france24--2020-08-15--Red Bull Bragantino seek to become Brazilian Leipzig

Freshly infused with cash from energy drink giant Red Bull , Brazilian club Bragantino are seeking to follow in the footsteps of the beverage brand 's most famous franchise , Champions League semi-finalists Leipzig .
Bragantino returned to the Brazilian first division this season after a 22-year absence , thanks largely to an $ 11.5-million investment from the Austrian company , whose football stable now includes the New York Red Bulls and Salzburg , as well as Leipzig .
Based in Braganca Paulista , about 100 kilometers ( 60 miles ) outside of Sao Paulo , Bragantino had just clawed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ division when they announced a deal with Red Bull in March last year .
The deal merged the club with Red Bull Brasil , a franchise founded by the company in 2007 that was playing in a state-level league in Sao Paulo .
Now known as Red Bull Bragantino , the club have been on a roll ever since .
`` We were looking for a club with a good story , devoted fans and a strong connection with their home city .
We were lucky to find all that and more in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director , Thiago Scuro .
Flush with Red Bull cash , Bragantino built a team that easily won the second division .
The changes do not stop there .
They are renovating their stadium and overhauling the club 's internal machinery .
`` Red Bull took on Bragantino with the intention of raising the club 's level across the board , '' Scuro told AFP .
`` We 've had good results on the pitch .
At the same time , we 're also working hard on management , on improving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1987 by Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz , Red Bull launched its caffeine-loaded drink on the international market in 1994 , and has been charging into new business areas at a fearsome pace ever since .
The firm built unique name recognition with extreme sports competitions such as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and Red Bull Air Race , before branching out into the more traditional brand-building business of football .
Red Bull-affiliated clubs `` are independently managed in their home countries , but we have a lot of contact with each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and best practices , '' Scuro said .
Red Bull Bragantino brought in top-line reinforcements this year from Leipzig ( Luan Candido ) and Salzburg ( Luis Phelipe ) .
They assembled a team of young talent for their return to top-flight football this season , led by former player turned coach Felipe Conceicao .
In their first two matches , they battled two league giants to draws : Santos and Botafogo .
They will be looking for their first win against Bahia on Sunday -- two days before Leipzig , fresh off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semis .
`` We want to play aggressive attacking football , with a lot of intensity and technical quality , '' said Scuro .
Bragantino spent more signing players this season than any first-division club in Brazil except reigning champions Flamengo .
But Scuro said it is not just a matter of money , or of overnight success .
`` Our main goal for 2020 is just to stabilize the club in the first division , '' he said .
`` It will be a medium-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 'll have the technical capacity to play at the same level as the major clubs , not because of money , but because of technical excellence , an established style of play and because we 're investing in young players who will improve every year . ''

Sao Paulo (AFP) –
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Freshly infused with cash from energy drink giant Red Bull, Brazilian club Bragantino are seeking to follow in the footsteps of the beverage brand's most famous franchise, Champions League semi-finalists Leipzig.
Bragantino returned to the Brazilian first division this season after a 22-year absence, thanks largely to an $11.5-million investment from the Austrian company, whose football stable now includes the New York Red Bulls and Salzburg, as well as Leipzig.
Based in Braganca Paulista, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) outside of Sao Paulo, Bragantino had just clawed their way back into the Brazilian second division when they announced a deal with Red Bull in March last year.
The deal merged the club with Red Bull Brasil, a franchise founded by the company in 2007 that was playing in a state-level league in Sao Paulo.
Now known as Red Bull Bragantino, the club have been on a roll ever since.
"We were looking for a club with a good story, devoted fans and a strong connection with their home city. We were lucky to find all that and more in Bragantino," said the club's executive director, Thiago Scuro.
Flush with Red Bull cash, Bragantino built a team that easily won the second division.
The changes do not stop there. They are renovating their stadium and overhauling the club's internal machinery.
"Red Bull took on Bragantino with the intention of raising the club's level across the board," Scuro told AFP.
"We've had good results on the pitch. At the same time, we're also working hard on management, on improving the club's infrastructure."
- Global brand -
Founded in 1987 by Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull launched its caffeine-loaded drink on the international market in 1994, and has been charging into new business areas at a fearsome pace ever since.
The firm built unique name recognition with extreme sports competitions such as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and Red Bull Air Race, before branching out into the more traditional brand-building business of football.
Red Bull-affiliated clubs "are independently managed in their home countries, but we have a lot of contact with each other -- we share knowledge, methods and best practices," Scuro said.
Red Bull Bragantino brought in top-line reinforcements this year from Leipzig (Luan Candido) and Salzburg (Luis Phelipe).
They assembled a team of young talent for their return to top-flight football this season, led by former player turned coach Felipe Conceicao.
In their first two matches, they battled two league giants to draws: Santos and Botafogo.
They will be looking for their first win against Bahia on Sunday -- two days before Leipzig, fresh off their quarter-finals upset of Atletico Madrid, face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semis.
"We want to play aggressive attacking football, with a lot of intensity and technical quality," said Scuro.
"Brazil is a great country to sign young talent."
Bragantino spent more signing players this season than any first-division club in Brazil except reigning champions Flamengo.
But Scuro said it is not just a matter of money, or of overnight success.
"Our main goal for 2020 is just to stabilize the club in the first division," he said.
"It will be a medium-term process. I think in three years we'll have the technical capacity to play at the same level as the major clubs, not because of money, but because of technical excellence, an established style of play and because we're investing in young players who will improve every year."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--In the Gulf, normalisation with Israel feels anything but normal

For many Gulf citizens , images of city hall in Tel Aviv lit up in the colours of the United Arab Emirates flag remain deeply uncomfortable after decades of still unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict The shock announcement that the UAE and Israel are normalising relations has been applauded by allies and booed by rivals , but for many Gulf citizens there is deep unease over the embrace of a longtime enemy .
Palestinian leaders have cast the deal as a `` betrayal '' , a view shared by many in the capitals of the oil-rich region , even if the allegiance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the younger generation .
After becoming the first Gulf country to establish ties with the Jewish state , the United Arab Emirates is being portrayed in the local media as the champion of peace in a divided region that needs to join forces against Iran .
`` I 'm planning a trip to Tel Aviv already , '' a young Emirati who works in marketing said wryly .
`` How long will we live in conflict ?
The world is going through enough already , so let 's have some peace , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strategy and the wisdom of our leaders .
What the UAE did was for the Palestinians in the first place , '' he told AFP , in a country where political criticism is rarer than thunderstorms .
On Thursday , the UAE said the accord included an agreement to stop any further annexation of Palestinian territories , but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly insisted he had agreed only to delay , not to cancel , the plans .
In the other five countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi Arabia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oman -- citizens are not convinced .
While diplomatic and business contacts with Israel have been growing in recent years , in the public arena the idea of official ties remains taboo .
On social networks , the hashtag `` Normalisation is Treason '' has been trending across the region in the past few days , particularly among young Saudi activists .
Riyadh , the leading Arab power and the custodian of Islam 's holiest sites , has not yet made any comment on the move by the UAE , its close ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will adopt the same policy , analysts say that although it has also been moving quietly closer to Israel in recent years , it will proceed with caution and wait to see the reaction in the Arab world .
Bahrain was the first Gulf state to welcome Thursday 's agreement , which the United States helped broker , but several opposition parties issued a joint statement rejecting `` any normalisation with the Zionist entity '' .
Bahrain , a staunch US ally in the region and -- like Israel and the UAE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as the likely next candidate to establish ties with the Jewish state .
`` Unfortunately , I would not be able to do anything but protest on social networks because of the security situation , '' said one Bahraini man , referring to the authorities ' crackdown on critical voices .
`` It is a betrayal , a stab in the back of the Palestinian brothers , '' he told AFP , asking not to be identified .
Qatar , which did not respond to Thursday 's announcement , has since 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UAE , Saudi Arabia , Bahrain and Egypt , who accuse it of supporting Islamist movements and conniving with Iran .
Doha , which at the same time remains close to the US , denies the allegations .
It has an on-again , off-again relationship with Israel , hosting an Israeli economic interests office from 1996 until 2000 .
It is also heavily involved in underwriting calm in the Gaza Strip , managing and funding welfare payments to the people of the impoverished coastal territory with Israel 's blessing .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , '' one angry Qatari student told AFP , adding that meanwhile the Palestinians `` are fighting for their land with rocks against tanks . ''
Kuwait , another close US ally , has also been silent on the Israel deal .
The rich emirate is the only country in the Gulf with a genuine political and parliamentary life , and permits sometimes lively public debate .
`` I do n't see any problem with normalisation , because it existed in secret anyway and each country has its own political interests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't feel normal , '' said Ibrahim Chihab , a Kuwaiti pensioner .

