france24--2020-11-13--Fate of ETA prisoners a minefield for Spain's government

Relatives of Basque prisoners hold regular protests like these to demand they be moved closer to home Two years after ETA disbanded , Spain 's government is accelerating moves to transfer jailed Basque separatist militants to prisons closer to home , angering families whose lives were shattered by their violence .
The Basque separatist group waged a decades-long campaign for independence involving bombings and shootings that killed more than 850 people , with a total of 197 ETA prisoners held in prisons across Spain .
Since the 1980s , Spanish government policy has been to keep most prisoners in jails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Basque Country region -- and separated from each other to prevent them from working together behind bars .
But prisoner support groups say this so-called `` dispersion policy '' is motivated by a thirst for vengeance and have lobbied for years to move them closer to their families .
Since Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez came to power in June 2018 a month after ETA disbanded , 73 prisoners have been moved to jails in the Basque Country or nearby , including some who were serving time 900 kilometres ( 550 miles ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say .
And the transfers have picked up in recent weeks .
Sanchez 's leftwing minority government , which depends on support from Basque pro-independence party Bildu and other regional formations to pass legislation , says it is complying with the legal requirements of the prison system , which works towards prisoners ' reintegration back into society .
Government sources point out that between 1996 and 2004 , a total of 426 prisoners were moved closer to the Basque region by a conservative government which at the time was holding talks with ETA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot potato in recent days after Bildu agreed to back Sanchez 's draft 2021 budget in response to the government 's `` receptiveness '' about the party 's concerns .
Only a handful of ETA prisoners still support violence , and those who have been transferred or granted parole have disassociated themselves in writing from the former militant group .
`` For the prisoner , being transferred is not a perk , it 's a right , '' said Urtzi Errazkin of Etxerat , which represents prisoners ' families , telling AFP the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Relatives often travel hundreds of kilometres to visit their loved ones in jail , he said .
Some of those who lost loved ones to the ETA violence also back the prisoner transfer move but the main victims ' associations are fiercely opposed .
`` The dispersion policy should be kept in place '' because distancing prisoners from the environment where they became radicalised `` is an efficient tool for achieving reintegration , '' said Carmen Ladron de Guevara , a lawyer for the Association of Victims of Terrorism ( AVT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 170 lawsuits over unsolved ETA crimes and believes the government should `` raise the bar '' and not transfer any prisoners who do n't cooperate with investigations , she added .
Government sources acknowledge that the authorities do not `` demand as much information '' from ETA prisoners as they did when the outfit was still active .
But remarks by Bildu 's leader Arnaldo Otegi about the government 's apparent openness to the party 's concerns , including prison policy , have sparked political outrage , even among some of Sanchez 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heir to Batasuna , a Basque pro-independence party which was banned in 2003 for being ETA 's political wing .
Otegi is a former ETA member who spent time in prison for kidnapping a businessman but was later credited with helping persuade the group to disband , prompting some to call him the `` Basque Gerry Adams . ''
The Covite victims ' association immediately accused the government of rolling out a `` red carpet '' for `` ETA ideologists and those politicians who defend terrorists '' .
Otegi 's remarks also angered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government of buying votes with the prison transfers .
But it also infuriated some of Sanchez 's Socialists , with Guillermo Fernandez-Vara , leader of the southwestern Extremadura region , saying he needed to `` get down to the pharmacy to buy an anti-emetic '' -- a drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting .

Madrid (AFP) –
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Two years after ETA disbanded, Spain's government is accelerating moves to transfer jailed Basque separatist militants to prisons closer to home, angering families whose lives were shattered by their violence.
The Basque separatist group waged a decades-long campaign for independence involving bombings and shootings that killed more than 850 people, with a total of 197 ETA prisoners held in prisons across Spain.
Since the 1980s, Spanish government policy has been to keep most prisoners in jails hundreds of kilometres away from the northern Basque Country region -- and separated from each other to prevent them from working together behind bars.
But prisoner support groups say this so-called "dispersion policy" is motivated by a thirst for vengeance and have lobbied for years to move them closer to their families.
Since Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez came to power in June 2018 a month after ETA disbanded, 73 prisoners have been moved to jails in the Basque Country or nearby, including some who were serving time 900 kilometres (550 miles) away in southern Andalusia, government sources say.
And the transfers have picked up in recent weeks.
Sanchez's leftwing minority government, which depends on support from Basque pro-independence party Bildu and other regional formations to pass legislation, says it is complying with the legal requirements of the prison system, which works towards prisoners' reintegration back into society.
Government sources point out that between 1996 and 2004, a total of 426 prisoners were moved closer to the Basque region by a conservative government which at the time was holding talks with ETA.
But the issue has become a hot potato in recent days after Bildu agreed to back Sanchez's draft 2021 budget in response to the government's "receptiveness" about the party's concerns.
- 'Not a perk' -
Only a handful of ETA prisoners still support violence, and those who have been transferred or granted parole have disassociated themselves in writing from the former militant group.
"For the prisoner, being transferred is not a perk, it's a right," said Urtzi Errazkin of Etxerat, which represents prisoners' families, telling AFP the pace of transfers was "still insufficient".
Relatives often travel hundreds of kilometres to visit their loved ones in jail, he said.
Some of those who lost loved ones to the ETA violence also back the prisoner transfer move but the main victims' associations are fiercely opposed.
"The dispersion policy should be kept in place" because distancing prisoners from the environment where they became radicalised "is an efficient tool for achieving reintegration," said Carmen Ladron de Guevara, a lawyer for the Association of Victims of Terrorism (AVT).
AVT is currently involved in 170 lawsuits over unsolved ETA crimes and believes the government should "raise the bar" and not transfer any prisoners who don't cooperate with investigations, she added.
Government sources acknowledge that the authorities do not "demand as much information" from ETA prisoners as they did when the outfit was still active.
- Political debate -
But remarks by Bildu's leader Arnaldo Otegi about the government's apparent openness to the party's concerns, including prison policy, have sparked political outrage, even among some of Sanchez's Socialists.
Bildu is seen as the heir to Batasuna, a Basque pro-independence party which was banned in 2003 for being ETA's political wing.
Otegi is a former ETA member who spent time in prison for kidnapping a businessman but was later credited with helping persuade the group to disband, prompting some to call him the "Basque Gerry Adams."
The Covite victims' association immediately accused the government of rolling out a "red carpet" for "ETA ideologists and those politicians who defend terrorists".
Otegi's remarks also angered the conservative opposition, which accused the government of buying votes with the prison transfers.
But it also infuriated some of Sanchez's Socialists, with Guillermo Fernandez-Vara, leader of the southwestern Extremadura region, saying he needed to "get down to the pharmacy to buy an anti-emetic" -- a drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-13--Second Libya shipwreck raises toll to around 100 in one day

The UN 's International Organization for Migration reported ' a devastating shipwreck which claimed the lives of at least 74 migrants today ( Thursday ) off the coast of Khoms , ' a port city 120 kilometres ( 75 miles ) east of the Libyan capital Tripoli A shipwreck off the Libyan coast has killed 20 people , Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ) said , just hours after news of a separate incident in which at least 74 migrants died .
MSF teams in the northwestern city of Sorman `` assisted three women as the lone survivors of another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group said Thursday on Twitter .
`` Rescued by local fishermen , they were in shock and terrified ; they saw loved ones disappear beneath the waves , dying in front of their eyes , '' it added .
Earlier Thursday , the UN 's International Organization for Migration ( IOM ) reported `` a devastating shipwreck which claimed the lives of at least 74 migrants today off the coast of Khoms , '' a port city 120 kilometres ( 75 miles ) east of the Libyan capital Tripoli .
It said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shore and 31 bodies retrieved , adding that the boat was reported to be carrying more than 120 people .
Bodies from that shipwreck were lined up grimly along the beach on Thursday , some still wearing life jackets .
Traumatised survivors sat in shock on the shore while others huddled under blankets as aid workers distributed food parcels .
The IOM said Friday that `` many women and children '' were aboard the two boats , adding that the body of a toddler was among those retrieved .
`` Staff in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wash ashore overnight , '' the IOM added in a statement .
So far this year , more than 900 people have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach European shores , it said .
More than 11,000 others have been returned to Libya , it added , `` putting them at risk of facing human rights violations '' .
Human traffickers have taken advantage of persistent violence in Libya since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi , turning the country into a key corridor for migrants fleeing war and poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While many have drowned at sea , thousands have been intercepted by the Libyan coastguard , which has been backed by Italy and the EU , and returned to Libya .
They mostly end up in detention , often in horrific conditions .
The IOM called for `` a change of approach to Libya and the most dangerous maritime route on earth that ends the return of migrants to the country '' and establishes `` predictable safe disembarkation mechanisms '' .

Tripoli (AFP) –
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A shipwreck off the Libyan coast has killed 20 people, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said, just hours after news of a separate incident in which at least 74 migrants died.
MSF teams in the northwestern city of Sorman "assisted three women as the lone survivors of another shipwreck where 20 people drowned," the group said Thursday on Twitter.
"Rescued by local fishermen, they were in shock and terrified; they saw loved ones disappear beneath the waves, dying in front of their eyes," it added.
Earlier Thursday, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported "a devastating shipwreck which claimed the lives of at least 74 migrants today off the coast of Khoms," a port city 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of the Libyan capital Tripoli.
It said that 47 survivors had been brought back to shore and 31 bodies retrieved, adding that the boat was reported to be carrying more than 120 people.
Bodies from that shipwreck were lined up grimly along the beach on Thursday, some still wearing life jackets.
Traumatised survivors sat in shock on the shore while others huddled under blankets as aid workers distributed food parcels.
The IOM said Friday that "many women and children" were aboard the two boats, adding that the body of a toddler was among those retrieved.
"Staff in the region reported that more bodies continued to wash ashore overnight," the IOM added in a statement.
So far this year, more than 900 people have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach European shores, it said.
More than 11,000 others have been returned to Libya, it added, "putting them at risk of facing human rights violations".
Human traffickers have taken advantage of persistent violence in Libya since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, turning the country into a key corridor for migrants fleeing war and poverty in desperate bids to reach Europe.
While many have drowned at sea, thousands have been intercepted by the Libyan coastguard, which has been backed by Italy and the EU, and returned to Libya.
They mostly end up in detention, often in horrific conditions.
The IOM called for "a change of approach to Libya and the most dangerous maritime route on earth that ends the return of migrants to the country" and establishes "predictable safe disembarkation mechanisms".
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-13--Erdogan plans 'picnic' in symbolic Cyprus ghost town

Turkish Cypriots protest in northern Nicosia on November 10 against the `` interference '' of Ankara , ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 's planned visit to the long-abandoned coastal resort of Varosha Turkey 's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning a controversial `` picnic '' Sunday in a once-famed Cyprus resort that has been left to rot since its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled advancing Turkish troops in 1974 .
His visit , just weeks after he helped a nationalist ally win election as Turkish Cypriot leader , is painful for the island 's Greek Cypriot majority , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the displaced to be allowed to return to their former homes .
`` We can have a picnic at Varosha , '' Erdogan announced proudly last month after talks in Ankara with newly-elected Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar .
An idyllic vacation spot that was dubbed a `` Jewel of the Mediterranean '' , Varosha had been sealed off for decades ever since Turkish troops seized the seafront suburb of Famagusta in one of the last actions of their invasion .
Then , without warning , Turkish troops partially reopened Varosha 's fenced-off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism and potentially helping the right-wing Tatar win 10 days later against the moderate incumbent president Mustafa Akinci who had crossed swords with Erdogan .
Now , Erdogan intends to visit the politically-charged seaside resort , cementing his authority over northern Cyprus whose nation status is recognised only by Ankara .
Sixty-two Greek Cypriot and Turkish organisations across the divided island have signed a joint petition calling for Varosha 's `` unilateral '' reopening to halt , and for Erdogan to stay out .
`` The festive nature of the reopening , built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past inhabitants , hurts our conscience , '' the petition reads .
`` No interference !
Freedom for all ! ''
hundreds of Turkish Cypriot protesters chanted in northern Nicosia on Tuesday to denounce Erdogan 's planned visit .
`` You ca n't run northern Cyprus from Ankara , '' said Gulsen Ercin , a spokesman for the protest group .
While the more prosperous south of the island has been a full-fledged member of the European Union since 2004 , the north remains entirely dependent on Turkey , which funds its budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And despite the protests , preparations for Erdogan 's visit are in full swing , with workers paving roads , planting trees and putting on new licks of paint .
But Pavlos Iacovou , a Greek Cypriot , still shudders at the memory of the bulldozers that last month tore down the barbed wire fences and reopened the seaside section of Varosha for the first time in 46 years .
`` When you see something like that , you realise nothing will ever be the same again , '' the 65-year-old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his family when he was 19 , told AFP .
Iacovou now lives in Paralimni , in the south , on the other side of a UN-patrolled buffer zone .
But he returned to watch the Turkish forces demolish Varosha 's fences , reclaiming a seaside section that had stood frozen in time .
`` I had always hoped Varosha would one day be given back to its old inhabitants , or at least placed under UN control , '' Iacovou said .
His parents used to run the town 's once bustling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Varosha 's many dilapidated buildings , worn down by decades of neglect .
`` But I no longer believe we will return .
And realising this , you get this sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach . ''
Despite Erdogan 's promise to respect the property rights of the Greek Cypriots who were forced out , Iacovou remains unconvinced .
Turkish Cypriot authorities have set up a special commission to review applications for compensation payments .
But Iacovou said his request for restitution and indemnity appears to have fallen on deaf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , our future , '' he said of the hotel .
`` But they confiscated it , together with our memories , '' he said .
`` Varosha will never regain its golden era .
It is dead . ''
Yet , despite it all , Iacovou still dreams of seeing the island reunified -- something Tatar , with Erdogan 's blessing , campaigned against .
`` I want to see the Greek and Turkish Cypriots live as one , '' said Iacovou .
`` But I fear that chauvinists on both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

VAROSHA (Cyprus) (AFP) –
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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning a controversial "picnic" Sunday in a once-famed Cyprus resort that has been left to rot since its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled advancing Turkish troops in 1974.
His visit, just weeks after he helped a nationalist ally win election as Turkish Cypriot leader, is painful for the island's Greek Cypriot majority, who have never given up their demand for the displaced to be allowed to return to their former homes.
"We can have a picnic at Varosha," Erdogan announced proudly last month after talks in Ankara with newly-elected Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
An idyllic vacation spot that was dubbed a "Jewel of the Mediterranean", Varosha had been sealed off for decades ever since Turkish troops seized the seafront suburb of Famagusta in one of the last actions of their invasion.
Then, without warning, Turkish troops partially reopened Varosha's fenced-off beach on October 8, stirring international criticism and potentially helping the right-wing Tatar win 10 days later against the moderate incumbent president Mustafa Akinci who had crossed swords with Erdogan.
Now, Erdogan intends to visit the politically-charged seaside resort, cementing his authority over northern Cyprus whose nation status is recognised only by Ankara.
Sixty-two Greek Cypriot and Turkish organisations across the divided island have signed a joint petition calling for Varosha's "unilateral" reopening to halt, and for Erdogan to stay out.
"The festive nature of the reopening, built on the memories and suffering of its past inhabitants, hurts our conscience," the petition reads.
- 'Sinking feeling' -
"No interference! Freedom for all!" hundreds of Turkish Cypriot protesters chanted in northern Nicosia on Tuesday to denounce Erdogan's planned visit.
"You can't run northern Cyprus from Ankara," said Gulsen Ercin, a spokesman for the protest group.
While the more prosperous south of the island has been a full-fledged member of the European Union since 2004, the north remains entirely dependent on Turkey, which funds its budget and has deployed more than 30,000 troops.
And despite the protests, preparations for Erdogan's visit are in full swing, with workers paving roads, planting trees and putting on new licks of paint.
But Pavlos Iacovou, a Greek Cypriot, still shudders at the memory of the bulldozers that last month tore down the barbed wire fences and reopened the seaside section of Varosha for the first time in 46 years.
"When you see something like that, you realise nothing will ever be the same again," the 65-year-old, who was forced to flee Varosha with his family when he was 19, told AFP.
Iacovou now lives in Paralimni, in the south, on the other side of a UN-patrolled buffer zone.
But he returned to watch the Turkish forces demolish Varosha's fences, reclaiming a seaside section that had stood frozen in time.
"I had always hoped Varosha would one day be given back to its old inhabitants, or at least placed under UN control," Iacovou said.
His parents used to run the town's once bustling Florida Hotel, now just another of Varosha's many dilapidated buildings, worn down by decades of neglect.
"But I no longer believe we will return. And realising this, you get this sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach."
- 'It is dead' -
Despite Erdogan's promise to respect the property rights of the Greek Cypriots who were forced out, Iacovou remains unconvinced.
Turkish Cypriot authorities have set up a special commission to review applications for compensation payments.
But Iacovou said his request for restitution and indemnity appears to have fallen on deaf ears.
"It was our family business, our future," he said of the hotel. "But they confiscated it, together with our memories," he said.
"Varosha will never regain its golden era. It is dead."
Yet, despite it all, Iacovou still dreams of seeing the island reunified -- something Tatar, with Erdogan's blessing, campaigned against.
"I want to see the Greek and Turkish Cypriots live as one," said Iacovou. "But I fear that chauvinists on both sides will never let that happen."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-13--Poorer nations face vaccine wait as West locks down supply

