' criticism from France over its shipments of weapons and fighters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` direct violation '' of the UN embargo .
`` These waves of boats between Turkey and Misrata , sometimes escorted by Turkish frigates , are not contributing to any de-escalation , '' the French ministry official said Wednesday .
Senior Turkish officials made a surprise visit to Tripoli to meet GNA members on Wednesday that included Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu , Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan .
It is the most significant delegation to visit the country since Haftar launched his offensive on Tripoli in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` latest developments in the crisis '' with GNA leader al-Sarraj and the `` international efforts to resolve it '' , the GNA said in a statement .
The visit was also an opportunity to discuss `` the return of Turkish companies '' to the country , the GNA said .
Before 2011 , Turkish construction companies had secured a large share of the Libyan market , but the projects were abandoned with the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi .

France's defence ministry on Wednesday denounced an "extremely aggressive" intervention by Turkish frigates against a French navy vessel participating in a NATO mission in the Mediterranean. Turkey, however, has denied the claims.
File photo taken August 7, 2019, of a firgate in the Mediterranean Sea.
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The French sailors were trying to check a cargo on suspicion it was taking arms to Libya – forbidden under a UN embargo.
Turkish frigates carried out radar targeting three times, suggesting a missile strike was imminent, France's defence ministry said.
"This is an extremely aggressive act that is unacceptable by an ally against a NATO ship," a French defence ministry official, who did not want to be named, told AFP.
"We consider this an extremely grave matter," the official added. "We cannot accept that an ally behaves this way, that it does this against a NATO ship, under NATO command, carrying out a NATO mission."
In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, French foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnès von der Mühll accused Turkey's navy of acting in a "hostile and aggressive" manner towards its NATO allies to prevent them from enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya. The violations, she added, were the main obstacles to achieving peace and stability in the North African nation.
The disclosure of the incident, which occurred a few weeks ago, came as NATO defence ministers held talks via video conference on Wednesday.
Turkey denies ‘untrue’ French claim
Turkey denied the claim that its navy harassed a French warship on a NATO mission, calling it "completely untrue".
A senior Turkish military official told Reuters that the French warship did not establish communications with the Turkish ship during the incident.
"Turkey is fulfilling its obligations as an ally today as always," the official said. "It has saddened us that the matter has reached this stage."
Tensions between NATO members France and Turkey have flared recently over their rival policies on the Libyan civil war.
Turkey supports the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli led by Fayez al-Sarraj. France, despite public denials, has long been suspected of favouring rebel commander Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) based in eastern Libya.
Turkish support has been critical to the GNA in staving off a 14-month-long assault on Tripoli by Haftar's forces. That offensive came to an end earlier this month when the GNA managed to seize back all of western Libya.
>> Pro-Haftar powers ‘looking for alternatives’ after opponents seize all of western Libya
This week, Ankara condemned as "unacceptable" criticism from France over its shipments of weapons and fighters to the GNA. Paris calls the shipments a "direct violation" of the UN embargo.
"These waves of boats between Turkey and Misrata, sometimes escorted by Turkish frigates, are not contributing to any de-escalation," the French ministry official said Wednesday.
Top Turkish officials make surprise visit to Libya
Senior Turkish officials made a surprise visit to Tripoli to meet GNA members on Wednesday that included Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan.
It is the most significant delegation to visit the country since Haftar launched his offensive on Tripoli in April 2019.
The Turkish officials discussed the "latest developments in the crisis" with GNA leader al-Sarraj and the "international efforts to resolve it", the GNA said in a statement.
The visit was also an opportunity to discuss "the return of Turkish companies" to the country, the GNA said.
Before 2011, Turkish construction companies had secured a large share of the Libyan market, but the projects were abandoned with the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--UN human rights chief calls for reparations for slavery, colonialism

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on June 17 , 2020 , called for reparations for colonialism and slavery .
