france24--2020-12-28--Loujain al-Hathloul: 'Fierce' Saudi women's rights campaigner

A Saudi activist said Hathloul represented the kingdom 's modern feminists .
`` Loujain is the young rebel woman from Al-Qassim who embodies global values , '' she said Loujain al-Hathloul , who was sentenced on Monday to five years and eight months ' prison , has become emblematic of the fight for women 's rights in Saudi Arabia .
The 31-year-old long campaigned for women to be able to drive and for an end to the kingdom 's notorious guardianship system , which requires women to get permission from male relatives for many decisions .
A graduate of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was detained in May 2018 -- just weeks before the historic lifting of the decades-old driving ban -- along with several prominent women campaigners on the charge of `` attempting to destabilise the kingdom '' .
The pro-government media branded Hathloul and other jailed activists as `` traitors '' and her family alleges she faced sexual harassment and torture , including electric shocks and water boarding , in detention .
Hathloul also accused former royal court media advisor Saud al-Qahtani of threatening to rape and kill her , according to her family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be named over fears for her family 's safety , told AFP that Hathloul represented the kingdom 's modern feminists .
`` Loujain is the young rebel woman from Al-Qassim who embodies global values ... and calls out the ( lies ) of the state , '' she said .
Another Saudi activist described her as an `` incredibly fierce and resolute '' champion of women 's rights .
Hathloul , a social media personality from the conservative central region of Al-Qassim , had also been jailed in 2014 .
Saudi authorities put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drive into the kingdom from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates .
She was freed 73 days later following an international campaign .
Sima Godfrey , an associate professor of French at UBC , described Hathloul -- who attended the university between 2009 and 2014 and graduated with a degree in French -- as a `` very tough person '' .
`` She knew what she was risking there and was not afraid .
If anything , she was sort of looking forward to the challenge .
She 's not a shrinking violet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBC television in 2018 .
Godfrey said Hathloul comes from a progressive family that encouraged her to get involved in politics , something most Saudi families shun in the kingdom , an absolute monarchy that does not tolerate political dissent .
`` She spoke a lot about her mother , who wanted her daughters to be out there and have their voices be heard , '' Godfrey said .
Hathloul was married for years to Saudi stand-up comedian Fahad al-Butairi , a YouTube sensation popularly known as the `` Seinfeld of Saudi Arabia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 and deported to the kingdom , multiple campaigners and friends of the couple told AFP .
They said he was pressured by Saudi authorities to divorce Hathloul after her arrest .
Butairi , who has been released from detention and resides in the kingdom , was not reachable for comment .
Western nations , including the European Union , the United States and Britain , have sought to pressure the kingdom to release the jailed activists .
Some of them have since been provisionally released and are still facing trial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ release Hathloul in exchange for her video testimony denying that she had been tortured and sexually harassed in prison , her family claimed .
She refused to accept the `` deal '' , they said .
Hathloul began a hunger strike in prison on October 26 to demand regular contact with her family , but felt compelled to end it two weeks later , her siblings said .
`` She was being woken up by the guards every two hours , day and night , as a brutal tactic to break her , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing the activist 's family .
`` Yet , she is far from broken . ''

Riyadh (AFP) –
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Loujain al-Hathloul, who was sentenced on Monday to five years and eight months' prison, has become emblematic of the fight for women's rights in Saudi Arabia.
The 31-year-old long campaigned for women to be able to drive and for an end to the kingdom's notorious guardianship system, which requires women to get permission from male relatives for many decisions.
A graduate of the Canadian University of British Columbia, Hathloul was detained in May 2018 -- just weeks before the historic lifting of the decades-old driving ban -- along with several prominent women campaigners on the charge of "attempting to destabilise the kingdom".
The pro-government media branded Hathloul and other jailed activists as "traitors" and her family alleges she faced sexual harassment and torture, including electric shocks and water boarding, in detention.
Hathloul also accused former royal court media advisor Saud al-Qahtani of threatening to rape and kill her, according to her family.
Saudi authorities vigorously deny the charges.
A Saudi activist, who declined to be named over fears for her family's safety, told AFP that Hathloul represented the kingdom's modern feminists.
"Loujain is the young rebel woman from Al-Qassim who embodies global values... and calls out the (lies) of the state," she said.
Another Saudi activist described her as an "incredibly fierce and resolute" champion of women's rights.
Hathloul, a social media personality from the conservative central region of Al-Qassim, had also been jailed in 2014.
Saudi authorities put her in juvenile detention when she tried to drive into the kingdom from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates.
She was freed 73 days later following an international campaign.
- 'Not a shrinking violet' -
Sima Godfrey, an associate professor of French at UBC, described Hathloul -- who attended the university between 2009 and 2014 and graduated with a degree in French -- as a "very tough person".
"She knew what she was risking there and was not afraid. If anything, she was sort of looking forward to the challenge. She's not a shrinking violet by any means," Godfrey told CBC television in 2018.
Godfrey said Hathloul comes from a progressive family that encouraged her to get involved in politics, something most Saudi families shun in the kingdom, an absolute monarchy that does not tolerate political dissent.
"She spoke a lot about her mother, who wanted her daughters to be out there and have their voices be heard," Godfrey said.
Hathloul was married for years to Saudi stand-up comedian Fahad al-Butairi, a YouTube sensation popularly known as the "Seinfeld of Saudi Arabia".
Butairi was arrested in Jordan in 2018 and deported to the kingdom, multiple campaigners and friends of the couple told AFP.
They said he was pressured by Saudi authorities to divorce Hathloul after her arrest. Butairi, who has been released from detention and resides in the kingdom, was not reachable for comment.
Western nations, including the European Union, the United States and Britain, have sought to pressure the kingdom to release the jailed activists.
Some of them have since been provisionally released and are still facing trial.
In 2019, Saudi authorities offered to release Hathloul in exchange for her video testimony denying that she had been tortured and sexually harassed in prison, her family claimed.
She refused to accept the "deal", they said.
Hathloul began a hunger strike in prison on October 26 to demand regular contact with her family, but felt compelled to end it two weeks later, her siblings said.
"She was being woken up by the guards every two hours, day and night, as a brutal tactic to break her," Amnesty International said last month, citing the activist's family.
"Yet, she is far from broken."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul jailed for 5 years, 8 months

Saudi women 's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul , who was arrested in May 2018 , has been sentenced to five years and eight months for terrorism-related crimes , according to Saudi media reports A Saudi court on Monday sentenced prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison for terrorism-related crimes , according to local media allowed to attend her trial .
The women 's rights activist was convicted of `` various activities prohibited by the anti-terrorism law '' , the pro-government online outlet Sabq and other media cited the court as saying .
They added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of the sentence `` if she does not commit any crime '' within the next three years .
The reports did not explain whether the sentence included time served or say when she may be released from custody .
A motion to appeal can be filed within 30 days .
Hathloul , 31 , was arrested in May 2018 with about a dozen other women activists just weeks before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female drivers , a reform they had long campaigned for .
After being tried in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was transferred last month to the Specialised Criminal Court ( SCC ) , or the anti-terrorism court , which campaigners say is notorious for issuing long jail terms and is used to silence critical voices under the cover of fighting terrorism .
Earlier this month , Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told AFP that Hathloul was accused of contacting `` unfriendly '' states and providing classified information , but her family said no evidence to support the allegations had been put forward .
While some detained women activists have been provisionally released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what rights groups describe as opaque charges .
The pro-government Saudi media has branded them as `` traitors '' and Hathloul 's family alleges she experienced sexual harassment and torture in detention .
Saudi authorities deny the charges .
Saudi Arabia , an absolute monarchy , has faced growing international criticism for its human rights record .
But the kingdom appears to be doubling down on dissent , even as US President-elect Joe Biden 's incoming administration could intensify scrutiny of its human rights failings .
Aside from a host of international campaigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Foreign Relations have demanded the `` immediate and unconditional release '' of Hathloul .
The detention of women activists has cast a spotlight on the human rights record of the kingdom , which has also faced intense criticism over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate .
Hathloul began a hunger strike in prison on October 26 to demand regular contact with her family , but felt compelled to end it two weeks later , her siblings said .
`` She was being woken up by the guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as a brutal tactic to break her , '' Amnesty said last month , citing the activist 's family .
`` Yet , she is far from broken . ''
The Specialised Criminal Court was established in 2008 to handle terrorism-related cases , but has been widely used to try political dissidents and human rights activists .
In a report earlier this year , Amnesty International said the secretive court was being used to silence critical voices under the cover of fighting terrorism .

Riyadh (AFP) –
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A Saudi court on Monday sentenced prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison for terrorism-related crimes, according to local media allowed to attend her trial.
The women's rights activist was convicted of "various activities prohibited by the anti-terrorism law", the pro-government online outlet Sabq and other media cited the court as saying.
They added that the court suspended two years and 10 months of the sentence "if she does not commit any crime" within the next three years.
The reports did not explain whether the sentence included time served or say when she may be released from custody. A motion to appeal can be filed within 30 days.
Hathloul, 31, was arrested in May 2018 with about a dozen other women activists just weeks before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female drivers, a reform they had long campaigned for.
After being tried in Riyadh's criminal court, her trial was transferred last month to the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC), or the anti-terrorism court, which campaigners say is notorious for issuing long jail terms and is used to silence critical voices under the cover of fighting terrorism.
Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told AFP that Hathloul was accused of contacting "unfriendly" states and providing classified information, but her family said no evidence to support the allegations had been put forward.
While some detained women activists have been provisionally released, Hathloul and others remain imprisoned on what rights groups describe as opaque charges.
The pro-government Saudi media has branded them as "traitors" and Hathloul's family alleges she experienced sexual harassment and torture in detention. Saudi authorities deny the charges.
- Spotlight on human rights -
Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy, has faced growing international criticism for its human rights record.
But the kingdom appears to be doubling down on dissent, even as US President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration could intensify scrutiny of its human rights failings.
Aside from a host of international campaigners and celebrities, United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations have demanded the "immediate and unconditional release" of Hathloul.
The detention of women activists has cast a spotlight on the human rights record of the kingdom, which has also faced intense criticism over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate.
Hathloul began a hunger strike in prison on October 26 to demand regular contact with her family, but felt compelled to end it two weeks later, her siblings said.
"She was being woken up by the guards every two hours, day and night, as a brutal tactic to break her," Amnesty said last month, citing the activist's family.
"Yet, she is far from broken."
The Specialised Criminal Court was established in 2008 to handle terrorism-related cases, but has been widely used to try political dissidents and human rights activists.
In a report earlier this year, Amnesty International said the secretive court was being used to silence critical voices under the cover of fighting terrorism.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--2020: A year of protests and civil disobedience

Members of Antifa hold shields during a protest at Black Lives Matter Plaza on December 12 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Thousands of protesters who refuse to accept that President-elect Joe Biden won the election are rallying ahead of the electoral college vote to make Trump 's 306-to-232 loss official .
In a year of general upheaval , 2020 also gave rise to mass protests around the world .
Though some tackled familiar themes like democratic freedoms , women ’ s rights and racial justice , others found new causes to rally behind as the emergence of Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandates .
FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of the protests and civic disobedience movements that marked the year .
Countries struggling to contain the first outbreaks of the deadly Covid-19 virus quickly fell into lockstep on the main strategies for `` flattening the curve '' : imposing strict lockdowns , social distancing and mandating the wearing of masks when possible .
But governments everywhere have had to grapple with fierce blowback from groups opposed to these strategies .
In Europe , Germany has emerged as the epicentre of the anti-lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mix of young and old , far-right extremists , Covid-19 sceptics , anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists .
Calling themselves “ lateral thinkers ” , they are part of a global phenomenon of those who see themselves as defenders of individual freedoms as they eschew masks and defy social distancing measures to congregate en masse for the cause .
On the weekend of August 29 , coordinated rallies , some turning violent , took place across Europe .
Nearly 20,000 Covid-19 sceptics marched against pandemic restrictions in Berlin while in London , 10,000 gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some holding aloft signs with “ Anti-vax deserves a voice ” , “ End to Government lies ” or “ Freedom over fear ” .
In Paris , anti-mask rallies in August drew only a few hundred people with marginally larger demonstrations in Brussels , Dublin , Madrid , Rome , Rotterdam and Zurich – protests occurred even in Italy , where Covid-19 took an exceptionally high toll .
Anti-maskers have accused governments of manipulating people through fear and claim there is no scientific justification for making them mandatory .
In the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump – who himself has consistently played down the severity of the virus – joined forces to protect what they claimed was an assault on individual rights , despite skyrocketing infections that would eventually catapult the country to the top of global mortality rates .
In some states protesters stormed government offices while in Michigan a group of men were accused of plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer , a Democrat who had become a lightning rod for anger over coronavirus measures .
By April nationwide protests spiked after a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 , urging Americans in states where leaders had imposed restrictions to “ liberate ” themselves .
Critics have blamed Trump , who has refused lockdowns and other anti-virus interventions , for fomenting the movement .
Echoing the outgoing US president ’ s sentiments , anti-mask and anti-lockdown advocates say enforced restrictions have come at too high a cost , that of a sinking economy and a recovery that could be years in the making .
The death in police custody of George Floyd , a 44-year-old African-American man , on May 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in the US and around the world .
Video images shared on social media showed Floyd being held down , a policeman 's knee on his neck , as he repeatedly pleaded for air before he died .
“ I can ’ t breathe , ” Floyd ’ s last words , were brandished on protest signs .
It was not the first time a Black man had died at the hands of US police while pleading for air .
`` I ca n't breathe '' has been chanted at protests against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of Eric Garner , who was filmed repeating those words as he was restrained by an NYPD officer .
Just two months before Floyd ’ s death , Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old health worker , was shot dead by police during a botched raid on her apartment .
The police were looking for a suspect who did not live at Taylor 's residence .
A new round of protests calling for justice for Taylor erupted in September when a grand jury ruled against convicting the officers involved in her death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter movement and the # BLM hashtag that first surfaced in 2013 .
Across the US , more than 4,700 demonstrations waved the BLM banner with protests against Floyd ’ s death peaking on June 6 , when half a million people turned out in nearly 550 locations across the country .
Outrage against police also spilled onto the streets of Paris , where Floyd ’ s death shined a new spotlight on the case of Adama Traoré , a 24-year-old Black man who died in 2016 after being restrained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , led several anti-racism protests in which young and old , Black and White , working-class and middle-class were united in their calls for justice for Traoré .
In June more than 10,000 gathered in Paris with demonstrations also taking place in Marseille , Lille and Lyon .
In cities as far-flung as Sydney and Melbourne people also marched to highlight high rates of incarceration and deaths in custody among Aboriginal Australians .
Anti-racism activists expanded their message , pointing to the lingering injustices due to the legacies of slavery and colonialism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by defiling or pulling down statues of historical figures who profited from or supported the slave trade .
In the UK and the US establishments like bars and pubs went so far as to change their names in a sign of solidarity with the BLM movement .
Women precipitated the largest anti-government protests ever seen in Belarus after a contested presidential vote on August 9 saw the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko , who has been in power since 1994 .
The opposition and its supporters have called on Lukashenko to quit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up demonstrations with as many 100,000 thronging the city of Minsk .
Solidarity for the opposition remains strong even as leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is in exile in Lithuania .
But despite EU sanctions and international calls for democracy to be upheld little has changed More than 30,000 people are believed to have been arrested in Belarus since mass protests began , many facing fines or even lengthy prison sentences .
Protests are now a fixture on the calendar for Belarus ’ s beleaguered pro-democracy movement and they show no signs of lifting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim voices rose in protest against French President Emmanuel Macron in October after he defended the secular values ( laïcité ) of the French Republic , denouncing Islamist extremism and vowing not to give up the `` right '' to caricature .
At a ceremony honouring school teacher Samuel Paty , who was murdered by a Chechen Islamist who was outraged that Paty showed students caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed during a class on freedom of expression , Macron hailed Paty as a hero for representing the free-thinking values of the French Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I can understand that people could be shocked by the caricatures but I will never accept that violence can be justified , '' Macron later said in a speech .
Anger and outrage at his comments erupted in the Middle East and parts of Asia .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a boycott of French goods , questioned Macron 's mental health and said he had a problem with Muslims – prompting France to recall its ambassador .
Effigies of the French president along with the French flag were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pakistan , Lebanon , Palestinian Territories and Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world .
Macron ’ s government was again accused of Islamophobia after it unveiled new laws against `` Islamist separatism '' on October 2 .
Macron triggered more scorn by declaring Islam to be a religion `` in crisis all over the world ” and said the religion could instead be remade into “ an Islam of the Enlightenment ” .
When the UK ’ s Financial Times published an opinion piece on November 3 that argued Macron ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the president challenged the piece , saying it contained factual errors .
Macron then launched a broader attack on the Anglophone press that included the New York Times and sought to placate Muslims by explaining that France was fighting radical Islamism and not Islam itself .
His tough tone have led some to speculate that Macron is already in campaign mode ahead of a 2022 presidential election , with his hardened stance a possible attempt to lure votes from far-right leader Marine le Pen .
For nearly two weeks in October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end police brutality and human rights violations by disbanding one of the country ’ s most notorious police units .
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS ) was set up in Lagos in 1992 to combat armed criminals but was later accused of extreme human rights violations , with victims claiming officers regularly engaged in extrajudicial killings , enforced disappearances , torture and kidnapping .
Led primarily by youth groups , the protests have been going since 2017 but it was not until they launched a social media campaign under the hashtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support , spreading to 21 cities across Nigeria .
President Muhammadu Buhari responded by crushing the growing movement and tossing hundreds of protesters in jail , where many remain today .
Their cause has now been taken up by US Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi , Greta Thunberg and even singer Alicia Keys , who are among a coterie of international celebrities to sign an open letter to Buhari for the release of the activists .
They have also urged the president to lift a nationwide ban on protests and to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amnesty International SARS isn ’ t the only problem , with the Nigerian police also responsible for hundreds of extrajudicial killings and disappearances every year .
While abortion rights have been hard-fought in many countries , they came under attack in Poland again in October when the top court ruled it unconstitutional to abort a foetus because of defects , thus eliminating one of the few legal reasons to seek an abortion in the deeply Catholic country .
The ruling right-wing Law and Justice ( PiS ) party proposed the constitutional changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impose an almost total ban on abortion .
Tens of thousands of women , and men , poured onto the streets in a string of nationwide rallies in repudiation of the changes – and in defiance of a Covid-19 ban on mass gatherings .
Holding up signs bearing a red lightning bolt they chanted the slogan , “ I think , I feel , I decide ” in a message that resonated with women around the world .
The anti-abortion protests were among Poland ’ s largest in decades , not seen since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to the collapse of the Soviet government .
But others have also joined the fray – from farmers to entrepreneurs – swelling protesters ’ ranks and coalescing around a common goal of overthrowing the government .
“ We are going for freedom .
We are going for everything !
” was the slogan for the latest demonstration on December 13 .
President Jaroslaw Kaczyński has called the protesters “ criminals ” .
Though a final court ruling is on hold in Poland , in Argentina women claimed a small victory with lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to the senate before approval .
Soon after Election Day on November 3 it became clear that this US presidential election would be contested both at the ballot box and on the streets .
As vote counting continued in several battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia , which were too close to call on polling day , President Trump seized on the delay in final results to claim the election had been stolen .
Trump supporters rallied to cries of “ Stop the Count ” and “ Stop the Steal ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular weekend protests throughout November , at times facing off against Biden supporters who called for every vote to be counted .
On November 14 the post-election protests peaked with a `` MAGA March '' in Washington , DC .
Just five blocks from the White House , thousands of pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters brawled , some armed with batons , before riot police used stun guns and teargas to disperse the crowds .
Several arrests were made and one person was stabbed .
Another flashpoint occurred when a pro-Trump group , Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the capital on December 12 , when disparate groups coalesced and clashed with opponents in yet another worrying show of a profoundly divided United States .
A White nationalist group known as the Proud Boys , members of the religious far-right and grassroots MAGA ( Make America Great Again ) groups were all in Washington in overlapping protests in support of Trump .
Scuffles ensued when Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) demonstrators and `` antifa '' ( leftist anti-fascist groups ) , exchanged insults with members of the Proud Boys .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested .
The US president has refused to concede defeat despite the US Electoral College finalising Biden ’ s victory on December 14 .
Trump has also lost more than 50 legal challenges filed against the election results in state and federal courts .
Protesters demonstrated in Paris and other French cities throughout much of November and December against a new security law proposed by the government that would have limited the right to share images of on-duty police online .
Offenders would face up to one year in prison and a €45,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government said the proposal was intended to protect police from retribution and online calls for violence against officers .
But critics warned the bill would curtail the right to document police misconduct and undermine the ability of journalists to cover police activity , notably at demonstrations .
Reporters without Borders , Amnesty International 's France division and journalist unions called for the provision to be withdrawn .
The UN ’ s High Commissioner for Human Rights and France ’ s own human rights ombudsman also voiced concerns that the provision – Article 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of documenting police activity was underscored in late November when Black music producer Michel Zecler was brutally beaten by Paris police hurling racial epithets .
Videos of the attack were first published by French website Loopsider but quickly went viral , receiving millions of views .
An investigation into the incident is ongoing .
“ I was lucky enough to have videos , which protected me , ” Zecler later said .
On November 30 the government backed down , dropping controversial Article 25 and saying that it would be “ completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost 100 protests took place throughout France on December 5 .
In some cities , demonstrators clashed with police as vehicles were set on fire and shop windows were smashed .
More than 140 people were arrested at protests the following week and police used water cannon to disperse crowds .

RETROSPECTIVE
In a year of general upheaval, 2020 also gave rise to mass protests around the world. Though some tackled familiar themes like democratic freedoms, women’s rights and racial justice, others found new causes to rally behind as the emergence of Covid-19 sparked demonstrations against government lockdowns and mask mandates. FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of the protests and civic disobedience movements that marked the year.
Members of Antifa hold shields during a protest at Black Lives Matter Plaza on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Thousands of protesters who refuse to accept that President-elect Joe Biden won the election are rallying ahead of the electoral college vote to make Trump's 306-to-232 loss official.
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Coronavirus sceptics and anti-maskers
Countries struggling to contain the first outbreaks of the deadly Covid-19 virus quickly fell into lockstep on the main strategies for "flattening the curve": imposing strict lockdowns, social distancing and mandating the wearing of masks when possible. But governments everywhere have had to grapple with fierce blowback from groups opposed to these strategies.
In Europe, Germany has emerged as the epicentre of the anti-lockdown movement, which has attracted an eclectic mix of young and old, far-right extremists, Covid-19 sceptics, anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists. Calling themselves “lateral thinkers”, they are part of a global phenomenon of those who see themselves as defenders of individual freedoms as they eschew masks and defy social distancing measures to congregate en masse for the cause.
On the weekend of August 29, coordinated rallies, some turning violent, took place across Europe. Nearly 20,000 Covid-19 sceptics marched against pandemic restrictions in Berlin while in London, 10,000 gathered to call the pandemic a hoax, some holding aloft signs with “Anti-vax deserves a voice”, “End to Government lies” or “Freedom over fear”.
A policeman (L) uses tear gas against a demonstrator taking part in a leftist counter-protest against a demonstration of people protesting against masks and virus restrictions during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic (novel coronavirus) in Konstanz, southern Germany, on October 4, 2020. AFP - SEBASTIEN BOZON
In Paris, anti-mask rallies in August drew only a few hundred people with marginally larger demonstrations in Brussels, Dublin, Madrid, Rome, Rotterdam and Zurich – protests occurred even in Italy, where Covid-19 took an exceptionally high toll. Anti-maskers have accused governments of manipulating people through fear and claim there is no scientific justification for making them mandatory.
In the United States, anti-lockdown demonstrators and supporters of President Donald Trump – who himself has consistently played down the severity of the virus – joined forces to protect what they claimed was an assault on individual rights, despite skyrocketing infections that would eventually catapult the country to the top of global mortality rates. In some states protesters stormed government offices while in Michigan a group of men were accused of plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who had become a lightning rod for anger over coronavirus measures.
By April nationwide protests spiked after a series of tweets from President Trump on April 17, urging Americans in states where leaders had imposed restrictions to “liberate” themselves. Critics have blamed Trump, who has refused lockdowns and other anti-virus interventions, for fomenting the movement.
Echoing the outgoing US president’s sentiments, anti-mask and anti-lockdown advocates say enforced restrictions have come at too high a cost, that of a sinking economy and a recovery that could be years in the making.
Global protests against racial injustice and police brutality
The death in police custody of George Floyd, a 44-year-old African-American man, on May 25 in Minneapolis sparked a wave of anti-racism protests in the US and around the world. Video images shared on social media showed Floyd being held down, a policeman's knee on his neck, as he repeatedly pleaded for air before he died.
“I can’t breathe,” Floyd’s last words, were brandished on protest signs. It was not the first time a Black man had died at the hands of US police while pleading for air. "I can't breathe" has been chanted at protests against racism among police ever since the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was filmed repeating those words as he was restrained by an NYPD officer.
Protesters march during a peaceful protest after a grand jury decided not to bring homicide charges against police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville, Kentucky September 26, 2020. © Eduardo Munoz, Reuters
Just two months before Floyd’s death, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old health worker, was shot dead by police during a botched raid on her apartment. The police were looking for a suspect who did not live at Taylor's residence. A new round of protests calling for justice for Taylor erupted in September when a grand jury ruled against convicting the officers involved in her death.
These and other incidents revived the US Black Lives Matter movement and the #BLM hashtag that first surfaced in 2013. Across the US, more than 4,700 demonstrations waved the BLM banner with protests against Floyd’s death peaking on June 6, when half a million people turned out in nearly 550 locations across the country.
Outrage against police also spilled onto the streets of Paris, where Floyd’s death shined a new spotlight on the case of Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old Black man who died in 2016 after being restrained by French police. His sister, Assa, led several anti-racism protests in which young and old, Black and White, working-class and middle-class were united in their calls for justice for Traoré. In June more than 10,000 gathered in Paris with demonstrations also taking place in Marseille, Lille and Lyon.
In cities as far-flung as Sydney and Melbourne people also marched to highlight high rates of incarceration and deaths in custody among Aboriginal Australians.
Anti-racism activists expanded their message, pointing to the lingering injustices due to the legacies of slavery and colonialism. Others took matters directly into their hands by defiling or pulling down statues of historical figures who profited from or supported the slave trade. In the UK and the US establishments like bars and pubs went so far as to change their names in a sign of solidarity with the BLM movement.
Protests erupt against Lukashenko in Belarus
Women precipitated the largest anti-government protests ever seen in Belarus after a contested presidential vote on August 9 saw the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994. The opposition and its supporters have called on Lukashenko to quit, denouncing the election as rigged and keeping up demonstrations with as many 100,000 thronging the city of Minsk.
Solidarity for the opposition remains strong even as leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is in exile in Lithuania. But despite EU sanctions and international calls for democracy to be upheld little has changed
More than 30,000 people are believed to have been arrested in Belarus since mass protests began, many facing fines or even lengthy prison sentences. Protests are now a fixture on the calendar for Belarus’s beleaguered pro-democracy movement and they show no signs of lifting the pressure on Lukashenko’s regime.
Macron sparks anger and a boycott
Muslim voices rose in protest against French President Emmanuel Macron in October after he defended the secular values (laïcité) of the French Republic, denouncing Islamist extremism and vowing not to give up the "right" to caricature.
At a ceremony honouring school teacher Samuel Paty, who was murdered by a Chechen Islamist who was outraged that Paty showed students caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed during a class on freedom of expression, Macron hailed Paty as a hero for representing the free-thinking values of the French Republic, including the right to mock religion.
"I can understand that people could be shocked by the caricatures but I will never accept that violence can be justified," Macron later said in a speech.
Anger and outrage at his comments erupted in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a boycott of French goods, questioned Macron's mental health and said he had a problem with Muslims – prompting France to recall its ambassador.
Effigies of the French president along with the French flag were burned as protesters amassed in their thousands in Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories and Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world.
A Muslim man steps on a defaced portrait of French President Emmanuel Macron during a protest outside the France Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 2, 2020. © Dita Alangkara, AP Photo
Macron’s government was again accused of Islamophobia after it unveiled new laws against "Islamist separatism" on October 2. Macron triggered more scorn by declaring Islam to be a religion "in crisis all over the world” and said the religion could instead be remade into “an Islam of the Enlightenment”.
When the UK’s Financial Times published an opinion piece on November 3 that argued Macron’s words were alienating Muslims in France, the president challenged the piece, saying it contained factual errors. Macron then launched a broader attack on the Anglophone press that included the New York Times and sought to placate Muslims by explaining that France was fighting radical Islamism and not Islam itself.
His tough tone have led some to speculate that Macron is already in campaign mode ahead of a 2022 presidential election, with his hardened stance a possible attempt to lure votes from far-right leader Marine le Pen.
#EndSARS in Nigeria
For nearly two weeks in October, thousands of angry young Nigerians intensified calls to end police brutality and human rights violations by disbanding one of the country’s most notorious police units.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was set up in Lagos in 1992 to combat armed criminals but was later accused of extreme human rights violations, with victims claiming officers regularly engaged in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and kidnapping.
Led primarily by youth groups, the protests have been going since 2017 but it was not until they launched a social media campaign under the hashtag #EndSARS that their cause gained wider support, spreading to 21 cities across Nigeria.
Dear @aliciakeys, youths in Nigeria still remember your song “we are here”. Please be here for all of us now and lend your voice to the #EndSarsNow campaign. Just a tweet on #EndSARS please pic.twitter.com/IJIZsw1TUi — Trisha Tony (@triishatony) October 9, 2020
President Muhammadu Buhari responded by crushing the growing movement and tossing hundreds of protesters in jail, where many remain today. Their cause has now been taken up by US Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi, Greta Thunberg and even singer Alicia Keys, who are among a coterie of international celebrities to sign an open letter to Buhari for the release of the activists. They have also urged the president to lift a nationwide ban on protests and to allow Nigerians a democratic voice.
According to Amnesty International SARS isn’t the only problem, with the Nigerian police also responsible for hundreds of extrajudicial killings and disappearances every year.
Poland's crackdown on abortion sparks outrage
While abortion rights have been hard-fought in many countries, they came under attack in Poland again in October when the top court ruled it unconstitutional to abort a foetus because of defects, thus eliminating one of the few legal reasons to seek an abortion in the deeply Catholic country.
The ruling right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party proposed the constitutional changes to the law in a crackdown that would impose an almost total ban on abortion.
Tens of thousands of women, and men, poured onto the streets in a string of nationwide rallies in repudiation of the changes – and in defiance of a Covid-19 ban on mass gatherings. Holding up signs bearing a red lightning bolt they chanted the slogan, “I think, I feel, I decide” in a message that resonated with women around the world.
Opponents of the Polish abortion ruling argue it puts women's lives at risk by forcing them to carry unviable pregnancies Wojtek RADWANSKI AFP/File
The anti-abortion protests were among Poland’s largest in decades, not seen since the Solidarity movement of the 1980s that led to the collapse of the Soviet government.
But others have also joined the fray – from farmers to entrepreneurs – swelling protesters’ ranks and coalescing around a common goal of overthrowing the government.
“We are going for freedom. We are going for everything!” was the slogan for the latest demonstration on December 13. President Jaroslaw Kaczyński has called the protesters “criminals”.
Though a final court ruling is on hold in Poland, in Argentina women claimed a small victory with lawmakers backing an abortion bill which will now go to the senate before approval.
A contentious US election
Soon after Election Day on November 3 it became clear that this US presidential election would be contested both at the ballot box and on the streets.
As vote counting continued in several battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia, which were too close to call on polling day, President Trump seized on the delay in final results to claim the election had been stolen. Trump supporters rallied to cries of “Stop the Count” and “Stop the Steal” outside voting centres in multiple cities during regular weekend protests throughout November, at times facing off against Biden supporters who called for every vote to be counted.
On November 14 the post-election protests peaked with a "MAGA March" in Washington, DC. Just five blocks from the White House, thousands of pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters brawled, some armed with batons, before riot police used stun guns and teargas to disperse the crowds. Several arrests were made and one person was stabbed.
Another flashpoint occurred when a pro-Trump group, Women for America First, organised a rally in the capital on December 12, when disparate groups coalesced and clashed with opponents in yet another worrying show of a profoundly divided United States. A White nationalist group known as the Proud Boys, members of the religious far-right and grassroots MAGA (Make America Great Again) groups were all in Washington in overlapping protests in support of Trump. Scuffles ensued when Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrators and "antifa" (leftist anti-fascist groups), exchanged insults with members of the Proud Boys. Four people were stabbed and several were arrested.
The US president has refused to concede defeat despite the US Electoral College finalising Biden’s victory on December 14. Trump has also lost more than 50 legal challenges filed against the election results in state and federal courts.
French 'security law' sparks mass protests
Protesters demonstrated in Paris and other French cities throughout much of November and December against a new security law proposed by the government that would have limited the right to share images of on-duty police online. Offenders would face up to one year in prison and a €45,000 ($53,000) fine.
The government said the proposal was intended to protect police from retribution and online calls for violence against officers. But critics warned the bill would curtail the right to document police misconduct and undermine the ability of journalists to cover police activity, notably at demonstrations.
Reporters without Borders, Amnesty International's France division and journalist unions called for the provision to be withdrawn. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights and France’s own human rights ombudsman also voiced concerns that the provision – Article 25 – threatened fundamental civil rights.
The importance of documenting police activity was underscored in late November when Black music producer Michel Zecler was brutally beaten by Paris police hurling racial epithets. Videos of the attack were first published by French website Loopsider but quickly went viral, receiving millions of views. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. “I was lucky enough to have videos, which protected me,” Zecler later said.
On November 30 the government backed down, dropping controversial Article 25 and saying that it would be “completely rewritten”.
Despite the reversal, almost 100 protests took place throughout France on December 5. In some cities, demonstrators clashed with police as vehicles were set on fire and shop windows were smashed. More than 140 people were arrested at protests the following week and police used water cannon to disperse crowds.
French CRS riot police gaz out over a demonstration against the "Global Security Bill' that rights groups say would infringe journalists' freedom in France. Photo taken in Paris on December 12, 2020. © Charles Platiau, Reuters
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france24--2020-12-28--Kohli, Perry named cricketers of the decade

India captain Virat Kohli was named the ICC 's male cricketer of the decade on Monday as Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry swept the top women 's awards .
Kohli and Perry were the big winners in the International Cricket Council 's Awards of the Decade , while Australian batsman Steve Smith was crowned the best Test player .
Kohli , who was also named ODI player of the decade , lifted the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy with India , before inspiring their first Test series victory on Australian soil two years ago .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to go out there and perform for my team , and it 's a great honour for me to win this award , '' Kohli said in a video message .
`` My only intention was to make winning contributions for the team and I just strive to do that in every game , '' he added .
India 's all-formats captain was the decade 's highest run-scorer with 20,396 , hitting the most fifties ( 66 ) and having the highest average ( 56.97 ) of players with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only player with more than 10,000 one-day international runs , including 39 centuries and 48 fifties at an average of 61.83 .
Perry was named female cricketer of the decade as well as the top ODI and T20 player as she cleaned up in the women 's awards .
Perry , who also played football for Australia at the 2011 World Cup , won four T20 world titles and the 2013 one-day World Cup , scoring 4,349 runs and taking 213 wickets in the decade .
`` It has been tremendous to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it forward , '' Perry said .
`` Amazing to see where it 's come from when I was introduced to it . ''
Smith , who averaged 65.79 with 26 centuries and 28 fifties , won the Test award despite his role in the ball-tampering scandal at the 2018 Cape Town Test which saw him banned for a year .
Meanwhile , Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan said he was `` speechless '' after being picked as the men 's T20 player of the decade .
`` For someone from Afghanistan to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment for me , '' he said .
Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the decade 's Spirit of Cricket award for sportingly calling back England batsman Ian Bell after a bizarre run-out in the 2011 Nottingham Test .
And Scotland 's Kyle Coetzer and Kathryn Bryce were named the decade 's best male and female cricketers from associate , or non-Test playing , countries .

Dubai (AFP) –
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India captain Virat Kohli was named the ICC's male cricketer of the decade on Monday as Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry swept the top women's awards.
Kohli and Perry were the big winners in the International Cricket Council's Awards of the Decade, while Australian batsman Steve Smith was crowned the best Test player.
Kohli, who was also named ODI player of the decade, lifted the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy with India, before inspiring their first Test series victory on Australian soil two years ago.
"It's just been an honour for me to be able to go out there and perform for my team, and it's a great honour for me to win this award," Kohli said in a video message.
"My only intention was to make winning contributions for the team and I just strive to do that in every game," he added.
India's all-formats captain was the decade's highest run-scorer with 20,396, hitting the most fifties (66) and having the highest average (56.97) of players with more than 70 innings.
He was also the only player with more than 10,000 one-day international runs, including 39 centuries and 48 fifties at an average of 61.83.
Perry was named female cricketer of the decade as well as the top ODI and T20 player as she cleaned up in the women's awards.
Perry, who also played football for Australia at the 2011 World Cup, won four T20 world titles and the 2013 one-day World Cup, scoring 4,349 runs and taking 213 wickets in the decade.
"It has been tremendous to develop the women's T20 game and take it forward," Perry said. "Amazing to see where it's come from when I was introduced to it."
Smith, who averaged 65.79 with 26 centuries and 28 fifties, won the Test award despite his role in the ball-tampering scandal at the 2018 Cape Town Test which saw him banned for a year.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan said he was "speechless" after being picked as the men's T20 player of the decade.
"For someone from Afghanistan to get this award, it's a special moment for me," he said.
Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the decade's Spirit of Cricket award for sportingly calling back England batsman Ian Bell after a bizarre run-out in the 2011 Nottingham Test.
And Scotland's Kyle Coetzer and Kathryn Bryce were named the decade's best male and female cricketers from associate, or non-Test playing, countries.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--Shiffrin slow on Semmering first run

Shiffrin slow on Semmering first run

World Cup leader Petra Vlhova produced a slick first run in the giant slalom in freezing conditions at Semmering , @ @ @ @ @ American star Mikaela Shiffrin came in fourth .
Vlhova took 1min 01.25sec to negotiate the @ @ @ @ @ snow with Italy 's Marta Bassino 0.22sec off the pace and Swiss Michelle Gisin in @ @ @ @ @ was 0.59 off Vlhova 's pace .
Last week the three-time overall World Cup winner @ @ @ @ @ since January after a year marked by the sudden death of her father in February @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for 12h00 GMT .

Semmering (Austria) (AFP) –
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World Cup leader Petra Vlhova produced a slick first run in the giant slalom in freezing conditions at Semmering, Austria on Monday as the American star Mikaela Shiffrin came in fourth.
Vlhova took 1min 01.25sec to negotiate the 43 turns on hard packed snow with Italy's Marta Bassino 0.22sec off the pace and Swiss Michelle Gisin in third at 0.35sec. Shiffrin was 0.59 off Vlhova's pace.
Last week the three-time overall World Cup winner Shiffrin won her first race since January after a year marked by the sudden death of her father in February.
The second descent is scheduled for 12h00 GMT.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--Pfizer delays vaccine deliveries to 8 EU nations: Spain

Spain recevied its first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the weekend .
Pfizer has postponed the delivery of new batches of its coronavirus vaccine to eight European nations including Spain , the Spanish health ministry said Monday , a day after the EU began its immunisation campaign .
The Spanish branch of Pfizer informed Madrid on Sunday night of the delay in shipments to the eight nations due to a `` problem in the loading and shipment process '' at its plant in Belgium , the health ministry said in a statement .
It did not specify which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pfizer has informed the ministry that the problem `` was already resolved '' but the next delivery of vaccines `` will be a few hours late '' and arrive in Spain on Tuesday , a day later than expected , the statement said .
Asked about the delay during an interview with radio Ser , Health Minister Salvador Illa said it was due to a problem `` linked to the control of the temperature '' of the shipments which was `` apparently fixed '' .
The vaccine must be stored at ultra-low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -112 Fahrenheit ) before being shipped to distribution centres in specially designed cool boxes filled with dry ice .
Once out of ultra-low temperature storage , the vaccine must be kept at 2 Celsius to 8 Celsius to remain effective for up to five days .
Spain is scheduled to received 350,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine per week over the next three months .
Most European Union nations began their immunisation campaigns against the virus this weekend with the Pfizer-BioNTech jab , beginning with the elderly , health care workers and @ @

Madrid (AFP) –
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Pfizer has postponed the delivery of new batches of its coronavirus vaccine to eight European nations including Spain, the Spanish health ministry said Monday, a day after the EU began its immunisation campaign.
The Spanish branch of Pfizer informed Madrid on Sunday night of the delay in shipments to the eight nations due to a "problem in the loading and shipment process" at its plant in Belgium, the health ministry said in a statement.
It did not specify which European nations aside from Spain were affected.
Pfizer has informed the ministry that the problem "was already resolved" but the next delivery of vaccines "will be a few hours late" and arrive in Spain on Tuesday, a day later than expected, the statement said.
Asked about the delay during an interview with radio Ser, Health Minister Salvador Illa said it was due to a problem "linked to the control of the temperature" of the shipments which was "apparently fixed".
The vaccine must be stored at ultra-low temperatures of about -70 degrees Celsius (-112 Fahrenheit) before being shipped to distribution centres in specially designed cool boxes filled with dry ice.
Once out of ultra-low temperature storage, the vaccine must be kept at 2 Celsius to 8 Celsius to remain effective for up to five days.
Spain is scheduled to received 350,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine per week over the next three months.
Most European Union nations began their immunisation campaigns against the virus this weekend with the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, beginning with the elderly, health care workers and politicians.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-29--Trump backers look to last-stand protest on January 6

Members of the violent Proud Boys group are expected to attend a last-ditch rally for US President Donald Trump in Washington on January 6 President Donald Trump is urging supporters to amass in Washington on January 6 for a last-ditch rally to pressure Congress to not certify Joe Biden 's election victory .
Thousands of supporters from around the country , from the Women for America First group , to StoptheSteal , to the violent Proud Boys , are expected to descend on the US capital pressing Trump 's unsupported claim that massive voter fraud was behind his defeat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice this weekend urging supporters to attend , labelling the election `` the biggest SCAM in our nation 's history . ''
`` See you in Washington , DC , on January 6th .
Do n't miss it , '' he wrote Sunday .
The rally raised fears of fresh violence after the previous pro-Trump protest that included the Proud Boys on December 12 saw several people stabbed and dozens arrested .
Trump appears to hope that the protestors could pressure Congress to reject the final count of state-based electors and reverse his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must take to the US Capitol lawn and steps and tell Congress # DoNotCertify , '' StopTheSteal declared online .
`` Congress can not certify this fraudulent Electoral College , '' they said .
On January 6 Vice President Mike Pence is to lead Congress in certifying the Electoral College votes submitted by each state , which represent the results of the popular vote .
In the joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate , Pence is to open and read the certificates reporting elector tallies from each state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process should be , as it almost always is , a formality .
Trump 's campaign has lost dozens of court challenges in several contested states , with judge after judge saying they showed no evidence of any significant fraud .
But the session can be stalled if lawmakers from both houses submit formal objections to any state 's report .
Alabama Representative Mo Brooks told Fox News on Monday that he has the support of `` dozens '' of lawmakers to formally challenge the counts .
Meanwhile Trump and supporters have pressured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' elector certificates , a power legal experts say Pence does not have .
Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger on Sunday said it was all an effort by `` certain members of Congress and the president '' to raise money .
`` It is a scam and it is going to disappoint the people that believe this election was stolen , '' he told CNN .

Washington (AFP) –
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President Donald Trump is urging supporters to amass in Washington on January 6 for a last-ditch rally to pressure Congress to not certify Joe Biden's election victory.
Thousands of supporters from around the country, from the Women for America First group, to StoptheSteal, to the violent Proud Boys, are expected to descend on the US capital pressing Trump's unsupported claim that massive voter fraud was behind his defeat in the November 3 election.
Trump tweeted twice this weekend urging supporters to attend, labelling the election "the biggest SCAM in our nation's history."
"See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don't miss it," he wrote Sunday.
The rally raised fears of fresh violence after the previous pro-Trump protest that included the Proud Boys on December 12 saw several people stabbed and dozens arrested.
Trump appears to hope that the protestors could pressure Congress to reject the final count of state-based electors and reverse his election loss.
"We the People must take to the US Capitol lawn and steps and tell Congress #DoNotCertify," StopTheSteal declared online.
"Congress cannot certify this fraudulent Electoral College," they said.
On January 6 Vice President Mike Pence is to lead Congress in certifying the Electoral College votes submitted by each state, which represent the results of the popular vote.
In the joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Pence is to open and read the certificates reporting elector tallies from each state, and then declare the victor.
That process should be, as it almost always is, a formality.
Democrat Biden captured 306 electors while Republican Trump only won 232.
Trump's campaign has lost dozens of court challenges in several contested states, with judge after judge saying they showed no evidence of any significant fraud.
But the session can be stalled if lawmakers from both houses submit formal objections to any state's report.
Alabama Representative Mo Brooks told Fox News on Monday that he has the support of "dozens" of lawmakers to formally challenge the counts.
Meanwhile Trump and supporters have pressured Pence to unilaterally reject some pro-Biden states' elector certificates, a power legal experts say Pence does not have.
Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger on Sunday said it was all an effort by "certain members of Congress and the president" to raise money.
"It is a scam and it is going to disappoint the people that believe this election was stolen," he told CNN.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-29--US police officer fired after killing unarmed Black man in Columbus, Ohio

Protesters gather outside the home where Andre Maurice Hill , 47 , was killed in Columbus , Ohio , U.S. , December 24 , 2020 .
A white police officer who shot dead a Black man in Columbus , Ohio , last week was fired on Monday , city officials said .
The death of Andre Maurice Hill triggered outrage in a country that has been racked by protests against police brutality and systemic racism since the spring .
The 47-year-old African-American was in the garage of a house when he was shot several times by a police officer who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minor incident .
The officer , Adam Coy , was initially suspended after the shooting .
`` The evidence provided solid rationale for termination , '' said Columbus police chief Thomas Quinlan .
`` Mr Coy will now have to answer to the state investigators for the death of Andre Hill . ''
Hill , who was not armed at the time of the shooting , was the second African-American killed by police in less than three weeks in Columbus .
`` Andre Hill 's death is another tragic example of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as criminal or dangerous , and it points to the need for comprehensive , national police reform , '' said Ben Crump , a lawyer who has represented the families of several of the victims of police killings , including that of George Floyd , whose death in May triggered the biggest wave of racial protests in decades .

A white police officer who shot dead a Black man in Columbus, Ohio, last week was fired on Monday, city officials said.
Protesters gather outside the home where Andre Maurice Hill, 47, was killed in Columbus, Ohio, U.S., December 24, 2020.
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The death of Andre Maurice Hill triggered outrage in a country that has been racked by protests against police brutality and systemic racism since the spring.
The 47-year-old African-American was in the garage of a house when he was shot several times by a police officer who had been called to the scene for a minor incident.
The officer, Adam Coy, was initially suspended after the shooting.
"The evidence provided solid rationale for termination," said Columbus police chief Thomas Quinlan. "Mr Coy will now have to answer to the state investigators for the death of Andre Hill."
Hill, who was not armed at the time of the shooting, was the second African-American killed by police in less than three weeks in Columbus.
"Andre Hill's death is another tragic example of the tendency of police to view Black people as criminal or dangerous, and it points to the need for comprehensive, national police reform," said Ben Crump, a lawyer who has represented the families of several of the victims of police killings, including that of George Floyd, whose death in May triggered the biggest wave of racial protests in decades.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-12-29--US House votes to override Trump veto of key defence policy bill

FILE PHOTO : The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd transits alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt while participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2019 in the Gulf of Alaska May 16 , 2019 .
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Monday to override President Donald Trump 's veto of a $ 740 billion defense policy bill , in a rebuke to the president that underscored deep divisions in the Republican Party during his final weeks in office .
The 322-87 House vote , in which 109 Republicans voted to override Trump 's veto , leaves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where a final vote is expected this week .
If the Senate seconds the House action , it would be the first veto override of Trump 's presidency .
Trump , who is angry that some Republicans have acknowledged his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election , vetoed the defence bill last Wednesday .
Biden will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20 .
Trump said he blocked the legislation , because he wanted it to overturn liability protections for social media companies unrelated to national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rename military bases named after generals who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the Civil War .
The legislation , which addresses a host of defence policy issues and includes a pay raise for U.S. troops , has been passed by Congress every year since 1961 .
The bill passed both chambers of Congress with margins greater than the two-thirds majorities needed to override the president 's veto .
But Trump vetoed it anyway and the bill went back to Congress for further votes on whether to override the veto .

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Monday to override President Donald Trump's veto of a $740 billion defense policy bill, in a rebuke to the president that underscored deep divisions in the Republican Party during his final weeks in office.
FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd transits alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt while participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2019 in the Gulf of Alaska May 16, 2019.
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The 322-87 House vote, in which 109 Republicans voted to override Trump's veto, leaves the measure's fate to the Republican-led Senate, where a final vote is expected this week. If the Senate seconds the House action, it would be the first veto override of Trump's presidency.
Trump, who is angry that some Republicans have acknowledged his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, vetoed the defence bill last Wednesday. Biden will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20.
Trump said he blocked the legislation, because he wanted it to overturn liability protections for social media companies unrelated to national security, and opposed a provision to rename military bases named after generals who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the Civil War.
The legislation, which addresses a host of defence policy issues and includes a pay raise for U.S. troops, has been passed by Congress every year since 1961.
The bill passed both chambers of Congress with margins greater than the two-thirds majorities needed to override the president's veto.
But Trump vetoed it anyway and the bill went back to Congress for further votes on whether to override the veto.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-12-29--Spain to keep registry of those who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccine

Balafia nursing home worker Sogues Sole , 51 , receives an injection with a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine , as the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak continues , in Lleida , Spain , December 27 , 2020 .
Spain will set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and share it with other European Union member states , although it will not be made public , Health Minister Salvador Illa said Monday .
During an interview with La Sexta television , Illa reiterated that vaccination against the virus -- which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain over the weekend -- would not be mandatory .
`` What will be done is a registry , which will be shared with our European partners ... of those people who have been offered it and have simply rejected it , '' he said .
`` It is not a document which will be made public and it will be done with the utmost respect for data protection , '' he added , noting that employers or members of the general public would not have access to it .
The proportion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has plunged to 28 percent in December from 47 percent last month , according to a poll published last month .
The survey by the state-funded CIS research institute found 40.5 percent of respondents are willing to have the jab while 16.2 percent would do so if it is shown to be `` reliable '' .
Spain has been one of Europe 's worst-hit countries by the pandemic , with the virus death toll passing the 50,000 mark on Monday , according to the health ministry .
Nearly 1.9 million people have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 15 million and 20 million people out of its population of 47 million vaccinated against the virus by June .
`` The way to defeat the virus is to vaccinate all of us or the more the better , '' Illa said .

Spain will set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and share it with other European Union member states, although it will not be made public, Health Minister Salvador Illa said Monday.
Balafia nursing home worker Sogues Sole, 51, receives an injection with a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues, in Lleida, Spain, December 27, 2020.
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During an interview with La Sexta television, Illa reiterated that vaccination against the virus -- which as in most EU nations began in Spain over the weekend -- would not be mandatory.
"What will be done is a registry, which will be shared with our European partners... of those people who have been offered it and have simply rejected it," he said.
"It is not a document which will be made public and it will be done with the utmost respect for data protection," he added, noting that employers or members of the general public would not have access to it.
01:35
The proportion of Spaniards unwilling to take a Covid-19 vaccine has plunged to 28 percent in December from 47 percent last month, according to a poll published last month.
The survey by the state-funded CIS research institute found 40.5 percent of respondents are willing to have the jab while 16.2 percent would do so if it is shown to be "reliable".
Spain has been one of Europe's worst-hit countries by the pandemic, with the virus death toll passing the 50,000 mark on Monday, according to the health ministry.
Nearly 1.9 million people have been infected.
The government expects to have between 15 million and 20 million people out of its population of 47 million vaccinated against the virus by June.
"The way to defeat the virus is to vaccinate all of us or the more the better," Illa said.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-12-29--Blundell leads New Zealand charge with declaration likely

A Tom Blundell half-century led the New Zealand charge in the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday as the Black Caps pushed for an early declaration in their bid for a result at Mount Maunganui .
New Zealand need to sweep the two-Test series if they are to have a chance of making the Test Championship final at Lords in June .
At lunch on day four of the first Test , with five sessions remaining , New Zealand were 98 without loss to lead Pakistan by 290 .
Blundell was not out 59 , his second half-century , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand needed 102 overs to roll Pakistan for 239 in their first innings and at the current batting run rate , a declaration near tea with a lead of around 370 appeared likely .
Although Blundell and Latham have out-performed their first innings efforts -- when they fell cheaply and New Zealand were two for 13 -- they have not had it easy .
Pakistan felt they had a wicket with an lbw appeal from the fourth ball of Shaheen Afridi 's opening over but the TV umpire found there was nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bat or pad first .
Mohammad Abbas repeatedly troubled Tom Latham , finding the edge three times in his opening overs but the ball either fell short or zipped through gaps in the cordon .
Afridi was taken out of the attack after four overs that cost 18 runs including three fours to Blundell who also saw off Faheem Ashraf with a succession of boundaries .
Pakistan turned to spin after 18 overs but Yasir Shah 's six overs yielded 21 runs without reward .

Mount Maunganui (New Zealand) (AFP) –
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A Tom Blundell half-century led the New Zealand charge in the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday as the Black Caps pushed for an early declaration in their bid for a result at Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand need to sweep the two-Test series if they are to have a chance of making the Test Championship final at Lords in June.
At lunch on day four of the first Test, with five sessions remaining, New Zealand were 98 without loss to lead Pakistan by 290.
Blundell was not out 59, his second half-century, while Tom Latham was not out 36.
New Zealand needed 102 overs to roll Pakistan for 239 in their first innings and at the current batting run rate, a declaration near tea with a lead of around 370 appeared likely.
Although Blundell and Latham have out-performed their first innings efforts -- when they fell cheaply and New Zealand were two for 13 -- they have not had it easy.
Pakistan felt they had a wicket with an lbw appeal from the fourth ball of Shaheen Afridi's opening over but the TV umpire found there was nothing conclusive to prove whether the ball hit bat or pad first.
Mohammad Abbas repeatedly troubled Tom Latham, finding the edge three times in his opening overs but the ball either fell short or zipped through gaps in the cordon.
Afridi was taken out of the attack after four overs that cost 18 runs including three fours to Blundell who also saw off Faheem Ashraf with a succession of boundaries.
Pakistan turned to spin after 18 overs but Yasir Shah's six overs yielded 21 runs without reward.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--US, European stocks end at records on US stimulus, Brexit deal

American taxpayers will be getting checks in the mail again after US President Donald Trump signed the second stimulus package US and European stocks pushed into record territory on Monday , buoyed by a pandemic recovery package agreed in the US and Britain 's Brexit deal with the EU .
All three major US stock indices finished at all-time highs , a feat reached earlier in the day by Germany 's DAX index .
`` The stock market is in a celebration mode this morning , '' said Patrick J. O'Hare at Briefing.com .
The jump came after US President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 735 billion euros ) stimulus bill late Sunday , averting a government shutdown , providing additional payments to unemployed workers and extending an eviction moratorium by a month .
Trump had previously refused to sign the relief package , but reversed his stance Sunday , removing a key uncertainty for markets , which remain in a bullish posture in anticipation of better economic growth in 2021 following coronavirus vaccine approvals .
The latest vaccine nearing authorization is from Oxford-AstraZeneca , with British media reporting over the weekend that it is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Paris , the CAC 40 rose 1.2 percent , while the stock market in London was closed for a holiday .
On December 24 , Britain and the European Union agreed a post-Brexit deal that allayed the threat of disruption to business on January 1 , when measures extending free trade are set to end .
EU states approved the measure on Monday , and it will take effect provisionally while European lawmakers consider it after the start of the year .
The Brexit deal and the US aid package were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high , '' said Jochen Stanzl , an analyst at CMC Markets .
The market is `` breathing a sigh of relief '' after the Brexit deal , independent analyst Timo Emden added .
Several EU nations including France , Germany , Italy and Spain began rolling out their first Covid-19 vaccinations on Sunday , although the supply is limited .
`` For the markets , it remains crucial to get Covid-19 under control as soon as possible , '' Emden said .
The emergency US package is part of a larger spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will avoid a government shutdown on Tuesday .
The president 's turnaround came after a day marked by calls from across the political spectrum for action to avert a financial and social disaster in the world 's largest economy , especially among the most vulnerable .
`` For Americans that have been endlessly checking their mailboxes for a stimulus check , this is the best holiday present anyone could ask for , '' said Axi strategist Stephen Innes .
`` The stimulus balloon will allow the markets to navigate better the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus 's latest variant , '' he added .
Markets have recently been shaken by news of the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus that authorities believe may spread more easily .
New York - Dow : UP 0.7 percent at 30,403.97 ( close ) New York - S & P 500 : UP 0.9 percent at 3,735.36 ( close ) New York - Nasdaq : UP 0.7 percent at 12,899.42 ( close ) Pound/dollar : DOWN at 1.3451 from $ 1.3560 late Friday Euro/pound : UP at 90.71 from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from $ 1.2193 Dollar/yen : UP at 103.76 from 103.43 yen West Texas Intermediate : DOWN 1.2 percent at $ 47.66 per barrel Brent North Sea crude : DOWN 0.8 percent at $ 50.86 per barrel

New York (AFP) –
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US and European stocks pushed into record territory on Monday, buoyed by a pandemic recovery package agreed in the US and Britain's Brexit deal with the EU.
All three major US stock indices finished at all-time highs, a feat reached earlier in the day by Germany's DAX index.
"The stock market is in a celebration mode this morning," said Patrick J. O'Hare at Briefing.com.
The jump came after US President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion (735 billion euros) stimulus bill late Sunday, averting a government shutdown, providing additional payments to unemployed workers and extending an eviction moratorium by a month.
Trump had previously refused to sign the relief package, but reversed his stance Sunday, removing a key uncertainty for markets, which remain in a bullish posture in anticipation of better economic growth in 2021 following coronavirus vaccine approvals.
The latest vaccine nearing authorization is from Oxford-AstraZeneca, with British media reporting over the weekend that it is expected to be cleared for use on January 4.
Frankfurt's blue-chip DAX index ended up 1.5 percent at 13,790.29 points, a record closing level.
In Paris, the CAC 40 rose 1.2 percent, while the stock market in London was closed for a holiday.
On December 24, Britain and the European Union agreed a post-Brexit deal that allayed the threat of disruption to business on January 1, when measures extending free trade are set to end.
EU states approved the measure on Monday, and it will take effect provisionally while European lawmakers consider it after the start of the year.
The Brexit deal and the US aid package were pushing the DAX to "a new high," said Jochen Stanzl, an analyst at CMC Markets.
The market is "breathing a sigh of relief" after the Brexit deal, independent analyst Timo Emden added.
Several EU nations including France, Germany, Italy and Spain began rolling out their first Covid-19 vaccinations on Sunday, although the supply is limited.
"For the markets, it remains crucial to get Covid-19 under control as soon as possible," Emden said.
- US shutdown avoided -
The emergency US package is part of a larger spending bill that, with Trump's signature, will avoid a government shutdown on Tuesday.
The president's turnaround came after a day marked by calls from across the political spectrum for action to avert a financial and social disaster in the world's largest economy, especially among the most vulnerable.
"For Americans that have been endlessly checking their mailboxes for a stimulus check, this is the best holiday present anyone could ask for," said Axi strategist Stephen Innes.
"The stimulus balloon will allow the markets to navigate better the number of new air pockets... due to the virus's latest variant," he added.
Markets have recently been shaken by news of the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus that authorities believe may spread more easily.
Asian markets traded mixed on Monday.
- Key figures around 2245 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 30,403.97 (close)
New York - S&P 500: UP 0.9 percent at 3,735.36 (close)
New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.7 percent at 12,899.42 (close)
Frankfurt DAX 30: UP 1.5 percent at 13,790.29 (close)
Paris CAC 40: UP 1.2 percent at 5,588.38 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 3,575.41 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 6,502.11 (Thursday close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 26,854.03 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.3 percent at 26,314.63 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: FLAT at 3,397.29 (close)
Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3451 from $1.3560 late Friday
Euro/pound: UP at 90.71 from 88.98 pence
Euro/dollar: UP at 1.2213 from $1.2193
Dollar/yen: UP at 103.76 from 103.43 yen
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.2 percent at $47.66 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.8 percent at $50.86 per barrel
burs-jmb/to
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--US House passes bill for $2,000 Covid-19 aid checks sought by Trump

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) , walks from the House floor before an expected vote by the House on increasing the second round of federal direct payments to $ 2,000 on Capitol Hill Washington , U.S. , December 28 , 2020 .
The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 275-134 to meet President Donald Trump 's demand for $ 2,000 COVID-19 relief checks on Monday , sending the measure on to an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate .
Trump last week threatened to block a massive pandemic aid and spending package if Congress did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000 and cut other spending .
He backed down from his demands on Sunday as a possible government shutdown brought on by the fight with lawmakers loomed .
But Democratic lawmakers have long wanted $ 2,000 relief checks and used the rare point of agreement with Trump to advance the proposal - or at least put Republicans on record against it - in the vote on Monday .
One hundred thirty Republicans , two independents and two Democrats opposed the increase on Monday .
Trump finally signed the $ 2.3 trillion package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 checks .
It includes $ 1.4 trillion in spending to fund government agencies and $ 892 billion in COVID relief .
It is not clear how the measure to increase aid checks will fare in the Senate , where individual Republican lawmakers have said the higher amount would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the latest relief bill .
The Senate is due to convene on Tuesday .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday made no mention of Senate plans for a vote , after welcoming Trump 's signing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has killed nearly 330,000 people in the United States and led to widespread economic hardship , with millions of families relying on unemployment benefits and COVID relief funds .

The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 275-134 to meet President Donald Trump's demand for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks on Monday, sending the measure on to an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), walks from the House floor before an expected vote by the House on increasing the second round of federal direct payments to $2,000 on Capitol Hill Washington, U.S., December 28, 2020.
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Trump last week threatened to block a massive pandemic aid and spending package if Congress did not boost stimulus payments from $600 to $2,000 and cut other spending. He backed down from his demands on Sunday as a possible government shutdown brought on by the fight with lawmakers loomed.
But Democratic lawmakers have long wanted $2,000 relief checks and used the rare point of agreement with Trump to advance the proposal - or at least put Republicans on record against it - in the vote on Monday.
One hundred thirty Republicans, two independents and two Democrats opposed the increase on Monday.
Trump finally signed the $2.3 trillion package into law, while still demanding $2,000 checks.
It includes $1.4 trillion in spending to fund government agencies and $892 billion in COVID relief.
It is not clear how the measure to increase aid checks will fare in the Senate, where individual Republican lawmakers have said the higher amount would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the latest relief bill.
The Senate is due to convene on Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday made no mention of Senate plans for a vote, after welcoming Trump's signing of the relief bill.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed nearly 330,000 people in the United States and led to widespread economic hardship, with millions of families relying on unemployment benefits and COVID relief funds.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-12-28--Rio de Janeiro to block beach access on New Year's Eve

In this picture taken on December 31 , 2019 a woman watches the traditional New Year 's fireworks at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil .
The city has closed access to the famous beach this year to prevent Covid-19 contamination Rio de Janeiro authorities announced Monday they will block beach access the night of December 31 to prevent crowds in one of Brazil 's worst-hit cities by the coronavirus pandemic .
The measures will include a ban on vehicles along some 30 kilometers ( 19 miles ) of Rio 's coastline , where millions of people typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new year with elaborate firework displays .
Only inhabitants of the surrounding neighborhoods will be able to walk in the area .
Violations may be punished with fines of up to 15,000 reais ( $ 2,800 ) .
`` We have to send a hard and direct message to the population , '' said Alexandre Cardeman , chief of the Rio Operations Center , which is in charge of security and traffic video surveillance .
`` What we want to make clear , beyond those restrictions , is that a lot depends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Spend a conscious New Year and stay at home . ''
Last week , the mayor 's office announced that entry would be forbidden to the Copacabana neighborhood , the center of traditional New Year 's festivities , from 8:00pm on December 31 .
Police barriers will be erected to block both public transport and private vehicles , and the subway will stop circulating in those areas .
The mayor 's office had initially planned a virtual celebration with online music shows but canceled any official events two weeks ago .
Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the second-highest death toll from the coronavirus pandemic , after the United States .
In Rio alone , the death toll is more than 15,000 , with a mortality rate of 216 per 100,000 inhabitants -- more than double the national average .

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) –
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Rio de Janeiro authorities announced Monday they will block beach access the night of December 31 to prevent crowds in one of Brazil's worst-hit cities by the coronavirus pandemic.
The measures will include a ban on vehicles along some 30 kilometers (19 miles) of Rio's coastline, where millions of people typically gather every December 31 to ring in the new year with elaborate firework displays.
Only inhabitants of the surrounding neighborhoods will be able to walk in the area.
Violations may be punished with fines of up to 15,000 reais ($2,800).
"We have to send a hard and direct message to the population," said Alexandre Cardeman, chief of the Rio Operations Center, which is in charge of security and traffic video surveillance.
"What we want to make clear, beyond those restrictions, is that a lot depends on us," he said. "Spend a conscious New Year and stay at home."
Last week, the mayor's office announced that entry would be forbidden to the Copacabana neighborhood, the center of traditional New Year's festivities, from 8:00pm on December 31.
Police barriers will be erected to block both public transport and private vehicles, and the subway will stop circulating in those areas.
The mayor's office had initially planned a virtual celebration with online music shows but canceled any official events two weeks ago.
Brazil, with more than 191,000 deaths, has the second-highest death toll from the coronavirus pandemic, after the United States.
In Rio alone, the death toll is more than 15,000, with a mortality rate of 216 per 100,000 inhabitants -- more than double the national average.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-28--Jobless Americans may have to wait for desperately needed help

Some jobless Americans may have to wait for unemployment payments to resume The United States government has agreed to another massive stimulus package to keep its listing economy afloat as the coronavirus pandemic rages on , but help for the unemployed people most in need may not come right away .
Congress 's decision to wait until the last minute to pass the $ 900 billion measure , followed by President Donald Trump 's days-long hesitation to sign the bill into law , means two programs supporting millions of unemployed Americans briefly expired , and experts warn states may take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about unemployment insurance and having 53 different systems is difficult , and it does means some states may drop the ball , '' said Michele Evermore , senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project .
The new stimulus measure follows up on the CARES Act passed in March , a massive bill that expanded benefits to freelance workers and allowed unemployed people to receive aid for an extended period of time .
But those programs expired on December 26 , a victim of both the months Congress took to reach its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusal to sign it before finally capitulating on Sunday .
The hold-up may have cost unemployed people a week of benefits , and could lead to a gap stretching as long as three weeks in which the jobless wo n't get paid , experts say -- the last thing Americans who have been out of work for months need .
`` I 've been running with zero income for the past couple of weeks .
Anytime that you do n't have income hurts , '' said Carson Noel , an Arizona resident who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the live events industry since the pandemic struck and used up all of his benefits in October .
The world 's largest economy ground to a sudden halt in March when states ordered businesses shut to stop the transmission of Covid-19 -- efforts that did grievous economic damage and did n't prevent the country 's outbreak from becoming the largest on the planet .
Costing $ 2.2 trillion , the CARES Act has been credited with keeping the US from an even worse downturn , in part by supporting consumption through the expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing coronavirus emergency response and relief '' is part of a larger spending bill and gives jobless people an extra $ 300 in weekly payments .
Americans will also get stimulus checks totaling as much as $ 600 per person , though Trump has called for them to be raised to $ 2,000 .
It also extends until March 14 programs created under the CARES Act for the long-term unemployed and gig workers like 51-year-old Noel , who was evicted from his apartment after using up all of his benefits in October .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he relies on his dwindling savings to get by , and though the restoration of the unemployment payments is a relief , he 'd rather be working .
`` I do n't want to sit at home , '' he said .
Unemployment aid in the US is administered by individual states and territories , and many systems are overwhelmed and reliant on badly outdated technology that few believe can easily reactivate a benefit program that had just been deactivated .
`` The fact that they have to roll everybody off and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's not going to go smoothly in any circumstances , '' said Andrew Stettner of progressive think tank The Century Foundation , which estimated 12 million people were depending on these programs that would have lapsed had the new stimulus bill not been passed .
Trump 's delay in approving the spending package caused further problems : because the president only signed the bill on Sunday evening , many states had already determined their unemployment payments for the week .
Depending on the state , Evermore said , some jobless people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all and may face another wait for states to restart their payments .
`` Having to go even two or three weeks without pay , in that situation , that uncertainty is awful , '' she said .
Deborah Lee , a 58-year-old phlebotomist whose diabetes meant she had to leave a job at a hospital where she feared contracting Covid-19 , has been trying to keep her family afloat on the $ 240 per week that Arizona pays in unemployment benefits -- one of the lowest amounts in the country , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live on .
Lee has already drawn on her retirement savings , and worries what a gap in benefits might do to her already strapped household where only her daughter works , while her three grandchildren attend online school .
`` It scares me to think about it .
I still have a car payment , I still have auto insurance that has to be paid .
It 's just kind of taking it day by day , '' she said .

Washington (AFP) –
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The United States government has agreed to another massive stimulus package to keep its listing economy afloat as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, but help for the unemployed people most in need may not come right away.
Congress's decision to wait until the last minute to pass the $900 billion measure, followed by President Donald Trump's days-long hesitation to sign the bill into law, means two programs supporting millions of unemployed Americans briefly expired, and experts warn states may take weeks to restart payments.
"Everything about unemployment insurance and having 53 different systems is difficult, and it does means some states may drop the ball," said Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project.
The new stimulus measure follows up on the CARES Act passed in March, a massive bill that expanded benefits to freelance workers and allowed unemployed people to receive aid for an extended period of time.
But those programs expired on December 26, a victim of both the months Congress took to reach its agreement last week and the president's refusal to sign it before finally capitulating on Sunday.
The hold-up may have cost unemployed people a week of benefits, and could lead to a gap stretching as long as three weeks in which the jobless won't get paid, experts say -- the last thing Americans who have been out of work for months need.
"I've been running with zero income for the past couple of weeks. Anytime that you don't have income hurts," said Carson Noel, an Arizona resident who hasn't been able to work in the live events industry since the pandemic struck and used up all of his benefits in October.
- Economic damage -
The world's largest economy ground to a sudden halt in March when states ordered businesses shut to stop the transmission of Covid-19 -- efforts that did grievous economic damage and didn't prevent the country's outbreak from becoming the largest on the planet.
Costing $2.2 trillion, the CARES Act has been credited with keeping the US from an even worse downturn, in part by supporting consumption through the expanded unemployment programs.
The new package "providing coronavirus emergency response and relief" is part of a larger spending bill and gives jobless people an extra $300 in weekly payments.
Americans will also get stimulus checks totaling as much as $600 per person, though Trump has called for them to be raised to $2,000.
It also extends until March 14 programs created under the CARES Act for the long-term unemployed and gig workers like 51-year-old Noel, who was evicted from his apartment after using up all of his benefits in October.
Now living with a family member, he relies on his dwindling savings to get by, and though the restoration of the unemployment payments is a relief, he'd rather be working.
"I don't want to sit at home," he said.
Unemployment aid in the US is administered by individual states and territories, and many systems are overwhelmed and reliant on badly outdated technology that few believe can easily reactivate a benefit program that had just been deactivated.
"The fact that they have to roll everybody off and they have to roll everybody back on, it's not going to go smoothly in any circumstances," said Andrew Stettner of progressive think tank The Century Foundation, which estimated 12 million people were depending on these programs that would have lapsed had the new stimulus bill not been passed.
- Too low -
Trump's delay in approving the spending package caused further problems: because the president only signed the bill on Sunday evening, many states had already determined their unemployment payments for the week.
Depending on the state, Evermore said, some jobless people may not get paid for this week at all and may face another wait for states to restart their payments.
"Having to go even two or three weeks without pay, in that situation, that uncertainty is awful," she said.
Deborah Lee, a 58-year-old phlebotomist whose diabetes meant she had to leave a job at a hospital where she feared contracting Covid-19, has been trying to keep her family afloat on the $240 per week that Arizona pays in unemployment benefits -- one of the lowest amounts in the country, which she says is "impossible" to live on.
Lee has already drawn on her retirement savings, and worries what a gap in benefits might do to her already strapped household where only her daughter works, while her three grandchildren attend online school.
"It scares me to think about it. I still have a car payment, I still have auto insurance that has to be paid. It's just kind of taking it day by day," she said.
© 2020 AFP