france24--2020-07-30--Trump's fellow Republicans reject his idea of delaying presidential election

President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the idea of delaying the Nov. 3 U.S. elections , an idea immediately rejected by both Democrats and his fellow Republicans in Congress - the sole branch of government with the authority to make such a change .
Critics and even Trump 's allies dismissed the notion as an unserious attempt to distract from devastating economic news , but some legal experts warned that his repeated attacks could undermine his supporters ' faith in the election process .
Trump 's statement on Twitter comes as the United States is enduring the greatest crises of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has claimed more than 150,000 lives , a crippling recession sparked by the outbreak , and nationwide protests against police violence and racism .
On Thursday morning , the government reported the worst U.S. economic contraction since the Great Depression : 32.9 % in the second quarter .
Trump , who opinion polls show trailing Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden , said he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting - a measure that many observers see as critical given the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting would be rife with fraud .
`` With Universal Mail-In Voting ( not Absentee Voting , which is good ) , 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history .
It will be a great embarrassment to the USA , '' Trump wrote on Twitter .
`` Delay the Election until people can properly , securely and safely vote ?
?
? ''
The United States has held elections for more than 200 years , including during the Civil War , the Great Depression and two world wars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress the power to set the timing of elections , and the 20th Amendment ends a president and vice president 's term in office on the Jan. 20 following a general election .
Multiple congressional Republicans - including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top House of Representatives Republican Kevin McCarthy - rejected the idea .
`` Never in the history of the federal elections have we ever not held an election and we should go forward with our election , '' said McCarthy .
Democratic U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren , who chairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected any delay .
`` Under no circumstances will we consider doing so to accommodate the President 's inept and haphazard response to the coronavirus pandemic , or give credence to the lies and misinformation he spreads , '' Lofgren said in an email to Reuters .
Trump wrote on Twitter later on Thursday that Americans needed to know the election results on the night of the voting , not days or months later .
Mail-in ballots can sometimes take longer to count .
`` Glad I was able to get the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the RISKS to our Democracy from dangerous Universal Mail-In-Voting , '' he tweeted .
Trump 's tweets will deepen Democrats ' fears that he will try to interfere with the election or refuse to accept its outcome should he lose .
Biden has called that his biggest fear and has gone so far as to suggest sending in the military to force Trump out if he refused to leave .
Democrats are preparing for fights over absentee ballots , potential voting recounts and the possibility that Trump ’ s Republican supporters will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The truly dangerous part of Trump ’ s tweet on Thursday was not his suggestion of delaying the election – which is a `` fantasy '' – but his latest claim that voting by mail is rife with fraud , according to Justin Levitt , a professor at Loyola Marymount University and a constitutional law expert .
“ This is yet another example of the president seeking to delegitimize the election process before it happens , ” Levitt said .
“ That is deeply destabilizing.
” 'Just ca n't help himself' Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The White House referred questions about the Tweet to Trump 's re-election campaign .
`` The President is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting , '' said Hogan Gidley , the campaign 's press secretary .
`` Universal mail-in voting invites chaos and severe delays in results . ''
A Republican close to the White House was stunned at the tweet , noting that it followed a period of stability in which Trump has stayed on message in response to advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior campaign manager Jason Miller .
`` Obviously he just ca n't help himself .
This is starting to look like a real campaign , and then he does this , '' the Republican source said .
`` It 's awful .
It 's starting to look like he does n't even want to win . ''
Ari Fleischer , who was White House press secretary under Republican President George W. Bush , said Trump should delete the tweet .
Instead , Trump had pinned it to the top of his list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea anyone , especially POTUS , should float .
Our democracy is based on elections in which everyone knows the rules and they apply to all , '' Fleischer said .
`` Mr. President - please do n't even pretend to mess with this .
It ’ s a harmful idea . ''
Polls have shown that U.S. registered voters oppose an election delay .
When Reuters/Ipsos in April asked voters if they thought the election should be rescheduled due to the coronavirus , 59 % opposed the idea , including a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official called Trump 's tweet an obvious ploy to distract from the awful GDP numbers .
`` We 're going to keep our eye on the ball , '' the Biden campaign official said .
`` A sitting president is peddling lies and suggesting delaying the election to keep himself in power , '' Democratic U.S. Representative Dan Kildee wrote on Twitter .
`` Do n't let it happen .
Every American — Republican , Independent and Democrat — should be speaking out against this President 's lawlessness and complete disregard of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the American Civil Liberties Union 's voting rights project , likewise said Trump lacked the authority to reschedule an election .
`` This is America , '' Ho said .
`` We are a democracy , not a dictatorship .
The Constitution sets the date for the election in November .
Nothing President Trump says , does , or tweets can change that fact . ''

President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the idea of delaying the Nov. 3 U.S. elections, an idea immediately rejected by both Democrats and his fellow Republicans in Congress - the sole branch of government with the authority to make such a change.
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Critics and even Trump's allies dismissed the notion as an unserious attempt to distract from devastating economic news, but some legal experts warned that his repeated attacks could undermine his supporters' faith in the election process.
Trump's statement on Twitter comes as the United States is enduring the greatest crises of a generation: a coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 150,000 lives, a crippling recession sparked by the outbreak, and nationwide protests against police violence and racism. On Thursday morning, the government reported the worst U.S. economic contraction since the Great Depression: 32.9% in the second quarter.
Trump, who opinion polls show trailing Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden, said he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting - a measure that many observers see as critical given the coronavirus pandemic. Without evidence, he claimed that mail voting would be rife with fraud.
"With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
The United States has held elections for more than 200 years, including during the Civil War, the Great Depression and two world wars. Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to set the timing of elections, and the 20th Amendment ends a president and vice president's term in office on the Jan. 20 following a general election.
Multiple congressional Republicans - including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top House of Representatives Republican Kevin McCarthy - rejected the idea.
05:11
"Never in the history of the federal elections have we ever not held an election and we should go forward with our election," said McCarthy.
Democratic U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren, who chairs the House committee overseeing election security, rejected any delay.
"Under no circumstances will we consider doing so to accommodate the President's inept and haphazard response to the coronavirus pandemic, or give credence to the lies and misinformation he spreads," Lofgren said in an email to Reuters.
Trump wrote on Twitter later on Thursday that Americans needed to know the election results on the night of the voting, not days or months later. Mail-in ballots can sometimes take longer to count.
"Glad I was able to get the very dishonest LameStream Media to finally start talking about the RISKS to our Democracy from dangerous Universal Mail-In-Voting," he tweeted.
Glad I was able to get the very dishonest LameStream Media to finally start talking about the RISKS to our Democracy from dangerous Universal Mail-In-Voting (not Absentee Voting, which I totally support!). — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
'Destabilising'
Trump's tweets will deepen Democrats' fears that he will try to interfere with the election or refuse to accept its outcome should he lose. Biden has called that his biggest fear and has gone so far as to suggest sending in the military to force Trump out if he refused to leave.
Democrats are preparing for fights over absentee ballots, potential voting recounts and the possibility that Trump’s Republican supporters will seek to intimidate voters at the polls.
The truly dangerous part of Trump’s tweet on Thursday was not his suggestion of delaying the election – which is a "fantasy" – but his latest claim that voting by mail is rife with fraud, according to Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Marymount University and a constitutional law expert.
“This is yet another example of the president seeking to delegitimize the election process before it happens,” Levitt said. “That is deeply destabilizing.”
'Just can't help himself'
Trump's tweet surprised some White House staffers. The White House referred questions about the Tweet to Trump's re-election campaign.
"The President is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting," said Hogan Gidley, the campaign's press secretary. "Universal mail-in voting invites chaos and severe delays in results."
A Republican close to the White House was stunned at the tweet, noting that it followed a period of stability in which Trump has stayed on message in response to advice from new campaign manager Bill Stepien and senior campaign manager Jason Miller.
"Obviously he just can't help himself. This is starting to look like a real campaign, and then he does this," the Republican source said. "It's awful. It's starting to look like he doesn't even want to win."
Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary under Republican President George W. Bush, said Trump should delete the tweet. Instead, Trump had pinned it to the top of his list of tweets.
"This is not an idea anyone, especially POTUS, should float. Our democracy is based on elections in which everyone knows the rules and they apply to all," Fleischer said. "Mr. President - please don't even pretend to mess with this. It’s a harmful idea."
'Don't let it happen'
Polls have shown that U.S. registered voters oppose an election delay. When Reuters/Ipsos in April asked voters if they thought the election should be rescheduled due to the coronavirus, 59% opposed the idea, including a majority in each party.
A Biden campaign official called Trump's tweet an obvious ploy to distract from the awful GDP numbers.
"We're going to keep our eye on the ball," the Biden campaign official said.
"A sitting president is peddling lies and suggesting delaying the election to keep himself in power," Democratic U.S. Representative Dan Kildee wrote on Twitter. "Don't let it happen. Every American — Republican, Independent and Democrat — should be speaking out against this President's lawlessness and complete disregard of the Constitution."
A sitting President is peddling lies and suggesting delaying the election to keep himself in power.
Don’t let it happen. Every American—Republican, Independent and Democrat—should be speaking out against this President's lawlessness and complete disregard of the Constitution. — Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) July 30, 2020
Dale Ho, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's voting rights project, likewise said Trump lacked the authority to reschedule an election.
"This is America," Ho said. "We are a democracy, not a dictatorship. The Constitution sets the date for the election in November. Nothing President Trump says, does, or tweets can change that fact."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-31--Stricter rules in parts of France as new coronavirus cases crop up

In France , an increase in cases of Covid-19 has been seen among young people , according to health authorities .
Several French cities on Thursday announced new face mask requirements and other measures to contain the coronavirus as the number of new cases continues to increase after a long lull , officials said .
The government , anxious to avoid a new outbreak but wary of clamping down too hard during the summer holidays , has stepped up guidance on social distancing as officials report new contagion `` clusters '' daily .
Face masks are already required in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transport , and in recent days cities have cracked down on mass gatherings of young people in particular .
In the Nord department adjacent to Belgium , the government 's top official said `` reinforced measures '' would be announced Friday , possibly making masks compulsory outdoors , in response to a surge in cases across the border .
The mayor of Saint-Malo , whose walled city has drawn tens of thousands of French tourists who opted to stay in the country for the summer holidays , said masks were now mandatory inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for everyone aged 11 and over .
`` Masks are essential protection for limiting the virus 's spread , '' Mayor Gilles Lurton said , after health authorities said the Ille-et-Vilaine region had 44 new cases on Wednesday alone .
Starting Friday , masks will be required in open-air markets in Orleans , central France , and after 9:00 pm ( 1900 GMT ) along the Loire river , where crowds of people have been turning out nightly .
The mayors of Bayonne and the nearby ritzy Atlantic resort of Biarritz also announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their city centres starting next week .
Biarritz will furthermore ban access to its beaches at night to prevent parties being held there .
`` If I understand the festive aspirations of young people in the face of the closure of discos , it is necessary to protect these young people and also the parents or grandparents who host them during their holidays , '' said Biarritz mayor Maider Arosteguy .
France 's health ministry on Wednesday reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours , bringing the overall toll to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far below levels seen at the peak of the crisis , the number of new daily cases has been above 1,000 for several days , and the `` R '' rate of viral transmission has risen to 1.3 nationwide -- meaning 10 infected people are infecting 13 others on average .
Health Minister Olivier Veran , visiting a mask distribution operation in a Paris suburb Wednesday , urged people to wear masks `` if you 're in the street full of people , and not sure about being able to keep a safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O , meanwhile , told CNews television on Thursday that only 2 million to 2.5 million people had downloaded the government 's StopCovid contact tracing app , which uses cellphones to alert people if they cross paths with COVID-19 carriers .
Critics say the app has been a flop since its long-delayed launch in June , as tens of millions of people would need to activate the system to be useful for containing a second infection wave that could again overwhelm hospitals .
`` I admit it 's a little difficult to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early , '' O said .
`` But I think that if the epidemic resurges , we wo n't be unhappy to have this in our toolbox . ''

Several French cities on Thursday announced new face mask requirements and other measures to contain the coronavirus as the number of new cases continues to increase after a long lull, officials said.
In France, an increase in cases of Covid-19 has been seen among young people, according to health authorities.
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The government, anxious to avoid a new outbreak but wary of clamping down too hard during the summer holidays, has stepped up guidance on social distancing as officials report new contagion "clusters" daily.
Face masks are already required in all enclosed public spaces nationwide, including public transport, and in recent days cities have cracked down on mass gatherings of young people in particular.
In the Nord department adjacent to Belgium, the government's top official said "reinforced measures" would be announced Friday, possibly making masks compulsory outdoors, in response to a surge in cases across the border.
The mayor of Saint-Malo, whose walled city has drawn tens of thousands of French tourists who opted to stay in the country for the summer holidays, said masks were now mandatory inside the old city and on the ramparts for everyone aged 11 and over.
"Masks are essential protection for limiting the virus's spread," Mayor Gilles Lurton said, after health authorities said the Ille-et-Vilaine region had 44 new cases on Wednesday alone.
Starting Friday, masks will be required in open-air markets in Orleans, central France, and after 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) along the Loire river, where crowds of people have been turning out nightly.
'Festive aspirations'
The mayors of Bayonne and the nearby ritzy Atlantic resort of Biarritz also announced that face masks will be compulsory in their city centres starting next week.
Biarritz will furthermore ban access to its beaches at night to prevent parties being held there.
"If I understand the festive aspirations of young people in the face of the closure of discos, it is necessary to protect these young people and also the parents or grandparents who host them during their holidays," said Biarritz mayor Maider Arosteguy.
France's health ministry on Wednesday reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall toll to 30,238 since the outbreak began.
While far below levels seen at the peak of the crisis, the number of new daily cases has been above 1,000 for several days, and the "R" rate of viral transmission has risen to 1.3 nationwide -- meaning 10 infected people are infecting 13 others on average.
Health Minister Olivier Veran, visiting a mask distribution operation in a Paris suburb Wednesday, urged people to wear masks "if you're in the street full of people, and not sure about being able to keep a safe distance."
Digital Affairs Minister Cedric O, meanwhile, told CNews television on Thursday that only 2 million to 2.5 million people had downloaded the government's StopCovid contact tracing app, which uses cellphones to alert people if they cross paths with COVID-19 carriers.
Critics say the app has been a flop since its long-delayed launch in June, as tens of millions of people would need to activate the system to be useful for containing a second infection wave that could again overwhelm hospitals.
"I admit it's a little difficult to give results now, it's still too early," O said.
"But I think that if the epidemic resurges, we won't be unhappy to have this in our toolbox."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-31--Obama slams an absent Trump in eulogy for US civil rights icon John Lewis

Former U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the service in front of Reverend Raphael Warnock during the funeral of late U.S .
Congressman John Lewis , in Atlanta , Georgia , U.S. July 30 , 2020 .
In a fiery eulogy for longtime U.S. Representative John Lewis on Thursday , former President Barack Obama took a series of thinly veiled shots at the actions of his successor that he said tore at the legacy of the Black civil rights icon being laid to rest .
The funeral for Lewis , who played an instrumental role in passing the Voting Rights Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day Republican President Donald Trump suggested the Nov. 3 election could be delayed .
Trump has also waged a war against mail-in ballots , a tactic critics say is aimed at suppressing votes .
`` We no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot , '' Obama said in the eulogy , referring to one way Black people were once disqualified at the ballot box .
`` But even as we sit here , there are those in power doing their darnedest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling locations and targeting minorities with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision . ''
Obama also referred to reported moves to undermine `` the postal service in the run-up to an election that could be dependent on mail-in ballots so people do n't get sick . ''
Obama , joined at the funeral by two fellow former presidents , Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton , spoke of Lewis 's rise from humble beginnings on a Troy , Alabama , farm to become a leader of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Americans .
Ultimately , the man known as the `` conscience of Congress '' never gave up his drive to make `` good trouble '' in the cause of justice , Obama said .
Obama and others spoke or sang in front of his casket draped in the American flag at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church , where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. once preached .
King , who was assassinated in 1968 , had been a mentor to Lewis .
Lewis , who was first elected in 1986 to represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , died on July 17 at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer .
His death came at a time of reckoning across the United States over racial injustice ignited by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Obama - a Democrat who was the nation 's first black president and who awarded Lewis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 - argued that the man whose sharecropping parents `` picked someone else 's cotton '' now should be counted among the Founding Fathers .
`` America was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as anyone in our history brought our country closer to its highest ideals , '' the Democratic former president said .
In his speech , Bush remembered joining Lewis in Selma , Alabama , for the 50th anniversary of the watershed 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge .
`` The story that began in Troy is n't ending here today , nor is the work . ''
Lewis 's coffin was escorted across the bridge on Sunday , decades after his beating there drew a national spotlight to the struggle for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black vote in the South .
And on Monday his casket was taken to the U.S. Capitol in Washington where it lay in state through Tuesday .
Eric Terrell , 65 , of Atlanta , sat outside the church in his wheelchair , in the heat and thick air of an Atlanta summer morning , waiting to get a glimpse of former Presidents Clinton and Bush , but especially Obama .
He was camped out before 6:30 a.m. so he could bow his head as Lewis 's funeral procession rolled by .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms got tired .
It read , `` Get your ass out and vote . ''
`` He put his life on the line in Selma so we could vote , '' said Terrell , who is Black .
`` So we better do it , '' he said before joining the throng of onlookers outside the church watching the services on a Jumbotron .
In an essay written shortly before his death and published in the New York Times on Thursday , Lewis called on the younger generation to get into `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most famous utterance about the importance of challenging inequality .
`` In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace , the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way , '' he wrote , before invoking a famous line from King : `` Now it is your turn to let freedom ring . ''

