france24--2020-03-29--Trump extends 'social distancing' guidelines until April 30

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington , U.S. , March 29 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump said Sunday that the peak death rate in the United States from the coronavirus pandemic was likely to hit in two weeks and extended `` social distancing '' guidelines until April 30 .
`` Easter should be the peak number , '' Trump said of the Christian holiday which falls on April 12 .
`` The modelling estimates that the peak in death rate is likely to hit in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a televised briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House .
`` It should start coming down -- and hopefully very substantially -- from that point , '' he said .
Trump also addressed statements by one of his top medical advisors , Anthony Fauci , who estimated on Sunday that the virus could possibly result in 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the United States .
Trump characterised that as a `` horrible number '' but said it would have been worse without the lockdown orders and other efforts taken so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious virus .
`` Potentially 2.2 million people if we did nothing , if we did n't do the distancing , '' he said .
`` If we did n't do all the things we 're doing . ''
Trump said he was extending the government 's `` social distancing '' guidelines until April 30 to `` slow the spread '' of the virus .
According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University , there are nearly 140,000 confirmed virus cases in the United States and more than 2,400 people have died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus-linked deaths in the past 24 hours , up from the previous day 's increase of 453 .
`` It 's very important that everyone strongly follow the guidelines , '' the president said .
`` Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won , '' he said at a briefing that saw him lash out several times at reporters and criticize the CNN network and The New York Times .
Trump said he expects the country `` will be well on our way to recovery '' by June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Easter .
`` June 1 , '' he said .
`` That 's aspirational but I think we 're gon na hit it . ''
But the president backed off previous statements he has made about opening up parts of the country which have not been affected by the virus so far .
`` They said 'We do n't like that idea , ' '' Trump said of Fauci and other medical advisors on his coronavirus task force .
`` They did n't like the idea . ''
The president said there would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday about the government 's plans and strategy going forward .
`` We 're going to have a meeting , speech , press conference or something on Tuesday , '' he said .
`` We will be finalising these plans and providing a summary of our findings , supporting data and strategy to the American people . ''
Trump was also asked if he would support another massive economic relief package such as the $ 2.2 trillion spending bill passed by Congress last week .
`` I 'm prepared to do whatever 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and number two , bring our economy back strong , just like it was before , '' he said .
`` I think our economy has a chance to be just as good and even better than it was before . ''

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the peak death rate in the United States from the coronavirus pandemic was likely to hit in two weeks and extended "social distancing" guidelines until April 30.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 29, 2020.
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"Easter should be the peak number," Trump said of the Christian holiday which falls on April 12.
"The modelling estimates that the peak in death rate is likely to hit in two weeks," the president said during a televised briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House.
"It should start coming down -- and hopefully very substantially -- from that point," he said.
00:35
Trump also addressed statements by one of his top medical advisors, Anthony Fauci, who estimated on Sunday that the virus could possibly result in 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the United States.
Trump characterised that as a "horrible number" but said it would have been worse without the lockdown orders and other efforts taken so far to prevent the spread of the highly infectious virus.
"Potentially 2.2 million people if we did nothing, if we didn't do the distancing," he said. "If we didn't do all the things we're doing."
Trump said he was extending the government's "social distancing" guidelines until April 30 to "slow the spread" of the virus.
According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, there are nearly 140,000 confirmed virus cases in the United States and more than 2,400 people have died.
01:21
Johns Hopkins recorded a record 518 new coronavirus-linked deaths in the past 24 hours, up from the previous day's increase of 453.
"It's very important that everyone strongly follow the guidelines," the president said.
"Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won," he said at a briefing that saw him lash out several times at reporters and criticize the CNN network and The New York Times.
June 1 target
Trump said he expects the country "will be well on our way to recovery" by June 1 -- dropping his previous target of Easter.
"June 1," he said. "That's aspirational but I think we're gonna hit it."
But the president backed off previous statements he has made about opening up parts of the country which have not been affected by the virus so far.
"They said 'We don't like that idea,'" Trump said of Fauci and other medical advisors on his coronavirus task force. "They didn't like the idea."
The president said there would be an "important" announcement on Tuesday about the government's plans and strategy going forward.
"We're going to have a meeting, speech, press conference or something on Tuesday," he said.
"We will be finalising these plans and providing a summary of our findings, supporting data and strategy to the American people."
Trump was also asked if he would support another massive economic relief package such as the $2.2 trillion spending bill passed by Congress last week.
"I'm prepared to do whatever's necessary to number one, save lives and number two, bring our economy back strong, just like it was before," he said. "I think our economy has a chance to be just as good and even better than it was before."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-30--US regulator gives anti-malaria drugs emergency approval to treat coronavirus

Nivaquine , left , which contains chloroquine , and Plaqueril , which contain hydroxychloroquine .
The FDA has approved the use of these drugs in hospitals for certain cases of COVID-19 infection in teens and adults .
A limited emergency-use authorization for two antimalarial drugs touted as game-changers by President Donald Trump has been issued by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat coronavirus patients .
In a statement published Sunday , the US Department of Health and Human Services detailed recent donations of medicine to a national stockpile – including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine , both being investigated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA had allowed them `` to be distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19 , as appropriate , when a clinical trial is not available or feasible . ''
Trump said last week that the two drugs could be a `` gift from God , '' despite scientists warning against the dangers of overhyping unproven treatments .
Many researchers including Anthony Fauci , the United States ' leading infectious disease expert , have urged the public to remain cautious until larger clinical trials validate smaller studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority – are currently working to plan such trials .
Some in the scientific community fear Trump 's endorsement of the medicines could create shortages for patients who need them to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis , diseases for which they are approved .
The US has more than 140,000 novel coronavirus cases and 2,489 deaths , according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University .

A limited emergency-use authorization for two antimalarial drugs touted as game-changers by President Donald Trump has been issued by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat coronavirus patients.
Nivaquine, left, which contains chloroquine, and Plaqueril, which contain hydroxychloroquine. The FDA has approved the use of these drugs in hospitals for certain cases of COVID-19 infection in teens and adults.
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In a statement published Sunday, the US Department of Health and Human Services detailed recent donations of medicine to a national stockpile – including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, both being investigated as potential COVID-19 treatments.
It said the FDA had allowed them "to be distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19, as appropriate, when a clinical trial is not available or feasible."
Trump said last week that the two drugs could be a "gift from God," despite scientists warning against the dangers of overhyping unproven treatments.
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains - Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2020
Many researchers including Anthony Fauci, the United States' leading infectious disease expert, have urged the public to remain cautious until larger clinical trials validate smaller studies.
Two US medical bodies – the National Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority – are currently working to plan such trials.
Some in the scientific community fear Trump's endorsement of the medicines could create shortages for patients who need them to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, diseases for which they are approved.
The US has more than 140,000 novel coronavirus cases and 2,489 deaths, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-29--France evacuates more coronavirus patients from east to free up hospital beds

A paramedic carries out a patient on a stretcher from an ambulance at the Henri Mondor Hospital in Creteil , near Paris , as France faces an aggressive progression of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) , March 28 , 2020 .
REUTERS/Benoit Tessier France evacuated 36 more coronavirus patients from the hard-hit east to western areas on Sunday , hoping to free up intensive care units as hospitals brace for even more serious cases in the coming days .
Two high-speed trains carried patients from Mulhouse and Nancy toward hospitals along France ’ s western coast , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dozens of hospital workers , flanked by police and soldiers standing guard , spent hours installing four patients in each wagon in an operation that began before dawn .
“ We have to free up beds , it ’ s absolutely crucial that we air out these intensive care units .
We ’ re still seeing an increase in patient numbers , ” said Francois Brun , head of emergency services at the regional hospital in nearby Metz .
The evacuations came as France announced that the German government would send a military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alsace to hospitals in Stuttgart and Ulm .
France has already evacuated dozens over the past week from the east , hoping to stay ahead of a crisis that Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned would only worsen over the next two weeks .
Overall nearly 4,300 coronavirus patients are in intensive care , many with severe respiratory problems requiring ventilators that officials worry could soon be in short supply .
Philippe said the government was racing to have 14,000 intensive care beds available soon , compared with around 5,000 before the outbreak began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military to help hospitals , with the army using a helicopter to transport two patients to Metz and Essen in western Germany on Saturday .
“ This war will probably be won on the basis of intensive care beds , and our ability to strategically use all our intensive care resources on the national level , ” said Marie-Odile Saillard , director of the Metz regional hospital .
There are now 37,575 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in France , up 4,611 on the day before , the government said Sunday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers do not include deaths reported by the roughly 7,000 retirement homes and assisted-living facilities across the country , where officials fear the virus risks spreading quickly .
Those figures will start to be reported this week , the prime minister said Sunday , warning that “ the battle is only starting ” .
The government has ordered one billion face masks , mainly from China , but warned that worldwide demand for protective equipment meant they might not arrive soon enough for medical workers facing shortages .
France has been on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit the outbreak , a situation it now expects to last until at least April 15 .

