france24--2020-02-07--Syrian army enters key town in Idlib after clashes with opposition fighters

Syrian government troops entered a strategic town in the country 's last rebel stronghold Thursday after fierce clashes with opposition fighters , even as Turkey sent reinforcements seeking to curtail the offensive , Syrian state media reported .
The push by President Bashar al-Assad 's forces into towns and villages in the northwestern Idlib province has caused the displacement of more than a half million people in just over two months , compounding a humanitarian disaster in the region packed with internally displaced people .
It has also angered Turkey and risked a military confrontation between Turkish and Syrian troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Turkish border , has been at the center of intense fighting for days .
Opposition fighters pushed out government soldiers who entered it Wednesday , while Turkey sent in new reinforcements Thursday and threatened to use force to compel the Syrian forces to retreat by the end of the month .
The town sits at the intersection of two major highways , one linking the capital Damascus to the north and another connecting the country ’ s west and east .
State news agency SANA and state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV said Syrian army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were combing it for remaining fighters and explosives .
The Syrian army had earlier besieged the town and at least four Turkish military posts set up to protect Saraqeb against the advance were also besieged .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , an opposition war-monitoring group , said army units entered Saraqeb but had not yet taken control .
Video taken by The Associated Press showed rebel fighters lobbing shells at government troops from around the town of Binnish , northwest of Saraqeb .
Fighters stacked artillery shells and burned tires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tires for the war that ’ s hitting the town of Binnish , '' said one unidentified fighter , pledging to defeat anyone who tried to advance on the town .
`` Let them come here and we will stomp on their head one after another , '' he added .
The government advance came after a rare confrontation between Turkey 's and Syria 's forces Monday that killed seven Turkish soldiers and a Turkish civilian member of the military , as well as 13 Syrian soldiers .
In Moscow , Russia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been killed in a northern Syrian province alongside Turkish servicemen , without saying when the incident occurred or how many were killed .
The ministry blamed “ terrorists ” for the deaths .
Russia is a main backer of Assad 's forces , while Turkey supports insurgents fighting his government .
Syrian troops have been advancing since December into the country 's last rebel stronghold , which spans Idlib province and parts of nearby Aleppo .
Turkish troops are deployed in some of those rebel-held areas to monitor an earlier cease-fire that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Syria , Geir Pedersen , called for an urgent and sustained cease-fire , restrictions on support for terrorist groups , “ serious exploration of a strengthened international presence with the consent of Syrian authorities , ” and a serious effort to tackle the issue of foreign fighters .
“ What we are now seeing creates the very real prospect of a bloody and protracted last stand on the Turkish border , with grave consequences for civilians — and the risk of dispersal of foreign terrorist fighters and ongoing insurgency afterward , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.N. Security Council called by Britain , France and the United States .
The Syrian offensive to retake the rebel-held areas in the northwest has led to a humanitarian crisis , with more than 580,000 civilians fleeing their homes since the beginning of December , according to the U.N .
Many of them have sought safety in areas close to the border with Turkey .
At least 53 health facilities have suspended work in the area , according to the World Health Organization .
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelling and airstrikes on dozens of communities force civilians “ to move north and west into the ever-smaller enclave controlled by non-government groups.
” That area is now “ dramatically overcrowded ” and “ needs are growing exponentially , ” with hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk , in addition to those who have fled since December , he said .
“ Time is short .
The front-line has now moved to within a few kilometers of Idlib city , the largest urban center in the northwest , ” Lowcock said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent Syrian government forces from marching deeper into Idlib , Syria 's Foreign Ministry said .
It said Turkish troops have “ flagrantly violated ” Syria 's border and deployed in several areas , including the villages of Binnish , Taftanaz and Maaret Musreen .
Idlib province is home to some 3 million people , many of them displaced from other parts of Syria in earlier bouts of violence .
EU also calls for end to fighting The European Union called Thursday for an end to the fighting and urged warring factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area .
`` Bombings and other attacks on civilians in north-west Syria must stop , '' EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the bloc 's Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said in a statement .
They said the EU , a major aid donor , would continue to provide help but that “ unimpeded , safe and secure access ” was required .
The Observatory said Syrian warplanes on Thursday attacked a military air base in the village of Taftanaz , where Turkish troops deployed recently .
The Observatory said Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover of intense Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Nairab , which Syrian troops captured earlier in the week .
The insurgents carried out at least one suicide attack with an armored personnel carrier rigged with explosives , according to citizen journalist Taher al-Omar , who is embedded with the militants on the edge of the village .
Turkish leaders have repeatedly called on Russia to “ rein in ” Syrian government forces .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded Thursday that Russia was concerned about the concentration of insurgent groups in Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peskov said the Kremlin does n't rule out a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , to discuss the situation in Syria .
Meanwhile , Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a delegation from Russia would arrive in Turkey soon for talks on the situation following the attack on Turkish soldiers .
He said a follow-up meeting between Erdogan and Putin could also take place `` if there is a need . ''

Syrian government troops entered a strategic town in the country's last rebel stronghold Thursday after fierce clashes with opposition fighters, even as Turkey sent reinforcements seeking to curtail the offensive, Syrian state media reported.
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The push by President Bashar al-Assad's forces into towns and villages in the northwestern Idlib province has caused the displacement of more than a half million people in just over two months, compounding a humanitarian disaster in the region packed with internally displaced people. It has also angered Turkey and risked a military confrontation between Turkish and Syrian troops.
The town of Saraqeb, near the Turkish border, has been at the center of intense fighting for days. Opposition fighters pushed out government soldiers who entered it Wednesday, while Turkey sent in new reinforcements Thursday and threatened to use force to compel the Syrian forces to retreat by the end of the month.
The town sits at the intersection of two major highways, one linking the capital Damascus to the north and another connecting the country’s west and east.
State news agency SANA and state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV said Syrian army units entered the town before nightfall and were combing it for remaining fighters and explosives.
Siege of town, military posts
The Syrian army had earlier besieged the town and at least four Turkish military posts set up to protect Saraqeb against the advance were also besieged.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war-monitoring group, said army units entered Saraqeb but had not yet taken control.
Video taken by The Associated Press showed rebel fighters lobbing shells at government troops from around the town of Binnish, northwest of Saraqeb. Fighters stacked artillery shells and burned tires.
“Today, we are burning tires for the war that’s hitting the town of Binnish," said one unidentified fighter, pledging to defeat anyone who tried to advance on the town. "Let them come here and we will stomp on their head one after another," he added.
The government advance came after a rare confrontation between Turkey's and Syria's forces Monday that killed seven Turkish soldiers and a Turkish civilian member of the military, as well as 13 Syrian soldiers.
In Moscow, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced that Russian soldiers had been killed in a northern Syrian province alongside Turkish servicemen, without saying when the incident occurred or how many were killed. The ministry blamed “terrorists” for the deaths.
Russia is a main backer of Assad's forces, while Turkey supports insurgents fighting his government.
Syrian troops have been advancing since December into the country's last rebel stronghold, which spans Idlib province and parts of nearby Aleppo. Turkish troops are deployed in some of those rebel-held areas to monitor an earlier cease-fire that has since collapsed.
UN calls for cease-fire
The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for an urgent and sustained cease-fire, restrictions on support for terrorist groups, “serious exploration of a strengthened international presence with the consent of Syrian authorities,” and a serious effort to tackle the issue of foreign fighters.
“What we are now seeing creates the very real prospect of a bloody and protracted last stand on the Turkish border, with grave consequences for civilians — and the risk of dispersal of foreign terrorist fighters and ongoing insurgency afterward,” he warned at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Britain, France and the United States.
The Syrian offensive to retake the rebel-held areas in the northwest has led to a humanitarian crisis, with more than 580,000 civilians fleeing their homes since the beginning of December, according to the U.N. Many of them have sought safety in areas close to the border with Turkey. At least 53 health facilities have suspended work in the area, according to the World Health Organization.
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said the “humanitarian catastrophe” has substantially escalated as shelling and airstrikes on dozens of communities force civilians “to move north and west into the ever-smaller enclave controlled by non-government groups.” That area is now “dramatically overcrowded” and “needs are growing exponentially,” with hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk, in addition to those who have fled since December, he said.
“Time is short. The front-line has now moved to within a few kilometers of Idlib city, the largest urban center in the northwest,” Lowcock said.
Turkey has set up four military posts to prevent Syrian government forces from marching deeper into Idlib, Syria's Foreign Ministry said. It said Turkish troops have “flagrantly violated” Syria's border and deployed in several areas, including the villages of Binnish, Taftanaz and Maaret Musreen.
Idlib province is home to some 3 million people, many of them displaced from other parts of Syria in earlier bouts of violence.
EU also calls for end to fighting
The European Union called Thursday for an end to the fighting and urged warring factions to allow aid workers and supplies into the area.
"Bombings and other attacks on civilians in north-west Syria must stop," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the bloc's Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said in a statement.
They said the EU, a major aid donor, would continue to provide help but that “unimpeded, safe and secure access” was required.
The Observatory said Syrian warplanes on Thursday attacked a military air base in the village of Taftanaz, where Turkish troops deployed recently.
The Observatory said Syrian rebels later launched an attack under the cover of intense Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Nairab, which Syrian troops captured earlier in the week.
The insurgents carried out at least one suicide attack with an armored personnel carrier rigged with explosives, according to citizen journalist Taher al-Omar, who is embedded with the militants on the edge of the village.
Turkish leaders have repeatedly called on Russia to “rein in” Syrian government forces.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded Thursday that Russia was concerned about the concentration of insurgent groups in Idlib and their “continuing activity. ”
Peskov said the Kremlin doesn't rule out a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss the situation in Syria.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a delegation from Russia would arrive in Turkey soon for talks on the situation following the attack on Turkish soldiers. He said a follow-up meeting between Erdogan and Putin could also take place "if there is a need."
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-07--Long-delayed Iowa caucus results show Buttigieg in narrow lead over Sanders