The UN 's human rights chief urged countries Wednesday to confront the legacy of slavery and colonialism and to make amends for `` centuries of violence and discrimination '' through reparations .
Addressing an urgent debate on racism and police brutality at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva , Michelle Bachelet called on countries to examine their pasts and to strive to better understand the scope of continuing `` systemic discrimination '' .
She pointed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killing of George Floyd , a 46-year-old black man who died in Minneapolis in the US on May 25 after a white police officer -- since charged with murder -- kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
This symbol of `` systemic racism ... has become emblematic of the excessive use of disproportionate force by law enforcement , against people of African descent , against people of colour , and against indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities in many countries across the globe , '' she said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism and discriminatory policing lies the failure to acknowledge and confront the legacy of the slave trade and colonialism , '' she said .
She stressed the need to `` make amends for centuries of violence and discrimination , including through formal apologies , truth-telling processes , and reparations in various forms . ''
Wednesday 's urgent council debate was called in response to Floyd 's killing , which was caught on amateur video , sparking worldwide demands to address systemic racism in the United States and around the world .
African countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bachelet and other UN rights experts to investigate racism and policy brutality in the US , but potential support for their draft resolution is unclear .
The US itself withdrew from the council two years ago , but a number of its allies are uncomfortable with the country being singled out in the text , according to observers of the process .
Bachelet herself did not speak out specifically in favour of the draft resolution , but she did stress the need for `` decisive reforms '' .
She insisted on the importance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter .
Indigenous lives matter .
The lives of people of colour matter . ''
`` All human beings are born equal in dignity and rights : that is what this Council , like my office , stands for . ''

The UN's human rights chief urged countries Wednesday to confront the legacy of slavery and colonialism and to make amends for "centuries of violence and discrimination" through reparations.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on June 17, 2020, called for reparations for colonialism and slavery.
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Addressing an urgent debate on racism and police brutality at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet called on countries to examine their pasts and to strive to better understand the scope of continuing "systemic discrimination".
She pointed to the "gratuitous brutality" on display in the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in Minneapolis in the US on May 25 after a white police officer -- since charged with murder -- kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
This symbol of "systemic racism... has become emblematic of the excessive use of disproportionate force by law enforcement, against people of African descent, against people of colour, and against indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities in many countries across the globe," she said.
"Behind today's racial violence, systemic racism and discriminatory policing lies the failure to acknowledge and confront the legacy of the slave trade and colonialism," she said.
She stressed the need to "make amends for centuries of violence and discrimination, including through formal apologies, truth-telling processes, and reparations in various forms."
Wednesday's urgent council debate was called in response to Floyd's killing, which was caught on amateur video, sparking worldwide demands to address systemic racism in the United States and around the world.
African countries are calling for the council to ask Bachelet and other UN rights experts to investigate racism and policy brutality in the US, but potential support for their draft resolution is unclear.
The US itself withdrew from the council two years ago, but a number of its allies are uncomfortable with the country being singled out in the text, according to observers of the process.
Bachelet herself did not speak out specifically in favour of the draft resolution, but she did stress the need for "decisive reforms".
She insisted on the importance of making clear that "black lives matter. Indigenous lives matter. The lives of people of colour matter."
"All human beings are born equal in dignity and rights: that is what this Council, like my office, stands for."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-17--French court sentences Rifaat al-Assad, uncle of Syrian president, to four years in prison

Screengrab of Rifaat al-Assad as he appeared on June 12 2000 , on the Arab News Network ( ANN ) , which belongs to his son Sumer .
A Paris court on Wednesday convicted Rifaat al-Assad , the uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , to four years in prison after convicting him of money laundering and the misappropriation of Syrian government funds .
Rifaat al-Assad , 82 , did not appear in court , having been hospitalised in December after doctors diagnosed him with internal bleeding .
The court also ordered the confiscation of Assad 's vast real estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million ( $ 100 million ) .
Assad , a former Syrian military commander , is widely held responsible for crushing an Islamist uprising in 1982 against his brother , Syria 's then president Hafez al-Assad .
Thousands were killed in the crackdown , according to human rights groups , earning him the moniker , `` Butcher of Hama '' .
He left his home country in 1984 after mounting a failed coup against Hafez , the current Syrian president 's father , who led Syria from 1971 to 2000 .
After arriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifestyle soon raised eyebrows .
His reported French fortune includes two Paris townhouses , one measuring 3,000 square metres ( 32,000 square feet ) , as well as a stud farm , a chateau and 7,300 square metres of office space in Lyon .
He and his family also built up a huge portfolio of 507 properties in Spain , valued at around €695 million , Spanish legal documents show .
All his properties in that country were seized by the authorities in 2017 .
Assad has been under investigation in France since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divides his time between France and Britain , denied the charges , maintaining the original complaint against him was filed by Syrian opposition figures with political motivations .

A Paris court on Wednesday convicted Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to four years in prison after convicting him of money laundering and the misappropriation of Syrian government funds.
Screengrab of Rifaat al-Assad as he appeared on June 12 2000, on the Arab News Network (ANN), which belongs to his son Sumer.
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Rifaat al-Assad, 82, did not appear in court, having been hospitalised in December after doctors diagnosed him with internal bleeding.
The court also ordered the confiscation of Assad's vast real estate assets in France, worth some €90 million ($100 million).
'Butcher of Hama' amasses wealth in Europe
Assad, a former Syrian military commander, is widely held responsible for crushing an Islamist uprising in 1982 against his brother, Syria's then president Hafez al-Assad. Thousands were killed in the crackdown, according to human rights groups, earning him the moniker, "Butcher of Hama" .
He left his home country in 1984 after mounting a failed coup against Hafez, the current Syrian president's father, who led Syria from 1971 to 2000.
After arriving in Europe, Rifaat al-Assad's lavish lifestyle soon raised eyebrows.
His reported French fortune includes two Paris townhouses, one measuring 3,000 square metres (32,000 square feet), as well as a stud farm, a chateau and 7,300 square metres of office space in Lyon.
He and his family also built up a huge portfolio of 507 properties in Spain, valued at around €695 million, Spanish legal documents show. All his properties in that country were seized by the authorities in 2017.
Assad has been under investigation in France since 2014.
The Syrian exile, who divides his time between France and Britain, denied the charges, maintaining the original complaint against him was filed by Syrian opposition figures with political motivations.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--Atlanta police officer charged with murder in Rayshard Brooks shooting

Video grab of former Atlanta Police Department officer Garrett Rolfe searching Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy 's parking lot on June 12 , 2020 .
An Atlanta police officer will face felony murder charges for the death of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks , who was shot in the back as he fled the officer , the district attorney announced Wednesday .
District Attorney Paul Howard Howard said the police officer , Garrett Rolfe , had no justification for shooting Brooks , and aggravated the case by kicking Brook 's body as he lay on the ground bleeding .
`` We concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks was shot , he did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury to the officers , '' Howard said .
The death of 27-year-old Brooks , another in a long line of African-Americans killed by police , further heightened racial concerns in the US at a time of national soul-searching over racism and police brutality .
Rolfe , who shot Brooks on June 12 , was fired the next day after surveillance video showed his actions .
Howard told a news conference in Atlanta that Rolfe faces the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death penalty if convicted .
Devin Brosnan , another white officer who was on the scene , will cooperate with prosecutors and was charged with aggravated assault and violations of his oath of office , Howard added .
Brosnan has been placed on administrative leave .
The killing of Brooks followed the May 25 death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him .
That officer , Derek Chauvin , was charged with second-degree murder .
Three other Minneapolis police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An autopsy conducted on Sunday showed that Brooks was shot twice in the back and died from blood loss and organ injuries .
The local medical examiner 's office ruled the death a homicide .
Brooks was reported asleep in a car in the Wendy 's drive-through lane , blocking traffic .
