france24--2020-10-07--Political turmoil in Kyrgyzstan: PM and Parliament Ppeaker resign during post-vote chaos

Political turmoil in Kyrgyzstan : PM and Parliament Ppeaker resign during post-vote chaos # Kyrgyzstan 's prime minister Kubatbek Boronov @ @ @ @ @ unrest pushed the country 's electoral body to cancel the results of Sunday 's parliament @ @

Page not found
The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.


france24--2020-10-07--US-French duo Charpentier, Doudna win Nobel Chemistry Prize for gene editing tool

Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna of the United States on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for developing the gene-editing technique known as the CRISPR-Cas9 DNA snipping `` scissors '' .
`` Using these , researchers can change the DNA of animals , plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision , '' the Nobel jury said .
`` This technology has had a revolutionary impact on the life sciences , is contributing to new cancer therapies and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true . ''
Charpentier , 51 , and Doudna , 56 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry .
The technique has been tipped for a Nobel nod several times in the past but speaking to reporters in Stockholm via telephone link Charpentier said the call was still a surprise .
`` Strangely enough I was told a number of times ( it might happen ) but when it happens you are very surprised and you feel that it 's not real , '' she said .
`` But obviously it is real so I have to get used to it now , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmful bacteria , Charpentier discovered a previously unknown molecule -- part of the bacteria 's ancient immune system that disarms viruses by snipping off parts of their DNA .
After publishing her research in 2011 , Charpentier worked with Doudna to recreate the bacteria 's genetic scissors , simplifying the tool so it was easier to use and apply to other genetic material .
They then reprogrammed the scissors to cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined site -- paving the way for scientists to rewrite the code of life where the DNA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already contributed to significant gains in crop resilience , altering their genetic code to better withstand drought and pests .
The technology has also led to innovative cancer treatments , and many experts hope it could one day make inherited diseases curable through gene manipulation .
`` There is enormous power in this genetic tool , which affects us all .
It has not only revolutionised basic science , but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments , '' Claes Gustafsson , chair of the Nobel Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CRISPR 's relative simplicity has however triggered the imaginations of rogue practitioners .
In 2018 in China , scientist He Jiankui triggered an international scandal -- and his excommunication from the scientific community -- when he used CRISPR to create what he called the first gene-edited humans .
The biophysicist said he had altered the DNA of human embryos that became twin girls Lulu and Nana .
His goal was to create a mutation that would prevent the girls from contracting HIV , even though there was no specific reason to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time a woman was honoured with the chemistry prize was in 1911 when Marie Curie , who also took the physics prize in 1903 , won after discovering the elements radium and polonium .
The pair will share 10 million Swedish kronor ( about $ 1.1 million , 950,000 euros ) .
They would normally receive their Nobel from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 , the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and replaced with a televised ceremony showing the laureates receiving their awards in their home countries .
Last year , the chemistry prize went to John Goodenough , Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino for the development of lithium-ion batteries , paving the way for smartphones and a fossil fuel-free society .

Stockholm (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna of the United States on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for developing the gene-editing technique known as the CRISPR-Cas9 DNA snipping "scissors".
"Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision," the Nobel jury said.
"This technology has had a revolutionary impact on the life sciences, is contributing to new cancer therapies and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true."
Charpentier, 51, and Doudna, 56, are just the sixth and seventh women to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The technique has been tipped for a Nobel nod several times in the past but speaking to reporters in Stockholm via telephone link Charpentier said the call was still a surprise.
"Strangely enough I was told a number of times (it might happen) but when it happens you are very surprised and you feel that it's not real," she said.
"But obviously it is real so I have to get used to it now," she added.
- Rewriting 'the code of life' -
While researching a common harmful bacteria, Charpentier discovered a previously unknown molecule -- part of the bacteria's ancient immune system that disarms viruses by snipping off parts of their DNA.
After publishing her research in 2011, Charpentier worked with Doudna to recreate the bacteria's genetic scissors, simplifying the tool so it was easier to use and apply to other genetic material.
They then reprogrammed the scissors to cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined site -- paving the way for scientists to rewrite the code of life where the DNA is snipped.
The CRISPR/Cas9 tool has already contributed to significant gains in crop resilience, altering their genetic code to better withstand drought and pests.
The technology has also led to innovative cancer treatments, and many experts hope it could one day make inherited diseases curable through gene manipulation.
"There is enormous power in this genetic tool, which affects us all. It has not only revolutionised basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments," Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said in a statement.
- Rogue practice -
CRISPR's relative simplicity has however triggered the imaginations of rogue practitioners.
In 2018 in China, scientist He Jiankui triggered an international scandal -- and his excommunication from the scientific community -- when he used CRISPR to create what he called the first gene-edited humans.
The biophysicist said he had altered the DNA of human embryos that became twin girls Lulu and Nana.
His goal was to create a mutation that would prevent the girls from contracting HIV, even though there was no specific reason to put them through the process.
The first time a woman was honoured with the chemistry prize was in 1911 when Marie Curie, who also took the physics prize in 1903, won after discovering the elements radium and polonium.
The pair will share 10 million Swedish kronor (about $1.1 million, 950,000 euros).
They would normally receive their Nobel from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament.
But the in-person ceremony has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and replaced with a televised ceremony showing the laureates receiving their awards in their home countries.
Last year, the chemistry prize went to John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino for the development of lithium-ion batteries, paving the way for smartphones and a fossil fuel-free society.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--'It's my lucky place': Kvitova back in Roland Garros semi-finals after eight years

Petra Kvitova returned to the French Open semi-finals for the first time in eight years on Wednesday after defeating Germany 's Laura Siegemund 6-3 , 6-3 , describing Roland Garros as her `` lucky place '' .
Czech seventh seed Kvitova , a two-time Wimbledon champion , will face either Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin or Danielle Collins for a place in Saturday 's final .
`` It means a lot to be back in the semi-finals , '' said 30-year-old Kvitova who was beaten by eventual champion Maria Sharapova when she made the same stage in 2012 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very emotional to be in the quarter-finals .
Now I am in the semis .
I never imagined this would happen after everything that has happened .
`` This is my lucky place . ''
It was Paris where Kvitova made her comeback in 2017 after spending six months recovering from a terrifying knife attack at her home in December 2016 .
The frenzied assault required a four-hour operation and left her with damaged ligaments in her playing hand .
Doctors warned her that her career may be finished .
On Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past 32-year-old Siegemund , the world number 66 who was playing in the quarter-finals of a Slam for the first time .
One break of serve in the opener was enough for Kvitova while five more breaks followed in the second set .
Kvitova , who has yet to drop a set at the tournament , claimed victory when Siegemund served up a third double fault of the tie .
`` I am happy to be here and to be able to compete with the best especially in these conditions -- roof open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Fourth seed Kenin , 21 , has developed a knack of working her way out of trouble in Paris , twice recovering from a set down en route to the last eight .
In her last 16 win over Fiona Ferro she overcame a first-set blip and partisan crowd , displaying a steely resilience while raising her game to another level .
The 21-year-old says she needs `` step up '' again having reached the quarter-finals of a major for just the second time , but she has a fondness for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her way to the last 16 in 2019 .
Collins , 26 , is a late bloomer after taking the college route in the US , twice capturing the national singles title while at Virgina .
`` I know what it 's like having $ 50 in my bank account and being worried if I 'm going to be able to get to the next place that I need to go .
I know what it 's like being on a Greyhound bus , '' said Collins .
`` I think those are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out on court and play so intensely in high-pressured moments . ''
She is another battle-hardened player , notably rallying from a double break down in the final set to knock out 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round .
The 57th-ranked Collins , who has fired an impressive 140 winners in four rounds , beat Kenin in straight sets in Adelaine earlier this year and is aiming to match her run to the 2019 Australian Open semi-finals .
Thursday 's other semi-final will see Polish 19-year-old Iga Swiatek tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number 131 who is bidding to become the first qualifier to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Petra Kvitova returned to the French Open semi-finals for the first time in eight years on Wednesday after defeating Germany's Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-3, describing Roland Garros as her "lucky place".
Czech seventh seed Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, will face either Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin or Danielle Collins for a place in Saturday's final.
"It means a lot to be back in the semi-finals," said 30-year-old Kvitova who was beaten by eventual champion Maria Sharapova when she made the same stage in 2012.
"After my last match, I was very emotional to be in the quarter-finals. Now I am in the semis. I never imagined this would happen after everything that has happened.
"This is my lucky place."
It was Paris where Kvitova made her comeback in 2017 after spending six months recovering from a terrifying knife attack at her home in December 2016.
The frenzied assault required a four-hour operation and left her with damaged ligaments in her playing hand. Doctors warned her that her career may be finished.
On Wednesday, Kvitova fired 22 winners and six aces past 32-year-old Siegemund, the world number 66 who was playing in the quarter-finals of a Slam for the first time.
One break of serve in the opener was enough for Kvitova while five more breaks followed in the second set.
Kvitova, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament, claimed victory when Siegemund served up a third double fault of the tie.
"I am happy to be here and to be able to compete with the best especially in these conditions -- roof open, roof closed, sunshine, windy."
- Battle of Americans -
Fourth seed Kenin, 21, has developed a knack of working her way out of trouble in Paris, twice recovering from a set down en route to the last eight.
In her last 16 win over Fiona Ferro she overcame a first-set blip and partisan crowd, displaying a steely resilience while raising her game to another level.
The 21-year-old says she needs "step up" again having reached the quarter-finals of a major for just the second time, but she has a fondness for Paris having knocked out Serena Williams on her way to the last 16 in 2019.
Collins, 26, is a late bloomer after taking the college route in the US, twice capturing the national singles title while at Virgina.
"I know what it's like having $50 in my bank account and being worried if I'm going to be able to get to the next place that I need to go. I know what it's like being on a Greyhound bus," said Collins.
"I think those are the experiences that give us the strength to go out on court and play so intensely in high-pressured moments."
She is another battle-hardened player, notably rallying from a double break down in the final set to knock out 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round.
The 57th-ranked Collins, who has fired an impressive 140 winners in four rounds, beat Kenin in straight sets in Adelaine earlier this year and is aiming to match her run to the 2019 Australian Open semi-finals.
Thursday's other semi-final will see Polish 19-year-old Iga Swiatek tackle Argentina's Nadia Podoroska, the world number 131 who is bidding to become the first qualifier to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Trump hails Covid 'blessing' as he returns to Oval Office