Dubai (AFP) –
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The shock announcement that the UAE and Israel are normalising relations has been applauded by allies and booed by rivals, but for many Gulf citizens there is deep unease over the embrace of a longtime enemy.
Palestinian leaders have cast the deal as a "betrayal", a view shared by many in the capitals of the oil-rich region, even if the allegiance to that cause has faded somewhat among the younger generation.
After becoming the first Gulf country to establish ties with the Jewish state, the United Arab Emirates is being portrayed in the local media as the champion of peace in a divided region that needs to join forces against Iran.
"I'm planning a trip to Tel Aviv already," a young Emirati who works in marketing said wryly. "How long will we live in conflict? The world is going through enough already, so let's have some peace," he told AFP.
"I trust the strategy and the wisdom of our leaders. What the UAE did was for the Palestinians in the first place," he told AFP, in a country where political criticism is rarer than thunderstorms.
On Thursday, the UAE said the accord included an agreement to stop any further annexation of Palestinian territories, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly insisted he had agreed only to delay, not to cancel, the plans.
- 'Dagger in the back' -
In the other five countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman -- citizens are not convinced.
While diplomatic and business contacts with Israel have been growing in recent years, in the public arena the idea of official ties remains taboo.
On social networks, the hashtag "Normalisation is Treason" has been trending across the region in the past few days, particularly among young Saudi activists.
Riyadh, the leading Arab power and the custodian of Islam's holiest sites, has not yet made any comment on the move by the UAE, its close ally.
Although all eyes are on whether it will adopt the same policy, analysts say that although it has also been moving quietly closer to Israel in recent years, it will proceed with caution and wait to see the reaction in the Arab world.
Bahrain was the first Gulf state to welcome Thursday's agreement, which the United States helped broker, but several opposition parties issued a joint statement rejecting "any normalisation with the Zionist entity".
Bahrain, a staunch US ally in the region and -- like Israel and the UAE -- particularly hostile to Iran, is seen as the likely next candidate to establish ties with the Jewish state.
"Unfortunately, I would not be able to do anything but protest on social networks because of the security situation," said one Bahraini man, referring to the authorities' crackdown on critical voices.
"It is a betrayal, a stab in the back of the Palestinian brothers," he told AFP, asking not to be identified.
- 'Not a real country' -
Qatar, which did not respond to Thursday's announcement, has since 2017 been out in the diplomatic cold with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, who accuse it of supporting Islamist movements and conniving with Iran.
Doha, which at the same time remains close to the US, denies the allegations. It has an on-again, off-again relationship with Israel, hosting an Israeli economic interests office from 1996 until 2000.
It is also heavily involved in underwriting calm in the Gaza Strip, managing and funding welfare payments to the people of the impoverished coastal territory with Israel's blessing.
"I don't believe Israel is a real country," one angry Qatari student told AFP, adding that meanwhile the Palestinians "are fighting for their land with rocks against tanks."
Kuwait, another close US ally, has also been silent on the Israel deal. The rich emirate is the only country in the Gulf with a genuine political and parliamentary life, and permits sometimes lively public debate.
"I don't see any problem with normalisation, because it existed in secret anyway and each country has its own political interests. But at the same time it doesn't feel normal," said Ibrahim Chihab, a Kuwaiti pensioner.
burs-aem/sls/kir
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--France's Serin casts doubt over Top 14 restart

Baptiste Serin has played 36 Tests since his France debut in 2016 Toulon 's France scrum-half Baptiste Serin said on @ @ @ @ @ of the Top 14 next month due to various outfits noting positive coronavirus tests .
@ @ @ @ @ who begin the new season by hosting Bordeaux-Begles on September 4 , stopped training due @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 within their squad and coaching staff .
Fellow top-flight side Lyon have also @ @ @ @ @ , Provence and Soyaux-Angouleme in the second tier .
`` With the cases recorded at @ @ @ @ @ yourself we ca n't restart in three weeks , '' Serin said after his side @ @ @ @ @ Grenoble .
`` Untill when will be able to play ?
Everybody 's asking questions @ @ @ @ @ visibility , '' he added .
Last term 's Top 14 was stopped in April @ @ @ @ @ to the pandemic .
European quarter-finals have been re-scheduled for mid-September with the Six Nations @ @ @ @ @ and a new eight-country tournament replacing the cancelled traditional November Tests .

Hyères (France) (AFP) –
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Toulon's France scrum-half Baptiste Serin said on Friday he questioned the return of the Top 14 next month due to various outfits noting positive coronavirus tests.
On Monday Stade Francais, who begin the new season by hosting Bordeaux-Begles on September 4, stopped training due to a reported 25 examples of COVID-19 within their squad and coaching staff.
Fellow top-flight side Lyon have also had instances as have Oyonnax, Provence and Soyaux-Angouleme in the second tier.
"With the cases recorded at certain clubs, you tell yourself we can't restart in three weeks," Serin said after his side's 38-all pre-season draw with Grenoble.
"Untill when will be able to play? Everybody's asking questions. We just have short-term visibility," he added.
Last term's Top 14 was stopped in April without a champion declared due to the pandemic.
European quarter-finals have been re-scheduled for mid-September with the Six Nations to be finished in late-October and a new eight-country tournament replacing the cancelled traditional November Tests.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Bernal out of Dauphine with 'bad back' a fortnight before Tour defence

Egan Bernal was wearing the white jersey for the best young rider ahead of the fourth stage Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has been ruled out the rest of the Criterium du Dauphine with a back issue , his team-mate Geraint Thomas said ahead of Saturday 's penultimate stage .
Outfit leader Bernal , 23 , was in seventh place trailing Dauphine leader Primoz Roglic by 31 seconds two weeks before the start of this year 's Tour which starts on August 29 .
`` He does n't start today .
He 's got a bit of a bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to just take it easy , '' 2018 Tour winner Thomas said .
`` It 's such a short turn around to the Tour that it 's important he gets it 100 per cent right and be good then .
I do n't think it 's a major issue , it 's just better to be on the side of caution , '' he added .
The Dauphine 's fourth day heads 153.5km from Ugine to Megeve through the Alps with Jumbo-Visma 's Roglic holding a 14 seconds lead over second-placed Frenchman @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Ugine (France) (AFP) –
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Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has been ruled out the rest of the Criterium du Dauphine with a back issue, his team-mate Geraint Thomas said ahead of Saturday's penultimate stage.
Outfit leader Bernal, 23, was in seventh place trailing Dauphine leader Primoz Roglic by 31 seconds two weeks before the start of this year's Tour which starts on August 29.
"He doesn't start today. He's got a bit of a bad back and the best thing for him is to just take it easy," 2018 Tour winner Thomas said.
"It's such a short turn around to the Tour that it's important he gets it 100 per cent right and be good then. I don't think it's a major issue, it's just better to be on the side of caution," he added.
The Dauphine's fourth day heads 153.5km from Ugine to Megeve through the Alps with Jumbo-Visma's Roglic holding a 14 seconds lead over second-placed Frenchman and fellow Tour hopeful Thibaut Pinot.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--‘No more torture,’ say demonstrators as Belarus faces weekend of protests

Demonstrators raise their phones near the Government House in Independence Square during a protest rally against police violence at recent rallies of opposition supporters , who accuse strongman Alexander Lukashenko of falsifying the polls in the presidential election , in Minsk , Belarus , on August 14 , 2020 .
A large crowd gathered in Minsk on Saturday after Belarus ’ s opposition called for a weekend of fresh protests , while President Alexander Lukashenko reached out to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin amid mounting pressure from both demonstrators and other European leaders .
Several thousand people gathered in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more protests over Lukashenko 's disputed re-election .
A large crowd had formed near the Pushkinskaya metro station in the capital , an AFP journalist said , in honour of a protester who died there during this week 's police crackdown on demonstrators .
Demonstrators laid flowers at the site where Alexander Taraikovsky , 34 , died on Monday during clashes between protesters and police a day after the election that Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote .
Many chanted `` Leave ! ''
and some held pictures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts emerged of detained demonstrators being beaten and tortured .
Others carried signs reading `` No to Violence '' and `` No More Torture '' .
More than 6,700 people were arrested in the crackdown and hundreds injured .
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest , including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest , and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel .
Taraikovsky 's funeral was being held on Saturday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned in central Minsk on Sunday , after main opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a weekend of new demonstrations .
In a sign of the mounting pressure he faces , Lukashenko reached out to the Russian strongman earlier on Saturday .
`` There is a need to contact Putin so that I can talk to him now , because it is not a threat to just Belarus anymore , '' Lukashenko said , according to state news agency Belta .
`` Defending Belarus today is no less than defending our entire space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roam the streets , most of them do not understand this . ''
In their phone call the two leaders expressed optimism that Belarus ’ problems will be resolved , the Kremlin said .
`` These problems should not be exploited by destructive forces seeking to harm the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the union state , '' the statement continued .
Tikhanovskaya , a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates including her husband were jailed , accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections can be held .
She left the country on Tuesday for neighbouring Lithuania , with her allies saying she came under official pressure , but on Friday re-emerged with the call for a weekend of `` peaceful mass gatherings '' in cities across the country .
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested .
Police have used rubber bullets , stun grenades and , in at least one case , live rounds to disperse the crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed two deaths in the unrest , including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest , and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel .
On Friday authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture .
Amnesty International condemned `` a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko step down .
In euphoric scenes on Independence Square in Minsk , protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields .
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier , police stood by quietly .
Large groups of workers from huge tractor and automobile factories downed tools for the first time and marched to the central square , chanting for Lukashenko to `` Leave ! ''
and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protesters danced and sang and waved lit-up mobile phones before gradually dispersing over the evening without police making arrests .
European Union ministers agreed Friday to draw up a list of targets in Belarus for a new round of sanctions in response to the post-election crackdown .
Sweden 's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a tweet that the `` EU will now initiate a process of sanctions against those responsible for the violence , arrests and fraud in connection with the election '' .
Lukashenko , who has ruled Belarus with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demonstrators as foreign-controlled `` sheep '' and `` people with a criminal past who are now unemployed '' .
In a televised meeting on Friday he claimed people had arrived from Poland , Ukraine and the Netherlands as well as from Russian opposition groups , and were using protesters as `` cannon fodder '' .
Meeting security chiefs , he urged restraint against protesters , saying : `` If someone has already fallen and is lying there , you should n't beat him up . ''
Tikhanovskaya on Friday announced the creation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transfer of power , asking foreign governments to `` help us in organising a dialogue with Belarusian authorities '' .
She demanded the authorities release all detainees , remove security forces from the streets and open criminal cases against those who ordered the crackdown .

A large crowd gathered in Minsk on Saturday after Belarus’s opposition called for a weekend of fresh protests, while President Alexander Lukashenko reached out to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin amid mounting pressure from both demonstrators and other European leaders.
Demonstrators raise their phones near the Government House in Independence Square during a protest rally against police violence at recent rallies of opposition supporters, who accuse strongman Alexander Lukashenko of falsifying the polls in the presidential election, in Minsk, Belarus, on August 14, 2020.
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Several thousand people gathered in the capital after Belarus's opposition called for more protests over Lukashenko's disputed re-election.
A large crowd had formed near the Pushkinskaya metro station in the capital, an AFP journalist said, in honour of a protester who died there during this week's police crackdown on demonstrators.
Demonstrators laid flowers at the site where Alexander Taraikovsky, 34, died on Monday during clashes between protesters and police a day after the election that Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote.
Many chanted "Leave!" and some held pictures of protesters with severe bruises, after accounts emerged of detained demonstrators being beaten and tortured.
Others carried signs reading "No to Violence" and "No More Torture".
More than 6,700 people were arrested in the crackdown and hundreds injured.
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest, including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest, and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel.
Taraikovsky's funeral was being held on Saturday and a "March for Freedom" is planned in central Minsk on Sunday, after main opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a weekend of new demonstrations.
03:14
A phone call to Moscow
Facing the biggest challenge to his rule since taking power in 1994, Lukashenko made an unusual public plea Saturday to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The aggression against Belarus is developing. We need to contact Putin, the president of Russia, so that I can talk with him now. Because this is already a threat not only to Belarus," Lukashenko told government officials in a televised meeting.
He said Belarus was facing "external interference" and that a "union state" that links the two countries' economies and militaries needed "protection".
Lukashenko claimed that Putin offered full assistance to ensure security in Belarus as thousands held peaceful protests against his rule.
"To talk about the military element, we have an agreement with Russia... Such situations fall under that agreement," Lukashenko told defence chiefs, quoted by Belta state news agency.
"I had a long, substantial conversation today with the Russian president... We agreed that at our very first request, comprehensive help will be given to ensure the security of Belarus."
The Kremlin confirmed that the two leaders had spoken by phone, saying both sides were confident the situation would be "resolved soon".
Lukashenko also said on Saturday that he did not need outside mediators to solve the situation in Belarus, state news agency Belta reported.
"We do not need any foreign governments, mediators," Lukashenko was quoted as saying.
'Peaceful mass gatherings'
Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates including her husband were jailed, accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and has demanded he step down so new elections can be held.
She left the country on Tuesday for neighbouring Lithuania, with her allies saying she came under official pressure, but on Friday re-emerged with the call for a weekend of "peaceful mass gatherings" in cities across the country.
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested.
Police have used rubber bullets, stun grenades and, in at least one case, live rounds to disperse the crowds, with hundreds injured.
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest, including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest, and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel.
On Friday authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture.
Factory workers join protests
Amnesty International condemned "a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means".
In some of the biggest demonstrations yet, thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko step down.
In euphoric scenes on Independence Square in Minsk, protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields.
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier, police stood by quietly.
Large groups of workers from huge tractor and automobile factories downed tools for the first time and marched to the central square, chanting for Lukashenko to "Leave!" and "Long live Belarus!".
Protesters danced and sang and waved lit-up mobile phones before gradually dispersing over the evening without police making arrests.
European Union ministers agreed Friday to draw up a list of targets in Belarus for a new round of sanctions in response to the post-election crackdown.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a tweet that the "EU will now initiate a process of sanctions against those responsible for the violence, arrests and fraud in connection with the election".
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994, has dismissed the demonstrators as foreign-controlled "sheep" and "people with a criminal past who are now unemployed".
In a televised meeting on Friday he claimed people had arrived from Poland, Ukraine and the Netherlands as well as from Russian opposition groups, and were using protesters as "cannon fodder".
Meeting security chiefs, he urged restraint against protesters, saying: "If someone has already fallen and is lying there, you shouldn't beat him up."
Tikhanovskaya on Friday announced the creation of a Coordination Council to ensure a transfer of power, asking foreign governments to "help us in organising a dialogue with Belarusian authorities".
She demanded the authorities release all detainees, remove security forces from the streets and open criminal cases against those who ordered the crackdown.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-08-15--France keeps a close eye on Beirut blast aid amid endemic corruption in Lebanon

International donors are keen to prevent corruption siphoning off the aid flowing into Lebanon as Beirut rebuilds from the August @ @ @ @ @ France 's Defence Minister Florence Parly said on a visit to Beirut on Friday that @ @ @ @ @ close eye on the aid it is sending to rebuild the city , after decades @ @ @ @ @ .
French President Emmanuel Macron plans to return to Beirut on September 1 to follow @ @ @ @ @ after the catastrophic blast that destroyed parts of Beirut on August 4 , Parly said @ @ @ @ @ Lebanese capital .
`` The president is keen to ensure that , when he returns @ @ @ @ @ aid has been distributed to those for whom it was intended : the Lebanese people @ @ @ @ @ One paediatrician who received money directly from international donors to rebuild his hospital said “ @ @ @ @ @ half of it ” if the aid had been sent via the Lebanese government .
@ @ @ @ @ above to watch the full report .

France's Defence Minister Florence Parly said on a visit to Beirut on Friday that the country will keep a close eye on the aid it is sending to rebuild the city, after decades of endemic corruption in Lebanon.
International donors are keen to prevent corruption siphoning off the aid flowing into Lebanon as Beirut rebuilds from the August 4, 2020 explosion.
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French President Emmanuel Macron plans to return to Beirut on September 1 to follow up on the reconstruction efforts after the catastrophic blast that destroyed parts of Beirut on August 4, Parly said during her visit to the Lebanese capital.
"The president is keen to ensure that, when he returns here in September, this aid has been distributed to those for whom it was intended: the Lebanese people," she said.
One paediatrician who received money directly from international donors to rebuild his hospital said “we would maybe have got half of it” if the aid had been sent via the Lebanese government.
Click on the video player above to watch the full report.
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france24--2020-08-15--Berlin brothels reopen after lockdown, but no sex allowed

Berlin brothels have reopened but clients will only be able to get massages until September Berlin 's brothels were allowed to reopen last week after months of closure due to coronavirus restrictions -- but full-on sex is still off-limits .
Instead , clients looking for sexual healing in the German capital will have to make do with erotic massages until regulations are further relaxed in September .
And it 's not just the clients who have been left frustrated by the partial easing of regulations .
At the brothel where longtime sex worker Jana plies her trade , beds have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh flowers placed in vases .
But Jana , 49 , is looking forward to next month when she can offer the full service again .
`` I prefer the sexual service , my clients do too , '' she said .
Sex work had been banned in Berlin since mid-March as part of efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus .
In July , several dozen prostitutes armed with inflatable sex dolls staged a protest outside the Bundesrat upper house of parliament in Berlin , complaining that continued restrictions were preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their trade underground .
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany , with the country 's 40,000 registered sex workers entitled to employment contracts and social security benefits .
Brothel operator Aurel Johannes Marx has seen six-figure losses due to the months of closure , and now he 's having to invest more to make sure the establishment meets coronavirus requirements .
Signs explaining the rules have been pinned in the reception area , which looks like an upmarket hotel entrance with its leather seats and marble flooring .
Everyone who visits the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their contact details , which are kept in a sealed envelope .
They are also required to wear masks -- `` just like in the supermarket , in a gas station and in the subway '' -- and most are happy to do so .
`` What does n't work so well , however , is that many guests come to a brothel with the expectation that they will get sex here , '' Marx said .
Strict hygiene regulations will remain in place once full sex is on offer again from September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany .
But Jana is n't worried about catching the coronavirus .
`` When you 've been doing the job for 20 years and you have your regulars ... You can choose who you take , '' she said .
`` If you do n't like him , you send him back through the door .
I 'm not afraid at all -- I 'm just happy .
Finally ! ''

Berlin (AFP) –
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Berlin's brothels were allowed to reopen last week after months of closure due to coronavirus restrictions -- but full-on sex is still off-limits.
Instead, clients looking for sexual healing in the German capital will have to make do with erotic massages until regulations are further relaxed in September.
And it's not just the clients who have been left frustrated by the partial easing of regulations.
At the brothel where longtime sex worker Jana plies her trade, beds have been made, animal-print pillows fluffed and fresh flowers placed in vases.
But Jana, 49, is looking forward to next month when she can offer the full service again.
"I prefer the sexual service, my clients do too," she said.
Sex work had been banned in Berlin since mid-March as part of efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus.
In July, several dozen prostitutes armed with inflatable sex dolls staged a protest outside the Bundesrat upper house of parliament in Berlin, complaining that continued restrictions were preventing them from making a living and pushing their trade underground.
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany, with the country's 40,000 registered sex workers entitled to employment contracts and social security benefits.
- Six-figure losses -
Brothel operator Aurel Johannes Marx has seen six-figure losses due to the months of closure, and now he's having to invest more to make sure the establishment meets coronavirus requirements.
Signs explaining the rules have been pinned in the reception area, which looks like an upmarket hotel entrance with its leather seats and marble flooring.
Everyone who visits the brothel must fill out a form with their contact details, which are kept in a sealed envelope.
They are also required to wear masks -- "just like in the supermarket, in a gas station and in the subway" -- and most are happy to do so.
"What doesn't work so well, however, is that many guests come to a brothel with the expectation that they will get sex here," Marx said.
Strict hygiene regulations will remain in place once full sex is on offer again from September 1 in Berlin and other parts of Germany.
But Jana isn't worried about catching the coronavirus.
"When you've been doing the job for 20 years and you have your regulars... You can choose who you take," she said.
"If you don't like him, you send him back through the door. I'm not afraid at all -- I'm just happy. Finally!"
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Belarus braces for weekend protests as pressure grows on Lukashenko

The opposition is gaining momentum after days of protests over last Sunday 's disputed presidential vote The opposition in Belarus was gearing up for a weekend of new demonstrations on Saturday with pressure growing on strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko from the streets and European leaders .
With the opposition gaining momentum after days of protests over last Sunday 's disputed presidential vote , Lukashenko 's main election challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called on supporters to rally again this weekend .
They were to gather at midday on Saturday near the Pushkinskaya metro station in the capital Minsk in a honour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died there on Monday and whose funeral was being held .
A `` March for Freedom '' is planned in central Minsk on Sunday , a week after the contested election that 65-year-old Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote .
Tikhanovskaya , a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates including her husband were jailed , accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and has demanded he step down so new elections can be held .
She left the country on Tuesday for neighbouring Lithuania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official pressure , but on Friday re-emerged with the call for a weekend of `` peaceful mass gatherings '' in cities across the country .
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested .
Police have used rubber bullets , stun grenades and , in at least one case , live rounds to disperse the crowds , with hundreds injured .
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest , including Taraikovsky who they say died when an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a protest , and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel .
On Friday authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture .
Amnesty International condemned `` a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means . ''
In some of the biggest demonstrations yet , thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independence Square in Minsk , protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields .
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier , police stood by quietly .
Large groups of workers from huge tractor and automobile factories downed tools for the first time and marched to the central square , chanting for Lukashenko to `` Leave ! ''
and `` Long live Belarus ! ''
Protesters danced and sang and waved lit-up mobile phones before gradually dispersing over the evening without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed Friday to draw up a list of targets in Belarus for a new round of sanctions in response to the post-election crackdown .
Sweden 's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a tweet that the `` EU will now initiate a process of sanctions against those responsible for the violence , arrests and fraud in connection with the election . ''
Lukashenko , who has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994 , has dismissed the demonstrators as foreign-controlled `` sheep '' and `` people with a criminal past who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting on Friday he claimed people had arrived from Poland , Ukraine and the Netherlands as well as from Russian opposition groups and were using protesters as `` cannon fodder '' .
Tikhanovskaya on Friday announced the creation of a Coordination Council to ensure a transfer of power , asking foreign governments to `` help us in organising a dialogue with Belarusian authorities '' .
She demanded the authorities release all detainees , remove security forces from the streets and open criminal cases against those who ordered the crackdown .

Minsk (AFP) –
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The opposition in Belarus was gearing up for a weekend of new demonstrations on Saturday with pressure growing on strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko from the streets and European leaders.
With the opposition gaining momentum after days of protests over last Sunday's disputed presidential vote, Lukashenko's main election challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called on supporters to rally again this weekend.
They were to gather at midday on Saturday near the Pushkinskaya metro station in the capital Minsk in a honour of Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester who died there on Monday and whose funeral was being held.
A "March for Freedom" is planned in central Minsk on Sunday, a week after the contested election that 65-year-old Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote.
Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates including her husband were jailed, accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and has demanded he step down so new elections can be held.
She left the country on Tuesday for neighbouring Lithuania, with her allies saying she came under official pressure, but on Friday re-emerged with the call for a weekend of "peaceful mass gatherings" in cities across the country.
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested.
Police have used rubber bullets, stun grenades and, in at least one case, live rounds to disperse the crowds, with hundreds injured.
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest, including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest, and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel.
On Friday authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture.
- Factory workers join protests -
Amnesty International condemned "a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means."
In some of the biggest demonstrations yet, thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko step down.
In euphoric scenes on Independence Square in Minsk, protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields.
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier, police stood by quietly.
Large groups of workers from huge tractor and automobile factories downed tools for the first time and marched to the central square, chanting for Lukashenko to "Leave!" and "Long live Belarus!"
Protesters danced and sang and waved lit-up mobile phones before gradually dispersing over the evening without police making arrests.
European Union ministers agreed Friday to draw up a list of targets in Belarus for a new round of sanctions in response to the post-election crackdown.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a tweet that the "EU will now initiate a process of sanctions against those responsible for the violence, arrests and fraud in connection with the election."
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994, has dismissed the demonstrators as foreign-controlled "sheep" and "people with a criminal past who are now unemployed".
In a televised meeting on Friday he claimed people had arrived from Poland, Ukraine and the Netherlands as well as from Russian opposition groups and were using protesters as "cannon fodder".
Tikhanovskaya on Friday announced the creation of a Coordination Council to ensure a transfer of power, asking foreign governments to "help us in organising a dialogue with Belarusian authorities".
She demanded the authorities release all detainees, remove security forces from the streets and open criminal cases against those who ordered the crackdown.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--China restaurant apologises for weighing customers

A restaurant in China has apologised for its controversial policy of asking diners to weigh themselves before entry in an overzealous response to a new national campaign against food waste .
The beef restaurant in the central city of Changsha was heavily criticised on Chinese social media as soon as it unveiled the policy on Friday .
Customers were asked to stand on scales and scan their data into an app that recommended food choices based on their weight and the dishes ' calorific value , according to a report by the state-run China News Service .
President Xi Jinping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasting food , as the coronavirus pandemic and serious flooding last month have led to a rise in food prices .
In response , regional catering groups have urged customers to order one dish fewer than the number of diners at a table -- an attempt to overturn the ingrained cultural habit of ordering extra food for group meals .
Signs were displayed in the beef restaurant reading `` be thrifty and diligent , promote empty plates '' and `` operation empty plate '' -- referring to the nationwide campaign -- according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a swift backlash , hashtags related to the incident have been viewed over 300 million times on the social platform Weibo .
The restaurant said it was `` deeply sorry '' for its interpretation of the anti-waste campaign .
`` Our original intentions were to advocate stopping waste and ordering food in a healthy way .
We never forced customers to weigh themselves , '' it said in an apology posted online on Saturday morning .
Chinese state media has also waged war on viral binge-eating videos , known as `` mukbang '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down accounts promoting excess eating and food wastage .

Beijing (AFP) –
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A restaurant in China has apologised for its controversial policy of asking diners to weigh themselves before entry in an overzealous response to a new national campaign against food waste.
The beef restaurant in the central city of Changsha was heavily criticised on Chinese social media as soon as it unveiled the policy on Friday.
Customers were asked to stand on scales and scan their data into an app that recommended food choices based on their weight and the dishes' calorific value, according to a report by the state-run China News Service.
President Xi Jinping this week urged the nation to stop wasting food, as the coronavirus pandemic and serious flooding last month have led to a rise in food prices.
In response, regional catering groups have urged customers to order one dish fewer than the number of diners at a table -- an attempt to overturn the ingrained cultural habit of ordering extra food for group meals.
Signs were displayed in the beef restaurant reading "be thrifty and diligent, promote empty plates" and "operation empty plate" -- referring to the nationwide campaign -- according to photos published in local media.
In a swift backlash, hashtags related to the incident have been viewed over 300 million times on the social platform Weibo.
The restaurant said it was "deeply sorry" for its interpretation of the anti-waste campaign.
"Our original intentions were to advocate stopping waste and ordering food in a healthy way. We never forced customers to weigh themselves," it said in an apology posted online on Saturday morning.
Chinese state media has also waged war on viral binge-eating videos, known as "mukbang", while livestreaming platforms have promised to shut down accounts promoting excess eating and food wastage.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Trump to 'take a look' at pardoning Snowden

Edward Snowden , shown here speaking via video link during a European meeting on whistleblowers in 2019 , has said he would like to return to the United States if he can get a fair trial President Donald Trump said Saturday he will `` take a look '' at pardoning Edward Snowden , the former US intelligence contractor who revealed in 2013 that the US government was spying on its citizens .
Snowden , who has been living in exile in Russia since the revelations , has said he would like to return to the United States -- but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair trial .
Trump was asked during a press conference at his Bedminster , New Jersey golf club if he was considering pardoning the former contractor .
He replied that he was `` not that aware '' of Snowden 's situation -- but that he plans to look into it , calling the controversy a `` split decision . ''
`` Many people think that he should be somehow treated differently and other people think he did very bad things , '' the president said , adding : `` I 'm going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It was a shift from the 2016 presidential campaign , when Trump said of Snowden , `` I think he 's a total traitor and I would deal with him harshly . ''
Snowden was praised as a whistleblower and privacy advocate by his defenders after he leaked information showing that agents from the National Security Agency ( NSA ) were carrying out widespread surveillance on citizens .
But the United States accuses him of endangering national security .
A conviction on espionage charges could send him to prison for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump 's predecessor , Barack Obama , ultimately failed .

Bedminster (United States) (AFP) –
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President Donald Trump said Saturday he will "take a look" at pardoning Edward Snowden, the former US intelligence contractor who revealed in 2013 that the US government was spying on its citizens.
Snowden, who has been living in exile in Russia since the revelations, has said he would like to return to the United States -- but only on the condition that he receive a fair trial.
Trump was asked during a press conference at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club if he was considering pardoning the former contractor.
He replied that he was "not that aware" of Snowden's situation -- but that he plans to look into it, calling the controversy a "split decision."
"Many people think that he should be somehow treated differently and other people think he did very bad things," the president said, adding: "I'm going to take a look at that very strongly."
It was a shift from the 2016 presidential campaign, when Trump said of Snowden, "I think he's a total traitor and I would deal with him harshly."
Snowden was praised as a whistleblower and privacy advocate by his defenders after he leaked information showing that agents from the National Security Agency (NSA) were carrying out widespread surveillance on citizens.
But the United States accuses him of endangering national security. A conviction on espionage charges could send him to prison for decades.
A push to have him pardoned by Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, ultimately failed.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Lyon coach Garcia sets 'no limits' for his side after Man City success

Lyon coach Rudi Garcia said his side were `` not setting any limits '' after their stunning win over Manchester City on Saturday set up an unlikely Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich .
The French team defeated Pep Guardiola 's men 3-1 in the 'Final Eight ' in Lisbon with a late brace from substitute Moussa Dembele deciding the game after Kevin De Bruyne 's goal had cancelled out Maxwel Cornet 's opener .
Their victory against much-fancied City comes after they ousted Italian champions Juventus on away goals in the previous round .
But they will now have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday if they are to make the final .
`` We know who we are coming up against next , '' said Garcia .
`` We eliminated a Juventus side who were one of the contenders to win the Champions League , and a Manchester City side who were contenders to win the Champions League .
`` Bayern will be exactly the same , but on the basis of what the players have shown logically we can still hope to get through another round and that is what we are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lyon finished seventh in the curtailed French season , a desperately poor showing from France 's second-richest club meaning they have to now win the Champions League just to qualify for Europe again in the new campaign .
They have appeared in continental competition in each of the last 23 seasons , but they have never gone beyond the semi-finals of the Champions League .
That has happened just once before , when they lost to Bayern in the last four in 2010 .
`` Confidence is growing within the squad , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will need an exploit from us to go through , '' said Garcia .
`` When you are in the last four we can say that we deserve to be there and if we get to the final we really will deserve it . ''
The former Lille , Roma and Marseille coach was appointed last October and has never won over Lyon supporters , but this result can only have improved his standing .
`` I do this job to experience these moments but they are very rare in a career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is magnificent but it does n't give us anything , there is no title or place in Europe .
Now we need to recuperate , savour this and let it sink in . ''

Lisbon (AFP) –
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Lyon coach Rudi Garcia said his side were "not setting any limits" after their stunning win over Manchester City on Saturday set up an unlikely Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
The French team defeated Pep Guardiola's men 3-1 in the 'Final Eight' in Lisbon with a late brace from substitute Moussa Dembele deciding the game after Kevin De Bruyne's goal had cancelled out Maxwel Cornet's opener.
Their victory against much-fancied City comes after they ousted Italian champions Juventus on away goals in the previous round. But they will now have to see off an ominous Bayern team on Wednesday if they are to make the final.
"We know who we are coming up against next," said Garcia.
"We eliminated a Juventus side who were one of the contenders to win the Champions League, and a Manchester City side who were contenders to win the Champions League.
"Bayern will be exactly the same, but on the basis of what the players have shown logically we can still hope to get through another round and that is what we are going to prepare to try to do."
Lyon finished seventh in the curtailed French season, a desperately poor showing from France's second-richest club meaning they have to now win the Champions League just to qualify for Europe again in the new campaign.
They have appeared in continental competition in each of the last 23 seasons, but they have never gone beyond the semi-finals of the Champions League.
That has happened just once before, when they lost to Bayern in the last four in 2010.
"Confidence is growing within the squad, but we will be outsiders and once again it will need an exploit from us to go through," said Garcia.
"When you are in the last four we can say that we deserve to be there and if we get to the final we really will deserve it."
The former Lille, Roma and Marseille coach was appointed last October and has never won over Lyon supporters, but this result can only have improved his standing.
"I do this job to experience these moments but they are very rare in a career," he said.
"Tonight is magnificent but it doesn't give us anything, there is no title or place in Europe. Now we need to recuperate, savour this and let it sink in."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--O'Sullivan leads Wilson 10-7 in world snooker final

Five-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan holds a 6-2 lead over Kyren Wilson after a scrappy first session of the world championship final Five-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan opened up a 10-7 lead over Kyren Wilson in the best-of-35 frame world snooker final on Saturday .
However , Wilson will be pleased with his efforts in the second session after coming back from 6-2 down .
For O'Sullivan , the pattern of play on Saturday evening echoed his only Crucible final loss , when he was beaten by Mark Selby in 2014 having held 8-3 and 10-5 leads .
The 44-year-old Englishman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that defeat six years ago , did not have to be at his best to forge clear in a scrappy opening session .
Both players had to get accustomed to having around 300 spectators in the Crucible Theatre auditorium .
Playing without fans earlier in the tournament had been described by O'Sullivan as like competing `` in a morgue '' .
They could attend after the British Government revived their pilot scheme for selected sports events to have spectators , conditional on social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The championships had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortnight but the government abruptly halted the experiment after the first day due to an upsurge in infections nationwide .
World number eight Wilson , perhaps feeling the effects of his nerve-jangling 17-16 semi-final win over Anthony McGill where the final frame lasted over an hour , never achieved any sort of fluency in what is his first world final .
O'Sullivan , who also won his semi-final with Selby 17-16 , did manage the sole century break of the contest and put together three others of over 50 points .
Despite there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go , seven-time champion Stephen Hendry said it was game over .
`` The match is over as a contest , '' he told the BBC .
`` I hope I am wrong because I want it to be a contest but 6-2 is too much for Wilson to come back from .
`` He looked uptight and it looked like it almost meant too much , he needs to chill out . ''

London (AFP) –
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Five-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan opened up a 10-7 lead over Kyren Wilson in the best-of-35 frame world snooker final on Saturday.
However, Wilson will be pleased with his efforts in the second session after coming back from 6-2 down.
For O'Sullivan, the pattern of play on Saturday evening echoed his only Crucible final loss, when he was beaten by Mark Selby in 2014 having held 8-3 and 10-5 leads.
The 44-year-old Englishman, appearing in his first world final since that defeat six years ago, did not have to be at his best to forge clear in a scrappy opening session.
Both players had to get accustomed to having around 300 spectators in the Crucible Theatre auditorium.
Playing without fans earlier in the tournament had been described by O'Sullivan as like competing "in a morgue".
They could attend after the British Government revived their pilot scheme for selected sports events to have spectators, conditional on social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The championships had been due to have spectators throughout the fortnight but the government abruptly halted the experiment after the first day due to an upsurge in infections nationwide.
World number eight Wilson, perhaps feeling the effects of his nerve-jangling 17-16 semi-final win over Anthony McGill where the final frame lasted over an hour, never achieved any sort of fluency in what is his first world final.
O'Sullivan, who also won his semi-final with Selby 17-16, did manage the sole century break of the contest and put together three others of over 50 points.
Despite there still being a projected three sessions to go, seven-time champion Stephen Hendry said it was game over.
"The match is over as a contest," he told the BBC.
"I hope I am wrong because I want it to be a contest but 6-2 is too much for Wilson to come back from.
"He looked uptight and it looked like it almost meant too much, he needs to chill out."
The final concludes on Sunday.
pi-dj
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--S.Africa lifts booze and tobacco sales ban as restrictions ease

South Africa will lift its coronavirus-linked ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products next week , President Cyril Ramaphosa said Saturday , announcing the removal of `` nearly all restrictions '' on economic activities .
The virus-related ban on the purchase of booze and cigarettes has been controversial , and no other country has introduced both measures together .
It came into effect when South Africa went into a strict nationwide lockdown on March 27 to stem the spread of coronavirus .
Alcohol sales were prohibited to ease pressure on hospitals , allowing doctors in emergency wards to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other booze-related injuries .
Tobacco products were restricted because of the health impacts of smoking as well as the risk of contamination between people sharing cigarettes .
While tobacco sales have been forbidden since the start of lockdown , alcohol purchases were tentatively re-authorised in June and banned again when cases spiked the following month .
`` Restrictions on the sale of tobacco will be lifted , the suspension of the sale of alcohol will be lifted subject to certain restrictions , '' Ramaphosa said as he addressed the nation , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease .
The new measures will come into effect on Monday .
South Africa still has the fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world , with 583,653 infections registered to date .
At least 11,677 are known to have died from the disease .
But Ramaphosa noted that the number of new daily confirmed cases had dropped from a peak of over 12,000 to an average of 5,000 over the past week .
The number of active cases has declined to around 105,000 and the recovery rate risen to 80 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 to 4,000 since the start of August .
`` As we look back at the past five months , all indications are that South Africa has reached the peak and moved beyond the inflection point of the curve , '' Ramaphosa said .
He called on South Africans not to let their guard down or `` become complacent '' despite `` signs of hope '' .
`` The risk of infection becomes greater as more people return to work , as they move about more , '' he warned , referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infections .
The president announced the sweeping removal of `` nearly all restrictions '' on economic activity and the resumption of inter-provincial leisure travel .
Bars and will be allowed to re-open , and both family gatherings and social visits will be authorised .
A 10:00 pm curfew remains in place however , and the wearing of face coverings is still compulsory in public spaces .
International borders are to stay closed for the time being and gatherings are still capped at 50 people .
The announcements should bring a much-needed boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was in recession before the pandemic and is now expected to contract by over six percent .
Ramaphosa recognised that the last five months had been `` extraordinarily difficult '' , with millions of people suffering `` hardship and hunger '' .
`` The further easing of restrictions presents us with the greatest opportunity ... to breathe life into our struggling economy , '' the president said .
`` It will take a long time for industries and businesses to recover , and there is much work to be done . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alliance ( DA ) party said the economy had already been `` killed '' .
`` These restrictions should have been lifted months ago , '' DA leader John Steenhuisen said in statement , calling for urgent economic reforms and for international tourists to be allowed back .
`` We are now in the midst of a devastating economic depression , and all that matters now is getting as many South Africans working as we possibly can . ''

Johannesburg (AFP) –
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South Africa will lift its coronavirus-linked ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products next week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Saturday, announcing the removal of "nearly all restrictions" on economic activities.
The virus-related ban on the purchase of booze and cigarettes has been controversial, and no other country has introduced both measures together.
It came into effect when South Africa went into a strict nationwide lockdown on March 27 to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Alcohol sales were prohibited to ease pressure on hospitals, allowing doctors in emergency wards to focus on COVID-19 rather than road accidents and other booze-related injuries.
Tobacco products were restricted because of the health impacts of smoking as well as the risk of contamination between people sharing cigarettes.
While tobacco sales have been forbidden since the start of lockdown, alcohol purchases were tentatively re-authorised in June and banned again when cases spiked the following month.
"Restrictions on the sale of tobacco will be lifted, the suspension of the sale of alcohol will be lifted subject to certain restrictions," Ramaphosa said as he addressed the nation, adding that significant progress had been made against the disease.
The new measures will come into effect on Monday.
- 'Signs of hope' -
South Africa still has the fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, with 583,653 infections registered to date.
At least 11,677 are known to have died from the disease.
But Ramaphosa noted that the number of new daily confirmed cases had dropped from a peak of over 12,000 to an average of 5,000 over the past week.
The number of active cases has declined to around 105,000 and the recovery rate risen to 80 percent.
Hospitalised COVID-19 patients have decreased from 10,000 to 4,000 since the start of August.
"As we look back at the past five months, all indications are that South Africa has reached the peak and moved beyond the inflection point of the curve," Ramaphosa said.
He called on South Africans not to let their guard down or "become complacent" despite "signs of hope".
"The risk of infection becomes greater as more people return to work, as they move about more," he warned, referring to other countries that have experienced second waves of infections.
- International borders remain closed -
The president announced the sweeping removal of "nearly all restrictions" on economic activity and the resumption of inter-provincial leisure travel.
Bars and will be allowed to re-open, and both family gatherings and social visits will be authorised.
A 10:00 pm curfew remains in place however, and the wearing of face coverings is still compulsory in public spaces.
International borders are to stay closed for the time being and gatherings are still capped at 50 people.
The announcements should bring a much-needed boost to South Africa's ailing economy, which was in recession before the pandemic and is now expected to contract by over six percent.
Ramaphosa recognised that the last five months had been "extraordinarily difficult", with millions of people suffering "hardship and hunger".
"The further easing of restrictions presents us with the greatest opportunity... to breathe life into our struggling economy," the president said.
"It will take a long time for industries and businesses to recover, and there is much work to be done."
But South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party said the economy had already been "killed".
"These restrictions should have been lifted months ago," DA leader John Steenhuisen said in statement, calling for urgent economic reforms and for international tourists to be allowed back.
"We are now in the midst of a devastating economic depression, and all that matters now is getting as many South Africans working as we possibly can."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Dembele delivers fatal blow as Cornet punishes Man City again

Lyon forward Moussa Dembele came off the bench to win the quarter-final against Manchester City Moussa Dembele broke his Champions League drought in timely fashion in Lisbon on Saturday after Maxwel Cornet again proved a thorn in Manchester City 's side with his fourth goal in three games against the Premier League heavyweights .
Quite remarkably , no player has struck more often versus Pep Guardiola 's City since the start of the 2018-19 season than the Ivory Coast international , with only Tottenham forward Son Heung-Min breaching their defence as many times .
Converted into a wing-back this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left of a 3-5-2 formation , Cornet has adjusted seamlessly to the new role after spending most of his time at the club as a right-sided attacker .
While Cornet 's magnificent first-time finish gave Lyon the lead against City on 24 minutes , it was n't until the introduction of top scorer Dembele that the French side administered the knockout blow to one of the competition 's favourites for the title .
Despite a haul of 22 goals in 44 games this term , Dembele had failed to register in eight Champions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bench as Lyon stuck with the same line-up that overcame Juventus on away goals last week .
`` When you 're on the bench it 's not always easy but you 've got to keep your spirits up and make sure that when the coach brings you on you play your part , '' Dembele told RMC Sport after Saturday 's 3-1 win .
He did that and more , running on to Houssem Aouar 's pass to put Lyon back ahead within four minutes of his entrance -- and then delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time after City goalkeeper Ederson spilled a tame shot in the area .
Lyon , understandably viewed as rank outsiders following a dismal seventh-placed finish in a Ligue 1 campaign cut short by the coronavirus pandemic , had shown what they were capable of last season by taking four points off City in the group stage .
However , that was close to two years ago , and Lyon 's team in the latter encounter included three key players who have since departed .
Captain Nabil Fekir , part of France 's World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Betis , while midfielder Tanguy Ndombele left for Tottenham Hotspur and left-back Ferland Mendy is now at Real Madrid .
Lyon have reinvested money from those sales to acquire young , burgeoning talents such as Bruno Guimaraes , the Brazilian midfielder tipped by club legend and current sporting director Juninho to become `` one of the best in the world '' .
It was n't the new arrivals who swung the tie in Lyon 's favour at the Estadio Jose Alvalade but Dembele has proved another shrewd purchase , joining from Celtic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two largely prolific seasons in Scotland .
Cornet , meanwhile , cost a mere 400,000 euros ( $ 475,000 ) when he arrived from Metz five years ago .
Former France youth international Cornet , now 23 , was close to joining Wolfsburg at one point before staying put , a decision that has played out favourably for both player and club .
`` These are extraordinary games to play in .
A Champions League quarter-final does n't coming along every day , '' said Cornet .
`` It 's true it fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me .
`` We play these matches to play against the best in the world , we 're lucky to do it .
If we 're here , it 's not by chance .
We worked a lot in preparation , and that was seen today . ''
Lyon could conceivably meet Paris Saint-Germain in an all-French final on August 23 , but first must find a way past an irresistable Bayern Munich -- the same opponents who ended their run in the 2010 semi-finals .

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Moussa Dembele broke his Champions League drought in timely fashion in Lisbon on Saturday after Maxwel Cornet again proved a thorn in Manchester City's side with his fourth goal in three games against the Premier League heavyweights.
Quite remarkably, no player has struck more often versus Pep Guardiola's City since the start of the 2018-19 season than the Ivory Coast international, with only Tottenham forward Son Heung-Min breaching their defence as many times.
Converted into a wing-back this season by Lyon coach Rudi Garcia on the left of a 3-5-2 formation, Cornet has adjusted seamlessly to the new role after spending most of his time at the club as a right-sided attacker.
While Cornet's magnificent first-time finish gave Lyon the lead against City on 24 minutes, it wasn't until the introduction of top scorer Dembele that the French side administered the knockout blow to one of the competition's favourites for the title.
Despite a haul of 22 goals in 44 games this term, Dembele had failed to register in eight Champions League outings and was again relegated to the bench as Lyon stuck with the same line-up that overcame Juventus on away goals last week.
"When you're on the bench it's not always easy but you've got to keep your spirits up and make sure that when the coach brings you on you play your part," Dembele told RMC Sport after Saturday's 3-1 win.
He did that and more, running on to Houssem Aouar's pass to put Lyon back ahead within four minutes of his entrance -- and then delivered the coup de grace three minutes from time after City goalkeeper Ederson spilled a tame shot in the area.
- 'Extraordinary' -
Lyon, understandably viewed as rank outsiders following a dismal seventh-placed finish in a Ligue 1 campaign cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, had shown what they were capable of last season by taking four points off City in the group stage.
However, that was close to two years ago, and Lyon's team in the latter encounter included three key players who have since departed.
Captain Nabil Fekir, part of France's World Cup-winning squad in 2018, was sold to Betis, while midfielder Tanguy Ndombele left for Tottenham Hotspur and left-back Ferland Mendy is now at Real Madrid.
Lyon have reinvested money from those sales to acquire young, burgeoning talents such as Bruno Guimaraes, the Brazilian midfielder tipped by club legend and current sporting director Juninho to become "one of the best in the world".
It wasn't the new arrivals who swung the tie in Lyon's favour at the Estadio Jose Alvalade but Dembele has proved another shrewd purchase, joining from Celtic as a 22-year-old in August 2018 after two largely prolific seasons in Scotland. Cornet, meanwhile, cost a mere 400,000 euros ($475,000) when he arrived from Metz five years ago.
Former France youth international Cornet, now 23, was close to joining Wolfsburg at one point before staying put, a decision that has played out favourably for both player and club.
"These are extraordinary games to play in. A Champions League quarter-final doesn't coming along every day," said Cornet. "It's true it fell against City and tonight was another success for me.
"We play these matches to play against the best in the world, we're lucky to do it. If we're here, it's not by chance. We worked a lot in preparation, and that was seen today."
Lyon could conceivably meet Paris Saint-Germain in an all-French final on August 23, but first must find a way past an irresistable Bayern Munich -- the same opponents who ended their run in the 2010 semi-finals.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Lyon stun Guardiola's Man City to reach Champions League semis

Lyon players celebrate after Moussa Dembele 's second goal which sealed their 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals in Lisbon on Saturday Moussa Dembele came off the bench to score two late goals as Lyon caused another Champions League sensation on Saturday , dumping out Pep Guardiola 's Manchester City with a 3-1 quarter-final win in Lisbon .
City had looked on course to come back and win the tie behind closed doors at the Estadio Jose Alvalade after Kevin De Bruyne 's goal midway through the second half had cancelled out Maxwel Cornet 's first-half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back ahead in the 79th minute and then capitalised on a shocking miss by Raheem Sterling to clinch the victory three minutes from the end .
Against all expectations , a team who finished seventh in the curtailed French season , and had played just two competitive games since early March , now find themselves through to a Champions League semi-final on Wednesday against Bayern Munich .
That , surely , will be a step too far for Rudi Garcia 's team but then again nobody expected them to eliminate Juventus in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City here .
`` We are still in it , which means we have a great team , '' former Celtic striker Dembele told French television channel RMC Sport .
`` We are taking it game by game , not getting carried away .
We will try to be ready for Bayern . ''
Guardiola 's team had been warned about Lyon , losing at home and then drawing away against the French club in last season 's Champions League .
But that was almost two years ago now and Lyon had lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a day after Bayern 's 8-2 demolition of Barcelona , is a seismic shock and a hammer blow to the ambitions of City under Guardiola .
Their wait for European glory will go on , with this a third consecutive quarter-final exit .
`` It is what it is .
Maybe one day we are going to break through the quarter-finals .
We are not able to do it now , with these incredible guys , but we are going to try in the future , '' Guardiola said .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Champions League , but he has not managed to equal the club 's best performance to date in the competition , a semi-final appearance in 2016 , just before he was appointed .
And so , a year after Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur in an all-English final , there will be no English representative in the semi-finals in the Portuguese capital .
Instead both ties will be Franco-German duels , with Paris Saint-Germain facing RB Leipzig before Bayern meet Lyon in a repeat of the 2010 semi-finals .
Guardiola had set his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte were joined by the young Spaniard Eric Garcia .
Phil Foden dropped out of their line-up .
City created little in the first half and were caught out by a long ball over the top as Lyon took the lead .
Garcia raced back to tackle Karl Toko-Ekambi but Cornet was quickest to the loose ball and , with Ederson off his line , curled a low shot first-time into the corner of the net to keep up his remarkable record against these opponents -- the wing-back scored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's two meetings .
De Bruyne appeared the most likely to make something happen for City and threatened from free-kicks after the restart , as City turned up the heat following the introduction of Riyad Mahrez in place of Fernandinho .
The equaliser duly arrived in the 69th minute as Mahrez clipped a ball forward towards Sterling and he cut it back from the byline to De Bruyne , the Belgian arriving unmarked at the edge of the box to sidefoot home .
Few would have bet against City going on to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered nothing going forward in the second half and coach Garcia even decided to take off Memphis Depay , who had been anonymous .
But it proved an inspired decision as his replacement Dembele latched onto Houssem Aouar 's through ball to race through on goal and beat Ederson .
City expected the effort to be disallowed following a VAR review but the Dutch officials let it stand , and Lyon were back in front .
Still they should have been pegged back again , but Sterling somehow put the ball over with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Ilkay Gundogan .
Lyon went straight downfield and sealed a famous victory as Dembele converted the loose ball after Ederson had saved from Aouar .

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Moussa Dembele came off the bench to score two late goals as Lyon caused another Champions League sensation on Saturday, dumping out Pep Guardiola's Manchester City with a 3-1 quarter-final win in Lisbon.
City had looked on course to come back and win the tie behind closed doors at the Estadio Jose Alvalade after Kevin De Bruyne's goal midway through the second half had cancelled out Maxwel Cornet's first-half opener.
However, Dembele put Lyon back ahead in the 79th minute and then capitalised on a shocking miss by Raheem Sterling to clinch the victory three minutes from the end.
Against all expectations, a team who finished seventh in the curtailed French season, and had played just two competitive games since early March, now find themselves through to a Champions League semi-final on Wednesday against Bayern Munich.
That, surely, will be a step too far for Rudi Garcia's team but then again nobody expected them to eliminate Juventus in the last round, never mind knock out City here.
"We are still in it, which means we have a great team," former Celtic striker Dembele told French television channel RMC Sport.
"We are taking it game by game, not getting carried away. We will try to be ready for Bayern."
Guardiola's team had been warned about Lyon, losing at home and then drawing away against the French club in last season's Champions League.
But that was almost two years ago now and Lyon had lost several key players since then.
This, a day after Bayern's 8-2 demolition of Barcelona, is a seismic shock and a hammer blow to the ambitions of City under Guardiola.
Their wait for European glory will go on, with this a third consecutive quarter-final exit.
"It is what it is. Maybe one day we are going to break through the quarter-finals. We are not able to do it now, with these incredible guys, but we are going to try in the future," Guardiola said.
He was brought to the Etihad Stadium to deliver the Champions League, but he has not managed to equal the club's best performance to date in the competition, a semi-final appearance in 2016, just before he was appointed.
- Franco-German battle -
And so, a year after Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur in an all-English final, there will be no English representative in the semi-finals in the Portuguese capital.
Instead both ties will be Franco-German duels, with Paris Saint-Germain facing RB Leipzig before Bayern meet Lyon in a repeat of the 2010 semi-finals.
Guardiola had set his team up with a three-man defence, as Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte were joined by the young Spaniard Eric Garcia. Phil Foden dropped out of their line-up.
City created little in the first half and were caught out by a long ball over the top as Lyon took the lead.
Garcia raced back to tackle Karl Toko-Ekambi but Cornet was quickest to the loose ball and, with Ederson off his line, curled a low shot first-time into the corner of the net to keep up his remarkable record against these opponents -- the wing-back scored three times against City in last season's two meetings.
De Bruyne appeared the most likely to make something happen for City and threatened from free-kicks after the restart, as City turned up the heat following the introduction of Riyad Mahrez in place of Fernandinho.
The equaliser duly arrived in the 69th minute as Mahrez clipped a ball forward towards Sterling and he cut it back from the byline to De Bruyne, the Belgian arriving unmarked at the edge of the box to sidefoot home.
- Sterling's amazing miss -
Few would have bet against City going on to win the game from there. Lyon had offered nothing going forward in the second half and coach Garcia even decided to take off Memphis Depay, who had been anonymous.
But it proved an inspired decision as his replacement Dembele latched onto Houssem Aouar's through ball to race through on goal and beat Ederson.
City expected the effort to be disallowed following a VAR review but the Dutch officials let it stand, and Lyon were back in front.
Still they should have been pegged back again, but Sterling somehow put the ball over with the goal gaping having been teed up by Ilkay Gundogan.
Lyon went straight downfield and sealed a famous victory as Dembele converted the loose ball after Ederson had saved from Aouar.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Blazers oust Grizzles, book NBA playoff clash with Lakers

The Portland Trail Blazers booked an NBA playoff showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers with a scintillating 126-122 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in a Western Conference play-in game .
In the league 's first play-in game to determine a post-season berth since 1956 , Damian Lillard scored 31 points and Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic delivered 22 points and 21 rebounds as Portland rallied from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit .
Lillard once again played a key role in Portland 's fourth straight win in the NBA 's quarantine bubble at Orlando , Florida , where a league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic .
Lillard 's offensive excellence -- he scored 51 points , 61 and 42 in three must-win games -- propelled the Trail Blazers to the play-in .
On Saturday , he had plenty of help .
CJ McCollum , playing with a non-displaced fracture in his lower spine , scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Carmelo Anthony scored 21 as the Blazers withstood a career-best 35-point performance from the Grizzlies ' rookie of the year frontrunner , Ja Morant .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big men with Nurkic scoring 15 points and pulling down 17 rebounds as the Trail Blazers took a 58-52 lead at the break .
Nurkic 's aggressive performance came less than two hours after the Bosnian revealed on social media that his grandmother had died from COVID-19 .
He had told reporters she was battling the deadly virus shortly after the NBA season resumed in Orlando in July , but opted not to leave the bubble .
`` People do n't understand how serious this ... is , '' Nurkic said at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his loss and the frustration of being away from family at such a crucial time .
`` I ca n't even fathom what he 's going through , '' McCollum said .
`` It 's something you never get over , you just try to get through it .
We 're just trying to support him and understanding that this is a very difficult time for him and his family . ''
Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas was also a force , scoring 14 of his 22 points in the second quarter as Memphis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a narrow lead before finishing the half down by six .
Memphis , with 10 points from Morant and 14 from reserve Brandon Clarke , outscored the Blazers 42-31 in the third quarter to seize a five-point lead , and led by eight with 9:55 left to play .
McCollum 's three-pointer knotted the score at 111-111 with 3:08 remaining and Nurkic followed with a put-back basket and free throw to give Portland a lead they would n't relinquish .
`` I was thinking ' I do n't want to play again tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done tonight , '' said McCollum , who made a three-pointer and a pull up jump shot to stretch Portland 's lead to 119-113 with 1:21 to play .
As the eighth seeds , Portland needed only one win against the Grizzlies to secure their playoff spot , while Memphis needed to win two games to seize the final berth .
`` We had to get this done tonight , '' McCollum said .
`` ( We ) made sure we came out and finished them off .
We 're thankful that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoffs and we did n't want to squander the opportunity . ''
With the determined Grizzlies battling to the wire , Anthony drained a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining that effectively sealed it for the Blazers .
After a fourth-straight fight to the finish , Lillard said he had no concern that the Blazers would n't be ready to take on LeBron James and the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs come Tuesday .
`` The reason we fought so hard to get in the playoffs is because we feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` We can beat anybody , so now we 've just got to get rested and get ready for the next thing .
`` Our work is just beginning . ''

Miami (AFP) –
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The Portland Trail Blazers booked an NBA playoff showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers with a scintillating 126-122 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in a Western Conference play-in game.
In the league's first play-in game to determine a post-season berth since 1956, Damian Lillard scored 31 points and Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic delivered 22 points and 21 rebounds as Portland rallied from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Lillard once again played a key role in Portland's fourth straight win in the NBA's quarantine bubble at Orlando, Florida, where a league champion is set to be crowned after a season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Lillard's offensive excellence -- he scored 51 points, 61 and 42 in three must-win games -- propelled the Trail Blazers to the play-in. On Saturday, he had plenty of help.
CJ McCollum, playing with a non-displaced fracture in his lower spine, scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Carmelo Anthony scored 21 as the Blazers withstood a career-best 35-point performance from the Grizzlies' rookie of the year frontrunner, Ja Morant.
The first half was an old-school battle of big men with Nurkic scoring 15 points and pulling down 17 rebounds as the Trail Blazers took a 58-52 lead at the break.
Nurkic's aggressive performance came less than two hours after the Bosnian revealed on social media that his grandmother had died from COVID-19.
He had told reporters she was battling the deadly virus shortly after the NBA season resumed in Orlando in July, but opted not to leave the bubble.
"People don't understand how serious this ... is," Nurkic said at the time, and his teammates empathized with his loss and the frustration of being away from family at such a crucial time.
"I can't even fathom what he's going through," McCollum said. "It's something you never get over, you just try to get through it. We're just trying to support him and understanding that this is a very difficult time for him and his family."
Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas was also a force, scoring 14 of his 22 points in the second quarter as Memphis erased a 16-point deficit, briefly taking a narrow lead before finishing the half down by six.
Memphis, with 10 points from Morant and 14 from reserve Brandon Clarke, outscored the Blazers 42-31 in the third quarter to seize a five-point lead, and led by eight with 9:55 left to play.
McCollum's three-pointer knotted the score at 111-111 with 3:08 remaining and Nurkic followed with a put-back basket and free throw to give Portland a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
- 'Capable of anything' -
"I was thinking 'I don't want to play again tomorrow.' We had to get this done tonight," said McCollum, who made a three-pointer and a pull up jump shot to stretch Portland's lead to 119-113 with 1:21 to play.
As the eighth seeds, Portland needed only one win against the Grizzlies to secure their playoff spot, while Memphis needed to win two games to seize the final berth.
"We had to get this done tonight," McCollum said. "(We) made sure we came out and finished them off. We're thankful that we were put in position to make the playoffs and we didn't want to squander the opportunity."
With the determined Grizzlies battling to the wire, Anthony drained a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining that effectively sealed it for the Blazers.
After a fourth-straight fight to the finish, Lillard said he had no concern that the Blazers wouldn't be ready to take on LeBron James and the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs come Tuesday.
"The reason we fought so hard to get in the playoffs is because we feel like we're capable of doing anything," he said.
"We can beat anybody, so now we've just got to get rested and get ready for the next thing.
"Our work is just beginning."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-15--Lyon's two-goal hero Dembele hails 'great team'

Moussa Dembele scored his first goals in this season 's Champions League Moussa Dembele said Lyon 's shock 3-1 Champions League victory over Manchester City showed the French side are a `` great team '' as well after reaching the semi-finals for just the second time in the club 's history .
French striker Dembele scored twice after coming on as a substitute for the final 15 minutes in Lisbon as Lyon dumped out Pep Guardiola 's City to set up a clash with favourites Bayern Munich for a spot in the final .
`` It was a difficult match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dembele told RMC Sport .
`` When you 're on the bench it 's not always easy but you 've got to keep your spirits up and make sure that when the coach brings you on you play your part .
`` There 's always this bit of sadness for a player when you do n't start a match .
But a match is long and as long as the referee has n't blown the final whistle , there 's always a possibility . ''
Saturday 's game was just the third in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ligue 1 after the season was curtailed early following the coronavirus pandemic .
`` After the break the team came back and made a promise to try and give everything each time we 're on the pitch , '' said Dembele .
`` We 're still here and that means we 're a great team . ''

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Moussa Dembele said Lyon's shock 3-1 Champions League victory over Manchester City showed the French side are a "great team" as well after reaching the semi-finals for just the second time in the club's history.
French striker Dembele scored twice after coming on as a substitute for the final 15 minutes in Lisbon as Lyon dumped out Pep Guardiola's City to set up a clash with favourites Bayern Munich for a spot in the final.
"It was a difficult match against a very big team," Dembele told RMC Sport.
"When you're on the bench it's not always easy but you've got to keep your spirits up and make sure that when the coach brings you on you play your part.
"There's always this bit of sadness for a player when you don't start a match. But a match is long and as long as the referee hasn't blown the final whistle, there's always a possibility."
Saturday's game was just the third in five months for Lyon who finished seventh in Ligue 1 after the season was curtailed early following the coronavirus pandemic.
"After the break the team came back and made a promise to try and give everything each time we're on the pitch," said Dembele.
"We're still here and that means we're a great team."
© 2020 AFP