france24--2020-10-17--Teacher beheaded in France after showing Mohammed cartoons

Police shot the attacker who later died of his injuries A French teacher who had recently shown students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed was beheaded outside his school on Friday , in what President Emmanuel Macron called an `` Islamist terrorist attack '' .
The assailant , whose identity has not been established , was shot by police as they tried to arrest him and later died of his injuries , police said .
The attacker shouted `` Allahu Akbar '' ( `` God is greatest '' ) as police confronted him , a cry often heard in jihadist attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen a wave of Islamist violence since the 2015 terror attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in the capital .
French anti-terror prosecutors said they were treating the assault as `` a murder linked to a terrorist organisation '' .
The attack happened on the outskirts of Paris at around 5:00 pm ( 1500 GMT ) near the middle school where the teacher worked in Conflans Saint-Honorine , a northwestern suburb around 30 kilometres ( 20 miles ) from the centre of the French capital .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamist terrorist attack '' , Macron said as he visited the scene .
Visibly moved , the president said that `` the entire nation '' stood ready to defend teachers and that `` obscurantism will not win '' .
Four people , including a minor , have been arrested , a judicial source told AFP early Saturday .
All were related to the assailant , the source added .
The victim was a history teacher who recently showed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed as part of a class discussion on freedom of expression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my son , he was super nice , super friendly , super kind , '' the parent , Nordine Chaouadi , told AFPTV .
The teacher `` simply said to the Muslim children : 'Leave , I do n't want it to hurt your feelings . '
That 's what my son told me , '' the parent said .
According to a judicial source , an identity card found on the assailant indicated he was born in Moscow in 2002 , although investigators were waiting for formal identification .
Police said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account that showed a picture of the teacher 's head , and which has since been shut down .
It was unclear whether the message , which contained a threat against Macron -- described as `` the leader of the infidels '' -- had been posted by the attacker , they said .
- 'Nothing ever happens here ' - Residents in the usually calm neighbourhood said they were shocked while pupils from the school , some accompanied by their parents , gathered in the street checking their phones for updates .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohand Amara , who lives nearby , as he walked his dog not far from the school .
`` It makes me sad -- decapitated , that 's shocking , '' said 15-year-old Virginie , who used to be the murdered teacher 's student and said she had `` good memories '' of him .
Police had arrived at the scene after receiving a call about a suspicious individual loitering near the school , a police source said .
They discovered the dead man and soon spotted the suspect , armed with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to arrest him .
They opened fire and injured him severely .
The man later died of his injuries , a judicial source said .
The scene was cordoned off and a bomb disposal unit dispatched because of the suspected presence of an explosive vest , a police source said .
France 's parliament suspended Friday 's debate after news of the decapitation , with session president Hugues Renson , visibly moved , calling the attack `` abominable '' .
MPs stood as Renson said that `` in the name of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the memory of the victim . ''
Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer tweeted : `` The Republic is under attack . ''
The killing comes as security forces have been on high alert during the ongoing trial of suspected accomplices of the attackers in the January 2015 terror attacks in Paris , which also saw a policewoman gunned down in the street .
It also comes just days after a follower of the Islamic State militant group who attacked a police officer with a hammer outside the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris was sentenced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , charges were brought against a 25-year old Pakistani man after he wounded two people with a meat cleaver to avenge the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed by Charlie Hebdo , which purportedly prompted the 2015 killings .
Seventeen people were killed in the three-day spree that heralded a wave of Islamist violence in France that has so far claimed more than 250 lives .

Paris (AFP) –
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A French teacher who had recently shown students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed was beheaded outside his school on Friday, in what President Emmanuel Macron called an "Islamist terrorist attack".
The assailant, whose identity has not been established, was shot by police as they tried to arrest him and later died of his injuries, police said.
The attacker shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") as police confronted him, a cry often heard in jihadist attacks, a police source said.
France has seen a wave of Islamist violence since the 2015 terror attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in the capital.
French anti-terror prosecutors said they were treating the assault as "a murder linked to a terrorist organisation".
The attack happened on the outskirts of Paris at around 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) near the middle school where the teacher worked in Conflans Saint-Honorine, a northwestern suburb around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the centre of the French capital.
The killing bore the hallmarks of "an Islamist terrorist attack", Macron said as he visited the scene.
Visibly moved, the president said that "the entire nation" stood ready to defend teachers and that "obscurantism will not win".
Four people, including a minor, have been arrested, a judicial source told AFP early Saturday. All were related to the assailant, the source added.
- 'Super nice, super friendly' -
The victim was a history teacher who recently showed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed as part of a class discussion on freedom of expression, police said.
"According to my son, he was super nice, super friendly, super kind," the parent, Nordine Chaouadi, told AFPTV.
The teacher "simply said to the Muslim children: 'Leave, I don't want it to hurt your feelings.' That's what my son told me," the parent said.
According to a judicial source, an identity card found on the assailant indicated he was born in Moscow in 2002, although investigators were waiting for formal identification.
Police said they were investigating a tweet posted from an account that showed a picture of the teacher's head, and which has since been shut down.
It was unclear whether the message, which contained a threat against Macron -- described as "the leader of the infidels" -- had been posted by the attacker, they said.
- 'Nothing ever happens here' -
Residents in the usually calm neighbourhood said they were shocked while pupils from the school, some accompanied by their parents, gathered in the street checking their phones for updates.
"Nothing ever happens here," said Mohand Amara, who lives nearby, as he walked his dog not far from the school.
"It makes me sad -- decapitated, that's shocking," said 15-year-old Virginie, who used to be the murdered teacher's student and said she had "good memories" of him.
Police had arrived at the scene after receiving a call about a suspicious individual loitering near the school, a police source said.
They discovered the dead man and soon spotted the suspect, armed with a blade, who threatened them as they tried to arrest him.
They opened fire and injured him severely. The man later died of his injuries, a judicial source said.
- 'Abominable' -
The scene was cordoned off and a bomb disposal unit dispatched because of the suspected presence of an explosive vest, a police source said.
France's parliament suspended Friday's debate after news of the decapitation, with session president Hugues Renson, visibly moved, calling the attack "abominable".
MPs stood as Renson said that "in the name of all of us, I want to honour the memory of the victim."
Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer tweeted: "The Republic is under attack."
The killing comes as security forces have been on high alert during the ongoing trial of suspected accomplices of the attackers in the January 2015 terror attacks in Paris, which also saw a policewoman gunned down in the street.
It also comes just days after a follower of the Islamic State militant group who attacked a police officer with a hammer outside the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris was sentenced to 28 years in jail.
And last month, charges were brought against a 25-year old Pakistani man after he wounded two people with a meat cleaver to avenge the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed by Charlie Hebdo, which purportedly prompted the 2015 killings.
Seventeen people were killed in the three-day spree that heralded a wave of Islamist violence in France that has so far claimed more than 250 lives.
burs/jh/js/pvh/rma/qan
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Last night out in France as 20 million as virus curfew imposed

While the curfew has broad public support officials in several cities are worried about the heavy social and economic costs Millions of French people enjoyed a last night of freedom on Friday before a Covid-19 curfew in Paris and other large cities came into force at midnight , for a least a month , prompted by an alarming surge in new cases .
The curfew aims to keep some 20 million people home from 9 pm to 6 am from Saturday -- 30 percent of the French population .
It was ordered by President Emmanuel Macron this week as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spectre of hospital overloads like those seen in March and April .
Health authorities on Friday recorded more than 25,00 new coronavirus cases , after Thursday 's record of over 30,000 .
A total of 122 people were said to have died of the virus in 24 hours .
The mood in the streets of the capital Paris ahead of the curfew taking effect was something akin to New Year 's Eve , with tables overflowing in bars and the sound of laughter in the air .
`` We will enjoy it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bar hopping and a little walk with friends on the Champs-Elysées '' , said 19-year-old Kurtys Magdelo who was out with friends .
- 'Never seen anything like it ' - New infections have been rising most rapidly among older citizens , with confirmed cases up by around two-thirds over the past six weeks , Sophie Vaux , an epidemiologist at the Sante Publique health agency , told reporters .
The situation in retirement homes has again become `` very worrying '' , the agency said .
The ARS health authority for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grenoble , Lyon and Saint-Etienne , on Friday asked hospitals to cancel all non-urgent surgery to safeguard intensive care capacity for future Covid cases .
While the curfew has broad public support -- a Harris Interactive poll after Macron 's announcement found 70 percent approval -- officials in several cities worried about the heavy social and economic costs of a measure set to last four weeks , or possibly six if the health situation fails to improve .
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is pressing the government to ease the rules for theatres , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patrons can return home later .
Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot backed the idea , but Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire poured cold water on any special treatment for live shows .
`` If we start allowing multiple exceptions , '' he told French TV , `` we 're not going to make it '' .
Prime Minister Jean Castex added Friday : `` The rules must apply to everyone '' .
Restaurant owners have complained bitterly about a measure they say makes little sense given the strict social distancing rules they have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything like this in the 50 years I 've been here , '' said Stain Roman , manager of La Mere Buonavista restaurant in Marseille , another city facing the curfew .
Marseille 's mayor Michele Rubirola said residents were paying the price `` through the loss of their daily pleasures , their freedom , or through economic hardship '' .
People will need a signed certificate or an electronic version downloaded to a phone for activities allowed during the curfew , such as walking their dog , or risk a fine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like during the two-month lockdown earlier this year .
Repeat offenders could face fines of up to 3,750 euros ( $ 4,400 ) .
The curfew measure , just ahead of the start of a two-week school holiday , contains no travel restrictions , raising the prospect that huge numbers of families will flee cities for the country .
Nationwide , wedding celebrations and other parties in public venues as well as student parties have been outlawed , and people are being urged to limit gatherings in private homes to six people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to put a brake on the spread of the virus , '' Macron said Wednesday when he also put the country back under a health state of emergency starting Saturday .
Public broadcaster France Television said it would do its bit to help people through the curfew by adding a feature film every night to its usual programming , mostly during prime time .
Le couvre-feu concerne Paris et sa région , Lyon , Lille , Toulouse , Montpellier , Saint-Etienne , Aix-Marseille , Rouen et Grenoble , soit environ 20 millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quatre semaines minimum , et plus si le Parlement l'approuve , Emmanuel Macron ayant évoqué le 1er décembre .
Il s'agit du premier couvre-feu généralisé d'une telle ampleur depuis la Seconde guerre mondiale , même si pendant le confinement , entre mars et mai , les sorties étaient limitées au strict minimum , et ce , jour et nuit et dans l'ensemble du pays .
En outre , `` on observe une diffusion de l'épidémie des plus jeunes vers les plus âgés ( ... ) C'est vraiment dans ces tranches d'âge que depuis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ les plus importantes '' , a expliqué vendredi une épidémiologiste de l'agence gouvernementale Santé Publique France , Sophie Vaux .

Paris (AFP) –
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Millions of French people enjoyed a last night of freedom on Friday before a Covid-19 curfew in Paris and other large cities came into force at midnight, for a least a month, prompted by an alarming surge in new cases.
The curfew aims to keep some 20 million people home from 9 pm to 6 am from Saturday -- 30 percent of the French population.
It was ordered by President Emmanuel Macron this week as the number of new infections and deaths raised the spectre of hospital overloads like those seen in March and April.
Health authorities on Friday recorded more than 25,00 new coronavirus cases, after Thursday's record of over 30,000. A total of 122 people were said to have died of the virus in 24 hours.
The mood in the streets of the capital Paris ahead of the curfew taking effect was something akin to New Year 's Eve, with tables overflowing in bars and the sound of laughter in the air.
"We will enjoy it as much as possible, a restaurant, bar hopping and a little walk with friends on the Champs-Elysées", said 19-year-old Kurtys Magdelo who was out with friends.
- 'Never seen anything like it' -
New infections have been rising most rapidly among older citizens, with confirmed cases up by around two-thirds over the past six weeks, Sophie Vaux, an epidemiologist at the Sante Publique health agency, told reporters.
The situation in retirement homes has again become "very worrying", the agency said.
The ARS health authority for the southeastern Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, which includes Grenoble, Lyon and Saint-Etienne, on Friday asked hospitals to cancel all non-urgent surgery to safeguard intensive care capacity for future Covid cases.
While the curfew has broad public support -- a Harris Interactive poll after Macron's announcement found 70 percent approval -- officials in several cities worried about the heavy social and economic costs of a measure set to last four weeks, or possibly six if the health situation fails to improve.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is pressing the government to ease the rules for theatres, cinemas and other cultural venues so that patrons can return home later.
- 'Loss of daily pleasures' -
Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot backed the idea, but Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire poured cold water on any special treatment for live shows.
"If we start allowing multiple exceptions," he told French TV, "we're not going to make it".
Prime Minister Jean Castex added Friday: "The rules must apply to everyone".
Restaurant owners have complained bitterly about a measure they say makes little sense given the strict social distancing rules they have already applied.
"I've never seen anything like this in the 50 years I've been here," said Stain Roman, manager of La Mere Buonavista restaurant in Marseille, another city facing the curfew.
Marseille's mayor Michele Rubirola said residents were paying the price "through the loss of their daily pleasures, their freedom, or through economic hardship".
People will need a signed certificate or an electronic version downloaded to a phone for activities allowed during the curfew, such as walking their dog, or risk a fine of 135 euros ($160) just like during the two-month lockdown earlier this year.
Repeat offenders could face fines of up to 3,750 euros ($4,400).
- No travel restrictions -
The curfew measure, just ahead of the start of a two-week school holiday, contains no travel restrictions, raising the prospect that huge numbers of families will flee cities for the country.
Nationwide, wedding celebrations and other parties in public venues as well as student parties have been outlawed, and people are being urged to limit gatherings in private homes to six people.
"We have to act. We need to put a brake on the spread of the virus," Macron said Wednesday when he also put the country back under a health state of emergency starting Saturday.
Public broadcaster France Television said it would do its bit to help people through the curfew by adding a feature film every night to its usual programming, mostly during prime time.
bur/jh-js/pvh
Paris et huit autres métropoles françaises s'apprêtent à vivre une dernière soirée sans entraves vendredi avant l'entrée en vigueur de couvre-feux nocturnes, au moment où la France fait face à une montée angoissante des cas de Covid.
Plus de 25.000 nouveaux cas ont été recensés en 24 heures vendredi, et 122 décès, un niveau de mortalité élevé qui porte le bilan à 33.303 morts depuis le début de l'épidémie.
Le couvre-feu concerne Paris et sa région, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier, Saint-Etienne, Aix-Marseille, Rouen et Grenoble, soit environ 20 millions d'habitants, et sera en vigueur pour quatre semaines minimum, et plus si le Parlement l'approuve, Emmanuel Macron ayant évoqué le 1er décembre.
Il s'agit du premier couvre-feu généralisé d'une telle ampleur depuis la Seconde guerre mondiale, même si pendant le confinement, entre mars et mai, les sorties étaient limitées au strict minimum, et ce, jour et nuit et dans l'ensemble du pays.
Comme pendant le confinement au printemps, cette attestation, disponible sur le site du gouvernement, sera obligatoire. Les contrevenants s'exposent à une amende de 135 euros, voire à de la prison en cas de multirécidive.
Malgré l'intercession de la ministre Roselyne Bachelot, ni les théâtres, ni les cinémas n'ont obtenu un assouplissement qui aurait vu les spectacles se terminer à 21H00 et le public rentrer chez lui ensuite avec le ticket comme justificatif.
"Les règles doivent être les mêmes pour tous (...) Je suis sûr que tout le monde va s'adapter", a tranché Jean Castex, en visite à l'hôpital universitaire de Lille.
"Nous sommes tout simplement désespérés, il n'y a pas d'autre mot", a réagi Richard Patry, président de la Fédération nationale des cinémas français (FNCF).
Même désarroi chez les restaurateurs: "je n'ai jamais vu ça en 50 ans que je suis ici. On va fermer le soir: qu'est-ce qu'on peut faire d'autre? Il faut que nos employés soient dehors à 21H00", s'insurge Stain Roman, gérante de La mère Buonavista à Marseille (sud-est)
- "Les Français acteurs" -
Le gouvernement défend, lui, la seule mesure permettant d'éviter un reconfinement, dont la perspective terrorise les Français et qui mettrait l'économie encore plus à genoux.
A la veille des vacances de la Toussaint, le gouvernement n'a pas interdit les déplacements, mais certains territoires ont voulu anticiper un afflux de touristes, comme la station balnéaire huppée du Touquet-Paris-Plage (nord), qui va instaurer à son tour un couvre-feu. En Loire-Atlantique et en Vendée (ouest), les préfectures ont étendu l'obligation de porter le masque.
Selon l'exécutif, les couvre-feux n'auront pas d'impact sur la circulation du virus avant au moins deux à trois semaines.
Le bond actuel des nouveaux cas fait craindre une saturation des hôpitaux, alors que la situation est déjà tendue, par exemple en Ile de France, où le taux d'occupation des lits en réanimation par des patients Covid-19 dépasse déjà 40%.
En outre, "on observe une diffusion de l'épidémie des plus jeunes vers les plus âgés (...) C'est vraiment dans ces tranches d'âge que depuis six semaines, on a les augmentations les plus importantes", a expliqué vendredi une épidémiologiste de l'agence gouvernementale Santé Publique France, Sophie Vaux.
En Rhone-Alpes (est), les opérations non urgentes ont été déprogrammées pour 15 jours pour éviter une saturation.
Pour l'ensemble du pays, le nombre des patients actuellement hospitalisés en réanimation est en nette hausse ces derniers jours et s'établit à 1.791 (50 de plus que la veille), sur une capacité totale de 5.800 lits, selon le ministre de la Santé Olivier Véran.
Aux urgences de l'hôpital de Montreuil, en banlieue parisienne, "c'est effrayant. J'ai l'impression de revenir à mars", confie à l'AFP le chef du service, Hocine Saal. En partie, c'est pire car au printemps, le nombre de patients non-Covid s'était effondré aux urgences.
"Ce n'est pas le cas aujourd'hui. Toute la difficulté est de prendre en charge à la fois les patients Covid et non-Covid", explique-t-il.
Le reste de l'Europe n'est pas épargné et l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) juge la situation "très préoccupante".
"Le nombre de cas par jour augmente, les admissions à l'hôpital aussi. Le Covid est désormais la cinquième cause de décès et la barre des 1.000 décès par jour a été atteinte", a affirmé le directeur de la branche Europe de l'OMS, Hans Kluge, lors d'une conférence de presse en ligne.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Trump stumps in Florida, Georgia, countering signs of Democratic surge

