france24--2020-03-07--Global coronavirus cases top 100,000 as WHO chief calls for solidarity

Medics transport a patient into an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland , the long-term care facility linked to several confirmed coronavirus cases in the state , in Kirkland , Washington , U.S. on March 6 , 2020 .
Crossing more borders , the new coronavirus hit a milestone , infecting more than 100,000 people worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions , infecting the powerful , the unprotected poor and vast masses in between .
The virus , which has killed more than 3,400 people and emerged in more than 90 countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday and even breached the halls of the Vatican .
It forced mosques in Iran and beyond to halt weekly Muslim prayers , blocked pilgrims from Jesus 's birthplace in Bethlehem and upended Japan 's plans for the Olympic torch parade .
As financial markets dived again , repercussions from the virus also rattled livelihoods in the real economy .
“ Who is going to feed their families ?
” asked Elias al-Arja , head of a hotel owners ' union in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank , where tourists have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nativity was shuttered .
At the White House , US President Donald Trump signed an $ 8.3 billion bill to fight the coronavirus a day after Italy said it would double its own spending to €7.5 billion ( $ 8.5 billion ) .
In Geneva , the UN health agency said it had received applications for 40 possible virus tests , had 20 vaccine candidates in development and reported that numerous clinical trials of experimental drugs for the new coronavirus were under way .
“ We 're all in this together .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , chief of the World Health Organization , urging more global cooperation from the business world and solidarity with the poorest .
New cases down in China The news was n't all bad : More than half of those who contracted the virus have now recovered .
It 's retreating in China , where it first emerged , and in nearby South Korea .
China on Saturday morning reported just 99 new cases , the first time it has had only a double-digit increase since January 20 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overall , China now counts 22,177 patients currently in treatment , while it has released 55,404 .
South Korea on Saturday morning reported 174 new cases .
The virus continued popping up in new places , however , with countries like Colombia and Togo reporting their first confirmed cases .
Questions swirled around whether Iran could control its outbreak , as the number of reported infections jumped beyond 5,500 , with 145 deaths .
State news agency IRNA reported Saturday the death of a second lawmaker , Fatemeh Rahbar , from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven politicians and government officials to die of the novel coronavirus since Iran reported its first cases in mid-February .
The country has set up checkpoints to limit travel and had firefighters spray disinfectant on an 18-kilometre ( 11-mile ) stretch of Tehran 's most famous avenue .
“ It would be great if they did it every day , ” grocery store owner Reza Razaienejad said .
“ It should not be just a one-time thing.
” The 100,000 figure of global infections is largely symbolic , but dwarfs other major outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , MERS and Ebola .
The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics , which result in up to 5 million annual severe cases around the world and from 290,000 to 650,000 deaths annually , according to the WHO .
But the epidemic 's economic impact snowballed , with world stocks and the price of oil dropping sharply again Friday .
The travel decline and a broader economic downturn linked to the outbreak threatened to hit already-struggling communities for months .
In response to plummeting demand , German airline Lufthansa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming weeks to as much as 50 percent of pre-coronavirus outbreak levels .
Slovakia banned all flights to and from Italy .
The head of the UN ’ s food agency , the World Food Program , warned of potential for “ absolute devastation ” as the outbreak ’ s effects ripple through Africa and the Middle East .
India scrambled to stave off an epidemic that could overwhelm its underfunded , understaffed health care system , which lacks enough labs or hospitals for its 1.3 billion people .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with weaker health systems and that 's more concerning , ” WHO chief Ghebreyesus said .
Inconsistent health insurance and sick leave policies put the earnings of millions of workers ' who ca n't work from home – waiters , drivers , delivery workers and more – at risk .
In the US , the AFL-CIO labor federation urged the government to issue emergency regulations outlining employers ' responsibilities to protect workers from infectious diseases .
'Following some of China 's playbook' The fear and the crackdowns that swept through China are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and the US stay home , authorities vigorously sanitize public places and consumers flock to stores for household staples .
Nation after nation put some travel restrictions into place , blocking visitors from hard-hit areas like China , South Korea , Italy and Iran .
The UN ’ s top climate change official said her agency won ’ t hold any physical meetings at its headquarters in Germany or elsewhere until the end of April .
French Health Minister Olivier Véran said children would be banned from visiting patients in hospitals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that patients would be limited to one adult visit at a time .
Spanish officials announced a month-long closure of 200 centers in and around Madrid where the elderly go for daytime care and activities .
“ The Western world is now following some of China ’ s playbook , ” Chris Beauchamp , a market analyst at the financial firm IG , said of the reaction to the flu-like illness that for most people causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough but can hit elderly or sick people much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Grand Princess cruise ship remained at sea with passengers confined to their cabins as US Vice President Mike Pence said 21 people on the ship – almost all crew members – had tested positive for the new coronavirus .
Pence said the government was planning to bring the cruise ship into a “ non-commercial port ” where all the passengers and crew will be tested .
Thailand on Friday blocked a separate cruise ship from docking , worried because it carried dozens of passengers from Italy , which with 197 virus deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the US the number of cases surpassed 230 , scattered across 18 states .
The University of Washington announced Friday it would stop holding classes and teach students online , a decision affecting some 57,000 students .
Washington state has at least 70 confirmed COVID-19 cases , most in the Seattle area , and has the highest US state death toll at 13 .
As the numbers kept growing in Europe , Serbia threatened to deploy the army to keep the virus at bay , and Hungary used virus fears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Switzerland , officials reported 210 new virus cases on Friday , up from 90 a day earlier , and the military was being readied to provide support services at hospitals .
“ This wave will come , it will rise , but it will be over at some point , ” said Daniel Koch , head of the department for communicable diseases at the country 's federal office of health .
The Netherlands reported its first virus death Friday while Serbia , Slovakia , Peru and Cameroon announced their first infections .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny city-state confirming its first case Friday .
The Vatican has insisted that 83-year-old Pope Francis , who has been sick , only has a cold .
WHO officials warned against having “ false hopes ” that the virus could fade away when warmer summer temperatures come to northern countries .
`` Every day we slow down the epidemic is another day governments can prepare their health workers to detect , test , treat and care for patients , ” Ghebreyesus told reporters .