US Senator Bernie Sanders ( L ) and former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg ( R ) participate in the seventh Democratic presidential election debate at Drake University in Des Moines , Iowa on January 14 , 2020 .
Pete Buttigieg narrowly finished first in Iowa 's Democratic presidential caucuses , the state party 's tally showed on Thursday after a long delay , reshaping the 2020 race and raising doubts about the future of one-time front-runner Joe Biden , who finished a disappointing fourth .
The 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend , Indiana edged out progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 26.1 percent of state-delegate equivalents – the data traditionally used to determine the winner – with 100 percent of precincts counted , the Iowa Democratic Party reported on its website .
However , news organizations including The New York Times and the Associated Press have not identified a victor .
“ The Associated Press calls a race when there is a clear indication of a winner .
Because of a tight margin between former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders and the irregularities in this year ’ s caucus process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner at this point , '' said Sally Buzbee , the AP ’ s senior vice president and executive editor .
According to the state party ’ s results , US Senator Elizabeth Warren finished third in Iowa with 18 percent , while former Vice President Joe Biden limped to a disappointing fourth with 15.8 percent .
US Senator Amy Klobuchar finished fifth with 12.3 percent .
The results , which were marred by technical and organizational errors , have still reshaped the 2020 race for the Democratic presidential nomination for November 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of Biden , the one-time front-runner .
Iowa Democrats had poured into 1,600 schools , community centers and other public locations on Monday night to make their choices among the 11 candidates in the Democratic race .
But the Democratic candidates had already departed Iowa and turned their attention to the next nominating contest in New Hampshire on February 11 before the first results were even released in two batches on Tuesday .
Officials blamed inconsistencies related to a new mobile app used for vote-counting for the unusual delay in Iowa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US presidential election campaign that culminates this year on November 3 .
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez called on Thursday for a recanvass of the caucus results after the technical glitch created uncertainty about the accuracy of the tally .
Perez said that would involve an examination of the results from each caucus site rather than a full recount .
He said any review was unlikely to change the composition of the state 's 41 delegates to the Democratic National Convention .
Iowa Democratic Party leader Troy Price suggested in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recanvass if one was requested by a campaign .
Speaking on Thursday in New Hampshire , Sanders thanked Iowans for `` the very strong victory they gave us '' in Monday 's caucuses , pointing to his lead among voters when they first selected candidates at their caucus sites – the first step in the multi-part selection process .
`` In other words , some 6,000 more Iowans came out on caucus night to support our candidacy than the candidacy of anyone else , '' Sanders said .
`` From where I come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes wins , '' he said , arguing that too much emphasis was being put on delegate totals .
Asked later at a CNN event if he would request a recanvass , Sanders said : “ We ’ ve got enough of Iowa .
I think we should move on to New Hampshire.
” He added : `` I suspect that at the end of the day , Mr. Buttigieg and I will have an equal number of delegates to the national convention.
” Party officials initially attributed the delays to a technical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but other concerns have since emerged , complicating efforts to release the final tallies .
The Iowa Democratic Party received an `` unusually high volume of inbound calls '' to its caucus hotline on Monday night from `` callers who would hang up immediately after being connected , supporters of President Trump who called to express their displeasure with the Democratic Party , and Iowans looking to confirm details , '' a party official said .
The call volume was `` highly irregular '' compared with previous caucuses , the official said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that more than 100 precincts reported results that were inconsistent , had missing data or were not possible under the caucus rules , casting doubt on the count .
The Iowa Democratic Party declined to comment on inconsistencies .
Both parties have criticized Iowa 's process .
`` They ca n't count some simple votes and yet they want to take over your healthcare system , '' Trump said of Democrats during an address celebrating his acquittal on impeachment charges .
His own party , however , switched the declared Iowa winner two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 .
In Manchester , New Hampshire , Sanders called the caucus debacle a `` screwup '' that was unfair to all candidates .
After Iowa 's reporting issues and delays , the Nevada Democratic Party , which hosts its caucus on February 22 , is `` scrapping both the app and ties to Shadow , '' the company that developed caucus-reporting apps for both Iowa and Nevada , party spokeswoman Molly Forgey said .
`` Luckily for us , we had a series of backup plans in place , '' Forgey added @

Pete Buttigieg narrowly finished first in Iowa's Democratic presidential caucuses, the state party's tally showed on Thursday after a long delay, reshaping the 2020 race and raising doubts about the future of one-time front-runner Joe Biden, who finished a disappointing fourth.
US Senator Bernie Sanders (L) and former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (R) participate in the seventh Democratic presidential election debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa on January 14, 2020.
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The 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana edged out progressive US Senator Bernie Sanders by 26.2 percent to 26.1 percent of state-delegate equivalents – the data traditionally used to determine the winner – with 100 percent of precincts counted, the Iowa Democratic Party reported on its website.
However, news organisations including The New York Times and the Associated Press have not identified a victor.
“The Associated Press calls a race when there is a clear indication of a winner. Because of a tight margin between former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders and the irregularities in this year’s caucus process, it is not possible to determine a winner at this point," said Sally Buzbee, the AP’s senior vice president and executive editor.
According to the state party’s results, US Senator Elizabeth Warren finished third in Iowa with 18 percent, while former Vice President Joe Biden limped to a disappointing fourth with 15.8 percent. US Senator Amy Klobuchar finished fifth with 12.3 percent.
The results, which were marred by technical and organisational errors, have still reshaped the 2020 race for the Democratic presidential nomination for November's election, and raised doubts about the future of Biden, the one-time front-runner.
01:46
Iowa Democrats had poured into 1,600 schools, community centers and other public locations on Monday night to make their choices among the 11 candidates in the Democratic race.
But the Democratic candidates had already departed Iowa and turned their attention to the next nominating contest in New Hampshire on February 11 before the first results were even released in two batches on Tuesday.
Officials blamed inconsistencies related to a new mobile app used for vote-counting for the unusual delay in Iowa, the state that traditionally kicks off a US presidential election campaign that culminates this year on November 3.
Official calls for recanvass
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez called on Thursday for a recanvass of the caucus results after the technical glitch created uncertainty about the accuracy of the tally.
Perez said that would involve an examination of the results from each caucus site rather than a full recount.
He said any review was unlikely to change the composition of the state's 41 delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
Iowa Democratic Party leader Troy Price suggested in a statement Thursday that he would only pursue a recanvass if one was requested by a campaign.
Sanders cites victory in first-step vote
Speaking on Thursday in New Hampshire, Sanders thanked Iowans for "the very strong victory they gave us" in Monday's caucuses, pointing to his lead among voters when they first selected candidates at their caucus sites – the first step in the multi-part selection process.
"In other words, some 6,000 more Iowans came out on caucus night to support our candidacy than the candidacy of anyone else," Sanders said.
"From where I come from the person who gets the most votes wins," he said, arguing that too much emphasis was being put on delegate totals.
Asked later at a CNN event if he would request a recanvass, Sanders said: “We’ve got enough of Iowa. I think we should move on to New Hampshire.”
He added: "I suspect that at the end of the day, Mr. Buttigieg and I will have an equal number of delegates to the national convention.”
'Screwup'
Party officials initially attributed the delays to a technical problem with the new mobile app, but other concerns have since emerged, complicating efforts to release the final tallies.
The Iowa Democratic Party received an "unusually high volume of inbound calls" to its caucus hotline on Monday night from "callers who would hang up immediately after being connected, supporters of President Trump who called to express their displeasure with the Democratic Party, and Iowans looking to confirm details," a party official said.
The call volume was "highly irregular" compared with previous caucuses, the official said.
The New York Times has also reported that more than 100 precincts reported results that were inconsistent, had missing data or were not possible under the caucus rules, casting doubt on the count.
The Iowa Democratic Party declined to comment on inconsistencies.
Both parties have criticised Iowa's process.
"They can't count some simple votes and yet they want to take over your healthcare system," Trump said of Democrats during an address celebrating his acquittal on impeachment charges.
His own party, however, switched the declared Iowa winner two weeks after its own Iowa caucuses in 2012.
In Manchester, New Hampshire, Sanders called the caucus debacle a "screwup" that was unfair to all candidates.
After Iowa's reporting issues and delays, the Nevada Democratic Party, which hosts its caucus on February 22, is "scrapping both the app and ties to Shadow", the company that developed caucus-reporting apps for both Iowa and Nevada, party spokeswoman Molly Forgey said.
"Luckily for us, we had a series of backup plans in place," Forgey added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-07--Week in Review: Chaos in Iowa, French sport rocked by sex abuse scandals and Brexit Day

