france24--2020-01-11--Tunisia's parliament rejects PM-designate Jemli's proposed government

Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli participates in a session of parliament in Tunis , Tunisia on January 10 , 2020 .
Tunisia 's parliament Friday rejected the government proposed by Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli after months of negotiations between political parties to fill positions .
Jemli , an independent , was nominated by the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party after it came out on top in legislative polls in October but failed to win enough seats to form a majority in the 217-seat chamber .
Deputies voted 134 to 72 against Jemli 's proposed government of independent figures due to `` frictions '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Kais Saied now has 10 days to choose a new prime minister-designate who will attempt to put together a government acceptable to the assembly .
An agricultural engineer by training , Jemli served as secretary of state at the agriculture ministry from 2011 to 2014 under Ennahdha prime ministers Hamadi Jebali and Ali Larayedh .
Ennahdha said its choice was `` based on a person known for his competence , integrity and experience in administration '' .
The vote is a big setback for Ennahdha , which has been directly or indirectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last nine years and it risks delaying reforms needed to revive the stuttering economy .
Illustrating the difficulties for the divided political class to form a strong and consensual government , Ennahdha had admitted Thursday to having `` reservations '' over the team presented by its own candidate .
Elected anti-Islamist Abir Moussi said : `` We will not give our confidence to a government of Ennahdha and the Muslim Brotherhood . ''
Other lawmakers questioned the competence of certain ministers .
Qalb Tounes , the party of television boss and defeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest in parliament with 38 seats , deplored the lack of independence and the programme of the proposed cabinet .
Observers and members of civil society had castigated the appointment of magistrates regarded as pro-Ennahdha to head key ministries such as justice and the interior .
The constitution stipulates that if the prime minister-designate fails to receive parliamentary assent for his government , the president will launch talks with political parties and parliamentary blocs to mandate someone else to form an administration .
President Saied , who was also elected in October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there is little sign of possible alliances to form a new government coalition .
If Saied 's candidate also fails to form a government , the next step would be dissolution of the assembly , risking further delays to measures needed to curb inflation and unemployment .
In 2016 the International Monetary Fund approved a four-year , $ 3 billion loan for Tunisia in return for major reforms , some of which are disputed .
Due to delays , the country has only received about $ 1.6 billion so far , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first repayments are due in November .
Since the 2011 revolution that toppled long-ruling president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali , Tunisia has been trying to revive a struggling economy but unemployment continues to affect the population , especially the young , and inflation is eroding an already low purchasing power .

Tunisia's parliament Friday rejected the government proposed by Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli after months of negotiations between political parties to fill positions.
Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli participates in a session of parliament in Tunis, Tunisia on January 10, 2020.
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Jemli, an independent, was nominated by the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party after it came out on top in legislative polls in October but failed to win enough seats to form a majority in the 217-seat chamber.
Deputies voted 134 to 72 against Jemli's proposed government of independent figures due to "frictions" between the parties over political appointments.
President Kais Saied now has 10 days to choose a new prime minister-designate who will attempt to put together a government acceptable to the assembly.
An agricultural engineer by training, Jemli served as secretary of state at the agriculture ministry from 2011 to 2014 under Ennahdha prime ministers Hamadi Jebali and Ali Larayedh.
Ennahdha said its choice was "based on a person known for his competence, integrity and experience in administration".
Setback for Ennahdha
The vote is a big setback for Ennahdha, which has been directly or indirectly in power for a good part of the last nine years and it risks delaying reforms needed to revive the stuttering economy.
Illustrating the difficulties for the divided political class to form a strong and consensual government, Ennahdha had admitted Thursday to having "reservations" over the team presented by its own candidate.
Elected anti-Islamist Abir Moussi said: "We will not give our confidence to a government of Ennahdha and the Muslim Brotherhood."
Other lawmakers questioned the competence of certain ministers.
Qalb Tounes, the party of television boss and defeated presidential candidate Nabil Karoui and the second biggest in parliament with 38 seats, deplored the lack of independence and the programme of the proposed cabinet.
Observers and members of civil society had castigated the appointment of magistrates regarded as pro-Ennahdha to head key ministries such as justice and the interior.
The constitution stipulates that if the prime minister-designate fails to receive parliamentary assent for his government, the president will launch talks with political parties and parliamentary blocs to mandate someone else to form an administration.
Efforts to revive economy
President Saied, who was also elected in October, has no natural allies in the chamber and there is little sign of possible alliances to form a new government coalition.
If Saied's candidate also fails to form a government, the next step would be dissolution of the assembly, risking further delays to measures needed to curb inflation and unemployment.
In 2016 the International Monetary Fund approved a four-year, $3 billion loan for Tunisia in return for major reforms, some of which are disputed.
Due to delays, the country has only received about $1.6 billion so far, while the facility ends in April and the first repayments are due in November.
Since the 2011 revolution that toppled long-ruling president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has been trying to revive a struggling economy but unemployment continues to affect the population, especially the young, and inflation is eroding an already low purchasing power.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-10--US imposes further Iran sanctions in response to missile strikes, defends Soleimani killing

A satellite picture taken January 8 , 2020 shows what appears to be damage caused by Iran 's missile strikes on Al Asad air base in Iraq .
The United States piled new sanctions on Iran 's already crippled economy Friday and defended the killing of a top Iranian leader , saying he had been planning an `` imminent '' attack on US embassies .
The sanctions , announced at the White House , marked the latest salvo in a US-Iranian confrontation that risked sliding into war a week ago with the deadly US drone attack on general Qassem Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second most influential person in Iran .
In response to the killing of Soleimani , Iran fired volleys of ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases housing US troops , without causing casualties .
While President Donald Trump said he would not respond further militarily , Washington is intent on maintaining pressure .
The sanctions mean `` we will cut off billions of dollars of support to the Iranian regime '' , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at the White House .
The measures targeting Iran 's steel industry and eight state officials came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at bringing the country 's economy to its knees .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that sanctions so far `` have deprived the regime of billions in revenue '' .
`` Oil revenues ( are ) down by 80 percent and Iran can not access roughly 90 percent of its foreign policy reserves , '' he said .
`` As long as Iran 's outlaw ways continue we will continue to impose sanctions . ''
Among the senior Iranian officials targeted in the new measures were Ali Shamkhani , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council , Mohammad Reza Ashtiani , the Iranian armed forces deputy chief of staff and Gholamreza Soleimani , the head of the Basij militia , a volunteer force loyal to the regime .
The sanctions also included a network of three entities that are based in China and the Seychelles as well as a vessel `` involved in the purchase , sale , and transfer of Iranian metals products '' , the Treasury said in a statement .
Critics are questioning why Trump - who has been impeached and faces a Senate trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's killing last week .
US media reported Friday that the American military allegedly targeted an additional Iranian official , Abdul Reza Shahlai , who is a senior officer of Iran 's elite Quds Force , in a top-secret mission on the same day in Yemen .
Shahlai was not killed , but the reports beg further questions about whether Trump was indeed acting to prevent an additional attack by Soleimani or carrying out a broader campaign against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps .
The administration has pushed back against accusations that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani was on the brink of launching an attack and had to be stopped .
On Thursday , Trump said that Soleimani had been planning to blow up the US embassy in Baghdad .
However , officials did not back up that scenario .
Then on Friday , Trump shifted , saying `` probably it was going to be the embassy in Baghdad . ''
`` I can reveal that I believe it would have been four embassies , '' Trump added in an excerpt of an interview due to air later on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US had specific information on `` imminent '' attacks `` against American facilities , including American embassies , military bases '' .
But he added he did not know what day they were planned for .
The United States has been at loggerheads with Iran , a fierce regional rival of US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia , for decades .
Soon after Trump came into office he withdrew from an international accord meant to give Iran the ability to develop civilian nuclear power while under supervision .
Trump claimed that Tehran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclear weapon .

The United States piled new sanctions on Iran's already crippled economy Friday and defended the killing of a top Iranian leader, saying he had been planning an "imminent" attack on US embassies.
A satellite picture taken January 8, 2020 shows what appears to be damage caused by Iran's missile strikes on Al Asad air base in Iraq.
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The sanctions, announced at the White House, marked the latest salvo in a US-Iranian confrontation that risked sliding into war a week ago with the deadly US drone attack on general Qassem Soleimani, who was by some measures the second most influential person in Iran.
In response to the killing of Soleimani, Iran fired volleys of ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases housing US troops, without causing casualties.
While President Donald Trump said he would not respond further militarily, Washington is intent on maintaining pressure.
The sanctions mean "we will cut off billions of dollars of support to the Iranian regime", Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at the White House.
The measures targeting Iran's steel industry and eight state officials came on top of massive sanctions already aimed at bringing the country's economy to its knees.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that sanctions so far "have deprived the regime of billions in revenue".
"Oil revenues (are) down by 80 percent and Iran cannot access roughly 90 percent of its foreign policy reserves," he said. "As long as Iran's outlaw ways continue we will continue to impose sanctions."
Among the senior Iranian officials targeted in the new measures were Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, the Iranian armed forces deputy chief of staff and Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij militia, a volunteer force loyal to the regime.
Seventeen Iranian metals producers and mining companies were listed.
The sanctions also included a network of three entities that are based in China and the Seychelles as well as a vessel "involved in the purchase, sale, and transfer of Iranian metals products", the Treasury said in a statement.
'Imminent' threat questioned
Critics are questioning why Trump - who has been impeached and faces a Senate trial in the coming days - ordered Soleimani's killing last week.
US media reported Friday that the American military allegedly targeted an additional Iranian official, Abdul Reza Shahlai, who is a senior officer of Iran's elite Quds Force, in a top-secret mission on the same day in Yemen.
Shahlai was not killed, but the reports beg further questions about whether Trump was indeed acting to prevent an additional attack by Soleimani or carrying out a broader campaign against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The administration has pushed back against accusations that Trump acted recklessly, insisting longtime US foe Soleimani was on the brink of launching an attack and had to be stopped.
On Thursday, Trump said that Soleimani had been planning to blow up the US embassy in Baghdad. However, officials did not back up that scenario.
Then on Friday, Trump shifted, saying "probably it was going to be the embassy in Baghdad."
"I can reveal that I believe it would have been four embassies," Trump added in an excerpt of an interview due to air later on Fox News.
Earlier, Pompeo said the US had specific information on "imminent" attacks "against American facilities, including American embassies, military bases".
But he added he did not know what day they were planned for.
00:20
The United States has been at loggerheads with Iran, a fierce regional rival of US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia, for decades.
Soon after Trump came into office he withdrew from an international accord meant to give Iran the ability to develop civilian nuclear power while under supervision. Trump claimed that Tehran was cheating and trying to obtain a nuclear weapon.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-01-11--‘Cautious optimism’: Northern Ireland’s government restored after 3-year deadlock

Northern Ireland 's Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) leader Arlene Foster ( C ) , with party colleagues , make their way into the Northern Ireland Assembly at the Parliament Buildings on the Stormont Estate in Belfast on January 11 , 2020 .
Northern Ireland 's government reopened for the first time in three years on Saturday after rival parties rallied around a new power-sharing deal aimed at helping the province face the challenges of Brexit .
The new deal , entitled “ New Decade New Approach ” , was published by the Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith on January 9 .
On Saturday January 10 , politicians gathered in the parliamentary buildings in Stormont , Belfast , to choose a new Executive .
Arlene Foster , leader of the Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) , was appointed as first minister and Republican Sinn Fein ’ s Michelle O ’ Neill will serve as her deputy .
“ There is a sense of cautious optimism in Northern Ireland today , ” says Siobhan Fenton , journalist and author of “ The Good Friday Agreement ” , speaking with FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that people are a wee bit wary of any signs of progress , but people are very glad the government is coming back together.
” Sinn Fein leader O ’ Neill spoke in Stormont on Saturday afternoon as she was appointed deputy .
“ This is a defining moment for politics in the North .
This is our opportunity to advance a new and equal society .
It is our opportunity to deliver for health , education and public services.
” On Monday , there will be a formal meeting to present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Boris Johnson and his Republic of Ireland counterpart Leo Varadkar .
This is the devolved government of Northern Ireland , an administrative branch of the Northern Ireland Assembly , established after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 .
Three years ago almost to the day , the Northern Ireland government dissolved following disagreements about divisions of power between the DUP and Sinn Fein .
In February 2018 , the government came close to reconvening , but it fell apart as the parties were unable to agree on the terms and it included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unionists .
Now , following the recent British elections that saw the DUP lose their position of power in Westminster and Sinn Fein ’ s struggles in the Republic , both parties need to secure a power base and the only real one available to them right now is Northern Ireland .
“ The mistake Arlene Foster made last time , when she nearly got a deal across ( in 2018 ) , was that she didn ’ t take possession of it , ” says Alex Kane , political commentator and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , speaking with FRANCE 24 .
“ She allowed ‘ the mice to get at it ’ , as we say in Northern Ireland.
” “ This time , she took control immediately .
Within five minutes of Simon Coveney and Julian Smith finishing their press conference on Thursday night , Foster issued a personal statement saying that she thought there was enough in this new deal to get the assembly up and running again .
All the people that were rumoured to potentially have difficulty with it -- people like Ian Paisley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - not one of them even hinted that they had a problem with the deal.
” “ Foster faced down the Orange Order , she faced down Loyalists , she faced down internal party critics .
She faced them all down and said ‘ we are going ahead with this ’ .
” In 2018 , the conservative loyalist organisation of the Orange Order came out very strongly and very publicly against the deal .
“ They wanted the whole deal binned , they weren ’ t happy with any of it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this occasion , even though they issued a statement saying they had major difficulties with the Irish language section , they also mentioned that there was good progress on health , education and the economy .
Crucially , they stopped short of rejecting the deal.
” “ This is not about the constitution , this is about a cancer patient getting the necessary treatment .
There is an opportunity now that hasn ’ t existed for years to do things that will make a difference to the daily lives of just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educational and health infrastructures have been stuck in limbo , unable to pull down necessary financings , and now hopefully they will be able to make progress.
” Fenton agrees that the biggest immediate change will be felt in the healthcare system .
“ We have much higher rates of both physical and mental problems here than in the rest of the UK , partially because of the legacy of The Troubles , ” explains Fenton .
“ Over the past three years , the waiting lists have spiraled even further out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal , the British government has committed to giving a large sum of money to healthcare.
” Another expected change is in legislation against stalking .
Northern Ireland is currently the only UK country where stalking is not deemed a criminal offence .
This looks set to change as legislation that was in progress before the government collapsed can now finally be enacted .
Suicide prevention will also receive much necessary attention from the new government .
“ People here are two times more likely to die from suicide than people living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is partially due to high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder connected with the conflict .
The last government had , in 2016 , decided to put together a key suicide prevention strategy .
But this strategy was never implemented because of the government disbanding .
It looks like this will happen now , which is a huge change.
” One contentious element of the deal is that there will now be provisions for ex-armed British security forces .
This could be considered a significant win for the DUP , but it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases will now have to go through Westminster and will be open to many challenges from legal groups and human rights organisations , ” says Kane .
“ There are even former soldiers and police who are against this idea .
They believe that if it is right that the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries are held to account for their actions equally soldiers should be held accountable.
” This new government will have a pivotal role to play in Brexit negotiations .
For all their differences between parties , there is a general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a border on the Irish Sea will not work .
“ If they can work out something that protects their collective common interests , then they will be a significant voice at the Brexit negotiating table , ” says Kane .
“ There is a moment of cooperation here now that hasn ’ t existed for the past three years and that gives cause for some hope in Northern Ireland today .
I ’ m not saying the optimism will last or that the Assembly will even last , but this new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is waking up with today .
”

Northern Ireland's government reopened for the first time in three years on Saturday after rival parties rallied around a new power-sharing deal aimed at helping the province face the challenges of Brexit.
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster (C), with party colleagues, make their way into the Northern Ireland Assembly at the Parliament Buildings on the Stormont Estate in Belfast on January 11, 2020.
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The new deal, entitled “New Decade New Approach”, was published by the Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney and by the Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith on January 9.
On Saturday January 10, politicians gathered in the parliamentary buildings in Stormont, Belfast, to choose a new Executive.
Irish & UK Govts have tonight published deal that can be basis for re-establishment of a NI Assembly. I appeal to political leaders in NI to take this opportunity and get #Stomont working again. https://t.co/2lhrfkzkqZ — Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 9, 2020
Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), was appointed as first minister and Republican Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill will serve as her deputy.
“There is a sense of cautious optimism in Northern Ireland today,” says Siobhan Fenton, journalist and author of “The Good Friday Agreement”, speaking with FRANCE 24. “The complex history here means that people are a wee bit wary of any signs of progress, but people are very glad the government is coming back together.”
Sinn Fein leader O’Neill spoke in Stormont on Saturday afternoon as she was appointed deputy. “This is a defining moment for politics in the North. This is our opportunity to advance a new and equal society. It is our opportunity to deliver for health, education and public services.”
This is a defining moment for politics in the North.
This is our opportunity to advance a new and equal society.
It is our opportunity to deliver for health, education and public services.
We must also create decent, secure and well paid jobs for all sections of society. pic.twitter.com/zp6nnAlYzR — Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) January 11, 2020
On Monday, there will be a formal meeting to present the new Executive to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Republic of Ireland counterpart Leo Varadkar. This is the devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branch of the Northern Ireland Assembly, established after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Dissolution of government
Three years ago almost to the day, the Northern Ireland government dissolved following disagreements about divisions of power between the DUP and Sinn Fein. In February 2018, the government came close to reconvening, but it fell apart as the parties were unable to agree on the terms and it included an Irish language concession that enraged grassroot unionists.
Now, following the recent British elections that saw the DUP lose their position of power in Westminster and Sinn Fein’s struggles in the Republic, both parties need to secure a power base and the only real one available to them right now is Northern Ireland.
“The mistake Arlene Foster made last time, when she nearly got a deal across (in 2018), was that she didn’t take possession of it,” says Alex Kane, political commentator and former communications director for the Ulster Unionist party, speaking with FRANCE 24. “She allowed ‘the mice to get at it’, as we say in Northern Ireland.”
“This time, she took control immediately. Within five minutes of Simon Coveney and Julian Smith finishing their press conference on Thursday night, Foster issued a personal statement saying that she thought there was enough in this new deal to get the assembly up and running again. All the people that were rumoured to potentially have difficulty with it -- people like Ian Paisley Junior, Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell - not one of them even hinted that they had a problem with the deal.”
“Foster faced down the Orange Order, she faced down Loyalists, she faced down internal party critics. She faced them all down and said ‘we are going ahead with this’.”
Today we will re-establish an Executive after three years of stalemate.
Its time to Get Northern Ireland Moving Forward Again.
We won’t solve every problem immediately but local Ministers will get on with key reforms in schools and hospitals. — Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) January 11, 2020
Orange Order against original deal
In 2018, the conservative loyalist organisation of the Orange Order came out very strongly and very publicly against the deal.
“They wanted the whole deal binned, they weren’t happy with any of it,” says Kane. “But, on this occasion, even though they issued a statement saying they had major difficulties with the Irish language section, they also mentioned that there was good progress on health, education and the economy. Crucially, they stopped short of rejecting the deal.”
“This is not about the constitution, this is about a cancer patient getting the necessary treatment. There is an opportunity now that hasn’t existed for years to do things that will make a difference to the daily lives of just about everyone in Northern Ireland. So many educational and health infrastructures have been stuck in limbo, unable to pull down necessary financings, and now hopefully they will be able to make progress.”
Fenton agrees that the biggest immediate change will be felt in the healthcare system.
“We have much higher rates of both physical and mental problems here than in the rest of the UK, partially because of the legacy of The Troubles,” explains Fenton. “Over the past three years, the waiting lists have spiraled even further out of control. As part of this new deal, the British government has committed to giving a large sum of money to healthcare.”
‘Significant voice at the Brexit table’
Another expected change is in legislation against stalking. Northern Ireland is currently the only UK country where stalking is not deemed a criminal offence. This looks set to change as legislation that was in progress before the government collapsed can now finally be enacted.
Suicide prevention will also receive much necessary attention from the new government. “People here are two times more likely to die from suicide than people living in England,” says Fenton. “This is partially due to high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder connected with the conflict. The last government had, in 2016, decided to put together a key suicide prevention strategy. But this strategy was never implemented because of the government disbanding. It looks like this will happen now, which is a huge change.”
One contentious element of the deal is that there will now be provisions for ex-armed British security forces. This could be considered a significant win for the DUP, but it will be far from straightforward.
“These cases will now have to go through Westminster and will be open to many challenges from legal groups and human rights organisations,” says Kane. “There are even former soldiers and police who are against this idea. They believe that if it is right that the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries are held to account for their actions equally soldiers should be held accountable.”
This is a great step forwards for the people of Northern Ireland and for restoring public confidence in stable devolved Government and delivering much needed reforms to public services. — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 10, 2020
This new government will have a pivotal role to play in Brexit negotiations. For all their differences between parties, there is a general consensus that Boris Johnson’s idea of a border on the Irish Sea will not work.
“If they can work out something that protects their collective common interests, then they will be a significant voice at the Brexit negotiating table,” says Kane. “There is a moment of cooperation here now that hasn’t existed for the past three years and that gives cause for some hope in Northern Ireland today. I’m not saying the optimism will last or that the Assembly will even last, but this new confidence is something real that Northern Ireland is waking up with today.”
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france24--2020-01-11--Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Haftar announce ceasefire

People raise a picture of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar as they take part in a demonstration held by Libyans and @ @ @ @ @ city of Benghazi to protest against Turkey 's prospective military intervention in support of the @ @ @ @ @ January 3 , 2020 .
( Photo by Abdullah DOMA / AFP ) The forces @ @ @ @ @ Haftar on Saturday announced a ceasefire from midnight on Sunday ( 2200 GMT ) following @ @ @ @ @ for a truce .
They warned , however , in a short statement that the @ @ @ @ @ in the event of any violation of the truce by the opposing camp '' , @ @ @ @ @ government in Libya , the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord ( GNA ) led by @ @ @ @ @ forces have been battling to take the capital from the GNA since April .

The forces of Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar on Saturday announced a ceasefire from midnight on Sunday (2200 GMT) following calls from Moscow and Ankara for a truce.
People raise a picture of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar as they take part in a demonstration held by Libyans and Syrians in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi to protest against Turkey's prospective military intervention in support of the UN-recognised Tripoli-based government, on January 3, 2020. (Photo by Abdullah DOMA / AFP)
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The North African state has seen an escalation of the turmoil that erupted after a NATO-backed uprising killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with Haftar trying to capture Tripoli from Libya's UN-recognised government.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week called for a truce in Libya starting Sunday from midnight, but Haftar had initially vowed to fight on.
Haftar's forces on Saturday agreed to the ceasefire from midnight on Sunday (2200 GMT), but warned of a "severe" response to any violation by the "opposing camp", a reference to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.
Before Haftar's statement, Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met earlier on Saturday in Moscow and called for international efforts to address the crisis in Libya.
Germany and Russia are both acting as mediators in a conflict Berlin has warned could become a "second Syria" and the topic topped the agenda as they met for talks at the Kremlin.
"I am really counting on the opposing sides in Libya ceasing fire, ceasing armed combat... within a few hours," Putin said. "It's important to bring an end to the armed confrontation."
Merkel, making her first visit to Russia since 2018, said she hoped "the Turkish-Russian efforts will be successful", calling a ceasefire a first step in a peace process.
Haftar's forces, who began their offensive on Tripoli in April, did not give any details in their short statement on how the ceasefire would come into effect.
Speaking in Rome after meetings with Italy's premier, Sarraj had earlier welcomed the Turkish-Russian initiative, but said any ceasefire would be conditional on a withdrawal of Haftar's forces.
Western powers and Northern African states have been working to prevent a widening conflict in Libya with the increasingly involvement of international players backing opposing forces in the conflict.
Libya is now divided between the GNA in Tripoli and Haftar's forces in the east and the south and European governments are concerned about Islamist militants and migrant smugglers taking advantage of the chaos.
Backing Berlin conference
Putin and Merkel both backed a Libya peace conference in Berlin being organised by UN special envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, which could be held in the coming weeks.
Putin called the initiative "timely" and a "very good step in the right direction".
The conference must include "countries that have a real interest in promoting a peace settlement" and decisions must be agreed preliminarily with the Libyan sides, with the involvement of Salame, he said.
While Turkey has sent troops to support the UN-backed Tripoli government, Moscow is accused of backing mercenaries supporting Haftar in his fight against the government.
Putin reiterated Moscow's denial of this, saying: "If there are Russians there, they do not represent the interests of the Russian state and do not receive money from it."
In Libya, "unfortunately large-scale military action is continuing and terrorist activity is growing", said Putin, who is keen to stress his role as a regional powerbroker.
"All this undermines stability not only in the region itself but has a negative influence on Europe," he added, citing smuggling of drugs and weapons.
He stressed the need to "restart the political process with the final aim of overcoming the split inside the country and forming single state institutions".
Iran, Ukraine
The talks that Putin praised as "substantive" also covered other flashpoints in the region, including Iran, with the leaders stressing the need to save the 2015 nuclear deal that the US withdrew from unilaterally in 2018.
Merkel said it was necessary to "keep (the deal) alive" to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, while Putin said it was necessary for Instex, a barter mechanism to allow Iran to circumvent sanctions on trade backed by major European powers, to "finally start working".
The talks also covered the Syria conflict where a fresh ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey is expected to go into effect after midnight in the last major opposition bastion of Idlib.
Putin warned that "large-scale military conflicts" in the Middle East would be a "catastrophe not only for the region, the Middle East, but for the whole world", leading to "new flows of migrants" to Europe and other regions.
This would also cause "huge damage to the global economy", he said.
The leaders also discussed the war with Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine.
Putin in December took part in talks on the Ukraine conflict in Paris in the "Normandy format" hosted by Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
This was his first face-to-face meeting with his recently-installed Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, relaunching the stalled peace process.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-01-11--French PM 'willing' to temporarily shelve plans to raise age for full pension benefits

A man holds a banner reading `` Yes to living !
No to surviving ! ''
as protesters demonstrate in Paris on January 11 , 2020 , as part of a nationwide multi-sector strike against the French government 's pensions overhaul .
( Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP ) French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe offered a major concession to unions contesting his government 's overhaul of the pension system on Saturday , in a move aimed at ending strikes that are now in their fifth week .
Philippe said in a letter to unions and employers that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement age for full pension benefits by two years to 64 if certain conditions are met .
He offered the concession after talks between the government and trade unions failed on Friday to break the deadlock .
The reform-minded CFDT union , France 's biggest , welcomed the move , saying in a statement that it showed `` the government 's will to find a compromise '' .
The more hard-line CGT and FO unions have yet to respond .
The concession comes as marches against the reform took place on Saturday across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France with 21,000 taking to the streets in eastern Paris , according to official figures released by the French Ministry of the Interior .
Opponents of the reform are demonstrating against the government 's plan to replace France 's myriad of sector-specific pension schemes with a single points-based scheme .
The Paris protest turned violent on its fringes with police firing tear gas and charging groups smashing windows and lighting rubbish bins and billboards on fire .
Several stores were ransacked as marchers brandished union flags and chanted defiantly : `` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign '' .
Protests were also held in Marseille , Toulouse , Lyon and Nantes .
In one of President Emmanuel Macron 's signature reforms , the government seeks to fuse 42 existing pension schemes into a single , points-based system it says will be fairer and more transparent but which unions fear will see millions work longer for a smaller retirement payout .
Particularly vexing was the proposal to impose the 64 `` pivot age '' that people would have to work until to qualify for a full pension -- two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Macron said that for the pension system to remain viable as a growing number of retirees live ever longer , `` either one has to contribute more , or one has to agree to work a little longer '' , while insisting he does not want to see pensions lowered .
The government says the `` pivot age '' would save five billion euros ( $ 5.6 billion ) by 2023 and some 11 billion euros by 2026 .
Philippe said the concept of an `` age of equilibrium '' would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did not spell out what this means .
The premier also announced there would be a conference , as demanded by union leaders , to study ways of financing the pension system , which must come up with proposals by the end of April .
If it succeeds , MPs will be able to work the resulting proposals into the draft pension reform bill the government hopes to introduce to parliament by February 17 .
If it fails , the government will take the `` measures necessary to achieve equilibrium '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister warned .
On Day 38 of the strike , some were fed up .
`` We have had enough , '' estate agent Christophe Delvallee , 65 , told AFP at the Aulnay-sous-Bois train station outside Paris .
`` It has been a month and a half .
These are people with many advantages and employment guaranteed for life , and who are making life difficult for the rest of us . ''
His daily 75-minute commute to work now takes up to 2.5 hours .
Commuting has become a daily headache @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris metro lines again curtailed Saturday , and regional and inter-city train numbers slashed .
The Paris rail operator RATP said after Philippe 's announcement Saturday that all metro and suburban trains will run on Sunday , though still offering only partial service .
Most rail workers are aligned to the CGT .
The Paris Opera , which was to launch its official new season on Saturday , cancelled its performance of The Barber of Seville due to opera workers ' continuing participation in the strike .
Like railway workers at the forefront @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy early retirement benefits under their sectoral pension scheme , and are reluctant to give these up .
The Paris Opera says it has lost 12.3 million euros ( $ 13.7 million ) .

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe offered a major concession to unions contesting his government's overhaul of the pension system on Saturday, in a move aimed at ending strikes that are now in their fifth week.
A man holds a banner reading "Yes to living ! No to surviving !" as protesters demonstrate in Paris on January 11, 2020, as part of a nationwide multi-sector strike against the French government's pensions overhaul. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)
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Philippe said in a letter to unions and employers that he was prepared to withdraw plans to raise the retirement age for full pension benefits by two years to 64 if certain conditions are met.
He offered the concession after talks between the government and trade unions failed on Friday to break the deadlock. The reform-minded CFDT union, France's biggest, welcomed the move, saying in a statement that it showed "the government's will to find a compromise". The more hard-line CGT and FO unions have yet to respond.
The concession comes as marches against the reform took place on Saturday across the country. Around 149,000 protested in France with 21,000 taking to the streets in eastern Paris , according to official figures released by the French Ministry of the Interior.
Opponents of the reform are demonstrating against the government's plan to replace France's myriad of sector-specific pension schemes with a single points-based scheme.
The Paris protest turned violent on its fringes with police firing tear gas and charging groups smashing windows and lighting rubbish bins and billboards on fire. Several stores were ransacked as marchers brandished union flags and chanted defiantly: "We are still here!" and "Macron resign". Protests were also held in Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon and Nantes.
In one of President Emmanuel Macron's signature reforms, the government seeks to fuse 42 existing pension schemes into a single, points-based system it says will be fairer and more transparent but which unions fear will see millions work longer for a smaller retirement payout.
Particularly vexing was the proposal to impose the 64 "pivot age" that people would have to work until to qualify for a full pension -- two years beyond the official retirement age.
Contribute more, or work longer
On Friday, Macron said that for the pension system to remain viable as a growing number of retirees live ever longer, "either one has to contribute more, or one has to agree to work a little longer", while insisting he does not want to see pensions lowered.
The government says the "pivot age" would save five billion euros ($5.6 billion) by 2023 and some 11 billion euros by 2026.
Philippe said the concept of an "age of equilibrium" would remain part of the reform, though he did not spell out what this means.
The premier also announced there would be a conference, as demanded by union leaders, to study ways of financing the pension system, which must come up with proposals by the end of April.
If it succeeds, MPs will be able to work the resulting proposals into the draft pension reform bill the government hopes to introduce to parliament by February 17.
If it fails, the government will take the "measures necessary to achieve equilibrium" in the system by 2027, the prime minister warned.
On Day 38 of the strike, some were fed up.
"We have had enough," estate agent Christophe Delvallee, 65, told AFP at the Aulnay-sous-Bois train station outside Paris. "It has been a month and a half. These are people with many advantages and employment guaranteed for life, and who are making life difficult for the rest of us."
His daily 75-minute commute to work now takes up to 2.5 hours.
Opera closed
Commuting has become a daily headache for many, with train services and Paris metro lines again curtailed Saturday, and regional and inter-city train numbers slashed.
The Paris rail operator RATP said after Philippe's announcement Saturday that all metro and suburban trains will run on Sunday, though still offering only partial service. Most rail workers are aligned to the CGT.
The Paris Opera, which was to launch its official new season on Saturday, cancelled its performance of The Barber of Seville due to opera workers' continuing participation in the strike.
Like railway workers at the forefront of the strike action, opera staff enjoy early retirement benefits under their sectoral pension scheme, and are reluctant to give these up. The Paris Opera says it has lost 12.3 million euros ($13.7 million).
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-11--President Tsai Ing-wen declares victory in Taiwan election, opposition candidate concedes defeat

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen smiles as she arrives to cast her vote at a polling station during general elections in New Taipei City , Taipei , Taiwan , January 11 , 2020 .
Taiwan ’ s incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen declared victory over her closest challenger , Han Kuo-yu , in Saturday ’ s election , earning her a second-term as the region 's first female leader .
Tsai , 63 , was greeted by thousands of jubilant flag-waving supporters outside her party headquarters , hailing a result which looks set to infuriate China .
`` Today we have defended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us stand united to overcome all challenges and difficulties , '' she told the cheering crowd .
Official results showed Tsai secured 57 percent of the popular vote with a record-breaking 8.2 million ballots , 1.3 million more than her 2016 victory .
Her main rival Han Kuo-yu , from the China-friendly Kuomintang , racked up 39 percent and conceded defeat .
The result is a blow for Beijing , which views Taiwan as its own territory and has made no secret of wanting to see Tsai turfed out .
Over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military and diplomatic pressure on the self-ruled island , hoping it would scare voters into supporting Tsai 's opposition .
But the strong arm tactics backfired and voters flocked to her Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) , fuelled in part by China 's hardline response to months of huge and violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong .
The result was welcomed by the United States , Taiwan 's primary military ally , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saluting Tsai 's `` commitment to maintaining cross-Strait stability in the face of unrelenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a defender of liberal democratic values against the increasingly authoritarian shadow cast by China under President Xi Jinping .
Beijing has vowed to one day retake the island , by force if necessary .
It loathes Tsai because she refuses to acknowledge the idea that Taiwan is part of `` one China '' .
Her campaign frequently invoked Hong Kong 's protests as a warning of what might lie ahead should China one day take control of Taiwan .
During her victory speech Tsai said she was committed to dialogue with China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on Beijing to halt its sabre rattling towards Taiwan and respect the idea that only the island 's 23 million inhabitants can decide its future .
`` Today I want to once again remind the Beijing authorities that peace , parity , democracy and dialogue are the keys to stability , '' Tsai said .
`` I want the Beijing authorities to know that democratic Taiwan and our democratically elected government will never concede to threats . ''
But China is also Taiwan 's largest trade partner , leaving the island in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 62-year-old mayor of the southern city of Kaohsiung , favoured much warmer ties with China -- saying it would boost Taiwan 's fortunes -- and accused the current administration of needlessly antagonising Beijing .
But his campaign struggled to gain momentum or escape the perception that he was too cosy with Taiwan 's giant neighbour .
Turnout in the poll was 75 percent , a jump of nearly 10 percent from Tsai 's first presidential election victory four years ago .
Official results showed the DPP managed to retain its majority in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of 113 seats , while the KMT took 38 seats .
Tsai 's victory is the second major electoral setback for Beijing in recent weeks .
In November , Hong Kong 's pro-democracy camp scored a landslide win over pro-Beijing parties in district elections as the city convulses with months of anti-government protests .
`` Tsai 's landslide victory is like a slap in the face to Beijing as Taiwanese voters say no to its intimidation , '' Hung Chin-fu , a political analyst at Taiwan 's National Cheng Kung University , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign affairs expert the University of Notre Dame , said all eyes will be watching China 's response .
`` Will the hardline position towards Tsai ... be continued or will Beijing adopt a more 'soft sell ' approach that is more carrot and less stick ? ''
he said .
Taiwanese voters have watched events in Hong Kong closely because the financial hub is run on Beijing 's `` one country , two systems '' model .
China has suggested the same model could one day be applied to Taiwan if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing .
But an increasing number of Taiwanese voters are spooked by that proposal .
`` I do n't want Taiwan 's democracy to turn into how Hong Kong is now , '' Dennis Wu , a doctor , told AFP as he cast a vote for Tsai in the capital Taipei .

Taiwan’s incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen declared victory over her closest challenger, Han Kuo-yu, in Saturday’s election, earning her a second-term as the region's first female leader.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen smiles as she arrives to cast her vote at a polling station during general elections in New Taipei City, Taipei, Taiwan, January 11, 2020.
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Tsai, 63, was greeted by thousands of jubilant flag-waving supporters outside her party headquarters, hailing a result which looks set to infuriate China.
"Today we have defended our democracy and freedom, tomorrow let us stand united to overcome all challenges and difficulties," she told the cheering crowd.
Official results showed Tsai secured 57 percent of the popular vote with a record-breaking 8.2 million ballots, 1.3 million more than her 2016 victory.
Her main rival Han Kuo-yu, from the China-friendly Kuomintang, racked up 39 percent and conceded defeat.
The result is a blow for Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has made no secret of wanting to see Tsai turfed out.
03:54
Over the last four years it ramped up economic, military and diplomatic pressure on the self-ruled island, hoping it would scare voters into supporting Tsai's opposition.
But the strong arm tactics backfired and voters flocked to her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), fuelled in part by China's hardline response to months of huge and violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
The result was welcomed by the United States, Taiwan's primary military ally, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saluting Tsai's "commitment to maintaining cross-Strait stability in the face of unrelenting pressure".
'No threats'
Tsai pitched herself as a defender of liberal democratic values against the increasingly authoritarian shadow cast by China under President Xi Jinping.
Beijing has vowed to one day retake the island, by force if necessary. It loathes Tsai because she refuses to acknowledge the idea that Taiwan is part of "one China".
Her campaign frequently invoked Hong Kong's protests as a warning of what might lie ahead should China one day take control of Taiwan.
During her victory speech Tsai said she was committed to dialogue with China's leaders and wanted peace.
But she called on Beijing to halt its sabre rattling towards Taiwan and respect the idea that only the island's 23 million inhabitants can decide its future.
"Today I want to once again remind the Beijing authorities that peace, parity, democracy and dialogue are the keys to stability," Tsai said.
"I want the Beijing authorities to know that democratic Taiwan and our democratically elected government will never concede to threats."
But China is also Taiwan's largest trade partner, leaving the island in a precariously dependent relationship.
Han, the 62-year-old mayor of the southern city of Kaohsiung, favoured much warmer ties with China -- saying it would boost Taiwan's fortunes -- and accused the current administration of needlessly antagonising Beijing.
But his campaign struggled to gain momentum or escape the perception that he was too cosy with Taiwan's giant neighbour.
Turnout in the poll was 75 percent, a jump of nearly 10 percent from Tsai's first presidential election victory four years ago.
Official results showed the DPP managed to retain its majority in the island's unicameral parliament with 61 out of 113 seats, while the KMT took 38 seats.
01:19
Carrot or stick?
Tsai's victory is the second major electoral setback for Beijing in recent weeks.
In November, Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp scored a landslide win over pro-Beijing parties in district elections as the city convulses with months of anti-government protests.
"Tsai's landslide victory is like a slap in the face to Beijing as Taiwanese voters say no to its intimidation," Hung Chin-fu, a political analyst at Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University, told AFP.
Joshua Eisenman, a foreign affairs expert the University of Notre Dame, said all eyes will be watching China's response.
"Will the hardline position towards Tsai... be continued or will Beijing adopt a more 'soft sell' approach that is more carrot and less stick?" he said.
Taiwanese voters have watched events in Hong Kong closely because the financial hub is run on Beijing's "one country, two systems" model.
China has suggested the same model could one day be applied to Taiwan if the island ever came to be controlled by Beijing.
But an increasing number of Taiwanese voters are spooked by that proposal.
"I don't want Taiwan's democracy to turn into how Hong Kong is now," Dennis Wu, a doctor, told AFP as he cast a vote for Tsai in the capital Taipei.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-01-11--Iraqis fear emergence of new battlefront between US, Iranian forces

In the aftermath of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike on January 3 , the people of Iraq are grappling with the threat of escalating violence .
Our team of reporters visited Baghdad to speak to locals about the growing tensions in the region .
In the capital of Baghdad , many locals fear the opening of a new battleground between US and Iranian forces on their soil .
Amid one of the city 's marketplaces where residents typically spend their time relaxing and browsing for books , the mood is palpable .
Bookseller Kareem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oldest merchants .
He has lived through three wars , embargos and years of terrorism .
“ The situation is dangerous today , ’ Hanash said .
“ I hope that Iraq will avoid the conflict because these are political issues that are not the fault of the people here.
” At Tahrir square , a few streets away , thousands of Iraqis have been protesting since October against the country 's political class and foreign intervention .
One such activist , Hassanin Abu Ali , has been coming to the square every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He thinks this latest crisis was the inevitable consequence of foreign intervention .
“ This is exactly why we reject all foreign interference , ” Hassanin said .
“ We don ’ t want Iraq to transform into a battlefield for the US and Iran . ''
Protesters continue to fear a backlash from armed Iraqi groups close to Tehran who are calling for revenge after Soleimani ’ s killing .
Since the death of Soleimani , the ‘ green zone ’ , home to the US embassy , has been targeted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never claimed but the US government has said armed groups within Iraq are responsible .
Click on the video player above to watch this special report from FRANCE 24 's Lucile Wassermann and Sam Bradpiece .

In the aftermath of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike on January 3, the people of Iraq are grappling with the threat of escalating violence. Our team of reporters visited Baghdad to speak to locals about the growing tensions in the region.
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In the capital of Baghdad, many locals fear the opening of a new battleground between US and Iranian forces on their soil.
Amid one of the city's marketplaces where residents typically spend their time relaxing and browsing for books, the mood is palpable.
Bookseller Kareem Hanash is one of this market's oldest merchants. He has lived through three wars, embargos and years of terrorism.
“The situation is dangerous today,’ Hanash said. “ I hope that Iraq will avoid the conflict because these are political issues that are not the fault of the people here.”
At Tahrir square, a few streets away, thousands of Iraqis have been protesting since October against the country's political class and foreign intervention.
One such activist, Hassanin Abu Ali, has been coming to the square every day since the beginning of October. He thinks this latest crisis was the inevitable consequence of foreign intervention.
“This is exactly why we reject all foreign interference,” Hassanin said. “We don’t want Iraq to transform into a battlefield for the US and Iran."
Protesters continue to fear a backlash from armed Iraqi groups close to Tehran who are calling for revenge after Soleimani’s killing.
Since the death of Soleimani, the ‘green zone’, home to the US embassy, has been targeted by three rocket attacks. The attacks were never claimed but the US government has said armed groups within Iraq are responsible.
Click on the video player above to watch this special report from FRANCE 24's Lucile Wassermann and Sam Bradpiece.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-01-11--Roadside bomb kills two US troops in Afghanistan

In this file photo taken on June 6 , 2019 , US soldiers look out over a hillside at an Afghan National Army ( ANA ) checkpoint in Nerkh district of Wardak province .
Two American soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan on Saturday when a Taliban roadside bomb ripped through an army vehicle , officials said .
Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack in Kandahar province , according to NATO 's Resolute Support mission in the country .
A mission spokesman said the names of those killed were being withheld pending notification of next of kin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport in Dand district , provincial police spokesman Jamal Nasir Barkzai told AFP .
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack , with spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying on Twitter that the blast destroyed the vehicle and killed all on board .
Violence in Afghanistan usually recedes as winter sets in .
But this year the Taliban have pushed forward with their operations despite heavy snowfall in the mountains -- and despite their negotiations with the US for a deal that would see American troops leave the country .
According to details made public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 5,000 of its 13,000 or so troops from five bases across Afghanistan , provided the Taliban sticks to its security pledges .
The insurgents have said they will renounce Al-Qaeda , fight the Islamic State group and stop jihadists using Afghanistan as a safe haven .
Last year was the deadliest for US forces in Afghanistan since combat operations officially finished at the end of 2014 , highlighting the challenging security situation that persists .
More than 2,400 US troops have been killed in combat there since the US-led invasion in October @ @

Two American soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan on Saturday when a Taliban roadside bomb ripped through an army vehicle, officials said.
In this file photo taken on June 6, 2019, US soldiers look out over a hillside at an Afghan National Army (ANA) checkpoint in Nerkh district of Wardak province.
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Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack in Kandahar province, according to NATO's Resolute Support mission in the country.
A mission spokesman said the names of those killed were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The troops were on patrol near Kandahar airport in Dand district, provincial police spokesman Jamal Nasir Barkzai told AFP.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying on Twitter that the blast destroyed the vehicle and killed all on board.
Violence in Afghanistan usually recedes as winter sets in. But this year the Taliban have pushed forward with their operations despite heavy snowfall in the mountains -- and despite their negotiations with the US for a deal that would see American troops leave the country.
According to details made public so far, the Pentagon would withdraw about 5,000 of its 13,000 or so troops from five bases across Afghanistan, provided the Taliban sticks to its security pledges.
The insurgents have said they will renounce Al-Qaeda, fight the Islamic State group and stop jihadists using Afghanistan as a safe haven.
Last year was the deadliest for US forces in Afghanistan since combat operations officially finished at the end of 2014, highlighting the challenging security situation that persists.
More than 2,400 US troops have been killed in combat there since the US-led invasion in October 2001.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-11--Malta's ruling party to vote for new PM over journalist's slaying

People hold placards and photos of killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia during a protest called for by Galizia 's family and civic movements on December 3 , 2019 outside the police headquarters in Valletta .
Malta 's Labour Party was voting Saturday to elect its leader and the country 's new premier after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat 's downfall over the murder of an investigative journalist .
Activist groups cast doubts however that his successor would bring about real change in the Mediterranean country , which they say has been taken over by `` criminals '' .
Dubbed the `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Galizia exposed corruption at the highest levels .
She was killed in a car bomb on October 16 , 2017 in an attack that made world headlines .
Less than an hour before her death , she wrote on her blog : `` There are crooks everywhere you look .
The situation is desperate . ''
Muscat , 45 , had said in December he would quit following widespread anger over his perceived efforts to protect friends and allies from a probe into the murder .
Some 17,500 Labour voters are expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister in history .
Muscat was set to resign Sunday once the results of the election were in .
Two candidates are vying to take over as Labour leader and prime minister : deputy prime minister and health minister Chris Fearne , a 56-year old surgeon , and 42-year-old lawyer Robert Abela .
Fearne has the backing of most cabinet members but Abela had been closing the gap in polls in the final week of the campaign , the Times of Malta said .
Neither has criticised Muscat or referred to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Both have insisted they represent continuity , highlighting their determination to keep the economy on its stellar trajectory .
`` We have the reputation ( in Malta ) of being pirates .
The reason is that a group of criminals have taken over our government , '' Manuel Delia , a member of the activist group Repubblika , told AFP .
`` We need change , '' she said .
Martina Darmanin , a 24-year old academic , said the reporter 's killing had been `` a shock '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular demonstrations denouncing `` the mafia in power '' .
`` As a member of the EU we want and we deserve better than this : good governance , rule of law , '' she said , adding that she was `` fed up of hearing that I 'm from a tax haven country '' .
Repubblika plans to deliver a manifesto to the new prime minister calling for a clean up of politics and the economy as well as a revamp of the constitution to guarantee a genuine separation of powers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muscat said he was `` sorry '' for the killing , the investigation into which he has been accused of hampering .
`` I paid the highest price for this case to be solved under my watch , '' he said .
The opposition Nationalist Party slammed Muscat 's `` surreal '' speech , pointing out that it was Caruana Galiza who had paid that price .
Muscat 's fall from power followed daily protests led by supporters of the Caruana Galizia family , who accuse him among other things of shielding his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schembri , who has been implicated in the murder .
The journalist 's family had called for Muscat to step down immediately , but support from his party and his own popularity -- linked to Malta 's booming economy -- bought him time until the party election .
Three men are on trial for allegedly detonating the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia , while a fourth -- powerful businessman Jorgen Fenech -- was charged as an accomplice after being detained as he tried to leave the country on his yacht.Fenech 's arrest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Konrad Mizzi , who formerly served as energy minister , and Schembri .
The murder and probe `` cast an indelible stain on Muscat and his administration '' , Malta Today wrote on Saturday .

Malta's Labour Party was voting Saturday to elect its leader and the country's new premier after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's downfall over the murder of an investigative journalist.
People hold placards and photos of killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia during a protest called for by Galizia's family and civic movements on December 3, 2019 outside the police headquarters in Valletta.
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Activist groups cast doubts however that his successor would bring about real change in the Mediterranean country, which they say has been taken over by "criminals".
Dubbed the "one woman WikiLeaks", Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed corruption at the highest levels. She was killed in a car bomb on October 16, 2017 in an attack that made world headlines.
Less than an hour before her death, she wrote on her blog: "There are crooks everywhere you look. The situation is desperate."
Muscat, 45, had said in December he would quit following widespread anger over his perceived efforts to protect friends and allies from a probe into the murder.
Some 17,500 Labour voters are expected to vote for the party's first mid-term prime minister in history.
Muscat was set to resign Sunday once the results of the election were in.
Two candidates are vying to take over as Labour leader and prime minister: deputy prime minister and health minister Chris Fearne, a 56-year old surgeon, and 42-year-old lawyer Robert Abela.
Fearne has the backing of most cabinet members but Abela had been closing the gap in polls in the final week of the campaign, the Times of Malta said.
Neither has criticised Muscat or referred to the Caruana Galizia killing in the run-up to the election. Both have insisted they represent continuity, highlighting their determination to keep the economy on its stellar trajectory.
'Reputation as pirates'
"We have the reputation (in Malta) of being pirates. The reason is that a group of criminals have taken over our government," Manuel Delia, a member of the activist group Repubblika, told AFP.
"We need change," she said.
Martina Darmanin, a 24-year old academic, said the reporter's killing had been "a shock", and she had taken part in the regular demonstrations denouncing "the mafia in power".
"As a member of the EU we want and we deserve better than this: good governance, rule of law," she said, adding that she was "fed up of hearing that I'm from a tax haven country".
Repubblika plans to deliver a manifesto to the new prime minister calling for a clean up of politics and the economy as well as a revamp of the constitution to guarantee a genuine separation of powers.
In an emotional farewell address Friday, Muscat said he was "sorry" for the killing, the investigation into which he has been accused of hampering.
"I paid the highest price for this case to be solved under my watch," he said.
The opposition Nationalist Party slammed Muscat's "surreal" speech, pointing out that it was Caruana Galiza who had paid that price.
'Indelible stain'
Muscat's fall from power followed daily protests led by supporters of the Caruana Galizia family, who accuse him among other things of shielding his chief of staff and childhood friend Keith Schembri, who has been implicated in the murder.
The journalist's family had called for Muscat to step down immediately, but support from his party and his own popularity -- linked to Malta's booming economy -- bought him time until the party election.
Three men are on trial for allegedly detonating the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia, while a fourth -- powerful businessman Jorgen Fenech -- was charged as an accomplice after being detained as he tried to leave the country on his yacht.Fenech's arrest in November sparked the resignation of tourism minister Konrad Mizzi, who formerly served as energy minister, and Schembri.
The murder and probe "cast an indelible stain on Muscat and his administration", Malta Today wrote on Saturday.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-11--Search and rescue operation continues after boat carrying migrants sinks in Greek waters

In this file photo from October 22 , 2019 , refugees and migrants wait to be transferred to camps on the mainland at the port of Elefsina near Athens , Greece .
At least 12 people died Saturday when a boat loaded with migrants sank in the Ionian Sea , the Greek coastguard said .
`` So far 12 bodies have been recovered .
The search and rescue operation continues , '' they said in a statement , adding that they had rescued more than 20 survivors .
`` Three of them are being flown by helicopter to ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the statement added .
There were no immediate details on the identity of those on board .
The boat , which was carrying around 50 people , took on water near the island of Paxi during an apparent attempt to reach Italy .
At this point someone on board issued a distress call , the authorities said .
Six coastguard patrol boats and three helicopters were engaged in the continuing rescue effort , authorities said .
Four passing cargo ships were also assisting the operation , the coastguard said .
Thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in small , overloaded boats .
With Greece 's northern borders closed to migrants seeking to reach western Europe , some are trying clandestine routes to quit the country , such as mountain routes into Albania or by sailing to neighbouring Italy .
Twenty-two people have died or are still missing in migrant boat sinkings in the Mediterranean just this month , according to the International Organization for Migration .
Another 73 persons were rescued in separate incidents in the Aegean between Friday and Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 again became the main entry into Europe for migrants and refugees .
The UN refugee agency recorded more than 55,000 arrivals by sea , and more than 14,000 via the land border with Turkey .
Greece 's new conservative government has struggled to manage hundreds of new asylum-seeker arrivals on a daily basis from the coast of neighbouring Turkey .
Greece 's migrant camps are mostly full beyond capacity .
In response , the government has tightened asylum provisions as well as announcing plans to bolster border patrols and build larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of migrants before deporting them back to Turkey .

At least 12 people died Saturday when a boat loaded with migrants sank in the Ionian Sea, the Greek coastguard said.
In this file photo from October 22, 2019, refugees and migrants wait to be transferred to camps on the mainland at the port of Elefsina near Athens, Greece.
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"So far 12 bodies have been recovered. The search and rescue operation continues," they said in a statement, adding that they had rescued more than 20 survivors.
"Three of them are being flown by helicopter to (the nearest hospital) for emergency treatment," the statement added.
There were no immediate details on the identity of those on board.
The boat, which was carrying around 50 people, took on water near the island of Paxi during an apparent attempt to reach Italy.
At this point someone on board issued a distress call, the authorities said.
Six coastguard patrol boats and three helicopters were engaged in the continuing rescue effort, authorities said.
Four passing cargo ships were also assisting the operation, the coastguard said.
Thousands of migrants and refugees have died in recent years while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in small, overloaded boats.
With Greece's northern borders closed to migrants seeking to reach western Europe, some are trying clandestine routes to quit the country, such as mountain routes into Albania or by sailing to neighbouring Italy.
Twenty-two people have died or are still missing in migrant boat sinkings in the Mediterranean just this month, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Another 73 persons were rescued in separate incidents in the Aegean between Friday and Saturday, the Greek coastguard added.
Greece in 2019 again became the main entry into Europe for migrants and refugees. The UN refugee agency recorded more than 55,000 arrivals by sea, and more than 14,000 via the land border with Turkey.
Greece's new conservative government has struggled to manage hundreds of new asylum-seeker arrivals on a daily basis from the coast of neighbouring Turkey.
Greece's migrant camps are mostly full beyond capacity. In response, the government has tightened asylum provisions as well as announcing plans to bolster border patrols and build larger, closed camp facilities to detain thousands of migrants before deporting them back to Turkey.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-12--Furious protesters call for Iran's Supreme Leader to step down in wake of downed Ukrainian plane

Iranian students chant slogans as they demonstrate following a tribute for the victims of the downed Ukraine International Airlines flight in front of the Amir Kabir University in Tehran , Iran on January 11 , 2020 .
Iranian protesters and newspapers piled pressure on the country ’ s leadership and riot police stepped up their presence in Tehran on Sunday after Iran ’ s military admitted that it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner .
Riot police fired teargas at thousands of Iranians who had taken to the streets late on Saturday in the capital and other cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , directing their anger at Iran ’ s top authority , Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei .
Images and reports of the protests were carried by state-affiliated news agencies , alongside videos on social media .
Tehran residents told Reuters that police had stepped up their presence in the capital on Sunday morning .
“ Apologise and resign , ” Iran ’ s moderate Etemad daily wrote in a banner headline on Sunday , saying the “ people ’ s demand ” was for those responsible for mishandling the plane crisis to quit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of them Iranians with dual citizenship , were killed .
Protests erupted after Saturday ’ s admission that the military accidentally shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane minutes after take-off on Wednesday , when Iranian forces were alert for U.S. reprisals after tit-for-tat strikes .
For days , Iranian officials had vigorously denied it was to blame , even as Canada , which had 57 citizens on the flight , and the United States said their intelligence indicated an Iranian missile was to blame , albeit probably fired in error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a “ disastrous mistake ” and apologised .
But a top Revolutionary Guards commander added to public anger about the delayed admission , when he said he had told the authorities a missile hit the plane the day it crashed .
Another moderate daily Jomhuri-ye Eslami , or Islamic Republic , wrote in an editorial : “ Those who delayed publishing the reason behind the plane crash and damaged people ’ s trust in the establishment should be dismissed or should resign.
” Criticism of the authorities in Iran is not unusual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow boundaries .
The press attacks and protests add to challenges facing the establishment , which in November faced the country ’ s bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution .
As Saturday ’ s protests spread across Iran , including major cities such as Shiraz , Isfahan , Hamedan and Orumiyeh , U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter : “ We are following your protests closely , and are inspired by your courage.
” “ There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters , nor an internet shutdown .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , posting his tweets in both Farsi and English .
Britain said its ambassador in Iran had been briefly detained on Saturday by the authorities in Tehran .
A news agency said he was detained outside a university for inciting protests .
“ The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment .
It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails , or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards , ” he said .
Protests inside Iran followed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , which withdrew from Tehran ’ s nuclear pact with world powers in 2018 and then re-imposed sanctions that have steadily crippled the Iranian economy .
On Jan. 3 , a U.S. drone strike in Iraq killed prominent Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani , responsible for building up Iran ’ s network of regional proxy armies in Iraq and beyond , and Tehran responded with missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq .
No U.S. soldiers were killed , but in the tense hours after that , the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then brought down by a missile fired in error by an operator who mistook the plane for an attacker .
“ Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific .
Iran must take full responsibility , ” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said .
Trudeau said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had committed to collaborating with Canadian investigators , working to de-escalate tensions in the region and continuing a dialogue .
Public fury at Iran ’ s authorities grew as questions about the plane crash mounted .
Iranians on social media asked why officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than sympathising with grieving families .
Others asked why the plane was allowed to take off at a time of high tension .
Amirali Hajizadeh , a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guards , a parallel military set up to defend the nation and the system of theocratic rule , said he had asked for civilian planes to be grounded but his request was not heeded .
Soleimani ’ s death in a U.S. drone strike had drawn huge crowds of mourners on to the streets in Iran , which Iranian officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Saturday ’ s protests and the public reaction to the downed airliner have shattered the image of national solidarity .
Demonstrators tore up pictures of the slain general .

Iranian protesters and newspapers piled pressure on the country’s leadership and riot police stepped up their presence in Tehran on Sunday after Iran’s military admitted that it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner.
Iranian students chant slogans as they demonstrate following a tribute for the victims of the downed Ukraine International Airlines flight in front of the Amir Kabir University in Tehran, Iran on January 11, 2020.
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Riot police fired teargas at thousands of Iranians who had taken to the streets late on Saturday in the capital and other cities, many chanting “Death to the dictator”, directing their anger at Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Images and reports of the protests were carried by state-affiliated news agencies, alongside videos on social media.
Tehran residents told Reuters that police had stepped up their presence in the capital on Sunday morning.
01:14
“Apologise and resign,” Iran’s moderate Etemad daily wrote in a banner headline on Sunday, saying the “people’s demand” was for those responsible for mishandling the plane crisis to quit.
All 176 people aboard the flight, many of them Iranians with dual citizenship, were killed.
Protests erupted after Saturday’s admission that the military accidentally shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane minutes after take-off on Wednesday, when Iranian forces were alert for U.S. reprisals after tit-for-tat strikes.
For days, Iranian officials had vigorously denied it was to blame, even as Canada, which had 57 citizens on the flight, and the United States said their intelligence indicated an Iranian missile was to blame, albeit probably fired in error.
Iran’s president said it was a “disastrous mistake” and apologised. But a top Revolutionary Guards commander added to public anger about the delayed admission, when he said he had told the authorities a missile hit the plane the day it crashed.
Challenges
Another moderate daily Jomhuri-ye Eslami, or Islamic Republic, wrote in an editorial: “Those who delayed publishing the reason behind the plane crash and damaged people’s trust in the establishment should be dismissed or should resign.”
Criticism of the authorities in Iran is not unusual, but it tends to stay in narrow boundaries.
The press attacks and protests add to challenges facing the establishment, which in November faced the country’s bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
As Saturday’s protests spread across Iran, including major cities such as Shiraz, Isfahan, Hamedan and Orumiyeh, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter: “We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage.”
“There cannot be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching,” he said, posting his tweets in both Farsi and English.
Britain said its ambassador in Iran had been briefly detained on Saturday by the authorities in Tehran. A news agency said he was detained outside a university for inciting protests.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called it “a flagrant violation of international law.”
“The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards,” he said.
Protests inside Iran followed a build-up of tension between Iran and the United States, which withdrew from Tehran’s nuclear pact with world powers in 2018 and then re-imposed sanctions that have steadily crippled the Iranian economy.
‘Horrific’
On Jan. 3, a U.S. drone strike in Iraq killed prominent Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, responsible for building up Iran’s network of regional proxy armies in Iraq and beyond, and Tehran responded with missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq.
No U.S. soldiers were killed, but in the tense hours after that, the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was cleared to take off from Tehran airport and then brought down by a missile fired in error by an operator who mistook the plane for an attacker.
“Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. Iran must take full responsibility,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
00:53
Trudeau said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had committed to collaborating with Canadian investigators, working to de-escalate tensions in the region and continuing a dialogue.
Public fury at Iran’s authorities grew as questions about the plane crash mounted. Iranians on social media asked why officials were busy fending off criticism from abroad rather than sympathising with grieving families. Others asked why the plane was allowed to take off at a time of high tension.
Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guards, a parallel military set up to defend the nation and the system of theocratic rule, said he had asked for civilian planes to be grounded but his request was not heeded.
Soleimani’s death in a U.S. drone strike had drawn huge crowds of mourners on to the streets in Iran, which Iranian officials said showed public support for the leadership.
But Saturday’s protests and the public reaction to the downed airliner have shattered the image of national solidarity. Demonstrators tore up pictures of the slain general.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-12--Haiti remembers victims of 2010 quake as economists lament rebuilding efforts 'at square one'

Ten years after the January 12 , 2010 earthquake , approximately 500,000 Haitians live in makeshift camps such as this one , as rebuilding efforts in the country remain incomplete .
Haiti on Sunday will remember the thousands who died in the devastating earthquake of January 12 , 2010 , as grief mixes with anger and bitterness over failed reconstruction efforts and continuing political instability .
Over 35 agonizingly long seconds , a magnitude-7 quake transformed capital city Port-au-Prince and the nearby cities of Gressier , Leogane and Jacmel into dusty ruins , killing more than 200,000 and injuring some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half Haitians were left homeless , leaving island authorities and the international humanitarian community with a colossal challenge in a country lacking either a land registry or building rules .
`` The capital has not been rebuilt , but our poor governance is not the exclusive responsibility of the local authorities ; at the international level we have not seen a mechanism for managing aid that would allow the country to benefit . ''
The billions of dollars promised by international donors in the weeks after the catastrophe seem to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fueling the bitterness of survivors who live today exposed to the same dangers as existed before the quake .
`` Ten years later , we see an even greater concentration of people in the metropolitan area , '' Pharel said .
`` If we were to have a quake of the same magnitude , the results would be the same , for there was no follow-up on most of the rebuilt homes .
`` The country was never rebuilt , and we 're back to Square One . ''
The quake destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as administrative buildings and schools , not to mention 60 percent of Haiti 's health-care system .
A decade later , the rebuilding of the country 's main hospital remains incomplete , and non-governmental organizations struggle to make up for the state 's many deficiencies .
`` After the quake , we saw a big influx of trauma cases because there was an enormous number of injuries .
What we see today is that we had to reopen a trauma center but the injuries are not of the same origin -- unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured we see now are gunshot victims , '' said Sandra Lamarque , chief of mission for Doctors Without Borders in Haiti .
While failing to manage its physical reconstruction , Haiti has been gripped by a severe socio-political crisis that has partly overshadowed efforts at properly mourning the dead .
In the summer of 2018 , corruption scandals implicating current President Jovenel Moise and every post-quake government provoked a sharp backlash , mobilizing young protesters -- more than half the country is younger than 30 -- who live with little prospect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insecurity amid frequent clashes between armed gangs .
Anti-government demonstrations spread to cities across the country , paralyzing daily life from September to December of last year .
The state 's weaknesses , on display for the world to see after the earthquake , have only grown worse : National Assembly elections due in November were simply not held , meaning the mandate of the lower chamber expires Monday .
With no functioning legislature , President Moise , who is reviled not only by his political opponents but by a large part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ability to govern by decree .

Haiti on Sunday will remember the thousands who died in the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, as grief mixes with anger and bitterness over failed reconstruction efforts and continuing political instability.
Ten years after the January 12, 2010 earthquake, approximately 500,000 Haitians live in makeshift camps such as this one, as rebuilding efforts in the country remain incomplete.
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Over 35 agonizingly long seconds, a magnitude-7 quake transformed capital city Port-au-Prince and the nearby cities of Gressier, Leogane and Jacmel into dusty ruins, killing more than 200,000 and injuring some 300,000 others.
More than a million and a half Haitians were left homeless, leaving island authorities and the international humanitarian community with a colossal challenge in a country lacking either a land registry or building rules.
"It's a lost decade, totally lost," Haitian economist Kesner Pharel told AFP.
"The capital has not been rebuilt, but our poor governance is not the exclusive responsibility of the local authorities; at the international level we have not seen a mechanism for managing aid that would allow the country to benefit."
The billions of dollars promised by international donors in the weeks after the catastrophe seem to have vanished with little to show for them, fueling the bitterness of survivors who live today exposed to the same dangers as existed before the quake.
'Back to Square One'
"Ten years later, we see an even greater concentration of people in the metropolitan area," Pharel said. "If we were to have a quake of the same magnitude, the results would be the same, for there was no follow-up on most of the rebuilt homes.
"The country was never rebuilt, and we're back to Square One."
The quake destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, as well as administrative buildings and schools, not to mention 60 percent of Haiti's health-care system.
A decade later, the rebuilding of the country's main hospital remains incomplete, and non-governmental organizations struggle to make up for the state's many deficiencies.
"After the quake, we saw a big influx of trauma cases because there was an enormous number of injuries. What we see today is that we had to reopen a trauma center but the injuries are not of the same origin -- unfortunately, more than 50 percent of the injured we see now are gunshot victims," said Sandra Lamarque, chief of mission for Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.
Gripped by protest
While failing to manage its physical reconstruction, Haiti has been gripped by a severe socio-political crisis that has partly overshadowed efforts at properly mourning the dead.
In the summer of 2018, corruption scandals implicating current President Jovenel Moise and every post-quake government provoked a sharp backlash, mobilizing young protesters -- more than half the country is younger than 30 -- who live with little prospect for employment in a country marked by growing insecurity amid frequent clashes between armed gangs.
Anti-government demonstrations spread to cities across the country, paralyzing daily life from September to December of last year.
The state's weaknesses, on display for the world to see after the earthquake, have only grown worse: National Assembly elections due in November were simply not held, meaning the mandate of the lower chamber expires Monday.
With no functioning legislature, President Moise, who is reviled not only by his political opponents but by a large part of the civilian population, will now have the ability to govern by decree.
(AFP)
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