france24--2020-05-16--UK backtracks on 'exemption' from quarantine for French travellers

A passenger wearing a face mask arrives at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras station in London on May 6 , 2020 , as life continues under a nationwide lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The British government on Friday said no exemption has been granted to French travellers arriving in the UK from proposed new two-week quarantine rules .
In an apparent step back from a previous position -- announced at the weekend -- London said there was no `` French exemption '' .
`` If you look at what was actually said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it said no quarantine measures apply to France at this stage and the key words in that sentence are 'at this stage ' , '' said the prime minister 's spokesman .
`` So there is no exemption agreed with France .
`` What we have said is that we will be working together with the French on this issue in the coming weeks . ''
The spokesman said a working group would be set up between the two countries to ensure `` consultation '' .
Boris Johnson said on Sunday that Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international arrivals into the UK , as part of its measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , something it has resisted so far .
On the same day , Johnson , in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron , stated that `` no quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage '' .
In a statement , the Home Office said on Friday that : `` No quarantine measures apply to France at this stage .
Further details on the quarantine will be set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

The British government on Friday said no exemption has been granted to French travellers arriving in the UK from proposed new two-week quarantine rules.
A passenger wearing a face mask arrives at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras station in London on May 6, 2020, as life continues under a nationwide lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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In an apparent step back from a previous position -- announced at the weekend -- London said there was no "French exemption".
"If you look at what was actually said in the joint statement on Sunday night, it said no quarantine measures apply to France at this stage and the key words in that sentence are 'at this stage'," said the prime minister's spokesman. "So there is no exemption agreed with France.
"What we have said is that we will be working together with the French on this issue in the coming weeks."
The spokesman said a working group would be set up between the two countries to ensure "consultation".
Boris Johnson said on Sunday that Britain was considering imposing a two-week quarantine on international arrivals into the UK, as part of its measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, something it has resisted so far.
On the same day, Johnson, in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, stated that "no quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage".
In a statement, the Home Office said on Friday that: "No quarantine measures apply to France at this stage. Further details on the quarantine will be set out ahead of these measures being introduced."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-16--Why did France lose to Germany in 1940?

Why did France lose to Germany in 1940?

The speed with which France crumbled and capitulated in the face of the May 1940 German invasion is still shocking , 80 years on .
How did this catastrophe happen ?
After several months of “ phoney war ” , the German army finally attacked France and the Low Countries on May 10 , 1940 .
In less than a fortnight , the Wehrmacht swept through the country from the north .
The French army was one of the most powerful in the world , but it seems that it was unable to hold out – leading to France ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when on June 22 , 1940 , Marshall Philippe Pétain ’ s government signed the armistice with Nazi Germany and started the ignominious story of French collaboration .
How did this happen ?
And why so quickly ?
FRANCE 24 spoke to historian Michaël Bourlet , a former professor of history at the Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan military academy , who deconstructed some of the myths about the egregious failure of the Battle of France .
There ’ s a common perception that the French army was badly prepared for the German attack – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French army of 1939-40 is strongly associated with the inglorious “ phoney war ” , then the military defeat in May-June 1940 followed by the collapse of its politics into collaboration in June 1940 .
This is still remembered as a huge defeat in the French collective memory .
The idea that the army was badly prepared , poorly motivated and ill-equipped against the invincible Wehrmacht is a myth constructed by Pétain ’ s Vichy regime .
Unfortunately , it ’ s still used today , because it makes a good excuse : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admit defeat if you say you had a weak army facing a much stronger one .
The French army had the equipment and personnel – five million men , more than they had in 1914 – to really take the Germans on .
Defence spending had been rising since the mid-1930s , making it possible to bolster the air force , to build a powerful naval fleet , ensure a well-equipped army and to build the Maginot line , a fortified boundary on France ’ s eastern borders .
So the high command @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They had these resources and they created a strategy to use them – small offensives with defined objectives , continuous fronts and the use of firepower to cut off the enemy ’ s movements .
Both in France and internationally , the French army of 1940 is seen as lacking courage .
Do you think this image is accurate ?
It ’ s true that some commanders didn ’ t know how to react in the face of the German onslaught , and that some units – after the inactivity of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disbanded .
But for the most part French soldiers fought with courage and tenacity .
Statistics show just how brutal the fighting was .
Around 60,000 French soldiers were killed between May and June .
The German military lost 30 percent of its tanks and planes during the Battle of France .
Its death toll is estimated at 27,000 killed and missing in June and 21,000 in May .
Did the French army still have some success ?
Well , as always , it was a multifaceted military campaign , and their degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the quality of leadership , the quality of the weaponry they had etc .
There were some successful episodes , such as the defeat of the Italian army on the Alpine front in June 1940 .
And although you couldn ’ t really describe them as successful , in some battles the French gave the Germans a hard time .
For instance , in Stonne in the Ardennes , from May 15 to 27 , they tried to put pressure on the flank of the German offensive after the Wehrmacht ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was taken and taken back at least 17 times , but the French failed to break through .
Nevertheless , they inflicted significant damage on the Germans .
I ’ m also thinking of some fights in the Battle of the Scheldt in Belgium .
French infantrymen prevented the Germans from crossing the Scheldt Canal between May 21 and May 26 , thereby delaying the Wehrmacht ’ s advance north .
The six infantry divisions of the French 1st Army provide another good example .
They were encircled by the Germans in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 1 , thus facilitating the British Expeditionary Force ’ s famous evacuation from Dunkirk .
So why did the French lose so quickly ?
The Germans took risks during the Battle of France .
They concentrated their tanks in the Ardennes , on difficult terrain , between the Maginot Line and the main body of the French army in the north .
Then they smashed through the Ardennes while the French army had gone north , to fight the Wehrmacht divisions that had gone through Belgium .
So they encircled the Allied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English Channel , before heading south towards Paris .
That was when the French army collapsed .
Since 1945 a million and one explanations have been put forward to explain the French defeat , from the nature of the bridges over the River Meuse to the political institutions of the Third Republic to the Maginot line – which has recently been used as an analogy that supposedly explains France ’ s difficulties in the face of the coronavirus .
As we have seen , the French army had plenty of men , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its morale was good – despite being deflated a bit by the “ phoney war ” .
The reasons for its defeat were intellectual and doctrinal .
It ’ s the old cliché of fighting the previous war .
Commanders were too focused on lessons from the First World War ; they couldn ’ t think about the actual war they had to wage in the present .
They were unable to adapt .
The Germans – by contrast – took risks .
This article has been translated from the original in @ @

The speed with which France crumbled and capitulated in the face of the May 1940 German invasion is still shocking, 80 years on. How did this catastrophe happen?
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After several months of “phoney war”, the German army finally attacked France and the Low Countries on May 10, 1940. In less than a fortnight, the Wehrmacht swept through the country from the north.
The French army was one of the most powerful in the world, but it seems that it was unable to hold out – leading to France’s great debacle of the 20th century, when on June 22, 1940, Marshall Philippe Pétain’s government signed the armistice with Nazi Germany and started the ignominious story of French collaboration.
How did this happen? And why so quickly? FRANCE 24 spoke to historian Michaël Bourlet, a former professor of history at the Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan military academy, who deconstructed some of the myths about the egregious failure of the Battle of France.
There’s a common perception that the French army was badly prepared for the German attack – is it reflective of reality?
The French army of 1939-40 is strongly associated with the inglorious “phoney war”, then the military defeat in May-June 1940 followed by the collapse of its politics into collaboration in June 1940. This is still remembered as a huge defeat in the French collective memory.
The idea that the army was badly prepared, poorly motivated and ill-equipped against the invincible Wehrmacht is a myth constructed by Pétain’s Vichy regime. Unfortunately, it’s still used today, because it makes a good excuse: it’s so much easier to admit defeat if you say you had a weak army facing a much stronger one.
>> Exodus: Refugees remember fleeing the 1940 German invasion
The French army had the equipment and personnel – five million men, more than they had in 1914 – to really take the Germans on. Defence spending had been rising since the mid-1930s, making it possible to bolster the air force, to build a powerful naval fleet, ensure a well-equipped army and to build the Maginot line, a fortified boundary on France’s eastern borders.
So the high command was far from inactive before the war. They had these resources and they created a strategy to use them – small offensives with defined objectives, continuous fronts and the use of firepower to cut off the enemy’s movements.
Both in France and internationally, the French army of 1940 is seen as lacking courage. Do you think this image is accurate?
It’s true that some commanders didn’t know how to react in the face of the German onslaught, and that some units – after the inactivity of the “phoney war” – panicked or disbanded. But for the most part French soldiers fought with courage and tenacity.
Statistics show just how brutal the fighting was. Around 60,000 French soldiers were killed between May and June. The German military lost 30 percent of its tanks and planes during the Battle of France. Its death toll is estimated at 27,000 killed and missing in June and 21,000 in May.
Did the French army still have some success?
Well, as always, it was a multifaceted military campaign, and their degree of success was dependent on the terrain, the quality of leadership, the quality of the weaponry they had etc. There were some successful episodes, such as the defeat of the Italian army on the Alpine front in June 1940. And although you couldn’t really describe them as successful, in some battles the French gave the Germans a hard time.
‘Blood, toil, tears, and sweat’: Churchill’s ‘electric’ speech, 80 years on
For instance, in Stonne in the Ardennes, from May 15 to 27, they tried to put pressure on the flank of the German offensive after the Wehrmacht’s famous breakthrough at Sedan. The village was taken and taken back at least 17 times, but the French failed to break through. Nevertheless, they inflicted significant damage on the Germans.
I’m also thinking of some fights in the Battle of the Scheldt in Belgium. French infantrymen prevented the Germans from crossing the Scheldt Canal between May 21 and May 26, thereby delaying the Wehrmacht’s advance north. The six infantry divisions of the French 1st Army provide another good example. They were encircled by the Germans in the Lille area but carried on fighting until June 1, thus facilitating the British Expeditionary Force’s famous evacuation from Dunkirk.
So why did the French lose so quickly?
The Germans took risks during the Battle of France. They concentrated their tanks in the Ardennes, on difficult terrain, between the Maginot Line and the main body of the French army in the north. Then they smashed through the Ardennes while the French army had gone north, to fight the Wehrmacht divisions that had gone through Belgium. So they encircled the Allied forces, penning them in towards the English Channel, before heading south towards Paris. That was when the French army collapsed.
Since 1945 a million and one explanations have been put forward to explain the French defeat, from the nature of the bridges over the River Meuse to the political institutions of the Third Republic to the Maginot line – which has recently been used as an analogy that supposedly explains France’s difficulties in the face of the coronavirus.
As we have seen, the French army had plenty of men, and lots of good quality equipment and arms. Its morale was good – despite being deflated a bit by the “phoney war”.
The reasons for its defeat were intellectual and doctrinal. It’s the old cliché of fighting the previous war. Commanders were too focused on lessons from the First World War; they couldn’t think about the actual war they had to wage in the present. They were unable to adapt. The Germans – by contrast – took risks.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-05-16--House Democrats to investigate Trump’s firing of State Department watchdog

File photo : US State Department Inspector General Steve Linick departs after briefing House and Senate Intelligence committees at the US Capitol in Washington , DC , October 2 , 2019 .
Democrats in Congress on Saturday launched an investigation into President Donald Trump ’ s firing of the State Department ’ s internal watchdog , accusing the president of further escalating his fight against any oversight of his administration .
Trump , in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Friday , said he no longer had confidence in Inspector General Steve Linick ’ s ability to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason for the latest in a string of government watchdogs to be removed in recent weeks under the Republican president .
The Democratic-led House Foreign Relations Committee , along with colleagues in the Senate , in a statement questioned the timing and motivation of what they called an “ unprecedented removal.
” “ We unalterably oppose the politically-motivated firing of inspectors general and the President ’ s gutting of these critical positions , ” wrote House panel chairman Eliot Engel and Senator Bob Menendez , the ranking Democrat on the Republican-led Senate Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Trump administration to turn over any related documents by May 22 .
The two Democrats said it was their understanding that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo personally recommended Linick ’ s firing because the inspector general “ had opened an investigation into wrongdoing by Secretary Pompeo himself ” .
Representatives for the White House and the department could not be immediately reached for comment on the probe .
Linick , appointed to the role in 2013 under the Obama administration , is the fourth inspector general fired by Trump since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican-led Senate in his impeachment trial .
Pelosi described the ousting as an acceleration of a “ dangerous pattern of retaliation.
” The US Department of State later said Stephen Akard , the director of the Office of Foreign Missions , would replace Linick .
In April , Trump removed a top coronavirus watchdog , Glenn Fine , who was to oversee the government ’ s Covid-19 financial relief response .
He also notified Congress that he was firing the inspector general of the US intelligence community , Michael Atkinson , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation .
Earlier in May , Trump ousted Christi Grimm , who led the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General ( OIG ) after accusing her of having produced a “ fake dossier ” on American hospitals suffering shortages on the frontlines of the novel coronavirus outbreak .
“ Trump is methodically eliminating anyone who would bring wrongdoing to light , ” Senator Jeff Merkley , a Democrat on the Foreign Relations panel , tweeted .

Democrats in Congress on Saturday launched an investigation into President Donald Trump’s firing of the State Department’s internal watchdog, accusing the president of further escalating his fight against any oversight of his administration.
File photo: US State Department Inspector General Steve Linick departs after briefing House and Senate Intelligence committees at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, October 2, 2019.
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Trump, in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Friday, said he no longer had confidence in Inspector General Steve Linick’s ability to serve. The letter did not specify a reason for the latest in a string of government watchdogs to be removed in recent weeks under the Republican president.
The Democratic-led House Foreign Relations Committee, along with colleagues in the Senate, in a statement questioned the timing and motivation of what they called an “unprecedented removal.”
“We unalterably oppose the politically-motivated firing of inspectors general and the President’s gutting of these critical positions,” wrote House panel chairman Eliot Engel and Senator Bob Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations panel.
Engel and Menendez called on the Trump administration to turn over any related documents by May 22.
The two Democrats said it was their understanding that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo personally recommended Linick’s firing because the inspector general “had opened an investigation into wrongdoing by Secretary Pompeo himself”.
Representatives for the White House and the department could not be immediately reached for comment on the probe.
Linick, appointed to the role in 2013 under the Obama administration, is the fourth inspector general fired by Trump since early April following his February acquittal by the Republican-led Senate in his impeachment trial.
Pelosi described the ousting as an acceleration of a “dangerous pattern of retaliation.”
The late-night, weekend firing of State Department IG Steve Linick is an acceleration of the President’s dangerous pattern of retaliation against the patriotic public servants charged with conducting oversight on behalf of the American people. https://t.co/VavmuJpX25 — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 16, 2020
The US Department of State later said Stephen Akard, the director of the Office of Foreign Missions, would replace Linick.
In April, Trump removed a top coronavirus watchdog, Glenn Fine, who was to oversee the government’s Covid-19 financial relief response. He also notified Congress that he was firing the inspector general of the US intelligence community, Michael Atkinson, who was involved in the triggering the impeachment investigation.
Earlier in May, Trump ousted Christi Grimm, who led the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) after accusing her of having produced a “fake dossier” on American hospitals suffering shortages on the frontlines of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“Trump is methodically eliminating anyone who would bring wrongdoing to light,” Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat on the Foreign Relations panel, tweeted.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-16--‘Surreal’ day for European football as Germany’s Bundesliga returns to empty stadiums

Dortmund 's Thorgan Hazard celebrates in front of empty stands after scoring the team 's third goal of the match , as play resumes behind closed doors due to Covid-19 .
Celebrations were muted and fans watched from home as Germany ’ s top football teams returned to the pitch for the first time since March 11 , when games were suspended due to Covid-19 .
Erling Haaland scored the Bundesliga ’ s first goal in more than two months and then celebrated .
The 19-year-old ’ s Borussia Dortmund teammates stayed away , mindful of the strict hygiene measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s soccer season resumed in unprecedented conditions on Saturday .
Dortmund beat Schalke 4-0 in the first Ruhr derby to be played in an empty stadium .
Calls and shouts from coaching staff and players , and the thud of the sanitized ball being kicked , reverberated around the mainly deserted stands .
Players had been warned to keep their emotions in check , and to desist from spitting , handshakes and hugging with the games keenly watched by the rest of the football world hoping to restart their own leagues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t start , wore masks .
Substitutes took their positions in the stands , rather than beside the field , while balls and seats were disinfected .
Haaland celebrated his 10th goal in nine Bundesliga games with a restrained dance as his teammates stayed back .
“ It ’ s hard , ” midfielder Julian Brandt said .
“ But that ’ s the way it is now .
We try to stick to the rules.
” Brandt set up Raphaël Guerreiro before the break and Thorgan Hazard after it .
Hazard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s south terrace , where normally the club ’ s “ Yellow Wall ” of almost 25,000 fervent fans would be standing .
“ It felt strange , also for the players .
You could see that with the celebrations , ” Dortmund team coordinator Sebastian Kehl said .
Haaland set up Guerreiro to seal the result as Dortmund cut the gap on leader Bayern Munich to a point .
Bayern is due to play at Union Berlin on Sunday .
Schalke became the first team to make five substitutions in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed in the league , but they couldn ’ t change the outcome .
Dortmund ’ s players celebrated in front of the empty south terrace afterward .
“ To applaud all our fans who were watching on TV , ” Kehl said .
Pre-game television interviews were conducted with long poles holding microphones and participants keeping their distance .
“ It ’ s quite surreal , ” Dortmund chief executive Hans Joachim Watzke told Sky TV .
“ I ’ ve received messages from all over the world in the last couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then you go through the city and there ’ s nothing going on.
” Borussia Mönchengladbach moved third , three points behind Bayern , with a 3-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game .
Also : Hertha Berlin won 3-0 at Hoffenheim in coach Bruno Labbadia ’ s first game in charge ; Freiburg drew at Leipzig 1-1 ; Paderborn drew at Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-0 ; and Wolfsburg won 2-1 at Augsburg , where the home side ’ s new coach Heiko Herrlich was forced to watch from the stands after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only return after twice testing negative for the virus .
Celebrations were muted throughout , with only Hertha ’ s players overstepping calls for restraint .
“ Goal celebrations are part of football .
We ’ re tested so often I think they can be allowed , ” Labbadia said in defense of his team .
Even though the stadium contained less than 300 people , one of them — a camera operator behind the goal — still managed to be hit on the head by a wayward shot from Leipzig ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first games to be played in the league since March 11 .
Earlier Saturday , the second division resumed with four games , also without fans present and amid strict distancing measures .
South Korea midfielder Lee Jae-sung scored the division ’ s first goal for Holstein Kiel in a 2-2 draw at Jahn Regensburg .
He celebrated by giving teammates fist bumps .
Goal celebrations in other games were also marked by fist bumps and elbow-to-elbow touching .
The game ’ s authorities were keen to restart the country ’ s top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schalke , facing severe financial difficulties because of the suspension in play .
Numerous polls showed a growing majority in Germany were against the resumption of the leagues .
Fans are also critical .
“ Football without fans is nothing , ” read a joint statement from several Bayern Munich fan groups after the league decided on May 7 to resume .
Cologne fans accused authorities Saturday of prioritizing money over people ’ s health .
A banner at Augsburg ’ s game against Wolfsburg said , “ Football will survive , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism too from players over health concerns and the threat of injury with games now packed into a tight schedule .
Players and staff have been subjected to regular testing for COVID-19 .
Three cases were found at Cologne , while second-division Dynamo Dresden was ordered into 14 days of quarantine after two more positive results brought its total to three last Saturday .
Dresden ’ s game against Hannover on Sunday was called off , and the team can not train during the quarantine period .

Celebrations were muted and fans watched from home as Germany’s top football teams returned to the pitch for the first time since March 11, when games were suspended due to Covid-19.
Dortmund's Thorgan Hazard celebrates in front of empty stands after scoring the team's third goal of the match, as play resumes behind closed doors due to Covid-19.
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Erling Haaland scored the Bundesliga’s first goal in more than two months and then celebrated.
Alone.
The 19-year-old’s Borussia Dortmund teammates stayed away, mindful of the strict hygiene measures amid the coronavirus pandemic, as Germany’s soccer season resumed in unprecedented conditions on Saturday.
Dortmund beat Schalke 4-0 in the first Ruhr derby to be played in an empty stadium. Calls and shouts from coaching staff and players, and the thud of the sanitized ball being kicked, reverberated around the mainly deserted stands.
Players had been warned to keep their emotions in check, and to desist from spitting, handshakes and hugging with the games keenly watched by the rest of the football world hoping to restart their own leagues.
Team staff, and players who didn’t start, wore masks. Substitutes took their positions in the stands, rather than beside the field, while balls and seats were disinfected.
Haaland celebrated his 10th goal in nine Bundesliga games with a restrained dance as his teammates stayed back.
“It’s hard,” midfielder Julian Brandt said. “But that’s the way it is now. We try to stick to the rules.”
Brandt set up Raphaël Guerreiro before the break and Thorgan Hazard after it. Hazard celebrated alone in front of the Westfalenstadion’s south terrace, where normally the club’s “Yellow Wall” of almost 25,000 fervent fans would be standing.
Borussia Dortmund have a tradition of celebrating in front of the Yellow Wall after victories.
They still did it with no fans 🙌pic.twitter.com/U79BnLy3gU — Goal (@goal) May 16, 2020
“It felt strange, also for the players. You could see that with the celebrations,” Dortmund team coordinator Sebastian Kehl said.
Haaland set up Guerreiro to seal the result as Dortmund cut the gap on leader Bayern Munich to a point. Bayern is due to play at Union Berlin on Sunday.
Schalke became the first team to make five substitutions in a Bundesliga game in a new temporary measure allowed in the league, but they couldn’t change the outcome. Dortmund’s players celebrated in front of the empty south terrace afterward.
“To applaud all our fans who were watching on TV,” Kehl said.
Pre-game television interviews were conducted with long poles holding microphones and participants keeping their distance.
“It’s quite surreal,” Dortmund chief executive Hans Joachim Watzke told Sky TV. “I’ve received messages from all over the world in the last couple of hours that everybody is watching and then you go through the city and there’s nothing going on.”
Set up for the pre-match reporting 15 minutes ahead of the restart of the #Bundesliga.
P.s. Watzke, put the bloody mask on properly, you dingbat. 🙄🙄😫 pic.twitter.com/VuIsyr6C3M — René Denfeld (@Renestance) May 16, 2020
Borussia Mönchengladbach moved third, three points behind Bayern, with a 3-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game.
Also: Hertha Berlin won 3-0 at Hoffenheim in coach Bruno Labbadia’s first game in charge; Freiburg drew at Leipzig 1-1; Paderborn drew at Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-0; and Wolfsburg won 2-1 at Augsburg, where the home side’s new coach Heiko Herrlich was forced to watch from the stands after breaking quarantine to buy toiletries. Herrlich will only return after twice testing negative for the virus.
Celebrations were muted throughout, with only Hertha’s players overstepping calls for restraint.
“Goal celebrations are part of football. We’re tested so often I think they can be allowed,” Labbadia said in defense of his team.
Even though the stadium contained less than 300 people, one of them — a camera operator behind the goal — still managed to be hit on the head by a wayward shot from Leipzig’s Ademola Lookman.
They were the first games to be played in the league since March 11.
Earlier Saturday, the second division resumed with four games, also without fans present and amid strict distancing measures.
South Korea midfielder Lee Jae-sung scored the division’s first goal for Holstein Kiel in a 2-2 draw at Jahn Regensburg. He celebrated by giving teammates fist bumps.
Goal celebrations in other games were also marked by fist bumps and elbow-to-elbow touching.
The game’s authorities were keen to restart the country’s top two divisions with several clubs, including Schalke, facing severe financial difficulties because of the suspension in play.
Numerous polls showed a growing majority in Germany were against the resumption of the leagues. Fans are also critical.
“Football without fans is nothing,” read a joint statement from several Bayern Munich fan groups after the league decided on May 7 to resume.
Cologne fans accused authorities Saturday of prioritizing money over people’s health. A banner at Augsburg’s game against Wolfsburg said, “Football will survive, your business is sick!”
There was criticism too from players over health concerns and the threat of injury with games now packed into a tight schedule.
Players and staff have been subjected to regular testing for COVID-19. Three cases were found at Cologne, while second-division Dynamo Dresden was ordered into 14 days of quarantine after two more positive results brought its total to three last Saturday. Dresden’s game against Hannover on Sunday was called off, and the team cannot train during the quarantine period.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-05-16--France records 96 new Covid-19 deaths as hospitalisations continue to fall

A man sits behind a protective plastic panel , during a distribution of protective face masks organised by the city of Mulhouse , eastern France , on May 16 , 2020 , as France eases lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic , caused by the novel coronavirus .
French health authorities reported 96 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday , bringing the total to 27,625 , as the country eases from a two month lockdown .
The ministry said the number of people in hospitals fell to 19,432 from 19,861 on Friday and the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,132 from 2,203 on Friday .
The 96 deaths recorded on Saturday marked one of the lowest tolls since mid-March , when France imposed a nationwide lockdown that began to ease this week .
However weekend tolls are frequently lower than in the week , possibly due to reporting lags , particularly in nursing homes .
The government has warned it will consider locking down the country again if daily new infections rise above 3,000 .
On Friday , the number of infections increased by 563 to 141,919 , up 0.4 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tally rose by about half a percentage point or less .
`` The Covid-19 epidemic is still active in France so we must remain cautious , '' the health ministry said .
On Friday , doctors in Marseille reported the country 's first fatality from a rare childhood disease that experts have linked to the coronavirus .
The child died after a `` neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest '' , said Fabrice Michel , head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for coronavirus , received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday .
In the last three weeks , several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition , Kawasaki 's disease .
Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19 .
The illness , which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children ( MIS-C ) , was first reported in Britain in late April .
There have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 1 and May 12 , according to the country 's public health agency .
The patients ' ages ranged from one to 14 .

French health authorities reported 96 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday, bringing the total to 27,625, as the country eases from a two month lockdown.
A man sits behind a protective plastic panel, during a distribution of protective face masks organised by the city of Mulhouse, eastern France, on May 16, 2020, as France eases lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus.
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The ministry said the number of people in hospitals fell to 19,432 from 19,861 on Friday and the number of people in intensive care units dropped to 2,132 from 2,203 on Friday.
The 96 deaths recorded on Saturday marked one of the lowest tolls since mid-March, when France imposed a nationwide lockdown that began to ease this week. However weekend tolls are frequently lower than in the week, possibly due to reporting lags, particularly in nursing homes.
The government has warned it will consider locking down the country again if daily new infections rise above 3,000. On Friday, the number of infections increased by 563 to 141,919, up 0.4% and the ninth consecutive day that the case tally rose by about half a percentage point or less.
"The Covid-19 epidemic is still active in France so we must remain cautious," the health ministry said.
First death from rare childhood disease
On Friday, doctors in Marseille reported the country's first fatality from a rare childhood disease that experts have linked to the coronavirus.
The child died after a "neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest", said Fabrice Michel, head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.
The boy, who tested positive for coronavirus, received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday.
In the last three weeks, several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition, Kawasaki's disease. Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19.
The illness, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), was first reported in Britain in late April.
There have been 125 reported cases in France between March 1 and May 12, according to the country's public health agency. The patients' ages ranged from one to 14.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-16--Kabuga arrest ‘opens up a lot of questions’, says member of Rwanda civil plaintiffs group

Bruce Clarke , a former member of the Civil Plaintiffs Collective for Rwanda , says the arrest of suspected genocide financier Félicien Kabuga just outside the French capital “ opens up a lot of questions about the inefficiency of the French justice system ” and even of potential complicity with the killers .
Clarke says Kabuga , who “ was in 1994 the richest man in Rwanda ” , played a key role in orchestrating the Rwandan genocide .
“ He created with his own money RTLM ( Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines ) … known as ‘ hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instrument of the genocide , ” Clarke tells FRANCE 24 .
Kabuga also created a group called the National Defence Funds in order to procure uniforms , arms and logistical support for the killers , he says .
“ What it underlines is that the genocide wasn ’ t just spontaneous violence .
It had been planned for years beforehand.
” Clarke says the fact that Kabuga was arrested just outside of Paris raises questions about whether French intelligence was doing enough to track down the fugitive .
“ The sudden arrest today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inefficiency of the French justice system and then beyond that , of course , [ of any other ] complicity with the killers.
” He says France has also been slow to track down other suspected génocidaires on its soil .
“ Basically , there ’ s been no prosecution opened up by the French state against the suspected criminals on French soil .
The only prosecutions which have taken place have been brought by our association , ” Clarke says , noting that the Civil Plaintiffs Collective for Rwanda ( CPCR @ @ @ @ @ @

Bruce Clarke, a former member of the Civil Plaintiffs Collective for Rwanda, says the arrest of suspected genocide financier Félicien Kabuga just outside the French capital “opens up a lot of questions about the inefficiency of the French justice system” and even of potential complicity with the killers.
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Clarke says Kabuga, who “was in 1994 the richest man in Rwanda”, played a key role in orchestrating the Rwandan genocide.
“He created with his own money RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines)… known as ‘hate radio’, which was the propaganda instrument of the genocide,” Clarke tells FRANCE 24. Kabuga also created a group called the National Defence Funds in order to procure uniforms, arms and logistical support for the killers, he says.
“What it underlines is that the genocide wasn’t just spontaneous violence. It had been planned for years beforehand.”
Clarke says the fact that Kabuga was arrested just outside of Paris raises questions about whether French intelligence was doing enough to track down the fugitive.
“The sudden arrest today opens up a lot of questions about the inefficiency of the French justice system and then beyond that, of course, [of any other] complicity with the killers.”
He says France has also been slow to track down other suspected génocidaires on its soil.
“Basically, there’s been no prosecution opened up by the French state against the suspected criminals on French soil. The only prosecutions which have taken place have been brought by our association,” Clarke says, noting that the Civil Plaintiffs Collective for Rwanda (CPCR) is an all-volunteer group.
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france24--2020-05-16--Albania becomes third European country to ban gay ‘conversion therapy’

An Albanian LGBT activist waves a rainbow flag as she attends Tirana Gay Pride to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia ( IDAHOT ) on the main boulevard in Tirana on May 13 , 2018 .
Albania 's psychologists have banned so-called `` conversion therapy '' , which tries to change the sexual orientation of young LGBT people , a move hailed on Saturday by the country 's rights groups .
The decision by Albania 's order of psychologists on Friday is `` significantly important for LGBTI adolescents '' , the gay rights association Pink Embassy said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Albania must be members of the order of psychologists .
Its decisions are final and `` legally valid '' , Pink Embassy head Altin Hazizaj told AFP .
`` This is the final decision which does not need to go through either the legislative or executive to enter into force , '' said Hazizaj .
Pink Embassy claims that parents often `` force '' adolescents to undergo conversion therapy .
`` Although reports of the use of such therapies in Albania have been small , allowing them has been a serious concern .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have experienced the therapy are 8.4 times more likely to commit suicide , the NGO said .
Also , they are 5.9 times more exposed to high levels of depression .
Medical experts consider psychological or spiritual interventions to change someone 's sexual orientation pseudo-scientific , ineffective and often harmful .
The most controversial techniques involve administering electric shocks as subjects view images of homosexual acts or injections of the male hormone testosterone .
In March 2018 , the European parliament passed a resolution condemning the practice and urging member states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany became the second European country after Malta to ban conversion therapy for minors .
In the past few years largely conservative Albania has made progress in protecting gay rights , passing a law in 2010 against discrimination based on sexual orientation .
However , in everyday life most LGBTI people , like in many countries of southeastern Europe , still face prejudice , discrimination and domestic violence , says Pink Embassy .
`` Social attitudes towards the LGBT community are ... among the most unfavourable at the European level , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @

Albania's psychologists have banned so-called "conversion therapy", which tries to change the sexual orientation of young LGBT people, a move hailed on Saturday by the country's rights groups.
An Albanian LGBT activist waves a rainbow flag as she attends Tirana Gay Pride to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on the main boulevard in Tirana on May 13, 2018.
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The decision by Albania's order of psychologists on Friday is "significantly important for LGBTI adolescents", the gay rights association Pink Embassy said in a statement.
All registered therapists in Albania must be members of the order of psychologists. Its decisions are final and "legally valid", Pink Embassy head Altin Hazizaj told AFP.
"This is the final decision which does not need to go through either the legislative or executive to enter into force," said Hazizaj.
Pink Embassy claims that parents often "force" adolescents to undergo conversion therapy.
"Although reports of the use of such therapies in Albania have been small, allowing them has been a serious concern."
Data from other countries show that people who have experienced the therapy are 8.4 times more likely to commit suicide, the NGO said.
Also, they are 5.9 times more exposed to high levels of depression.
Medical experts consider psychological or spiritual interventions to change someone's sexual orientation pseudo-scientific, ineffective and often harmful.
The most controversial techniques involve administering electric shocks as subjects view images of homosexual acts or injections of the male hormone testosterone.
In March 2018, the European parliament passed a resolution condemning the practice and urging member states to ban it.
Earlier this month Germany became the second European country after Malta to ban conversion therapy for minors.
In the past few years largely conservative Albania has made progress in protecting gay rights, passing a law in 2010 against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
However, in everyday life most LGBTI people, like in many countries of southeastern Europe, still face prejudice, discrimination and domestic violence, says Pink Embassy.
"Social attitudes towards the LGBT community are... among the most unfavourable at the European level," the NGO said in its statement.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-16--Europeans hit the beach as Covid-19 lockdowns ease

A man wearing a protective face mask runs past a placard by the city of Nice regarding hygienic measures and activities allowed on the beach at the 'Promenade des Anglais ' in the French riviera city of Nice , southern France , on May 16 , 2020 , after France eased lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic , caused by the novel coronavirus , on May 11 .
Germany 's Bundesliga football league returned to action in empty stadiums on Saturday , as swimmers dove into the waves at newly reopened beaches in France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eased .
The reopenings are a tentative step towards a return to normality in some of the countries worst affected by the pandemic , which has killed more than 307,000 people , infected over 4.5 million , wrought vast economic havoc and brought life to a halt .
There are also signs that countries are relaxing border controls imposed months ago to stop the spread of Covid-19 .
Italy , for a long stretch the world 's worst-hit country , announced it would reopen to European holidaymakers from June 3 and scrap quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lift restrictions to boost their stagnant economies , there have been widespread fears of a second wave of infections that could plunge the world back into lockdown .
Such fears have delayed the return of team sport and the Bundesliga became the first major European football league to resume when matches kicked off at 3.30pm ( 1330 GMT ) in front of vacant , echoing stadiums .
`` It 's sad that matches are played in empty stadiums , but it 's better than nothing — the more we keep to health rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normality , '' said 45-year-old Borussia Dortmund fan Marco Perz , with a beer in hand as he prepared to watch the game on TV .
Dortmund 's profilic striker Erling Braut Haaland was the first goal-scorer after the two-month shutdown , helping his team thrash rivals Schalke 4-0 .
He celebrated the goal by dancing alone — making no contact with team-mates , who clapped him on — to comply with the strict hygiene guidelines which allowed the league to return .
`` The whole world will be looking at Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Hansi Flick , the boss of league leaders Bayern Munich .
`` If we manage to ensure that the season continues , it will send a signal to all leagues . ''
Russia has announced its own football league will return next month and has pushed ahead with plans to lift restrictions despite recording its highest daily death toll on Saturday , with 119 fatalities .
Spain 's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the country would extend its state of emergency for `` about a month '' , until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In France , the first weekend after the most strict measures were lifted saw many venture out into the spring sunshine — and hit the beach .
In the French Riveria city of Nice , keen swimmers dove into the surf before 8am ( 0600 GMT ) .
`` We are like drug addicts — we were impatient because we swim here all year round , '' said retiree Gilles before jumping into the cold water .
Here comes the sun With the European summer fast approaching , governments are moving to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wreckage .
Greece said it would open some of its air and sea links from Monday , as the country 's beaches reopened on Saturday for the first time this year .
Beachworker Pedri Alatras said that disinfecting lounge chairs after each customer was a burden .
`` I also have to wear gloves when it 's almost 40 degrees ( Celsius , 104 Fahrenheit ) , it 's exhausting but we have to respect the measures , '' he said on Saturday , when temperatures hit 38C .
Malls reopened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a trickle of customers , while in Vietnam , hundreds queued for tourist boats at the newly reopened UNESCO heritage site of Ha Long Bay .
Borders restrictions have also been slowly lifting , with Germany announcing Saturday it would open its frontier with Luxembourg , as well as relaxing crossing controls with Austria and Switzerland .
Austria meanwhile said it will ease its own border controls with the Czech Republic , Slovakia and Hungary from Sunday .
One hope of avoiding a dreaded second wave has been a vaccine , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday that one would be available by late 2020 — a timeline deemed unrealistic by many experts .
`` We are looking to get it by the end of the year if we can , maybe before , '' Trump told reporters at the White House as he discussed America 's `` Operation Warp Speed '' effort in the global race for a vaccine .
However France 's higher education and research minister Frederique Vidal said there was `` hope for a vaccine in 18 months , but it is not reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that without endangering people 's safety '' .
The pressure to ease lockdowns has mounted as the catastrophic economic effects of the virus have become clearer .
Air Canada has become the latest firm to slash its staff due to the pandemic , saying it made the `` very painful decision '' to lay off half its workforce .
`` May will not be a month of celebration .
Nor will June .
Nor July .
Nor probably the rest of this year , '' warned Neil Saunders , managing director of GlobalData @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world 's worst-affected country with more than 87,000 deaths and 1.4 million cases , more than 10 percent of the population is now unemployed .
Trump has been keen to ease lockdown measures as he seeks re-election in November , but some areas are resisting .
Lockdown measures in New York City have been extended until May 28 .
In the US House of Representatives , Democrats narrowly pushed through a $ 3 trillion rescue package late on Friday — but Republicans have vowed to block the package in the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year , the novel coronavirus has affected almost every country in the world .
The WHO has warned that Africa , which has so far been spared the worst , could have 231 million people infected and up to 190,000 die .
The virus is still surging in Latin America , with Chile 's capital Santiago waking up on Saturday for its first day in total lockdown after it saw a 60 percent leap in confirmed cases .
However the lockdowns have been a boon for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly retaken areas abandoned by humans .
In the latest instance , normally reclusive leopards have been roaming onto the deserted pathways of a park in Pakistan 's capital Islamabad .
`` Wildlife is comfortable as there are no visitors here .
They are wandering here comfortably , which is a good sign for the jungle , '' said ranger Imran Khan — not to be confused with the namesake prime minister .

Germany's Bundesliga football league returned to action in empty stadiums on Saturday, as swimmers dove into the waves at newly reopened beaches in France, Italy and Greece after coronavirus lockdowns were eased.
A man wearing a protective face mask runs past a placard by the city of Nice regarding hygienic measures and activities allowed on the beach at the 'Promenade des Anglais' in the French riviera city of Nice, southern France, on May 16, 2020, after France eased lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, on May 11.
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The reopenings are a tentative step towards a return to normality in some of the countries worst affected by the pandemic, which has killed more than 307,000 people, infected over 4.5 million, wrought vast economic havoc and brought life to a halt.
There are also signs that countries are relaxing border controls imposed months ago to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Italy, for a long stretch the world's worst-hit country, announced it would reopen to European holidaymakers from June 3 and scrap quarantine requirements for arrivals.
But as governments lift restrictions to boost their stagnant economies, there have been widespread fears of a second wave of infections that could plunge the world back into lockdown.
Such fears have delayed the return of team sport and the Bundesliga became the first major European football league to resume when matches kicked off at 3.30pm (1330 GMT) in front of vacant, echoing stadiums.
'World looking to Germany'
"It's sad that matches are played in empty stadiums, but it's better than nothing — the more we keep to health rules, the sooner we can return to normality," said 45-year-old Borussia Dortmund fan Marco Perz, with a beer in hand as he prepared to watch the game on TV.
Dortmund's profilic striker Erling Braut Haaland was the first goal-scorer after the two-month shutdown, helping his team thrash rivals Schalke 4-0.
He celebrated the goal by dancing alone — making no contact with team-mates, who clapped him on — to comply with the strict hygiene guidelines which allowed the league to return.
02:53
"The whole world will be looking at Germany, to see how we get it done," said Hansi Flick, the boss of league leaders Bayern Munich.
"If we manage to ensure that the season continues, it will send a signal to all leagues."
Russia has announced its own football league will return next month and has pushed ahead with plans to lift restrictions despite recording its highest daily death toll on Saturday, with 119 fatalities.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the country would extend its state of emergency for "about a month", until the transition out of lockdown is completed.
In France, the first weekend after the most strict measures were lifted saw many venture out into the spring sunshine — and hit the beach.
In the French Riveria city of Nice, keen swimmers dove into the surf before 8am (0600 GMT).
"We are like drug addicts — we were impatient because we swim here all year round," said retiree Gilles before jumping into the cold water.
Here comes the sun
With the European summer fast approaching, governments are moving to help their key tourism industries salvage something from the wreckage.
Greece said it would open some of its air and sea links from Monday, as the country's beaches reopened on Saturday for the first time this year.
Beachworker Pedri Alatras said that disinfecting lounge chairs after each customer was a burden.
"I also have to wear gloves when it's almost 40 degrees (Celsius, 104 Fahrenheit), it's exhausting but we have to respect the measures," he said on Saturday, when temperatures hit 38C.
Ekhatimerini cartoon
Opening the beaches in #Greece pic.twitter.com/PvdQSW4br3 — Eli Dror (@edrormba) May 15, 2020
Malls reopened in the Philippines' capital Manila but saw only a trickle of customers, while in Vietnam, hundreds queued for tourist boats at the newly reopened UNESCO heritage site of Ha Long Bay.
Borders restrictions have also been slowly lifting, with Germany announcing Saturday it would open its frontier with Luxembourg, as well as relaxing crossing controls with Austria and Switzerland.
Austria meanwhile said it will ease its own border controls with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary from Sunday.
01:53
Vaccine hopes
One hope of avoiding a dreaded second wave has been a vaccine, and US President Donald Trump voiced hope late on Friday that one would be available by late 2020 — a timeline deemed unrealistic by many experts.
"We are looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before," Trump told reporters at the White House as he discussed America's "Operation Warp Speed" effort in the global race for a vaccine.
01:46
However France's higher education and research minister Frederique Vidal said there was "hope for a vaccine in 18 months, but it is not reasonable to think we can be faster than that without endangering people's safety".
'No celebration'
The pressure to ease lockdowns has mounted as the catastrophic economic effects of the virus have become clearer.
Air Canada has become the latest firm to slash its staff due to the pandemic, saying it made the "very painful decision" to lay off half its workforce.
"May will not be a month of celebration. Nor will June. Nor July. Nor probably the rest of this year," warned Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.
In the United States, the world's worst-affected country with more than 87,000 deaths and 1.4 million cases, more than 10 percent of the population is now unemployed.
Trump has been keen to ease lockdown measures as he seeks re-election in November, but some areas are resisting. Lockdown measures in New York City have been extended until May 28.
In the US House of Representatives, Democrats narrowly pushed through a $3 trillion rescue package late on Friday — but Republicans have vowed to block the package in the Senate, which they control.
Since emerging in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the novel coronavirus has affected almost every country in the world.
The WHO has warned that Africa, which has so far been spared the worst, could have 231 million people infected and up to 190,000 die.
The virus is still surging in Latin America, with Chile's capital Santiago waking up on Saturday for its first day in total lockdown after it saw a 60 percent leap in confirmed cases.
However the lockdowns have been a boon for one group — animals, which have increasingly retaken areas abandoned by humans.
A puma in Santiago, Chile, on March 24, 2020. © Reuters / France 24
In the latest instance, normally reclusive leopards have been roaming onto the deserted pathways of a park in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.
"Wildlife is comfortable as there are no visitors here. They are wandering here comfortably, which is a good sign for the jungle," said ranger Imran Khan — not to be confused with the namesake prime minister.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--Félicien Kabuga: From poverty to alleged financier of the Rwandan genocide

A handout photo released by the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals ( MICT ) shows Félicien Kabuga , one of the last key fugitives wanted over the 1994 Rwandan genocide , who was arrested in a Paris suburb on May 16 , 2020 .
Félicien Kabuga , who was arrested Saturday in a Paris suburb , rose from poverty to become one of Rwanda 's richest men before allegedly using his wealth to fund the country 's 1994 genocide .
Kabuga 's money and connections also helped him avoid arrest for more than 20 years as he moved from Rwanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Kenya .
Charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda ( ICTR ) with `` genocide '' , `` complicity in genocide '' , and `` direct and public incitement to commit genocide '' , Kabuga , 84 , was living under a false identity outside Paris and people close to him said he had died .
He was one of the world 's most-wanted fugitives and often referred to as the person who financed three months of Rwandan massacres from April to June , 1994 in which 800,000 people were killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his first jobs included peddling items door to door and selling cigarettes and used clothing in a market in his native Byumba region in northern Rwanda .
A hard and determined worker , Kabuga then moved to Kigali where he opened several shops .
One of the richest men in Rwanda According to French press reports , he owned a tea plantation , a mill , and real estate , including apartments and warehouses .
By 1994 he was said to be one of the richest men in Rwanda and if farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were often nicknamed `` Kabuga '' .
In 1993 , one of his daughters married the oldest son of Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana , whose assassination triggered the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus .
Another daughter married Augustin Ngirabatware , the country 's planning minister who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the bloodshed .
Kabuga was also charged by the ICTR with two lesser but related genocide charges .
He headed the National Defence Fund , to which he and other businessmen contributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uniforms for the army and Interahamwe Hutu militia .
`` In his position of authority , Felicien Kabuga between April and June 1994 contributed to the interahamwe 's killing and harming of persons identified as Tutsis by organising meetings ... to raise funds to purchase arms , '' the ICTR indictment read .
Jean Damascene Bizimana , executive secretary of the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide , told AFP that Kabuga had funded `` tonnes of machetes and grenades which were imported and distributed across the country as weapons '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ death with machetes .
In addition , Kabuga helped create the notorious Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines ( RTLM ) that incited people to carry out murder in its broadcasts .
`` Kabuga served as president of RTLM and as such had de facto and de jure control of programming , operations , and finances of RTLM , '' the indictment said .
He is also accused of directly supervising Interahamwe massacres in Gisenyi , northwestern Rwanda , and in the Kigali district of Kimironko .
In July 1994 , Kabuga sought refuge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later .
He flew to Kinshasa and later moved on to Kenya , where he managed to avoid three arrest attempts by police and ICTR officials after an arrest warrant was issued in 1997 .
The United States offered a reward of $ 5 million in 2002 for information leading to his arrest and funded a media campaign in Kenya that splashed his photo across the country .
In 2011 , the ICTR organised forums to collect testimony for Kabuga 's eventual trial , in case some witnesses died before he could @ @ @

Félicien Kabuga, who was arrested Saturday in a Paris suburb, rose from poverty to become one of Rwanda's richest men before allegedly using his wealth to fund the country's 1994 genocide.
A handout photo released by the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) shows Félicien Kabuga, one of the last key fugitives wanted over the 1994 Rwandan genocide, who was arrested in a Paris suburb on May 16, 2020.
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Kabuga's money and connections also helped him avoid arrest for more than 20 years as he moved from Rwanda to Switzerland, the former Zaire, and Kenya.
Charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) with "genocide", "complicity in genocide", and "direct and public incitement to commit genocide", Kabuga, 84, was living under a false identity outside Paris and people close to him said he had died.
He was one of the world's most-wanted fugitives and often referred to as the person who financed three months of Rwandan massacres from April to June, 1994 in which 800,000 people were killed.
Kabuga's parents were modest farmers and his first jobs included peddling items door to door and selling cigarettes and used clothing in a market in his native Byumba region in northern Rwanda.
A hard and determined worker, Kabuga then moved to Kigali where he opened several shops.
One of the richest men in Rwanda
According to French press reports, he owned a tea plantation, a mill, and real estate, including apartments and warehouses.
By 1994 he was said to be one of the richest men in Rwanda and if farmers in remote villages saved up money, they were often nicknamed "Kabuga".
In 1993, one of his daughters married the oldest son of Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana, whose assassination triggered the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
Another daughter married Augustin Ngirabatware, the country's planning minister who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the bloodshed.
Kabuga was also charged by the ICTR with two lesser but related genocide charges.
He headed the National Defence Fund, to which he and other businessmen contributed, and which allegedly bought machetes and uniforms for the army and Interahamwe Hutu militia.
"In his position of authority, Felicien Kabuga between April and June 1994 contributed to the interahamwe's killing and harming of persons identified as Tutsis by organising meetings ... to raise funds to purchase arms," the ICTR indictment read.
Jean Damascene Bizimana, executive secretary of the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide, told AFP that Kabuga had funded "tonnes of machetes and grenades which were imported and distributed across the country as weapons".
Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes.
Broadcasting calls for murder
In addition, Kabuga helped create the notorious Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) that incited people to carry out murder in its broadcasts.
"Kabuga served as president of RTLM and as such had de facto and de jure control of programming, operations, and finances of RTLM," the indictment said.
He is also accused of directly supervising Interahamwe massacres in Gisenyi, northwestern Rwanda, and in the Kigali district of Kimironko.
In July 1994, Kabuga sought refuge in Switzerland but was thrown out a month later.
He flew to Kinshasa and later moved on to Kenya, where he managed to avoid three arrest attempts by police and ICTR officials after an arrest warrant was issued in 1997.
The United States offered a reward of $5 million in 2002 for information leading to his arrest and funded a media campaign in Kenya that splashed his photo across the country.
In 2011, the ICTR organised forums to collect testimony for Kabuga's eventual trial, in case some witnesses died before he could be arrested.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--Israel's Netanyahu presents his unity government to parliament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a swearing in ceremony of his new unity government with election rival Benny Gantz , at the Knesset , Israel 's parliament , in Jerusalem May 17 , 2020 .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his new unity government to parliament on Sunday , ending more than a year of political deadlock as he prepares to go on trial in a week for alleged corruption .
His power-sharing agreement with former election rival , centrist Blue and White leader Benny Gantz , opens the way for the right-wing Netanyahu to proceed towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the occupied West Bank , land Palestinians seek for a state .
Under his accord with Gantz , after three inconclusive elections , Netanyahu will remain prime minister for 18 months before handing over to his new partner .
Gantz , a former armed forces chief , will be Netanyahu 's defence minister .
`` The people wanted unity , and that is what it got , '' Netanyahu told parliament , citing a desire to avoid a fourth election after three inconclusive ballots since April 2019 , and a national battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longest-serving leader , Netanyahu , now 70 , first came to power in 1996 and has served three consecutive terms since 2009 .
He goes on trial on May 24 on charges of bribery , breach of trust and fraud , which he denies .
With a record 36 ministers , the cabinet will be the largest in Israel 's history , a reflection of weeks of deal-making that bolstered Netanyahu 's reputation as a political survivor .

Israel's parliament swore in a new unity government on Sunday led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz, ending the longest political crisis in the nation's history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a swearing-in ceremony of his new unity government with election rival Benny Gantz at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem on May 17, 2020.
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After more than 500 days without a stable government and three inconclusive elections, lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament approved a three-year coalition, with 73 voting for and 46 against. One member was absent.
The new government was set to confront serious crises in its first weeks, including the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus and a looming battle over Israel’s possible annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank.
Addressing the parliament, or Knesset, before the vote, Netanyahu said his incoming government should apply Israeli sovereignty over Jewish West Bank settlements.
“It’s time to apply the Israeli law and write another glorious chapter in the history of Zionism,” Netanyahu said.
Such a move is seen as likely to cause international uproar and inflame tensions in the West Bank, home to nearly three million Palestinians and some 400,000 Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
Netanyahu told the chamber that annexation “won’t distance us from peace, it will bring us closer”.
01:39
The coalition government was agreed last month between veteran right-wing leader Netanyahu and the centrist Gantz, a former army chief.
Plans had been set for an inauguration last Thursday, but Netanyahu asked for three more days to decide on cabinet assignments among his Likud party loyalists.
West Bank annexations?
Under the coalition deal, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the coming 18 months—a major victory for a leader due to stand trial in a week on corruption charges, which he denies.
Gantz will be alternate prime minister, a new position in Israeli governance, for the first half of the deal. He and Netanyahu will swap roles on November 17, 2021.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Israel on its new government, saying he hoped for a continued “policy of strengthening friendly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation” between the countries.
US top diplomat Mike Pompeo welcomed the swearing-in announcement in a tweet.
“We are extremely fortunate to have such strong and experienced partners in Jerusalem,” he said.
The Netanyahu-Gantz deal says the government can from July 1 initiate moves to implement US President Donald Trump’s controversial peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The plan, rejected by the Palestinians, gives the green light from Washington for Israel to annex Jewish settlements and other territory in the West Bank.
Some experts warn that Jordan may back away from its historic 1994 peace deal with Israel if the Jewish state tries to annex the strategically crucial Jordan Valley border region.
Speaking to German magazine Der Spiegel days ago, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said: “If Israel really annexes the West Bank in July, it would lead to a massive conflict with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”
‘Bloated and wasteful’
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday that the bloc would use “all our diplomatic capacities” to try to dissuade Israel’s incoming government from going ahead with annexations.
Gantz and incoming Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi are both known to have reservations about annexation and the international backlash.
Gantz did not mention the issue in his Knesset speech on Sunday.
He addressed criticism of his decision to join forces with Netanyahu, which split his Blue and White coalition, arguing that Israel needed unity after a year of bitter division.
“My friends and I chose unity to defend Israeli citizens, not just from the challenges from outside our borders but also from the hatred eating away at us from within and harming our resilience,” he said.
The 35th government since Israel’s creation in 1948 includes representatives from across the political spectrum, with a record 34 to 36 cabinet seats.
Cabinet posts have been assigned to the left-wing Labour party, Blue and White, Likud and leaders from conservative ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
The large cabinet and additional funds for the new position of alternate prime minister have prompted criticism as Israel seeks to address the economic fallout from coronavirus, which has infected more than 16,500 Israelis and caused more than 260 deaths, according to official figures.
Unemployment has soared from 3.4 percent before the crisis to 27 percent.
New opposition leader Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party, an ex-Blue and White head who broke with Gantz over his decision to seek an alliance with Netanyahu, condemned the government as “the most expensive in the history of Israel”.
“Israelis deserve better,” he told the Knesset on Sunday.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--Young Cuban doctor helps with Italy's battle against Covid-19

Cuban doctor Roberto Arias Hernandez , who specializes in internal medicine , poses in front of Cuban and Italian flags at the Maggiore Hospital in Crema , northwest Italy , on May 15 , 2020 .
Neither the northern Italian chill nor the unfamiliar language has deterred a young Cuban doctor who for the past two months has been helping in the fight against coronavirus in Europe , thousands of miles from home .
Roberto Arias Hernandez , one of Cuba 's so-called `` Army of White Coats '' sent by his country in March to help Italy battle a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his colleagues were `` simply doctors . ''
`` Today it is our turn more than ever to play our role , '' the 28-year-old internist told AFP on a recent morning , before starting his shift at the Crema Maggiore Hospital in the heart of Lombardy , the region hardest hit by the virus .
Arias , who is on his first mission abroad , is part of a group of 51 other doctors and specialists , more than half of whom have experience fighting Ebola in Africa .
Their mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day marked by `` abysmal '' cold , recalled the Caribbean islander .
The group of Cubans was dispatched to the city of Crema , whose 34,000 inhabitants were suffering under a dizzying rise in the number of coronavirus cases and a seemingly relentless number of deaths .
In Lombardy , over 15,000 people have died from the virus , nearly half of the 31,610 recorded so far in the entire country , according to latest figures on Saturday .
`` Fear is always felt , because you 're going to fight ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' confessed Arias .
`` You want to do it , but you 're also afraid that you wo n't be up to it , '' he said , adding that after the initial worries subsided , the team `` performed quite well . ''
Working side by side with colleagues from the other side of the world who trained at different universities posed no problems , Arias said .
In terms of technical language , `` we understand each other perfectly . ''
Moreover , Arias said he appreciated the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even under trying circumstances .
`` Italian doctors have a personality like the Cubans , '' Arias said .
`` They 're cheerful , they all greet you , they thank you for being here .
Some of them make jokes . ''
Arias , who has been working non-stop since he arrived , begins the day doing rounds , accompanied by an Italian doctor and a nurse , after the complex step of donning protective gear - a gown , mask , glasses , transparent visor and gloves .
Getting out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
`` That 's when you feel the fatigue .
But you reactivate your neurons and you realise that you came for this and that 's what you 're fighting for , '' he said .
`` You take a shower and tell yourself , ' C'mon , let 's do this again . '
'' Arias , father of an 11-month-old baby , said he has been filled with `` indescribable pride '' hearing Italians applauding from their balconies and windows for the doctors , nurses and health workers during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages and letters of thanks , many from children .
Some people in Crema hung signs from their windows saying `` Thank you Cuba , '' he said .
The head of the Cuban contingent , Carlos Perez Diaz , said the team would stay as long as necessary to fight the coronavirus , which is still circulating even though the number of infections and deaths have been decreasing .
`` We will return to the homeland with our duty done , '' he said .
Even though most of the Cuban doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like to do before leaving Italy would be to meet Pope Francis , an Argentinian who has not spared words of praise for doctors fighting the virus .
`` To be able to stand in front of the principal figure on the global level who professes good , that would be really great . ''

Neither the northern Italian chill nor the unfamiliar language has deterred a young Cuban doctor who for the past two months has been helping in the fight against coronavirus in Europe, thousands of miles from home.
Cuban doctor Roberto Arias Hernandez, who specializes in internal medicine, poses in front of Cuban and Italian flags at the Maggiore Hospital in Crema, northwest Italy, on May 15, 2020.
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Roberto Arias Hernandez, one of Cuba's so-called "Army of White Coats" sent by his country in March to help Italy battle a spiralling epidemic of COVID-19, said he and his colleagues were "simply doctors."
"Today it is our turn more than ever to play our role," the 28-year-old internist told AFP on a recent morning, before starting his shift at the Crema Maggiore Hospital in the heart of Lombardy, the region hardest hit by the virus.
Arias, who is on his first mission abroad, is part of a group of 51 other doctors and specialists, more than half of whom have experience fighting Ebola in Africa.
Their mission began on March 22, a rainy day marked by "abysmal" cold, recalled the Caribbean islander.
The group of Cubans was dispatched to the city of Crema, whose 34,000 inhabitants were suffering under a dizzying rise in the number of coronavirus cases and a seemingly relentless number of deaths.
In Lombardy, over 15,000 people have died from the virus, nearly half of the 31,610 recorded so far in the entire country, according to latest figures on Saturday.
The fear
"Fear is always felt, because you're going to fight... in the epicentre of the pandemic worldwide," confessed Arias.
"You want to do it, but you're also afraid that you won't be up to it," he said, adding that after the initial worries subsided, the team "performed quite well."
Working side by side with colleagues from the other side of the world who trained at different universities posed no problems, Arias said. In terms of technical language, "we understand each other perfectly."
Moreover, Arias said he appreciated the good humour and warmth of the Italians, even under trying circumstances.
"Italian doctors have a personality like the Cubans," Arias said. "They're cheerful, they all greet you, they thank you for being here. Some of them make jokes."
Arias, who has been working non-stop since he arrived, begins the day doing rounds, accompanied by an Italian doctor and a nurse, after the complex step of donning protective gear - a gown, mask, glasses, transparent visor and gloves.
Getting out of bed is the hardest part of the day.
"That's when you feel the fatigue. But you reactivate your neurons and you realise that you came for this and that's what you're fighting for," he said. "You take a shower and tell yourself, 'C'mon, let's do this again.'"
Pride of profession
Arias, father of an 11-month-old baby, said he has been filled with "indescribable pride" hearing Italians applauding from their balconies and windows for the doctors, nurses and health workers during the quarantine.
He has received hundreds of messages and letters of thanks, many from children. Some people in Crema hung signs from their windows saying "Thank you Cuba," he said.
The head of the Cuban contingent, Carlos Perez Diaz, said the team would stay as long as necessary to fight the coronavirus, which is still circulating even though the number of infections and deaths have been decreasing.
"We will return to the homeland with our duty done," he said.
Even though most of the Cuban doctors are not religious, one thing Arias would like to do before leaving Italy would be to meet Pope Francis, an Argentinian who has not spared words of praise for doctors fighting the virus.
"To be able to stand in front of the principal figure on the global level who professes good, that would be really great."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--Obama renews his recent attack on Trump's Covid-19 response

In this screengrab , former US President Barack Obama speaks during Graduate Together : America Honors the High School Class of 2020 on May 16 , 2020 .
Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticised the US administration 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the country , in what was widely regarded as a rare public rebuke of his successor Donald Trump .
Obama 's remarks came as he spoke at two virtual commencements for high school and university students locked down instead of celebrating their graduations , a rite of passage every spring in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has fully , finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they 're doing , '' Obama told graduates from several dozen historically black colleges and universities at the first ceremony .
`` A lot of them are n't even pretending to be in charge , '' he said as he discussed the implications of the pandemic during the online event , without naming any specific leaders .
That celebration was followed by a second , star-studded prime-time ceremony for high school students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , telling students to step up where leaders had failed .
`` If the world is going to get better , it 's going to be up to you , '' he said .
`` Doing what feels good , what 's convenient , what 's easy – that 's how little kids think .
Unfortunately , a lot of so-called grown-ups , including some with fancy titles and important jobs , still think that way – which is why things are so screwed up , '' he continued .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground yourself in values that last , like honesty , hard work , responsibility , fairness , generosity , respect for others . ''
Obama did not name Trump or any other federal or state officials in either of his appearances .
But Trump was quick to respond on Twitter , tweeting just one word 'OBAMAGATE ! '
The ceremony , carried by all the major American television networks , flashed between stirring speeches and performances by students and celebrities alike , including basketball superstar LeBron James and singers the Jonas Brothers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ students to step up , urging them to `` stay close to home '' and help rebuild communities devastated by the virus and shutdowns .
The US leads the world with coronavirus cases and deaths , at 1.4 million and nearly 90,000 , respectively .
This year 's graduates face a grim reality : the US unemployment rate has shot up to nearly 15 percent and more than 36 million people have filed for unemployment benefits as America grapples with the fallout from months of lockdown and business closings .
The gravity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact it was the second time in a week he had hit out at the response to the pandemic , having pointedly refused to criticize Trump in public in the three years since he left office .
He kept his profile low despite being frequently attacked by the president .
But on May 9 , in remarks leaked from a web call with people who worked in his administration , he called Trump 's handling of the pandemic a catastrophe .
`` It would have been bad even with the best of governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster when that mindset – of 'what 's in it for me ' and 'to heck with everybody else ' – when that mindset is operationalised in our government , '' he said in that call .
In his comments Saturday , Obama also highlighted how the health crisis has underscored racial inequality in America , and expressed outrage at the shooting death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery , killed on February 23 while out for a jog in Georgia .
`` A disease like this just spotlights the underlying inequalities and extra burdens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with in this country , '' he said at the first ceremony .
`` We see it in the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our communities .
Just as we see it when a black man goes for a jog and some folks feel like they can stop and question , and shoot him , if he does n't submit to their question , '' he continued , without naming Arbery .

Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticised the US administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the country, in what was widely regarded as a rare public rebuke of his successor Donald Trump.
In this screengrab, former US President Barack Obama speaks during Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 on May 16, 2020.
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Obama's remarks came as he spoke at two virtual commencements for high school and university students locked down instead of celebrating their graduations, a rite of passage every spring in the United States.
"More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they're doing," Obama told graduates from several dozen historically black colleges and universities at the first ceremony.
"A lot of them aren't even pretending to be in charge," he said as he discussed the implications of the pandemic during the online event, without naming any specific leaders.
Congrats to the high school Class of 2020, as well as to the teachers, coaches, and most of all, parents and family who’ve guided you along the way. Thanks for letting me be part of your big day! pic.twitter.com/RjYvHs2BhC — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 17, 2020
That celebration was followed by a second, star-studded prime-time ceremony for high school students in which Obama continued along the same lines, telling students to step up where leaders had failed.
"If the world is going to get better, it's going to be up to you," he said.
"Doing what feels good, what's convenient, what's easy – that's how little kids think. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called grown-ups, including some with fancy titles and important jobs, still think that way – which is why things are so screwed up," he continued.
"I hope that instead, you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others."
Obama did not name Trump or any other federal or state officials in either of his appearances. But Trump was quick to respond on Twitter, tweeting just one word 'OBAMAGATE!'
OBAMAGATE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020
The ceremony, carried by all the major American television networks, flashed between stirring speeches and performances by students and celebrities alike, including basketball superstar LeBron James and singers the Jonas Brothers.
James echoed Obama's call for the students to step up, urging them to "stay close to home" and help rebuild communities devastated by the virus and shutdowns.
Uncertain future
The US leads the world with coronavirus cases and deaths, at 1.4 million and nearly 90,000, respectively.
This year's graduates face a grim reality: the US unemployment rate has shot up to nearly 15 percent and more than 36 million people have filed for unemployment benefits as America grapples with the fallout from months of lockdown and business closings.
The gravity of Obama's message was underscored by the fact it was the second time in a week he had hit out at the response to the pandemic, having pointedly refused to criticize Trump in public in the three years since he left office.
He kept his profile low despite being frequently attacked by the president.
But on May 9, in remarks leaked from a web call with people who worked in his administration, he called Trump's handling of the pandemic a catastrophe.
"It would have been bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset – of 'what's in it for me' and 'to heck with everybody else' – when that mindset is operationalised in our government," he said in that call.
In his comments Saturday, Obama also highlighted how the health crisis has underscored racial inequality in America, and expressed outrage at the shooting death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, killed on February 23 while out for a jog in Georgia.
"A disease like this just spotlights the underlying inequalities and extra burdens that black communities have historically had to deal with in this country," he said at the first ceremony.
"We see it in the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our communities. Just as we see it when a black man goes for a jog and some folks feel like they can stop and question, and shoot him, if he doesn't submit to their question," he continued, without naming Arbery.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--France reports 36 percent rise in victims of anti-LGBT attacks, offences

A demonstrator wears a sticker reading `` Homophobia kills '' during a gathering to protest against homophobia on November 3 , 2018 in the northwestern French city of Rouen .
Homophobic attacks and insults in France rose by 36 percent last year , according to figures released by the Interior Ministry on Saturday , prompting the government to talk of an `` anchoring '' of homophobia in the country .
The leap comes after 2018 was described as a `` black '' year by associations with an unequalled level of physical violence against LGBT people .
The new figures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , come on the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia , Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17 , and 30 years after the withdrawal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
Last year , the police `` identified 1,870 victims of homophobic or transphobic offences compared to 1,380 in 2018 '' , representing a `` 36 percent increase in the number of victims of anti-LGBT acts '' , the ministry said in a statement .
`` These figures testify to the deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said the ministry , adding that they form part of a broader increase in `` hate acts and identity extremism '' .
Insults constitute 33 percent of the offences , while violence ( physical and sexual ) make up 28 percent of the complaints .
The victims are mainly men - 75 percent - with 62 percent perpetrated against those under 35 years of age .
LGBT associations claim that the figures do not tell the whole story as many victims do not report crimes to the police .
The SOS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own figures on Monday .
The report shows that the incidents of homophobia are spread across the country with 36 percent of the complaints coming in the big cities .
`` This shows us that there is homophobia throughout the territory , including in rural areas , '' Frederic Potier , the interministerial delegate for the fight against racism , anti-Semitism and anti-LGBT hatred ( Dilcrah ) told AFP .
The world of sport comes under the microscope after several top football matches were interrupted because of homophobic chants from the stands or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interior Ministry , which called on Saturday for `` increased vigilance by the public authorities '' and more effort from society as a whole , recorded around 30 complaints concerning insults or threats made on the internet .
French lawmakers on Wednesday approved a controversial bill to ban hate speech on social media , a measure dismissed as censorship by detractors .
The law obliges platforms and search engines to remove offensive content - incitement to hate or violence and racist or religious bigotry - within 24 hours or risk a fine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.35 million ) .

Homophobic attacks and insults in France rose by 36 percent last year, according to figures released by the Interior Ministry on Saturday, prompting the government to talk of an "anchoring" of homophobia in the country.
A demonstrator wears a sticker reading "Homophobia kills" during a gathering to protest against homophobia on November 3, 2018 in the northwestern French city of Rouen.
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The leap comes after 2018 was described as a "black" year by associations with an unequalled level of physical violence against LGBT people.
The new figures, which show a steady increase in offences, come on the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17, and 30 years after the withdrawal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Last year, the police "identified 1,870 victims of homophobic or transphobic offences compared to 1,380 in 2018", representing a "36 percent increase in the number of victims of anti-LGBT acts", the ministry said in a statement.
"These figures testify to the deep anchoring of homophobia and transphobia in society," said the ministry, adding that they form part of a broader increase in "hate acts and identity extremism".
Insults constitute 33 percent of the offences, while violence (physical and sexual) make up 28 percent of the complaints.
The victims are mainly men - 75 percent - with 62 percent perpetrated against those under 35 years of age.
LGBT associations claim that the figures do not tell the whole story as many victims do not report crimes to the police. The SOS Homophobia association is due to publish its own figures on Monday.
Mainly in big cities
The report shows that the incidents of homophobia are spread across the country with 36 percent of the complaints coming in the big cities.
"This shows us that there is homophobia throughout the territory, including in rural areas," Frederic Potier, the interministerial delegate for the fight against racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBT hatred (Dilcrah) told AFP.
The world of sport comes under the microscope after several top football matches were interrupted because of homophobic chants from the stands or the display of abusive banners.
The Interior Ministry, which called on Saturday for "increased vigilance by the public authorities" and more effort from society as a whole, recorded around 30 complaints concerning insults or threats made on the internet.
French lawmakers on Wednesday approved a controversial bill to ban hate speech on social media, a measure dismissed as censorship by detractors.
The law obliges platforms and search engines to remove offensive content - incitement to hate or violence and racist or religious bigotry - within 24 hours or risk a fine of up to 1.25 million euros ($1.35 million).
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-17--Brazil registers more than 15,000 Covid-19 deaths as cases top 230,000

A sign that reads `` Stay at home '' is seen in front of the 28 de Agosto hospital during a demonstration in tribute to healthcare professionals who died from Covid-19 in Manaus , Brazil on May 16 , 2020 .
Brazil 's Covid-19 death toll passed 15,000 on Saturday , official data showed , while its number of infections topped 230,000 , making it the country with the fourth-highest number of cases in the world .
With 15,633 deaths and 233,142 confirmed cases , Brazil – whose president Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed the disease as a `` little flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections in Latin America .
Experts say under-testing means the real figures could be 15 times higher or more , and warn the worst is yet to come .
The sprawling South American country registered 816 deaths and 14,919 new cases in the past 24 hours .
Brazil 's outbreak is now the fourth-largest in the world , according to official figures .
Despite the rising tolls , Bolsonaro on Saturday attacked lockdown measures taken by some governors to contain the spread of the virus .
`` Unemployment , hunger and misery will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tyranny of total isolation , '' the far-right president tweeted , a day after Health Minister Nelson Teich resigned after less than a month on the job .
Brazil 's vice president , Hamilton Mourao , underwent a Covid-19 test and was placed in isolation at his official residence on Saturday , after a public servant who had been near him last week tested positive .
Mourao , 66 , will not fulfill official duties on Monday , when the results are expected .
Bolsonaro has undergone several coronavirus tests after ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil had processed nearly 338,000 coronavirus tests in official labs by the beginning of the week , according to the Health Ministry , and another 145,000 tests were under analysis or waiting in line .
Testing in the country still lags far behind European nations .
The pandemic has already claimed more than 312,000 lives worldwide .

Brazil's Covid-19 death toll passed 15,000 on Saturday, official data showed, while its number of infections topped 230,000, making it the country with the fourth-highest number of cases in the world.
A sign that reads "Stay at home" is seen in front of the 28 de Agosto hospital during a demonstration in tribute to healthcare professionals who died from Covid-19 in Manaus, Brazil on May 16, 2020.
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With 15,633 deaths and 233,142 confirmed cases, Brazil – whose president Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed the disease as a "little flu" – is at the epicenter of infections in Latin America.
Experts say under-testing means the real figures could be 15 times higher or more, and warn the worst is yet to come.
The sprawling South American country registered 816 deaths and 14,919 new cases in the past 24 hours. Brazil's outbreak is now the fourth-largest in the world, according to official figures.
Despite the rising tolls, Bolsonaro on Saturday attacked lockdown measures taken by some governors to contain the spread of the virus.
"Unemployment, hunger and misery will be the future of those who support the tyranny of total isolation," the far-right president tweeted, a day after Health Minister Nelson Teich resigned after less than a month on the job.
Vice president awaiting Covid-19 test result
Brazil's vice president, Hamilton Mourao, underwent a Covid-19 test and was placed in isolation at his official residence on Saturday, after a public servant who had been near him last week tested positive.
Mourao, 66, will not fulfill official duties on Monday, when the results are expected. Bolsonaro has undergone several coronavirus tests after ministers and other close aides tested positive.
Brazil had processed nearly 338,000 coronavirus tests in official labs by the beginning of the week, according to the Health Ministry, and another 145,000 tests were under analysis or waiting in line.
Testing in the country still lags far behind European nations.
The pandemic has already claimed more than 312,000 lives worldwide.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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