france24--2020-08-11--Mauritius oil spill: Volunteer army races to contain environmental disaster

Japanese ship the Wakashio began leaking oil after hitting a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius on July 25 , 2020 .
An army of volunteers is scrambling to contain the disastrous oil spill that has devastated miles of Mauritius ’ unspoiled coastline after a Japanese tanker , the MV Wakashio , ran aground off the island nation last week .
Thousands of volunteers , including fishermen , students and diving instructors , have been arriving on the coast near the small town of Mahebourg since Friday to lend a hand in the vast clean-up operation .
`` Me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lend a hand because of the degradation of our environment , ” Eldridge Larhubarbe , an environmental management student , told AFP .
“ The entire marine ecology has been affected by the heavy oil spilled from the ship .
We are very affected by this problem .
As young people , it is our main priority to protect our lagoon in Mahebourg . ''
Volunteers have also been helping to build improvised floating booms , to hold back the oil , filling them with straw , leaves and even human .
Guesthouses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some hair salons have been offering discounts to those donating hair .
The Wakashio began leaking oil after hitting a coral reef on July 25 .
More than 1,000 tonnes of oil have already seeped from the stricken ship , contaminating reefs , mangrove forests and sea life in an unprecedented environmental catastrophe for the country .
Now , salvage crews are in a race against time to stop the 2,500 tonnes of oil still on board the ship from spilling into the sea , with authorities warning cracks in the ship ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks breaking apart .

An army of volunteers is scrambling to contain the disastrous oil spill that has devastated miles of Mauritius’ unspoiled coastline after a Japanese tanker, the MV Wakashio, ran aground off the island nation last week.
Japanese ship the Wakashio began leaking oil after hitting a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius on July 25, 2020.
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Thousands of volunteers, including fishermen, students and diving instructors, have been arriving on the coast near the small town of Mahebourg since Friday to lend a hand in the vast clean-up operation.
"Me and my friends came here today to lend a hand because of the degradation of our environment,” Eldridge Larhubarbe, an environmental management student, told AFP.
“The entire marine ecology has been affected by the heavy oil spilled from the ship. We are very affected by this problem. As young people, it is our main priority to protect our lagoon in Mahebourg."
Volunteers have also been helping to build improvised floating booms, to hold back the oil, filling them with straw, leaves and even human.
Guesthouses have offered free accommodation to volunteers and some hair salons have been offering discounts to those donating hair.
The Wakashio began leaking oil after hitting a coral reef on July 25.
More than 1,000 tonnes of oil have already seeped from the stricken ship, contaminating reefs, mangrove forests and sea life in an unprecedented environmental catastrophe for the country.
Now, salvage crews are in a race against time to stop the 2,500 tonnes of oil still on board the ship from spilling into the sea, with authorities warning cracks in the ship’s hull are worsening and the boar risks breaking apart.
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france24--2020-08-11--New Zealand puts Auckland under lockdown after first new cases in 102 days

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders to remain calm as the first community transmission of the coronavirus was reported in more than 100 days .
New Zealand announced on Tuesday it was shutting down its largest city , Auckland , after four new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city , the first evidence of domestic transmission after being coronavirus-free for 102 days .
New Zealand 's successful fight against COVID-19 was hailed globally and the Pacific island nation of 5 million was seen as one of the safest places , as the pandemic raged globally .
Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four cases were within one family in South Auckland .
One person is in their 50s .
They had no history of international travel .
Family members have been tested and contact tracing is under way .
News of the cases sent panic across the country with media reporting people rushing to supermarkets to stock up , and businesses preparing to shut .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland would move to level 3 restriction from noon on Wednesday as a `` precautionary approach '' , which would mean people should stay away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more than 10 people would again be restricted .
The restriction would be applied for three days until Friday , which she said would be enough time to assess the situation , gather information and make sure there was widespread contact tracing .
`` This is something we have prepared for , '' Ardern said in a surprise news conference , adding that the increased caution was as the source of the virus was unknown .
`` We have had a 102 days and it was easy to feel New Zealand was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has gone as far as we did without having a resurgence .
And because we were the only ones , we had to plan .
And we have planned , '' she said .
New Zealand is set to vote in a national election on Sept. 19 , in which Ardern is seen to winning comfortably , according to opinion polls , on the back of her handling of the pandemic .
But the return of the virus could backfire on the government .
Ardern said she has not given any consideration to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls at this stage .
`` This will come as a shock to all New Zealanders who believed what we had been told – that we had got on top of this virus , '' the main opposition National Party leader Judith Collins said in a statement .
Parliament is scheduled to be dissolved on Wednesday to make way for the election .
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said : “ I am urging Aucklanders to come together like we did last time to stamp out community transmission .
Please remain calm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow the lockdown rules . ''
Ardern said travel into Auckland , on the North Island , would be restricted unless you lived there .
She said the rest of New Zealand would enter alert level 2 from midday on Wednesday for three days .
This would mean social distancing measures would be applied again and mass gatherings would be limited to 100 people .
New Zealand was placed under a tight lockdown for weeks after reported its first known case on Feb. 26 and the last case of community transmission was detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days without a domestic transmission of the coronavirus on Sunday , but warned against complacency as countries like Vietnam and Australia which once had the virus under control now battle a resurgence .
Bloomfield said the unknown nature of the new cases meant it was likely there would be more positive case in the coming days .
He said people should use masks in places where it was hard to physically distance .
`` The case is a wake up call for any complacency that may have set in , '' Bloomfield said @

New Zealand announced on Tuesday it was shutting down its largest city, Auckland, after four new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city, the first evidence of domestic transmission after being coronavirus-free for 102 days.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders to remain calm as the first community transmission of the coronavirus was reported in more than 100 days.
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New Zealand's successful fight against COVID-19 was hailed globally and the Pacific island nation of 5 million was seen as one of the safest places, as the pandemic raged globally.
Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said the four cases were within one family in South Auckland. One person is in their 50s. They had no history of international travel. Family members have been tested and contact tracing is under way.
News of the cases sent panic across the country with media reporting people rushing to supermarkets to stock up, and businesses preparing to shut.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland would move to level 3 restriction from noon on Wednesday as a "precautionary approach", which would mean people should stay away from work and school, and gatherings or more than 10 people would again be restricted.
The restriction would be applied for three days until Friday, which she said would be enough time to assess the situation, gather information and make sure there was widespread contact tracing.
"This is something we have prepared for," Ardern said in a surprise news conference, adding that the increased caution was as the source of the virus was unknown.
"We have had a 102 days and it was easy to feel New Zealand was out of the woods. No country has gone as far as we did without having a resurgence. And because we were the only ones, we had to plan. And we have planned," she said.
New Zealand is set to vote in a national election on Sept. 19, in which Ardern is seen to winning comfortably, according to opinion polls, on the back of her handling of the pandemic.
But the return of the virus could backfire on the government.
Ardern said she has not given any consideration to the impact of the new restrictions on the polls at this stage.
"This will come as a shock to all New Zealanders who believed what we had been told – that we had got on top of this virus," the main opposition National Party leader Judith Collins said in a statement.
Parliament is scheduled to be dissolved on Wednesday to make way for the election.
'Remain calm'
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said: “I am urging Aucklanders to come together like we did last time to stamp out community transmission. Please remain calm, please do not panic buy and please follow the lockdown rules."
Ardern said travel into Auckland, on the North Island, would be restricted unless you lived there.
She said the rest of New Zealand would enter alert level 2 from midday on Wednesday for three days. This would mean social distancing measures would be applied again and mass gatherings would be limited to 100 people.
New Zealand was placed under a tight lockdown for weeks after reported its first known case on Feb. 26 and the last case of community transmission was detected on May 1.
It marked 100 days without a domestic transmission of the coronavirus on Sunday, but warned against complacency as countries like Vietnam and Australia which once had the virus under control now battle a resurgence.
Bloomfield said the unknown nature of the new cases meant it was likely there would be more positive case in the coming days.
He said people should use masks in places where it was hard to physically distance.
"The case is a wake up call for any complacency that may have set in," Bloomfield said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-11--Belarus protesters use vehicles to block police from demonstrations over 'rigged election'

Protesters took to the streets amid a strong police presence in the Belarusian capital of Minsk after presidential elections on August 9 .
Police and security forces responded strongly , using crowd control weapons – and their vehicles – to quell the unrest .
Protesters fought back with defensive strategies wielding their own vehicles in an ongoing movement against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko .
Results of the contested Belarus presidential election were reported by the Central Election Commission on August 10 , showing that Lukashenko won a sixth term .
The strongman president reportedly won just over 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition called a rigged election .
According to Challenger > > Read on France24.com : Belarus election challenger Tikhanouskaya ‘ safe ’ in Lithuania Police and military units began to mobilize in Belarusian cities even before election day , awaiting the unrest that would soon unfold .
Protests erupted on Sunday , August 9 after a state exit poll showed Lukashenko with a majority of the votes , despite reports that Tikhanovskaya In demonstrably intimidating move , military is deployed through the center of # Minsk .
Lukashenka is getting ready for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did happened in # Belarus under his rule .
Readiness to use military for this purpose is new .
video via NEXTA pic.twitter.com/lxgHWnGhW1 Denis Kazakiewicz ( @ Den_2042 ) August 8 , 2020 Results of the contested Belarus presidential election were reported by the Central Election Commission on August 10 , showing that Lukashenko won a sixth term .
The strongman president reportedly won just over 80 percent of the votes in what the opposition called a rigged election .
According to Freedom House , a democracy watchdog organisation , elections in Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected in 1994 .
The organisation calls Belarus an “ authoritarian police state in which elections are openly rigged ” Challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , the wife of a popular blogger in Belarus who took over her husband ’ s presidential campaign when he was arrested , reportedly won less than 10 percent of votes , according to preliminary numbers reported by the state .
On August 11 , she left Belarus to go to Lithuania after vowing to challenge the results of the election.Police and military units began to mobilize in Belarusian cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest that would soon unfold .
Protests erupted on Sunday , August 9 after a state exit poll showed Lukashenko with a majority of the votes , despite reports that Tikhanovskaya won various polling stations with a wide margin .
A video posted on August 8 shows police and military vehicles driving through the Belarusian capital the day before the presidential election .
The internet was largely offline in Belarus following the closure of polls , according to According to human rights organisation The internet was largely offline in Belarus following the closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but videos and photos from eyewitnesses have since been shared widely online .
One of the main sources of amateur content was Nexta , a Belarusian media network which shares news mainly through Telegram , but also on Facebook and YouTube .
Citizens in Belarus send photos and videos to the outlet to be reposted on its channels and shared with over half a million subscribers.According to human rights organisation Viasna , at least one protester was killed on the first day of demonstrations , after being run over by a police truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video of the moment the protester was hit by the police truck .
In a video shared widely on social media on August 9 , a truck can be seen running over a protester who had grabbed onto the front of the vehicle .
In close-up photos posted to Twitter on August 10 , the Minsk police insignia can be seen on the truck which ran over a protester .
This event caused outrage on social media channels in Belarus and around the world .
Police were also seen Anticipating the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vans , protesters began to prepare a strategy for the next day ’ s protest .
Protesters with cars were considered an integral part of the protest strategy : they could block roads , transport people and supplies , and alert others to police whereabouts .
Protesters organized on Telegram and other social media channels , sharing tactics that people with cars could use .
In the evening of August 10 , cars began blocking the streets of Minsk , creating traffic to prevent police vehicles from entering certain areas .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This event caused outrage on social media channels in Belarus and around the world .
Police were also seen detaining protesters in vans and buses , sometimes beating them once inside .
Because demonstrations were scattered in different areas around Minsk , rather than concentrated in one particular area , police used vehicles to patrol for groups of protesters.Anticipating the use of police vehicles such as trucks and vans , protesters began to prepare a strategy for the next day ’ s protest .
Protesters with cars were considered an integral part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads , transport people and supplies , and alert others to police whereabouts.Protesters organized on Telegram and other social media channels , sharing tactics that people with cars could use.In the evening of August 10 , cars began blocking the streets of Minsk , creating traffic to prevent police vehicles from entering certain areas .
Meanwhile , protesters convened at the Pushkinskaya station .
At Pushkinskaya metro station , people gathered in thousands and started building barricades .
Just one hour later , we heard about the first injured .
At least one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badly injured .
Ambulances were coming back and forth .
There was a massive line of cars pic.twitter.com/yTX3lpt2fg Hanna Liubakova ( @ HannaLiubakova ) August 10 , 2020 Protesters in cars blocked the streets near the Pushkinskaya metro station .
A photo shared on the Nexta Telegram channel on August 9 encourages those with cars to help the protests by blocking police vehicles in the roads , delivering supplies to protesters , taking them to get medical care , and patrolling the streets for police presence .
( Source : Nexta /Telegram ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are full of honking cars .
There is constant honking all night and even during parts of the day .
People played music and danced , and by blocking the street with the cars , prevented security forces freedom of manoeuvre in some urban areas .
Most Belarusians are trying to live normal lives , they still have to go to work – so it 's seemingly life as normal some places – but of course we know it 's not .
The barricades are built up and destroyed again .
The one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely be rebuilt at nighttime .
The state wants people to go about their lives so they wouldn ’ t tolerate impeding traffic .
Scattered nails and “ hedgehogs ” on the roads Another “ Hedgehogs ” , or caltrops , are a type of military defensive tool made of nails or sharp spines arranged so that one of them is pointed up .
In the past , they have been used to deter cavalry or vehicles with tires .
A photo of these devices strewn on Minsk streets was posted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scattered along the roads in Minsk against police and army vehicles pic.twitter.com/CvFIcHzRuR Tadeusz Giczan ( @ TadeuszGiczan ) August 10 , 2020 Protests are expected to continue in Minsk , and demonstrators have called for a general strike until new elections are held .
The The UN has Article written by Pariesa Young Others came together and began barricading roads near Riga mall in Minsk .
Ayem Peyem saw the resulting clashes from his home in the area.Another memo circulated by Nexta on Telegram advised protesters to “ scatter nails , screws and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , try to inconspicuously punch tires in police vehicles and vans of special services ” .
“ Hedgehogs ” , or caltrops , are a type of military defensive tool made of nails or sharp spines arranged so that one of them is pointed up .
In the past , they have been used to deter cavalry or vehicles with tires .
A photo of these devices strewn on Minsk streets was posted on August 10.Protests are expected to continue in Minsk , and demonstrators have called for a general strike until new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that more than 5,000 people have been detained in the protests .
They have only confirmed one death of a protester , saying that a homemade bomb detonated in his hand .
Local news and eyewitness accounts tell of multiple deaths and many more wounded after the two days of protest.The UN has called upon authorities in Belarus to exercise restraint against protesters while also imploring demonstrators to avoid any actions that would further increase tensions .

BELARUS
Protesters in Belarus used vehicles as a protest tool by blocking streets and honking to show their support (Source: Hanna Liubakova/Twitter)
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Protesters took to the streets amid a strong police presence in the Belarusian capital of Minsk after presidential elections on August 9. Police and security forces responded strongly, using crowd control weapons – and their vehicles – to quell the unrest. Protesters fought back with defensive strategies wielding their own vehicles in an ongoing movement against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Results of the contested Belarus presidential election were reported by the Central Election Commission on August 10, showing that Lukashenko won a sixth term. The strongman president reportedly won just over 80 percent of the votes in what the opposition called a rigged election. According to Freedom House, a democracy watchdog organisation, elections in Belarus have not been democratic since Lukashenko was elected in 1994. The organisation calls Belarus an “authoritarian police state in which elections are openly rigged”
Challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the wife of a popular blogger in Belarus who took over her husband’s presidential campaign when he was arrested, reportedly won less than 10 percent of votes, according to preliminary numbers reported by the state. On August 11, she left Belarus to go to Lithuania after vowing to challenge the results of the election.
>> Read on France24.com : Belarus election challenger Tikhanouskaya ‘safe’ in Lithuania
Police and military units began to mobilize in Belarusian cities even before election day, awaiting the unrest that would soon unfold. Protests erupted on Sunday, August 9 after a state exit poll showed Lukashenko with a majority of the votes, despite reports that Tikhanovskaya won various polling stations with a wide margin.
In demonstrably intimidating move, military is deployed through the center of #Minsk.
Lukashenka is getting ready for the Election Day.
Crackdowns of peaceful protests did happened in #Belarus under his rule. Readiness to use military for this purpose is new.
video via NEXTA pic.twitter.com/lxgHWnGhW1 Denis Kazakiewicz (@Den_2042) August 8, 2020
A video posted on August 8 shows police and military vehicles driving through the Belarusian capital the day before the presidential election.
Protester hit by police truck, blocking roads a strategy
The internet was largely offline in Belarus following the closure of polls, according to NetBlocks, but videos and photos from eyewitnesses have since been shared widely online. One of the main sources of amateur content was Nexta, a Belarusian media network which shares news mainly through Telegram, but also on Facebook and YouTube. Citizens in Belarus send photos and videos to the outlet to be reposted on its channels and shared with over half a million subscribers.
According to human rights organisation Viasna, at least one protester was killed on the first day of demonstrations, after being run over by a police truck. On August 9, Nexta shared a video of the moment the protester was hit by the police truck.
❗Police truck hitting a protester in Minsk at speed pic.twitter.com/mVChTwLeP1 Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) August 9, 2020
In a video shared widely on social media on August 9, a truck can be seen running over a protester who had grabbed onto the front of the vehicle.
Первая жертва вчерашних столкновений в Минске. Этот парень умер от черепно-мозговых травм, после того как на него наехал автозак #ЖывеБелорусь pic.twitter.com/fsJgSKigtO Лепра (@leprasorium) August 10, 2020
In close-up photos posted to Twitter on August 10, the Minsk police insignia can be seen on the truck which ran over a protester.
This event caused outrage on social media channels in Belarus and around the world. Police were also seen detaining protesters in vans and buses, sometimes beating them once inside. Because demonstrations were scattered in different areas around Minsk, rather than concentrated in one particular area, police used vehicles to patrol for groups of protesters.
Anticipating the use of police vehicles such as trucks and vans, protesters began to prepare a strategy for the next day’s protest. Protesters with cars were considered an integral part of the protest strategy: they could block roads, transport people and supplies, and alert others to police whereabouts.
Protesters organized on Telegram and other social media channels, sharing tactics that people with cars could use.
In the evening of August 10, cars began blocking the streets of Minsk, creating traffic to prevent police vehicles from entering certain areas. Meanwhile, protesters convened at the Pushkinskaya station.
Thousands of people are at Pushkinskaya station in Minsk right now. Drivers get out of their cars and block the roads pic.twitter.com/a2Fh1uSjkJ Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) August 10, 2020
A video posted on Twitter on August 10 shows cars blocking the roads near Pushkinskaya station.
At Pushkinskaya metro station,people gathered in thousands and started building barricades. Just one hour later,we heard about the first injured. At least one bus driver who passed the area was badly injured. Ambulances were coming back and forth. There was a massive line of cars pic.twitter.com/yTX3lpt2fg Hanna Liubakova (@HannaLiubakova) August 10, 2020
Protesters in cars blocked the streets near the Pushkinskaya metro station.
A photo shared on the Nexta Telegram channel on August 9 encourages those with cars to help the protests by blocking police vehicles in the roads, delivering supplies to protesters, taking them to get medical care, and patrolling the streets for police presence. (Source: Nexta/Telegram)
“Nights full of honking cars”
Others came together and began barricading roads near Riga mall in Minsk. Ayem Peyem saw the resulting clashes from his home in the area.
The nights are full of honking cars. There is constant honking all night and even during parts of the day. People played music and danced, and by blocking the street with the cars, prevented security forces freedom of manoeuvre in some urban areas. Most Belarusians are trying to live normal lives, they still have to go to work – so it's seemingly life as normal some places – but of course we know it's not. The barricades are built up and destroyed again. The one near my home three times, it will likely be rebuilt at nighttime. The state wants people to go about their lives so they wouldn’t tolerate impeding traffic.
Scattered nails and “hedgehogs” on the roads
Another memo circulated by Nexta on Telegram advised protesters to “scatter nails, screws and homemade ‘hedgehogs’ on the roads, try to inconspicuously punch tires in police vehicles and vans of special services”.
“Hedgehogs”, or caltrops, are a type of military defensive tool made of nails or sharp spines arranged so that one of them is pointed up. In the past, they have been used to deter cavalry or vehicles with tires. A photo of these devices strewn on Minsk streets was posted on August 10.
Homemade steel hedgehogs are scattered along the roads in Minsk against police and army vehicles pic.twitter.com/CvFIcHzRuR Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) August 10, 2020
Small “hedgehogs” were photographed on Minsk streets August 10.
Protests are expected to continue in Minsk, and demonstrators have called for a general strike until new elections are held.
The interior ministry of Belarus reported that more than 5,000 people have been detained in the protests. They have only confirmed one death of a protester, saying that a homemade bomb detonated in his hand. Local news and eyewitness accounts tell of multiple deaths and many more wounded after the two days of protest.
The UN has called upon authorities in Belarus to exercise restraint against protesters while also imploring demonstrators to avoid any actions that would further increase tensions.
Article written by Pariesa Young


france24--2020-08-11--US restaurants struggle as Covid-19 keeps customers home

A server sets a table on the patio at Brasserie Liberté in Washington 's Georgetown district during the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
Being inside busy areas with limited ventilation @ @ @ @ @ infection .
As a result , indoor dining has been restricted in many places and @ @ @ @ @ for eating out over virus fears .
FRANCE 24 reports from Washington , DC .
@ @ @ @ @ s tiny Georgetown neighbourhood , restaurants have already seen their revenue drop by 50 to @ @ @ @ @ months since the pandemic forced businesses to shutter to stem the virus .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ a day .
Now , it ’ s about 40 , ” says Didier Palange @ @ @ @ @ 24 ’ s Kethevane Gorjestani , Fanny Allard and Matthieu Mabin report from Washington , @ @ @ @ @ click on the video player above .

SPECIAL REPORT
Restaurants the world over have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Being inside busy areas with limited ventilation increases the risk of Covid-19 infection. As a result, indoor dining has been restricted in many places and many have lost their appetite for eating out over virus fears. FRANCE 24 reports from Washington, DC.
A server sets a table on the patio at Brasserie Liberté in Washington's Georgetown district during the coronavirus pandemic.
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In the American capital’s tiny Georgetown neighbourhood, restaurants have already seen their revenue drop by 50 to 70 percent in the five months since the pandemic forced businesses to shutter to stem the virus.
“We used to serve 300 people a day. Now, it’s about 40,” says Didier Palange of Brasserie Liberté.
FRANCE 24’s Kethevane Gorjestani, Fanny Allard and Matthieu Mabin report from Washington, DC. To watch, click on the video player above.
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france24--2020-08-11--Syrian villagers along Euphrates accuse Turkey of cutting water access

Turkish dams on the Euphrates and Tigris can hold a total capacity of 60 km3 of water .
The Turkish GAP project is projected to consume up to 22 km3 per year , which would significantly reduce the Syrian and Iraqi shares of the river 's water .
Graphic from the National Center for Water Resources Management in Iraq .
The Euphrates crosses the Syrian border to reach the dams of Tishrin ( located in the Manbij district , upstream of the Tabqa dam ) , Tabqa ( located in the province of Raqqa , south of Manbij ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raqqa ) in the northeast of the country .
Since 2017 , these three dams have been under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria , led by Kurdish SDF forces .
This map shows the three dams on the Euphrates in Syria : Tabqa , Tishrin and Al Baath dams .
They are all under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) The Euphrates crosses the Syrian border to reach the dams of Tishrin ( located in the Manbij district , upstream of the Tabqa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the province of Raqqa , south of Manbij ) and Al Baath ( 20 km north of Raqqa ) in the northeast of the country .
Since 2017 , these three dams have been under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria , led by Kurdish SDF forces .
In this video , posted on July 22 on the local “ Eye of the Euphrates ” news page , a fisherman from Deir Ezzor explains that the river 's water is decreasing daily .
“ The water used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he indicates the place ] .
It 's all gone now , and our crops are suffering a lot , ” he adds .
The Euphrates : A river at the centre of several conflicts The waters of the Euphrates have rarely been filmed at such a low levels .
In videos shared on social media , residents of northeastern Syria comment on how the mighty river has been reduced to a stream in some areas.
“ Turkey has cut off the Euphrates today , ” said the author of a video shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been widely shared since early July .
“ We walk and we walk , towards the void .
The water is cut off for all Syrians .
This is what remains of the Euphrates.
” Water levels in the region have been dropping steadily since the late 1990s .
One of the causes is a giant Turkish hydropower project dubbed “ Southeast Anatolia ” ( GAP ) .
GAP consists of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric power stations that extract waters of the Tigris -- which helps irrigate nations such as Iraq -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential water source for Syria and Iraq .
The project 's largest dam , Atatürk Dam , is located on the Euphrates.In April , the average flow of the Euphrates from Turkey was 200 m3 / s , which is 300 m3 / s less than the amount stipulated in the agreement between the two countries , the General Autonomous Administration of Dams told the newspaper Asharq Al Awsat According to international law , the Euphrates is an international river because it crosses through several countries .
Historically , the river has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three countries that it crosses .
In 1987 , a temporary agreement declared that Turkey , which holds the river 's source , must provide a minimum quantity of 500 m3 / s of water flow to Syrian authorities , who would in turn offer a similar rater of water flow to Iraq.In practice , this agreement was maintained until 2012 .
When the Syrian regime stopped controlling the northeast region , water levels on the Syrian bank of the Euphrates were regularly reduced .
After the SDF regained control over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Tishrine Dam declined from 690m3 / s to 226m3 / s between January and December , according to a 2017 report by the township of Jazeera in the Kurdish Autonomous Administration of northeastern Syria .

