france24--2020-11-11--Peru’s speaker of congress assumes presidency amid tense protests

The head of the Peruvian Congress , Manuel Merino , is pictured after being sworn in as interim President in Lima on November 10 , 2020 day after the Congress voted to impeach and oust President Martin Vizcarra over corruption allegations .
Speaker of Congress Manuel Merino assumed office Tuesday as Peru ’ s third president in four years , amid street protests and market jitters after the impeachment of Martin Vizcarra over corruption allegations .
Police clashed with demonstrators in the streets outside the Congress building in Lima as the little-known Merino was sworn in .
Police and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unspecified number of injuries , with authorities firing tear gas .
The IDL Reporteros news site reported a number of people hurt by pellets fired by police .
Clashes also occurred in the cities of Arequipa and Cusco .
Vizcarra was dismissed in an impeachment vote late Monday , and on Tuesday he questioned the “ legality and legitimacy ” of his removal .
“ Legality is in question because the Constitutional Court has not yet ruled and legitimacy is given by the people , ” he told reporters outside his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was leaving with his head “ held high ” despite allegations of bribe-taking that date from when he was governor of his native southern Moquegua region .
He denied any wrongdoing .
Merino , 59 , takes power for the remainder of Vizcarra ’ s original term through July 2021 , and immediately pledged to respect the electoral timetable .
Peru is set to hold general and presidential elections in April 2021 .
After months of internal jousting between the presidency and his opponents in Congress , Merino used his first speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Constitutionally , succession fell to Merino because Peru has not replaced vice-president Mercedes Araoz , who resigned a year ago in the wake of a separate political crisis .
Party leaders seemed divided Tuesday over the wisdom of removing Vizcarra in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and a crippling recession , with the financial markets nervous about whether the new government will maintain existing economic policies .
Some parties that ganged up against Vizcarra have proposed amendments to mining legislation “ suggesting a worsening of the business environment ” in Peru @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note .
Bank of America ’ s research division said Merino “ has favored populist decisions , raising future concerns about proposals not friendly to a market economy.
” A former Lima mayor and likely presidential candidate , George Forsythe , described Vizcarra ’ s dismissal as “ a coup d ’ etat in disguise.
” Former leftist presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza said : “ What happened in Congress is shameful and outrageous ” while Lima ’ s Catholic archbishop , Carlos Castilo , said Congress lacked “ a sense of proportion ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broad popular support since succeeding Pedro Pablo Kuczynski , the former Wall Street banker who was forced to resign under threat of impeachment over corruption allegations in 2018 .
The coronavirus pandemic has hit Peru hard , with GDP plunging over 30 percent in the second quarter .
The South American country has the world ’ s highest per capita death rate from the virus , which has seen nearly 35,000 deaths and more than 920,000 cases .
Merino is Peru ’ s third president since 2016 , reflecting the institutional fragility which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independence from Spain in 1821 .
A lawmaker for the northern region of Tumbes on the border with Ecuador , Merino is a member of the center-right Accion Popular party founded by two-term president Fernando Belaunde , who was last in power in 1985 .
Vizcarra ruled out taking legal action to try to overturn the impeachment .
“ I leave the government palace as I entered two years , eight months ago : with my head held high , ” he said , surrounded by his ministers on the patio of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately for his private home .
“ I ’ m leaving with a clear conscience and with my duty fulfilled .
”

Speaker of Congress Manuel Merino assumed office Tuesday as Peru’s third president in four years, amid street protests and market jitters after the impeachment of Martin Vizcarra over corruption allegations.
The head of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel Merino, is pictured after being sworn in as interim President in Lima on November 10, 2020 day after the Congress voted to impeach and oust President Martin Vizcarra over corruption allegations.
Advertising Read more
Police clashed with demonstrators in the streets outside the Congress building in Lima as the little-known Merino was sworn in.
Police and local media reported some 30 people arrested and an unspecified number of injuries, with authorities firing tear gas.
The IDL Reporteros news site reported a number of people hurt by pellets fired by police. Clashes also occurred in the cities of Arequipa and Cusco.
Ciudadanos heridos durante las protestas en el Centro de Lima a causa de la represión policial. (Fotos: Gian Masko) pic.twitter.com/LtEdwG9kL8 — IDL-Reporteros (@IDL_R) November 10, 2020
Vizcarra was dismissed in an impeachment vote late Monday, and on Tuesday he questioned the “legality and legitimacy” of his removal.
“Legality is in question because the Constitutional Court has not yet ruled and legitimacy is given by the people,” he told reporters outside his home in the capital.
He said earlier he was leaving with his head “held high” despite allegations of bribe-taking that date from when he was governor of his native southern Moquegua region. He denied any wrongdoing.
Merino, 59, takes power for the remainder of Vizcarra’s original term through July 2021, and immediately pledged to respect the electoral timetable.
Peru is set to hold general and presidential elections in April 2021.
Vizcarra survived a previous impeachment vote in September charged with “moral incapacity.”
Call for unity
After months of internal jousting between the presidency and his opponents in Congress, Merino used his first speech as president to call for national unity.
Constitutionally, succession fell to Merino because Peru has not replaced vice-president Mercedes Araoz, who resigned a year ago in the wake of a separate political crisis.
Manuel Merino asume la presidencia de la República en medio de la indignación ciudadana. pic.twitter.com/FIMNGIn8ZO — IDL-Reporteros (@IDL_R) November 10, 2020
Party leaders seemed divided Tuesday over the wisdom of removing Vizcarra in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and a crippling recession, with the financial markets nervous about whether the new government will maintain existing economic policies.
Some parties that ganged up against Vizcarra have proposed amendments to mining legislation “suggesting a worsening of the business environment” in Peru, London-based IHS Markit said in a note.
Bank of America’s research division said Merino “has favored populist decisions, raising future concerns about proposals not friendly to a market economy.”
A former Lima mayor and likely presidential candidate, George Forsythe, described Vizcarra’s dismissal as “a coup d’etat in disguise.”Former leftist presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza said: “What happened in Congress is shameful and outrageous” while Lima’s Catholic archbishop, Carlos Castilo, said Congress lacked “a sense of proportion” in dismissing the president.
Ya no hay nada más que esperar de esta clase política que está podrida. Solo la ciudadanía organizada y movilizada podrá recuperar la democracia y poner por delante la vida y la dignidad de la gente.#VacarlosATodos pic.twitter.com/rmMwlAmn48 — Verónika Mendoza (@Vero_Mendoza_F) November 10, 2020
Vizcarra had broad popular support since succeeding Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, the former Wall Street banker who was forced to resign under threat of impeachment over corruption allegations in 2018.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit Peru hard, with GDP plunging over 30 percent in the second quarter.
The South American country has the world’s highest per capita death rate from the virus, which has seen nearly 35,000 deaths and more than 920,000 cases.
Third president since 2016
Merino is Peru’s third president since 2016, reflecting the institutional fragility which has characterized the South American country since independence from Spain in 1821.
A lawmaker for the northern region of Tumbes on the border with Ecuador, Merino is a member of the center-right Accion Popular party founded by two-term president Fernando Belaunde, who was last in power in 1985.
Vizcarra ruled out taking legal action to try to overturn the impeachment.
“I leave the government palace as I entered two years, eight months ago: with my head held high,” he said, surrounded by his ministers on the patio of the government house, adding he would leave immediately for his private home.
“I’m leaving with a clear conscience and with my duty fulfilled.”
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-11-11--Georgia and North Macedonia in sight of Euro 2020 berth

Goran Pandev ( R ) and North Macedonia face fellow minnows Georgia for a place at the delayed Euro 2020 Neither Georgia nor North Macedonia have come close to qualifying for a major tournament before but both stand just one game away -- against each other -- from securing a spot at the postponed Euro 2020 .
They meet in Tbilisi on Thursday in one of the qualifying play-off finals which will decide the last four spots in the 24-team tournament which was delayed to next year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
It is a remarkable opportunity for two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one offered to them via the new UEFA Nations League .
That competition provided a route here even for the continent 's minor nations , grouped together in League D where Georgia and North Macedonia beat teams like Andorra , Gibraltar and Liechtenstein .
The main Euro qualifying tournament saw Georgia , ranked 86th in the world , take just eight points and win only twice , both times against Gibraltar , although they did hold Denmark and the Republic of Ireland in Tbilisi .
North Macedonia , who are 65th in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they came third in their group , but they have twice had to come from behind to draw with Georgia in the Nations League in the last two months .
The stakes are high in Tbilisi , with the winners advancing to the finals where they will go into Group C alongside the Netherlands , Ukraine and Austria .
It is North Macedonia who have the more notable players at their disposal , including wing-back Ezgjan Alioski of Leeds United and , above all , the 37-year-old captain , Goran Pandev of Genoa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if reports in Italy in recent days suggested local health authorities would not allow him to leave to join his national team because of coronavirus concerns .
The spectre of Covid-19 will continue to cast a shadow over this European Championship -- scheduled to take place in 12 cities all across the continent -- for some time yet , but Scotland are desperate to get there no matter what shape the tournament ultimately takes .
They last appeared at a major competition at the 1998 World Cup and have since seen almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for at least one tournament , including the likes of Latvia and Albania .
Steve Clarke 's team are now on the brink of ending that long wait as they face Serbia in Belgrade .
A Serbia side led by Ajax 's Dusan Tadic appears a tough proposition , especially after knocking out Erling Braut Haaland 's Norway in the semi-finals .
But Scotland -- with Premier League regulars such as Andy Robertson , Kieran Tierney and John McGinn -- are unbeaten in eight games and have reason to believe this is their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this position before as national team manager of my country .
So come game time on Thursday I will feel the weight of expectation , '' said Clarke .
`` This group of players are no different to the Tartan Army or the people of Scotland .
We want to give the country a lift . ''
If they do qualify , they will have a clash with England at Wembley to look forward to next summer .
Northern Ireland ended their long wait to return to a major tournament when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ian Baraclough has since succeeded O'Neill and led the team to victory on penalties in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semi-finals , setting up a play-off final against Slovakia in Belfast .
`` It 's a game we 're capable of winning if we set our minds right , if we do the right things , '' Baraclough insisted .
Meanwhile , Hungary and Iceland meet in Budapest in a clash of another two surprise packages from Euro 2016 .
The winners will advance to a glamour group alongside France , Germany and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play games at home if they qualify .
`` Not qualifying is unthinkable , especially as four Euro 2020 games will be played in Budapest , '' Hungary 's Italian coach Marco Rossi told AFP .
However Iceland , with its population of barely 350,000 , are eyeing a third consecutive major tournament .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Neither Georgia nor North Macedonia have come close to qualifying for a major tournament before but both stand just one game away -- against each other -- from securing a spot at the postponed Euro 2020.
They meet in Tbilisi on Thursday in one of the qualifying play-off finals which will decide the last four spots in the 24-team tournament which was delayed to next year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It is a remarkable opportunity for two of the world's smaller sporting countries, one offered to them via the new UEFA Nations League.
That competition provided a route here even for the continent's minor nations, grouped together in League D where Georgia and North Macedonia beat teams like Andorra, Gibraltar and Liechtenstein.
The main Euro qualifying tournament saw Georgia, ranked 86th in the world, take just eight points and win only twice, both times against Gibraltar, although they did hold Denmark and the Republic of Ireland in Tbilisi.
North Macedonia, who are 65th in the FIFA rankings, fared better as they came third in their group, but they have twice had to come from behind to draw with Georgia in the Nations League in the last two months.
The stakes are high in Tbilisi, with the winners advancing to the finals where they will go into Group C alongside the Netherlands, Ukraine and Austria.
It is North Macedonia who have the more notable players at their disposal, including wing-back Ezgjan Alioski of Leeds United and, above all, the 37-year-old captain, Goran Pandev of Genoa.
Pandev's presence is crucial, even if reports in Italy in recent days suggested local health authorities would not allow him to leave to join his national team because of coronavirus concerns.
- Long wait for Scotland -
The spectre of Covid-19 will continue to cast a shadow over this European Championship -- scheduled to take place in 12 cities all across the continent -- for some time yet, but Scotland are desperate to get there no matter what shape the tournament ultimately takes.
They last appeared at a major competition at the 1998 World Cup and have since seen almost two-thirds of all UEFA member nations qualify for at least one tournament, including the likes of Latvia and Albania.
Steve Clarke's team are now on the brink of ending that long wait as they face Serbia in Belgrade.
A Serbia side led by Ajax's Dusan Tadic appears a tough proposition, especially after knocking out Erling Braut Haaland's Norway in the semi-finals.
But Scotland -- with Premier League regulars such as Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and John McGinn -- are unbeaten in eight games and have reason to believe this is their time.
"I've never been in this position before as national team manager of my country. So come game time on Thursday I will feel the weight of expectation," said Clarke.
"This group of players are no different to the Tartan Army or the people of Scotland. We want to give the country a lift."
If they do qualify, they will have a clash with England at Wembley to look forward to next summer.
- Surprise packages -
Northern Ireland ended their long wait to return to a major tournament when they reached Euro 2016 under Michael O'Neill.
Ian Baraclough has since succeeded O'Neill and led the team to victory on penalties in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semi-finals, setting up a play-off final against Slovakia in Belfast.
"It's a game we're capable of winning if we set our minds right, if we do the right things," Baraclough insisted.
Meanwhile, Hungary and Iceland meet in Budapest in a clash of another two surprise packages from Euro 2016.
The winners will advance to a glamour group alongside France, Germany and Portugal with Hungary knowing they will get to play games at home if they qualify.
"Not qualifying is unthinkable, especially as four Euro 2020 games will be played in Budapest," Hungary's Italian coach Marco Rossi told AFP.
However Iceland, with its population of barely 350,000, are eyeing a third consecutive major tournament.
burs-as/bsp
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-11--Man accused in Toronto 'incel' van attack pleads not criminally responsible

Van attack victim Cathy Riddell arrives at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto on November 10 , 2020 A Canadian man inspired by the misogynist `` incel '' movement to kill 10 people by ploughing a van into pedestrians in Toronto pleaded `` not criminally responsible '' due to mental illness at the start of his trial Tuesday .
Alek Minassian faces 10 charges of premeditated murder and 16 of attempted murder following the April 2018 attack that left dead eight women and two men , aged 22 to 94 years old , and others badly injured in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entering a plea of not criminally responsible on all counts , '' he told the Ontario Superior Court .
The 28-year-old , wearing a shirt and suit jacket , appeared via videolink from prison where he has been held since his arrest on the day of the rampage .
The trial is being held by videoconference because of Covid-19 restrictions .
Cathy Riddell , 67 , who was struck from behind in the attack and thrown 15 feet ( 4.5 meters ) , earlier told reporters she was `` feeling nervous but optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trial .
She has said she did n't hear the van coming as it mounted a curb , nor does she remember being struck .
Victims ' families lamented that Minassian would not see them on the videolink , unlike in traditional trials in which they may face the accused .
`` I want him to see the pain in their faces as they sit there in the courtroom watching him , '' Elwood Delaney , whose grandmother died in the attack , told public broadcaster CBC .
But , he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see him go through that . ''
The trial is expected to last about four weeks and will be heard by a judge , with no jury .
Since he has already admitted to planning and carrying out the carnage , the trial will focus on Minassian 's state of mind and criminal responsibility at the time of the attack , not whether he was the perpetrator .
His mother says he suffers from Asperger 's syndrome , a mild form of autism that includes impaired social interactions or communication .
Psychiatrists will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took place on a sunny spring afternoon in the North York neighborhood of Toronto when crowds strolled along busy city streets .
The accused drove a white rented van at high speeds along two kilometres ( 1.2 miles ) of roads and sidewalks , indiscriminately targeting passers-by one by one .
`` There was no warning when Minassian mounted the sidewalk , '' said prosecutor Joe Callaghan , reading a statement of facts based on witness accounts and video evidence .
`` Pedestrians on the sidewalk were panicking and running for their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and looking straight ahead , gripping the steering wheel with both hands , Minassian struck and sent several pedestrians flying into the air and dragged others along the pavement .
`` He accelerated over top of the victims , never slowed ... and did not brake when he hit the pedestrians , '' Callaghan said .
Minassian was found immediately following the attack standing by the van with its front end mangled and behaving erratically , video footage aired at the time showed .
He 'd stopped his rampage , he told police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a splashed drink .
`` I wanted to do more but was foiled by a lack of visibility , '' he said .
During a four-hour interrogation , he described the anger he felt toward women and said this had motivated the attack .
He said he had joined an online community of like-minded men who described themselves as `` incels '' or `` involuntary celibates , '' whose sexual frustrations led them to embrace a misogynist ideology .
`` I 'm sometimes a bit upset that ( women ) choose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like myself , '' he said , recalling women who `` laughed at me '' and spurned his advances at a 2013 Halloween party .
He said the `` forced loneliness '' is `` especially painful for young males . ''
Just prior to the attack , he posted on Facebook from his phone : `` The incel rebellion has already begun , '' and referenced American mass killer Elliot Rodger who committed a similar attack in California .
While it is a `` transnational movement , '' the incel subculture is mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an analyst at Moonshot , a British organisation that works to combat violent extremism online .
Most linked to the movement are teenagers or in their twenties and report suffering from mental illnesses , the researcher , who asked not to be named for security reasons , told AFP .