A US Marine stands guard outside the White House West Wing , indicating that US President Donald Trump is in the Oval Office US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared his Covid-19 illness a `` blessing from God , '' as he got back to work in the Oval Office despite warnings that his return could put others at risk .
Trump has worked hard since he checked out of the hospital on Monday -- including a made-for-television return to the White House -- to cast his illness as a personal triumph .
`` I think this is a blessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump said in a video , referring to the virus which has killed over 210,000 people in the United States .
But Democrat Joe Biden , who leads Trump in the latest polls ahead of the November 3 vote , attacked the president 's downplaying of the risk .
`` I think it 's a tragedy that the president deals with Covid like it is something not to worry about when over 210,000 people ( in the US ) have died , '' Biden told reporters .
The behavior of the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his handling of the outbreak -- is under scrutiny as the number of positive cases climbs among people working at the White House and elsewhere in Washington .
On Wednesday the Pentagon confirmed that one of the Marine Corps ' top officers , General Gary Thomas , tested positive for the virus .
In his emblematic red tie , Trump attributed his recovery since being diagnosed Thursday and hospitalized Friday to an antibody cocktail , an experimental treatment that has not even received an emergency use authorization .
`` I want everybody to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , because I feel great , '' he said .
After contradictory statements whether the president was back at work on Tuesday , a senior administration official told AFP that Trump was present Wednesday with an `` extremely limited '' number of staff in his office .
`` Was just briefed on Hurricane Delta , '' the president tweeted Wednesday , seemingly eager to project his return to work .
Just after stepping off a helicopter upon his return to the White House , Trump climbed the stairs of his residence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool against the virus that he has frequently minimized .
`` Do n't let ( Covid-19 ) dominate you .
Do n't be afraid of it , '' he urged Americans in his homecoming speech , despite the US having the largest total number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the world .
Trump arrived by an outside door to avoid passing through the crowded corridors of his residence , the senior administration official told AFP .
By Wednesday , doctors reported the president had been free of Covid-19 symptoms for 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four days .
`` The president this morning says ' I feel great , ' '' doctor Sean Conley said in a brief update .
In an apparent attempt to provide greater clarity over how the disease has progressed , the update also detailed that Covid antibodies were found in Trump 's blood tests on Monday .
Florian Krammer , professor at Icahn School of Medicine in New York , told AFP those results do n't mean much at this stage .
`` It could well be that the majority of what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said referring to the experimental antibody treatment Trump got Friday .
Trump has vowed to return to campaigning shortly and to participate in the second presidential debate against Biden in Miami on October 15 .
As Trump seeks to revive his reelection campaign in the face of weak polling data just four weeks away from the November 3 election , he labeled Biden `` a wacko . ''
Latest polls forecast a clear victory for Biden , with CNN giving the Democrat a national advantage of 57 percent to 41 percent among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 66 to 32 percent in his favor .
`` He 's been a wacko for years , and everyone knows it , '' Trump tweeted .
`` Notice how all of the bad things , like his very low IQ , are no longer reported ?
Fake News ! ''
Biden traded blows with Trump in last week 's chaotic debate , but the former vice president has also appealed to a broad-based yearning for calm .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared his Covid-19 illness a "blessing from God," as he got back to work in the Oval Office despite warnings that his return could put others at risk.
Trump has worked hard since he checked out of the hospital on Monday -- including a made-for-television return to the White House -- to cast his illness as a personal triumph.
"I think this is a blessing from God that I caught it," Trump said in a video, referring to the virus which has killed over 210,000 people in the United States.
But Democrat Joe Biden, who leads Trump in the latest polls ahead of the November 3 vote, attacked the president's downplaying of the risk.
"I think it's a tragedy that the president deals with Covid like it is something not to worry about when over 210,000 people (in the US) have died," Biden told reporters.
The behavior of the president -- who has faced fierce criticism for his handling of the outbreak -- is under scrutiny as the number of positive cases climbs among people working at the White House and elsewhere in Washington.
On Wednesday the Pentagon confirmed that one of the Marine Corps' top officers, General Gary Thomas, tested positive for the virus.
In his emblematic red tie, Trump attributed his recovery since being diagnosed Thursday and hospitalized Friday to an antibody cocktail, an experimental treatment that has not even received an emergency use authorization.
"I want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president, because I feel great," he said.
After contradictory statements whether the president was back at work on Tuesday, a senior administration official told AFP that Trump was present Wednesday with an "extremely limited" number of staff in his office.
"Was just briefed on Hurricane Delta," the president tweeted Wednesday, seemingly eager to project his return to work.
Just after stepping off a helicopter upon his return to the White House, Trump climbed the stairs of his residence and pulled off his face mask -- a tool against the virus that he has frequently minimized.
"Don't let (Covid-19) dominate you. Don't be afraid of it," he urged Americans in his homecoming speech, despite the US having the largest total number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the world.
Trump arrived by an outside door to avoid passing through the crowded corridors of his residence, the senior administration official told AFP.
- 'Wacko for years' -
By Wednesday, doctors reported the president had been free of Covid-19 symptoms for 24 hours and has not had a fever in four days.
"The president this morning says 'I feel great,'" doctor Sean Conley said in a brief update.
In an apparent attempt to provide greater clarity over how the disease has progressed, the update also detailed that Covid antibodies were found in Trump's blood tests on Monday.
Florian Krammer, professor at Icahn School of Medicine in New York, told AFP those results don't mean much at this stage.
"It could well be that the majority of what is detected came from the transfusion," he said referring to the experimental antibody treatment Trump got Friday.
Trump has vowed to return to campaigning shortly and to participate in the second presidential debate against Biden in Miami on October 15.
As Trump seeks to revive his reelection campaign in the face of weak polling data just four weeks away from the November 3 election, he labeled Biden "a wacko."
Latest polls forecast a clear victory for Biden, with CNN giving the Democrat a national advantage of 57 percent to 41 percent among likely voters, and women voters going 66 to 32 percent in his favor.
"He's been a wacko for years, and everyone knows it," Trump tweeted. "Notice how all of the bad things, like his very low IQ, are no longer reported? Fake News!"
Biden traded blows with Trump in last week's chaotic debate, but the former vice president has also appealed to a broad-based yearning for calm.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Trump says wants US troops out of Afghanistan by Christmas

An injured youth is carried to a hospital following a car bomb attack that targeted a government building in the Ghani Khel district of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan on October 3 , 2020 President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants all US troops to leave Afghanistan by Christmas , speeding up the timeline for ending America 's longest war .
`` We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas ! ''
Trump wrote on Twitter .
In a February 29 agreement reached in Qatar with the Taliban , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its troops by mid-2021 in return for insurgents ' promises not to allow Afghanistan to be used by extremists -- the original reason for the 2001 US invasion .
After intense US cajoling , the Afghan government and Taliban last month opened peace talks in Doha , although negotiations have quickly deadlocked .
Trump 's promise comes one month before US elections in which the president , trailing in the polls , has sought to show that he is making good on his promise to draw a close to `` endless wars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations his stance enjoys broad support at home including from his Democratic rival Joe Biden , who during his time as vice president had pushed to curtail US involvement in Afghanistan .
Asked last month whether he backed Trump 's plans to withdraw troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq , Biden said : `` Yes , I do .
As long as he has a plan to figure out how he 's going to deal with ISIS , '' the ultra-violent movement that has been active in both countries .
The United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , 2001 attacks and dislodged the Taliban regime , which had welcomed Al-Qaeda .
But in the years since the resurgent militants have launched a fresh battle to topple the US-backed government in Kabul , with civilians bearing the brunt of spiraling violence since NATO combat troops withdrew in 2014 .
The former Taliban regime had imposed an ultra-conservative brand of Islam on Afghanistan that banned music and education for girls .
The Doha talks have quickly deadlocked over the Taliban 's insistence that negotiations adhere to a strict Sunni school of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would discriminate against Shiites and other minorities .
Speaking earlier Wednesday , the veteran US diplomat who negotiated with the Taliban , Zalmay Khalilzad , nonetheless voiced guarded hope for the talks .
`` The overwhelming majority of the Afghans would like to see an end to the conflict , '' Khalilzad , speaking by video from Doha , told a forum of the University of Chicago 's Pearson Institute .
`` I believe that the Taliban are quite serious about the negotiations .
Many thought that they would n't sit across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all they wanted was an agreement for the withdrawal of US forces .
But they are now sitting across the table . ''
Trump has already reduced US forces in Afghanistan to around 8,600 and the Taliban has stood by promises not to attack Western troops -- even as the militants continue their bloody campaign against government forces .
`` The level of violence is too high as far as we 're concerned , '' Khalilzad said , although he asserted that Afghan civilian and military casualties had declined in the first half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , visiting Doha on Tuesday , called on the Taliban to `` have courage '' and declare a national ceasefire .
The Trump administration had pressed Ghani 's government to release some 5,000 Taliban prisoners , a condition of the militants to start talks .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants all US troops to leave Afghanistan by Christmas, speeding up the timeline for ending America's longest war.
"We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!" Trump wrote on Twitter.
In a February 29 agreement reached in Qatar with the Taliban, the United States promised to pull out all its troops by mid-2021 in return for insurgents' promises not to allow Afghanistan to be used by extremists -- the original reason for the 2001 US invasion.
After intense US cajoling, the Afghan government and Taliban last month opened peace talks in Doha, although negotiations have quickly deadlocked.
Trump's promise comes one month before US elections in which the president, trailing in the polls, has sought to show that he is making good on his promise to draw a close to "endless wars."
After 19 years of US military operations his stance enjoys broad support at home including from his Democratic rival Joe Biden, who during his time as vice president had pushed to curtail US involvement in Afghanistan.
Asked last month whether he backed Trump's plans to withdraw troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq, Biden said: "Yes, I do. As long as he has a plan to figure out how he's going to deal with ISIS," the ultra-violent movement that has been active in both countries.
- Stalemate in talks -
The United States first intervened in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks and dislodged the Taliban regime, which had welcomed Al-Qaeda.
But in the years since the resurgent militants have launched a fresh battle to topple the US-backed government in Kabul, with civilians bearing the brunt of spiraling violence since NATO combat troops withdrew in 2014.
The former Taliban regime had imposed an ultra-conservative brand of Islam on Afghanistan that banned music and education for girls.
The Doha talks have quickly deadlocked over the Taliban's insistence that negotiations adhere to a strict Sunni school of jurisprudence, a step the government says would discriminate against Shiites and other minorities.
Speaking earlier Wednesday, the veteran US diplomat who negotiated with the Taliban, Zalmay Khalilzad, nonetheless voiced guarded hope for the talks.
"The overwhelming majority of the Afghans would like to see an end to the conflict," Khalilzad, speaking by video from Doha, told a forum of the University of Chicago's Pearson Institute.
"I believe that the Taliban are quite serious about the negotiations. Many thought that they wouldn't sit across the table from the Afghan government -- that all they wanted was an agreement for the withdrawal of US forces. But they are now sitting across the table."
Trump has already reduced US forces in Afghanistan to around 8,600 and the Taliban has stood by promises not to attack Western troops -- even as the militants continue their bloody campaign against government forces.
"The level of violence is too high as far as we're concerned," Khalilzad said, although he asserted that Afghan civilian and military casualties had declined in the first half of 2020.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, visiting Doha on Tuesday, called on the Taliban to "have courage" and declare a national ceasefire.
The Trump administration had pressed Ghani's government to release some 5,000 Taliban prisoners, a condition of the militants to start talks.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Taylor Swift endorses Joe Biden for president

Pop superstar Taylor Swift on Wednesday threw her support behind Joe Biden for president , telling her 200 million-plus social media orbit that the veteran Democrat will start a `` healing process '' in America .
The singer-songwriter has lashed out before at President Donald Trump , including in August when she blasted his `` ineffective leadership '' against the coronavirus pandemic and his efforts to `` subvert and destroy '' US voting rights .
But her remarks in a magazine article that she posted on Instagram and Twitter was her first formal declaration of support for Biden .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first , '' Swift -- who dropped two number one albums , `` Lover '' and `` Folklore , '' over an 11-month period from 2019 to 2020 -- said in V Magazine 's `` Thought Leaders '' issue .
`` I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year 's presidential election , '' she added .
`` Under their leadership , I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outs from Biden and his running mate Harris .
`` Taylor — Thanks for your support and for speaking out at this crucial moment in our nation 's history , '' Biden tweeted .
Swift made waves in 2018 when she endorsed Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee and said the voting record of the Republican US Senate candidate , Marsha Blackburn , `` appalls and terrifies me . ''
`` I can not vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who they love , '' Swift said at the time .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Pop superstar Taylor Swift on Wednesday threw her support behind Joe Biden for president, telling her 200 million-plus social media orbit that the veteran Democrat will start a "healing process" in America.
The singer-songwriter has lashed out before at President Donald Trump, including in August when she blasted his "ineffective leadership" against the coronavirus pandemic and his efforts to "subvert and destroy" US voting rights.
But her remarks in a magazine article that she posted on Instagram and Twitter was her first formal declaration of support for Biden.
"Everyone deserves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first," Swift -- who dropped two number one albums, "Lover" and "Folklore," over an 11-month period from 2019 to 2020 -- said in V Magazine's "Thought Leaders" issue.
"I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year's presidential election," she added. "Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs."
The 30-year-old artist quickly received shout outs from Biden and his running mate Harris.
"Taylor — Thanks for your support and for speaking out at this crucial moment in our nation's history," Biden tweeted.
Swift made waves in 2018 when she endorsed Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee and said the voting record of the Republican US Senate candidate, Marsha Blackburn, "appalls and terrifies me."
"I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love," Swift said at the time.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Facebook to pause political ads as US election day ends

Facebook has come under sustained criticism for allowing disinformation to flourish on its platform Facebook on Wednesday said it will stop running political or social issue ads after the US polls close on November 3 to reduce chances of confusion or abuse .
The leading social network also said that any posts prematurely declaring a winner or contesting the count will be labeled with reliable information from news outlets and election officials .
`` If a candidate or party declares premature victory before a race is called by major media outlets , we will add more specific information in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no winner has been determined , '' said vice president of integrity Guy Rosen .
Facebook and other social networks have been tightening rules as they gear up for post-election scenarios , including efforts by President Donald Trump to wrongly claim victory or contend the outcome is not legitimate .
The California-based internet giant has been under pressure to avoid being used to spread misinformation and inflame social division , as was the case during the presidential election in 2016 .
Policies against voter intimidation instituted by Facebook four years ago have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trends and tactics to intimidate or prevent voting , according to vice president of content policy Monika Bickert .
`` As we head into the last days of this election , we know we will see spikes in efforts to intimidate voters , '' Bickert said at a press briefing .
Wednesday 's tightening of rules included barring posts that reference weapons or armies in encouraging people to monitor polling places on election day , according to Bickert .
`` We will remove statements of intent or advocacy to go to an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We will also remove calls to go to polls to monitor if it involves exerting control or showing power . ''
Facebook has already banned posts directly urging people to go to polling places with weapons or to stop people from voting .
Facebook has more than 35,000 people across the company devoted to safety and security , and teams have worked on more than 200 elections around the world , according to Rosen .
More than 120,000 pieces of content at Facebook and Instagram in the US have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rosen said .
He added that warning labels were placed on more than 150 million pieces of content viewed at Facebook in the US and debunked by third-party fact-checkers .
Meanwhile , more than 39 million people have been directed to a voting information center set up at Facebook this year , and an estimated 2.5 million people helped with registering to vote , according to the social network .
An election operations center set up at Facebook 's headquarters in Silicon Valley went virtual at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Facebook has also devised a system to flag posts that may `` go viral , '' no matter the topic , so it can check in real time whether they are related to voting or the election , Rosen said .
Facebook has contingency plans to block some content on its platform if civil unrest breaks out after the November 3 election .
Nick Clegg , a former deputy British prime minister who is Facebook 's head of global affairs , said recently that the social platform could take exceptional steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in case of turmoil .
The comments are line with reports that Facebook could deploy a `` kill switch '' to thwart the spread of misinformation in case of a dispute on US election results .
Clegg said : `` There are some break-glass options available to us if there really is an extremely chaotic and , worse still , violent set of circumstances . ''
Social networks have faced pressure to curb political misinformation , both from foreign actors and from groups within the United States .
Some activists have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand on false statements from Trump himself , even as the platform has said it would steer clear of blocking political speech .

