france24--2020-08-04--France's Charles-de-Gaulle airport enforces Covid-19 testing on arrival - but with no quarantine

Health workers in full protective gears wait for passengers to get tested for Covid-19 infection at Paris ' Charles-de-Gaulles airport on August 04 , 2020 France 's Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport has begun compulsory testing on arrival for passengers from 16 countries where the coronavirus virus is circulating widely .
It comes as the number of daily Covid-19 cases continues to increase across the country .
`` I 'm sorry but your Covid test is no longer valid .
Please queue on this side to get tested . ''
That 's how Rob , a traveller from northern California , was greeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landed in Paris on August 4 , after an 11-hour flight from San Francisco .
`` It was a bit disorganised and there was some confusion as whether the test had to be done 72 hours before boarding or landing .
A second customs guard checked my test again and eventually allowed me through without further testing , '' the frequent traveller to Europe told FRANCE 24 .
Rob and all other passengers of the AF87 flight from San Francisco had to produce a recent negative Covid-19 test result or face a compulsory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced this policy of Covid-19 tests on arrival on August 1 , after establishing a list of 16 high-risk countries where the Covid-19 virus is circulating widely .
This list includes the United States , Brazil , Algeria , Turkey , India , Israel , South Africa , Kuweit , Bahrain , the United Arab Emirates , Panama , Madagascar , Peru , Qatar , Oman and Serbia .
`` It 's good to know that most of the people who were in the aircraft had actually been tested negative before boarding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Francisco , told FRANCE 24 .
Like Rob , he did his Covid-19 test in the US a few days before his flight .
`` It 's still important to have compulsory testing free of charge on arrival , too .
Some US labs take too long , about six days , to deliver the results .
And it can be expensive , too , '' added the tech entrepreneur , who paid $ 250 for his test .
There are currently three Covid-19 testing centres at Paris ' Charles-de-Gaulle airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gate at Terminals 2E and 2A .
The third one - where compulsory on-arrival tests are conducted - is located in the customs zone at Terminal 2E , near the baggage reclaim .
After registering with ID and an email address , people get tested in small cubicles behind the counter .
Medical personnel in full protective gears insert a swab into the nasal passage to gather a sample for testing .
The sample is then sent to a lab , which delivers the test results in 24 to 48 hours .
Each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests per day .
The ones located near the Arrivals Gates actually get a large number of outbound travellers - people who will travel from Paris to another destination where Covid-19 tests are also compulsory .
`` I will fly to Conakry [ the capital of Guinea , in West Africa ] on August 7 .
Guinean authorities require that we have a negative Covid test result before entering the country .
I brought my boy to the airport today and it was a good opportunity to get this done , '' Amadou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test .
The airport testing system still requires goodwill from passengers to work efficiently .
Passengers from high-risk countries face no quarantine as they wait for the results of the Covid-19 test they took on arrival .
`` They show their ID and are asked to fill a form with their contact details , '' explained Alyzee Feauveaux , from the Agence Regionale de Santé ( ARS ) , the agency in charge of the testing centres .
`` In case their test comes back positive , we immediately reach them to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people they may have been in contact with . ''
But French authorities did not organise a strict quarantine on arrival system , such as those in Hong Kong or South Korea , where authorities thoroughly check that inbound passengers remain isolated for 14 days after their arrival .

On the ground
French airports have begun compulsory testing on arrival for passengers from 16 countries where the coronavirus is circulating widely. The rules came into effect on August 1 as the number of new Covid-19 cases registered daily in France continues to rise.
Health workers in full protective gears wait for passengers to get tested for Covid-19 infection at Paris' Charles-de-Gaulles airport on August 04, 2020
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"I'm sorry but your Covid test is no longer valid. Please queue on this side to get tested." That's how Rob, a traveller from northern California, was greeted by a French customs guard as he landed at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport on August 4 after an 11-hour flight from San Francisco.
"It was a bit disorganised and there was some confusion as to whether the test had to be done 72 hours before boarding or landing," the frequent traveller to Europe told FRANCE 24. "A second customs guard checked my test again and eventually allowed me through without further testing."
Rob and all other passengers of the AF87 flight from San Francisco had to produce a recent negative Covid-19 test or face a compulsory nasal test on arrival. French authorities implemented this policy of on-arrival Covid-19 tests starting August 1 after establishing a list of 16 high-risk countries. The list includes the United States, Brazil, Algeria, Turkey, India, Israel, South Africa, Kuweit, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, Madagascar, Peru, Qatar, Oman and Serbia.
Rob, a traveller from Northern California, shows the green dot sticker on his passport - a sign that he showed a recent negative covid test result to custom guards at Paris' Charles-de-Gaulle airport on August 04, 2020 Mehdi Chebil
"It's good to know that most of the people who were on the aircraft had actually tested negative before boarding," Josselin Lefrançois, a Frenchman living in San Francisco, told FRANCE 24.
Like Rob, he took his Covid-19 test in the US a few days before his flight. "It's still important to have compulsory testing free of charge on arrival, too. Some US labs take too long, about six days, to deliver the results. And it can be expensive, too," added the tech entrepreneur, who paid $250 for his test before departing the United States.
There are currently three Covid-19 testing centres at Paris's CDG airport. Two are located near the arrivals gate at Terminals 2E and 2A. The third one – where compulsory on-arrival tests are conducted – is located in the customs zone at Terminal 2E near the baggage reclaim.
Amadou Sylla undergoes a nasal covid test at Paris' Charles-de-Gaulle airport on August 04, 2020 Mehdi Chebil
No quarantine on arrival
After registering with an ID and an email address, people get tested in small cubicles behind the counter. Medical personnel in full protective gear insert a swab into the nasal passage to gather a sample that is then sent to a lab, which delivers the results in 24 to 48 hours.
Each airport testing centre conducts hundreds of Covid-19 tests per day. The ones located near the arrivals hall actually get a large number of outbound travellers – people who will travel from Paris to another destination where Covid-19 tests are also compulsory.
"I will fly to Conakry (the capital of Guinea in West Africa) on August 7. Guinean authorities require that we have a negative Covid test result before entering the country. I brought my boy to the airport today and it was a good opportunity to get this done," Amadou Sylla told FRANCE 24 after his nasal test.
A traveller prepares to undergo a covid test at Paris' Charles-de-Gaulle airport on August 04, 2020 Mehdi Chebil
The airport testing system still requires goodwill from passengers to work efficiently. Passengers from high-risk countries face no quarantine as they wait for the results of the Covid-19 test they took on arrival.
"They show their ID and are asked to fill a form with their contact details," explained Alyzee Feauveaux, from the Agence Regionale de Santé, the agency in charge of the testing centres. "In case their test comes back positive, we immediately reach out to ask them to isolate themselves and trace the other people they may have been in contact with."
French authorities chose not to implement a mandatory quarantine on arrival such as those in Hong Kong or South Korea, where authorities check to ensure that inbound passengers remain isolated for 14 days.
A health worker shows a sample collected during a nasal covid test. The sample will be sent to a lab, which will deliver the test result in 24 to 48 hours. Photo taken at Paris' Charles-de-Gaulle airport on August 04, 2020 Mehdi Chebil
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france24--2020-08-04--Spain's Juan Carlos: Once popular former king goes into exile amid scandal

Former king Juan Carlos , who has decided to leave Spain six years after his abdication amid a series of scandals , was a popular monarch for most of his four-decade reign who played a critical role in the country 's transition to democracy .
Born in Rome in 1938 to exiled pretender to the Spanish throne Don Juan and Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans , he was caught up in a power game as Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco proclaimed support for the monarchy while striving to keep a grip on power .
Franco separated Juan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 and groomed the boy to be his successor .
He was crowned two days after Franco 's death in 1975 .
To the dismay of the old administration which hoped he would continue Franco 's legacy , the king quickly implemented reforms that led to democratic elections in 1977 .
After an attempted military coup on Feb. 23 , 1981 , Juan Carlos gave a television broadcast in support of the government and Spain 's young democracy .
His backing was key to preventing a return to dictatorship .
He married Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughters and a son .
A tall , handsome man in his youth , he had a reputation as a womaniser .
Excelling at sailing and skiing , he was also a keen big-game hunter .
In 2012 , at the height of a recession that saw many Spaniards lose their jobs amid huge public spending cuts , details emerged of a lavish elephant-hunting trip Juan Carlos took to Botswana .
He later apologised .
Corruption scandals circling the royal family closed in when his daughter , Princess Cristina , was accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Spanish royal to stand trial .
She was later acquitted , but her husband was sentenced .
He abdicated in favour of his son , Prince Felipe , in 2014 , and last year , Juan Carlos announced his decision to withdraw from public life , ending his remaining institutional functions and appearances from June 2019 .
Last August , he successfully underwent heart surgery in Madrid .
In June 2020 , Spain 's supreme court prosecutor opened an investigation into Juan Carlos ' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Spanish companies in 2011 .
Via his lawyer , the ex-king has repeatedly declined to comment on the corruption allegations .
King Felipe renounced his own inheritance and stripped his father of his palace allowance in March after reports the latter received $ 100 million from the late Saudi king and gave millions to a businesswoman called Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein .
Her lawyer has said the money she received was `` an unsolicited gift '' from Juan Carlos for her and her son .