Experts warn poorer and developing countries face a string of hurdles that could deny billions of people the first proven protection against the coronavirus Hailed this week as a pandemic game-changer , the new Covid-19 vaccine offered countries that had pre-ordered doses a potential escape from a cycle of lockdowns and new waves of sickness and death .
But while richer nations plan their vaccination programmes through the end of 2021 , experts warn that poorer and developing countries face hurdles that could deny billions the first proven protection against the coronavirus .
Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , once they receive emergency use permissions from drug agencies .
They expect to have 1.3 billion doses ready next year .
The results of phase 3 clinical trials showed their mRNA vaccine was 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 symptoms and did not produce adverse side effects among thousands of volunteers .
At the cost of $ 40 per treatment , which consists of two separate shots , richer nations have rushed to order tens of millions of doses .
But it is less clear what poorer nations can expect .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and everyone needs two doses , clearly that 's a difficult ethical dilemma , '' Trudie Lang , director of The Global Health Network at the University of Oxford ’ s Nuffield Department of Medicine , told AFP .
Anticipating the outsize demand for any approved vaccine , the World Health Organization formed the COVAX facility in April to ensure equitable distribution .
COVAX brought together governments , scientists , civil society and the private sector -- though Pfizer is not currently part of the facility .
A company spokesperson told AFP it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for possible supply '' to COVAX .
Rachel Silverman , a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development , said it was unlikely that much of the first vaccine batch would end up in poorer nations .
Based on advance purchase agreements signed with Pfizer , she calculated that 1.1 billion doses had been snapped up entirely by wealthy nations .
`` There 's not much left for everyone else , '' she told AFP .
Some countries that pre-ordered , such as Japan and Britain , are part of COVAX , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less developed nations through their purchase agreements .
Conversely , the United States , which has 600 million doses on order , is not a COVAX member , though this may change under a Joe Biden administration .
Benjamin Schreiber , Covid-19 vaccine coordinator at the UN 's children 's fund UNICEF , said it was vital that all nations had fair access to the new vaccine .
`` We really need to avoid a situation of rich nations gobbling up all the vaccines and then there 's not enough doses for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethics aside , epidemiological data underscores the need for equitable vaccine distribution .
This month researchers at America 's Northeastern University published research examining the link between vaccine reach and Covid-19 mortality .
They modelled two scenarios .
The first , the `` uncooperative allocation '' scenario , hypothesised what would happen if 50 rich nations monopolised the first 2 billion doses of a vaccine .
The second saw the vaccine distributed based on a country 's population rather than its ability to pay for it .
The researchers found that the rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 33 percent globally .
The fair-share approach prevented 61 percent .
Commenting on the study , the Gavi vaccine alliance , which co-leads COVAX , said `` the modest gain for high-income countries in monopolising vaccines was far less than the devastating losses for low-income countries if countries do n't cooperate '' .
Even if finance for poorer nations materialises , the logistics of getting the new vaccine to everyone remains dizzying .
Pfizer 's vaccine is based on mRNA , which tricks the immune system to produce viral proteins itself that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective at bestowing protection against Covid-19 , yet is extremely fragile : it must be stored at -80 degrees Celsius ( -112 degrees Fahrenheit ) or else it falls apart .
`` Most freezers in most hospitals anywhere in the world are -20C , '' said Lang .
`` This is four times colder . ''
Silverman said maintaining the vaccine 's `` ultra-cold chain '' from factory to patients ' arms constituted `` an enormous logistical challenge even in the West '' .
Although Pfizer and some governments have been preparing delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results , `` none of that has taken place in low- and middle-income countries '' , she said .
Pfizer has designed its own `` thermal shipper '' , a briefcase-sized container that can keep the vaccine supercool for up to 10 days .
For others , there may be ways around the problem .
Food storage containers , for example , are regularly cooled to close to the temperature required by the vaccine before being shipped long distances .
And the Ebola vaccine , which like those in trial for Covid-19 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a string of deadly outbreaks , has a similar temperature profile to Pfizer 's .
`` We have experience in rolling out the Ebola vaccine in some countries , '' Schreiber told AFP .
He said it was `` more difficult but not impossible '' to safely store and administer the Covid-19 vaccine across the global south , but this would require significant investment and training .
There are currently more than three dozen other Covid-19 vaccine candidates in development , 11 of which are in or have completed phase 3 trials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the pandemic would be to have several safe and effective vaccines that work in different ways , giving varying levels of protection .
Pfizer has yet to release its full results so it is not clear if its vaccine stops Covid-19 transmission -- meaning it would be suitable for mass administration -- or if it only prevents severe illness , in which case it would be prioritised for elderly and at-risk populations .
But even if several vaccines come online in the coming months , there is no guarantee everyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The WHO in 2019 said `` vaccine hesitancy '' was one of the top 10 global health threats , and last month The Lancet medical journal warned that growing anti-vaccine movements could hamper the Covid-19 inoculation rollout .
Although the Ebola vaccination programme has all but eradicated the virus , several studies showed how progress was slowed by mistrust and misinformation circulating both online and within communities .
Lang said there were also lessons to learn from the polio response in Africa .
`` Africa is now clear of polio , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But the things we had to get over in order to do that .
`` Mothers would often say : 'If I go to the hospital with my son I ca n't get medicines or treatment , but you 're going over to my house with this foreign vaccine .
What 's that about ? '

Paris (AFP) –
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Hailed this week as a pandemic game-changer, the new Covid-19 vaccine offered countries that had pre-ordered doses a potential escape from a cycle of lockdowns and new waves of sickness and death.
But while richer nations plan their vaccination programmes through the end of 2021, experts warn that poorer and developing countries face hurdles that could deny billions the first proven protection against the coronavirus.
Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech plan to roll out the first doses within weeks, once they receive emergency use permissions from drug agencies. They expect to have 1.3 billion doses ready next year.
The results of phase 3 clinical trials showed their mRNA vaccine was 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 symptoms and did not produce adverse side effects among thousands of volunteers.
At the cost of $40 per treatment, which consists of two separate shots, richer nations have rushed to order tens of millions of doses. But it is less clear what poorer nations can expect.
"If we only have the Pfizer vaccine and everyone needs two doses, clearly that's a difficult ethical dilemma," Trudie Lang, director of The Global Health Network at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine, told AFP.
Anticipating the outsize demand for any approved vaccine, the World Health Organization formed the COVAX facility in April to ensure equitable distribution.
COVAX brought together governments, scientists, civil society and the private sector -- though Pfizer is not currently part of the facility.
A company spokesperson told AFP it had "provided an expression of interest for possible supply" to COVAX.
Rachel Silverman, a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, said it was unlikely that much of the first vaccine batch would end up in poorer nations.
Based on advance purchase agreements signed with Pfizer, she calculated that 1.1 billion doses had been snapped up entirely by wealthy nations.
"There's not much left for everyone else," she told AFP.
Some countries that pre-ordered, such as Japan and Britain, are part of COVAX, so some doses are likely to reach less developed nations through their purchase agreements.
Conversely, the United States, which has 600 million doses on order, is not a COVAX member, though this may change under a Joe Biden administration.
- Fair share -
Benjamin Schreiber, Covid-19 vaccine coordinator at the UN's children's fund UNICEF, said it was vital that all nations had fair access to the new vaccine.
"We really need to avoid a situation of rich nations gobbling up all the vaccines and then there's not enough doses for the poorest nations," he said.
Ethics aside, epidemiological data underscores the need for equitable vaccine distribution.
This month researchers at America's Northeastern University published research examining the link between vaccine reach and Covid-19 mortality.
They modelled two scenarios. The first, the "uncooperative allocation" scenario, hypothesised what would happen if 50 rich nations monopolised the first 2 billion doses of a vaccine.
The second saw the vaccine distributed based on a country's population rather than its ability to pay for it.
The researchers found that the rich nation stockpiling scenario reduced Covid-19 deaths by 33 percent globally. The fair-share approach prevented 61 percent.
Commenting on the study, the Gavi vaccine alliance, which co-leads COVAX, said "the modest gain for high-income countries in monopolising vaccines was far less than the devastating losses for low-income countries if countries don't cooperate".
- 'Enormous challenge' -
Even if finance for poorer nations materialises, the logistics of getting the new vaccine to everyone remains dizzying.
Pfizer's vaccine is based on mRNA, which tricks the immune system to produce viral proteins itself that are then neutralised.
It appears to be effective at bestowing protection against Covid-19, yet is extremely fragile: it must be stored at -80 degrees Celsius (-112 degrees Fahrenheit) or else it falls apart.
"Most freezers in most hospitals anywhere in the world are -20C," said Lang. "This is four times colder."
Silverman said maintaining the vaccine's "ultra-cold chain" from factory to patients' arms constituted "an enormous logistical challenge even in the West".
Although Pfizer and some governments have been preparing delivery protocols for months in anticipation of trial results, "none of that has taken place in low- and middle-income countries", she said.
Pfizer has designed its own "thermal shipper", a briefcase-sized container that can keep the vaccine supercool for up to 10 days.
For others, there may be ways around the problem. Food storage containers, for example, are regularly cooled to close to the temperature required by the vaccine before being shipped long distances.
And the Ebola vaccine, which like those in trial for Covid-19 was developed and delivered at warp speed following a string of deadly outbreaks, has a similar temperature profile to Pfizer's.
"We have experience in rolling out the Ebola vaccine in some countries," Schreiber told AFP.
He said it was "more difficult but not impossible" to safely store and administer the Covid-19 vaccine across the global south, but this would require significant investment and training.
- Gaining trust 'tall order' -
There are currently more than three dozen other Covid-19 vaccine candidates in development, 11 of which are in or have completed phase 3 trials.
Most experts agree that the best route out of the pandemic would be to have several safe and effective vaccines that work in different ways, giving varying levels of protection.
Pfizer has yet to release its full results so it is not clear if its vaccine stops Covid-19 transmission -- meaning it would be suitable for mass administration -- or if it only prevents severe illness, in which case it would be prioritised for elderly and at-risk populations.
But even if several vaccines come online in the coming months, there is no guarantee everyone who should get one will agree to it.
The WHO in 2019 said "vaccine hesitancy" was one of the top 10 global health threats, and last month The Lancet medical journal warned that growing anti-vaccine movements could hamper the Covid-19 inoculation rollout.
Although the Ebola vaccination programme has all but eradicated the virus, several studies showed how progress was slowed by mistrust and misinformation circulating both online and within communities.
Lang said there were also lessons to learn from the polio response in Africa.
"Africa is now clear of polio, which is amazing," she said. "But the things we had to get over in order to do that.
"Mothers would often say: 'If I go to the hospital with my son I can't get medicines or treatment, but you're going over to my house with this foreign vaccine. What's that about?'
"It's a tall order to gain trust."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-13--'Our dream came true' says North Macedonia after winning Euro 2020 place

North Macedonia supporters poured into the streets of Skopje to celebrate after the Balkan nation qualified for the European football championships for the first time The small Balkan state of North Macedonia was over the moon Friday after qualifying for next year 's European football championships , a historic victory that goes beyond sport for a country which struggled for decades to have even its name recognised .
Thousands of jubilant fans waving the country 's red-and-yellow flag poured into the streets of the capital Skopje Thursday , singing the national anthem and setting off fireworks , after the Red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoff final in Tbilisi .
Since gaining independence three decades ago , the country of some two million people had never come close to reaching a major tournament , but were given a chance after UEFA 's Nations League offered Europe 's minnows a route to Euro 2020 , as the tournament postponed due to Covid-19 is still to be called .
On Friday morning , the returning heroes were greeted by fans and members of the government while newspapers ran headlines like `` Football Euphoria '' and `` Skopje Burns '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the team 's captain Goran Pandev , the veteran forward who scored the winning goal in the 56th minute .
`` The boys deserved this and we are still not fully aware of what we have done .
I simply did not believe that at the age of 38 I would qualify for a Euro , '' added Pandev , a former player for Italian giants Inter Milan who is now with Genoa and is his country 's all-time top goal-scorer .
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev , who led the welcome party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team had created .
`` One goal for all , one win for all ! ''
he said , celebrating the team 's ethnic diversity .
North Macedonia , who sat 65th in FIFA 's world rankings before the game , now go into Group C alongside the Netherlands , Austria and Ukraine .
Its tournament debut will take place under a slightly different name than previous years .
Until last year , the country competed under the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ( FYROM ) -- a workaround to avoid ire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name `` Macedonia '' because it has a province bearing the same name .
A historic deal between the neighbours saw Skopje add `` North '' to its official name last year , ending a decades-old row and opening a path towards joining the European Union .
Thursday 's victory comes as fresh affirmation of the young nation 's place on the map .
`` We have entered Europe , finally !
`` , one fan wrote on social media .
`` This is a result that will be written in sports history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports commentator , told AFP .
`` It represents the fulfilling of the dreams of all generations that dreamt to play in a European championship but did not succeed , '' he added .
Stikov was the official commentator during the first match the Lynxes played under their own flag against Slovenia in 1993 , just after the country declared independence from war-torn Yugoslavia .
Thirty years later , the victory is especially sweet for a nation that has become accustomed to being eclipsed by the other neighbours who emerged from the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular have become a football power , reaching the World Cup final in 2018 .
North Macedonia 's progress was made possible by the squad 's undisputed hero , Pandev .
But at age 38 , the team 's future will ultimately rest on the shoulders of rising stars like Leeds United winger Ezgjan Alioski and attacking midfielder Elif Elmas of Napoli .
Darko Pancev , a striker who was a hero when the team first emerged on the international stage in the early 1990s , urged the players to seize this golden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most difficult period , because when we debuted Macedonia was at the bottom of the rankings , '' Pancev , now a bar owner in Skopje , told AFP .
He also urged the authorities to use seize the qualification to improve football facilities in North Macedonia .
One of Europe 's poorest countries , it has only one UEFA-approved stadium and the budgets of the top clubs rarely reach the million-euro mark .
`` This generation has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to succeed and play against the best in Europe '' , said @ @

Skopje (Republic of North Macedonia) (AFP) –
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The small Balkan state of North Macedonia was over the moon Friday after qualifying for next year's European football championships, a historic victory that goes beyond sport for a country which struggled for decades to have even its name recognised.
Thousands of jubilant fans waving the country's red-and-yellow flag poured into the streets of the capital Skopje Thursday, singing the national anthem and setting off fireworks, after the Red Lynxes beat Georgia 1-0 in a tense playoff final in Tbilisi.
Since gaining independence three decades ago, the country of some two million people had never come close to reaching a major tournament, but were given a chance after UEFA's Nations League offered Europe's minnows a route to Euro 2020, as the tournament postponed due to Covid-19 is still to be called.
On Friday morning, the returning heroes were greeted by fans and members of the government while newspapers ran headlines like "Football Euphoria" and "Skopje Burns".
"Our dream came true," said the team's captain Goran Pandev, the veteran forward who scored the winning goal in the 56th minute.
"The boys deserved this and we are still not fully aware of what we have done. I simply did not believe that at the age of 38 I would qualify for a Euro," added Pandev, a former player for Italian giants Inter Milan who is now with Genoa and is his country's all-time top goal-scorer.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who led the welcome party, hailed the "joy" they team had created.
"One goal for all, one win for all!" he said, celebrating the team's ethnic diversity.
- New name -
North Macedonia, who sat 65th in FIFA's world rankings before the game, now go into Group C alongside the Netherlands, Austria and Ukraine.
Its tournament debut will take place under a slightly different name than previous years.
Until last year, the country competed under the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) -- a workaround to avoid ire from Greece, who never accepted the name "Macedonia" because it has a province bearing the same name.
A historic deal between the neighbours saw Skopje add "North" to its official name last year, ending a decades-old row and opening a path towards joining the European Union.
Thursday's victory comes as fresh affirmation of the young nation's place on the map.
"We have entered Europe, finally!", one fan wrote on social media.
"This is a result that will be written in sports history", Aleksandar Stikov, a veteran sports commentator, told AFP.
"It represents the fulfilling of the dreams of all generations that dreamt to play in a European championship but did not succeed," he added.
- 'Once in a lifetime' -
Stikov was the official commentator during the first match the Lynxes played under their own flag against Slovenia in 1993, just after the country declared independence from war-torn Yugoslavia.
Thirty years later, the victory is especially sweet for a nation that has become accustomed to being eclipsed by the other neighbours who emerged from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Croatia in particular have become a football power, reaching the World Cup final in 2018.
North Macedonia's progress was made possible by the squad's undisputed hero, Pandev.
But at age 38, the team's future will ultimately rest on the shoulders of rising stars like Leeds United winger Ezgjan Alioski and attacking midfielder Elif Elmas of Napoli.
Darko Pancev, a striker who was a hero when the team first emerged on the international stage in the early 1990s, urged the players to seize this golden opportunity.
"My generation had the most difficult period, because when we debuted Macedonia was at the bottom of the rankings," Pancev, now a bar owner in Skopje, told AFP.
He also urged the authorities to use seize the qualification to improve football facilities in North Macedonia.
One of Europe's poorest countries, it has only one UEFA-approved stadium and the budgets of the top clubs rarely reach the million-euro mark.
"This generation has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to succeed and play against the best in Europe", said Pancev.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Biden's possible India links spark genealogical frenzy

The grave of Christopher Biden , a potential ancestor of US President-elect Joe Biden , in Chennai Already bursting with pride at Kamala Harris 's ancestry , India has now started digging up potential local roots for US President-elect Joe Biden .
The next leader of the United States has speculated that he might have had relatives in colonial India .
While there is no proof , the Biden name has become a genealogical target of investigation across the country .
A plaque commemorating 19th-century British ship captain Christopher Biden has been a popular selfie spot in the eastern city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And a Biden family in western India says it has become `` exhausted '' by calls since their namesake staked his claim to the White House .
The American vote has been under the spotlight in India because Biden 's running mate is the daughter of a migrant from Tamil Nadu state .
The 56-year-old Harris has made much of her Indian connections and how she likes to eat `` idli with a really good sambar '' -- typical food from the south .
Less attention has been paid to Biden , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke of possible Indian connections on a trip to Mumbai in 2013 when he was vice president .
Biden said in a speech that he had received a letter from an Indian Biden after becoming a senator in 1972 , suggesting they could be related .
`` One of the first letters I received and I regret I never followed up on it , '' he said .
The letter said their `` mutual , great , great , great , something or other worked for the East India Trading Company back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chennai , capital of Tamil Nadu state , which is also home to Harris 's Indian relatives .
A plaque at St George 's Cathedral in Chennai that celebrates Christopher Biden , born in 1789 , has suddenly become a local tourist draw .
`` We 've come to know the records of two Bidens -- William Biden and Christopher Biden -- who were brothers and became captains of the East India Company on merchant ships in the 19th century , '' the Bishop of Madras , Reverend J. George Stephen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died at an early age , Christopher Biden went on to captain several ships , and eventually settled down in Madras , '' which is now known as Chennai .
Despite the speculation , there has been no confirmation that the Biden brothers are related to the 77-year-old American .
If the president-elect does have an Indian ancestor , Christopher is considered the most likely candidate , according to experts who have studied family records .
There are also Bidens in Mumbai and Nagpur in Maharashtra state who could be descendants of Christopher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Biden who could be the common link .
The media attention has been overwhelming , according to the Maharashtra Bidens .
Indian media has speculated that their late grandfather Leslie wrote to the US politician .
Rowena Biden , a family member in Mumbai , insisted that they were not trying to establish any relationship .
`` We wish Mr. Joe Biden all the best for his new role as president of the USA but we are not trying to establish any connections or linkages , '' she told AFP .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's about it , '' she said .
`` All of us are well-to-do financially and have well-settled lives so we do n't need any gains -- monetary or non-monetary . ''
Rowena Biden said that after the first reports came out about the possible links , `` people started tracking us to our house and everyone in the family had to bear the brunt of it '' .
The `` undue limelight '' had cast a shadow over `` the primacy of Mr. Biden 's win and our privacy as well '' @ @ @ @

Chennai (India) (AFP) –
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Already bursting with pride at Kamala Harris's ancestry, India has now started digging up potential local roots for US President-elect Joe Biden.
The next leader of the United States has speculated that he might have had relatives in colonial India. While there is no proof, the Biden name has become a genealogical target of investigation across the country.
A plaque commemorating 19th-century British ship captain Christopher Biden has been a popular selfie spot in the eastern city of Chennai since the US election.
And a Biden family in western India says it has become "exhausted" by calls since their namesake staked his claim to the White House.
The American vote has been under the spotlight in India because Biden's running mate is the daughter of a migrant from Tamil Nadu state.
The 56-year-old Harris has made much of her Indian connections and how she likes to eat "idli with a really good sambar" -- typical food from the south.
Less attention has been paid to Biden, who has established Irish links. But he spoke of possible Indian connections on a trip to Mumbai in 2013 when he was vice president.
Biden said in a speech that he had received a letter from an Indian Biden after becoming a senator in 1972, suggesting they could be related.
"One of the first letters I received and I regret I never followed up on it," he said.
- Mumbai Bidens lie low -
The letter said their "mutual, great, great, great, something or other worked for the East India Trading Company back in the 1700s".
It sparked excitement in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state, which is also home to Harris's Indian relatives.
A plaque at St George's Cathedral in Chennai that celebrates Christopher Biden, born in 1789, has suddenly become a local tourist draw.
"We've come to know the records of two Bidens -- William Biden and Christopher Biden -- who were brothers and became captains of the East India Company on merchant ships in the 19th century," the Bishop of Madras, Reverend J. George Stephen, told AFP.
"While William Biden died at an early age, Christopher Biden went on to captain several ships, and eventually settled down in Madras," which is now known as Chennai.
Despite the speculation, there has been no confirmation that the Biden brothers are related to the 77-year-old American.
If the president-elect does have an Indian ancestor, Christopher is considered the most likely candidate, according to experts who have studied family records.
There are also Bidens in Mumbai and Nagpur in Maharashtra state who could be descendants of Christopher, one of eight children of a John Biden who could be the common link.
The media attention has been overwhelming, according to the Maharashtra Bidens. Indian media has speculated that their late grandfather Leslie wrote to the US politician.
Rowena Biden, a family member in Mumbai, insisted that they were not trying to establish any relationship.
"We wish Mr. Joe Biden all the best for his new role as president of the USA but we are not trying to establish any connections or linkages," she told AFP.
"We share a last name and that's about it," she said.
"All of us are well-to-do financially and have well-settled lives so we don't need any gains -- monetary or non-monetary."
Rowena Biden said that after the first reports came out about the possible links, "people started tracking us to our house and everyone in the family had to bear the brunt of it".
The "undue limelight" had cast a shadow over "the primacy of Mr. Biden's win and our privacy as well", she said.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Trial to begin over foiled Paris train attack that inspired movie

Spencer Stone ( L ) , Anthony Sadler ( C ) and Alek Skarlatos ( R ) are credited with thwarting the terrorist attack in August 2015 A Moroccan man goes on trial in France on Monday accused of an attempted terror attack on an Amsterdam-Paris train five years ago which was foiled by passengers whose heroic actions were turned into a Hollywood film .
Director Clint Eastwood , 90 , is on the witness list for the trial in Paris , and it is believed his 2018 film `` The 15:17 to Paris '' will serve as a reconstruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 .
Ayoub El Khazzani was tackled by passengers , including two off-duty American servicemen , shortly after emerging bare-chested and heavily armed from a toilet on a Thalys high-speed train .
Some 150 passengers were in the carriage with him .
Khazzani had an AK47 slung over his back , a bag of nearly 300 rounds of ammunition , and appeared to be `` in a trance '' , according to a young Frenchman waiting in the passageway , and the first to try to subdue Khazzani .
Another passenger , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's aid , grabbing Khazzani 's assault rifle .
The attacker took a pistol out of his belt , shot and wounded the professor and reclaimed the AK47 , only to be tackled afresh and disarmed by two American soldiers -- Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos -- who heard the commotion from a neighbouring carriage .
The soldiers were aided by their friend Anthony Sadler , with whom they were backpacking through Europe .
Stone was slashed in the neck and on the eyebrow and almost had his thumb sliced off with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 270 rounds of ammunition on him , enough to kill 300 people , '' according to Thibault de Montbrial , the lawyer for the three Americans hoping to attend the trial at a special anti-terror court from Monday .
According to the lawyer , there was no doubt his clients had prevented a `` mass attack . ''
Khazzani , who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in May 2015 , is charged with `` attempted terrorist murder '' , and will be joined in the dock by three other men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the Americans , who played themselves in Eastwood 's film , wish to attend the trial because they `` want to tell '' their story and `` look into the eyes of the man they faced '' .
However , they may not make it to Paris due to coronavirus restrictions .
The Thalys assault happened in the same year as the January 2015 massacre of staff at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine , the killing of a policewoman , and the deadly hostage siege at the Hyper Cacher market -- which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In November the same year , jihadists armed with assault rifles and explosives struck outside the national stadium , Paris cafes and the Bataclan concert hall , killing 130 people and wounding more than 350 in the deadliest peacetime attack in France 's history .
Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Thalys and November 13 attacks , as well as others in Europe , including the Brussels bombings of March 2016 that killed 32 civilians .
Abaaoud was killed by police in a Paris suburb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packed cafe terraces in Paris on the night of the coordinated November 13 attacks .
The Khazzani trial comes at a time of heightened security alert in France following three attacks blamed on jihadists in a month -- a knife attack outside Charlie Hebdo 's former offices , the beheading of a history teacher , and a deadly stabbing spree at a church in Nice .
`` We must remain calm and rigorous regardless of recent tragedies , '' said Lea Dordilly , a lawyer for co-accused Bilal Chatra , who was 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack .
He was allegedly recruited in Turkey by Abaaoud , and is suspected of being an advance scout for Khazzani in getting into Europe via the migrant trail from Syria .
Khazzani does not deny having boarded the train with the intent of committing an attack , but claims to have had a change of heart at the last minute , too late to avoid the confrontation with the Americans .
His lawyer Sarah Mauger-Poliak claims Khazzani is a changed man who has rejected radical Islamist doctrine and regrets his actions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 17 .

Paris (AFP) –
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A Moroccan man goes on trial in France on Monday accused of an attempted terror attack on an Amsterdam-Paris train five years ago which was foiled by passengers whose heroic actions were turned into a Hollywood film.
Director Clint Eastwood, 90, is on the witness list for the trial in Paris, and it is believed his 2018 film "The 15:17 to Paris" will serve as a reconstruction of the events of August 21, 2015.
Ayoub El Khazzani was tackled by passengers, including two off-duty American servicemen, shortly after emerging bare-chested and heavily armed from a toilet on a Thalys high-speed train.
Some 150 passengers were in the carriage with him.
Khazzani had an AK47 slung over his back, a bag of nearly 300 rounds of ammunition, and appeared to be "in a trance", according to a young Frenchman waiting in the passageway, and the first to try to subdue Khazzani.
Another passenger, a Franco-American professor, came to the Frenchman's aid, grabbing Khazzani's assault rifle.
The attacker took a pistol out of his belt, shot and wounded the professor and reclaimed the AK47, only to be tackled afresh and disarmed by two American soldiers -- Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos -- who heard the commotion from a neighbouring carriage.
The soldiers were aided by their friend Anthony Sadler, with whom they were backpacking through Europe.
Stone was slashed in the neck and on the eyebrow and almost had his thumb sliced off with a box-cutter wielded by Khazzani.
"He had 270 rounds of ammunition on him, enough to kill 300 people," according to Thibault de Montbrial, the lawyer for the three Americans hoping to attend the trial at a special anti-terror court from Monday.
According to the lawyer, there was no doubt his clients had prevented a "mass attack."
Khazzani, who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in May 2015, is charged with "attempted terrorist murder", and will be joined in the dock by three other men accused of helping him.
De Montbrial said the Americans, who played themselves in Eastwood's film, wish to attend the trial because they "want to tell" their story and "look into the eyes of the man they faced".
However, they may not make it to Paris due to coronavirus restrictions.
- 'Remain calm' -
The Thalys assault happened in the same year as the January 2015 massacre of staff at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, the killing of a policewoman, and the deadly hostage siege at the Hyper Cacher market -- which left a total of 17 dead.
In November the same year, jihadists armed with assault rifles and explosives struck outside the national stadium, Paris cafes and the Bataclan concert hall, killing 130 people and wounding more than 350 in the deadliest peacetime attack in France's history.
Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Thalys and November 13 attacks, as well as others in Europe, including the Brussels bombings of March 2016 that killed 32 civilians.
Abaaoud was killed by police in a Paris suburb five days after he shot indiscriminately at packed cafe terraces in Paris on the night of the coordinated November 13 attacks.
The Khazzani trial comes at a time of heightened security alert in France following three attacks blamed on jihadists in a month -- a knife attack outside Charlie Hebdo's former offices, the beheading of a history teacher, and a deadly stabbing spree at a church in Nice.
"We must remain calm and rigorous regardless of recent tragedies," said Lea Dordilly, a lawyer for co-accused Bilal Chatra, who was 19 at the time of the thwarted train attack.
He was allegedly recruited in Turkey by Abaaoud, and is suspected of being an advance scout for Khazzani in getting into Europe via the migrant trail from Syria.
Khazzani does not deny having boarded the train with the intent of committing an attack, but claims to have had a change of heart at the last minute, too late to avoid the confrontation with the Americans.
His lawyer Sarah Mauger-Poliak claims Khazzani is a changed man who has rejected radical Islamist doctrine and regrets his actions.
The trial is scheduled to last until December 17.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--'Captain Chloroquine' seeks superhero win in Brazil vote

Regina Bento Sequeira , a 59-year-old lawyer and city council candidate , will appear on ballots as `` Captain Chloroquine '' After losing eight elections , Regina Bento Sequeira came up with a plan to win a city council seat in Brazil : She reinvented herself as a superhero , `` Captain Chloroquine . ''
The name -- which will actually appear on the ballot for the country 's local elections Sunday -- is a nod to her political idol , far-right President Jair Bolsonaro , who hails chloroquine as a wonder drug against Covid-19 despite a slate of studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial as the hotly debated malaria drug is Brazil 's peculiar practice of allowing candidates to run under pseudonyms like Sequeira 's , a phenomenon that has exploded despite complaints from critics that it detracts from serious politics .
To Sequeira , it is the only way candidates like her -- regular Brazilians without deep pockets -- can hope to get voters ' attention .
She has been crisscrossing Rio de Janeiro in a metallic yellow convertible emblazoned with the nickname and handing out flyers with a picture of herself decked out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to choose her for city council to fight both Covid-19 and corruption .
`` It 's the only way to make my mark .
I do n't work in politics , I do n't have support , I do n't have money .
That 's why I chose this path , '' says Sequeira , 59 , who is a lawyer in her day job .
But she says she has no illusions about her chances .
`` Are you joking ? ''
she says when asked who she thinks will win .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Sunday 's ballots will also feature Superman , Batman , Wonder Woman , Bin Laden , Trump and Obama among the 576,000 candidates vying for some 64,000 posts nationwide .
`` Because there are a lot of candidates , people try to use names that stand out , '' says Natalia Aguiar , a political scientist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais .
`` The phenomenon of irreverent names could be seen as a symptom of a deeper problem : We overvalue individual candidates at the expense of party politics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the vote - Sequeira first ran for public office in 2004 .
She has tried a series of pseudonyms over the years , many of them drawn from her real nickname , Zefa .
In 2016 , the year the augmented reality game Pokemon Go came out , she was `` PokeZefa . ''
In 2010 , she was `` Zefa White , fighting the budget dwarves . ''
In 2008 , she was `` Cave Zefa , '' with a Flintstones-inspired logo , criticizing what she called the Stone Age level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joao de Meriti .
But it was as `` Super Zefa '' in 2006 the she got 5,713 votes , the most yet in her career .
So this year she is trying her luck again as a superhero .
`` Chloroquine was the hot topic of the day '' during candidate registration , she said .
`` Everyone was talking about chloroquine , whether negatively or positively .
That 's exactly what I wanted . ''
Political communication specialist Janaine Aires sees the trend as an extension of Brazil 's culture of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Brazilian culture : We try to have a certain proximity to our interlocutors , '' says Aires , a professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte .
Pseudonymous candidates all hope to mimic the legendary success of Tiririca ( Grumpy ) , a clown elected to Congress in 2010 with the most votes nationwide after running on the slogan , `` It ca n't get any worse . ''
He has since been reelected twice .
But political analysts say it does not always work .
`` There 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage , '' says Aguiar .

Sao Paulo (AFP) –
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After losing eight elections, Regina Bento Sequeira came up with a plan to win a city council seat in Brazil: She reinvented herself as a superhero, "Captain Chloroquine."
The name -- which will actually appear on the ballot for the country's local elections Sunday -- is a nod to her political idol, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who hails chloroquine as a wonder drug against Covid-19 despite a slate of studies finding it is ineffective.
Almost as controversial as the hotly debated malaria drug is Brazil's peculiar practice of allowing candidates to run under pseudonyms like Sequeira's, a phenomenon that has exploded despite complaints from critics that it detracts from serious politics.
To Sequeira, it is the only way candidates like her -- regular Brazilians without deep pockets -- can hope to get voters' attention.
She has been crisscrossing Rio de Janeiro in a metallic yellow convertible emblazoned with the nickname and handing out flyers with a picture of herself decked out in a Captain Marvel outfit, asking voters to choose her for city council to fight both Covid-19 and corruption.
"It's the only way to make my mark. I don't work in politics, I don't have support, I don't have money. That's why I chose this path," says Sequeira, 59, who is a lawyer in her day job.
But she says she has no illusions about her chances.
"Are you joking?" she says when asked who she thinks will win.
"The same ones as always!"
Sunday's ballots will also feature Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Bin Laden, Trump and Obama among the 576,000 candidates vying for some 64,000 posts nationwide.
"Because there are a lot of candidates, people try to use names that stand out," says Natalia Aguiar, a political scientist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
"The phenomenon of irreverent names could be seen as a symptom of a deeper problem: We overvalue individual candidates at the expense of party politics," she told AFP.
- Get out the vote -
Sequeira first ran for public office in 2004.
She has tried a series of pseudonyms over the years, many of them drawn from her real nickname, Zefa.
In 2016, the year the augmented reality game Pokemon Go came out, she was "PokeZefa."
In 2010, she was "Zefa White, fighting the budget dwarves."
In 2008, she was "Cave Zefa," with a Flintstones-inspired logo, criticizing what she called the Stone Age level of development in her hometown, Sao Joao de Meriti.
But it was as "Super Zefa" in 2006 the she got 5,713 votes, the most yet in her career. So this year she is trying her luck again as a superhero.
"Chloroquine was the hot topic of the day" during candidate registration, she said.
"Everyone was talking about chloroquine, whether negatively or positively. That's exactly what I wanted."
- Does it work? -
Political communication specialist Janaine Aires sees the trend as an extension of Brazil's culture of nicknames.
"It's a characteristic of Brazilian culture: We try to have a certain proximity to our interlocutors," says Aires, a professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.
Pseudonymous candidates all hope to mimic the legendary success of Tiririca (Grumpy), a clown elected to Congress in 2010 with the most votes nationwide after running on the slogan, "It can't get any worse."
He has since been reelected twice.
But political analysts say it does not always work.
"There's no evidence this strategy gives candidates an advantage," says Aguiar.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Chileans channel street rage into art at protest museum

People visit the Social Uprising Museum , which exhibits street art from the months of anti-government protests that rocked Chile Awash with multicolored posters , angry graffiti and other symbols of protest -- metal shields , tear gas cartridges -- Santiago 's Museum of Social Uprising is aiming to keep alive the memory of months of deadly demonstrations that have left a lasting mark on Chile .
Months of demonstrations that left more than 30 people dead broke out in October 2019 , initially against rising public transport fares but quickly mushrooming into wider anger at social inequality .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the walls of Santiago were soon screaming their own artistic protest .
The messages of the murals bore the accumulated rage of years of social injustice , but also the hopes of a raft of young Chilean artists for a better future .
Now , with the tumult of the streets quietened , the rage has been preserved at the museum -- located a stone 's throw from Plaza Italia , the epicenter of the uprising .
`` We wanted to create this space to show what was expressed in the street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marcel Sola told AFP .
The museum brings together the work of some 70 street artists , asked to reproduce their protest pieces and assemble assorted objects seen as emblematic of the protests .
They include frescoes that appeared at the height of the demonstrations , one depicting Salvador Allende -- the former socialist leader overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet in 1973 -- wearing a jacket of colored flowers and shaping a heart with his hands .
Another shows a masked angel with the word `` dignity '' inscribed on its forehead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sculpture of the stray dog that became a symbol of the uprising .
A red bandana around its neck , the black dog attained celebrity status during earlier student demonstrations against the police .
Protesters nicknamed the animal `` Negro Matapacos '' -- or Black Cop-Killer .
The museum opened at the beginning of November , just after the referendum in which Chileans voted overwhelmingly to replace the Pinochet-era constitution -- seen as the principal obstacle to fundamental reform .
Even with restricted opening hours due to the coronavirus pandemic , the museum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of them were participants in the events which the exhibits memorialize , moved now as they reflect quietly on the news photos and videos of the protests .
`` I like the warmth I felt when I arrived .
I felt at home .
It gave me a lot of memories and a little bit of grief , '' said Pedro , a 24-year-old musician .
`` I felt like it was a collection of things in the streets , but in very artistic terms , '' said Mailen , a 27-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand out are the metal shields fashioned by the radical `` frontline '' protesters -- hooded youths who , armed with sticks and stones , confronted the riot-police , the water cannon and the tear gas .
For some they were heroes of the demonstrations , for others , vandals .
Other works depict the 460 victims who received serious eye injuries during the protests , mostly from the impact of birdshot or tear gas canisters fired by the riot police .
There are also the pots and pans frantically beaten by ordinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anger heard in countless `` cacerolazo '' protests Those that hang in the museum bear the words : `` Now that we woke up , we must be conscious . ''

Santiago (AFP) –
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Awash with multicolored posters, angry graffiti and other symbols of protest -- metal shields, tear gas cartridges -- Santiago's Museum of Social Uprising is aiming to keep alive the memory of months of deadly demonstrations that have left a lasting mark on Chile.
Months of demonstrations that left more than 30 people dead broke out in October 2019, initially against rising public transport fares but quickly mushrooming into wider anger at social inequality.
As a colorful backdrop to the ugly clashes, the walls of Santiago were soon screaming their own artistic protest. The messages of the murals bore the accumulated rage of years of social injustice, but also the hopes of a raft of young Chilean artists for a better future.
Now, with the tumult of the streets quietened, the rage has been preserved at the museum -- located a stone's throw from Plaza Italia, the epicenter of the uprising.
"We wanted to create this space to show what was expressed in the street during the demonstrations," visual artist Marcel Sola told AFP.
The museum brings together the work of some 70 street artists, asked to reproduce their protest pieces and assemble assorted objects seen as emblematic of the protests.
They include frescoes that appeared at the height of the demonstrations, one depicting Salvador Allende -- the former socialist leader overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet in 1973 -- wearing a jacket of colored flowers and shaping a heart with his hands. Another shows a masked angel with the word "dignity" inscribed on its forehead.
- Pots, pans and tear gas -
The largest piece is Sola's giant sculpture of the stray dog that became a symbol of the uprising. A red bandana around its neck, the black dog attained celebrity status during earlier student demonstrations against the police. Protesters nicknamed the animal "Negro Matapacos" -- or Black Cop-Killer.
The museum opened at the beginning of November, just after the referendum in which Chileans voted overwhelmingly to replace the Pinochet-era constitution -- seen as the principal obstacle to fundamental reform.
Even with restricted opening hours due to the coronavirus pandemic, the museum receives around 150 visitors a day. Many of them were participants in the events which the exhibits memorialize, moved now as they reflect quietly on the news photos and videos of the protests.
"I like the warmth I felt when I arrived. I felt at home. It gave me a lot of memories and a little bit of grief," said Pedro, a 24-year-old musician.
"I felt like it was a collection of things in the streets, but in very artistic terms," said Mailen, a 27-year old saleswoman.
Among the objects that stand out are the metal shields fashioned by the radical "frontline" protesters -- hooded youths who, armed with sticks and stones, confronted the riot-police, the water cannon and the tear gas. For some they were heroes of the demonstrations, for others, vandals.
Other works depict the 460 victims who received serious eye injuries during the protests, mostly from the impact of birdshot or tear gas canisters fired by the riot police.
There are also the pots and pans frantically beaten by ordinary men and women, to make their anger heard in countless "cacerolazo" protests
Those that hang in the museum bear the words: "Now that we woke up, we must be conscious."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Ubisoft Montreal hostage-taking report being probed as hoax: media

Heavy police presence was seen by the Ubisoft office in Montreal in response to what local media said was a possible hostage-taking , but no threat had yet been found A report of a possible hostage-taking at the Montreal offices of French video game company Ubisoft that brought out a massive police response Friday was being investigated as a hoax , said local media .
Canadian broadcasters TVA and Radio-Canada cited unnamed police sources saying what had originally been reported as a hostage situation ultimately turned out to be a prank call from someone inside the building who 'd demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirm the reports .
Authorities had announced on Twitter that the massive deployment started at about 1:30 pm , but offered few details while urging people to `` avoid the area '' near St-Laurent Boulevard and St-Viateur Street in Montreal 's Mile-End neighbourhood , close to downtown .
Authorities later updated in a statement that `` no threat has been detected so far .
No injuries were reported . ''
`` We are currently in contact with the authorities , '' Ubisoft spokesperson Antoine Leduc-Labelle said .
Television images showed the streets around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed officers entering , as well as dozens of Ubisoft workers who appeared to have barricaded themselves on the rooftop .
A company employee reached by telephone told public broadcaster Radio-Canada that about 50 people were led to the rooftop terrace by managers who then barricaded the door leading to the stairwell with furniture .
The staffer said people were cold but in good spirits .
Others were seen by an AFP journalist at the scene being escorted out of the front entrance .
`` Oh my God what the fuck is happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Pope , who was working from home .
`` This is insane .
This is my team on the roof . ''
A police spokesperson told AFP that `` police officers were dispatched to the scene to respond to a 911 call . ''
`` The information has still not been validated , '' the official said , adding that `` officers specializing in this type of intervention are currently on the scene and are carrying out checks . ''
Ubisoft is best known for video game titles such as Tom Clancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Assassin 's Creed .
Some 4,000 people would normally be working at its Montreal offices but many have been teleworking during the Covid-19 pandemic .

Montreal (AFP) –
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A report of a possible hostage-taking at the Montreal offices of French video game company Ubisoft that brought out a massive police response Friday was being investigated as a hoax, said local media.
Canadian broadcasters TVA and Radio-Canada cited unnamed police sources saying what had originally been reported as a hostage situation ultimately turned out to be a prank call from someone inside the building who'd demanded a ransom.
Police would not immediately confirm the reports.
Authorities had announced on Twitter that the massive deployment started at about 1:30 pm, but offered few details while urging people to "avoid the area" near St-Laurent Boulevard and St-Viateur Street in Montreal's Mile-End neighbourhood, close to downtown.
Authorities later updated in a statement that "no threat has been detected so far. No injuries were reported."
About 100 staff were evacuated.
"We are currently in contact with the authorities," Ubisoft spokesperson Antoine Leduc-Labelle said.
Television images showed the streets around the brick building cordoned off and heavily armed officers entering, as well as dozens of Ubisoft workers who appeared to have barricaded themselves on the rooftop.
A company employee reached by telephone told public broadcaster Radio-Canada that about 50 people were led to the rooftop terrace by managers who then barricaded the door leading to the stairwell with furniture.
The staffer said people were cold but in good spirits.
Others were seen by an AFP journalist at the scene being escorted out of the front entrance.
"Oh my God what the fuck is happening," tweeted Ubisoft senior community developer Eric Pope, who was working from home. "This is insane. This is my team on the roof."
A police spokesperson told AFP that "police officers were dispatched to the scene to respond to a 911 call."
"The information has still not been validated," the official said, adding that "officers specializing in this type of intervention are currently on the scene and are carrying out checks."
Ubisoft is best known for video game titles such as Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Far Cry and Assassin's Creed.
Some 4,000 people would normally be working at its Montreal offices but many have been teleworking during the Covid-19 pandemic.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--No. 1 Johnson, No. 3 Thomas eye second major wins at Masters

World number one Dustin Johnson and third-ranked Justin Thomas figure it might take an unusual approach to win the Masters , playing aggressive and tossing out what might normally work .
The US duo shared the clubhouse lead on nine-under par 135 with Australian Cameron Smith and Mexico 's Abraham Ancer in the second round with 48 golfers still to finish on Saturday .
Each player hopes to win the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy for a second major crown , Johnson after his 2016 US Open title and Thomas after his 2017 PGA Championship victory .
Thomas has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a mix of rain-softened conditions and autumn weather requiring some adaptation from lessons learned over time at Augusta National .
`` It 's a lot softer and a lot more scorable , but it really has just come down to executing a little bit better and minimizing the mistakes , '' Thomas said .
`` You really throw all past knowledge out the window , as weird as that is .
`` It 's not like I 'm the only one that has to adjust or may be uncomfortable in certain situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same thing . ''
Johnson , trying to become the first top-ranked Masters winner since Tiger Woods in 2002 , is happy with his shotmaking but figures he must keep an attacking mindset even as the course becomes firmer after showers early in the week .
`` We 're still going to have to go out , '' Johnson said .
`` It 's going to be soft enough to where you 're going to have to attack the course and play aggressive and keep swinging like I am .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like my position .
heading into the weekend . ''
Thomas has gotten better results every year in his four Masters starts , placing 12th last year , and he feels like he has left shots on the course .
`` It 's definitely not as low as I feel like I could or should be , but we 're in good position going into the weekend , '' he said .
`` I know the subtle nuances .
I just simply have n't executed it and performed it well . ''
Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after winning the Tour Championship , has been runner-up in three of the past six majors and will focus on the par-5 holes , hoping his long-driving game helps make the difference .
`` I 'm happy with the way I 'm swinging it , how I 'm controlling the golf ball and everything I 'm doing , '' Johnson said .
`` Rolling the putter good .
Just hopefully can see a few more go in over the weekend .
`` Need to play the par-5s a little bit better over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I need to really do any better . ''

Augusta (United States) (AFP) –
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World number one Dustin Johnson and third-ranked Justin Thomas figure it might take an unusual approach to win the Masters, playing aggressive and tossing out what might normally work.
The US duo shared the clubhouse lead on nine-under par 135 with Australian Cameron Smith and Mexico's Abraham Ancer in the second round with 48 golfers still to finish on Saturday.
Each player hopes to win the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy for a second major crown, Johnson after his 2016 US Open title and Thomas after his 2017 PGA Championship victory.
Thomas has watched shots do unexpected things this week, a mix of rain-softened conditions and autumn weather requiring some adaptation from lessons learned over time at Augusta National.
"It's a lot softer and a lot more scorable, but it really has just come down to executing a little bit better and minimizing the mistakes," Thomas said.
"You really throw all past knowledge out the window, as weird as that is.
"It's not like I'm the only one that has to adjust or may be uncomfortable in certain situations. The entire field is dealing with the same thing."
Johnson, trying to become the first top-ranked Masters winner since Tiger Woods in 2002, is happy with his shotmaking but figures he must keep an attacking mindset even as the course becomes firmer after showers early in the week.
"We're still going to have to go out," Johnson said. "It's going to be soft enough to where you're going to have to attack the course and play aggressive and keep swinging like I am.
"I like where I'm at. I like my position. heading into the weekend."
Thomas has gotten better results every year in his four Masters starts, placing 12th last year, and he feels like he has left shots on the course.
"It's definitely not as low as I feel like I could or should be, but we're in good position going into the weekend," he said. "I know the subtle nuances. I just simply haven't executed it and performed it well."
Johnson, the PGA Player of the Year after winning the Tour Championship, has been runner-up in three of the past six majors and will focus on the par-5 holes, hoping his long-driving game helps make the difference.
"I'm happy with the way I'm swinging it, how I'm controlling the golf ball and everything I'm doing," Johnson said. "Rolling the putter good. Just hopefully can see a few more go in over the weekend.
"Need to play the par-5s a little bit better over the weekend. That's the only thing that I need to really do any better."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Evergreen Langer oldest to make the Masters cut age 63

Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer of Germany became the oldest player to make the cut in tournament history Friday at Augusta National .
The 63-year-old winner of green jackets in 1985 and 1993 finished 36 holes on three-under par 141 after completing a four-under par 68 first round and a second-round 73 .
The projected cut is a Masters record low 143 , with 48 golfers yet to finish their darkness-halted second rounds .
`` To be the oldest to make the cut , it 's certainly an achievement , '' Langer said .
`` Hopefully I get to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
`` It 's certainly not easy to do it . ''
Langer and 62-year-old Larry Mize became the first two over-60 players to shoot below par in the same major round when the 1987 Masters champion opened with a 70 .
Langer says playing the course does n't make him feel younger .
`` No , it actually makes me feel older when I play with these young guys and I see how far they hit it and how short I hit it , '' Langer said .
`` I like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how to get around it , even though I hit very long clubs .
But it 's certainly not easy . ''

Augusta (United States) (AFP) –
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Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer of Germany became the oldest player to make the cut in tournament history Friday at Augusta National.
The 63-year-old winner of green jackets in 1985 and 1993 finished 36 holes on three-under par 141 after completing a four-under par 68 first round and a second-round 73.
The projected cut is a Masters record low 143, with 48 golfers yet to finish their darkness-halted second rounds.
"To be the oldest to make the cut, it's certainly an achievement," Langer said. "Hopefully I get to play a few more years and enjoy this place.
"It's certainly not easy to do it."
Langer and 62-year-old Larry Mize became the first two over-60 players to shoot below par in the same major round when the 1987 Masters champion opened with a 70.
Langer says playing the course doesn't make him feel younger.
"No, it actually makes me feel older when I play with these young guys and I see how far they hit it and how short I hit it," Langer said.
"I like this golf course. I think I know how to get around it, even though I hit very long clubs. But it's certainly not easy."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Hard-hit Central America in crosshairs of another hurricane

With a second major hurricane closing in on more than 30 million people in Central America , Honduras said Friday its army would move thousands to shelters days after deadly storm Eta .
Last week Eta killed at least 200 people in mountainous Nicaragua , Honduras and Guatemala , where storm rains burst river banks and triggered landslides as far north as Chiapas , Mexico .
Now , the US National Hurricane Center in Miami has confirmed what few here could have imagined : another major hurricane .
The NHC forecasts Tropical Storm Iota to become a major hurricane on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , starting in Nicaragua and Honduras late Sunday or early Monday -- less than two weeks after Eta hit the area .
The shock will be significant as Honduras , Nicaragua and Guatemala , whose populations total more than 30 million , have not had time to dry out much less recover from Eta .
`` Our red alert ( in Honduras ) orders mandatory evacuations '' using military and police , Julissa Mercado of Honduras ' Emergency Response Agency , told AFP .
In Honduras some 40,000 people are still in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be extended .
In Guatemala , the National Disaster Response Agency issued warnings for the provinces of Peten , Izabal and Alta Verapaz in the north and northwest , where many mountain villages remain cut off by Eta .
The agency urged people to head to shelters as soon as possible if necessary .
`` Our ground is already oversaturated , '' said Guatemala 's President Alejandro Giammattei .
`` So it 's to be expected that we will have more farming and infrastructure damage , '' he warned after meeting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Guatemala City .
Eta hit the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua as a Category 4 storm , and was one of the strongest November storms ever recorded .
Warmer seas caused by climate change are making hurricanes stronger for longer after landfall , increasing the destruction they can wreak on impact , scientists say .
This year 's hurricane season has seen a record 30 named tropical storms wreak havoc across the southeastern United States , the Caribbean and Central America .
The NHC was even forced to switch to the Greek alphabet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Latin names .

Tegucigalpa (AFP) –
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With a second major hurricane closing in on more than 30 million people in Central America, Honduras said Friday its army would move thousands to shelters days after deadly storm Eta.
Last week Eta killed at least 200 people in mountainous Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, where storm rains burst river banks and triggered landslides as far north as Chiapas, Mexico.
Now, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami has confirmed what few here could have imagined: another major hurricane.
The NHC forecasts Tropical Storm Iota to become a major hurricane on a path right into the same shell-shocked countries, starting in Nicaragua and Honduras late Sunday or early Monday -- less than two weeks after Eta hit the area.
The shock will be significant as Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala, whose populations total more than 30 million, have not had time to dry out much less recover from Eta.
"Our red alert (in Honduras) orders mandatory evacuations" using military and police, Julissa Mercado of Honduras' Emergency Response Agency, told AFP.
In Honduras some 40,000 people are still in shelters, meaning their stays are likely to be extended.
In Guatemala, the National Disaster Response Agency issued warnings for the provinces of Peten, Izabal and Alta Verapaz in the north and northwest, where many mountain villages remain cut off by Eta.
The agency urged people to head to shelters as soon as possible if necessary.
"Our ground is already oversaturated," said Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei.
"So it's to be expected that we will have more farming and infrastructure damage," he warned after meeting his Honduran counterpart, Juan Orlando Hernandez, in Guatemala City.
Eta hit the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua as a Category 4 storm, and was one of the strongest November storms ever recorded.
Warmer seas caused by climate change are making hurricanes stronger for longer after landfall, increasing the destruction they can wreak on impact, scientists say.
This year's hurricane season has seen a record 30 named tropical storms wreak havoc across the southeastern United States, the Caribbean and Central America.
The NHC was even forced to switch to the Greek alphabet after 2020's storms exhausted its list of Latin names.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-14--Lost ball leaves DeChambeau in danger of missing Masters cut

US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau , whose ball-bashing feats had people fearing he would overwhelm Augusta National , is struggling just to make the cut at the Masters .
The bulked-up American , a pre-Masters favorite who said the course played like a par-67 to him instead of a par-72 , lost his ball on the third hole Friday on the way to a triple bogey that has him over the projected record-low 1-under cut line .
`` I 'm a little off , '' DeChambeau told the Golf Channel .
DeChambeau opened with a two-under 70 despite hooking several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to back-to-back closing birdies , and reached 3-under overall with a birdie Friday at the par-5 second .
Then it all fell apart .
DeChambeau blasted his tee shot at the par-4 third into rain-soaked rough and no one could find it .
`` So you 're saying if I ca n't find it , it 's a lost ball ? ''
DeChambeau asked a rules official as the search went on .
He became a victim of the lost ball rule , went back to the tee and started over , ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hole .
The frustration appeared to linger , with DeChambeau making bogeys on the next two holes and following birdies at the par-3 sixth and par-5 eighth with bogeys at the seventh and 10th .
He closed the day with a birdie at the par-3 12th , the 155-yard shortest hole on the course .
DeChambeau drives often go twice as far as the total distance of that hole .
But the birdie left him 1-over with six to play , including the par-5 13th and 15th , and with Augusta National surrendering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeChambeau will need to take full advantage to play the final two rounds .
World number two Jon Rahm of Spain , a playing partner of DeChambeau , said he helped seek the lost ball but few saw hope of finding it .
`` When you have Bryson hitting it as hard as he hits it , it 's kind of hooking with not much spin into a soft area , we were all confident it was pretty buried and it was going to be hard to find , '' Rahm said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of golf do n't let you figure out it 's somewhere there and keep playing .
`` He had to re-tee and I know that affected him a little bit because he did n't play his best golf after that .
`` But he 's a fighter and he 's showing it .
It was just unfortunate . ''

Augusta (United States) (AFP) –
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US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, whose ball-bashing feats had people fearing he would overwhelm Augusta National, is struggling just to make the cut at the Masters.
The bulked-up American, a pre-Masters favorite who said the course played like a par-67 to him instead of a par-72, lost his ball on the third hole Friday on the way to a triple bogey that has him over the projected record-low 1-under cut line.
"I'm a little off," DeChambeau told the Golf Channel.
DeChambeau opened with a two-under 70 despite hooking several tee shots to the left, thanks to back-to-back closing birdies, and reached 3-under overall with a birdie Friday at the par-5 second.
Then it all fell apart.
DeChambeau blasted his tee shot at the par-4 third into rain-soaked rough and no one could find it.
"So you're saying if I can't find it, it's a lost ball?" DeChambeau asked a rules official as the search went on.
He became a victim of the lost ball rule, went back to the tee and started over, ending up with a triple-bogey 7 on the hole.
"Rules are rules," DeChambeau said.
The frustration appeared to linger, with DeChambeau making bogeys on the next two holes and following birdies at the par-3 sixth and par-5 eighth with bogeys at the seventh and 10th.
He closed the day with a birdie at the par-3 12th, the 155-yard shortest hole on the course. DeChambeau drives often go twice as far as the total distance of that hole.
But the birdie left him 1-over with six to play, including the par-5 13th and 15th, and with Augusta National surrendering a record number of sub-par scores, DeChambeau will need to take full advantage to play the final two rounds.
World number two Jon Rahm of Spain, a playing partner of DeChambeau, said he helped seek the lost ball but few saw hope of finding it.
"When you have Bryson hitting it as hard as he hits it, it's kind of hooking with not much spin into a soft area, we were all confident it was pretty buried and it was going to be hard to find," Rahm said.
"It's unfortunate that the rules of golf don't let you figure out it's somewhere there and keep playing.
"He had to re-tee and I know that affected him a little bit because he didn't play his best golf after that.
"But he's a fighter and he's showing it. It was just unfortunate."
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-11-13--UN, AU recommend end of Darfur peacekeeping mission

African Union leaders and the UN recommended ending their joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur Friday , acknowledging the `` positive impact '' that the political transformation in Sudan had on the region .
In a joint report submitted to the UN Security Council , the two bodies recommended that the mission , known as UNAMID , cease as of December 31 .
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and AU chief Moussa Faki , who authored the report , estimated that a withdrawal of the mission from Darfur will take six months , a timeframe that will also depend on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play out .
UNAMID , which has been in operation since 2007 , is comprised of some 8,000 peacekeepers though included up to 16,000 at its peak The report said that the two bodies ' leaders `` acknowledged the positive impact of the political transformation in Sudan on the protection of civilians in Darfur . ''
`` It is further recommended that the international community , especially the UN , the AU and IGAD ( Intergovernmental Authority on Development ) continue to explore , together with the Sudanese authorities , appropriate support measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , '' they said .
The two acknowledged that while armed clashes had subsided following the August 2019 Juba peace talks , they had `` escalated in 2020 . ''
`` Intercommunal conflict also increased in 2019 and into 2020 , '' the report said , noting that crime had `` remained relatively unchanged in 2020 . ''
`` The recent spike in violence in Darfur , albeit not at the scale of the early days of the conflict , highlights the inherent fragility of any major political transition , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to be appointed to a newly formed UN mission created in June to support Sudan 's political transition following last year 's ouster of president Omar al-Bashir .
According to diplomats , Guterres may be inclined to choose a leader from Africa particularly after the withdrawal of a French candidate who was blocked by Russia .
The United Nations says the conflict in the vast Darfur region of western Sudan killed 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million .

United Nations (United States) (AFP) –
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African Union leaders and the UN recommended ending their joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur Friday, acknowledging the "positive impact" that the political transformation in Sudan had on the region.
In a joint report submitted to the UN Security Council, the two bodies recommended that the mission, known as UNAMID, cease as of December 31.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and AU chief Moussa Faki, who authored the report, estimated that a withdrawal of the mission from Darfur will take six months, a timeframe that will also depend on how Covid-19 and the region's rainy season play out.
UNAMID, which has been in operation since 2007, is comprised of some 8,000 peacekeepers though included up to 16,000 at its peak
The report said that the two bodies' leaders "acknowledged the positive impact of the political transformation in Sudan on the protection of civilians in Darfur."
"It is further recommended that the international community, especially the UN, the AU and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) continue to explore, together with the Sudanese authorities, appropriate support measures to sustain peace, security and development efforts," they said.
The two acknowledged that while armed clashes had subsided following the August 2019 Juba peace talks, they had "escalated in 2020."
"Intercommunal conflict also increased in 2019 and into 2020," the report said, noting that crime had "remained relatively unchanged in 2020."
"The recent spike in violence in Darfur, albeit not at the scale of the early days of the conflict, highlights the inherent fragility of any major political transition," the report said.
Meanwhile a leader has yet to be appointed to a newly formed UN mission created in June to support Sudan's political transition following last year's ouster of president Omar al-Bashir.
According to diplomats, Guterres may be inclined to choose a leader from Africa particularly after the withdrawal of a French candidate who was blocked by Russia.
The United Nations says the conflict in the vast Darfur region of western Sudan killed 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million.
© 2020 AFP