france24--2020-08-29--Can France’s Greens unite the left and avert a Macron-Le Pen rematch?

A Green Wave or just a lot of hot air ?
Party chief Julien Bayou inflates a balloon at the Greens ' end-of-summer gathering in Pantin , north of Paris .
President Emmanuel Macron ’ s drift to the centre-right of France ’ s political spectrum has opened up a sea of opportunity for the country ’ s fractured and rudderless left – a space the Greens , long a byword for factionalism and division , are hoping to span and unite .
It ’ s “ journées d ’ été ” season in France , the late-summer bustle when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the break , a chance to count their numbers , talk policy and set goals for the year ahead .
Above all , it ’ s a time when freshly tanned politicians strut their stuff before the cameras and give away their thinly veiled ambitions , on the lookout for much-needed notoriety and publicity .
After years of oblivion , France ’ s fragmented left is once again in the news , buoyed by its recent electoral successes in municipal elections .
But the landscape has changed dramatically since the days when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the tempo and satellite parties danced to the tune .
This time , the ball is in the Green camp , long derided as a chronically divided amateur outfit that is ill-equipped for the challenges of France ’ s Fifth Republic .
After years of playing junior partner in coalitions dominated by the Socialists , France ’ s resurgent ecologists rode a so-called “ Green Wave ” of successes on June 28 , conquering a string of major cities that included strongholds of the right .
Backed by an array of local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victories in the likes of Marseille , Lyon , Strasbourg and Bordeaux – a conservative bastion for 73 years .
Humiliatingly for Macron , they did so by defeating centre-right coalitions that included his ruling LREM party , reduced to the role of auxiliary of the right .
Galvanised by these successes , members of Europe Écologie Les Verts ( EELV ) , commonly known as the Greens , gathered in the northern Paris suburb of Pantin last weekend to discuss their next objectives .
They agreed that uniting the left was of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and platform must necessarily be at the heart of the process .
Along with climate change and ecology , discussions centred on societal issues such as women ’ s rights , racial discrimination and police violence .
On the economic front , the focus was on relocating national production amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The idea was to build a “ clear , coherent and bold programme ” rather than focusing on “ alliances between parties ” , said EELV leader Julien Bayou , with the ultimate goal of “ averting another second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Le Pen ” .
With the all-important presidential election less than two years away , all parties know they are fast running out of time to avoid a repeat of the 2017 presidential run-off that saw Macron defeat the far right ’ s Le Pen .
While Macron , who was elected on a centrist platform , is deeply unpopular , particularly on the left , his rivals are yet to produce credible challengers .
And though she is detested by a majority of the French , Le Pen can count on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which France ’ s four-million-plus unemployed feature prominently , is destined to grow even further as the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic takes its toll on the French economy , according to political analyst Thomas Guénolé .
“ In this respect , the only real question is who will take on Le Pen , ” Guénolé said in an interview with FRANCE 24 , suggesting that the incumbent president ’ s qualification for the second round is not a foregone conclusion .
“ Macron ’ s strategy is to poach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relying on fear of Le Pen to guarantee him a measure of support on the left , ” he explained .
The ploy worked three years ago , he added , but it could backfire the second time if – and it ’ s a big if – the left picks a different champion to take on the far right .
Back in 2017 , with the once-dominant Socialists in full meltdown , the left-wing vote was split between Macron and leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon .
But with both now severely weakened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened up for a social-democractic candidate to emerge in between '' .
Uniting that space will be difficult , he added , but not impossible .
According to the political analyst , there are three possible scenarios for such a candidacy to emerge : a primary involving all or most left-wing parties ; an individual surge in the manner of Macron ’ s 2017 bid ; or a free-for-all race in which one candidate eventually becomes dominant and siphons votes from smaller left-wing tickets , as Mélenchon almost succeeded in doing three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , is that they currently look vulnerable in all three scenarios .
“ Nobody in their ranks enjoys the notoriety required to vie for the presidency , ” he said .
“ They are known only to pundits and the media.
” Furthermore , he added , the Greens have a history of choosing the “ wrong ” ticket and picking nobodies over celebrities – “ as though fame were something dirty ” .
In 2002 , Green party members ditched the largely popular Noël Mamère in favour of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for Corsican separatists with blood on their hands to be amnestied .
Ten years later , they shunned environmental activist Nicolas Hulot , one of France ’ s most popular figures , in favour of an investigative judge with a distinctly lower profile and weaker appeal .
And at the last election , they threw their lot in with an imploding Socialist Party headed for its worst-ever defeat .
Out of the cities Perhaps mindful that time plays in favour of his rivals , Yannick Jadot , currently the Greens ’ likeliest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has called for a presidential nominee to be chosen “ before January ” , in order to have time to build the broadest possible coalition .
But others , like Bayou , prefer to focus on intermediary elections , notably the forthcoming regional polls scheduled for March 2021 , before moving on to the presidential contest .
“ Every electoral step is important and will enable us to build environmental awareness and policies throughout France ’ s territory , ” said the EELV secretary-general at the “ journées d ’ été ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain a negligible force outside of the main cities .
In a sign of the party ’ s surging confidence , Bayou announced on Thursday that he would vie for the presidency of the Île-de-France region , which includes Paris and is by far the country ’ s most populous .
Though currently governed by the right , Île-de-France was long a Socialist stronghold .
Should a Green candidate lead a left-wing coalition there , it would cement the changing balance of power within the French left .
“ The regional polls will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a more reliable indicator of their actual strength than the municipal elections , ” Daniel Boy , a political analyst at Sciences-Po Paris university , told FRANCE 24 .
“ Should they win two or three regions , or even just Île-de-France , it would alter both their standing and their bargaining power.
” Too radical or not enough ?
Until that happens , the very notion of a “ Green Wave ” needs to be qualified , according to Guénolé .
“ The wave was not green , it was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , referring to the recent municipal elections .
“ There is still no tangible evidence that the growing awareness of environmental issues has actually translated into broad support for the Greens and their policies.
” Boy agrees that the Greens have emerged as “ leaders by default ” , largely as a result of the decline of other left-wing parties .
But he is more nuanced regarding the divisive , self-destructive tag often pinned on the Greens .
“ Of course they have their factions and divisions , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t ?
” As for their allergy to leadership , he added , it will “ fade away as they get accustomed to wielding power ” .
Of greater concern are the policy divergences that are bound to become more apparent as the 2022 polls draw closer and national issues come to the fore .
“ It ’ s one thing to unite the left on transport , the environment and other local prerogatives , but it ’ s an altogether different matter when you start discussing foreign policy , policing and immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that respect , much will depend on which candidate the Greens put forward and how forthcoming their partners will be.
” Olivier Faure , the current Socialist Party leader and a key advocate of a united left , has gone so far as to suggest his party may not field a candidate in 2022 – a stance many old-guard Socialists vehemently oppose .
Should the Greens pick someone deemed too radical , like up-and-coming Grenoble mayor Éric Piolle , Faure may find it impossible to resist calls for a more moderate Socialist to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate with weaker left-wing credentials , like Jadot , would almost certainly face tough opposition from Mélenchon and others to his left – though Mélenchon is likely to throw his hat in the ring regardless of who the Greens chose .
Last weekend , Piolle made a highly noticed visit to the “ journées d ’ été ” of Mélenchon ’ s party , France Unbowed , which supported his successful bid for a second term in Grenoble… unlike the local Socialist candidate .
“ The left is divided and for a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full spectrum , ” said Boy .
“ But it ’ s not too late for other figures to emerge , not with the level of exposure that a presidential campaign affords .
”