San Francisco (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Facebook on Wednesday said it will stop running political or social issue ads after the US polls close on November 3 to reduce chances of confusion or abuse.
The leading social network also said that any posts prematurely declaring a winner or contesting the count will be labeled with reliable information from news outlets and election officials.
"If a candidate or party declares premature victory before a race is called by major media outlets, we will add more specific information in the notifications that counting is still in progress and no winner has been determined," said vice president of integrity Guy Rosen.
Facebook and other social networks have been tightening rules as they gear up for post-election scenarios, including efforts by President Donald Trump to wrongly claim victory or contend the outcome is not legitimate.
The California-based internet giant has been under pressure to avoid being used to spread misinformation and inflame social division, as was the case during the presidential election in 2016.
Policies against voter intimidation instituted by Facebook four years ago have been consistently expanded to account for new trends and tactics to intimidate or prevent voting, according to vice president of content policy Monika Bickert.
"As we head into the last days of this election, we know we will see spikes in efforts to intimidate voters," Bickert said at a press briefing.
Wednesday's tightening of rules included barring posts that reference weapons or armies in encouraging people to monitor polling places on election day, according to Bickert.
"We will remove statements of intent or advocacy to go to an election site with military language," Bickert said.
"We will also remove calls to go to polls to monitor if it involves exerting control or showing power."
Facebook has already banned posts directly urging people to go to polling places with weapons or to stop people from voting.
- Tracking 'viral' posts -
Facebook has more than 35,000 people across the company devoted to safety and security, and teams have worked on more than 200 elections around the world, according to Rosen.
More than 120,000 pieces of content at Facebook and Instagram in the US have been removed for violating policies against voter interference, Rosen said.
He added that warning labels were placed on more than 150 million pieces of content viewed at Facebook in the US and debunked by third-party fact-checkers.
Meanwhile, more than 39 million people have been directed to a voting information center set up at Facebook this year, and an estimated 2.5 million people helped with registering to vote, according to the social network.
An election operations center set up at Facebook's headquarters in Silicon Valley went virtual at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to run through the election.
Facebook has also devised a system to flag posts that may "go viral," no matter the topic, so it can check in real time whether they are related to voting or the election, Rosen said.
- Kill switch? -
Facebook has contingency plans to block some content on its platform if civil unrest breaks out after the November 3 election.
Nick Clegg, a former deputy British prime minister who is Facebook's head of global affairs, said recently that the social platform could take exceptional steps to "restrict the circulation of content" in case of turmoil.
The comments are line with reports that Facebook could deploy a "kill switch" to thwart the spread of misinformation in case of a dispute on US election results.
Clegg said: "There are some break-glass options available to us if there really is an extremely chaotic and, worse still, violent set of circumstances."
Social networks have faced pressure to curb political misinformation, both from foreign actors and from groups within the United States.
Some activists have called on Facebook to take a more aggressive stand on false statements from Trump himself, even as the platform has said it would steer clear of blocking political speech.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Covid could add to 2 million per year stillbirth toll: UN

The vast majority of stillbirths , 84 percent , occur in low- and middle-income countries , where basic neo-natal care could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year Almost two million babies are stillborn every year -- one every 16 seconds -- the United Nations said Thursday , warning that the Covid-19 pandemic could add another 200,000 deaths to the `` devastating '' toll .
The vast majority of stillbirths , 84 percent , occur in low- and middle-income countries , where basic neo-natal care could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year , according to a joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization and the World Bank Group .
Most stillbirths occur due to poor quality healthcare lacking investment in equipment and training of midwives .
And unlike notable reductions in recent decades in the global rate of maternal and infant deaths , stillbirths remain stubbornly frequent , particularly throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia .
`` Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family , one that is often endured quietly , yet all too frequently , around the world , '' said UNICEF executive director Henrietta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , the psychological and financial costs for women , families and societies are severe and long lasting .
For many of these mothers , it simply did n't have to be this way . ''
The report warned that the pandemic could result in nearly 200,000 additional stillbirths , assuming that 50 percent of health services are impacted in low- and middle-income countries by the Covid-19 response .
Mark Hereward , UNICEF 's associate director for data and analytics , told AFP that infants in many countries would suffer from Covid-19 even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Firstly , due to the massive increase in poverty because of the global recessions , '' he said .
`` The other way is through an interruption to health services , either because health workers are reassigned to work on Covid or because people are afraid to go to clinic . ''
Hereward said that without urgent action the world will have suffered 20 million more stillbirths by 2030 .
Globally , over 40 percent of stillbirths occur during labour , the UN said .
These are among the most avoidable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be prevented with access to trained midwives and emergency obstetric care .
Sabine Uwizeye , a 35-year-old living in Rwanda 's capital Kigali , lost her baby when she went into labour during the 37th week of pregnancy .
`` I knew that something was wrong and the doctor told me that my baby was dead .
I could n't believe it .
I cried and cried , '' she told AFP .
`` The baby had many knots in its umbilical chord .
I feel so bad even now not being able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uwizeye is now the mother to a healthy 10-month-old , but she urged expectant mothers to be vigilant in monitoring their baby 's health .
`` Keep going for check ups and make sure that your pregnancy is normal , '' she said .
`` Even when you are at home you can make sure the baby in the womb is ok. Be constantly aware and vigilant . ''
As well as the wide disparity in stillbirth rates between rich and poorer nations , the report also found significant variations in the rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socioeconomic status .
In Nepal , for example , women of minority castes have stillbirth rates 40-60 percent higher than those from upper-class castes .
And in Canada , Inuit communities have a stillbirth rate nearly three times higher than the general population .
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday , Anshu Banerjee , director for the Department of Maternal , Newborn , Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the WHO said the world needed `` break out of this cocoon of taboos and stigma '' surrounding stillbirth .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Almost two million babies are stillborn every year -- one every 16 seconds -- the United Nations said Thursday, warning that the Covid-19 pandemic could add another 200,000 deaths to the "devastating" toll.
The vast majority of stillbirths, 84 percent, occur in low- and middle-income countries, where basic neo-natal care could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, according to a joint report by UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group.
Most stillbirths occur due to poor quality healthcare lacking investment in equipment and training of midwives.
And unlike notable reductions in recent decades in the global rate of maternal and infant deaths, stillbirths remain stubbornly frequent, particularly throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia.
"Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family, one that is often endured quietly, yet all too frequently, around the world," said UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore.
"Beyond the loss of life, the psychological and financial costs for women, families and societies are severe and long lasting. For many of these mothers, it simply didn't have to be this way."
The report warned that the pandemic could result in nearly 200,000 additional stillbirths, assuming that 50 percent of health services are impacted in low- and middle-income countries by the Covid-19 response.
Mark Hereward, UNICEF's associate director for data and analytics, told AFP that infants in many countries would suffer from Covid-19 even if their mothers never contracted the disease.
"Firstly, due to the massive increase in poverty because of the global recessions," he said.
"The other way is through an interruption to health services, either because health workers are reassigned to work on Covid or because people are afraid to go to clinic."
Hereward said that without urgent action the world will have suffered 20 million more stillbirths by 2030.
- 'I cried and cried' -
Globally, over 40 percent of stillbirths occur during labour, the UN said. These are among the most avoidable deaths given that many labour stillbirths could be prevented with access to trained midwives and emergency obstetric care.
Sabine Uwizeye, a 35-year-old living in Rwanda's capital Kigali, lost her baby when she went into labour during the 37th week of pregnancy.
"I knew that something was wrong and the doctor told me that my baby was dead. I couldn't believe it. I cried and cried," she told AFP.
"The baby had many knots in its umbilical chord. I feel so bad even now not being able to hold my sick baby."
Uwizeye is now the mother to a healthy 10-month-old, but she urged expectant mothers to be vigilant in monitoring their baby's health.
"Keep going for check ups and make sure that your pregnancy is normal," she said.
"Even when you are at home you can make sure the baby in the womb is ok. Be constantly aware and vigilant."
As well as the wide disparity in stillbirth rates between rich and poorer nations, the report also found significant variations in the rates within individual countries, often linked to socioeconomic status.
In Nepal, for example, women of minority castes have stillbirth rates 40-60 percent higher than those from upper-class castes.
And in Canada, Inuit communities have a stillbirth rate nearly three times higher than the general population.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Anshu Banerjee, director for the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the WHO said the world needed "break out of this cocoon of taboos and stigma" surrounding stillbirth.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--Trump says wants US troops out of Afghanistan by Christmas

An injured youth is carried to a hospital following a car bomb attack that targeted a government building in the Ghani Khel district of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan on October 3 , 2020 President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants all US troops to leave Afghanistan by Christmas , speeding up the timeline for ending America 's longest war .
`` We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas ! ''
Trump wrote on Twitter .
In a February 29 agreement reached in Qatar with the Taliban , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its troops by mid-2021 in return for insurgents ' promises not to allow Afghanistan to be used by extremists .
The Taliban have since opened talks in Doha with the Afghan government , but the meetings have immediately stalled as the hardline Sunni rebels insist on their form of Islamic jurisprudence .
Trump 's promise comes one month before US elections in which the president , trailing in the polls , has sought to show that he is making good on his promise to draw a close to `` endless wars . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his stance enjoys wide support , with Democratic rival Joe Biden -- a critic during his time as vice president of further US involvement in Afghanistan -- also backing a withdrawal .
The United States first intervened in Afghanistan following the September 11 , 2001 attacks and dislodged the Taliban regime , which had welcomed Al-Qaeda .
But in the years since the resurgent militants have launched a fresh battle to topple the US-backed government in Kabul , with civilians bearing the brunt of spiraling violence since NATO combat troops withdrew in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan to around 8,600 and the Taliban has stood by promises not to attack Western troops -- even as the militants continue their bloody campaign against government forces .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants all US troops to leave Afghanistan by Christmas, speeding up the timeline for ending America's longest war.
"We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!" Trump wrote on Twitter.
In a February 29 agreement reached in Qatar with the Taliban, the United States promised to pull out all its troops by mid-2021 in return for insurgents' promises not to allow Afghanistan to be used by extremists.
The Taliban have since opened talks in Doha with the Afghan government, but the meetings have immediately stalled as the hardline Sunni rebels insist on their form of Islamic jurisprudence.
Trump's promise comes one month before US elections in which the president, trailing in the polls, has sought to show that he is making good on his promise to draw a close to "endless wars."
After 19 years of US military operations his stance enjoys wide support, with Democratic rival Joe Biden -- a critic during his time as vice president of further US involvement in Afghanistan -- also backing a withdrawal.
The United States first intervened in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks and dislodged the Taliban regime, which had welcomed Al-Qaeda.
But in the years since the resurgent militants have launched a fresh battle to topple the US-backed government in Kabul, with civilians bearing the brunt of spiraling violence since NATO combat troops withdrew in 2014.
Trump has already reduced US forces in Afghanistan to around 8,600 and the Taliban has stood by promises not to attack Western troops -- even as the militants continue their bloody campaign against government forces.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--Facebook extends freeze on US political ads until after election

The leading social network said that any posts prematurely declaring a winner or contesting the count will be labeled .
Facebook said it ’ s readied new safeguards for the 2020 US elections that have it better prepared to deal with candidates who prematurely declare victory or contest official results and the possibility of voter intimidation by alleged — and potentially armed — “ poll watchers ” .
In the former case , Facebook plans to halt all political advertisements once polls close on Nov. 3 , an extension of an earlier restriction on new political ads in the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban will likely last for a week , though Facebook says it could run longer if necessary .
And it plans to label posts that cast doubt on election results with links to official information .
The social network has already banned messages that promote carrying of weapons to polling places or that attempt to organize “ coordinated interference ” with voting .
Now it will also ban the use of “ militarized language ” in connection with calls for poll-watching .
Under the new policy , which is not retroactive , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to encourage supporters to be unofficial poll watchers as part of an “ army for Trump , ” as he said in a tweet this week .
The changes — less than three weeks before Election Day and with voting happening already — show how quickly social media companies must respond to existing and anticipated threats to the election process .
Trump ’ s campaign and its GOP allies have been going to new lengths to contest election procedures and question the integrity of mail-in ballots .
Trump has also refused to commit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he loses , though both parties have rejected his comments and vowed a peaceful transition .
Facebook said it has been preparing for this election since 2016 , when its platform was used by Russian agents trying to intervene with the US political process .
It also noted that more than 200 elections have taken place worldwide since then .
While Facebook and other social media companies have strengthened their policies and enforcement since , the threats to the election process have also gotten more sophisticated in that time .
This includes both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Facebook began banning groups that openly support QAnon , the baseless conspiracy theory that paints President Donald Trump as a secret warrior against a supposed child-trafficking ring run by celebrities and “ deep state ” government officials .
Critics and civil rights advocates have cautiously welcomed Facebook ’ s new policies as the election nears .
But the real test will be how Facebook enforces them .

Facebook said it’s readied new safeguards for the 2020 US elections that have it better prepared to deal with candidates who prematurely declare victory or contest official results and the possibility of voter intimidation by alleged — and potentially armed — “poll watchers”.
The leading social network said that any posts prematurely declaring a winner or contesting the count will be labeled.
Advertising Read more
In the former case, Facebook plans to halt all political advertisements once polls close on Nov. 3, an extension of an earlier restriction on new political ads in the week leading up to Election Day. The ban will likely last for a week, though Facebook says it could run longer if necessary. And it plans to label posts that cast doubt on election results with links to official information.
The social network has already banned messages that promote carrying of weapons to polling places or that attempt to organize “coordinated interference” with voting. Now it will also ban the use of “militarized language” in connection with calls for poll-watching. Under the new policy, which is not retroactive, President Donald Trump won’t be able to encourage supporters to be unofficial poll watchers as part of an “army for Trump,” as he said in a tweet this week.
The changes — less than three weeks before Election Day and with voting happening already — show how quickly social media companies must respond to existing and anticipated threats to the election process. Trump’s campaign and its GOP allies have been going to new lengths to contest election procedures and question the integrity of mail-in ballots. Trump has also refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses, though both parties have rejected his comments and vowed a peaceful transition.
Facebook said it has been preparing for this election since 2016, when its platform was used by Russian agents trying to intervene with the US political process. It also noted that more than 200 elections have taken place worldwide since then.
While Facebook and other social media companies have strengthened their policies and enforcement since, the threats to the election process have also gotten more sophisticated in that time. This includes both foreign and domestic challenges.
On Tuesday, Facebook began banning groups that openly support QAnon, the baseless conspiracy theory that paints President Donald Trump as a secret warrior against a supposed child-trafficking ring run by celebrities and “deep state” government officials.
Critics and civil rights advocates have cautiously welcomed Facebook’s new policies as the election nears. But the real test will be how Facebook enforces them.
(AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-10-07--Prince William launches 'most prestigious' environment prize

Britain 's Prince William ( pictured January 2020 ) launched the Earthshot Prize , which will present five £1 million awards each year for 10 years to `` incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next ten years '' Britain 's Prince William on Thursday launched the `` most prestigious '' environmental prize of all time , aimed at turning `` pessimism into optimism '' by rewarding innovative solutions to the planet 's biggest problems .
The Earthshot Prize will present five £1 million ( $ 1.3-million , 1.1-million-euro ) awards each year for the next 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help to repair our planet over the next ten years , '' said his office in London .
Kensington Palace described it as the `` most prestigious global environment prize in history '' and said it was inspired by US president John F. Kennedy 's `` Moonshot '' project in the 1960s .
`` The plan is to really galvanise and bring together the best minds , the best possible solutions , to fixing and tackling some of the world 's greatest environmental challenges , '' said William , who is second in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next 10 years are a critical decade for change .
Time is of the essence , which is why we believe that this very ambitious global prize is the only way forward . ''
The project is centred around five `` simple but ambitious '' aims to be met by 2030 : `` protect and restore nature '' , `` clean our air '' , `` revive our oceans '' , `` build a waste-free world '' , and `` fix our climate '' .
The prize is supported by a coalition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winners to be announced each year at a ceremony in a different city around the globe , starting with London in 2021 .
Prizes can be awarded to individuals or teams , whether they be scientists , activists , economists , governments , business leaders and even countries .
The jury will include a host of high-profile global figures , including Queen Rania of Jordan , Australian actress Cate Blanchett , British naturalist David Attenborough and the Colombian singer Shakira .
`` The Earthshot Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the biggest challenges of our time , '' said the palace .
`` But the Prize is about much more than awarding achievement -– it is a decade of action to ... inspire people all over the world to work together to repair the planet . ''

London (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Britain's Prince William on Thursday launched the "most prestigious" environmental prize of all time, aimed at turning "pessimism into optimism" by rewarding innovative solutions to the planet's biggest problems.
The Earthshot Prize will present five £1 million ($1.3-million, 1.1-million-euro) awards each year for the next 10 years, to "incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next ten years," said his office in London.
Kensington Palace described it as the "most prestigious global environment prize in history" and said it was inspired by US president John F. Kennedy's "Moonshot" project in the 1960s.
"The plan is to really galvanise and bring together the best minds, the best possible solutions, to fixing and tackling some of the world's greatest environmental challenges," said William, who is second in line to the throne.
"The next 10 years are a critical decade for change. Time is of the essence, which is why we believe that this very ambitious global prize is the only way forward."
The project is centred around five "simple but ambitious" aims to be met by 2030: "protect and restore nature", "clean our air", "revive our oceans", "build a waste-free world", and "fix our climate".
The prize is supported by a coalition of individuals, organisations and businesses with the winners to be announced each year at a ceremony in a different city around the globe, starting with London in 2021.
Prizes can be awarded to individuals or teams, whether they be scientists, activists, economists, governments, business leaders and even countries.
The jury will include a host of high-profile global figures, including Queen Rania of Jordan, Australian actress Cate Blanchett, British naturalist David Attenborough and the Colombian singer Shakira.
"The Earthshot Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism that we can rise to the biggest challenges of our time," said the palace.
"But the Prize is about much more than awarding achievement -– it is a decade of action to... inspire people all over the world to work together to repair the planet."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--Live: Mike Pence and Kamala Harris face off in high-stakes vice-presidential debate

Live : Mike Pence and Kamala Harris face off in high-stakes vice-presidential debate Given the age of the two White @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s Covid-19 diagnosis , Wednesday ’ s debate between Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ Harris is being billed as a critical test in an increasingly acrimonious election campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ blog to follow the debate and live reactions .

As it happened
In normal times, vice presidential debates don’t matter much. But in an election year as unpredictable as 2020, everything is magnified, and Wednesday’s debate between Republican Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was no exception.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris and US Vice President Mike Pence participate in their 2020 vice presidential campaign debate in, Utah, U.S., October 7, 2020.
Advertising Read more
Pence on Wednesday faced considerable pressure to boost coronavirus-stricken President Donald Trump’s flagging re-election hopes as he trails in national and battleground state polls.
California Senator Harris stepped on stage having to balance her role as Joe Biden’s booster with her own historic presence as the first Black woman on a major party national ticket.
The candidates were separated by plexiglass out of concern for spread of the coronavirus from cases emanating from the White House.
Here are a few key takeaways from the only vice presidential debate ahead of the Nov. 3 Election Day.
More familiar format, fewer interruptions
Millions of Americans were aghast when Trump derailed the first presidential debate with incessant interruptions and a cascade of falsehoods, while Biden answered by calling the Republican incumbent a “clown” who needed to “shut up”.
The opening of Wednesday’s undercard matchup made clear that Pence and Harris were set for a much different encounter – an actual debate.
01:55
To be sure, there were sharp moments, some interruptions and repeated violations of the debate clock. But the dynamics represented a rare 2020 return to some semblance of normal presidential politics.
Pence’s even temperament has been a signature of his political career and he has often served as a kind of foil to Trump’s bombast. Harris had a long career as a prosecutor, comfortable arguing her case under pressure. Both played to type. And while several prominent Republicans saluted Pence for his calm demeanour, some Democrats didn’t miss the opportunity to turn the description against him.
What Mike Pence adds to the ticket is that he lies in a calm voice. — Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 8, 2020
A debate for the Covid-19 era
The Trump campaign wants voters to focus on anything but the pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 people across the country and infected at least 7.5 million more. But that subject dominated from the outset, with Trump and a growing list of White House aides, campaign staff and allies now sidelined with Covid-19.
Harris immediately put Pence on the defensive, calling Trump’s pandemic response “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country”. Trump and Pence “still don’t have a plan", she said.
00:38
Pence shot back that much of Biden’s proposed coronavirus response is action the federal government is already taking. More clearly than Trump perhaps ever has done, Pence expressed sympathy for all those affected by the pandemic, and he accused Harris of “playing politics with people’s lives”. Harris has accused Trump of politicising the vaccine development process.
In fact, Biden’s plan does have elements that Trump’s doesn’t. Biden has called for the president to issue a mask mandate on federal property and has urged governors and mayors to do the same. He has called for using other federal spending and regulatory power. But Harris skipped those details.
Instead, she faulted the Trump administration for trying to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare law, widely known as Obamacare, in the midst of a pandemic. She warned that the Trump administration’s challenge to the ACA would enable insurance companies to deny coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions: “If you love someone who has a pre-existing condition, they’re coming for you.”
Pence called the ACA, popularly known as Obamacare, a “disaster”.
The US Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments over the law a week after the election.
Taxes and the economy
Harris also assailed Trump for reportedly paying $750 a year in federal income taxes as president.
“When I first heard about it, I literally said, ‘You mean $750,000?’” Harris said, referring to a New York Times investigation. “And it was like, ‘No – $750’”.
Pence sought to counter Harris’s attacks by turning the focus to the economy and tax policy, saying: “On Day One, Joe Biden’s going to raise your taxes.” Harris responded by saying that Biden has vowed not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year and highlighted the “30 million people who, in the last several months, had to file for unemployment” in the pandemic-induced recession.
00:17
The vice president also asserted that Biden would ban fracking and embrace the Green New Deal, a massive green stimulus proposal backed by the progressive wing of the Democratic party, including Biden’s primary opponent Bernie Sanders. Biden, however, has disavowed both of those positions.
Black Lives Matter protests
Where Harris spoke proudly of joining racial justice protests, Pence denied the existence of systemic racism.
Harris, the first Black woman on a presidential ticket, spoke passionately about “people around our country of every race, of every age, of every gender” who “marched, shoulder to shoulder, arm and arm, fighting for us to finally achieve that ideal of equal justice under law”.
Still, she said, “We are never going to condone violence."
03:55
Pence, in contrast, proclaimed his trust for the justice system and put the focus on incidents of violence, saying there was “no excuse for the rioting and looting” – a key message for Trump’s re-election campaign.
He also argued that the idea that “America’s systemically racist” and that police have an implicit bias against minorities “is a great insult to the men and women” who serve in law enforcement.
Few clear answers on the Supreme Court
Perhaps Pence’s most aggressive line of attack on Harris was pressing her for an answer on whether a Biden administration would “pack” the Supreme Court by adding liberal justices if Democrats win the White House. Harris didn’t take the bait, just as Biden hasn’t in recent weeks.
Pence clearly sees the court vacancy as a winning issue for the Republican ticket. He hailed Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who would succeed the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg if she’s confirmed, as expected, before the election. At least twice, he spoke directly to voters warning that Biden and Democrats would expand the court if they “don’t get their way” on blocking Barrett.
00:35
Harris seemingly missed an opportunity to remind Pence and the audience that the court’s Republican lean comes because the GOP-led Senate in 2016 refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee in the spring of 2016, carrying over a vacancy that Trump filled in 2017. She did, however, invoke Republican Abraham Lincoln, who declined to make a Supreme Court nomination less than a month before his reelection.
The senator did manage to turn Pence’s “pack the court” attack around by noting that Trump’s slate of federal court appointees has been overwhelmingly white. And she underscored Democrats’ argument and public polling that suggests most voters think the Senate should wait until after the election to fill the current Supreme Court vacancy.
Other questions dodged
The Supreme Court was not the only area where the candidates avoided taking clear positions.
Pence and Harris repeatedly dodged and sidestepped queries from debate moderator Susan Page, answering questions however they wanted.
The vice president danced around the Rose Garden Supreme Court ceremony last weekend that is now considered a spreader event and instead pivoted to platitudes about personal responsibility. He said he and the president “trust the American people to make choices” while accusing Harris of Biden of pushing mandates.
When both were asked whether they had discussed succession plans with their far older running mates in case they are incapacitated, Pence instead slammed Harris for her “continuous undermining of confidence in a vaccine” to fight the coronavirus.
00:33
Harris, meanwhile, used the question to share her biography, telling the story of her immigrant mother and her election as the first woman and the first Black person elected as attorney general in California.
Missions accomplished?
With the president’s poll numbers flagging since his manic debate performance and his infection with the coronavirus, Pence appeared to be on one mission: to stop the freefall.
Instead of speaking to on-the-fence independents or working to change the minds of undecided voters, Pence seemed intent on trying to keep the president’s base behind him.
Harris had a different burden because she is less well known. She introduced herself as credible and competent and likely assured Democratic voters that she is capable of stepping into the role of commander in chief if needed.
And she gamely defended Biden, another classic role for a vice president, broadly framing Trump’s tenure as a failure and Biden as suited to pick up the pieces.
A CNN snap poll appeared to confirm her success, with 59% of respondents calling Harris the winner and just 38% preferring Pence’s performance.
2016 VP debate winner (CNN poll):
Pence 48%
Kaine 42%
2020 VP debate winner (CNN poll):
Harris 59%
Pence 38% — Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) October 8, 2020
‘Fly will vote’
In many respects, Wednesday’s face-off defied both the traditionally lacklustre tone of vice presidential debates and the chaotic one set by last week’s battle between Trump and Biden. It gave both candidates far more opportunities to address policy issues, and they did so with what appeared to be carefully prepared talking points.
Not all viewers, though, found the policy debates most memorable. Instead, post-debate discussion on social media was consumed with the two minutes when a fly rested on Pence’s well-combed white hair. The vice president did not flinch.
As the moment quickly turned into a viral meme, the Biden campaign pounced, grabbing the internet domain flywillvote.com, tweeting it out from his account, and taking users to a site for voter registration and information – a striking reflection of how the “most important VP debate in US history” played out in the social media age.
Revisit more debate highlights in FRANCE 24’s live blog below.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-10-07--US Open champ DeChambeau brings beefed up game back to TPC Summerlin