SYRIA
In Deir Ezzor province, the Euphrates no longer reaches even one third of its usual flow. Photo Ibrahim Hassin.
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Since May, residents of northeastern Syria have noticed a visible decrease in the Euphrates's water levels. The legendary river's source is found in Turkey, and it irrigates all of northern Syria. In the self-proclaimed autonomous Kurdish region, controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, villagers are accusing Turkish authorities of damming the river to monopolize the precious resource.
The waters of the Euphrates have rarely been filmed at such a low levels. In videos shared on social media, residents of northeastern Syria comment on how the mighty river has been reduced to a stream in some areas.
“Turkey has cut off the Euphrates today,” said the author of a video shot on June 29 near Raqqa that has been widely shared since early July. “We walk and we walk, towards the void. The water is cut off for all Syrians. This is what remains of the Euphrates.”
التركي المختل عقلياً يقطع ماء نهر الفرات على منطقة الجزيرة السورية . الرقة .. لطالما هذه المدينة بأهلها حاربوا العصملي واخرجوه من سوريا . pic.twitter.com/oU8sSATcwV فارس الشمال (@UneIzrG73fjTwjC) June 30, 2020
Water levels in the region have been dropping steadily since the late 1990s. One of the causes is a giant Turkish hydropower project dubbed “Southeast Anatolia” (GAP). GAP consists of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric power stations that extract waters of the Tigris--which helps irrigate nations such as Iraq--and the Euphrates, which is an essential water source for Syria and Iraq. The project's largest dam, Atatürk Dam, is located on the Euphrates.
Turkish dams on the Euphrates and Tigris can hold a total capacity of 60 km3 of water. The Turkish GAP project is projected to consume up to 22 km3 per year, which would significantly reduce the Syrian and Iraqi shares of the river's water. Graphic from the National Center for Water Resources Management in Iraq.
The Euphrates crosses the Syrian border to reach the dams of Tishrin (located in the Manbij district, upstream of the Tabqa dam), Tabqa (located in the province of Raqqa, south of Manbij) and Al Baath (20 km north of Raqqa) in the northeast of the country. Since 2017, these three dams have been under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, led by Kurdish SDF forces.
In this video, posted on July 22 on the local “Eye of the Euphrates” news page, a fisherman from Deir Ezzor explains that the river's water is decreasing daily. “The water used to reach the level of the trees [he indicates the place]. It's all gone now, and our crops are suffering a lot,” he adds.
In April, the average flow of the Euphrates from Turkey was 200 m3 / s, which is 300 m3 / s less than the amount stipulated in the agreement between the two countries, the General Autonomous Administration of Dams told the newspaper Asharq Al Awsat.
The Euphrates: A river at the centre of several conflicts
According to international law, the Euphrates is an international river because it crosses through several countries. Historically, the river has been at the heart of several conflicts between the three countries that it crosses. In 1987, a temporary agreement declared that Turkey, which holds the river's source, must provide a minimum quantity of 500 m3 / s of water flow to Syrian authorities, who would in turn offer a similar rater of water flow to Iraq.
In practice, this agreement was maintained until 2012. When the Syrian regime stopped controlling the northeast region, water levels on the Syrian bank of the Euphrates were regularly reduced. After the SDF regained control over the region in October 2017, water flows at the Tishrine Dam declined from 690m3 / s to 226m3 / s between January and December, according to a 2017 report by the township of Jazeera in the Kurdish Autonomous Administration of northeastern Syria.
"Farmers cannot afford the cost of a well to save their crops"
Along the Euphrates, south of the Al Baath dam, farmers and fishermen in Raqqa fear that their crops will not be able to survive this particularly hot summer. The region is area far from the Mediterranean Sea, and temperatures are rising to 50 °c.
The banks of the Euphrates in Gharanij, located Deir Ezzor province in the south of the country. Video sent by Ibrahim Hassin.
Khalaf Al Khater is a farmer from Al Karamah, a small town 26 km south of Raqqa. He returned from Turkey to help his mother and sisters cultivate their fields, but the young man does not know how his family will survive the drought:
It has already been 25 days since the river's waters noticebly declined. The irrigation water extraction stations can no longer sustain the agricultural land. Our crops of cotton, sesame, corn and spelt lack irrigation. Usually we sow seeds in May and harvest in the fall. Almost all of our plants are damaged because the extreme heat dries up the soil. The water suddenly stopped in May. We have thousands of acres of thirsty land. Farmers with scarce resources cannot afford the cost of a well to save their crops. It can cost up to $400 (€ 337), which doesn't include a motor which costs $300 (€ 252). The average income of a farmer is about $50 (€ 42). As for electricity, we used to receive it for 10 hours per day, then it was cut to six, and now four hours (for example, from 6am to 8am and from 10pm to midnight). Several inhabitants have subscribed to a private supplier and pay about 3,500 Syrian pounds (5.75 €) per month. We are forced to buy giant blocks of ice, which cost 4,000 Syrian pounds (€ 6.73) each. Demand is very high. The last time I went to buy ice from the factory, there was a line of about 100 people. #دير_الزور أزدحام للحصول على قالب ثلج في ريف دير الزور بمناطق سيطرة النظام وايران pic.twitter.com/qa2K7oLGwP مركز التوثيق _ الرقة (@EVzGYm35GzsMd50) August 1, 2020
This video was shot in the village of Al Sh’heel, located 45 km from Deir Ezzor. The farmer is happy to have paid only 1,500 Syrian pounds (€ 2.48) for the block of ice.
Fish populations have also greatly diminished: one of my friendswho was a fisherman gave up his profession to become a carpenter because he could no longer support his family.
“Cette privation turque nous tue à petit feu”
Ibrahim Hassine, 30, is a farmer and local activist in the commune of Gharanij, 90 km south of Deir Ezzor. The oil-rich region fell under control of the Islamic State between 2014 and 2017. The Rojava autonomous government has managed the area on the north bank of the Euphrates since December 2017. The south part of the river and the center of the provice have been under the regime's control since October 2017
Video sent by our Observer Ibrahim Hassin.
Ibrahim Hassine;s commune suffers greatly from Turkey's frequent water cuts that decrease the flow of the Euphrates. He explains:
For two months now, we have observed asignificant drop in the water levels of the Euphrates at Garanij. Currently, the river's level isn't even visible. In places it just looks like a stream.
These photos, taken on July 17, show the river's very low levels at the branch called "Lesser Euphrates" near Al-Marashidah, just south of Deir Ezzor.
The [Syrian] regime has tried to dig wells in Deir Ezzor to extract more water from groundwater sources, but the 14m2 deep wells will not last forever. And we had to take over the work ourselves, digging deeper wells to fetch water.
This video was filmed in Al-Hussainiyah, located in the countryside of Deir Ezzor. It was posted in a local Facebook group on July 6. The author is delighted with the little water that he managed to pump from the river: “This noise is comforting,” the caption reads.
In ten years, the eastern region between Jarablus to Deir Ezzor has not ever suffered from so much drought. ISIL and the Syrian regime clashed over control of the Euphrates and nearly destroyed Deir Ezzor during the fighting. But ultimately, it is Turkish deprivation that is slowly killing us.
This photo posted on August 5 shows people fishing in very low water at Abu Hardub near Deir Ezzor.
Agricultural pumps on the banks of the Euphrates that no longer reach the water of the river, which has receded far away. Video Ayman Allawee.
"In this region, I had never seen a State so intensely deprive populations from water"
A Kurdish engineer and environmental activist, Ercan Ayboga worked in the municipality of Diyarbakir, a Turkish town located about 100 kilometers from the Syrian borders, until 2017. He is very cognisant of the environmental issues surrounding the Euphrates.
Satellite pictures showing the water level 2017-2020 E #Manbij (the larger #Euphrates). pic.twitter.com/fWcCVsl15m Mohamed Al Neser ???? (@M_Alneser) July 27, 2020
Northeastern Syria has experienced severe drought since 2017. All along the river, we can deepen groundwater wells. This may slightly compensate for the loss at the surface, but it is dangerous to draw too much from underground resources, as they need to regenerate. The biological composition of the Euphrates has been more or less destroyed by this system, and its ecosystem extremely damaged. There are not many fish left; they have definitely migrated to lakes.
Fishermen in the village of Gharanij. Photo sent by brahim Hassin.
According to Ercan Ayboga, Turkey is pursuing a very aggressive policy towards the autonomous territories in northeastern Syria:
It is an area thatescapes Turkish control and that hampers its regional influence over Syria. In the region, I had never seen a State so severely deprive people of water. This is a violation of international law, but since no entity oppposes it, the Turkish government acts freely.
The Observers team contacted the Turkish Directorate of Hydraulic Works but we received no response. We will post an update if they respond.
For their part, the Turkish and Syrian authorities, have accused the Kurdish administration of exploiting the Euphrates water crisis as propaganda against both the Syrian regime and the Turkish government.
Article by Fatma Ben Hamad.


france24--2020-08-11--Biden picks Senator Kamala Harris as running mate in US presidential election

Former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S .
Senator Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of the second night of the second U.S. 2020 presidential Democratic candidates debate in Detroit , Michigan , U.S. , July 31 , 2019 .
Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he has chosen Senator Kamala Harris of California to be his vice presidential running mate .
Harris , 55 , becomes the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket in US history and provides Biden with a partner well suited to go on the attack against Republican President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own run for the White House before ending it and endorsing Biden , is an experienced politician already battle-tested by the rigors of the 2020 presidential campaign as they head into the final stretch of the November 3 election .
The daughter of an Indian-born mother and a Jamaican father , Harris has knocked down barriers throughout her career .
She was the first woman to serve as San Francisco ’ s district attorney , elected to that office in 2003 , and the first woman to serve as California ’ s attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010 .
She became the US Senate ’ s second Black female member in its history when she was elected in 2016 .
Harris is also the first Asian-American on a major presidential ticket .
`` I have the great honor to announce that I ’ ve picked @ KamalaHarris – a fearless fighter for the little guy , and one of the country ’ s finest public servants – as my running mate , '' Biden said on Twitter .
With social unrest over racial injustice and police brutality against Black Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been under increasing pressure to select a woman of color as his running mate .
Biden 's pick of Harris drew ringing endorsements from other quarters – including from Barack Obama , America 's first African-American commander in chief .
`` She is more than prepared for the job , '' tweeted Trump 's predecessor .
`` This is a good day for our country .
Now let 's go win this thing . ''
Biden and Harris will make their first joint appearance as a presidential ticket on Wednesday in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign said .
President Donald Trump on Tuesday called Harris the `` most horrible '' member of the US Senate and said he was `` surprised '' Joe Biden had picked her as his vice presidential candidate .
Trump told reporters at the White House that Harris did not impress him when she was vying for the Democratic nomination in primaries eventually won by Biden .
`` I was more surprised than anything else because she did so poorly , '' he said .
He also said that during the bruising 2018 Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kavanaugh , Harris was `` the meanest , the most horrible , the most disrespectful of anybody in the US Senate '' .
Trump and his campaign released their first ad targeting Harris immediately after Biden named her as his running mate .
The ad calls the pair `` Slow Joe and Phony Kamala '' .
It accuses Harris of being part of the `` radical left '' , a taste of what is to come in the months ahead as the Trump campaign tries to paint Biden as veering towards the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is hoped that Harris will help drive the African-American vote – the Democratic Party ’ s most loyal constituency .
Four years ago , the first dip in Black voter turnout in 20 years contributed to Democrat Hillary Clinton 's loss to Trump .
Biden 's campaign needs the support of Black voters , who will be crucial in battleground states such as Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that Trump won by the slimmest margins in 2016 but where opinion polls now show him trailing his Democratic rival .
The Black vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of winning the Southern states of Georgia and Florida that Trump carried four years ago but which opinion polls indicate will be competitive this year .
Harris , a former prosecutor and state attorney general in California , is well known for her sometimes aggressive questioning style in the Senate , notably of Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing .
As a presidential candidate , she also took Biden to task in a nationally televised debate over his past stances on mandatory busing for students as a means to desegregate schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attacks made them question whether she would be a trusted working partner because of her political ambitions .
While that exchange failed to boost her White House hopes , the Biden campaign will now look for her to train her prosecutorial fire on Trump and Vice President Mike Pence .
Harris is scheduled to debate Pence on October 7 in Salt Lake City , Utah .
The choice of a running mate has added significance for Biden , who will turn 78 in November and will be the oldest person to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's age also has led to broad speculation he will serve only one term , making Harris a potential top contender for the nomination in 2024 .
Some of his allies were concerned that would make her a bad fit for the No .
2 job and questioned her loyalty .
Biden publicly committed to choosing a woman as his vice presidential running mate in a March debate after discussing the matter with his wife Jill .
He had also considered former presidential rivals such as senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate at the Democratic convention that begins on Monday , where Biden will also be formally nominated as the Democrats ' choice to challenge Trump .
Harris has become a key ally for Biden at a time when race has been thrust to the forefront of the campaign with the protests that erupted over the May 25 killing of George Floyd , a Black man , by a white policeman in Minneapolis .
After Floyd 's death , she became a prominent voice in the push for racial justice and police reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans in the US Senate over reform legislation .
Harris at times came under criticism from some in the Black community and from progressive advocates for her record as California attorney general where , they say , she did not do enough to investigate police shootings and too often sided with prosecutors in wrongful conviction cases .
Her defenders say she has always been reform-minded – and point to her record in the Senate , where she has championed a police-reform bill and an anti-lynching bill , among other measures .
Harris herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to bring a more progressive approach to the office .
Biden was reportedly considering several women of color in addition to Harris , including former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and US Representative Val Demings , a former police chief in Orlando , Florida .
Biden also considered Asian-American Senator Tammy Duckworth and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham , a Latina .
Historically , the vice presidential nominee has been the one to take the lead in criticising the opposing ticket , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian Brokaw , a California political consultant who managed Harris ’ s campaigns for attorney general and Senate , said Harris fits that role well .
“ She is someone who can really make Republicans quake in their boots , '' Brokaw said .

Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he has chosen Senator Kamala Harris of California to be his vice presidential running mate.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of the second night of the second U.S. 2020 presidential Democratic candidates debate in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., July 31, 2019.
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Harris, 55, becomes the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket in US history and provides Biden with a partner well suited to go on the attack against Republican President Donald Trump.
Harris, who made her own run for the White House before ending it and endorsing Biden, is an experienced politician already battle-tested by the rigors of the 2020 presidential campaign as they head into the final stretch of the November 3 election.
The daughter of an Indian-born mother and a Jamaican father, Harris has knocked down barriers throughout her career. She was the first woman to serve as San Francisco’s district attorney, elected to that office in 2003, and the first woman to serve as California’s attorney general, elected to that office in 2010. She became the US Senate’s second Black female member in its history when she was elected in 2016.
01:20
Harris is also the first Asian-American on a major presidential ticket.
"I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris – a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants – as my running mate," Biden said on Twitter.
I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
With social unrest over racial injustice and police brutality against Black Americans rocking the country for months, Biden had been under increasing pressure to select a woman of color as his running mate.
Biden's pick of Harris drew ringing endorsements from other quarters – including from Barack Obama, America's first African-American commander in chief.
"She is more than prepared for the job," tweeted Trump's predecessor. "This is a good day for our country. Now let's go win this thing."
I’ve known Senator @KamalaHarris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing. pic.twitter.com/duJhFhWp6g — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 11, 2020
Biden and Harris will make their first joint appearance as a presidential ticket on Wednesday in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, the campaign said.
Trump 'surprised'
President Donald Trump on Tuesday called Harris the "most horrible" member of the US Senate and said he was "surprised" Joe Biden had picked her as his vice presidential candidate.
Trump told reporters at the White House that Harris did not impress him when she was vying for the Democratic nomination in primaries eventually won by Biden.
"I was more surprised than anything else because she did so poorly," he said.
He also said that during the bruising 2018 Senate confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Harris was "the meanest, the most horrible, the most disrespectful of anybody in the US Senate".
Trump and his campaign released their first ad targeting Harris immediately after Biden named her as his running mate. The ad calls the pair "Slow Joe and Phony Kamala". It accuses Harris of being part of the "radical left", a taste of what is to come in the months ahead as the Trump campaign tries to paint Biden as veering towards the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
The final stretch
It is hoped that Harris will help drive the African-American vote – the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituency. Four years ago, the first dip in Black voter turnout in 20 years contributed to Democrat Hillary Clinton's loss to Trump.
Biden website has been updated pic.twitter.com/EcCDvDDpti — Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) August 11, 2020
Biden's campaign needs the support of Black voters, who will be crucial in battleground states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that Trump won by the slimmest margins in 2016 but where opinion polls now show him trailing his Democratic rival.
The Black vote is also central to Biden's hopes of winning the Southern states of Georgia and Florida that Trump carried four years ago but which opinion polls indicate will be competitive this year.
Harris, a former prosecutor and state attorney general in California, is well known for her sometimes aggressive questioning style in the Senate, notably of Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
As a presidential candidate, she also took Biden to task in a nationally televised debate over his past stances on mandatory busing for students as a means to desegregate schools. Some Biden advisers have told Reuters the attacks made them question whether she would be a trusted working partner because of her political ambitions.
While that exchange failed to boost her White House hopes, the Biden campaign will now look for her to train her prosecutorial fire on Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Harris is scheduled to debate Pence on October 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The age factor
The choice of a running mate has added significance for Biden, who will turn 78 in November and will be the oldest person to become president if he is elected.
Biden's age also has led to broad speculation he will serve only one term, making Harris a potential top contender for the nomination in 2024. Some of his allies were concerned that would make her a bad fit for the No. 2 job and questioned her loyalty.
Biden publicly committed to choosing a woman as his vice presidential running mate in a March debate after discussing the matter with his wife Jill. He had also considered former presidential rivals such as senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren.
Harris will be confirmed as Biden's running mate at the Democratic convention that begins on Monday, where Biden will also be formally nominated as the Democrats' choice to challenge Trump.
A prominent voice on race
Harris has become a key ally for Biden at a time when race has been thrust to the forefront of the campaign with the protests that erupted over the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white policeman in Minneapolis.
After Floyd's death, she became a prominent voice in the push for racial justice and police reform, standing with marchers and sparring with Republicans in the US Senate over reform legislation.
Harris at times came under criticism from some in the Black community and from progressive advocates for her record as California attorney general where, they say, she did not do enough to investigate police shootings and too often sided with prosecutors in wrongful conviction cases.
Her defenders say she has always been reform-minded – and point to her record in the Senate, where she has championed a police-reform bill and an anti-lynching bill, among other measures. Harris herself has said she became a prosecutor in order to bring a more progressive approach to the office.
Biden was reportedly considering several women of color in addition to Harris, including former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and US Representative Val Demings, a former police chief in Orlando, Florida. Biden also considered Asian-American Senator Tammy Duckworth and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Latina.
Historically, the vice presidential nominee has been the one to take the lead in criticising the opposing ticket, although Trump has largely shredded that tradition. Brian Brokaw, a California political consultant who managed Harris’s campaigns for attorney general and Senate, said Harris fits that role well.
“She is someone who can really make Republicans quake in their boots," Brokaw said.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-08-12--Hong Kong suspends extradition agreements with France and Germany

A Chinese flag flutters outside the new Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People 's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after its official inauguration on July 8 , 2020 .
Hong Kong on Wednesday said it had suspended its extradition agreements with France and Germany after the two European powers made the same move to protest a threat to freedoms posed by a new Chinese security law .
`` The two countries have politicised juridical co-operation , thereby damaging the basis of juridical co-operation between [ Hong Kong ] and Germany and France , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
The introduction of the security law has raised new tensions between China and the West , compounding existing strains over the treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority and the behaviour of telecoms giant Huawei .
Critics say the new security law curtails the right to protest and freedom of speech .
It also establishes a security office in Hong Kong with its personnel under China 's jurisdiction .
Britain last month suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong `` immediately and indefinitely '' in response to the new law while Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the decision to push back local elections by a year .
The UK has also said it would provide a fast track to citizenship for some 3 million Hong Kong residents following the entry into force of the new security law .
Canada , Australia and New Zealand also have already suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong .
Earlier this month France said it would halt ratification of an extradition treaty with Hong Kong after Beijing introduced the controversial new security law in the former British colony .
`` In light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not proceed as it stands with the ratification of the extradition agreement signed on May 4 , 2017 between France and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region , '' the French foreign ministry said in a statement at the time .

