france24--2020-06-08--Corruption trial of Lamine Diack, former head of international athletics body, begins in Paris

Lamine Diack , the former head of World Athletics , arrives at the courthouse in Paris on June 8 , 2020 .
Lamine Diack , the former head of World Athletics ' governing body , arrived in court in Paris on Monday to stand trial on charges of corruption , money laundering and breach of trust linked to a Russian doping scandal .
Prosecutors allege he solicited €3.45 million ( $ 3.9 million ) from athletes suspected of doping to cover up the allegations and allow them to continue competing , including in the 2012 London Olympic Games .
Diack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has denied wrongdoing .
His lawyers have said the accusations are baseless .
Diack , from Senegal , led the governing International Association of Athletics Federations ( IAAF ) , now renamed World Athletics , from 1999-2015 and was among the most influential men in track and field .
He lives under house arrest in Paris and faces a jail sentence of up to 10 years if convicted .
The trial had been due to start in January but was postponed after new documents containing testimony from his son and co-defendant , Papa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court .
Senegal has refused to extradite Papa Massata , who worked as a marketing consultant for the IAAF .
He also faces charges of money laundering , corruption and breach of trust , according to the indictment , and will be tried in absentia .
Papa Massata 's French lawyer on Monday said his client 's Senegalese counterparts were indispensable to his defence but had been unable to travel to Paris because of coronavirus border restrictions .
The prosecution said Papa Massata was a fugitive playing `` cat and mouse '' with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implicated through a payment of €450,000 from Russian runner Liliya Shobukhova , allegedly to have her blood passport case delayed in order to compete in the 2012 Olympic marathon , as revealed by German broadcaster ARD in 2014 .
He is accused of playing a `` central role '' in the network of corruption and is charged with `` money laundering '' , `` giving bribes '' and `` aiding the receiving of bribes ” .
The deal that prosecutors say helped fund the 2012 election campaign of Sengalese President Macky Sall also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian sponsors and broadcasters before the Moscow world championships in 2013 .
The case is being pursued by the French authorities because the alleged money-laundering happened in France .
Lamine Diack has been forbidden from leaving France since the investigation began .
The other defendants are Habib Cisse , Diack 's former lawyer at the IAAF ; Gabriel Dolle , who oversaw doping tests at the IAAF ; and Russians Valentin Balakhnitchev and Alexei Melnikov , who were chief and head athletics coach , respectively , of Russia 's athletics ' federation at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Balakhnitchev and Melnikov were not in court .
The scandal that the trial touches on led to Russia being banned from competing in several international competitions over state-sponsored doping between 2011 and 2015 .
Despite being reinstated by other sports federations , Russia is still banned from competing as a nation by World Athletics .
Investigators at the French National Financial Prosecutor ’ s Office ( PNF ) describe a web of corruption in world athletics under Diack 's leadership .
In a separate case , French prosecutors are investigating alleged bribes related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They suspect the bidding committee for Tokyo 's 2020 Olympic Games , which have been postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic , bribed the Diacks in 2013 to secure votes , which the committee has denied .
Sebastian Coe , Diack 's successor at World Athletics , has undertaken to rebuild trust in track and field and has introduced changes to the sport 's governance .

Lamine Diack, the former head of World Athletics' governing body, arrived in court in Paris on Monday to stand trial on charges of corruption, money laundering and breach of trust linked to a Russian doping scandal.
Lamine Diack, the former head of World Athletics, arrives at the courthouse in Paris on June 8, 2020.
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Prosecutors allege he solicited €3.45 million ($3.9 million) from athletes suspected of doping to cover up the allegations and allow them to continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Diack, who turned 87 on Sunday, has denied wrongdoing. His lawyers have said the accusations are baseless.
Diack, from Senegal, led the governing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now renamed World Athletics, from 1999-2015 and was among the most influential men in track and field. He lives under house arrest in Paris and faces a jail sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.
The trial had been due to start in January but was postponed after new documents containing testimony from his son and co-defendant, Papa Massata Diack, were submitted to the court.
Senegal has refused to extradite Papa Massata, who worked as a marketing consultant for the IAAF. He also faces charges of money laundering, corruption and breach of trust, according to the indictment, and will be tried in absentia.
Playing 'cat and mouse' with French court
Papa Massata's French lawyer on Monday said his client's Senegalese counterparts were indispensable to his defence but had been unable to travel to Paris because of coronavirus border restrictions.
The prosecution said Papa Massata was a fugitive playing "cat and mouse" with the French court.
Papa Massata is implicated through a payment of €450,000 from Russian runner Liliya Shobukhova, allegedly to have her blood passport case delayed in order to compete in the 2012 Olympic marathon, as revealed by German broadcaster ARD in 2014. He is accused of playing a "central role" in the network of corruption and is charged with "money laundering", "giving bribes" and "aiding the receiving of bribes”.
The deal that prosecutors say helped fund the 2012 election campaign of Sengalese President Macky Sall also allegedly smoothed the way for negotiations with Russian sponsors and broadcasters before the Moscow world championships in 2013.
The case is being pursued by the French authorities because the alleged money-laundering happened in France.
Lamine Diack has been forbidden from leaving France since the investigation began.
The other defendants are Habib Cisse, Diack's former lawyer at the IAAF; Gabriel Dolle, who oversaw doping tests at the IAAF; and Russians Valentin Balakhnitchev and Alexei Melnikov, who were chief and head athletics coach, respectively, of Russia's athletics' federation at the time of the alleged cover-up.
Balakhnitchev and Melnikov were not in court.
The scandal that the trial touches on led to Russia being banned from competing in several international competitions over state-sponsored doping between 2011 and 2015.
Despite being reinstated by other sports federations, Russia is still banned from competing as a nation by World Athletics.
Web of corruption in athletics
Investigators at the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) describe a web of corruption in world athletics under Diack's leadership.
In a separate case, French prosecutors are investigating alleged bribes related to the Olympics and World Athletics Championships.
They suspect the bidding committee for Tokyo's 2020 Olympic Games, which have been postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, bribed the Diacks in 2013 to secure votes, which the committee has denied.
Sebastian Coe, Diack's successor at World Athletics, has undertaken to rebuild trust in track and field and has introduced changes to the sport's governance.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--Iranian scientist released in US-Iran prisoner swap arrives in Tehran

This file photo was taken in November 2019 of Iran 's Bushehr nuclear power plant , during a ceremony to start work on a second reactor following the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal .
Iranian scientist Majid Taheri returned to the Islamic Republic on Monday after his release from jail in the United States last week , the semi-official news agency ISNA reported .
Taheri was greeted at Iran 's Imam Khomeini International Airport by deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari , said ISNA , which published a picture of the pair speaking to reporters .
His release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – a rare instance of US-Iran cooperation – which saw Michael White , a US Navy veteran detained in Iran since 2018 , freed last Thursday .
White ’ s release came two days after the US deported Sirous Asgari , an Iranian professor imprisoned in the US despite having been acquitted of stealing trade secrets .
Shortly after arriving in Tehran , Taheri thanked Iran 's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , according to state media .
`` I thank the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and dear officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other officials who took months to help release me , as an Iranian physician accused of circumventing US sanctions on medicine , '' he was quoted as saying .
On Sunday , Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Tehran was ready for more prisoner exchanges with Washington .
`` If the possibility of exchanging prisoners exists , we have the readiness to free the rest of the individuals who are imprisoned in America and return them to the country , '' he said .
Macron calls for 'immediate release ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however is still behind bars in Iran , a year after her arrest on June 5 , 2019 .
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for her “ immediate release ” and said her detention was “ unacceptable ” .
Born in Iran in 1959 but living in France since 1977 , Adelkhah has maintained her innocence , and colleagues and other supporters have rubbished the charges against her .
She went on a 49-day hunger strike to protest her conditions .
Adelkhah was arrested with her partner Roland Marchal , a fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris specialising in Africa .
Marchal was freed and returned to France in March after French authorities released Iranian engineer Jallal Rohollahnejad , who risked extradition to the United States on accusations of violating sanctions .