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
A Canadian man inspired by the misogynist "incel" movement to kill 10 people by ploughing a van into pedestrians in Toronto pleaded "not criminally responsible" due to mental illness at the start of his trial Tuesday.
Alek Minassian faces 10 charges of premeditated murder and 16 of attempted murder following the April 2018 attack that left dead eight women and two men, aged 22 to 94 years old, and others badly injured in Canada's largest city.
"I'm entering a plea of not criminally responsible on all counts," he told the Ontario Superior Court.
The 28-year-old, wearing a shirt and suit jacket, appeared via videolink from prison where he has been held since his arrest on the day of the rampage.
The trial is being held by videoconference because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Cathy Riddell, 67, who was struck from behind in the attack and thrown 15 feet (4.5 meters), earlier told reporters she was "feeling nervous but optimistic" as she entered the courthouse for the trial.
She has said she didn't hear the van coming as it mounted a curb, nor does she remember being struck.
Victims' families lamented that Minassian would not see them on the videolink, unlike in traditional trials in which they may face the accused.
"I want him to see the pain in their faces as they sit there in the courtroom watching him," Elwood Delaney, whose grandmother died in the attack, told public broadcaster CBC.
But, he added, "We don't get to see him go through that."
The trial is expected to last about four weeks and will be heard by a judge, with no jury.
Since he has already admitted to planning and carrying out the carnage, the trial will focus on Minassian's state of mind and criminal responsibility at the time of the attack, not whether he was the perpetrator.
His mother says he suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism that includes impaired social interactions or communication.
Psychiatrists will testify at the trial.
- 'Involuntary celibates' -
The attack took place on a sunny spring afternoon in the North York neighborhood of Toronto when crowds strolled along busy city streets.
The accused drove a white rented van at high speeds along two kilometres (1.2 miles) of roads and sidewalks, indiscriminately targeting passers-by one by one.
"There was no warning when Minassian mounted the sidewalk," said prosecutor Joe Callaghan, reading a statement of facts based on witness accounts and video evidence.
"Pedestrians on the sidewalk were panicking and running for their lives," he said.
Leaning forward and looking straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel with both hands, Minassian struck and sent several pedestrians flying into the air and dragged others along the pavement.
"He accelerated over top of the victims, never slowed... and did not brake when he hit the pedestrians," Callaghan said.
Minassian was found immediately following the attack standing by the van with its front end mangled and behaving erratically, video footage aired at the time showed.
He'd stopped his rampage, he told police, only after his windshield was obscured by a splashed drink. "I wanted to do more but was foiled by a lack of visibility," he said.
During a four-hour interrogation, he described the anger he felt toward women and said this had motivated the attack.
He said he had joined an online community of like-minded men who described themselves as "incels" or "involuntary celibates," whose sexual frustrations led them to embrace a misogynist ideology.
"I'm sometimes a bit upset that (women) choose to date obnoxious guys instead of gentlemen... like myself," he said, recalling women who "laughed at me" and spurned his advances at a 2013 Halloween party.
He said the "forced loneliness" is "especially painful for young males."
Just prior to the attack, he posted on Facebook from his phone: "The incel rebellion has already begun," and referenced American mass killer Elliot Rodger who committed a similar attack in California.
While it is a "transnational movement," the incel subculture is mainly based in North America, according to an analyst at Moonshot, a British organisation that works to combat violent extremism online.
Most linked to the movement are teenagers or in their twenties and report suffering from mental illnesses, the researcher, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told AFP.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-11--Powerhouse DeChambeau threatens Masters-shattering barrage

Bryson DeChambeau is about to launch his ball-blasting style at Augusta National , and even his rivals wonder if golf will be the same after his attack at the Masters .
DeChambeau 's overpowering US Open victory at Winged Foot in September proved his strategy of maximum distance and precise direction without fear of dense rough could win major titles .
The 27-year-old American bulked up during the three-month PGA shutdown for Covid-19 that postponed the Masters from April and forced it to be played without spectators .
Now the world number six is hitting wedges and short irons into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be softened by predicted rain -- and talking of re-routing drive angles on certain holes .
`` Every day I 'm trying to get faster and stronger and I 'm trying to hit it as far as possible , '' DeChambeau said .
`` I 've only seen improvements in strength increase .
I 've felt better every day , so I really do n't know where the endgame is on this . ''
It could end Sunday with DeChambeau wearing a green jacket even as a host of rivals prepare to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish he did n't have an advantage over me and everybody else , but the fact of the matter is that he does , '' third-ranked Justin Thomas said .
`` I just need to grow up and get over it because I can still beat him like I can anybody else , but it just comes down to playing better . ''
It comes down to making superb chip shots and sinking putts even with approaches from longer distances .
`` I still think this golf course provides enough of a challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , '' said four-time major winner Rory McIlroy .
`` He did drive it really well , but at the same time you need to back that up with all other aspects of your game . ''
McIlroy needs a green jacket to complete a career Grand Slam and he 's just as happy that DeChambeau is the Master focus .
`` I do prefer that , McIlroy said .
`` Trying to stay as low key as possible .
This is nice .
It 's more subdued .
It 's more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be feeling a little different because the attention is on him and deservedly so coming off a major win and basically disrupting the game of golf .
`` It 's a big story and I 'm just as intrigued as everyone else to see how that unfolds . ''
Defending champion Tiger Woods , who turns 45 next month , has struggled to find top form since returning from the pandemic layoff .
`` I have n't put all the pieces together at the same time , whether it 's I 've driven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Or I 've put the ball striking together , and I have n't putted well , '' Woods said .
`` Hopefully that will be this week . ''
Woods made an injury comeback for the ages last year with his 15th major triumph and fifth Masters crown , an emotional fightback from back surgery to his first major win since 2008 .
`` It was one of the greatest feats in the history of sports , '' said rival Phil Mickelson , a three-time Masters winner .
Woods will try to match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory and capture his 83rd US PGA crown to seize the all-time record he shares with Sam Snead .
`` Do I expect to contend ?
Yes I do , '' Woods said .
`` This is a golf course in which having an understanding how to play , where to miss it and how to hit the shots , it helps . ''
DeChambeau is hitting the same wedges into holes where Woods did in his epic first major win in 1997 .
`` I can hit it as far as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to putting and chipping out here , '' DeChambeau said .
DeChambeau says Augusta National plays to a par-67 for him , five shaved strokes a round aided by his ability to drive certain greens and master par-5 holes .
`` Holes like ( 13 ) and 15 are par-4s for him and par-5s for everybody else , '' Thomas said .
`` But he 's not winning every tournament he 's playing in , so it 's clearly not too much of a disadvantage .
You still have to get the ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could tame DeChambeau as well , with softer landing areas taking away extra roll distance and making greens receptive .
`` You can be a little more aggressive , '' McIlroy said .
`` The ball is going to hold on some of the different areas on the greens . ''

Augusta (United States) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Bryson DeChambeau is about to launch his ball-blasting style at Augusta National, and even his rivals wonder if golf will be the same after his attack at the Masters.
DeChambeau's overpowering US Open victory at Winged Foot in September proved his strategy of maximum distance and precise direction without fear of dense rough could win major titles.
The 27-year-old American bulked up during the three-month PGA shutdown for Covid-19 that postponed the Masters from April and forced it to be played without spectators.
Now the world number six is hitting wedges and short irons into Augusta's formidable undulating greens -- likely to be softened by predicted rain -- and talking of re-routing drive angles on certain holes.
"Every day I'm trying to get faster and stronger and I'm trying to hit it as far as possible," DeChambeau said.
"I've only seen improvements in strength increase. I've felt better every day, so I really don't know where the endgame is on this."
It could end Sunday with DeChambeau wearing a green jacket even as a host of rivals prepare to challenge for the title.
"I wish he didn't have an advantage over me and everybody else, but the fact of the matter is that he does," third-ranked Justin Thomas said.
"I just need to grow up and get over it because I can still beat him like I can anybody else, but it just comes down to playing better."
It comes down to making superb chip shots and sinking putts even with approaches from longer distances.
"I still think this golf course provides enough of a challenge to challenge the best players in the world," said four-time major winner Rory McIlroy.
"He did drive it really well, but at the same time you need to back that up with all other aspects of your game."
McIlroy needs a green jacket to complete a career Grand Slam and he's just as happy that DeChambeau is the Master focus.
"I do prefer that, McIlroy said. "Trying to stay as low key as possible. This is nice. It's more subdued. It's more relaxed.
"Bryson is going to be feeling a little different because the attention is on him and deservedly so coming off a major win and basically disrupting the game of golf.
"It's a big story and I'm just as intrigued as everyone else to see how that unfolds."
- Tiger vows to contend -
Defending champion Tiger Woods, who turns 45 next month, has struggled to find top form since returning from the pandemic layoff.
"I haven't put all the pieces together at the same time, whether it's I've driven well or hit my irons poorly. Or I've put the ball striking together, and I haven't putted well," Woods said. "Hopefully that will be this week."
Woods made an injury comeback for the ages last year with his 15th major triumph and fifth Masters crown, an emotional fightback from back surgery to his first major win since 2008.
"It was one of the greatest feats in the history of sports," said rival Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters winner.
Woods will try to match Jack Nicklaus with a record sixth Masters victory and capture his 83rd US PGA crown to seize the all-time record he shares with Sam Snead.
"Do I expect to contend? Yes I do," Woods said. "This is a golf course in which having an understanding how to play, where to miss it and how to hit the shots, it helps."
DeChambeau is hitting the same wedges into holes where Woods did in his epic first major win in 1997.
"I can hit it as far as I want to, but it comes down to putting and chipping out here," DeChambeau said.
DeChambeau says Augusta National plays to a par-67 for him, five shaved strokes a round aided by his ability to drive certain greens and master par-5 holes.
"Holes like (13) and 15 are par-4s for him and par-5s for everybody else," Thomas said.
"But he's not winning every tournament he's playing in, so it's clearly not too much of a disadvantage. You still have to get the ball in the hole."
Mother Nature could tame DeChambeau as well, with softer landing areas taking away extra roll distance and making greens receptive.
"You can be a little more aggressive," McIlroy said. "The ball is going to hold on some of the different areas on the greens."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-11--Barclays finances more fossil fuel firms despite green vow: NGOs

Barclays provided $ 24.58 billion ( 20.72 billion euros ) in underwriting and lending to major fossil fuel companies in the nine months to the end of September 2020 , compared with $ 24.38 billion a year earlier , according to an NGO British bank Barclays has lifted its financing of fossil fuel firms so far this year , despite vowing to tackle climate change , data showed Wednesday from NGO network Fund our Future .
Barclays provided $ 24.58 billion ( 20.72 billion euros ) in underwriting and lending to major fossil fuel companies in the nine months to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 24.38 billion a year earlier , Fund our Future said in a statement .
Fund our Future cited data from non-governmental organisation the Rainforest Action Network , which assessed figures from 2,100 companies that are operating in the coal , gas and oil sectors .
The group also criticised banking giant HSBC for providing some $ 19 billion in financial support for fossil fuel companies over the same period .
But that was down from $ 21.58 billion a year earlier .
Both Barclays and HSBC pledged earlier this year to achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2050 , under pressure to help tackle climate change .
AFP contacted both banks for official comment on the findings but there was no immediate response .
`` Barclays and HSBC 'net zero by 2050 ' commitments are only worth their paper if this has rapid and deep consequences for their ongoing financing of the fossil fuel industry today , '' said Johan Frijns , director of campaign group BankTrack .
And he called for `` credible '' action before COP26 , the UN 's global climate change summit which will be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not expect to be praised for making commitments for 30 years from now while continuing to pour billions into coal , oil and gas companies , '' Frijns said .
`` Net zero by 2050 requires having a credible phase out plan for the entire fossil fuel industry in place before COP26 Glasgow latest . ''

London (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
British bank Barclays has lifted its financing of fossil fuel firms so far this year, despite vowing to tackle climate change, data showed Wednesday from NGO network Fund our Future.
Barclays provided $24.58 billion (20.72 billion euros) in underwriting and lending to major fossil fuel companies in the nine months to the end of September, compared with $24.38 billion a year earlier, Fund our Future said in a statement.
Fund our Future cited data from non-governmental organisation the Rainforest Action Network, which assessed figures from 2,100 companies that are operating in the coal, gas and oil sectors.
The group also criticised banking giant HSBC for providing some $19 billion in financial support for fossil fuel companies over the same period.
But that was down from $21.58 billion a year earlier.
Both Barclays and HSBC pledged earlier this year to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across their investments by 2050, under pressure to help tackle climate change.
AFP contacted both banks for official comment on the findings but there was no immediate response.
"Barclays and HSBC 'net zero by 2050' commitments are only worth their paper if this has rapid and deep consequences for their ongoing financing of the fossil fuel industry today," said Johan Frijns, director of campaign group BankTrack.
And he called for "credible" action before COP26, the UN's global climate change summit which will be held in Glasgow next year.
"You cannot expect to be praised for making commitments for 30 years from now while continuing to pour billions into coal, oil and gas companies," Frijns said.
"Net zero by 2050 requires having a credible phase out plan for the entire fossil fuel industry in place before COP26 Glasgow latest."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--US Supreme Court leans toward preserving Obamacare, arguments suggest

A protestor holds a sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court building , as the court justices engage in arguments over the fate of Obamacare laws , in Washington , U.S. November 10 , 2020 .
A more conservative Supreme Court appears unwilling to do what Republicans have long desired : kill off the Affordable Care Act , including its key protections for pre-existing health conditions and subsidized insurance premiums that affect tens of millions of Americans .
Meeting remotely a week after the election and in the midst of a pandemic that has closed their majestic courtroom , the justices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge to the Obama-era health care law , with three appointees of President Donald Trump , an avowed foe of the law , among them .
But at least one of those Trump appointees , Justice Brett Kavanaugh , seemed likely to vote to leave the bulk of the law intact , even if he were to find the law ’ s now-toothless mandate that everyone obtain health insurance to be unconstitutional .
“ It does seem fairly clear that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate provision and leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kavanaugh said .
Chief Justice John Roberts , who wrote two earlier opinions preserving the law , stated similar views , and the court ’ s three liberal justices are almost certain to vote to uphold the law in its entirety .
That presumably would form a majority by joining a decision to cut away only the mandate , which now has no financial penalty attached to it .
Congress zeroed out the penalty in 2017 , but left the rest of the law untouched .
“ I think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended the entire act to fall if the mandate were struck down when the same Congress that lowered the penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act .
I think , frankly , that they wanted the court to do that , but that ’ s not our job , ” Roberts said .
In the court ’ s third major case over the 10-year-old law , popularly known as “ Obamacare , ” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the entire law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threaten coverage for more than 23 million people , as well as millions of others with preexisting conditions that now would include COVID-19 .
California , leading a group of Democratic-controlled states , and the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives are urging the court to leave the law in place .
The Supreme Court could have heard the case before the election , but set arguments for a week after .
The timing could add a wrinkle to the case since President-elect Joe Biden strongly supports the health care law .
Speaking after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge to the law “ cruel and needlessly divisive ” and vowed to enact reforms to expand coverage when he ’ s in office next January , regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court case .
Tuesday ’ s arguments , conducted by telephone and lasting two hours , reached back to the earlier cases and also included reminders of the coronavirus pandemic .
The justices asked about other mandates , only hypothetical , that might have no penalties attached : To fly a flag , to mow the lawn or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to wear a mask .
“ I assume that in most places there is no penalty for wearing a face mask or a mask during COVID , but there is some degree of opprobrium if one does not wear it in certain settings , ” Justice Clarence Thomas said .
The court also spent a fair amount of time debating whether the GOP-led states and several individuals who initially filed lawsuits had the right to go into court .
The suits are against the federal government and U.S. agencies , “ but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress is the one who ’ s injured the individual plaintiffs here and you can ’ t sue Congress and say : ‘ Hey , you ’ ve put us under this mandate that ’ s forcing us to buy insurance and that ’ s harming us , ’ right ?
” Justice Amy Coney Barrett said to Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins .
A ruling that those parties do not have that right , known as legal standing , would result in the dismissal of the case and leave the entire law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Questions from Barrett , who joined the court late last month following her hurried nomination and confirmation to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , did not point to a clear outcome .
Trump ’ s other high-court appointee is Justice Neil Gorsuch .
The three Trump appointees have never ruled on the substance of the health care law .
Barrett , though , has been critical of the court ’ s earlier major health care decisions sustaining the law , both written by Roberts .
The current case stems from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 that reduced the penalty for not obtaining health insurance to zero .
Without the penalty , the law ’ s mandate to have health insurance is unconstitutional , the GOP-led states argue .
If the mandate goes , they say , the rest of the law should go with it because the mandate was central to the law ’ s passage .
However , enrollment in the law ’ s insurance markets has stayed relatively stable at more than 11 million people , even after the effective date of the penalty ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation , enrollment dropped by about 300,000 people from 2018 to 2019 .
Kaiser estimates 11.4 million people have coverage this year .
An additional 12 million people have coverage through the law ’ s Medicaid expansion .
If the case turns on the legal doctrine of severability , it would be in line with other rulings in recent years in which the justices have excised a problematic provision from a law and allowed the rest to remain in force .
In the first big ACA case in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to strike down the entire law .
Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer , Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor voted to uphold it .
Roberts has endured a torrent of conservative criticism , including from Trump , for his earlier opinions , including the initial case in 2012 that upheld the mandate .
Eight years ago , the law ’ s defenders emphasized that the mandate was the linchpin of the whole law , Roberts said to Donald Verrilli , who represented the House on Tuesday , but was the Obama administration ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But now the representation is that , ‘ Oh no , everything is fine without it.
’ Why the bait and switch ?
” Roberts asked .
The law originally had subsidies and other carrots to entice people to enroll in health insurance , as well as a stick , the penalty , Verrilli said .
“ It ’ s turned out that the carrots work without the stick , ” he said .
A limited ruling would have little real-world consequence .
The case could also be rendered irrelevant if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty for not buying health insurance .
The arguments were not without their lighter moments , especially in an exchange between Breyer and Jeffrey Wall , Trump ’ s top Supreme Court lawyer , over whether the mandate that Americans “ shall ” have insurance means anything now that the penalty is gone .
Breyer said “ shall ” is used in many homes as an earnest request , not a threat .
“ In my family , when I tell my kids that they shall do things , that ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall said .
Breyer replied , “ Well , that ’ s a much more organized family than mine .
”

A more conservative Supreme Court appears unwilling to do what Republicans have long desired: kill off the Affordable Care Act, including its key protections for pre-existing health conditions and subsidized insurance premiums that affect tens of millions of Americans.
A protestor holds a sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court building, as the court justices engage in arguments over the fate of Obamacare laws, in Washington, U.S. November 10, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Meeting remotely a week after the election and in the midst of a pandemic that has closed their majestic courtroom, the justices on Tuesday took on the latest Republican challenge to the Obama-era health care law, with three appointees of President Donald Trump, an avowed foe of the law, among them.
But at least one of those Trump appointees, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemed likely to vote to leave the bulk of the law intact, even if he were to find the law’s now-toothless mandate that everyone obtain health insurance to be unconstitutional.
“It does seem fairly clear that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate provision and leave the rest of the act in place,” Kavanaugh said.
Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote two earlier opinions preserving the law, stated similar views, and the court’s three liberal justices are almost certain to vote to uphold the law in its entirety. That presumably would form a majority by joining a decision to cut away only the mandate, which now has no financial penalty attached to it. Congress zeroed out the penalty in 2017, but left the rest of the law untouched.
“I think it’s hard for you to argue that Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate were struck down when the same Congress that lowered the penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act. I think, frankly, that they wanted the court to do that, but that’s not our job,” Roberts said.
In the court’s third major case over the 10-year-old law, popularly known as “Obamacare,” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the entire law to be struck down. That would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people, as well as millions of others with preexisting conditions that now would include COVID-19.
California, leading a group of Democratic-controlled states, and the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives are urging the court to leave the law in place.
The Supreme Court could have heard the case before the election, but set arguments for a week after. The timing could add a wrinkle to the case since President-elect Joe Biden strongly supports the health care law.
Speaking after the arguments, Biden called the Republican-backed challenge to the law “cruel and needlessly divisive” and vowed to enact reforms to expand coverage when he’s in office next January, regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court case.
00:29
Tuesday’s arguments, conducted by telephone and lasting two hours, reached back to the earlier cases and also included reminders of the coronavirus pandemic. The justices asked about other mandates, only hypothetical, that might have no penalties attached: To fly a flag, to mow the lawn or even, in a nod to current times, to wear a mask.
“I assume that in most places there is no penalty for wearing a face mask or a mask during COVID, but there is some degree of opprobrium if one does not wear it in certain settings,” Justice Clarence Thomas said.
The court also spent a fair amount of time debating whether the GOP-led states and several individuals who initially filed lawsuits had the right to go into court.
The suits are against the federal government and U.S. agencies, “but doesn’t it really seem that Congress is the one who’s injured the individual plaintiffs here and you can’t sue Congress and say: ‘Hey, you’ve put us under this mandate that’s forcing us to buy insurance and that’s harming us,’ right?” Justice Amy Coney Barrett said to Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins.
A ruling that those parties do not have that right, known as legal standing, would result in the dismissal of the case and leave the entire law in place, including the mandate.
Questions from Barrett, who joined the court late last month following her hurried nomination and confirmation to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, did not point to a clear outcome. Trump’s other high-court appointee is Justice Neil Gorsuch.
The three Trump appointees have never ruled on the substance of the health care law. Barrett, though, has been critical of the court’s earlier major health care decisions sustaining the law, both written by Roberts.
The current case stems from a change made by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2017 that reduced the penalty for not obtaining health insurance to zero. Without the penalty, the law’s mandate to have health insurance is unconstitutional, the GOP-led states argue.
If the mandate goes, they say, the rest of the law should go with it because the mandate was central to the law’s passage.
>> Focus: Could the US soon enter the final days of Obamacare?
However, enrollment in the law’s insurance markets has stayed relatively stable at more than 11 million people, even after the effective date of the penalty’s elimination in 2019. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, enrollment dropped by about 300,000 people from 2018 to 2019. Kaiser estimates 11.4 million people have coverage this year.
An additional 12 million people have coverage through the law’s Medicaid expansion.
If the case turns on the legal doctrine of severability, it would be in line with other rulings in recent years in which the justices have excised a problematic provision from a law and allowed the rest to remain in force.
In the first big ACA case in 2012, Justices Samuel Alito and Thomas voted to strike down the entire law. Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor voted to uphold it.
Roberts has endured a torrent of conservative criticism, including from Trump, for his earlier opinions, including the initial case in 2012 that upheld the mandate.
Eight years ago, the law’s defenders emphasized that the mandate was the linchpin of the whole law, Roberts said to Donald Verrilli, who represented the House on Tuesday, but was the Obama administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer in 2012. “But now the representation is that, ‘Oh no, everything is fine without it.’ Why the bait and switch?” Roberts asked.
The law originally had subsidies and other carrots to entice people to enroll in health insurance, as well as a stick, the penalty, Verrilli said. “It’s turned out that the carrots work without the stick,” he said.
A limited ruling would have little real-world consequence. The case could also be rendered irrelevant if the new Congress were to restore a modest penalty for not buying health insurance.
The arguments were not without their lighter moments, especially in an exchange between Breyer and Jeffrey Wall, Trump’s top Supreme Court lawyer, over whether the mandate that Americans “shall” have insurance means anything now that the penalty is gone.
Breyer said “shall” is used in many homes as an earnest request, not a threat.
“In my family, when I tell my kids that they shall do things, that’s a command backed by a penalty,” Wall said.
Breyer replied, “Well, that’s a much more organized family than mine.”
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-11-10--SpaceX ready to take four astronauts to ISS Saturday

From left to right : NASA astronauts Shannon Walker , Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins , and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi , seen November 8 2020 Three NASA crew and one Japanese astronaut are set for launch aboard a SpaceX rocket Saturday , bound for the International Space Station in the program 's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia .
NASA on Tuesday officially certified as safe the Crew Dragon capsule developed for regular astronaut transportation by SpaceX , the company founded by Elon Musk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May and back to Earth again in August without major incident .
`` I 'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft , '' NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said .
Take-off is planned for 7:49 pm Saturday ( 0049 GMT Sunday ) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with American astronauts Michael Hopkins , Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi on board .
As of Tuesday evening , the weather outlook for Saturday was good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ISS eight hours later , at 0920 GMT Sunday .
The mission marks a culmination for SpaceX , setting it up to be NASA 's favored -- and so far most reliable -- transportation provider as the agency waits on Boeing 's Starliner capsule , which has been held up in testing and is not expected to be ready before next year .
SpaceX has been operating space station re-supplying flights with the cargo version of the Dragon since 2012 .
`` For the next 15 months , we will fly seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' SpaceX head of crewed flights Benji Reed said during a phone call Tuesday .
`` That means that ( from December ) starting with Crew-1 , there will be a continuous presence of SpaceX Dragons in orbit . ''
The next crewed mission is expected to blast off at the end of March 2021 , carrying one European , one Japanese and two American crew members .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Three NASA crew and one Japanese astronaut are set for launch aboard a SpaceX rocket Saturday, bound for the International Space Station in the program's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia.
NASA on Tuesday officially certified as safe the Crew Dragon capsule developed for regular astronaut transportation by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk that carried two astronauts to the ISS in May and back to Earth again in August without major incident.
"I'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said.
Take-off is planned for 7:49 pm Saturday (0049 GMT Sunday) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with American astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi on board.
As of Tuesday evening, the weather outlook for Saturday was good.
They are expected to arrive at the ISS eight hours later, at 0920 GMT Sunday.
The mission marks a culmination for SpaceX, setting it up to be NASA's favored -- and so far most reliable -- transportation provider as the agency waits on Boeing's Starliner capsule, which has been held up in testing and is not expected to be ready before next year.
SpaceX has been operating space station re-supplying flights with the cargo version of the Dragon since 2012.
"For the next 15 months, we will fly seven crew and cargo Dragon missions for NASA," SpaceX head of crewed flights Benji Reed said during a phone call Tuesday.
"That means that (from December) starting with Crew-1, there will be a continuous presence of SpaceX Dragons in orbit."
The next crewed mission is expected to blast off at the end of March 2021, carrying one European, one Japanese and two American crew members.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--NFL owners back pandemic playoff plan, diversity initiative

NFL team owners on Tuesday backed a contingency plan which could see this season 's playoffs expanded to 16 teams if disruption from coronavirus prevents the regular season schedule from being completed .
With the NFL more than halfway through its 16-game schedule , the league has already been forced to swap around games on several occasions this season because of Covid-19 outbreaks .
While the NFL remains on track to complete the season in its normal 17-week time-frame , the league has left itself the option of staging an 18th week of regular season fixtures in the event of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular season fixtures are unable to be completed , the league will boost the number of playoff teams from 14 to 16 .
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell , meanwhile , said the league continued to plan for a Super Bowl on February 7 next year in Tampa as scheduled .
Goodell reiterated that the league aimed to allow an unspecified number of fans into the Raymond James Stadium for the showpiece .
Most teams around the NFL are playing games this season without spectators because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis .
`` Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Super Bowl as can be done safely , '' Goodell was quoted by US media as saying .
Meanwhile , in a separate decision at Tuesday 's meeting , NFL owners approved a proposal that will offer incentives for teams that develop minority coaches and front office executives .
Under the initiative , teams who lose a minority coach to a head coaching role elsewhere will be given an additional third round draft pick for two years .
If any front office executive is hired to be a general manager elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive a draft pick .
The diversity initiative is aimed at boosting the number of minority head coaches and general managers in the NFL .
Although the league established its `` Rooney Rule '' in 2003 , which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for every head coaching and senior executive job in the league , progress has been slow .
At the start of this season , the NFL had only four minority head coaches and two minority general managers .

New York (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
NFL team owners on Tuesday backed a contingency plan which could see this season's playoffs expanded to 16 teams if disruption from coronavirus prevents the regular season schedule from being completed.
With the NFL more than halfway through its 16-game schedule, the league has already been forced to swap around games on several occasions this season because of Covid-19 outbreaks.
While the NFL remains on track to complete the season in its normal 17-week time-frame, the league has left itself the option of staging an 18th week of regular season fixtures in the event of further Covid-19 disruption.
If potentially decisive regular season fixtures are unable to be completed, the league will boost the number of playoff teams from 14 to 16.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, meanwhile, said the league continued to plan for a Super Bowl on February 7 next year in Tampa as scheduled.
Goodell reiterated that the league aimed to allow an unspecified number of fans into the Raymond James Stadium for the showpiece.
Most teams around the NFL are playing games this season without spectators because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
"Our intent is to have as many fans at the Super Bowl as can be done safely," Goodell was quoted by US media as saying.
Meanwhile, in a separate decision at Tuesday's meeting, NFL owners approved a proposal that will offer incentives for teams that develop minority coaches and front office executives.
Under the initiative, teams who lose a minority coach to a head coaching role elsewhere will be given an additional third round draft pick for two years.
If any front office executive is hired to be a general manager elsewhere, the individual's team will also receive a draft pick.
The diversity initiative is aimed at boosting the number of minority head coaches and general managers in the NFL.
Although the league established its "Rooney Rule" in 2003, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for every head coaching and senior executive job in the league, progress has been slow.
At the start of this season, the NFL had only four minority head coaches and two minority general managers.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--England's Mings says black FA chairman would be 'huge step'

England defender Tyrone Mings says it would be a `` huge step '' for the Football Association to hire a black successor to Greg Clarke after the governing body 's chairman was forced to resign over his offensive comments .
Clarke stepped down from his role on Tuesday after referring to `` coloured footballers '' when talking about diversity to members of a government select committee .
The 63-year-old also claimed that South Asians and Afro-Caribbean people have `` different career interests '' on the basis of the make-up of the FA 's IT department , as well as describing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Clarke offered an apology for his embarrassing gaffes soon afterwards , claiming he was `` deeply saddened '' for words that were a `` disservice to our game '' .
But just hours later he quit following a tidal wave of criticism from both inside the FA and across the football world .
While Clarke 's fate was being sealed , Aston Villa centre-back Mings was speaking to the media in a thoughtful and intelligent take on the issue of race in football .
Mings was told that Clarke had resigned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just before that he had suggested the BAME community would welcome being represented by an FA chairman .
`` Of course .
It would be a huge step .
It would be everything that a lot of people have worked for , a lot of people more senior than myself , '' Mings said .
`` A lot of people have been fighting this cause for a lot longer than myself . ''
Mings made it clear that hiring someone from the BAME community should not be for appearances sake and he stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the role .
`` Ultimately that is n't what we are asking for .
We are not asking for the next chairman or chief to be black .
We are asking for equal opportunities for both black and white people or ethnic minorities , '' he said .
`` The opportunities to be equal , for the candidates themselves to be rightly qualified for the job .
`` I do n't think anyone would want the job , whether you are black or white , if you were n't qualified for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful in that role .
`` We are n't necessarily asking for it as a sign we have made it now .
We are asking for equal opportunities , for everybody to have a fair crack of the whip . ''
- 'Long way to go ' - Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in the United States earlier this year , the Black Lives Matter movement has grown in strength .
All Premier League teams take a knee before matches to express solidarity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , believes Clarke 's insensitive comments show there is still work to be done to educate people about racism .
`` I do n't think there is any excusing it .
The fact he came out and apologised , I think he knows he has done wrong , '' Mings said .
`` He fell short of what he should know .
We are asking that you understand the world we are living in and you understand what you can and ca n't say .
`` It 's unfortunate it has happened today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the moment in society , we are trying to drive things forward .
`` I do n't think it has set us back .
It has probably shined a light on what we are saying .
`` We still have a long way to go , we still have to educate each other , we still have to stay on top of it .
We have to take responsibility for what we say .
`` Educating the generations that are coming through is one thing , but also understanding that we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who came before us were living in another one .
It 's just about moving with the times . ''

London (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
England defender Tyrone Mings says it would be a "huge step" for the Football Association to hire a black successor to Greg Clarke after the governing body's chairman was forced to resign over his offensive comments.
Clarke stepped down from his role on Tuesday after referring to "coloured footballers" when talking about diversity to members of a government select committee.
The 63-year-old also claimed that South Asians and Afro-Caribbean people have "different career interests" on the basis of the make-up of the FA's IT department, as well as describing homosexuality as a "life choice".
Clarke offered an apology for his embarrassing gaffes soon afterwards, claiming he was "deeply saddened" for words that were a "disservice to our game".
But just hours later he quit following a tidal wave of criticism from both inside the FA and across the football world.
While Clarke's fate was being sealed, Aston Villa centre-back Mings was speaking to the media in a thoughtful and intelligent take on the issue of race in football.
Mings was told that Clarke had resigned in the course of the interview, but just before that he had suggested the BAME community would welcome being represented by an FA chairman.
"Of course. It would be a huge step. It would be everything that a lot of people have worked for, a lot of people more senior than myself," Mings said.
"A lot of people have been fighting this cause for a lot longer than myself."
Mings made it clear that hiring someone from the BAME community should not be for appearances sake and he stressed only a viable candidate would be deserving of the role.
"Ultimately that isn't what we are asking for. We are not asking for the next chairman or chief to be black. We are asking for equal opportunities for both black and white people or ethnic minorities," he said.
"The opportunities to be equal, for the candidates themselves to be rightly qualified for the job.
"I don't think anyone would want the job, whether you are black or white, if you weren't qualified for it and you weren't equipped to be successful in that role.
"We aren't necessarily asking for it as a sign we have made it now. We are asking for equal opportunities, for everybody to have a fair crack of the whip."
- 'Long way to go' -
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in the United States earlier this year, the Black Lives Matter movement has grown in strength.
All Premier League teams take a knee before matches to express solidarity with the cause.
But Mings, 27, believes Clarke's insensitive comments show there is still work to be done to educate people about racism.
"I don't think there is any excusing it. The fact he came out and apologised, I think he knows he has done wrong," Mings said.
"He fell short of what he should know. We are asking that you understand the world we are living in and you understand what you can and can't say.
"It's unfortunate it has happened today. We are doing such great work at the moment in society, we are trying to drive things forward.
"I don't think it has set us back. It has probably shined a light on what we are saying.
"We still have a long way to go, we still have to educate each other, we still have to stay on top of it. We have to take responsibility for what we say.
"Educating the generations that are coming through is one thing, but also understanding that we are living in one world and the people who came before us were living in another one. It's just about moving with the times."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--Dovizioso to sit out 2021 MotoGP season

Dovizioso to sit out 2021 MotoGP season

Antonio Dovizioso says he will take a break from MotoGP next season but hopes to return to the track as soon as the right job offer comes along .
The 34-year-old Italian , who finished runner-up to Marc Marquez three times in the world championship , announced in August he was leaving Ducati at the end of the year .
The following day he won in Austria , and briefly led this year 's riders ' standings before slipping out of contention .
In his Instagram post on Tuesday he said he had declined several offers as a test rider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` to remain free from formal agreements for now '' .
`` I have an immense passion for racing , '' he wrote .
`` I still have the ambition to compete and fight to win .
`` I will return to MotoGP as soon as I find a project driven by the same passion and ambition that I have and within an organisation that shares my same objectives , values and working methods . ''
In his 19-season career in all categories Dovizioso has won 25 races , with 20 pole positions @ @ @ @ @

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Antonio Dovizioso says he will take a break from MotoGP next season but hopes to return to the track as soon as the right job offer comes along.
The 34-year-old Italian, who finished runner-up to Marc Marquez three times in the world championship, announced in August he was leaving Ducati at the end of the year.
The following day he won in Austria, and briefly led this year's riders' standings before slipping out of contention.
In his Instagram post on Tuesday he said he had declined several offers as a test rider next year, explaining that he wanted "to remain free from formal agreements for now".
"I have an immense passion for racing," he wrote.
"I still have the ambition to compete and fight to win.
"I will return to MotoGP as soon as I find a project driven by the same passion and ambition that I have and within an organisation that shares my same objectives, values and working methods."
In his 19-season career in all categories Dovizioso has won 25 races, with 20 pole positions and 103 podium finishes.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--Gritty McIlroy ready to earn Masters win and finish Slam

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy plans to get out of his own way and use hard-earned grit to capture the long-sought Masters title that would complete a career Grand Slam .
The world number five from Northern Ireland said Tuesday he feels relaxed and in control of his game , but realizes he must seize the elusive green jacket in order to join one of golf 's most exclusive clubs .
`` I 've hit it well over the past couple of weeks in practice up here , '' McIlroy said .
`` My game feels good .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been for a while and that adds to that relaxed feeling .
You know that it 's in there .
It 's just a matter of going out , just getting out of my own way and just playing with freedom . ''
A victory would put McIlroy , 31 , alongside the only five men to win each major at least once in their careers -- Jack Nicklaus , Tiger Woods , Gary Player , Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen .
`` The guy is as complete a player as there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of McIlroy .
`` As well as smart , knowledgeable and works hard .
So he 'll win and complete the Grand Slam .
He 's too great a player not to .
`` I would be shocked if he was n't in contention with a great chance on Sunday ... winning a Masters will happen .
And when it does , I think he 's going to win a few . ''
McIlroy appreciates the praise but knows it will take one of his greatest performances to make the prediction come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this game , '' McIlroy said .
`` I 've always felt like I had the game to do well around here .
It 's just a matter of getting out of my own way and letting it happen .
`` You have to go out and earn it .
You ca n't just rely on people saying that you 're going to win one .
Greg Norman never did .
Ernie Els never did .
There are a lot of great people that have played this game that have never won a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a foregone conclusion and I know that .
I have to go out and earn it and play good golf .
Nowadays , with how many great players there are , I need to play my best golf to have a chance . ''
It 's his first Masters since becoming a father , with wife Erica giving birth to daughter Poppy in August and the Augusta National showdown delayed from April due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
This will be McIlroy 's sixth attempt to win the Masters with the career Slam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major title since 2013 and he did n't win his first until the 2011 US Open -- his first major after squandering a final-round lead at the Masters with a nightmare Sunday .
`` My grit has come from my failures , and I do n't have to look any further than this place in 2011 , '' McIlroy said .
`` I learned a lot from that day .
I learned a lot in terms of what I needed to be and did n't need to be .
`` I needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to try to be like anyone else ... Failure .
You ca n't be afraid of it .
You have to embrace the fact that you are going to fail at things , but you should learn from them .
`` I 've had a nice little bit of success in this game but I 've failed a hell of a lot more than I 've succeeded .
And that is why I have succeeded , is because I went through those tough patches , and you need to .
You need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn .
That 's where I 've got my persistence or grit from . ''
McIlroy admits he was slow to recover form after the pandemic break ended in June .
`` There has been really good stuff in there , but there has been some lackluster stuff , too , lapses of concentration , '' he said .
`` They 're still handing out trophies at the end of every week , so you may as well try and play as hard as possible for them . ''

Augusta (United States) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy plans to get out of his own way and use hard-earned grit to capture the long-sought Masters title that would complete a career Grand Slam.
The world number five from Northern Ireland said Tuesday he feels relaxed and in control of his game, but realizes he must seize the elusive green jacket in order to join one of golf's most exclusive clubs.
"I've hit it well over the past couple of weeks in practice up here," McIlroy said. "My game feels good.
"I feel as in control as I've been for a while and that adds to that relaxed feeling. You know that it's in there. It's just a matter of going out, just getting out of my own way and just playing with freedom."
A victory would put McIlroy, 31, alongside the only five men to win each major at least once in their careers -- Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.
"The guy is as complete a player as there is," three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson said of McIlroy. "As well as smart, knowledgeable and works hard. So he'll win and complete the Grand Slam. He's too great a player not to.
"I would be shocked if he wasn't in contention with a great chance on Sunday... winning a Masters will happen. And when it does, I think he's going to win a few."
McIlroy appreciates the praise but knows it will take one of his greatest performances to make the prediction come true.
"Nothing's given in this game," McIlroy said. "I've always felt like I had the game to do well around here. It's just a matter of getting out of my own way and letting it happen.
"You have to go out and earn it. You can't just rely on people saying that you're going to win one. Greg Norman never did. Ernie Els never did. There are a lot of great people that have played this game that have never won a green jacket.
"It's not a foregone conclusion and I know that. I have to go out and earn it and play good golf. Nowadays, with how many great players there are, I need to play my best golf to have a chance."
It's his first Masters since becoming a father, with wife Erica giving birth to daughter Poppy in August and the Augusta National showdown delayed from April due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Failure made him gritty -
This will be McIlroy's sixth attempt to win the Masters with the career Slam at stake. He hasn't won a major title since 2013 and he didn't win his first until the 2011 US Open -- his first major after squandering a final-round lead at the Masters with a nightmare Sunday.
"My grit has come from my failures, and I don't have to look any further than this place in 2011," McIlroy said. "I learned a lot from that day. I learned a lot in terms of what I needed to be and didn't need to be.
"I needed to be myself. I didn't need to try to be like anyone else... Failure. You can't be afraid of it. You have to embrace the fact that you are going to fail at things, but you should learn from them.
"I've had a nice little bit of success in this game but I've failed a hell of a lot more than I've succeeded. And that is why I have succeeded, is because I went through those tough patches, and you need to. You need to go through those tough patches to learn. That's where I've got my persistence or grit from."
McIlroy admits he was slow to recover form after the pandemic break ended in June.
"There has been really good stuff in there, but there has been some lackluster stuff, too, lapses of concentration," he said. "They're still handing out trophies at the end of every week, so you may as well try and play as hard as possible for them."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-10--Thousand fleeing fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region cross into Sudan

Amhara militia men , that combat alongside federal and regional forces against northern region of Tigray , receive training in the outskirts of the village of Addis Zemen , north of Bahir Dar , Ethiopia , on November 10 , 2020 .
Refugees fled to Sudan on Tuesday and the African Union appealed for a ceasefire in a north Ethiopian region where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is waging a military offensive against local leaders defiant of his authority .
About 2,500 Ethiopians have escaped across the border to Sudan from fighting in the restive Tigray region , with the exodus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Hundreds have died in air strikes and fighting amid fears that Ethiopia could slide into civil war given deep animosity between the Tigrayans and Abiy , who comes from the largest Oromo ethnic group .
With access blocked to Tigray and communications largely down , it was hard to verify the state of the conflict .
State media said federal forces had captured Humera airport , near the borders with Sudan and Eritrea , along with a road leading from the town .
The Ethiopian Press Agency posted photos that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces from the neighbouring Amhara region , at the airport .
However , Humera residents were going about their lives normally , according to a communications office of the Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front ( TPLF ) , which governs the state of more than 5 million people .
State affiliated broadcaster FANA said Ethiopia had arrested 17 military officers for disrupting communications systems used by federal forces in Tigray , exposing them to potential harm .
Abiy , who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 , ordered air strikes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing the TPLF of attacking a military base .
Tigrayans say Abiy ’ s government oppresses and discriminates against them and behaved autocratically in postponing a national election .
In a potential major escalation , Tigray leader Debretsion Gebremichael said the Eritrean government of President Isaias Afwerki had sent troops across the border to attack local forces in support of the federal push .
But he gave no proof and Eritrea ’ s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed denied it .
“ We are not part of the conflict , ” he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace deal two years ago , but Afwerki ’ s government remains hostile to the Tigrayan leadership after its role in a devastating 1998-2000 war .
Reuters reporters on Monday travelling in Tigray and Amhara saw trucks packed with militia fighters and pickups with mounted machine-guns rushing to the frontline for the federal government .
Warplanes have bombed arms depots and other targets , both sides say , while aid workers and security sources have reported heavy fighting on the ground .
Military and security sources in Amhara , on the side of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 deaths on the Tigrayan side and hundreds also from the national military .
The state-affiliated Fana broadcaster said federal troops had killed 550 Tigrayan “ extremists ” while another 29 members of local special forces and militia had surrendered .
The AU bloc called for peace talks and an end to hostilities .
But Ethiopia said mediation was only possible if military hardware in Tigrayan hands was destroyed , federal officials were freed from custody and regional leaders arrested .
The 44-year-old Abiy is Africa ’ s youngest leader and won his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making peace with Eritrea .
But his militancy against Tigray has alarmed diplomats and a full-scale war could further damage an economy already reeling from the coronavirus crisis .
A former soldier who once fought alongside Tigrayans against Eritrea , Abiy took over in 2018 after a Tigrayan-led government had dominated politics since rebels from their region toppled Marxist military rule in 1991 .
But his attempts to open up a repressive political climate also led to an explosion of ethnic problems , with hundreds killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years .
Abiy believes he can quell the Tigrayan leadership militarily , diplomats told Reuters , though they are a battle-hardened group from the 1998-2000 war with Eritrea and the defeat of dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991 .
TPLF forces and militia allies number up to 250,000 men and possess significant hardware , experts say .
“ Operations will cease as soon as the criminal junta is disarmed , legitimate administration in the region restored , and fugitives apprehended & brought to justice — all of them rapidly coming within reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The TPLF has called him “ merciless ” with air strikes .
Redwan Hussein , spokesman of a newly-established State of Emergency Task Force for the Tigray conflict , said federal soldiers had been forced to retreat over the border to Eritrea before regrouping and returning to fight local forces .
He acknowledged that Tigrayan troops had control of a compound of the Ethiopian military ’ s powerful Northern Command in Mekelle , the capital of Tigray .

Refugees fled to Sudan on Tuesday and the African Union appealed for a ceasefire in a north Ethiopian region where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is waging a military offensive against local leaders defiant of his authority.
Amhara militia men, that fight alongside federal and regional forces in the northern region of Tigray, receive training in the outskirts of the village of Addis Zemen, north of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, on November 10, 2020.
Advertising Read more
About 2,500 Ethiopians have escaped across the border to Sudan from fighting in the restive Tigray region, with the exodus likely to swell fast, an official said.
Hundreds have died in air strikes and fighting amid fears that Ethiopia could slide into civil war given deep animosity between the Tigrayans and Abiy, who comes from the largest Oromo ethnic group.
With access blocked to Tigray and communications largely down, it was hard to verify the state of the conflict.
State media said federal forces had captured Humera airport, near the borders with Sudan and Eritrea, along with a road leading from the town. The Ethiopian Press Agency posted photos that it said showed federal soldiers, backed by forces from the neighbouring Amhara region, at the airport.
However, Humera residents were going about their lives normally, according to a communications office of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which governs the state of more than 5 million people.
State affiliated broadcaster FANA said Ethiopia had arrested 17 military officers for disrupting communications systems used by federal forces in Tigray, exposing them to potential harm.
Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, ordered air strikes and sent troops into Tigray last week after accusing the TPLF of attacking a military base. Tigrayans say Abiy’s government oppresses and discriminates against them and behaved autocratically in postponing a national election.
Eritrea allegation
In a potential major escalation, Tigray leader Debretsion Gebremichael said the Eritrean government of President Isaias Afwerki had sent troops across the border to attack local forces in support of the federal push.
But he gave no proof and Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed denied it. “We are not part of the conflict,” he told Reuters.
Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace deal two years ago, but Afwerki’s government remains hostile to the Tigrayan leadership after its role in a devastating 1998-2000 war.
Reuters reporters on Monday travelling in Tigray and Amhara saw trucks packed with militia fighters and pickups with mounted machine-guns rushing to the frontline for the federal government.
Warplanes have bombed arms depots and other targets, both sides say, while aid workers and security sources have reported heavy fighting on the ground.
Military and security sources in Amhara, on the side of the federal troops, have spoken of 500 deaths on the Tigrayan side and hundreds also from the national military.
The state-affiliated Fana broadcaster said federal troops had killed 550 Tigrayan “extremists” while another 29 members of local special forces and militia had surrendered.
The AU bloc called for peace talks and an end to hostilities. But Ethiopia said mediation was only possible if military hardware in Tigrayan hands was destroyed, federal officials were freed from custody and regional leaders arrested.
War fears
The 44-year-old Abiy is Africa’s youngest leader and won his Nobel prize for democratic reforms and for making peace with Eritrea. But his militancy against Tigray has alarmed diplomats and a full-scale war could further damage an economy already reeling from the coronavirus crisis.
A former soldier who once fought alongside Tigrayans against Eritrea, Abiy took over in 2018 after a Tigrayan-led government had dominated politics since rebels from their region toppled Marxist military rule in 1991.
But his attempts to open up a repressive political climate also led to an explosion of ethnic problems, with hundreds killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes in clashes over the last two years.
Abiy believes he can quell the Tigrayan leadership militarily, diplomats told Reuters, though they are a battle-hardened group from the 1998-2000 war with Eritrea and the defeat of dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.
TPLF forces and militia allies number up to 250,000 men and possess significant hardware, experts say.
“Operations will cease as soon as the criminal junta is disarmed, legitimate administration in the region restored, and fugitives apprehended & brought to justice — all of them rapidly coming within reach,” Abiy tweeted on Tuesday.
The TPLF has called him “merciless” with air strikes.
Redwan Hussein, spokesman of a newly-established State of Emergency Task Force for the Tigray conflict, said federal soldiers had been forced to retreat over the border to Eritrea before regrouping and returning to fight local forces.
He acknowledged that Tigrayan troops had control of a compound of the Ethiopian military’s powerful Northern Command in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray.
(REUTERS)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-11-10--Planes, dry ice, pharmacies: the logistical challenges of Covid-19 vaccines

Filling and packaging tests for the large-scale production and supply of AstraZeneca ’ s COVID-19 vaccine candidate are pictured in September 2020 in Anagni Italy The United States could be the first country to launch one of the most ambitious vaccine operations in history : distributing and administering up to 600 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in just a few months .
Massive vaccine campaigns are nothing new -- they have been carried out for decades in the fight against the measles and flu , for example .
But stamping out the coronavirus is a distinctly new challenge due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame for inoculating a huge number of people , the fact that most vaccines will require two doses , and the very low temperature at which some of the vaccines must be stored .
The vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany 's BioNTech , on track to be the first authorized for use in the United States , must be stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit ( -70 degrees Celsius ) , whereas the flu vaccine can be kept in a normal refrigerator .
Pfizer vaccines distributed in the US will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kalamazoo , Michigan .
Their ship-out will include a precise , clockwork-like dance of containers , trucks and planes .
Thermal shipping containers will each be filled with dry ice and 975 vials of the vaccine which each contain five doses , for a total of 4,875 doses .
Every day six trucks will take the doses to air carriers such as FedEx , UPS or DHL , which will deliver them across the United States in one to two days and across the globe in three , Pfizer told AFP .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily cargo flights worldwide .
FedEx had to obtain special permission from civil aviation authorities to transport so much dry ice , which could pose a danger to the crew should it accidentally undergo `` sublimation '' and pass from a solid to a gas , the company told AFP .
Once the boxes have reached their final destination , they can be opened only briefly just two times a day .
`` To run a large mass vaccination clinic , it 's fine , '' said Julie Swann , a pandemic response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the vaccine would not be suitable for distribution at doctors ' offices or pharmacies , which are too small , she warned .
At least in the beginning Americans will have to go to hospitals or maybe even large distribution centers set up in parking lots much like Covid test sites , she said .
The vaccines can remain in their boxes for two weeks meaning hospitals will not need a special freezer .
`` We 're not recommending at this time that hospitals or clinics purchase ultra cold equipment , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention .
US biotech giant Moderna is also manufacturing a vaccine , which can be stored at -4 degrees Fahrenheit , the temperature of a normal freezer .
The US government is organizing a free distribution of this vaccine to US states and territories , with each jurisdiction to decide how to distribute the doses to hospitals , pharmacies , doctors or even universities and companies will distribute the doses , in a decentralized system much like what was used for the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009 .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very , very few exceptions , to touch a single dose of vaccine before it goes into the arm of Americans , '' said Paul Mango , an Operation Warp Speed official , during a briefing .
The objective is to offer vaccines to the most vulnerable populations before the end of December , to healthcare workers before the end of January and all Americans by the beginning of April .
Pfizer expects to produce 50 million doses this year and 1.3 billion in 2021 : The United States has already ordered 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the end of December .
The European Union meanwhile has ordered 200 million , Japan 120 million , Britain 30 million and Canada 20 million .
Moderna , AstraZeneca , Johnson & Johnson , Sanofi and others are hoping their own vaccines will also prove safe and effective , and their global rollout will follow suit .
Carrier DHL estimates that 15 million cooling boxes would need to be delivered over the next two years , with approximately 15,000 flights needed worldwide .
Poorer countries that lack storage capacity for large quantites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little hope of benefiting from the first doses , said Prashant Yadav , an expert in global health supply chains at the Center for Global Development .
Ultracold freezers that can reach temperatures of -112 degrees Fahrenheit cost five times more than standard freezers and are only made to order , he said .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The United States could be the first country to launch one of the most ambitious vaccine operations in history: distributing and administering up to 600 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in just a few months.
Massive vaccine campaigns are nothing new -- they have been carried out for decades in the fight against the measles and flu, for example.
But stamping out the coronavirus is a distinctly new challenge due to three factors: the short time frame for inoculating a huge number of people, the fact that most vaccines will require two doses, and the very low temperature at which some of the vaccines must be stored.
The vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech, on track to be the first authorized for use in the United States, must be stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius), whereas the flu vaccine can be kept in a normal refrigerator.
Pfizer vaccines distributed in the US will come from its largest manufacturing plant located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Their ship-out will include a precise, clockwork-like dance of containers, trucks and planes.
Thermal shipping containers will each be filled with dry ice and 975 vials of the vaccine which each contain five doses, for a total of 4,875 doses.
Every day six trucks will take the doses to air carriers such as FedEx, UPS or DHL, which will deliver them across the United States in one to two days and across the globe in three, Pfizer told AFP.
The company expects an average of 20 daily cargo flights worldwide.
FedEx had to obtain special permission from civil aviation authorities to transport so much dry ice, which could pose a danger to the crew should it accidentally undergo "sublimation" and pass from a solid to a gas, the company told AFP.
Once the boxes have reached their final destination, they can be opened only briefly just two times a day.
"To run a large mass vaccination clinic, it's fine," said Julie Swann, a pandemic response expert at North Carolina State University.
But the vaccine would not be suitable for distribution at doctors' offices or pharmacies, which are too small, she warned.
At least in the beginning Americans will have to go to hospitals or maybe even large distribution centers set up in parking lots much like Covid test sites, she said.
The vaccines can remain in their boxes for two weeks meaning hospitals will not need a special freezer.
"We're not recommending at this time that hospitals or clinics purchase ultra cold equipment," said Janell Routh of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Poor countries later -
US biotech giant Moderna is also manufacturing a vaccine, which can be stored at -4 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature of a normal freezer.
The US government is organizing a free distribution of this vaccine to US states and territories, with each jurisdiction to decide how to distribute the doses to hospitals, pharmacies, doctors or even universities and companies will distribute the doses, in a decentralized system much like what was used for the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009.
"The federal government does not intend, with very, very few exceptions, to touch a single dose of vaccine before it goes into the arm of Americans," said Paul Mango, an Operation Warp Speed official, during a briefing.
The objective is to offer vaccines to the most vulnerable populations before the end of December, to healthcare workers before the end of January and all Americans by the beginning of April.
Pfizer expects to produce 50 million doses this year and 1.3 billion in 2021: The United States has already ordered 100 million total including 20-30 million for delivery before the end of December. The European Union meanwhile has ordered 200 million, Japan 120 million, Britain 30 million and Canada 20 million.
Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi and others are hoping their own vaccines will also prove safe and effective, and their global rollout will follow suit.
Carrier DHL estimates that 15 million cooling boxes would need to be delivered over the next two years, with approximately 15,000 flights needed worldwide.
Poorer countries that lack storage capacity for large quantites of vaccines that need super-cold storage have little hope of benefiting from the first doses, said Prashant Yadav, an expert in global health supply chains at the Center for Global Development.
Ultracold freezers that can reach temperatures of -112 degrees Fahrenheit cost five times more than standard freezers and are only made to order, he said.
© 2020 AFP