france24--2020-02-18--Trump grants clemency to Illinois ex-governor Blagojevich, 10 others

US President Donald Trump talks to reporters prior to boarding Air Force One as he departs Washington for campaign travel to California from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on February 18 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump pardoned seven people on Tuesday including former junk bond king Michael Milken and commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich , the ex-Illinois governor convicted of trying to peddle Barack Obama ’ s vacated U.S. Senate seat .
The people affected ranged from those charged with defrauding the federal government to drug and theft charges .
Blagojevich , a Democrat who appeared on Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ television show while awaiting trial , began serving a 14-year sentence in 2012 after being convicted of wire fraud , extortion and soliciting bribes while governor .
“ That was a tremendously powerful , ridiculous sentence , ” said Republican Trump , a real estate developer who produced the show before running for president .
Blagojevich , 63 , was removed from office in 2009 after prosecutors said he tried to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat Obama vacated after winning the 2008 presidential election .
Milken , once considered Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was indicted in 1989 in an insider trading probe .
After pleading guilty to securities violations , he paid $ 1.1 billion and served about two years in prison .
Since then he has headed up the non-profit Milken Institute , focusing on a wide span of research , including curing cancer , public health , aging , California and financial markets .
Each year the titans of finance flock to the Milken Institute Global Conference , where fund managers and marketers woo prospective investors and philanthropies make pitches for funding .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone around and done an incredible job for the world with all of his research on cancer , ” Trump told reporters in Washington .
“ He paid a big price , paid a very tough price.
” Trump also pardoned former New York Police Department Commissioner Bernard Kerik , who was sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison for tax fraud and for making false statements .
Kerik , an ally of former New York City Mayor and Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani , was a leader in the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , attacks .
His career unraveled when he tried to conceal apartment renovations paid for by a contractor that the city had blacklisted because of suspected ties to organized crime .
Kerik pleaded guilty to hiding the renovations from the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service and lying to White House officials while being vetted to lead the Homeland Security Department under President George W. Bush .
He was freed in May 2013 .
Trump also pardoned Eddie DeBartolo Jr. , the former owner of the San Francisco 49ers football team .
He pleaded guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felony regarding payment demanded for a riverboat casino license in a bribery scheme .
Others pardoned include entrepreneur Ariel Friedler , who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to access a protected computer ; former contractor Paul Pogue , who was accused of tax fraud ; David Safavian , the top U.S. government procurement officer who lied about ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff , himself convicted of bribery ; and Angela Stanton , who was implicated in a 2007 stolen vehicle ring .
Trump also commuted the sentences of three women , two convicted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defrauding the federal government through her healthcare company .
“ The pardoning of these disgraced figures should be treated as another national scandal by a lawless executive , ” said Democratic Representative Bill Pascrell , a critic of Trump ’ s pardons .

President Donald Trump pardoned seven people on Tuesday including former junk bond king Michael Milken and commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, the ex-Illinois governor convicted of trying to peddle Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.
US President Donald Trump talks to reporters prior to boarding Air Force One as he departs Washington for campaign travel to California from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on February 18, 2020.
Advertising Read more
The people affected ranged from those charged with defrauding the federal government to drug and theft charges.
Blagojevich, a Democrat who appeared on Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” reality television show while awaiting trial, began serving a 14-year sentence in 2012 after being convicted of wire fraud, extortion and soliciting bribes while governor.
“That was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence,” said Republican Trump, a real estate developer who produced the show before running for president.
Blagojevich, 63, was removed from office in 2009 after prosecutors said he tried to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat Obama vacated after winning the 2008 presidential election.
Milken, once considered Wall Street’s “junk bond king” was indicted in 1989 in an insider trading probe. After pleading guilty to securities violations, he paid $1.1 billion and served about two years in prison.
Since then he has headed up the non-profit Milken Institute, focusing on a wide span of research, including curing cancer, public health, aging, California and financial markets. Each year the titans of finance flock to the Milken Institute Global Conference, where fund managers and marketers woo prospective investors and philanthropies make pitches for funding.
“We have Mike Milken who’s gone around and done an incredible job for the world with all of his research on cancer,” Trump told reporters in Washington. “He paid a big price, paid a very tough price.”
Pardon for former NYC police commissioner, Giuliani ally
Trump also pardoned former New York Police Department Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison for tax fraud and for making false statements.
Kerik, an ally of former New York City Mayor and Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, was a leader in the city’s response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. His career unraveled when he tried to conceal apartment renovations paid for by a contractor that the city had blacklisted because of suspected ties to organized crime.
Kerik pleaded guilty to hiding the renovations from the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service and lying to White House officials while being vetted to lead the Homeland Security Department under President George W. Bush. He was freed in May 2013.
Trump also pardoned Eddie DeBartolo Jr., the former owner of the San Francisco 49ers football team. He pleaded guilty in 1998 to failing to report a felony regarding payment demanded for a riverboat casino license in a bribery scheme.
Others pardoned include entrepreneur Ariel Friedler, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to access a protected computer; former contractor Paul Pogue, who was accused of tax fraud; David Safavian, the top U.S. government procurement officer who lied about ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, himself convicted of bribery; and Angela Stanton, who was implicated in a 2007 stolen vehicle ring.
Trump also commuted the sentences of three women, two convicted on drug charges and one on charges of defrauding the federal government through her healthcare company.
“The pardoning of these disgraced figures should be treated as another national scandal by a lawless executive,” said Democratic Representative Bill Pascrell, a critic of Trump’s pardons.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-18--Netanyahu must be present for start of corruption trial set for March 17, Justice Ministry says

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s corruption trial will start on March 17 , two weeks after Israel holds its third national election in less than a year , the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday .
Netanyahu , the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime , has denied any wrongdoing in the three corruption cases against him .
In addition to his legal battle , Netanyahu , who heads the right-wing Likud party , is fighting for his political life in a March 2 election , after inconclusive ballots in April and September .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in power for the past decade and Israel ’ s longest-serving leader , will be required to attend the Jerusalem District Court for the first session to hear an indictment against him .
A three-judge panel will hear the case .
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in three corruption cases .
Charges , which were formally filed with the court three weeks ago , include bribery , breach of trust and fraud .
Netanyahu , 70 , is accused of wrongfully accepting $ 264,000 worth of gifts , which prosecutors said included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and of dispensing regulatory favours in alleged bids for improved coverage by a popular news website .
He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum three-year term for fraud and breach of trust .

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial will start on March 17, two weeks after Israel holds its third national election in less than a year, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday.
Advertising Read more
Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, has denied any wrongdoing in the three corruption cases against him.
In addition to his legal battle, Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, is fighting for his political life in a March 2 election, after inconclusive ballots in April and September.
In a statement, the ministry said Netanyahu, in power for the past decade and Israel’s longest-serving leader, will be required to attend the Jerusalem District Court for the first session to hear an indictment against him. A three-judge panel will hear the case.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in three corruption cases. Charges, which were formally filed with the court three weeks ago, include bribery, breach of trust and fraud.
Netanyahu, 70, is accused of wrongfully accepting $264,000 worth of gifts, which prosecutors said included cigars and champagne, from tycoons, and of dispensing regulatory favours in alleged bids for improved coverage by a popular news website. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum three-year term for fraud and breach of trust.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-18--UN calls on Cameroon to investigate anglophone village massacre

Members of the Cameroonian Rapid Intervention Force patrol in the far north region of Cameroon on March 21 , 2019 .
The UN called on Cameroon Tuesday to conduct an independent investigation into the `` shocking '' killing of 23 villagers in a troubled English-speaking region and to ensure the perpetrators be held accountable .
Citing information from UN colleagues on the ground , the UN rights office said that two pregnant women and 15 children -- nine of them under the age of five -- were among those killed in Friday 's attack , which opposition parties blamed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We urge the authorities to ensure that the investigation is independent , impartial and thorough , and that those responsible are held fully to account , '' it said in a statement .
The UN had previously put the toll from Friday 's attack at up to 22 , but Tuesday 's statement said 23 people had died in the `` shocking episode '' .
Witnesses had told the UN that around 40 armed men , including members of the security and defence forces , had attacked the village in Cameroon 's Northwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grappling with separatist violence since October 2017 .
According to the witness testimony , the attack saw the men `` opening fire on people and burning down houses '' , the rights office said .
Cameroon 's army on Monday denied charges that members of the armed forces were responsible for the deaths in the Ngarbuh district of Ntumbo village , describing the event as `` quite simply an unfortunate accident , the collateral result of security operations in the region '' .
The authorities said people inside the village had attacked security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ igniting a fire that affected several dwellings '' , according to the UN statement .
The tragedy marks only the latest deadly incident in the two conflict-plagued English-speaking regions -- the southwest and northwest -- where more than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the past two and a half years .
English-speakers account for nearly a fifth of Cameroon 's population of 24 million , who are majority French-speaking .
Years of grievances at perceived discrimination snowballed into a declaration of independence in October 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call on the Government to ensure that the security forces abide by applicable international law norms standards during the conduct of their operations , '' Tuesday 's statement said .
`` We similarly remind armed separatist groups of their responsibilities under international law and call on all parties to refrain from deliberate attacks on civilians , '' it added .
The UN rights office said the already tense situation in Cameroon 's anglophone regions had worsened ahead of this month 's parliamentary and municipal elections .
`` The Government deployed some 700 additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed separatists reportedly kidnapped dozens of candidates , most from the Social Democratic Front which is one of the country 's biggest opposition parties , '' the UN said .
While most of the candidates had since been released , the UN said it had also received information that voting centres and the homes of those involved in the election campaign had been attacked by separatists .

