france24--2020-05-27--French political power couple lose appeal against money-laundering conviction

Patrick and Isabelle Balkany have dominated politics in the wealthy Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret since the 1980s .
The Paris Court of Appeal on Wednesday found veteran right-wing politicians Patrick and Isabelle Balkany guilty of money-laundering and sentenced them both to jail , sealing the power couple ’ s fall from grace after a protracted legal battle .
The Balkany couple , who for years governed the chic Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret , were sentenced to prison terms of five and four years respectively .
But they were not ordered behind bars immediately pending an appeal to France ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close friend of former president Nicolas Sarkozy , had been released to house arrest in February because of health problems .
The two had already lost in March an appeal against tax fraud convictions after they were found guilty of using offshore accounts to hide at least €13 million ( $ 14.4 million ) in assets from the tax authorities , including luxury villas in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh and in the West Indies .
On Wednesday , the appeals court confirmed the seizure of assets as well as the payment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple had implemented a system of `` persistent fraud '' .
The pair were also banned from holding elected office for 10 years , dealing a possible death blow to their long and storied careers .
> > Balkany dynasty : Local power couple manoeuvres to hold on to posh Paris suburb Patrick Balkany , 71 , who appeared in the Paris courtroom without his wife , made no comment after the decision .
His lawyer Romain Dieudonne said he had five days to decide on a further appeal , while his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling was `` excessive . ''
The jail terms handed down last year — extremely rare for French politicians — were widely heralded as proof that the legal system no longer shirks from holding the powerful to account .
Patrick Balkany was first elected mayor of Levallois-Perret in 1983 and also held a seat in parliament for many years .

The Paris Court of Appeal on Wednesday found veteran right-wing politicians Patrick and Isabelle Balkany guilty of money-laundering and sentenced them both to jail, sealing the power couple’s fall from grace after a protracted legal battle.
Patrick and Isabelle Balkany have dominated politics in the wealthy Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret since the 1980s.
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The Balkany couple, who for years governed the chic Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, were sentenced to prison terms of five and four years respectively.
But they were not ordered behind bars immediately pending an appeal to France’s highest court. Patrick Balkany, a close friend of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, had been released to house arrest in February because of health problems.
The two had already lost in March an appeal against tax fraud convictions after they were found guilty of using offshore accounts to hide at least €13 million ($14.4 million) in assets from the tax authorities, including luxury villas in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh and in the West Indies.
Patrick Balkany (centre) arrives at the Paris Court of Appeal on May 27, 2020. © Thomas Samson, AFP
On Wednesday, the appeals court confirmed the seizure of assets as well as the payment of €1 million in damages, saying the couple had implemented a system of "persistent fraud".
The pair were also banned from holding elected office for 10 years, dealing a possible death blow to their long and storied careers.
>> Balkany dynasty: Local power couple manoeuvres to hold on to posh Paris suburb
Patrick Balkany, 71, who appeared in the Paris courtroom without his wife, made no comment after the decision. His lawyer Romain Dieudonne said he had five days to decide on a further appeal, while his wife's lawyer Pierre-Olivier Sur told reporters the ruling was "excessive."
The jail terms handed down last year — extremely rare for French politicians — were widely heralded as proof that the legal system no longer shirks from holding the powerful to account.
Patrick Balkany was first elected mayor of Levallois-Perret in 1983 and also held a seat in parliament for many years.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--Twitter tags Trump tweet with fact check warning, US president furious

US President Donald Trump spoke at the White House Rose Garden in Washington , DC , on May 26 , 2020 , about the cost of treating diabetes and the coronavirus outbreak .
Twitter labelled two Donald Trump tweets `` unsubstantiated '' and accused him of making false claims Tuesday , a first for the social network which has long resisted calls to censure the US president over truth-defying posts .
The move drew a furious response from Trump , who used the platform to accuse Twitter of `` interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election . ''
`` Twitter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as President , will not allow it to happen ! ''
he tweeted .
The social media giant targeted two tweets the president posted on Tuesday in which he contended without evidence that mail-in voting would lead to fraud and a `` Rigged Election . ''
Under the tweets , Twitter posted a link which read `` Get the facts about mail-in ballots '' and which took users to a notice calling the claims `` unsubstantiated '' , citing reporting by CNN , the Washington Post and other media .
`` Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 'Rigged Election ' , '' the notice contended .
`` However , fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud . ''
Trump aimed the misleading tweets at California , contending falsely that anyone living in the state would be sent ballots when in fact they will only go to registered voters , according to the notice .
The president has long used Twitter as a platform to spread abuse , conspiracy theories , false information and insults to his 80 million followers .
For years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built his political brand by supporting the `` birther '' lie that Barack Obama , America 's first black president , was not born in the United States and therefore was not eligible to be president .
And on Tuesday he ignited a storm with an attempted character assassination of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough by spreading the baseless rumor he murdered an aide .
Twitter , perhaps fearing a clash with one of its most influential users , had previously held out against calls to act .
The tweets in question violated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco-based company .
`` In serving the public conversation , our goal is to make it easy to find credible information on Twitter and to limit the spread of potentially harmful and misleading content , '' head of site integrity Yoel Roth and global public policy director Nick Pickles said when the change was announced .
Twitter 's decision comes as Trump , already facing US economic calamity and 100,000 deaths from coronavirus as well as sinking reelection polls , received a storm of backlash over his pushing of the Scarborough conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Scarborough killed a woman he was having an affair with in 2001 , when he was a Republican congressman and she was one of his staffers .
Trump pushed the story over the weekend .
On Tuesday , he was at it again , tweeting : `` The opening of a Cold Case against Psycho Joe Scarborough '' .
`` So many unanswered & obvious questions , but I won ’ t bring them up now !
Law enforcement eventually will ? ''
he wrote .
The deceased woman , Lori Klausutis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died after hitting her head during a fall in Scarborough 's office , triggered by an abnormal heart rhythm .
Scarborough went on to become a prominent media personality , strongly critical of Trump , and is co-host of the Morning Joe show on MSNBC with his wife Mika Brzezinski , whom Trump calls `` low I.Q .
Crazy Mika . ''
Klausutis ' widower , Timothy Klausutis , wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , pleading with him to delete Trump 's `` vicious lie . ''
`` I 'm asking you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him -- the memory of my dead wife and perverted it for perceived political gain , '' he wrote in a letter published by The New York Times .
When asked about the letter , Trump told reporters at the White House : `` I 'm sure ultimately they want to get to the bottom of it and it 's a very serious situation . ''
He added : `` As you know , there is no statute of limitations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said during a CNN interview on Tuesday that Twitter and other social media platforms should `` say it 's not true '' when misleading statements are broadcast .
Asked about the fallout from the Scarborough tweets , a Twitter spokesman said `` we are deeply sorry about the pain these statements , and the attention they are drawing , are causing the family . ''
`` We 've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward , and we hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Twitter labelled two Donald Trump tweets "unsubstantiated" and accused him of making false claims Tuesday, a first for the social network which has long resisted calls to censure the US president over truth-defying posts.
US President Donald Trump spoke at the White House Rose Garden in Washington, DC, on May 26, 2020, about the cost of treating diabetes and the coronavirus outbreak.
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The move drew a furious response from Trump, who used the platform to accuse Twitter of "interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election."
"Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!" he tweeted.
The social media giant targeted two tweets the president posted on Tuesday in which he contended without evidence that mail-in voting would lead to fraud and a "Rigged Election."
Under the tweets, Twitter posted a link which read "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" and which took users to a notice calling the claims "unsubstantiated", citing reporting by CNN, the Washington Post and other media.
"Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to 'Rigged Election'," the notice contended.
"However, fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud."
Trump aimed the misleading tweets at California, contending falsely that anyone living in the state would be sent ballots when in fact they will only go to registered voters, according to the notice.
The president has long used Twitter as a platform to spread abuse, conspiracy theories, false information and insults to his 80 million followers.
.@Twitter is now interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election. They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots, which will lead to massive corruption and fraud, is incorrect, based on fact-checking by Fake News CNN and the Amazon Washington Post.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
For years before being elected in 2016, he built his political brand by supporting the "birther" lie that Barack Obama, America's first black president, was not born in the United States and therefore was not eligible to be president.
And on Tuesday he ignited a storm with an attempted character assassination of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough by spreading the baseless rumor he murdered an aide.
Twitter, perhaps fearing a clash with one of its most influential users, had previously held out against calls to act.
The tweets in question violated a recently expanded Twitter policy, according the San Francisco-based company.
"In serving the public conversation, our goal is to make it easy to find credible information on Twitter and to limit the spread of potentially harmful and misleading content," head of site integrity Yoel Roth and global public policy director Nick Pickles said when the change was announced.
'Vicious lie'
Twitter's decision comes as Trump, already facing US economic calamity and 100,000 deaths from coronavirus as well as sinking reelection polls, received a storm of backlash over his pushing of the Scarborough conspiracy theory.
The entirely evidence-free story claims that Scarborough killed a woman he was having an affair with in 2001, when he was a Republican congressman and she was one of his staffers.
Trump pushed the story over the weekend. On Tuesday, he was at it again, tweeting: "The opening of a Cold Case against Psycho Joe Scarborough".
"So many unanswered & obvious questions, but I won’t bring them up now! Law enforcement eventually will?" he wrote.
The deceased woman, Lori Klausutis, was found by investigators to have died after hitting her head during a fall in Scarborough's office, triggered by an abnormal heart rhythm.
Scarborough went on to become a prominent media personality, strongly critical of Trump, and is co-host of the Morning Joe show on MSNBC with his wife Mika Brzezinski, whom Trump calls "low I.Q. Crazy Mika."
Klausutis' widower, Timothy Klausutis, wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, pleading with him to delete Trump's "vicious lie."
"I'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him -- the memory of my dead wife and perverted it for perceived political gain," he wrote in a letter published by The New York Times.
When asked about the letter, Trump told reporters at the White House: "I'm sure ultimately they want to get to the bottom of it and it's a very serious situation."
He added: "As you know, there is no statute of limitations."
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said during a CNN interview on Tuesday that Twitter and other social media platforms should "say it's not true" when misleading statements are broadcast.
Asked about the fallout from the Scarborough tweets, a Twitter spokesman said "we are deeply sorry about the pain these statements, and the attention they are drawing, are causing the family."
"We've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward, and we hope to have those changes in place shortly."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--French parliament debates Covid-19 tracker as privacy watchdog gives green light

