france24--2020-08-04--Trump’s ‘inexperienced and unqualified’ ambassadors leave US allies aghast

Ambassador Robert `` Woody '' Johnson ( left ) , President Donald Trump 's UK envoy , is at the heart of a scandal involving the US president 's golf resort in Scotland .
A string of gaffes and scandals has cast a spotlight on President Donald Trump ’ s habit of staffing US embassies with campaign donors and personal friends who have irked key allies and stood out for their lack of qualifications .
In Iceland – a nation so safe that the president runs errands on a bicycle – US Ambassador Jeffery Ross Gunter has left locals aghast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gunter also angered Icelandic lawmakers and residents alike in late July by retweeting a post from President Donald Trump that referred to the novel coronavirus as the `` Invisible China Virus ” , repeating the epithet and adding the Icelandic flag .
Not particularly diplomatic ?
Well , that makes sense .
Gunter is not a diplomat by training – he 's a dermatologist .
But he was also a contributor to Trump ’ s campaign , and that may have been enough to land him the post in Reykjavik .
An NBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 14 contributors to the Trump inauguration fund – with an average donation of more than $ 350,000 each – were later nominated as ambassadors .
What really raised eyebrows in Iceland was the embassy 's advertisement for armed bodyguards .
That was a shock for a country that has been deemed the most peaceful country in the world every year since 2008 , according to the Global Peace Index published by the Institute for Economics & Peace .
Reykjavik 's Chief of Police Sigridur Gudjonsdottir told The Associated Press last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the armed bodyguards .
“ We are still weighing the request and assessing the level of potential threat for foreign embassies in Iceland , ” she said .
Gunter 's actions , and those of other politically connected US ambassadors , highlight the risks that come with giving diplomatic postings to campaign donors and presidential friends who have few international qualifications .
“ America is an extreme outlier in sending inexperienced and unqualified ambassadors , ” said Barbara Stephenson , a former career foreign service officer , ambassador to Panama and ex-president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union that represents US diplomats .
Political supporters can make fine diplomats and many have – a personal relationship with the president and an understanding of his agenda can be an advantage .
But those clearly unfit for the job are expected to be weeded out through the Senate confirmation process .
Still , some have arrived at their embassies lacking the skills or tact that would have allowed them to avoid controversy .
US Ambassador Robert “ Woody ” Johnson in Britain is facing accusations that he tried to steer the British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turnberry golf resort in Scotland .
The New York Times reported last month that Johnson told multiple colleagues that Trump asked him to see if the British government could help bring the tournament to Turnberry .
Johnson reportedly raised the idea with the UK ’ s secretary of state for Scotland , David Mundell , but failed to get an agreement .
Trump has denied the claims .
CNN reported that Johnson , an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune , was also the subject of a State Department investigation for making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied the allegations , telling associates he is “ mystified ” by the complaints of inappropriate behaviour , which included the summary dismissal of his highly regarded No .
2 for making favourable references to former president Barack Obama in speeches , according to current and former officials .
Ambassador Peter Hoekstra , a former congressman , ignited controversy in the Netherlands and beyond in July by posting a photograph of himself visiting a cemetery for German soldiers killed in World War I and World War II – including the Nazi troops who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hoekstra previously irritated his host country by falsely claiming that there were no-go zones in the Netherlands occupied by Muslim extremists .
Although Trump 's diplomatic team has highlighted the foibles of ambassadors lacking diplomatic experience , similar problems have surfaced in the administrations of both political parties .
Yet the issue is attracting greater attention in the Trump era as the percentage of politically connected ambassadors , which normally hovers around 30 % , has soared to 42 % , the highest level since the mid-1970s .
“ All nominees for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the job and the number of political appointments should not exceed historical norms , ” said Eric Rubin , the current president of the foreign service association .
The administration has defended its diplomatic appointments , citing a backlog in Senate confirmations as one reason for the high percentage of non-career envoys now serving .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticised Democrats for delays in confirming nominees , including career diplomats .
But some current political appointees have been accused of more than being undiplomatic .
Johnson 's actions regarding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he violated federal ethics rules .
Many Trump appointees have a deep mistrust of the State Department and its career diplomats , a distrust that has been at the root of many internal embassy clashes .
Trump and his top aides have rejected the longstanding bipartisan foreign policy of his predecessors , instead criticising foreign service staff as being part of the entrenched “ deep state ” .
The result has been the widespread dismissal of veteran career diplomats – those officials who are normally seen as being valuable resources for first-time ambassadors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have only cursory diplomatic training .
Gunter has run through at least seven deputies since taking up his post , although the State Department says four of them had been assigned to Reykjavik for limited , 30-day tours .
The US ambassador to France , wealthy Trump donor Jamie McCourt , has gone through at least two deputy chiefs of mission , complaining about their lack of loyalty .
The ambassador to the United Nations , Kelly Craft , clashed with her career staff while she was Trump ’ s envoy to Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Germany and South Africa , current and former officials tell the Associated Press .
The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , Bob Menendez of New Jersey , released a report last week criticising the administration 's “ decimation ” of the career diplomatic corps .
All too often the administration has “ smeared them as radical bureaucrats and deep state '' agents and shown a “ complete and utter disdain for their expertise ” , said Menendez , who is also a vocal critic of Trump .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and damaging to our democracy .
”

A string of gaffes and scandals has cast a spotlight on President Donald Trump’s habit of staffing US embassies with campaign donors and personal friends who have irked key allies and stood out for their lack of qualifications.
Ambassador Robert "Woody" Johnson (left), President Donald Trump's UK envoy, is at the heart of a scandal involving the US president's golf resort in Scotland.
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In Iceland – a nation so safe that the president runs errands on a bicycle – US Ambassador Jeffery Ross Gunter has left locals aghast with his request for armed bodyguards.
Gunter also angered Icelandic lawmakers and residents alike in late July by retweeting a post from President Donald Trump that referred to the novel coronavirus as the "Invisible China Virus”, repeating the epithet and adding the Icelandic flag.
We are United to defeat the Invisible China Virus! 🇺🇸🇮🇸 https://t.co/7X1k5S7dNb — Ambassador Gunter (@USAmbIceland) July 20, 2020
Not particularly diplomatic? Well, that makes sense. Gunter is not a diplomat by training – he's a dermatologist. But he was also a contributor to Trump’s campaign, and that may have been enough to land him the post in Reykjavik.
An NBC News report last year found that at least 14 contributors to the Trump inauguration fund – with an average donation of more than $350,000 each – were later nominated as ambassadors.
What really raised eyebrows in Iceland was the embassy's advertisement for armed bodyguards. That was a shock for a country that has been deemed the most peaceful country in the world every year since 2008, according to the Global Peace Index published by the Institute for Economics & Peace.
Reykjavik's Chief of Police Sigridur Gudjonsdottir told The Associated Press last week that police haven't decided whether to allow the armed bodyguards.
“We are still weighing the request and assessing the level of potential threat for foreign embassies in Iceland,” she said.
'Inexperienced and unqualified'
Gunter's actions, and those of other politically connected US ambassadors, highlight the risks that come with giving diplomatic postings to campaign donors and presidential friends who have few international qualifications.
“America is an extreme outlier in sending inexperienced and unqualified ambassadors,” said Barbara Stephenson, a former career foreign service officer, ambassador to Panama and ex-president of the American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents US diplomats.
Political supporters can make fine diplomats and many have – a personal relationship with the president and an understanding of his agenda can be an advantage. But those clearly unfit for the job are expected to be weeded out through the Senate confirmation process.
Still, some have arrived at their embassies lacking the skills or tact that would have allowed them to avoid controversy.
US Ambassador Robert “Woody” Johnson in Britain is facing accusations that he tried to steer the British Open toward being held at the Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. The New York Times reported last month that Johnson told multiple colleagues that Trump asked him to see if the British government could help bring the tournament to Turnberry. Johnson reportedly raised the idea with the UK’s secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell, but failed to get an agreement. Trump has denied the claims.
CNN reported that Johnson, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, was also the subject of a State Department investigation for making racist and sexist comments.
Johnson has denied the allegations, telling associates he is “mystified” by the complaints of inappropriate behaviour, which included the summary dismissal of his highly regarded No. 2 for making favourable references to former president Barack Obama in speeches, according to current and former officials.
'Corrosive' to diplomacy
Ambassador Peter Hoekstra, a former congressman, ignited controversy in the Netherlands and beyond in July by posting a photograph of himself visiting a cemetery for German soldiers killed in World War I and World War II – including the Nazi troops who occupied the country in which he serves.
Walked among the graves at Ysselsteyn, a cemetery for German soldiers from WWI & WWII. A terrible reminder of the cost of going to war and why we must always work towards peace. pic.twitter.com/K1YDfRaAQd — Ambassador Pete Hoekstra (@usambnl) July 30, 2020
Hoekstra previously irritated his host country by falsely claiming that there were no-go zones in the Netherlands occupied by Muslim extremists.
Although Trump's diplomatic team has highlighted the foibles of ambassadors lacking diplomatic experience, similar problems have surfaced in the administrations of both political parties. Yet the issue is attracting greater attention in the Trump era as the percentage of politically connected ambassadors, which normally hovers around 30%, has soared to 42%, the highest level since the mid-1970s.
“All nominees for the position of ambassador should be qualified for the job and the number of political appointments should not exceed historical norms,” said Eric Rubin, the current president of the foreign service association.
The administration has defended its diplomatic appointments, citing a backlog in Senate confirmations as one reason for the high percentage of non-career envoys now serving. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticised Democrats for delays in confirming nominees, including career diplomats.
But some current political appointees have been accused of more than being undiplomatic. Johnson's actions regarding the golf tournament have raised questions of whether he violated federal ethics rules.
Many Trump appointees have a deep mistrust of the State Department and its career diplomats, a distrust that has been at the root of many internal embassy clashes. Trump and his top aides have rejected the longstanding bipartisan foreign policy of his predecessors, instead criticising foreign service staff as being part of the entrenched “deep state”.
The result has been the widespread dismissal of veteran career diplomats – those officials who are normally seen as being valuable resources for first-time ambassadors who are just arriving in-country or who have only cursory diplomatic training.
Gunter has run through at least seven deputies since taking up his post, although the State Department says four of them had been assigned to Reykjavik for limited, 30-day tours.
The US ambassador to France, wealthy Trump donor Jamie McCourt, has gone through at least two deputy chiefs of mission, complaining about their lack of loyalty. The ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, clashed with her career staff while she was Trump’s envoy to Canada.
Similar shake-ups have occurred in embassies in Germany and South Africa, current and former officials tell the Associated Press.
The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, released a report last week criticising the administration's “decimation” of the career diplomatic corps.
All too often the administration has “smeared them as radical bureaucrats and deep state" agents and shown a “complete and utter disdain for their expertise”, said Menendez, who is also a vocal critic of Trump.
“These unwarranted attacks are corrosive to our diplomacy and damaging to our democracy.”
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-08-04--Isaias slams into North Carolina as Category One storm