The UN called on Cameroon Tuesday to conduct an independent investigation into the "shocking" killing of 23 villagers in a troubled English-speaking region and to ensure the perpetrators be held accountable.
Members of the Cameroonian Rapid Intervention Force patrol in the far north region of Cameroon on March 21, 2019.
Advertising Read more
Citing information from UN colleagues on the ground, the UN rights office said that two pregnant women and 15 children -- nine of them under the age of five -- were among those killed in Friday's attack, which opposition parties blamed on members of the armed forces.
"We urge the authorities to ensure that the investigation is independent, impartial and thorough, and that those responsible are held fully to account," it said in a statement.
The UN had previously put the toll from Friday's attack at up to 22, but Tuesday's statement said 23 people had died in the "shocking episode".
Witnesses had told the UN that around 40 armed men, including members of the security and defence forces, had attacked the village in Cameroon's Northwest Region -- one of two English-speaking regions grappling with separatist violence since October 2017.
According to the witness testimony, the attack saw the men "opening fire on people and burning down houses", the rights office said.
Cameroon's army on Monday denied charges that members of the armed forces were responsible for the deaths in the Ngarbuh district of Ntumbo village, describing the event as "quite simply an unfortunate accident, the collateral result of security operations in the region".
The authorities said people inside the village had attacked security forces "with the exchange of shots igniting a fire that affected several dwellings", according to the UN statement.
Violence in anglophone regions
The tragedy marks only the latest deadly incident in the two conflict-plagued English-speaking regions -- the southwest and northwest -- where more than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the past two and a half years.
English-speakers account for nearly a fifth of Cameroon's population of 24 million, who are majority French-speaking.
Years of grievances at perceived discrimination snowballed into a declaration of independence in October 2017 and a government crackdown.
"We call on the Government to ensure that the security forces abide by applicable international law norms standards during the conduct of their operations," Tuesday's statement said.
"We similarly remind armed separatist groups of their responsibilities under international law and call on all parties to refrain from deliberate attacks on civilians," it added.
The UN rights office said the already tense situation in Cameroon's anglophone regions had worsened ahead of this month's parliamentary and municipal elections.
"The Government deployed some 700 additional troops in the North-West and South-West where armed separatists reportedly kidnapped dozens of candidates, most from the Social Democratic Front which is one of the country's biggest opposition parties," the UN said.
While most of the candidates had since been released, the UN said it had also received information that voting centres and the homes of those involved in the election campaign had been attacked by separatists.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-18--‘We haven't eaten for days’: Afghan soldiers suffer amid widespread corruption

Masoud D. [ not his real name ] is an Afghan journalist that specialises in military and security matters .
He has interviewed many soldiers over his career , and also asked us to remain anonymous.In May 2018 , the police in Badghis province in the north-west of Afghanistan confirmed that a contractor that provided food to Afghan security forces was serving up dog meat.Mohammad Naeim Ghayour , the former chief of military intelligence in the west of Afghanistan , attested to the widespread corruption in the Afghan army in an interview in 2011 Corruption is huge in the army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of money at stake , '' he explained .
`` I witnessed a meeting between an army garrison delegate and a contractor who was going to provide the food rations .
They agreed to use bad quality ingredients so that they could turn a profit .
`` According to official statistics provided by a US Congress report , the Afghan army lost up to 10 % of its soldiers in 2018 alone because of casualties and desertion.According to the same report , there are thousands of 'ghost soldiers ' in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who exist only on paper , allowing commanders to inflate their budgets and fill their pockets .
An Afghan army soldier earns only 200 dollars a month .

AFGHANISTAN
An officer in the Afghan army based in the south of the country sent us this photo, explaining that what you see in the photo is the ration for five people.
Advertising Read more
The Afghan army has been mired in a decades-long war against the Taliban, ever since the United States invaded the country in 2001. Corruption is also rife in the country's military. Photos sent to the FRANCE 24 Observers team shine a light on poor organisation and the difficulties that Afghan troops face, from insufficient food and pay to a lack of suitable clothing. On top of these practical problems, soldiers also face a strategic disadvantage: the Taliban has had increasing access over the last few years to better weapons.
Photo published by the news site Ava Press in 2017, on the topic of the insufficient food rations for soldiers in Ghor province.
"If we want to eat a big enough meal, we have to buy it ourselves"
Ahmad B. (not his real name) is an officer in Kandahar Province in the south of the country, a dangerous area where there is regular conflict with Taliban fighters. He requested anonymity as he's not allowed to talk to the media.
If a soldier has to fight against the Taliban every day, he needs at least enough food to feel full. It doesn't even have to be nutritious. The photo that I sent you is a ration for five people. A tiny bit of mutton, some broth and five small pieces of bread. The food in the Afghan army has never been particularly good, but it's got worse over the last few months. If we want to eat enough food, we have to buy it ourselves. We do that from time to time, but if we buy food every day we'll end up up spending all we earn and then how do we support our families?
Photo sent by our Observer.
"Our boots have holes in them"
Another problem is our uniforms. Lots of soldiers don't have enough money to buy their own clothing. They wear boots with holes in them and shiver with cold whenever they go outside. Here the temperature often drops to below zero and the boots that we're given aren't enough to cope with such a cold climate. There's not enough fuel for the heaters so we have to collect firewood to heat up our base. We have to buy winter clothing ourselves at the market if we don't want to freeze. The uniforms that we're meant to buy are resold on the black market. Can you believe that, that an Afghan soldier isn't provided with a proper winter uniform? That uniform exists, but he has to find it himself in the streets of Kabul or Kandahar. We are not even in the worst situation. We're in a main military base, but soldiers posted in rural zones, in checkpoints or garrisons for example, live in far worse conditions. Sometimes they're completely cut off from the main base for weeks and only receive the strict minimum in terms of supplies.
Soldiers posted in hte Ghurmach region. Photo published on the news site Afghan Paper.
Afghan politicians and media have highlighted this situation in recent years.
General Ziaeddin Sagheb, an army commander in Ghor Province in central Afghanistan spoke about this in October 2017, saying, "In the last three months, our food rations have been drastically reduced and eventually cut altogether. Soldiers have to bring their own food and those who have nothing have to go door-to-door and beg to have some bread to eat." At the time, the Afghan army was fighting the Taliban in two zones in the region.
Soldiers in Ghurmach in the northern province of Faryab had spoken to a local media about the same topic just a month before, saying, "We haven't eaten for days. We only have four sacks of flour for 400 soldiers. No one cares about us. We can't fight the Taliban on only bread and water."
"Contractors bribe army commanders in order to get more contracts"
Masoud D. [not his real name] is an Afghan journalist that specialises in military and security matters. He has interviewed many soldiers over his career, and also asked us to remain anonymous.
The Afghan army usually outsources the supply of food to local contractors. These contractors get the contracts through contacts. Usually, they bribe or blackmail army commanders in order to get the contract. In lots of cases, the quantity and quality of the food is terrible. Some soldiers don't get anything. When soldiers or their commanders try to speak up about the problem, nothing happens. Politicians are busy elsewhere, and because of the corruption between the contractors and the army commanders, nothing happens.
In May 2018, the police in Badghis province in the north-west of Afghanistan confirmed that a contractor that provided food to Afghan security forces was serving up dog meat.
Endemic corruption in the army
Mohammad Naeim Ghayour, the former chief of military intelligence in the west of Afghanistan, attested to the widespread corruption in the Afghan army in an interview in 2011.
Corruption is huge in the army, and that's because there's a lot of money at stake," he explained. "I witnessed a meeting between an army garrison delegate and a contractor who was going to provide the food rations. They agreed to use bad quality ingredients so that they could turn a profit."
According to official statistics provided by a US Congress report, the Afghan army lost up to 10% of its soldiers in 2018 alone because of casualties and desertion.
According to the same report, there are thousands of 'ghost soldiers' in the ranks of the Afghan army: soldiers who exist only on paper, allowing commanders to inflate their budgets and fill their pockets. An Afghan army soldier earns only 200 dollars a month.
Article by Ershad Alijani.


france24--2020-02-18--French farmers worry about subsidies in post-Brexit EU budget

Farmer and breeder Jean-Claude Pette poses next to his cows in his farm at Lizines , France , February 12 , 2020 .
Picture taken February 12 , 2020 .
French dairy and crop farmer Jean-Claude Pette relies on European Union subsidies to keep his 200-hectare farm afloat .
But he worries support could be cut as governments seek ways to plug a budget hole left by Britain 's departure from the bloc .
Pette receives 58,000 euros in subsidies annually , more than the 45,000 euro income he earns from his 100 dairy cows and fields of cereals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macron must insist on those payouts being left untouched when EU leaders meet this week to thrash out the bloc 's next seven-year budget .
`` Unfortunately , if you look at the prices we sell our produce for today , we need those subsidies to survive , '' Pette told Reuters on his farm 80km ( 50 miles ) outside Paris .
Pette is far from alone in France , the EU 's biggest agriculture producer .
Agriculture contributed just 1.1 % to EU gross domestic product while the bloc 's Common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single largest component of the EU spending , accounting for 38 % of the 1.1 trillion euro 2014-2020 budget .
EU leaders are divided ahead of the Feb. 20 summit over the size of the budget and spending priorities as climate change , defence and immigration jostle with more traditional needs such as farmers and infrastructure projects .
France says there can be no reduction to the CAP budget and Macron is under acute pressure to win traditional arm-wrestling with proponents of a streamlined budget like the Netherlands and Sweden .
Farmers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banker , over issues like pesticide restrictions and a landmark free trade deal brokered with South American countries .
Meanwhile , legislation aimed at sharing profits more fairly along the food chain have yet to be felt at the farmgate .
Macron 's government says it has heard the farmers ' demands .
Paris dismissed an initial proposal in 2018 by the European Commission , a 5 % cut to the CAP budget post-Brexit , and French officials point to the backing of most EU countries to at least keep farm spending at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a drop in the agricultural budget is not an option , '' a French diplomat said .
Macron , an ardent Europhile championing calls for the EU to become more assertive on matters such as trade and defence against China and the United States , said this month the EU budget needed to match the scale of its ambitions .
But he will have to contend with among others the so-called `` frugal four '' -- the Netherlands , Austria , Sweden and Denmark .
The Dutch say they wo n't accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget .
Farming was one area where the Dutch government saw room for budget cuts , one official said , adding the country wanted a greater focus on climate and the environment in farm policy .
Beyond the size of the CAP budget , EU countries have options to reshuffle spending , including capping payments to larger farms , harmonising subsidies between newer and older EU states , and giving more leeway to each country to allocate CAP funds .
Making the CAP more environment-focused might be the reform path that wins most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Macron to sell to farmers already exasperated at being cast as polluters .
Pette , who joined hundreds of French farmers in November blocking highways leading into Paris , said a further greening of the CAP would devalue subsidies .
`` If we 're faced with environmental and society demands that are unattainable economically , the fact we receive aid payments wo n't be enough to offset our losses , '' he said .

French dairy and crop farmer Jean-Claude Pette relies on European Union subsidies to keep his 200-hectare farm afloat. But he worries support could be cut as governments seek ways to plug a budget hole left by Britain's departure from the bloc.
Farmer and breeder Jean-Claude Pette poses next to his cows in his farm at Lizines, France, February 12, 2020. Picture taken February 12, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Pette receives 58,000 euros in subsidies annually, more than the 45,000 euro income he earns from his 100 dairy cows and fields of cereals and sugar beet.
He said President Emmanuel Macron must insist on those payouts being left untouched when EU leaders meet this week to thrash out the bloc's next seven-year budget.
"Unfortunately, if you look at the prices we sell our produce for today, we need those subsidies to survive," Pette told Reuters on his farm 80km (50 miles) outside Paris.
Pette is far from alone in France, the EU's biggest agriculture producer.
Agriculture contributed just 1.1% to EU gross domestic product while the bloc's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the single largest component of the EU spending, accounting for 38% of the 1.1 trillion euro 2014-2020 budget.
EU leaders are divided ahead of the Feb. 20 summit over the size of the budget and spending priorities as climate change, defence and immigration jostle with more traditional needs such as farmers and infrastructure projects.
France says there can be no reduction to the CAP budget and Macron is under acute pressure to win traditional arm-wrestling with proponents of a streamlined budget like the Netherlands and Sweden.
Farmers are unhappy with Macron, a former investment banker, over issues like pesticide restrictions and a landmark free trade deal brokered with South American countries.
Meanwhile, legislation aimed at sharing profits more fairly along the food chain have yet to be felt at the farmgate.
Farm spending
Macron's government says it has heard the farmers' demands.
Paris dismissed an initial proposal in 2018 by the European Commission, a 5% cut to the CAP budget post-Brexit, and French officials point to the backing of most EU countries to at least keep farm spending at its current level.
"For us, a drop in the agricultural budget is not an option," a French diplomat said.
Macron, an ardent Europhile championing calls for the EU to become more assertive on matters such as trade and defence against China and the United States, said this month the EU budget needed to match the scale of its ambitions.
But he will have to contend with among others the so-called "frugal four" -- the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Denmark.
The Dutch say they won't accept making an increased contribution to the 2021-27 budget. Farming was one area where the Dutch government saw room for budget cuts, one official said, adding the country wanted a greater focus on climate and the environment in farm policy.
Beyond the size of the CAP budget, EU countries have options to reshuffle spending, including capping payments to larger farms, harmonising subsidies between newer and older EU states, and giving more leeway to each country to allocate CAP funds.
Making the CAP more environment-focused might be the reform path that wins most consensus. But this could be tough for Macron to sell to farmers already exasperated at being cast as polluters.
Pette, who joined hundreds of French farmers in November blocking highways leading into Paris, said a further greening of the CAP would devalue subsidies.
"If we're faced with environmental and society demands that are unattainable economically, the fact we receive aid payments won't be enough to offset our losses," he said.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-18--Face masks vs coronavirus: How effective are they?

From expensive filtration devices to homemade coverings , face masks have become almost ubiquitous in Hong Kong in the wake of China 's coronavirus outbreak .
But experts say the choice of mask could make a big difference to its effectiveness .
Of the two main types of face masks on the market -- N95 respirators that fit tight to the face and include a filtration system , and the surgical face masks typically worn by hospital workers -- it is the latter that offers the best defence against the virus , says Joseph Kwan , professor at Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Respirators are designed to protect the user , because they want to keep the contaminants out , ” he told AFP .
“ [ Surgical masks ] , actually in the healthcare environment are meant to protect the patients . ''
The World Health Organization has warned that the huge surge in demand for face masks and other protective clothing could lead to a shortage for those who need them most : doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients .
Nevertheless , Professor Kwan argues they are essential in a crowded city such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread like wildfire if nobody wears a mask , because you are not able to always identify infectious sources , ” he said .
“ And then with the crowded conditions Hong Kong faces , then there will be many community cases .
It will be a public health disaster . ''

From expensive filtration devices to homemade coverings, face masks have become almost ubiquitous in Hong Kong in the wake of China's coronavirus outbreak. But experts say the choice of mask could make a big difference to its effectiveness.
Advertising Read more
Of the two main types of face masks on the market -- N95 respirators that fit tight to the face and include a filtration system, and the surgical face masks typically worn by hospital workers -- it is the latter that offers the best defence against the virus, says Joseph Kwan, professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
"Respirators are designed to protect the user, because they want to keep the contaminants out,” he told AFP. “[Surgical masks], actually in the healthcare environment are meant to protect the patients."
The World Health Organization has warned that the huge surge in demand for face masks and other protective clothing could lead to a shortage for those who need them most: doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients.
Nevertheless, Professor Kwan argues they are essential in a crowded city such as Hong Kong.
"It will just spread like wildfire if nobody wears a mask, because you are not able to always identify infectious sources,” he said. “And then with the crowded conditions Hong Kong faces, then there will be many community cases. It will be a public health disaster."
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--Macron unveils curbs on foreign imams in France, in bid to combat ‘separatism’

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced measures to end a programme that allowed foreign countries to send imams and teachers to provide services without supervision in France in a bid to crack down on what he called the risk of `` separatism '' .
During a visit to the eastern French city of Mulhouse , Macron said the government sought to combat “ foreign interference ” in how Islam is practiced and the way its religious institutions are organised in the secular country .
`` The problem is when in the name of a religion , some want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respect its laws , ” he said .
Macron said he plans to end a programme created in 1977 that allowed nine countries to send imams and teachers to France to provide foreign language and culture classes without any supervision from French authorities .
Four majority-Muslim countries – Algeria , Tunisia , Morocco and Turkey – were involved in the programme , which reaches about 80,000 students every year .
Around 300 imams were sent to France every year by these countries , and that those who arrived in 2020 would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Macron .
The government has asked the French Muslim Council ( CFCM ) , the body representing Islam in France , to find solutions to train imams on French soil instead and ensure they can speak French and do not spread Islamist views .
The measures were part of a much-anticipated intervention less than a month before municipal elections in France .
Macron ’ s speech came at the end of a visit to Mulhouse , home to a large Muslim community that has been the focus of the French government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new rules were intended to counter Islamic extremism in France by giving the government more authority over the schooling of children , the financing of mosques and the training of imams , said Macron .
`` This end to the consular Islam system is extremely important to curb foreign influence and make sure everybody respects the laws of the republic , '' he told a news conference in Mulhouse .
The scrapping of the programme granting countries the right to send imams and teachers to France would instead be replaced by bilateral agreements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courses and their content starting in September.France had agreements with a number of countries , including Algeria , Morocco and Tunisia , said Macron .
But the only country with which France did not reach a bilateral agreement was Turkey “ Turkey today can make the choice to follow that path with us or not , but I wo n't let any foreign country feed a cultural , religious or identity-related separatism on our Republic 's ground , ” he said.
“ We can not have Turkey 's laws on France 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Turkey runs a vast network of mosques inside the country and abroad under the powerful Diyanet , or Directorate of Religious Affairs .
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , the Diyanet budget has dramatically increased amid criticism that the body was being used by Ankara as a foreign policy tool and an attempt to extend Turkey ’ s soft power .
Home to Europe ’ s largest Muslim community , estimated at around 6 million , or 8 percent of the population , France has long sought to assimilate its Muslim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds fast to laïcité , or state secularism , a 1905 legal principle that separated church and state and mandated the state ’ s neutrality on religion .
France has suffered major attacks by Islamist militants in recent years .
Coordinated bombings and shootings in November 2015 at the Bataclan theatre and other sites around Paris killed 130 people – the deadliest attacks in France since World War Two .
Most of the attackers were French or Belgian nationals who had travelled to Turkey and from there to Iraq and Syria to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group .
Fighting ‘ separatism ’ or communities governing themselves Addressing the issue of “ separatism , ” Macron warned of the dangers of `` communitarianism '' or the practice of communities governing themselves in France .
He called for better integration of Muslims in wider society .
`` We are here for a reason that we share with Muslims – that is the struggle against communitarianism , '' he said .
Macron insisted the new measures were not anti-Islam , but were designed to aid the integration and provide opportunities for France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must put in place is not , as I have sometimes heard from some people , ' a plan against Islam ' .
That would be a profound mistake , ” said Macron .
“ What we must fight is the separatism , because when the Republic does not keep its promises , others will try to replace it . ''

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced measures to end a programme that allowed foreign countries to send imams and teachers to France in a bid to crack down on what he called the risk of "separatism".
Advertising Read more
During a visit to the eastern French city of Mulhouse, Macron said the government sought to combat “foreign interference” in how Islam is practiced and the way its religious institutions are organised.
"A problem arises when, in the name of religion, some want to separate themselves from the Republic and therefore not respect its laws,” he said.
Macron plans to end a programme created in 1977 that allowed nine countries to send imams and teachers to France to provide foreign-language and culture classes that are not subject to any supervision from French authorities.
Four majority-Muslim countries – Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey – were involved in the programme, which reaches about 80,000 students every year. Around 300 imams were sent to France every year by these countries and those who arrived in 2020 will be the last to arrive in such numbers, said Macron.
The government has asked the French Muslim Council (CFCM), the body representing Islam in France, to find solutions to train imams on French soil instead and ensure they can speak French and do not spread Islamist views.
The measures were part of a much-anticipated intervention less than a month before municipal elections in France. Macron’s speech came at the end of a visit to Mulhouse, home to a large Muslim community that has been the focus of the French government’s campaign against Islamism.
The new rules were intended to counter Islamic extremism in France by giving the government more authority over the schooling of children, the financing of mosques and the training of imams, said Macron.
"This end to the consular Islam system is extremely important to curb foreign influence and make sure everybody respects the laws of the republic," he told a news conference in Mulhouse.
03:28
‘We cannot have Turkey's laws on France'
The scrapping of the programme granting countries the right to send imams and teachers to France would instead be replaced by bilateral agreements to ensure French state has control over the courses and their content starting in September.
France had agreements with a number of countries, including Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, said Macron. But the only country with which France did not reach a bilateral agreement was Turkey.
“Turkey today can make the choice to follow that path with us or not, but I won't let any foreign country feed a cultural, religious or identity-related separatism on our Republic's ground,” he said.
“We cannot have Turkey's laws on France's ground. No way,” Macron added.
Turkey runs a vast network of mosques inside the country and abroad under the powerful Diyanet, or Directorate of Religious Affairs. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Diyanet budget has dramatically increased amid criticism that the body was being used by Ankara as a foreign policy tool and an attempt to extend Turkey’s soft power.
Home to Europe’s largest Muslim community, estimated at around 6 million, or 8 percent of the population, France has long sought to assimilate its Muslim nationals and residents in a country that holds fast to laïcité, or state secularism, a 1905 legal principle that separated church and state and mandated the state’s neutrality on religion.
France has suffered major attacks by Islamist militants in recent years. Coordinated bombings and shootings in November 2015 at the Bataclan theatre and other sites around Paris killed 130 people – the deadliest attacks in France since World War Two. Most of the attackers were French or Belgian nationals who had travelled to Turkey and from there to Iraq and Syria to fight with the Islamic State (IS) group.
Fighting ‘separatism’ or communities governing themselves
Addressing the issue of “separatism”, Macron warned of the dangers of "communitarianism" or the practice of communities governing themselves in France. He called for better integration of Muslims in wider society.
"We are here for a reason that we share with Muslims – that is the struggle against communitarianism," he said. Macron insisted the new measures were not anti-Islam, but were designed to aid the integration and provide opportunities for France’s Muslims.
"What we must put in place is not, as I have sometimes heard from some people, 'a plan against Islam'. That would be a profound mistake,” said Macron. “What we must fight is the separatism, because when the Republic does not keep its promises, others will try to replace it."
(FRANCE 24 with AP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--US sanctions ‘targeting’ patients, say doctors at Iranian cancer hospital

Medical staff at Iran ’ s top cancer hospital tell FRANCE 24 their patients are paying the price of geopolitical strategies as the country ’ s health system struggles to cope under crippling US sanctions .
The economy tops the agenda as Iran heads to the polls in Friday ’ s general elections .
The reception area at the Cancer Institute in the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in the Iranian capital , Tehran , is packed with patients seeking treatment in the country ’ s preeminent cancer centre .
Nearly two years after the US pulled out of the 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients and staff at the Cancer Institute are struggling to provide healthcare amid shortages and spiraling drug prices .
“ We do n't have enough of some types of drugs and we have to import them .
It becomes very expensive for our patients .
They have to pay in dollars or euros , ” explains Wida Shehri , head nurse at the chemotherapy unit .
US President Donald Trump ’ s “ maximum pressure ” strategy is posing a serious risk to Iran ’ s healthcare system , according to international human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch report found some of the worst-affected were Iranians with rare diseases and conditions that require specialised treatment .
Although Washington has built exemptions for humanitarian imports into its sanctions regime , the sweeping US sanctions against Iranian banks along with aggressive rhetoric from Trump administration officials have drastically affected Iran ’ s ability to import medical supplies .
While Iran produces 95 percent of its drugs , the country has to import ingredients that are difficult to access under the sanctions .
“ Exporters want to sell us the drugs .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have ways to transfer money between bank accounts .
I think around 50 percent of our patients have been affected by the sanctions , ” explains Mahmoud Zadeh , director of oncology at the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex .
'Cancer does n't stop' Iranians are going to the polls Friday in the first general elections since the US imposed sanctions following the pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal .
Iran ’ s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called on Iranians to vote , saying it was “ not only a revolutionary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious duty '' .
Opposition figures , however , have called for a boycott of Friday ’ s vote , saying the elections were not democratic and that casting ballots only bolstered Iran ’ s theocratic rulers .
The elections have been overshadowed by mass disqualifications of over 7,000 mainly moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council oversight body .
Trapped between crippling international sanctions and an authoritarian government , protests erupted across the country but were brutally suppressed earlier this year , according to opposition figures .
At an operating theatre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to save lives sound tired of being pawns in geopolitical games .
Doctors say medical equipment at the cancer centre is not up to date , increasing the risk for patients .
Surgeons working on a complex operation on a patient suffering from jaw cancer that involved transfering chest tissue cells to the face sounded weary with the situation .
“ We are facing some problems during operations , ” a surgeon told FRANCE 24 .
“ I do n't know really if the target of the sanctions are the politicians or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer here and cancer does n't stop , so we can not stop.
” Directly or indirectly US sanctions have hit almost all sectors of Iran 's economy and it is the economy that is on voters ' minds during this election season .

ON THE GROUND
Medical staff at Iran’s top cancer hospital tell FRANCE 24 their patients are paying the price of geopolitical strategies as the country’s health system struggles to cope under crippling US sanctions. The economy tops the agenda as Iran heads to the polls in Friday’s general elections.
Advertising Read more
The reception area at the Cancer Institute in the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in the Iranian capital, Tehran, is packed with patients seeking treatment in the country’s preeminent cancer centre. Nearly two years after the US pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal imposing ever-tightening sanctions, patients and staff at the Cancer Institute are struggling to provide healthcare amid shortages and spiraling drug prices.
“We don't have enough of some types of drugs and we have to import them. It becomes very expensive for our patients. They have to pay in dollars or euros,” explains Wida Shehri, head nurse at the chemotherapy unit.
US President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy is posing a serious risk to Iran’s healthcare system, according to an international human rights group. A 2019 Human Rights Watch report found some of the worst-affected were Iranians with rare diseases and conditions that require specialised treatment.
Although Washington has built exemptions for humanitarian imports into its sanctions regime, the sweeping US sanctions against Iranian banks along with aggressive rhetoric from Trump administration officials have drastically affected Iran’s ability to import medical supplies.
While Iran produces 95 percent of its drugs, the country has to import ingredients that are difficult to access under the sanctions.
“Exporters want to sell us the drugs. The problem is payment. We don't have ways to transfer money between bank accounts. I think around 50 percent of our patients have been affected by the sanctions,” explains Mahmoud Zadeh, director of oncology at the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex.
'Cancer doesn't stop'
Iranians are going to the polls Friday in the first general elections since the US imposed sanctions following the pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called on Iranians to vote, saying it was “not only a revolutionary and national responsibility, but also a religious duty".
Opposition figures, however, have called for a boycott of Friday’s vote, saying the elections were not democratic and that casting ballots only bolstered Iran’s theocratic rulers.
The elections have been overshadowed by mass disqualifications of over 7,000 mainly moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council oversight body.
Trapped between crippling international sanctions and an authoritarian government, protests erupted across the country but were brutally suppressed earlier this year, according to opposition figures.
At an operating theatre in the Cancer Institute though, surgeons trying to save lives sound tired of being pawns in geopolitical games.
Doctors say medical equipment at the cancer centre is not up to date, increasing the risk for patients.
Surgeons working on a complex operation on a patient suffering from jaw cancer that involved transfering chest tissue cells to the face sounded weary with the situation.
“We are facing some problems during operations,” a surgeon told FRANCE 24. “I don't know really if the target of the sanctions are the politicians or our patients. We are dealing with cancer here and cancer doesn't stop, so we cannot stop.”
Directly or indirectly US sanctions have hit almost all sectors of Iran's economy and it is the economy that is on voters' minds during this election season.
(FRANCE 24)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--Passengers from virus-hit cruise liner start disembarking in Japan

Passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama , south of Tokyo , Japan , on February 18 , 2020 .
More than 540 people have been infected with the virus on the vessel .
Passengers on the virus-hit cruise ship moored near Tokyo began disembarking on Wednesday , public broadcaster NHK said , after a controversial two-week quarantine that saw more than 500 people infected with the new coronavirus originating in China .
The Diamond Princess , operated by Carnival Corp , has been quarantined in the port of Yokohama since Feb. 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong before it travelled to Japan , was diagnosed with the virus .
More than 540 people have been infected with the virus on the liner , which originally carried some 3,700 passengers and crew .
Many of those infected have already been transfered to hospitals .
About half the passengers are Japanese .
Japan , which ranks second in the world after China in number of confirmed virus cases , has come under fire for its handling of the cruise ship quarantine , although top government officials have defended the quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were expected to disembark starting Wednesday , a health ministry official said , with the entire process completed by Friday .
With some passengers planning to stay on the ship it was unclear when the quarantine would end .
The United States evacuated more than 300 nationals on Monday on two chartered flights and six South Koreans and one Japanese spouse flew to South Korea on Wednesday morning on a chartered flight .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday there were 220 Australians on board .
A total of 169 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and will remain on the ship , and another 15 have elected to stay onboard .
Those evacuated will be flown to Darwin , where they will be quarantined for 14 days .
An Australian passenger said Australians had been told they would be pre-screened starting on Wednesday morning and taken to Tokyo 's Haneda airport in the evening for an expected departure early Thursday .
`` They told us to pack warm weather clothes for the two weeks in Darwin but who will have that after a cruise in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Reuters .
A captain 's announcement on the liner said that Hong Kong passengers would also be evacuated over the next 24 hours and that according to information received , a Canadian charter flight would arrive on Friday morning .
Italy and Taiwan were also preparing to evacuate their nationals .
Besides those on the cruise liner and returnees brought home from China 's Wuhan city , the epicentre of the epidemic , about 60 cases of domestic infections have been confirmed in Japan , including 22 in Tokyo , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a contracting economy , the spread of the virus has prompted Tokyo to curb the size of public gatherings and some companies are telling employees to work from home .
The spread of the virus has also raised concerns about the outlook for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics , set to start on July 24 , although organisers have said there are no plans to cancel the Summer Games .

About 500 passengers left the cruise ship Diamond Princess on Wednesday at the end of a much-criticized two-week quarantine aboard the vessel, docked in Japan, that failed to stop the spread of the new virus among passengers and crew.
Passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan on February 18, 2020. More than 600 people have been infected with the virus named COVID-19 on the vessel.
Advertising Read more
The quarantine's flop was underlined as authorities announced 79 more cases, bringing the total on the ship to 621. Results were still pending for some other passengers and crew among the original 3,711 people on board.
Japan's government has been questioned over its decision to keep people on the ship, which some experts have called a perfect virus incubator. The Diamond Princess is the site of the most infections outside of China, where the illness named COVID-19 emerged late last year.
Many foreign governments say they won't let passengers from the ship return unless they go through another quarantine period, so it was striking to see passengers disembark, get into taxis and disappear into Yokohama, where the ship is docked.
Japanese soldiers helped escort some passengers, including an elderly man in a wheelchair who wore a mask and held a cane. Some passengers got on buses to be transported to train stations. Some people still in their cabins waved farewell from their balconies to those who had already been processed.
'We just want to celebrate'
"I'm a bit concerned if I'm OK to get off the ship, but it was getting very difficult physically," a 77-year-old man from Saitama, near Tokyo, who got off with his wife, told Kyodo News. "For now, we just want to celebrate."
Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said initially on Wednesday that those disembarking with negative virus tests have fulfilled the Japanese quarantine requirement and are free to walk out and go home on public transportation. He said passengers were only asked to watch their health carefully for a few days and notify local health authorities if they have any symptoms or worries.
But after meeting with experts later in the day, he urged the former passengers to refrain from non-essential outings and try to stay home for about two weeks.
"COVID-19 is not 100% known, and a lot of people got infected on the Diamond Princess. Taking those factors into consideration, we believe taking extra caution will contribute to preventing the risk of future infections," he said.
Some passengers said on Twitter they received health forms in the morning asking if they had symptoms such as a headache, fever or coughing. Passengers who tested negative and had no symptoms still had to get their body temperature checked before leaving.
Passengers were provided with a certificate stating their negative test results and completion of the quarantine.
Still, Masao Sumida, an 84-year-old passenger from Chiba, near Tokyo, told NHK television he is worried people around him may have doubts. “I know I tested negative, but I'm afraid people may try to stay away from me," he said.
Mitsuo Kaku, a professor at Tohoku University's Laboratory of Infectious Disease, said on NHK that the risk of virus transmission by those who tested negative is low, but passengers who get off the ship should “use ample precautions” to protect themselves and people around them for about two more weeks.
About 500 passengers who planned to disembark on Wednesday had all left the ship by evening, and Japanese officials are to spend the next three days conducting the disembarkation of about 2,000 others.
The Diamond Princess was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo after one passenger who left the ship earlier in Hong Kong was found to have the virus.
Crew members expected to stay
Even though Japanese officials insist the number of infected patients is leveling off, cases on the ship continue to mount daily. On Tuesday, 88 people tested positive, a day after 99 others were found to be infected.
Crew members, who couldn't be confined to their rooms because they were working, are expected to stay on the ship.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases said in a report released Wednesday that the crew had not been fully isolated during the quarantine period. It said the quarantine was effective in reducing transmission among passengers, and that the increase in cases toward the end was mostly among crew or passengers in shared cabins.
“It should be noted that due to the nature of the ship, individual isolation of all those aboard was not possible,” it said.
Some medical experts who assisted with the quarantine have said anti-infection measures were often sloppy on the ship. Four health workers — a quarantine official, a physician, a paramedic who took an infected passenger to a hospital and a health ministry official assigned to quarantine paperwork on the ship — became infected.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said a more controlled health watch for the crew members is starting now because they can be spread out and kept in isolation by using vacated passenger rooms.
The ship’s operator, Princess Cruises, said in a statement Tuesday that people who tested positive recently were still on the ship as they waited for transportation to hospitals.
The safety and transport logistics for moving hundreds of people will test Japanese officials.
The United States evacuated more than 300 people over the weekend who are now in quarantine in the U.S. for another 14 days. South Korea earlier Wednesday returned seven people from the cruise ship, placing the six South Koreans and one Japanese family member into quarantine.
Other foreign passengers were to be picked up by chartered flights sent from Canada, Australia, Italy and Hong Kong.
Debate over quarantine's effectiveness
Suga has defended Japan's handling of the quarantine. “In the beginning, the United States expressed gratitude for the Japanese side. And there are many Americans who chose to stay on the ship," he said.
The U.S. government said Americans who remained on board instead of returning on chartered flights cannot return home for at least two weeks after they come ashore. Other governments picking up passengers have similar policies.
U.S. officials cited the passengers' possible exposure to the virus while on board the Diamond Princess.
Japanese health officials say the 14-day quarantine on the ship was adequate, noting that all but one of more than 500 Japanese who earlier were flown back from the center of the virus in China and initially tested negative were virus-free at the end of their 14-day quarantines.
The officials also defended the precautions taken on the ship. About 1,000 crew members were told to wear surgical masks, wash their hands, use disinfectant sprays and stop operations at restaurants, bars and other entertainment areas after Feb. 5, when the first group of 10 infections was reported and the start of the 14-day quarantine was announced.
Passengers were instructed to stay in their cabins and not walk around or contact other passengers. Those in windowless cabins could go out on the deck for about an hour each day.
Crew members continued to serve guests by delivering food, letters, towels and amenities, and entering passenger cabins for cleaning. Crew members also ate in groups in a crew mess hall.
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--France to shut down oldest nuclear plant in energy re-planning drive

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday that the Fessenheim nuclear reactor , on the border with Germany , will be shut down at the end of June , with one of its reactors to be closed this weekend .
A statement on Wednesday called the decision “ the first phase ” of France 's energy strategy set out in 2018 by President Emmanuel Macron .
The plan calls for a re-balancing of nuclear-produced energy and electricity derived from renewable sources .
Coal plants are to be closed by 2022 to reduce greenhouse gases , the statement said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday and the entire complex will come to a halt on June 30 , the statement said .
Germany has long called for the plant , France 's oldest , to be shut down .
It is the first nuclear complex to be closed under Macron 's plan .
France depends more on nuclear energy than any other country , getting about three-quarters of its electricity from the plants .
Macron said in 2018 , outlining France 's energy strategy for the next 30 years , that 14 nuclear reactors out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be shut down by 2035 .
France would cap the amount of electricity it derives from nuclear plants at 50 % by then .

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday that the Fessenheim nuclear reactor, on the border with Germany, will be shut down at the end of June, with one of its reactors to be closed this weekend.
France's Fessenheim nuclear reactor is set for closure at the end of June 2020.
Advertising Read more
A statement on Wednesday called the decision “the first phase” of France's energy strategy set out in 2018 by President Emmanuel Macron. The plan calls for a re-balancing of nuclear-produced energy and electricity derived from renewable sources. Coal plants are to be closed by 2022 to reduce greenhouse gases, the statement said.
Reactor No. 1 will be halted on Saturday and the entire complex will come to a halt on June 30, the statement said.
Germany has long called for the plant, France's oldest, to be shut down. It is the first nuclear complex to be closed under Macron's plan.
France depends more on nuclear energy than any other country, getting about three-quarters of its electricity from the plants. Macron said in 2018, outlining France's energy strategy for the next 30 years, that 14 nuclear reactors out of the 58 now running at 19 plants would be shut down by 2035. France would cap the amount of electricity it derives from nuclear plants at 50% by then.
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-18--UN-backed govt in Libya suspends talks after Haftar forces attack Tripoli port

Smoke rises from a port in Tripoli , Libya , after an attack on February 18 , 2020 .
Libya 's internationally recognised government on Tuesday halted talks hosted by the United Nations to halt war over the capital after eastern forces shelled Tripoli 's port , almost hitting a highly explosive gas tanker and disrupting fuel supplies .
The UN has been hosting in Geneva ceasefire talks between officers from the Tripoli government and the eastern-based Libya National Army ( LNA ) , which has been trying to take the capital in a near year-long campaign displacing at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed by foreign powers backing rival parties at a summit in Germany a month ago , an event that has not halted a war that has ripped apart the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 .
The LNA on Tuesday shelled Tripoli port , saying first it had attacked a Turkish vessel bringing weapons but saying later it had hit an arms depot .
Heavy artillery fire could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli though details were unclear .
In response , the Tripoli-based Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it suspended its participation in ceasefire talks `` until firm responses are taken against the attacker , and we will respond firmly to the attack in appropriate timing . ''
`` Negotiations do n't mean anything without permanent ceasefire guarantees returning the displaced people and the security of the capital and the other cities , '' it added .
Tripoli port is a major gateway for food , fuel , wheat and other imports for the capital , which is home to the internationally recognised government .
State oil firm NOC said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the port after a missile struck meters away `` from a highly explosive liquefied petroleum gas ( LPG ) tanker discharging in the port '' .
`` Today ’ s attack on Tripoli port could have led to a humanitarian and environmental disaster , '' NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said .
`` The city does not have operational fuel storage facilities ... the consequences will be immediate ; hospitals , schools , power stations and other vital services will be disrupted , '' he said .
Tripoli-based forces said the LNA had fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sent several ships carrying arms and heavy trucks to Tripoli and Misrata , another western port allied to the Tripoli government , diplomats say .
The LNA is allied to a parallel government in eastern Libya supported by the United Arab Emirates , Egypt , Jordan and Russian mercenaries .
Eastern ports and airports are out of range of the Tripoli forces and its Turkish drones .
Tuesday 's attack on the port unfolded as officers from the Tripoli forces and the LNA held a second round of indirect talks in Geneva @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides refused again to sit in the same room , UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said , though he said he was hopeful of making progress .
`` So while the situation on the ground remains a situation where the truce is very fragile ... nobody has so far reneged on the principle of accepting the truce and the political process is trying to find a way to move forward , '' he told reporters before the GNA suspended its participation .
Salame added that he had received conditions from tribesmen allied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastern oil export ports , but said these were quite general and would have to be fleshed out in more UN-led talks in Geneva next week .
The port strike came as US ambassador Richard Norland visited Haftar in his base near the eastern city of Benghazi .
`` The Ambassador noted General # Haftar ’ s stated commitment to a permanent ceasefire and reiterated the commitment of the Berlin participants to de-escalation , the arms embargo , and a political solution to the conflict , '' the US embassy for Libya said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Germany last month where foreign powers agreed on paper to push for a ceasefire and enforce an arms embargo .

Libya's internationally recognised government on Tuesday halted talks hosted by the United Nations to halt war over the capital after eastern forces shelled Tripoli's port, almost hitting a highly explosive gas tanker and disrupting fuel supplies.
Smoke rises from a port in Tripoli, Libya, after an attack on February 18, 2020.
Advertising Read more
The UN has been hosting in Geneva ceasefire talks between officers from the Tripoli government and the eastern-based Libya National Army (LNA), which has been trying to take the capital in a near year-long campaign displacing at least 150,000 people.
The talks had been agreed by foreign powers backing rival parties at a summit in Germany a month ago, an event that has not halted a war that has ripped apart the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The LNA on Tuesday shelled Tripoli port, saying first it had attacked a Turkish vessel bringing weapons but saying later it had hit an arms depot. Heavy artillery fire could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli though details were unclear.
In response, the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord said in a statement it suspended its participation in ceasefire talks "until firm responses are taken against the attacker, and we will respond firmly to the attack in appropriate timing."
"Negotiations don't mean anything without permanent ceasefire guarantees returning the displaced people and the security of the capital and the other cities," it added.
Tripoli port is a major gateway for food, fuel, wheat and other imports for the capital, which is home to the internationally recognised government.
State oil firm NOC said it had urgently evacuated all fuel tankers from the port after a missile struck meters away "from a highly explosive liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker discharging in the port".
"Today’s attack on Tripoli port could have led to a humanitarian and environmental disaster," NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said.
"The city does not have operational fuel storage facilities ... the consequences will be immediate; hospitals, schools, power stations and other vital services will be disrupted," he said.
Tripoli-based forces said the LNA had fired four missiles.
Since January, Turkey has sent several ships carrying arms and heavy trucks to Tripoli and Misrata, another western port allied to the Tripoli government, diplomats say.
The LNA is allied to a parallel government in eastern Libya supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan and Russian mercenaries. Eastern ports and airports are out of range of the Tripoli forces and its Turkish drones.
Indirect talks for ceasefire
Tuesday's attack on the port unfolded as officers from the Tripoli forces and the LNA held a second round of indirect talks in Geneva to establish a permanent ceasefire. Both sides refused again to sit in the same room, UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said, though he said he was hopeful of making progress.
"So while the situation on the ground remains a situation where the truce is very fragile... nobody has so far reneged on the principle of accepting the truce and the political process is trying to find a way to move forward," he told reporters before the GNA suspended its participation.
Salame added that he had received conditions from tribesmen allied to eastern forces to lift a blockade of eastern oil export ports, but said these were quite general and would have to be fleshed out in more UN-led talks in Geneva next week.
The port strike came as US ambassador Richard Norland visited Haftar in his base near the eastern city of Benghazi.
"The Ambassador noted General #Haftar’s stated commitment to a permanent ceasefire and reiterated the commitment of the Berlin participants to de-escalation, the arms embargo, and a political solution to the conflict," the US embassy for Libya said.
It was referring to a meeting in Germany last month where foreign powers agreed on paper to push for a ceasefire and enforce an arms embargo.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--Jury concludes first day of deliberations in Weinstein rape trial

Film producer Harvey Weinstein and his legal team depart the criminal court during his sexual assault trial in New York City on February 18 , 2020 .
The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein 's rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday , in a case that has become a milestone for the # MeToo movement .
The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women began their discussions after the judge hearing the case warned Weinstein 's lead defense lawyer , Donna Rotunno , against talking to the press until jurors have reached a verdict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attorney wrote an opinion piece about the case in Newsweek magazine .
“ I would caution you about the tentacles of your public relations juggernaut , '' Justice James Burke told Rotunno .
Rotunno told Burke that the opinion piece , published on Saturday and titled `` Jurors in my client Harvey Weinstein 's case must look past the headlines , '' was not intended to address the jury directly .
`` This is an op-ed about the jury system as a whole , about the criminal justice system as a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illuzzi asked Burke to revoke Weinstein 's bail and jail him , saying he must have approved the Newsweek opinion piece , which she said `` borders on tampering with the jury . ''
The judge did not act on the request .
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann , a onetime aspiring actress , in 2013 .
After court wrapped up on Tuesday , Weinstein replied that he was feeling `` good '' when asked how he was feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jury 's hands .
He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge , predatory sexual assault .
Since 2017 , more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct .
Weinstein , who was behind films including `` The English Patient '' and `` Shakespeare in Love , '' has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual .
The allegations fueled the # MeToo movement , in which women have accused powerful men in business , entertainment , media and politics of sexual misconduct .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the jury sent a note asking for clarification of their legal instructions , which Burke provided .
Later in the afternoon , they requested exhibits , including a blueprint of the apartment where Weinstein allegedly assaulted Haleyi and a 2017 email he sent to a private investigator with a list of women highlighted as `` red flags . ''
The list included Annabella Sciorra , who testified that Weinstein entered her New York apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her .
The accusation is too old to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could act as an aggravating factor to support a charge of predatory sexual assault .
Prosecutors have said the email is evidence that Weinstein tried to prevent Sciorra and other accusers from going public with their accusations .
Last week , jurors heard closing arguments from lawyers on both sides .
Defence attorney Rotunno argued that the encounters had been consensual , pointing to friendly communications from the women to Weinstein after they were allegedly assaulted .
She assailed the credibility of the accusers and urged the jury to put aside their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence .
Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi urged jurors to convict Weinstein , saying the once-powerful producer used his position in the film industry to prey on women and that those who testified against him had no reason to lie .

The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday, in a case that has become a milestone for the #MeToo movement.
Film producer Harvey Weinstein and his legal team depart the criminal court during his sexual assault trial in New York City on February 18, 2020.
Advertising Read more
The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women began their discussions after the judge hearing the case warned Weinstein's lead defense lawyer, Donna Rotunno, against talking to the press until jurors have reached a verdict.
The warning came two days after the attorney wrote an opinion piece about the case in Newsweek magazine.
“I would caution you about the tentacles of your public relations juggernaut," Justice James Burke told Rotunno.
Rotunno told Burke that the opinion piece, published on Saturday and titled "Jurors in my client Harvey Weinstein's case must look past the headlines," was not intended to address the jury directly.
"This is an op-ed about the jury system as a whole, about the criminal justice system as a whole," she said.
Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi asked Burke to revoke Weinstein's bail and jail him, saying he must have approved the Newsweek opinion piece, which she said "borders on tampering with the jury." The judge did not act on the request.
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013.
01:49
After court wrapped up on Tuesday, Weinstein replied that he was feeling "good" when asked how he was feeling now that the case was in the jury's hands.
He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault.
A unanimous verdict is needed for a conviction.
Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Weinstein, who was behind films including "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
The allegations fueled the #MeToo movement, in which women have accused powerful men in business, entertainment, media and politics of sexual misconduct.
After deliberating for less than an hour, the jury sent a note asking for clarification of their legal instructions, which Burke provided.
Later in the afternoon, they requested exhibits, including a blueprint of the apartment where Weinstein allegedly assaulted Haleyi and a 2017 email he sent to a private investigator with a list of women highlighted as "red flags."
The list included Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Weinstein entered her New York apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her.
The accusation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but it could act as an aggravating factor to support a charge of predatory sexual assault.
Prosecutors have said the email is evidence that Weinstein tried to prevent Sciorra and other accusers from going public with their accusations.
Last week, jurors heard closing arguments from lawyers on both sides. Defence attorney Rotunno argued that the encounters had been consensual, pointing to friendly communications from the women to Weinstein after they were allegedly assaulted.
She assailed the credibility of the accusers and urged the jury to put aside their emotions and use common sense in evaluating the evidence.
Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi urged jurors to convict Weinstein, saying the once-powerful producer used his position in the film industry to prey on women and that those who testified against him had no reason to lie.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--Boeing finds debris in fuel tanks of grounded 737 MAX aircraft

Boeing Co found debris that could pose potential safety risks in the fuel tanks of several 737 MAX aircraft that are in storage and waiting to be delivered to airlines , according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday .
Foreign object debris , an industrial term for rags , tools , metal shavings and other materials left behind by workers during the production process , has been a quality control issue for various Boeing aircraft , such as its KC-46 tankers .
Mark Jenks , general manager of the 737 program , told employees in the memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and that the company was taking steps to address the issue in its production system .
A Boeing spokesman confirmed the memo 's authenticity , and said Boeing does not see the debris as contributing to delays in the jet 's return to service .
The objects were found during maintenance work on some of the hundreds of 737 MAX jetliners Boeing has built but not delivered due to a worldwide ban imposed last March following two crashes that killed 346 people , he said .
The FAA did not immediately respond @ @ @ @ @ @

Boeing Co found debris that could pose potential safety risks in the fuel tanks of several 737 MAX aircraft that are in storage and waiting to be delivered to airlines, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
Advertising Read more
Foreign object debris, an industrial term for rags, tools, metal shavings and other materials left behind by workers during the production process, has been a quality control issue for various Boeing aircraft, such as its KC-46 tankers.
Mark Jenks, general manager of the 737 program, told employees in the memo that such debris was "absolutely unacceptable" and that the company was taking steps to address the issue in its production system.
A Boeing spokesman confirmed the memo's authenticity, and said Boeing does not see the debris as contributing to delays in the jet's return to service.
The objects were found during maintenance work on some of the hundreds of 737 MAX jetliners Boeing has built but not delivered due to a worldwide ban imposed last March following two crashes that killed 346 people, he said.
The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-20--Swiss prosecutor indicts Paris Saint-Germain boss in corruption case

Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi and FIFA 's disgraced former secretary general Jerome Valcke have been indicted in Switzerland for alleged corruption in the attribution of football broadcasting rights .
The Swiss attorney general 's office ( OAG ) said in a statement on Thursday that the two had been charged `` in connection with the award of media rights to various World Cup and FIFA Confederations Cup tournaments . ''
A third , unnamed suspect in the case -- described by Swiss prosecutors as `` a businessman in the sports rights sector '' -- was also indicted , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the boss of Qatari television channel BeIN Sports , is suspected of giving inappropriate gifts to Valcke -- including rent-free access to a luxury property -- in order to secure broadcast rights to prestigious events , including the World Cup .
In a statement , the PSG chief described the charge as groundless .
Valcke , formerly ex-FIFA boss Sepp Blatter 's right-hand man , is suspected of awarding those rights to Al-Khelaifi in exchange for incitement and bribes .
`` The investigations revealed that Valcke had received undue advantages from both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Al-Khelaifi was meanwhile charged with `` inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement , '' the OAG said .
But it said it had dropped `` a criminal complaint of bribery '' against him linked to the award of media rights for World Cup tournaments in 2026 and 2030 and other events , after FIFA withdrew the complaint it was based on following an `` amicable agreement '' with Al-Khelaifi .
`` The withdrawal of the complaint meant that a procedural requirement for the prosecution of these offences was no longer met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would `` have to abandon the proceedings in relation to this allegation . ''
Al-Khelaifi hailed that part of the decision .
`` After an exhaustive three-year investigation ...
I am pleased that all charges of bribery in connection with the 2026 and 2030 World Cups have been dropped , '' he said in a statement , insisting that `` the charges have not -- and have never had -- any basis whatsoever either in fact or law . ''
`` While a secondary technical charge remains outstanding , I have every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groundless and without any substance whatsoever , '' he added .
The unnamed businessman meanwhile was indicted for bribery after paying Valcke 's company Sportunited LLC a total of 1.25 million euros .
Valcke also stands accused of exploiting his position at FIFA between 2013 and 2015 to influence the award of media rights for Italy and Greece for various World Cup and other tournaments scheduled between 2018 and 2030 `` in order to favour media partners that he preferred '' in exchange for the payments from the unnamed businessman .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that Valcke had not reported the mentioned advantages that he received to FIFA , as he was required to do as its Secretary General , thus unlawfully enriching himself , '' the statement said .
He has also been charged with falsifying documents , after Sportsunited 's balance sheet listed those payments as loans .
While Al-Khelaifi was not indicted for bribery , the OAG laid out a serious case of incitement .
It found that Valcke was refunded a down-payment of around 500,000 euros that he had made to a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Sardinia , after Al-Khelaifi purchased the villa through a company instead of Valcke .
`` Valcke then received from Al-Khelaifi the exclusive right to use the villa for a period of 18 months - until he was suspended by FIFA - without having to pay an estimated rent in between about 900,000 euros and about 1.8 million euros , '' it said .
However , the OAG said that the suspicion that Valcke accepted a luxury watch from Al-Khelaifi `` in return for exerting his influence as Secretary General of FIFA was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al-Khelaifi meanwhile complained that the three-year Swiss investigation had been `` characterised by constant leaks , misinformation and a seemingly relentless agenda to smear my reputation in the media . ''
`` For that reason , I have requested the relevant Swiss authorities to open a criminal enquiry into the conduct of the investigation , '' he said , adding that he was considering taking action against media that have `` repeatedly published factually-unsupported and highly damaging articles . ''

The president of the Paris Saint-Germain soccer club was indicted Thursday as part of a five-year bribery and corruption investigation linked to FIFA.
Advertising Read more
Nasser al-Khelaifi, a Qatari who also runs the Doha-based broadcaster BeIN Media Group, was charged in Switzerland in connection to a bribery investigation linked to World Cup television rights. Swiss federal prosecutors also charged former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke with bribery. A unidentified third person was also charged.
Al-Khelaifi was implicated for allowing Valcke to use a luxury villa on the Italian island of Sardinia rent free in 2014 and 2015. At the time, Valcke had some influence over FIFA broadcast deals, including an extension of BeIN's Middle East rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.
The office of Switzerland’s attorney general filed an indictment charging Al-Khelaifi with inciting Valcke “to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.”
It is not clear if Al-Khelaifi will be arrested, or what kind of sentence or fine he could face.
As president of Qatari-owned PSG, Al-Khelaifi is among the most significant officials in modern soccer targeted in sprawling FIFA investigations by American and Swiss federal agencies. A close friend of the ruling Emir in Qatar, Al-Khelaifi has run French champion PSG for eight years while overseeing the purchase of star players Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. His influence in European soccer rose when he joined the UEFA executive committee last year.
02:35
Despite Thursday's indictment, Al-Khelaifi no longer faces an accusation of bribery in a criminal proceeding opened three years ago. FIFA reached an "unspecified ‘amicable agreement’” with Al-Khelaifi last month, prosecutors said, to drop its criminal complaint relating to the 2026-2030 World Cup deal with BeIN.
“As I have said vehemently and repeatedly for three years, the charges have not — and have never had — any basis whatsoever, either in fact or law,” Al-Khelaifi said in a statement Thursday.
BeIN has long said it paid full market value for World Cup TV rights bought without an open tender process.
FIFA declined to comment on the specifics of the confidential deal with Al-Khelaifi.
Swiss prosecutors accused Al-Khelaifi of arranging for Valcke to use a villa for 18 months in upscale Porto Cervo without paying rent valued at up to 1.8 million euros ($1.94 million). Valcke was charged with accepting bribes, “several counts of aggravated criminal mismanagement … and falsification of documents.”
For the first time in their investigation, Swiss prosecutors also revealed they believe Valcke got kickbacks totaling 1.25 million euros ($1.35 million) to steer World Cup rights toward favored broadcasters in Italy and Greece.
The third person indicted, who has never been identified in the proceedings since 2017, was charged with bribery over those kickback payments. The person was also charged with inciting Valcke, FIFA's top administrator from 2007-15, to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.
It is unclear why the third accused person, described by prosecutors as “a businessman in the sports rights sector,” has not been identified.
Despite being implicated in the bribery case, Al-Khelaifi was appointed one year ago to the UEFA executive committee. He is also an influential board member of the European Club Association, which is seeking to drive reforms in the Champions League favored by elite teams such as PSG.
UEFA declined to comment Thursday about the possibility that Al-Khelaifi could be provisionally suspended before an executive committee meeting in Amsterdam on March 2.
Al-Khelaifi previously denied wrongdoing after being questioned by Swiss federal authorities in October 2017 and again last December in connection with the criminal proceedings. He has also been implicated in a separate corruption investigation by French prosecutors that is linked to Qatar seeking hosting rights for the track and field world championships. Doha hosted the 2019 edition.
In his statement Thursday, Al-Khelaifi said there was a “seemingly relentless agenda to smear my reputation in the media."
"For that reason, I have requested the relevant Swiss authorities to open a criminal enquiry into the conduct of the investigation," he said.
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-19--German investigators probe ‘xenophobic motive’ in shisha bar shootings

A 43-year-old German man shot and killed nine people in and around two shisha bars in the southwestern city of Hanau overnight in attacks that appear to have been motivated by far-right beliefs , officials said Thursday .
German federal prosecutors suspect terrorism in the shooting in Hanau , located in the Frankfurt metropolitan area in Hesse state .
Initial analysis of a website , believed to belong to the suspect , “ indicate a xenophobic motive , ” said Peter Beuth , interior minister for Hesse .
The shooting rampage in Hanau started late Wednesday at around 10pm local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Nick Spicer , reporting from Berlin .
“ A gunman went to the Midnight shisha bar , opened fire and killed three people who were standing outside .
He then drove about two kilometres to a second shisha bar , the Arena shisha bar , rang the doorbell , the door was opened and he shot five people , including one woman , dead .
Three other people were injured , ” said Spicer .
Witnesses and surveillance videos of the suspect 's getaway car led authorities quickly to his home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where he was found dead near his 72-year-old mother , said Beuth .
Shisha bars are places where people gather to smoke flavoured tobacco from Middle Eastern water pipes .
The clientele in both shisha bars were predominantly Kurdish , according to German media .
Turkey 's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the consulate in Frankfurt and the embassy in Berlin were trying to obtain information on the attack .
“ According to the initial information , it was an attack with a racist motive , but we would need to wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he told state television TRT .
’ Terrible crime ’ Officers sealed off and searched the apartment in Hanau 's Kesselstadt district , near the scene of one of the shootings , after following up witness statements on a getaway car .
“ Thoughts this morning are with the people of Hanau , in whose midst this terrible crime was committed , ” German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's spokesman said on Twitter .
“ Deep sympathy for the affected families , who are grieving for their dead , ” the spokesman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope with those wounded that they will soon recover.
” Merkel called off a planned visit Thursday to a university in Halle .
Seibert , said she was `` being constantly kept abreast of the state of the investigations in Hanau . ''
Halle was the site of a deadly anti-Semitic attack last year .
A man expressing anti-Jewish views tried to shoot his way into a synagogue , failed and killed two passers-by before being arrested .
The shooting in Halle came months after the killing of a regional politician from Merkel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long history of neo-Nazi activity and convictions for violent crime .
`` This was a terrible evening that will certainly occupy us for a long , long time and we will remember with sadness , '' Hanau Mayor Claus Kaminsky told the Bild newspaper .
Lawmaker Katja Leikert , a member of Merkel 's center-right party who represents Hanau in the German parliament , tweeted that it was “ a real horror scenario for us all.
” Hanau is in Hesse state and has about 100,000 inhabitants .
( FRANCE 24 with AP @ @ @

A man suspected of shooting dead nine people in shisha bars in a German town before killing himself and his mother had posted a manifesto online including conspiracy theories and deeply racist views, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Police officers secure the area after a shooting in Hanau near Frankfurt, Germany, February 19, 2020.
Advertising Read more
The presumed attacker - a 43-year-old German man identified as Tobias R. - was found dead near a gun soon after the shootings late on Wednesday in Hanau, near Frankfurt, authorities said.
At least five of the victims were Turkish nationals, Ankara’s ambassador to Berlin told state broadcaster TRT Haber as his government demanded robust action.
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the “poison” of racism as her deputy, Olaf Scholz, took to Twitter to say “Politically, nobody can deny that 75 years after the Nazi dictatorship there is real terror again”.
01:51
The gunman killed a number of people in one bar in downtown Hanau before driving 2.5km to a second bar in town and killing more, police said.
Officers chased a car leaving the scene of the last shooting to another address, where they found the bodies of the suspect and his 72-year-old mother, both with gunshot wounds.
“On the suspected perpetrator’s home page, he had put up video messages and a kind of manifesto that, in addition to obscure thoughts and absurd conspiracy theories, pointed to deeply racist views,” Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank said.
Frank told reporters the nine people shot dead had immigrant backgrounds. His office later said they included German citizens and foreigners aged between 21 and 44. Six more people were injured in the attack, one seriously.
“We expect German authorities to show maximum effort to enlighten this case. Racism is a collective cancer,” Turkish presidency spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.
Political Polarisation
The Confederation of the Communities of Kurdistan in Germany said several victims were Kurdish and accused Germany’s political leaders of “not resolutely opposing right-wing networks and right-wing terrorism”.
Immigration and a slowing economy has helped build support for radical groups at both ends of the political spectrum in Germany, which is home to three million people of Turkish origin including one million ethnic Kurds.
Merkel, whose 2015 decision to welcome almost one million asylum seekers fuelled the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, told reporters: “Racism is poison, hatred is poison and this poison exists in society and it is to blame for too many crimes.”
05:58
In October, an anti-Semitic gunman opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack.
At one of the bars on Thursday morning, forensics police in white overalls inspected the crime scene, cordoned off close to Hanau’s historic market place.
Can-Luca Frisenna, whose father and brother run one of the two bars attacked, said he rushed there after hearing about the shooting.
“I heard my father was affected and my little brother, they run the kiosk,” he said. “They were horrified and they were crying and everything. So everyone was shocked.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is German, said she was deeply shocked and mourned with the families and friends of the victims.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-20--Moderates sidelined as Iranians head to the polls

Moderates sidelined as Iranians head to the polls Iranian voters on Friday will pick 290 parliamentarians in the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ US pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal .
But critics complain Iranian authorities have @ @ @ @ @ of parliament by barring moderate candidates .

ON THE GROUND
Moderates sidelined as Iranians head to the polls
Iranian voters on Friday will pick 290 parliamentarians in the country’s first poll since the US pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal. But critics complain Iranian authorities have already orchestrated a conservative takeover of parliament by barring moderate candidates.
02:14 Reformist Iranian lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi was barred from running in Iran's 2020 parliamentary elections. © Screengrab FRANCE 24