In a fiery eulogy for longtime U.S. Representative John Lewis on Thursday, former President Barack Obama took a series of thinly veiled shots at the actions of his successor that he said tore at the legacy of the Black civil rights icon being laid to rest.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the service in front of Reverend Raphael Warnock during the funeral of late U.S. Congressman John Lewis, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. July 30, 2020.
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The funeral for Lewis, who played an instrumental role in passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, came on the same day Republican President Donald Trump suggested the Nov. 3 election could be delayed. Trump has also waged a war against mail-in ballots, a tactic critics say is aimed at suppressing votes.
"We no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot," Obama said in the eulogy, referring to one way Black people were once disqualified at the ballot box.
"But even as we sit here, there are those in power doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision."
Obama also referred to reported moves to undermine "the postal service in the run-up to an election that could be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don't get sick."
Obama, joined at the funeral by two fellow former presidents, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, spoke of Lewis's rise from humble beginnings on a Troy, Alabama, farm to become a leader of the 1960s struggle for equal rights for Black Americans. Ultimately, the man known as the "conscience of Congress" never gave up his drive to make "good trouble" in the cause of justice, Obama said.
Obama and others spoke or sang in front of his casket draped in the American flag at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. King, who was assassinated in 1968, had been a mentor to Lewis.
Lewis, who was first elected in 1986 to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, died on July 17 at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His death came at a time of reckoning across the United States over racial injustice ignited by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
Obama - a Democrat who was the nation's first black president and who awarded Lewis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 - argued that the man whose sharecropping parents "picked someone else's cotton" now should be counted among the Founding Fathers.
"America was built by John Lewis. He as much as anyone in our history brought our country closer to its highest ideals," the Democratic former president said.
In his speech, Bush remembered joining Lewis in Selma, Alabama, for the 50th anniversary of the watershed 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. "The story that began in Troy isn't ending here today, nor is the work."
The funeral capped a week of memorial services.
Lewis's coffin was escorted across the bridge on Sunday, decades after his beating there drew a national spotlight to the struggle for racial equality, including suppression of the Black vote in the South. And on Monday his casket was taken to the U.S. Capitol in Washington where it lay in state through Tuesday.
Eric Terrell, 65, of Atlanta, sat outside the church in his wheelchair, in the heat and thick air of an Atlanta summer morning, waiting to get a glimpse of former Presidents Clinton and Bush, but especially Obama. He was camped out before 6:30 a.m. so he could bow his head as Lewis's funeral procession rolled by.
And he held his homemade sign until his arms got tired. It read, "Get your ass out and vote."
"He put his life on the line in Selma so we could vote," said Terrell, who is Black. "So we better do it," he said before joining the throng of onlookers outside the church watching the services on a Jumbotron.
In an essay written shortly before his death and published in the New York Times on Thursday, Lewis called on the younger generation to get into "good trouble," using perhaps his most famous utterance about the importance of challenging inequality.
"In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way," he wrote, before invoking a famous line from King: "Now it is your turn to let freedom ring."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-31--Amazon Inc. posts most profitable quarter ever even as US economy in record decline

( FILE PHOTO ) Jeff Bezos , president and CEO of Amazon Inc. , speaks in Washington , D.C. on September 13 , 2018 .
Amazon.com Inc on Thursday posted the biggest profit in its 26-year history as online sales and its lucrative business supporting third-party merchants surged during the coronavirus pandemic .
Shares of Amazon , the world 's largest online retailer , rose 5 % in after-hours trade .
While rival brick-and-mortar retailers have had to shut stores during government-imposed lockdowns , Amazon hired 175,000 people in recent months and saw demand for its services soar .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year earlier to $ 88.9 billion .
Amazon had forecast it might lose money in the just-ended second quarter because it expected to spend some $ 4 billion on protective equipment for staff and other expenses related to COVID-19 .
It did just that - and still earned $ 5.2 billion - double its net income from a year prior .
Jeff Bezos , who founded the company in July 1994 and is the world 's richest person , said in a statement , `` This was another highly unusual quarter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 60 % this year , adding to the wealth of Bezos , its biggest stockholder .
The S & P 500 is virtually flat .
Jesse Cohen , senior analyst at Investing.com , said Amazon 's business model sets it up `` to expand its e-commerce dominance even more broadly as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to flare . ''
Online store sales jumped 48 % to $ 45.9 billion in the second quarter .
Meanwhile , merchants paid Amazon more to fulfill and sponsor their products in order to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in a 52 % and 41 % jump in seller services revenue and other revenue such as from ads , respectively .
Amazon 's cloud services also saw higher demand as companies switched to virtual offices in the pandemic .
Revenue from Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) , which sells data storage and computing power in the cloud , rose nearly 29 % to $ 10.81 billion .
Still , that fell just short of analysts ' estimates of $ 10.95 billion , according to IBES data from Refinitiv .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google meanwhile was up over 43 % year over year .
Technology analyst Patrick Moorhead said , `` AWS continued to grow , albeit at a slower rate than last quarter . ''
Brian Olsavsky , Amazon 's chief financial officer , told reporters that the outsized profit surprised the company because at the time it issued its forecast last quarter , shoppers were buying lower-margin products .
`` Everyone was looking for masks ; everyone was looking for gloves ; everyone was buying groceries online .
That mix is not super profitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we saw in Q2 was not only did the mix start to shift back to a more normal mix '' but that `` we also were able to ship a lot more than we had originally thought . ''
Online grocery sales tripled year over year , and worldwide streaming video hours doubled , Olsavsky said on a call with analysts .
Delivery and video services bundled with the company 's loyalty club Prime are a key reason why customers subscribe to that program and do more of their shopping on Amazon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its international business , which Olsavsky attributed to a step up in customer spending in Europe and Japan during the pandemic .
The company forecast net sales of $ 87 billion to $ 93 billion for the third quarter , ahead of analysts ' expectations of $ 86.34 billion , according to IBES data .
Olsavsky said that Prime Day , the company 's lucrative summer marketing blitz , would be pushed back to the fourth quarter , excluding its business in India .
He also said that per usual the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company gears up for the holiday season , even more pronounced now due to higher-than-usual sales .
It would spend more than $ 2 billion in COVID-related expenses during the third quarter as well , he said on the analyst call .
Still , Amazon anticipates operating profit between $ 2 billion and $ 5 billion for the quarter , the midpoint of which is higher than analysts were expecting , according to research firm FactSet .

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday posted the biggest profit in its 26-year history as online sales and its lucrative business supporting third-party merchants surged during the coronavirus pandemic.
(FILE PHOTO) Jeff Bezos, president and CEO of Amazon Inc., speaks in Washington, D.C. on September 13, 2018.
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Shares of Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, rose 5% in after-hours trade.
While rival brick-and-mortar retailers have had to shut stores during government-imposed lockdowns, Amazon hired 175,000 people in recent months and saw demand for its services soar. The company said revenue jumped 40% from a year earlier to $88.9 billion.
Amazon had forecast it might lose money in the just-ended second quarter because it expected to spend some $4 billion on protective equipment for staff and other expenses related to COVID-19. It did just that - and still earned $5.2 billion - double its net income from a year prior.
Jeff Bezos, who founded the company in July 1994 and is the world's richest person, said in a statement, "This was another highly unusual quarter."
Amazon's shares have risen by more than 60% this year, adding to the wealth of Bezos, its biggest stockholder. The S&P 500 is virtually flat.
Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com, said Amazon's business model sets it up "to expand its e-commerce dominance even more broadly as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to flare."
Online store sales jumped 48% to $45.9 billion in the second quarter. Meanwhile, merchants paid Amazon more to fulfill and sponsor their products in order to reach the company's loyal customers. That resulted in a 52% and 41% jump in seller services revenue and other revenue such as from ads, respectively.
Amazon's cloud services also saw higher demand as companies switched to virtual offices in the pandemic. Revenue from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which sells data storage and computing power in the cloud, rose nearly 29% to $10.81 billion.
Still, that fell just short of analysts' estimates of $10.95 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. The cloud business of rival Alphabet Inc's Google meanwhile was up over 43% year over year.
Technology analyst Patrick Moorhead said, "AWS continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate than last quarter."
'Everyone was buying groceries'
Brian Olsavsky, Amazon's chief financial officer, told reporters that the outsized profit surprised the company because at the time it issued its forecast last quarter, shoppers were buying lower-margin products.
"Everyone was looking for masks; everyone was looking for gloves; everyone was buying groceries online. That mix is not super profitable," he said. "What we saw in Q2 was not only did the mix start to shift back to a more normal mix" but that "we also were able to ship a lot more than we had originally thought."
Online grocery sales tripled year over year, and worldwide streaming video hours doubled, Olsavsky said on a call with analysts. Delivery and video services bundled with the company's loyalty club Prime are a key reason why customers subscribe to that program and do more of their shopping on Amazon.
Amazon also posted a rare operating profit in its international business, which Olsavsky attributed to a step up in customer spending in Europe and Japan during the pandemic.
The company forecast net sales of $87 billion to $93 billion for the third quarter, ahead of analysts' expectations of $86.34 billion, according to IBES data.
Olsavsky said that Prime Day, the company's lucrative summer marketing blitz, would be pushed back to the fourth quarter, excluding its business in India. He also said that per usual the current quarter would see higher costs as the company gears up for the holiday season, even more pronounced now due to higher-than-usual sales.
It would spend more than $2 billion in COVID-related expenses during the third quarter as well, he said on the analyst call.
Still, Amazon anticipates operating profit between $2 billion and $5 billion for the quarter, the midpoint of which is higher than analysts were expecting, according to research firm FactSet.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-31--Italy's Senate revokes Salvini's immunity from second trial over migrant detention

