france24--2020-03-05--US Supreme Court divided on precedent-making abortion rights case

Demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court in Washington , DC , on March 4 , 2020 , as justices hear a major abortion case on the legality of a Republican-backed Louisiana law that imposes restrictions on abortion doctors .
U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided on Wednesday in a major abortion rights case , with Chief Justice John Roberts representing the potential decisive vote on a challenge to a Louisiana law that could make it harder for women to obtain the procedure .
The court , with a 5-4 conservative majority , heard arguments in an appeal by Shreveport-based abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to invalidate the 2014 law .
The measure requires that doctors who perform abortions have a sometimes difficult-to-obtain arrangement called `` admitting privileges '' at a hospital within 30 miles ( 48 km ) of the clinic .
The liberal justices , including the court 's three women , appeared skeptical toward that requirement .
The conservative justices seemed more receptive .
Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked questions that suggested they - and perhaps other conservative justices - do not believe the Louisiana law is automatically doomed by a 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitting privileges restrictions in Texas .
Roberts , considered the court 's ideological center , cast the deciding vote last year when the justices on a 5-4 vote blocked Louisiana 's law from taking effect while the litigation over its legality continued .
That vote brought him into conflict with his position in the Texas case when Roberts was among the three dissenting justices who concluded that an admitting privileges requirement did not represent an impermissible `` undue burden '' on abortion access .
Roberts appeared to acknowledge in his questions that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 finding that admitting privileges laws provide no health benefit to women .
But his questions also indicated he may stray from the 2016 finding about the specific impact of the Texas law , which led to multiple clinic closures , because Louisiana 's situation could be viewed differently .
Two of Louisiana 's three clinics that perform abortions would be forced to close if the law is allowed to take effect , according to lawyers for the clinic .
Louisiana officials have said no clinics would be forced to close .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be different in different places , but as far as the benefits of the law , that 's going to be the same in each state , is n't it ? ''
Roberts asked .
Roberts indicated that the 2016 ruling requires the analysis to be `` a factual one that has to proceed state-by-state . ''
The questions asked by Roberts and Kavanaugh could open the possibility of them voting to uphold the Louisiana law without specifically overturning the Texas precedent .
Kavanaugh asked whether `` in some states , admitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they impose no burdens . ''
The case , with a ruling due by the end of June , will test the court 's willingness to uphold Republican-backed abortion restrictions being pursued in numerous conservative states .
President Donald Trump 's administration supported Louisiana in the case .
Abortion remains one of the most divisive issues in American society , with Christian conservatives - an important constituency for Trump - among those most opposed to it .
Abortion rights advocates have argued that restrictions such as admitting privileges are meant to limit access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as proponents say .
When the Supreme Court in 1992 reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade ruling , it prohibited laws that placed an `` undue burden '' on a woman 's ability to obtain an abortion .
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said it was a `` mystery to me '' why a 30-mile limit was imposed if the law 's intent was to show that doctors were properly credentialed .
She asked why doctors could not get credentials from hospitals further away .
Fellow liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also questioned the 30-mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women who have complications from abortions would be at home after the procedure and not at the clinic .
As a result , it would not be relevant that the doctor has a relationship with a local hospital , she said .
Trump , seeking re-election on Nov. 3 , promised during the 2016 presidential race to appoint justices who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide .
The Louisiana case marked the first major abortion dispute heard by the court since Trump appointed Kavanaugh and Neil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the argument .
Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas , who rarely speaks during arguments , was also silent .
The most outspoken conservative was Justice Samuel Alito , who questioned whether the clinic and doctors even had legal standing to bring the challenge because their interests are different from their patients .
He suggested that women seeking abortions should be plaintiffs in such cases .
Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy , who retired in 2018 , joined the four liberal justices to defend abortion rights when the court struck down the Texas law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cited the undue burden precedent when he struck down Louisiana 's law in 2016 .
After Louisiana appealed , the New Orleans-based 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law .

U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided on Wednesday in a major abortion rights case, with Chief Justice John Roberts representing the potential decisive vote on a challenge to a Louisiana law that could make it harder for women to obtain the procedure.
Demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2020, as justices hear a major abortion case on the legality of a Republican-backed Louisiana law that imposes restrictions on abortion doctors.
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The court, with a 5-4 conservative majority, heard arguments in an appeal by Shreveport-based abortion provider Hope Medical Group for Women seeking to invalidate the 2014 law. The measure requires that doctors who perform abortions have a sometimes difficult-to-obtain arrangement called "admitting privileges" at a hospital within 30 miles (48 km) of the clinic.
The liberal justices, including the court's three women, appeared skeptical toward that requirement. The conservative justices seemed more receptive.
Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked questions that suggested they - and perhaps other conservative justices - do not believe the Louisiana law is automatically doomed by a 2016 Supreme Court precedent that struck down similar admitting privileges restrictions in Texas.
Roberts, considered the court's ideological center, cast the deciding vote last year when the justices on a 5-4 vote blocked Louisiana's law from taking effect while the litigation over its legality continued.
That vote brought him into conflict with his position in the Texas case when Roberts was among the three dissenting justices who concluded that an admitting privileges requirement did not represent an impermissible "undue burden" on abortion access.
Roberts appeared to acknowledge in his questions that he might feel bound by the court's 2016 finding that admitting privileges laws provide no health benefit to women. But his questions also indicated he may stray from the 2016 finding about the specific impact of the Texas law, which led to multiple clinic closures, because Louisiana's situation could be viewed differently.
Two of Louisiana's three clinics that perform abortions would be forced to close if the law is allowed to take effect, according to lawyers for the clinic. Louisiana officials have said no clinics would be forced to close.
"I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places, but as far as the benefits of the law, that's going to be the same in each state, isn't it?" Roberts asked.
Roberts indicated that the 2016 ruling requires the analysis to be "a factual one that has to proceed state-by-state."
The questions asked by Roberts and Kavanaugh could open the possibility of them voting to uphold the Louisiana law without specifically overturning the Texas precedent. Kavanaugh asked whether "in some states, admitting privileges laws could be constitutional, if they impose no burdens."
Restrictve state laws
The case, with a ruling due by the end of June, will test the court's willingness to uphold Republican-backed abortion restrictions being pursued in numerous conservative states. President Donald Trump's administration supported Louisiana in the case.
Abortion remains one of the most divisive issues in American society, with Christian conservatives - an important constituency for Trump - among those most opposed to it.
Abortion rights advocates have argued that restrictions such as admitting privileges are meant to limit access to abortion not protect women's health as proponents say. When the Supreme Court in 1992 reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade ruling, it prohibited laws that placed an "undue burden" on a woman's ability to obtain an abortion.
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said it was a "mystery to me" why a 30-mile limit was imposed if the law's intent was to show that doctors were properly credentialed. She asked why doctors could not get credentials from hospitals further away.
Fellow liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also questioned the 30-mile limit, noting that in most cases women who have complications from abortions would be at home after the procedure and not at the clinic. As a result, it would not be relevant that the doctor has a relationship with a local hospital, she said.
Trump, seeking re-election on Nov. 3, promised during the 2016 presidential race to appoint justices who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The Louisiana case marked the first major abortion dispute heard by the court since Trump appointed Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch as justices.
Gorsuch said nothing during the argument. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who rarely speaks during arguments, was also silent.
The most outspoken conservative was Justice Samuel Alito, who questioned whether the clinic and doctors even had legal standing to bring the challenge because their interests are different from their patients. He suggested that women seeking abortions should be plaintiffs in such cases.
Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in 2018, joined the four liberal justices to defend abortion rights when the court struck down the Texas law.
Baton Rouge-based U.S. District Judge John deGravelles cited the undue burden precedent when he struck down Louisiana's law in 2016. After Louisiana appealed, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-05--Midnight ceasefire agreed between Putin, Erdogan comes into effect for Syria’s Idlib

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , announced on Thursday that they had reached a deal for a ceasefire to come into effect at midnight in the northwestern Syrian town of Idlib .
`` At 00.01 tonight , as in , from midnight , the ceasefire will be put in place , '' Erdogan said , following more than six hours of talks in Moscow , Russia .
`` We agreed a joint document , '' Putin said , adding that he hoped it would `` serve as a good basis for ending fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suffering of the civilian population '' .
Erdogan added that Turkey reserves the right to `` retaliate with all its strength against any attack '' by Damascus despite the new ceasefire .
`` The regime ... is the one to blame for the breakdown of the [ 2018 Sochi ] agreement , '' Erdogan said .
In a joint statement read out by the Turkish and Russian foreign ministers , the two sides agreed to establish a secure corridor along a key east-west highway in Syria ’ s Idlib and hold joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The corridor will stretch six kilometres to the north and six kilometres to the south of the M4 highway .
The two countries ’ defence ministers will agree on the parameters of the corridor within seven days , they said .
The joint patrols will begin along the M4 from the Trumba settlement just west of the strategic town of Saraqeb , and run to the Ain al Havr settlement , the statement said .

A ceasefire in northern Syria agreed between Russia and Turkey came into force on Friday, aiming to halt intense fighting that has sparked a humanitarian disaster and raised fears of their armies clashing.
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The deal struck between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes after an escalation of violence in Idlib, the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed government forces.
Nearly a million civilians have fled their homes due to the bloodshed and dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed.
Putin and Erdogan agreed on the ceasefire from midnight on Friday (2200 GMT) after more than six hours of talks in Moscow.
02:47
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "hopes that this agreement will lead to an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities that ensures the protection of civilians in northwest Syria", his spokesman said in a statement Thursday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, which had reported bombings just minutes before the midnight deadline, said there was "relative" calm in the region after the ceasefire came into operation.
The Britain-based Observatory reported that Russian and Syrian air strikes had halted but said there was "artillery fire... by Syrian regime forces on the positions of insurgent groups" in areas controlled by jihadists in parts of Aleppo and Hama bordering Idlib.
The situation in Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria's nine-year civil war, had become critical as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
Earlier, Putin told a joint press conference that the agreement would "serve as a good basis for ending fighting" in Idlib.
Erdogan, however, added that Turkey reserved the right to "retaliate with all its strength against any attack" by Damascus.
The agreement will also create a security corridor along the key M4 highway in northern Syria, where Turkish and Russian forces will launch joint patrols from March 15.
Russia has requested a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council for Friday in order to brief members on the agreement, a diplomatic source told AFP.
01:48
But there was scepticism over the deal among those displaced by the fighting.
"I don't think this will last long," Mouawiya Agha, originally from Sarmin in the south of the province, told AFP.
"It will end like the ones before," said the 33-year-old father of four, referring to an agreement reached in the Russian city of Sochi in 2018 that created a "de-escalation" zone in Idlib.
More Turkish soldiers killed
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups against Assad but its priority now is to stop an influx of refugees among those fleeing an offensive the regime has been pressing on Idlib since December.
Ankara has demanded the European Union support its actions in Syria and last week opened its border with EU member Greece to migrants -- a move decried by some in the bloc as "blackmail".
In the run-up to Thursday's talks, Russia and Turkey had traded accusations of violating the deal.
Turkey officially declared an operation against the Assad government over the weekend, after 34 Turkish soldiers died in an air strike blamed on Damascus.
It has since downed three Syrian warplanes and killed dozens of soldiers and allied fighters, according to monitors.
Two more Turkish soldiers were killed by Syrian regime fire in Idlib, the defence ministry said, just hours before the ceasefire took effect.
The Turkish defence ministry said early Friday Turkish armed drones "neutralised" 21 regime troops in strikes at 4pm local time Thursday in retaliation for the soldiers who were killed.
Migrants mass on border
The deal leaves open the fate of the Turkish observation posts in Idlib, which have been surrounded since Damascus launched its offensive.
But it does mark the first time Russian and Turkish forces will operate jointly in Idlib.
The security corridor along the M4 highway, which connects second city Aleppo to the coast through Idlib, will run six kilometres (around four miles) deep both north and south of the highway.
The joint Russian-Turkish patrols will operate between the town of Tronba in Idlib and a village in Latakia province, a regime stronghold.
Fighting continued elsewhere in Idlib on Thursday, with Russian air strikes killing at least 15 civilians gathered outside the town of Maaret Misrin, the Observatory said.
Erdogan warned Europe on Wednesday that it must support Turkey's "political and humanitarian solutions in Syria" if it wants to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis.
Thousands of migrants have massed at the Turkish-Greek border since Erdogan gave them the green light to try to enter Europe, leading to clashes with Greek police.
Turkey hosts roughly 3.6 million refugees from Syria -- and hundreds of thousands from elsewhere -- and Erdogan's move has sparked concern in Europe of a renewed influx of migrants.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-05--Elizabeth Warren ends US presidential bid after disappointing Super Tuesday

Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren withdraws from the race to become the next US president .
( File photo . )
Elizabeth Warren , who electrified progressives with her “ plan for everything ” and strong message of economic populism , on Thursday told her staff she was dropping out of the Democratic presidential race .
The exit came days after the onetime front-runner couldn ’ t win a single Super Tuesday state , not even her own .
“ I want to start with the news , ” she said .
“ I want all of you to hear it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear it straight from me : today , I ’ m suspending our campaign for president.
” She went on to acknowledge the personal sacrifices those on her campaign had made and to thank them “ from the bottom of my heart ” .
“ I know how hard all of you have worked .
I know how you disrupted your lives to be part of this .
I know you have families and loved ones you could have spent more time with .
You missed them and they missed you .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here.
” Speaking to reporters later Thursday outside her home in Cambridge , Massachusetts , Warren said she 'd likely endorse one of the two major candidates left in the race , Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders , but “ not today ” .
“ I need some space and I need a little time right now , ” she said , standing next to her husband , Bruce Mann .
Kethevane Gorjestani , FRANCE 24 ’ s correspondent in Washington , DC , said that the big question on everyone ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to endorse Sanders – who she is closer to in terms of progressive policies – or not .
“ Her voters don ’ t necessarily fall into the Bernie Sanders voter category and that ’ s because they are much more college-educated , and they like the approach of Elizabeth Warren , which was a little bit to the right of Bernie Sanders , a little bit more aggressive , more pragmatic , and [ she was ] clearer on her plans.
” Warren 's withdrawal from the race for the top spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump in November comes after she failed to win a single state on Super Tuesday , including her own , Massachusetts .
Her decision to drop out comes one day after that of billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg , who quit on Wednesday after a disappointing Super Tuesday performance and endorsed Joe Biden .
Trump responded to Warren 's withdrawal with a tweet mocking her and Bloomberg .
`` Elizabeth 'Pocahontas ' Warren , who was going nowhere except into Mini Mike 's head , just dropped out of the Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump said .
`` She cost Crazy Bernie , at least , Massachusetts , Minnesota and Texas , '' the president said of three of the states at stake on Super Tuesday .
`` Probably cost him the nomination !
Came in third in Mass . ''
Warren led some national polls last summer but she never managed to build a broad coalition to carry her through to success in the primaries , finishing behind fellow progressive Bernie Sanders and the moderate Joe Biden in 14 states on Super Tuesday .
Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders .

Elizabeth Warren, who electrified progressives with her “plan for everything” and strong message of economic populism, on Thursday told her staff she was dropping out of the Democratic presidential race. The exit came days after the onetime front-runner couldn’t win a single Super Tuesday state, not even her own.
Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren withdraws from the race to become the next US president. (File photo.)
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“I want to start with the news,” she said. “I want all of you to hear it first, and I want you to hear it straight from me: today, I’m suspending our campaign for president.”
She went on to acknowledge the personal sacrifices those on her campaign had made and to thank them “from the bottom of my heart”.
“I know how hard all of you have worked. I know how you disrupted your lives to be part of this. I know you have families and loved ones you could have spent more time with. You missed them and they missed you. And I know you have sacrificed to be here.”
Speaking to reporters later Thursday outside her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Warren said she'd likely endorse one of the two major candidates left in the race, Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders, but “not today”.
“I need some space and I need a little time right now,” she said, standing next to her husband, Bruce Mann.
Our work continues, the fight goes on, and big dreams never die. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. https://t.co/28kyKe777L — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) March 5, 2020
Kethevane Gorjestani, FRANCE 24’s correspondent in Washington, DC, said that the big question on everyone’s lips is now whether she will choose to endorse Sanders – who she is closer to in terms of progressive policies – or not.
“Her voters don’t necessarily fall into the Bernie Sanders voter category and that’s because they are much more college-educated, and they like the approach of Elizabeth Warren, which was a little bit to the right of Bernie Sanders, a little bit more aggressive, more pragmatic, and [she was] clearer on her plans.”
Warren's withdrawal from the race for the top spot on the Democratic ticket against President Donald Trump in November comes after she failed to win a single state on Super Tuesday, including her own, Massachusetts.
Her decision to drop out comes one day after that of billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who quit on Wednesday after a disappointing Super Tuesday performance and endorsed Joe Biden.
Trump responded to Warren's withdrawal with a tweet mocking her and Bloomberg.
"Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren, who was going nowhere except into Mini Mike's head, just dropped out of the Democrat Primary...THREE DAYS TOO LATE," Trump said.
"She cost Crazy Bernie, at least, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas," the president said of three of the states at stake on Super Tuesday. "Probably cost him the nomination! Came in third in Mass."
Warren led some national polls last summer but she never managed to build a broad coalition to carry her through to success in the primaries, finishing behind fellow progressive Bernie Sanders and the moderate Joe Biden in 14 states on Super Tuesday.
Warren finished third in Massachusetts behind Biden and Sanders.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)
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france24--2020-03-05--Red soles: Celebrating shoe designer Christian Louboutin and his eclectic inspirations

In the first major Paris retrospective devoted to flamboyant French shoe designer Christian Louboutin , an exhibition at Le Palais de La Porte Dorée explores his eclectic influences and inspirations .
When the young Christian Louboutin went to Le Palais de la Porte Dorée as a child , he was captivated by the colours of the tropical fish , the collections of African and Oceanic Art , and a sign outside banning high heels .
He ’ d never seen such shoes before .
In the 1950s in Paris , women – including his mother – wore flats .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metal heel that threatened to damage the museum ’ s precious mosaic floors .
“ This is where it all began , ” he said at the opening of a show that ’ s been described as a “ celebration ” rather than a retrospective of his work .
“ I realised you could draw things that didn ’ t exist.
” The museum proved a source of inspiration in many other ways .
Every Sunday he would go there with his sisters , exploring the galleries filled with objects from Africa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sculpted faces and sceptres , Art Deco furniture and feathered masks .
It gave him a taste for travel and it introduced him to worlds far beyond the 12th arrondissement ( district ) and the Brittany countryside where he grew up .
It ’ s only fitting that the same museum now pays tribute to the legendary shoe designer in the first major Paris exhibition of his work .
“ It ’ s a look inside an artist ’ s mind , ” said Olivier Gabet , director of the Musée des Arts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibition ’ s guest curator .
“ It ’ s a trip into his imagination.
” In a tribute to Louboutin ’ s flamboyance and sense of performance , the show appears to have been choreographed rather than displayed in a traditional , linear fashion .
Curtains peel back to show hologram performances by burlesque dancer Dita von Teese and the Guinean football freestyler Iya Traoré .
There are belly dancers and Bhutanese theatre , a circus-like atmosphere of sequins and sawdust , and nods to Indian and Egyptian films .
Rooms are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoes – and framed by stained-glass windows made especially for the exhibition by the Maison de Vitrail , or lit with rows upon rows of ivory candles .
Shoes are mounted on walls , encased in glass boxes or , in one case , enthroned on a silver palanquin .
Shoes that range from the raunchy to the demure – thigh-high boots and classic “ Pigalle ” heels – are displayed alongside 1950s flats .
There are shoes made from synthetic crystal or covered with studs or inverted nails .
Some are kitsch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others have been custom made for the likes of Tina Turner .
One room is given over to “ Fetish ” , a collaboration with filmmaker David Lynch , while others feature work by the Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi and the video artist Lisa Reihana .
There ’ s a Puckish sense of playfulness running through Louboutin ’ s eclectic sources of inspiration .
A cosy English grandmother ’ s sitting room – where a teapot sits , waiting to be pressed into service – is not quite all it seems at first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shoemaker ’ s workshop , where in a tribute to craftsmanship , a string of short films shows Louboutin at work at the different stages of making a shoe .
Another room features a Bhutanese stage with gigantic carved wood columns .
Louboutin , who compares the clicking of heels to flamenco music , says his first love was dance and theatre , rather than fashion .
At the age of 15 he interned at the cabaret music hall the Folies Bergères , where he made coffee , sewed on sequins and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he sketched shoes for the dancers .
“ A dancer ’ s shoe is very important , ” he told French daily Le Monde earlier this year .
“ It gives the angling of the body , it gives stability and it gives the silhouette.
” “ What touches me the most about the exhibition , ” Gabet told FRANCE 24 , “ is the first room ” – which is filled with some of Louboutin ’ s early sketches and shoes , colour palettes , press cuttings , mood boards and portfolios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you realise that this young guy , with no financial help or any big business , had so many great , fabulous ideas .
“ That ’ s what creativity is .
When you look at the fish shoes and the other shoes , and you realise that , ‘ Wow , this was in the late ’ 80s ... ’ And this passion and creativity as a very young man was already there , ” Gabet added .
Kicked out of school at 15 , Louboutin spent much of his teenage years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nightclub that was famed for its flamboyant DJ and its diversity .
At 18 he went to work for Charles Jourdan at the Maison Christian Dior , and then shoe designer Roger Vivier , where he learned the value of a correct line and high-quality craftsmanship .
In 1987 he made his first shoe , the “ maquereau ” , inspired by the iridescence of the fish in La Porte Dorée ’ s aquarium .
But it was while making the “ Pensée ” ( Thought ) shoe in 1992 that he saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood-red , and decided to paint the sole of the shoe the same colour .
“ It ’ s as if the shoe came to life , ” he said .
“ It looked like the drawing I ’ d imagined .
It was a kind of revelation.
” Another shoe , “ La Pigalle ” , is a direct tribute to the sketch of a stiletto he saw as a child – a shoe that took further shape in his mind when he first saw Kim Novak wearing heels in Alfred Hitchcock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a shoe that he ’ d sketched repeatedly since childhood .
Fed by film , inspired by the dancers of the Folies Bergères , and laced with a flamboyant flash of colour , he describes the “ Pigalle ” as “ the essence of femininity , a shoe reduced to its simplest expression ” .
No one knows exactly when the sign banning high heels from the Palais de la Porte Dorée was taken down .
But it ’ s only fitting that the museum that inspired the legendary shoe designer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Christian Louboutin – L ’ exhibition [ iste ] is on display at Le Palais de La Porte Dorée until July 26 , 2020 .

In the first major Paris retrospective devoted to flamboyant French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, an exhibition at Le Palais de La Porte Dorée explores his eclectic influences and inspirations.
Advertising Read more
When the young Christian Louboutin went to Le Palais de la Porte Dorée as a child, he was captivated by the colours of the tropical fish, the collections of African and Oceanic Art, and a sign outside banning high heels.
He’d never seen such shoes before. In the 1950s in Paris, women – including his mother – wore flats. These shoes were vertiginously high with a sharp metal heel that threatened to damage the museum’s precious mosaic floors.
“This is where it all began,” he said at the opening of a show that’s been described as a “celebration” rather than a retrospective of his work. “I realised you could draw things that didn’t exist.”
The museum proved a source of inspiration in many other ways. Every Sunday he would go there with his sisters, exploring the galleries filled with objects from Africa and Oceania: tropical fish and totems, sculpted faces and sceptres, Art Deco furniture and feathered masks.
The "Maquereau" shoe, designed by Louboutin in 1987, in front of Paris's Tropical Aquarium © Christian Louboutin
It gave him a taste for travel and it introduced him to worlds far beyond the 12th arrondissement (district) and the Brittany countryside where he grew up.
It’s only fitting that the same museum now pays tribute to the legendary shoe designer in the first major Paris exhibition of his work.
“It’s a look inside an artist’s mind,” said Olivier Gabet, director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, who described himself as the exhibition’s guest curator. “It’s a trip into his imagination.”
In a tribute to Louboutin’s flamboyance and sense of performance, the show appears to have been choreographed rather than displayed in a traditional, linear fashion. Curtains peel back to show hologram performances by burlesque dancer Dita von Teese and the Guinean football freestyler Iya Traoré. There are belly dancers and Bhutanese theatre, a circus-like atmosphere of sequins and sawdust, and nods to Indian and Egyptian films.
Rooms are flame-red – a tribute to his red-soled shoes – and framed by stained-glass windows made especially for the exhibition by the Maison de Vitrail, or lit with rows upon rows of ivory candles.
The Louboutin retrospective pays tribute to the designer's eclectic influences and inspirations Marc Domage
Shoes are mounted on walls, encased in glass boxes or, in one case, enthroned on a silver palanquin.
Shoes that range from the raunchy to the demure – thigh-high boots and classic “Pigalle” heels – are displayed alongside 1950s flats. There are shoes made from synthetic crystal or covered with studs or inverted nails. Some are kitsch, quirky and covered in feathers. Others have been custom made for the likes of Tina Turner.
One room is given over to “Fetish”, a collaboration with filmmaker David Lynch, while others feature work by the Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi and the video artist Lisa Reihana.
There’s a Puckish sense of playfulness running through Louboutin’s eclectic sources of inspiration. A cosy English grandmother’s sitting room – where a teapot sits, waiting to be pressed into service – is not quite all it seems at first glimpse.
One room is devoted to a shoemaker’s workshop, where in a tribute to craftsmanship, a string of short films shows Louboutin at work at the different stages of making a shoe. Another room features a Bhutanese stage with gigantic carved wood columns.
Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi at work on "This too will end,if you go on a step or two," an installation at the Louboutin retrospective. © Christian Louboutin
Louboutin, who compares the clicking of heels to flamenco music, says his first love was dance and theatre, rather than fashion. At the age of 15 he interned at the cabaret music hall the Folies Bergères, where he made coffee, sewed on sequins and ran errands. In his spare time he sketched shoes for the dancers.
“A dancer’s shoe is very important,” he told French daily Le Monde earlier this year. “It gives the angling of the body, it gives stability and it gives the silhouette.”
“What touches me the most about the exhibition,” Gabet told FRANCE 24, “is the first room” – which is filled with some of Louboutin’s early sketches and shoes, colour palettes, press cuttings, mood boards and portfolios.
“When you look carefully, you realise that this young guy, with no financial help or any big business, had so many great, fabulous ideas.
“That’s what creativity is. When you look at the fish shoes and the other shoes, and you realise that, ‘Wow, this was in the late ’80s ...’ And this passion and creativity as a very young man was already there,” Gabet added.
Burlesque dancer Dita von Teese features in a hologram performance in the Louboutin retrospective. © Marc Domage
Kicked out of school at 15, Louboutin spent much of his teenage years at The Palace, the legendary Paris nightclub that was famed for its flamboyant DJ and its diversity.
At 18 he went to work for Charles Jourdan at the Maison Christian Dior, and then shoe designer Roger Vivier, where he learned the value of a correct line and high-quality craftsmanship.
In 1987 he made his first shoe, the “maquereau”, inspired by the iridescence of the fish in La Porte Dorée’s aquarium.
But it was while making the “Pensée” (Thought) shoe in 1992 that he saw his assistant painting her nails a vivid blood-red, and decided to paint the sole of the shoe the same colour.
“It’s as if the shoe came to life,” he said. “It looked like the drawing I’d imagined. It was a kind of revelation.”
Another shoe, “La Pigalle”, is a direct tribute to the sketch of a stiletto he saw as a child – a shoe that took further shape in his mind when he first saw Kim Novak wearing heels in Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Vertigo”.
Christian Louboutin's "Pigalle" shoe, inspired by the dancers of the Folies Bergères. © Christian Louboutin
It was a shoe that he’d sketched repeatedly since childhood. Fed by film, inspired by the dancers of the Folies Bergères, and laced with a flamboyant flash of colour, he describes the “Pigalle” as “the essence of femininity, a shoe reduced to its simplest expression”.
No one knows exactly when the sign banning high heels from the Palais de la Porte Dorée was taken down. But it’s only fitting that the museum that inspired the legendary shoe designer pays such idiosyncratic tribute to him today.
Christian Louboutin – L’exhibition[iste] is on display at Le Palais de La Porte Dorée until July 26, 2020.
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france24--2020-03-05--Ivory Coast’s Ouattara says he won’t seek third term in October election

The Ivorian president told lawmakers it was time to hand over power to a new generation .
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday he would not stand for re-election in October , ending speculation about his political future ahead of a highly-anticipated vote .
Ouattara had previously said he would run if his longtime political rivals were candidates , defying opponents who say the constitution does not give him the right to seek a third term .
But he declared in a speech before lawmakers that he would hand over power to a new generation after 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to be candidate in the Oct. 31 presidential election and to transfer power to a new generation , '' Ouattara said , prompting applause , cheers and gasps from audience members in the capital Yamoussoukro .
Ouattara was first elected president of Ivory Coast , the world ’ s leading cocoa producer , in a 2010 election that sparked a brief civil war when his predecessor , Laurent Gbagbo , refused to concede defeat .
Around 3,000 people died in the violence .
Political tensions have been on the rise in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant for Guillaume Soro , a presidential candidate and former rebel leader whose forces swept Ouattara to power in 2011 .
Ouattara ’ s two main rivals , Gbagbo and another former president , Henri Konan Bedie , have not yet said whether they will be candidates in October .

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday he would not stand for re-election in October, ending speculation about his political future ahead of a highly-anticipated vote.
The Ivorian president told lawmakers it was time to hand over power to a new generation.
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Ouattara had previously said he would run if his longtime political rivals were candidates, defying opponents who say the constitution does not give him the right to seek a third term.
But he declared in a speech before lawmakers that he would hand over power to a new generation after 10 years in office.
Je voudrais annoncer solennellement, que j’ai décidé de ne pas être candidat à l’élection présidentielle du 31 octobre 2020 et de transférer le pouvoir à une jeune génération. pic.twitter.com/3w8r3TROIT — Alassane Ouattara (@AOuattara_PRCI) March 5, 2020
"I have decided not to be candidate in the Oct. 31 presidential election and to transfer power to a new generation," Ouattara said, prompting applause, cheers and gasps from audience members in the capital Yamoussoukro.
Ouattara was first elected president of Ivory Coast, the world’s leading cocoa producer, in a 2010 election that sparked a brief civil war when his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to concede defeat. Around 3,000 people died in the violence.
Political tensions have been on the rise in recent months after the government issued an arrest warrant for Guillaume Soro, a presidential candidate and former rebel leader whose forces swept Ouattara to power in 2011.
Ouattara’s two main rivals, Gbagbo and another former president, Henri Konan Bedie, have not yet said whether they will be candidates in October.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-05--Food, water and masks: South Korea’s COVID-19 quarantine kits

With more than 5,000 identified cases of the COVID-19 virus , South Korea has the second-largest number of infections in the world .
In an attempt to stop the epidemic from spreading , the government has launched an aggressive testing campaign – around 110,000 people have been screened so far , according to the website Worldometer .
The government is also providing support and assistance to those in quarantine .
Our team spoke to two South Korean residents about the country ’ s fight against coronavirus .
Joseph Kim is an American citizen of Korean origin who works in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's eastern district , Gangdong .
Last week , he ran into an acquaintance in the hallway at work .
That friend was later diagnosed with coronavirus .
Kim was contacted by the authorities and was tested for the virus .
The result was negative , but doctors still asked him to undergo quarantine for two weeks , which is thought to be the incubation period for the virus .
On February 28 , Kim took to Reddit to share photos of the box that he had received that day from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The box contained food , water , masks , toothbrushes , a thermometer , hand-sanitising gel , a bag for dirty tissues and even a guide for how to self-quarantine with instructions for accessing emergency funds from the government .
This financial aid is provided to people in quarantine who can ’ t work .
In total , the box is supposed to contain everything you need to live in quarantine in your home for two weeks .
A photo posted on Reddit February 26 by Joseph Kim , an American living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a kit supplied by local authorities to help him get through quarantine for the COVID-19 virus .
The box also contained a message from the centre for public health in the Gangdong neighbourhood thanking Kim .
`` Thank you for your cooperation in helping avoid the spread of coronavirus .
Here are some supplies to help you during your quarantine .
Please make sure to practice good hygiene ( wash your hands with soap for at least 30 seconds and wear a mask ) .
” Public health workers dropped off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim was instructed to wait for them to leave before going to get it ( Photos from Joseph Kim )

South Korea
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With more than 5,000 identified cases of the COVID-19 virus, South Korea has the second-largest number of infections in the world. In an attempt to stop the epidemic from spreading, the government has launched an aggressive testing campaign – around 110,000 people have been screened so far, according to the website Worldometer. The government is also providing support and assistance to those in quarantine. Our team spoke to two South Korean residents about the country’s fight against coronavirus.
Joseph Kim is an American citizen of Korean origin who works in the capital, Seoul, and lives in the city's eastern district, Gangdong. Last week, he ran into an acquaintance in the hallway at work. That friend was later diagnosed with coronavirus. Kim was contacted by the authorities and was tested for the virus. The result was negative, but doctors still asked him to undergo quarantine for two weeks, which is thought to be the incubation period for the virus.
The local district council identified all of the people who had had contact with my acquaintance and had them tested. They also identified all of the places where he had been. They shut down some of those places and sterilised everything. The council calls me twice a day. They ask me to take my temperature and to pay close attention to any symptoms. I find the way that the epidemic is managed very reassuring. I’d rather see lots of people tested so that all of the cases are identified and can access treatment, as opposed to letting people go untested.
On February 28, Kim took to Reddit to share photos of the box that he had received that day from the dictrict's public health officials. The box contained food, water, masks, toothbrushes, a thermometer, hand-sanitising gel, a bag for dirty tissues and even a guide for how to self-quarantine with instructions for accessing emergency funds from the government. This financial aid is provided to people in quarantine who can’t work. In total, the box is supposed to contain everything you need to live in quarantine in your home for two weeks.
A photo posted on Reddit February 26 by Joseph Kim, an American living in Seoul. The photo shows the contents of a kit supplied by local authorities to help him get through quarantine for the COVID-19 virus.
The box also contained a message from the centre for public health in the Gangdong neighbourhood thanking Kim. "Thank you for your cooperation in helping avoid the spread of coronavirus. Here are some supplies to help you during your quarantine. Please make sure to practice good hygiene (wash your hands with soap for at least 30 seconds and wear a mask).”
Public health workers dropped off the box in front of his house and Kim was instructed to wait for them to leave before going to get it (Photos from Joseph Kim)
Kim’s acquaintance who was diagnosed with Covid-19 is now on the mend.
In an attempt to combat the spread of the virus, South Korea has launched a testing campaign all around the country. Shops, gyms and other facilities where infected people have gone have all been shut down and disinfected. The army has even helped with the campaign.
⛑신종 코로나바이러스19 감염 예방 소독 방역실시⛑ #성남시 #중원구청(신경천 청장), 건설과(조명환 과장), #성남시자율방재단(정종문 단장), 공무원 및 회원 등 50여명이 참석한 가운데 신종 코로나바이러스19 감염 예방을 위해 선제적 대응 방안으로 #성남동 관내 상가 등 일제 소독방역 실시했다 pic.twitter.com/N9V6OVB1N7 김희섭(나의소원,통일) (@kgs95) March 3, 2020
This video shows streets being disinfected. It was posted on Twitter on March 3.
[테크노짐 헬스클럽]
-코로나 19 바이러스 감염예방을 위한
소독과 방역을 했습니다.- pic.twitter.com/6CjWFf7tgd 박장원 (@hipowerqq) February 26, 2020
These videos show a gym being disinfected in Incheon, a town located in northwest South Korea. (The videos were posted on Twitter on February 26).
In an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, the government has increased the number of testing campaigns. President Moon Jae-in declared on March 3 that his country was going “to war” against COVID-19. The government even set up drive-through testing sites where Koreans can be tested while sitting behind the wheel.
'At some stores, bars and restaurants, people are actually verifying passports to make sure that you haven’t come from China'
The centre of South Korea’s epidemic is in the town of Daegu, located 300 kilometres southeast of Seoul. Alice is originally from France and is a student at Daegu University. She went on vacation to Seoul and decided to prolong her stay in the capital to avoid confinement back in Daegu.
There are posters all over and messages are broadcast in the metro reminding us about maintaining hygiene. At some stores, bars and restaurants, people are actually verifying passports to make sure that you haven’t come from China. They take our temperatures and disinfect our hands. It’s really strange at first but ultimately reassuring. We are all wearing masks (in winter, many people do anyway). There are fewer people in the streets but life continues as normal in many ways. Supermarkets are still always full and the neighbourhoods where young people tend to go out remain vibrant. It’s a bit quieter in the week, but at the weekend, it’s easy to forget that we are in the midst of an epidemic.
At this mall in Seoul, customers have to wash their hands before taking the escalator.
At this museum entrance, visitors must wash their hands. Some places have also set up machines to measure people’s temperatures.
Alice also gets daily texts from the Seoul city government.
"To prevent the spread of the virus, please avoid these places,” reads the message sent on March 1 to our Observer in quarantine in Seoul. Sent by city authorities, it contains a list of places to avoid in the city.
"No new cases today. If you have symptoms like fever, coughing or difficulty breathing, contact a health centre. Please be careful to avoid gatherings and respect the rules of hygiene (wash your hands, wear a mask),” says a message from March 2.
President Moon Jae-in apologised on March 3 for a shortage of masks across the country, but both Alice and Kim think that the epidemic is being well-managed in South Korea.
⚠ POUR CEUX QUI VEULENT CONNAÎTRE LA SITUATION RAPPORT AU CORONAVIRUS À SEOUL ⚠ pic.twitter.com/WeTpzQFJL8 Cooki ???? (@toughcooki_) March 2, 2020
Our Observer Alice shares updates on the situation on Twitter. "Korea has the means to test 10,000 people per day, that’s huge!"
This article was written by Marie Genries


france24--2020-03-05--Tokyo: Culture vibes in Japan's new era

Tokyo: Culture vibes in Japan's new era

When people think of Japan they often think of harmony , tranquility and rules but also manga , Hello Kitty @ @ @ @ @ Cuteness , which translates as `` kawaii '' in Japanese , has become Japan 's @ @ @ @ @ host country of the 2020 summer Olympics has so much more to offer .
FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ Jackson takes viewers to Tokyo to check out the vibrant cultural scene in the world @ @ @ @ @ this half-hour documentary , she learns about the reality of kawaii culture , the changing @ @ @ @ @ and meets the revered actors of Kabuki theatre .
She also speaks to one of @ @ @ @ @ artists , Makoto Aida , and attends a Godzilla festival alongside thousands of fans to @ @ @ @ @ birthday .

When people think of Japan they often think of harmony, tranquility and rules but also manga, Hello Kitty, Pokémon and rainbows. Cuteness, which translates as "kawaii" in Japanese, has become Japan's worldwide image. But the host country of the 2020 summer Olympics has so much more to offer. FRANCE 24's culture editor Eve Jackson takes viewers to Tokyo to check out the vibrant cultural scene in the world's largest city.
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During this half-hour documentary, she learns about the reality of kawaii culture, the changing image of women in manga and meets the revered actors of Kabuki theatre.
She also speaks to one of Japan's most famous contemporary artists, Makoto Aida, and attends a Godzilla festival alongside thousands of fans to celebrate the monster's 65th birthday.
With thanks to:
The music for the sequence filmed in Shibuya was composed by Francesco Tristano.
http://www.francescotristano.com/tag/tokyo-stories/
TOKYO PUNK photographs by Chris Low.
UP YOURS! TOKYO PUNK PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
www.facebook.com/chrislow.ph0t0s
www.instagram.com/chris__low
Oeun Sok Heng
Timelapse was used for the first shot and the last 30 seconds of the show with the project teamLab.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-00EDhno4g
Rung Reung City
https://www.facebook.com/chhroychongva/
Editor's note: Regarding the interview of mangaka Akane Torikai, his editor told her that he would prefer that she made the main character a girl that is 24 years old and not younger than 24 like viewers can hear in the show.
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france24--2020-03-05--Erdogan and Putin meet in Moscow to seek rapid ceasefire in Idlib

Russian President Vladimir Putin ( left ) and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a ceremony marking the launch of the TurkStream pipeline , which will carry Russian natural gas to southern Europe through Turkey , in Istanbul , Turkey , on January 8 , 2020 .
The leaders of Turkey and Russia met in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions that have threatened to bring their two countries into direct conflict in Syria .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be looking for Russia 's Vladimir Putin to agree to a rapid ceasefire in Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ankara is battling Moscow-backed regime forces .
Intense fighting has killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib in recent weeks , as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad 's regime .
At the start of the talks , which were still underway at 1430 GMT , Putin expressed his regret over the recent killing of Turkish troops in an air strike , saying the Syrian army had not known of their location .
He said he hoped their talks would help avoid a repeat of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , demanding Europe support his efforts in Syria and prompting a new migration crisis by opening Turkey 's border with Greece to refugees and migrants .
“ [ I hope ] there will be a ceasefire swiftly established ” in Idlib , Erdogan said Wednesday ahead of the talks .
Ankara wants Assad 's forces to cease an assault on Idlib , the last rebel stronghold in Syria , and pull back behind lines agreed under a 2018 deal with Russia brokered in Sochi .
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to stop another influx of refugees , as close to a million civilians in Idlib have been displaced by the regime 's latest assault .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the two leaders would discuss the causes and effects of the crisis and “ joint measures ” they could agree to defuse it .
But Moscow – which launched an air campaign in support of Assad in 2015 – will be keen to send a message that Turkey can not stand in the way of Syria eventually retaking full control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ceasefire announced after the talks between Putin and Erdogan but it 'll be for show , ” a Western diplomat told AFP .
“ I believe Putin will tell Erdogan that 's it for his actions in Syria.
” The Kremlin sees Russia 's campaign in Syria as a key victory of Putin 's foreign policy , with clout and military bases in the country that establish Moscow as a major player in the Middle East .
Experts say Putin is not looking for a full confrontation with NATO member Turkey but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victory in Syria has become a matter of prestige for Russia – and for Putin personally , ” said Yury Barmin , a Middle East analyst at the Russian International Affairs Council .
Despite supporting opposing sides in the war , Russia and Turkey have worked closely to try to resolve the nine-year conflict and avoid direct confrontation between their forces .
But that relationship has been strained in recent days , with the two sides trading accusations of violating the Sochi deal , which created a buffer zone and allowed for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ankara says Russia is not fulfilling part of the deal that guaranteed no attacks on Idlib and the status quo on the ground .
Moscow says Turkey is violating the deal by supporting “ illegal armed groups ” and has accused Turkish forces of mingling with “ terrorists ” who are legitimate targets .
In the latest salvo on Wednesday , Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said “ the fortified positions of terrorists have merged with the Turkish observation posts ” deployed under the Sochi deal .
Turkey said Wednesday that at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in Idlib , after 34 died in an air strike last week blamed on Damascus .
Turkey officially declared an operation against the Assad regime over the weekend , named “ Spring Shield ” .
It has since downed three Syrian warplanes and killed dozens of regime soldiers and allied fighters – mostly through drone strikes – according to monitors .
Erdogan warned Europe on Wednesday that it must support Turkey 's “ political and humanitarian solutions in Syria ” if it wants to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Turkish-Greek border since Erdogan gave them the green light to try to enter Europe , leading to clashes with Greek police .
Turkey hosts some four million refugees , most of them Syrians but also many Afghans and Iraqis , and Erdogan 's move has sparked concern in Europe of a renewed influx of migrants .

The leaders of Turkey and Russia met in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions that have threatened to bring their two countries into direct conflict in Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a ceremony marking the launch of the TurkStream pipeline, which will carry Russian natural gas to southern Europe through Turkey, in Istanbul, Turkey, on January 8, 2020.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be looking for Russia's Vladimir Putin to agree to a rapid ceasefire in Idlib, the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed regime forces.
Intense fighting has killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib in recent weeks, as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
At the start of the talks, which were still underway at 1430 GMT, Putin expressed his regret over the recent killing of Turkish troops in an air strike, saying the Syrian army had not known of their location. He said he hoped their talks would help avoid a repeat of that situation.
Erdogan upped the stakes last week, demanding Europe support his efforts in Syria and prompting a new migration crisis by opening Turkey's border with Greece to refugees and migrants.
“[I hope] there will be a ceasefire swiftly established” in Idlib, Erdogan said Wednesday ahead of the talks.
Ankara wants Assad's forces to cease an assault on Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria, and pull back behind lines agreed under a 2018 deal with Russia brokered in Sochi.
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups against Assad, but its priority now is to stop another influx of refugees, as close to a million civilians in Idlib have been displaced by the regime's latest assault.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the two leaders would discuss the causes and effects of the crisis and “joint measures” they could agree to defuse it.
But Moscow – which launched an air campaign in support of Assad in 2015 – will be keen to send a message that Turkey cannot stand in the way of Syria eventually retaking full control of its territory.
“There might be a ceasefire announced after the talks between Putin and Erdogan but it'll be for show,” a Western diplomat told AFP.
“I believe Putin will tell Erdogan that's it for his actions in Syria.”
Trading accusations
The Kremlin sees Russia's campaign in Syria as a key victory of Putin's foreign policy, with clout and military bases in the country that establish Moscow as a major player in the Middle East.
Experts say Putin is not looking for a full confrontation with NATO member Turkey but also will not back down.
“Victory in Syria has become a matter of prestige for Russia – and for Putin personally,” said Yury Barmin, a Middle East analyst at the Russian International Affairs Council.
Despite supporting opposing sides in the war, Russia and Turkey have worked closely to try to resolve the nine-year conflict and avoid direct confrontation between their forces.
But that relationship has been strained in recent days, with the two sides trading accusations of violating the Sochi deal, which created a buffer zone and allowed for the deployment of 12 Turkish observation posts.
Ankara says Russia is not fulfilling part of the deal that guaranteed no attacks on Idlib and the status quo on the ground.
Moscow says Turkey is violating the deal by supporting “illegal armed groups” and has accused Turkish forces of mingling with “terrorists” who are legitimate targets.
In the latest salvo on Wednesday, Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said “the fortified positions of terrorists have merged with the Turkish observation posts” deployed under the Sochi deal.
Migrants mass on border
Turkey said Wednesday that at least two more Turkish soldiers had been killed in Idlib, after 34 died in an air strike last week blamed on Damascus.
Turkey officially declared an operation against the Assad regime over the weekend, named “Spring Shield”.
It has since downed three Syrian warplanes and killed dozens of regime soldiers and allied fighters – mostly through drone strikes – according to monitors.
Erdogan warned Europe on Wednesday that it must support Turkey's “political and humanitarian solutions in Syria” if it wants to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis.
Thousands of migrants have massed at the Turkish-Greek border since Erdogan gave them the green light to try to enter Europe, leading to clashes with Greek police.
Turkey hosts some four million refugees, most of them Syrians but also many Afghans and Iraqis, and Erdogan's move has sparked concern in Europe of a renewed influx of migrants.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-06--Several injured in attack near US embassy in Tunisia’s capital

Security forces at the scene of Friday 's blast near the US embassy in Tunis .
A militant on a motorbike blew himself up outside the US embassy in Tunisia on Friday , wounding several police officers .
Embassy officials confirmed the attack in a tweet , urging people to avoid the area in the Tunisian capital 's Berges du Lac district .
FRANCE 24 ’ s correspondent Fadil Aliriza reported a heavy security presence at the scene and what appeared to be body parts on the ground .
Aliriza said a source inside the embassy confirmed a man had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The man had tried to enter the embassy but was prevented by police who guarded the diplomatic mission , a police official told AFP .
Radio Mosaique , a local radio station , reported that the attacker injured five police officers when blowing himself up .
The station also reported that there may have been a second perpetrator .
Islamic extremists have targeted Tunisia in recent years , killing scores of people .
Last summer , the Islamic State group said it was behind three militant blasts in the capital , including one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policeman and another that wounded five people during a security operation to detain a suspect .
Tunisia 's critical tourism sector is highly vulnerable to militant incidents and was devastated after two major attacks in 2015 , which killed scores of visitors at a beach resort and a popular museum .
Diplomats who have worked with Tunisia on its security capacity say it has grown more effective in preventing and responding to militant attacks in recent years .

Two militants on a motorbike blew themselves up outside the US embassy in Tunis on Friday, killing a policeman and injuring several others in the country's most serious attack in months.
Security forces at the scene of Friday's blast near the US embassy in Tunis.
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Tunisia's Interior Ministry said the two militants were killed carrying out the attack, and five police officers were injured. State news agency TAP later reported the death of one policeman in the attack.
Sirens could be heard on the major highway linking the Berges du Lac district, where the embassy is located, with central Tunis and suburbs in the north. The US embassy in a tweet urged people to avoid the area.
FRANCE 24’s correspondent Fadil Aliriza reported a heavy security presence at the scene and what appeared to be body parts on the ground.
Emergency personnel are responding to an explosion that occurred near the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. Please avoid the area and monitor local media for updates. — U.S. Embassy Tunis (@usembassytunis) March 6, 2020
Islamic extremists have targeted Tunisia in recent years, killing scores of people.
Last summer, the Islamic State group said it was behind three militant blasts in the capital, including one near the French embassy that killed a policeman and another that wounded five people during a security operation to detain a suspect.
Tunisia's critical tourism sector is highly vulnerable to militant incidents and was devastated after two major attacks in 2015, which killed scores of visitors at a beach resort and a popular museum.
Diplomats who have worked with Tunisia on its security capacity say it has grown more effective in preventing and responding to militant attacks in recent years.
A ‘very powerful explosion’
Photographs of the blast site posted on social media showed debris strewn around the area of a security checkpoint that controls access to the embassy, and damaged vehicles.
"We heard a very powerful explosion ... we saw the remains of the terrorist lying on the ground after he went on the motorbike towards the police," said Amira, a shopkeeper.
Diplomats who have worked with Tunisia on its security capacity say it has grown more effective in preventing and responding to militant attacks in recent years.
An al Qaeda group has been sheltering for years in the desolate, hilly terrain along a stretch of the border with Algeria and sometimes clashes with security forces there, but is regarded as having been closely contained.
Hundreds of Tunisians have also travelled to Iraq, Syria or Libya in recent years to join the Islamic State group, and in 2016 members of the group rampaged across the border with Libya and fought the army in a border town, but were repulsed.
"The attack indicates that the security challenge remains a major challenge in Tunisia," said local security analyst Ali Zarmedini.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-06--Pope accepts resignation of French cardinal Barbarin amid sex abuse case

French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin leaves following a press conference on March 7 , 2019 in Lyon , during which he @ @ @ @ @ following his conviction for failing to report the sex abuse of minors by one of @ @ @

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of a French cardinal who failed to report an alleged paedophile priest, the Catholic Church in Lyon said Friday.
French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin leaves following a press conference on March 7, 2019 in Lyon, during which he announced that he will resign following his conviction for failing to report the sex abuse of minors by one of his priests.
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Archbishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin is the most senior French priest to be caught up in a global paedophilia scandal that has seen clergy hauled before courts from Argentina to Australia.
Barbarin, 69, a staunch conservative who became archbishop of the French city in 2002, has long been accused by victims' groups of turning a blind eye to decades of child abuse in his diocese that blighted many lives.
He was convicted last year of not reporting a priest for allegedly abused dozens of boy scouts in the 1980s and 1990s -- but the conviction was overturned on appeal in January.
Appeals judges said Barbarin should have reported the priest but found that he could not be held criminally liable because the incidents happened too long ago.
Hours after the ruling, Barbarin announced he would offer his resignation to the pope, who had refused an initial request pending the outcome of the appeal. This time, the pope accepted his offer.
Bernard Preynat, the priest he was initially convicted of protecting, has been defrocked and is awaiting a ruling on March 16 in a sex-abuse trial.
Preynat confessed at trial in January to "caresses" he knew were forbidden and admitted he got sexual pleasure from acts with boy scouts at camps he supervised.
'Seriously objectionable'
Barbarin was initially given a six-month suspended sentence last March after he failed to report Preynat despite being told of alleged abuse on two occasions -- by the priest himself in 2010 and four years later by an alleged victim.
The cardinal said on Friday the last four years had been ones of "great, great suffering" for him, telling KTO Catholic TV channel: "I think there is a great deal of suffering that the victims bore first, and it is really for them that we must pray.
"These were terrible acts and it is important that a page be turned."
Barbarin's eventual trial came largely because a group of victims campaigned for an investigation.
The appeals judges said it was "seriously objectionable from a moral point of view" that Preynat had been allowed to remain in contact with children for five years after he confessed the abuse to Barbarin.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-06--‘Nothing to go back to’: The migrants stranded at Turkey’s border with Greece

Migrants stranded at the bus station in the Turkish border city of Edirne , which has been transformed into a @ @ @ @ @ after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his country would no longer be the gatekeeper @ @ @ @ @ migrants are still camping out near the Greek border , unable to make the crossing @ @ @ @ @ reporters visited a makeshift camp in the Turkish border city of Edirne , where migrants @ @ @ @ @ back and forth by both Turkish and Greek police , with nowhere to go .
@ @ @ @ @ to watch the report by Catherine Norris-Trent , Abdallah Malkawi and Bilal Tarabey , and @ @ @ @ @ reporting below .

IN THE FIELD
A week after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his country would no longer be the gatekeeper for Europe, thousands of migrants are still camping out near the Greek border, unable to make the crossing.
Migrants stranded at the bus station in the Turkish border city of Edirne, which has been transformed into a migrant camp.
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FRANCE 24’s reporters visited a makeshift camp in the Turkish border city of Edirne, where migrants say they are being pushed back and forth by both Turkish and Greek police, with nowhere to go.
Click on the player above to watch the report by Catherine Norris-Trent, Abdallah Malkawi and Bilal Tarabey, and watch Catherine Norris-Trent's additional reporting below.
02:55
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france24--2020-03-06--French lawmaker hospitalised as Macron warns coronavirus epidemic ‘inevitable’

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that an epidemic of the coronavirus in France is now `` inevitable '' .
A member of France 's National Assembly has been hospitalised in intensive care after contracting coronavirus , the lower house of parliament said in a statement on Thursday , as the French president warned the public to prepare for an `` inevitable '' epidemic .
A snack bar worker had also contracted the virus and had been confined to home while another worker in the lawmakers ' dining hall who was suspected of having caught the virus had been hospitalised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not name the legislator who had contracted the virus , but added that all lawmakers and personnel had been informed about the situation .
France is inexorably heading towards a coronavirus epidemic , President Emmanuel Macron warned on Thursday as the health ministry reported three more deaths from the disease , bringing the country 's toll to seven .
`` There is a moment when we all know that ... an epidemic is inevitable , '' Macron said .
The country recorded 138 new virus cases on Thursday in the biggest daily jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide to 423 .
In a sign of the growing concern over the French figures , the EU parliament announced that the venue for next week 's session would be switched from Strasbourg in eastern France to the Belgian capital Brussels .
`` The situation related to the spread of the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has evolved over the last few days and hours .
In particular , new infection clusters have been confirmed and case numbers are rising , '' Parliament President David Sassoli said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not in place for the usual transfer of the European Parliament to Strasbourg for the plenary session next week , '' he added .
Of the seven dead in France six are men and one is a woman , the deputy head of the health ministry , Jérôme Salomon , told reporters .
Twenty-three people are in serious condition in hospital , he said , adding that all 13 regions in mainland France now had cases of infection .
Macron met Thursday with top researchers leading the efforts to fight an outbreak that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said Wednesday that officials would probably have to raise the country 's epidemic alert to the maximum of level three , potentially leading to travel restrictions and clampdowns on public activities .
Jean-François Delfraissy , an immunologist from a group of experts carrying out research on the virus , said after meeting with Macron that the top alert level would probably be reached `` in a few days , maximum one or two weeks '' .
One of the latest victims is a 73-year-old person in the Oise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 105 cases has been reported , the health ministry said .
Another is a 64-year-old from the nearby Aisne department , the ministry said .
The third was a 79-year-old man .
At least two of the new fatalities had links to the Oise town of Crepy-en-Valois which lost a 60-year-old schoolteacher to the virus .
On Thursday , Paris métro operator RATP reported that a station agent had tested positive for the virus , and had worked for several days before being hospitalised .
A RATP union official said the woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month in the eastern city of Mulhouse , where officials have said several other participants had come down with the disease .
There have been instances of panic buying in some French stores , with everything from face masks to toilet rolls being hoarded .
Three men in their 20s were arrested in the greater Paris region on Thursday suspected of trying to sell 40,000 face masks , all past their expiry dates .
They had used solvents to remove the sell-by dates .

A member of France's National Assembly has been hospitalised in intensive care after contracting coronavirus, the lower house of parliament said in a statement on Thursday, as the French president warned the public to prepare for an "inevitable" epidemic.
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that an epidemic of the coronavirus in France is now "inevitable".
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A snack bar worker had also contracted the virus and had been confined to home while another worker in the lawmakers' dining hall who was suspected of having caught the virus had been hospitalised, the Assembly said.
It did not name the legislator who had contracted the virus, but added that all lawmakers and personnel had been informed about the situation.
France is inexorably heading towards a coronavirus epidemic, President Emmanuel Macron warned on Thursday as the health ministry reported three more deaths from the disease, bringing the country's toll to seven.
"There is a moment when we all know that ... an epidemic is inevitable," Macron said.
The country recorded 138 new virus cases on Thursday in the biggest daily jump thus far, bringing the total number nationwide to 423.
In a sign of the growing concern over the French figures, the EU parliament announced that the venue for next week's session would be switched from Strasbourg in eastern France to the Belgian capital Brussels.
"The situation related to the spread of the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has evolved over the last few days and hours. In particular, new infection clusters have been confirmed and case numbers are rising," Parliament President David Sassoli said in a statement.
"The necessary security conditions are not in place for the usual transfer of the European Parliament to Strasbourg for the plenary session next week," he added.
Of the seven dead in France six are men and one is a woman, the deputy head of the health ministry, Jérôme Salomon, told reporters.
Twenty-three people are in serious condition in hospital, he said, adding that all 13 regions in mainland France now had cases of infection.
Raising alert level
Macron met Thursday with top researchers leading the efforts to fight an outbreak that has seen authorities close around 150 schools.
Government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said Wednesday that officials would probably have to raise the country's epidemic alert to the maximum of level three, potentially leading to travel restrictions and clampdowns on public activities.
Jean-François Delfraissy, an immunologist from a group of experts carrying out research on the virus, said after meeting with Macron that the top alert level would probably be reached "in a few days, maximum one or two weeks".
One of the latest victims is a 73-year-old person in the Oise department north of Paris where a cluster of 105 cases has been reported, the health ministry said.
Another is a 64-year-old from the nearby Aisne department, the ministry said. The third was a 79-year-old man.
At least two of the new fatalities had links to the Oise town of Crepy-en-Valois which lost a 60-year-old schoolteacher to the virus.
On Thursday, Paris métro operator RATP reported that a station agent had tested positive for the virus, and had worked for several days before being hospitalised.
A RATP union official said the woman had taken part in an evangelical rally last month in the eastern city of Mulhouse, where officials have said several other participants had come down with the disease.
There have been instances of panic buying in some French stores, with everything from face masks to toilet rolls being hoarded.
Three men in their 20s were arrested in the greater Paris region on Thursday suspected of trying to sell 40,000 face masks, all past their expiry dates.
They had used solvents to remove the sell-by dates.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-03-06--Nearly 90 percent of world population biased against women, UN study finds

Young women in Srinagar , Pakistan , where the UN Development Programme study found that virtually all men and women hold at least one sexist view .
Nearly 90 percent of the world 's population – of every gender – holds some prejudice against women , according to a UN study published Thursday , ahead of International Women 's Day .
The United Nations Development Programme studied 75 countries representing 80 percent of the world 's population and found that nine in 10 people – including women – hold such beliefs .
The prejudiced views include : that men are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; that going to university is more important for men than women ; and that men should get preferential treatment in competitive job markets .
The percentage of those holding at least one sexist bias was largest in Pakistan – where 99.81 percent of people held similar prejudices – followed by Qatar and Nigeria , both at 99.73 percent .
Countries with the lowest population of those with sexist beliefs were Andorra , at 27.01 percent , Sweden with 30.01 percent and the Netherlands , 39.75 percent .
France , Britain and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scores , 56 percent , 54.6 percent and 57.31 percent of people respectively holding at least one sexist belief .
The numbers show `` new clues to the invisible barriers women face in achieving equality '' despite `` decades of progress , '' the UN Development Programme said in a statement accompanying the report .
`` The work that has been so effective in ensuring an end to gaps in health or education must now evolve to address something far more challenging : a deeply ingrained bias – among both men and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administrator Achim Steiner said .
The agency called on governments and institutions to change discriminatory beliefs and practices through education .
Beyond inequalities in education , health and the economy , the statement also called out one of the report 's most chilling findings : 28 percent of people believe it is okay for a man to beat his wife .

Nearly 90 percent of the world's population – of every gender – holds some prejudice against women, according to a UN study published Thursday, ahead of International Women's Day.
Young women in Srinagar, Pakistan, where the UN Development Programme study found that virtually all men and women hold at least one sexist view.
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The United Nations Development Programme studied 75 countries representing 80 percent of the world's population and found that nine in 10 people – including women – hold such beliefs.
The prejudiced views include: that men are better politicians and business leaders than women; that going to university is more important for men than women; and that men should get preferential treatment in competitive job markets.
The percentage of those holding at least one sexist bias was largest in Pakistan – where 99.81 percent of people held similar prejudices – followed by Qatar and Nigeria, both at 99.73 percent.
According to @HDRUNDP’s new Gender Social Norms Index, nearly 90% of men & women hold some sort of bias against women. #CheckYourBias https://t.co/5n6oY2FmHP — UN News (@UN_News_Centre) March 5, 2020
Countries with the lowest population of those with sexist beliefs were Andorra, at 27.01 percent, Sweden with 30.01 percent and the Netherlands, 39.75 percent.
France, Britain and the United States each came in with similar scores, 56 percent, 54.6 percent and 57.31 percent of people respectively holding at least one sexist belief.
The numbers show "new clues to the invisible barriers women face in achieving equality" despite "decades of progress," the UN Development Programme said in a statement accompanying the report.
"The work that has been so effective in ensuring an end to gaps in health or education must now evolve to address something far more challenging: a deeply ingrained bias – among both men and women – against genuine equality," UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said.
The agency called on governments and institutions to change discriminatory beliefs and practices through education.
Beyond inequalities in education, health and the economy, the statement also called out one of the report's most chilling findings: 28 percent of people believe it is okay for a man to beat his wife.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-06--Dubai's ruler ordered daughters' abduction and intimidated ex-wife, UK court rules

The court said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum conducted a campaign of fear and intimidation against his former wife and ordered the abduction of two of his daughters .
Dubai 's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum ordered the abduction of two of his daughters and subjected his former wife to a `` campaign of fear and intimidation '' , forcing her to flee to London with their two children , according to a British court ruling made public on Thursday .
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein , 45 , fled the United Arab Emirates last April having become `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also the vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates .
Soon afterwards , the 70-year-old sheikh applied for their two children -- a son aged eight and a 12-year-old daughter -- to be returned to the Gulf kingdom .
But Princess Haya , a half-sister of Jordan 's King Abdullah II , applied for the children to be made wards of court and filed a non-molestation order for herself .
She asked during a London hearing for a judge to make findings of fact about the kidnapping and forced detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughters from a previous marriage .
She also alleged she had faced a `` campaign of fear and intimidation '' since she left last year .
Sheikh Mohammed , who owns the Godolphin horse racing stable , tried to prevent two of the court rulings being made public .
But the Supreme Court rejected his application on Thursday morning , allowing them to be published .
Judge Andrew McFarlane , who heads the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales , found Sheikh Mohammed `` ordered and orchestrated '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Cambridge when she was 19 in August 2000 .
She was forcibly returned to Dubai and `` has been deprived of her liberty for much , if not all , of the past two decades '' , he said .
He also found Shamsa 's sister , Latifa , 35 , was seized and returned to Dubai twice , in 2002 and again in 2018 .
She was held `` on the instructions of her father '' for more than three years after the first attempted escape .
Her second made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a friend of Latifa who helped her escape that Indian special forces boarded a boat off the Indian coast on March 4 , 2018 before she was returned to Dubai were also found to be proven .
`` She was pleading for the soldiers to kill her rather than face the prospect of going back to her family in Dubai , '' McFarlane said .
`` Drawing these matters together I conclude , on the balance of probability , that Latifa 's account of her motives for wishing to leave Dubai represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate to extricate herself from her family and prepared to undertake a dangerous mission in order to do so . ''
Lawyer Charles Geekie , representing Princess Haya , said at a hearing last November that his client had been left anonymous notes threatening the lives of her son and daughter .
She also told the court of `` deliberate threats '' and even of a helicopter landing outside her house when the pilot told her he had come to take a passenger to a desert prison .
The court was also told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge on February 7 , 2019 -- the 20th anniversary of the death of her father king Hussein of Jordan .
Judge McFarlane said it was `` clear the date will have been chosen ... to maximise insult and upset to her '' .
He agreed with Geekie that events since 2000 showed `` a number of common themes , at the core of which is the use of the state and its apparatus to threaten , intimidate , mistreat and oppress with a total disregard for the rule of law '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ submission that these findings , taken together , demonstrate a consistent course of conduct over two decades where , if he deems it necessary to do so , the father will use the very substantial powers at his disposal to achieve his particular aims . ''
In a statement after the publication of the rulings , Sheikh Mohammed strongly denied the claims and said the case involved `` highly personal and private matters relating to our children '' .
He said he appealed to the Supreme Court `` to protect the best interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The outcome does not protect my children from media attention in the way that other children in family proceedings in the UK are protected , '' he said , calling the process one-sided .
`` As a head of government , I was not able to participate in the court 's fact-finding process . ''

Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum ordered the abduction of two of his daughters and subjected his former wife to a "campaign of fear and intimidation", forcing her to flee to London with their two children, according to a British court ruling made public on Thursday.
The court said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum conducted a campaign of fear and intimidation against his former wife and ordered the abduction of two of his daughters.
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Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, 45, fled the United Arab Emirates last April having become "terrified" of her husband, who is also the vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Soon afterwards, the 70-year-old sheikh applied for their two children -- a son aged eight and a 12-year-old daughter -- to be returned to the Gulf kingdom.
But Princess Haya, a half-sister of Jordan's King Abdullah II, applied for the children to be made wards of court and filed a non-molestation order for herself.
She asked during a London hearing for a judge to make findings of fact about the kidnapping and forced detention of two of the sheikh's adult daughters from a previous marriage.
She also alleged she had faced a "campaign of fear and intimidation" since she left last year.
Seized and detained
Sheikh Mohammed, who owns the Godolphin horse racing stable, tried to prevent two of the court rulings being made public.
But the Supreme Court rejected his application on Thursday morning, allowing them to be published.
Judge Andrew McFarlane, who heads the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales, found Sheikh Mohammed "ordered and orchestrated" the abduction of Sheikha Shamsa from the UK city of Cambridge when she was 19 in August 2000.
She was forcibly returned to Dubai and "has been deprived of her liberty for much, if not all, of the past two decades", he said.
He also found Shamsa's sister, Latifa, 35, was seized and returned to Dubai twice, in 2002 and again in 2018.
She was held "on the instructions of her father" for more than three years after the first attempted escape. Her second made global headlines in March 2018.
Claims by a friend of Latifa who helped her escape that Indian special forces boarded a boat off the Indian coast on March 4, 2018 before she was returned to Dubai were also found to be proven.
"She was pleading for the soldiers to kill her rather than face the prospect of going back to her family in Dubai," McFarlane said.
"Drawing these matters together I conclude, on the balance of probability, that Latifa's account of her motives for wishing to leave Dubai represents the truth.
"She was plainly desperate to extricate herself from her family and prepared to undertake a dangerous mission in order to do so."
Secret divorce
Lawyer Charles Geekie, representing Princess Haya, said at a hearing last November that his client had been left anonymous notes threatening the lives of her son and daughter.
She also told the court of "deliberate threats" and even of a helicopter landing outside her house when the pilot told her he had come to take a passenger to a desert prison.
The court was also told the sheikh divorced Princess Haya without her knowledge on February 7, 2019 -- the 20th anniversary of the death of her father king Hussein of Jordan.
Judge McFarlane said it was "clear the date will have been chosen... to maximise insult and upset to her".
He agreed with Geekie that events since 2000 showed "a number of common themes, at the core of which is the use of the state and its apparatus to threaten, intimidate, mistreat and oppress with a total disregard for the rule of law".
"I also accept Mr Geekie's submission that these findings, taken together, demonstrate a consistent course of conduct over two decades where, if he deems it necessary to do so, the father will use the very substantial powers at his disposal to achieve his particular aims."
One-sided
In a statement after the publication of the rulings, Sheikh Mohammed strongly denied the claims and said the case involved "highly personal and private matters relating to our children".
He said he appealed to the Supreme Court "to protect the best interests and welfare of the children".
"The outcome does not protect my children from media attention in the way that other children in family proceedings in the UK are protected," he said, calling the process one-sided.
"As a head of government, I was not able to participate in the court's fact-finding process."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-06--Saint-Etienne seal comeback win to reach first French Cup final since 1982

Saint-Etienne 's Ryad Boudebouz celebrates after scoring the winner at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium on Thursday .
Saint-Etienne reached their @ @ @ @ @ 38 years with a dramatic 2-1 win over title holders Stade Rennais on Thursday thanks @ @ @ @ @ midfielder Ryad Boudebouz .
The home side had fallen behind after M'Baye Niang converted a @ @ @ @ @ but Timothee Kolodziejczak drew Saint-Etienne level shortly before half-time with a header .
The match @ @ @ @ @ Algeria international Boudebouz sparked wild scenes among the home fans with a thumping drive into @ @ @ @ @ the fourth minute of added time .
Saint-Etienne , who are languishing two points above @ @ @ @ @ 1 , won the last of their six French Cup titles in 1977 .
The @ @ @ @ @ final was back in 1982 , when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty @ @ @ @ @ will meet again in this year 's final after PSG trounced Olympique Lyonnais 5-1 on @ @ @ @ @ .

Saint-Etienne reached their first French Cup final in 38 years with a dramatic 2-1 win over title holders Stade Rennais on Thursday thanks to a stoppage-time strike from midfielder Ryad Boudebouz.
Saint-Etienne's Ryad Boudebouz celebrates after scoring the winner at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium on Thursday.
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The home side had fallen behind after M'Baye Niang converted a penalty in the 33rd minute but Timothee Kolodziejczak drew Saint-Etienne level shortly before half-time with a header.
The match looked set for extra-time but Algeria international Boudebouz sparked wild scenes among the home fans with a thumping drive into the far bottom corner in the fourth minute of added time.
Saint-Etienne, who are languishing two points above the relegation zone in Ligue 1, won the last of their six French Cup titles in 1977. The last time they reached a final was back in 1982, when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout.
The two teams will meet again in this year's final after PSG trounced Olympique Lyonnais 5-1 on Wednesday in the other semi-final.
Happened this evening: Saint Etienne beat Rennes 2-1 to reach French Cup finals for the first time in 38 years and this is how the fans celebrated. Interestingly they meet PSG in the 2020 finals- same side they faced in 1982. pic.twitter.com/0FKx18AMUC — GARIBA RAUBIL (@GRAUBIL) March 5, 2020
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-05--Ceasefire agreed between Putin, Erdogan comes into effect for Syria’s Idlib

A ceasefire in northern Syria agreed between Russia and Turkey came into force on Friday , aiming to halt intense fighting that has sparked a humanitarian disaster and raised fears of their armies clashing .
The deal struck between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes after an escalation of violence in Idlib , the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed government forces .
Nearly a million civilians have fled their homes due to the bloodshed and dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed .
Putin and Erdogan agreed on the ceasefire from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after more than six hours of talks in Moscow .
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres `` hopes that this agreement will lead to an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities that ensures the protection of civilians in northwest Syria '' , his spokesman said in a statement Thursday .
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor , which had reported bombings just minutes before the midnight deadline , said there was `` relative '' calm in the region after the ceasefire came into operation .
The Britain-based Observatory reported that Russian and Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` artillery fire ... by Syrian regime forces on the positions of insurgent groups '' in areas controlled by jihadists in parts of Aleppo and Hama bordering Idlib .
The situation in Idlib , the last rebel stronghold in Syria 's nine-year civil war , had become critical as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad 's forces .
Earlier , Putin told a joint press conference that the agreement would `` serve as a good basis for ending fighting '' in Idlib .
Erdogan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to `` retaliate with all its strength against any attack '' by Damascus .
The agreement will also create a security corridor along the key M4 highway in northern Syria , where Turkish and Russian forces will launch joint patrols from March 15 .
Russia has requested a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council for Friday in order to brief members on the agreement , a diplomatic source told AFP .
But there was scepticism over the deal among those displaced by the fighting .
`` I do n't think this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , originally from Sarmin in the south of the province , told AFP .
`` It will end like the ones before , '' said the 33-year-old father of four , referring to an agreement reached in the Russian city of Sochi in 2018 that created a `` de-escalation '' zone in Idlib .
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups against Assad but its priority now is to stop an influx of refugees among those fleeing an offensive the regime has been pressing on Idlib since December .
Ankara has demanded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and last week opened its border with EU member Greece to migrants -- a move decried by some in the bloc as `` blackmail '' .
In the run-up to Thursday 's talks , Russia and Turkey had traded accusations of violating the deal .
Turkey officially declared an operation against the Assad government over the weekend , after 34 Turkish soldiers died in an air strike blamed on Damascus .
It has since downed three Syrian warplanes and killed dozens of soldiers and allied fighters , according to monitors .
Two more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire in Idlib , the defence ministry said , just hours before the ceasefire took effect .
The Turkish defence ministry said early Friday Turkish armed drones `` neutralised '' 21 regime troops in strikes at 4pm local time Thursday in retaliation for the soldiers who were killed .
The deal leaves open the fate of the Turkish observation posts in Idlib , which have been surrounded since Damascus launched its offensive .
But it does mark the first time Russian and Turkish forces will operate jointly in Idlib .
The security corridor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second city Aleppo to the coast through Idlib , will run six kilometres ( around four miles ) deep both north and south of the highway .
The joint Russian-Turkish patrols will operate between the town of Tronba in Idlib and a village in Latakia province , a regime stronghold .
Fighting continued elsewhere in Idlib on Thursday , with Russian air strikes killing at least 15 civilians gathered outside the town of Maaret Misrin , the Observatory said .
Erdogan warned Europe on Wednesday that it must support Turkey 's `` political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wants to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis .
Thousands of migrants have massed at the Turkish-Greek border since Erdogan gave them the green light to try to enter Europe , leading to clashes with Greek police .
Turkey hosts roughly 3.6 million refugees from Syria -- and hundreds of thousands from elsewhere -- and Erdogan 's move has sparked concern in Europe of a renewed influx of migrants .