france24--2020-06-22--Police in Paris, Nantes clash with attendees of annual Fête de la Musique

Musicians play along the banks of the Seine at the 2020 Fête de la Musique .
French police clashed sporadically with people attending music festivals in Paris and the western city of Nantes on Sunday , TV stations BFM and C News reported .
Many cities in France were holding annual `` Fete de la Musique '' events , which were monitored closely by police to ensure people were complying with social-distancing measures imposed to curb the coronavirus .
BFM TV said police had to move in to disperse crowds from Paris ' Canal St Martin , while C News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police using tear gas on crowds in Nantes .
The event in Nantes also coincided with a demonstration to mark the anniversary of the death of Steve Canico , who died after a clash between police and revellers in June 2019 .
Canico 's death became a focal point for protests and scrutiny over policing methods in France .
The 24-year-old disappeared at a concert where police had clashed with late-night revellers by the riverbank in Nantes , and Canico 's body was subsequently found in the Loire River .
Residents of Nantes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some demonstrators setting bins on fire .
Officials at the Nantes police department could not be immediately reached for comment .

French police clashed sporadically with people attending music festivals in Paris and the western city of Nantes on Sunday, TV stations BFM and C News reported.
Musicians play along the banks of the Seine at the 2020 Fête de la Musique.
Advertising Read more
Many cities in France were holding annual "Fete de la Musique" events, which were monitored closely by police to ensure people were complying with social-distancing measures imposed to curb the coronavirus.
BFM TV said police had to move in to disperse crowds from Paris' Canal St Martin, while C News and residents of Nantes broadcast images of police using tear gas on crowds in Nantes.
The event in Nantes also coincided with a demonstration to mark the anniversary of the death of Steve Canico, who died after a clash between police and revellers in June 2019.
Canico's death became a focal point for protests and scrutiny over policing methods in France. The 24-year-old disappeared at a concert where police had clashed with late-night revellers by the riverbank in Nantes, and Canico's body was subsequently found in the Loire River.
Residents of Nantes posted images and videos on Twitter of some demonstrators setting bins on fire. Officials at the Nantes police department could not be immediately reached for comment.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Tunisians protesting over lack of jobs clash with police, vow strike

Protesters from Tunisia 's Tataouine region throw stones as they clash with security forces , firing tear gas , amidst a demonstration in the southern city on June 21 , 2020 .
Protesters demanding jobs in Tunisia 's energy sector blocked roads with burning tyres on Sunday after the arrest of an activist , before security forces responded with tear gas .
For weeks , demonstrators at a protest camp in the southern Tataouine region have demanded authorities make good on a 2017 promise to provide jobs in the gas and oil sector to thousands of unemployed .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent tanker trucks from entering the facility but until Sunday the protest had been largely peaceful .
The protest turned violent after the arrest of an activist `` wanted '' by the authorities , the governor of Tataouine , Adel Werghi , told a local radio station .
The activist , arrested the night before , was identified as Tarek Haddad , the spokesman for the protesters .
An AFP correspondent said demonstrators demanding his release set tyres ablaze in Tataouine and pelted security forces with stones .
Security forces responded with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with intermittent clashes throughout the afternoon .
The interior ministry said 10 people were arrested after a group of protesters `` tried to attack police stations with Molotov cocktails '' .
The governor said it was `` illegal '' for protesters , who have been demonstrating for more than a month , to block roads with tents `` which they have set up in the middle of streets '' .
In 2017 , protesters blockaded the El-Kamour pumping station for three months demanding jobs .
The sit-in ended after the employment minister signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , brokered by the powerful Tunisian trade union confederation UGTT , pledging to invest 80 million Tunisian dinars a year ( almost $ 28 million ) in Tataouine .
The UGTT branch in Tataouine said the promise was never kept and has called for a `` general strike '' in the region on Monday .
It said in a statement that the work stoppage was meant to denounce the `` excessive and unjustified use of force '' against protesters .

Protesters demanding jobs in Tunisia's energy sector blocked roads with burning tyres on Sunday after the arrest of an activist, before security forces responded with tear gas.
Protesters from Tunisia's Tataouine region throw stones as they clash with security forces, firing tear gas, amidst a demonstration in the southern city on June 21, 2020.
Advertising Read more
For weeks, demonstrators at a protest camp in the southern Tataouine region have demanded authorities make good on a 2017 promise to provide jobs in the gas and oil sector to thousands of unemployed.
They have blocked roads around the El-Kamour pumping station to prevent tanker trucks from entering the facility but until Sunday the protest had been largely peaceful.
The protest turned violent after the arrest of an activist "wanted" by the authorities, the governor of Tataouine, Adel Werghi, told a local radio station.
The activist, arrested the night before, was identified as Tarek Haddad, the spokesman for the protesters.
An AFP correspondent said demonstrators demanding his release set tyres ablaze in Tataouine and pelted security forces with stones.
Security forces responded with tear gas and the situation remained tense with intermittent clashes throughout the afternoon.
The interior ministry said 10 people were arrested after a group of protesters "tried to attack police stations with Molotov cocktails".
The governor said it was "illegal" for protesters, who have been demonstrating for more than a month, to block roads with tents "which they have set up in the middle of streets".
In 2017, protesters blockaded the El-Kamour pumping station for three months demanding jobs.
The sit-in ended after the employment minister signed a deal with representatives of the protesters, brokered by the powerful Tunisian trade union confederation UGTT, pledging to invest 80 million Tunisian dinars a year (almost $28 million) in Tataouine.
The UGTT branch in Tataouine said the promise was never kept and has called for a "general strike" in the region on Monday.
It said in a statement that the work stoppage was meant to denounce the "excessive and unjustified use of force" against protesters.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-21--Serbia's ruling conservatives claim landslide win in boycott-tainted vote

People celebrate next to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at Serbian Progressive Party ( SNS ) headquarters during a national election , the first in Europe since lockdown due to the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak , in Belgrade , Serbia , June 21 , 2020 .
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared a landslide victory for his ruling party Sunday in a parliamentary election tarnished by a boycott from much of the opposition , who accuse the leader of burgeoning authoritarianism .
With some 63 percent of the vote , according to Vucic , the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its dominance in the 250-member parliament .
While Vucic did not run for office himself , the 50-year-old tightly controls the party , which has been in power since 2012 .
“ I am grateful to the people for this historic support , ” he said with elation from the SNS headquarters where brass music blasted in celebration .
“ We won everywhere , ” Vucic continued .
“ We won in the places where we had never won before.
” The sweeping success was helped by a boycott from the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elections as neither free nor fair under Vucic ’ s domineering reign .
But despite their stay-at-home campaign and lingering concerns about the coronavirus , turnout was lower than normal—but not dramatically—at slightly under 50 percent according to the independent election monitor CRTA .
The boycotting opposition slammed the “ fake elections ” and claimed their movement was victorious .
Either way the ruling party will have few rivals to contend with in the halls of parliament , where they are expected to hold around 189 seats .
In second place was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Socialist Party of Serbia ( SPS ) , predicted to claim 32 seats , according to the IPSOS polling agency .
And next in line was the only opposition party to garner enough votes to pass the three percent threshold to enter parliament : the newly formed Serbian Patrotic Alliance ( SPAS ) with around a dozen seats .
A slate of ethnic minority parties with a lower bar to entry will also take some 17 spots , according to IPSOS .
Among those who didn ’ t make the cut was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj .
Without a meaningful opposition , the “ pyrrhic victory ” could ultimately discredit Serbia ’ s ruling party as it will be viewed as “ less legitimate than ever before ” , Balkans analyst Florian Bieber commented on Twitter .
But in the short term they will be more powerful than ever , capping Vucic ’ s eight-year effort to consolidate control over the country ’ s democracy , first as prime minister and now as president .
He came into this poll riding a fresh wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus situation in check , with around 260 deaths in a country of seven million .
Although the post of president is meant to be ceremonial , he remains Serbia ’ s top decision-maker and led the country through the health crisis .
Serbian analyst Dusan Spasojevic describes the Balkan state ’ s elections as a form of “ competitive autocracy ” .
“ There is a competition but participants are not equal , ” he explained of a playing field warped by Vucic ’ s outsized influence .
Watchdogs say Vucic ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media , with several outlets effectively serving as SNS propaganda machines .
The US-based Freedom House recently declared the country no longer a democracy but a “ hybrid regime ” , due to “ years of increasing state capture , abuse of power , and strongman tactics ” .
Yet the Serb leader can count on support from allies across the international stage .
In addition to close ties with Russia and China , he has backing from the West , where he is seen as capable of resolving Serbia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With elections behind him , the president will now face pressure to make progress on talks with Pristina that have been frozen for over a year .
He already has a busy schedule lined up : over the next week he will talk with the European Union ’ s envoy for Serbia and Kosovo , visit Moscow and meet Kosovo representatives at the White House .
At the heart of the dispute is Belgrade ’ s rejection of the independence that Kosovo , home to an ethnic Albanian majority , declared after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a NATO intervention .
The issue is highly emotive for Serbian nationalists but it weighs especially heavily on the Serb minority still living in Kosovo .

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared a landslide victory for his ruling party Sunday in a parliamentary election tarnished by a boycott from much of the opposition, who accuse the leader of burgeoning authoritarianism.
People celebrate next to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) headquarters during a national election, the first in Europe since lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia, June 21, 2020.
Advertising Read more
With some 63 percent of the vote, according to Vucic, the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was set to dramatically expand its dominance in the 250-member parliament.
While Vucic did not run for office himself, the 50-year-old tightly controls the party, which has been in power since 2012.
“I am grateful to the people for this historic support,” he said with elation from the SNS headquarters where brass music blasted in celebration.
“We won everywhere,” Vucic continued. “We won in the places where we had never won before.”
The sweeping success was helped by a boycott from the country’s main opposition camp, who decried the elections as neither free nor fair under Vucic’s domineering reign.
But despite their stay-at-home campaign and lingering concerns about the coronavirus, turnout was lower than normal—but not dramatically—at slightly under 50 percent according to the independent election monitor CRTA.
The boycotting opposition slammed the “fake elections” and claimed their movement was victorious.
Either way the ruling party will have few rivals to contend with in the halls of parliament, where they are expected to hold around 189 seats.
Virus bump
In second place was their traditional junior coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), predicted to claim 32 seats, according to the IPSOS polling agency.
And next in line was the only opposition party to garner enough votes to pass the three percent threshold to enter parliament: the newly formed Serbian Patrotic Alliance (SPAS) with around a dozen seats.
A slate of ethnic minority parties with a lower bar to entry will also take some 17 spots, according to IPSOS.
Among those who didn’t make the cut was the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party, led by convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj.
Without a meaningful opposition, the “pyrrhic victory” could ultimately discredit Serbia’s ruling party as it will be viewed as “less legitimate than ever before”, Balkans analyst Florian Bieber commented on Twitter.
But in the short term they will be more powerful than ever, capping Vucic’s eight-year effort to consolidate control over the country’s democracy, first as prime minister and now as president.
He came into this poll riding a fresh wave of popularity for keeping Serbia’s coronavirus situation in check, with around 260 deaths in a country of seven million.
Although the post of president is meant to be ceremonial, he remains Serbia’s top decision-maker and led the country through the health crisis.
Serbian analyst Dusan Spasojevic describes the Balkan state’s elections as a form of “competitive autocracy”.
“There is a competition but participants are not equal,” he explained of a playing field warped by Vucic’s outsized influence.
Watchdogs say Vucic’s power lies in his manipulation of the media, with several outlets effectively serving as SNS propaganda machines.
The US-based Freedom House recently declared the country no longer a democracy but a “hybrid regime”, due to “years of increasing state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics”.
Time for Kosovo talks
Yet the Serb leader can count on support from allies across the international stage.
In addition to close ties with Russia and China, he has backing from the West, where he is seen as capable of resolving Serbia’s decades-long territorial dispute with former province Kosovo.
With elections behind him, the president will now face pressure to make progress on talks with Pristina that have been frozen for over a year.
He already has a busy schedule lined up: over the next week he will talk with the European Union’s envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, visit Moscow and meet Kosovo representatives at the White House.
At the heart of the dispute is Belgrade’s rejection of the independence that Kosovo, home to an ethnic Albanian majority, declared after a bloody 1990s war that was halted by a NATO intervention.
The issue is highly emotive for Serbian nationalists but it weighs especially heavily on the Serb minority still living in Kosovo.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-21--France mulls new lockdown on French Guiana as Covid-19 spreads

This photograph taken on June 20 , 2020 shows a general view of the entrance to a hospital in Cayenne , French Guiana , during a curfew imposed by the prefectural and health authorities to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
The coronavirus has been spreading faster in the last 10 days in French Guiana and the French government is not ruling out imposing a new lockdown on the overseas territory , Prime Minister Édouard Philippe 's office said on Sunday .
The prime minister 's office also said in its statement that the government would be stepping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region , located on the northeastern coast of South America .
Guiana , which has a population of 300,000 , has recorded 2,441 confirmed cases so far , including 1,511 patients who have since recovered .
The number of cases has risen fourfold over the past two weeks .
A total of 111 Covid-19 patients have been hospitalised in the territory ’ s main hub , Cayenne , 14 of them in intensive care .
The worsening outbreak has led French authorities to postpone the second round of municipal elections , scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Late on Sunday , Guiana ’ s Prefect Marc Del Grande , the territory ’ s top official , said a curfew would be “ reinforced ” in the town of Kourou , where France ’ s main space centre is located , amid a spike in infections there .
Kourou ’ s number of confirmed cases shot to 353 by Saturday evening , up from 69 on June 4 .
Local news site Guyaweb said those infected included six employees of the space centre , the main launch pad for European satellites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-highest per-capita number of cases after the small town of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock , on the border with hard-hit Brazil , where 314 confirmed cases were reported on Saturday evening out of a total population of just 4,220 .
Two people have died since June 13 at Kourou ’ s hospital , which does not have an intensive care unit .
Both were aged over 80 .
The deaths bring Guiana 's total number of fatalities from Covid-19 to seven .

The coronavirus has been spreading faster in the last 10 days in French Guiana and the French government is not ruling out imposing a new lockdown on the overseas territory, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe's office said on Sunday.
This photograph taken on June 20, 2020 shows a general view of the entrance to a hospital in Cayenne, French Guiana, during a curfew imposed by the prefectural and health authorities to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Advertising Read more
The prime minister's office also said in its statement that the government would be stepping up its resources to tackle the virus in the region, located on the northeastern coast of South America.
Guiana, which has a population of 300,000, has recorded 2,441 confirmed cases so far, including 1,511 patients who have since recovered. The number of cases has risen fourfold over the past two weeks.
A total of 111 Covid-19 patients have been hospitalised in the territory’s main hub, Cayenne, 14 of them in intensive care.
The worsening outbreak has led French authorities to postpone the second round of municipal elections, scheduled for June 28, across Guiana.
Space centre affected
Late on Sunday, Guiana’s Prefect Marc Del Grande, the territory’s top official, said a curfew would be “reinforced” in the town of Kourou, where France’s main space centre is located, amid a spike in infections there.
Kourou’s number of confirmed cases shot to 353 by Saturday evening, up from 69 on June 4. Local news site Guyaweb said those infected included six employees of the space centre, the main launch pad for European satellites.
Kourou now has Guiana’s second-highest per-capita number of cases after the small town of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, on the border with hard-hit Brazil, where 314 confirmed cases were reported on Saturday evening out of a total population of just 4,220.
Two people have died since June 13 at Kourou’s hospital, which does not have an intensive care unit. Both were aged over 80. The deaths bring Guiana's total number of fatalities from Covid-19 to seven.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-21--Israeli historian Zeev Sternhell, advocate for Palestinian rights, dies at 85

Israeli academic Zeev Sternhell poses at home in Jerusalem in this file photo taken on February 2 , 2015 .
Israeli historian and political scientist Zeev Sternhell , a peace activist and one of the leading thinkers of the country 's left , has died aged 85 , Jerusalem 's Hebrew University said Sunday .
Polish-born Sternhell , head of the university 's political science department , was an outspoken champion of Palestinian rights who strongly criticised Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank .
Hebrew University president Asher Cohen hailed Sternhell , a professor emeritus there who was awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 , as `` among the most important researchers '' to emerge from the institution .
`` His innovative political science research , which was translated into many languages , brought a deep change in the academic perception of ideological movements , specifically radical movements , '' Cohen said .
Ayman Odeh , head of the Arab-led Joint List in Israel 's parliament , wrote that `` during his childhood in Poland , Sternhell experienced the terrible results of fascism , and throughout his life had the courage and strength to research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was a significant voice for Palestinian human rights and against the occupation in the territories . ''
Born to a Jewish family in 1935 , Sternhell survived the Second World War disguised as a Catholic .
His mother and sister were murdered by the Nazis .
He moved to France after the war , then to Israel upon its creation in 1948 .
Sternhell served as an Israeli soldier in the country 's wars over four decades and believed in the necessity of a Jewish state , despite his opposition to Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a longtime activist in the Israeli Peace Now movement , founding member Janet Aviad told AFP .
`` He was a very strong and credible Zionist whose message was that we have one land for two people , '' she said .
`` That was the message he delivered in very humanistic , egalitarian , universal terms '' .
His academic work also delved into the `` French roots of fascism '' and stirred lively debate and controversy , according to former student Denis Charbit , now a lecturer at the Open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` very demanding '' professor , but also one `` attentive '' to his best students , Charbit told AFP .
In addition to academic writing and books , he regularly published opinion pieces in Israeli newspapers , most notably Haaretz , many of which were critical of settlers .
On one occasion Sternhell called the settlement movement a `` cancer '' in Israeli society , and in another instance said a settlement should be attacked with tanks .
After receiving the Israel Prize in 2008 , he was wounded the same year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a right-wing extremist .
Sternhell himself said the attack was testimony to the `` fragility '' of Israeli democracy .
In an interview with Haaretz later that year , he warned of the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and the condition of Israel `` not respecting the national rights of others '' .
In a 2014 interview with Haaretz , during Israel 's war against Hamas in Gaza , Sternhell warned that the Jewish state 's democracy was `` facing collapse '' .
`` The Israeli democracy is eroding , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
Tamar Zandberg , of left-wing party Meretz , said Sternhell 's lasting legacy would be his work towards `` a strong and not occupying Israeli democracy '' .
Communication Minister Yoaz Hendel offered his condolences to the Sternhell family , noting that while he did n't share many of Sternhell 's opinions , `` prominent intellectuals like him , from right and left , are the foundation to our existence as the people of the book '' .
According to Haaretz , Sternhell died as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his wife , two daughters and several grandchildren .

Israeli historian and political scientist Zeev Sternhell, a peace activist and one of the leading thinkers of the country's left, has died aged 85, Jerusalem's Hebrew University said Sunday.
Israeli academic Zeev Sternhell poses at home in Jerusalem in this file photo taken on February 2, 2015.
Advertising Read more
Polish-born Sternhell, head of the university's political science department, was an outspoken champion of Palestinian rights who strongly criticised Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Hebrew University president Asher Cohen hailed Sternhell, a professor emeritus there who was awarded the prestigious Israel Prize for political science in 2008, as "among the most important researchers" to emerge from the institution.
"His innovative political science research, which was translated into many languages, brought a deep change in the academic perception of ideological movements, specifically radical movements," Cohen said.
Ayman Odeh, head of the Arab-led Joint List in Israel's parliament, wrote that "during his childhood in Poland, Sternhell experienced the terrible results of fascism, and throughout his life had the courage and strength to research and fight it.
"For decades he was a significant voice for Palestinian human rights and against the occupation in the territories."
Survived Second World War
Born to a Jewish family in 1935, Sternhell survived the Second World War disguised as a Catholic. His mother and sister were murdered by the Nazis.
He moved to France after the war, then to Israel upon its creation in 1948.
Sternhell served as an Israeli soldier in the country's wars over four decades and believed in the necessity of a Jewish state, despite his opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
He was a longtime activist in the Israeli Peace Now movement, founding member Janet Aviad told AFP.
"He was a very strong and credible Zionist whose message was that we have one land for two people," she said. "That was the message he delivered in very humanistic, egalitarian, universal terms".
His academic work also delved into the "French roots of fascism" and stirred lively debate and controversy, according to former student Denis Charbit, now a lecturer at the Open University of Israel.
Sternhell was a "very demanding" professor, but also one "attentive" to his best students, Charbit told AFP.
In addition to academic writing and books, he regularly published opinion pieces in Israeli newspapers, most notably Haaretz, many of which were critical of settlers.
On one occasion Sternhell called the settlement movement a "cancer" in Israeli society, and in another instance said a settlement should be attacked with tanks.
'Fragility' of democracy
After receiving the Israel Prize in 2008, he was wounded the same year by a bomb planted outside his house by a right-wing extremist.
Sternhell himself said the attack was testimony to the "fragility" of Israeli democracy.
In an interview with Haaretz later that year, he warned of the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and the condition of Israel "not respecting the national rights of others".
In a 2014 interview with Haaretz, during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, Sternhell warned that the Jewish state's democracy was "facing collapse".
"The Israeli democracy is eroding, and the signs (of emerging fascism) exist," he said.
Tamar Zandberg, of left-wing party Meretz, said Sternhell's lasting legacy would be his work towards "a strong and not occupying Israeli democracy".
Communication Minister Yoaz Hendel offered his condolences to the Sternhell family, noting that while he didn't share many of Sternhell's opinions, "prominent intellectuals like him, from right and left, are the foundation to our existence as the people of the book".
According to Haaretz, Sternhell died as a result of complications following surgery.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters and several grandchildren.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Saudi Arabia to severely limit Hajj attendance over Covid-19 fears

( FILES ) In this file photo taken on April 27 , 2020 , worshippers perform Isha prayer while keeping distance between them next to the Kaaba in Mecca 's Grand Mosque , Islam 's holiest site .
- Saudi Arabia announced it would hold a `` very limited '' hajj this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic , with pilgrims already in the kingdom allowed to take part .
Saudi Arabia said on Monday it will bar arrivals from abroad to attend the hajj this year due to the coronavirus , allowing only a limited number of Saudi citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing measures enforced .
The announcement means this will be the first year in modern times that Muslims from around the world have not been allowed to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca , which all Muslims aim to perform at least once in a lifetime .
`` This decision is taken to ensure Hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with this pandemic and in accordance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives of human beings , '' the ministry that oversees pilgrimages said in a statement .
The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia has exceeded 160,000 , with 1,307 deaths , following a rise in new infections over the past two weeks .
Some 2.5 million pilgrims typically visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj .
Official data show Saudi Arabia earns around $ 12 billion a year from the haj and the lesser , year-round pilgrimage known as umrah .
The kingdom halted international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March to put haj plans on hold until further notice .
International arrivals for umrah pilgrimages have also been suspended until further notice .
Earlier this month , Malaysia and Indonesia both barred their citizens from travelling to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage , citing fears of the coronavirus .

Saudi Arabia said on Monday it will bar arrivals from abroad to attend the hajj this year due to the coronavirus, allowing only a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents to make the pilgrimage with social distancing measures enforced.
(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 27, 2020, worshippers perform Isha prayer while keeping distance between them next to the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site. - Saudi Arabia announced it would hold a "very limited" hajj this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic, with pilgrims already in the kingdom allowed to take part.
Advertising Read more
The announcement means this will be the first year in modern times that Muslims from around the world have not been allowed to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which all Muslims aim to perform at least once in a lifetime.
"This decision is taken to ensure Hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with this pandemic and in accordance with the teachings of Islam in preserving the lives of human beings," the ministry that oversees pilgrimages said in a statement.
The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia has exceeded 160,000, with 1,307 deaths, following a rise in new infections over the past two weeks.
Some 2.5 million pilgrims typically visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj. Official data show Saudi Arabia earns around $12 billion a year from the haj and the lesser, year-round pilgrimage known as umrah.
The kingdom halted international passenger flights in March and asked Muslims in March to put haj plans on hold until further notice. International arrivals for umrah pilgrimages have also been suspended until further notice.
Earlier this month, Malaysia and Indonesia both barred their citizens from travelling to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage, citing fears of the coronavirus.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--France's Macron accuses Turkey of playing 'a dangerous game' in Libya

French President Emmanuel Macron greeting the press next to Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Elysée Palace in Paris , June 22 2020 .
France will not tolerate Turkey 's military intervention in Libya , President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday , accusing Ankara of playing `` a dangerous game '' .
Turkey has intervened decisively in recent weeks in Libya , providing air support , weapons and allied fighters from Syria to help the government based in Tripoli repel a year-long assault by eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar .
`` I have already had the opportunity to say very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya today and going against all of its commitments made at the Berlin conference , '' Macron said alongside his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied , referring to a peace meeting earlier this year .
`` We wo n't tolerate the role that Turkey is playing in Libya , '' he said .
Turkey 's help appears to have secured Libya 's capital and the west of the country for the Tripoli government against Haftar 's Libyan National Army ( LNA ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emirates , Egypt and Russia .
Paris has been accused of supporting Haftar politically , having previously given him military assistance to fight Islamist militants .
France denies backing Haftar but has stopped short of rebuking his allies , while repeatedly criticising Turkey .
Macron , who spoke earlier on Monday by phone to U.S. President Donald Trump on the crisis in Libya , briefly condemned the role of Russian mercenaries in Libya , but focused mostly on Ankara 's role .
When asked about Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi suggesting he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macron said the Egyptian leader had reason to be worried .
`` You noted the legitimate concern of President Sisi when he sees troops arriving at his border , '' Macron said .
Turkish-backed forces are not known to be operating near Egypt 's border .
`` This is a Mediterranean subject that affects us because today from Libya each day men and women are fleeing misery to come to Europe .
Do you think we can let Turkey for a long time import Syrian fighters to Libya given everything we know ?
@

France will not tolerate Turkey's military intervention in Libya, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday, accusing Ankara of playing "a dangerous game".
French President Emmanuel Macron greeting the press next to Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Elysée Palace in Paris, June 22 2020.
Advertising Read more
Turkey has intervened decisively in recent weeks in Libya, providing air support, weapons and allied fighters from Syria to help the government based in Tripoli repel a year-long assault by eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar.
"I have already had the opportunity to say very clearly to President (Tayyip) Erdogan, I consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya today and going against all of its commitments made at the Berlin conference," Macron said alongside his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied, referring to a peace meeting earlier this year.
"We won't tolerate the role that Turkey is playing in Libya," he said.
Turkey's help appears to have secured Libya's capital and the west of the country for the Tripoli government against Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia.
Paris has been accused of supporting Haftar politically, having previously given him military assistance to fight Islamist militants. France denies backing Haftar but has stopped short of rebuking his allies, while repeatedly criticising Turkey.
Macron, who spoke earlier on Monday by phone to U.S. President Donald Trump on the crisis in Libya, briefly condemned the role of Russian mercenaries in Libya, but focused mostly on Ankara's role.
When asked about Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi suggesting he had a right to intervene in Libya, Macron said the Egyptian leader had reason to be worried.
"You noted the legitimate concern of President Sisi when he sees troops arriving at his border," Macron said. Turkish-backed forces are not known to be operating near Egypt's border.
"This is a Mediterranean subject that affects us because today from Libya each day men and women are fleeing misery to come to Europe. Do you think we can let Turkey for a long time import Syrian fighters to Libya given everything we know?"
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Coronavirus pandemic is still 'accelerating', WHO chief warns

Funeral workers carry a coffin holding the body of a coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) victim , at a cemetery , in Lima , Peru June 18 , 2020 .
The World Health Organization sent out a fresh warning on Monday over the dangers of the new coronavirus even as France returned to life by staging an annual music festival and sending millions of children back to school .
WHO also advised the increased production of the drug dexamethasone to fight the virus .
In spite of numerous European countries further easing their lockdown restrictions , cases around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Brazil now registering over 50,000 deaths .
`` The pandemic is still accelerating , '' WHO 's director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the virtual health forum organised by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates .
`` We know that the pandemic is much more than a health crisis , it is an economic crisis , a social crisis and in many countries a political crisis .
`` Its effects will be felt for decades to come . ''
Ghebreyesus also called on Monday for a rapid increase in production of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found it had life-saving potential for critically-ill coronavirus patients .
Researchers led by a team from the University of Oxford administered dexamethasone to more than 2,000 severely ill patients hospitalised with the new coronavirus .
Among those who could only breathe with the help of a ventilator , it reduced deaths by 35 percent .
`` Although the data are still preliminary , the recent finding that the steroid dexamethasone has life-saving potential for critically ill COVID-19 patients gave us a much-needed reason to celebrate . ''
`` The next challenge is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dexamethasone worldwide , focusing on where it is needed most .
`` Demand has already surged , following the UK trial results showing dexamethasone 's clear benefit .
`` Fortunately , this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide , who we are confident can accelerate production . ''
Ghebreyesus explained that the greatest threat facing the world is not the virus itself , which has now killed over 465,000 people and infected nearly nine million worldwide , but `` the lack of global solidarity and global leadership '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic with a divided world , '' he said .
`` The politicisation of the pandemic has exacerbated it . ''
Brazil falls into that bracket with President Jair Bolsonaro comparing the virus to a `` little flu '' and arguing that the economic impact of shutdowns is often worse than the virus itself .
Brazil is the second worst-affected country behind the United States , another country where political infighting has prevented a unified policy to handle the virus .
The spread of COVID-19 is accelerating across Latin America , with Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death tolls soar and healthcare facilities are pushed toward collapse .
Mexico City has delayed reopening markets , restaurants , malls , hotels and places of worship , with the country now recording over 20,000 COVID-19 deaths .
Highlighting the region 's woes , Peru passed 8,000 deaths on Sunday despite preparing to reopen shopping malls on Monday .
In Europe , meanwhile , the feelgood factor continues as countries ease their lockdown restrictions .
Thousands of French danced and partied well into Monday morning for an annual music festival , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Revellers packed the streets of Paris , most shunning masks and social distancing , to enjoy concerts in cafes and on street corners .
Although none of the usual extravaganzas were held beyond what French electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre billed as the world 's first live virtual `` avatar '' concert , many felt the authorities were too lax .
`` This is not what a gradual end to the lockdown looks like , '' said Dr Gilbert Deray .
`` I understand that the Festival of Music is something of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to have it this year ? ''
Swimming pools and cinemas also reopened on Monday -- with one cinema opening one minute after midnight for a sneak preview of the upcoming French comedy , `` Les Parfums '' ( The Perfumes ) .
Children up to the age of 15 also returned to school as attendance was switched from voluntary to compulsory .
Fears remain , however , that the virus , may be on its way back even as countries where infections have ebbed lift their lockdowns to restart battered economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelling to Melbourne , as the country 's second biggest city tightened restrictions over fears of a second wave .
Victoria state has recorded more than 110 cases in the past week -- many of them in Melbourne -- prompting leaders of other regions to warn against visiting the city 's six designated virus `` hot spots '' .
China , Germany and Japan are also battling new outbreaks with some reintroducing containment measures .
Kyrgyzstan also reported a significant rise in coronavirus cases on Monday , less than a month after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in key cities .
The spike in infections increased nervousness in the business world as markets mostly fell on Monday .
After enjoying a broadly positive week , with equities rallying from their March trough , traders turned cautious on news of a worrying jump in fresh cases in several US states including California , Texas and Florida .
German airline group Lufthansa , meanwhile , says it has backup plans ready in case shareholders reject a nine-billion-euro ( $ 10.1 billion ) pandemic rescue plan agreed with the state .
Like rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after efforts to contain the coronavirus brought air travel to a near standstill for several months this year .
Investors are to meet Thursday to sign off on the rescue .
The sporting world has been reemerging from the darkness , although for every step forward it seems to take one back .
Japan announced that up to 5,000 fans will be able to attend football and baseball games from July 10 but the presence of fans at other sporting events , notably in the Balkans , appears to have caused problems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belgrade tested positive for coronavirus after playing a match attended by 16,000 people , the club said Monday .
Montenegro , which had declared itself virus-free , announced a new cluster of cases , predominantly football fans who had travelled to Belgrade to watch the match .
In neighbouring Croatia , Borna Coric became the second top tennis player , after Grigor Dimitrov , to test positive after taking part in an exhibition tournament featuring world number one Novak Djokovic .

The World Health Organization sent out a fresh warning on Monday over the dangers of the new coronavirus even as France returned to life by staging an annual music festival and sending millions of children back to school. WHO also advised the increased production of the drug dexamethasone to fight the virus.
Funeral workers carry a coffin holding the body of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) victim, at a cemetery, in Lima, Peru June 18, 2020.
Advertising Read more
In spite of numerous European countries further easing their lockdown restrictions, cases around the world are rising, especially in Latin America with Brazil now registering over 50,000 deaths.
"The pandemic is still accelerating," WHO's director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the virtual health forum organised by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
"We know that the pandemic is much more than a health crisis, it is an economic crisis, a social crisis and in many countries a political crisis.
"Its effects will be felt for decades to come."
Ghebreyesus also called on Monday for a rapid increase in production of the steroid dexamethasone, after British clinical trials found it had life-saving potential for critically-ill coronavirus patients.
Researchers led by a team from the University of Oxford administered dexamethasone to more than 2,000 severely ill patients hospitalised with the new coronavirus.
Among those who could only breathe with the help of a ventilator, it reduced deaths by 35 percent.
"Although the data are still preliminary, the recent finding that the steroid dexamethasone has life-saving potential for critically ill COVID-19 patients gave us a much-needed reason to celebrate."
"The next challenge is to increase production and rapidly and equitably distribute dexamethasone worldwide, focusing on where it is needed most.
"Demand has already surged, following the UK trial results showing dexamethasone's clear benefit.
"Fortunately, this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide, who we are confident can accelerate production."
'Lack of leadership the greatest threat'
Ghebreyesus explained that the greatest threat facing the world is not the virus itself, which has now killed over 465,000 people and infected nearly nine million worldwide, but "the lack of global solidarity and global leadership".
"We cannot defeat this pandemic with a divided world," he said. "The politicisation of the pandemic has exacerbated it."
Brazil falls into that bracket with President Jair Bolsonaro comparing the virus to a "little flu" and arguing that the economic impact of shutdowns is often worse than the virus itself.
Brazil is the second worst-affected country behind the United States, another country where political infighting has prevented a unified policy to handle the virus.
The spread of COVID-19 is accelerating across Latin America, with Mexico, Peru and Chile also hard-hit as death tolls soar and healthcare facilities are pushed toward collapse.
Mexico City has delayed reopening markets, restaurants, malls, hotels and places of worship, with the country now recording over 20,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Highlighting the region's woes, Peru passed 8,000 deaths on Sunday despite preparing to reopen shopping malls on Monday.
Fete in France
In Europe, meanwhile, the feelgood factor continues as countries ease their lockdown restrictions.
Thousands of French danced and partied well into Monday morning for an annual music festival, in the first big blow out since the lockdown.
Revellers packed the streets of Paris, most shunning masks and social distancing, to enjoy concerts in cafes and on street corners.
Although none of the usual extravaganzas were held beyond what French electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre billed as the world's first live virtual "avatar" concert, many felt the authorities were too lax.
"This is not what a gradual end to the lockdown looks like," said Dr Gilbert Deray.
"I understand that the Festival of Music is something of a liberation, but did we really have to have it this year?"
Swimming pools and cinemas also reopened on Monday -- with one cinema opening one minute after midnight for a sneak preview of the upcoming French comedy, "Les Parfums" (The Perfumes).
Children up to the age of 15 also returned to school as attendance was switched from voluntary to compulsory.
Second wave
Fears remain, however, that the virus, may be on its way back even as countries where infections have ebbed lift their lockdowns to restart battered economies.
Australians were warned Monday to avoid travelling to Melbourne, as the country's second biggest city tightened restrictions over fears of a second wave.
Victoria state has recorded more than 110 cases in the past week -- many of them in Melbourne -- prompting leaders of other regions to warn against visiting the city's six designated virus "hot spots".
China, Germany and Japan are also battling new outbreaks with some reintroducing containment measures.
Kyrgyzstan also reported a significant rise in coronavirus cases on Monday, less than a month after the Central Asian nation's government lifted restrictions in key cities.
Markets dip
The spike in infections increased nervousness in the business world as markets mostly fell on Monday.
After enjoying a broadly positive week, with equities rallying from their March trough, traders turned cautious on news of a worrying jump in fresh cases in several US states including California, Texas and Florida.
German airline group Lufthansa, meanwhile, says it has backup plans ready in case shareholders reject a nine-billion-euro ($10.1 billion) pandemic rescue plan agreed with the state.
Like rival airlines, Lufthansa was plunged into crisis after efforts to contain the coronavirus brought air travel to a near standstill for several months this year.
Investors are to meet Thursday to sign off on the rescue.
Sporting concerns
The sporting world has been reemerging from the darkness, although for every step forward it seems to take one back.
Japan announced that up to 5,000 fans will be able to attend football and baseball games from July 10 but the presence of fans at other sporting events, notably in the Balkans, appears to have caused problems.
Five players from Serbian club Red Star Belgrade tested positive for coronavirus after playing a match attended by 16,000 people, the club said Monday.
Montenegro, which had declared itself virus-free, announced a new cluster of cases, predominantly football fans who had travelled to Belgrade to watch the match.
In neighbouring Croatia, Borna Coric became the second top tennis player, after Grigor Dimitrov, to test positive after taking part in an exhibition tournament featuring world number one Novak Djokovic.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-23--New Yorkers rejoice over phase two of lockdown re-opening

New York City 's Grand Central Terminal as the city enters Phase Two of its lockdown easing , on June 22 , 2020 .
New York City residents , gradually emerging from more than 100 days of coronavirus lockdown , celebrated an easing of social-distancing restrictions on Monday by shopping at reopened stores , dining at outdoor cafes and getting their first haircuts in months .
But even as New Yorkers , confined for weeks at the epicenter of the global pandemic , returned to some semblance of normalcy , alarming spikes in coronavirus infection rates elsewhere around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest hotspots was Florida , one of the last states to impose stay-at-home restrictions and one of the first to begin lifting them , with nearly 3,000 new infections reported over the previous 24 hours .
Arizona , meanwhile , had almost 2,200 additional cases since Sunday .
The two are prime examples of a troubling trend , mostly in the South and West , where the percentage of positive test results among all people who are screened - a metric called the positivity rate - has climbed .
That is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spaces without wearing masks and not practicing safe social-distancing , said Eric Toner , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore .
`` Wherever people mix , wherever people have person-to-person contact , there will be spread of the virus , '' Toner told Reuters .
`` The question is not whether it will spread - that 's a certainty .
The question is how big that increase will be , and that 's largely a function of what government and individuals do . ''
The World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % to be especially concerning , and widely watched data from Johns Hopkins University shows a dozen states with average rates over the past week exceeding that level and rising .
At least four were averaging double-digit rates , according to Johns Hopkins - Arizona at 20 % , Florida and Utah both at 11 % , and Texas at 10 % .
Texas also reported a record 5,000-plus new cases in a single day .
The same states often have experienced surging hospitalizations .
States hardest hit earlier in the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been slower to resume commerce and public life .
New York City , the nation 's most populous metropolitan area , was the last region to move into Phase 2 of New York state 's economic reopening plan .
Restaurants and bars began offering outdoor service and many retailers started to allow patrons back into their stores .
Barber shops and hair salons welcomed customers for the first time since mid-March , with some fully booked for the next two weeks .
Playgrounds also reopened on Monday in New York City , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all U.S. lives lost to COVID-19 , more than 120,000 to date , as the number of known infections nationwide rose above 2.3 million .
At the height of the outbreak , New York City 's usually bustling streets were largely deserted , echoing around the clock with the wailing of ambulance sirens .
New York state as a whole was losing 1,000 lives a day , hospitals were overwhelmed , and the dead filled makeshift morgues .
On Monday the state reported 10 additional deaths from the coronavirus .
The usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sound of honking cars brought a welcome sense of a return to the ordinary .
Customers wearing face coverings lined up outside Clementine Bakery in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant on Monday , and a few enjoyed the warm summer morning sipping iced coffee at scattered tables on the sidewalk .
`` It feels like my life is starting to get back to normal a little bit .
It feels really nice the fact that I can sit and have a coffee , '' said Arden Katine , 34 , a teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distant parts of the country worried New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , who said he was talking with neighboring states about placing restrictions on travelers from places such as Arizona and Florida .
Earlier this year , Florida ordered arriving New Yorkers to self-quarantine for two weeks .
`` It 's more effective if we act as a regional collaboration , and I 'm talking to them about putting in guidelines so we do n't have people coming from these other states , '' Cuomo told MSNBC .
Even if the growth in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people less likely to require hospitalization , those individuals are still contagious and could infect the elderly and others at high risk of severe illness due to underlying health conditions , experts warn .
New York and New Jersey , another major hotspot months ago , are now at record lows of infection rates with 1 % or 2 % of diagnostic tests coming back positive .
On the West Coast , the number of new cases hit a record of nearly 5,400 in California , the first to impose statewide stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populous in the state with 10 million residents , accounted for the bulk of the latest tally with 2,588 new infections .

New York City residents, gradually emerging from more than 100 days of coronavirus lockdown, celebrated an easing of social-distancing restrictions on Monday by shopping at reopened stores, dining at outdoor cafes and getting their first haircuts in months.
New York's Grand Central Terminal was still thinly populated as the city entered phase two of its re-opening from lockdown on June 22, 2020.
Advertising Read more
But even as New Yorkers, confined for weeks at the epicenter of the global pandemic, returned to some semblance of normalcy, alarming spikes in coronavirus infection rates elsewhere around the country worried public health experts.
Chief among the latest hotspots was Florida, one of the last states to impose stay-at-home restrictions and one of the first to begin lifting them, with nearly 3,000 new infections reported over the previous 24 hours. Arizona, meanwhile, had almost 2,200 additional cases since Sunday.
The two are prime examples of a troubling trend, mostly in the South and West, where the percentage of positive test results among all people who are screened - a metric called the positivity rate - has climbed.
That is a consequence of people venturing back into public spaces without wearing masks and not practicing safe social-distancing, said Eric Toner, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.
"Wherever people mix, wherever people have person-to-person contact, there will be spread of the virus," Toner told Reuters. "The question is not whether it will spread - that's a certainty. The question is how big that increase will be, and that's largely a function of what government and individuals do."
The World Health Organization considers positivity rates above 5% to be especially concerning, and widely watched data from Johns Hopkins University shows a dozen states with average rates over the past week exceeding that level and rising.
At least four were averaging double-digit rates, according to Johns Hopkins - Arizona at 20%, Florida and Utah both at 11%, and Texas at 10%. Texas also reported a record 5,000-plus new cases in a single day. The same states often have experienced surging hospitalizations.
Beginning to relax
States hardest hit earlier in the pandemic, mainly in the Northeast, have generally been slower to resume commerce and public life.
New York City, the nation's most populous metropolitan area, was the last region to move into Phase 2 of New York state's economic reopening plan. Restaurants and bars began offering outdoor service and many retailers started to allow patrons back into their stores. Barber shops and hair salons welcomed customers for the first time since mid-March, with some fully booked for the next two weeks.
Playgrounds also reopened on Monday in New York City, which still accounts for more than a quarter of all U.S. lives lost to COVID-19, more than 120,000 to date, as the number of known infections nationwide rose above 2.3 million.
At the height of the outbreak, New York City's usually bustling streets were largely deserted, echoing around the clock with the wailing of ambulance sirens. New York state as a whole was losing 1,000 lives a day, hospitals were overwhelmed, and the dead filled makeshift morgues.
On Monday the state reported 10 additional deaths from the coronavirus. The usual traffic jams clogged city streets, and the sound of honking cars brought a welcome sense of a return to the ordinary.
Customers wearing face coverings lined up outside Clementine Bakery in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant on Monday, and a few enjoyed the warm summer morning sipping iced coffee at scattered tables on the sidewalk.
"It feels like my life is starting to get back to normal a little bit. It feels really nice the fact that I can sit and have a coffee," said Arden Katine, 34, a teacher who lives nearby.
The outbreak in distant parts of the country worried New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who said he was talking with neighboring states about placing restrictions on travelers from places such as Arizona and Florida. Earlier this year, Florida ordered arriving New Yorkers to self-quarantine for two weeks.
"It's more effective if we act as a regional collaboration, and I'm talking to them about putting in guidelines so we don't have people coming from these other states," Cuomo told MSNBC.
Even if the growth in confirmed cases partly reflects transmission among younger people less likely to require hospitalization, those individuals are still contagious and could infect the elderly and others at high risk of severe illness due to underlying health conditions, experts warn.
New York and New Jersey, another major hotspot months ago, are now at record lows of infection rates with 1% or 2% of diagnostic tests coming back positive.
On the West Coast, the number of new cases hit a record of nearly 5,400 in California, the first to impose statewide stay-at-home orders. Los Angeles County, the most populous in the state with 10 million residents, accounted for the bulk of the latest tally with 2,588 new infections.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Trump campaign dismisses TikTok troll, but who’s having the last laugh?

President Donald Trump 's re-election team has dismissed claims that a social media campaign by young Tik-Tok users and K-Pop fans was behind the low turnout for his “ comeback ” Tulsa rally .
But the denial is being taken less seriously than the original prank .
The Trump presidency kicked off with a showdown on the crowd size at his January 2017 inauguration , forcing news organisations to devote resources to debunk the president ’ s claim that his swearing-in ceremony attracted more crowds than that of his predecessor , Barack Obama .
The 45th US president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd size matters rumpus , sparked on a social media network dominated by teens and tweens lip-syncing to music videos and exposed largely by parents discovering what their kids were up to in a virtual space for fans of Korean popular music or K-Pop .
“ TikTok Teens and K-Pop Stans Say They Sank Trump Rally , ” announced a New York Times headline the morning after the US president held his first reelection campaign rally since the Covid-19 crisis gripped the country .
The event at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a million supporters .
But the thin numbers and sea of empty blue seats inside the hall forced organisers to make last-minute changes on Saturday , including scrapping a plan to have Trump and Vice President Mike Pence address an outdoor overflow rally .
There were plenty of reasons for the poor showing .
By holding an indoor event , Trump was ignoring health warnings and six of his campaign staffers had tested positive for Covid-19 shortly before the rally .
The event was also being held on the Juneteenth weekend , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US .
The country has been gripped by anti-discrimination protests following the killing of George Floyd by police officers .
The venue choice of Tulsa – site of a 1921 massacre that left around 300 black people dead and 10,000 homeless – had upset the African American community and Black Lives Matter protests were expected in the city .
But a day after the event , US media reported another , previously unheard of reason .
“ Hundreds of teenage TikTok users and K-pop fans say they ’ re at least partially responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times reported .
Users of the social networking app and fans of Korean pop music groups “ claimed to have registered potentially hundreds of thousands of tickets ” for the rally “ as a prank ” , the paper revealed .
“ After the Trump campaign ’ s official account @ TeamTrump posted a asking supporters to register for free tickets using their phones on June 11 , K-pop fan accounts began sharing the information with followers , encouraging them to register for the rally — and then not show.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will actually boast these numbers ’ The Trump 2020 campaign has denied the manipulation claim , with campaign director Brad Parscale noting : `` Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap , thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance , do n't know what they 're talking about or how our rallies work . ''
Parscale ’ s statement explained that , “ Registering for a rally means you 've RSVPed [ confirmed attendance ] with a cellphone number and we constantly weed out bogus numbers , as we did with tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculating our possible attendee pool . ''
The campaign denial , however , underscored the age and perception gap between pranksters and target .
The kids , it appeared , were having the last laugh as the adults seemed to miss the point .
In an interview with the BBC , Elijah Daniel , a 26-year-old YouTuber who participated in the prank , was asked if the social media campaign was completely responsible for the thousands of empty seats at the Bank of Oklahoma Center .
“ I think it ’ s lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel , referring to Trump , with a laugh .
“ I think that the large campaign that the K-Pop community and the TikTok community did was more of showing how he [ Trump ] boasts his numbers , including fake ones that were clearly inflated….it was more of kind of like a ‘ let ’ s see if he will actually boast these numbers ’ type of a thing.
” The original idea for the mass ticket troll , however , may have come not from a teen but from an Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being held on the Juneteenth weekend .
On June 12 , Mary Jo Laupp , 51 , from Fort Dodge , Iowa , posted a video on TikTok encouraging people to book two free tickets to the Tulsa event by calling in from their cell phones .
`` All of those of us that want to see this 19,000 seat auditorium barely filled or completely empty go reserve tickets now and leave him standing alone there on the stage , '' said the Iowa grandmother .
Laupp ’ s call promptly went viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks to the cause .
When registrations passed 800,000 , Parscale tweeted that it was the `` Biggest data haul and rally signup of all time by 10x .
Saturday is going to be amazing . ''
But when Saturday ’ s event turned out to be less than amazing , Parscale ’ s statement that the social media pranksters “ do n't know what they 're talking about or how our rallies work , ” was dismissed by people who clearly did know the details of campaign data gathering .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialised in data processing explained how the Trump campaign ’ s assertion that “ we constantly weed out bogus numbers ” is easier said than done .
Noting the importance of accurate data , Claire Ryan explained that “ when your data is corrupted or inaccurate , and you have no way of filtering it out .
It means insights derived from the dataset are 100 % junk.
” Ryan noted that while the Trump campaign may have expected “ some level of trolling , ” the extent of the subversion meant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect ” before concluding , “ I can ’ t think of any better example of the power of the people in the modern world than this . ''

President Donald Trump's re-election team has dismissed claims that a social media campaign by young Tik-Tok users and K-Pop fans was behind the low turnout for his “comeback” Tulsa rally. But the denial is being taken less seriously than the original prank.
Advertising Read more
The Trump presidency kicked off with a showdown on the crowd size at his January 2017 inauguration, forcing news organisations to devote resources to debunk the president’s claim that his swearing-in ceremony attracted more crowds than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama.
The 45th US president’s first term is winding down with another crowd size matters rumpus, sparked on a social media network dominated by teens and tweens lip-syncing to music videos and exposed largely by parents discovering what their kids were up to in a virtual space for fans of Korean popular music or K-Pop.
“TikTok Teens and K-Pop Stans Say They Sank Trump Rally,” announced a New York Times headline the morning after the US president held his first reelection campaign rally since the Covid-19 crisis gripped the country.
The event at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa was expected to attract more than a million supporters. But the thin numbers and sea of empty blue seats inside the hall forced organisers to make last-minute changes on Saturday, including scrapping a plan to have Trump and Vice President Mike Pence address an outdoor overflow rally.
There were plenty of reasons for the poor showing. By holding an indoor event, Trump was ignoring health warnings and six of his campaign staffers had tested positive for Covid-19 shortly before the rally.
The event was also being held on the Juneteenth weekend, which marks the emancipation of slaves in the US. The country has been gripped by anti-discrimination protests following the killing of George Floyd by police officers. The venue choice of Tulsa – site of a 1921 massacre that left around 300 black people dead and 10,000 homeless – had upset the African American community and Black Lives Matter protests were expected in the city.
But a day after the event, US media reported another, previously unheard of reason. “Hundreds of teenage TikTok users and K-pop fans say they’re at least partially responsible” for the poor showing, the New York Times reported.
Users of the social networking app and fans of Korean pop music groups “claimed to have registered potentially hundreds of thousands of tickets” for the rally “as a prank”, the paper revealed. “After the Trump campaign’s official account @TeamTrump posted a tweet asking supporters to register for free tickets using their phones on June 11, K-pop fan accounts began sharing the information with followers, encouraging them to register for the rally — and then not show.”
‘Let’s see if he will actually boast these numbers’
The Trump 2020 campaign has denied the manipulation claim, with campaign director Brad Parscale noting: "Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap, thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance, don't know what they're talking about or how our rallies work."
Parscale’s statement explained that, “Registering for a rally means you've RSVPed [confirmed attendance] with a cellphone number and we constantly weed out bogus numbers, as we did with tens of thousands at the Tulsa rally, in calculating our possible attendee pool."
The campaign denial, however, underscored the age and perception gap between pranksters and target.
The kids, it appeared, were having the last laugh as the adults seemed to miss the point.
In an interview with the BBC, Elijah Daniel, a 26-year-old YouTuber who participated in the prank, was asked if the social media campaign was completely responsible for the thousands of empty seats at the Bank of Oklahoma Center.
“I think it’s lack of interest in him,” said Daniel, referring to Trump, with a laugh. “I think that the large campaign that the K-Pop community and the TikTok community did was more of showing how he [Trump] boasts his numbers, including fake ones that were clearly inflated….it was more of kind of like a ‘let’s see if he will actually boast these numbers’ type of a thing.”
‘Leave him standing alone there’
The original idea for the mass ticket troll, however, may have come not from a teen but from an Iowa grandmother upset that the Trump rally was being held on the Juneteenth weekend.
On June 12, Mary Jo Laupp, 51, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, posted a video on TikTok encouraging people to book two free tickets to the Tulsa event by calling in from their cell phones. "All of those of us that want to see this 19,000 seat auditorium barely filled or completely empty go reserve tickets now and leave him standing alone there on the stage," said the Iowa grandmother.
Laupp’s call promptly went viral among K-Pop fans who activated social media networks to the cause. When registrations passed 800,000, Parscale tweeted that it was the "Biggest data haul and rally signup of all time by 10x. Saturday is going to be amazing."
Just passed 800,000 tickets. Biggest data haul and rally signup of all time by 10x.
Saturday is going to be amazing! https://t.co/u2tQ812odW — Brad Parscale (@parscale) June 14, 2020
But when Saturday’s event turned out to be less than amazing, Parscale’s statement that the social media pranksters “don't know what they're talking about or how our rallies work,” was dismissed by people who clearly did know the details of campaign data gathering.
In a detailed Twitter thread, a web designer specialised in data processing explained how the Trump campaign’s assertion that “we constantly weed out bogus numbers” is easier said than done.
Noting the importance of accurate data, Claire Ryan explained that “when your data is corrupted or inaccurate, and you have no way of filtering it out. It means insights derived from the dataset are 100% junk.”
Okay I want to talk about the TikTok/K-pop stan let’s-troll-Trump operation and specifically about the data gathering aspect of it. — Claire Ryan (@aetherlev) June 21, 2020
Ryan noted that while the Trump campaign may have expected “some level of trolling,” the extent of the subversion meant that a lot of information was “now suspect” before concluding, “I can’t think of any better example of the power of the people in the modern world than this."
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Joel Schumacher, director of Batman films and 'The Lost Boys', dies aged 80

The American director and producer Joel Schumacher , who died on June 22 , 2020 at the age of 80 .
Joel Schumacher , the journeyman director who dressed New York department store windows before shepherding the Brat Pack to the big screen in “ St .
Elmo 's Fire ” and steering the Batman franchise into its most baroque territory in “ Batman Forever ” and “ Batman & Robin , ” has died .
He was 80 .
A representative for Schumacher said the filmmaker died Monday in New York after a yearlong battle with cancer .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sensation in the fashion world after attending Parsons School of Design and decorating Henri Bendel 's windows .
As a director , he established himself as a filmmaker of great flare , if not often good reviews , in a string of mainstream films in the ‘ 80s and ’ 90s .
The success of his first film , “ St .
Elmo 's Fire , '' with Rob Lowe , Demi Moore , Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy , not only helped make a name for the Brat Pack but made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed it up with the 1987 vampire horror comedy “ The Lost Boys.
” After films including “ Flatliners ” and “ A Time to Kill , ” Schumacher inherited the DC universe from Tim Burton .
His garish take on Batman resulted in two of the the franchise 's most cartoonish movies in 1995 's “ Batman Forever ” and 1997 's “ Batman & Robin.
” Schumacher also directed the thrillers “ Tigerland ” and “ Phone Booth , ” as well as “ The Phantom of the Opera.
” Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netflix 's “ House of Cards '' in 2013 .
Schumacher was raised in Queens by his mother after his father died when he was four-years-old .
As a teenager , he quickly became enmeshed in the city 's nightlife .
“ The street was my education , ” Schumacher told New York magazine earlier this year .
“ You could ride your bike over the 59th Street Bridge then .
So I rode my bike everywhere .
I was in Manhattan all the time and all over Queens .
If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything can happen , and predators come out of the woodwork , my God .
I looked very innocent , but I wasn ’ t .
”

Joel Schumacher, the journeyman director who dressed New York department store windows before shepherding the Brat Pack to the big screen in “St. Elmo's Fire” and steering the Batman franchise into its most baroque territory in “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin,” has died. He was 80.
The American director and producer Joel Schumacher, who died on June 22, 2020 at the age of 80.
Advertising Read more
A representative for Schumacher said the filmmaker died Monday in New York after a yearlong battle with cancer.
A native New Yorker, Schumacher was first a sensation in the fashion world after attending Parsons School of Design and decorating Henri Bendel's windows. As a director, he established himself as a filmmaker of great flare, if not often good reviews, in a string of mainstream films in the ‘80s and ’90s.
The success of his first film, “St. Elmo's Fire," with Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy, not only helped make a name for the Brat Pack but made Schumacher in demand in Hollywood. He followed it up with the 1987 vampire horror comedy “The Lost Boys.”
After films including “Flatliners” and “A Time to Kill,” Schumacher inherited the DC universe from Tim Burton. His garish take on Batman resulted in two of the the franchise's most cartoonish movies in 1995's “Batman Forever” and 1997's “Batman & Robin.”
Schumacher also directed the thrillers “Tigerland” and “Phone Booth,” as well as “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Most recently, he directed two episodes of Netflix's “House of Cards" in 2013.
Joel Schumacher has passed away. He saw deeper things in me than most and he lived a wonderfully creative and heroic life. I am grateful to have had him as a friend. pic.twitter.com/7kOeJ96rL8 — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) June 22, 2020
Schumacher was raised in Queens by his mother after his father died when he was four-years-old. As a teenager, he quickly became enmeshed in the city's nightlife.
“The street was my education,” Schumacher told New York magazine earlier this year. “You could ride your bike over the 59th Street Bridge then. So I rode my bike everywhere. I was in Manhattan all the time and all over Queens. If you’re a kid on a bike, anything can happen, and predators come out of the woodwork, my God. I looked very innocent, but I wasn’t.”
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--French citizens’ council on the environment proposes making ‘ecocide’ illegal

Elisabeth Borne , the minister for environmental transition , on May 27 , 2020 in Paris .
“ Given the ecological and climatic emergency , we can not respond to the challenge with small measures , ” she said on Monday .
After nine months of deliberations , a citizens ’ council set up by French President Emmanuel Macron to explore measures for cutting carbon emissions urged the French leader on Sunday to hold referendums on adding environmental protection to the Constitution and making the destruction of nature a crime .
The Citizens ’ Convention on Climate ( CCC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the French population , was established as part of government efforts to quell the “ Yellow Vest ” anti-government protests that erupted in response to a new carbon tax on diesel .
The French president indicated last week that he would consider holding a referendum on several of the council ’ s proposals , according to members of his ruling La République en Marche party ( LREM ) .
But the council rejected the idea of a referendum on individual measures , with the exception of two : introducing the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against climate change into the preamble to Article 1 of the Constitution , and the establishment of “ ecocide ” as a crime under French law that would include punishing serious offences against the environment .
“ Constitution , ecocide [ are ] OK for a referendum .
Other than that , the government has to take responsibility , ” said one of the participants , summarising the arguments put forward by most of the participants .
“ All of our proposals are great .
We encourage all our fellow citizens to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our politicians do their work , ” said another participant , Yolande , who like the other council members , was identified only by her first name .
Macron will meet with the council ’ s members at the Élysée Palace on June 29 to discuss the proposals .
European Parliament Member François-Xavier Bellamy of the right-wing Les Républicains party accused Macron on Monday of taking a “ populist turn ” with the CCC , which he said lacked any `` legitimacy '' to propose measures that he described as the `` Yellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe the president , who never stops denouncing the populists , is in the process of taking a truly populist turn , ” he said on Sud Radio .
“ Has representative democracy become so discredited that we now think that 150 randomly picked people working in a closed room are enough to produce propositions that truly resemble what the French people want ?
” he asked .
“ I don ’ t think so.
” France ’ s minister for environmental transition , Elisabeth Borne , who received the proposals on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s `` ambition '' .
“ The president is preparing an economic reorganisation that is ecological and inclusive .
Your work will be at the heart of the project , ” she said on Sunday , assuring them that there would be `` no taboos '' among the issues up for discussion .
“ It ’ s useless to pass laws and issue decrees if the laws are not respected .
I am very clearly in favour of strengthening sanctions against environmental damage and having specialised judges , ” Borne said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climatic emergency , we can not respond to the challenge with small measures , ” she said on BFMTV .
“ We need strong measures , and in order to adopt strong measures we must ensure that we have the support of the French , ” she added .
One measure that the council members did not adopt was a proposal to reduce the work time for the French to four days , or 28 hours , per week .
Many participants were afraid that the radical proposition would discredit their work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ polarise public opinion , such as the lowering of speed limits on highways from 130 to 100 kilometres per hour – which , unsurprisingly , sparked the anger of motorist associations .
Several other measures aim to reduce the use of private cars , including “ a better sustainable mobility package '' , a tax perk to be offered by the government to companies that cover the transportation costs of employees who commute to work by bicycle , car-pool or other shared transport services .
The CCC also suggested reinforcing the ecological bonus-penalty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more CO2 pollution their vehicle emits ; supporting long-term leasing and zero-interest loans for clean energy vehicles ; and , from 2025 , banning the sale of new high-emission vehicles and prohibiting the circulation of polluting vehicles in city centres .
Other measures include stronger limits on advertising , with a ban on billboards touting products with a high carbon footprint such as large SUVs ; banning genetically modified crops ; higher taxes on nitrogen fertilisers ; and halving the use of pesticides by 2030 and banning the most dangerous ones by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on heating outdoor café terraces and keeping shop lights on at night .
Matthieu Orphelin , a lawmaker with the LREM party , praised the “ ambition ” and “ clarity ” of the council ’ s work .
“ It ’ s now up to the political leaders to do their part of the work by making it happen , '' he said in a statement .
Greenpeace hailed the proposals as a “ first step towards a necessary radical change in our societies ” while warning that a `` mere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work would be a democratic disaster ” .
Patrick Martin , deputy president of the main employers ’ organisation Medef , praised the council ’ s “ serious ” work but deplored the lack of cost estimates for the proposals , some of which he deemed “ extreme ” .
The members of the CCC , for their part , announced the creation of an association , “ The 150 ” , to follow up on their proposals .

After nine months of deliberations, a citizens’ council set up by French President Emmanuel Macron to explore measures for cutting carbon emissions urged the French leader on Sunday to hold referendums on adding environmental protection to the Constitution and making the destruction of nature a crime.
Elisabeth Borne, the minister for environmental transition, on May 27, 2020 in Paris. “Given the ecological and climatic emergency, we cannot respond to the challenge with small measures,” she said on Monday.
Advertising Read more
The Citizens’ Convention on Climate (CCC), made up of 150 randomly selected members of the French population, was established as part of government efforts to quell the “Yellow Vest” anti-government protests that erupted in response to a new carbon tax on diesel.
The French president indicated last week that he would consider holding a referendum on several of the council’s proposals, according to members of his ruling La République en Marche party (LREM).
But the council rejected the idea of a referendum on individual measures, with the exception of two: introducing the idea of environment protection, biodiversity and the fight against climate change into the preamble to Article 1 of the Constitution, and the establishment of “ecocide” as a crime under French law that would include punishing serious offences against the environment.
“Constitution, ecocide [are] OK for a referendum. Other than that, the government has to take responsibility,” said one of the participants, summarising the arguments put forward by most of the participants.
“All of our proposals are great. We encourage all our fellow citizens to take them up and to make sure our politicians do their work,” said another participant, Yolande, who like the other council members, was identified only by her first name.
Macron will meet with the council’s members at the Élysée Palace on June 29 to discuss the proposals.
‘Populist turn’
European Parliament Member François-Xavier Bellamy of the right-wing Les Républicains party accused Macron on Monday of taking a “populist turn” with the CCC, which he said lacked any "legitimacy" to propose measures that he described as the "Yellow Vests’ nightmare”.
“I believe the president, who never stops denouncing the populists, is in the process of taking a truly populist turn,” he said on Sud Radio.
“Has representative democracy become so discredited that we now think that 150 randomly picked people working in a closed room are enough to produce propositions that truly resemble what the French people want?” he asked. “I don’t think so.”
France’s minister for environmental transition, Elisabeth Borne, who received the proposals on behalf of the government, welcomed the committee’s "ambition".
“The president is preparing an economic reorganisation that is ecological and inclusive. Your work will be at the heart of the project,” she said on Sunday, assuring them that there would be "no taboos" among the issues up for discussion.
“It’s useless to pass laws and issue decrees if the laws are not respected. I am very clearly in favour of strengthening sanctions against environmental damage and having specialised judges,” Borne said on Monday.
“Given the ecological and climatic emergency, we cannot respond to the challenge with small measures,” she said on BFMTV. “We need strong measures, and in order to adopt strong measures we must ensure that we have the support of the French,” she added.
One measure that the council members did not adopt was a proposal to reduce the work time for the French to four days, or 28 hours, per week. Many participants were afraid that the radical proposition would discredit their work.
Some of the proposals are expected to polarise public opinion, such as the lowering of speed limits on highways from 130 to 100 kilometres per hour – which, unsurprisingly, sparked the anger of motorist associations.
Several other measures aim to reduce the use of private cars, including “a better sustainable mobility package", a tax perk to be offered by the government to companies that cover the transportation costs of employees who commute to work by bicycle, car-pool or other shared transport services.
‘Ambition and clarlity’
The CCC also suggested reinforcing the ecological bonus-penalty system, which taxes drivers more heavily the more CO2 pollution their vehicle emits; supporting long-term leasing and zero-interest loans for clean energy vehicles; and, from 2025, banning the sale of new high-emission vehicles and prohibiting the circulation of polluting vehicles in city centres.
Other measures include stronger limits on advertising, with a ban on billboards touting products with a high carbon footprint such as large SUVs; banning genetically modified crops; higher taxes on nitrogen fertilisers; and halving the use of pesticides by 2030 and banning the most dangerous ones by 2035.
The list also proposes a ban on heating outdoor café terraces and keeping shop lights on at night.
Matthieu Orphelin, a lawmaker with the LREM party, praised the “ambition” and “clarity” of the council’s work. “It’s now up to the political leaders to do their part of the work by making it happen," he said in a statement.
Greenpeace hailed the proposals as a “first step towards a necessary radical change in our societies” while warning that a "mere symbolic response to the convention’s work would be a democratic disaster”.
Patrick Martin, deputy president of the main employers’ organisation Medef, praised the council’s “serious” work but deplored the lack of cost estimates for the proposals, some of which he deemed “extreme”.
The members of the CCC, for their part, announced the creation of an association, “The 150”, to follow up on their proposals.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Nokia to cut more than 1,200 jobs in France

Visitors gather outside the Nokia booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona , Spain , February 26 , 2019 .
Finland 's Nokia Oyj plans to cut 1,233 jobs at its French subsidiary Alcatel-Lucent International , equivalent to a third of the unit 's workforce , the group said on Monday , confirming an earlier Reuters report .
The announcement has political resonance in France as Nokia bought the unit five years ago on condition it would keep jobs .
Nokia , which competes with Ericsson and Huawei on lucrative 5G networks , said in a statement the staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressures .
Nokia said in April it aimed to cut costs by 500 million euros ( $ 560.30 million ) by the end of this year compared with full year 2018 , with 350 million euros targeted to come from operating expenses and 150 million from sales costs .
When Nokia bought Alcatel-Lucent International , it committed to preserve jobs in France for two years and expand research and development teams in the country to make it a resource within the group for the next generation of mobile internet technology , or 5G @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are particularly affected by the job cuts .
Nokia became free from such commitments this month , a spokeswoman said .
Contacted by Reuters , the French government had no immediate comment .
`` Nokia will continue to be a major employer in France with a strong foothold in R & D , sales and services , which will enable us to develop and execute our customers ' projects efficiently , '' said Thierry Boisnon , president of Nokia in France .
Nokia employs 5,138 people in France , of which 3,640 work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the Alcatel-Lucent group before Nokia bought it in 2015 in an all-share deal that valued the French business at 15.6 billion euros .
The merger was scrutinised by the French government and its then economy minister Emmanuel Macron , who is now president .
`` It 's just a low-cost strategy that is being implemented , contrary to all the commitments made by Nokia in France .
Nokia is laughing at everyone , first and foremost the French government , '' the CFE-CGC union at Nokia said on its website .

Finland's Nokia Oyj plans to cut 1,233 jobs at its French subsidiary Alcatel-Lucent International, equivalent to a third of the unit's workforce, the group said on Monday, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
Visitors gather outside the Nokia booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2019.
Advertising Read more
The announcement has political resonance in France as Nokia bought the unit five years ago on condition it would keep jobs.
Nokia, which competes with Ericsson and Huawei on lucrative 5G networks, said in a statement the staff reduction was needed because of significant cost pressures.
Nokia said in April it aimed to cut costs by 500 million euros ($560.30 million) by the end of this year compared with full year 2018, with 350 million euros targeted to come from operating expenses and 150 million from sales costs.
When Nokia bought Alcatel-Lucent International, it committed to preserve jobs in France for two years and expand research and development teams in the country to make it a resource within the group for the next generation of mobile internet technology, or 5G.
The French research and development teams are particularly affected by the job cuts.
Nokia became free from such commitments this month, a spokeswoman said.
Contacted by Reuters, the French government had no immediate comment.
"Nokia will continue to be a major employer in France with a strong foothold in R&D, sales and services, which will enable us to develop and execute our customers' projects efficiently," said Thierry Boisnon, president of Nokia in France.
Nokia employs 5,138 people in France, of which 3,640 work for Alcatel-Lucent International.
The entity was part of the Alcatel-Lucent group before Nokia bought it in 2015 in an all-share deal that valued the French business at 15.6 billion euros.
The merger was scrutinised by the French government and its then economy minister Emmanuel Macron, who is now president.
"It's just a low-cost strategy that is being implemented, contrary to all the commitments made by Nokia in France. Nokia is laughing at everyone, first and foremost the French government," the CFE-CGC union at Nokia said on its website.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-06-22--Covid-19: 'Bolsonaro is disrespecting the victims,' Brazil's ex-health minister says

Covid-19 : 'Bolsonaro is disrespecting the victims , ' Brazil 's ex-health minister says Luiz Henrique Mandetta , a doctor @ @ @ @ @ Jair Bolsonaro 's health minister at the start of the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil .
@ @ @ @ @ president over social distancing measures , he was fired in April .
In an interview @ @ @ @ @ Mandetta strongly criticised the Brazilian leader : `` His management of the situation ... has @ @ @ @ @ of the crisis from the beginning has shocked the world , because other countries put @ @ @ @ @ economic consequences .
He 's out on a limb saying that he does not want @ @ @ @ @ ''

Covid-19: 'Bolsonaro is disrespecting the victims,' Brazil's ex-health minister says
12:00 THE INTERVIEW © FRANCE 24
By: Fanny LOTHAIRE
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, a doctor by training, was President Jair Bolsonaro's health minister at the start of the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil. Amid a dispute with the president over social distancing measures, he was fired in April. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Dr Mandetta strongly criticised the Brazilian leader: "His management of the situation... has shocked people. The underplaying of the crisis from the beginning has shocked the world, because other countries put the crisis ahead of the economic consequences. He's out on a limb saying that he does not want to stop the economy."