france24--2020-06-28--France’s Greens make gains, Macron loses ground in low-turnout local elections

French ecologist party Europe Ecologie – Les Verts ( EELV ) candidate for Bordeaux mayor , Pierre Hurmic , centre , celebrates on June 28 , 2020 , in Bordeaux , following his victory in the second round of the French municipal elections .
France ’ s Greens made major gains Sunday in local elections marked by record-low turnout and the failure of President Emmanuel Macron 's ruling party to make any significant impact .
Projections based on early vote counts showed Europe Ecology , The Greens party ( EELV ) , poised to take the key cities of Lyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very close contest for Lille .
Macron expressed his concern over the high abstention rate , estimated at about 60 percent , and acknowledged that the elections were marked by a `` green wave '' , the presidency said .
Government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye spoke of `` disappointment '' over the poor showing of the centrist Republic on the Move ( LREM ) party Macron created shortly before his successful 2017 presidential run .
This is the first time it had competed in nationwide local elections .
`` There are places ... where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results that were extremely disappointing , '' Ndiaye told French television .
The party 's candidate in Paris , Agnes Buzyn , was projected to come a distant third with incumbent Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo on course to easily win a second term as mayor of the French capital .
Marine Le Pen 's National Rally , meanwhile , claimed victory in the southern city of Perpignan , in what would be the first far-right takeover of a French city of more than 100,000 inhabitants since 1995 .
The biggest coup for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aubry as mayor of the northern city of Lille .
But her entourage insisted to AFP that she had clung on in a knife-edge vote .
Some 16.5 million eligible voters cast ballots in nearly 5,000 cities and towns where the first round of municipal voting , on March 15 , had failed to yield a decisive outcome .
This represents about 15 percent of the country 's municipal councils where power remained up for grabs .
But estimates showed that only two in five voters turned up , an abstention rate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said amounted to `` a civic strike '' .
Macron said the low turnout was `` not very good news , '' according to the Elysee .
The first election round , which took place as the Covid-19 pandemic was gaining deadly momentum , already yielded a record-low 55-percent abstention rate .
The second phase , originally scheduled for March 22 , was postponed after France went into lockdown .
Most restrictions have now been eased .
With a national death toll approaching 30,000 , France has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with some voters angry over the government 's failure to provide protective material like masks rapidly .
The new polling date was set after the government 's scientific council said it was possible to hold another round safely , but voters were required to wear face masks and urged to bring their own pens to lower the contamination risk .
Many voters and election officials sported germ-blocking plastic visors , and plexiglass screens were erected between them at several polling stations , which also provided sanitising hand gel .
Macron is widely rumoured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Sunday 's results , and the future of Prime Minister Edouard Philippe , who won his race for mayor in the Normandy port city of Le Havre , appeared unsure .
Though French law allows for the holding of two executive posts , observers expect Macron to use the occasion to axe the premier , whose popularity exceeds his own according to opinion polls .
Firing Philippe would allow Macron `` to claim he is delivering on his promise to ensure the 'second act ' of his presidency takes note of failings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis , '' said Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group risk consultancy .
With just 22 months to the next presidential election , Macron 's main challenger nationwide is Le Pen .
Analysts say disillusion with the LREM and Macron , who critics say is a president of the rich out of touch with ordinary people , may have dissuaded people from going out to vote in already complicated circumstances .


france24--2020-06-29--‘Environment on the move’: Macron’s party crushed by green wave

IN THE PAPERS - Monday , June 29 : We look at reactions to France ’ s local elections which , despite record abstention , saw major cities turn green , won by the party Europe Écologie Les Verts ( EELV ) .
Left-wing Libération trolls the French president with the headline , `` Ecologie En Marche '' , playing on his party 's name , `` La République En Marche '' – a follow-up to their front page Saturday , which declared `` La République En Marge . ''
We also look at an initiative in Uzbekistan to reassure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus $ 3,000 .
France 's local elections offer two big takeaways and they 're both on the front page of Ouest France today : “ Record abstention and an environmentalist wave.
” Ouest France is one of several papers sounding the alarm over a record abstention of almost 60 percent .
They surmise it ’ s linked to exceptional circumstances – this second round was delayed by three months and people may still have been anxious about the coronavirus .
Nevertheless , it ’ s a blow to democracy and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they added .
Despite the record abstention , it was a big night for the Greens who built on gains made in the 2019 European elections to take control of some of the country ’ s biggest cities , including Marseille , Lyon , Strasbourg , Bordeaux and Poitiers .
Aujourd ’ hui en France say the Greens ' success only reaffirms how environmentalism has evolved into something more than just a fringe movement – it is now being propelled by a “ collective awakening ” .
Right-wing paper Le Figaro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has “ resuscitated ” the left , warning that President Macron will need to double down to seek support from both the centre and the right .
Business paper L ’ Opinion also thinks Macron should be worried .
They ’ ve depicted Macron in a cartoon complaining about the “ planned obsolescence ” of modern technology .
Left-wing papers , meanwhile , are revelling in the ruling party ’ s poor results .
Communist paper l ’ Humanité ’ s headline reads “ Macronism takes a punch from the left ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s party as a “ total failure ” stemming not only from an uptick in support for environmentalism but also from Macron ’ s dwindling popularity .
Libération 's front page reads , “ L ’ Ecologie en Marche ” or `` Environmentalism on the move ” , which is a pun on the ruling party ’ s name “ La République en Marche .
According to the paper , the Greens , allied with the left , have “ taken the torch of political renewal ” once held by Macron ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a boost from the lockdown when people really had time to slow down and examine their consciences .
Turning to lockdowns and the coronavirus pandemic , we end with a story about the somewhat extreme measures taken by Uzbekistan to revive its tourism sector .
By offering $ 3,000 to any tourist who catches the coronavirus , the government hopes to reassure tourists they will be safe while travelling there .
For any wild souls thinking about going to Uzbekistan and deliberately catching the virus just to cash in , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated cost of the country ’ s medical treatment for Covid-19 .

IN THE PAPERS - Monday, June 29: We look at reactions to France’s local elections which, despite record abstention, saw major cities turn green, won by the party Europe Écologie Les Verts (EELV). Left-wing Libération trolls the French president with the headline, "Ecologie En Marche", playing on his party's name, "La République En Marche" – a follow-up to their front page Saturday, which declared "La République En Marge." We also look at an initiative in Uzbekistan to reassure tourists, offering anyone who catches the new coronavirus $3,000.
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France's local elections offer two big takeaways and they're both on the front page of Ouest France today: “Record abstention and an environmentalist wave.” Ouest France is one of several papers sounding the alarm over a record abstention of almost 60 percent. They surmise it’s linked to exceptional circumstances – this second round was delayed by three months and people may still have been anxious about the coronavirus. Nevertheless, it’s a blow to democracy and can’t be entirely blamed on circumstances, they added.
Despite the record abstention, it was a big night for the Greens who built on gains made in the 2019 European elections to take control of some of the country’s biggest cities, including Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Poitiers.
Aujourd’hui en France say the Greens' success only reaffirms how environmentalism has evolved into something more than just a fringe movement – it is now being propelled by a “collective awakening”.
Right-wing paper Le Figaro, describes it is a crashing wave that has “resuscitated” the left, warning that President Macron will need to double down to seek support from both the centre and the right.
Business paper L’Opinion also thinks Macron should be worried. They’ve depicted Macron in a cartoon complaining about the “planned obsolescence” of modern technology.
Left-wing papers, meanwhile, are revelling in the ruling party’s poor results.
Communist paper l’Humanité’s headline reads “Macronism takes a punch from the left”, rating the performance of the president’s party as a “total failure” stemming not only from an uptick in support for environmentalism but also from Macron’s dwindling popularity.
Libération's front page reads, “L’Ecologie en Marche” or "Environmentalism on the move”, which is a pun on the ruling party’s name “La République en Marche. According to the paper, the Greens, allied with the left, have “taken the torch of political renewal” once held by Macron’s centrist movement. They say the environmentalists got a boost from the lockdown when people really had time to slow down and examine their consciences.
Turning to lockdowns and the coronavirus pandemic, we end with a story about the somewhat extreme measures taken by Uzbekistan to revive its tourism sector. By offering $3,000 to any tourist who catches the coronavirus, the government hopes to reassure tourists they will be safe while travelling there. For any wild souls thinking about going to Uzbekistan and deliberately catching the virus just to cash in, it's worth noting that $3,000 is the estimated cost of the country’s medical treatment for Covid-19.
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france24--2020-06-29--Trump denies being told that Russia put a price on heads of US soldiers

President Donald Trump has denied that he was made aware of U.S. intelligence officials ’ conclusions that Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing American troops in Afghanistan .
The Trump administration was set to brief select members of Congress on the matter on Monday .
The intelligence assessments came amid Trump ’ s push to withdraw the U.S. from Afghanistan , and suggested that Russia was making overtures to militants as the U.S. and the Taliban were holding talks to end the long-running war .
The assessment was first reported by The New York Times and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence officials and two others with knowledge of the matter .
There were conflicting reports about whether Trump was aware of Russia ’ s actions .
The intelligence officials told the AP that the president was briefed on the matter earlier this year ; Trump denied that , tweeting on Sunday that neither he nor Vice President Mike Pence had been briefed .
The president tweeted Sunday night that he was just told that intelligence officials didn ’ t report the information to him because they didn ’ t find it credible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the matter insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the highly sensitive matter .
The White House National Security Council would not confirm the assessments , but said the U.S. receives thousands of intelligence reports daily that are subject to strict scrutiny .
Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , who golfed with Trump on Sunday , tweeted a day earlier that it is “ imperative Congress get to the bottom of recent media reports that Russian GRU units in Afghanistan have offered to pay the Taliban to kill American soldiers with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region.
” Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming , the No .
3 Republican in the House , called for the White House to share more information with Congress , saying if true , lawmakers need to know “ Who did know and when ?
” and , referring to Russian leader Vladimir Putin , “ What has been done in response to protect our forces & hold Putin accountable ?
” Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden said reports that Trump was aware of the Russian bounties would be a “ truly shocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his failure to protect U.S. troops in Afghanistan and stand up to Russia .
“ This unsophisticated plant clearly illustrates the low intellectual abilities of the propagandists of American intelligence , who instead of inventing something more plausible have to make up this nonsense , ” the Russian foreign ministry said .
A Taliban spokesman said the militants “ strongly reject this allegation ” and are not “ indebted to the beneficence of any intelligence organ or foreign country.
” John Bolton , a former national security adviser who was forced out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written a tell-all book about his time at the White House , said Sunday that “ it is pretty remarkable the president ’ s going out of his way to say he hasn ’ t heard anything about it .
One asks , why would he do something like that ?
” Bolton told NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press ” that he thinks the answer “ may be precisely because active Russian aggression like that against the American service members is a very , very serious matter and nothing ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s true , for these past four or five months , so it may look like he was negligent .
But , of course , he can disown everything if nobody ever told him about it.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , one of the few congressional leaders briefed on sensitive intelligence matters , told ABC ’ s “ This Week ” that she had not been informed about the reported bounties and requested a report to Congress on the matter .
“ This is as bad as it gets , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians on this score , denies being briefed .
Whether he is or not , his administration knows and our allies — some of our allies who work with us in Afghanistan had been briefed and accept this report , ” she said .
While Russian meddling in Afghanistan is not a new phenomenon for seasoned U.S. intelligence officials and military commandos , officials said Russian operatives became more aggressive in their desire to contract with the Taliban and members of the Haqqani Network , a militant group that is aligned with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012 .
Russian operatives are said to have met with Taliban leaders in Doha , Qatar and inside Afghanistan ; however , it is not known if the meetings were to discuss bounties .
The officials the AP spoke to said the intelligence community has been investigating an April 2019 attack on an American convoy that killed three U.S. Marines after a car rigged with explosives detonated near their armored vehicles as they were traveling back to Bagram Airfield , the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wounded in the attack , along with an Afghan contractor .
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter .
The officials the AP spoke to also said they were looking closely at insider attacks — sometimes called “ green-on-blue ” incidents — from 2019 to determine if they are also linked to Russian bounties .
In early 2020 , members of the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group , known to the public as SEAL Team Six , raided a Taliban outpost and recovered roughly $ 500,000 .
The recovered funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence community that the Russians had offered money to Taliban militants and other linked associations .
One official said the administration discussed several potential responses , but the White House has yet to authorize any step .
Trump responded to Biden on Twitter , saying “ Russia ate his and Obama ’ s lunch during their time in office ” But it was the Obama administration , along with international allies , that suspended Russia from the Group of Eight after its unilateral annexation of Crimea from Ukraine — a move that drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ his embarrassing campaign of deference and debasing himself ” before Putin .
Trump tweeted that “ nobody ’ s been tougher ” on Russia than his administration .

President Donald Trump has denied that he was made aware of US intelligence officials’ conclusions that Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing American troops in Afghanistan. The Trump administration was set to brief select members of Congress on the matter on Monday.
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The intelligence assessments came amid Trump’s push to withdraw the US from Afghanistan, and suggested that Russia was making overtures to militants as the US and the Taliban were holding talks to end the long-running war.
The assessment was first reported by The New York Times and then confirmed to The Associated Press by American intelligence officials and two others with knowledge of the matter.
There were conflicting reports about whether Trump was aware of Russia’s actions. The intelligence officials told the AP that the president was briefed on the matter earlier this year; Trump denied that, tweeting on Sunday that neither he nor Vice President Mike Pence had been briefed.
The president tweeted Sunday night that he was just told that intelligence officials didn’t report the information to him because they didn’t find it credible.
The intelligence officials and others with knowledge of the matter insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the highly sensitive matter.
The White House National Security Council would not confirm the assessments, but said the US receives thousands of intelligence reports daily that are subject to strict scrutiny.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who golfed with Trump on Sunday, tweeted a day earlier that it is “imperative Congress get to the bottom of recent media reports that Russian GRU units in Afghanistan have offered to pay the Taliban to kill American soldiers with the goal of pushing America out of the region.”
Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me or @VP. Possibly another fabricated Russia Hoax, maybe by the Fake News @nytimesbooks, wanting to make Republicans look bad!!! https://t.co/cowOmP7T1S — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2020
Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican in the House, called for the White House to share more information with Congress, saying if true, lawmakers need to know “Who did know and when?” and, referring to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, “What has been done in response to protect our forces & hold Putin accountable?”
Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden said reports that Trump was aware of the Russian bounties would be a “truly shocking revelation” about the commander in chief and his failure to protect US troops in Afghanistan and stand up to Russia.
Russia calls report ‘nonsense’
“This unsophisticated plant clearly illustrates the low intellectual abilities of the propagandists of American intelligence, who instead of inventing something more plausible have to make up this nonsense,” the Russian foreign ministry said.
A Taliban spokesman said the militants “strongly reject this allegation” and are not “indebted to the beneficence of any intelligence organ or foreign country.”
John Bolton, a former national security adviser who was forced out by Trump last September and has now written a tell-all book about his time at the White House, said Sunday that “it is pretty remarkable the president’s going out of his way to say he hasn’t heard anything about it. One asks, why would he do something like that?”
Bolton told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he thinks the answer “may be precisely because active Russian aggression like that against the American service members is a very, very serious matter and nothing’s been done about it, if it’s true, for these past four or five months, so it may look like he was negligent. But, of course, he can disown everything if nobody ever told him about it.”
The shocking reports about Russia’s bounty on American troops is as bad as it gets – and still, President Trump refuses to confront Putin. #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/oeT0RgruOL — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 28, 2020
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the few congressional leaders briefed on sensitive intelligence matters, told ABC’s “This Week” that she had not been informed about the reported bounties.
“This is as bad as it gets, and yet the president will not confront the Russians on this score, denies being briefed. Whether he is or not, his administration knows and our allies – some of our allies who work with us in Afghanistan had been briefed and accept this report,” she said.
Pelosi wrote to top US intelligence officials on Monday and requested a briefing for lawmakers on the press reports.
"Congress and the country need answers now. I therefore request an interagency brief for all House Members immediately," Pelosi wrote in a letter to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and CIA Director Gina Haspel.
While Russian meddling in Afghanistan is not a new phenomenon for seasoned US intelligence officials and military commandos, officials said Russian operatives became more aggressive in their desire to contract with the Taliban and members of the Haqqani Network, a militant group that is aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan and that was designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012.
Russian operatives are said to have met with Taliban leaders in Doha, Qatar and inside Afghanistan; however, it is not known if the meetings were to discuss bounties.
Insider attacks investigated
The officials the AP spoke to said the intelligence community has been investigating an April 2019 attack on an American convoy that killed three US Marines after a car rigged with explosives detonated near their armored vehicles as they were traveling back to Bagram Airfield, the largest US military installation in Afghanistan. Three other US service members were wounded in the attack, along with an Afghan contractor. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter.
The officials the AP spoke to also said they were looking closely at insider attacks – sometimes called “green-on-blue” incidents – from 2019 to determine if they are also linked to Russian bounties.
In early 2020, members of the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known to the public as SEAL Team Six, raided a Taliban outpost and recovered roughly $500,000. The recovered funds further solidified the suspicions of the American intelligence community that the Russians had offered money to Taliban militants and other linked associations.
One official said the administration discussed several potential responses, but the White House has yet to authorize any step.
Trump responded to Biden on Twitter, saying “Russia ate his and Obama’s lunch during their time in office”.
But it was the Obama administration, along with international allies, that suspended Russia from the Group of Eight after its unilateral annexation of Crimea from Ukraine – a move that drew widespread condemnation.
Biden criticised Trump for “his embarrassing campaign of deference and debasing himself” before Putin. Trump tweeted that “nobody’s been tougher” on Russia than his administration.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-06-29--Gunmen killed after attack on Pakistan stock exchange in Karachi

Four gunmen attacked the Pakistani Stock Exchange building in the city of Karachi on Monday but security forces killed them all , police said .
Two other people were also killed , the military said , adding that security forces were conducting a sweep for any remaining attackers .
The gunmen attacked the building , which is in a high security zone that also houses the head offices of many private banks , with grenades and guns , said Ghulam Nabi Memon , chief of police in Pakistan ’ s biggest city and its financial hub .
“ Four attackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a silver Corolla car , ” Memon told Reuters .
There was no immediate claim of responsibility .
The gunmen initially threw a grenade at security men posted outside the stock exchange compound then opened fire on a security post .
The four were killed when security forces posted there responded .
Pakistan has long been plagued by Islamist militant violence but attacks have become less frequent in recent years after military operations against various factions in strongholds along the Afghan border .
The Pakistan Stock Exchange did not suspend trading during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Furrukh Khan , said .
A Counter-Terrorism Department official told Reuters the attackers were carrying significant quantities of ammunition and grenades in backpacks .
Apart from Islamist militants , Pakistan has also had to contend with separatist insurgents in Balochistan and Sindh provinces .
Separatists were responsible for an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi in 2018 .
This month , three explosions on the same day claimed by a little-known separatist group killed four people including two soldiers in the southern province of Sindh , of which Karachi is capital .

Four gunmen attacked the Pakistani Stock Exchange building in the city of Karachi on Monday but security forces killed them all, police said.
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Two other people were also killed, the military said, adding that security forces were conducting a sweep for any remaining attackers.
The gunmen attacked the building, which is in a high security zone that also houses the head offices of many private banks, with grenades and guns, said Ghulam Nabi Memon, chief of police in Pakistan’s biggest city and its financial hub.
“Four attackers have been killed, they had come in a silver Corolla car,” Memon told Reuters.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The gunmen initially threw a grenade at security men posted outside the stock exchange compound then opened fire on a security post. The four were killed when security forces posted there responded.
Pakistan has long been plagued by Islamist militant violence but attacks have become less frequent in recent years after military operations against various factions in strongholds along the Afghan border.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange did not suspend trading during the attack, its managing director, Furrukh Khan, said.
A Counter-Terrorism Department official told Reuters the attackers were carrying significant quantities of ammunition and grenades in backpacks.
Apart from Islamist militants, Pakistan has also had to contend with separatist insurgents in Balochistan and Sindh provinces.
Separatists were responsible for an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi in 2018.
This month, three explosions on the same day claimed by a little-known separatist group killed four people including two soldiers in the southern province of Sindh, of which Karachi is capital.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-28--Global Covid-19 death toll reaches half a million

Activists of the NGO Rio de Paz dig symbolic graves on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , on June 11 , 2020 , during a demonstration .
The death toll from Covid-19 reached half a million people on Sunday , according to a Reuters tally , a grim milestone for the global pandemic that seems to be resurgent in some countries even as other regions are still grappling with the first wave .
The respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus has been particularly dangerous for the elderly , although other adults and children are also among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million reported cases .
While the overall rate of death has flattened in recent weeks , health experts have expressed concerns about record numbers of new cases in countries like the United States , India and Brazil , as well as new outbreaks in parts of Asia .
More than 4,700 people are dying every 24 hours from Covid-19-linked illness , according to Reuters calculations based on an average from June 1 to 27 .
That equates to 196 people per hour , or one person every 18 seconds .
About one-quarter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States , the Reuters data shows .
The recent surge in cases have been most pronounced in a handful of Southern and Western states that reopened earlier and more aggressively .
The number of cases in Latin America on Sunday surpassed those diagnosed in Europe , making the region the second most affected by the pandemic , after North America .
The first recorded death from the new virus was on January 9 , a 61-year-old man from the Chinese city of Wuhan who was a regular shopper at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of the outbreak .
In just five months , the Covid-19 death toll has overtaken the number of people who die annually from malaria , one of the most deadly infectious diseases .
The death rate averages out to 78,000 per month , compared with 64,000 AIDS-related deaths and 36,000 malaria deaths , according to 2018 figures from the World Health Organization .
The high number of deaths has led to changes to traditional and religious burial rites around the world , with morgues and funeral businesses overwhelmed and loved ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Israel , the custom of washing the bodies of Muslim deceased is not permitted , and instead of being shrouded in cloth , they must be wrapped in a plastic body bag .
The Jewish tradition of Shiva where people go to the home of mourning relatives for seven days has also been disrupted .
In Italy , Catholics have been buried without funerals or a blessing from a priest .
In New York , city crematories were at one point working overtime , burning bodies into the night as officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq , former militiamen have dropped their guns to instead dig graves for coronavirus victims at a specially created cemetery .
They have learned how to conduct Christian , as well as Muslim , burials .
Public health experts are looking at how demographics affect the death rates in different regions .
Some European countries with older populations have reported higher fatality rates , for instance .
An April report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control looked at more than 300,000 cases in 20 countries and found that about 46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of 80 .
In Indonesia , hundreds of children are believed to have died , a development health officials have attributed to malnutrition , anemia and inadequate child health facilities .
Health experts caution that the official data likely does not tell the full story , with many believing that both cases and deaths have likely been underreported in some countries .

The death toll from Covid-19 reached half a million people on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim milestone for the global pandemic that seems to be resurgent in some countries even as other regions are still grappling with the first wave.
Activists of the NGO Rio de Paz dig symbolic graves on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 11, 2020, during a demonstration.
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The respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus has been particularly dangerous for the elderly, although other adults and children are also among the 500,000 fatalities and more than 10 million reported cases.
While the overall rate of death has flattened in recent weeks, health experts have expressed concerns about record numbers of new cases in countries like the United States, India and Brazil, as well as new outbreaks in parts of Asia.
More than 4,700 people are dying every 24 hours from Covid-19-linked illness, according to Reuters calculations based on an average from June 1 to 27.
That equates to 196 people per hour, or one person every 18 seconds.
About one-quarter of all the deaths so far have been in the United States, the Reuters data shows. The recent surge in cases have been most pronounced in a handful of Southern and Western states that reopened earlier and more aggressively.
The number of cases in Latin America on Sunday surpassed those diagnosed in Europe, making the region the second most affected by the pandemic, after North America.
The first recorded death from the new virus was on January 9, a 61-year-old man from the Chinese city of Wuhan who was a regular shopper at a wet market that has been identified as the source of the outbreak.
In just five months, the Covid-19 death toll has overtaken the number of people who die annually from malaria, one of the most deadly infectious diseases.
The death rate averages out to 78,000 per month, compared with 64,000 AIDS-related deaths and 36,000 malaria deaths, according to 2018 figures from the World Health Organization.
Changing burial rites
The high number of deaths has led to changes to traditional and religious burial rites around the world, with morgues and funeral businesses overwhelmed and loved ones often barred from bidding farewell in person.
In Israel, the custom of washing the bodies of Muslim deceased is not permitted, and instead of being shrouded in cloth, they must be wrapped in a plastic body bag. The Jewish tradition of Shiva where people go to the home of mourning relatives for seven days has also been disrupted.
In Italy, Catholics have been buried without funerals or a blessing from a priest. In New York, city crematories were at one point working overtime, burning bodies into the night as officials scouted for temporary interment sites.
In Iraq, former militiamen have dropped their guns to instead dig graves for coronavirus victims at a specially created cemetery. They have learned how to conduct Christian, as well as Muslim, burials.
Elderly at risk
Public health experts are looking at how demographics affect the death rates in different regions. Some European countries with older populations have reported higher fatality rates, for instance.
An April report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control looked at more than 300,000 cases in 20 countries and found that about 46 percent of all fatalities were over the age of 80.
In Indonesia, hundreds of children are believed to have died, a development health officials have attributed to malnutrition, anemia and inadequate child health facilities.
Health experts caution that the official data likely does not tell the full story, with many believing that both cases and deaths have likely been underreported in some countries.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-29--France's Assa Traore honoured for her anti-racism activism at BET Awards

Assa Traore , shown in April 2019 , has been granted the 2020 BET Global Good award .
International activist Assa Traore , whose brother Adama was killed in French police custody four years ago , was given the BET Global Good award on Sunday .
Traore thanked BET , an American television channel dedicated to African-American and minority people , for the award , calling it `` an acknowledgment of our fight . ''
`` It 's an acknowledgment for all the victims , for all the families who keep fighting for truth and justice , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual awards ceremony .
The award is `` BET International 's recognition of public figures who use their platform for social responsibility and goodness while demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of the global Black community , '' according to the channel 's website .
Before her brother 's death , Traore , who has been dubbed the French Angela Davis after the US political activist , had never been someone who campaigned for a cause .
But the 35-year-old mother of three was thrust into the heart of the global fight against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis police custody last month of George Floyd .
For four years , she campaigned , organized demonstrations , spoke out publicly and gave numerous interviews after alleging her brother was killed by the police .
An investigation is still ongoing .
For a long time , the `` Adama fight '' remained a local battle unnoticed outside France .
But the death of George Floyd has catapulted it into the global consciousness .
Thousands of people demonstrated in Paris in early June and hundreds of others took to the streets across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name of my brother , I will change everything I can change , '' Traore told AFP on Saturday .

International activist Assa Traore, whose brother Adama was killed in French police custody four years ago, was given the BET Global Good award on Sunday.
Assa Traore, shown in April 2019, has been granted the 2020 BET Global Good award.
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Traore thanked BET, an American television channel dedicated to African-American and minority people, for the award, calling it "an acknowledgment of our fight."
"It's an acknowledgment for all the victims, for all the families who keep fighting for truth and justice," she said in a video message played during the virtual awards ceremony.
The award is "BET International's recognition of public figures who use their platform for social responsibility and goodness while demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of the global Black community," according to the channel's website.
Before her brother's death, Traore, who has been dubbed the French Angela Davis after the US political activist, had never been someone who campaigned for a cause.
But the 35-year-old mother of three was thrust into the heart of the global fight against police violence and racism by the death in Minneapolis police custody last month of George Floyd.
For four years, she campaigned, organized demonstrations, spoke out publicly and gave numerous interviews after alleging her brother was killed by the police. An investigation is still ongoing.
For a long time, the "Adama fight" remained a local battle unnoticed outside France. But the death of George Floyd has catapulted it into the global consciousness.
Thousands of people demonstrated in Paris in early June and hundreds of others took to the streets across France against racism.
"In the name of my brother, I will change everything I can change," Traore told AFP on Saturday.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-28--Polish President Duda faces tough run-off vote July 12, according to exit polls

Polish President and presidential candidate of the Law and Justice ( PiS ) party Andrzej Duda gestures as he speaks after the announcement of the first exit poll results on the first round of presidential elections in Warsaw , Poland , on June 28 , 2020 .
Poland 's nationalist incumbent Andrzej Duda won the first round of a presidential election on Sunday but will have to face the centrist mayor of Warsaw in a run-off on July 12 , in a race that could transform the nation 's ties with the European Union .
Poland 's nationalist incumbent Andrzej @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election on Sunday but will have to face the centrist mayor of Warsaw in a run-off on July 12 , in a race that could transform the nation 's ties with the European Union .
The re-election of government ally Duda is crucial if the ruling nationalist Law and Justice ( PiS ) party is to implement further its socially conservative agenda , including judiciary reforms the EU says contravene democratic standards .
An exit poll showed Duda winning 41.8 % of ballots on Sunday , against 30.4 % for Rafal Trzaskowski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results could differ slightly but any changes are not expected to affect who will compete in the second round .
Two opinion polls conducted late on Sunday for private broadcaster TVN and the state-run TVP showed Duda having a lead of less than 2 percentage points over Trzaskowski in two weeks .
PiS has cast Duda as the guardian of its generous welfare programmes , which have helped it win national elections in 2015 and 2019 , and of its pledge to protect traditional family values in predominantly Catholic Poland .
A devout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a promise to ban classes about gay rights in schools , saying LGBT `` ideology '' was worse than communist doctrine .
`` The campaign goes on because Poland needs it , '' Duda told jubilant supporters in the central town of Lowicz .
`` Some people have a complex and think we are not Europeans .
We are , and have been ... since we converted to Christianity . ''
But his long-held lead crumbled in the weeks ahead of the election , after a late entry by Trzaskowski who appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poland 's isolation within the EU or angry over Duda 's allegiance to PiS .
The Civic Platform , a party once led by former EU Council president Donald Tusk , replaced its flagging candidate with Trzaskowski after the election was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic by seven weeks .
A former EU emissary for his party , Trzaskowski has promised to work towards repairing relations with Poland 's European allies , and to oppose any government efforts to tighten already restrictive abortion rules .
The election is being closed watched in Brussels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only EU state to refuse to commit to the bloc 's 2050 climate goal in December 2019 , which critics said could undermine its ambition to take on the leading role in the global fight with climate change .
If he wins the election in July , Trzaskowski will have limited scope to direct policy , but will be able to veto legislation proposed by the government .
This could give him a chance to block efforts by the government of prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki to deepen court reforms , which the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuse appointments of new judges .
`` We will soon decide whether we will have a strong president who will hold the government to account or a president who does n't respect his own signature , '' Trzaskowski said during an election-night rally in Warsaw .
Observers say a win by Trzaskowski could undermine the fragile majority PiS has in parliament , and force Morawiecki to govern as a minority cabinet , or even face an early national election .
`` The second round is expected to be closer than it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agnieszka Kwiatkowska , a sociologist at the SWPS university .
`` Duda will have the support of the entire government , with its ability to make election promises and offer financial incentives to voters ...
The question is will he be able to use it . ''

Poland's nationalist incumbent Andrzej Duda won the first round of a presidential election on Sunday but will have to face the centrist mayor of Warsaw in a run-off on July 12, in a race that could transform the nation's ties with the European Union.
Polish President and presidential candidate of the Law and Justice (PiS) party Andrzej Duda gestures as he speaks after the announcement of the first exit poll results on the first round of presidential elections in Warsaw, Poland, on June 28, 2020.
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Poland's nationalist incumbent Andrzej Duda won the first round of a presidential election on Sunday but will have to face the centrist mayor of Warsaw in a run-off on July 12, in a race that could transform the nation's ties with the European Union.
The re-election of government ally Duda is crucial if the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party is to implement further its socially conservative agenda, including judiciary reforms the EU says contravene democratic standards.
An exit poll showed Duda winning 41.8% of ballots on Sunday, against 30.4% for Rafal Trzaskowski from the Civic Platform party. Final results could differ slightly but any changes are not expected to affect who will compete in the second round.
Two opinion polls conducted late on Sunday for private broadcaster TVN and the state-run TVP showed Duda having a lead of less than 2 percentage points over Trzaskowski in two weeks.
PiS has cast Duda as the guardian of its generous welfare programmes, which have helped it win national elections in 2015 and 2019, and of its pledge to protect traditional family values in predominantly Catholic Poland.
A devout believer himself, Duda had campaigned on a promise to ban classes about gay rights in schools, saying LGBT "ideology" was worse than communist doctrine.
"The campaign goes on because Poland needs it," Duda told jubilant supporters in the central town of Lowicz. "Some people have a complex and think we are not Europeans. We are, and have been... since we converted to Christianity."
But his long-held lead crumbled in the weeks ahead of the election, after a late entry by Trzaskowski who appears to have galvanised many voters keen to end Poland's isolation within the EU or angry over Duda's allegiance to PiS.
Fragile majority
The Civic Platform, a party once led by former EU Council president Donald Tusk, replaced its flagging candidate with Trzaskowski after the election was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic by seven weeks.
A former EU emissary for his party, Trzaskowski has promised to work towards repairing relations with Poland's European allies, and to oppose any government efforts to tighten already restrictive abortion rules.
The election is being closed watched in Brussels.
Under PiS, Poland became the only EU state to refuse to commit to the bloc's 2050 climate goal in December 2019, which critics said could undermine its ambition to take on the leading role in the global fight with climate change.
If he wins the election in July, Trzaskowski will have limited scope to direct policy, but will be able to veto legislation proposed by the government.
This could give him a chance to block efforts by the government of prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki to deepen court reforms, which the EU has said politicise the judiciary, or refuse appointments of new judges.
"We will soon decide whether we will have a strong president who will hold the government to account or a president who doesn't respect his own signature," Trzaskowski said during an election-night rally in Warsaw.
Observers say a win by Trzaskowski could undermine the fragile majority PiS has in parliament, and force Morawiecki to govern as a minority cabinet, or even face an early national election.
"The second round is expected to be closer than it has been in a long time," said Agnieszka Kwiatkowska, a sociologist at the SWPS university.
"Duda will have the support of the entire government, with its ability to make election promises and offer financial incentives to voters ... The question is will he be able to use it."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-14--Buzzfeed closes news operations in Britain, Australia

Groundbreaking website Buzzfeed said on Thursday that it would be shuttering part of its loss-making news operations in Britain and Australia , as it scales back global ambitions to cut costs .
`` For economic and strategic reasons , we are going to focus on news that hits big in the United States during this difficult period , '' a company spokesperson said .
Many news outlets have been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic , with plummeting advertising revenues and already struggling operations pushed deeper into the red .
Ten staff in Britain and four in Australia will be furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become permanent .
The company will no longer cover local news in the two countries , but said : `` In the UK , we still plan on retaining some employees who are focused on news with a global audience -- social news , celebrity , and investigations . ''
The four Australian posts were `` no longer essential during this time of sharply limited resources , '' the company added .
Once maligned as a funnel for little more than celebrity gossip , clickbait lists and cat pictures , Buzzfeed has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more established outlets .
`` BuzzFeed gave us space to experiment with covering politics for a young audience , '' Australian news editor Lane Sainty tweeted .
She lauded her staff 's work to `` tackle important and often under-covered beats like abortion , LGBTQ rights , Indigenous affairs , immigration and internet culture . ''
`` I 've always been grateful for that & very proud of our work . ''
More cost-cutting measures are expected , including in the United States , where `` workshare programs '' are being touted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those options need to meet our savings goals , be legally and logistically workable , and allow us to keep producing kinetic , powerful journalism , '' Buzzfeed said .
This year `` news will spend about $ 10 million more than it takes in , '' it added .

Sydney (AFP) –
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Groundbreaking website Buzzfeed said on Thursday that it would be shuttering part of its loss-making news operations in Britain and Australia, as it scales back global ambitions to cut costs.
"For economic and strategic reasons, we are going to focus on news that hits big in the United States during this difficult period," a company spokesperson said.
Many news outlets have been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with plummeting advertising revenues and already struggling operations pushed deeper into the red.
Ten staff in Britain and four in Australia will be furloughed, in a move that is expected to become permanent.
The company will no longer cover local news in the two countries, but said: "In the UK, we still plan on retaining some employees who are focused on news with a global audience -- social news, celebrity, and investigations."
The four Australian posts were "no longer essential during this time of sharply limited resources," the company added.
Once maligned as a funnel for little more than celebrity gossip, clickbait lists and cat pictures, Buzzfeed has developed into a news force to rival more established outlets.
"BuzzFeed gave us space to experiment with covering politics for a young audience," Australian news editor Lane Sainty tweeted.
She lauded her staff's work to "tackle important and often under-covered beats like abortion, LGBTQ rights, Indigenous affairs, immigration and internet culture."
"I've always been grateful for that & very proud of our work."
More cost-cutting measures are expected, including in the United States, where "workshare programs" are being touted as a way of avoiding furloughs.
"Those options need to meet our savings goals, be legally and logistically workable, and allow us to keep producing kinetic, powerful journalism," Buzzfeed said.
This year "news will spend about $10 million more than it takes in," it added.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-07-01--France suspends role in NATO naval mission over Turkish warship incident

A French warship pictured in the port of Nice on October 12 , 2018 .
France has informed NATO that it is suspending its involvement in a naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships , an official at the Armed Forces ministry said on Wednesday .
The official said in a letter to NATO 's Secretary-General that France had made four demands to clarify the role of the Sea Guardian operation , including its cooperation with an EU mission that is enforcing a UN arms embargo to Libya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey have soured in recent weeks over Libya , Northern Syria and drilling in the eastern Mediterranean .
France has been especially angry after accusing Turkish warships of being aggressive towards its Courbet warship after it attempted to inspect a vessel in June that it suspected was violating a United Nations arms embargo on Libya .
The Courbet was operating in the NATO Sea Guardian operation .
NATO opened an investigation after France protested during an alliance defence ministers meeting in June .
French newspaper L'Opinion reported on Wednesday that France had sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its decision to suspend its role in operation Sea Guardian until it had clarifications .
The French Armed Forces Ministry , Foreign Ministry and Allied Maritime Command , which heads up Sea Guardian , did not immediately respond for comment .
France has said that on June 10 Turkish warships flashed their radar lights three times at the Courbet and that Turkish sailors had also put on bullet-proof vests and stood behind their light weapons during the incident .
Turkey has denied the French account , saying it was the French warship @ @ @ @ @

France has informed NATO that it is suspending its involvement in a naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships, an official at the Armed Forces ministry said on Wednesday.
A French warship pictured in the port of Nice on October 12, 2018.
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The official said in a letter to NATO's Secretary-General that France had made four demands to clarify the role of the Sea Guardian operation, including its cooperation with an EU mission that is enforcing a UN arms embargo to Libya.
Ties between NATO allies France and Turkey have soured in recent weeks over Libya, Northern Syria and drilling in the eastern Mediterranean.
>> France's Macron accuses Turkey of playing 'a dangerous game' in Libya
France has been especially angry after accusing Turkish warships of being aggressive towards its Courbet warship after it attempted to inspect a vessel in June that it suspected was violating a United Nations arms embargo on Libya. The Courbet was operating in the NATO Sea Guardian operation.
NATO opened an investigation after France protested during an alliance defence ministers meeting in June.
03:56
French newspaper L'Opinion reported on Wednesday that France had sent a letter to NATO informing the alliance of its decision to suspend its role in operation Sea Guardian until it had clarifications.
The French Armed Forces Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Allied Maritime Command, which heads up Sea Guardian, did not immediately respond for comment.
France has said that on June 10 Turkish warships flashed their radar lights three times at the Courbet and that Turkish sailors had also put on bullet-proof vests and stood behind their light weapons during the incident.
Turkey has dismissed the French claims as "groundless".
France calls for respect of Libya embargo
Wednesday's decision follows an escalation in tensions with Turkey over the Libya conflict that has seen both sides exchange accusations with increasing bitterness in recent days.
Ankara supports the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in the Libya conflict against rebel strongman Khalifa Haftar.
France is suspected by analysts of backing Haftar alongside Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, but insists it is neutral in the conflict.
Paris accuses Ankara of shipping arms to Libya in defiance of a UN embargo as well as sending in pro-Turkey Syrian militia fighters fresh from the conflict there.
"It does not seem to us healthy to maintain our assets in an operation supposed, among its various tasks, to control an embargo alongside allies who do not respect it," a French defence official, who asked not to be named, told reporters on Wednesday, in apparent reference to Turkey.
Paris demands in particular "that allies solemnly reaffirm their attachment and their commitment to the respect of the embargo" on weapons to Libya, the official added.
France's foreign minister said European Union foreign ministers would meet on July 13 to discuss Turkey, adding that new sanctions on Ankara could be considered.
"At our request there will be a meeting of EU foreign ministers on July 13 solely on the Turkish question," Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.
"Sanctions have already been taken on Turkey by the EU over Turkey's drilling in the Cyprus economic zone. Other sanctions may be envisaged," he added.
In a sign of the tensions, Turkish reports said earlier this month Turkey had arrested four of its own nationals on suspicion of spying for France on conservative and religious groups.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-07-01--'Dozens killed' as violence spreads in wake of Ethiopian singer’s death

A candlelight vigil for the late musician and activist Haacaaluu Hundeessaa at the Oromo Community of Minnesota building in St Paul , Minnesota , on June 30 , 2020 .
At least 50 people were killed in Ethiopia 's Oromiya region in protests following the fatal shooting of protest singer Haacaaluu Hundeessaa , a regional spokesman said on Wednesday , laying bare splits in the prime minister 's political heartland ahead of next year 's polls .
Haacaaluu , a hugely popular figure among ethnic Oromos , was shot dead on Monday night in what police said was a targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing of a popular figure and a sense of political marginalisation broke out the next morning in the Ethiopian capital and other towns and cities in the surrounding Oromiya region .
The dead included protesters and members of the security forces , spokesman Getachew Balcha said .
Some businesses had also been set on fire .
`` We were not prepared for this , '' he said .
Police said late on Tuesday that a policeman was also killed in Addis Ababa , and three explosions there had killed and injured an unspecified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Bekele Gerba and media mogul Jawar Mohammed were also arrested when Jawar 's bodyguards refused to disarm during a stand-off with police .
Haacaaluu , whose funeral will be held on Thursday , provided a soundtrack to a generation of young protesters .
Their three years of bloody street demonstrations forced the unprecedented resignation of the previous prime minister and the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018 .
Abiy , Haacaaluu and Jawar are all Oromo , Ethiopia 's largest ethnic group , which has long complained of being excluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political and economic freedoms in what had long been one of the continent 's most repressive states , and won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending conflict with neighbouring Eritrea .
But ethnic and political clashes spiked as long-repressed grievances boiled over .
Local power brokers competed for access to land and resources in a country with more than 80 ethnic groups .
Abiy 's attempts to quash the violence and his emphasis on pan-Ethiopian politics sparked a backlash from some erstwhile supporters , and his ability to impose order may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elections were scheduled for August but were postponed until next year due to Covid-19 .
Jawar was a prominent supporter of Abiy 's appointment , but became more openly critical last year .
Jawar 's popular Oromo Media Network gives him the ability to mobilise support quickly across Oromiya and his power base could pose a significant challenge to Abiy 's party in next year 's elections .
Ethiopia 's federal structure means power was traditionally derived by claiming the support of large ethnic voting blocs .
Under the previous administration , voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition activists were often jailed , tortured or driven into exile .

Ethiopia deployed its military in the capital Addis Ababa on Wednesday to quell a second day of unrest following the killing of a popular protest singer that has left more than 80 dead.
A candlelight vigil for the late musician and activist Haacaaluu Hundeessaa at the Oromo Community of Minnesota building in St Paul, Minnesota, on June 30, 2020.
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At least 80 people were killed in Ethiopia's Oromiya region in protests following the fatal shooting of protest singer Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, a regional police chief said on Wednesday, laying bare splits in the prime minister's political heartland ahead of next year's polls.
Haacaaluu, a hugely popular figure among ethnic Oromos, was shot dead on Monday night in what police said was a targeted killing.
Protests reflecting anger at the killing of a popular figure and a sense of political marginalisation broke out the next morning in the Ethiopian capital and other towns and cities in the surrounding Oromiya region.
"So far 81 people have been killed, including three Oromiya special police force members," said Ararsa Merdasa, the region's police chief.
Police said late on Tuesday that a policeman was also killed in Addis Ababa, and three explosions there had killed and injured an unspecified number of people.
01:53
Prominent Oromo opposition leader Bekele Gerba and media mogul Jawar Mohammed were also arrested when Jawar's bodyguards refused to disarm during a stand-off with police.
Witnesses said the military was deployed in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday as police struggled to contain armed gangs roaming neighbourhoods.
Soundtrack to a generation
Haacaaluu, whose funeral will be held on Thursday, provided a soundtrack to a generation of young protesters. Their three years of bloody street demonstrations forced the unprecedented resignation of the previous prime minister and the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018.
A still from the video of Haacaaluu Hundeessaa's 2015 hit Maalan Jira. © Haacaaluu Hundeessaa videos
Abiy, Haacaaluu and Jawar are all Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, which has long complained of being excluded from power.
Abiy ushered in greater political and economic freedoms in what had long been one of the continent's most repressive states, and won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.
But ethnic and political clashes spiked as long-repressed grievances boiled over. Local power brokers competed for access to land and resources in a country with more than 80 ethnic groups.
Challenge to pan-Ethiopian politics
Abiy's attempts to quash the violence and his emphasis on pan-Ethiopian politics sparked a backlash from some erstwhile supporters, and his ability to impose order may be severely tested when polls are held.
Elections were scheduled for August but were postponed until next year due to Covid-19.
Jawar was a prominent supporter of Abiy's appointment, but became more openly critical last year. Jawar's popular Oromo Media Network gives him the ability to mobilise support quickly across Oromiya and his power base could pose a significant challenge to Abiy's party in next year's elections.
Ethiopia's federal structure means power was traditionally derived by claiming the support of large ethnic voting blocs. Under the previous administration, voting was rarely free or fair, and opposition activists were often jailed, tortured or driven into exile.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-29--Netanyahu’s annexation plan threatens Palestinian, Israeli economies already struggling after Covid-

Netanyahu’s annexation plan threatens Palestinian, Israeli economies already struggling after Covid-19

A labourer puts up banners depicting US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , bearing the words in Hebrew , `` No to a Palestinian State '' and `` Sovereignty Do it right ! ''
as part of a new anti-annexation campaign by the far-right Yesha Jewish settler council , in Jerusalem , on June 10 , 2020 .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s plan to begin annexing parts of the West Bank as soon as July 1 threatens to have severe repercussions on both the Palestinian and Israeli economies , which are already struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The annexation – part of a peace plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu at the White House in January – could mean imposing Israeli sovereignty on up to 30 percent of West Bank territory , although a final plan has not yet been unveiled .
“ Truthfully , I think no one knows what will happen on July 1 or any day after .
Not even Netanyahu himself , ” said Elias Zananiri , vice chairman of the PLO ( Palestine Liberation Organisation ) Committee for Interaction with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear .
The Palestinians will in no way accept any form of annexation , ” he told FRANCE 24 on Sunday .
The plan ’ s opponents , in Israel and abroad , warn that it will end any chance of bringing a lasting peace to the region .
The plan has also been rejected by members of Israel ’ s far right , who argue that it does not go far enough and that by annexing only 30 percent of the West Bank Netanyahu is setting the stage for the establishment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory , which they oppose .
But the territory that would be left to the Palestinians could make it impossible to establish a viable state , with isolated pockets of land disconnected from one another and Israel controlling the contour of the territory .
“ No matter whether the annexation is marginal or grandiose – whoever in Israel or elsewhere tries to sell the idea of a ‘ marginal annexation ’ , as though it is in line with previous understandings between the Palestinians and Israel on a land swap , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swap should be the outcome of a mutual agreement and not a unilateral move by Israel , ” Zananiri said .
The annexation could lead to an eruption of violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip , end Israel ’ s budding cooperation with the Gulf States and bring on painful sanctions by its European trade partners – all at a time when the Israeli economy is already reeling from the effects of the coronavirus crisis .
Netanyahu has said that the plan would include only areas with Jewish settlements , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governed by the Palestinian Authority ( PA ) .
But it is unclear how this can be achieved , when imposing Israeli sovereignty on even some of the 2.3 million West Bank inhabitants would entail extensive and immediate judicial and administrative changes that would affect both the Israeli and Palestinian economies in the long term .
“ The Palestinian economy is vastly dependent on Israel 's , not only since the Oslo Accord was signed in 1993 but throughout the years of occupation that started in 1967 .
The annexation will only exacerbate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Zananiri said .
In the short term , the move could lead to violent clashes and political ramifications that would also hurt Israel .
Unilateral annexation “ runs the risk of a confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians ” , according to analysts from the Adva Center , a Tel Aviv-based progressive think-tank , writing in a position paper published on June 17 .
“ Such a confrontation may further exacerbate the economic crisis caused by the corona epidemic , just as the second intifada exacerbated the crisis that accompanied the bursting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that the economic recession that followed the second intifada was described by Israel 's central bank as the longest in the country ’ s history .
“ During the second intifada , the number of tourists entering Israel declined to fewer than a million , ” according to the Adva Center analysts .
In the past few months , Israeli tourism – booming before the health crisis , with 4.6 million overseas visitors in 2019 – ground to a halt .
Unemployment also spiked to 18 percent from 3.4 percent before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by the corona epidemic , Israel needs not only to beat the Covid-19 virus but also to remain free of conflict , ” they wrote .
Zananiri said he did not believe the Israeli move would lead to a new intifada but warned that “ the future after annexation will look significantly different ” .
“ I do not think we will see Palestinians resort to armed struggle or attacks on Israel , but we also do not know what will happen if the PA loses control over the crowd .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never at the expense of national independence.
” Writing on the Ynet Israeli news website on Friday , veteran Israeli war correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai agreed .
“ What worries Israel the most is that Abu Mazen ( Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas ) will decide to react to the annexation by fully or partially halting the civilian services provided by the Palestinian Authority ” , something he has threatened to do as part of a pressure campaign on Israel .
“ In such a situation , according to international law , Israel will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Palestinians – their health , safety and welfare.
” “ The financial burden on Israel will be enormous , as will be the effort to set up the mechanisms necessary for governing 2.6 million Palestinians during the coronavirus crisis , ” Ben-Yishai added .
The Hamas movement has said it would consider an annexation a “ declaration of war ” .
“ The resistance ( Hamas ) considers this decision to be a declaration of war upon the Palestinian people .
The resistance will be the loyal and dutiful guard of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence of our people , our land , and our holy sites , ” a spokesman , known by his nom de guerre Abu Obeida , said in a speech on Thursday .
World leaders have also exhorted the Israeli government to abandon the plan .
“ We are at a watershed moment , ” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday .
“ If implemented , annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law , grievously harm the prospect of a two-state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renewal of negotiations .
I call on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans , ” he said .
And 1,080 members of parliament from 25 European countries published an open letter on Wednesday expressing strong opposition to annexation , calling the move “ fatal to the prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace ” and saying it would “ challenge the most basic norms guiding international relations ” .
“ We are profoundly concerned about the impact of annexation on the lives of Israelis and Palestinians , as well as its destabilising potential in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doorstep .
These concerns are no less serious at a time when the world is struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic , ” they wrote .
The letter called on European leaders “ to act decisively in response to this challenge ” .
“ We fully support this : acquisition of territory by force has no place in 2020 and must have commensurate consequences .
Failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law , ” they wrote .
Europe was the single largest market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 43 percent of total exports , according to the Adva Center paper .
If European leaders were to act in concert , they could exert enough economic leverage to undermine the Israeli economy .
Some say Netanyahu regards the annexation of the Jordan Valley and the Jewish settlements in the West Bank as his historic legacy , now made possible thanks to the support of the Trump administration .
“ Earlier annexations of East Jerusalem ( 1967 ) and the Golan Heights ( 1981 ) were seen as historic moves by previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist Sever Plocker in a Ynet op-ed .
“ This latest move , Netanyahu believes , will solidify Israel 's hold on parts of the biblical land of Israel and ensure defensible borders for the state.
” With American elections only months away and Trump doing poorly in the polls , the window of opportunity is small .
The Democratic Party and its presumed presidential candidate , Joe Biden , have strongly criticised the plan and will not support it if they take over the White House in January .
Netanyahu ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the urgency of implementing the plan .
One way to deflect talk of his indictment on charges of bribery , fraud and breach of trust is by annexing Palestinian territories .
And indeed , since the beginning of his trial on May 24 , headlines on the coronavirus and impending annexation have overshadowed news about the hearings .
Netanyahu might also be wagering that opposition criticism and international pressure to stop the annexation will give credence to his claim – made in front of the courthouse on the day his trial began – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a ploy against the entire Israeli right .
“ What is on trial today is an effort to frustrate the will of the people – the attempt to bring me down along with the right-wing flank , ” he declared .
“ I am not willing to adjust my policies to receive better media coverage , I am not prepared to uproot settlements , I am not willing to do all sorts of other things , and therefore I must be removed by any means , ” he said .
Zananiri called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I believe it is the duty of the international community to step in and , for once , shake the stick at Israel and tell the incumbent government that it can not continue to behave and act above international law , ” he said .

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to begin annexing parts of the West Bank as soon as July 1 threatens to have severe repercussions on both the Palestinian and Israeli economies, which are already struggling from the effects of a global pandemic.
A labourer puts up banners depicting US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bearing the words in Hebrew, "No to a Palestinian State" and "Sovereignty Do it right!" as part of a new anti-annexation campaign by the far-right Yesha Jewish settler council, in Jerusalem, on June 10, 2020.
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The annexation – part of a peace plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu at the White House in January – could mean imposing Israeli sovereignty on up to 30 percent of West Bank territory, although a final plan has not yet been unveiled.
“Truthfully, I think no one knows what will happen on July 1 or any day after. Not even Netanyahu himself,” said Elias Zananiri, vice chairman of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) Committee for Interaction with the Israeli Society. “One thing is clear. The Palestinians will in no way accept any form of annexation,” he told FRANCE 24 on Sunday.
The plan’s opponents, in Israel and abroad, warn that it will end any chance of bringing a lasting peace to the region. The plan has also been rejected by members of Israel’s far right, who argue that it does not go far enough and that by annexing only 30 percent of the West Bank Netanyahu is setting the stage for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the rest of the territory, which they oppose.
But the territory that would be left to the Palestinians could make it impossible to establish a viable state, with isolated pockets of land disconnected from one another and Israel controlling the contour of the territory.
“No matter whether the annexation is marginal or grandiose – whoever in Israel or elsewhere tries to sell the idea of a ‘marginal annexation’, as though it is in line with previous understandings between the Palestinians and Israel on a land swap, is misleading everyone. [A] land swap should be the outcome of a mutual agreement and not a unilateral move by Israel,” Zananiri said.
Economic implications
The annexation could lead to an eruption of violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end Israel’s budding cooperation with the Gulf States and bring on painful sanctions by its European trade partners – all at a time when the Israeli economy is already reeling from the effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Netanyahu has said that the plan would include only areas with Jewish settlements, and that the Palestinians would continue to be governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
But it is unclear how this can be achieved, when imposing Israeli sovereignty on even some of the 2.3 million West Bank inhabitants would entail extensive and immediate judicial and administrative changes that would affect both the Israeli and Palestinian economies in the long term.
“The Palestinian economy is vastly dependent on Israel's, not only since the Oslo Accord was signed in 1993 but throughout the years of occupation that started in 1967. The annexation will only exacerbate the conditions for the Palestinian economy,” Zananiri said.
In the short term, the move could lead to violent clashes and political ramifications that would also hurt Israel.
Unilateral annexation “runs the risk of a confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians”, according to analysts from the Adva Center, a Tel Aviv-based progressive think-tank, writing in a position paper published on June 17. “Such a confrontation may further exacerbate the economic crisis caused by the corona epidemic, just as the second intifada exacerbated the crisis that accompanied the bursting of the high-tech bubble in 2000.”
They noted that the economic recession that followed the second intifada was described by Israel's central bank as the longest in the country’s history.
“During the second intifada, the number of tourists entering Israel declined to fewer than a million,” according to the Adva Center analysts.
In the past few months, Israeli tourism – booming before the health crisis, with 4.6 million overseas visitors in 2019 – ground to a halt. Unemployment also spiked to 18 percent from 3.4 percent before the pandemic.
“To regain the losses caused by the corona epidemic, Israel needs not only to beat the Covid-19 virus but also to remain free of conflict,” they wrote.
Zananiri said he did not believe the Israeli move would lead to a new intifada but warned that “the future after annexation will look significantly different”.
“I do not think we will see Palestinians resort to armed struggle or attacks on Israel, but we also do not know what will happen if the PA loses control over the crowd. People are hungry for a normal life but never at the expense of national independence.”
Writing on the Ynet Israeli news website on Friday, veteran Israeli war correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai agreed. “What worries Israel the most is that Abu Mazen (Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas) will decide to react to the annexation by fully or partially halting the civilian services provided by the Palestinian Authority”, something he has threatened to do as part of a pressure campaign on Israel.
“In such a situation, according to international law, Israel will be directly responsible for the day-to-day lives of Palestinians – their health, safety and welfare.”
“The financial burden on Israel will be enormous, as will be the effort to set up the mechanisms necessary for governing 2.6 million Palestinians during the coronavirus crisis,” Ben-Yishai added.
Political repercussions
The Hamas movement has said it would consider an annexation a “declaration of war”.
“The resistance (Hamas) considers this decision to be a declaration of war upon the Palestinian people. The resistance will be the loyal and dutiful guard of the people throughout this war, acting in defence of our people, our land, and our holy sites,” a spokesman, known by his nom de guerre Abu Obeida, said in a speech on Thursday.
World leaders have also exhorted the Israeli government to abandon the plan.
“We are at a watershed moment,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
“If implemented, annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm the prospect of a two-state solution and undercut the possibilities of a renewal of negotiations. I call on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans,” he said.
And 1,080 members of parliament from 25 European countries published an open letter on Wednesday expressing strong opposition to annexation, calling the move “fatal to the prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace” and saying it would “challenge the most basic norms guiding international relations”.
“We are profoundly concerned about the impact of annexation on the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, as well as its destabilising potential in a region on our continent’s doorstep. These concerns are no less serious at a time when the world is struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic,” they wrote.
The letter called on European leaders “to act decisively in response to this challenge”.
“We fully support this: acquisition of territory by force has no place in 2020 and must have commensurate consequences. Failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law,” they wrote.
Europe was the single largest market for Israeli exports in 2019, accounting for 43 percent of total exports, according to the Adva Center paper. If European leaders were to act in concert, they could exert enough economic leverage to undermine the Israeli economy.
Netanyahu’s window of opportunity
Some say Netanyahu regards the annexation of the Jordan Valley and the Jewish settlements in the West Bank as his historic legacy, now made possible thanks to the support of the Trump administration.
“Earlier annexations of East Jerusalem (1967) and the Golan Heights (1981) were seen as historic moves by previous heads of government,” writes Israeli journalist Sever Plocker in a Ynet op-ed. “This latest move, Netanyahu believes, will solidify Israel's hold on parts of the biblical land of Israel and ensure defensible borders for the state.”
With American elections only months away and Trump doing poorly in the polls, the window of opportunity is small. The Democratic Party and its presumed presidential candidate, Joe Biden, have strongly criticised the plan and will not support it if they take over the White House in January.
Netanyahu’s legal troubles might also be adding to the urgency of implementing the plan. One way to deflect talk of his indictment on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust is by annexing Palestinian territories. And indeed, since the beginning of his trial on May 24, headlines on the coronavirus and impending annexation have overshadowed news about the hearings.
Netanyahu might also be wagering that opposition criticism and international pressure to stop the annexation will give credence to his claim – made in front of the courthouse on the day his trial began – that the proceedings were, in fact, a ploy against the entire Israeli right. “What is on trial today is an effort to frustrate the will of the people – the attempt to bring me down along with the right-wing flank,” he declared.
“I am not willing to adjust my policies to receive better media coverage, I am not prepared to uproot settlements, I am not willing to do all sorts of other things, and therefore I must be removed by any means,” he said.
Zananiri called for swift action from the international community. “I believe it is the duty of the international community to step in and, for once, shake the stick at Israel and tell the incumbent government that it cannot continue to behave and act above international law,” he said.
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france24--2020-06-30--Special edition: Israel's contentious annexation plan for the West bank

In this edition , we 're focusing our entire programme on Israel ’ s planned annexation of settlements in the @ @ @ @ @ ‘ annexation ’ is used when a state unilaterally incorporates another territory within its borders @ @ @ @ @ Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called these zones “ an integral part of the historic Jewish @ @ @ @ @ plan is an “ existential threat '' and have threatened to respond with their own @ @ @ @ @ comes after US President Donald Trump last year presented a so-called “ Middle East plan @ @ @ @ @ to annex 30 percent of this territory , which has been under illegal occupation — @ @ @ @ @ since 1967 .
Joining our programme to discuss this contentious issue is Dr Evan Cohen @ @ @ @ @ to Israel ’ s prime minister , and Ashraf al-Ajrami , a former minister for @ @ @ @ @ first here ’ s our report , which looks at the landlocked territory in question @ @ @ @ @

In this edition, we're focusing our entire programme on Israel’s planned annexation of settlements in the West Bank. The term ‘annexation’ is used when a state unilaterally incorporates another territory within its borders. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called these zones “an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland”. Palestinians say the plan is an “existential threat" and have threatened to respond with their own measures.
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This latest move comes after US President Donald Trump last year presented a so-called “Middle East plan”, which allows Israel to annex 30 percent of this territory, which has been under illegal occupation – according to international law – since 1967.
Joining our programme to discuss this contentious issue is Dr Evan Cohen, former international media advisor to Israel’s prime minister, and Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former minister for the Palestinian authority.
But first here’s our report, which looks at the landlocked territory in question: the West Bank.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe