france24--2020-06-25--Soaring Covid-19 cases in southern, western US spur quarantine orders for travel to northeast

A patient is wheeled into Houston Methodist Hospital amid the global Covid-19 pandemic in Houston , Texas , US on June 22 , 2020 .
The governors of New York , New Jersey and Connecticut on Wednesday ordered travelers from eight U.S. states to quarantine for 14 days on arrival and Disney said it would delay reopening its amusement parks as the novel coronavirus showed alarming spikes in the South and West .
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the tough new quarantine mandate was `` the smart thing to do '' after the United States recorded its second-greatest increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have taken our people , the three of us from these three states , through hell and back , and the last thing we need to do right now is subject our folks to another round , '' Murphy said of the three governors , all Democrats .
COVID-19 is the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus .
A White House spokesman , Judd Deere , said that he did not believe the quarantine applied to President Donald Trump , who just returned from a visit to Arizona and was scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The President of the United States is not a civilian .
Anyone who is in close proximity to him , including staff , guests , and press are tested for COVID-19 and confirmed to be negative , '' Deere said .
The Walt Disney Co. said in a statement that it would delay a planned July 17 reopening of its theme parks and resort hotels as it waits for guidelines from the state of California .
New York City was the early epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York state , roughly one-quarter of the U.S. total , according to a Reuters tally .
The 14-day quarantine applies to visitors from mostly southern states : Alabama , Arkansas , Arizona , Florida , North Carolina , South Carolina , Texas and Utah , as well as tri-state residents returning from those areas .
The governor of Washington said his state was included in error and that the order did not apply to residents there .
The quarantine states are determined by a formula based on the number of new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1,000 fines for a first violation and $ 5,000 for repeat offenses , Cuomo said .
While the United States appeared to have tamped down the outbreak in May and states lifted sweeping stay-at-home orders , testing suggests the virus has moved into rural areas and other places that were initially not hit as hard .
The pandemic may also be resurgent in U.S. states that opened earlier than others in a bid to blunt the devastating effect of coronavirus restrictions on local economies as unemployment rates shot up .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases - Florida , Oklahoma and South Carolina .
Earlier this week seven states had record highs - Arizona , California , Mississippi , Missouri , Nevada , Texas and Wyoming .
The surge in cases nationwide of nearly 36,000 on Tuesday was the highest since a record of 36,426 new infections on April 24 .
At least four states are averaging double-digit rates of positive tests for the virus .
By contrast , New York has been reporting positive test rates of around 1 % .
While some of the increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more testing , the percentage of positive results is also climbing .
The average number of tests has risen 7.6 % over the last seven days , according to The COVID Tracking Project , while the average number of new cases rose 30 % .
A newly revised model released on Wednesday forecast that the U.S. death toll would reach nearly 180,000 by Oct. 1 , down 22,000 from the last prediction , according to University of Washington researchers .

The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut on Wednesday ordered travelers from eight U.S. states to quarantine for 14 days on arrival and Disney said it would delay reopening its amusement parks as the novel coronavirus showed alarming spikes in the South and West.
A patient is wheeled into Houston Methodist Hospital amid the global Covid-19 pandemic in Houston, Texas, US on June 22, 2020.
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the tough new quarantine mandate was "the smart thing to do" after the United States recorded its second-greatest increase in COVID-19 cases since early March.
"We have taken our people, the three of us from these three states, through hell and back, and the last thing we need to do right now is subject our folks to another round," Murphy said of the three governors, all Democrats. COVID-19 is the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
A White House spokesman, Judd Deere, said that he did not believe the quarantine applied to President Donald Trump, who just returned from a visit to Arizona and was scheduled to be in New Jersey this weekend.
"The President of the United States is not a civilian. Anyone who is in close proximity to him, including staff, guests, and press are tested for COVID-19 and confirmed to be negative," Deere said.
01:34
The Walt Disney Co. said in a statement that it would delay a planned July 17 reopening of its theme parks and resort hotels as it waits for guidelines from the state of California.
New York City was the early epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic. More than 31,000 people have died of COVID-19 in New York state, roughly one-quarter of the U.S. total, according to a Reuters tally.
The 14-day quarantine applies to visitors from mostly southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, as well as tri-state residents returning from those areas.
The governor of Washington said his state was included in error and that the order did not apply to residents there. The quarantine states are determined by a formula based on the number of new cases.
Violators of the quarantine rule face $1,000 fines for a first violation and $5,000 for repeat offenses, Cuomo said.
States set new all-time highs
While the United States appeared to have tamped down the outbreak in May and states lifted sweeping stay-at-home orders, testing suggests the virus has moved into rural areas and other places that were initially not hit as hard.
The pandemic may also be resurgent in U.S. states that opened earlier than others in a bid to blunt the devastating effect of coronavirus restrictions on local economies as unemployment rates shot up.
On Wednesday, three states reported record increases in new cases - Florida, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Earlier this week seven states had record highs - Arizona, California, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Texas and Wyoming.
The surge in cases nationwide of nearly 36,000 on Tuesday was the highest since a record of 36,426 new infections on April 24.
At least four states are averaging double-digit rates of positive tests for the virus. By contrast, New York has been reporting positive test rates of around 1%.
While some of the increased numbers of cases can be attributed to more testing, the percentage of positive results is also climbing.
The average number of tests has risen 7.6% over the last seven days, according to The COVID Tracking Project, while the average number of new cases rose 30%.
A newly revised model released on Wednesday forecast that the U.S. death toll would reach nearly 180,000 by Oct. 1, down 22,000 from the last prediction, according to University of Washington researchers.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-25--Three men indicted on murder charges in US killing of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery

A man stands next to the memorial for Ahmaud Arbery , at the place where he was shot and killed in February after being chased by a white former law enforcement officer and his son , in Brunswick , Georgia on May 8 , 2020 .
The three men arrested after the killing of Ahmaud Arbery , a young black jogger in the southern United States , were formally indicted on murder charges by a grand jury on Wednesday .
Arbery , 25 , was shot dead on February 23 while running in a residential area of Brunswick , Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segregation .
For more than two months , local police did not make any arrests .
It was only when video of the killing went viral on social media at the beginning of May that the investigation began in earnest .
Retired police officer Gregory McMichael , 64 , and his son Travis , 34 , who were visible on the video , were arrested on May 7 .
The man who filmed the killing , William Bryan , 50 , was arrested two weeks later .
The indictment was formalized on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of citizens appointed to weigh how valid a charge is ahead of a trial .
Nine counts , including murder , aggravated assault and false imprisonment were laid against the three men .
They “ caused his death by unlawfully chasing him ... in pickup trucks and shooting him with a shotgun , ” the document said .
“ This confirms what Ahmaud ’ s father has been saying for months—that this was a lynching , ” Ben Crump , a lawyer for Arbery ’ s family , said in a statement Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the road to justice and while nothing will bring back Ahmaud Arbery ’ s life , it is important that a Grand jury recognized his life had value and was wrongly and ruthlessly ended , ” he said , calling for a “ successful prosecution ” and proportionate sentences .
Arbery ’ s name has been chanted for weeks all over the United States during giant demonstrations protesting violence and systemic racism against African Americans .
He joins a list including George Floyd , who suffocated beneath the knee of a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 kicked off the protests ; and Breonna Taylor , shot dead as she slept at her home in Louisville , Kentucky on March 13 by police who burst into her apartment during a so-called no-knock warrant .

The three men arrested after the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a young black jogger in the southern United States, were formally indicted on murder charges by a grand jury on Wednesday.
A man stands next to the memorial for Ahmaud Arbery, at the place where he was shot and killed in February after being chased by a white former law enforcement officer and his son, in Brunswick, Georgia on May 8, 2020.
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Arbery, 25, was shot dead on February 23 while running in a residential area of Brunswick, Georgia, which has a long history of segregation.
For more than two months, local police did not make any arrests. It was only when video of the killing went viral on social media at the beginning of May that the investigation began in earnest.
Retired police officer Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34, who were visible on the video, were arrested on May 7.
The man who filmed the killing, William Bryan, 50, was arrested two weeks later.
The indictment was formalized on Wednesday by a grand jury, a group of citizens appointed to weigh how valid a charge is ahead of a trial.
Nine counts, including murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment were laid against the three men.
They “caused his death by unlawfully chasing him... in pickup trucks and shooting him with a shotgun,” the document said.
'A significant step'
“This confirms what Ahmaud’s father has been saying for months—that this was a lynching,” Ben Crump, a lawyer for Arbery’s family, said in a statement Wednesday.
“This is a significant step on the road to justice and while nothing will bring back Ahmaud Arbery’s life, it is important that a Grand jury recognized his life had value and was wrongly and ruthlessly ended,” he said, calling for a “successful prosecution” and proportionate sentences.
Arbery’s name has been chanted for weeks all over the United States during giant demonstrations protesting violence and systemic racism against African Americans.
He joins a list including George Floyd, who suffocated beneath the knee of a white police officer and whose killing on May 25 kicked off the protests; and Breonna Taylor, shot dead as she slept at her home in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13 by police who burst into her apartment during a so-called no-knock warrant.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--Russians cast early votes in referendum on possible 12-year extension of Putin rule

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a reception for foreign leaders invited to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on June 24 , 2020 .
The parade , marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two , was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus .
Russians go to the polls Thursday to cast early votes in a nationwide ballot on constitutional reforms that could see President Vladimir Putin remain in power until 2036 .
Election officials say they are opening polls ahead of the official July 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections .
Masks and disinfectant gels are being made available to 110 million voters across 10 time zones , from the Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Pacific Ocean .
The Kremlin reluctantly postponed the vote scheduled for April 22 as COVID-19 infections increased and officials imposed restrictions to slow the pandemic .
Putin introduced the reforms to the 1993 constitution in January this year , and they were hastily adopted by both houses of parliament and regional lawmakers .
He has insisted that Russians vote on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legally required , arguing that a plebiscite would give them legitimacy .
Opposition campaigner Alexei Navalny has slammed the vote as a populist ploy designed to give Putin the right to be `` president for life '' .
`` It is a violation of the Constitution , a coup , '' he said this month on social media .
Among other changes , the reforms would reset Putin 's presidential term-limit clock to zero , allowing him to run two more times and potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036 .
Under current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Kremlin would expire in 2024 .
The opposition 's campaign against the reforms failed to gain momentum .
Rallies scheduled in the Russian capital in April were barred under virus restrictions against public gatherings .
The `` No '' website , which collected signatures of Russians opposed to the reforms , was blocked by a Moscow court , forcing it to relaunch under another domain name .
Senior political officials meanwhile have stressed the importance of giving Putin a chance to remain in power .
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` guarantee stability , remove uncertainty '' .
The Russian leader said last week he had not decided whether to seek another term after 2024 , but that it was essential he have the option of extending his term .
`` Otherwise , I know that in two years , instead of working normally at all levels of the state , all eyes will be on the search for potential successors , '' he said .
`` We must work and not look for successors . ''
With the revised constitution already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot is largely seen in Russia as a foregone conclusion .
Yet it comes as Putin is suffering historically low approval ratings over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy , including hugely unpopular changes to the pension system .
In May , the independent polling group Levada published findings from April that showed Putin 's approval ratings were at an all-time low of 59 percent .
But on top of resetting Putin 's term limits , the reforms would consolidate presidential powers by allowing him to nominate top judges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house of parliament .
The reforms also enshrine economic changes that guarantee the minimum wage will be no less than the minimum subsistence level while the state pension will be adjusted annually to inflation .
They include a mention of Russians ' `` faith in God '' despite a long history as a secular country , and a stipulation effectively banning gay marriage .
These principles are at the heart of the conservative and patriotic value system regularly touted by Putin .
The Kremlin hopes they will resonate with voters and attract a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and billboards throughout the city do not mention Putin or the clause that would allow him to stay in power for more than a decade longer .
Instead the campaign centres around social imagery like a child kissing her grandmother under the slogan `` For a guaranteed retirement '' .
Another poster features a Russian family that wants to `` safeguard family values '' .

Russians go to the polls Thursday to cast early votes in a nationwide ballot on constitutional reforms that could see President Vladimir Putin remain in power until 2036.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a reception for foreign leaders invited to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on June 24, 2020. The parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
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Election officials say they are opening polls ahead of the official July 1 vote to avoid overcrowding that could spread coronavirus infections.
Masks and disinfectant gels are being made available to 110 million voters across 10 time zones, from the Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Pacific Ocean.
The Kremlin reluctantly postponed the vote scheduled for April 22 as COVID-19 infections increased and officials imposed restrictions to slow the pandemic.
05:31
Putin introduced the reforms to the 1993 constitution in January this year, and they were hastily adopted by both houses of parliament and regional lawmakers.
He has insisted that Russians vote on the changes even though a referendum is not legally required, arguing that a plebiscite would give them legitimacy.
Putin 'for life'
Opposition campaigner Alexei Navalny has slammed the vote as a populist ploy designed to give Putin the right to be "president for life".
"It is a violation of the Constitution, a coup," he said this month on social media.
Among other changes, the reforms would reset Putin's presidential term-limit clock to zero, allowing him to run two more times and potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036.
Under current rules, 67-year-old Putin's current term in the Kremlin would expire in 2024.
The opposition's campaign against the reforms failed to gain momentum.
Rallies scheduled in the Russian capital in April were barred under virus restrictions against public gatherings.
The "No" website, which collected signatures of Russians opposed to the reforms, was blocked by a Moscow court, forcing it to relaunch under another domain name.
Senior political officials meanwhile have stressed the importance of giving Putin a chance to remain in power.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the reforms as necessary if the country wanted to "guarantee stability, remove uncertainty".
The Russian leader said last week he had not decided whether to seek another term after 2024, but that it was essential he have the option of extending his term.
"Otherwise, I know that in two years, instead of working normally at all levels of the state, all eyes will be on the search for potential successors," he said. "We must work and not look for successors."
With the revised constitution already on sale in Moscow bookstores, the ballot is largely seen in Russia as a foregone conclusion.
Yet it comes as Putin is suffering historically low approval ratings over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy, including hugely unpopular changes to the pension system.
Traditional values
In May, the independent polling group Levada published findings from April that showed Putin's approval ratings were at an all-time low of 59 percent.
But on top of resetting Putin's term limits, the reforms would consolidate presidential powers by allowing him to nominate top judges and prosecutors, for approval by the upper house of parliament.
The reforms also enshrine economic changes that guarantee the minimum wage will be no less than the minimum subsistence level while the state pension will be adjusted annually to inflation.
They include a mention of Russians' "faith in God" despite a long history as a secular country, and a stipulation effectively banning gay marriage.
These principles are at the heart of the conservative and patriotic value system regularly touted by Putin.
The Kremlin hopes they will resonate with voters and attract a large turnout.
Ballot leaflets, posters, and billboards throughout the city do not mention Putin or the clause that would allow him to stay in power for more than a decade longer.
Instead the campaign centres around social imagery like a child kissing her grandmother under the slogan "For a guaranteed retirement".
Another poster features a Russian family that wants to "safeguard family values".
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--Trump says US moving some troops from Germany to Poland after Duda meeting

Poland 's President Andrzej Duda listens to US President Donald Trump during a joint news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington , DC on June 24 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States plans to move some troops from Germany to Poland , speaking as he hosted Polish leader Andrzej Duda at the White House just four days ahead of Poland ’ s election .
“ We are going to be reducing our forces in Germany ” from 52,000 to 25,000 troops , Trump said after an Oval Office meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some will be coming home and some will be going to other places , ” Trump said .
“ Poland would be one of those other places.
” Duda called it a “ very reasonable decision ” and said he had asked Trump not to withdraw US troops from Europe “ because the security of Europe is very important to me ” .
Asked what kind of a message the redeployment sends to Russia , Trump said : “ I think it sends a very strong signal.
” Duda ’ s meeting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Poland decide on Sunday whether to give him a second term , and the timing of the meeting was criticised by his opponents as an attempt to gain a pre-election windfall .
Trump , who is seeking to demonstrate that the coronavirus pandemic – which has damaged his own re-election chances – is abating was lavish with his praise of Duda .
The meeting was Trump ’ s first with a foreign leader since the Covid-19 pandemic , which has left more than 121,000 people dead in the United States , hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing very well in Poland , ” Trump said following the third Oval Office meeting between the two men .
“ He ’ s doing a terrific job.
” Responding to critics of the timing , Trump said “ the people of Poland think the world of him.
” “ I don ’ t think he needs my help , ” Trump said .
The main aim of the Polish side ahead of the visit was a boost in US military assistance – a constant demand from Warsaw , particularly since Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump did not provide any figures for how many US troops would be shifted from Germany to Poland .
He also repeated his frequent accusation that Germany is not paying its fair share of NATO ’ s defense budget .
According to the Polish newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna , 30 US F-16 fighter jets stationed in Germany could be moved to Poland along with some 2,000 troops .
NATO promised Russia in 1997 not to set up permanent bases in the former eastern bloc .
As tensions have grown however , the alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even though the US troops would still be rotated under any scenario , Polish officials have raised the prospect of a more permanent US presence – perhaps in a facility paid for by Warsaw dubbed “ Fort Trump ” .
German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer alluded to the agreement with Russia in an interview with the Atlantic Council on Wednesday .
“ If for example US troops in Europe are moved to Poland , this must be done with the NATO-Russia pact in mind , ” she said .
“ We must not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing Duda , who is backed by the governing Law and Justice party , is the current frontrunner in Poland ’ s election – but the centrist europhile opposition candidate Rafal Trzaskowski has been catching up in the polls .
Trump is also facing a tough re-election battle and is struggling in the polls as he comes under fire for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests for racial justice .
A New York Times/Siena College poll published on Wednesday had his Democratic opponent Joe Biden with a 14-point lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaptur , a Democrat from Ohio who co-chairs the Congressional Poland Caucus , condemned the decision to host Duda at this time .
“ As a Polish-American and someone who deeply values the US-Poland relationship , I am troubled by President Trump ’ s inappropriate efforts to insert himself into Polish domestic politics and boost President Duda ’ s reelection with a White House visit , ” Kaptur said in a statement .
“ Unfortunately , President Trump ’ s invitation is not surprising given his favorability toward strongmen and those who undermine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The timing of the visit was also criticised by Molly Montgomery of the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington , DC .
“ No US president should meet a foreign leader – friend or foe – mere days before she or he stands for election , ” Montgomery said .
“ To do so undermines Poland ’ s democratic processes and our own values .
”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States plans to move some troops from Germany to Poland, speaking as he hosted Polish leader Andrzej Duda at the White House just four days ahead of Poland’s election.
Poland's President Andrzej Duda listens to US President Donald Trump during a joint news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC on June 24, 2020.
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“We are going to be reducing our forces in Germany” from 52,000 to 25,000 troops, Trump said after an Oval Office meeting with his populist ally Duda.
“Some will be coming home and some will be going to other places,” Trump said. “Poland would be one of those other places.”
Duda called it a “very reasonable decision” and said he had asked Trump not to withdraw US troops from Europe “because the security of Europe is very important to me”.
Asked what kind of a message the redeployment sends to Russia, Trump said: “I think it sends a very strong signal.”
Duda’s meeting with Trump came just four days before voters in Poland decide on Sunday whether to give him a second term, and the timing of the meeting was criticised by his opponents as an attempt to gain a pre-election windfall.
Trump, who is seeking to demonstrate that the coronavirus pandemic – which has damaged his own re-election chances – is abating was lavish with his praise of Duda.
The meeting was Trump’s first with a foreign leader since the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left more than 121,000 people dead in the United States, hit in March.
“President Duda is doing very well in Poland,” Trump said following the third Oval Office meeting between the two men. “He’s doing a terrific job.”
Responding to critics of the timing, Trump said “the people of Poland think the world of him.”
“I don’t think he needs my help,” Trump said.
‘Troubled’
The main aim of the Polish side ahead of the visit was a boost in US military assistance – a constant demand from Warsaw, particularly since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Trump did not provide any figures for how many US troops would be shifted from Germany to Poland.
He also repeated his frequent accusation that Germany is not paying its fair share of NATO’s defense budget.
According to the Polish newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, 30 US F-16 fighter jets stationed in Germany could be moved to Poland along with some 2,000 troops.
NATO promised Russia in 1997 not to set up permanent bases in the former eastern bloc.
As tensions have grown however, the alliance has rotated troops through frontline countries.
President @AndrzejDuda after the meeting with President @realDonaldTrump: strengthening of military cooperation between Poland 🇵🇱 & the US 🇺🇸 is of crucial importance to the security of the European Union, the eastern flank of @NATO and most importantly to the security of Poland. pic.twitter.com/gpGrSWYtxs — PLinNATO (@PLinNATO) June 24, 2020
Even though the US troops would still be rotated under any scenario, Polish officials have raised the prospect of a more permanent US presence – perhaps in a facility paid for by Warsaw dubbed “Fort Trump”.
German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer alluded to the agreement with Russia in an interview with the Atlantic Council on Wednesday.
“If for example US troops in Europe are moved to Poland, this must be done with the NATO-Russia pact in mind,” she said. “We must not lose sight of this point.”
The right-wing Duda, who is backed by the governing Law and Justice party, is the current frontrunner in Poland’s election – but the centrist europhile opposition candidate Rafal Trzaskowski has been catching up in the polls.
Trump is also facing a tough re-election battle and is struggling in the polls as he comes under fire for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests for racial justice.
A New York Times/Siena College poll published on Wednesday had his Democratic opponent Joe Biden with a 14-point lead among registered voters.
US Representative Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio who co-chairs the Congressional Poland Caucus, condemned the decision to host Duda at this time.
“As a Polish-American and someone who deeply values the US-Poland relationship, I am troubled by President Trump’s inappropriate efforts to insert himself into Polish domestic politics and boost President Duda’s reelection with a White House visit,” Kaptur said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, President Trump’s invitation is not surprising given his favorability toward strongmen and those who undermine democratic institutions,” Kaptur said.
The timing of the visit was also criticised by Molly Montgomery of the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC.
“No US president should meet a foreign leader – friend or foe – mere days before she or he stands for election,” Montgomery said. “To do so undermines Poland’s democratic processes and our own values.”
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--Pakistan unwilling to lock down anew despite fast-surging coronavirus outbreak

Pakistan has seen a surge in new coronavirus cases after a 40-day nationwide lockdown the government imposed in March ended @ @ @ @ @ not abated in Pakistan , where infections could top one million on current trends .
@ @ @ @ @ Organization , it is seeing one of the fastest spreads of the virus anywhere in @ @ @ @ @ now , Pakistani authorities have ruled out imposing a new nationwide lockdown .
In March @ @ @ @ @ a country-wide shutdown for 40 days to stop the spread of Covid-19 .
But despite @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks , it refuses to lock the country down for a second time , @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable economy .
Pakistan ’ s health care system has 3,000 intensive care beds for @ @ @ @ @ .
Hospitals are forced to refuse patients and tensions have led to violence against healthcare @ @ @ @ @ the Covid-19 outbreak is not expected until August .
FRANCE 24 ’ s Shahzaib Wahlah @ @ @ @ @ , Pakistan .
To watch , click on the video player above .

ON THE GROUND
The coronavirus outbreak has not abated in Pakistan, where infections could top one million on current trends. According to the World Health Organization, it is seeing one of the fastest spreads of the virus anywhere in the world. But for now, Pakistani authorities have ruled out imposing a new nationwide lockdown.
Pakistan has seen a surge in new coronavirus cases after a 40-day nationwide lockdown the government imposed in March ended.
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In March, Pakistan's government imposed a country-wide shutdown for 40 days to stop the spread of Covid-19. But despite a surge in cases in recent weeks, it refuses to lock the country down for a second time, citing concerns for an already vulnerable economy.
Pakistan’s health care system has 3,000 intensive care beds for a population of 220 million. Hospitals are forced to refuse patients and tensions have led to violence against healthcare workers. The peak of the Covid-19 outbreak is not expected until August.
FRANCE 24’s Shahzaib Wahlah has this report from Lahore, Pakistan. To watch, click on the video player above.
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france24--2020-06-25--France reopens conflict of interest probe into Macron’s chief of staff Kohler

A file photo of French President Emmanuel Macron 's chief of staff Alexis Kohler in Paris on November 11 , 2018 .
Investigators have reopened a conflict of interest probe into President Emmanuel Macron 's chief of staff , Alexis Kohler , over his links to Swiss-Italian shipping giant MSC , sources told AFP on Wednesday .
An initial criminal investigation by the economic crimes prosecutor 's office was dropped in August last year , prompting campaign group Anticor to file a civil complaint .
On Monday , investigating magistrates agreed to take up the Anticor complaint , sources said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mediapart .
As a senior civil servant in the economy ministry before Macron 's election in 2017 , Kohler is alleged to have worked on matters involving the shipyard STX France , where MSC was a major client .
MSC was founded by billionaire cousins of Kohler 's mother and Kohler himself joined the company as finance director in 2016 while continuing to work as an adviser on Macron 's presidential campaign .
Two years ago , police raided the economy ministry as part of their inquiry into Kohler , who was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry between 2014 and 2016 .
The presidency has denied his aide did anything wrong .
Macron confirmed last year that he had known of Kohler 's family ties when appointing him in 2014 , and added that Kohler was not involved in MSC-related decisions after coming aboard .
Late on Wednesday , the presidency described the reopening of the investigation as an `` automatic consequence '' of the Anticor complaint being filed , saying the judges would consider the case with `` full independence '' .
Leftist opponents often accuse Macron , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too close to business leaders .
The allegations against Kohler add to a list of legal investigations into Macron 's allies -- including Richard Ferrand , who stepped down as housing minister because of a probe into a property deal , but is now the speaker of parliament .
Kohler had also been questioned in a probe into a scandal involving Macron 's former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla , and a Senate commission of inquiry said it suspected Kohler had withheld information in that case .

Investigators have reopened a conflict of interest probe into President Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff, Alexis Kohler, over his links to Swiss-Italian shipping giant MSC, sources told AFP on Wednesday.
A file photo of French President Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff Alexis Kohler in Paris on November 11, 2018.
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An initial criminal investigation by the economic crimes prosecutor's office was dropped in August last year, prompting campaign group Anticor to file a civil complaint.
On Monday, investigating magistrates agreed to take up the Anticor complaint, sources said, confirming a report by investigative website Mediapart.
As a senior civil servant in the economy ministry before Macron's election in 2017, Kohler is alleged to have worked on matters involving the shipyard STX France, where MSC was a major client.
MSC was founded by billionaire cousins of Kohler's mother and Kohler himself joined the company as finance director in 2016 while continuing to work as an adviser on Macron's presidential campaign.
Two years ago, police raided the economy ministry as part of their inquiry into Kohler, who was also Macron's chief of staff at the ministry between 2014 and 2016.
The presidency has denied his aide did anything wrong.
Macron confirmed last year that he had known of Kohler's family ties when appointing him in 2014, and added that Kohler was not involved in MSC-related decisions after coming aboard.
Late on Wednesday, the presidency described the reopening of the investigation as an "automatic consequence" of the Anticor complaint being filed, saying the judges would consider the case with "full independence".
Leftist opponents often accuse Macron, a former investment banker, of being too close to business leaders.
The allegations against Kohler add to a list of legal investigations into Macron's allies -- including Richard Ferrand, who stepped down as housing minister because of a probe into a property deal, but is now the speaker of parliament.
Kohler had also been questioned in a probe into a scandal involving Macron's former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, and a Senate commission of inquiry said it suspected Kohler had withheld information in that case.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--Libya: 'Faces a real risk of partition'

Libya: 'Faces a real risk of partition'

In an interview with FRANCE 24 , Wolfram Lacher , a senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs , warned of a `` real risk '' of partition in Libya .
He said this could happen either through an escalation of the fighting or because a `` frozen conflict '' scenario would take hold .
Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Berlin , Lacher said that for the first time , there was a risk that the fighting in Libya could no longer be waged through proxies but would be done openly between foreign powers .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously '' the threat by Egypt 's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to intervene if government-backed forces move towards the strategic town of Sirte .
Both Egypt and Turkey were `` playing a game of chicken '' that could well end up in a direct confrontation between them , said Lacher , who is the author of a recent book entitled `` Libya 's Fragmentation : Structure and Process in Violent Conflict '' .
Lacher expressed pessimism about the revival of a UN-led negotiation process , noting that Turkey and Russia were angling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Egypt , the UAE , the US and France were opposing such a scheme .
He also criticised France 's support for General Khalifa Haftar , stressing that he could not understand why Paris kept on backing him despite his shortcomings and his failure to seize the capital , Tripoli .
He added that France 's stark denunciation of Turkey ’ s role in Libya was misguided .
He noted that while Turkey had openly supported Fayez al-Sarraj , both the UAE and Russia had been sending more weaponry to Haftar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in the near future .
He estimated that the only solution for Haftar to retain some influence was to maintain control of Libya 's east in a `` frozen conflict '' scenario .

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Wolfram Lacher, a senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, warned of a "real risk" of partition in Libya. He said this could happen either through an escalation of the fighting or because a "frozen conflict" scenario would take hold.
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Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Berlin, Lacher said that for the first time, there was a risk that the fighting in Libya could no longer be waged through proxies but would be done openly between foreign powers. He said that the world should "take seriously" the threat by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to intervene if government-backed forces move towards the strategic town of Sirte. Both Egypt and Turkey were "playing a game of chicken" that could well end up in a direct confrontation between them, said Lacher, who is the author of a recent book entitled "Libya's Fragmentation: Structure and Process in Violent Conflict".
Lacher expressed pessimism about the revival of a UN-led negotiation process, noting that Turkey and Russia were angling for a deal between them to control Libya while Egypt, the UAE, the US and France were opposing such a scheme.
He also criticised France's support for General Khalifa Haftar, stressing that he could not understand why Paris kept on backing him despite his shortcomings and his failure to seize the capital, Tripoli. He added that France's stark denunciation of Turkey’s role in Libya was misguided.
He noted that while Turkey had openly supported Fayez al-Sarraj, both the UAE and Russia had been sending more weaponry to Haftar, including Russian fighter jets that could be used in the near future. He estimated that the only solution for Haftar to retain some influence was to maintain control of Libya's east in a "frozen conflict" scenario.
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france24--2020-06-25--French jihadist goes on trial over IS group executions in Syria

A French jihadist went on trial Thursday on terror charges amid accusations that he oversaw executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State ( IS ) extremist group .
Tyler Vilus , 30 , is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group , heading a unit of IS group fighters and `` aggravated murder '' between 2013 and 2015 .
He faces a life sentence if convicted .
Investigators suspect him of being part of the `` Al-Muhajireen '' ( the immigrants ) brigade , a squadron that tortured and carried out summary executions , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of supervising executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town of Ash Shaddadi , close to the Iraqi border .
In a 2015 video published by the IS group '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 .
In an interview with FRANCE 24 , sociologist Farhad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris , Abdelhamid Abaaoud .
Vilus 's mother , dubbed `` Mama Jihad '' in the French press , travelled three times to Syria in support of her son and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2017 for her `` unfailing commitment '' to jihad .
Before the hearing , Vilus 's lawyer Louis-Romain Riché deplored that the accused had been kept in isolation for four and a half years , despite his `` very calm '' behaviour .

A French jihadist went on trial Thursday on terror charges amid accusations that he oversaw executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
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Tyler Vilus, 30, is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group, heading a unit of IS group fighters and "aggravated murder" between 2013 and 2015. He faces a life sentence if convicted.
Investigators suspect him 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 of Ash Shaddadi, close to the Iraqi border.
In a 2015 video published by the IS group'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.
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 was the mastermind of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Abdelhamid Abaaoud.
Vilus's mother, dubbed "Mama Jihad" in the French press, travelled three times to Syria in support of her son and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2017 for her "unfailing commitment" to jihad.
Before the hearing, Vilus's lawyer Louis-Romain Riché deplored that the accused had been kept in isolation for four and a half years, despite his "very calm" behaviour.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-25--French municipal elections 2020: city by city, the great battles of the second round

The results of the second round of municipal elections in France 's major cities on Sunday will be eagerly awaited , with polls in Marseille , Lyon , Toulouse , Strasbourg and Bordeaux suggesting a very lively evening .
Around 30,000 mayors have already won their seats during the first round of elections on March 5 by garnering an outright majority , but in most of France 's major cities the final result is not a foregone conclusion .
On June 28 , voters in Paris , Marseille and Lyon , in particular , will choose who will run their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After an interlude of more than three months between the two rounds due to the Covid-19 health crisis , the winners in these cities will earn a prestigious victory , both for themselves and for their parties .
The Europe Ecology-Greens party ( EELV ) could well be the big winner , unlike French President Emmanuel Macron ’ s La République en Marche ( LREM ) , which has few candidates still on the ballot in France ’ s major cities .
In Paris , Marseille and Lyon , voters cast their ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gender-balanced lists of party council members .
If no list garners more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round , those that received more than 10 percent of the vote proceed to a second round .
Candidates who earned more than 5 percent but less than the 10 percent needed to qualify may join another list at this stage .
The elected council members then go on to choose a mayor at their first meeting .
Three candidates remain in contention in the capital after a chaotic campaign : incumbent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list led the first round with 29.3 percent of the vote ; former minister Rachida Dati for Les Républicains ( LR , 22.7 percent ) ; and the LREM candidate Agnès Buzyn ( 17.3 percent ) .
The unusually long interlude between rounds strengthened Hidalgo ’ s position , giving her time to make a deal with environmentalists ( 10.8 percent ) .
Former LREM candidate Cédric Villani , though , whose list came in fifth in the first round ( 7.9 percent ) , declined to support any of the remaining candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of likely voters plan to vote for Hidalgo ’ s list , according to the polling organisation IFOP , as opposed to 33 percent for Dati ’ s and 20 percent for Buzyn ’ s .
The outcome of the election is more uncertain than ever in Marseilles , a stronghold of LR that was run by Jean-Claude Gaudin for 25 years .
This year , though , the left came out on top in the first round .
The campaign erupted in turmoil in mid-June with the opening of an investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which added to the difficulties of that party ’ s candidate Martine Vassal .
The longtime politician is now working to defend herself against those accusations and has launched a counterattack by raising the spectre of a `` red peril '' .
On the left , the Marseille Spring list was buoyed by its first-round results , performing well even in areas that were traditionally bastions of the right and has won the support of the EELV .
The winner of the mayoral race in Marseille may not be known until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of the city council must vote to elect him or her .
Lyon : Within reach of the Greens Will the Greens take over the capital of the Gauls ?
After a strong showing in the first round , barring a complete turnaround of voters , EELV candidate Grégory Doucet is the favourite to be the next mayor .
The same outcome is likely on the broader metropolitan level .
On March 15 , the Greens came out on top in 8 of the 14 constituencies of the metropolis , enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , voter participation levels and the delay of the vote leave the outcome uncertain .
Most likely , the election will be decided in the `` third round '' , when the councillors of Greater Lyon will have to designate their president .
Without a clear majority , the game of negotiations will be very open .
Only one thing looks certain : The LREM party will lose its fiefdom .
In Strasbourg , where the outgoing mayor , Roland Ries , is not standing for re-election after two consecutive terms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 51 , seems to be holding the line , potentially offering Macron ’ s party one of its few victories in the municipal elections .
Fontanel , the current first deputy mayor , came in second in the first round with 20 percent of the vote , but was well behind the environmentalist candidate Jeanne Barseghian ( 28 percent ) .
But Barseghian , who needed an agreement with Socialist Catherine Trautmann ( third with 19 percent ) to consolidate her lead , failed to reach an agreement with the former mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a four-way race after 73 years of first-round right-wing mayoral victories .
In the end , though , there were only three lists in Bordeaux : outgoing LR mayor Nicolas Florian formed an alliance with LREM candidate Thomas Cazenave , whose list had garnered 12.69 percent of the vote in the first round .
That 's not much for a presidential party , but enough to give a little oxygen to the heir of former mayor Alain Juppé , whose list beat out that of left-wing environmentalist Pierre Hurmic by only 96 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Florian and Cazenave maintain that 80 percent of their programmes overlap and invoke the health crisis to explain their alliance .
Hurmic , who has been in the municipal opposition for 25 years , hopes to bring together a large number of environmentalists on the left .
In Lille , three candidates qualified for the second round : Martine Aubry , Socialist Party mayor since 2001 , who came first in the first round ( 29.8 percent ) ahead of ecologist Stéphane Baly ( 24.5 percent ) , and her former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , who ran under the banner of the presidential party .
While the Greens left their intentions in doubt , Aubry and Baly announced that they would not form an alliance .
On the other hand , Aubry received the support of the right-wing in Lille who called for a blockade of the Greens , whom they described as `` madmen '' , `` extremists '' and `` Marxist ecologists '' .
Spillebout , who has resumed her position as an executive at SNCF , will go it alone after refusing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
In Le Havre , Prime Minister Édouard Philippe , who came first in the first round with 43.60 percent of the votes , will face the deputy from the French Communist Party Jean-Paul Lecoq in the second round , who won a surprise 35.88 percent of the vote in the first round .
The Prime Minister has since been at the forefront of the Covid-19 crisis , gaining a sharp rise in popularity on the national level .
An IFOP poll published last week showed him winning 53 percent of likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 47 percent for Lecoq .
Philippe was the mayor of this city from 2010 to 2017 .
Seven parliamentarians from other regions , including one EELV , voiced their support for Lecoq , thereby stigmatising the candidature of the Prime Minister , saying he `` would be a phantom mayor '' after he confirmed that he would favour his position as PM over that of mayor if elected .
On his fourth attempt , National Rally ( RN ) candidate Louis Aliot looks set to conquer Perpignan , unless the `` Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around outgoing LR mayor Jean-Marc Pujol manages to bring together left , centre and right , as in 2014 .
Elected to Parliament in 2017 , the former companion of far-right right politician Marine Le Pen 's won 35.6 percent of the vote in the first round , versus Pujol , who gained only 18.4 percent of the vote , far less than in 2014 ( 30 percent ) when he defeated Aliot in the second round .
Having qualified for the second round , ecologist Agnès Langevine ( EELV-PS , 14.5 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and LREM deputy Romain Grau ( 13 percent ) made a `` Republican withdrawal '' , hoping to prevent Aliot 's victory .
But on both the left and the right , anti-Aliot mobilisation is uncertain .
Three of Romain Grau 's aides voted for the RN deputy .
In the event of Aliot 's victory , Perpignan , with its 120,000 inhabitants , would be the largest city won by the extreme right since Toulon ( 1995-2001 ) .
This article was translated from the original in French .

The results of the second round of municipal elections in France's major cities on Sunday will be eagerly awaited, with polls in Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Bordeaux suggesting a very lively evening.
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Around 30,000 mayors have already won their seats during the first round of elections on March 5 by garnering an outright majority, but in most of France's major cities the final result is not a foregone conclusion. On June 28, voters in Paris, Marseille and Lyon, in particular, will choose who will run their cities for the next six years.
After an interlude of more than three months between the two rounds due to the Covid-19 health crisis, the winners in these cities will earn a prestigious victory, both for themselves and for their parties. The Europe Ecology-Greens party (EELV) could well be the big winner, unlike French President Emmanuel Macron’s La République en Marche (LREM), which has few candidates still on the ballot in France’s major cities.
In Paris, Marseille and Lyon, voters cast their ballots not for individual mayoral candidates but for gender-balanced lists of party council members. If no list garners more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round, those that received more than 10 percent of the vote proceed to a second round. Candidates who earned more than 5 percent but less than the 10 percent needed to qualify may join another list at this stage. The elected council members then go on to choose a mayor at their first meeting.
Paris: Anne Hidalgo feeling confident
The three Paris city hall candidates in the upcoming mayoral elections on 2020, Member of the French right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party Rachida Dati (L), Socialist Party (PS) and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo (C) and La Republique en Marche (LREM) Agnes Buzyn (R), pose prior the start of the of Tv program " Le Grand Debat " on France 3 channel in Paris, on June 17, 2020. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON
Three candidates remain in contention in the capital after a chaotic campaign: incumbent Socialist Party mayor Anne Hidalgo, whose list led the first round with 29.3 percent of the vote; former minister Rachida Dati for Les Républicains (LR, 22.7 percent); and the LREM candidate Agnès Buzyn (17.3 percent).
The unusually long interlude between rounds strengthened Hidalgo’s position, giving her time to make a deal with environmentalists (10.8 percent). Former LREM candidate Cédric Villani, though, whose list came in fifth in the first round (7.9 percent), declined to support any of the remaining candidates.
As a result, 44 percent of likely voters plan to vote for Hidalgo’s list, according to the polling organisation IFOP, as opposed to 33 percent for Dati’s and 20 percent for Buzyn’s.
Marseille: Uncertainty about the post-Gaudin era
Michele Rubirola, candidate for the new left side list "Le Printemps Marseillais" (union of several left movements, including the Socialist Party) for the 2020 mayoral elections in Marseille gives a speech during a meeting at the Parc Longchamps on March 7, 2020, in Marseille, southern France. AFP - PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA
The outcome of the election is more uncertain than ever in Marseilles, a stronghold of LR that was run by Jean-Claude Gaudin for 25 years. This year, though, the left came out on top in the first round.
The campaign erupted in turmoil in mid-June with the opening of an investigation into possible fraud on the part of LR, which added to the difficulties of that party’s candidate Martine Vassal. The longtime politician is now working to defend herself against those accusations and has launched a counterattack by raising the spectre of a "red peril".
On the left, the Marseille Spring list was buoyed by its first-round results, performing well even in areas that were traditionally bastions of the right and has won the support of the EELV.
The winner of the mayoral race in Marseille may not be known until the "third round", when a majority of the city council must vote to elect him or her.
Lyon: Within reach of the Greens
Lyon city hall candidate for the Europe Ecologie les Verts (EELV) green party Gregory Doucet arrives to a polling station during the first round of municipal elections in Lyon, on March 15, 2020. AFP - OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE
Will the Greens take over the capital of the Gauls? After a strong showing in the first round, barring a complete turnaround of voters, EELV candidate Grégory Doucet is the favourite to be the next mayor.
The same outcome is likely on the broader metropolitan level. On March 15, the Greens came out on top in 8 of the 14 constituencies of the metropolis, enough to hope for victory on June 28. Still, voter participation levels and the delay of the vote leave the outcome uncertain.
Most likely, the election will be decided in the "third round", when the councillors of Greater Lyon will have to designate their president. Without a clear majority, the game of negotiations will be very open. Only one thing looks certain: The LREM party will lose its fiefdom.
Strasbourg: The LREM surprise?
Alain Fontanel and Jean-Philippe Vetter, June 3, 2020, in Strasbourg. AFP - PATRICK HERTZOG
In Strasbourg, where the outgoing mayor, Roland Ries, is not standing for re-election after two consecutive terms, his protégé, LREM candidate Alain Fontanel, 51, seems to be holding the line, potentially offering Macron’s party one of its few victories in the municipal elections.
Fontanel, the current first deputy mayor, came in second in the first round with 20 percent of the vote, but was well behind the environmentalist candidate Jeanne Barseghian (28 percent). But Barseghian, who needed an agreement with Socialist Catherine Trautmann (third with 19 percent) to consolidate her lead, failed to reach an agreement with the former mayor of Strasbourg.
Bordeaux: The Green candidate facing outward
Les Republicains right wing party's incumbent mayor of Bordeaux Nicolas Florian and LREM's candidate to the mayoral elections Thomas Cazenave (L) touch eachothers elbows to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus Covid-19 as they announce an alliance ahead of the June 28 vote, in Bordeaux on June 3, 2020. AFP - MEHDI FEDOUACH
It was expected to be a four-way race after 73 years of first-round right-wing mayoral victories. In the end, though, there were only three lists in Bordeaux: outgoing LR mayor Nicolas Florian formed an alliance with LREM candidate Thomas Cazenave, whose list had garnered 12.69 percent of the vote in the first round. That's not much for a presidential party, but enough to give a little oxygen to the heir of former mayor Alain Juppé, whose list beat out that of left-wing environmentalist Pierre Hurmic by only 96 votes (34.56 percent against 34.38 percent).
Florian and Cazenave maintain that 80 percent of their programmes overlap and invoke the health crisis to explain their alliance. Hurmic, who has been in the municipal opposition for 25 years, hopes to bring together a large number of environmentalists on the left.
Lille: Martine Aubry for a fourth term?
Outgoing Mayor of Socialist party Martine Aubry prepares to vote on March 15, 2020 at the polling station at the Jean-Jacques Rousseau school in Lille, northern France, on March 15, 2020 during the first round of mayoral elections in France. AFP - FRANCOIS LO PRESTI
In Lille, three candidates qualified for the second round: Martine Aubry, Socialist Party mayor since 2001, who came first in the first round (29.8 percent) ahead of ecologist Stéphane Baly (24.5 percent), and her former cabinet director Violette Spillebout (17.5 percent), who ran under the banner of the presidential party.
While the Greens left their intentions in doubt, Aubry and Baly announced that they would not form an alliance.
On the other hand, Aubry received the support of the right-wing in Lille who called for a blockade of the Greens, whom they described as "madmen", "extremists" and "Marxist ecologists".
Spillebout, who has resumed her position as an executive at SNCF, will go it alone after refusing an alliance with the right (8.2 percent).
Le Havre: Édouard Philippe in a duel
French Prime Minister and candidate for Le Havre city hall Edouard Philippe (C) celebrates a wedding in Le Havre, Normandy, on June 20, 2020, during a campaign visit ahead of the second round of France's municipal elections to be held on 28 June 2020. AFP - CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON
In Le Havre, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who came first in the first round with 43.60 percent of the votes, will face the deputy from the French Communist Party Jean-Paul Lecoq in the second round, who won a surprise 35.88 percent of the vote in the first round.
The Prime Minister has since been at the forefront of the Covid-19 crisis, gaining a sharp rise in popularity on the national level. An IFOP poll published last week showed him winning 53 percent of likely votes in the second round, compared to 47 percent for Lecoq. Philippe was the mayor of this city from 2010 to 2017.
Seven parliamentarians from other regions, including one EELV, voiced their support for Lecoq, thereby stigmatising the candidature of the Prime Minister, saying he "would be a phantom mayor" after he confirmed that he would favour his position as PM over that of mayor if elected.
Perpignan: "Republican front" uncertain against National Rally
L In this file photo taken on January 31, 2020 French far-right party Rassemblement National (RN) MP and candidate for the upcoming mayoral elections Louis Aliot speaks on stage during a meeting in Perpignan on January 31, 2020. © Raymond Roig, AFP
On his fourth attempt, National Rally (RN) candidate Louis Aliot looks set to conquer Perpignan, unless the "Republican front" that is trying to form around outgoing LR mayor Jean-Marc Pujol manages to bring together left, centre and right, as in 2014.
Elected to Parliament in 2017, the former companion of far-right right politician Marine Le Pen's won 35.6 percent of the vote in the first round, versus Pujol, who gained only 18.4 percent of the vote, far less than in 2014 (30 percent) when he defeated Aliot in the second round.
Having qualified for the second round, ecologist Agnès Langevine (EELV-PS, 14.5 percent), vice-president of the Occitanie region, and LREM deputy Romain Grau (13 percent) made a "Republican withdrawal", hoping to prevent Aliot's victory. But on both the left and the right, anti-Aliot mobilisation is uncertain. Three of Romain Grau's aides voted for the RN deputy.
In the event of Aliot's victory, Perpignan, with its 120,000 inhabitants, would be the largest city won by the extreme right since Toulon (1995-2001).
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
This article was translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-06-25--Liverpool win Premier League title, ending 30-year wait

Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring against Crystal Palace in an empty Anfield in Liverpool on June 24 , 2020 .
Liverpool 's 30-year English title drought ended on Thursday as they were confirmed as Premier League champions courtesy of second-placed Manchester City 's 2-1 loss at Chelsea .
Liverpool have 86 points from 31 games , an unbeatable 23 points clear of City .
They were back at their lethal best to beat Crystal Palace 4-0 at Anfield on Wednesday , with goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold , Mohamed Salah , Fabinho and Sadio Mané .
Liverpool were last champions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Division title in 1989-90 after which a decline in fortunes saw Manchester United and Arsenal , then Chelsea and Manchester City seize power .
Manager Juergen Klopp has rekindled the Anfield flame though and delivered the club 's 19th title , one behind arch-rivals United 's record of 20 , after finishing runners-up to City in a thrilling title race last season .
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic forcing a three-month suspension of the season and delaying Liverpool 's coronation , they have won the title with a record seven games to spare .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manchester United ( 2000-01 ) and Manchester City ( 2017-18 ) , who sealed their respective titles with five games left .
Had it not been for the unprecedented stoppage , Liverpool were on course to smash the record for the earliest league title .
Instead they are now the first team to lift the coveted trophy as late as June .

Liverpool's 30-year English title drought ended on Thursday as they were confirmed as Premier League champions courtesy of second-placed Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Chelsea.
Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring against Crystal Palace in an empty Anfield in Liverpool on June 24, 2020.
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Liverpool have 86 points from 31 games, an unbeatable 23 points clear of City.
They were back at their lethal best to beat Crystal Palace 4-0 at Anfield on Wednesday, with goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Sadio Mané.
Liverpool were last champions of England when they won the old First Division title in 1989-90 after which a decline in fortunes saw Manchester United and Arsenal, then Chelsea and Manchester City seize power.
Manager Juergen Klopp has rekindled the Anfield flame though and delivered the club's 19th title, one behind arch-rivals United's record of 20, after finishing runners-up to City in a thrilling title race last season.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic forcing a three-month suspension of the season and delaying Liverpool's coronation, they have won the title with a record seven games to spare.
They eclipsed the record jointly held by Manchester United (2000-01) and Manchester City (2017-18), who sealed their respective titles with five games left.
Had it not been for the unprecedented stoppage, Liverpool were on course to smash the record for the earliest league title. Instead they are now the first team to lift the coveted trophy as late as June.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-25--Abandoned by employers, Ethiopian domestic workers are dumped on Lebanon’s streets

Ethiopian domestic workers fired by their employers outside their country 's consulate in Beirut , Lebanon on June 24 , 2020 .
The economic crisis in Lebanon , exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic , has sparked a distressing phenomenon of predominantly Ethiopian migrant domestic workers being fired and dumped outside their country 's consulate in Beirut .
Ethiopian authorities haven ’ t been much help , leaving NGOs to provide as best they can .
Over the past few weeks , cars have been stopping in front of the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut and domestic workers have been offloaded on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting rid of their maids and nannies , thus becoming casualties of the country ’ s economic crisis , which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic .
`` The scene is happening every day , '' said Diala Haidar , Amnesty International 's campaign officer in Lebanon , in a phone interview with FRANCE 24 from Beirut .
The hapless foreign workers , with suitcases and sometimes mattresses in tow , have crammed the sidewalk outside the consulate since they can ’ t afford local rents .
Going back home is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Ethiopia is too expensive , '' explained Haidar .
The homeless migrant workers are told their consulate will help them , but that ’ s not the case .
`` Some of the women I spoke to were n't even received by the consular staff , who refuse to let them in , '' said Haidar .
In early June , around 30 abandoned foreign workers were temporarily accommodated by Lebanese authorities in a hotel .
`` To my knowledge , no other operation has been carried out since then , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping these women are NGOs , the Ethiopian community in Beirut who bring them food , and a few Lebanese people , moved by their plight , who pay for nights in a hotel . ''
Amnesty International has called on Lebanese authorities to protect migrant domestic workers .
“ The Ministry of Labour , the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Interior must work together to promptly investigate , and to avoid this unfolding crisis developing further .
They must immediately provide accommodation , food , healthcare and other support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their jobs , ” said the London-based group in a statement .
Lebanon is frequently accused of laxity in dealing with the exploitation of foreign domestic workers , which has long been denounced by human rights groups .
Under the kafala , or sponsorship , system , which ties the legal residency of the worker to a contractual relationship with the employer , an employee can not resign without the employer ’ s permission .
In a 2019 report , “ Their Home Is My Prison , ” Amnesty noted that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even in cases of abuse , the worker loses regular migration status.
” The contractual relationship , the report noted , “ allows the employer to coerce the worker to accept exploitative working conditions .
If a migrant domestic worker refuses such conditions and decides to leave the home of the employer without the latter ’ s consent , the worker risks losing their residency status and consequently detention and deportation.
” There are currently around 250,000 migrant workers – mostly Ethiopian , Philippine and Sri Lankan women , but also Sierra Leonean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kafala system .
Some are paid as little as $ 150 per month .
Lebanon is facing a severe economic crisis in the thick of a global pandemic and an anti-government protest movement that has seen demonstrators take to the streets in several cities demanding an overhaul of the country ’ s political system .
Hit by a currency devaluation , inflation and high unemployment , Lebanon ’ s middle class is rapidly falling into poverty and domestic workers are no longer affordable in many households .
The Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly vulnerable , marginalised section of society , according to aid organisations .
In April , the French NGO Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ) set up a helpline for migrant domestic workers and were inundated with calls for help .
According to MSF , six of the Ethiopian female workers outside the consulate in recent weeks had to be hospitalised for psychiatric problems , some of them having been physically or sexually abused .
The Lebanese authorities have promised to tighten oversight , threatening to punish employers who do not respect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Haidar warns that `` it ’ s not enough if there are no inspection mechanisms ” .
The solution , she notes , is to “ abolish kafala and integrate immigrant workers into the labour market '' .
With the spread of Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the world following the killing of George Floyd in the US , Lebanon has witnessed a growing call for an end to kafala .
An online petition calling for the abolition of the system described as “ neo-slavery , inhuman and racist ” , garnered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prompted by the mobilisation , the Lebanese Labour Ministry was forced to react by organising a meeting on June 19 with the International Labour Organization ( ILO ) and NGOs including Amnesty International .
`` The minister expressed her intention to present a draft amendment to the labour law to include foreign domestic workers , '' said Haidar .
If successful , the bill would guarantee foreign domestic workers the right to leave , a minimum wage and freedom of movement .
The cost of going home For those camped in front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanese authorities announced that repatriations would take place , without providing specific dates or figures .
Last week , a group of Ghanaian workers were finally able to leave Lebanon for home .
Video clips showed delighted passengers singing and dancing with joy on the plane before takeoff .
Ethiopia so far has repatriated around 650 women , who arrived in the capital , Addis Ababa , to much fanfare .
But there are many more to go and for those not fortunate enough to get on the first evacuation flight , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
While the onus of labour protection measures lies with Lebanese authorities , Ethiopia , a fast-developing country and home to the African Union headquarters , has also come under criticism for abandoning its citizens trapped overseas .
Flight tickets from Beirut to Addis Ababa recently jumped to $ 1,450 on state-owned Ethiopian Airlines , a prohibitive amount for abandoned domestic workers .
Ethiopian Airlines explained in a June 3 post on its Facebook page that the price includes the cost of the flight and of quarantine , which Middle East Matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one of 23 hotels designated by the Ethiopian government to hold returnees .
But Ethiopian women repatriated from Lebanon in May told Middle East Eye that the government had quarantined them at a university campus free of charge .
Hanna , one of those repatriated , said she couldn ’ t understand why the university could not be used to quarantine newer arrivals .
`` It 's madness to expect people in Lebanon to afford the quarantine hotels .
They brought us here , why ca n't they bring the others here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she told Middle East Eye .
The anguish of the migrant workers in Lebanon is unquestionable and only getting worse .
In 2008 , Human Rights Watch reported that , on average , more than one domestic worker died each week in Lebanon , either by suicide or by `` falling off a building , often trying to escape '' .
Since then , the number has reportedly doubled , according to human rights activists .
As recently as June 18 , an Ethiopian domestic worker was found hanged at her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Lebanese French-language daily , L'Orient Le Jour .
The report did not reveal if any charges were filed in the case .
This article has been translated and updated from the original in French .

The economic crisis in Lebanon, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has sparked a distressing phenomenon of predominantly Ethiopian migrant domestic workers being fired and dumped outside their country's consulate in Beirut. Ethiopian authorities haven’t been much help, leaving NGOs to provide as best they can.
Ethiopian domestic workers fired by their employers outside their country's consulate in Beirut, Lebanon on June 24, 2020.
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Over the past few weeks, cars have been stopping in front of the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut and domestic workers have been offloaded on the sidewalk, abandoned by Lebanese families getting rid of their maids and nannies, thus becoming casualties of the country’s economic crisis, which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The scene is happening every day," said Diala Haidar, Amnesty International's campaign officer in Lebanon, in a phone interview with FRANCE 24 from Beirut. The hapless foreign workers, with suitcases and sometimes mattresses in tow, have crammed the sidewalk outside the consulate since they can’t afford local rents. Going back home is also very difficult. "The return ticket to Ethiopia is too expensive," explained Haidar.
The homeless migrant workers are told their consulate will help them, but that’s not the case. "Some of the women I spoke to weren't even received by the consular staff, who refuse to let them in," said Haidar.
‘Kafala’ turns homes into prisons
In early June, around 30 abandoned foreign workers were temporarily accommodated by Lebanese authorities in a hotel. "To my knowledge, no other operation has been carried out since then," said Haidar. "The only people helping these women are NGOs, the Ethiopian community in Beirut who bring them food, and a few Lebanese people, moved by their plight, who pay for nights in a hotel."
Amnesty International has called on Lebanese authorities to protect migrant domestic workers. “The Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Interior must work together to promptly investigate, and to avoid this unfolding crisis developing further. They must immediately provide accommodation, food, healthcare and other support to the migrant domestic workers who have lost their jobs,” said the London-based group in a statement.
Lebanon is frequently accused of laxity in dealing with the exploitation of foreign domestic workers, which has long been denounced by human rights groups.
Under the kafala, or sponsorship, system, which ties the legal residency of the worker to a contractual relationship with the employer, an employee cannot resign without the employer’s permission.
In a 2019 report, “Their Home Is My Prison,” Amnesty noted that, “If this employment relationship ends, even in cases of abuse, the worker loses regular migration status.” The contractual relationship, the report noted, “allows the employer to coerce the worker to accept exploitative working conditions. If a migrant domestic worker refuses such conditions and decides to leave the home of the employer without the latter’s consent, the worker risks losing their residency status and consequently detention and deportation.”
There are currently around 250,000 migrant workers – mostly Ethiopian, Philippine and Sri Lankan women, but also Sierra Leonean and Ghanaian women – employed under the kafala system. Some are paid as little as $150 per month.
Lebanon is facing a severe economic crisis in the thick of a global pandemic and an anti-government protest movement that has seen demonstrators take to the streets in several cities demanding an overhaul of the country’s political system.
Hit by a currency devaluation, inflation and high unemployment, Lebanon’s middle class is rapidly falling into poverty and domestic workers are no longer affordable in many households.
The Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated the physical and mental health crisis among this particularly vulnerable, marginalised section of society, according to aid organisations. In April, the French NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) set up a helpline for migrant domestic workers and were inundated with calls for help. According to MSF, six of the Ethiopian female workers outside the consulate in recent weeks had to be hospitalised for psychiatric problems, some of them having been physically or sexually abused.
Black Lives Matter, Lebanese style
The Lebanese authorities have promised to tighten oversight, threatening to punish employers who do not respect the contracts signed with their foreign employees.
But Haidar warns that "it’s not enough if there are no inspection mechanisms”. The solution, she notes, is to “abolish kafala and integrate immigrant workers into the labour market".
With the spread of Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the world following the killing of George Floyd in the US, Lebanon has witnessed a growing call for an end to kafala. An online petition calling for the abolition of the system described as “neo-slavery, inhuman and racist”, garnered more than 31,000 signatures in three weeks.
Prompted by the mobilisation, the Lebanese Labour Ministry was forced to react by organising a meeting on June 19 with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and NGOs including Amnesty International.
"The minister expressed her intention to present a draft amendment to the labour law to include foreign domestic workers," said Haidar. If successful, the bill would guarantee foreign domestic workers the right to leave, a minimum wage and freedom of movement.
The cost of going home
For those camped in front of their consulates and embassies, the Lebanese authorities announced that repatriations would take place, without providing specific dates or figures.
Last week, a group of Ghanaian workers were finally able to leave Lebanon for home. Video clips showed delighted passengers singing and dancing with joy on the plane before takeoff.
Ethiopia so far has repatriated around 650 women, who arrived in the capital, Addis Ababa, to much fanfare.
But there are many more to go and for those not fortunate enough to get on the first evacuation flight, it has been getting more difficult by the day.
While the onus of labour protection measures lies with Lebanese authorities, Ethiopia, a fast-developing country and home to the African Union headquarters, has also come under criticism for abandoning its citizens trapped overseas. Flight tickets from Beirut to Addis Ababa recently jumped to $1,450 on state-owned Ethiopian Airlines, a prohibitive amount for abandoned domestic workers.
Ethiopian Airlines explained in a June 3 post on its Facebook page that the price includes the cost of the flight and of quarantine, which Middle East Matters reported the airline said would take place in one of 23 hotels designated by the Ethiopian government to hold returnees.
But Ethiopian women repatriated from Lebanon in May told Middle East Eye that the government had quarantined them at a university campus free of charge.
Hanna, one of those repatriated, said she couldn’t understand why the university could not be used to quarantine newer arrivals. "It's madness to expect people in Lebanon to afford the quarantine hotels. They brought us here, why can't they bring the others here after us? They are suffering terribly," she told Middle East Eye.
The anguish of the migrant workers in Lebanon is unquestionable and only getting worse. In 2008, Human Rights Watch reported that, on average, more than one domestic worker died each week in Lebanon, either by suicide or by "falling off a building, often trying to escape". Since then, the number has reportedly doubled, according to human rights activists.
As recently as June 18, an Ethiopian domestic worker was found hanged at her employer's home in Temnine el-Tahta, according to the Lebanese French-language daily, L'Orient Le Jour. The report did not reveal if any charges were filed in the case.
This article has been translated and updated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-06-25--Australia and New Zealand win race to host 2023 Women's World Cup

Sydney Opera House is lit up in celebration of Australia and New Zealand ’ s joint bid to host the FIFA Women ’ s World Cup 2023 .
Australia and New Zealand were handed the right to host the 2023 Women 's World Cup soccer tournament by a comfortable margin after a vote by the FIFA Council on Thursday .
Their joint proposal beat a rival bid from Colombia to host the tournament which is being expanded to 32 teams .
Japan , who had also put forward a bid to stage the event , pulled out on Monday after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by world governing body FIFA 's evaluation report .
The report highlighted the infrastructure and organisational advantages of the Australia/New Zealand bid which FIFA believed would make for a commercially successful tournament .
`` The FIFA Women ’ s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand will be ground-breaking in many ways , '' said a delighted Chris Nikou , president of Football Federation Australia ( FFA ) .
`` Not only will it be the first ever co-confederation hosted FIFA World Cup and the first ever FIFA Women ’ s World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will unlock the huge potential for growth in women ’ s football in the Asia-Pacific region . ''
There had been media reports that the vote could be tight with UEFA 's European representatives backing Colombia but in the end the margin of victory was wide with Australia and New Zealand gaining 22 votes to Colombia 's 13 .
The 2019 World Cup in France was hailed as a watershed for global interest in the women ’ s game and FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally drove the campaign to increase the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Infantino had also expressed a preference for the successful Australia/New Zealand bid during the FIFA Council meeting .
Colombia , who were hoping to become the first South American nation to hold the tournament , were disappointed at the decision but vowed to keep fighting to host a major FIFA event .
`` We wanted the seat of the Women 's World Cup 2023 for Colombia and we gave everything to get it , '' the country 's sports Ministry wrote on twitter .
`` We will work more strongly to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the efforts of all , women 's soccer ( here ) ... will keep growing . ''

Australia and New Zealand were handed the right to host the 2023 Women's World Cup soccer tournament by a comfortable margin after a vote by the FIFA Council on Thursday.
Sydney Opera House is lit up in celebration of Australia and New Zealand’s joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
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Their joint proposal beat a rival bid from Colombia to host the tournament which is being expanded to 32 teams.
Japan, who had also put forward a bid to stage the event, pulled out on Monday after they were ranked below the joint bid by world governing body FIFA's evaluation report.
The report highlighted the infrastructure and organisational advantages of the Australia/New Zealand bid which FIFA believed would make for a commercially successful tournament.
WE DID IT!
Australia and New Zealand have been granted the honour of hosting the @FIFAWWC 2023!
This landmark decision is a moment for everyone to celebrate #AsOne!
We stand ready to welcome the world and deliver the best ever @FIFAWWC 🇦🇺⚽🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/L5zstNwIUP — AsOne2023 (@AsOne2023) June 25, 2020
"The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand will be ground-breaking in many ways," said a delighted Chris Nikou, president of Football Federation Australia (FFA).
"Not only will it be the first ever co-confederation hosted FIFA World Cup and the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in the Asia-Pacific region, but we will unlock the huge potential for growth in women’s football in the Asia-Pacific region."
There had been media reports that the vote could be tight with UEFA's European representatives backing Colombia but in the end the margin of victory was wide with Australia and New Zealand gaining 22 votes to Colombia's 13.
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 congrats Australia and New Zealand! https://t.co/pm4hib923m — Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) June 25, 2020
The 2019 World Cup in France was hailed as a watershed for global interest in the women’s game and FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally drove the campaign to increase the field to 32 teams from 24 for 2023.
Infantino had also expressed a preference for the successful Australia/New Zealand bid during the FIFA Council meeting.
Colombia, who were hoping to become the first South American nation to hold the tournament, were disappointed at the decision but vowed to keep fighting to host a major FIFA event.
And the @SydOperaHouse lights up after the 2023 @FIFAWWC hosts are revealed! 🎉
What an incredible moment for football in Australia & New Zealand. #AsOne pic.twitter.com/UhQr44SNTy — Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 25, 2020
"We wanted the seat of the Women's World Cup 2023 for Colombia and we gave everything to get it," the country's sports Ministry wrote on twitter.
"We will work more strongly to bring another World Cup to Colombia. With the efforts of all, women's soccer (here)...will keep growing."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-25--Germany and France shore up support for WHO, seek 'global answer' to Covid-19

French Health Minister Olivier Véran speaks to reporters at the WHO headquarters in Geneva , Switzerland on June 25 , 2020 , flanked by his German counterpart Jens Spahn ( left ) and the agency 's director-general , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus .
Germany and France expressed political and financial backing for the World Health Organization in its fight against the coronavirus on Thursday , with Berlin saying it would give a record half a billion euros in funding and equipment this year – while also calling for reform of the embattled agency .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States for being slow off the mark in tackling the pandemic , was getting the support it needed and that talks with members states had been `` very productive '' .
`` We are getting today all the support we need , politically and financially .
Both Germany and France are long-standing friends of WHO and global health , '' Tedros told a news conference at WHO headquarters .
US President Donald Trump said last month that the United States was cutting ties with the `` China-centric '' WHO , but he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The United States is the biggest overall donor to the Geneva-based WHO , contributing more than $ 400 million in 2019 , roughly 15 percent of its budget .
`` Isolated national answers to international problems are doomed to fail , '' German Health Minister Jens Spahn said .
He announced additional donations of funds and medical equipment to WHO that would bring Germany 's total support to €500 million ( $ 561 million ) this year , the `` highest amount ever '' , as it assumes the EU presidency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , transparent and accountable WHO today more than ever , '' Spahn said , though warning that continued support was conditional on reform of the multi-national body .
`` Germany will do its part to give the WHO the political , financial and technical backing that is needed .
This comes with the expectation that remaining challenges are adequately addressed and needed reforms are pushed forward , '' he added .
WHO needed 'more than ever' France said it would give €90 million to a WHO research centre in Lyon as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The French contribution is not aimed to replace the US contribution , '' French Health Minister Olivier Véran said .
`` The French contribution is there to remind the World Health Organization that it can count on the friendship of the European Union . ''
Véran added : `` I truly believe the world needs , more than ever , a multilateral organisation .
I believe the world can not get rid of partners .
We need a global answer [ to Covid-19 ] and only the WHO can provide that answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019 .
More than 9.47 million people have been reported to have been infected by the coronavirus globally and 482,389 have died so far , according to a Reuters tally .
`` The situation in Western Europe is improving .
Of course , in the rest of world the pandemic is on the increase , '' Tedros said .
European governments are working with the United States on plans to overhaul the WHO , a top European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Europe shares some of the concerns that led Washington to say it would quit .

Germany and France expressed political and financial backing for the World Health Organization in its fight against the coronavirus on Thursday, with Berlin saying it would give a record half a billion euros in funding and equipment this year – while also calling for reform of the embattled agency.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran speaks to reporters at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on June 25, 2020, flanked by his German counterpart Jens Spahn (left) and the agency's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
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WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the agency, criticised by the United States for being slow off the mark in tackling the pandemic, was getting the support it needed and that talks with members states had been "very productive".
"We are getting today all the support we need, politically and financially. Both Germany and France are long-standing friends of WHO and global health," Tedros told a news conference at WHO headquarters.
US President Donald Trump said last month that the United States was cutting ties with the "China-centric" WHO, but he has still not formally notified the UN agency.
The United States is the biggest overall donor to the Geneva-based WHO, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, roughly 15 percent of its budget.
"Isolated national answers to international problems are doomed to fail," German Health Minister Jens Spahn said.
He announced additional donations of funds and medical equipment to WHO that would bring Germany's total support to €500 million ($561 million) this year, the "highest amount ever", as it assumes the EU presidency.
"We need a strong, efficient, transparent and accountable WHO today more than ever," Spahn said, though warning that continued support was conditional on reform of the multi-national body.
"Germany will do its part to give the WHO the political, financial and technical backing that is needed. This comes with the expectation that remaining challenges are adequately addressed and needed reforms are pushed forward," he added.
WHO needed 'more than ever'
France said it would give €90 million to a WHO research centre in Lyon as well as an additional contribution of €50 million.
"The French contribution is not aimed to replace the US contribution," French Health Minister Olivier Véran said. "The French contribution is there to remind the World Health Organization that it can count on the friendship of the European Union."
Véran added: "I truly believe the world needs, more than ever, a multilateral organisation. I believe the world cannot get rid of partners. We need a global answer [to Covid-19] and only the WHO can provide that answer."
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
More than 9.47 million people have been reported to have been infected by the coronavirus globally and 482,389 have died so far, according to a Reuters tally.
"The situation in Western Europe is improving. Of course, in the rest of world the pandemic is on the increase," Tedros said.
European governments are working with the United States on plans to overhaul the WHO, a top European health official said last week, signalling that Europe shares some of the concerns that led Washington to say it would quit.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-25--FIFA approves $1.5 billion relief fund for struggling football leagues

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has promised 'strict controls ' on how money from the relief fund is spent .
FIFA is to make available $ 1.5 billion in grants and loans as a relief fund to help associations impacted by the coronavirus , world football 's governing body announced on Thursday .
Gianni Infantino , the FIFA president , said the relief fund had been `` unanimously approved '' by the members of its council and insisted there would be `` strict controls '' on how the money is spent .
All 211 member associations will be entitled to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million each as well as $ 500,000 which must be invested in women 's football .
In addition , member associations can also apply for a COVID-19 relief loan worth 35 percent of their revenue up to a maximum of $ 5 million each .
Continental governing bodies will get $ 2 million as a relief grant , and can also apply for an extra $ 4 million relief loan .
Infantino promised `` strict controls on the use of the funds , with audits '' , and said there would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans are repaid .
FIFA is financing the enormous relief fund by dipping into its reserves , with $ 328 million covering grants and $ 556 million to finance loans , Infantino said .
`` Clubs and federations are in real danger .
In some parts of the world , football has not restarted .
We need to help them , '' he said .
The creation of the relief fund had been announced by FIFA in March , when football across much of the globe was halted as the pandemic spread .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ April that it would free up $ 150 million in subsidies to member associations to help deal with the consequences of the crisis .

FIFA is to make available $1.5 billion in grants and loans as a relief fund to help associations impacted by the coronavirus, world football's governing body announced on Thursday.
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has promised 'strict controls' on how money from the relief fund is spent.
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Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, said the relief fund had been "unanimously approved" by the members of its council and insisted there would be "strict controls" on how the money is spent.
All 211 member associations will be entitled to a "basic solidarity grant" of $1 million each as well as $500,000 which must be invested in women's football.
In addition, member associations can also apply for a COVID-19 relief loan worth 35 percent of their revenue up to a maximum of $5 million each. Continental governing bodies will get $2 million as a relief grant, and can also apply for an extra $4 million relief loan.
Infantino promised "strict controls on the use of the funds, with audits", and said there would be "very clear conditions" for how loans are repaid.
FIFA is financing the enormous relief fund by dipping into its reserves, with $328 million covering grants and $556 million to finance loans, Infantino said.
"Clubs and federations are in real danger. In some parts of the world, football has not restarted. We need to help them," he said.
The creation of the relief fund had been announced by FIFA in March, when football across much of the globe was halted as the pandemic spread.
The Zurich-based body had already announced in April that it would free up $150 million in subsidies to member associations to help deal with the consequences of the crisis.
(AFP)
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