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Sahel force fighting terrorism faces growing threat

Mauritania’s foreign minister said Friday the five-nation African force fighting terrorism in the Sahel is facing a growing security threat sweeping the region that is not only local but a global problem that demands an international response. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, whose country holds the presidency of the G5 Sahel force, told the U.N. Security Council the security situation “is deteriorating visibly and with rare constancy” as a result of a “diabolical alliance of terrorist and drug trafficking groups,” with violence spreading every day to new territories. Leaders of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger launched the joint force in 2017 with support from the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union.

No 'silver lining': Trump faces voter backlash amid crises

At the end of one of his most turbulent weeks in office, President Donald Trump was eager on Friday to boast of a better than expected jobs report to argue the country is poised for a booming recovery. Benjamin Lund was not moved. The 45-year-old Milwaukee man is a longtime Republican who was raised in a conservative family in the political battleground of Wisconsin.

Turning grief into change, movement targets racial injustice

Momentum for what many hope is a sustained movement aimed at tackling racial injustice and police reforms promised to grow Saturday as more protesters filled streets around the world and mourners prepared to gather in the U.S. for a second memorial service for George Floyd, who died a dozen days ago at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Formal and impromptu memorials to Floyd over the last several days have stretched from Minneapolis to Paris, Rome and Johannesburg, South Africa. In North Carolina, where he was born, a public viewing and private service for family was planned Saturday.

Japan advocate for daughter, others abducted to NKorea dies

Shigeru Yokota, a Japanese campaigner for the return of his daughter and more than a dozen others who were abducted to North Korea in the 1970s, has died. Megumi disappeared in 1977 on her way home from her a junior high school in Niigata on Japan's northern coast when she was 13. A former Central Bank official, Yokota, and his wife kept looking for Megumi and found out 20 years later that she had been abducted to North Korea by its agents.

Biden formally clinches Democratic presidential nomination

Joe Biden has formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest. “It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded," Biden said in a statement Friday night, ”and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party." The former vice president has effectively been his party's leader since his last challenger in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April.

Black Lives Matter protests mostly peaceful in Australia

Black Lives Matter protests across Australia on Saturday proceeded mostly peacefully as thousands of demonstrators in state capitals honored the memory of George Floyd and protested the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody. Organizers of the Sydney protest got a late reprieve when their appeal against a Friday ruling declaring the rally unauthorized was granted. It appeared to be a moot point as up to 1,000 protesters had already gathered in the Town Hall area of downtown Sydney ahead of the decision.

Biden formally clinches Democratic presidential nomination

Joe Biden formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Friday, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest. “It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded," Biden said in a statement Friday night, ”and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party." The former vice president has effectively been his party's leader since his last challenger in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April.

AP PHOTOS: Images of calm emerge after days of protests

Amid the anger, violence and grief evident in the massive protests shaking the country after the death of George Floyd, images of calm are beginning to emerge as the mood shifts to more peaceful calls for change.

On patrol with Kenya's locust hunters

Kenya faces a race against time to tackle the swarms as the end of the insects' breeding season clashes with harvests.

Barr says he didn’t give tactical order to clear protesters

Attorney General William Barr says law enforcement officers were already moving to push back protesters from a park in front of the White House when he arrived there Monday evening, and he says he did not give a command to disperse the crowd, though he supported the decision. Barr’s comments in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday were his most detailed explanation yet of what unfolded outside the White House earlier this week. Shortly after officers aggressively pushed back demonstrators, President Donald Trump — accompanied by Barr, Pentagon leaders and other top advisers — walked through Lafayette Park to pose for a photo at a nearby church that had been damaged during the protests.

Al-Qaeda chief in north Africa Abdelmalek Droukdel killed - France

Abdelmalek Droukdel was killed in an operation in northern Mali, Defence Minister Parly says.

Trump evokes Floyd after hailing strong jobs report

President Donald Trump on Friday declared it was “a great day” for George Floyd as he discussed a strong jobs report for the country and efforts to bring about racial equality. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, said Trump’s comments about Floyd were “despicable.” Trump's comments about Floyd came as he shifted from discussing a drop in the unemployment rate to say everyone deserved “equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement, regardless of race, color, gender or creed.”

French forces kill al-Qaida's North African commander

French forces have killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of al-Qaida’s North Africa affiliate, the France’s defense minister announced late Friday, in what would be a major victory for France after years of battling jihadists in the Sahel. There was no immediate confirmation of his death from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM, which has made millions of dollars abducting foreigners for ransom over the years and made large swaths of West Africa too dangerous for aid groups to access. French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted that Droukdel and several of his allies were killed Wednesday in northern Mali by French forces and their partners.

Sahel armies accused of disappearances and killings, raising alarm

Accusations of alleged forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are mounting against national armies in the Sahel, worrying their allies in the fight against jihadist insurgents in the semi-desert African region. The Sahel has seen years of conflict with Islamic militants, who first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 before sweeping into the centre of the country, and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Worries from allies such as the United Nations and former colonial power France about the conduct of Sahel soldiers are not new.

Iran FM throws ball back in Trump's court on nuclear deal

Iran's foreign minister Friday threw the ball back into the US president's court on reaching a new nuclear agreement, after the two countries carried out a prisoner swap. President Donald Trump had voiced hope for progress with Iran a day earlier, after the Islamic republic released a US Navy veteran and the United States freed two Iranians. "Thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!" Trump had tweeted.

Russia Declares State Of Emergency Over Arctic Oil Spill

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency Wednesday after a massive diesel fuel spill in a Siberian river causing more than an estimated $76 million in damage to waterways above the Arctic Circle, reports The Moscow Times. Cleaning operations were still underway on Friday.What Happened? It is estimated that 20,000 tonnes of diesel leaked into the Ambarnaya River near the Siberian city of Norilsk on May 29. The spill has been traced to a power plant owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel that produces nickel and palladium.The supports under a diesel storage tank gave way, resulting in a severe leak, according to the company, which added that prior inspections of the supports revealed no cause for concern. The Norilsk Nickel Twitter account has been sharing updates on the cleaning operation.Previous inspections of the supports revealed no cause for concern. "I think decontamination will cost Nornickel billions of roubles, but I'm speaking not as a businessman, but as a human being concerned about the situation: whatever the cost, we will pay it," Nornickel CEO Vladimir Potanin in a televised call with Russian president Putin.What's Next? So far several rescue teams have been sent including a group from the Ministry of Emergencies and another from the Maritime and River Transport Agency to assist with cleaning up the spill.Nornickel said in a Friday update that 6,730 tonnes of contaminated soil has been removed and 400 tonnes of diesel has been collected in the vicinity of the Combined Heat and Power Plant 3 and 6,500 square metres of river bank has been treated with sorbents.Related Links:USO Tanks After Oil ETF's Temporary Trading HaltOil Prices Rebound, Analyst Says Market Faces Tsunami Of SurplusSee more from Benzinga * WTI Oil Trades Higher, But Demand For Brent Muted, Says Commodities Analyst * Oil Analyst Expects US, Canada To Help Balance Market, Dampen Prices * Slump In Crude Oil Continues To Attract Speculative Buying, Says Strategist(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Black cops feel pain of Floyd's death, duty to their uniform

Black police officers find themselves torn between two worlds: They feel the pain of seeing yet another black man killed at the hands of fellow officers, yet they must also try to keep the peace during angry protests fueled by that death. The 46-year-old black man died in Minneapolis after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air as other officers watched. “My emotion, my fervor is no less than those people on the streets," said New York City police Detective Felicia Richards, who is black.

Trump's use of religion follows playbook of authoritarian-leaning leaders the world over

It was a striking moment: Donald Trump, Bible in hand, posing for photos in an apparent moment of political theater made possible by the dispersal of protesters through the use of tear gas.The president’s visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church, known as “the Church of the Presidents,” came immediately after giving a Rose Garden speech framing himself as “your president of law and order” and threatening to send federal troops to “restore security and safety in America.” The next day, Trump made another high-profile visit to a place of worship, this time Washington’s St. John Paul II National Shrine. Coming at a time of social turbulence, critics accused Trump of following authoritarian-leaning world leaders by sidling up to religion to reinforce an image as a strongman defending a particular brand of tradition. Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington Mariann Budde said as much, commenting that Trump used the Bible at St. John’s “as if it were a prop or an extension of his military and authoritarian position.”As a scholar who has researched the interaction of politics and faith for decades, I know how potent religion can be as a political tool. A powerful toolReligion creates meaning in our lives by articulating values about how we relate to one another. But just as it can unite us, religion can also be a source of division – used to “other” people who are not of the faith and don’t share the same traditions and rituals.When enough people perceive – or can be convinced – that traditional elements of the social fabric are at risk, religious signaling through the use of symbols and images can help would-be authoritarians cement their power. They present themselves as protectors of the faith and foes of any outsider who threatens tradition. In Russia, this phenomenon is seen in President Vladimir Putin’s forging of a strategic alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church. For his part, Putin presents himself not just as a commanding leader, but also as a devoutly religious Russian. When he appears shirtless, for example, the large cross he wears around his neck is always visible. Meanwhile, the Church promotes traditional moral values and maintains a distance from the rest of the worldwide Orthodox Christian community, thereby separating the “truly Russian” from the outsider. In their most recent collaboration, Putin and the Church proposed amendments to the Russian constitution that would enshrine Russians’ faith in God, define marriage as the union of a man and a woman and, tellingly, proclaim “the great achievement of the [Russian] people in defense of the Fatherland.” These changes, all of which are intended to reinforce Putin’s base of support, would be jarringly nationalistic additions to the constitution.Putin benefits from this insider-outsider dynamic in advancing his goal of restoring Russia to his vision of its past territorial glory. In justifying the Russian incursion into Crimea, Putin argued that the region had “sacral importance for Russia, like the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for the followers of Islam and Judaism.” Defending and expanding Russian territory is a much easier sell if it is framed as the defense of the holy. Religious imageryWe see a similar dynamic in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power relies in large part on his embrace of a version of Hindu nationalism that elevates Hindus as “truly Indian” insiders and singles out Muslims as outsiders.Like Putin, Modi wraps himself in religious imagery. He makes high-profile visits to remote Hindu temples while electioneering and never wears green because of its association with Islam.Modi’s Hindu nationalism cements his popularity among devout Hindus and builds public support for anti-Muslim policies, such as stripping the only majority-Muslim state in India of its autonomy and enacting a controversial new law preventing Muslim migrants from attaining Indian citizenship. Trump as saviorTrump has stumbled in attempts to portray himself as personally devout, declining to name a favorite passage from the Bible and stating that he has never sought forgiveness from God for his sins. Nevertheless, public opinion polls have consistently shown that white Christians comprise the core of Trump’s base, although there are recent signs of a dip even among this key group. And while it is important to note that many white Christians do not support Trump, 29% of evangelicals go so far as to say they believe he is anointed by God.Where Trump succeeds is in presenting himself as a Christian nationalist, much as Putin and Modi style themselves as the stout defenders of their countries’ dominant religions.One way Trump achieves this end is by making statements such as this one on the campaign trail earlier this year: “We’re going to win another monumental victory for faith and family, God and country, flag and freedom.”In their new book “Taking America Back for God,” sociologists Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry contend that many of Trump’s white Christian supporters see him as their long-awaited savior – not just the protector of traditional religion, but also the defender of a bygone way of life.In that imagined past, white men ruled the roost, families went to church every Sunday and outsiders knew their place. A deep-rooted desire for a return to that past may have been why Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan has proved so potent. As Yale scholar Philip Gorski has argued, that phrase can be interpreted to mean “making white Christianity culturally dominant again.”As such, we should not be surprised that in the current moment of crisis Trump is attempting to use religion to reinforce differences between his supporters and his opponents. Like Putin, he is posing as the defender of a particular version of a glorious past. And echoing Modi, he is doing this by building support through the denigration of the outsider.[Insight, in your inbox each day. You can get it with The Conversation’s email newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Dear Mr Trump: the Bible has a long history as a symbol of protest, so don’t use it as a sign of repression * A justification for unrest? Look no further than the Bible and the Founding FathersLaura R. Olson was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Italy during the spring of 2020.

US shares UN embargo bid on Iran with Russia

The United States said Friday it had shared a draft UN resolution with rival Russia that aims to extend an arms embargo on Iran that expires in October. Moscow has already voiced opposition to prolonging the ban on conventional arms sales to Tehran, with Russian firms expecting to conclude major deals if restrictions end. Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said Washington had shared a draft resolution on the extension with Russia as well as Western allies Britain, France, Germany and Estonia which are all on the 15-nation Security Council.

North Korea threatens to shut liaison office with South over cross-border leaflets

"The latest events have strengthened our conclusion that an enemy is just an enemy," North Korea's ruling Workers' Party said in a statement.

UN nuclear watchdog has 'serious concern' at Iran denying inspections

Iran has now accumulated enriched uranium at nearly eight times the limit of a 2015 deal and has for months blocked inspections at sites where historic nuclear activity may have occurred, the UN watchdog said Friday. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted "with serious concern that, for over four months, Iran has denied access to the Agency... to two locations," according to an IAEA report seen by AFP. The report said the IAEA has questions as to the possible "use or storage of nuclear material" at the two sites and that one of them "may have been used for the processing and conversion of uranium ore including fluorination in 2003".

Don't Be So Quick to Attack Moon Jae-in's North Korea Leaflet Decision

Or, for that matter, his North Korea strategy overall. It is easy for Moon’s opponents to criticize his efforts, but far more treacherous for them to come up with a policy that has a higher probability of success.

Pandemic accelerates Mormon missionaries' transition online

Wearing dress shirts, ties and name tags, three missionaries with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sit around the kitchen table inside a Utah apartment planning how they'll spread their gospel that day. With that, the young men have their Facebook post for the day. This is what missionary work looks like during the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced the Utah-based faith widely known as the Mormon church to accelerate its online outreach.

UN experts condemn modern-day ‘racial terror’ lynchings in US

Monitors made direct link between police killings of unarmed black American men and racial lynchings in segregation era * George Floyd killing – latest US updates * See all our George Floyd coverageA group of 66 United Nations human rights monitors have issued a devastating critique of what they call modern-day “racial terror” lynchings in the US in the form of state-sponsored police violence against black Americans.The group released two joint statements on Friday, prompted by the wave of protests against police brutality that has swept the nation in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.The action marks an almost unparalleled outpouring of criticism by the UN’s independent body of human rights experts. Rarely have so many come together to speak as one voice. The language they deploy is also highly unusual in its excoriating critique of what the monitors state is the “fundamental racial inequality and discrimination that characterize life in the United States for black people”.Most piercingly, the experts make a direct link between police killings of unarmed African American men today with the spate of thousands of racial lynchings that terrorized black communities in the era of segregation.“African Americans continue to experience racial terror in state-sponsored and privately organized violence … In the US, this legacy of racial terror remains evident in modern-day policing.”The authors, who have sent an official complaint to the US government via diplomats in Geneva, also specifically refer to the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man in Georgia. He was allegedly chased down by three white men and shot three times as he was out jogging.On Thursday, a court heard that the white man accused of wielding the pump-action shotgun that killed Arbery used the N-word as he stood over the victim’s body.“The last few moments of Ahmaud’s life involved pursuit by a lynching party identical to the lynching parties of the Jim Crow era,” the UN monitors write. They add that the video showing white men “chase, corner and execute a young man who was out jogging, evoke the very terror that the lynching regime in the US was intended to inspire”.The group of 66 experts, known as “special rapporteurs” in the UN system, also have unbridled words for Donald Trump. They heavily criticize his threat to deploy the US military against peaceful protesters as well as his glorification of violence in a tweet in which he said “when the looting starts, shooting starts”.The UN monitors state: “The response of the president of the United States to the protests has included threatening more state violence using language directly associated with racial segregationists from the nation’s past. We are deeply concerned the nation is on the brink of a militarized response that re-enacts the injustices that have driven people to the streets to protest.”The signatories include more than two-thirds of human rights watchdogs who form the backbone of the UN’s monitoring of human rights abuses around the globe. They include Agnès Callamard, who acts as observer on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Tendayi Achiume, the special rapporteur on racism and xenophobia; Felipe González, on the human rights of migrants; and Nils Melzer, on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.Callamard told the Guardian that the joint statement came at a critical time for the UN. “There has never been a more urgent moment for us, UN independent experts, to stand together, speak together and act together. I cannot think of more crucial issues than those we are confronting as a global community.”The joint statements raise powerful concerns about other aspects of modern life in America. They say there are “significant rule of law concerns” in the way the current crop of anti-police brutality protests have themselves been policed with many incidents of teargassing of peaceful protesters.They also note that the coronavirus pandemic has ripped through African American and Latino communities in the US, producing a death rate three times that of white people. They also point to “staggering police and military budgets” at a time where healthcare, education, housing and pollution prevention are all suffering depleted resources.The UN monitors propose a series of profound reforms to policing in America, including the appointment of civilian oversight boards, mandatory use of body cameras and an end to the provision of military equipment to police forces.“This is a time for action and not just talk,” they say, “especially from those who need not fear for their lives or their livelihoods because of their race or ethnicity.”

Coronavirus: Madagascar minister fired over $2m lollipop order

Rijasoa Andriamanana said pupils would be given lollipops to mask the taste of a coronavirus "cure".

DC paints huge Black Lives Matter mural near White House

The city of Washington capped nearly a week of demonstrations against police brutality Friday by painting the words Black Lives Matter in enormous bright yellow letters on the street leading to the White House, a highly visible display of the local government's embrace of protests that has put it further at odds with President Donald Trump. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the painting by city workers and local artists that spans two blocks is intended to send a message of support and solidarity to Americans outraged over the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. It comes as the mayor has sparred with Trump over the response to the protests and as D.C. prepared for a demonstration on Saturday that was expected to bring tens of thousands of people into a city still under coronavirus restrictions.

North Korea threatens to shut liaison office with South

In the latest blow for inter-Korean cooperation, North Korea threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border. The statement by North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party late Friday came a day after the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said her country would end a military agreement reached with South Korea in 2018 to reduce tensions if Seoul fails to stop the activists.

Minneapolis bans police chokeholds in wake of Floyd's death

Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban chokeholds and neck restraints by police and to require officers to try to stop any other officers they see using improper force, in the first concrete steps to remake the city's police force since George Floyd's death. The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of Floyd.

Peru is running out of oxygen for COVID-19 patients

In the far stretch of northern Peru where the family lives, medicinal oxygen to treat the coronavirus has become a scarce commodity. “It’s the greatest desperation in the world,” said her daughter, 39-year-old Fiorella Sorroza. Long neglected hospitals are running empty.

Brexit Trade Talks In Deadlock, 'Progress Remains Limited'

The United Kingdom and European Union Brexit trade talks are in a deadlock, with both sides criticizing each other's negotiation stance.'Progress Remains Limited' Between UK, EU The U.K. officially left the EU Jan. 31, but the transition period lasts until Dec. 31, which means U.K. is still bound to some EU rules. This is the fourth round of Brexit negotiations between London and Brussels.On Friday, Michael Barnier, the EU chief negotiator said: "in all areas, the U.K. continues to backtrack on the commitments it has undertaken."Barnier says the U.K. doesn't want to talk about "cooperation on foreign policy, development and defence ... I still don't understand why?"U.K. chief negotiator David Frost has also said "progress remains limited."Brexit Overshadowed By Pandemic The U.K. and the EU have had to deal with the global coronavirus pandemic, which has seen Brexit trade negotiations fall to the wayside. "The Brexit issue, like so much else, has fallen under the radar due to the COVID19 crisis, but negotiations are going on, albeit slowly," said Per Hammarlund, chief emerging markets strategist at SEB AB in Stockholm.Before the end of June, a decision needs to be made as to whether the transition period should be extended by two years to allow more time for negotiations of the final agreement, adds Hammarlund.UK, EU Stuck In Messy Divorce Negotiations "Today, negotiators of the divorce agreement should have been ready with a proposal for such an extension, but it appears as if they have hit a wall," says Hammarlund.In exchange for an agreement, the EU wants the U.K. to continue to follow some of the EU rules to ensure a level playing field and for the European Court of Justice to have jurisdiction in the U.K, adds the analyst.FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga said the clock is "dangerously ticking closer" to the June 30 extension deadline, increasing fears over a no-deal Brexit. "Given how the coronavirus chaos has exposed the UK economy to downside shocks with a technical recession on the horizon, more drama and uncertainty around Brexit is the last thing the economy needs," adds Otunuga.The analyst expects the British Pound to remain vulnerable, depressed and unloved as Brexit fears and growth concerns haunt investor attraction toward the currency. Fishing Rights Brussels and London disagree on fishing rights, security and governance.The U.K. is resisting EU demands for continued long-term access to British waters. The EU wants fishing rights in British waters."There have been no significant areas of progress" on fishing, "economic fair play, trade fair play" or governance, said the EU's Barnier. He adds the UK-EU talks can't "go on like this forever."SEB's Hammarlund said that none of this is acceptable to the British. "Now everyone hopes that a scheduled meeting between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen later this month will be able to resolve the knots." British fishermen have argued that joining Europe led to the decimation of the fishing industry and now see a golden opportunity to right that wrong, according to Foreign Policy.What's Next Talks between the U.K. and the EU are set to continue Oct. 31 when the two hope to find "some common ground" and come to an agreement.Related Links:Brexit Update: Coronavirus Creates Further Uncertainty Over UK Trade AgreementA Brexit Recap: What's Next?See more from Benzinga * ECB Doubles Pandemic Bond-Buying Program, Investors Watch Europe With Interest * Brexit Update: Coronavirus Creates Further Uncertainty Over UK Trade Agreement * European Union Sets Out 750-Billion-Euro Coronavirus Recovery Plan(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Buffalo officers suspended in shoving of 75-year-old man

Dozens of Buffalo police officers stepped down from the department's crowd control unit Friday, objecting to the suspensions of two fellow officers in the shoving of a 75-year-old protester who fell and cracked his head. Prosecutors were investigating the encounter captured by a TV crew Thursday night near the conclusion of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8 p.m. curfew.

Women's Lingerie Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type ; Material ; Distribution Channel ; and Geography

The global women's lingerie market was valued at US$ 35,169.4 million in 2018 and is projected to reach US$ 77,894.8 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2019 to 2027. The word lingerie is a term taken from the French language, meaning undergarments, and used specifically for more lightweight items of female undergarments. The original French word is derived from the old French word lingerie, meaning linen. The fast changing consumer preferences for fashionable and unique apparel products in today's day is driving the women's lingerie market globally.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908676/?utm_source=PRN Lingerie is a category of women's clothing, including undergarments (mostly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes.The lingerie concept is a visually appealing undergarment, which was developed during the late nineteenth century.The word 'lingerie' is often motivated by an intention to imply the garments are alluring and fashionable.The fast development of information technology and globalization is leading the entire world by providing information about the latest and trending products available in the market.On account of this, shoppers associated with lingerie market are aware of the latest global fashion trends.Furthermore, the growing influence of social media is also accelerating the changes in consumer preference of apparel products such as lingerie items.As wide range of customers prefer buying products online to save their time, most of the market players display and sell their products in an online platform to increase their customer base. Branded apparel companies are also focused on introducing innovative lingerie items as per the changing fashion trend and consumer demands. These factors are positively impacting the women's lingerie market.Based on type, the women's lingerie market is segmented into brassiere, knickers or panties, shape wear, and others.In 2018, brassiere or bra held the largest market share.There are different types of bra available in the market that are suitable for different body and breast shapes, and also for different occasions.Manufacturers produce different variety of brassieres that serve a variety of purposes by using various kinds of materials such as cotton, satin, silk, nylon, and many others.Bras or brassiere can enhance the perceived shape of a woman's breasts, restrain breast movement during activities such as exercise, minimize or enlarge the perceived breast size, overcome breast sagging, and others.Most bras are particularly designed to be form-fitting, to lift the breasts off the chest wall if they sag, and to restrain their movement.Swimsuits, camisoles, and backless dresses have built-in breast support coupled with supportive bra cups. Nursing bras are designed for moms to facilitate breastfeeding. Availability of different styles of brassiere for different purposes is expected to drive the growth of women's lingerie market.Europe held the largest share of the global women's lingerie market.The trend of fancy and fashionable lingerie among female population is driving the market growth in the country.Additionally, the demand for comfortable and functional lingerie is growing among the customers, especially working females, thus encouraging manufacturers to innovate a new range of fabrics such as nylon, polyester, satin, lace, sheer, spandex, silk, and cotton for lingerie manufacturing.Consumers are more attracted to color, fabric, and style, which is encouraging the manufacturers to introduce trendy lingerie suitable for various activities.Lingerie designers are emphasizing on creating products with luxurious materials, embroidery, brighter hues, and lace which is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.Gap Inc., Triumph International, Hanesbrands Inc., Jockey International, Inc., Hunkemöller International B.V., MAS Holdings, PVH Corp., L-Brands, Chantelle Group, Hanky Panky are among the major companies operating in the global women's lingerie market. These market players focus on providing fancy and trendy women's lingerie products with various grades and superior properties. The companies have realized the immense potential pertaining to women's lingerie products and were highly involved in market initiatives, new product development, investment scenario and other strategies. For instance, in February 2020, Hanes Brands has added its successful DreamWire bra innovation into its third brand with the launch of Bali.Coronavirus outbreak first began in Wuhan (China) during December 2019 and since then it has spread at a fast pace across the globe.As of May 2020, China, Italy, Iran, Spain, republic of Korea, France, Germany, and the US are some of the worst affected countries in terms of confirmed cases and reported deaths.According to the latest WHO figures, there are ~ 5,728,642 confirmed cases and 353,692 total deaths globally.The COVID-19 has been affecting economies and industries in various countries due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns.The global fashion and apparel industry is one of the major industries that is facing serious disruptions such as supply chain breaks, office shutdowns, shutdown of malls, shops, retail stores or brand stores etc. as a result of this outbreak. For instance, China is the global hub of manufacturing and largest raw material supplier for various industries and it is also one of the worst affected countries. The lockdown of various plants and factories in China is affecting the global supply chains and negatively impacting the manufacturing, delivery schedules, and sales of various goods including apparel. Various companies have already announced possible delays in product deliveries and slump in future sales of their products. Additionally, the global travel bans imposed by countries in Europe, Asia, and North America are affecting the business collaborations and partnerships opportunities. All these factors are anticipated to affect the fashion and apparel industry in a negative manner and thus act as restraining factor for the growth of various markets related to this industry in the coming months.Overall size of the global women's lingerie market has been derived using primary and secondary sources.The research process begins with extensive secondary research using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the global women's lingerie market.Additionally, multiple primary interviews were conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate and analyze the data. The participants who take part in such a process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, and external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specialized in the women's lingerie market.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908676/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001

EU, UK to step up Brexit talks despite limited progress

Brussels and London pledged Friday to step up the pace of Brexit trade talks to try to strike a deal by the end of October, after the latest round of negotiations ended with no major breakthrough. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier accused Britain of backtracking on divorce terms agreed last year as he reported "no significant progress" in four days of talks held by videolink because of coronavirus. Britain left the EU on January 31 and is now in a transition period until December 31, when it will leave the bloc's single market and customs union -- with or without a trade deal.

Former Labour MP Frank Field set to become a peer after Jeremy Corbyn's three candidates blocked

Veteran ex-Labour MP Frank Field is being lined up for a seat in the House of Lords after Jeremy Corbyn's three candidates were blocked by the Lords watchdog. Mr Field, who quit the Labour Party in 2018 over anti-Semitism and left Parliament at last December's general election, is set to take a seat in the Lords when a longlist of new peers is finally unveiled. The news will be an embarrassment for ex-Labour leader Mr Corbyn, who has seen his three candidates – Tom Watson, John Bercow and Carrie Murphy – blocked by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The announcement of dozens of new mainly Conservative peers has been delayed by the election, the Brexit crisis and now the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Field sat as an MP in the House of Commons from 1979 to 2019, winning widespread support across the House for his championing of the rights of the poor and welfare reform. Sources have told The Telegraph that his name is on a list of new peers. He is expected to sit as a crossbench peer and was nominated six months ago before he fought and lost his Birkenhead seat as an independent candidate in December's election. Mr Field, who has been advertising for a researcher to assist with his work on modern slavery and social mobility, declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph.

Iran daily virus cases drop back to under 3,000

The number of daily new coronavirus cases in Iran has fallen back to under 3,000, the health ministry said Friday, a day after hitting a new peak. Authorities registered 2,886 new cases of infection, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said, bringing the total number to 167,156 since the start of the outbreak in February. There has been some scepticism at home and abroad about Iran's official figures, with concerns the real toll could be much higher.

Senior Chinese diplomat warns of 'consequences' of UK plan to offer HongKongers path to citizenship

A senior Chinese diplomat has warned the UK there will be "consequences" if it goes ahead with plans to offer millions of Hongkongers the chance of citizenship. China's recently voted in a controversial security law for Hong Kong which critics say will strip the territory of its autonomy. In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the UK is ready to open the door to almost three million Hong Kong citizens if China presses ahead with the law by effectively upgrading the status of British National (Overseas) passports to grant immigration rights beyond the current six-month limit. But Chen Wen, Minister and First Staff Member of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, told the BBC that there will be "consequences" if the UK goes ahead with this, although she said it was not a threat. "Let's wait and see, there will be consequences, that's for sure," she said. Separately, Lord Chris Patten, the last colonial governor of Hong Kong, called on the UK and like-minded nations to band together to defend against pressure from China and “reset” global relations with Beijing. The ruling Chinese Communist Party should not be allowed to “get away indefinitely with bullying and hectoring and breaking the rules,” Mr Patten said Friday. It sets “a very, very bad historical precedent if you allow the schoolyard bully to bully you one at a time.” Instead, nations should decide together that “we don’t deal with this nasty regime,” he said, denouncing leader “Xi Jinping and his mafioso” for shrinking freedoms in Hong Kong. But “it does mean we have to work together.” Mr Patten also urged the UK to review its policies in trade, investment, education and more and devise a plan “to make sure that in these areas China keeps its word, and also try to decide on those areas where we’ve gone too far in being dependent on China.” He has previously called for a United Nations special envoy to be appointed to defend human rights in Hong Kong.

U.S. Navy veteran released from Iran thanks Trump

Michael White, a U.S. Navy veteran released after being imprisoned in Iran for nearly two years, has expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump as he headed back to the United States. “I want to extend my personal thanks to President Trump for his efforts both diplomatically and otherwise,” he told Fox News on the airport tarmac in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday evening before heading on to the U.S. White’s release follows months of indirect communication between Washington and Tehran over American prisoners via the Swiss government, NBC News previously reported.

Chinese Hackers Target Email Accounts of Biden Campaign Staff, Google Says

WASHINGTON -- Chinese hackers are targeting the personal email accounts of campaign staff members working for former Vice President Joe Biden, Google said Thursday, while confirming previous reports that Iran has targeted President Donald Trump's campaign.In disclosing the attempts, Google's chief of threat analysis, Shane Huntley, who oversees the tracking of state-sponsored, sophisticated hacking, said there was no evidence yet that the Chinese hackers had pierced Biden's campaign. The attacks appear to be conventional spear-phishing attacks, similar to the Russian breach of John Podesta's personal emails in 2016, when he was Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman.But Google's announcement Thursday underscored the fact that during the 2020 election, Russian hackers, who combined hacking and disinformation in the last presidential election cycle, will not be alone. Even before Google's announcement -- posted on Twitter -- security experts warned that Russian hackers would be joined by those from other American adversaries.Biden's campaign said in a statement that "we are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of campaign staff."It added: "We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them. Biden for President takes cybersecurity seriously, we will remain vigilant against these threats, and will ensure that the campaign's assets are secured."The motivations for such attempts could be many. China already has major espionage assets aimed at the Trump administration and other parts of the U.S. government, so going after the president's campaign infrastructure may be redundant -- and less interesting than anything that can be elicited from the Defense Department, the State Department or U.S. intelligence agencies.But Biden's views on China, which have evolved as tensions with Beijing have risen, are more of a mystery to Chinese intelligence.And if Biden wins, any success at piercing the emails of his top aides could be useful, especially during a transition of power. Google, Microsoft and other companies have offered campaigns help in securing both their official and their private accounts, and in enrolling staff members in security programs that are often used by journalists, aid workers or government officials.Google has alerted Gmail users to state-sponsored email threats with automated warnings in recent years, but in this case Google employees personally briefed Biden's campaign on what they called a "high priority" threat in virtual meetings Thursday, according to two people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to discuss them publicly.The Chinese interest in campaigns is not new. In 2008, Justice Department and FBI officials approached Barack Obama's campaign -- at a time when Biden was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and running for vice president -- and told the campaign it had been penetrated by Chinese hackers. The same hacking groups went after Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee.But this time far more is at stake. The relationship between Beijing and Washington has never been more tense since relations between the two countries opened nearly five decades ago. And Trump and Biden are in a match to declare which one will be tougher on Beijing over its failures to report quickly about the coronavirus, its new security laws in Hong Kong, its declaration of exclusive territory in the South China Sea, and its efforts to spread its 5G communications networks around the world.The announcement about Iran's attempts to get into accounts surrounding the Trump campaign was not new. In October, Microsoft disclosed that Iranian hackers, with apparent backing from that country's government, made more than 2,700 attempts to identify the email accounts of current and former U.S. government officials, journalists covering political campaigns, and accounts associated with a presidential campaign. While Microsoft did not name the campaign, those involved in the investigation said it was Trump's reelection effort. The attacks Google described on Thursday appeared to be along similar lines as to what Microsoft detailed.Russian hackers are also active this election season. In January, the same Russian hacking group that stole Podesta's emails in 2016 began a phishing campaign against Burisma, the Ukrainian company that formerly employed Biden's son and was crucial to Trump's impeachment.It is not clear what the Russian hackers were after, but cybersecurity experts surmised at the time that the hackers were looking for "kompromat" -- compromising material on the Bidens -- or hoping to support Trump's claim that Burisma was corrupt and that Ukrainian investigations into the company were warranted.In February, U.S. intelligence officials warned that Russia was once again actively meddling, although it was unclear whether the goal was simply disruption or support for Trump. This week he invited President Vladimir Putin of Russia to join a Group of Seven meeting scheduled for Washington in the fall, angering European allies and Canada given that Russia was thrown out of the group after it annexed Crimea in 2014.Biden has been far more critical of Putin and indicated he would not let up on sanctions against Russia, unlike Trump.And last month, the National Security Agency warned that Russian military hackers had seized on vulnerabilities in an email transfer program -- used by several congressional candidates, among others -- in yet another attempt to steal emails.Among those who would have been vulnerable to the Russian attacks were the campaign offices of more than 44 U.S. congressmen, including Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and three members of the House Armed Services Committee: Jim Banks, R-Ind., Mo Brooks, R-Ala., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. But there is no evidence their emails were stolen, according to a report by Area 1, a Silicon Valley cybersecurity firm.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company

Virginia city removes 176-year-old slave auction block

A 176-year-old slave auction block has been removed from a Virginia city's downtown. The 800-pound (363-kilogram) stone was pulled from the ground at a Fredericksburg street corner early Friday after the removal was delayed for months by lawsuits and the coronavirus pandemic, The Free Lance-Star reported. The weathered stone was sprayed with graffiti twice and chants of “move the block” erupted this week during local demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, city officials said in a statement announcing the removal.

EU wants borders free of virus restrictions by end of June

Europe could have its free travel zone up and running again by the end of this month, but travelers from further afield will not be allowed in before July, a European Union commissioner said Friday after talks among the bloc’s interior ministers. Panicked by Italy’s coronavirus outbreak in February, countries in the 26-nation Schengen travel zone — where people and goods move freely without border checks — imposed border restrictions without consulting their neighbors to try to keep the disease out. The moves caused massive border traffic jams and blocked medical equipment.

Venezuelan migrants face crime, conflict and coronavirus at Colombia’s closed border

Millions of Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-ridden country already had plenty to worry about on their journeys, from food to transport and shelter. Crime is also rampant along the border between Venezuela and neighboring Colombia, the destination for many migrants seeking a better life. Now there’s a pandemic, too – and its consequences for Venezuelan migrants go beyond health concerns. Criminal groups that operate in the border zones are capitalizing on the closure of all seven official border crossings to smuggle migrants in and out of Colombia illegally, extort this poor and vulnerable population and recruit new members. Risks to migrants and refugeesOil-rich Venezuela used to have one of Latin America’s most robust economies, but its fortunes have declined massively since the death of president Hugo Chávez in 2013. His successor, Nicolás Maduro, left with a steeply unbalanced budget and dropping oil prices, has led the South American country into the abyss. By 2019, hyperinflation in Venezuela had reached 10,000,000%, and 9 out of 10 Venezuelans lived in poverty. To date, 5 million people have fled persecution, poverty and political turmoil in Venezuela – a mass migration rivaling that of war-torn Syria. Around 1.8 million of them settled in Colombia. We have been monitoring this migratory crisis for years as part of our extensive research on the overlapping humanitarian and security crises in Colombia’s borderlands.Before the pandemic, up to 40,000 Venezuelans were crossing the porous 1,378-mile Colombia-Venezuela border daily. Most of them remained in the country for a short period of time before passing onto other countries or returned to Venezuela that day after buying food, medicine and other items that are extremely scarce in Venezuela. Goods purchased in Colombia and resold across the border are one way Venezuelans survive, and a major source of income for border-area residents. But, typically, about 2,000 Venezuelans would end up staying for good in Colombia each day, according to Christian Krüger, former director of Migración Colombia, Colombia’s customs agency. Despite efforts by international aid groups, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the Colombian government to assist the migrants, the situation along the border was “overwhelming,” a Bogotá official told us in February. Xenophobia, violence and victimizationThe border’s closure on March 14 due to the COVID-19 outbreak has only made a bad situation worse, our research finds. Transit across the border is now permitted essentially only for Venezuelans leaving Colombia – not the thousands still clamoring to get in to buy urgently needed food and medicine. But no government is entirely in charge of what happens at the Colombia-Venezuela border, which is nearly as long as the U.S.-Mexico border and runs through desert, dense jungles and the towering Andes mountains. An array of rebels, criminals and corrupt officials control informal border crossings, where they sneak Venezuelans into Colombia in exchange for “taxes” or forced sex. Human trafficking groups also prowl the region looking for potential victims, especially children, who are sold into prostitution.Venezuelans arriving further south in Colombia, to the Arauca region, may also be targeted for recruitment by insurgent groups like the National Liberation Army, Colombia’s largest active rebel group. The recent arrival of U.S. military troops in the border region, officially to support Colombian anti-drug efforts, adds to the tense climate. And, our research shows, the militarization of the border further increases the risks for vulnerable people on the move.Meanwhile, in the deserts of La Guajira, hundreds of homeless Venezuelan migrants are sleeping on the streets. This makes them extremely vulnerable not only to the coronavirus, a humanitarian worker in the region told us, but also to violent assault and harassment by criminal groups and youth gangs. Colombia is one of the many countries where criminals have been indirectly empowered by COVID-19 lockdowns. Some armed groups are imposing curfews to enforce quarantines and bringing in nurses to care for the sick in slum areas, strengthening their power over residents as a kind of shadow government. Other criminal organizations are using the climate of uncertainty to intimidate, displace or kill those who do not comply with their own arbitrarily defined “public health rules.” Our past studies on civilian behavior in such contested territory have found that Venezuelans who have only recently arrived in Colombia are particularly subject to harassment and exploitation because they don’t know the rules of the game. Return migrationLacking shelter, safety, health care and jobs in Colombia as the coronavirus surges, many Venezuelans have been driven to despair and have returned home. By late May, over 68,000 Venezuelans had returned to their country.Theirs is usually not a happy, or lasting, return. Some Venezuelan migrants come back with COVID-19, a Venezuelan primary teacher in the border state of Zulia told us. Her school, like many others in the area, now shelters newly returned migrants for 14 days, in accordance with Venezuelan government rules. The return migrants receive some assistance from local humanitarian organizations and the regional government – but not enough. And the sick are unlikely to get treatment or aid in crisis-stricken Venezuela. With the “regular” black market of Colombian products smuggled into Venezuela disrupted, a local social worker in the border regions explained to us, people are desperate for medicine and food. As we learned from a U.N. official working with migrants in the region, a recent U.N. survey found that 70% of Venezuelans who left Colombia because of the pandemic hope to return once the situation improves. The prospects for this are uncertain, to say the least. [You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help. Read The Conversation’s newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * What goes into the toilet doesn’t always stay there, and other coronavirus risks in public bathrooms * Uprisings after pandemics have happened before – just look at the English Peasant Revolt of 1381Annette Idler receives funding from Global Affairs Canada. She also receives funding from the UK Arts & Humanities Research Council and the Economic & Social Research Council through the Partnership for Conflict, Crime & Security Research.Markus Hochmüller receives funding from Global Affairs Canada.