Iowa loses patience as the state Democratic party delays the release of caucus results , French skating is roiled by allegations of sexual abuse and Britain finally leaves the EU .
Catch up on this week 's coverage with our Week in Review .
The US Democratic presidential nominating race got off to a chaotic start in Iowa on Monday with the results of the state 's caucuses delayed for hours ( and then days ) as party officials double-checked `` inconsistencies '' in the initial count .
Several precincts said that workers had trouble using a new app to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ only the tip of the iceberg ’ for French sport French sports officials used to claim they had fewer sex abuse scandals than others because their flagging system worked better .
With that belief now shattered , the government is promising forceful action to tackle a crisis roiling the country ’ s ice skating federation as well as its football league .
France ’ s ruling party is scrambling to fend off accusations of insensitivity and incompetence after its lawmakers voted down a proposed bill extending paid leave from work for parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Brexit , the 760 British local councillors in France will not be eligible to run for re-election in the March 2020 municipal elections .
It ’ s a painful change for these expatriates , who are deeply invested in the life of their adopted homes .
The divide between the Remain and Leave camps has dominated national discourse , and they showed no sign of coming together when Brexiteers erupted with joy in Parliament Square in London late Friday as Britain left the EU , while pro-Europeans expressed their dismay in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day has come and gone and Britons on both sides of the divide are taking to social media to tell the world how they feel .
The arrests of the parents of a 12-year-old Egyptian girl who died after undergoing genital mutilation as well as the doctor who performed the procedure highlight the difficulty of eradicating the felony practice .
Militia loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashes with protesters in Baghdad Violent clashes have broken out on the streets of Baghdad between supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s appointment of Iraqi prime minister delegate Mohammed Allawi .
A 60,000-square-metre structure with space for 1,000 beds and 30 intensive care wards , all built in just 10 days .
According to Chinese state media , the construction of a new hospital in virus-hit Wuhan is complete .
'Disgusting and unhealthy ’ : Rubbish piles up in strike-hit Paris A strike by waste collectors in France has led to rubbish piling up in the streets of Paris , leaving locals and tourists in the French capital dealing with eyesores , bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with FRANCE 24 , Masrour Barzani , prime minister of the Kurdistan region of Iraq , warned `` there is a great possibility for ISIS ( the Islamic State group ) to come back '' and urged the international community to take action .
FIC2020 : The top cybersecurity trends to watch for As the 12th edition of the International Forum on Cybersecurity ( FIC ) comes to an end in the French city of Lille , we tell you what types of cyber attacks are on the rise and how hackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get hold of your confidential information .
Fact-checking the economic claims in Trump 's State of the Union speech US president Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to hail the performance of the country 's economy under his stewardship , but was everything he said true ?
Also today , we hear from French companies worried about supply disruptions due to shuttered factories amid the Chinese coronavirus quarantine .
In an effort to boost its international image and attract more foreign visitors , the Rwandan government is investing heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rwanda '' slogan first became visible on Arsenal football jerseys thanks to a €34 million deal signed in May 2018 .
A similar contract was recently signed with French club Paris Saint-Germain .
The strategy is already reaping results , but some observers say Rwanda should also be investing in improving its human rights record .
Reaching for the stars : How the Michelin Guide rules the restaurant scene Considered the standard-bearer for haute cuisine , France 's Michelin Red Guide is the oldest hotel and restaurant guide in Europe .
Its annual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major media frenzy and fierce debates about who won and lost the prized `` stars '' .
So how does the guide rate restaurants ?
And with growing competition from online guides , how can it maintain its status as `` the '' reference for foodies ?
We take a closer look .
'The Day ' : Three female icons from the New York art scene team up We 're joined by three towering figures from the New York culture scene : `` cello rock star '' Maya Beiser ; the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at New York City Ballet , Wendy Whelan ; and iconic choreographer Lucinda Childs .
They speak to Eve Jackson about their new creation , `` The Day , '' a meditation on the events of September 11 that is being performed at Paris 's Espace Cardin .
YOU ARE HERE Rungis , located south of Paris , is the largest fresh produce market in the world , serving 18 million French consumers every day .
Some 10,000 tons of food pass through it each night and 40,000 people work across the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , with separate neighbourhoods dedicated to each type of food .
FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes to meet some of the wholesalers .

WEEK IN REVIEW
Iowa loses patience as the state Democratic party delays the release of caucus results, French skating is roiled by allegations of sexual abuse and Britain finally leaves the EU. Catch up on this week's coverage with our Week in Review.
Advertising Read more
ARTICLES
Iowa loses patience as Democrats delay release of caucus results
The US Democratic presidential nominating race got off to a chaotic start in Iowa on Monday with the results of the state's caucuses delayed for hours (and then days) as party officials double-checked "inconsistencies" in the initial count. Several precincts said that workers had trouble using a new app to report the results.
Skating rape accusations ‘only the tip of the iceberg’ for French sport
French sports officials used to claim they had fewer sex abuse scandals than others because their flagging system worked better. With that belief now shattered, the government is promising forceful action to tackle a crisis roiling the country’s ice skating federation as well as its football league.
Sarah Abitbol, a 10-time French figure skating champion, has accused her former coach of raping her when she was aged 15 to 17. © Jacques Demarthon, AFP
‘Cold technocracy’: Bereavement law fiasco plunges Macron’s party into turmoil
France’s ruling party is scrambling to fend off accusations of insensitivity and incompetence after its lawmakers voted down a proposed bill extending paid leave from work for parents who have lost a child.
Post-Brexit blues hit British elected officials in France
Thanks to Brexit, the 760 British local councillors in France will not be eligible to run for re-election in the March 2020 municipal elections. It’s a painful change for these expatriates, who are deeply invested in the life of their adopted homes.
‘Absolutely bloody furious’: a rancorous Britain leaves the EU
The divide between the Remain and Leave camps has dominated national discourse, and they showed no sign of coming together when Brexiteers erupted with joy in Parliament Square in London late Friday as Britain left the EU, while pro-Europeans expressed their dismay in the same square a night earlier.
Divided Britons bemoan and celebrate Brexit on social media
Brexit day has come and gone and Britons on both sides of the divide are taking to social media to tell the world how they feel.
Parents arrested after Egyptian girl, 12, dies from female genital mutilation
The arrests of the parents of a 12-year-old Egyptian girl who died after undergoing genital mutilation as well as the doctor who performed the procedure highlight the difficulty of eradicating the felony practice.
A counsellor holds up cards used to educate women about female genital mutilation (FGM) in Minia, Egypt, June 13, 2006. REUTERS / Stringer © REUTERS
VIDEO REPORTS
Militia loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashes with protesters in Baghdad
Violent clashes have broken out on the streets of Baghdad between supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the wider anti-government protest movement following last week’s appointment of Iraqi prime minister delegate Mohammed Allawi.
Coronavirus: China builds a hospital in just 10 days
A 60,000-square-metre structure with space for 1,000 beds and 30 intensive care wards, all built in just 10 days. According to Chinese state media, the construction of a new hospital in virus-hit Wuhan is complete.
'Disgusting and unhealthy’: Rubbish piles up in strike-hit Paris
A strike by waste collectors in France has led to rubbish piling up in the streets of Paris, leaving locals and tourists in the French capital dealing with eyesores, bad smells and rodents.
Rubbish piles up amid Paris strikes © Screen grab
TV SHOWS ONLINE
THE INTERVIEW
Exclusive: Iraqi Kurdistan PM Barzani warns 'great possibility' of IS group returning
In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, warned "there is a great possibility for ISIS (the Islamic State group) to come back" and urged the international community to take action.
© france 24
TECH 24
FIC2020: The top cybersecurity trends to watch for
As the 12th edition of the International Forum on Cybersecurity (FIC) comes to an end in the French city of Lille, we tell you what types of cyber attacks are on the rise and how hackers are still using the art of deception to get hold of your confidential information.
BUSINESS
Fact-checking the economic claims in Trump's State of the Union speech
US president Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to hail the performance of the country's economy under his stewardship, but was everything he said true? Also today, we hear from French companies worried about supply disruptions due to shuttered factories amid the Chinese coronavirus quarantine.
BUSINESS DAILY © FRANCE 24
FOCUS
Football sponsorship: Rwanda's controversial strategy to boost tourism
In an effort to boost its international image and attract more foreign visitors, the Rwandan government is investing heavily in football sponsorship. The "Visit Rwanda" slogan first became visible on Arsenal football jerseys thanks to a €34 million deal signed in May 2018. A similar contract was recently signed with French club Paris Saint-Germain. The strategy is already reaping results, but some observers say Rwanda should also be investing in improving its human rights record.
As part of the "Visit Rwanda" publicity stunt, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and football player David Luiz with FC Arsenal jerseys. Rwanda is investing in football sponsorships in an effort to promote tourism. © Urugwiro Village (Rwandan Presidential Office)
FRENCH CONNECTIONS
Reaching for the stars: How the Michelin Guide rules the restaurant scene
Considered the standard-bearer for haute cuisine, France's Michelin Red Guide is the oldest hotel and restaurant guide in Europe. Its annual release is like the Oscars and sparks a major media frenzy and fierce debates about who won and lost the prized "stars". So how does the guide rate restaurants? And with growing competition from online guides, how can it maintain its status as "the" reference for foodies? We take a closer look.
ENCORE!
'The Day': Three female icons from the New York art scene team up
We're joined by three towering figures from the New York culture scene: "cello rock star" Maya Beiser; the first woman to have a permanent leadership position at New York City Ballet, Wendy Whelan; and iconic choreographer Lucinda Childs. They speak to Eve Jackson about their new creation, "The Day," a meditation on the events of September 11 that is being performed at Paris's Espace Cardin.
ENCORE! © France 24
YOU ARE HERE
A night at Rungis, France's fresh produce market
Rungis, located south of Paris, is the largest fresh produce market in the world, serving 18 million French consumers every day. Some 10,000 tons of food pass through it each night and 40,000 people work across the site. It's a city within a city, with separate neighbourhoods dedicated to each type of food. FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes to meet some of the wholesalers.
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france24--2020-02-07--US Mideast peace plan architect Jared Kushner blames Palestinians for violence