France evacuated 36 more coronavirus patients from the hard-hit east to western areas on Sunday, hoping to free up intensive care units as hospitals brace for even more serious cases in the coming days.
A paramedic carries out a patient on a stretcher from an ambulance at the Henri Mondor Hospital in Creteil, near Paris, as France faces an aggressive progression of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), March 28, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Two high-speed trains carried patients from Mulhouse and Nancy toward hospitals along France’s western coast, where the outbreak has been limited so far.
Dozens of hospital workers, flanked by police and soldiers standing guard, spent hours installing four patients in each wagon in an operation that began before dawn.
“We have to free up beds, it’s absolutely crucial that we air out these intensive care units. We’re still seeing an increase in patient numbers,” said Francois Brun, head of emergency services at the regional hospital in nearby Metz.
The evacuations came as France announced that the German government would send a military plane on Sunday to bring patients from Alsace to hospitals in Stuttgart and Ulm.
France has already evacuated dozens over the past week from the east, hoping to stay ahead of a crisis that Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned would only worsen over the next two weeks.
Overall nearly 4,300 coronavirus patients are in intensive care, many with severe respiratory problems requiring ventilators that officials worry could soon be in short supply.
Philippe said the government was racing to have 14,000 intensive care beds available soon, compared with around 5,000 before the outbreak began in January.
‘Battle is only starting’
France has mobilised its military to help hospitals, with the army using a helicopter to transport two patients to Metz and Essen in western Germany on Saturday.
“This war will probably be won on the basis of intensive care beds, and our ability to strategically use all our intensive care resources on the national level,” said Marie-Odile Saillard, director of the Metz regional hospital.
There are now 37,575 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in France, up 4,611 on the day before, the government said Sunday.
The death toll stands at 2,314, but the numbers do not include deaths reported by the roughly 7,000 retirement homes and assisted-living facilities across the country, where officials fear the virus risks spreading quickly.
Those figures will start to be reported this week, the prime minister said Sunday, warning that “the battle is only starting”.
The government has ordered one billion face masks, mainly from China, but warned that worldwide demand for protective equipment meant they might not arrive soon enough for medical workers facing shortages.
France has been on lockdown since March 17 in a bid to limit the outbreak, a situation it now expects to last until at least April 15.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-29--Syria reports first coronavirus death as fears grow that virus could spread

An internally displaced Syrian girl wears a face mask as members of the Syrian Civil defence sanitize the Bab Al-Nour internally displaced persons camp , to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in Azaz , Syria March 26 , 2020 .
Syria 's health ministry said on Sunday that a woman who died after being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment was found to have been infected by coronavirus in the country 's first officially reported death from the disease .
Syria also said its confirmed cases rose to nine from an earlier five cases , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
Officials deny a cover-up but have imposed a lockdown and draconian measures including a nationwide night curfew to stem the pandemic .
The moves to shut businesses , schools , universities , mosques and most government offices , as well as stop public transport , have spread fear among war-weary residents .
Several cities saw panic buying , with residents saying they saw food shortages and a surge in demand that pushed up prices ahead of the start of the curfew .
The United Nations says the country is at high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fragile health system devastated by a nine-year war and lack of sufficient equipment to detect the virus , alongside large numbers of vulnerable people .
The World Health Organisation has warned that the country has a limited capacity to deal with a rapid spread of the virus .
On Sunday , the army announced an end to a call-up of army reserves .
It has already ended conscription in what military defectors said was an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus among the rank and file .
The government also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security forces manned checkpoints around provincial cities and only allowed army vehicles and essential services to pass , witnesses said .
Opposition figures and independent politicians point to Damascus ' strong ties with Iran , the worst affected country in the region , as a source of possible contagion .
They say the virus is also being transmitted by members of Iranian-backed militias who are fighting alongside the Syrian army , as well as Shi'ite pilgrims who visit shrines in Syria .
Western intelligence sources say Iran 's proxy Shi'ite militias continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Syria , where they have a strong presence across the country .
Senior Syrian army officers have in recent days taken leave of absence and been ordered not to mingle with the Iranian-backed militias , military defectors say .
Syrian officials said Damascus airport has halted commercial flights , and the government has also ordered the closure of its main border crossings with neighbouring states .
Thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims have been arriving in Syria to visit the Sayeda Zainab shrine in Damascus , a neighbourhood that also houses the main headquarters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials confirmed on Sunday that returning Shi'ite pilgrims from Syria have tested positive for the coronavirus , raising concern that such travel could be a source for a wider spread of the disease .

Syria's health ministry said on Sunday that a woman who died after being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment was found to have been infected by coronavirus in the country's first officially reported death from the disease.
An internally displaced Syrian girl wears a face mask as members of the Syrian Civil defence sanitize the Bab Al-Nour internally displaced persons camp, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Azaz, Syria March 26, 2020.
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Syria also said its confirmed cases rose to nine from an earlier five cases, but medics and witnesses say there are many more. Officials deny a cover-up but have imposed a lockdown and draconian measures including a nationwide night curfew to stem the pandemic.
The moves to shut businesses, schools, universities, mosques and most government offices, as well as stop public transport, have spread fear among war-weary residents.
Several cities saw panic buying, with residents saying they saw food shortages and a surge in demand that pushed up prices ahead of the start of the curfew.
The United Nations says the country is at high risk of a major outbreak because of a fragile health system devastated by a nine-year war and lack of sufficient equipment to detect the virus, alongside large numbers of vulnerable people.
The World Health Organisation has warned that the country has a limited capacity to deal with a rapid spread of the virus.
On Sunday, the army announced an end to a call-up of army reserves. It has already ended conscription in what military defectors said was an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus among the rank and file.
The government also banned movement of people between governates. Security forces manned checkpoints around provincial cities and only allowed army vehicles and essential services to pass, witnesses said.
Opposition figures and independent politicians point to Damascus' strong ties with Iran, the worst affected country in the region, as a source of possible contagion.
They say the virus is also being transmitted by members of Iranian-backed militias who are fighting alongside the Syrian army, as well as Shi'ite pilgrims who visit shrines in Syria.
Western intelligence sources say Iran's proxy Shi'ite militias continue to cross the Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria, where they have a strong presence across the country.
Senior Syrian army officers have in recent days taken leave of absence and been ordered not to mingle with the Iranian-backed militias, military defectors say.
Syrian officials said Damascus airport has halted commercial flights, and the government has also ordered the closure of its main border crossings with neighbouring states.
Thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims have been arriving in Syria to visit the Sayeda Zainab shrine in Damascus, a neighbourhood that also houses the main headquarters of the Iranian-backed militias.
Iraqi health officials confirmed on Sunday that returning Shi'ite pilgrims from Syria have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising concern that such travel could be a source for a wider spread of the disease.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-29--Coronavirus lockdown could last 'six months or more', warns UK chief medical officer

Britons may be subject to some form of lockdown measures for six months or longer , England 's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries said on Sunday , warning the country faces a second wave of coronavirus if they are lifted too quickly .
The government has said it will review in three weeks the lockdown steps it put in place last Monday .
Harries said it is too soon to know if they have had the desired effect of reducing the peak of the spread of the virus in Britain .
`` We must not then suddenly revert to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be quite dangerous .
If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak , '' Harries told a news conference .
`` Over time , probably over the next six months , we will have a three week review , we will see where we are going .
We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal . ''
Harries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target '' and `` we just need to wait to see how successful we have been '' .

