france24--2020-04-23--'Virus will be with us for a long time', WHO chief warns

The head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) said on Wednesday that he hoped the Trump administration would reconsider its suspension of funding , but that his main focus was on ending the pandemic and saving lives .
There were `` worrying upward trends '' in early epidemics in parts of Africa and central and South America , WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said .
`` Most countries are still in the early stages of their epidemics and some that were affected early in the pandemic are starting to see a resurgence in cases , '' Tedros told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Make no mistake we have a long way to go .
This virus will be with us for a long time , '' he said , while noting that epidemics in Western Europe appear to be stabilising or declining .
U.S. President Donald Trump last week criticised the WHO 's handling of the pandemic and announced he was suspending funding to the U.N. agency .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the United States strongly believes that China 's ruling Communist party failed to report the outbreak of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the WHO .
`` I hope the freezing of the funding will be reconsidered and the U.S. will once again support WHO 's work and continue to save lives , '' Tedros said .
`` I hope the U.S. believes that this an important investment , not just to help others but for the U.S. to stay safe also . ''
The WHO 's top emergencies expert Dr. Mike Ryan warned against opening up global travel too quickly , saying it would require `` careful risk management '' .
He noted surges in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300 percent increase in cases in Somalia in the past week .
`` We are at the beginning in Africa , '' Ryan said .
The WHO officials urged countries to continue investing in preparedness , saying that only 76 percent had surveillance systems to detect cases .
`` There are still many gaps in the world 's defences and no single country has everything in place , '' said Tedros .
Amid criticism that it should have acted earlier , Tedros defended the WHO 's decision to declare an international emergency only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of alert .
`` Looking back I think we declared the emergency at the right time and when the world had enough time to respond , '' said Tedros , adding that on that date there were only 82 COVID-19 cases outside of China and no deaths at the time .
Jeremy Farrar , director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity , said that the world would need to learn to live with the new COVID-19 disease .
`` This is not a discrete one-off episode .
My belief is that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re going to have to find ways to deal with that , '' he told an online media briefing .

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that he hoped the Trump administration would reconsider its suspension of funding, but that his main focus was on ending the pandemic and saving lives.
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There were "worrying upward trends" in early epidemics in parts of Africa and central and South America, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
"Most countries are still in the early stages of their epidemics and some that were affected early in the pandemic are starting to see a resurgence in cases," Tedros told Geneva journalists in a virtual briefing.
"Make no mistake we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time," he said, while noting that epidemics in Western Europe appear to be stabilising or declining.
U.S. President Donald Trump last week criticised the WHO's handling of the pandemic and announced he was suspending funding to the U.N. agency. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the United States strongly believes that China's ruling Communist party failed to report the outbreak of the new coronavirus in a timely manner to the WHO.
"I hope the freezing of the funding will be reconsidered and the U.S. will once again support WHO's work and continue to save lives," Tedros said. "I hope the U.S. believes that this an important investment, not just to help others but for the U.S. to stay safe also."
The WHO's top emergencies expert Dr. Mike Ryan warned against opening up global travel too quickly, saying it would require "careful risk management".
He noted surges in infections in Africa such as a nearly 300 percent increase in cases in Somalia in the past week. "We are at the beginning in Africa," Ryan said.
The WHO officials urged countries to continue investing in preparedness, saying that only 76 percent had surveillance systems to detect cases.
"There are still many gaps in the world's defences and no single country has everything in place," said Tedros.
Amid criticism that it should have acted earlier, Tedros defended the WHO's decision to declare an international emergency only on Jan. 30 - its highest level of alert.
"Looking back I think we declared the emergency at the right time and when the world had enough time to respond," said Tedros, adding that on that date there were only 82 COVID-19 cases outside of China and no deaths at the time.
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity, said that the world would need to learn to live with the new COVID-19 disease. "This is not a discrete one-off episode. My belief is that this is now an endemic human infection...We’re going to have to find ways to deal with that," he told an online media briefing.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-23--Spain extends lockdown till May 9, but will let children out on short walks

A man wearing a face mask walks in front of a building where neighbours confined in their homes dance on their balconies , amid the spread of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) , in Barcelona , Spain April 17 , 2020 .
Relieved Spanish parents welcomed on Wednesday a decision allowing children out on short walks for the first time in more than a month as the government voted to extend Spain 's lockdown until May 9 .
With Europe 's second highest death toll of 21,717 and the world 's second most infections at 208,389 , Spain 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on children leaving their homes since mid-March .
However , on Tuesday night , the government bowed to public pressure - including pot-banging protests on balconies - and said those under 14 would be able to take short walks outside under supervision from the weekend .
Parents welcomed the concession , though it came late for some , after nearly six weeks cooped up at home .
`` The escalation of anxiety , tantrums , irascible behaviour ... have been in crescendo , '' said Dr Iban Onandia , 35 , a neuropsychologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Youngsters have paid an `` indecent '' price during the lockdown , added the father of two children , aged four and two .
Ramon Motta , a Madrid-based maitre d'hotel with two daughters Carla , 11 and Ariadna , 8 , resorted to setting up a tent in their fifth-floor apartment to keep them entertained .
`` We have Disney + , Netflix and videogames , but you do n't want your kids spending five-six-seven hours in front of a screen , yet at the same time there 's not much else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` After such a long time locked in , kids and parents start losing patience pretty quickly .
A couple of times Carla went into a tantrum . ''
Children under 14 will be allowed outside between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. for up to one hour a day and must be accompanied by an adult with whom they live , according to a provisional government document seen by La Sexta television .
Children can `` run , jump and exercise '' but will not be allowed to use play parks and must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document , which is still under debate and could change .
As his left-wing coalition marked 100 days in office , Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sought parliamentary approval to prolong a state of emergency until May 9 - the third such extension .
With the epidemic seemingly past its peak , the lockdown could start to be phased out towards the end of May , though measures will be eased gradually , he told lawmakers .
A slowdown in infections and deaths has Spaniards optimistic their nightmare may be easing .
The official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those who were more than likely killed by the virus but never tested .
The Madrid region on Wednesday released its own tally , showing 4,275 extra deaths confirmed or suspected as COVID-19 , or 56 % more than health ministry data .
Nearly 4,000 of these were care home residents .
Nevertheless , officials were increasingly focused on restarting the flagging economy .
In another sign of nascent recovery , carmaker Volkswagen 's Spanish unit SEAT , which employs around 15,000 people , said it plans to resume production from April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week on its workforce .
Nissan also said on Wednesday it would restart production in Barcelona from May 4 .
Spain was set to receive the highest level of orders ever for a euro zone bond sale - 15 billion euros ( $ 16.3 billion ) - as debt for stimulus programmes drew high demand .
But in a blow to tourism , authorities in the Valencian town of Bunol postponed the 75th annual `` Tomatina '' festival , where thousands meet in August to pelt each other with fresh tomatoes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , the San Fermin bull-running fiesta in Pamplona was also suspended , for the first time in four decades .

