france24--2020-12-17--'We made it': Iraqi refugee family is home at last

Home at last : Alia , Ahmad and their son Adam fled Iraq to seek out a new , safer life in the Netherlands He sought safety .
She wanted freedom .
They were dreams they could have died for .
From a first date that ended in bloody carnage in Baghdad , to finally receiving the keys to a new home in The Netherlands , theirs is an epic tale of courage , survival and love .
In 2015 , with four-month-old Adam strapped to his father 's chest in a baby carrier , Iraqi couple Ahmad and Alia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the million migrants who crossed the Mediterranean to Europe 's shores .
They faced death at sea , indignity on the road and a torturously long wait for asylum -- all for a chance at life in `` peace and safety '' for their child .
One family among so many , an AFP team met them on a sunny day in September 2015 in Gevgelija , a quiet town on the border between what is now called North Macedonia and Greece .
Hundreds of mainly Syrians , Iraqis and Afghans , men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mothers with newborns and war-wounded amputees , all squeezed into a train headed for Serbia and the European Union .
Over five years , three AFP journalists in text , photo and video have followed Ahmad and Alia 's every step towards their new life , travelling with them that September by train , bus , smugglers ' cars and on foot across borders at night .
Later that year , they caught up with them in a migrant shelter in The Netherlands , where the couple already had family , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , as the family settles into life in the eastern town of Duiven , they all meet up again .
Out of concern for the safety of relatives still in Iraq , Ahmad and Alia have asked to be identified by their first names only .
Here is their story .
Alia answers and receives the earth-shattering news that she has been granted refugee status .
On the other end of the phone , the lawyer who helped her make her claim explains she has won the right of residence and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ahmad , who has dark brown hair , and hazel-eyed Alia kiss , celebrating the news that will forever change their lives .
`` I shouted , wept and laughed all at once , '' says Alia .
`` It was even happier than our wedding day . ''
It was `` the moment we had been dreaming of , right from when we had set out from Iraq , '' Ahmad says .
Within weeks , the family has residence cards and travel documents .
They are no longer undocumented migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , to work and travel .
`` At last we could have everything we wanted : a normal life like any other family in The Netherlands , '' Ahmad says .
The decision to flee Iraq came after Ahmad , then an upscale fashion store owner , took Alia , daughter of a university chemistry professor , to Mr Chicken , a Baghdad restaurant .
It was their first date since becoming engaged in February 2014 .
As they ate , a bomb blast tore the place apart .
The shards of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have left still visible scars on Alia 's face .
`` I saw death that day .
Had we been sitting at a different table we might not have survived , '' Ahmad says .
They led middle-class lives and were close to their families .
`` I adore my country , '' Ahmad says , watching a Snapchat video of Baghdad 's sun-drenched streets .
But `` in Iraq , when you go to work in the morning , you do n't know whether you will come back alive . ''
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 brought everything into sharp focus : he deserved better .
Ahmad sold his shop and his share of the property he had inherited to fund the journey ahead .
He had already been a refugee , having fled to Syria with his family like thousands of other Iraqis in 2006 at the height of the sectarian war , only to return six years later when Syria also descended into conflict .
`` But year after year , the situation in Iraq just kept getting worse .
Corruption and militias took over , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Islamic State group in 2014 and a myriad of powerful armed factions sparked a new wave of displacement , the UNHCR says .
In 2015 , 88,757 Iraqis crossed the Mediterranean to Greece and Italy , UNHCR data shows .
As of 2019 , there were around 214,000 Iraqi refugees in the European Union .
`` We were forced to migrate .
We never had a choice , '' Ahmad says .
Today , the family lives in a two-bedroom house with a brown brick tile roof and a back garden in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Germany .
They have painted the walls white , laid dark brown floor panels , hung rose print curtains , bought Adam a loft bed with a desk and planted tomatoes outside .
For the entrance , they picked a doormat that reads `` home '' .
`` We made it , '' Ahmad smiles , sipping coffee sweetened with condensed milk , rays of autumn light shining through the large living room windows .
Thanks to their new status , the family receives a monthly government stipend of 1,400 euros ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave them a 3,500-euro home improvement loan which they are paying back in monthly instalments .
From their stipend , they pay rent , social security , insurance , electricity , phone and internet bills .
Twice a week , the adults take language lessons at a nearby academy .
Their textbooks are in Dutch and Arabic , which helps them learn faster .
Ahmad speaks basic Dutch while Alia just about gets by , though switches into English for longer conversations .
But it is their curly-haired , brown-eyed son who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adam speaks fluent Dutch , Arabic and English , and says he feels `` half-Iraqi , half-Dutch . ''
Now five years old , he rides his bicycle every morning to the local Montessori school .
Dutch weather permitting , he plays football at a nearby park with his school friends .
Duiven is safe enough to allow the children out alone .
While his early childhood was far from conventional , he is doing well , head teacher Marike Ketelaars says .
`` Adam is a child like any other child .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make friends , '' she says .
Once he goes to bed , the parents watch Netflix shows like `` Game of Thrones '' -- with Arabic subtitles to help them keep up .
Until recently , such simple pleasures felt beyond reach .
The couple will never forget the fear and exhaustion of their journey to get there , with the constant dread of failure and having to go back to Iraq .
Most of the 9,000 euros ( $ 10,500 ) they carried in their backpacks went within a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the Mediterranean , the Serbian-Hungarian border and the Austrian frontier .
The scariest part was crossing into the European Union , as , that autumn , Hungary erected razor wire fences on its border with Serbia to try to stem the migrant influx .
Under the light of a full moon , an Iraqi Kurdish smuggler led the pair and their companions through a field , evading police .
As they followed in silence , the women and children in the middle of the group , they narrowly escaped an ambush , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when some men suddenly appeared in what looked like police uniforms .
Several migrants brandished tree branches and the likely would-be thieves vanished again into the darkness .
Alia was terrified every step of the way .
In Budapest , they cradled Adam to sleep in an alley when no hotel or even a brothel would accept their money in return for a room .
When they arrived in The Netherlands , the relief they felt did n't last long .
The next four years were lost in a soulless administrative maze , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including a former women 's prison .
In December 2015 , the AFP team visited them in an exhibition centre-turned-shelter in Leeuwarden , in the north .
Their temporary `` home '' was a plywood cubicle with no door or ceiling .
`` This is n't life .
How can I explain it ? ''
Ahmad said at the time .
`` It 's like a bird in a cage . ''
Their relatives in The Netherlands did not give them the welcome they expected , leaving them feeling abandoned to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they could not earn a living , rent a house or plan for the future .
Much to their shock , two asylum requests were turned down because Ahmad returned from Syria to Iraq in 2012 -- an apparent contradiction with his claim that he is unsafe in his homeland .
They filed appeals on the grounds that neither Syria nor Iraq is safe -- but in vain .
For nearly a year , they lived as undocumented migrants in a string of acquaintances ' flats .
`` I could n't do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahmad recalls .
`` I could n't go to the bank , I could n't take Alia to hospital when she was sick .
Everyone I knew looked down on me , like I was less worthy than them . ''
The anguish of that period weighed particularly heavily on Alia , who suffered stress-induced hair loss .
`` There were moments when the pressure was more than I could bear , '' she says .
Ahmad loves the wet Dutch weather .
`` This is a beautiful , green country , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the garden under the drizzle .
They do most of their shopping at a Lidl supermarket and once a month take the bus to the nearby town of Arnhem to stock up on Arabic bread and spices .
In Iraq , Alia relied on her mum to cook for the whole family .
Now , she uses YouTube tutorials to learn how to make both Iraqi and Dutch meals .
While they are a sociable family , the Covid-19 pandemic has forced them to isolate themselves more than they would have liked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents at Adam 's school , greeting them every day with a smile and a `` goedemorgen '' ( good morning ) .
Still perhaps in the honeymoon period of their new Dutch life , the pair struggle to find any faults when asked what is strange or difficult .
They have experienced occasional hints of xenophobia -- the odd comment such as `` it might be OK where you come from but not here '' .
And Ahmad questions why they and so many like them had to put their lives on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying for residency in Europe .
But since receiving their papers `` for the most part , Dutch people have welcomed us warmly , '' he says .
In 2015 , The Netherlands received 58,880 asylum applications , nearly half of them from Syrians , according to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service ( IND ) .
`` Even though we waited for so long to obtain asylum , I do n't have any hard feelings towards this country , '' he says .
`` This is the country we have chosen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a changed woman from the often hesitant and worried person she seemed during the journey , torn between hope and fear .
All energy , irreverence and spark , she was saved from depression by making friends with a group of Venezuelan asylum seekers and a Polish woman .
With them , she started to see The Netherlands with new eyes , going out and having fun for the first time in years .
`` They became my new family , '' says Alia , a huge Arabic pop and Latin American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through everything together -- the good and the bad . ''
Feeling stronger than ever , she took a leap of faith .
Unlike her husband , she had never left Iraq .
She had also dropped out of high school in Baghdad after Islamists threatened her over her refusal to wear the veil .
With the help of a lawyer , she filed an asylum application in her name , which the authorities accepted .
The longer they 're in the country , the wider she spreads her wings .
The rental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the bank account and household bills .
She is glad to live in a place where women 's rights are respected , as she never espoused the Middle East 's conservative social mores .
`` Here , I am free from all that , '' says Alia , whose hair is two-tone bleach and brown , like UK pop star Dua Lipa 's on the cover of her `` Future Nostalgia '' album .
- 'Everything is possible ' - Her eyes well up with tears for the relatives she misses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I no longer have any regrets . ''
Alia says she will always be proud of her Iraqi roots , and she passes that pride on to Adam through stories , the use of Arabic at home , and daily Facetime conversations with his grandmothers .
`` He will grow up here .
But he has to know where he comes from , '' says Alia , who plans on training as a make-up artist or a hair colour specialist .
Ahmad is now studying for his driving test and dreams of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transport sector .
In four years ' time , as soon as he becomes eligible , he will apply for Dutch nationality , `` so that I can exercise my rights and responsibilities in the country that embraced us . ''
`` The road ahead is long , but the worst is behind us , '' he says .
`` Now , everything is possible . ''
And Alia is pregnant with their second child , who like its parents will one day become a European citizen .