Former king Juan Carlos, who has decided to leave Spain six years after his abdication amid a series of scandals, was a popular monarch for most of his four-decade reign who played a critical role in the country's transition to democracy.
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Early life and handover from dictatorship
Born in Rome in 1938 to exiled pretender to the Spanish throne Don Juan and Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans, he was caught up in a power game as Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco proclaimed support for the monarchy while striving to keep a grip on power.
Franco separated Juan Carlos from his parents when he was 10 and groomed the boy to be his successor. He was crowned two days after Franco's death in 1975.
About-turn to democracy
To the dismay of the old administration which hoped he would continue Franco's legacy, the king quickly implemented reforms that led to democratic elections in 1977.
After an attempted military coup on Feb. 23, 1981, Juan Carlos gave a television broadcast in support of the government and Spain's young democracy. His backing was key to preventing a return to dictatorship.
He married Greek princess Sofia in 1962 and had two daughters and a son. A tall, handsome man in his youth, he had a reputation as a womaniser. Excelling at sailing and skiing, he was also a keen big-game hunter.
Elephant hunting
In 2012, at the height of a recession that saw many Spaniards lose their jobs amid huge public spending cuts, details emerged of a lavish elephant-hunting trip Juan Carlos took to Botswana. He later apologised.
Family tax fraud
Corruption scandals circling the royal family closed in when his daughter, Princess Cristina, was accused of tax fraud in 2014 and became the first Spanish royal to stand trial. She was later acquitted, but her husband was sentenced.
Withdrawal from public life
Spain's former king Juan Carlos said he is leaving the country to help his son, the current King Felipe VI, "exercise his responsibilities". © Zipi, Pool/AFP/File
He abdicated in favour of his son, Prince Felipe, in 2014, and last year, Juan Carlos announced his decision to withdraw from public life, ending his remaining institutional functions and appearances from June 2019. Last August, he successfully underwent heart surgery in Madrid.
Saudi rail contract
In June 2020, Spain's supreme court prosecutor opened an investigation into Juan Carlos' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia that was granted to a group of Spanish companies in 2011. Via his lawyer, the ex-king has repeatedly declined to comment on the corruption allegations.
Stripped of allowance
King Felipe renounced his own inheritance and stripped his father of his palace allowance in March after reports the latter received $100 million from the late Saudi king and gave millions to a businesswoman called Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. Her lawyer has said the money she received was "an unsolicited gift" from Juan Carlos for her and her son.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-04--Macron announces coronavirus bonus for France's homecare workers

French President Emmanuel Macron ( L ) , flanked by French Junior Minister of Autonomy Brigitte Bourguignon ( R ) , speaks during a visit to meet homecare assistants in Toulon , southern France , on August 4 , 2020 .
France 's 320,000 homecare workers will be granted Covid-19 bonuses under a €160 million package unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday .
`` These men and women were the forgotten ones of the Covid bonus '' , Macron said in the southern city of Toulon on Tuesday , referring to bonuses previously awarded to healthcare workers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking before an audience of homecare workers , the president said the sum would allow those professionals `` to have the €1,000 bonus that the others received '' .
Macron said the French state would put up €80 million and local governments the other half of the package .
The announcement comes two months after the government issued decrees enacting exceptional bonuses of €1,000 to €1,500 for hospital staff and nursing home workers .
Last month , unions signed up to a deal giving over €8 billion in pay rises for health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was overdue in view of the coronavirus pandemic .
The bulk of the package comprises €7.5 billion in pay increases for nurses and careworkers , who will get an average monthly raise of €183 .
There is also €450 million for doctors , intended to bolster wages for those working solely in the public sector .
The move is aimed at luring doctors from more lucrative private clinics .
But some unions , including the hardline CGT , refrained from signing the accords , an indication that tensions over the issue may not @ @ @ @

France's 320,000 homecare workers will be granted Covid-19 bonuses under a €160 million package unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron (L), flanked by French Junior Minister of Autonomy Brigitte Bourguignon (R), speaks during a visit to meet homecare assistants in Toulon, southern France, on August 4, 2020.
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"These men and women were the forgotten ones of the Covid bonus", Macron said in the southern city of Toulon on Tuesday, referring to bonuses previously awarded to healthcare workers on the front line of the pandemic.
Speaking before an audience of homecare workers, the president said the sum would allow those professionals "to have the €1,000 bonus that the others received".
Macron said the French state would put up €80 million and local governments the other half of the package.
The announcement comes two months after the government issued decrees enacting exceptional bonuses of €1,000 to €1,500 for hospital staff and nursing home workers.
Last month, unions signed up to a deal giving over €8 billion in pay rises for health workers, with the government admitting the move was overdue in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The bulk of the package comprises €7.5 billion in pay increases for nurses and careworkers, who will get an average monthly raise of €183.
There is also €450 million for doctors, intended to bolster wages for those working solely in the public sector. The move is aimed at luring doctors from more lucrative private clinics.
But some unions, including the hardline CGT, refrained from signing the accords, an indication that tensions over the issue may not yet be resolved.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-08-04--Defending champ Nadal to skip US Open over coronavirus concerns

Spain 's Rafael Nadal serves to Russia 's Daniil Medvedev during their men 's Singles Finals match at the 2019 US Open in New York on September 8 , 2019 .
Defending champion Rafael Nadal will skip the U.S. Open because of the coronavirus pandemic , putting on hold his bid to equal Roger Federer ’ s men ’ s record for Grand Slam titles .
Nadal explained his decision in a series of tweets sent in Spanish and English on Tuesday .
“ The situation is very complicated worldwide , the COVID-19 cases are increasing , it looks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , ” Nadal wrote .
The 34-year-old from Spain called sitting out the tournament scheduled to begin Aug. 31 in New York “ a decision I never wanted to take , ” but added that he would “ rather not travel.
” The current No .
1-ranked woman , Ash Barty , already had announced she would be missing the U.S. Open .
The professional tennis tours have been on hiatus since March because of the COVID-19 outbreak , with play resuming for women on Monday in Palermo , Italy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main tour is scheduled to be held later this month .
His announcement came shortly after the Madrid Open , scheduled for September , was canceled because of the pandemic .
“ We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after 4 months stopped with no play , ” Nadal wrote on Twitter .
“ I understand and thank for the efforts they are putting in to make it happen.
” In last year ’ s thriller of a men ’ s final at Flushing Meadows , Nadal edged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 4-6 , 6-4 in 4 hours , 50 minutes .
That gave Nadal four titles at the U.S. Open and a total of 19 across all the Grand Slam tournaments , just one away from Federer ’ s career mark .
Federer will be absent from the U.S. Open , too , but because of two operations on his right knee this year .

Defending champion Rafael Nadal will skip the U.S. Open because of the coronavirus pandemic, putting on hold his bid to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record for Grand Slam titles.
Spain's Rafael Nadal serves to Russia's Daniil Medvedev during their men's Singles Finals match at the 2019 US Open in New York on September 8, 2019.
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Nadal explained his decision in a series of tweets sent in Spanish and English on Tuesday.
“The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it,” Nadal wrote.
The 34-year-old from Spain called sitting out the tournament scheduled to begin Aug. 31 in New York “a decision I never wanted to take,” but added that he would “rather not travel.”
After many thoughts I have decided not to play this year’s US Open. The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it. — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 4, 2020
The current No. 1-ranked woman, Ash Barty, already had announced she would be missing the U.S. Open.
The professional tennis tours have been on hiatus since March because of the COVID-19 outbreak, with play resuming for women on Monday in Palermo, Italy. The first men’s event on the main tour is scheduled to be held later this month.
This is a decision I never wanted to take but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not travel. pic.twitter.com/8VA0aSACVy — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 4, 2020
His announcement came shortly after the Madrid Open, scheduled for September, was canceled because of the pandemic.
“We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after 4 months stopped with no play,” Nadal wrote on Twitter. “I understand and thank for the efforts they are putting in to make it happen.”
In last year’s thriller of a men’s final at Flushing Meadows, Nadal edged Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 in 4 hours, 50 minutes. That gave Nadal four titles at the U.S. Open and a total of 19 across all the Grand Slam tournaments, just one away from Federer’s career mark.
Federer will be absent from the U.S. Open, too, but because of two operations on his right knee this year.
(AP)
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france24--2020-08-05--Macron will travel to Lebanon Thursday after Beirut blasts, French presidency says

President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Beirut Thursday to `` meet all political actors '' following the blasts that devastated the Lebanese capital , the French presidency said .
Macron will meet his counterpart Michel Aoun , whom he called late Tuesday , as well as Prime Minister Hassan Diab , the Élysée Palace announced as France prepared to send three planes with search and rescue personnel and medical equipment to the ravaged city .
French Prime Minister Jean Castex is holding a meeting later Wedneday to organise France 's aid for Lebanon in the wake of Tuesday 's twin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second one a blast that mushroomed out with the force of an earthquake .
More than 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 injured in the explosion , according to the Lebanese Red Cross .
Beirut 's governor said 300,000 people have been left homeless and damage is estimated at up to $ 5 billion .
Lebanon is a former French protectorate and the countries retain close political and economic ties .
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday that France stood `` alongside Lebanon '' and was ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocked Beirut .
`` France stands and will always stand by the side of Lebanon and the Lebanese .
It is ready to provide assistance according to the needs expressed by the Lebanese authorities , '' he said in a tweet .
On Wednesday he vowed that France would mobilise the international community to provide humanitarian aid for Lebanon .
His comments came as emergency medical aid and pop-up field hospitals were dispatched to Lebanon on Wednesday , as the world offered assistance and paid tribute to the victims of the huge explosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Kuwait arrived in the Lebanese capital on Wednesday morning , as the Lebanese Red Cross said that more than 4,000 people were being treated for injuries after the explosion which sent glass shards and debris flying .
Lebanon 's Prime Minister Hassan Diab has called on `` friendly countries '' to support a nation already reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades as well as the coronavirus pandemic .
Gulf states were among the first to respond , with Qatar announcing it would send field hospitals to ease pressure on Lebanon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doha 's Al-Udeid airbase loaded hundreds of collapsible beds , generators and burn sheets onto an air force cargo plane , one of four due to fly from the Gulf to the Mediterranean on Wednesday .
Iran 's President Hassan Rouhani said in a message to his Lebanese counterpart that Tehran was `` ready to offer medical and medicinal aid and help treat the injured '' .
Jordan 's King Abdullah II also promised to dispatch a field hospital .
`` The field hospital will include specialists and medical staff , to contribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support our brothers in Lebanon , '' Jordanian state television said in a report .
Dutch authorities announced that 67 aid workers were headed for Beirut , including doctors , police officers and firefighters .
The European Union said it would rush rescuers , search dogs and equipment to Beirut to look for any survivors trapped in rubble after the massive blast that struck the city .
`` The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is now coordinating the urgent deployment of over a 100 highly trained firefighters , with vehicles , dogs and equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban contexts , '' the European commission for crisis management , Janez Lenarcic , said in a statement .
`` They will work with the Lebanese authorities to save lives on the ground . ''
Close allies and traditional adversaries of Lebanon alike sent their condolences , with Iran and Saudi Arabia – long rivals for influence over the country – both sending messages of support .
`` Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon , '' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted .
`` Stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was following the situation with `` great concern '' .
Unusually , neighbouring Israel offered humanitarian aid – to a country with which it is still technically at war .
`` Defence Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi , on behalf of the State of Israel , have offered the Lebanese government – via international intermediaries – medical and humanitarian aid , as well as immediate emergency assistance , '' a statement said .
UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his `` deepest condolences ... following the horrific explosions in Beirut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some United Nations personnel .
US President Donald Trump said `` it looks like a terrible attack '' and that US generals had told him that the powerful explosions appeared to have been caused by a `` bomb of some kind '' , without offering evidence .
Qatar 's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani wished `` a speedy recovery for the injured , '' while the United Arab Emirates ' vice president and ruler of Dubai , Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum , tweeted `` our condolences to our beloved people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern '' at the destruction , and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit offered condolences , stressing `` the importance of finding the truth about the explosions '' .
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad wrote to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun that `` on behalf of the Syrian Arab people , we extend our sincere condolences to you and the Lebanese people '' .
Outside the region , President Vladimir Putin said that `` Russia shares the grief of the Lebanese people '' , according to a Kremlin statement .
`` I ask you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the families and friends of the victims , as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all affected . ''
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the pictures and videos from Beirut `` shocking '' .

France is sending planes to Beirut on Wednesday with rescuers, medical equipment and a mobile clinic, followed by a visit Thursday by President Emmanuel Macron, as world leaders offer support to the Lebanese capital devastated by a massive explosion.
An aerial shot of the damage to the port of Beirut, August 5, 2020.
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Macron will meet his counterpart Michel Aoun, whom he called late Tuesday, as well as Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the Élysée Palace announced as France prepared to send three planes with search and rescue personnel and medical equipment to the ravaged city.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex is holding a meeting later Wedneday to organise France's aid for Lebanon in the wake of Tuesday's twin explosions at the port of Beirut – the second one a blast that mushroomed out with the force of an earthquake.
Lebanon's government has announced a two-week state of emergency following the blast that killed at least 100 people and injured more than 4,000, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. Beirut's governor said 300,000 people have been left homeless and damage is estimated at up to $5 billion.
Lebanon is a former French protectorate and the countries retain close political and economic ties.
France stands with Lebanon
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France stood "alongside Lebanon" and was ready to help it after the powerful explosions that rocked Beirut.
"France stands and will always stand by the side of Lebanon and the Lebanese. It is ready to provide assistance according to the needs expressed by the Lebanese authorities," he said in a tweet. On Wednesday he vowed that France would mobilise the international community to provide humanitarian aid for Lebanon.
His comments came as emergency medical aid and pop-up field hospitals were dispatched to Lebanon on Wednesday as the world offered assistance and paid tribute to the victims of the huge explosion that devastated Beirut.
Emergency medical aid from Kuwait arrived in the Lebanese capital on Wednesday morning as the Lebanese government called on "friendly countries" to support a nation already reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
Gulf states were among the first to respond, with Qatar announcing it would send field hospitals to ease pressure on Lebanon's strained medical system.
Crews at Doha's Al-Udeid airbase loaded hundreds of collapsible beds, generators and burn sheets onto an air force cargo plane, one of four due to fly from the Gulf to the Mediterranean on Wednesday.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said in a message to his Lebanese counterpart that Tehran was "ready to offer medical and medicinal aid and help treat the injured". Jordan's King Abdullah II also promised to dispatch a field hospital.
"The field hospital will include specialists and medical staff, to contribute in offering medical services and treatment to support our brothers in Lebanon," Jordanian state television said in a report.
The European Union said it would rush rescuers, search dogs and equipment to Beirut to look for any survivors trapped in rubble after the massive blast that struck the city.
"The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is now coordinating the urgent deployment of over a 100 highly trained firefighters, with vehicles, dogs and equipment, specialised in search and rescue in urban contexts," the European commission for crisis management, Janez Lenarcic, said in a statement.
"They will work with the Lebanese authorities to save lives on the ground."
Dutch authorities announced that 67 aid workers were headed for Beirut, including doctors, police officers and firefighters.
'Stay strong, Lebanon'
Close allies and traditional adversaries of Lebanon alike sent their condolences, with Iran and Saudi Arabia – long rivals for influence over the country – both sending messages of support.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. "Stay strong Lebanon."
Saudi Arabia said it was following the situation with "great concern".
Unusually, neighbouring Israel offered humanitarian aid – to a country with which it is still technically at war.
"Defence Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, on behalf of the State of Israel, have offered the Lebanese government – via international intermediaries – medical and humanitarian aid, as well as immediate emergency assistance," a statement said.
UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his "deepest condolences ... following the horrific explosions in Beirut" which he said had also injured some United Nations personnel.
US President Donald Trump said "it looks like a terrible attack" and that US generals had told him that the powerful explosions appeared to have been caused by a "bomb of some kind", without offering evidence.
Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani wished "a speedy recovery for the injured," while the United Arab Emirates' vice president and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, tweeted "our condolences to our beloved people in Lebanon".
Egypt expressed "deep concern" at the destruction, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit offered condolences, stressing "the importance of finding the truth about the explosions".
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad wrote to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun that "on behalf of the Syrian Arab people, we extend our sincere condolences to you and the Lebanese people".
Outside the region, President Vladimir Putin said that "Russia shares the grief of the Lebanese people", according to a Kremlin statement.
"I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all affected."
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the pictures and videos from Beirut "shocking".
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-05--Lebanon has less than a month's grain reserves after Beirut blast

An aerial view shows the damage done to Beirut port 's grain silos ( C ) and the area around them on August 5 , 2020 , one day after a massive explosion .
Lebanon 's main grain silo at Beirut port was destroyed in a blast , leaving the nation with less than a month 's reserves of the grain but still with enough flour to avoid a crisis , the economy minister said on Wednesday .
Raoul Nehme told Reuters a day after Tuesday 's devastating explosion that Lebanon needed reserves for at least three months to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storage areas .
The explosion was the most powerful to rip through Beirut , a city torn apart by civil war three decades ago .
The economy was already in meltdown before the blast , slowing grain imports as the nation struggled to find hard currency for purchases .
`` There is no bread or flour crisis , '' the minister said .
`` We have enough inventory and boats on their way to cover the needs of Lebanon on the long term.
” He said grain reserves in Lebanon 's remaining silos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month '' but said the destroyed silos had only held 15,000 tonnes of the grain at the time , much less than capacity which one official put at 120,000 tonnes .
Beirut 's port district was a mangled wreck , disabling the main entry point for imports to feed a nation of more than 6 million people .
Ahmed Tamer , the director of Tripoli port , Lebanon 's second biggest facility , said his port did not have grain storage but cargoes could be taken to warehouses 2 km ( about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to reassure all Lebanese that we can receive the vessels , '' he said .
Alongside Tripoli , the ports of Saida , Selaata and Jiyeh were also equipped to handle grain , the economy minister said .
But former Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani said other ports did not have the same capabilities .
Hani Bohsali , head of the importers ' syndicate said : `` We fear there will be a huge supply chain problem , unless there is an international consensus to save us.
” Reserves of flour were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month and a half and there were four ships carrying 28,000 tonnes of wheat heading to Lebanon , Ahmed Hattit , the head of the wheat importers union , told Al-Akhbar newspaper .
Lebanon is trying to transfer immediately four vessels carrying 25,000 tonnes of flour to the port in Tripoli , one official told LBCI news channel .

Lebanon's main grain silo at Beirut port was destroyed in a blast, leaving the nation with less than a month's reserves of the grain but still with enough flour to avoid a crisis, the economy minister said on Wednesday.
In this photograph taken on July 15, 2020, a woman spreads bulgur to dry in the sun after grinding it in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun.
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Raoul Nehme told Reuters a day after Tuesday's devastating explosion that Lebanon needed reserves for at least three months to ensure food security and was looking at other storage areas.
The explosion was the most powerful to rip through Beirut, a city torn apart by civil war three decades ago. The economy was already in meltdown before the blast, slowing grain imports as the nation struggled to find hard currency for purchases.
"There is no bread or flour crisis," the minister said. "We have enough inventory and boats on their way to cover the needs of Lebanon on the long term.”
He said grain reserves in Lebanon's remaining silos stood at "a bit less than a month" but said the destroyed silos had only held 15,000 tonnes of the grain at the time, much less than capacity which one official put at 120,000 tonnes.
Beirut's port district was a mangled wreck, disabling the main entry point for imports to feed a nation of more than 6 million people.
Ahmed Tamer, the director of Tripoli port, Lebanon's second biggest facility, said his port did not have grain storage but cargoes could be taken to warehouses 2 km (about one mile) away.
"I want to reassure all Lebanese that we can receive the vessels," he said.
Alongside Tripoli, the ports of Saida, Selaata and Jiyeh were also equipped to handle grain, the economy minister said.
But former Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani said other ports did not have the same capabilities.
Hani Bohsali, head of the importers' syndicate said: "We fear there will be a huge supply chain problem, unless there is an international consensus to save us.”
Reserves of flour were sufficient to cover market needs for a month and a half and there were four ships carrying 28,000 tonnes of wheat heading to Lebanon, Ahmed Hattit, the head of the wheat importers union, told Al-Akhbar newspaper.
Lebanon is trying to transfer immediately four vessels carrying 25,000 tonnes of flour to the port in Tripoli, one official told LBCI news channel.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-05--Beirut residents awake to scenes of devastation after deadly port explosion

The aftermath of yesterday 's blast at the port of Lebanon 's capital , Beirut , is pictured on August 5 , 2020 .
Residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation on Wednesday , a day after a massive explosion at the port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital , killing at least 100 people and wounding thousands .
Smoke was still rising from the port , where a towering grain silo had been shattered .
Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles , and building facades were blown out .
At hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all night for news of loved ones who had gone missing or were wounded .
Others posted requests for help online .
An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded .
The official , George Kettaneh , said the toll could rise further .
Up to 300,000 people have been left homeless by the explosion , Beirut 's governor Marwan Abboud said , adding that the damage caused by the blast extends over half of the city .
The cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 billion .
It was unclear what caused the blast , which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake .
It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city , which was on the front lines of the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings and terror attacks .
“ L ’ Apocalypse , ” read the front page of Lebanon ’ s French L ’ Orient Le Jour newspaper .
Another paper , al-Akhbar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the words : “ The Great Collapse.
” Lebanon was already on the brink of collapse amid a severe economic crisis that has ignited mass protests in recent months .
Its hospitals are confronting a surge in coronavirus cases , and there were concerns the virus could spread further as people flooded into hospitals .
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cargo ship in 2014 .
Witnesses reported seeing an orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates .
Videos showed what looked like a fire erupting nearby just before , and local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved .
The fire appeared to spread to a nearby building , triggering the explosion , sending up a mushroom cloud and generating a shock wave .
“ It was a real horror show .
I haven ’ t seen anything like that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) war , ” said Marwan Ramadan , who was about 500 meters ( yards ) from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion .
The blast destroyed numerous apartment buildings , potentially leaving large numbers of people homeless at a time when many Lebanese have lost their jobs and seen their savings evaporate because of a currency crisis .
The explosion also raises concerns about how Lebanon will continue to import nearly all of its vital goods with its main port devastated .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon , a tiny country already hosting over 1 million Syrians amid that country ’ s yearslong war .
The port 's major grain silo is run by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade .
Drone footage shot Wednesday by The Associated Press showed that blast tore open those grain silos , dumping their contents into the debris and earth thrown up by the blast .
Some 80 % of Lebanon ’ s wheat supply is imported , according to the U.S. Agriculture Department .
Estimates suggest some 85 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the now-destroyed silos .
Lebanon ’ s state-run National News Agency quoted the Raoul Nehme , the minister of economy and trade , as saying that all the wheat stored at the facility had been “ contaminated ” and couldn ’ t be used .
However , he insisted Lebanon had enough wheat for its immediate needs .
Nehme said Lebanon also would import more wheat for its needs .
The tiny Mediterranean nation 's economic crisis is rooted in decades of systemic corruption and poor governance by the political class that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the civil war .
Lebanese have held mass protests calling for sweeping political change since last autumn but few of their demands have been met as the economic situation has steadily worsened .

Residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation on Wednesday, a day after a massive explosion at the port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital, killing at least 100 people and wounding thousands.
The aftermath of yesterday's blast at the port of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, is pictured on August 5, 2020.
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Smoke was still rising from the port, where a towering grain silo had been shattered. Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out. At hospitals across the city people had been waiting all night for news of loved ones who had gone missing or were wounded. Others posted requests for help online.
An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded. The official, George Kettaneh, said the toll could rise further.
Up to 300,000 people have been left homeless by the explosion, Beirut's governor Marwan Abboud said, adding that the damage caused by the blast extends over half of the city. The cost of the damage has been estimated at $5 billion.
It was unclear what caused the blast, which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake. It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city, which was on the front lines of the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings and terror attacks.
01:36
“L’Apocalypse,” read the front page of Lebanon’s French L’Orient Le Jour newspaper. Another paper, al-Akhbar, had a photo of a destroyed port with the words: “The Great Collapse.”
Lebanon was already on the brink of collapse amid a severe economic crisis that has ignited mass protests in recent months. Its hospitals are confronting a surge in coronavirus cases, and there were concerns the virus could spread further as people flooded into hospitals.
Interior minister: Ammonium nitrate stored in warehouse
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock ever since it was confiscated from a cargo ship in 2014.
Witnesses reported seeing an orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates.
Videos showed what looked like a fire erupting nearby just before, and local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved. The fire appeared to spread to a nearby building, triggering the explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and generating a shock wave.
“It was a real horror show. I haven’t seen anything like that since the days of the (civil) war,” said Marwan Ramadan, who was about 500 meters (yards) from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion.
The blast destroyed numerous apartment buildings, potentially leaving large numbers of people homeless at a time when many Lebanese have lost their jobs and seen their savings evaporate because of a currency crisis. The explosion also raises concerns about how Lebanon will continue to import nearly all of its vital goods with its main port devastated.
Contaminated grain
There is also the issue of food security in Lebanon, a tiny country already hosting over 1 million Syrians amid that country’s yearslong war.
The port's major grain silo is run by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade. Drone footage shot Wednesday by The Associated Press showed that blast tore open those grain silos, dumping their contents into the debris and earth thrown up by the blast. Some 80% of Lebanon’s wheat supply is imported, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.
Estimates suggest some 85% of the country’s grain was stored at the now-destroyed silos.
02:29
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency quoted the Raoul Nehme, the minister of economy and trade, as saying that all the wheat stored at the facility had been “contaminated” and couldn’t be used. However, he insisted Lebanon had enough wheat for its immediate needs.
Nehme said Lebanon also would import more wheat for its needs.
The tiny Mediterranean nation's economic crisis is rooted in decades of systemic corruption and poor governance by the political class that has ruled the country since the end of the civil war. Lebanese have held mass protests calling for sweeping political change since last autumn but few of their demands have been met as the economic situation has steadily worsened.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-08-05--Chemical linked to Beirut blast caused past explosions in Texas, Toulouse

A worker lifts a sack of confiscated ammonium nitrate at the customs office of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali , September 22 , 2016 .
Ammonium nitrate , which Lebanese authorities have said caused the devastating Beirut blast , is an odorless crystalline substance commonly used as a fertilizer that has been the cause of numerous industrial explosions over the decades .
These include notably at a Texas fertilizer plant in 2013 that killed 15 and was ruled deliberate , and another at a chemical plant in Toulouse , France in 2001 that killed 31 people but was accidental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry , but also by insurgent groups such as the Taliban for improvised explosives .
Two tonnes of it was used to create the bomb in the 1995 Oklahoma City attack that destroyed a federal building , leaving 168 people dead .
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for years in a Beirut portside warehouse had blown up , killing dozens of people and causing widespread damage to the Lebanese capital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied in granule form and quickly dissolves under moisture , allowing nitrogen -- which is key to plant growth -- to be released into the soil .
However , under normal storage conditions and without very high heat , it is difficult to ignite ammonium nitrate , Jimmie Oxley , a chemistry professor at the University of Rhode Island , told AFP .
`` If you look at the video ( of the Beirut explosion ) , you saw the black smoke , you saw the red smoke -- that was an incomplete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am assuming that there was a small explosion that instigated the reaction of the ammonium nitrate -- whether that small explosion was an accident or something on purpose I have n't heard yet . ''
That 's because ammonium nitrate is an oxidizer -- it intensifies combustion and allows other substances to ignite more readily , but is not itself very combustible .
For these reasons , there are generally very strict rules about where it can be stored : for example , it must be kept away from fuels and sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the European Union require calcium carbonate to be added to ammonium nitrate to create calcium ammonium nitrate , which is safer .
In the United States , regulations were tightened significantly after the Oklahoma City attack .
Under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards , for example , facilities that store more than 2,000 pounds ( 900 kilograms ) of ammonium nitrate are subject to inspections .
Despite its dangers , Oxley said legitimate uses of ammonium nitrate in agriculture and construction have made it indispensable .
`` We would n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would n't feed the population we have today without ammonium nitrate fertilizer , '' she said .
`` We need ammonium nitrate , we just need to pay good attention to what we 're doing with it .
”

Ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities have said caused the devastating Beirut blast, is an odorless crystalline substance commonly used as a fertilizer that has been the cause of numerous industrial explosions over the decades.
A worker lifts a sack of confiscated ammonium nitrate at the customs office of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, September 22, 2016.
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These include notably at a Texas fertilizer plant in 2013 that killed 15 and was ruled deliberate, and another at a chemical plant in Toulouse, France in 2001 that killed 31 people but was accidental.
When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry, but also by insurgent groups such as the Taliban for improvised explosives.
Two tonnes of it was used to create the bomb in the 1995 Oklahoma City attack that destroyed a federal building, leaving 168 people dead.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for years in a Beirut portside warehouse had blown up, killing dozens of people and causing widespread damage to the Lebanese capital.
In agriculture, ammonium nitrate fertilizer is applied in granule form and quickly dissolves under moisture, allowing nitrogen -- which is key to plant growth -- to be released into the soil.
Generally strict rules on storage
However, under normal storage conditions and without very high heat, it is difficult to ignite ammonium nitrate, Jimmie Oxley, a chemistry professor at the University of Rhode Island, told AFP.
"If you look at the video (of the Beirut explosion), you saw the black smoke, you saw the red smoke -- that was an incomplete reaction," she said.
"I am assuming that there was a small explosion that instigated the reaction of the ammonium nitrate -- whether that small explosion was an accident or something on purpose I haven't heard yet."
That's because ammonium nitrate is an oxidizer -- it intensifies combustion and allows other substances to ignite more readily, but is not itself very combustible.
For these reasons, there are generally very strict rules about where it can be stored: for example, it must be kept away from fuels and sources of heat.
In fact, many countries in the European Union require calcium carbonate to be added to ammonium nitrate to create calcium ammonium nitrate, which is safer.
In the United States, regulations were tightened significantly after the Oklahoma City attack.
Under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, for example, facilities that store more than 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate are subject to inspections.
Despite its dangers, Oxley said legitimate uses of ammonium nitrate in agriculture and construction have made it indispensable.
"We wouldn't have this modern world without explosives, and we wouldn't feed the population we have today without ammonium nitrate fertilizer," she said.
"We need ammonium nitrate, we just need to pay good attention to what we're doing with it.”
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-05--India’s Modi lays foundation of temple at razed mosque site

An armed police officer stands guard on the bank of the Sarayu river ahead of the foundation-laying ceremony for a Hindu temple in Ayodhya , India on August 4 , 2020 .
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation for a temple at a flashpoint holy site exactly a year after imposing direct rule on Muslim-majority Kashmir – twin triumphs for his Hindu nationalist government .
The site of Ayodhya and divided Kashmir have been two of the most divisive communal issues of the past 30 years in India , and Modi has attempted to draw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For his fans both steps confirm Modi as a decisive , visionary leader , and India 's most important in decades .
His critics see him as remoulding the country as a Hindu nation , at the expense of India 's 200 million Muslims , and taking it in an authoritarian direction .
`` Modi has certainly been India 's most transformative leader in recent memory , '' Micheal Kugelman from the Wilson Center told AFP .
`` This has made him wildly popular , but also highly controversial and quite divisive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northern India has long been a fault line in India 's religious divisions , and has been the spark for some of its worst sectarian violence .
Devout Hindus believe that Lord Ram , the warrior god , was born there some 7,000 years ago but that a mosque was constructed on top of his birthplace in the 16th century .
In the 1980s a Hindu movement began to agitate for the mosque to be removed and in 1992 a mob demolished it with shovels , pickaxes and their bare hands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , most of them Muslims .
A lengthy legal battle ensued but in November , in a major victory for the BJP , India 's top court awarded the site to Hindus , allowing a temple `` touching the sky '' to be built .
Wednesday 's elaborate religious ceremony was shown live on television and was reportedly set to be beamed in Times Square in New York .
Small celebrations also took place across India .
A masked Modi , 69 , shared the stage with the head of the RSS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is parent to the BJP and which Modi joined as a young man .
`` Not only mankind , but the entire universe , all the birds and animals , are enthralled by this golden moment , '' chanted the main priest .
`` ( It 's ) a huge achievement for ( Modi ) .
He is going to make his position permanently in history purely on the strength of this temple , '' biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay told AFP .
Further cementing his place in India 's annals is Kashmir , divided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spark for two wars and the source of much bloodshed .
The BJP has long seen the special status enjoyed by the part of Kashmir controlled by India as a historical wrong , and on August 5 last year Modi abolished it .
An accompanying security operation turned the region into a fortress for weeks with all telecommunications cut and thousands taken into custody .
Now , people from outside Kashmir are being granted domicile rights for the first time , giving them the right to buy land and claim government jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to change Muslim-majority Kashmir 's demographic and religious makeup along the lines of Israel 's actions in the West Bank .
`` What I see unfolding is a Hindu settler colonial project in the making , '' Mona Bhan from Syracuse University told AFP .
Other actions have also alarmed Modi 's critics and delighted his fans .
Last year a new law made it easier for millions of illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries to get citizenship , but not if they are Muslims .
A `` citizenship list '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to prove they were Indian , many of them Muslims , a process many fear the BJP wants to roll out nationwide .
More may be in the pipeline .
On the BJP 's wishlist is a uniform civil code , doing away with personal laws for religious minorities in areas such as marriage , family and death – a policy aimed primarily at Muslims .
`` Clearly , it 's full speed ahead with the Hindu nationalist agenda , '' Kugelman said .
`` The government knows it has some major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By focusing on the social agenda ... it can distract its rank and file and shore up political support .
”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation for a temple at a flashpoint holy site exactly a year after imposing direct rule on Muslim-majority Kashmir – twin triumphs for his Hindu nationalist government.
An armed police officer stands guard on the bank of the Sarayu river ahead of the foundation-laying ceremony for a Hindu temple in Ayodhya, India on August 4, 2020.
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The site of Ayodhya and divided Kashmir have been two of the most divisive communal issues of the past 30 years in India, and Modi has attempted to draw a line under both in his second term.
For his fans both steps confirm Modi as a decisive, visionary leader, and India's most important in decades.
His critics see him as remoulding the country as a Hindu nation, at the expense of India's 200 million Muslims, and taking it in an authoritarian direction.
"Modi has certainly been India's most transformative leader in recent memory," Micheal Kugelman from the Wilson Center told AFP.
"This has made him wildly popular, but also highly controversial and quite divisive."
Fault line
The holy city of Ayodhya in northern India has long been a fault line in India's religious divisions, and has been the spark for some of its worst sectarian violence.
Devout Hindus believe that Lord Ram, the warrior god, was born there some 7,000 years ago but that a mosque was constructed on top of his birthplace in the 16th century.
In the 1980s a Hindu movement began to agitate for the mosque to be removed and in 1992 a mob demolished it with shovels, pickaxes and their bare hands.
This triggered religious riots that killed 2,000 people, most of them Muslims.
A lengthy legal battle ensued but in November, in a major victory for the BJP, India's top court awarded the site to Hindus, allowing a temple "touching the sky" to be built.
Wednesday's elaborate religious ceremony was shown live on television and was reportedly set to be beamed in Times Square in New York. Small celebrations also took place across India.
A masked Modi, 69, shared the stage with the head of the RSS, the militaristic hardline Hindu group that is parent to the BJP and which Modi joined as a young man.
"Not only mankind, but the entire universe, all the birds and animals, are enthralled by this golden moment," chanted the main priest.
"(It's) a huge achievement for (Modi). He is going to make his position permanently in history purely on the strength of this temple," biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay told AFP.
Domicile rights in Kashmir
Further cementing his place in India's annals is Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan since 1947, the spark for two wars and the source of much bloodshed.
The BJP has long seen the special status enjoyed by the part of Kashmir controlled by India as a historical wrong, and on August 5 last year Modi abolished it.
An accompanying security operation turned the region into a fortress for weeks with all telecommunications cut and thousands taken into custody.
Now, people from outside Kashmir are being granted domicile rights for the first time, giving them the right to buy land and claim government jobs.
This has stoked fears that Modi wants to change Muslim-majority Kashmir's demographic and religious makeup along the lines of Israel's actions in the West Bank.
"What I see unfolding is a Hindu settler colonial project in the making," Mona Bhan from Syracuse University told AFP.
Full steam ahead
Other actions have also alarmed Modi's critics and delighted his fans.
Last year a new law made it easier for millions of illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries to get citizenship, but not if they are Muslims.
A "citizenship list" in Assam state left off millions who were unable to prove they were Indian, many of them Muslims, a process many fear the BJP wants to roll out nationwide.
More may be in the pipeline.
On the BJP's wishlist is a uniform civil code, doing away with personal laws for religious minorities in areas such as marriage, family and death – a policy aimed primarily at Muslims.
"Clearly, it's full speed ahead with the Hindu nationalist agenda," Kugelman said.
"The government knows it has some major challenges with the economy and the pandemic. By focusing on the social agenda... it can distract its rank and file and shore up political support.”
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-08-05--China says US cabinet visit to Taiwan 'endangering peace'

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar ( R ) speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington , D.C. as President Donald Trump looks on , May 15 , 2020 .
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar will visit Taiwan in coming days , his office said on Tuesday , making the highest-level visit by a US official in four decades – a move that China , which claims the island as its own , described as `` endangering peace '' .
Azar 's visit comes amid worsening Beijing-Washington relations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights , even as Taiwan has welcomed the show of support in the face of unrelenting Chinese pressure .
China described Azar 's visit to Taiwan as endangering `` peace and stability '' in the region .
`` China firmly opposes official exchanges between the US and Taiwan , '' Wang Wenbin , a spokesman of China 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs , said at a regular briefing .
`` We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle ... stop all forms of official exchanges with Taiwan ... and refrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taiwan independence forces . ''
During his visit , Azar will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen , Taiwan 's Foreign Ministry said , which may infuriate China further .
`` Taiwan has been a model of transparency and cooperation in global health during the Covid-19 pandemic and long before it , '' Azar said in a statement .
`` I look forward to conveying President Trump 's support for Taiwan 's global health leadership and underscoring our shared belief that free and democratic societies are the best model for protecting and promoting health.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` historic '' , said Azar would be accompanied by Mitchell Wolfe , chief medical officer of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and other members of the administration .
Taiwan 's Foreign Ministry said the visit showed the firm US support for Taiwan and the closeness of their relationship .
Taiwan has been especially grateful for US support for its requests to get meaningful access to the World Health Organization during the pandemic .
Taiwan is not a member because of Chinese objections ; Beijing considers the island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taiwan has denounced Chinese efforts to block its access , though Beijing says the island has been given the help it needs .
The United States , like most countries , has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan , having ditched Taipei in favour of Beijing in 1979 , but is its main arms supplier and strongest backer on the international stage .
Gina McCarthy , then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency , was the last US Cabinet-level official to visit the island , in 2014 .
Her position is technically lower-ranking than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praise for its response to the coronavirus pandemic , having kept its case numbers low due to effective and early prevention steps .
The United States has more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country .
In April , Azar held a teleconference with Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung , whom he will also meet on his trip .
US President Donald Trump signed a new law in March requiring increased support for Taiwan 's international role .
China threatened unspecified retaliation in response .

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar will visit Taiwan in coming days, his office said on Tuesday, making the highest-level visit by a US official in four decades – a move that China, which claims the island as its own, described as "endangering peace".
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar (R) speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C. as President Donald Trump looks on, May 15, 2020.
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Azar's visit comes amid worsening Beijing-Washington relations, inflamed over trade, the pandemic and human rights, even as Taiwan has welcomed the show of support in the face of unrelenting Chinese pressure.
China described Azar's visit to Taiwan as endangering "peace and stability" in the region.
"China firmly opposes official exchanges between the US and Taiwan," Wang Wenbin, a spokesman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing.
"We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle... stop all forms of official exchanges with Taiwan... and refrain from sending any wrong signals to the Taiwan independence forces."
During his visit, Azar will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said, which may infuriate China further.
"Taiwan has been a model of transparency and cooperation in global health during the Covid-19 pandemic and long before it," Azar said in a statement. "I look forward to conveying President Trump's support for Taiwan's global health leadership and underscoring our shared belief that free and democratic societies are the best model for protecting and promoting health.”
His department, describing the trip as "historic", said Azar would be accompanied by Mitchell Wolfe, chief medical officer of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other members of the administration.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said the visit showed the firm US support for Taiwan and the closeness of their relationship.
Taiwan has been especially grateful for US support for its requests to get meaningful access to the World Health Organization during the pandemic.
Taiwan is not a member because of Chinese objections; Beijing considers the island merely one of China's provinces. Taiwan has denounced Chinese efforts to block its access, though Beijing says the island has been given the help it needs.
Taiwan praised for Covid-19 response
The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, having ditched Taipei in favour of Beijing in 1979, but is its main arms supplier and strongest backer on the international stage.
Gina McCarthy, then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was the last US Cabinet-level official to visit the island, in 2014. Her position is technically lower-ranking than Azar’s.
Taiwan has won praise for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, having kept its case numbers low due to effective and early prevention steps.
The United States has more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country.
In April, Azar held a teleconference with Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, whom he will also meet on his trip.
US President Donald Trump signed a new law in March requiring increased support for Taiwan's international role. China threatened unspecified retaliation in response.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-05--'Back to the Wild West': Gun ownership on the rise among anxious black Americans

A member of the Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club in New York fires a weapon at a shooting range on July 30 , 2020 .
There has been a sharp rise in the number of black Americans buying firearms and joining gun clubs , according to the National African American Gun Association ( NAGAA ) , purchases attributed to growing anxiety over the Covid-19 crisis and increased racial tensions following the death of George Floyd .
NAGAA says its figures shows gun ownership levels among black people has been growing in recent months , with the death of Floyd at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May and a subsequent spate of protests a particular driving factor .
More than 2,000 people joined the group in the 36 hours after Floyd ’ s killing .
Damon Finch , president of all-black Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club in New York , says he has also witnessed a similar trend .
He started the club earlier this year after noticing a spike in interest in firearms among the black community .
`` Initially , we started off with just a couple of people getting together , ” he told Reuters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you start to get all these phone calls from people who were both firearm owners and also people who are looking to get firearms .
And I figured , let 's get together .
Let 's create a gun club .
“ Our membership almost every night is doubling , tripling .
It 's just amazing how many people are now joining our group . ''
First-time gun owners include those who had never previously considered buying a firearm .
`` At 61 years , I 've not needed it , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say 'Get the guns away .
No , no , no !
’ But now my views have changed because I guess the world is changing right before our eyes , ” first-time gun owner Margaret Powell told Reuters .
`` It 's like we 're going back in time to maybe the Wild , Wild West or something .
Everybody has to have a gun.
” Some groups , such as Black Guns Matter , have advocated for black gun ownership as a means for self-protection in the wake of Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have followed and other reports of police violence against black people .
Meanwhile , a newly formed and heavily armed black militia , the Not Fucking Around Coalition , has appeared at some recent protests .
`` Self-preservation is universal law .
We should be able to protect ourselves , ” Gahiji Manderson , a member of the Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club , told Reuters .
“ We 're not looking for trouble , but to be able to protect ourselves if trouble comes towards our way . ''
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in growing numbers .
Total US gun sales in June were the highest on record with 3.9 million firearms sold , according to figures from the Brookings Institute , in a country where firearms kill nearly 40,000 people a year .

There has been a sharp rise in the number of black Americans buying firearms and joining gun clubs, according to the National African American Gun Association (NAGAA), purchases attributed to growing anxiety over the Covid-19 crisis and increased racial tensions following the death of George Floyd.
A member of the Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club in New York fires a weapon at a shooting range on July 30, 2020.
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NAGAA says its figures shows gun ownership levels among black people has been growing in recent months, with the death of Floyd at the hands of white police officers in May and a subsequent spate of protests a particular driving factor. More than 2,000 people joined the group in the 36 hours after Floyd’s killing.
Damon Finch, president of all-black Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club in New York, says he has also witnessed a similar trend.
He started the club earlier this year after noticing a spike in interest in firearms among the black community.
"Initially, we started off with just a couple of people getting together,” he told Reuters.
“And then all of a sudden, you start to get all these phone calls from people who were both firearm owners and also people who are looking to get firearms. And I figured, let's get together. Let's create a gun club.
“Our membership almost every night is doubling, tripling. It's just amazing how many people are now joining our group."
First-time gun owners include those who had never previously considered buying a firearm.
"At 61 years, I've not needed it, not ever thought of it. I would say 'Get the guns away. No, no, no!’ But now my views have changed because I guess the world is changing right before our eyes,” first-time gun owner Margaret Powell told Reuters.
"It's like we're going back in time to maybe the Wild, Wild West or something. Everybody has to have a gun.”
Some groups, such as Black Guns Matter, have advocated for black gun ownership as a means for self-protection in the wake of Floyd’s killing, the sometimes violent protests that have followed and other reports of police violence against black people.
Meanwhile, a newly formed and heavily armed black militia, the Not Fucking Around Coalition, has appeared at some recent protests.
"Self-preservation is universal law. We should be able to protect ourselves,” Gahiji Manderson, a member of the Hudson Valley Nubian Gun Club, told Reuters.
“We're not looking for trouble, but to be able to protect ourselves if trouble comes towards our way."
But it is not just black people buying weapons in growing numbers. Total US gun sales in June were the highest on record with 3.9 million firearms sold, according to figures from the Brookings Institute, in a country where firearms kill nearly 40,000 people a year.
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france24--2020-08-04--Colombian Supreme Court orders house arrest for ex-president Uribe

( FILE PHOTO ) Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe speaks to supporters in October 2019 in Bogota .
Colombia 's Supreme Court on Tuesday placed former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe under house arrest as he faces charges of fraud and witness tampering .
The conservative Uribe , who served as president from 2002-2010 , is the country 's most popular politician and political mentor to President Ivan Duque .
The court said in a statement that Uribe will be detained at home `` and from there can mount his defense with all the guarantees of due process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hearing into his case , in which Uribe is accused of using his position as a senator to tamper with a witness .
`` Being deprived of my freedom is very sad for me , my wife , my family and for the Colombians who still think I did something good for the homeland , '' Uribe tweeted .
Uribe , 68 , must now wait to be eventually called for a trial before the Supreme Court , the body that judges lawmakers .
He faces bribery and procedural fraud charges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison if convicted .
Uribe has always insisted on his innocence and enjoys strong popular support due to his hardline stance in fighting the country 's leftist guerrillas , especially the once-powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ( FARC ) .
His successor , Juan Manuel Santos ( 2010-2018 ) , reached a peace deal with the FARC in 2016 -- a deal that Uribe and Duque have heavily criticized .
The right-wing politician was questioned by judges in October 2019 -- the first time a former president had appeared before Colombia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a complaint against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda , who Uribe says hatched a plot to falsely link him to paramilitary groups .
But in 2018 , the court instead opened a witness tampering investigation against Uribe .
Duque fiercely defended his mentor in a video posted on social media , saying that he believes in the ex-president 's `` innocence and honorability . ''
Uribe also faces accusations of being linked with right-wing paramilitaries -- privately funded anti-rebel armed groups accused of widespread human rights abuses .

Colombia's Supreme Court on Tuesday placed former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe under house arrest as he faces charges of fraud and witness tampering.
(FILE PHOTO) Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe speaks to supporters in October 2019 in Bogota.
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The conservative Uribe, who served as president from 2002-2010, is the country's most popular politician and political mentor to President Ivan Duque.
The court said in a statement that Uribe will be detained at home "and from there can mount his defense with all the guarantees of due process."
On Tuesday, the court held a hearing into his case, in which Uribe is accused of using his position as a senator to tamper with a witness.
La privación de mi libertad me causa profunda tristeza por mi señora, por mi familia y por los colombianos que todavía creen que algo bueno he hecho por la Patria — Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) August 4, 2020
"Being deprived of my freedom is very sad for me, my wife, my family and for the Colombians who still think I did something good for the homeland," Uribe tweeted.
Uribe, 68, must now wait to be eventually called for a trial before the Supreme Court, the body that judges lawmakers.
He faces bribery and procedural fraud charges and could serve up to eight years in prison if convicted.
Uribe has always insisted on his innocence and enjoys strong popular support due to his hardline stance in fighting the country's leftist guerrillas, especially the once-powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
01:30
His successor, Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018), reached a peace deal with the FARC in 2016 -- a deal that Uribe and Duque have heavily criticized.
The right-wing politician was questioned by judges in October 2019 -- the first time a former president had appeared before Colombia's highest court.
In 2012, Uribe filed a complaint against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda, who Uribe says hatched a plot to falsely link him to paramilitary groups.
But in 2018, the court instead opened a witness tampering investigation against Uribe.
Duque fiercely defended his mentor in a video posted on social media, saying that he believes in the ex-president's "innocence and honorability."
Uribe also faces accusations of being linked with right-wing paramilitaries -- privately funded anti-rebel armed groups accused of widespread human rights abuses.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-05--US Border Patrol raids humanitarian aid camp, seizing phones and arresting migrants

These are a few images volunteers managed to take of the raid before their phones were confiscated by Border Patrol @ @ @ @ @ had first entered the camp around 9am the morning of Thursday July 30 and detained @ @ @ @ @ After the arrest , agents set up 24-hour surveillance around the camp ’ s property @ @ @ @ @ dozen agents monitoring the camp at all times , aid workers said.Byrd Camp offers medical @ @ @ @ @ other resources to migrants crossing into the US illegally from Mexico .
The region is @ @ @ @ @ most dangerous desert passages along the 3,145-km border .
In a statement , No More @ @ @ @ @ that operates Byrd Camp , called the raid on their aid station a “ military-style @ @ @ @ @ known as the “ SWAT team ” of Border Patrol , is the same force @ @ @ @ @ in US cities like Portland to crack down on Black Lives Matter protests .

USA
Volunteers at Byrd Camp near Arivaca, Arizona managed to capture just a few images of the July 31, 2020 Border Patrol raid before agents seized their cellphones.
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At sunset on the evening of July 31, agents from the US Border Patrol and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) raided a humanitarian aid station known as Byrd Camp near Arivaca, Arizona. Forces arrived with an armoured vehicle, two helicopters, and an estimated 24 other vehicles. More than 30 migrants were arrested, and many of the aid workers were detained. Agents arrived with a warrant to confiscate cellphones on the property, preventing most volunteers from documenting the raid.
Border Patrol agents had first entered the camp around 9am the morning of Thursday July 30 and detained one migrant receiving care. After the arrest, agents set up 24-hour surveillance around the camp’s property, with at least a dozen agents monitoring the camp at all times, aid workers said.
Byrd Camp offers medical treatment, water, and other resources to migrants crossing into the US illegally from Mexico. The region is known as one of the most dangerous desert passages along the 3,145-km border. In a statement, No More Deaths, a faith-based NGO that operates Byrd Camp, called the raid on their aid station a “military-style assault". BORTAC, known as the “SWAT team” of Border Patrol, is the same force that has recently been deployed in US cities like Portland to crack down on Black Lives Matter protests.
???????????? UPDATE — At sunset last night, in a military-style assault, Border Patrol raided our humanitarian aid camp, chasing and arresting 30+ people who were receiving care and detaining all aid workers, whose phones were confiscated along w/ any video footage of the raid. pic.twitter.com/yiGAB98KYi No More Deaths (@NoMoreDeaths) August 1, 2020
These are a few images volunteers managed to take of the raid before their phones were confiscated by Border Patrol agents.
“They confiscated all the cellphones they could find”
From all accounts it was a really hectic scene because they basically busted in with guns drawn. And they chased and terrorised and detained all of those people that were receiving care. There were two helicopters circling overhead. They arrived with military vehicles. They brought a cameraman. Their uniforms had BORTAC insignia on them. And they had guns drawn. When volunteers approached asking to see a warrant for entry, they were detained and their cellphones were all taken. We only have a little bit of video footage and camera photos from the incident because of that. They searched the entire camp, and in doing so trashed it. They slashed tents. They destroyed medical supplies. They unhooked the power supply to our well. And we have built so much of our platform on why water is a right for people who are crossing. They confiscated all the cellphones they could find, including the Red Cross phone that we have for people to make calls to their families and loved ones. They took them all: No More Death's phones, volunteers' phones, the Red Cross phone, and phones from those receiving care.
Hannah Taleb, a volunteer with No More Deaths, recounted the raid to the Observers team.
Border Patrol and BORTAC arrested people receiving care and ransacked the humanitarian aid station, ripping apart tents and destroying medical supplies. pic.twitter.com/jb5Ov4RwVJ No More Deaths (@NoMoreDeaths) August 2, 2020
Images of destruction in the camp after the raid. Volunteers say the Border Patrol agents cut the power to the camp's well and destroyed medical supplies.
Especially with the current climate, they wanted to make sure that what they did was not documented in that moment. They were able to place those cellphones on the warrant, so they have some sort of legal backing for what they did. I think being able to have real-time, or close to live, video of what happened, would have looked really bad for them.
Border Patrol officials Aug. 4 told the group their cellphones would be held for at least a month, according to Taleb.
Although Border Patrol agents brought a cameraman, they had not released any images of the raid as of Aug. 5. Tucson sector Border Patrol Chief Roy Villareal published a brief statement on Twitter, writing that agents “executed a federal search warrant on the No More Deaths camp near Arivaca. Upon entry, over three dozen illegal border crossers were found in the camp".
In an earlier thread of tweets, Villareal wrote that agents had tracked a group of migrants in the desert “through remote mountains for two days” southeast of Arivaca. According to Villareal, Border Patrol EMT evaluated and detained a migrant “outside the perimeter of the camp” on July 30 and sent the migrant to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The 30+ people that were receiving care at Byrd Camp are listed as “items” to be seized during the raid; “illegal aliens” was placed at the end of a list including cell phones and documentation. pic.twitter.com/0XIfPFJd7X No More Deaths (@NoMoreDeaths) August 3, 2020
A copy of the warrant listing items to be seized, including "cellular phones" and "illegal aliens."
Representatives from No More Deaths dispute this account, saying the July 30 arrest occurred within the camp boundaries.
We know anecdotally and from the release of documents that when Border Patrol tracks people for as long as they say, they are trying to exhaust them [a tactic known as ‘chase and scatter’]. It's to make them not try to access resources, especially in this heat. I think it's really disgusting that their rationale for why they were surveilling and threatening to enter our camp was because they were tracking this group.
In a massive show of force, Border Patrol + BORTAC—the same militarized tactical unit recently mobilized against protestors in US cities—descended on the camp with an armored vehicle, three ATVS, two helicopters, and ~24 marked and unmarked vehicles. pic.twitter.com/z1MUlk7gad No More Deaths (@NoMoreDeaths) August 1, 2020
This video is one of the few recorded of the raid. Volunteers' cellphones were seized by Border Patrol and BORTAC agents.
A pattern of retaliation
Friday’s raid is similar to one that occurred at Byrd camp on June 15, 2017. On July 29, No More Deaths released documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that disclosed the involvement of BORTAC and the Border Patrol Union in the 2017 raid, Taleb said.
No More Deaths does have a really long history with raids unfortunately at this point. A few days before the [July 31] raid, we released some FOIA-ed emails that showed that BORTAC was also involved with [the 2017] raid. I think that the move to confiscate cellphones was because of the media that we were able to do around the 2017 raid.
In 2017, volunteers from No More Deaths were able to post photos on social media as the raid was happening. They attached the phone number for US Customs and Border Protection in Arizona and a script for callers, asking people to call and demand that the surveillance end. Without cellphones, volunteers were unable to do so this time.
NEW PHOTOS:
One volunteer was able to get a few pictures from inside camp when BORTAC and Border Patrol entered.
Heavily armed agents drove straight into the humanitarian aid camp in a Bearcat tank as helicopters circled overhead. pic.twitter.com/Vnu9ecsQ9A No More Deaths (@NoMoreDeaths) August 2, 2020
The second, and currently only other, set of photos that a volunteer managed to take on July 31.
"Border Patrol has always worked hardest to suppress the narratives of those directly affected by the crisis they have created. We are simply an extension of that."
After the raid, the three dozen arrested migrants were loaded onto buses and taken to holding cells. The volunteers were released. The dangers for the arrested migrants are high, Taleb explains.
They detained and arrested over 30 people that night. They probably chose not to arrest our volunteers because they wouldn't get as much bad media for harming the lives of people migrating as they would for harming humanitarian aid workers. And they know that. Immigration detention is a really deadly intervention in somebody's life. We know that Covid-19 is rampant in immigrant detention. We also know that there are many, many people that are being rapidly deported at this moment. The M.O. of Border Patrol in the field every single day is violent. We saw kind of a microcosm of their tactics, just maybe with more guns and also with the Border Patrol cameraman on the scene standing on top of trucks and getting shots of people while they're getting pulled out. Border Patrol has always worked hardest to suppress the narratives of those directly affected by the crisis they have created. We are simply an extension of that. The people that have to bear the brunt of all of their actions against our organisation are the folks that are migrating. People have been telling stories since the beginning of prevention through deterrence. It’s those narratives that tell the actual true story. It feels important to highlight this false reality that [Border Patrol agents] are rescuers in the desert, when they also create the crisis that causes people to die.
Article by Sophie Stuber