Iranian scientist Majid Taheri returned to the Islamic Republic on Monday after his release from jail in the United States last week, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported.
This file photo was taken in November 2019 of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, during a ceremony to start work on a second reactor following the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal.
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Taheri was greeted at Iran's Imam Khomeini International Airport by deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, said ISNA, which published a picture of the pair speaking to reporters.
His release was part of a prisoner exchange deal – a rare instance of US-Iran cooperation – which saw Michael White, a US Navy veteran detained in Iran since 2018, freed last Thursday.
White’s release came two days after the US deported Sirous Asgari, an Iranian professor imprisoned in the US despite having been acquitted of stealing trade secrets.
Shortly after arriving in Tehran, Taheri thanked Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, according to state media.
"I thank the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and dear officials, including Mr. Zarif, who worked hard, and other officials who took months to help release me, as an Iranian physician accused of circumventing US sanctions on medicine," he was quoted as saying.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Tehran was ready for more prisoner exchanges with Washington. "If the possibility of exchanging prisoners exists, we have the readiness to free the rest of the individuals who are imprisoned in America and return them to the country," he said.
Macron calls for 'immediate release' of French-Iranian academic
French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah however is still behind bars in Iran, a year after her arrest on June 5, 2019.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for her “immediate release” and said her detention was “unacceptable”.
Born in Iran in 1959 but living in France since 1977, Adelkhah has maintained her innocence, and colleagues and other supporters have rubbished the charges against her. She went on a 49-day hunger strike to protest her conditions.
Adelkhah was arrested with her partner Roland Marchal, a fellow academic at the Sciences Po university in Paris specialising in Africa.
Marchal was freed and returned to France in March after French authorities released Iranian engineer Jallal Rohollahnejad, who risked extradition to the United States on accusations of violating sanctions.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--Tennis icon Yannick Noah criticises white French athletes’ ‘silence’ on racism

France Davis Cup captain Yannick Noah is pictured in this file photo taken in September 2018 at a press conference in Villeneuve-d'Ascq , France .
Yannick Noah , the last French winner of a Grand Slam tennis title , on Sunday lashed out at `` the silence '' of his white compatriots over racism .
Noah said he was concerned that the sportsmen in France condemning police brutality and discrimination in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in the United States were all black .
The 60-year-old , a son of a Cameroonian father and French mother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as well as World Cup winning footballer Kylian Mbappe .
`` It 's good that the young people are involved , but what bothers me is that they are all either mixed-race or black , '' Noah , who captured the Roland Garros title in 1983 , told France 2 television .
`` Why ?
It 's an injustice which should make everyone aware .
I am certain that in general police do a very good job but there are bad apples . ''
Noah said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France also got involved in protests .
`` Yes , because their silence bothers me , but it goes further than that '' .
He added : `` What reassures me is that we speak quickly enough of injustice .
Yes , it happens all the time .
`` But there are also now young white people , a young generation who realise that this is their future and they do not want to live in this world . ''

Yannick Noah, the last French winner of a Grand Slam tennis title, on Sunday lashed out at "the silence" of his white compatriots over racism.
France Davis Cup captain Yannick Noah is pictured in this file photo taken in September 2018 at a press conference in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France.
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Noah said he was concerned that the sportsmen in France condemning police brutality and discrimination in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in the United States were all black.
The 60-year-old, a son of a Cameroonian father and French mother, saluted the stands taken by fellow tennis players Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as well as World Cup winning footballer Kylian Mbappe.
"It's good that the young people are involved, but what bothers me is that they are all either mixed-race or black," Noah, who captured the Roland Garros title in 1983, told France 2 television.
"Why? It's an injustice which should make everyone aware. I am certain that in general police do a very good job but there are bad apples."
Noah said it was important that white sports stars in France also got involved in protests.
"Yes, because their silence bothers me, but it goes further than that".
He added: "What reassures me is that we speak quickly enough of injustice. Yes, it happens all the time.
"But there are also now young white people, a young generation who realise that this is their future and they do not want to live in this world."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--New Zealand to lift all coronavirus restrictions as it clears last Covid-19 case

New Zealand 's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during an interview with Reuters in Wellington , New Zealand on December 11 , 2019 .
New Zealand 's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that all coronavirus measures in the country will be lifted from Tuesday , barring border closure restrictions , as the virus had been eliminated from the country .
The country would move to national alert level 1 from midnight on Monday , Ardern said in a news conference .
She said public and private events can go on without restrictions , retail and hospitality sectors can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can resume .
The news came after New Zealand declared it has no active Covid-19 cases .
The country 's final patient was given the all clear and released from isolation , health authorities said Monday .
The milestone was `` really good news '' and an achievement the whole of New Zealand could take heart from , Ministry of Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield said .
`` Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but , as we 've previously said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be essential , '' he said in a statement .
No new infections for 17 days New Zealand has won praise for its handling of the pandemic , which involved a strict seven-week lockdown that ended last month after the virus was contained .
The South Pacific nation , with a population of five million , has had 1,154 confirmed cases and 22 deaths .
There have been no new infections for 17 days and , until Monday , just one active case for more than a week .
Details of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons but it is believed to be a woman aged in her 50s who was linked to a cluster at an Auckland nursing home .
`` ( The ) remaining case has been symptom-free for 48 hours and is regarded as recovered .
The person has now been released from isolation , '' the Health Ministry said .

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that all coronavirus measures in the country will be lifted from Tuesday, barring border closure restrictions, as the virus had been eliminated from the country.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during an interview with Reuters in Wellington, New Zealand on December 11, 2019.
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The country would move to national alert level 1 from midnight on Monday, Ardern said in a news conference.
She said public and private events can go on without restrictions, retail and hospitality sectors can operate normally, and all public transport can resume.
The news came after New Zealand declared it has no active Covid-19 cases.
The country's final patient was given the all clear and released from isolation, health authorities said Monday.
The milestone was "really good news" and an achievement the whole of New Zealand could take heart from, Ministry of Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield said.
"Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but, as we've previously said, ongoing vigilance against Covid-19 will continue to be essential," he said in a statement.
No new infections for 17 days
New Zealand has won praise for its handling of the pandemic, which involved a strict seven-week lockdown that ended last month after the virus was contained.
The South Pacific nation, with a population of five million, has had 1,154 confirmed cases and 22 deaths.
There have been no new infections for 17 days and, until Monday, just one active case for more than a week.
Details of the final patient were not released for privacy reasons but it is believed to be a woman aged in her 50s who was linked to a cluster at an Auckland nursing home.
"(The) remaining case has been symptom-free for 48 hours and is regarded as recovered. The person has now been released from isolation," the Health Ministry said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--Three prominent jihadists dominate Sahel after death of al Qaeda leader

An image grab from a June 2016 video released by the Islamist group Ansar Dine shows Iyad Ag Ghaly .
Three leaders have been left dominating the jihadist insurgency in the Sahel , following the death of a top al Qaeda commander in the West African state of Mali this week .
French forces killed Algerian national Abdelmalek Droukdel , the head of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb ( AQIM ) , in a raid in northern Mali on Wednesday .
The move will strike a blow to the organisation , but other powerful al Qaeda-linked leaders already operate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death also comes at a time of increasing jihadist infighting , between al Qaeda affiliates and Islamic State group aligned militants .
Three jihadist leaders now loom large over the central Sahel : Iyad Ag Ghaly and Amadou Koufa – who are both linked to al Qaeda – and Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui , who leads the region 's Islamic State group franchise .
Iyad Ag Ghaly , who heads the powerful Group to Support Islam and Muslims ( GSIM ) jihadist alliance , is a veteran of Mali 's internecine conflicts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he first leapt onto the stage during a Tuareg rebellion during the 1990s .
After it subsided he went into business , before publically returning to militancy again in 2012 , with a newly created group called Ansar Dine .
That year , Tuareg separatists launched a rebellion in northern Mali , which was quickly commandeered by jihadists .
The event triggered a bloody conflict , which has now spread to the centre of the country , and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
At first allied to the separatists , Ag Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , alongside other jihadist groups , took control of several towns in northern Mali , until French forces drove Islamist fighters out in 2013 .
Ansar Dine is a member of the GSIM , which also includes Amadou Koufa 's Katiba Macina and AQIM .
Jean-Pierre Filiu , a historian at Paris ’ s Sciences Po university , said the jihadist leader is now `` the sole Sahel representative of the al Qaeda 's supreme chief , Ayman Zawahiri '' .
Amadou Koufa , another leader within GSIM , is subordinate to Ag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firebrand Islamic preacher , Koufa 's influence has nonetheless continued to grow since founding the Katiba Macina militia in 2015 .
He has been accused of exploiting tensions between herders and sedentary farmers , and of inflaming ethnic tensions in central Mali – where Katina Macina has staged its attacks .
Central Mali has now become one of the main theatres for jihadist attacks in the Sahel .
Massacres with an apparent ethnic motive are also common .
On Friday , some 30 people were killed in an ethnic Fulani village .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killing , and on Saturday , Mali 's defence minister promised an investigation .
The pastoralist Fulani people are often accused of being close to jihadists , a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and other ethnic groups .
For former colonial power France , Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui is the most wanted jihadist in the Sahel .
He heads a branch of the Islamic State group , which is highly active in the border region linking Mali , Burkina Faso and Niger .
A former member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sahraoui rose to prominence when Mali 's north fell to rebels in 2012 .
He was at that time a member of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa ( MUJAO ) jihadist group , which was one of the militias that took control in the north .
But Sahraoui declared his allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015 .
His militia has been highly active , and has been blamed for a string of attacks in 2019 and this year .
In a first for the Sahel , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups , with several instances of inter-jihadist warfare occurring this year .