France 's CNIL watchdog said Tuesday the app met the legal requirements for privacy protection .
French lawmakers on Wednesday start debating a government-backed cellphone app that will alert users if they have been in contact with a person infected by the coronavirus .
The StopCovid app — use of which will remain voluntary — is designed to keep track of users who have been in close proximity over a two-week period .
If any become infected , they inform the platform , which alerts the others .
Privacy defenders have expressed fears that the app marks the first step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But France ’ s CNIL watchdog , which gave provisional approval for StopCovid in April , said Tuesday that the app met the legal requirements for privacy protection , with ample safeguards to prevent abuse .
It nevertheless made a number of recommendations to make it even safer , including improving the quality of information provided to users , allowing users to object to information shared , and providing an option for erasing stored data .
The app will not rely on geolocation , but instead use Bluetooth technology which allows mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short distances .
If the French parliament gives its approval , StopCovid could be available in app stores from this weekend .
France started reemerging on May 11 from a two-month lockdown to curb coronavirus spread .
Public transport has resumed , though many people are still working from home and most schools have yet to reopen .
The issue of how to track coronavirus spread with mobile technology has sparked privacy concerns in several countries now lifting strict home confinement measures as they hope to kickstart their economies .
As a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most countries have been exposed to the virus , and thus do not have immunity and remain at risk of infection , raising fears of a second wave once people start mixing again .
The European Commission has recommended that data harvested through contact-tracing apps be stored only on users ' own phones and that it be encrypted .

French lawmakers on Wednesday approved a government-backed cellphone app that will alert users if they have been in contact with a person infected by the coronavirus.
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The StopCovid app – use of which will remain voluntary – is designed to keep track of users who have been in close proximity over a two-week period. If any become infected, they inform the platform, which alerts the others.
Privacy defenders have expressed fears that the app marks the first step towards a society under constant online surveillance.
But France’s CNIL watchdog, which gave provisional approval for StopCovid in April, said Tuesday that the app met the legal requirements for privacy protection, with ample safeguards to prevent abuse.
It nevertheless made a number of recommendations to make it even safer, including improving the quality of information provided to users, allowing users to object to information shared, and providing an option for erasing stored data.
The app will not rely on geolocation, but instead use Bluetooth technology which allows mobile phones to communicate with each other over short distances.
Now that the French parliament has given its approval, StopCovid could be available in app stores from this weekend.
France started reemerging on May 11 from a two-month lockdown to curb coronavirus spread. Public transport has resumed, though many people are still working from home and most schools have yet to reopen.
Bars, restaurants and public parks remain shuttered.
The issue of how to track coronavirus spread with mobile technology has sparked privacy concerns in several countries now lifting strict home confinement measures as they hope to kickstart their economies.
As a result of the lockdowns, few people in most countries have been exposed to the virus, and thus do not have immunity and remain at risk of infection, raising fears of a second wave once people start mixing again.
The European Commission has recommended that data harvested through contact-tracing apps be stored only on users' own phones and that it be encrypted.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--Four US police officers fired after death of unarmed black man

Protesters gather at the scene where George Floyd , an unarmed black man , was arrested by police officers before dying in hospital in Minneapolis , Minnesota , on May 26 , 2020 .
A video of a handcuffed black man dying while a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than five minutes sparked a fresh furor in the US over police treatment of African Americans Tuesday .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey fired four police officers following the death in custody of George Floyd on Monday as the suspect was pressed shirtless onto a Minneapolis street , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Your knee in my neck .
I ca n't breathe ... Mama .
Mama , '' Floyd pleaded .
Bystanders filmed the scene as Floyd , thought to be in his 40s , slowly grew silent and motionless , unable to move even as the officers taunted him to `` get up and get in the car . ''
Floyd was taken to hospital where he was later declared dead .
Frey expressed outrage as calls rose for the officers to be prosecuted for murder .
`` What I saw was wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the video .
`` For five minutes , we watched as a white officer pressed his knee into the neck of a black man , '' Frey said .
`` Being black in America should not be a death sentence . ''
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he had been retained by Floyd 's family .
Crump said in a statement that Floyd had been stopped by police over a forgery accusation , a charge often used for writing bad checks or using fake banknotes for purchases .
`` This abusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning on a non-violent charge , '' he said .
Floyd 's death recalled the 2014 choking death of New Yorker Eric Garner by police , who was being detained for illegally selling cigarettes .
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said he had passed the case to the FBI for investigation , which could turn it into a federal rights violation case .
But there were mounting calls for the officers ' arrest on homicide charges .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Levy Armstrong , an African American Minneapolis civil rights attorney .
`` Those same officers need to be charged and convicted of murder , '' she said .
Floyd 's death comes on the heels of two other deaths of African-Americans that involved police wrongdoing .
On March 13 in Louisville , three white Kentucky policemen forced their way into the home of a black woman , Breonna Taylor , and shot her in a drug investigation .
And police and prosecutors in Brunswick , Georgia allegedly covered up the killing of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a retired investigator for local law enforcement .
The police allegedly withheld for two months a video showing Ahmaud Arbery , 25 , being followed and then shot with a shotgun in broad daylight .
The families of Arbery and Taylor are also being represented by Crump .
The American Civil Liberties Union said the Minneapolis case showed that US police continue to use harsh treatment on African Americans accused of minor charges .
`` This tragic video shows how little meaningful change has emerged to prevent police from taking the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist Paige Fernandez .
`` Even in places like Minneapolis , where chokeholds are technically banned , black people are targeted by the police for low-level offenses and are subjected to unreasonable , unnecessary violence , '' she said in a statement .

A video of a handcuffed black man dying while a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than five minutes sparked a fresh furor in the US over police treatment of African Americans Tuesday.
Protesters gather at the scene where George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was arrested by police officers before dying in hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 26, 2020.
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey fired four police officers following the death in custody of George Floyd on Monday as the suspect was pressed shirtless onto a Minneapolis street, one officer's knee on his neck.
"Your knee in my neck. I can't breathe... Mama. Mama," Floyd pleaded.
Bystanders filmed the scene as Floyd, thought to be in his 40s, slowly grew silent and motionless, unable to move even as the officers taunted him to "get up and get in the car."
00:27
Floyd was taken to hospital where he was later declared dead.
Frey expressed outrage as calls rose for the officers to be prosecuted for murder.
"What I saw was wrong at every level," he said of the video.
"For five minutes, we watched as a white officer pressed his knee into the neck of a black man," Frey said.
"Being black in America should not be a death sentence."
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he had been retained by Floyd's family.
Crump said in a statement that Floyd had been stopped by police over a forgery accusation, a charge often used for writing bad checks or using fake banknotes for purchases.
"This abusive, excessive and inhumane use of force cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning on a non-violent charge," he said.
Floyd's death recalled the 2014 choking death of New Yorker Eric Garner by police, who was being detained for illegally selling cigarettes.
'Pure evil'
His death helped spark the nationwide Black Lives Matter movement.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said he had passed the case to the FBI for investigation, which could turn it into a federal rights violation case.
But there were mounting calls for the officers' arrest on homicide charges.
"This is pure evil," tweeted Nekima Levy Armstrong, an African American Minneapolis civil rights attorney.
"Those same officers need to be charged and convicted of murder," she said.
Floyd's death comes on the heels of two other deaths of African-Americans that involved police wrongdoing.
On March 13 in Louisville, three white Kentucky policemen forced their way into the home of a black woman, Breonna Taylor, and shot her in a drug investigation.
And police and prosecutors in Brunswick, Georgia allegedly covered up the killing of a young black jogger by the son of a retired investigator for local law enforcement.
The police allegedly withheld for two months a video showing Ahmaud Arbery, 25, being followed and then shot with a shotgun in broad daylight.
The families of Arbery and Taylor are also being represented by Crump.
The American Civil Liberties Union said the Minneapolis case showed that US police continue to use harsh treatment on African Americans accused of minor charges.
"This tragic video shows how little meaningful change has emerged to prevent police from taking the lives of black people," said ACLU policing specialist Paige Fernandez.
"Even in places like Minneapolis, where chokeholds are technically banned, black people are targeted by the police for low-level offenses and are subjected to unreasonable, unnecessary violence," she said in a statement.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--Hezbollah chief rejects US pressure to beef up role of UN peacekeepers

The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah Tuesday rejected a US request to empower a UN peacekeeping force patrolling the border with Israel .
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah spoke ahead of a UN Security Council vote this summer to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ) .
`` The Americans , as the result of Israeli demands , are raising the issue of changing the nature of UNIFIL 's mission , '' Nasrallah said in a radio interview to mark 20 years since Israel withdrew from Lebanon .
`` Lebanon has refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants ... it to have the right to raid and search private properties , and the Americans are pressuring Lebanon on this matter , '' Nasrallah said .
In August last year , the UN Security Council voted to renew UNIFIL 's mandate for a year .
But the resolution included a requirement – on the insistence of the United States , diplomats said – for the UN secretary general to perform an evaluation on the UNIFIL mission and its staff before June 1 , 2020 .
`` We are not against UNIFIL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the time of deeming Lebanon to be weak is over , and Israel can not impose conditions on Lebanon , even behind an American mask . ''
In early May , the US ambassador to the UN , Kelly Craft , claimed UNIFIL was being `` prevented from fulfilling its mandate '' and Hezbollah had `` been able to arm itself and expand operations , putting the Lebanese people at risk '' .
The Security Council `` must either pursue serious change to empower UNIFIL or realign its staffing and resources with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote on Twitter .
Nasrallah spoke after a dispute broke out late Monday in the southern village of Blida between Finnish peacekeepers and residents , after a UNIFIL military vehicle hit two cars and motorbike , the National News Agency reported .
Young men cut off the road in protest , and the Finnish peacekeepers had to be escorted out by the Lebanese army , it said .
On Tuesday , surrounding villages in a joint statement accused the patrol of `` entering and searching people 's vineyards and private properties '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon and Israel are still technically at war .
Set up in 1978 , UNIFIL was beefed up after a months-long war in 2006 and tasked with guaranteeing a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from a demilitarised zone on the border .
UNIFIL can have up to 10,000 troops on the ground , monitoring the truce and helping Lebanese troops secure the borders .

The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah Tuesday rejected a US request to empower a UN peacekeeping force patrolling the border with Israel.
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Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah spoke ahead of a UN Security Council vote this summer to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
"The Americans, as the result of Israeli demands, are raising the issue of changing the nature of UNIFIL's mission," Nasrallah said in a radio interview to mark 20 years since Israel withdrew from Lebanon.
"Lebanon has refused to change UNIFIL's mission, but Israel wants... it to have the right to raid and search private properties, and the Americans are pressuring Lebanon on this matter," Nasrallah said.
In August last year, the UN Security Council voted to renew UNIFIL's mandate for a year.
But the resolution included a requirement – on the insistence of the United States, diplomats said – for the UN secretary general to perform an evaluation on the UNIFIL mission and its staff before June 1, 2020.
"We are not against UNIFIL staying," Nasrallah said.
But "the time of deeming Lebanon to be weak is over, and Israel cannot impose conditions on Lebanon, even behind an American mask."
In early May, the US ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, claimed UNIFIL was being "prevented from fulfilling its mandate" and Hezbollah had "been able to arm itself and expand operations, putting the Lebanese people at risk".
The Security Council "must either pursue serious change to empower UNIFIL or realign its staffing and resources with tasks it can actually accomplish," she wrote on Twitter.
Nasrallah spoke after a dispute broke out late Monday in the southern village of Blida between Finnish peacekeepers and residents, after a UNIFIL military vehicle hit two cars and motorbike, the National News Agency reported.
Young men cut off the road in protest, and the Finnish peacekeepers had to be escorted out by the Lebanese army, it said.
On Tuesday, surrounding villages in a joint statement accused the patrol of "entering and searching people's vineyards and private properties", describing such actions as unacceptable.
Lebanon and Israel are still technically at war.
Set up in 1978, UNIFIL was beefed up after a months-long war in 2006 and tasked with guaranteeing a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from a demilitarised zone on the border.
UNIFIL can have up to 10,000 troops on the ground, monitoring the truce and helping Lebanese troops secure the borders.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-27--New Rochelle, home to NY’s first Covid-19 cluster, slowly reopens for business

The New York suburb of New Rochelle , home to one of the first coronavirus clusters in the US , began to slowly reopen for business on Tuesday .
A ‘ containment zone ’ was declared around the city in mid March , well before the rest of NY State went into lockdown , after a New Rochelle lawyer contracted and unwittingly spread the virus by attending his synagogue and other gatherings .
New York then went on to become the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US .
Westchester County , which includes New Rochelle , started phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction , manufacturing and curbside and in-store pickup at some retailers .
The executive director of New Rochelle ’ s Chamber of Commerce , Catherine White , said that it was a “ monumental day ” because “ we had been waiting for signs that things were moving forward , definite concrete signs that things are getting better.
” White added that while the virus had hit the city hard , many New Rochelle businesses had managed to be innovative and successfully go virtual .
She cited a baseball coach who now teaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classes have gained him students across the US .
“ The most important thing now , ” White said , “ is to keep our numbers down.
” If infection rates continue to drop in the area for the next two weeks , then it can enter phase two of reopening , which would include personal services and more retail and administrative businesses .
Phase three would include additional restaurants and food services .
White herself went to get the Covid-19 antibody test in the nearby city of White Plains on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high fever back in late December .
White joked that perhaps her daughter , who might have given her the virus ( Covid-19 or not ) had actually been NY 's real patient zero .
Residents on the streets of New Rochelle expressed cautious optimism about the gradual reopening of business .
Louis Vaccara , the owner of a curtain store that has been on Main Street since 1976 , said he was “ thrilled to be opening ” .
“ We ’ ve been waiting for this for months.
” Vaccara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve all lost friends and family because of this and it ’ s scary but I think this is the right step , as long as everyone is responsible.
” A 73-year-old employee of the neighbouring supermarket , who asked to remain unnamed , was worried that reopening so soon was not a good idea because there was still no cure for the virus .
He wore a visor , mask and gloves and said he had been working throughout the pandemic and had lost several of his friends .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also known as the Queen City of the Sound .
Some businesses , including Sound Bound Charters , which takes people out on fishing trips , also opened on Tuesday .
Captain Brendan Lorino , the owner of the company said he was excited to “ finally get back to work ” .
He described the precautions he was taking , spacing people apart on the boat and scrubbing it thoroughly with bleach after each trip .
Lorino is also a firefighter in the Bronx borough of New York City .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had witnessed some terrible things but that “ we are finally getting over the hump .
Going fishing is a way to get out and forget about your worries for the day .
”

