france24--2020-02-28--WHO upgrades global risk of coronavirus spread to maximum level

The UN health agency on Friday upgraded the global risk from the new coronavirus to its highest level , saying the continued increase in cases and countries affected was “ clearly of concern ” .
“ We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to very high at global level , ” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters .
“ We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities .
As long as that ’ s the case , we still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ The key to containing this virus is to break the chain of transmission , ” he said , emphasising the importance of individuals taking precautions to stop contagion .
“ Our greatest enemy is not the virus itself , it ’ s fear , rumours and stigma and our greatest assets are facts , reason and solidarity , ” he said .
Tedros also said more than 20 vaccines were in development globally and several treatments were in clinical trials with results expected “ in a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the WHO ’ s health emergencies programme , said it was “ unhelpful ” to ask if the outbreak could now be considered a pandemic .
If the WHO called it a pandemic “ we ’ re essentially accepting that every human on the planet will be exposed to that virus .
The data does not show that , ” he said .
“ If we don ’ t take action ... that may be a future that we have to experience , ” he said , adding that “ a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hands of ourselves ” .
( AFP )

The UN health agency on Friday upgraded the global risk from the new coronavirus to its highest level, saying the continued increase in cases and countries affected was “clearly of concern”.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gives a press conference on the situation regarding the COVID-19 at Geneva's WHO headquarters on February 24, 2020.
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“We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to very high at global level,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.
“We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities. As long as that’s the case, we still have a chance of containing this virus,” he said.
“The key to containing this virus is to break the chain of transmission,” he said, emphasising the importance of individuals taking precautions to stop contagion.
'Fear, rumours and stigma'
“Our greatest enemy is not the virus itself, it’s fear, rumours and stigma and our greatest assets are facts, reason and solidarity,” he said.
01:29
Tedros also said more than 20 vaccines were in development globally and several treatments were in clinical trials with results expected “in a few weeks”.
Michael Ryan, head of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said it was “unhelpful” to ask if the outbreak could now be considered a pandemic.
If the WHO called it a pandemic “we’re essentially accepting that every human on the planet will be exposed to that virus. The data does not show that,” he said.
“If we don’t take action... that may be a future that we have to experience,” he said, adding that “a lot of the future of this epidemic is in the hands of ourselves”.
EU health ministers to hold coronavirus meeting next Friday
EU health ministers will meet next Friday "to discuss measures related to the COVID19 outbreak," a European Commission spokesman announced Friday on Twitter.
The meeting was not previously scheduled.
The last such meeting on the issue took place two weeks ago with the ministers promising to coordinate over the spreading virus.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-02-28--Coronavirus: British man on quarantined cruise ship near Tokyo has died

A British man who was on board a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo has died , Japan ’ s health ministry said Friday .
The unidentified man ’ s death is the latest linked to infections on the Diamond Princess cruise ship , where more than 700 other people tested positive for the illness .
The ministry confirmed the man ’ s nationality and death on Friday without giving further details .
He is the first Briton to die from the illness and joins five Japanese nationals who also succumbed to the pathogen .
The death comes as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island of Hokkaido urged people to stay at home this weekend in a desperate effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak .
Governor Naomichi Suzuki issued an unprecedented call in a televised meeting of government executives asking locals to “ refrain from going out during the weekend ” to prevent further spread of the virus .
The region has seen at least 63 cases , including two deaths , accounting for more than a quarter of all infections in Japan excluding those on the Diamond Princess .
Suzuki ’ s plea came as Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools across the country to close , saying the coming weeks are “ crucial ” in containing infections .
Abe has also asked organisers to consider cancelling or postponing major gatherings , with a range of events from football matches to concerts already cancelled or rescheduled in recent days .
“ We have to prevent emergence of a new cluster of patients among children , ” he told parliament .
“ We made this decision because we regard it as our political responsibility.
” The government can not order schools to shut—a power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders voiced their surprise and mixed reactions at the abrupt announcement .
“ This is shocking news , ” Chiba city mayor Toshihito Kumagai posted on Twitter , saying a blanket schools closure could put pressure on working parents including medical and emergency professionals .
But some experts have recommended closures , with a key member of a government panel saying earlier that smaller-scale school closures had helped contain a flu outbreak in 2009 .
The steady spread of the virus in Japan has also fuelled speculation about whether Tokyo will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July as planned .
The virus has so far infected at least 210 people across the country .
‘ Really angry ’ Abe ’ s call for school closures affects primary schools , high schools and junior high , but nurseries and after-school clubs that also cater to children during holidays will stay open , raising questions about the effectiveness of the policy .
“ I ’ m really angry about this decision , which won ’ t do anything to protect children , ” one mother of two told AFP , speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company doesn ’ t offer teleworking , so I ’ m going to have to take days off , ” added another mother .
“ Financially , it ’ s very hard.
” Others were more understanding , with Miho Matsuno , a mother currently on maternity leave , saying measures to contain the infection were needed .
“ I think that we have to do the maximum possible , even if it seems excessive , ” she told AFP .
Disney closes parks The operator of Tokyo ’ s Disneyland and DisneySea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 million visitors a year—will be closed from Saturday until March 15 .
Universal Studios Japan also said it would close the park for two weeks .
But a state visit by China President Xi Jinping planned this spring will still go ahead , Japan ’ s foreign minister said .
He said the two countries were coordinating to ensure the “ once-in-a-decade event ” would be a success .
Japan ’ s government has also fielded criticism over its handling of the quarantined cruise ship .
Hundreds of passengers who tested negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 14-day quarantine on board , but several have since been diagnosed with the virus .
The Diamond Princess ’ s operator confirmed all passengers have now left the ship , while crew are still disembarking to enter a new quarantine .
( AFP )

A British man who was on board a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo has died, Japan’s health ministry said Friday.
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The unidentified man’s death is the latest linked to infections on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where more than 700 other people tested positive for the illness.
The ministry confirmed the man’s nationality and death on Friday without giving further details. He is the first Briton to die from the illness and joins five Japanese nationals who also succumbed to the pathogen.
The death comes as the governor of Japan’s rural northern island of Hokkaido urged people to stay at home this weekend in a desperate effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Governor Naomichi Suzuki issued an unprecedented call in a televised meeting of government executives asking locals to “refrain from going out during the weekend” to prevent further spread of the virus.
The region has seen at least 63 cases, including two deaths, accounting for more than a quarter of all infections in Japan excluding those on the Diamond Princess.
Suzuki’s plea came as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended his call for schools across the country to close, saying the coming weeks are “crucial” in containing infections.
Abe has also asked organisers to consider cancelling or postponing major gatherings, with a range of events from football matches to concerts already cancelled or rescheduled in recent days.
“We have to prevent emergence of a new cluster of patients among children,” he told parliament.
“We made this decision because we regard it as our political responsibility.”
The government cannot order schools to shut—a power that belongs to local education boards—and regional leaders voiced their surprise and mixed reactions at the abrupt announcement.
“This is shocking news,” Chiba city mayor Toshihito Kumagai posted on Twitter, saying a blanket schools closure could put pressure on working parents including medical and emergency professionals.
But some experts have recommended closures, with a key member of a government panel saying earlier that smaller-scale school closures had helped contain a flu outbreak in 2009.
The steady spread of the virus in Japan has also fuelled speculation about whether Tokyo will be able to safely host the summer Olympics from July as planned.
The virus has so far infected at least 210 people across the country.
‘Really angry’
Abe’s call for school closures affects primary schools, high schools and junior high, but nurseries and after-school clubs that also cater to children during holidays will stay open, raising questions about the effectiveness of the policy.
“I’m really angry about this decision, which won’t do anything to protect children,” one mother of two told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“My company doesn’t offer teleworking, so I’m going to have to take days off,” added another mother. “Financially, it’s very hard.”
Others were more understanding, with Miho Matsuno, a mother currently on maternity leave, saying measures to contain the infection were needed.
“I think that we have to do the maximum possible, even if it seems excessive,” she told AFP.
Disney closes parks
The operator of Tokyo’s Disneyland and DisneySea said the two parks—which attract more than 30 million visitors a year—will be closed from Saturday until March 15.
Universal Studios Japan also said it would close the park for two weeks.
But a state visit by China President Xi Jinping planned this spring will still go ahead, Japan’s foreign minister said.
He said the two countries were coordinating to ensure the “once-in-a-decade event” would be a success.
Japan’s government has also fielded criticism over its handling of the quarantined cruise ship.
Hundreds of passengers who tested negative were allowed to depart the vessel after the 14-day quarantine on board, but several have since been diagnosed with the virus.
The Diamond Princess’s operator confirmed all passengers have now left the ship, while crew are still disembarking to enter a new quarantine.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-28--Turkey says will not stop refugees from reaching Europe after troops killed in Syria