Duiven (Netherlands) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
He sought safety. She wanted freedom. They were dreams they could have died for.
From a first date that ended in bloody carnage in Baghdad, to finally receiving the keys to a new home in The Netherlands, theirs is an epic tale of courage, survival and love.
In 2015, with four-month-old Adam strapped to his father's chest in a baby carrier, Iraqi couple Ahmad and Alia, now 32 and 31, joined the million migrants who crossed the Mediterranean to Europe's shores.
They faced death at sea, indignity on the road and a torturously long wait for asylum -- all for a chance at life in "peace and safety" for their child.
One family among so many, an AFP team met them on a sunny day in September 2015 in Gevgelija, a quiet town on the border between what is now called North Macedonia and Greece.
Hundreds of mainly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans, men, women, children, elderly people, mothers with newborns and war-wounded amputees, all squeezed into a train headed for Serbia and the European Union.
Over five years, three AFP journalists in text, photo and video have followed Ahmad and Alia's every step towards their new life, travelling with them that September by train, bus, smugglers' cars and on foot across borders at night.
Later that year, they caught up with them in a migrant shelter in The Netherlands, where the couple already had family, as they filed their first asylum claim.
Now, as the family settles into life in the eastern town of Duiven, they all meet up again.
Out of concern for the safety of relatives still in Iraq, Ahmad and Alia have asked to be identified by their first names only.
Here is their story.
- Dream come true -
In August 2019, the phone rings.
Alia answers and receives the earth-shattering news that she has been granted refugee status.
On the other end of the phone, the lawyer who helped her make her claim explains she has won the right of residence and that her husband and son will automatically follow.
Ahmad, who has dark brown hair, and hazel-eyed Alia kiss, celebrating the news that will forever change their lives.
"I shouted, wept and laughed all at once," says Alia. "It was even happier than our wedding day."
It was "the moment we had been dreaming of, right from when we had set out from Iraq," Ahmad says.
Within weeks, the family has residence cards and travel documents. They are no longer undocumented migrants. They have the right to a home, to work and travel.
"At last we could have everything we wanted: a normal life like any other family in The Netherlands," Ahmad says.
- 'I saw death' -
The decision to flee Iraq came after Ahmad, then an upscale fashion store owner, took Alia, daughter of a university chemistry professor, to Mr Chicken, a Baghdad restaurant.
It was their first date since becoming engaged in February 2014.
As they ate, a bomb blast tore the place apart. The shards of glass that they say killed other diners have left still visible scars on Alia's face.
"I saw death that day. Had we been sitting at a different table we might not have survived," Ahmad says.
They led middle-class lives and were close to their families.
"I adore my country," Ahmad says, watching a Snapchat video of Baghdad's sun-drenched streets.
But "in Iraq, when you go to work in the morning, you don't know whether you will come back alive."
For the couple, Adam's birth in 2015 brought everything into sharp focus: he deserved better.
Ahmad sold his shop and his share of the property he had inherited to fund the journey ahead.
He had already been a refugee, having fled to Syria with his family like thousands of other Iraqis in 2006 at the height of the sectarian war, only to return six years later when Syria also descended into conflict.
"But year after year, the situation in Iraq just kept getting worse. Corruption and militias took over," Ahmad says.
The rise of the Islamic State group in 2014 and a myriad of powerful armed factions sparked a new wave of displacement, the UNHCR says.
In 2015, 88,757 Iraqis crossed the Mediterranean to Greece and Italy, UNHCR data shows.
As of 2019, there were around 214,000 Iraqi refugees in the European Union.
"We were forced to migrate. We never had a choice," Ahmad says.
- 'Home' -
Today, the family lives in a two-bedroom house with a brown brick tile roof and a back garden in leafy Duiven, near the Dutch border with Germany.
They have painted the walls white, laid dark brown floor panels, hung rose print curtains, bought Adam a loft bed with a desk and planted tomatoes outside.
For the entrance, they picked a doormat that reads "home".
"We made it," Ahmad smiles, sipping coffee sweetened with condensed milk, rays of autumn light shining through the large living room windows.
Thanks to their new status, the family receives a monthly government stipend of 1,400 euros ($1,630). Duiven town hall gave them a 3,500-euro home improvement loan which they are paying back in monthly instalments.
From their stipend, they pay rent, social security, insurance, electricity, phone and internet bills.
- 'Half-Iraqi, half-Dutch' -
Twice a week, the adults take language lessons at a nearby academy. Their textbooks are in Dutch and Arabic, which helps them learn faster.
Ahmad speaks basic Dutch while Alia just about gets by, though switches into English for longer conversations.
But it is their curly-haired, brown-eyed son who is most in tune with his surroundings.
Adam speaks fluent Dutch, Arabic and English, and says he feels "half-Iraqi, half-Dutch."
Now five years old, he rides his bicycle every morning to the local Montessori school.
Dutch weather permitting, he plays football at a nearby park with his school friends.
Duiven is safe enough to allow the children out alone.
While his early childhood was far from conventional, he is doing well, head teacher Marike Ketelaars says.
"Adam is a child like any other child. He wants to play outside and wants to make friends," she says.
Once he goes to bed, the parents watch Netflix shows like "Game of Thrones" -- with Arabic subtitles to help them keep up.
Until recently, such simple pleasures felt beyond reach.
- A cold welcome -
The couple will never forget the fear and exhaustion of their journey to get there, with the constant dread of failure and having to go back to Iraq.
Most of the 9,000 euros ($10,500) they carried in their backpacks went within a week, largely to smugglers who got them across the Mediterranean, the Serbian-Hungarian border and the Austrian frontier.
The scariest part was crossing into the European Union, as, that autumn, Hungary erected razor wire fences on its border with Serbia to try to stem the migrant influx.
Under the light of a full moon, an Iraqi Kurdish smuggler led the pair and their companions through a field, evading police.
As they followed in silence, the women and children in the middle of the group, they narrowly escaped an ambush, the AFP journalists with them saw, when some men suddenly appeared in what looked like police uniforms.
Several migrants brandished tree branches and the likely would-be thieves vanished again into the darkness.
Alia was terrified every step of the way.
In Budapest, they cradled Adam to sleep in an alley when no hotel or even a brothel would accept their money in return for a room.
When they arrived in The Netherlands, the relief they felt didn't last long.
The next four years were lost in a soulless administrative maze, shifted from one migrant shelter to another, including a former women's prison.
In December 2015, the AFP team visited them in an exhibition centre-turned-shelter in Leeuwarden, in the north.
Their temporary "home" was a plywood cubicle with no door or ceiling.
"This isn't life. How can I explain it?" Ahmad said at the time. "It's like a bird in a cage."
Their relatives in The Netherlands did not give them the welcome they expected, leaving them feeling abandoned to their fate.
While they waited for asylum, they could not earn a living, rent a house or plan for the future.
Much to their shock, two asylum requests were turned down because Ahmad returned from Syria to Iraq in 2012 -- an apparent contradiction with his claim that he is unsafe in his homeland.
They filed appeals on the grounds that neither Syria nor Iraq is safe -- but in vain.
For nearly a year, they lived as undocumented migrants in a string of acquaintances' flats.
"I couldn't do anything that required showing ID," Ahmad recalls. "I couldn't go to the bank, I couldn't take Alia to hospital when she was sick. Everyone I knew looked down on me, like I was less worthy than them."
The anguish of that period weighed particularly heavily on Alia, who suffered stress-induced hair loss.
"There were moments when the pressure was more than I could bear," she says.
- 'We are safe' -
Ahmad loves the wet Dutch weather. "This is a beautiful, green country," he says, smoking a cigarette in the garden under the drizzle.
They do most of their shopping at a Lidl supermarket and once a month take the bus to the nearby town of Arnhem to stock up on Arabic bread and spices.
In Iraq, Alia relied on her mum to cook for the whole family. Now, she uses YouTube tutorials to learn how to make both Iraqi and Dutch meals.
Adam's favourite after-school snack is fluffy Dutch pancakes with fruit.
While they are a sociable family, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced them to isolate themselves more than they would have liked.
Nonetheless, they are friendly with other parents at Adam's school, greeting them every day with a smile and a "goedemorgen" (good morning).
Still perhaps in the honeymoon period of their new Dutch life, the pair struggle to find any faults when asked what is strange or difficult.
They have experienced occasional hints of xenophobia -- the odd comment such as "it might be OK where you come from but not here".
And Ahmad questions why they and so many like them had to put their lives on the line just for a shot at applying for residency in Europe.
But since receiving their papers "for the most part, Dutch people have welcomed us warmly," he says.
In 2015, The Netherlands received 58,880 asylum applications, nearly half of them from Syrians, according to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
"Even though we waited for so long to obtain asylum, I don't have any hard feelings towards this country," he says.
"This is the country we have chosen to call home."
- 'I am free' -
Today, Alia is a changed woman from the often hesitant and worried person she seemed during the journey, torn between hope and fear.
All energy, irreverence and spark, she was saved from depression by making friends with a group of Venezuelan asylum seekers and a Polish woman.
With them, she started to see The Netherlands with new eyes, going out and having fun for the first time in years.
"They became my new family," says Alia, a huge Arabic pop and Latin American reggaeton music fan. "We went through everything together -- the good and the bad."
Feeling stronger than ever, she took a leap of faith.
Unlike her husband, she had never left Iraq.
She had also dropped out of high school in Baghdad after Islamists threatened her over her refusal to wear the veil.
With the help of a lawyer, she filed an asylum application in her name, which the authorities accepted.
The longer they're in the country, the wider she spreads her wings. The rental contract is in her name, as are the bank account and household bills.
She is glad to live in a place where women's rights are respected, as she never espoused the Middle East's conservative social mores.
"Here, I am free from all that," says Alia, whose hair is two-tone bleach and brown, like UK pop star Dua Lipa's on the cover of her "Future Nostalgia" album.
- 'Everything is possible' -
Her eyes well up with tears for the relatives she misses in Iraq, but, she says: "I no longer have any regrets."
Alia says she will always be proud of her Iraqi roots, and she passes that pride on to Adam through stories, the use of Arabic at home, and daily Facetime conversations with his grandmothers.
"He will grow up here. But he has to know where he comes from," says Alia, who plans on training as a make-up artist or a hair colour specialist.
Ahmad is now studying for his driving test and dreams of starting his own business, possibly in the transport sector.
In four years' time, as soon as he becomes eligible, he will apply for Dutch nationality, "so that I can exercise my rights and responsibilities in the country that embraced us."
"The road ahead is long, but the worst is behind us," he says. "Now, everything is possible."
And Alia is pregnant with their second child, who like its parents will one day become a European citizen.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--Delayed Australian Open to start February 8: ATP

Serbia 's Novak Djokovic will be aiming for a ninth Australian Open triumph when the coronavirus-delayed Grand Slam tournament begins three weeks late on February 8 The Australian Open was Thursday pushed back to February 8 due to coronavirus issues , with a series of lead-up events announced by the ATP Tour in Melbourne after players complete 14 days of quarantine .
Confirmation came after protracted negotiations with Tennis Australia and the Victorian state authorities in Melbourne , which only emerged from a months-long lockdown in October following a second wave of Covid-19 cases .
Originally due to start on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Australia from January 15 to serve two weeks of quarantine , many of them coming from countries when the pandemic is still raging .
Earlier reports said they would have to remain at designated hotels but would be allowed to practise and exercise for up to five hours a day , shuttled between their accommodation and Melbourne Park .
There was no immediate confirmation from Tennis Australia .
The ATP said men 's qualifiers for the Grand Slam would be held from January 10-13 in Doha , before players and support staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be confirmation on where the women will play their qualifiers .
A slimmed-down 12-team ATP Cup , the relocated Adelaide International , and a ATP 250 tournament will all be held in Melbourne ahead of the Slam which is now scheduled from February 8-21 .
`` The reconfigured calendar for the start of the 2021 season represents a huge collaborative effort across tennis , under challenging circumstances , '' said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi .
`` Together with the support of our tournament and player members , partners , and Tennis Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and create an exciting start to the season .
`` Health and safety will continue to be paramount as we navigate the challenges ahead , and I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to finding solutions to launch our 2021 season . ''
Serb Novak Djokovic will be aiming for a ninth Australian Open title after overcoming Austria 's Dominic Thiem in a titanic five-set battle earlier this year .
American Sofia Kenin is set to defend her maiden Grand Slam women 's crown after defeating Spaniard Garbine Muguruza in three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been hoping that Melbourne Park crowds would be between 25 and 50 percent of normal capacity .
But coronavirus now under control in Australia their are hopes that could be boosted if there are no more community transmissions of Covid-19 .
The men 's season will start with the ATP 250 Delray Beach Open alongside a new single-year ATP 250 event in Antalya , Turkey before moving to Doha for the Australian Open qualifying .
ATP events not taking place in 2021 due to the pandemic include the ASB Classic in Auckland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Maharashtra Open in India is under a cloud .
The Rio Open will not take place as originally scheduled , with the ATP saying alternative dates were being considered .

Melbourne (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The Australian Open was Thursday pushed back to February 8 due to coronavirus issues, with a series of lead-up events announced by the ATP Tour in Melbourne after players complete 14 days of quarantine.
Confirmation came after protracted negotiations with Tennis Australia and the Victorian state authorities in Melbourne, which only emerged from a months-long lockdown in October following a second wave of Covid-19 cases.
Originally due to start on January 18, players will now arrive in Australia from January 15 to serve two weeks of quarantine, many of them coming from countries when the pandemic is still raging.
Earlier reports said they would have to remain at designated hotels but would be allowed to practise and exercise for up to five hours a day, shuttled between their accommodation and Melbourne Park.
There was no immediate confirmation from Tennis Australia.
The ATP said men's qualifiers for the Grand Slam would be held from January 10-13 in Doha, before players and support staff travel to Australia.
There has yet to be confirmation on where the women will play their qualifiers.
A slimmed-down 12-team ATP Cup, the relocated Adelaide International, and a ATP 250 tournament will all be held in Melbourne ahead of the Slam which is now scheduled from February 8-21.
"The reconfigured calendar for the start of the 2021 season represents a huge collaborative effort across tennis, under challenging circumstances," said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
"Together with the support of our tournament and player members, partners, and Tennis Australia, we have been able to adapt and create an exciting start to the season.
"Health and safety will continue to be paramount as we navigate the challenges ahead, and I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to finding solutions to launch our 2021 season."
Serb Novak Djokovic will be aiming for a ninth Australian Open title after overcoming Austria's Dominic Thiem in a titanic five-set battle earlier this year.
American Sofia Kenin is set to defend her maiden Grand Slam women's crown after defeating Spaniard Garbine Muguruza in three sets.
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley had been hoping that Melbourne Park crowds would be between 25 and 50 percent of normal capacity.
But coronavirus now under control in Australia their are hopes that could be boosted if there are no more community transmissions of Covid-19.
The men's season will start with the ATP 250 Delray Beach Open alongside a new single-year ATP 250 event in Antalya, Turkey before moving to Doha for the Australian Open qualifying.
ATP events not taking place in 2021 due to the pandemic include the ASB Classic in Auckland and the New York Open, while the Maharashtra Open in India is under a cloud.
The Rio Open will not take place as originally scheduled, with the ATP saying alternative dates were being considered.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--Twitter cracks down on false posts about Covid vaccines

Twitter will take action against claims that the vaccine is used to intentionally cause harm or control people Twitter said on Wednesday that it would crack down on false posts about Covid-19 vaccines beginning next week , following in the footsteps of Facebook and YouTube .
The social media platform already targets posts containing false information on how the virus spreads and the efficacy of public health measures such as mask-wearing .
`` We will prioritize the removal of the most harmful misleading information , and ... begin to label tweets that contain potentially misleading information about the vaccines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are focused on mitigating misleading information that presents the biggest potential harm to people 's health and wellbeing . ''
The policy will include action against claims that the vaccine is used to intentionally cause harm or control people .
Vaccination campaigns have started in several countries , including Britain , the United States and Canada , and are about to start in the European Union after the green light from the regulator for the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech .
YouTube and Facebook have previously announced strict policies to censor vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

New York (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Twitter said on Wednesday that it would crack down on false posts about Covid-19 vaccines beginning next week, following in the footsteps of Facebook and YouTube.
The social media platform already targets posts containing false information on how the virus spreads and the efficacy of public health measures such as mask-wearing.
"We will prioritize the removal of the most harmful misleading information, and... begin to label tweets that contain potentially misleading information about the vaccines," Twitter said in a statement.
"We are focused on mitigating misleading information that presents the biggest potential harm to people's health and wellbeing."
The policy will include action against claims that the vaccine is used to intentionally cause harm or control people.
Vaccination campaigns have started in several countries, including Britain, the United States and Canada, and are about to start in the European Union after the green light from the regulator for the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.
YouTube and Facebook have previously announced strict policies to censor vaccine misinformation and efforts to disrupt vaccination campaigns.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--Indian fans taunting Smith 'wasn't right': Kohli

