france24--2020-04-27--As France releases thousands, can Covid-19 end chronic prison overcrowding?

Contingency measures dictated by the coronavirus pandemic are on the verge of achieving a historic goal of human rights campaigners : bringing the overall population of French prisons down to the number they were designed for , not more .
But the good news stops there .
In the century and a half since it was first enshrined in French law , the principle that prison cells should have only one occupant has been ignored , postponed , reaffirmed and flouted time and time again .
With France now in the midst of a health emergency and its prisons likened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that elusive principle finally being put into practice ?
At first glance , the figures suggest so .
On the eve of the country ’ s Covid-19 lockdown , France had more than 72,000 people behind bars for a prison capacity of around 61,000 – an all-time occupancy record of 119 percent .
A month later , emergency measures designed to contain the spread of the virus have reduced the prison population by around 10,000 , bringing the occupancy rate tantalisingly close to the symbolic threshold of 100 % .
Where there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way , quipped the influential lawyer and blogger Maitre Eolas on Twitter , marvelling at the speed with which a “ supposedly irreducible ” prison population had been cut back .
However , experts have questioned the notion of “ will ” , noting that the government ’ s arm was effectively twisted by an unprecedented health emergency .
In facilitating the release of some detainees , the government “ was motivated first and foremost by the health crisis , not by substantive considerations ” , says François Bès of the International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview with FRANCE 24 .
“ They were effectively compelled by the epidemic , ” he adds .
“ Hence our concern that we ’ ll soon plunge back into the catastrophic situation we had before.
” With their combination of cramped quarters , poor sanitation and desperate overcrowding , prisons in France and in other countries have been described as epidemiological bombs , an ideal breeding ground for the novel coronavirus .
“ If you set out to create an institution with the express intent of concentrating and transmitting Covid-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison , ” Richard Garside , the director of Britain ’ s Centre for Crime and Justice Studies , told the Guardian newspaper last week , pointing to the UK ’ s overcrowded prisons in particular .
Garside ’ s centre has launched a Europe-wide project to compare measures taken by different governments , warning that inaction by the UK government is endangering the lives of prisoners , staff and the general public .
In France , where the state was reprimanded this year by the European Court of Human Rights for failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved to defer short prison sentences for non-dangerous offenders and facilitate early release for detainees who only had two months left to serve .
Those measures , combined with a sudden decrease in the number of new sentences ( largely owing to the lockdown ) , account for the sharp drop in the overall prison population witnessed over the past month .
“ It ’ s a clear improvement , but we must go further , ” says Anne-Sophie Wallach , national secretary of the Syndicat de la Magistrature , a magistrates ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still a long way from reaching the 100 percent mark across the board , ” Wallach tells FRANCE 24 , noting that some prisons – particularly those for shorter sentences – operate at “ 130 percent , 150 percent or even 180 percent ” of their official capacity .
“ As a result , 100 percent occupancy nationwide doesn ’ t necessarily translate into single-occupancy cells , ” she adds .
“ There are still facilities where inmates sleep on the floor , two or three per cell.
” Far from easing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced inside prisons have aggravated the overcrowding in some cases .
“ Inmates have been crammed together in designated areas , in order to free up space for suspected Covid-19 cases that need to be isolated , ” says Bès , whose organisation has collected numerous witness accounts of inmates holed up three per cell in just nine square metres .
In the absence of proper testing for the virus , there are fears Covid-19 cases are being lumped together in quarantined areas with people suffering from ordinary ailments , thereby putting lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And despite the best efforts of some prison workers , basic protection measures that are taken for granted elsewhere , such as sanitation and social distancing , are almost entirely lacking inside prisons , ” he adds .
According to the OIP , the lack of testing also casts doubt on infection figures provided by the French prison authority .
Its latest bulletin , released on April 23 , spoke of 101 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates – including one fatality – and 259 cases among prison guards – also including one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken a heavy toll on the psychological health of inmates , who have been deprived of family visits – their only link with the outside world – since the start of the crisis .
To make up for this severed link , which triggered angry protests at several prisons in March , the authorities have expanded access to television and phone calls , and warned that early releases would be conditional on prisoners ’ good conduct .
However , strict confinement rules and a critical lack of information have exacerbated inmates ’ isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ twice being punished ” , says Bès .
“ Inmates are kept in the dark about what is going on , ” he explains .
“ And if there ’ s one thing they have no shortage of , it ’ s time to ruminate and brood dark thoughts.
” In leaked video messages collected by investigative website Mediapart earlier this month , detainees can be heard voicing their fears , anger and sense of abandonment .
“ Every day we watch the news and see people outside talking about protection we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one prisoner in the Paris region .
“ If the virus gets inside , you can ’ t imagine the chaos , the number of dead you ’ ll be counting.
” The prison is a “ pressure cooker waiting to explode ” , says another detainee , in the south of France , turning on his feet to reveal the cramped cell he shares with two other inmates .
In recent days , prison observers have reported some improvements at the country ’ s facilities , notably on the vexing issue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison guards and inmates performing “ general service ” duties – such as cleaning , cooking and maintenance chores – have finally received face masks after going several weeks without them .
Generally speaking , the current crisis has helped raise awareness of the plight of France ’ s prisoners – and offered a chance to expand early-release schemes .
“ Now we know it ’ s possible to reduce the prison population , without doing harm to society , ” says Wallach , of the magistrates ' union .
“ Those released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail anyway – there is no reason to be fearful.
” “ Which begs the question , what were they doing in jail in the first place ?
” adds Bès .
Though she is not confident that the one-off contingency measures witnessed during the pandemic will lead to durable change , Wallach concedes that the precedent could have some effect on future rulings , “ perhaps tilting the scale in favour of probation over prison ” .
In this respect , the strongest pressure may come from the jailers themselves , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used by prison directors in recent weeks .
In an open letter published on April 20 , the main union representing prison directors urged the French president to build on the “ enormous hope ” raised by the sudden decline in France ’ s prison population .
“ The epidemic that is hitting us hard has brushed aside all prohibitions and apprehensions : never again will it be possible to argue that single occupancy is an unattainable objective , ” read the letter by the SNDP union .
“ The taboo has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging President Macron to show “ courage and coherence ” once the virus has been vanquished .

Contingency measures dictated by the coronavirus pandemic are on the verge of achieving a historic goal of human rights campaigners: bringing the overall population of French prisons down to the number they were designed for, not more. But the good news stops there.
Advertising Read more
In the century and a half since it was first enshrined in French law, the principle that prison cells should have only one occupant has been ignored, postponed, reaffirmed and flouted time and time again.
With France now in the midst of a health emergency and its prisons likened to “epidemiological bombs”, is that elusive principle finally being put into practice?
At first glance, the figures suggest so.
On the eve of the country’s Covid-19 lockdown, France had more than 72,000 people behind bars for a prison capacity of around 61,000 – an all-time occupancy record of 119 percent.
A month later, the head of the country's prison authority told lawmakers that emergency measures designed to contain the spread of the virus had reduced the prison population by around 10,000, bringing the occupancy rate tantalisingly close to the symbolic threshold of 100%.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way, quipped the influential lawyer and blogger Maitre Eolas on Twitter, marvelling at the speed with which a “supposedly irreducible” prison population had been cut back.
However, experts have questioned the notion of “will”, noting that the government’s arm was effectively twisted by an unprecedented health emergency.
In facilitating the release of some detainees, the government “was motivated first and foremost by the health crisis, not by substantive considerations”, says François Bès of the International Prison Observatory (OIP), in an interview with FRANCE 24.
“They were effectively compelled by the epidemic,” he adds. “Hence our concern that we’ll soon plunge back into the catastrophic situation we had before.”
Breeding ground for the virus
With their combination of cramped quarters, poor sanitation and desperate overcrowding, prisons in France and in other countries have been described as epidemiological bombs, an ideal breeding ground for the novel coronavirus.
“If you set out to create an institution with the express intent of concentrating and transmitting Covid-19, it would probably look much like a prison,” Richard Garside, the director of Britain’s Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, told the Guardian newspaper last week, pointing to the UK’s overcrowded prisons in particular.
Garside’s centre has launched a Europe-wide project to compare measures taken by different governments, warning that inaction by the UK government is endangering the lives of prisoners, staff and the general public.
In France, where the state was reprimanded this year by the European Court of Human Rights for failing to tackle prison overcrowding, officials have moved to defer short prison sentences for non-dangerous offenders and facilitate early release for detainees who only had two months left to serve.
Those measures, combined with a sudden decrease in the number of new sentences (largely owing to the lockdown), account for the sharp drop in the overall prison population witnessed over the past month.
>> Coronavirus: France extends detentions and suspends trials, raising rights concerns
“It’s a clear improvement, but we must go further,” says Anne-Sophie Wallach, national secretary of the Syndicat de la Magistrature, a magistrates’ trade union.
“We’re still a long way from reaching the 100 percent mark across the board,” Wallach tells FRANCE 24, noting that some prisons – particularly those for shorter sentences – operate at “130 percent, 150 percent or even 180 percent” of their official capacity.
“As a result, 100 percent occupancy nationwide doesn’t necessarily translate into single-occupancy cells,” she adds. “There are still facilities where inmates sleep on the floor, two or three per cell.”
‘Pressure cooker waiting to explode’
Far from easing the pain for detainees, contingency measures hurriedly introduced inside prisons have aggravated the overcrowding in some cases.
“Inmates have been crammed together in designated areas, in order to free up space for suspected Covid-19 cases that need to be isolated,” says Bès, whose organisation has collected numerous witness accounts of inmates holed up three per cell in just nine square metres.
In the absence of proper testing for the virus, there are fears Covid-19 cases are being lumped together in quarantined areas with people suffering from ordinary ailments, thereby putting lives at risk, says Bès.
“And despite the best efforts of some prison workers, basic protection measures that are taken for granted elsewhere, such as sanitation and social distancing, are almost entirely lacking inside prisons,” he adds.
According to the OIP, the lack of testing also casts doubt on infection figures provided by the French prison authority. Its latest bulletin, released on April 23, spoke of 101 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates – including one fatality – and 259 cases among prison guards – also including one death.
The coronavirus lockdown has also taken a heavy toll on the psychological health of inmates, who have been deprived of family visits – their only link with the outside world – since the start of the crisis.
To make up for this severed link, which triggered angry protests at several prisons in March, the authorities have expanded access to television and phone calls, and warned that early releases would be conditional on prisoners’ good conduct.
However, strict confinement rules and a critical lack of information have exacerbated inmates’ isolation, compounding the sense that they are “twice being punished”, says Bès.
“Inmates are kept in the dark about what is going on,” he explains. “And if there’s one thing they have no shortage of, it’s time to ruminate and brood dark thoughts.”
In leaked video messages collected by investigative website Mediapart earlier this month, detainees can be heard voicing their fears, anger and sense of abandonment.
“Every day we watch the news and see people outside talking about protection we don’t have,” says one prisoner in the Paris region. “If the virus gets inside, you can’t imagine the chaos, the number of dead you’ll be counting.”
The prison is a “pressure cooker waiting to explode”, says another detainee, in the south of France, turning on his feet to reveal the cramped cell he shares with two other inmates.
‘The taboo has been lifted’
In recent days, prison observers have reported some improvements at the country’s facilities, notably on the vexing issue of protective gear.
At most jails, prison guards and inmates performing “general service” duties – such as cleaning, cooking and maintenance chores – have finally received face masks after going several weeks without them.
Generally speaking, the current crisis has helped raise awareness of the plight of France’s prisoners – and offered a chance to expand early-release schemes.
“Now we know it’s possible to reduce the prison population, without doing harm to society,” says Wallach, of the magistrates' union. “Those released are people who were going to leave jail anyway – there is no reason to be fearful.”
“Which begs the question, what were they doing in jail in the first place?” adds Bès.
Though she is not confident that the one-off contingency measures witnessed during the pandemic will lead to durable change, Wallach concedes that the precedent could have some effect on future rulings, “perhaps tilting the scale in favour of probation over prison”.
In this respect, the strongest pressure may come from the jailers themselves, says Bès, pointing to the strong language used by prison directors in recent weeks.
In an open letter published on April 20, the main union representing prison directors urged the French president to build on the “enormous hope” raised by the sudden decline in France’s prison population.
“The epidemic that is hitting us hard has brushed aside all prohibitions and apprehensions: never again will it be possible to argue that single occupancy is an unattainable objective,” read the letter by the SNDP union.
“The taboo has been lifted,” the union added, urging President Macron to show “courage and coherence” once the virus has been vanquished.
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france24--2020-04-27--Trump says he knows how N Korea's Kim is doing and hopes he is 'fine'

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a coronavirus response news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington , U.S. , April 27 , 2020 .
US President Donald Trump on Monday appeared to confirm that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is alive , saying he wished him well after days of speculation over the dictator 's whereabouts .
Asked if he had new information about Kim 's health , Trump said `` yes , I do have a very good idea , but I ca n't talk about it now .
I just wish him well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine , '' Trump continued , speaking at a White House press conference .
`` I do know how he 's doing , relatively speaking . ''
Trump said the media would `` probably be hearing in the not-too-distant future '' about Kim .
Conjecture has grown since Kim 's conspicuous no-show at April 15 celebrations for the birthday of his grandfather Kim Il Sung , the North 's founder -- the most important day in the country 's political calendar .
Kim has not made a public appearance since presiding over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , and the following day state media reported on him inspecting fighter jets at an air defense unit .
Amid media reports that he was ill and speculation that he might even have died , a top security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that Kim was in fact `` alive and well . ''

US President Donald Trump on Monday appeared to confirm that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is alive, saying he wished him well after days of speculation over the dictator's whereabouts.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a coronavirus response news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 27, 2020.
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Asked if he had new information about Kim's health, Trump said "yes, I do have a very good idea, but I can't talk about it now. I just wish him well."
"I hope he's fine," Trump continued, speaking at a White House press conference. "I do know how he's doing, relatively speaking."
Trump said the media would "probably be hearing in the not-too-distant future" about Kim.
Conjecture has grown since Kim's conspicuous no-show at April 15 celebrations for the birthday of his grandfather Kim Il Sung, the North's founder -- the most important day in the country's political calendar.
Kim has not made a public appearance since presiding over a Workers' Party politburo meeting on April 11, and the following day state media reported on him inspecting fighter jets at an air defense unit.
Amid media reports that he was ill and speculation that he might even have died, a top security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that Kim was in fact "alive and well."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-27--Covid-19: French death toll tops 23,000 – but hospitalisations continue to fall

A nurse wearing protective gloves holds the hand of a patient in the palliative care unit of the the Eugenie Hospital in Ajaccio , on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica , on April 23 , 2020 , on the 38th day of a lockdown in France aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 .
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France rose by 437 to 23,293 on Monday , the health ministry said in a statement .
The latest figures from the Health Ministry come a day before Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to unwind national lockdown that has been in place since March 17 and is due to expire on May 11 .
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 - the lung disease caused by the new coronavirus - fell for the 13th day running to 28,055 , while the number of people in intensive care decreased for the 19th consecutive time to 4,608 .
But the number of deaths rose by 437 to 23,293 , its sharpest rate of increase in four days .
And the total number of confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This 3 % increase was the highest since April 14 .
The number of probable cases in nursing homes was more or less stable at 37,503 , giving an overall total of confirmed and probable cases of 165,842 cases .
In its statement , the Health Ministry also mentioned '' promising results '' in a clinical trial , led by Paris University Hospital AP-HP , involving tocilizumab , which is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis .
The 129 patients involved in the trial were selected on the basis of hospitalisation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not require resuscitation at the time of admission .
`` It has been established that the patients treated with tocilizumab showed a lesser need of ventilation and a lesser death rate after 14 days of treatment , '' the health ministry said , adding the results would be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal .
`` The is the first tested drug where a positive effect is seen in a clinical trial . ''
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi said on Monday the results of a study of their rheumatoid arthritis drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sickest coronavirus patients , dampening hopes the medicine could benefit a wider

The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France rose by 437 to 23,293 on Monday, the health ministry said in a statement.
A nurse wearing protective gloves holds the hand of a patient in the palliative care unit of the the Eugenie Hospital in Ajaccio, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, on April 23, 2020, on the 38th day of a lockdown in France aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.
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The latest figures from the Health Ministry come a day before Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is due to present to parliament the government's plan to unwind national lockdown that has been in place since March 17 and is due to expire on May 11.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 - the lung disease caused by the new coronavirus - fell for the 13th day running to 28,055, while the number of people in intensive care decreased for the 19th consecutive time to 4,608.
But the number of deaths rose by 437 to 23,293, its sharpest rate of increase in four days. And the total number of confirmed cases was up 3,764, at 128,339. This 3% increase was the highest since April 14.
The number of probable cases in nursing homes was more or less stable at 37,503, giving an overall total of confirmed and probable cases of 165,842 cases.
In its statement, the Health Ministry also mentioned"promising results" in a clinical trial, led by Paris University Hospital AP-HP, involving tocilizumab, which is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The 129 patients involved in the trial were selected on the basis of hospitalisation for moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia, but did not require resuscitation at the time of admission.
"It has been established that the patients treated with tocilizumab showed a lesser need of ventilation and a lesser death rate after 14 days of treatment," the health ministry said, adding the results would be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
"The is the first tested drug where a positive effect is seen in a clinical trial."
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi said on Monday the results of a study of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara indicated it may only help the sickest coronavirus patients, dampening hopes the medicine could benefit a wider
group of those infected.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-27--Russia overtakes China with recorded Covid-19 cases at 87,000

A view of the Kremlin 's Spasskaya Tower after the city authorities announced a partial lockdown ordering residents to stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus , Moscow , Russia , March 30 , 2020 .
Russia overtook China in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Monday , when its tally climbed above 87,000 , as pressure rose on the government to consider easing lockdown restrictions for businesses to help shore up the rattled economy .
Russia , the world 's largest country by territory , has been on lockdown since President Vladimir Putin announced the closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These measures are due to expire on April 30 and Putin has not yet said if he plans to extend them .
Anna Popova , the head of Russia 's safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor , told state television on Monday that , in her view , restrictions should be in place until May 12 .
Earlier Prime Minister Mikhail Mishushin asked his government to submit proposals by Thursday to ease some of the restrictions on businesses .
Many firms have warned that they risk going bankrupt if the lockdown continues , and thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mishustin told an online government meeting that as soon as the situation started to improve `` we would need to consider a step-by-step cancellation of restrictions on certain companies ... operations '' .
On Monday , the authorities reported 6,198 new cases of the new coronavirus , bringing the total to 87,147 , with 794 deaths .
Moscow plans to open two new hospitals , with 1,500 beds each , in the defence ministry 's Patriot museum and in the Crocus exhibition centre , once a spot for lavish concerts , business daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the country 's second largest city , is also turning Lenexpo , which used to host Russia 's top economic forum , into a temporary hospital with 1,000 beds .
Russia , one of the world 's top oil and gas exporters , is particularly vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus at production sites .
Most are located in remote areas accessible only by air , meaning the workers must be in close proximity , increasing their risk of infection .
Citing local officials , news agency Interfax said on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the northern Yamal peninsula , had been shut down for quarantine after cases of the new coronavirus were detected at the Yamal LNG production site controlled by Novatek .
A total of 143 cases were confirmed in Sabetta , the local crisis response centre said separately .
In the northwestern region of Murmansk where Novatek is building a plant to supply its next LNG project , the Arctic LNG 2 , more than 800 workers tested positive for coronavirus , the local crisis response centre said on Sunday .
Velesstroy , a sub-contractor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the site near Murmansk , but said in a statement to Reuters that the project would remain on schedule .
To limit the risk of contagion at more than 1,000 power plants in Russia , including nuclear ones , more than 200,000 employees - or nearly a third - were recently tested for the virus , the energy ministry said .
It did not say how many of those tests returned positive .
Mainland China , where the new coronavirus first emerged , reported a total of 82,830 cases on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new cases coming from Russia .

Russia overtook China in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Monday, when its tally climbed above 87,000, as pressure rose on the government to consider easing lockdown restrictions for businesses to help shore up the rattled economy.
A view of the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower after the city authorities announced a partial lockdown ordering residents to stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Moscow, Russia, March 30, 2020.
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Russia, the world's largest country by territory, has been on lockdown since President Vladimir Putin announced the closure of most public spaces in late March. These measures are due to expire on April 30 and Putin has not yet said if he plans to extend them.
Anna Popova, the head of Russia's safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told state television on Monday that, in her view, restrictions should be in place until May 12.
Earlier Prime Minister Mikhail Mishushin asked his government to submit proposals by Thursday to ease some of the restrictions on businesses. Many firms have warned that they risk going bankrupt if the lockdown continues, and thousands of workers have been laid off.
Mishustin told an online government meeting that as soon as the situation started to improve "we would need to consider a step-by-step cancellation of restrictions on certain companies... operations".
On Monday, the authorities reported 6,198 new cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total to 87,147, with 794 deaths.
Moscow plans to open two new hospitals, with 1,500 beds each, in the defence ministry's Patriot museum and in the Crocus exhibition centre, once a spot for lavish concerts, business daily RBC reported on Monday.
St Petersburg, the country's second largest city, is also turning Lenexpo, which used to host Russia's top economic forum, into a temporary hospital with 1,000 beds.
Energy sector in focus
Russia, one of the world's top oil and gas exporters, is particularly vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus at production sites. Most are located in remote areas accessible only by air, meaning the workers must be in close proximity, increasing their risk of infection.
Citing local officials, news agency Interfax said on Monday that an airport in Sabetta, in the northern Yamal peninsula, had been shut down for quarantine after cases of the new coronavirus were detected at the Yamal LNG production site controlled by Novatek.
A total of 143 cases were confirmed in Sabetta, the local crisis response centre said separately.
In the northwestern region of Murmansk where Novatek is building a plant to supply its next LNG project, the Arctic LNG 2, more than 800 workers tested positive for coronavirus, the local crisis response centre said on Sunday.
Velesstroy, a sub-contractor for the plant, temporarily suspended work at the site near Murmansk, but said in a statement to Reuters that the project would remain on schedule.
To limit the risk of contagion at more than 1,000 power plants in Russia, including nuclear ones, more than 200,000 employees - or nearly a third - were recently tested for the virus, the energy ministry said.
It did not say how many of those tests returned positive.
Mainland China, where the new coronavirus first emerged, reported a total of 82,830 cases on Monday. China is now fighting an increased number of new cases coming from Russia.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-27--Iceland 'gaining control' over Covid-19, PM tells FRANCE 24

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir discussed the outbreak of Covid-19 in Iceland , which has around 1,800 cases of the disease and so far only 10 deaths .
`` I think we are gaining control over the pandemic , '' she said .
Jakobsdóttir explained the reasons for her country 's success in doing so , particularly mass testing and contact tracing .
She also emphasised the importance of the population following social distancing rules .
In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Iceland 's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said the Covid-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively good control '' in her country , with very few new infections .
Iceland has tested more than 46,000 people , or 12 percent of the population .
Jakobsdóttir said the early decision to conduct mass testing , coupled with the use of contact tracing , was key to containing the spread of the virus .
She added that a partnership between the private and public sector had been important in this testing campaign , which targeted both those with and without symptoms .
The prime minister said a plan to widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus would hopefully be carried out in May .
The other important measure taken was contact tracing through a smartphone app , which Jakobsdóttir said had a `` 93 percent success rate '' but protected privacy because it was done on a voluntary basis .
The Icelandic PM said social restrictions would be partly lifted as of May 4 , but that if a second wave of the virus was to develop , they would be reinstated .
Jakobsdóttir brushed aside the notion that women leaders were better at handling the pandemic than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key was to `` follow the advice of scientists and take transparent decisions '' .
She also stressed that the behaviour of the population was crucial to getting the virus under control .
Finally , she said that fighting climate change would remain a priority for Iceland after the pandemic , but admitted that Covid-19 has put a `` strain '' on international cooperation , implying that it would also hurt the fight against climate change globally .

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir discussed the outbreak of Covid-19 in Iceland, which has around 1,800 cases of the disease and so far only 10 deaths. "I think we are gaining control over the pandemic," she said. Jakobsdóttir explained the reasons for her country's success in doing so, particularly mass testing and contact tracing. She also emphasised the importance of the population following social distancing rules.
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In an interview with FRANCE 24, Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said the Covid-19 pandemic was not over but was "under relatively good control" in her country, with very few new infections.
Iceland has tested more than 46,000 people, or 12 percent of the population. Jakobsdóttir said the early decision to conduct mass testing, coupled with the use of contact tracing, was key to containing the spread of the virus. She added that a partnership between the private and public sector had been important in this testing campaign, which targeted both those with and without symptoms.
The prime minister said a plan to widely test antibodies in the blood against the virus would hopefully be carried out in May.
Contact tracing done on voluntary basis
The other important measure taken was contact tracing through a smartphone app, which Jakobsdóttir said had a "93 percent success rate" but protected privacy because it was done on a voluntary basis.
The Icelandic PM said social restrictions would be partly lifted as of May 4, but that if a second wave of the virus was to develop, they would be reinstated.
Jakobsdóttir brushed aside the notion that women leaders were better at handling the pandemic than their male counterparts, stressing that the key was to "follow the advice of scientists and take transparent decisions". She also stressed that the behaviour of the population was crucial to getting the virus under control.
Finally, she said that fighting climate change would remain a priority for Iceland after the pandemic, but admitted that Covid-19 has put a "strain" on international cooperation, implying that it would also hurt the fight against climate change globally.
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france24--2020-04-27--US Supreme Court sidesteps NY case that could have expanded gun rights

People exercise in front of the US Supreme Court as the spread of Covid-19 continues in Washington , D.C. , USA , April 6 , 2020 .
The Supreme Court sidestepped a major decision on gun rights Monday in a dispute over New York City ’ s former ban on transporting guns .
The justices threw out a challenge from gun rights groups .
It ruled that the city ’ s move to ease restrictions on taking licensed , locked and unloaded guns outside the city limits , coupled with a change in state law to prevent New York from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with nothing to decide .
The court asked a lower court to consider whether the city ’ s new rules still pose problems for gun owners .
The anti-climactic end to the Supreme Court case is a disappointment to gun rights advocates and relief to gun control groups who thought a conservative Supreme Court majority fortified by two appointees of President Donald Trump , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , might use the case to expand on landmark decisions from a decade ago that established a right to keep a gun at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases remain in the high court ’ s pipeline and the justices could decide to hear one or more of those next term .
Although the opinion was unsigned , the court was split , 6-3 , over the outcome .
Gorsuch joined Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas in dissenting from the dismissal .
Kavanaugh wrote a brief concurring opinion in which he agreed with the result , but also said the court should take up another gun case soon .
Lower courts upheld the regulation , but the Supreme Court ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the case signaled a revived interest in gun rights from a court with two new justices .
Officials at both the city and state level scrambled to find a way to remove the case from the justices ’ grasp .
Not only did the city change its regulation to allow licensed gun owners to transport their weapons to locations outside New York ’ s five boroughs , but the state enacted a law barring cities from imposing the challenged restrictions .
Those moves failed to get the court to dismiss the case @ @ @ @ @

The Supreme Court sidestepped a major decision on gun rights Monday in a dispute over New York City’s former ban on transporting guns.
People exercise in front of the US Supreme Court as the spread of Covid-19 continues in Washington, D.C., USA, April 6, 2020.
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The justices threw out a challenge from gun rights groups. It ruled that the city’s move to ease restrictions on taking licensed, locked and unloaded guns outside the city limits, coupled with a change in state law to prevent New York from reviving the ban, left the court with nothing to decide. The court asked a lower court to consider whether the city’s new rules still pose problems for gun owners.
The anti-climactic end to the Supreme Court case is a disappointment to gun rights advocates and relief to gun control groups who thought a conservative Supreme Court majority fortified by two appointees of President Donald Trump, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, might use the case to expand on landmark decisions from a decade ago that established a right to keep a gun at home for self-defense.
But other guns cases remain in the high court’s pipeline and the justices could decide to hear one or more of those next term.
Although the opinion was unsigned, the court was split, 6-3, over the outcome.
Gorsuch joined Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas in dissenting from the dismissal. Kavanaugh wrote a brief concurring opinion in which he agreed with the result, but also said the court should take up another gun case soon.
Lower courts upheld the regulation, but the Supreme Court’s decision early in 2019 to step into the case signaled a revived interest in gun rights from a court with two new justices.
Officials at both the city and state level scrambled to find a way to remove the case from the justices’ grasp. Not only did the city change its regulation to allow licensed gun owners to transport their weapons to locations outside New York’s five boroughs, but the state enacted a law barring cities from imposing the challenged restrictions.
Those moves failed to get the court to dismiss the case before arguments in December.
(AP)
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france24--2020-04-27--'World should have listened' to WHO on Covid-19, its director says

Director-General of the WHO , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , attends a news conference on the coronavirus in Geneva , Switzerland @ @ @ @ @ .
The World Health Organization chief said Monday that the agency had sounded the highest @ @ @ @ @ novel coronavirus early on , but lamented that not all countries had heeded its advice @ @ @ @ @ out that the WHO warned the COVID-19 outbreak constituted a 'Public Health Emergency of International @ @ @ @ @ , when there were only 82 cases registered outside China .
`` The world should @ @ @ @ @ carefully , '' he told a virtual press briefing .

The World Health Organization chief said Monday that the agency had sounded the highest level of alarm over the novel coronavirus early on, but lamented that not all countries had heeded its advice.
Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attends a news conference on the coronavirus in Geneva, Switzerland, February 24, 2020.
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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that the WHO warned the COVID-19 outbreak constituted a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' on January 30, when there were only 82 cases registered outside China.
"The world should have listened to WHO then carefully," he told a virtual press briefing.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-27--New York cancels its Democratic presidential primary due to Covid-19

A woman walks through an almost-deserted Times Square in the early morning hours on April 23 , 2020 , in New York City , USA .
In an unprecedented move , New York has cancelled its Democratic presidential primary originally scheduled for June 23 amid the coronavirus epidemic .
The Democratic members of the State ’ s Board of Elections voted Monday to nix the primary .
New York will still hold its congressional and state-level primaries on June 23 .
New York Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs has said that the cancellation of the state ’ s presidential primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reduced need for polling places .
“ It just makes so much sense given the extraordinary nature of the challenge , ” Jacobs said last week .
Local election officials and voting groups have called on the state to use federal funds to purchase cleaning supplies and protective gear , and boost staff ahead of 2020 elections .
Both the state ’ s Democratic Party and Governor Andrew Cuomo have said they didn ’ t ask election commissioners to make the change , which is allowed thanks to a little-known provision in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York board of elections to remove names of any candidates who have suspended or terminated their campaign from the ballot .
The decision to cancel a Democratic primary is left up to Democratic state election commissioners .
Former Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Bernie Sanders announced earlier this month that he had suspended his campaign .
In a letter Sunday , a lawyer for the Sanders campaign asked the commissioners not to cancel the primary .
“ Senator Sanders has collaborated with state parties , the national party and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by aligning the party ’ s progressive and moderate wings .
His removal from the ballot would hamper those efforts , to the detriment of the party in the general election , ” a lawyer for his campaign , Malcolm Seymour , wrote in a letter obtained by The Wall Street Journal .
New York voters can now choose to vote with an absentee ballot in the June primaries under a Cuomo executive order that adds the risk of acquiring Covid-19 as a reason to vote absentee .
Cuomo also recently announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jacobs has said it ’ s a significant change , but that the party ’ s ready .
“ It ’ s a big process for us .
We don ’ t have many weeks to get it into place before the primary , ” Jacobs said .
“ It ’ s going to be difficult to execute but we ’ re going to do it .
”

In an unprecedented move, New York has cancelled its Democratic presidential primary originally scheduled for June 23 amid the coronavirus epidemic.
A woman walks through an almost-deserted Times Square in the early morning hours on April 23, 2020, in New York City, USA.
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The Democratic members of the State’s Board of Elections voted Monday to nix the primary. New York will still hold its congressional and state-level primaries on June 23.
New York Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs has said that the cancellation of the state’s presidential primary would mean a lower expected turnout and a reduced need for polling places.
“It just makes so much sense given the extraordinary nature of the challenge,” Jacobs said last week.
Local election officials and voting groups have called on the state to use federal funds to purchase cleaning supplies and protective gear, and boost staff ahead of 2020 elections.
Both the state’s Democratic Party and Governor Andrew Cuomo have said they didn’t ask election commissioners to make the change, which is allowed thanks to a little-known provision in the recently passed state budget that allows the New York board of elections to remove names of any candidates who have suspended or terminated their campaign from the ballot.
The decision to cancel a Democratic primary is left up to Democratic state election commissioners.
Former Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Bernie Sanders announced earlier this month that he had suspended his campaign. In a letter Sunday, a lawyer for the Sanders campaign asked the commissioners not to cancel the primary.
“Senator Sanders has collaborated with state parties, the national party and the Biden campaign, to strengthen the Democrats by aligning the party’s progressive and moderate wings. His removal from the ballot would hamper those efforts, to the detriment of the party in the general election,” a lawyer for his campaign, Malcolm Seymour, wrote in a letter obtained by The Wall Street Journal.
New York voters can now choose to vote with an absentee ballot in the June primaries under a Cuomo executive order that adds the risk of acquiring Covid-19 as a reason to vote absentee. Cuomo also recently announced the state is sending mail-in ballots to voters.
Jacobs has said it’s a significant change, but that the party’s ready.
“It’s a big process for us. We don’t have many weeks to get it into place before the primary,” Jacobs said. “It’s going to be difficult to execute but we’re going to do it.”
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-04-27--Virtual cinema festival to screen films from Cannes, Venice

The world 's top film festivals , including Cannes , Venice , Toronto and Berlin , will participate in a free 10-day virtual cinema programme starting in May , New York 's Tribeca film festival announced April 27 , 2020 .
The globe 's top film festivals including Cannes , Venice , Toronto and Berlin will participate in a free 10-day virtual cinema program starting next month , New York 's Tribeca festival announced Monday .
YouTube will host screenings for `` We Are One : A Global Film Festival '' beginning May 29 and including feature films , shorts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ festival will benefit the World Health Organization , and encourage viewers to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts , organizers said .
They have not yet announced a precise program for the digital event .
Earlier this month organizers of Cannes , the premier festival held each year on the French Riviera , indicated that glittering event would be difficult to put on `` in original form '' due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Initially planned for May 12-23 , the festival was postponed to late June , but the French government then banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earliest in a bid to stem the outbreak .
The highly contagious and potentially fatal novel coronavirus has stalled cultural events worldwide , shuttering theaters and museums , and forcing the cancellation of spring programming , as much of the globe 's population is urged to stay home .
`` We often talk about film 's uniquely powerful role in inspiring and uniting people across borders and differences to help heal the world , '' said Tribeca festival CEO Jane Rosenthal in a statement .
`` All of the world needs healing right @ @ @

The globe's top film festivals including Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Berlin will participate in a free 10-day virtual cinema program starting next month, New York's Tribeca festival announced Monday.
The world's top film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Berlin, will participate in a free 10-day virtual cinema programme starting in May, New York's Tribeca film festival announced April 27, 2020.
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YouTube will host screenings for "We Are One: A Global Film Festival" beginning May 29 and including feature films, shorts, documentaries and round tables.
The festival will benefit the World Health Organization, and encourage viewers to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts, organizers said.
They have not yet announced a precise program for the digital event.
Earlier this month organizers of Cannes, the premier festival held each year on the French Riviera, indicated that glittering event would be difficult to put on "in original form" due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Initially planned for May 12-23, the festival was postponed to late June, but the French government then banned all large festivals until mid-July at the earliest in a bid to stem the outbreak.
The highly contagious and potentially fatal novel coronavirus has stalled cultural events worldwide, shuttering theaters and museums, and forcing the cancellation of spring programming, as much of the globe's population is urged to stay home.
"We often talk about film's uniquely powerful role in inspiring and uniting people across borders and differences to help heal the world," said Tribeca festival CEO Jane Rosenthal in a statement.
"All of the world needs healing right now."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-27--Turkey detains more than 400 for Covid-19 social media posts

A worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectant at Grand Bazaar , known as the Covered Bazaar , to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease , in Istanbul , Turkey , March 25 , 2020 .
Turkey has detained 402 people in the past 42 days for allegedly sharing “ false and provocative ” social media postings concerning the coronavirus outbreak , officials said Monday .
An Interior Ministry statement said officials have inspected more than 6,000 social media accounts and the 402 suspects were among a total of 855 account-holders sought by authorities for sharing posts deemed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the social media users were detained for allegedly attempting to “ cause panic ” over the coronavirus pandemic with posts that , among other things , accuse the government of not doing enough to curb the outbreak or of lying about the numbers of deaths or infections .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations .
Meanwhile , Turkey dispatched an air ambulance and repatriated a Turkish citizen who tested positive for the coronavirus in Sweden but allegedly failed to receive any treatment there .
Emrullah Gulusken , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Malmo on Sunday after his daughter , Leyla , pleaded for help on social media .
She said her father was sent back home despite his worsening condition , the state-run Anadolu Agency reported .
Gulusken and three of his children were flown to Ankara where they were hospitalized , the agency reported .
Swedish authorities haven ’ t commented on the case .
“ Dear Leyla , we have heard your voice ... Our air ambulance is taking off at 6 a.m. , we are coming to Sweden , ” Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Our hospital , our doctors are ready waiting for your father.
” Turkey has repatriated around 40,000 nationals from 75 countries since the start of the outbreak in March , according to Foreign Ministry figures .
The country has reported a total of 2,805 deaths and 110,130 confirmed infections .
It ranks seventh in the world for the number of confirmed infections , according to Johns Hopkins University , but experts believe the actual toll of the pandemic is higher than the tally .
Nearly 890,000 people have been tested in @ @ @ @

Turkey has detained 402 people in the past 42 days for allegedly sharing “false and provocative” social media postings concerning the coronavirus outbreak, officials said Monday.
A worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectant at Grand Bazaar, known as the Covered Bazaar, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 25, 2020.
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An Interior Ministry statement said officials have inspected more than 6,000 social media accounts and the 402 suspects were among a total of 855 account-holders sought by authorities for sharing posts deemed to be “provocative.”
A ministry official said the social media users were detained for allegedly attempting to “cause panic” over the coronavirus pandemic with posts that, among other things, accuse the government of not doing enough to curb the outbreak or of lying about the numbers of deaths or infections.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.
Meanwhile, Turkey dispatched an air ambulance and repatriated a Turkish citizen who tested positive for the coronavirus in Sweden but allegedly failed to receive any treatment there.
Emrullah Gulusken, 47, was evacuated from his home in Malmo on Sunday after his daughter, Leyla, pleaded for help on social media. She said her father was sent back home despite his worsening condition, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Gulusken and three of his children were flown to Ankara where they were hospitalized, the agency reported. Swedish authorities haven’t commented on the case.
“Dear Leyla, we have heard your voice... Our air ambulance is taking off at 6 a.m., we are coming to Sweden,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted on Sunday morning. “Our hospital, our doctors are ready waiting for your father.”
Turkey has repatriated around 40,000 nationals from 75 countries since the start of the outbreak in March, according to Foreign Ministry figures.
The country has reported a total of 2,805 deaths and 110,130 confirmed infections. It ranks seventh in the world for the number of confirmed infections, according to Johns Hopkins University, but experts believe the actual toll of the pandemic is higher than the tally.
Nearly 890,000 people have been tested in Turkey so far.
(AP)
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france24--2020-04-27--‘Joy and relief’: Spanish children allowed out after six weeks in Covid-19 lockdown

Children in Spain got their first taste of freedom after more than six weeks stuck indoors on Sunday , as Spain eased its Covid-19 lockdown restrictions to allow under 14s to go outside for play and exercise for the first time since March 14 .
Under the relaxed measures , children are allowed out for one hour a day between 9am and 9pm .
“ With a lot of joy , a lot of nerves , the children were looking forward to going out after 45 days at home , a lot of happiness , it ’ s a relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two from Madrid , told Reuters .
`` Because it 's been a long time since I 've played football , it 's been a long time since I 've seen the street and going out again is amazing , ” added 11-year-old Nicolas Ximeno .
Nevertheless , restrictions remain in place .
Children must be supervised by an adult , with a maximum of three children per adult and must remain at least two metres from others , while playgrounds remain closed .
Spain has seen one of the most restrictive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the few countries to force children to stay indoors , a measure that has seen increasing criticism with specialists warning it could be dangerous for their health and mental wellbeing .
Spain has recorded more than 23,000 coronavirus deaths , the second-highest in the world .
But numbers have been falling , with 288 deaths recorded on Sunday , the lowest daily rise in the past month .

Children in Spain got their first taste of freedom after more than six weeks stuck indoors on Sunday, as Spain eased its Covid-19 lockdown restrictions to allow under 14s to go outside for play and exercise for the first time since March 14.
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Under the relaxed measures, children are allowed out for one hour a day between 9am and 9pm.
“With a lot of joy, a lot of nerves, the children were looking forward to going out after 45 days at home, a lot of happiness, it’s a relief,” Clara Martin, a mother of two from Madrid, told Reuters.
"Because it's been a long time since I've played football, it's been a long time since I've seen the street and going out again is amazing,” added 11-year-old Nicolas Ximeno.
Nevertheless, restrictions remain in place. Children must be supervised by an adult, with a maximum of three children per adult and must remain at least two metres from others, while playgrounds remain closed.
Spain has seen one of the most restrictive lockdowns of anywhere in the world and was one of the few countries to force children to stay indoors, a measure that has seen increasing criticism with specialists warning it could be dangerous for their health and mental wellbeing.
Spain has recorded more than 23,000 coronavirus deaths, the second-highest in the world. But numbers have been falling, with 288 deaths recorded on Sunday, the lowest daily rise in the past month.
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france24--2020-04-27--Builders back at Paris's Notre-Dame after Covid-19 shutdown

A view shows the restoration work at Paris ’ s Notre Dame Cathedral , which was damaged in a devastating fire almost one year ago , ahead of Easter celebrations to be held under a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus in France on April 7 , 2020 .
Construction workers were back at the burned shell of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday , resuming the mammoth task of rebuilding after the coronavirus outbreak forced a pause of a month and a half .
Fire engulfed the 850-year-old building on the banks of the River Seine on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed the spire and roof and , according to officials , came within 30 minutes of razing the cathedral to the ground .
French President Emmanuel Macron promised to rebuild within five years but work so far has been slow .
Delays were caused by toxic lead released by the fire , winter storms and then by the COVID-19 epidemic which closed the site in March .
Monsignor Patrick Chauvet , the rector of the cathedral , said the work getting underway on Monday was to make the site compliant with social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said showers for workers would be modified and changing rooms adapted to reduce the risk of infection .
`` It 's true that we have lost a month and a half , '' Chauvet told Reuters Television .
But he said the project was on track to meet Macron 's 5-year deadline .
`` That does n't mean that all of the restoration will be completed , but it means we will be able to enter again into the cathedral . ''
He said the first task , once work gets fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of metal scaffolding that melted in the fire and enmeshed itself in the structure of the cathedral .
`` When that 's removed , we can say that the phase of making safe will have been completed , '' said Chauvet .

Construction workers were back at the burned shell of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday, resuming the mammoth task of rebuilding after the coronavirus outbreak forced a pause of a month and a half.
A view shows the restoration work at Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which was damaged in a devastating fire almost one year ago, ahead of Easter celebrations to be held under a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus in France on April 7, 2020.
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Fire engulfed the 850-year-old building on the banks of the River Seine on April 15 last year. The flames destroyed the spire and roof and, according to officials, came within 30 minutes of razing the cathedral to the ground.
French President Emmanuel Macron promised to rebuild within five years but work so far has been slow. Delays were caused by toxic lead released by the fire, winter storms and then by the COVID-19 epidemic which closed the site in March.
Monsignor Patrick Chauvet, the rector of the cathedral, said the work getting underway on Monday was to make the site compliant with social distancing rules so work proper could resume. He said showers for workers would be modified and changing rooms adapted to reduce the risk of infection.
"It's true that we have lost a month and a half," Chauvet told Reuters Television. But he said the project was on track to meet Macron's 5-year deadline.
"That doesn't mean that all of the restoration will be completed, but it means we will be able to enter again into the cathedral."
He said the first task, once work gets fully underway, was to remove the tangle of metal scaffolding that melted in the fire and enmeshed itself in the structure of the cathedral.
"When that's removed, we can say that the phase of making safe will have been completed," said Chauvet.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-27--Could ending wildlife trade mean ending pandemics?

Conservationists have long been calling for an end to markets where wild animals are kept in confined and unsanitary conditions .
These types of markets have been singled out as potential nests for viruses such as Covid-19 .
Some say today 's pandemic is a watershed moment for curbing this trade .
What are the risks if business continues as usual ?
Are we sleepwalking into another crisis ?
Perhaps it was a bat ... or a snake ... via a pangolin ?
While the exact origins of the coronavirus outbreak remain uncertain , as the crisis unfolded , China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade and consumption .
The government has pledged to turn the ban into law , demonstrating a tougher response than the one that followed the 2003 SARS outbreak .
But the use of wild animals runs deep in Chinese culture and the ban includes some important loopholes such as medicinal use .
Peter Li , Associate Professor of East Asian Politics at the University of Houston-Downtown told us : `` Millions of wild animals are still suffering on Chinese fur farms and farms for traditional Chinese medicine , and for display and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutting down wildlife operations and trading for the exotic food market is not enough . ''
Many viruses , however , like bird flu and swine flu , do n't come from `` exotic '' or wild animals , and can be just as deadly .
The probable link between bats and Covid-19 has led certain communities around the world to undertake mass cullings .
In northern Peru , near Cajamarca , a government wildlife organisation had to intercept efforts to roast a colony of bats , with locals fearing the animals may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already been burned but others were fortunate enough to be saved .
Richard Thomas from Traffic , the world 's leading wildlife trafficking watchdog , told FRANCE 24 that bats are not responsible for the spread of Covid-19 to humans .
Thomas added : `` We need bats .
Bats are incredibly important as pollinators and for seed dispersal ...
The fact that they 're able to host these viruses but not get sick from them , the fact that they are able to repair their DNA incredibly effectively , there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ > Covid-19 crisis caused by 'disregard for nature ' , says primatologist Jane Goodall

Conservationists have long been calling for an end to markets where wild animals are kept in confined and unsanitary conditions. These types of markets have been singled out as potential nests for viruses such as Covid-19. Some say today's pandemic is a watershed moment for curbing this trade. What are the risks if business continues as usual? Are we sleepwalking into another crisis?
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Perhaps it was a bat... or a snake... via a pangolin? While the exact origins of the coronavirus outbreak remain uncertain, as the crisis unfolded, China very quickly issued a ban on wildlife trade and consumption. The government has pledged to turn the ban into law, demonstrating a tougher response than the one that followed the 2003 SARS outbreak. But the use of wild animals runs deep in Chinese culture and the ban includes some important loopholes such as medicinal use.
Peter Li, Associate Professor of East Asian Politics at the University of Houston-Downtown told us: "Millions of wild animals are still suffering on Chinese fur farms and farms for traditional Chinese medicine, and for display and for laboratory use. I personally believe that shutting down wildlife operations and trading for the exotic food market is not enough."
Many viruses, however, like bird flu and swine flu, don't come from "exotic" or wild animals, and can be just as deadly.
Bats not to blame
The probable link between bats and Covid-19 has led certain communities around the world to undertake mass cullings. In northern Peru, near Cajamarca, a government wildlife organisation had to intercept efforts to roast a colony of bats, with locals fearing the animals may pose a risk. Several hundred bats had already been burned but others were fortunate enough to be saved.
Richard Thomas from Traffic, the world's leading wildlife trafficking watchdog, told FRANCE 24 that bats are not responsible for the spread of Covid-19 to humans. Thomas added: "We need bats. Bats are incredibly important as pollinators and for seed dispersal... The fact that they're able to host these viruses but not get sick from them, the fact that they are able to repair their DNA incredibly effectively, there's a lot to learn."
>> Covid-19 crisis caused by 'disregard for nature', says primatologist Jane Goodall
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france24--2020-04-27--Covid-19: 'The federal government has failed us,' says New York doctor

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Dr Julien Cavanagh , a neurologist at the State University of New York , discussed the daily challenge of treating patients with Covid-19 at his Brooklyn hospital .
Dr Cavanagh explained why African Americans and Latinos are disproportionately affected by the virus .
He also expressed his disapproval of protesters who are demanding an end to lockdown measures .
Finally , he condemned the US federal government 's response to the public health crisis .
`` The idea of a pandemic is nothing new , '' Dr. Julien Cavanagh , a neurologist in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 .
`` What we did not expect is the federal government ignoring the signals .
What we did not expect is the White House being in denial .
What we did not expect is the failure of testing .
What we did not expect was the collapse of the supply chain .
And what we did not expect is all this chaos , '' he continued .
`` And in that respect , the White House made itself guilty of public health malpractice .
History will most likely remember that this cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
> > Watch our special programme : Covid-19 exposes glaring inequality in US

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Dr Julien Cavanagh, a neurologist at the State University of New York, discussed the daily challenge of treating patients with Covid-19 at his Brooklyn hospital. Dr Cavanagh explained why African Americans and Latinos are disproportionately affected by the virus. He also expressed his disapproval of protesters who are demanding an end to lockdown measures. Finally, he condemned the US federal government's response to the public health crisis.
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"The idea of a pandemic is nothing new," Dr. Julien Cavanagh, a neurologist in Brooklyn, New York, told FRANCE 24.
"What we did not expect is the federal government ignoring the signals. What we did not expect is the White House being in denial. What we did not expect is the failure of testing. What we did not expect was the collapse of the supply chain. And what we did not expect is all this chaos," he continued.
"And in that respect, the White House made itself guilty of public health malpractice. History will most likely remember that this cost many American lives," he concluded.
>> Watch our special programme: Covid-19 exposes glaring inequality in US
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france24--2020-04-28--France to reveal plans on how Covid-19 lockdown will be eased

French Ministers and Deputies attend the weekly session of questions to the government at the National Assembly in Paris , France , March 31 , 2020 .
France will on Tuesday reveal how it plans on May 11 to lift its six-week-old lockdown to combat the coronavirus , with cafes set to stay shut but schools controversially being allowed to reopen .
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will unveil the measures in an address to parliament from 1300 GMT , with the government seeking to tread a fine course between the need to kick-start the economy out of crisis while preserving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed by a debate and a vote , with just 75 of the 577 deputies allowed into the National Assembly in order to respect social distancing , while all others will vote by proxy .
President Emmanuel Macron announced earlier this month that the lockdown would be lifted from May 11 but he left the details relatively vague .
Along with Britain , Italy and Spain , France has been one of the European countries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic , with the latest death toll standing at 23,293 .
But more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the numbers of patients in intensive care and in hospital falling steadily .
The government has warned that France faces a historic contraction of eight percent in growth this year while March unemployment registered a record 7.1 percent rise .
But despite the imperatives of getting the economy back on its feet , the government is well aware of the risk of a second wave of infection , and French life will be nowhere near back to normal on May 11 .
Unlike Italy , which is keeping schools shut until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education after Macron said schools could gradually reopen from May 11 .
But this has proved controversial ; the government 's own scientific council said it favoured schools reopening only in the autumn while insisting it also acknowledged the `` political '' decision of the government to reopen them earlier .
`` The scientific council is there to give a certain amount of information , but it is the political authority that decides , '' its head Jean-Francois Delfraissy told AFP .
The council has said there should be a `` progressive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another issue that will be closely watched is whether the wearing of masks will become obligatory on public transport , which is expected to ramp up capacity from May 11 .
After facing fierce criticism over the lack of stocks of sanitary masks , the government has said France plans to make more than 26 million non-medical face masks available for purchase by the end of this week .
Some more shops will likely be allowed to reopen , while it is possible that people will again be allowed to move freely between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cafes will remain firmly shut , and the government is not expected to tell them until the end of May when they can reopen .
`` The virus does not like the French way of life , '' Macron told a meeting of industry representatives last week that included star chefs .

France will on Tuesday reveal how it plans on May 11 to lift its six-week-old lockdown to combat the coronavirus, with cafes set to stay shut but schools controversially being allowed to reopen.
French Ministers and Deputies attend the weekly session of questions to the government at the National Assembly in Paris, France, March 31, 2020.
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Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will unveil the measures in an address to parliament from 1300 GMT, with the government seeking to tread a fine course between the need to kick-start the economy out of crisis while preserving public health.
His announcement will be followed by a debate and a vote, with just 75 of the 577 deputies allowed into the National Assembly in order to respect social distancing, while all others will vote by proxy.
President Emmanuel Macron announced earlier this month that the lockdown would be lifted from May 11 but he left the details relatively vague.
Along with Britain, Italy and Spain, France has been one of the European countries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the latest death toll standing at 23,293.
But more encouraging signs have emerged in recent days, with the numbers of patients in intensive care and in hospital falling steadily.
The government has warned that France faces a historic contraction of eight percent in growth this year while March unemployment registered a record 7.1 percent rise.
But despite the imperatives of getting the economy back on its feet, the government is well aware of the risk of a second wave of infection, and French life will be nowhere near back to normal on May 11.
'Controlled and progressive'
Unlike Italy, which is keeping schools shut until September, France is expected to restart education after Macron said schools could gradually reopen from May 11.
But this has proved controversial; the government's own scientific council said it favoured schools reopening only in the autumn while insisting it also acknowledged the "political" decision of the government to reopen them earlier.
"The scientific council is there to give a certain amount of information, but it is the political authority that decides," its head Jean-Francois Delfraissy told AFP.
The council has said there should be a "progressive and controlled easing of the confinement".
Another issue that will be closely watched is whether the wearing of masks will become obligatory on public transport, which is expected to ramp up capacity from May 11.
After facing fierce criticism over the lack of stocks of sanitary masks, the government has said France plans to make more than 26 million non-medical face masks available for purchase by the end of this week.
Some more shops will likely be allowed to reopen, while it is possible that people will again be allowed to move freely between cities.
However, hard-hit restaurants and cafes will remain firmly shut, and the government is not expected to tell them until the end of May when they can reopen.
"The virus does not like the French way of life," Macron told a meeting of industry representatives last week that included star chefs.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-28--If pandemic persists next year, Tokyo Olympics will be ‘cancelled’

Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori said there was no prospect of delaying the Olympics to 2022 The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will have to be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic is n't brought under control by next year , the organising committee 's president warned , ruling out further delays .
The comments , in an interview with a Japanese sports daily published Tuesday , come as medical experts doubted whether the pandemic can be sufficiently contained by next year to hold an event drawing participants and spectators from around the world .
The pandemic has already forced a year-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now scheduled to open on July 23 , 2021 .
But Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori was categorical when asked by the Nikkan Sports daily whether the Games could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year , replying : `` No . ''
`` In that case , it 's cancelled , '' Mori said .
Mori noted the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime , and compared the battle against coronavirus to `` fighting an invisible enemy '' .
If the virus is successfully contained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in peace next summer '' , he added .
`` Mankind is betting on it . ''
Masa Takaya , a Tokyo 2020 spokesman , declined to comment on a possible cancellation of the Games and told reporters that Mori 's remarks were based on `` the chairman 's own thoughts '' .
But the comments will add to growing questions about the postponement , decided last month after heavy pressure on the organisers and the International Olympic Committee from athletes and sports federations .
On Tuesday , the head of Japan Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult '' to hold the Games next year if a vaccine has not been found .
`` I would not say that they should not be held , but it would be exceedingly difficult , '' Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters .
And last week a Japanese medical expert who has criticised the country 's response to the coronavirus warned that he was `` very pessimistic '' that the postponed Olympics can be held in 2021 .
`` To be honest with you I do n't think the Olympics is likely to be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University .
`` Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer , I wish we could , but I do n't think that would happen everywhere on Earth , so in this regard I 'm very pessimistic about holding the Olympic Games next summer , '' he said .
But Tokyo 2020 spokesman Takaya countered that even medical experts said it was too early to make a judgement on such a possibility .
Japanese officials and the IOC have said the Games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the virus , with some suggestions that the pandemic fight could even be incorporated into the opening ceremony .
Postponing the Games is an enormous logistical and financial challenge , with the final pricetag for the delay still unclear .
In the interview , Mori said organisers were considering holding joint opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics and the Paralympics in an effort to cut costs .
Under the plan , the Paralympics would join the Olympic opening ceremony on July 23 , and the Olympic closing ceremony would be integrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Mori admitted that Tokyo organisers had not yet obtained the consent of the IOC and their Paralympic counterparts .
`` It 's going to be a considerable cut in costs and a big message of victory against the global crisis , but it 's not easy , '' Mori said .
Organisers have said the question of who will shoulder the additional costs is yet to be resolved , though Mori said the IOC should pay a share .
`` We should make a decision after both sides examine and fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will have to be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic isn't brought under control by next year, the organising committee's president warned, ruling out further delays.
Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori said there was no prospect of delaying the Olympics to 2022
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The comments, in an interview with a Japanese sports daily published Tuesday, come as medical experts doubted whether the pandemic can be sufficiently contained by next year to hold an event drawing participants and spectators from around the world.
The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021.
But Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori was categorical when asked by the Nikkan Sports daily whether the Games could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, replying: "No."
"In that case, it's cancelled," Mori said.
Mori noted the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime, and compared the battle against coronavirus to "fighting an invisible enemy".
If the virus is successfully contained, "we'll hold the Olympics in peace next summer", he added. "Mankind is betting on it."
Masa Takaya, a Tokyo 2020 spokesman, declined to comment on a possible cancellation of the Games and told reporters that Mori's remarks were based on "the chairman's own thoughts".
But the comments will add to growing questions about the postponement, decided last month after heavy pressure on the organisers and the International Olympic Committee from athletes and sports federations.
On Tuesday, the head of Japan Medical Association warned it would be "exceedingly difficult" to hold the Games next year if a vaccine has not been found.
"I would not say that they should not be held, but it would be exceedingly difficult," Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters.
'Very pessimistic'
And last week a Japanese medical expert who has criticised the country's response to the coronavirus warned that he was "very pessimistic" that the postponed Olympics can be held in 2021.
"To be honest with you I don't think the Olympics is likely to be held next year," said Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University.
"Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don't think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I'm very pessimistic about holding the Olympic Games next summer," he said.
But Tokyo 2020 spokesman Takaya countered that even medical experts said it was too early to make a judgement on such a possibility.
Japanese officials and the IOC have said the Games will be a chance to celebrate victory over the virus, with some suggestions that the pandemic fight could even be incorporated into the opening ceremony.
Postponing the Games is an enormous logistical and financial challenge, with the final pricetag for the delay still unclear.
In the interview, Mori said organisers were considering holding joint opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics and the Paralympics in an effort to cut costs.
Under the plan, the Paralympics would join the Olympic opening ceremony on July 23, and the Olympic closing ceremony would be integrated into the Paralympics closing event in September.
But Mori admitted that Tokyo organisers had not yet obtained the consent of the IOC and their Paralympic counterparts.
"It's going to be a considerable cut in costs and a big message of victory against the global crisis, but it's not easy," Mori said.
Organisers have said the question of who will shoulder the additional costs is yet to be resolved, though Mori said the IOC should pay a share.
"We should make a decision after both sides examine and fully understand them," he added.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-28--Georgia rushes, NY cautious as US states set varied pace on easing virus restrictions

Even as the US death toll from Covid-19 exceeded 56,000 , according to the latest figures Monday night , governors in a number of states began lifting lockdown restrictions , against warnings from public health experts , as US jobless figures hit record highs .
Georgia , at the vanguard of states testing the safety of reopening the economy amid mounting coronavirus death tolls , permitted restaurant dining for the first time in a month on Monday while governors in regions with fewer cases also eased restrictions .
Eager to revive battered commerce despite warnings from public health experts about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of states from Montana to Mississippi were also set to reopen some workplaces deemed to be nonessential .
Alaska , Oklahoma and South Carolina , along with Georgia , previously took such steps , after weeks of mandatory lockdowns that have thrown millions of Americans out of work and led to forecasts that an economic shock of historic proportions is at hand .
Reporting from Washington DC , FRANCE 24 ’ s Kethevane Gorjestani said the easing had been “ very gradual , some states are taking bigger steps than others ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening beaches and parks where you would think it is possible to keep social distancing .
But other states like Tennessee for example are taking bigger steps like opening things like retails stores even though those things are lifted to about a 50 percent capacity .
Restaurants have to follow strict social distancing guidelines , so really people are trying to figure out how to reopen safely in those states , ” she explained .
With nearly a third of the world ’ s Covid-19 cases and more than 56,000 of the 210,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by far the country most affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
On Monday , the 24-hour death toll rose by 1,303 , according to the John Hopkins University toll tracker .
There are , however , wide regional disparities between rural areas that are largely unaffected and , for example , the New York region , the epicentre of the crisis .
State governors and local authorities are each tackling the lockdown restrictions and exits at their own pace , measured against the imperative to restart an economy battered by the crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Donald Trump encouraged governors to ease the restrictions “ as quickly as possible -- but safely ” , he added .
“ We want everyone to be safe .
And I think you ’ re seeing that .
You ’ re seeing a lot of governors get out and they want to open it up.
” Georgia has been at the vanguard of states testing the safety of reopening with Trump and some local officials criticising Governor Brian Kemp for forging ahead to add restaurants and movie theatres to the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , barber shops and tattoo parlors -- that he allowed to reopen last week , albeit with social-distancing restrictions still in force .
No companies are required to reopen , and it remained to be seen how many merchants would choose to return to business and how many customers would show up if they do .
Some owners and managers of eateries in Atlanta , the state 's largest city and capital , were less than enthusiastic .
`` It 's not safe , '' said Brian Maloof , owner of Manuel 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 years .
`` I do n't know when we 'll open , but I 'm afraid it wo n't be anytime soon . ''
But Moe 's Original BBQ by the Georgia Tech campus hung an open sign on the door for the first time in a month .
`` I do n't know if this is a big step to normal , but at least it 's something , '' owner Brian Mancuso said of his trickle of lunch customers .
‘ We have to be smart , ’ says NY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York and New Jersey , part of a metropolitan region of about 32 million people , governors signaled that even limited restarting of business activities was at least weeks away .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was preparing to lengthen confinement measures for badly-hit areas .
`` May 15 is when the pause regulations expire statewide .
I will extend them in many parts of the state , '' he told reporters .
New York is America 's worst-hit state , with more than 17,300 Covid-19 deaths out of almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died across the country .
Cuomo plans to allow manufacturing and construction to restart in some of the state 's least-affected areas after May 15 as part of a phased reopening .
But for now that seems about it for New York , which has been shut down since mid-March .
`` We have to be smart because if you are not smart , you will see that infection rate go right back to where it was .
( We ) will be right back to where we were 58 days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Cuomo said cases were not falling as quickly as he would like , with more than 1,000 new hospitalizations and 337 deaths from the disease in the past 24 hours .
The most affected part of the state , New York City , is likely to be one of the last areas of the country to reopen .
A poll out Monday showed residents overwhelmingly backed the shutdown .
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that at least 40 miles of streets would close to traffic to give the city 's 8.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a further sign that the end is far from in sight .
Also Monday , New York 's elections board canceled the Democratic Party primary on June 23 , citing the risk of spreading coronavirus , a move heavily criticized by leftist Bernie Sanders .

Even as the US death toll from Covid-19 exceeded 56,000, according to the latest figures Monday night, governors in a number of states began lifting lockdown restrictions, against warnings from public health experts, as US jobless figures hit record highs.
Advertising Read more
Georgia, at the vanguard of states testing the safety of reopening the economy amid mounting coronavirus death tolls, permitted restaurant dining for the first time in a month on Monday while governors in regions with fewer cases also eased restrictions.
Eager to revive battered commerce despite warnings from public health experts about the lack of testing, a handful of states from Montana to Mississippi were also set to reopen some workplaces deemed to be nonessential.
Alaska, Oklahoma and South Carolina, along with Georgia, previously took such steps, after weeks of mandatory lockdowns that have thrown millions of Americans out of work and led to forecasts that an economic shock of historic proportions is at hand.
Reporting from Washington DC, FRANCE 24’s Kethevane Gorjestani said the easing had been “very gradual, some states are taking bigger steps than others”, she noted, with some states “opening beaches and parks where you would think it is possible to keep social distancing. But other states like Tennessee for example are taking bigger steps like opening things like retails stores even though those things are lifted to about a 50 percent capacity. Restaurants have to follow strict social distancing guidelines, so really people are trying to figure out how to reopen safely in those states,” she explained.
02:04
With nearly a third of the world’s Covid-19 cases and more than 56,000 of the 210,000 global death rate, the US is by far the country most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the 24-hour death toll rose by 1,303, according to the John Hopkins University toll tracker.
There are, however, wide regional disparities between rural areas that are largely unaffected and, for example, the New York region, the epicentre of the crisis. State governors and local authorities are each tackling the lockdown restrictions and exits at their own pace, measured against the imperative to restart an economy battered by the crisis.
At a White House press briefing Monday, President Donald Trump encouraged governors to ease the restrictions “as quickly as possible -- but safely”, he added. “We want everyone to be safe. And I think you’re seeing that. You’re seeing a lot of governors get out and they want to open it up.”
Georgia racing to open for business
Georgia has been at the vanguard of states testing the safety of reopening with Trump and some local officials criticising Governor Brian Kemp for forging ahead to add restaurants and movie theatres to the list of businesses -- hair and nail salons, barber shops and tattoo parlors -- that he allowed to reopen last week, albeit with social-distancing restrictions still in force.
No companies are required to reopen, and it remained to be seen how many merchants would choose to return to business and how many customers would show up if they do.
Some owners and managers of eateries in Atlanta, the state's largest city and capital, were less than enthusiastic.
"It's not safe," said Brian Maloof, owner of Manuel's Tavern, a fixture for more than 60 years. "I don't know when we'll open, but I'm afraid it won't be anytime soon."
But Moe's Original BBQ by the Georgia Tech campus hung an open sign on the door for the first time in a month.
"I don't know if this is a big step to normal, but at least it's something," owner Brian Mancuso said of his trickle of lunch customers.
‘We have to be smart,’ says NY's Cuomo
In the hardest-hit states of New York and New Jersey, part of a metropolitan region of about 32 million people, governors signaled that even limited restarting of business activities was at least weeks away.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was preparing to lengthen confinement measures for badly-hit areas.
"May 15 is when the pause regulations expire statewide. I will extend them in many parts of the state," he told reporters.
New York is America's worst-hit state, with more than 17,300 Covid-19 deaths out of almost 292,000 confirmed infections. Almost 56,000 people have died across the country.
Cuomo plans to allow manufacturing and construction to restart in some of the state's least-affected areas after May 15 as part of a phased reopening.
But for now that seems about it for New York, which has been shut down since mid-March.
"We have to be smart because if you are not smart, you will see that infection rate go right back to where it was. (We) will be right back to where we were 58 days ago and nobody wants that," he said.
Cuomo said cases were not falling as quickly as he would like, with more than 1,000 new hospitalizations and 337 deaths from the disease in the past 24 hours.
The most affected part of the state, New York City, is likely to be one of the last areas of the country to reopen. A poll out Monday showed residents overwhelmingly backed the shutdown.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that at least 40 miles of streets would close to traffic to give the city's 8.6 million residents more space to exercise outdoors, in a further sign that the end is far from in sight.
Also Monday, New York's elections board canceled the Democratic Party primary on June 23, citing the risk of spreading coronavirus, a move heavily criticized by leftist Bernie Sanders.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-28--Driver rams two police motorcyclists in Paris suburb

A driver rammed two policemen on motorcycles in Colombes , in the suburbs of Paris on April 27 2020 .
A car rammed two police motorcyclists in a Paris suburb on Monday , police unions said , leaving one of the officers in an artificial coma in hospital because of his grave injuries .
The act was deliberate , police unions said .
Police sources said the 30-year-old driver was arrested at the scene and lived nearby in a working-class area close to where unrest erupted last week .
Psychiatric tests and searches were being carried out before a decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation to France 's anti-terrorism prosecutor , a source close to the investigation said .
`` Two police motorcyclists in a serious condition after being deliberately hit in Colombes by an individual who also rammed a police car .
Thoughts with our colleagues , '' the Synergie-Officiers union wrote on social media .
The officers had been stationary and conducting routine checks when they were hit by a black BMW .
Footage published in French media including the website of daily newspaper Le Parisien showed one police motorbike sandwiched between the crumpled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BMW .
Debris from a second bike lay strewn on the road .
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner hailed the response of officers who gave first aid to their comrades at the scene .
One of the two suffered fractures to both legs and a fractured skull and had been placed in an artificial coma , police sources said .
The other was also hospitalised .
`` My thoughts go out to the two injured policemen who were committed to protecting us , '' Castaner wrote on Twitter .
One source familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avenge events in Palestine .
France has suffered major attacks by Islamist militants .
Police and soldiers have been targeted on multiple occasions in recent years .
In October , an information technology assistant at the police headquarters in central Paris went on a knife rampage inside the building , killing four people before he was shot dead .
He had converted to Islam a decade earlier .

A car rammed two police motorcyclists in a Paris suburb on Monday, police unions said, leaving one of the officers in an artificial coma in hospital because of his grave injuries.
A driver rammed two policemen on motorcycles in Colombes, in the suburbs of Paris on April 27 2020.
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The act was deliberate, police unions said. Police sources said the 30-year-old driver was arrested at the scene and lived nearby in a working-class area close to where unrest erupted last week.
Psychiatric tests and searches were being carried out before a decision would be taken on whether to hand the investigation to France's anti-terrorism prosecutor, a source close to the investigation said.
"Two police motorcyclists in a serious condition after being deliberately hit in Colombes by an individual who also rammed a police car. Thoughts with our colleagues," the Synergie-Officiers union wrote on social media.
The officers had been stationary and conducting routine checks when they were hit by a black BMW.
Footage published in French media including the website of daily newspaper Le Parisien showed one police motorbike sandwiched between the crumpled bonnets of a police car and the BMW. Debris from a second bike lay strewn on the road.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner hailed the response of officers who gave first aid to their comrades at the scene.
One of the two suffered fractures to both legs and a fractured skull and had been placed in an artificial coma, police sources said. The other was also hospitalised.
"My thoughts go out to the two injured policemen who were committed to protecting us," Castaner wrote on Twitter.
One source familiar with the investigation said the perpetrator targeted the officers to avenge events in Palestine.
France has suffered major attacks by Islamist militants. Police and soldiers have been targeted on multiple occasions in recent years.
In October, an information technology assistant at the police headquarters in central Paris went on a knife rampage inside the building, killing four people before he was shot dead. He had converted to Islam a decade earlier.
(REUTERS)
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