Italy 's Senate voted on Thursday to strip far-right chief Matteo Salvini of his parliamentary immunity , paving the way for him to face trial , for a second time , over allegedly illegally detaining migrants at sea .
Salvini , a senator , now looks set for a potentially career-derailing case on charges that could see him serve up to 15 years in jail if convicted .
The Senate voted 149 to 141 to strip Salvini of his immunity , with one abstention .
`` I am proud to have defended Italy .
I would do it again and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because just this July the arrivals are six times those seen in the same period a year ago , with the League party in government , '' a defiant Salvini told the Senate after the vote .
The head of the anti-immigrant League party is already set to stand trial in a separate but similar case .
Prosecutors in the Sicilian city of Palermo accuse Salvini of abusing his powers as then-interior minister in August 2019 to illegally prevent more than 80 migrants , rescued in the Mediterranean , from disembarking from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be tried for actions taken while in office unless their parliamentary immunity is revoked by the Senate .
Salvini has insisted the decision , which has made to stop the migrants from getting off the ship until a deal was brokered with EU countries to take them in , was reached collectively within the government .
That is the same defence Salvini is using for the other trial , in which he is accused of blocking migrants from disembarking from the Italian `` Gregoretti '' coastguard boat last July .
In February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his parliamentary immunity in that case .
The preliminary hearing has been postponed three times due to the coronavirus pandemic , and is now scheduled to take place in Sicily on October 3 .
In a statement , Open Arms said it hopes the Senate 's decision gives `` a definitive and unequivocal signal that the democratic institutions of every liberal country exist to protect the principles on which they are based . ''
`` These are the political choices that make the difference between a country whose foundation is respect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that chooses to give up the best part of itself , '' the group wrote .
Political analyst Franco Pavoncello said the Senate 's go-ahead on the Open Arms trial would `` certainly have an impact on Salvini '' , whose popularity has dropped since the coronavirus pandemic swept through Italy .
Salvini , 47 , says Italy 's more than two-month lockdown hit him and his party hard , as he had to put an end to his frequent rallies up and down the country and his famous beachside selfie sessions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the League has dropped more than 11 percentage points in a year , from holding 37 percent of voting intentions to 25.4 percent today .
`` At the moment Salvini generates little media interest .
The decision to strip him of his immunity would reopen the case and could whip up media attention , '' Pavoncello told AFP ahead of the Senate vote .
`` Those who vote to send him to trial in a bid to create political problems for him could end up giving him the limelight instead . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a trial could be difficult for him in the long term , for the charges are serious , '' Pavoncello added .
Salvini is currently in opposition but is determined to become prime minister .
Although the anti-migrant League may be slipping down the polls , it is still the most popular party in Italy and its leader expects to do well at the next elections .
A conviction , however , would throw a serious spanner in the works .

Italy's Senate voted on Thursday to strip far-right chief Matteo Salvini of his parliamentary immunity, paving the way for him to face trial, for a second time, over allegedly illegally detaining migrants at sea.
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Salvini, a senator, now looks set for a potentially career-derailing case on charges that could see him serve up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
The Senate voted 149 to 141 to strip Salvini of his immunity, with one abstention.
"I am proud to have defended Italy. I would do it again and I will do it again, also because just this July the arrivals are six times those seen in the same period a year ago, with the League party in government," a defiant Salvini told the Senate after the vote.
The head of the anti-immigrant League party is already set to stand trial in a separate but similar case.
Prosecutors in the Sicilian city of Palermo accuse Salvini of abusing his powers as then-interior minister in August 2019 to illegally prevent more than 80 migrants, rescued in the Mediterranean, from disembarking from the Open Arms charity ship.
Ministers cannot be tried for actions taken while in office unless their parliamentary immunity is revoked by the Senate.
Salvini has insisted the decision, which has made to stop the migrants from getting off the ship until a deal was brokered with EU countries to take them in, was reached collectively within the government.
That is the same defence Salvini is using for the other trial, in which he is accused of blocking migrants from disembarking from the Italian "Gregoretti" coastguard boat last July.
In February, the Senate voted to strip him of his parliamentary immunity in that case. The preliminary hearing has been postponed three times due to the coronavirus pandemic, and is now scheduled to take place in Sicily on October 3.
In a statement, Open Arms said it hopes the Senate's decision gives "a definitive and unequivocal signal that the democratic institutions of every liberal country exist to protect the principles on which they are based."
"These are the political choices that make the difference between a country whose foundation is respect for human rights and life and a country that chooses to give up the best part of itself," the group wrote.
'The limelight'
Political analyst Franco Pavoncello said the Senate's go-ahead on the Open Arms trial would "certainly have an impact on Salvini", whose popularity has dropped since the coronavirus pandemic swept through Italy.
Salvini, 47, says Italy's more than two-month lockdown hit him and his party hard, as he had to put an end to his frequent rallies up and down the country and his famous beachside selfie sessions.
A Demopolis poll this week found that the League has dropped more than 11 percentage points in a year, from holding 37 percent of voting intentions to 25.4 percent today.
"At the moment Salvini generates little media interest. The decision to strip him of his immunity would reopen the case and could whip up media attention," Pavoncello told AFP ahead of the Senate vote.
"Those who vote to send him to trial in a bid to create political problems for him could end up giving him the limelight instead."
But while Salvini may make temporary gains, "a trial could be difficult for him in the long term, for the charges are serious," Pavoncello added.
Salvini is currently in opposition but is determined to become prime minister.
Although the anti-migrant League may be slipping down the polls, it is still the most popular party in Italy and its leader expects to do well at the next elections.
A conviction, however, would throw a serious spanner in the works.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-31--British filmmaker Alan Parker, director of 'Midnight Express', dies at 76

British film director , producer and writer Alan Parker poses with his BAFTA fellowship award during the annual BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London , UK , on February 10 , 2013 .
British filmmaker Alan Parker , director of movies ranging from `` Bugsy Malone '' , a gangster comedy featuring children armed with cream-shooting guns , to tense prison drama `` Midnight Express '' , has died aged 76 , British media reported on Friday .
Parker , who also directed `` Fame '' , `` Evita '' , `` Mississippi Burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other successful movies , died on Friday after a lengthy illness , according to the media reports .
Known for his eclecticism , Parker was equally at ease in the worlds of musical comedy and of hard-hitting true crime drama .
`` Bugsy Malone '' , his highly original feature film debut in 1976 , was a musical parody of Prohibition-era gangster movies , performed entirely by children .
It featured a young Jodie Foster as glamorous singer Tallulah , and other child actors who went on to have successful careers .
Parker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on the true story of an American man imprisoned in Turkey for smuggling hashish .
The film won two Oscars , including one for Oliver Stone , who wrote the script .
Again moving in a different direction , Parker then made the gritty musical `` Fame '' , about the highs and lows of the lives of performing arts students in New York - a huge commercial success that spawned a spin-off TV series .
Subsequent successes included `` Birdy '' , a drama about Vietnam War veterans , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the true story of an FBI investigation into the disappearance of three civil rights activists in the 1960s .
Although widely acclaimed at the time , garnering seven Oscar nominations and winning one , that film was also criticised by some in the Black community .
Among other issues , critics took issue with a lack of Black role models and what they saw as a narrow focus on two white FBI agents .
The actor Matthew Modine , one of the stars of `` Birdy '' , said on Twitter he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
`` Being cast in his epic film , Birdy , transformed my life .
Alan was a great artist whose films will live forever , '' Modine said .
Parker later returned to the world of music , with commercial success , directing comedy `` The Commitments '' about a short-lived soul band in Dublin , and `` Evita '' , starring Madonna and based on an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical .
Andrew Lloyd Webber , who collaborated with Parker on `` Evita '' , said he was `` one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on screen '' .
He also made a film version of `` Angela 's Ashes '' , based on the bestselling memoir of the same name by Frank McCourt .
Parker received honours in Britain for his achievements in filmmaking , including a knighthood in 2002 .
He is survived by his wife Lisa Moran-Parker , five children and seven grandchildren , according to the BBC .