US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau brings his big-hitting game back to TPC Summerlin this week , aiming to add a second victory in Las Vegas to his resume as he looks toward next months ' Masters .
It was a year ago in Las Vegas -- after a tie for fourth in his defense of his 2019 title -- that DeChambeau confided his plan to bulk up his body in a quest for greater distance .
`` You 're going to see some pretty big changes in my body , which is going to be a good thing , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting it a lot further . ''
His approach has yielded dividends , most notably an impressive first major title at last month 's pandemic-delayed US Open at Winged Foot , where he tossed convention out the window with booming drives and used his strength to muscle his way out of trouble .
A win this week might bear little resemblance to his 2019 victory , with DeChambeau saying he could reach as many as four of the course 's par-fours off the tee and can certainly reach all of the par-fives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I 'm going to try and drive them , get it up as close to the green as possible , '' DeChambeau said Wednesday .
`` There will be holes where I had to hit three-wood and now I 'm hitting four-iron off the tees . ''
DeChambeau gave onlookers a taste of what to expect on the driving range .
The PGA Tour posted video on Twitter of DeChambeau bombing practice drives from 40 yards behind his rivals .
He is paired in the first two rounds with Cameron Champ , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's driving distance rankings , and big-hitting Matthew Wolff , who was runner-up to DeChambeau at the US Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic last July .
But even though DeChambeau has made distance a priority , he said it 's not the only key to his game .
`` At the same point in time it 's about putting , chipping , wedging , '' he said .
`` You 've still got to do everything else really well .
`` So if I play well , ball strike it well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll have a good chance again .
Love this golf course . ''
The player nicknamed `` The Professor '' has been busy experimenting since his US Open victory , notably with a longer , 48-inch driver that he hopes to unveil at Augusta National .
`` Still need to get some things worked out , but so far it 's been pretty amazing , '' he said .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau brings his big-hitting game back to TPC Summerlin this week, aiming to add a second victory in Las Vegas to his resume as he looks toward next months' Masters.
It was a year ago in Las Vegas -- after a tie for fourth in his defense of his 2019 title -- that DeChambeau confided his plan to bulk up his body in a quest for greater distance.
"You're going to see some pretty big changes in my body, which is going to be a good thing," he said. "Going to be hitting it a lot further."
His approach has yielded dividends, most notably an impressive first major title at last month's pandemic-delayed US Open at Winged Foot, where he tossed convention out the window with booming drives and used his strength to muscle his way out of trouble.
A win this week might bear little resemblance to his 2019 victory, with DeChambeau saying he could reach as many as four of the course's par-fours off the tee and can certainly reach all of the par-fives in two.
"There will be holes where I'm going to try and drive them, get it up as close to the green as possible," DeChambeau said Wednesday. "There will be holes where I had to hit three-wood and now I'm hitting four-iron off the tees."
DeChambeau gave onlookers a taste of what to expect on the driving range. The PGA Tour posted video on Twitter of DeChambeau bombing practice drives from 40 yards behind his rivals.
He is paired in the first two rounds with Cameron Champ, the player DeChambeau supplanted atop the tour's driving distance rankings, and big-hitting Matthew Wolff, who was runner-up to DeChambeau at the US Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic last July.
But even though DeChambeau has made distance a priority, he said it's not the only key to his game.
"At the same point in time it's about putting, chipping, wedging," he said. "You've still got to do everything else really well.
"So if I play well, ball strike it well, and putt well, I think I'll have a good chance again. Love this golf course."
The player nicknamed "The Professor" has been busy experimenting since his US Open victory, notably with a longer, 48-inch driver that he hopes to unveil at Augusta National.
"Still need to get some things worked out, but so far it's been pretty amazing," he said.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--France shine, Germany moan and Ronaldo rattles Spain in Europe

France 's 7-1 thrashing of Ukraine was the pick of the European friendlies on Wednesday as Spain clung on for a draw in Lisbon and Turkey saved pride with a late goal against Germany in Cologne .
At the Stade de France it was teenager Eduardo Camavinga and veteran Olivier Giroud inflicting much of the damage for Didier Deschamps ' world champions on Covid-19 hit Ukraine .
The 17-year-old Camavinga put himself on the map becoming the youngest man to score for France in over a century with an audacious overhead flick for the ninth minute opener .
Deschamps made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in return the Chelsea forward scored a first-half brace that left him on 42 international goals , just nine short of Thiery Henry on 51 .
`` Well that 's two more in the bag and it was already quite a significant haul was n't it , '' said Deschamps , who has persisted with Giroud over the years when France seemed to be coming down with top strikers .
`` I 'll just carry on and see how far it goes , '' said Giroud , 34 .
PSG 's Kylian Mbappe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann were also on the mark with fine strikes .
Ukraine 's team had been so ravaged by injury and the coronavirus they included a 45-year-old coach as second 'keeper for the night .
European champions in 2016 Portugal return to the Stade de France in the Nations League on Sunday and used a friendly with their Iberian rivals Spain to warm up .
Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal , who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the better team early on at the Jose Alvalade stadium and also went close .
`` I think we were better than Portugal , '' said Spain coach Luis Enrique .
`` For sure they had two shots on the break that hit the bar and one that Kepa saved but we had chances as well . ''
Both sit top of their Nations League groups , Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain have four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany .
Germany coach Joachim Loew bemoaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to a lead after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Turkey .
Stuttgart-born Kenan Karaman bundled in a late leveller against the country of his birth as Turkey fought back from behind three times to snatch a draw and leave Loew scratching his head .
`` I ’ m disappointed and frustrated .
We have had this problem for a while , and the same thing happened in other games , '' the Germany coach told broadcaster RTL .
The draw was Germany ’ s third in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a row that they have failed to win after taking the lead .
Veteran striker Francesco Caputo scored on his Italy debut with Stephan El Shaarawy adding a brace as an experimental Azzurri side crushed Moldova 6-0 .
Roberto Mancini lined out with Italy 's ' B ' side without their stars as the Italians build towards next year 's European championships , having failed to reach the 2018 World Cup .
Against the modest Moldovans the Italians extended Mancini 's unbeaten run to 17 consecutive games , with 14 wins and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many interesting things , '' said Mancini , whose side were five goals up at the break .
Italy , top of their Nations Leagues group with four points , play in Poland on Sunday and the Netherlands in Bergamo next Wednesday , with both on three points .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
France's 7-1 thrashing of Ukraine was the pick of the European friendlies on Wednesday as Spain clung on for a draw in Lisbon and Turkey saved pride with a late goal against Germany in Cologne.
At the Stade de France it was teenager Eduardo Camavinga and veteran Olivier Giroud inflicting much of the damage for Didier Deschamps' world champions on Covid-19 hit Ukraine.
The 17-year-old Camavinga put himself on the map becoming the youngest man to score for France in over a century with an audacious overhead flick for the ninth minute opener.
Deschamps made Giroud captain for his 100th appearance and in return the Chelsea forward scored a first-half brace that left him on 42 international goals, just nine short of Thiery Henry on 51.
"Well that's two more in the bag and it was already quite a significant haul wasn't it," said Deschamps, who has persisted with Giroud over the years when France seemed to be coming down with top strikers.
"I'll just carry on and see how far it goes," said Giroud, 34.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe, Bayern Munich's Corentin Tolisso and Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann were also on the mark with fine strikes.
Ukraine's team had been so ravaged by injury and the coronavirus they included a 45-year-old coach as second 'keeper for the night.
European champions in 2016 Portugal return to the Stade de France in the Nations League on Sunday and used a friendly with their Iberian rivals Spain to warm up.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post.
Spain were the better team early on at the Jose Alvalade stadium and also went close.
"I think we were better than Portugal," said Spain coach Luis Enrique. "For sure they had two shots on the break that hit the bar and one that Kepa saved but we had chances as well."
Both sit top of their Nations League groups, Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain have four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany.
- 'I'm disappointed' -
Germany coach Joachim Loew bemoaned his side’s inability to hold on to a lead after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Turkey.
Stuttgart-born Kenan Karaman bundled in a late leveller against the country of his birth as Turkey fought back from behind three times to snatch a draw and leave Loew scratching his head.
"I’m disappointed and frustrated. We have had this problem for a while, and the same thing happened in other games," the Germany coach told broadcaster RTL.
The draw was Germany’s third in three games, and the third time in a row that they have failed to win after taking the lead.
Veteran striker Francesco Caputo scored on his Italy debut with Stephan El Shaarawy adding a brace as an experimental Azzurri side crushed Moldova 6-0.
Roberto Mancini lined out with Italy's 'B' side without their stars as the Italians build towards next year's European championships, having failed to reach the 2018 World Cup.
Against the modest Moldovans the Italians extended Mancini's unbeaten run to 17 consecutive games, with 14 wins and three draws.
"I've seen so many interesting things," said Mancini, whose side were five goals up at the break.
Italy, top of their Nations Leagues group with four points, play in Poland on Sunday and the Netherlands in Bergamo next Wednesday, with both on three points.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--With this California startup, no need for whiskey to age