A restaurant employee called the 911 emergency telephone line , complaining about a man who would not move the vehicle and appeared intoxicated .
After interacting with Rolfe and Brosnan , Brooks tussled with the officers and ran off with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked protests in Atlanta .
The Wendy 's restaurant was burned down in the unrest .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms in the aftermath of the killing announced reforms within the police department , including orders requiring officers to de-escalate situations and directing them to intervene if they see a colleague using excessive force .

An Atlanta police officer will face felony murder charges for the death of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, who was shot in the back as he fled the officer, the district attorney announced Wednesday.
Video grab of former Atlanta Police Department officer Garrett Rolfe searching Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy's parking lot on June 12, 2020.
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District Attorney Paul Howard Howard said the police officer, Garrett Rolfe, had no justification for shooting Brooks, and aggravated the case by kicking Brook's body as he lay on the ground bleeding.
"We concluded that, at the time that Mr Brooks was shot, he did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury to the officers," Howard said.
The death of 27-year-old Brooks, another in a long line of African-Americans killed by police, further heightened racial concerns in the US at a time of national soul-searching over racism and police brutality.
Rolfe, who shot Brooks on June 12, was fired the next day after surveillance video showed his actions.
Howard told a news conference in Atlanta that Rolfe faces the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
Other police officer cooperating with prosecutors
Devin Brosnan, another white officer who was on the scene, will cooperate with prosecutors and was charged with aggravated assault and violations of his oath of office, Howard added.
Brosnan has been placed on administrative leave.
The killing of Brooks followed the May 25 death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him.
That officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second-degree murder. Three other Minneapolis police officers were charged with aiding and abetting.
Shot in the back
An autopsy conducted on Sunday showed that Brooks was shot twice in the back and died from blood loss and organ injuries.
The local medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide. Brooks was reported asleep in a car in the Wendy's drive-through lane, blocking traffic. A restaurant employee called the 911 emergency telephone line, complaining about a man who would not move the vehicle and appeared intoxicated.
After interacting with Rolfe and Brosnan, Brooks tussled with the officers and ran off with one of their Taser devices.
The killing sparked protests in Atlanta. The Wendy's restaurant was burned down in the unrest.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms in the aftermath of the killing announced reforms within the police department, including orders requiring officers to de-escalate situations and directing them to intervene if they see a colleague using excessive force.
Atlanta's police chief, Erika Shields, resigned following the shooting.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-17--Deaths of Indian troops in China border clash ‘will not be in vain’, Modi says

The deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in clashes with Chinese troops on the Himalayan border `` will not be in vain '' , Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday , as the two Asian giants held high-level talks to try to calm escalating tensions .
`` I would like to assure the country that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not be in vain .
For us , the unity and integrity of the country is the most important ... India wants peace but is capable of giving a reply if provoked , '' Modi said in a televised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister ’ s first remarks on the deadly clashes between the two nuclear-armed nations following criticisms from opposition leaders and commentators over the Modi administration ’ s silence .
The two nations ' foreign ministers spoke by telephone to try to calm tensions on Wednesday , according to Beijing .
News of the call between China 's Wang Yi and India 's Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – which was not confirmed by New Delhi – came as sources told AFP that Indian paramilitaries were being deployed to the area of the skirmish high in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confirm if it suffered any casualties in the first deadly clashes at the border in decades , although Indian media said at least 40 Chinese troops were killed or seriously hurt .
The Chinese foreign ministry statement said Wang demanded `` India conduct a thorough investigation '' and punish those responsible .
`` The Indian side must not misjudge the current situation , and must not underestimate China 's firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty , '' it added .
The incident , which took place Monday at around 4,500 metres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valley area , dominated India 's rolling news channels on Wednesday and set social media alight .
Protests erupted in several parts of India Wednesday , with demonstrators calling for a boycott of Chinese goods with one burning posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping .
Sources told AFP that military transport aircraft had made a number of rare nighttime landings in Leh , capital of India 's Ladakh region opposite China 's Tibet throughout Tuesday night .
The clashes reportedly involved intense hand-to-hand fighting but no gunfire , in line with longstanding practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the disputed 3,500-kilometre ( 2,200-mile ) border .
An Indian army source told AFP there were `` violent hand-to-hand scuffles '' while media said that Chinese troops attacked with rods and nail-studded clubs .
Many of these killed appear to have been punched or shoved off a ridge onto rocks and into an icy river below .
`` They came hurtling down like free-falling objects , '' one source told AFP .
Postmortem examinations on those killed showed that the `` primary reason for death is drowning and it looks like they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of head injuries '' , an official told AFP .
Both sides gave competing versions of the violence .
Beijing said Indian troops `` crossed the border line twice ... provoking and attacking Chinese personnel '' , while an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said the clash arose from `` an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo '' on the border .
The US , which has mounting frictions with China but sees India as an emerging ally , said it was hoping for a `` peaceful resolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides to `` exercise maximum restraint '' while Russia welcomed news of subsequent peaceful contacts between the two neighbours .
India and China have never even agreed on the length of their `` Line of Actual Control '' frontier .
They fought a brief war in 1962 and deadly clashes followed in 1967 but the last shot fired in anger was in 1975 , when four Indians died .
In 2017 there was a 72-day showdown after Chinese forces moved into the disputed Doklam plateau on the China-India-Bhutan border .
The recent uptick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when several Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in a clash .
Their prickly relationship was also strained in August when India revoked the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir state and split off Ladakh into a new administrative territory .
Ladakh is partly claimed by Beijing .
India , meanwhile , has been irked by China 's backing of Pakistan and an economic corridor going through parts of Kashmir controlled by Islamabad but claimed by India .

The deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in clashes with Chinese troops on the Himalayan border "will not be in vain", Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday, as the two Asian giants held high-level talks to try to calm escalating tensions.
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"I would like to assure the country that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not be in vain. For us, the unity and integrity of the country is the most important ... India wants peace but is capable of giving a reply if provoked," Modi said in a televised address.
It was the Indian prime minister’s first remarks on the deadly clashes between the two nuclear-armed nations following criticisms from opposition leaders and commentators over the Modi administration’s silence.
The two nations' foreign ministers spoke by telephone to try to calm tensions on Wednesday, according to Beijing.
News of the call between China's Wang Yi and India's Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – which was not confirmed by New Delhi – came as sources told AFP that Indian paramilitaries were being deployed to the area of the skirmish high in the Himalayas opposite Tibet.
China has refused to confirm if it suffered any casualties in the first deadly clashes at the border in decades, although Indian media said at least 40 Chinese troops were killed or seriously hurt.
04:12
China demands India punish those responsible
The Chinese foreign ministry statement said Wang demanded "India conduct a thorough investigation" and punish those responsible.
"The Indian side must not misjudge the current situation, and must not underestimate China's firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty," it added.
The incident, which took place Monday at around 4,500 metres (15,000 feet) in the Galwan valley area, dominated India's rolling news channels on Wednesday and set social media alight.
Protests erupted in several parts of India Wednesday, with demonstrators calling for a boycott of Chinese goods with one burning posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Sources told AFP that military transport aircraft had made a number of rare nighttime landings in Leh, capital of India's Ladakh region opposite China's Tibet throughout Tuesday night.
'Hurtling down' ridges
The clashes reportedly involved intense hand-to-hand fighting but no gunfire, in line with longstanding practices aimed at avoiding a full military confrontation over the disputed 3,500-kilometre (2,200-mile) border.
An Indian army source told AFP there were "violent hand-to-hand scuffles" while media said that Chinese troops attacked with rods and nail-studded clubs.
Many of these killed appear to have been punched or shoved off a ridge onto rocks and into an icy river below.
"They came hurtling down like free-falling objects," one source told AFP.
Postmortem examinations on those killed showed that the "primary reason for death is drowning and it looks like they fell from a height into the water because of head injuries", an official told AFP.
Both sides gave competing versions of the violence.
Beijing said Indian troops "crossed the border line twice ... provoking and attacking Chinese personnel", while an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said the clash arose from "an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo" on the border.
US calls for restraint
The US, which has mounting frictions with China but sees India as an emerging ally, said it was hoping for a "peaceful resolution".
The UN called for both sides to "exercise maximum restraint" while Russia welcomed news of subsequent peaceful contacts between the two neighbours.
India and China have never even agreed on the length of their "Line of Actual Control" frontier.
They fought a brief war in 1962 and deadly clashes followed in 1967 but the last shot fired in anger was in 1975, when four Indians died.
In 2017 there was a 72-day showdown after Chinese forces moved into the disputed Doklam plateau on the China-India-Bhutan border.
The recent uptick in tensions began in early May, when several Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in a clash.
Their prickly relationship was also strained in August when India revoked the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir state and split off Ladakh into a new administrative territory.
Ladakh is partly claimed by Beijing. India, meanwhile, has been irked by China's backing of Pakistan and an economic corridor going through parts of Kashmir controlled by Islamabad but claimed by India.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-17--Turkey moves troops against Kurdish targets in northern Iraq

This handout picture released on June 15 , 2020 by the Turkish Ministry of Defense press office shows Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar ( R ) and army commanders , following the Operation Claw-Eagle in northern Iraq at Air Force Command Control Center in Ankara .
Turkey 's jets have carried out new cross-border air strikes against outlawed Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq , the Turkish Defense Ministry said on June 14 .
Turkey said Wednesday it has airlifted troops for a cross-border ground operation against Turkey 's Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq , the first known airborne-and-land offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive into the border region of Haftanin , some 15 kilometers ( 9 miles ) from the Turkey-Iraq border , was launched following intense artillery fire into the area , said the Defense Ministry in Ankara .
The operation by commando forces is being supported by warplanes , attack helicopters , artillery and armed and unarmed drones , according to the ministry 's statement posted on Twitter .
It did not say how many troops are involved .
Turkey regularly carries out air and ground attacks against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bases in northern Iraq .
Wednesday ’ s was the first known airborne and land offensive .
Turkey has defended its past operations into northern Iraq , saying neither the Iraqi government nor the regional Iraqi Kurdish administration have acted to remove PKK insurgents who allegedly use Iraq 's territory to stage attacks on Turkey .
The ministry said Wednesday 's operation , dubbed Operation Claw-Tiger , follows “ increasing harassment and attempts to attack ” military outposts or bases in Turkey .
It said the Turkish forces would target other “ terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not name them , and shared videos of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar overseeing the mission at a command center in Ankara .
The development came days after Turkey launched an air operation in the region , which the Defense Ministry said hit suspected PKK targets in several locations in Iraq ’ s north , including Sinjar , and targeted 81 rebel hideouts .
A Turkish military official said the operation began with artillery units targeting some 150 suspected PKK positions and was followed by an aerial attack involving F-16s , drones and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossed the border by land while other units were transported by helicopters .
The troops had began to enter PKK hideouts in Haftanin , the official said , providing the information on condition of anonymity in line with government rules .
It was not clear if the latest offensive would target the Sinjar region , where the Turkish government says has become a new base for PKK commanders .
A video provided by the Turkish Defense Ministry showed Akar addressing the commandos , say they “ will make history once again.
” '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rights based on international law , '' said Omer Celik , the deputy chairman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 's ruling party .
Baghdad summoned Ankara ’ s ambassador to Iraq , Fatih Yildiz , on Tuesday to protest Turkey 's pounding of PKK targets in northern Iraq ’ s semi-autonomous Kurdish region .
The PKK has led a decades-long insurgency in Turkey 's mainly Kurdish southeast region .
It is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey , the United States and the European Union .
The conflict has led to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it started in 1984 .
Turkey began expanding it ’ s military footprint in Iraq last summer in an intense operation against PKK targets following the July 17 assassination of Osman Kose in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil .
Kose worked for the Turkish Consulate there and Ankara has blamed PKK for his killing .
Turkish officials have said the operations have focused on cutting supply lines and transport routes connecting the PKK in Turkey and Iraq .
The presence of PKK rebels has brought discomfort to a senior Iraqi Kurdish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas where PKK function as “ no man ’ s land.
” He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the operations .
Kawa Sheikhmous , is a PKK official who was in Iraq 's northern Kurdish region on Tuesday , criticized the Iraqi government for not taking stronger action against Turkish incursions .
“ We condemn this act and consider it against the interests of the people , ” he said .
“ Our message to the Iraqi government is that it should not tolerate this interference in the sovereignty of Iraq @ @

Turkey said Wednesday it has airlifted troops for a cross-border ground operation against Turkey's Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, the first known airborne-and-land offensive by Ankara inside Iraqi territory.
This handout picture released on June 15, 2020 by the Turkish Ministry of Defense press office shows Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (R) and army commanders, following the Operation Claw-Eagle in northern Iraq at Air Force Command Control Center in Ankara. Turkey's jets have carried out new cross-border air strikes against outlawed Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on June 14.
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The offensive into the border region of Haftanin, some 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Turkey-Iraq border, was launched following intense artillery fire into the area, said the Defense Ministry in Ankara.
The operation by commando forces is being supported by warplanes, attack helicopters, artillery and armed and unarmed drones, according to the ministry's statement posted on Twitter. It did not say how many troops are involved.
Turkey regularly carries out air and ground attacks against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which it says maintains bases in northern Iraq. Wednesday’s was the first known airborne and land offensive.
Turkey has defended its past operations into northern Iraq, saying neither the Iraqi government nor the regional Iraqi Kurdish administration have acted to remove PKK insurgents who allegedly use Iraq's territory to stage attacks on Turkey.
The ministry said Wednesday's operation, dubbed Operation Claw-Tiger, follows “increasing harassment and attempts to attack” military outposts or bases in Turkey. It said the Turkish forces would target other “terror” groups in the region, but did not name them, and shared videos of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar overseeing the mission at a command center in Ankara.
The development came days after Turkey launched an air operation in the region, which the Defense Ministry said hit suspected PKK targets in several locations in Iraq’s north, including Sinjar, and targeted 81 rebel hideouts.
A Turkish military official said the operation began with artillery units targeting some 150 suspected PKK positions and was followed by an aerial attack involving F-16s, drones and attack helicopters.
Some of the commandos crossed the border by land while other units were transported by helicopters. The troops had began to enter PKK hideouts in Haftanin, the official said, providing the information on condition of anonymity in line with government rules.
'Rights based on international law'
It was not clear if the latest offensive would target the Sinjar region, where the Turkish government says has become a new base for PKK commanders. A video provided by the Turkish Defense Ministry showed Akar addressing the commandos, say they “will make history once again.”
"Turkey continues its fight against terrorists using the rights based on international law," said Omer Celik, the deputy chairman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party.
Baghdad summoned Ankara’s ambassador to Iraq, Fatih Yildiz, on Tuesday to protest Turkey's pounding of PKK targets in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
The PKK has led a decades-long insurgency in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast region. It is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The conflict has led to the loss of tens of thousands lives since it started in 1984.
Turkey began expanding it’s military footprint in Iraq last summer in an intense operation against PKK targets following the July 17 assassination of Osman Kose in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil. Kose worked for the Turkish Consulate there and Ankara has blamed PKK for his killing.
Turkish officials have said the operations have focused on cutting supply lines and transport routes connecting the PKK in Turkey and Iraq.