Britons may be subject to some form of lockdown measures for six months or longer, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries said on Sunday,warning the country faces a second wave of coronavirus if they are lifted too quickly.
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The government has said it will review in three weeks the lockdown steps it put in place last Monday. Harries said it is too soon to know if they have had the desired effect of reducing the peak of the spread of the virus in Britain.
"We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living, that would be quite dangerous. If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak," Harries told a news conference.
"Over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three week review, we will see where we are going. We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal."
Harries added that it was a "moving target" and "we just need to wait to see how successful we have been".
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-30--China sees drop in new coronavirus cases as Beijing tries to stop second wave of infections

A man wearing a face mask walks at a park in Wuhan , Hubei province , the epicenter of China 's coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak , March 29 , 2020 .
Mainland China reported a drop in new coronavirus cases for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday , as Beijing seeks to stamp out the risk of a second wave of infections by shutting its borders to foreign travellers and cutting international flights .
The National Health Commission said in a statement on Monday that 31 new coronavirus cases were recorded on Sunday , including one locally transmitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day earlier .
Four new deaths were reported , taking the cumulative death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the mainland to 3,304 , from 81,470 infections .
The number of new infections has fallen sharply in the mainland from the peak in February .
The government is now exhorting businesses and factories to reopen for business as it rolls out various fiscal and monetary stimulus to drive a recovery from what many now expect to be an outright economic contraction in January-March .
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the government will adjust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promptly as the situation develops to protect them from the impact of the coronavirus .
Chinese firms should actively resume operations and production even as coronavirus prevention efforts continue , Xi also said during a Sunday visit to Ningbo , a major port city in eastern Zhejiang province , according to state media .
Hubei province , where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged in late 2019 , reported no new cases for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday after the province of 60 million people lifted its traffic restrictions and resumed some domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The northwestern province of Gansu reported a new case on Sunday of a traveller from Hubei who drove back with a health code declaring the person free of virus , however .
Beijing remains worried about the risk of a second wave of the epidemic triggered by cases involving travellers coming to China who were infected overseas .
The virus has now spread globally , infecting hundreds of thousands outside China 's borders .
China has barred foreigners from entering the country and ordered airlines to slash the number of international flights into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the so-called imported cases reported to date have been Chinese nationals , many of whom are students .

Mainland China reported a drop in new coronavirus cases for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, as Beijing seeks to stamp out the risk of a second wave of infections by shutting its borders to foreign travellers and cutting international flights.
A man wearing a face mask walks at a park in Wuhan, Hubei province, the epicenter of China's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, March 29, 2020.
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The National Health Commission said in a statement on Monday that 31 new coronavirus cases were recorded on Sunday, including one locally transmitted infection, dropping from 45 cases a day earlier.
Four new deaths were reported, taking the cumulative death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the mainland to 3,304, from 81,470 infections.
The number of new infections has fallen sharply in the mainland from the peak in February.
The government is now exhorting businesses and factories to reopen for business as it rolls out various fiscal and monetary stimulus to drive a recovery from what many now expect to be an outright economic contraction in January-March.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the government will adjust support policies for small and medium-sized firms promptly as the situation develops to protect them from the impact of the coronavirus.
Chinese firms should actively resume operations and production even as coronavirus prevention efforts continue, Xi also said during a Sunday visit to Ningbo, a major port city in eastern Zhejiang province, according to state media.
Hubei province, where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged in late 2019, reported no new cases for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday after the province of 60 million people lifted its traffic restrictions and resumed some domestic flights to other parts of China.
The northwestern province of Gansu reported a new case on Sunday of a traveller from Hubei who drove back with a health code declaring the person free of virus, however.
Beijing remains worried about the risk of a second wave of the epidemic triggered by cases involving travellers coming to China who were infected overseas.
The virus has now spread globally, infecting hundreds of thousands outside China's borders.
China has barred foreigners from entering the country and ordered airlines to slash the number of international flights into the country. The vast majority of the so-called imported cases reported to date have been Chinese nationals, many of whom are students.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-29--Merkel shines in handling of Germany’s coronavirus crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a media statement on the spread of the new coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) at the Chancellery in Berlin , Germany , March 22 , 2020 .
In her first address to the nation on the coronavirus pandemic , German Chancellor Angela Merkel calmly appealed to citizens ’ reason and discipline to slow the spread of the virus , acknowledging as a woman who grew up in communist East Germany how difficult it is to give up freedoms , yet as a trained scientist emphasizing that the facts don ’ t lie .
Then , wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address , the 65-year-old popped into her local supermarket to pick up food , wine and toilet paper to take back to her Berlin apartment .
For her , it was a regular shopping stop , but photos snapped by someone at the grocery store were shared worldwide as a reassuring sign of calm leadership amid a global crisis .
With the coronavirus outbreak , Merkel is reasserting her traditional strengths and putting her stamp firmly on domestic policy after two years in which her star seemed to be fading , with attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition and her own party ’ s troubled efforts to find a successor .
Merkel has run Germany for more than 14 years and has over a decade ’ s experience of managing crises .
She reassured her compatriots in the 2008 financial crisis that their savings were safe , led a hard-nosed but domestically popular response to the eurozone debt crisis , and then took an initially welcoming — but divisive — approach to an influx of migrants in 2015 .
In the twilight of her chancellorship , she faces her biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her decision last week to make her first television address to the nation other than her annual New Year ’ s message .
“ This is serious — take it seriously , ” she told her compatriots .
“ Since German unification — no , since World War II — there has been no challenge to our country in which our acting together in solidarity matters so much.
” With Germany largely shutting down public life , she alluded to her youth in communist East Germany as she spelled out the scale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she found the prospect of clamping down on people ’ s movement .
“ For someone like me , for whom freedom of travel and movement were a hard-won right , such restrictions can only be justified by absolute necessity , ” she said .
But they were , she said , “ indispensable at the moment to save lives.
” The drama was evident in Merkel ’ s words , but the manner was familiar : Matter-of-fact and calm , reasoning rather than rousing , creating a message that hit home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former physicist well in juggling Germany ’ s often-fractious coalitions and maintaining public support over the years .
“ Merkel painted a picture of the greatest challenge since World War II , but she did not speak of war , ” the influential Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper wrote .
“ She did not rely on martial words or gestures , but on people ’ s reason .
... Nobody knows if that will be enough , but her tone will at least not lead the people to sink into uncertainty and fear.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is still very much a work in progress , but a poll released Friday by ZDF television showed 89 % of Germans thought the government was handling it well .
The poll saw Merkel strengthen her lead as the country ’ s most important politician , and a strong 7 % rise for her center-right Union bloc after months in which it was weighed down by questions over its future leadership .
The poll , done by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen , had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Jens Spahn be the public face of the government ’ s response , drawing some criticism but has taken center stage over the past two weeks .
She kept that up after going into quarantine on Sunday after a doctor who gave her a vaccination tested positive for the coronavirus .
Since then she has twice tested negative for the virus herself but continues to work from home .
On Monday , she led a Cabinet meeting by phone from home and then issued an audio message setting out a huge government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis to business — a format she said was “ unusual , but it was important to me.
” Her vice chancellor , Olaf Scholz , who is also finance minister and a member of her coalition partner Social Democrats , has also had a chance to shine in the crisis , leading the way with the aid package that will allow Germany to offer businesses more than 1 trillion euros ( $ 1.1 trillion ) that he described as a “ bazooka.
” The jury is still out on how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but after having run a budget surplus for a half-decade , Germany is well-prepared to offer the massive aid program .
Its health care system has been in good enough shape to be taking in patients from overwhelmed Italy and France , with intensive care beds still available .
Although Germany has registered the third-highest number of coronavirus infections in Europe with 57,695 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University , it has only seen 433 people die , placing it sixth in Europe behind Italy , Spain , France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone has over 10,000 dead .
Experts have attributed Germany ’ s success partially to widespread and early testing for the virus , among other things .
In an audio message Thursday night , Merkel cautioned , however , that it was far too early to declare victory over COVID-19 , saying “ now is not the time to talk about easing measures.
” No matter what the outcome of Germany ’ s virus-fighting efforts , it won ’ t change the fact that the Merkel era is drawing to a close .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing off her 2018 vow to leave politics at Germany ’ s next election , due next year .
But the crisis may burnish her government ’ s lackluster image and improve its chances of making it through to the fall of 2021 , after persistent speculation that it wouldn ’ t last the full legislative term .
And it certainly could put her successor on a better footing —though just who that will be is also up in the air .
Merkel stepped down as her party ’ s leader in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lasted just over a year before declaring that she would step down after failing to establish her authority .
The decision on who will take over the leadership of Merkel ’ s Christian Democratic Union party was supposed to be made in April , but has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic .

In her first address to the nation on the coronavirus pandemic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel calmly appealed to citizens’ reason and discipline to slow the spread of the virus, acknowledging as a woman who grew up in communist East Germany how difficult it is to give up freedoms, yet as a trained scientist emphasizing that the facts don’t lie.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a media statement on the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 22, 2020.
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Then, wearing the same blue pantsuit from the televised address, the 65-year-old popped into her local supermarket to pick up food, wine and toilet paper to take back to her Berlin apartment. For her, it was a regular shopping stop, but photos snapped by someone at the grocery store were shared worldwide as a reassuring sign of calm leadership amid a global crisis.
With the coronavirus outbreak, Merkel is reasserting her traditional strengths and putting her stamp firmly on domestic policy after two years in which her star seemed to be fading, with attention focused on constant bickering in her governing coalition and her own party’s troubled efforts to find a successor.
Merkel has run Germany for more than 14 years and has over a decade’s experience of managing crises. She reassured her compatriots in the 2008 financial crisis that their savings were safe, led a hard-nosed but domestically popular response to the eurozone debt crisis, and then took an initially welcoming — but divisive — approach to an influx of migrants in 2015.
In the twilight of her chancellorship, she faces her biggest crisis yet — a fact underlined by her decision last week to make her first television address to the nation other than her annual New Year’s message.
“This is serious — take it seriously,” she told her compatriots. “Since German unification — no, since World War II — there has been no challenge to our country in which our acting together in solidarity matters so much.”
With Germany largely shutting down public life, she alluded to her youth in communist East Germany as she spelled out the scale of the challenge and made clear how hard she found the prospect of clamping down on people’s movement.
“For someone like me, for whom freedom of travel and movement were a hard-won right, such restrictions can only be justified by absolute necessity,” she said. But they were, she said, “indispensable at the moment to save lives.”
The drama was evident in Merkel’s words, but the manner was familiar: Matter-of-fact and calm, reasoning rather than rousing, creating a message that hit home.
It is a style that has served the former physicist well in juggling Germany’s often-fractious coalitions and maintaining public support over the years.
“Merkel painted a picture of the greatest challenge since World War II, but she did not speak of war,” the influential Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper wrote. “She did not rely on martial words or gestures, but on people’s reason. ... Nobody knows if that will be enough, but her tone will at least not lead the people to sink into uncertainty and fear.”
Merkel’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is still very much a work in progress, but a poll released Friday by ZDF television showed 89% of Germans thought the government was handling it well. The poll saw Merkel strengthen her lead as the country’s most important politician, and a strong 7% rise for her center-right Union bloc after months in which it was weighed down by questions over its future leadership.
The poll, done by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The 65-year-old chancellor initially had Health Minister Jens Spahn be the public face of the government’s response, drawing some criticism but has taken center stage over the past two weeks.
She kept that up after going into quarantine on Sunday after a doctor who gave her a vaccination tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then she has twice tested negative for the virus herself but continues to work from home.
On Monday, she led a Cabinet meeting by phone from home and then issued an audio message setting out a huge government relief package to cushion the blow of the crisis to business — a format she said was “unusual, but it was important to me.”
Her vice chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who is also finance minister and a member of her coalition partner Social Democrats, has also had a chance to shine in the crisis, leading the way with the aid package that will allow Germany to offer businesses more than 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) that he described as a “bazooka.”
The jury is still out on how the government’s approach will work, but after having run a budget surplus for a half-decade, Germany is well-prepared to offer the massive aid program. Its health care system has been in good enough shape to be taking in patients from overwhelmed Italy and France, with intensive care beds still available.
Although Germany has registered the third-highest number of coronavirus infections in Europe with 57,695, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, it has only seen 433 people die, placing it sixth in Europe behind Italy, Spain, France, Britain and even the Netherlands. Italy alone has over 10,000 dead.
Experts have attributed Germany’s success partially to widespread and early testing for the virus, among other things.
In an audio message Thursday night, Merkel cautioned, however, that it was far too early to declare victory over COVID-19, saying “now is not the time to talk about easing measures.”
No matter what the outcome of Germany’s virus-fighting efforts, it won’t change the fact that the Merkel era is drawing to a close. Merkel has never shown any signs of backing off her 2018 vow to leave politics at Germany’s next election, due next year.
But the crisis may burnish her government’s lackluster image and improve its chances of making it through to the fall of 2021, after persistent speculation that it wouldn’t last the full legislative term.
And it certainly could put her successor on a better footing —though just who that will be is also up in the air. Merkel stepped down as her party’s leader in 2018 but her heir apparent, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, lasted just over a year before declaring that she would step down after failing to establish her authority.
The decision on who will take over the leadership of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party was supposed to be made in April, but has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(AP)
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france24--2020-03-30--Coronavirus: Italy extends lockdown until 'at least' April 12

People listen from their home priests celebrating the Sunday Holy Mass from the roof of the church San Gabriele dell'Addolorata in Rome on March 29 , 2020 , amid the spread of the COVID-19 ( new coronavirus ) pandemic .
Italy on Monday extended an economically crippling lockdown until `` at least '' mid-April to stem coronavirus infections that have claimed a world-leading 11,591 lives .
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said any easing of containment measures would be done incrementally to ensure Italy does not give up gains it has made against the extraordinary disease .
The near three-week shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Conte told Spain 's El Pais newspaper .
`` It can not last very long , '' he said .
`` We can study ways ( of lifting restrictions ) .
But it will have to be done gradually . ''
Health Minister Roberto Speranza later announced that `` all containment measures would be extended at least until Easter '' on April 12. Business closures and a ban on public gatherings were to have expired on Friday .
Italy was the first Western nation to impose sweeping restrictions to stem a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide .
Its own toll grew by 812 on Monday and the number of infections reported by the civil protection service surpassed 100,000 .
But fresh evidence also suggested that COVID-19 was spreading more slowly than when the first victim died in Italy on February 21 .
The daily rate of new infections dropped to 4.1 percent - a fraction of the 62 percent level registered a month ago .
The number of people suffering from the illness at its epicentre in the northern Lombardy region also dropped for the first time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered from COVID-19 across the nation of 60 million people hit a new high .
`` We saw 1,590 people recover in the past 24 hours , '' civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli told reporters .
`` This is the highest number of recoveries recorded since the start of the pandemic . ''
Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo Sileri said the latest data showed that Italy might see `` a drop in the number of people infected within seven to 10 days '' .
Italy 's ISS public health institute chief Silvio Brusaferro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its peak .
`` We are witnessing a flattening of the curve , '' Brusaferro told the La Repubblica daily .
`` There are no signs of a descent yet , but things are improving . ''
Health officials said one of the most encouraging figures was a drop from 25,392 on Sunday to 25,006 on Monday in the number of people in Lombardy testing positive for COVID-19 .
The figure had grown continuously for more than a month .
`` The picture has improved a lot over the past four days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gallera said .
The latest data was released nearly three weeks into a national lockdown that has emptied cities and paralysed most business activity .
Store and restaurant closures were reinforced last week by a shutdown of `` non-essential '' factories .
Forecasts by several global banks and analysts point to Italian economic output shrinking by seven percent this year .

