france24--2020-08-24--Bollywood's Bachchan back at work as India relaxes on-set rules

Amitabh Bachchan spent much of July in a Mumbai hospital with COVID-19 Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is back at work filming India 's version of `` Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ? ''
following a bout of COVID-19 , while authorities eased coronavirus curbs on movie and TV shoots .
A blanket ban on studio activity in March dealt a huge blow to India 's cinema and TV industries , hitting not just Bollywood -- the world 's most prolific film factory -- but also regional movie-making hubs and productions for television and streaming platforms .
In June shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including a ban on actors and crew aged over 65 -- including Bachchan , 77 -- until a court overturned that earlier this month .
Late Sunday the government eased the regulations but still insisted that common facilities be regularly sanitised , masks worn and social distancing `` followed as far as possible '' .
But the relaxation depends on individual Indian states , and Maharashtra , home to Mumbai and Bollywood and responsible for more than a fifth of India 's virus cases , is sticking to the old rules for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will review these decisions based on how the pandemic is evolving in the state , '' a spokesman for the state government told AFP .
Shows such as `` Kaun Banega Crorepati ? ''
for instance , which Bachchan has hosted as quizmaster since 2000 , will not be shot before a studio audience .
The veteran star , who spent much of July in a Mumbai hospital , shared a photo with his 22 million Instagram followers of crew members `` in a sea of blue PPE '' , wearing full-body overalls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to combat the spread of infections by banning producers from filming elaborate dance numbers and fight sequences -- a staple of popular Hindi cinema .
Social-distancing norms also put a stop to kissing or embracing , meaning a return of styles from the more conservative 1980s , when Bollywood songs often cut to images of flowers brushing against each other -- then a shorthand for romance .
In addition to providing crew members with medical and life insurance , producers in Mumbai are required to have a doctor , nurse and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bachchan dynasty have been among the country 's highest-profile coronavirus patients .
The superstar , his actor son Abhishek , actress daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai , and granddaughter Aaradhya were all admitted to hospital last month .
All four have since been released .

Mumbai (AFP) –
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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is back at work filming India's version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" following a bout of COVID-19, while authorities eased coronavirus curbs on movie and TV shoots.
A blanket ban on studio activity in March dealt a huge blow to India's cinema and TV industries, hitting not just Bollywood -- the world's most prolific film factory -- but also regional movie-making hubs and productions for television and streaming platforms.
In June shooting was allowed again but with strict rules, including a ban on actors and crew aged over 65 -- including Bachchan, 77 -- until a court overturned that earlier this month.
Late Sunday the government eased the regulations but still insisted that common facilities be regularly sanitised, masks worn and social distancing "followed as far as possible".
But the relaxation depends on individual Indian states, and Maharashtra, home to Mumbai and Bollywood and responsible for more than a fifth of India's virus cases, is sticking to the old rules for now.
"We are careful and will review these decisions based on how the pandemic is evolving in the state," a spokesman for the state government told AFP.
Shows such as "Kaun Banega Crorepati?" for instance, which Bachchan has hosted as quizmaster since 2000, will not be shot before a studio audience.
The veteran star, who spent much of July in a Mumbai hospital, shared a photo with his 22 million Instagram followers of crew members "in a sea of blue PPE", wearing full-body overalls and face masks.
Maharashtra authorities have sought to combat the spread of infections by banning producers from filming elaborate dance numbers and fight sequences -- a staple of popular Hindi cinema.
Social-distancing norms also put a stop to kissing or embracing, meaning a return of styles from the more conservative 1980s, when Bollywood songs often cut to images of flowers brushing against each other -- then a shorthand for romance.
In addition to providing crew members with medical and life insurance, producers in Mumbai are required to have a doctor, nurse and an ambulance on set.
Members of the Bachchan dynasty have been among the country's highest-profile coronavirus patients.
The superstar, his actor son Abhishek, actress daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, and granddaughter Aaradhya were all admitted to hospital last month. All four have since been released.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--After Neymar's tears, PSG will hope Champions League final was no one-off

Neymar was in tears after Paris Saint-Germain lost to Bayern Munich in Sunday 's Champions League final in Lisbon Paris Saint-Germain will look back at their narrow defeat by Bayern Munich in Sunday 's Champions League final in Lisbon and wonder what might have been , while also stealing themselves to come back stronger in Europe 's elite club competition in a new season which is already starting .
Kingsley Coman 's second-half goal decided the final at the Estadio da Luz in Bayern 's favour , allowing them to become European champions for the sixth time and denying PSG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football 's biggest game .
The French champions were left to pay the price for failing to convert the opportunities that came their way -- Neymar was notably denied by a fine Manuel Neuer save early on , but Kylian Mbappe really should have done better than shoot straight at the goalkeeper just before half-time .
The two most expensive players in football history were signed , ultimately , to win this game .
It was not their night , and Neymar was in tears at the end .
`` Inconsolable '' was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports daily L'Equipe on Monday , underneath a photo of the Brazilian crying .
But PSG have muscled their way into the very elite of European clubs in the years since Qatar Sports Investments took over in the French capital in 2011 and they will be hopeful of getting to another Champions League final while Neymar and Mbappe are still there .
`` Nobody thought we would make it to the final .
We were very close to winning it , but that 's football , '' said PSG 's Qatari president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work hard to win the Champions League next season because that is our objective and now we believe in it more than before . ''
On Sunday they became the seventh consecutive side to lose when appearing in the Champions Leaague final for the first time .
At least next time , if there is one , they will not be novices .
Coach Thomas Tuchel , who put the defeat down to `` bad luck '' , has been widely praised for getting a team dominated by a couple of superstars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction .
`` The players are right behind the coach .
I have heard things about how he supposedly ca n't handle the dressing room and the star players but the truth is that he is overseeing the best season in the history of the club , '' said Mbappe of Tuchel ahead of the final .
PSG showed fantastic spirit to come from a goal down and beat Atalanta in the quarter-finals and then outclassed RB Leipzig in the semi-finals .
They had overturned a first-leg deficit to oust Borussia Dortmund in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus shutdown , while in France they won every trophy going last season .
Their improved European performances represent enormous progress after often humiliating defeats in previous campaigns .
Yet while there are positives , questions remain and Tuchel has much work to do , and little time to reflect on what might have been -- PSG play their first game of the new Ligue 1 season , away in Lens , on Saturday .
The Champions League group stage begins again in October and between now and then Paris may need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edinson Cavani , right-back Thomas Meunier and young defensive prospect Tanguy Nianzou Kouassi all left the club under freedom of contract before the 'Final Eight ' .
The latter has joined Bayern , becoming the latest in a long line of exciting youngsters to walk away from PSG .
They can only hope he does not come back to haunt them in the way Coman -- another Paris-born ex-PSG starlet -- did in Lisbon .
Skipper Thiago Silva is now out of contract too .
Meanwhile Mauro Icardi , whose loan move from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a reported fee of 55 million euros , played no part at all in the final , raising further questions .
`` I think we have created a special atmosphere in the squad over the last two years , '' Tuchel insisted .
`` We have lost lots of key players , big characters , so now we must create a strong new team which is capable of doing this again .
That will be the challenge for us . ''

Lisbon (AFP) –
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Paris Saint-Germain will look back at their narrow defeat by Bayern Munich in Sunday's Champions League final in Lisbon and wonder what might have been, while also stealing themselves to come back stronger in Europe's elite club competition in a new season which is already starting.
Kingsley Coman's second-half goal decided the final at the Estadio da Luz in Bayern's favour, allowing them to become European champions for the sixth time and denying PSG victory in their first appearance in club football's biggest game.
The French champions were left to pay the price for failing to convert the opportunities that came their way -- Neymar was notably denied by a fine Manuel Neuer save early on, but Kylian Mbappe really should have done better than shoot straight at the goalkeeper just before half-time.
The two most expensive players in football history were signed, ultimately, to win this game. It was not their night, and Neymar was in tears at the end.
"Inconsolable" was the headline on the front page of sports daily L'Equipe on Monday, underneath a photo of the Brazilian crying.
But PSG have muscled their way into the very elite of European clubs in the years since Qatar Sports Investments took over in the French capital in 2011 and they will be hopeful of getting to another Champions League final while Neymar and Mbappe are still there.
"Nobody thought we would make it to the final. We were very close to winning it, but that's football," said PSG's Qatari president, Nasser al-Khelaifi.
"We are going to work hard to win the Champions League next season because that is our objective and now we believe in it more than before."
- Novices no more -
On Sunday they became the seventh consecutive side to lose when appearing in the Champions Leaague final for the first time. At least next time, if there is one, they will not be novices.
Coach Thomas Tuchel, who put the defeat down to "bad luck", has been widely praised for getting a team dominated by a couple of superstars to all pull together in the same direction.
"The players are right behind the coach. I have heard things about how he supposedly can't handle the dressing room and the star players but the truth is that he is overseeing the best season in the history of the club," said Mbappe of Tuchel ahead of the final.
PSG showed fantastic spirit to come from a goal down and beat Atalanta in the quarter-finals and then outclassed RB Leipzig in the semi-finals.
They had overturned a first-leg deficit to oust Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, just before the coronavirus shutdown, while in France they won every trophy going last season.
Their improved European performances represent enormous progress after often humiliating defeats in previous campaigns.
- Little time to reflect -
Yet while there are positives, questions remain and Tuchel has much work to do, and little time to reflect on what might have been -- PSG play their first game of the new Ligue 1 season, away in Lens, on Saturday.
The Champions League group stage begins again in October and between now and then Paris may need to get busy in the transfer market.
Edinson Cavani, right-back Thomas Meunier and young defensive prospect Tanguy Nianzou Kouassi all left the club under freedom of contract before the 'Final Eight'.
The latter has joined Bayern, becoming the latest in a long line of exciting youngsters to walk away from PSG.
They can only hope he does not come back to haunt them in the way Coman -- another Paris-born ex-PSG starlet -- did in Lisbon.
Skipper Thiago Silva is now out of contract too. Meanwhile Mauro Icardi, whose loan move from Inter Milan was made permanent in May for a reported fee of 55 million euros, played no part at all in the final, raising further questions.
"I think we have created a special atmosphere in the squad over the last two years," Tuchel insisted.
"We have lost lots of key players, big characters, so now we must create a strong new team which is capable of doing this again. That will be the challenge for us."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Husband of jailed UK-Iranian woman fears second Tehran trial

Richard Ratcliffe ( L with his daughter Gabriella ) also attacked the Iranian regime for allegedly using prisoners as `` collateral '' against other governments The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , a British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran , said Monday he feared she could face a second trial once her sentence ends early next year .
Richard Ratcliffe also attacked the Iranian regime for allegedly using prisoners as `` collateral '' against other governments .
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of spying and jailed for five years in September 2016 and is due for release in March 2021 .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep saying there 's a second court case , they keep talking about running it , '' he told ITV .
`` My fear is that 's what happens . ''
Ratcliffe was also asked about any link between his wife 's detention to the UK settling a multi-million-pound debt dating back more than 40 years when the Shah of Iran paid the UK £400 million for 1,500 Chieftain tanks .
When the Shah was ousted in 1979 , Britain refused to deliver the tanks to the new Islamic Republic but kept the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted it owes Iran up to £300 million ( $ 395 million , 333 million euros ) , but both countries have denied any link with the Zaghari-Ratcliffe case .
`` Well of course there should be no link , '' added Richard Ratcliffe .
`` It 's completely outrageous to be holding people and using them as collateral . ''
Separately , a documentary to be aired by the BBC on Monday claims the mother-of-one was on the brink of being freed from jail almost two and a half years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was given a release date of December 28 , 2017 but the deal subsequently fell through , though no reason was given .
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport in April 2016 after visiting relatives in Iran with the couple 's young daughter .
She worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation -- the media organisation 's philanthropic arm -- at the time .
She has denied the charge of sedition .
Zaghari-Ratcliffe is currently on temporary release from prison due to the coronavirus pandemic .

London (AFP) –
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The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran, said Monday he feared she could face a second trial once her sentence ends early next year.
Richard Ratcliffe also attacked the Iranian regime for allegedly using prisoners as "collateral" against other governments.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of spying and jailed for five years in September 2016 and is due for release in March 2021.
"I think, behind closed doors, they keep saying there's a second court case, they keep talking about running it," he told ITV. "My fear is that's what happens."
Ratcliffe was also asked about any link between his wife's detention to the UK settling a multi-million-pound debt dating back more than 40 years when the Shah of Iran paid the UK £400 million for 1,500 Chieftain tanks.
When the Shah was ousted in 1979, Britain refused to deliver the tanks to the new Islamic Republic but kept the cash.
The British government has previously admitted it owes Iran up to £300 million ($395 million, 333 million euros), but both countries have denied any link with the Zaghari-Ratcliffe case.
"Well of course there should be no link," added Richard Ratcliffe. "It's completely outrageous to be holding people and using them as collateral."
Separately, a documentary to be aired by the BBC on Monday claims the mother-of-one was on the brink of being freed from jail almost two and a half years ago.
Her husband tells the documentary the family was given a release date of December 28, 2017 but the deal subsequently fell through, though no reason was given.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport in April 2016 after visiting relatives in Iran with the couple's young daughter.
She worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation -- the media organisation's philanthropic arm -- at the time.
She has denied the charge of sedition.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe is currently on temporary release from prison due to the coronavirus pandemic.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Bomb attacks in southern Philippines kill at least 10, wound dozens

Security forces cordon off the site of the bombings in the town of Jolo on Sulu island on August 24 , 2020 .
At least 10 people were killed and dozens wounded — including soldiers and police — in a twin bombing Monday involving a suicide attacker on a southern Philippine island that is a stronghold of Islamist militants , officials said .
The attack happened in Jolo in Muslim-majority Sulu , where government-backed security forces have long been fighting the Abu Sayyaf group .
Five soldiers and four civilians were killed in the first blast , when an improvised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside a supermarket blew up , Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan told reporters .
Sixteen soldiers were wounded in the explosion , which happened at around midday .
Around 20 civilians were also hurt , Lieutenant Colonel Ronaldo Mateo said , citing the local mayor .
A soldier saw a person leave the motorbike outside the grocery store `` where there were a lot of people '' including members of the military .
It immediately detonated , Mateo said .
`` Our soldiers are conducting security operations .
That was the time that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
There was a second blast a short time later in the same street when a female suicide attacker blew herself up as police cordoned off the area , killing one person and wounding around six officers , Vinluan said .
A soldier had been trying to apprehend the bomber when she detonated her explosives , he added .
Abu Sayyaf was `` most probably '' behind the double bombing , Mateo said .
Listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation , Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terror attacks as well as kidnappings of foreign tourists and Christian missionaries .
They also have ties to Islamic State militants seeking to set up a caliphate in Southeast Asia .
Monday 's explosions come after the arrest earlier this month of an Abu Sayyaf leader on the southern island of Mindanao .
Security forces had been on alert for possible reprisal attacks after detaining Abduljihad Susukan , who is accused of kidnapping and beheading several foreigners .
He has been charged with 23 murders , five kidnappings and six attempted murders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's spokesman Harry Roque condemned the `` dastardly attacks '' and issued condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed .
`` We call on the residents of Jolo to stay vigilant and report suspicious personalities and unattended items in their areas , '' Roque said .
The Philippine Coast Guard issued a `` red alert '' for Sulu and several other areas in the restive south as it assists the military and police in responding to the incident .
The explosions happened near a Catholic cathedral in Jolo where two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 killing 21 people .
It was blamed on a group linked to Abu Sayyaf .

At least 10 people were killed and dozens wounded — including soldiers and police — in a twin bombing Monday involving a suicide attacker on a southern Philippine island that is a stronghold of Islamist militants, officials said.
Security forces cordon off the site of the bombings in the town of Jolo on Sulu island on August 24, 2020.
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The attack happened in Jolo in Muslim-majority Sulu, where government-backed security forces have long been fighting the Abu Sayyaf group.
Five soldiers and four civilians were killed in the first blast, when an improvised explosive device attached to a motorcycle parked outside a supermarket blew up, Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan told reporters.
Sixteen soldiers were wounded in the explosion, which happened at around midday.
Around 20 civilians were also hurt, Lieutenant Colonel Ronaldo Mateo said, citing the local mayor.
A soldier saw a person leave the motorbike outside the grocery store "where there were a lot of people" including members of the military. It immediately detonated, Mateo said.
"Our soldiers are conducting security operations. That was the time that the improvised explosive device detonated," he said.
There was a second blast a short time later in the same street when a female suicide attacker blew herself up as police cordoned off the area, killing one person and wounding around six officers, Vinluan said.
A soldier had been trying to apprehend the bomber when she detonated her explosives, he added.
Abu Sayyaf was "most probably" behind the double bombing, Mateo said.
Blasts follow arrest
Listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation, Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamic militants blamed for the Philippines' worst terror attacks as well as kidnappings of foreign tourists and Christian missionaries.
They also have ties to Islamic State militants seeking to set up a caliphate in Southeast Asia.
Monday's explosions come after the arrest earlier this month of an Abu Sayyaf leader on the southern island of Mindanao.
Security forces had been on alert for possible reprisal attacks after detaining Abduljihad Susukan, who is accused of kidnapping and beheading several foreigners.
He has been charged with 23 murders, five kidnappings and six attempted murders, police have said.
President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque condemned the "dastardly attacks" and issued condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed.
"We call on the residents of Jolo to stay vigilant and report suspicious personalities and unattended items in their areas," Roque said.
The Philippine Coast Guard issued a "red alert" for Sulu and several other areas in the restive south as it assists the military and police in responding to the incident.
The explosions happened near a Catholic cathedral in Jolo where two suicide bombers blew themselves up in January 2019 killing 21 people. It was blamed on a group linked to Abu Sayyaf.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-24--Bayern Munich fight to keep hold of Champions League-winning squad

Bayern Munich are already fighting to stop their treble-winning squad breaking up in the wake of their Champions League triumph despite sweeping all before them in Europe this season .
The German giants partied through the night in Lisbon after Kingsley Coman 's second-half header - Bayern 's 500th Champions League goal - sealed a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday 's hotly-contested final .
`` The best team in Europe wears red , '' boasted Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung on its Monday front page , yet Bayern are already in danger of losing some stars .
Both central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made it clear he wants a fresh challenge and has been linked to Liverpool , and centre-back David Alaba , 28 , have stalled over extension talks with a year left on their contracts .
`` I do n't know , '' admitted head coach Hansi Flick when asked if Alcantara had played his last Bayern game .
`` He does n't know himself because all the concentration has been 100 percent on the Champions League final . ''
Flick expects to know more in the `` next few days '' while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , very '' optimistic of keeping hold of Alaba , the only Bayern academy product in the first team .
Alaba , one of the first to console PSG 's weeping star Neymar after the final whistle , has been linked to Manchester City .
One Bayern star has already left with Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho heading back to Barcelona after a year-long loan deal .
`` I will work to make sure that the things that have n't happened so far will happen for me next season , '' vowed Coutinho , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Barcelona side rebuilding after the 8-2 thrashing by Bayern in the quarter-finals .
Bayern became the first club to win all 11 matches in the course of their Champions League campaign , scoring 43 goals , a tally second only to Barcelona 's record haul of 45 in 1999/00 .
Under Flick , Bayern finished the season with a 21-game winning streak to sweep the treble of an eighth straight Bundesliga title , also lifting both the Champions League and German Cup trophies .
In his first role in charge of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach to win his opening eight Champions League games .
Several of his players underlined their world-class status .
The competition 's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski finished with 15 Champions League goals , two short of Cristiano Ronaldo 's record set in 2013/14 .
The Lisbon final was the only European match in which Lewandowski started but failed to score this season - not that he cared much .
`` Never stop dreaming .
Never give up when you fail .
Work hard to achieve your goal , '' Lewandowski wrote on Twitter having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - with ex-club Dortmund .
Likewise , Bayern captain Manuel Neuer - voted the world 's best goalkeeper four years running up until 2016 - emphatically proved he is back to his best .
`` 'Manu ' made two very important saves , '' said former legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn .
`` He is n't often kept busy all game , but he 's always there in the key moments .
`` When you look at everything he has won – a World Cup , now two Champions Leagues – and the contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can say that , yes , ” Kahn replied when asked if Neuer is Germany 's best-ever goalkeeper .
Canadian teen Alphonso Davies started 2019/20 as a back-up winger , but the 19-year-old - nicknamed 'FC Bayern 's Roadrunner ' by team-mate Thomas Mueller due to his phenomenal pace - has excelled at left-back .
`` Who would ever have thought a guy from Canada would win the Champions League ?
Two years ago , if someone had told me this , I never would have believed it , '' said Davies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ season due to the coronavirus pandemic , Bayern now have just a handful of weeks to rest before launching their assault on a ninth-straight Bundesliga title on September 18 at home to Schalke .
New reinforcements will stake their claims including ex-Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane , who will give options on the wing .
Likewise , former Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel , signed on a free transfer from Schalke , has the unenviable task of trying to usurp Neuer between the posts .

Berlin (AFP) –
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Bayern Munich are already fighting to stop their treble-winning squad breaking up in the wake of their Champions League triumph despite sweeping all before them in Europe this season.
The German giants partied through the night in Lisbon after Kingsley Coman's second-half header - Bayern's 500th Champions League goal - sealed a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's hotly-contested final.
"The best team in Europe wears red," boasted Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung on its Monday front page, yet Bayern are already in danger of losing some stars.
Both central midfielder Thiago Alcantara, 29, who has made it clear he wants a fresh challenge and has been linked to Liverpool, and centre-back David Alaba, 28, have stalled over extension talks with a year left on their contracts.
"I don't know," admitted head coach Hansi Flick when asked if Alcantara had played his last Bayern game.
"He doesn't know himself because all the concentration has been 100 percent on the Champions League final."
Flick expects to know more in the "next few days" while board member Oliver Kahn is "very, very" optimistic of keeping hold of Alaba, the only Bayern academy product in the first team.
Alaba, one of the first to console PSG's weeping star Neymar after the final whistle, has been linked to Manchester City.
One Bayern star has already left with Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho heading back to Barcelona after a year-long loan deal.
"I will work to make sure that the things that haven't happened so far will happen for me next season," vowed Coutinho, now seeking to reboot his career in a Barcelona side rebuilding after the 8-2 thrashing by Bayern in the quarter-finals.
Bayern became the first club to win all 11 matches in the course of their Champions League campaign, scoring 43 goals, a tally second only to Barcelona's record haul of 45 in 1999/00.
Under Flick, Bayern finished the season with a 21-game winning streak to sweep the treble of an eighth straight Bundesliga title, also lifting both the Champions League and German Cup trophies.
In his first role in charge of a Bundesliga club, Flick is the only coach to win his opening eight Champions League games.
- World class -
Several of his players underlined their world-class status.
The competition's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski finished with 15 Champions League goals, two short of Cristiano Ronaldo's record set in 2013/14.
The Lisbon final was the only European match in which Lewandowski started but failed to score this season - not that he cared much.
"Never stop dreaming. Never give up when you fail. Work hard to achieve your goal," Lewandowski wrote on Twitter having lost the 2013 final - against Bayern - with ex-club Dortmund.
Likewise, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer - voted the world's best goalkeeper four years running up until 2016 - emphatically proved he is back to his best.
"'Manu' made two very important saves," said former legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
"He isn't often kept busy all game, but he's always there in the key moments.
"When you look at everything he has won – a World Cup, now two Champions Leagues – and the contributions he made to those wins, you can say that, yes,” Kahn replied when asked if Neuer is Germany's best-ever goalkeeper.
Canadian teen Alphonso Davies started 2019/20 as a back-up winger, but the 19-year-old - nicknamed 'FC Bayern's Roadrunner' by team-mate Thomas Mueller due to his phenomenal pace - has excelled at left-back.
"Who would ever have thought a guy from Canada would win the Champions League? Two years ago, if someone had told me this, I never would have believed it," said Davies.
At the end of a heavily disrupted season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bayern now have just a handful of weeks to rest before launching their assault on a ninth-straight Bundesliga title on September 18 at home to Schalke.
New reinforcements will stake their claims including ex-Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane, who will give options on the wing.
Likewise, former Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel, signed on a free transfer from Schalke, has the unenviable task of trying to usurp Neuer between the posts.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Afghan forces botch raid to arrest sex-abuse football chief

Afghan football boss Keramuddin Karim was found guilty of sexual assault by world body FIFA Afghan special forces bungled a night-time raid to arrest the country 's fugitive former football chief , wanted over the sexual abuse of women players , officials said Monday .
Keramuddin Karim was found guilty by global governing body FIFA last year of assaulting several women footballers , with the verdict upheld in July by the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport .
Afghan authorities issued an arrest warrant for Karim last year , but he has remained at large .
Late on Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air and ground '' operation to arrest Karim in Panjshir province bordering the capital Kabul , where he is believed to be hiding .
But Mansur Onabi , spokesman for the province 's governor , told AFP the was `` not coordinated with local officials '' .
`` The local people clashed with security forces , preventing the operation from succeeding , '' he said .
Panjshir deputy governor Mohammad Amin Seddiqi confirmed that an operation had been carried out to arrest Karim .
Five female Afghan players accused Karim of committing sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its judgement upholding the FIFA verdict , the Court of Arbitration for Sport 's panel said Karim had `` violated basic human rights and damaged the mental and physical dignity and integrity of young female players '' .
`` With his appalling acts , he had destroyed not only their careers , but severely damaged their lives , '' the CAS statement said .
FIFA delivered its toughest sanction : a life ban and a fine of 1 million Swiss francs ( $ 1 million , 934,000 euros ) .
Karim has previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` conspiracy '' that had no evidence .

Kabul (AFP) –
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Afghan special forces bungled a night-time raid to arrest the country's fugitive former football chief, wanted over the sexual abuse of women players, officials said Monday.
Keramuddin Karim was found guilty by global governing body FIFA last year of assaulting several women footballers, with the verdict upheld in July by the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Afghan authorities issued an arrest warrant for Karim last year, but he has remained at large.
Late on Sunday, Afghan special forces carried out an "air and ground" operation to arrest Karim in Panjshir province bordering the capital Kabul, where he is believed to be hiding.
But Mansur Onabi, spokesman for the province's governor, told AFP the was "not coordinated with local officials".
"The local people clashed with security forces, preventing the operation from succeeding," he said.
Panjshir deputy governor Mohammad Amin Seddiqi confirmed that an operation had been carried out to arrest Karim.
Five female Afghan players accused Karim of committing sexual assault between 2013 and 2018.
In its judgement upholding the FIFA verdict, the Court of Arbitration for Sport's panel said Karim had "violated basic human rights and damaged the mental and physical dignity and integrity of young female players".
"With his appalling acts, he had destroyed not only their careers, but severely damaged their lives," the CAS statement said.
FIFA delivered its toughest sanction: a life ban and a fine of 1 million Swiss francs ($1 million, 934,000 euros).
Karim has previously denounced the accusations as part of a "conspiracy" that had no evidence.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Hong Kong court throws out private case against officer who shot protester

A Hong Kong court on Monday threw out two private prosecutions -- including one against a police officer who shot a pro-democracy protester last year -- following a rare intervention from the financial hub 's justice secretary .
Ted Hui , an opposition lawmaker , brought the private cases after prosecutors declined to press charges over two incidents during last year 's huge and often violent anti-government protests .
The first was a dangerous driving case against a taxi driver who ploughed his car into a crowd of demonstrators in early October , injuring two women .
The other focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masked protester in the chest a month later , with Hui attempting to bring a grievous bodily harm prosecution .
But on Monday a magistrate threw out both cases days after Justice Secretary Theresa Cheng announced she was using her powers to end the prosecutions .
Spectators in the public gallery heckled prosecutors on their way out of court on Monday , an AFP reporter on the scene said , as the two cases were formally shelved .
Tensions are running high within the city 's legal system , which is prosecuting hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 's demonstrations .
In June , Cheng warned on her official blog that she would end any private prosecutions `` which are groundless or frivolous or brought out of improper motives or political considerations '' .
But activists have accused officials of cutting off a way for citizens to seek redress .
`` I am disappointed by today 's ruling and I am extremely furious about the Department of Justice 's intervention and termination of the cases , '' Hui told reporters outside court .
`` I will continue to lodge private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can continue to exercise this right provided in the common law system to seek justice , '' he added .
The taxi driver who drove into crowds of protesters was beaten bloody soon after the incident and previously told local media he did not know how his car veered out of control .
Two people allegedly involved in his beating were arrested for rioting .
The 21-year-old who was shot a month later by police survived his wounds and has been charged with obstructing police , attempting to escape custody and attempted robbery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disciplinary proceedings have been launched against police for actions taken during last year 's protests , including three officers who shot demonstrators with live rounds .
The police have argued that their levels of force were justifiable throughout .

Hong Kong (AFP) –
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A Hong Kong court on Monday threw out two private prosecutions -- including one against a police officer who shot a pro-democracy protester last year -- following a rare intervention from the financial hub's justice secretary.
Ted Hui, an opposition lawmaker, brought the private cases after prosecutors declined to press charges over two incidents during last year's huge and often violent anti-government protests.
The first was a dangerous driving case against a taxi driver who ploughed his car into a crowd of demonstrators in early October, injuring two women.
The other focused on a police officer who shot a masked protester in the chest a month later, with Hui attempting to bring a grievous bodily harm prosecution.
But on Monday a magistrate threw out both cases days after Justice Secretary Theresa Cheng announced she was using her powers to end the prosecutions.
Spectators in the public gallery heckled prosecutors on their way out of court on Monday, an AFP reporter on the scene said, as the two cases were formally shelved.
Tensions are running high within the city's legal system, which is prosecuting hundreds of cases against protesters arrested during last year's demonstrations.
In June, Cheng warned on her official blog that she would end any private prosecutions "which are groundless or frivolous or brought out of improper motives or political considerations".
But activists have accused officials of cutting off a way for citizens to seek redress.
"I am disappointed by today's ruling and I am extremely furious about the Department of Justice's intervention and termination of the cases," Hui told reporters outside court.
"I will continue to lodge private prosecutions and I hope Hong Kong people can continue to exercise this right provided in the common law system to seek justice," he added.
The taxi driver who drove into crowds of protesters was beaten bloody soon after the incident and previously told local media he did not know how his car veered out of control.
Two people allegedly involved in his beating were arrested for rioting.
The 21-year-old who was shot a month later by police survived his wounds and has been charged with obstructing police, attempting to escape custody and attempted robbery of the officer's gun.
No disciplinary proceedings have been launched against police for actions taken during last year's protests, including three officers who shot demonstrators with live rounds.
The police have argued that their levels of force were justifiable throughout.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Kellyanne Conway to leave White House role

Senior White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway is leaving her post to spend more time with her family .
Conway was @ @ @ @ @ House since day one and rose to become its most senior woman .
Among the @ @ @ @ @ for making misleading statements and coined the phrase 'alternative facts ' .

Kellyanne Conway to leave White House role
01:35
Senior White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway is leaving her post to spend more time with her family. Conway was part of the Trump White House since day one and rose to become its most senior woman. Among the media she developed a reputation for making misleading statements and coined the phrase 'alternative facts'.


france24--2020-08-25--Five key stages at the 2020 Tour de France

The 2020 Tour de France rolls out of Nice on August 29 , AFP Sport looks at five key stages to watch over the course of the three weeks : Seeking to emulate the thrill of the 2019 Tour , organisers lit the fuse on the 2020 route with bonus seconds up for grabs on the penultimate climb and at the finish line of mountainous stage 2 .
Perhaps that will encourage someone of the ilk of Julian Alaphilippe to attack from distance and seize both the initiative and the yellow jersey in the low Alps behind Nice , thereby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pyrenean stage is possibly the toughest on the Tour with an 11km climb at over nine percent of the Col de la Hourcere , just the first of four climbs and a treacherous , winding descent to the finish line .
Never before has a stage started on one island and finished on another , as this Atlantic coast extravaganza does .
The organisers were hoping for wind on the day to create breaks in the peloton as it weaves through the narrow roads of the coastal marshes .
The September weather is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The final climb up a summit that has never figured before on the Tour culminates on an old ski piste maintenance road converted into a 7km bike track .
It has flat sections and 20 percent inclines that a normal road would never include .
The peak stands at 2,300m and offers an idyllic 360 degree view giving fans the chance of a masked selfie with Mont Blanc in the background .
Saying they prefer shoulder-to-shoulder racing , Tour organisers have scheduled the only time trial , and they have put it right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ride up to the hugely popular Planche des Belles Filles in the Jura starts out flat and has a long incline before a final 6km ascent that rounds off the decisive action on the 2020 Tour , making it clearly a key moment .
Champion Egan Bernal 's jaw dropped in admiration when the route was unveiled .

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The 2020 Tour de France rolls out of Nice on August 29, AFP Sport looks at five key stages to watch over the course of the three weeks:
Stage 2: Nice-Nice - 187km
Seeking to emulate the thrill of the 2019 Tour, organisers lit the fuse on the 2020 route with bonus seconds up for grabs on the penultimate climb and at the finish line of mountainous stage 2. Perhaps that will encourage someone of the ilk of Julian Alaphilippe to attack from distance and seize both the initiative and the yellow jersey in the low Alps behind Nice, thereby establishing an attacking pattern.
Stage 9: Pau-Laruns - 154km
This second Pyrenean stage is possibly the toughest on the Tour with an 11km climb at over nine percent of the Col de la Hourcere, just the first of four climbs and a treacherous, winding descent to the finish line.
Stage 10: Ile de Oleron-Ile de Re - 170km
Never before has a stage started on one island and finished on another, as this Atlantic coast extravaganza does. The organisers were hoping for wind on the day to create breaks in the peloton as it weaves through the narrow roads of the coastal marshes. The September weather is more likely to provide just that.
Stage 17: Grenoble-Meribel col de la Loze - 168km
The final climb up a summit that has never figured before on the Tour culminates on an old ski piste maintenance road converted into a 7km bike track. It has flat sections and 20 percent inclines that a normal road would never include. The peak stands at 2,300m and offers an idyllic 360 degree view giving fans the chance of a masked selfie with Mont Blanc in the background.
Stage 20: Lure-La Planche des Belles Filles - 36km individual time trial
Saying they prefer shoulder-to-shoulder racing, Tour organisers have scheduled the only time trial, and they have put it right in French hero Thibaut Pinot's backyard.
The ride up to the hugely popular Planche des Belles Filles in the Jura starts out flat and has a long incline before a final 6km ascent that rounds off the decisive action on the 2020 Tour, making it clearly a key moment. Champion Egan Bernal's jaw dropped in admiration when the route was unveiled.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-25--'The Sir Alex of cycling', Dave Brailsford plots eighth Tour title

Dave Brailsford has been described as the Sir Alex of cycling Tough , unsentimental and dominant in cycling for more than a decade , Dave Brailsford wielded his axe ahead of the Tour de France this week and was then compared by one of his earlier victims to former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson .
Brailsford is the mastermind behind both British cycling 's massive Olympic gold haul , and a staggering seven Tour de France titles in the past eight years , first with Sky and now under the name of the Ineos Grenadiers .
The 56-year-old began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France with Team Sky 's Bradley Wiggins , who he had already guided to multiple Olympic gold medals .
But jaws dropped the following season when Brailsford axed his popular star in favour of the shy but determined Chris Froome .
For the 2020 Tour , Brailsford again took out his cleaver as he dropped Froome , who has four titles , and his other British star Geraint Thomas who won in 2018 and was runner up last year .
Once again Brailsford put his hopes in a young in-form rider , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egan Bernal .
`` He manages Ineos like Sir Alex Ferguson , '' Wiggins said comparing Brailsford to the man who led soccer 's Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles .
`` Egan is clearly the man now , '' Wiggins said on his podcast this week .
`` But if Bernal is clearly the man they are putting their money on he 's told the other guys , and found fresh challenges for them , '' Wiggins said .
Thomas has been named as Ineos captain for the Giro d'Italia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They want to win all three Grand Tour in a single year , '' Wiggins suggested .
This kind of ambition comes as no surprise for the Brailsford , who introduced the concepts of 'Mission Clarity ' and 'Marginal Gains Strategy ' to cycling .
'Mission Clarity ' means the team ignores stage victories at the Tour and focuses solely on winning the general classification .
Bernal , for example , only took the yellow jersey on stage 19 of 21 in 2019 .
Marginal gains has become a little more controversial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you could think of that goes into riding a bike , and then improved it by one percent you 'll get a significant increase , '' Brailsford explained .
Applying it to tactics , technology , communications , health and psychology the team overstepped the line according a British government committee who described some of their prescription drug use as unethical .
The inquiry came after leaked reports of so called TUE 's , therapeutic use exemptions , in this case cortisone injections for asthma .
While the inquiry cast a cloud over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no legal lines were crossed .
His run at the top continues on Saturday as the 2020 Tour de France embarks from Nice over two months late with Ineos again the team to watch '' We 've been looking at how we think we can win this race , '' said the fluent French speaker who grew up in Wales .
`` We 've got some ideas about maybe a slightly different approach , '' he said .
`` We 've got a good game plan and we think that these are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The decision we 've come to , and what we 're very excited about , is that we 're going to get Egan and Richard ( Carapaz ) to target yellow , '' Brailsford said when unveiling his Tour roster .
`` Winning has become their norm , '' said the man who got it all rolling back in 2012 .

Paris (AFP) –
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Tough, unsentimental and dominant in cycling for more than a decade, Dave Brailsford wielded his axe ahead of the Tour de France this week and was then compared by one of his earlier victims to former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Brailsford is the mastermind behind both British cycling's massive Olympic gold haul, and a staggering seven Tour de France titles in the past eight years, first with Sky and now under the name of the Ineos Grenadiers.
The 56-year-old began his run clinching the 2012 Tour de France with Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins, who he had already guided to multiple Olympic gold medals.
But jaws dropped the following season when Brailsford axed his popular star in favour of the shy but determined Chris Froome.
For the 2020 Tour, Brailsford again took out his cleaver as he dropped Froome, who has four titles, and his other British star Geraint Thomas who won in 2018 and was runner up last year.
Once again Brailsford put his hopes in a young in-form rider, in this case the defending champion Colombian 23-year-old Egan Bernal.
"He manages Ineos like Sir Alex Ferguson," Wiggins said comparing Brailsford to the man who led soccer's Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles.
"Egan is clearly the man now," Wiggins said on his podcast this week.
"But if Bernal is clearly the man they are putting their money on he's told the other guys, and found fresh challenges for them," Wiggins said.
- Winning is their norm -
Thomas has been named as Ineos captain for the Giro d'Italia and Froome at the Vuelta a Espana.
"They want to win all three Grand Tour in a single year," Wiggins suggested.
This kind of ambition comes as no surprise for the Brailsford, who introduced the concepts of 'Mission Clarity' and 'Marginal Gains Strategy' to cycling.
'Mission Clarity' means the team ignores stage victories at the Tour and focuses solely on winning the general classification.
Bernal, for example, only took the yellow jersey on stage 19 of 21 in 2019.
Marginal gains has become a little more controversial.
"If you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by one percent you'll get a significant increase," Brailsford explained.
Applying it to tactics, technology, communications, health and psychology the team overstepped the line according a British government committee who described some of their prescription drug use as unethical.
The inquiry came after leaked reports of so called TUE's, therapeutic use exemptions, in this case cortisone injections for asthma.
While the inquiry cast a cloud over British cycling and Team Sky's achievement, no legal lines were crossed.
His run at the top continues on Saturday as the 2020 Tour de France embarks from Nice over two months late with Ineos again the team to watch
"We've been looking at how we think we can win this race," said the fluent French speaker who grew up in Wales.
"We've got some ideas about maybe a slightly different approach," he said. "We've got a good game plan and we think that these are the guys to deliver."
"The decision we've come to, and what we're very excited about, is that we're going to get Egan and Richard (Carapaz) to target yellow," Brailsford said when unveiling his Tour roster.
Wiggins had a simple analysis.
"Winning has become their norm," said the man who got it all rolling back in 2012.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-25--NY Attorney General asks judge to order Trump's son to testify in probe

Vice President-elect Mike Pence , Eric Trump , President- elect Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump following Trump 's press conference at Trump Tower in New York on January 11 , 2017 .
New York 's top prosecutor on Monday asked a judge to order Donald Trump 's son Eric to testify in a probe into the Trump Organization 's financial dealings .
According to court documents , the Trump Organization -- the Republican billionaire president 's real estate group -- for months has stonewalled the investigation into allegations the company falsified asset values on its financial statements .
New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry in March 2019 after Michael Cohen , Trump 's former personal lawyer and fixer , testified before Congress that the company had inflated assets when seeking loans , while deflating them to pay less in real estate tax .
According to James ' office the Trump Organization has refused to comply with seven subpoenas linked to the investigation that would provide prosecutors with a trove of documents and witnesses .
Eric Trump , who works as the group 's executive vice president , has refused to testify under oath `` despite his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the attorney general 's office said .
`` For months , the Trump Organization has made baseless claims in an effort to shield evidence from a lawful investigation into its financial dealings , '' James said in a statement .
`` They have stalled , withheld documents , and instructed witnesses , including Eric Trump , to refuse to answer questions under oath . ''
The announcement comes on the day Trump opened his bid for a second term , accepting the Republican nomination at the party 's convention .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event Tuesday .
Trump Organization-owned properties under investigation include 212 acres north of Manhattan , a mixed-use building in lower Manhattan , Chicago 's Trump hotel and residential complex , and a golf club in Los Angeles .
It 's one of several investigations into the Trumps .
Last year New York federal district attorney Cyrus Vance launched a probe into Trump 's payments in 2016 to allegedly buy the silence of two women who claimed to have had affairs with him .
Court documents have suggested that Vance 's grand jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and insurance fraud .
Last week a federal judge refused the president 's effort to block the release of his financial records by a New York grand jury , saying Trump 's grounds amounted to a `` back door '' attempt to invoke absolute immunity after the president 's lawyers ' were denied by the US Supreme Court in July .
Eric Trump , 36 , and his brother Donald Jr took over the organization after their father 's inauguration .

New York's top prosecutor on Monday asked a judge to order Donald Trump's son Eric to testify in a probe into the Trump Organization's financial dealings.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, Eric Trump, President- elect Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump following Trump's press conference at Trump Tower in New York on January 11, 2017.
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According to court documents, the Trump Organization -- the Republican billionaire president's real estate group -- for months has stonewalled the investigation into allegations the company falsified asset values on its financial statements.
New York's Attorney General Letitia James launched the inquiry in March 2019 after Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, testified before Congress that the company had inflated assets when seeking loans, while deflating them to pay less in real estate tax.
According to James' office the Trump Organization has refused to comply with seven subpoenas linked to the investigation that would provide prosecutors with a trove of documents and witnesses.
Eric Trump, who works as the group's executive vice president, has refused to testify under oath "despite his being an important character in certain transactions," the attorney general's office said.
"For months, the Trump Organization has made baseless claims in an effort to shield evidence from a lawful investigation into its financial dealings," James said in a statement.
"They have stalled, withheld documents, and instructed witnesses, including Eric Trump, to refuse to answer questions under oath."
The announcement comes on the day Trump opened his bid for a second term, accepting the Republican nomination at the party's convention.
His son Eric is set to speak at the event Tuesday.
Trump Organization-owned properties under investigation include 212 acres north of Manhattan, a mixed-use building in lower Manhattan, Chicago's Trump hotel and residential complex, and a golf club in Los Angeles.
It's one of several investigations into the Trumps. Last year New York federal district attorney Cyrus Vance launched a probe into Trump's payments in 2016 to allegedly buy the silence of two women who claimed to have had affairs with him.
Court documents have suggested that Vance's grand jury probe has now expanded to possible banking and insurance fraud.
Last week a federal judge refused the president's effort to block the release of his financial records by a New York grand jury, saying Trump's grounds amounted to a "back door" attempt to invoke absolute immunity after the president's lawyers' were denied by the US Supreme Court in July.
Eric Trump, 36, and his brother Donald Jr took over the organization after their father's inauguration.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-25--Six Tour de France contenders

Six Tour de France contenders

In a coronavirus shortened season , the 2020 Tour de France promised to be highly competitive and unpredictable .
Here AFP looks at the potential overall winners after an uncertain build up .
The 30-year-old Slovenian , a former ski-jumper , looks physically stronger than the other contenders .
The Jumbo leader is vulnerable when isolated and can be easily bamboozled , as happened in the 2019 Giro d'Italia but he rebounded by winning the Vuelta .
Ineos will aim to wear him down and take him out in week three .
Still only 23 , Egan Bernal is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the man to beat .
The Colombian 's only weak point would be the time trial , which is on stage 20 this year but a mountainous route plays to his greatest strength .
With Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas left out of the Ineos team , Bernal will be accompanied by three Spanish speakers on the team that has won seven of the last eight Tour de France .
In 2018 Dumoulin came second on the Giro , the Tour and in the world championships time-trial .
Those near misses contributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dutch squad Jumbo this season where he will provide a second threat behind Roglic .
The media savvy the 29-year-old former medical student is a wily three-week operator and the penultimate day time-trial culminating at la Planche des Belles Filles could be perfect for him .
No Frenchman has won the Tour since Bernard Hinault claimed his fifth in 1985 .
The charismatic FDJ captain Pinot appeared to have the upper hand early in the 2019 , before Ineos caught him out as the pack was broken up by a cross-wind , leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He struck back boldly , winning a mountain stage but injury ended an his challenge .
He will be in the full glare of the French media spotlight again on a route could have been tailor-made for his strengths .
The reigning Giro champion was a late addition to the Ineos roster .
Picking the Ecuadorian climber may prove another tactical masterstroke from team principal Dave Brailsford .
Thomas in 2018 and Bernal last year both rolled out from Le Grand Depart as Brailsford 's 'plan B ' but climbed the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Champs Elysees .
Once seen as Froome 's closest rival the 30-year-old Colombian climber quit Spanish outfit Movistar and is now based in France with Arkea-Samsic .
His form and morale seem to have leaped and he was cycling 's form man before being run over in training in June .
He has won both the Vuelta and the Giro and twice won the best young rider jersey at the Tour .
He has also come second on the Tour twice and won celebrated mountain-top finishes .
He has the potential to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Paris (AFP) –
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In a coronavirus shortened season, the 2020 Tour de France promised to be highly competitive and unpredictable. Here AFP looks at the potential overall winners after an uncertain build up.
Primoz Roglic
The 30-year-old Slovenian, a former ski-jumper, looks physically stronger than the other contenders. The Jumbo leader is vulnerable when isolated and can be easily bamboozled, as happened in the 2019 Giro d'Italia but he rebounded by winning the Vuelta. Ineos will aim to wear him down and take him out in week three.
Egan Bernal
Still only 23, Egan Bernal is the defending champion, the Ineos team leader and the man to beat. The Colombian's only weak point would be the time trial, which is on stage 20 this year but a mountainous route plays to his greatest strength. With Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas left out of the Ineos team, Bernal will be accompanied by three Spanish speakers on the team that has won seven of the last eight Tour de France.
Tom Dumoulin
In 2018 Dumoulin came second on the Giro, the Tour and in the world championships time-trial. Those near misses contributed to his decision to switch to powerful Dutch squad Jumbo this season where he will provide a second threat behind Roglic. The media savvy the 29-year-old former medical student is a wily three-week operator and the penultimate day time-trial culminating at la Planche des Belles Filles could be perfect for him.
Thibaut Pinot
No Frenchman has won the Tour since Bernard Hinault claimed his fifth in 1985. The charismatic FDJ captain Pinot appeared to have the upper hand early in the 2019, before Ineos caught him out as the pack was broken up by a cross-wind, leaving him in tears at the finish line. He struck back boldly, winning a mountain stage but injury ended an his challenge. He will be in the full glare of the French media spotlight again on a route could have been tailor-made for his strengths.
Richard Carapaz
The reigning Giro champion was a late addition to the Ineos roster. Picking the Ecuadorian climber may prove another tactical masterstroke from team principal Dave Brailsford. Thomas in 2018 and Bernal last year both rolled out from Le Grand Depart as Brailsford's 'plan B' but climbed the top step of the final podium on the Champs Elysees.
Nairo Quintana
Once seen as Froome's closest rival the 30-year-old Colombian climber quit Spanish outfit Movistar and is now based in France with Arkea-Samsic. His form and morale seem to have leaped and he was cycling's form man before being run over in training in June. He has won both the Vuelta and the Giro and twice won the best young rider jersey at the Tour. He has also come second on the Tour twice and won celebrated mountain-top finishes. He has the potential to play a major role in an uncertain 2020.
dmc/pb
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-25--Ronaldinho released from Paraguay detention after five months

Former Brazil star Ronaldinho was released Monday by a Paraguayan judge after five months in detention over a forged passport .
Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho 's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira , who also had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay 's capital , Asuncion , for the same charge .
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner `` is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence '' for a period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society . ''
Dressed in jeans , a black beret and black shirt , Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release , which include payment of $ 90,000 damages .
His brother , who is also Ronaldinho 's business manager , must pay $ 110,000 .
The pair are also expected to appear before a judge in Brazil every three months -- Ronaldinho for a year and his brother for two .
Amarilla accepted a recommendation by four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oral trial .
`` There is no indication that he has any personal characteristics or criminal behaviour that ... would put society at risk , '' the prosecutor said prior to Monday 's trial .
Prosecutors did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false .
The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4 without any issues , with Ronaldinho , the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner , due to take part in an event in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two days later , the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents .
After being held in a police station in Asuncion , where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21 , the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital , on bail of $ 1.6 million .
The investigation has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering .
Some 18 people have already been arrested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them immigration officials or police officers .
Ronaldinho , considered one of the greatest footballers of all time , was crucial in Brazil 's 2002 World Cup win .
He played for European giants such as Barcelona , AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe .
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Braca and Serie A with Milan .
After returning home to Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America 's equivalent of the Champions Legaue -- with Atletico Mineiro @

Asuncion (AFP) –
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Former Brazil star Ronaldinho was released Monday by a Paraguayan judge after five months in detention over a forged passport.
Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira, who also had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay's capital, Asuncion, for the same charge.
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner "is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence" for a period of one year, the judge said.
"He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society."
Dressed in jeans, a black beret and black shirt, Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release, which include payment of $90,000 damages. His brother, who is also Ronaldinho's business manager, must pay $110,000.
The pair are also expected to appear before a judge in Brazil every three months -- Ronaldinho for a year and his brother for two.
Amarilla accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial.
"There is no indication that he has any personal characteristics or criminal behaviour that ... would put society at risk," the prosecutor said prior to Monday's trial.
Prosecutors did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false.
The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4 without any issues, with Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner, due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children.
However, two days later, the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents.
After being held in a police station in Asuncion, where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21, the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital, on bail of $1.6 million.
The investigation has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering.
Some 18 people have already been arrested in connection with the case, most of them immigration officials or police officers.
Ronaldinho, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was crucial in Brazil's 2002 World Cup win.
He played for European giants such as Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe.
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Braca and Serie A with Milan.
After returning home to Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America's equivalent of the Champions Legaue -- with Atletico Mineiro.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Ronaldinho released from Paraguay detention after five months

Brazilian retired football player Ronaldinho arriving for his hearing at the Asuncion 's Justice Palace , in Asuncion Former Brazil football star Ronaldinho was released on Monday by a Paraguayan judge after spending five months in detention over a forged passport .
Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho 's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira , who likewise had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay 's capital , Asuncion , for the same charge .
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner `` is free to travel to whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence '' for a period of one year , the judge said .
`` He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society . ''
Dressed in jeans , a black beret and black shirt , Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release , which include payment of $ 90,000 in damages .
His brother , who is also Ronaldinho 's business manager , must pay $ 110,000 .
The judge stressed that he was not issuing a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather that Ronaldinho was benefitting from a `` conditional suspension of the procedure . ''
His brother , on the other hand , was given a two-year suspended sentence .
Prosecutors said they did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false .
`` They flagrantly used a public document containing false content , '' said Marcelo Pecci , one of the public prosecutors , who said it was a `` very serious '' offense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a judge in Brazil every four months for two years and will have a criminal record .
`` Ronaldinho 's situation is not the same as Roberto 's .
He has no obligation to appear before any Brazilian judicial authority .
He must only report a change of address , '' said Amarilla , who accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial .
Before Monday 's trial the public prosecutor said that Ronaldinho displayed no `` personal characteristics or criminal behavior that ... would put society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Paraguay on March 4 with Ronaldinho , the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner , due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children .
However , two days later , the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents .
Before the judge announced his decision , the defense issued a statement insisting on the innocence of both brothers .
`` They presented Paraguayan documents to migration authorities believing they were authentic , '' said the statement .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' After being held in a police station in Asuncion , where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21 , the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital , on bail of $ 1.6 million .
The investigation has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering and criminal association .
Some 18 people have already been arrested in connection with the case , most of them immigration officials or police officers .
`` The investigation found no indication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal association , '' said the defense statement .
Ronaldinho , considered one of the greatest footballers of all time , was crucial in Brazil 's 2002 World Cup win .
He played for European giants such as Barcelona , AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe .
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Barcelona and Serie A with Milan .
After returning home to Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America 's equivalent of the Champions League -- with @ @ @

Asuncion (AFP) –
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Former Brazil football star Ronaldinho was released on Monday by a Paraguayan judge after spending five months in detention over a forged passport.
Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira, who likewise had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay's capital, Asuncion, for the same charge.
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner "is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence" for a period of one year, the judge said.
"He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society."
Dressed in jeans, a black beret and black shirt, Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release, which include payment of $90,000 in damages. His brother, who is also Ronaldinho's business manager, must pay $110,000.
The judge stressed that he was not issuing a "definitive dismissal" of the case but rather that Ronaldinho was benefitting from a "conditional suspension of the procedure."
His brother, on the other hand, was given a two-year suspended sentence.
Prosecutors said they did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false.
"They flagrantly used a public document containing false content," said Marcelo Pecci, one of the public prosecutors, who said it was a "very serious" offense.
De Assis Moreira must appear before a judge in Brazil every four months for two years and will have a criminal record.
"Ronaldinho's situation is not the same as Roberto's. He has no obligation to appear before any Brazilian judicial authority. He must only report a change of address," said Amarilla, who accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial.
Before Monday's trial the public prosecutor said that Ronaldinho displayed no "personal characteristics or criminal behavior that ... would put society at risk."
- 'Deceived vilely -
The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4 with Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner, due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children.
However, two days later, the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents.
Before the judge announced his decision, the defense issued a statement insisting on the innocence of both brothers.
"They presented Paraguayan documents to migration authorities believing they were authentic," said the statement. "The people they trusted deceived them vilely."
After being held in a police station in Asuncion, where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21, the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital, on bail of $1.6 million.
The investigation has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering and criminal association.
Some 18 people have already been arrested in connection with the case, most of them immigration officials or police officers.
"The investigation found no indication that either participated in money laundering or criminal association," said the defense statement.
Ronaldinho, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was crucial in Brazil's 2002 World Cup win.
He played for European giants such as Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe.
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Barcelona and Serie A with Milan.
After returning home to Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America's equivalent of the Champions League -- with Atletico Mineiro.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Bolivia's Morales facing new child sex investigation

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france24--2020-08-24--Serena claws out opening victory over hard-hitting Rus

Serena Williams battled back from the brink against Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus on Monday , dominating a third-set tiebreaker to reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open .
Williams , seeded third , is the highest seed remaining in the women 's draw of the tournament , moved this year from Cincinnati to New York to put players in a coronavirus quarantine `` bubble '' at the venue that will host the US Open starting on August 31 .
Top seed Karolina Pliskova and No .
2 Sofia Kenin both bowed out in second-round openers -- and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williams could follow them before she roared back to beat Rus 7-6 ( 8/6 ) , 3-6 , 7-6 ( 7/0 ) .
Williams dropped four straight games in the second set against the hard-hitting left-hander , who has never won a WTA title .
After rallying from 0-40 down in the opening game of the third she looked to have turned the tide with a service break on the way to a 3-0 lead .
Serving for the match at 5-3 in the third , Williams was broken to love , Rus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to serve it out .
She was broken , and Williams crushed her in the tiebreaker to wrap up a bruising victory in two hours and 49 minutes .
`` That was tough .
It was a real physical match out there , '' said Williams , who tried to pump herself up on the spectator-free Grandstand court with fist-pumping cries of `` c'mon '' and squeals of triumph and frustration .
`` I had a crowd in my head or something , '' Williams said .
`` It was actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know .
For me , it was like there was a crowd there . ''
It was Williams ' fourth three-set match since she returned at a tournament in Lexington , Kentucky , in the wake of the WTA 's coronavirus shutdown .
But she said fitness work during the downtime had her ready .
`` I 'm actually super fit and I 'm super ready , '' she said .
Fourteen aces , including one at 121 mph , helped her cause as she booked a third-round meeting with 13th-seeded Maria Sakkari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yulia Putintseva 6-4 , 7-6 ( 7/9 ) .
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova , the sixth seed , joined the exodus of women 's seeds , beaten 2-6 , 7-5 , 6-2 by fellow Czech Marie Bouzkova .
Eighth-seeded Briton Johanna Konta moved on with a 6-2 , 6-0 victory over Belgian Kirsten Flipkens .
With world number one and top seed Novak Djokovic due to launch his campaign Monday , third-seeded defending champion Daniil Medvedev launched his defense with a 6-4 , 6-4 victory over Marcos Giron .

New York (AFP) –
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Serena Williams battled back from the brink against Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus on Monday, dominating a third-set tiebreaker to reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open.
Williams, seeded third, is the highest seed remaining in the women's draw of the tournament, moved this year from Cincinnati to New York to put players in a coronavirus quarantine "bubble" at the venue that will host the US Open starting on August 31.
Top seed Karolina Pliskova and No. 2 Sofia Kenin both bowed out in second-round openers -- and it looked like 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams could follow them before she roared back to beat Rus 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 7-6 (7/0).
Williams dropped four straight games in the second set against the hard-hitting left-hander, who has never won a WTA title.
After rallying from 0-40 down in the opening game of the third she looked to have turned the tide with a service break on the way to a 3-0 lead.
Serving for the match at 5-3 in the third, Williams was broken to love, Rus winning the next two to give herself a chance to serve it out.
She was broken, and Williams crushed her in the tiebreaker to wrap up a bruising victory in two hours and 49 minutes.
"That was tough. It was a real physical match out there," said Williams, who tried to pump herself up on the spectator-free Grandstand court with fist-pumping cries of "c'mon" and squeals of triumph and frustration.
"I had a crowd in my head or something," Williams said. "It was actually funny to me. I don't know. For me, it was like there was a crowd there."
It was Williams' fourth three-set match since she returned at a tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, in the wake of the WTA's coronavirus shutdown.
But she said fitness work during the downtime had her ready.
"I'm actually super fit and I'm super ready," she said.
Fourteen aces, including one at 121 mph, helped her cause as she booked a third-round meeting with 13th-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece, who beat Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 7-6 (7/9).
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the sixth seed, joined the exodus of women's seeds, beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 by fellow Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Eighth-seeded Briton Johanna Konta moved on with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.
With world number one and top seed Novak Djokovic due to launch his campaign Monday, third-seeded defending champion Daniil Medvedev launched his defense with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marcos Giron.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Ronaldinho released after five-month stay in Paraguay penal system

Brazilian retired football player Ronaldinho arrives for his hearing at the Asuncion 's Justice Palace , in Asuncion , Paraguay on August 24 , 2020 .
Former Brazil star Ronaldinho was released Monday by a Paraguayan judge after five months in detention over a forged passport .
Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho 's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira , who also had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay 's capital , Asuncion , for the same charge .
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner `` is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence '' for a period of one year , the judge said .
`` He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society . ''
Dressed in jeans , a black beret and black shirt , Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release , which include payment of $ 90,000 damages .
His brother , who is also Ronaldinho 's business manager , must pay $ 110,000 .
The pair are also expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months -- Ronaldinho for a year and his brother for two .
Amarilla accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial .
`` There is no indication that he has any personal characteristics or criminal behaviour that ... would put society at risk , '' the prosecutor said prior to Monday 's trial .
Prosecutors did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false .
The brothers arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , with Ronaldinho , the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner , due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children .
However , two days later , the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents .
After being held in a police station in Asuncion , where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21 , the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital , on bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering .
Some 18 people have already been arrested in connection with the case , most of them immigration officials or police officers .
Ronaldinho , considered one of the greatest footballers of all time , was crucial in Brazil 's 2002 World Cup win .
He played for European giants such as Barcelona , AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe .
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Braca and Serie A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America 's equivalent of the Champions Legaue -- with Atletico Mineiro .

Former Brazil star Ronaldinho was released Monday by a Paraguayan judge after five months in detention over a forged passport.
Brazilian retired football player Ronaldinho arrives for his hearing at the Asuncion's Justice Palace, in Asuncion, Paraguay on August 24, 2020.
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Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira, who also had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay's capital, Asuncion, for the same charge.
The 40-year-old former World Cup winner "is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence" for a period of one year, the judge said.
"He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society."
Dressed in jeans, a black beret and black shirt, Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release, which include payment of $90,000 damages. His brother, who is also Ronaldinho's business manager, must pay $110,000.
The pair are also expected to appear before a judge in Brazil every three months -- Ronaldinho for a year and his brother for two.
Amarilla accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial.
"There is no indication that he has any personal characteristics or criminal behaviour that ... would put society at risk," the prosecutor said prior to Monday's trial.
Prosecutors did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false.
The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4 without any issues, with Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner, due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children.
However, two days later, the pair were taken into police custody when investigators raided their hotel following the discovery they had fake documents.
After being held in a police station in Asuncion, where Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday on March 21, the two men had been under house arrest for more than four months in a luxury hotel in the capital, on bail of $1.6 million.
The investigation has since expanded into a case of possible money laundering.
Some 18 people have already been arrested in connection with the case, most of them immigration officials or police officers.
Ronaldinho, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was crucial in Brazil's 2002 World Cup win.
He played for European giants such as Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain during a hugely successful 10-year stint in Europe.
He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Braca and Serie A with Milan.
After returning home to Brazil he won the Copa Libertadores -- South America's equivalent of the Champions League -- with Atletico Mineiro.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-08-24--Sixers fire coach Brown after playoff sweep

The Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Brett Brown on Monday , just one day after the team was swept out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in the NBA 's quarantine bubble .
Brown compiled a 221-344 record in seven seasons at the helm of the Eastern Conference franchise .
He took the team to the playoffs each of the last three seasons .
`` I have a tremendous level of respect for Brett both personally and professionally and appreciate all he 's done for the 76ers organization and the City of Philadelphia , '' said general manager Elton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things during his time here , developing young talent and helping position our team for three straight postseason appearances .
`` Unfortunately , we fell well short of our goals this year and I believe it is best to go in a new direction .
This will be an important offseason for us as we look to get back on track towards our goal of competing for an NBA championship . ''
In the past three years , the Sixers have been unable to make it past the Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ year when Ben Simmons suffered a serious knee injury in the seeding games .
Brand said they would begin the search for a new coach immediately .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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The Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Brett Brown on Monday, just one day after the team was swept out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in the NBA's quarantine bubble.
Brown compiled a 221-344 record in seven seasons at the helm of the Eastern Conference franchise. He took the team to the playoffs each of the last three seasons.
"I have a tremendous level of respect for Brett both personally and professionally and appreciate all he's done for the 76ers organization and the City of Philadelphia," said general manager Elton Brand.
"He did many positive things during his time here, developing young talent and helping position our team for three straight postseason appearances.
"Unfortunately, we fell well short of our goals this year and I believe it is best to go in a new direction. This will be an important offseason for us as we look to get back on track towards our goal of competing for an NBA championship."
In the past three years, the Sixers have been unable to make it past the Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals. They were dealt a significant blow this year when Ben Simmons suffered a serious knee injury in the seeding games.
Brand said they would begin the search for a new coach immediately.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-08-24--Convalescent plasma: What you need to know

Antibodies can be harvested from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and injected into blood of others to help them fight the disease The United States has issued an emergency authorization to use blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients as a treatment against the disease .
Is it safe and effective ?
Has President Donald Trump 's administration put political considerations ahead of the science ?
Here 's what you need to know .
When a person has COVID-19 , their body produces antibodies that fight the coronavirus .
These proteins float in plasma , the liquid component of blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who have recovered and injected into the blood of others to help them fight the same infection .
The idea is n't new -- so-called `` passive immunization '' was first tried out against diptheria in 1892 and later against the 1918 flu pandemic .
- Is it safe and effective ?
- The research into these questions is still ongoing , but some early signs have been encouraging .
In June , the Mayo Clinic analyzed the safety of plasma following transfusion in a group of 20,000 COVID-19 patients , finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as heart failure , lung injury , allergic reaction and death .
`` We concluded that the use of convalescent plasma was safe , '' Dr Scott Wright , who led the study that was published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings , told AFP .
Importantly , there was no sign of an effect called `` antibody-dependent enhancement , '' when antibodies that are n't well suited to stopping a virus actually lead to more cells becoming infected .
On the question of how effective it is -- all experts agree on the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against standard care .
Dr Soumya Swaminathan , chief scientist of the World Health Organization , said a few trials have reported their findings but they `` have been relatively small and the results , in some cases , point to some benefit , but have not been conclusive . ''
Another study by Mayo Clinic -- which was not a clinical trial and has n't yet been peer-reviewed -- suggested plasma helped reduce death rates among hospitalized patients when given early and when the antibody levels were high .
But there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read too much into the findings .
It enrolled 35,000 patients and showed that those who received transfusions within three days of their COVID-19 diagnosis had an 8.7 percent death rate in the next week .
Those who received plasma after four or more days had an 11.9 percent death rate .
It also found that plasma containing higher levels of antibodies was more effective at reducing the death rate than plasma with lower antibody levels .
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are meanwhile running a trial in which they are using plasma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to get sick .
Dr David Sullivan , who is leading this trial , compared it to an `` immediate vaccine . ''
If it works , `` we can tell people that if you 're high risk ... you can get this early , and you do n't have to worry about going to the hospital , '' he told AFP .
Some scientists believe that while plasma might be useful right now , in the long-run it might be more advantageous to identify the best antibodies to COVID-19 then synthesize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` monoclonal antibodies '' and they are being developed by biotech firms including Regeneron and Lilly .
The advantages are that doctors know precisely what they are getting and case dose accordingly , and the drugs can be mass-produced .
On the other hand , since the virus is continually mutating , antibodies that were produced in a lab to fight an older version might not be as effective as recently-harvested plasma .
The Food and Drug Administration has previously issued emergency authorizations for the antiviral drug remdesivir , after it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , and for the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine , which was subsequently reversed following safety concerns .
Political commentators have questioned the timing of the FDA 's latest move as the Republican Trump lags in polls before the November election .
Indeed , in making the announcement , both Trump and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn misrepresented a key statistic when they said that plasma reduced mortality rates by 35 percent .
FDA spokeswoman Emily Miller later clarified that the figure referred to the relative reduction in mortality risk for people who received high-levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to those who received low levels .
`` It does undermine the credibility of the entire United States government and the administration but specifically these institutions , '' said Dr Matthew Heinz , a physician in Arizona who served under former president Barack Obama 's health department .
But Dr Daniel Hanley , who directs Johns Hopkins ' multisite clinical trials , said that while more data was needed , early results met the threshold for emergency approval .
`` One thing to emphasize is this information is coming in faster than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told AFP .

Washington (AFP) –
Advertising Read more
The United States has issued an emergency authorization to use blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients as a treatment against the disease.
Is it safe and effective? Has President Donald Trump's administration put political considerations ahead of the science? Here's what you need to know.
- What is convalescent plasma? -
When a person has COVID-19, their body produces antibodies that fight the coronavirus. These proteins float in plasma, the liquid component of blood.
The antibodies can be harvested from patients who have recovered and injected into the blood of others to help them fight the same infection. The idea isn't new -- so-called "passive immunization" was first tried out against diptheria in 1892 and later against the 1918 flu pandemic.
- Is it safe and effective? -
The research into these questions is still ongoing, but some early signs have been encouraging.
In June, the Mayo Clinic analyzed the safety of plasma following transfusion in a group of 20,000 COVID-19 patients, finding extremely low rates of known side-effects such as heart failure, lung injury, allergic reaction and death.
"We concluded that the use of convalescent plasma was safe," Dr Scott Wright, who led the study that was published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, told AFP.
Importantly, there was no sign of an effect called "antibody-dependent enhancement," when antibodies that aren't well suited to stopping a virus actually lead to more cells becoming infected.
On the question of how effective it is -- all experts agree on the need for more clinical trials to compare plasma against standard care.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organization, said a few trials have reported their findings but they "have been relatively small and the results, in some cases, point to some benefit, but have not been conclusive."
Another study by Mayo Clinic -- which was not a clinical trial and hasn't yet been peer-reviewed -- suggested plasma helped reduce death rates among hospitalized patients when given early and when the antibody levels were high. But there was no placebo, making it hard to read too much into the findings.
It enrolled 35,000 patients and showed that those who received transfusions within three days of their COVID-19 diagnosis had an 8.7 percent death rate in the next week. Those who received plasma after four or more days had an 11.9 percent death rate.
It also found that plasma containing higher levels of antibodies was more effective at reducing the death rate than plasma with lower antibody levels.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are meanwhile running a trial in which they are using plasma to immunize patients before they have a chance to get sick. Dr David Sullivan, who is leading this trial, compared it to an "immediate vaccine."
If it works, "we can tell people that if you're high risk... you can get this early, and you don't have to worry about going to the hospital," he told AFP.
Some scientists believe that while plasma might be useful right now, in the long-run it might be more advantageous to identify the best antibodies to COVID-19 then synthesize them in labs. These are known as "monoclonal antibodies" and they are being developed by biotech firms including Regeneron and Lilly.
The advantages are that doctors know precisely what they are getting and case dose accordingly, and the drugs can be mass-produced.
On the other hand, since the virus is continually mutating, antibodies that were produced in a lab to fight an older version might not be as effective as recently-harvested plasma.
- Was the authorization politicized? -
The Food and Drug Administration has previously issued emergency authorizations for the antiviral drug remdesivir, after it was shown to have moderate efficacy against the coronavirus, and for the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which was subsequently reversed following safety concerns.
Political commentators have questioned the timing of the FDA's latest move as the Republican Trump lags in polls before the November election.
Indeed, in making the announcement, both Trump and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn misrepresented a key statistic when they said that plasma reduced mortality rates by 35 percent.
FDA spokeswoman Emily Miller later clarified that the figure referred to the relative reduction in mortality risk for people who received high-levels of antibodies in the Mayo Clinic study compared to those who received low levels.
"It does undermine the credibility of the entire United States government and the administration but specifically these institutions," said Dr Matthew Heinz, a physician in Arizona who served under former president Barack Obama's health department.
But Dr Daniel Hanley, who directs Johns Hopkins' multisite clinical trials, said that while more data was needed, early results met the threshold for emergency approval.
"One thing to emphasize is this information is coming in faster than it has in any other pandemic," he told AFP.
© 2020 AFP