Crossing more borders, the new coronavirus hit a milestone, infecting more than 100,000 people worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions, infecting the powerful, the unprotected poor and vast masses in between.
Medics transport a patient into an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, the long-term care facility linked to several confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, in Kirkland, Washington, U.S. on March 6, 2020.
Advertising Read more
The virus, which has killed more than 3,400 people and emerged in more than 90 countries, edged into more US states on Friday and even breached the halls of the Vatican – it was announced the pope would deliver Sunday mass by livestream because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
It forced mosques in Iran and beyond to halt weekly Muslim prayers, blocked pilgrims from Jesus's birthplace in Bethlehem and upended Japan's plans for the Olympic torch parade.
As financial markets dived again, repercussions from the virus also rattled livelihoods in the real economy.
“Who is going to feed their families?” asked Elias al-Arja, head of a hotel owners' union in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where tourists have been banned and the storied Church of the Nativity was shuttered.
At the White House, US President Donald Trump signed an $8.3 billion bill to fight the coronavirus a day after Italy said it would double its own spending to €7.5 billion ($8.5 billion).
In Geneva, the UN health agency said it had received applications for 40 possible virus tests, had 20 vaccine candidates in development and reported that numerous clinical trials of experimental drugs for the new coronavirus were under way.
“We're all in this together. We all have a role to play,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the World Health Organization, urging more global cooperation from the business world and solidarity with the poorest.
New cases fall in China
The news wasn't all bad: More than half of those who contracted the virus have now recovered. It's retreating in China, where it first emerged, and in nearby South Korea.
China on Saturday morning reported just 99 new cases, the first time it has had only a double-digit increase since January 20. It also reported another 28 deaths. Overall, China now counts 22,177 patients currently in treatment, while it has released 55,404. South Korea on Saturday morning reported 174 new cases.
The virus continued popping up in new places, however, with countries like Colombia and Togo reporting their first confirmed cases.
Questions swirled around whether Iran could control its outbreak, as the number of reported infections jumped beyond 5,500, with 145 deaths. State news agency IRNA reported Saturday the death of a second lawmaker, Fatemeh Rahbar, from the virus. The conservative MP is one of seven politicians and government officials to die of the novel coronavirus since Iran reported its first cases in mid-February. The country has set up checkpoints to limit travel and had firefighters spray disinfectant on an 18-kilometre (11-mile) stretch of Tehran's most famous avenue.
“It would be great if they did it every day,” grocery store owner Reza Razaienejad said. “It should not be just a one-time thing.”
The 100,000 figure of global infections is largely symbolic, but dwarfs other major outbreaks in recent decades, such as SARS, MERS and Ebola. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which result in up to 5 million annual severe cases around the world and from 290,000 to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO.
Economic impact snowballs
But the epidemic's economic impact snowballed, with world stocks and the price of oil dropping sharply again Friday.
The travel decline and a broader economic downturn linked to the outbreak threatened to hit already-struggling communities for months. In response to plummeting demand, German airline Lufthansa announced a reduction of its capacity in coming weeks to as much as 50 percent of pre-coronavirus outbreak levels. Slovakia banned all flights to and from Italy.
The head of the UN’s food agency, the World Food Program, warned of potential for “absolute devastation” as the outbreak’s effects ripple through Africa and the Middle East. India scrambled to stave off an epidemic that could overwhelm its underfunded, understaffed health care system, which lacks enough labs or hospitals for its 1.3 billion people.
“We’re seeing more countries affected with lower incomes, with weaker health systems and that's more concerning,” WHO chief Ghebreyesus said.
Inconsistent health insurance and sick leave policies put the earnings of millions of workers' who can't work from home – waiters, drivers, delivery workers and more – at risk. In the US, the AFL-CIO labor federation urged the government to issue emergency regulations outlining employers' responsibilities to protect workers from infectious diseases.
'Following some of China's playbook'
The fear and the crackdowns that swept through China are now shifting westward, as workers in Europe and the US stay home, authorities vigorously sanitize public places and consumers flock to stores for household staples.
Nation after nation put some travel restrictions into place, blocking visitors from hard-hit areas like China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. The UN’s top climate change official said her agency won’t hold any physical meetings at its headquarters in Germany or elsewhere until the end of April.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran said children would be banned from visiting patients in hospitals and other health facilities across the country and that patients would be limited to one adult visit at a time. Spanish officials announced a month-long closure of 200 centers in and around Madrid where the elderly go for daytime care and activities. In Barcelona, city officials announced that the Barcelona Marathon, normally held in March, would be postponed until October 25.
“The Western world is now following some of China’s playbook,” Chris Beauchamp, a market analyst at the financial firm IG, said of the reaction to the flu-like illness that for most people causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough but can hit elderly or sick people much harder.
Off California's coast, the Grand Princess cruise ship remained at sea with passengers confined to their cabins as US Vice President Mike Pence said 21 people on the ship – almost all crew members – had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Pence said the government was planning to bring the cruise ship into a “non-commercial port” where all the passengers and crew will be tested.
Thailand on Friday blocked a separate cruise ship from docking, worried because it carried dozens of passengers from Italy, which with 197 virus deaths is the center of Europe's epidemic.
01:32
In the US the number of cases surpassed 230, scattered across 18 states. The University of Washington announced Friday it would stop holding classes and teach students online, a decision affecting some 57,000 students. Washington state has at least 70 confirmed COVID-19 cases, most in the Seattle area, and has the highest US state death toll at 13.
As the numbers kept growing in Europe, Serbia threatened to deploy the army to keep the virus at bay, and Hungary used virus fears to tighten its doors against migrants.
In Switzerland, officials reported 210 new virus cases on Friday, up from 90 a day earlier, and the military was being readied to provide support services at hospitals.
“This wave will come, it will rise, but it will be over at some point,” said Daniel Koch, head of the department for communicable diseases at the country's federal office of health.
The Netherlands reported its first virus death Friday while Serbia, Slovakia, Peru and Cameroon announced their first infections. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is to declare a public health emergency after the nation’s first case of community transmission on Saturday, while Vietnam confirmed three new cases, raising the number of infections nationwide to 20.
Even Vatican City was hit, with the tiny city-state confirming its first case Friday. The Vatican has insisted that 83-year-old Pope Francis, who has been sick, only has a cold.
WHO officials warned against having “false hopes” that the virus could fade away when warmer summer temperatures come to northern countries.
"Every day we slow down the epidemic is another day governments can prepare their health workers to detect, test, treat and care for patients,” Ghebreyesus told reporters.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Exclusive: Migrants face tear gas, violence at Greek-Turkish border

Migrants and Greek border police have clashed at the Turkey-Greece border .
Tense clashes have broken out between police and thousands of migrants amassed along the Greek-Turkish border where they anxiously await entry into Europe .
For the migrants squatting at the Pazarkule crossing , living conditions are rapidly deteriorating .
FRANCE 24 's reporters Catherine Norris-Trent , Bilal Tarabey and Abdallah Malkawi filed this exclusive report from inside the zone .
Tear gas and explosions have turned the closed-off buffer zone at Pazarkule , on the Turkish border , into a battle zone between migrants and Greek border police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from accessing the makeshift migrant camp at Pazarkule , some migrants are managing to sneak out via back roads to tell their stories .
One of them , Reza , is an Iranian who spoke to FRANCE 24 about the daily violence against migrants by Greek border patrols .
`` These are the tear gas and the smoke grenades that the Greek government are throwing at the people that are on the border , '' he said .
`` An Afghan friend of mine was hit with a tear gas canister near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they fired tear gas at me too and I got injured . ''
Reza has been filming the dire conditions for migrants squatting in the camp for more than a week .
Queues for rare charity food handouts stretch out of sight and there are simply not enough meals to go around .
The migrants sleep under improvised shelters in the litter-strewn forest .
`` The world needs to know what 's going on here and where things are going , that 's why I 'm speaking out to you , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to watch FRANCE 24 's report .

Tense clashes have broken out between police and thousands of migrants amassed along the Greek-Turkish border where they anxiously await entry into Europe. For the migrants squatting at the Pazarkule crossing, living conditions are rapidly deteriorating. FRANCE 24's reporters Catherine Norris-Trent, Bilal Tarabey and Abdallah Malkawi filed this exclusive report from inside the zone.
Migrants and Greek border police have clashed at the Turkey-Greece border.
Advertising Read more
Tear gas and explosions have turned the closed-off buffer zone at Pazarkule, on the Turkish border, into a battle zone between migrants and Greek border police.
While Turkish police have banned journalists from accessing the makeshift migrant camp at Pazarkule, some migrants are managing to sneak out via back roads to tell their stories.
One of them is an Iranian man who spoke to FRANCE 24 about the daily violence against migrants by Greek border patrols.
"These are the tear gas and the smoke grenades that the Greek government are throwing at the people that are on the border," he said.
"An Afghan friend of mine was hit with a tear gas canister near the border fence. I went to help, they fired tear gas at me too and I got injured."
He has been filming the dire conditions for migrants squatting in the camp for more than a week.
Queues for rare charity food handouts stretch out of sight and there are simply not enough meals to go around.
The migrants sleep under improvised shelters in the litter-strewn forest.
"The world needs to know what's going on here and where things are going, that's why I'm speaking out to you," he said.
Click on the player to watch FRANCE 24's report.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Saudi Arabia detains three royal princes for alleged 'coup plot'

FILE PHOTO : Saudi Arabia 's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia on September 18 , 2019 .
Saudi authorities have detained three princes including King Salman 's brother and nephew on charges of plotting a coup , the US media reported Friday , signalling a further consolidation of power by the kingdom 's de facto ruler .
The detentions cast aside the last vestiges of potential opposition to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and come as the kingdom limits access to Islam 's holiest sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fast-spreading coronavirus .
Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud , a brother of King Salman , and the monarch 's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were accused of treason and taken from their homes early Friday by black-clad royal guards , the Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources .
The Saudi royal court has accused the two men , once potential contenders for the throne , of `` plotting a coup to unseat the king and crown prince '' and could face lifetime imprisonment or execution , the newspaper said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that Prince Nayef 's younger brother , Prince Nawaf bin Nayef , had also been detained .
Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The detentions mark the latest crackdown by Prince Mohammed , who has consolidated his grip on power with the imprisonment of prominent clerics and activists as well as princes and business elites .
Prince Mohammed has also faced a torrent of international condemnation over the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom 's Istanbul consulate in October 2018 .
Already viewed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major levers of government , from defence to the economy , the prince is widely seen to be stamping out traces of internal dissent before a formal transfer of power from his 84-year-old father King Salman .
`` Prince Mohammed is emboldened -- he has already ousted any threats to his rise and jailed or murdered critics of his regime without any repercussion , '' Becca Wasser , a policy analyst at the US-based RAND Corporation , said of the latest crackdown .
`` This is a further step to shore up his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including royals -- not to cross him . ''
Prince Ahmed , said to be in his 70s , had returned to the kingdom from his base in London in the aftermath of the Khashoggi scandal , in what some saw as an effort to shore up support for the monarchy .
Just before his return in October 2018 , the prince had courted controversy over remarks he made to protesters in London chanting against Saudi royals over the kingdom 's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Yemen .
`` What does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Certain individuals are responsible ... the king and the crown prince , '' he said , according to a widely-circulated online video of the incident .
The comment was seen by many as rare criticism of the kingdom 's leadership and its role in Yemen , but Prince Ahmed dismissed that interpretation as `` inaccurate '' .
Prince Mohammed had edged out Prince Nayef , the former crown prince and interior minister , in 2017 to become heir to the Arab world 's most powerful throne .
At the time , Saudi television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the older prince and kneeling before him in a show of reverence .
Western media reports later said that the deposed prince had been placed under house arrest , a claim strongly denied by Saudi authorities .
The detentions come at a sensitive time as Saudi Arabia bars Muslim pilgrims from Islam 's holiest sites to contain the novel coronavirus .
The kingdom has suspended the `` umrah '' year-round pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading to Mecca and Medina , raising uncertainty over the upcoming hajj -- a key pillar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also grappling with the plunging price of crude , its major source of revenue .

Saudi authorities have detained three princes including King Salman's brother and nephew on charges of plotting a coup, the US media reported Friday, signalling a further consolidation of power by the kingdom's de facto ruler.
FILE PHOTO: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on September 18, 2019.
Advertising Read more
The detentions cast aside the last vestiges of potential opposition to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and come as the kingdom limits access to Islam's holiest sites in a highly sensitive move to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus.
Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and the monarch's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were accused of treason and taken from their homes early Friday by black-clad royal guards, the Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources.
The Saudi royal court has accused the two men, once potential contenders for the throne, of "plotting a coup to unseat the king and crown prince" and could face lifetime imprisonment or execution, the newspaper said.
The New York Times also reported the detentions, adding that Prince Nayef's younger brother, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef, had also been detained.
Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The detentions mark the latest crackdown by Prince Mohammed, who has consolidated his grip on power with the imprisonment of prominent clerics and activists as well as princes and business elites.
Prince Mohammed has also faced a torrent of international condemnation over the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October 2018.
Already viewed as the de facto ruler controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy, the prince is widely seen to be stamping out traces of internal dissent before a formal transfer of power from his 84-year-old father King Salman.
"Prince Mohammed is emboldened -- he has already ousted any threats to his rise and jailed or murdered critics of his regime without any repercussion," Becca Wasser, a policy analyst at the US-based RAND Corporation, said of the latest crackdown.
"This is a further step to shore up his power and a message to anyone -- including royals -- not to cross him."
Rivals ousted
Prince Ahmed, said to be in his 70s, had returned to the kingdom from his base in London in the aftermath of the Khashoggi scandal, in what some saw as an effort to shore up support for the monarchy.
Just before his return in October 2018, the prince had courted controversy over remarks he made to protesters in London chanting against Saudi royals over the kingdom's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Yemen.
"What does the family have to do with it? Certain individuals are responsible... the king and the crown prince," he said, according to a widely-circulated online video of the incident.
The comment was seen by many as rare criticism of the kingdom's leadership and its role in Yemen, but Prince Ahmed dismissed that interpretation as "inaccurate".
Prince Mohammed had edged out Prince Nayef, the former crown prince and interior minister, in 2017 to become heir to the Arab world's most powerful throne.
At the time, Saudi television channels showed Prince Mohammed kissing the hand of the older prince and kneeling before him in a show of reverence.
Western media reports later said that the deposed prince had been placed under house arrest, a claim strongly denied by Saudi authorities.
The detentions come at a sensitive time as Saudi Arabia bars Muslim pilgrims from Islam's holiest sites to contain the novel coronavirus.
The kingdom has suspended the "umrah" year-round pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading to Mecca and Medina, raising uncertainty over the upcoming hajj -- a key pillar of Islam.
The oil-rich kingdom is also grappling with the plunging price of crude, its major source of revenue.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Former Brazil football sensation Ronaldinho, brother arrested in Paraguay

Former Brazilian football star Ronaldinho and his brother were arrested Friday in Asuncion , Paraguay 's public ministry said , after entering the country on fake passports .
`` The Attorney General 's office issued a warrant for their arrest , charged the player Ronaldinho with using a public document with false content and requested preventative detention , '' the ministry tweeted .
The two men will be held overnight at a police station .
Sources from the public prosecutor 's office told AFP that the brothers will be summoned for a hearing on Sunday to impose measures .
Ronaldinho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had finished a court appearance and left the Palace of Justice Friday night at 8:15 pm ( 2315 GMT ) .
Ronaldinho declined to comment to reporters as they left the building .
The state attorney general decided to rectify a request for `` opportunity criteria '' in favor of the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner and changed prosecutors for the case .
The original prosecutor , Federico Delfino , had decided Thursday not to pursue charges .
Plainclothes policemen then picked the brothers up from their hotel and drove them to the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners and former law enforcement officers who have committed crimes .
`` We do n't know under what authority they were arrested , '' their lawyer Adolfo Marin told reporters .
The brothers had been questioned for more than seven hours on Thursday by the public prosecutor in Asuncion .
Delfino said he had decided not to pursue charges against the pair , as they `` contributed relevant information to the investigation '' and were acting in `` good faith '' when they received the falsified Paraguayan documents .
Brazilian authorities withdrew Ronaldinho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to pay a $ 2.5 million fine for environmental damage incurred during the building of a property in Porto Alegre , in southern Brazil .
Ronaldinho , won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil , had been invited to the Paraguayan capital by a foundation for needy children , and to promote his new book .
The former two-time world player of the year and his brother were first detained on Wednesday at their hotel .
Their fake documents were detected upon arrival at the Asuncion international airport , according to Delfino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the prosecutor 's office Thursday morning alongside Paraguayan lawyer Adolfo Marin .
`` They decided voluntarily to stay and submit themselves to the public prosecutor 's investigations , '' said Marin .
Marin added Ronaldinho had told the public prosecutor that the documents in question were given to him a month ago in Brazil .
According to the inspector leading the investigation , Ronaldinho was given a fake passport by Brazilian businessman Wilmondes Sousa Lira , who has been arrested .

Former Brazilian football star Ronaldinho and his brother were arrested Friday in Asuncion, Paraguay's public ministry said, after entering the country on fake passports.
Ronaldinho leaves Paraguay's Supreme Court after testifying in Asuncion, Paraguay on March 6, 2020.
Advertising Read more
"The Attorney General's office issued a warrant for their arrest, charged the player Ronaldinho with using a public document with false content and requested preventative detention," the ministry tweeted.
The two men will be held overnight at a police station.
Sources from the public prosecutor's office told AFP that the brothers will be summoned for a hearing on Sunday to impose measures.
Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto de Assis Moreira had finished a court appearance and left the Palace of Justice Friday night at 8:15 pm (2315 GMT). Ronaldinho declined to comment to reporters as they left the building.
The state attorney general decided to rectify a request for "opportunity criteria" in favor of the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner and changed prosecutors for the case. The original prosecutor, Federico Delfino, had decided Thursday not to pursue charges.
A new prosecutor ordered the men's arrest.
Plainclothes policemen then picked the brothers up from their hotel and drove them to the National Police headquarters, which also houses VIP prisoners and former law enforcement officers who have committed crimes.
"We don't know under what authority they were arrested," their lawyer Adolfo Marin told reporters.
Fake documents
The brothers had been questioned for more than seven hours on Thursday by the public prosecutor in Asuncion.
Delfino said he had decided not to pursue charges against the pair, as they "contributed relevant information to the investigation" and were acting in "good faith" when they received the falsified Paraguayan documents.
Brazilian authorities withdrew Ronaldinho's passport in November 2018 after he failed to pay a $2.5 million fine for environmental damage incurred during the building of a property in Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil.
Ronaldinho, won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, had been invited to the Paraguayan capital by a foundation for needy children, and to promote his new book.
The former two-time world player of the year and his brother were first detained on Wednesday at their hotel.
Their fake documents were detected upon arrival at the Asuncion international airport, according to Delfino.
The 39-year-old and his brother went to the prosecutor's office Thursday morning alongside Paraguayan lawyer Adolfo Marin.
"They decided voluntarily to stay and submit themselves to the public prosecutor's investigations," said Marin.
Marin added Ronaldinho had told the public prosecutor that the documents in question were given to him a month ago in Brazil.
According to the inspector leading the investigation, Ronaldinho was given a fake passport by Brazilian businessman Wilmondes Sousa Lira, who has been arrested.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--DR Congo taxi service puts women in the driver's seat

Women are in the driver 's seat for Ubizcabs , the first all-female taxi service in Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of Congo .
In the Democratic Republic of Congo ’ s capital of Kinshasa , the first all-female , high-end taxi service is putting women exclusively in the driver 's seat , challenging what traditionally has been a male-dominated area of the transport sector .
Launched by a businesswoman two years ago , the service has been so successful it is now setting up an academy to train up to 100 drivers .
FRANCE 24 has this report .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be seen behind the wheel of a number of bright pink cars whizzing around the city streets .
These cars belong to a ride-hailing service , Ubizcabs , which is the brainchild of Patricia Nzolantima .
The Harvard-educated entrepreneur has big ambitions for the company and the women she employs .
“ Ever since I became an entrepreneur , I 've always invested in women , because I believe in women , '' Nzolantima says .
`` I believe that African women will succeed where men have failed .
Believe me : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they 'll change the world . ''
One client , Christelle Dibata says Ubizcabs are a more comfortable and safer way of getting around .
`` I 've always been a bit scared to drive in Kinshasa because it 's complicated , '' she told FRANCE 24 .
`` But seeing a woman behind the wheel , it really gives you confidence .
It makes you realise , that yes , we can ! ''
Most trainees , like Maricia , are recent graduates and like many of the other women drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , there was no such thing as female taxi drivers here in the DRC .
So when I saw they were hiring women , I thought to myself : Well , this could be an opportunity for me . ''
For Nzolantima , the sky 's the limit .
She now wants to expand internationally and compete with the likes of other ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber .
Click on the player to watch FRANCE 24 's report .

International Women's Day
In the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital of Kinshasa, the first all-female, high-end taxi service is putting women exclusively in the driver's seat, challenging what traditionally has been a male-dominated area of the transport sector. Launched by a businesswoman two years ago, the service has been so successful it is now setting up an academy to train up to 100 drivers. FRANCE 24 has this report.
Women are in the driver's seat for Ubizcabs, the first all-female taxi service in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Advertising Read more
On any given day in Kinshasa, women can be seen behind the wheel of a number of bright pink cars whizzing around the city streets. These cars belong to a ride-hailing service, Ubizcabs, which is the brainchild of Patricia Nzolantima. The Harvard-educated entrepreneur has big ambitions for the company and the women she employs.
“Ever since I became an entrepreneur, I've always invested in women, because I believe in women," Nzolantima says. "I believe that African women will succeed where men have failed. Believe me: Put women in positions of power, and they'll change the world."
One client, Christelle Dibata says Ubizcabs are a more comfortable and safer way of getting around.
"I've always been a bit scared to drive in Kinshasa because it's complicated," she told FRANCE 24. "But seeing a woman behind the wheel, it really gives you confidence. It makes you realise, that yes, we can!"
Most trainees, like Maricia, are recent graduates and like many of the other women drivers were previously unemployed.
"First of all, there was no such thing as female taxi drivers here in the DRC. So when I saw they were hiring women, I thought to myself: Well, this could be an opportunity for me."
For Nzolantima, the sky's the limit. She now wants to expand internationally and compete with the likes of other ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber.
Click on the player to watch FRANCE 24's report.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Senegal health authorities adopt measures to contain spread of coronavirus

Medical staff at Dakar 's Fann hospital say they are prepared to handle coronavirus cases .
Senegal has so far seen four people contract the novel coronavirus , with one patient cured and soon to be released from hospital , according to the health ministry .
In the capital of Dakar , medical staff at the Fann hospital have implemented systems for handling new coronavirus cases and say they are confident and ready to deal with an epidemic .
FRANCE 24 's Emmanuelle Landais , Sarah Sakho and Elimane Ndao filed this report .
Patients who test positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fann hospital where doctors say they have made the necessary preparations to handle more cases of COVID-19 , the infectious disease that the virus causes .
Professor Moussa Seydi , head of the infectious diseases department of Fann hospital said : `` In this centre we have 12 individual rooms but this centre can be expanded thanks to a mobile installation with 36 beds , it can be done very quickly , within a week .
Obviously if we have a lot more cases , we will have to find a way for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The priority for health officials in the West African country is to contain the spread of the virus .
People are being advised to protect against the virus 's spread with simple actions like washing their hands and covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing .
In a bustling downtown money transfer agency , the employees are following the instructions .
`` We heard that banknotes can spread the virus , that 's why the boss put this here , so that we use the sanitiser after each transaction , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Senegalese government has announced it will roll out nearly 1.5 billion CFA francs – just over €2 million – to fight the epidemic .
Click on the player to watch FRANCE 24 's report .

On the ground
Senegal has so far seen four people contract the novel coronavirus, with one patient cured and soon to be released from hospital, according to the health ministry. In the capital of Dakar, medical staff at the Fann hospital have implemented systems for handling new coronavirus cases and say they are confident and ready to deal with an epidemic. FRANCE 24's Emmanuelle Landais, Sarah Sakho and Elimane Ndao filed this report.
Medical staff at Dakar's Fann hospital say they are prepared to handle coronavirus cases.
Advertising Read more
Patients who test positive for the new coronavirus are brought to Dakar's Fann hospital where doctors say they have made the necessary preparations to handle more cases of COVID-19, the infectious disease that the virus causes.
Professor Moussa Seydi, head of the infectious diseases department of Fann hospital said: "In this centre we have 12 individual rooms but this centre can be expanded thanks to a mobile installation with 36 beds, it can be done very quickly, within a week. Obviously if we have a lot more cases, we will have to find a way for other hospitals to accommodate cases."
The priority for health officials in the West African country is to contain the spread of the virus.
People are being advised to protect against the virus's spread with simple actions like washing their hands and covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
In a bustling downtown money transfer agency, the employees are following the instructions.
"We heard that banknotes can spread the virus, that's why the boss put this here, so that we use the sanitiser after each transaction," cashier Djenaba Sy told FRANCE 24.
The Senegalese government has announced it will roll out nearly 1.5 billion CFA francs – just over €2 million – to fight the epidemic.
Click on the player to watch FRANCE 24's report.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Coronavirus death toll in France mounts to 16 with 949 confirmed cases

An employee uses hydroalcoholic gel at the Christeyns company 's factory in this illustration picture in Vertou near Nantes , France , March 6 , 2020 .
French health officials on Saturday reported five more deaths from coronavirus , taking the total death toll to 16 with 949 confirmed cases nationwide .
The cases included three in the National Assembly , France ’ s lower house of parliament .
At a briefing on Saturday , Jerome Salomon , the head of France ’ s public health service , said 45 people have been hospitalised in intensive care , six more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
Earlier Saturday , the National Assembly announced a third coronavirus case in France ’ s lower house of parliament .
The National Assembly did not name the legislator who recently caught the disease , but said the third case was a female parliamentarian .
A legislator from the eastern Alsace region was hospitalised in intensive care on Thursday after contracting the disease and a snack bar worker in the National Assembly building had also caught the virus .
The jump in infections in France mirrored the global trend with the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
In France , the virus has circulated with greater intensity in some areas , notably the northern Oise and the northeastern Haut-Rhin departments , where schools , nurseries and kindergartens will be shut for two weeks starting Monday .
France has nevertheless maintained its coronavirus alert level at stage 2 , since the virus was present in some areas and not across the country .
But echoing French President Emmanuel Macron , Prime Minister Édouard Philippe recognised that France would inevitably move into stage 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Macron urged the French to limit visits to elderly people , who are most vulnerable to a coronavirus infection .
Macron admitted this could prove `` heartbreaking '' at times but said the measure was simply one of common sense .
He emphasised that young people should not be visiting the old because `` as we know , they ( the young ) transmit the virus a lot '' .
Those who died in France so far have been old with pre-existing conditions .
The French president shook up his agenda last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old age home , where he stressed his government ’ s commitment to helping those most vulnerable to the disease .
`` Our absolute priority is to protect the people who are the most fragile in the face of this virus , '' Macron said .
`` The nation is behind our old people.
” In a sign of the growing concern over the French figures , the EU parliament announced that the venue for next week 's session would be switched from Strasbourg in eastern France to the parliament ’ s second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has been closed to the public .
`` The situation related to the spread of the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has evolved over the last few days and hours .
In particular , new infection clusters have been confirmed and case numbers are rising , '' Parliament President David Sassoli said in a statement .
`` The necessary security conditions are not in place for the usual transfer of the European Parliament to Strasbourg for the plenary session next week , '' he added .

French health officials on Saturday reported five more deaths from coronavirus, taking the total death toll to 16 with 949 confirmed cases nationwide. The cases included three in the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament.
An employee uses hydroalcoholic gel at the Christeyns company's factory in this illustration picture in Vertou near Nantes, France, March 6, 2020.
Advertising Read more
At a briefing on Saturday, Jerome Salomon, the head of France’s public health service, said 45 people have been hospitalised in intensive care, six more than when the last summary was issued Friday.
Earlier Saturday, the National Assembly announced a third coronavirus case in France’s lower house of parliament.
The National Assembly did not name the legislator who recently caught the disease, but said the third case was a female parliamentarian.
A legislator from the eastern Alsace region was hospitalised in intensive care on Thursday after contracting the disease and a snack bar worker in the National Assembly building had also caught the virus.
The jump in infections in France mirrored the global trend with the more than 100,000 cases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In France, the virus has circulated with greater intensity in some areas, notably the northern Oise and the northeastern Haut-Rhin departments, where schools, nurseries and kindergartens will be shut for two weeks starting Monday.
France has nevertheless maintained its coronavirus alert level at stage 2, since the virus was present in some areas and not across the country. But echoing French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe recognised that France would inevitably move into stage 3 in the coming weeks.
Macron urges limits to visiting elderly
On Friday, Macron urged the French to limit visits to elderly people, who are most vulnerable to a coronavirus infection.
Macron admitted this could prove "heartbreaking" at times but said the measure was simply one of common sense.
He emphasised that young people should not be visiting the old because "as we know, they (the young) transmit the virus a lot".
Those who died in France so far have been old with pre-existing conditions.
The French president shook up his agenda last week to include a visit to an old age home, where he stressed his government’s commitment to helping those most vulnerable to the disease.
"Our absolute priority is to protect the people who are the most fragile in the face of this virus," Macron said. "The nation is behind our old people.”
EU parliament session moves from Strasbourg to Brussels
In a sign of the growing concern over the French figures, the EU parliament announced that the venue for next week's session would be switched from Strasbourg in eastern France to the parliament’s second chamber in the Belgian capital, Brussels, which has been closed to the public.
"The situation related to the spread of the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has evolved over the last few days and hours. In particular, new infection clusters have been confirmed and case numbers are rising," Parliament President David Sassoli said in a statement.
"The necessary security conditions are not in place for the usual transfer of the European Parliament to Strasbourg for the plenary session next week," he added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Lebanon can’t ‘bear brunt’ of debt, says PM, setting stage for first-ever default

Lebanese PM Hassan Diab makes a televised address to the nation on March 7 , 2020 , announcing that the country would default on its Eurobond debt .
Lebanon can not meet its forthcoming debt maturities , the prime minister announced on Saturday , setting the heavily indebted state on course for a sovereign default as it grapples with a major financial crisis .
In a televised address to the nation , Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared the suspension of a bond payment of $ 1.2 billion due on March 9 , saying foreign currency reserves had hit dangerously low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs .
Diab said Lebanon 's public debt had reached around 170 % of gross domestic product , meaning the country was close to being the world 's most heavily indebted state .
`` The debt has become bigger than Lebanon can bear , and bigger than the ability of the Lebanese to meet interest payments , '' he said .
`` In light of the current situation , the state can not pay the coming maturities ... '' The Lebanese state will strive to restructure its debt in line with the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with all lenders , '' he added .
The default will mark a new phase in a crisis that has hammered the economy since October , slicing around 40 % off the value of the local currency , denying savers full access to their deposits and fuelling unrest .
The crisis is widely seen as the biggest risk to Lebanon 's stability since the end of the 1975-90 civil war .
Lebanon has a total of some $ 31 billion in dollar bonds that sources told Reuters on Friday the government would seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Lebanon cannot meet its forthcoming debt maturities, the prime minister announced on Saturday, setting the heavily indebted state on course for a sovereign default as it grapples with a major financial crisis.
Lebanese PM Hassan Diab makes a televised address to the nation on March 7, 2020, announcing that the country would default on its Eurobond debt.
Advertising Read more
In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared the suspension of a bond payment of $1.2 billion due on March 9, saying foreign currency reserves had hit dangerously low levels and were needed to meet basic needs.
Diab said Lebanon's public debt had reached around 170% of gross domestic product, meaning the country was close to being the world's most heavily indebted state.
"The debt has become bigger than Lebanon can bear, and bigger than the ability of the Lebanese to meet interest
payments," he said. "In light of the current situation, the state cannot pay the coming maturities ...
"The Lebanese state will strive to restructure its debt in line with the national interest by holding fair, well-intentioned negotiations with all lenders," he added.
19:45
The default will mark a new phase in a crisis that has hammered the economy since October, slicing around 40% off the value of the local currency, denying savers full access to their deposits and fuelling unrest.
The crisis is widely seen as the biggest risk to Lebanon's stability since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.
Lebanon has a total of some $31 billion in dollar bonds that sources told Reuters on Friday the government would seek to restructure in negotiations with creditors.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--China hotel used for coronavirus quarantine collapses, trapping dozens

Rescue workers at the site of a collapsed hotel being used for the coronavirus quarantine in Quanzhou , China , March 7 , 2020 .
About 30 people remained trapped early on Sunday after a five-storey hotel being used for coronavirus quarantine collapsed in the southeast Chinese port city of Quanzhou , state media said .
About four hours after the collapse , the Quanzhou municipality said 38 of the 70 or so people who had been in the Quanzhou Xinjia Hotel had been rescued .
A video stream posted by the government-backed Beijing News site showed rescue workers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steelwork carrying people towards ambulances .
The hotel collapsed at about 7:30 p.m. ( 1130 GMT ) on Saturday evening .
`` I was at a gas station and heard a loud noise .
I looked up and the whole building collapsed .
Dust was everywhere , and glass fragments were flying around , '' a witness said in a video posted on the Miaopai streaming app .
`` I was so terrified that my hands and legs were shivering . ''
A woman named only by her surname , Chen , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her sister had been under quarantine at the hotel as prescribed by local regulations after returning from Hubei province , where the coronavirus emerged .
She said they had been scheduled to leave soon after completing their 14 days of isolation .
`` I ca n't contact them , they 're not answering their phones , she said .
`` I 'm under quarantine too ( at another hotel ) and I 'm very worried , I do n't know what to do .
They were healthy , they took their temperatures every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything was normal . ''
The municipality said 36 emergency rescue vehicles such as cranes and excavators , 67 firefighting vehicles , 15 ambulances , and more than 700 firefighters , medical and other rescue workers were at the scene as the operation stretched into the night .
Quanzhou is a port city on the Taiwan Strait in the province of Fujian with a population of more than 8 million .
The official People 's Daily said the hotel had opened in June 2018 with 80 rooms .
Beijing News ' video stream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weibo users on Saturday evening , and the hotel 's collapse was the top trending topic on the Weibo site , China 's close equivalent to Twitter .
Some users demanded a investigation into how the hotel could have collapsed .
Anger has been building up against the authorities in China over their early handling of the coronavirus outbreak , which has killed more than 3,300 people globally , most of them in China .
The Fujian provincial government said that as of Friday , the province had 296 cases of coronavirus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being classified as suspected close contacts .
The official Xinhua News Agency said the committee responsible for working safety under the State Council , China 's cabinet , had sent an emergency working team to the site .

About 30 people remained trapped early on Sunday after a five-storey hotel being used for coronavirus quarantine collapsed in the southeast Chinese port city of Quanzhou, state media said.
Rescue workers at the site of a collapsed hotel being used for the coronavirus quarantine in Quanzhou, China, March 7, 2020.
Advertising Read more
About four hours after the collapse, the Quanzhou municipality said 38 of the 70 or so people who had been in the Quanzhou Xinjia Hotel had been rescued.
A video stream posted by the government-backed Beijing News site showed rescue workers in orange overalls clambering over rubble and twisted steelwork carrying people towards ambulances.
The hotel collapsed at about 7:30 p.m. (1130 GMT) on Saturday evening.
"I was at a gas station and heard a loud noise. I looked up and the whole building collapsed. Dust was everywhere, and glass fragments were flying around," a witness said in a video posted on the Miaopai streaming app.
"I was so terrified that my hands and legs were shivering."
A woman named only by her surname, Chen, told the Beijing News website that relatives including her sister had been under quarantine at the hotel as prescribed by local regulations after returning from Hubei province, where the coronavirus emerged.
She said they had been scheduled to leave soon after completing their 14 days of isolation.
"I can't contact them, they're not answering their phones, she said.
"I'm under quarantine too (at another hotel) and I'm very worried, I don't know what to do. They were healthy, they took their temperatures every day, and the tests showed that everything was normal."
The municipality said 36 emergency rescue vehicles such as cranes and excavators, 67 firefighting vehicles, 15 ambulances, and more than 700 firefighters, medical and other rescue workers were at the scene as the operation stretched into the night.
All-out efforts are being carried out for the rescue at the hotel that collapsed in #Quanzhou to minimize casualties and prevent secondary accidents. Authorities also urged that a probe should be launched to investigate the cause for the collapse. https://t.co/44iEe8I1SV pic.twitter.com/fkdk16ErrF — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 7, 2020
Quanzhou is a port city on the Taiwan Strait in the province of Fujian with a population of more than 8 million.
The official People's Daily said the hotel had opened in June 2018 with 80 rooms.
Beijing News' video stream was viewed by more than 2 million Weibo users on Saturday evening, and the hotel's collapse was the top trending topic on the Weibo site, China's close equivalent to Twitter.
Some users demanded a investigation into how the hotel could have collapsed.
Anger has been building up against the authorities in China over their early handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 3,300 people globally, most of them in China.
The Fujian provincial government said that as of Friday, the province had 296 cases of coronavirus and 10,819 people had been placed under observation after being classified as suspected close contacts.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the committee responsible for working safety under the State Council, China's cabinet, had sent an emergency working team to the site.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-07--Pope to deliver Sunday service by livestream as Italy’s coronavirus cases mount

People wear protective face masks on St. Peter 's Square in Vatican City on March 6 , 2020 after the Vatican reports its first case of coronavirus .
The Vatican on Saturday said Pope Francis would deliver Sunday prayers by livestream in a bid to control crowds as the coronavirus death toll in Italy rose to 233 , with more than 5,800 cases reported , making Italy Europe ’ s worst-hit country .
Italian officials on Saturday said the number of coronavirus cases leapt by more than 1,200 in a 24-hour period , with the death toll rising to 233 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside China , where the epidemic emerged in December .
Entire towns are quarantined in the north , the worst-hit area , known as “ red zones ” .
The Italian government is set to adopt new tough measures to contain the virus , including a quarantine on the entire Lombardy region around Milan as well as areas around and including Venice and the northern cities of Parma and Rimini , Italian media reported Saturday .
A draft of the government resolution obtained by Italy 's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions would be severely restricted until April 3 .
As the streets of Rome and several northern cities in the worst-hit areas emptied due to stringent isolation measures , Pope Francis decided to deliver Sunday 's prayer by livestream .
The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition by enlisting the help of technology to keep crowds from descending on St. Peter 's Square for the traditional Angelus Prayer .
`` The prayer will be broadcast via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter 's Square , '' the Vatican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally promised to review the Argentine-born pope 's schedule `` to avoid the dissemination '' of the new COVID-19 disease .
The Vatican appears to believe that the pope 's absence from his traditional spot at the window will keep the crowds on the vast square down and the threat of contagion low .
The Vatican is in the process of unrolling unprecedented health precautions designed to keep the city-state 's 450 mostly elderly residents safe .
It recorded its first COVID-19 infection on Thursday and was awaiting the results of a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vatican-organised event last month .
The Italian government finds itself at the forefront of the global fight against an epidemic that has convulsed the markets and paralysed global supply chains since late last year .
Ministers decided at an all-night emergency meeting to call in retired doctors as part of an effort to bolster the strained healthcare system with 20,000 additional staff .
The head of the Italian ruling coalition 's junior partner became the latest high-profile figure to confirm coming down with the new disease .
`` I am fine , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
`` I will have to stay home for the next few days . ''
The accelerating spread of the illness emptied Italian train stations and turned usually thronged parts of Rome into a ghost town .
Many of the city 's outdoor restaurants and cafes were either closed on Friday night or had free tables overseen by forlorn staff with little to do but chat .
The expansive street that runs from Rome 's Colosseum along the Forum was deserted and the magnificent ruins stood in their natural splendour – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a sunny Saturday afternoon .
US military sailor confirmed with coronavirus in Italy A US sailor deployed to the southern Italian city of Naples tested positive for the coronavirus , the US military said on Saturday , in the second confirmed case among US forces following another in South Korea .
“ The member is currently restricted to their residence , receiving supportive and medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control , ” the military ’ s European Command said in a statement .
“ Military health professionals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether any other personnel may have been exposed , ” it said .

Pope Francis has delivered Sunday prayers by livestream in a bid to control crowds as the coronavirus death toll in Italy rose to 233, with more than 5,800 cases reported, making Italy Europe’s worst-hit country.
People wear protective face masks on St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on March 6, 2020 after the Vatican reports its first case of coronavirus.
Advertising Read more
Italian officials on Saturday said the number of coronavirus cases leapt by more than 1,200 in a 24-hour period, with the death toll rising to 233, as Italy reported the most deaths outside China, where the epidemic emerged in December.
Entire towns are quarantined in the north, the worst-hit area, known as “red zones”. The Italian government is set to adopt new tough measures to contain the virus, including a quarantine on the entire Lombardy region around Milan as well as areas around and including Venice and the northern cities of Parma and Rimini, Italian media reported Saturday.
A draft of the government resolution obtained by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media said movement into and out of the regions would be severely restricted until April 3.
As the streets of Rome and several northern cities in the worst-hit areas emptied due to stringent isolation measures, Pope Francis decided to deliver Sunday's prayer by livestream.
The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition by enlisting the help of technology to keep crowds from descending on St. Peter's Square for the traditional Angelus Prayer.
"The prayer will be broadcast via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter's Square," the Vatican said in a statement.
It had originally promised to review the Argentine-born pope's schedule "to avoid the dissemination" of the new COVID-19 disease.
The Vatican appears to believe that the pope's absence from his traditional spot at the window will keep the crowds on the vast square down and the threat of contagion low.
The Vatican is in the process of unrolling unprecedented health precautions designed to keep the city-state's 450 mostly elderly residents safe.
It recorded its first COVID-19 infection on Thursday and was awaiting the results of a test on another person who appeared at a Vatican-organised event last month.
Coalition leader gets virus
The Italian government finds itself at the forefront of the global fight against an epidemic that has convulsed the markets and paralysed global supply chains since late last year.
Ministers decided at an all-night emergency meeting to call in retired doctors as part of an effort to bolster the strained healthcare system with 20,000 additional staff.
The head of the Italian ruling coalition's junior partner became the latest high-profile figure to confirm coming down with the new disease.
"I am fine," the Democratic Party's Nicola Zingaretti said on Facebook. "I will have to stay home for the next few days."
The accelerating spread of the illness emptied Italian train stations and turned usually thronged parts of Rome into a ghost town.
Many of the city's outdoor restaurants and cafes were either closed on Friday night or had free tables overseen by forlorn staff with little to do but chat.
The expansive street that runs from Rome's Colosseum along the Forum was deserted and the magnificent ruins stood in their natural splendour – and without being swarmed by tourists – on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
US military sailor confirmed with coronavirus in Italy
A US sailor deployed to the southern Italian city of Naples tested positive for the coronavirus, the US military said on Saturday, in the second confirmed case among US forces following another in South Korea.
“The member is currently restricted to their residence, receiving supportive and medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control,” the military’s European Command said in a statement.
“Military health professionals are conducting a thorough contact investigation to determine whether any other personnel may have been exposed,” it said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-08--Feminist picnics, motorbike rallies, graveyard tours: International Women’s Day in Paris

A neon sign depicting Rosie the Riveter is seen at The Wrap 's Power Women Summit in Los Angeles on November 1 , 2018 .
Paris will celebrate all women in all ways with a panoply of events for International Women ’ s Day 2020 on Sunday March 8 .
You can participate in feminist picnics , graveyard tours , motorbike rallies , comedy performances and commemorations of deported martyrs on this day devoted to raising awareness of the importance of women ’ s rights .
International Women ’ s Day ( IWD ) is celebrated annually on March 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours , better pay and voting rights .
After two years of national celebrations , the first IWD was observed in 1911 , and the United Nations celebrated it for the first time in 1975 .
IWD aims to shed light on the everyday status of women ’ s rights throughout the world .
The 2020 campaign theme is # EachforEqual , to further the drive for a gender-equal world .
In Paris , there is a very full programme of events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screenings , self-defence workshops and celebrations of the women resting forever in Père Lachaise cemetery .
Feminist associations , activists and families will participate in the march of the ‘ Grandes Gagnantes ’ ( ‘ Big Winners ’ ) .
The organisers took this name from a phrase of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe , who claimed that “ women would be the big winners with a universal pension system ” , and want to reclaim it , saying on their website : “ We are strong , we are proud .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be preceded by a feminist picnic at 12pm at Place d ’ Italie , before the demonstration leaves at 2pm to march to Place de la République .
Participants are called on to march in their work clothes , inspired by the famous image of Rosie the Riveter , whom organisers describe as “ the icon of all invisible workers ” .
There will be innovative pit stops along the route , including a throwing down of yellow washing-up gloves at 3:40pm to demand the end to “ double days , half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women will be taking to their motorbikes for the 10th-anniversary celebrations of Toutes en Moto to coincide with IWD .
Rosie the Riveter is again the symbol here and the group 's motto is “ We can do it !
” The world of motorcycling is predominantly male : Less than 20 percent of motorcyclists are women .
Last year , more than 10,000 people got on their bikes for IWD .
This year , Toutes en Moto will be setting up a motorbike village at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , food , a light show and even a themed quiz from 10am to 6pm .
The group will round the day off by joining up with activist group Femmes Solidaires for a special performance by comedic singer Agnes Bihl and guests at La Cigale , a theatre in Paris 's 18th arrondissement ( district ) .
Toutes en Moto will also hold events for motorcyclists in other French cities including Orleans , Laval , Bordeaux , Strasbourg , Vichy and Nice .
The Panthéon , the monument in the 5th arrondissement ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hugo , Voltaire , and the philosopher and politician Simone Veil are buried , will pay homage to `` Great Women '' with a special visit combining two sites : the Mémorial des martyrs de la Déportation , one of Paris 's memorials to French victims of the Nazi concentration camps , and the Panthéon itself .
The visit will explore the lives of women who , like Veil , were first imprisoned in France and then deported to camps because they were resistance fighters , Jews , gypsies and the survivors of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their stories , to bear witness to the horrors they saw and experienced .
At mausoleum for France ’ s ‘ Great Men ’ , Simone Veil burial is most revolutionary yet From the concentration camp experience presented at the Mémorial des martyrs de la Déportation to the French nation ’ s tribute to these “ Great Women ” in the Panthéon , this thematic visit will look back on these symbolic women .
The tour starts at 2pm at the Memorial and registration is obligatory .
On this IWD , the sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de l ’ Air et de l ’ Espace pays tribute to all those women who have played key roles in the history of aeronautics .
The museum is offering two free tours to highlight overlooked histories of female pioneers of aviation , pilots , mechanics and contemporary astronauts who have written some of the most important pages in aerospace history .
Colette , Edith Piaf , Rosa Bonheur or Sarah Bernhardt … Discover the famous women who lie in Père Lachaise cemetery with special guided tours presented by Sous Les Pavés .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so graves in this necropolis , you will discover the famous women who lie there .
“ We are hoping people will rediscover the history of Paris through some of these important women , ” says Diane de Kerdrel , director of Sous Les Pavés .
“ For this new tour , our guide is focusing more on artists than politicians .
There has been such an incredible response to this special new tour that we have had to keep adding additional tours to the schedule.
” The tour will take place rain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the power to stop it .
“ The mairie de Paris ( mayor 's office ) closes all public parks and spaces if there is too strong a wind , as stones can easily get displaced and present a risk of injury , ” Kerdrel said .
A special guided tour will celebrate the women who built the storied Montmartre neighbourhood in the north of Paris .
Starting from La Cachette de Paris at 3pm , this tour will not only stop at the homes of women like the singer Dalida , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Montmartre 's cemetery , but it will also introduce you to the worlds of artists such as Suzanne Valadon , the so-called Muse of Montmartre .
Valadon ’ s former home and studio is now the Museum of Montmartre .
A highly respected artist in her own right but without the funds to study , she paid for classes by modelling for male artists from Toulouse-Lautrec to Degas to Renoir .
This tour will also include the life of Louise Michel , a famous anarchist who played a key revolutionary role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Montmartre ’ s `` queen '' , Louise Weber .
Weber performed under the stage name La Goulue ( the glutton ) and she was the Moulin Rouge ’ s most famous can-can dancer in the 1880s and 90s .
Reservations – and strong walking shoes to cope with Montmartre ’ s famous hills – are recommended .

International Women's day
Paris will celebrate all women in all ways with a panoply of events for International Women’s Day 2020 on Sunday March 8. You can participate in feminist picnics, graveyard tours, motorbike rallies, comedy performances and commemorations of deported martyrs on this day devoted to raising awareness of the importance of women’s rights.
A neon sign depicting Rosie the Riveter is seen at The Wrap's Power Women Summit in Los Angeles on November 1, 2018.
Advertising Read more
International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8. Its genesis was in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and voting rights. After two years of national celebrations, the first IWD was observed in 1911, and the United Nations celebrated it for the first time in 1975.
IWD aims to shed light on the everyday status of women’s rights throughout the world. The 2020 campaign theme is #EachforEqual, to further the drive for a gender-equal world. In Paris, there is a very full programme of events on Sunday including concerts, debates, screenings, self-defence workshops and celebrations of the women resting forever in Père Lachaise cemetery.
Throw down your yellow gloves
Feminist associations, activists and families will participate in the march of the ‘Grandes Gagnantes’ (‘Big Winners’). The organisers took this name from a phrase of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who claimed that “women would be the big winners with a universal pension system”, and want to reclaim it, saying on their website: “We are strong, we are proud. We are the big winners.”
The march will be preceded by a feminist picnic at 12pm at Place d’Italie, before the demonstration leaves at 2pm to march to Place de la République. Participants are called on to march in their work clothes, inspired by the famous image of Rosie the Riveter, whom organisers describe as “the icon of all invisible workers”.
There will be innovative pit stops along the route, including a throwing down of yellow washing-up gloves at 3:40pm to demand the end to “double days, half pay”.
Get on your bikes
Women will be taking to their motorbikes for the 10th-anniversary celebrations of Toutes en Moto to coincide with IWD. Rosie the Riveter is again the symbol here and the group's motto is “We can do it!”
The world of motorcycling is predominantly male: Less than 20 percent of motorcyclists are women. Last year, more than 10,000 people got on their bikes for IWD. This year, Toutes en Moto will be setting up a motorbike village at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and there will be a parade, DJs, food, a light show and even a themed quiz from 10am to 6pm.
The group will round the day off by joining up with activist group Femmes Solidaires for a special performance by comedic singer Agnes Bihl and guests at La Cigale, a theatre in Paris's 18th arrondissement (district).
Toutes en Moto will also hold events for motorcyclists in other French cities including Orleans, Laval, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Vichy and Nice.
Deported martyrs
The Panthéon, the monument in the 5th arrondissement (district) where French luminaries including Victor Hugo, Voltaire, and the philosopher and politician Simone Veil are buried, will pay homage to "Great Women" with a special visit combining two sites: the Mémorial des martyrs de la Déportation, one of Paris's memorials to French victims of the Nazi concentration camps, and the Panthéon itself. The visit will explore the lives of women who, like Veil, were first imprisoned in France and then deported to camps because they were resistance fighters, Jews, gypsies and the survivors of repressive regimes. They fought to tell their stories, to bear witness to the horrors they saw and experienced.
< >
From the concentration camp experience presented at the Mémorial des martyrs de la Déportation to the French nation’s tribute to these “Great Women” in the Panthéon, this thematic visit will look back on these symbolic women. The tour starts at 2pm at the Memorial and registration is obligatory.
Pioneering airwomen
On this IWD, the sky will prove no limit as the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace pays tribute to all those women who have played key roles in the history of aeronautics.
The museum is offering two free tours to highlight overlooked histories of female pioneers of aviation, pilots, mechanics and contemporary astronauts who have written some of the most important pages in aerospace history.
Underground women
Colette, Edith Piaf, Rosa Bonheur or Sarah Bernhardt … Discover the famous women who lie in Père Lachaise cemetery with special guided tours presented by Sous Les Pavés. As you wander through the 70,000 or so graves in this necropolis, you will discover the famous women who lie there.
“We are hoping people will rediscover the history of Paris through some of these important women,” says Diane de Kerdrel, director of Sous Les Pavés. “For this new tour, our guide is focusing more on artists than politicians. There has been such an incredible response to this special new tour that we have had to keep adding additional tours to the schedule.”
The tour will take place rain or shine, although the wind might have the power to stop it. “The mairie de Paris (mayor's office) closes all public parks and spaces if there is too strong a wind, as stones can easily get displaced and present a risk of injury,” Kerdrel said.
Nuns, queens, revolutionaries
A special guided tour will celebrate the women who built the storied Montmartre neighbourhood in the north of Paris. Starting from La Cachette de Paris at 3pm, this tour will not only stop at the homes of women like the singer Dalida, as well as her final resting place in Montmartre's cemetery, but it will also introduce you to the worlds of artists such as Suzanne Valadon, the so-called Muse of Montmartre.
Valadon’s former home and studio is now the Museum of Montmartre. A highly respected artist in her own right but without the funds to study, she paid for classes by modelling for male artists from Toulouse-Lautrec to Degas to Renoir.
This tour will also include the life of Louise Michel, a famous anarchist who played a key revolutionary role in the Paris Commune, and the life of Montmartre’s "queen", Louise Weber. Weber performed under the stage name La Goulue (the glutton) and she was the Moulin Rouge’s most famous can-can dancer in the 1880s and 90s.
Reservations – and strong walking shoes to cope with Montmartre’s famous hills – are recommended.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-08--Italy quarantines more than 15 million people in coronavirus lockdown

Customers queue to pay for food and essential products in a supermarket in Milan late on March 7 , 2020 , after Italy prepared to quarantine more than 10 million people around Milan and the tourist mecca Venice to halt the spread of the new coronavirus .
More than 15 million people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy early Sunday as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping the globe .
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter he had signed off on plans to strictly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas including Venice and the financial capital Milan for nearly a month .
`` # Coronavirus , the new decree is finally approved , '' Conte wrote , confirming earlier reports of the lockdown in the newspaper Corriere Della Sera and other media .
With more than 230 fatalities , Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China , where the outbreak began in December .
Italy has the world 's second oldest population after Japan , according to the World Bank , and older people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severely ill with the new coronavirus .
Without a `` serious '' reason that can not be postponed , such as urgent work or family issues , people will not be allowed to enter or leave the quarantine zones , Corriere Della Sera reported .
These include the entire Lombardy region as well as Venice and its surrounding areas , and the cities of Parma and Rimini -- affecting a quarter of Italy 's population of 60 million .
Museums , nightclubs , gyms and casinos will be closed in these places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much as possible , the newspaper said , adding that the restrictions would be in place until April 3 .
People will be allowed to return home from outside these regions , while bars and restaurants are allowed to remain open provided it is possible for customers to stay a metre ( three feet ) away from one another .
The measures echo those taken in China 's central Hubei province , whose nearly 60 million residents have been under lockdown since late January when the government rushed to put a lid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regional capital , Wuhan .
Worldwide , the total number of people with COVID-19 has passed 100,000 while 3,500 have died across 95 nations and territories .
The disease has convulsed markets and paralysed global supply chains , and Italy has found itself at the forefront of the global fight against the virus , with more than 5,800 infections recorded in the past seven weeks in all 22 Italian regions .
The virus has now spread to all 22 Italian regions and the first deaths are being recorded in Italy 's less @ @ @ @ @

More than 15 million people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy early Sunday as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping the globe.
Customers queue to pay for food and essential products in a supermarket in Milan late on March 7, 2020, after Italy prepared to quarantine more than 10 million people around Milan and the tourist mecca Venice to halt the spread of the new coronavirus.
Advertising Read more
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter he had signed off on plans to strictly limit movement in and out of large areas including Venice and the financial capital Milan for nearly a month.
"#Coronavirus, the new decree is finally approved," Conte wrote, confirming earlier reports of the lockdown in the newspaper Corriere Della Sera and other media.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the victims of the novel coronavirus on Sunday when he broke with tradition to deliver his Angelus prayer and message from the Vatican via a livestream broadcast. That decision was made to discourage the large crowds that ordinarily number in the thousands on Sundays in St. Peter’s Square.
Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. Authorities on Sunday said the coronavirus death toll mounted by 133 in 24 hours to a total of 366. The number of cases also jumped from 5,883 to 7,375 during the same period.
Italy has the world's second oldest population after Japan, according to the World Bank, and older people appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the new coronavirus.
02:03
Without a "serious" reason that cannot be postponed, such as urgent work or family issues, people will not be allowed to enter or leave the quarantine zones, Corriere Della Sera reported.
These include the entire Lombardy region as well as Venice and its surrounding areas, and the cities of Parma and Rimini – affecting a quarter of Italy's population of 60 million.
Museums, nightclubs, gyms and casinos will be closed in these places, with people advised to stay at home as much as possible, the newspaper said, adding that the restrictions would be in place until April 3.
People will be allowed to return home from outside these regions, while bars and restaurants are allowed to remain open provided it is possible for customers to stay a metre (three feet) away from one another.
The measures echo those taken in China's central Hubei province, whose nearly 60 million residents have been under lockdown since late January when the government rushed to put a lid on the virus that first emerged in the regional capital, Wuhan.
Worldwide, the total number of people with COVID-19 has passed 100,000 while 3,500 have died across 95 nations and territories.
The disease has convulsed markets and paralysed global supply chains, and Italy has found itself at the forefront of the global fight against the virus, with more than 5,800 infections recorded in the past seven weeks in all 22 Italian regions.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-08--Women in Mexico take to streets to protest country's high rate of femicide

These protesters are crying out for victims of femicide in Mexico in 2019 .
On average , ten women are killed in Mexico every day due to femicide .
In Mexico , an average of ten women are victims of femicide every day .
Thousands of women have mobilised in street protests to take a stand against femicide in a country where they say women ’ s rights are being ignored , and a nationwide women 's strike is planned for Monday .
FRANCE 24 has this special report .
Two recent killings in particular shocked the nation : Ingrid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boyfriend back in February , the images of her corpse widely circulated by the media .
Just days later , a 7-year-old , Fatima , also became a symbol of femicide in the country after her body was found mutilated .
“ We 're scared for our children , it ’ s scary to not know what could happen to them , ” a woman said to FRANCE 24 .
In response to the recent rise in femicide cases , Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to do whatever necessary to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am open to anything that helps bring peace and tranquility to the country .
We will continue to work to make things better , ” he said .
Mariana Lima Buendía was killed at the hands of her policeman husband in 2010 .
Irinea Buendía , her mother , remains unconvinced by the president ’ s promises .
“ I can not help but think that President Obrador is not doing his duty and is not doing anything to ensure justice for femicide victims .
Yet it is his job to protect citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video player above to watch this report by Yinka Oyetade .

On the ground
An average of 10 women are victims of femicide every day in Mexico. Thousands have mobilised to take a stand against femicide in a country where they say women’s rights are being ignored, with a nationwide strike planned for Monday. FRANCE 24 reports.
These protesters are crying out for victims of femicide in Mexico in 2019. On average, 10 women are killed in Mexico every day due to femicide.
Advertising Read more
Two recent killings in particular shocked the nation: Ingrid Escamilla was stabbed and skinned by her boyfriend back in February, the images of her corpse widely circulated by the media. Just days later, 7-year-old Fatima also became a symbol of femicide after her body was found mutilated.
“We're scared for our children, it’s scary to not know what could happen to them,” a woman said to FRANCE 24.
In response to the recent rise in femicide cases, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to do whatever necessary to ensure women are protected. “I am open to anything that helps bring peace and tranquility to the country. We will continue to work to make things better,” he said.
Mariana Lima Buendía was killed at the hands of her policeman husband in 2010. Irinea Buendía, her mother, remains unconvinced by the president’s promises.
“I cannot help but think that President Obrador is not doing his duty and is not doing anything to ensure justice for femicide victims. Yet it is his job to protect citizens,” she said.
Click on the video player above to watch the FRANCE 24 report.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-03-08--In India's matrilineal tribe, women's special status is under threat

In the Khasi tribe in India , women enjoy special rights but their privileges are under threat .
In the Khasi tribe , an indigenous community of 1.3 million people living in the state of Meghalaya in northeast India , women enjoy a special status .
A matrilineal society for centuries , it is one of fewer than 500 left in the world .
But in a country where patrilineal structures are now more common and male children are preferred , it 's a way of life at risk of disappearing .
FRANCE 24 's Clara Lecomte and Adil Bhat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into India 's Khasi tribe bear their mothers ' names , daughters inherit property from their mothers , and men move to their wives ' homes after marriage .
In the village of Kongthong , Policy Khongjee , a Khasi , has a three-month-old daughter Panjob who bears her last name .
Her daughter will also inherit the family 's land .
`` I was so happy when I had my first daughter because before that I only had boys , '' Khongjee says .
Women 's special status is not only within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women are on par with men when it comes to participating in economic activities .
In the village of Kwheng , locals live off agriculture and silk weaving thanks to a cooperative run by some eight women .
`` In many parts of India women depend on men and their income to live , '' says Rikynti Syem , a member of the cooperative .
`` We Khasi women are responsible for the money in the family .
When the man works he has to give what he earns and the woman is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the tradition still survives , anthropologists say it could soon disappear .
Women who quit the region for work and marry outside the Khasi community threaten the continuation of the matrilineal system .
But a more recent threat has emerged : A men 's rights group that has been trying to establish a patrilineal society .
It wants to abolish a system it says is unfair in offering special privileges to women .
Should the Khasi way of life change , it could signal a setback for women struggling to defend their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Click on the video player above to watch this special report .

International women's day
In the Khasi tribe, an indigenous community of 1.3 million people living in the state of Meghalaya in northeast India, women enjoy a special status. A matrilineal society for centuries, it is one of fewer than 500 left in the world. But in a country where patrilineal structures are now more common and male children are preferred, it's a way of life at risk of disappearing. FRANCE 24's Clara Lecomte and Adil Bhat filed this special report.
In the Khasi tribe in India, women enjoy special rights but their privileges are under threat.
Advertising Read more
Children born into India's Khasi tribe bear their mothers' names, daughters inherit property from their mothers, and men move to their wives' homes after marriage.
In the village of Kongthong, Policy Khongjee, a Khasi, has a three-month-old daughter Panjob who bears her last name. Her daughter will also inherit the family's land.
"I was so happy when I had my first daughter because before that I only had boys," Khongjee says.
Women's special status is not only within the family. In Meghalaya, Khasi women are on par with men when it comes to participating in economic activities. In the village of Kwheng, locals live off agriculture and silk weaving thanks to a cooperative run by some eight women.
"In many parts of India women depend on men and their income to live," says Rikynti Syem, a member of the cooperative. "We Khasi women are responsible for the money in the family. When the man works he has to give what he earns and the woman is in charge of the expenses."
While the tradition still survives, anthropologists say it could soon disappear. Women who quit the region for work and marry outside the Khasi community threaten the continuation of the matrilineal system. But a more recent threat has emerged: A men's rights group that has been trying to establish a patrilineal society. It wants to abolish a system it says is unfair in offering special privileges to women.
Should the Khasi way of life change, it could signal a setback for women struggling to defend their rights in other parts of India.
Click on the video player above to watch this special report.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe