france24--2020-10-07--Plexiglass at Pence-Harris debate won't stop virus, warn experts

Workers install plexiglass protections on the stage of the debate hall ahead of the vice presidential debate in Kingsbury Hall of the University of Utah When US Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris debate on Wednesday , they will be separated by plexiglass barriers deemed inadequate by experts at stopping the flow of tiny viral particles around the hall .
Neither of them have tested positive for the coronavirus , according to the latest information -- but that does n't exclude the possibility they were infected after their last test or even before that , since the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's risen to a high enough level .
Since there has so far been no announcement on whether they will be wearing masks , the risk of spread is amplified .
Donald Milton , a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Maryland , told AFP : `` With 12 feet ( 3.6 meters ) of separation between the debaters , the plexiglass partitions will not provide added protection .
`` The partitions are only useful for blocking sprayborne transmission of large drops and droplets , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ partitions easily and can even accumulate in invisible eddies behind the partitions making the situation worse , not better . ''
At the start of the pandemic , the coronavirus was assumed to be driven mostly by bigger respiratory droplets , such as those emitted when we sneeze or cough .
These fall to the ground within seconds , generally within a distance of under six feet .
Since that time , multiple studies have shown smaller droplets emitted in normal speaking and breathing can be a mode of transmission too , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention have updated their guidance .
These smaller droplets are generally less than a tenth of a millimeter in diameter , can remain suspended in the air from minutes to hours , and travel much further from their source on air currents .
SARS-CoV-2 is n't as contagious as some other pathogens over long distances , such as the measles virus , but it can spread this way in the right circumstances , like prolonged time in an enclosed space .
The debate will take place at the University of Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the 1930s .
Jelena Srebric , a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland , explained that outside of hospitals and labs , air conditioning systems were n't designed with pathogens in mind .
`` What actually helps in large halls is the size of that volume and reduced occupancy , rather than the HVAC ( heating , ventilation and air conditioning ) system itself , '' she told AFP .
But she added that an HVAC system 's ability to clean indoor air becomes less effective the longer people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pathogens expelled by an ill person would build up over time .
Milton and Srebric wrote a letter to the debate organizers urging them to buy mobile air filtration units that cost a few hundred dollars -- or set up an even cheaper do-it-yourself solution involving box fans , High-efficiency particulate air filters ( HEPA filters ) , and duct tape .
They tested a setup where two box fans with taped-on filters were placed on either side of a debater , with the air flowing in one direction .
One fan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other would suck up their exhaled air and clean it , with the system reducing viral particles up to 50 percent .
But in all scenarios , the safest option would be for all participants to remain masked .
`` Millions of Americans will see this debate and then think that you can protect yourself from aerosol transmission indoors by a plexiglass barrier , '' tweeted Shelly Miller , a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder .

Salt Lake City (United States) (AFP) –
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When US Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris debate on Wednesday, they will be separated by plexiglass barriers deemed inadequate by experts at stopping the flow of tiny viral particles around the hall.
Neither of them have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the latest information -- but that doesn't exclude the possibility they were infected after their last test or even before that, since the virus isn't always picked up before it's risen to a high enough level.
Since there has so far been no announcement on whether they will be wearing masks, the risk of spread is amplified.
Donald Milton, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Maryland, told AFP: "With 12 feet (3.6 meters) of separation between the debaters, the plexiglass partitions will not provide added protection.
"The partitions are only useful for blocking sprayborne transmission of large drops and droplets," he said.
"Aerosol particles will travel around the partitions easily and can even accumulate in invisible eddies behind the partitions making the situation worse, not better."
At the start of the pandemic, the coronavirus was assumed to be driven mostly by bigger respiratory droplets, such as those emitted when we sneeze or cough.
These fall to the ground within seconds, generally within a distance of under six feet.
Since that time, multiple studies have shown smaller droplets emitted in normal speaking and breathing can be a mode of transmission too, and health authorities such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated their guidance.
These smaller droplets are generally less than a tenth of a millimeter in diameter, can remain suspended in the air from minutes to hours, and travel much further from their source on air currents.
SARS-CoV-2 isn't as contagious as some other pathogens over long distances, such as the measles virus, but it can spread this way in the right circumstances, like prolonged time in an enclosed space.
The debate will take place at the University of Utah's Kingsbury Hall, a high-ceilinged building from the 1930s.
- Box fans, duct tape and filters -
Jelena Srebric, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, explained that outside of hospitals and labs, air conditioning systems weren't designed with pathogens in mind.
"What actually helps in large halls is the size of that volume and reduced occupancy, rather than the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system itself," she told AFP.
But she added that an HVAC system's ability to clean indoor air becomes less effective the longer people spend time in a place, as the pathogens expelled by an ill person would build up over time.
Milton and Srebric wrote a letter to the debate organizers urging them to buy mobile air filtration units that cost a few hundred dollars -- or set up an even cheaper do-it-yourself solution involving box fans, High-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA filters), and duct tape.
They tested a setup where two box fans with taped-on filters were placed on either side of a debater, with the air flowing in one direction.
One fan would waft filtered air toward them and the other would suck up their exhaled air and clean it, with the system reducing viral particles up to 50 percent.
But in all scenarios, the safest option would be for all participants to remain masked.
"Millions of Americans will see this debate and then think that you can protect yourself from aerosol transmission indoors by a plexiglass barrier," tweeted Shelly Miller, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-07--Pandemic reshuffle hurting NBA television ratings

Television viewing figures for the NBA Finals have fallen to record lows but the slump is part of a broader trend caused by a sporting calendar thrown into chaos by Covid-19 , industry analysts say .
While LeBron James and Jimmy Butler have served up a series of high-quality performances through the first four games of the finals , the basketball showpiece has failed to capture its usual US television audience .
Game one of the finals last Wednesday was watched by 7.41 million people according to figures on the Sports Media Watch website , compared to 13.4 million viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
Game two last Friday fell to 6.61 million while game three tumbled further to 5.94 million , the lowest total ever recorded for an NBA Finals game .
Critics of the NBA claim the fall-off in viewers is attributable to the league 's decision to place social justice issues in the forefront of the sport since it resumed in Orlando in July .
`` The NBA is engaged in a concerted effort to ( 1 ) insult their fans & ( 2 ) turn every game into a left-wing political lecture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a comment on Twitter , using the hashtag `` GoWokeGoBroke '' in a separate post .
Yet linking the TV viewing slump to the NBA 's embrace of the `` Black Lives Matter '' movement ignores multiple , unprecedented factors suspected of affecting viewing figures across all US sports .
With the Covid-19 pandemic sending sport in North America into a shutdown in March , the NBA was only able to return in July -- a month after the season traditionally winds up in June .
That has left basketball in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NFL , far and away the most popular televised sport in the United States , as well as the climax of the baseball season .
Game one of this year 's finals clashed with Major League Baseball playoff games involving the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the New York Yankees , drawing viewers from the two biggest media markets in the United States .
Game three of the finals went head-to-head with the NFL 's traditional `` Sunday Night Football '' , a staple of weekend sports television in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL and MLB post-season is a first , and the competition has had a negative effect on audience delivery , '' media consultant Brad Adgate told the Front Office Sports website .
The NBA Finals are also taking place in subdued fan-free arenas , diminishing the sense of spectacle for television audiences .
Fierce competition from the news cycle -- the finals are being held just weeks away from the November 3 US presidential election -- is another drain on ratings , experts argue .
`` It represents a highly fractionalized environment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their finals in , against some pretty steep competition , '' Patrick Crakes , a media consultant and former Fox Sports executive told AFP .
Crakes is skeptical that politics is driving the declining NBA viewing figures .
`` I know people want to read politics into this , '' he said .
`` There may be something to it , but I 'd need a clean environment to make that call . ''
The theory that politics is behind the NBA slump is also undermined by consistent declines across other sporting events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Ice hockey 's Stanley Cup Final average viewing figures fell by around 61 % , while the US Open golf championship 's final round tumbled 56 % to an all-time low .
Both US horse racing classics , the Kentucky Derby and Preakness , also registered sharp drops , tumbling 43 % and 31 % respectively , as well as motorsport 's Indianapolis 500 , which fell 32 % to an all-time low .
Crakes , meanwhile , believes that viewing numbers will bounce back next year , once the sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would expect things to reset somewhere back to normal next year , '' he said .
`` I do n't think this is a permanent condition . ''