Hong Kong on Wednesday said it had suspended its extradition agreements with France and Germany after the two European powers made the same move to protest a threat to freedoms posed by a new Chinese security law.
A Chinese flag flutters outside the new Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after its official inauguration on July 8, 2020.
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"The two countries have politicised juridical co-operation, thereby damaging the basis of juridical co-operation between [Hong Kong] and Germany and France," the city's government said in a statement.
The introduction of the security law has raised new tensions between China and the West, compounding existing strains over the treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority and the behaviour of telecoms giant Huawei. Critics say the new security law curtails the right to protest and freedom of speech.
It also establishes a security office in Hong Kong with its personnel under China's jurisdiction.
Britain last month suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong "immediately and indefinitely" in response to the new law while Germany suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong over the decision to push back local elections by a year. The UK has also said it would provide a fast track to citizenship for some 3 million Hong Kong residents following the entry into force of the new security law.
Canada, Australia and New Zealand also have already suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong.
Earlier this month France said it would halt ratification of an extradition treaty with Hong Kong after Beijing introduced the controversial new security law in the former British colony.
"In light of the latest developments, France will not proceed as it stands with the ratification of the extradition agreement signed on May 4, 2017 between France and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," the French foreign ministry said in a statement at the time.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-08-12--The Beirut blast 'created a wave that rushed towards us, like in the movies'

FRANCE 24 spoke to several witnesses who were filming the initial fire that broke out after the first blast at the Beirut port when large stocks of ammonium nitrate also exploded , sending a huge shock wave out for kilometres on all sides .
Imad Khalil was filming the fire at the Beirut port from his balcony when he was suddenly hit by the shock wave that followed the second , ammonium nitrate stock explosion .
He fell on the ground and was injured by debris .
“ After the first bang I did n't have time to think .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosion created a wave that rushed towards us , like in the movies ” , Imad Khalil told FRANCE 24 .
Over half a million of the city 's residents live within a 2.5-kilometre ( 1.5-mile ) radius of the explosion and several people managed to capture the moment of the explosion .
Muhsin al-Mukhtafi , a journalist , was out jogging went he stopped to film the fire .
Like everybody else he was caught by surprise by the huge second blast .
`` I tried to protect myself because the blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that moment for as long as I live . ''
Watch the full report by clicking on the video player above .

ON THE GROUND
FRANCE 24 spoke to several witnesses who were filming the initial fire that broke out after the first blast at the Beirut port when large stocks of ammonium nitrate also exploded, sending a huge shock wave out for kilometres on all sides.
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Imad Khalil was filming the fire at the Beirut port from his balcony when he was suddenly hit by the shock wave that followed the second, ammonium nitrate stock explosion. He fell on the ground and was injured by debris.
“After the first bang I didn't have time to think. All I remember is that the big explosion created a wave that rushed towards us, like in the movies”, Imad Khalil told FRANCE 24.
Over half a million of the city's residents live within a 2.5-kilometre (1.5-mile) radius of the explosion and several people managed to capture the moment of the explosion.
Muhsin al-Mukhtafi, a journalist, was out jogging went he stopped to film the fire. Like everybody else he was caught by surprise by the huge second blast.
"I tried to protect myself because the blast was terrible. I'll never forget that moment for as long as I live."
Watch the full report by clicking on the video player above.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-08-12--Britain enters record recession after coronavirus-hit economy shrinks by a fifth

A sign is pictured on an almost empty street following a local lockdown imposed in Leicester amid the coronavirus outbreak on July 4 , 2020 .
Britain 's economy shrank by a fifth in the second quarter , higher than any European neighbour , as the coronavirus pandemic slammed businesses and plunged the country into a record recession .
Britain 's economy shrank by a fifth in the second quarter , higher than any European neighbour , as the coronavirus pandemic slammed businesses and plunged the country into a record recession .
`` It is clear that the UK is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the Office for National Statistics said after gross domestic product ( GDP ) contracted by 20.4 percent in April-June .
Britain 's recession -- its first since 2009 amid the global financial crisis -- was confirmed after two quarterly contractions in a row .
GDP shrank 2.2 percent in the first three months of this year .
The statistics office said that the contraction for the first six months of 2020 `` was slightly below the 22.7 percent seen in Spain but was more than double the 10.6 percent fall in United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) said Britain 's dire second quarter was driven by a 20-percent drop in output in April , `` the biggest monthly fall on record reflecting widespread ... declines in output across the services , production , and construction industries '' .
Finance minister Rishi Sunak said the data `` confirm that hard times are here '' .
He added : `` Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs , and sadly in the coming months many more will . ''
Chancellor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October the government 's furlough scheme that is paying up to 80 percent of wages for nearly ten million workers .
The UK -- which has the highest death toll in Europe from the coronavirus -- appears to be paying a heavier price for locking down later than its continental neighbours .
The British economy also relies more heavily on the hard-hit services sector than other European countries .
While officially in recession , the UK economy is beginning to rebound as the government eases strict restrictions .
GDP output growth was 8.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged from its lockdown implemented in late March , the ONS said .
That helped the pound to steady on Wednesday , while London 's stock market was up 0.9 percent in mid-morning deals .
`` The economy began to bounce back in June , with shops reopening , factories beginning to ramp up production and house-building continuing to recover , '' noted Jonathan Athow , deputy national statistician at the ONS .
`` Despite this , GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February , before the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its largest-ever fall in the second quarter .
Hospitality was worst hit , with productivity in that industry falling by three-quarters in recent months , '' Athow added .
To help the economy recover , the Bank of England ( BoE ) is pumping out hundreds of billions of pounds in cash stimulus and has slashed its main interest rate to a record-low 0.1 percent .
`` The substantial fiscal and monetary stimulus that has been enacted should provide ongoing support to the economy , '' EY economist Howard Archer said Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieve appreciable growth in the third quarter ... the rate of expansion will slow in the fourth quarter as unemployment rises following '' the end of the furlough scheme .
ONS data released Monday showed that around 730,000 workers have been removed from the payrolls of British companies since March .
Announcements of job cuts have become a daily occurrence in the UK , with department store chain Debenhams on Tuesday axing 2,500 posts .
The BoE expects the unemployment rate to shoot to around 7.5 percent by the end of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecasts that the UK economy will have contracted by 9.5 percent for the whole of 2020 .
The BoE estimates that UK gross domestic product will rebound in 2021 by nine percent .
`` A labour market crisis or another strong rise in ( virus ) infections could quickly knock this fragile recovery off course , '' said City Index analyst Fiona Cincotta .

Britain's economy shrank by a fifth in the second quarter, higher than any European neighbour, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed businesses and plunged the country into a record recession.
A sign is pictured on an almost empty street following a local lockdown imposed in Leicester amid the coronavirus outbreak on July 4, 2020.
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Britain's economy shrank by a fifth in the second quarter, higher than any European neighbour, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed businesses and plunged the country into a record recession.
"It is clear that the UK is in the largest recession on record," the Office for National Statistics said after gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 20.4 percent in April-June.
Britain's recession -- its first since 2009 amid the global financial crisis -- was confirmed after two quarterly contractions in a row.
GDP shrank 2.2 percent in the first three months of this year.
The statistics office said that the contraction for the first six months of 2020 "was slightly below the 22.7 percent seen in Spain but was more than double the 10.6 percent fall in United States GDP over this period".
But Britain's second-quarter contraction beat Spain's GDP of minus 18.5 percent.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Britain's dire second quarter was driven by a 20-percent drop in output in April, "the biggest monthly fall on record reflecting widespread... declines in output across the services, production, and construction industries".
'Hard times'
Finance minister Rishi Sunak said the data "confirm that hard times are here".
He added: "Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will."
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sunak plans to end in October the government's furlough scheme that is paying up to 80 percent of wages for nearly ten million workers.
The UK -- which has the highest death toll in Europe from the coronavirus -- appears to be paying a heavier price for locking down later than its continental neighbours.
The British economy also relies more heavily on the hard-hit services sector than other European countries.
Rebound begins
While officially in recession, the UK economy is beginning to rebound as the government eases strict restrictions.
GDP output growth was 8.7 percent in June as the economy slowly emerged from its lockdown implemented in late March, the ONS said.
That helped the pound to steady on Wednesday, while London's stock market was up 0.9 percent in mid-morning deals.
"The economy began to bounce back in June, with shops reopening, factories beginning to ramp up production and house-building continuing to recover," noted Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS.
"Despite this, GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February, before the virus struck.
"Overall, productivity saw its largest-ever fall in the second quarter. Hospitality was worst hit, with productivity in that industry falling by three-quarters in recent months," Athow added.
Rising unemployment
To help the economy recover, the Bank of England (BoE) is pumping out hundreds of billions of pounds in cash stimulus and has slashed its main interest rate to a record-low 0.1 percent.
"The substantial fiscal and monetary stimulus that has been enacted should provide ongoing support to the economy," EY economist Howard Archer said Wednesday.
"Although the economy is expected to achieve appreciable growth in the third quarter... the rate of expansion will slow in the fourth quarter as unemployment rises following" the end of the furlough scheme.
ONS data released Monday showed that around 730,000 workers have been removed from the payrolls of British companies since March.
Announcements of job cuts have become a daily occurrence in the UK, with department store chain Debenhams on Tuesday axing 2,500 posts.
The BoE expects the unemployment rate to shoot to around 7.5 percent by the end of the year from 3.9 percent currently.
And it forecasts that the UK economy will have contracted by 9.5 percent for the whole of 2020.
The BoE estimates that UK gross domestic product will rebound in 2021 by nine percent.
"A labour market crisis or another strong rise in (virus) infections could quickly knock this fragile recovery off course," said City Index analyst Fiona Cincotta.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-12--Fresh clashes in Belarus after Lukashenko challenger Tikhanouskaya flees country

Demonstrators cross a street during a rally of opposition supporters , who accuse strongman Alexander Lukashenko of falsifying the polls in the presidential election , in Minsk on August 11 , 2020 .
More than 1,000 protesters were arrested overnight after new clashes erupted in Belarus over the re-election of strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko in Sunday elections .
Some 51 protesters and 14 police were injured in the unrest .
Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanouskaya said on Tuesday she had fled abroad for the sake of her children after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko 's claim of victory in Sunday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tikhanouskaya , a 37-year-old former English teacher who took her husband 's place on the ballot after he was jailed , fled to neighbouring Lithuania .
She urged her compatriots not to oppose the police and to avoid putting their lives in danger .
But unrest erupted for a third night in a row on Tuesday as security forces fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse thousands of protesters who took to the streets accusing Lukashenko , in power since 1994 , of swindling the vote .
A Reuters witness saw security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters in the street .
Another saw security forces smashing car windows and dragging some people out of vehicles to attack them .
A third saw at least two news photographers being attacked and their cameras damaged .
Car horns blared in solidarity with the opposition , and people marched , clapped and shouted `` go away '' .
The European Union earlier accused Lukashenko 's government of `` disproportionate and unacceptable violence '' and said it was reviewing its relations with Minsk .
Although Tikhanouskaya 's husband Syarhei , an anti-government blogger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was reunited with her children in Lithuania .
She had moved them earlier after receiving anonymous threats about their safety .
`` You know , I thought that this whole campaign had really toughened me up and given me so much strength that I could handle anything , '' she said in an emotional video .
`` But , probably , I 'm still the weak woman I was in the first place .
I have made a very difficult decision for myself , '' she said , adding that the political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing their life for .
`` Children are the main thing in life , '' said Tikhanouskaya .
The mood on the streets of Minsk had been calmer during the daytime on Tuesday , but a Reuters reporter saw riot police parked outside several factories in Minsk amid calls on anti-Lukashenko social media channels for a general strike .
People laid flowers at the site in central Minsk where a protester died in Monday 's clashes .
Lukashenko has compared the protesters to criminal gangs and dangerous revolutionaries with shadowy foreign backers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ men with their hands behind their backs , calling them `` Russian provocateurs '' .
Belarus has strained relations with Moscow , though President Vladimir Putin used a congratulatory telegram to nudge Lukashenko to accept closer ties .
Lukashenko has long accused Russia of aiming to swallow up his nation of 9.5 million people .
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said Tikhanouskaya had found herself in an impossible situation .
`` She apparently faced certain pressure and did not have much choice but to leave the country , '' he told a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not forced to leave but a separate video appearance , apparently filmed at the central election commission before she left Belarus , raised questions about her departure .
In it , she was seen reading from a piece of paper in stilted official language and reversed her earlier stance and asked supporters to accept the election 's outcome and stop protesting in order to prevent bloodshed .
It was unclear if the video had been made under duress or as part of a deal allowing her to leave the country .
U.S. Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election was `` not free and fair '' and condemned `` ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters '' .
The European Union said its relationship with Belarus was under review , though it declined to comment on whether sanctions would be reimposed on the country .
Foreign observers have not judged an election to be free and fair in Belarus since 1995 , and the run-up to this month 's vote saw authorities jail Lukashenko 's rivals and open criminal investigations of others who voiced opposition .
Tikhanouskaya 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowds since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 .

More than 1,000 protesters were arrested overnight after new clashes erupted in Belarus over the re-election of strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko in Sunday elections. Some 51 protesters and 14 police were injured in the unrest.
Demonstrators cross a street during a rally of opposition supporters, who accuse strongman Alexander Lukashenko of falsifying the polls in the presidential election, in Minsk on August 11, 2020.
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Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanouskaya said on Tuesday she had fled abroad for the sake of her children after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko's claim of victory in Sunday's presidential election prompted bloody street protests.
Tikhanouskaya, a 37-year-old former English teacher who took her husband's place on the ballot after he was jailed, fled to neighbouring Lithuania. She urged her compatriots not to oppose the police and to avoid putting their lives in danger.
But unrest erupted for a third night in a row on Tuesday as security forces fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse thousands of protesters who took to the streets accusing Lukashenko, in power since 1994, of swindling the vote.
01:35
A Reuters witness saw security forces detaining dozens of people and beating protesters in the street. Another saw security forces smashing car windows and dragging some people out of vehicles to attack them. A third saw at least two news photographers being attacked and their cameras damaged.
Car horns blared in solidarity with the opposition, and people marched, clapped and shouted "go away".
The European Union earlier accused Lukashenko's government of "disproportionate and unacceptable violence" and said it was reviewing its relations with Minsk.
Although Tikhanouskaya's husband Syarhei, an anti-government blogger, remains in jail in Belarus, she was reunited with her children in Lithuania. She had moved them earlier after receiving anonymous threats about their safety.
"You know, I thought that this whole campaign had really toughened me up and given me so much strength that I could handle anything," she said in an emotional video.
"But, probably, I'm still the weak woman I was in the first place. I have made a very difficult decision for myself," she said, adding that the political tumult in Belarus was not worth anyone losing their life for.
"Children are the main thing in life," said Tikhanouskaya.
Flowers
The mood on the streets of Minsk had been calmer during the daytime on Tuesday, but a Reuters reporter saw riot police parked outside several factories in Minsk amid calls on anti-Lukashenko social media channels for a general strike.
People laid flowers at the site in central Minsk where a protester died in Monday's clashes.
Lukashenko has compared the protesters to criminal gangs and dangerous revolutionaries with shadowy foreign backers. State media on Tuesday showed detained young men with their hands behind their backs, calling them "Russian provocateurs".
Belarus has strained relations with Moscow, though President Vladimir Putin used a congratulatory telegram to nudge Lukashenko to accept closer ties. Lukashenko has long accused Russia of aiming to swallow up his nation of 9.5 million people.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said Tikhanouskaya had found herself in an impossible situation.
"She apparently faced certain pressure and did not have much choice but to leave the country," he told a news conference.
Belarusian authorities said she was not forced to leave but a separate video appearance, apparently filmed at the central election commission before she left Belarus, raised questions about her departure.
In it, she was seen reading from a piece of paper in stilted official language and reversed her earlier stance and asked supporters to accept the election's outcome and stop protesting in order to prevent bloodshed.
It was unclear if the video had been made under duress or as part of a deal allowing her to leave the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Belarus's election was "not free and fair" and condemned "ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters".
The European Union said its relationship with Belarus was under review, though it declined to comment on whether sanctions would be reimposed on the country.
Foreign observers have not judged an election to be free and fair in Belarus since 1995, and the run-up to this month's vote saw authorities jail Lukashenko's rivals and open criminal investigations of others who voiced opposition.
Tikhanouskaya's campaign rallies drew some of the biggest crowds since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-11--Lebanese protesters call for downfall of president and political elite over Beirut blast

