france24--2020-07-03--New French PM Castex takes helm: 'I'm not here for limelight – I'm here for results'

Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe ( C-L ) and newly appointed Prime Minister Jean Castex ( C-R ) stand on the steps of the Matignon Hotel in Paris on July 3 , 2020 prior to the handover ceremony .
France 's new prime minister , Jean Castex , warned on Friday that the coronavirus pandemic was not over and an economic crisis was already making itself felt , as he took the helm of President Emmanuel Macron 's government .
`` The economic crisis is already here , '' Castex said , praising outgoing prime minister Édouard Philippe outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Castex earlier on Friday to launch a new phase of his presidency .
`` Priorities will therefore have to evolve , ways of working will have to be adapted .
We will have to unite the nation to fight this crisis that is setting in . ''
Castex also said he would continue the structural reforms undertaken by Philippe .
Before a small crowd outside the residence , the former prime minister said he was “ very happy ” to “ pass the torch ” to Castex , whom he described as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ firm hand ” that he thinks France needs .
The new prime minister was drawn from the right-wing opposition to Macron 's centrist party , and was totally unknown to most in France until now .
But Castex , a former top aide to ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy , has been in charge of the country 's progressive emergence from the coronavirus lockdown , a policy greeted as a relative success by experts .
`` Let 's be clear : I 'm not here to seek the limelight .
I 'm here to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what was effectively his introduction to the general public during a prime-time interview on TF1 .
He said he would present his political road map next week , and a wider cabinet overhaul is expected in the coming days .
Macron has promised a `` new course '' for France to deal with the crisis , which has plunged France into its worst recession since World War II and left millions of people facing unemployment .
The former investment banker , who swept to power in 2017 on pledges to radically reform France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 2022 re-election bid after months of protests and strikes that preceded the coronavirus outbreak .
While many analysts thought Macron would tack left or look farther afield for his new prime minister , Castex is a pure product of the French administrative elite , having attended the same ENA managerial university as Macron and Philippe .
`` We might have expected a political shift , but this is a technocrat , '' Christian Jacob , head of the conservative Les Républicains , told AFP , indicating that Castex would be cast out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Philippe has pushed through a series of Macron 's controversial overhauls that sparked massive strikes as well as the fierce `` yellow vest '' anti-government revolt .

France's new prime minister, Jean Castex, warned on Friday that the coronavirus pandemic was not over and an economic crisis was already making itself felt, as he took the helm of President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe (C-L) and newly appointed Prime Minister Jean Castex (C-R) stand on the steps of the Matignon Hotel in Paris on July 3, 2020 prior to the handover ceremony.
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"The economic crisis is already here," Castex said, praising outgoing prime minister Édouard Philippe outside the official premier's residence. Macron named Castex earlier on Friday to launch a new phase of his presidency.
"Priorities will therefore have to evolve, ways of working will have to be adapted. We will have to unite the nation to fight this crisis that is setting in."
Castex also said he would continue the structural reforms undertaken by Philippe.
Before a small crowd outside the residence, the former prime minister said he was “very happy” to “pass the torch” to Castex, whom he described as having the “open mind” and “firm hand” that he thinks France needs.
The new prime minister was drawn from the right-wing opposition to Macron's centrist party, and was totally unknown to most in France until now.
But Castex, a former top aide to ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, has been in charge of the country's progressive emergence from the coronavirus lockdown, a policy greeted as a relative success by experts.
"Let's be clear: I'm not here to seek the limelight. I'm here to get results," Castex said in what was effectively his introduction to the general public during a prime-time interview on TF1.
He said he would present his political road map next week, and a wider cabinet overhaul is expected in the coming days.
Macron has promised a "new course" for France to deal with the crisis, which has plunged France into its worst recession since World War II and left millions of people facing unemployment.
The former investment banker, who swept to power in 2017 on pledges to radically reform France, already has a wary eye on his 2022 re-election bid after months of protests and strikes that preceded the coronavirus outbreak.
While many analysts thought Macron would tack left or look farther afield for his new prime minister, Castex is a pure product of the French administrative elite, having attended the same ENA managerial university as Macron and Philippe.
"We might have expected a political shift, but this is a technocrat," Christian Jacob, head of the conservative Les Républicains, told AFP, indicating that Castex would be cast out of the party.
His nomination comes after Philippe has pushed through a series of Macron's controversial overhauls that sparked massive strikes as well as the fierce "yellow vest" anti-government revolt.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-07-03--Air France to cut 7,580 jobs at French flagship carrier and regional unit Hop!

An Air France plane is pictured on the tarmac at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris on April 30 , 2020 .
Air France confirmed plans to cut some 7,500 jobs including 1,000 at sister airline Hop !
on Friday , as staff protested over its response to the collapse in travel due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The French flag carrier , part of Franco-Dutch group Air France-KLM , said it had lost €15 million a day during the worst part of the crisis , which also saw its revenues plunge by 95 percent .
It did not see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a result , Air France plans to cut 6,560 or 16 percent of jobs at the main airline by the end of 2022 , more than 3,500 of which will come through natural departures , it said after union talks .
Another 1,020 jobs will go over the next three years at Hop !
, representing 42 percent of staff at the regional carrier based in the coastal city of Nantes , which has also been hit by job cuts at plane manufacturer Airbus .
The French government – which granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion ) in aid , including state-backed loans , to help it to survive – has urged the airline to avoid compulsory layoffs , though it has conceded Air France is `` on the edge ” .
`` A successful labour reorganisation is one where there are no forced departures , '' junior economy minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told Sud Radio on Friday .
In its statement , Air France said it would give priority to voluntary departures , early retirement and staff mobility .
It did not rule out compulsory redundancies , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of July , together with a plan for the wider Air France-KLM Group .
‘ This is not how I wanted to leave ’ Some 100 union members and employees , from cleaning staff to check-in assistants , demonstrated earlier outside the airline 's base at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris against plans to cut staff after receiving state aid to absorb the pandemic fallout .
`` It 's scandalous .
The government is putting in €7 billion and the company is destroying jobs , '' said 62-year-old Annick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the airline .
`` They 'll push me to retire but I wo n't get my maximum pension this way .
And this is not how I wanted to leave.
” In Nantes , where Hop !
is based , employees also erected banners in protest on Friday .
The shake-up was expected after sources familiar with the matter said that at least half of the cuts were likely to entail voluntary departures and retirement plans .
The French government , which is being reshuffled under new Prime Minister Jean Castex , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to cut some 15,000 jobs across Europe – with a third of those in France .
A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines and industrial firms across Europe .
Under CEO Ben Smith , who joined from Air Canada in 2018 , Air France-KLM has sought to cut costs , improve French labour relations and overcome governance squabbles between France and the Netherlands , each owners of close to 14 percent of the group .

Air France confirmed plans to cut some 7,500 jobs including 1,000 at sister airline Hop! on Friday, as staff protested over its response to the collapse in travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.
An Air France plane is pictured on the tarmac at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris on April 30, 2020.
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The French flag carrier, part of Franco-Dutch group Air France-KLM, said it had lost €15 million a day during the worst part of the crisis, which also saw its revenues plunge by 95 percent. It did not see traffic returning to 2019 levels before 2024.
As a result, Air France plans to cut 6,560 or 16 percent of jobs at the main airline by the end of 2022, more than 3,500 of which will come through natural departures, it said after union talks.
Another 1,020 jobs will go over the next three years at Hop!, representing 42 percent of staff at the regional carrier based in the coastal city of Nantes, which has also been hit by job cuts at plane manufacturer Airbus.
The French government – which granted Air France €7 billion ($7.9 billion) in aid, including state-backed loans, to help it to survive – has urged the airline to avoid compulsory layoffs, though it has conceded Air France is "on the edge”.
"A successful labour reorganisation is one where there are no forced departures," junior economy minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told Sud Radio on Friday.
In its statement, Air France said it would give priority to voluntary departures, early retirement and staff mobility. It did not rule out compulsory redundancies, however.
The reconstruction plan will be presented at the end of July, together with a plan for the wider Air France-KLM Group.
‘This is not how I wanted to leave’
Some 100 union members and employees, from cleaning staff to check-in assistants, demonstrated earlier outside the airline's base at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris against plans to cut staff after receiving state aid to absorb the pandemic fallout.
Air France employees gather to protest a restructuring plan that includes thousands of job cuts in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis outside the French airline's headquarters in Roissy-en-France near Paris on July 3, 2020. The sign at right reads, "Not born to end up in the dumpster.” © Gonzalo Fuentes, Reuters
"It's scandalous. The government is putting in €7 billion and the company is destroying jobs," said 62-year-old Annick Blanchemin, who works as ground staff for the airline.
"They'll push me to retire but I won't get my maximum pension this way. And this is not how I wanted to leave.”
In Nantes, where Hop! is based, employees also erected banners in protest on Friday.
The shake-up was expected after sources familiar with the matter said that at least half of the cuts were likely to entail voluntary departures and retirement plans.
The French government, which is being reshuffled under new Prime Minister Jean Castex, has also expressed concerns about Airbus's plans to cut some 15,000 jobs across Europe – with a third of those in France.
A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines and industrial firms across Europe.
Under CEO Ben Smith, who joined from Air Canada in 2018, Air France-KLM has sought to cut costs, improve French labour relations and overcome governance squabbles between France and the Netherlands, each owners of close to 14 percent of the group.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-03--Prosecutors seek life term for French jihadist accused of Syria executions

A court sketch shows French jihadist Tyler Vilus at the start of his trial in Paris on June 25 , 2020 .
French prosecutors on Friday requested a life sentence on terror charges for jihadist Tyler Vilus , who is accused of overseeing executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State ( IS ) extremist group .
Vilus , 30 , is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group , heading a group of Islamic State ( IS ) group fighters and `` aggravated murder '' between 2013 and 2015 .
Public prosecutor Guillaume Michelin asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no possibility of parole for 22 years .
Michelin said Vilus `` has n't changed one bit '' since his time with the IS group .
`` All the steps in the accused 's journey are interlocked with the construction of the caliphate , '' said the prosecutor , referring to the Islamist-ruled area that the IS group wanted to carve out in Syria and Iraq .
`` It is your responsibility to put a definite end to the bloodshed , '' he told the court .
Investigators suspect Vilus of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immigrants ) brigade , a squadron that tortured and carried out summary executions , which he denies .
Vilus is also accused of supervising executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town Ash Shaddadi , close to the Iraqi border .
In a 2015 video published by the IS group 's propaganda outlet , a man alleged to be Vilus is two metres away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners — one belonging to the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bullet to the head .
In an interview with FRANCE 24 , sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar , an expert in radicalisation , described Vilus as a `` charismatic personality '' who became an `` emir '' , or general , of the IS group and was heavily involved in propaganda efforts to attract people to Syria .
Vilus was arrested at an Istanbul airport with a Swiss passport in July 2015 and was subsequently deported to France .
His arrest and trial are being seen as a major coup for the French security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have known many French jihadists in Syria .
Vilus has admitted to being in contact with the man French secret services believe is the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris , Abdelhamid Abaaoud .

French prosecutors on Friday requested a life sentence on terror charges for jihadist Tyler Vilus, who is accused of overseeing executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
A court sketch shows French jihadist Tyler Vilus at the start of his trial in Paris on June 25, 2020.
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Vilus, 30, is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group, heading a group of Islamic State (IS) group fighters and "aggravated murder" between 2013 and 2015.
Public prosecutor Guillaume Michelin asked the court for a life sentence, with no possibility of parole for 22 years.
Michelin said Vilus "hasn't changed one bit" since his time with the IS group.
"All the steps in the accused's journey are interlocked with the construction of the caliphate," said the prosecutor, referring to the Islamist-ruled area that the IS group wanted to carve out in Syria and Iraq.
"It is your responsibility to put a definite end to the bloodshed," he told the court.
Investigators suspect Vilus of being part of the "Al-Muhajireen" (the immigrants) brigade, a squadron that tortured and carried out summary executions, which he denies.
Vilus is also accused of supervising executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town Ash Shaddadi, close to the Iraqi border.
In a 2015 video published by the IS group's propaganda outlet, a man alleged to be Vilus is two metres away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners — one belonging to the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar al-Assad's army — are executed with a bullet to the head.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar, an expert in radicalisation, described Vilus as a "charismatic personality" who became an "emir", or general, of the IS group and was heavily involved in propaganda efforts to attract people to Syria.
Vilus was arrested at an Istanbul airport with a Swiss passport in July 2015 and was subsequently deported to France.
His arrest and trial are being seen as a major coup for the French security services, as Vilus is believed to have known many French jihadists in Syria.
Vilus has admitted to being in contact with the man French secret services believe is the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Abdelhamid Abaaoud.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-07-03--At least thirty villagers massacred in central Mali terror attacks

The Malian army has struggled to contain the violence involving jihadists and different ethnic groups .
Unidentified armed men massacred 31 civilians in simultaneous attacks on several Mali villages this week , then killed nine soldiers responding to the assault as violence surges in the country 's conflict-wracked centre .
An Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north of the vast West African country in 2012 has swept to its centre , inflaming ethnic tensions along the way .
Clashes between the ethnic communities of Fulani , nomadic herders , and Dogon traditional hunters have increased in recent months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence -- now launching attacks .
Armed uniformed men travelling in pick-up trucks attacked four Dogon villages on Wednesday , one local official said by telephone , speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons .
The attack left at least 30 dead , including women , children , and the elderly , while others were missing , the official added .
`` From 3 to 9 pm , nobody came to our rescue , '' said Youssouf Tiessogue , an elder from Gouari , one of the villages attacked .
Deploring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` It is always late and never confronts the bandits even if we tell them where they are . ''
Officials did not immediately blame any group .
A military unit was dispatched to the area , and helped bury 31 bodies on Wednesday , army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone told AFP .
On Thursday , the army received information about a new attack and sent the unit to Gouari , he said .
`` When it arrived at around 8 pm , the village seemed deserted , there were practically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Just at the entrance , the FAMa ( Malian Armed Forces ) walked into an ambush , '' he said , adding that nine soldiers were killed and two wounded .
The attacks were not far from the village of Ogossagou , where 31 civilians were killed in February and 160 were butchered last year -- all Fulani .
Unrest in central Mali has killed nearly 600 civilians this year , the United Nations said last month .
Mali 's war erupted in 2012 when Tuareg rebels supported by armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north .
The rebels were then outmanoeuvred by their Islamist allies and the French military intervened to force them back .
The conflict has since travelled south , as well as spilling into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger , igniting a tinderbox of ethnic resentment and stoking fears for the future of the fragile nation .
Armed groups coming from the north found fertile soil in an area riven by long-running land disputes , often between herders and farmers .
Central Mali is now prey to tit-for-tat killings and routine jihadist attacks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ displaced .
A jihadist group active in the region led by radical Fulani preacher Amadou Koufa has also increased suspicion of his ethnic group .
In response to jihadists , traditional Dogon hunters have formed so-called self-defence groups , adding to the tension .
More than 5,000 French troops , a regional G5 Sahel military cooperation deal and a UN peacekeeper mission in Mali have not been enough to contain the violence .

Unidentified armed men massacred 31 civilians in simultaneous attacks on several Mali villages this week, then killed nine soldiers responding to the assault as violence surges in the country's conflict-wracked centre.
The Malian army has struggled to contain the violence involving jihadists and different ethnic groups.
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An Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north of the vast West African country in 2012 has swept to its centre, inflaming ethnic tensions along the way.
Clashes between the ethnic communities of Fulani, nomadic herders, and Dogon traditional hunters have increased in recent months, with community-based militias -- initially formed for defence -- now launching attacks.
Armed uniformed men travelling in pick-up trucks attacked four Dogon villages on Wednesday, one local official said by telephone, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The attack left at least 30 dead, including women, children, and the elderly, while others were missing, the official added.
"From 3 to 9 pm, nobody came to our rescue," said Youssouf Tiessogue, an elder from Gouari, one of the villages attacked.
Deploring the army's "inaction," he said: "It is always late and never confronts the bandits even if we tell them where they are."
A senior government official called the attacks "barbaric".
Officials did not immediately blame any group.
A military unit was dispatched to the area, and helped bury 31 bodies on Wednesday, army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone told AFP.
On Thursday, the army received information about a new attack and sent the unit to Gouari, he said.
"When it arrived at around 8 pm, the village seemed deserted, there were practically no signs of life," he said.
"Just at the entrance, the FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) walked into an ambush," he said, adding that nine soldiers were killed and two wounded.
The attacks were not far from the village of Ogossagou, where 31 civilians were killed in February and 160 were butchered last year -- all Fulani.
Tit-for-tat killing
Unrest in central Mali has killed nearly 600 civilians this year, the United Nations said last month.
Mali's war erupted in 2012 when Tuareg rebels supported by armed Islamists took over the country's desert north.
The rebels were then outmanoeuvred by their Islamist allies and the French military intervened to force them back.
The conflict has since travelled south, as well as spilling into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, igniting a tinderbox of ethnic resentment and stoking fears for the future of the fragile nation.
Armed groups coming from the north found fertile soil in an area riven by long-running land disputes, often between herders and farmers.
Central Mali is now prey to tit-for-tat killings and routine jihadist attacks. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
A jihadist group active in the region led by radical Fulani preacher Amadou Koufa has also increased suspicion of his ethnic group.
In response to jihadists, traditional Dogon hunters have formed so-called self-defence groups, adding to the tension.
More than 5,000 French troops, a regional G5 Sahel military cooperation deal and a UN peacekeeper mission in Mali have not been enough to contain the violence.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-03--French court opens inquiry into former PM Philippe in handling of Covid crisis

Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe gives a speech during the handover ceremony at the Matignon Hotel in Paris on @ @ @ @ @ A French court is opening an inquiry into former prime minister Édouard Philippe and two @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus crisis , a prosecutor said Friday .
The inquiry , which is @ @ @ @ @ filed against the ministers were deemed admissable , will be led by the Law Court @ @ @ @ @ ) , which deals with claims of ministerial misconduct , said senior public prosecutor François @ @ @ @ @ , who was replaced by Jean Castex on Friday , the ministers under investigation are @ @ @ @ @ , who stepped down in February , and her successor Olivier Véran , Molins said @

A French court is opening an inquiry into former prime minister Édouard Philippe and two other ministers over their handling of the coronavirus crisis, a prosecutor said Friday.
Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe gives a speech during the handover ceremony at the Matignon Hotel in Paris on July 3, 2020.
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The inquiry, which is being opened after nine complaints filed against the ministers were deemed admissable, will be led by the Law Court of the Republic (CJR), which deals with claims of ministerial misconduct, said senior public prosecutor François Molins.
Along with Philippe, who was replaced by Jean Castex on Friday, the ministers under investigation are former health minister Agnes Buzyn, who stepped down in February, and her successor Olivier Véran, Molins said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-07-03--United States: In Louisiana, Cajuns are keen to preserve their identity