Virat Kohli says Indian fans taunting Australian star Steve Smith at last year 's World Cup in England `` was n't right '' and that 's why he famously pleaded with them to stop .
The gesture during a pool game earned him plenty of admirers as Smith and David Warner suffered abuse from crowds all over Britain in their comeback tournament after serving bans for ball-tampering .
`` People make mistakes and they learn from it and I felt like it 's not fair to target an individual personally , that 's what I felt at that moment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Smith , released Thursday ahead of the opening Test in Adelaide .
`` Instinctively I told them not to boo you because you were fielding there ( on the boundary ) for quite a bit .
`` As much as you play against each other there 's a human side to things as well and at the end of the day we 're here chatting now , we do have a chat a few times during the IPL as well .
`` Yes , you 're competitive on the field but you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such .
`` Long-term you do realise the importance of things from a larger perspective and I felt that was n't right to do that at that moment . ''
Smith thanked Kohli and revealed he sent him a text message after the game about the `` top class '' gesture , but also said the crowd response only fired him up .
`` There was a lot of negative stuff towards me when I first came back and I like to prove people wrong , '' he said .
`` So it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booing me , screw you .
I 'm going to try and do whatever I can to either keep you quiet or make you come at me even more ' . ''
The chat between the world 's top two Test batsmen was organised by Cricket Australia , with both men asking each other questions covering their junior days and favourite innings .
Kohli said his father 's death when he was 18 proved a key driver in making him who he is today .
`` It was tough but it somehow put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I just became single-minded from then on , focused to play for a long time , I did n't think I was going to get dropped from the team .
It was pure motivation and the will to move forward . ''
While Kohli was always a batter , Smith began his Test career as a spinner .
`` It was 2012 when I got dropped , '' Smith said .
`` I played two Tests as a spinner , three as an allrounder , I was batting at six and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the best way to get back into Australian side and have a successful career ? '
`` So I thought 'Right , it 's time to let go of spin ' .
I had so many people saying 'Do n't do it , you need to keep focusing on different parts of your game . '
`` I was like , 'This is my decision and I want to be the best batsman I can be ' . ''

Adelaide (Australia) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Virat Kohli says Indian fans taunting Australian star Steve Smith at last year's World Cup in England "wasn't right" and that's why he famously pleaded with them to stop.
The gesture during a pool game earned him plenty of admirers as Smith and David Warner suffered abuse from crowds all over Britain in their comeback tournament after serving bans for ball-tampering.
"People make mistakes and they learn from it and I felt like it's not fair to target an individual personally, that's what I felt at that moment," said Kohli in a candid conversation with Smith, released Thursday ahead of the opening Test in Adelaide.
"Instinctively I told them not to boo you because you were fielding there (on the boundary) for quite a bit.
"As much as you play against each other there's a human side to things as well and at the end of the day we're here chatting now, we do have a chat a few times during the IPL as well.
"Yes, you're competitive on the field but you don't want to go nasty as such.
"Long-term you do realise the importance of things from a larger perspective and I felt that wasn't right to do that at that moment."
Smith thanked Kohli and revealed he sent him a text message after the game about the "top class" gesture, but also said the crowd response only fired him up.
- Motivation -
"There was a lot of negative stuff towards me when I first came back and I like to prove people wrong," he said.
"So it's kind of like 'You guys are booing me, screw you. I'm going to try and do whatever I can to either keep you quiet or make you come at me even more'."
The chat between the world's top two Test batsmen was organised by Cricket Australia, with both men asking each other questions covering their junior days and favourite innings.
Kohli said his father's death when he was 18 proved a key driver in making him who he is today.
"It was tough but it somehow put things into perspective," he said.
"I just became single-minded from then on, focused to play for a long time, I didn't think I was going to get dropped from the team. It was pure motivation and the will to move forward."
While Kohli was always a batter, Smith began his Test career as a spinner.
"It was 2012 when I got dropped," Smith said.
"I played two Tests as a spinner, three as an allrounder, I was batting at six and I got dropped so I thought 'What was the best way to get back into Australian side and have a successful career?'
"So I thought 'Right, it's time to let go of spin'. I had so many people saying 'Don't do it, you need to keep focusing on different parts of your game.'
"I was like, 'This is my decision and I want to be the best batsman I can be'."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--New Zealand's virus-induced recession ends with record growth

Consumer spending and construction drove growth after a period of enforced hibernation during lockdown New Zealand roared back from a coronavirus-induced recession with record economic growth of 14.0 percent in the July-September quarter , official data showed Thursday .
The strong figures followed an 11.0-percent decline in the previous quarter -- when New Zealand was in a Covid-19 lockdown .
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the recovery was a pay-off for New Zealand 's success in containing the virus , with only 25 deaths among a population of five million .
`` The economic bounce back is a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Covid-19 pandemic , '' he said .
`` We supported more than 1.8 million workers through the Wage Subsidy Scheme and invested billions of dollars into infrastructure , training and creating jobs . ''
Consumer spending and construction drove growth after a period of enforced hibernation during lockdown .
Statistics New Zealand said the retail , accommodation , and restaurants sectors surged 42.8 percent as Kiwis enjoyed a near-normal domestic existence , while construction rose 52.4 percent .
`` This resulted in the strongest quarterly growth in GDP on record in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Pascoe said .
Despite the stellar quarterly performance , the data showed New Zealand 's economy shrank 2.2 percent year on year .
`` Even though activity across the country largely returned to pre-Covid-19 levels , we have n't recouped all the activity or production lost as a result of the lockdown , '' Pascoe said .
New Zealand has been widely praised for its Covid-19 response , which involved a strict lockdown to suppress community transmission , followed by extensive testing and contract tracing to deal with any subsequent outbreaks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,744 coronavirus cases , with all 43 currently active cases detected at the border .
The border remains closed , with all international arrivals required to undergo two weeks ' quarantine .
Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said that meant sectors reliant on international travel , such as tourism and education , continued to struggle .
The wildly oscillating quarterly figures were roughly in line with market expectations but Kerr said they were still hard to digest .
`` This is as close as you get to a true V-shaped recovery , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 95 percent of our economy is performing particularly well , but we must spare a thought for the other five percent . ''
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced plans this week to open a travel bubble with Australia in the first quarter of 2021 , which Kerr said would help the tourism industry .
The brief recession -- which covered the first and second quarters of this year -- was New Zealand 's first for a decade , following non-stop growth since 2010 .
Robertson said there was no room for complacency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pre-coronavirus levels and growth could be patchy for some time because of the pandemic .
`` The full economic effects of Covid-19 are still to be felt in New Zealand and across the world , '' he said .

Wellington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
New Zealand roared back from a coronavirus-induced recession with record economic growth of 14.0 percent in the July-September quarter, official data showed Thursday.
The strong figures followed an 11.0-percent decline in the previous quarter -- when New Zealand was in a Covid-19 lockdown.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the recovery was a pay-off for New Zealand's success in containing the virus, with only 25 deaths among a population of five million.
"The economic bounce back is a result of our decision to go hard and early during the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
"We supported more than 1.8 million workers through the Wage Subsidy Scheme and invested billions of dollars into infrastructure, training and creating jobs."
Consumer spending and construction drove growth after a period of enforced hibernation during lockdown.
Statistics New Zealand said the retail, accommodation, and restaurants sectors surged 42.8 percent as Kiwis enjoyed a near-normal domestic existence, while construction rose 52.4 percent.
"This resulted in the strongest quarterly growth in GDP on record in New Zealand," SNZ senior manager Paul Pascoe said.
Despite the stellar quarterly performance, the data showed New Zealand's economy shrank 2.2 percent year on year.
"Even though activity across the country largely returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, we haven't recouped all the activity or production lost as a result of the lockdown," Pascoe said.
- V-shaped recovery -
New Zealand has been widely praised for its Covid-19 response, which involved a strict lockdown to suppress community transmission, followed by extensive testing and contract tracing to deal with any subsequent outbreaks.
The country has recorded a total of 1,744 coronavirus cases, with all 43 currently active cases detected at the border.
The border remains closed, with all international arrivals required to undergo two weeks' quarantine.
Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said that meant sectors reliant on international travel, such as tourism and education, continued to struggle.
The wildly oscillating quarterly figures were roughly in line with market expectations but Kerr said they were still hard to digest.
"This is as close as you get to a true V-shaped recovery," he said.
"It's clear that 95 percent of our economy is performing particularly well, but we must spare a thought for the other five percent."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced plans this week to open a travel bubble with Australia in the first quarter of 2021, which Kerr said would help the tourism industry.
The brief recession -- which covered the first and second quarters of this year -- was New Zealand's first for a decade, following non-stop growth since 2010.
Robertson said there was no room for complacency as the economy was not yet back to pre-coronavirus levels and growth could be patchy for some time because of the pandemic.
"The full economic effects of Covid-19 are still to be felt in New Zealand and across the world," he said.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--US Vice-president Pence to get Covid-19 vaccine Friday, Biden next week

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden pulls down his protective face mask to answer questions from reporters after announcing former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as his nominee to be secretary of transportation during a news conference at Biden 's transition headquarters in Wilmington , Delaware , U.S. , December 16 , 2020 .
President-elect Joe Biden will get the coronavirus vaccine as soon as next week , transition officials said on Wednesday , as U.S. authorities try to build public confidence in a measure that promises to stanch the deadly pandemic .
Vice President Mike Pence will get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Both men will receive the shot publicly in an effort to boost confidence in the safety of the vaccine , which will become widely available to the public next year .
President Donald Trump will get the vaccine himself as soon as his medical team determines it is best , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Tuesday .
Initial doses of the vaccine , which became available this week , have been set aside for doctors , nurses and other frontline medical workers , along with residents and staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
U.S. officials aim to get 2.9 million doses of the vaccine , developed by Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE , by week ’ s end .
At least 304,187 Americans have died of the disease , according to a Reuters tally , and 16.7 million have been infected – roughly 5 % of the population .
Pence ’ s wife , Karen , and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also will get the vaccine on Friday , the White House said .
The news comes as Biden is building his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 20 .
On Wednesday , he introduced former presidential rival Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday as his choice for U.S. transportation secretary to take the lead in upgrading America ’ s aging infrastructure .
Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , would be the first openly gay Cabinet secretary confirmed by the Senate if he is approved .
“ The Biden-Harris Cabinet will be a historic Cabinet – a Cabinet that looks like America , a Cabinet that taps into the best of America , a Cabinet that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accessing the full range of talent ... in this nation , ” Biden said as he puts forth what is shaping up to be the most diverse Cabinet in U.S. history .
Appearing with Buttigieg in Wilmington , Delaware , Biden said the 38-year-old would confront the task of restoring what he called “ our crumbling roads , bridges and ports.
” Biden has proposed a massive boost in infrastructure spending .
Buttigieg emerged from relative obscurity to mount a surprisingly robust campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination eventually won by Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Buttigieg is in the vanguard of the next generation of Democratic politicians and is widely seen as a future presidential contender .
“ I ’ m also mindful that the eyes of history are on this appointment , knowing that this is the first time an American president has ever sent an openly LGBTQ Cabinet member to the Senate for confirmation , ” Buttigieg said .

The United States on Wednesday widened its network for administering COVID-19 vaccines to doctors and nurses on the frontlines of a pandemic killing more than 3,000 Americans a day, even as a major storm threatened to slow progress on the East Coast.
Nurse Mark Carey holds forms before getting one of the first Covid-19 vaccinations at Mt. Sinai Hospital in the Manhattan borough of New York City, US on December 15, 2020.
Advertising Read more
While medical professionals at a growing number of hospitals rolled up their sleeves, lawmakers on Capitol Hill said they were nearing a long-elusive bipartisan deal on $900 billion in economic relief to pandemic-hit U.S. workers and businesses.
The aid package, to be attached to a massive spending bill that must pass by Friday to avert a federal shutdown, was not expected to include COVID-relief funds for state and local governments, as Democrats wanted, or protections for companies from pandemic-related lawsuits, as sought by Republicans.
Rollout of the first tranche of 2.9 million doses of a newly authorized vaccine from Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE was in its third full day, with shipments headed to 66 more distribution hubs nationwide.
A second vaccine from Moderna Inc could win emergency-use approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week.
Express delivery companies FedEx and United Parcel Service, sharing a leading role in vaccine shipments, said they were monitoring potential impacts of heavy ice and snow that began to disrupt transport along the Eastern Seaboard.
U.S. Army General Gustave Perna, overseeing the government’s Operation Warp Speed campaign, said FedEx and UPS have developed contingency plans to keep any delayed vaccine shipments secure until they can be “delivered the next day.”
“We are on track with all the deliveries we said we were doing,” Perna told reporters at a briefing. He cited a minor glitch involving four trays of vaccine – two sent to California and two to Alabama – that arrived at temperatures lower than prescribed. The trays in question were shipped back to Pfizer and later replaced, Perna said.
Some 570 other vaccine distribution centers received the bulk of the initial batch of shipments on Monday and Tuesday, and an even larger wave was due for delivery to 886 additional locations on Friday, Perna said.
From each distribution site, vaccine doses were divided up among area hospitals and administered to healthcare workers, designated as first in line to be immunized. Some were also going to residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Later vaccine rounds will go to other essential workers, senior citizens and people with chronic health conditions.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who has said he would get the vaccine publicly to help instill confidence in its safety, is expected to receive his first injection as soon as next week, according to his transition team.
Biden, 78, is in a high-risk category for the coronavirus due to his age.
‘Not over yet’
It will take several months before vaccines are widely available to the public on demand, and opinion polls have found many Americans hesitant about getting inoculated.
Political leaders and medical authorities in the meantime have launched a media blitz assuring Americans that the vaccines are safe while urging them to avoid growing weary of social distancing and mask-wearing while the pandemic rages on.
“It is not over yet,” Dr Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told CBS News. “Public health measures are the bridge to get to the vaccine, which is going to get us out of this.”
Data shows surging infections and hospitalizations are driving healthcare systems to the breaking point across much of the country, with many intensive care units at or near capacity.
The United States reported at least 3,459 additional coronavirus deaths on Wednesday alone, a record that marks the fourth time in a week the daily toll has surpassed 3,000, according to a Reuters tally. The seven-day average has topped 2,500 lives lost every 24 hours for the first time this week.
To date, COVID-19 deaths total more than 304,000 nationally, while the mounting case load of 16.7 million known infections represents roughly 5% of the U.S. population.
With hospitalizations setting a record for the 19th day in a row – nearly 113,000 patients under treatment on Wednesday – health experts warn that fatalities will rise higher still in the weeks ahead, even as the vaccine campaign steadily expands.
Another 2 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 5.9 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine could be allocated next week, U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar told a conference call. Both require two doses, given three or four weeks apart, for each person inoculated.
In all, the United States has options to buy up to 300 million doses of those vaccines, Azar said, plus hundreds of millions more doses of vaccines yet to receive approval, including some single-dose drugs.
The United States could have a surplus supply of vaccines in the future, if all the vaccines it has secured are authorized for use, Azar said, which could eventually benefit other countries.
The Trump administration was also in talks to secure additional antibody treatment doses from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Eli Lilly and Co, Operation Warp Speed chief adviser Moncef Slaoui told the same conference call.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-12-17--NFL to invite vaccinated health workers to Super Bowl

The NFL wants to invite healthcare workers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 as guests at this season 's Super Bowl at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa The NFL plans to invite vaccinated healthcare workers to attend next year 's Super Bowl in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic , league commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday .
In a letter to the head of the local organising committee for the Super Bowl in Tampa , Goodell said the NFL was keen to reward frontline health workers with tickets to the February 7 showpiece .
`` We are currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to invite vaccinated health care workers to the Super Bowl as our guests , '' Goodell wrote in the letter reported in several media outlets .
`` Subject to their approval and in consultation with your team , we aim to do this in a safe and responsible way , '' Goodell added .
`` We all know that over the past year , these frontline workers have put their own lives at risk to the benefit of society and we owe them our ongoing gratitude .
We also know that they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat those who are ill and administer vaccines .
`` We hope that in some small way , this initiative will inspire our country and recognise these true American heroes as we look forward to a better and healthier year . ''
Goodell said the league also hoped the initiative would be an opportunity to promote `` the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices , including wearing masks in public settings . ''
It was not immediately known how many healthcare workers the league hoped to invite as guests .
Next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Stadium is reportedly set to be staged with only 20 % fan capacity -- around 13,000-15,000 spectators -- to mitigate against coronavirus .
Although the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered this week , the United States is battling a raging coronavirus crisis with more than 307,000 deaths and cases skyrocketing across swathes of the country .

New York (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The NFL plans to invite vaccinated healthcare workers to attend next year's Super Bowl in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic, league commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday.
In a letter to the head of the local organising committee for the Super Bowl in Tampa, Goodell said the NFL was keen to reward frontline health workers with tickets to the February 7 showpiece.
"We are currently discussing with public health officials our desire to invite vaccinated health care workers to the Super Bowl as our guests," Goodell wrote in the letter reported in several media outlets.
"Subject to their approval and in consultation with your team, we aim to do this in a safe and responsible way," Goodell added.
"We all know that over the past year, these frontline workers have put their own lives at risk to the benefit of society and we owe them our ongoing gratitude. We also know that they will remain essential for months to come to treat those who are ill and administer vaccines.
"We hope that in some small way, this initiative will inspire our country and recognise these true American heroes as we look forward to a better and healthier year."
Goodell said the league also hoped the initiative would be an opportunity to promote "the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices, including wearing masks in public settings."
It was not immediately known how many healthcare workers the league hoped to invite as guests.
Next year's Super Bowl at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium is reportedly set to be staged with only 20% fan capacity -- around 13,000-15,000 spectators -- to mitigate against coronavirus.
Although the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered this week, the United States is battling a raging coronavirus crisis with more than 307,000 deaths and cases skyrocketing across swathes of the country.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--US Vice President Pence to get Covid vaccine Friday: W.House

Vice President Mike Pence will take the Covid vaccine in public , the White House says US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife will get the Covid-19 vaccine Friday in a public display designed to boost national confidence , the White House announced Wednesday .
Pence and his wife Karen Pence `` will publicly receive a Covid-19 vaccine to promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people , '' the White House said in a statement .
The event , due to be held at the White House , comes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at stopping the surging coronavirus pandemic , which has already killed more than 300,000 Americans .
In addition to the Pences , the vaccine will be administered at the same time to Surgeon General Jerome Adams , the lead public health official in the country .
The public display illustrates the seriousness of the challenges facing the authorities not only in distributing vaccines across the huge country , but overcoming sceptism after months of mixed messaging from President Donald Trump .
On Tuesday , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to taking the vaccine . ''
However , since he recently recovered from a bout of Covid-19 , he is thought to be currently immune .
`` He will receive the vaccine as soon as his medical team determines it ’ s best .
But his priority is frontline workers , those in long-term care facilities , '' McEnany said .
President-elect Joe Biden , who won election in November after a campaign heavily critical of Trump 's leadership during the pandemic , says he intends to take the vaccine in public soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prime risk category for the disease .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife will get the Covid-19 vaccine Friday in a public display designed to boost national confidence, the White House announced Wednesday.
Pence and his wife Karen Pence "will publicly receive a Covid-19 vaccine to promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people," the White House said in a statement.
The event, due to be held at the White House, comes in the first week of a mass vaccination program aimed at stopping the surging coronavirus pandemic, which has already killed more than 300,000 Americans.
In addition to the Pences, the vaccine will be administered at the same time to Surgeon General Jerome Adams, the lead public health official in the country.
The public display illustrates the seriousness of the challenges facing the authorities not only in distributing vaccines across the huge country, but overcoming sceptism after months of mixed messaging from President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that Trump is also "absolutely open to taking the vaccine."
However, since he recently recovered from a bout of Covid-19, he is thought to be currently immune.
"He will receive the vaccine as soon as his medical team determines it’s best. But his priority is frontline workers, those in long-term care facilities," McEnany said.
President-elect Joe Biden, who won election in November after a campaign heavily critical of Trump's leadership during the pandemic, says he intends to take the vaccine in public soon.
At 78, Biden is in a prime risk category for the disease.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-16--Air pollution contributed to death of London girl, landmark ruling finds

A British legal first was made on December 16 when a coroner ruled that air pollution contributed to the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah , a nine-year-old girl with severe asthma who lived by a busy road in London .
The mother of a nine-year-old British girl who died after a severe asthma attack called on Wednesday for a public health campaign warning of the dangers of air pollution , after a coroner ruled it contributed to her death .
In a legal first , coroner Philip Barlow said poor air quality from vehicle emissions made a “ material contribution ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 .
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the ruling a “ landmark moment ” and called air pollution a “ public health crisis ” , while campaigners said it should now lead to an overhaul in policy .
Ella ’ s mother , Rosamund , welcomed the coroner ’ s ruling , which she said should contribute to improving the lives of children struggling with asthma because of poor air quality .
“ As we walk around our city , there are still illegal levels of air pollution .
This matter is far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There needs to be a whole health campaign about this .
This is a very serious health matter ... Hopefully this ( ruling ) will change that.
” Ella died of acute respiratory failure in February 2013 after a serious asthma attack .
She had been taken to hospital nearly 30 times in the previous three years with breathing difficulties .
The young girl lived in southeast London just 30 metres ( yards ) from a major ringroad in the British capital which is often clogged with heavy traffic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have poor air quality recorded as a factor on a death certificate .
Barlow said Ella was “ exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide in excess of World Health Organization guidelines .
The principal source of her exposure was traffic emissions ” .
He said it was also important to record a “ recognised failure ” to reduce those NO2 levels to within UK and EU limits , “ which possibly contributed to her death ” .
Information was not provided to her mother that may have prompted her to take action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death , he added .
A first inquest in 2014 determined that Ella died of acute respiratory failure .
But the ruling was overturned and a new hearing ordered after a review of the case .
Air pollution expert Stephen Holgate found a “ striking link ” between spikes in NO2 and harmful particulate matter and the occasions that she was taken to hospital for treatment .
He told the inquest she was “ living on a knife edge ” because of her surroundings and the air quality in her neighbourhood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollution worsened her asthma in the months leading up to her death , added Holgate , a professor of immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton .
The inquest was told that air pollution had been a known factor in worsening asthma , including in children , for at least four decades .
Air pollution readings one mile ( 1.6 kilometres ) from Ella ’ s family home consistently broke lawful EU limits in the three years before her death , the coroner was told .
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said she would have moved from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effects of air quality on her daughter ’ s health .
She now wants a new Clean Air Act to be her daughter ’ s legacy .
The British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK said the inquest had laid bare the “ invisible dangers of breathing dirty air ” .
“ Today ’ s verdict sets the precedent for a seismic shift in the pace and extent to which the government , local authorities and clinicians must now work together to tackle the country ’ s air pollution crisis , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36,000 deaths in Britain each year are thought to be linked to air pollution .
According to figures from the London mayor ’ s office , WHO-recommended limits for air pollution are broken in virtually all of the British capital .
Across the world , the global health body says air pollution kills some seven million people every year and nine out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds guideline limits on pollutants .

The mother of a nine-year-old British girl who died after a severe asthma attack called on Wednesday for a public health campaign warning of the dangers of air pollution, after a coroner ruled it contributed to her death.
A British legal first was made on December 16 when a coroner ruled that air pollution contributed to the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a nine-year-old girl with severe asthma who lived by a busy road in London.
Advertising Read more
In a legal first, coroner Philip Barlow said poor air quality from vehicle emissions made a “material contribution” to the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in 2013.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the ruling a “landmark moment” and called air pollution a “public health crisis”, while campaigners said it should now lead to an overhaul in policy.
Ella’s mother, Rosamund, welcomed the coroner’s ruling, which she said should contribute to improving the lives of children struggling with asthma because of poor air quality.
“As we walk around our city, there are still illegal levels of air pollution. This matter is far from over,” she told reporters.
“There needs to be a whole health campaign about this. This is a very serious health matter... Hopefully this (ruling) will change that.”
Ella died of acute respiratory failure in February 2013 after a serious asthma attack. She had been taken to hospital nearly 30 times in the previous three years with breathing difficulties.
The young girl lived in southeast London just 30 metres (yards) from a major ringroad in the British capital which is often clogged with heavy traffic.
The coroner’s ruling is the first to have poor air quality recorded as a factor on a death certificate.
Barlow said Ella was “exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide in excess of World Health Organization guidelines. The principal source of her exposure was traffic emissions”.
He said it was also important to record a “recognised failure” to reduce those NO2 levels to within UK and EU limits, “which possibly contributed to her death”.
01:06
Information was not provided to her mother that may have prompted her to take action that might have prevented the girl’s death, he added.
A first inquest in 2014 determined that Ella died of acute respiratory failure. But the ruling was overturned and a new hearing ordered after a review of the case.
Air pollution expert Stephen Holgate found a “striking link” between spikes in NO2 and harmful particulate matter and the occasions that she was taken to hospital for treatment.
He told the inquest she was “living on a knife edge” because of her surroundings and the air quality in her neighbourhood, which exacerbated her condition.
Winter air pollution worsened her asthma in the months leading up to her death, added Holgate, a professor of immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton.
Public health emergency
The inquest was told that air pollution had been a known factor in worsening asthma, including in children, for at least four decades.
Air pollution readings one mile (1.6 kilometres) from Ella’s family home consistently broke lawful EU limits in the three years before her death, the coroner was told.
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said she would have moved from the area had she been aware of the effects of air quality on her daughter’s health.
She now wants a new Clean Air Act to be her daughter’s legacy.
The British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK said the inquest had laid bare the “invisible dangers of breathing dirty air”.
“Today’s verdict sets the precedent for a seismic shift in the pace and extent to which the government, local authorities and clinicians must now work together to tackle the country’s air pollution crisis,” said co-chair Sarah Woolnough.
Between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths in Britain each year are thought to be linked to air pollution.
According to figures from the London mayor’s office, WHO-recommended limits for air pollution are broken in virtually all of the British capital.
Across the world, the global health body says air pollution kills some seven million people every year and nine out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds guideline limits on pollutants.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-12-16--Froome to open 'new chapter' in Argentina

Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome will start his career with his new Israel Start-Up Nation team in Argentina at the Vuelta a San Juan next month , he said Wednesday .
The 35-year-old Briton , who parted ways with Team Sky/Ineos after 11 years this season , said it will be a `` new chapter '' when the eight-stage event gets underway on January 24 .
`` This race will mark the beginning of a much anticipated new chapter of my career , '' said Froome on Twitter .
`` I look forward to racing with my new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the adventure that lies ahead . ''
The Kenya-born British rider won the Tour de France in 2013 , 2015 , 2016 and 2017 .
He was Giro winner in 2018 and Vuelta champion in 2011 and 2017 .
He was only presented with his 2011 Vuelta trophy last month after original winner Juan Jose Cobo was disqualified for doping in 2019 .
Israel Start-Up Nation sports boss Rik Verbrugghe insisted , however , that Froome is n't being primed to win the race in Argentina .
`` He is not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see it as a perfect opportunity for Chris to start the building process towards the peak of the season down the road , '' Verbrugghe said on the team 's Facebook page .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome will start his career with his new Israel Start-Up Nation team in Argentina at the Vuelta a San Juan next month, he said Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Briton, who parted ways with Team Sky/Ineos after 11 years this season, said it will be a "new chapter" when the eight-stage event gets underway on January 24.
"This race will mark the beginning of a much anticipated new chapter of my career," said Froome on Twitter.
"I look forward to racing with my new teammates and getting the ball rolling on the adventure that lies ahead."
The Kenya-born British rider won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
He was Giro winner in 2018 and Vuelta champion in 2011 and 2017.
He was only presented with his 2011 Vuelta trophy last month after original winner Juan Jose Cobo was disqualified for doping in 2019.
Israel Start-Up Nation sports boss Rik Verbrugghe insisted, however, that Froome isn't being primed to win the race in Argentina.
"He is not going to Argentina to win the race. We see it as a perfect opportunity for Chris to start the building process towards the peak of the season down the road," Verbrugghe said on the team's Facebook page.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-16--Golovkin eyes record against unbeaten Szeremeta

Gennady Golovkin ( left ) punches Sergiy Derevyanchenko during his last outing in the ring in October 2019 .
Golovkin defends his IBF middleweight crown on Friday Gennady Golovkin can claim a slice of middleweight boxing history on Friday as he chases a record 21st successful defence against mandatory Polish challenger Kamil Szeremeta in Florida .
The 38-year-old Golovkin ( 40-1-1 , 35 knockouts ) will move one clear of Bernard Hopkins for the most ever defenses at 160 pounds if he takes care of business against the unbeaten Szeremeta .
`` It 's very exciting for any athlete to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the 21st defense or any other record , the fact you 're setting a record is pleasing to me , '' said Golovkin , the International Boxing Federation middleweight champion .
The behind-closed-doors fight at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino , which is being broadcast on the DAZN streaming platform , is also an opportunity for Golovkin to remind a worldwide audience that he remains a force in the division .
A solid but unspectacular unanimous decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in his last fight , in October 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in decline .
Even Szeremeta ( 21-0 , 5 knockouts ) risked tweaking the champion 's tail earlier this week by suggesting Golovkin was past his prime .
`` You can not defeat time , we know that , '' the 31-year-old Szeremeta said .
`` We know his prime is behind him and I 'm walking into my prime right now .
He is still an extremely dangerous fighter and I need to remember this all the time . ''
`` Any athlete is entitled to his opinion , '' Golovkin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he 's confused .
But the fight on Friday will show whether he 's confused or not .
`` Even if I 'm supposedly past my prime I still feel great and I 'm ready .
He 's up for a surprise .
`` When I spar , I feel great and as strong , powerful , tenacious and I have as much stamina as I had five years ago - maybe even better . ''
While Golovkin admits that the prospect of a third fight against Mexican rival Saul `` Canelo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is keen to fight on as his 40th birthday looms ever closer .
`` I have not achieved everything I wanted to achieve , '' he said this week .
`` I first need to win on Friday and after that I will start to look into other opportunities and options in order to achieve more in my career . ''
But the possibility of a third fight with Canelo , who defeated Golovkin with a controversial majority decision in Las Vegas in 2018 , looks remote .
`` I 'm tired of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's been over two years that we 've been throwing this around .
It 's not my fault that this fight has not taken place .
But there is a possibility this fight might never happen . ''

Miami (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Gennady Golovkin can claim a slice of middleweight boxing history on Friday as he chases a record 21st successful defence against mandatory Polish challenger Kamil Szeremeta in Florida.
The 38-year-old Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 knockouts) will move one clear of Bernard Hopkins for the most ever defenses at 160 pounds if he takes care of business against the unbeaten Szeremeta.
"It's very exciting for any athlete to set a new record, whether it's the 21st defense or any other record, the fact you're setting a record is pleasing to me," said Golovkin, the International Boxing Federation middleweight champion.
The behind-closed-doors fight at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which is being broadcast on the DAZN streaming platform, is also an opportunity for Golovkin to remind a worldwide audience that he remains a force in the division.
A solid but unspectacular unanimous decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in his last fight, in October 2019, fuelled the view that the hard-hitting Golovkin is in decline.
Even Szeremeta (21-0, 5 knockouts) risked tweaking the champion's tail earlier this week by suggesting Golovkin was past his prime.
"You cannot defeat time, we know that," the 31-year-old Szeremeta said.
"We know his prime is behind him and I'm walking into my prime right now. He is still an extremely dangerous fighter and I need to remember this all the time."
Golovkin appeared nonplussed by Szeremeta's comments.
"Any athlete is entitled to his opinion," Golovkin said. "I can't say if he's confused. But the fight on Friday will show whether he's confused or not.
"Even if I'm supposedly past my prime I still feel great and I'm ready. He's up for a surprise.
"When I spar, I feel great and as strong, powerful, tenacious and I have as much stamina as I had five years ago - maybe even better."
While Golovkin admits that the prospect of a third fight against Mexican rival Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is increasingly unlikely, he is keen to fight on as his 40th birthday looms ever closer.
"I have not achieved everything I wanted to achieve," he said this week. "I first need to win on Friday and after that I will start to look into other opportunities and options in order to achieve more in my career."
But the possibility of a third fight with Canelo, who defeated Golovkin with a controversial majority decision in Las Vegas in 2018, looks remote.
"I'm tired of thinking about it," Golovkin said. "It's been over two years that we've been throwing this around. It's not my fault that this fight has not taken place. But there is a possibility this fight might never happen."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-16--Barcelona's 'best game of season' as fightback reignites title bid

Down but not out : Lionel Messi lays on the ground after a foul Barcelona reignited their La Liga title push on Wednesday when they came back from a goal down to defeat Real Sociedad 2-1 , with veteran defender and goal scorer Jordi Alba claiming it was the team 's `` best game of the season '' .
The win allowed Barcelona to move six points off the top of the table whereas defeat meant Sociedad lost their spot as leaders to be replaced by Atletico Madrid .
However , Barca did it the hard way .
Sociedad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , took the lead through Willian Jose in the 26th minute .
Spanish international Alba levelled four minutes later with Frenkie de Jong adding the second just before the break .
`` It was our best game of the season .
We came into it knowing very well what we had to do , '' said left-back Alba .
`` We put pressure on them , especially in the first half .
`` Tonight I saw a very good Barca .
We are happy with the attitude .
We knew how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence for the rest of La Liga as there are a lot of games left . ''
Under-siege Barca coach Ronald Koeman played in the team which last yielded a home point to Sociedad in 1995 .
The Dutchman was fearing the worst when Willian Jose scored with his right foot from close range after a Portu corner .
Alba 's equaliser arrived on the half-hour mark after a fine interchange of passes between Antoine Griezmann and Pedri .
French star Griezmann hit the bar six minutes later after taking the ball past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then gave Barca a 42nd-minute lead with a right-foot drive for his first goal since February .
The goal , however , was only allowed after a VAR consultation for a possible offside .
Griezmann had back-to-back chances to increase the lead early in the second period .
Lionel Messi required treatment on a calf injury as the second half wound down before Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Willian Jose from long range and then Alexander Isak .
On Tuesday , Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Karim Benzema as the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double against Athletic Bilbao put them into third place , level on points with Atletico and Sociedad .
Bilbao 's Ander Capa had cancelled out Toni Kroos 's thumping strike before Benzema , 32 , struck twice late on , heading home a cross with 16 minutes remaining and finishing clinically in stoppage time from Luka Modric 's pass .
Afterwards Zidane had no hesitation in declaring Benzema as France 's best ever centre-forward , putting him at the top of a list that includes Thierry Henry , Kylian Mbappe , Jean-Pierre Papin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 's the best -- it 's very clear , '' said Zidane , the French midfield legend who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with Les Bleus .
`` He 's proved it -- he 's played at Real Madrid for a very long time , he has more than 500 appearances , all his goals ... his record , all he 's accomplished here speaks for itself , '' Zidane added .

Madrid (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Barcelona reignited their La Liga title push on Wednesday when they came back from a goal down to defeat Real Sociedad 2-1, with veteran defender and goal scorer Jordi Alba claiming it was the team's "best game of the season".
The win allowed Barcelona to move six points off the top of the table whereas defeat meant Sociedad lost their spot as leaders to be replaced by Atletico Madrid.
However, Barca did it the hard way.
Sociedad, without a point at Barcelona in 25 years, took the lead through Willian Jose in the 26th minute.
Spanish international Alba levelled four minutes later with Frenkie de Jong adding the second just before the break.
"It was our best game of the season. We came into it knowing very well what we had to do," said left-back Alba.
"We put pressure on them, especially in the first half.
"Tonight I saw a very good Barca. We are happy with the attitude. We knew how to suffer. This should give us more confidence for the rest of La Liga as there are a lot of games left."
Under-siege Barca coach Ronald Koeman played in the team which last yielded a home point to Sociedad in 1995.
The Dutchman was fearing the worst when Willian Jose scored with his right foot from close range after a Portu corner.
Alba's equaliser arrived on the half-hour mark after a fine interchange of passes between Antoine Griezmann and Pedri.
French star Griezmann hit the bar six minutes later after taking the ball past Sociedad keeper Alex Remiro.
De Jong then gave Barca a 42nd-minute lead with a right-foot drive for his first goal since February.
The goal, however, was only allowed after a VAR consultation for a possible offside.
Griezmann had back-to-back chances to increase the lead early in the second period.
Lionel Messi required treatment on a calf injury as the second half wound down before Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Willian Jose from long range and then Alexander Isak.
On Tuesday, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Karim Benzema as the best centre-forward in French history after his match-winning double against Athletic Bilbao put them into third place, level on points with Atletico and Sociedad.
Bilbao's Ander Capa had cancelled out Toni Kroos's thumping strike before Benzema, 32, struck twice late on, heading home a cross with 16 minutes remaining and finishing clinically in stoppage time from Luka Modric's pass.
Afterwards Zidane had no hesitation in declaring Benzema as France's best ever centre-forward, putting him at the top of a list that includes Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappe, Jean-Pierre Papin and Just Fontaine.
"For me, he's the best -- it's very clear," said Zidane, the French midfield legend who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with Les Bleus.
"He's proved it -- he's played at Real Madrid for a very long time, he has more than 500 appearances, all his goals... his record, all he's accomplished here speaks for itself," Zidane added.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-16--Pandemic making Canada's opioids crisis worse: official

The opioids epidemic in Canada has grown worse as a result of the coronavirus pandemic The coronavirus pandemic is having a troubling knock-on effect on Canada 's opioid crisis , with drug-related deaths up sharply in the spring , a government report said Wednesday .
Canada 's special intragovernmental advisory committee on the opioids epidemic said 1,628 people died of opioids overdoses from April to June , up 58 percent from the previous quarter .
It was the highest total number of opioid-related deaths in any one quarter since national statistics were first compiled in 2016 .
`` Prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , we were seeing early and promising signs that opioid toxicity deaths were beginning to decline in some areas of the country , '' committee leaders said .
`` The national data released today offers insight into the severe and worsening impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the overdose crisis , '' they added .
Experts said opioid users were facing increased risk because of the pandemic , which has sparked increased unemployment and homelessness as housing costs soar .
`` We must act now to change these troubling projections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country . ''
In the first half of 2020 , approximately half of all opioid-related deaths also involved the use of a stimulant , such as cocaine or methamphetamine .
`` Unfortunately , updated projections released today by the Public Health Agency of Canada suggest that these numbers may remain high in the coming months , '' the committee said .
From January 2016 to June 2020 , more than 17,600 people have died in Canada as a results of the opioids crisis , data showed .
Faced with the spiralling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Can $ 300 million ( US $ 235 million ) emergency fund to help bolster provincial health systems to treat those in need .