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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Television viewing figures for the NBA Finals have fallen to record lows but the slump is part of a broader trend caused by a sporting calendar thrown into chaos by Covid-19, industry analysts say.
While LeBron James and Jimmy Butler have served up a series of high-quality performances through the first four games of the finals, the basketball showpiece has failed to capture its usual US television audience.
Game one of the finals last Wednesday was watched by 7.41 million people according to figures on the Sports Media Watch website, compared to 13.4 million viewers for 2019's game one in late May.
Game two last Friday fell to 6.61 million while game three tumbled further to 5.94 million, the lowest total ever recorded for an NBA Finals game.
Critics of the NBA claim the fall-off in viewers is attributable to the league's decision to place social justice issues in the forefront of the sport since it resumed in Orlando in July.
"The NBA is engaged in a concerted effort to (1) insult their fans & (2) turn every game into a left-wing political lecture," Republican Senator Ted Cruz wrote in a comment on Twitter, using the hashtag "GoWokeGoBroke" in a separate post.
Yet linking the TV viewing slump to the NBA's embrace of the "Black Lives Matter" movement ignores multiple, unprecedented factors suspected of affecting viewing figures across all US sports.
With the Covid-19 pandemic sending sport in North America into a shutdown in March, the NBA was only able to return in July -- a month after the season traditionally winds up in June.
That has left basketball in the unaccustomed position of jostling for attention against the NFL, far and away the most popular televised sport in the United States, as well as the climax of the baseball season.
- Diminished spectacle? -
Game one of this year's finals clashed with Major League Baseball playoff games involving the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the New York Yankees, drawing viewers from the two biggest media markets in the United States.
Game three of the finals went head-to-head with the NFL's traditional "Sunday Night Football", a staple of weekend sports television in the US.
"Going up head-to-head with the NFL and MLB post-season is a first, and the competition has had a negative effect on audience delivery," media consultant Brad Adgate told the Front Office Sports website.
The NBA Finals are also taking place in subdued fan-free arenas, diminishing the sense of spectacle for television audiences.
Fierce competition from the news cycle -- the finals are being held just weeks away from the November 3 US presidential election -- is another drain on ratings, experts argue.
"It represents a highly fractionalized environment that is atypical for the NBA to air their finals in, against some pretty steep competition," Patrick Crakes, a media consultant and former Fox Sports executive told AFP.
Crakes is skeptical that politics is driving the declining NBA viewing figures.
"I know people want to read politics into this," he said. "There may be something to it, but I'd need a clean environment to make that call."
The theory that politics is behind the NBA slump is also undermined by consistent declines across other sporting events forced to reschedule because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ice hockey's Stanley Cup Final average viewing figures fell by around 61%, while the US Open golf championship's final round tumbled 56% to an all-time low.
Both US horse racing classics, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, also registered sharp drops, tumbling 43% and 31% respectively, as well as motorsport's Indianapolis 500, which fell 32% to an all-time low.
Crakes, meanwhile, believes that viewing numbers will bounce back next year, once the sporting calendar returns to its usual schedule.
"I would expect things to reset somewhere back to normal next year," he said.
"I don't think this is a permanent condition."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Liverpool's Shaqiri finally negative for Covid-19, uncertain for Spain

Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri ( third on the right ) was eventually given a negative result after initially testing positive @ @ @ @ @ Shaqiri has finally returned a negative Covid-19 test , but that of Borussia Dortmund 's @ @ @ @ @ , the Swiss football federation announced on Thursday .
Shaqiri had joined up with the @ @ @ @ @ of the week hoping to make his first appearance for his country since June 2019 @ @ @ @ @ , initially announced on Tuesday he had tested positive , but the written results received @ @ @ @ @ negative .
It is not certain that Shaqiri , who missed Wednesday 's friendly against @ @ @ @ @ Spain in the Nations League on Saturday , although he will travel with the squad @ @ @ @ @ committee must now decide whether he 's able to play on Saturday .
At this @ @ @ @ @ to know when the decision will be taken , '' the federation added .
`` @ @ @ @ @ and is still not showing any symptoms , '' it added .

Geneva (AFP) –
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Switzerland's Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri has finally returned a negative Covid-19 test, but that of Borussia Dortmund's Manuel Akanji came back positive, the Swiss football federation announced on Thursday.
Shaqiri had joined up with the national set-up at the start of the week hoping to make his first appearance for his country since June 2019.
The federation, however, initially announced on Tuesday he had tested positive, but the written results received Thursday in fact showed a negative.
It is not certain that Shaqiri, who missed Wednesday's friendly against Croatia, will play against Spain in the Nations League on Saturday, although he will travel with the squad.
"UEFA's health committee must now decide whether he's able to play on Saturday. At this stage, it's impossible to know when the decision will be taken," the federation added.
"Manuel Akanji is in isolation and is still not showing any symptoms," it added.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Turkish army to reopen Cyprus beachfront sealed off since 1974

The Turkish army has sealed off the ghost resort of Varosha since 1974 , but its beach area is set to reopen on Thursday in a move that has sparked anger and controversy Turkish troops prepared Thursday to partially reopen the Cyprus seaside resort of Varosha , sealed off since its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled in 1974 , sparking controversy days before a Turkish Cypriot election .
The move at the former holiday paradise turned ghost-town threatened to further inflame tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean , where Turkey has been engaged in a bitter maritime disputes with Greece and Cyprus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new gate at the northern end of the fenced zone to allow public access for the first time since Turkish troops occupied the island 's northern third more than four decades ago following a Greek Cypriot coup seeking to annex Cyprus to Greece .
A seaside suburb of the historic city of Famagusta , Varosha was Cyprus 's premier resort in its early 1970s heyday , frequented by Hollywood stars and other celebrities .
But the Turkish invasion prompted a mass exodus of the city 's Greek Cypriot inhabitants , consolidating an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
The only regular visitors to Varosha have been Turkish troops guarding the fenced zone 's southern limit where it abuts Cyprus government-held territory and the occasional UN peacekeeping patrol .
Turkish Cypriot prime minister Ersin Tatar announced the reopening on Tuesday after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
The move was widely criticised as an attempt by Ankara to sway Sunday 's presidential election in the nationalist 's favour .
Tatar , whose National Unity Party ( UBP ) is the largest in the breakaway state 's parliament , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , which was delayed from April by the coronavirus pandemic .
Opinion polls suggest the incumbent is likely to win an expected second-round runoff against Tatar after the rest of the field has been eliminated .
Akinci strongly criticised the manner of Varosha 's reopening , describing it as an act of partisanship by Ankara that was likely to complicate Turkish Cypriot relations with the international community .
`` These measures are aimed solely at boosting the chances of one candidate , '' he said , adding that they were a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in a difficult situation on the international stage . ''
Akinci led the Turkish Cypriot delegation to the last round of UN-backed reunification talks which collapsed in Switzerland in July 2017 .
As leader of the island 's minority community , he is the only Turkish Cypriot official to have international status , but has difficult relations with Ankara , the only government which recognises the breakaway state in the north .
The Turkish Cypriots have long considered unilaterally reopening Varosha as a means of jump-starting talks .
But they have previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition from the island 's internationally recognised government and the international community .
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said he regarded the partial reopening of the Varosha beachfront as a `` flagrant violation of international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council '' .
Greek Cypriot protests were planned along the UN-patrolled armistice line that divides the island .
Greece warned that it would join fellow EU member Cyprus in a new push for the bloc to impose sanctions on Turkey .
`` Turkey must take a step back .
If it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed by EU leaders next week , '' said government spokesman Stelios Petsas .
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was `` very concerned '' about the reopening and stressed the `` urgency of restoring confidence and not of creating greater divisions '' .
Even if an eventual settlement between the two communities makes the redevelopment of Varosha a possibility , it is likely to take many years .
The luxury hotels that were a favoured haunt of Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Varosha 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A master plan for their demolition and the construction of a new resort will have to be drawn up that respects the property rights of those who fled .
Without the legitimacy that can only come with a settlement , it is unlikely that the huge investments required will ever be raised .
UN Security Council resolutions and successive UN-backed peace plans have all called for Varosha 's displaced inhabitants to be allowed to return , whether under UN administration as an interim measure or under Greek Cypriot administration as part of @ @ @ @

Varosha (Cyprus) (AFP) –
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Turkish troops prepared Thursday to partially reopen the Cyprus seaside resort of Varosha, sealed off since its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled in 1974, sparking controversy days before a Turkish Cypriot election.
The move at the former holiday paradise turned ghost-town threatened to further inflame tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey has been engaged in a bitter maritime disputes with Greece and Cyprus.
The army was expected to open a new gate at the northern end of the fenced zone to allow public access for the first time since Turkish troops occupied the island's northern third more than four decades ago following a Greek Cypriot coup seeking to annex Cyprus to Greece.
A seaside suburb of the historic city of Famagusta, Varosha was Cyprus's premier resort in its early 1970s heyday, frequented by Hollywood stars and other celebrities.
But the Turkish invasion prompted a mass exodus of the city's Greek Cypriot inhabitants, consolidating an ethnic divide that has persisted to this day.
The only regular visitors to Varosha have been Turkish troops guarding the fenced zone's southern limit where it abuts Cyprus government-held territory and the occasional UN peacekeeping patrol.
Turkish Cypriot prime minister Ersin Tatar announced the reopening on Tuesday after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The move was widely criticised as an attempt by Ankara to sway Sunday's presidential election in the nationalist's favour.
Tatar, whose National Unity Party (UBP) is the largest in the breakaway state's parliament, is challenging dovish incumbent Mustafa Akinci in the vote, which was delayed from April by the coronavirus pandemic.
Opinion polls suggest the incumbent is likely to win an expected second-round runoff against Tatar after the rest of the field has been eliminated.
Akinci strongly criticised the manner of Varosha's reopening, describing it as an act of partisanship by Ankara that was likely to complicate Turkish Cypriot relations with the international community.
"These measures are aimed solely at boosting the chances of one candidate," he said, adding that they were a "mistake that will put the Turkish Cypriot people in a difficult situation on the international stage."
Akinci led the Turkish Cypriot delegation to the last round of UN-backed reunification talks which collapsed in Switzerland in July 2017.
As leader of the island's minority community, he is the only Turkish Cypriot official to have international status, but has difficult relations with Ankara, the only government which recognises the breakaway state in the north.
- 'Flagrant violation' -
The Turkish Cypriots have long considered unilaterally reopening Varosha as a means of jump-starting talks.
But they have previously always held back in the face of opposition from the island's internationally recognised government and the international community.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said he regarded the partial reopening of the Varosha beachfront as a "flagrant violation of international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council".
Greek Cypriot protests were planned along the UN-patrolled armistice line that divides the island.
Greece warned that it would join fellow EU member Cyprus in a new push for the bloc to impose sanctions on Turkey.
"Turkey must take a step back. If it does not, the issue will be discussed by EU leaders next week," said government spokesman Stelios Petsas.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was "very concerned" about the reopening and stressed the "urgency of restoring confidence and not of creating greater divisions".
Even if an eventual settlement between the two communities makes the redevelopment of Varosha a possibility, it is likely to take many years.
The luxury hotels that were a favoured haunt of Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Varosha's heyday have long since decayed beyond repair.
A master plan for their demolition and the construction of a new resort will have to be drawn up that respects the property rights of those who fled.
Without the legitimacy that can only come with a settlement, it is unlikely that the huge investments required will ever be raised.
UN Security Council resolutions and successive UN-backed peace plans have all called for Varosha's displaced inhabitants to be allowed to return, whether under UN administration as an interim measure or under Greek Cypriot administration as part of a comprehensive settlement.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--American poet Louise Gluck wins Nobel Literature Prize

The Nobel Literature Prize went Thursday to American poet Louise Gluck , known for themes of childhood and family life that draw inspiration from myths and classical motifs .
Gluck , 77 , was honoured `` for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal , '' the Academy said .
Gluck has previously won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection `` The Wild Iris '' , and the National Book Award for her latest collection , `` Faithful and Virtuous Night '' , in 2014 .
The Academy 's permanent secretary Mats Malm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before making the public announcement .
`` The message came as a surprise , but a welcome one as far as I could tell , '' Malm told reporters .
She is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Literature Prize in the past decade , and only the 16th since the Nobel prizes were first awarded in 1901 .
A professor of English at Yale University , Gluck `` seeks the universal , and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs , present in most of her works , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citation .
`` The voices of Dido , Persephone , and Eurydice -- the abandoned , the punished , the betrayed -- are masks for a self in transformation , as personal as it is universally valid . ''
Her collections `` The Triumph of Achilles '' ( 1985 ) and `` Ararat '' ( 1990 ) address `` almost brutally straightforward images of painful family relations '' , the jury said , noting that her use of a `` deceptively natural tone is striking '' , with `` no trace of poetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poet of radical change and rebirth , describing in her poem `` Snowdrops '' the miraculous return of life after winter , her work often marked by `` humour and biting wit '' .
The jury said her 2006 collection `` Averno '' was a `` masterly collection , a visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone 's descent into Hell in the captivity of Hades , the god of death . ''
`` She writes oneiric , narrative poetry recalling memories and travels , only to hesitate and pause for new insights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become magically present once again , '' the Academy concluded .
Last year , the Swedish Academy gave the nod to Austrian novelist Peter Handke which unleashed a flood of criticism , as many wondered how it could award a writer known for supporting Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in the Balkan wars and playing down his army 's atrocities .
The Academy defended that choice as being made solely on literary merit without political considerations .
The Nobel Prize comes with a medal and a prize sum of 10 million Swedish kronor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gluck would normally receive the 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 .

Stockholm (AFP) –
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The Nobel Literature Prize went Thursday to American poet Louise Gluck, known for themes of childhood and family life that draw inspiration from myths and classical motifs.
Gluck, 77, was honoured "for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal," the Academy said.
Gluck has previously won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection "The Wild Iris", and the National Book Award for her latest collection, "Faithful and Virtuous Night", in 2014.
The Academy's permanent secretary Mats Malm said he had spoken to Gluck just before making the public announcement.
"The message came as a surprise, but a welcome one as far as I could tell," Malm told reporters.
She is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Literature Prize in the past decade, and only the 16th since the Nobel prizes were first awarded in 1901.
A professor of English at Yale University, Gluck "seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs, present in most of her works," the Academy said in its prize citation.
"The voices of Dido, Persephone, and Eurydice -- the abandoned, the punished, the betrayed -- are masks for a self in transformation, as personal as it is universally valid."
Her collections "The Triumph of Achilles" (1985) and "Ararat" (1990) address "almost brutally straightforward images of painful family relations", the jury said, noting that her use of a "deceptively natural tone is striking", with "no trace of poetic ornament."
Gluck is also a poet of radical change and rebirth, describing in her poem "Snowdrops" the miraculous return of life after winter, her work often marked by "humour and biting wit".
- 'Masterly'-
The jury said her 2006 collection "Averno" was a "masterly collection, a visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone's descent into Hell in the captivity of Hades, the god of death."
"She writes oneiric, narrative poetry recalling memories and travels, only to hesitate and pause for new insights. The world is disenthralled, only to become magically present once again," the Academy concluded.
Last year, the Swedish Academy gave the nod to Austrian novelist Peter Handke which unleashed a flood of criticism, as many wondered how it could award a writer known for supporting Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in the Balkan wars and playing down his army's atrocities.
The Academy defended that choice as being made solely on literary merit without political considerations.
The Nobel Prize comes with a medal and a prize sum of 10 million Swedish kronor (about $1.1 million).
Gluck would normally receive the 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.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala, S. Korea's Yoo in run-off to lead WTO

South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria 's former foreign and finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are the finalists to lead the WTO The World Trade Organization is set to have its first female leader after Nigeria 's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korea 's Yoo Myung-hee made it through Thursday to the final run-off .
Whoever wins the contest -- with a decision due before November 7 -- will take over an organisation mired in multiple crises and struggling to help member states navigate a severe global economic slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic .
Roberto Azevedo stepped down as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of schedule .
The initial pool of eight candidates to replace the Brazilian career diplomat was narrowed down to five in last month 's first round .
Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo saw off competition from Britain 's Liam Fox , Kenya 's Amina Mohamed and Saudi Arabia 's Mohammad al-Tuwaijri in the second round of the battle to become the next WTO director-general .
`` All three of the departing candidates ' delegations agreed to withdraw and wished their very best to the two ongoing candidates , Minister Yoo and Dr Ngozi , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global trade body 's headquarters in Geneva .
Rather than voting , the WTO 's 164 member states narrow down the field by a process of finding consensus around candidates .
The third stage of consultations will run from October 19 to October 27 , with a winner to be announced before November 7 , said Rockwell .
Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo received a boost earlier this week when EU member states officially threw their weight behind them .
Okonjo-Iweala , 66 , served as her country 's first female finance and foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind her as a development economist at the World Bank , eventually becoming its number two .
She is also on Twitter 's board of directors and is a special envoy for the World Health Organization 's Covid-19 fight .
If Okonjo-Iweala wins , she would become the first African to lead the global trade body .
`` Dr Iweala 's qualities and experience in managing multilateral issues , in trade facilitation and negotiation as well as brokering deals and agreements with high political stakes , put her in good standing , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday 's announcement .
Yoo , 53 , is South Korea 's first female trade minister .
She has enjoyed a career in trade diplomacy and foreign affairs in which she struck free trade agreements with China and the United States .
`` Both of the women in the final round are remarkably well-qualified , '' Rockwell said .
`` This is something on which everyone is agreed .
We 've been impressed with them from the very beginning .
They are people with long experience dealing with tricky issues .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job will have a very full plate from day one . ''
Already before the Covid-19 crisis hit , the WTO was grappling with stalled trade talks and struggling to curb tensions between the United States and China .
The global trade body has also faced relentless attacks from Washington , which has crippled the WTO dispute settlement appeal system and threatened to leave the organisation altogether .
`` We do need a director-general , and the sooner she can take office , the better , '' Rockwell said .
He insisted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not linked to the US presidential election on November 3 , and fears that the campaign for the White House might cripple the WTO leadership process have not materialised .
`` I do n't think the domestic political situation of any country has really entered into this at all , '' Rockwell said .
The WTO forecast on Tuesday that global trade , devastated by the coronavirus crisis , will shrink by less than previously expected this year at minus 9.2 percent , but the rebound in 2021 will also be much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Geneva (AFP) –
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The World Trade Organization is set to have its first female leader after Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korea's Yoo Myung-hee made it through Thursday to the final run-off.
Whoever wins the contest -- with a decision due before November 7 -- will take over an organisation mired in multiple crises and struggling to help member states navigate a severe global economic slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Roberto Azevedo stepped down as WTO chief in August a year ahead of schedule. The initial pool of eight candidates to replace the Brazilian career diplomat was narrowed down to five in last month's first round.
Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo saw off competition from Britain's Liam Fox, Kenya's Amina Mohamed and Saudi Arabia's Mohammad al-Tuwaijri in the second round of the battle to become the next WTO director-general.
"All three of the departing candidates' delegations agreed to withdraw and wished their very best to the two ongoing candidates, Minister Yoo and Dr Ngozi," WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told reporters at the global trade body's headquarters in Geneva.
Rather than voting, the WTO's 164 member states narrow down the field by a process of finding consensus around candidates.
The third stage of consultations will run from October 19 to October 27, with a winner to be announced before November 7, said Rockwell.
- Full plate ahead -
Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo received a boost earlier this week when EU member states officially threw their weight behind them.
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, served as her country's first female finance and foreign minister, and has a 25-year career behind her as a development economist at the World Bank, eventually becoming its number two.
She is also on Twitter's board of directors and is a special envoy for the World Health Organization's Covid-19 fight.
If Okonjo-Iweala wins, she would become the first African to lead the global trade body.
"Dr Iweala's qualities and experience in managing multilateral issues, in trade facilitation and negotiation as well as brokering deals and agreements with high political stakes, put her in good standing," Nigeria trade minister Mariam Katagum said following Thursday's announcement.
Yoo, 53, is South Korea's first female trade minister. She has enjoyed a career in trade diplomacy and foreign affairs in which she struck free trade agreements with China and the United States.
"Both of the women in the final round are remarkably well-qualified," Rockwell said.
"This is something on which everyone is agreed. We've been impressed with them from the very beginning. They are people with long experience dealing with tricky issues.
"It's clear that whichever woman assumes this job will have a very full plate from day one."
- US-China tensions -
Already before the Covid-19 crisis hit, the WTO was grappling with stalled trade talks and struggling to curb tensions between the United States and China.
The global trade body has also faced relentless attacks from Washington, which has crippled the WTO dispute settlement appeal system and threatened to leave the organisation altogether.
"We do need a director-general, and the sooner she can take office, the better," Rockwell said.
He insisted that the timetable for picking the next leader was not linked to the US presidential election on November 3, and fears that the campaign for the White House might cripple the WTO leadership process have not materialised.
"I don't think the domestic political situation of any country has really entered into this at all," Rockwell said.
The WTO forecast on Tuesday that global trade, devastated by the coronavirus crisis, will shrink by less than previously expected this year at minus 9.2 percent, but the rebound in 2021 will also be much weaker than previously forecast at 7.2 percent.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--US poet Louise Glück wins 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature

American poet Louise Gluck won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for “ her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal ” , the Swedish Academy said on Thursday .
The Nobel prizes are named after dynamite inventor and wealthy businessman Alfred Nobel and have been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science , literature and peace in accordance with his will .
Nobel prizes for medicine , physics and chemistry were awarded earlier this week , and the peace prize is to be announced on Friday .
The literature prize has been dogged by controversy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 the Academy exceptionally named two winners after postponing the 2018 prize in the wake of a sexual assault scandal involving the husband of one of its members .
The secretive , 234-year-old Academy later announced changes it billed as improving the transparency of the awards process .
But one of the literature laureates announced last year , the Austrian novelist and playright Peter Handke , had drawn wide international criticism over his portrayal of Serbia as a victim during the 1990s Balkan wars and for attending the funeral of its nationalist strongman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention in 2006 while awaiting trial on genocide charges at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague .
The 2016 literature prize granted to American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan sharply divided opinion over whether a popular musician should be given an award that had been largely the domain of novelists and playwrights .
Like much of public life around the world , this year ’ s awards have taken place under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic , which led to the cancellation of the splashy Nobel prize-giving ceremony held each December in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be held with winners receiving their honours in their home countries .

American poet Louise Gluck won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for “her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”, the Swedish Academy said on Thursday.
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The Nobel prizes are named after dynamite inventor and wealthy businessman Alfred Nobel and have been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will.
Nobel prizes for medicine, physics and chemistry were awarded earlier this week, and the peace prize is to be announced on Friday.
The literature prize has been dogged by controversy over the past several years.
In 2019 the Academy exceptionally named two winners after postponing the 2018 prize in the wake of a sexual assault scandal involving the husband of one of its members.
The secretive, 234-year-old Academy later announced changes it billed as improving the transparency of the awards process.
But one of the literature laureates announced last year, the Austrian novelist and playright Peter Handke, had drawn wide international criticism over his portrayal of Serbia as a victim during the 1990s Balkan wars and for attending the funeral of its nationalist strongman leader Slobodan Milosevic.
Milosevic died in detention in 2006 while awaiting trial on genocide charges at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
The 2016 literature prize granted to American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan sharply divided opinion over whether a popular musician should be given an award that had been largely the domain of novelists and playwrights.
Like much of public life around the world, this year’s awards have taken place under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the splashy Nobel prize-giving ceremony held each December in Stockholm.
Instead, a televised event will be held with winners receiving their honours in their home countries.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-10-08--France pledges €100 million to storm-ravaged region

Businesses in southeastern France are counting the cost of Storm Alex , which wreaked devastation on houses , local infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ government has pledged €100 million in aid to the affected region .

France pledges €100 million to storm-ravaged region
01:39
Businesses in southeastern France are counting the cost of Storm Alex, which wreaked devastation on houses, local infrastructure and livelihoods. The French government has pledged €100 million in aid to the affected region.


france24--2020-10-08--Djokovic confronted again by pressures of Paris

Novak Djokovic is just two wins away from becoming the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slams twice , but once again Roland Garros is threatening to turn against him .
The world number one 's collection of 17 Slams is made up of eight Australian Opens , five Wimbledon titles , three triumphs at the US Open but only one so far in Paris .
Rafael Nadal is mostly responsible for Djokovic 's slim pickings in the French capital , capturing 12 titles , winning 98 matches and losing just twice since both men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who struggled with injury and mood swings before beating Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals on Wednesday , has always endured a love-hate relationship with the French Open .
His former coach Boris Becker believes that the Serb is feeling the pressure as he gets closer to his place in the record books .
`` No , it was n't that at all , '' snapped back the top seed after his 4-6 , 6-2 , 6-3 , 6-4 win over Carreno Busta , insisting the problem was physical -- neck and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had to deal with that .
I told you guys many times I 'm over it .
I 'm not thinking about it at all .
I mean , zero percent . ''
Djokovic 's one French Open triumph came in 2016 which allowed him to complete the career Grand Slam .
However , falling short in Paris in 2011 and 2015 prevented him from emulating Rod Laver in clinching a rare calendar Grand Slam .
Roger Federer defeated him in the semi-finals in 2011 , ending Djokovic 's 43-match winning run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss in the final to Stan Wawrinka dented his hopes again .
The chapters of disappointment are many for a player whose first two visits to Paris ended with injury retirements in 2005 an 2006 .
In the 2012 final against Nadal , having won eight games in a row , he was up a break and pushing to level the match at two sets apiece when rain brought an overnight suspension .
- 'Always doing this ' - Play resumed the following day but Djokovic 's momentum was lost and a double-fault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twelve months later , Djokovic was poised for a semi-final win over Nadal with just a routine putaway required to help give him a 5-3 final set lead and a chance to serve for the match .
However , he chose a spectacular smash rather than a soothing touch .
He tumbled into the net , losing the point and Nadal pounced to eventually take the tie after four hours and 37 minutes .
More was to follow .
In 2018 , he lost a quarter-final to world number 72 Marco Cecchinato of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the semi-finals by Dominic Thiem in conditions which he likened to playing in a `` hurricane '' .
That match took two days to complete , featured numerous rain stoppages and winds so strong that a courtside umbrella was sent flying across court .
This year , the French Open is again being played in damp , cold weather with the temperature dropping as low as 10 degrees ( 50F ) on some days .
On Wednesday , Djokovic wore two shirts for his quarter-final , the evening chill not helping his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trainer on his neck and shoulder and at one stage appeared to make a gesture to his box that he was on the verge of quitting .
Had he had done so it would have been his seventh retirement from a Grand Slam tournament .
`` As the match went on , I felt better , did n't feel as much pain , '' said Djokovic .
`` I had some neck issues and some shoulder issues .
I 'll just say that .
I do n't want to get really too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to cast doubt on the gravity of Djokovic 's ailments .
`` Probably the last years he 's always doing this when he has problems on court , '' said Carreno Busta , the beneficiary when Djokovic was defaulted at the US Open , the Serb 's only defeat this year .
`` Maybe it 's the pressure or something that he needs to do it .
But , he continues playing normal .
I do n't know if he 's in pain really .
Ask him . ''
Djokovic will next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Nadal tackles Diego Schwartzman of Argentina .

