france24--2020-06-10--Minneapolis police chief takes on powerful police union, vows reform

File photo taken June 4 , 2020 of Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo ( R ) kneeling as the remains of George Floyd are taken to a memorial service in Minneapolis , USA .
The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations , Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday as he announced the first steps in what he claimed would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd 's death .
Arradondo said a thorough review of the contract is planned since it needs to be restructured to provide more transparency and flexibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off negotiations with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis came days after a majority of the city council pledged to dismantle the police force , raising pressure on the chief to take action .
Arradondo said it was debilitating for a chief when there are grounds to terminate an officer 's services and a third-party mechanism works to keep that person on the job .
“ This work must be transformational , but I must do it right , ” Arradondo said of changes to the department .
He also promised new research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem officers .
“ We will have a police department that our communities view as legitimate , trusting and working with their best interests at heart , ” he said , adding that the department has to address issues of racism head-on .
Arradondo sidestepped a question about whether he thought union head Bob Kroll , often seen as an obstacle to reform , should step down .
Police unions in the US are widely viewed as resistant to reform efforts .
Critics say their mandate to protect the interests of their members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the integrity of police departments .
A review in the journal Police Practice and Research noted that , “ Virtually all of the published items that express an opinion on the impact of police unions regard them as having a negative effect , particularly on innovation , accountability , and police — community relations.
” Floyd died on May 25 after Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck , ignoring the handcuffed black man ’ s “ I can ’ t breathe ” cries and staying there even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a white officer who had 17 complaints against him and was only disciplined once — is charged with second-degree murder , third-degree murder and manslaughter .
Three other officers at the scene are charged with aiding and abetting the second-degree murder and manslaughter counts .
Arradondo 's announcement came as Philonise Floyd challenged Congress on Wednesday to “ stop the pain '' so that his brother George would n't be just `` another name ” on a growing list of those killed during interactions with police .
Floyd 's appearance before a House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his bother , whose death has become a worldwide symbol in demonstrations over calls for changes to police practices and an end to racial prejudices .
“ I ’ m here today to ask you to make it stop .
Stop the pain , ” Philonise Floyd told the silenced hearing room .
Choking back tears , he said he wants to make sure that his brother , whom he called “ Perry ” is “ more than another face on a T-shirt .
More than another name on a list that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd directly challenged lawmakers to step up .
`` The people marching in the streets are telling you enough is enough .
Be the leaders that this country , this world , needs .
Do the right thing.
” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler gaveled in the session as Democrats review the Justice in Policing Act , a far-ranging package of proposals amid a national debate on policing and racial inequity in the US .

The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations, Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday as he announced the first steps in what he claimed would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd's death.
File photo taken June 4, 2020 of Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo (R) kneeling as the remains of George Floyd are taken to a memorial service in Minneapolis, USA.
Advertising Read more
Arradondo said a thorough review of the contract is planned since it needs to be restructured to provide more transparency and flexibility for true reform.
The decision to cut off negotiations with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis came days after a majority of the city council pledged to dismantle the police force, raising pressure on the chief to take action.
Arradondo said it was debilitating for a chief when there are grounds to terminate an officer's services and a third-party mechanism works to keep that person on the job.
“This work must be transformational, but I must do it right,” Arradondo said of changes to the department.
He also promised new research and strategies to spot and intervene with problem officers.
“We will have a police department that our communities view as legitimate, trusting and working with their best interests at heart,” he said, adding that the department has to address issues of racism head-on.
Arradondo sidestepped a question about whether he thought union head Bob Kroll, often seen as an obstacle to reform, should step down.
Unions resistant to reform
Police unions in the US are widely viewed as resistant to reform efforts. Critics say their mandate to protect the interests of their members often overrides the interests of democratic norms and the integrity of police departments.
A review in the journal Police Practice and Research noted that, “Virtually all of the published items that express an opinion on the impact of police unions regard them as having a negative effect, particularly on innovation, accountability, and police — community relations.”
Floyd died on May 25 after Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck, ignoring the handcuffed black man’s “I can’t breathe” cries and staying there even after Floyd stopped moving.
Chauvin — a white officer who had 17 complaints against him and was only disciplined once — is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers at the scene are charged with aiding and abetting the second-degree murder and manslaughter counts.
'Stop the pain,' Floyd's brother tells Congress
Arradondo's announcement came as Philonise Floyd challenged Congress on Wednesday to “stop the pain" so that his brother George wouldn't be just "another name” on a growing list of those killed during interactions with police.
00:32
Floyd's appearance before a House hearing came a day after funeral services for his bother, whose death has become a worldwide symbol in demonstrations over calls for changes to police practices and an end to racial prejudices.
“I’m here today to ask you to make it stop. Stop the pain,” Philonise Floyd told the silenced hearing room.
Choking back tears, he said he wants to make sure that his brother, whom he called “Perry” is “more than another face on a T-shirt. More than another name on a list that won’t stop growing”.
Floyd directly challenged lawmakers to step up. "The people marching in the streets are telling you enough is enough. Be the leaders that this country, this world, needs. Do the right thing.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler gaveled in the session as Democrats review the Justice in Policing Act, a far-ranging package of proposals amid a national debate on policing and racial inequity in the US.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--Pro-Haftar powers ‘looking for alternatives’ after opponents seize all of western Libya

After Turkey ’ s support for the GNA turned the tide against him , the strongman of eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar is in a very weak position .
In seizing all of western Libya , the UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) put a stop to Marshal Khalifa Haftar ’ s offensive against the capital Tripoli – and to the possibility of a military solution to the country ’ s decade-long civil war .
After Turkey ’ s support for the GNA turned the tide against him , Haftar is in a very weak position .
His international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there are signs that they are looking for an alternative partner in eastern Libya .
The UN-backed GNA announced on Saturday that its troops had taken over all of western Libya after routing Haftar ’ s Libyan National Army ( LNA ) .
This caps a series of setbacks for eastern Libya ’ s military strongman over recent weeks , just a few months on from his bold claim that he controlled 80 percent of the country .
Supported by Russia , Egypt , the UAE and ( tacitly ) France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April 2019 .
Initially , it seemed as if the military man might succeed in his goal of uniting Libya to put an end to the chaos that has reigned since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 .
But now Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj ’ s GNA has showed that it has taken the upper hand – as symbolised by their June 6 attack on the city of Sirte , a strategic point between the east and west of the country , which the LNA had controlled since January .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Haftar is now very much on the defensive , with a weak hand to play .
The tide turned against him at the start of 2020 , after Turkey started its official involvement in the war on the GNA ’ s side .
Haftar was further weakened by the withdrawal in mid-May of several hundred Russian mercenaries fighting for the LNA from the Tripoli front .
“ Undeniably Turkey ’ s military and technological support enabled most of the GNA ’ s victories on the ground , ” noted Rachid Khechana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a former director of the Maghreb Center for Libya Studies .
“ This allowed them to break the stranglehold Haftar ’ s forces had put around Tripoli , and then to change the state of play.
” In light of the dynamic changing to Haftar ’ s detriment , Egypt flew to the military man ’ s aid last week by proposing a ceasefire to start on June 8 , alongside a roadmap for a negotiated settlement in Libya .
Haftar signed up to this plan at a meeting in Cairo on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done so .
While the UN-recognised government has slowed down the flow of its troops towards Sirte , the head of the GNA ’ s Tripoli-based parliament Khaled al-Mechri dismissed the plan , saying it came from a defeated army , al-Jazeera reported .
Dubbed “ the Cairo Declaration ” , the initiative put forward by Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – and supported by Russia and the UAE – includes the creation of an elected presidential council in Libya , negotiations in Geneva , the withdrawal of all foreign soldiers , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For their part , European powers called on all sides to put down arms and go to the negotiating table on Tuesday , in a joint statement by the French , German and Italian foreign ministers and the EU ’ s external affairs spokesperson .
But Haftar ’ s humiliation will not necessarily lead to the LNA ’ s defeat in its powerbase of eastern Libya .
“ We ’ re already seeing Egypt and Russia working together on political alternatives to Haftar that could preserve their spheres of influence in eastern Libya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations , told Agence France-Presse .
A notable presence at the unveiling of the Cairo declaration was Aguila Saleh , the president of eastern Libya ’ s elected parliament .
Saleh favours a more emollient approach towards the GNA than Haftar .
In late May he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov , and they agreed on the “ urgent need ” for “ dialogue ” involving all of Libya ’ s political forces .
In April , Saleh proposed an eight-point plan to end the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council would collectively assume the functions of the head of the armed forces , during the drafting of a new Libyan constitution .
This would send Haftar back to the barracks – despite him asserting on April 27 that he has the “ mandate of the people ” to govern Libya alone .
“ The arrival on the scene of Aguila Saleh – with his ties to Moscow – shows that the pro-Haftar international powers are starting to look at alternatives in order to facilitate negotiations between Libya ’ s warring factions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given the balance of military forces on the ground , the GNA “ can not regain control of all of eastern Libya ” .
“ If the negotiations resume , ” Khechana concluded , “ they will start from the same state things were in before the GNA launched its offensive on Tripoli – while , behind the scenes , Moscow and Ankara may well agree a deal to carve out spheres of influence in Libya , as they did in Syria.
” This article was translated from the original in French @

In seizing all of western Libya, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) put a stop to Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s offensive against the capital Tripoli – and to the possibility of a military solution to the country’s decade-long civil war. After Turkey’s support for the GNA turned the tide against him, Haftar is in a very weak position. His international allies now favour a diplomatic solution, and there are signs that they are looking for an alternative partner in eastern Libya.
After Turkey’s support for the GNA turned the tide against him, the strongman of eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar is in a very weak position.
Advertising Read more
The UN-backed GNA announced on Saturday that its troops had taken over all of western Libya after routing Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA). This caps a series of setbacks for eastern Libya’s military strongman over recent weeks, just a few months on from his bold claim that he controlled 80 percent of the country.
Supported by Russia, Egypt, the UAE and (tacitly) France, Haftar launched an audacious offensive on Tripoli in April 2019. Initially, it seemed as if the military man might succeed in his goal of uniting Libya to put an end to the chaos that has reigned since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Turkish support crucial for GNA
But now Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj’s GNA has showed that it has taken the upper hand – as symbolised by their June 6 attack on the city of Sirte, a strategic point between the east and west of the country, which the LNA had controlled since January.
After a long time on the offensive, Haftar is now very much on the defensive, with a weak hand to play. The tide turned against him at the start of 2020, after Turkey started its official involvement in the war on the GNA’s side. Haftar was further weakened by the withdrawal in mid-May of several hundred Russian mercenaries fighting for the LNA from the Tripoli front.
“Undeniably Turkey’s military and technological support enabled most of the GNA’s victories on the ground,” noted Rachid Khechana, editor-in-chief of the Libyan specialist publication Chououn and a former director of the Maghreb Center for Libya Studies. “This allowed them to break the stranglehold Haftar’s forces had put around Tripoli, and then to change the state of play.”
In light of the dynamic changing to Haftar’s detriment, Egypt flew to the military man’s aid last week by proposing a ceasefire to start on June 8, alongside a roadmap for a negotiated settlement in Libya. Haftar signed up to this plan at a meeting in Cairo on Saturday – but the GNA has not done so. While the UN-recognised government has slowed down the flow of its troops towards Sirte, the head of the GNA’s Tripoli-based parliament Khaled al-Mechri dismissed the plan, saying it came from a defeated army, al-Jazeera reported.
Dubbed “the Cairo Declaration”, the initiative put forward by Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – and supported by Russia and the UAE – includes the creation of an elected presidential council in Libya, negotiations in Geneva, the withdrawal of all foreign soldiers, and the dismantling and disarmament of militias.
For their part, European powers called on all sides to put down arms and go to the negotiating table on Tuesday, in a joint statement by the French, German and Italian foreign ministers and the EU’s external affairs spokesperson.
Aguila Saleh, an alternative to Haftar?
But Haftar’s humiliation will not necessarily lead to the LNA’s defeat in its powerbase of eastern Libya. “We’re already seeing Egypt and Russia working together on political alternatives to Haftar that could preserve their spheres of influence in eastern Libya,” Tarek Megerisi, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Agence France-Presse.
A notable presence at the unveiling of the Cairo declaration was Aguila Saleh, the president of eastern Libya’s elected parliament. Saleh favours a more emollient approach towards the GNA than Haftar. In late May he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and they agreed on the “urgent need” for “dialogue” involving all of Libya’s political forces.
In April, Saleh proposed an eight-point plan to end the crisis, in which a new presidential council would collectively assume the functions of the head of the armed forces, during the drafting of a new Libyan constitution. This would send Haftar back to the barracks – despite him asserting on April 27 that he has the “mandate of the people” to govern Libya alone.
“The arrival on the scene of Aguila Saleh – with his ties to Moscow – shows that the pro-Haftar international powers are starting to look at alternatives in order to facilitate negotiations between Libya’s warring factions,” Khechana said, while noting that, given the balance of military forces on the ground, the GNA “cannot regain control of all of eastern Libya”.
“If the negotiations resume,” Khechana concluded, “they will start from the same state things were in before the GNA launched its offensive on Tripoli – while, behind the scenes, Moscow and Ankara may well agree a deal to carve out spheres of influence in Libya, as they did in Syria.”
This article was translated from the original in French.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--Nobel laureate Mukwege quits DR Congo Covid-19 team, blasts govt response

Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege has quit a local coronavirus taskforce , saying its work has been hamstrung by problems Nobel winner Denis Mukwege on Wednesday said he had resigned as head of a coronavirus taskforce in an eastern province of DR Congo , blaming organisational problems , outpaced strategy and slow testing .
Mukwege , a DR Congo gynaecologist who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his work against sexual violence in war , was appointed on March 30 to lead a committee in South Kivu province .
Panzi Hospital , where Mukwege treats abused women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a statement , he said there had been `` weaknesses in organisation and clarity between the various teams in charge of the response to the pandemic in South Kivu . ''
`` We are at the start of an exponential ... curve ( in infections ) and we can no longer apply a strategy that would be purely preventive , '' Mukwege said .
`` I have decided to resign ... in order to devote myself entirely to my medical duties and to treat the influx of patients at Panzi hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ took `` more than two weeks '' to get coronavirus test results from the national reference lab in Kinshasa -- `` a major handicap for our strategy based on 'testing , identifying , isolating and treating ' . ''
Mukwege also criticised developments that he said had `` reduced the effectiveness '' of the anti-virus campaign .
They included a relaxation in vigilance by the public , hurdles in enforcing distancing and the return of thousands of people from neighbouring countries without quarantine .
Mukwege had pleaded in mid-April for partial confinement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compulsory mask-wearing for everyone to help break the chain of virus transmission .
On May 9 , he called for `` emergency supplies '' of tests `` before the exponential curve ( of infections ) gets underway . ''
The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared 4,390 infections , including 3,980 in Kinshasa and 89 in South Kivu and a total of 96 deaths .

Nobel winner Denis Mukwege on Wednesday said he had resigned as head of a coronavirus taskforce in an eastern province of DR Congo, blaming organisational problems, outpaced strategy and slow testing.
Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege has quit a local coronavirus taskforce, saying its work has been hamstrung by problems
Advertising Read more
Mukwege, a DR Congo gynaecologist who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his work against sexual violence in war, was appointed on March 30 to lead a committee in South Kivu province.
Panzi Hospital, where Mukwege treats abused women, is also located in the province.
In a statement, he said there had been "weaknesses in organisation and clarity between the various teams in charge of the response to the pandemic in South Kivu."
"We are at the start of an exponential... curve (in infections) and we can no longer apply a strategy that would be purely preventive," Mukwege said.
"I have decided to resign... in order to devote myself entirely to my medical duties and to treat the influx of patients at Panzi hospital."
He said he regretted that it took "more than two weeks" to get coronavirus test results from the national reference lab in Kinshasa -- "a major handicap for our strategy based on 'testing, identifying, isolating and treating'."
Mukwege also criticised developments that he said had "reduced the effectiveness" of the anti-virus campaign.
They included a relaxation in vigilance by the public, hurdles in enforcing distancing and the return of thousands of people from neighbouring countries without quarantine.
Mukwege had pleaded in mid-April for partial confinement of people over the age of 60 and compulsory mask-wearing for everyone to help break the chain of virus transmission.
On May 9, he called for "emergency supplies" of tests "before the exponential curve (of infections) gets underway."
The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared 4,390 infections, including 3,980 in Kinshasa and 89 in South Kivu and a total of 96 deaths.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-11--Armed gangs in northwest Nigeria kill dozens in string of attacks

( FILE PHOTO ) Nigerian soldiers patrol on October 12 , 2019 , after gunmen suspected of belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province ( ISWAP ) group raided the village of Tungushe , killing a soldier and three residents .
- Four civilians and three soldiers have been killed in attacks in northeastern Nigeria blamed on jihadist fighters , local residents and militias said on October 12 , 2019 .
Armed gangs killed 57 people in a string of attacks on villages in northwest Nigeria , residents said on Wednesday , as security forces struggle to curb violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on motorcycles opened fire on residents before looting shops and stealing cattle in a series of assaults on Tuesday in six remote communities in Katsina state , the sources said .
`` We lost a total of 57 people in the attacks across the six villages , '' a local leader told AFP on condition of anonymity as he feared for his safety .
In the worst-hit village of Kadisau the assailants -- dubbed `` bandits '' by locals -- shot and killed 33 people , local resident Mohammed Salisu said .
Salisu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hiding in a ditch before crawling into a nearby house where he hid among dirty laundry for the five hours the attack and looting lasted .
`` They looted every shop in the village and took away over 200 cattle , '' said Salisu , who lost seven cows to the attackers .
The attackers opened fire on a football pitch where young men were watching a local match , said Sada Audi , a resident of nearby village said .
Residents said 24 more people were later killed across the villages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kwakwere and Maiganguna .
The assailants left two dozen people with bullet wounds , inhabitants said .
Nigeria 's northwest has been wracked by years of violence , involving clashes between rival communities over land , attacks by heavily armed criminal gangs and retaliation strikes from vigilante groups .
The unrest , which experts say has been spurred by overpopulation and climate change , has seen an estimated 8,000 people killed since 2011 and 200,000 flee their homes .
Nigeria 's military last month said it had launched air raids to halt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buhari 's home state of Katsina .
Authorities have carried out several security operations and local peace negotiations in the region but have failed to end the bloodshed .

Armed gangs killed 57 people in a string of attacks on villages in northwest Nigeria, residents said on Wednesday, as security forces struggle to curb violence in the region.
Nigerian soldiers patrol on October 12, 2019, after gunmen suspected of belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group raided the village of Tungushe.
Advertising Read more
Roughly 150 gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on residents before looting shops and stealing cattle in a series of assaults on Tuesday in six remote communities in Katsina state, the sources said.
"We lost a total of 57 people in the attacks across the six villages," a local leader told AFP on condition of anonymity as he feared for his safety.
In the worst-hit village of Kadisau the assailants – dubbed "bandits" by locals – shot and killed 33 people, local resident Mohammed Salisu said.
Salisu said he escaped by abandoning his motorcycle and hiding in a ditch before crawling into a nearby house where he hid among dirty laundry for the five hours the attack and looting lasted.
"They looted every shop in the village and took away over 200 cattle," said Salisu, who lost seven cows to the attackers.
The attackers opened fire on a football pitch where young men were watching a local match, said Sada Audi, a resident of nearby village said.
Residents said 24 more people were later killed across the villages of Hayin Kabalawa, Garke, Makera, Kwakwere and Maiganguna.
The assailants left two dozen people with bullet wounds, inhabitants said.
Nigeria's northwest has been wracked by years of violence, involving clashes between rival communities over land, attacks by heavily armed criminal gangs and retaliation strikes from vigilante groups.
The unrest, which experts say has been spurred by overpopulation and climate change, has seen an estimated 8,000 people killed since 2011 and 200,000 flee their homes.
Nigeria's military last month said it had launched air raids to halt a spike of attacks in President Muhammadu Buhari's home state of Katsina.
Authorities have carried out several security operations and local peace negotiations in the region but have failed to end the bloodshed.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--Italian prosecutors to question PM Conte over handling of virus

Italy 's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to face questioning by prosecutors on his administration 's handling of the coronavirus crisis .
Prosecutors are to question Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the health and interior ministers over how the government handled the coronavirus pandemic , news agencies reported Wednesday .
The prosecutors from Bergamo , the city in the northern Lombardy region worst hit by the virus , have launched an investigation into the crisis , which has killed over 34,000 people in Italy .
They are looking in particular at why a red zone was not enforced in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alzano .
Regional officials and the government blame each other for the failure .
Italy was the first European country to be ravaged by the virus .
The government imposed the country 's first red zone , around the town of Codogno , 24 hours after doctors discovered a patient positive for COVID-19 .
It went on to shut down 10 other towns , and then large areas of the north , before imposing a nationwide lockdown .
Conte , Health Minister Roberto Speranza and Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese will be called on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Corriere della Sera and Sole 24 Ore dailies reported .
The team , lead by chief prosecutor Maria Cristina Rota , has already questioned Lombardy region 's head Attilio Fontana and its health minister Giulio Gallera .
They insist it was up to Rome to decide whether certain areas should be shut .
Codogno was closed on February 21 .
Lombardy and 14 provinces in the neighbouring regions of Veneto , Piedmont and Emilia Romagna followed on March 8 , and the whole of Italy shut down two days later .
Gallera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 that there were a lot of cases in the areas around Nembro and Alzano , towns in the Bergamo province , but the government had failed to act .
Conte replied that `` if Lombardy had wanted to , it could have made Alzano and Nembro red zones '' .
But a scientific committee advising the government and the national health institute had warned in early March 3 that the towns should be locked down , according to the Corriere della Sera .
The Bergamo prosecutors will also speak to the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ISS ) Silvio Brusaferro , and the World Health Organization 's Italian government adviser Walter Ricciardi , the reports said .
Fifty relatives of coronavirus victims -- members of the `` Noi Denunceremo '' ( We Will Denounce ) committee -- filed complaints with the Bergamo prosecutors earlier Wednesday over the handling of the pandemic .
It is the first such legal group action in Italy .
`` If it had n't been so disorganised , if ( the province of ) Bergamo had been made into a red zone earlier , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collapse , '' said Monica Plazzoli , whose husband Armando died of the virus .
Far-right opposition leader Matteo Salvini , head of the League party which governs Lombardy , on Wednesday welcomed the investigation .
`` After so many lies and shameful attacks , justice has been done : those who have made mistakes must pay , '' he said .
Andrea Orlando of the centre-left Democratic Party ( PD ) , part of the government coalition , rebuked Salvini for using `` a painful situation for propaganda '' .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with institutional representatives , he said .

Prosecutors are to question Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the health and interior ministers over how the government handled the coronavirus pandemic, news agencies reported Wednesday.
Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to face questioning by prosecutors on his administration's handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Advertising Read more
The prosecutors from Bergamo, the city in the northern Lombardy region worst hit by the virus, have launched an investigation into the crisis, which has killed over 34,000 people in Italy.
They are looking in particular at why a red zone was not enforced in February around the towns of Nembro and Alzano. Regional officials and the government blame each other for the failure.
Italy was the first European country to be ravaged by the virus. The government imposed the country's first red zone, around the town of Codogno, 24 hours after doctors discovered a patient positive for COVID-19.
It went on to shut down 10 other towns, and then large areas of the north, before imposing a nationwide lockdown.
Conte, Health Minister Roberto Speranza and Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese will be called on by prosecutors in Rome later Wednesday, the Corriere della Sera and Sole 24 Ore dailies reported.
01:41
Blame game
The team, lead by chief prosecutor Maria Cristina Rota, has already questioned Lombardy region's head Attilio Fontana and its health minister Giulio Gallera. They insist it was up to Rome to decide whether certain areas should be shut.
Codogno was closed on February 21. Lombardy and 14 provinces in the neighbouring regions of Veneto, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna followed on March 8, and the whole of Italy shut down two days later.
Gallera has said it was clear from February 23 that there were a lot of cases in the areas around Nembro and Alzano, towns in the Bergamo province, but the government had failed to act.
Conte replied that "if Lombardy had wanted to, it could have made Alzano and Nembro red zones".
But a scientific committee advising the government and the national health institute had warned in early March 3 that the towns should be locked down, according to the Corriere della Sera.
The Bergamo prosecutors will also speak to the head of Italy's national health institute (ISS) Silvio Brusaferro, and the World Health Organization's Italian government adviser Walter Ricciardi, the reports said.
'Lies'
Fifty relatives of coronavirus victims -- members of the "Noi Denunceremo" (We Will Denounce) committee -- filed complaints with the Bergamo prosecutors earlier Wednesday over the handling of the pandemic. It is the first such legal group action in Italy.
"If it hadn't been so disorganised, if (the province of) Bergamo had been made into a red zone earlier, perhaps the hospitals would not have been driven to collapse," said Monica Plazzoli, whose husband Armando died of the virus.
Far-right opposition leader Matteo Salvini, head of the League party which governs Lombardy, on Wednesday welcomed the investigation.
"After so many lies and shameful attacks, justice has been done: those who have made mistakes must pay," he said.
Andrea Orlando of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), part of the government coalition, rebuked Salvini for using "a painful situation for propaganda".
It was normal procedure for prosecutors to speak with institutional representatives, he said.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--Shock, fear, rumours follow sudden death of Burundi’s strongman Nkurunziza

A portrait photo , a bottle of hand sanitiser and condolences book are seen displayed at the State House following the death of Burundi 's President Pierre Nkurunziza , in Bujumbura , Burundi June 10 , 2020 .
Burundians were in shock Wednesday after the sudden death of veteran President Pierre Nkurunziza , with rumours circulating and a climate of fear engulfing a country grappling with the complex legacy of his 15-year rule .
Flags in Burundi were lowered to half-mast after the death of the 55-year-old leader , who according to the government died on Monday of a heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wearing face masks and gloves to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , senior government officials , foreign ambassadors and religious leaders lined up to sign a condolence book opened in his memory at the presidential palace .
Nkurunziza 's wife , Denise Bucumi , appeared to be absent .
Air ambulance service AMREF told Reuters they had flown her to the Kenyan capital , Nairobi , on May 21 for medical treatment , but declined to confirm widespread reports in Kenyan media that this was for treatment for Covid-19 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source in the presidential office , speaking on condition of anonymity , told AFP the first lady flew back to the Burundian capital , Bujumbura , late Tuesday from Kenya .
But there was no official confirmation of the report .
The lack of clarity underscored the climate of secrecy and fear that engulfed the impoverished East African nation during Nkurunziza 's rule .
Burundi 's economy is mired in poverty and cut off by international donors after the UN documented the widespread rape , torture and murder of political opponents by ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It remains unclear whether the powerful cabal of army generals and security chiefs who propped up Nkurunziza during his 15-year rule remain united over the succession .
Nkurunziza , a fit sports enthusiast and evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to lead the East African nation , leaves behind a country in political and economic turmoil after his divisive rule .
His 2015 run for a third term in office sparked protests and a failed coup , with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 fled the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the media , Nkurunziza cultivated a personality cult , which saw the ruling party name him a `` visionary '' and `` supreme guide for patriotism '' .
Nkurunziza had been due to step down in August after his surprise decision not to run in a May election , which was won by the ruling CNDD-FDD 's handpicked successor , Evariste Ndayishimiye .
'The sky has crashed down on us' Members of the ruling party were in shock after the news of Nkurunziza 's death .
`` It is a catastrophe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has crashed down on us .
What will become of us without our supreme guide , '' one party leader said , sobbing , on condition of anonymity .
Gerard , a party member in Nkurunziza 's home province of Ngozi , told AFP he could not understand how Nkurunziza `` had died just like that ... we are obliged to believe this official version , but I do n't understand '' .
Rumours swirled on social media , with some wondering if he had been poisoned , while others suspecting he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has largely ignored the pandemic , which Nkurunziza declared had spared Burundi thanks to God .
Under the constitution , the president of the National Assembly , Pascal Nyabenda , should take over on an interim basis before Ndayishimiye 's swearing-in in August .
Nyabenda had been Nkurunziza 's first pick to succeed him but powerful generals in the ruling party chose Ndayishimiye instead .
Some in the country were gripped by anxiety over what comes next .
`` I am very worried for the future of course , because we do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days , if the CNDD-FDD is not going to tear themselves apart over the leadership , '' said Raoul , a young opposition supporter who works in a bank , and like many only gave his first name .
However life in Bujumbura had returned to normal after residents rushed home following the news on Tuesday .
`` Everything seems normal even if we see groups of people gathered together talking in hushed voices , '' said civil servant Jean-Marie , 40 .
Gertrude , a teacher living in exile in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised '' by Nkurunziza 's sudden death .
`` I am not going to cry after everything he has done to us ... .
extrajudicial executions , torture and all of that , but I regret that he died before being judged for these crimes . ''
Nkurunziza was a sports teacher who became a leader in the ethnic Hutu rebellion during the country 's 1993-2006 civil war with the minority Tutsi-dominated army .
The war left some 300,000 dead .
He was elected by parliament as president in 2005 and re-elected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final years in office saw the country placed under sanctions and cut off by western donors , with Burundi ranked by the World Bank as one of the world 's three poorest countries .
Nkurunziza withdrew his country from the International Criminal Court in 2017 , and last year shut down a local UN rights office which was probing killings , enforced disappearances and other rights abuses .
More recently Burundi expelled World Health Organization ( WHO ) staffers despite the coronavirus pandemic .
However , Nkurunziza received praise from his peers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ramaphosa said Africa had `` lost a leader who was devoted to people-centred sustainable development , self-reliance , the sovereignty of his people and country , as well as peace on the continent '' .
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as `` an exceptional leader in many ways .
He was a man of great courage ... His perseverance and determination saw him pursue his vision for a peaceful and stable Burundi . ''
Condolences also came in from Rwanda , Ethiopia , Djibouti , Niger and Somalia .

Burundians were in shock Wednesday after the sudden death of veteran President Pierre Nkurunziza, with rumours circulating and a climate of fear engulfing a country grappling with the complex legacy of his 15-year rule.
A portrait photo, a bottle of hand sanitiser and condolences book are seen displayed at the State House following the death of Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, in Bujumbura, Burundi June 10, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Flags in Burundi were lowered to half-mast after the death of the 55-year-old leader, who according to the government died on Monday of a heart attack after feeling unwell for two days.
Wearing face masks and gloves to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, senior government officials, foreign ambassadors and religious leaders lined up to sign a condolence book opened in his memory at the presidential palace.
Nkurunziza's wife, Denise Bucumi, appeared to be absent. Air ambulance service AMREF told Reuters they had flown her to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on May 21 for medical treatment, but declined to confirm widespread reports in Kenyan media that this was for treatment for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
A source in the presidential office, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP the first lady flew back to the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, late Tuesday from Kenya. But there was no official confirmation of the report.
The lack of clarity underscored the climate of secrecy and fear that engulfed the impoverished East African nation during Nkurunziza's rule.
Burundi's economy is mired in poverty and cut off by international donors after the UN documented the widespread rape, torture and murder of political opponents by ruling party activists and state security forces.
It remains unclear whether the powerful cabal of army generals and security chiefs who propped up Nkurunziza during his 15-year rule remain united over the succession.
‘Supreme guide for patriotism’
Nkurunziza, a fit sports enthusiast and evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to lead the East African nation, leaves behind a country in political and economic turmoil after his divisive rule.
His 2015 run for a third term in office sparked protests and a failed coup, with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 fled the country.
Amid widespread human rights violations and strict control of the media, Nkurunziza cultivated a personality cult, which saw the ruling party name him a "visionary" and "supreme guide for patriotism".
Nkurunziza had been due to step down in August after his surprise decision not to run in a May election, which was won by the ruling CNDD-FDD's handpicked successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye.
'The sky has crashed down on us'
Members of the ruling party were in shock after the news of Nkurunziza's death.
"It is a catastrophe, it is as if the sky has crashed down on us. What will become of us without our supreme guide," one party leader said, sobbing, on condition of anonymity.
Gerard, a party member in Nkurunziza's home province of Ngozi, told AFP he could not understand how Nkurunziza "had died just like that... we are obliged to believe this official version, but I don't understand".
Rumours swirled on social media, with some wondering if he had been poisoned, while others suspecting he had been infected by the coronavirus.
Burundi has largely ignored the pandemic, which Nkurunziza declared had spared Burundi thanks to God.
Under the constitution, the president of the National Assembly, Pascal Nyabenda, should take over on an interim basis before Ndayishimiye's swearing-in in August.
Nyabenda had been Nkurunziza's first pick to succeed him but powerful generals in the ruling party chose Ndayishimiye instead.
'Worried for the future'
Some in the country were gripped by anxiety over what comes next.
"I am very worried for the future of course, because we don't know what is going to happen in the coming days, if the CNDD-FDD is not going to tear themselves apart over the leadership," said Raoul, a young opposition supporter who works in a bank, and like many only gave his first name.
However life in Bujumbura had returned to normal after residents rushed home following the news on Tuesday.
"Everything seems normal even if we see groups of people gathered together talking in hushed voices," said civil servant Jean-Marie, 40.
Gertrude, a teacher living in exile in Rwanda, said she had been "surprised" by Nkurunziza's sudden death.
"I am not going to cry after everything he has done to us .... extrajudicial executions, torture and all of that, but I regret that he died before being judged for these crimes."
From sports teacher to president
Nkurunziza was a sports teacher who became a leader in the ethnic Hutu rebellion during the country's 1993-2006 civil war with the minority Tutsi-dominated army. The war left some 300,000 dead.
He was elected by parliament as president in 2005 and re-elected in a general election in 2010.
His final years in office saw the country placed under sanctions and cut off by western donors, with Burundi ranked by the World Bank as one of the world's three poorest countries.
Nkurunziza withdrew his country from the International Criminal Court in 2017, and last year shut down a local UN rights office which was probing killings, enforced disappearances and other rights abuses.
More recently Burundi expelled World Health Organization (WHO) staffers despite the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Nkurunziza received praise from his peers on the continent.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Africa had "lost a leader who was devoted to people-centred sustainable development, self-reliance, the sovereignty of his people and country, as well as peace on the continent".
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as "an exceptional leader in many ways. He was a man of great courage... His perseverance and determination saw him pursue his vision for a peaceful and stable Burundi."
Condolences also came in from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Niger and Somalia.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--‘A new type of pollution’: Covid-19 waste ending up in world’s oceans

Personal protevtive equipment such as facemaks and gloves is making its way into the world 's seas and oceans , a French environmental group has warned .
The Covid-19 crisis is leading to a new source of pollution as personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , such as gloves and facemasks , makes its way into the world ’ s seas and oceans , a French environmental group has warned .
Opération Mer Propre says its divers are increasingly finding PPE floating in the waters off the French coast as the use of such items surges in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s completely new .
We didn ’ t have this before .
It was exceptional to find a glove and I had never seen a mask before , ” Laurent Lombard , founder of Opération Mer Propre , told Reuters .
“ For a month now , we ’ re starting - since it ’ s just the beginning - to see these masks .
It ’ s a new type of pollution.
” Although the PPE waste may end up in the sea , it is a problem that begins on land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ If people weren ’ t throwing masks on the street , we wouldn ’ t find them in the sea , since 80 percent of the trash that we see in the sea comes from the land , ” said Lombard .
“ When it rains the trash is taken away by rainwaters and they end up in the sea through rivers and valleys.
” Waste from PPE has become a growing problem as the wearing of facemasks and gloves becomes a common sight in countries across the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fines for PPE littering from €68 to €135 .
Although Opération Mer Propre says PPE makes up less than one percent of the waste it has collected in the past month , it warns the problem could increase as the pandemic drags on , adding to the already substantial levels of waste in the world ’ s seas and oceans where an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped every year , according to the WWF .
“ The message is really to throw your masks in trash bins .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t throw it on the ground , otherwise , it ends up in the sea , ” said Lombard .
“ It ’ s a matter of common sense .
”

The Covid-19 crisis is leading to a new source of pollution as personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves and facemasks, makes its way into the world’s seas and oceans, a French environmental group has warned.
Personal protevtive equipment such as facemaks and gloves is making its way into the world's seas and oceans, a French environmental group has warned.
Advertising Read more
Opération Mer Propre says its divers are increasingly finding PPE floating in the waters off the French coast as the use of such items surges in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s completely new. We didn’t have this before. It was exceptional to find a glove and I had never seen a mask before,” Laurent Lombard, founder of Opération Mer Propre, told Reuters.
“For a month now, we’re starting - since it’s just the beginning - to see these masks. It’s a new type of pollution.”
Although the PPE waste may end up in the sea, it is a problem that begins on land in towns and cities, the group says.
“If people weren’t throwing masks on the street, we wouldn’t find them in the sea, since 80 percent of the trash that we see in the sea comes from the land,” said Lombard.
“When it rains the trash is taken away by rainwaters and they end up in the sea through rivers and valleys.”
Waste from PPE has become a growing problem as the wearing of facemasks and gloves becomes a common sight in countries across the world, so much so that France recently increased fines for PPE littering from €68 to €135.
Although Opération Mer Propre says PPE makes up less than one percent of the waste it has collected in the past month, it warns the problem could increase as the pandemic drags on, adding to the already substantial levels of waste in the world’s seas and oceans where an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped every year, according to the WWF.
“The message is really to throw your masks in trash bins. It’s good for the environment - don’t throw it on the ground, otherwise, it ends up in the sea,” said Lombard. “It’s a matter of common sense.”
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--EU proposes members reopen external borders from July 1

An airplane takes off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport during the coronavirus outbreak in France on May 25 , 2020 .
The European Commission will recommend EU member states begin to reopen their external frontiers to travellers from outside the bloc from July 1 , diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday .
The decision on easing restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus rests with national capitals , but Borrell said Brussels would suggest `` a gradual and partial lifting '' of the ban .
EU member states have begun to ease temporary restrictions on non-essential crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a goal of June 15 for restoring free travel .
At the weekend , the interior ministers of the 27 member states agreed to coordinate a gradual reopening to travellers from outside the Schengen area , Britain and the EU .
But Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said last week that not all countries agreed on the criteria for reopening , with some in more of a hurry than others .
Greece , for example , whose economy depends heavily on tourism , has already announced it will reopen its skies from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including non-EU states such as Australia , China and South Korea .

The European Union said Wednesday it hoped to reopen its external borders to foreigners in July, as leaders look to loosen the economic stranglehold of virus lockdowns that are triggering a steep global downturn.
An airplane takes off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport during the coronavirus outbreak in France on May 25, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Europe has suffered devastating human losses from the pandemic, accounting for just under half of the 411,000 lives claimed by Covid-19's deadly tear across the world.
Now the continent is trying to contain the fallout of a historic recession spurred by restrictions on movement and business that have saved lives but have choked global commerce.
The world economy is on course to contract by at least six percent this year due to virus shutdowns, according to a grim outlook from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
By the end of next year, the loss of income should surpass that of "any previous recession over the last 100 years outside wartime", the forecast warned.
'Gradual and partial' reopening
EU member states have the final say on border measures. But Brussels is suggesting a "gradual and partial" reopening of external frontiers to travellers outside the bloc from July 1, diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday.
Greece, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, has already announced it will reopen its skies from June 15 to a list of countries including non-EU states such as Australia, China and South Korea.
The European Commission made a surprise announcement today that the EU's external borders will start a gradual reopening on 1 July.
It appears that their hand was forced by #Greece, which is insisting on letting in people from 15 non-EU countries including Australia and China. pic.twitter.com/8D5ko2ZyYp — Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) June 10, 2020
Austria will allow free travel from most European nations in mid-June, but with exceptions for Spain, the UK and several other countries for which testing or quarantines will be required.
Germans will be free to travel to EU member states on Monday, though the country has decided to extend its warning against travel outside the EU until August 31.
La Liga soccer championships to resume
In Spain, where more than 27,000 people have died from Covid-19, La Liga soccer championships are set to resume on Thursday for the first time in three months.
Meanwhile in Britain, which has the highest death toll in Europe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended what he described as the country's "astonishing" efforts to tackle the virus.
But one top scientist there said the number of fatalities could have been halved had lockdown measures been introduced a week sooner.
In Italy, prosecutors said they wanted to question Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the health and interior ministers over how the government handled the pandemic.
As barriers to movement start to lift, the virus is still gaining ground in countries around the world, particularly in Latin America which has logged more than 1.4 million cases and nearly 70,000 deaths.
The WHO's regional arm, the Pan American Health Organization, has warned that upcoming hurricane season could further hamper the fight against the virus.
Worst-hit Brazil is leading the continent with the world's third highest death toll – 38,406 – after the US and Britain.
Peru is also battling a steep surge, with more than 200,000 infections.
In Nicaragua, which has not taken robust steps to contain its outbreak, at least eight public health doctors were sacked for criticising the lack of a serious response by President Daniel Ortega's government, an independent medical body said.
WHO warns against complacency
Elsewhere around the globe, clusters of infection were growing as governments relaxed restrictions. Earlier this week, the WHO warned against complacency.
Iran announced more than 2,000 new cases Wednesday, part of a recent surge the government attributes to increased testing.
Indonesia also posted a record number of 1,241 new coronavirus cases, sparking calls from health experts for the world's fourth most populous country to slow down the easing of its lockdown measures.
In India's capital New Delhi, authorities say they expect half a million Covid-19 cases that will need 150,000 hospital beds by mid-July.
But in China, where the virus first emerged late last year, wildlife activists celebrated a victory after authorities decided to remove pangolin parts from its official list of traditional medicines.
Some scientists suspect that the endangered and heavily-trafficked animal, which lives in Africa and Asia, may have been the host of the novel coronavirus that emerged at a market in China's Wuhan city last year.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--Banksy artwork stolen from Paris’s Bataclan concert hall found in Italy

File photo taken June 25 , 2018 of a man taking a photograph of an artwork by Banksy on a side street near the Bataclan concert hall , Paris .
Italian police said Wednesday they have retrieved a Banksy work commemorating the victims of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks that was stolen from the Bataclan concert hall .
The work was an image of a girl in mourning , painted on one of the emergency doors of the famed venue in the French capital , where 90 people were killed in the November 13 , 2015 , Paris attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken in 2019 .
`` We have recovered the door stolen in the Bataclan with a Banksy work portraying a sad young girl , '' a senior Italian police officer told AFP in Teramo , adding the raid was conducted with French police .
The work was found in an abandoned farmhouse in the Abruzzo region , according to l'Aquila prosecutor Michele Renzo , who said further details would be provided at a press conference on Thursday .
The theft of Banksy 's white stencilled , mourning girl sparked shock in France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep indignation '' that the artwork , `` a symbol of recollection and belonging to all : locals , Parisians , citizens of the world '' had been `` taken from us ” .

Italian police said Wednesday they have retrieved a Banksy work commemorating the victims of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks that was stolen from the Bataclan concert hall.
File photo taken June 25, 2018 of a man taking a photograph of an artwork by Banksy on a side street near the Bataclan concert hall, Paris.
Advertising Read more
The work was an image of a girl in mourning, painted on one of the emergency doors of the famed venue in the French capital, where 90 people were killed in the November 13, 2015, Paris attacks. It had been cut out and taken in 2019.
"We have recovered the door stolen in the Bataclan with a Banksy work portraying a sad young girl," a senior Italian police officer told AFP in Teramo, adding the raid was conducted with French police.
The work was found in an abandoned farmhouse in the Abruzzo region, according to l'Aquila prosecutor Michele Renzo, who said further details would be provided at a press conference on Thursday.
The theft of Banksy's white stencilled, mourning girl sparked shock in France, with the Bataclan management expressing its "deep indignation" that the artwork, "a symbol of recollection and belonging to all: locals, Parisians, citizens of the world" had been "taken from us”.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--George Floyd as a child 'wanted to become Supreme Court judge', teacher remembers

Waynel Sexton , George Perry Floyd ’ s former teacher , found a short essay and drawing that he did in second grade .
At the time , he dreamed of becoming a Supreme Court Justice .
Waynel Sexton , George Floyd ’ s former teacher , found a short essay and drawing that he did in second grade .
At the time , he dreamed of becoming a Supreme Court Justice .
On May 25 , 46-year-old African-American George Floyd died during an arrest for allegedly passing a counterfeit $ 20 bill in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
Derek Chauvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressed a knee into his neck for exactly eight minutes and 46 seconds , despite his pleas of `` I ca n't breathe '' .
The video recording of the Floyd 's death , released on social media , ignited worldwide protests against police brutality and racism .
After learning of his death , his former teacher Waynel Sexton remembered that she still had some of his work from second grade : a short essay and drawing inspired by Black History Month , in which George Floyd imagined his future as a Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black History Month , we studied a different famous black American , '' she explained .
`` And so Perry had been especially influenced by Thurgood Marshall .
And he wrote that when he grew up , he wanted to become a Supreme Court judge . ''
Young Floyd wrote : `` When people say , 'Your Honor , he did rob the bank . '
I will say : 'Be seated . '
And if he does n't , I will tell the guard to take him out .
Then I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then everybody will be quiet . ''
He also drew a picture of himself as a judge .
`` I did n't know him as an adult .
I only know this little piece of him .
But no one , no one , deserves to be murdered in the way that he was , '' Sexton said .
George Floyd 's funeral took place on June 9 in his hometown of Houston , where thousands lined the streets to pay their respects .

Waynel Sexton, George Floyd’s former teacher, found a short essay and drawing that he did in second grade. At the time, he dreamed of becoming a Supreme Court Justice.
Waynel Sexton, George Perry Floyd’s former teacher, found a short essay and drawing that he did in second grade. At the time, he dreamed of becoming a Supreme Court Justice.
Advertising Read more
On May 25, 46-year-old African-American George Floyd died during an arrest for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white officer, has pressed a knee into his neck for exactly eight minutes and 46 seconds, despite his pleas of "I can't breathe".
The video recording of the Floyd's death, released on social media, ignited worldwide protests against police brutality and racism.
After learning of his death, his former teacher Waynel Sexton remembered that she still had some of his work from second grade: a short essay and drawing inspired by Black History Month, in which George Floyd imagined his future as a Supreme Court Justice.
"Every day during Black History Month, we studied a different famous black American," she explained. "And so Perry had been especially influenced by Thurgood Marshall. And he wrote that when he grew up, he wanted to become a Supreme Court judge."
Young Floyd wrote: "When people say, 'Your Honor, he did rob the bank.' I will say: 'Be seated.' And if he doesn't, I will tell the guard to take him out. Then I will beat my hammer on the desk, then everybody will be quiet."
He also drew a picture of himself as a judge.
"I didn't know him as an adult. I only know this little piece of him. But no one, no one, deserves to be murdered in the way that he was," Sexton said.
George Floyd's funeral took place on June 9 in his hometown of Houston, where thousands lined the streets to pay their respects.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-10--In Iran, locals extinguish wildfires with almost no resources

NASA satellite images from 22 May to 2 June show that a forest fire ravaged the area and allows us to monitor the fire 's spread .
“ Some people start fires to take revenge on the “ system ” or the government ” Ali is a local environmental activist .
He helped to extinguish the fire in the Khaiez protected area .
Unfortunately , all the recent fires were set deliberately .
The fire in the Khaiez region began after two locals argued and one of them set fire to the pasture shared between them .
Police detained them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires were also started deliberately but the perpetrators have n't been arrested yet .
According to the Forests , Range and Watershed Management Organisation , 95 % of fires in the Zagros region are due to human error or , worse , deliberate acts .
Locals burn the trees to have more pasture for their animals , or simply to get charcoal and sell it .
There are some sick people who want to take revenge on the “ system ” and the government by committing arson , and people who start campfires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them properly .
They don ’ t care because they have no idea that this small fire could become a conflagration and destroy kilometres of forest .
These fires would happen anyway , like everywhere in the world , but the difference is that we do not have resources like extinguishers , airplanes or helicopters , or even proper safety equipment and we have to try to extinguish the fire with tree branches .
We have seen an amphibious helicopter only once or twice .
We 've also seen army and Revolutionary Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers to help to control the fire - but they had no equipment .
When we asked them , `` Why don ’ t you help more often ?
`` , they said that they did n't have enough fuel .
Video showing Iranian volunteers trying to control the fire .
The local army commander said on 31 May they had sent out helicopters 108 times to dispatch 530 volunteers to the wildfire zones since 29 May , with only two helicopters .
However , according to our local Observers , the fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who climbed the mountains to reach the fires .
`` We did n't know where the fire was spreading '' In the last few days some donors gave us money to buy six leaf blowers , which is one of the most important tools to extinguish a fire in a region like Zagros , where trees are sparse and there is a large layer of bushes that are dry in this period of the year [ Editor ’ s note : Each leaf blower costs 25 million toman , equivalent to about €1380 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each volunteer and then they have to hit the fire with the branch to try to extinguish it .
It takes lots of energy and time to get a fire like this under control , but with a leaf blower it ’ s much faster and easier.
” Another problem we had was the lack of management .
We did not have any information , for example where the fire was spreading or where it had already been got under control .
Local officials would announce that the fire was totally extinguished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few hours , they would find that the fire had started again in another spot , and volunteers would have to climb up again reach the fires .
Fortunately , as far as we know there , no large animals like wild goats , sheep or leopards died in the fires , but we know many small animals like birds , rodents and snakes were killed in the flames , along with many precious plants like the Persian turpentine tree , wild almond trees and Syrian ash trees .
Leaf blowers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out the fires .
Video sent by our Observer .
`` We do n't have any money to pay for extinguishing the fires in our region , not a cent '' The Zagros mountain range along Iran 's western border is home to many unique species of flora and fauna , with 40 % of all plants used for medicinal purposes found in the region .
However , drought and overconsumption of resources have damaged the forests in the region , and now wildfires threaten it too.The first wildfire began on 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometres north-east of Gachsaran , a city in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in south-west of Iran.The next two fires began on 28 May , nine kilometres away from the first fire in the Dil region and 20 kilometres from the second one in the natural conservation area of Khaiez.On 1 June , the head of the Department of Environment in Iran 's parliament , Issa Kalantari , claimed that only 990 hectares of forest in the Zagros region were affected by wildfires last month .
`` We should not exaggerate , as though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
However , the FRANCE 24 Observers has been able to refute this claim by using satellite images to map just how far the fires spread and how much forest was burnt.According to satellite images , at least 9,500 hectares of forest have been burned in these three fires near Gachsaran , Dil and Kahiez in the period between 22 May and 2 June - more than nine times the surface area claimed by Iranian officials.According to our Observers , it took 12 days to extinguish these fires .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also because the task of fighting the fire had to be done without any equipment .

IRAN
Iranian volunteers try to put out a fire, sometimes with only the help of tree branches. Screen captures from videos sent by our Observers in the Khaiez region.
Advertising Read more
Since 22 May, the Zagros mountain range in southwestern Iran has been ravaged by forest fires spreading across thousands of hectares. Iran is woefully underprepared to deal with the country's hot season because of a lack of resources and budget, and so extinguishing the fire falls to volunteers. Locals have almost no tools with which to fight the fire, apart from tree branches and leaf blowers. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have tried to deny the extent of the damage.
The Zagros mountain range along Iran's western border is home to many unique species of flora and fauna, with 40% of all plants used for medicinal purposes found in the region. However, drought and overconsumption of resources have damaged the forests in the region, and now wildfires threaten it too.
آتش خاییز بعد از ۴ روز سرانجام مهار شد.
درود بر شرف نیروهای مردمی...
محیط‌بانان و جنگل‌بانانی که از جان و مال‌شان برای زاگرس مایه گذاشتند، آن هم با دستانی خالی‌تر از همیشه.
خطر شعله‌ور شدن جنگل، اما همچنان وجود دارد pic.twitter.com/al1ILehqPT amir (@amir09997007) June 2, 2020
The first wildfire began on 22 May in the Zagros mountains, 2.5 kilometres north-east of Gachsaran, a city in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in southwest Iran.
The next two fires began on 28 May, nine kilometres away from the first fire in the Dil region and 20 kilometres from the second one in the natural conservation area of Khaiez.
{{ scope.counterText }} {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }} {{ scope.counterText }} i {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }}
NASA satellite images from 22 May to 2 June show that a forest fire ravaged the area and allows us to monitor the fire's spread.
On 1 June, the head of the Department of Environment in Iran's parliament, Issa Kalantari, claimed that only 990 hectares of forest in the Zagros region were affected by wildfires last month. "We should not exaggerate, as though the whole country were burning," he said. However, the FRANCE 24 Observers has been able to refute this claim by using satellite images to map just how far the fires spread and how much forest was burnt.
According to satellite images, at least 9,500 hectares of forest have been burned in these three fires near Gachsaran, Dil and Kahiez in the period between 22 May and 2 June – more than nine times the surface area claimed by Iranian officials.
{{ scope.counterText }} {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }} {{ scope.counterText }} i {{ scope.legend }} © {{ scope.credits }}
According to our Observers, it took 12 days to extinguish these fires. This is primarily because of strong winds, but also because the task of fighting the fire had to be done without any equipment.
“Some people start fires to take revenge on the “system” or the government”
Ali is a local environmental activist. He helped to extinguish the fire in the Khaiez protected area.
Unfortunately, all the recent fires were set deliberately. The fire in the Khaiez region began after two locals argued and one of them set fire to the pasture shared between them. Police detained them only for a day. Two other fires were also started deliberately but the perpetrators haven't been arrested yet. According to the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organisation, 95% of fires in the Zagros region are due to human error or, worse, deliberate acts. Locals burn the trees to have more pasture for their animals, or simply to get charcoal and sell it. There are some sick people who want to take revenge on the “system” and the government by committing arson, and people who start campfires outside and then don’t extinguish them properly. They don’t care because they have no idea that this small fire could become a conflagration and destroy kilometres of forest. These fires would happen anyway, like everywhere in the world, but the difference is that we do not have resources like extinguishers, airplanes or helicopters, or even proper safety equipment and we have to try to extinguish the fire with tree branches. We have seen an amphibious helicopter only once or twice. We've also seen army and Revolutionary Guard helicopters, who were transferring volunteers or soldiers to help to control the fire - but they had no equipment. When we asked them, "Why don’t you help more often?", they said that they didn't have enough fuel.
Video showing Iranian volunteers trying to control the fire.
The local army commander said on 31 May they had sent out helicopters 108 times to dispatch 530 volunteers to the wildfire zones since 29 May, with only two helicopters. However, according to our local Observers, the fires were actually extinguished by locals and volunteers who climbed the mountains to reach the fires.
"We didn't know where the fire was spreading"
Ali continues:
In the last few days some donors gave us money to buy six leaf blowers, which is one of the most important tools to extinguish a fire in a region like Zagros, where trees are sparse and there is a large layer of bushes that are dry in this period of the year [Editor’s note: Each leaf blower costs 25 million toman, equivalent to about €1380]. We had to cut branches for each volunteer and then they have to hit the fire with the branch to try to extinguish it. It takes lots of energy and time to get a fire like this under control, but with a leaf blower it’s much faster and easier.” Another problem we had was the lack of management. We did not have any information, for example where the fire was spreading or where it had already been got under control. Local officials would announce that the fire was totally extinguished, but when volunteers went back after a few hours, they would find that the fire had started again in another spot, and volunteers would have to climb up again reach the fires. Fortunately, as far as we know there, no large animals like wild goats, sheep or leopards died in the fires, but we know many small animals like birds, rodents and snakes were killed in the flames, along with many precious plants like the Persian turpentine tree, wild almond trees and Syrian ash trees.
Leaf blowers are a crucial piece of equipment to help put out the fires. Video sent by our Observer.
"We don't have any money to pay for extinguishing the fires in our region, not a cent"
A local official in the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organisation in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, who preferred to stay anonymous, explained the lack of equipment to FRANCE 24:
The short and simple explanation is we do not have any money to pay for extinguishing the fires in our region, not a cent. We used to have a specific budget for fighting forest fires, but we haven't had anything for about a year. They simply cut out this part from the annual budget. We even have problems paying the salaries of the people here. The firefighting helicopter does not belong to us; we have to rent it and we have no money for that. We don't have any money to pay the army and the Red Crescent who dispatched the helicopters. They only did it after the news about the fire got lots of attention. Some years ago, government presented a firefighting airplane, but since then no one has seen it - apparently it was only for show. So as you saw, for extinguishing the fires we are dependent on volunteers and donors. And not only did we not have the proper equipment to extinguish the fire, but we had nothing to protect ourselves.
According to our Observers, at least 10 volunteers were injured fighting the fires, including Alborz Zarei, a climber who was severely burnt.
Article by Ershad Alijiani


france24--2020-06-10--Racial violence in the US: A never-ending story?

Rosa Parks in 1955 .
She became a key figure of the civil rights movement for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus .
This week , Inside the Americas focuses on the conversation ignited in the United States by George Floyd 's death while in police custody .
The 46-year-old unarmed African American was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Footage of Floyd 's death sparked protests around the world calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism .
First , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racial violence in the United States .
The abolition of slavery brought about a fundamental shift in the country , but it failed to leave everyone on an equal footing .
George Floyd 's death has sparked protests across the US , with a tragic incident once again shining a spotlight on the criminal justice system and systemic racism inside law enforcement .
Activists out on the street , meanwhile , are hoping for reforms and budget cuts to police .
Our correspondents Terry Fitzpatrick and Pierrick Leurent report from Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We speak to Reed Kennedy , Chair of the Paris chapter of Democrats Abroad France , about the conversation taking place in the US .

Rosa Parks in 1955. She became a key figure of the civil rights movement for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus.
This week, Inside the Americas focuses on the conversation ignited in the United States by George Floyd's death while in police custody. The 46-year-old unarmed African American was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Footage of Floyd's death sparked protests around the world calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism.
Advertising
First, we take a look back at the history of racial violence in the United States. The abolition of slavery brought about a fundamental shift in the country, but it failed to leave everyone on an equal footing.
George Floyd's death has sparked protests across the US, with a tragic incident once again shining a spotlight on the criminal justice system and systemic racism inside law enforcement. Activists out on the street, meanwhile, are hoping for reforms and budget cuts to police. Our correspondents Valérie Defert, Pierrick Leurent and Terry Fitzpatrick report from Los Angeles on the reality of policing there.
We speak to Reed Kennedy, Chair of the Paris chapter of Democrats Abroad France, about the conversation taking place in the US.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-11--Trump, Pelosi at loggerheads over Confederate monuments in US South

A vandalised monument to Unknown Confederate Dead is seen in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta , Georgia , on June 10 , 2020 , as protesters around the country rally against racial inequality .
President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out a change to US military bases named after Civil War Confederate leaders , pushing back on pressure to rid public places of monuments honoring the once pro-slavery South .
`` These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great A merican Heritage , and a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom , '' Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not even consider renaming these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations .
Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with , '' he wrote .
The importance given by Trump to keeping bases like Fort Bragg in North Carolina as they are was underlined by the decision of press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to read out the tweet and to give printed copies of it to White House reporters .
She called the push for change an `` absolute non-starter . ''
Demand for renaming such installations has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests across the United States against police brutality and racism against African-Americans .
Ten bases honouring generals from the secessionist South , which lost the Civil War and its struggle to preserve slavery , are in the spotlight .
They include the famous Fort Bragg , Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Benning in Georgia .
Anger from anti-racism protesters has also focused on statues of southern Civil War heroes , the Confederate flag , and most lately statues of explorer Christopher Columbus , who opened the Americas to European settlement .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston , police said Wednesday .
Another was toppled in Virginia .
Similar attacks on statues of historical figures seen by activists as celebrating racism and slavery have taken place in Britain and Belgium .
On Wednesday US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 11 statues of Confederate soldiers or officials should be removed from the US Capitol .
`` Monuments to men who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end are a grotesque affront to these ideals '' of American democracy and freedom , the top Democrat in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their statues pay homage to hate , not heritage , '' Pelosi added .
`` They must be removed . ''
Defence Secretary Mark Esper had indicated earlier this week that he would be at least open to a `` bipartisan discussion '' on base renaming .
The Navy , meanwhile , said that it was outlawing Confederate flags – still popular in southern states – aboard all its ships and other facilities .
`` The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion , preserve good order and discipline , and uphold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , courage and commitment , '' Admiral Michael Gilday said .
On Wednesday the stock-car racing company NASCAR announced it too was banning Confederate flags because they run `` contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment . ''
The logic to Trump 's declaration that the southern generals ' names represent US `` winning '' habits has been questioned , given that Confederate leaders were defeated in their devastating war of rebellion against the country that today 's military serves .
Retired army general and former CIA director David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Fort Bragg , called the generals `` traitors . ''
`` The irony of training at bases named for those who took up arms against the United States , and for the right to enslave others , is inescapable , '' he wrote in a piece published in The Atlantic magazine on Tuesday .
In addition , `` most of the Confederate generals for whom our bases are named were undistinguished , if not incompetent , battlefield commanders , '' he said .
Who else gets banned ?
McEnany said that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader conservative complaint against efforts to challenge long unquestioned views of American history , including the painful legacy of slavery .
`` Where do you draw the line here ? ''
she asked , listing revered early US presidents who were slave owners – though long before the Civil War was fought to decide whether the practice should continue or not .
`` Should George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and James Madison be erased from history ? ''
she asked , also bringing up the decision of HBO Max to temporarily remove the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Wind '' from its streaming .
According to McEnany , renaming bases would be unpatriotic , given that they have been staging grounds for many US army deployments and wars .
`` To suggest that these forts were somehow inherently racist and their name needs to be changed is a complete disrespect to the men and women '' who deployed , she said .
A group of protesters pulled down a statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in Saint Paul , Minnesota , on Thursday .
The 10-foot bronze statue was pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people led by a Minnesota-based Native American activist outside the state Capitol , documented by news photographers and television camera operators .
`` It was the right thing to do and it was the right time to do it , '' the activist , Mike Forcia , told Reuters .
Native American activists have long objected to honouring Columbus , saying that his expeditions to the Americas led to the colonisation and genocide of their ancestors .
Saint Paul neighbours Minneapolis , and the two are commonly referred to as the Twin Cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Minnesota state trooper that he could expect to be arrested in the coming days and charged with criminal destruction .
A city crew removed the statue , which was broken at the base .
According to a website for the Capitol , the monument was created by sculptor Carlo Brioschi and dedicated in 1931 as a gift to the city from Italian-Americans in Minnesota .
On Tuesday , a monument to Columbus erected in Richmond , Virginia , in 1927 was vandalised and thrown into a lake .
In the early hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a statue of the explorer was removed and broken .

President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out a change to US military bases named after Civil War Confederate leaders, pushing back on pressure to rid public places of monuments honoring the once pro-slavery South.
A vandalised monument to Unknown Confederate Dead is seen in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 10, 2020, as protesters around the country rally against racial inequality.
Advertising Read more
"These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great A merican Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," Trump said in a tweet.
"My Administration will not even consider renaming these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations. Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with," he wrote.
It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
'Respect our Military!'
The importance given by Trump to keeping bases like Fort Bragg in North Carolina as they are was underlined by the decision of press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to read out the tweet and to give printed copies of it to White House reporters.
00:31
She called the push for change an "absolute non-starter."
Demand for renaming such installations has gathered momentum in the wake of mass protests across the United States against police brutality and racism against African-Americans.
Ten bases honouring generals from the secessionist South, which lost the Civil War and its struggle to preserve slavery, are in the spotlight. They include the famous Fort Bragg, Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Benning in Georgia.
Anger from anti-racism protesters has also focused on statues of southern Civil War heroes, the Confederate flag, and most lately statues of explorer Christopher Columbus, who opened the Americas to European settlement.
A statue of the navigator was beheaded in Boston, police said Wednesday. Another was toppled in Virginia.
Similar attacks on statues of historical figures seen by activists as celebrating racism and slavery have taken place in Britain and Belgium.
On Wednesday US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 11 statues of Confederate soldiers or officials should be removed from the US Capitol.
"Monuments to men who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end are a grotesque affront to these ideals" of American democracy and freedom, the top Democrat in Congress wrote to a bipartisan committee.
"Their statues pay homage to hate, not heritage," Pelosi added. "They must be removed."
Not heroes?
Defence Secretary Mark Esper had indicated earlier this week that he would be at least open to a "bipartisan discussion" on base renaming.
The Navy, meanwhile, said that it was outlawing Confederate flags – still popular in southern states – aboard all its ships and other facilities.
"The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion, preserve good order and discipline, and uphold the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment," Admiral Michael Gilday said.
On Wednesday the stock-car racing company NASCAR announced it too was banning Confederate flags because they run "contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment."
The logic to Trump's declaration that the southern generals' names represent US "winning" habits has been questioned, given that Confederate leaders were defeated in their devastating war of rebellion against the country that today's military serves.
Retired army general and former CIA director David Petraeus, who himself trained several times at Fort Bragg, called the generals "traitors."
"The irony of training at bases named for those who took up arms against the United States, and for the right to enslave others, is inescapable," he wrote in a piece published in The Atlantic magazine on Tuesday.
In addition, "most of the Confederate generals for whom our bases are named were undistinguished, if not incompetent, battlefield commanders," he said.
Who else gets banned?
McEnany said that Trump sees the issue as part of a broader conservative complaint against efforts to challenge long unquestioned views of American history, including the painful legacy of slavery.
"Where do you draw the line here?" she asked, listing revered early US presidents who were slave owners – though long before the Civil War was fought to decide whether the practice should continue or not.
"Should George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and James Madison be erased from history?" she asked, also bringing up the decision of HBO Max to temporarily remove the 1939 Civil War romance "Gone with the Wind" from its streaming.
According to McEnany, renaming bases would be unpatriotic, given that they have been staging grounds for many US army deployments and wars.
"To suggest that these forts were somehow inherently racist and their name needs to be changed is a complete disrespect to the men and women" who deployed, she said.
Christopher Columbus statues felled
A group of protesters pulled down a statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday.
The 10-foot bronze statue was pulled from its granite base by several dozen people led by a Minnesota-based Native American activist outside the state Capitol, documented by news photographers and television camera operators.
"It was the right thing to do and it was the right time to do it," the activist, Mike Forcia, told Reuters.
Native American activists have long objected to honouring Columbus, saying that his expeditions to the Americas led to the colonisation and genocide of their ancestors.
Saint Paul neighbours Minneapolis, and the two are commonly referred to as the Twin Cities.
Forcia said he was advised by a Minnesota state trooper that he could expect to be arrested in the coming days and charged with criminal destruction. A city crew removed the statue, which was broken at the base.
According to a website for the Capitol, the monument was created by sculptor Carlo Brioschi and dedicated in 1931 as a gift to the city from Italian-Americans in Minnesota.
On Tuesday, a monument to Columbus erected in Richmond, Virginia, in 1927 was vandalised and thrown into a lake. In the early hours of Wednesday in Boston, the head of a statue of the explorer was removed and broken.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-11--Ivory Coast soldiers killed in attack at border post near Burkina Faso

Ivory Coast army officers march during the funeral of Colonel Issiaka Ouattara , a key figure in the years-long unrest @ @ @ @ @ the start of the century , at the Ivory Coast Army headquarters in Abidjan on @ @ @ @ @ Some 12 Ivorian soldiers were killed and another seven wounded in an attack at a @ @ @ @ @ Faso early on Thursday , a senior officer at the Ivorian army chief of staff @ @ @ @ @ .
Two other gendarmes are reported missing , while one assailant was killed .
The @ @ @ @ @ believed to have come from neighbouring Burkina Faso .
Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso launched @ @ @ @ @ month to the tackle expanding threat from Islamist jihadists linked to al Qaeda and the @ @ @ @ @ region .

Dozens of suspected jihadists attacked a frontier post on Ivory Coast's border with Burkina Faso before dawn on Thursday, killing around 10 soldiers, security sources said.
A soldier patrols near the hotel Etoile du Sud in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, on March 13, 2016 during a commemoration ceremony for the first anniversary of the 2016 Grand Bassam beach terrorist attack, resulting in the death of 19 people.
Advertising Read more
It is the first assault by Islamist extremists on Ivorian soil since March 2016, when a raid on the southeastern beach resort of Grand-Bassam left 19 people dead.
Thursday's shooting attack "targeted an Ivorian frontier post at Kafolo," where an anti-jihadist operation had just ended, one Ivorian source said, in an account confirmed by a Burkinabe source.
An Ivorian source said 12 people were killed -- 11 soldiers and a gendarme -- while six people were injured and two were listed as missing.
Another Ivorian source put the toll at nine dead, while a Burkinabe source said 10 troops, a gendarme and an assailant had been killed, and two people were missing.
'Hiding in our houses'
"There were sounds of rifles toward the river," an anonymous Kafolo resident said in a telephone interview.
"There were sounds of military cars speeding through the village. We are afraid. The sounds of guns have been going on since early this morning. And it's still going on."
"We are hiding in the houses with our families. The military has forbidden us to go out. Everything is closed," he said, adding that residents are normally in the fields growing cotton and peanuts in the arid area.
The attack was carried out by dozens of armed individuals believed to be from the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), which has a hold in the area, according to a source in Burkina Faso.
Security analysts have long worried that a jihadist revolt in the Sahel that began in Mali in 2012 is spreading towards coastal states on the Gulf of Guinea.
Ivory Coast shares a 550-kilometre (340-mile) border with Burkina Faso, where jihadist violence has claimed nearly 1,000 lives and forced 860,000 people from their homes over the past five years.
Operation to flush out jihadists
The latest attack began at around 3 am, and took place in the same zone of northeastern Ivory Coast where the two countries last month launched a ground-breaking joint operation to flush out jihadists.
"Operation Comoe," named after a river that flows through the two countries, led to the death of eight suspected jihadists, the capture of 38 others and the destruction of a "terrorist base" at Alidougou in Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast army said on May 24.
The operation was launched after jihadists were spotted last year to the north of Ivory Coast's Comoe national park.
Security sources say they are jihadists operating in Burkina Faso who hole up in Ivory Coast.
The Grand-Bassam attack four years ago was claimed by Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
Several jihadist attacks have taken place near the border on the Burkina Faso side, but never before on the Ivorian side.
Burkina Faso has been hit by numerous jihadist attacks that have killed nearly 1,000 people since 2015.
Jihadist violence, often intertwined with inter-communal violence, has resulted in 4,000 deaths in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in 2019, according to the United Nations.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe