france24--2020-06-18--Facebook removes Trump campaign ads with symbols once used by Nazis

Facebook officials on June 18 , 2020 revealed the platform had taken down Trump campaign ads for violating its hateful symbols policy .
Facebook on Thursday removed ads by President Donald Trump 's re-election campaign that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners .
Facebook , a leading social network , which has drawn fire over its hands-off approach to political speech in recent months , said in a statement the campaign messages violated a policy against `` organised hate '' and were taken down as a result .
`` We do n't allow symbols that represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are put up with context or condemnation , '' Facebook head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said at a House of Representatives committee hearing .
`` That 's what we saw in this case with this ad , and anywhere that that symbol is used we would take the same actions . ''
Facebook 's move against the ads targeted when they contended are dangerous far-left groups comes amid heated debate between social platforms and political leaders on what content may be allowed or banned .
In a tweet from a `` Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upside-down red triangle symbol at issue was `` widely used '' in reference to left-wing activist group Antifa .
Watchdog group Media Matters replied with a tweet saying that is certainly not the case .
Since early this month , the Trump campaign has been running `` fearmongering '' ads about what it says is a far-left group called `` antifa , '' according to Media Matters .
The upside-down red triangle was apparently a new addition to the ad .
`` Despite violating Facebook 's terms of service , the ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , '' said Media Matters president Angelo Carusone .
Facebook has steadfastly rejected calls to fact-check politicians including a plea from Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden to clamp down on what he called rampant disinformation from the White House .
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said the platform will steer away from moderating political speech but would enforce its rules barring content promoting harm .
The revelation came as top officials from Facebook , Google and Twitter were grilled by US lawmakers on Thursday at a virtual hearing on foreign influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 US presidential contest .
Leaders from Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc. told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee that they had not seen evidence of coordinated foreign interference in conversations about absentee voting or about recent protests on anti-racism and policing .
However , Twitter 's director of global public policy strategy and development Nick Pickles said the company had seen a shift from platform manipulation to public tweets from state media and government accounts .
Democratic Representative Jim Himes pressed Facebook 's head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher on what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that its algorithm promotes polarisation and anger .
`` If every single American household is full of toxic , explosive gas , as I think it is today , all it takes is a match from Russia or from Iran or from North Korea or from China to set off a conflagration , '' said Himes .
Gleicher said Facebook 's users did not want to see divisive content and the platform had refocused to emphasise content from friends and family .

Facebook on Thursday removed ads by President Donald Trump's re-election campaign that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners.
Facebook officials on June 18, 2020 revealed the platform had taken down Trump campaign ads for violating its hateful symbols policy.
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Facebook, a leading social network, which has drawn fire over its hands-off approach to political speech in recent months, said in a statement the campaign messages violated a policy against "organised hate" and were taken down as a result.
"We don't allow symbols that represent hateful organisations or hateful ideologies unless they are put up with context or condemnation," Facebook head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said at a House of Representatives committee hearing.
"That's what we saw in this case with this ad, and anywhere that that symbol is used we would take the same actions."
02:32
Facebook's move against the ads targeted when they contended are dangerous far-left groups comes amid heated debate between social platforms and political leaders on what content may be allowed or banned.
In a tweet from a "Trump War Room," the campaign contended the upside-down red triangle symbol at issue was "widely used" in reference to left-wing activist group Antifa.
Watchdog group Media Matters replied with a tweet saying that is certainly not the case.
Facebook let the Trump campaign run 88 ads with inverted red triangle — an infamous Nazi symbol https://t.co/7eG1V9gNS8 pic.twitter.com/4yqTJgymr5 — Media Matters (@mmfa) June 18, 2020
Watchdog group slams Facebook
Since early this month, the Trump campaign has been running "fearmongering" ads about what it says is a far-left group called "antifa," according to Media Matters.
The upside-down red triangle was apparently a new addition to the ad.
"Despite violating Facebook's terms of service, the ads were approved by Facebook in the first place," said Media Matters president Angelo Carusone.
Facebook has steadfastly rejected calls to fact-check politicians including a plea from Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden to clamp down on what he called rampant disinformation from the White House.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said the platform will steer away from moderating political speech but would enforce its rules barring content promoting harm.
US House panel grills Facebook, Twitter, Google officials
The revelation came as top officials from Facebook, Google and Twitter were grilled by US lawmakers on Thursday at a virtual hearing on foreign influence and election security ahead of the November 3 US presidential contest.
Leaders from Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc. told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee that they had not seen evidence of coordinated foreign interference in conversations about absentee voting or about recent protests on anti-racism and policing.
However, Twitter's director of global public policy strategy and development Nick Pickles said the company had seen a shift from platform manipulation to public tweets from state media and government accounts.
Democratic Representative Jim Himes pressed Facebook's head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher on what the company was doing to deal with worries that its algorithm promotes polarisation and anger.
"If every single American household is full of toxic, explosive gas, as I think it is today, all it takes is a match from Russia or from Iran or from North Korea or from China to set off a conflagration," said Himes.
Gleicher said Facebook's users did not want to see divisive content and the platform had refocused to emphasise content from friends and family.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-18--Ukraine’s Covid-19 lockdown leads to baby pile-up and surrogacy backlash

Covid-19 lockdowns have led to heartbreaking delays for many parents eager to claim their infants born through surrogacy .
With travel restrictions to Ukraine now easing , there have been a flurry of emotional homecomings .
But dozens of babies remain uncollected , and the situation has shone a harsh light on the country 's booming surrogacy industry .
`` We waited three days to meet our baby .
It felt so long , I can ’ t imagine having to wait three months . ''
After finally getting permission to board a repatriation flight meant for Ukrainian nationals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bhanwar met their baby for the first time in a Kyiv nursery on June 9 .
The British couple is one of more than 120 from around the world who have found themselves caught out by one of the stranger consequences of the global Covid-19 pandemic : Scores of surrogate babies await uncollected , their genetic parents prevented from entering Ukraine to pick them up .
The baby of one Chinese couple , born before Europe went into lockdown , is now almost four months old .
BioTexCom , Ukraine ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently caring for some 60 infants ; at the height of the crisis there were 80 .
Clinic director Albert Tochilovsky attributes the reduction to his decision in April to release footage of the dozens of babies in his care , lined up in parallel rows of cribs .
`` We needed the public to know what was happening , '' he said .
`` And we succeeded . ''
Within days the story was making headlines around the world .
Soon after , Ukrainian authorities began granting travel ban exemptions for desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the footage also sparked a thorny debate about the ethics of Ukraine ’ s booming commercial surrogacy industry .
Until 2015 , wealthy couples pursuing surrogacy had a glut of clinics to choose from in Thailand , Nepal or India .
But as allegations of exploitation mounted , one by one they closed their doors to foreigners .
Business in Ukraine and Georgia – some of the few places in the world that still allow commercial surrogacy – has been booming ever since .
And with surrogacy banned outright in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heavily restricted elsewhere , there is no shortage of demand .
Maria Dmytriyeva , a women ’ s rights advocate at Ukraine ’ s Democracy Development Centre , said that , before the footage was released , `` there was very little journalistic interest '' in Ukraine ’ s surrogacy industry .
But now , `` People are much more aware about these baby factories . ''
Among those outraged by the footage was Ukraine ’ s ombudsman for children ’ s rights , Mykola Kuleba .
Writing on his Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine to be an `` international online store for babies '' with infants treated as nothing more than `` commodities '' .
He has since called for a blanket ban on foreigners accessing Ukrainian surrogacy services – a market he said accounts for more than 80 percent of the country ’ s surrogate births .
However , with no official data collected on Ukrainian surrogacy , the real figures are impossible to know .
NGOs around the world have also seized on the issue as a new battleground for women ’ s rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some 200 women ’ s organisations signed a letter to the Ukrainian president , calling for an end to `` reproductive tourism '' in Ukraine .
One French signatory , Mouvement du Nid , argued that the current situation in Ukraine `` relies on the exploitation of society ’ s most vulnerable '' – that is , poor women , who they argue must relinquish control of their bodies once the contract is signed .
Anti-surrogacy campaigners cite , for example , the trauma of being forced to abort foetuses if commissioning parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only want to take one baby home .
Women 's advocacy group La Strada receives around 100 calls a year regarding surrogacy , including from women suffering medical complications or psychological harm as a result of their work .
Vice president Kateryna Cherepakha of the NGO 's Ukrainian chapter said she regularly comes across surrogate contracts that `` contain provisions violating civil legal norms '' .
Other women struggle with having to part with the baby after birth .
And yet there is no shortage of women willing to sign up .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother Nana is seven months pregnant with twins , her second surrogacy with the New Life clinic .
She said carrying other people 's babies offers economic independence in a country `` where finding a job to provide for your family isn ’ t easy '' .
She ’ ll receive a lump sum of US $ 18,000 when she gives birth in addition to monthly payments of several hundred dollars .
It ’ s life-changing money , and significantly more than the average national wage .
She had only praise for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` whatever time it is , day or night , I have the right to get in touch with my doctor and get a consultation '' .
She said she would n't hesitate to be a surrogate for a third time if she needed to .
The industry ’ s detractors , many of them feminist activists , believe surrogacy simply shouldn ’ t be an option for women like Nana .
But those who have reaped the rewards of surrogacy say that view is condescending and paternalistic .
Nursing her week-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is clear about the contract she entered into with her surrogate .
`` We all exchange work for money , '' she said .
`` Who are we to decide what women are allowed to do with their bodies ? ''
She described the parent-surrogate relationship as one of `` mutual need '' , a simple transaction between a woman who needs money and a couple desperate to become parents .
But Dmytriyeva and her allies insist that argument misses the point and whitewashes `` the economic coercion '' of the disadvantaged women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is launching a petition that calls for all forms of commercial surrogacy to be banned in Ukraine , for both foreigners and Ukrainians .
But she is doubtful it will bear fruit .
`` It ’ s shameful that we ’ ve become a country where people can buy babies à la carte , '' she said .

Covid-19 lockdowns have led to heartbreaking delays for many parents eager to claim their infants born through surrogacy. With travel restrictions to Ukraine now easing, there have been a flurry of emotional homecomings. But dozens of babies remain uncollected, and the situation has shone a harsh light on the country's booming surrogacy industry.
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"We waited three days to meet our baby. It felt so long, I can’t imagine having to wait three months."
After finally getting permission to board a repatriation flight meant for Ukrainian nationals and undergoing a subsequent mandatory quarantine, Sangy and Bhanwar met their baby for the first time in a Kyiv nursery on June 9.
The British couple is one of more than 120 from around the world who have found themselves caught out by one of the stranger consequences of the global Covid-19 pandemic: Scores of surrogate babies await uncollected, their genetic parents prevented from entering Ukraine to pick them up. The baby of one Chinese couple, born before Europe went into lockdown, is now almost four months old.
BioTexCom, Ukraine’s largest surrogacy operation, says it is currently caring for some 60 infants; at the height of the crisis there were 80. Clinic director Albert Tochilovsky attributes the reduction to his decision in April to release footage of the dozens of babies in his care, lined up in parallel rows of cribs.
"We needed the public to know what was happening," he said. "And we succeeded."
Within days the story was making headlines around the world. Soon after, Ukrainian authorities began granting travel ban exemptions for desperate parents, Sangy and Bhanway among them.
But the footage also sparked a thorny debate about the ethics of Ukraine’s booming commercial surrogacy industry.
‘Baby factories’
Until 2015, wealthy couples pursuing surrogacy had a glut of clinics to choose from in Thailand, Nepal or India. But as allegations of exploitation mounted, one by one they closed their doors to foreigners. Business in Ukraine and Georgia – some of the few places in the world that still allow commercial surrogacy – has been booming ever since. And with surrogacy banned outright in many countries – including France and Germany – and heavily restricted elsewhere, there is no shortage of demand.
Maria Dmytriyeva, a women’s rights advocate at Ukraine’s Democracy Development Centre, said that, before the footage was released, "there was very little journalistic interest" in Ukraine’s surrogacy industry. But now, "People are much more aware about these baby factories."
Among those outraged by the footage was Ukraine’s ombudsman for children’s rights, Mykola Kuleba. Writing on his Facebook page, he said the pandemic had revealed Ukraine to be an "international online store for babies" with infants treated as nothing more than "commodities". He has since called for a blanket ban on foreigners accessing Ukrainian surrogacy services – a market he said accounts for more than 80 percent of the country’s surrogate births. However, with no official data collected on Ukrainian surrogacy, the real figures are impossible to know.
Exploitation of vulnerable women
NGOs around the world have also seized on the issue as a new battleground for women’s rights.
At the beginning of June, some 200 women’s organisations signed a letter to the Ukrainian president, calling for an end to "reproductive tourism" in Ukraine. One French signatory, Mouvement du Nid, argued that the current situation in Ukraine "relies on the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable" – that is, poor women, who they argue must relinquish control of their bodies once the contract is signed.
Anti-surrogacy campaigners cite, for example, the trauma of being forced to abort foetuses if commissioning parents opt to implant multiple fertilised embryos but only want to take one baby home. Women's advocacy group La Strada receives around 100 calls a year regarding surrogacy, including from women suffering medical complications or psychological harm as a result of their work. Vice president Kateryna Cherepakha of the NGO's Ukrainian chapter said she regularly comes across surrogate contracts that "contain provisions violating civil legal norms". Other women struggle with having to part with the baby after birth.
Life-changing money
And yet there is no shortage of women willing to sign up.
In the Georgian capital Tbilisi, 36-year-old single mother Nana is seven months pregnant with twins, her second surrogacy with the New Life clinic. She said carrying other people's babies offers economic independence in a country "where finding a job to provide for your family isn’t easy". She’ll receive a lump sum of US$18,000 when she gives birth in addition to monthly payments of several hundred dollars.
It’s life-changing money, and significantly more than the average national wage. She had only praise for the clinic she works for, explaining that, "whatever time it is, day or night, I have the right to get in touch with my doctor and get a consultation".
She said she wouldn't hesitate to be a surrogate for a third time if she needed to.
‘Mutual need’ or ‘economic coercion’?
The industry’s detractors, many of them feminist activists, believe surrogacy simply shouldn’t be an option for women like Nana. But those who have reaped the rewards of surrogacy say that view is condescending and paternalistic.
Nursing her week-old baby in her Kyiv apartment, Sangy is clear about the contract she entered into with her surrogate. "We all exchange work for money," she said. "Who are we to decide what women are allowed to do with their bodies?" She described the parent-surrogate relationship as one of "mutual need", a simple transaction between a woman who needs money and a couple desperate to become parents.
But Dmytriyeva and her allies insist that argument misses the point and whitewashes "the economic coercion" of the disadvantaged women the industry relies on. Her NGO is launching a petition that calls for all forms of commercial surrogacy to be banned in Ukraine, for both foreigners and Ukrainians.
But she is doubtful it will bear fruit. "It’s shameful that we’ve become a country where people can buy babies à la carte," she said.
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france24--2020-06-18--NATO to probe France-Turkey naval incident in Mediterranean

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on JUne 18 , 2020 said the alliance would investigate French claims against Turkey 's actions in the Mediterranean .
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the military alliance would investigate an incident between Turkish warships and a French naval vessel in the Mediterranean , as France accused Turkey of repeated violations of the U.N. arms embargo on conflict-torn Libya and branded Ankara an obstacle to securing a cease-fire there .
According to a French defense official , the frigate Courbet was “ lit up ” three times by Turkish naval targeting radar when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected of involvement in arms trafficking .
The ship was being escorted by three Turkish warships .
The Courbet backed off after being targeted .
The French frigate was part of NATO 's naval operation in the Mediterranean , Sea Guardian , at the time of the June 10 incident .
France claims that under the alliance 's rules of engagement such conduct is considered a hostile act .
Turkey has denied harassing the Courbet .
“ We have made sure that NATO military authorities are investigating the incident to bring full clarity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters after chairing a video meeting between NATO defense ministers , where he said the issue was addressed by several participants .
“ I think that ’ s the best way now to deal with that , clarify what actually happened , ” he added .
In remarks to a French Senate committee , Defense Minister Florence Parly said that eight NATO member countries are supporting Paris over the incident , which she described as “ serious and unacceptable.
” In a statement prior to the NATO meeting , the French foreign ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the main obstacle to the establishment of peace and stability in Libya today lies in the systematic violation of the U.N. arms embargo , in particular by Turkey , despite the commitments made in Berlin ” talks early this year .
The European Union has a naval operation in the Mediterranean aimed helping to enforce the embargo , but Turkey , a NATO member whose efforts to join the EU have stalled , suspects that it is too one-sided , focusing on the internationally recognized Libyan administration in Tripoli , which Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the military alliance should respect the arms embargo , Stoltenberg said that “ NATO of course supports the implementation of U.N. decisions , including U.N. arms embargoes . ''
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 , when a NATO-backed uprising toppled leader Moammar Gadhafi , who was later killed .
The country has since been split between rival administrations in the east and the west , each backed by armed groups and different foreign governments .
The government in Tripoli led by Fayez Sarraj is backed not just by Turkey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capital in January , but also Italy and Qatar .
Rival forces under the command of Khalifa Hifter , who launched an offensive on Tripoli last year , are supported by France , Russia , Jordan , the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries .
“ Turkey ’ s support for the government of national accord ’ s offensive goes directly against the efforts to secure a ceasefire , which we support , ” the French ministry said .
“ This support is aggravated by the hostile and unacceptable actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is aimed at undermining efforts taking place to uphold the U.N. arms embargo.
” “ This conduct , like all foreign interference in the Libyan conflict , must cease , ” it warned .
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is trying to secure NATO ’ s support for Europe 's own naval effort , Operation Irini , possibly in part to avoid such incidents in the future , but diplomats and officials have said that Turkey is likely to block any such move .
Borrell , who took part in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he hopes an EU-NATO “ cooperation agreement can be set up '' shortly , because helping to enforce the arms embargo is in the security interests of both organizations .
Asked Wednesday what the response might be , Stoltenberg said “ we are looking into possible support , possible cooperation , but no decision has been taken .
There is dialogue , contacts , addressing that as we speak.
” Borrell has highlighted some of the challenges the EU naval operation faces .
He said its personnel tried to make contact last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cargo ship that was being escorted by two Turkish warships .
He said the ship refused to respond , but its Turkish escorts said the cargo was medical equipment bound for Libya .
The EU operation tried to verify the information with Turkish and Tanzanian authorities , and reported the incident to the United Nations , but there was nothing more it could do , he said .

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the military alliance would investigate an incident between Turkish warships and a French naval vessel in the Mediterranean, as France accused Turkey of repeated violations of the U.N. arms embargo on conflict-torn Libya and branded Ankara an obstacle to securing a cease-fire there.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on JUne 18, 2020 said the alliance would investigate French claims against Turkey's actions in the Mediterranean.
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According to a French defense official, the frigate Courbet was “lit up” three times by Turkish naval targeting radar when it tried to approach a Turkish civilian ship suspected of involvement in arms trafficking. The ship was being escorted by three Turkish warships. The Courbet backed off after being targeted.
The French frigate was part of NATO's naval operation in the Mediterranean, Sea Guardian, at the time of the June 10 incident. France claims that under the alliance's rules of engagement such conduct is considered a hostile act. Turkey has denied harassing the Courbet.
“We have made sure that NATO military authorities are investigating the incident to bring full clarity into what happened," Stoltenberg told reporters after chairing a video meeting between NATO defense ministers, where he said the issue was addressed by several participants.
“I think that’s the best way now to deal with that, clarify what actually happened,” he added.
In remarks to a French Senate committee, Defense Minister Florence Parly said that eight NATO member countries are supporting Paris over the incident, which she described as “serious and unacceptable.”
In a statement prior to the NATO meeting, the French foreign ministry took aim at Ankara, saying that “the main obstacle to the establishment of peace and stability in Libya today lies in the systematic violation of the U.N. arms embargo, in particular by Turkey, despite the commitments made in Berlin” talks early this year.
The European Union has a naval operation in the Mediterranean aimed helping to enforce the embargo, but Turkey, a NATO member whose efforts to join the EU have stalled, suspects that it is too one-sided, focusing on the internationally recognized Libyan administration in Tripoli, which Turkey supports.
Asked whether the 30 members of the military alliance should respect the arms embargo, Stoltenberg said that “NATO of course supports the implementation of U.N. decisions, including U.N. arms embargoes."
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising toppled leader Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has since been split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and different foreign governments.
The government in Tripoli led by Fayez Sarraj is backed not just by Turkey, which sent troops and mercenaries to protect the capital in January, but also Italy and Qatar. Rival forces under the command of Khalifa Hifter, who launched an offensive on Tripoli last year, are supported by France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries.
“Turkey’s support for the government of national accord’s offensive goes directly against the efforts to secure a ceasefire, which we support,” the French ministry said. “This support is aggravated by the hostile and unacceptable actions of Turkish naval forces toward NATO allies, which is aimed at undermining efforts taking place to uphold the U.N. arms embargo.”
“This conduct, like all foreign interference in the Libyan conflict, must cease,” it warned.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is trying to secure NATO’s support for Europe's own naval effort, Operation Irini, possibly in part to avoid such incidents in the future, but diplomats and officials have said that Turkey is likely to block any such move.
Borrell, who took part in the NATO video meeting, said Wednesday that he hopes an EU-NATO “cooperation agreement can be set up" shortly, because helping to enforce the arms embargo is in the security interests of both organizations.
Asked Wednesday what the response might be, Stoltenberg said “we are looking into possible support, possible cooperation, but no decision has been taken. There is dialogue, contacts, addressing that as we speak.”
Borrell has highlighted some of the challenges the EU naval operation faces. He said its personnel tried to make contact last week with a “suspicious” Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship that was being escorted by two Turkish warships. He said the ship refused to respond, but its Turkish escorts said the cargo was medical equipment bound for Libya.
The EU operation tried to verify the information with Turkish and Tanzanian authorities, and reported the incident to the United Nations, but there was nothing more it could do, he said.
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-18--Macron marks 80 years since de Gaulle's call to resistance at London ceremony

French President Emmanuel Macron marked Gen. Charles De Gaulle ’ s famed World War II appeal to resist the Nazis on Thursday in a special ceremony intended to invoke the deep friendship between the longtime allies .
Macron traveled to London to mark the day that De Gaulle delivered his defiant broadcast on the BBC 80 years ago , urging his nation to fight on despite the fall of France .
“ Your nation spearheaded the liberation of the world .
It erected , against Nazi barbarism , the most beautiful of the ramparts : that of unity and fraternity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The United Kingdom gave Free France its first weapon : the microphone of the BBC.
” Charles and his wife , the Duchess of Cornwall , received Macron at his Clarence House home with a guard of honor formed by the Number 7 Company of the Coldstream Guards and their band .
Macron awarded Charles the Legion of Honor as a symbol of France 's gratitude .
Charles responded in flawless French .
“ I accept in the name of the city of London and United Kingdom and all those who fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the heir to the throne said .
“ Your presence today is a strong testimony to the ties that bind our countries , our people , our joint determination . ''
Neither men mentioned Brexit , which has strained the allies ' relations in recent years and damaged the European Union , an effort at continental unity born from the ashes of World War II .
British Red Arrow planes and French military jets boomed over Paris on Thursday , trailing smoke in the blue-white-red colors of the French flag above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that houses Napoleon ’ s tomb .
French planes are set to fly over London later Thursday .
The event on Thursday commemorates De Gaulle ’ s “ Appel ’ ’ via a BBC broadcast to his countrymen on June 18 , 1940 , urging them to fight on .
The speech is widely considered to be the moment that gave birth to the French Resistance .
“ I , General de Gaulle , currently in London , call upon the officers and the French soldiers who are located in British territory or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their weapons or without their weapons ... to get in touch with me , ” De Gaulle said .
“ Whatever happens , the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished.
” The moment has huge significance for Macron , as he is eager to associate his presidency with the wartime leader .
He hailed British courage in the Blitz , and offered praise for the spirit that allowed the public to “ Keep Calm and Carry On.″ “ London and its residents didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
“ They inspired it , through their example . ''
Macron started the commemorative day by visiting a de Gaulle memorial in France .
In a reflection of the importance of the event , the ceremony was Macron ’ s first international trip since France ’ s lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The year 2020 also marks the 130th anniversary of De Gaulle ’ s birth and 50 years after his death .

French President Emmanuel Macron marked Gen. Charles De Gaulle’s famed World War II appeal to resist the Nazis on Thursday in a special ceremony intended to invoke the deep friendship between the longtime allies.
Advertising Read more
Macron traveled to London to mark the day that De Gaulle delivered his defiant broadcast on the BBC 80 years ago, urging his nation to fight on despite the fall of France.
“Your nation spearheaded the liberation of the world. It erected, against Nazi barbarism, the most beautiful of the ramparts: that of unity and fraternity,” Macron told Prince Charles. “The United Kingdom gave Free France its first weapon: the microphone of the BBC.”
>> ‘Blood, toil, tears, and sweat’: Churchill’s ‘electric’ speech, 80 years on
Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, received Macron at his Clarence House home with a guard of honor formed by the Number 7 Company of the Coldstream Guards and their band.
Macron awarded Charles the Legion of Honor as a symbol of France's gratitude. Charles responded in flawless French.
“I accept in the name of the city of London and United Kingdom and all those who fought for freedom at France’s side,'' the heir to the throne said. “Your presence today is a strong testimony to the ties that bind our countries, our people, our joint determination."
@EmmanuelMacron is set to arrive shortly in #London for a ceremony with Prince Charles, heir to the #UK throne 🇬🇧
Later the #French 🇫🇷 President will meet @BorisJohnson in Downing Street @BenedictePaviot is on the ground ahead of #Macron's arrival ⤵ pic.twitter.com/xxMzETEKQL — FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 18, 2020
Neither men mentioned Brexit, which has strained the allies' relations in recent years and damaged the European Union, an effort at continental unity born from the ashes of World War II.
British Red Arrow planes and French military jets boomed over Paris on Thursday, trailing smoke in the blue-white-red colors of the French flag above the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides monument that houses Napoleon’s tomb. French planes are set to fly over London later Thursday.
The event on Thursday commemorates De Gaulle’s “Appel’’ via a BBC broadcast to his countrymen on June 18, 1940, urging them to fight on. The speech is widely considered to be the moment that gave birth to the French Resistance.
“I, General de Gaulle, currently in London, call upon the officers and the French soldiers who are located in British territory or who might end up here, with their weapons or without their weapons ... to get in touch with me,” De Gaulle said. “Whatever happens, the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished.”
The moment has huge significance for Macron, as he is eager to associate his presidency with the wartime leader. He hailed British courage in the Blitz, and offered praise for the spirit that allowed the public to “Keep Calm and Carry On.″
“London and its residents didn’t only take in the French Resistance,'' he said. “They inspired it, through their example.''
Macron started the commemorative day by visiting a de Gaulle memorial in France.
In a reflection of the importance of the event, the ceremony was Macron’s first international trip since France’s lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The year 2020 also marks the 130th anniversary of De Gaulle’s birth and 50 years after his death.
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-18--US Supreme Court blocks Trump bid to end 'Dreamers' programme

File photo of immigration rights activists rally in front of the US Supreme Court on November 12 , 2019 during hearings on DACA ( Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ) programme .
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt President Donald Trump a major setback on hishardline immigration policies , ruling against his bid to end a programme that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants , dubbed `` Dreamers , '' who entered the United States illegally as children .
The justices on a 5-4 vote upheld lower court rulings that found that Trump 's 2017 move to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( DACA ) program , created in 2012 by his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama , was unlawful .
Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court 's four liberals in finding that the administrations actions were `` arbitrary and capricious '' under a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act .
The ruling means that the roughly 649,000 immigrants , mostly young Hispanic adults born in Mexico and other Latin American countries , currently enrolled in DACA will remain protected from deportation and eligible to obtain renewable two-year work permits .
The ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end the program .
But his administration is unlikely to be able to end DACA before the Nov. 3 election in which Trump is seeking a second four-year term in office .
`` We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies .
We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action , '' Roberts wrote .
The ruling marks the second time this week that Roberts has ruled against Trump in a major case following Monday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are protected under federal employment law .
The court 's four other conservatives including two Trump appointees , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , dissented .
`` Today 's decision must be recognized for what it is : an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision , '' conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in dissent .
Trump 's administration has argued that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he created DACA by executive action , bypassing Congress .
A collection of states including California and New York , people currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all filed suit to block Trump 's plan to end the program .
Lower courts in California , New York and the District of Columbia ruled against Trump and left DACA in place , finding that his move to revoke the program violated a U.S. law called the Administrative Procedure Act .
Trump has made his crackdown on legal and illegal immigration , including pursuing construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border , a central part of his presidency and his 2020 re-election campaign .
Roberts a year ago also cast the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Republican president when the justices blocked Trump 's administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census that critics said was an effort to dissuade immigrants from taking part in the decennial population count .

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt President Donald Trump a major setback on hishardline immigration policies, ruling against his bid to end a programme that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants, dubbed "Dreamers," who entered the United States illegally as children.
File photo of immigration rights activists rally in front of the US Supreme Court on November 12, 2019 during hearings on DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) programme.
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The justices on a 5-4 vote upheld lower court rulings that found that Trump's 2017 move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created in 2012 by his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama, was unlawful.
Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's four liberals in finding that the administrations actions were "arbitrary and capricious" under a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act.
The ruling means that the roughly 649,000 immigrants, mostly young Hispanic adults born in Mexico and other Latin American countries, currently enrolled in DACA will remain protected from deportation and eligible to obtain renewable two-year work permits.
The ruling does not prevent Trump from trying again to end the program. But his administration is unlikely to be able to end DACA before the Nov. 3 election in which Trump is seeking a second four-year term in office.
"We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action," Roberts wrote.
The ruling marks the second time this week that Roberts has ruled against Trump in a major case following Monday's decision finding that gay and transgender workers are protected under federal employment law.
The court's four other conservatives including two Trump appointees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, dissented.
"Today's decision must be recognized for what it is: an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision," conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in dissent.
Trump's administration has argued that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he created DACA by executive action, bypassing Congress.
A collection of states including California and New York, people currently enrolled in DACA and civil rights groups all filed suit to block Trump's plan to end the program. Lower courts in California, New York and the District of Columbia ruled against Trump and left DACA in place, finding that his move to revoke the program violated a U.S. law called the Administrative Procedure Act.
Trump has made his crackdown on legal and illegal immigration, including pursuing construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, a central part of his presidency and his 2020 re-election campaign.
Roberts a year ago also cast the decisive vote in a Supreme Court loss for the Republican president when the justices blocked Trump's administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census that critics said was an effort to dissuade immigrants from taking part in the decennial population count.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-18--Resistance heroes honoured on 80th anniversary of de Gaulle's call to resist Nazis

Four members of the French Resistance were honoured by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron at a ceremony on Thursday marking 80 years since General Charles de Gaulle made his famous appeal for resistance against the Nazis from the BBC in London during World War II .
`` Whatever happens , the flame of the French Resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished . ''
Thus ended the appeal by a little-known French general , broadcasting to his homeland from the BBC headquarters in London on June 18 , 1940 , with permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaulle 's radio address , delivered shortly after the Nazi invasion of France , is credited with laying the foundations of La Résistance .
To mark 80 years from the day , French President Emmanuel Macron attended a ceremony with British leaders in London .
On his first trip outside France since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March , Macron met with Prime Minister Johnson at 10 Downing Street and attended a ceremonial event with Prince Charles , heir to the British throne , and his wife Camilla .
The French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flypast by the Red Arrows , the Royal Air Force 's aerobatic team , and their French counterparts , the Patrouille de France .
To mark the anniversary Britain bestowed awards on four Resistance fighters : Edgard Tupet-Thome , 100 ; Daniel Cordier , 99 ; Hubert Germain , 99 , and Pierre Simonet , 98 .
They were not present at the ceremony but will receive their awards in France later .
The four are the only surviving holders of the Croix de la Libération ( Cross of Liberation ) , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women who distinguished themselves in the struggle to liberate France .
Johnson said the men symbolised `` the enduring depth and strength '' of Franco-British friendship , which has been tested anew since Britain voted to quit the European Union in a 2016 referendum .

Four members of the French Resistance were honoured by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron at a ceremony on Thursday marking 80 years since General Charles de Gaulle made his famous appeal for resistance against the Nazis from the BBC in London during World War II.
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"Whatever happens, the flame of the French Resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished."
Thus ended the appeal by a little-known French general, broadcasting to his homeland from the BBC headquarters in London on June 18, 1940, with permission from Winston Churchill.
General Charles de Gaulle's radio address, delivered shortly after the Nazi invasion of France, is credited with laying the foundations of La Résistance.
To mark 80 years from the day, French President Emmanuel Macron attended a ceremony with British leaders in London. On his first trip outside France since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March, Macron met with Prime Minister Johnson at 10 Downing Street and attended a ceremonial event with Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla.
The French leader was also treated to a joint flypast by the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force's aerobatic team, and their French counterparts, the Patrouille de France.
04:54
To mark the anniversary Britain bestowed awards on four Resistance fighters: Edgard Tupet-Thome, 100; Daniel Cordier, 99; Hubert Germain, 99, and Pierre Simonet, 98. They were not present at the ceremony but will receive their awards in France later.
The four are the only surviving holders of the Croix de la Libération (Cross of Liberation), an honour bestowed by De Gaulle on 1,038 men and women who distinguished themselves in the struggle to liberate France.
Johnson said the men symbolised "the enduring depth and strength" of Franco-British friendship, which has been tested anew since Britain voted to quit the European Union in a 2016 referendum.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-18--Colbert, Gallieni, De Gaulle… The figures at the centre of France’s statue debate

From left to right , statues of Joseph Gallieni , Charles de Gaulle and Jean-Baptiste Colbert .
From Confederate leaders in the US , to slave traders in the UK , statues of those with links to racial prejudice have been targeted by protesters around the world in recent weeks .
In France , it is statues of figures involved in the country ’ s colonial past that have been targeted , ranging from a 17th century statesman to a former president .
The statue of Joseph Gallieni , a military commander in the French colonies , was the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week with the words “ In a museum ” .
Gallieni ’ s military career saw him quell rebellions against colonial rule in Sudan and French Indochina .
In 1896 he was appointed governor of Madagascar where he is infamous for suppressing a large-scale uprising , using often brutal tactics including forced labour and summary executions .
The statue of Jean-Baptiste Colbert , outside France ’ s National Assembly , has also become a focal point in the debate over the removal of memorials to colonial figures .
Colbert is best known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Black Code ) , a legal decree that defined the conditions of slavery in the French colonies .
It included rules that said fugitive slaves should have their ears cut off and be branded and that Roman Catholicism was the only religion permitted for slaves .
Charles de Gaulle , meanwhile , is for many in France a national hero who led Free France against the Nazis in World War II .
Later , as president , he helped end a bloody war in the French colony of Algeria , eventually resulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bust of De Gaulle in Hautmont , northern France , was defaced with the word “ slave-driver ” written on the statue in an act condemned by local and national politicians .
Despite the controversy over these and dozens of other statues in France , French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out their removal .
“ The French Republic will not erase any records or names from its history , ” he said in a televised address on Sunday .
“ It will not forget any of its work .
It will @ @ @ @ @

From Confederate leaders in the US, to slave traders in the UK, statues of those with links to racial prejudice have been targeted by protesters around the world in recent weeks. In France, it is statues of figures involved in the country’s colonial past that have been targeted, ranging from a 17th century statesman to a former president.
From left to right, statues of Joseph Gallieni, Charles de Gaulle and Jean-Baptiste Colbert.
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The statue of Joseph Gallieni, a military commander in the French colonies, was the latest to be targeted when it was spray-painted this week with the words “In a museum”.
Gallieni’s military career saw him quell rebellions against colonial rule in Sudan and French Indochina. In 1896 he was appointed governor of Madagascar where he is infamous for suppressing a large-scale uprising, using often brutal tactics including forced labour and summary executions.
The statue of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, outside France’s National Assembly, has also become a focal point in the debate over the removal of memorials to colonial figures. Colbert is best known as the man behind the Code Noir (Black Code), a legal decree that defined the conditions of slavery in the French colonies.
It included rules that said fugitive slaves should have their ears cut off and be branded and that Roman Catholicism was the only religion permitted for slaves.
Charles de Gaulle, meanwhile, is for many in France a national hero who led Free France against the Nazis in World War II.
Later, as president, he helped end a bloody war in the French colony of Algeria, eventually resulting in Algerian independence.
But this week a bust of De Gaulle in Hautmont, northern France, was defaced with the word “slave-driver” written on the statue in an act condemned by local and national politicians.
Despite the controversy over these and dozens of other statues in France, French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out their removal.
“The French Republic will not erase any records or names from its history,” he said in a televised address on Sunday. “It will not forget any of its work. It will not topple statues.”
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france24--2020-06-18--French police arrest six Chechens over violent clashes in Dijon

A burned-out van in the Gresilles neighbourhood of Dijon , eastern France , on Monday after a night of clashes .
French police on Thursday detained six members of the Chechen community on suspicion of taking part in successive nights of violence that rocked the eastern city of Dijon , prosecutors said .
From Friday to Monday , Dijon was rocked by clashes and vehicle burnings after an assault this month on a 16-year-old Chechen boy that prompted other members of the community to stage reprisal raids .
Scenes of unrest carried out by hooded men brandishing guns or clubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether security forces had been too passive .
Police carried out early morning raids at several addresses across France , regional prosecutor Eric Mathais said .
A source close to the inquiry , asking not to be named , said the arrests were made at five locations across France , including Dijon .
Those detained are already known to police and include a man suspected of being behind the first appeal on social networks for organised reprisals , sources said .
Chechens had reportedly travelled to Dijon from all over France and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part .
The violence focused on the low-income district of Gresilles , which has a large community of people originally from North Africa .
Chechens involved in the events have told French media they were targeting drug dealers of North African origin .
But residents of Gresilles have said that they felt abandoned by the security forces and went out on the street only to defend themselves .
“ I have nothing to hide .
Yes , I took up a stick , but to defend my family , ” Malik , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The police did nothing .
We were abandoned so I acted.
” Criticised for not taking action sooner , the French authorities vowed a tough response and sent police reinforcements , and the past two nights have been calm .
Chechnya is a predominantly Muslim Russian republic in the North Caucasus .
Two wars in the 1990s triggered a wave of emigration , with many Chechens heading for western Europe .
More Chechens have flowed into exile in recent years because of opposition to the strongman pro-Kremlin leader of the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of multiple violations .
There are no precise figures on the number of Chechens living in France as they are included with other Russian passport holders .
As well as in eastern France , there are communities in Paris and around the southern Mediterranean city of Nice .
The daily Le Parisien cited the father of the teen whose assault sparked the violence as saying the family had “ asked for nothing ” , but several people “ we do not know ” came to Dijon of their own accord .
“ Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , urging calm .

French police on Thursday detained six members of the Chechen community on suspicion of taking part in successive nights of violence that rocked the eastern city of Dijon, prosecutors said.
A burned-out van in the Gresilles neighbourhood of Dijon, eastern France, on Monday after a night of clashes.
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From Friday to Monday, Dijon was rocked by clashes and vehicle burnings after an assault this month on a 16-year-old Chechen boy that prompted other members of the community to stage reprisal raids.
Scenes of unrest carried out by hooded men brandishing guns or clubs shocked the country and raised questions over whether security forces had been too passive.
Police carried out early morning raids at several addresses across France, regional prosecutor Eric Mathais said.
A source close to the inquiry, asking not to be named, said the arrests were made at five locations across France, including Dijon.
Those detained are already known to police and include a man suspected of being behind the first appeal on social networks for organised reprisals, sources said.
Chechens had reportedly travelled to Dijon from all over France and even from neighbouring Belgium and Germany to take part.
The violence focused on the low-income district of Gresilles, which has a large community of people originally from North Africa.
Chechens involved in the events have told French media they were targeting drug dealers of North African origin.
'Abandoned'
But residents of Gresilles have said that they felt abandoned by the security forces and went out on the street only to defend themselves.
“I have nothing to hide. Yes, I took up a stick, but to defend my family,” Malik, a father of three children, told AFP. “The police did nothing. We were abandoned so I acted.”
Criticised for not taking action sooner, the French authorities vowed a tough response and sent police reinforcements, and the past two nights have been calm.
Chechnya is a predominantly Muslim Russian republic in the North Caucasus. Two wars in the 1990s triggered a wave of emigration, with many Chechens heading for western Europe.
More Chechens have flowed into exile in recent years because of opposition to the strongman pro-Kremlin leader of the region Ramzan Kadyrov, accused by rights activists of multiple violations.
There are no precise figures on the number of Chechens living in France as they are included with other Russian passport holders. As well as in eastern France, there are communities in Paris and around the southern Mediterranean city of Nice.
The daily Le Parisien cited the father of the teen whose assault sparked the violence as saying the family had “asked for nothing”, but several people “we do not know” came to Dijon of their own accord.
“Their reaction was too strong,” he said, urging calm.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-18--Trump asked China to help him win re-election, former adviser Bolton says in tell-all book

FILE PHOTO : US President Donald Trump with his former national security advisor John Bolton , in Washington , D.C. on February 7 , 2019 .
In a withering behind-the-scenes portrayal , President Donald Trump 's former national security adviser John Bolton accused him of sweeping misdeeds that included explicitly seeking Chinese President Xi Jinping 's help to win re-election .
Bolton , a longtime foreign policy hawk who Trump fired in September over policy differences , also said that the U.S. president had expressed a willingness to halt criminal investigations to give `` personal favors to dictators he liked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published in the New York Times .
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on excerpts from `` The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir '' published on Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal , the New York Times and the Washington Post .
The accusations are part of a book that the U.S. government on Tuesday sued to block Bolton from publishing , arguing it contained classified information and would compromise national security .
Together , they portray a U.S. president mocked by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more extensive accusations of impropriety than those that drove the Democratic-led House of Representatives to impeach Trump last year .
The Republican-led Senate acquitted Trump in early February .
Trump was accused of withholding U.S. military aid last year to put pressure on newly-elected Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to provide damaging information on Democratic political opponent Joe Biden .
`` Had Democratic impeachment advocates not been so obsessed with their Ukraine blitzkrieg in 2019 , had they taken the time to inquire more systematically about Trump ’ s behavior across his entire foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been different , '' Bolton wrote , according to excerpts of his book published in the Wall Street Journal .
Critics of Bolton note he declined to testify before the House inquiry when his disclosures could have been critical , adhering instead to White House guidance .
Representative Adam Schiff , the California Democrat who led the prosecution of Republican Trump , slammed Bolton for saying at the time that `` he 'd sue if subpoenaed . ''
`` Instead , he saved it for a book , '' Schiff said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author , but he 's no patriot . ''
Still , Bolton 's allegations provide new ammunition to critics ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election , including his behind-the-scenes accounts of Trump 's conversations with China 's Xi - which , in one case , broached the topic of the U.S. vote .
`` Trump then , stunningly , turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election , alluding to China 's economic capability and pleading with Xi to ensure he 'd win , '' Bolton wrote , in the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration insider to date and just days after former defense secretary Jim Mattis accused the president of trying to divide America .
Biden said in a statement : `` If these accounts are true , it ’ s not only morally repugnant , it ’ s a violation of Donald Trump ’ s sacred duty to the American people . ''
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in Senate testimony that Bolton 's account was `` absolutely untrue . ''
`` I was at the meeting .
Would I recollect something as crazy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Lighthizer said .
`` This never happened in it for sure .
Completely crazy . ''
Although Trump 's administration had been strongly critical of China 's mass detention of mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups , Trump gave Xi a green light in that same meeting , Bolton said .
`` According to our interpreter , Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps , which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do , '' Bolton wrote , adding another top White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his November 2017 trip to China .
Bolton cited an innumerable number of conversations in which Trump demonstrated `` fundamentally unacceptable behavior that eroded the very legitimacy of the presidency . ''
A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Fox News television commentator , Bolton 's hawkish approach had worn on a president weary of foreign military entanglements , officials say .
Trump would sometimes chide Bolton in meetings , introducing him to visiting foreign leaders by saying , “ You all know the great John Bolton .
He ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out your whole country.
” In excerpts published in the Washington Post , Bolton writes that Trump said invading Venezuela would be `` cool '' and that it was `` really part of the United States . ''
The U.S. government has publicly said it does not favor using force to topple Venezuela 's socialist President Nicolas Maduro .
The book also exposed the sometimes dim view that Trump 's advisers have of him .
During a 2018 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , Bolton says he got a note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
`` He is so full of shit , '' Pompeo 's note said , according to a Bolton excerpt in the Washington Post .
Although Trump is publicly critical of journalists , Bolton 's book quotes the U.S. president making some of his most alarming remarks to date .
In a summer 2019 meeting in New Jersey , Trump allegedly said journalists should be jailed so they have to divulge their sources : `` These people should be executed .
They are scumbags , ” according to another excerpt in the @ @

In a withering behind-the-scenes portrayal, President Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton accused him of sweeping misdeeds that included explicitly seeking Chinese President Xi Jinping's help to win re-election.
FILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump with his former national security advisor John Bolton, in Washington, D.C. on February 7, 2019.
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Bolton, a longtime foreign policy hawk who Trump fired in September over policy differences, also said that the U.S. president had expressed a willingness to halt criminal investigations to give "personal favors to dictators he liked," according to a book excerpt published in the New York Times.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on excerpts from "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir" published on Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post.
01:56
The accusations are part of a book that the U.S. government on Tuesday sued to block Bolton from publishing, arguing it contained classified information and would compromise national security.
Together, they portray a U.S. president mocked by his top advisers who exposed himself to far more extensive accusations of impropriety than those that drove the Democratic-led House of Representatives to impeach Trump last year.
The Republican-led Senate acquitted Trump in early February. Trump was accused of withholding U.S. military aid last year to put pressure on newly-elected Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to provide damaging information on Democratic political opponent Joe Biden.
"Had Democratic impeachment advocates not been so obsessed with their Ukraine blitzkrieg in 2019, had they taken the time to inquire more systematically about Trump’s behavior across his entire foreign policy, the impeachment outcome might well have been different," Bolton wrote, according to excerpts of his book published in the Wall Street Journal.
Critics of Bolton note he declined to testify before the House inquiry when his disclosures could have been critical, adhering instead to White House guidance.
Representative Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who led the prosecution of Republican Trump, slammed Bolton for saying at the time that "he'd sue if subpoenaed."
"Instead, he saved it for a book," Schiff said on Twitter. "Bolton may be an author, but he's no patriot."
Still, Bolton's allegations provide new ammunition to critics ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election, including his behind-the-scenes accounts of Trump's conversations with China's Xi - which, in one case, broached the topic of the U.S. vote.
"Trump then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election, alluding to China's economic capability and pleading with Xi to ensure he'd win," Bolton wrote, in the most in-depth, damaging portrayal by a Trump administration insider to date and just days after former defense secretary Jim Mattis accused the president of trying to divide America.
Biden said in a statement: "If these accounts are true, it’s not only morally repugnant, it’s a violation of Donald Trump’s sacred duty to the American people."
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in Senate testimony that Bolton's account was "absolutely untrue."
"I was at the meeting. Would I recollect something as crazy as that? Of course I would," Lighthizer said. "This never happened in it for sure. Completely crazy."
Trump 'eroded' presidency
Although Trump's administration had been strongly critical of China's mass detention of mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups, Trump gave Xi a green light in that same meeting, Bolton said.
"According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do," Bolton wrote, adding another top White House official said Trump made similar comments during his November 2017 trip to China.
Bolton cited an innumerable number of conversations in which Trump demonstrated "fundamentally unacceptable behavior that eroded the very legitimacy of the presidency."
A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Fox News television commentator, Bolton's hawkish approach had worn on a president weary of foreign military entanglements, officials say.
Trump would sometimes chide Bolton in meetings, introducing him to visiting foreign leaders by saying, “You all know the great John Bolton. He’ll bomb you. He’ll take out your whole country.”
In excerpts published in the Washington Post, Bolton writes that Trump said invading Venezuela would be "cool" and that it was "really part of the United States."
The U.S. government has publicly said it does not favor using force to topple Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
The book also exposed the sometimes dim view that Trump's advisers have of him. During a 2018 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Bolton says he got a note from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mocking Trump.
"He is so full of shit," Pompeo's note said, according to a Bolton excerpt in the Washington Post.
Although Trump is publicly critical of journalists, Bolton's book quotes the U.S. president making some of his most alarming remarks to date. In a summer 2019 meeting in New Jersey, Trump allegedly said journalists should be jailed so they have to divulge their sources: "These people should be executed. They are scumbags,” according to another excerpt in the Post.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-18--Burundi swears in Evariste Ndayishimiye as president after predecessor’s death

Evariste Ndayishimiye , seen left in a file photo from May 28 , 2020 , was sworn in as president in Burundi on Thursday .
Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye was sworn in at a colourful ceremony on Thursday , taking the helm of a troubled nation after the sudden death of his predecessor .
At a stadium in the capital Gitega where the crowd was dressed in identical outfits , Ndayishimiye pledged to “ devote all my force to defending the superior interests of the nation and ensure the national unity and cohesion of the Burundian people , peace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out after he signed the pledge before the seven members of the constitutional court and took a tour of the stadium before the cheering crowd .
Before taking the oath , Ndayishimiye knelt surrounded by the leaders of the Catholic , Anglican , evangelical and Muslim faiths , who prayed for him .
“ Understand that you are a son of God and as such must bring peace among Burundians , you know how much we need it , ” said the Catholic archbishop of Gitega , Simon Ntamwana .
“ Bring back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camps , bring back the intellectuals in exile so that they can take part in the development of our country , renew ties with the international community so they can help us develop , ” he said .
Nkurunziza , who ruled the East African nation for 15 often tumultuous years , was said by the government to have died of a heart attack last week .
His 2015 run for a third term in office sparked protests and a failed coup , with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said the period since 2015 has been marked by likely crimes against humanity committed by state forces , citing extrajudicial executions , arbitrary arrests , disappearances , torture and sexual violence .

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye was sworn in at a colourful ceremony on Thursday, taking the helm of a troubled nation after the sudden death of his predecessor.
Evariste Ndayishimiye, seen left in a file photo from May 28, 2020, was sworn in as president in Burundi on Thursday.
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At a stadium in the capital Gitega where the crowd was dressed in identical outfits, Ndayishimiye pledged to “devote all my force to defending the superior interests of the nation and ensure the national unity and cohesion of the Burundian people, peace and social justice.”
A 21-gun salute rang out after he signed the pledge before the seven members of the constitutional court and took a tour of the stadium before the cheering crowd.
Before taking the oath, Ndayishimiye knelt surrounded by the leaders of the Catholic, Anglican, evangelical and Muslim faiths, who prayed for him.
“Understand that you are a son of God and as such must bring peace among Burundians, you know how much we need it,” said the Catholic archbishop of Gitega, Simon Ntamwana.
“Bring back to our country the refugees in the camps, bring back the intellectuals in exile so that they can take part in the development of our country, renew ties with the international community so they can help us develop,” he said.
Nkurunziza, who ruled the East African nation for 15 often tumultuous years, was said by the government to have died of a heart attack last week.
His 2015 run for a third term in office sparked protests and a failed coup, with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 fled the country.
UN rights investigators have said the period since 2015 has been marked by likely crimes against humanity committed by state forces, citing extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, disappearances, torture and sexual violence.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-19--Divided EU leaders seek agreement on coronavirus stimulus package

European Union leaders began the process of approving an unprecedented stimulus package for their coronavirus-ravaged economies on Friday , aware of the need to deliver help quickly , but still divided over its final size and terms .
The 27 national heads of state started a video conference at 0800 GMT to discuss recovery for the bloc that has lost over 100,000 lives to Covid-19 and faces an unprecedented economic downturn threatening its stability and global standing .
`` It 's a crisis without precedent that has had an enormous impact – economic , social and also on the viability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior EU diplomat .
`` To show that Europe protects , we can not take any longer on this , as delays will only make things more difficult and more expensive . ''
Under discussion is the EU 's next budget of around 1.1 trillion euros for 2021-27 , and an attached recovery fund of a proposed 750 billion euros borrowed by the EU Commission .
`` Together ... this is a huge stimulus of 1,850 billion euros .
It does not only help the economies of the countries which were hit hardest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the countries whose economies have been hit hard indirectly because of the lockdowns , '' Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said .
The aid is to be disbursed mainly among worst-hit nations , like Italy and Spain , but many differences must still be settled before the necessary unanimous agreement .
Officials and diplomats expect a deal could come in July .
`` We have a collective responsibility to deliver , '' the leaders ' chairman Charles Michel said .
While the already highly indebted south is calling for grants without too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants only conditional loans .
`` Conditionality is a big issue .
An agreement on reforms could create room for manoeuvre on grants , '' one diplomat said .
Sweden , Denmark , Austria and the Netherlands , the so-called `` frugal four '' , also believe the proposed recovery fund is too big and allocation of the money is not sufficiently linked to the pandemic .
Eastern EU countries say too much money will go to the south and want to maintain an earlier spending focus on agriculture and closing development gaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payers to EU coffers , including the frugal four and Germany , want to retain past rebates on their contributions that others want scrapped and there is no agreement on how to eventually repay the Commission borrowing .
Officials expect EU leaders will need at least one or two more meetings in person next month to reach a final deal , which would also mark a step towards more integration in the bloc after the damaging setback of Brexit .

European Union leaders found that a quick deal on the bloc’s future long-term budget and a multibillion-euro post-pandemic recovery plan remained beyond their reach Friday as the coronavirus ravages their economies.
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Following a four-hour video summit aimed at paving the way for a compromise this summer, there was common ground on the need for a quick response but divergences persisted among the leaders of EU member nations.
"It is essential to take a decision as soon as possible," EU Council President Charles Michel said, announcing he plans to call an in-person summit for the leaders of the 27-nation bloc for mid-July.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU's executive arm, said she hopes a deal can be secured before the EU closes for an August summer holiday.
'Ambitious'
“Leaders unanimously agreed that the severity of this crisis justifies an ambitious common response, one that combines solidarity, investment and reforms," von der Leyen said. “Many leaders stressed that we must do everything in our power to reach an agreement soon in the European Council before the summer break."
Devised to help member states’ economies cushion the impact of the coronavirus, the package is far from being unanimously welcomed. Von der Leyen said differences remain on such topics as the size of the package, how the money will be dispatched and the balance between grants and loans in the recovery fund.
“We don’t underestimate the difficulties,” Michel said.
To tackle the economic crisis, von der Leyen has proposed a revised long-term budget for the 2021-2027 period that would represent around 1.1% of European GDP after the U.K.’s departure, coupled with the temporary reinforcement of the 750 billion euros set aside to combat the virus. The whole package represents a huge €1.85 trillion stimulus for the bloc's struggling economies.
A blend of debt mutualization, grants and loans, the aid plan has failed to gain the approval of a group of countries known as the Frugal Four — the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Sweden. They oppose issuing too much common debt to support the hardest-hit countries and argue that the money should mainly be handed out in loans instead of grants.
Under the commission’s plans, two-thirds of the recovery fund — a half-trillion euros — would take the form of grants.
Franco-German axis
The plan is backed by France and Germany, the bloc’s two most powerful countries. With their allies, they need to convince the countries opposed to debt mutualization or increases in the EU budget that grants will benefit the whole bloc.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the quartet of frugal countries “once again expressed their skepticism toward grants, though not so specifically, in general form. But the position has not changed there.”
Insisting the 500-billion-euros in grants proposed was a bare minimum, a senior French official nonetheless described progress from discussions that took place in a “studious and quiet atmosphere."
“We weren’t in a spirit of confrontation and tension," said the official, who was not authorized to publicly talk about the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity. “We've made considerable progress in a few weeks on the issue of the common borrowing. None of the participants is challenging the idea anymore. There is no agreement on an amount, but everyone agrees on this ambitious and exceptional recovery plan. There is work to be done, but it is possible."
Among the divisive topics, the allocation of the money remains problematic. The European Commission proposed basing it on criteria that include population size, gross domestic product per capita and unemployment figures during 2015-2019.
Merkel and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis questioned whether the criteria reflect the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We should try, as far as possible, to put a figure on the economic damage that has been done now by the pandemic, although of course it is barely possible to do that very substantially because it is so current," Merkel said. "But as far as it is possible, we should do it.”
To fund the plan, the European Commission proposed borrowing money on financial markets. The European Commission has a triple A credit rating, which would give it favorable loan terms. Repayments would not begin before 2028, with the full amount due after 30 years.
To facilitate the reimbursement, several member states pushed for the rapid development of new EU funding sources that could take the form of taxes on carbon or single-use plastic. Such revenues would make the EU budget less dependent on national contributions from member states, which are reluctant to pay more.
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-19--US marks Juneteenth anniversary of slavery’s end as it grapples with race legacy

Marchers take part in a Juneteenth Awareness Walk to demonstrate against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd , in Boston , Massachusetts , on June 18 , 2020 .
The United States marks the end of slavery by celebrating Juneteenth on Friday , with the annual unofficial holiday taking on renewed significance as millions of Americans confront the nation 's living legacy of racial injustice .
Demonstrations , prayers and cultural celebrations of food and music will enliven communities from New York to Los Angeles to honor the day in 1865 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Texas that all slaves were free .
Some 155 years after the demise of the pro-slavery Confederacy , several tragedies have led the country into a reckoning on race .
They have also energized a quest for equality among African Americans who decry how systemic racism and injustice have been allowed to fester in the world 's flagship democracy .
Forty-six-year-old African-American George Floyd was killed on May 25 when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes and ignored multiple pleas of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the horrific incident triggered coast-to-coast protests against racial injustice and police brutality .
Millions took to the streets under the `` Black Lives Matter '' banner .
Further fuelling tensions , an officer in Atlanta last week shot dead a black man who was running away after a scuffle with police .
Both offending officers in the incidents have been charged with murder , and the killings have spurred US lawmakers to introduce sweeping new police reforms .
As Americans grapple with their country 's legacy , Juneteenth has the potential to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several commemorations have gone virtual to account for the coronavirus pandemic , but many are going ahead as planned or with modifications such as social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines .
Protests are scheduled in cities like Tulsa , Oklahoma , which hosts a day-long `` I , Too , Am America '' rally for justice .
US President Donald Trump used incendiary language to level criticism at protesters following Floyd 's death , and he added fuel to the fire when he scheduled a huge campaign rally on Juneteenth in Tulsa , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced an outcry over his provocative choice of date and location – Tulsa suffered one of the country 's worst racist massacres , in 1921 , when as many as 300 black Americans were killed – and he changed the rally to Saturday .
Dozens of events Friday throughout New York will mark the holiday , including a march to City Hall demanding `` justice , dignity and equality '' for black Americans .
Pressure has mounted for Juneteenth to be declared a national holiday .
New York and Virginia have moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several major US companies including Nike and Twitter recently announced they were making Juneteenth a paid holiday for employees .
Floyd 's death has reverberated nationwide .
Several monuments depicting Confederate generals or soldiers have been toppled by protesters or ordered removed by local governments .
The auto-racing series NASCAR banned Confederate flags at its events .
And in the US Capitol , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the removal Thursday of four statues of 19th century lawmakers who served in the Confederacy .
Despite the progress made with the civil rights movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's black minority – about 13 percent of the population – has struggled .
Black household wealth is a fraction of that of whites , their health care outcomes are poorer , they are under-represented in US politics , and are jailed at far higher rates than whites in an era of mass incarceration .
As Juneteenth approached , Trump insisted he delayed his rally to June 20 out of respect .
`` Nobody had ever heard of it , '' Trump claimed in a Wall Street Journal interview Thursday , apparently oblivious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement commemorating the day .
`` I did something good , '' he added .
`` I made Juneteenth very famous . ''

The United States marks the end of slavery by celebrating Juneteenth on Friday, with the annual unofficial holiday taking on renewed significance as millions of Americans confront the nation's living legacy of racial injustice.
Marchers take part in a Juneteenth Awareness Walk to demonstrate against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 18, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Demonstrations, prayers and cultural celebrations of food and music will enliven communities from New York to Los Angeles to honor the day in 1865 when a Union general proclaimed in Galveston, Texas that all slaves were free.
Some 155 years after the demise of the pro-slavery Confederacy, several tragedies have led the country into a reckoning on race.
They have also energized a quest for equality among African Americans who decry how systemic racism and injustice have been allowed to fester in the world's flagship democracy.
Forty-six-year-old African-American George Floyd was killed on May 25 when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes and ignored multiple pleas of "I can't breathe."
Video of the horrific incident triggered coast-to-coast protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Millions took to the streets under the "Black Lives Matter" banner.
Further fuelling tensions, an officer in Atlanta last week shot dead a black man who was running away after a scuffle with police.
Both offending officers in the incidents have been charged with murder, and the killings have spurred US lawmakers to introduce sweeping new police reforms.
As Americans grapple with their country's legacy, Juneteenth has the potential to amplify calls for action and reform.
01:33
Several commemorations have gone virtual to account for the coronavirus pandemic, but many are going ahead as planned or with modifications such as social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines.
Protests are scheduled in cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma, which hosts a day-long "I, Too, Am America" rally for justice.
US President Donald Trump used incendiary language to level criticism at protesters following Floyd's death, and he added fuel to the fire when he scheduled a huge campaign rally on Juneteenth in Tulsa, his first since the pandemic began.
Trump faced an outcry over his provocative choice of date and location – Tulsa suffered one of the country's worst racist massacres, in 1921, when as many as 300 black Americans were killed – and he changed the rally to Saturday.
Dozens of events Friday throughout New York will mark the holiday, including a march to City Hall demanding "justice, dignity and equality" for black Americans.
Chicago will host a "Black Lives Matter Block Party" featuring voter registration drives.
‘Famous’ Juneteenth
Pressure has mounted for Juneteenth to be declared a national holiday. New York and Virginia have moved to make it an official state holiday.
Several major US companies including Nike and Twitter recently announced they were making Juneteenth a paid holiday for employees.
Floyd's death has reverberated nationwide. Several monuments depicting Confederate generals or soldiers have been toppled by protesters or ordered removed by local governments.
The auto-racing series NASCAR banned Confederate flags at its events.
And in the US Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the removal Thursday of four statues of 19th century lawmakers who served in the Confederacy.
01:45
Despite the progress made with the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, America's black minority – about 13 percent of the population – has struggled.
Black household wealth is a fraction of that of whites, their health care outcomes are poorer, they are under-represented in US politics, and are jailed at far higher rates than whites in an era of mass incarceration.
As Juneteenth approached, Trump insisted he delayed his rally to June 20 out of respect.
"Nobody had ever heard of it," Trump claimed in a Wall Street Journal interview Thursday, apparently oblivious that his White House annually releases a statement commemorating the day.
"I did something good," he added. "I made Juneteenth very famous."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-19--Diasporas in the coronavirus era, Part 5: Algerian singer Idir

This week , FRANCE 24 has been looking at how those who have come to live here from elsewhere have coped during France 's stringent coronavirus lockdown .
In the fifth and final episode of the series , we meet with the daughter of late Kabyle musician Idir , who passed away during the pandemic .
Singer Idir was a leading cultural ambassador of his native Kabylie and its Berber language and an icon of the Algerian community in France .
When he died in May at the age of 70 of an illness unrelated to Covid-19 , the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fans , already going through trying times .
FRANCE 24 met with Idir 's daughter , Tanina Cheriet , at the singer 's home outside Paris .
Cheriet says she and her father were very close .
`` I found it very difficult that I could n't come and see him because I caught coronavirus , '' she says .
Now that Idir is gone , his daughter says , `` One of his fundamental principles , values that we are holding on to , is his humanism , his universalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kabyle , but he was a man of the world . ''
To watch the report from FRANCE 24 's Karim Yahiaoui , Tahar Hani and Catherine Norris-Trent , click on the video player above .

Part 5 of 5
This week, FRANCE 24 has been looking at how those who have come to live here from elsewhere have coped during France's stringent coronavirus lockdown. In the fifth and final episode of the series, we meet with the daughter of late Kabyle musician Idir, who passed away during the pandemic.
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Singer Idir was a leading cultural ambassador of his native Kabylie and its Berber language and an icon of the Algerian community in France. When he died in May at the age of 70 of an illness unrelated to Covid-19, the news was difficult to stomach for many of his fans, already going through trying times.
FRANCE 24 met with Idir's daughter, Tanina Cheriet, at the singer's home outside Paris. Cheriet says she and her father were very close. "I found it very difficult that I couldn't come and see him because I caught coronavirus," she says.
Now that Idir is gone, his daughter says, "One of his fundamental principles, values that we are holding on to, is his humanism, his universalism." She adds, "He was Kabyle, but he was a man of the world."
To watch the report from FRANCE 24's Karim Yahiaoui, Tahar Hani and Catherine Norris-Trent, click on the video player above.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe