france24--2020-12-21--President-elect Joe Biden gets Covid-19 vaccine on live TV

Nurse practitioner Tabe Mase gives US President-elect Joe Biden a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 at Christiana Hospital in Newark , Delaware , US on December 21 , 2020 .
President-elect Joe Biden on Monday received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations are safe .
The president-elect took a dose of Pfizer vaccine at a hospital not far from his Delaware home , hours after his wife , Jill Biden , did the same .
The injections came the same day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna , will start arriving in states .
It joins Pfizer 's in the nation 's arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic , which has now killed more than 317,000 people in the United States and upended life around the globe .
“ I 'm ready , ” said Biden , who was administered the dose at a hospital in Newark , Delaware , and declined the option to count to three before the needle was inserted into his left arm .
“ I ’ m doing this to demonstrate that people should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the vaccine .
There ’ s nothing to worry about.
” The president-elect praised the health care workers and said President Donald Trump 's administration “ deserves some credit getting this off the ground.
” And Biden urged Americans to wear masks during the upcoming Christmas holiday and not travel unless necessary .
Other top government officials last week joined the first wave of Americans to be inoculated against COVID-19 as part of the largest vaccination campaign in the nation 's history .
Vice President Mike Pence , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell , R-Ky. , and other lawmakers were given doses Friday .
They chose to publicize their injections as part of a campaign to convince Americans that the vaccines are safe and effective amid skepticism , especially among Republicans .
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband are expected to receive their first shots next week .
No date yet for Trump jab But missing from the action has been President Donald Trump , who has spent the last week largely out of sight as he continues to stew about his election loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remain in power .
It 's an approach that has bewildered some top aides who see his silence as a missed opportunity for the president , who leaves office Jan. 20 , to claim credit for helping oversee the speedy development of the vaccine and to burnish his legacy .
Trump , who in the past has spread misinformation about vaccine risks , has not said when he intends to get the shot .
He tweeted earlier this month that he was “ not scheduled ” to take it , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the appropriate time.
” The White House has said he is still discussing timing with his doctors .
Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October and given an experimental monoclonal antibody treatment that he credited for his swift recovery .
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory board has said people who received that treatment should wait at least 90 days to be vaccinated to avoid any potential interference .
“ When the time is right , I ’ m sure he will remain willing to take it , ” White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s just something we ’ re working through.
” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , however , offered a different explanation for the delay .
She told reporters last week that Trump was holding off , in part , “ to show Americans that our priority are the most vulnerable.
” “ The President wants to send a parallel message , which is , you know , our long-term care facility residents and our frontline workers are paramount in importance , and he wants to set an example in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CDC 's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine , which was the first to receive authorization , “ is safe and likely efficacious '' for people who have been infected with COVID-19 and “ should be offered regardless of history of prior symptomatic or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.
” While there is no recommended minimum wait time between infection and vaccination , because reinfection is uncommon in the three months after a person is infected , the committee said people who tested positive in the preceding 90 days `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this period , if desired.
” The panel also recommends that those who received Trump 's treatment put off vaccination for at least 90 days .
“ Currently , there are no data on the safety and efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination in persons who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment , '' they wrote , recommending that vaccination `` be deferred for at least 90 days , as a precautionary measure until additional information becomes available , to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with vaccine-induced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cited that recommendation on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation ” on Sunday when asked if Trump planned to receive the shot on camera .
“ From a scientific point of view , I will remind people that the president has had COVID within the last 90 days .
He received the monoclonal antibodies .
And that is actually one scenario where we tell people maybe you should hold off on getting the vaccine , talk to your health provider to find out the right time , ” Adams said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s top infectious diseases expert , have recommended that Trump be vaccinated without delay .
“ Even though the president himself was infected , and he has , likely , antibodies that likely would be protective , we ’ re not sure how long that protection lasts .
So , to be doubly sure , I would recommend that he get vaccinated , ” he told ABC News .

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations are safe.
Nurse practitioner Tabe Mase gives US President-elect Joe Biden a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, US on December 21, 2020.
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The president-elect took a dose of Pfizer vaccine at a hospital not far from his Delaware home, hours after his wife, Jill Biden, did the same. The injections came the same day that a second vaccine, produced by Moderna, will start arriving in states. It joins Pfizer's in the nation's arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 317,000 people in the United States and upended life around the globe.
“I'm ready,” said Biden, who was administered the dose at a hospital in Newark, Delaware, and declined the option to count to three before the needle was inserted into his left arm. “I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine. There’s nothing to worry about.”
The president-elect praised the health care workers and said President Donald Trump's administration “deserves some credit getting this off the ground.” And Biden urged Americans to wear masks during the upcoming Christmas holiday and not travel unless necessary.
Other top government officials last week joined the first wave of Americans to be inoculated against COVID-19 as part of the largest vaccination campaign in the nation's history.
Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other lawmakers were given doses Friday. They chose to publicize their injections as part of a campaign to convince Americans that the vaccines are safe and effective amid skepticism, especially among Republicans.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband are expected to receive their first shots next week.
No date yet for Trump jab
But missing from the action has been President Donald Trump, who has spent the last week largely out of sight as he continues to stew about his election loss and floats increasingly outlandish schemes to try to remain in power.
It's an approach that has bewildered some top aides who see his silence as a missed opportunity for the president, who leaves office Jan. 20, to claim credit for helping oversee the speedy development of the vaccine and to burnish his legacy.
Trump, who in the past has spread misinformation about vaccine risks, has not said when he intends to get the shot. He tweeted earlier this month that he was “not scheduled” to take it, but said he looked “forward to doing so at the appropriate time.”
The White House has said he is still discussing timing with his doctors.
Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October and given an experimental monoclonal antibody treatment that he credited for his swift recovery. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory board has said people who received that treatment should wait at least 90 days to be vaccinated to avoid any potential interference.
“When the time is right, I’m sure he will remain willing to take it,” White House spokesperson Brian Morgenstern echoed Friday. “It’s just something we’re working through.”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, however, offered a different explanation for the delay. She told reporters last week that Trump was holding off, in part, “to show Americans that our priority are the most vulnerable.”
“The President wants to send a parallel message, which is, you know, our long-term care facility residents and our frontline workers are paramount in importance, and he wants to set an example in that regard,” she said.
Health expert Fauci president vaccinate without delay
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was the first to receive authorization, “is safe and likely efficacious" for people who have been infected with COVID-19 and “should be offered regardless of history of prior symptomatic or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
While there is no recommended minimum wait time between infection and vaccination, because reinfection is uncommon in the three months after a person is infected, the committee said people who tested positive in the preceding 90 days "may delay vaccination until near the end of this period, if desired.”
The panel also recommends that those who received Trump's treatment put off vaccination for at least 90 days.
“Currently, there are no data on the safety and efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination in persons who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment," they wrote, recommending that vaccination "be deferred for at least 90 days, as a precautionary measure until additional information becomes available, to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with vaccine-induced immune responses.”
Surgeon General Jerome Adams cited that recommendation on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday when asked if Trump planned to receive the shot on camera.
“From a scientific point of view, I will remind people that the president has had COVID within the last 90 days. He received the monoclonal antibodies. And that is actually one scenario where we tell people maybe you should hold off on getting the vaccine, talk to your health provider to find out the right time,” Adams said.
But others, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, have recommended that Trump be vaccinated without delay.
“Even though the president himself was infected, and he has, likely, antibodies that likely would be protective, we’re not sure how long that protection lasts. So, to be doubly sure, I would recommend that he get vaccinated,” he told ABC News.
(AP)
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france24--2020-12-21--Bully for borscht! Michelin Guide to restaurants will launch in Moscow in 2021

This image taken on February 26 , 2019 depicts chefs at a Michelin Guide ceremony in Berlin , Germany .
France 's prestigious Michelin Guide announced Monday that it will launch its first ratings of Moscow restaurants in 2021 .
`` The Russian culinary scene has seen new trends appear over the past 30 years , embodied by talented chefs who are committed to enhancing the quality of local products , '' Michelin said in a press release .
The guide said that Moscow would be its latest destination after recently expanding to Beijing , Slovenia and California .
Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that the guide 's arrival in the Russian capital would `` open up our city in a new way for both tourists and Muscovites themselves '' .
Michelin said that chefs in Russia 's capital had set themselves apart by highlighting the country 's local ingredients — including king crab from the far eastern city of Vladivostok and smetana , the cream used in preparing beef Stroganoff .
In recent years Moscow restaurants have increasingly needed to rely on local ingredients after Western sanctions —imposed following Russia 's annexation of Crimea from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scarcity of many European foods .
A number of restaurants that relied on meat , cheese and fish imported from the West were forced to close , while those that sourced their ingredients from Russian regions became more competitive .
In explaining why it chose Moscow , the guide also cited the `` unique flavours '' of the `` nation 's emblematic first courses , such as borscht '' .
The traditional beetroot and cabbage soup was recently at the centre of a geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine , which plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural body UNESCO next year to list the dish as an intangible part of its cultural heritage .

France's prestigious Michelin Guide announced Monday that it will launch its first ratings of Moscow restaurants in 2021.
This image taken on February 26, 2019 depicts chefs at a Michelin Guide ceremony in Berlin, Germany.
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"The Russian culinary scene has seen new trends appear over the past 30 years, embodied by talented chefs who are committed to enhancing the quality of local products," Michelin said in a press release.
The guide said that Moscow would be its latest destination after recently expanding to Beijing, Slovenia and California.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin welcomed the news, saying that the guide's arrival in the Russian capital would "open up our city in a new way for both tourists and Muscovites themselves".
Michelin said that chefs in Russia's capital had set themselves apart by highlighting the country's local ingredients — including king crab from the far eastern city of Vladivostok and smetana, the cream used in preparing beef Stroganoff.
In recent years Moscow restaurants have increasingly needed to rely on local ingredients after Western sanctions —imposed following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 — resulted in a scarcity of many European foods.
A number of restaurants that relied on meat, cheese and fish imported from the West were forced to close, while those that sourced their ingredients from Russian regions became more competitive.
In explaining why it chose Moscow, the guide also cited the "unique flavours" of the "nation's emblematic first courses, such as borscht".
The traditional beetroot and cabbage soup was recently at the centre of a geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which plans to submit an application to the United Nations cultural body UNESCO next year to list the dish as an intangible part of its cultural heritage.
>> UNESCO lists 'ordinary and special' couscous as intangible world heritage
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-12-21--Navalny says he tricked FSB agent into admitting poisoning

' I called my killer .
He confessed everything , ' Alexei Navalny said on Twitter , a claim rejected by the FSB Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday he had tricked a security agent into admitting the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) sought to kill him this summer and placed poison in his underwear .
In a blog post the Kremlin critic said he phoned a man named Konstantin Kudryavtsev , who he said was a chemical weapons expert with the FSB domestic intelligence agency .
`` I called my killer .
He confessed everything , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected later Monday by the FSB .
Navalny said he disguised his phone number and presented himself as an aide to Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev , saying he needed information for an official report on the attempted poisoning .
The opposition leader published an audio recording and a transcript of the phone call and released a video of him conducting the conversation .
He said that voice analysis `` would demonstrate that it is indeed '' Kudryavtsev speaking .
In the audio recording , the voice on the other end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually tells the story and explains why Navalny managed to survive the poison attack .
The FSB late Monday described the phone call as a `` provocation aimed at discrediting '' the agency .
It said that the phone conversation `` about the alleged actions against '' Navalny would not have been possible without `` the support of foreign intelligence services , '' adding that the video the Kremlin critic published of the call was `` fake '' .
Navalny , 44 , fell violently ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft .
Experts from several Western countries concluded that the Kremlin critic was poisoned with the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent -- a claim that Moscow has repeatedly denied .
A joint media report led by the Bellingcat investigative website last week revealed what it said were the names and photos of chemical weapons experts from the FSB that had tailed Navalny for years .
In his blog post on Monday , the opposition leader said that last week he called the security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said nearly all hung up on him except the man he said was Kudryavtsev .
During that call the person believed to be Kudryavtsev said that his unit had not expected the pilot to make an emergency landing in Omsk .
He said that if the flight had been allowed to continue , Navalny would not have survived .
In the recorded comments , the agent said an attacker had placed the poison along the inner seams of a pair of Navalny 's underwear .
He detailed how he and another FSB agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and removed any trace of the poison .
However , Kudryavtsev never explained his exact role in the operation .
On Monday Navalny 's associate Lyubov Sobol went to a building on the outskirts of Moscow where the Bellingcat report said Kudryavtsev lives .
According to video she livestreamed on her Twitter account , police surrounded her car and later detained her .
Journalists also arrived at the scene and rang the doorbell to Kudryavtsev 's reported apartment , but no one came to the door .
Bellingcat as well as Der Spiegel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to Navalny 's account and also published reports on Monday .
`` I 've been covering the FSB for years and never thought that they were great professionals .
But Navalny ’ s prank comes as shock even for me , '' Russian journalist Irina Borogan wrote on Twitter .
`` They are dumb and that makes them even more dangerous , '' she added .
Last week President Vladimir Putin rejected reports that the FSB had poisoned Navalny , though he suggested the Kremlin critic is supported by US intelligence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should tail him .
`` But this does not at all mean that it is necessary to poison him .
Who needs him ? ''
the Russian leader said .
If the Russian special services had wanted to poison Navalny , `` they would have taken it to the end , '' he added .
Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny 's name in public , instead referring to him as `` the patient in Berlin '' , among other things , when asked directly about the opposition leader .
Navalny has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he will return to Russia once he has made a full recovery in Germany .

Moscow (AFP) –
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday he had tricked a security agent into admitting the Federal Security Service (FSB) sought to kill him this summer and placed poison in his underwear.
In a blog post the Kremlin critic said he phoned a man named Konstantin Kudryavtsev, who he said was a chemical weapons expert with the FSB domestic intelligence agency.
"I called my killer. He confessed everything," Navalny said on Twitter, a claim rejected later Monday by the FSB.
Navalny said he disguised his phone number and presented himself as an aide to Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev, saying he needed information for an official report on the attempted poisoning.
The opposition leader published an audio recording and a transcript of the phone call and released a video of him conducting the conversation.
He said that voice analysis "would demonstrate that it is indeed" Kudryavtsev speaking.
In the audio recording, the voice on the other end of the line initially sounds hesitant and cautious but eventually tells the story and explains why Navalny managed to survive the poison attack.
The FSB late Monday described the phone call as a "provocation aimed at discrediting" the agency.
It said that the phone conversation "about the alleged actions against" Navalny would not have been possible without "the support of foreign intelligence services," adding that the video the Kremlin critic published of the call was "fake".
Navalny, 44, fell violently ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August and was hospitalised in the Russian city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft.
Experts from several Western countries concluded that the Kremlin critic was poisoned with the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent -- a claim that Moscow has repeatedly denied.
A joint media report led by the Bellingcat investigative website last week revealed what it said were the names and photos of chemical weapons experts from the FSB that had tailed Navalny for years.
- Poisoned underwear -
In his blog post on Monday, the opposition leader said that last week he called the security agents identified in the report. He said nearly all hung up on him except the man he said was Kudryavtsev.
During that call the person believed to be Kudryavtsev said that his unit had not expected the pilot to make an emergency landing in Omsk.
He said that if the flight had been allowed to continue, Navalny would not have survived.
In the recorded comments, the agent said an attacker had placed the poison along the inner seams of a pair of Navalny's underwear.
He detailed how he and another FSB agent had flown to Omsk after the poisoning and removed any trace of the poison.
However, Kudryavtsev never explained his exact role in the operation.
On Monday Navalny's associate Lyubov Sobol went to a building on the outskirts of Moscow where the Bellingcat report said Kudryavtsev lives.
According to video she livestreamed on her Twitter account, police surrounded her car and later detained her.
Journalists also arrived at the scene and rang the doorbell to Kudryavtsev's reported apartment, but no one came to the door.
- 'They are dumb' -
Bellingcat as well as Der Spiegel and Russian website The Insider were given access to Navalny's account and also published reports on Monday.
"I've been covering the FSB for years and never thought that they were great professionals. But Navalny’s prank comes as shock even for me," Russian journalist Irina Borogan wrote on Twitter.
"They are dumb and that makes them even more dangerous," she added.
Last week President Vladimir Putin rejected reports that the FSB had poisoned Navalny, though he suggested the Kremlin critic is supported by US intelligence and if that is the case then Russia should tail him.
"But this does not at all mean that it is necessary to poison him. Who needs him?" the Russian leader said.
If the Russian special services had wanted to poison Navalny, "they would have taken it to the end," he added.
Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny's name in public, instead referring to him as "the patient in Berlin", among other things, when asked directly about the opposition leader.
Navalny has said that Putin was behind his poisoning and that he will return to Russia once he has made a full recovery in Germany.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-21--Colombia's Duque says won't vaccinate undocumented Venezuelans

Colombia President Ivan Duque says he will prioritize Colombians when a mass immunization prgram against the covid-19 virus begins Colombia 's government announced on Monday that undocumented Venezuelan migrants would be excluded from its mass vaccination program against the Covid-19 virus .
That amounts to around 55 percent of the 1.7 million Venezuelans living in Colombia .
`` Those who do n't have Colombian nationality and whose migration situation has not been regularized , of course they wo n't '' be vaccinated , President Ivan Duque told Blu Radio .
He said the measure was necessary to avoid `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border to be vaccinated . ''
Five million Venezuelans have left their country since 2015 , according to the United Nations .
They have fled Venezuela 's economic meltdown that has resulted in the world 's highest inflation and seven years of recession .
Neighboring Colombia is home to the single largest contingent of Venezuelan migrants .
The government says it will begin a mass immunization program in February and has secured 40 million doses for its 50 million population .
Duque has said he will prioritize Colombians but added that documented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criteria in deciding who receives the vaccine first .
The president has come under fire for his statements , though .
`` From an epidemiological point of view it 's a bad idea to not vaccinate Venezuelans , '' former health minister Alejandro Gaviria wrote on Twitter .
`` But most of all it 's an unethical proposal .
It excludes the most vulnerable and discriminates in an almost menacing way a group of people based on their nationality and migratory status . ''
Colombia has been one of the worst hit countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1.5 million cases and over 40,000 deaths .

Bogota (AFP) –
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Colombia's government announced on Monday that undocumented Venezuelan migrants would be excluded from its mass vaccination program against the Covid-19 virus.
That amounts to around 55 percent of the 1.7 million Venezuelans living in Colombia.
"Those who don't have Colombian nationality and whose migration situation has not been regularized, of course they won't" be vaccinated, President Ivan Duque told Blu Radio.
He said the measure was necessary to avoid "a call to stampede, where everyone crosses the border to be vaccinated."
Five million Venezuelans have left their country since 2015, according to the United Nations.
They have fled Venezuela's economic meltdown that has resulted in the world's highest inflation and seven years of recession.
Neighboring Colombia is home to the single largest contingent of Venezuelan migrants.
The government says it will begin a mass immunization program in February and has secured 40 million doses for its 50 million population.
Duque has said he will prioritize Colombians but added that documented Venezuelans would be subjected to the same criteria in deciding who receives the vaccine first.
The president has come under fire for his statements, though.
"From an epidemiological point of view it's a bad idea to not vaccinate Venezuelans," former health minister Alejandro Gaviria wrote on Twitter.
"But most of all it's an unethical proposal. It excludes the most vulnerable and discriminates in an almost menacing way a group of people based on their nationality and migratory status."
Colombia has been one of the worst hit countries in Latin America by the pandemic with more than 1.5 million cases and over 40,000 deaths.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Court approves French football divorce agreement with Mediapro

Kylian Mbappe and PSG have competition this season at the top of Ligue 1 A local court on Tuesday cleared the way for the French football league ( LFP ) to reallocate its TV rights after it approved the withdrawal agreement struck with troubled broadcaster Mediapro .
`` The decision ratifies the agreement '' between the LFP and the Chinese-Spanish broadcaster , Mediapro lawyer Guilhem Bremond told AFP .
The commercial court ruling allows the league to recover 80 percent of the rights for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 , initially sold to Mediapro for more than 800 million euros @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting this season .
It was a record deal for football in France , but a missed payment due at the start of October precipitated two months of negotiations as Mediapro sought to reduce the amount it paid .
French broadcaster Canal Plus , which already shows a limited number of Ligue 1 matches , is believed to be waiting in the wings to make an offer to take over Mediapro 's matches , although it is likely to make a cut-price offer to ride to the rescue .
Ligue 1 clubs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curtailed 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and the loss of revenue from the absence of spectators , are now facing another financial hole .
In the meantime , clubs will be able to split a 64 million-euro compensation payment from Mediapro .
Another 36 million euros will be paid out in early 2021 .
However , the combined total is a long way short of the 325 million euros the broadcaster has defaulted on since October .

Paris (AFP) –
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A local court on Tuesday cleared the way for the French football league (LFP) to reallocate its TV rights after it approved the withdrawal agreement struck with troubled broadcaster Mediapro.
"The decision ratifies the agreement" between the LFP and the Chinese-Spanish broadcaster, Mediapro lawyer Guilhem Bremond told AFP.
The commercial court ruling allows the league to recover 80 percent of the rights for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, initially sold to Mediapro for more than 800 million euros ($970 million) a year starting this season.
It was a record deal for football in France, but a missed payment due at the start of October precipitated two months of negotiations as Mediapro sought to reduce the amount it paid.
French broadcaster Canal Plus, which already shows a limited number of Ligue 1 matches, is believed to be waiting in the wings to make an offer to take over Mediapro's matches, although it is likely to make a cut-price offer to ride to the rescue.
Ligue 1 clubs that are already counting the cost of a curtailed 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and the loss of revenue from the absence of spectators, are now facing another financial hole.
In the meantime, clubs will be able to split a 64 million-euro compensation payment from Mediapro. Another 36 million euros will be paid out in early 2021. However, the combined total is a long way short of the 325 million euros the broadcaster has defaulted on since October.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Africa roundup: Montenegrin becomes third Libya coach this year

Star Libya forward Hamdou Elhouni ( L ) in action against Tunisia during a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Montenegrin Zoran Filipovic has become the third coach of Libya this year after Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti and local Ali Merguini .
He previously worked in Africa 10 years ago , saving South African Premiership club Golden Arrows from relegation during 12 months with the Durban club .
`` I promise to give my all to the cause of the Libyan national team , '' said the 67-year-old during a press conference in Tripoli .
Here , AFP Sport rounds up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Filipovic , who was capped 13 times by the then Yugoslavia as a forward , will be to prepare Libya for the African Nations Championship ( CHAN ) in Cameroon next month .
Libya secured a place in the competition for footballers playing in their country of birth after Tunisia , the team that defeated them in a qualifier , withdrew .
The Mediterranean Knights were crowned CHAN champions in 2014 and next month will face the two-time title-holders Democratic Republic of Congo , Congo Brazzaville and Niger in Group B. Confederation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general secretary for football and development and former Ghana star Anthony Baffoe says he is `` very satisfied '' with 2023 Africa Cup of Nations preparations .
The main venue in host nation the Ivory Coast , the 60,000-seat Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in commercial capital Abidjan , has been completed and officially opened .
Three other new stadiums , in Korhogo , San Pedro and Yamoussokro , are being built and existing stadiums in Abidjan and Bouake renovated .
The South African Football Association ( SAFA ) has performed a financial u-turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rand ( $ 3.6 million/3 million euros ) this year .
Last year , the national body suffered a loss of 74.5 million rand , after which there was a change of chief executive with Tebogo Motlanthe taking over .
SAFA is headed by Danny Jordaan , a former lawmaker with the ruling African National Congress ( ANC ) party and a key figure in the organisation of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa .
A star of the Algerian national youth team is forward Mohamed Belloumi , whose father , Lakhdar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa during the 1980s .
Many pundits are drawing comparisons not only between Mohamed and his father , but also with Manchester City winger and Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez .
However , Belloumi junior could not prevent his country being eliminated this week from a regional qualifying tournament for the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Morocco .
Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute hopes up to half of the seats at the four match venues can be available for spectators during the January 16-February 7 African Nations Championship .
`` Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus so we will propose to the head of state that between 30 and 50 percent of seats can be occupied , '' he said .
The 16-team tournament kicks off at the 42,500-capacity Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde with a match between Cameroon and Zimbabwe .
Zamalek have rejected a 2.5 million euro ( $ 3.05 million ) bid from Ligue 1 outfit Nantes for star forward Mostafa Mohamed , an official told the TV channel of the Cairo club .
`` French club FC Nantes have submitted an offer for Mostafa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on leaving for Europe , '' he said .
`` The club will let Mostafa leave , but only after the Olympic Games ( Egypt are among three African football qualifiers ) , so now he has to focus only on Zamalek . ''
Football officials will meet in Kigali this week to discuss resuming the coronavirus-affected Rwandan Premier League .
The season kicked off on December 4 but was suspended just seven days later after a number of positive tests for Covid-19 , including 12 players from the Rayon Sports club .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ health guidelines by not testing players before matches while there were also accusations of fake Covid-19 results .

Johannesburg (AFP) –
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Montenegrin Zoran Filipovic has become the third coach of Libya this year after Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti and local Ali Merguini.
He previously worked in Africa 10 years ago, saving South African Premiership club Golden Arrows from relegation during 12 months with the Durban club.
"I promise to give my all to the cause of the Libyan national team," said the 67-year-old during a press conference in Tripoli.
Here, AFP Sport rounds up news from Africa.
Libya
The first task of Filipovic, who was capped 13 times by the then Yugoslavia as a forward, will be to prepare Libya for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon next month.
Libya secured a place in the competition for footballers playing in their country of birth after Tunisia, the team that defeated them in a qualifier, withdrew.
The Mediterranean Knights were crowned CHAN champions in 2014 and next month will face the two-time title-holders Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville and Niger in Group B.
Ivory Coast
Confederation of African Football (CAF) deputy general secretary for football and development and former Ghana star Anthony Baffoe says he is "very satisfied" with 2023 Africa Cup of Nations preparations.
The main venue in host nation the Ivory Coast, the 60,000-seat Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in commercial capital Abidjan, has been completed and officially opened.
Three other new stadiums, in Korhogo, San Pedro and Yamoussokro, are being built and existing stadiums in Abidjan and Bouake renovated.
South Africa
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has performed a financial u-turn, posting a profit of 53 million rand ($3.6 million/3 million euros) this year.
Last year, the national body suffered a loss of 74.5 million rand, after which there was a change of chief executive with Tebogo Motlanthe taking over.
SAFA is headed by Danny Jordaan, a former lawmaker with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party and a key figure in the organisation of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Algeria
A star of the Algerian national youth team is forward Mohamed Belloumi, whose father, Lakhdar, was among the best footballers in Africa during the 1980s.
Many pundits are drawing comparisons not only between Mohamed and his father, but also with Manchester City winger and Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez.
However, Belloumi junior could not prevent his country being eliminated this week from a regional qualifying tournament for the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Cameroon
Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute hopes up to half of the seats at the four match venues can be available for spectators during the January 16-February 7 African Nations Championship.
"Social distancing must be observed because of the coronavirus so we will propose to the head of state that between 30 and 50 percent of seats can be occupied," he said.
The 16-team tournament kicks off at the 42,500-capacity Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde with a match between Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
Egypt
Zamalek have rejected a 2.5 million euro ($3.05 million) bid from Ligue 1 outfit Nantes for star forward Mostafa Mohamed, an official told the TV channel of the Cairo club.
"French club FC Nantes have submitted an offer for Mostafa Mohamed, and the player is insisting on leaving for Europe," he said.
"The club will let Mostafa leave, but only after the Olympic Games (Egypt are among three African football qualifiers), so now he has to focus only on Zamalek."
Rwanda
Football officials will meet in Kigali this week to discuss resuming the coronavirus-affected Rwandan Premier League.
The season kicked off on December 4 but was suspended just seven days later after a number of positive tests for Covid-19, including 12 players from the Rayon Sports club.
Officials allege that some clubs violated public health guidelines by not testing players before matches while there were also accusations of fake Covid-19 results.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Russia sanctions EU over poisoning of 'delusional' Navalny

Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny says he impersonated a security official to extract an admission of guilt from the security services that he was poisoned Russia said Tuesday it was hitting EU officials with sanctions for their response to the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny , who the Kremlin said was suffering from `` delusions of persecution '' .
The foreign ministry in Moscow summoned several senior EU diplomats before announcing the new travel bans .
In response to `` confrontational '' sanctions imposed by the bloc in October , Russia `` decided to expand the list of representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be denied entry to Russia . ''
The announcement on Tuesday came a day after Navalny , 44 , said in a report he had impersonated an official in the Kremlin 's Security Council and extracted an admission of guilt from a toxins expert with the FSB security service .
In a video of the conversation published by Navalny , the alleged FSB agent says agents placed poison in Navalny 's underwear this summer .
The anticorruption campaigner was flown for treatment to Germany where labs concluded he was poisoned with Novichok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's video of his conversation with the man named Konstantin Kudryavtsev racked up more than 12 million views in less than 24 hours and social media were abuzz with memes about Navalny 's underpants .
The Kremlin on Tuesday described Navalny as a `` sick '' man who was suffering from `` delusions of persecution '' .
President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that Navalny 's claims could discredit the FSB , adding the opposition politician also exhibited `` traits of megalomania . ''
`` They say he compares himself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was hard to predict the fallout from Navalny 's revelations .
`` This is a political Chernobyl , '' said prominent commentator Yulia Latynina , referring to the 1986 nuclear disaster in Soviet Ukraine .
`` After this the system can not exist in its current form , '' she wrote in the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta .
Authorities hit back against Navalny 's supporters .
His top ally Lyubov Sobol spent hours at a police station and was questioned overnight before being released .
Ivan Zhdanov , the head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they planned to launch a formal complaint with the FSB on Tuesday .
The FSB described the phone call as `` fake '' and said it would not have been possible without `` the support of foreign intelligence services .
Last week Putin rejected reports that the FSB had poisoned Navalny , saying that if the security services had wanted to poison the opposition politician , `` they would have taken it to the end . ''
Putin , himself a former KGB officer , over the weekend hailed Russia 's `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting the country from `` external and internal threats . ''
But some analysts said Navalny 's revelations raised new questions about the professionalism of Russia 's security services .
`` Intelligence 101 : always insist on calling back , never simply take a call from someone you do not recognise , '' said Wolfgang Ischinger , chairman of the Munich Security Conference This , he quipped , was `` apparently not being taught in FSB graduate school '' .
The counter sanctions were announced after Moscow summoned senior diplomats from Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where labs have said Navalny was poisoned with Novichok , a Soviet-designed nerve agent .
The findings resulted in EU sanctions against several Russian officials in October , including the head of the FSB .
Navalny fell violently ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August and was hospitalised in the city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft .
The person Navalny said was the FSB agent was heard in the video saying the security services had not expected the pilot to make an emergency landing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight had been allowed to continue , Navalny would not have survived .
Navalny 's associate Sobol on Monday went to the Moscow apartment where Kudryavtsev is believed to live .
She was detained and spent more than six hours at a police station .
Last week a joint media report led by the Bellingcat investigative website revealed what it said were the names and photos of chemical weapons experts from the FSB that had tailed Navalny for years .

Moscow (AFP) –
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Russia said Tuesday it was hitting EU officials with sanctions for their response to the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who the Kremlin said was suffering from "delusions of persecution".
The foreign ministry in Moscow summoned several senior EU diplomats before announcing the new travel bans.
In response to "confrontational" sanctions imposed by the bloc in October, Russia "decided to expand the list of representatives of EU member states and institutions who will be denied entry to Russia."
The announcement on Tuesday came a day after Navalny, 44, said in a report he had impersonated an official in the Kremlin's Security Council and extracted an admission of guilt from a toxins expert with the FSB security service.
In a video of the conversation published by Navalny, the alleged FSB agent says agents placed poison in Navalny's underwear this summer.
The anticorruption campaigner was flown for treatment to Germany where labs concluded he was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent.
Navalny's video of his conversation with the man named Konstantin Kudryavtsev racked up more than 12 million views in less than 24 hours and social media were abuzz with memes about Navalny's underpants.
The Kremlin on Tuesday described Navalny as a "sick" man who was suffering from "delusions of persecution".
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that Navalny's claims could discredit the FSB, adding the opposition politician also exhibited "traits of megalomania."
"They say he compares himself to Jesus," Peskov added.
- 'Political Chernobyl' -
Observers said it was hard to predict the fallout from Navalny's revelations.
"This is a political Chernobyl," said prominent commentator Yulia Latynina, referring to the 1986 nuclear disaster in Soviet Ukraine.
"After this the system cannot exist in its current form," she wrote in the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
Authorities hit back against Navalny's supporters. His top ally Lyubov Sobol spent hours at a police station and was questioned overnight before being released.
Ivan Zhdanov, the head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, told AFP that they planned to launch a formal complaint with the FSB on Tuesday.
The FSB described the phone call as "fake" and said it would not have been possible without "the support of foreign intelligence services.
Last week Putin rejected reports that the FSB had poisoned Navalny, saying that if the security services had wanted to poison the opposition politician, "they would have taken it to the end."
Putin, himself a former KGB officer, over the weekend hailed Russia's "courageous" spies and thanked them for protecting the country from "external and internal threats."
- 'Intelligence 101' -
But some analysts said Navalny's revelations raised new questions about the professionalism of Russia's security services.
"Intelligence 101: always insist on calling back, never simply take a call from someone you do not recognise," said Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference
This, he quipped, was "apparently not being taught in FSB graduate school".
The counter sanctions were announced after Moscow summoned senior diplomats from Germany, France and Sweden, the three countries where labs have said Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent.
The findings resulted in EU sanctions against several Russian officials in October, including the head of the FSB.
Navalny fell violently ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August and was hospitalised in the city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft.
The person Navalny said was the FSB agent was heard in the video saying the security services had not expected the pilot to make an emergency landing in Omsk.
He said that if the flight had been allowed to continue, Navalny would not have survived.
Navalny's associate Sobol on Monday went to the Moscow apartment where Kudryavtsev is believed to live. She was detained and spent more than six hours at a police station.
Last week a joint media report led by the Bellingcat investigative website revealed what it said were the names and photos of chemical weapons experts from the FSB that had tailed Navalny for years.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Armenian demonstrators block roads in capital

Thousands have gathered in the Armenian capital to protest the truce signed with Azerbaijan to end fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh .
@ @ @ @ @ Armenia Peace Initiative , says unrest continues in the disputed region .

Analysis: Armenia needs ‘third movement’ to offer way out of political crisis
06:13
Thousands have gathered in the Armenian capital to protest the truce signed with Azerbaijan to end fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Taline Papazian from the Armenia Peace Initiative says Armenia needs a ‘third movement’ to offer a way out of the political crisis.


france24--2020-12-22--Trump set to stamp coronavirus bill into law

US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a nearly $ 900 billion coronavirus aid package into law , providing @ @ @ @ @ economy .
It includes $ 600 cash payments to most Americans .
The bill is @ @ @ @ @ had argued for .

Trump set to stamp coronavirus bill into law
01:37
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a nearly $900 billion coronavirus aid package into law, providing a lifeline to the battered economy. It includes $600 cash payments to most Americans. The bill is much smaller than many Democrats had argued for.


france24--2020-12-22--RFU concussion figures second highest of all time

One in five professional rugby players suffered concussion in the 2018/19 season according to the RFU One in five professional rugby union players in England suffered concussion during the 2018-19 season , according to the latest medical figures released by the Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) .
The frequency of concussions -- measured by the number of incidents per 1000 hours of playing time -- is the second highest it has ever been .
The highest recorded concussion incidence was 20.9 per 1000 hours in 2016-17 .
The figures come in the wake of several former players taking legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Wales Rugby Union ( WRU ) .
The basis of the claim made on behalf of the nine test cases -- legal firm Rylands Law say they were talking to more than 130 more retired players -- is the sport 's governing bodies failed to provide sufficient protection from the risks caused by concussion .
The RFU figures state that in 2018-19 , 20.4 % of players sustained at least one match concussion -- an increase from 16 % in the 2017-18 season .
The report analysed 407 games and 763 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eighth consecutive season , concussion was the most commonly reported match injury .
In total , there were 166 match concussions and 38 training concussions .
However , the report said the upside was the introduction of the real-time pitch-side video system in the Premiership enabled medical staff to identify more head injuries in 2018-19 .
`` Improving the detection of these complex injuries to ensure safe removal of concussed players remains a priority , as is developing and evaluating strategies to reduce concussion incidence , '' it said .
The Rugby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist neurological opinion following a second diagnosed concussion during a 12-month period .
The sport was rocked when England 's 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson revealed earlier this month he could not remember the memorable moment in Sydney .
The 42-year-old was diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE ( chronic traumatic encephalopathy ) in November .
`` Knowing what I know now , I wish that I had never turned professional , '' he said .
`` I went from working on a building site and training twice a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day .
`` It was not uncommon for me to be left dazed , seeing white spots and not knowing where I was for a few seconds .
`` Sometimes I would pass out completely .
It was just an accepted part and parcel of training . ''
World Rugby chairman and former England captain Bill Beaumont had to retire from the sport due to successive concussions but he said the link between concussion and brain injuries is complex .
`` It is clear the area of concussion and long-term cognitive health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
`` We have continuously acted on research and scientific information as it has become available .
`` The science continues to evolve , and we will evolve with it . ''

London (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
One in five professional rugby union players in England suffered concussion during the 2018-19 season, according to the latest medical figures released by the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
The frequency of concussions -- measured by the number of incidents per 1000 hours of playing time -- is the second highest it has ever been.
The highest recorded concussion incidence was 20.9 per 1000 hours in 2016-17.
The figures come in the wake of several former players taking legal action against World Rugby, the RFU and the Wales Rugby Union (WRU).
The basis of the claim made on behalf of the nine test cases -- legal firm Rylands Law say they were talking to more than 130 more retired players -- is the sport's governing bodies failed to provide sufficient protection from the risks caused by concussion.
The RFU figures state that in 2018-19, 20.4% of players sustained at least one match concussion -- an increase from 16% in the 2017-18 season.
The report analysed 407 games and 763 players from 12 Premiership clubs.
For the eighth consecutive season, concussion was the most commonly reported match injury.
In total, there were 166 match concussions and 38 training concussions.
However, the report said the upside was the introduction of the real-time pitch-side video system in the Premiership enabled medical staff to identify more head injuries in 2018-19.
"Improving the detection of these complex injuries to ensure safe removal of concussed players remains a priority, as is developing and evaluating strategies to reduce concussion incidence," it said.
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby recommend seeking specialist neurological opinion following a second diagnosed concussion during a 12-month period.
The sport was rocked when England's 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson revealed earlier this month he could not remember the memorable moment in Sydney.
The 42-year-old was diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in November.
"Knowing what I know now, I wish that I had never turned professional," he said.
"I went from working on a building site and training twice a week to training every day, sometimes twice a day.
"It was not uncommon for me to be left dazed, seeing white spots and not knowing where I was for a few seconds.
"Sometimes I would pass out completely. It was just an accepted part and parcel of training."
World Rugby chairman and former England captain Bill Beaumont had to retire from the sport due to successive concussions but he said the link between concussion and brain injuries is complex.
"It is clear the area of concussion and long-term cognitive health is extremely complex," he wrote last week.
"We have continuously acted on research and scientific information as it has become available.
"The science continues to evolve, and we will evolve with it."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Scientists scramble to assess mutated coronavirus

ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new viral strain may be up to 70 percent more transmissible As dozens of countries blocked the flow of people and goods from Britain to avoid a new and more contagious strain of coronavirus , scientists raced to understand how it emerged and the scope of its threat .
Here are some of the key questions they are asking , and the answers that have emerged so far .
- How often do viruses mutate ?
- All the time , but some viruses do it more than others .
A two-dose vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last a lifetime , where as the cocktail in flu shots changes every year to keep up with genetic shape-shifting .
Coronaviruses are somewhere in between , and the one that has ravaged the globe this year , known as SARS-CoV-2 , is no exception .
`` Viruses constantly change through mutation and the emergence of a new variant is an expected occurence and not in itself a cause for concern , '' The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) said Sunday in an threat assessment report of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that causes Covid-19 , `` even by March , there were eight major lineages that were all separating , '' Susan Hopkins , a senior lecturer in infectious diseases at Imperial College London , told journalists in a Zoom press conference Monday .
The more critical question is where in the virus such mutations occur , and whether they will make it more infectious and/or deadly .
Before the emergence in Britain of this more contagious strain , other genetic variations were mostly benign .
- How has the new strain changed ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a host to infect is significantly determined by the interface between a virus 's so-called spike protein and a specific receptor on the surface of many human cells known as ACE2 .
The easier it is for the virus to latch on to a receptor , the more likely it is infection will follow .
The new mutation , known as the 501Y variant , may have changed in ways that enhance its chances of a successful docking .
`` There is an really unusual cluster of mutations associated with this variant -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genome , '' said Wendy Barclay , head of the department of infections disease at Imperial College London and a member of NERVTAG , a group of scientists advising the British government on the threat posed by emerging respiratory diseases .
Mutations observed in the spike protein , she told journalists , `` would make it easier for the virus to enter cells , and could biologically explain an increase in transmission . ''
Bits of missing genetic code in other regions , compared with the previous generation of SARS-CoV-2 from which 501Y @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread , she said .
- How much more infectious ?
- In announcing more stringent lockdown measures over the Christmas holiday , British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday the new viral strain `` may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the original version of the disease . ''
That assessment was based on preliminary data from sequenced virus genomes gathered from London and parts of southeastern England .
In early November , scientists found the new variant was responsible for just over a quarter of infections in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on December 9 , it accounted for more than 60 percent of all new cases .
Since Johnson 's shock announcement , which triggered commercial flight bans and border closings , scientists in Britain have crunched even more data .
`` We now have high confidence that this variant does have a transmission advantage over other virus variants that are currently in the UK , '' said Peter Horby , a professor of emerging infectious diseases at the University of Oxford and chair of NERVTAG .
The latest calculations , he added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more infectious .
Another indicator of its ability to spread is the variant 's reproductive number , or `` R rate '' -- the average number of new cases generated by an single infected person .
Anything above 1.0 means that a virus is continuing to find new hosts and is expanding across a community , county or country .
`` Even during the ( recent ) lockdown in England , this virus had an R-number that was about 0.4 larger than non-variant strains , '' said Neil Ferguson , director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a member of NERVTAG .
`` The non-variant strains had an R number of about 0.8 , but this variant had an R of 1.2 or even higher . ''
That could be bad news for efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 , which has already claimed more than 67,000 lives in Britain and 1.7 million worldwide .
`` I think it is highly likely to become the dominant strain across the UK given the trends we have seen so far , '' Ferguson said .
The World Health Organization ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial analysis indicates that the variant may spread more readily between people , '' but said more research was needed to assess its impact on treatments and vaccines .
- Where did the new strain emerge ?
- Scientists are not sure where the more contagious variant -- officially known as SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 -- first appeared , but many suspect Britain is ground zero .
The first known case there was sampled on September 20 .
`` It is very likely that it emerged here , but it is also likely that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Hopkins of Imperial College London .
Denmark , The Netherlands , Australia and Italy have all reported cases , she said .
A variant with some of the same genetic deletions has also been identified in South Africa , but is thought to have evolved separately -- bolstering the idea that the mutations confer a `` transmission advantage '' .
It is also possible , scientists say , that 501Y is already more widespread than thought , but has simply not been detected .
The only way to spot a mutated version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's entire genome , but Denmark and Britain are the only countries in Europe that do so on a routine basis .
`` The UK may be victims of their own technical success in highlighting the emergence of the 501Y variant , '' said London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Professor Brendan Wren , noting that Britain may be treated `` as the lepers of the world . ''
Horby and other NERVTAG scientists said Monday they are unlikely to trace the strain back to a `` patient zero '' , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have emerged .
`` The hypothesis would be that this passed through somebody immunosuppressed who therefore had circulation of live mutations over a long period of time , '' he said .
`` There is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant , '' the ECDC said in its threat assessment .
This conclusion , however , `` is challenged by the fact that the majority of cases were reported in people under 60 years old , who are less likely to develop severe symptoms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a hint that it has a higher propensity to infect children , '' said Ferguson .
Even if proven true , that does not mean that the virus is `` targeting '' children , who up to now have been less prone to infection and , when they do catch the bug , severe symptoms , said Barclay .
`` The previous virus had a harder time binding to ACE2 and getting into ( human ) cells , '' she explained .
That made adults -- with more abundant ACE2 receptors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier target compared to children .
`` If the new strain is having an easier time of entering and binding to cells , that would put children on a more level playing field , '' Barclay added , noting the additional impact of young people mixing socially , especially in school .
Scientists in Britain and elsewhere are testing the new strain against the several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines , but so far there is no indication that they will be less effective against 501Y .
`` It is possible that we may need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Barclay .
`` But we will need to monitor these viruses moving forward . ''
Updating the new generation of so-called messenger RNA vaccines , she added , will be a lot easier than modifying flu vaccines , as happens every year .
Both of the leading vaccines in Europe and the US -- one made by Pfizer-BioNTech , the other by Moderna -- are RNA-based .
The co-founder of BioNTech , Ugur Sahin , said Tuesday it was `` highly likely '' that its vaccine would work against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the company could adapt the vaccine if necessary in six weeks .
Researchers are also investigating the possible impact of the new strain on Covid-19 testing and treatments , though there is little so far to suggest either will be significantly compromised .
`` We have to be cautious in our conclusions , this is still early days and there 's still a lot of uncertainty about many aspects of this new variant , '' said NERVTAG member Ferguson .

Paris (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
As dozens of countries blocked the flow of people and goods from Britain to avoid a new and more contagious strain of coronavirus, scientists raced to understand how it emerged and the scope of its threat.
Here are some of the key questions they are asking, and the answers that have emerged so far.
- How often do viruses mutate? -
All the time, but some viruses do it more than others.
A two-dose vaccine against measles, for example, can last a lifetime, where as the cocktail in flu shots changes every year to keep up with genetic shape-shifting.
Coronaviruses are somewhere in between, and the one that has ravaged the globe this year, known as SARS-CoV-2, is no exception.
"Viruses constantly change through mutation and the emergence of a new variant is an expected occurence and not in itself a cause for concern," The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Sunday in an threat assessment report of the new strain.
As for the pathogen that causes Covid-19, "even by March, there were eight major lineages that were all separating," Susan Hopkins, a senior lecturer in infectious diseases at Imperial College London, told journalists in a Zoom press conference Monday.
The more critical question is where in the virus such mutations occur, and whether they will make it more infectious and/or deadly.
Before the emergence in Britain of this more contagious strain, other genetic variations were mostly benign.
- How has the new strain changed? -
Whether a variant of SARS-CoV-2 finds a host to infect is significantly determined by the interface between a virus's so-called spike protein and a specific receptor on the surface of many human cells known as ACE2.
The easier it is for the virus to latch on to a receptor, the more likely it is infection will follow.
The new mutation, known as the 501Y variant, may have changed in ways that enhance its chances of a successful docking.
"There is an really unusual cluster of mutations associated with this variant -- 22 coding changes across the whole virus genome," said Wendy Barclay, head of the department of infections disease at Imperial College London and a member of NERVTAG, a group of scientists advising the British government on the threat posed by emerging respiratory diseases.
Mutations observed in the spike protein, she told journalists, "would make it easier for the virus to enter cells, and could biologically explain an increase in transmission."
Bits of missing genetic code in other regions, compared with the previous generation of SARS-CoV-2 from which 501Y emerged, could also boost its ability to spread, she said.
- How much more infectious? -
In announcing more stringent lockdown measures over the Christmas holiday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday the new viral strain "may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the original version of the disease."
That assessment was based on preliminary data from sequenced virus genomes gathered from London and parts of southeastern England.
In early November, scientists found the new variant was responsible for just over a quarter of infections in these areas. By the week ending on December 9, it accounted for more than 60 percent of all new cases.
Since Johnson's shock announcement, which triggered commercial flight bans and border closings, scientists in Britain have crunched even more data.
"We now have high confidence that this variant does have a transmission advantage over other virus variants that are currently in the UK," said Peter Horby, a professor of emerging infectious diseases at the University of Oxford and chair of NERVTAG.
The latest calculations, he added, suggest 501Y is 50 to 70 percent more infectious.
Another indicator of its ability to spread is the variant's reproductive number, or "R rate" -- the average number of new cases generated by an single infected person.
Anything above 1.0 means that a virus is continuing to find new hosts and is expanding across a community, county or country.
"Even during the (recent) lockdown in England, this virus had an R-number that was about 0.4 larger than non-variant strains," said Neil Ferguson, director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and a member of NERVTAG.
"The non-variant strains had an R number of about 0.8, but this variant had an R of 1.2 or even higher."
That could be bad news for efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, which has already claimed more than 67,000 lives in Britain and 1.7 million worldwide.
"I think it is highly likely to become the dominant strain across the UK given the trends we have seen so far," Ferguson said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said that "initial analysis indicates that the variant may spread more readily between people," but said more research was needed to assess its impact on treatments and vaccines.
- Where did the new strain emerge? -
Scientists are not sure where the more contagious variant -- officially known as SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 -- first appeared, but many suspect Britain is ground zero.
The first known case there was sampled on September 20.
"It is very likely that it emerged here, but it is also likely that it is in other countries," said Hopkins of Imperial College London.
Denmark, The Netherlands, Australia and Italy have all reported cases, she said.
A variant with some of the same genetic deletions has also been identified in South Africa, but is thought to have evolved separately -- bolstering the idea that the mutations confer a "transmission advantage".
It is also possible, scientists say, that 501Y is already more widespread than thought, but has simply not been detected.
The only way to spot a mutated version of SARS-CoV-2 is to sequence the virus's entire genome, but Denmark and Britain are the only countries in Europe that do so on a routine basis.
"The UK may be victims of their own technical success in highlighting the emergence of the 501Y variant," said London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Professor Brendan Wren, noting that Britain may be treated "as the lepers of the world."
Horby and other NERVTAG scientists said Monday they are unlikely to trace the strain back to a "patient zero", but have an idea of how it might have emerged.
"The hypothesis would be that this passed through somebody immunosuppressed who therefore had circulation of live mutations over a long period of time," he said.
- Is 501Y more virulent? -
"There is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant," the ECDC said in its threat assessment.
This conclusion, however, "is challenged by the fact that the majority of cases were reported in people under 60 years old, who are less likely to develop severe symptoms."
At the same time, "there is a hint that it has a higher propensity to infect children," said Ferguson.
Even if proven true, that does not mean that the virus is "targeting" children, who up to now have been less prone to infection and, when they do catch the bug, severe symptoms, said Barclay.
"The previous virus had a harder time binding to ACE2 and getting into (human) cells," she explained. That made adults -- with more abundant ACE2 receptors in their nose and throats -- an easier target compared to children.
"If the new strain is having an easier time of entering and binding to cells, that would put children on a more level playing field," Barclay added, noting the additional impact of young people mixing socially, especially in school.
- Will vaccines still work? -
Scientists in Britain and elsewhere are testing the new strain against the several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, but so far there is no indication that they will be less effective against 501Y.
"It is possible that we may need to update vaccines, perhaps not every year," said Barclay. "But we will need to monitor these viruses moving forward."
Updating the new generation of so-called messenger RNA vaccines, she added, will be a lot easier than modifying flu vaccines, as happens every year.
Both of the leading vaccines in Europe and the US -- one made by Pfizer-BioNTech, the other by Moderna -- are RNA-based.
The co-founder of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin, said Tuesday it was "highly likely" that its vaccine would work against the mutated strain detected in Britain, adding that the company could adapt the vaccine if necessary in six weeks.
Researchers are also investigating the possible impact of the new strain on Covid-19 testing and treatments, though there is little so far to suggest either will be significantly compromised.
"We have to be cautious in our conclusions, this is still early days and there's still a lot of uncertainty about many aspects of this new variant," said NERVTAG member Ferguson.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--FIFA lodges criminal complaint against Blatter over museum

The FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich opened its doors in February 2016 FIFA on Tuesday announced it had filed a criminal complaint against former president Sepp Blatter over the finances of its loss-making museum in Zurich .
In a statement FIFA said it had `` lodged a criminal complaint with Zurich 's cantonal prosecutor as evidence of suspected criminal mismanagement by FIFA 's former management and companies appointed by them in relation to the ( museum ) has surfaced . ''
Blatter 's lawyer , Lorenz Erni , told AFP `` the accusations are unfounded '' and vehemently denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museum generated a bill of 500 million Swiss francs ( 462 million euros ) that instead `` could and should have been channeled into the development of global football '' .
`` We came to the conclusion that we had no choice other than to report the case to state prosecutors , not least because the current management of FIFA also has fiduciary responsibilities to the organisation and we intend to live up to them , even if those before us dismally failed to , '' said FIFA deputy secretary general Alasdair Bell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blatter project , was opened in February 2016 by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino just after he was elected as the successor to the disgraced Blatter .
Blatter was suspended from football for six years over a two million Swiss franc payment to then UEFA boss Michel Platini .
FIFA invested 140 million Swiss frans ( 130.5 million euros , $ 138.6 million ) in the museum , which is spread over three floors and 3000 m2 .
However , it lost $ 50 million in its first year of operating and attracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , barely half the target .

Geneva (AFP) –
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FIFA on Tuesday announced it had filed a criminal complaint against former president Sepp Blatter over the finances of its loss-making museum in Zurich.
In a statement FIFA said it had "lodged a criminal complaint with Zurich's cantonal prosecutor as evidence of suspected criminal mismanagement by FIFA's former management and companies appointed by them in relation to the (museum) has surfaced."
Blatter's lawyer, Lorenz Erni, told AFP "the accusations are unfounded" and vehemently denied wrongdoing.
According to FIFA, the museum generated a bill of 500 million Swiss francs (462 million euros) that instead "could and should have been channeled into the development of global football".
"We came to the conclusion that we had no choice other than to report the case to state prosecutors, not least because the current management of FIFA also has fiduciary responsibilities to the organisation and we intend to live up to them, even if those before us dismally failed to," said FIFA deputy secretary general Alasdair Bell.
The Zurich-based museum, a landmark Blatter project, was opened in February 2016 by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino just after he was elected as the successor to the disgraced Blatter.
Blatter was suspended from football for six years over a two million Swiss franc payment to then UEFA boss Michel Platini.
FIFA invested 140 million Swiss frans (130.5 million euros, $138.6 million) in the museum, which is spread over three floors and 3000 m2.
However, it lost $50 million in its first year of operating and attracted an average of 11,000 visitors a month, barely half the target.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Las Vegas gambles on drive-thru Santas for a socially distant Christmas

This Christmas , Americans in Las Vegas are embracing the Christmas spirit from the safety of their cars .
A @ @ @ @ @ s grotto is just one way the city famous for its casinos and stage spectaculars @ @ @ @ @ reality of life under Covid-19 .

Las Vegas gambles on drive-thru Santas for a socially distant Christmas
01:55
This Christmas, Americans in Las Vegas are embracing the Christmas spirit from the safety of their cars. A drive-thru visit to Santa’s grotto is just one way the city famous for its casinos and stage spectaculars is adapting to the new reality of life under Covid-19.


france24--2020-12-22--Upset Rooney donates to children's helpline

England 's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney is donating £75,000 ( $ 100,000 ) to a children 's helpline as he says it upsets him to think there are young people `` dreading Christmas '' .
The 35-year-old former Manchester United striker knows a lot about the concerns and trauma children go through as he has been an ambassador for The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children ( NSPCC ) since 2015 .
Rooney , the interim manager of Championship strugglers Derby County , has made his donation to Childline which offers counselling and advice to young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's very upsetting to know that there are children out there who are really suffering and might be dreading Christmas , '' said Rooney .
`` The ( coronavirus ) pandemic has had a devastating impact on many young lives , and it 's so important that Childline is there for young people when they need it most . ''
Rooney 's donation towards helping children in need follows current Manchester United star Marcus Rashford 's much-praised initiative tackling child food poverty .
Rooney 's former United manager Alex Ferguson has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is set to pledge up to £2 million towards the FareShare charity for which the England forward is an ambassador .

London (AFP) –
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England's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney is donating £75,000 ($100,000) to a children's helpline as he says it upsets him to think there are young people "dreading Christmas".
The 35-year-old former Manchester United striker knows a lot about the concerns and trauma children go through as he has been an ambassador for The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) since 2015.
Rooney, the interim manager of Championship strugglers Derby County, has made his donation to Childline which offers counselling and advice to young people under the age of 19.
"It's very upsetting to know that there are children out there who are really suffering and might be dreading Christmas," said Rooney.
"The (coronavirus) pandemic has had a devastating impact on many young lives, and it's so important that Childline is there for young people when they need it most."
Rooney's donation towards helping children in need follows current Manchester United star Marcus Rashford's much-praised initiative tackling child food poverty.
Rooney's former United manager Alex Ferguson has been so impressed by Rashford's campaign he is set to pledge up to £2 million towards the FareShare charity for which the England forward is an ambassador.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--UN probe accuses Mali army of war crimes, armed groups of crimes against humanity

Soldiers of FAMA ( Malian Armed Forces ) stand and salute during the national anthem at the ceremony of the 60th anniversary of Mali 's independence in Bamako , on September 22 , 2020 .
UN investigators into violence in Mali have told the Security Council of evidence that security forces committed war crimes , while jihadists and other armed groups perpetrated crimes against humanity .
The allegations are made in a massive 338-page report compiled by the International Commission of Inquiry , a three-member panel probing events in Mali for six years after it spiralled into conflict in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet been made public , recommends setting up a court that specialises in prosecuting international crimes .
`` The Commission has reasonable grounds to believe that the Malian defence and security forces committed war crimes , including violence to the life and person of civilians and persons hors de combat suspected of being affiliated or cooperating with extremist armed groups , '' says the report , seen by AFP .
The landlocked Sahel country descended into violence in 2012 when ethnic Tuareg separatists launched an insurgency in the north of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed campaign by jihadists .
France , the colonial power , launched a military operation in 2013 that scattered the jihadists .
They then regrouped and expanded their campaign into central Mali , inflaming a region with ethnic rivalries , before advancing into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
Thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes .
`` The Commission considers that extremist armed groups committed crimes against humanity and war crimes , '' the report said .
These include `` murder , maiming and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual violence , hostage-taking and attacks against personnel of humanitarian organizations and MINUSMA , '' the UN peacekeeping force in Mali .
The report was drawn up by a commission comprising Lena Sundh of Sweden , Simon Munzu of Cameroon and Vinod Boolell , a Mauritian , who were appointed by the UN secretary general in January 2018 .
They handed their report to UN chief Antonio Guterres in mid-2020 , and he sent it last week to the 15-member Security Council .
The investigation details the scale of bloodshed , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It highlights an attack that took place in volatile central Mali on June 17 , 2017 .
Members of an armed group called Dan Na Ambassagou , which is drawn from the Dogon community , retaliated for the death of one of their members by attacking several hamlets of ethnic Fulani , also called Peuls , killing at least 39 civilians , including children .
The raids marked the beginning of `` systematic '' attacks on the Fulani in Koro , the report said .
`` The Commission has reasonable grounds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that constitutes a crime against humanity , '' it said .
Unlike other UN reports , the conclusions of the International Commission of Inquiry can be used as a legal basis for possible prosecution .

UN investigators into violence in Mali have told the Security Council of evidence that security forces committed war crimes, while jihadists and other armed groups perpetrated crimes against humanity.
Soldiers of FAMA (Malian Armed Forces) stand and salute during the national anthem at the ceremony of the 60th anniversary of Mali's independence in Bamako, on September 22, 2020.
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The allegations are made in a massive 338-page report compiled by the International Commission of Inquiry, a three-member panel probing events in Mali for six years after it spiralled into conflict in 2012.
The inquiry, whose conclusions have not yet been made public, recommends setting up a court that specialises in prosecuting international crimes.
"The Commission has reasonable grounds to believe that the Malian defence and security forces committed war crimes, including violence to the life and person of civilians and persons hors de combat suspected of being affiliated or cooperating with extremist armed groups," says the report, seen by AFP.
The landlocked Sahel country descended into violence in 2012 when ethnic Tuareg separatists launched an insurgency in the north of the country, which was then overtaken by an armed campaign by jihadists.
France, the colonial power, launched a military operation in 2013 that scattered the jihadists.
They then regrouped and expanded their campaign into central Mali, inflaming a region with ethnic rivalries, before advancing into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes.
"The Commission considers that extremist armed groups committed crimes against humanity and war crimes," the report said.
These include "murder, maiming and other cruel treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence, hostage-taking and attacks against personnel of humanitarian organizations and MINUSMA," the UN peacekeeping force in Mali.
The report was drawn up by a commission comprising Lena Sundh of Sweden, Simon Munzu of Cameroon and Vinod Boolell, a Mauritian, who were appointed by the UN secretary general in January 2018.
They handed their report to UN chief Antonio Guterres in mid-2020, and he sent it last week to the 15-member Security Council.
The investigation details the scale of bloodshed, including inter-ethnic violence, that engulfed troubled country.
It highlights an attack that took place in volatile central Mali on June 17, 2017.
Members of an armed group called Dan Na Ambassagou, which is drawn from the Dogon community, retaliated for the death of one of their members by attacking several hamlets of ethnic Fulani, also called Peuls, killing at least 39 civilians, including children.
The raids marked the beginning of "systematic" attacks on the Fulani in Koro, the report said.
"The Commission has reasonable grounds to believe that those acts amount to murder that constitutes a crime against humanity," it said.
Unlike other UN reports, the conclusions of the International Commission of Inquiry can be used as a legal basis for possible prosecution.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-12-22--Night curfew in Mumbai on UK virus strain fears

The Indian state of Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew on cities including Mumbai over fears about the new coronavirus strain from Britain The Indian state of Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew on cities including the country 's financial hub Mumbai because of fears about the new coronavirus strain from Britain , the local government said .
In addition , Mumbai airport said Tuesday that all air passengers from anywhere in Europe or the Middle East will have to go into institutional quarantine upon arrival and then be tested .
The announcements come even though daily numbers of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks , including in Maharashtra , whose capital Mumbai is home to one of Asia 's biggest slums .
India is yet to confirm any cases of the new strain .
The Maharashtra government said that the night curfew beginning on Tuesday would last until January 5 .
The restrictions will put a dampener on New Year 's celebrations in Mumbai and elsewhere in the western state of around 120 million people , which has seen the most Covid-19 cases and deaths in India .
On Monday , India joined other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- home to a large Indian diaspora -- starting from Tuesday night until December 31 .
India has reported the world 's second-largest number of coronavirus infections after the United States and crossed the 10-million caseload mark last week .
It has registered more than 145,000 deaths .
The Indian government hopes to start vaccinating the population early next year , including an initial 300 million people from high-risk groups and healthcare workers .
India has yet to approve any vaccines but several drugmakers have applied for authorisation , including AstraZeneca , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the world 's largest vaccine maker .

Mumbai (AFP) –
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The Indian state of Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew on cities including the country's financial hub Mumbai because of fears about the new coronavirus strain from Britain, the local government said.
In addition, Mumbai airport said Tuesday that all air passengers from anywhere in Europe or the Middle East will have to go into institutional quarantine upon arrival and then be tested.
The announcements come even though daily numbers of new coronavirus infections has fallen sharply in India in recent weeks, including in Maharashtra, whose capital Mumbai is home to one of Asia's biggest slums.
India is yet to confirm any cases of the new strain.
The Maharashtra government said that the night curfew beginning on Tuesday would last until January 5.
The restrictions will put a dampener on New Year's celebrations in Mumbai and elsewhere in the western state of around 120 million people, which has seen the most Covid-19 cases and deaths in India.
On Monday, India joined other countries in suspending all flights from Britain -- home to a large Indian diaspora -- starting from Tuesday night until December 31.
India has reported the world's second-largest number of coronavirus infections after the United States and crossed the 10-million caseload mark last week. It has registered more than 145,000 deaths.
The Indian government hopes to start vaccinating the population early next year, including an initial 300 million people from high-risk groups and healthcare workers.
India has yet to approve any vaccines but several drugmakers have applied for authorisation, including AstraZeneca, which has partnered with India's Serum Institute, the world's largest vaccine maker.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-12-22--Rizwan-inspired Pakistan stop New Zealand T20 sweep

Mohammad Rizwan inspired Pakistan to a win against New Zealand in the third Twenty20 in Napier Mohammad Rizwan celebrated his elevation to the Pakistan Test captaincy in style Tuesday , smashing a career-best 89 to stop New Zealand claiming a series sweep in the third Twenty20 in Napier .
Pakistan reached New Zealand 's target of 174 with two balls to spare , ending on 177 after Iftikhar Ahmed sealed the win with a six in the final over .
But it was Rizwan 's 89 from 59 balls , with support from 41-run Mohammad Hafeez , that inspired the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the tourists , who suffered heavy defeats in the two opening matches after a rocky preparation that included Covid-19 quarantine in Christchurch with no training .
The win was particularly sweet for Rizwan , who was named on Monday as captain for the first Test against New Zealand starting December 26 after regular skipper Babar Azam was ruled out with a broken thumb .
`` I never thought I 'd be made the captain of Pakistan and I ca n't explain my happiness , '' he said after his man-of-the-match T20 performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an important morale booster ahead of the two-Test series against the Black Caps .
`` We want to take momentum from this into the Test match , so this is very important for us , '' he said .
After two losses when batting first , Pakistan changed tactics and opted to bowl when they won the toss , restricting New Zealand to 173 for seven , with Devon Conway top-scoring on 63 .
Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the Pakistan attack , taking three for 20 .
The strategy of chasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Rizwan and Hafeez forged a 72-run partnership that laid the foundation for the win .
Hafeez , who was stranded on 99 in Hamilton , made 41 from 29 balls including three sixes .
Rizwan 's innings , the sixth-highest by a Pakistan batsman in T20s , included a booming six that bounced off the roof of a stand and out of the ground , forcing the umpires to select a replacement ball .
Daryl Mitchell , on as a fielding substitute for the injured Martin Guptill , took three catches for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervy finish to the match .
But the solid start to the innings ensured the middle order had enough breathing space to steer the tourists home .

Napier (New Zealand) (AFP) –
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Mohammad Rizwan celebrated his elevation to the Pakistan Test captaincy in style Tuesday, smashing a career-best 89 to stop New Zealand claiming a series sweep in the third Twenty20 in Napier.
Pakistan reached New Zealand's target of 174 with two balls to spare, ending on 177 after Iftikhar Ahmed sealed the win with a six in the final over.
But it was Rizwan's 89 from 59 balls, with support from 41-run Mohammad Hafeez, that inspired the victory.
It was a hard-fought win for the tourists, who suffered heavy defeats in the two opening matches after a rocky preparation that included Covid-19 quarantine in Christchurch with no training.
The win was particularly sweet for Rizwan, who was named on Monday as captain for the first Test against New Zealand starting December 26 after regular skipper Babar Azam was ruled out with a broken thumb.
"I never thought I'd be made the captain of Pakistan and I can't explain my happiness," he said after his man-of-the-match T20 performance.
Rizwan said the T20 victory was an important morale booster ahead of the two-Test series against the Black Caps.
"We want to take momentum from this into the Test match, so this is very important for us," he said.
After two losses when batting first, Pakistan changed tactics and opted to bowl when they won the toss, restricting New Zealand to 173 for seven, with Devon Conway top-scoring on 63.
Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the Pakistan attack, taking three for 20.
The strategy of chasing down New Zealand's total paid off as Rizwan and Hafeez forged a 72-run partnership that laid the foundation for the win.
Hafeez, who was stranded on 99 in Hamilton, made 41 from 29 balls including three sixes.
Rizwan's innings, the sixth-highest by a Pakistan batsman in T20s, included a booming six that bounced off the roof of a stand and out of the ground, forcing the umpires to select a replacement ball.
Daryl Mitchell, on as a fielding substitute for the injured Martin Guptill, took three catches for the Black Caps and Pakistan made a nervy finish to the match.
But the solid start to the innings ensured the middle order had enough breathing space to steer the tourists home.
© 2020 AFP