Italy on Monday extended an economically crippling lockdown until "at least" mid-April to stem coronavirus infections that have claimed a world-leading 11,591 lives.
People listen from their homes to priests celebrating the Sunday Holy Mass from the roof of the church San Gabriele dell'Addolorata in Rome on March 29, 2020, during the COVID-19 (new coronavirus) pandemic.
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Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said any easing of containment measures would be done incrementally to ensure Italy does not give up gains it has made against the extraordinary disease.
The near three-week shutdown "had been very tough economically," Conte told Spain's El Pais newspaper.
"It cannot last very long," he said. "We can study ways (of lifting restrictions). But it will have to be done gradually."
Health Minister Roberto Speranza later announced that "all containment measures would be extended at least until Easter" on April 12.
Business closures and a ban on public gatherings were to have expired on Friday.
'Flattening of the curve'
Italy was the first Western nation to impose sweeping restrictions to stem a pandemic that has claimed more than 36,000 lives worldwide.
Its own toll grew by 812 on Monday and the number of infections reported by the civil protection service surpassed 100,000.
But fresh evidence also suggested that COVID-19 was spreading more slowly than when the first victim died in Italy on February 21.
The daily rate of new infections dropped to 4.1 percent – a fraction of the 62 percent level registered a month ago.
The number of people suffering from the illness at its epicentre in the northern Lombardy region also dropped for the first time.
And the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 across the nation of 60 million people hit a new high.
"We saw 1,590 people recover in the past 24 hours," civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli told reporters.
"This is the highest number of recoveries recorded since the start of the pandemic."
Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo Sileri said the latest data showed that Italy might see "a drop in the number of people infected within seven to 10 days".
Italy's ISS public health institute chief Silvio Brusaferro also felt the infection rate was approaching its peak.
"We are witnessing a flattening of the curve," Brusaferro told the La Repubblica daily.
"There are no signs of a descent yet, but things are improving."
'Picture has improved a lot'
Health officials said one of the most encouraging figures was a drop from 25,392 on Sunday to 25,006 on Monday in the number of people in Lombardy testing positive for COVID-19.
The figure had grown continuously for more than a month.
"The picture has improved a lot over the past four days," Lombardy's chief medical officer Giulio Gallera said.
The latest data was released nearly three weeks into a national lockdown that has emptied cities and paralysed most business activity.
Store and restaurant closures were reinforced last week by a shutdown of "non-essential" factories.
Forecasts by several global banks and analysts point to Italian economic output shrinking by seven percent this year.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-30--France to put domestic violence victims in hotels as numbers soar under coronavirus lockdown

A woman walks by a banner reading 'daddy , he killed mummy ' as part of a campaign against domestic abuse in France , November 25 2019 .
France said on Monday it would pay for hotel rooms for victims of domestic violence and open pop-up counselling centres after figures showed the number of abuse cases had soared during the first week of a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus .
Gender Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa said about 20 centres would open in stores around the country so women could drop in for help while getting groceries .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ euro ( $ 1.1 million ) for anti-domestic abuse organisations to help them respond to increased demand for services .
The initiatives were launched after the government late last week said reports of domestic abuse to police had jumped 36 % in Paris and 32 % elsewhere in France after the restrictions came into force .
The cases included two murders .
France began a nationwide lockdown on March 17 which will remain until at least April 15 .
No one is allowed to leave their home except to buy food or medication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or walk a pet .
Activists have said the quarantine measures will lead to a surge in domestic violence and make it harder for victims to seek help .
Schiappa , who previously warned that the lockdown would create a `` breeding ground for violence '' , said France would pay for up to 20,000 hotel nights so that victims can escape abusive partners .
The pop-up centres will initially open across Paris and in Lille in northern France .
`` My biggest concern is to multiply the points of contact with women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get out , we want to make sure that support systems can go to women , '' Schiappa told French newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday .
The first pop-up centres will open in malls owned by commercial real estate company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ( URW ) .
`` Hypermarkets are among the few stores still open today .
We thought it would be good if victims of domestic violence , or people who know a victim , could meet associations near these places , '' URW spokesman Pierre Hausswalt told the Thomson Reuters Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week to encourage women to report domestic abuse in pharmacies .
The move follows a similar one in Spain where women can go to their pharmacy and request a `` Mask 19 '' - a code word that will alert the pharmacist to contact the authorities .

France said on Monday it would pay for hotel rooms for victims of domestic violence and open pop-up counselling centres after figures showed the number of abuse cases had soared during the first week of a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.
A woman walks by a banner reading 'daddy, he killed mummy' as part of a campaign against domestic abuse in France, November 25 2019.
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Gender Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa said about 20 centres would open in stores around the country so women could drop in for help while getting groceries.
The government also announced an extra one million euro ($1.1 million) for anti-domestic abuse organisations to help them respond to increased demand for services.
The initiatives were launched after the government late last week said reports of domestic abuse to police had jumped 36% in Paris and 32% elsewhere in France after the restrictions came into force. The cases included two murders.
France began a nationwide lockdown on March 17 which will remain until at least April 15. No one is allowed to leave their home except to buy food or medication, visit a doctor, get exercise or walk a pet.
Surge in domestic violence
Activists have said the quarantine measures will lead to a surge in domestic violence and make it harder for victims to seek help.
Schiappa, who previously warned that the lockdown would create a "breeding ground for violence", said France would pay for up to 20,000 hotel nights so that victims can escape abusive partners.
The pop-up centres will initially open across Paris and in Lille in northern France.
"My biggest concern is to multiply the points of contact with women. As it's difficult for women to get out, we want to make sure that support systems can go to women," Schiappa told French newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday.
The first pop-up centres will open in malls owned by commercial real estate company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW).
"Hypermarkets are among the few stores still open today. We thought it would be good if victims of domestic violence, or people who know a victim, could meet associations near these places," URW spokesman Pierre Hausswalt told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
France introduced a separate initiative last week to encourage women to report domestic abuse in pharmacies.
The move follows a similar one in Spain where women can go to their pharmacy and request a "Mask 19" - a code word that will alert the pharmacist to contact the authorities.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-31--Two adults, two kids, one square metre each: trapped in a shoebox under lockdown