Relieved Spanish parents welcomed on Wednesday a decision allowing children out on short walks for the first time in more than a month as the government voted to extend Spain's lockdown until May 9.
A man wearing a face mask walks in front of a building where neighbours confined in their homes dance on their balconies, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Barcelona, Spain April 17, 2020.
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With Europe's second highest death toll of 21,717 and the world's second most infections at 208,389, Spain's tough restrictions have included a controversial ban on children leaving their homes since mid-March.
However, on Tuesday night, the government bowed to public pressure - including pot-banging protests on balconies - and said those under 14 would be able to take short walks outside under supervision from the weekend.
Parents welcomed the concession, though it came late for some, after nearly six weeks cooped up at home.
"The escalation of anxiety, tantrums, irascible behaviour... have been in crescendo," said Dr Iban Onandia, 35, a neuropsychologist in the Basque province of Bizkaia.
Youngsters have paid an "indecent" price during the lockdown, added the father of two children, aged four and two.
Ramon Motta, a Madrid-based maitre d'hotel with two daughters Carla, 11 and Ariadna, 8, resorted to setting up a tent in their fifth-floor apartment to keep them entertained.
"We have Disney +, Netflix and videogames, but you don't want your kids spending five-six-seven hours in front of a screen, yet at the same time there's not much else to do," he said.
"After such a long time locked in, kids and parents start losing patience pretty quickly. A couple of times Carla went into a tantrum."
Children under 14 will be allowed outside between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. for up to one hour a day and must be accompanied by an adult with whom they live, according to a provisional government document seen by La Sexta television.
Children can "run, jump and exercise" but will not be allowed to use play parks and must respect social distancing rules, says the document, which is still under debate and could change.
As his left-wing coalition marked 100 days in office, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sought parliamentary approval to prolong a state of emergency until May 9 - the third such extension.
With the epidemic seemingly past its peak, the lockdown could start to be phased out towards the end of May, though measures will be eased gradually, he told lawmakers.
Tomato-throwing fiesta scrapped
A slowdown in infections and deaths has Spaniards optimistic their nightmare may be easing. The official tally, however, fails to account for those who were more than likely killed by the virus but never tested.
The Madrid region on Wednesday released its own tally, showing 4,275 extra deaths confirmed or suspected as COVID-19, or 56% more than health ministry data. Nearly 4,000 of these were care home residents.
Nevertheless, officials were increasingly focused on restarting the flagging economy.
In another sign of nascent recovery, carmaker Volkswagen's Spanish unit SEAT, which employs around 15,000 people, said it plans to resume production from April 27, though with 3,000 coronavirus tests a week on its workforce.
Nissan also said on Wednesday it would restart production in Barcelona from May 4.
Spain was set to receive the highest level of orders ever for a euro zone bond sale - 15 billion euros ($16.3 billion) - as debt for stimulus programmes drew high demand.
But in a blow to tourism, authorities in the Valencian town of Bunol postponed the 75th annual "Tomatina" festival, where thousands meet in August to pelt each other with fresh tomatoes.
It was the first cancellation since 1957.
On Tuesday, the San Fermin bull-running fiesta in Pamplona was also suspended, for the first time in four decades.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-22--Dozens die in clashes across Afghanistan as US struggles to broker Taliban ceasefire

Newly freed Taliban prisoners wait for a process at Bagram prison , north of Kabul , Afghanistan April 8 , 2020 .
Picture taken April 8 , 2020 .
Clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban militants killed dozens nationwide over the past 24 hours , authorities said on Wednesday , even as the United States tries to broker peace talks between the warring sides .
Eight security force members were killed in a Taliban attack on a checkpoint at the Mes Aynak Copper Mine in eastern Logar province on Tuesday evening , Abdul Qadeer Mutfi , a spokesman for Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet .
The insurgent group also attacked several checkpoints in northern Sar-e-Pul province , provincial governor spokesman Zabihullah Amani said , killing 11 Afghan security force members , wounding 19 and resulting in one being captured by the Taliban .
Attacks are threatening to derail a fragile peace process , with the Taliban rejecting the Afghan government ’ s repeated calls for a ceasefire as the country also attempts to deal with a growing coronavirus outbreak and prisoner exchanges to take place with an eye to formal peace talks .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the signing of a troop withdrawal agreement with the United States in February , the Taliban resumed attacks on Afghan forces , though it has held back on attacking foreign forces .
The United States and other foreign powers have called for the militant group to reduce its attacks , with the commander of U.S. forces this month meeting the Taliban leadership in Qatar over the issue .
The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatari leader Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani agreed in a phone call on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence in Afghanistan .
The two leaders also agreed on the importance of continuing discussions on prisoner releases in Afghanistan , the White House added in a statement .
The Afghan Ministry of Interior said in a tweet that a clearance operation in Logar had resulted in 20 Taliban fighters being killed .
In southern Kandahar province , clashes in three districts killed four Afghan security force members and 31 Taliban fighters , according to a provincial police statement .
A roadside blast also killed at least four civilians in central Ghazni province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement , accusing the Taliban of planting a bomb .
A Taliban spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment .
The group has not made any public claim of responsibility for Tuesday ’ s attacks .

Clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban militants killed dozens nationwide over the past 24 hours, authorities said on Wednesday, even as the United States tries to broker peace talks between the warring sides.
Newly freed Taliban prisoners wait for a process at Bagram prison, north of Kabul, Afghanistan April 8, 2020. Picture taken April 8, 2020.
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Eight security force members were killed in a Taliban attack on a checkpoint at the Mes Aynak Copper Mine in eastern Logar province on Tuesday evening, Abdul Qadeer Mutfi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Mine and Petroleum Ministry, said in a tweet.
The insurgent group also attacked several checkpoints in northern Sar-e-Pul province, provincial governor spokesman Zabihullah Amani said, killing 11 Afghan security force members, wounding 19 and resulting in one being captured by the Taliban.
Attacks are threatening to derail a fragile peace process, with the Taliban rejecting the Afghan government’s repeated calls for a ceasefire as the country also attempts to deal with a growing coronavirus outbreak and prisoner exchanges to take place with an eye to formal peace talks.
After a week-long reduction in violence leading up to the signing of a troop withdrawal agreement with the United States in February, the Taliban resumed attacks on Afghan forces, though it has held back on attacking foreign forces.
The United States and other foreign powers have called for the militant group to reduce its attacks, with the commander of U.S. forces this month meeting the Taliban leadership in Qatar over the issue.
The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatari leader Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani agreed in a phone call on Wednesday on the importance of the Taliban reducing violence in Afghanistan.
The two leaders also agreed on the importance of continuing discussions on prisoner releases in Afghanistan, the White House added in a statement.
The Afghan Ministry of Interior said in a tweet that a clearance operation in Logar had resulted in 20 Taliban fighters being killed.
In southern Kandahar province, clashes in three districts killed four Afghan security force members and 31 Taliban fighters, according to a provincial police statement.
A roadside blast also killed at least four civilians in central Ghazni province late Tuesday night, the Interior Ministry said in a statement, accusing the Taliban of planting a bomb.
A Taliban spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. The group has not made any public claim of responsibility for Tuesday’s attacks.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-23--US Congress passes $484 billion Covid-19 bailout, bringing total to unprecedented $1 trillion

U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) wears a face mask as he walks to the House Chamber ahead of a vote on an additional economic stimulus package passed earlier in the week by the U.S. Senate , on Capitol Hill in Washington , U.S. , April 23 , 2020 .
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a $ 484 billion bill to expand federal loans to small businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak and hospitals overwhelmed by patients suffering from COVID-19 .
The measure passed the Democratic-led House by a vote of 388-5 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were meeting for the first time in weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Lawmakers , many wearing masks , approved the bill during an extended period of voting intended to allow them to remain at a distance from one another in line with public health recommendations .
The House action sent the latest of four relief bills to the White House , where Republican President Donald Trump has promised to sign it quickly into law .
The Republican-led Senate had passed the legislation on a voice vote on Tuesday .
But threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties prompted congressional leaders to call the full chamber back to Washington for the House vote despite state stay-at-home orders meant to control the spread of the virus .
The House also approved a select committee , with subpoena power , to probe the U.S. response to the coronavirus .
It will have broad powers to investigate how federal dollars are being spent , U.S. preparedness and Trump administration deliberations .
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the panel was essential to ensure funds go to those who need them and to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not needed , citing existing oversight bodies , and called the panel 's creation another expensive Democratic slap at Trump .
The committee was approved on a vote of 212-182 , along party lines .
The $ 484 billion aid bill is the fourth passed to address the coronavirus crisis .
It provides funds to small businesses and hospitals struggling with the economic toll of a pandemic that has killed more than 47,000 Americans and thrown a record 26 million out of work , wiping out all the jobs created during the longest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of lawmakers opposed the legislation , including Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who represents a severely affected area of New York and believes Congress should do even more - and Republican Thomas Massie , known as `` Mr. No '' for his frequent opposition to spending bills .
`` This is really a very , very , very sad day .
We come to the floor with nearly 50,000 dead , a huge number of people , and the uncertainty of it all , '' Pelosi said during debate on the bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , worth more than $ 2 trillion , in March , also with overwhelming support from both parties .
It was the largest such funding bill ever passed .
The next step will be harder .
The two parties have set the stage for a fight over additional funding for state and local governments reeling from the impact of lost revenue after Republicans refused to include such funds in the current relief bill .
Trump has said he supports more funding for states , and has promised to back it in future legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested in a radio interview on Wednesday that states could go bankrupt , but said later he did not want states to use federal funds for anything unrelated to the coronavirus .
Democrats castigated McConnell for the remark .
`` Leader McConnell said to our cities and states , to our cops and firemen and teachers , he told them to drop dead , '' said Representative Max Rose , who represents a district of New York City .
Thursday 's voting took place under safety protocols that considerably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House in alphabetical order in small groups and were told to stand in line , 6 feet ( 1.8 m ) apart , before entering the chamber .
There was also a half-hour break scheduled to clean the chamber between the two votes .
But more than a dozen cleaners descended on the chamber with cloths and spray bottles and wiped it down in less than 10 minutes .
Echoing Trump , many Republicans also want the country - including Congress - to reopen quickly .
Republican Representative Ralph Norman of South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses to open the doors and do what Americans have always been allowed to do , which is go to work . ''
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the latest aid package should have been passed at least two weeks ago after the Trump administration requested it .
`` Some people unfortunately got laid off because of this delay , '' McCarthy said .
Democrats rejected the charge , saying lawmakers had improved on Trump 's request by adding billions of dollars more for small businesses , hospitals and coronavirus testing .

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a $484 billion coronavirus relief bill on Thursday, funding small businesses and hospitals and pushing the total spending response to the crisis to an unprecedented near $3 trillion.
U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) wears a face mask as he walks to the House Chamber ahead of a vote on an additional economic stimulus package passed earlier in the week by the U.S. Senate, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 23, 2020.
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The measure passed the Democratic-led House by a vote of 388-5, with one member voting present. House members were meeting for the first time in weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers, many wearing masks, approved the bill during an extended period of voting intended to allow them to remain at a distance from one another in line with public health recommendations.
The House action sent the latest of four relief bills to the White House, where Republican President Donald Trump has promised to sign it quickly into law.
The Republican-led Senate had passed the legislation on a voice vote on Tuesday. But threats of opposition by some members of both parties prompted congressional leaders to call the full chamber back to Washington for the House vote despite state stay-at-home orders meant to control the spread of the virus.
The House also approved a select committee, with subpoena power, to probe the U.S. response to the coronavirus. It will have broad powers to investigate how federal dollars are being spent, U.S. preparedness and Trump administration deliberations.
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the panel was essential to ensure funds go to those who need them and to prevent scams. Republicans said the committee was not needed, citing existing oversight bodies, and called the panel's creation another expensive Democratic slap at Trump. The committee was approved on a vote of 212-182, along party lines.
The $484 billion aid bill is the fourth passed to address the coronavirus crisis. It provides funds to small businesses and hospitals struggling with the economic toll of a pandemic that has killed more than 47,000 Americans and thrown a record 26 million out of work, wiping out all the jobs created during the longest employment boom in U.S. history.
A handful of lawmakers opposed the legislation, including Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a severely affected area of New York and believes Congress should do even more - and Republican Thomas Massie, known as "Mr. No" for his frequent opposition to spending bills.
"This is really a very, very, very sad day. We come to the floor with nearly 50,000 dead, a huge number of people, and the uncertainty of it all," Pelosi said during debate on the bill.
Congress passed the last coronavirus relief measure, worth more than $2 trillion, in March, also with overwhelming support from both parties. It was the largest such funding bill ever passed.
Trouble ahead
The next step will be harder. The two parties have set the stage for a fight over additional funding for state and local governments reeling from the impact of lost revenue after Republicans refused to include such funds in the current relief bill.
Trump has said he supports more funding for states, and has promised to back it in future legislation.
Congressional Republicans have resisted. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested in a radio interview on Wednesday that states could go bankrupt, but said later he did not want states to use federal funds for anything unrelated to the coronavirus.
Democrats castigated McConnell for the remark. "Leader McConnell said to our cities and states, to our cops and firemen and teachers, he told them to drop dead," said Representative Max Rose, who represents a district of New York City.
Thursday's voting took place under safety protocols that considerably dragged out proceedings. Lawmakers came to the House in alphabetical order in small groups and were told to stand in line, 6 feet (1.8 m) apart, before entering the chamber.
There was also a half-hour break scheduled to clean the chamber between the two votes. But more than a dozen cleaners descended on the chamber with cloths and spray bottles and wiped it down in less than 10 minutes.
Echoing Trump, many Republicans also want the country - including Congress - to reopen quickly. Republican Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina said lawmakers should "get our businesses to open the doors and do what Americans have always been allowed to do, which is go to work."
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the latest aid package should have been passed at least two weeks ago after the Trump administration requested it. "Some people unfortunately got laid off because of this delay," McCarthy said.
Democrats rejected the charge, saying lawmakers had improved on Trump's request by adding billions of dollars more for small businesses, hospitals and coronavirus testing.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-23--Number of Covid-19 hospital cases in France continues to fall

A medical staff member , wearing protective suit and face mask , working in the Intensive Care Unit ( ICU ) for coronavirus disease patients at the Centre Cardiologique du Nord private hospital in Saint-Denis near Paris , France , April 22 , 2020 .
France on Thursday reported 516 new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours , bringing its overall toll to 21,856 fatalities , the country 's health department said .
But it said the number of patients in intensive care is continuing a two-week decline , falling by 165 over 24 hours to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exceptional level , over and above maximum pre-crisis intensive care capacity in France '' amounting to 5,000 beds , the health department said in a statement .
A majority of the deaths reported ( 13,547 ) were in hospital , and the rest in retirement homes and other facilities .
Although hospitals across France are still receiving a steady stream of new cases the overall number of those who remain hospitalised with the virus continues to drop , underscoring an eight-day trend .
A total of 29,219 cases are now being treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since the start of the epidemic 42,088 people have left hospital , not taking into account the tens of thousands of people who healed without being interned , the health service said .
French authorities say the coming days are key if the country is to be able to meet a May 11 target to begin a gradual end to national lockdown measures imposed in mid-March .
Officials have warned that confinement must have proved to be a success before deconfinement can begin .

France on Thursday reported 516 new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing its overall toll to 21,856 fatalities, the country's health department said.
A medical staff member, wearing protective suit and face mask, working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for coronavirus disease patients at the Centre Cardiologique du Nord private hospital in Saint-Denis near Paris, France, April 22, 2020.
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But it said the number of patients in intensive care is continuing a two-week decline, falling by 165 over 24 hours to 5,053.
"We nonetheless remain at an exceptional level, over and above maximum pre-crisis intensive care capacity in France" amounting to 5,000 beds, the health department said in a statement.
A majority of the deaths reported (13,547) were in hospital, and the rest in retirement homes and other facilities.
Although hospitals across France are still receiving a steady stream of new cases the overall number of those who remain hospitalised with the virus continues to drop, underscoring an eight-day trend.
A total of 29,219 cases are now being treated in hospital, down 522 on Wednesday.
Since the start of the epidemic 42,088 people have left hospital, not taking into account the tens of thousands of people who healed without being interned, the health service said.
French authorities say the coming days are key if the country is to be able to meet a May 11 target to begin a gradual end to national lockdown measures imposed in mid-March.
Officials have warned that confinement must have proved to be a success before deconfinement can begin.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--Fifth of New Yorkers infected with Covid-19, antibody test suggests

More than one in five New Yorkers may have already had the new coronavirus , a testing sample showed Thursday , suggesting infections are much higher than confirmed cases suggest .
Widespread testing -- including for antibodies -- is viewed as key to American states being able to lift stay-at-home orders and reopen their shuttered economies.The presence of antibodies means a person has already been infected with the virus and might mean they are immune , meaning they could likely return to work without catching the illness again .
A total of 3,000 customers at supermarkets across the state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antibodies this week , Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday .
Almost 14 percent of them registered positive , he told reporters .
In New York City , 21 percent of tests came back positive .
Those would translate to roughly 2.6 million people statewide and around 1.7 million people in the Big Apple as having already had the new coronavirus .
Those numbers are way above the 263,460 declared cases across New York state , the epicenter of America 's outbreak , where the virus has killed more than 15,500 people .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe , to first get a baseline study of where you are on the infection rate , '' Cuomo said .
There are uncertainties about the accuracy of antibody tests and the sample was small .
But Cuomo noted that , if the data played out across the state it would mean that the death rate for COVID-19 there was only 0.5 percent .
That is much lower than the US average and the worst-affected countries in Europe , which are based on confirmed cases .
According to Johns Hopkins University , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14.9 percent , France 13.6 percent and the United States 5.5 percent .

More than one in five New Yorkers may have already had the new coronavirus, a testing sample showed Thursday, suggesting infections are much higher than confirmed cases suggest.
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Widespread testing -- including for antibodies -- is viewed as key to American states being able to lift stay-at-home orders and reopen their shuttered economies.The presence of antibodies means a person has already been infected with the virus and might mean they are immune, meaning they could likely return to work without catching the illness again.
A total of 3,000 customers at supermarkets across the state of New York were randomly tested for coronavirus antibodies this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
Almost 14 percent of them registered positive, he told reporters. In New York City, 21 percent of tests came back positive.
Those would translate to roughly 2.6 million people statewide and around 1.7 million people in the Big Apple as having already had the new coronavirus.
Those numbers are way above the 263,460 declared cases across New York state, the epicenter of America's outbreak, where the virus has killed more than 15,500 people.
"It's vital for any state, I believe, to first get a baseline study of where you are on the infection rate," Cuomo said.
There are uncertainties about the accuracy of antibody tests and the sample was small. But Cuomo noted that, if the data played out across the state it would mean that the death rate for COVID-19 there was only 0.5 percent.
That is much lower than the US average and the worst-affected countries in Europe, which are based on confirmed cases.
According to Johns Hopkins University, Belgium has a known-case mortality rate of 14.9 percent, France 13.6 percent and the United States 5.5 percent.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--Presumed Fulani attack kills at least a dozen in central Mali region of Mopti

Men in Mali look for their names on a voters list ahead of casting their ballots in the parliamentary elections in Bamako , Mali , 29 March 2020 .
At least twelve people have been killed in an attack on several villages in central Mali , a local official said Thursday , in the latest violence to hit the war-torn country .
Gunmen on motorbikes struck several villages near the town of Bandiagara in central Mali 's Mopti region , according to a relative of one of the victims and an internal UN report .
`` What is killing us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ali Dolo , the mayor of the rural area where the attacks occurred , adding that the assailants made off with some 500 head of cattle .
Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 , and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since .
Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops , the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country , and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
Central Mali has become the epicentre of violence in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings and jihadist attacks are now common .
A cousin of one of the victims in Tuesday 's attack , who declined to be named , confirmed the death toll of 12 people and added that six people were also missing .
`` They arrived on more than 50 motorbikes , '' he said .
`` For the moment , we 've found 12 bodies '' .
The toll was also confirmed by an internal United Nations report seen by AFP .
`` Between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. ... alleged Fulani gunmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , adding that the villages were some 30 kilometres ( 18 miles ) from Bandiagara .
Militant attacks in Mali often have an ethnic dimension .
The pastoralist Fulani people are accused of being close to jihadists , a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and traditional hunters .
Dolo , the mayor , also said the attackers had been Fulani .

At least twelve people have been killed in an attack on several villages in central Mali, a local official said Thursday, in the latest violence to hit the war-torn country.
Men in Mali look for their names on a voters list ahead of casting their ballots in the parliamentary elections in Bamako, Mali, 29 March 2020.
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Gunmen on motorbikes struck several villages near the town of Bandiagara in central Mali's Mopti region, according to a relative of one of the victims and an internal UN report.
"What is killing us isn't coronavirus but war," said Ali Dolo, the mayor of the rural area where the attacks occurred, adding that the assailants made off with some 500 head of cattle.
Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012, and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.
Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country, and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Central Mali has become the epicentre of violence in the vast semi-arid country, where ethnically motivated killings and jihadist attacks are now common.
A cousin of one of the victims in Tuesday's attack, who declined to be named, confirmed the death toll of 12 people and added that six people were also missing.
"They arrived on more than 50 motorbikes," he said. "For the moment, we've found 12 bodies".
The toll was also confirmed by an internal United Nations report seen by AFP.
"Between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. ... alleged Fulani gunmen attacked several communities," the report said, adding that the villages were some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Bandiagara.
Militant attacks in Mali often have an ethnic dimension.
The pastoralist Fulani people are accused of being close to jihadists, a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and traditional hunters.
Dolo, the mayor, also said the attackers had been Fulani.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--EU agrees trillion euro Covid-19 rescue deal – but procrastinates on details

`` In the spirit of solidarity , we should be prepared to make completely different , that is to say significantly higher contributions to the European budget over a set period , '' German Chancellor Angela Merkel told MPs in Berlin .
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to build a trillion euro emergency fund to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic , avoiding another all-night bust-up but leaving divisive details until the summer .
With the EU 's Brussels headquarters under lockdown - along with most of Europe - the 27 leaders held a four-hour video conference to consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget for 2021-27 with a recovery programme .
At around 1 % of the EU 's economic output , the multi-year common budget has long been one of the most contentious subjects of debate for its members .
Expanding it will not be easy , even if Italy 's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed `` great progress '' after the summit ended .
French President Emmanuel Macron said differences continued between EU governments over whether the fund should be transferring grant money , or simply making loans .
`` I 'm saying this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan to others , that wo n't live up to the response we need , '' he said , adding that it would saddle already heavily-indebted countries , such as Italy , Belgium and Greece , with yet more debt .
Europe is facing a severe economic shock from the spread of COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus , which has also led to border closures across the bloc and left member states fighting over medical supplies .
European Central Bank Governor Christine Lagarde told the leaders the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 15 % of euro zone economic output , officials and diplomats said .
The euro zone 's economic growth for 2020 is forecast to contract 5.4 % , which would make it the worst year since the common currency was introduced in 1999 , according to a Reuters poll .
That is still better than the International Monetary Fund 's latest forecast for a decline of 7.5 % .
After weeks of squabbling , the leaders approved half-a-trillion euros worth of an immediate rescue scheme to protect jobs , businesses and offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy and Spain hit far harder than Germany by the crisis , old enmities have surfaced across the bloc .
Reaching agreement among euro zone finance ministers two weeks ago on the smaller euro rescue scheme was torturous , as the Netherlands refused an Italian demand to issue common debt .
Conte told leaders that a recovery fund should be 1.5 trillion euros in size and provide grants to EU governments to stop countries heading towards economic collapse and thereby threatening the viability of the bloc 's internal market .
`` Grants are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to diplomats who were on the video conference .
`` The sanitary emergency has quickly become a social emergency .
But now we are facing a political emergency as well . ''
Austria 's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz took the opposite view , saying on Twitter that , while Vienna was ready to show solidarity , `` we should do this through loans '' .
Kurz said he would coordinate with `` like-minded countries '' , a reference to wealthy but cautious northern countries such as Denmark , Sweden , Finland and the Netherlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorer southern countries they see as fiscally irresponsible .
Spain , one of the world 's worst hit countries , backs Italy 's view that a fund must issue grants , rather than loans , while France has argued for a fund that could issue common EU debt , hoping its temporary nature will calm passions .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a conciliatory stance as she publicly called for a major recovery fund after the summit .
`` Things can only go well for Germany if they go well for Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European Commission , the EU executive , to present detailed proposals by May 6 , diplomats said .
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU countries had so far handed out state aid worth 1.8 trillion euros to cushion the economic hit and that the new recovery fund would be in the order of magnitude of a trillion euros .
She said the solution was to increase the amount that each EU government would be liable to pay into a recovery fund if needed , raising it to 2 % of gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.2 % today .
GNI is the EU 's preferred measure of economic output .
Most significantly , that means an implicit guarantee needed from EU governments for the Commission to issue bonds , a kind of `` contingent liability '' .
The Commission has a triple-A credit rating , issuing against the security of the next EU long-term budget .
`` We are slowly heading towards some form of joint debt .
We 'll never call it 'coronabonds ' or 'eurobonds ' and it will be raised by the Commission , rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior EU diplomat involved in the summit .

