france24--2020-11-18--Byrne gets nod ahead of Burns for England clash

Ross Byrne replaces the injured Ireland captain Johnny Sexton at fly-half for the Autumn Nations Cup clash with England Ross Byrne replaces injured Ireland captain Johnny Sexton at fly-half in the starting line-up for their Autumn Nations Cup match with England at Twickenham on Saturday .
The 25-year-old Byrne is preferred to Billy Burns , who impressed when he came on for his debut replacing Sexton in the first-half of the 32-9 victory over Wales last Friday .
However , Byrne already has eight caps to his credit and got the better of Burns when Leinster beat Ulster in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnered at half-back by his Leinster team-mate , New Zealand-born Jamison Gibson-Park , who keeps the experienced Conor Murray on the bench after a good performance on his first start against the Welsh .
Two other New Zealand-born players line-up in the backs with Bundee Aki returning in the centres due to the injury to Robbie Henshaw and livewire wing James Lowe also starts .
Hugo Keenan retains the starting spot at full-back even though Jacob Stockdale has recovered from the calf injurt that forced him to withdraw from the clash with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the absence of Sexton and is partnered in the second row by Quinn Roux , who scored one of Ireland 's two tries in the victory over Wales .
Since Ireland clinched the Grand Slam at Twickenham in 2018 they have fared badly against Eddie Jones 's side -- their only defeat in their last 20 home Tests coming last year .
They have also been beaten twice at Twickenham with the aggregate score from the last three meetings 113-47 and been outscored 15 tries to six .

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Ross Byrne replaces injured Ireland captain Johnny Sexton at fly-half in the starting line-up for their Autumn Nations Cup match with England at Twickenham on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Byrne is preferred to Billy Burns, who impressed when he came on for his debut replacing Sexton in the first-half of the 32-9 victory over Wales last Friday.
However, Byrne already has eight caps to his credit and got the better of Burns when Leinster beat Ulster in September's Pro14 final.
Byrne will be partnered at half-back by his Leinster team-mate, New Zealand-born Jamison Gibson-Park, who keeps the experienced Conor Murray on the bench after a good performance on his first start against the Welsh.
Two other New Zealand-born players line-up in the backs with Bundee Aki returning in the centres due to the injury to Robbie Henshaw and livewire wing James Lowe also starts.
Hugo Keenan retains the starting spot at full-back even though Jacob Stockdale has recovered from the calf injurt that forced him to withdraw from the clash with the Welsh.
James Ryan captains the side in the absence of Sexton and is partnered in the second row by Quinn Roux, who scored one of Ireland's two tries in the victory over Wales.
Since Ireland clinched the Grand Slam at Twickenham in 2018 they have fared badly against Eddie Jones's side -- their only defeat in their last 20 home Tests coming last year.
They have also been beaten twice at Twickenham with the aggregate score from the last three meetings 113-47 and been outscored 15 tries to six.
Team (15-1)
Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Peter O'Mahony, CJ Stander; James Ryan (capt), Quinn Roux; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy
Replacements: Rob Herring, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Will Connors, Conor Murray, Billy Burns, Jacob Stockdale
Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Pfizer/BioNTech say final results show vaccine 95% effective

Pfizer and BioNTech now say their experimental Covid-19 vaccine is 95 percent effective Pfizer and BioNTech said Wednesday that a completed study of their experimental Covid-19 vaccine showed it was 95 percent effective .
They said the two-dose vaccine had no serious safety concerns and that the companies will apply for emergency use authorization from US regulators `` within days . ''
The announcement came as coronavirus cases are surging in the US and other parts of the world , and boosted hopes for an end to the pandemic that has upended life around the globe .
`` The study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine capable of helping to end this devastating pandemic , '' said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla .
`` With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day , we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world , '' he added .
Pfizer had said last week after a preliminary analysis that its product was more than 90 percent effective .
On Monday another biotech firm involved in the race to develop a vaccine , Moderna , said its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a preliminary analysis .
Pfizer has previously said it expected to contact the US Food and Drug Administration to apply for an Emergency Use Authorization by the third week of November .
The FDA had imposed a requirement on Covid-19 vaccine makers of having at least two months of follow-up with volunteers after their second dose , taken 28 days after the first , in order to ensure the drugs are safe .
Moderna developed its vaccine along with the US National Institutes for Health .
Both vaccines use mRNA ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetic material to the body that makes human cells create a protein from the virus .
This trains the immune system to be ready to attack if it encounters SARS-CoV-2 .
Other vaccines that are in late-stage trials , such as one being developed by Johnson & Johnson and another by Oxford University and AstraZeneca , use modified viruses to deliver genetic material for the same purpose .
No mRNA vaccines have ever been approved , but Anthony Fauci , the United States ' top infectious disease scientist , told AFP Tuesday the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

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Pfizer and BioNTech said Wednesday that a completed study of their experimental Covid-19 vaccine showed it was 95 percent effective.
They said the two-dose vaccine had no serious safety concerns and that the companies will apply for emergency use authorization from US regulators "within days."
The announcement came as coronavirus cases are surging in the US and other parts of the world, and boosted hopes for an end to the pandemic that has upended life around the globe.
"The study results mark an important step in this historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine capable of helping to end this devastating pandemic," said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.
"With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day, we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world," he added.
Pfizer had said last week after a preliminary analysis that its product was more than 90 percent effective.
On Monday another biotech firm involved in the race to develop a vaccine, Moderna, said its own vaccine was 94.5 percent effective, according to a preliminary analysis.
Pfizer has previously said it expected to contact the US Food and Drug Administration to apply for an Emergency Use Authorization by the third week of November.
The FDA had imposed a requirement on Covid-19 vaccine makers of having at least two months of follow-up with volunteers after their second dose, taken 28 days after the first, in order to ensure the drugs are safe.
Moderna developed its vaccine along with the US National Institutes for Health.
Both vaccines use mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) technology to deliver genetic material to the body that makes human cells create a protein from the virus.
This trains the immune system to be ready to attack if it encounters SARS-CoV-2.
Other vaccines that are in late-stage trials, such as one being developed by Johnson & Johnson and another by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, use modified viruses to deliver genetic material for the same purpose.
No mRNA vaccines have ever been approved, but Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease scientist, told AFP Tuesday the technology had now "established itself."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Ethiopian parents fear for future of refugee children

Ethiopian refugees who fled fighting in Tigray province at a reception centre in eastern Sudan 's Gedaref province Seated on the ground in a camp in Sudan 's Gedaref region , Ethiopian schoolteacher Tadros Bay reads a story to four children huddled around him .
He somehow managed to rescue the book on his escape from Mai-Kadra in Ethiopia 's Tigray region where he said atrocities were carried out by government forces .
Children listen attentively to the 32-year-old teacher with whom they share the fate of thousands of refugees thrown onto the roads by war in their homeland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we do n't have books or a place to study , '' he says .
The transit camp in eastern Sudan near the border with Ethiopia has become home for 17,000 refugees , including 5,000 children , according to Sudanese officials .
Built five years ago to relocate residents whose homes were flooded by a reservoir , so-called `` village number 8 '' has only one school for Sudanese .
In the streets , children run , play and cry , their parents fearful they will turn into a lost generation because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Conflict has raged since November 4 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the launch of military operations in Tigray in a dramatic escalation of a long-running feud with the region 's ruling party , the Tigray People 's Liberation Front ( TPLF ) .
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) , 4,000 people have been crossing the border with Sudan each day since November 10 .
Iessa Burhano , 29 , and her husband owned a hotel in Mai-Kadra , in southwest Tigray , the scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing witnesses , has accused forces loyal to the TPLF of responsibility for a `` massacre '' which `` probably '' left hundreds of civilians dead in Mai-Kadra .
However , several refugees interviewed by AFP in another Gedaref camp , Um Raquba , say the abuses were committed by federal army troops .
`` Soldiers of the federal army attacked our hotel , looted it as well as our other properties , '' Iessa Burhano charges .
Now , her three children , aged eight , 10 and 13 , who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are `` refugees and will certainly not be able to resume their studies '' , she says .
Originally from Humera , in western Tigray , Tasfai Gabro , the father of four school-age children , also had to flee his village .
`` Now that we are in Sudan and although I am not worried about the immediate future , I fear for the future of my children , '' says the 60-year-old truck driver .
`` I think the war will last a long time .
What a future for @ @ @ @

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Seated on the ground in a camp in Sudan's Gedaref region, Ethiopian schoolteacher Tadros Bay reads a story to four children huddled around him.
He somehow managed to rescue the book on his escape from Mai-Kadra in Ethiopia's Tigray region where he said atrocities were carried out by government forces.
Children listen attentively to the 32-year-old teacher with whom they share the fate of thousands of refugees thrown onto the roads by war in their homeland.
"I try to help these children but we don't have books or a place to study," he says.
The transit camp in eastern Sudan near the border with Ethiopia has become home for 17,000 refugees, including 5,000 children, according to Sudanese officials.
Built five years ago to relocate residents whose homes were flooded by a reservoir, so-called "village number 8" has only one school for Sudanese.
In the streets, children run, play and cry, their parents fearful they will turn into a lost generation because of a war that will drag on.
Conflict has raged since November 4 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the launch of military operations in Tigray in a dramatic escalation of a long-running feud with the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 4,000 people have been crossing the border with Sudan each day since November 10.
Iessa Burhano, 29, and her husband owned a hotel in Mai-Kadra, in southwest Tigray, the scene of alleged atrocities.
Amnesty International, citing witnesses, has accused forces loyal to the TPLF of responsibility for a "massacre" which "probably" left hundreds of civilians dead in Mai-Kadra.
However, several refugees interviewed by AFP in another Gedaref camp, Um Raquba, say the abuses were committed by federal army troops.
"Soldiers of the federal army attacked our hotel, looted it as well as our other properties," Iessa Burhano charges.
Now, her three children, aged eight, 10 and 13, who were supposed to return to school this month, are "refugees and will certainly not be able to resume their studies", she says.
Originally from Humera, in western Tigray, Tasfai Gabro, the father of four school-age children, also had to flee his village.
"Now that we are in Sudan and although I am not worried about the immediate future, I fear for the future of my children," says the 60-year-old truck driver.
"I think the war will last a long time. What a future for my sons!"
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Queensland regain Origin crown amid biggest pandemic crowd

Queensland 's Harry Grant ( C ) celebrates a try in front of capacity crowd Queensland , roared on by a capacity 52,000 home crowd , held off a storming New South Wales finish to regain Australia 's State of Origin rugby league crown 20-14 in Brisbane on Wednesday .
The Maroons denied the Blues ' bid for a triple Origin series win with a committed effort before the largest sporting crowd in the world during the global pandemic .
New Zealand 's rugby union Bledisloe Cup hosted the second largest crowd since coronavirus hit , attracting 46,000 fans in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concussed early in his side 's 34-10 drubbing in Sydney last week , masterminded Queensland 's Origin triumph and veteran coach Wayne Bennett 's first since 2001 in his Origin return .
`` It was the first series win without the big boys ( star retirements ) , and the boys have done a really great job .
Wayne ( Bennett ) , Mal ( Meninga ) , the coaching staff , got us up tonight , '' said Munster , who was named man of the series .
`` Full credit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they played outstanding tonight .
There 's no better feeling putting the Maroon ( jersey ) on .
It 's the pinnacle of rugby league . ''
It was also Queensland 's first State of Origin series victory since 2017 before NSW 's wins in 2018 and last year .
Queensland 's success was down to their intense commitment and pressure on the favoured NSW team with their unrelenting defence .
Queensland were up for the contest before their roaring home crowd and scored in the opening four minutes through winger Valentine Holmes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Nathan Cleary 's high kick was spilled by debutant fullback Corey Allan with James Tedesco on the spot to ground the ball for the try .
But NSW 's hopes were rocked midway through the opening half when key player and skipper Tedesco was knocked out by an accidental knee in a tackle by burly prop Josh Papalii and he was led groggily from the field and ruled out of the game with concussion .
Coach Brad Fittler was forced to use interchange forward Isaah Yeo in the centres and switch Clint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queensland applied the pressure on the NSW defence with the Blues having little possession and territory against the relentless Maroons .
The breakthrough came three minutes before half-time when Munster conjured a try for winger Eldrick Lee with a clever cross-field kick to open space .
Valentine Holmes ' conversion gave the home side a deserved 12-6 lead at the break .
Rising young forward star Harry Grant capped a magnificent Origin debut with his try midway through the second half to stretch Queensland 's lead to 20-6 before NSW hit back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tupou scored a converted try and Cleary 's penalty goal inched NSW to within a converted try but they were denied by Queensland 's spirited resistance despite being reduced to 12 men with fullback Allan 's late sin-binning .
It meant that not since 2005 have the Blues won a decider in Brisbane , now losing the last five live games in Queensland .

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Queensland, roared on by a capacity 52,000 home crowd, held off a storming New South Wales finish to regain Australia's State of Origin rugby league crown 20-14 in Brisbane on Wednesday.
The Maroons denied the Blues' bid for a triple Origin series win with a committed effort before the largest sporting crowd in the world during the global pandemic.
New Zealand's rugby union Bledisloe Cup hosted the second largest crowd since coronavirus hit, attracting 46,000 fans in October.
Cameron Munster, who was concussed early in his side's 34-10 drubbing in Sydney last week, masterminded Queensland's Origin triumph and veteran coach Wayne Bennett's first since 2001 in his Origin return.
"It was the first series win without the big boys (star retirements), and the boys have done a really great job. Wayne (Bennett), Mal (Meninga), the coaching staff, got us up tonight," said Munster, who was named man of the series.
"Full credit to our big boys (forwards), they played outstanding tonight. There's no better feeling putting the Maroon (jersey) on. It's the pinnacle of rugby league."
It was also Queensland's first State of Origin series victory since 2017 before NSW's wins in 2018 and last year.
Queensland's success was down to their intense commitment and pressure on the favoured NSW team with their unrelenting defence.
Queensland were up for the contest before their roaring home crowd and scored in the opening four minutes through winger Valentine Holmes.
NSW hit back five minutes later when Nathan Cleary's high kick was spilled by debutant fullback Corey Allan with James Tedesco on the spot to ground the ball for the try.
But NSW's hopes were rocked midway through the opening half when key player and skipper Tedesco was knocked out by an accidental knee in a tackle by burly prop Josh Papalii and he was led groggily from the field and ruled out of the game with concussion.
Coach Brad Fittler was forced to use interchange forward Isaah Yeo in the centres and switch Clint Gutherson to Tedesco's fullback spot.
Queensland applied the pressure on the NSW defence with the Blues having little possession and territory against the relentless Maroons.
The breakthrough came three minutes before half-time when Munster conjured a try for winger Eldrick Lee with a clever cross-field kick to open space.
Valentine Holmes' conversion gave the home side a deserved 12-6 lead at the break.
Rising young forward star Harry Grant capped a magnificent Origin debut with his try midway through the second half to stretch Queensland's lead to 20-6 before NSW hit back in the final 15 minutes.
Winger Daniel Tupou scored a converted try and Cleary's penalty goal inched NSW to within a converted try but they were denied by Queensland's spirited resistance despite being reduced to 12 men with fullback Allan's late sin-binning.
It meant that not since 2005 have the Blues won a decider in Brisbane, now losing the last five live games in Queensland.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Danish minister resigns over mink virus row

The government ordered a cull of all of Denmark 's 15 to 17 million minks Denmark 's agriculture minister resigned on Wednesday following criticism of his handling of a mink cull ordered after the discovery of a mutated version of the coronavirus at some of the country 's mink farms .
Mogens Jensen admitted last week that the government 's order to cull all of Denmark 's 15 to 17 million minks had no legal basis .
`` I no longer have the necessary support from the parties in parliament , '' he told Danish public television DR on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` It is very clear that mistakes have been made in my ministry , and I take responsibility , '' he said .
Denmark ordered the cull on November 4 over fears that the mutated virus , which can jump to humans , could threaten the effectiveness of any future human vaccine , according to Copenhagen .
Some mink farmers protested against the order to slaughter their healthy minks , as media revealed that Danish legislation allowed the government to order the cull of minks only on affected farms and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later admitted .
To rectify the situation , the government has proposed a bill banning mink farms until 2022 , but its apologies have done little to restore confidence , even among the minority Social Democratic government 's allies on the left .
Opposition leader Jakob Elleman-Jensen of the Liberal party said `` this is just the beginning '' .
`` This entire affair needs to be examined in detail to determine the prime minister 's responsibility , '' he told the Ritzau news agency .

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Denmark's agriculture minister resigned on Wednesday following criticism of his handling of a mink cull ordered after the discovery of a mutated version of the coronavirus at some of the country's mink farms.
Mogens Jensen admitted last week that the government's order to cull all of Denmark's 15 to 17 million minks had no legal basis.
"I no longer have the necessary support from the parties in parliament," he told Danish public television DR on Wednesday. "I must tender my resignation."
"It is very clear that mistakes have been made in my ministry, and I take responsibility," he said.
Denmark ordered the cull on November 4 over fears that the mutated virus, which can jump to humans, could threaten the effectiveness of any future human vaccine, according to Copenhagen.
Some mink farmers protested against the order to slaughter their healthy minks, as media revealed that Danish legislation allowed the government to order the cull of minks only on affected farms and not a general cull, which the government later admitted.
To rectify the situation, the government has proposed a bill banning mink farms until 2022, but its apologies have done little to restore confidence, even among the minority Social Democratic government's allies on the left.
Opposition leader Jakob Elleman-Jensen of the Liberal party said "this is just the beginning".
"This entire affair needs to be examined in detail to determine the prime minister's responsibility," he told the Ritzau news agency.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--EU Budget Deadlock, Poland, Hungary oppose linking funding to rule of law

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france24--2020-11-18--Don't poo-poo it! Indian dung festival celebrates end to Diwali

People take part in the `` Gorehabba '' festival in Gumatapura village on the border of India 's Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states Dozens of exuberant villagers scooped up handfuls of cow dung to mould and toss at each other like snowballs this week for the Gorehabba festival , a local conclusion to India 's most important festival , Diwali .
Similar to Spain 's `` La Tomatina '' -- an eccentric tomato-hurling celebration of the local fruit -- residents of Gumatapura village instead fling something more earthy at each other : cow dung .
The festival is unique to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- Beereshwara Swamy -- was born in cow excrement .
Some Hindus believe cows and everything they produce is sacred and purifying .
Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed for greater protection of the beasts , and many Indian states have long banned their slaughter for meat .
`` People from neighbouring villages and districts come to participate in this festival and enjoy it , '' local headmaster Shambu Lingappa told AFP Tuesday .
The day begins with the collection of `` ammunition '' from cow-owning homes in the village , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu .
The manure is brought to the local temple on tractors pulled by cattle adorned with marigold flowers , before a priest performs a blessing ritual .
After that , the dung dumped in an open area -- with men and boys wading in to prepare their weapons for the battle ahead .
Women and girls take cover , but they risk `` shrapnel wounds '' when they try to record the revelry on their mobile phones .
Some may poo-poo the event , but for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much about fun as it is about the perceived health benefits .
`` By lifting cow dung with your hands , it cures a lot of diseases ... and there is a strong belief that participants will never get sick , '' said school teacher Mahendra .

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Dozens of exuberant villagers scooped up handfuls of cow dung to mould and toss at each other like snowballs this week for the Gorehabba festival, a local conclusion to India's most important festival, Diwali.
Similar to Spain's "La Tomatina" -- an eccentric tomato-hurling celebration of the local fruit -- residents of Gumatapura village instead fling something more earthy at each other: cow dung.
The festival is unique to a village where locals believe their god -- Beereshwara Swamy -- was born in cow excrement.
Some Hindus believe cows and everything they produce is sacred and purifying. Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed for greater protection of the beasts, and many Indian states have long banned their slaughter for meat.
"People from neighbouring villages and districts come to participate in this festival and enjoy it," local headmaster Shambu Lingappa told AFP Tuesday.
The day begins with the collection of "ammunition" from cow-owning homes in the village, which lies on the border of the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The manure is brought to the local temple on tractors pulled by cattle adorned with marigold flowers, before a priest performs a blessing ritual.
After that, the dung dumped in an open area -- with men and boys wading in to prepare their weapons for the battle ahead.
Women and girls take cover, but they risk "shrapnel wounds" when they try to record the revelry on their mobile phones.
Some may poo-poo the event, but for those in attendance the festival is as much about fun as it is about the perceived health benefits.
"By lifting cow dung with your hands, it cures a lot of diseases... and there is a strong belief that participants will never get sick," said school teacher Mahendra.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--England announce India series as they target fans' return in 2021

Back on the schedule - Lord 's is set to welcome back both fans and international cricket in 2021 The England and Wales Cricket Board said Wednesday they hoped spectators would return to matches next year as they announced a full international programme for 2021 culminating with a five-Test series at home to India .
Unlike this year 's coronavirus-hit schedule , where a full set of men 's international matches were played behind closed doors at Old Trafford and Southampton , the ECB are now planning to take fixtures all round the country as in a normal year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ different host grounds and anticipates a ticket ballot to allow spectators to attend matches once again .
The centrepiece of next year 's programme is a Test series against India in August and September , with matches at Trent Bridge , Lord 's , Headingley , the Oval and Old Trafford .
Meanwhile , white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan are scheduled throughout June and July , with fixtures also due to take place at Durham , Edgbaston , Bristol and Cardiff .
It is possible that more games could be added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Test Championship final will go ahead after several qualifying matches this year were cancelled because of the Covid-19 outbreak .
Any additional fixtures could take place at Southampton 's Ageas Bowl , not included in the provisional schedule despite its key role in 2020 .
England all-rounder Moeen Ali , speaking via conference call from Cape Town ahead of white-ball series against South Africa , welcomed the planned return of spectators by saying : `` I think the most important thing for us is to play in front of crowds .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much you miss them , the extra motivation they give you when you 're playing , going round the country .
`` If the fans could come in next year that would be amazing .
I think players all over the world are missing the fans a lot . ''
An optimistic Tom Harrison , the ECB chief executive , added : `` It 's an exciting prospect for England fans and , while Covid means there 's still a great deal of uncertainty , we really hope to be able to welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to bring that unique atmosphere to stadia across the country . ''
The ECB also announced earlier Wednesday that England would tour Pakistan in October , ending a 16-year absence .
England will arrive in Karachi on October 12 , playing two T20s on October 14-15 before both teams depart for India ahead of the T20 World Cup .
The series follows Pakistan ' widely praised tour of England earlier this year amid the pandemic .
`` As was demonstrated this summer , we have a strong relationship with the PCB ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is delighted to be able to play our part in ensuring the safe return of international cricket to this wonderful nation of passionate cricket fans , '' said Harrison , underlining however that safety concerns would remain `` paramount '' .
Dates and venues have yet to be fixed for the England women 's team but the ECB have said that South Africa and New Zealand are both expected to travel for 50 and 20-over series .

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The England and Wales Cricket Board said Wednesday they hoped spectators would return to matches next year as they announced a full international programme for 2021 culminating with a five-Test series at home to India.
Unlike this year's coronavirus-hit schedule, where a full set of men's international matches were played behind closed doors at Old Trafford and Southampton, the ECB are now planning to take fixtures all round the country as in a normal year.
The draft itinerary issued Wednesday includes nine different host grounds and anticipates a ticket ballot to allow spectators to attend matches once again.
The centrepiece of next year's programme is a Test series against India in August and September, with matches at Trent Bridge, Lord's, Headingley, the Oval and Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan are scheduled throughout June and July, with fixtures also due to take place at Durham, Edgbaston, Bristol and Cardiff.
It is possible that more games could be added amid uncertainty over whether the planned 2021 World Test Championship final will go ahead after several qualifying matches this year were cancelled because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Any additional fixtures could take place at Southampton's Ageas Bowl, not included in the provisional schedule despite its key role in 2020.
- 'Huge' -
England all-rounder Moeen Ali, speaking via conference call from Cape Town ahead of white-ball series against South Africa, welcomed the planned return of spectators by saying: "I think the most important thing for us is to play in front of crowds.
"It's huge -- you realise how much you miss them, the extra motivation they give you when you're playing, going round the country.
"If the fans could come in next year that would be amazing. I think players all over the world are missing the fans a lot."
An optimistic Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, added: "It's an exciting prospect for England fans and, while Covid means there's still a great deal of uncertainty, we really hope to be able to welcome fans back into the grounds safely next year to bring that unique atmosphere to stadia across the country."
The ECB also announced earlier Wednesday that England would tour Pakistan in October, ending a 16-year absence.
England will arrive in Karachi on October 12, playing two T20s on October 14-15 before both teams depart for India ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The series follows Pakistan' widely praised tour of England earlier this year amid the pandemic.
"As was demonstrated this summer, we have a strong relationship with the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and the ECB is delighted to be able to play our part in ensuring the safe return of international cricket to this wonderful nation of passionate cricket fans," said Harrison, underlining however that safety concerns would remain "paramount".
Dates and venues have yet to be fixed for the England women's team but the ECB have said that South Africa and New Zealand are both expected to travel for 50 and 20-over series.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Aubameyang fury as Gambia airport drama mars Africa Cup of Nations

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ( L ) and his Gabon teammates were forced to sleep on an airport floor in the Gambia .
The sight of Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his Gabon teammates sleeping on an airport floor marred an otherwise successful two rounds of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying .
Gambian authorities would not allow the visiting Gabonese to leave the terminal because they said the delegation had not complied with conditions aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus .
Confederation of African Football ( CAF ) official Omar Sey told reporters in Banjul that the Gabonese did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had been performed before leaving Libreville .
The Gabonese then had to hand over passports and a standoff ensued with the visiting players forced to sleep on the floor for almost six hours from their midnight arrival before going to their hotel .
CAF responded to the incident by ordering an investigation amid criticism from former African Footballer of the Year Aubameyang .
`` Nice job CAF , it is as if we are back in the 1990s .
It is 2020 and we want Africa to grow , but this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he tweeted .
Gabon lost 2-1 to the Gambia , leaving the teams sharing the Group D leadership , one point ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo with two rounds remaining .
Although prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny tested positive for Covid-19 , the widespread disruption of the 48-match schedule that many feared did not materialise .
Here , AFP Sport looks at five talking points as nations seek top-two finishes and places at the 24-nation tournament in Cameroon .
Captain Riyad Mahrez led by example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away against Zimbabwe in Group H to stretch an unbeaten run to 22 matches since October 2018 .
His solo goal sealed a 3-1 victory in Algiers and an even more spectacular effort gave the Desert Foxes a two-goal advantage in Harare that they surrendered in a 2-2 draw .
Dropping two points did not , however , prevent Algeria qualifying for the finals with two matches to spare , leaving Zimbabwe , Botswana and former champions Zambia to challenge for the other qualifying place .
In trouble after dropping four points last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Togo twice to replace the Comoros as Group G frontrunners .
The victories over the disappointing Togolese were achieved in the absence of talisman Salah , who contracted Covid-19 before the first match .
Elneny tested positive for the virus in Lome and missed an impressive 3-1 win with Aston Villa forward Mahmoud Trezeguet among the goals .
African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane scored the goal that secured 2019 runners-up Senegal a place at the next finals , and his country boast the only 100 percent record after four matchdays .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakar in a 2-0 victory and snatched the only goal of the return match eight minutes from time in sweltering Bissau .
While Senegal have a maximum 12 points , tiny island nation Sao Tome e Principe hold the unwanted record of being the only team not to secure at least one point so far .
Another island nation , the Comoros , look set to reach the Cup of Nations finals for the first time , mainly thanks to taking four points off Kenya and partly due to the Egyptian revival .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ each , Kenya three and Togo are out of contention with just one , and the joint leaders can clinch qualification by taking one point each in matchday 5 .
A key to the growing strength of the Comorans is stability with Marseille-born coach Amir Abdou in charge since 2014 of a tight-knit squad .
The midas touch of famed French coach Claude le Roy has deserted him since taking charge of Togo , who share with Sao Tome , Chad and eSwatini the embarrassment of being eliminated with two rounds to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Le Roy won the Cup of Nations with Cameroon and left Senegal , the Democratic Republic of Congo , Ghana and Congo Brazzaville with stronger squads than he inherited .
While woeful defending in a 3-1 home loss to Egypt was not the fault of the 72-year-old , the coach is always the first target in African football when things go wrong .

Johannesburg (AFP) –
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The sight of Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his Gabon teammates sleeping on an airport floor marred an otherwise successful two rounds of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Gambian authorities would not allow the visiting Gabonese to leave the terminal because they said the delegation had not complied with conditions aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) official Omar Sey told reporters in Banjul that the Gabonese did not produce Covid-19 test results, while insisting they had been performed before leaving Libreville.
The Gabonese then had to hand over passports and a standoff ensued with the visiting players forced to sleep on the floor for almost six hours from their midnight arrival before going to their hotel.
CAF responded to the incident by ordering an investigation amid criticism from former African Footballer of the Year Aubameyang.
"Nice job CAF, it is as if we are back in the 1990s. It is 2020 and we want Africa to grow, but this is not how we will get there," he tweeted.
Gabon lost 2-1 to the Gambia, leaving the teams sharing the Group D leadership, one point ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo with two rounds remaining.
Although prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny tested positive for Covid-19, the widespread disruption of the 48-match schedule that many feared did not materialise.
Here, AFP Sport looks at five talking points as nations seek top-two finishes and places at the 24-nation tournament in Cameroon.
Marvel Mahrez
Captain Riyad Mahrez led by example as Algeria won at home and drew away against Zimbabwe in Group H to stretch an unbeaten run to 22 matches since October 2018.
His solo goal sealed a 3-1 victory in Algiers and an even more spectacular effort gave the Desert Foxes a two-goal advantage in Harare that they surrendered in a 2-2 draw.
Dropping two points did not, however, prevent Algeria qualifying for the finals with two matches to spare, leaving Zimbabwe, Botswana and former champions Zambia to challenge for the other qualifying place.
Egypt recover
In trouble after dropping four points last year, record seven-time champions Egypt defeated Togo twice to replace the Comoros as Group G frontrunners.
The victories over the disappointing Togolese were achieved in the absence of talisman Salah, who contracted Covid-19 before the first match.
Elneny tested positive for the virus in Lome and missed an impressive 3-1 win with Aston Villa forward Mahmoud Trezeguet among the goals.
Mane strikes
African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane scored the goal that secured 2019 runners-up Senegal a place at the next finals, and his country boast the only 100 percent record after four matchdays.
The Liverpool star broke the deadlock near Dakar in a 2-0 victory and snatched the only goal of the return match eight minutes from time in sweltering Bissau.
While Senegal have a maximum 12 points, tiny island nation Sao Tome e Principe hold the unwanted record of being the only team not to secure at least one point so far.
Comoros rise
Another island nation, the Comoros, look set to reach the Cup of Nations finals for the first time, mainly thanks to taking four points off Kenya and partly due to the Egyptian revival.
Egypt and the Comoros have eight points each, Kenya three and Togo are out of contention with just one, and the joint leaders can clinch qualification by taking one point each in matchday 5.
A key to the growing strength of the Comorans is stability with Marseille-born coach Amir Abdou in charge since 2014 of a tight-knit squad.
Le Roy struggles
The midas touch of famed French coach Claude le Roy has deserted him since taking charge of Togo, who share with Sao Tome, Chad and eSwatini the embarrassment of being eliminated with two rounds to play.
Before setting up residence in Lome, Le Roy won the Cup of Nations with Cameroon and left Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Congo Brazzaville with stronger squads than he inherited.
While woeful defending in a 3-1 home loss to Egypt was not the fault of the 72-year-old, the coach is always the first target in African football when things go wrong.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Pompeo heads to staunch ally Israel on farewell tour

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , pictured here in Georgia Wednesday , was next to visit Israel US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to arrive in Jerusalem Wednesday for a farewell visit as the chief diplomat of the strongly pro-Israeli Trump administration .
Palestinians protested as Pompeo was expected to become the first US top diplomat to visit a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank , where a vineyard has named one of its wines after him .
Pompeo -- who has so far backed Donald Trump in refusing to concede defeat to President-elect Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East tour that has so far taken him to France , Turkey and Georgia .
He was flying to Israel on the same day as the foreign minister of Bahrain , one of several Arab states that have agreed under US-brokered pacts to normalise relations with the Jewish state .
Palestinians have decried as a `` betrayal '' the historic deals which Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed with Israel and which have since been matched in principle by Sudan .
Pompeo was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of his two-day visit .
All three countries -- and several other Gulf states , including Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- share a strong animosity toward Shiite Muslim regional power Iran .
They accuse the Islamic republic of seeking to build a nuclear bomb , fuelling unrest from Syria and Iraq to Lebanon and Yemen , and of seeking the destruction of Israel .
The New York Times reported Monday that Trump had last week asked top aides about the possibility of striking Iran 's nuclear facilities .
Senior officials reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a military strike , '' warning him that such an attack could escalate into a broader conflict in the last weeks of his presidency .
Israel said Wednesday it had hit Iranian targets in Syria with overnight air strikes , in its latest of many attacks in the war-torn country .
An Israeli army statement said its fighter jets had attacked `` military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds Force and the Syrian armed forces '' .
The elite Quds Force is the main foreign operations arm of Iran 's Revolutionary Guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Human Rights said 10 people were killed , including foreign fighters and Syrian soldiers .
Israel said it launched the attacks in response to the discovery of improvised explosive devices near a military base on its side of the armistice line on the occupied Golan Heights .
Pompeo had no scheduled meetings with Palestinian leaders , who have strongly rejected Trump 's stance on the conflict , including Washington 's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital .
But Israeli press reports said he was due to visit the Jewish Psagot vineyard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- a trip the State Department and the vineyard have so far declined to confirm to AFP .
Dozens of Palestinians demonstrated in Al-Bireh , a community opposite Psagot , located between Jerusalem and Ramallah , and some threw stones at soldiers guarding the entrance to the settlement .
Israeli planning and building of settlements in the Palestinian Territories has boomed under successive Netanyahu governments and especially since Trump took office four years ago .
More than 450,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements , which are considered illegal under international law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967 .
Pompeo said a year ago that the United States no longer considered Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be contrary to international law .
Those comments were hailed by the Psagot vineyard , which has been fighting to keep the label `` Israel '' on its bottles , rather than the phrase `` Israeli settlements '' demanded by several European court rulings .
The Palestinian prime minister , Mohammed Shtayyeh , said Pompeo `` is going to visit the ... Jewish settlement simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has produced a bottle of wine named after him .
`` If international relations are designed on a bottle of wine , it 's to hell with international relations . ''

Jerusalem (AFP) –
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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to arrive in Jerusalem Wednesday for a farewell visit as the chief diplomat of the strongly pro-Israeli Trump administration.
Palestinians protested as Pompeo was expected to become the first US top diplomat to visit a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, where a vineyard has named one of its wines after him.
Pompeo -- who has so far backed Donald Trump in refusing to concede defeat to President-elect Joe Biden -- is on a Europe and Middle East tour that has so far taken him to France, Turkey and Georgia.
He was flying to Israel on the same day as the foreign minister of Bahrain, one of several Arab states that have agreed under US-brokered pacts to normalise relations with the Jewish state.
Palestinians have decried as a "betrayal" the historic deals which Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed with Israel and which have since been matched in principle by Sudan.
Pompeo was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdellatif al-Zayani at the start of his two-day visit.
All three countries -- and several other Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- share a strong animosity toward Shiite Muslim regional power Iran.
They accuse the Islamic republic of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, fuelling unrest from Syria and Iraq to Lebanon and Yemen, and of seeking the destruction of Israel.
- Israeli air strikes -
The New York Times reported Monday that Trump had last week asked top aides about the possibility of striking Iran's nuclear facilities.
Senior officials reportedly "dissuaded the president from moving ahead with a military strike," warning him that such an attack could escalate into a broader conflict in the last weeks of his presidency.
Israel said Wednesday it had hit Iranian targets in Syria with overnight air strikes, in its latest of many attacks in the war-torn country.
An Israeli army statement said its fighter jets had attacked "military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds Force and the Syrian armed forces".
The elite Quds Force is the main foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 people were killed, including foreign fighters and Syrian soldiers.
Israel said it launched the attacks in response to the discovery of improvised explosive devices near a military base on its side of the armistice line on the occupied Golan Heights.
- Grapes of Wrath -
Pompeo had no scheduled meetings with Palestinian leaders, who have strongly rejected Trump's stance on the conflict, including Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
But Israeli press reports said he was due to visit the Jewish Psagot vineyard in a settlement in the West Bank -- a trip the State Department and the vineyard have so far declined to confirm to AFP.
Dozens of Palestinians demonstrated in Al-Bireh, a community opposite Psagot, located between Jerusalem and Ramallah, and some threw stones at soldiers guarding the entrance to the settlement.
Israeli planning and building of settlements in the Palestinian Territories has boomed under successive Netanyahu governments and especially since Trump took office four years ago.
More than 450,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Some 2.8 million Palestinians also live in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
Pompeo said a year ago that the United States no longer considered Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be contrary to international law.
Those comments were hailed by the Psagot vineyard, which has been fighting to keep the label "Israel" on its bottles, rather than the phrase "Israeli settlements" demanded by several European court rulings.
The Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Shtayyeh, said Pompeo "is going to visit the ... Jewish settlement simply because he is visiting a winery that has produced a bottle of wine named after him.
"If international relations are designed on a bottle of wine, it's to hell with international relations."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-18--Thailand protests: Thousands gather in Bangkok for another day of unrest

Thailand protests : Thousands gather in Bangkok for another day of unrest Thousands of democracy activists gathered in downtown Bangkok @ @ @ @ @ of protest , after six people were shot during violent clashes , as lawmakers voted @ @ @ @ @ FRANCE 24 's Philip Sherwell tells us more .

Thailand protests: Thousands gather in Bangkok for another day of unrest
02:23
Thousands of democracy activists gathered in downtown Bangkok Wednesday for a second day of protest, after six people were shot during violent clashes, as lawmakers voted on possible constitutional reforms. FRANCE 24's Philip Sherwell tells us more.


france24--2020-11-18--Over 27,000 fleeing Ethiopia fighting have reached Sudan

Ethiopia ’ s growing conflict has resulted in more than 27,000 refugees fleeing the Tigray region into Sudan , the @ @ @ @ @ , as fighting spilled beyond Ethiopia ’ s borders and threatened to inflame the Horn @ @ @ @ @ 24 's Maria Gerth-Niculescu and Bastien Renouil report from Sudan 's border with Ethiopia .

Over 27,000 fleeing Ethiopia fighting have reached Sudan
02:01
Ethiopia’s growing conflict has resulted in more than 27,000 refugees fleeing the Tigray region into Sudan, the U.N. refugee agency said Monday, as fighting spilled beyond Ethiopia’s borders and threatened to inflame the Horn of Africa region. FRANCE 24's Maria Gerth-Niculescu and Bastien Renouil report from Sudan's border with Ethiopia.


france24--2020-11-18--UN warns of 'full-scale humanitarian crisis' in Ethiopia conflict

The UN said Tuesday that a full-blown humanitarian crisis was unfolding in northern Ethiopia , where thousands of people each @ @ @ @ @ in the Tigray region .
FRANCE 24 's Chief Foreign Editor Rob Parsons explains .

UN warns of 'full-scale humanitarian crisis' in Ethiopia conflict
03:59
The UN said Tuesday that a full-blown humanitarian crisis was unfolding in northern Ethiopia, where thousands of people each day are fleeing the conflict in the Tigray region. FRANCE 24's Chief Foreign Editor Rob Parsons explains.


france24--2020-11-18--Argentine president bringing new abortion bill to Congress

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez announced Tuesday he was bringing a new bill on legalizing abortion to Congress , re-opening a @ @ @ @ @ the traditionally Catholic South American nation .

Argentine president bringing new abortion bill to Congress
01:40
Argentine President Alberto Fernandez announced Tuesday he was bringing a new bill on legalizing abortion to Congress, re-opening a debate that has bitterly divided the traditionally Catholic South American nation.


france24--2020-11-18--Coronavirus pandemic: France becomes first European country to top 2 million

Coronavirus pandemic : France becomes first European country to top 2 million France has surpassed 2 million confirmed cases of @ @ @ @ @ in the world .
The government imposed a nationwide partial lockdown starting Oct. 30 as @ @ @ @ @ could start easing the measures Dec. 1 .
Non-essential shops and venues , such as @ @ @ @ @ restaurants , will remain shut .

Coronavirus pandemic: France becomes first European country to top 2 million
01:32
France has surpassed 2 million confirmed cases of coronavirus, the fourth-highest total in the world. The government imposed a nationwide partial lockdown starting Oct. 30 as the second surge hit and could start easing the measures Dec. 1. Non-essential shops and venues, such as bars, cafés and sit-down restaurants, will remain shut.


france24--2020-11-19--Will Mexico's 'Godfather' ever stand trial after US release?

Mexico has vowed `` no impunity '' for its former defense minister accused of drug trafficking , but experts say political interests and the military 's power put the chances of a trial in doubt .
The shock decision by US authorities to drop charges against Salvador Cienfuegos and send him home for possible prosecution was welcomed by the Mexican government , which pushed hard for his return .
`` There is no impunity for anyone and at the same time we will not allow crimes to be fabricated , '' President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military to bring home the retired general , nicknamed `` The Godfather , '' who was detained at a Los Angeles airport in October while on a trip with his family .
But Lopez Obrador also underscored the importance of the `` prestige '' of the armed forces which he called `` an institution fundamental to the Mexican state . ''
The indictment of Cienfuegos , a key figure in ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto 's 2012 to 2018 government , on drug trafficking and money laundering charges , caught Mexico by surprise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said could have jeopardized the countries ' cooperation in fighting powerful cartels .
The Mexican government complained to the United States that it was being kept in the dark about the case of the 72-year-old .
Francisco Rivas , head of the National Citizen Observatory , a civil society group , said it was `` very unlikely '' that Cienfuegos would stand trial in his home country .
`` In Mexico we do n't distinguish ourselves with our ability to investigate and punish criminals , '' he told AFP .
Lopez Obrador , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump , got Cienfuegos back to `` keep ( the military ) happy , '' Rivas said .
The arrest put Lopez Obrador in an uncomfortable position because the self-styled anti-corruption crusader has close links to the military and has given it increased responsibilities .
`` Cienfuegos 's release from US custody is a win for the Lopez Obrador administration , '' the political risk consultancy EMPRA said in a briefing .
`` Further investigations and the prosecution of Cienfuegos will , however , prove politically difficult for the president who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation with his relationship with the military . ''
As well as creating the National Guard , a militarized police force , the president has given the armed forces control of the ports and customs and awarded them construction projects , including Mexico City 's new airport .
According to federal prosecutors in New York , Cienfuegos was accused of conspiring to produce and distribute cocaine , heroin , methamphetamine and marijuana in the US .
But the US Department of Justice this week unexpectedly asked New York Judge Carol Amon to release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own probe and potentially try him .
Amon granted the request on Wednesday , saying she had `` no reason to doubt the government 's determination that the Mexican prosecuting authorities sincerely wish to pursue an investigation and possible prosecution . ''
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the general would return as a free man , hailing the agreement as an `` act of respect '' by the United States .
He said Mexican prosecutors would study the evidence that they received from the US Drug Enforcement Agency ( DEA ) before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Javier Oliva , a specialist in military affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico , believes that the charges were dropped because there is `` no evidence '' against the former defense chief .
US prosecutors had alleged that Cienfuegos abused his position `` to help the H-2 Cartel , an extremely violent Mexican drug trafficking organization . ''
But Oliva was skeptical that the former defense minister had ties to what he described as a `` low-profile '' gang .
`` His detention was arbitrary .
There was no basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Mexico City (AFP) –
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Mexico has vowed "no impunity" for its former defense minister accused of drug trafficking, but experts say political interests and the military's power put the chances of a trial in doubt.
The shock decision by US authorities to drop charges against Salvador Cienfuegos and send him home for possible prosecution was welcomed by the Mexican government, which pushed hard for his return.
"There is no impunity for anyone and at the same time we will not allow crimes to be fabricated," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters.
He denied he had faced pressure from the military to bring home the retired general, nicknamed "The Godfather," who was detained at a Los Angeles airport in October while on a trip with his family.
But Lopez Obrador also underscored the importance of the "prestige" of the armed forces which he called "an institution fundamental to the Mexican state."
The indictment of Cienfuegos, a key figure in ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto's 2012 to 2018 government, on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, caught Mexico by surprise.
It triggered a diplomatic row that experts said could have jeopardized the countries' cooperation in fighting powerful cartels.
The Mexican government complained to the United States that it was being kept in the dark about the case of the 72-year-old.
Francisco Rivas, head of the National Citizen Observatory, a civil society group, said it was "very unlikely" that Cienfuegos would stand trial in his home country.
"In Mexico we don't distinguish ourselves with our ability to investigate and punish criminals," he told AFP.
Lopez Obrador, who has close ties to US President Donald Trump, got Cienfuegos back to "keep (the military) happy," Rivas said.
- 'Politically difficult' -
The arrest put Lopez Obrador in an uncomfortable position because the self-styled anti-corruption crusader has close links to the military and has given it increased responsibilities.
"Cienfuegos's release from US custody is a win for the Lopez Obrador administration," the political risk consultancy EMPRA said in a briefing.
"Further investigations and the prosecution of Cienfuegos will, however, prove politically difficult for the president who has already found it hard to balance this investigation with his relationship with the military."
As well as creating the National Guard, a militarized police force, the president has given the armed forces control of the ports and customs and awarded them construction projects, including Mexico City's new airport.
According to federal prosecutors in New York, Cienfuegos was accused of conspiring to produce and distribute cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana in the US.
But the US Department of Justice this week unexpectedly asked New York Judge Carol Amon to release Cienfuegos so that Mexico can hold its own probe and potentially try him.
Amon granted the request on Wednesday, saying she had "no reason to doubt the government's determination that the Mexican prosecuting authorities sincerely wish to pursue an investigation and possible prosecution."
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the general would return as a free man, hailing the agreement as an "act of respect" by the United States.
He said Mexican prosecutors would study the evidence that they received from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) before deciding whether to put Cienfuegos on trial.
Javier Oliva, a specialist in military affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, believes that the charges were dropped because there is "no evidence" against the former defense chief.
US prosecutors had alleged that Cienfuegos abused his position "to help the H-2 Cartel, an extremely violent Mexican drug trafficking organization."
But Oliva was skeptical that the former defense minister had ties to what he described as a "low-profile" gang.
"His detention was arbitrary. There was no basis for the accusations," he said.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Hodge still Australia's top 10 as Argentina await

Australia 's Reece Hodge will make his second start at fly-half against Argentina Coach Dave Rennie Thursday showed faith with the backline that helped the Wallabies upset the All Blacks , but injured prop James Slipper will be missing for their Tri Nations clash with Argentina .
Australia stunned New Zealand 24-22 a fortnight ago in Brisbane , with Reece Hodge impressing as playmaker in the absence of James O'Connor and Matt To'omua .
Both those players remain injured with Hodge keeping the number 10 shirt in an unchanged backs combination boasting Nic White , Marika Koroibete , Tom Wright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reds midfield pairing of Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia were also retained as Australia face up to a Pumas side on a high after also shocking New Zealand 25-15 in Sydney last week .
But centurion Slipper was ruled out of Saturday 's clash in Newcastle with a dislocated elbow , opening the door for Scott Sio to make his first start since last year 's World Cup .
Sio , who has played 66 Tests and was a regular starter before Rennie took over , was preferred to 20-year-old Angus Bell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` After being left out in our last Test we got the reaction we expected from Scott , '' said Rennie .
`` His preparation this week has been excellent and his experience will be invaluable against Argentina . ''
Ned Hanigan will start at blindside flanker after Lachlan Swinton was sent off on debut in their last match and banned for four weeks .
In the only other change , hulking prop Taniela Tupou takes over from Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa in a bid to help Australia tame an Argentinian forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the All Blacks .
Australia must win on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of lifting the Tri Nations trophy .
All three sides have one win so far , but Argentina have a game in hand .
`` As a group , we know respect is earned daily and understand the importance of backing up our last performance with another quality effort on Saturday night , '' said Rennie .
`` The tournament is evenly poised and our fate is in our own hands .
We saw how much passion Argentina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we 're excited by the challenge in Newcastle . ''

Sydney (AFP) –
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Coach Dave Rennie Thursday showed faith with the backline that helped the Wallabies upset the All Blacks, but injured prop James Slipper will be missing for their Tri Nations clash with Argentina.
Australia stunned New Zealand 24-22 a fortnight ago in Brisbane, with Reece Hodge impressing as playmaker in the absence of James O'Connor and Matt To'omua.
Both those players remain injured with Hodge keeping the number 10 shirt in an unchanged backs combination boasting Nic White, Marika Koroibete, Tom Wright and Tom Banks.
The young Queensland Reds midfield pairing of Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia were also retained as Australia face up to a Pumas side on a high after also shocking New Zealand 25-15 in Sydney last week.
But centurion Slipper was ruled out of Saturday's clash in Newcastle with a dislocated elbow, opening the door for Scott Sio to make his first start since last year's World Cup.
Sio, who has played 66 Tests and was a regular starter before Rennie took over, was preferred to 20-year-old Angus Bell, who will again come off the bench.
"After being left out in our last Test we got the reaction we expected from Scott," said Rennie.
"His preparation this week has been excellent and his experience will be invaluable against Argentina."
Ned Hanigan will start at blindside flanker after Lachlan Swinton was sent off on debut in their last match and banned for four weeks.
In the only other change, hulking prop Taniela Tupou takes over from Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa in a bid to help Australia tame an Argentinian forward pack that more than held their own against the All Blacks.
Australia must win on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of lifting the Tri Nations trophy. All three sides have one win so far, but Argentina have a game in hand.
"As a group, we know respect is earned daily and understand the importance of backing up our last performance with another quality effort on Saturday night," said Rennie.
"The tournament is evenly poised and our fate is in our own hands. We saw how much passion Argentina play with in their performance last weekend and we're excited by the challenge in Newcastle."
Australia (15-1)
Tom Banks; Tom Wright, Jordan Petaia, Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete; Reece Hodge, Nic White; Harry Wilson, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan; Matt Philip, Rob Simmons; Taniela Tupou, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Scott Sio
Replacements: Folau Fainga'a, Angus Bell, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Valetini, Liam Wright, Jake Gordon, Noah Lolesio, Filipo Daugunu
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Timberwolves take Edwards first overall in NBA draft

The Minnesota Timberwolves made University of Georgia standout Anthony Edwards the first overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday .
The Timberwolves , who finished 19-45 in the coronavirus-disrupted 2020 season , opted for Edwards , who averaged 19 points per game as a freshman , to bolster a roster that includes young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell .
The 2020 draft comes barely four weeks after LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the NBA Finals after a virus-disrupted season .
And it comes just five weeks before the 2020-21 campaign tips off on December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newest top recruits face being thrown in at the deep end after an unprecedented last leg of their journey to the league .
`` We 've all had to do our best , whether that 's agents , players , colleges , pros , so we 're thrust into that , too , and it makes for a lot of unknowns , '' said Golden State general manager Bob Myers , whose Warriors had the second overall selection .
`` It makes for a lot of variables that we 're not accustomed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Warriors on Wednesday with word that star guard Klay Thompson , on the brink of returning from a torn left knee ligament that sidelined him for all of the 2019-20 campaign , had suffered a lower right leg injury in training .
The Warriors confirmed that Thompson was injured , but offered no details on the nature or severity of the problem .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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The Minnesota Timberwolves made University of Georgia standout Anthony Edwards the first overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday.
The Timberwolves, who finished 19-45 in the coronavirus-disrupted 2020 season, opted for Edwards, who averaged 19 points per game as a freshman, to bolster a roster that includes young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell.
The 2020 draft comes barely four weeks after LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the NBA Finals after a virus-disrupted season.
And it comes just five weeks before the 2020-21 campaign tips off on December 22.
That means the NBA's newest top recruits face being thrown in at the deep end after an unprecedented last leg of their journey to the league.
"We've all had to do our best, whether that's agents, players, colleges, pros, so we're thrust into that, too, and it makes for a lot of unknowns," said Golden State general manager Bob Myers, whose Warriors had the second overall selection. "It makes for a lot of variables that we're not accustomed to dealing with."
The uncertainty mounted for the Warriors on Wednesday with word that star guard Klay Thompson, on the brink of returning from a torn left knee ligament that sidelined him for all of the 2019-20 campaign, had suffered a lower right leg injury in training.
The Warriors confirmed that Thompson was injured, but offered no details on the nature or severity of the problem.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--'Wonder Woman' sequel to launch on HBO Max streaming and theaters

The much-delayed Warner Bros. superhero sequel `` Wonder Woman 1984 '' will premiere on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously from Christmas Day in the United States , the studio announced Wednesday .
The decision to release the eagerly awaited movie on the company 's own recently launched streaming platform represents a gamble for a film which cost a reported $ 200 million , and comes as Hollywood scrambles to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic .
`` It was n't an easy decision and we never thought we 'd have to hold onto the release for such a long time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' wrote star Gal Gadot on her social media accounts .
She added : `` You can watch it IN THEATERS ( they 're doing an amazing job keeping it safe ) and you can also watch it on HBOMAX from your homes .
Sending you my love .
Please keep safe and wear a mask . ''
The movie , which was originally due to launch in June , will hit theaters in other countries a week earlier starting on December 16 .
Before the pandemic , blockbuster movies ran only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window of 90 days , but with theaters closed in many parts of the US , including New York and Los Angeles , distributors have been forced to innovate .
The move comes after Disney released `` Mulan '' on Disney+ in September , but unlike that launch `` Wonder Woman 1984 '' will be offered at no extra cost to subscribers of Warner 's rival streaming platform for one month .
`` As we navigate these unprecedented times , we 've had to be innovative in keeping our businesses moving forward while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said WarnerMedia studios and networks chairwoman Ann Sarnoff .
The sequel to 2017 's $ 800-million-grossing `` Wonder Woman '' will see Gadot reprise the title role as one of the comic book universe 's biggest female superheroes .
Chris Pine also returns for the sequel , which is set in the 1980s , decades after the World War I-set first movie .
Patty Jenkins returns to direct .
The original `` Wonder Woman '' received the best reviews of any of the inter-connected DC Universe superhero movies from Warner Bros. , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ films .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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The much-delayed Warner Bros. superhero sequel "Wonder Woman 1984" will premiere on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously from Christmas Day in the United States, the studio announced Wednesday.
The decision to release the eagerly awaited movie on the company's own recently launched streaming platform represents a gamble for a film which cost a reported $200 million, and comes as Hollywood scrambles to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It wasn't an easy decision and we never thought we'd have to hold onto the release for such a long time but COVID rocked all of our worlds," wrote star Gal Gadot on her social media accounts.
She added: "You can watch it IN THEATERS (they're doing an amazing job keeping it safe) and you can also watch it on HBOMAX from your homes. Sending you my love. Please keep safe and wear a mask."
The movie, which was originally due to launch in June, will hit theaters in other countries a week earlier starting on December 16.
Before the pandemic, blockbuster movies ran only on the big screen for a theatrical window of 90 days, but with theaters closed in many parts of the US, including New York and Los Angeles, distributors have been forced to innovate.
The move comes after Disney released "Mulan" on Disney+ in September, but unlike that launch "Wonder Woman 1984" will be offered at no extra cost to subscribers of Warner's rival streaming platform for one month.
"As we navigate these unprecedented times, we've had to be innovative in keeping our businesses moving forward while continuing to super-serve our fans," said WarnerMedia studios and networks chairwoman Ann Sarnoff.
The sequel to 2017's $800-million-grossing "Wonder Woman" will see Gadot reprise the title role as one of the comic book universe's biggest female superheroes.
Chris Pine also returns for the sequel, which is set in the 1980s, decades after the World War I-set first movie. Patty Jenkins returns to direct.
The original "Wonder Woman" received the best reviews of any of the inter-connected DC Universe superhero movies from Warner Bros., which also include the latest Superman and Batman films.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Miami ready for challenge as MLS play-offs kick off

David Beckham 's Inter Miami get another chance to extend their maiden season on Friday when they take on fellow expansion debutants Nashville as Major League Soccer 's postseason kicks off .
Having scraped into the play-offs with a dramatic final-day victory earlier this month , Miami now have the chance to book a place in the main draw of the playoffs in their one-off Eastern Conference `` play-in '' game in Tennessee .
The away game is the latest challenge in what has been a roller coaster first season in MLS for the Beckham co-owned team , who made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tortuous seven-year journey to fruition .
On paper , Miami head into Friday 's clash as underdogs against a Nashville side who finished three places above them in the Eastern Conference after a season thrown into chaos by the pandemic shutdown .
Miami manager Diego Alonso , however , has challenged his players to rise to the occasion , as they did on November 9 when they sealed a play-off place with a battling 2-1 win over Cincinnati during a tropical storm .
`` I feel like this is a great challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be in this position in the play-offs , '' Alonso said Wednesday .
`` We have worked very hard to be here and now we have a great opportunity to keep fighting for our dreams . ''
Win or lose , Alonso believes a difficult first season , which saw his team lose 13 of 23 games , has been a success .
`` We have seen what has happened this season and year but we wo n't use that as an excuse , '' said Alonso , who over the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bolstered by the arrivals of former Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain and French World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi .
`` There have been some difficulties but we take it as a challenge and , at the end of the day , we have achieved our goal and managed to get our objectives , '' Alonso said .
`` With time , confidence and the good footballers we have , there is a promising future ahead . ''
Miami 's US international midfielder Wil Trapp said the team had taken confidence from the nerve-jangling win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy to qualify and felt like we had been rewarded for what has been a difficult year , '' Trapp said .
`` Being an expansion team , we are just excited to be in the play-offs .
Ultimately it will take a lot of effort but I know from my career , truly anything can happen in a one-off situation . ''
A win on Friday would send Miami into a daunting first round clash with Eastern Conference top seeds Philadelphia Union next Tuesday .
In Friday 's other `` play-in '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Henry 's Montreal Impact will seek to reach the main draw of the play-offs with their eliminator against New England Revolution .
Like Miami , Montreal have been faced with their own challenges this season , notably being forced to play home games in New Jersey because of pandemic travel restrictions .
`` I 'll be honest with you , this is by a distance the hardest thing I 've had to deal with , '' Henry said this week .
`` A lot of people talking throughout the whole year and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's happening behind closed doors , '' the former France , Barcelona and Arsenal star added .
Henry , who took over in Montreal a year ago , insists he needs to be given time to turn the team around , comparing the club to English Premier League champions Liverpool , who underwent a transformation after manager Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 .
`` That Liverpool team did n't become Liverpool now that we know in two years , '' Henry said .
`` It took Klopp two-and-a-half to three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long it takes . ''

Miami (AFP) –
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David Beckham's Inter Miami get another chance to extend their maiden season on Friday when they take on fellow expansion debutants Nashville as Major League Soccer's postseason kicks off.
Having scraped into the play-offs with a dramatic final-day victory earlier this month, Miami now have the chance to book a place in the main draw of the playoffs in their one-off Eastern Conference "play-in" game in Tennessee.
The away game is the latest challenge in what has been a roller coaster first season in MLS for the Beckham co-owned team, who made their long-awaited league debut in February after a tortuous seven-year journey to fruition.
On paper, Miami head into Friday's clash as underdogs against a Nashville side who finished three places above them in the Eastern Conference after a season thrown into chaos by the pandemic shutdown.
Miami manager Diego Alonso, however, has challenged his players to rise to the occasion, as they did on November 9 when they sealed a play-off place with a battling 2-1 win over Cincinnati during a tropical storm.
"I feel like this is a great challenge for us and we feel very happy to be in this position in the play-offs," Alonso said Wednesday.
"We have worked very hard to be here and now we have a great opportunity to keep fighting for our dreams."
Win or lose, Alonso believes a difficult first season, which saw his team lose 13 of 23 games, has been a success.
"We have seen what has happened this season and year but we won't use that as an excuse," said Alonso, who over the course of the season has seen his squad bolstered by the arrivals of former Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain and French World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi.
- 'Anything can happen' -
"There have been some difficulties but we take it as a challenge and, at the end of the day, we have achieved our goal and managed to get our objectives," Alonso said. "With time, confidence and the good footballers we have, there is a promising future ahead."
Miami's US international midfielder Wil Trapp said the team had taken confidence from the nerve-jangling win over Cincinnati.
"We were so happy to qualify and felt like we had been rewarded for what has been a difficult year," Trapp said.
"Being an expansion team, we are just excited to be in the play-offs. Ultimately it will take a lot of effort but I know from my career, truly anything can happen in a one-off situation."
A win on Friday would send Miami into a daunting first round clash with Eastern Conference top seeds Philadelphia Union next Tuesday.
In Friday's other "play-in" game in the Eastern Conference, Thierry Henry's Montreal Impact will seek to reach the main draw of the play-offs with their eliminator against New England Revolution.
Like Miami, Montreal have been faced with their own challenges this season, notably being forced to play home games in New Jersey because of pandemic travel restrictions.
"I'll be honest with you, this is by a distance the hardest thing I've had to deal with," Henry said this week.
"A lot of people talking throughout the whole year and they don't have one single clue what's happening behind closed doors," the former France, Barcelona and Arsenal star added.
Henry, who took over in Montreal a year ago, insists he needs to be given time to turn the team around, comparing the club to English Premier League champions Liverpool, who underwent a transformation after manager Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015.
"That Liverpool team didn't become Liverpool now that we know in two years," Henry said. "It took Klopp two-and-a-half to three years to win something. That's how long it takes."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Evidence Australian troops 'unlawfully killed' 39 Afghans

After the September 11 , 2001 terror attacks more than 26,000 Australian uniformed personnel were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban , Al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups Australia 's top military officer on Thursday admitted there was credible evidence his special forces unlawfully killed at least 39 Afghanistan civilians and prisoners , recommending the matter be taken up by a prosecutor investigating alleged war crimes .
`` Some patrols took the law into their own hands , rules were broken , stories concocted , lies told and prisoners killed , '' said Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His comments came as the result of a damning years-long investigation into the military 's behaviour in Afghanistan were published .
Campbell `` sincerely and unreservedly '' apologised to the people of Afghanistan and said the 25 Australian special forces accused of wrongdoing in 23 incidents had brought a `` stain '' on their regiment , on the armed forces and on Australia .
`` This shameful record includes alleged instances in which new patrol members were coerced to shoot a prisoner in order to achieve that soldier 's first kill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' . ''
Campbell called for some distinguished service medals awarded to special operations forces who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013 to be revoked .
After the September 11 , 2001 terror attacks more than 26,000 Australian uniformed personnel were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban , Al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups .
Australian combat troops left the country in 2013 , but since then a series of often-brutal accounts have emerged about the conduct of elite special forces units .
They range from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a house raid to a prisoner being shot dead to save space in a helicopter .
The military has long been revered in Australia , and its campaigns -- from Gallipoli to Kokoda -- have played a crucial role in fostering the country 's identity as independent of colonial power Britain .
Australia 's government attempted to cushion the blow of the report , with Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling Australians last week to brace for the `` honest and brutal truths '' contained within the redacted document .
Morrison also called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some disturbing allegations '' that the government was taking `` very seriously '' .
The office of President Ashraf Ghani had a different interpretation of the conversation -- saying in a series of tweets that Morrison had `` expressed his deepest sorrow over the misconduct '' -- a characterisation that was strongly disputed by Australian officials .
Last week Morrison announced the appointment of a special investigator to prosecute the alleged war crimes , a move aimed at forestalling any prosecution at the International Criminal Court .
An independent panel was also set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the armed forces .
Australia 's government had previously spent years trying to suppress whistleblower reports of the alleged wrongdoing , with police even investigating reporters involved in bringing those accounts into the light .
The matter first came to public attention in 2017 when public broadcaster ABC published the so-called `` Afghan files '' , which alleged Australian troops had killed unarmed men and children in Afghanistan .
In response , Australian police launched an investigation into two ABC reporters for obtaining classified information -- even raiding the broadcaster 's Sydney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case .

Canberra (AFP) –
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Australia's top military officer on Thursday admitted there was credible evidence his special forces unlawfully killed at least 39 Afghanistan civilians and prisoners, recommending the matter be taken up by a prosecutor investigating alleged war crimes.
"Some patrols took the law into their own hands, rules were broken, stories concocted, lies told and prisoners killed," said Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell.
His comments came as the result of a damning years-long investigation into the military's behaviour in Afghanistan were published.
Campbell "sincerely and unreservedly" apologised to the people of Afghanistan and said the 25 Australian special forces accused of wrongdoing in 23 incidents had brought a "stain" on their regiment, on the armed forces and on Australia.
"This shameful record includes alleged instances in which new patrol members were coerced to shoot a prisoner in order to achieve that soldier's first kill, in an appalling practice known as 'blooding'."
Campbell called for some distinguished service medals awarded to special operations forces who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013 to be revoked.
After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks more than 26,000 Australian uniformed personnel were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups.
Australian combat troops left the country in 2013, but since then a series of often-brutal accounts have emerged about the conduct of elite special forces units.
They range from reports of troops killing a six-year-old child in a house raid to a prisoner being shot dead to save space in a helicopter.
The military has long been revered in Australia, and its campaigns -- from Gallipoli to Kokoda -- have played a crucial role in fostering the country's identity as independent of colonial power Britain.
Australia's government attempted to cushion the blow of the report, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling Australians last week to brace for the "honest and brutal truths" contained within the redacted document.
Morrison also called his Afghan counterpart Wednesday to foreshadow "some disturbing allegations" that the government was taking "very seriously".
The office of President Ashraf Ghani had a different interpretation of the conversation -- saying in a series of tweets that Morrison had "expressed his deepest sorrow over the misconduct" -- a characterisation that was strongly disputed by Australian officials.
Last week Morrison announced the appointment of a special investigator to prosecute the alleged war crimes, a move aimed at forestalling any prosecution at the International Criminal Court.
An independent panel was also set up to drive cultural and leadership changes within the armed forces.
Australia's government had previously spent years trying to suppress whistleblower reports of the alleged wrongdoing, with police even investigating reporters involved in bringing those accounts into the light.
The matter first came to public attention in 2017 when public broadcaster ABC published the so-called "Afghan files", which alleged Australian troops had killed unarmed men and children in Afghanistan.
In response, Australian police launched an investigation into two ABC reporters for obtaining classified information -- even raiding the broadcaster's Sydney headquarters last year, before dropping the case.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Hundreds protest in Santiago against Chilean president

A demonstrator holds a sign reading 'Pinera you 're fired ' next to riot police during a protest againt President Sebastian Pinera in Santiago , Chile , on November 18 , 2020 Hundreds of people protested in Chile 's capital Santiago on Wednesday to demand the resignation of President Sebastian Pinera over police repression of the country 's social protests .
Police fired tear gas and water cannon to keep around 500 protesters from approaching the Moneda presidential palace .
The demonstrators blocked the capital 's main Alameda thoroughfare near the palace for about two hours , leaving rush-hour commuters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest came three weeks after Chileans voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to replace the constitution inherited from the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet , blamed for the South American country 's glaring inequalities .
The referendum was a key demand after months of demonstrations that left more than 30 dead broke out in October 2019 , initially against rising public transport fares but quickly mushrooming into wider anger at social inequality .
Despite an almost 80 percent approval for the change , 37-year-old Alex Acuna told AFP he was taking part in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' yet .
`` Pinera has always been asked to resign from the beginning because of everything that has happened in the social explosion , like the systematic human rights violations , '' he said .
`` There have been deaths , a number of people left with eye trauma , and no one is responsible !
The high command never goes to court or to prison , '' he said .
Interior Minister Victor Perez resigned earlier this month after Congress approved a constitutional charge against him over police handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by human rights organizations .
Danae Cariqueo , another protester , said the anti-government demonstrations would continue .
`` You ca n't let go of the street , it 's where the people make themselves heard , '' the 27-year-old said .
`` That is why they are so afraid of us and repress us as they are doing .
We 'll continue until it 's over and everything changes . ''

Santiago (AFP) –
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Hundreds of people protested in Chile's capital Santiago on Wednesday to demand the resignation of President Sebastian Pinera over police repression of the country's social protests.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon to keep around 500 protesters from approaching the Moneda presidential palace.
The demonstrators blocked the capital's main Alameda thoroughfare near the palace for about two hours, leaving rush-hour commuters affected by the tear gas.
The protest came three weeks after Chileans voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to replace the constitution inherited from the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, blamed for the South American country's glaring inequalities.
The referendum was a key demand after months of demonstrations that left more than 30 dead broke out in October 2019, initially against rising public transport fares but quickly mushrooming into wider anger at social inequality.
Despite an almost 80 percent approval for the change, 37-year-old Alex Acuna told AFP he was taking part in the demonstration because "nothing has been achieved" yet.
"Pinera has always been asked to resign from the beginning because of everything that has happened in the social explosion, like the systematic human rights violations," he said.
"There have been deaths, a number of people left with eye trauma, and no one is responsible! The high command never goes to court or to prison," he said.
Interior Minister Victor Perez resigned earlier this month after Congress approved a constitutional charge against him over police handling of the protests, after it was widely condemned by human rights organizations.
Danae Cariqueo, another protester, said the anti-government demonstrations would continue.
"You can't let go of the street, it's where the people make themselves heard," the 27-year-old said.
"That is why they are so afraid of us and repress us as they are doing. We'll continue until it's over and everything changes."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Heavy rains kill five in Colombia, six missing

A woman and her chidren sit on the remains of a house destroyed by heavy rains and flooding in Cucuta , Colombia , on November 18 , 2020 Floods caused by a particularly intense rainy season have killed at least five people and left six others missing in northwestern Colombia , authorities said Wednesday .
A ravine near the city of Cucuta had overflowed and caused flooding `` that devastated everything in its path , '' the South American country 's disaster risk agency said .
More than 200 nearby homes , mostly in poor neighborhoods , were damaged .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two months of torrential rains ravaging Colombia to 27 , with thousands of people flooded out of their homes .
The government said 26 of Colombia 's 32 departments have been affected by the rains , responsible for 154 separate flooding events , 143 landslides and 56 tornados .
Authorities link the catastrophic rains to the climate phenomenon known as `` La Nina , '' which is characterized by a cooling of waters in the central Pacific Ocean .
Scientists say climate warming generally is causing a rise in ocean surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storms , as well as rising sea levels endangering coastal communities .

Bogota (AFP) –
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Floods caused by a particularly intense rainy season have killed at least five people and left six others missing in northwestern Colombia, authorities said Wednesday.
A ravine near the city of Cucuta had overflowed and caused flooding "that devastated everything in its path," the South American country's disaster risk agency said.
More than 200 nearby homes, mostly in poor neighborhoods, were damaged.
The flooding brings the death toll from more than two months of torrential rains ravaging Colombia to 27, with thousands of people flooded out of their homes.
The government said 26 of Colombia's 32 departments have been affected by the rains, responsible for 154 separate flooding events, 143 landslides and 56 tornados.
Authorities link the catastrophic rains to the climate phenomenon known as "La Nina," which is characterized by a cooling of waters in the central Pacific Ocean.
Scientists say climate warming generally is causing a rise in ocean surface temperature, leading to hurricanes and violent storms, as well as rising sea levels endangering coastal communities.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-19--Pacific's Samoa records first case of coronavirus

Remote Pacific islands were among the most successful at keeping out coronavirus after closing their borders , despite the huge cost to tourism-reliant economies Samoa announced its first case of Covid-19 on Thursday , as the coronavirus pandemic continued to spread to previously untouched Pacific island nations .
Prime Minister Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi called for calm in the nation of 200,000 after confirming a man who flew into the country last Friday tested positive while in managed isolation .
`` We now have one case and will be added to the countries of the world that have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a televised address on Thursday .
Until recently , the remote Pacific islands were among the most successful in the world at keeping out the virus after closing their borders early in response to the threat , despite the huge cost to tourism-reliant economies .
But in the past two months , Vanuatu , the Solomon Islands , the Marshall Islands and now Samoa have lost their coveted virus-free status , although none have so far reported community transmission .
The island nations and territories of Kiribati , Micronesia , Nauru , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to still be free of the virus .
The cautious approach adopted in the Pacific islands was prompted by fears they are particularly vulnerable because of poor hospital infrastructure and high rates of underlying health conditions such as obesity and heart disease .
The devastation a viral outbreak can create in such a fragile environment was demonstrated during a measles epidemic in Samoa late last year that claimed 83 lives , most of them babies and toddlers .
Malielegaoi said the infected man , a sailor , had arrived on a repatriation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few border arrivals Samoa has allowed in recent months .
He did not say where the man was previously based but said he tested negative before departing New Zealand but a swab came back positive on Tuesday .
He said an announcement would be made later Thursday on whether any measures would be introduced among the general population to prevent the virus spreading .

Apia (Samoa) (AFP) –
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Samoa announced its first case of Covid-19 on Thursday, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to spread to previously untouched Pacific island nations.
Prime Minister Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi called for calm in the nation of 200,000 after confirming a man who flew into the country last Friday tested positive while in managed isolation.
"We now have one case and will be added to the countries of the world that have the coronavirus," the mask-wearing leader said during a televised address on Thursday.
Until recently, the remote Pacific islands were among the most successful in the world at keeping out the virus after closing their borders early in response to the threat, despite the huge cost to tourism-reliant economies.
But in the past two months, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands and now Samoa have lost their coveted virus-free status, although none have so far reported community transmission.
The island nations and territories of Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu are believed to still be free of the virus.
The cautious approach adopted in the Pacific islands was prompted by fears they are particularly vulnerable because of poor hospital infrastructure and high rates of underlying health conditions such as obesity and heart disease.
The devastation a viral outbreak can create in such a fragile environment was demonstrated during a measles epidemic in Samoa late last year that claimed 83 lives, most of them babies and toddlers.
Malielegaoi said the infected man, a sailor, had arrived on a repatriation flight via Auckland, one of the few border arrivals Samoa has allowed in recent months.
He did not say where the man was previously based but said he tested negative before departing New Zealand but a swab came back positive on Tuesday.
He said an announcement would be made later Thursday on whether any measures would be introduced among the general population to prevent the virus spreading.
© 2020 AFP