President Emmanuel Macron’s drift to the centre-right of France’s political spectrum has opened up a sea of opportunity for the country’s fractured and rudderless left – a space the Greens, long a byword for factionalism and division, are hoping to span and unite.
A Green Wave or just a lot of hot air? Party chief Julien Bayou inflates a balloon at the Greens' end-of-summer gathering in Pantin, north of Paris.
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It’s “journées d’été” season in France, the late-summer bustle when political parties hold their first pow-wows since the holiday break – a chance to count their numbers, talk policy and set goals for the year ahead. Above all, it’s a time when freshly tanned politicians strut their stuff before the cameras and give away their thinly veiled ambitions, on the lookout for much-needed notoriety and publicity.
After years of oblivion, France’s fragmented left is once again in the news, buoyed by its recent electoral successes in municipal elections. But the landscape has changed dramatically since the days when the Socialist “journées d’été” set the tempo and satellite parties danced to the tune. This time, the ball is in the Green camp, long derided as a chronically divided amateur outfit that is ill-equipped for the challenges of France’s Fifth Republic.
‘Green Wave’
After years of playing junior partner in coalitions dominated by the Socialists, France’s resurgent ecologists rode a so-called “Green Wave” of successes on June 28, conquering a string of major cities that included strongholds of the right.
Backed by an array of local left-wing coalitions, Green candidates notched up victories in the likes of Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg and Bordeaux – a conservative bastion for 73 years. Humiliatingly for Macron, they did so by defeating centre-right coalitions that included his ruling LREM party, reduced to the role of auxiliary of the right.
Galvanised by these successes, members of Europe Écologie-Les Verts (EELV), commonly known as the Greens, gathered in the northern Paris suburb of Pantin last weekend to discuss their next objectives. They agreed that uniting the left was of the essence, but that their ideas and platform must necessarily be at the heart of the process.
Along with climate change and ecology, discussions centred on societal issues such as women’s rights, racial discrimination and police violence. On the economic front, the focus was on relocating national production amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The idea was to build a “clear, coherent and bold programme” rather than focusing on “alliances between parties”, said EELV leader Julien Bayou, with the ultimate goal of “averting another second round between Macron and [Marine] Le Pen”.
Le Pen vs ?
With the all-important presidential election less than two years away, all parties know they are fast running out of time to avoid a repeat of the 2017 presidential run-off that saw Macron defeat the far right’s Le Pen. While Macron, who was elected on a centrist platform, is deeply unpopular, particularly on the left, his rivals are yet to produce credible challengers. And though she is detested by a majority of the French, Le Pen can count on a rock-solid support base.
That support base, in which France’s four-million-plus unemployed feature prominently, is destined to grow even further as the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic takes its toll on the French economy, according to political analyst Thomas Guénolé.
“In this respect, the only real question is who will take on Le Pen,” Guénolé said in an interview with FRANCE 24, suggesting that the incumbent president’s qualification for the second round is not a foregone conclusion.
“Macron’s strategy is to poach more voters from the right, while relying on fear of Le Pen to guarantee him a measure of support on the left,” he explained. The ploy worked three years ago, he added, but it could backfire the second time if – and it’s a big if – the left picks a different champion to take on the far right.
Backing the wrong horse
Back in 2017, with the once-dominant Socialists in full meltdown, the left-wing vote was split between Macron and leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon. But with both now severely weakened, Guénolé said “a huge space has opened up for a social-democractic candidate to emerge in between". Uniting that space will be difficult, he added, but not impossible.
According to the political analyst, there are three possible scenarios for such a candidacy to emerge: a primary involving all or most left-wing parties; an individual surge in the manner of Macron’s 2017 bid; or a free-for-all race in which one candidate eventually becomes dominant and siphons votes from smaller left-wing tickets, as Mélenchon almost succeeded in doing three years ago.
The trouble for the Greens, he said, is that they currently look vulnerable in all three scenarios.
“Nobody in their ranks enjoys the notoriety required to vie for the presidency,” he said. “They are known only to pundits and the media.” Furthermore, he added, the Greens have a history of choosing the “wrong” ticket and picking nobodies over celebrities – “as though fame were something dirty”.
In 2002, Green party members ditched the largely popular Noël Mamère in favour of a leftist candidate whose bid floundered after he called for Corsican separatists with blood on their hands to be amnestied. Ten years later, they shunned environmental activist Nicolas Hulot, one of France’s most popular figures, in favour of an investigative judge with a distinctly lower profile and weaker appeal. And at the last election, they threw their lot in with an imploding Socialist Party headed for its worst-ever defeat.
Out of the cities
Perhaps mindful that time plays in favour of his rivals, Yannick Jadot, currently the Greens’ likeliest – or least unlikely – candidate, has called for a presidential nominee to be chosen “before January”, in order to have time to build the broadest possible coalition. But others, like Bayou, prefer to focus on intermediary elections, notably the forthcoming regional polls scheduled for March 2021, before moving on to the presidential contest.
“Every electoral step is important and will enable us to build environmental awareness and policies throughout France’s territory,” said the EELV secretary-general at the “journées d’été” in Pantin, well aware that the Greens remain a negligible force outside of the main cities.
In a sign of the party’s surging confidence, Bayou announced on Thursday that he would vie for the presidency of the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris and is by far the country’s most populous. Though currently governed by the right, Île-de-France was long a Socialist stronghold. Should a Green candidate lead a left-wing coalition there, it would cement the changing balance of power within the French left.
“The regional polls will be a crucial test for the Greens, a more reliable indicator of their actual strength than the municipal elections,” Daniel Boy, a political analyst at Sciences-Po Paris university, told FRANCE 24. “Should they win two or three regions, or even just Île-de-France, it would alter both their standing and their bargaining power.”
Too radical or not enough?
Until that happens, the very notion of a “Green Wave” needs to be qualified, according to Guénolé.
“The wave was not green, it was a victory of a united left,” he said, referring to the recent municipal elections. “There is still no tangible evidence that the growing awareness of environmental issues has actually translated into broad support for the Greens and their policies.”
Boy agrees that the Greens have emerged as “leaders by default”, largely as a result of the decline of other left-wing parties. But he is more nuanced regarding the divisive, self-destructive tag often pinned on the Greens.
“Of course they have their factions and divisions,” he said. “But which party doesn’t?” As for their allergy to leadership, he added, it will “fade away as they get accustomed to wielding power”.
Of greater concern are the policy divergences that are bound to become more apparent as the 2022 polls draw closer and national issues come to the fore.
“It’s one thing to unite the left on transport, the environment and other local prerogatives, but it’s an altogether different matter when you start discussing foreign policy, policing and immigration,” he said. “In that respect, much will depend on which candidate the Greens put forward and how forthcoming their partners will be.”
Olivier Faure, the current Socialist Party leader and a key advocate of a united left, has gone so far as to suggest his party may not field a candidate in 2022 – a stance many old-guard Socialists vehemently oppose. Should the Greens pick someone deemed too radical, like up-and-coming Grenoble mayor Éric Piolle, Faure may find it impossible to resist calls for a more moderate Socialist to join the race.
Merci @JLMelenchon pour l'accueil. Notre pays doit relever d'immenses défis. Identifions nos convergences, travaillons. Notre objectif est commun : gagner et changer la vie, pour la justice sociale et climatique. Notre adversaire est commun : Macron et la droite. pic.twitter.com/towAsu0rCz — Éric Piolle (@EricPiolle) August 21, 2020
Likewise, a candidate with weaker left-wing credentials, like Jadot, would almost certainly face tough opposition from Mélenchon and others to his left – though Mélenchon is likely to throw his hat in the ring regardless of who the Greens chose.
Last weekend, Piolle made a highly noticed visit to the “journées d’été” of Mélenchon’s party, France Unbowed, which supported his successful bid for a second term in Grenoble… unlike the local Socialist candidate.
“The left is divided and for a good reason: Nobody can possibly encompass the full spectrum,” said Boy. “But it’s not too late for other figures to emerge, not with the level of exposure that a presidential campaign affords.”
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france24--2020-08-29--Tour de France teams to be expelled for two Covid-19 positives in entourage

The Tour de France embarks under a cloud Saturday as anti-covid-19 protocol was tightened to include expulsion of any team entourage with two positives Teams will be expelled from the Tour de France if at least two members , including staff , test positive for the coronavirus , Christian Prudhomme told AFP Saturday .
The International Cycling Union ( UCI ) on Friday had proposed that such an exclusion from the race would apply only to the riders .
`` We will stay with two cases out of 30 people from the same team over a period of seven days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision was taken by a French government unit overseeing the coronavirus crisis .
The announcement comes on the opening day of the 21-stage slog around France and reinforces a growing sense of doom for the 2020 Tour with positive PCR swab test numbers growing by the day in France .
This had been anticipated , organisers said , as they scrambled to exclude fans from the departure and arrival areas as well as the pre-race shows and parades .
Belgian outfit Lotto reported two cases on Thursday , but the team mechanics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team will set off From Nice Saturday afternoon with the rest of the peloton .

Nice (France) (AFP) –
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Teams will be expelled from the Tour de France if at least two members, including staff, test positive for the coronavirus, Christian Prudhomme told AFP Saturday.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) on Friday had proposed that such an exclusion from the race would apply only to the riders.
"We will stay with two cases out of 30 people from the same team over a period of seven days," Prudhomme said, adding that the decision was taken by a French government unit overseeing the coronavirus crisis.
The announcement comes on the opening day of the 21-stage slog around France and reinforces a growing sense of doom for the 2020 Tour with positive PCR swab test numbers growing by the day in France.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday reclassified Tour de France departure town Nice as a Covid-19 red zone.
This had been anticipated, organisers said, as they scrambled to exclude fans from the departure and arrival areas as well as the pre-race shows and parades.
Belgian outfit Lotto reported two cases on Thursday, but the team mechanics concerned have already been replaced and the team will set off From Nice Saturday afternoon with the rest of the peloton.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--After Shinzo Abe's resignation, what's next for Japan?

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seen on a large screen during a live press conference in Tokyo on August 28 , 2020 .
The abrupt resignation of Japan 's longest-serving prime minister , Shinzo Abe , on Friday triggered an election in his Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP ) to replace him as its president , followed by a vote in parliament to elect a new prime minister .
Abe and his cabinet will continue to run the government until a new premier is elected but will not be able to adopt new policies .
The winner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of Abe 's LDP term in September 2021 .
The new party president is virtually assured the premiership , since the party has a majority in parliament ’ s lower house .
Usually , the party must announce the election for its leader a month in advance , and its members of parliament vote along with grassroots members .
In case of a sudden resignation , however , an extraordinary vote can be called `` at the soonest date possible '' with participants narrowed to MPs and representatives of the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to decide on the format for the elections .
It is considering holding the vote around Sept. 15 , local media said on Saturday .
Here are details of some likely contenders to take the helm .
A hawkish former defence minister and rare LDP critic of Abe , Ishiba , 63 , regularly tops surveys of lawmakers whom voters want to see as the next premier , but is less popular with the party 's lawmakers .
The soft-spoken security maven has also held portfolios for agriculture and reviving local economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LDP faction on Friday and indicated he would enter the race , with an announcement expected early next week .
He defeated Abe in the first round of a party presidential election in 2012 , thanks to strong grassroots support , but lost in the second round when only MPs could vote .
In a 2018 party leadership poll , Ishiba lost heavily to Abe .
He has criticised the Bank of Japan 's ultra-low interest rates for hurting regional banks and called for higher public works spending to remedy growing inequality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister under Abe from 2012 to 2017 , but diplomacy remained mainly in the prime minister 's grip .
The low-key lawmaker from Hiroshima has been widely seen as Abe 's preferred successor but ranks low in voter surveys .
Kishida seemed caught off guard by Abe 's announcement .
The news broke while he was meeting supporters in eastern Japan .
`` I want to confirm the facts , '' he said , rushing back for a Tokyo-bound train , when asked by reporters for his reaction .
Later , in Tokyo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party leader .
Kishida hails from one of the party 's more dovish factions and is seen as less keen on revising the pacifist postwar constitution than Abe , for whom it was a cherished goal .
The BOJ 's hyper-easy monetary policy `` can not go on forever , '' Kishida has said .
Suga , 71 , a self-made politician and loyal lieutenant since Abe 's troubled term as premier in 2006 and 2007 , was among a band of allies who pushed Abe to run again for the top post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abe tapped Suga as chief cabinet secretary , a pivotal role that includes acting as top government spokesman , coordinating policies and keeping bureaucrats in line .
Talk of Suga as a contender bubbled up in April 2019 after he unveiled the new imperial era name , `` Reiwa '' , for use on Japanese calendars after the enthronement of the new emperor .
Although he has so far publicly denied interest in being prime minister , Suga went on a publicity blitz in the week before Abe 's resignation , giving interviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Suga 's clout was dented by scandals that toppled two cabinet ministers close to him last October .
Defence Minister Taro Kono , 56 , has a reputation as a maverick but has toed the line on key Abe policies , including a stern stance in a feud with South Korea over wartime history .
Educated at Georgetown University and a fluent English speaker , he previously served as foreign minister and minister for administrative reform .
He has differentiated his conservative stances from those of his father , former chief cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landmark 1993 apology to “ comfort women ” , a euphemism for women forced to work in Japan 's wartime military brothels .
The name of Koizumi , 39 , now environment minister and the son of charismatic former premier Junichiro Koizumi , is often floated as a future premier , but many consider him too young .
He shares some of Abe ’ s conservative views and has paid his respects at Tokyo 's controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead .
Koizumi has projected a reforming image on the basis of efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the dirtiest fossil fuel , but has typically taken care not to offend party elders .
Currently foreign minister , Motegi , 64 , previously served as economy minister , facing off with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in tough negotiations .
Motegi was trade minister under Abe when he returned to power in 2012 , tackling talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact .
Educated at the University of Tokyo and Harvard , Motegi was first elected to the lower house in 1993 from the then-opposition Japan New Party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ As health minister , Kato , 64 , was in the limelight in the early days of Japan 's coronavirus outbreak but then-Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura , 57 , a former trade official , emerged as point person on virus policy .
In 2015 , Kato , a father of four , was handed the portfolio for boosting Japan 's rock-bottom birth rate , a task that has had little success .
He is a former official of the finance ministry .
Noda , 59 , has made no secret of her desire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An Abe critic , the former internal affairs minister , who also held the portfolio for women 's empowerment , fell short of backing to join the race for party leader in 2018 .

The abrupt resignation of Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on Friday triggered an election in his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to replace him as its president, followed by a vote in parliament to elect a new prime minister.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seen on a large screen during a live press conference in Tokyo on August 28, 2020.
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Abe and his cabinet will continue to run the government until a new premier is elected but will not be able to adopt new policies. The winner of the party election will hold the post until the end of Abe's LDP term in September 2021.
The new party president is virtually assured the premiership, since the party has a majority in parliament’s lower house.
Usually, the party must announce the election for its leader a month in advance, and its members of parliament vote along with grassroots members. In case of a sudden resignation, however, an extraordinary vote can be called "at the soonest date possible" with participants narrowed to MPs and representatives of the party's local chapters.
The LDP has yet to decide on the format for the elections. It is considering holding the vote around Sept. 15, local media said on Saturday.
Here are details of some likely contenders to take the helm.
Shigeru Ishiba
A hawkish former defence minister and rare LDP critic of Abe, Ishiba, 63, regularly tops surveys of lawmakers whom voters want to see as the next premier, but is less popular with the party's lawmakers.
The soft-spoken security maven has also held portfolios for agriculture and reviving local economies. Ishiba held a meeting of his LDP faction on Friday and indicated he would enter the race, with an announcement expected early next week.
He defeated Abe in the first round of a party presidential election in 2012, thanks to strong grassroots support, but lost in the second round when only MPs could vote. In a 2018 party leadership poll, Ishiba lost heavily to Abe.
He has criticised the Bank of Japan's ultra-low interest rates for hurting regional banks and called for higher public works spending to remedy growing inequality.
02:41
Fumio Kishida
Kishida, 63, served as foreign minister under Abe from 2012 to 2017, but diplomacy remained mainly in the prime minister's grip.
The low-key lawmaker from Hiroshima has been widely seen as Abe's preferred successor but ranks low in voter surveys.
Kishida seemed caught off guard by Abe's announcement. The news broke while he was meeting supporters in eastern Japan. "I want to confirm the facts," he said, rushing back for a Tokyo-bound train, when asked by reporters for his reaction. Later, in Tokyo, he said he would run for party leader.
Kishida hails from one of the party's more dovish factions and is seen as less keen on revising the pacifist postwar constitution than Abe, for whom it was a cherished goal.
The BOJ's hyper-easy monetary policy "cannot go on forever," Kishida has said.
Yoshihide Suga
Suga, 71, a self-made politician and loyal lieutenant since Abe's troubled term as premier in 2006 and 2007, was among a band of allies who pushed Abe to run again for the top post in 2012.
Back in office, Abe tapped Suga as chief cabinet secretary, a pivotal role that includes acting as top government spokesman, coordinating policies and keeping bureaucrats in line.
Talk of Suga as a contender bubbled up in April 2019 after he unveiled the new imperial era name, "Reiwa", for use on Japanese calendars after the enthronement of the new emperor.
Although he has so far publicly denied interest in being prime minister, Suga went on a publicity blitz in the week before Abe's resignation, giving interviews to at least four major media organizations.
Suga's clout was dented by scandals that toppled two cabinet ministers close to him last October.
Taro Kono
Defence Minister Taro Kono, 56, has a reputation as a maverick but has toed the line on key Abe policies, including a stern stance in a feud with South Korea over wartime history.
Educated at Georgetown University and a fluent English speaker, he previously served as foreign minister and minister for administrative reform.
He has differentiated his conservative stances from those of his father, former chief cabinet secretary Yohei Kono, who authored a landmark 1993 apology to “comfort women”, a euphemism for women forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels.
Shinjiro Koizumi
The name of Koizumi, 39, now environment minister and the son of charismatic former premier Junichiro Koizumi, is often floated as a future premier, but many consider him too young.
He shares some of Abe’s conservative views and has paid his respects at Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead.
Koizumi has projected a reforming image on the basis of efforts to cut Japan's backing for coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, but has typically taken care not to offend party elders.
Toshimitsu Motegi
Currently foreign minister, Motegi, 64, previously served as economy minister, facing off with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in tough negotiations.
Motegi was trade minister under Abe when he returned to power in 2012, tackling talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact.
Educated at the University of Tokyo and Harvard, Motegi was first elected to the lower house in 1993 from the then-opposition Japan New Party. He joined the LDP in 1995.
Katsunobu Kato, Yasutoshi Nishimura
As health minister, Kato, 64, was in the limelight in the early days of Japan's coronavirus outbreak but then-Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, 57, a former trade official, emerged as point person on virus policy.
In 2015, Kato, a father of four, was handed the portfolio for boosting Japan's rock-bottom birth rate, a task that has had little success. He is a former official of the finance ministry.
Seiko Noda
Noda, 59, has made no secret of her desire to become Japan's first female premier. An Abe critic, the former internal affairs minister, who also held the portfolio for women's empowerment, fell short of backing to join the race for party leader in 2018.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-30--Neymar, Nike part ways after 15 years

Neymar, Nike part ways after 15 years

Brazilian forward Neymar is shown during the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich on August 23 , 2020 Nike said Saturday it had parted ways with Neymar , ending one of its most high-profile sponsorship deals a decade and a half after signing the star striker as a 13-year-old prodigy .
`` I can confirm Neymar is no longer a Nike athlete , '' a spokesman for the US sportswear giant , Josh Benedek , said in an email to AFP , without giving further details .
Media reports said the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German rivals Puma .
Brazilian news site UOL said Neymar and Nike had failed to reach a deal on how much money he would be paid for renewing his contract .
It said negotiations between the company and the footballer 's agents had run into trouble months ago .
Neymar 's communications team did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Puma likewise did not immediately respond to questions about reports the company was in talks to sign him .
Neymar , who is fresh off the heartbreak of narrowly losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , currently holds the record for the most expensive football transfer in history .
PSG paid 222 million euros to bring him from Barcelona in 2017 .
Forbes magazine , which ranks him the world 's seventh highest-paid celebrity , estimates his earnings for this year , including sponsorship deals , at $ 95.5 million .

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Nike said Saturday it had parted ways with Neymar, ending one of its most high-profile sponsorship deals a decade and a half after signing the star striker as a 13-year-old prodigy.
"I can confirm Neymar is no longer a Nike athlete," a spokesman for the US sportswear giant, Josh Benedek, said in an email to AFP, without giving further details.
Media reports said the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil talisman was in talks with Nike's German rivals Puma.
Brazilian news site UOL said Neymar and Nike had failed to reach a deal on how much money he would be paid for renewing his contract.
It said negotiations between the company and the footballer's agents had run into trouble months ago.
Neymar's communications team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Puma likewise did not immediately respond to questions about reports the company was in talks to sign him.
Neymar, who is fresh off the heartbreak of narrowly losing the Champions League final to Bayern Munich, currently holds the record for the most expensive football transfer in history.
PSG paid 222 million euros to bring him from Barcelona in 2017.
Forbes magazine, which ranks him the world's seventh highest-paid celebrity, estimates his earnings for this year, including sponsorship deals, at $95.5 million.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-30--Death of 'Black Panther' star spotlights early-onset colon cancer

Late US actor Chadwick Boseman , star of `` Black Panther , '' poses during the 2019 American Music Awards Actor Chadwick Boseman 's death from colon cancer at the age of 43 has highlighted the growing rate of this disease among younger adults , who are often diagnosed at later stages .
According to Kimmie Ng , director of Dana-Farber 's Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center in Boston , it shows how important it is for more research into what is driving the rise , as well as greater awareness and screening .
`` We are losing way too many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear understanding of what the causes are , '' she told AFP .
The suspicion is that environmental factors , such as shifts in diets and lifestyle , could be behind the increase .
While studies are underway , US statistics are alarming , and the trend is similar in Europe .
Since 1994 , US cases of young-onset colorectal cancer -- defined as a diagnosis before the age of 50 -- have increased by 50 percent .
Colorectal cancers will affect more than 140,000 Americans in 2020 , with under-50s accounting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 percent of rectal cancers .
By the year 2030 the rates among this age group are expected to double and quadruple , respectively .
As a result , the American Cancer Society recently updated its advice , saying most people should get screened at 45 , not 50 .
Symptoms to watch for include changes to bowel habits that last more than a few days , such as diarrhea , constipation or narrow stool .
They also include feelings of having to pass stool that do n't go away by doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stool , abdominal pain , weakness , fatigue and weight loss .
For David Thau , it took shooting pain in the abdomen -- the worst he 'd ever felt in his life -- for him to go see his primary care doctor in June 2019 .
The Washington-based political consultant , then 34 , had been ignoring the blood that had recently been appearing in his stool .
`` I 've always been the kind of person who just says , 'Well , I do n't need to go to the doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A former high school athlete , he was otherwise healthy with no family history of colon cancer .
Thau 's doctor told him he might have an ulcer or appendicitis , so he checked into an emergency room .
A CT scan detected a 7.5-centimeter ( three-inch ) mass that almost completely blocked his colon .
He was diagnosed as having Stage 3C cancer , the last before a cancer has metastasized , and days later had surgery to remove the tumor .
Fortunately , surgeons were able to extract it using small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ileostomy -- a surgical opening to a bag that holds stool .
For the next six months he traveled to Boston every other week for chemotherapy , working full-time throughout this period -- an extra challenge for younger patients who are n't retired .
`` I had to freeze my sperm , '' added Thau , since he and his wife were planning to have children and the treatment can cause sterility .
In February , doctors said his cancer was gone , but he still requires routine check-ups .
Ghazala Siddiqui , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room in March 2018 after finding it impossible to pass stool , despite using laxatives .
Doctors performed an X-ray on the mother of two , then 41 , but misdiagnosed her case as severe constipation and sent her home .
It was n't until she approached a specialist that colon cancer was identified .
She needed 23 grueling radiation sessions at MD Anderson Cancer Center to shrink the Stage 3 tumor down to size , before it could be removed .
She also needed an ileostomy and a stool bag .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siddiqui , who had been a fitness fanatic prior to her diagnosis .
Next came months of chemotherapy , and uncertainty as to whether her bowels would ever recover enough for the bag to be removed .
Fortunately , it did , and in February 2019 , the colon was surgically closed .
Siddiqui said the hardest aspect was that the radiation caused her to go through early menopause , causing hot flashes , loss of sex drive and ongoing anxiety .
After her experience , Siddiqui 's four sisters underwent screening .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which doctors were able to remove early , `` which goes to show that screening is important , '' she said .
Ng emphasized it is critical to catch growths early and to consider screening even earlier than 45 if there is family history of colon cancer or advanced polyps .
African Americans like Boseman are at higher risk than other groups , for reasons linked to disparities in access to care .
Colonoscopies are considered the gold standard of screening , but their invasive nature can discourage some people .
For this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what it hopes will be the next generation of blood and stool tests that might catch growths sooner .
Ultimately though , `` the best screening test is the screening test that gets done , '' she said .
`` If somebody is having symptoms concerning colon cancer , they need to seek medical attention , '' she added .

Washington (AFP) –
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Actor Chadwick Boseman's death from colon cancer at the age of 43 has highlighted the growing rate of this disease among younger adults, who are often diagnosed at later stages.
According to Kimmie Ng, director of Dana-Farber's Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center in Boston, it shows how important it is for more research into what is driving the rise, as well as greater awareness and screening.
"We are losing way too many young lives to this disease without a clear understanding of what the causes are," she told AFP.
The suspicion is that environmental factors, such as shifts in diets and lifestyle, could be behind the increase.
While studies are underway, US statistics are alarming, and the trend is similar in Europe.
Since 1994, US cases of young-onset colorectal cancer -- defined as a diagnosis before the age of 50 -- have increased by 50 percent.
Colorectal cancers will affect more than 140,000 Americans in 2020, with under-50s accounting for about 11 percent of colon cancers and 18 percent of rectal cancers.
By the year 2030 the rates among this age group are expected to double and quadruple, respectively.
As a result, the American Cancer Society recently updated its advice, saying most people should get screened at 45, not 50.
Symptoms to watch for include changes to bowel habits that last more than a few days, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrow stool.
They also include feelings of having to pass stool that don't go away by doing so, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, abdominal pain, weakness, fatigue and weight loss.
- Worst pain in life -
For David Thau, it took shooting pain in the abdomen -- the worst he'd ever felt in his life -- for him to go see his primary care doctor in June 2019.
The Washington-based political consultant, then 34, had been ignoring the blood that had recently been appearing in his stool.
"I've always been the kind of person who just says, 'Well, I don't need to go to the doctor,'" he told AFP.
A former high school athlete, he was otherwise healthy with no family history of colon cancer.
Thau's doctor told him he might have an ulcer or appendicitis, so he checked into an emergency room.
A CT scan detected a 7.5-centimeter (three-inch) mass that almost completely blocked his colon.
He was diagnosed as having Stage 3C cancer, the last before a cancer has metastasized, and days later had surgery to remove the tumor.
Fortunately, surgeons were able to extract it using small incisions and he did not require an ileostomy -- a surgical opening to a bag that holds stool.
For the next six months he traveled to Boston every other week for chemotherapy, working full-time throughout this period -- an extra challenge for younger patients who aren't retired.
"I had to freeze my sperm," added Thau, since he and his wife were planning to have children and the treatment can cause sterility.
In February, doctors said his cancer was gone, but he still requires routine check-ups.
- Initial misdiagnosis -
Ghazala Siddiqui, from Houston, went to an emergency room in March 2018 after finding it impossible to pass stool, despite using laxatives.
Doctors performed an X-ray on the mother of two, then 41, but misdiagnosed her case as severe constipation and sent her home.
It wasn't until she approached a specialist that colon cancer was identified.
She needed 23 grueling radiation sessions at MD Anderson Cancer Center to shrink the Stage 3 tumor down to size, before it could be removed.
She also needed an ileostomy and a stool bag.
"It was very embarrassing," recalled Siddiqui, who had been a fitness fanatic prior to her diagnosis.
Next came months of chemotherapy, and uncertainty as to whether her bowels would ever recover enough for the bag to be removed.
Fortunately, it did, and in February 2019, the colon was surgically closed.
Siddiqui said the hardest aspect was that the radiation caused her to go through early menopause, causing hot flashes, loss of sex drive and ongoing anxiety.
After her experience, Siddiqui's four sisters underwent screening.
One had polyps the size of almonds which doctors were able to remove early, "which goes to show that screening is important," she said.
- Screening early -
Ng emphasized it is critical to catch growths early and to consider screening even earlier than 45 if there is family history of colon cancer or advanced polyps.
African Americans like Boseman are at higher risk than other groups, for reasons linked to disparities in access to care.
Colonoscopies are considered the gold standard of screening, but their invasive nature can discourage some people.
For this reason, Ng's center is working on what it hopes will be the next generation of blood and stool tests that might catch growths sooner.
Ultimately though, "the best screening test is the screening test that gets done," she said.
"If somebody is having symptoms concerning colon cancer, they need to seek medical attention," she added.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-30--Dixon holds off Indy 500 winner Sato for IndyCar triumph

New Zealand 's Scott Dixon held off Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato of Japan over the final laps Saturday to win the Bommarito 500 and stretch his IndyCar season points lead .
Six days after Sato held off Dixon late to capture his second Indy 500 victory , it was Dixon who managed to keep Sato at bay long enough to take the checkered flag at Madison , Illinois .
`` Sato was going to be strong at the end , but I did n't realize how strong he was coming , '' Dixon said .
`` We were kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking after the engine , and he was there with a head of steam .
`` Last week at Indianapolis was a bit of a bummer , so it was nice to get a win . ''
It was the 50th career IndyCar victory for Dixon , two shy of Mario Andretti for second on the all-time list and 17 off A.J .
Foyt 's career record .
`` Fifty -– that sounds awesome , '' Dixon said .
`` We 've got to keep on trucking and get a few more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead over defending champion Josef Newgarden of the United States to 386-269 with Mexican rookie Pato O'Ward , third in the race , third on points on 256 .
Sato said early struggles and a poor pit stop proved too much to overcome .
`` From last week , we carried a lot of momentum , '' Sato said .
`` We lost some places at the beginning of the race .
I was n't entirely comfortable in the car .
But we were strong .
`` It sometimes happens in a race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a mechanical problem -- that pit stop was frustrating . ''

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New Zealand's Scott Dixon held off Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato of Japan over the final laps Saturday to win the Bommarito 500 and stretch his IndyCar season points lead.
Six days after Sato held off Dixon late to capture his second Indy 500 victory, it was Dixon who managed to keep Sato at bay long enough to take the checkered flag at Madison, Illinois.
"Sato was going to be strong at the end, but I didn't realize how strong he was coming," Dixon said. "We were kind of going into a reserve mode, looking after the engine, and he was there with a head of steam.
"Last week at Indianapolis was a bit of a bummer, so it was nice to get a win."
It was the 50th career IndyCar victory for Dixon, two shy of Mario Andretti for second on the all-time list and 17 off A.J. Foyt's career record.
"Fifty -– that sounds awesome," Dixon said. "We've got to keep on trucking and get a few more."
The 40-year-old Kiwi improved his points lead over defending champion Josef Newgarden of the United States to 386-269 with Mexican rookie Pato O'Ward, third in the race, third on points on 256.
Sato said early struggles and a poor pit stop proved too much to overcome.
"From last week, we carried a lot of momentum," Sato said. "We lost some places at the beginning of the race. I wasn't entirely comfortable in the car. But we were strong.
"It sometimes happens in a race, I make a mistake, there's a mechanical problem -- that pit stop was frustrating."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-30--Trump says not one complaint about Hurricane Laura response

US President Donald Trump poses with National Guard troops in Lake Charles , Louisiana , on August 29 , 2020 on a trip to survey damage from Hurricane Laura President Donald Trump on Saturday visited Louisiana and Texas , pummeled this week by Hurricane Laura though the storm did not inflict the catastrophic damage and death toll of Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago .
Wearing a red `` USA '' cap , Trump landed in Lake Charles , a Louisiana city of 80,000 people that 's home to petroleum refineries and chemical plants near the Gulf of Mexico .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus epidemic in the United States -- toured a neighborhood with downed trees and damaged houses , as well as a warehouse .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) has already distributed 2.6 million liters of water and 1.4 million meals , Trump said , as hundreds of thousands of storm victims are without electricity and running water .
`` I have n't had one complaint , '' Trump said , congratulating federal and local officials at a news conference at a fire station .
`` Louisiana has been through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , a couple other things .
You 've done a great job , '' he told the officials , who included the state 's Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards .
Hurricane Laura struck the coast of Louisiana early Thursday as a Category 4 storm , packing winds of 150 miles ( 240 kilometers ) an hour .
It has been blamed for at least 14 deaths in Louisiana and Texas , with more than half of them due to improper use of portable generators , which produce toxic carbon monoxide gas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby city of Orange , Texas , meeting with state officials to discuss their response to Laura .
At a briefing , Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he believed the state got through Laura without spreading Covid-19 .
`` You are helping Texas to rebuild , '' Trump told the governor .
Hurricane Katrina , which hit Louisiana in August 2005 , caused the widespread failure of the levee system protecting low-lying New Orleans .
The storm killed at least 1,800 people .

Lake Charles (United States) (AFP) –
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President Donald Trump on Saturday visited Louisiana and Texas, pummeled this week by Hurricane Laura though the storm did not inflict the catastrophic damage and death toll of Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago.
Wearing a red "USA" cap, Trump landed in Lake Charles, a Louisiana city of 80,000 people that's home to petroleum refineries and chemical plants near the Gulf of Mexico.
The president -- not wearing a mask despite the coronavirus epidemic in the United States -- toured a neighborhood with downed trees and damaged houses, as well as a warehouse.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already distributed 2.6 million liters of water and 1.4 million meals, Trump said, as hundreds of thousands of storm victims are without electricity and running water.
"I haven't had one complaint," Trump said, congratulating federal and local officials at a news conference at a fire station.
"Louisiana has been through a lot with the Covid and with this, a couple other things. You've done a great job," he told the officials, who included the state's Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.
Hurricane Laura struck the coast of Louisiana early Thursday as a Category 4 storm, packing winds of 150 miles (240 kilometers) an hour.
It has been blamed for at least 14 deaths in Louisiana and Texas, with more than half of them due to improper use of portable generators, which produce toxic carbon monoxide gas.
Trump later flew by helicopter to the nearby city of Orange, Texas, meeting with state officials to discuss their response to Laura.
At a briefing, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he believed the state got through Laura without spreading Covid-19.
"You are helping Texas to rebuild," Trump told the governor.
Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana in August 2005, caused the widespread failure of the levee system protecting low-lying New Orleans. The storm killed at least 1,800 people.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-30--US prosecutors seek tough sentences for George Floyd cops

George Floyd 's death sparked an enormous mobilization nationwide , as protesters took to the streets to denounce systemic racism and police brutality Prosecutors are seeking stiffer-than-usual sentences for four former US police officers charged over the killing of George Floyd , arguing that they showed `` particular cruelty '' to the handcuffed African American .
The 46-year-old resident of Minneapolis , Minnesota died in May after being pinned to the pavement under the knee of white officer Derek Chauvin as Floyd gasped that he could not breathe .
The case is proceeding amid renewed fury over police violence against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin this week .
Court papers filed Friday in the Floyd case indicate that the Minnesota attorney general 's office will argue there were a number of aggravating factors .
These include evidence that Chauvin knelt on Floyd 's neck for almost nine minutes as bystanders , including multiple children , pleaded for his life and then watched him die .
`` George Floyd , the victim , was particularly vulnerable because officers had already handcuffed him behind his back and then placed him chest down on the pavement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the officers he could not breathe , '' the court documents state .
Chauvin inflicted `` particular cruelty , '' as well as `` gratuitous pain '' as he abused his position of authority , prosecutors allege .
`` Despite Mr. Floyd 's pleas that he could not breathe and was going to die , as well as the pleas of eyewitnesses to get off Mr. Floyd and help him , ( the ) defendant and his co-defendants continued to restrain Mr. Floyd , '' the papers say .
Three or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing , prosecutors noted , saying this would justify longer sentences .
The charges against Chauvin include unintentional second-degree murder , while three ex-colleagues -- J. Kueng , Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter .
The shockingly public nature of Floyd 's death -- which bystanders filmed and then posted on social media -- sparked an enormous mobilization nationwide , as protesters took to the streets to denounce racism and police brutality .
The groundswell of outrage reached beyond American borders , prompting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistreatment of ethnic minorities and the rewriting of colonial history .
The face of Floyd , a father-of-three whose last job was as a security guard , has become a symbol brandished in anti-racist marches everywhere .
He was remembered at a massive demonstration in Washington on Friday that highlighted the case of 29-year-old Blake , who was gravely wounded when a policeman fired multiple shots at him as he tried to get into his car on Sunday in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Conviction in Minnesota for second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half years .
The court documents did not say how much extra time prosecutors will request if the men are convicted , but the maximum for second-degree murder is 40 years in prison .
A defense attorney for ex-officer Kueng sought a dismissal Thursday , attributing the death to health problems and fentanyl in Floyd 's system .
Attorney Thomas Plunkett will file evidence that Floyd swallowed drugs during a May 6 , 2019 , arrest for selling drugs and was convicted of a 2007 armed drug robbery in Texas .

Minneapolis (AFP) –
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Prosecutors are seeking stiffer-than-usual sentences for four former US police officers charged over the killing of George Floyd, arguing that they showed "particular cruelty" to the handcuffed African American.
The 46-year-old resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota died in May after being pinned to the pavement under the knee of white officer Derek Chauvin as Floyd gasped that he could not breathe.
The case is proceeding amid renewed fury over police violence against African Americans, galvanized by the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin this week.
Court papers filed Friday in the Floyd case indicate that the Minnesota attorney general's office will argue there were a number of aggravating factors.
These include evidence that Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as bystanders, including multiple children, pleaded for his life and then watched him die.
"George Floyd, the victim, was particularly vulnerable because officers had already handcuffed him behind his back and then placed him chest down on the pavement, and Mr. Floyd clearly and repeatedly told the officers he could not breathe," the court documents state.
Chauvin inflicted "particular cruelty," as well as "gratuitous pain" as he abused his position of authority, prosecutors allege.
"Despite Mr. Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe and was going to die, as well as the pleas of eyewitnesses to get off Mr. Floyd and help him, (the) defendant and his co-defendants continued to restrain Mr. Floyd," the papers say.
Three or more suspects "actively participated" in the killing, prosecutors noted, saying this would justify longer sentences.
- Groundswell of outrage -
The charges against Chauvin include unintentional second-degree murder, while three ex-colleagues -- J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.
The shockingly public nature of Floyd's death -- which bystanders filmed and then posted on social media -- sparked an enormous mobilization nationwide, as protesters took to the streets to denounce racism and police brutality.
The groundswell of outrage reached beyond American borders, prompting huge demonstrations around the world against the mistreatment of ethnic minorities and the rewriting of colonial history.
The face of Floyd, a father-of-three whose last job was as a security guard, has become a symbol brandished in anti-racist marches everywhere.
He was remembered at a massive demonstration in Washington on Friday that highlighted the case of 29-year-old Blake, who was gravely wounded when a policeman fired multiple shots at him as he tried to get into his car on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Conviction in Minnesota for second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder usually carries sentences of up to 12 and a half years.
The court documents did not say how much extra time prosecutors will request if the men are convicted, but the maximum for second-degree murder is 40 years in prison.
A defense attorney for ex-officer Kueng sought a dismissal Thursday, attributing the death to health problems and fentanyl in Floyd's system.
Attorney Thomas Plunkett will file evidence that Floyd swallowed drugs during a May 6, 2019, arrest for selling drugs and was convicted of a 2007 armed drug robbery in Texas.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--Matsuyama, Johnson deadlocked atop PGA BMW Championship

Japan 's Hideki Matsuyama opened with an eagle and matched Dustin Johnson in shooting a one-under 69 to share the lead after Saturday 's third round of the US PGA 's BMW Championship .
Johnson , coming off a 30-under par score and an 11-shot victory a week ago at the Northern Trust , shared a two-stroke edge with Matsuyama at 1-under 209 through 54 holes at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago .
It was the highest score to lead in the event since 1974 .
Not since the 1995 Tour Championship has par or higher won a title , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this former US Open layout .
The tournament is the second of three tour playoff events , with the top 30 on season points after Sunday 's final round advancing to next week 's Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta .
Matsuyama has not won in more than three years , since the 2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational , but boosted his chances by blasting out of a greenside bunker into the cup from 37 feet at the first hole .
A four-foot birdie putt at the fourth pushed him to 3-under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eighth and par-4 10th dropped him back .
Matsuyama and Johnson each birdied the par-5 15th , Matsuyama from 3 1.2 feet and Johnson from eight feet , and parred into the clubhouse to remain atop the leaderboard .
Johnson missed the fairway and the first and the green on his approach at the fifth to set up bogeys , but offset them with a six-foot birdie putt at the third and a nine-footer for birdie at the par-3 eighth .
Australia 's Adam Scott , Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Chile 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and Spain 's Jon Rahm were on 212 along with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson , Americans Brendon Todd and Kevin Kisner and Colombia 's Sebastian Munoz .
McIlroy revealed that his wife , Erica , is due to give birth to their first child , a baby daughter , within days .
`` We 're about to be parents very soon , so we 're obviously super excited , '' the Northern Ireland star said .
`` It 's a private matter , but we 're really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get here . ''
His caddie has a beeper and McIlroy has plans to skip the Tour Championship if he gets the call .
`` I 'm going to play in many more Tour Championships and it 's only going to be the birth of your first child once , '' McIlroy said .
`` That trumps anything else . ''
Rahm matched the week 's low round with a 66 despite a one-shot penalty for picking up his ball without marking it on the fifth green .
`` For some reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had marked it already , '' Rahm said .
Tiger Woods fired a 72 to share 55th on 220 , well back of the third-place effort he needs to reach next week 's season finale .
The 15-time major champion found water off the 17th tee on his way to a triple-bogey seven and a third over-par round to start for the first time since 2010 .
Canada 's Corey Conners aced the par-3 sixth hole with a 9-iron from 150 yards .

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Japan's Hideki Matsuyama opened with an eagle and matched Dustin Johnson in shooting a one-under 69 to share the lead after Saturday's third round of the US PGA's BMW Championship.
Johnson, coming off a 30-under par score and an 11-shot victory a week ago at the Northern Trust, shared a two-stroke edge with Matsuyama at 1-under 209 through 54 holes at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago.
It was the highest score to lead in the event since 1974. Not since the 1995 Tour Championship has par or higher won a title, but it could be in the cards on this former US Open layout.
The tournament is the second of three tour playoff events, with the top 30 on season points after Sunday's final round advancing to next week's Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.
Matsuyama has not won in more than three years, since the 2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational, but boosted his chances by blasting out of a greenside bunker into the cup from 37 feet at the first hole.
A four-foot birdie putt at the fourth pushed him to 3-under, but bogeys at the par-3 sixth and eighth and par-4 10th dropped him back.
Matsuyama and Johnson each birdied the par-5 15th, Matsuyama from 3 1.2 feet and Johnson from eight feet, and parred into the clubhouse to remain atop the leaderboard.
Johnson missed the fairway and the first and the green on his approach at the fifth to set up bogeys, but offset them with a six-foot birdie putt at the third and a nine-footer for birdie at the par-3 eighth.
Australia's Adam Scott, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Chile's Joaquin Niemann shared third on 211.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and Spain's Jon Rahm were on 212 along with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, Americans Brendon Todd and Kevin Kisner and Colombia's Sebastian Munoz.
- Expectant McIlroy -
McIlroy revealed that his wife, Erica, is due to give birth to their first child, a baby daughter, within days.
"We're about to be parents very soon, so we're obviously super excited," the Northern Ireland star said. "It's a private matter, but we're really excited and can't wait for her to get here."
His caddie has a beeper and McIlroy has plans to skip the Tour Championship if he gets the call.
"I'm going to play in many more Tour Championships and it's only going to be the birth of your first child once," McIlroy said. "That trumps anything else."
Rahm matched the week's low round with a 66 despite a one-shot penalty for picking up his ball without marking it on the fifth green.
"For some reason I picked up the ball thinking I had marked it already," Rahm said.
Tiger Woods fired a 72 to share 55th on 220, well back of the third-place effort he needs to reach next week's season finale.
The 15-time major champion found water off the 17th tee on his way to a triple-bogey seven and a third over-par round to start for the first time since 2010.
Canada's Corey Conners aced the par-3 sixth hole with a 9-iron from 150 yards.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--Brazil surpasses 120,000 Covid deaths

Brazil surpasses 120,000 Covid deaths

In this photo taken on April 18 , 2020 a volunteer wearing PPE walks past a mural depicting a Brazilian flag as he disinfects an area at the Babilonia favela , in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil Just over six months after registering its first case of the new coronavirus , Brazil crossed the grim threshold of 120,000 people killed by Covid-19 Saturday , with no end in sight to the crisis .
The country of 212 million people has now registered 120,262 deaths from the virus and 3,846,153 infections , the health ministry said in its daily update .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surpass a death toll of 120,000 in the pandemic , after the United States , where the number killed is now more than 182,000 .
Unlike in Europe and Asia , where the virus hit hard and then subsided , Brazil 's outbreak is advancing at a slow but steady pace , said Christovam Barcellos , a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz .
`` Brazil is unique in the world .
Since the start of the pandemic , its curve has been different from other countries ' , much slower , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stabilized now , but at a very dangerous level : nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day ... .
And Brazil still is n't past the peak . ''
The pandemic has also turned political in Latin America 's largest country .
President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the virus and attacked governors and mayors who imposed lockdown measures , arguing the economic damage is worse than the disease itself .
The far-right leader is instead pushing the drug hydroxychloroquine as the solution to the health crisis , despite studies showing it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday the controversial medication had `` saved thousands of victims ' lives '' in Brazil .
Bolsonaro even took what he called the `` right-wing '' drug himself when he was diagnosed with the virus in July .
`` It 's shocking the way ( Bolsonaro ) has handled this .
It 's not just his denialism ... .
He has often crossed the line of disrespecting victims , '' said political analyst Michael Mohallem of the Getulio Vargas Foundation .
`` The number of deaths is scandalously high , '' he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll have to pay the price . ''
The virus has meanwhile spread to more fragile demographic groups and to the interior of the country .
Impoverished residents of overcrowded favelas , or slums , have been hit especially hard .
So have indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest , who have a history of vulnerability to outside diseases .

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) –
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Just over six months after registering its first case of the new coronavirus, Brazil crossed the grim threshold of 120,000 people killed by Covid-19 Saturday, with no end in sight to the crisis.
The country of 212 million people has now registered 120,262 deaths from the virus and 3,846,153 infections, the health ministry said in its daily update.
Brazil is just the second country to surpass a death toll of 120,000 in the pandemic, after the United States, where the number killed is now more than 182,000.
Unlike in Europe and Asia, where the virus hit hard and then subsided, Brazil's outbreak is advancing at a slow but steady pace, said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz.
"Brazil is unique in the world. Since the start of the pandemic, its curve has been different from other countries', much slower," he told AFP.
"It has stabilized now, but at a very dangerous level: nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day.... And Brazil still isn't past the peak."
The pandemic has also turned political in Latin America's largest country.
President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the virus and attacked governors and mayors who imposed lockdown measures, arguing the economic damage is worse than the disease itself.
The far-right leader is instead pushing the drug hydroxychloroquine as the solution to the health crisis, despite studies showing it is ineffective against Covid-19.
He again said Saturday the controversial medication had "saved thousands of victims' lives" in Brazil.
Bolsonaro even took what he called the "right-wing" drug himself when he was diagnosed with the virus in July.
"It's shocking the way (Bolsonaro) has handled this. It's not just his denialism.... He has often crossed the line of disrespecting victims," said political analyst Michael Mohallem of the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
"The number of deaths is scandalously high," he told AFP. "I think someday he'll have to pay the price."
The virus has meanwhile spread to more fragile demographic groups and to the interior of the country.
Impoverished residents of overcrowded favelas, or slums, have been hit especially hard.
So have indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest, who have a history of vulnerability to outside diseases.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--Riot in Sweden after anti-Muslim Danish leader banned

Around 300 people were on the streets of Malmo , with violence escalating as the evening wore on At least 10 people were arrested and several police officers injured during clashes in southern Sweden after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally , police said Saturday .
Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres on the streets of Malmo late Friday , with the violence escalating as the evening wore on , according to police and local media .
The demonstration of about 300 people was connected to an incident earlier in the day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic holy book , police spokesman Rickard Lundqvist told Swedish tabloid Expressen .
Between 10 and 20 protesters were arrested late Friday but were all subsequently released , police spokesman Patric Fors told AFP .
Several police officers were slightly injured , he added .
The violence had subsided by Saturday morning .
`` Those who act like this have nothing to do with Islam , '' Samir Muric , an imam , said on Facebook .
`` It 's not right , '' Malmo resident Shahed told the SVT public broadcaster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they had n't burnt the Koran , '' he added .
Rasmus Paludan , leader of the far-right Danish anti-immigration party Stram Kurs ( Hard Line ) , was due to travel to Malmo to speak at Friday 's event , which is the same day as the main weekly prayers for Muslims .
But authorities pre-empted Paludan 's arrival by announcing he had been banned from entering Sweden for two years .
Police later arrested him near Malmo .
`` We suspect that he was going to break the law in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the police in Malmo told AFP .
`` There was also a risk that his behaviour ... would pose a threat to society . ''
His supporters went ahead with the rally , during which six people were arrested for inciting racial hatred .
`` It hurts , '' Salim Mohammed Ali , a Muslim resident of Malmo for over 20 years , told SVT on Saturday .
`` People get angry and I understand that , but there are other ways of doing things , '' he added .
Lawyer Paludan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook .
He is also active on YouTube .
`` Sent back and banned from Sweden for two years .
However , rapists and murderers are always welcome ! ''
he wrote .
Across the border in Norway meanwhile , a group held an anti-Muslim demonstration Saturday during which one woman tore pages from the Koran and spat on it .
Paludan last year attracted media attention for burning a Koran wrapped in bacon -- a meat that is anathema for Muslims .
Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden and around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign roots .

Stockholm (AFP) –
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At least 10 people were arrested and several police officers injured during clashes in southern Sweden after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally, police said Saturday.
Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres on the streets of Malmo late Friday, with the violence escalating as the evening wore on, according to police and local media.
The demonstration of about 300 people was connected to an incident earlier in the day in which protesters burned a copy of the Islamic holy book, police spokesman Rickard Lundqvist told Swedish tabloid Expressen.
Between 10 and 20 protesters were arrested late Friday but were all subsequently released, police spokesman Patric Fors told AFP. Several police officers were slightly injured, he added.
The violence had subsided by Saturday morning.
"Those who act like this have nothing to do with Islam," Samir Muric, an imam, said on Facebook.
"It's not right," Malmo resident Shahed told the SVT public broadcaster. "But it wouldn't have happened if they hadn't burnt the Koran," he added.
Rasmus Paludan, leader of the far-right Danish anti-immigration party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), was due to travel to Malmo to speak at Friday's event, which is the same day as the main weekly prayers for Muslims.
But authorities pre-empted Paludan's arrival by announcing he had been banned from entering Sweden for two years. Police later arrested him near Malmo.
- Demos in Sweden, Norway -
"We suspect that he was going to break the law in Sweden," Calle Persson, spokesman for the police in Malmo told AFP.
"There was also a risk that his behaviour... would pose a threat to society."
His supporters went ahead with the rally, during which six people were arrested for inciting racial hatred.
"It hurts," Salim Mohammed Ali, a Muslim resident of Malmo for over 20 years, told SVT on Saturday.
"People get angry and I understand that, but there are other ways of doing things," he added.
Lawyer Paludan later put up a scathing message on Facebook. He is also active on YouTube.
"Sent back and banned from Sweden for two years. However, rapists and murderers are always welcome!" he wrote.
Across the border in Norway meanwhile, a group held an anti-Muslim demonstration Saturday during which one woman tore pages from the Koran and spat on it.
Paludan last year attracted media attention for burning a Koran wrapped in bacon -- a meat that is anathema for Muslims.
Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden and around 40 percent of its 320,000 inhabitants have foreign roots.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--Tour de France finishes first day amid Covid-19 pandemic

Team UAE Emirates rider Norway 's Alexander Kristoff celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the 1st stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race , 156 km between Nice and Nice , on August 29 , 2020 .
Delayed but alive again and out on French roads , the strangest Tour de France ever set off Saturday in a bubble of anti-COVID protocols to try to keep the 176 riders virus-free for three weeks of racing through the country 's worsening epidemic .
Only after riders peeled off their face masks and pedaled off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nice , serenaded by a uniformed band playing “ La Marseillaise , ” did the Tour begin to look like its old , pre-COVID self , immediately delivering thrills and spills as storms made the roads as slippy as ice .
But with fans kept firmly at arm 's length , told by the government that it was best to stay home and watch the racing on television , the Tour lost much of its festive atmosphere .
There was very little of the usual up-close communing between athletes and their adoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roadshow unique among sports events in more carefree times .
Powering past thin crowds on the finishing straight in Nice that would usually have been crammed with spectators rows deep , Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff won the first stage with a fearsome final sprint .
He celebrated by giving a COVID-sensible fist-bump to a teammate .
Winning Stage 1 earned Kristoff the first yellow jersey of the 2020 Tour , which he will wear as the race leader on Sunday 's Stage 2 that loops into the mountains behind Nice .
Usually , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have helped him slip into the iconic jersey , one of the most coveted and recognizable in sports .
But not this year , with social distancing the priority .
Kristoff stood alone on the winner 's podium , flanked by a host and a hostess a safe distance away .
He then disappeared backstage to wriggle into the jersey himself , before coming back out to pose for photos .
Still , the thrill of wearing the jersey for first time in his eight Tours more than outweighed the weirdness .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters at the finish .
“ It means a lot for my career and a stage win shows I can still be up there even at 33 years old and with four kids.
” With infections rising steadily across France , the Tour has no guarantees of reaching the finish in Paris on Sept. 20 .
Riders will have daily health checks and coronavirus tests during the race , and can be tossed out if they fail them .
Entire teams could be sent home if two or more riders or staff test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fans have been told not to approach riders for selfies or autographs and to always wear masks .
Jean-Michel Blanquer , the French minister in charge of sports , was upbeat at the start Saturday , saying the Tour only has a “ very slim ” chance of being canceled before Paris but also cautioning that “ everything is possible.
” “ That type of thing could happen but of course I hope that it won ’ t and I think that it won ’ t because the Tour organizers have done an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The crowd-control and social-distancing measures sucked much of the usual boisterous joy out of the Tour 's first day .
An eerie silence , and a thin crowd kept well away across an empty square , greeted riders as they paraded on stage at the start .
Even a stone statue that overlooked the strange scene wore a mask , marked “ protect ourselves . ''
Still , roadside fans were grateful for the spectacle , after gruesome months of mounting deaths in France — now at 30,600 — and lives turned upside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soccer championships and the Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 and scores of other events have been canceled .
But the Tour , delayed from July , survived and is becoming a gauge of the feasibility of continuing to hold sporting mega-events during the pandemic .
The sight of the peloton zooming past the corner that he chose by Nice 's port caused 32-year-old tennis teacher Benjamin Sand to beam , thrilled by the riders ' speed through the bend .
“ We ’ re so lucky , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh air.
” Fans were also rewarded with high drama on the 156-kilometer ( 97-mile ) first stage that did three loops around Nice and hilly backcountry to the city 's north .
Rain storms turned the tarmac so slick that riders eventually made a pact between themselves out on the road to dial back the pace after multiple crashes .
Among the most dramatic was Colombian rider Miguel Angel Lopez skidding headfirst into a road sign .
He labored on to the finish .
Another crash took out a heap of riders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nice 's splendid seafront .
The defending champion , Egan Bernal , suffered the blow of having two of his support riders on the Ineos team involved in painful pileups .
“ People were crashing almost on every corner , '' said Kristoff .
“ It was really slippy out there .
”

Delayed but alive again and out on French roads, the strangest Tour de France ever set off Saturday in a bubble of anti-COVID protocols to try to keep the 176 riders virus-free for three weeks of racing through the country's worsening epidemic.
Team UAE Emirates rider Norway's Alexander Kristoff celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the 1st stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on August 29, 2020.
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Only after riders peeled off their face masks and pedaled off from the start in the Mediterranean city of Nice, serenaded by a uniformed band playing “La Marseillaise,” did the Tour begin to look like its old, pre-COVID self, immediately delivering thrills and spills as storms made the roads as slippy as ice.
But with fans kept firmly at arm's length, told by the government that it was best to stay home and watch the racing on television, the Tour lost much of its festive atmosphere. There was very little of the usual up-close communing between athletes and their adoring public that made the venerable 117-year-old rolling roadshow unique among sports events in more carefree times.
Powering past thin crowds on the finishing straight in Nice that would usually have been crammed with spectators rows deep, Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff won the first stage with a fearsome final sprint. He celebrated by giving a COVID-sensible fist-bump to a teammate.
Winning Stage 1 earned Kristoff the first yellow jersey of the 2020 Tour, which he will wear as the race leader on Sunday's Stage 2 that loops into the mountains behind Nice. Usually, a race official or a VIP would have helped him slip into the iconic jersey, one of the most coveted and recognizable in sports. But not this year, with social distancing the priority.
Kristoff stood alone on the winner's podium, flanked by a host and a hostess a safe distance away. He then disappeared backstage to wriggle into the jersey himself, before coming back out to pose for photos. Still, the thrill of wearing the jersey for the first time in his eight Tours more than outweighed the weirdness.
“An amazing feeling,” he told reporters at the finish. “It means a lot for my career and a stage win shows I can still be up there even at 33 years old and with four kids.”
With infections rising steadily across France, the Tour has no guarantees of reaching the finish in Paris on Sept. 20. Riders will have daily health checks and coronavirus tests during the race, and can be tossed out if they fail them. Entire teams could be sent home if two or more riders or staff test positive for COVID-19 within a week. Fans have been told not to approach riders for selfies or autographs and to always wear masks.
Jean-Michel Blanquer, the French minister in charge of sports, was upbeat at the start Saturday, saying the Tour only has a “very slim” chance of being canceled before Paris but also cautioning that “everything is possible.”
“That type of thing could happen but of course I hope that it won’t and I think that it won’t because the Tour organizers have done an extraordinary job,” he said.
The crowd-control and social-distancing measures sucked much of the usual boisterous joy out of the Tour's first day. An eerie silence, and a thin crowd kept well away across an empty square, greeted riders as they paraded on stage at the start. Even a stone statue that overlooked the strange scene wore a mask, marked “protect ourselves."
Still, roadside fans were grateful for the spectacle, after gruesome months of mounting deaths in France — now at 30,600 — and lives turned upside down by the virus. The European soccer championships and the Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 and scores of other events have been canceled. But the Tour, delayed from July, survived and is becoming a gauge of the feasibility of continuing to hold sporting mega-events during the pandemic.
The sight of the peloton zooming past the corner that he chose by Nice's port caused 32-year-old tennis teacher Benjamin Sand to beam, thrilled by the riders' speed through the bend.
“We’re so lucky,” he said. “It’s such a breath of fresh air.”
Fans were also rewarded with high drama on the 156-kilometer (97-mile) first stage that did three loops around Nice and hilly backcountry to the city's north. Rain storms turned the tarmac so slick that riders eventually made a pact between themselves out on the road to dial back the pace after multiple crashes.
Among the most dramatic was Colombian rider Miguel Angel Lopez skidding headfirst into a road sign. He labored on to the finish. Another crash took out a heap of riders in the dash to the line on Nice's splendid seafront. The defending champion, Egan Bernal, suffered the blow of having two of his support riders on the Ineos team involved in painful pileups.
“People were crashing almost on every corner," said Kristoff. “It was really slippy out there.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-08-29--Bucks and Magic relaunch NBA playoffs, social reform call

The NBA playoffs were back in action Saturday with the Milwaukee Bucks chasing a second-round playoff berth and a chance to amplify their call for social reform .
It was the Bucks ' decision to boycott game five of their series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , that brought the league to a standstill for three days .
Their stand -- joined by their opponents and other teams in the league and backed by NBA officials -- rippled through the rest of the US sports world , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baseball , Major League Soccer , the National Hockey League , NFL and the ATP and WTA Western & Southern Open as players called for racial justice and police reform .
With plans in place for concrete action in concert with NBA owners -- promoting voting as well as police and criminal justice reform legislation -- NBA players opted to finish out their coronavirus-disrupted season .
But there was a somber mood at the restart in the league 's quarantine bubble in Orlando , Florida , where there was a pre-game moment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star Cliff Roberts , Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson and actor Chadwick Boseman , who all died this week .
Roberts , 53 , helped the Trail Blazers reach two NBA Finals in his 18-year career that included an All-Star nod .
Olson , 85 , mentored future NBA stars as he made the University of Arizona a college basketball power .
Boseman , star of the ground-breaking superhero movie `` Black Panther '' died at the age of 43 after a battle with cancer .
The actor who also started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , was remembered as a `` close friend of the NBA . ''
The Bucks took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series into game five against the Magic .
They 've been led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo , who has averaged 31 points 16 rebounds and more than six assists per game .
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said that even as he prepared his team to return to action on court , the solidarity that emerged after days of meetings among players , coaches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a moment where I 've learned from our players , '' he said .
`` They 've made me better .
To some degree they 've led me , they 've led us , to stand up and say 'Enough , we want change . '
''

Miami (AFP) –
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The NBA playoffs were back in action Saturday with the Milwaukee Bucks chasing a second-round playoff berth and a chance to amplify their call for social reform.
It was the Bucks' decision to boycott game five of their series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that brought the league to a standstill for three days.
Their stand -- joined by their opponents and other teams in the league and backed by NBA officials -- rippled through the rest of the US sports world, with games and training postponed in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League, NFL and the ATP and WTA Western & Southern Open as players called for racial justice and police reform.
With plans in place for concrete action in concert with NBA owners -- promoting voting as well as police and criminal justice reform legislation -- NBA players opted to finish out their coronavirus-disrupted season.
But there was a somber mood at the restart in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida, where there was a pre-game moment of silence in memory of former Trail Blazers star Cliff Roberts, Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson and actor Chadwick Boseman, who all died this week.
Roberts, 53, helped the Trail Blazers reach two NBA Finals in his 18-year career that included an All-Star nod.
Olson, 85, mentored future NBA stars as he made the University of Arizona a college basketball power.
Boseman, star of the ground-breaking superhero movie "Black Panther" died at the age of 43 after a battle with cancer. The actor who also started in the Jackie Robinson baseball biopic "42", was remembered as a "close friend of the NBA."
The Bucks took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series into game five against the Magic.
They've been led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has averaged 31 points 16 rebounds and more than six assists per game.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said that even as he prepared his team to return to action on court, the solidarity that emerged after days of meetings among players, coaches and NFL officials continued to resonate.
"This is a moment where I've learned from our players," he said. "They've made me better. To some degree they've led me, they've led us, to stand up and say 'Enough, we want change.'"
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-29--Aubameyang underlines value as Arsenal win Community Shield

Mikel Arteta claimed Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is close to signing a new contract after the Gunners beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield on Saturday .
Aubameyang put Arteta 's side ahead in the first half at Wembley with a typically eye-catching strike .
Japan 's Takumi Minamino equalised with his first goal for Liverpool late in the second half of the annual pre-season friendly between the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners .
In the shoot-out , Liverpool 's young striker Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss , hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aubameyang calmly dispatched the decisive spot-kick .
As if Arteta needed any reminding , it was another sign of the influence wielded by his captain Aubameyang , who is yet to commit his long-term future to the club as he enters the final year of his contract .
Gabon forward Aubameyang has kept Arsenal waiting nervously during protracted talks and he demurred when asked in a post-match interview if he was ready to sign the club 's contract offer .
`` We are going to see , today we will just take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Arteta has remained confident the 31-year-old will stay and he insisted his talisman 's status will be resolved to his satisfaction before the Premier League season starts on September 12 .
`` We are close , '' Arteta said of the contract .
`` He was magnificent in the FA Cup final and again today .
`` I try do my job , which is convince him that he is in the right place , that he has the environment here to produce the moments like he 's done today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
`` I am very positive that he 's going to sign but a lot of time there 's a lot of things involved in a contract deal and we are trying to show him . ''
For Liverpool , it was the second successive season they have lost the Community Shield on penalties after being beaten by Manchester City last term .
That is unlikely to concern coach Jurgen Klopp too much given the champions ' lack of rest and preparation since winning the title for the first time in 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games you need the final punch .
We created enough , had the ball quite a lot , but had to be careful of their counter-attack , '' Klopp said .
`` A penalty shoot-out is always a little bit of a lottery and we were unlucky there , so congratulations to Arsenal . ''
The Community Shield traditionally serves as the curtain-raiser to the new English season .
But Liverpool and Arsenal were back in action just 34 days after the end of the coronavirus-delayed Premier League campaign and only six days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire 2019-20 season .
After only one week of pre-season training , it was a more encouraging result for Arteta , whose team emulated their FA Cup final win over Chelsea with another determined , tactically astute display .
Liverpool were without the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and the naivety of his teenage replacement Neco Williams was exposed by Aubameyang in the 12th minute .
Cutting in from the left to reach Bukayo Saka 's pass , Aubameyang was given too much time and space by Williams .
Aubameyang made him pay with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the edge of the penalty area , celebrating the goal by crossing his arms in tribute to `` Black Panther '' actor Chadwick Boseman , who died Friday aged 43 .
It was Aubameyang 's fifth goal for Arsenal at Wembley , making him the club 's joint highest scorer at the national stadium with Alexis Sanchez .
He scored a brace in each of his previous two Wembley appearances against Manchester City and Chelsea .
Liverpool equalised in the 73rd minute when Minamino slotted home from close range for his first Reds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January move from Salzburg .

London (AFP) –
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Mikel Arteta claimed Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is close to signing a new contract after the Gunners beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield on Saturday.
Aubameyang put Arteta's side ahead in the first half at Wembley with a typically eye-catching strike.
Japan's Takumi Minamino equalised with his first goal for Liverpool late in the second half of the annual pre-season friendly between the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners.
In the shoot-out, Liverpool's young striker Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss, hitting the bar with their third penalty before Aubameyang calmly dispatched the decisive spot-kick.
As if Arteta needed any reminding, it was another sign of the influence wielded by his captain Aubameyang, who is yet to commit his long-term future to the club as he enters the final year of his contract.
Gabon forward Aubameyang has kept Arsenal waiting nervously during protracted talks and he demurred when asked in a post-match interview if he was ready to sign the club's contract offer.
"We are going to see, today we will just take the trophy and that is it," he said.
Arteta has remained confident the 31-year-old will stay and he insisted his talisman's status will be resolved to his satisfaction before the Premier League season starts on September 12.
"We are close," Arteta said of the contract. "He was magnificent in the FA Cup final and again today.
"I try do my job, which is convince him that he is in the right place, that he has the environment here to produce the moments like he's done today and he's done here three weeks ago.
"I am very positive that he's going to sign but a lot of time there's a lot of things involved in a contract deal and we are trying to show him."
For Liverpool, it was the second successive season they have lost the Community Shield on penalties after being beaten by Manchester City last term.
That is unlikely to concern coach Jurgen Klopp too much given the champions' lack of rest and preparation since winning the title for the first time in 30 years.
"For these type of games you need the final punch. We created enough, had the ball quite a lot, but had to be careful of their counter-attack," Klopp said.
"A penalty shoot-out is always a little bit of a lottery and we were unlucky there, so congratulations to Arsenal."
The Community Shield traditionally serves as the curtain-raiser to the new English season.
But Liverpool and Arsenal were back in action just 34 days after the end of the coronavirus-delayed Premier League campaign and only six days after the Champions League final concluded the entire 2019-20 season.
- Tactically astute -
After only one week of pre-season training, it was a more encouraging result for Arteta, whose team emulated their FA Cup final win over Chelsea with another determined, tactically astute display.
Liverpool were without the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and the naivety of his teenage replacement Neco Williams was exposed by Aubameyang in the 12th minute.
Cutting in from the left to reach Bukayo Saka's pass, Aubameyang was given too much time and space by Williams.
Aubameyang made him pay with a superb curler into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area, celebrating the goal by crossing his arms in tribute to "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman, who died Friday aged 43.
It was Aubameyang's fifth goal for Arsenal at Wembley, making him the club's joint highest scorer at the national stadium with Alexis Sanchez.
He scored a brace in each of his previous two Wembley appearances against Manchester City and Chelsea.
Liverpool equalised in the 73rd minute when Minamino slotted home from close range for his first Reds goal in his 15th appearance since his January move from Salzburg.
© 2020 AFP