United States : In Louisiana , Cajuns are keen to preserve their identity In the southern US state of Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ 10 percent of the population .
Although French is spoken less with each passing generation @ @ @ @ @ preserve the language and keep their traditions alive .
Our reporter Fanny Allard visited to @ @ @ @

United States: In Louisiana, Cajuns are keen to preserve their identity
16:40 Revisited © FRANCE 24
In the southern US state of Louisiana, Cajuns make up nearly 10 percent of the population. Although French is spoken less with each passing generation, some are fighting to preserve the language and keep their traditions alive. Our reporter Fanny Allard visited to find out more.


france24--2020-07-03--Mystery of hundreds of elephants found dead in Botswana

An elephant carcass in Botswana , where 356 of the animals have been found dead by unknown causes in recent weeks .
Nearly 400 elephants have been found dead in Botswana in recent weeks but local authorities and wildlife experts are struggling to find an explanation , with disease and poisoning among the possible causes .
The reports of the deaths in the northern Okavango Delta region first began in early May .
Since then , the government has confirmed 275 deaths .
But aerial surveys by wildlife group Elephants Without Borders have counted some 356 elephant carcasses .
Poaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the ivory has not been removed from the elephants .
Infectious disease as well as poisoning by farmers have also been considered and samples from the elephants have been sent to labs in South Africa , Zimbabwe and Canada for testing .
`` At this stage it ’ s difficult to really tell what could be the cause of the mortality , ” Mmadi Reuben , head veterinarian at the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks , told AFP .
“ We have eliminated from the local labs the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortality , but there are still of a lot of infectious diseases and potentially other toxins that are still being investigated by the laboratory samples that have been collected . ''
The unexplained deaths have sparked concern among wildlife groups , with Botswana previously considered a safe-haven for elephants .
The country is home to almost a third of Africa ’ s elephants and although numbers are declining across the continent due largely to poaching , Botswana ’ s elephant population has grown to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by farmers whose crops have been destroyed by the animals , while last year the country controversially lifted a five-year ban on elephant hunting .

Nearly 400 elephants have been found dead in Botswana in recent weeks but local authorities and wildlife experts are struggling to find an explanation, with disease and poisoning among the possible causes.
An elephant carcass in Botswana, where 356 of the animals have been found dead by unknown causes in recent weeks.
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The reports of the deaths in the northern Okavango Delta region first began in early May. Since then, the government has confirmed 275 deaths.
But aerial surveys by wildlife group Elephants Without Borders have counted some 356 elephant carcasses.
Poaching has been ruled out as a cause, as the ivory has not been removed from the elephants.
Infectious disease as well as poisoning by farmers have also been considered and samples from the elephants have been sent to labs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.
"At this stage it’s difficult to really tell what could be the cause of the mortality,” Mmadi Reuben, head veterinarian at the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP.
“We have eliminated from the local labs the possibility of anthrax being the cause of the mortality, but there are still of a lot of infectious diseases and potentially other toxins that are still being investigated by the laboratory samples that have been collected."
The unexplained deaths have sparked concern among wildlife groups, with Botswana previously considered a safe-haven for elephants.
The country is home to almost a third of Africa’s elephants and although numbers are declining across the continent due largely to poaching, Botswana’s elephant population has grown to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s.
But elephants are seen as a growing nuisance by farmers whose crops have been destroyed by the animals, while last year the country controversially lifted a five-year ban on elephant hunting.
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france24--2020-07-03--‘The martyrs are returning’: Algeria welcomes remains of fighters against colonisation from France

Algeria receives with full honours the skulls of 24 resistance fighters decapitated during French colonial rule that were held in storage in a Paris museum on July 3 , 2020 in Algiers .
Algeria on Friday received the skulls of 24 resistance fighters decapitated during colonial France 's conquest of the North African country that had been lying in storage in a Paris museum .
The return of the remains , viewed as war trophies by French colonial officers , comes amid a worldwide reexamination of the legacy of colonialism since the May 25 killing of 46-year-old African American George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has urged countries to make amends for `` centuries of violence and discrimination '' .
The skulls were flown into Algiers airport from France on a Hercules C-130 transport plane , escorted on arrival by Algerian fighter jets , an AFP correspondent said .
To a 21-gun salute , President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and a military guard of honour gave the war `` heroes '' an official welcome .
The remains , in coffins draped with the Algerian flag , were brought out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers as a military band played a funeral march .
Tebboune bowed in front of each coffin and a Muslim cleric recited a prayer for the dead .
`` The city is incredibly silent as the sirens of boats echo across the port of Algiers , '' in tribute to the resistance fighters , an Algerian tweeted .
The coffins will be taken to the Palace of Culture in Algiers where they will be on display Saturday for the public to pay their respects .
On Sunday , Algeria 's 58th anniversary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laid to rest in the martyrs ' section of the capital 's El Alia cemetery , local media reported .
France 's 132 years of colonial rule , and the brutal eight-year war that ended it , have left a lasting legacy of often prickly relations between the two governments and peoples .
The French presidency , in a statement to AFP , said the return of the remains was a gesture of `` friendship '' as part of efforts to `` reconcile the memories of the French and Algerian people '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the decapitated fighters `` had been deprived of their natural and human right to be buried for more than 170 years '' .
He paid tribute to them as `` heroes who confronted the brutal French occupation between 1838 and 1865 '' .
`` The savage enemy decapitated them in reprisals before transferring their skulls overseas so that their graves would not become a symbol of the resistance , '' Tebboune added .
One of the leaders whose remains were returned is Sheikh Bouzian , a revolt leader who was captured in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decapitated .
The skull of prominent resistance leader Mohammed Lamjad ben Abdelmalek , also known as `` Cherif Boubaghla '' ( or the man with the mule ) , was also among those to be returned .
`` The martyrs are returning home , '' she said in a tweet .
`` The body parts of those who fought the conquest of their country are returning home after a very long stay in cardboard boxes at the Musee de l'Homme in Paris . ''
Emmanuel Macron , the first French president to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which 1.5 million Algerians died , made his first official visit to the country in December 2017 , saying he came as a `` friend '' .
At the time , he told news website Tout sur l'Algerie that he was `` ready '' to see his country hand back the skulls .
Algeria had officially asked for their return in 2018 , as well as requesting the handover of colonial archives .
Algerian and French academics have long campaigned for the return of the skulls .
Algerian historian Ali-Farid Belkadi was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 after undertaking research work at the Musee de l'Homme .
At the time , he said the skulls were kept in `` vulgar cardboard boxes that resemble shoe boxes '' .
In December 2019 , Macron said that `` colonialism was a grave mistake '' and called for turning the page on the past .
During his presidential election campaign , he had created a storm by calling France 's colonisation of Algeria a `` crime against humanity '' .

Algeria on Friday received the skulls of 24 resistance fighters decapitated during colonial France's conquest of the North African country that had been lying in storage in a Paris museum.
Algeria receives with full honours the skulls of 24 resistance fighters decapitated during French colonial rule that were held in storage in a Paris museum on July 3, 2020 in Algiers.
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The return of the remains, viewed as war trophies by French colonial officers, comes amid a worldwide reexamination of the legacy of colonialism since the May 25 killing of 46-year-old African American George Floyd by a white police officer in the United States.
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has urged countries to make amends for "centuries of violence and discrimination".
The skulls were flown into Algiers airport from France on a Hercules C-130 transport plane, escorted on arrival by Algerian fighter jets, an AFP correspondent said.
To a 21-gun salute, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and a military guard of honour gave the war "heroes" an official welcome.
The remains, in coffins draped with the Algerian flag, were brought out of the aircraft and carried shoulder high by soldiers as a military band played a funeral march.
Tebboune bowed in front of each coffin and a Muslim cleric recited a prayer for the dead.
"The city is incredibly silent as the sirens of boats echo across the port of Algiers," in tribute to the resistance fighters, an Algerian tweeted.
The coffins will be taken to the Palace of Culture in Algiers where they will be on display Saturday for the public to pay their respects.
On Sunday, Algeria's 58th anniversary of independence, the skulls will finally be laid to rest in the martyrs' section of the capital's El Alia cemetery, local media reported.
France's 132 years of colonial rule, and the brutal eight-year war that ended it, have left a lasting legacy of often prickly relations between the two governments and peoples.
The French presidency, in a statement to AFP, said the return of the remains was a gesture of "friendship" as part of efforts to "reconcile the memories of the French and Algerian people".
Announcing the repatriations on Thursday, Tebboune said the decapitated fighters "had been deprived of their natural and human right to be buried for more than 170 years".
'Heroes'
He paid tribute to them as "heroes who confronted the brutal French occupation between 1838 and 1865".
"The savage enemy decapitated them in reprisals before transferring their skulls overseas so that their graves would not become a symbol of the resistance," Tebboune added.
One of the leaders whose remains were returned is Sheikh Bouzian, a revolt leader who was captured in 1849 by the French, shot and decapitated.
The skull of prominent resistance leader Mohammed Lamjad ben Abdelmalek, also known as "Cherif Boubaghla" (or the man with the mule), was also among those to be returned.
Historian Malika Rahal welcomed the news.
"The martyrs are returning home," she said in a tweet.
"The body parts of those who fought the conquest of their country are returning home after a very long stay in cardboard boxes at the Musee de l'Homme in Paris."
Emmanuel Macron, the first French president to be born after the 1954-62 independence war in which 1.5 million Algerians died, made his first official visit to the country in December 2017, saying he came as a "friend".
At the time, he told news website Tout sur l'Algerie that he was "ready" to see his country hand back the skulls.
'Cardboard boxes'
Algeria had officially asked for their return in 2018, as well as requesting the handover of colonial archives.
Algerian and French academics have long campaigned for the return of the skulls.
Algerian historian Ali-Farid Belkadi was the first to call for their return in 2011 after undertaking research work at the Musee de l'Homme.
At the time, he said the skulls were kept in "vulgar cardboard boxes that resemble shoe boxes".
In December 2019, Macron said that "colonialism was a grave mistake" and called for turning the page on the past.
During his presidential election campaign, he had created a storm by calling France's colonisation of Algeria a "crime against humanity".
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-03--‘We can’t afford an ounce of meat’: Economic crisis strangles Lebanon

Omar al-Hakim speaks during an interview in Tripoli , northern Lebanon on July 1 , 2020 .
For Amer al Dahn , the idea of eating meat is now a dream .
Today , he ca n't even afford bread and depends on credit from the local grocer to feed his wife and four children in the Lebanese city of Tripoli .
`` We can no longer buy meat or chicken .
The closest we get to them is in magazines and newspapers , '' said Dahn , 55 , leafing through a supermarket brochure in his cramped apartment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lebanon 's poorest city , Dahn and his family are feeling the full force of a financial meltdown that is fuelling extreme poverty and shattering lives across the country .
In the capital Beirut , a 61-year-old man shot himself in the head on the busy Hamra street on Friday .
Reuters could not establish his motives , but local media attributed the suicide to hunger .
Struggling to walk because of diabetes , Dahn already faced a difficult life before the crisis which has sunk the Lebanese pound by 80 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the import-dependent economy .
`` Life has become very difficult .
The dollar is still climbing and the state is incapable of providing a solution.
” Even chickpeas , beans and lentils - a traditional part of the Lebanese diet - are out of reach for some .
The crisis is seen as the biggest threat to stability since the 1975-90 civil war .
`` We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people who have fallen off the cliff , '' said Bojar Hoxja , country director at CARE International , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis that requires urgent international intervention , he said .
Lebanon is already a big recipient of international aid , the bulk of it directed at the 1 million Syrians who fled from the war next door .
Tripoli , a predominantly Sunni Muslim city on the Mediterranean , is home to some of Lebanon 's wealthiest politicians , who critics say only remember their constituents at election time .
`` If it was not for the neighbours here sending food to each other , people would be dying of hunger , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his six children and wife in a one-room apartment .
The salary of 600,000 pounds a month he makes as a security guard now lasts just six days .
Before the pound 's collapse , it was the equivalent of $ 400 a month .
Today , it is around $ 60 .
Basics such as sugar , rice and lentils become harder to buy , he says .
This week , Hakim was hit by a one third increase in the price of state-subsidised bread .
`` We used to eat meat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chicken ... none of that now .
We ca n't afford an ounce of meat , '' Hakim said .
The World Bank warned last November that the proportion of Lebanese living in poverty could rise to 50 % if conditions worsened .
Since then the crisis has only deepened and the economy has been further hit by a COVID-19 lockdown .
Many people depend on charity .
Some are using social media to barter furniture or clothes for baby formula or diapers .
Shopkeeper Kawkab Abdelrahim , 30 , is struggling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more and more credit .
`` Do you have the heart to turn them away if they want a bag of bread ?
Sometimes they ask for a tub of yoghurt or 1,000 pounds of labneh , '' she said , referring to a type of strained yoghurt that is a Lebanese staple .
`` That is one spoonful that a mother spreads on bread to feed three children . ''

For Amer al Dahn, the idea of eating meat is now a dream. Today, he can't even afford bread and depends on credit from the local grocer to feed his wife and four children in the Lebanese city of Tripoli.
Omar al-Hakim speaks during an interview in Tripoli, northern Lebanon on July 1, 2020.
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"We can no longer buy meat or chicken. The closest we get to them is in magazines and newspapers," said Dahn, 55, leafing through a supermarket brochure in his cramped apartment.
Living in one of the poorest streets of Lebanon's poorest city, Dahn and his family are feeling the full force of a financial meltdown that is fuelling extreme poverty and shattering lives across the country.
In the capital Beirut, a 61-year-old man shot himself in the head on the busy Hamra street on Friday. Reuters could not establish his motives, but local media attributed the suicide to hunger.
Struggling to walk because of diabetes, Dahn already faced a difficult life before the crisis which has sunk the Lebanese pound by 80% since October, driving up prices in the import-dependent economy.
"Life has become very difficult. The dollar is still climbing and the state is incapable of providing a solution.”
Even chickpeas, beans and lentils - a traditional part of the Lebanese diet - are out of reach for some.
>>Read: Food insecurity hits middle class amid Lebanon's economic crisis
The crisis is seen as the biggest threat to stability since the 1975-90 civil war.
"We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people who have fallen off the cliff," said Bojar Hoxja, country director at CARE International, an aid agency. Lebanon faces a humanitarian crisis that requires urgent international intervention, he said.
Bread price hike
Lebanon is already a big recipient of international aid, the bulk of it directed at the 1 million Syrians who fled from the war next door.
Tripoli, a predominantly Sunni Muslim city on the Mediterranean, is home to some of Lebanon's wealthiest politicians, who critics say only remember their constituents at election time.
"If it was not for the neighbours here sending food to each other, people would be dying of hunger," said Omar al-Hakim, who lives with his six children and wife in a one-room apartment.
The salary of 600,000 pounds a month he makes as a security guard now lasts just six days. Before the pound's collapse, it was the equivalent of $400 a month. Today, it is around $60.
Basics such as sugar, rice and lentils become harder to buy, he says. This week, Hakim was hit by a one third increase in the price of state-subsidised bread.
"We used to eat meat on Sunday, or fish, or chicken ... none of that now. We can't afford an ounce of meat," Hakim said.
The World Bank warned last November that the proportion of Lebanese living in poverty could rise to 50% if conditions worsened. Since then the crisis has only deepened and the economy has been further hit by a COVID-19 lockdown.
Many people depend on charity. Some are using social media to barter furniture or clothes for baby formula or diapers.
Shopkeeper Kawkab Abdelrahim, 30, is struggling to keep her store open as she extends more and more credit.
"Do you have the heart to turn them away if they want a bag of bread? Sometimes they ask for a tub of yoghurt or 1,000 pounds of labneh," she said, referring to a type of strained yoghurt that is a Lebanese staple.
"That is one spoonful that a mother spreads on bread to feed three children."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-04--England's pubs, restaurants and hairdressers reopen as Covid-19 lockdown eases

People gather outside a pub amid the spread of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in London , UK , June 28 , 2020 .
England takes its biggest steps yet towards resumption of normal life on Saturday as people are finally allowed to drink in a pub , get a haircut or have a meal in a restaurant for the first time in over three months .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said everybody had to behave responsibly and maintain social distancing to support businesses and not risk a second wave of the coronavirus .
Some hairdressers were reported to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while pubs will be allowed to start serving from 0500 GMT on so-called `` Super Saturday '' , sparking worries of pent-up over-indulgence .
Johnson said his message was to `` enjoy summer safely '' and not undo the progress made in knocking back the pandemic .
He said workers in pubs , restaurants , hairdressers and other businesses had made an heroic effort to prepare for reopening .
`` The success of these businesses , the livelihoods of those who rely on them , and ultimately the economic health of the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us acting responsibly , '' he said .
`` We must not let them down . ''
Police said they were `` absolutely prepared '' for the pubs reopening .
But customers might find the atmosphere inside rather different from the usual Saturday-night scrum .
Numbers will be limited , no one will be allowed to stand at the bar and there will be no live music .
Patrons will also have to give their details to allow tracers to identify them if anyone later tests positive .
JD Wetherspoon , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had invested 11 million pounds ( $ 14 million ) in safety measures .
Most of its pubs in England will open at the usual time of 8 a.m. on Saturday .
It is not taking bookings , but said at busy times numbers would be controlled by staff .

England takes its biggest steps yet towards resumption of normal life on Saturday as people are finally allowed to drink in a pub, get a haircut or have a meal in a restaurant for the first time in over three months.
People gather outside a pub amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in London, UK, June 28, 2020.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson said everybody had to behave responsibly and maintain social distancing to support businesses and not risk a second wave of the coronavirus.
Some hairdressers were reported to have opened at the stroke of midnight while pubs will be allowed to start serving from 0500 GMT on so-called "Super Saturday", sparking worries of pent-up over-indulgence.
Johnson said his message was to "enjoy summer safely" and not undo the progress made in knocking back the pandemic.
He said workers in pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and other businesses had made an heroic effort to prepare for reopening.
Let’s all stay alert, control the virus, save lives – and enjoy summer safely. pic.twitter.com/KTN2uWnEU8 — Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) July 3, 2020
"The success of these businesses, the livelihoods of those who rely on them, and ultimately the economic health of the whole country is dependent on every single one of us acting responsibly," he said. "We must not let them down."
Police said they were "absolutely prepared" for the pubs reopening.
But customers might find the atmosphere inside rather different from the usual Saturday-night scrum.
01:41
Numbers will be limited, no one will be allowed to stand at the bar and there will be no live music. Patrons will also have to give their details to allow tracers to identify them if anyone later tests positive.
JD Wetherspoon, one of the biggest chains, said it had invested 11 million pounds ($14 million) in safety measures.
Most of its pubs in England will open at the usual time of 8 a.m. on Saturday. It is not taking bookings, but said at busy times numbers would be controlled by staff.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-04--Catalonia places 200,000 people under new lockdown following Covid-19 surge

A member of the local civil protection security wearing a face mask patrols a beach in Lloret de Mar in Catalonia , Spain , on June 22 , 2020 .
Spain 's northeastern Catalonia region on Saturday locked down an area with around 200,000 residents near the town of Lerida following a surge in cases of the new coronavirus .
The move came as the summer holidays started in Spain and the country began re-admitting foreign visitors from 12 countries outside the European union .
It had already opened its frontiers to people from the EU 's visa-free Schengen zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have decided to confine the del Segria zone following data confirming a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections , '' Catalonia 's regional president Quim Torra told reporters , adding that no one would be allowed to enter or leave the area .
Regional health minister Alba Verges said gatherings of more than 10 people and visits to retirement homes would be banned .
Spain has been one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic with 28,385 deaths , Europe 's fourth-highest toll after the United Kingdom , Italy and France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus deaths within 24 hours , its highest daily Covid-19 toll since June 19 .
The number of cases now stands at 250,545 in a country of 47 million , ranking third within Europe after Russia and the UK .

Spain's northeastern Catalonia region on Saturday locked down an area with around 200,000 residents near the town of Lerida following a surge in cases of the new coronavirus.
A member of the local civil protection security wearing a face mask patrols a beach in Lloret de Mar in Catalonia, Spain, on June 22, 2020.
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The move came as the summer holidays started in Spain and the country began re-admitting foreign visitors from 12 countries outside the European union.
It had already opened its frontiers to people from the EU's visa-free Schengen zone and Britain on June 21.
"We have decided to confine the del Segria zone following data confirming a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections," Catalonia's regional president Quim Torra told reporters, adding that no one would be allowed to enter or leave the area.
Regional health minister Alba Verges said gatherings of more than 10 people and visits to retirement homes would be banned.
Spain has been one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic with 28,385 deaths, Europe's fourth-highest toll after the United Kingdom, Italy and France.
On Friday, it registered 17 virus deaths within 24 hours, its highest daily Covid-19 toll since June 19.
The number of cases now stands at 250,545 in a country of 47 million, ranking third within Europe after Russia and the UK.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-04--As much of US marks a muted Independence Day, Trump encourages big parties

While public health officials are urging Americans to avoid large crowds and hold more muted July 4 celebrations amid a spike of coronavirus cases , President Donald Trump is going big for what he is promising will be a “ special evening ” in the nation 's capital .
Trump is set hold his “ Salute for America ” celebration Saturday with a speech from the White House South Lawn that he says will celebrate American heritage , a military flyover over Washington , and an enormous fireworks display that is expected to draw thousands to the National Mall .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as many communities have decided to scrap fireworks , parades and other holiday traditions to try to prevent further spread of the virus .
The US 's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that mass gatherings like the one scheduled for Washington present a high risk for spread of Covid-19 .
Trump ’ s Surgeon General Jerome Adams , who has stepped up his call for Americans to wear a mask in public , on Friday sat on the fence when asked during an interview whether he would caution a loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s not a yes or no , ” Adams told NBC ’ s Today Show .
“ Every single person has to make up their own mind .
There are people going to beaches , going to barbecues , going to different environments and they are going to have to look at their individual risk.
” Trump has been aching to see the nation return to normalcy , and has been willing to push the envelope further than many state and major city mayors are willing to go .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally since early March in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Trump is accustomed to jam-packed crowds , but the BOK Center was only about a third full for the president 's first rally of the coronavirus era .
Days later , he addressed a packed megachurch for a Students for Trump event in Arizona .
Few attendees at either event wore masks .
Interior officials said they would hand out 300,000 face coverings to spectators who gather on the National Mall .
Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said visitors would be encouraged to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another .
There was no indication that would be mandatory , despite the recommendations of health officials .
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser , who said she did n't have the right to shut down the holiday spectacle because it ’ s on federal land , warned the federal government about the obvious dangers of such a large crowd .
On Friday , she urged the city ’ s residents to be smart about how they spend the holiday .
Elsewhere , governors and local officials pleaded with residents to take precautions as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has seen a surge of cases in recent weeks , Governor Gavin Newsom asked residents not to gather with people they don ’ t live with and to avoid crowds .
Firework shows in Los Angeles , San Francisco , San Diego and elsewhere in the state were cancelled to keep large crowds from forming “ Happy Fourth of July weekend , and wear a mask , ” Newsom told his state 's residents .
Illinois Governor J B Pritzker urged businesses and residents to comply with public health measures over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that precautions were essential to continue to slow the spread of Covid-19 .
Pritzker warned he won ’ t hesitate to close down businesses that don ’ t abide by capacity requirements , and he encouraged people to avoid large crowds and wear face coverings .
“ Letting our guard down now would fly in the face of the progress we ’ ve made over many months , ” Pritzker said .
Some Americans are hoping to make do with their own firework shows .
At Casey ’ s Fireworks Friday in Columbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wove through aisles , selecting their own explosives after some annual July Fourth shows were cancelled due to Covid-19 .
Health officials there have seen a spike in cases that has the state trailing only Arizona and Florida in the 14-day average of newly diagnosed Covid-19 cases adjusted for population .
The fireworks shop , like many around the country , has been an unexpected beneficiary as more Americans have decided to put on their own shows .
The spike in sales started around Memorial Day .
“ This whole Covid thing has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Forest Casey , a fourth-generation fireworks salesman at the family-owned shop .
“ But for whatever reason , it makes people really want to buy fireworks.
” South Carolina has some of the most liberal fireworks laws in the nation .
Stands across the state sell pyrotechnic bricks that launch a dozen or more shells with explosions that rival a small town ’ s annual show .
Some said they are trying to make the best of the situation .
Jamie Parrott , a local pediatric neurologist , said he intends to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting off fireworks safely and eating hamburgers .

While public health officials are urging Americans to avoid large crowds and hold more muted July 4 celebrations amid a spike of coronavirus cases, President Donald Trump is going big for what he is promising will be a “special evening” in the nation's capital.
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Trump is set hold his “Salute for America” celebration Saturday with a speech from the White House South Lawn that he says will celebrate American heritage, a military flyover over Washington, and an enormous fireworks display that is expected to draw thousands to the National Mall.
Trump is taking part in large gatherings even as many communities have decided to scrap fireworks, parades and other holiday traditions to try to prevent further spread of the virus.
The US's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that mass gatherings like the one scheduled for Washington present a high risk for spread of Covid-19.
Trump’s Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who has stepped up his call for Americans to wear a mask in public, on Friday sat on the fence when asked during an interview whether he would caution a loved one from attending such large gatherings.
“It’s not a yes or no,” Adams told NBC’s Today Show. “Every single person has to make up their own mind. There are people going to beaches, going to barbecues, going to different environments and they are going to have to look at their individual risk.”
Trump wants return to normal
Trump has been aching to see the nation return to normalcy, and has been willing to push the envelope further than many state and major city mayors are willing to go.
Last month, he held his first campaign rally since early March in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Trump is accustomed to jam-packed crowds, but the BOK Center was only about a third full for the president's first rally of the coronavirus era. Days later, he addressed a packed megachurch for a Students for Trump event in Arizona. Few attendees at either event wore masks.
Interior officials said they would hand out 300,000 face coverings to spectators who gather on the National Mall. Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said visitors would be encouraged to wear masks and keep a six-foot distance from one another. There was no indication that would be mandatory, despite the recommendations of health officials.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said she didn't have the right to shut down the holiday spectacle because it’s on federal land, warned the federal government about the obvious dangers of such a large crowd. On Friday, she urged the city’s residents to be smart about how they spend the holiday.
One task: wear a mask. pic.twitter.com/TFszfKcBKv — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 3, 2020
Elsewhere, governors and local officials pleaded with residents to take precautions as they celebrate the holiday.
In California, which has seen a surge of cases in recent weeks, Governor Gavin Newsom asked residents not to gather with people they don’t live with and to avoid crowds. Firework shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and elsewhere in the state were cancelled to keep large crowds from forming
“Happy Fourth of July weekend, and wear a mask,” Newsom told his state's residents.
Illinois Governor J B Pritzker urged businesses and residents to comply with public health measures over the July 4 holiday weekend, warning that precautions were essential to continue to slow the spread of Covid-19.
Pritzker warned he won’t hesitate to close down businesses that don’t abide by capacity requirements, and he encouraged people to avoid large crowds and wear face coverings.
“Letting our guard down now would fly in the face of the progress we’ve made over many months,” Pritzker said.
Fireworks at home
Some Americans are hoping to make do with their own firework shows.
At Casey’s Fireworks Friday in Columbia, South Carolina, mostly masked shoppers wove through aisles, selecting their own explosives after some annual July Fourth shows were cancelled due to Covid-19.
Health officials there have seen a spike in cases that has the state trailing only Arizona and Florida in the 14-day average of newly diagnosed Covid-19 cases adjusted for population.
The fireworks shop, like many around the country, has been an unexpected beneficiary as more Americans have decided to put on their own shows. The spike in sales started around Memorial Day.
“This whole Covid thing has been really bad all around,” said Forest Casey, a fourth-generation fireworks salesman at the family-owned shop. “But for whatever reason, it makes people really want to buy fireworks.”
South Carolina has some of the most liberal fireworks laws in the nation. Stands across the state sell pyrotechnic bricks that launch a dozen or more shells with explosions that rival a small town’s annual show.
Some said they are trying to make the best of the situation. Jamie Parrott, a local pediatric neurologist, said he intends to stay at home with his grandchildren, setting off fireworks safely and eating hamburgers.
“We’ll muddle through,” Parrott said.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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france24--2020-07-03--Covid 19: Making the poor poorer

Covid 19: Making the poor poorer

Every day thousands of people around the world continue to become direct casualties of the Covid-19 .
But there ’ s another group slowly emerging -- indirect victims who have not contracted the virus but are suffering its consequences .
Our reporter Julie Dungelhoff went to meet a temporary worker and cleaner who have been hard hit by the crisis .
For two months from 17 March to 11 May 2020 , the French economy ground to a near standstill due to a lockdown imposed by the government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic .
As a result , almost 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with average wage losses of up to 16 % .
Others , like temporary workers , were made redundant overnight while thousands more casual workers lost their livelihoods .
Many of these men and women were already in financial hardship before the pandemic hit .
Now they have been pushed into poverty .
With the closure of schools and canteens some families have struggled to provide three to four meals for their children .
Many have had no choice but to turn to food banks , whose demand for aid has surged .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many in France are still without work .
The threat of a second wave of the virus and plans for mass layoffs pose further risks .
Our reporter travelled to Argentan , Orne , and Seine-Saint-Denis to meet two women — one a temporary worker , the other an `` illegal '' paid housekeeper — both indirect casualties of the virus .

Every day thousands of people around the world continue to become direct casualties of the Covid-19. But there’s another group slowly emerging – indirect victims who have not contracted the virus but are suffering its consequences. Our reporter Julie Dungelhoff went to meet a temporary worker and cleaner who have been hard hit by the crisis.
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For two months from March 17 to May 11, 2020, the French economy ground to a near standstill due to a lockdown imposed by the government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, almost 12 million people in France became partially employed with average wage losses of up to 16 percent. Others, like temporary workers, were made redundant overnight, while thousands more casual workers lost their livelihoods.
Many of these women and men were already in financial hardship before the pandemic hit. Now they have been pushed into poverty.
With the closure of schools and canteens some families have struggled to provide three to four meals for their children. Many have had no choice but to turn to food banks, whose demand for aid has surged.
Though the economy is picking up, many in France are still without work. The threat of a second wave of the virus and plans for mass layoffs pose further risks.
Our reporter travelled to Argentan, Orne, and Seine-Saint-Denis to meet two women – one a temporary worker, the other an "illegal" paid housekeeper – who are both indirect casualties of the virus.
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france24--2020-07-04--Paris's Louvre reopens on Monday after lockdown losses of 'over €40 million'

The Louvre museum in Paris will reopen its doors on July 6 , 2020 , after months of closure due to lockdown measures linked to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Louvre in Paris , the world 's most visited museum and home to the Mona Lisa , reopens on Monday but with coronavirus restrictions in place and parts of the complex closed to visitors .
The Louvre has been closed since March 13 and this has already led `` to losses of over 40 million euros , '' its director Jean-Luc Martinez said .
Among more than 10 million visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have lost 80 percent of our public .
Seventy-five percent of our visitors were foreigners , '' Martinez said .
`` We will at best see 20 to 30 percent of our numbers recorded last summer -- between 4,000 and 10,000 visitors daily at the most , '' he said .
Visitors will have to wear masks , there will be no snacks or cloakrooms available and the public will have to follow a guided path through the museum .
Positions have been marked in front of the Mona Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- to ensure social distancing .
France contributes 100 million euros ( $ 112 million ) to the Louvre 's 250-million-euro annual budget and the museum must make up the rest , according to experts .
Seventy percent of the museum 's public areas -- or 45,000 square metres ( about 485,000 square feet ) -- will be open to the public .
After the success of its blockbuster Leonardo exhibition which closed earlier this year , the Louvre said its two exhibitions scheduled for spring and then postponed would now take place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italian sculpture from Donatello to Michelangelo and the renaissance German master Albrecht Altdorfer .
The Louvre has upped its virtual presence during the lockdown and said it was now the most followed museum in the world on Instagram with over four million followers .
Martinez is planning a revamp of the museum ahead of 2024 , when Paris hosts the Olympic Games .

The Louvre in Paris, the world's most visited museum and home to the Mona Lisa, reopens on Monday but with coronavirus restrictions in place and parts of the complex closed to visitors.
The Louvre museum in Paris will reopen its doors on July 6, 2020, after months of closure due to lockdown measures linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Louvre has been closed since March 13 and this has already led "to losses of over 40 million euros," its director Jean-Luc Martinez said.
Among more than 10 million visitors in 2018, almost three-quarters were tourists.
"We have lost 80 percent of our public. Seventy-five percent of our visitors were foreigners," Martinez said.
"We will at best see 20 to 30 percent of our numbers recorded last summer -- between 4,000 and 10,000 visitors daily at the most," he said.
Visitors will have to wear masks, there will be no snacks or cloakrooms available and the public will have to follow a guided path through the museum.
Positions have been marked in front of the Mona Lisa -- where tourists routinely pose for selfies -- to ensure social distancing.
France contributes 100 million euros ($112 million)to the Louvre's 250-million-euro annual budget and the museum must make up the rest, according to experts.
Seventy percent of the museum's public areas -- or 45,000 square metres (about 485,000 square feet) -- will be open to the public.
After the success of its blockbuster Leonardo exhibition which closed earlier this year, the Louvre said its two exhibitions scheduled for spring and then postponed would now take place in the autumn.
These are on Italian sculpture from Donatello to Michelangelo and the renaissance German master Albrecht Altdorfer.
The Louvre has upped its virtual presence during the lockdown and said it was now the most followed museum in the world on Instagram with over four million followers.
Martinez is planning a revamp of the museum ahead of 2024, when Paris hosts the Olympic Games.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-04--Trump rallies against anti-racism protesters seeking to 'defame' heroes

US President Trump attends US Independence Day Mount Rushmore fireworks celebrations at Mt .
Rushmore in South Dakota , July 3 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump on Friday railed against `` angry mobs '' that tried to tear down statues of Confederate leaders and other historical figures , warning thousands of supporters at Mount Rushmore that protesters were trying to erase U.S. history .
On a day when seven U.S. states posted a record number of new COVID-19 cases , the pandemic reached Trump 's inner circle .
Kimberly Guilfoyle , a senior campaign official and the girlfriend of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Dakota before the event , according to Sergio Gor , a Trump campaign official .
Trump Jr. has tested negative , Gor said .
The event drew 7,500 people , packed tightly into an amphitheater .
Many did not wear masks , defying the advice of public-health officials who have urged Americans to avoid large gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
Speaking underneath a famed landmark that depicts four U.S. presidents , Trump warned that the demonstrations over racial inequality in American society threatened the foundations of the U.S. political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this left-wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American revolution , '' Trump said .
`` Our children are taught in school to hate their own country , '' he added .
Trump announced that he would create a `` National Garden of American Heroes , '' which he described as a large outdoor park featuring statues of `` the greatest Americans who ever lived . ''
He did not provide further details .
In the nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd , a Black man who died in police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities have vandalized the statues of Confederate generals that led a rebellion against the U.S. government during an 1861-65 civil war .
Protesters in one instance unsuccessfully tried to pull down a statue of U.S. President Andrew Jackson outside the White House .
Jackson , known for his populist policies , owned slaves and forced thousands of Native Americans from their homes .
`` Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders , deface our most sacred memorials , and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposals to rename U.S. military bases that are named after Confederate generals and vowed harsh punishment for people who damage statues .
The evening program was not an official campaign event , but Trump 's remarks touched on key campaign themes meant to energize his political base ahead of the Nov. 3 election .
`` There is a new far-left fascism that demands absolute allegiance .
If you do not speak its language , perform its rituals , recite its mantras , and follow its commandments then you will be censored , banished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not gon na happen to us , '' he said .
Mount Rushmore , which depicts U.S. presidents George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln , has not hosted a fireworks spectacle since 2009 because of environmental concerns .
Trump advocated for a resumption of the display , and the state says the surrounding Black Hills National Forest has `` gained strength '' since then and that fireworks technology has advanced .
Native American protesters were arrested after blocking a road to the South Dakota landmark , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have criticized Trump 's visit for increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19 and for celebrating U.S. independence in an area that is sacred to them .
South Dakota , a solidly Republican state , has not been hit as hard as other states by COVID-19 , but cases in Pennington County , where Mount Rushmore is located , have more than doubled over the past month .
Trump will hold another celebration for the July 4 holiday on Saturday in Washington .

President Donald Trump on Friday railed against "angry mobs" that tried to tear down statues of Confederate leaders and other historical figures, warning thousands of supporters at Mount Rushmore that protesters were trying to erase U.S. history.
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On a day when seven U.S. states posted a record number of new COVID-19 cases, the pandemic reached Trump's inner circle. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before the event, according to Sergio Gor, a Trump campaign official. Trump Jr. has tested negative, Gor said.
The event drew 7,500 people, packed tightly into an amphitheater. Many did not wear masks, defying the advice of public-health officials who have urged Americans to avoid large gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking underneath a famed landmark that depicts four U.S. presidents, Trump warned that the demonstrations over racial inequality in American society threatened the foundations of the U.S. political system.
"Make no mistake, this left-wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American revolution," Trump said.
"Our children are taught in school to hate their own country," he added.
00:34
Trump announced that he would create a "National Garden of American Heroes," which he described as a large outdoor park featuring statues of "the greatest Americans who ever lived." He did not provide further details.
In the nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, protesters in several cities have vandalized the statues of Confederate generals that led a rebellion against the U.S. government during an 1861-65 civil war.
Protesters in one instance unsuccessfully tried to pull down a statue of U.S. President Andrew Jackson outside the White House. Jackson, known for his populist policies, owned slaves and forced thousands of Native Americans from their homes.
'Angry mobs are unleashing a wave of violent crime'
"Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders, deface our most sacred memorials, and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities," he said.
Trump has opposed proposals to rename U.S. military bases that are named after Confederate generals and vowed harsh punishment for people who damage statues.
The evening program was not an official campaign event, but Trump's remarks touched on key campaign themes meant to energize his political base ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
02:20
"There is a new far-left fascism that demands absolute allegiance. If you do not speak its language, perform its rituals, recite its mantras, and follow its commandments then you will be censored, banished, blacklisted, persecuted, and punished. Not gonna happen to us," he said.
Mount Rushmore, which depicts U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, has not hosted a fireworks spectacle since 2009 because of environmental concerns.
Trump advocated for a resumption of the display, and the state says the surrounding Black Hills National Forest has "gained strength" since then and that fireworks technology has advanced.
Native American protesters were arrested after blocking a road to the South Dakota landmark, according to video livestreamed on social media. They have criticized Trump's visit for increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19 and for celebrating U.S. independence in an area that is sacred to them.
South Dakota, a solidly Republican state, has not been hit as hard as other states by COVID-19, but cases in Pennington County, where Mount Rushmore is located, have more than doubled over the past month.
Trump will hold another celebration for the July 4 holiday on Saturday in Washington.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-07-04--French jihadist sentenced to 30 years for IS group executions in Syria

French jihadist Tyler Vilus was sentenced to 30 years at a French court on July 3 , 2020 .
A French court on Friday handed a 30-year prison sentence to a jihadist for crimes committed in Syria between 2013-15 including overseeing the execution of two prisoners while a senior figure in the Islamic State extremist group .
Tyler Vilus , 30 , who was found guilty on all charges , was also accused of belonging to a terrorist group , heading a group of Islamic State fighters and `` aggravated murder '' .
Public prosecutor Guillaume Michelin earlier asked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no possibility of parole for 22 years .
Michelin said Vilus `` has n't changed one bit '' since his time with the Islamic State .
`` All the steps in the accused 's journey are interlocked with the construction of the caliphate , '' said the prosecutor , referring to the Islamist-ruled area that IS had at the time carved out in Syria and Iraq .
`` It is your responsibility to put a definite end to the bloodshed , '' he told the court .
But the presiding judge said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hope '' so that he could `` evolve , '' even though he could have been sentenced to life on being convicted of all charges .
Investigators believed Vilus was part of the `` Al-Muhajireen '' ( the immigrants ) brigade , a squad that tortured and carried out summary executions , which he had denied .
However the court found that Vilus supervised the executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town Ash Shaddadi , close to the Iraqi border .
In a 2015 video published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man alleged to be Vilus is two metres away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners -- one belonging to the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar al-Assad 's army -- are executed with a bullet to the head .
His arrest and trial were seen as a major coup for the French security services , as Vilus is believed to have known many French jihadists in Syria .
Vilus had admitted to being in contact with the man French secret services believe is the mastermind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris , Abdelhamid Abaaoud .

A French court on Friday handed a 30-year prison sentence to a jihadist for crimes committed in Syria between 2013-15 including overseeing the execution of two prisoners while a senior figure in the Islamic State extremist group.
French jihadist Tyler Vilus was sentenced to 30 years at a French court on July 3, 2020.
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Tyler Vilus, 30, who was found guilty on all charges, was also accused of belonging to a terrorist group, heading a group of Islamic State fighters and "aggravated murder".
Public prosecutor Guillaume Michelin earlier asked the court for a life sentence, with no possibility of parole for 22 years.
Michelin said Vilus "hasn't changed one bit" since his time with the Islamic State.
"All the steps in the accused's journey are interlocked with the construction of the caliphate," said the prosecutor, referring to the Islamist-ruled area that IS had at the time carved out in Syria and Iraq.
"It is your responsibility to put a definite end to the bloodshed," he told the court.
But the presiding judge said he wanted to give him "a glimmer of hope" so that he could "evolve," even though he could have been sentenced to life on being convicted of all charges.
Investigators believed Vilus was part of the "Al-Muhajireen" (the immigrants) brigade, a squad that tortured and carried out summary executions, which he had denied.
However the court found that Vilus supervised the executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town Ash Shaddadi, close to the Iraqi border.
In a 2015 video published by the Islamic State's media department, a man alleged to be Vilus is two metres away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners -- one belonging to the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar al-Assad's army -- are executed with a bullet to the head.
His arrest and trial were seen as a major coup for the French security services, as Vilus is believed to have known many French jihadists in Syria.
Vilus had admitted to being in contact with the man French secret services believe is the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Abdelhamid Abaaoud.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-07-04--EXCLUSIVE: Algerian President Tebboune says opportunity exists for ‘appeased relations’ with France

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 , Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says there is an opportunity to achieve “ appeased relations ” with France .
He believes that French President Emmanuel Macron is “ honest ” and has a “ clean record ” with regard to the colonial past .
Tebboune welcomes the recent return of Algerian resistance fighters ' skulls and hopes for further gestures in this direction .
He believes that France has issued a “ quasi-apology ” for crimes committed during the colonial period and hopes that it will go all the way towards total apologies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macron we can achieve a lot , go a long way toward appeasement , settling issues pertaining to memorials and memory , ” Tebboune said .
“ He is a very honest person , he wants to appease the situation – of course , upholding French interests , and all the while , make it possible for our relations to become natural once again , natural relations between two independent countries .
“ And I think that President Macron is very sincere in what he is doing .
He is honest and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of view . ''
Tebboune also revealed that further releases and pardons of prisoners of the “ Hirak ” , the popular protest movement against Algeria ’ s ruling elite , were possible .
“ We are moving into a period that will require all Algerians to make an effort , ” he said .
“ I think we might not agree on a policy , but , we are moving toward a much calmer climate.
” The president hopes to hold a referendum on a new constitution in September or October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Algeria currently has over 15,000 cases and 900 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
While saying that it is up to the country ’ s judiciary to do its job , Tebboune said that “ for the time being , it ’ s not on the agenda ” for former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be put on trial .
Tebboune denies having been in favour of a fifth term for Bouteflika , who was forced from office in April 2019 after then army chief of staff Gaid Saleh demanded that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he intended to seek a fifth term had sparked the Hirak movement in February .
Click on the player above to watch the exclusive FRANCE 24 interview .

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says there is an opportunity to achieve “appeased relations” with France. He believes that French President Emmanuel Macron is “honest” and has a “clean record” with regard to the colonial past.
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Tebboune welcomes the recent return of Algerian resistance fighters' skulls and hopes for further gestures in this direction. He believes that France has issued a “quasi-apology” for crimes committed during the colonial period and hopes that it will go all the way towards total apologies.
“I feel that with President Macron we can achieve a lot, go a long way towards appeasement, settling issues pertaining to memorials and memory,” Tebboune said. “He is a very honest person, he wants to appease the situation – of course, upholding French interests, and all the while, make it possible for our relations to become natural once again, natural relations between two independent countries.
“And I think that President Macron is very sincere in what he is doing. He is honest and he is very proper from a historical point of view."
Tebboune also revealed that further releases and pardons of prisoners of the “Hirak”, the popular protest movement against Algeria’s ruling elite, were possible.
“We are moving into a period that will require all Algerians to make an effort,” he said. “I think we might not agree on a policy, but we are moving towards a much calmer climate.”
The president hopes to hold a referendum on a new constitution in September or October, if Covid-19 case numbers are low – Algeria currently has over 15,000 cases and 900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
While saying that it is up to the country’s judiciary to do its job, Tebboune said that “for the time being, it’s not on the agenda” for former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be put on trial.
Tebboune denies having been in favour of a fifth term for Bouteflika, who was forced from office in April 2019 after then army chief of staff Gaid Saleh demanded that he leave. Bouteflika’s announcement that he intended to seek a fifth term had sparked the Hirak movement in February.
Click on the player above to watch the exclusive FRANCE 24 interview.
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france24--2020-07-04--Area C, the chunk of the West Bank the Israeli right has long coveted

Encouraged by US President Donald Trump ’ s so-called “ deal of the century ” , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in a position to start his controversial West Bank annexation plan since July 1 .
The prime , fertile Jordan Valley , located in the West Bank ’ s Area C are in the Israeli leader ’ s sights and have long been coveted by his hard-right supporters .
Netanyahu has been able , in principle , to start the annexation of one-third of the West Bank any time since July 1 , delivering on an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s Middle East “ peace plan ” .
The plan envisions the Israeli annexation of a vast strip of agricultural land that spans the breadth of the fertile Jordan Valley , which runs roughly from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea and includes areas abutting the Israeli settlements near Jerusalem .
If realised , the annexation of a chunk of the West Bank , captured by Israel in the 1967 war , would be the final nail in the coffin of a two-state solution , killing any scope for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Benjamin Netanyahu has made this project a personal affair .
He wants to go down in history as one of the prime ministers who validated a form of annexation – like Menachem Begin with the Golan Heights in 1981 , or Levi Eshkol with East Jerusalem after the 1967 war , '' said David Rigoulet-Roze of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs ( IRIS ) , in an interview with FRANCE 24 .
The territories coveted by Netanyahu are in Area C of the West Bank , which was divided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under the interim 1990s agreements , the West Bank was divided into these areas of control pending a final accord .
Area A is under exclusive Palestinian control , Area B is under Palestinian administration and Israeli security control , and Area C , defined as “ areas of the West Bank outside Areas A and B ” , the largest area , which constitutes around 60 percent of the West Bank , is an area to be “ gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction ” .
More than a quarter century later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in smoke since Netanyahu ’ s plan to annex 30 percent of the West Bank is equivalent to around 50 percent of Area C. '' Originally , the idea was that Area C would gradually become part of the Palestinian Authority , then eventually part of Palestine when there would be a permanent agreement , '' Yossi Beilin , one of the Israeli negotiators of the Oslo Accords , told AFP .
But the Israeli right now views Area C as Israeli territory , which constitutes an abuse of Oslo , Beilin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' into something `` forever '' .
For the Israeli right , which has often debated the annexation of Area C , the region is not viewed as Palestinian territory .
The right views this zone merely as a `` disputed '' area in `` Judea-Samaria '' referring to the biblical name used by the Israeli government for the occupied West Bank .
In recent years , several figures of the Israeli far right – such as former defence minister Naftali Bennett and Uri Ariel , a former agriculture minister – have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as Moshe Feiglin , a former Likud Knesset member and current head of the libertarian Zionist party Zehut , have even proposed a complete West Bank takeover by paying Palestinian families $ 500,000 each to emigrate .
Netanyahu had kept his distance from this debate , before he promised last September – a week before hotly contested legislative elections – to realise the dream of his right-wing supporters .
`` If I receive from you , citizens of Israel , a clear mandate to do so ... today I announce my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the next government , Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea , '' he said in a televised speech .
Seizing on what he called the “ unique , one-off opportunity ” afforded him by the Trump administration , Netanyahu noted that , “ We haven ’ t had such an opportunity since the [ 1967 ] Six Day War , and I doubt we ’ ll have another opportunity in the next 50 years ” , before imploring voters to “ give me the power to guarantee Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to determine Israel ’ s borders ” .
An annexation of a de facto situation on the ground But the plan still divides Israeli society and the political class .
According to an Israel Democratic Institute poll published in early June , only 50 percent of Israelis support the annexation project .
For their part , a number of Israeli security officials , both current and retired , oppose annexation behind the scenes , believing that there is nothing to be gained by enshrining into law a situation that , in any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground .
Indeed , from a demographic point of view , the colonisation of the West Bank , which has accelerated under Netanyahu – who has been in power continuously since 2009 – has changed the situation in Area C. Around 450,000 settlers live in Area C – more than the number of Palestinians estimated at between 200,000 to 290,000 , according to Israeli media figures .
Moreover , from an administrative point of view , the Jewish State retains control over security , planning and construction , and imposes restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Israel rarely grants Palestinians building permits in that zone .
In 2016 , the UN ’ s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights found that Israeli policy in Area C creates a `` highly coercive environment that forces [ Palestinians ] to leave '' .
A policy deemed `` systematic and general '' , which , according to the UN , prevents the Palestinian population from developing , from having access to water resources , pasture , agricultural land and even basic services .
`` All these policies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – whether it 's the transfer of Palestinians , the construction of settlements , the classification of land as a military zone – were aimed at taking as much land as possible with as few Palestinians as possible , '' Majed Bamya , a Palestinian diplomat at the UN , told FRANCE 24 .
It remains to be seen whether Netanyahu will opt for a maximalist approach with the annexation of the Jordan Valley and a hundred or so settlements , or a minimalist approach by targeting a handful of settlements in zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to speed up the process despite international criticism and objections , particularly from European leaders and the UN , because a Trump defeat in November 's US presidential election could throw a spanner in his annexation works .
This article has been translated from the original in French .

Encouraged by US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in a position to start his controversial West Bank annexation plan since July 1. The prime, fertile Jordan Valley, located in the West Bank’s Area C are in the Israeli leader’s sights and have long been coveted by his hard-right supporters.
Advertising Read more
Netanyahu has been able, in principle, to start the annexation of one-third of the West Bank any time since July 1, delivering on an election campaign promise that is in line with Trump’s Middle East “peace plan”.
The plan envisions the Israeli annexation of a vast strip of agricultural land that spans the breadth of the fertile Jordan Valley, which runs roughly from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea and includes areas abutting the Israeli settlements near Jerusalem. If realised, the annexation of a chunk of the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, would be the final nail in the coffin of a two-state solution, killing any scope for a contiguous, viable Palestinian state.
"Benjamin Netanyahu has made this project a personal affair. He wants to go down in history as one of the prime ministers who validated a form of annexation – like Menachem Begin with the Golan Heights in 1981, or Levi Eshkol with East Jerusalem after the 1967 war," said David Rigoulet-Roze of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), in an interview with FRANCE 24.
The territories coveted by Netanyahu are in Area C of the West Bank, which was divided into three sectors under the Oslo Accords. Under the interim 1990s agreements, the West Bank was divided into these areas of control pending a final accord. Area A is under exclusive Palestinian control, Area B is under Palestinian administration and Israeli security control, and Area C, defined as “areas of the West Bank outside Areas A and B”, the largest area, which constitutes around 60 percent of the West Bank, is an area to be “gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction”.
More than a quarter century later, that plan appears to be going up in smoke since Netanyahu’s plan to annex 30 percent of the West Bank is equivalent to around 50 percent of Area C.
'Unique, one-off opportunity'
"Originally, the idea was that Area C would gradually become part of the Palestinian Authority, then eventually part of Palestine when there would be a permanent agreement," Yossi Beilin, one of the Israeli negotiators of the Oslo Accords, told AFP. But the Israeli right now views Area C as Israeli territory, which constitutes an abuse of Oslo, Beilin noted, by turning something "interim" into something "forever".
For the Israeli right, which has often debated the annexation of Area C, the region is not viewed as Palestinian territory. The right views this zone merely as a "disputed" area in "Judea-Samaria" referring to the biblical name used by the Israeli government for the occupied West Bank.
In recent years, several figures of the Israeli far right – such as former defence minister Naftali Bennett and Uri Ariel, a former agriculture minister – have called for the annexation of Area C.
Some, such as Moshe Feiglin, a former Likud Knesset member and current head of the libertarian Zionist party Zehut, have even proposed a complete West Bank takeover by paying Palestinian families $500,000 each to emigrate.
Netanyahu had kept his distance from this debate, before he promised last September – a week before hotly contested legislative elections – to realise the dream of his right-wing supporters. "If I receive from you, citizens of Israel, a clear mandate to do so... today I announce my intention to apply, with the formation of the next government, Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea," he said in a televised speech.
Seizing on what he called the “unique, one-off opportunity” afforded him by the Trump administration, Netanyahu noted that, “We haven’t had such an opportunity since the [1967] Six Day War, and I doubt we’ll have another opportunity in the next 50 years”, before imploring voters to “give me the power to guarantee Israel’s security. Give me the power to determine Israel’s borders”.
An annexation of a de facto situation on the ground
But the plan still divides Israeli society and the political class. According to an Israel Democratic Institute poll published in early June, only 50 percent of Israelis support the annexation project.
For their part, a number of Israeli security officials, both current and retired, oppose annexation behind the scenes, believing that there is nothing to be gained by enshrining into law a situation that, in any case, already exists de facto on the ground.
Indeed, from a demographic point of view, the colonisation of the West Bank, which has accelerated under Netanyahu – who has been in power continuously since 2009 – has changed the situation in Area C. Around 450,000 settlers live in Area C – more than the number of Palestinians estimated at between 200,000 to 290,000, according to Israeli media figures.
Moreover, from an administrative point of view, the Jewish State retains control over security, planning and construction, and imposes restrictions on movement, access and construction of Palestinian homes. Israel rarely grants Palestinians building permits in that zone.
In 2016, the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights found that Israeli policy in Area C creates a "highly coercive environment that forces [Palestinians] to leave". A policy deemed "systematic and general", which, according to the UN, prevents the Palestinian population from developing, from having access to water resources, pasture, agricultural land and even basic services.
"All these policies, which have been carried out for years – whether it's the transfer of Palestinians, the construction of settlements, the classification of land as a military zone – were aimed at taking as much land as possible with as few Palestinians as possible," Majed Bamya, a Palestinian diplomat at the UN, told FRANCE 24.
It remains to be seen whether Netanyahu will opt for a maximalist approach with the annexation of the Jordan Valley and a hundred or so settlements, or a minimalist approach by targeting a handful of settlements in zone C.
Whatever his choice, he will have to speed up the process despite international criticism and objections, particularly from European leaders and the UN, because a Trump defeat in November's US presidential election could throw a spanner in his annexation works.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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