A rainy day in Winston Salem , North Carolina , as Tropical Storm Isaias approaches , in this still image obtained from social media video on August 3 , 2020 .
Hurricane Isaias slammed into North Carolina Monday as a Category One storm , with winds of up to 85 miles ( 140 kilometers ) an hour , the US National Hurricane Center said .
The storm came ashore in the southern part of the state near Ocean Isle Beach at 11:10 pm ( 0310 GMT Tuesday ) .
The storm is expected to track up the East Coast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding through the mid-Atlantic states and bringing storm-force winds to Washington , Philadelphia and New York on Tuesday .
Residents in flood-prone areas `` should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions , '' the National Hurricane Center said .
In the hurricane warning zone , `` preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion , '' it added .
President Donald Trump announced he had issued emergency declarations for Florida and both Carolinas , to free up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain vigilant , '' he warned during a news conference .
`` I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines of the state and local authorities , '' he said , adding the guidelines have been `` very accurate so far . ''
The Carolinas have seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases as the US struggles to curb the spread of the potentially fatal illness .
`` We in North Carolina mostly know what to do , '' the state 's governor , Roy Cooper , said Sunday .
`` You pack your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stay in a safe place and never drive through flooded roadways .
`` But this time , pack your masks and hand sanitizers in your kit and remember to social distance . ''
Up to 150 National Guard soldiers have been activated to help prepare for the storm and assist in the aftermath if necessary , Cooper said .
Isaias was earlier downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane after brushing past Florida , leaving it relatively unscathed .
Some coronavirus testing centers -- many housed in tents -- were closed last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approached .
They have now begun to reopen gradually , according to local media .
Florida has emerged as an epicenter of the US virus crisis , which has already claimed nearly 155,000 lives nationwide .
On Sunday , the state reported 77 COVID-19 deaths , down from a record 179 the day before , bringing its death total to 6,920 .
The storm earlier dumped torrential rain on the Bahamas , felling trees and flooding streets , before emergency management officials on Sunday gave the `` all clear '' for the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Puerto Rico and the storm also lashed Haiti and the Dominican Republic .

Hurricane Isaias slammed into North Carolina Monday as a Category One storm, with winds of up to 85 miles (140 kilometers) an hour, the US National Hurricane Center said.
A rainy day in Winston Salem, North Carolina, as Tropical Storm Isaias approaches, in this still image obtained from social media video on August 3, 2020.
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The storm came ashore in the southern part of the state near Ocean Isle Beach at 11:10 pm (0310 GMT Tuesday).
Meteorologists warned of heavy rain and potentially life-threatening storm surges.
The storm is expected to track up the East Coast, with heavy rainfall expected to cause flash flooding through the mid-Atlantic states and bringing storm-force winds to Washington, Philadelphia and New York on Tuesday.
Residents in flood-prone areas "should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions," the National Hurricane Center said.
In the hurricane warning zone, "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," it added.
President Donald Trump announced he had issued emergency declarations for Florida and both Carolinas, to free up federal funds.
"Everyone needs to remain vigilant," he warned during a news conference.
"I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines of the state and local authorities," he said, adding the guidelines have been "very accurate so far."
"So stay safe," he added.
'Pack your masks'
The Carolinas have seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases as the US struggles to curb the spread of the potentially fatal illness.
"We in North Carolina mostly know what to do," the state's governor, Roy Cooper, said Sunday.
"You pack your emergency kit, follow local evacuation orders, stay in a safe place and never drive through flooded roadways.
"But this time, pack your masks and hand sanitizers in your kit and remember to social distance."
Up to 150 National Guard soldiers have been activated to help prepare for the storm and assist in the aftermath if necessary, Cooper said.
Isaias was earlier downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane after brushing past Florida, leaving it relatively unscathed.
Some coronavirus testing centers -- many housed in tents -- were closed last week in the Sunshine State as the storm approached.
They have now begun to reopen gradually, according to local media.
Florida has emerged as an epicenter of the US virus crisis, which has already claimed nearly 155,000 lives nationwide.
On Sunday, the state reported 77 COVID-19 deaths, down from a record 179 the day before, bringing its death total to 6,920.
The storm earlier dumped torrential rain on the Bahamas, felling trees and flooding streets, before emergency management officials on Sunday gave the "all clear" for the country.
At least one person died in Puerto Rico and the storm also lashed Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-08-03--Spain's former king Juan Carlos to seek exile amid corruption probe

Spain 's former king Juan Carlos attends commemorative acts marking the 40th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution at the parliament in Madrid on December 6 , 2018 .
Spain 's former king Juan Carlos has told his son , King Felipe , that he has decided to leave the country , the Royal House said on Monday , after corruption allegations about him surfaced in recent weeks .
In June , the Spanish Supreme Court opened an investigation into Juan Carlos ' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia , after Switzerland 's La Tribune de Geneve newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the late Saudi King .
Through his lawyer , Juan Carlos , 82 , has declined to comment on the allegations .
`` Guided by my desire to do what is best to serve the Spanish people , its institutions and you as king , I am informing you of my ... decision to leave Spain at this time , '' the palace statement quoted Juan Carlos ' letter to the king as saying .
King Felipe thanked Juan Carlos for his decision , underlining `` the historic importance that his father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain .
He also reaffirmed `` the principles and values on which it ( democracy ) is based according to our Constitution and legal framework '' .
Spanish monarchs have immunity during their reign but Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 , potentially leaving himself vulnerable to prosecution .
King Felipe put an end to his father 's palace allowance and renounced his own inheritance in March , following allegations of secret offshore accounts .
Juan Carlos came to the throne in 1975 after the death of General Francisco Franco and was widely respected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from dictatorship to democracy .
But his popularity sank in later years due to a series of scandals , prompting him to step down .

Spain's former king Juan Carlos has told his son, King Felipe, that he has decided to leave the country, the Royal House said on Monday, after corruption allegations about him surfaced in recent weeks.
Spain's former king Juan Carlos attends commemorative acts marking the 40th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution at the parliament in Madrid on December 6, 2018.
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In June, the Spanish Supreme Court opened an investigation into Juan Carlos' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia, after Switzerland's La Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported he had received $100 million from the late Saudi King.
Through his lawyer, Juan Carlos, 82, has declined to comment on the allegations.
"Guided by my desire to do what is best to serve the Spanish people, its institutions and you as king, I am informing you of my ... decision to leave Spain at this time," the palace statement quoted Juan Carlos' letter to the king as saying.
King Felipe thanked Juan Carlos for his decision, underlining "the historic importance that his father's reign represents" for democracy in Spain.
He also reaffirmed "the principles and values on which it (democracy) is based according to our Constitution and legal framework".
Spanish monarchs have immunity during their reign but Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014, potentially leaving himself vulnerable to prosecution.
King Felipe put an end to his father's palace allowance and renounced his own inheritance in March, following allegations of secret offshore accounts.
Juan Carlos came to the throne in 1975 after the death of General Francisco Franco and was widely respected for his role in helping guide Spain from dictatorship to democracy.
But his popularity sank in later years due to a series of scandals, prompting him to step down.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-04--New York district attorney probing Trump over tax returns, possible 'criminal conduct'

US President Donald Trump participates in an executive order signing event on `` hiring American '' at the White House on August 3 , 2020 .
Manhattan 's district attorney on Monday suggested a grand jury subpoena for U.S. President Donald Trump 's tax returns was part of an investigation of `` possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization , '' including alleged insurance and bank fraud .
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance raised the scope of the probe in court papers filed in federal court in Manhattan on Monday .
He is seeking to dismiss Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight years of personal and corporate tax records .
Asked about the investigation at a coronavirus press briefing on Monday , Trump repeated that he believed he is the victim of a political `` witch hunt , '' which he said was `` Democrats ' stuff '' and started `` even before I got in '' to office .
`` There is nothing that I know even about it , '' he added .
Trump is scheduled to respond to Vance 's motion to dismiss by Aug. 10 .
In a court filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subpoena was `` wildly overbroad '' and issued in `` bad faith . ''
Vance noted in the court papers that when the subpoena was issued last August , there were `` public allegations of possible criminal activity '' at the Trump Organization dating back a decade .
He said public reports show a basis for each category and timeframe of documents sought from Trump 's accounting firm , Mazars USA .
Trump 's argument that the subpoena is overbroad `` rests on the false premise that the grand jury 's investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by Michael Cohen '' on Trump 's behalf in 2016 , Vance said .
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign violations tied to the payments to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels and former model Karen McDougal , who claimed they had affairs with Trump , which he denies .
In a footnote to Monday 's filing , Vance cited media reports on Trump 's alleged role in the hush-money scheme and on the `` unorthodox strategies '' he used to expand his real estate empire .
He also cited reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as when he claimed 55 zoned lots ready for sale at his golf course in Southern California when there were only 31 ; a 2,000 acre Virginia vineyard that is really only 1,200 acres , and 68 stories at his Trump Tower , 10 higher than the Manhattan property .
Cohen testified to Congress last year that Trump inflated his assets when it served his purposes , and deflated them to reduce his real estate taxes .
He called his former boss a `` con man '' and `` cheat . ''
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rat '' who was lying to reduce his prison time .
The dispute over Trump 's taxes already was subject to a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court last month that the president was not immune from state criminal probes .
Vance urged the court to dismiss Trump 's latest challenge to the subpoena `` without delay , '' arguing the complaint `` merely regurgitates allegations and arguments this court has rejected before . ''
Vance brought in a high-profile lawyer to assist with the case : Former acting solicitor general Walter Dellinger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice 's Office of Legal Counsel .
Last month , the DA 's office warned U.S. District Court Judge Victor Marrero against allowing statutes of limitations to expire on the alleged crimes .
A spokesman for Vance declined comment on the court papers .
Grand jury deliberations are secret , and the public may not learn what the subpoena uncovers until after the election .

Manhattan's district attorney on Monday suggested a grand jury subpoena for U.S. President Donald Trump's tax returns was part of an investigation of "possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization," including alleged insurance and bank fraud.
US President Donald Trump participates in an executive order signing event on "hiring American" at the White House on August 3, 2020.
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Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance raised the scope of the probe in court papers filed in federal court in Manhattan on Monday. He is seeking to dismiss Trump's latest challenge to the subpoena for eight years of personal and corporate tax records.
Asked about the investigation at a coronavirus press briefing on Monday, Trump repeated that he believed he is the victim of a political "witch hunt," which he said was "Democrats' stuff" and started "even before I got in" to office.
"There is nothing that I know even about it," he added.
Trump is scheduled to respond to Vance's motion to dismiss by Aug. 10.
In a court filing last week, Trump's lawyers argued the subpoena was "wildly overbroad" and issued in "bad faith."
Vance noted in the court papers that when the subpoena was issued last August, there were "public allegations of possible criminal activity" at the Trump Organization dating back a decade. He said public reports show a basis for each category and timeframe of documents sought from Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA.
Trump's argument that the subpoena is overbroad "rests on the false premise that the grand jury's investigation is limited to so-called 'hush-money' payments made by Michael Cohen" on Trump's behalf in 2016, Vance said.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign violations tied to the payments to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels and former model Karen McDougal, who claimed they had affairs with Trump, which he denies.
In a footnote to Monday's filing, Vance cited media reports on Trump's alleged role in the hush-money scheme and on the "unorthodox strategies" he used to expand his real estate empire.
He also cited reports of questionable financial statements by Trump, such as when he claimed 55 zoned lots ready for sale at his golf course in Southern California when there were only 31; a 2,000 acre Virginia vineyard that is really only 1,200 acres, and 68 stories at his Trump Tower, 10 higher than the Manhattan property.
Cohen testified to Congress last year that Trump inflated his assets when it served his purposes, and deflated them to reduce his real estate taxes. He called his former boss a "con man" and "cheat."
Trump has tweeted that Cohen is a "rat" who was lying to reduce his prison time.
The dispute over Trump's taxes already was subject to a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court last month that the president was not immune from state criminal probes.
Vance urged the court to dismiss Trump's latest challenge to the subpoena "without delay," arguing the complaint "merely regurgitates allegations and arguments this court has rejected before."
Vance brought in a high-profile lawyer to assist with the case: Former acting solicitor general Walter Dellinger, onetime head of the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel.
Last month, the DA's office warned U.S. District Court Judge Victor Marrero against allowing statutes of limitations to expire on the alleged crimes.
A spokesman for Vance declined comment on the court papers. Grand jury deliberations are secret, and the public may not learn what the subpoena uncovers until after the election.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-04--Stranded men rescued from Pacific island after writing SOS in sand

A handout photo from the Australian Defence Force shows a helicopter landing near the letters `` SOS '' on a beach on Pikelot Island , where the three men were rescued .
Three men have been rescued from a tiny island in the Micronesia archipelago after writing a giant SOS sign in the sand that was spotted from above .
The men had been missing for nearly three days when their distress signal was spotted Sunday on uninhabited Pikelot Island by searchers on Australian and US aircraft , the Australian defense department said Monday .
The men had apparently set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 23-foot ) boat on July 30 and had intended to travel about 43 kilometres to Pulap atoll when they sailed off course and ran out of fuel , the department said .
Searchers in Guam asked for Australian help .
The military ship the Canberra , which was returning to Australia from exercises in Hawaii , diverted to the area and joined forces with US searchers from Guam .
The men were found about 190 kilometres from where they had set out .
“ I am proud of the response and professionalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our obligation to contribute to the safety of life at sea wherever we are in the world , '' said the Canberra ’ s commanding officer , Captain Terry Morrison , in a statement .
The men were found in good condition and an Australian military helicopter was able to land on the beach to give them food and water .
A Micronesian patrol vessel was due to pick them up .
SOS is an internationally recognised distress signal that originates from Morse code .
In a similar incident in August 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from another uninhabited island in Micronesia after a US Navy helicopter spotted their SOS sign .
Months earlier , three other people whose boat had capsized two miles from shore were spotted on a nearby island after writing `` Help '' in the sand .

Three men have been rescued from a tiny island in the Micronesia archipelago after writing a giant SOS sign in the sand that was spotted from above.
A handout photo from the Australian Defence Force shows a helicopter landing near the letters "SOS" on a beach on Pikelot Island, where the three men were rescued.
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The men had been missing for nearly three days when their distress signal was spotted Sunday on uninhabited Pikelot Island by searchers on Australian and US aircraft, the Australian defense department said Monday.
The men had apparently set out from Pulawat atoll in a 7-metre (23-foot) boat on July 30 and had intended to travel about 43 kilometres to Pulap atoll when they sailed off course and ran out of fuel, the department said.
Searchers in Guam asked for Australian help. The military ship the Canberra, which was returning to Australia from exercises in Hawaii, diverted to the area and joined forces with US searchers from Guam.
The men were found about 190 kilometres from where they had set out.
“I am proud of the response and professionalism of all on board as we fulfill our obligation to contribute to the safety of life at sea wherever we are in the world," said the Canberra’s commanding officer, Captain Terry Morrison, in a statement.
The men were found in good condition and an Australian military helicopter was able to land on the beach to give them food and water. A Micronesian patrol vessel was due to pick them up.
SOS is an internationally recognised distress signal that originates from Morse code.
In a similar incident in August 2016, a pair of stranded mariners were rescued from another uninhabited island in Micronesia after a US Navy helicopter spotted their SOS sign.
Months earlier, three other people whose boat had capsized two miles from shore were spotted on a nearby island after writing "Help" in the sand.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-08-04--Belarus’s ‘Joan of Arc’: The reluctant candidate taking on Europe’s ‘last dictator’

Opposition candidate in Belarus 's presidential elections Svetlana Tikhanouskaya at a campaign rally in Minsk on July 30,2020 .
Svetlana Tikhanouskaya , a 37-year-old former English teacher , is causing a political earthquake in the former Soviet state , posing the biggest challenge in decades to the country ’ s strongman leader , President Alexander Lukashenko .
A political novice , she has emerged as the leading opposition candidate as the country heads to general elections on August 9 .
Her platform : The release political prisoners and the holding of free and fair elections in a country that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictatorship ” .
“ People are tired .
The people want change , ” told Reuters in a recent interview .
“ How long can you rule the people against their will ?
Our president is in power , as I said on the television , not because the people want it but because he doesn ’ t want to step down.
” Tikhanouskaya only entered the race in May , replacing her husband Syarhei Tikhanouski , a blogger who was jailed on what she says are trumped-up charges .
But she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has seen some of the biggest opposition rallies in the country since the fall of the Soviet Union .
“ Something happened in people ’ s minds and people began to organize themselves , ” Tikhanouskaya .
told Reuters .
“ When they arrested Syarhei , the leader of a large group of people , everyone should have dispersed without a leader , but people demonstrated such a sense of self-organisation that they attended the protests to sign petitions.
” Other opposition figures have united behind Tikhanouskaya , including another jailed candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who fled to Russia last month , fearing for his safety .
It was he who dubbed Tikhanouskaya the country 's `` Joan of Arc '' .
Lukashenko has governed Belarus since 1994 .
Under his rule , opposition leaders and protesters are frequently arrested and detained while elections under his watch have been dubbed unfair and fraudulent by Western observers .
He has said Belarus is not ready to vote for a female president while his government has accused Tikhanouskaya ’ s husband of working with a group of Russian mercenaries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tikhanouskaya says she also fears for her safety and that of her children but will continue to take on Lukashenko , even if her chances of winning the election have been judged slim by most analysts .
“ I am tired of being patient .
I am tired of being silent .
I am tired of being afraid , ” she told a recent campaign rally in Minsk .
“ And you - are you tired of being patient ?
Are you tired of being silent ?
Are you tired of being @ @ @

Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, a 37-year-old former English teacher, is causing a political earthquake in the former Soviet state, posing the biggest challenge in decades to the country’s strongman leader, President Alexander Lukashenko.
Opposition candidate in Belarus's presidential elections Svetlana Tikhanouskaya at a campaign rally in Minsk on July 30,2020.
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A political novice, she has emerged as the leading opposition candidate as the country heads to general elections on August 9. Her platform: The release political prisoners and the holding of free and fair elections in a country that has been called Europe’s “last dictatorship”.
“People are tired. The people want change,” told Reuters in a recent interview. “How long can you rule the people against their will? Our president is in power, as I said on the television, not because the people want it but because he doesn’t want to step down.”
Tikhanouskaya only entered the race in May, replacing her husband Syarhei Tikhanouski, a blogger who was jailed on what she says are trumped-up charges.
But she has become the figurehead of a protest movement that has seen some of the biggest opposition rallies in the country since the fall of the Soviet Union.
“Something happened in people’s minds and people began to organize themselves,” Tikhanouskaya. told Reuters. “When they arrested Syarhei, the leader of a large group of people, everyone should have dispersed without a leader, but people demonstrated such a sense of self-organisation that they attended the protests to sign petitions.”
Other opposition figures have united behind Tikhanouskaya, including another jailed candidate, Viktor Babariko and Valery Tsepkalo, who fled to Russia last month, fearing for his safety. It was he who dubbed Tikhanouskaya the country's "Joan of Arc".
Lukashenko has governed Belarus since 1994. Under his rule, opposition leaders and protesters are
frequently arrested and detained while elections under his watch have been dubbed unfair and fraudulent by Western observers.
He has said Belarus is not ready to vote for a female president while his government has accused Tikhanouskaya’s husband of working with a group of Russian mercenaries in a recent attempt to destabilise the country.
Tikhanouskaya says she also fears for her safety and that of her children but will continue to take on Lukashenko, even if her chances of winning the election have been judged slim by most analysts.
“I am tired of being patient. I am tired of being silent. I am tired of being afraid,” she told a recent campaign rally in Minsk. “And you - are you tired of being patient? Are you tired of being silent? Are you tired of being afraid?”
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france24--2020-08-04--Trial of Algerian journalist and press freedom icon Khaled Drareni opens in Algiers

A picture taken on March 6 , 2020 shows Algerian protesters carrying journalist Khaled Drareni on their shoulders after he was briefly detained by security forces in the Algerian capital Algiers .
Drareni was arrested on March 7 while covering an anti-government protest , accused of `` inciting an unarmed gathering and damaging national integrity '' .
The trial opened Monday of Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni , who has become a figurehead of press freedom in the North African country , with the prosecution calling for a four-year prison term .
The prosecutor at the Algiers court also called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for four years , as well as all three facing heavy fines and being stripped of their civic rights , judicial sources said .
Drareni , 40 , who ran the Casbah Tribune website and was a correspondent for French-language television channel TV5Monde , was arrested in March while covering an anti-government protest .
He is accused of `` inciting an unarmed gathering '' and undermining the nation 's `` territorial integrity '' , charges he denies .
The verdict is expected on Monday , August 10 , according to lawyers and journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) , for which Drareni also works , has called for the charges to be dropped .
Drareni appeared by video-link from prison , an AFP journalist said .
RSF tweeted that the prosecutor 's demand was `` shocking '' and that Drareni had `` only exercised his right to inform '' .
It called for his immediate release .
Several Algerian and international human rights and media freedom groups have urged the government to release Drareni and end the harassment of independent media .
Weekly protests by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than a year , and only came to a halt in March due to the coronavirus crisis .
Drareni is being tried alongside two members of the protest movement , Samir Benlarbi and Slimane Hamitouche .
Unlike Drareni , they were released on bail in July and were both present in court on Monday .
Arrests of journalists in Algeria have increased in recent months .
Algeria ranks 146th on RSF 's 180-country World Press Freedom Index .

The trial opened Monday of Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni, who has become a figurehead of press freedom in the North African country, with the prosecution calling for a four-year prison term.
A picture taken on March 6, 2020 shows Algerian protesters carrying journalist Khaled Drareni on their shoulders after he was briefly detained by security forces in the Algerian capital Algiers. Drareni was arrested on March 7 while covering an anti-government protest, accused of "inciting an unarmed gathering and damaging national integrity".
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The prosecutor at the Algiers court also called for Drareni's two co-accused to be jailed for four years, as well as all three facing heavy fines and being stripped of their civic rights, judicial sources said.
Drareni, 40, who ran the Casbah Tribune website and was a correspondent for French-language television channel TV5Monde, was arrested in March while covering an anti-government protest.
He is accused of "inciting an unarmed gathering" and undermining the nation's "territorial integrity", charges he denies.
The verdict is expected on Monday, August 10, according to lawyers and journalists on the spot.
Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), for which Drareni also works, has called for the charges to be dropped.
Drareni appeared by video-link from prison, an AFP journalist said.
RSF tweeted that the prosecutor's demand was "shocking" and that Drareni had "only exercised his right to inform". It called for his immediate release.
Several Algerian and international human rights and media freedom groups have urged the government to release Drareni and end the harassment of independent media.
Weekly protests by the "Hirak" movement rocked Algeria for more than a year, and only came to a halt in March due to the coronavirus crisis.
Drareni is being tried alongside two members of the protest movement, Samir Benlarbi and Slimane Hamitouche.
Unlike Drareni, they were released on bail in July and were both present in court on Monday.
Arrests of journalists in Algeria have increased in recent months. Algeria ranks 146th on RSF's 180-country World Press Freedom Index.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-03--Niger marks 60 years of independence from France

Niger is celebrating 60 years of independence from France .
It 's one of eight Francophone African countries to mark @ @ @ @ @ We take a look back at Niger 's journey to statehood .
Also , with @ @ @ @ @ Gabon positions itself as a regional leader in coronavirus testing , transforming a sports arena @ @ @ @ @ Our correspondents report .
And fishermen in Senegal join the effort to protect the endangered @ @ @ @ @ ban on turtle poaching , illegal hunters continue to threaten the creatures .

Niger is celebrating 60 years of independence from France. It's one of eight Francophone African countries to mark its sovereignty this month. We take a look back at Niger's journey to statehood.
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Also, with 10,000 tests a day, Gabon positions itself as a regional leader in coronavirus testing, transforming a sports arena into a giant laboratory. Our correspondents report.
And fishermen in Senegal join the effort to protect the endangered sea turtle. Despite a ban on turtle poaching, illegal hunters continue to threaten the creatures.
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france24--2020-08-04--Cameroonian migrant killed in Morocco after police find forest encampment

We were in the forest , at the edge of the water .
We were hiding there .
The police officers were searching in the forest and they found us , but we didn ’ t make any noise .
They told us to calm down and come out of the forest .
They took our shoes off and made us get out .
Then they started to confiscate everything that we had .
They took everything .
They started to look through our phones and we said , “ Please , leave us our phones at least so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good thing we have , the one thing we have , is our phones .
You took everything , at least leave us that.
” They said “ No.
” We got down on our knees .
They said they were going to take everything and we resisted .
We pushed back with boat paddles and they were hitting us with knives , each one had two knives in their hands .
We pushed them back : they ran away from the paddles .
We started running , all running in different directions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very afraid that they would take me .
To escape the police , Joseph ran back to a house the migrants had stayed in before .
It was only then that he learned that one of his friends was dead .
As soon as I arrived at the house , someone called me to tell me Felix had died at the camp and that some others had gone back to find the body .
Cameroonian migrant Joseph ( name changed for privacy ) has been living in Morocco for more than a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tangier and formed a community with him and other Cameroonian migrants .
He and other migrants were hiding on the shore of the Strait of Gibraltar , less than 25km from the coast of Spain , when police found them : To escape the police , Joseph ran back to a house the migrants had stayed in before .
It was only then that he learned that one of his friends was dead .
A sub-Saharan migrant is taken into an ambulance in Tangier .
“ We try to work together because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ” Morocco is the last step for migrants hoping to enter the European Union by sea , crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to reach Spain ’ s coastline less than 25km away .
Others try to cross through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla , which have Europe ’ s only land borders with Africa .
Morocco has Many sub-Saharan migrants take temporary work , beg for money , and Morocco is the last step for migrants hoping to enter the European Union by sea , crossing the Strait of Gibraltar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 25km away.Others try to cross through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla , which have Europe ’ s only land borders with Africa .
Morocco has increased security at these borders this year , making passage much more difficult for migrants .
The country claims to have prevented more than 70,000 attempts at “ irregular migration ” in 2019.Many sub-Saharan migrants take temporary work , beg for money , and sleep in forests and houses on their way north .
Joseph explained that it is expensive to stay in houses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses and forests to save money and advance toward Europe .
Videos show other migrants carrying Félix ’ s body on a makeshift stretcher , accompanied by several police officers.Authorities from the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima municipality told Moroccan media outlets that when officers arrived at the scene , one of the migrants was already unconscious .
However , Joseph said that Félix was in good health and unscathed before the police arrived .
According to witness testimonies gathered by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights in Nador , the migrant was “ hit violently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being arrested by the beach.Félix was taken to Mohammed V Hospital in Tangier where he was pronounced dead .
The 13 migrants who carried him then accompanied him to the hospital were arrested .

MOROCCO
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On Friday, July 31, when many Moroccans were celebrating the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, a Cameroonian migrant was killed after police found a migrant camp in the forest outside the northern city of Tangier. Police in the region have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the death. Thirteen other migrants were arrested after accompanying the deceased to the hospital.
Videos of a group of sub-Saharan Africans carrying the body of a fellow migrant on a stretcher made of leaves and branches went viral on Moroccan social media channels during the weekend of Eid Al Adha. The man whose body can be seen in the video, known as Félix, was a migrant from Cameroon who was making his way, along with other migrants, toward Europe.
Félix, a Cameroonian migrant, died on July 31 after Moroccan police found the camp where he lived in the forest.
Moroccan authorities said that officers of the Auxiliary Forces responded to a report of a fire near the Donabo Gardens west of Tangier and encountered a group of migrants in the forest.
“They took our shoes and confiscated everything”
Cameroonian migrant Joseph (name changed for privacy) has been living in Morocco for more than a year and a half. He met Félix in Tangier and formed a community with him and other Cameroonian migrants. He and other migrants were hiding on the shore of the Strait of Gibraltar, less than 25km from the coast of Spain, when police found them:
We were in the forest, at the edge of the water. We were hiding there. The police officers were searching in the forest and they found us, but we didn’t make any noise. They told us to calm down and come out of the forest. They took our shoes off and made us get out. Then they started to confiscate everything that we had. They took everything. They started to look through our phones and we said, “Please, leave us our phones at least so we can call our families. The one good thing we have, the one thing we have, is our phones. You took everything, at least leave us that.” They said “No.” We got down on our knees. They said they were going to take everything and we resisted. We pushed back with boat paddles and they were hitting us with knives, each one had two knives in their hands. We pushed them back: they ran away from the paddles. We started running, all running in different directions. I was out of breath and very afraid that they would take me.
To escape the police, Joseph ran back to a house the migrants had stayed in before. It was only then that he learned that one of his friends was dead.
As soon as I arrived at the house, someone called me to tell me Felix had died at the camp and that some others had gone back to find the body.
Videos show other migrants carrying Félix’s body on a makeshift stretcher, accompanied by several police officers.
A sub-Saharan migrant is taken into an ambulance in Tangier.
Authorities from the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima municipality told Moroccan media outlets that when officers arrived at the scene, one of the migrants was already unconscious. However, Joseph said that Félix was in good health and unscathed before the police arrived. According to witness testimonies gathered by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights in Nador, the migrant was “hit violently on the head” by police after being arrested by the beach.
Félix was taken to Mohammed V Hospital in Tangier where he was pronounced dead. The 13 migrants who carried him then accompanied him to the hospital were arrested.
“We try to work together because it’s very difficult for us here”
Morocco is the last step for migrants hoping to enter the European Union by sea, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to reach Spain’s coastline less than 25km away.
Others try to cross through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which have Europe’s only land borders with Africa. Morocco has increased security at these borders this year, making passage much more difficult for migrants. The country claims to have prevented more than 70,000 attempts at “irregular migration” in 2019.
Many sub-Saharan migrants take temporary work, beg for money, and sleep in forests and houses on their way north. Joseph explained that it is expensive to stay in houses, so he and other migrants move between houses and forests to save money and advance toward Europe.
Little by little we advanced, we left the house to go to the forest, to get closer little by little. We can’t go from one house to another because it costs money. So we left the house to go to the first forest, the second forest, the third forest, to move towards Europe. We leave the forest to eat, to ask for money to buy food. We try to work together because it’s very difficult for us here to go to Europe.
While in Morocco, migrants report experiencing racism and police violence. Police regularly conduct raids and roundups in the forests outside of Tangier. In 2018, Amnesty International called Morocco’s crackdown on sub-Saharan migrants in northern cities “cruel and unlawful.”
Article written by Pariesa Young


france24--2020-08-04--Norway restricts cruise ship arrivals after Covid-19 outbreak on vessel

The MS Roald Amundsen , operated by Norway 's Hurtigruten line , leaves a port in Tromso , Norway after its crew members were diagnosed with the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) , August 2 , 2020 .
Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports from Monday , after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported late last week on a ship that had already disembarked at the port of Tromso .
At least 41 passengers and crew who were on board the cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen , operated by Norwegian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for the coronavirus , while hundreds more on board were told to self-isolate for 10 days , local public health officials said on Sunday .
Norway is in touch with Germany , Denmark , Austria , Philippines and Latvia as passengers and crew on board came from these countries , officials said .
Ships that have already departed will be able to offload passengers and crew at Norwegian ports , but those yet to start journeys will not be able to do so , Norwegian Health Minister Bent Hoie said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days .
`` The pandemic is not over , '' Hoie told a news conference .
The Nordic country of 5.4 million inhabitants had reopened most of society in recent weeks as it got the COVID-19 pandemic under control .
Some 9,268 infections have been reported in Norway as of Monday , with 256 deaths .
Hurtigruten was the first cruise operator worldwide to return an oceangoing cruise ship to service in mid-June , touting reduced passenger capacity , social distancing and strict rules on hygiene .
It will now suspend all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have failed , '' CEO Daniel Skjeldamn told a news conference .
`` I apologise strongly on behalf of the company . ''
The MS Roald Amundsen had been scheduled to sail around the British Isles in September .
Trips with two other vessels have also been suspended , though its business shipping goods between Norwegian ports will continue .
Norwegian police told Reuters they would investigate whether any laws had been broken .
Four of the MS Roald Amundsen 's crew members were hospitalised on Friday when the ship arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
Tests showed another 32 of the 158 staff were also infected .
Among the infected crew , 32 were from the Philippines while the rest were of Norwegian , French and German nationality .
The foreign crew had been tested for the coronavirus before leaving their home countries but did not quarantine before starting work on the ship , the company said .
Passengers were allowed to disembark before anyone had been diagnosed , triggering a complex operation to locate them .
So far , five of the combined 387 passengers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruises since July 17 have been found to carry the virus , the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Tromso municipality said .

Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports from Monday, after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported late last week on a ship that had already disembarked at the port of Tromso.
The MS Roald Amundsen, operated by Norway's Hurtigruten line, leaves a port in Tromso, Norway after its crew members were diagnosed with the coronavirus (COVID-19), August 2, 2020.
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At least 41 passengers and crew who were on board the cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, operated by Norwegian company Hurtigruten, have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, while hundreds more on board were told to self-isolate for 10 days, local public health officials said on Sunday.
Norway is in touch with Germany, Denmark, Austria, Philippines and Latvia as passengers and crew on board came from these countries, officials said.
Ships that have already departed will be able to offload passengers and crew at Norwegian ports, but those yet to start journeys will not be able to do so, Norwegian Health Minister Bent Hoie said. The new rules are effective for the next 14 days.
"The pandemic is not over," Hoie told a news conference.
The Nordic country of 5.4 million inhabitants had reopened most of society in recent weeks as it got the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Some 9,268 infections have been reported in Norway as of Monday, with 256 deaths.
First out
Hurtigruten was the first cruise operator worldwide to return an oceangoing cruise ship to service in mid-June, touting reduced passenger capacity, social distancing and strict rules on hygiene. It will now suspend all so-called expedition cruises until further notice.
"We have failed," CEO Daniel Skjeldamn told a news conference. "I apologise strongly on behalf of the company."
The MS Roald Amundsen had been scheduled to sail around the British Isles in September. Trips with two other vessels have also been suspended, though its business shipping goods between Norwegian ports will continue.
Norwegian police told Reuters they would investigate whether any laws had been broken.
Four of the MS Roald Amundsen's crew members were hospitalised on Friday when the ship arrived at Tromsoe, and later diagnosed with COVID-19. Tests showed another 32 of the 158 staff were also infected.
Among the infected crew, 32 were from the Philippines while the rest were of Norwegian, French and German nationality. The foreign crew had been tested for the coronavirus before leaving their home countries but did not quarantine before starting work on the ship, the company said.
Passengers were allowed to disembark before anyone had been diagnosed, triggering a complex operation to locate them.
So far, five of the combined 387 passengers travelling on the ship on two separate cruises since July 17 have been found to carry the virus, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Tromso municipality said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-03--Hundreds of inmates at large after IS group raid on Afghan prison

Afghan soldiers arrive in a Humvee vehicle outside a prison raid in Jalalabad on August 3 , 2020 .
Afghan security forces retook control of a prison from Islamic State group militants in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Monday , ending a siege in which hundreds of prisoners escaped .
At least 29 people were killed in the assault on the prison that began on Sunday evening and in subsequent clashes with security forces , a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province said .
“ The attack is now over , ” Sohrab Qaderi , a member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security forces clashed overnight and into the day with militants who had taken over the prison watchtowers .
More than 300 prisoners were still at large , according to Attaullah Khugyani , spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province .
Of the 1,793 prisoners more than 1,025 had tried to escape and been recaptured while 430 had remained inside .
“ The rest are missing , ” he said .
Khugyani said civilians , prisoners and members of the security forces were among the 29 dead and more than 50 wounded before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said all 10 attackers had been killed by Afghan security forces , though a provincial council member and a witness inside the prison told Reuters the number was likely around 30 .
The attackers were Islamic State group militants trying to free their comrades from the prison in Jalalabad , the capital of Nangarhar province , said Ajmal Omar , a provincial council member .
“ The aim of this attack was to rescue all Daesh members inside the prison , and unfortunately that included five or six senior Daesh people , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Islamic State group .
Among the prisoners who escaped was the group 's shadow governor for neighboring Kunar Province , he said .
The Islamic State ( IS ) group affiliate in Afghanistan , known as IS in Khorasan Province , claimed responsibility for the attack .
The militants have established a base in Nangarhar Province .
The renewed violence comes at a sensitive time as Afghanistan as the United States attempts to launch new peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban , who say they oppose the Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bomb at the entrance on Sunday evening , IS group militants overran the prison , where many of the group 's fighters who were captured during a campaign in the past month were being held along with Taliban fighters and common criminals .
As the siege dragged through the day , the normally bustling city was placed under a curfew .
Some 130km ( 80 miles ) east of Kabul , Jalalabad lies on the highway leading to the Khyber Pass and the Pakistani city of Peshawar .
The United States is drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war but security has remained volatile as the Taliban continue attacks on Afghan forces and other targets .
A UN report last month estimated there were around 2,200 Islamic State group fighters in Afghanistan .
While the group has lost territory and its leadership has been depleted , it remains capable of carrying out high-profile attacks , the report said .

Afghan security forces retook control of a prison from Islamic State group militants in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Monday, ending a siege in which hundreds of prisoners escaped.
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At least 29 people were killed in the assault on the prison that began on Sunday evening and in subsequent clashes with security forces, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province said.
“The attack is now over,” Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council, told Reuters after security forces clashed overnight and into the day with militants who had taken over the prison watchtowers.
More than 300 prisoners were still at large, according to Attaullah Khugyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province. Of the 1,793 prisoners more than 1,025 had tried to escape and been recaptured while 430 had remained inside.
“The rest are missing,” he said.
Khugyani said civilians, prisoners and members of the security forces were among the 29 dead and more than 50 wounded before the final assault.
A defence ministry statement said all 10 attackers had been killed by Afghan security forces, though a provincial council member and a witness inside the prison told Reuters the number was likely around 30.
The attackers were Islamic State group militants trying to free their comrades from the prison in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, said Ajmal Omar, a provincial council member.
“The aim of this attack was to rescue all Daesh members inside the prison, and unfortunately that included five or six senior Daesh people,” Omar said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Among the prisoners who escaped was the group's shadow governor for neighboring Kunar Province, he said.
The Islamic State (IS) group affiliate in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack. The militants have established a base in Nangarhar Province.
The renewed violence comes at a sensitive time as Afghanistan as the United States attempts to launch new peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, who say they oppose the Islamic State group.
03:23
After detonating a car bomb at the entrance on Sunday evening, IS group militants overran the prison, where many of the group's fighters who were captured during a campaign in the past month were being held along with Taliban fighters and common criminals.
As the siege dragged through the day, the normally bustling city was placed under a curfew.
“Jalalabad is completely empty,” Qaderi said.
Some 130km (80 miles) east of Kabul, Jalalabad lies on the highway leading to the Khyber Pass and the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
The United States is drawing down troops after almost 19 years of war but security has remained volatile as the Taliban continue attacks on Afghan forces and other targets.
A UN report last month estimated there were around 2,200 Islamic State group fighters in Afghanistan. While the group has lost territory and its leadership has been depleted, it remains capable of carrying out high-profile attacks, the report said.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-04--Deadly Beirut blasts were caused by 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, says PM Diab

Smoke is seen after an explosion in Beirut , Lebanon August 4 , 2020 , in this picture obtained from social media .
Two enormous explosions devastated Beirut 's port on Tuesday , leaving at least 73 people dead and thousands injured , shaking distant buildings and spreading panic and chaos across the Lebanese capital .
The second blast sent an enormous orange fireball into the sky , immediately followed by a tornado-like shockwave that flattened the port and swept the city , shattering windows kilometres ( miles ) away .
Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that 2,750 tonnes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been stored for years in a portside warehouse had blown up , sparking `` a disaster in every sense of the word '' .
Bloodied and dazed wounded people stumbled among the debris , glass shards and burning buildings in central Beirut as the health ministry reported 73 dead and 3,700 injured across wide parts of the country 's biggest city .
`` What happened today will not pass without accountability , '' said Diab .
`` Those responsible for this catastrophe will pay the price . ''
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' had been confiscated years earlier and stored in the warehouse , just minutes walk from Beirut 's shopping and nightlife districts .
The blasts were so massive they shook the entire city and could be heard throughout the small country , and as far away as Nicosia on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus , 240 kilometres ( 150 miles ) away .
A soldier at the port , where relatives of the missing scrambled for news of their loved ones , told AFP : `` It 's a catastrophe inside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ambulances are still lifting the dead . ''
`` It was like an atomic bomb , '' said Makrouhie Yerganian , a retired schoolteacher in her mid-70s who has lived near the port for decades .
`` I 've experienced everything , but nothing like this before , '' even during the country 's 1975-1990 civil war , she said .
`` All the buildings around here have collapsed . ''
Her 91-year-old uncle , who lived in the same building , was wounded in the blast and later died .
AFP correspondents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ windows blown out and streets covered with broken glass .
Photos posted online even showed damage to the inside of Beirut airport 's terminal , some nine kilometres from the explosion .
Hospitals already struggling with the country 's coronavirus outbreak were overwhelmed by the influx of wounded people and the country 's Red Cross called for urgent blood donations .
'We saw the mushroom' As the national defence council declared Beirut a disaster zone , Diab appealed to Lebanon 's allies to `` stand by '' the country and `` help us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poured in from across the world with Gulf nations , the United States and even Lebanon 's arch foe Israel offering to send aid .
AFP video footage showed areas of near-complete devastation , with cars flipped onto their roofs like children 's toys , warehouses flattened and survivors drenched from head to toe in their own blood .
`` We heard an explosion , then we saw the mushroom , '' said a Beirut resident who witnessed the second deafening explosion from her balcony in the city 's Mansourieh district .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backwards into the apartment . ''
An AFP correspondent at the scene minutes after said every shop in the Hamra commercial district had sustained damage , with entire storefronts destroyed and many cars wrecked .
A huge blaze sent up black smoke from the port area , as helicopters dumped water on burning buildings .
A ship moored off the port was on fire , and the blasts also damaged a vessel deployed with United Nations peacekeeping force UNIFIL and injured some of its personnel .
Hundreds immediately shared their shock and grief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shaking , '' tweeted one resident , while another wrote : `` An enormous , deafening explosion just engulfed Beirut .
Heard it from miles away . ''
Online footage from a Lebanese newspaper office showed blown out windows , scattered furniture and demolished interior panelling .
The explosions hit a country already reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades which has left nearly half of the population in poverty , as well as from the coronavirus pandemic .
Lebanon 's economy has collapsed in recent months , with the local currency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty soaring at the same alarming rate as unemployment .
Charity Save the Children said `` the incident could not have occurred at a worse time '' .
The explosions came three days before a UN tribunal 's verdict on the murder of former Lebanese premier Rafic Hariri , who was killed in a huge 2005 truck bomb attack .
Four alleged members of the Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah are on trial in absentia at the court in the Netherlands over the huge Beirut bombing that killed Sunni billionaire Hariri and 21 other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre Tuesday told AFP the blast `` felt like an earthquake '' and `` bigger than the explosion in the assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005 '' .

Lebanese rescue workers dug through the rubble looking for survivors of a powerful warehouse explosion that shook the capital Beirut, killing 78 people and injuring nearly 4,000 in a toll that officials expected to rise.
Smoke is seen after an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon August 4, 2020, in this picture obtained from social media.
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Tuesday's blast at port warehouses storing highly explosive material was the most powerful in years in Beirut, already reeling from an economic crisis and a surge in coronavirus infections.
President Michel Aoun said that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, used in fertilisers and bombs, had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures, and he said that was "unacceptable".
He called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
05:23
Officials did not say what caused the blaze that set off the blast. A security source and local media said it was started by welding work being carried out on a hole in the warehouse.
"What we are witnessing is a huge catastrophe," the head of Lebanon's Red Cross George Kettani told broadcaster Mayadeen. "There are victims and casualties everywhere."
Hours after the blast, which struck shortly after 6 p.m. (1500 GMT), a fire still blazed in the port district, casting an orange glow across the night sky as helicopters hovered and ambulance sirens sounded across the capital.
00:35
The blast revived memories of a 1975-90 civil war and its aftermath, when Lebanese endured heavy shelling, car bombings and Israeli air raids. Some residents thought an earthquake had struck.
Dazed, weeping and injured people walked through streets searching for relatives.
“The blast blew me off metres away. I was in a daze and was all covered in blood. It brought back the vision of another explosion I witnessed against the U.S. embassy in 1983," said Huda Baroudi, a Beirut designer.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab promised there would be accountability for the deadly blast at the "dangerous warehouse", adding "those responsible will pay the price."
The U.S. embassy in Beirut warned residents about reports of toxic gases released by the blast, urging people to stay indoors and wear masks if available.
Many missing
"There are many people missing. People are asking the emergency department about their loved ones and it is difficult to search at night because there is no electricity," Health Minister Hamad Hasan told Reuters.
Hasan said 78 people were killed and nearly 4,000 injured.
Footage of the explosion shared by residents on social media showed a column of smoke rising from the port, followed by an enormous blast, sending a white cloud and a fireball into the sky. Those filming the incident from high buildings 2 km (one mile) from the port were thrown backwards by the shock.
Bleeding people were seen running and shouting for help in clouds of smoke and dust in streets littered with damaged buildings, flying debris, and wrecked cars and furniture.
The explosion occurred three days before a U.N.-backed court is due to deliver a verdict in the trial of four suspects from the Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah over a 2005 bombing which killed former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri and 21 others.
Hariri was killed by a huge truck bomb on the same waterfront, about 2 km (about one mile) from the port.
Israeli officials said Israel, which has fought several wars with Lebanon, had nothing to do with Tuesday's blast and said their country was ready to give humanitarian and medical assistance. Shi'ite Iran, the main backer of Hezbollah, also offered support, as did Tehran's regional rival Saudi Arabia, a leading Sunni power.
At a White House briefing, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the explosion was a possible attack, but two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial information contradicted Trump's view.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-04--Colombian ex-president Uribe detained for alleged witness tampering, he says

( FILE PHOTO ) Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe speaks to supporters in October 2019 in Bogota .
Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said on Tuesday the Supreme Court had ordered his detention amid an investigation into alleged witness tampering and fraud .
Uribe , a mentor of President Ivan Duque who now serves as a senator , has repeatedly declared his innocence and questioned the court 's independence .
The court has not yet released its ruling and it was unclear whether Uribe , a divisive political figure , would be held under house arrest or possibly behind bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes me profound sadness for my wife , for my family , and for Colombians who still believe that I have done something good for the country , '' Uribe wrote on Twitter .
The Supreme Court ruling would mark the first ever in Colombia ordering the detention of a former president .
Duque has repeatedly backed Uribe and said he should be allowed to defend himself while free .
The case stems from a long-running feud between the right-wing Uribe and leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda .
In 2012 , Uribe accused Cepeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to right-wing paramilitary groups .
But in 2018 the court said Cepeda had collected information from former fighters as part of his work and had not paid or pressured former paramilitaries .
Instead it was Uribe who was at fault , the court said , adding that his allies had undertaken new witness tampering efforts even after its original ruling .
Uribe and lawmaker Alvaro Hernan Prada face prison terms of up to 12 years .
That would put Uribe in the ranks of other former Latin American presidents , including Brazil 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fujimori , who have served time in confinement .
Uribe is best known for mounting an aggressive offensive against Marxist guerrillas during his 2002 to 2010 tenure .
He and his family have long been accused of paramilitary links .
His brother Santiago is currently facing a murder charge .

Colombia's Supreme Court on Tuesday placed former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe under house arrest as he faces charges of fraud and witness tampering.
(FILE PHOTO) Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe speaks to supporters in October 2019 in Bogota.
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The conservative Uribe, who served as president from 2002-2010, is the country's most popular politician and political mentor to President Ivan Duque.
The court said in a statement that Uribe will be detained at home "and from there can mount his defense with all the guarantees of due process."
On Tuesday, the court held a hearing into his case, in which Uribe is accused of using his position as a senator to tamper with a witness.
La privación de mi libertad me causa profunda tristeza por mi señora, por mi familia y por los colombianos que todavía creen que algo bueno he hecho por la Patria — Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) August 4, 2020
"Being deprived of my freedom is very sad for me, my wife, my family and for the Colombians who still think I did something good for the homeland," Uribe tweeted.
Uribe, 68, must now wait to be eventually called for a trial before the Supreme Court, the body that judges lawmakers.
He faces bribery and procedural fraud charges and could serve up to eight years in prison if convicted.
Uribe has always insisted on his innocence and enjoys strong popular support due to his hardline stance in fighting the country's leftist guerrillas, especially the once-powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
01:30
His successor, Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018), reached a peace deal with the FARC in 2016 -- a deal that Uribe and Duque have heavily criticized.
The right-wing politician was questioned by judges in October 2019 -- the first time a former president had appeared before Colombia's highest court.
In 2012, Uribe filed a complaint against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda, who Uribe says hatched a plot to falsely link him to paramilitary groups.
But in 2018, the court instead opened a witness tampering investigation against Uribe.
Duque fiercely defended his mentor in a video posted on social media, saying that he believes in the ex-president's "innocence and honorability."
Uribe also faces accusations of being linked with right-wing paramilitaries -- privately funded anti-rebel armed groups accused of widespread human rights abuses.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-04--Offers of assistance pour in for Lebanon after deadly Beirut explosions

A general view of the scene of after blasts at the port of Lebanon 's capital Beirut on August 4 , 2020 .
Countries around the world have been paying tribute to victims of two deadly blasts in Beirut on Tuesday and sending offers of assistance to Lebanon , a country already reeling from the effects of overlapping crises before disaster struck its capital .
`` France stands and will always stand by the side of Lebanon and the Lebanese .
It is ready to provide assistance according to the needs expressed by the Lebanese authorities , '' French Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet after the incident in Beirut which left scores dead and wounded thousands more .
French President Emmanuel Macron said French aid and resources were being sent to Lebanon .
In Britain , Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country stood ready to provide any support it could to help .
`` The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking , '' Johnson wrote on Twitter .
`` All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident .
`` The UK is ready to provide support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those British nationals affected . ''
In the United States , the State Department was closely following reports of an explosion in Beirut and stands ready to offer 'all possible assistance ' , a spokesperson for the agency said The State Department has no information about the cause of the explosion , the spokesperson said and added that the agency is working closely with local authorities to determine if any US citizens were affected in the incident .
Israel offered humanitarian aid to Lebanon , with which it is still technically at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Following the explosion in Beirut , Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi , on behalf of the State of Israel , have offered the Lebanese government -- via international intermediaries -- medical and humanitarian aid , as well as immediate emergency assistance , '' said a joint statement from the two ministries .
Meanwhile , Iran 's top diplomat expressed Tehran 's support for the `` resilient '' people of Lebanon after the blasts .
`` Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zarif tweeted .
`` As always , Iran is fully prepared to render assistance in any way necessary , '' he said .
`` Stay strong , Lebanon . ''
Countries in the Gulf paid tribute to victims as well , with Qatar saying it would send field hospitals to support Lebanon 's medical response .
Qatar 's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani called President Michel Aoun to offer condolences , according to the state-run Qatar News Agency .
Sheikh Tamim wished `` a speedy recovery for the injured '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed Qatar 's solidarity with brotherly Lebanon and its willingness to provide all kinds of assistance '' .
Field hospitals would be dispatched , the report added .
Elsewhere in the Gulf , the United Arab Emirates ' Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted that `` our hearts are with Beirut and its people '' .
He posted the tribute alongside an image of Dubai 's Burj Khalifa , the world 's tallest building , illuminated in the colours of the Lebanese flag .
`` Our prayers during these difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon and the Lebanese to reduce their affliction and heal their wounds , '' he wrote .
Gulf countries including Qatar and the UAE maintain close ties with Beirut and have long provided financial aid and diplomatic assistance to mediate Lebanon 's political and sectarian divisions .
Bahrain 's foreign ministry urged its nationals in Lebanon to contact the ministry 's operations centre or Manama 's representative in Beirut , while Kuwait ordered its citizens to take extreme caution and stay indoors .
It also asked those in need of assistance to contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commissioner for Refugees extended his best wishes after the tragedy in Beirut .
`` With my many Lebanese friends and colleagues tonight , and with all the people of Lebanon — in solidarity , wishing them renewed strength and much courage , '' UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi tweeted Tuesday .
Lebanon , a country of around 4.5 million people has been disproportionately affected by the war in neighbouring Syria with an influx of an estimated 1.5 million refugees .
`` My thoughts and heart are with people in Beirut , Lebanon , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the explosion this afternoon , '' World Health Organization ( WHO ) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted Tuesday , expressing his support for a country already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic among other crises .
The WHO 's director-general added that his organization `` stands ready to support the government and healthworkers in saving lives '' .

Countries around the world have been paying tribute to victims of two deadly blasts in Beirut on Tuesday and sending offers of assistance to Lebanon, a country already reeling from the effects of overlapping crises before disaster struck its capital.
A general view of the scene of after blasts at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.
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"France stands and will always stand by the side of Lebanon and the Lebanese. It is ready to provide assistance according to the needs expressed by the Lebanese authorities," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a tweet after the incident in Beirut which left scores dead and wounded thousands more.
French President Emmanuel Macron said French aid and resources were being sent to Lebanon.
❝I express my fraternal solidarity with the Lebanese people after the explosion which claimed so many victims and caused so much damage this evening in Beirut. France stands alongside Lebanon. And always will. French assistance and resources are on their way❞
➖@EmmanuelMacron https://t.co/ErPdFObpV2 — France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) August 4, 2020
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country stood ready to provide any support it could to help.
"The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking," Johnson wrote on Twitter. "All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident.
"The UK is ready to provide support in any way we can, including to those British nationals affected."
In the United States, the State Department was closely following reports of an explosion in Beirut and stands ready to offer 'all possible assistance', a spokesperson for the agency said
The State Department has no information about the cause of the explosion, the spokesperson said and added that the agency is working closely with local authorities to determine if any US citizens were affected in the incident.
We share the pain of the Lebanese people and sincerely reach out to offer our aid at this difficult time. — Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) August 4, 2020
Israel offered humanitarian aid to Lebanon, with which it is still technically at war, after Tuesday's explosions.
"Following the explosion in Beirut, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, on behalf of the State of Israel, have offered the Lebanese government -- via international intermediaries -- medical and humanitarian aid, as well as immediate emergency assistance," said a joint statement from the two ministries.
Meanwhile, Iran's top diplomat expressed Tehran's support for the "resilient" people of Lebanon after the blasts.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.
"As always, Iran is fully prepared to render assistance in any way necessary," he said. "Stay strong, Lebanon."
Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon.
As always, Iran is fully prepared to render assistance in any way necessary.
Stay strong, Lebanon.
🖤🇱🇧 — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 4, 2020
Countries in the Gulf paid tribute to victims as well, with Qatar saying it would send field hospitals to support Lebanon's medical response.
Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani called President Michel Aoun to offer condolences, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
Sheikh Tamim wished "a speedy recovery for the injured", QNA reported, adding that he "expressed Qatar's solidarity with brotherly Lebanon and its willingness to provide all kinds of assistance".
Field hospitals would be dispatched, the report added.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates' Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted that "our hearts are with Beirut and its people".
He posted the tribute alongside an image of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, illuminated in the colours of the Lebanese flag.
"Our prayers during these difficult hours are that God... protects brotherly Lebanon and the Lebanese to reduce their affliction and heal their wounds," he wrote.
Gulf countries including Qatar and the UAE maintain close ties with Beirut and have long provided financial aid and diplomatic assistance to mediate Lebanon's political and sectarian divisions.
Bahrain's foreign ministry urged its nationals in Lebanon to contact the ministry's operations centre or Manama's representative in Beirut, while Kuwait ordered its citizens to take extreme caution and stay indoors.
It also asked those in need of assistance to contact their embassy.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees extended his best wishes after the tragedy in Beirut.
With my many Lebanese friends and colleagues tonight, and with all the people of Lebanon — in solidarity, wishing them renewed strength and much courage. pic.twitter.com/C5ORnOovTu — Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) August 4, 2020
"With my many Lebanese friends and colleagues tonight, and with all the people of Lebanon — in solidarity, wishing them renewed strength and much courage," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi tweeted Tuesday. Lebanon, a country of around 4.5 million people has been disproportionately affected by the war in neighbouring Syria with an influx of an estimated 1.5 million refugees.
"My thoughts and heart are with people in Beirut, Lebanon, who lost loved ones or were injured in the explosion this afternoon," World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted Tuesday, expressing his support for a country already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic among other crises.
The WHO's director-general added that his organization "stands ready to support the government and healthworkers in saving lives".
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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