US President Donald Trump is campaigning hard in Florida , which he won in 2016 President Donald Trump fought Friday to recover from sinking election polls by campaigning in Florida with a hardline pitch to America 's right wing , claiming that his Democratic opponent Joe Biden would deliver communism and a `` flood '' of criminal immigrants .
While Trump put on a brave face , the fact he was fighting at all for Florida and stumping later Friday in Georgia -- two states he won four years ago -- illustrated how much ground he has to make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the election .
With his polls sliding and US Covid-19 infections spiking , Trump is focusing entirely on his core Republican base , in hopes that highly energized supporters will turn out in huge numbers .
In Ocala , Florida , the coronavirus was an afterthought .
Instead , Trump tossed the large , loudly cheering crowd red meat on immigration , race , and his conspiracy theory that Biden is steeped in corruption .
Spicing his stump speech with lurid exaggerations , Trump claimed that the `` Biden family is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` have nothing but disdain for your values '' and `` want to turn America into a communist country '' -- a reprise of his successful 2016 message tapping into white , working-class resentment .
Trump then dived into racially charged comments on Latin American migrants , saying Democrats will `` flood your communities with illegal aliens , drugs , crime . ''
And he lashed out at one of his most outspoken critics , the Somali-American Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar , saying `` she hates our country '' and `` comes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government . ''
Trump had still more venom for journalists , whom he called `` the enemy of the people . ''
Biden , meanwhile , stopped in Southfield , Michigan , ripping into Trump 's handling of the coronavirus -- the strongest issue of his campaign .
`` He keeps telling us that this virus is going to disappear like a miracle , '' Biden said .
`` My lord !
It 's not disappearing , in fact it 's on the rise again , it 's getting worse , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also homed in on another area where Trump has run into regular controversy -- his often lackluster responses when asked to condemn extreme right-wing groups and white supremacists .
He said Trump 's comments were a `` dog whistle '' to such groups .
However , Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon sounded a note of caution for Democrats , saying national polls especially were misleading .
`` We are not ahead by double digits , '' she said .
`` Those are inflated national public polling numbers . ''
Biden will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday next week when the former president , who had Biden as his vice president , campaigns in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania .
As the polling clouds darken for Trump , prominent members of his own Republican party -- including Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas -- are sounding the alarm .
Sasse , in a telephone call with constituents this week obtained by The Washington Examiner , said a defeat for Trump looks `` likely '' and Republicans may also lose the Senate .
Sasse also had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is `` TV-obsessed , '' `` narcissistic '' and allowed his family to treat `` the presidency like a business opportunity . ''
But Senator Lindsey Graham , a key Republican ally for Trump , told AFP that voters were starting to weigh up the pros and cons of the two parties , rather than focusing on Trump 's bruising personality .
`` I think it 's getting better for us by the day , '' he said .
They had been scheduled to hold one this Thursday but Trump backed out after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following his Covid-19 diagnosis .
The candidates held rival town hall events instead .
Trump , a former reality television star , wo n't be happy about the ratings : 14.1 million tuned in to Biden 's event , while 13.5 million watched Trump , according to Nielsen ratings data .

Ocala (United States) (AFP) –
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President Donald Trump fought Friday to recover from sinking election polls by campaigning in Florida with a hardline pitch to America's right wing, claiming that his Democratic opponent Joe Biden would deliver communism and a "flood" of criminal immigrants.
While Trump put on a brave face, the fact he was fighting at all for Florida and stumping later Friday in Georgia -- two states he won four years ago -- illustrated how much ground he has to make up against Biden in the 18 days left to the election.
With his polls sliding and US Covid-19 infections spiking, Trump is focusing entirely on his core Republican base, in hopes that highly energized supporters will turn out in huge numbers.
In Ocala, Florida, the coronavirus was an afterthought.
Instead, Trump tossed the large, loudly cheering crowd red meat on immigration, race, and his conspiracy theory that Biden is steeped in corruption.
Spicing his stump speech with lurid exaggerations, Trump claimed that the "Biden family is a criminal enterprise."
He said Democrats "have nothing but disdain for your values" and "want to turn America into a communist country" -- a reprise of his successful 2016 message tapping into white, working-class resentment.
Trump then dived into racially charged comments on Latin American migrants, saying Democrats will "flood your communities with illegal aliens, drugs, crime."
And he lashed out at one of his most outspoken critics, the Somali-American Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, saying "she hates our country" and "comes from a place that doesn't even have a government."
Trump had still more venom for journalists, whom he called "the enemy of the people."
- Biden highlights pandemic -
Biden, meanwhile, stopped in Southfield, Michigan, ripping into Trump's handling of the coronavirus -- the strongest issue of his campaign.
"He keeps telling us that this virus is going to disappear like a miracle," Biden said.
"My lord! It's not disappearing, in fact it's on the rise again, it's getting worse, as predicted," Biden said.
He also homed in on another area where Trump has run into regular controversy -- his often lackluster responses when asked to condemn extreme right-wing groups and white supremacists.
He said Trump's comments were a "dog whistle" to such groups.
- Caution -
However, Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon sounded a note of caution for Democrats, saying national polls especially were misleading.
"We are not ahead by double digits," she said. "Those are inflated national public polling numbers."
Biden will be getting help from Democratic superstar Barack Obama on Wednesday next week when the former president, who had Biden as his vice president, campaigns in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As the polling clouds darken for Trump, prominent members of his own Republican party -- including Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas -- are sounding the alarm.
Sasse, in a telephone call with constituents this week obtained by The Washington Examiner, said a defeat for Trump looks "likely" and Republicans may also lose the Senate.
Sasse also had harsh words for Trump, saying he is "TV-obsessed," "narcissistic" and allowed his family to treat "the presidency like a business opportunity."
But Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Republican ally for Trump, told AFP that voters were starting to weigh up the pros and cons of the two parties, rather than focusing on Trump's bruising personality.
"I think it's getting better for us by the day," he said.
They had been scheduled to hold one this Thursday but Trump backed out after it was changed to a virtual debate following his Covid-19 diagnosis. The candidates held rival town hall events instead.
Trump, a former reality television star, won't be happy about the ratings: 14.1 million tuned in to Biden's event, while 13.5 million watched Trump, according to Nielsen ratings data.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--NFL conditionally reinstates former Dallas defender Irving

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end David Irving was given a conditional reinstatement by the NFL on Friday , 19 months @ @ @ @ @ violating the league substance-abuse policy .
Irving , 27 , is available to sign with @ @ @ @ @ agent .
He filed for an end to his suspension in July after missing the @ @ @ @ @ 2015 debut , Irving has made 12.5 sacks , 53 tackles and broken up 12 @ @ @ @ @ not played an NFL game since the 2018 season , the final season of his @ @ @ @ @ was suspended four games that last season and had a ban in the 2017 campaign @ @ @ @ @ .
Irving also struggled with ankle injuries and played in only 10 games over his @ @ @ @ @ indefinite ban .

New York (AFP) –
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Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end David Irving was given a conditional reinstatement by the NFL on Friday, 19 months after being suspended indefinitely for violating the league substance-abuse policy.
Irving, 27, is available to sign with any club as a free agent. He filed for an end to his suspension in July after missing the 2019 campaign.
Since his 2015 debut, Irving has made 12.5 sacks, 53 tackles and broken up 12 passes. But he has not played an NFL game since the 2018 season, the final season of his contract with Dallas. He was suspended four games that last season and had a ban in the 2017 campaign, both substance-abuse policy violations.
Irving also struggled with ankle injuries and played in only 10 games over his two final seasons before the indefinite ban.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Thornton to divide time between playing in Europe and NHL

Joe Thornton says he will be splitting his time during the 2020-21 hockey season between HC Davos of the Swiss league and the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs , who he signed a one-year deal with on Friday .
The 41-year-old former first overall pick will begin the season with Davos before switching to the NHL , which has set January 1 as its target return date after a pandemic-disrupted 2019-2020 season .
The Leafs announced Friday they signed Thornton to a one-year , $ 700,000 contract , one day after Thornton said he was joining Davos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the 'buzz ' , the questions about what 's going to happen to me , '' Thornton told Tages-Anzeiger , a Swiss German-language newspaper on Thursday .
`` The desire to continue playing ( in the NHL ) is there .
I will be able to prepare myself well for it here in Switzerland . ''
Thornton is the NHL 's active leader in both assists and points and has an impressive international resume , representing Canada numerous times and winning one Olympic gold medal ( 2010 ) and two gold at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Thornton registered 31 points in 70 games this past season with the San Jose Sharks .
He was selected by Boston with the first overall pick of the 1997 draft .
In 1,636 games with Boston and San Jose , he has 1,089 assists and 1,509 points .
He ranks seventh overall in assists , ninth in games and 14th in points in NHL history .
In 2005 , the Bruins traded Thornton to San Jose for three players , Germany 's Marco Sturm , Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart .

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Joe Thornton says he will be splitting his time during the 2020-21 hockey season between HC Davos of the Swiss league and the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs, who he signed a one-year deal with on Friday.
The 41-year-old former first overall pick will begin the season with Davos before switching to the NHL, which has set January 1 as its target return date after a pandemic-disrupted 2019-2020 season.
The Leafs announced Friday they signed Thornton to a one-year, $700,000 contract, one day after Thornton said he was joining Davos.
"I've been watching this, all the 'buzz', the questions about what's going to happen to me," Thornton told Tages-Anzeiger, a Swiss German-language newspaper on Thursday.
"The desire to continue playing (in the NHL) is there. I will be able to prepare myself well for it here in Switzerland."
Thornton is the NHL's active leader in both assists and points and has an impressive international resume, representing Canada numerous times and winning one Olympic gold medal (2010) and two gold at the World Championships (2004, 2016).
Thornton registered 31 points in 70 games this past season with the San Jose Sharks.
He was selected by Boston with the first overall pick of the 1997 draft. In 1,636 games with Boston and San Jose, he has 1,089 assists and 1,509 points. He ranks seventh overall in assists, ninth in games and 14th in points in NHL history.
In 2005, the Bruins traded Thornton to San Jose for three players, Germany's Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Ex-Angels employee indicted in overdose death of Skaggs

Former Los Angeles Angels public relations director Eric Kay has been indicted by a grand jury in Texas in the 2019 overdose death of Major League Baseball pitcher Tyler Skaggs .
Documents filed in US District Court in Fort Worth , Texas , on Friday show the grand jury indicted Kay on two counts of distributing the fentanyl that officials say resulted in 27-year-old Skaggs 's death .
The indictment also alleges that Kay and others who are not named conspired to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl beginning in or before 2017 .
One charge carries a maximum sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a maximum of 20 years , although Kay is currently free on his own recognizance .
Skaggs was found dead on July 1 , 2019 in his hotel room in suburban Dallas , where the Angels were due to start a four-game series against the Texas Rangers .
A coroner 's report listed the cause of his death as `` alcohol , fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication . ''
This week 's indictment , which comes after a deadline to indict was twice extended as the sides discussed a plea bargain , charges Kay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl , a Schedule II controlled substance , and the use of said substance resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of ( Skaggs ) . ''
Kay , who worked in the Angels ' media relations department for 24 years , was placed on leave shortly after Skaggs 's death and never returned to the team .
He had been arrested on August 7 on a charge of distributing fentanyl but had n't entered a plea .
Angels officials said they were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to any player .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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Former Los Angeles Angels public relations director Eric Kay has been indicted by a grand jury in Texas in the 2019 overdose death of Major League Baseball pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
Documents filed in US District Court in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday show the grand jury indicted Kay on two counts of distributing the fentanyl that officials say resulted in 27-year-old Skaggs's death.
The indictment also alleges that Kay and others who are not named conspired to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl beginning in or before 2017.
One charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and the other a maximum of 20 years, although Kay is currently free on his own recognizance.
Skaggs was found dead on July 1, 2019 in his hotel room in suburban Dallas, where the Angels were due to start a four-game series against the Texas Rangers.
A coroner's report listed the cause of his death as "alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication."
This week's indictment, which comes after a deadline to indict was twice extended as the sides discussed a plea bargain, charges Kay "did knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and the use of said substance resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of (Skaggs)."
Kay, who worked in the Angels' media relations department for 24 years, was placed on leave shortly after Skaggs's death and never returned to the team.
He had been arrested on August 7 on a charge of distributing fentanyl but hadn't entered a plea.
Angels officials said they were not aware that any team employee provided opioids to any player.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Former Wallabies hooker Freier to direct US expansion club

Former Australia hooker Adam Freier , right , was named Friday as general manager for the Los Angeles Giltinis , a Major League Rugby expansion team set to debut next March Former Australia Wallabies hooker Adam Freier was named Friday as general manager of the Los Angeles Giltinis ahead of their scheduled Major League Rugby debut next March .
The 40-year-old from Sydney had a pro career from 2000-2012 with the ACT Brumbies , New South Wales Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels and was a teammate of Stephen Hoiles , the Giltinis ' assistant coach under head coach Darren Coleman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ club plans to announce 30 player signings starting next month ahead of their start in the 13-team North American league in just five months .
`` I am humbled but extremely excited by this appointment and see it as a great honor to lead Los Angeles into their maiden season and toward their first MLR championship . ''
Freier said .
`` It 's an incredible opportunity to work at a premium entertainment business who is attacking sports marketing in such a particular way .
`` Make no mistake , entertainment will drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and our franchise is looking forward to bringing a very unique match day experience to the US sports market and city of Los Angeles . ''
The Giltinis want to build a talent pipeline as a foundation for long-term success , Freier said .
`` We obviously want immediate on-field success , '' he said .
`` But our long-term focus is to have a sustainable flow of high-end rugby talent coming out of the region . ''
Freier also said MLR rivals can expect a strong base of global talent as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from players across the world to join us in LA has been overwhelming and really does highlight why LA is the entertainment capital of the world , '' he said .
`` It 's obviously unparalleled to anywhere else within the professional rugby landscape . ''

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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Former Australia Wallabies hooker Adam Freier was named Friday as general manager of the Los Angeles Giltinis ahead of their scheduled Major League Rugby debut next March.
The 40-year-old from Sydney had a pro career from 2000-2012 with the ACT Brumbies, New South Wales Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels and was a teammate of Stephen Hoiles, the Giltinis' assistant coach under head coach Darren Coleman.
Freier will be busy quickly as the club plans to announce 30 player signings starting next month ahead of their start in the 13-team North American league in just five months.
"I am humbled but extremely excited by this appointment and see it as a great honor to lead Los Angeles into their maiden season and toward their first MLR championship." Freier said.
"It's an incredible opportunity to work at a premium entertainment business who is attacking sports marketing in such a particular way.
"Make no mistake, entertainment will drive what we do here at the Giltinis, and our franchise is looking forward to bringing a very unique match day experience to the US sports market and city of Los Angeles."
The Giltinis want to build a talent pipeline as a foundation for long-term success, Freier said.
"We obviously want immediate on-field success," he said. "But our long-term focus is to have a sustainable flow of high-end rugby talent coming out of the region."
Freier also said MLR rivals can expect a strong base of global talent as well.
"The level of interest from players across the world to join us in LA has been overwhelming and really does highlight why LA is the entertainment capital of the world," he said. "It's obviously unparalleled to anywhere else within the professional rugby landscape."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Tireless Mbappe sends PSG top with brace at Nimes

Kylian Mbappe scored his third and fourth Ligue 1 goals of the season in the win over Nimes Kylian Mbappe shrugged off any lingering fatigue to score twice in his second game in 48 hours as Paris Saint-Germain defeated 10-man Nimes 4-0 on Friday to take over top spot in Ligue 1 .
The France forward struck the opener on 32 minutes at the Stade des Costieres and netted again late on as a weary Nimes folded following the early dismissal of centre-back Loick Landre .
Alessandro Florenzi scored PSG 's second on 77 minutes and Pablo Sarabia notched a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climbed above Rennes on goal difference after a fifth successive win .
`` I spoke with Kylian yesterday , he told me that he felt good and that he absolutely wanted to play , '' said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel .
`` He 's the guy who can always make a difference and he did just that . ''
New signings Moise Kean and Rafinha made their PSG debuts with a host of players missing following the international break and just four days ahead of the visit of Manchester United in the Champions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after scoring a hat-trick for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier in Peru that did not finish until the early hours of Wednesday in Europe .
However , Mbappe was handed a second start in three days having scored the winning goal for France midweek in their Nations League match in Zagreb .
PSG lost Leandro Paredes to an injury inside 10 minutes .
The midfielder had started both of Argentina 's World Cup qualifying wins over Ecuador and Bolivia in the past week .
Landre was sent off moments later for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studs down the side of the ex-Barcelona player 's ribs .
Ander Herrera , cleared to return after a positive Covid-19 test , drew the first in a series of superb saves from Nimes goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet having replaced the injured Paredes .
But Mbappe gave PSG the lead after he was played through by Rafinha , rounding the advancing Reynet before slotting in his third league goal of the campaign .
Everton loanee Kean should have added a second but was denied by an alert Reynet , with Idrissa Gueye and Florenzi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rattled the post twice in the second half , with a volley and header , but the Italy defender eventually gave PSG room to breathe as he nodded in Sarabia 's header back across goal .
Mbappe promptly grabbed his second of the night with another nerveless finish after Sarabia shredded a tiring Nimes defence .
The Spaniard then caught out the hosts from a quickly-taken free-kick to smack in a fourth through the legs of Reynet two minutes from the end .
Earlier , Rennes extended their unbeaten start to the Ligue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side Dijon .
Martin Terrier put Rennes ahead in the first half with a neat finish , but Guinea-Bissau international Mame Balde barged through the visiting defence to equalise on 54 minutes .
Eduardo Camavinga , who last week became France 's youngest goalscorer since 1914 , came on for the last half-hour against a team who had picked up a solitary point from six matches .
Flavien Tait dragged a shot into the ground that clipped the crossbar as it looped over as Rennes were held for the second game in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PSG and Rennes with victory in Sunday 's Derby du Nord , the first such fixture in over five years .

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Kylian Mbappe shrugged off any lingering fatigue to score twice in his second game in 48 hours as Paris Saint-Germain defeated 10-man Nimes 4-0 on Friday to take over top spot in Ligue 1.
The France forward struck the opener on 32 minutes at the Stade des Costieres and netted again late on as a weary Nimes folded following the early dismissal of centre-back Loick Landre.
Alessandro Florenzi scored PSG's second on 77 minutes and Pablo Sarabia notched a fourth for the reigning champions as PSG climbed above Rennes on goal difference after a fifth successive win.
"I spoke with Kylian yesterday, he told me that he felt good and that he absolutely wanted to play," said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel.
"He's the guy who can always make a difference and he did just that."
New signings Moise Kean and Rafinha made their PSG debuts with a host of players missing following the international break and just four days ahead of the visit of Manchester United in the Champions League.
Neymar sat out the trip after scoring a hat-trick for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier in Peru that did not finish until the early hours of Wednesday in Europe.
However, Mbappe was handed a second start in three days having scored the winning goal for France midweek in their Nations League match in Zagreb.
PSG lost Leandro Paredes to an injury inside 10 minutes. The midfielder had started both of Argentina's World Cup qualifying wins over Ecuador and Bolivia in the past week.
Landre was sent off moments later for a rash challenge on Rafinha, raking his studs down the side of the ex-Barcelona player's ribs.
Ander Herrera, cleared to return after a positive Covid-19 test, drew the first in a series of superb saves from Nimes goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet having replaced the injured Paredes.
But Mbappe gave PSG the lead after he was played through by Rafinha, rounding the advancing Reynet before slotting in his third league goal of the campaign.
Everton loanee Kean should have added a second but was denied by an alert Reynet, with Idrissa Gueye and Florenzi also testing the Nimes keeper.
Florenzi rattled the post twice in the second half, with a volley and header, but the Italy defender eventually gave PSG room to breathe as he nodded in Sarabia's header back across goal.
Mbappe promptly grabbed his second of the night with another nerveless finish after Sarabia shredded a tiring Nimes defence.
The Spaniard then caught out the hosts from a quickly-taken free-kick to smack in a fourth through the legs of Reynet two minutes from the end.
Earlier, Rennes extended their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season despite drawing 1-1 at bottom side Dijon.
Martin Terrier put Rennes ahead in the first half with a neat finish, but Guinea-Bissau international Mame Balde barged through the visiting defence to equalise on 54 minutes.
Eduardo Camavinga, who last week became France's youngest goalscorer since 1914, came on for the last half-hour against a team who had picked up a solitary point from six matches.
Flavien Tait dragged a shot into the ground that clipped the crossbar as it looped over as Rennes were held for the second game in a row.
Lille or Lens could overtake PSG and Rennes with victory in Sunday's Derby du Nord, the first such fixture in over five years.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Bristol end 37-year wait for silverware with Challenge Cup triumph

Bristol won their first piece of silverware since 1983 on Friday when they defeated Toulon in the European Challenge Cup final .
The English side 's 32-19 victory over the French giants was their maiden continental crown .
It was a third defeat in the final of Europe 's second-tier tournament for Toulon after losses in the 2010 and 2012 showpieces .
`` We got put under pressure by a quality Toulon side , but we stuck to it and came through with our game plan to see ourselves through to a win , '' Bristol coach Pat Lam told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've grown tonight .
It 's a great achievement for us to win a trophy , but there 's still so much more to come from this group . ''
Toulon captain Anthony Etrillard regretted the opening-minute try which his team conceded .
`` The start was very bad , but we should remember the reaction of the team .
We could have sunk but we took the lead at half-time , '' said the hooker .
`` We made mistakes that let them come back into the game and , against a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It was small details .
It will help us grow , there will be other finals . ''
Bristol stormed into a 10-0 lead on the back of a try after just 20 seconds on the plastic pitch at Aix .
Former Toulon star and Fiji international centre Semi Radradra set scrum-half Harry Randall free on the inside to score .
Callum Sheedy knocked over the conversion with the Bristol fly-half quickly adding a penalty for 10-0 with barely four minutes on the clock .
Three-time Champions Cup winners Toulon hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a pass by Isaia Toeava .
Louis Carbonel hit the extras as the French side cut the gap to just three points .
The English side thought they had a second try of the night but hooker Harry Thacker saw his effort ruled out after he was adjudged to have fumbled the ball before grounding .
Toulon took full advantage with three penalties from Carbonel -- the last from 50 metres -- sending them in at the break with a 16-10 lead .
French indiscipline helped Bristol trim the gap early in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Romain Taofifenua on flanker Dan Thomas gave Sheedy the penalty chance .
Carbonel quickly restored his team 's lead to 19-13 with a penalty in front of the posts .
In a back-and-forth final , Sheedy then kicked a close-range penalty before a monster long-distance effort pulled the scores level at 19-19 .
On the hour mark , Bristol grabbed their second and decisive try of the night .
Full-back Max Malins was freed by winger Alapati Leiua and the former England Under-20 international sprinted from 40 metres to score .
Sheedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead .
Carbonel then missed his first kick of the night with eight minutes left before Sheedy showed him the way by extending Bristol 's lead to 29-19 .
Sheedy added another penalty in the dying moments to put the outcome beyond doubt .
There could be more silverware next weekend for Bristol who will play in the English Premiership final against Exeter if Wasps are ruled out due to a clutch of coronavirus cases .

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Bristol won their first piece of silverware since 1983 on Friday when they defeated Toulon in the European Challenge Cup final.
The English side's 32-19 victory over the French giants was their maiden continental crown.
It was a third defeat in the final of Europe's second-tier tournament for Toulon after losses in the 2010 and 2012 showpieces.
"We got put under pressure by a quality Toulon side, but we stuck to it and came through with our game plan to see ourselves through to a win," Bristol coach Pat Lam told BT Sport.
"Collectively, we've grown tonight. It's a great achievement for us to win a trophy, but there's still so much more to come from this group."
Toulon captain Anthony Etrillard regretted the opening-minute try which his team conceded.
"The start was very bad, but we should remember the reaction of the team. We could have sunk but we took the lead at half-time," said the hooker.
"We made mistakes that let them come back into the game and, against a team like Bristol, that is expensive.
"It was small details. It will help us grow, there will be other finals."
Bristol stormed into a 10-0 lead on the back of a try after just 20 seconds on the plastic pitch at Aix.
Former Toulon star and Fiji international centre Semi Radradra set scrum-half Harry Randall free on the inside to score.
Callum Sheedy knocked over the conversion with the Bristol fly-half quickly adding a penalty for 10-0 with barely four minutes on the clock.
Three-time Champions Cup winners Toulon hit back when Kiwi winger Bryce Heem scored from a pass by Isaia Toeava.
Louis Carbonel hit the extras as the French side cut the gap to just three points.
The English side thought they had a second try of the night but hooker Harry Thacker saw his effort ruled out after he was adjudged to have fumbled the ball before grounding.
Toulon took full advantage with three penalties from Carbonel -- the last from 50 metres -- sending them in at the break with a 16-10 lead.
French indiscipline helped Bristol trim the gap early in the second period when a high tackle by Romain Taofifenua on flanker Dan Thomas gave Sheedy the penalty chance.
Carbonel quickly restored his team's lead to 19-13 with a penalty in front of the posts.
In a back-and-forth final, Sheedy then kicked a close-range penalty before a monster long-distance effort pulled the scores level at 19-19.
On the hour mark, Bristol grabbed their second and decisive try of the night.
Full-back Max Malins was freed by winger Alapati Leiua and the former England Under-20 international sprinted from 40 metres to score.
Sheedy converted and the English side were 26-19 ahead.
Carbonel then missed his first kick of the night with eight minutes left before Sheedy showed him the way by extending Bristol's lead to 29-19.
Sheedy added another penalty in the dying moments to put the outcome beyond doubt.
There could be more silverware next weekend for Bristol who will play in the English Premiership final against Exeter if Wasps are ruled out due to a clutch of coronavirus cases.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Klopp hopes derby unites virus-hit Liverpool

Everton and Liverpool will play a second Merseyside derby behind closed doors on Saturday Jurgen Klopp says football can help bring people together in tough times as Liverpool gear up to face Everton on Saturday in a city placed under tough coronavirus rules .
Klopp 's champions travel to face Carlo Ancelotti 's Premier League leaders for a second Merseyside derby behind closed doors in four months .
Liverpool has been placed under the `` very high '' alert level of the British government 's new three-tier system to check the spread of Covid-19 .
Under the strict rules many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not allowed to socialise with anybody beyond those they live with .
The Liverpool squad itself has been hit in recent weeks , with Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara testing positive .
`` I like to think that here football is always a massive point in this city , '' said Klopp .
`` I think months ago we discussed 'is football really necessary , does football play a role in society ? '
`` Obviously from a subjective point of view I was pretty sure it does .
`` Usually when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really together and tries to make the best of it .
That is what we try from a football point of view for sure .
`` I think if we played Man City now on the weekend it would have the same importance , it 's just football is an important thing .
`` It 's just now because we are both clubs from the city , the whole city is united and will watch one football game , not two . ''

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Jurgen Klopp says football can help bring people together in tough times as Liverpool gear up to face Everton on Saturday in a city placed under tough coronavirus rules.
Klopp's champions travel to face Carlo Ancelotti's Premier League leaders for a second Merseyside derby behind closed doors in four months.
Liverpool has been placed under the "very high" alert level of the British government's new three-tier system to check the spread of Covid-19.
Under the strict rules many pubs and bars are closed and people are not allowed to socialise with anybody beyond those they live with.
The Liverpool squad itself has been hit in recent weeks, with Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara testing positive.
"I like to think that here football is always a massive point in this city," said Klopp. "I think months ago we discussed 'is football really necessary, does football play a role in society?'
"Obviously from a subjective point of view I was pretty sure it does.
"Usually when bad things happen, this city comes really together and tries to make the best of it. That is what we try from a football point of view for sure.
"I think if we played Man City now on the weekend it would have the same importance, it's just football is an important thing.
"It's just now because we are both clubs from the city, the whole city is united and will watch one football game, not two."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-16--Zverev downs hobbled Harris to make Cologne semi-finals

Alexander Zverev puts on a face mask at the Cologne tournament Top seed Alexander Zverev edged out South African qualifier @ @ @ @ @ , 6-0 to reach the Cologne ATP semi-finals on Friday .
Zverev , the world @ @ @ @ @ runner-up , made the most of Harris struggling with a leg injury in the final @ @ @ @ @ got to do a better job of keeping my focus until the end of a @ @ @ @ @ little bit and then he picked up his game , '' Zverev told atptour.com .
@ @ @ @ @ third semi-final of the year where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina .
The Spaniard @ @ @ @ @ Austria 6-3 , 2-6 , 6-3 to reach his second ATP Tour semi-final .
The @ @ @ @ @ fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut who downed Poland 's Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 ( 7/4 ) @ @ @ @ @

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Top seed Alexander Zverev edged out South African qualifier Lloyd Harris 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 to reach the Cologne ATP semi-finals on Friday.
Zverev, the world number seven and US Open runner-up, made the most of Harris struggling with a leg injury in the final set.
"I have got to do a better job of keeping my focus until the end of a match. I relaxed a little bit and then he picked up his game," Zverev told atptour.com.
Zverev is through to his third semi-final of the year where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The Spaniard battled past Dennis Novak of Austria 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to reach his second ATP Tour semi-final.
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Radu Albot 6-3, 6-0 to reach the last-four.
The third seed now faces Spanish fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut who downed Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-0.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-17--'Horror': students and parents react after beheading of French teacher in Paris suburb knife attack

'Horror ' : students and parents react after beheading of French teacher in Paris suburb knife attack 'Horror ' : @ @ @ @ @ beheading of French teacher in Paris suburb knife attack

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france24--2020-10-17--Jepchirchir wins women only half-marathon in record time

Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the women-only half marathon in a new record time Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir lowered her own world record for an all-women 's half marathon at the world championships in Gdynia on Saturday .
The 27-year-old , who also won world half marathon gold in 2016 , produced a final sprint to take the title in 1hr 05min 16sec .
That bettered the previous best set by Jepchirchir herself in Prague on September 5 of 1hr 05min 34sec .
She came home just two seconds clear of Germany 's Melat Yisak Kejeta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take silver in 1hr 05min 18secs , with Ethiopia ’ s Yalemzerf Yehualaw a further second behind .
On a cold and windy morning , a group of favourites broke away early during the four-lap race but three of them suffered falls to disappear from contention .
Defending champion Netsanet Gudeta ’ s race almost came to an abrupt stop as the leaders took a 90-degree turn on to the seafront , the defending champion taking a fall and losing several seconds to the leaders .
It was a gap she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind during the third lap .
Turkey ’ s Yasemin Can led a group of seven through 10km in 30mins 47sec after which Jepchirchir began to take control .
The Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh , world record holder in a mixed race ( 1hr 04min 31sec ) , then tangled with Joyciline Jepkosgei and both crashed to the ground , leaving Jepchirchir , Kejeta and Yehualaw to battle it out in the final sprint .

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Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir lowered her own world record for an all-women's half marathon at the world championships in Gdynia on Saturday.
The 27-year-old, who also won world half marathon gold in 2016, produced a final sprint to take the title in 1hr 05min 16sec.
That bettered the previous best set by Jepchirchir herself in Prague on September 5 of 1hr 05min 34sec.
She came home just two seconds clear of Germany's Melat Yisak Kejeta, who smashed the European women-only record to take silver in 1hr 05min 18secs, with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw a further second behind.
On a cold and windy morning, a group of favourites broke away early during the four-lap race but three of them suffered falls to disappear from contention.
Defending champion Netsanet Gudeta’s race almost came to an abrupt stop as the leaders took a 90-degree turn on to the seafront, the defending champion taking a fall and losing several seconds to the leaders.
It was a gap she would never close, the Ethiopian slipping farther behind during the third lap.
Turkey’s Yasemin Can led a group of seven through 10km in 30mins 47sec after which Jepchirchir began to take control.
The Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh, world record holder in a mixed race (1hr 04min 31sec), then tangled with Joyciline Jepkosgei and both crashed to the ground, leaving Jepchirchir, Kejeta and Yehualaw to battle it out in the final sprint.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-17--Quartararo suffers ugly high speed crash but escapes serious injury

Quartararo just before his horror crash in third practice MotoGP championship leader Fabio Quartararo required medical attention but appeared to have escaped serious injury after a heart-stopping high speed crash towards the end of Saturday 's Aragon Grand Prix third free practice session .
The 21-year-old Frenchman was thrown onto the circuit 's tarmac after losing control of his Yamaha SRT satellite bike when braking into a bend .
Flung over his twisting machine he hit the track hard , sliding tens of metres before finally coming to a rest in the safety gravel .
A doctor was immediately at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , grimacing , to the on-site medical unit .
After being checked over his team announced : `` News about Fabio : rider is OK .
He has pain in the hip , but Xrays confirmed that nothing is broken . ''
The crash was similar to the one he had in Friday 's opening practice with riders struggling in the cold conditions which is making tyre temperatures difficult to control .
While he thankfully avoided more serious damage the accident will hardly help his performance this weekend in the 10th leg of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 10-point lead over Joan Mir in the championship standings .
Quartararo had already assured himself of the third fastest combined practice time behind the Yamaha factory bike of Maverick Vinales , whose teammate Valentino Rossi is absent after testing positive for Covid-19 .
Placed second in the time sheets is Quartararo 's SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli with Honda 's Cal Crutchlow in fourth .
Mir is placed sixth with the top 10 getting an automatic pass to second qualifying .
This group are joined by the two fastest in Q1 to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grid .

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MotoGP championship leader Fabio Quartararo required medical attention but appeared to have escaped serious injury after a heart-stopping high speed crash towards the end of Saturday's Aragon Grand Prix third free practice session.
The 21-year-old Frenchman was thrown onto the circuit's tarmac after losing control of his Yamaha SRT satellite bike when braking into a bend.
Flung over his twisting machine he hit the track hard, sliding tens of metres before finally coming to a rest in the safety gravel.
A doctor was immediately at his side and he was stretchered off, grimacing, to the on-site medical unit.
After being checked over his team announced: "News about Fabio: rider is OK. He has pain in the hip, but Xrays confirmed that nothing is broken."
The crash was similar to the one he had in Friday's opening practice with riders struggling in the cold conditions which is making tyre temperatures difficult to control.
While he thankfully avoided more serious damage the accident will hardly help his performance this weekend in the 10th leg of the season as he tries to consolidate his 10-point lead over Joan Mir in the championship standings.
Quartararo had already assured himself of the third fastest combined practice time behind the Yamaha factory bike of Maverick Vinales, whose teammate Valentino Rossi is absent after testing positive for Covid-19.
Placed second in the time sheets is Quartararo's SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli with Honda's Cal Crutchlow in fourth. Mir is placed sixth with the top 10 getting an automatic pass to second qualifying. This group are joined by the two fastest in Q1 to determine the first dozen places on Sunday's grid.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-17--Pro-Iran protesters torch Kurd party offices in Baghdad

Supporters of Iraq 's Hashed al-Shaabi burn down the Kurdistan Democratic Party headquarters in the capital Baghdad Supporters of Hashed al-Shaabi , an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Iran-backed factions , Saturday burned down the main Kurdish party 's headquarters in Baghdad after criticism from a Kurdish ex-minister .
Hundreds of Hashed demonstrators swept past a security detail and stormed into the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party ( KDP ) , which runs the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq , and torched them .
Protesters burned Kurdish flags while others carried posters of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad last January .
The Hashed paramilitaries were formed in 2014 from mostly-Shiite armed groups and volunteers to fight the Islamic State jihadist group .
Hashed has since been formally integrated into Iraq 's armed forces and has representation in parliament , and it has spawned several ideologically affiliated armed groups .
Earlier this month , Hoshyar Zebari , Iraq 's longtime former foreign minister and a key Kurdish power-broker , said the government needed to `` clean up the Green Zone ( in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militias '' .
They were operating `` outside the law '' , Zebari , a KDP member , said in comments to the US-funded Al-Hurra television .
Vian Sabry , head of the KDP bloc in parliament , condemned Saturday 's attack .
`` This is n't a protest because protests are supposed to be peaceful as per the constitution , '' she told AFP .
She blamed `` unaccountable factions for being behind such acts '' , without elaborating .
On October 1 , Kurdish authorities accused Hashed militants of firing rockets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan , where US troops are based .
Around 90 rocket attacks have targeted the US presence in Iraq since the January drone strike , with several claimed by pro-Iran factions .

Baghdad (AFP) –
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Supporters of Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Iran-backed factions, Saturday burned down the main Kurdish party's headquarters in Baghdad after criticism from a Kurdish ex-minister.
Hundreds of Hashed demonstrators swept past a security detail and stormed into the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which runs the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq, and torched them.
Protesters burned Kurdish flags while others carried posters of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad last January.
The Hashed paramilitaries were formed in 2014 from mostly-Shiite armed groups and volunteers to fight the Islamic State jihadist group.
Hashed has since been formally integrated into Iraq's armed forces and has representation in parliament, and it has spawned several ideologically affiliated armed groups.
Earlier this month, Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's longtime former foreign minister and a key Kurdish power-broker, said the government needed to "clean up the Green Zone (in Baghdad) from the presence of Hashed militias".
They were operating "outside the law", Zebari, a KDP member, said in comments to the US-funded Al-Hurra television.
Vian Sabry, head of the KDP bloc in parliament, condemned Saturday's attack.
"This isn't a protest because protests are supposed to be peaceful as per the constitution," she told AFP.
She blamed "unaccountable factions for being behind such acts", without elaborating.
On October 1, Kurdish authorities accused Hashed militants of firing rockets at the airport in Arbil, the capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan, where US troops are based.
Around 90 rocket attacks have targeted the US presence in Iraq since the January drone strike, with several claimed by pro-Iran factions.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-17--Bassino, Brignone out in front after Soelden's season-opening first run

Italian Marta Bassino took a slender lead in the first run of the World Cup season opener at a foggy Soelden Marta Bassino edged her fellow Italian Federica Brignone by 58 hundredths of a second after the World Cup season-opening women 's giant slalom first leg on the Austrian glacier of Soelden on Saturday .
This is the first event since last season was brought to an abrupt halt in March because of Covid-19 , and the pandemic has forced major change to this seaaon 's calendar .
Soelden for instance is going ahead without any fans in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conferences .
And without Mikaela Shiffrin who has had to delay her quest for a fourth overall title due to a bad back .
The 25-year-old American 's run of three consecutive titles came to a halt last season when she ended the season early after the sudden death of her father , with Brignone claiming the overall big crystal globe .
Lying third came Mina Fuerst Holtmann , with the Norwegian 92 hundredths of a second off the pace , with last year 's winner Alice Robinson in fourth .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.18sec adrift ahead of the second run which is due to get underway at 1200GMT .

Sölden (Austria) (AFP) –
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Marta Bassino edged her fellow Italian Federica Brignone by 58 hundredths of a second after the World Cup season-opening women's giant slalom first leg on the Austrian glacier of Soelden on Saturday.
This is the first event since last season was brought to an abrupt halt in March because of Covid-19, and the pandemic has forced major change to this seaaon's calendar.
Soelden for instance is going ahead without any fans in front of a reduced media presence and without physical press conferences. And without Mikaela Shiffrin who has had to delay her quest for a fourth overall title due to a bad back.
The 25-year-old American's run of three consecutive titles came to a halt last season when she ended the season early after the sudden death of her father, with Brignone claiming the overall big crystal globe.
Lying third came Mina Fuerst Holtmann, with the Norwegian 92 hundredths of a second off the pace, with last year's winner Alice Robinson in fourth.
The New Zealander, now 18, is 1.18sec adrift ahead of the second run which is due to get underway at 1200GMT.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-10-17--Lebanon’s protest movement marks first anniversary, but demands remain unfulfilled

Lebanese activists erect a monument on October 16 , 2020 , with the inscription `` October 17 '' in Arabic , the first anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement , in front of the devastated port of the capital Beirut where a massive explosion took place more than two months ago .
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Lebanon on Saturday , to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that began on October 17 , 2019 .
Demonstrators are calling for real change , an end to the sectarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services such as water and electricity .
Although it has rocked the political elite , the movement has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform , activists told FRANCE 24 .
One year on , the political movement has left a positive impact on the youth , activists said .
“ It changed the narrative on the country , specifically that everything is now on the table .
The political class has been called out for their corruption , and now the younger generation has become active and interested , which allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Samer Makarem told FRANCE 24 ’ s team in Lebanon .
Three prime ministers have resigned since the movement started but the country 's barons , many of them warlords from the 1975-90 civil war , remain firmly in power despite international and domestic pressure for change .
But many others gave up hope since no tangible change has been made for now .
Demonstrators plan to march from the main Beirut protest camp towards the port – the site of a devastating August 4 explosion , for which the alleged corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been blamed .
Click on the player above to watch the full report .

ON THE GROUND
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Lebanon on Saturday, to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that began on October 17, 2019. Demonstrators are calling for real change, an end to the sectarian political system and an improvement in basic services such as water and electricity. Although it has rocked the political elite, the movement has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform, activists told FRANCE 24.
Lebanese activists erect a monument on October 16, 2020, with the inscription "October 17" in Arabic, the first anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement, in front of the devastated port of the capital Beirut where a massive explosion took place more than two months ago.
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One year on, the political movement has left a positive impact on the youth, activists said.
“It changed the narrative on the country, specifically that everything is now on the table. The political class has been called out for their corruption, and now the younger generation has become active and interested, which allows us to start a real accountability”, Samer Makarem told FRANCE 24’s team in Lebanon.
Three prime ministers have resigned since the movement started but the country's barons, many of them warlords from the 1975-90 civil war, remain firmly in power despite international and domestic pressure for change.
But many others gave up hope since no tangible change has been made for now.
Demonstrators plan to march from the main Beirut protest camp towards the port – the site of a devastating August 4 explosion, for which the alleged corruption and incompetence of the hereditary elite has been blamed.
Click on the player above to watch the full report.
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france24--2020-10-17--For a teacher in France, a lesson on freedom of expression was followed by death

French CRS police walk out of a middle school in Conflans Saint-Honorine , 30 kilometres northwest of Paris , on October 17 , 2020 , next to flowers displayed after a teacher was decapitated by an attacker who has been shot dead by policemen .
The middle school teacher knifed to death on the street of a Paris suburb on Friday showed his teenage students a cartoon lampooning the Prophet Mohammed as part of a class on freedom of expression earlier this month , parents said .
Nordine Chaouadi told Reuters he was the father of a 13-year-old pupil who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher , whom parents gathered outside the college referred to as Mr. Paty .
French media have identified him as Samuel Paty .
The teacher had asked pupils who were Muslim to raise their hands and invited them to leave , advising them he would be showing a caricature of Mohammed that might cause offence , Chaouadi said .
For Muslims , any depiction of the Prophet is blasphemous .
Chaouadi said his son , a Muslim , interpreted the teacher 's actions as done out of kindness and respect for their faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the children , not to shock them , '' said Chaouadi .
Some parents took offence , however .
Two or three days later , they held a meeting at the school with the teacher , school principal , and an official from the education authority .
`` It went well .
There was no shouting or talking over each other .
My wife took part in it .
She said it was a man who made a mistake , it happens to everyone , '' Chaouadi added .
The school , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburb of Conflans-Saint-Honorine , could not immediately be reached for comment .
Lawmakers and teachers ' unions hailed the slain teacher 's courage for confronting challenging taboos in French society .
Freedom of expression was a core tenet of democracy , they said .
Jean-Remi Girard , president of the National Union of School Teachers , said that children needed to understand that blasphemy can shock , but is legal .
Speaking on CNews , Girard said `` We are in France , in the 21st century , and we have a teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he tried to teach . ''
“ This is extremely shocking .
It is a barbaric and inhumane act , it attacks liberty and also freedom of expression , '' said Lucien Bonniere , an economics teacher from Northern France speaking with FRANCE 24 .
“ You could never imagine this happening to someone for just doing their job .
Killing a teacher is incredibly serious , it is impossible to describe .
And this barbaric method of decapitation is such a grotesquely violent gesture . ''
The attack came as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine , which had published caricatures of the prophet that unleashed a wave of anger across the Islamic world .
The magazine defiantly re-published the cartoons in the run-up to the trial 's opening in September , and shortly afterward , a young Pakistani wounded two people with a meat cleaver outside the magazine 's former offices .
In a tweet , Charlie Hebdo expressed its `` sense of horror and revolt '' at Friday 's attack .
The magazine also tweeted that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to protect freedom .
`` This monstrous act plunges our democracy into mourning , but must make us more determined than ever to defend our freedom . ''
Friday ’ s attack came as Macron ’ s government works on a bill to address Islamic radicals , who authorities claim are creating a parallel society outside the values of the French Republic .
France has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe with up to 5 million people , and Islam is the country ’ s second largest religion .
Local centre-right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can not talk about the Charlie Hebdo caricatures in school , we end up in denialism ...
In France , the country of freedom of expression , this can not be allowed to happen . ''
The hashtags # jesuischarlie and # jesuisprof were both trending on French twitter on Saturday .

The middle school teacher knifed to death on the street of a Paris suburb on Friday showed his teenage students a cartoon lampooning the Prophet Mohammed as part of a class on freedom of expression earlier this month, parents said.
French CRS police walk out of a middle school in Conflans Saint-Honorine, 30 kilometres northwest of Paris, on October 17, 2020, next to flowers displayed after a teacher was decapitated by an attacker who has been shot dead by policemen.
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Nordine Chaouadi told Reuters he was the father of a 13-year-old pupil who attended the civics class given by the teacher, whom parents gathered outside the college referred to as Mr. Paty. French media have identified him as Samuel Paty.
The teacher had asked pupils who were Muslim to raise their hands and invited them to leave, advising them he would be showing a caricature of Mohammed that might cause offence, Chaouadi said.
For Muslims, any depiction of the Prophet is blasphemous.
Murdered for teaching his students to discuss freedom of expression #JeSuisSamuel https://t.co/aA18K5tAv8 — Timandra Harkness (@TimandraHarknes) October 17, 2020
Chaouadi said his son, a Muslim, interpreted the teacher's actions as done out of kindness and respect for their faith.
"He did it to protect the children, not to shock them," said Chaouadi.
Some parents took offence, however. Two or three days later, they held a meeting at the school with the teacher, school principal, and an official from the education authority.
"It went well. There was no shouting or talking over each other. My wife took part in it. She said it was a man who made a mistake, it happens to everyone," Chaouadi added.
The school, the College du Bois d'Aulne in the middle-class suburb of Conflans-Saint-Honorine, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lawmakers and teachers' unions hailed the slain teacher's courage for confronting challenging taboos in French society. Freedom of expression was a core tenet of democracy, they said.
Jean-Remi Girard, president of the National Union of School Teachers, said that children needed to understand that blasphemy can shock, but is legal.
Speaking on CNews, Girard said "We are in France, in the 21st century, and we have a teacher who was beheaded in the street simply because he tried to teach."
« On est en France, au XXIème siècle, et on a un enseignant qui a été décapité dans la rue parce qu'il a enseigné », s'indigne Jean-Rémi Girard, professeur de lettres et président du Syndicat national des collèges et lycées (@SNALC_National) dans #LaMatinaleWE pic.twitter.com/jmHENYUX8o — CNEWS (@CNEWS) October 17, 2020
“This is extremely shocking. It is a barbaric and inhumane act, it attacks liberty and also freedom of expression," said Lucien Bonniere, an economics teacher from Northern France speaking with FRANCE 24.
“You could never imagine this happening to someone for just doing their job. Killing a teacher is incredibly serious, it is impossible to describe. And this barbaric method of decapitation is such a grotesquely violent gesture."
Charlie Hebdo trial in progress
The attack came as a trial is in progress over the January 2015 massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, which had published caricatures of the prophet that unleashed a wave of anger across the Islamic world.
The magazine defiantly re-published the cartoons in the run-up to the trial's opening in September, and shortly afterward, a young Pakistani wounded two people with a meat cleaver outside the magazine's former offices.
In a tweet, Charlie Hebdo expressed its "sense of horror and revolt" at Friday's attack.
The magazine also tweeted that this act of terror made it even more important to protect freedom. "This monstrous act plunges our democracy into mourning, but must make us more determined than ever to defend our freedom."
#CharlieHebdo express our horror and revolt after a teacher in the exercise of his profession was murdered by a religious fanatic. We express our strongest support to his family, his loved ones and all teachers... https://t.co/YaS9ZlApl5 — inna shevchenko (@femeninna) October 16, 2020
Friday’s attack came as Macron’s government works on a bill to address Islamic radicals, who authorities claim are creating a parallel society outside the values of the French Republic. France has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe with up to 5 million people, and Islam is the country’s second largest religion.
Local centre-right lawmaker Antoine Savignat said, "If we cannot talk about the Charlie Hebdo caricatures in school, we end up in denialism... In France, the country of freedom of expression, this cannot be allowed to happen."
The hashtags #jesuischarlie and #jesuisprof were both trending on French twitter on Saturday.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-10-17--Pretenders to Merkel's crown seek debate limelight

German Chancellor Angela Merkel insists she will not run again The three men vying to lead German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's CDU party go head-to-head in an online debate Saturday in a bid to revive a race that has been knocked off course by the coronavirus pandemic .
The chief of the Christian Democratic Union , who will be chosen at a party conference in December , traditionally leads it and its smaller Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union to the polls .
The chosen candidate would have a claim on the post of chancellor and be in pole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloc win next year 's election .
Armin Laschet , state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia , corporate lawyer Friedrich Merz and foreign affairs expert Norbert Roettgen are eyeing the post .
The race to become head of the CDU was thrown wide open earlier this year when Merkel 's protegee Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer resigned after just months in the job over her handling of a regional election scandal .
But a meeting originally planned for April to elect a new leader was postponed due to Covid-19 .
Back then , the party that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing plummeting ratings and a deep identity crisis over how to position itself against the resurging extreme right .
But since then , its fortunes have been reversed as the German public widely applaud Merkel 's handling of the pandemic .
Yet ironically , the three pretenders for her throne have lost visibility in the media spotlight as Germany has grappled with the outbreak .
Instead , a fourth potential replacement for Merkel has emerged -- not from the CDU itself , but from the CSU .
Bavarian state premier and CSU leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place is in Bavaria .
But his tough attitude on halting virus transmission has won him plaudits .
The latest opinion poll on who Germans would like to see as their next leader has Soeder topping the charts far ahead at 52 percent -- more than 20 points ahead any of the three CDU contenders .
All three will be seeking to close the gap as the clock ticks down to the December vote .
Former favourite Laschet , 59 , has taken a different approach to Soeder 's hardline clampdown in Bavaria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laissez-faire Laschet '' by the topselling Bild daily , he has fought against a controversial ban on hotel and stays for domestic travellers from areas with high infection rates .
But he has popular Health Minister Jens Spahn as his running mate , who has been lauded over his calm handling of the crisis .
Merz , a 64-year-old millionaire and old Merkel rival , was narrowly beaten to the party top job in December 2018 by Kramp-Karrenbauer and has been waiting in the wings ever since .
He is popular with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found little support for his ultra-liberal positions during the pandemic , which has led to unprecedented state intervention to prop up the economy .
Centrist Roettgen , 55 , is a former environment minister dismissed by Merkel in 2012 who is now the head of the German parliament 's foreign affairs committee .
Both Merz and Roettgen have struggled to get any attention during the health crisis .
With the race wide open , Merkel , 66 , has been forced time and again to rule out running for a fifth term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' be putting herself forward again .
The CDU has meanwhile not ruled out nominating Soeder , rather than one of their own , to lead it into the election battle next year .

Berlin (AFP) –
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The three men vying to lead German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party go head-to-head in an online debate Saturday in a bid to revive a race that has been knocked off course by the coronavirus pandemic.
The chief of the Christian Democratic Union, who will be chosen at a party conference in December, traditionally leads it and its smaller Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union to the polls.
The chosen candidate would have a claim on the post of chancellor and be in pole position to replace Merkel should the conservative bloc win next year's election.
Armin Laschet, state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, corporate lawyer Friedrich Merz and foreign affairs expert Norbert Roettgen are eyeing the post.
The race to become head of the CDU was thrown wide open earlier this year when Merkel's protegee Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer resigned after just months in the job over her handling of a regional election scandal.
But a meeting originally planned for April to elect a new leader was postponed due to Covid-19.
Back then, the party that has dominated German politics for 70 years was facing plummeting ratings and a deep identity crisis over how to position itself against the resurging extreme right.
But since then, its fortunes have been reversed as the German public widely applaud Merkel's handling of the pandemic.
Yet ironically, the three pretenders for her throne have lost visibility in the media spotlight as Germany has grappled with the outbreak.
Instead, a fourth potential replacement for Merkel has emerged -- not from the CDU itself, but from the CSU.
Bavarian state premier and CSU leader Markus Soeder has repeatedly stressed that his place is in Bavaria.
But his tough attitude on halting virus transmission has won him plaudits.
- Seeking to close the gap -
The latest opinion poll on who Germans would like to see as their next leader has Soeder topping the charts far ahead at 52 percent -- more than 20 points ahead any of the three CDU contenders.
All three will be seeking to close the gap as the clock ticks down to the December vote.
Former favourite Laschet, 59, has taken a different approach to Soeder's hardline clampdown in Bavaria over the coronavirus pandemic.
Dubbed "laissez-faire Laschet" by the topselling Bild daily, he has fought against a controversial ban on hotel and stays for domestic travellers from areas with high infection rates.
But he has popular Health Minister Jens Spahn as his running mate, who has been lauded over his calm handling of the crisis.
Merz, a 64-year-old millionaire and old Merkel rival, was narrowly beaten to the party top job in December 2018 by Kramp-Karrenbauer and has been waiting in the wings ever since.
He is popular with the CDU's more conservative factions but has found little support for his ultra-liberal positions during the pandemic, which has led to unprecedented state intervention to prop up the economy.
Centrist Roettgen, 55, is a former environment minister dismissed by Merkel in 2012 who is now the head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee.
Both Merz and Roettgen have struggled to get any attention during the health crisis.
With the race wide open, Merkel, 66, has been forced time and again to rule out running for a fifth term, telling journalists she will "really not" be putting herself forward again.
The CDU has meanwhile not ruled out nominating Soeder, rather than one of their own, to lead it into the election battle next year.
© 2020 AFP