Is the world ready for whiskey produced in a process of `` accelerated maturation 2.0 '' ?
Silicon Valley is now taking aim at whiskey aged in barrels , with a start-up promising to mature spirits on a large scale in days instead of years with the same taste , color and aroma .
Bespoken Spirits , created by two partners in Menlo Park , California , said Wednesday it had raised $ 2.6 million in seed funding to launch its accelerated spirits aging process .
The company claims that its patent-pending system could save the spirits industry more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our sustainable approach helps customers go from concept to bottle in just days , '' said co-founder Stu Aaron .
`` We tailor the customer 's spirit to meet their specifications , using materials science and data analytics to save them years of time and as much as 70 percent of their costs .
According to a Bespoken statement , there are more than 9.1 million barrels of bourbon and other spirits aging just in the state of Kentucky .
Each year , nearly 20 million gallons of spirits are lost `` to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and antiquated barrel aging process . ''
The company says that its proprietary technology `` extracts the key elements of the barrel that enhance aroma , color and taste ( ACT ) , managing the critical chemical reactions ... enabling billions of bespoken recipes within days , not years . ''
Whiskey usually takes at least three years to age , and the bulk of its flavor comes from the oak barrels used during the maturation process .
`` The traditional spirits production process is outdated , imprecise , unpredictable , unsustainable and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 've reimagined the process with modern science and sustainable technology , using the same all natural elements of wood , toast , and char . ''
Bespoken whiskeys and bourbons are already sold in stores and have even won competitions , the company says .
But how does it taste ?
The reviewer at WhiskeyWash.com gave it middling scores .
`` My first impression was of the smell of rust and antiseptic — not the most inviting of notes right out of the gate , '' reviewer John Dover wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mash .
`` It tastes of plastic with a hint of banana bread , like biting into your afternoon snack but forgetting to unwrap the cellophane first , '' he added .
He was a bit kinder when reviewing Bespoken 's rye whiskey flavored with charred American Oak staves .
`` Drinking this was similar to sitting down to a cooled bowl of oatmeal with raisins , '' he wrote .
`` There was an oakiness to the rye with a sharp cinnamon note on the front of the tongue . ''

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Silicon Valley is now taking aim at whiskey aged in barrels, with a start-up promising to mature spirits on a large scale in days instead of years with the same taste, color and aroma.
Bespoken Spirits, created by two partners in Menlo Park, California, said Wednesday it had raised $2.6 million in seed funding to launch its accelerated spirits aging process.
The company claims that its patent-pending system could save the spirits industry more than $20 billion a year.
"Our sustainable approach helps customers go from concept to bottle in just days," said co-founder Stu Aaron.
"We tailor the customer's spirit to meet their specifications, using materials science and data analytics to save them years of time and as much as 70 percent of their costs.
"This is accelerated maturation 2.0."
According to a Bespoken statement, there are more than 9.1 million barrels of bourbon and other spirits aging just in the state of Kentucky.
Each year, nearly 20 million gallons of spirits are lost "to evaporation due to the wasteful, time-consuming and antiquated barrel aging process."
The company says that its proprietary technology "extracts the key elements of the barrel that enhance aroma, color and taste (ACT), managing the critical chemical reactions... enabling billions of bespoken recipes within days, not years."
- 'Smell of rust and antiseptic' -
Whiskey usually takes at least three years to age, and the bulk of its flavor comes from the oak barrels used during the maturation process.
"The traditional spirits production process is outdated, imprecise, unpredictable, unsustainable and inefficient," said co-founder Martin Janousek.
"We've reimagined the process with modern science and sustainable technology, using the same all natural elements of wood, toast, and char."
Bespoken whiskeys and bourbons are already sold in stores and have even won competitions, the company says.
But how does it taste?
The reviewer at WhiskeyWash.com gave it middling scores.
"My first impression was of the smell of rust and antiseptic — not the most inviting of notes right out of the gate," reviewer John Dover wrote after tasting Bespoken whiskey distilled with bourbon mash.
"It tastes of plastic with a hint of banana bread, like biting into your afternoon snack but forgetting to unwrap the cellophane first," he added.
He was a bit kinder when reviewing Bespoken's rye whiskey flavored with charred American Oak staves.
"Drinking this was similar to sitting down to a cooled bowl of oatmeal with raisins," he wrote. "There was an oakiness to the rye with a sharp cinnamon note on the front of the tongue."
Investors include T.J Rodgers, owner of Clos de la Tech wine, and ex-pro baseball player Derek Jeter.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--Cheptegei, Gidey star in Valencia's night of broken records

Joshua Cheptegei smashed the 10,000m track world record and Ethiopia 's Letesenbet Gidey set a new mark for the women 's 5,000m on a heady night of athletics in Valencia on Wednesday .
All the talk in the run-up to the meet was of Cheptegei 's assault on Kenenisa Bekele 's time of 26min 17.53sec established in 2005 in Brussels .
The 24-year-old 10,000m world champion surpassed expectations , running the distance in 26mins 11.00 seconds to cement his standing as the new middle distance maestro .
This was his third world record this year .
In February he claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then , after a period of coronavirus lockdown in his native Uganda , he returned to Monaco and , in his first race back , wiped almost two seconds off Bekele 's 16-year-old track world record time over the 5,000m as he clocked 12min 35.36sec .
He becomes only the 10th athlete to concurrently hold the 5000m and 10000m world records .
Cheptegei served notice of his class when he took silver at the 2017 world championships in London when he was still just 20 .
Last year he went one better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already won the world cross country championship five months earlier .
Up to Wednesday Cheptegei only had the 18th quickest time over the distance with a best in Doha of 26min 48.36secs , over half a minute outside the record .
But his performance in August boded well and he was assisted by some rapid pacemakers , notably the Kenyan Nicholas Kimeli who was a world finalist over 5,000 metres , and electronic timing along the track .
Another factor for the fan of Manchester United was his footware , Nike 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gidey when she ran the earlier 5,000m in 14 minutes 6.62 seconds .
The 22-year-old was lowering the previous mark of 14min 11.15 held by her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba since 2008 by over four seconds .
Gidey put up the run of her short career a year after taking 10,000m silver at the world athletics championships in Doha .
With two pacemakers helping her record bid until the 3,000m marker Gidey maintained a ferocious pace to etch her name in athletics ' record books .
`` I 'm happy , '' said Gidey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for six years .
I want to thank Valencia for giving me this chance .
”

Valencia (Spain) (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
Joshua Cheptegei smashed the 10,000m track world record and Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey set a new mark for the women's 5,000m on a heady night of athletics in Valencia on Wednesday.
All the talk in the run-up to the meet was of Cheptegei's assault on Kenenisa Bekele's time of 26min 17.53sec established in 2005 in Brussels.
The 24-year-old 10,000m world champion surpassed expectations, running the distance in 26mins 11.00 seconds to cement his standing as the new middle distance maestro.
This was his third world record this year.
In February he claimed the world 5km road record in Monaco.
Then, after a period of coronavirus lockdown in his native Uganda, he returned to Monaco and, in his first race back, wiped almost two seconds off Bekele's 16-year-old track world record time over the 5,000m as he clocked 12min 35.36sec.
He becomes only the 10th athlete to concurrently hold the 5000m and 10000m world records.
Cheptegei served notice of his class when he took silver at the 2017 world championships in London when he was still just 20.
Last year he went one better, collecting gold in Doha. He had already won the world cross country championship five months earlier.
Up to Wednesday Cheptegei only had the 18th quickest time over the distance with a best in Doha of 26min 48.36secs, over half a minute outside the record.
But his performance in August boded well and he was assisted by some rapid pacemakers, notably the Kenyan Nicholas Kimeli who was a world finalist over 5,000 metres, and electronic timing along the track.
- 'I dreamed about this' -
Another factor for the fan of Manchester United was his footware, Nike's carbon-plated Nike Vaporfly worn by Ethiopia's Gidey when she ran the earlier 5,000m in 14 minutes 6.62 seconds.
The 22-year-old was lowering the previous mark of 14min 11.15 held by her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba since 2008 by over four seconds.
Gidey put up the run of her short career a year after taking 10,000m silver at the world athletics championships in Doha.
With two pacemakers helping her record bid until the 3,000m marker Gidey maintained a ferocious pace to etch her name in athletics' record books.
"I'm happy," said Gidey. "I dreamed about this record for six years. I want to thank Valencia for giving me this chance.”
© 2020 AFP