Three leaders have been left dominating the jihadist insurgency in the Sahel, following the death of a top al Qaeda commander in the West African state of Mali this week.
An image grab from a June 2016 video released by the Islamist group Ansar Dine shows Iyad Ag Ghaly.
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French forces killed Algerian national Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), in a raid in northern Mali on Wednesday.
The move will strike a blow to the organisation, but other powerful al Qaeda-linked leaders already operate in the semi-desert Sahel.
Droukdel's death also comes at a time of increasing jihadist infighting, between al Qaeda affiliates and Islamic State group aligned militants.
Three jihadist leaders now loom large over the central Sahel: Iyad Ag Ghaly and Amadou Koufa – who are both linked to al Qaeda – and Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui, who leads the region's Islamic State group franchise.
Iyad Ag Ghaly
Iyad Ag Ghaly, who heads the powerful Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) jihadist alliance, is a veteran of Mali's internecine conflicts.
An ethnic Tuareg from northern Mali, he first leapt onto the stage during a Tuareg rebellion during the 1990s.
After it subsided he went into business, before publically returning to militancy again in 2012, with a newly created group called Ansar Dine.
That year, Tuareg separatists launched a rebellion in northern Mali, which was quickly commandeered by jihadists.
The event triggered a bloody conflict, which has now spread to the centre of the country, and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
At first allied to the separatists, Ag Ghaly's Ansar Dine split from them and, alongside other jihadist groups, took control of several towns in northern Mali, until French forces drove Islamist fighters out in 2013.
Ansar Dine is a member of the GSIM, which also includes Amadou Koufa's Katiba Macina and AQIM.
Iyad Ag Ghaly leads this alliance.
Jean-Pierre Filiu, a historian at Paris’s Sciences Po university, said the jihadist leader is now "the sole Sahel representative of the al Qaeda's supreme chief, Ayman Zawahiri".
Amadou Koufa
Amadou Koufa, another leader within GSIM, is subordinate to Ag Ghaly, according to Filiu.
A firebrand Islamic preacher, Koufa's influence has nonetheless continued to grow since founding the Katiba Macina militia in 2015.
He has been accused of exploiting tensions between herders and sedentary farmers, and of inflaming ethnic tensions in central Mali – where Katina Macina has staged its attacks.
Central Mali has now become one of the main theatres for jihadist attacks in the Sahel. Massacres with an apparent ethnic motive are also common.
On Friday, some 30 people were killed in an ethnic Fulani village. A Fulani association has blamed the army for the killing, and on Saturday, Mali's defence minister promised an investigation.
The pastoralist Fulani people are often accused of being close to jihadists, a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and other ethnic groups.
Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui
For former colonial power France, Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui is the most wanted jihadist in the Sahel.
He heads a branch of the Islamic State group, which is highly active in the border region linking Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
A former member of the Polisario Front, a Western-Sahara movement, Sahraoui rose to prominence when Mali's north fell to rebels in 2012.
He was at that time a member of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) jihadist group, which was one of the militias that took control in the north.
But Sahraoui declared his allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015.
His militia has been highly active, and has been blamed for a string of attacks in 2019 and this year.
In a first for the Sahel, it has also begun to fight al Qaeda-linked groups, with several instances of inter-jihadist warfare occurring this year.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--New round of street protests over racial inequality in New York and other US cities

A demonstrator holds a mobile phone at a police barricade during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Boston , Massachusetts , US on June 7 , 2020 .
A relaxed confidence infused a new round of street protests in New York and other major cities on Sunday , a day after some of the largest demonstrations since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody unfolded with no major violence .
The near-festive tone of many of the weekend 's major U.S. rallies stood in sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vandalism earlier in the week that authorities and activists blamed largely on outside agitators and criminals .
The outpouring of outrage and demands for sweeping police reforms followed the May 25 killing of Floyd , a 46-year-old black man who died after being pinned by the neck for nine minutes by a white officer 's knee .
A bystander 's cellphone captured the scene as Floyd pleaded with the officer , choking out the words `` I ca n't breathe . ''
Two other policemen helped hold Floyd down while a fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers .
Almost two weeks of U.S. demonstrations also inspired anti-racism marches around the globe , as protesters from Brisbane and Sydney in Australia to London , Paris and other European cities embraced the Black Lives Matter message .
The change in the tenor of the demonstrations this weekend may reflect a sense that the demands of protesters for sweeping police reform are resonating .
In a step that would have seemed unthinkable just two weeks ago , a majority of the Minneapolis City Council pledged on Sunday to disband the police department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the New York Times reported .
`` A veto-proof majority of the MPLS City Council just publicly agreed that the Minneapolis Police Department is not reformable and that we 're going to end the current policing system , '' Alondra Cano , a member of the Minneapolis council , said on Twitter .
In New York , at least half a dozen loosely organized groups of protesters marched through midtown Manhattan in bright sunshine on Sunday afternoon carrying handmade signs with slogans including `` Defund the Police , Fund Schools . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the New York Public Library , then marched down 42nd Street past Grand Central station to U.N. headquarters on the East River .
Another group marched toward Times Square but was turned aside without incident by police who blocked access to the famous `` Crossroads of the World , '' best known for the annual New Year 's Eve ball drop .
The area remained cordoned off by police hours later .
It was a far cry from the scene in the city on some recent nights , when some officers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they sought to enforce a curfew , and live TV images showed looters running rampant on main avenues .
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the curfew was being lifted on Sunday , a day ahead of schedule .
Criticised by activists who say he should have reined in NYPD officers during recent demonstrations , he also announced a series of reforms he said were designed to build trust between city residents and the police department .
In response to growing calls to defund police in many cities , de Blasio told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money out of the police budget and reallocate it to youth and social services in communities of color .
He said he would also take enforcement of rules on street vending out of the hands of police , who have been accused of using the regulations to harass minority communities .
In the nation 's capital on Sunday afternoon , thousands of protesters took a knee on 16th Street facing the White House , chanting : `` I ca n't breathe , '' according to social media posts .
The newly erected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by protesters with signs , including some that read : `` Black Lives Matter '' and `` No Justice , No Peace . ''
A common theme of weekend rallies was a determination to transform outrage over Floyd 's death last month into a broader movement seeking far-reaching reforms to the U.S. criminal justice system and its treatment of minorities .
The intensity of protests over the past week began to ebb on Wednesday after prosecutors in Minneapolis arrested all four police officers implicated in Floyd 's death .
Derek Chauvin , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with second-degree murder .
Still , anger in Minneapolis remained intense .
The city 's mayor ran a gauntlet of jeering protesters on Saturday after telling them he opposed their demands for defunding the city police department .
During a community meeting in a park , nine of the 13 City Council members signed a pledge on Sunday promising to create a new public safety system , work with the community on changes and adopt the changes through budget and policy actions in the coming weeks , the New York Times reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking out across the country as the United States reopens after weeks of unprecedented lockdowns for the coronavirus pandemic and just five months before the Nov. 3 presidential election .
U.S. Democrats have largely embraced the activists packing into streets to decry the killings of black men and women by law enforcement , but have so far expressed wariness at protesters ' calls to defund the police .
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey told NBC News on Sunday that he understood the sentiment behind the `` defund the police '' push but @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A relaxed confidence infused a new round of street protests in New York and other major cities on Sunday, a day after some of the largest demonstrations since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody unfolded with no major violence.
A demonstrator holds a mobile phone at a police barricade during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Boston, Massachusetts, US on June 7, 2020.
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The near-festive tone of many of the weekend's major U.S. rallies stood in sharp contrast to scenes of clashes, looting and vandalism earlier in the week that authorities and activists blamed largely on outside agitators and criminals.
The outpouring of outrage and demands for sweeping police reforms followed the May 25 killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being pinned by the neck for nine minutes by a white officer's knee.
A bystander's cellphone captured the scene as Floyd pleaded with the officer, choking out the words "I can't breathe." Two other policemen helped hold Floyd down while a fourth stood watch between onlookers and the other officers.
Almost two weeks of U.S. demonstrations also inspired anti-racism marches around the globe, as protesters from Brisbane and Sydney in Australia to London, Paris and other European cities embraced the Black Lives Matter message.
The change in the tenor of the demonstrations this weekend may reflect a sense that the demands of protesters for sweeping police reform are resonating.
In a step that would have seemed unthinkable just two weeks ago, a majority of the Minneapolis City Council pledged on Sunday to disband the police department in favour of a community-led safety model, the New York Times reported.
>> Read: Minneapolis City Council votes to dismantle police department
"A veto-proof majority of the MPLS City Council just publicly agreed that the Minneapolis Police Department is not reformable and that we're going to end the current policing system," Alondra Cano, a member of the Minneapolis council, said on Twitter.
In New York, at least half a dozen loosely organized groups of protesters marched through midtown Manhattan in bright sunshine on Sunday afternoon carrying handmade signs with slogans including "Defund the Police, Fund Schools." One crowd gathered in Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library, then marched down 42nd Street past Grand Central station to U.N. headquarters on the East River.
Another group marched toward Times Square but was turned aside without incident by police who blocked access to the famous "Crossroads of the World," best known for the annual New Year's Eve ball drop. The area remained cordoned off by police hours later.
It was a far cry from the scene in the city on some recent nights, when some officers in riot gear resorted to heavy-handed tactics as they sought to enforce a curfew, and live TV images showed looters running rampant on main avenues.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the curfew was being lifted on Sunday, a day ahead of schedule.
Criticised by activists who say he should have reined in NYPD officers during recent demonstrations, he also announced a series of reforms he said were designed to build trust between city residents and the police department.
In response to growing calls to defund police in many cities, de Blasio told reporters he would shift an unspecified amount of money out of the police budget and reallocate it to youth and social services in communities of color.
He said he would also take enforcement of rules on street vending out of the hands of police, who have been accused of using the regulations to harass minority communities.
Protest signs on White House fence
In the nation's capital on Sunday afternoon, thousands of protesters took a knee on 16th Street facing the White House, chanting: "I can't breathe," according to social media posts.
The newly erected fence around the White House was decorated by protesters with signs, including some that read: "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace."
A common theme of weekend rallies was a determination to transform outrage over Floyd's death last month into a broader movement seeking far-reaching reforms to the U.S. criminal justice system and its treatment of minorities.
The intensity of protests over the past week began to ebb on Wednesday after prosecutors in Minneapolis arrested all four police officers implicated in Floyd's death. Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneed Floyd, was charged with second-degree murder.
Still, anger in Minneapolis remained intense. The city's mayor ran a gauntlet of jeering protesters on Saturday after telling them he opposed their demands for defunding the city police department.
During a community meeting in a park, nine of the 13 City Council members signed a pledge on Sunday promising to create a new public safety system, work with the community on changes and adopt the changes through budget and policy actions in the coming weeks, the New York Times reported.
The renewed calls for racial equality are breaking out across the country as the United States reopens after weeks of unprecedented lockdowns for the coronavirus pandemic and just five months before the Nov. 3 presidential election.
U.S. Democrats have largely embraced the activists packing into streets to decry the killings of black men and women by law enforcement, but have so far expressed wariness at protesters' calls to defund the police.
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey told NBC News on Sunday that he understood the sentiment behind the "defund the police" push but would not use that phrase himself.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--Storm Cristobal forecast to ‘weaken to a tropical depression’ by Monday

Tropical Storm Cristobal is seen on a northern track over the Gulf of Mexico in a satellite image taken on June 7 , 2020 .
Storm Cristobal is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Monday morning as heavy rainfall and a storm surge continue along the Gulf Coast , the US National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory .
Cristobal is located about 20 miles ( 35 km ) north-northwest of New Orleans , Louisiana , with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour ( 75 kph ) , the Miami-based weather forecaster said on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southeast Louisiana on Sunday , bringing strong winds , heavy rains and the threat of damaging storm surges , the US National Hurricane Center said .
The centre of Cristobal will move inland across southeastern Louisiana through early Monday morning , then across Arkansas and Missouri by Tuesday and into Canada on Wednesday , as per the NHC .
US President Donald Trump said he would be signing an emergency declaration for Louisiana , freeing up federal aid .
Cristobal 's formation early in the week marked the earliest that the hurricane season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US meteorologists said .
Cristobal emerged out of Tropical Storm Amanda , which left at least 26 people dead across Central America and brought flooding and landslides .
Officials consider the Atlantic hurricane season to run from June 1 to November 30 .

Storm Cristobal is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Monday morning as heavy rainfall and a storm surge continue along the Gulf Coast, the US National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.
Tropical Storm Cristobal is seen on a northern track over the Gulf of Mexico in a satellite image taken on June 7, 2020.
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Cristobal is located about 20 miles (35 km) north-northwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 kph), the Miami-based weather forecaster said on Sunday.
The tropical storm made landfall in southeast Louisiana on Sunday, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and the threat of damaging storm surges, the US National Hurricane Center said.
The centre of Cristobal will move inland across southeastern Louisiana through early Monday morning, then across Arkansas and Missouri by Tuesday and into Canada on Wednesday, as per the NHC.
US President Donald Trump said he would be signing an emergency declaration for Louisiana, freeing up federal aid.
Meteorologists have predicted a heavier-than-usual Atlantic hurricane season.
Cristobal's formation early in the week marked the earliest that the hurricane season has seen its third named storm, US meteorologists said.
Cristobal emerged out of Tropical Storm Amanda, which left at least 26 people dead across Central America and brought flooding and landslides.
Officials consider the Atlantic hurricane season to run from June 1 to November 30.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--US presidential candidate Biden to meet George Floyd’s family in Houston

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden arrives with Secret Service agents to speak at an event in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania on June 2 , 2020 .
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden will travel to Houston on Monday and meet with the family of George Floyd , two weeks after Floyd 's death in police custody triggered nationwide protests over racial injustice , aides said .
Biden is expected to offer his sympathies to Floyd 's relatives and record a video message for the private funeral service scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Floyd 's hometown of Houston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to attend the service to avoid any disruption to mourners that could be caused by his Secret Service protective detail .
A public viewing is scheduled for Monday in Houston as well .
Floyd , an unarmed black man , died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the back of his neck for almost nine minutes , even after he complained he could not breathe and appeared to lose consciousness .
The incident was captured on video , setting off massive street demonstrations that have spread across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden has criticised President Donald Trump in recent days for his response to the protests , which have largely been peaceful but have occasionally led to violent clashes and property damage .
Trump , a Republican , has called on authorities to crack down on protesters .
The trip to Texas comes as Biden 's staff grapples with how to campaign safely during the coronavirus pandemic .
Since widespread shutdowns began this spring , Biden has only left his Delaware home a handful of times but has not traveled farther than Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the Nov. 3 election .
Biden , the former vice president , is often praised by supporters for his ability to offer comfort to those in mourning .
His first wife and infant daughter died in an automobile accident , and his son Beau died of brain cancer .

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden will travel to Houston on Monday and meet with the family of George Floyd, two weeks after Floyd's death in police custody triggered nationwide protests over racial injustice, aides said.
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden arrives with Secret Service agents to speak at an event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 2, 2020.
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Biden is expected to offer his sympathies to Floyd's relatives and record a video message for the private funeral service scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Floyd's hometown of Houston, two aides said. He is not expected to attend the service to avoid any disruption to mourners that could be caused by his Secret Service protective detail.
A public viewing is scheduled for Monday in Houston as well.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the back of his neck for almost nine minutes, even after he complained he could not breathe and appeared to lose consciousness. The incident was captured on video, setting off massive street demonstrations that have spread across the United States and around the world.
Biden has criticised President Donald Trump in recent days for his response to the protests, which have largely been peaceful but have occasionally led to violent clashes and property damage. Trump, a Republican, has called on authorities to crack down on protesters.
The trip to Texas comes as Biden's staff grapples with how to campaign safely during the coronavirus pandemic. Since widespread shutdowns began this spring, Biden has only left his Delaware home a handful of times but has not traveled farther than Philadelphia. On Friday, he secured enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the Nov. 3 election.
Biden, the former vice president, is often praised by supporters for his ability to offer comfort to those in mourning. His first wife and infant daughter died in an automobile accident, and his son Beau died of brain cancer.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-07--Black Lives Matter protesters in UK topple statue of British slave trader

This combination of pictures taken from a June 7 , 2020 video courtesy of William Want ( @ willwantwrites ) via Twitter , shows protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol , southwest England , during a Black Lives Matter demonstration .
British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader Sunday and threw it in the harbour in Bristol on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd ’ s death .
Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground in the southwestern city of Bristol .
They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with a great cheer .
Colston ’ s face got splashed with red paint at one point .
“ The statue of Edward Colston , a Bristol slave trader , was torn down , defaced , and thrown in the river .
# BlackLivesMatter.
” But Interior Minister Priti Patel called the toppling “ utterly disgraceful ” and the city ’ s police promised to carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause which the people are actually protesting about , ” Patel told Sky News .
“ That is a completely unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism , again , as we saw yesterday in London.
” The London police reported making 29 arrests during largely peaceful protests on Saturday that included a few scuffles with officers protecting the government district around Downing Street .
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees struck a more conciliatory tone than the one adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of the Colston Statue will divide opinion , as the statue itself has done for many years , ” the mayor said in a statement .
“ However , it ’ s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity.
” Local police chief Andy Bennett said around 10,000 people attended Bristol ’ s “ Black Lives Matter ” demonstration on Sunday .
“ The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ However , there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.
” Colston grew up in a wealthy merchant family and joined a company in 1680 that had a monopoly on the West African slave trade .
The Royal African Company ( RAC ) was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II .
The company branded the slaves – including women and children – with its RAC initials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have sold around 100,000 West Africans in the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689 .
Colston later developed a reputation as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes such as schools and hospitals in Bristol and London .
His 18-foot ( 5.5-metre ) bronze statue stood on Bristol ’ s Colston Avenue since 1895 .
The city also has a school named in his honour .
The Guardian newspaper said a local petition to remove the statue had gathered 11,000 signatures by the weekend .
UK opposition Labour party lawmaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd .
“ Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering .
We ’ ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity .
# BLM ” The Colston statue wasn ’ t the only historic sculpture to have been targeted by protesters over the weekend .
In London , protesters defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside Parliament , crossing out his last name and spray painting “ was a racist ” underneath .
Thousands joined a Black Lives Matter rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted “ reparations ” , according to video posted on social media .
The word “ shame ” was also graffitied on the monument , reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese .
A bust of Leopold ’ s in the city of Ghent has also been defaced , daubed in red paint and covered with a cloth scrawled : “ I can ’ t breathe.
” Leopold ’ s ruthless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1908 is notorious for its brutality when the Congo Free State was practically his personal fiefdom .
After Leopold handed over Congo to the Belgian state , the tiny nation continued to hold sway over an area 80 times its size half a world away , until independence in 1960 .
And in the US state of Virginia , Governor Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Richmond statue of General Robert E. Lee , who led Confederate forces during the country 's Civil War , and city leaders have committed to taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richmond ’ s prestigious Monument Avenue .

British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader Sunday and threw it in the harbour in Bristol on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd’s death.
This combination of pictures taken from a June 7, 2020 video courtesy of William Want (@willwantwrites) via Twitter, shows protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol, southwest England, during a Black Lives Matter demonstration.
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Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston’s statue and bring it to the ground in the southwestern city of Bristol.
They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with a great cheer.
Colston’s face got splashed with red paint at one point.
“Today I witness history,” eyewitness William Want tweeted.
“The statue of Edward Colston, a Bristol slave trader, was torn down, defaced, and thrown in the river. #BlackLivesMatter.”
today i witness history. the statue of edward colston, à bristol slave trader, was torn down, defaced, and thrown in the river. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/aROlNQKY63 — william want (@willwantwrites) June 7, 2020
But Interior Minister Priti Patel called the toppling “utterly disgraceful” and the city’s police promised to carry out an investigation.
“That speaks to the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause which the people are actually protesting about,” Patel told Sky News.
“That is a completely unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism, again, as we saw yesterday in London.”
The London police reported making 29 arrests during largely peaceful protests on Saturday that included a few scuffles with officers protecting the government district around Downing Street.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees struck a more conciliatory tone than the one adopted by Patel.
“I know the removal of the Colston Statue will divide opinion, as the statue itself has done for many years,” the mayor said in a statement.
“However, it’s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity.”
‘Good’
Local police chief Andy Bennett said around 10,000 people attended Bristol’s “Black Lives Matter” demonstration on Sunday.
“The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully,” the police chief said.
“However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.”
Colston grew up in a wealthy merchant family and joined a company in 1680 that had a monopoly on the West African slave trade.
The Royal African Company (RAC) was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II.
The company branded the slaves – including women and children – with its RAC initials on their chests.
It is believed to have sold around 100,000 West Africans in the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689.
Colston later developed a reputation as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes such as schools and hospitals in Bristol and London.
His 18-foot (5.5-metre) bronze statue stood on Bristol’s Colston Avenue since 1895. The city also has a school named in his honour.
The Guardian newspaper said a local petition to remove the statue had gathered 11,000 signatures by the weekend.
UK opposition Labour party lawmaker Clive Lewis welcomed its toppling by the crowd.
“Good,” Lewis tweeted.
“Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity. #BLM”
Good. If statues of confederates who fought a war for slavery & white supremacy shld come down then why not this one? Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity. #BLM pic.twitter.com/Bk8cYHk0rM — Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) June 7, 2020
International parallels
The Colston statue wasn’t the only historic sculpture to have been targeted by protesters over the weekend.
In London, protesters defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside Parliament, crossing out his last name and spray painting “was a racist” underneath.
Thousands joined a Black Lives Matter rally in Brussels, where protesters clambered Sunday onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted “reparations”, according to video posted on social media. The word “shame” was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.
A bust of Leopold’s in the city of Ghent has also been defaced, daubed in red paint and covered with a cloth scrawled: “I can’t breathe.”
Leopold’s ruthless early rule over Congo from 1885 to 1908 is notorious for its brutality when the Congo Free State was practically his personal fiefdom. After Leopold handed over Congo to the Belgian state, the tiny nation continued to hold sway over an area 80 times its size half a world away, until independence in 1960.
And in the US state of Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Richmond statue of General Robert E. Lee, who led Confederate forces during the country's Civil War, and city leaders have committed to taking down the four other Confederate memorials along Richmond’s prestigious Monument Avenue.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-06-07--UN says more than 16,000 displaced in latest Libya fighting

Fighters loyal to Libya 's UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) in the town of Tarhuna , southeast of the capital Tripoli on June 5 , 2020 , after the area was taken over by pro-GNA forces from rival forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar .
More than 16,000 Libyans have been displaced during recent battles that saw forces of the UN-recognised government wrest back control of western Libya from strongman Khalifa Haftar , the UN said Sunday .
The UN mission in Libya ( UNSMIL ) said in a statement it was “ alarmed by the harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing cycle of violence in Libya ” .
“ The recent military movements in Greater Tripoli and Tarhuna have led to new waves of displacement and suffering of over 16,000 Libyans in the past few days , ” it said .
Backed by Turkey , the UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) based in Tripoli has in recent weeks retaken all remaining outposts of pro-Haftar loyalists in western Libya .
The town of Tarhuna , southeast of Tripoli , was the latest pro-Haftar stronghold to be captured by GNA forces .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ east of the country where a parliament is located , launched an offensive in April last year to capture Tripoli from the GNA .
Hundreds have been killed and around 200,000 more driven from their homes in the offensive , not counting the 16,000 displaced in recent days .
UN : 'Any war among Libyans is a losing war' UNSMIL also flagged “ reports of the discovery of a number of corpses at the hospital in Tarhuna ” , which it described as “ deeply disturbing ” .
It urged the GNA to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation ” into these deaths .
UNSMIL also said it had received many reports of “ the looting and destruction of public and private property ” in Tarhuna and the town of Al-Assabaa , also south of Tripoli .
In some cases , it said , vandalism appears to be “ acts of retribution and revenge that risk further fraying Libya ’ s social fabric ” .
UNSMIL also said , however , that it was “ encouraged ” by calls to resume talks on ending the conflict in Libya , a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported by the eastern Libyan camp .
It said the fighting over the capital , Tripoli , for more than a year “ has proven , beyond any doubt , that any war among Libyans is a losing war ” .
The statement urged Libyan parties to “ engage swiftly and constructively ” in the UN-brokered military talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire agreement , “ accompanied by firm implementation of and respect for the recently renewed U.N. Arms Embargo on Libya ” .
The security situation was reportedly fragile Sunday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to GNA forces .
The GNA interior ministry meanwhile called on military and security forces in “ liberated areas ” to protect civilian lives and their property , vowing to hold transgressors to account , whatever their rank .

