france24--2020-09-28--US judge temporarily blocks Trump's ban on TikTok downloads

FILE PHOTO : A picture of U.S. President Donald Trump is seen on a smartphone in front of displayed TikTok @ @ @ @ @ illustration taken September 18 , 2020 .
A US federal judge late Sunday halted a @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app TikTok , hours before it @ @ @ @ @ .
District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok , @ @ @ @ @ called a national security threat alleging that its Chinese parent firm is tied to the @ @ @ @ @ was sealed , so no reason for the decision was released in a one-page order @ @ @ @ @ .
The Trump administration order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight @ @ @ @ @ but would allow use of TikTok until November 12 , when all usage would be @ @ @ @ @ TikTok 's request to suspend the November 12 ban .

TikTok won a last-minute reprieve late Sunday as a US federal judge halted enforcement of a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app, hours before it was set to take effect.
FILE PHOTO: A picture of U.S. President Donald Trump is seen on a smartphone in front of displayed TikTok and WeChat logos in this illustration taken September 18, 2020.
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District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat stemming from its Chinese parent firm's links to the Beijing government.
The opinion was sealed, so no reason for the decision was released in a brief order by the court in Washington.
The Trump administration order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight (0400 GMT Monday) but would allow use of TikTok until November 12, when all usage would be blocked. The judge denied TikTok's request to suspend the November 12 ban.
The decision represents a temporary win for TikTok, which has 100 million US users. But the court has yet to consider the merits of the legal arguments on whether the social platform should remain available to Americans.
TikTok has argued that even a temporary ban would be devastating and cause the company irreparable harm by stunting its growth and hurting its commercial reputation.
For the injunction, Nichols heard arguments on the free-speech and national security implications of the Trump ban on the Chinese-owned app in a rare Sunday telephone hearing.
TikTok lawyer John Hall said a ban would be "punitive" and close off a public forum used by tens of millions of Americans.
In a written brief filed ahead of the hearing, TikTok lawyers said the ban was "arbitrary and capricious" and "would undermine data security" by blocking updates and fixes to the app used by some 100 million Americans.
The company also said the ban was unnecessary because negotiations were already underway to restructure the ownership of TikTok to address national security issues raised by the administration.
Government lawyers argued the president has a right to take national security actions, and said the ban was needed because of TikTok's links to the Chinese government through its parent firm ByteDance.
A government brief called ByteDance "a mouthpiece" for the Chinese Communist Party and said it was "committed to promoting the CCP's agenda and messaging."
"The president determined that (China's) ability to control this data presented an unacceptable threat to the United States's national security and foreign policy," the government argued in its filing.
Implications for internet
An amicus brief filed by Netchoice, a trade group which includes Google, Facebook and Twitter, said a ban could have important implications for the global internet.
"The government's actions are unprecedented in scope," the group said in its filing.
A ban would "also create a dangerous precedent" for the open internet, the brief said.
"The prohibition on any use of TikTok code by US developers for any purpose is effectively a ban on the building blocks of digital free expression."
The trade group said a TikTok ban may be cited by China or other countries "as justification for banning or restricting the activities of US internet businesses, including US-based social media platforms."
Earlier this month, Trump cited national security concerns and issued orders to ban both TikTok and the popular Chinese app WeChat, which has been put on hold in a separate court case in California.
But the TikTok order stops short of a full ban until November 12, giving parent firm ByteDance time to conclude a deal to transfer ownership of the app.
A tentative deal unveiled last weekend would make Silicon Valley giant Oracle the technology partner for TikTok and a stakeholder in a new entity to be known as TikTok Global.
It was unclear if the deal would be approved by Beijing, where some consider the US move an unjustified appropriation of Chinese technology.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-09-28--US judge suspends Trump ban on TikTok downloads

A US judge allowed TikTok to remain available to Americans , giving the popular app a reprieve from a download ban ordered by the Trump administration on national security grounds A US federal judge late Sunday halted a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app TikTok , hours before it was to go into effect .
District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok , which the White House has called a national security threat alleging that its Chinese parent firm is tied to the Beijing government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no reason for the decision was released in a one-page order by the court in Washington .
The Trump administration order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight ( 0400 GMT Monday ) but would allow use of TikTok until November 12 , when all usage would be blocked .
The judge denied TikTok 's request to suspend the November 12 ban .
Nichols heard arguments on the free-speech and national security implications of the Trump ban on the Chinese-owned app in a rare Sunday telephone hearing .
TikTok lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` punitive '' and close off a public forum used by tens of millions of Americans .
In a written brief filed ahead of the hearing , TikTok lawyers said the ban was `` arbitrary and capricious '' and `` would undermine data security '' by blocking updates and fixes to the app used by some 100 million Americans .
The company also said the ban was unnecessary because negotiations were already underway to restructure the ownership of TikTok to address national security issues raised by the administration .
Government lawyers argued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security actions , and said the ban was needed because of TikTok 's links to the Chinese government through its parent firm ByteDance .
A government brief called ByteDance `` a mouthpiece '' for the Chinese Communist Party and said it was `` committed to promoting the CCP 's agenda and messaging . ''
`` The president determined that ( China 's ) ability to control this data presented an unacceptable threat to the United States 's national security and foreign policy , '' the government argued in its filing .

Washington (AFP) –
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A US federal judge late Sunday halted a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app TikTok, hours before it was to go into effect.
District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat alleging that its Chinese parent firm is tied to the Beijing government.
The opinion was sealed, so no reason for the decision was released in a one-page order by the court in Washington.
The Trump administration order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight (0400 GMT Monday) but would allow use of TikTok until November 12, when all usage would be blocked. The judge denied TikTok's request to suspend the November 12 ban.
Nichols heard arguments on the free-speech and national security implications of the Trump ban on the Chinese-owned app in a rare Sunday telephone hearing.
TikTok lawyer John Hall said a ban would be "punitive" and close off a public forum used by tens of millions of Americans.
In a written brief filed ahead of the hearing, TikTok lawyers said the ban was "arbitrary and capricious" and "would undermine data security" by blocking updates and fixes to the app used by some 100 million Americans.
The company also said the ban was unnecessary because negotiations were already underway to restructure the ownership of TikTok to address national security issues raised by the administration.
Government lawyers argued the president has a right to take national security actions, and said the ban was needed because of TikTok's links to the Chinese government through its parent firm ByteDance.
A government brief called ByteDance "a mouthpiece" for the Chinese Communist Party and said it was "committed to promoting the CCP's agenda and messaging."
"The president determined that (China's) ability to control this data presented an unacceptable threat to the United States's national security and foreign policy," the government argued in its filing.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-28--Sri Lanka returns containers of illegal waste to Britain

Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material .
The 21 containers -- holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish -- first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo 's main port between September 2017 and March 2018 , customs told AFP , adding that they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday .
They were meant to carry used mattresses , carpets and rugs , but had also contained hospital waste , officials said .
`` The shipper had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP on Sunday .
`` We are working to secure compensation from those responsible for getting the containers into the country . ''
Customs did not reveal the type of hospital waste , but previous illegally imported containers had included rags , bandages and body parts from mortuaries , according to officials .
Another 242 containers from Britain , which the government said was carrying illegal garbage in violation of international law , remains abandoned at the same port and at a free trade zone outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2018 .
The government is currently engaged in legal action against the shipper to have the 242 containers removed from the country .
A Sri Lankan investigation last year into nearly 3,000 tonnes of illegally imported hazardous waste found the importer had reshipped about 180 tonnes to India and Dubai in 2017 and 2018 .
Several Asian countries , sick of being the wealthy world 's rubbish dump , have in the past two years turned back container-loads of waste from foreign shores .

Colombo (AFP) –
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Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.
The 21 containers -- holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish -- first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo's main port between September 2017 and March 2018, customs told AFP, adding that they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday.
They were meant to carry used mattresses, carpets and rugs, but had also contained hospital waste, officials said.
"The shipper had agreed to take back these 21 containers," customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP on Sunday.
"We are working to secure compensation from those responsible for getting the containers into the country."
Customs did not reveal the type of hospital waste, but previous illegally imported containers had included rags, bandages and body parts from mortuaries, according to officials.
Another 242 containers from Britain, which the government said was carrying illegal garbage in violation of international law, remains abandoned at the same port and at a free trade zone outside the capital.
They arrived in 2017 and 2018.
The government is currently engaged in legal action against the shipper to have the 242 containers removed from the country.
A Sri Lankan investigation last year into nearly 3,000 tonnes of illegally imported hazardous waste found the importer had reshipped about 180 tonnes to India and Dubai in 2017 and 2018.
Several Asian countries, sick of being the wealthy world's rubbish dump, have in the past two years turned back container-loads of waste from foreign shores.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-28--Bills blow big lead but beat Rams 35-32

Bills blow big lead but beat Rams 35-32

Quarterback Josh Allen drove Buffalo 75 yards in the final four minutes for the winning scoring strike as the undefeated Bills rallied to beat the Los Angeles Rams 35-32 on Sunday .
Allen connected with receiver Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds left for his fourth and final touchdown pass of the day at Orchard Park , New York .
He also added a rushing touchdown .
The Rams overcame a 25-point , third-quarter deficit and took a late 32-28 lead before Allen orchestrated the game-winning drive .
The Rams looked set to equal the third-largest comeback in NFL history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scored 29 unanswered points in the second half .
`` Probably just got too relaxed and that 's on me , '' said Allen regarding the loss of the Bills ' big lead .
`` I 've got to be better for our team and our offense . ''
The Rams ' four straight touchdown drives came off two Jared Goff touchdown passes , one Goff run and a one-yard run by Darrell Henderson to give the Rams the lead .
But Allen was able to regroup and rally the Bills as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing yards on the day .
Running back Devin Singletary rushed 13 times for 71 yards while also catching four passes for 50 yards for the Bills , who improved to 3-0 in the young season .
Cole Beasley had six catches for 100 yards , Kroft caught two touchdown passes and Stefon Diggs caught one in the win .
Goff completed 23 of 32 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns .
Henderson had 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown .
`` We were just one step away , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good enough , '' Rams safety John Johnson said .
`` The whole game was a weird game . ''
Also , the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles finished in a 23-23 tie after they played 10 minutes of scoreless overtime in Philadelphia .
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott lined up for a potential game-winning 59-yard field goal with 19 seconds left , but guard Matt Pryor false started on the play which took the them out of field goal range .
They opted to punt instead of trying for a 64-yarder .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 225 yards , one touchdown and two interceptions .
The tie was costly for Philadelphia who lost tight end Dallas Goedert ( ankle ) and wide receiver DeSean Jackson ( hamstring ) to injuries in the first half .
Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow led the Bengals by passing for two touchdowns .
He completed 31 of 44 passes for 312 yards .
The Bengals were led by rookie quarterback Joe Burrow , who finished 31 of 44 for 312 yards and two touchdowns .
Tee Higgins caught both of the touchdown passes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bears came from behind to beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-26 to remain unbeaten after three weeks of the season for the first time in seven years .
Foles completed the rally with a go-ahead , 28-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 1:53 remaining .
Bears safety Tashaun Gipson made an interception on the Falcons ' next drive to seal the victory .

Los Angeles (AFP) –
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Quarterback Josh Allen drove Buffalo 75 yards in the final four minutes for the winning scoring strike as the undefeated Bills rallied to beat the Los Angeles Rams 35-32 on Sunday.
Allen connected with receiver Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds left for his fourth and final touchdown pass of the day at Orchard Park, New York. He also added a rushing touchdown.
The Rams overcame a 25-point, third-quarter deficit and took a late 32-28 lead before Allen orchestrated the game-winning drive.
The Rams looked set to equal the third-largest comeback in NFL history and the biggest in franchise history when they scored 29 unanswered points in the second half.
"Probably just got too relaxed and that's on me," said Allen regarding the loss of the Bills' big lead. "I've got to be better for our team and our offense."
The Rams' four straight touchdown drives came off two Jared Goff touchdown passes, one Goff run and a one-yard run by Darrell Henderson to give the Rams the lead.
But Allen was able to regroup and rally the Bills as he completed 24 of 33 for 311 total passing yards on the day.
Running back Devin Singletary rushed 13 times for 71 yards while also catching four passes for 50 yards for the Bills, who improved to 3-0 in the young season.
Cole Beasley had six catches for 100 yards, Kroft caught two touchdown passes and Stefon Diggs caught one in the win.
Goff completed 23 of 32 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns. Henderson had 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown.
"We were just one step away, and unfortunately in this league that's not good enough," Rams safety John Johnson said. "The whole game was a weird game."
Also, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles finished in a 23-23 tie after they played 10 minutes of scoreless overtime in Philadelphia.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott lined up for a potential game-winning 59-yard field goal with 19 seconds left, but guard Matt Pryor false started on the play which took the them out of field goal range. They opted to punt instead of trying for a 64-yarder.
Quarterback Carson Wentz was 29 of 47 for 225 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
The tie was costly for Philadelphia who lost tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) and wide receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring) to injuries in the first half.
Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow led the Bengals by passing for two touchdowns. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 312 yards.
The Bengals were led by rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, who finished 31 of 44 for 312 yards and two touchdowns. Tee Higgins caught both of the touchdown passes.
Meanwhile, Nick Foles completed three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bears came from behind to beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-26 to remain unbeaten after three weeks of the season for the first time in seven years.
Foles completed the rally with a go-ahead, 28-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 1:53 remaining. Bears safety Tashaun Gipson made an interception on the Falcons' next drive to seal the victory.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Global Covid-19 death toll passes one million

Angelica Mendez , 48 , says goodbye to her mother , Catalina Salazar , 86 , who was struggling to fight the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) and who died later in the day , as a hospital worker looks on at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston , Texas , U.S. , September 8 , 2020 .
Picture taken September 8 , 2020 .
The global death toll from the new coronavirus , which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world , passed one million on Sunday .
The pandemic has ravaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and upended lives , from Indian slums and Brazil 's jungles to America 's biggest city New York .
World sports , live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans , audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home , kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread .
Drastic controls that put half of humanity -- more than four billion people -- under some form of lockdown by April at first slowed its pace , but since restrictions were eased cases have soared again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed 1,000,009 victims from 33,018,877 recorded infections , according to an AFP tally using official sources .
The United States has the highest death toll with more than 200,000 fatalities followed by Brazil , India , Mexico and Britain .
For Italian truck driver Carlo Chiodi those grim figures include both his parents , who he says he lost within days of each other .
`` What I have a hard time accepting is that I saw my father walking out of the house , getting into the ambulance , and all I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Chiodi , 50 .
`` I regret not saying ' I love you ' and I regret not hugging him .
That still hurts me , '' he told AFP .
With scientists still racing to find a working vaccine , governments are again forced into an uneasy balancing act : Virus controls slow the spread of the disease , but they hurt already reeling economies and businesses .
The IMF earlier this year warned that the economic upheaval could cause a `` crisis like no other '' as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit hard by the first wave , is now facing another surge in cases , with Paris , London and Madrid all forced to introduce controls to slow cases threatening to overload hospitals .
Masks and social distancing in shops , cafes and public transport are now part of everyday life in many cities .
Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the World Health Organization has warned virus deaths could even double to two million without more global collective action .
`` One million is a terrible number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before we start considering a second million , '' the WHO 's emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters on Friday .
`` Are we prepared collectively to do what it takes to avoid that number ?
The SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the illness known as Covid-19 made its first known appearance in the central Chinese city of Wuhan , ground zero of the outbreak .
How it got there is still unclear but scientists think it originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another mammal .
Wuhan was shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in disbelief at China 's draconian controls , even as they went about their business as usual .
By March 11 , the virus had emerged in over 100 countries and the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declared a pandemic , expressing concern about the `` alarming levels of inaction . ''
Patrick Vogt , a family doctor in Mulhouse , a city that became the outbreak 's epicentre in France in March , said he realised coronavirus was everywhere when doctors started falling ill , some dying .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really big breathing problems , young and not-so-young who were exhausted , '' he said .
`` We did n't have any therapeutic solutions . ''
Nor did the virus spare the rich or famous this year .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a week in hospital .
Madonna tested positive after a tour of France as did Tom Hanks and his wife who recovered and returned home to Los Angeles after quarantine in Australia .
The Tokyo Olympics , Rio 's famed Carnival and the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca are among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Premier League football has restarted but with empty stadiums .
The French Open tennis tournament is limiting its audiences to 1,000 a day .
Israel has gone into full lockdown again and Moscow 's vulnerable have been ordered to stay home .
As the restrictions tighten , protests and anger are rising as businesses worry about their survival and individuals grow frustrated about their jobs and families in the face of another round of lockdown measures .
Anti-lockdown protesters and police clashed in central London on Saturday as officers dispersed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the last straw -- We were starting to get back on our feet , '' said Patrick Labourrasse , a restaurant owner in Aix-en-Provence , a French city near Marseille which is again being forced to close down bars and restaurants .
Along with the turmoil , though , lies some hope .
The IMF says the economic outlook appears brighter now than it had been in June , even if it remains `` very challenging '' .
Crucially , nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage clinical trials , with hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though questions remain about how and when they will be distributed around the world .

The global death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world, passed one million on Sunday.
Angelica Mendez, 48, says goodbye to her mother, Catalina Salazar, 86, who was struggling to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and who died later in the day, as a hospital worker looks on at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, U.S., September 8, 2020. Picture taken September 8, 2020.
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The pandemic has ravaged the global economy, inflamed geopolitical tensions and upended lives, from Indian slums and Brazil's jungles to America's biggest city New York.
World sports, live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans, audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home, kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread.
Drastic controls that put half of humanity -- more than four billion people -- under some form of lockdown by April at first slowed its pace, but since restrictions were eased cases have soared again.
On Sunday 2230 GMT the disease had claimed 1,000,009 victims from 33,018,877 recorded infections, according to an AFP tally using official sources.
The United States has the highest death toll with more than 200,000 fatalities followed by Brazil, India, Mexico and Britain.
For Italian truck driver Carlo Chiodi those grim figures include both his parents, who he says he lost within days of each other.
"What I have a hard time accepting is that I saw my father walking out of the house, getting into the ambulance, and all I could say to him was 'goodbye'," said Chiodi, 50.
"I regret not saying 'I love you' and I regret not hugging him. That still hurts me," he told AFP.
With scientists still racing to find a working vaccine, governments are again forced into an uneasy balancing act: Virus controls slow the spread of the disease, but they hurt already reeling economies and businesses.
The IMF earlier this year warned that the economic upheaval could cause a "crisis like no other" as the world's GDP collapsed.
Europe, hit hard by the first wave, is now facing another surge in cases, with Paris, London and Madrid all forced to introduce controls to slow cases threatening to overload hospitals.
Masks and social distancing in shops, cafes and public transport are now part of everyday life in many cities.
Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the World Health Organization has warned virus deaths could even double to two million without more global collective action.
"One million is a terrible number and we need to reflect on that before we start considering a second million," the WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters on Friday.
"Are we prepared collectively to do what it takes to avoid that number?
Waking up to Covid-19
The SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the illness known as Covid-19 made its first known appearance in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, ground zero of the outbreak.
How it got there is still unclear but scientists think it originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another mammal.
Wuhan was shut down in January as other countries looked on in disbelief at China's draconian controls, even as they went about their business as usual.
By March 11, the virus had emerged in over 100 countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic, expressing concern about the "alarming levels of inaction."
Patrick Vogt, a family doctor in Mulhouse, a city that became the outbreak's epicentre in France in March, said he realised coronavirus was everywhere when doctors started falling ill, some dying.
"We saw people in our surgery who had really big breathing problems, young and not-so-young who were exhausted," he said. "We didn't have any therapeutic solutions."
Frustrations, protests
Nor did the virus spare the rich or famous this year.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a week in hospital. Madonna tested positive after a tour of France as did Tom Hanks and his wife who recovered and returned home to Los Angeles after quarantine in Australia.
The Tokyo Olympics, Rio's famed Carnival and the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca are among the major events postponed or disrupted by the pandemic. Premier League football has restarted but with empty stadiums. The French Open tennis tournament is limiting its audiences to 1,000 a day.
Israel has gone into full lockdown again and Moscow's vulnerable have been ordered to stay home.
As the restrictions tighten, protests and anger are rising as businesses worry about their survival and individuals grow frustrated about their jobs and families in the face of another round of lockdown measures.
Anti-lockdown protesters and police clashed in central London on Saturday as officers dispersed the thousands at a demonstration.
"This is the last straw -- We were starting to get back on our feet," said Patrick Labourrasse, a restaurant owner in Aix-en-Provence, a French city near Marseille which is again being forced to close down bars and restaurants.
Along with the turmoil, though, lies some hope.
The IMF says the economic outlook appears brighter now than it had been in June, even if it remains "very challenging".
Crucially, nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage clinical trials, with hopes some will be rolled out next year though questions remain about how and when they will be distributed around the world.
(AFP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe


france24--2020-09-27--Global coronavirus death toll passes one million

The global death toll from the new coronavirus , which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world , passed one million on Sunday .
The pandemic has ravaged the global economy , inflamed geopolitical tensions and upended lives , from Indian slums and Brazil 's jungles to America 's biggest city New York .
World sports , live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans , audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home , kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread .
Drastic controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than four billion people -- under some form of lockdown by April at first slowed its pace , but since restrictions were eased cases have soared again .
On Sunday 2230 GMT the disease had claimed 1,000,009 victims from 33,018,877 recorded infections , according to an AFP tally using official sources .
The United States has the highest death toll with more than 200,000 fatalities followed by Brazil , India , Mexico and Britain .
For Italian truck driver Carlo Chiodi those grim figures include both his parents , who he says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What I have a hard time accepting is that I saw my father walking out of the house , getting into the ambulance , and all I could say to him was 'goodbye ' , '' said Chiodi , 50 .
`` I regret not saying ' I love you ' and I regret not hugging him .
That still hurts me , '' he told AFP .
With scientists still racing to find a working vaccine , governments are again forced into an uneasy balancing act : Virus controls slow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt already reeling economies and businesses .
The IMF earlier this year warned that the economic upheaval could cause a `` crisis like no other '' as the world 's GDP collapsed .
Europe , hit hard by the first wave , is now facing another surge in cases , with Paris , London and Madrid all forced to introduce controls to slow cases threatening to overload hospitals .
Masks and social distancing in shops , cafes and public transport are now part of everyday life in many cities .
Mid-September saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the World Health Organization has warned virus deaths could even double to two million without more global collective action .
`` One million is a terrible number and we need to reflect on that before we start considering a second million , '' the WHO 's emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters on Friday .
`` Are we prepared collectively to do what it takes to avoid that number ?
The SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the illness known as Covid-19 made its first known appearance in the central Chinese city of Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How it got there is still unclear but scientists think it originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another mammal .
Wuhan was shut down in January as other countries looked on in disbelief at China 's draconian controls , even as they went about their business as usual .
By March 11 , the virus had emerged in over 100 countries and the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declared a pandemic , expressing concern about the `` alarming levels of inaction . ''
Patrick Vogt , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that became the outbreak 's epicentre in France in March , said he realised coronavirus was everywhere when doctors started falling ill , some dying .
`` We saw people in our surgery who had really big breathing problems , young and not-so-young who were exhausted , '' he said .
`` We did n't have any therapeutic solutions . ''
Nor did the virus spare the rich or famous this year .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a week in hospital .
Madonna tested positive after a tour of France as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered and returned home to Los Angeles after quarantine in Australia .
The Tokyo Olympics , Rio 's famed Carnival and the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca are among the major events postponed or disrupted by the pandemic .
Premier League football has restarted but with empty stadiums .
The French Open tennis tournament is limiting its audiences to 1,000 a day .
Israel has gone into full lockdown again and Moscow 's vulnerable have been ordered to stay home .
As the restrictions tighten , protests and anger are rising as businesses worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about their jobs and families in the face of another round of lockdown measures .
Anti-lockdown protesters and police clashed in central London on Saturday as officers dispersed the thousands at a demonstration .
`` This is the last straw -- We were starting to get back on our feet , '' said Patrick Labourrasse , a restaurant owner in Aix-en-Provence , a French city near Marseille which is again being forced to close down bars and restaurants .
Along with the turmoil , though , lies some hope .
The IMF says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had been in June , even if it remains `` very challenging '' .
Crucially , nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage clinical trials , with hopes some will be rolled out next year though questions remain about how and when they will be distributed around the world .

Paris (AFP) –
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The global death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world, passed one million on Sunday.
The pandemic has ravaged the global economy, inflamed geopolitical tensions and upended lives, from Indian slums and Brazil's jungles to America's biggest city New York.
World sports, live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans, audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home, kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread.
Drastic controls that put half of humanity -- more than four billion people -- under some form of lockdown by April at first slowed its pace, but since restrictions were eased cases have soared again.
On Sunday 2230 GMT the disease had claimed 1,000,009 victims from 33,018,877 recorded infections, according to an AFP tally using official sources.
The United States has the highest death toll with more than 200,000 fatalities followed by Brazil, India, Mexico and Britain.
For Italian truck driver Carlo Chiodi those grim figures include both his parents, who he says he lost within days of each other.
"What I have a hard time accepting is that I saw my father walking out of the house, getting into the ambulance, and all I could say to him was 'goodbye'," said Chiodi, 50.
"I regret not saying 'I love you' and I regret not hugging him. That still hurts me," he told AFP.
With scientists still racing to find a working vaccine, governments are again forced into an uneasy balancing act: Virus controls slow the spread of the disease, but they hurt already reeling economies and businesses.
The IMF earlier this year warned that the economic upheaval could cause a "crisis like no other" as the world's GDP collapsed.
Europe, hit hard by the first wave, is now facing another surge in cases, with Paris, London and Madrid all forced to introduce controls to slow cases threatening to overload hospitals.
Masks and social distancing in shops, cafes and public transport are now part of everyday life in many cities.
Mid-September saw a record rise in cases in most regions and the World Health Organization has warned virus deaths could even double to two million without more global collective action.
"One million is a terrible number and we need to reflect on that before we start considering a second million," the WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters on Friday.
"Are we prepared collectively to do what it takes to avoid that number?
- Waking up to Covid-19 -
The SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the illness known as Covid-19 made its first known appearance in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, ground zero of the outbreak.
How it got there is still unclear but scientists think it originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another mammal.
Wuhan was shut down in January as other countries looked on in disbelief at China's draconian controls, even as they went about their business as usual.
By March 11, the virus had emerged in over 100 countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic, expressing concern about the "alarming levels of inaction."
Patrick Vogt, a family doctor in Mulhouse, a city that became the outbreak's epicentre in France in March, said he realised coronavirus was everywhere when doctors started falling ill, some dying.
"We saw people in our surgery who had really big breathing problems, young and not-so-young who were exhausted," he said. "We didn't have any therapeutic solutions."
- Frustrations, protests -
Nor did the virus spare the rich or famous this year.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a week in hospital. Madonna tested positive after a tour of France as did Tom Hanks and his wife who recovered and returned home to Los Angeles after quarantine in Australia.
The Tokyo Olympics, Rio's famed Carnival and the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca are among the major events postponed or disrupted by the pandemic. Premier League football has restarted but with empty stadiums. The French Open tennis tournament is limiting its audiences to 1,000 a day.
Israel has gone into full lockdown again and Moscow's vulnerable have been ordered to stay home.
As the restrictions tighten, protests and anger are rising as businesses worry about their survival and individuals grow frustrated about their jobs and families in the face of another round of lockdown measures.
Anti-lockdown protesters and police clashed in central London on Saturday as officers dispersed the thousands at a demonstration.
"This is the last straw -- We were starting to get back on our feet," said Patrick Labourrasse, a restaurant owner in Aix-en-Provence, a French city near Marseille which is again being forced to close down bars and restaurants.
Along with the turmoil, though, lies some hope.
The IMF says the economic outlook appears brighter now than it had been in June, even if it remains "very challenging".
Crucially, nine vaccine candidates are in last-stage clinical trials, with hopes some will be rolled out next year though questions remain about how and when they will be distributed around the world.
burs-mbx/pma/jj
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Trump paid no income tax in 10 of the last 15 years, reports the NYT

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown , Pennsylvania , U.S. , September 26 , 2020 .
US President Donald Trump paid just $ 750 in federal income taxes in 2016 , the year he won the election , The New York Times reported Sunday , citing tax return data extending more than 20 years .
It added that he also paid only $ 750 in his first year in the White House , and he had paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he made .
US presidents are not required by law to release details of their personal finances , but every one since Richard Nixon has done so .
Trump has broken with presidential tradition by refusing to release his returns , fighting a long battle in the courts and fueling speculation about what they might contain .
His tax returns , a key talking point in the 2016 election , have been a constant presence during his presidency and ahead of the November 3 election , when Trump is seeking a second term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax data that it had seen `` provides a road map of revelations , from write-offs for the cost of a criminal defense lawyer and a mansion used as a family retreat to a full accounting of the millions of dollars the president received from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow . ''
The records `` reveal the hollowness , but also the wizardry , behind the self-made-billionaire image , '' it added .
Alan Garten , a lawyer for the Trump Organisation , told the paper in response that `` over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid tens of millions of dollars in personal taxes to the federal government , including paying millions in personal taxes since announcing his candidacy in 2015 . ''

President Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017, after years of reporting heavy losses from his business enterprises to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in income, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing tax-return data.
US President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pennsylvania, US, September 26, 2020.
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In a report that Trump dismissed as "fake news," the Times said the Republican president also paid no federal income taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years through 2017, despite receiving $427.4 million through 2018 from his reality television program and other endorsement and licensing deals.
The disclosure of previously private tax information came little more than a month before the Nov. 3 election between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. Democrats were quick to seize on the report to paint Trump as a tax dodger and raise questions about his carefully groomed image as a savvy businessman.
BREAKING: The @nytimes got #Trump’s tax returns. The lede: “Donald J. Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency. In his first year in the White House, he paid another $750.” https://t.co/bAnM4bEKRJ — Douglas Herbert (@dougf24) September 27, 2020
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer took to Twitter to ask Americans to raise their hands if they paid more in federal income tax than Trump.
Calling the report "total fake news" at a White House news conference, Trump again cited an ongoing audit as his reason for not releasing his returns. In a statement to the Times, Alan Garten, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said Trump had paid millions of dollars in personal taxes over the last decade, without weighing in on the specific finding of minimal income taxes.
02:12
Trump's consistent refusal to release his taxes has been a departure from standard practice for presidential candidates. He is currently in a legal battle with New York City prosecutors and congressional Democrats who are seeking to obtain his returns.
He also previously indicated he preferred to minimize his tax bill, saying in a 2016 presidential debate it made him "smart."
🇺🇸🔊🇺🇸 Trump's tax return bombshell might make little or no difference to the US Presidential election. So says our correspondent @ketgorjestani. She tells me why... #USElection2020 #DonaldTrump #F24 pic.twitter.com/UFQUc6N0aU — Stuart Norval (@StuartNorval) September 28, 2020
The Times reported that Trump was able to minimize his tax bill by reporting heavy losses across his business empire. It said he claimed $47.4 million in losses in 2018, despite saying he had income of at least $434.9 million in a financial disclosure that year.
The Times emphasized the documents reveal only what Trump told the government about his businesses, and did not disclose his true wealth.
The Times said it had obtained tax-return data covering over two decades for Trump and companies within his business organization. It did not have information about his personal returns from 2018 or 2019.
The Times also reported that Trump was currently embroiled in a decade-long Internal Revenue Service audit over a $72.9 million tax refund he claimed after declaring large losses. If the IRS rules against him in that audit, he could have to pay over $100 million, according to the newspaper.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-09-27--Ronaldo double rescues a point for Juventus at Roma

Cristiano Ronaldo ( Top R ) rose high to head in the equaliser in Rome .
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to salvage a point for 10-man Juventus in a 2-2 draw at Roma as Napoli hammered Genoa 6-0 in Serie A on Sunday .
Champions Juventus were trailing 2-1 and a man down after an hour at the Stadio Olimpico after a Jordan Veretout brace for the hosts and Adrien Rabiot 's sending off .
But a towering Ronaldo header grabbed the equaliser in the 69th minute to avoid handing new Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo a first defeat .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an important point , '' said Ronaldo .
`` We 're at the start of the season , with a new coach .
But the team are working well , I 'm confident for the future .
`` Pirlo ?
It 's still early days , but we 're working with a smile , that 's important . ''
Edin Dzeko was back in the Roma front line after his move to Juventus fell through , the Bosnian having missed last week 's trip to Verona which ended in a forfeit defeat for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player .
Instead new Juventus signing Alvaro Morata got his first start after his move from Atletico Madrid earlier this week .
But the champions were pushed hard by the hosts with Veretout opening from the spot in the 31st minute after a Rabiot handball .
The French midfielder added a second shortly before the break just after Ronaldo had equalised for the first time .
Another handball , this time Lorenzo Pellegrini 's , resulted in Juventus being awarded a penalty allowing Ronaldo to slot in .
The Portuguese got his second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head met a Danilo cross seven minutes after Rabiot was sent off for a second yellow card .
`` Ronaldo gives us a lot , not just for the goals , in the end when we were down a man he ran a lot , '' said Pirlo .
`` We have taken a step back but we are a team under construction .
`` Unfortunately , we did n't have time to test game solutions in the pre-season , so we have to do these tests during these matches .
`` Nevertheless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Roma coach Paulo Fonseca added : `` We had a good match , but I 'm not satisfied with the result . ''
Hirving Lozano scored twice as Napoli swept past coronavirus-hit Genoa while AC Milan continued their winning run without Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a 2-0 victory against promoted Crotone .
`` The result is a bit misleading , if we had n't scored the second goal quickly in the second half , I would probably have changed the set-up , '' said coach Gennaro Gattuso .
`` In the first half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lot of opportunities , we almost conceded a goal .
We lacked a little balance , we still have to improve . ''
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen got his first start for Napoli , having come off the bench to lift the southerners past Parma in their opener last week .
Club-record signing Osimhen again impressed against a Genoa side playing without first-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin , who tested positive for coronavirus .
Mexican forward Lozano fired Napoli ahead in the 10th minute in the Stadio San Paolo .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zielinski latching onto a clever Osimhen back-heel flick for the second just seconds after the restart .
Zielinski then helped set up Dries Mertens for the third just before the hour mark before Lozano again struck following a mix-up in the Genoa defence .
Substitute Matteo Politano curled in the sixth with 20 minutes to go to give Napoli a maximum six points after their first two matches .
The only bad news for Gattuso was Lorenzo Insigne limping off with a left thigh injury ahead of their clash at champions Juventus next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ibrahimovic who tested positive for COVID-19 , also have injury woes after Croatian striker Ante Rebic fell badly on his left arm .
Franck Kessie scored their first goal from the penalty spot just before the break after a foul on Rebic , with Spaniard Brahim Diaz , on loan from Real Madrid , adding a second four minutes later .
`` The good news is there is no fracture , this decreases the recovery time , '' said coach Stefano Pioli of Rebic .

Milan (AFP) –
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to salvage a point for 10-man Juventus in a 2-2 draw at Roma as Napoli hammered Genoa 6-0 in Serie A on Sunday.
Champions Juventus were trailing 2-1 and a man down after an hour at the Stadio Olimpico after a Jordan Veretout brace for the hosts and Adrien Rabiot's sending off.
But a towering Ronaldo header grabbed the equaliser in the 69th minute to avoid handing new Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo a first defeat.
"Going behind complicated things but we got an important point," said Ronaldo.
"We're at the start of the season, with a new coach. But the team are working well, I'm confident for the future.
"Pirlo? It's still early days, but we're working with a smile, that's important."
Edin Dzeko was back in the Roma front line after his move to Juventus fell through, the Bosnian having missed last week's trip to Verona which ended in a forfeit defeat for the capital side for fielding an unregistered player.
Instead new Juventus signing Alvaro Morata got his first start after his move from Atletico Madrid earlier this week.
But the champions were pushed hard by the hosts with Veretout opening from the spot in the 31st minute after a Rabiot handball.
The French midfielder added a second shortly before the break just after Ronaldo had equalised for the first time.
Another handball, this time Lorenzo Pellegrini's, resulted in Juventus being awarded a penalty allowing Ronaldo to slot in.
The Portuguese got his second with 20 minutes to go when his head met a Danilo cross seven minutes after Rabiot was sent off for a second yellow card.
"Ronaldo gives us a lot, not just for the goals, in the end when we were down a man he ran a lot," said Pirlo.
"We have taken a step back but we are a team under construction.
"Unfortunately, we didn't have time to test game solutions in the pre-season, so we have to do these tests during these matches.
"Nevertheless, it is a point gained."
Roma coach Paulo Fonseca added: "We had a good match, but I'm not satisfied with the result."
- 'A bit misleading' -
Hirving Lozano scored twice as Napoli swept past coronavirus-hit Genoa while AC Milan continued their winning run without Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a 2-0 victory against promoted Crotone.
"The result is a bit misleading, if we hadn't scored the second goal quickly in the second half, I would probably have changed the set-up," said coach Gennaro Gattuso.
"In the first half, we suffered a bit, even with a lot of opportunities, we almost conceded a goal. We lacked a little balance, we still have to improve."
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen got his first start for Napoli, having come off the bench to lift the southerners past Parma in their opener last week.
Club-record signing Osimhen again impressed against a Genoa side playing without first-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin, who tested positive for coronavirus.
Mexican forward Lozano fired Napoli ahead in the 10th minute in the Stadio San Paolo.
After the break it was one-way traffic with Piotr Zielinski latching onto a clever Osimhen back-heel flick for the second just seconds after the restart.
Zielinski then helped set up Dries Mertens for the third just before the hour mark before Lozano again struck following a mix-up in the Genoa defence.
Substitute Matteo Politano curled in the sixth with 20 minutes to go to give Napoli a maximum six points after their first two matches.
The only bad news for Gattuso was Lorenzo Insigne limping off with a left thigh injury ahead of their clash at champions Juventus next week.
Milan meanwhile, without star Ibrahimovic who tested positive for COVID-19, also have injury woes after Croatian striker Ante Rebic fell badly on his left arm.
Franck Kessie scored their first goal from the penalty spot just before the break after a foul on Rebic, with Spaniard Brahim Diaz, on loan from Real Madrid, adding a second four minutes later.
"The good news is there is no fracture, this decreases the recovery time," said coach Stefano Pioli of Rebic.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--In reversal, Brazil court allows virus-hit Flamengo match

Ze Rafael of Palmeiras is grabbed by Flamengo 's Guilherme Bala in a Brazilian Championship football match that only went ahead afer a judge ordered Flamengo to play In a last-minute ruling , a Brazilian court overturned an earlier decision and allowed a league match featuring top club Flamengo to go ahead Sunday , despite 19 players testing positive for coronavirus .
The ruling , which came 10 minutes before kickoff , was the latest twist in a dramatic saga around the match between Rio de Janeiro-based Flamengo , the reigning Brazilian league and South American champions , and Sao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call up a raft of emergency substitutes from their under-20 side , Flamengo managed to hold their rivals to a 1-1 draw .
On Saturday , the labor court for the state of Rio de Janeiro suspended the fixture , ruling it was impossible to guarantee that more Flamengo players and staff were not infected .
But the Brazilian Football Confederation appealed , arguing the outbreak at Flamengo was `` an isolated incident that can not be attributed to the Brazilian Football Championship . ''
Federal labor judge Vieira de Mello Filho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` exceeded the limits of its jurisdiction , '' given that the match was being played in Sao Paulo .
Both clubs had already headed to the stadium in case the match went ahead .
Flamengo , Brazil 's wealthiest club , had joined far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in pushing for the resumption of play after football was suspended for the pandemic .
But when hit by a massive outbreak of Covid-19 , they changed their tune , seeking to have the Palmeiras match postponed .
Flamengo were already forced to use multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ecuadoran club Barcelona Tuesday for the Copa Libertadores , after seven players tested positive for the virus , where the Brazilian club nevertheless won 2-1 .
They faced a flurry of criticism when pictures emerged showing players socializing onboard the club plane without face masks , even as more positive test results rolled in .
In addition to the 19 infected players , 17 Flamengo employees have tested positive , including Spanish coach Domenec Torrent and the club 's president , Rodolfo Landim .
Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 140,000 people killed and 4.7 million infected .
Football returned to Brazil in June with closed-door matches after a three-month hiatus for the pandemic , the first South American country to resume play .

Sao Paulo (AFP) –
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In a last-minute ruling, a Brazilian court overturned an earlier decision and allowed a league match featuring top club Flamengo to go ahead Sunday, despite 19 players testing positive for coronavirus.
The ruling, which came 10 minutes before kickoff, was the latest twist in a dramatic saga around the match between Rio de Janeiro-based Flamengo, the reigning Brazilian league and South American champions, and Sao Paulo side Palmeiras.
Despite being forced to call up a raft of emergency substitutes from their under-20 side, Flamengo managed to hold their rivals to a 1-1 draw.
The match almost didn't happen.
On Saturday, the labor court for the state of Rio de Janeiro suspended the fixture, ruling it was impossible to guarantee that more Flamengo players and staff were not infected.
But the Brazilian Football Confederation appealed, arguing the outbreak at Flamengo was "an isolated incident that cannot be attributed to the Brazilian Football Championship."
Federal labor judge Vieira de Mello Filho ruled the Rio de Janeiro court had "exceeded the limits of its jurisdiction," given that the match was being played in Sao Paulo.
Both clubs had already headed to the stadium in case the match went ahead.
Flamengo, Brazil's wealthiest club, had joined far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in pushing for the resumption of play after football was suspended for the pandemic.
But when hit by a massive outbreak of Covid-19, they changed their tune, seeking to have the Palmeiras match postponed.
Flamengo were already forced to use multiple substitutes at their last match, against Ecuadoran club Barcelona Tuesday for the Copa Libertadores, after seven players tested positive for the virus, where the Brazilian club nevertheless won 2-1.
They faced a flurry of criticism when pictures emerged showing players socializing onboard the club plane without face masks, even as more positive test results rolled in.
In addition to the 19 infected players, 17 Flamengo employees have tested positive, including Spanish coach Domenec Torrent and the club's president, Rodolfo Landim.
Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the pandemic, after the United States, with more than 140,000 people killed and 4.7 million infected.
Football returned to Brazil in June with closed-door matches after a three-month hiatus for the pandemic, the first South American country to resume play.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Messi scores iin first game since transfer dispute as Barca thump Villarreal

Lionel Messi was all smiles on Sunday despite trying to leave Barcelona in the close season Lionel Messi scored in his first game since trying to leave Barcelona as Ronald Koeman began his tenure as coach by overseeing a 4-0 La Liga demolition of Villarreal on Sunday .
Messi converted from the spot 10 minutes before half-time and it was the Argentinian 's cross that then forced Pau Torres into an own-goal , after an early double from the 17-year-old Ansu Fati had already put Barca in charge .
It meant Barcelona 's past , present and future were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Luis Suarez , whose departure was confirmed on Thursday , marked his Atletico Madrid debut by scoring twice in a 6-1 win over Granada .
In a farewell message to his best friend and former neighbour last week , Messi took another swipe at the Barca board by saying he was not surprised by the clumsy way Suarez 's exit had been handled .
His complaints raised doubts about his state of mind heading into the new season and at the end of a traumatic summer in which Barcelona 's greatest ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay against his will .
But Koeman insisted on Saturday that Messi had been `` leading by example '' in training and his confidence was repaid at Camp Nou , where the striker , and still club-captain , delivered an excellent display .
Messi 's anger over Suarez shows he is still at odds with Barcelona 's president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his long-term future remains uncertain , but on the pitch , for now at least , he seems ready to deliver .
Victories and goals could encourage him to stay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who on this evidence can be a huge asset for his captain and his team 's hopes of winning back the title .
Fati became Spain 's youngest ever scorer earlier this month and the teenager , deployed on the left of the attacking trio , has now made an explosive start to the season for his club .
He fired Jordi Alba 's pull-back into the top corner and then drove a second inside the post after Philippe Coutinho was allowed to carry the ball forward and spread it wide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet too quick for Mario Gaspar , and Messi slid in his first goal of the season before his cross , aimed for Sergio Busquets , was poked into Villarreal 's net by Pau .
Messi might have been watching on a few hours earlier as Suarez scored twice and set up another in a senasational 20-minute debut for Atletico .
Suarez laid on a goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute , his sumptuous pass finished off by Marcos Llorente , before scoring himself with a powerful header at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in injury-time , following up his own shot to make it six for a rampant Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano .

Madrid (AFP) –
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Lionel Messi scored in his first game since trying to leave Barcelona as Ronald Koeman began his tenure as coach by overseeing a 4-0 La Liga demolition of Villarreal on Sunday.
Messi converted from the spot 10 minutes before half-time and it was the Argentinian's cross that then forced Pau Torres into an own-goal, after an early double from the 17-year-old Ansu Fati had already put Barca in charge.
It meant Barcelona's past, present and future were all amongst the goals on the same afternoon as Luis Suarez, whose departure was confirmed on Thursday, marked his Atletico Madrid debut by scoring twice in a 6-1 win over Granada.
In a farewell message to his best friend and former neighbour last week, Messi took another swipe at the Barca board by saying he was not surprised by the clumsy way Suarez's exit had been handled.
His complaints raised doubts about his state of mind heading into the new season and at the end of a traumatic summer in which Barcelona's greatest ever player admitted he was being forced to stay against his will.
But Koeman insisted on Saturday that Messi had been "leading by example" in training and his confidence was repaid at Camp Nou, where the striker, and still club-captain, delivered an excellent display.
Messi's anger over Suarez shows he is still at odds with Barcelona's president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his long-term future remains uncertain, but on the pitch, for now at least, he seems ready to deliver.
Victories and goals could encourage him to stay, not to mention the incredibly talented Fati, who on this evidence can be a huge asset for his captain and his team's hopes of winning back the title.
Fati became Spain's youngest ever scorer earlier this month and the teenager, deployed on the left of the attacking trio, has now made an explosive start to the season for his club.
He fired Jordi Alba's pull-back into the top corner and then drove a second inside the post after Philippe Coutinho was allowed to carry the ball forward and spread it wide.
Fati then won the penalty, his feet too quick for Mario Gaspar, and Messi slid in his first goal of the season before his cross, aimed for Sergio Busquets, was poked into Villarreal's net by Pau.
Messi might have been watching on a few hours earlier as Suarez scored twice and set up another in a senasational 20-minute debut for Atletico.
Suarez laid on a goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute, his sumptuous pass finished off by Marcos Llorente, before scoring himself with a powerful header at the back post.
He then added another in injury-time, following up his own shot to make it six for a rampant Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--'King James' has Lakers eyeing return to NBA throne

LeBron James arrived in Los Angeles vowing to restore the Lakers to NBA glory , and `` King James '' plans to make good on that promise .
His 38-point triple-double propelled the Lakers to victory over the Denver Nuggets in game five of the Western Conference finals and back into the NBA championship series for a record 32nd time .
`` This is what I came here for , '' James said .
`` I heard all the conversations and everything that was said about why did I decide to come to LA ( that ) the reason I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about basketball .
`` All those conversations , just naysayers and things of that nature .
I understood that , with the season I had last year and my injury , it just gave them more sticks and more wood to throw in the fire to continue to say the things that they would say about me .
`` But it never stopped my journey and never stopped my mindset and never stopped my goal . ''
The Lakers were floundering when James arrived in 2018 .
They had n't reached the NBA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most recent of their 16 championships .
In the five seasons before James opted for Los Angeles as a free agent , the Lakers won the fewest games in the NBA .
James had reached eight consecutive finals , winning NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 with Miami and 2016 with Cleveland .
But his first season did n't go according to the Hollywood script .
A groin strain James suffered in December of 2018 lingered , he missed 27 games and the Lakers missed the playoffs for just the third time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the finals with a third team , just the fourth player to reach the championship series for a 10th time , joining Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ( 10 ) and Sam Jones ( 11 ) and Bill Russell ( 12 ) of Boston Celtics of the 1950s-60s .
James was ready to acknowledge the moment while already looking ahead .
`` Job not done , '' he tweeted , having told a television interviewer as the confetti fell in the quarantine bubble in Orlando , Florida : `` I 've got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against Denver on Saturday , squashing any hopes the Nuggets harbored of mounting the kind of miraculous comebacks they produced in each of their first two playoff series .
`` You ca n't tell me that LeBron James is not the MVP of the league with a 38-16-10 performance tonight to lead the @ Lakers to the NBA Finals ! ''
Lakers icon Magic Johnson tweeted , reviving the debate over the award given to Milwaukee 's Giannis Antetokounmpo -- whose Bucks were ousted in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My teammates said bring us home , and it 's my responsibility to try to make the right plays and do the right things out on the floor to help us win ball games , '' he said .
`` We have a few guys on our team that have never been to the finals before .
So I took that responsibility as well .
And my shoulders are wide enough to carry a lot of loads . ''
They have had to since he arrived in Los Angeles .
James , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has been vocal as protests against racial injustice and police brutality have swept across the United States this year .
In a season turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic , the Lakers have coped bearing the additional sadness of the death of team great Kobe Bryant , who was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in January .
But as he sat quietly on the court amid Saturday 's post-game celebrations , James was looking ahead more than he was looking back , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foe in the finals .
A finals against the Miami Heat would pit James against a team where he once starred , while a matchup with Boston will pit the Lakers against a Celtics team whose record of 17 NBA titles they are trying to match .
`` Boston had a few moments in my head , and Miami had a few moments in my head as well , '' James said .
`` Whoever wins that series and how challenging that 's going to be .
As he headed to the locker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star-quality skills have been rewarded with a trip the finals for a first time after his years of frustration in New Orleans -- James was already counseling his teammates on exactly where they stand .
`` One step closer to the goal , '' he said .

Miami (AFP) –
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LeBron James arrived in Los Angeles vowing to restore the Lakers to NBA glory, and "King James" plans to make good on that promise.
His 38-point triple-double propelled the Lakers to victory over the Denver Nuggets in game five of the Western Conference finals and back into the NBA championship series for a record 32nd time.
"This is what I came here for," James said. "I heard all the conversations and everything that was said about why did I decide to come to LA (that) the reason I came to LA, it was not about basketball.
"All those conversations, just naysayers and things of that nature. I understood that, with the season I had last year and my injury, it just gave them more sticks and more wood to throw in the fire to continue to say the things that they would say about me.
"But it never stopped my journey and never stopped my mindset and never stopped my goal."
The Lakers were floundering when James arrived in 2018.
They hadn't reached the NBA Finals since 2010 -- when they secured the most recent of their 16 championships.
In the five seasons before James opted for Los Angeles as a free agent, the Lakers won the fewest games in the NBA.
James had reached eight consecutive finals, winning NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 with Miami and 2016 with Cleveland.
But his first season didn't go according to the Hollywood script. A groin strain James suffered in December of 2018 lingered, he missed 27 games and the Lakers missed the playoffs for just the third time in his career.
Now he's in the finals with a third team, just the fourth player to reach the championship series for a 10th time, joining Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) and Sam Jones (11) and Bill Russell (12) of Boston Celtics of the 1950s-60s.
James was ready to acknowledge the moment while already looking ahead.
"Job not done," he tweeted, having told a television interviewer as the confetti fell in the quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida: "I've got to get it done."
James had scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against Denver on Saturday, squashing any hopes the Nuggets harbored of mounting the kind of miraculous comebacks they produced in each of their first two playoff series.
"You can't tell me that LeBron James is not the MVP of the league with a 38-16-10 performance tonight to lead the @Lakers to the NBA Finals!" Lakers icon Magic Johnson tweeted, reviving the debate over the award given to Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo -- whose Bucks were ousted in the Eastern Conference semi-finals by Miami.
- Wide shoulders -
"My teammates said bring us home, and it's my responsibility to try to make the right plays and do the right things out on the floor to help us win ball games," he said.
"We have a few guys on our team that have never been to the finals before. So I took that responsibility as well. And my shoulders are wide enough to carry a lot of loads."
They have had to since he arrived in Los Angeles. James, who has never fought shy of social activism, has been vocal as protests against racial injustice and police brutality have swept across the United States this year.
In a season turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lakers have coped bearing the additional sadness of the death of team great Kobe Bryant, who was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in January.
But as he sat quietly on the court amid Saturday's post-game celebrations, James was looking ahead more than he was looking back, pondering the Lakers' potential Eastern Conference foe in the finals.
A finals against the Miami Heat would pit James against a team where he once starred, while a matchup with Boston will pit the Lakers against a Celtics team whose record of 17 NBA titles they are trying to match.
"Boston had a few moments in my head, and Miami had a few moments in my head as well," James said. "Whoever wins that series and how challenging that's going to be.
As he headed to the locker room with teammate Anthony Davis -- whose star-quality skills have been rewarded with a trip the finals for a first time after his years of frustration in New Orleans -- James was already counseling his teammates on exactly where they stand.
"One step closer to the goal," he said.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Three talking points from the Premier League

Leicester stormed back to the top of the Premier League table by scoring five against a Pep Guardiola team for the first time in the Catalan 's coaching career as Manchester City 's title challenge hit an early stumbling block in a 5-2 defeat .
City conceded three penalties , but none of them were as controversial as the ones that cost Tottenham and Crystal Palace to spark more debate over the new interpretation of the handball rule in the Premier League .
Champions Liverpool are not in action until Monday when they host Arsenal , but on top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fear from what Chelsea and Manchester United showed on Saturday .
AFP Sports looks at three things we learned from the Premier League weekend .
The Premier League 's adoption of a new interpretation of what constitutes handball is causing consternation just three weeks in .
Tottenham and Palace were the big losers this weekend , but there is already a consensus among coaches that something needs to be done now to prevent farcical scenes from continuing all season .
Joel Ward was harshly penalised for Everton 's winner in a 2-1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roy Hodgson despairing for the game he 's been involved in for over 50 years .
`` I find it very disappointing that the game I love and believe in is being reduced to this level , '' said Hodgson .
`` I have despair about a rule that I believe is ruining the game of football . ''
Hodgson has support in Newcastle boss Steve Bruce , even though his side benefitted to snatch a 1-1 draw at Tottenham thanks to Callum Wilson 's 97th-minute penalty .
`` I can understand why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reacted like he did .
It is a total nonsense , '' said Bruce .
`` We should be jumping through hoops , but I would be devastated if that was us . ''
In his 686th game as a manager with City , Bayern Munich and Barcelona , Guardiola was hit for five as his side collapsed when faced with the pace and cunning of Jamie Vardy on the counter-attack .
Vardy scored a hat-trick to take his tally to nine in five seasons against Guardiola 's side , leaving huge question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite the signing of Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake , City looked even worse at the back than last season as Kyle Walker , Eric Garcia and Benjamin Mendy all conceded rash penalties .
According to reports , Benfica centre-half Ruben Dias is heading for Manchester , while Aymeric Laporte 's return after testing positive for coronavirus will come as a huge relief .
But the arrival of Dias could take Guardiola 's spending on defenders alone at City to £400 million .
The Catalan has been unable to get the best out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and many others and the pressure is on him to turn to his coaching , rather than just the club 's cheque book , for solutions .
Chelsea 's huge investment in the transfer market and Manchester United 's fine Premier League form since the January window closed had led to hopes of a four-way title race this season after three years of dominance from Liverpool and City .
However , on the evidence of the first few weeks , Chelsea and United remain far from challengers .
Frank Lampard 's Blues should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new signings fit and bedded into the team , most notably in goal with Edouard Mendy not involved for a 3-3 at West Brom after completing his move from Rennes on Thursday .
But Chelsea still have problems to address in defence , where 36-year-old Thiago Silva 's form raised questions whether the Brazilian can be the solution at centre-back .
United escaped with all three points thanks to a handball penalty awarded after the final whistle at Brighton to win 3-2 .
But even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his side barely deserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a game in which Brighton hit the woodwork five times and were unfortunate to see a penalty overturned on a VAR review .
There are also extenuating circumstances for the Red Devils after a short pre-season , but they too remain leaky at the back with no sign of a new left-back or centre-back just over a week before the transfer window closes .

London (AFP) –
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Leicester stormed back to the top of the Premier League table by scoring five against a Pep Guardiola team for the first time in the Catalan's coaching career as Manchester City's title challenge hit an early stumbling block in a 5-2 defeat.
City conceded three penalties, but none of them were as controversial as the ones that cost Tottenham and Crystal Palace to spark more debate over the new interpretation of the handball rule in the Premier League.
Champions Liverpool are not in action until Monday when they host Arsenal, but on top of City's collapse there was also little to fear from what Chelsea and Manchester United showed on Saturday.
AFP Sports looks at three things we learned from the Premier League weekend.
Hand-wringing over handball
The Premier League's adoption of a new interpretation of what constitutes handball is causing consternation just three weeks in.
Tottenham and Palace were the big losers this weekend, but there is already a consensus among coaches that something needs to be done now to prevent farcical scenes from continuing all season.
Joel Ward was harshly penalised for Everton's winner in a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park leaving Palace manager Roy Hodgson despairing for the game he's been involved in for over 50 years.
"I find it very disappointing that the game I love and believe in is being reduced to this level," said Hodgson. "I have despair about a rule that I believe is ruining the game of football."
Hodgson has support in Newcastle boss Steve Bruce, even though his side benefitted to snatch a 1-1 draw at Tottenham thanks to Callum Wilson's 97th-minute penalty.
"I can understand why Spurs will go berserk and Roy Hodgson reacted like he did. It is a total nonsense," said Bruce. "We should be jumping through hoops, but I would be devastated if that was us."
No case for Man City defence
In his 686th game as a manager with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Guardiola was hit for five as his side collapsed when faced with the pace and cunning of Jamie Vardy on the counter-attack.
Vardy scored a hat-trick to take his tally to nine in five seasons against Guardiola's side, leaving huge question marks over City's title challenge.
Despite the signing of Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake, City looked even worse at the back than last season as Kyle Walker, Eric Garcia and Benjamin Mendy all conceded rash penalties.
According to reports, Benfica centre-half Ruben Dias is heading for Manchester, while Aymeric Laporte's return after testing positive for coronavirus will come as a huge relief.
But the arrival of Dias could take Guardiola's spending on defenders alone at City to £400 million.
The Catalan has been unable to get the best out of John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Mendy and many others and the pressure is on him to turn to his coaching, rather than just the club's cheque book, for solutions.
Chelsea, Man Utd far from challengers
Chelsea's huge investment in the transfer market and Manchester United's fine Premier League form since the January window closed had led to hopes of a four-way title race this season after three years of dominance from Liverpool and City.
However, on the evidence of the first few weeks, Chelsea and United remain far from challengers.
Frank Lampard's Blues should markedly improve once they have all their new signings fit and bedded into the team, most notably in goal with Edouard Mendy not involved for a 3-3 at West Brom after completing his move from Rennes on Thursday.
But Chelsea still have problems to address in defence, where 36-year-old Thiago Silva's form raised questions whether the Brazilian can be the solution at centre-back.
United escaped with all three points thanks to a handball penalty awarded after the final whistle at Brighton to win 3-2. But even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his side barely deserved a point, nevermind three, from a game in which Brighton hit the woodwork five times and were unfortunate to see a penalty overturned on a VAR review.
There are also extenuating circumstances for the Red Devils after a short pre-season, but they too remain leaky at the back with no sign of a new left-back or centre-back just over a week before the transfer window closes.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Juve deny wrongdoing amid Suarez Italian exam probe

Juventus insisted on Sunday that they had done 'nothing wrong ' after an investigation was opened into possible fraud concerning an Italian exam taken by former transfer target Luis Suarez .
The exam was a first step required for 33-year-old Suarez to receive a passport ahead of a possible transfer from Barcelona to Juventus , a move which was subsequently abandoned with the forward signing for Atletico Madrid .
`` We did nothing wrong .
We checked the possibility of Suarez freeing himself from Barcelona , we made all the necessary checks and acted in full transparency and in accordance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Football Officer Fabio Paratici told Sky Sport Italia .
`` We are completely serene , '' he added concerning the probe into Suarez 's exam , which was taken in Perugia on September 17 .
Suarez is suspected of having cheated , with the complicity of his teachers , to pass the exam .
The Italian champions would not have been able to recruit Suarez otherwise because they had already reached their quota for non-EU players .
Suarez , meanwhile , scored two and set up another in a sensational 20-minute debut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new team started their La Liga season with a thumping 6-1 victory over Granada .

Milan (AFP) –
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Juventus insisted on Sunday that they had done 'nothing wrong' after an investigation was opened into possible fraud concerning an Italian exam taken by former transfer target Luis Suarez.
The exam was a first step required for 33-year-old Suarez to receive a passport ahead of a possible transfer from Barcelona to Juventus, a move which was subsequently abandoned with the forward signing for Atletico Madrid.
"We did nothing wrong. We checked the possibility of Suarez freeing himself from Barcelona, we made all the necessary checks and acted in full transparency and in accordance with the rules," Juventus' Chief Football Officer Fabio Paratici told Sky Sport Italia.
"We are completely serene," he added concerning the probe into Suarez's exam, which was taken in Perugia on September 17.
Suarez is suspected of having cheated, with the complicity of his teachers, to pass the exam.
The Italian champions would not have been able to recruit Suarez otherwise because they had already reached their quota for non-EU players.
Suarez, meanwhile, scored two and set up another in a sensational 20-minute debut for Atletico Madrid on Sunday as his new team started their La Liga season with a thumping 6-1 victory over Granada.
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--First virus death in Greek migrant camp

First virus death in Greek migrant camp

Greek officials on Sunday announced the first coronavirus death in a migrant camp near Athens , as refugee groups stepped up criticism of the containment policy of the Greek government and Europe .
The victim was a 61-year-old father-of-two from Afghanistan who had been living in the Malakassa camp near Athens , the asylum ministry said .
He died while being treated in a hospital in Athens .
Malakassa , along with the Schisto and Elaionas camps near Athens , were placed in quarantine in early September as concerns mounted over the spread of the coronavirus among thousands of asylum-seekers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's migrant camps have been under lockdown since March , with restrictions on who can leave and enter , conditions harshly criticise by some rights groups .
On the Aegean island of Lesbos meanwhile , more than 240 asylum-seekers who transferred to a temporary camp after the destruction of the Moria camp in fires earlier this month , have contracted the virus .
Greek authorities on Sunday announced 218 new coronavirus cases and three deaths -- including that of the migrant .
Since the start of the pandemic , 379 people have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an average age of 78 .
Sixty-eight people are currently in intensive care .
Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi said Sunday that all unaccompanied children had now been removed from the island camps .
But refugee groups are still angry at plans to keep the island facilities open for other asylum seekers and at the new EU migrant policy , unveiled on Wednesday .
The EU 's `` New Pact on Migration and Asylum '' calls for a tougher stance on returning migrants who do not have the right to stay in the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls .
`` The ( European ) Commission promised 'No more Moria ' , while building a new containment camp in Lesbos , where conditions are dire , '' tweeted the one migrant rights group , Legal Centre Lesbos .
The only flaw from Greece 's perspective is the Commission giving up on quota-based redistribution of asylum seekers among EU countries -- a plan first mooted during the migration crisis of 2015 but which foundered on opposition from several member states .
`` While there has been a climate of support from Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answers are not what some people might expect , '' Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi told Real FM radio on Sunday .
`` There is a reserve in member states with few exceptions .
Our country is constantly asking for relocations . ''
The Greek government has struggled to manage overcrowding in camps on the five Aegean islands most affected by the arrivals -- even more so since the Moria camp on Lesbos burned down on September 8 and 9 .
Half of the 24,000 migrants packed into Greek camps remain on Lesbos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a provisional site for those left without shelter by the blaze , but charity groups were already incensed at conditions there .
Campaigners point to the long waits the migrants endure for their one meal a day ; the lack of mattresses and the impossibility of respecting coronavirus infection control measures like social distancing .
`` We have continuously exposed the human cost of this outrageous containment policy to leaders in European capitals , to commissioners in Brussels and to citizens through the media , '' Christos Christou , the president of Doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But nothing seems to lead to a desperately needed radical policy change .
Enough is enough .
No more lies .
`` .

Athens (AFP) –
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Greek officials on Sunday announced the first coronavirus death in a migrant camp near Athens, as refugee groups stepped up criticism of the containment policy of the Greek government and Europe.
The victim was a 61-year-old father-of-two from Afghanistan who had been living in the Malakassa camp near Athens, the asylum ministry said. He died while being treated in a hospital in Athens.
Malakassa, along with the Schisto and Elaionas camps near Athens, were placed in quarantine in early September as concerns mounted over the spread of the coronavirus among thousands of asylum-seekers living there in squalid conditions.
Greece's migrant camps have been under lockdown since March, with restrictions on who can leave and enter, conditions harshly criticise by some rights groups.
On the Aegean island of Lesbos meanwhile, more than 240 asylum-seekers who transferred to a temporary camp after the destruction of the Moria camp in fires earlier this month, have contracted the virus.
Greek authorities on Sunday announced 218 new coronavirus cases and three deaths -- including that of the migrant.
Since the start of the pandemic, 379 people have died of the virus in Greece, with an average age of 78. Sixty-eight people are currently in intensive care.
Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi said Sunday that all unaccompanied children had now been removed from the island camps.
- 'Conditions are dire' -
But refugee groups are still angry at plans to keep the island facilities open for other asylum seekers and at the new EU migrant policy, unveiled on Wednesday.
The EU's "New Pact on Migration and Asylum" calls for a tougher stance on returning migrants who do not have the right to stay in the EU, and for the ratcheting up border controls.
"The (European) Commission promised 'No more Moria', while building a new containment camp in Lesbos, where conditions are dire," tweeted the one migrant rights group, Legal Centre Lesbos.
The only flaw from Greece's perspective is the Commission giving up on quota-based redistribution of asylum seekers among EU countries -- a plan first mooted during the migration crisis of 2015 but which foundered on opposition from several member states.
"While there has been a climate of support from Europe after the Moria blaze, the final answers are not what some people might expect," Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi told Real FM radio on Sunday.
"There is a reserve in member states with few exceptions. Our country is constantly asking for relocations."
The Greek government has struggled to manage overcrowding in camps on the five Aegean islands most affected by the arrivals -- even more so since the Moria camp on Lesbos burned down on September 8 and 9.
Half of the 24,000 migrants packed into Greek camps remain on Lesbos.
Government officials there scrambled to set up a provisional site for those left without shelter by the blaze, but charity groups were already incensed at conditions there.
Campaigners point to the long waits the migrants endure for their one meal a day; the lack of mattresses and the impossibility of respecting coronavirus infection control measures like social distancing.
"We have continuously exposed the human cost of this outrageous containment policy to leaders in European capitals, to commissioners in Brussels and to citizens through the media," Christos Christou, the president of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) tweeted.
"But nothing seems to lead to a desperately needed radical policy change. Enough is enough. No more lies.".
© 2020 AFP


france24--2020-09-27--Alaphilippe becomes France's first road race world champion since 1997

France 's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men 's Elite Road Race in Imola on September 24 , 2020 Julian Alaphilippe soloed to victory at the road cycling world championships on Sunday , becoming France ’ s first holder of the rainbow jersey since 1997 .
Alaphilippe had time to punch the air before raising his arms above his head as he crossed the finish line on Imola ’ s auto racing circuit to finish first in the men ’ s road race .
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won a sprint for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Marc Hirschi of Switzerland third at the end of the tough course .
It was an emotional win for Alaphilippe , whose father died in June , and the 28-year-old was in tears after he crossed the line and on the podium .
“ At this moment it ’ s really hard to say something , '' he said .
`` I want to say thank you to all my teammates who really believe in me today .
Everybody did a great job .
`` It was a dream of my career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I was never on the podium .
I came here with a lot of ambition and it ’ s just a dream day for me.
” Laurent Brochard was the last French rider to win the world road race title .
The final race of the championships featured a total of 5,000 meters climbing in 258.2 kilometers ( 160 miles ) .
Nine laps of a circuit started and finished on the city ’ s auto racing track .
There were two brutal climbs on each lap — the Mazzolano and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the final ascent of the Gallisterna , with 12 kilometers remaining .
He swiftly established a slim advantage over a world-class chase group and held them off to secure victory .
The race took place exactly a week after the Tour de France ended with Tadej Pogacar becoming the youngest winner in the event ’ s 116-year history .
The 22-year-old Slovenian led Sunday ’ s race into the final lap , with an advantage of about 20 seconds , after attacking with just over 40 kilometers remaining .
However , Pogacar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mazzolano .
The worlds were moved to Imola after Swiss host Aigle-Martigny backed out because of a government ruling limiting mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The revised event featured only elite men ’ s and women ’ s categories , eliminating junior and under-23 races .

Julian Alaphilippe soloed to victory at the road cycling world championships on Sunday, becoming France’s first holder of the rainbow jersey since 1997.
France's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's Elite Road Race in Imola on September 24, 2020
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Alaphilippe had time to punch the air before raising his arms above his head as he crossed the finish line on Imola’s auto racing circuit to finish first in the men’s road race.
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won a sprint for second, 24 seconds behind Alaphilippe, with Marc Hirschi of Switzerland third at the end of the tough course.
It was an emotional win for Alaphilippe, whose father died in June, and the 28-year-old was in tears after he crossed the line and on the podium.
“At this moment it’s really hard to say something," he said. "I want to say thank you to all my teammates who really believe in me today. Everybody did a great job.
🇫🇷🌈 WORLD CHAMPION 🌈🇫🇷
Julian Alaphilippe wins GOLD for France!#Imola2020 pic.twitter.com/HqHm7TZSjD — UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 27, 2020
"It was a dream of my career. Sometimes, I was so close, and I was never on the podium. I came here with a lot of ambition and it’s just a dream day for me.”
Laurent Brochard was the last French rider to win the world road race title.
The final race of the championships featured a total of 5,000 meters climbing in 258.2 kilometers (160 miles). Nine laps of a circuit started and finished on the city’s auto racing track.
There were two brutal climbs on each lap — the Mazzolano and the Cima Gallisterna — and Alaphilippe attacked on the final ascent of the Gallisterna, with 12 kilometers remaining.
He swiftly established a slim advantage over a world-class chase group and held them off to secure victory.
The race took place exactly a week after the Tour de France ended with Tadej Pogacar becoming the youngest winner in the event’s 116-year history.
The 22-year-old Slovenian led Sunday’s race into the final lap, with an advantage of about 20 seconds, after attacking with just over 40 kilometers remaining.
However, Pogacar was caught by the peloton on the Mazzolano.
The worlds were moved to Imola after Swiss host Aigle-Martigny backed out because of a government ruling limiting mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The revised event featured only elite men’s and women’s categories, eliminating junior and under-23 races.
(AP)
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france24--2020-09-28--France opens probe into child rape claims against former model agency boss

France opens probe into child rape claims against former model agency boss French prosecutors said Monday that they had opened @ @ @ @ @ , former European boss of the Elite Models agency , on allegations of rape of @ @ @ @ @ a complaint from a former BBC journalist and claims of abuse by three ex-models , @ @ @ @ @ told AFP .
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French prosecutors said Monday that they had opened an investigation against Gerald Marie, former European boss of the Elite Models agency, on allegations of rape, including of a minor.
In this September 3, 2001 photo, then president of the Elite Models agency Gérald Marie appears on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France amid competitors in a modelling competition.
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The probe into the ex-husband of supermodel Linda Evangelista follows a complaint from a former BBC journalist and claims of abuse by three ex-models, the Paris prosecutor's office told AFP.
A specialist child protection unit will lead the investigation into allegations of "rape and sexual assault, as well as rape and sexual assault of a minor," the office said.
The investigation will be based on criminal complaints lodged by women for alleged assaults between 1980 and 1988. Under the statute of limitations, this is probably too long ago to be brought before a court now.
This is one of the issues that must be determined by the investigation, which in France does not necessarily result in trial.
Former BBC journalist Lisa Brinkworth claimed that in October 1998, when she was posing as a model while doing an investigation, Marie sexually assaulted her in a nightclub, pushing his genitals against her abdomen.
She was working undercover on a documentary into allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards models -- many of them underage -- in certain agencies.
Brinkworth has said she was traumatised by the event, but was prevented from coming forward by an agreement between the BBC and Elite in 2001 following a defamation suit.
Her lawyers hope this restriction on her speaking out can be a basis for bypassing the statute of limitations.
Three former models claim rape
Brinkworth's complaint is accompanied by claims from three former models of alleged rape by Marie in Paris when they were teenagers or young women.
Carre Sutton has accused him of "countless" rapes that happened in 1986, when she was 17, Ebba Karlsson of an incident in 1990, when she was 20 or 21, and Jill Dodd in 1980, when she was 19.
These alleged crimes may also be beyond the statute of limitations, which restricts the amount of time after an alleged offence that legal proceedings can be launched.
AFP could not reach Marie's lawyer for comment on Monday. Over the weekend, the former modelling boss "categorically" denied the claims to The Sunday Times.
The BBC also did not reply to a request for comment.
Brinkworth's lawyer Anne-Claire Lejeune welcomed Monday's announcement by the Paris prosecutors.
"This investigation will, I hope, give others the courage to speak up. This is an encouraging first step and a relief for the victims," she said.
(AFP)
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