The presence of PKK rebels has brought discomfort to a senior Iraqi Kurdish officials, with one official saying the areas where PKK function as “no man’s land.” He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the operations.
Kawa Sheikhmous, is a PKK official who was in Iraq's northern Kurdish region on Tuesday, criticized the Iraqi government for not taking stronger action against Turkish incursions.
“We condemn this act and consider it against the interests of the people,” he said. “Our message to the Iraqi government is that it should not tolerate this interference in the sovereignty of Iraq.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-17--French teens charged over threats to girl who posted anti-Islam rant on Instagram

Three teens were charged on June 17 , 2020 after a schoolgirl received death threats for posting an anti-Islam rant on Instagram .
Three teenagers have been charged in France after a high-school girl received death threats for an expletive-laden social media rant against Islam , a prosecutor said Wednesday .
The case of 16-year-old Mila -- who called Islam `` a shitty religion '' on an Instagram post that went viral -- revived debate in France about freedom of speech and highlighted deep societal divisions on the topic .
Mila 's family was placed under police protection amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change schools .
On Wednesday , prosecutor Audrey Quey , said three teens -- one aged 16 and two 17 , have been charged in the case .
Quey is the prosecutor in Vienne in the Isere department in southeast France where Mila is from .
The 17-year-olds admitted to investigators earlier this month that they had collected Mila 's private online data and passed it on to the younger boy .
The two face charges of theft and possession of stolen data , and were placed under judicial supervision pending the outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
One of them was also from Isere , and the other from the neighbouring Rhone department .
The 16-year-old , Quey said , was questioned in February and admitted having distributed Mila 's personal online data .
Charges against the boy , from Besancon north of Isere , include possession of stolen goods , electronic harassment , and distributing a third party 's personal data .
He , too , was placed under supervision .
A fourth person , alleged to have been behind death threats to Mila , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Investigations are continuing with a view to identifying others behind the threats , '' said Quey .
In February , French President Emmanuel Macron came out in defence of Mila , saying the right to blaspheme was enshrined in the constitution and that the girl needed to be protected .
An investigation into possible charges of provoking racial hatred against Mila was abandoned in January .
The controversy came just over five years after jihadist gunmen gunned down a group of French cartoonists from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Three teenagers have been charged in France after a high-school girl received death threats for an expletive-laden social media rant against Islam, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
Three teens were charged on June 17, 2020 after a schoolgirl received death threats for posting an anti-Islam rant on Instagram.
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The case of 16-year-old Mila -- who called Islam "a shitty religion" on an Instagram post that went viral -- revived debate in France about freedom of speech and highlighted deep societal divisions on the topic.
Mila's family was placed under police protection amid the fallout, and the girl had to change schools.
On Wednesday, prosecutor Audrey Quey, said three teens -- one aged 16 and two 17, have been charged in the case.
Quey is the prosecutor in Vienne in the Isere department in southeast France where Mila is from.
The 17-year-olds admitted to investigators earlier this month that they had collected Mila's private online data and passed it on to the younger boy.
The two face charges of theft and possession of stolen data, and were placed under judicial supervision pending the outcome of the investigation, Quey said in a statement.
One of them was also from Isere, and the other from the neighbouring Rhone department.
The 16-year-old, Quey said, was questioned in February and admitted having distributed Mila's personal online data.
Charges against the boy, from Besancon north of Isere, include possession of stolen goods, electronic harassment, and distributing a third party's personal data. He, too, was placed under supervision.
A fourth person, alleged to have been behind death threats to Mila, was arrested in May, the prosecutor said.
"Investigations are continuing with a view to identifying others behind the threats," said Quey.
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron came out in defence of Mila, saying the right to blaspheme was enshrined in the constitution and that the girl needed to be protected.
An investigation into possible charges of provoking racial hatred against Mila was abandoned in January.
The controversy came just over five years after jihadist gunmen gunned down a group of French cartoonists from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which had poked fun at the Prophet Mohammed.
(AFP)
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