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to build a trillion euro emergency fund to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic, avoiding another all-night bust-up but leaving divisive details until the summer.
"In the spirit of solidarity, we should be prepared to make completely different, that is to say significantly higher contributions to the European budget over a set period," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told MPs in Berlin.
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With the EU's Brussels headquarters under lockdown - along with most of Europe - the 27 leaders held a four-hour video conference to consider proposals, rallying around a bigger common budget for 2021-27 with a recovery programme.
At around 1% of the EU's economic output, the multi-year common budget has long been one of the most contentious subjects of debate for its members. Expanding it will not be easy, even if Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed "great progress" after the summit ended.
French President Emmanuel Macron said differences continued between EU governments over whether the fund should be transferring grant money, or simply making loans.
"Divisions remain," Macron told reporters in Paris.
"I'm saying this sincerely: if Europe raises debt to loan to others, that won't live up to the response we need," he said, adding that it would saddle already heavily-indebted countries, such as Italy, Belgium and Greece, with yet more debt.
Europe is facing a severe economic shock from the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which has also led to border closures across the bloc and left member states fighting over medical supplies.
European Central Bank Governor Christine Lagarde told the leaders the pandemic could cut between 5% and up to 15% of euro zone economic output, officials and diplomats said.
The euro zone's economic growth for 2020 is forecast to contract 5.4%, which would make it the worst year since the common currency was introduced in 1999, according to a Reuters poll. That is still better than the International Monetary Fund's latest forecast for a decline of 7.5%.
'Political emergency'
After weeks of squabbling, the leaders approved half-a-trillion euros worth of an immediate rescue scheme to protect jobs, businesses and offer cheap credit to governments.
But with Italy and Spain hit far harder than Germany by the crisis, old enmities have surfaced across the bloc. Reaching agreement among euro zone finance ministers two weeks ago on the smaller euro rescue scheme was torturous, as the Netherlands refused an Italian demand to issue common debt.
Conte told leaders that a recovery fund should be 1.5 trillion euros in size and provide grants to EU governments to stop countries heading towards economic collapse and thereby threatening the viability of the bloc's internal market.
"Grants are essential," Conte said, according to diplomats who were on the video conference. "The sanitary emergency has quickly become a social emergency. But now we are facing a political emergency as well."
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz took the opposite view, saying on Twitter that, while Vienna was ready to show solidarity, "we should do this through loans".
Kurz said he would coordinate with "like-minded countries", a reference to wealthy but cautious northern countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, who resent having to pay for poorer southern countries they see as fiscally irresponsible.
Spain, one of the world's worst hit countries, backs Italy's view that a fund must issue grants, rather than loans, while France has argued for a fund that could issue common EU debt, hoping its temporary nature will calm passions.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a conciliatory stance as she publicly called for a major recovery fund after the summit. "Things can only go well for Germany if they go well for Europe," she said.
Leaders tasked the European Commission, the EU executive, to present detailed proposals by May 6, diplomats said.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU countries had so far handed out state aid worth 1.8 trillion euros to cushion the economic hit and that the new recovery fund would be in the order of magnitude of a trillion euros.
She said the solution was to increase the amount that each EU government would be liable to pay into a recovery fund if needed, raising it to 2% of gross national income (GNI), from 1.2% today. GNI is the EU's preferred measure of economic output.
Most significantly, that means an implicit guarantee needed from EU governments for the Commission to issue bonds, a kind of "contingent liability".
The Commission has a triple-A credit rating, issuing against the security of the next EU long-term budget.
"We are slowly heading towards some form of joint debt. We'll never call it 'coronabonds' or 'eurobonds' and it will be raised by the Commission, rather than member states together," said a senior EU diplomat involved in the summit.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-23--Air pollution and Covid-19: an explosive combination for our health?

Recently published studies have explored the possibility of a link between pollution levels and the lethality of Covid-19 .
While initial observations suggest that the virus is more dangerous in heavily polluted areas , more work is needed to prove this conclusively .
The most polluted regions of Europe are also those where Covid-19 kills the most .
A total of 78 percent of coronavirus deaths in Europe are concentrated in the five most-polluted areas of mainland Europe , according to Yaron Ogen , a researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences at Martin Luther University in Halle , Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the journal Science of Total Environment on April 20 .
Ogen ’ s analysis attempts to establish a link between exposure to nitrogen dioxide , a pollutant generated mainly by diesel car exhausts , and the deadliness of the virus in France , Italy , Germany and Spain .
His findings are powerful .
The two areas with the highest concentration of nitrogen dioxide – the Po plain in northern Italy and around Madrid , the Spanish capital – also happen to be the areas with the highest number of Covid-19 victims .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the presence of large cities with a lot of vehicular traffic , such as Milan , Turin and Madrid , surrounded by mountain ranges that prevent the pollution from dispersing .
`` I decided to investigate nitrogen dioxide because its harmful effects on health are already well documented and the statistical data is easy to find , '' explained Ogen to FRANCE 24 .
Prolonged exposure to this pollutant can cause lesions similar to those considered to be factors of the coronavirus , such as lung damage , respiratory problems and heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` weakened the respiratory system , which is then less well equipped to fight the virus , '' noted the German-based researcher .
For him , this could explain why people with no apparent prevailing conditions find themselves struggling to survive against the coronavirus .
`` These environmental factors may also need to be taken into account in determining who is most at risk , '' said Ogen .
Ogen is not the only one sounding the environmental alarm bell .
At the time of the Sars epidemic between 2002 and 2004 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most polluted cities also had the highest number of deaths due to this predecessor of Covid-19 .
A British study , put online Tuesday in pre-publication and similar to the one conducted by Ogen , arrived at the same conclusion .
In the United Kingdom , Covid-19 has claimed more victims in areas where fine particle pollution is highest , scientists at Cambridge University have found , reported British daily The Guardian .
The same is true in the United States , where `` a very small increase in the concentration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a 15 percent increase in coronavirus fatality ” , observed researchers from the Harvard University School of Health in Boston in a study published on April 7 .
Pollution is not the only possible explanation But all these researchers also stress that we must be careful not to draw hasty conclusions from these initial observations .
`` The correlation found does not necessarily indicate a causal link , '' said Ogen .
Other factors could also explain why these highly polluted regions concentrate the greatest number of deaths due to Covid-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher in the most densely populated areas and `` population density favours the spread of the virus since it makes social distancing more difficult , '' noted Rosie Cornish , a researcher at Bristol Medical School in the UK .
In addition , Northern Italy and Madrid are among the first regions in Europe where the Covid-19 epidemic broke out .
It is not surprising that the number of victims was higher in these regions , since the virus was present there for a longer period of time before being detected .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the most relevant for making this kind of comparison either .
`` A more local level of observation is generally preferred because exposure to air pollution can vary greatly from one address to another in the same city , depending on whether you live near a major road or on the edge of the countryside , '' said Anna Hansell , Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Leicester , UK .
`` In order to establish a real causal link , more than 20 serious studies would be needed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGill University in Montreal , Canada , told The Guardian .
Ogen does not disagree .
`` All I hope is that my study and others will encourage more researchers to take a closer look at this possible connection , ” he said .
For him , finding an answer to the question of causality could prove critical to preventing future epidemics .
Indeed , at the very least , it should push the authorities to put in place special protection measures for populations living in the most polluted areas .
Ogen believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensity of the virus is influenced by the level of pollution , “ perhaps the whole model of economic development needs to be reinvented to make it less dependent on polluting activities '' .
As such , coronaviruses would be added to the ever-growing list of reasons for implementing greener development policies .
This article has been translated from the original in French .

Recently published studies have explored the possibility of a link between pollution levels and the lethality of Covid-19. While initial observations suggest that the virus is more dangerous in heavily polluted areas, more work is needed to prove this conclusively.
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The most polluted regions of Europe are also those where Covid-19 kills the most. A total of 78 percent of coronavirus deaths in Europe are concentrated in the five most-polluted areas of mainland Europe, according to Yaron Ogen, a researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences at Martin Luther University in Halle, Germany, in a preliminary study published in the journal Science of Total Environment on April 20.
Ogen’s analysis attempts to establish a link between exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant generated mainly by diesel car exhausts, and the deadliness of the virus in France, Italy, Germany and Spain. His findings are powerful. The two areas with the highest concentration of nitrogen dioxide – the Po plain in northern Italy and around Madrid, the Spanish capital – also happen to be the areas with the highest number of Covid-19 victims.
Does pollution weaken our defence?
These regions have particularly toxic environments due to the presence of large cities with a lot of vehicular traffic, such as Milan, Turin and Madrid, surrounded by mountain ranges that prevent the pollution from dispersing.
"I decided to investigate nitrogen dioxide because its harmful effects on health are already well documented and the statistical data is easy to find," explained Ogen to FRANCE 24. Prolonged exposure to this pollutant can cause lesions similar to those considered to be factors of the coronavirus, such as lung damage, respiratory problems and heart failure.
Pollution may therefore have already "weakened the respiratory system, which is then less well equipped to fight the virus," noted the German-based researcher. For him, this could explain why people with no apparent prevailing conditions find themselves struggling to survive against the coronavirus.
"These environmental factors may also need to be taken into account in determining who is most at risk," said Ogen.
Environmental alarm bell
Ogen is not the only one sounding the environmental alarm bell. At the time of the Sars epidemic between 2002 and 2004, Chinese researchers had already pointed out that the most polluted cities also had the highest number of deaths due to this predecessor of Covid-19.
A British study, put online Tuesday in pre-publication and similar to the one conducted by Ogen, arrived at the same conclusion. In the United Kingdom, Covid-19 has claimed more victims in areas where fine particle pollution is highest, scientists at Cambridge University have found, reported British daily The Guardian.
The same is true in the United States, where "a very small increase in the concentration of fine particles in an area is associated with a 15 percent increase in coronavirus fatality”, observed researchers from the Harvard University School of Health in Boston in a study published on April 7.
Pollution is not the only possible explanation
But all these researchers also stress that we must be careful not to draw hasty conclusions from these initial observations. "The correlation found does not necessarily indicate a causal link," said Ogen. Other factors could also explain why these highly polluted regions concentrate the greatest number of deaths due to Covid-19.
For example, pollution levels are generally higher in the most densely populated areas and "population density favours the spread of the virus since it makes social distancing more difficult," noted Rosie Cornish, a researcher at Bristol Medical School in the UK.
In addition, Northern Italy and Madrid are among the first regions in Europe where the Covid-19 epidemic broke out. It is not surprising that the number of victims was higher in these regions, since the virus was present there for a longer period of time before being detected.
Local analysis required
An analysis of pollution by region may not be the most relevant for making this kind of comparison either.
"A more local level of observation is generally preferred because exposure to air pollution can vary greatly from one address to another in the same city, depending on whether you live near a major road or on the edge of the countryside," said Anna Hansell, Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Leicester, UK.
"In order to establish a real causal link, more than 20 serious studies would be needed," Mark Goldberg, an epidemiologist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, told The Guardian.
Ogen does not disagree. "All I hope is that my study and others will encourage more researchers to take a closer look at this possible connection,” he said.
For him, finding an answer to the question of causality could prove critical to preventing future epidemics. Indeed, at the very least, it should push the authorities to put in place special protection measures for populations living in the most polluted areas.
Ogen believes that if it is proven that the intensity of the virus is influenced by the level of pollution, “perhaps the whole model of economic development needs to be reinvented to make it less dependent on polluting activities".
As such, coronaviruses would be added to the ever-growing list of reasons for implementing greener development policies.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-04-23--Covid-19: Wearing face masks will be 'recommended' but not mandatory in France

French President Emmanuel Macron told mayors on Thursday that wearing face masks in public to minimise the spread of the coronavirus will be `` recommended '' but not compulsory after the country removes its lockdown on May 11 .
He also announced that further details on the process of easing restrictions will be unveiled on Tuesday .
In Thursday 's address to France 's mayors giving some details on what the country will look like after May 11 , Macron added that the criteria for people to be allowed to wear surgical face masks will be expanded .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same date will now be on a voluntary basis .
A more detailed plan on how France will reverse its confinement measures will be set out on Tuesday , the Élysée Palace announced afterwards .
As its economy reels from the impact of the lockdown , France offered retailers some relief earlier on Thursday , saying it wanted them to reopen on May 11 , though some curbs could remain in certain areas to delay a new wave of the coronavirus .
The government has ruled out restaurants , bars and cafes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire indicated restrictions were likely to remain in regions that have been hit worst by the virus .
`` We want all retailers to be able to open on May 11 in the same way out of fairness , '' Le Maire told France Info radio , though he said protocols would first have to be worked out to protect clients and workers alike .
France has suffered the world 's fourth-highest reported coronavirus death toll of more than 20,000 , with more than 158,000 infections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow the spread of the virus , but the government has been working on a plan that aims to reduce as much as possible the chances of France being hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases when it ends .

French President Emmanuel Macron told mayors on Thursday that wearing face masks in public to minimise the spread of the coronavirus will be "recommended" but not compulsory after the country removes its lockdown on May 11. He also announced that further details on the process of easing restrictions will be unveiled on Tuesday.
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In Thursday's address to France's mayors giving some details on what the country will look like after May 11, Macron added that the criteria for people to be allowed to wear surgical face masks will be expanded.
He also announced that the reopening of schools on the same date will now be on a voluntary basis.
A more detailed plan on how France will reverse its confinement measures will be set out on Tuesday, the Élysée Palace announced afterwards.
As its economy reels from the impact of the lockdown, France offered retailers some relief earlier on Thursday, saying it wanted them to reopen on May 11, though some curbs could remain in certain areas to delay a new wave of the coronavirus.
The government has ruled out restaurants, bars and cafes reopening straight after the lockdown is lifted, and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire indicated restrictions were likely to remain in regions that have been hit worst by the virus.
"We want all retailers to be able to open on May 11 in the same way out of fairness," Le Maire told France Info radio, though he said protocols would first have to be worked out to protect clients and workers alike.
France has suffered the world's fourth-highest reported coronavirus death toll of more than 20,000, with more than 158,000 infections.
Macron ordered the lockdown in mid-March to slow the spread of the virus, but the government has been working on a plan that aims to reduce as much as possible the chances of France being hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases when it ends.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--Renovation of France's Notre-Dame set to resume

A view shows the restoration work at Paris ’ s Notre-Dame Cathedral , which was damaged in a devastating fire almost one year ago , ahead of Easter celebrations to be held under a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus in France , April 7 , 2020 .
Work on restoring the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will gradually resume Monday after the coronavirus lockdown forced a halt to repairing the gothic landmark nearly destroyed by a fire one year ago , the general heading the project said Thursday .
Reconstruction was halted in mid-March as France imposed strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the new coronavirus .
`` I have made sure that the necessary measures and procedures to guarantee that social distancing and protective measures will be in place '' for workers at the site , General Jean-Louis Georgelin said in a statement .
The 13th-century monument was the victim of a devastating blaze on April 15 , 2019 , that caused its roof and steeple to collapse , and despite the intense cleanup and stabilisation efforts the fragile structure remains at risk .
Before rebuilding was suspended , the 60 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing to remove more of the toxic lead particles deposited as the roof melted , which contaminated swathes of the French capital .
Once work resumes as normal in May , they will also attempt the delicate removal of a tangled web of metal scaffolding tubes that fused together in the inferno , which erupted during renovation work on the roof .
Until they do , they can not install a more durable temporary roof to protect the church 's priceless artworks from rain .
Last week , the church rang a lone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anniversary of the fire , coinciding with the nightly rounds of applause from windows around the country for health workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis .
President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his goal of restoring Notre-Dame to its former glory within five years , calling the effort `` a symbol of the resilience of our people . ''

Work on restoring the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will gradually resume Monday after the coronavirus lockdown forced a halt to repairing the gothic landmark nearly destroyed by a fire one year ago, the general heading the project said Thursday.
A view shows the restoration work at Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was damaged in a devastating fire almost one year ago, ahead of Easter celebrations to be held under a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus in France, April 7, 2020.
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Reconstruction was halted in mid-March as France imposed strict stay-at-home orders and business closures to halt the spread of the new coronavirus.
"I have made sure that the necessary measures and procedures to guarantee that social distancing and protective measures will be in place" for workers at the site, General Jean-Louis Georgelin said in a statement.
The 13th-century monument was the victim of a devastating blaze on April 15, 2019, that caused its roof and steeple to collapse, and despite the intense cleanup and stabilisation efforts the fragile structure remains at risk.
Before rebuilding was suspended, the 60 to 70 workers on the site had been preparing to remove more of the toxic lead particles deposited as the roof melted, which contaminated swathes of the French capital.
Once work resumes as normal in May, they will also attempt the delicate removal of a tangled web of metal scaffolding tubes that fused together in the inferno, which erupted during renovation work on the roof.
Until they do, they cannot install a more durable temporary roof to protect the church's priceless artworks from rain.
Last week, the church rang a lone bell from its southern tower to mark the anniversary of the fire, coinciding with the nightly rounds of applause from windows around the country for health workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis.
President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his goal of restoring Notre-Dame to its former glory within five years, calling the effort "a symbol of the resilience of our people."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--France testing whether nicotine could prevent coronavirus

A woman smokes a cigarette while wearing a mask , as the number of coronavirus cases grow around the world , in central London , Britain March 14 , 2020 .
Nicotine could protect people from contracting the coronavirus , according to new research in France , where further trials are planned to test whether the substance could be used to prevent or treat the deadly illness .
The findings come after researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients along with 139 people infected with the illness with milder symptoms .
They found that a low number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates of around 35 percent in France 's general population .
`` Among these patients , only five percent were smokers , '' said Zahir Amoura , the study 's co-author and a professor of internal medicine .
The research echoed similar findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month that suggested that 12.6 percent of 1,000 people infected in China were smokers .
That was a much lower figure than the number of regular smokers in China 's general population , about 26 percent , according to the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory is that nicotine could adhere to cell receptors , therefore blocking the virus from entering cells and spreading in the body , according to renown neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux from France 's Pasteur Institut , who also co-authored the study .
The researchers are awaiting approval from health authorities in France to carry out further clinical trials .
They plan to use nicotine patches on health workers at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris -- where the initial research was conducted -- to see if it protects them against contracting the virus .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hospitalised patients to see whether it helps reduce symptoms and also on more serious intensive care patients , Amoura said .
The researchers are looking into whether nicotine could help to prevent `` cytokine storms '' , a rapid overreaction of the immune system that scientists think could play a key role in fatal COVID-19 cases .
But with further research needed , experts are not encouraging people to pick up smoking or use nicotine patches as a protective measure against the virus .
`` We must not forget the harmful effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , France 's top health official .
`` Those who do not smoke should absolutely not use nicotine substitutes '' , which cause side effects and addiction , he warned .
Tobacco is the number one killer in France , with an estimated 75,000 deaths per year linked to smoking .
France is one of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus in Europe , with more than 21,000 deaths and over 155,000 reported infections .

Nicotine could protect people from contracting the coronavirus, according to new research in France, where further trials are planned to test whether the substance could be used to prevent or treat the deadly illness.
A woman smokes a cigarette while wearing a mask, as the number of coronavirus cases grow around the world, in central London, Britain March 14, 2020.
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The findings come after researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients along with 139 people infected with the illness with milder symptoms.
They found that a low number of them smoked, compared to smoking rates of around 35 percent in France's general population.
"Among these patients, only five percent were smokers," said Zahir Amoura, the study's co-author and a professor of internal medicine.
The research echoed similar findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month that suggested that 12.6 percent of 1,000 people infected in China were smokers. That was a much lower figure than the number of regular smokers in China's general population, about 26 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The theory is that nicotine could adhere to cell receptors, therefore blocking the virus from entering cells and spreading in the body, according to renown neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux from France's Pasteur Institut, who also co-authored the study.
The researchers are awaiting approval from health authorities in France to carry out further clinical trials.
They plan to use nicotine patches on health workers at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris -- where the initial research was conducted -- to see if it protects them against contracting the virus.
They have also applied to use the patches on hospitalised patients to see whether it helps reduce symptoms and also on more serious intensive care patients, Amoura said.
The researchers are looking into whether nicotine could help to prevent "cytokine storms", a rapid overreaction of the immune system that scientists think could play a key role in fatal COVID-19 cases.
But with further research needed, experts are not encouraging people to pick up smoking or use nicotine patches as a protective measure against the virus.
"We must not forget the harmful effects of nicotine," said Jerome Salomon, France's top health official.
"Those who do not smoke should absolutely not use nicotine substitutes", which cause side effects and addiction, he warned.
Tobacco is the number one killer in France, with an estimated 75,000 deaths per year linked to smoking.
France is one of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus in Europe, with more than 21,000 deaths and over 155,000 reported infections.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-23--Ramadan 2020: How to practice faith in times of Covid-19

Ramadan 2020 : How to practice faith in times of Covid-19 How to reconcile religion and the challenges of social @ @ @ @ @ world over embark on a month of fasting and prayer , what does it mean @ @ @ @ @ invite loved ones and good friends for the Iftar , the nightly breaking of the @ @ @ @ @ religions , we ask why most in the Muslim world are putting public safety before @ @ @ @ @ still some ignore the risk of Covid-19 .

Ramadan 2020: How to practice faith in times of Covid-19
42:00 THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24
How to reconcile religion and the challenges of social distancing? As Muslims the world over embark on a month of fasting and prayer, what does it mean to attend mosque or to invite loved ones and good friends for the Iftar, the nightly breaking of the fast? As with other religions, we ask why most in the Muslim world are putting public safety before centuries-old rites and practice… while still some ignore the risk of Covid-19.


france24--2020-04-23--Iran summons Swiss ambassador amid warnings it will destroy US warships

Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Hossein Salami speaks during a pro-government rally in the capital Tehran 's central Enghelab Square on November 25 , 2019 .
Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran , who represents US interests in the country , over recent Gulf tensions , Iran 's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday , according to the IRIB news agency .
The ambassador was given a message to pass on to the United States that Iran will strongly defend its maritime rights in the Gulf and respond to any threats .
Iran warned it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is threatened in the Gulf , the head of Iran 's elite Revolutionary Guards told state TV on Thursday , a day after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran over `` harassment '' of US vessels .
`` I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American terrorist force in the Persian Gulf that threatens security of Iran 's military or non-military ships , '' Hossein Salami said .
`` Security of the Persian Gulf is part of Iran 's strategic priorities . ''
Trump said on Wednesday he had instructed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships that harass it at sea , but said later he was not changing the military ’ s rules of engagement .
Earlier this month , the US military said 11 Revolutionary Guards naval vessels from the Guards navy came close to US Navy and coast guard ships in the Gulf , calling the moves “ dangerous and provocative ” .
Iran blamed its longtime adversary for the incident .
`` I am telling the Americans that we are absolutely determined and serious in defending our national security , our water borders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces , and we will respond decisively to any sabotage , '' Salami said .
`` Americans have experienced our power in the past and must learn from it . ''
Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated anew since 2018 , when Trump withdrew from Tehran 's 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions .

Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents US interests in the country, over recent Gulf tensions, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday, according to the IRIB news agency.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Hossein Salami speaks during a pro-government rally in the capital Tehran's central Enghelab Square on November 25, 2019.
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The ambassador was given a message to pass on to the United States that Iran will strongly defend its maritime rights in the Gulf and respond to any threats.
Iran warned it will destroy US warships if its security is threatened in the Gulf, the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards told state TV on Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran over "harassment" of US vessels.
"I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American terrorist force in the Persian Gulf that threatens security of Iran's military or non-military ships," Hossein Salami said. "Security of the Persian Gulf is part of Iran's strategic priorities."
Trump said on Wednesday he had instructed the US Navy to fire on any Iranian ships that harass it at sea, but said later he was not changing the military’s rules of engagement.
Earlier this month, the US military said 11 Revolutionary Guards naval vessels from the Guards navy came close to US Navy and coast guard ships in the Gulf, calling the moves “dangerous and provocative”.
Iran blamed its longtime adversary for the incident.
"I am telling the Americans that we are absolutely determined and serious in defending our national security, our water borders, our shipping safety, and our security forces, and we will respond decisively to any sabotage," Salami said.
"Americans have experienced our power in the past and must learn from it."
Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated anew since 2018, when Trump withdrew from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-23--UEFA postpones Women's football Euros to 2022, avoiding Olympic clash

French players at the end of the France 2019 Women 's football World Cup round of sixteen match between France and Brazil , on June 23 , 2019 , in Le Havre , France .
The Women 's European Football Championship in 2021 was postponed by one year on Thursday , moving out of a direct clash with the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics .
UEFA 's executive committee agreed that the 16-nation tournament in England will now be played from July 6-31 in 2022 .
The switch was inevitable after the IOC decided last month on a one-year postponement for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
As part of the Olympics , women 's football games begin before the Tokyo opening ceremony on July 23 next year .
An Olympic title is prized more in women 's football than in the men 's game , and three European teams – the Netherlands , Sweden and a British team potentially with mostly England players – are in the 16-nation lineup in Japan .
“ With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021 , we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of women ’ s football Nadine Kessler said in a statement .
The move also avoids both of UEFA 's marquee national team championships competing for attention in the same English summer with both finals at Wembley Stadium in London .
The men 's Euro 2020 , including seven games at Wembley , was also postponed by UEFA last month for one year .
Wembley will stage the men ’ s final on July 11 , 2021 , and the women 's final on July 31 , 2022 .
UEFA said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same 10 stadiums .
It opens with England playing at Manchester United ’ s Old Trafford .
`` We are ensuring that our flagship women ’ s competition will be the only major football tournament of the summer , providing it with the spotlight it deserves , ” UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said .
The summer in 2022 no longer features the men 's World Cup , as FIFA have moved it to November and December in Qatar to avoid searing heat .

The Women's European Football Championship in 2021 was postponed by one year on Thursday, moving out of a direct clash with the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
French players at the end of the France 2019 Women's football World Cup round of sixteen match between France and Brazil, on June 23, 2019, in Le Havre, France.
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UEFA's executive committee agreed that the 16-nation tournament in England will now be played from July 6-31 in 2022.
The switch was inevitable after the IOC decided last month on a one-year postponement for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the Olympics, women's football games begin before the Tokyo opening ceremony on July 23 next year.
An Olympic title is prized more in women's football than in the men's game, and three European teams – the Netherlands, Sweden and a British team potentially with mostly England players – are in the 16-nation lineup in Japan.
“With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021, we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the (Euro) tournament,” UEFA head of women’s football Nadine Kessler said in a statement.
The move also avoids both of UEFA's marquee national team championships competing for attention in the same English summer with both finals at Wembley Stadium in London.
The men's Euro 2020, including seven games at Wembley, was also postponed by UEFA last month for one year.
Wembley will stage the men’s final on July 11, 2021, and the women's final on July 31, 2022.
UEFA said the postponed Women’s Euro will retain the same 10 stadiums. It opens with England playing at Manchester United’s Old Trafford.
"We are ensuring that our flagship women’s competition will be the only major football tournament of the summer, providing it with the spotlight it deserves,” UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said.
The summer in 2022 no longer features the men's World Cup, as FIFA have moved it to November and December in Qatar to avoid searing heat.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-04-23--UEFA wants new ways of deciding football league results amid Covid-19

Football has been suspended in Italy since March 9 , 2020 .
UEFA is keener on football leagues adopting new formats to determine final league places for European qualification if suspended domestic competitions can not be completed due to government restrictions or financial concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
With football 's UEFA announcing a desire for qualification for the Champions League and Europa League being settled on “ sporting merit , '' the statement on Thursday opens the door to leagues temporarily implementing playoff systems .
UEFA referenced the use only of a “ different format . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ played is another potential option to determine final placings in an unprecedented situation .
UEFA cautioned that teams could be denied places in Europe if leagues are prematurely halted and “ there is a public perception of unfairness.
” Domestic and continental competitions were suspended last month .
UEFA also said it was exploring the Champions League and Europa League resuming in parallel with domestic competitions or in August after they have hopefully been completed .
Some Champions League and Europa League last-16 matchups are yet to be played , but domestic games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only major top-flight so far to announce plans to halt the competition , while the Dutch federation also has plans to cancel the rest of the season .
“ The ideal scenario , should the pandemic situation permit it , is to have the currently suspended domestic competitions completed enabling football clubs to qualify for UEFA club competitions on sporting merit in their original format , ” UEFA said .
“ Should this outcome not be possible , in particular due to calendar issues , it would be preferable that suspended domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a manner which would still facilitate clubs to qualify on sporting merit.
” Europe ’ s top leagues — England , Spain , Germany , Italy and France — all have a traditional format where teams play each other home and away .
Some countries like Belgium have a system where the league splits after 30 games into playoffs .
“ If a domestic competition is prematurely terminated for legitimate reasons ... the procedure for selecting clubs should be based on objective , transparent and non-discriminatory principles , ” UEFA said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities prohibiting sports events so “ domestic competitions can not be completed before a date that would make it possible to complete the current season in good time before the next season to start.
” UEFA also said it was aware “ insurmountable economic problems ” could mean trying to complete fixture programs is “ impossible because it would put at risk the long-term financial stability ” of leagues or clubs .
But UEFA did announce on Thursday it would share almost 70 million euros ( $ 75.5 million ) among 676 clubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Nations League games in the past two years .
The money is being released early to help “ in light of the current crisis and the financial difficulties many clubs are facing , ” UEFA said .
A longstanding agreement between UEFA and the European Club Association guarantees clubs at least 200 million euros from Euro 2020 revenues to compensate for releasing players to national duty in the 2018-20 cycle .
Payments to clubs were due after Euro 2020 but were being issued now after the coronavirus outbreak forced the tournament to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest-earning club will get 630,000 euros calculated pro rata per player named on a national team ’ s match sheet .
That club was not identified .
UEFA said 2.7 million euros of the money will go to clubs after the 16-nation Euro 2020 playoffs later this year .
Players selected for the Euro 2020 tournament will earn at least 130 million euros more for their clubs from UEFA .

UEFA is keener on football leagues adopting new formats to determine final league places for European qualification if suspended domestic competitions cannot be completed due to government restrictions or financial concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Football has been suspended in Italy since March 9, 2020.
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With football's UEFA announcing a desire for qualification for the Champions League and Europa League being settled on “sporting merit," the statement on Thursday opens the door to leagues temporarily implementing playoff systems.
UEFA referenced the use only of a “different format." Averaging out points based on games already played is another potential option to determine final placings in an unprecedented situation.
UEFA cautioned that teams could be denied places in Europe if leagues are prematurely halted and “there is a public perception of unfairness.”
Domestic and continental competitions were suspended last month.
UEFA also said it was exploring the Champions League and Europa League resuming in parallel with domestic competitions or in August after they have hopefully been completed.
Some Champions League and Europa League last-16 matchups are yet to be played, but domestic games are being given priority.
Belgium is the only major top-flight so far to announce plans to halt the competition, while the Dutch federation also has plans to cancel the rest of the season.
“The ideal scenario, should the pandemic situation permit it, is to have the currently suspended domestic competitions completed enabling football clubs to qualify for UEFA club competitions on sporting merit in their original format,” UEFA said. “Should this outcome not be possible, in particular due to calendar issues, it would be preferable that suspended domestic competitions would restart with a different format in a manner which would still facilitate clubs to qualify on sporting merit.”
Europe’s top leagues — England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France — all have a traditional format where teams play each other home and away. Some countries like Belgium have a system where the league splits after 30 games into playoffs.
“If a domestic competition is prematurely terminated for legitimate reasons ... the procedure for selecting clubs should be based on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory principles,” UEFA said.
UEFA acknowledged there could be orders by authorities prohibiting sports events so “domestic competitions cannot be completed before a date that would make it possible to complete the current season in good time before the next season to start.”
UEFA also said it was aware “insurmountable economic problems” could mean trying to complete fixture programs is “impossible because it would put at risk the long-term financial stability” of leagues or clubs.
But UEFA did announce on Thursday it would share almost 70 million euros ($75.5 million) among 676 clubs that released players for European Championship qualifiers and Nations League games in the past two years.
The money is being released early to help “in light of the current crisis and the financial difficulties many clubs are facing,” UEFA said.
A longstanding agreement between UEFA and the European Club Association guarantees clubs at least 200 million euros from Euro 2020 revenues to compensate for releasing players to national duty in the 2018-20 cycle.
Payments to clubs were due after Euro 2020 but were being issued now after the coronavirus outbreak forced the tournament to be postponed to next year.
The highest-earning club will get 630,000 euros calculated pro rata per player named on a national team’s match sheet. That club was not identified.
UEFA said 2.7 million euros of the money will go to clubs after the 16-nation Euro 2020 playoffs later this year. Players selected for the Euro 2020 tournament will earn at least 130 million euros more for their clubs from UEFA.
(AP)
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