Activists have warned that lockdown conditions for the homeless and people in overcrowded dwellings threaten to worsen the coronavirus pandemic .
A nationwide lockdown intended to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic has turned ordinary hardship into a living nightmare for French families living in cramped and overcrowded dwellings , with experts warning that homelessness and inadequate housing will only worsen the health crisis .
Ramata ’ s weary voice is barely audible , drowned out by the surrounding clamour as her children ’ s cries bounce off the mildewed walls of their tiny abode .
With France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two has been ordered to stay at home – except she does n't have one .
Her “ home ” , so to speak , is an 8-square-metre hotel room in the Seine-et-Marne department , east of Paris , which she shares with her partner , their two children and a legion of cockroaches .
“ The place is filthy , the air we breathe is unhealthy and my kids are ill all the time , ” says the 30-year-old native of Burkina Faso , attempting to shush her lively 2-year-old daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first birthday .
“ The Samu Social in Paris ( an emergency service for the homeless and others in distress ) got us this room in November and we ’ ve been stuck here since , ” she tells FRANCE 24 .
Ramata ’ s room is located on the ground floor .
There ’ s just enough space for a bunk bed , a sink , a radiator and a small fridge .
The walls are covered in mould , with electric wires left dangling , and there are frequent leaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corridor are also “ constantly clogged ” .
When social workers visited the premises earlier this year , they declared the hotel insalubrious and unfit .
Local officials have since relocated most families , but they left Ramata ’ s and 15 others behind , saying it was up to the Samu Social to find them alternative accommodation .
“ I even considered living out in the street , just to get away from this room , ” she says .
“ But a doctor persuaded me not to , saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Despite her repeated pleas for help , Ramata has no choice but to keep paying the room ’ s monthly rent of €150 .
To foot the bill , her partner , a forklift operator , continues to go to work despite the risk of catching the virus – and bringing it back with him to their tiny dwelling .
His absence means Ramata has had to quit working as a cleaner .
“ I ’ m terrified for my children , ” she says , stressing the lack of even basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the hardest part is not having any space for them to play.
” Ramata says she has no choice but to take the kids outside once a day so they get some air and stretch their legs , “ even though the hotel manager says we must stay inside ” .
Getting food is another challenge .
The hotel ’ s communal kitchen has been shut since the start of the lockdown , and the remaining families have just three microwave ovens between them .
“ We used to get supplies from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing free meals to the poor and homeless ) , but they ’ ve had to stop because of the lockdown , ” says Ramata .
Adding to their woes , the manager has decided to put a fresh coat of paint on the premises in the middle of the lockdown , thereby worsening Ramata ’ s already frequent asthma attacks .
“ And the hotel continues to take in new customers from God knows where , ” she adds .
“ What if they carry the virus with them ?
” Ramata @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocacy groups have described as a “ catastrophe ” in the making .
“ The battle against the virus is centred on home confinement ; so clearly , having adequate housing is of the essence , ” says Jean-Baptiste Eyraud , spokesperson of the Droit au logement ( Right to housing ) charity , which supports families like Ramata ’ s .
He adds : “ Instead , for millions of people , the lockdown is not going to help the fight against this epidemic – in fact , it risks doing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cramped dwellings are both conducive to violence , sickness and flight , Eyraud explains .
Getting people off the street and out of unhealthy environments is crucial to stopping the spread of the disease , he adds .
According to the latest report by the Fondation Abbé Pierre , France ’ s most authoritative source on homelessness , almost 4 million people in France are “ inadequately housed ” .
They include the homeless , people in migrant shelters , “ travelling communities ” ( including gypsies ) and some 25,000 people living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hotel rooms .
Almost a million people live in conditions of “ acute ” overcrowding .
Following a public outcry triggered by reports of police fining homeless people for violating the lockdown , the government has announced a €50 million emergency package to find shelter for those sleeping rough .
It prolonged a winter shelter programme that houses around 14,000 people and promised to requisition an extra 10,000 hotel rooms .
It also extended its annual “ winter truce ” , during which homeowners are banned from evicting their tenants , until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requisitioning hotels is “ only part of the solution , because in most cases it means people won ’ t be able to cook for themselves ” , Eyraud argues .
“ The real solution is to requisition empty homes , starting with the tens of thousands of empty residences used exclusively for tourism , for instance on Airbnb .
After all , we ’ re in an emergency – and there ’ s no tourists anyway.
” Advocacy groups are also pressing the government to agree to a temporary rent freeze , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their income crippled by the economy ’ s partial shutdown .
Although she doubts she ’ ll ever get one , a suspension in rent payments would be a blessing for Fernanda ( not her real name ) , a single mother who lives with her 13-year-old son in a small studio in the French capital ’ s 18th arrondissement .
The 50-year-old home carer has been out of work since the start of the lockdown .
She ’ s waiting to hear whether she will get part of her stipend for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and still doesn ’ t know how she will pay the rent for April .
In the meantime , she seems more troubled by the effect the confinement may be having on her son , who is getting to the age when , “ the last thing you want is to have your parent next to you around-the-clock ” .
“ It ’ s very tough , being stuck together – and in each other ’ s way – all day long , ” says the native of Cape Verde , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she can give her son as he grapples with the new challenge of being home-schooled .
> > ‘ What public service is about ’ : French schools open to children of health workers battling virus “ Most parents are able to help their kids with their classes and homework , but there isn ’ t much I can do to help out , ” she explains .
“ So I try at least not to disturb him.
” Unlike many French people who continue to venture out on a daily basis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She goes out just once a week for shopping and takes no chances , terrified at the idea that she might “ fall ill and leave [ her ] son with no-one to look after him ” .
Over the past two weeks , her basketball-loving son has stepped outside just once to take a few shots at a nearby hoop .
To make up for the lack of outdoor exercise , she encourages him to get some practise through online training programmes .
The lockdown has exacerbated an already difficult situation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the fact that her adolescent son doesn ’ t have a room of his own .
“ He ’ s 13 and he still has to share a bed with his mother , ” she sighs .
“ How much longer can he cope without a space of his own ?
”

A nationwide lockdown intended to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic has turned ordinary hardship into a living nightmare for French families living in cramped and overcrowded dwellings, with experts warning that homelessness and inadequate housing will only worsen the health crisis.
Activists have warned that lockdown conditions for the homeless and people in overcrowded dwellings threaten to worsen the coronavirus pandemic.
Advertising Read more
Ramata’s weary voice is barely audible, drowned out by the surrounding clamour as her children’s cries bounce off the mildewed walls of their tiny abode.
With France under a nationwide lockdown, the mother of two has been ordered to stay at home – except she doesn't have one. Her “home”, so to speak, is an 8-square-metre hotel room in the Seine-et-Marne department, east of Paris, which she shares with her partner, their two children and a legion of cockroaches.
“The place is filthy, the air we breathe is unhealthy and my kids are ill all the time,” says the 30-year-old native of Burkina Faso, attempting to shush her lively 2-year-old daughter and a toddler one month shy of his first birthday.
“The Samu Social in Paris (an emergency service for the homeless and others in distress) got us this room in November and we’ve been stuck here since,” she tells FRANCE 24.
Ramata’s room is located on the ground floor. There’s just enough space for a bunk bed, a sink, a radiator and a small fridge. The walls are covered in mould, with electric wires left dangling, and there are frequent leaks. The shared toilets and shower down the corridor are also “constantly clogged”.
When social workers visited the premises earlier this year, they declared the hotel insalubrious and unfit. Local officials have since relocated most families, but they left Ramata’s and 15 others behind, saying it was up to the Samu Social to find them alternative accommodation.
“I even considered living out in the street, just to get away from this room,” she says. “But a doctor persuaded me not to, saying it would be too dangerous for the children.”
The walls and ceiling of Ramata's hotel room are covered in mould. © Picture sent by Ramata to FRANCE 24
Despite her repeated pleas for help, Ramata has no choice but to keep paying the room’s monthly rent of €150. To foot the bill, her partner, a forklift operator, continues to go to work despite the risk of catching the virus – and bringing it back with him to their tiny dwelling. His absence means Ramata has had to quit working as a cleaner.
“I’m terrified for my children,” she says, stressing the lack of even basic hygiene standards at the hotel. “But the hardest part is not having any space for them to play.”
Ramata says she has no choice but to take the kids outside once a day so they get some air and stretch their legs, “even though the hotel manager says we must stay inside”.
Getting food is another challenge. The hotel’s communal kitchen has been shut since the start of the lockdown, and the remaining families have just three microwave ovens between them.
“We used to get supplies from the Restos du Coeur (a charity providing free meals to the poor and homeless), but they’ve had to stop because of the lockdown,” says Ramata.
Adding to their woes, the manager has decided to put a fresh coat of paint on the premises in the middle of the lockdown, thereby worsening Ramata’s already frequent asthma attacks.
“And the hotel continues to take in new customers from God knows where,” she adds. “What if they carry the virus with them?”
‘Catastrophe’
Ramata’s plight is indicative of what advocacy groups have described as a “catastrophe” in the making.
“The battle against the virus is centred on home confinement; so clearly, having adequate housing is of the essence,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyraud, spokesperson of the Droit au logement (Right to housing) charity, which supports families like Ramata’s.
He adds: “Instead, for millions of people, the lockdown is not going to help the fight against this epidemic – in fact, it risks doing the very opposite.”
Homelessness and overcrowding in cramped dwellings are both conducive to violence, sickness and flight, Eyraud explains. Getting people off the street and out of unhealthy environments is crucial to stopping the spread of the disease, he adds.
According to the latest report by the Fondation Abbé Pierre, France’s most authoritative source on homelessness, almost 4 million people in France are “inadequately housed”. They include the homeless, people in migrant shelters, “travelling communities” (including gypsies) and some 25,000 people living – like Ramata’s family – in hotel rooms. Almost a million people live in conditions of “acute” overcrowding.
Following a public outcry triggered by reports of police fining homeless people for violating the lockdown, the government has announced a €50 million emergency package to find shelter for those sleeping rough. It prolonged a winter shelter programme that houses around 14,000 people and promised to requisition an extra 10,000 hotel rooms. It also extended its annual “winter truce”, during which homeowners are banned from evicting their tenants, until the end of May.
However, requisitioning hotels is “only part of the solution, because in most cases it means people won’t be able to cook for themselves”, Eyraud argues. “The real solution is to requisition empty homes, starting with the tens of thousands of empty residences used exclusively for tourism, for instance on Airbnb. After all, we’re in an emergency – and there’s no tourists anyway.”
Sharing a bed with a teenage son
Advocacy groups are also pressing the government to agree to a temporary rent freeze, warning that many struggling households have seen their income crippled by the economy’s partial shutdown.
Although she doubts she’ll ever get one, a suspension in rent payments would be a blessing for Fernanda (not her real name), a single mother who lives with her 13-year-old son in a small studio in the French capital’s 18th arrondissement.
The 50-year-old home carer has been out of work since the start of the lockdown. She’s waiting to hear whether she will get part of her stipend for a side job at a nearby nursery school, and still doesn’t know how she will pay the rent for April.
In the meantime, she seems more troubled by the effect the confinement may be having on her son, who is getting to the age when, “the last thing you want is to have your parent next to you around-the-clock”.
“It’s very tough, being stuck together – and in each other’s way – all day long,” says the West African native, who is also anxious about the limited help she can give her son as he grapples with the new challenge of being home-schooled.
>> ‘What public service is about’: French schools open to children of health workers battling virus
“Most parents are able to help their kids with their classes and homework, but there isn’t much I can do to help out,” she explains. “So I try at least not to disturb him.”
Unlike many French people who continue to venture out on a daily basis, Fernanda takes the lockdown very seriously. She goes out just once a week for shopping and takes no chances, terrified at the idea that she might “fall ill and leave [her] son with no-one to look after him”.
Over the past two weeks, her basketball-loving son has stepped outside just once to take a few shots at a nearby hoop. To make up for the lack of outdoor exercise, she encourages him to get some practise through online training programmes.
The lockdown has exacerbated an already difficult situation for Fernanda, compounding her sense of guilt over the fact that her adolescent son doesn’t have a room of his own.
“He’s 13 and he still has to share a bed with his mother,” she sighs. “How much longer can he cope without a space of his own?”
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france24--2020-03-31--Coronavirus could ‘run rampant’ in poor countries, IRC chief Miliband warns

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee , David Miliband , shared his concerns for the world ’ s most vulnerable people – particularly the millions of refugees , internally displaced people and people living in war zones – amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The former British foreign minister warned that the disease could `` run rampant '' in poorer countries if sufficient measures were not taken in time .
`` We ’ ve seen how countries with advanced health and disaster management systems , across Europe and in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Miliband told FRANCE 24 .
`` Imagine what it ’ s going to be like where there is no proper health system , where there is no public health system – those are the places where the International Rescue Committee works . ''
`` They ’ re places where there are excessively high levels of population density , which we know is a major contributor to the spread of the disease , '' he said .
`` And they ’ re places where , because of acts of war or displacement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed . ''
Around the world , billions of people lack access to running water and soap , which offer a key form of protection against the virus .
The International Rescue Committee chief continued : `` We ’ ve been sounding the warning for some time now that although the recorded figures are low in Africa , in South Asia , in parts of the far east like Bangladesh and Myanmar , the actual situation is worse and there is a limited period of time to put in place the most basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , to make sure that this disease does not run rampant when it finally does arrive . ''
Miliband called on rich countries to provide emergency humanitarian aid to poorer countries .
`` They need to mobilise funds preemptively .
We can ’ t wait to react .
We ’ ve got to recognise that this is a disease of the connected world and it will affect every part of the world , '' he said .
Miliband also expressed concern about a potentially `` desperate situation '' in war-torn Syria .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have three and half million people packed into a densely populated area – a million people , as you rightly say , on the run since December – these are potentially desperate conditions in which very large numbers of people will get ill and very large numbers will lose their lives . ''
Finally , turning to the situation in Greece , where thousands of migrants are crammed into overcrowded camps on the Greek islands , Miliband urged both the European Union and Athens to live up to their responsibilities .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on the move at the moment because borders are being closed and it ’ s imperative that we recognise that any human being is a potential carrier of this disease .
There ’ s no discrimination and there needs to be no discrimination in the extension of testing and healthcare to those who need it , '' he said .
`` We also need to see Europeans taking the most basic steps to ameliorate the danger that the disease runs amok in the Greek camps .
That requires action , not inaction @ @

In an interview with FRANCE 24, the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, shared his concerns for the world’s most vulnerable people – particularly the millions of refugees, internally displaced people and people living in war zones – amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The former British foreign minister warned that the disease could "run rampant" in poorer countries if sufficient measures were not taken in time.
"We’ve seen how countries with advanced health and disaster management systems, across Europe and in the US, have struggled with the coronavirus," Miliband told FRANCE 24. "Imagine what it’s going to be like where there is no proper health system, where there is no public health system – those are the places where the International Rescue Committee works."
"They’re places where there are excessively high levels of population density, which we know is a major contributor to the spread of the disease," he said. "And they’re places where, because of acts of war or displacement, the infrastructure of support is very weak indeed."
Around the world, billions of people lack access to running water and soap, which offer a key form of protection against the virus.
The International Rescue Committee chief continued: "We’ve been sounding the warning for some time now that although the recorded figures are low in Africa, in South Asia, in parts of the Far East like Bangladesh and Myanmar, the actual situation is worse and there is a limited period of time to put in place the most basic hand-washing facilities, triaging facilities, isolation facilities, to make sure that this disease does not run rampant when it finally does arrive."
Miliband called on rich countries to provide emergency humanitarian aid to poorer countries.
"They need to mobilise funds preemptively. We can’t wait to react. We’ve got to recognise that this is a disease of the connected world and it will affect every part of the world," he said.
Miliband also expressed concern about a potentially "desperate situation" in war-torn Syria.
"The danger in Idlib, where you have three and half million people packed into a densely populated area – a million people, as you rightly say, on the run since December – these are potentially desperate conditions in which very large numbers of people will get ill and very large numbers will lose their lives."
Finally, turning to the situation in Greece, where thousands of migrants are crammed into overcrowded camps on the Greek islands, Miliband urged both the European Union and Athens to live up to their responsibilities.
"The truth is, there are fewer people on the move at the moment because borders are being closed and it’s imperative that we recognise that any human being is a potential carrier of this disease. There’s no discrimination and there needs to be no discrimination in the extension of testing and healthcare to those who need it," he said.
"We also need to see Europeans taking the most basic steps to ameliorate the danger that the disease runs amok in the Greek camps. That requires action, not inaction."
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france24--2020-03-31--French watchdog warns of dangerous side effects of unproven COVID-19 treatments

A person walks out a pharmacy on March 24 , 2020 , in Paris , during a lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 ( novel coronavirus ) in France .
Pharmacies in the country have witnessed a surge in demand for hydroxychloroquine , marketed by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi under the trade name Plaquénil .
France 's drug safety agency warned on Monday of potentially serious side effects of treatments being tested against the new coronavirus after the deaths of three people possibly linked to self-medication .
Another two dozen patients have reported undesirable side effects after taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – as well as other medicines such as the antiretroviral Kaletra , the agency 's head Dominique Martin told AFP .
He said experts were trying to determine whether the drugs were linked to the side effects , with initial conclusions expected by the end of the week .
The drug safety agency ( ANSM ) began boosting its surveillance two weeks ago of trials of drugs against COVID-19 , `` in particular when they are used outside of clinical trials of chloroquine , hydroxychloroquine , azithromycin , lopinavir/ritonavir ( Kaletra ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin said .
`` It 's perfectly normal that treatments be tried , given the circumstances , but that does n't mean we should n't observe surveillance ... of these substances , '' Martin said .
Hydroxychloroquine , and its related compound chloroquine , have been the focus of intense debate in France since a study conducted on a small number of COVID-19 patients in the southern city of Marseille yielded promising results .
> > Will an old malaria drug help fight the coronavirus ?
On March 16 , Professor Didier Raoult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institute in Marseille , announced his teams had treated 25 patients with hydroxychloroquine .
After six days , he said , only one in four still had the virus in their body , whereas 90 percent of patients who had not taken the drug were still infected .
Raoult ’ s subsequent calls to expand the treatment , which garnered ample media attention , triggered a rush on French pharmacies – even as medical experts stressed the importance of first carrying out further trials on larger patient samples .
Combining hydroxychloroquine with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Raoult published two studies that he said showed the treatment 's effectiveness against COVID-19 .
The treatment needs `` particular attention '' , Martin said , because combining hydroxychloroquine with the antibiotic azithromycin , as in the Marseille trial , could cause arrhythmia and lead to a heart attack .
This was `` even more the case with patients suffering from COVID-19 '' because of metabolic problems associated with the disease , he said .

France's drug safety agency warned on Monday of potentially serious side effects of treatments being tested against the new coronavirus after the deaths of three people possibly linked to self-medication.
A person walks out a pharmacy on March 24, 2020, in Paris, during a lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in France. Pharmacies in the country have witnessed a surge in demand for hydroxychloroquine, marketed by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi under the trade name Plaquénil.
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Another two dozen patients have reported undesirable side effects after taking Plaquenil – the brand name of hydroxychloroquine – as well as other medicines such as the antiretroviral Kaletra, the agency's head Dominique Martin told AFP.
He said experts were trying to determine whether the drugs were linked to the side effects, with initial conclusions expected by the end of the week.
The drug safety agency (ANSM) began boosting its surveillance two weeks ago of trials of drugs against COVID-19, "in particular when they are used outside of clinical trials of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), tocilizumab (and) colchicine," Martin said.
"It's perfectly normal that treatments be tried, given the circumstances, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't observe surveillance... of these substances," Martin said.
Hydroxychloroquine, and its related compound chloroquine, have been the focus of intense debate in France since a study conducted on a small number of COVID-19 patients in the southern city of Marseille yielded promising results.
>> Will an old malaria drug help fight the coronavirus?
On March 16, Professor Didier Raoult, the head of a university hospital institute in Marseille, announced his teams had treated 25 patients with hydroxychloroquine. After six days, he said, only one in four still had the virus in their body, whereas 90 percent of patients who had not taken the drug were still infected.
Raoult’s subsequent calls to expand the treatment, which garnered ample media attention, triggered a rush on French pharmacies – even as medical experts stressed the importance of first carrying out further trials on larger patient samples.
Combining hydroxychloroquine with the antibiotic azithromycin has been in the spotlight since Raoult published two studies that he said showed the treatment's effectiveness against COVID-19.
The treatment needs "particular attention", Martin said, because combining hydroxychloroquine with the antibiotic azithromycin, as in the Marseille trial, could cause arrhythmia and lead to a heart attack.
This was "even more the case with patients suffering from COVID-19" because of metabolic problems associated with the disease, he said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-03-31--Europe sends medical goods to Iran in test of sanctions bypass mechanism

COVID-19 patients lie in beds at the intensive care unit of Sasan Hospital in Tehran , Iran , on March 30 , 2020 .
France , Germany and Britain have exported medical goods to Iran in the first transaction conducted under a trade mechanism set up to barter humanitarian goods and food after the US withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal , Germany said on Tuesday .
The German Foreign Ministry said the medical goods were now in Iran and added that the Instex trade mechanism and its Iranian counterpart would now work on more transactions and on enhancing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said earlier this month they had offered a 5 million-euro ( $ 5.5 million ) package to Iran to help fight coronavirus there and are also sending medical material , including equipment for laboratory tests , protective body suits and gloves .
Washington ’ s major European allies opposed the decision by US President Donald Trump in 2018 to abandon the nuclear deal , under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme .
The European trade vehicle was conceived as a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against purchases of EU goods .
However , those ambitions have been toned down , with diplomats saying that , realistically , it will be used only for smaller trade , for example of humanitarian products or food .
The three European powers are shareholders in the Instrument In Support Of Trade Exchanges , or Instex , and hope other states will join later .

France, Germany and Britain have exported medical goods to Iran in the first transaction conducted under a trade mechanism set up to barter humanitarian goods and food after the US withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal, Germany said on Tuesday.
COVID-19 patients lie in beds at the intensive care unit of Sasan Hospital in Tehran, Iran, on March 30, 2020.
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The German Foreign Ministry said the medical goods were now in Iran and added that the Instex trade mechanism and its Iranian counterpart would now work on more transactions and on enhancing the system.
Britain, Germany and France said earlier this month they had offered a 5 million-euro ($5.5 million) package to Iran to help fight coronavirus there and are also sending medical material, including equipment for laboratory tests, protective body suits and gloves.
Washington’s major European allies opposed the decision by US President Donald Trump in 2018 to abandon the nuclear deal, under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme.
France, Germany and the United Kingdom confirm that INSTEX has successfully concluded its first transaction, facilitating the export of medical goods from Europe to Iran. INSTEX and its Iranian counterpart STFI will work on more transactions and enhancing the mechanism. pic.twitter.com/0z4KJwDjuw — GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) March 31, 2020
The European trade vehicle was conceived as a way to help match Iranian oil and gas exports against purchases of EU goods. However, those ambitions have been toned down, with diplomats saying that, realistically, it will be used only for smaller trade, for example of humanitarian products or food.
The three European powers are shareholders in the Instrument In Support Of Trade Exchanges, or Instex, and hope other states will join later.
▶ Coronavirus pandemic: Iran pleads for help as it fights virus under sanctions https://t.co/Ao2d8liexr pic.twitter.com/muWOHz9KyZ — FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) March 31, 2020
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-31--Macron to visit mask factory as French health workers complain of acute shortage

French President Emmanuel Macron wears a mask during his visit to a military hospital in Mulhouse in eastern France on March 25 , 2020 .
French President Emmanuel Macron was to visit a mask factory in western France on Tuesday amid a continuing row over the acute shortage of masks for health workers battling the coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 3,000 people in the country .
Macron , who wore a protective mask during a visit to a military field hospital in hard-hit Mulhouse last week , is due to tour a factory operated by Kolmi-Hopen , France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Angers .
His visit comes as countries around the world are racing to boost production of protective gear for key workers on the coronavirus frontline , and competing for imports of masks from China .
France is currently contending with a serious shortage of FFP2 health masks , the most effective in protecting against the coronavirus .
In response to the shortage , the French government has instructed manufacturers and researchers to work on developing alternative prototypes to protect health workers and the population from the spread of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke into emergency vehicles and stole supplies of protective medical equipment .
According to the Directorate General of Health , France has a production capacity of six million masks per week .
Healthcare staff say they are in urgent need of FFP2 health masks at the country 's hospitals , where the death toll from the pandemic rose to more than 3,000 on Monday .
`` The public authorities and all those involved in the national production network should join forces to provide the 15 million FFP2 masks we need every day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel in a press release last week .
`` Our country is counting on us to face this pandemic , but it is unacceptable to make us take ill-considered risks because under our coats , we are still human beings , as vulnerable as anyone else , '' they added .
Several companies have already donated masks to the government .
French luxury label LVMH says it has ordered 40 million health masks from a Chinese supplier to help France cope with the coronavirus outbreak .

France plans to quickly ramp up domestic production of face masks and respirators to respond to urgent needs of hospitals and caregivers during the coronavirus epidemic, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron wearing a protective suit and a face mask visits the Kolmi-Hopen protective face masks factory, in Saint-Barthelemy-d'Anjou near Angers, France March 31, 2020.
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Macron said consumption of face masks in France had soared from four million per week to more than 40 million and the state's pre-crisis inventory of 140 million masks was insufficient.
"Before, we believed that we could import masks quickly and in great quantity from the other side of the world ... and that we did not need to store billions and billions of face masks," Macron said during a visit to the Kolmi-Hopen face mask factory near Angers, western France.
He added the world has changed and that there is now unprecedented tension on global markets and that France needed to boost domestic production to become self-sufficient.
France has ordered more than one billion face masks from China and the first orders are already arriving, Macron said.
10 million masks per week
France's four face mask factories will also boost their combined output from 3.3 million per week before the start of the crisis to 10 million per week by end April, and production by new players such as car parts maker Faurecia, tyre maker Michelin and retailer Intermarché will push total output to 15 million per week, Macron said.
In addition, in three to four weeks the country will also be able to produce a million masks per day for people in other professions than the medical sector, he said.
Macron said a consortium led by respirator maker Air Liquide and including car parts maker Valeo, car maker PSA and Schneider Electric, will produce some 10,000 ventilators by mid-May.
Some 250 emergency rooms ventilators will be delivered in the coming eight days, he added.
France has also boosted its production of disinfecting hand gel from 40,000 litres per day to 500,000 litres per day.
The French government will fund the purchase of masks and ventilators with a €4 billion ($4.4 billion) boost to the state health budget.
Urgent need
Healthcare staff say they are in urgent need of FFP2 health masks at the country's hospitals, where the death toll from the pandemic rose to more than 3,000 on Monday.
"The public authorities and all those involved in the national production network should join forces to provide the 15 million FFP2 masks we need every day," wrote several doctors and other surgery personnel in a press release last week.
"Our country is counting on us to face this pandemic, but it is unacceptable to make us take ill-considered risks because under our coats, we are still human beings, as vulnerable as anyone else," they added.
Several companies have already donated masks to the government.
French luxury label LVMH says it has ordered 40 million health masks from a Chinese supplier to help France cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
01:29
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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