The New York suburb of New Rochelle, home to one of the first coronavirus clusters in the US, began to slowly reopen for business on Tuesday.
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A ‘containment zone’ was declared around the city in mid-March, well before the rest of NY State went into lockdown, after a New Rochelle lawyer contracted and unwittingly spread the virus by attending his synagogue and other gatherings.
New York then went on to become the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US.
Westchester County, which includes New Rochelle, started phase one of reopening Tuesday, which includes construction, manufacturing and curbside and in-store pickup at some retailers.
The executive director of New Rochelle’s Chamber of Commerce, Catherine White, said that it was a “monumental day” because “we had been waiting for signs that things were moving forward, definite concrete signs that things are getting better.”
White added that while the virus had hit the city hard, many New Rochelle businesses had managed to be innovative and successfully go virtual. She cited a baseball coach who now teaches from his backyard and whose virtual gym classes have gained him students across the US.
“The most important thing now,” White said, “is to keep our numbers down.”
If infection rates continue to drop in the area for the next two weeks, then it can enter phase two of reopening, which would include personal services and more retail and administrative businesses. Phase three would include additional restaurants and food services.
White herself went to get the Covid-19 antibody test in the nearby city of White Plains on Tuesday. She said she had been bedridden with a high fever back in late December. White joked that perhaps her daughter, who might have given her the virus (Covid-19 or not) had actually been NY's real patient zero.
Residents on the streets of New Rochelle expressed cautious optimism about the gradual reopening of business.
Louis Vaccaro, the owner of The Curtain Shop, which has been on Main Street since 1976, said he was “thrilled to be opening”.
“We’ve been waiting for this for months.” Vaccaro said, “We need this. We’ve all lost friends and family because of this and it’s scary but I think this is the right step, as long as everyone is responsible.”
A 73-year-old employee of a neighbouring supermarket, who asked to remain unnamed, was worried that reopening so soon was not a good idea because there was still no cure for the virus. He wore a visor, mask and gloves and said he had been working throughout the pandemic and had lost several of his friends.
New Rochelle is right on the water and is also known as the Queen City of the Sound. Some businesses, including Sound Bound Charters, which takes people out on fishing trips, also opened on Tuesday.
Captain Brendan Lorino, the owner of the company said he was excited to “finally get back to work”. He described the precautions he was taking, spacing people apart on the boat and scrubbing it thoroughly with bleach after each trip.
Lorino is also a firefighter in the Bronx borough of New York City. He worked throughout the pandemic and said he had witnessed some terrible things but that “we are finally getting over the hump. Going fishing is a way to get out and forget about your worries for the day.”
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france24--2020-05-27--White woman fired after calling police on black man in NYC’s Central Park

Screengrab of video filmed by Christian Cooper after Amy Cooper ( no relation ) refused to stop her dog running through the Bramble in Central Park .
Denouncing `` racism of any kind , '' a global investment firm has fired a white woman after a viral video showed her calling police to say she felt threatened by an African-American man who asked her politely to leash her dog in New York 's Central Park .
The video drew outrage on social media where it was viewed more than 30 million times , and the backlash prompted Franklin Templeton on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper .
`` Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday , we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved , effective immediately .
We do not tolerate racism of any kind , '' the company said on Twitter .
When hours earlier the company put her on administrative leave , Cooper told WNBC she wanted to `` sincerely and humbly apologise '' to the man , Christian Cooper , who is no relation .
She turned over the dog to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue Inc .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go viral .
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating as a hate crime a black jogger 's fatal shooting by white men in Georgia and captured on video .
Melody Cooper , Christian 's sister who posted the latest video , called the dog owner a Karen , slang used to describe a middle-aged white woman perceived to be entitled .
`` Oh , when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY 's Central Park , where it is clearly posted on signs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and someone like my brother ( an avid birder ) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash , '' Melody Cooper wrote .
`` I 'm going to call the cops , '' Amy Cooper tells Christian Cooper on the video , apparently shot on Monday with a cellphone camera .
`` I 'm going to tell them there 's an African-American man threatening my life . ''
`` Please tell them whatever you like , '' Christian Cooper responds on the video .

Denouncing "racism of any kind," a global investment firm has fired a white woman after a viral video showed her calling police to say she felt threatened by an African-American man who asked her politely to leash her dog in New York's Central Park.
Screengrab of video filmed by Christian Cooper after Amy Cooper (no relation) refused to stop her dog running through the Bramble in Central Park.
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The video drew outrage on social media where it was viewed more than 30 million times, and the backlash prompted Franklin Templeton on Tuesday to fire the woman, Amy Cooper.
"Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately. We do not tolerate racism of any kind," the company said on Twitter.
When hours earlier the company put her on administrative leave, Cooper told WNBC she wanted to "sincerely and humbly apologise" to the man, Christian Cooper, who is no relation.
She turned over the dog to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue Inc.
It was the latest racially tense confrontation to go viral. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating as a hate crime a black jogger's fatal shooting by white men in Georgia and captured on video.
Melody Cooper, Christian's sister who posted the latest video, called the dog owner a Karen, slang used to describe a middle-aged white woman perceived to be entitled.
"Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY's Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash," Melody Cooper wrote.
Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm — Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 25, 2020
"I'm going to call the cops," Amy Cooper tells Christian Cooper on the video, apparently shot on Monday with a cellphone camera. "I'm going to tell them there's an African-American man threatening my life."
"Please tell them whatever you like," Christian Cooper responds on the video.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--Special programme: Brazil, Latin America’s Covid-19 epicentre

With Brazil 's Covid-19 death toll surpassing 25,000 , sometimes at the rate of more than 1,000 per day , the World Health Organization has declared it the `` most affected '' country in South America , the new epicentre of the coronavirus .
In this special edition of Inside The Americas , we see how the poorest and most isolated Brazilians are paying a heavy price , while President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay the severity of the pandemic .
Brazil is grappling with the Covid-19 crisis at a time of political turmoil .
Despite the coronavirus threat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands and embracing his supporters .
Bolsonaro has been widely criticised for his cavalier approach to hygiene measures .
Can his populist politics survive his handling of the pandemic ?
We take a closer look .
> > Watch our Debate show : Out of control ?
Covid-19 in Bolsonaro 's Brazil Plus , our correspondents Fanny Lothaire and Laura Damase report on why the residents of Rio de Janeiro 's densely populated favelas are being hit hard by the virus , despite many of them being younger than patients in other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and respiratory illnesses have long been common .
We also get a glimpse of how the country 's indigenous communities are dealing with Covid-19 as some activists warn that these vulnerable populations could be wiped out if left unprotected .
Despite its remoteness , the Brazilian state of Amazonas is one of the most-affected places .
Finally , Bolsonaro recently dismissed the country 's culture secretary after downgrading the role itself .
Filmmaker Sabrina Fidalgo joins us from Rio to share how the current political climate in Brazil is affecting cultural industries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Populism and the pandemic , the great divide in Brazil

With Brazil's Covid-19 death toll surpassing 25,000, sometimes at the rate of more than 1,000 per day, the World Health Organization has declared it the "most affected" country in South America, the new epicentre of the coronavirus. In this special edition of Inside The Americas, we see how the poorest and most isolated Brazilians are paying a heavy price, while President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay the severity of the pandemic.
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Brazil is grappling with the Covid-19 crisis at a time of political turmoil. Despite the coronavirus threat, President Jair Bolsonaro is often seen shaking hands and embracing his supporters. Bolsonaro has been widely criticised for his cavalier approach to hygiene measures. Can his populist politics survive his handling of the pandemic? We take a closer look.
>> Watch our Debate show: Out of control? Covid-19 in Bolsonaro's Brazil
Plus, our correspondents Fanny Lothaire and Laura Damase report on why the residents of Rio de Janeiro's densely populated favelas are being hit hard by the virus, despite many of them being younger than patients in other countries. Favela residents rarely undergo medical check-ups, and respiratory illnesses have long been common.
We also get a glimpse of how the country's indigenous communities are dealing with Covid-19 as some activists warn that these vulnerable populations could be wiped out if left unprotected. Despite its remoteness, the Brazilian state of Amazonas is one of the most-affected places.
Finally, Bolsonaro recently dismissed the country's culture secretary after downgrading the role itself. Filmmaker Sabrina Fidalgo joins us from Rio to share how the current political climate in Brazil is affecting cultural industries.
>> Watch our Reporters show: Populism and the pandemic, the great divide in Brazil
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france24--2020-05-27--US Covid-19 death toll surpasses 100,000 mark

A woman adds a name on a memorial for those who have died from the coronavirus outside The Green-Wood Cemetery , during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in Brooklyn borough of New York , U.S. , May 27 , 2020 .
The novel coronavirus has killed more than 100,000 people in the United States , according to a Reuters tally on Wednesday , even as the slowdown in deaths encouraged businesses to reopen and Americans to emerge from more than two months of lockdowns .
About 1,400 Americans have died on average each day in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April , according to the tally of state and county data on COVID-19 deaths .
In about three months , more Americans have died from COVID-19 than during the Korean War , Vietnam War and the U.S. conflict in Iraq from 2003-2011 combined .
The new respiratory disease has also killed more people than the AIDS epidemic did from 1981 through 1989 , and it is far deadlier than the seasonal flu has been in decades .
The last time the flu killed as many people in the United States was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Total U.S. coronavirus cases are over 1.7 million with some southern states seeing new cases rising in the past week , according to a Reuters analysis of data from The COVID Tracking Project , a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak .
Globally , coronavirus cases have topped 5.6 million with over 350,000 deaths since the outbreak began in China late last year and then arrived in Europe and the United States .
South America is now bearing the brunt of the outbreak , with Brazil having the second-highest number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 most severely affected countries , the United States ranks eighth based on deaths per capita , according to a Reuters tally .
The United States has three fatalities per 10,000 people .
Belgium is first with eight deaths per 10,000 , followed by Spain , the United Kingdom and Italy , according to the Reuters analysis .

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 100,000 people in the United States, according to a Reuters tally on Wednesday, even as the slowdown in deaths encouraged businesses to reopen and Americans to emerge from more than two months of lockdowns.
A woman adds a name on May 27, 2020, on a memorial outside the Green-Wood Cemetery in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, for those who have died from the coronavirus during the outbreak of Covid-19.
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About 1,400 Americans have died on average each day in May, down from a peak of 2,000 in April, according to the tally of state and county data on Covid-19 deaths.
In about three months, more Americans have died from Covid-19 than during the Korean War, Vietnam War and the U.S. conflict in Iraq from 2003-2011 combined.
The new respiratory disease has also killed more people than the AIDS epidemic did from 1981 through 1989, and it is far deadlier than the seasonal flu has been in decades. The last time the flu killed as many people in the United States was in the 1957-1958 season, when 116,000 died.
01:49
Total U.S. coronavirus cases are over 1.7 million with some southern states seeing new cases rising in the past week, according to a Reuters analysis of data from The Covid Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak.
Globally, coronavirus cases have topped 5.6 million with over 350,000 deaths since the outbreak began in China late last year and then arrived in Europe and the United States. South America is now bearing the brunt of the outbreak, with Brazil having the second-highest number of cases in the world.
Of the top 20 most severely affected countries, the United States ranks eighth based on deaths per capita, according to a Reuters tally. The United States has three fatalities per 10,000 people. Belgium is first with eight deaths per 10,000, followed by Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy, according to the Reuters analysis.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--Telephone campaigning, proxy voting: An unusual second round for France’s municipal elections

The first round of French municipal elections at a polling station in Lyon on March 15 , 2020 , two days before the beginning of France 's Covid-19 lockdown .
The second round of French municipal elections will be held on June 28 , three and a half months after the first round .
Covid-19 health sanctions mean that candidates still in contention will have to campaign without meeting voters , who are themselves encouraged to vote by proxy or to wear masks in the voting booth .
In the first round of municipal elections , held on March 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France 's Covid-19 lockdown , the abstention rate was 54.5 percent , the highest rate for this type of election since the founding of France 's Fifth Republic in 1958 .
To avoid controversy , the government debated the decision to hold the second round at the end of June at length before finally agreeing .
The strangest campaign in the history of French municipal elections is now about to begin .
This election campaign must not become `` a factor in the continuation of the circulation of the coronavirus '' and so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Twitter .
He referred to the importance of respecting social distancing and the need to `` give priority to digital campaigns '' .
Candidates will therefore have to mount a campaign without holding meetings with their teams , without handing out publicity leaflets in markets and without canvassing door to door .
Instead , they should revert to old-school techniques such as the telephone calls to targeted voters , while at the same time relying on a digital campaign .
In Paris , candidates can consult the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the identity of abstainers .
`` We can then cross-reference this information with our membership files to find out exactly who to call , '' Agnès Evren , candidate for Les Républicains in the 15th arrondissement ( district ) , told France 24 .
`` We 're going to call voters one by one to convince them to go out and vote or to make a proxy vote if they 're afraid to go , '' says Evren .
“ I 'm worried the second round will be even worse than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the key to the ballot . ''
In addition to phone calls , candidates will have to rely on a strong online presence .
Campaigns will have to quickly build up a digital team to try to produce eye-catching visuals .
> > Read : France set to postpone second round of local elections over coronavirus fears Will this remote campaign be able to replace the game of seduction normally operated by the candidates ?
`` It 's a good thing it 's a second-round campaign and not a first-round campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can convince voters by talking to them directly , face-to-face .
It 's a matter of feeling .
Now we 'll have to persuade them without looking in their eyes . ''
To cope with the increased expenses of this extraordinary campaign , the ceiling for reimbursement of expenses will be officially increased by 20 percent , Castaner announced on May 24 .
`` The official campaign will start on June 15 , but everything that has already been spent , including since the first round and up to today , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
16.5 million voters are eligible to vote on June 28 in some 5,000 French municipalities to elect municipal councillors .
`` All the necessary measures will be taken to ensure the health security of all , '' said Castaner , referring to practices such as barrier gestures and physical distancing that were also in place for the first round .
For extra safety , each voter will have “ to wear a protective mask , use his own pen for the ballot and handle his identity papers himself '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be provided free of charge to voters who do not have them .
Faced with the risk of a high abstention rate , the government announced that it wanted to facilitate proxy voting , a system by which an absent or incapacitated voter can choose another voter to vote on his or her behalf .
The proxy must be established by an authorized authority , such as a court or police station .
`` We are going to do everything we can to facilitate the collection of proxy votes , '' promised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use electronic voting or remote voting , for reasons of security and the reliability of the vote – even if many politicians are calling for it .
`` Internet voting exists for fishing associations , trade unions … and nothing is easier than to guarantee the accuracy of the ballot since all the electoral lists are digitised , '' argued the president of the Democratic Movement ( MoDem ) François Bayrou , who is in favour of electronic voting .
Currently , remote electronic voting is only allowed for the legislative vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ > > Read : French scientific council not opposed to local election run-off in June '' The sort of blocking by France on digital voting seems to me an absurdity , '' said Bayrou , who is also in favour of restoring postal voting .
Postal voting allowed voters to vote remotely using the electoral materials addressed to them ( ballot , envelope , information form , mailing envelope ) .
It has been abolished in France since 1975 `` because it lent itself to manipulation '' , said Castaner .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens abroad during legislative elections .
Strident voices in the political parties , such as Rachida Dati , the Paris mayoral candidate for Les Républicains , or Laurent Hénart , the president of the Radical Party , have called for the abolishment of postal voting to be reversed .
`` From a legal point of view , there is no obstacle ( ... ) , a simple reinstatement article would be enough to carry out experiments on June 28 , '' said Hénart .
But for Romain Rambaud , a specialist in electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implement electronic or postal voting only one month before the election , as it would affect the stability of electoral law .
`` Voters would have huge difficulty adapting to and trusting this new system , ” he writes on his blog , adding that it would introduce huge potential for errors and problems of electoral fraud .
This article has been translated from the original in French .

The second round of French municipal elections will be held on June 28, three and a half months after the first round. Covid-19 health sanctions mean that candidates still in contention will have to campaign without meeting voters, who are themselves encouraged to vote by proxy or to wear masks in the voting booth.
The first round of French municipal elections at a polling station in Lyon on March 15, 2020, two days before the beginning of France's Covid-19 lockdown.
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In the first round of municipal elections, held on March 15 just two days before the start of France's Covid-19 lockdown, the abstention rate was 54.5 percent, the highest rate for this type of election since the founding of France's Fifth Republic in 1958.
To avoid controversy, the government debated the decision to hold the second round at the end of June at length before finally agreeing. The strangest campaign in the history of French municipal elections is now about to begin.
Organising a campaign remotely
This election campaign must not become "a factor in the continuation of the circulation of the coronavirus" and so it is necessary to campaign differently, warned Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Twitter. He referred to the importance of respecting social distancing and the need to "give priority to digital campaigns".
La campagne électorale ne doit pas devenir un facteur de circulation du virus : il conviendra donc de faire campagne différemment.
De la même manière, les opérations de vote devront être organisées de façon à assurer la sécurité sanitaire des électeurs, assesseurs et scrutateurs. pic.twitter.com/7Y5Xyk059O — Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) May 22, 2020
Candidates will therefore have to mount a campaign without holding meetings with their teams, without handing out publicity leaflets in markets and without canvassing door to door. Instead, they should revert to old-school techniques such as the telephone calls to targeted voters, while at the same time relying on a digital campaign.
In Paris, candidates can consult the prefecture's register of voters to find out the identity of abstainers. "We can then cross-reference this information with our membership files to find out exactly who to call," Agnès Evren, candidate for Les Républicains in the 15th arrondissement (district), told France 24.
"We're going to call voters one by one to convince them to go out and vote or to make a proxy vote if they're afraid to go," says Evren. “I'm worried the second round will be even worse than the first in terms of abstention. This will be the key to the ballot."
In addition to phone calls, candidates will have to rely on a strong online presence. Campaigns will have to quickly build up a digital team to try to produce eye-catching visuals.
>> Read: France set to postpone second round of local elections over coronavirus fears
Will this remote campaign be able to replace the game of seduction normally operated by the candidates? "It's a good thing it's a second-round campaign and not a first-round campaign," admits Evren. “Usually you can convince voters by talking to them directly, face-to-face. It's a matter of feeling. Now we'll have to persuade them without looking in their eyes."
To cope with the increased expenses of this extraordinary campaign, the ceiling for reimbursement of expenses will be officially increased by 20 percent, Castaner announced on May 24.
"The official campaign will start on June 15, but everything that has already been spent, including since the first round and up to today, will be included in the campaign account," he said.
Obligatory masks in polling stations
16.5 million voters are eligible to vote on June 28 in some 5,000 French municipalities to elect municipal councillors.
"All the necessary measures will be taken to ensure the health security of all," said Castaner, referring to practices such as barrier gestures and physical distancing that were also in place for the first round.
For extra safety, each voter will have “to wear a protective mask, use his own pen for the ballot and handle his identity papers himself", said Castaner, adding that masks will be provided free of charge to voters who do not have them.
Introducing proxy voting
Faced with the risk of a high abstention rate, the government announced that it wanted to facilitate proxy voting, a system by which an absent or incapacitated voter can choose another voter to vote on his or her behalf. The proxy must be established by an authorized authority, such as a court or police station.
"We are going to do everything we can to facilitate the collection of proxy votes," promised Castaner.
Electronic or postal voting?
Castaner is reluctant for now to use electronic voting or remote voting, for reasons of security and the reliability of the vote – even if many politicians are calling for it.
"Internet voting exists for fishing associations, trade unions … and nothing is easier than to guarantee the accuracy of the ballot since all the electoral lists are digitised," argued the president of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) François Bayrou, who is in favour of electronic voting.
Currently, remote electronic voting is only allowed for the legislative vote of French citizens who are abroad.
>> Read: French scientific council not opposed to local election run-off in June
"The sort of blocking by France on digital voting seems to me an absurdity," said Bayrou, who is also in favour of restoring postal voting.
Postal voting allowed voters to vote remotely using the electoral materials addressed to them (ballot, envelope, information form, mailing envelope). It has been abolished in France since 1975 "because it lent itself to manipulation", said Castaner. However, it also remains an option for French citizens abroad during legislative elections.
Strident voices in the political parties, such as Rachida Dati, the Paris mayoral candidate for Les Républicains, or Laurent Hénart, the president of the Radical Party, have called for the abolishment of postal voting to be reversed.
"From a legal point of view, there is no obstacle (...), a simple reinstatement article would be enough to carry out experiments on June 28," said Hénart.
But for Romain Rambaud, a specialist in electoral law, it would be disastrous to implement electronic or postal voting only one month before the election, as it would affect the stability of electoral law.
"Voters would have huge difficulty adapting to and trusting this new system,” he writes on his blog, adding that it would introduce huge potential for errors and problems of electoral fraud.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-05-27--Covid-19: France's death toll rises by fewer than 100 for seventh consecutive day

In this photo from May 6 , a patient suffering from the Covid-19 is treated in the Intensive Care Unit ( ICU ) at the hospital in Vannes , France .
France ’ s coronavirus death toll rose by less than 100 for the seventh day running on Wednesday while the number of confirmed cases climbed only modestly , according to data which indicated the worst of the pandemic could be over for the country for now .
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe will on Thursday detail new steps in the lifting of a two-month lockdown that was imposed on March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bars and restaurants in some parts of France .
Earlier on Wednesday , the French government 's contact-tracing app plan was approved by the lower house of parliament , paving the way for a weekend launch .
The French health ministry said in a statement that the number of fatalities from the coronavirus had risen by 66 , or 0.2 percent , to 28,596 , the fourth-highest tally in the world .
The daily death toll increased on average by 910 between April 1 and April 15 as France struggled to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases rose by 191 , or 0.1 percent , to 145,555 , a lower rate of increase than the daily average of 0.2 percent seen during the last seven days .
Meanwhile , the number of patients in hospital with coronavirus fell by 584 , or 3.6 percent , to 16,264 , the sharpest decline to date .
Intensive care patients dropped by 54 to 1,555 , continuing the downward trend of the last almost seven weeks .

France’s coronavirus death toll rose by less than 100 for the seventh day running on Wednesday while the number of confirmed cases climbed only modestly, according to data which indicated the worst of the pandemic could be over for the country for now.
In this photo from May 6, a patient suffering from the Covid-19 is treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital in Vannes, France.
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Prime Minister Édouard Philippe will on Thursday detail new steps in the lifting of a two-month lockdown that was imposed on March 17, which could include the reopening of bars and restaurants in some parts of France.
Earlier on Wednesday, the French government's contact-tracing app plan was approved by the lower house of parliament, paving the way for a weekend launch.
The French health ministry said in a statement that the number of fatalities from the coronavirus had risen by 66, or 0.2 percent, to 28,596, the fourth-highest tally in the world.
The daily death toll increased on average by 910 between April 1 and April 15 as France struggled to contain the outbreak.
The number of confirmed cases rose by 191, or 0.1 percent, to 145,555, a lower rate of increase than the daily average of 0.2 percent seen during the last seven days.
Meanwhile, the number of patients in hospital with coronavirus fell by 584, or 3.6 percent, to 16,264, the sharpest decline to date. Intensive care patients dropped by 54 to 1,555, continuing the downward trend of the last almost seven weeks.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--Pompeo: Hong Kong no longer warrants favourable trading terms under US law

In this Pool photo , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had certified on Wednesday to Congress that Hong Kong no longer warranted special treatment under U.S. law in the same way that applied when the territory was still under Britishlaw before July 1997 .
In a statement , Pompeo said China 's plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong was `` only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong ’ s autonomy and freedoms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China , given facts on the ground , '' he said .
`` After careful study of developments over the reporting period , I certified to Congress today that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant treatment under United States laws in the same manner as U.S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997 , '' Pompeo said .
`` It is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself , '' he added .
The `` Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved by the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that the former British colony retains enough autonomy to justify the favorable U.S. trading terms that have helped it maintain its position as a world financial center .
Under it , officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong could be subject to sanctions , including visa bans and asset freezes .
It now falls to Trump to decide to end some , all or none of the economic privileges Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States was working on a strong response to China 's planned national security legislation for Hong Kong and it would be announced before the end of the week .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had certified on Wednesday to Congress that Hong Kong no longer warranted special treatment under U.S. law in the same way that applied when the territory was still under Britishlaw before July 1997.
In this Pool photo, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department.
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In a statement, Pompeo said China's plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong was "only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms."
"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," he said.
"After careful study of developments over the reporting period, I certified to Congress today that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant treatment under United States laws in the same manner as U.S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997," Pompeo said.
"It is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself," he added.
The "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" approved by the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that the former British colony retains enough autonomy to justify the favorable U.S. trading terms that have helped it maintain its position as a world financial center.
Under it, officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong could be subject to sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes.
It now falls to Trump to decide to end some, all or none of the economic privileges Hong Kong currently enjoys.
Trump said on Tuesday the United States was working on a strong response to China's planned national security legislation for Hong Kong and it would be announced before the end of the week.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--French court denies request to release Rwandan genocide suspect Kabuga

A wanted poster with a photograph of Félicien Kabuga is displayed at the French Gendarmerie 's Central Office for Combating @ @ @ @ @ and War Crimes ( OCLCH ) in Paris on May 19 , 2020 .
A @ @ @ @ @ a request to release Rwandan genocide suspect Félicien Kabuga under court supervision .
The court @ @ @ @ @ argument that the suspect should be released on bail because of poor health , saying @ @ @ @ @ not abscond .
Kabuga , who can appeal the decision , is accused of financing @ @ @ @ @ militias that slaughtered some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus in 1994 .

A French court on Wednesday rejected a request to release Rwandan genocide suspect Félicien Kabuga under court supervision.
A wanted poster with a photograph of Félicien Kabuga is displayed at the French Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Genocides and War Crimes (OCLCH) in Paris on May 19, 2020.
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The court rejected Kabuga's lawyer's argument that the suspect should be released on bail because of poor health, saying continued detention ensured he would not abscond.
Kabuga, who can appeal the decision, is accused of financing and arming the ethnic Hutu militias that slaughtered some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus in 1994.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-27--Thousands of protesters gather in Hong Kong amid Chinese anthem law debate

Pro-democracy demonstrators scuffle with riot police during a lunchtime protest as a second reading of a controversial national anthem law takes place in Hong Kong , China on May 27 , 2020 .
Thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in Hong Kong on Wednesday as lawmakers debated a bill criminalizing abuse of the Chinese national anthem in the semi-autonomous city .
Police massed outside the legislative building ahead of the session and warned protesters that if they did not disperse , they could be prosecuted .
In the Central business district , police raised flags warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balls at the crowd and searched several people .
More than 50 people in the Causeway Bay shopping district were rounded up and made to sit outside a shopping mall , while riot police with pepper spray patrolled and warned journalists to stop filming .
In the Mong Kok district in Kowloon , some protesters set cardboard boxes and plastic on fire as demonstrations carried on into the night .
The blaze was put out by firefighters .
Across Hong Kong , 360 people were arrested on charges including unauthorized assembly , possession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlawful purposes — such as gasoline bombs — to driving slowly and blocking traffic , according to Facebook posts by the Hong Kong police force .
The bill would make it illegal to insult or abuse the Chinese national anthem , “ March of the Volunteers ” in semi-autonomous Hong Kong .
Those guilty of the offense would face up to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars ( $ 6,450 ) .
Opponents of the bill say it is a blow to freedom of expression in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will foster a patriotic spirit and socialist values .
“ Western democracies all have laws to protect their national flags , national anthems and emblems .
Any insulting acts toward these symbols would also be criminal , ” pro-Beijing lawmaker Tony Tse said in the legislative debate .
Tse said the bill would not affect human rights or force people to love the country or support any political power .
“ The purpose of this is to protect the dignity of a country , ” he said .
Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok disagreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gain the respect of people and was an excuse to control freedom , speech and ideas of people .
“ We oppose the second reading of the national anthem bill , not because we don ’ t respect the national anthem .
The national anthem is a symbol of the country 's dignity .
If it wants to be respected , then let this government first respect the rights and freedoms of its people first , '' Mok said .
The debate over the anthem bill is expected to continue on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after spectators from Hong Kong jeered at the anthem during high-profile international soccer matches in 2015 .
Last year , FIFA fined the Hong Kong Football Association after fans booed the national anthem at a World Cup qualifying game .
Hong Kong was returned to China from British colonial rule in 1997 under a “ one country , two systems ” framework that promised freedoms not found on the mainland .
Anti-China sentiment has risen as residents see Beijing moving to erode those rights .
Mass protests in 2014 , known as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision to allow direct election of the city leader only after it screened candidates .
In the end , the plan for direct elections was dropped .
Legislation proposed in Hong Kong last year that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China for trials set off months of demonstrations that at times involved clashes between protesters and police .
The legislation was withdrawn .
China 's ceremonial parliament now meeting in Beijing has moved to enact a national security law for Hong Kong aimed at forbidding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as foreign interference and terrorism .
Hong Kong 's own government has been unable to pass such legislation due to opposition in the city , and Beijing advanced the law itself after the protests last year .
Asked about possible U.S. retaliation over the security legislation , Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing that China would take necessary steps to fight back against what he called “ erroneous foreign interference in Hong Kong ’ s affairs .
”

Thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in Hong Kong on Wednesday as lawmakers debated a bill criminalizing abuse of the Chinese national anthem in the semi-autonomous city.
Pro-democracy demonstrators scuffle with riot police during a lunchtime protest as a second reading of a controversial national anthem law takes place in Hong Kong, China on May 27, 2020.
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Police massed outside the legislative building ahead of the session and warned protesters that if they did not disperse, they could be prosecuted.
In the Central business district, police raised flags warning protesters to disperse before they shot pepper balls at the crowd and searched several people. More than 50 people in the Causeway Bay shopping district were rounded up and made to sit outside a shopping mall, while riot police with pepper spray patrolled and warned journalists to stop filming.
In the Mong Kok district in Kowloon, some protesters set cardboard boxes and plastic on fire as demonstrations carried on into the night. The blaze was put out by firefighters.
Across Hong Kong, 360 people were arrested on charges including unauthorized assembly, possession of items that could be used for unlawful purposes — such as gasoline bombs — to driving slowly and blocking traffic, according to Facebook posts by the Hong Kong police force.
The bill would make it illegal to insult or abuse the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers” in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. Those guilty of the offense would face up to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars ($6,450).
Opponents of the bill say it is a blow to freedom of expression in the city, while Beijing officials say it will foster a patriotic spirit and socialist values.
'A symbol of the country's dignity'
“Western democracies all have laws to protect their national flags, national anthems and emblems. Any insulting acts toward these symbols would also be criminal,” pro-Beijing lawmaker Tony Tse said in the legislative debate.
Tse said the bill would not affect human rights or force people to love the country or support any political power. “The purpose of this is to protect the dignity of a country,” he said.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok disagreed, saying the legislation would not help gain the respect of people and was an excuse to control freedom, speech and ideas of people.
“We oppose the second reading of the national anthem bill, not because we don’t respect the national anthem. The national anthem is a symbol of the country's dignity. If it wants to be respected, then let this government first respect the rights and freedoms of its people first," Mok said.
The debate over the anthem bill is expected to continue on Thursday.
Bill proposed in January 2019
The bill was proposed in January 2019 after spectators from Hong Kong jeered at the anthem during high-profile international soccer matches in 2015. Last year, FIFA fined the Hong Kong Football Association after fans booed the national anthem at a World Cup qualifying game.
Hong Kong was returned to China from British colonial rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” framework that promised freedoms not found on the mainland. Anti-China sentiment has risen as residents see Beijing moving to erode those rights.
Mass protests in 2014, known as the Umbrella Revolution, followed the Chinese government’s decision to allow direct election of the city leader only after it screened candidates. In the end, the plan for direct elections was dropped.
Legislation proposed in Hong Kong last year that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China for trials set off months of demonstrations that at times involved clashes between protesters and police. The legislation was withdrawn.
China's ceremonial parliament now meeting in Beijing has moved to enact a national security law for Hong Kong aimed at forbidding secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism. Hong Kong's own government has been unable to pass such legislation due to opposition in the city, and Beijing advanced the law itself after the protests last year.
Asked about possible U.S. retaliation over the security legislation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing that China would take necessary steps to fight back against what he called “erroneous foreign interference in Hong Kong’s affairs.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-27--French parliament approves Covid-19 tracker as privacy watchdog gives green light

France 's CNIL watchdog said Tuesday the StopCovid app met the legal requirements for privacy protection .
French lawmakers on Wednesday approved a government-backed cellphone app that will alert users if they have been in contact with a person infected by the coronavirus .
The StopCovid app – use of which will remain voluntary – is designed to keep track of users who have been in close proximity over a two-week period .
If any become infected , they inform the platform , which alerts the others .
Privacy defenders have expressed fears that the app marks the first step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But France ’ s CNIL watchdog , which gave provisional approval for StopCovid in April , said Tuesday that the app met the legal requirements for privacy protection , with ample safeguards to prevent abuse .
It nevertheless made a number of recommendations to make it even safer , including improving the quality of information provided to users , allowing users to object to information shared , and providing an option for erasing stored data .
The app will not rely on geolocation , but instead use Bluetooth technology which allows mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short distances .
Now that the French parliament has given its approval , StopCovid could be available in app stores from this weekend .
France started reemerging on May 11 from a two-month lockdown to curb coronavirus spread .
Public transport has resumed , though many people are still working from home and most schools have yet to reopen .
The issue of how to track coronavirus spread with mobile technology has sparked privacy concerns in several countries now lifting strict home confinement measures as they hope to kickstart their economies .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in most countries have been exposed to the virus , and thus do not have immunity and remain at risk of infection , raising fears of a second wave once people start mixing again .
The European Commission has recommended that data harvested through contact-tracing apps be stored only on users ' own phones and that it be encrypted .


france24--2020-05-27--Twenty-six arrested in France and Belgium over Vietnam migrant lorry deaths

British Police forensics officers work on a lorry , found to be containing 39 dead bodies , at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays , east of London , on October 23 , 2019 .
Police in Belgium and France on Wednesday announced the arrests of 26 people suspected of human trafficking in the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants who were found in a refrigerated truck in Britain last year .
Judicial authorities said a series of early morning raids took place simultaneously in Belgium and France on Tuesday as part of two legal investigations .
One inquiry was launched following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 39 migrants found in October inside a truck 's refrigerated container that had been hauled to England .
Police investigating the case found the 31 male and eight female victims were all from Vietnam and ranged in age from 15 to 44 , including three minors .
Police said migrants died from a combination of a lack of oxygen and overheating in an enclosed space .
The victims came from impoverished villages in Vietnam and are believed to have paid smugglers to take them on the risky journey to better lives abroad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty to manslaughter at a London court .
In Belgium , the federal public prosecutor ’ s office said the investigation quickly established the route taken by the victims before they got into the truck and said some of them had stayed in Belgium before their departure .
Tuesday 's large police operation was organized with a trans-border investigation team coordinated by the European Union crime agency Eurojust that included Belgium , France , the UK and Ireland .
The Paris prosecutor ’ s office said the 13 people arrested in France are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that had been housing and transporting several dozen migrants from Southeast Asia every day for several months .
Sixteen searches took place Tuesday in the Brussels area , including in safe houses , leading to the arrest of 11 Vietnamese citizens and two Moroccans .
Five of them have been charged with migrant smuggling with aggravating circumstances , belonging to a criminal organization and forgery .
Eurojust said five migrants were found during the Belgian raids .
The suspected smugglers face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per identified victim .

Police in Belgium and France on Wednesday announced the arrests of 26 people suspected of human trafficking in the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants who were found in a refrigerated truck in Britain last year.
British Police forensics officers work on a lorry, found to be containing 39 dead bodies, at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, east of London, on October 23, 2019.
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Judicial authorities said a series of early morning raids took place simultaneously in Belgium and France on Tuesday as part of two legal investigations.
One inquiry was launched following the investigation into the deaths of the 39 migrants found in October inside a truck's refrigerated container that had been hauled to England.
Police investigating the case found the 31 male and eight female victims were all from Vietnam and ranged in age from 15 to 44, including three minors.
Police said migrants died from a combination of a lack of oxygen and overheating in an enclosed space. The victims came from impoverished villages in Vietnam and are believed to have paid smugglers to take them on the risky journey to better lives abroad.
Last month, the truck driver pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a London court.
In Belgium, the federal public prosecutor’s office said the investigation quickly established the route taken by the victims before they got into the truck and said some of them had stayed in Belgium before their departure.
Trans-border investigation team
Tuesday's large police operation was organized with a trans-border investigation team coordinated by the European Union crime agency Eurojust that included Belgium, France, the UK and Ireland.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said the 13 people arrested in France are suspected of taking part in a criminal organization that had been housing and transporting several dozen migrants from Southeast Asia every day for several months.
Sixteen searches took place Tuesday in the Brussels area, including in safe houses, leading to the arrest of 11 Vietnamese citizens and two Moroccans. Five of them have been charged with migrant smuggling with aggravating circumstances, belonging to a criminal organization and forgery.
Eurojust said five migrants were found during the Belgian raids.
The suspected smugglers face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to 150,000 euros ($162,000) per identified victim.
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-27--Historic SpaceX launch delayed by poor weather about 20 minutes before takeoff

The Crew Dragon spacecraft and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket pictured at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21 , 2020 .
SpaceX 's landmark launch to the International Space Station was postponed Wednesday due to poor weather with around 20 minutes to go until takeoff .
The next launch window is on Saturday .
`` Unfortunately , we are not going to launch today , '' SpaceX launch director Mike Taylor told NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley .
SpaceX , the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk , was set to launch two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission that would mark the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years .
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was due to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:33pm EDT ( 20:33 GMT ) , launching Hurley and Behnken on a 19-hour ride aboard the company 's newly designed Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station .
They were to blast off from the same launch pad used by NASA 's final space shuttle flight , piloted by Hurley , in 2011 .
President Donald Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit Florida 's Cape Canaveral to view the launch in person .
Prospects for an on-time liftoff had hinged on the weather , with forecasters late on Monday citing a 40 percent chance that storms over eastern Florida could force a postponement .
A successful mission would achieve NASA 's top priority , as articulated by agency chief Jim Bridenstine , of resuming launches of `` American astronauts on American rockets from American soil '' .
Over the past nine years , NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make spaceflight less costly and frequent .
It would also mark the first time that commercially developed space vehicles – owned and operated by a private entity rather than NASA – have carried Americans into orbit .
The last time NASA launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the shuttle program .
Musk , the South African-born high-tech entrepreneur who made his fortune in Silicon Valley , is also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tesla Inc. Hurley , 53 , and Behnken , 49 , NASA employees under contract to fly with SpaceX , are expected to remain at the space station for several weeks , assisting a short-handed crew aboard the orbital laboratory .
Boeing expected to launch own vehicle next year Aerospace giant Boeing Co , producing its own space launch vehicles in competition with SpaceX for NASA business , is expected to launch its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts aboard for the first time next year .
NASA has awarded nearly $ 8 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the rival space launch systems .
Bridenstine declared the manned SpaceX flight a `` go '' last week after NASA and the company convened for final engineering checks .
The Hawthorne , California-based rocket company , founded by Musk in 2002 and formerly known as Space Exploration Technologies , has never previously flown humans into orbit , only cargo .
SpaceX successfully tested Crew Dragon without astronauts last year in its first orbital mission to the space station , but that vehicle was destroyed the following month during a ground test when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed , causing an explosion .
The ensuing nine-month investigation ended in January .

SpaceX's landmark launch to the International Space Station was postponed Wednesday due to poor weather with around 20 minutes to go until takeoff. The next launch window is on Saturday.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket pictured at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2020.
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"Unfortunately, we are not going to launch today," SpaceX launch director Mike Taylor told NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.
SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, was set to launch two Americans into orbit from Florida on a mission that would mark the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was due to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:33pm EDT (20:33 GMT), launching Hurley and Behnken on a 19-hour ride aboard the company's newly designed Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.
They were to blast off from the same launch pad used by NASA's final space shuttle flight, piloted by Hurley, in 2011. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were scheduled to visit Florida's Cape Canaveral to view the launch in person.
Prospects for an on-time liftoff had hinged on the weather, with forecasters late on Monday citing a 40 percent chance that storms over eastern Florida could force a postponement.
'American astronauts on American rockets'
A successful mission would achieve NASA's top priority, as articulated by agency chief Jim Bridenstine, of resuming launches of "American astronauts on American rockets from American soil". Over the past nine years, NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.
For Musk, the launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make spaceflight less costly and frequent. It would also mark the first time that commercially developed space vehicles – owned and operated by a private entity rather than NASA – have carried Americans into orbit.
The last time NASA launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the shuttle program.
Musk, the South African-born high-tech entrepreneur who made his fortune in Silicon Valley, is also the CEO of electric carmaker and battery manufacturer Tesla Inc.
Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, NASA employees under contract to fly with SpaceX, are expected to remain at the space station for several weeks, assisting a short-handed crew aboard the orbital laboratory.
Boeing expected to launch own vehicle next year
Aerospace giant Boeing Co, producing its own space launch vehicles in competition with SpaceX for NASA business, is expected to launch its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts aboard for the first time next year.
NASA has awarded nearly $8 billion to SpaceX and Boeing combined for development of the rival space launch systems.
Bridenstine declared the manned SpaceX flight a "go" last week after NASA and the company convened for final engineering checks.
The Hawthorne, California-based rocket company, founded by Musk in 2002 and formerly known as Space Exploration Technologies, has never previously flown humans into orbit, only cargo.
SpaceX successfully tested Crew Dragon without astronauts last year in its first orbital mission to the space station, but that vehicle was destroyed the following month during a ground test when a valve for its in-flight abort system failed, causing an explosion. The ensuing nine-month investigation ended in January.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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