Ottawa (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The coronavirus pandemic is having a troubling knock-on effect on Canada's opioid crisis, with drug-related deaths up sharply in the spring, a government report said Wednesday.
Canada's special intragovernmental advisory committee on the opioids epidemic said 1,628 people died of opioids overdoses from April to June, up 58 percent from the previous quarter.
It was the highest total number of opioid-related deaths in any one quarter since national statistics were first compiled in 2016.
"Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in Canada, we were seeing early and promising signs that opioid toxicity deaths were beginning to decline in some areas of the country," committee leaders said.
"The national data released today offers insight into the severe and worsening impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the overdose crisis," they added.
Experts said opioid users were facing increased risk because of the pandemic, which has sparked increased unemployment and homelessness as housing costs soar.
"We must act now to change these troubling projections. We must renew our collective efforts across the country."
In the first half of 2020, approximately half of all opioid-related deaths also involved the use of a stimulant, such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
"Unfortunately, updated projections released today by the Public Health Agency of Canada suggest that these numbers may remain high in the coming months," the committee said.
From January 2016 to June 2020, more than 17,600 people have died in Canada as a results of the opioids crisis, data showed.
Faced with the spiralling epidemic, the Canadian government recently created a Can$300 million (US$235 million) emergency fund to help bolster provincial health systems to treat those in need.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-16--'I am different': Mourinho unhappy at Klopp touchline antics

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said he is unfairly treated by officials as he reacted angrily to the touchline behaviour of Jurgen Klopp in Liverpool 's 2-1 win in a clash between the top two in the Premier League on Wednesday .
Mourinho and Klopp exchanged words at full-time shortly after Roberto Firmino 's 90th minute header ended Tottenham 's 11-game unbeaten run in the league .
The Portuguese coach also took a swipe at Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola , who escaped punishment for trying to stop the fourth official from holding up the board to indicate four minutes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw with West Brom on Tuesday .
`` If I behave like he does on the touchline , I have no chance to stay there and I am out one minute after , '' said Mourinho .
`` Or do you want me to take the table with the time from the fourth official 's hands to see what happens to me ?
`` I am saying for some reason I am different , and that 's sad . ''
The two managers also clashed on their opinions of the game as Mourinho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoying 76 percent possession and having 11 shots on target to Tottenham 's two .
After Mohamed Salah 's deflected strike gave Liverpool a deserved lead , Son Heung-min equalised with virtually Tottenham 's first attack on 33 minutes .
However , Spurs had the better chances early in the second-half as Steven Bergwijn hit the post and Harry Kane headed over a glorious opportunity from a corner .
`` I told him the best team lost , he disagrees but that 's his opinon , '' added Mourinho on what he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the defending champions were worthy winners , but warned Tottenham are contenders for their first league title in 60 years .
`` Completely deserved , '' said Klopp .
`` A really good game against a top side , a counter-attacking monster .
You lose one ball and you end up with an 80 percent possibility in your own box so you have to really concentrate .
`` Spurs is 100 percent one of the favourites .
In these top six games they are not bothered to sit back and play on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the end . ''

Liverpool (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said he is unfairly treated by officials as he reacted angrily to the touchline behaviour of Jurgen Klopp in Liverpool's 2-1 win in a clash between the top two in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Mourinho and Klopp exchanged words at full-time shortly after Roberto Firmino's 90th minute header ended Tottenham's 11-game unbeaten run in the league.
The Portuguese coach also took a swipe at Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who escaped punishment for trying to stop the fourth official from holding up the board to indicate four minutes of stoppage time during his side's 1-1 draw with West Brom on Tuesday.
"If I behave like he does on the touchline, I have no chance to stay there and I am out one minute after," said Mourinho.
"Or do you want me to take the table with the time from the fourth official's hands to see what happens to me?
"I am saying for some reason I am different, and that's sad."
The two managers also clashed on their opinions of the game as Mourinho claimed the better team lost despite Liverpool enjoying 76 percent possession and having 11 shots on target to Tottenham's two.
After Mohamed Salah's deflected strike gave Liverpool a deserved lead, Son Heung-min equalised with virtually Tottenham's first attack on 33 minutes.
However, Spurs had the better chances early in the second-half as Steven Bergwijn hit the post and Harry Kane headed over a glorious opportunity from a corner.
"I told him the best team lost, he disagrees but that's his opinon," added Mourinho on what he said to Klopp after the game.
Klopp said the defending champions were worthy winners, but warned Tottenham are contenders for their first league title in 60 years.
"Completely deserved," said Klopp. "A really good game against a top side, a counter-attacking monster. You lose one ball and you end up with an 80 percent possibility in your own box so you have to really concentrate.
"Spurs is 100 percent one of the favourites. In these top six games they are not bothered to sit back and play on the counter. They will be there until the end."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-17--Coronavirus pandemic: France's Macron self isolate, continue to work from the Élysée Palace

Coronavirus pandemic : France 's Macron self isolate , continue to work from the Élysée Palace French President Emmanuel Macron @ @ @ @ @ , following a week when he has met with numerous European leaders .
The French @ @ @ @ @ among those self-isolating because they had recent contact with him .
FRANCE 24 's Clovis @ @ @ @ @ Palace .

Coronavirus pandemic: France's Macron self isolate, continue to work from the Élysée Palace
05:06
French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19 Thursday, following a week when he has met with numerous European leaders. The French and Spanish prime ministers are among those self-isolating because they had recent contact with him. FRANCE 24's Clovis Casali reports from the Élysée Palace.


france24--2020-12-17--Jasmin revolution, 10 years on: A decade after the Tunisian revolution, little hope remains

Jasmin revolution , 10 years on : A decade after the Tunisian revolution , little hope remains Ten years ago @ @ @ @ @ the Arab world touched off an unlikely series of events that swelled , then dashed @ @ @ @ @ changed the region .
FRANCE 24 's James Andre tells us more .

Jasmin revolution, 10 years on: A decade after the Tunisian revolution, little hope remains
03:15
Video by: James ANDRÉ
Ten years ago a wildfire of revolts in the Arab world touched off an unlikely series of events that swelled, then dashed many hopes, and irrevocably changed the region. FRANCE 24's James Andre tells us more.


france24--2020-12-17--Coronavirus pandemic: Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine rollout draws wary, mixed response

While excitement and enthusiasm greeted the Western-developed coronavirus vaccine when it was rolled out , the Russian-made version has received @ @ @ @ @ reports of empty Moscow clinics that offered the shot to health care workers and teachers @ @ @ @ @ the public designated to receive it .

Coronavirus pandemic: Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine rollout draws wary, mixed response
01:44
Video by: Selina SYKES
While excitement and enthusiasm greeted the Western-developed coronavirus vaccine when it was rolled out, the Russian-made version has received a mixed response, with reports of empty Moscow clinics that offered the shot to health care workers and teachers — the first members of the public designated to receive it.


france24--2020-12-17--Culture during lockdown: How French museums are adapting to the Covid-19 era?

Culture during lockdown : How French museums are adapting to the Covid-19 era ?
Thursday Prime Minister Jean Castex said @ @ @ @ @ would not re-open before at least the beginning of January as the target of keeping @ @ @ @ @ had not been met .
How French museums are adapting to the Covid-19 era ?
@ @ @ @ @ reports from Le Louvre , in Paris .

Culture during lockdown: How French museums are adapting to the Covid-19 era?
03:40
Thursday Prime Minister Jean Castex said museums, cinemas and theatres would not re-open before at least the beginning of January as the target of keeping daily new infections below 5,000 had not been met. How French museums are adapting to the Covid-19 era? FRANCE 24's Clovis Casali reports from Le Louvre, in Paris.


france24--2020-12-17--Coronavirus pandemic: Macron met heads of state, leaders before positive test

French President Emmanuel Macron met numerous heads of state and high-level officials in the 10 days before he tested positive @ @ @ @ @ including most European leaders at a summit on Dec 10-11 .
FRANCE 24 's French @ @ @ @ @ us more .

Coronavirus pandemic: Macron met heads of state, leaders before positive test
04:13
French President Emmanuel Macron met numerous heads of state and high-level officials in the 10 days before he tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, including most European leaders at a summit on Dec 10-11. FRANCE 24's French Politics Editor Marc Perelman tells us more.