france24--2020-05-26--Between old and new empires, Hong Kong’s fate exposes stakes in Covid-19 era

China ’ s latest move to impose a new security law for Hong Kong has exposed Britain ’ s weakness on the international stage .
But now all eyes are on the US response as the future of the semi-autonomous territory is once again caught in the geopolitical wrangling between the world ’ s dominant powers .
On December 21 , 1984 – just days after she signed a historic treaty with China on Hong Kong ’ s future status – British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was asked how did she really “ feel ” about the Sino-British Joint Declaration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the reactions to the agreement were less ebullient than in Beijing , where the British prime minister had toasted her Chinese counterpart at a champagne ceremony in the Great Hall of the People following the signing of the historic deal .
Small , but symbolic protests had greeted Thatcher ’ s arrival on the British territory hugging China ’ s southern coast , with demonstrators denouncing the “ sell-out ” of the people of Hong Kong .
So when Thatcher was asked about the treaty setting the terms for China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defensive .
“ I feel we have done a good job for the people of Hong Kong , ” she told reporters .
“ Just consider what sort of questions you would be asking me now had there been no agreement and a totally unknown future.
” More than 35 years later , the international treaty , which was registered at the UN , establishing the “ one country , two systems ” principle , is back under the spotlight .
Last week , when China announced plans to impose a new national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics say , breaches the territory ’ s autonomous status , the 1984 Joint Declaration was a talking point on the news agenda .
“ One point that many , many Hong Kong people have been rather angry about is that the [ British ] Foreign Office , and the entire UK government , should be opposing more strongly the way China has been breaching the provisions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration .
China has effectively declared that particular document null , void , it doesn ’ t serve any purpose anymore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong ’ s Legislative Council , told the BBC over the weekend .
It ’ s a view echoed by Chris Patten , the last British governor of Hong Kong who handed over the territory to China in 1997 .
“ I think the Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China , which has proved once again that you can ’ t trust it , ” said Patten in an interview with the British daily , The Times .
“ The British government should make it clear that what we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joint Declaration.
” Patten has led a group of more than 230 prominent parliamentarians and policymakers in 25 countries – including former prime ministers and foreign ministers – who have signed a letter decrying “ the unilateral introduction of national security legislation by Beijing in Hong Kong ” and calling on governments to “ unite to say that this flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration can not be tolerated.
” Responding to the initiative by Hong Kong ’ s last British governor , Dorian Malovic , Asia editor of French daily La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on China , conceded , “ It ’ s better than nothing , but it sounds a little desperate .
Chris Patten tried his best to push through a more democratic system as much as possible before 1997 , but he failed , ” noted Malovic in an interview with FRANCE 24 .
Back in 1984 , the news coverage of the Joint Declaration focused on Britain 's failure to take more steps before the handover to secure democracy for Hong Kong ’ s citizens .
These days , an agreement once regarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world capitals as a demonstration of Beijing ’ s disregard for legally binding treaties and the international community ’ s failure to hold China accountable for its breaches .
Beijing maintains the new law – which bans treason , subversion and sedition – is necessary after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests last year .
Chinese authorities portray the protests as a foreign-backed plot to destabilise the motherland and have warned that other nations have no right to interfere in how the international business hub is run .
Critics , however , say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hong Kong ’ s mini-constitution adopted under the terms of the Joint Declaration .
Article 23 of the Basic Law , states that the “ Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason , secession , sedition , subversion against the Central People ’ s Government ” .
An earlier attempt to pass a national security act was dropped in 2003 when it became clear the bill would not pass Hong Kong ’ s Legislative Council – popularly dubbed “ LegCo ” – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted a security law that would curtail dissent and protests in Hong Kong .
But this time , the process adopted by Chinese authorities , by submitting a draft bill on the opening session of the National People ’ s Congress in Beijing last week , caught everyone by surprise .
“ It was a shock .
It came directly from Beijing , a draft law before the National People ’ s Congress is basically rubber-stamping a communist party directive .
What frightened lawyers and activists is that it ’ s a violation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Basic Law that ’ s disregarding Hong Kong ’ s LegCo , ” explained Malovic .
“ That ’ s a huge breach of the semi-autonomy of Hong Kong .
It ’ s a death sentence for Hong Kong ’ s freedoms.
” Defying Covid-19 social distancing measures , protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday as law enforcement officials braced for further unrest as the security bill makes its way through an unprecedented legislative process .
The National People ’ s Congress ( NPC ) is expected to approve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moves to the NPC ’ s Standing Committee for approval .
The timing of the move was also noteworthy .
“ This came as foreign countries are busy coping with the coronavirus and are not looking into the Hong Kong situation .
Beijing is giving a signal , ‘ we don ’ t care about anything coming from foreign countries ’ .
China knows it ’ s strong enough to do what it wants with Hong Kong , ” said Malovic .
Asian and Western democracies have condemned China ’ s moves to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a muted initial reaction , British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Friday issued a joint statement with his Australian and Canadian counterparts that declared , “ We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong ” .
The statement also noted that the “ legally binding Joint Declaration , signed by China and the UK , sets out that Hong Kong will have a high degree of autonomy ” .
But it offered no details or warnings of action if China breached its legally binding agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s former colonial power failed to impress pro-democracy activists and analysts .
“ The UK has done very , very little , even nothing concretely to support people in Hong Kong , to support democracy in Hong Kong , ” said Malovic .
“ Britain is in a mess in the shadow of Brexit .
The thinking in London has been , we need Chinese investments , we need deals with the US , we don ’ t need Europe .
Hong Kong people are aware of the cowardice of Britain , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ill-planned exits that set the stage for crises and conflicts for future post-colonial generations have been the legacy of British colonialism .
But Malovic notes that the people of Hong Kong also share some responsibility for a long-feared scenario .
“ The British were very smart .
Everybody was free in Hong Kong except there was no democracy – and people didn ’ t care .
I was in Hong Kong a lot in those days and I used to tell my friends people selfishly only care about making money.
” Political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre , according to Malovic .
But by then , the Joint Declaration underpinning Hong Kong ’ s handover and future administration was already signed , and Beijing proved to be an unyielding negotiating partner on democratic protections such as universal suffrage for Hong Kong ’ s residents .
British diplomats have acknowledged the negotiations over enshrining democratic principles that would secure Hong Kong were difficult since London was struggling to maintain close diplomatic and trade ties with Beijing .
`` In a case like this in Hong Kong where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the two sides , between Britain and China , you go for the best you can get , and I take the simple view that half a loaf is better than no bread , '' Percy Cradock , the UK ’ s chief negotiator and a former British ambassador to China , told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
The onus of international responsibility , as ever , falls on the US and with it , the criticisms of failing to respond or overreaction , as the case may be .
Washington ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s , with the US forcefully “ ” China ’ s move and urging “ Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal ” .
President Donald Trump , meanwhile , has threatened to respond “ ” if China follows through with the new law .
The US also has a new law , the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act , which was passed by Congress in November amid last year ’ s pro-democracy protests .
The law requires the US State Department to determine whether Hong Kong maintains a sufficient degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special trade status .
“ That would be a blow for Hong Kong if the US raised tariffs if it considers Hong Kong another Chinese city .
But it ’ s a double-edged sword since US companies are also making billions in Hong Kong , ” said Malovic .
Around 85,000 US citizens lived in Hong Kong in 2018 , according to State Department figures , and more than 1,300 US companies operate there , including nearly every major US financial firm .
The territory is also a major destination for US legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would fight back if the US tries to oppose China on the issue , with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stating , “ The issue of national security legislation for Hong Kong is an internal affair of China .
Other nations can not interfere.
” Zhao is considered an “ alpha male ” among Beijing ’ s aggressive “ wolf warrior ” diplomats , named after a Chinese blockbuster about a commando who kills American baddies with his bare hands .
He has also been on the frontline of a Washington-Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan spiralled into a global pandemic .
Trump has turned China into a campaign issue ahead of the November US presidential election , but it ’ s a strategy , Malovic warned , that may not serve Hong Kong ’ s interests .
“ It ’ s useful for Trump and Beijing , but Hong Kong will be the victim because it will be used as a cheap bargaining chip in the US-China war [ of words ] , ” said Malovic .
“ You have the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideologies , but they are both acting in the same way .
The Trump campaign is fed by the common enemy of China just as Beijing uses the US enemy .
Trump is using the perfect enemy to ramp up patriotic , nationalist sentiments and Beijing is doing the same .
It ’ s so childish , it would be funny if it was not so dangerous , ” said Malovic .
The prospect of escalating unrest and tensions are high in the weeks and months to come .
Beijing ’ s uncompromising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pro-democracy camp , fueling a vicious circle of state crackdowns spurring hardliners within the protest movement .
It ’ s a strategy long favoured by autocratic states looking to crush peaceful dissent .
Beijing has not yielded on calls by pro-democracy leaders for an independent investigation into the violence during last year ’ s protests , while Chinese state media focuses on what it calls “ terrorist ” acts .
The Hong Kong political calendar , meanwhile , is packed with anniversaries and events that draw demonstrations , raising the prospect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These include the June 4 Tiananmen massacre anniversary and the July 1 marches that mark the territory ’ s 1997 handover .
Elections for the Hong Kong Legislative Council are scheduled for September , by which time , the US is expected to move into campaign high gear .
The Covid-19 crisis has already put China under the international spotlight with news headlines on the unmasking of Beijing ’ s “ mask diplomacy , ” the aggressive tactics of “ wolf warrior ” diplomats and exposés on China ’ s attempts to hijack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adds another impetus for democratic powers in America , Asia and Europe to act amid mounting public frustration in the Covid-19 era over economic inequalities and big business interests dominating political agendas .
The price of inaction , Malovic warns , will be historic .
“ If nothing happens against China , if the world doesn ’ t react , the takeover of Hong Kong by China will be a turning point in contemporary history , like the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall .
It would engrave in stone the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

China’s latest move to impose a new security law for Hong Kong has exposed Britain’s weakness on the international stage. But now all eyes are on the US response as the future of the semi-autonomous territory is once again caught in the geopolitical wrangling between the world’s dominant powers.
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On December 21, 1984 – just days after she signed a historic treaty with China on Hong Kong’s future status – British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was asked how did she really “feel” about the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Thatcher was in Hong Kong, where the reactions to the agreement were less ebullient than in Beijing, where the British prime minister had toasted her Chinese counterpart at a champagne ceremony in the Great Hall of the People following the signing of the historic deal. Small, but symbolic protests had greeted Thatcher’s arrival on the British territory hugging China’s southern coast, with demonstrators denouncing the “sell-out” of the people of Hong Kong.
So when Thatcher was asked about the treaty setting the terms for China’s 1997 takeover, she was on the defensive. “I feel we have done a good job for the people of Hong Kong,” she told reporters. “Just consider what sort of questions you would be asking me now had there been no agreement and a totally unknown future.”
More than 35 years later, the international treaty, which was registered at the UN, establishing the “one country, two systems” principle, is back under the spotlight.
Last week, when China announced plans to impose a new national security law for Hong Kong that, critics say, breaches the territory’s autonomous status, the 1984 Joint Declaration was a talking point on the news agenda.
“One point that many, many Hong Kong people have been rather angry about is that the [British] Foreign Office, and the entire UK government, should be opposing more strongly the way China has been breaching the provisions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. China has effectively declared that particular document null, void, it doesn’t serve any purpose anymore,” Claudia Mo, a member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, told the BBC over the weekend.
It’s a view echoed by Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong who handed over the territory to China in 1997. “I think the Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China, which has proved once again that you can’t trust it,” said Patten in an interview with the British daily, The Times. “The British government should make it clear that what we are seeing is a complete destruction of the Joint Declaration.”
‘Death sentence for Hong Kong’s freedoms’
Patten has led a group of more than 230 prominent parliamentarians and policymakers in 25 countries – including former prime ministers and foreign ministers – who have signed a letter decrying “the unilateral introduction of national security legislation by Beijing in Hong Kong” and calling on governments to “unite to say that this flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration cannot be tolerated.”
Responding to the initiative by Hong Kong’s last British governor, Dorian Malovic, Asia editor of French daily La Croix, and author of several books on China, conceded, “It’s better than nothing, but it sounds a little desperate. Chris Patten tried his best to push through a more democratic system as much as possible before 1997, but he failed,” noted Malovic in an interview with FRANCE 24.
Back in 1984, the news coverage of the Joint Declaration focused on Britain's failure to take more steps before the handover to secure democracy for Hong Kong’s citizens. These days, an agreement once regarded as a weak compromise is cited in world capitals as a demonstration of Beijing’s disregard for legally binding treaties and the international community’s failure to hold China accountable for its breaches.
Beijing maintains the new law – which bans treason, subversion and sedition – is necessary after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests last year. Chinese authorities portray the protests as a foreign-backed plot to destabilise the motherland and have warned that other nations have no right to interfere in how the international business hub is run.
Critics, however, say the new security measure contravenes the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution adopted under the terms of the Joint Declaration. Article 23 of the Basic Law, states that the “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People’s Government”.
An earlier attempt to pass a national security act was dropped in 2003 when it became clear the bill would not pass Hong Kong’s Legislative Council – popularly dubbed “LegCo” – following massive protests.
Beijing has long wanted a security law that would curtail dissent and protests in Hong Kong. But this time, the process adopted by Chinese authorities, by submitting a draft bill on the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing last week, caught everyone by surprise.
“It was a shock. It came directly from Beijing, a draft law before the National People’s Congress is basically rubber-stamping a communist party directive. What frightened lawyers and activists is that it’s a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law that’s disregarding Hong Kong’s LegCo,” explained Malovic. “That’s a huge breach of the semi-autonomy of Hong Kong. It’s a death sentence for Hong Kong’s freedoms.”
Defying Covid-19 social distancing measures, protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday as law enforcement officials braced for further unrest as the security bill makes its way through an unprecedented legislative process. The National People’s Congress (NPC) is expected to approve the bill on Thursday after which it moves to the NPC’s Standing Committee for approval.
The timing of the move was also noteworthy. “This came as foreign countries are busy coping with the coronavirus and are not looking into the Hong Kong situation. Beijing is giving a signal, ‘we don’t care about anything coming from foreign countries’. China knows it’s strong enough to do what it wants with Hong Kong,” said Malovic.
Freedom, money, but no democracy
Asian and Western democracies have condemned China’s moves to implement the new security law. Following a muted initial reaction, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Friday issued a joint statement with his Australian and Canadian counterparts that declared, “We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong”.
The statement also noted that the “legally binding Joint Declaration, signed by China and the UK, sets out that Hong Kong will have a high degree of autonomy”. But it offered no details or warnings of action if China breached its legally binding agreement.
The response by Hong Kong’s former colonial power failed to impress pro-democracy activists and analysts. “The UK has done very, very little, even nothing concretely to support people in Hong Kong, to support democracy in Hong Kong,” said Malovic. “Britain is in a mess in the shadow of Brexit. The thinking in London has been, we need Chinese investments, we need deals with the US, we don’t need Europe. Hong Kong people are aware of the cowardice of Britain, they’re under no illusions.”
Hasty, ill-planned exits that set the stage for crises and conflicts for future post-colonial generations have been the legacy of British colonialism. But Malovic notes that the people of Hong Kong also share some responsibility for a long-feared scenario. “The British were very smart. Everybody was free in Hong Kong except there was no democracy – and people didn’t care. I was in Hong Kong a lot in those days and I used to tell my friends people selfishly only care about making money.”
Political consciousness emerged in Hong Kong after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, according to Malovic. But by then, the Joint Declaration underpinning Hong Kong’s handover and future administration was already signed, and Beijing proved to be an unyielding negotiating partner on democratic protections such as universal suffrage for Hong Kong’s residents.
British diplomats have acknowledged the negotiations over enshrining democratic principles that would secure Hong Kong were difficult since London was struggling to maintain close diplomatic and trade ties with Beijing.
"In a case like this in Hong Kong where there is such a disparity in strength between the two sides, between Britain and China, you go for the best you can get, and I take the simple view that half a loaf is better than no bread," Percy Cradock, the UK’s chief negotiator and a former British ambassador to China, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
A double-edged sword
The onus of international responsibility, as ever, falls on the US and with it, the criticisms of failing to respond or overreaction, as the case may be.
Washington’s reaction has been tougher than London’s, with the US forcefully “ condemning ” China’s move and urging “Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal”. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has threatened to respond “ very strongly ” if China follows through with the new law.
The US also has a new law, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which was passed by Congress in November amid last year’s pro-democracy protests. The law requires the US State Department to determine whether Hong Kong maintains a sufficient degree of autonomy to justify it retaining its special trade status.
“That would be a blow for Hong Kong if the US raised tariffs if it considers Hong Kong another Chinese city. But it’s a double-edged sword since US companies are also making billions in Hong Kong,” said Malovic.
Around 85,000 US citizens lived in Hong Kong in 2018, according to State Department figures, and more than 1,300 US companies operate there, including nearly every major US financial firm. The territory is also a major destination for US legal and accounting services.
Hot, tense summer
Beijing has warned that it would fight back if the US tries to oppose China on the issue, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stating, “The issue of national security legislation for Hong Kong is an internal affair of China. Other nations cannot interfere.”
Zhao is considered an “alpha male” among Beijing’s aggressive “wolf warrior” diplomats, named after a Chinese blockbuster about a commando who kills American baddies with his bare hands. He has also been on the frontline of a Washington-Beijing war of words that deepened since the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan spiralled into a global pandemic.
>> Read more about China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomats
Trump has turned China into a campaign issue ahead of the November US presidential election, but it’s a strategy, Malovic warned, that may not serve Hong Kong’s interests.
“It’s useful for Trump and Beijing, but Hong Kong will be the victim because it will be used as a cheap bargaining chip in the US-China war [of words],” said Malovic. “You have the world’s two biggest powers, with two different ideologies, but they are both acting in the same way. The Trump campaign is fed by the common enemy of China just as Beijing uses the US enemy. Trump is using the perfect enemy to ramp up patriotic, nationalist sentiments and Beijing is doing the same. It’s so childish, it would be funny if it was not so dangerous,” said Malovic.
The prospect of escalating unrest and tensions are high in the weeks and months to come. Beijing’s uncompromising positions on Hong Kong have hardened resolve in the pro-democracy camp, fueling a vicious circle of state crackdowns spurring hardliners within the protest movement. It’s a strategy long favoured by autocratic states looking to crush peaceful dissent. Beijing has not yielded on calls by pro-democracy leaders for an independent investigation into the violence during last year’s protests, while Chinese state media focuses on what it calls “terrorist” acts.
The Hong Kong political calendar, meanwhile, is packed with anniversaries and events that draw demonstrations, raising the prospect of a hot, tense summer. These include the June 4 Tiananmen massacre anniversary and the July 1 marches that mark the territory’s 1997 handover. Elections for the Hong Kong Legislative Council are scheduled for September, by which time, the US is expected to move into campaign high gear.
The Covid-19 crisis has already put China under the international spotlight with news headlines on the unmasking of Beijing’s “mask diplomacy,” the aggressive tactics of “wolf warrior” diplomats and exposés on China’s attempts to hijack UN institutions.
The Hong Kong crisis adds another impetus for democratic powers in America, Asia and Europe to act amid mounting public frustration in the Covid-19 era over economic inequalities and big business interests dominating political agendas. The price of inaction, Malovic warns, will be historic. “If nothing happens against China, if the world doesn’t react, the takeover of Hong Kong by China will be a turning point in contemporary history, like the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. It would engrave in stone the fact that China can do anything it wants.”
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france24--2020-05-26--Covid-19: Daily hospital deaths in France remain below 100 despite easing of lockdown

A patient suffering from the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) is treated in the Intensive Care Unit ( ICU ) at the hospital in Vannes during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in France , May 6 , 2020 .
France on Tuesday reported 83 new deaths in hospital from the coronavirus over the last 24 hours as key indicators remained steady two weeks into the relaxation of a lockdown .
A total of 28,530 deaths have now been recorded in France since the epidemic began , the health ministry said in a statement .
This includes a slight revising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died in nursing homes .
The numbers in intensive care fell by 54 patients to 1,555 , a figure that had exceeded 7,000 at the peak of the crisis .
French officials have said there is no sign yet that the relaxation of the nationwide lockdown on May 11 has led to an increase in cases .
But caution is urged , with President Emmanuel Macron warning that the epidemic is not over .
The government is to announce on Thursday what measures can be eased in the next stage of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants currently remain closed while people can only venture 100 kilometres ( 60 miles ) from their homes without a special reason .

France on Tuesday reported 83 new deaths in hospital from the coronavirus over the last 24 hours as key indicators remained steady two weeks into the relaxation of a lockdown.
A patient suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital in Vannes during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in France, May 6, 2020.
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A total of 28,530 deaths have now been recorded in France since the epidemic began, the health ministry said in a statement. This includes a slight revising down by 10 of the numbers who have died in nursing homes.
The numbers in intensive care fell by 54 patients to 1,555, a figure that had exceeded 7,000 at the peak of the crisis.
French officials have said there is no sign yet that the relaxation of the nationwide lockdown on May 11 has led to an increase in cases.
But caution is urged, with President Emmanuel Macron warning that the epidemic is not over.
The government is to announce on Thursday what measures can be eased in the next stage of the relaxation on June 2.
Cafes and restaurants currently remain closed while people can only venture 100 kilometres (60 miles) from their homes without a special reason.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-26--Macron announces plan to rescue French auto industry

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday unveiled a plan worth €8 billion ( $ 8.8 billion ) to save the country ’ s car industry from huge losses wrought by virus lockdowns , including a big boost for electric vehicles .
“ Our country wouldn ’ t be the same without its great brands – Renault , Peugeot , Citroen , ” Macron declared , and announcing a goal of making France the leading producer of “ clean ” cars in Europe .
The 8 billion euros does not include a 5 billion-euro government loan guarantee under discussion for struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already spent on temporary unemployment payments to auto workers told to stay home for weeks to keep the virus at bay .
As carmakers around the world face record slumps in sales , Macron met with industry representatives and unions at the Elysee presidential palace on Tuesday morning , notably to discuss the loan guarantee for Renault .
He then visited supplier Valeo , which makes equipment for electric cars , at its factory in northern France , from where he detailed the wider rescue plan .
The issue is politically sensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ auto industry , which employs 400,000 people in the country and is a big part of its manufacturing sector .
The government wants carmakers to develop innovative products in France and keep jobs in the country .
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has said that carmakers must commit to bringing back manufacturing to France in exchange for the support , but unions are wary as the industry is in turmoil .
The aid is expected to include government subsidies for consumers to buy a battery-powered car as well as other incentives for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lower-emissions model .
Auto sales in France fell by about 90 % in April compared with a year earlier as showrooms were shut and factories suspended production .
The country started easing restrictions on May 11 after two months of strict lockdowns .
The plan to support the industry comes at a crucial time for carmaker Renault , which came into the virus crisis in particularly bad shape after the 2018 arrest of its longtime star CEO Carlos Ghosn .
Le Maire said Monday its survival is at stake and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Renault — would not require Renault to keep all its French jobs and facilities in exchange for the rescue funds , in order to allow the company to adapt to the economic situation .
Renault and Nissan have scheduled an announcement Wednesday that is expected to address the future of their alliance .
Renault unions say they have been summoned to a meeting Thursday on how the carmaker will cut 2 billion euros ( $ 2.2 billion ) in costs , and expect that will lead to factory closures and job losses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bailout funds after the 2008 financial crisis and benefited from a government bonus plan that encouraged consumers to buy newer cars , though that didn ’ t prevent thousands of job cuts .
PSA Group , which makes Peugeot and Citroen cars , came into the current crisis in better shape , after years of cost-cutting under CEO Carlos Tavares .
PSA reported record profits last year , but has also seen sales plunge amid virus lockdowns .
It is in the process of merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to create the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French government owns a 12 % stake in PSA through the state investment bank .
Carmakers in other countries are also struggling .
U.S. automakers haven ’ t received direct government help yet but car dealers and auto suppliers can apply for low-interest loans .
Some U.S. politicians don ’ t want to bail out carmakers again after they got huge bailouts after the 2008 financial crisis .
In Germany , automakers are pressing for car purchase incentives to support major employers and prevent layoffs .
The idea is opposed by some legislators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party and by an expert council of economists , who advised tax breaks and lower energy costs for all companies instead of singling out one industry for help .
A decision on the issue could come as early as next week .
Italian-American Fiat Chrysler , which has its corporate headquarters in the Netherlands and its financial base in Britain , confirmed this month a request for an Italian state-backed loan worth 6.3 billion euros ( $ 6.9 billion ) .
The move set off debate in Italy over whether such money should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headquarters overseas .
Britain 's government is considering bailing out companies whose demise would disproportionately affect the economy , on a “ last resort basis.
” The Financial Times reported Sunday that Jaguar Land Rover was among those approaching the government to acquire stakes as part of a broader manufacturing bailout .
Steve Turner of the Unite Union said action is needed to bolster major employers and their supply chains .
“ There is no more time to lose if we are to prevent a tsunami of job losses from sweeping through communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday unveiled a plan worth €8 billion ($8.8 billion) to save the country’s car industry from huge losses wrought by virus lockdowns, including a big boost for electric vehicles.
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“Our country wouldn’t be the same without its great brands – Renault, Peugeot, Citroen,” Macron declared, and announcing a goal of making France the leading producer of “clean” cars in Europe.
The 8 billion euros does not include a 5 billion-euro government loan guarantee under discussion for struggling Renault, or the millions the government has already spent on temporary unemployment payments to auto workers told to stay home for weeks to keep the virus at bay.
As carmakers around the world face record slumps in sales, Macron met with industry representatives and unions at the Elysee presidential palace on Tuesday morning, notably to discuss the loan guarantee for Renault. He then visited supplier Valeo, which makes equipment for electric cars, at its factory in northern France, from where he detailed the wider rescue plan.
Innovate to keep jobs
The issue is politically sensitive, since France is proud of its auto industry, which employs 400,000 people in the country and is a big part of its manufacturing sector. The government wants carmakers to develop innovative products in France and keep jobs in the country.
03:18
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has said that carmakers must commit to bringing back manufacturing to France in exchange for the support, but unions are wary as the industry is in turmoil.
The aid is expected to include government subsidies for consumers to buy a battery-powered car as well as other incentives for people to scrap their old car and buy a lower-emissions model.
Auto sales in France fell by about 90% in April compared with a year earlier as showrooms were shut and factories suspended production. The country started easing restrictions on May 11 after two months of strict lockdowns.
The plan to support the industry comes at a crucial time for carmaker Renault, which came into the virus crisis in particularly bad shape after the 2018 arrest of its longtime star CEO Carlos Ghosn.
Le Maire said Monday its survival is at stake and that the government — which owns 15% of Renault — would not require Renault to keep all its French jobs and facilities in exchange for the rescue funds, in order to allow the company to adapt to the economic situation.
Possible 'factory closures and job losses'
Renault and Nissan have scheduled an announcement Wednesday that is expected to address the future of their alliance. Renault unions say they have been summoned to a meeting Thursday on how the carmaker will cut 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in costs, and expect that will lead to factory closures and job losses in France.
French carmakers won billions in bailout funds after the 2008 financial crisis and benefited from a government bonus plan that encouraged consumers to buy newer cars, though that didn’t prevent thousands of job cuts.
PSA Group, which makes Peugeot and Citroen cars, came into the current crisis in better shape, after years of cost-cutting under CEO Carlos Tavares. PSA reported record profits last year, but has also seen sales plunge amid virus lockdowns. It is in the process of merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to create the world’s fourth-largest auto maker. The French government owns a 12% stake in PSA through the state investment bank.
Carmakers in other countries are also struggling.
U.S. automakers haven’t received direct government help yet but car dealers and auto suppliers can apply for low-interest loans. Some U.S. politicians don’t want to bail out carmakers again after they got huge bailouts after the 2008 financial crisis.
Call for incentives
In Germany, automakers are pressing for car purchase incentives to support major employers and prevent layoffs. The idea is opposed by some legislators in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party and by an expert council of economists, who advised tax breaks and lower energy costs for all companies instead of singling out one industry for help. A decision on the issue could come as early as next week.
Italian-American Fiat Chrysler, which has its corporate headquarters in the Netherlands and its financial base in Britain, confirmed this month a request for an Italian state-backed loan worth 6.3 billion euros ($6.9 billion). The move set off debate in Italy over whether such money should be made available to companies with legal headquarters overseas.
Britain's government is considering bailing out companies whose demise would disproportionately affect the economy, on a “last resort basis.” The Financial Times reported Sunday that Jaguar Land Rover was among those approaching the government to acquire stakes as part of a broader manufacturing bailout.
Steve Turner of the Unite Union said action is needed to bolster major employers and their supply chains. “There is no more time to lose if we are to prevent a tsunami of job losses from sweeping through communities this summer,” he said.
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-26--Afghanistan frees hundreds more Taliban prisoners during ceasefire

Newly freed Taliban prisoners greet each other at Pul-i-Charkhi prison , in Kabul , Afghanistan May 26 , 2020 .
Afghan authorities freed hundreds more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday , as calls grew for the militants to extend a ceasefire on its third and final day .
The historic pause in fighting -- only the second in nearly 19 years of war -- has mostly held across Afghanistan , providing a rare respite from the conflict 's grinding violence .
Authorities said they had released about 900 Taliban prisoners across the country on Tuesday , approximately 600 of them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The release is part of a pledge by the Afghan government to free up to 2,000 insurgent prisoners in response to the Taliban 's three-day ceasefire offer , which began Sunday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr .
itAbdul Wasi , 27 , from Kandahar province , much of which is under Taliban control , said he was a `` holy warrior '' when he was detained eight years ago .
`` I was told ... to do jihad until all foreign troops are driven out of our country , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a traditional baggy shirt-and-trouser shalwar kameez , told AFP moments after he was freed .
He said he was happy about the US-Taliban deal paving the way for all foreign forces to leave Afghanistan by May next year , and that he wanted a permanent ceasefire .
`` If the foreign troops exit , we wo n't fight , '' he said as he boarded a Kabul-bound bus along with other freed Taliban members .
The prisoners had signed written pledges not to return to the battlefield , but freed inmate Qari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces remain .
“ We do n't want foreigners to stay any longer in our country .
They must leave immediately , '' Mohammadullah said .
`` We will continue our jihad until every single foreign force leaves . ''
Each former prisoner was given the equivalent of about $ 65 in Afghan currency .
The buses they had boarded at the prison dropped them in Kabul , where they bid goodbyes to each other and took taxis to their homes .
The release of 900 prisoners marked `` good progress , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He added the group will free a `` remarkable '' number of Afghan security force personnel , but did not specify when .
Afghan authorities hoped the Taliban would extend the ceasefire so delayed peace talks with the insurgents could begin , National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said .
`` If the Taliban are ready to extend the ceasefire , we are ready to continue the ceasefire too , '' Faisal told a news conference .
`` We hope they release our prisoners so that intra-Afghan peace talks begin as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Taliban 's next move , '' he said .
The ceasefire has raised hopes of an extended truce that could pave the way for talks , which had originally been scheduled to start by March 10 .
`` Extend the ceasefire .
Save lives , '' Shaharzad Akbar , head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission , said on Twitter .
`` End the violence so that we can all focus on making services available to the most vulnerable across the country , on expanding access to human rights , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' A senior Taliban source earlier told AFP the group could extend the ceasefire by seven days if the government speeds up the release of prisoners .
But insurgent spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he had no information about an extension .
The European Union mission in Afghanistan called for a `` permanent and comprehensive humanitarian ceasefire ... which can lay the ground for peace negotiations '' .
The US-Taliban deal stipulates the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the militants would free about 1,000 national security personnel .
Prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already freed about 1,000 Taliban inmates , while the insurgents released about 300 Afghan security force captives .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , while welcoming the latest developments , has insisted that freed Taliban prisoners should not return to the battlefield .
President Ashraf Ghani has said his administration is ready to begin peace negotiations , seen as key to ending the war .
Before the ceasefire started , the Taliban claimed multiple deadly attacks against Afghan forces across the country .
But they denied carrying out a gruesome rampage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month when gunmen shot dead mothers , nurses and newborns .
The US first built the Bagram detention centre early in the war and it gained international notoriety after details emerged of prisoner abuse .
The Afghan military now runs the facility .

Afghan authorities freed hundreds more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday, as calls grew for the militants to extend a ceasefire on its third and final day.
Newly freed Taliban prisoners greet each other at Pul-i-Charkhi prison, in Kabul, Afghanistan May 26, 2020.
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The historic pause in fighting -- only the second in nearly 19 years of war -- has mostly held across Afghanistan, providing a rare respite from the conflict's grinding violence.
Authorities said they had released about 900 Taliban prisoners across the country on Tuesday, approximately 600 of them from the notorious Bagram jail near Kabul.
The release is part of a pledge by the Afghan government to free up to 2,000 insurgent prisoners in response to the Taliban's three-day ceasefire offer, which began Sunday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
05:07
Abdul Wasi, 27, from Kandahar province, much of which is under Taliban control, said he was a "holy warrior" when he was detained eight years ago.
"I was told ... to do jihad until all foreign troops are driven out of our country," Wasi, sporting a long beard and wearing a traditional baggy shirt-and-trouser shalwar kameez, told AFP moments after he was freed.
He said he was happy about the US-Taliban deal paving the way for all foreign forces to leave Afghanistan by May next year, and that he wanted a permanent ceasefire.
"If the foreign troops exit, we won't fight," he said as he boarded a Kabul-bound bus along with other freed Taliban members.
Calls to 'extend the ceasefire'
The prisoners had signed written pledges not to return to the battlefield, but freed inmate Qari Mohammadullah vowed to continue fighting if foreign forces remain.
“We don't want foreigners to stay any longer in our country. They must leave immediately," Mohammadullah said.
"We will continue our jihad until every single foreign force leaves."
Each former prisoner was given the equivalent of about $65 in Afghan currency. The buses they had boarded at the prison dropped them in Kabul, where they bid goodbyes to each other and took taxis to their homes.
The release of 900 prisoners marked "good progress," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter.
He added the group will free a "remarkable" number of Afghan security force personnel, but did not specify when.
Afghan authorities hoped the Taliban would extend the ceasefire so delayed peace talks with the insurgents could begin, National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said.
"If the Taliban are ready to extend the ceasefire, we are ready to continue the ceasefire too," Faisal told a news conference.
"We hope they release our prisoners so that intra-Afghan peace talks begin as soon as possible... The future depends on the Taliban's next move," he said.
The ceasefire has raised hopes of an extended truce that could pave the way for talks, which had originally been scheduled to start by March 10.
"Extend the ceasefire. Save lives," Shaharzad Akbar, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said on Twitter.
"End the violence so that we can all focus on making services available to the most vulnerable across the country, on expanding access to human rights, so that we have space to breathe."
Kabul pushes for peace talks
A senior Taliban source earlier told AFP the group could extend the ceasefire by seven days if the government speeds up the release of prisoners.
But insurgent spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he had no information about an extension.
The European Union mission in Afghanistan called for a "permanent and comprehensive humanitarian ceasefire ... which can lay the ground for peace negotiations".
The US-Taliban deal stipulates the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the militants would free about 1,000 national security personnel.
Prior to this week's releases, Kabul had already freed about 1,000 Taliban inmates, while the insurgents released about 300 Afghan security force captives.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, while welcoming the latest developments, has insisted that freed Taliban prisoners should not return to the battlefield.
President Ashraf Ghani has said his administration is ready to begin peace negotiations, seen as key to ending the war.
Before the ceasefire started, the Taliban claimed multiple deadly attacks against Afghan forces across the country.
But they denied carrying out a gruesome rampage in a maternity hospital in Kabul earlier this month when gunmen shot dead mothers, nurses and newborns.
The US first built the Bagram detention centre early in the war and it gained international notoriety after details emerged of prisoner abuse.
The Afghan military now runs the facility.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-26--UK minister quits Johnson's government over Cummings lockdown trip

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's government was hit by its first resignation on Tuesday over the controversy surrounding top aide Dominic Cummings ' cross-country trip during the coronavirus lockdown .
Undermining attempts by ministers to try and move on from the crisis which has dominated British politics for days , Douglas Ross , a minister for Scotland , quit in protest .
`` I have constituents who did n't get to say goodbye to loved ones ; families who could not mourn together ; people who did n't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement announcing his departure .
`` I can not in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior advisor to the government was right . ''
He added that Cummings ' interpretation of government rules was `` not shared by the vast majority of people '' .
The resignation will pile more pressure on Cummings , who held an extraordinary press conference Monday to justify driving his wife and young son on a 264-mile ( 425-kilometre ) trip from London to Durham in the northeast of England during the height @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Ross quit , Harriet Baldwin joined a growing list of Conservative MPs calling on Cummings to resign .
Tory party grandee Michael Heseltine told Sky News that `` the lack of credibility '' in Cummings ' version of events was `` damaging the government '' .
Some members of the clergy have also called on him to stand down as well as opposition party members , who will meet later today regarding the crisis .
Downing Street said it `` regrets '' the decision by Ross .
The resignation came after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial aide did not break the law .
Michael Gove , Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster , said Cummings had acted reasonably in driving from London to Durham and then taking a separate journey to a local beauty spot , Barnard Castle , to -- as he claimed -- test his eyesight .
`` What 's clear is that he did n't break the law , he did n't break the rules , he sought to protect his family and he also sought to ensure that the risk of anyone in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Gove told the BBC on Tuesday .
Cummings drove to his parents ' home in Durham after feeling ill because he and his wife , who was also feeling unwell , needed possible back-up childcare for their young son .
Despite calls for him to resign , Cummings has so far resisted and instead defended his actions .
He told reporters he had acted `` reasonably and legally '' .
The prime minister called Cummings ' actions `` plausible '' .
Also on Tuesday , the Office for National Statistics said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving '' the coronavirus had risen above 46,000 , far higher than the 36,914 deaths officially confirmed in the government 's count .

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was hit by its first resignation on Tuesday over the controversy surrounding top aide Dominic Cummings' cross-country trip during the coronavirus lockdown.
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Undermining attempts by ministers to try and move on from the crisis which has dominated British politics for days, Douglas Ross, a minister for Scotland, quit in protest.
"I have constituents who didn't get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government," he said in a Twitter statement announcing his departure.
"I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior advisor to the government was right."
04:50
He added that Cummings' interpretation of government rules was "not shared by the vast majority of people".
The resignation will pile more pressure on Cummings, who held an extraordinary press conference Monday to justify driving his wife and young son on a 264-mile (425-kilometre) trip from London to Durham in the northeast of England during the height of the coronavirus crisis.
'Lack of credibility'
Not long after Ross quit, Harriet Baldwin joined a growing list of Conservative MPs calling on Cummings to resign.
Tory party grandee Michael Heseltine told Sky News that "the lack of credibility" in Cummings' version of events was "damaging the government".
Some members of the clergy have also called on him to stand down as well as opposition party members, who will meet later today regarding the crisis.
Downing Street said it "regrets" the decision by Ross.
I haven't commented publicly on the situation with Dominic Cummings as I have waited to hear the full details. I welcome the statement to clarify matters, but there remains aspects of the explanation which I have trouble with. As a result I have resigned as a government Minister. pic.twitter.com/6yXLyMzItJ — Douglas Ross MP (@Douglas4Moray) May 26, 2020
The resignation came after a cabinet heavyweight defended Cummings and said the controversial aide did not break the law.
Michael Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said Cummings had acted reasonably in driving from London to Durham and then taking a separate journey to a local beauty spot, Barnard Castle, to -- as he claimed -- test his eyesight.
"What's clear is that he didn't break the law, he didn't break the rules, he sought to protect his family and he also sought to ensure that the risk of anyone in his family infecting anyone else was absolutely minimised," Gove told the BBC on Tuesday.
Cummings drove to his parents' home in Durham after feeling ill because he and his wife, who was also feeling unwell, needed possible back-up childcare for their young son.
Despite calls for him to resign, Cummings has so far resisted and instead defended his actions.
He told reporters he had acted "reasonably and legally". The prime minister called Cummings' actions "plausible".
Also on Tuesday, the Office for National Statistics said the number of deaths in Britain "involving" the coronavirus had risen above 46,000, far higher than the 36,914 deaths officially confirmed in the government's count.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-26--Russia sends fighter jets to Libya to support mercenaries

© AFP | Russian fighter jets on the tarmac at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province , in the northwest of Syria , on February 16 , 2016 .
File photo of Russian fighter jets on the tarmac at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province , in the northwest of Syria , on February 16 , 2016 .
Russia recently sent fighter jets to Libya to support Russian mercenaries fighting for strongman Khalifa Haftar , the US military command for Africa ( Africom ) said Tuesday , in a major escalation in the long-running conflict .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first stopped in Syria where they `` were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin '' before arriving in Libya , said Stuttgart-based Africom .
The US military did not specify when exactly the jets arrived , only saying that it was `` recently '' .
The announcement comes a day after Libya 's UN-recognised government said hundreds of Russian mercenaries backing rival military commander Haftar had been evacuated from combat zones south of the capital Tripoli .
The retreat follows a series of setbacks for Haftar 's years-long offensive to seize the capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( GNA ) .
The Kremlin has always denied involvement in the conflict .
But United Nations experts said in a report last month that the Wagner Group , a shadowy Russian paramilitary organisation seen as close to President Vladimir Putin , had sent fighters to back Haftar .
`` For too long , Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict .
Well , there is no denying it now , '' said US Army General Stephen Townsend in the Africom statement .
`` Russia is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its favour in Libya , '' he added .
`` Just like I saw them doing in Syria , they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner . ''
He described the Russian warplanes deployed to Libya as `` fourth generation jet fighters '' .
Oil-rich Libya plunged into conflict after the ouster and killing of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising , with rival administrations and militias vying for power .
The conflict worsened when Haftar -- who is also backed by Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arabia -- launched an offensive on Tripoli in April 2019 .
Africom said Russia 's actions risked prolonging the conflict and exacerbating `` casualties and human suffering on both sides '' .
If confirmed , Russia 's fighter jet deployment would constitute another violation of a much-abused 2011 UN arms embargo .
World leaders agreed in January to uphold the embargo and stop meddling in the conflict that has dragged in major regional rivals .
But the UN has repeatedly warned that both sides have continued to receive arms and fighters .

Russia recently sent fighter jets to Libya to support Russian mercenaries fighting for strongman Khalifa Haftar, the US military command for Africa (Africom) said Tuesday, in a major escalation in the long-running conflict.
© AFP | Russian fighter jets on the tarmac at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria, on February 16, 2016.
File photo of Russian fighter jets on the tarmac at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria, on February 16, 2016.
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The military fighter aircraft left Russia and first stopped in Syria where they "were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin" before arriving in Libya, said Stuttgart-based Africom.
The US military did not specify when exactly the jets arrived, only saying that it was "recently".
The announcement comes a day after Libya's UN-recognised government said hundreds of Russian mercenaries backing rival military commander Haftar had been evacuated from combat zones south of the capital Tripoli.
The retreat follows a series of setbacks for Haftar's years-long offensive to seize the capital from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).
The Kremlin has always denied involvement in the conflict.
But United Nations experts said in a report last month that the Wagner Group, a shadowy Russian paramilitary organisation seen as close to President Vladimir Putin, had sent fighters to back Haftar.
"For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now," said US Army General Stephen Townsend in the Africom statement.
"Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favour in Libya," he added.
"Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner."
He described the Russian warplanes deployed to Libya as "fourth generation jet fighters".
Oil-rich Libya plunged into conflict after the ouster and killing of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising, with rival administrations and militias vying for power.
The conflict worsened when Haftar -- who is also backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia -- launched an offensive on Tripoli in April 2019.
Africom said Russia's actions risked prolonging the conflict and exacerbating "casualties and human suffering on both sides".
If confirmed, Russia's fighter jet deployment would constitute another violation of a much-abused 2011 UN arms embargo.
World leaders agreed in January to uphold the embargo and stop meddling in the conflict that has dragged in major regional rivals.
But the UN has repeatedly warned that both sides have continued to receive arms and fighters.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-26--Costa Rica legalises same-sex marriage

Costa Rica legalises same-sex marriage

Costa Rica is the first Central American country to legalise same-sex marriage Costa Rica became the latest country to legalise same-sex marriage early Tuesday when a ruling from its supreme court went into effect ending the country 's ban .
Couples held ceremonies — mostly private due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but some that were broadcast — to celebrate their unions before judges and notaries after the ban was lifted at midnight .
Two women in their 20s married just after midnight in an outdoor service performed by a notary wearing a face mask who pronounced them “ wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sixth country in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage , following most recently Ecuador , which allowed it last year .
It is also permitted in some parts of Mexico .
The issue took center stage in Costa Rica 's 2018 presidential election after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an opinion that countries like Costa Rica , which had signed the American Convention on Human Rights , had to move immediately to legalize gay marriage .
It helped propel President Carlos Alvarado to victory over an evangelical candidate , Fabricio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In August 2018 , Costa Rica ’ s supreme court said the country ’ s ban was unconstitutional and gave the congress 18 months to correct it or it would happen automatically .
The Legislative Assembly did not act , so at midnight the law banning same-sex marriage was nullified .
A campaign celebrating the change called “ I do ” planned a series of events including hours of coverage on state television and messages from celebrities , including Michelle Bachelet , the United Nations high commissioner for human Rights .
Gia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do ” campaign , said television coverage would also include segments on the movement 's history in Costa Rica .
“ It gives us so much joy , ” Miranda said .
“ The only thing that could win with this is Costa Rica and in general love.
” She said it would help decrease discrimination and make the country more prosperous and attractive to tourists .

Costa Rica became the latest country to legalise same-sex marriage early Tuesday when a ruling from its supreme court went into effect ending the country's ban.
Costa Rica is the first Central American country to legalise same-sex marriage
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Couples held ceremonies — mostly private due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some that were broadcast — to celebrate their unions before judges and notaries after the ban was lifted at midnight.
Two women in their 20s married just after midnight in an outdoor service performed by a notary wearing a face mask who pronounced them “wife and wife."
Costa Rica is the sixth country in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage, following most recently Ecuador, which allowed it last year. It is also permitted in some parts of Mexico.
The issue took center stage in Costa Rica's 2018 presidential election after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an opinion that countries like Costa Rica, which had signed the American Convention on Human Rights, had to move immediately to legalize gay marriage.
It helped propel President Carlos Alvarado to victory over an evangelical candidate, Fabricio Alvarado, who had campaigned against it.
In August 2018, Costa Rica’s supreme court said the country’s ban was unconstitutional and gave the congress 18 months to correct it or it would happen automatically. The Legislative Assembly did not act, so at midnight the law banning same-sex marriage was nullified.
A campaign celebrating the change called “I do” planned a series of events including hours of coverage on state television and messages from celebrities, including Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations high commissioner for human Rights.
Gia Miranda, director of the “I do” campaign, said television coverage would also include segments on the movement's history in Costa Rica.
“It gives us so much joy,” Miranda said. “The only thing that could win with this is Costa Rica and in general love.” She said it would help decrease discrimination and make the country more prosperous and attractive to tourists.
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-25--WHO halts study of Trump-touted hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19

The WHO 's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying here on May 19 , 2020 , that there were `` 106,000 cases reported to WHO – the most in a single day since the outbreak began '' .
The World Health Organization said Monday it had temporarily suspended clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 being carried out across a range of countries as a precautionary measure .
The decision came after publication last week of a study in The Lancet which indicated that using the drug on COVID-19 patients could increase their chances of dying , WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference .
Tedros said that the executive group of the so-called Solidarity Trial , in which hundreds of hospitals across several countries have enrolled patients to test several possible treatments for the novel coronavirus , had as a precaution suspended trials using that drug .
`` The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board , '' Tedros said .
`` The other arms of the trial are continuing , '' he stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arthritis but pronouncement from public figures including US President Donald Trump -- who announced last week he is taking the drug -- has prompted governments to bulk buy the medicine .
Brazil 's health minister also recommended last week using hydroxychloroquine , as well as the anti-malarial chloroquine , to treat even mild COVID-19 cases .
The Lancet study found that both drugs can produce potentially serious side effects , particularly heart arrhythmia .
And neither drug benefitted patients hospitalised with COVID-19 , according to a Lancet study , which looked at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals .
Tedros stressed Monday that the two drugs `` are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria . ''
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told Monday 's briefing that the WHO-backed Solidarity Trial had been looking only at the effects of hydroxychloroquine and not chloroquine .
The decision on suspending enrolment for trials using hydroxychloroquine was `` a temporary measure '' , she said .
`` We 're just acting by precaution , '' WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan agreed .
The COVID-19 pandemic , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has killed nearly 350,000 people worldwide and infected almost 5.5 million , according to an AFP tally using official sources .
While there is still no approved treatment or vaccine for the novel coronavirus , drastic measures that at one point saw half of humanity under lockdown have pushed down transmission rates in a number of countries .
As many nations begin to gradually lift restrictions , the WHO on Monday stressed the need to keep up with physical distancing measures and to scale up efforts to test and detect cases .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert , '' WHO expert Maria Van Kerkhove said , stressing that `` even countries that have seen a decline in cases must remain ready . ''
She warned that studies using antibody tests to determine how many people have been infected and might have some level of immunity `` indicate that a large proportion of the population remains susceptible . ''
`` The virus will take the opportunity to amplify if it can , '' she said .
Ryan agreed , urging countries to `` continue to put in place ... a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a downward trajectory and that we do n't have an immediate second peak . ''
He warned against the idea that the pandemic might move in natural seasonal waves , stressing that the reason transmission is going down in a number of countries was the drastic measures put in place .
`` My concern right now is that people might be assuming that the current rapid infections represents a natural seasonality , '' he said .
`` Making an assumption that it is on a downward trajectory , and the next danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think that would be a dangerous assumption . ''
`` If we take the pressure off the virus then the virus can bounce back , '' he said .

The World Health Organization said Monday it had temporarily suspended clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 being carried out across a range of countries as a precautionary measure.
The WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying here on May 19, 2020, that there were "106,000 cases reported to WHO – the most in a single day since the outbreak began".
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The decision came after publication last week of a study in The Lancet which indicated that using the drug on COVID-19 patients could increase their chances of dying, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference.
Tedros said that the executive group of the so-called Solidarity Trial, in which hundreds of hospitals across several countries have enrolled patients to test several possible treatments for the novel coronavirus, had as a precaution suspended trials using that drug.
"The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board," Tedros said.
"The other arms of the trial are continuing," he stressed.
Hydroxychloroquine is normally used to treat arthritis but pronouncement from public figures including US President Donald Trump -- who announced last week he is taking the drug -- has prompted governments to bulk buy the medicine.
Brazil's health minister also recommended last week using hydroxychloroquine, as well as the anti-malarial chloroquine, to treat even mild COVID-19 cases.
The Lancet study found that both drugs can produce potentially serious side effects, particularly heart arrhythmia.
And neither drug benefitted patients hospitalised with COVID-19, according to a Lancet study, which looked at the records of 96,000 patients across hundreds of hospitals.
Tedros stressed Monday that the two drugs "are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria."
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told Monday's briefing that the WHO-backed Solidarity Trial had been looking only at the effects of hydroxychloroquine and not chloroquine.
The decision on suspending enrolment for trials using hydroxychloroquine was "a temporary measure", she said.
"We're just acting by precaution," WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan agreed.
'Dangerous assumption'?
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began late last year in China, has killed nearly 350,000 people worldwide and infected almost 5.5 million, according to an AFP tally using official sources.
While there is still no approved treatment or vaccine for the novel coronavirus, drastic measures that at one point saw half of humanity under lockdown have pushed down transmission rates in a number of countries.
As many nations begin to gradually lift restrictions, the WHO on Monday stressed the need to keep up with physical distancing measures and to scale up efforts to test and detect cases.
"All countries need to remain on high alert," WHO expert Maria Van Kerkhove said, stressing that "even countries that have seen a decline in cases must remain ready."
She warned that studies using antibody tests to determine how many people have been infected and might have some level of immunity "indicate that a large proportion of the population remains susceptible."
"The virus will take the opportunity to amplify if it can," she said.
Ryan agreed, urging countries to "continue to put in place ... a comprehensive strategy to ensure that we continue on a downward trajectory and that we don't have an immediate second peak."
He warned against the idea that the pandemic might move in natural seasonal waves, stressing that the reason transmission is going down in a number of countries was the drastic measures put in place.
"My concern right now is that people might be assuming that the current rapid infections represents a natural seasonality," he said.
"Making an assumption that it is on a downward trajectory, and the next danger point is sometime in October or November, I think that would be a dangerous assumption."
"If we take the pressure off the virus then the virus can bounce back," he said.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-26--French hospitals deploy mobile teams to track and trace Covid-19 cases

Hospitals in the Paris region have set up mobile teams to test suspected Covid-19 cases at their homes and trace @ @ @ @ @ in contact with .
Some 900 volunteers have signed up for the so-called `` Covisan @ @ @ @ @ all walks of life .
`` The sooner the virus is detected , the faster @ @ @ @ @ interrupted , '' says one resident of the French capital after receiving a visit from @ @ @ @ @ on the player aboive to watch the report by FRANCE 24 's Luke Shrago , @ @ @ @ @ Giraldo .

French hospitals deploy mobile teams to track and trace Covid-19 cases
02:11
Hospitals in the Paris region have set up mobile teams to test suspected Covid-19 cases at their homes and trace the people they have been in contact with. Some 900 volunteers have signed up for the so-called "Covisan" programme, hailing from all walks of life. "The sooner the virus is detected, the faster the transmission chain can be interrupted," says one resident of the French capital after receiving a visit from a Covisan team. Click on the player aboive to watch the report by FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago, Bernoît Perrochais and Natalia Ruiz Giraldo.


france24--2020-05-25--Erdogan spokesman: 'France and those supporting Haftar are on wrong side of Libyan conflict'

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Ibrahim Kalin , a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , discussed the situation in Libya , where Turkey has sent troops in support of the UN-backed Tripoli-based government .
He also talked about Syria and the dispute with the Trump administration over Turkey 's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems .
Concerning Libya , Turkish presidential spokesman Kalin said the military support that Ankara has given to the Tripoli-based government of Fayez al-Sarraj against the forces of his arch-rival Khalifa Haftar has provided some `` balance '' to the conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have retreated from the capital , Tripoli , singling out the role of foreign mercenaries from Africa but also from Russia 's Wagner Group .
Kalin also said the United Arab Emirates had been supporting Haftar , which he said was illustrated by a recent UN report alleging that Western mercenaries working for companies based in the UAE were sent to Libya a few months ago to support Haftar .
He accused the eastern Libyan strongman of breaking `` every single agreement , every single ceasefire '' and stressed that Turkey was looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not egging on Sarraj to militarily go after Haftar .
The top Turkish official said countries such as France – which he accuses of still supporting Haftar – had `` of course '' been wrong to do so .
`` We believe that anyone who is still supporting Haftar is on the wrong side in the Libyan conflict , '' Kalin told FRANCE 24 .
He said the disagreements with France , as well as the US , also extended to Syria , stressing that their support for the Kurdish PYD/YPG was wrongheaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian branch of the PKK `` terrorist organisation '' .
In addition , he said this support undermined the territorial continuity of Syria .
Finally , with regards to the dispute with the Trump administration over Turkey 's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems , Kalin said Turkey had postponed the activation of the systems due to Covid-19 .
He said the plan was still to activate the Russian-made system but hinted that if the US showed it was open to sending Patriot missiles to Turkey , Erdogan would be ready to @ @

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussed the situation in Libya, where Turkey has sent troops in support of the UN-backed Tripoli-based government. He also talked about Syria and the dispute with the Trump administration over Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems.
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Concerning Libya, Turkish presidential spokesman Kalin said the military support that Ankara has given to the Tripoli-based government of Fayez al-Sarraj against the forces of his arch-rival Khalifa Haftar has provided some "balance" to the conflict. He confirmed that Haftar's troops have retreated from the capital, Tripoli, singling out the role of foreign mercenaries from Africa but also from Russia's Wagner Group.
Kalin also said the United Arab Emirates had been supporting Haftar, which he said was illustrated by a recent UN report alleging that Western mercenaries working for companies based in the UAE were sent to Libya a few months ago to support Haftar. He accused the eastern Libyan strongman of breaking "every single agreement, every single ceasefire" and stressed that Turkey was looking for a "political solution" and not egging on Sarraj to militarily go after Haftar.
>> Libya's UN-backed govt accuses France of supporting Haftar, ends cooperation
The top Turkish official said countries such as France – which he accuses of still supporting Haftar – had "of course" been wrong to do so. "We believe that anyone who is still supporting Haftar is on the wrong side in the Libyan conflict," Kalin told FRANCE 24.
He said the disagreements with France, as well as the US, also extended to Syria, stressing that their support for the Kurdish PYD/YPG was wrongheaded because he claimed this was merely the Syrian branch of the PKK "terrorist organisation". In addition, he said this support undermined the territorial continuity of Syria.
Finally, with regards to the dispute with the Trump administration over Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems, Kalin said Turkey had postponed the activation of the systems due to Covid-19. He said the plan was still to activate the Russian-made system but hinted that if the US showed it was open to sending Patriot missiles to Turkey, Erdogan would be ready to listen.
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france24--2020-05-27--EU Commission proposes €750 billion recovery fund in wake of Covid-19 crisis

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to unveil details of the proposed recovery fund later on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ proposing a €750 billion recovery fund to reboot economies hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
Speaking ahead of the plan 's formal presentation , officials said southern countries @ @ @ @ @ get the lion 's share of the proposed fund , which includes €500 billion in @ @ @ @ @ loans .
The Commision will propose that Italy and Spain — the countries most affected @ @ @ @ @ awarded €173 billion and €140 billion respectively through a mix of grants and loans , @ @ @ @ @ Gentiloni , the EU economic affairs commissioner , hailed the proposal as a `` European @ @ @ @ @ the fund will help `` tackle an unprecedented crisis '' .

The European Commission is proposing a €750 billion recovery fund to reboot economies hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, EU officials said on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pictured in this file photo. On Wednesday, May 27, von der Leyen unveiled details of a proposed €750 billion recovery fund to strengthen European economies hit by Covid-19.
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Speaking ahead of the plan's formal presentation, officials said southern countries worst hit by Covid-19 would get the lion's share of the proposed fund, which includes €500 billion in grants and the rest in loans.
The Commission will propose that Italy and Spain – the countries most affected by the epidemic – be awarded €173 billion and €140 billion respectively through a mix of grants and loans, the officials said.
Paolo Gentiloni, the EU economic affairs commissioner, hailed the proposal as a "European breakthrough", tweeting that the fund would help "tackle an unprecedented crisis".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen argued that this stimulus package would prevent the need for more costly damage-control measures later on: "Tomorrow the cost of inaction in this crisis will be far more expensive for us. The point here is to lay the foundations for our future together," she said. "Let us put aside the old prejudices!"
00:37
The aim is to protect the European Union's single market of 450 million people from being splintered by divergent economic growth and wealth levels as the 27-nation bloc emerges from its deepest ever recession expected this year.
The plan's advocates say its is necessary because countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Portugal, burdened with high debt and heavily reliant on tourism, will find it more difficult than more frugal northern nations to restart their economies through borrowing.
Thanks to the euro, it is impossible for these countries to boost their competitiveness by devaluing their currencies, as was often the case during economic troubles in the post-war era.
04:48
Franco-German push
The €500 billion in grants is in line with the wishes of the EU's two biggest economies – France and Germany – though some nations would rather see the recovery package comprise only loans.
The package would also provide guarantees that could draw in many times more in private cash by reducing the risk of various investments.
But it is the grants, financed through joint borrowing, that worry the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Denmark. The borrowing will have to be repaid, meaning higher national contributions to the EU budget in the future or new taxes assigned to the EU. Many voices in these northern European countries say that – after years of opting for budgetary prudence – it would be unfair for them to foot the bill for heavily indebted southern nations.
The Commission is expected to propose new revenue streams. They are most likely to come from a tax on plastics, some money from the CO2 emissions trading scheme, a digital services tax, national corporate taxes and an import levy on goods produced in countries with lower CO2 emissions standards than the EU.
The Euro Stoxx 50, a benchmark comprising many of Europe’s largest publicly traded companies, was up by 1.7 percent since trading opened Wednesday morning. Experts say this was driven by the European Commission’s declaration. "The announcement gave European shares another lift earlier with the number being proposed larger than what Germany and France previously agreed," Craig Erlam, an analyst at foreign exchange firm OANDA, told AFP.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--France revokes decree authorising use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19

Hydroxychloroquine tablets sold at a pharmacy in Provo , Utah , on May 20 , 2020 The French government on Wednesday revoked a decree authorising hospitals to prescribe the controversial drug for Covid-19 patients after France ’ s public health watchdog warned against its use to treat the disease .
The government ’ s decision comes two days after the World Health Organization ( WHO ) said safety concerns had prompted it to suspend use of the drug in a global trial .
Last week , a study published in British medical journal The Lancet found patients randomised to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates and higher frequency of irregular heartbeats .
HCQ is normally prescribed to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis , but US President Donald Trump and others have touted it as a possible treatment for Covid-19 .
The drug has been the subject of much debate in France , where “ maverick ” Professor Didier Raoult claimed in March to have successfully treated Covid-19 patients using a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin .
However , doctors have questioned the value of Professor Raoult ’ s study , saying it was poorly designed and based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard evidence of benefit .
Last month the European Medicines Agency warned that there was no indication HCQ could treat Covid-19 and said some studies had seen serious and sometimes fatal heart problems in patients .

The French government on Wednesday revoked a decree authorising hospitals to prescribe the controversial drug for Covid-19 patients after France’s public health watchdog warned against its use to treat the disease.
Hydroxychloroquine tablets sold at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020
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The government’s decision comes two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) said safety concerns had prompted it to suspend use of the drug in a global trial.
Last week, a study published in British medical journal The Lancet found patients randomised to get hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had increased mortality rates and higher frequency of irregular heartbeats.
HCQ is normally prescribed to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, but US President Donald Trump and others have touted it as a possible treatment for Covid-19.
The drug has been the subject of much debate in France, where “maverick” Professor Didier Raoult claimed in March to have successfully treated Covid-19 patients using a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
>> ‘Let hospitals decide,’ experts warn, as chloroquine hype triggers rush on pharmacies
However, doctors have questioned the value of Professor Raoult’s study, saying it was poorly designed and based on too small a sample to offer hard evidence of benefit.
Last month the European Medicines Agency warned that there was no indication HCQ could treat Covid-19 and said some studies had seen serious and sometimes fatal heart problems in patients.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--SpaceX set for historic launch as human spaceflight enters new era

The Crew Dragon spacecraft and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket pictured at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21 , 2020 .
SpaceX , the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk , was set to launch two Americans into orbit on Wednesday from Florida on a mission that would mark the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years .
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was due to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:33 pm EDT ( 20:33 GMT ) , launching Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on a 19-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station .
They were to blast off from the same launch pad used by NASA 's final space shuttle flight , piloted by Hurley , in 2011 .
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were scheduled to visit Florida 's Cape Canaveral to view the launch in person .
Prospects for an on-time liftoff hinged on the weather , with forecasters late on Monday citing a 40 % chance that storms over eastern Florida could force a postponement .
If that happens , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A successful mission would achieve NASA 's top priority , as articulated by agency chief Jim Bridenstine , of resuming launches of `` American astronauts on American rockets from American soil . ''
Over the past nine years , NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia 's Soyuz spacecraft .
For Musk , Thursday 's launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make spaceflight less costly and frequent .
It would also mark the first time that commercially developed space vehicles — owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than NASA — have carried Americans into orbit .
The last time NASA launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the shuttle program .
Musk , the South African-born high-tech entrepreneur who made his fortune in Silicon Valley , is also the CEO of electric carmaker and battery manufacturer Tesla Inc. Hurley , 53 , and Behnken , 49 , NASA employees under contract to fly with SpaceX , are expected to remain at the space station for several weeks , assisting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aerospace giant Boeing Co , producing its own space launch vehicles in competition with SpaceX for NASA business , is expected to launch its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts aboard for the first time next year .
NASA has awarded nearly $ 8 billion to SpaceX and Boeing combined for development of the rival space launch systems .
Bridenstine declared the manned SpaceX flight a `` go '' last week after NASA and the company convened for final engineering checks .
The Hawthorne , California-based rocket company , founded by Musk in 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has never previously flown humans into orbit , only cargo .
SpaceX successfully tested Crew Dragon without astronauts last year in its first orbital mission to the space station , but that vehicle was destroyed the following month during a ground test when a valve for its in-flight abort system failed , causing an explosion .
The ensuing nine-month investigation ended in January .

SpaceX's landmark launch to the International Space Station was postponed Wednesday due to poor weather with around 20 minutes to go until takeoff. The next launch window is on Saturday.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket pictured at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2020.
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"Unfortunately, we are not going to launch today," SpaceX launch director Mike Taylor told NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.
SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, was set to launch two Americans into orbit from Florida on a mission that would mark the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was due to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:33pm EDT (20:33 GMT), launching Hurley and Behnken on a 19-hour ride aboard the company's newly designed Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.
They were to blast off from the same launch pad used by NASA's final space shuttle flight, piloted by Hurley, in 2011. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were scheduled to visit Florida's Cape Canaveral to view the launch in person.
Prospects for an on-time liftoff had hinged on the weather, with forecasters late on Monday citing a 40 percent chance that storms over eastern Florida could force a postponement.
'American astronauts on American rockets'
A successful mission would achieve NASA's top priority, as articulated by agency chief Jim Bridenstine, of resuming launches of "American astronauts on American rockets from American soil". Over the past nine years, NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.
For Musk, the launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make spaceflight less costly and frequent. It would also mark the first time that commercially developed space vehicles – owned and operated by a private entity rather than NASA – have carried Americans into orbit.
The last time NASA launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the shuttle program.
Musk, the South African-born high-tech entrepreneur who made his fortune in Silicon Valley, is also the CEO of electric carmaker and battery manufacturer Tesla Inc.
Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, NASA employees under contract to fly with SpaceX, are expected to remain at the space station for several weeks, assisting a short-handed crew aboard the orbital laboratory.
Boeing expected to launch own vehicle next year
Aerospace giant Boeing Co, producing its own space launch vehicles in competition with SpaceX for NASA business, is expected to launch its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts aboard for the first time next year.
NASA has awarded nearly $8 billion to SpaceX and Boeing combined for development of the rival space launch systems.
Bridenstine declared the manned SpaceX flight a "go" last week after NASA and the company convened for final engineering checks.
The Hawthorne, California-based rocket company, founded by Musk in 2002 and formerly known as Space Exploration Technologies, has never previously flown humans into orbit, only cargo.
SpaceX successfully tested Crew Dragon without astronauts last year in its first orbital mission to the space station, but that vehicle was destroyed the following month during a ground test when a valve for its in-flight abort system failed, causing an explosion. The ensuing nine-month investigation ended in January.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--French economy to shrink by 20% in second quarter as recession deepens

Cafes , bars and restaurants have been shuttered across France since mid-March .
France 's economy is on course to contract 20 % in the second quarter from the previous three months as the country emerges from a nationwide coronavirus lockdown , the INSEE official statistics agency estimated on Wednesday .
That would mark a sharp deterioration in France 's recession after the euro zone 's second-biggest economy contracted 5.8 % in the first quarter .
INSEE said the economy could contract 8 % for the whole of 2020 in the unlikely scenario that activity returned to pre-crisis levels by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic activity was running at 21 % below normal levels after the lockdown in place from mid-March was lifted on May 11 .
Activity was down 33 % in early May .
Consumer spending was only 6 % below normal levels since most stores were allowed to re-open after nearly two months , a sharp improvement from the 33 % seen in early May .
A monthly survey from INSEE showed consumer confidence continued to weaken in May , falling to its lowest level since January 2019 when the country was in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the general economy remained in May at levels unseen since the survey began in 1972 , while unemployment fears were the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009 .
Meanwhile , business confidence improved from record lows reached in April , but remained at deeply depressed levels , a separate monthly survey from INSEE showed .

France's economy is on course to contract 20% in the second quarter from the previous three months as the country emerges from a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, the INSEE official statistics agency estimated on Wednesday.
Cafes, bars and restaurants have been shuttered across France since mid-March.
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That would mark a sharp deterioration in France's recession after the euro zone's second-biggest economy contracted 5.8% in the first quarter.
INSEE said the economy could contract 8% for the whole of 2020 in the unlikely scenario that activity returned to pre-crisis levels by July.
INSEE estimated that France's economic activity was running at 21% below normal levels after the lockdown in place from mid-March was lifted on May 11. Activity was down 33% in early May.
Consumer spending was only 6% below normal levels since most stores were allowed to re-open after nearly two months, a sharp improvement from the 33% seen in early May.
A monthly survey from INSEE showed consumer confidence continued to weaken in May, falling to its lowest level since January 2019 when the country was in the grip of anti-government protests.
Households' concerns about the general economy remained in May at levels unseen since the survey began in 1972, while unemployment fears were the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009.
Meanwhile, business confidence improved from record lows reached in April, but remained at deeply depressed levels, a separate monthly survey from INSEE showed.
(REUTERS)
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