More than 16,000 Libyans have been displaced during recent battles that saw forces of the UN-recognised government wrest back control of western Libya from strongman Khalifa Haftar, the UN said Sunday.
Fighters loyal to Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in the town of Tarhuna, southeast of the capital Tripoli on June 5, 2020, after the area was taken over by pro-GNA forces from rival forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar.
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The UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement it was “alarmed by the harm inflicted on the civilian population by the continuing cycle of violence in Libya”.
“The recent military movements in Greater Tripoli and Tarhuna have led to new waves of displacement and suffering of over 16,000 Libyans in the past few days,” it said.
Backed by Turkey, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli has in recent weeks retaken all remaining outposts of pro-Haftar loyalists in western Libya.
The town of Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli, was the latest pro-Haftar stronghold to be captured by GNA forces.
Haftar, who is based in the east of the country where a parliament is located, launched an offensive in April last year to capture Tripoli from the GNA.
Hundreds have been killed and around 200,000 more driven from their homes in the offensive, not counting the 16,000 displaced in recent days.
UN: 'Any war among Libyans is a losing war'
UNSMIL also flagged “reports of the discovery of a number of corpses at the hospital in Tarhuna”, which it described as “deeply disturbing”.
It urged the GNA to carry out a “prompt and impartial investigation” into these deaths.
UNSMIL also said it had received many reports of “the looting and destruction of public and private property” in Tarhuna and the town of Al-Assabaa, also south of Tripoli.
In some cases, it said, vandalism appears to be “acts of retribution and revenge that risk further fraying Libya’s social fabric”.
UNSMIL also said, however, that it was “encouraged” by calls to resume talks on ending the conflict in Libya, a day after Egypt announced a unilateral peace initiative supported by the eastern Libyan camp. It said the fighting over the capital, Tripoli, for more than a year “has proven, beyond any doubt, that any war among Libyans is a losing war”.
The statement urged Libyan parties to “engage swiftly and constructively” in the UN-brokered military talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire agreement, “accompanied by firm implementation of and respect for the recently renewed U.N. Arms Embargo on Libya”.
The security situation was reportedly fragile Sunday in Tarhuna, two days after it fell to GNA forces.
The GNA interior ministry meanwhile called on military and security forces in “liberated areas” to protect civilian lives and their property, vowing to hold transgressors to account, whatever their rank.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-06-08--Hard hit New York City begins its Covid-19 comeback as infection rate plummets

Masked cyclist rides past a sign instructing people how to stay safe as New York City enters phase one of reopening after its Covid-19 lockdown , Harlem , NYC , June 8 , 2020 .
Exactly 100 days after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in New York City , some workers began returning to jobs on Monday at the start of reopening from a citywide shutdown to battle the epidemic that killed nearly 22,000 of its residents .
People who had been staying home for months boarded subways and buses as the most populous U.S. city began Phase One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is clearly the hardest place in America to get to this moment because we 're the epicentre , '' Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard .
New York , by far the hardest-hit U.S. city , on Monday reported the rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus fell to a new low of 3 % , well below its threshold for reopening of 15 % , de Blasio said .
As some 400,000 workers head back to 32,000 construction sites , wholesale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the city , de Blasio urged them to wear face masks and use social distancing to keep COVID-19 cases on a downward trend - particularly those who use mass transit to get to work .
Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee Projjal Dutta distributed free hand sanitiser and surgical masks to subway riders in Harlem .
He said that although he had continued his MTA office job virtually from home , this was also his first day physically back at work .
Subway rider Jim Duke , who commutes from the New York suburb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trains had few enough riders to accommodate social distancing from other commuters .
`` There 's not a lot of people on there , so it 's fairly easy .
So far , '' said Duke , wearing a face mask .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that the rest of the state had already entered the same reopening phase without a jump in infections , largely because of restrictions that limit restaurants to serving guests only outdoors and retailers to making only curbside sales .
`` If we follow those guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be a spike , just like there has n't been a spike across the rest of the state , '' Cuomo said .
De Blasio said the city is opening 20 miles ( 32 km ) of new bus routes and new bus lanes from June through October to increase spacing between mass transit passengers .
The mayor said he was cautiously monitoring the virus ' spread after thousands of protesters - many without masks - swarmed New York streets for daily marches against racism following the May 25 death of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure reopening can continue and eventually bring customers back to hair salons , restaurants and other businesses .

Exactly 100 days after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in New York City, some workers began returning to jobs on Monday at the start of reopening from a citywide shutdown to battle the epidemic that killed nearly 22,000 of its residents.
Masked cyclist rides past a sign instructing people how to stay safe as New York City enters phase one of reopening after its Covid-19 lockdown, Harlem, NYC, June 8, 2020.
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People who had been staying home for months boarded subways and buses as the most populous U.S. city began Phase One of its hopeful journey toward economic recovery.
"This is clearly the hardest place in America to get to this moment because we're the epicentre," Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
New York, by far the hardest-hit US city, on Monday reported the rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus fell to a new low of 3%, well below its threshold for reopening of 15%, de Blasio said.
As some 400,000 workers head back to 32,000 construction sites, wholesale and manufacturing centers and some retail sites across the city, de Blasio urged them to wear face masks and use social distancing to keep Covid-19 cases on a downward trend - particularly those who use mass transit to get to work.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee Projjal Dutta distributed free hand sanitiser and surgical masks to subway riders in Harlem. He said that although he had continued his MTA office job virtually from home, this was his first day physically back at work.
Subway rider Jim Duke, who commutes from the New York suburb of Putnam County, said normally packed trains had few enough riders to accommodate social distancing from other commuters.
"There's not a lot of people on there, so it's fairly easy. So far," said Duke, wearing a face mask.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that the rest of the state had already entered the same reopening phase without a jump in infections, largely because of restrictions that limit restaurants to serving guests only outdoors and retailers to making only curbside sales.
"If we follow those guidelines in New York City, there should not be a spike, just like there hasn't been a spike across the rest of the state," Cuomo said.
De Blasio said the city is opening 20 miles (32 km) of new bus routes and new bus lanes from June through October to increase spacing between mass transit passengers.
The mayor said he was cautiously monitoring the virus' spread after thousands of protesters – many without masks – swarmed New York streets for daily marches against racism following the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, to be sure reopening can continue and eventually bring customers back to hair salons, restaurants and other businesses.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--France promises ‘zero tolerance’ of police racism after wave of protests

A protester stands in front of French gendarmes at a rally against police violence on place de la Concorde in Paris on June 6 , 2020 .
Spurred into action by the global movement of protest against racism and brutality in the police , France ’ s government on Monday cautiously began to acknowledge and address abuses that experts say have long been obvious to anyone who cared to look .
On the eve of his extraordinary election to the French presidency , Emmanuel Macron , France ’ s youngest leader since Napoleon , promised to lead an “ uncompromising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I want to change the culture , the management and the recruitment of French police , ” the future president told news website Mediapart on May 5 , 2017 , ahead of his victorious run-off against the far right ’ s Marine Le Pen .
“ When there is manifestly a problem , the police hierarchy must be challenged , ” he added .
Three years on , the only tangible change is the widened gulf between French police and large swathes of the public .
Throughout 2019 , fierce clashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shed light on the fearsome weaponry and tactics used by law enforcement in France .
More recently , the focus has shifted back to the festering issue of police racism and brutality in the immigrant-rich suburbs of France ’ s largest cities , on the heels of the global protest movement triggered by the George Floyd killing in the US .
On Monday , Jacques Toubon , France 's human rights ombudsman , raised the alarm over a `` crisis of public confidence in the security forces '' .
In a wide-ranging report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged a reversal of what he described as a `` warring mentality '' in law enforcement .
Defying police orders , tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Paris and other French cities last week to protest against police racism and impunity .
Demonstrators voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter protests and demanded justice for Adama Traoré , a young black man who , like Floyd , died while in police custody in the Paris suburbs in 2016 .
Chanting “ No justice , no peace , ” the protesters raged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to deliver on promises of police reform .
“ Macron ’ s election promises raised high hopes and expectations , but his silence on such matters has been a big disappointment , ” said Carole Reynaud-Paligot , a historian and sociologist at the University of Dijon , who recently curated an exhibition on racism at the Musée de l ’ Homme in Paris .
Amid mounting pressure , the Elysée presidential palace on Monday said Macron had spoken to cabinet ministers over the weekend , urging them to come up with proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so fast .
Hours later , Interior Minister Christophe Castaner unveiled a first batch of measures , including a ban on a controversial chokehold method of arrest that has been blamed for past fatalities .
The minister said officers could be suspended on suspicion of racism and that the use of body cameras would be beefed up .
`` Racism has no place in our society and even less in our Republican police .
I will not let the hateful actions of some [ officers ] stigmatise the police as a whole , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I refuse to say that the [ police ] institution is racist , but yes some police officers are racist.
” Though Castaner spoke at length in support of the police , his acknowledgement of racist incidents marked a rare concession from a minister who had so far strenuously denied police malpractice .
It came days after media outlets published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French officers repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality .
“ These things have been known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their eyes or pretended not to see , ” said Reynaud-Paligot , referring to the kind of racist language witnessed in the officers ’ social media exchanges .
She added : “ How could such language coming from civil servants ever be tolerated ?
” ‘ There is no such thing as police violence ’ Closing one 's eyes to rampant racial inequality has long been a favourite escape for French politicians , safe in the knowledge that the Republic ’ s egalitarian ideals preclude any form of prejudice .
Reflecting on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of only a handful of high-ranking black ministers to have served under France ’ s five republics , warned on Sunday that the credibility of French institutions was at stake .
“ We can not allow law enforcement to be decredibilised based on the assumption that racism and abuses [ by the police ] are impossible , ” Taubira told French daily Le Journal du Dimanche .
“ The entire institution ends up tarnished when it feels obliged to cover up racist acts.
” Macron himself was accused of seeking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the height of the Yellow Vest crisis , that “ [ o ] ne can not speak of police violence in a free state governed by the rule of law ” .
Christian Jacob , leader of the conservative Les Républicains party , adopted the same reasoning at the weekend , stating that “ [ t ] here is no such thing as police violence in France , it ’ s a lie ” .
Speaking just a day after Floyd ’ s death by suffocation was captured in chilling footage seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ciotti , a member of Jacob ’ s party , went so far as to call for all journalists and bystanders to be barred from filming police officers in action .
Seldom is this wilful myopia as pronounced as in the field of race — a word so taboo in France ’ s supposedly colour-blind Republican tradition that French lawmakers sought to remove it from the Constitution two years ago .
While France famously doesn ’ t compile official statistics based on faith , ethnicity or skin colour , racial discrimination by law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study conducted by France 's National Centre for Scientific Research has shown that blacks are 11.5 times more likely to be checked by police than whites , and those of Arab origin are seven times more likely .
In a landmark 2016 case , France ’ s highest court ruled for the first time that police had illegally stopped three men based on racial profiling , setting more specific rules to ensure ID checks are not discriminatory .
France ’ s intersecting social and racial inequalities were once again exposed during the nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of Covid-19 .
On the first day of confinement , the Seine-Saint-Denis department northeast of Paris – home to France ’ s poorest and most immigrant-rich districts – accounted for 10 percent of all fines handed out for breaching the lockdown , despite comprising just over two percent of the country ’ s population .
Over the subsequent weeks , videos of heavy-handed and racially-charged arrests circulated widely on French social media , prompting outrage .
“ There is a real problem of systemic racism in the police and it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anouar , a member of the left-wing police union VIGI , in an interview with FRANCE 24 .
But “ when you try to denounce it , they [ the institution ] pounce on you at the slightest faux pas ” , he added , noting that he had been threatened with a two-year suspension for reporting racist taunts to the police ’ s internal inspectorate .
Writing on The Conversation , Jacques de Maillard , a professor of political science at the University of Versailles and Saint-Quentin ( UVSQ ) , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States “ offers us a mirror — but one that we refuse to look into ” .
“ To say that French police is not racist simply because it is republican is to dodge the key question : there is a problem of discrimination towards minorities , ” de Maillard wrote .
“ To deny this problem , is to preclude any chance of finding an answer .
”

Spurred into action by the global movement of protest against racism and brutality in the police, France’s government on Monday cautiously began to acknowledge and address abuses that experts say have long been obvious to anyone who cared to look.
A protester stands in front of French gendarmes at a rally against police violence on place de la Concorde in Paris on June 6, 2020.
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On the eve of his extraordinary election to the French presidency, Emmanuel Macron, France’s youngest leader since Napoleon, promised to lead an “uncompromising” fight against police violence and impunity.
“I want to change the culture, the management and the recruitment of French police,” the future president told news website Mediapart on May 5, 2017, ahead of his victorious run-off against the far right’s Marine Le Pen.
“When there is manifestly a problem, the police hierarchy must be challenged,” he added.
Three years on, the only tangible change is the widened gulf between French police and large swathes of the public.
Throughout 2019, fierce clashes between riot police and Yellow Vest protesters shed light on the fearsome weaponry and tactics used by law enforcement in France. More recently, the focus has shifted back to the festering issue of police racism and brutality in the immigrant-rich suburbs of France’s largest cities, on the heels of the global protest movement triggered by the George Floyd killing in the US.
On Monday, Jacques Toubon, France's human rights ombudsman, raised the alarm over a "crisis of public confidence in the security forces". In a wide-ranging report that makes for grim reading, Toubon urged a reversal of what he described as a "warring mentality" in law enforcement.
‘Yes, some officers are racist’
Defying police orders, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Paris and other French cities last week to protest against police racism and impunity. Demonstrators voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter protests and demanded justice for Adama Traoré, a young black man who, like Floyd, died while in police custody in the Paris suburbs in 2016.
Chanting “No justice, no peace,” the protesters raged against the latest French government to have failed to deliver on promises of police reform.
“Macron’s election promises raised high hopes and expectations, but his silence on such matters has been a big disappointment,” said Carole Reynaud-Paligot, a historian and sociologist at the University of Dijon, who recently curated an exhibition on racism at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris.
Amid mounting pressure, the Elysée presidential palace on Monday said Macron had spoken to cabinet ministers over the weekend, urging them to come up with proposals to improve policing practices — and do so fast.
Hours later, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner unveiled a first batch of measures, including a ban on a controversial chokehold method of arrest that has been blamed for past fatalities. The minister said officers could be suspended on suspicion of racism and that the use of body cameras would be beefed up.
"Racism has no place in our society and even less in our Republican police. I will not let the hateful actions of some [officers] stigmatise the police as a whole,” Castaner told reporters. He added: “I refuse to say that the [police] institution is racist, but yes some police officers are racist.”
Though Castaner spoke at length in support of the police, his acknowledgement of racist incidents marked a rare concession from a minister who had so far strenuously denied police malpractice. It came days after media outlets published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French officers repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality.
“These things have been known for a long time, but people closed their eyes or pretended not to see,” said Reynaud-Paligot, referring to the kind of racist language witnessed in the officers’ social media exchanges. She added: “How could such language coming from civil servants ever be tolerated?”
‘There is no such thing as police violence’
Closing one's eyes to rampant racial inequality has long been a favourite escape for French politicians, safe in the knowledge that the Republic’s egalitarian ideals preclude any form of prejudice.
Reflecting on this tendency, former justice minister Christiane Taubira, one of only a handful of high-ranking black ministers to have served under France’s five republics, warned on Sunday that the credibility of French institutions was at stake.
“We cannot allow law enforcement to be decredibilised based on the assumption that racism and abuses [by the police] are impossible,” Taubira told French daily Le Journal du Dimanche. “The entire institution ends up tarnished when it feels obliged to cover up racist acts.”
Macron himself was accused of seeking to suppress all debate when he argued, at the height of the Yellow Vest crisis, that “[o]ne cannot speak of police violence in a free state governed by the rule of law”.
Christian Jacob, leader of the conservative Les Républicains party, adopted the same reasoning at the weekend, stating that “[t]here is no such thing as police violence in France, it’s a lie”.
Speaking just a day after Floyd’s death by suffocation was captured in chilling footage seen by millions around the world, Eric Ciotti, a member of Jacob’s party, went so far as to call for all journalists and bystanders to be barred from filming police officers in action.
Dodging the racism question
Seldom is this wilful myopia as pronounced as in the field of race — a word so taboo in France’s supposedly colour-blind Republican tradition that French lawmakers sought to remove it from the Constitution two years ago.
While France famously doesn’t compile official statistics based on faith, ethnicity or skin colour, racial discrimination by law enforcement has been widely documented.
A study conducted by France's National Centre for Scientific Research has shown that blacks are 11.5 times more likely to be checked by police than whites, and those of Arab origin are seven times more likely. In a landmark 2016 case, France’s highest court ruled for the first time that police had illegally stopped three men based on racial profiling, setting more specific rules to ensure ID checks are not discriminatory.
More than 20,000 protesters rallied against police brutality outside the Paris courthouse on June 2, 2020. © Benjamin Dodman, FRANCE 24
France’s intersecting social and racial inequalities were once again exposed during the nationwide lockdown imposed in mid-March to stem the spread of Covid-19.
On the first day of confinement, the Seine-Saint-Denis department northeast of Paris – home to France’s poorest and most immigrant-rich districts – accounted for 10 percent of all fines handed out for breaching the lockdown, despite comprising just over two percent of the country’s population. Over the subsequent weeks, videos of heavy-handed and racially-charged arrests circulated widely on French social media, prompting outrage.
“There is a real problem of systemic racism in the police and it’s strangling the population,” said Noam Anouar, a member of the left-wing police union VIGI, in an interview with FRANCE 24. But “when you try to denounce it, they [the institution] pounce on you at the slightest faux pas”, he added, noting that he had been threatened with a two-year suspension for reporting racist taunts to the police’s internal inspectorate.
Writing on The Conversation, Jacques de Maillard, a professor of political science at the University of Versailles and Saint-Quentin (UVSQ), said the long history of discrimination in the United States “offers us a mirror — but one that we refuse to look into”.
“To say that French police is not racist simply because it is republican is to dodge the key question: there is a problem of discrimination towards minorities,” de Maillard wrote. “To deny this problem, is to preclude any chance of finding an answer.”
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france24--2020-06-08--Bail raised to $1.25 million for policeman charged with George Floyd murder

Former police officer Derek Chauvin appeared by videolink in Minneapolis court for the murder of African American George Floyd , whose May 25 death sparked massive protests across the United States Bail for the white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering African American George Floyd , whose death ignited two weeks of protests , was raised by $ 250,000 to $ 1.25 million at a hearing on Monday .
Former officer Derek Chauvin , 44 , has been charged with second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd 's May 25 death in Minneapolis by kneeling on his neck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first court appearance by video link .
He was handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit and sitting at a small table , the Minnesota-based Star Tribune said after the hearing .
Access was limited to a small group of reporters .
Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank argued that the `` severity of the charges '' as well as the strength of public opinion against Chauvin made it more likely that Chauvin would flee if set free , the Star Tribune reported .
Chauvin 's bail was raised to $ 1.25 million from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 1 million from $ 750,000 with conditions , according to a conditional release order signed by Hennepin County District Judge Jeannice Reding .
The conditions include prohibitions against working in law enforcement and contact with Floyd 's family .
Chauvin would also have to surrender any licenses or permits for firearms to qualify for the lower bail amount , the order said .
Chauvin and his attorney did not object to the bail conditions , the Star Tribune reported .
Floyd 's death has triggered the largest nationwide protests in decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies to address\ and inequalities in society .

Bail for the white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering African American George Floyd, whose death ignited two weeks of protests, was raised by $250,000 to $1.25 million at a hearing on Monday.
Former police officer Derek Chauvin appeared by videolink in Minneapolis court for the murder of African American George Floyd, whose May 25 death sparked massive protests across the United States
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Former officer Derek Chauvin, 44, has been charged with second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's May 25 death in Minneapolis by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Chauvin made his first court appearance by video link. He was handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit and sitting at a small table, the Minnesota-based Star Tribune said after the hearing. Access was limited to a small group of reporters.
Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank argued that the "severity of the charges" as well as the strength of public opinion against Chauvin made it more likely that Chauvin would flee if set free, the Star Tribune reported.
Chauvin's bail was raised to $1.25 million from $1 million without conditions, and to $1 million from $750,000 with conditions, according to a conditional release order signed by Hennepin County District Judge Jeannice Reding.
The conditions include prohibitions against working in law enforcement and contact with Floyd's family. Chauvin would also have to surrender any licenses or permits for firearms to qualify for the lower bail amount, the order said.
Chauvin and his attorney did not object to the bail conditions, the Star Tribune reported.
Floyd's death has triggered the largest nationwide protests in decades as demonstrators call for policing reforms and policies to address\ and inequalities in society.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-08--France to ban police chokeholds following protests over George Floyd death

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks in front of the Elysee Palace on May 19 2020 .
France said on Monday it would ban the controversial chokehold method used to detain suspects , after the death in custody of George Floyd in the United States intensified anger over the behaviour of French police .
A wave of global protests in the wake of Floyd 's fatal arrest magnified attention on the 2016 death in French police custody of Adama Traore , a 24-year-old black man , and renewed controversy over claims of racism and brutality within France 's police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday it had received almost 1,500 complaints against officers last year -- half of them for alleged violence .
Seeking to take serious action after a string of protests in recent days , Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the chokehold method `` will be abandoned '' .
`` It will no longer be taught in police and gendarmerie schools .
It is a method that has its dangers , '' he said in a televised press conference , while stressing he would pursue a policy of `` zero tolerance '' for racism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a place in our society and even less in our Republican police , '' said Castaner , adding too many officers `` have failed in their Republican duty '' in recent weeks , with several instances of racist and discriminatory remarks revealed .
`` It is not enough to condemn it , '' said Castaner .
`` We have to track it down and combat it . ''
Earlier on Monday , President Emmanuel Macron urged his government to `` accelerate '' steps to improve police ethics .
The presidency said Macron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philippe on Sunday after some 23,000 people protested in several French cities on Saturday to demand `` justice '' for victims of crimes allegedly committed by police officers .
The French demonstrations started in response to an expert report clearing the three officers who arrested Traore .
This was in spite of one of the officers having told investigators the young man had been pinned to the ground with their combined body weight , and a report commissioned by Traore 's family finding he had died due to the police members ' actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Tuesday to demand justice for Traore and Floyd , defying a coronavirus ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people , followed on Saturday by more protests in several French cities .
Floyd had similarly died after being pinned to the ground while under arrest .
Media outlets last week published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French police members repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality .
The IGPN watchdog said on Monday that complaints against officers rose by nearly a quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months of weekly `` yellow vest '' anti-government protests .
The rallies often sparked tense confrontations that left several officers injured by rioting protesters , but also civilians beaten or struck by rubber bullets .
According to an official count , about 2,500 demonstrators and 1,800 law enforcement agents were injured in yellow vest protests .
Activists say two dozen people lost an eye as police used rubber bullets to rein in the rallies , and five lost a hand to stun grenades .
Just this year , video footage showed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on his back , another tripping a woman , and yet another firing a rubber bullet at point-blank range .
Last month , a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in one eye in a police operation in the poorer northern suburbs of Paris .
He said they struck him .
Macron has instructed Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet to look into Traore 's death , and Castaner to step up measures to `` improve the ethics '' of the police force , the presidency said .
The IGPN report said nearly 40 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police action during protests , and 13 percent during identity checks and 14 percent during detention .
Also on Monday , France 's human rights ombudsman Jacques Toubon raised the alarm over a `` crisis of public confidence in the security forces '' and urged a reversal of what he described as a `` warring mentality '' in law enforcement .

France said on Monday it would ban the controversial chokehold method used to detain suspects, after the death in custody of George Floyd in the United States intensified anger over the behaviour of French police.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks in front of the Elysee Palace on May 19 2020.
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A wave of global protests in the wake of Floyd's fatal arrest magnified attention on the 2016 death in French police custody of Adama Traore, a 24-year-old black man, and renewed controversy over claims of racism and brutality within France's police.
The country's police watchdog said on Monday it had received almost 1,500 complaints against officers last year -- half of them for alleged violence.
Seeking to take serious action after a string of protests in recent days, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the chokehold method "will be abandoned".
"It will no longer be taught in police and gendarmerie schools. It is a method that has its dangers," he said in a televised press conference, while stressing he would pursue a policy of "zero tolerance" for racism in law enforcement.
"Racism does not have a place in our society and even less in our Republican police," said Castaner, adding too many officers "have failed in their Republican duty" in recent weeks, with several instances of racist and discriminatory remarks revealed.
"It is not enough to condemn it," said Castaner. "We have to track it down and combat it."
Earlier on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron urged his government to "accelerate" steps to improve police ethics.
The presidency said Macron had met Castaner and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Sunday after some 23,000 people protested in several French cities on Saturday to demand "justice" for victims of crimes allegedly committed by police officers.
'Crisis of confidence'
The French demonstrations started in response to an expert report clearing the three officers who arrested Traore.
This was in spite of one of the officers having told investigators the young man had been pinned to the ground with their combined body weight, and a report commissioned by Traore's family finding he had died due to the police members' actions.
Some 20,000 people rallied in Paris last Tuesday to demand justice for Traore and Floyd, defying a coronavirus ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people, followed on Saturday by more protests in several French cities.
Floyd had similarly died after being pinned to the ground while under arrest.
Media outlets last week published the contents of a private Facebook group on which French police members repeatedly used racist and sexist terms and mocked victims of police brutality.
The IGPN watchdog said on Monday that complaints against officers rose by nearly a quarter last year, when police were deployed for months of weekly "yellow vest" anti-government protests.
The rallies often sparked tense confrontations that left several officers injured by rioting protesters, but also civilians beaten or struck by rubber bullets.
According to an official count, about 2,500 demonstrators and 1,800 law enforcement agents were injured in yellow vest protests.
Activists say two dozen people lost an eye as police used rubber bullets to rein in the rallies, and five lost a hand to stun grenades.
Just this year, video footage showed a riot officer punching a bloodied protester held down on his back, another tripping a woman, and yet another firing a rubber bullet at point-blank range.
Last month, a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in one eye in a police operation in the poorer northern suburbs of Paris. He said they struck him.
Macron has instructed Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet to look into Traore's death, and Castaner to step up measures to "improve the ethics" of the police force, the presidency said.
The IGPN report said nearly 40 percent of cases reported last year arose from police action during protests, and 13 percent during identity checks and 14 percent during detention.
Also on Monday, France's human rights ombudsman Jacques Toubon raised the alarm over a "crisis of public confidence in the security forces" and urged a reversal of what he described as a "warring mentality" in law enforcement.
(AFP)
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