British filmmaker Alan Parker, director of movies ranging from "Bugsy Malone", a gangster comedy featuring children armed with cream-shooting guns, to tense prison drama "Midnight Express", has died aged 76, British media reported on Friday.
British film director, producer and writer Alan Parker poses with his BAFTA fellowship award during the annual BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London, UK, on February 10, 2013.
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Parker, who also directed "Fame", "Evita", "Mississippi Burning", "The Commitments" and other successful movies, died on Friday after a lengthy illness, according to the media reports.
Known for his eclecticism, Parker was equally at ease in the worlds of musical comedy and of hard-hitting true crime drama.
"Bugsy Malone", his highly original feature film debut in 1976, was a musical parody of Prohibition-era gangster movies, performed entirely by children. It featured a young Jodie Foster as glamorous singer Tallulah, and other child actors who went on to have successful careers.
From "Fame" to "Midnight Express," two-time Oscar nominee Alan Parker was a chameleon. His work entertained us, connected us, and gave us such a strong sense of time and place. An extraordinary talent, he will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/OxZPBxTE8F — The Academy (@TheAcademy) July 31, 2020
Parker followed up with "Midnight Express", based on the true story of an American man imprisoned in Turkey for smuggling hashish. The film won two Oscars, including one for Oliver Stone, who wrote the script.
Again moving in a different direction, Parker then made the gritty musical "Fame", about the highs and lows of the lives of performing arts students in New York - a huge commercial success that spawned a spin-off TV series.
Subsequent successes included "Birdy", a drama about Vietnam War veterans, and "Mississippi Burning", based on the true story of an FBI investigation into the disappearance of three civil rights activists in the 1960s.
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of BAFTA Fellow Alan Parker. As BAFTA-winning filmmaker, he brought us joy with Bugsy Malone, The Commitments, Midnight Express and many more. pic.twitter.com/fVOcXARgKM — BAFTA (@BAFTA) July 31, 2020
Although widely acclaimed at the time, garnering seven Oscar nominations and winning one, that film was also criticised by some in the Black community. Among other issues, critics took issue with a lack of Black role models and what they saw as a narrow focus on two white FBI agents.
The actor Matthew Modine, one of the stars of "Birdy", said on Twitter he was very sad to learn of Parker's death. "Being cast in his epic film, Birdy, transformed my life. Alan was a great artist whose films will live forever," Modine said.
Parker later returned to the world of music, with commercial success, directing comedy "The Commitments" about a short-lived soul band in Dublin, and "Evita", starring Madonna and based on an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, who collaborated with Parker on "Evita", said he was "one of the few directors to truly understand musicals on screen".
RIP Alan Parker, director of The Commitments. pic.twitter.com/ePKd5cVKT9 — Irish Film Institute (@IFI_Dub) July 31, 2020
He also made a film version of "Angela's Ashes", based on the bestselling memoir of the same name by Frank McCourt.
Parker received honours in Britain for his achievements in filmmaking, including a knighthood in 2002.
He is survived by his wife Lisa Moran-Parker, five children and seven grandchildren, according to the BBC.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-31--Three people charged in US for alleged roles in massive Twitter hack

A massive Twitter hack on July 15 , 2020 has seen charges laid against three people in the US .
A British man , a Florida man and a Florida teen hacked the Twitter accounts of prominent politicians , celebrities and technology moguls to scam people around globe out of more than $ 100,000 in Bitcoin , authorities said Friday .
Graham Ivan Clark , 17 , was arrested Friday in Tampa , where the Hillsborough State Attorney ’ s Office will prosecute him as adult .
He faces 30 felony charges , according to a news release .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bognor Regis , U.K. , and Nima Fazeli , 22 , of Orlando , were charged in California federal court .
In one of the most high-profile security breaches in recent years , hackers sent out bogus tweets on July 15 from the accounts of Barack Obama , Joe Biden , Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos , Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk .
Celebrities Kanye West and his wife , Kim Kardashian West , were also hacked .
The tweets offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address .
“ There is a false belief within the criminal hacker community that attacks like the Twitter hack can be perpetrated anonymously and without consequence , ” U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California said in a news release .
“ Today ’ s charging announcement demonstrates that the elation of nefarious hacking into a secure environment for fun or profit will be short-lived . ''
Although the case against the teen was also investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren explained that his office is prosecuting Clark in Florida state court because Florida law allows minors to be charged as adults in financial fraud cases such as this when appropriate .
“ This defendant lives here in Tampa , he committed the crime here , and he ’ ll be prosecuted here , ” Warren said .
Twitter previously said hackers used the phone to fool the social media company 's employees into giving them access .
It said hackers targeted “ a small number of employees through a phone spear-phishing attack.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant and concerted attempt to mislead certain employees and exploit human vulnerabilities to gain access to our internal systems , ” the company tweeted .
After stealing employee credentials and getting into Twitter 's systems , the hackers were able to target other employees who had access to account support tools , the company said .
The hackers targeted 130 accounts .
They managed to tweet from 45 accounts , access the direct message inboxes of 36 , and download the Twitter data from seven .
Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spear-phishing is a more targeted version of phishing , an impersonation scam that uses email or other electronic communications to deceive recipients into handing over sensitive information .
Twitter said it would provide a more detailed report later “ given the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
” The company has previously said the incident was a “ coordinated social engineering attack ” that targeted some of its employees with access to internal systems and tools .
It didn ’ t provide any more information about how the attack was carried out , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started by using the old-fashioned method of talking their way past security .
British cybersecurity analyst Graham Cluley said his guess was that a targeted Twitter employee or contractor received a message by phone asking them to call a number .
“ When the worker called the number they might have been taken to a convincing ( but fake ) help desk operator , who was then able to use social engineering techniques to trick the intended victim into handing over their credentials , ” Cluley wrote Friday on his blog .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call from the company ’ s legitimate help line by spoofing the number , he said .

A British man, a Florida man and a Florida teen hacked the Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls to scam people around globe out of more than $100,000 in Bitcoin, authorities said Friday.
A massive Twitter hack on July 15, 2020 has seen charges laid against three people in the US.
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Graham Ivan Clark, 17, was arrested Friday in Tampa, where the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office will prosecute him as adult. He faces 30 felony charges, according to a news release. Meanwhile, Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, U.K., and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, were charged in California federal court.
In one of the most high-profile security breaches in recent years, hackers sent out bogus tweets on July 15 from the accounts of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Celebrities Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, were also hacked.
The tweets offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address.
“There is a false belief within the criminal hacker community that attacks like the Twitter hack can be perpetrated anonymously and without consequence,” U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California said in a news release. “Today’s charging announcement demonstrates that the elation of nefarious hacking into a secure environment for fun or profit will be short-lived."
Although the case against the teen was also investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren explained that his office is prosecuting Clark in Florida state court because Florida law allows minors to be charged as adults in financial fraud cases such as this when appropriate.
“This defendant lives here in Tampa, he committed the crime here, and he’ll be prosecuted here,” Warren said.
Three Individuals Charged for Alleged Roles in Twitter Hack https://t.co/jcyTRnkC57 pic.twitter.com/ImGEkhZ2sV — FBI (@FBI) July 31, 2020
Twitter previously said hackers used the phone to fool the social media company's employees into giving them access. It said hackers targeted “a small number of employees through a phone spear-phishing attack.”
“This attack relied on a significant and concerted attempt to mislead certain employees and exploit human vulnerabilities to gain access to our internal systems,” the company tweeted.
After stealing employee credentials and getting into Twitter's systems, the hackers were able to target other employees who had access to account support tools, the company said.
The hackers targeted 130 accounts. They managed to tweet from 45 accounts, access the direct message inboxes of 36, and download the Twitter data from seven. Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has said his inbox was among those accessed.
Spear-phishing is a more targeted version of phishing, an impersonation scam that uses email or other electronic communications to deceive recipients into handing over sensitive information.
Twitter said it would provide a more detailed report later “given the ongoing law enforcement investigation.”
The company has previously said the incident was a “coordinated social engineering attack” that targeted some of its employees with access to internal systems and tools. It didn’t provide any more information about how the attack was carried out, but the details released so far suggest the hackers started by using the old-fashioned method of talking their way past security.
British cybersecurity analyst Graham Cluley said his guess was that a targeted Twitter employee or contractor received a message by phone asking them to call a number.
“When the worker called the number they might have been taken to a convincing (but fake) help desk operator, who was then able to use social engineering techniques to trick the intended victim into handing over their credentials,” Cluley wrote Friday on his blog.
It’s also possible the hackers pretended to call from the company’s legitimate help line by spoofing the number, he said.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-31--Scores of anti-government protesters arrested in Zimbabwe

Police officers patrol the street ahead of planned anti-government protests during the coronavirus disease outbreak in Harare , Zimbabwe , on July 31 , 2020 .
Scores of people were arrested Friday in Zimbabwe as hundreds of military troops as well as police attempted to thwart an anti-government protest , with streets empty and many people hiding indoors .
Organizers said demonstrators originally planned to protest alleged government corruption but instead targeted the ruling political party , using the hashtag # ZANUPFmustgo.
” Tensions are rising in Zimbabwe as the economy implodes .
Inflation is more than 700 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now the coronavirus burdens the threadbare health system .
Police arrested scores of people who tried to hold low-key protests , Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said .
They included prominent author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Fadzayi Mahere , spokeswoman of the main opposition MDC Alliance party .
Charges against them were not yet clear , the lawyers said .
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the planned protest as “ an insurrection to overthrow our democratically elected government.
” He warned that security agents “ will be vigilant and on high alert.
” Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister who died from COVID-19 , Mnangagwa did not directly refer to the protest but called for unity and urged Zimbabweans to shun violence .
The normally teeming downtown capital , Harare , was deserted as soldiers and police patrolled and manned checkpoints .
An army helicopter hovered over some of the capital 's poor , volatile suburbs .
Security forces on Thursday drove people out of the city and forced businesses to close .
“ So both the government and the people are afraid of protests more than coronavirus , ” chuckled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty road .
“ I have never seen these security people so effective , and the people so compliant , even during those days of the complete lockdown . ''
The southern African country had gradually relaxed its lockdown to allow for some commercial activity , but it continues to ban protests as part of lockdown rules .
The opposition and human rights groups have said they witnessed abuses such as arrests , detentions , beatings and the stalking of activists and ordinary people accused of violating the lockdown ahead of the planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed the allegations , even as a prominent journalist and a politician behind the protest have spent close to two weeks in detention .
Mnangagwa ’ s administration accuses the U.S. government of funding the two men and other activists involved in mobilizing the protest , with a ruling party spokesman this week calling the U.S. ambassador a “ thug.
” Anti-government protests in Zimbabwe in 2018 and 2019 resulted in the killing of several people , allegedly by the military .
The pandemic has brought a new layer of suffering .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently on strike , and infrastructure is so dilapidated that “ unborn children and mothers are dying daily , ” according to the Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .
The World Food Program this week projected that the number of Zimbabweans facing food insecurity could reach 8.6 million by the end of the year .
That would be “ a staggering 60 % of the population – owing to the combined effects of drought , economic recession and the pandemic , ” the WFP said , appealing for more money to intervene @

Scores of people were arrested Friday in Zimbabwe as hundreds of military troops as well as police attempted to thwart an anti-government protest, with streets empty and many people hiding indoors.
Police officers patrol the street ahead of planned anti-government protests during the coronavirus disease outbreak in Harare, Zimbabwe, on July 31, 2020.
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Organizers said demonstrators originally planned to protest alleged government corruption but instead targeted the ruling political party, using the hashtag #ZANUPFmustgo.”
Tensions are rising in Zimbabwe as the economy implodes. Inflation is more than 700%, the second highest in the world. Now the coronavirus burdens the threadbare health system.
Police arrested scores of people who tried to hold low-key protests, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said. They included prominent author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Fadzayi Mahere, spokeswoman of the main opposition MDC Alliance party. Charges against them were not yet clear, the lawyers said.
On 21st July I tweeted about Tsitsi Dangaremba @efie41209591 and her protest in Zimbabwe against the imprisonment of a writer. On 29th July Tsitsi was longlisted for The Booker Prize. Today she is in prison. https://t.co/hFA37Gn6Ca — lemn sissay MBE (@lemnsissay) July 31, 2020
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the planned protest as “an insurrection to overthrow our democratically elected government.” He warned that security agents “will be vigilant and on high alert.”
Speaking at the burial Friday of a cabinet minister who died from COVID-19, Mnangagwa did not directly refer to the protest but called for unity and urged Zimbabweans to shun violence.
The normally teeming downtown capital, Harare, was deserted as soldiers and police patrolled and manned checkpoints. An army helicopter hovered over some of the capital's poor, volatile suburbs. Security forces on Thursday drove people out of the city and forced businesses to close.
Arrests of Youth Assembly leaders @ceechimbiri2 @JoanaMamombe , @MarovaNetsai and their lawyer @obeyshava1 are unreasonable and unjustified in a democratic society. Earlier police arrested our spokesperson @advocatemahere and other activists. We demand their immediate release. — MDC Alliance (@mdczimbabwe) July 31, 2020
“So both the government and the people are afraid of protests more than coronavirus,” chuckled a security guard, walking along an empty road. “I have never seen these security people so effective, and the people so compliant, even during those days of the complete lockdown."
The southern African country had gradually relaxed its lockdown to allow for some commercial activity, but it continues to ban protests as part of lockdown rules.
The opposition and human rights groups have said they witnessed abuses such as arrests, detentions, beatings and the stalking of activists and ordinary people accused of violating the lockdown ahead of the planned protest.
Police and government spokespeople have dismissed the allegations, even as a prominent journalist and a politician behind the protest have spent close to two weeks in detention.
Mnangagwa’s administration accuses the U.S. government of funding the two men and other activists involved in mobilizing the protest, with a ruling party spokesman this week calling the U.S. ambassador a “thug.”
Anti-government protests in Zimbabwe in 2018 and 2019 resulted in the killing of several people, allegedly by the military.
The pandemic has brought a new layer of suffering.
By year’s end, the number of food insecure Zimbabweans will have surged to 8.6 million - 60% of the population.
📣 WFP will only be able to provide the most vulnerable with food assistance if it receives support from the international community soon. #SavingLives #ZeroHunger pic.twitter.com/wIE2fSw0sj — WFP Zimbabwe (@WFP_Zimbabwe) July 30, 2020
In public hospitals, doctors and nurses are frequently on strike, and infrastructure is so dilapidated that “unborn children and mothers are dying daily,” according to the Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The World Food Program this week projected that the number of Zimbabweans facing food insecurity could reach 8.6 million by the end of the year.
That would be “a staggering 60% of the population – owing to the combined effects of drought, economic recession and the pandemic,” the WFP said, appealing for more money to intervene.
(AP)
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france24--2020-07-31--Covid-19 soars in Australia’s Victoria despite second Melbourne lockdown

Police patrol The Shrine of Remembrance enforcing the wearing of face masks in Melbourne , Australia on July 31 , 2020 .
Australia ’ s Victoria state recorded its second-highest day of new Covid-19 infections on Friday as its premier rebuked residents for evading lockdown and raised the prospect of stronger steps to contain the virus .
Victoria – whose capital Melbourne started its second six-week lockdown on July 8 – reported 627 new infections on July 31 , down from a record 723 the previous day .
The state recorded eight more deaths in the previous 24 hours linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their fifties , also from a record 14 the day before .
The state , which for months prided itself on a tough approach to social distancing measures , now accounts for more than half of Australia ’ s 198 deaths from the virus and about 60 percent of the country ’ s 16,900 cases .
Most of Victoria ’ s new cases are in Melbourne , Australia ’ s second largest city .
“ It is clear to all of us that these numbers are still far too high , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at a televised news conference .
The state might “ need to take further steps ” , he continued .
“ The data will tell us , the experts will tell us what and if any next steps need to be.
” For some residents , the second lockdown is a cause for despair .
“ People are starting to feel depressed because you ca n't leave the house , ” Melbourne resident Stefan Paskoski told AFP .
“ All you do is go to work , come home if you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you rely on government social security.
” Andrews said the city of five million and surrounding areas would be stuck in “ limbo ” unless they could cut infection rates .
“ We ’ ve stopped it from getting completely out of control [ … ] but we have n't been able to suppress it sufficiently , ” Andrews told media .
Without a drop in infections , it was an “ absolute certainty ” that any rollback of restrictions would see cases spiral out of control , he said .
The resurgence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on security bungles at hotels used to quarantine international travellers that allowed Covid-19 to leak into the community .
Andrews also blamed the continuing rise in cases on those flouting the rules – including people with the virus leaving their homes instead of quarantining for 14 days .
Public health officials and inspections staff on Thursday were absent .
“ It ’ s almost impossible for us to see businesses recover and survive unless and until we get these numbers down , ” he said .
Public health workers and members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out contact-tracing , and going to speak to every positive Covid-19 case in the state but have found one in four people not at home .
Those people have been referred to police and may face a fine of 1,652 Australian dollars ( €1,002 ) , Andrews said .
Victoria is due to end lockdown on August 19 and is analysing how the virus is being transmitted in the community , which will guide any new restrictions , he added .
“ Relaxation of physical distancing measures and social restrictions can lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importation of new cases via travellers , ” noted Claire Standley , an assistant professor at Georgetown University ’ s Center for Global Health Science and Security , in an interview with FRANCE 24 .
“ The key to controlling these resurgences remains the same tried and true public health measures that are the cornerstone of epidemic response : rapid case identification , including testing , isolation and tracing . ''
“ If these responses are not implemented quickly enough , given the infectiousness of the virus , and particularly its ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the rate of new infections can rise fast , ” she continued .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the surge in coronavirus cases in Melbourne remained a challenge but he was confident a flare-up in the larger city of Sydney was under control .
“ The level of community outbreak and community transmission in Victoria is the great challenge down there , ” Morrison told Australia ’ s 2GB radio .
“ And there ’ s still a lot of work to do and we 're not on top of it yet.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Sydney is the capital , had contained the virus mainly because of better contact tracing than in neighbouring Victoria , Morrison said .
NSW recorded just 21 new cases .
A ban on people travelling from Sydney to northern Queensland state was meanwhile set to begin at 1 am Saturday local time , and images of traffic queues at the NSW-Queensland border began circulating on social media late on Friday .
Sydney is more than 800 kilometres , or 500 miles , from the state border but home to two-thirds of NSW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be delays at the border so think about your travel plans and think about where you need to go and think about the timing of those journeys , ” Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said earlier .
“ The lesson from Victoria should be that complacency can be costly , ” Standley warned .
“ Travel between states has contributed to quite a number of new infections ( for example , just yesterday a man in Northern Territory tested positive after travelling to Victoria for medical treatment ) , and while certain states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's only a partial solution , ” she continued .
Maintaining vigilance , and ensuring that testing , tracing and isolation capabilities are poised to move quickly when new cases are identified , remains critical .
”