Syrian families fleeing with their belongings pass through the town of Dana in the northern countryside of Syria 's Idlib province , on February 5 , 2020 , on their way northwards toward the Turkish border amid an ongoing regime offensive .
Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe , a senior Turkish official said , as Ankara responded on Friday to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in an air strike by Syrian government forces in Syria ’ s northwestern Idlib region .
President Tayyip Erdogan chaired an emergency meeting on the attack in Ankara overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkish force commanders directed operations in Syria at the Turkish border , state-owned Anadolu news agency said .
Turkey has sent thousands of troops and heavy military hardware into Syria and Erdogan has warned that Turkey would launch a full-scale offensive to repel Syrian forces unless they pulled back from Turkish observation posts in the region .
The killing of 33 Turkish soldiers and wounding of 32 , announced by the governor in Turkey ’ s Hatay province bordering Syria , raised the Turkish military death toll in the region to 54 this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fahrettin Altun , said that in retaliation , “ all known ” Syrian government targets were being fired on by Turkish air and land support units .
Details of the retaliation were not immediately clear .
Some one million civilians have been displaced near the Turkish border since December as Russia-backed Syrian government forces seized territory from Turkey-backed Syrian rebels , marking the worst humanitarian crisis in the nine-year war .
In anticipation of the imminent arrival of refugees from Idlib , Turkish police , coastguard and border security officials have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land and sea crossings towards Europe , the Turkish official told Reuters .
“ We have decided , effectively immediately , not to stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe by land or sea , ” said the official , who requested anonymity .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday , though , said his country would tolerate no ‘ illegal entries ’ as hundreds of asylum-seekers gathered on the border with Turkey .
“ Significant numbers of migrants and refugees have gathered in large groups at the Greek-Turkish land border and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mitsotakis said in a tweet .
“ I want to be clear : no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated .
We are increasing our border security , ” he said .
“ All refugees , including Syrians , are now welcome to cross into the European Union.
” The threat to open the way for refugees to Europe would , if executed , reverse a pledge Turkey made to the European Union in 2016 and could quickly draw Western powers into the standoff over Idlib and stalled negotiations between Ankara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees “ is too heavy for any single country to carry ” , the official said .
Turkey hosts some 3.7 million Syrian refugees and has repeated it can not handle more .
Under the 2016 deal , the European Union has provided billions of euros in aid in return for Ankara agreeing to stem the influx of migrants into Europe .
Hatay Governor Rahmi Dogan said none of the Turkish troops wounded in Thursday ’ s air strike were in critical condition .
The US State Department said the United States was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkish soldiers .
“ We stand by our NATO ally Turkey and continue to call for an immediate end to this despicable offensive by the Assad regime , Russia , and Iranian-backed forces , ” a State Department representative said in a statement .
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced “ grave concern ” about the escalation in northwest Syria and reports that Turkish soldiers had been killed , and repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire , a spokesman said .
Erdogan and US President Donald Trump may hold a phone call to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers , two Turkish officials told Reuters .
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ’ s forces , supported by relentless Russian air strikes , have pushed hard in recent months to retake the last large rebel-held region in northwest Syria .
Turkey has been sending troops to back the rebels it supports against the offensive .
The war in Syria has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands .
As fighting raged along several fronts on Thursday , the United Nations said it was having “ catastrophic ” humanitarian consequences , with at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in February , and schools and hospitals destroyed .
Seven children were among 11 people killed when an air strike hit a school in northern Idlib on Tuesday , according to the United Nations .
Turkey has urged Europe to do more to ease the crisis in Idlib , and Erdogan said last year his government could “ open the gates ” for migrants to Europe if it failed to act .
The 2016 EU-Turkey accord aimed to help end the chaotic arrival of migrants and refugees , most of them fleeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Africa and Asia , after more than a million reached Europe in 2015 .
Under the agreement , migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean Sea illegally are sent back to Turkey .
But Ankara has said funding from Europe was slow to materialise and paltry next to the $ 40 billion it says it has spent .
Turkish and Russian officials held a third round of talks in Ankara on Thursday .
Two previous rounds did not yield a ceasefire deal .
Earlier on Thursday , Russian state television said Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to shoot down Russian and Syrian military aircraft over Idlib .
In Washington , the Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke to his Turkish counterpart on Thursday and they discussed Idlib and Libya .
“ We are exploring ways the United States can work together with Turkey and the international community , ” the Pentagon said of the call .

Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe, a senior Turkish official said, as Ankara responded on Friday to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in an air strike by Syrian government forces in Syria’s northwestern Idlib region.
Syrian families fleeing with their belongings pass through the town of Dana in the northern countryside of Syria's Idlib province, on February 5, 2020, on their way northwards toward the Turkish border amid an ongoing regime offensive.
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President Tayyip Erdogan chaired an emergency meeting on the attack in Ankara overnight, while Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Turkish force commanders directed operations in Syria at the Turkish border, state-owned Anadolu news agency said.
Turkey has sent thousands of troops and heavy military hardware into Syria and Erdogan has warned that Turkey would launch a full-scale offensive to repel Syrian forces unless they pulled back from Turkish observation posts in the region.
The killing of 33 Turkish soldiers and wounding of 32, announced by the governor in Turkey’s Hatay province bordering Syria, raised the Turkish military death toll in the region to 54 this month.
Turkey’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, said that in retaliation, “all known” Syrian government targets were being fired on by Turkish air and land support units.
Details of the retaliation were not immediately clear.
Some one million civilians have been displaced near the Turkish border since December as Russia-backed Syrian government forces seized territory from Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, marking the worst humanitarian crisis in the nine-year war.
The humanitarian situation in Idlib continues to deteriorate.
Close to 950,000 people are now displaced in NW Syria since 1 December 2019. pic.twitter.com/arBTeFZHXL — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) February 27, 2020
In anticipation of the imminent arrival of refugees from Idlib, Turkish police, coastguard and border security officials have been ordered to stand down on refugees’ land and sea crossings towards Europe, the Turkish official told Reuters.
“We have decided, effectively immediately, not to stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe by land or sea,” said the official, who requested anonymity.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday, though, said his country would tolerate no ‘illegal entries’ as hundreds of asylum-seekers gathered on the border with Turkey.
“Significant numbers of migrants and refugees have gathered in large groups at the Greek-Turkish land border and have attempted to enter the country illegally,” Mitsotakis said in a tweet.
“I want to be clear: no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated. We are increasing our border security,” he said.
“All refugees, including Syrians, are now welcome to cross into the European Union.”
‘Despicable offensive’
The threat to open the way for refugees to Europe would, if executed, reverse a pledge Turkey made to the European Union in 2016 and could quickly draw Western powers into the standoff over Idlib and stalled negotiations between Ankara and Moscow.
The burden of hosting refugees “is too heavy for any single country to carry”, the official said.
Turkey hosts some 3.7 million Syrian refugees and has repeated it cannot handle more. Under the 2016 deal, the European Union has provided billions of euros in aid in return for Ankara agreeing to stem the influx of migrants into Europe.
Hatay Governor Rahmi Dogan said none of the Turkish troops wounded in Thursday’s air strike were in critical condition.
The US State Department said the United States was very concerned about the reported attack on Turkish soldiers.
“We stand by our NATO ally Turkey and continue to call for an immediate end to this despicable offensive by the Assad regime, Russia, and Iranian-backed forces,” a State Department representative said in a statement.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced “grave concern” about the escalation in northwest Syria and reports that Turkish soldiers had been killed, and repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire, a spokesman said.
Erdogan and US President Donald Trump may hold a phone call to discuss Idlib after the attack on Turkish soldiers, two Turkish officials told Reuters.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, supported by relentless Russian air strikes, have pushed hard in recent months to retake the last large rebel-held region in northwest Syria.
Turkey has been sending troops to back the rebels it supports against the offensive.
The war in Syria has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands.
Migrant accord
As fighting raged along several fronts on Thursday, the United Nations said it was having “catastrophic” humanitarian consequences, with at least 134 civilians, including 44 children, killed in February, and schools and hospitals destroyed.
Seven children were among 11 people killed when an air strike hit a school in northern Idlib on Tuesday, according to the United Nations.
Turkey has urged Europe to do more to ease the crisis in Idlib, and Erdogan said last year his government could “open the gates” for migrants to Europe if it failed to act.
The 2016 EU-Turkey accord aimed to help end the chaotic arrival of migrants and refugees, most of them fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, after more than a million reached Europe in 2015.
Under the agreement, migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean Sea illegally are sent back to Turkey. But Ankara has said funding from Europe was slow to materialise and paltry next to the $40 billion it says it has spent.
Turkish and Russian officials held a third round of talks in Ankara on Thursday. Two previous rounds did not yield a ceasefire deal.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian state television said Turkish military specialists were using shoulder-fired missiles to try to shoot down Russian and Syrian military aircraft over Idlib.
In Washington, the Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke to his Turkish counterpart on Thursday and they discussed Idlib and Libya.
“We are exploring ways the United States can work together with Turkey and the international community,” the Pentagon said of the call.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-02-28--Iraq confronts coronavirus amid infrastructure concerns

While Iran has proven a hotspot for coronavirus infections with 388 reported cases and 34 deaths , the six confirmed @ @ @ @ @ pushed authorities to close schools and universities in that country amid concerns its healthcare infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ a full-scale outbreak .
The streets of Baghdad , the second most populated city in @ @ @ @ @ deserted amid fears over the new coronavirus .
Iraq has closed its border with Iran @ @ @ @ @ from the other countries most affected , and shuttered schools , universities , cinemas and @ @ @ @ @ 7 in a bid to contain its spread amid concerns the world is on the @ @ @ @ @ A country that , after decades of war and sanctions , has fewer than 10 @ @ @ @ @ to the World Health Organization , Iraq is not inclined to take any chances with @ @ @ @ @ comes from Ibrahim Saleh , FRANCE 24 ’ s correspondent in Iraq , with Emerald @ @ @ @ @ click on the video player above .