White House senior advisor Jared Kushner arrives for a joint news conference by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the US Middle East peace plan proposal in the East Room of the White House in Washington , D.C. on January 28 .
The chief architect of the U.S. blueprint to resolve the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians on Thursday blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for soaring tensions and violence in the occupied West Bank since the plan 's release last week .
Jared Kushner , the son-in-law and adviser to President Donald Trump who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan , said leaders who are ready for a state “ don ’ t call for days of rage and encourage their people to pursue violence if they ’ re not getting what they want.
” He said he thinks Abbas “ was surprised with how good the plan was for the Palestinian people , but he locked himself into a position ” by rejecting it before it came out .
The Palestinian president is going to different forums and putting forward old talking points when the situation on the ground has changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance that they have to actually resolve it in a good way , ” Kushner said .
Abbas is scheduled to address the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday and then appear at a news conference with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert , an opponent of the U.S. plan who was forced to resign a decade ago ahead of a corruption indictment that later sent him to prison for 16 months .
Leaders who had their chances and failed should be encouraging other people ’ s efforts in trying to make peace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a headline when you ’ re irrelevant and try ... to get involved in a situation to get some attention , '' Kushner said .
“ It comes from a lot of jealousy that they couldn ’ t get it done themselves , ” he added .
After briefing the U.N. Security Council at a private lunch at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations , Kushner told a small group of journalists that the U.S. proposal may be the last chance because the rate of expansion of Israeli settlements may preclude a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kushner said , “ it ’ s very , very difficult to have a contiguous state where you can drive from the top to the bottom.
” “ If you look at the rate of expansion of Israeli settlements and if you look at the aspirations of the Palestinian people you ’ re about to get to a crossroad where you almost can ’ t come back , ” he said .
He said the 180-page plan “ was what we got Israel to agree to ” and the most constructive thing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Israelis and go over it “ line by line.
” “ If they would like to meet , we ’ re happy to do it , but we ’ re not going to chase them , ” Kushner said .
He called his meeting with the Security Council “ very constructive , ” with lots of questions .
British Ambassador Karen Pierce , reflecting the comments of other members , called it “ interesting and productive.
” US plan keeps Israeli settlers in place The U.S. plan , unveiled by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disjointed Palestinian state that turns over key parts of the West Bank to Israel , siding with Israel on key contentious issues including borders and the status of Jerusalem and Jewish settlements .
The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem — areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war — for an independent state and the removal of many of the more than 700,000 Israeli settlers from these areas .
But under terms of the “ peace vision '' that Kushner oversaw , all Israeli settlers would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retain sovereignty over all of its settlements as well as the strategic Jordan Valley .
The proposed Palestinian state would be demilitarized and give Israel overall security control .
In addition , the areas of east Jerusalem offered to the Palestinians for a capital consist of poor , crowded neighborhoods located behind a hulking concrete separation barrier .
Kushner , who will continue to oversee the peace plan , said he and his team will follow up with the announcement shortly that a U.S.-Israeli commission is being established to turn its “ conceptual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goal of making sure “ you can have contiguous territory ” for a Palestinian state .
It can take “ a couple of months ” for technical teams to come up with a map , Kushner said , and during that time he and his team plan to consult with European and Middle Eastern governments to further explain the plan .
He said that “ there ’ s a ton of cracks ” in European unity on the U.S. proposal .
“ The European Union was not able to get a consensus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s a lot of people ... interested in working on a new approach , which is good , ” Kushner said .
In the Arab world , he said , “ you saw a wide range of statements .
A lot of people put out neutral statements , which is good .
You saw people put out supportive statements , which was good .
And you saw very few critical statements , which I thought was very interesting.
” Arab leaders want to focus on tackling radicalization and extremism and providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the international community is “ tired of this issue ” and wants to see it resolved , Kushner said .
Looking back at the lengthy process of drafting the plan , Kushner said that during four meetings with Abbas , “ I never felt like he was willing to get into details , either because he ’ s not a detail oriented person or because he didn ’ t know what he wanted to accomplish . ''
“ He liked high-level principles , but you can ’ t solve problems in high-level principles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us again , ” Kushner added .
Calling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “ the hardest problem in the world ” to solve , he said the peace plan is “ a good first step ” to start a discussion “ that leads to a better pathway.
” “ Not doing anything was not an option , ” Kushner said .
“ I think the noble thing is to pursue peace and to try to figure out how do you take a complicated problem and make badly needed progress .
”

The chief architect of the U.S. blueprint to resolve the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians on Thursday blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for soaring tensions and violence in the occupied West Bank since the plan's release last week.
White House senior advisor Jared Kushner arrives for a joint news conference by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the US Middle East peace plan proposal in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on January 28.
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Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and adviser to President Donald Trump who spent nearly three years working on the plan, said leaders who are ready for a state “don’t call for days of rage and encourage their people to pursue violence if they’re not getting what they want.”
He said he thinks Abbas “was surprised with how good the plan was for the Palestinian people, but he locked himself into a position” by rejecting it before it came out.
The Palestinian president is going to different forums and putting forward old talking points when the situation on the ground has changed and “this might be the last chance that they have to actually resolve it in a good way,” Kushner said.
Abbas is scheduled to address the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday and then appear at a news conference with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, an opponent of the U.S. plan who was forced to resign a decade ago ahead of a corruption indictment that later sent him to prison for 16 months.
Kushner called Olmert’s appearance “almost pathetic.”
Leaders who had their chances and failed should be encouraging other people’s efforts in trying to make peace, “as opposed to trying to grab a headline when you’re irrelevant and try ... to get involved in a situation to get some attention," Kushner said.
“It comes from a lot of jealousy that they couldn’t get it done themselves,” he added.
Meeting with UN Security Council
After briefing the U.N. Security Council at a private lunch at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Kushner told a small group of journalists that the U.S. proposal may be the last chance because the rate of expansion of Israeli settlements may preclude a contiguous Palestinian state.
Right now, Kushner said, “it’s very, very difficult to have a contiguous state where you can drive from the top to the bottom.”
“If you look at the rate of expansion of Israeli settlements and if you look at the aspirations of the Palestinian people you’re about to get to a crossroad where you almost can’t come back,” he said.
He said the 180-page plan “was what we got Israel to agree to” and the most constructive thing the Palestinians can do is to sit down with the Israelis and go over it “line by line.”
“If they would like to meet, we’re happy to do it, but we’re not going to chase them,” Kushner said.
He called his meeting with the Security Council “very constructive,” with lots of questions. British Ambassador Karen Pierce, reflecting the comments of other members, called it “interesting and productive.”
US plan keeps Israeli settlers in place
The U.S. plan, unveiled by President Donald Trump on Jan. 28, envisions a disjointed Palestinian state that turns over key parts of the West Bank to Israel, siding with Israel on key contentious issues including borders and the status of Jerusalem and Jewish settlements.
The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem — areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war — for an independent state and the removal of many of the more than 700,000 Israeli settlers from these areas.
But under terms of the “peace vision" that Kushner oversaw, all Israeli settlers would remain in place, and Israel would retain sovereignty over all of its settlements as well as the strategic Jordan Valley.
The proposed Palestinian state would be demilitarized and give Israel overall security control. In addition, the areas of east Jerusalem offered to the Palestinians for a capital consist of poor, crowded neighborhoods located behind a hulking concrete separation barrier.
Kushner, who will continue to oversee the peace plan, said he and his team will follow up with the announcement shortly that a U.S.-Israeli commission is being established to turn its “conceptual map" into a detailed map with the goal of making sure “you can have contiguous territory” for a Palestinian state.
It can take “a couple of months” for technical teams to come up with a map, Kushner said, and during that time he and his team plan to consult with European and Middle Eastern governments to further explain the plan.
He said that “there’s a ton of cracks” in European unity on the U.S. proposal.
“The European Union was not able to get a consensus statement on this, which shows that there’s a lot of people ... interested in working on a new approach, which is good,” Kushner said.
In the Arab world, he said, “you saw a wide range of statements. A lot of people put out neutral statements, which is good. You saw people put out supportive statements, which was good. And you saw very few critical statements, which I thought was very interesting.”
Arab leaders want to focus on tackling radicalization and extremism and providing economic prosperity for their people, and the international community is “tired of this issue” and wants to see it resolved, Kushner said.
Looking back at the lengthy process of drafting the plan, Kushner said that during four meetings with Abbas, “I never felt like he was willing to get into details, either because he’s not a detail oriented person or because he didn’t know what he wanted to accomplish."
“He liked high-level principles, but you can’t solve problems in high-level principles and so they chose not to meet with us again,” Kushner added.
Calling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “the hardest problem in the world” to solve, he said the peace plan is “a good first step” to start a discussion “that leads to a better pathway.”
“Not doing anything was not an option,” Kushner said. “I think the noble thing is to pursue peace and to try to figure out how do you take a complicated problem and make badly needed progress.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-07--US kills Qassim al-Raymi, leader of al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula

Qassim al-Raymi , the former leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula .
President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that the US had killed the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula – days after the jihadist group claimed responsibility for a December mass shooting at a US naval base .
The US `` conducted a counterterrorism operation in Yemen that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi , a founder and the leader of al-Qa ’ ida in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP ) '' , Trump said in a White House statement .
AQAP claimed responsibility on Sunday for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Station Pensacola in Florida , in which a Saudi Air Force officer killed three American sailors .
Washington considers AQAP to be the worldwide jihadist network 's most dangerous branch .
The Sunni extremist group has thrived in the chaos of years of civil war between Yemen 's Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels who control the capital .
`` Under Rimi , AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces , '' Trump said .
`` His death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ida movement , and it brings us closer to eliminating the threats these groups pose to our national security . ''
Trump did not give any details about the circumstances or the timing of the operation .
Eight also wounded in December attack In the Pensacola attack , eight people were also wounded , including two responding sheriff 's deputies , before police shot dead the assailant .
The FBI formally identified the attacker as Mohammed Alshamrani , 21 , a second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force who was training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group said he had posted a short manifesto on Twitter prior to the attack that read : `` I 'm against evil , and America as a whole has turned into a nation of evil . ''
`` I hate you because every day you ( are ) supporting , funding and committing crimes not only against Muslims but also humanity . ''
The Twitter account that posted the manifesto also condemned US support for Israel and included a quote from al Qaeda 's deceased leader Osama bin Laden .
Saudi Arabia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting as a `` heinous crime '' and said the gunman `` does not represent the Saudi people . ''
Around 850 Saudis are among the 5,000 foreign military personnel being trained in the United States .

President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that the US had killed the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula – days after the jihadist group claimed responsibility for a December mass shooting at a US naval base.
Qassim al-Raymi, the former leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
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The US "conducted a counterterrorism operation in Yemen that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi, a founder and the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)", Trump said in a White House statement.
AQAP claimed responsibility on Sunday for a December 6 shooting at US Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, in which a Saudi Air Force officer killed three American sailors.
Washington considers AQAP to be the worldwide jihadist network's most dangerous branch.
The Sunni extremist group has thrived in the chaos of years of civil war between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels who control the capital.
"Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces," Trump said.
"His death further degrades AQAP and the global al-Qa’ida movement, and it brings us closer to eliminating the threats these groups pose to our national security."
Trump did not give any details about the circumstances or the timing of the operation.
From Afghanistan to Yemen prison break
A senior al Qaeda figure whose jihadist experience dated back to the 1990s conflict in Afghanistan, where he ran terror training camps, Rimi returned to his native Yemen in the early 2000s.
He was arrested in 2005 over a plot to kill the US ambassador in Yemen, but managed to escape his Sanaa jail the next year with 22 other prisoners, including Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who later became the emir of AQAP.
Following Wuhayshi’s killing in a June 2015 US drone strike, Rimi was promoted to leader of the group.
“He was one of the founders of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He joined Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan when he was in his 20s and he was the one who claimed the [December 2019] attack in Pensacola,” said Wassim Nasr, FRANCE 24’s expert on jihadism.
Rimi was particularly active in 2009, when AQAP attempted to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airline flight on Christmas Day by packing explosives in the underwear of a Nigerian operative.
“This group was one of the most active in attacking American interests because beyond propaganda, they had the means to do so, they had the human skills to do so,” explained Nasr.
Rimi’s death represented a blow for al Qaeda, which has lost a number of prominent branch emirs and commanders to US drone strikes in recent years, said Nasr. “It’s weakening al Qaeda, which today doesn’t have the same ability to attack Western interests as before. It will also make the Islamic State group stronger in Yemen because once you kill those prominent leaders, the lower level commanders don’t have the same relationships between each other and it will boost the fight between the groups,” he explained. “It will, in an indirect way, make the Islamic State group stronger in Yemen.”
Claiming ‘hero’ who conducted Pensacola attack
Rimi’s last public message was released last weekend, when AQAP posted an audio message claiming the deadly December 2019 Pensacola attack.
In his message, Rimi praised the attacker, Mohammed Alshamrani, a second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force who was training in the US. “For several years, our hero moved between several US military bases in America to select and contemplate his best and fattest target,” the SITE monitoring group quoted him as saying.
The Twitter account that posted the manifesto also condemned US support for Israel and included a quote from bin Laden.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman was quick to denounce the shooting as a "heinous crime" and said the gunman "does not represent the Saudi people".
Around 850 Saudis are among the 5,000 foreign military personnel being trained in the United States.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-02-06--Underdogs send Real Madrid and Barcelona crashing out of Copa del Rey

Real Sociedad 's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard ( L ) vies with Real Madrid 's German midfielder Toni Kroos during the Spanish Copa del Rey ( King 's Cup ) quarter-final football match at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid , Spain on February 6 .
The Copa del Rey 's new single-elimination format claimed its biggest victims on Thursday , with Real Madrid and Barcelona both being eliminated in the quarterfinals .
Madrid lost 4-3 to Real Sociedad at home before Barcelona conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on the most surprising night of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valencia also lost on Tuesday and Villarreal was eliminated on Wednesday .
Sevilla and Atlético Madrid had already been ousted in previous rounds .
Only the semifinals are being played over two legs this season , giving smaller clubs greater chances of knocking out bigger teams .
The surprising last four will also include Granada and second-division club Mirandés .
It 's the first time in a decade that neither Madrid nor Barcelona made it to the last four in the Copa .
At least one of the Spanish powerhouses had reached the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when Sevilla won the title .
Barcelona made the final the last six years in a row .
“ This is the new Copa , ” Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets said .
“ We are playing one match , away from home , and in one play you are eliminated.
” Real Sociedad ended Madrid 's 21-game unbeaten run with its win at the Santiago Bernabéu to reach the semifinals for the first time in six years .
Athletic got past Barcelona thanks to Iñaki Williams ' winner three minutes into second-half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's struggles since it fired coach Ernesto Valverde and replaced him with Quique Setién .
Barcelona is yet to impress under the new coach , and players and club directors have been at odds recently .
“ I think we took a step forward .
We played better than our opponent , ” Setién said .
“ Everything went well except for the result.
” Barcelona dominated throughout the second half and came close to breaking the deadlock with clear chances for Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi near the end .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Williams flicked a header into the far corner after a cross by Ibai Gómez .
Athletic , the second-most successful club in the Copa with 23 titles , behind Barcelona , had needed penalty shootouts to advance against second-division clubs in the two previous rounds .
Messi made his 75th Copa appearance , equaling the Barcelona record held by Josep Samitier since 1932 .
'Our fans deserved a prize like this' Real Sociedad 's victory halted Madrid 's eight-game winning streak and handed the club its first loss in all competitions since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes of winning the cup competition for the first time since 2014 .
Real Sociedad , a semifinalist in 2014 , will be looking to win its third Copa del Rey trophy — and first since 1987 .
“ Our fans deserved a prize like this , '' Real Sociedad coach Imano Alguacil said .
” This victory means a lot , coming at a packed Bernabéu , against a team like Real Madrid , with our team playing well .
You can imagine how we are feeling right now . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the match but Madrid came close to pulling off the comeback after scoring late goals in the second half .
“ We gave everything we had in the end , but it was too late , ” Madrid defender Marcelo said .
“ It 's hard to come back after conceding four goals at home .
It 's disappointing , but we still have other competitions ahead of us.
” Madrid had been dominant thanks in part to a stout defense , having conceded only 13 goals in 22 Spanish league matches .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Real Sociedad on a loan from Madrid , did n't celebrate after opening the scoring in the 22nd minute off the rebound of a save by Madrid goalkeeper Alphonse Areola .
Young Swedish striker Alexander Isak added to the lead with goals two minutes apart early in the second half — a volley in the 54th and a shot into the top corner in the 56th .
The 20-year-old Isak — who has scored in five consecutive matches — had already had a goal disallowed for offside after video review just minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer with a low shot from inside the area in the 59th , but Mikel Merino increased the visitors ' lead again from close range in the 69th .
Rodrygo netted Madrid 's second in the 81st , two minutes after Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed by video review .
The third came through a header by Nacho Ramos three minutes into stoppage time .
Real Sociedad defender Andoni Gorosabel was sent off just before the final whistle .

The Copa del Rey's new single-elimination format claimed its biggest victims on Thursday, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both being eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Real Sociedad's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (L) vies with Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King's Cup) quarter-final football match at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, Spain on February 6.
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Madrid lost 4-3 to Real Sociedad at home before Barcelona conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on the most surprising night of a competition filled with upsets.
Defending champion Valencia also lost on Tuesday and Villarreal was eliminated on Wednesday. Sevilla and Atlético Madrid had already been ousted in previous rounds.
Only the semifinals are being played over two legs this season, giving smaller clubs greater chances of knocking out bigger teams.
The surprising last four will also include Granada and second-division club Mirandés. It's the first time in a decade that neither Madrid nor Barcelona made it to the last four in the Copa. At least one of the Spanish powerhouses had reached the final every year since the 2009-10 season, when Sevilla won the title. Barcelona made the final the last six years in a row.
“This is the new Copa,” Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets said. “We are playing one match, away from home, and in one play you are eliminated.”
Real Sociedad ended Madrid's 21-game unbeaten run with its win at the Santiago Bernabéu to reach the semifinals for the first time in six years.
Athletic got past Barcelona thanks to Iñaki Williams' winner three minutes into second-half stoppage time, adding to the club's struggles since it fired coach Ernesto Valverde and replaced him with Quique Setién.
Barcelona is yet to impress under the new coach, and players and club directors have been at odds recently.
“I think we took a step forward. We played better than our opponent,” Setién said. “Everything went well except for the result.”
Barcelona dominated throughout the second half and came close to breaking the deadlock with clear chances for Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi near the end. But it was Athletic that found the late winner when Williams flicked a header into the far corner after a cross by Ibai Gómez.
Athletic, the second-most successful club in the Copa with 23 titles, behind Barcelona, had needed penalty shootouts to advance against second-division clubs in the two previous rounds.
Messi made his 75th Copa appearance, equaling the Barcelona record held by Josep Samitier since 1932.
'Our fans deserved a prize like this'
Real Sociedad's victory halted Madrid's eight-game winning streak and handed the club its first loss in all competitions since October.
It also ended Madrid's hopes of winning the cup competition for the first time since 2014.
Real Sociedad, a semifinalist in 2014, will be looking to win its third Copa del Rey trophy — and first since 1987.
“Our fans deserved a prize like this," Real Sociedad coach Imano Alguacil said. ”This victory means a lot, coming at a packed Bernabéu, against a team like Real Madrid, with our team playing well. You can imagine how we are feeling right now."
The visitors looked in control for most of the match but Madrid came close to pulling off the comeback after scoring late goals in the second half.
“We gave everything we had in the end, but it was too late,” Madrid defender Marcelo said. “It's hard to come back after conceding four goals at home. It's disappointing, but we still have other competitions ahead of us.”
Madrid had been dominant thanks in part to a stout defense, having conceded only 13 goals in 22 Spanish league matches.
Young Norwegian playmaker Martin Odegaard, playing for Real Sociedad on a loan from Madrid, didn't celebrate after opening the scoring in the 22nd minute off the rebound of a save by Madrid goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Young Swedish striker Alexander Isak added to the lead with goals two minutes apart early in the second half — a volley in the 54th and a shot into the top corner in the 56th.
The 20-year-old Isak — who has scored in five consecutive matches — had already had a goal disallowed for offside after video review just minutes after the break.
Marcelo pulled Madrid closer with a low shot from inside the area in the 59th, but Mikel Merino increased the visitors' lead again from close range in the 69th.
Rodrygo netted Madrid's second in the 81st, two minutes after Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed by video review. The third came through a header by Nacho Ramos three minutes into stoppage time.
Real Sociedad defender Andoni Gorosabel was sent off just before the final whistle.
(AP)
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france24--2020-02-07--French activists renew tussle with Saudi ship on suspected arms sales

Saudi cargo ship Bahri Yanbu pictured off the port of Le Havre in May 2019 , when protesters prevented it from docking .
For the third time in under a year , a Saudi cargo ship headed for a French port this week on a suspected mission to collect weapons , prompting protests from NGOs who say French arms are being used to kill civilians in the brutal Yemeni conflict .
The Bahri Yanbu docked in the port of Cherbourg on Thursday , on the coast of Normandy , where dozens of activists had gathered in protest at the sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It set sail again early the next morning after loading overnight , under cover of darkness and a heavy police presence .
Port authorities told local media they were not authorised to discuss the cargo ’ s content , only strengthening suspicions that the ship had come to collect French armaments – as it had on previous journeys .
“ There are legitimate reasons to believe the cargo ship has come to collect weapons , and there is a real danger that these arms will then be used to commit atrocities in Yemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International ’ s French branch , told FRANCE 24 .
In a joint statement released ahead of the Bahri Yanbu ’ s arrival , Amnesty and 18 other NGOs , trade unions and left-wing parties accused Saudi Arabia of `` waging a merciless war on the people of Yemen '' and `` perpetrating unspeakable atrocities against a defenceless people '' .
`` We can not accept that the port of Cherbourg be used to serve this conflict , in the name of the interests of arms dealers and their clients , '' they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s parent company Bahri has an exclusive contract with the Saudi defence ministry .
NGOs had succeeded in preventing the vessel from docking in the nearby port of Le Havre last May , when it was set to receive a weapons shipment for Riyadh that sparked a similar outcry .
The ship was again barred from docking earlier this week in the Belgian port of Antwerp , following a protest by local activists .
Activists said the Bahri Yanbu is now expected to make an unscheduled stop in the Spanish port of Bilbao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made in nearby Santander last May – before sailing on to Italy ’ s Genoa , where further protests are expected .
“ The # BahriYanbu has left for Spain this morning .
Neither NGOs nor lawmakers will know what was loaded in # Cherbourg last night , ” Olivier Faure , the head of the opposition Socialist Party , wrote in a tweet on Friday , calling for “ permanent parliamentary oversight of French arms sales ” to be put in place .
In their statement , the NGOs called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loaded onto the Bahri Yanbu .
Should the load by weapons , they urged the government to clarify what `` guarantees it has that they will not be used illegally against Yemeni civilians '' .
There has been no official comment on the Saudi ship from the French government .
President Emmanuel Macron ’ s government has repeatedly claimed that French arms sold to Saudi Arabia and its allies are used solely for defensive purposes , a stance that has become increasingly hard to maintain as the death toll from the devastating conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi militias , the five-year conflict in Yemen has created the world 's worst humanitarian crisis , according to the United Nations , whose investigators say both sides may have committed war crimes .
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and some 24 million people are in need of assistance , the UN says .
The scale of the bloodshed has prompted growing criticism of the Western powers – chief among them the US , Britain and France – that arm the Saudi coalition .
France ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under renewed scrutiny last year following the leak of a classified report showing that the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has made much wider use of French arms than officials in Paris acknowledge .
The 15-page note by France 's DRM military intelligence agency , which was published last April by investigative website Disclose , showed that French arms including tanks and laser-guided missile systems sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are being used in the conflict , and that swathes of Yemen ’ s civilian population live within their range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disclose published further documents on France ’ s arms trade with the Gulf – including a video charting the journey of a Bahri-owned ship loaded with French tanks that sailed from Le Havre to the Saudi port of Jeddah in late 2018 .
In response to Disclose ’ s investigation , the French government stressed that all its arms sales complied with France ’ s international commitments , including the UN Arms Trade Treaty ( ATT ) , which bans the sale of weapons that fuel human rights violations or war crimes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjected to strict , transparent and responsible controls , ” the French prime minister ’ s office reiterated at the time .
Critics of the French government have repeatedly claimed it is in clear breach of its obligations under the ATT .
However , experts note that such breaches are very hard to prove .

For the third time in under a year, a Saudi cargo ship headed for a French port this week on a suspected mission to collect weapons, prompting protests from NGOs who say French arms are being used to kill civilians in the brutal Yemeni conflict.
Saudi cargo ship Bahri Yanbu pictured off the port of Le Havre in May 2019, when protesters prevented it from docking.
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The Bahri Yanbu docked in the port of Cherbourg on Thursday, on the coast of Normandy, where dozens of activists had gathered in protest at the sale of weapons to the Gulf state. It set sail again early the next morning after loading overnight, under cover of darkness and a heavy police presence.
Port authorities told local media they were not authorised to discuss the cargo’s content, only strengthening suspicions that the ship had come to collect French armaments – as it had on previous journeys.
“There are legitimate reasons to believe the cargo ship has come to collect weapons, and there is a real danger that these arms will then be used to commit atrocities in Yemen,” Aymeric Elluin, of Amnesty International’s French branch, told FRANCE 24.
In a joint statement released ahead of the Bahri Yanbu’s arrival, Amnesty and 18 other NGOs, trade unions and left-wing parties accused Saudi Arabia of "waging a merciless war on the people of Yemen" and "perpetrating unspeakable atrocities against a defenceless people".
"We cannot accept that the port of Cherbourg be used to serve this conflict, in the name of the interests of arms dealers and their clients," they said, noting that the ship’s parent company Bahri has an exclusive contract with the Saudi defence ministry.
NGOs had succeeded in preventing the vessel from docking in the nearby port of Le Havre last May, when it was set to receive a weapons shipment for Riyadh that sparked a similar outcry. The ship was again barred from docking earlier this week in the Belgian port of Antwerp, following a protest by local activists.
Activists said the Bahri Yanbu is now expected to make an unscheduled stop in the Spanish port of Bilbao – similar to the secretive stop it made in nearby Santander last May – before sailing on to Italy’s Genoa, where further protests are expected.
“The #BahriYanbu has left for Spain this morning. Neither NGOs nor lawmakers will know what was loaded in #Cherbourg last night,” Olivier Faure, the head of the opposition Socialist Party, wrote in a tweet on Friday, calling for “permanent parliamentary oversight of French arms sales” to be put in place.
Le #BahriYanbu est parti ce matin vers l'Espagne. Ni les ONG ni les parlementaires ne sauront ce qui a été chargé à #Cherbourg cette nuit. Je réitère ma demande de mise en place d'un contrôle parlementaire permanent sur les ventes d'armes françaises. https://t.co/j7JUHj78AO — Olivier Faure (@faureolivier) February 7, 2020
In their statement, the NGOs called on the French government to identify what would be loaded onto the Bahri Yanbu. Should the load by weapons, they urged the government to clarify what "guarantees it has that they will not be used illegally against Yemeni civilians".
There has been no official comment on the Saudi ship from the French government.
‘Defensive’ weapons
President Emmanuel Macron’s government has repeatedly claimed that French arms sold to Saudi Arabia and its allies are used solely for defensive purposes, a stance that has become increasingly hard to maintain as the death toll from the devastating conflict continues to rise.
Pitting a Saudi-led coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi militias, the five-year conflict in Yemen has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations, whose investigators say both sides may have committed war crimes. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and some 24 million people are in need of assistance, the UN says.
The scale of the bloodshed has prompted growing criticism of the Western powers – chief among them the US, Britain and France – that arm the Saudi coalition.
France’s lucrative arms exports to the Gulf came under renewed scrutiny last year following the leak of a classified report showing that the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has made much wider use of French arms than officials in Paris acknowledge.
The 15-page note by France's DRM military intelligence agency, which was published last April by investigative website Disclose, showed that French arms including tanks and laser-guided missile systems sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are being used in the conflict, and that swathes of Yemen’s civilian population live within their range.
Along with the leaked report, Disclose published further documents on France’s arms trade with the Gulf – including a video charting the journey of a Bahri-owned ship loaded with French tanks that sailed from Le Havre to the Saudi port of Jeddah in late 2018.
In response to Disclose’s investigation, the French government stressed that all its arms sales complied with France’s international commitments, including the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which bans the sale of weapons that fuel human rights violations or war crimes.
“All exports of military equipment are subjected to strict, transparent and responsible controls,” the French prime minister’s office reiterated at the time.
Critics of the French government have repeatedly claimed it is in clear breach of its obligations under the ATT. However, experts note that such breaches are very hard to prove.
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france24--2020-02-07--‘Bullets not biryani’: India’s ruling party uses Delhi elections to stoke religious tensions

‘ Bullets not biryani ’ : India ’ s ruling party uses Delhi elections to stoke religious tensions Voters in @ @ @ @ @ ballots Saturday in the Delhi legislative elections after a divisive , anti-Muslim campaign by Prime @ @ @ @ @ BJP party .

‘Bullets not biryani’: India’s ruling party uses Delhi elections to stoke religious tensions
Voters in the Indian capital cast their ballots Saturday in the Delhi legislative elections after a divisive, anti-Muslim campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP party.
14:02 India's Prime Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi at a campaign rally in New Delhi on Feb. 3, 2020 AFP - MONEY SHARMA


france24--2020-02-07--Macron unveils nuclear doctrine, warns EU ‘cannot remain spectators’ in arms race

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday unveiled his nuclear doctrine advocating a more coordinated European Union defence strategy in which France , the bloc 's only post-Brexit nuclear power , and its arsenal would hold a central role .
In a much anticipated speech to military officers graduating in Paris , Macron called on EU member states to play a more direct role in halting a new nuclear arms race , saying they `` can not remain spectators '' against a threat to the continent 's collective security .
`` In the absence of a legal framework , they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons , even nuclear weapons , on their own soil , '' said Macron .
Setting out his country 's nuclear strategy in a bid to show leadership a week after nuclear-armed Britain officially exited the EU , Macron highlighted how France sees its nuclear weapons as a deterrent against attacks from belligerent foes .
Macron ’ s speech comes at a time when long-standing accords on limiting the growth of nuclear arsenals appear increasingly at risk .
The US and Russia have abandoned the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces ( INF ) treaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its limits , and Washington is threatening to quit the New START arms reduction treaty when it expires next year .
Add to that China 's bid for global sway , there is a strong need for Europe to ensure it does not find itself in the middle of a Cold War-style standoff `` which could jeopardise the peace obtained after so many tragedies on our continent '' , Macron said .
He warned of `` the possibility of a pure and unrestrained military and nuclear competition , the likes of which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1960s '' .
`` The vital interests of France now have a European dimension , '' said Macron , circling back to his central message of a need for a more coordinated European defence policy .
European nations should also insist on being signatories of any new deal to limit the development of new intermediate-range weapons , he noted .
`` Let us be clear : if negotiations and a more comprehensive treaty are possible ... Europeans must be stakeholders and signatories , because it 's our territory '' that is most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO 'brain death' Friday 's speech was part of Macron ’ s long-running push for a stronger European defence , as US President Donald Trump has pulled away from European allies and admonished other NATO members for not paying more for their own protection .
Macron himself ruffled feathers last year when he noted that the lack of US leadership is causing the “ brain death ” of the military alliance .
Reduced number of warheads and disarmament France has already reduced the number of its warheads to under 300 , Macron said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand concrete moves from other nuclear powers toward global disarmament that is gradual , credible and can be verified '' .
But he stopped short of offering to share France 's nuclear deterrence capabilities , a pillar of its security strategy since implemented by Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s .
Germany in particular remains strongly opposed to atomic weapons , although a leader in Chancellor Angela Merkel 's party , Johann Wadephul , said this week that Paris should consider putting its arsenal under the auspices of the EU or NATO .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` strategic dialogue '' on the deterrent role of France 's nuclear capacity as the country embarks on a costly modernisation of its arsenal .
`` Our independence in terms of decision-making is fully compatible with an unshakeable solidarity with our European partners , '' Macron said .
Macron also warned of the need for `` a greater capacity for autonomous action by Europeans '' , who must step up their military spending .
`` Why are they not ready to make defence a budget priority and make the necessary sacrifices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Macron asked .
'Restore trust with Russia' His speech came as a diplomatic freeze between the EU and Russia since Moscow 's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine has rekindled fears of fresh conflict along Europe 's eastern flank .
France has broken with some EU nations by recently reaching out to restore dialogue with President Vladimir Putin , who controls the world 's largest nuclear arsenal .
`` There can be no defence and security project for European citizens without a political vision that seeks to progressively restore trust with Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not accept the current situation , where the chasm deepens and talks diminish even as the security issues that need to be addressed with Moscow are multiplying . ''
Macron did not specify whether Britain , Europe 's other nuclear power , should be part of the deeper EU cooperation now that is has quit the bloc .
But he noted that `` since 1995 , France and the United Kingdom have stated clearly there is no situation in which a threat to one 's vital interests would not also be a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brexit does n't change this at all . ''
( FRANCE 24 with AFP , AP and REUTERS )

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday unveiled his nuclear doctrine advocating a more coordinated European Union defence strategy in which France, the bloc's only post-Brexit nuclear power, and its arsenal would hold a central role.
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In a much anticipated speech to military officers graduating in Paris, Macron called on EU member states to play a more direct role in halting a new nuclear arms race, saying they "cannot remain spectators" against a threat to the continent's collective security.
"In the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil," said Macron.
Setting out his country's nuclear strategy in a bid to show leadership a week after nuclear-armed Britain officially exited the EU, Macron highlighted how France sees its nuclear weapons as a deterrent against attacks from belligerent foes.
Macron’s speech comes at a time when long-standing accords on limiting the growth of nuclear arsenals appear increasingly at risk.
The US and Russia have abandoned the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, each blaming the other for breaching its limits, and Washington is threatening to quit the New START arms reduction treaty when it expires next year.
Add to that China's bid for global sway, there is a strong need for Europe to ensure it does not find itself in the middle of a Cold War-style standoff "which could jeopardise the peace obtained after so many tragedies on our continent", Macron said.
He warned of "the possibility of a pure and unrestrained military and nuclear competition, the likes of which we haven't seen since the end of the 1960s".
"The vital interests of France now have a European dimension," said Macron, circling back to his central message of a need for a more coordinated European defence policy.
European nations should also insist on being signatories of any new deal to limit the development of new intermediate-range weapons, he noted. "Let us be clear: if negotiations and a more comprehensive treaty are possible... Europeans must be stakeholders and signatories, because it's our territory" that is most at risk.
Waning US engagement and NATO 'brain death'
Friday's speech was part of Macron’s long-running push for a stronger European defence, as US President Donald Trump has pulled away from European allies and admonished other NATO members for not paying more for their own protection.
Macron himself ruffled feathers last year when he noted that the lack of US leadership is causing the “brain death” of the military alliance.
EN DIRECT | Discours du Président @EmmanuelMacron sur la stratégie de défense et de dissuasion depuis l’École militaire. https://t.co/PfYQShLHV2 — Élysée (@Elysee) February 7, 2020
Reduced number of warheads and disarmament
France has already reduced the number of its warheads to under 300, Macron said, giving it "the legitimacy to demand concrete moves from other nuclear powers toward global disarmament that is gradual, credible and can be verified".
But he stopped short of offering to share France's nuclear deterrence capabilities, a pillar of its security strategy since implemented by Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s.
Germany in particular remains strongly opposed to atomic weapons, although a leader in Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Johann Wadephul, said this week that Paris should consider putting its arsenal under the auspices of the EU or NATO.
Macron invited European partners to engage in a "strategic dialogue" on the deterrent role of France's nuclear capacity as the country embarks on a costly modernisation of its arsenal.
"Our independence in terms of decision-making is fully compatible with an unshakeable solidarity with our European partners," Macron said.
Macron also warned of the need for "a greater capacity for autonomous action by Europeans", who must step up their military spending.
"Why are they not ready to make defence a budget priority and make the necessary sacrifices, even as the risks are growing?" Macron asked.
'Restore trust with Russia'
His speech came as a diplomatic freeze between the EU and Russia since Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine has rekindled fears of fresh conflict along Europe's eastern flank.
France has broken with some EU nations by recently reaching out to restore dialogue with President Vladimir Putin, who controls the world's largest nuclear arsenal.
"There can be no defence and security project for European citizens without a political vision that seeks to progressively restore trust with Russia," Macron said.
"We cannot accept the current situation, where the chasm deepens and talks diminish even as the security issues that need to be addressed with Moscow are multiplying."
Macron did not specify whether Britain, Europe's other nuclear power, should be part of the deeper EU cooperation now that is has quit the bloc.
But he noted that "since 1995, France and the United Kingdom have stated clearly there is no situation in which a threat to one's vital interests would not also be a threat to the other's."
"Brexit doesn't change this at all."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-07--More than 30 jihadists killed in Mali operations, says French army

French soldiers killed more than 30 Islamist militants during three operations over the past two days , the French army disclosed Friday .
French troops operating under Operation Barkhane – an anti-insurgent mission in Africa ’ s Sahel region – killed more than 30 jihadists Liptako-Gourma zone , the army said in a statement .
The Liptako-Gourma – a hilly , sparsely populated border region straddling Mali , Niger and Burkina Faso – has experienced an increase in violent attacks in recent months .
A Reaper drone , a Mirage 2000 fighter jet , a Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two targeted strikes on an area where terrorist fighters had been spotted , revealed French military spokesman Colonel Frédéric Barbry .
The two separate operations were conducted in an area where the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara ( ISGS ) – which France recently designated the number one enemy in the Sahel – operates .
More troops , less security Last month , French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the number of French troops in the Sahel would be increased from 4,500 to 5,100 .
The decision came at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Pau , where Macron met with invited leaders of Mali , Mauritania , Burkina Faso , Niger and Chad – countries that make up the G5 Sahel military grouping .
The Pau summit followed increasingly violent attacks , which in turn sparked anti-French protests in the region amid growing dissatisfaction over the military failure to secure the region .
Some experts meanwhile have questioned whether jihadists operating in the remote , chronically lawless transition zone between the Sahara and the African savannah pose a terror threat to France .
They also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military support for African leaders with poor track records on corruption , democratic values and tackling human rights abuses by local security forces , all of which , they say , swells the ranks of jihadist groups exploiting local grievances .
> > Read more : Macron ups anti-jihadist fight in Sahel , but solutions lie in Africa and may not be military The bulk of the newly deployed French forces , who are scheduled to arrive by the end of February , will be concentrated in the Liptako-Gourma region .
They will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commandos , accompanied by around 100 light and heavy armoured as well as logistical vehicles .
The reinforcements will also include substantial intelligence resources , both human and technical , according to French military sources .
The deployments foreshadow the start of a new French-led European Takuba Task Force in Mali .

French soldiers killed more than 30 Islamist militants during three operations over the past two days, the French army disclosed Friday.
Advertising Read more
French troops operating under Operation Barkhane – an anti-insurgent mission in Africa’s Sahel region – killed more than 30 jihadists Liptako-Gourma zone, the army said in a statement.
The Liptako-Gourma – a hilly, sparsely populated border region straddling Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso – has experienced an increase in violent attacks in recent months.
A Reaper drone, a Mirage 2000 fighter jet, a Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter and a Cougar transport helicopter were used in two targeted strikes on an area where terrorist fighters had been spotted, revealed French military spokesman Colonel Frédéric Barbry.
The two separate operations were conducted in an area where the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) – which France recently designated the number one enemy in the Sahel – operates.
More troops, less security
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the number of French troops in the Sahel would be increased from 4,500 to 5,100. The decision came at the end of a G5 Sahel in the southern French city of Pau, where Macron met with invited leaders of Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad – countries that make up the G5 Sahel military grouping.
The Pau summit followed increasingly violent attacks, which in turn sparked anti-French protests in the region amid growing dissatisfaction over the military failure to secure the region.
Some experts meanwhile have questioned whether jihadists operating in the remote, chronically lawless transition zone between the Sahara and the African savannah pose a terror threat to France. They also question the Macron administration’s continued military support for African leaders with poor track records on corruption, democratic values and tackling human rights abuses by local security forces, all of which, they say, swells the ranks of jihadist groups exploiting local grievances.
>> Read more: Macron ups anti-jihadist fight in Sahel, but solutions lie in Africa and may not be military
The bulk of the newly deployed French forces, who are scheduled to arrive by the end of February, will be concentrated in the Liptako-Gourma region. They will include troops experienced in combat, including commandos, accompanied by around 100 light and heavy armoured as well as logistical vehicles.
The reinforcements will also include substantial intelligence resources, both human and technical, according to French military sources. The deployments foreshadow the start of a new French-led European Takuba Task Force in Mali.
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france24--2020-02-07--Christians in northeast Syria living in fear as Turkish forces, IS group active in region

Christian women in the small church in the village of Tall Tamr in northeastern Syria .
Some of them were kidnapped by the Islamic State group for a year in 2015 .
They are too poor to leave Syria .
In northeastern Syria , the Christian community is more threatened than ever .
Last October , it found itself caught in the middle of the battle between Turkish and Kurdish forces .
Meanwhile , Islamic State group sleeper cells are active in the region and the Christian minority is one of their targets .
Our reporters Chris Huby and Matthieu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fear of kidnappings and attacks .
In northeastern Syria , the Christian minority is caught in the crossfire .
When Turkey launched Operation `` Peace Spring '' against Kurdish YPG fighters on the Turkish-Syrian border last October 9 , Christians found themselves surrounded by fighting .
Turkish forces and their allies took control of a handful of predominantly Christian villages in the Khabur Valley .
Meanwhile , Islamic State ( IS ) group sleeper cells have been reactivated , targeting the Christian minority – whose members they consider heretics – and forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the villages in late January 2020 .
The consequences have been disastrous .
While international observers had hoped for the return of Christians to the region , the exact opposite occurred .
In a new exodus of the Christian minority , many have fled to Europe , the United States or Australia , even if that meant leaving all their possessions behind .
Among those who have chosen to stay in Syria despite the danger and the economic crisis , some have taken up arms to ensure their own security .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They fully intend to defend themselves against the enemy , whether it ’ s Turkish or jihadist .
Click on the player to watch the full programme .

Christian women in the small church in the village of Tall Tamr in northeastern Syria. Some of them were kidnapped by the Islamic State group for a year in 2015. They are too poor to leave Syria.
In northeastern Syria, the Christian community is more threatened than ever. Last October, it found itself caught in the middle of the battle between Turkish and Kurdish forces. Meanwhile, Islamic State group sleeper cells are active in the region and the Christian minority is one of their targets. Our reporters Chris Huby and Matthieu Delmas went to meet a community living in fear of kidnappings and attacks.
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In northeastern Syria, the Christian minority is caught in the crossfire. When Turkey launched Operation "Peace Spring" against Kurdish YPG fighters on the Turkish-Syrian border last October 9, Christians found themselves surrounded by fighting. Turkish forces and their allies took control of a handful of predominantly Christian villages in the Khabur Valley.
Meanwhile, Islamic State (IS) group sleeper cells have been reactivated, targeting the Christian minority – whose members they consider heretics – and forcing US troops to take up positions in the villages in late January 2020.
The consequences have been disastrous. While international observers had hoped for the return of Christians to the region, the exact opposite occurred. In a new exodus of the Christian minority, many have fled to Europe, the United States or Australia, even if that meant leaving all their possessions behind.
Among those who have chosen to stay in Syria despite the danger and the economic crisis, some have taken up arms to ensure their own security. More than 2,000 Christians have organised themselves into militias. They fully intend to defend themselves against the enemy, whether it’s Turkish or jihadist.
Click on the player to watch the full programme.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe