france24--2020-06-26--Irish parties strike three-way coalition deal to end months of deadlock

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin will be elected prime minister following his party 's coalition deal with Fine Gael and the Green Party .
Ireland 's two dominant centre-right parties and the smaller Green Party agreed on Friday to form a new coalition government that will focus on climate action and end four months of political stalemate .
Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin is set to be elected prime minister on Saturday , replacing Fine Gael 's Leo Varadkar , in a deal that for the first time unites the two rival parties that have dominated Irish politics since independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to return to the prime minister 's office halfway through the five-year term under a novel rotation agreement .
The Greens needed the backing of two-thirds of its grassroot members , a higher bar than the larger parties that kept the deal struck last week in doubt until the votes were counted .
It passed by a margin of 76 % to 24 % , a similar level to the two other parties .
After Varadkar 's caretaker government had to lock down the country to slow the spread of coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the economy from Monday was `` a moment of opportunity and a moment of hope for our people . ''
He said he hoped the new government could tackle problems in housing , healthcare and climate change , which he described as `` the existential challenge of our time . ''
Upon Martin 's election at a special socially distant sitting of parliament on Saturday , Irish politics will be broadly split down left-right lines for the first time with the pro-Irish unity Sinn Fein taking over as the main opposition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Irish Republican Army , shocked the political establishment in February 's election by securing more votes than any other party for the first time .
It has 37 seats in the fractured 160-seat parliament , the same number as Fianna Fail and two more than Fine Gael .
As kingmakers , the Greens were able to drive a hard bargain , including a commitment to a 7 % average annual cut in greenhouse gas emissions , versus just 2 % currently , an end to the issuing of new licenses for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a greater focus on public transport infrastructure .
With three of its 12 members of parliament remain opposed to the deal , leader Eamon Ryan even enlisted the help of US actor and activist Mark Ruffalo to persuade its 2,000 members to vote 'yes ' during 10 days of debate .
Ryan said Ireland could now take its place in the wider world 's biggest challenge `` to stop the madness that climate change will bring if it 's let go unchecked . ''
The ratification avoids what Varadkar said would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with parliament unable to pass new laws , including those underpinning a 6.5 billion euro ( $ 7.3 billion ) package to help businesses hit by the coronavirus crisis , until a prime minister is appointed .
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney , both of Fine Gael , are expected to remain in their roles when Martin names his new Cabinet on Saturday .

Ireland's two dominant centre-right parties and the smaller Green Party agreed on Friday to form a new coalition government that will focus on climate action and end four months of political stalemate.
Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin will be elected prime minister following his party's coalition deal with Fine Gael and the Green Party.
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Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin is set to be elected prime minister on Saturday, replacing Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar, in a deal that for the first time unites the two rival parties that have dominated Irish politics since independence a century ago.
Varadkar is then due to return to the prime minister's office halfway through the five-year term under a novel rotation agreement.
The Greens needed the backing of two-thirds of its grassroot members, a higher bar than the larger parties that kept the deal struck last week in doubt until the votes were counted. It passed by a margin of 76% to 24%, a similar level to the two other parties.
After Varadkar's caretaker government had to lock down the country to slow the spread of coronavirus, Martin said the reopening of the majority of the economy from Monday was "a moment of opportunity and a moment of hope for our people."
He said he hoped the new government could tackle problems in housing, healthcare and climate change, which he described as "the existential challenge of our time."
Upon Martin's election at a special socially distant sitting of parliament on Saturday, Irish politics will be broadly split down left-right lines for the first time with the pro-Irish unity Sinn Fein taking over as the main opposition.
Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army, shocked the political establishment in February's election by securing more votes than any other party for the first time. It has 37 seats in the fractured 160-seat parliament, the same number as Fianna Fail and two more than Fine Gael.
As kingmakers, the Greens were able to drive a hard bargain, including a commitment to a 7% average annual cut in greenhouse gas emissions, versus just 2% currently, an end to the issuing of new licenses for the exploration and extraction of gas and a greater focus on public transport infrastructure.
With three of its 12 members of parliament remain opposed to the deal, leader Eamon Ryan even enlisted the help of US actor and activist Mark Ruffalo to persuade its 2,000 members to vote 'yes' during 10 days of debate.
Ryan said Ireland could now take its place in the wider world's biggest challenge "to stop the madness that climate change will bring if it's let go unchecked."
The ratification avoids what Varadkar said would have been a political crisis had it been rejected, with parliament unable to pass new laws, including those underpinning a 6.5 billion euro ($7.3 billion) package to help businesses hit by the coronavirus crisis, until a prime minister is appointed.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, both of Fine Gael, are expected to remain in their roles when Martin names his new Cabinet on Saturday.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-26--Macron 'confident' of progress in Russia ties after Libya talks with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video conference at the Élysée Palace in Paris on June 26 , 2020 .
French President Emmanuel Macron is confident of progress in key areas with Russia , notably the crisis in Libya , his office said on Friday after a video conference with Russia leader Vladimir Putin .
Macron is `` confident that we can make progress with Russia on a number of subjects '' , a senior French presidential official told reporters , citing `` a common interest in the stabilisation of Libya and the reunification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent months pursued a policy of rapprochement with Russia , reaching out to Putin over key areas of disagreement such as Ukraine , in an approach that has discomforted some EU allies .
His call with Putin comes amid a spat between France and Turkey , which Macron has accused of playing a `` dangerous game '' in Libya .
Turkey has intervened decisively in recent weeks in Libya , providing air support , weapons and allied fighters from Syria to help the government based in Tripoli repel a year-long assault by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backs Haftar , and France is also suspected of favouring him — although Paris insists it is neutral in the conflict .
In the talks with Putin , Macron expressed `` all the worries that the reinforcement of the Turkish presence in Libya cause '' , the official said .
But the official added that Macron also raised with Putin `` foreign interference in Libya '' including the presence of mercenaries from the Wagner group , a Russian paramilitary organisation reportedly run by a confidant of Putin .
According to the Kremlin website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know your mindset aimed at organising joint work on many of these subjects .
We will support your proposals in any way possible . ''
The Kremlin said both leaders called for a ceasefire in Libya and a return to dialogue .
The French official said that during two hours of talks Putin had also invited Macron to Russia and the French president had accepted , although no date has been set .
The visit would likely take place `` in the next months '' and `` before the end of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be taken account of , the official said .
The Kremlin also said that Putin extended an invitation to `` dear Emmanuel '' to visit Russia .
The French leader had planned to attend events in Red Square last month to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany .
But that event was cancelled as a result of the pandemic , although it then went ahead – without Macron in attendance – in Moscow on Wednesday .

French President Emmanuel Macron is confident of progress in key areas with Russia, notably the crisis in Libya, his office said on Friday after a video conference with Russia leader Vladimir Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video conference at the Élysée Palace in Paris on June 26, 2020.
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Macron is "confident that we can make progress with Russia on a number of subjects", a senior French presidential official told reporters, citing "a common interest in the stabilisation of Libya and the reunification of its institutions".
Macron has in recent months pursued a policy of rapprochement with Russia, reaching out to Putin over key areas of disagreement such as Ukraine, in an approach that has discomforted some EU allies.
His call with Putin comes amid a spat between France and Turkey, which Macron has accused of playing a "dangerous game" in Libya.
Turkey has intervened decisively in recent weeks in Libya, providing air support, weapons and allied fighters from Syria to help the government based in Tripoli repel a year-long assault by eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar.
Russia backs Haftar, and France is also suspected of favouring him — although Paris insists it is neutral in the conflict.
In the talks with Putin, Macron expressed "all the worries that the reinforcement of the Turkish presence in Libya cause", the official said.
But the official added that Macron also raised with Putin "foreign interference in Libya" including the presence of mercenaries from the Wagner group, a Russian paramilitary organisation reportedly run by a confidant of Putin.
According to the Kremlin website, Putin told Macron: "I know your mindset aimed at organising joint work on many of these subjects. We will support your proposals in any way possible."
The Kremlin said both leaders called for a ceasefire in Libya and a return to dialogue.
>> The Interview: Libya 'faces a real risk of partition'
Invitation to Russia
The French official said that during two hours of talks Putin had also invited Macron to Russia and the French president had accepted, although no date has been set.
The visit would likely take place "in the next months" and "before the end of the year" although the coronavirus crisis would have to be taken account of, the official said.
02:00
The Kremlin also said that Putin extended an invitation to "dear Emmanuel" to visit Russia.
The French leader had planned to attend events in Red Square last month to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
But that event was cancelled as a result of the pandemic, although it then went ahead – without Macron in attendance – in Moscow on Wednesday.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-26--Thousands attend state funeral for Burundi's Nkurunziza

Pierre Nkurunziza 's coffin , draped in the country 's national flag , is presented on a ceremonial vehicle at the Ingoma stadium in Gitega , Burundi , on June 26 , 2020 .
Thousands of Burundians clad in white gathered Friday in the capital Gitega to say a final goodbye to former president Pierre Nkurunziza at a state funeral after his sudden death earlier this month .
The coffin carrying the late president arrived at a stadium in the city , covered in the green , red and white national flag and borne atop a military jeep , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The funeral convoy was welcomed by a military band after a 60-kilometre ( 37-mile ) journey from the city of Karusi where Nkurunziza , 55 , died on June 8 of what the government said was heart failure .
However speculation is rife he may have caught the coronavirus , as his wife had been flown to Nairobi for treatment for the virus just two weeks prior .
The ceremonies began early in the morning with a `` homage by his wife , Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza , his children and those close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital where he passed away , a government source told AFP .
Nkurunziza died shortly after an election won by his handpicked successor Evariste Ndayishimiye , who was sworn in last week and who presided over the funeral .
`` Nowhere in Africa , or the world , has a leader been as close to God as president Nkurunziza was , '' Ndayishimiye said in a tear-filled speech , adding he was also `` the closest to the people '' .
`` We have lost a father , a friend , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
Nkurunziza 's wife Denise , who has recovered from the virus , said that God had given her the strength to accept what had happened .
`` In the Bible it is written that we must accept God in everything .
There was nothing else to do and I did it , '' she said .
Nkurunziza , a devout evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to lead Burundi , leaves behind a deeply isolated country in political and economic turmoil .
His 2015 run for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a failed coup , with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 fled the country .
A climate of fear marked by a crackdown on the opposition and media settled over Burundi , while a personality cult grew around Nkurunziza which saw the ruling party name him a `` visionary '' and `` supreme guide for patriotism . ''
UN human 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared a national holiday for the funeral , and citizens , including school children in uniform , lined the roads waiting for the funeral convoy to pass .
Inside the stadium the arrival of Nkurunziza 's remains led to screams , tears and moans from the crowd , who were asked to stand in silence and bow .
The majority were not wearing masks or respecting social distancing guidelines .
Burundi has taken few measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus , with Nkurunziza claiming God had spared the country from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ndayishimiye admitted the dangers posed by the virus , and urged Burundians to take care and go to a doctor if they felt ill .
Since announcing its first case in mid-March , Burundi has only officially recorded 144 cases and one death .
A medical source told AFP that Nkurunziza had suffered `` respiratory distress '' before dying .
One diplomat attending the funeral told AFP he had arrived with a mask but removed it after feeling `` ridiculous '' as no one else was wearing one .
No foreign presidents attended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kikwete was present as well as representatives from some neighbouring countries .
Nkurunziza was buried at the site of a planned monument in Gitega which was to be dedicated to victims of the country 's various crises over the years , but was never inaugurated due to disagreements between the opposition and ruling party .

Thousands of Burundians clad in white gathered Friday in the capital Gitega to say a final goodbye to former president Pierre Nkurunziza at a state funeral after his sudden death earlier this month.
Pierre Nkurunziza's coffin, draped in the country's national flag, is presented on a ceremonial vehicle at the Ingoma stadium in Gitega, Burundi, on June 26, 2020.
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The coffin carrying the late president arrived at a stadium in the city, covered in the green, red and white national flag and borne atop a military jeep, as soldiers marched in step alongside it.
The funeral convoy was welcomed by a military band after a 60-kilometre (37-mile) journey from the city of Karusi where Nkurunziza, 55, died on June 8 of what the government said was heart failure.
However speculation is rife he may have caught the coronavirus, as his wife had been flown to Nairobi for treatment for the virus just two weeks prior.
The ceremonies began early in the morning with a "homage by his wife, Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza, his children and those close to him" in an intimate gathering at the hospital where he passed away, a government source told AFP.
Nkurunziza died shortly after an election won by his handpicked successor Evariste Ndayishimiye, who was sworn in last week and who presided over the funeral.
"Nowhere in Africa, or the world, has a leader been as close to God as president Nkurunziza was," Ndayishimiye said in a tear-filled speech, adding he was also "the closest to the people".
"We have lost a father, a friend, a saviour and a head of state," he said.
Nkurunziza's wife Denise, who has recovered from the virus, said that God had given her the strength to accept what had happened.
"In the Bible it is written that we must accept God in everything. There was nothing else to do and I did it," she said.
Nkurunziza, a devout evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to lead Burundi, leaves behind a deeply isolated country in political and economic turmoil.
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.
A climate of fear marked by a crackdown on the opposition and media settled over Burundi, while a personality cult grew around Nkurunziza which saw the ruling party name him a "visionary" and "supreme guide for patriotism."
UN human 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.
No masks, no distance
Friday was declared a national holiday for the funeral, and citizens, including school children in uniform, lined the roads waiting for the funeral convoy to pass.
Inside the stadium the arrival of Nkurunziza's remains led to screams, tears and moans from the crowd, who were asked to stand in silence and bow.
The majority were not wearing masks or respecting social distancing guidelines.
Burundi has taken few measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, with Nkurunziza claiming God had spared the country from its ravages.
During his swearing-in ceremony, Ndayishimiye admitted the dangers posed by the virus, and urged Burundians to take care and go to a doctor if they felt ill.
Since announcing its first case in mid-March, Burundi has only officially recorded 144 cases and one death.
A medical source told AFP that Nkurunziza had suffered "respiratory distress" before dying.
One diplomat attending the funeral told AFP he had arrived with a mask but removed it after feeling "ridiculous" as no one else was wearing one.
No foreign presidents attended the funeral. Former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete was present as well as representatives from some neighbouring countries.
Nkurunziza was buried at the site of a planned monument in Gitega which was to be dedicated to victims of the country's various crises over the years, but was never inaugurated due to disagreements between the opposition and ruling party.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--Climate protest disrupts reopening of Paris Orly airport after three-month shutdown

A Transavia flight bound for Porto , Portugal gets a `` water salute '' at Orly airport , Paris on June 26 , 2020 .
The French capital 's Orly airport reopened on Friday after a three-month closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic , but traffic was thin and also briefly disrupted by climate protesters storming the runway .
A plane operated by low-cost carrier Transavia took off for the Portuguese city of Porto , the first commercial flight since the number two Paris airport came to a halt on March 31 .
Two firetrucks on either side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stationary aircraft in celebration , with the passengers inside waiting to taxi to the runway .
But hours later , Extinction Rebellion activists stormed the runway , lit flares and attached themselves to bicycles with locks around their necks to protest the bailing out of the aviation industry , which suffered huge losses with the grounding of air traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic .
Twenty-nine people were arrested including a journalist from ecological news website Reporterre , according to an Extinction Rebellion tweet .
Before their arrest , the activists rolled out banners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not airplanes '' and `` 15 billion to relaunch the catastrophe '' , in reference to the French government €15 billion ( around $ 17bn ) bailout for the aviation industry .
'Says a lot about the airport 's security' Extinction Rebellion carried out a similar action at London Heathrow airport in October last year .
The group wants governments to adopt policies that cut harmful emissions to a net level of zero by 2025 .
`` It 's symbolic to face a plane , to face what is putting us in danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists , who gave his name as Franck , told AFP over the phone .
The activists warned the airport 's security 20 minutes before they stormed the runway , Franck said , and added that he was surprised by the time it took French police to react .
`` It says a lot about the airport 's security , anyone can enter , '' Franck said .
`` The government is trying to do a publicity stunt by outlawing a couple of domestic flights , but at the same time it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with billions of public money .
Where is the logic ? ''
said Extinction Rebellion in a statement .
Some 8,000 passengers were expected on Friday , less than 10 percent of the daily average of around 90,000 before the virus crisis grounded aircraft worldwide .
Increased traffic in July will depend on whether Algeria , Morocco and Tunisia reopen their borders .
and on whether the virus remains under control .
Orly is the French capital 's second-largest hub after Charles de Gaulle airport ( CDG ) north of Paris .
Charles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Covid-19 lockdown , though traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in the month of May .
The International Air Transport Association said earlier this month that the world 's airlines were one course for a combined net loss of more than €74 billion ( $ 84bn ) this year .
As part of new safety measures , Orly 's operator Aéroports de Paris ( ADP ) has installed 137 Plexiglas screens at counters and 150 sanitiser dispensers , along with more than 7,000 posters and stickers to ensure social distancing .
Staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures of passengers .
Others dressed in protective white suits and masks sprayed disinfectant on surfaces such as automatic check-in screens .

The French capital's Orly airport reopened on Friday after a three-month closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but traffic was thin and also briefly disrupted by climate protesters storming the runway.
A Transavia flight bound for Porto, Portugal gets a "water salute" at Orly airport, Paris on June 26, 2020.
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A plane operated by low-cost carrier Transavia took off for the Portuguese city of Porto, the first commercial flight since the number two Paris airport came to a halt on March 31.
Two firetrucks on either side of the plane shot arcs of water over the stationary aircraft in celebration, with the passengers inside waiting to taxi to the runway.
But hours later, Extinction Rebellion activists stormed the runway, lit flares and attached themselves to bicycles with locks around their necks to protest the bailing out of the aviation industry, which suffered huge losses with the grounding of air traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Twenty-nine people were arrested including a journalist from ecological news website Reporterre, according to an Extinction Rebellion tweet.
🔴🔴🔴 Action en cours #ExtinctionRebellion rentre sur les pistes d’Orly pour crasher la réouverture #DangerPublic pic.twitter.com/i2D9zITkZk — Extinction Rebellion France 🐝🌺 (@xrFrance) June 26, 2020
Before their arrest, the activists rolled out banners saying "let's save the living not airplanes" and "15 billion to relaunch the catastrophe", in reference to the French government €15 billion (around $17bn) bailout for the aviation industry.
'Says a lot about the airport's security'
Extinction Rebellion carried out a similar action at London Heathrow airport in October last year.
The group wants governments to adopt policies that cut harmful emissions to a net level of zero by 2025.
"It's symbolic to face a plane, to face what is putting us in danger," one of the group's activists, who gave his name as Franck, told AFP over the phone.
@flightradar24 First day of reopening of #ORY Paris Orly Airport. Extinction Rebellion has invaded its runways, asking the end of the domestic flights in France pic.twitter.com/Xb9RPzK7Vp — Jean-Robert (@Jean_Robert_29) June 26, 2020
The activists warned the airport's security 20 minutes before they stormed the runway, Franck said, and added that he was surprised by the time it took French police to react.
"It says a lot about the airport's security, anyone can enter," Franck said.
"The government is trying to do a publicity stunt by outlawing a couple of domestic flights, but at the same time it is financing the revival of the aviation industry with billions of public money. Where is the logic?" said Extinction Rebellion in a statement.
Gradual reopening
Some 8,000 passengers were expected on Friday, less than 10 percent of the daily average of around 90,000 before the virus crisis grounded aircraft worldwide.
Increased traffic in July will depend on whether Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia reopen their borders. and on whether the virus remains under control.
Orly is the French capital's second-largest hub after Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) north of Paris. Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country's Covid-19 lockdown, though traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in the month of May.
The International Air Transport Association said earlier this month that the world's airlines were one course for a combined net loss of more than €74 billion ($84bn) this year.
As part of new safety measures, Orly's operator Aéroports de Paris (ADP) has installed 137 Plexiglas screens at counters and 150 sanitiser dispensers, along with more than 7,000 posters and stickers to ensure social distancing.
Staff also used thermal cameras to check the temperatures of passengers. Others dressed in protective white suits and masks sprayed disinfectant on surfaces such as automatic check-in screens.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-26--‘They are human too’: Indonesia locals rescue Rohingya refugees barred by Covid fears

Rohingya refugees off the coast of Indonesia on Thursday , June 25 , 2020 .
Locals in Aceh province , Indonesia , rescued a group of Rohingya refugees stranded at sea on Thursday after authorities refused to let them come ashore for fear they may be carrying the Covid-19 coronavirus .
The 94 refugees , including 30 children , were reportedly found earlier this week in a sinking cargo ship , adrift in the water off the Indonesian island of Sumatra .
They were initially rescued on Wednesday by local fishermen who brought them closer to shore .
But authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in land and on Thursday morning said they would send the refugees back out to sea .
Locals then took matters into their own hands , however , towing the boat to shore and helping to carry emaciated passengers and small children to land .
“ If the government is incapable , us the community will bring help to them , because we are human beings and they ( the Rohingya refugees ) are human too and we have a heart , ” local resident Syaiful Amri told Reuters .
In the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then said the refugees will now be given temporary accommodation and health checks to make sure they are virus-free .
Indonesia is a common destination for Muslim Rohingya fleeing persecution in mostly Buddhist Myanmar and overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh , and hundreds have died attempting perilous sea crossings in recent years .
The crisis has worsened this year with many countries shutting their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic .

Locals in Aceh province, Indonesia, rescued a group of Rohingya refugees stranded at sea on Thursday after authorities refused to let them come ashore for fear they may be carrying the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Rohingya refugees off the coast of Indonesia on Thursday, June 25, 2020.
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The 94 refugees, including 30 children, were reportedly found earlier this week in a sinking cargo ship, adrift in the water off the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
They were initially rescued on Wednesday by local fishermen who brought them closer to shore. But authorities refused to let the boat they were in land and on Thursday morning said they would send the refugees back out to sea.
Locals then took matters into their own hands, however, towing the boat to shore and helping to carry emaciated passengers and small children to land.
“If the government is incapable, us the community will bring help to them, because we are human beings and they (the Rohingya refugees) are human too and we have a heart,” local resident Syaiful Amri told Reuters.
In the face of protests by angry locals, authorities then said the refugees will now be given temporary accommodation and health checks to make sure they are virus-free.
Indonesia is a common destination for Muslim Rohingya fleeing persecution in mostly Buddhist Myanmar and overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, and hundreds have died attempting perilous sea crossings in recent years.
The crisis has worsened this year with many countries shutting their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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france24--2020-06-26--Photo of a police officer pressing a knee into the neck of the 'Mauritanian George Floyd' sparks ang

Photo of a police officer pressing a knee into the neck of the 'Mauritanian George Floyd' sparks anger

Jaafar believes that the ministry ’ s threat to correspondents proves that the authorities want to shut down any debate on this topic : Hamid Oueld Mohammed , who has 38,000 Facebook followers , posted a photo that he claims shows the injured hand of one of the police officers who was allegedly attacked by the arrestee .
Other pro-authorities bloggers , like Mohamed Lamine Abd Eddayem , claimed that the security forces were victims of a smear campaign .
'Is this young man dead ?
No , he isn ’ t dead .
This is [ just ] a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are white or black .
It isn ’ t reasonable to compare this image with what happened to George Floyd .
And it ’ s a crime to compare Mauritania with the United States , ' reads a post written by a blogger who Jaafar says has close links to the police .
Police arrested the person who took the photo of the incident , according to Mauritanian news site Al-Akhbar .
“ It ’ s a warning to anyone who tries to film similar scenes in the future , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interior sent the FRANCE 24 Observers team a document stating that the two officers had been transferred to the far east of the country in the wake of this brutal arrest .
According to a source in the same Ministry , who wished to remain anonymous , officials considered the incident an “ internal affair ” and their decision to transfer the officers to be just an `` ordinary procedure '' .
Several social-media users with close links to the Mauritanian government , like Hamid Oueld Mohammed , posted on Facebook that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being transferred .
A document signed by the Director General of Mauritanian National Security , Mesgharou Ould Sidi , and published by the Mauritanian news site Nawafedh , states that the two police officers involved were transferred to districts in the far east of the country .

MAURITANIA
Two Mauritanian police officers hold a Black man on the ground, facedown. One of the officers has his knee pressed into the man’s neck.
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People across Mauritania have expressed shock and outrage over a photo showing a police officer holding a man on the ground by pressing his knee into his neck – using the exact same move that a police officer used to kill George Floyd in the American city of Minneapolis, sparking a global movement against police violence and racism. This movement has had particular resonance in Mauritania, where the Black community has faced a long history of slavery, violence and oppression.
The incident took place on June 21 in El-Minaa, a suburb located to the southwest of the capital, Nouakchott. The photo was taken by a witness who self-identifies as an activist on social media. It shows two Mauritanian police officers holding a Black man on the ground, facedown. One of the officers has his knee pressed into the man’s neck.
Bloggers sympathetic to the Mauritanian government claimed the man was a "thief", an “armed individual who had attacked the authorities”. However, none of the posts contained specific information about the crimes he was alleged to have committed.
On the other hand, many Mauritanian social-media users were quick to draw a parallel with how US police officer Derek Chauvin restrained and ultimately killed George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis. Many people denounced it as a racist act carried out in a suburb that is home to a majority Black community.
'An arrest using US police tactics, this is disrespectful treatment and must be condemned. Leadership within the (national) security forces should severely punish these two officers.'
'I think the only explanation is that the police planned this as a way to provoke the community'
Hamza Jaafar is a human rights activist and a member of the Sahel Foundation for Human Rights (in French: la fondation Sahel pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme). Jaafar says that there is nothing new about the Mauritanian police using excessive force towards civilians, especially if those civilians are Black.
In the midst of an international movement against racism and police violence, the police used the same method that caused George Floyd’s death in a community that is 90 percent Black. I think the only explanation is that the police planned this as a way to provoke the community.
Slavery wasn’t banned in Mauritania until 1980 and reports by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International show that it hasn’t been totally eradicated. And racism against the Black community in Mauritania is still rampant.
A few days before the incident, Mauritanian TV channel Al-Arabii broadcast a documentary about the enslavement of Black people, which is a sensitive topic in Mauritania. After the documentary was broadcast, the Minister of Culture contacted correspondents for international media outlets and told them that their work permits would be revoked if they reported on topics that “threatened social cohesion” in the country.
'Without George Floyd, this might have gone unreported'
Jaafar believes that the ministry’s threat to correspondents proves that the authorities want to shut down any debate on this topic:
Without George Floyd, this incident might have gone unreported. The security forces here make a habit of assaulting citizens during arrests. Even this time, blogs with close links to the authorities justified this brutal arrest by saying that the man was a criminal who had attacked the officers before trying to flee. They even posted photos that they claimed showed how one of the officers had sustained a hand injury.
Hamid Oueld Mohammed, who has 38,000 Facebook followers, posted a photo that he claims shows the injured hand of one of the police officers who was allegedly attacked by the arrestee.
Other pro-authorities bloggers, like Mohamed Lamine Abd Eddayem, claimed that the security forces were victims of a smear campaign.
'Is this young man dead? No, he isn’t dead. This is [just] a method used to arrest thieves, whether they are white or black. It isn’t reasonable to compare this image with what happened to George Floyd. And it’s a crime to compare Mauritania with the United States,' reads a post written by a blogger who Jaafar says has close links to the police.
Police arrested the person who took the photo of the incident, according to Mauritanian news site Al-Akhbar.
“It’s a warning to anyone who tries to film similar scenes in the future,” says Jaafar.
The Mauritanian Ministry of the Interior sent the FRANCE 24 Observers team a document stating that the two officers had been transferred to the far east of the country in the wake of this brutal arrest.
According to a source in the same Ministry, who wished to remain anonymous, officials considered the incident an “internal affair” and their decision to transfer the officers to be just an "ordinary procedure".
Several social-media users with close links to the Mauritanian government, like Hamid Oueld Mohammed, posted on Facebook that the officers were jailed for three days before being transferred.
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A document signed by the Director General of Mauritanian National Security, Mesgharou Ould Sidi, and published by the Mauritanian news site Nawafedh, states that the two police officers involved were transferred to districts in the far east of the country.
Article by Omar Tiss.


france24--2020-06-26--Fukushima's Olympic makeover: Will the 'cursed' area be safe from radioactivity in time for Games?

In a year 's time , the Olympic Games , dubbed the `` reconstruction Olympics '' , should allow Japan to move on from the Fukushima tragedy .
The region , a symbol of the 2011 disaster , has officially been cleaned up but many problems remain , such as radioactivity and `` forbidden cities '' .
Over the course of several months , our reporters followed the daily lives of the inhabitants of this `` cursed '' region .
In recent months , Japanese authorities have been working hard to finish rebuilding the Fukushima region in time for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decontamination project is never-ending and is expected to cost nearly €250 billion .
> > 'The Great Wall of Japan ' : Locals divided over anti-tsunami shield Although the work undertaken over the past 10 years is colossal and the region is partly rebuilt , it 's still not free from radioactivity .
The NGO Greenpeace has detected radioactive hotspots near the Olympic facilities .
And at the Fukushima power plant , Tepco engineers continue to battle against radioactive leaks .
They also face new issues such as contaminated water , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new-fangled problem for Japan .
Our reporters were able to visit the notorious nuclear power plant .
They bring us a chronicle of daily life in Fukushima , with residents determined to revive their stricken region .

In a year's time, the Olympic Games, dubbed the "reconstruction Olympics", should allow Japan to move on from the Fukushima tragedy. The region, a symbol of the 2011 disaster, has officially been cleaned up but many problems remain, such as radioactivity and "forbidden cities". Over the course of several months, our reporters followed the daily lives of the inhabitants of this "cursed" region.
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In recent months, Japanese authorities have been working hard to finish rebuilding the Fukushima region in time for the Summer Games. This huge reconstruction and decontamination project is never-ending and is expected to cost nearly €250 billion.
>> 'The Great Wall of Japan': Locals divided over anti-tsunami shield
Although the work undertaken over the past 10 years is colossal and the region is partly rebuilt, it's still not free from radioactivity. The NGO Greenpeace has detected radioactive hotspots near the Olympic facilities. And at the Fukushima power plant, Tepco engineers continue to battle against radioactive leaks. They also face new issues such as contaminated water, which is accumulating at the site and poses a new-fangled problem for Japan. Our reporters were able to visit the notorious nuclear power plant.
They bring us a chronicle of daily life in Fukushima, with residents determined to revive their stricken region.
>> Watch our special report: Returning home to Fukushima
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france24--2020-06-26--London police chief vows crackdown on illegal street parties as officers face more attacks

A worker cleans street in Brixton , London , June 25 , 2020 , after an illegal party resulted in police injuries .
London police will crack down on illegal street parties after officers came under attack for the second night running as they tried to disperse an unauthorisedgathering , the capital 's police chief said on Friday .
As Britain lifts its coronavirus lockdown , police have had to deal with a number of illegal parties and raves across the country .
`` It 's hot , some people have drunk far too much , some people are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plain violent , '' London police chief Cressida Dick said .
The gatherings were unlawful and should not be happening , she said , warning : `` We will come and close them down . ''
Her comments came hours after British police officers were attacked in the early hours of Friday while attempting to disperse an illegal party overnight in west London , the second such incident in as many days .
Police said officers tried to disperse an unlicensed music event near Colville Gardens , in west London , overnight .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispersing the crowd , '' police said .
`` Violence will not be tolerated . ''
The previous night , 22 police officers were hurt during trouble at an unauthorised music event in Brixton , south London .
Two officers and two people at the party were taken to hospital following the `` unlicensed music event '' in Wednesday night .
Four people were arrested during the attack , which the Metropolitan Police described as `` totally unacceptable '' .
Scotland Yard said it was undertaking an `` enhanced policing operation '' across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` effective and prompt response to any reports or disorder '' .
In a Twitter post , Commander Bas Javid said , `` Our role is to keep our communities safe and this evening people can expect to see a heightened police presence out in areas where we know these events are taking place . ''
The heightened police presence was `` in direct response to concerns expressed by our communities , many of whom were scared and shocked by the events taking place outside their homes , '' said Javid .

London police will crack down on illegal street parties after officers came under attack for the second night running as they tried to disperse an unauthorisedgathering, the capital's police chief said on Friday.
A worker cleans street in Brixton, London, June 25, 2020, after an illegal party resulted in police injuries.
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As Britain lifts its coronavirus lockdown, police have had to deal with a number of illegal parties and raves across the country.
"It's hot, some people have drunk far too much, some people are just angry and aggressive, and some are plain violent," London police chief Cressida Dick said.
The gatherings were unlawful and should not be happening, she said, warning: "We will come and close them down."
Her comments came hours after British police officers were attacked in the early hours of Friday while attempting to disperse an illegal party overnight in west London, the second such incident in as many days.
Police said officers tried to disperse an unlicensed music event near Colville Gardens, in west London, overnight.
"Objects have been thrown at officers dispersing the crowd," police said. "Violence will not be tolerated."
Officers are at the scene of an unlicensed music event near Colville Gardens, #W11. Objects have been thrown at officers dispersing the crowd. Violence will not be tolerated & units are responding appropriately. This gathering is illegal & we ask anyone in attendance to leave. — Kensington & Chelsea Police (@MPSKenChel) June 26, 2020
Police injured at Brixton illegal event
The previous night, 22 police officers were hurt during trouble at an unauthorised music event in Brixton, south London.
Two officers and two people at the party were taken to hospital following the "unlicensed music event" in Wednesday night.
Four people were arrested during the attack, which the Metropolitan Police described as "totally unacceptable".
Scotland Yard said it was undertaking an "enhanced policing operation" across the capital to ensure there was an "effective and prompt response to any reports or disorder".
In a Twitter post, Commander Bas Javid said, "Our role is to keep our communities safe and this evening people can expect to see a heightened police presence out in areas where we know these events are taking place."
Commander Javid @BasJavidMPS: "Our role is to keep our communities safe and this evening people can expect to see a heightened police presence out in areas where we know these events are taking place." — Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 25, 2020
Commander Javid @BasJavidMPS: "Our role is to keep our communities safe and this evening people can expect to see a heightened police presence out in areas where we know these events are taking place." — Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 25, 2020
The heightened police presence was "in direct response to concerns expressed by our communities, many of whom were scared and shocked by the events taking place outside their homes," said Javid.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-26--Turkish court sentences 121 people to life in failed coup trial

File photo of Turkish soldiers arriving in court in July 13 , 2017 for the failed coup attempt trial .
A Turkish court on Friday handed down life sentences to 121 people for taking part in the 2016 attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , state media reported .
The court in Ankara sentenced 86 suspects to `` aggravated '' life imprisonment for `` attempting to violate the constitution '' while 35 individuals were given life sentences for the same crime , the official Anadolu news agency said .
An aggravated life sentence has tougher terms of detention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ death penalty which Turkey abolished in 2004 as part of its drive to join the EU .
A total of 245 suspects were on trial in the case related to events at the Gendarmerie General Command on the night of July 15 , 2016 in the Turkish capital .
Another suspect , former colonel Erkan Oktem , was given nine aggravated life sentences for `` wilful murder '' , Anadolu reported .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised a `` cleansing '' of state institutions following the coup attempt and hundreds of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the international community .
Detainees included opposition figures , military personnel , judges , journalists and activists .
> > Click here for FRANCE 24 's webdoc , 'Turkey : The Great Purge' Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul last week said 15 coup-related trials continued out of a total of 289 in what is the biggest legal process in Turkey 's modern history .
After a three-month break because of the novel coronavirus pandemic , trials in Turkey resumed this month including the main coup trial focused on events at an air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' hub .
That trial began in 2017 and is expected to be completed soon .
Turkey says US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen ordered the failed coup , a claim he strongly denies .
Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen , while over 100,000 have been sacked or suspended from the public sector due to similar suspicions .

A Turkish court on Friday handed down life sentences to 121 people for taking part in the 2016 attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media reported.
File photo of Turkish soldiers arriving in court in July 13, 2017 for the failed coup attempt trial.
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The court in Ankara sentenced 86 suspects to "aggravated" life imprisonment for "attempting to violate the constitution" while 35 individuals were given life sentences for the same crime, the official Anadolu news agency said.
An aggravated life sentence has tougher terms of detention. It was brought in to replace the death penalty which Turkey abolished in 2004 as part of its drive to join the EU.
A total of 245 suspects were on trial in the case related to events at the Gendarmerie General Command on the night of July 15, 2016 in the Turkish capital.
Another suspect, former colonel Erkan Oktem, was given nine aggravated life sentences for "wilful murder", Anadolu reported.
The failed coup left 248 people dead, excluding 24 putschists killed that night.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised a "cleansing" of state institutions following the coup attempt and hundreds of thousands were arrested in a crackdown widely criticised by the international community. Detainees included opposition figures, military personnel, judges, journalists and activists.
>> Click here for FRANCE 24's webdoc, 'Turkey: The Great Purge'
Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul last week said 15 coup-related trials continued out of a total of 289 in what is the biggest legal process in Turkey's modern history.
After a three-month break because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, trials in Turkey resumed this month including the main coup trial focused on events at an air base in Ankara seen as the putschists' hub.
That trial began in 2017 and is expected to be completed soon.
Turkey says US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen ordered the failed coup, a claim he strongly denies.
Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen, while over 100,000 have been sacked or suspended from the public sector due to similar suspicions.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-27--India tops 500,000 coronavirus cases with record one-day tally

India now has more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases , according to government figures released Saturday that showed a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections .
Authorities said a total of 15,685 people had died after another 385 fatalities were added to the toll in 24 hours .
The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July .
Some state governments are considering imposing new lockdowns .
A hard-hitting nationwide lockdown that started March 25 is gradually being eased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
The virus has particularly hit India 's densely populated cities and there are now major concerns for New Delhi which has overtaken Mumbai with nearly 80,000 cases .
The city 's government has predicted it will have 500,000 infections by the end of July .
It is already using railway carriages to house patients and has taken over hotels and banquet halls to relieve the pressure on hard-pressed hospitals .
The government has been criticised over a lack of testing that experts say has hidden the true number of cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The country is currently fourth in the world for the number of infections , behind the United States , Brazil and Russia , though it has a much lower death toll .
In a bid to boost tracing efforts , Delhi authorities have called in 33,000 health workers to screen about two million people in sealed off zones across the city of 20 million people .
But cities across the nation of 1.3 billion people are braced for a huge wave of new cases in coming weeks .
`` It is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unless we are able to reinforce a strict physical distancing mechanism or a hard lockdown , where the rate of infection will continue to increase , '' said Anant Bhan , a leading public health expert .
`` Unlike China , where the pandemic was relatively more concentrated around Wuhan and a few other cities , India has a more diffused spread that makes it a bit more challenging for the healthcare system , '' he told AFP .
Bhan said India might see several peaks in coming months because the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country '' .

India now has more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to government figures released Saturday that showed a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections.
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Authorities said a total of 15,685 people had died after another 385 fatalities were added to the toll in 24 hours.
The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July.
Some state governments are considering imposing new lockdowns. A hard-hitting nationwide lockdown that started March 25 is gradually being eased because of the damage caused to the economy.
The virus has particularly hit India's densely populated cities and there are now major concerns for New Delhi which has overtaken Mumbai with nearly 80,000 cases.
The city's government has predicted it will have 500,000 infections by the end of July. It is already using railway carriages to house patients and has taken over hotels and banquet halls to relieve the pressure on hard-pressed hospitals.
The government has been criticised over a lack of testing that experts say has hidden the true number of cases in India, which now stands at 509,000.
The country is currently fourth in the world for the number of infections, behind the United States, Brazil and Russia, though it has a much lower death toll.
In a bid to boost tracing efforts, Delhi authorities have called in 33,000 health workers to screen about two million people in sealed off zones across the city of 20 million people.
But cities across the nation of 1.3 billion people are braced for a huge wave of new cases in coming weeks.
"It is likely that we're going into a state, unless we are able to reinforce a strict physical distancing mechanism or a hard lockdown, where the rate of infection will continue to increase," said Anant Bhan, a leading public health expert.
"Unlike China, where the pandemic was relatively more concentrated around Wuhan and a few other cities, India has a more diffused spread that makes it a bit more challenging for the healthcare system," he told AFP.
Bhan said India might see several peaks in coming months because the spread of the virus "is variable across the country".
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-27--Millions of children in Yemen face starvation amid aid shortfall, UN says

Yemeni men unload medical aid at a hospital warehouse in the war-torn country 's second city of Aden in early May , 2020 .
Millions of children could be pushed to the brink of starvation as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across war-torn Yemen amid a `` huge '' drop in humanitarian aid funding , the U.N. children ’ s agency warned Friday .
The stark prediction comes in a new UNICEF report , “ Yemen five years on : Children , conflict and COVID-19.
” It said the number of malnourished Yemeni children could reach 2.4 million by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in the current figure .
“ As Yemen ’ s devastated health system and infrastructure struggle to cope with coronavirus , the already dire situation for children is likely to deteriorate considerably , ” warned UNICEF .
Yemen 's poor health care infrastructure is unprepared to battle the coronavirus pandemic after five years of war between a Saudi-led military coalition and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels .
The war , which has mostly stalemated , has also triggered the world ’ s worst humanitarian crisis .
The conflict erupted in 2015 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the internationally recognized government , which the Houthis had forced into exile when they overran the capital , Sanaa , and much of the north the previous year .
The situation in Yemen is only expected to get worse as donor countries recently cut back on aid .
Yemen has officially recorded more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , including 275 deaths .
However , the actual tally is believed to be much higher as testing capabilities are severely limited .
“ If we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die , ” said Sara Beysolow Nyanti , UNICEF 's representative to Yemen .
“ The international community will be sending a message that the lives of children ... simply do not matter.
” UNICEF also warned that unless $ 54.5 million are disbursed for health and nutrition aid by the end of August , more than 23,000 children will be at increased risk of dying because of acute malnutrition .
It also said that 5 million others under the age of 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly diseases .
International relief agencies are alarmed by the significant decline in humanitarian funding promised earlier by donor countries .
A virtual pledging conference for Yemen hosted by the U.N. and Saudi Arabia on June 2 saw 31 donors pledge $ 1.35 billion for humanitarian aid — a billion dollars short of what aid agencies needed and half of what countries had pledged in 2019 .
UNICEF could only secure 40 % of the $ 461 million it appealed for to cover its humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 53 million it needs to handle the impact of COVID-19 on children , said the report .
“ UNICEF is working around the clock in incredibly difficult situations to get aid to children in desperate need , but we only have a fraction of the funding required to do this , ” said Nyanti .
The UNICEF report came on the heels of a warning by U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock who told a closed U.N. Security Council meeting that Yemen could “ fall off the cliff ” without massive financial support .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the Arab world 's poorest country , killing about 25 % of confirmed cases — five times the global average .
Half of Yemen ’ s health facilities are dysfunctional and 18 % of the country ’ s 333 districts have no doctors .
Water and sanitation systems have collapsed resulting in recurrent cholera outbreaks .
Around 9.6 million children do not have sufficient access to safe water , sanitation , or hygiene and two-thirds of the country ’ s roughly 30 million people rely on food assistance .

Millions of children could be pushed to the brink of starvation as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across war-torn Yemen amid a "huge" drop in humanitarian aid funding, the U.N. children’s agency warned Friday.
Yemeni men unload medical aid at a hospital warehouse in the war-torn country's second city of Aden in early May, 2020.
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The stark prediction comes in a new UNICEF report, “Yemen five years on: Children, conflict and COVID-19.” It said the number of malnourished Yemeni children could reach 2.4 million by the end of the year, a 20% increase in the current figure.
“As Yemen’s devastated health system and infrastructure struggle to cope with coronavirus, the already dire situation for children is likely to deteriorate considerably,” warned UNICEF.
Yemen's poor health care infrastructure is unprepared to battle the coronavirus pandemic after five years of war between a Saudi-led military coalition and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The war, which has mostly stalemated, has also triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The conflict erupted in 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition stepped in on behalf of the internationally recognized government, which the Houthis had forced into exile when they overran the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north the previous year.
The situation in Yemen is only expected to get worse as donor countries recently cut back on aid. Yemen has officially recorded more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, including 275 deaths. However, the actual tally is believed to be much higher as testing capabilities are severely limited.
“If we do not receive urgent funding, children will be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die,” said Sara Beysolow Nyanti, UNICEF's representative to Yemen. “The international community will be sending a message that the lives of children ... simply do not matter.”
Pledging conference raises $1.35 billion
UNICEF also warned that unless $54.5 million are disbursed for health and nutrition aid by the end of August, more than 23,000 children will be at increased risk of dying because of acute malnutrition. It also said that 5 million others under the age of 5 will not have access to vaccines against deadly diseases.
International relief agencies are alarmed by the significant decline in humanitarian funding promised earlier by donor countries. A virtual pledging conference for Yemen hosted by the U.N. and Saudi Arabia on June 2 saw 31 donors pledge $1.35 billion for humanitarian aid — a billion dollars short of what aid agencies needed and half of what countries had pledged in 2019.
UNICEF could only secure 40% of the $461 million it appealed for to cover its humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen, and less than 10% of the $53 million it needs to handle the impact of COVID-19 on children, said the report.
“UNICEF is working around the clock in incredibly difficult situations to get aid to children in desperate need, but we only have a fraction of the funding required to do this,” said Nyanti.
The UNICEF report came on the heels of a warning by U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock who told a closed U.N. Security Council meeting that Yemen could “fall off the cliff” without massive financial support.
Lowcock added that COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across the Arab world's poorest country, killing about 25% of confirmed cases — five times the global average.
Half of Yemen’s health facilities are dysfunctional and 18% of the country’s 333 districts have no doctors. Water and sanitation systems have collapsed resulting in recurrent cholera outbreaks. Around 9.6 million children do not have sufficient access to safe water, sanitation, or hygiene and two-thirds of the country’s roughly 30 million people rely on food assistance.
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-27--French agency to read black boxes of Ukrainian airliner downed in January over Iran

Three days after the January 8 , 2020 crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Iran , the Iranian army admitted that the plane had been shot down `` by mistake '' .
France said on Friday it would download the black boxes from a Ukrainian airliner shot down by an Iranian missile in January , easing a stand-off over where they should be read .
France 's BEA crash investigation agency said it was acting at the request of Iran , which remains responsible under global rules for conducting a formal accident probe after acknowledging that the Boeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Ukraine International Airlines flight was shot down on Jan. 8 by an Iranian ground-to-air missile , killing 176 people in what Tehran termed a `` disastrous mistake '' at a time of heightened tensions with the United States .
Work on repairing and downloading the cockpit voice and data recorders will begin July 20 , the BEA said .
Aviation authorities in Canada , 57 of whose citizens were killed , said they would send a team to Paris to participate .
A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation as the state of manufacture through our U.S. accredited representative '' but did not say if officials would travel to France to participate .
Canada : Too soon for diplomatic ties with Tehran Iran wants Canada to reestablish diplomatic ties that were broken off in 2012 but Tehran did not set this as a precondition for sending the recorders to France , a Canadian official said .
`` It is not realistic to expect us to entertain any kind of discussions about this any time soon , '' said the official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the situation .
Canada 's priorities were a full probe into the crash and compensation for families of the victims , the official added .
Iran 's envoy to the United Nations aviation agency said this month that the country 's Air Accident Investigation Board had asked the BEA to read the black boxes , though this was followed by conflicting ministerial statements .
Friday 's announcement suggests Western and Iranian officials will jointly witness the technical work , though one person following the case did not rule out last-minute changes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sensitive probes when tensions are high between parties directly involved .

France said on Friday it would download the black boxes from a Ukrainian airliner shot down by an Iranian missile in January, easing a stand-off over where they should be read.
Three days after the January 8, 2020 crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Iran, the Iranian army admitted that the plane had been shot down "by mistake".
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France's BEA crash investigation agency said it was acting at the request of Iran, which remains responsible under global rules for conducting a formal accident probe after acknowledging that the Boeing 737 was downed by its forces.
The Ukraine International Airlines flight was shot down on Jan. 8 by an Iranian ground-to-air missile, killing 176 people in what Tehran termed a "disastrous mistake" at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.
Work on repairing and downloading the cockpit voice and data recorders will begin July 20, the BEA said.
Aviation authorities in Canada, 57 of whose citizens were killed, said they would send a team to Paris to participate.
A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said the agency is "still participating in the investigation as the state of manufacture through our U.S. accredited representative" but did not say if officials would travel to France to participate.
Canada: Too soon for diplomatic ties with Tehran
Iran wants Canada to reestablish diplomatic ties that were broken off in 2012 but Tehran did not set this as a precondition for sending the recorders to France, a Canadian official said.
"It is not realistic to expect us to entertain any kind of discussions about this any time soon," said the official, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.
Canada's priorities were a full probe into the crash and compensation for families of the victims, the official added.
Iran's envoy to the United Nations aviation agency said this month that the country's Air Accident Investigation Board had asked the BEA to read the black boxes, though this was followed by conflicting ministerial statements.
Friday's announcement suggests Western and Iranian officials will jointly witness the technical work, though one person following the case did not rule out last-minute changes.
The BEA has a history of assisting with sensitive probes when tensions are high between parties directly involved.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-27--Facing a boycott by advertisers, Facebook to ban more ‘hateful content’ in ads

A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25 , 2020 .
Facebook said Friday it would ban a `` wider category of hateful content '' in ads as the embattled social media giant moved to respond to growing protests over its handling of inflammatory posts .
Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook also would add tags to posts that are `` newsworthy '' but violate platform rules -- following the lead of Twitter , which has used such labels on tweets from President Donald Trump .
The initiative comes with the leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertisers -- with soft drink behemoth Coca-Cola and Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever joining Friday -- as activists seek tougher action on content they deem to promote discrimination , hatred or violence .
The new policy on hateful content in ads will `` prohibit claims that people from a specific race , ethnicity , national origin , religious affiliation , caste , sexual orientation , gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety , health or survival of others , '' Zuckerberg said .
`` We 're also expanding our policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees and asylum seekers '' from hateful ads , he continued .
> > Read : Facebook staff attack Zuckerberg over company stance not to act on Trump posts Facebook has underscored its moves to stem racism in the wake of civil unrest triggered by the May 25 killing of African American George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
`` We invest billions of dollars each year to keep our community safe and continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies , '' a spokesperson said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artificial intelligence ) mean that we find nearly 90 percent of hate speech '' and take action before users report it .
Zuckerberg said the `` newsworthy '' exemption normally occurs `` a handful of times a year , '' when Facebook decides to leave up a message that would ordinarily be removed for rule violations .
Under the new policy , Zuckerberg said , `` we will soon start labeling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy , so people can know when this is the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to share the content `` but we 'll add a prompt to tell people that the content they 're sharing may violate our policies . ''
Twitter in recent weeks has labeled at least one Trump tweet misleading and has flagged others as violating platform rules , accessible only when users click through a warning .
The move has angered the president and his allies .
Internet platforms have faced intense pressure from activists following Floyd 's death .
A coalition including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop advertising on Facebook , using the # StopHateForProfit hashtag .
At the same time , Trump and his allies have voiced anger over what they claim is biased against conservatives .
Zuckerberg made no mention of the ad boycott but said the changes were based on `` feedback from the civil rights community and reflect months of work with our civil rights auditors . ''
Coca-Cola , a major force in global advertising , said it would suspend ads on social media for at least 30 days as it reassesses its policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not related to the # StopHateForProfit campaign .
`` There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media , '' James Quincey , chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company , said in a brief statement .
He said social media companies need to provide `` greater accountability and transparency . ''
Unilever , home to brands including Lipton tea and Ben and Jerry 's ice cream , said it would stop advertising on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram in the US until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` polarized election period . ''
American Honda said it would halt ads on Facebook in July , `` choosing to stand with people united against hate and racism , '' adding to a list that includes US telecom giant Verizon and sporting goods makers Patagonia , North Face and REI .
The Facebook move on hate speech in ads `` is welcome but ( they ) account for a small portion of harmful content on the platform , '' said Graham Brookie , director of the Atlantic Council 's Digital Forensics Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Michelle Amazeen , a Boston University professor of political communication , said details still remain unclear .
`` Will Facebook allow independent verification of which content they tag and the subsequent effects on diffusion ? ''
she asked .

Facebook said Friday it would ban a "wider category of hateful content" in ads as the embattled social media giant moved to respond to growing protests over its handling of inflammatory posts.
A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020.
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Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook also would add tags to posts that are "newsworthy" but violate platform rules -- following the lead of Twitter, which has used such labels on tweets from President Donald Trump.
The initiative comes with the leading social network facing a growing boycott by advertisers -- with soft drink behemoth Coca-Cola and Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever joining Friday -- as activists seek tougher action on content they deem to promote discrimination, hatred or violence.
The new policy on hateful content in ads will "prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others," Zuckerberg said.
"We're also expanding our policies to better protect immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers" from hateful ads, he continued.
>>Read: Facebook staff attack Zuckerberg over company stance not to act on Trump posts
Facebook has underscored its moves to stem racism in the wake of civil unrest triggered by the May 25 killing of African American George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
"We invest billions of dollars each year to keep our community safe and continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies," a spokesperson said.
"The investments we have made in (artificial intelligence) mean that we find nearly 90 percent of hate speech" and take action before users report it.
'Newsworthy' exception
Zuckerberg said the "newsworthy" exemption normally occurs "a handful of times a year," when Facebook decides to leave up a message that would ordinarily be removed for rule violations.
Under the new policy, Zuckerberg said, "we will soon start labeling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy, so people can know when this is the case."
He said users will be allowed to share the content "but we'll add a prompt to tell people that the content they're sharing may violate our policies."
Twitter in recent weeks has labeled at least one Trump tweet misleading and has flagged others as violating platform rules, accessible only when users click through a warning. The move has angered the president and his allies.
Internet platforms have faced intense pressure from activists following Floyd's death.
A coalition including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has been urging companies to stop advertising on Facebook, using the #StopHateForProfit hashtag.
At the same time, Trump and his allies have voiced anger over what they claim is biased against conservatives.
Brand boycott accelerates
Zuckerberg made no mention of the ad boycott but said the changes were based on "feedback from the civil rights community and reflect months of work with our civil rights auditors."
Coca-Cola, a major force in global advertising, said it would suspend ads on social media for at least 30 days as it reassesses its policies, though it said the decision was not related to the #StopHateForProfit campaign.
"There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media," James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said in a brief statement.
He said social media companies need to provide "greater accountability and transparency."
Unilever, home to brands including Lipton tea and Ben and Jerry's ice cream, said it would stop advertising on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the US until the end of 2020 due to the "polarized election period."
American Honda said it would halt ads on Facebook in July, "choosing to stand with people united against hate and racism," adding to a list that includes US telecom giant Verizon and sporting goods makers Patagonia, North Face and REI.
The Facebook move on hate speech in ads "is welcome but (they) account for a small portion of harmful content on the platform," said Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensics Research Lab, which monitors social media disinformation.
Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University professor of political communication, said details still remain unclear.
"Will Facebook allow independent verification of which content they tag and the subsequent effects on diffusion?" she asked.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-27--Gay Pride at 50: Celebrations go online due to coronavirus fears

Demonstrators take a moment while listening to speakers voice their support for gay pride and black lives matter movements in New York City , New York , U.S. , June 25 , 2020 .
REUTERS/Lucas Jackson LGBTQ Pride is turning 50 this year a little short on its signature fanfare , after the coronavirus pandemic drove it to the internet and after calls for racial equality sparked by the killing of George Floyd further overtook it .
Activists and organizers are using the intersection of holiday and history in the making - including the Supreme Court 's decision giving LGBT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of color already among them and by making Black Lives Matter the centerpiece of Global Pride events Saturday .
“ Pride was born of protest , ” said Cathy Renna , communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force , seeing analogies in the pandemic and in common threads of the Black and LGBTQ rights movements .
“ Trans women of color have been targeted in what has been called an epidemic , and the Stonewall uprising happened in response to police harassment and brutality , ” Renna said in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 28 , 1970 , a year after the 1969 uprisings at the Stonewall Inn , a gay bar in New York , which were led by trans women of color .
A few other commemorations took place that year and later spread until 50 years on , there 's scarcely a patch on Earth that does n't host some type of Pride event .
New York 's is among the largest , but social distancing measures to check the spread of COVID-19 everywhere from Scranton to Sao Paulo made cancellation or postponement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a 24-hour stream of music , performances , speeches and messages of support .
It is being hosted Saturday by Todrick Hall on his YouTube channel , on iHeartRadio ’ s YouTube channel and on the Global Pride website .
It will feature activists and politicians , including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , and entertainers such as Betty Who , Deborah Cox , Laverne Cox , Jake Shears and Martha Wash. “ Trans folks , particularly the LGBTQ-I folks of color , have gotten discrimination from the larger systems of white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then also have experienced transphobia and homophobia within our own communities , '' Laverne Cox , the pioneering trans actor who starred in “ Orange Is the New Black , ” told The Associated Press in an interview this month .
“ And so , part of what the Black Trans Lives Matter movement ... is acknowledging that communities of color still have a lot of work to do to fully reconcile our history of transphobia , specifically , and homophobia as well , ” Cox said .
In Minnesota , where Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis police , it was immediately clear that Pride as usual - one of the nation 's largest - would be inappropriate , said Twin Cities Pride board member Felix Foster .
Instead , the backbone of this year ’ s Twin Cities Pride will take the form of a solidarity march called Taking Back Pride : Justice4GeorgeFloyd DefendBlackTransFolks , honoring the memory of Floyd and others killed by Minnesota police , including Jamar Clark in 2015 .
'This year is different' In northeastern Pennsylvania , the group Queer NEPA is hosting online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists after rallying in previous years in nearby Wilkes-Barre and raising a rainbow flag at Scranton City Hall .
“ Some people would say Pride is canceled , but I would say it has evolved , '' said board co-chair Em Maloney .
“ This year is different because more people have a better consciousness of white privilege and of the problems surrounding racial justice.
” Maloney was heartened to see a big turnout at a recent Black Lives Matter protest in Scranton , describing it as `` everyone coming together because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until everyone is free.
” The Pride website for Philadelphia , a two-hour drive south , notes that events planned earlier in June were canceled - and it shouts BLACK LIVES MATTER !
before advising of online alternatives .
Philadelphia in 2017 introduced a new rainbow flag that featured a black and a brown stripe above the usual colors of the spectrum , to highlight people of color .
It was instantly polarizing , but critics have largely come around and the design is now common around the world .
“ Our flag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s brought me to tears to see it everywhere during this pivotal time in our country ’ s history , ” Amber Hikes - who worked for the mayor 's office when she revealed the design and who is now the American Civil Liberties Union 's first chief equity and inclusion officer - said in a Facebook post .
“ We ’ re never going to stop letting ourselves , each other , and the whole damn world know that our liberation has always been led by BIPOC queer and trans folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when we get free together , it will be with Black and brown queer & trans folks at the front .
”

Fifty years on from the first Gay Pride march, the LGBT community and their supporters took many of their events online Saturday, responding to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell (C) leads a march with veteran campaigners and supporters to mark the 50th anniversary of the London Gay Liberation Front's formation in 1970 in London on June 27, 2020.
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While some activists took to the streets to mark the event, much of the movement's energy was channelled into Global Pride, a 24-hour online event broadcast live online.
London Pride, one of the biggest events in the Gay Pride calendar, was one of the major victims of the new restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
Online events replaced it under the slogan: "Postponed, but still united".
But veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell, wearing a rainbow-coloured mask, led a group of 12 fellow activists to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the London Gay Liberation Front.
"We are seeking to reclaim Pride as an event for LGBT+ human rights," said the 68-year-old campaigner.
Some events were broadcast on the giant screen in Piccadilly Square and London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, tweeted his support. "We may be apart, but we are still united, as neighbours, as allies, and as one city."
Here in London, you are free to be who you want to be, and love who you want to love.
Whilst our Pride celebrations this year are very different, they are more important than ever.#PrideInLondon #PRIDE2020 #LoveIsLove #Pridepic.twitter.com/818otDyDz2 — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 27, 2020
In Berlin, police estimated that around 3,500 people marched in temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted a message of support to the Global Pride event: "Be proud of yourself! No matter who you love, no matter where you live."
In Vienna, around 200 cars and motorbikes decked out in rainbow flags and inflatable unicorns paraded down the city's famous Ringstrasse on Saturday afternoon.
Organisers said around 5,000 people turned out to watch the scaled-down event. Vienna's Rainbow Parade, which normally attracts hundreds of thousands of people, was otherwise replaced by online events.
'Exist, persist, resist'
The online Global Pride event -- running with the slogan "Exist, persist, resist" -- got underway at 0500 GMT in London.
Fronted by singer and drag queen Todrick Hall, known for his role on the American Idol talent show, it also featured stars such as Kesha and Ava Max.
Politicians were also appearing, including Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, whose country has just legalised gay marriage.
Global Pride, put together by the organisers of several of the major Gay Pride events around the world,was aiming to attract hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.
In the United States, former president Barack Obama released a video message paying tribute to the gay New Yorkers who rioted at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, effectively launching the modern gay rights movement.
"Because of the movement they sparked and the decades of work that followed, marriage equality became the law of the land five years ago and just this month the Supreme Court ruled that employers can no longer discriminate against LGBTQ workers," he said.
Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden issued his own message on video, in which he referred to a recent Supreme Court ruling reaffirming LGBT workers.
"Pride is particularly poignant this year," he said.
In Argentina, public buildings and monuments will be lit in the rainbow colours of the gay rights movement, and local activists have organised a week of online events, even though Gay Pride is normally celebrated there in November.
The first Gay Pride march was held in 1970 in New York, to mark the first anniversary of the city's Stonewall riots, a landmark event in the gay rights struggle.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-27--Covid-19: Buenos Aires to reimpose lockdown after rise in coronavirus cases

Argentina 's President Alberto Fernandez announced a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires as coronavirus cases are on the rise .
Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced on Friday a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires and its surrounding area as coronavirus cases are on the rise .
`` We 're going back to closing the Buenos Aires metropolitan area so that traffic dramatically decreases , to reduce infections and the need for ( hospital ) beds , '' said Fernandez .
From July 1 `` we 're going to ask everyone to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fetch provisions for daily life , '' he said .
The measure will last until July 17 with `` only essential services and some industrial zones '' remaining operational .
The decision comes with coronavirus cases increasing exponentially .
Argentina now has more than 1,100 deaths and over 52,000 cases .
Fernandez said the greater Buenos Aires area , home to 14 million of Argentina 's 44 million population , `` is infecting the rest of the country , '' where 80 percent of activity has reopened .
Center-left leader Fernandez could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's far right President Jair Bolsonaro , saying that the prolonged quarantine had `` saved lives . ''
`` If Argentina had followed Brazil 's rhythm , we 'd have 10,000 dead , '' he said .
He acknowledged , though , that the lockdown had `` brought very negative consequences '' to an economy that has already been suffering from two years of recession and is predicted to shrink by 9.9 percent in 2020 , according to the International Monetary Fund .
> > Covid-19 in Latin America : From health to @ @ @

Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced on Friday a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires and its surrounding area as coronavirus cases are on the rise.
Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez announced a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires as coronavirus cases are on the rise.
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"We're going back to closing the Buenos Aires metropolitan area so that traffic dramatically decreases, to reduce infections and the need for (hospital) beds," said Fernandez.
From July 1 "we're going to ask everyone to return to isolation at home and to only leave to fetch provisions for daily life," he said.
The measure will last until July 17 with "only essential services and some industrial zones" remaining operational.
The decision comes with coronavirus cases increasing exponentially. Argentina now has more than 1,100 deaths and over 52,000 cases.
Fernandez said the greater Buenos Aires area, home to 14 million of Argentina's 44 million population, "is infecting the rest of the country," where 80 percent of activity has reopened.
Center-left leader Fernandez could not resist a dig at neighbor Brazil's far right President Jair Bolsonaro, saying that the prolonged quarantine had "saved lives."
"If Argentina had followed Brazil's rhythm, we'd have 10,000 dead," he said.
He acknowledged, though, that the lockdown had "brought very negative consequences" to an economy that has already been suffering from two years of recession and is predicted to shrink by 9.9 percent in 2020, according to the International Monetary Fund.
>> Covid-19 in Latin America: From health to hunger crisis?
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-27--'In Turkey, all patients are hospitalised as soon as they have symptoms'

With fewer than 200,000 positive cases for its 83 million residents , Turkey is proud of its handling of the @ @ @ @ @ has managed to keep infections down so that medical centres are not overwhelmed , despite @ @ @ @ @ hospitalised as soon as they exhibit symptoms of Covid-19 .
Among the factors working in @ @ @ @ @ relatively young age of its population and the social taboo against sending senior citizens to @ @ @ @ @ what has become a coronavirus hotspot for many nations .
Moreover , Turkey is one @ @ @ @ @ has invested the most in its health sector these last few years .
Click on @ @ @ @ @ view the full report .

On the ground
With fewer than 200,000 positive cases for its 83 million residents, Turkey is proud of its handling of the coronavirus. So far it has managed to keep infections down so that medical centres are not overwhelmed, despite requirements for patients to be hospitalised as soon as they exhibit symptoms of Covid-19.
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Among the factors working in Turkey's favour are the relatively young age of its population and the social taboo against sending senior citizens to assisted-living residences, thereby avoiding what has become a coronavirus hotspot for many nations. Moreover, Turkey is one of the OECD countries that has invested the most in its health sector these last few years.
Click on the video player above to view the full report.
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france24--2020-06-27--Locals unmask fake election observers in Malawi

This video shows a military vehicle pulling up to the location where the men were identified .
( Video : AIH NEWS ) .
A crowd went after these fake election observers , who had to be rescued by soldiers .
( Videos posted on Twitter ) .
On June 23 , people in Malawi returned to the polls to vote for a president for the second time in just over a year .
In early 2020 , the Supreme Court nullified the results of the May 2019 election.The incumbent president , Peter Mutharika , who is from the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lead of just 159,000 votes over his rival , Lazarus Chakwera , from the Malawi Congress Party ( MCP ) .That is , until falsified tally sheets marked with white correction fluid were discovered .
This incident divided the country , which was rocked by anti-government protests and widespread violence.Ahead of the elections , some of the most serious tension has been boiling over in the district of Nkhotakota .
On June 22 , a group of locals swarmed and attacked a minibus , as shown in videos posted on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The footage shows a group of people attacking several men and , in some cases , hitting them .
Soldiers struggled to extract the men from the crowd and maintain order .

MALAWI
On June 22, a group of people from Nkhotakota started beating men suspected of posing as observers for the presidential election. (Video shared on Twitter)
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A group of citizens in a town in central Malawi banded together to intercept 16 men who they believed had been sent by the ruling party in an attempt to influence the presidential election set for the next day, June 23. Several of the men, who were eventually handed over to the army and the police, admitted that this was the case. Our Observer says that this failed mission shows just how desperate and ill-prepared the presidential party was for this election.
On June 23, people in Malawi returned to the polls to vote for a president for the second time in just over a year. In early 2020, the Supreme Court nullified the results of the May 2019 election.
The incumbent president, Peter Mutharika, who is from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won with a lead of just 159,000 votes over his rival, Lazarus Chakwera, from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
That is, until falsified tally sheets marked with white correction fluid were discovered. This incident divided the country, which was rocked by anti-government protests and widespread violence.
Ahead of the elections, some of the most serious tension has been boiling over in the district of Nkhotakota. On June 22, a group of locals swarmed and attacked a minibus, as shown in videos posted on Twitter by the human rights organisation HRDC. The footage shows a group of people attacking several men and, in some cases, hitting them. Soldiers struggled to extract the men from the crowd and maintain order.
This video shows a military vehicle pulling up to the location where the men were identified. (Video: AIH NEWS).
According to local media outlets, these men were former soldiers from the Malawi Defence Forces, who were recruited by the incumbent president’s party, the DPP, and sent to Nkhotakota where they were supposed to try and pass themselves off as election observers.
More footage of as another group of retired soldiers provided with military uniform are discovered & beaten by a community in Nkhotakota.
These retired soldiers (80 in Salima alone) are said to have been deployed by Nicholas Dausi for rigging. #MalawiDecides2020 @CapitalFMMw pic.twitter.com/DiSCjhNHAR Friends of HRDC Malawi (@HRDC_Mw) June 22, 2020
A crowd went after these fake election observers, who had to be rescued by soldiers. (Videos posted on Twitter).
"The presidential party organized their campaign badly”
Locals noticed that something was off with these men as soon as they arrived in town on Monday night, the night before the election. One of the first things people noticed was that their car had a normal licence plate, while election observers have special licence plates. The car also had tinted windows. And even before they came to town, there were rumours circulating that men sent by the DPP were going to show up claiming to be election observers. As soon as their minibus came into town, people started tailing them. When they stopped to get gas at a service station, a group surrounded them and handed them over to the soldiers. Their minibus was burned. Each group allowed to have election observers [Editor’s note: including political parties, NGOs and international organisations] has to declare their names a few days before the election. But the DPP hadn’t reported these men; their names weren’t on any list. This photo was taken in front of the police station in Nkhotakota on June 22. (Photo: AIH News). The police reported that the men were each carrying 100,000 kwachas (roughly 120 euros), which they were probably going to use to bribe voters. One of the men admitted that they had been hired by the Ministry of the Interior and they accepted because they were living off pitiful pensions. In my point of view, if the DPP is doing this, it’s because they organised their campaign badly. They spent a long time choosing the vice presidential candidate [Editor’s note: The current vice president is from another party, which belongs to the opposition coalition]. They only really launched their campaign less than two months ago, even though the opposition had started long before that. In fact, there are regions in Malawi, including the centre [Editor’s note: where Nkhotakota is located] and in the north, where the DPP didn’t even campaign. So I think this move was an attempt to compensate for that failure.
Daniel Mughogho, a journalist with AIH News , covered the incident. He told us what happened:
Medson Natachaya, an official with the electoral commission, reported on Monday evening that the men had admitted that they were recruited by the DPP to “help” the party during the election in Nkhotakota on June 23. One even claimed that it was the Minister of Interior Security Nicholas Dausi who approached them directly. Natachaya said that none of the men were carrying falsified ballots or ballots that had already been filled out, though there were plenty of rumours circulating that they were. According to our Observer, the DPP has rejected these accusations.
Malawi’s 2019 presidential election is only the second election in the history of Africa to be nullified, after the Kenyan Supreme Court threw out the results of their 2017 presidential election.