Special Report
While Iran has proven a hotspot for coronavirus infections with 388 reported cases and 34 deaths, the six confirmed cases in neighbouring Iraq have pushed authorities to close schools and universities in that country amid concerns its healthcare infrastructure is ill-prepared to deal with a full-scale outbreak.
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The streets of Baghdad, the second most populated city in the Arab world, are deserted amid fears over the new coronavirus. Iraq has closed its border with Iran, ban travel to and from the other countries most affected, and shuttered schools, universities, cinemas and cafés until at least March 7 in a bid to contain its spread amid concerns the world is on the brink of a pandemic. A country that, after decades of war and sanctions, has fewer than 10 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants according to the World Health Organization, Iraq is not inclined to take any chances with this coronavirus.
This report comes from Ibrahim Saleh, FRANCE 24’s correspondent in Iraq, with Emerald Maxwell. To watch, click on the video player above.
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france24--2020-02-28--Bahrain reforms the economy... but inequalities remain

Our reporters returned to Bahrain , nine years after the revolt that rocked the tiny Gulf country .
Today , the Bahrain Spring is just a distant memory and the monarchy responds to sporadic demonstrations with liberalism and economic development .
It is perhaps the forgotten revolution of the Arab Spring .
Bahrain is the smallest of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf , wedged between Saudi Arabia and Iran .
In February 2011 , in the aftermath of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt , thousands of people gathered in the centre of the capital Manama .
For several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus of the dispute as protesters demanded more democracy and social justice .
The repression was immediate and violent , as the army and police fired on the demonstrators .
Nine years on the Bahrain Spring appears just a distant memory .
The monument on Pearl roundabout , symbol of the revolution , was pulled down by the authorities .
King Hamad is still in power , and in the face of the demonstrations that still spring up sporadically , the monarchy responds to more liberal values and economic development .
Bahrain is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clubbing , finance and technology and Manama is now seen as a land of opportunity .
But gaping inequalities and deep social scars remain .
Our reporters Chloé Domat and Miyuki Droz Aramaki went to investigate in one of the most closed and secretive country in the region .

Our reporters returned to Bahrain, nine years after the revolt that rocked the tiny Gulf country. Today, the Bahrain Spring is just a distant memory and the monarchy responds to sporadic demonstrations with liberalism and economic development.
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It is perhaps the forgotten revolution of the Arab Spring. Bahrain is the smallest of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, wedged between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In February 2011, in the aftermath of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, thousands of people gathered in the centre of the capital Manama. For several weeks, the Pearl roundabout became the focus of the dispute as protesters demanded more democracy and social justice. The repression was immediate and violent, as the army and police fired on the demonstrators.
Nine years on the Bahrain Spring appears just a distant memory. The monument on Pearl roundabout, symbol of the revolution, was pulled down by the authorities. King Hamad is still in power, and in the face of the demonstrations that still spring up sporadically, the monarchy responds to more liberal values and economic development. Bahrain is indeed becoming the latest hot spot for clubbing, finance and technology and Manama is now seen as a land of opportunity. But gaping inequalities and deep social scars remain.
Our reporters Chloé Domat and Miyuki Droz Aramaki went to investigate in one of the most closed and secretive country in the region.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-28--Cameroon’s ruling party retains absolute majority after contentious election

President Paul Biya ’ s party has retained an absolute majority in Cameroon ’ s parliament , the constitutional council announced Friday after the controversial February 9 vote .
His Cameroon People ’ s Democratic Movement ( RDPC ) won 139 out of 167 declared seats on “ moderate ” turnout of almost 46 percent , said the council ’ s president , Clement Atangana .
Elections were cancelled in 13 other seats , in Cameroon ’ s troubled anglophone regions , and are to be held at a later date .
In the outgoing parliament , elected in 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atangana said an RDPC ally , the National Union for Democracy and Progress ( UNDP ) , won seven seats .
The biggest opposition party in the outgoing assembly , the Social Democratic Front , which had 18 seats in the outgoing assembly , has seen its share fall to just five .
Voting day in the Central African Republic was overshadowed by the crisis in two regions where anglophone separatists have declared independence from the majority French-speaking country .
Separatist fighters had called on people there to boycott the poll and issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the 29-month-old unrest .
Rights monitors say abuses have been committed by both sides .
Biya , 87 , who has ruled for 37 years , has ruled out demands by moderates for restoring Cameroon ’ s federal structure .
However , the government has lately decentralised some of its powers after a “ national dialogue ” on the anglophone crisis which was boycotted by the separatists .
The country ’ s Far North , a tongue-like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has meanwhile been battered by Boko Haram jihadists crossing from Nigeria .
( AFP )

President Paul Biya’s party has retained an absolute majority in Cameroon’s parliament, the constitutional council announced Friday after the controversial February 9 vote.
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His Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) won 139 out of 167 declared seats on “moderate” turnout of almost 46 percent, said the council’s president, Clement Atangana.
Elections were cancelled in 13 other seats, in Cameroon’s troubled anglophone regions, and are to be held at a later date.
In the outgoing parliament, elected in 2013, the RDPC had 148 seats.
Atangana said an RDPC ally, the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), won seven seats.
The biggest opposition party in the outgoing assembly, the Social Democratic Front, which had 18 seats in the outgoing assembly, has seen its share fall to just five.
Voting day in the Central African Republic was overshadowed by the crisis in two regions where anglophone separatists have declared independence from the majority French-speaking country.
Separatist fighters had called on people there to boycott the poll and issued threats to anyone who planned to vote.
More than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the 29-month-old unrest.
Rights monitors say abuses have been committed by both sides.
Biya, 87, who has ruled for 37 years, has ruled out demands by moderates for restoring Cameroon’s federal structure.
However, the government has lately decentralised some of its powers after a “national dialogue” on the anglophone crisis which was boycotted by the separatists.
The country’s Far North, a tongue-like region lying between Nigeria and Chad, has meanwhile been battered by Boko Haram jihadists crossing from Nigeria.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-28--Nigeria confirms first coronavirus case in Sub-Saharan Africa

An image of the coronavirus created by the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta , Georgia Nigeria on Friday announced @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa .
`` The case is an Italian citizen who @ @ @ @ @ from Milan , Italy to Lagos , Nigeria on the 25th of February 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement on Twitter .
`` The patient is clinically stable , with @ @ @ @ @ is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba , Lagos . ''
Prior @ @ @ @ @ , just two cases had surfaced across all of Africa -- in Egypt and in @ @ @ @ @ had puzzled health specialists , given the continent 's close economic ties with China .
@ @ @ @ @ earlier this week that African health systems were ill-equipped to respond to the deadly coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ proliferate on the continent .

Nigeria on Friday announced the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa.
An image of the coronavirus created by the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia
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"The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on the 25th of February 2020," Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said in a statement on Twitter.
The Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed a coronavirus(Covid-19) case in Lagos State Nigeria. The case which was confirmed on 27/02/2020 is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January 2020 @WHO @BBCWorld #CoronaVirusUpdates pic.twitter.com/uF79NYzvAz — Federal Ministry of Health, NIGERIA (@Fmohnigeria) February 27, 2020
"The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos."
Prior to the case in Nigeria, just two cases had surfaced across all of Africa -- in Egypt and in Algeria -- a tally that had puzzled health specialists, given the continent's close economic ties with China.
The World Health Organization warned earlier this week that African health systems were ill-equipped to respond to the deadly coronavirus outbreak should cases start to proliferate on the continent.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-27--Turkey hits 'all known' Syrian govt positions after soldiers killed in Idlib

The Turkish army retaliated with artillery fire at Syrian government targets in Syria after an airstrike killed at least 33 Turkish soldiers in the northwestern Idlib province , Turkish officials said on Friday .
The United Nations on Thursday ( New York time , GMT-4 ) called for urgent action in northwest Syria , warning that , `` the risk of greater escalation grows by the hour . ''
`` The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and expresses particular concern about the risk to civilians from escalating military actions , '' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour . ''
The UN statement came as Turkey announced that `` all known '' Syrian government targets were under fire by Turkish air and land support units , according to state-run Anadolu news agency , quoting Turkey 's communications director Fahrettin Altun on Friday .
Turkey has decided to `` respond in kind '' to the attack by the Syrian government , Altun added .
This announcement immediately after an air strike by Syrian regime forces against Turkish military in Idlib , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held an extraordinary meeting on the situation in Idlib at his presidential complex in Ankara , attended by ministers and military officials .
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by telephone , according to state-run Anadolu news agency .
Stoltenberg condemned the strikes , according to a spokesman , describing them as `` indiscriminate '' .
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , a local monitor , gave a higher death toll , claiming 34 Turkish soldiers were killed .
The deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Turkish forces in a single day since Ankara started sending thousands of troops into Idlib in recent weeks in a bid to halt an advance by Syrian forces and their Russian allies .
Russia and Turkey agreed in 2018 to create a demilitarised zone in Idlib in an accord that has since fallen through .
Fighting in the northwestern Syrian province has sent hundreds of thousands of displaced people towards the Turkish border .
Speaking in Washington , the US ambassador to NATO said Turkey should learn from clashes in Syria who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchase from Russia of a major missile defence system .
The Turks should see `` who is their reliable partner and who is n't '' , Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters .
`` They see what Russia is , they see what they 're doing now , and if they are attacking Turkish troops , then that should outweigh everything else that is happening between Turkey and Russia , '' she added .
US Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday called for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria 's Idlib and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killing of civilians there by Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran .
`` The world is sitting on its hands and watching the destruction of Idlib by Assad , Iran , and the Russians , '' Graham , a Republican and an ally of Trump , said in a statement .
`` I am confident if the world , led by the United States , pushed back against Iran , Russia , and Assad that they would stand down , paving the way for political negotiations to end this war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al-Assad 's forces have pushed hard in recent months to retake the last large rebel-held region in northwestern Syria after nine years of war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands .
( FRANCE 24 with AFP , REUTERS )

The Turkish army retaliated with artillery fire at Syrian government targets in Syria after an airstrike killed at least 33 Turkish soldiers in the northwestern Idlib province, Turkish officials said on Friday.
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The United Nations on Thursday (New York time, GMT-4) called for urgent action in northwest Syria, warning that, "the risk of greater escalation grows by the hour."
"The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and expresses particular concern about the risk to civilians from escalating military actions," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"Without urgent action, the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour."
'All known' targets
The UN statement came as Turkey announced that "all known" Syrian government targets were under fire by Turkish air and land support units, according to state-run Anadolu news agency, quoting Turkey's communications director Fahrettin Altun on Friday. Turkey has decided to "respond in kind" to the attack by the Syrian government, Altun added.
This announcement immediately after an air strike by Syrian regime forces against Turkish military in Idlib, as reported by Anadolu.
Turkish officials gave a death toll of 33.
01:36
After the attack, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held an extraordinary meeting on the situation in Idlib at his presidential complex in Ankara, attended by ministers and military officials.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by telephone, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.
Stoltenberg condemned the strikes, according to a spokesman, describing them as "indiscriminate".
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a local monitor, gave a higher death toll, claiming 34 Turkish soldiers were killed.
The deaths are the largest number of fatalities suffered by Turkish forces in a single day since Ankara started sending thousands of troops into Idlib in recent weeks in a bid to halt an advance by Syrian forces and their Russian allies.
01:04
Russia and Turkey agreed in 2018 to create a demilitarised zone in Idlib in an accord that has since fallen through. Fighting in the northwestern Syrian province has sent hundreds of thousands of displaced people towards the Turkish border.
Speaking in Washington, the US ambassador to NATO said Turkey should learn from clashes in Syria who its true friends are and drop its purchase from Russia of a major missile defence system.
The Turks should see "who is their reliable partner and who isn't", Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters.
"They see what Russia is, they see what they're doing now, and if they are attacking Turkish troops, then that should outweigh everything else that is happening between Turkey and Russia," she added.
No-fly zone
US Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday called for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria's Idlib and called on President Donald Trump to help stop the killing of civilians there by Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran.
01:10
"The world is sitting on its hands and watching the destruction of Idlib by Assad, Iran, and the Russians," Graham, a Republican and an ally of Trump, said in a statement. "I am confident if the world, led by the United States, pushed back against Iran, Russia, and Assad that they would stand down, paving the way for political negotiations to end this war in Syria."
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have pushed hard in recent months to retake the last large rebel-held region in northwestern Syria after nine years of war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-28--Week in Review: France's former PM goes on trial, Earth's changing pole and the Paris Agriculture Fa

Week in Review: France's former PM goes on trial, Earth's changing pole and the Paris Agriculture Fair

This week FRANCE 24 visited the Paris Agriculture Fair ( Salon de l'agriculture ) – a must-do for French politicians from across the spectrum – as a former prime minister went on trial over hiring his relatives .
We also take a look at Al Pacino 's small-screen debut as a Nazi hunter and learn how the magnetic north pole is moving faster than ever before , potentially affecting GPS systems .
ARTICLES France ’ s former PM François Fillon goes on trial over ‘ fake jobs ’ scandal France ’ s disgraced conservative former prime minister François Fillon goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dubbed PenelopeGate after his wife , who was paid handsomely for work as her husband ’ s parliamentary assistant that she allegedly never performed .
The scandal sunk Fillon ’ s 2017 presidential bid .
In India , a Trump-Modi bromance with personal business and electability topping the agenda US President Donald Trump ’ s two-day visit to India may be a matter of pageantry over policy , but it served the domestic agendas of both leaders and , more importantly , the interests of Trump ’ s family business and Modi ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America .
Paris Agriculture Fair : Where cows , pigs and politicians strut their stuff It ’ s the event of the year for animal-lovers in Paris and for farmers from all over France .
The Paris Agriculture Fair ( Salon International de l ’ Agriculture ) opened to the public on Saturday , to showcase cows , goats , pigs , chickens and… France ’ s leading politicians .
In pictures : Cows steal the show at the Paris Agriculture Fair The biggest farm in France descended on the French capital on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stars of the show .
The Paris Agriculture Fair , or Le Salon International de l ’ Agriculture , runs from February 22 to March 1 at Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles .
Hosni Mubarak : the Egyptian strongman ’ s life in pictures Former Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak , who died Tuesday at age 91 , will be laid to rest on Wednesday .
Mubarak , who ruled with an iron fist for 30 years until his 2011 ouster , was dubbed the Pharaoh at the height of his power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legacy .
‘ In Iran there are no differences between fundamentalists and reformists ’ Shaparak Shajarizadeh is an Iranian activist and co-author of `` Freedom is not a crime '' .
She relates how she got “ fed up with living a lie ” and decided to take off her veil in Iran as an act of civil disobedience .
Detained three times , she tells she faced “ the most horrible things in the world ” during interrogations .
She warns about the violation of human rights that have been “ worsening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hopes raised by the so-called reformists over the last few years .
Film critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about the week ’ s film news including two true stories : `` Richard Jewell '' by Clint Eastwood , about the security guard who was wrongly suspected in the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing .
Then , Todd Haynes ' new movie `` Dark Waters , '' in which a corporate lawyer switches from defending chemical polluters to defending their victims .
Dheepthika Laurent and Olivia Salazar-Winspear discuss what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in TV series .
Al Pacino makes his small-screen debut in the Nazi-slayer drama `` Hunters '' on Amazon Prime Video .
Netflix releases its first African original series , `` Queen Sono '' and eyes a market with huge potential .
Here in France , the hugely popular political drama `` Baron Noir '' begins its third season .
And in our round-up of shows not to miss : a millennial reboot of `` High Fidelity '' , LatinX comedy `` Gentefied '' and critically acclaimed series `` Homeland '' ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Vosges region FRANCE 24 takes you to discover France 's eastern Vosges region .
Each morning at dawn , the peaks of the Vosges mountains reappear through the mist .
The famous Ridge Route can also be made out in the first rays of sun .
On this road , created during World War I , we discover a multitude of landscapes characteristic of the region .
At 1,200 metres above sea level , arnica flowers grow .
The plant , well-known for its healing properties , is known locally as `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The ins and outs of France 's generous social safety net France is famous for its generous social safety net .
It ’ s been said the country is a paradise inhabited by people who think they ’ re in hell .
Critics say it ’ s a byzantine ball and chain for the economy that ’ s financially unsustainable in the long run while defenders say it 's a treasured jewel that needs protecting .
Just how good are benefits in France ?
What do the French think about it ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill ?
In this episode of French Connections Plus , Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot explore the hot button issue of France ’ s social safety net .
An agriculture revolution : the farms of the future As the annual Paris Agriculture Fair gets under way , we tell you more about the farms of the future – whether they 're in containers in urban areas or at the bottom of the sea .
After Gomorrah : The Naples housing estate hoping to erase its mafia past A symbol of the power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' buildings in the Scampia neighbourhood are to be demolished .
A way for the southern Italian city to put its mafia past behind it , as FRANCE 24 's team reports .
Earth 's changing pole position The magnetic north pole is moving faster and further than before .
Generated over three thousand kilometers beneath the surface of the earth , changes there can impact our GPS systems .
Geomagnetic field modeler for the British Geological Survey Dr William James Brown tells us about the movement and how we can adapt to @ @

WEEK IN REVIEW
This week FRANCE 24 visited the Paris Agriculture Fair (Salon de l'agriculture) – a must-do for French politicians from across the spectrum – as a former prime minister went on trial over hiring his relatives. We also take a look at Al Pacino's small-screen debut as a Nazi hunter and learn how the magnetic north pole is moving faster than ever before, potentially affecting GPS systems.
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ARTICLES
France’s former PM François Fillon goes on trial over ‘fake jobs’ scandal
France’s disgraced conservative former prime minister François Fillon goes on trial Wednesday over the fake-jobs scandal dubbed PenelopeGate after his wife, who was paid handsomely for work as her husband’s parliamentary assistant that she allegedly never performed. The scandal sunk Fillon’s 2017 presidential bid.
In India, a Trump-Modi bromance with personal business and electability topping the agenda
US President Donald Trump’s two-day visit to India may be a matter of pageantry over policy, but it served the domestic agendas of both leaders and, more importantly, the interests of Trump’s family business and Modi’s backers among the Indian diaspora in America.
Paris Agriculture Fair: Where cows, pigs and politicians strut their stuff
It’s the event of the year for animal-lovers in Paris and for farmers from all over France. The Paris Agriculture Fair (Salon International de l’Agriculture) opened to the public on Saturday, to showcase cows, goats, pigs, chickens and… France’s leading politicians.
Cows at the Salon de l'Agriculture in Paris. © Pierre René-Worms, France Médias Monde
SLIDESHOWS
In pictures: Cows steal the show at the Paris Agriculture Fair
The biggest farm in France descended on the French capital on Saturday and once again the cows are the stars of the show. The Paris Agriculture Fair, or Le Salon International de l’Agriculture, runs from February 22 to March 1 at Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles.
Hosni Mubarak: the Egyptian strongman’s life in pictures
Former Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak, who died Tuesday at age 91, will be laid to rest on Wednesday. Mubarak, who ruled with an iron fist for 30 years until his 2011 ouster, was dubbed the Pharaoh at the height of his power, but he leaves behind a mixed legacy.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak delivers an address at the Police Academy in Cairo on January 24, 1985. © Reuters
TV SHOWS ONLINE
THE INTERVIEW
‘In Iran there are no differences between fundamentalists and reformists’
Shaparak Shajarizadeh is an Iranian activist and co-author of "Freedom is not a crime". She relates how she got “fed up with living a lie” and decided to take off her veil in Iran as an act of civil disobedience. Detained three times, she tells she faced “the most horrible things in the world” during interrogations. She warns about the violation of human rights that have been “worsening” in her country, in spite of the hopes raised by the so-called reformists over the last few years.
Shaparak Shajarizadeh © FRANCE 24
ENCORE
Clint Eastwood’s cautionary tale about a security guard turned terror suspect
Film critic Lisa Nesselson speaks to Eve Jackson about the week’s film news including two true stories: "Richard Jewell" by Clint Eastwood, about the security guard who was wrongly suspected in the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing. Then, Todd Haynes' new movie "Dark Waters," in which a corporate lawyer switches from defending chemical polluters to defending their victims.
TV series show: Al Pacino makes small screen debut in Nazi-hunter drama
Dheepthika Laurent and Olivia Salazar-Winspear discuss what’s shaping up to be a big month in TV series. Al Pacino makes his small-screen debut in the Nazi-slayer drama "Hunters" on Amazon Prime Video. Netflix releases its first African original series, "Queen Sono" and eyes a market with huge potential. Here in France, the hugely popular political drama "Baron Noir" begins its third season. And in our round-up of shows not to miss: a millennial reboot of "High Fidelity", LatinX comedy "Gentefied" and critically acclaimed series "Homeland"’s final season.
Al Pacino © France 24 screen grab
YOU ARE HERE
The treasures of France's Vosges region
FRANCE 24 takes you to discover France's eastern Vosges region. Each morning at dawn, the peaks of the Vosges mountains reappear through the mist. The famous Ridge Route can also be made out in the first rays of sun. On this road, created during World War I, we discover a multitude of landscapes characteristic of the region. At 1,200 metres above sea level, arnica flowers grow. The plant, well-known for its healing properties, is known locally as "Vosges gold".
Treasures of the Vosges © France 24 screen grab
FRENCH CONNECTIONS
Loved or loathed? The ins and outs of France's generous social safety net
France is famous for its generous social safety net. It’s been said the country is a paradise inhabited by people who think they’re in hell. Critics say it’s a byzantine ball and chain for the economy that’s financially unsustainable in the long run while defenders say it's a treasured jewel that needs protecting. Just how good are benefits in France? What do the French think about it? And who ends up footing the massive bill? In this episode of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot explore the hot button issue of France’s social safety net.
FRENCH CONNECTIONS © France 24
TECH24
An agriculture revolution: the farms of the future
As the annual Paris Agriculture Fair gets under way, we tell you more about the farms of the future – whether they're in containers in urban areas or at the bottom of the sea.
Farms of the Future/Tech24 © France 24 screen grab
REPORTERS
After Gomorrah: The Naples housing estate hoping to erase its mafia past
A symbol of the power of the Neapolitan mafia, the "Vele" buildings in the Scampia neighbourhood are to be demolished. A way for the southern Italian city to put its mafia past behind it, as FRANCE 24's team reports.
Reporters © Davide Cerullo
PERSPECTIVE
Earth's changing pole position
The magnetic north pole is moving faster and further than before. Generated over three thousand kilometers beneath the surface of the earth, changes there can impact our GPS systems. Geomagnetic field modeler for the British Geological Survey Dr William James Brown tells us about the movement and how we can adapt to it.
Perspective © France 24 screen grab
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france24--2020-02-28--Volkswagen strikes 'dieselgate' compensation deal with German consumers

An important chapter in Volkswagen 's years-long `` dieselgate '' emissions cheating saga appeared headed for a close Friday , as the German car giant agreed a compensation deal with domestic consumer groups .
VW and German consumer federation VZBV reached a `` comprehensive agreement '' in a first-of-its-kind collective lawsuit brought by around 400,000 diesel car drivers , the Brunswick higher state court said .
The mass lawsuit is one of the biggest legal hangovers from VW 's 2015 admission to fitting 11 million vehicles worldwide with software to make the engines appear less polluting in regulatory tests than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VZBV said it would reveal details of the agreement at a 1:00 pm ( 1200 GMT ) press conference .
Under German law , plaintiffs have a month to decide whether to accept the settlement offer after its approval by judges .
If fewer than 30 percent of them reject the deal , it will go ahead .
Friday 's announcement follows just two weeks after the two sides fell out in public after agreeing in principle on 830 million euros ( $ 916.3 million ) in payouts for German diesel car drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks failed because of `` disproportionate '' fee demands from VZBV 's lawyers .
But the consumer group said the money was needed to set up `` a transparent , trustworthy and secure system '' to actually pay out the cash .
Aside from the 400,000 diesel owners in the VZBV 's grouped proceeding , around 70,000 individuals have open claims against VW .
In May , one individual 's case will be heard at Germany 's top administrative court , a ruling which could have influenced the outcome of the settlement talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheating has cost VW more than 30 billion euros worldwide in legal costs , fines and compensation , most of it in the United States .
While American diesel buyers enjoyed generous buy-back and compensation schemes , German drivers have so far gone uncompensated for the impact of the scandal , which has since spread to other carmakers .
In an online announcement after talks broke down earlier this month , VW said it was ready to pay out between 1,350 and 6,257 euros per vehicle , depending on model and age .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been purchased before Jan 1 , 2016 , with the buyer a German resident and still in possession of the car .
Beyond compensation , VW appears to have got off comparatively lightly in fines levied in Germany .
The Wolfsburg-based group and subsidiaries Audi and Porsche paid a total of 2.3 billion euros in fines in the group 's home country .
Beyond the actual owners of VW cars manipulated in `` dieselgate , '' investors are also pursuing VW for billions , hoping to recoup the financial harm they suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scandal broke .
While the group has long since returned to profitability , it is making massive investments in electric mobility and automated driving in an attempt to catch up to a head start enjoyed by foreign competitors like Tesla .
In the coming years , VW , its subsidiaries and other German carmakers plan a slew of electric models , looking to polish their green credentials and avoid falling foul of harsh EU fines for excessive greenhouse emissions .

An important chapter in Volkswagen's years-long "dieselgate" emissions cheating saga appeared headed for a close Friday, as the German car giant agreed a compensation deal with domestic consumer groups.
Advertising Read more
VW and German consumer federation VZBV reached a "comprehensive agreement" in a first-of-its-kind collective lawsuit brought by around 400,000 diesel car drivers, the Brunswick higher state court said.
The mass lawsuit is one of the biggest legal hangovers from VW's 2015 admission to fitting 11 million vehicles worldwide with software to make the engines appear less polluting in regulatory tests than in real driving conditions.
Consumer federation VZBV said it would reveal details of the agreement at a 1:00 pm (1200 GMT) press conference.
Under German law, plaintiffs have a month to decide whether to accept the settlement offer after its approval by judges.
If fewer than 30 percent of them reject the deal, it will go ahead.
Friday's announcement follows just two weeks after the two sides fell out in public after agreeing in principle on 830 million euros ($916.3 million) in payouts for German diesel car drivers.
VW said at the time the talks failed because of "disproportionate" fee demands from VZBV's lawyers.
But the consumer group said the money was needed to set up "a transparent, trustworthy and secure system" to actually pay out the cash.
Aside from the 400,000 diesel owners in the VZBV's grouped proceeding, around 70,000 individuals have open claims against VW.
In May, one individual's case will be heard at Germany's top administrative court, a ruling which could have influenced the outcome of the settlement talks.
30 billion euro scandal
So far the fallout from diesel cheating has cost VW more than 30 billion euros worldwide in legal costs, fines and compensation, most of it in the United States.
While American diesel buyers enjoyed generous buy-back and compensation schemes, German drivers have so far gone uncompensated for the impact of the scandal, which has since spread to other carmakers.
In an online announcement after talks broke down earlier this month, VW said it was ready to pay out between 1,350 and 6,257 euros per vehicle, depending on model and age.
Its conditions were that cars had to have been purchased before Jan 1, 2016, with the buyer a German resident and still in possession of the car.
Beyond compensation, VW appears to have got off comparatively lightly in fines levied in Germany.
The Wolfsburg-based group and subsidiaries Audi and Porsche paid a total of 2.3 billion euros in fines in the group's home country.
Electric drive
Beyond the actual owners of VW cars manipulated in "dieselgate," investors are also pursuing VW for billions, hoping to recoup the financial harm they suffered when the group's shares plunged after the scandal broke.
While the group has long since returned to profitability, it is making massive investments in electric mobility and automated driving in an attempt to catch up to a head start enjoyed by foreign competitors like Tesla.
In the coming years, VW, its subsidiaries and other German carmakers plan a slew of electric models, looking to polish their green credentials and avoid falling foul of harsh EU fines for excessive greenhouse emissions.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-02-28--Did Chinese police really use a fishing net to arrest a man with a high fever?

A video showing Chinese police violently arresting a man said to be running a fever has been circulating on social media over the past few days .
Although the number of new cases of Covid-19 reported every day is dropping , the coronavirus continues to spread in China and authorities have been clamping down on the population in an attempt to thwart it .
This tense situation has led to rumours and misinformation spreading across social media .
We took a closer look to find out the truth behind this viral video – which turns out to be false .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ views on Twitter .
Most of the comments and captions are from people who think they are viewing a real arrest .
`` It ’ s going to end up like that in France , too , with mandatory screenings for coronavirus , ” tweeted one social media user .
`` Chinese people don ’ t mess around with someone suspected of having Covid-19 !
” tweeted another .
A French Twitter user reposted the Chinese video with this comment : `` This is what 's going to happen here in France with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A poster on YouTube added the caption : `` China Ai n't Playing Around With Anyone Suspected Of Having The Coronavirus ! ''
The video shows police officers stopping a car on a Chinese motorway , just after a toll booth .
A man walks up and takes the driver ’ s temperature and signals that it is abnormal .
Men wearing full protective gear tell the driver to stop so that they can carry out a full medical examination to make sure that he doesn ’ t have Covid-19 .
The driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restarts the car and tries to drive off .
He ’ s quickly stopped , however , when road spikes that could puncture his tyres pop up and a police van pulls up in front of him .
The driver gets out of his car angrily .
A police officer stops him in his tracks by throwing a fishing net over his head .
They then drag him out of the frame of the camera .
The police and the vehicle are then doused with some kind of liquid , probably a disinfectant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shorter version of the video was also posted online : Another Twitter user posted a short version of the video with the caption : `` # China Video shows that wearing masks is compulsory in certain cities , on pain of arrest '' .
However , the longer version of the video contains a detail that gives a massive clue about what is going on in the video .
At about 1 ’ 55 ” , you can see a sign that some of the police officers are standing by .
It says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below that , it says `` anti-terrorism exercises '' in Chinese .
The entire scene was actually a training exercise being carried out by a Chinese SWAT team ( the officers in the video wear jackets printed with the SWAT symbol ) .
A clue as to where the video was filmed can be found in the car licence plate , which you can see clearly on two separate occasions .
The prefix 豫R indicates that the licence plate is from Nanyang , in Henan province .
If you search for the terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chinese on Weibo , the equivalent to Twitter in China , you come across several different posts featuring this video .
If you also search for the word “ prevention ” in Chinese , one of the first posts that pops up is one by the office of traffic management for the Chinese Ministry of Public Safety .
On February 23 , this office posted an excerpt of the video and explained that it showed a training exercise that had been organised on February 21 by police in the city of Tongbai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200 kilometres from Wuhan in Hubei province , the epicentre of the epidemic ) .
`` Extreme [ training ] exercise by police in Tongbai .
On February 21 , police in Tongbai took part in a simulation demonstrating how to prevent and control the epidemic .
During the epidemic , please cooperate with authorities specialised in preventing the spread of diseases during screenings , ” reads this Weibo post by the Chinese Ministry for Public Safety .
This video was first posted to social media by the Weibo account of the Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was posted on February 22 , the day after the training exercise .
Police forces in other towns also started sharing this video on social media with the same caption starting on February 23 .
`` Win the battle against the epidemic !
Public safety exercise carried out by police in Tongbai , ” reads the caption on the original posting of this video by the Office of Public Safety in Tongbai , Henan .
Police in the town of Changyi posted this on Weibo .
( Shangdong ) Police in the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hebei ) Conclusion : This video shows a training exercise , not a real arrest .
The SWAT team were practising what to do if anyone refuses to be examined during Covid-19 screenings .
Even though this video just shows a training exercise , there are regions in China where drivers must now answer a health questionnaire before continuing on their journey .
They are then given a QR code , which must be scanned in order to pass through tolls .
Article written by Marie Genries

China
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A video showing Chinese police violently arresting a man said to be running a fever has been circulating on social media over the past few days. Although the number of new cases of Covid-19 reported every day is dropping, the coronavirus continues to spread in China and authorities have been clamping down on the population in an attempt to thwart it. This tense situation has led to rumours and misinformation spreading across social media. We took a closer look to find out the truth behind this viral video – which turns out to be false.
The video has garnered close to 100,000 views on Twitter. Most of the comments and captions are from people who think they are viewing a real arrest.
"It’s going to end up like that in France, too, with mandatory screenings for coronavirus,” tweeted one social media user. "Chinese people don’t mess around with someone suspected of having Covid-19!” tweeted another.
Ca va se terminer comme ça en france avec les controle pour le #coronavirus ???? ⤵ pic.twitter.com/tZmub4sgEW ???? Abi_Soumayya ???? (@SoumayyaY) February 24, 2020
A French Twitter user reposted the Chinese video with this comment: "This is what's going to happen here in France with checks for the #coronavirus."
A poster on YouTube added the caption: "China Ain't Playing Around With Anyone Suspected Of Having The Coronavirus!"
The video shows police officers stopping a car on a Chinese motorway, just after a toll booth. A man walks up and takes the driver’s temperature and signals that it is abnormal. Men wearing full protective gear tell the driver to stop so that they can carry out a full medical examination to make sure that he doesn’t have Covid-19. The driver refuses to comply and, instead, restarts the car and tries to drive off. He’s quickly stopped, however, when road spikes that could puncture his tyres pop up and a police van pulls up in front of him.
The driver gets out of his car angrily. A police officer stops him in his tracks by throwing a fishing net over his head. They then drag him out of the frame of the camera. The police and the vehicle are then doused with some kind of liquid, probably a disinfectant, to prevent any contamination.
A shorter version of the video was also posted online:
Another Twitter user posted a short version of the video with the caption: "#China Video shows that wearing masks is compulsory in certain cities, on pain of arrest".
A police training exercise
However, the longer version of the video contains a detail that gives a massive clue about what is going on in the video. At about 1’55”, you can see a sign that some of the police officers are standing by. It says “Exercises” in English and, below that, it says "anti-terrorism exercises" in Chinese. The entire scene was actually a training exercise being carried out by a Chinese SWAT team (the officers in the video wear jackets printed with the SWAT symbol).
A clue as to where the video was filmed can be found in the car licence plate, which you can see clearly on two separate occasions.
The prefix 豫R indicates that the licence plate is from Nanyang, in Henan province.
If you search for the terms “exercise” and “epidemic” in Chinese on Weibo, the equivalent to Twitter in China, you come across several different posts featuring this video. If you also search for the word “prevention” in Chinese, one of the first posts that pops up is one by the office of traffic management for the Chinese Ministry of Public Safety. On February 23, this office posted an excerpt of the video and explained that it showed a training exercise that had been organised on February 21 by police in the city of Tongbai, in Henan province (located about 200 kilometres from Wuhan in Hubei province, the epicentre of the epidemic).
"Extreme [training] exercise by police in Tongbai. On February 21, police in Tongbai took part in a simulation demonstrating how to prevent and control the epidemic. During the epidemic, please cooperate with authorities specialised in preventing the spread of diseases during screenings,” reads this Weibo post by the Chinese Ministry for Public Safety.
This video was first posted to social media by the Weibo account of the Office of Public Safety in Tongbai. It was posted on February 22, the day after the training exercise. Police forces in other towns also started sharing this video on social media with the same caption starting on February 23.
"Win the battle against the epidemic! Public safety exercise carried out by police in Tongbai,” reads the caption on the original posting of this video by the Office of Public Safety in Tongbai, Henan.
Police in the town of Changyi posted this on Weibo. (Shangdong)
Police in the town of Tianjin posted this on Weibo (Hebei)
Conclusion: This video shows a training exercise, not a real arrest. The SWAT team were practising what to do if anyone refuses to be examined during Covid-19 screenings.
Even though this video just shows a training exercise, there are regions in China where drivers must now answer a health questionnaire before continuing on their journey. They are then given a QR code, which must be scanned in order to pass through tolls.
Article written by Marie Genries


france24--2020-02-28--Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested over pro-democracy march

Media mogul and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying leaves from a police station after being arrested for illegal assembly during the anti-government protests in Hong Kong , China , on February 28 , 2020 .
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai , a high profile critic of Beijing , was arrested Friday for taking part in last year ’ s pro-democracy protests that rocked the city for seven months .
The 72-year-old owner of the Apple Daily newspaper is accused of joining a rally on August 31 that had been banned by police for security reasons .
Lai was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists Lee Cheuk Yan and Yeung Sum , police said .
The trio could be jailed for up to five years if convicted of taking part in an “ unauthorised assembly ” .
They are due to appear in court on May 5 .
Tens of thousands of protesters defied the police ban on the demonstration marking the anniversary of Beijing ’ s rejection of a call for universal suffrage for Hong Kong that sparked the 2014 “ Umbrella Movement ” .
Some gathered in the name of a religious procession—which does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shopping .
In a separate charge , Lai is accused of intimidating a reporter in 2018 during a vigil for the victims of China ’ s bloody Tiananmen crackdown on June 4 , 1989 .
Hong Kong was rocked by huge and sometimes violent street protests last year sparked by a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland .
They soon morphed into a wider movement calling for greater freedoms in what is the most concerted challenge to Beijing ’ s rule since the former British colony ’ s 1997 handover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died down , partly due to exhaustion and arrests but also because of the emergence of the deadly new coronavirus .
China and Hong Kong leaders have refused to accede to the protesters ’ demands , which include fully free elections in the city , an inquiry into alleged police misconduct , and amnesty for the nearly 7,000 people arrested during the movement—nearly a third of them under the age of 20 .

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, a high profile critic of Beijing, was arrested Friday for taking part in last year’s pro-democracy protests that rocked the city for seven months.
Media mogul and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying leaves from a police station after being arrested for illegal assembly during the anti-government protests in Hong Kong, China, on February 28, 2020.
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The 72-year-old owner of the Apple Daily newspaper is accused of joining a rally on August 31 that had been banned by police for security reasons.
Lai was arrested and charged along with veteran pro-democracy activists Lee Cheuk Yan and Yeung Sum, police said.
The trio could be jailed for up to five years if convicted of taking part in an “unauthorised assembly”. They are due to appear in court on May 5.
Tens of thousands of protesters defied the police ban on the demonstration marking the anniversary of Beijing’s rejection of a call for universal suffrage for Hong Kong that sparked the 2014 “Umbrella Movement”.
Some gathered in the name of a religious procession—which does not require police approval—while others claimed they were shopping.
In a separate charge, Lai is accused of intimidating a reporter in 2018 during a vigil for the victims of China’s bloody Tiananmen crackdown on June 4, 1989.
Hong Kong was rocked by huge and sometimes violent street protests last year sparked by a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland.
They soon morphed into a wider movement calling for greater freedoms in what is the most concerted challenge to Beijing’s rule since the former British colony’s 1997 handover.
The rallies and clashes have since died down, partly due to exhaustion and arrests but also because of the emergence of the deadly new coronavirus.
China and Hong Kong leaders have refused to accede to the protesters’ demands, which include fully free elections in the city, an inquiry into alleged police misconduct, and amnesty for the nearly 7,000 people arrested during the movement—nearly a third of them under the age of 20.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-02-28--Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang handed 'unfair' eight-year doping ban

China 's top swimmer Sun Yang has vowed to appeal after being handed an eight-year ban on Friday for a dope test violation that would rule him out of the Tokyo Games .
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) earlier accepted an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency ( WADA ) against a decision by swimming body FINA to clear Sun of wrongdoing for his conduct during the 2018 test .
CAS said the eight-year ban was imposed because Sun already had an earlier anti-doping rule violation against him from 2014 .
`` This is unfair .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told Xinhua .
`` I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth . ''
Sun and members of the 28-year-old 's entourage had smashed vials containing blood samples taken at an out-of-competition test in September 2018 .
The Chinese is reigning world and Olympic champion in 200m freestyle and won two gold medals at the 2012 London Games and another at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 but is also a controversial figure in the sport .
At the Rio Games , Australian rival Mack Horton accused him of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At last year 's Gwangju world championships in South Korea , 400m freestyle silver medallist Horton refused to share a podium with Sun , who won the gold while competing under the shadow of the appeal .
The gesture drew applause from other swimmers but a warning from FINA .
The case has attracted huge interest in China , where Sun is currently training at the Zhejiang College of Sports in Hangzhou , and the swimming world .
Smashed samples A FINA report said Sun questioned the credentials of the testers before members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hammer .
Sun had argued during the CAS hearing , which was heard in public , that the testers failed to prove their identity and behaved in an unprofessional manner .
`` The CAS Panel unanimously determined , to its comfortable satisfaction , that the athlete violated Article 2.5 FINA DC ( Tampering with any part of Doping Control ) , '' the CAS statement said .
`` In particular , the Panel found that the personnel in charge of the doping control complied with all applicable requirements as set out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Investigation ) .
`` More specifically , the athlete failed to establish that he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forego the doping control when , in his opinion , the collection protocol was not in compliance with the ISTI . ''
The statement added that it was `` one thing , having provided a blood sample , to question the accreditation of the testing personnel while keeping the intact samples in the possession of the testing authorities .
`` It is quite another thing , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences , to act in such a way that results in destroying the sample containers , thereby eliminating any chance of testing the sample at a later stage . ''
Sun served a three-month doping suspension in 2014 for taking the stimulant trimetazidine , which he said took to treat a heart condition .
CAS ruled that his world championship results should stand because he passed dope tests before and after the aborted 2018 control .
There was also no evidence that the swimmer may have engaged in doping activity since then .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant result '' in a separate statement and said it was `` satisfied that justice in this case has been rendered . ''
Tens of thousands of Chinese flooded social media in support of Sun Yang following the verdict , stating it was `` cruel '' and `` unjust '' .
`` Foreigners are jealous .
It is really unfair to treat Sun Yang in this way .
Since when did competitive sports become villain sports , '' said one user called 'Lingering memories ' on microblogging website Weibo Corp. '' You must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know you are innocent .
Innocence is innocence and can not be slandered by them , '' said user 'Small Yita ' .
The Chinese Swimming Association said it deeply regretted the ruling and supported Sun in defending his interests , the ruling Communist Party 's official People 's Daily newspaper said .

China's top swimmer Sun Yang has vowed to appeal after being handed an eight-year ban on Friday for a dope test violation that would rule him out of the Tokyo Games.
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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) earlier accepted an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against a decision by swimming body FINA to clear Sun of wrongdoing for his conduct during the 2018 test.
CAS said the eight-year ban was imposed because Sun already had an earlier anti-doping rule violation against him from 2014. "This is unfair. I firmly believe in my innocence," he told Xinhua. "I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth."
Sun and members of the 28-year-old's entourage had smashed vials containing blood samples taken at an out-of-competition test in September 2018.
The Chinese is reigning world and Olympic champion in 200m freestyle and won two gold medals at the 2012 London Games and another at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 but is also a controversial figure in the sport.
At the Rio Games, Australian rival Mack Horton accused him of being a "drug cheat".
At last year's Gwangju world championships in South Korea, 400m freestyle silver medallist Horton refused to share a podium with Sun, who won the gold while competing under the shadow of the appeal.
The gesture drew applause from other swimmers but a warning from FINA.
The case has attracted huge interest in China, where Sun is currently training at the Zhejiang College of Sports in Hangzhou, and the swimming world.
Smashed samples
A FINA report said Sun questioned the credentials of the testers before members of his entourage smashed the vials with a hammer.
Sun had argued during the CAS hearing, which was heard in public, that the testers failed to prove their identity and behaved in an unprofessional manner.
"The CAS Panel unanimously determined, to its comfortable satisfaction, that the athlete violated Article 2.5 FINA DC (Tampering with any part of Doping Control)," the CAS statement said.
"In particular, the Panel found that the personnel in charge of the doping control complied with all applicable requirements as set out in the ISTI (International Standard for Testing and Investigation).
"More specifically, the athlete failed to establish that he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forego the doping control when, in his opinion, the collection protocol was not in compliance with the ISTI."
The statement added that it was "one thing, having provided a blood sample, to question the accreditation of the testing personnel while keeping the intact samples in the possession of the testing authorities.
"It is quite another thing, after lengthy exchanges and warnings as to the consequences, to act in such a way that results in destroying the sample containers, thereby eliminating any chance of testing the sample at a later stage."
Sun served a three-month doping suspension in 2014 for taking the stimulant trimetazidine, which he said took to treat a heart condition.
CAS ruled that his world championship results should stand because he passed dope tests before and after the aborted 2018 control.
There was also no evidence that the swimmer may have engaged in doping activity since then.
WADA welcomed the ruling as "a significant result" in a separate statement and said it was "satisfied that justice in this case has been rendered."
Tens of thousands of Chinese flooded social media in support of Sun Yang following the verdict, stating it was "cruel" and "unjust".
"Foreigners are jealous. It is really unfair to treat Sun Yang in this way. Since when did competitive sports become villain sports," said one user called 'Lingering memories' on microblogging website Weibo Corp.
"You must fight again and be prepared! You know you are innocent. Innocence is innocence and cannot be slandered by them," said user 'Small Yita'.
The Chinese Swimming Association said it deeply regretted the ruling and supported Sun in defending his interests, the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily newspaper said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-02-28--France summons Mali envoy in dispute over 'false' remarks about soldiers

French soldiers in the middle of a convoy of armoured vehicles at the start of Opération Barkhane in the region of Gourma , Mali , on March 27 , 2019 .
France on Thursday summoned Mali ’ s ambassador after dismissing as “ false ” and “ unacceptable ” his claims of rowdy behaviour by French soldiers helping the West African nation combat an Islamic insurgency .
Toumani Djime Diallo was summoned to the foreign ministry , where “ we expressed our indignation at his baseless and shocking remarks on behalf of an allied country in the fight against terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France has 5,100 soldiers in Operation Barkhane , a mission to roll back jihadism in Mali as well as Burkina Faso , Niger , Mauritania and Chad in the Sahel region of Africa .
But its presence has been criticised by some in the region , who balk at the prominent military role played by a former colonial power .
Mali later recalled Diallo to Bamako , a Malian source said .
Foreign Minister Tiebile Drame was dispatched to Paris “ to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The trip was decided today in response to the declarations over the last 24 hours , ” a Malian diplomatic source said .
The Paris envoy would return to Bamako on Friday , a source close to the Malian presidency said without giving further details .
On Wednesday , Diallo had complained to the French Senate of “ problems ” caused by what he said were French Foreign Legion soldiers deployed on Malian soil .
He pointed to “ excesses ” in the capital Bamako .
“ At times you see them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their bodies completely covered in tattoos , behaving in a way that does not correspond to the [ French ] army we know , ” Diallo said .
Making such allegations while French troops are risking their lives to protect citizens was “ indecent , ” Defence Minister Florence Parly ’ s office said in a statement sent to AFP .
“ Rather than channelling and spreading false accusations , we expect the ambassador of Mali to devote all his energy to implementing the Pau summit and achieving success for everyone , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meeting between France and its Sahel allies last month .
There were “ hardly any ” French soldiers stationed in Bamako , said the statement , adding the charges were “ unacceptable and indecent when France has resolutely committed itself to fighting terrorist groups that threaten the people of the Sahel.
” France ’ s deployment is by far the largest foreign contribution to the fight against extremists aligned with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group .
Last month , hundreds of people gathered in Bamako to protest against the presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Down with France , Barkhane must leave ” and “ France is a brake on our development.
” Such criticism has riled French officials , especially after 13 soldiers were killed in a helicopter collision in Mali while pursuing jihadist fighters—the deadliest toll for the French military in nearly four decades .
> > Read more : Mission impossible for France in the Sahel ?
Last month in Pau in southwest France , French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of five Sahel countries pledged to jointly bolster efforts against jihadists fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced “ foreign powers ” for stirring up anti-French sentiment amid reports that Russian paramilitary fighters were increasingly active in the Sahel .
And he has complained of a lack of “ clear political condemnation of anti-French feelings ” on the ground , saying he was loath to send soldiers to countries where their presence was not “ clearly wanted.
” Despite the French presence and a 13,000-member UN peacekeeping force in Mali dubbed MINUSMA , the conflict that erupted in the north of that country in 2012 has since spread to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thousands of civilians and hundreds of soldiers have been killed and more than a million people have been displaced .
France has lost 41 soldiers .

France on Thursday summoned Mali’s ambassador after dismissing as “false” and “unacceptable” his claims of rowdy behaviour by French soldiers helping the West African nation combat an Islamic insurgency.
French soldiers in the middle of a convoy of armoured vehicles at the start of Opération Barkhane in the region of Gourma, Mali, on March 27, 2019.
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Toumani Djime Diallo was summoned to the foreign ministry, where “we expressed our indignation at his baseless and shocking remarks on behalf of an allied country in the fight against terrorism,” the ministry told AFP.
France has 5,100 soldiers in Operation Barkhane, a mission to roll back jihadism in Mali as well as Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania and Chad in the Sahel region of Africa.
But its presence has been criticised by some in the region, who balk at the prominent military role played by a former colonial power.
Mali later recalled Diallo to Bamako, a Malian source said. Foreign Minister Tiebile Drame was dispatched to Paris “to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The trip was decided today in response to the declarations over the last 24 hours,” a Malian diplomatic source said.
The Paris envoy would return to Bamako on Friday, a source close to the Malian presidency said without giving further details.
‘Tongues wag’
On Wednesday, Diallo had complained to the French Senate of “problems” caused by what he said were French Foreign Legion soldiers deployed on Malian soil.
He pointed to “excesses” in the capital Bamako.
“At times you see them in the red-light districts of Bamako, their bodies completely covered in tattoos, behaving in a way that does not correspond to the [French] army we know,” Diallo said.
“It makes people afraid, it makes tongues wag.”
Making such allegations while French troops are risking their lives to protect citizens was “indecent,” Defence Minister Florence Parly’s office said in a statement sent to AFP.
“Rather than channelling and spreading false accusations, we expect the ambassador of Mali to devote all his energy to implementing the Pau summit and achieving success for everyone,” the statement added tartly, referring to a meeting between France and its Sahel allies last month.
‘Down with France’
There were “hardly any” French soldiers stationed in Bamako, said the statement, adding the charges were “unacceptable and indecent when France has resolutely committed itself to fighting terrorist groups that threaten the people of the Sahel.”
France’s deployment is by far the largest foreign contribution to the fight against extremists aligned with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Last month, hundreds of people gathered in Bamako to protest against the presence of French soldiers, holding aloft placards reading “Down with France, Barkhane must leave” and “France is a brake on our development.”
Such criticism has riled French officials, especially after 13 soldiers were killed in a helicopter collision in Mali while pursuing jihadist fighters—the deadliest toll for the French military in nearly four decades.
>> Read more: Mission impossible for France in the Sahel?
Last month in Pau in southwest France, French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of five Sahel countries pledged to jointly bolster efforts against jihadists fighting the increasingly deadly insurgency.
Macron has denounced “foreign powers” for stirring up anti-French sentiment amid reports that Russian paramilitary fighters were increasingly active in the Sahel.
And he has complained of a lack of “clear political condemnation of anti-French feelings” on the ground, saying he was loath to send soldiers to countries where their presence was not “clearly wanted.”
Despite the French presence and a 13,000-member UN peacekeeping force in Mali dubbed MINUSMA, the conflict that erupted in the north of that country in 2012 has since spread to its neighbours, especially Burkina Faso and Niger.
Thousands of civilians and hundreds of soldiers have been killed and more than a million people have been displaced. France has lost 41 soldiers.
(AFP)
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