Vigil for the victims lost in a massive explosion , in Beirut , Lebanon August 11 , 2020 .
Angry and grieving protesters on Tuesday read aloud the names of at least 171 people killed in last week 's explosion at Beirut port and called for the removal of Lebanon 's president and other officials they blame for the tragedy .
Gathered near `` ground zero '' , some carried pictures of the victims as a large screen replayed footage of the mushroom cloud that rose over the city on August 4 after highly explosive material stored for years detonated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of thousands homeless .
`` HE KNEW '' was written across an image of President Michel Aoun on a poster at the protest venue .
Underneath , it read : `` A government goes , a government comes ; we will continue until the president and the parliament speaker are removed . ''
The president and prime minister were reportedly warned in July about the warehoused ammonium nitrate , according to documents and senior security sources .
Aoun , who has pledged a swift and transparent investigation , tweeted on Tuesday : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanese is that I will not rest until all the facts are known . ''
At 6:08pm in Beirut ( 15:08 GMT ) Tuesday , church bells rang and mosques called for prayer to mark the precise moment that a portside fire ignited a vast stock of ammonium nitrate fertiliser , sparking a huge explosion that was felt as far away as Cyprus .
The fireball and subsequent shockwave , caught in dramatic videos posted on social media , wrought devastation across entire neighbourhoods of Beirut .
A week later , the blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an estimated 300,000 people temporarily homeless looked like a potential watershed in Lebanon 's troubled political history .
On Tuesday , Ali Noureddin joined thousands of people to march solemnly by the wreckage of Beirut port , where his brother Ayman had been stationed as soldier when the blast went off .
`` My brother died because of state negligence and corruption , '' he said , holding a picture of his late brother , who was 27 .
Ali dismissed the resignation of Hassan Diab 's government on Monday as insignificant unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lebanon 's hereditary political elite .
`` Change will only happen when the entire regime changes , '' he said , holding back tears .
`` But I hope all these young people here and my brother 's death can bring about change . ''
In his resignation speech , the 61-year-old Diab cast himself as a champion of the struggle against corrupt political overlords , despite the fact many see him as a puppet rather than a victim .
Some saw his departure as a victory for the protest movement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But others warned that given the power of Lebanon 's factions and clans , the same old faces may be back before too long .
`` It 's a long fight that wo n't end in a month or two , '' said Hussein El Achi , an activist and lawyer defending the protest camp .
`` But ( the political elite ) are weak , they have never been weaker , even among their own people , '' he said .
Protests continued for the fourth consecutive night Tuesday , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tried to break down barriers leading to the parliament in central Beirut .
The Lebanese Red Cross said 10 people had been taken to hospital while 32 were treated at the scene .
The blast rocked a country already on its knees , with an economic collapse sending poverty levels soaring even before the coronavirus pandemic hit .
Some observers argue that deep public anger over the tragedy will reduce Lebanese politicians ' room for manoeuvre as foreign pressure grows to pass reforms as a condition for a bailout .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kind of structural reforms that the international community has made a precondition for any aid , '' said political science professor Bassel Salloukh of the Lebanese American University .
France has taken the lead in the international emergency response , organising an aid conference which raised a quarter of a million euros .
President Emmanuel Macron visited blast-ravaged neighbourhoods of Beirut two days after the disaster , adopting a tough tone with Lebanese officials and warning that they needed to strike `` a revamped pact with the Lebanese people '' .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a caretaker capacity , but negotiations were underway for a successor .
According to the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper , veteran diplomat Nawaf Salam is favoured by Paris , Washington and Riyadh , three of the key outside power brokers in Lebanon .
Iran , sponsor of Lebanon 's dominant Hezbollah movement , also appeared to be on board with such a scenario , which would see Salam head up a neutral government not hostile to the Shiite group .
It was not clear how other factions viewed that solution .
In the blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survivors continued , but rescue teams were only pulling lifeless bodies from the rubble .
The UN refugee agency said that 34 refugees were among the dead .
The blast ripped the sides off towering grain silos that shielded part of the city from the shockwave .
But the blast spilt thousands of tonnes of grain , vital to the import-dependant country 's food security .
On Monday , the head of the World Food Programme , David Beasley , said Lebanon needed all the help it could get because 85 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the port .
He warned that unless port operations resumed quickly , Lebanon would be without bread in two weeks .
Further adding to its woes , the country on Tuesday recorded its highest-yet daily number of deaths and new infections from the novel coronavirus , with seven fatalities and 309 new cases .
Health officials have warned that the chaos caused by the blast risked leading to a spike in infections .
The head a major public hospital warned that the next few days would be critical .
`` The events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shifted attention away from the pandemic , '' Firass Abiad said on social media .
But , he said , `` we can not afford to allow the virus to go unchecked . ''

Angry and grieving protesters on Tuesday read aloud the names of at least 171 people killed in last week's explosion at Beirut port and called for the removal of Lebanon's president and other officials they blame for the tragedy.
Vigil for the victims lost in a massive explosion, in Beirut, Lebanon August 11, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Gathered near "ground zero", some carried pictures of the victims as a large screen replayed footage of the mushroom cloud that rose over the city on August 4 after highly explosive material stored for years detonated, injuring some 6,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.
"HE KNEW" was written across an image of President Michel Aoun on a poster at the protest venue. Underneath, it read: "A government goes, a government comes; we will continue until the president and the parliament speaker are removed."
The president and prime minister were reportedly warned in July about the warehoused ammonium nitrate, according to documents and senior security sources.
Aoun, who has pledged a swift and transparent investigation, tweeted on Tuesday: "My promise to all the pained Lebanese is that I will not rest until all the facts are known."
02:42
At 6:08pm in Beirut (15:08 GMT) Tuesday, church bells rang and mosques called for prayer to mark the precise moment that a portside fire ignited a vast stock of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, sparking a huge explosion that was felt as far away as Cyprus.
The fireball and subsequent shockwave, caught in dramatic videos posted on social media, wrought devastation across entire neighbourhoods of Beirut.
Watershed moment
A week later, the blast that left 6,000 people injured and made an estimated 300,000 people temporarily homeless looked like a potential watershed in Lebanon's troubled political history.
00:35
On Tuesday, Ali Noureddin joined thousands of people to march solemnly by the wreckage of Beirut port, where his brother Ayman had been stationed as soldier when the blast went off.
"My brother died because of state negligence and corruption," he said, holding a picture of his late brother, who was 27.
Ali dismissed the resignation of Hassan Diab's government on Monday as insignificant unless it were followed by the wholesale removal of Lebanon's hereditary political elite.
"Change will only happen when the entire regime changes," he said, holding back tears. "But I hope all these young people here and my brother's death can bring about change."
In his resignation speech, the 61-year-old Diab cast himself as a champion of the struggle against corrupt political overlords, despite the fact many see him as a puppet rather than a victim.
Some saw his departure as a victory for the protest movement that forced out the previous government last year.
But others warned that given the power of Lebanon's factions and clans, the same old faces may be back before too long.
"It's a long fight that won't end in a month or two," said Hussein El Achi, an activist and lawyer defending the protest camp.
"But (the political elite) are weak, they have never been weaker, even among their own people," he said.
Protests continued for the fourth consecutive night Tuesday, as dozens of demonstrators clashed with security forces and tried to break down barriers leading to the parliament in central Beirut.
The Lebanese Red Cross said 10 people had been taken to hospital while 32 were treated at the scene.
02:01
Search for next PM
The blast rocked a country already on its knees, with an economic collapse sending poverty levels soaring even before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Some observers argue that deep public anger over the tragedy will reduce Lebanese politicians' room for manoeuvre as foreign pressure grows to pass reforms as a condition for a bailout.
"They will find it very difficult to avoid the kind of structural reforms that the international community has made a precondition for any aid," said political science professor Bassel Salloukh of the Lebanese American University.
France has taken the lead in the international emergency response, organising an aid conference which raised a quarter of a million euros.
President Emmanuel Macron visited blast-ravaged neighbourhoods of Beirut two days after the disaster, adopting a tough tone with Lebanese officials and warning that they needed to strike "a revamped pact with the Lebanese people".
For now Diab's team will continue in a caretaker capacity, but negotiations were underway for a successor.
According to the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper, veteran diplomat Nawaf Salam is favoured by Paris, Washington and Riyadh, three of the key outside power brokers in Lebanon.
Iran, sponsor of Lebanon's dominant Hezbollah movement, also appeared to be on board with such a scenario, which would see Salam head up a neutral government not hostile to the Shiite group.
It was not clear how other factions viewed that solution.
Food 'catastrophe' looms
In the blast zone, the increasingly hopeless search for survivors continued, but rescue teams were only pulling lifeless bodies from the rubble.
The UN refugee agency said that 34 refugees were among the dead.
The blast ripped the sides off towering grain silos that shielded part of the city from the shockwave. But the blast spilt thousands of tonnes of grain, vital to the import-dependant country's food security.
On Monday, the head of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, said Lebanon needed all the help it could get because 85 percent of Lebanon's food used to come in through the port.
He warned that unless port operations resumed quickly, Lebanon would be without bread in two weeks.
Further adding to its woes, the country on Tuesday recorded its highest-yet daily number of deaths and new infections from the novel coronavirus, with seven fatalities and 309 new cases.
Health officials have warned that the chaos caused by the blast risked leading to a spike in infections.
The head a major public hospital warned that the next few days would be critical.
"The events of the previous week have, understandably, shifted attention away from the pandemic," Firass Abiad said on social media.
But, he said, "we cannot afford to allow the virus to go unchecked."
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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