Australia’s Victoria state recorded its second-highest day of new Covid-19 infections on Friday as its premier rebuked residents for evading lockdown and raised the prospect of stronger steps to contain the virus.
Police patrol The Shrine of Remembrance enforcing the wearing of face masks in Melbourne, Australia on July 31, 2020.
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Victoria – whose capital Melbourne started its second six-week lockdown on July 8 – reported 627 new infections on July 31, down from a record 723 the previous day. The state recorded eight more deaths in the previous 24 hours linked to the coronavirus, including two men in their fifties, also from a record 14 the day before.
The state, which for months prided itself on a tough approach to social distancing measures, now accounts for more than half of Australia’s 198 deaths from the virus and about 60 percent of the country’s 16,900 cases. Most of Victoria’s new cases are in Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city.
“It is clear to all of us that these numbers are still far too high,” the region’s premier Daniel Andrews said at a televised news conference.
The state might “need to take further steps”, he continued. “The data will tell us, the experts will tell us what and if any next steps need to be.”
‘Limbo’
For some residents, the second lockdown is a cause for despair. “People are starting to feel depressed because you can't leave the house,” Melbourne resident Stefan Paskoski told AFP. “All you do is go to work, come home if you're working – if you're unemployed, you rely on government social security.”
Andrews said the city of five million and surrounding areas would be stuck in “limbo” unless they could cut infection rates.
“We’ve stopped it from getting completely out of control […] but we haven't been able to suppress it sufficiently,” Andrews told media.
Without a drop in infections, it was an “absolute certainty” that any rollback of restrictions would see cases spiral out of control, he said.
The resurgence of the virus has been largely blamed on security bungles at hotels used to quarantine international travellers that allowed Covid-19 to leak into the community.
Andrews also blamed the continuing rise in cases on those flouting the rules – including people with the virus leaving their homes instead of quarantining for 14 days. Public health officials and inspections staff on Thursday were absent.
“It’s almost impossible for us to see businesses recover and survive unless and until we get these numbers down,” he said.
Public health workers and members of the Royal Australian Armed Forces in Victoria are carrying out contact-tracing, and going to speak to every positive Covid-19 case in the state but have found one in four people not at home. Those people have been referred to police and may face a fine of 1,652 Australian dollars (€1,002), Andrews said.
Victoria is due to end lockdown on August 19 and is analysing how the virus is being transmitted in the community, which will guide any new restrictions, he added.
‘Complacency can be costly’
“Relaxation of physical distancing measures and social restrictions can lead to resurgence of cases, as can importation of new cases via travellers,” noted Claire Standley, an assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security, in an interview with FRANCE 24. “The key to controlling these resurgences remains the same tried and true public health measures that are the cornerstone of epidemic response: rapid case identification, including testing, isolation and tracing."
“If these responses are not implemented quickly enough, given the infectiousness of the virus, and particularly its ability to transmit prior to the appearance of symptoms, the rate of new infections can rise fast,” she continued.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the surge in coronavirus cases in Melbourne remained a challenge but he was confident a flare-up in the larger city of Sydney was under control.
“The level of community outbreak and community transmission in Victoria is the great challenge down there,” Morrison told Australia’s 2GB radio. “And there’s still a lot of work to do and we're not on top of it yet.”
New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, had contained the virus mainly because of better contact tracing than in neighbouring Victoria, Morrison said. NSW recorded just 21 new cases.
A ban on people travelling from Sydney to northern Queensland state was meanwhile set to begin at 1 am Saturday local time, and images of traffic queues at the NSW-Queensland border began circulating on social media late on Friday. Sydney is more than 800 kilometres, or 500 miles, from the state border but home to two-thirds of NSW's 7.5 million residents.
“There will be delays at the border so think about your travel plans and think about where you need to go and think about the timing of those journeys,” Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said earlier.
“The lesson from Victoria should be that complacency can be costly,” Standley warned. “Travel between states has contributed to quite a number of new infections (for example, just yesterday a man in Northern Territory tested positive after travelling to Victoria for medical treatment), and while certain states are restricting travel as a result, it's only a partial solution,” she continued. Maintaining vigilance, and ensuring that testing, tracing and isolation capabilities are poised to move quickly when new cases are identified, remains critical.”
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-31--Power from an artificial sun: Fusion reactor project aims to provide clean energy

The assembly of the ITER fusion reactor began in the south of France this week in what has been called the biggest science project in human history .
It is hoped the reactor will be able to produce clean energy using the same process that fuels the sun .
ITER ( International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ) is an international project that hopes to create clean energy from hydrogen fusion , the same process that occurs naturally in the heart of the sun .
Fusion will be obtained through a mixture of two hydrogen isotopes , heated to a temperature of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this space we are going to have a machine in the heart of which a small sun will burn , to put it very simply .
This small sun will generate energy .
We will use that energy to create electricity , ” ITER spokesperson Robert Arnoux told AFP .
A long sought-after alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and gas , hydrogen fusion generates no long-term waste , says ITER , while the fuels needed to create fusion are found in seawater and lithium , and so readily available .
ITER @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2025 or early 2026 but only on an experimental basis .
It will be a number of years before it is capable of supplying usable electricity .
`` The vision I have , the one I think is most realistic , is that we 'll have to wait until about 2060 before we can connect the first fusion-powered generator to a power grid , ” said Bernard Bigot , ITER director general .
The ITER project began in 2006 with a treaty bringing together 35 countries , including those in the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China , India , Japan , South Korea and the US .
Some environmental groups have criticised the ITER project dubbing it a ‘ money pit ’ and a ‘ scientific mirage ’ .
The project is already five years behind schedule and three times over the initial budget at a cost of almost €20 billion .

The assembly of the ITER fusion reactor began in the south of France this week in what has been called the biggest science project in human history. It is hoped the reactor will be able to produce clean energy using the same process that fuels the sun.
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ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is an international project that hopes to create clean energy from hydrogen fusion, the same process that occurs naturally in the heart of the sun.
Fusion will be obtained through a mixture of two hydrogen isotopes, heated to a temperature of around 150 million degrees.
"In this space we are going to have a machine in the heart of which a small sun will burn, to put it very simply. This small sun will generate energy. We will use that energy to create electricity,” ITER spokesperson Robert Arnoux told AFP.
A long sought-after alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and gas, hydrogen fusion generates no long-term waste, says ITER, while the fuels needed to create fusion are found in seawater and lithium, and so readily available.
ITER should start producing energy at the end of 2025 or early 2026 but only on an experimental basis. It will be a number of years before it is capable of supplying usable electricity.
"The vision I have, the one I think is most realistic, is that we'll have to wait until about 2060 before we can connect the first fusion-powered generator to a power grid,” said Bernard Bigot, ITER director general.
The ITER project began in 2006 with a treaty bringing together 35 countries, including those in the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the US.
Some environmental groups have criticised the ITER project dubbing it a ‘money pit’ and a ‘scientific mirage’.
The project is already five years behind schedule and three times over the initial budget at a cost of almost €20 billion.
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france24--2020-07-31--Muslims around the world perform Eid prayers amid Covid-19 pandemic distancing

Indonesian Muslim women offer Eid al-Adha prayers on the street in Jakarta , during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Indonesia , on July 31 , 2020 .
Masked and socially distanced to fight the coronavirus , Muslims around the world held prayers on Friday to mark the festival of Eid al-Adha , with mosques at reduced capacity and some praying in the open air .
Saudi Arabia ’ s King Salman bin Abdulaziz , 84 , whose country is home to two of Islam 's holiest sites , tweeted holiday congratulations a day after leaving hospital in Riyadh .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country with attendance drastically reduced .
In Istanbul , Muslims held Eid al-Adha prayers at Hagia Sophia for the first time since the historic building was reconverted to a mosque this month following a court ruling revoking its status as a museum that drew criticism from Western countries .
In Lebanon , devastated by economic crisis , many found it hard to afford traditional Eid customs .
In Tripoli , the country 's second city , there were no decorations or twinkling lights , and no electricity to power them .
Around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in with the realities of the coronavirus .
In Indonesia , the religious ministry asked mosques to shorten ceremonies , while many cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock and distributing meat to the community .
Instead sheep , goats and cows were being killed in abattoirs to mark the 'Feast of the Sacrifice ' , celebrated by Muslims to commemorate Prophet Abraham 's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God 's command .
`` This year 's Eid al-Adha is very different from previous years because we need to follow health protocols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing , '' said Devita Ilhami , 30 , who was at the Sunda Kelapa mosque in Jakarta .
She said they had to bring their own prayer mats , with markers on the ground to show where they should be laid .
Elsewhere in Asia , Muslims including in Thailand and Malaysia prayed in or outside mosques wearing masks .
In Malaysia , while some mosques cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock , 13 cows were killed in the traditional way , but under rules limiting the number of animals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamek mosque in Kuala Lumpur .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani attended prayers in Kabul .
Islamist Taliban militants say they will observe a three-day ceasefire for the holiday , offering some respite from weeks of violence .
In India , where Eid will be celebrated mostly from Saturday , several states have eased coronavirus restrictions to allow worshippers to gather in mosques in limited numbers .
`` Only small groups of worshippers will be allowed into mosques , '' said Shafique Qasim , a senior cleric at the Nakhoda mosque in the eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland , Irish Muslims performed prayers to mark the festival of Eid al-Adha on Friday at Dublin 's Croke Park Gaelic sports stadium , a site of historic importance for Irish nationalists who always had a deep connection with the once dominant Catholic Church .
Around 200 Muslims laid out prayer mats on the pitch usually used for the national sports of Gaelic football and hurling and where in 1920 British troops opened fire on a crowd , killing 14 people during Ireland 's War of Independence .
With Muslims unable to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social-distancing rules , Shaykh Umar al-Qadri , chair of Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council , approached the management of Croke Park , who he said did not hesitate to offer the venue .
Irish President Michael D. Higgins described the event as an important moment in Ireland 's narrative .
Leaders of Catholic , Protestant and Jewish faiths attended and spoke at the event , which was broadcast live on television for the first time .

Masked and socially distanced to fight the coronavirus, Muslims around the world held prayers on Friday to mark the festival of Eid al-Adha, with mosques at reduced capacity and some praying in the open air.
Indonesian Muslim women offer Eid al-Adha prayers on the street in Jakarta, during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Indonesia, on July 31, 2020.
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Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz, 84, whose country is home to two of Islam's holiest sites, tweeted holiday congratulations a day after leaving hospital in Riyadh. The Haj pilgrimage is being held in the country with attendance drastically reduced.
In Istanbul, Muslims held Eid al-Adha prayers at Hagia Sophia for the first time since the historic building was reconverted to a mosque this month following a court ruling revoking its status as a museum that drew criticism from Western countries.
In Lebanon, devastated by economic crisis, many found it hard to afford traditional Eid customs. In Tripoli, the country's second city, there were no decorations or twinkling lights, and no electricity to power them.
Instead, a large billboard read: "We're broke."
Around the world, the festival had to fit in with the realities of the coronavirus.
In Indonesia, the religious ministry asked mosques to shorten ceremonies, while many cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock and distributing meat to the community.
Instead sheep, goats and cows were being killed in abattoirs to mark the 'Feast of the Sacrifice', celebrated by Muslims to commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God's command.
"This year's Eid al-Adha is very different from previous years because we need to follow health protocols as we perform prayers, like maintaining social distancing," said Devita Ilhami, 30, who was at the Sunda Kelapa mosque in Jakarta.
She said they had to bring their own prayer mats, with markers on the ground to show where they should be laid.
Muslim worshippers attend Eid al-Adha prayers in Hagia Sophia, Turkey, for the first time after the historic building was reconverted into a mosque pic.twitter.com/A4F2JylqeQ — Reuters (@Reuters) July 31, 2020
Elsewhere in Asia, Muslims including in Thailand and Malaysia prayed in or outside mosques wearing masks.
In Malaysia, while some mosques cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock, 13 cows were killed in the traditional way, but under rules limiting the number of animals and people at the Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah Jamek mosque in Kuala Lumpur.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani attended prayers in Kabul. Islamist Taliban militants say they will observe a three-day ceasefire for the holiday, offering some respite from weeks of violence.
Wishing a happy, safe and peaceful #EidAlAdha to all of our followers celebrating around the world ❤ pic.twitter.com/6Ij3iMZeoc — Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 30, 2020
In India, where Eid will be celebrated mostly from Saturday, several states have eased coronavirus restrictions to allow worshippers to gather in mosques in limited numbers.
"Only small groups of worshippers will be allowed into mosques," said Shafique Qasim, a senior cleric at the Nakhoda mosque in the eastern city of Kolkata.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, Irish Muslims performed prayers to mark the festival of Eid al-Adha on Friday at Dublin's Croke Park Gaelic sports stadium, a site of historic importance for Irish nationalists who always had a deep connection with the once dominant Catholic Church.
Around 200 Muslims laid out prayer mats on the pitch usually used for the national sports of Gaelic football and hurling and where in 1920 British troops opened fire on a crowd, killing 14 people during Ireland's War of Independence.
Great day photographing for press association today as Muslims gather in Croke Park for Eid Al Adha celebrations, well done to the gaa for hosting this event today. @officialgaa @PPAI_IRL @CrokePark @DublinDiocese @DubGAAOfficial pic.twitter.com/M0446Vbxyd — Damien Eagers Photography (@deagers) July 31, 2020
With Muslims unable to hold large gatherings in mosques due to Covid-19 social-distancing rules, Shaykh Umar al-Qadri, chair of Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, approached the management of Croke Park, who he said did not hesitate to offer the venue.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins described the event as an important moment in Ireland's narrative. Leaders of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish faiths attended and spoke at the event, which was broadcast live on television for the first time.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-31--All aboard: EU approves Alstom's purchase of Bombardier rail unit

A commuter waits on a platform alongside old and new models of SNCF Bombardier suburban trains at the Gare Saint-Lazare railway station on February 15 , 2018 in Paris , France .
The European Commission gave French engineering giant Alstom the green light to buy Canadian train-maker Bombardier Transport on Friday , a year-and-a-half after blocking a mega-merger with Germany 's Siemens .
Paris and Berlin were infuriated when Brussels blocked the former plan to build an all European giant but the Canadian tie-up should now go ahead -- with conditions .
Alstom will have to divest itself of some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entity could still be of a scale to compete with the Chinese world-leader in the sector , CRRC .
`` Going forward , a stronger combined Alstom and Bombardier entity will emerge , '' EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said .
`` Thanks to the comprehensive remedies offered to solve the competition concerns ... the Commission has been able to speedily review and approve this transaction . ''
Alstom 's chief executive , Henri Poupart-Lafarge , had earlier in the day expressed confidence the decision would go his way this time .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluid , extremely rapid since we announced the transaction with Bombardier in February , so five months later we have the decision , '' he stressed .
`` I believe that a dialogue of trust has been established .
Is this the consequence of the difficulties of the previous dossier or not ?
I do n't know , '' he added , referring to the blocked Siemens tie-up .
In order to appease Vestager 's anti-trust concerns , Alstom gave an undertaking to sell off some of its assets , including a French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 780 people .
Before these concessions , the new group would have had a turnover of 15.5 billion euros per year and 76,000 employees .
Had the European Commission been worried that the project might have hurt competition , it could have launched a more detailed investigation , which would have lasted about four months .
Alstom had notified Brussels in mid-June of the planned acquisition of its competitor Bombardier Transport for six billion euros in a deal to be finalised in the first half of 2021 .
The two groups have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they work together regularly , as they do on the Paris Metro and RER suburban transport network .
The threat of Chinese competition had already been cited as a reason for Siemens ' planned takeover of Alstom , which was blocked by the Commission in February 2019 .
But Brussels feared an overly dominant position in Europe in rail signalling and high-speed trains .
The EU should not help to create `` fed and pampered '' industrial champions , but let competition drive innovation , Vestager had argued .
Alstom had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German group , which helped win approval of the deal .
Bombardier 's subsidiary Bombardier Transportation is based in Berlin and runs the largest railway plant in France , with 2,000 employees , in Crespin in the north of the country .
Alstom , meanwhile , operates many smaller sites and last year , before the coronavirus crisis , its order book peaked at 40.9 billion euros .

The European Commission gave French engineering giant Alstom the green light to buy Canadian train-maker Bombardier Transport on Friday, a year-and-a-half after blocking a mega-merger with Germany's Siemens.
A commuter waits on a platform alongside old and new models of SNCF Bombardier suburban trains at the Gare Saint-Lazare railway station on February 15, 2018 in Paris, France.
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Paris and Berlin were infuriated when Brussels blocked the former plan to build an all European giant but the Canadian tie-up should now go ahead -- with conditions.
Alstom will have to divest itself of some of its plants, but the new entity could still be of a scale to compete with the Chinese world-leader in the sector, CRRC.
"Going forward, a stronger combined Alstom and Bombardier entity will emerge," EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
"Thanks to the comprehensive remedies offered to solve the competition concerns ... the Commission has been able to speedily review and approve this transaction."
#BREAKING The European Commission said Friday that it had given conditional approval to French engineering giant Alstom buying Canadian train-maker Bombardier Transport pic.twitter.com/1NcaFwxbSH — AFP news agency (@AFP) July 31, 2020
Alstom's chief executive, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, had earlier in the day expressed confidence the decision would go his way this time.
"The dialogue with Brussels has been extremely fluid, extremely rapid since we announced the transaction with Bombardier in February, so five months later we have the decision," he stressed.
"I believe that a dialogue of trust has been established. Is this the consequence of the difficulties of the previous dossier or not? I don't know," he added, referring to the blocked Siemens tie-up.
In order to appease Vestager's anti-trust concerns, Alstom gave an undertaking to sell off some of its assets, including a French plant in Reichshoffen in Alsace which employs 780 people.
Before these concessions, the new group would have had a turnover of 15.5 billion euros per year and 76,000 employees.
'Fed and pampered'
Had the European Commission been worried that the project might have hurt competition, it could have launched a more detailed investigation, which would have lasted about four months.
Alstom had notified Brussels in mid-June of the planned acquisition of its competitor Bombardier Transport for six billion euros in a deal to be finalised in the first half of 2021.
The two groups have a virtual monopoly on rolling stock in France, where they work together regularly, as they do on the Paris Metro and RER suburban transport network.
The threat of Chinese competition had already been cited as a reason for Siemens' planned takeover of Alstom, which was blocked by the Commission in February 2019.
But Brussels feared an overly dominant position in Europe in rail signalling and high-speed trains.
The EU should not help to create "fed and pampered" industrial champions, but let competition drive innovation, Vestager had argued.
Alstom had fewer overlapping operations with Bombardier than with the German group, which helped win approval of the deal.
Bombardier's subsidiary Bombardier Transportation is based in Berlin and runs the largest railway plant in France, with 2,000 employees, in Crespin in the north of the country.
Alstom, meanwhile, operates many smaller sites and last year, before the coronavirus crisis, its order book peaked at 40.9 billion euros.
(AFP)
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