Paris (AFP) –
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Novak Djokovic is just two wins away from becoming the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slams twice, but once again Roland Garros is threatening to turn against him.
The world number one's collection of 17 Slams is made up of eight Australian Opens, five Wimbledon titles, three triumphs at the US Open but only one so far in Paris.
Rafael Nadal is mostly responsible for Djokovic's slim pickings in the French capital, capturing 12 titles, winning 98 matches and losing just twice since both men made their debuts in 2005.
Djokovic, who struggled with injury and mood swings before beating Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, has always endured a love-hate relationship with the French Open.
His former coach Boris Becker believes that the Serb is feeling the pressure as he gets closer to his place in the record books.
"No, it wasn't that at all," snapped back the top seed after his 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over Carreno Busta, insisting the problem was physical -- neck and shoulder injuries -- not mental.
"I had to deal with that. I told you guys many times I'm over it. I'm not thinking about it at all. I mean, zero percent."
Djokovic's one French Open triumph came in 2016 which allowed him to complete the career Grand Slam.
However, falling short in Paris in 2011 and 2015 prevented him from emulating Rod Laver in clinching a rare calendar Grand Slam.
Roger Federer defeated him in the semi-finals in 2011, ending Djokovic's 43-match winning run while, four years later, his loss in the final to Stan Wawrinka dented his hopes again.
The chapters of disappointment are many for a player whose first two visits to Paris ended with injury retirements in 2005 an 2006.
In the 2012 final against Nadal, having won eight games in a row, he was up a break and pushing to level the match at two sets apiece when rain brought an overnight suspension.
- 'Always doing this' -
Play resumed the following day but Djokovic's momentum was lost and a double-fault on championship point completed his misery.
Twelve months later, Djokovic was poised for a semi-final win over Nadal with just a routine putaway required to help give him a 5-3 final set lead and a chance to serve for the match.
However, he chose a spectacular smash rather than a soothing touch.
He tumbled into the net, losing the point and Nadal pounced to eventually take the tie after four hours and 37 minutes.
More was to follow. In 2018, he lost a quarter-final to world number 72 Marco Cecchinato of Italy.
Last year he was beaten in the semi-finals by Dominic Thiem in conditions which he likened to playing in a "hurricane".
That match took two days to complete, featured numerous rain stoppages and winds so strong that a courtside umbrella was sent flying across court.
This year, the French Open is again being played in damp, cold weather with the temperature dropping as low as 10 degrees (50F) on some days.
On Wednesday, Djokovic wore two shirts for his quarter-final, the evening chill not helping his physical state.
He required treatment from the trainer on his neck and shoulder and at one stage appeared to make a gesture to his box that he was on the verge of quitting.
Had he had done so it would have been his seventh retirement from a Grand Slam tournament.
"As the match went on, I felt better, didn't feel as much pain," said Djokovic.
"I had some neck issues and some shoulder issues. I'll just say that. I don't want to get really too much into it."
Carreno Busta seemed to cast doubt on the gravity of Djokovic's ailments.
"Probably the last years he's always doing this when he has problems on court," said Carreno Busta, the beneficiary when Djokovic was defaulted at the US Open, the Serb's only defeat this year.
"Maybe it's the pressure or something that he needs to do it. But, he continues playing normal. I don't know if he's in pain really. Ask him."
Djokovic will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas in Friday's semi-finals while Nadal tackles Diego Schwartzman of Argentina.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Residents fleeing Stepanakert as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hits home

Thousands of people have been displaced in the escalating Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , which has destroyed homes and livelihoods for many @ @ @ @ @ s capital Stepanakert .
FRANCE 24 correspondent Gulliver Cragg says many women and children have @ @ @ @ @ Armenia .

Residents fleeing Stepanakert as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hits home
01:36
Thousands of people have been displaced in the escalating Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has destroyed homes and livelihoods for many residents in the territory’s capital Stepanakert. FRANCE 24 correspondent Gulliver Cragg says many women and children have already fled the territory into Armenia.


france24--2020-10-08--Been there, haven't done that! Roland Garros semi-finals mirror topsy-turvy tournament

Unlikely semi-finalists Iga Swiatek and Nadia Podoroska target breakthrough places in the Roland Garros championship match on Thursday as Grand Slam winners Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova meet in the other last-four tie .
Swiatek can become the first Polish woman in the Paris final in 81 years while Podoroska could be the first qualifier to make a final at the Slams .
Kenin and Kvitova , the only two seeds left , have been here before -- Kenin won the Australian Open in January while Kvitova was Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014 .
-- At this out-of-season Roland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some performances have been out of this world .
Podoroska , ranked at 131 , is bidding to become the first qualifier ever to make a Grand Slam final .
Taking full advantage of the section of the draw from which Serena Williams withdrew after the first round , 23-year-old Podoroska stunned third seed Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals .
Playing in just her second major in Paris , she started the year ranked a lowly 255 .
She has won 43 matches across all tours in 2020 despite the truncated season and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tournament .
Furthermore , she is guaranteed 425,250 euros ( $ 501,740 ) following her breakout performance in Paris , easily doubling her total career earnings of $ 301,547 .
Swiatek , just 19 and ranked 54 , is only the second woman from Poland to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros -- the last was Jadwiga Jedrzejowska who finished runner-up in 1939 .
She enjoyed one of the tournament 's stand-out moments when she knocked out top seed and 2018 champion Simona Halep in the last 16 .
`` I felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like after beating Simona , I 'm not the underdog anymore , '' said Swiatek , a diehard Rafael Nadal fan .
`` But I am just focusing on tennis , not that I 'm playing a girl with lower ranking . ''
The daughter of an Olympic rower , Swiatek is a fan of AC/DC and Pink Floyd although it was Guns N'Roses ' 'Welcome to the Jungle ' which accompanied her onto court for her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan .
Paths to the semi-final ( x indicates seeded player ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova have both made the last four without facing a seeded opponent .
Kenin 's highest-ranked rival was world number 49 Fiona Ferro in the last 16 ; Kvitova 's was 39th-ranked Zhang Shuai , also in the fourth round .
Despite that , Kenin has had to battle through four three-setters in five of her matches so far .
It 's a further sign of her tenacity on clay - at the 2019 tournament , she stunned Serena Williams in the third round .
Before this season , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quarter-finals on the surface .
Kvitova , back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2012 when she lost to eventual champion Maria Sharapova , has not dropped a set , a feat matched by Swiatek .
`` It means a lot to be back in the semi-finals , '' said 30-year-old Kvitova .
`` 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris where Kvitova made her comeback in 2017 after spending six months recovering from a terrifying knife attack at her home in December 2016 .
Kenin believes her Melbourne breakthrough will be key for her on Thursday .
`` I definitely feel like I have improved since Australia .
I 'm having a lot of matches and finding my groove , '' she said .

Paris (AFP) –
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Unlikely semi-finalists Iga Swiatek and Nadia Podoroska target breakthrough places in the Roland Garros championship match on Thursday as Grand Slam winners Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova meet in the other last-four tie.
Swiatek can become the first Polish woman in the Paris final in 81 years while Podoroska could be the first qualifier to make a final at the Slams.
Kenin and Kvitova, the only two seeds left, have been here before -- Kenin won the Australian Open in January while Kvitova was Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014.
Iga Swiatek (POL) v Nadia Podoroska (ARG)
Head-to-head: First meeting
-- At this out-of-season Roland Garros, it's hardly surprising that some performances have been out of this world.
Podoroska, ranked at 131, is bidding to become the first qualifier ever to make a Grand Slam final.
Taking full advantage of the section of the draw from which Serena Williams withdrew after the first round, 23-year-old Podoroska stunned third seed Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.
Playing in just her second major in Paris, she started the year ranked a lowly 255.
She has won 43 matches across all tours in 2020 despite the truncated season and will break into the top 50 after the tournament.
Furthermore, she is guaranteed 425,250 euros ($501,740) following her breakout performance in Paris, easily doubling her total career earnings of $301,547.
Swiatek, just 19 and ranked 54, is only the second woman from Poland to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros -- the last was Jadwiga Jedrzejowska who finished runner-up in 1939.
She enjoyed one of the tournament's stand-out moments when she knocked out top seed and 2018 champion Simona Halep in the last 16.
"I felt little bit more pressure because I feel like after beating Simona, I'm not the underdog anymore," said Swiatek, a diehard Rafael Nadal fan.
"But I am just focusing on tennis, not that I'm playing a girl with lower ranking."
The daughter of an Olympic rower, Swiatek is a fan of AC/DC and Pink Floyd although it was Guns N'Roses' 'Welcome to the Jungle' which accompanied her onto court for her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan.
Paths to the semi-final (x indicates seeded player):
Swiatek
1st rd: bt Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x15) 6-1, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) 6-1, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-3, 6-2
4th rd: bt Simona Halep (ROU x1) 6-1, 6-2
QF: bt Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-3, 6-1
Podoroska
1st rd: bt Greet Minnen (BEL) 6-2, 6-1
2nd rd: bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x23) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
3rd rd: bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-3, 6-2
4th rd: bt Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
QF: bt Elina Svitolina (UKR) 6-2, 6-4
Sofia Kenin (USA x4) v Petra Kvitova (CZE x7)
Head-to-head: Kvitova leads 2-0
-- Australian Open champion Kenin and two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova have both made the last four without facing a seeded opponent.
Kenin's highest-ranked rival was world number 49 Fiona Ferro in the last 16; Kvitova's was 39th-ranked Zhang Shuai, also in the fourth round.
Despite that, Kenin has had to battle through four three-setters in five of her matches so far. It's a further sign of her tenacity on clay - at the 2019 tournament, she stunned Serena Williams in the third round.
Before this season, the 21-year-old had never gone as far as the quarter-finals on the surface.
Kvitova, back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2012 when she lost to eventual champion Maria Sharapova, has not dropped a set, a feat matched by Swiatek.
"It means a lot to be back in the semi-finals," said 30-year-old Kvitova. "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.
Kenin believes her Melbourne breakthrough will be key for her on Thursday.
"I definitely feel like I have improved since Australia. I'm having a lot of matches and finding my groove," she said.
Paths to the semi-final
Kenin
1st rd: bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
2nd rd: bt Ana Bogdan (ROU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
3rd rd: bt Irina Bara (ROU) 6-2, 6-0
4th rd: bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
QF: bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
Kvitova
1st rd: bt Oceane Dodin (FRA) 6-3, 7-5
2nd rd: bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-3, 6-3
3rd rd: bt Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 7-5, 6-3
4th rd: bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-2, 6-4
QF: bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3, 6-3
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Two more records as track technology continues

At a near-empty stadium in the Spanish city of Valencia because of coronavirus protocols , Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei smashed the men 's 10,000m world record previously set in 2005 by Kenenisa Bekele by an astonishing six seconds The unwavering advance of technology continues unabated in athletics as two long-standing world records were obliterated within an hour at the same meeting by runners wearing Nike 's controversial track spikes and guided by trackside pacemaking lights .
At a near-empty stadium in the Spanish city of Valencia because of coronavirus restrictions , Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei smashed the men 's 10,000m world record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seconds off the mark set in 2005 by Kenenisa Bekele .
Cheptegei 's performance came after Ethiopia 's Letesenbet Gidey chalked off an equally remarkable four seconds from the previous record for the women 's 5,000m set by Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008 .
Two world records in highly competitive events set in one heady hour did not just come about by accident .
They were premeditated and both performances factored in the latest technological advances , something that threatens a rash of new marks , just as swimming saw its record book rewritten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- that were later banned .
Both Cheptegei and Gidey were wearing Nike ZoomX Dragonfly spikes , containing a carbon plate and a unique foam which lend a propulsive sensation to every stride .
Critics claim the new shoes are the equivalent of mechanical doping , while supporters hail them as a revolutionary technical advance in footwear after decades of stagnation .
The spikes , nevertheless , are approved by World Athletics , track and field 's governing body .
Not only were the two athletes wearing the controversial Nike spikes , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them who utilised Wavelight technology -- a trackside visual time guidance system which lights up to indicate the desired world record pace .
It guarantees metronomic pacing and it looks like a system that is here to stay .
Just last month Briton Mo Farah and Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan smashed the men and women 's one-hour records , also wearing Nike shoes and using Wavelight .
Cheptegei 's effort in the 10,000m caps a truly extraordinary year for the 24-year-old Ugandan , whose chains have been unshackled on the track following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olympics .
If they had gone ahead this year he would have doubtless been focusing on medals rather than seeking a string of world records .
Fresh from claiming the world cross country title in Denmark and world 10,000m track gold in Doha last year , Cheptegei sliced 1.99sec off Bekele 's world 5,000m record , clocking a stunning 12:35.36 in Monaco in August .
That was preceded by a world record over the 5km road race , also in Monaco , in February .
After taking Bekele 's 5,000m record in Monaco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part and parcel of track , and it was up to each era of athletes to embrace them .
`` We are in 2020 , '' Cheptegei told letsrun.com .
`` We are not in 1980s , we are not in 1990s , we are not in 1970s .
`` So every time , we have to accept the new developments in the sport , the new technology .
You spoke about the Wavelight , you spoke about the watches , you spoke about the pacing , and yeah , even the shoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Cheptegei added : `` It tells you that everything is special at every time — the spikes in 1980 , the spikes that ( Haile ) Gebrselassie was using , the spikes that Kenenisa Bekele was using at that time , they were special at that time . ''

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The unwavering advance of technology continues unabated in athletics as two long-standing world records were obliterated within an hour at the same meeting by runners wearing Nike's controversial track spikes and guided by trackside pacemaking lights.
At a near-empty stadium in the Spanish city of Valencia because of coronavirus restrictions, Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei smashed the men's 10,000m world record on Wednesday, slicing an astonishing six seconds off the mark set in 2005 by Kenenisa Bekele.
Cheptegei's performance came after Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey chalked off an equally remarkable four seconds from the previous record for the women's 5,000m set by Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008.
Two world records in highly competitive events set in one heady hour did not just come about by accident.
They were premeditated and both performances factored in the latest technological advances, something that threatens a rash of new marks, just as swimming saw its record book rewritten with the introduction of the full-body suits -- that were later banned.
Both Cheptegei and Gidey were wearing Nike ZoomX Dragonfly spikes, containing a carbon plate and a unique foam which lend a propulsive sensation to every stride.
- Mechanical doping? -
Critics claim the new shoes are the equivalent of mechanical doping, while supporters hail them as a revolutionary technical advance in footwear after decades of stagnation.
The spikes, nevertheless, are approved by World Athletics, track and field's governing body.
Not only were the two athletes wearing the controversial Nike spikes, but they had a team of pacemakers around them who utilised Wavelight technology -- a trackside visual time guidance system which lights up to indicate the desired world record pace.
It guarantees metronomic pacing and it looks like a system that is here to stay. Just last month Briton Mo Farah and Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan smashed the men and women's one-hour records, also wearing Nike shoes and using Wavelight.
Cheptegei's effort in the 10,000m caps a truly extraordinary year for the 24-year-old Ugandan, whose chains have been unshackled on the track following the Covid-19 enforced postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. If they had gone ahead this year he would have doubtless been focusing on medals rather than seeking a string of world records.
Fresh from claiming the world cross country title in Denmark and world 10,000m track gold in Doha last year, Cheptegei sliced 1.99sec off Bekele's world 5,000m record, clocking a stunning 12:35.36 in Monaco in August.
That was preceded by a world record over the 5km road race, also in Monaco, in February.
After taking Bekele's 5,000m record in Monaco, Cheptegei insisted that technological advances were part and parcel of track, and it was up to each era of athletes to embrace them.
"We are in 2020," Cheptegei told letsrun.com. "We are not in 1980s, we are not in 1990s, we are not in 1970s.
"So every time, we have to accept the new developments in the sport, the new technology. You spoke about the Wavelight, you spoke about the watches, you spoke about the pacing, and yeah, even the shoes. We are really getting new innovations."
Cheptegei added: "It tells you that everything is special at every time — the spikes in 1980, the spikes that (Haile) Gebrselassie was using, the spikes that Kenenisa Bekele was using at that time, they were special at that time."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Ireland name six uncapped players in Six Nations squad

Ireland on Thursday named six uncapped players in a 35-strong squad to complete the final rounds of the interrupted 2020 Six Nations .
Andy Farrell 's team take on Italy in Dublin on October 24 before facing France in Paris the following week .
Ireland sit fourth in the Six Nations table , one point behind Scotland and four points behind England and France , who have all played an extra game .
The competition was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The six uncapped players in the squad , captained by Johnny Sexton , are Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shane Daly , Hugo Keenan and New Zealand-born scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park .
`` There has been a huge effort right across Irish Rugby to ensure that the professional game could return safely and that work is greatly appreciated by the national management , '' said head coach Farrell .
`` We have protocols in place to safeguard the welfare of the players and staff and are looking forward to completing the Six Nations championship .
`` We have two competitions to play in over the coming months but will focus first on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Following the conclusion of the Six Nations , Ireland take part in the eight-nation Autumn Nations Cup , which replaces the traditional international Test window .

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Ireland on Thursday named six uncapped players in a 35-strong squad to complete the final rounds of the interrupted 2020 Six Nations.
Andy Farrell's team take on Italy in Dublin on October 24 before facing France in Paris the following week.
Ireland sit fourth in the Six Nations table, one point behind Scotland and four points behind England and France, who have all played an extra game.
The competition was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The six uncapped players in the squad, captained by Johnny Sexton, are Ryan Baird, Ed Byrne, Will Connors, Shane Daly, Hugo Keenan and New Zealand-born scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
"There has been a huge effort right across Irish Rugby to ensure that the professional game could return safely and that work is greatly appreciated by the national management," said head coach Farrell.
"We have protocols in place to safeguard the welfare of the players and staff and are looking forward to completing the Six Nations championship.
"We have two competitions to play in over the coming months but will focus first on a strong finish to the Six Nations."
Following the conclusion of the Six Nations, Ireland take part in the eight-nation Autumn Nations Cup, which replaces the traditional international Test window.
Ireland squad
Forwards: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Ed Byrne (Leinster), Will Connors (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Quinn Roux (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), John Ryan (Munster), CJ Stander (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Jack Carty (Connacht), Andrew Conway (Munster), Shane Daly (Munster), Chris Farrell (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Doctor goes on trial for British woman's death in France

Wauters admitted she 'd been drinking , but that she 'was n't drunk ' during the botched operation A Belgian anaesthetist went on trial in the southwestern French city of Pau on Thursday , accused of causing the death of a British woman during a Caesarian section six years ago under the influence of alcohol .
Helga Wauters , 51 , is charged with manslaughter for the death of Xynthia Hawke , who was some days overdue when admitted to the maternity ward on September 26 , 2014 .
`` I recognise now that my addiction was incompatible with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that `` I will regret this death my entire life . ''
Wauters had performed a peridural on Hawke earlier in the day , but during the birth complications appeared , requiring an emergency C-section .
When she returned to the room after being called back in , Wauters had alcohol on her breath , according to witnesses .
According to investigators Wauters , who was less than two weeks into the job , intubated the oesophagus instead of the trachea .
Hawke died four days later from cardiac arrest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation that she had started her day drinking vodka with water , `` like every day '' for 10 years , and that she had had a `` glass of rose '' wine with friends before being called back in .
She claimed , however , to have been in possession of `` 70 percent of her faculties '' and that she was `` not drunk '' , investigators said .
Instead she blamed the operating team for the operation going wrong , as well as a respirator she said had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into custody , the alcohol content in her blood was found to be 2.38 grams per litre , which typically corresponds to close to 10 glasses of wine , and is more than four times the permitted level when driving in France .
Hawke 's parents and her sister travelled from Britain to attend the trial , with her partner and a dozen friends also present .
`` It 's going to be hard for them , '' said family lawyer , Philippe Courtois .
`` They are going to hear things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to know , about what emerged during the investigation , '' he said .
Hawke 's father , Fraser Hawke , said : `` We will be strong . ''
The court is to announce its verdict on Friday .
Wauters faces up to three years in prison .

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A Belgian anaesthetist went on trial in the southwestern French city of Pau on Thursday, accused of causing the death of a British woman during a Caesarian section six years ago under the influence of alcohol.
Helga Wauters, 51, is charged with manslaughter for the death of Xynthia Hawke, who was some days overdue when admitted to the maternity ward on September 26, 2014.
She was 28.
"I recognise now that my addiction was incompatible with my job," Wauters told the court, adding that "I will regret this death my entire life."
Wauters had performed a peridural on Hawke earlier in the day, but during the birth complications appeared, requiring an emergency C-section.
When she returned to the room after being called back in, Wauters had alcohol on her breath, according to witnesses.
According to investigators Wauters, who was less than two weeks into the job, intubated the oesophagus instead of the trachea.
Hawke died four days later from cardiac arrest. Her baby survived.
Wauters admitted during the investigation that she had started her day drinking vodka with water, "like every day" for 10 years, and that she had had a "glass of rose" wine with friends before being called back in.
She claimed, however, to have been in possession of "70 percent of her faculties" and that she was "not drunk", investigators said.
Instead she blamed the operating team for the operation going wrong, as well as a respirator she said had been faulty.
Just after she was taken into custody, the alcohol content in her blood was found to be 2.38 grams per litre, which typically corresponds to close to 10 glasses of wine, and is more than four times the permitted level when driving in France.
Hawke's parents and her sister travelled from Britain to attend the trial, with her partner and a dozen friends also present.
"It's going to be hard for them," said family lawyer, Philippe Courtois.
"They are going to hear things that they didn't know, or preferred not to know, about what emerged during the investigation," he said.
Hawke's father, Fraser Hawke, said: "We will be strong."
The court is to announce its verdict on Friday. Wauters faces up to three years in prison.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Kyrgyz leader missing as power vacuum persists

Confrontations between groups of supporters in Bishkek have continued as rival groups contest the prime minister position The whereabouts of Kyrgyzstan 's pro-Russia president were unknown Thursday as a power vacuum persisted after disputed parliamentary elections plunged the Central Asian country into a new bout of political chaos .
Sooronbay Jeenbekov has not been seen in public since unrest began over Sunday 's vote which was won by his supporters but opponents as well as monitors said was marred by widespread vote-buying .
Clashes have already left at least one dead and hundreds injured , with a decision to annul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ease the tensions .
The crisis is the latest political turbulence to sweep through the volatile ex-Soviet state bordering China which has seen two revolutions and three of its presidents either jailed or sent into exile since independence .
Jeenbekov has called for a return to a rule of law , but several lawmakers in the parliament have said that there is no way to solve the growing impasse without his resignation or impeachment .
As of Thursday , candidates from self-styled opposition parties claimed to control the state prosecutor 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interior ministry .
Kursan Asanov , who has positioned himself as acting interior minister , said that Jeenbekov 's location was `` unknown '' but added that police were not searching for the head of state .
The government-appointed interior minister Kashkar Junushaliyev , a rival of Asanov , had `` fled like a coward '' when the unrest began , Asanov claimed , without offering proof .
Asanov also pledged to ensure there would be no repeat of ethnic violence that left hundreds dead following an uprising in 2010 .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government buildings in the capital Bishkek on Thursday .
Jeenbekov 's office insisted in a statement that the incumbent president was in Bishkek and `` personally in talks with political forces '' .
Yet Jeenbekov has made no public appearances since the unrest started .
Jeenbekov is believed to enjoy the support of key ally Russia , which has called for a return to stability in the republic and beefed up security at a military base it maintains not far from the capital .
He has ruled Kyrgyzstan since 2017 .
Kremlin spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia was `` deeply concerned '' about a `` situation resembling a mess and chaos '' .
But he said it was premature to discuss whether Jeenbekov should be offered refuge in Russia .
A meeting of Kyrgyz lawmakers on Wednesday night was seen failing to resolve the deadlock , with no majority for impeachment .
Confrontations between groups of supporters in Bishkek have continued as rival groups contest the prime minister position .
Sadyr Japarov , a populist politician claimed the position on Tuesday following an extraordinary session of parliament , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital .
But at least two other groups -- one consisting of several losing parties -- have since put forward their own candidates for the post .
A parliamentary press spokesman told AFP that `` around 70 lawmakers '' -- a majority of the parliament , had voted for Japarov as prime minister .
Many observers have cast doubt over the legitimacy of the vote , which took place in a three-star hotel .
Japarov , a headstrong nationalist known for his opposition to the company operating Kyrgyzstan 's largest gold mine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tumultuous night of unrest Monday that also saw former president Almazbek Atambayev released .
His supporters attempted to enter the building housing the prime minister 's on office Wednesday night , but its doors were guarded by a 500-strong voluntary defence unit , who formed a human chain until the supporters dispersed , eyewitness told AFP .
Politically neutral voluntary defence units also control the building where Jeenbekov 's administration and the parliament are housed , which was seized by protesters in the early hours of Tuesday .
It was not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday resignation of outgoing prime minister Kubatbek Boronov or Japarov 's candidacy .
Health Minister Sabyrzhan Abdykarimov warned at a press conference that the proliferation of rallies -- many involving citizens who arrived from the provinces -- could cause a spike in new cases and called on citizens to wear masks and observe distance .

Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) (AFP) –
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The whereabouts of Kyrgyzstan's pro-Russia president were unknown Thursday as a power vacuum persisted after disputed parliamentary elections plunged the Central Asian country into a new bout of political chaos.
Sooronbay Jeenbekov has not been seen in public since unrest began over Sunday's vote which was won by his supporters but opponents as well as monitors said was marred by widespread vote-buying.
Clashes have already left at least one dead and hundreds injured, with a decision to annul the results of the polls doing little to ease the tensions.
The crisis is the latest political turbulence to sweep through the volatile ex-Soviet state bordering China which has seen two revolutions and three of its presidents either jailed or sent into exile since independence.
Jeenbekov has called for a return to a rule of law, but several lawmakers in the parliament have said that there is no way to solve the growing impasse without his resignation or impeachment.
As of Thursday, candidates from self-styled opposition parties claimed to control the state prosecutor's office, the national security committee and the interior ministry.
Kursan Asanov, who has positioned himself as acting interior minister, said that Jeenbekov's location was "unknown" but added that police were not searching for the head of state.
The government-appointed interior minister Kashkar Junushaliyev, a rival of Asanov, had "fled like a coward" when the unrest began, Asanov claimed, without offering proof.
Asanov also pledged to ensure there would be no repeat of ethnic violence that left hundreds dead following an uprising in 2010. But there was no visible police presence outside key government buildings in the capital Bishkek on Thursday.
Jeenbekov's office insisted in a statement that the incumbent president was in Bishkek and "personally in talks with political forces". Yet Jeenbekov has made no public appearances since the unrest started.
- Confusion over PM -
Jeenbekov is believed to enjoy the support of key ally Russia, which has called for a return to stability in the republic and beefed up security at a military base it maintains not far from the capital.
He has ruled Kyrgyzstan since 2017.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Russia was "deeply concerned" about a "situation resembling a mess and chaos". But he said it was premature to discuss whether Jeenbekov should be offered refuge in Russia.
A meeting of Kyrgyz lawmakers on Wednesday night was seen failing to resolve the deadlock, with no majority for impeachment.
Confrontations between groups of supporters in Bishkek have continued as rival groups contest the prime minister position.
Sadyr Japarov, a populist politician claimed the position on Tuesday following an extraordinary session of parliament, as hundreds of his supporters flooded into the capital.
But at least two other groups -- one consisting of several losing parties -- have since put forward their own candidates for the post.
A parliamentary press spokesman told AFP that "around 70 lawmakers" -- a majority of the parliament, had voted for Japarov as prime minister. Many observers have cast doubt over the legitimacy of the vote, which took place in a three-star hotel.
Japarov, a headstrong nationalist known for his opposition to the company operating Kyrgyzstan's largest gold mine, was freed from jail by protesters during a tumultuous night of unrest Monday that also saw former president Almazbek Atambayev released.
His supporters attempted to enter the building housing the prime minister's on office Wednesday night, but its doors were guarded by a 500-strong voluntary defence unit, who formed a human chain until the supporters dispersed, eyewitness told AFP.
Politically neutral voluntary defence units also control the building where Jeenbekov's administration and the parliament are housed, which was seized by protesters in the early hours of Tuesday.
It was not clear whether Jeenbekov had signed off on the Tuesday resignation of outgoing prime minister Kubatbek Boronov or Japarov's candidacy.
Health Minister Sabyrzhan Abdykarimov warned at a press conference that the proliferation of rallies -- many involving citizens who arrived from the provinces -- could cause a spike in new cases and called on citizens to wear masks and observe distance.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-08--Hundreds arrested as Indonesians protest against new investment bill

Smoke rises from fires set by activists during protests in Jakarta Hundreds of people were arrested in Jakarta Thursday as tens of thousands protested across Indonesia for a third day against a controversial new law that critics say will harm labour rights and the environment .
Thousands of security personnel were deployed to block access to the capital and prevent workers and students from demonstrating in front of the presidential palace and parliament .
Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said more than 400 people -- mostly teenagers -- had been arrested in the past two days , accusing them of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are now questioning them , '' Yunus told AFP on Thursday , adding the situation in Jakarta was `` under control '' .
The government hopes a new bill -- which aims to cut red tape by amending dozens of existing laws covering taxation , labour and environment regulations -- will attract foreign investment .
But labour activists and green groups have slammed the legislation , with Amnesty International saying it was `` catastrophic '' for workers .
Police banned Thursday 's demonstrations citing coronavirus concerns , but workers and students marched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archipelago .
Violent protests have taken place in several other cities this week , including Lampung and Bandung .
Indonesians also expressed their anger online with hackers blocking access to parliament 's website and changing its name to the `` Council of Traitors '' .
They also created an account on the Indonesia e-commerce platform Tokopedia and put parliament `` on sale '' for a pittance , according to media reports .

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Hundreds of people were arrested in Jakarta Thursday as tens of thousands protested across Indonesia for a third day against a controversial new law that critics say will harm labour rights and the environment.
Thousands of security personnel were deployed to block access to the capital and prevent workers and students from demonstrating in front of the presidential palace and parliament.
Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said more than 400 people -- mostly teenagers -- had been arrested in the past two days, accusing them of provoking unrest during the protests.
"We are now questioning them," Yunus told AFP on Thursday, adding the situation in Jakarta was "under control".
The government hopes a new bill -- which aims to cut red tape by amending dozens of existing laws covering taxation, labour and environment regulations -- will attract foreign investment.
But labour activists and green groups have slammed the legislation, with Amnesty International saying it was "catastrophic" for workers.
Police banned Thursday's demonstrations citing coronavirus concerns, but workers and students marched anyway in dozens of cities across the archipelago.
Violent protests have taken place in several other cities this week, including Lampung and Bandung.
Indonesians also expressed their anger online with hackers blocking access to parliament's website and changing its name to the "Council of Traitors".
They also created an account on the Indonesia e-commerce platform Tokopedia and put parliament "on sale" for a pittance, according to media reports.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-09--Lakers eye 17th NBA crown while Heat remain defiant

The Los Angeles Lakers can complete the franchise 's return to the pinnacle of basketball here Friday as they look to seal a record-equalling 17th NBA Finals crown with a victory over the Miami Heat .
The Lakers , who returned to the finals this season after missing the post-season for six consecutive years , can clinch a series victory in game five in Orlando .
The Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series on Tuesday , leaving Miami needing to stage a miracle to keep their championship hopes alive .
Only one team -- the LeBron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever come back from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit to win the title .
The odds , and momentum , are stacked firmly against Miami .
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra nevertheless struck a defiant tone on Thursday , insisting that the series remained competitive despite the improbable task facing his men .
`` We think it 's a really competitive series , '' Spoelstra said .
`` We have a purpose of why we 're here .
We 're competing for a title , and it 's the first team to four wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narratives out there .
`` We do n't give a shit what everybody else thinks .
This is everything that we wanted this year , an opportunity to fight for , compete for a title , and that has n't changed at all through these first games . ''
The fates have conspired against Spoelstra 's team , however .
Injuries to Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo in game one robbed Miami of two key figures for games two and three .
While Adebayo returned for Tuesday 's game-four loss , Dragic remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rated as `` doubtful '' to feature on Friday .
`` It 's supposed to get more challenging every step of the way , '' Spoelstra said .
`` I know the character of our group , and we are still very much committed to what our purpose is . ''
Miami will look to the inspirational Jimmy Butler to lead the fightback .
Butler was superb in the Heat 's sole victory of the series in game three , scoring 40 points in a virtuoso performance .
`` Ai n't nobody thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Butler said Thursday .
`` It 's not win or go home -- it 's win or win .
That 's how we think about it . ''
Asked what the key to victory would be , he added : `` Scoring more points than the Lakers . ''
That , though , is likely to be easier said than done .
After being given a bloody nose in game three , the Lakers adjusted superbly in game four , neutralizing the threat of Butler by deploying Anthony Davis to shadow the Miami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formed a dominant axis alongside James since joining the Lakers in 2019 , is chasing a first NBA championship .
The Lakers will attempt to close the deal wearing their `` Black Mamba '' uniforms , a tribute to franchise icon Kobe Bryant , who died in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles in January .
So far , the Lakers are undefeated when they have worn the striking all-black strip .
`` If we come out and do what we 're supposed to do , then we can remain undefeated , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that for all the things that happened this season , with our team specifically and our organization , that to be able to close it out in the Black Mamba uniforms will just make it all worth it .
`` For us to close it out in his honor is something that we look forward to .
An insane amount of pressure , for sure , but we do n't want to lose .
We do n't want to let him down . ''
While James and Davis provide the starpower , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plenty to consistent contributions from a talented supporting cast featuring the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope , Danny Green , Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma .
`` That has been the story of our season , '' Lakers coach Frank Vogel said .
`` We set out at the beginning of the year to be a team that 's greater than the sum our parts .
`` Obviously we have two mega-stars , but we needed everybody else to try to star in their roles .
Without those guys , we are not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Orlando (AFP) –
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The Los Angeles Lakers can complete the franchise's return to the pinnacle of basketball here Friday as they look to seal a record-equalling 17th NBA Finals crown with a victory over the Miami Heat.
The Lakers, who returned to the finals this season after missing the post-season for six consecutive years, can clinch a series victory in game five in Orlando.
The Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series on Tuesday, leaving Miami needing to stage a miracle to keep their championship hopes alive.
Only one team -- the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 -- has ever come back from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit to win the title. The odds, and momentum, are stacked firmly against Miami.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra nevertheless struck a defiant tone on Thursday, insisting that the series remained competitive despite the improbable task facing his men.
"We think it's a really competitive series," Spoelstra said.
"We have a purpose of why we're here. We're competing for a title, and it's the first team to four wins. There's a lot of different narratives out there.
"We don't give a shit what everybody else thinks. This is everything that we wanted this year, an opportunity to fight for, compete for a title, and that hasn't changed at all through these first games."
The fates have conspired against Spoelstra's team, however.
Injuries to Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo in game one robbed Miami of two key figures for games two and three.
While Adebayo returned for Tuesday's game-four loss, Dragic remains sidelined by a foot injury and is rated as "doubtful" to feature on Friday.
"It's supposed to get more challenging every step of the way," Spoelstra said.
"I know the character of our group, and we are still very much committed to what our purpose is."
- 'It's win or win' -
Miami will look to the inspirational Jimmy Butler to lead the fightback. Butler was superb in the Heat's sole victory of the series in game three, scoring 40 points in a virtuoso performance.
"Ain't nobody thinking about going home over here," Butler said Thursday. "It's not win or go home -- it's win or win. That's how we think about it."
Asked what the key to victory would be, he added: "Scoring more points than the Lakers."
That, though, is likely to be easier said than done.
After being given a bloody nose in game three, the Lakers adjusted superbly in game four, neutralizing the threat of Butler by deploying Anthony Davis to shadow the Miami small forward.
Davis, who has formed a dominant axis alongside James since joining the Lakers in 2019, is chasing a first NBA championship.
The Lakers will attempt to close the deal wearing their "Black Mamba" uniforms, a tribute to franchise icon Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles in January.
So far, the Lakers are undefeated when they have worn the striking all-black strip.
"If we come out and do what we're supposed to do, then we can remain undefeated," Davis said Thursday.
"We just think that for all the things that happened this season, with our team specifically and our organization, that to be able to close it out in the Black Mamba uniforms will just make it all worth it.
"For us to close it out in his honor is something that we look forward to. An insane amount of pressure, for sure, but we don't want to lose. We don't want to let him down."
While James and Davis provide the starpower, the Lakers' revival has also owed plenty to consistent contributions from a talented supporting cast featuring the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma.
"That has been the story of our season," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.
"We set out at the beginning of the year to be a team that's greater than the sum our parts.
"Obviously we have two mega-stars, but we needed everybody else to try to star in their roles. Without those guys, we are not in the position we are in now."
© 2020 AFP