News: Haaland double seals Dortmund win on Neymar's PSG return

AFP NEWS
News
Haaland double seals Dortmund win on Neymar's PSG return



AFP / Ina Fassbender Dortmund's Norwegian forward Erling Braut Haaland (C) has now scored 11 goals in seven games for Borussia Dortmund.

Norway teenager Erling Braut Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund sealed a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain, for whom Neymar scored on his return from injury, in Tuesday's Champions League last 16, first-leg tie.

Forward Haaland took his tally to 11 goals in seven games since Dortmund paid Salzburg 20 million euros ($22 million) for the 19-year-old with second-half goals either side of Neymar's equaliser.

The Brazil star, who has been sidelined for the last four weeks with a rib injury, gave PSG a life-line with an away goal for the return leg in Paris on March 11 in their bid to reach the quarter-finals after exiting the last 16 in the last three consecutive seasons.

After Haaland stabbed home at the near post to give Dortmund a deserved lead mid-way through the second-half the world's most expensive player profited from Kylian Mbappe's final pass and tapped home the equaliser.

After the Neymar missed last season's surprise last-16 loss to Manchester United with a foot injury, this was exactly what travelling Parisian fans at Signal Iduna Park had wanted to see.

However, PSG were level for just two minutes as Dortmund's 17-year-old midfield replacement Giovanni Reyna put a pass inside which Haaland smashed into the top corner for the winner.

Dortmund deserved the win with PSG's star-studded attack, led by Mbappe and Neymar, repeatedly frustrated with Dortmund's defensive midfielders Axel Witsel and Emre Can on hand to snuff out attacks.

There was very little to separate the teams in the first-half with a saved shot from Dortmund's English winger Jadon Sancho the only clear-cut chance of the opening 45 minutes.

Dortmund kept finding plenty of holes in midfield with Witsel calling the shots.

His midfield partner Can, whose loan deal from Juventus was made permanent earlier in the day when he signed a four-year contract, had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Jose Montero after being clattered in the area by Marco Verratti.

After the goalless first half, Dortmund poured forward and kept finding spaces to exploit down the flanks.

Soon after Dortmund's Swiss coach Lucien Favre threw on Reyna, who turned 17 last November, for his Champions League debut, Haaland got the breakthrough soon after when he stabbed home past PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas on 69 minutes.

With their German coach Thomas Tuchel frantically urging them on, PSG were level six minutes later when Mbappe unpicked the Dortmund defence and presented Neymar with a straight-forward finish.

However, the scene was set for Haaland to continue his phenomenal scoring run with some clinical finishing from Reyna's final pass when he blasted home the winner to the delight of the home crowd.

News: Anxious passengers wait to leave Japan virus ship

News
Anxious passengers wait to leave Japan virus ship



AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU People still in quarantine stand on the deck of the Diamond Princess in Yokohama on February 18, 2020

Several hundred passengers who have endured a torrid 14-day quarantine aboard a coronavirus-riddled cruise ship in Japan are set to disembark Wednesday -- if they have tested negative.

The Diamond Princess moored in Yokohama near Tokyo has proved a fertile breeding ground for the virus with at least 542 positive cases, and Japan has come under fire for its handling of the quarantine arrangements.

The initial 3,700 passengers and crew on board from 56 nations have seen a dream cruise turn into a nightmare as they battled fear and crushing boredom on the vessel, some confined to small windowless cabins apart from brief periods of exercise on deck.


 AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU Diamond Princess passengers stand on the cruise ship's balconies on February 18, 2020


"If you and your roommate are both negative and have no fever or respiratory symptoms, you will be able to prepare for disembarkation," Japanese officials told passengers in a letter, adding it would take at least three days to process everyone.

For the travellers, this means a painful wait for test results that can take several days to evaluate.

"We still need our test results, so we're holding off any celebration yet," US lawyer Matt Smith told AFP from on board. "The feeling is anxious."


AFP / Factfile on the virus-stricken Diamond Princess, including daily cases of reported infections

British passenger David Abel, who became a minor celebrity with his upbeat video messages in the early days of the quarantine, typified the mood shift aboard.

"It's all getting to us now and it's not just me, it's the other passengers as well. It's the not-knowing factor that is the real challenge. Mentally, it's now taking its toll. Right now, it's very hard to remain focused on anything," he said.

He later announced he and his wife Sally had tested positive.

- 'Special containment area' -

The Diamond Princess ship is easily the biggest cluster of positive cases outside the Chinese epicentre, with more people succumbing to the virus than in the rest of the world put together.


AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU The Diamond Princess cruise ship, pictured February 18, 2020, has proved a fertile breeding ground for the novel coronavirus

With dozens of new positive cases daily, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the quarantine measures, with passengers allowed to mingle on deck with face masks, and crews passing from cabin to cabin with meals.

"Clearly there has been more transmission than expected on the ship," said Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme.

Japanese authorities are now "taking the necessary public health measures with other countries to evacuate people and deal with the follow-up in a different way," he said.

Several countries appeared to lose patience with the on-board quarantine and announced they would send chartered planes to bring back their citizens.

In the first such evacuation on Sunday, more than 300 Americans flew home even though 14 of the passengers had tested positive. They were separated from others in a "special containment area."

However, more than 100 Americans still remain on the Diamond Princess, the US Centers for Disease Control said.

Early Wednesday, South Korea flew six of its nationals plus a Japanese spouse to Seoul, who will be placed in isolation for 14 days, the Yonhap news agency reported.


AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU People walk by the coast in Yokohama on February 18, 2020


The other eight South Koreans who remain onboard will be evacuated if they test negative, it said.

And Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said his country would evacuate virus-free nationals via plane by the end of the week and place them in quarantine for 14 days.

Of the 256 Canadian passengers aboard, 43 have been confirmed to have the virus and will be transferred to the Japanese health system, the Canadian government said.

Britain, Hong Kong and Australia are among other countries that have vowed to repatriate people from the ship but will insist on a further 14-day quarantine period on home soil.

Around 500 people are expected to leave Wednesday, with more following in the coming days, but not everyone will be allowed to get off so soon.

Anyone who has come into contact with someone who later proved positive has their 14-day quarantine period "reset."

In addition, the crew will begin a quarantine when the last passenger has disembarked.

Many crew members have refused to speak to media for fear of losing their jobs, but some have broken their silence to voice worries over their conditions, as they work and eat together and sleep several to a cabin.

People in Yokohama appeared supportive of the decision to allow the passengers out despite the virus fears.

"I am sure those people on board must be really worried. I hope they can go back to their normal life soon," said 51-year-old Isamu Habiro.

"As a Yokohama resident, I don't want them to be treated unfairly. I want to cheer for them," Habiro told AFP.

News UN demands 'independent, impartial' probe of Cameroon deaths

 AFP/File / MARCO LONGARI In October 2017, anglophone separatists declared independence in two English-speaking regions, triggering a crackdown by the security forces

The United Nations called on Cameroon Tuesday to conduct an independent investigation into the "shocking" killing of 23 villagers in a troubled English-speaking region and ensure the perpetrators be held accountable.

Citing information from colleagues on the ground, the UN rights office said two pregnant women and 15 children, nine of them aged under five, were among those killed.

The incident on Friday took place in a region where armed separatists are campaigning for independence from the rest of Cameroon, which is majority French-speaking.

More than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the nearly 29-month-old conflict. Rights watchdogs say they have documented killings of civilians and other abuses by the armed forces as well as by separatists.

"We urge the authorities to ensure that the investigation is independent, impartial and thorough, and that those responsible are held fully to account," the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.

The UN had previously put the toll from Friday's attack at up to 22, but Tuesday's statement said 23 people had died in the "shocking episode".

- French call -

Part of Cameroon's opposition blamed the deaths on members of the armed forces -- an allegation that the army on Monday blasted as "duplicitous".

It said a woman and four children died in an "unfortunate accident" when fuel containers were set ablaze in an exchange of fire between security forces and separatists in the village of Ntumbo.

But France, a strong ally of Cameroon's 86-year-old President Paul Biya, on Tuesday condemned "the violence".

"We wish total light to be shed on this tragic event and for those responsible to be brought to account," the foreign ministry's spokesman said in Paris.

Witnesses had told the UN that around 40 armed men had attacked the village, "opening fire on people and burning down houses", the UN rights office said.

English-speakers account for nearly a fifth of Cameroon's population of 24 million -- a legacy of the French and British decolonisation of West Africa in the late 1950s.

Most anglophones live in the Northwest Region, where Ntumbo is located, and the adjoining Southwest Region.

Years of grievances at perceived discrimination snowballed into a declaration of independence in October 2017 and a government crackdown.

"We call on the government to ensure that the security forces abide by applicable international law norms standards during the conduct of their operations," Tuesday's UN statement said.

"We similarly remind armed separatist groups of their responsibilities under international law and call on all parties to refrain from deliberate attacks on civilians."

- Bishops' appeal -

The UN rights office said the already tense situation in Cameroon's anglophone regions had worsened ahead of this month's parliamentary and municipal elections.


AFP / Cameroon


"The government deployed some 700 additional troops in the North-West and South-West where armed separatists reportedly kidnapped dozens of candidates, most from the Social Democratic Front which is one of the country’s biggest opposition parties," the UN said.

While most of the candidates had since been released, the UN said it had also received information that voting centres and the homes of those involved in the election campaign had been attacked by separatists.

On Monday, 16 Catholic bishops from around the world sent a letter to Biya, urging his government to talk to the separatists.

Biya, in power for 37 years, has repeatedly ruled out demands for autonomy or a return to Cameroon's federal structure, although he has recently endorsed a decentralisation of some powers from Yaounde, the capital.

"There will be no military victory for any side," the bishops warned.

"A lasting solution to Cameroon's problems must come from a mediated process that includes anglophone armed-separatist groups and non-violent civil-society leaders."

The "best path" lies in a Swiss proposal to broker talks, they said.

News Gutsy Atletico given hope after surprise win over Liverpool

source: AFP NEWS
News
Gutsy Atletico given hope after surprise win over Liverpool



AFP / PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU Atletico Madrid's Saul Niguez (C) celebrates scoring an early goal against Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday.

Liverpool were the victims of an old-fashioned Atletico Madrid masterclass on Tuesday as Diego Simeone's side ground out a 1-0 win in Madrid to give themselves hope of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

Saul Niguez raised the roof at a bouncing Wanda Metropolitano by scoring in the fourth minute before Atletico's defence kicked in, suffocating the European champions and denying them a single shot on target.

If Alvaro Morata had not slipped when given a good chance in the second half, Atleti might even have taken a two-goal lead to Anfield, where they can expect an onslaught next month.

Yet even if Liverpool are still favourites to overturn this deficit and go through, the roar from the Atleti fans at the final whistle, aimed at their fist-pumping players on the pitch, suggested Simeone's team now believe.

Few had tipped them to keep this tie even alive for the second leg, let alone progress, given their own stuttering form while Liverpool, unbeaten in the Premier League, are gunning for a treble.

Jurgen Klopp said on Monday Atletico were a "results machine" but the temptation was to see his words as platitudes, not an accurate reflection of a side that sits 13 points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid and had already lost six times this season.

Yet Atletico under Simeone have also become synonymous with upsetting the odds, just as they did when winning the Spanish title in 2014 and then twice reaching the Champions League final.

For all their failings this season, they summoned that spirit here to produce the kind of performance full of tenacity, resilience and guts that was always going to be needed to give them any chance of success.

Simeone sprung a surprise by starting Thomas Lemar for the first time this year while Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa both returned from injury, the former from the start and the latter off the bench in the second half.

- Atletico snapping at heels -

Liverpool, who began with their expected eleven, have blitzed numerous opponents with explosive starts but they were the ones rocking early on as Atletico snapped at their heels, pressed hard and relished being first to every loose ball.

They took the lead, aided by a hint of fortune as Liverpool failed to clear the corner and the ball cannoned back off the foot of Fabinho for Saul to stab in from three yards.

On the sideline, Simeone beckoned his players to stay calm but they were celebrating in the corner while in the stands, the fans were delirious and given hope.

Atletico were given a lead to defend and the rest of the half was largely a picture of Liverpool dominating the ball but failing to break down the 10 red and white shirts in front of them.

Their best chances fell to Mohamed Salah but he passed Jan Oblak's mishit clearance to the offside Firmino before sidefooting into an open net and then saw a deflected shot fly over.

Oblak's error came shortly after an equally unusual mistake from Virgil van Dijk, whose poor header might have proved costly, only for Morata to miss the chance from the angle.

Sadio Mane, on a yellow card, was replaced at half-time by Divock Origi while Lemar made way for the more conscientious Marcos Llorente.

Simeone could sense Liverpool's momentum and he responded by frantically flapping his arms to demand more support.

Salah drifted into space at the back post but headed wide and Atletico came through another spell of pressure unscathed. Morata should even have made it two but slipped when about to pull the tigger on Lodi's cut-back.

He was taken off with 20 minutes left, along with Salah, and Costa made his return shortly after to a wave of approval from the home support. The roar was even bigger when the final whistle blew.

News: No verdict as Weinstein rape trial jury ends day one deliberations

News
No verdict as Weinstein rape trial jury ends day one deliberations



AFP / Johannes EISELE Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court, on February 18, 2020 in New York City

Jurors in ex-Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein's high-profile sex crimes trial ended their first day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict in the case seen as a watershed in the #MeToo movement.

The disgraced movie mogul, 67, faces life in prison if the jury of seven men and five women convict him of a variety of sexual misconduct charges in New York.

They began considering their verdict just before 11:30 am (1630 GMT) and adjourned five hours later. They will reconvene on Wednesday at 9:30 am.

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since allegations against him ignited the #MeToo global reckoning against men abusing positions of power in October 2017.

But the jury is considering charges related to just two: ex-actress Jessica Mann and former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, with many claims too old to prosecute.

Mann, 34, says Weinstein raped her in March 2013, while Haleyi alleges he forcibly performed oral sex on her in July 2006.

The trial, which began hearing testimony on January 22, threw up complicated issues surrounding consent and abuse of power for the jury.

Under cross-examination, both Mann and Haleyi acknowledged at least one consensual sexual encounter with Weinstein after the alleged assaults.

Defense lawyers presented dozens of emails and text messages in court that appeared to show both Mann and Haleyi on friendly terms with Weinstein years after the alleged attacks.

His team said the relationships were consensual and transactional, arguing that the accusers used sex with the defendant to advance their own careers.

- Burden of proof -

Prosecutors said he was an aggressive and manipulative career sexual predator who took advantage of his powerful position in the American film industry to prey on aspiring young actresses.

Weinstein, the producer of "Pulp Fiction" and "Sin City," is the first man accused of abuse in the #MeToo movement to face a criminal trial.

In closing arguments Thursday, lead attorney Donna Rotunno urged the 12 jurors to make themselves "unpopular" by acquitting him, telling them his innocence had been clear from the start.

She stressed that prosecutors had failed to present any forensic evidence or witness accounts.


AFP / Main developments on the sexual assault charges against Harvey Weinstein


The prosecution's case rests on whether the jury believes the six women, including actress Annabella Sciorra of "The Sopranos," who testified that Weinstein had sexually assaulted them.

Lead prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said in her closing arguments Friday that they had "no motive to lie."

"They sacrificed their dignity and privacy and peace for the prospect of having that voice" heard, she said.

Father-of-five Weinstein wore a light gray suit as he hobbled into court using a walker -- a feature of his trial appearances -- to hear Justice James Burke instruct the jury.

The judge reminded jurors that to convict, they must be sure of Weinstein's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

"If the people fail to satisfy their burden of proof you must find the defendant not guilty," Burke said.

- Los Angeles case -

Weinstein faces five counts: two of predatory sexual assault, two of rape and one of engaging in a criminal sexual act.

The jury must reach unanimous verdicts on each count. If they cannot, the judge may be forced to declare a mistrial, which could mean a fresh trial with new jurors.

A split verdict is possible where Weinstein is convicted of some charges and cleared of others.

The jury asked Burke why it could convict Weinstein of predatory sexual assault related to Sciorra when the statute of limitations prevents it from ruling on her rape allegation against him.

"They're almost reaching for what can we find him guilty of," former New York City prosecutor Roger Canaff told AFP.

"To me that's pretty powerful. I'd be worried about if I were Weinstein or on his team," he added.

Even if found not guilty, Weinstein's legal troubles are far from over. He is facing a separate sex crimes investigation in Los Angeles and is also the subject of several civil complaints.

News WHO urges calm as China virus death toll reaches 2,000

source: AFP news
News
WHO urges calm as China virus death toll reaches 2,000



AFP / STR The WHO has praised China for taking drastic measures to contain the virus

The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,000 on Wednesday, as Chinese and international health officials warned against excessive measures to contain the epidemic.

More than 74,000 people have now been infected by the virus in China, with hundreds more cases in some 25 countries.

The situation remains serious at the epicentre, with the director of a hospital in the central city of Wuhan becoming the seventh medical worker to succumb to the COVID-19 illness.

But Chinese officials released a study showing most patients have mild cases of the infection, and World Health Organization officials said the mortality rate was relatively low.


AFP / Gal ROMA Coronavirus cases, recoveries in China


The outbreak is threatening to put a dent in the global economy, with China paralysed by vast quarantine measures and major firms such as iPhone maker Apple and mining giant BHP warning it could damage bottom lines.

Several countries have banned travellers from China and major airlines have suspended flights -- something that Beijing's ambassador to the EU warned was fuelling panic and threatening attempts to resume business.

Russia on Tuesday said no Chinese citizens would be allowed to enter its territory from February 20.

The epidemic has triggered panic-buying in Singapore and Hong Kong, concerns about cruise-ship travel and the postponement of trade fairs, sports competitions and cultural events in China and abroad.


AFP / TANG CHHIN Sothy The cruise ship industry has come into focus as hundreds of people became infected aboard a vessel off Japan and one passenger tested positive after disembarking another liner in Cambodia

Authorities have placed about 56 million people in hard-hit central Hubei and its capital Wuhan under an unprecedented lockdown.

The city was carrying out "very good public health practice" with door-to-door surveillance, said Michael Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies programme.

Other cities far from the epicentre have restricted the movement of residents, with a 14-day self-quarantine for people returning to Beijing.

President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said China's measures were achieving "visible progress", according to state media.

- 'Less deadly' than SARS -

The official death toll in China hit 2,000 after another 132 people died in Hubei, where the virus emerged in December.


AFP / STR China has placed about 56 million people in hard-hit central Hubei under quarantine, virtually sealing off the province from the rest of the country


Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, became its latest victim, sparking an outpouring of grief online.

Earlier this month, the death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang -- who had been punished by authorities for sounding the alarm about the virus in late December -- triggered anger and calls on social media for political reform.

Official figures, meanwhile, showed there were nearly 1,700 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday in Hubei.


AFP/File / Mark RALSTON Fear of the coronavirus has impacted normally bustling Chinatowns in major cities around the world, like Los Angeles, as visitors stay away

New infections have been falling in the rest of the country for the past two weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that it was too early to tell if the decline would continue.

A study among tens of thousands of confirmed and suspected cases showed that 81 percent of patients had only mild infections.

The study released by China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also showed the death rate stood at 2.3 percent, falling below one percent for people in their 30s and 40s.

WHO officials said the COVID-19 illness was "less deadly" than its cousins, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).


AFP / Brittany Hosea-Small The US repatriated more than 300 Americans from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, who now face another 14 days under quarantine


But it is higher than the mortality rate for the seasonal flu, at around 0.1 percent in the United States.

Ryan said the outbreak was "very serious" and could grow, but stressed that outside Hubei the epidemic was "affecting a very, very tiny, tiny proportion of people".

There have been some 900 cases around the world, with five deaths in France, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Another 88 people tested positive for the virus on the quarantined Diamond Prince cruise ship off Yokohama in Japan, raising the number of those infections to 542.

The US has repatriated more than 300 American passengers and Britain became the latest country to offer its citizens a way off the ship after similar plans by Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea.

And around 500 passengers were to leave the vessel on Wednesday after testing negative for the virus.

burs-lth-rox/jah

News PSG still 'dangerous', warns record-breaker Haaland

News
PSG still 'dangerous', warns record-breaker Haaland
source: AFP NEWS


 AFP / Ina Fassbender Dortmund's Norwegian forward Erling Braut Haaland is now the Champions League's joint top-scorer this season with 10 goals in Europe.

Teenage record-breaker Erling Braut Haaland warned Borussia Dortmund still have it all to do to reach the Champions League quarter-finals even after his two goals sank Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain.

Haaland netted either side of a Neymar equaliser on Tuesday as the Brazilian superstar scored on his return from injury as the French champions crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Dortmund in the last 16, first leg, tie.

"We want to go through, it's going to be a hard game," Haaland said of the return leg in Paris on March 11, "but we are a good team.

"The result is quite a dangerous one, as Paris has a very strong team and can still go through in the return leg."

Haaland's team-mate Emre Can, who alongside Axel Witsel worked tirelessly in Dortmund's midfield to contain Neymar and France striker Kylian Mbappe, said the home side's defence had been key.

"It was a big statement from the team how we defended today. We know it's not over -- it's just half-time," said Can, whose permanent transfer from Juventus was confirmed Tuesday.

However, the night belonged Haaland who has 11 goals in his first seven games for Dortmund and warned there is more to come.

"I feel like I still can do a lot better," said Haaland.

"I have to work hard to improve to play better at this level."

Having also scored eight goals for Salzburg in the group stages before his 20 million-euro ($22 million) transfer to Dortmund, Haaland made Champions League history on Tuesday.

His tally of 10 goals in his first seven Champions League matches is now a new record in the competition and makes him the joint top-scorer alongside Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski.

The teenage goal-machine has so far scored 39 times in 29 games this season for Salzburg and Dortmund.

The 19-year-old had already sent records tumbling since arriving in Dortmund last month when he became the first player to score a hat-trick off the bench on his Bundesliga debut.

His incredible strike for his second goal on Tuesday overshadowed Neymar's return from a rib injury with PSG desperate to break their last 16 jinx having exited at this stage in the competition in each of the last three seasons.

- 'Important Neymar goal' -


 AFP / SASCHA SCHUERMANN Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar scored an away goal at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.


Paris defender Marquinhos said Neymar's away goal could prove crucial in the home leg.

"We weren't intense enough with or without the ball and did a lot of things badly, however the goal we got is important for the second leg," he said.

The presence of the world's most expensive player was a major boost for his team, after Neymar missed last season's surprise last-16 loss to Manchester United with a foot injury.

He also sat out the second leg of their defeat by Real Madrid at the same stage in 2018.

PSG's German coach Thomas Tuchel admitted Neymar's lack of match fitness had been a factor in the away defeat, but said his team still has time to find their form.

"Neymar hadn't played for a fortnight, but he is very important for Kylian (Mbappe), there is harmony between them and if Neymar lacks rhythm, it's immediately noticeable," said Tuchel.

"We didn't have enough possession, we made too many easy mistakes, we weren't smart enough and we lost the ball too early.

"It's difficult, but it's 2-1 and we still have a few games left to get back into the rhythm."

His counterpart Lucien Favre echoed Haaland's insistence that the result gives Dortmund only a slender advantage with PSG's passionate home fans set to get behind their team in the return leg.

"Of course it's a dangerous result, but we played well in both defence and attack," said Dortmund's Swiss coach.

"However, as things stand it's 2-1 to us."

News Despite trade wars, Trump says US 'open for business'

source: AFP
News
Despite trade wars, Trump says US 'open for business'



 AFP / JIM WATSON US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on billions of dollars in goods and launched disputes with most key US trading partners over the past three years

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he wants to avoid policies that make it difficult for other countries to do business with the United States -- even as his administration has done precisely the opposite.

Trump has imposed tariffs on billions of dollars in goods and launched disputes with most key US trading partners over the past three years, but in a lengthy Twitter thread, the president said, "We don't want to make it impossible to do business with us. That will only mean that orders will go to someplace else."

"The United States cannot, & will not, become such a difficult place to deal with in terms of foreign countries buying our product, including for the always used National Security excuse, that our companies will be forced to leave in order to remain competitive," he tweeted.

Trump appeared to be directing his tweets at hardliners in his White House, referring to a proposal to block General Electric from selling jet engines to China.


AFP/File / - Trump seems to be aiming his ire at hardline officials in his own White House who want to block sales of jet engines to China used in the Comac C919, the China's first medium-haul passenger jet


"I want China to buy our jet engines, the best in the World," he said. "I have seen some of the regulations being circulated... and they are ridiculous."

US officials are considering denying a license to CFM International, a joint venture between GE and France's Safran SA, to export more of its jet engines to China, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The report said the aim was to cripple development of China's Comac airliner.

- National security threat -

But Trump has freely used the national security justification in his confrontational trade strategy, imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum worldwide to protect key American industry, and threatening to do likewise for cars from Europe.


AFP/File / SAUL LOEB US President Donald Trump at a press conference with China’s Vice Premier Liu He (L), the country’s top trade negotiator, in the East Room of the White House

In the most costly trade conflict, Trump announced tariffs on virtually 100 percent of goods imported from China. A truce signed in January suspended the most damaging of those, but the majority remain in place.

US trading partners have not stood idly by as Trump imposes tariffs, retaliating with punitive duties on American goods like bourbon, motorcycles and farm products, which obliged the government to provide millions in aid to farmers.

In the latest dispute -- a 15-year-old case over European government subsidies to Airbus -- Washington hit out with 25 percent tariffs on a host of goods, including Scotch whisky, French and Spanish wines, and English cheeses.

Trump also slapped penalties on French goods in response to a digital tax.

Nonetheless, he said, "I want to make it EASY to do business with the United States, not difficult."

"THE UNITED STATES IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!"

In fact, US companies have been forced to shift operations or find new sources for components, or plead for exemptions from the trade policies.

Likewise, foreign buyers of American goods have gone elsewhere in many cases.

"With each round of cascading tariffs, Trump has bullied more American companies into becoming protectionist," Chad Bown, trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said in a recent paper.

"For many Americans, the higher costs resulting from his tariffs mean they can no longer compete with foreign firms in either the US or global market."

News US takes aim at Russian oil giant Rosneft to press Venezuela

source: AFP NEWS
News
US takes aim at Russian oil giant Rosneft to press Venezuela



AFP / YURI CORTEZ Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has remained in power despite US sanctions and diplomatic pressure

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against a subsidiary of Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft over its key role in Venezuela, stepping up international pressure to break leftist President Nicolas Maduro's grip on power.

Rosneft Trading SA, which has helped sell Venezuelan oil despite unilateral US sanctions, and Rosneft vice president Didier Casimiro were targeted by the US Treasury Department.

"As the primary broker of global deals for the sale and transport of Venezuela's crude oil, Rosneft Trading has propped up the dictatorial Maduro, enabling his repression of the Venezuelan people," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Pompeo added in a tweet: "Those who prop up the corrupt regime and enable its repression of the Venezuelan people will be held accountable."

The sanctions will block any assets of Rosneft Trading or the Belgian-born Casimiro that come through the United States. It also makes transactions with them a crime for anyone under US jurisdiction.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who recently returned from a global tour that included a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, hailed the new US pressure on Maduro's regime.

"This news is a victory!" Guaido tweeted.


AFP / Brendan Smialowski US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams announces measures against a subsidiary of Russian oil giant Rosneft over its trade


"Whoever supports the dictator, no matter who they are or where they come from, must bear the consequences," he said.

Russia denounced what it described as a US attempt to "bend the world to its will" as well as Washington's "banal desire to create advantages for American businesses that cannot stand up against fair competition from Russian companies on the world stage."

"The destructive US policy of sanctions is increasingly undermining global freedom of commerce, which the Americans say they defend, and raises international tensions," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, whose government espouses socialism, said the sanctions "violate the rights to free trade and free enterprise."

- Seeking to dent Maduro cash -

The United States and about 60 other countries recognize Guaido as Venezuela's interim president and not Maduro, who presides over a crumbling economy that has sent millions fleeing for lack of basic staples.


 Venezuelan Presidency/AFP/File / HO Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro greets he head of Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, during a December 2017 meeting in Caracas

But US pressure has failed to oust Maduro who still enjoys the support of the Venezuelan military as well as Russia, China and Cuba.

Washington has already imposed multiple sanctions aimed at toppling Maduro's regime, particularly by cutting his government's oil revenue.

Maduro on Monday accused Trump of plotting an invasion and said "we are not afraid of military combat and we are going to guarantee peace."

Elliott Abrams, who is leading the US effort to topple Maduro, voiced hope the latest step would make a significant dent on Maduro's most important source of revenue.

"Today's sanctions are another step in the policy of pressuring the Maduro regime to allow Venezuela to escape from its terrible crisis through free and fair presidential elections," Abrams told reporters.

"There will be more steps and further pressure in the coming weeks and months," he warned.

Abrams said Rosneft handles around 70 percent of Venezuela's oil and that the country's top importer has been India, followed by China.

Delhi has promised to cut down purchases because of its strong ties with the United States.

Abrams voiced confidence that the global oil market would remain stable, pointing in part to rising US production.

"We're not trying to raise oil prices. We're trying to diminish the amount of money available to the Maduro regime," Abrams said.

- Latest US-Russia rift -


AFP / Federico PARRA Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido, who has been trying for more than a year to unseat President Nicolas Maduro, hailed the new US sanctions as a victory


The sanctions are the latest dispute between Washington and Moscow, with Pompeo speaking out forcefully against Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's devastating assault on the rebel bastion of Idlib.

The United States in 2014 already imposed sanctions on Rosneft, one of Russia's largest companies, over Moscow's backing of separatists in Ukraine and takeover of Crimea, although the measures were limited to curbing US financing for the oil giant.

Pompeo told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of the impending sanctions over Venezuela when they met at the Munich Security Conference last weekend, Abrams said.

Lavrov earlier this month visited Caracas where he said US sanctions were illegal and "the main cause of the crisis in the Venezuelan economy."

News: Libya's UN-backed government suspends participation in Geneva talks

source: AFP
News
Libya's UN-backed government suspends participation in Geneva talks



AFP/File / Mahmud TURKIA Libya has been mired in chaos since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi

Libya's unity government announced late Tuesday it would halt its participation in UN talks aimed at brokering a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn country where a fragile truce has been repeatedly violated.

The pull-out came after a barrage of rocket fire hit a port in the capital Tripoli -- the target of a months-long operation by eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar to oust the Government of National Accord (GNA).

"We are announcing the suspension of our participation in the military talks taking place in Geneva until firm positions are adopted against the aggressor (Haftar) and his violations" of the truce, the GNA said in a press release.

"Without a lasting ceasefire... negotiations make no sense. There can be no peace under the bombing," it added.

The port strikes were the latest violation of a tenuous truce that came into effect in January, brokered by Haftar-backer Russia and Turkey, which supports the UN-recognised government in Tripoli.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

"It is clear the objective of the systematic bombardments of the residential areas, the airport and the port, in addition to the total blockage of the oil installations, is to provoke crises for the citizens in all the aspects of their life", the GNA statement said.

It added that Haftar's forces were "trying in vain" to destabilise the state, having failed to seize power.

UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame launched the second round of talks on Tuesday in the latest international effort to end fighting between the warring sides, with five senior officers from the GNA and five appointed by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) taking part.

A first round of the talks ended with no result earlier this month but Salame said there was "more hope" this time, mainly because of the approval of a UN Security Council resolution calling for a "lasting ceasefire".

- EU to launch naval mission -

Libya has been in turmoil since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival armed factions still vying for power.

In the latest outbreak of fighting, Haftar launched his offensive on Tripoli last April but after rapid advances his forces stalled on the edges of the capital.


 AFP / Mahmud TURKIA Some EU countries were worried a naval operation may encourage more migrants to try to cross from Libya


The fighting has left more than 1,000 people dead and displaced some 140,000 according to the United Nations.

Further talks were planned to start in Geneva on February 26 on finding a political solution.

World leaders had agreed at a Berlin summit last month to end all meddling in the conflict and stop the flow of weapons, but little has changed on the ground since then.

EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to launch a naval mission to enforce an arms embargo, which the UN said was being violated by air, land and sea.

The naval operation will be authorised to intervene to stop weapons shipments into the North African state.

States including Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt support Haftar, while the UN-recognised government led by Fayez al-Sarraj is backed by Turkey and Qatar.

News: Iran dissidents urge vote boycott as leaders eye high turnout

source: AFP
News
Iran dissidents urge vote boycott as leaders eye high turnout



AFP/File / ATTA KENARE Analysts say Iran's leaders want to see a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy

Opponents of Iran's theocratic leadership are urging an outright boycott of its parliamentary elections, arguing that it is anything but democratic and that casting a ballot serves only to bolster the country's Islamic rulers.

The country's supreme leader has urged Iranians to "disappoint the enemy" by participating en masse in the vote on Friday, which coincides with one of the most testing periods for the country since the ousting of the pro-US shah in 1979.

"Participating in elections and voting... is a religious duty" that will strengthen the Islamic republic against the "propaganda" of its enemies, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday.

Analysts say Iran's leaders want to see a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy as they battle an economic crisis spurred by crippling American sanctions imposed after Washington abandoned the 2015 deal curtailing Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The crisis prompted some of the most potent protests since the Revolution and the ferocious crackdown that followed.

The elections have been overshadowed by mass disqualifications of over 7,000 mainly moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council oversight body.

The council threw out more candidates than it allowed in, including most incumbent MPs.

In a message from her jail cell, posted on her husband's Facebook page, Iranian rights activist Narges Mohammadi said a boycott of the elections was the only peaceful means of protest left now that demonstrations are no longer being authorised.

"We need to rise up in the most civilised way and launch a strong boycott campaign to respond to the repressive policies of the government," wrote Mohammadi, who is serving a 10-year sentence for "forming and managing an illegal group."

- 'Stage-managed' -

Opponents outside Iran argue that the government's pressure on citizens to vote means that anyone who casts their ballot is effectively legitimising the system.

Masih Alinejad, a former journalist who has left the country and leads a campaign against the enforced Islamic headscarf for women, has issued a viral video on social media warning that voting overlooks the memory of those killed in the protests.

While officials tell everyone to vote for the sake of the country, "the day after the election, it's back to normal -- the establishment claims the votes gave the Islamic regime legitimacy, and all promises of greater freedoms are forgotten," she told AFP from New York.


AFP/File / ATTA KENARE Iranian women attend a campaign meeting of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former mayor of Tehran


"The candidates are pre-selected, no opposition views are tolerated and even the turnout is stage-managed," she said, adding that instead of voting, people should demand a UN investigation into the November protests.

Amnesty International has confirmed the deaths of 300 people in the crackdown that followed those protests, and some estimates are far higher.

Iran rejects the reports but has yet to give its own figures.

Tehran's admission that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner in January, killing all 176 on board, sparked more protests, at the very moment when the authorities were seeking to consolidate national sentiment following the US killing of top commander Qasem Soleimani.

Underlining the importance of mass participation, Khamenei said in a speech on February 5 that "the enemies who threaten the country and the nation are more afraid of popular support than our armaments."

- City turnout -

Turnout has varied widely in Iranian parliamentary elections over the past decades, but has generally been recorded at more than 50 percent and sometimes topping 60 percent -- a figure the authorities will want to see repeated on Friday.

While the leadership should be able to count on a reasonable turnout from supporters of conservatives and in more rural areas, it is not certain how many will vote in bigger cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and even the holy city of Mashhad, said Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.


AFP / Valentina BRESCHI Sanctions and the Iranian economy

"The question mark is over the bigger urban cities," she told AFP.

In any case, conservatives -- or "principalists", who are themselves split between different factions -- will likely dominate the next parliament after the disqualification of reformists, which risks putting off many voters.

"The scale of disqualifications and what many see as a lack of competitive choice for the Iranian electorate may result in much lower voter participation in the urban areas relative to the last election," Geranmayeh said.

On the other hand, "supporters of the principalists are expected to turn out and vote. We should not underestimate their numbers. They have also been galvanised by recent events including the killing of Soleimani," she said.

News: Former South Korean president jailed after losing appeal

News
Former South Korean president jailed after losing appeal



 AFP/File / Jung Yeon-je Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak arriving at court to attend his original trial in 2018

Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak was taken to prison Wednesday to begin a 17-year term for bribery and embezzlement after losing an appeal against a lighter sentence.

Lee, in office from 2008 to 2013, was briefly jailed in 2018 after being sentenced to 15 years and fined 13 billion won ($11 million), but was granted bail while he appealed.

He was found guilty of creating slush funds of tens of millions of dollars and accepting bribes from Samsung Electronics in return for a presidential pardon for its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who was jailed for tax evasion.

At a hearing on Wednesday, Seoul's Central District Court ordered a heavier sentence, saying Lee "did not show a sign of remorse or sense of responsibility" for his wrongdoings.

He instead blamed civil servants he worked with and Samsung employees, the court said.

Several South Korean presidents have ended up in prison after leaving office -- often as a result of investigations started by political rivals.

Lee's successor, Park Geun-hye, is currently serving 32 years in jail for bribery and abuse of power after being ousted in 2017 over a nationwide corruption scandal that prompted massive street protests.

Another former leader, Roh Moo-hyun, committed suicide after being questioned in a corruption probe involving his family.

News: Facebook faces off with IRS in big-ticket tax case

AFP
News
Facebook faces off with IRS in big-ticket tax case



AFP/File / Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD his illustration picture shows the US social media Facebook logo on February 14, 2020 in Brussels.

A multi-billion dollar dispute between Facebook and US tax authorities over profits shifted to an Irish subsidiary began playing out in front of a judge on Tuesday.

The Internal Revenue Service contends that Facebook dodged about $9 billion in taxes, while the leading social network says it is actually owed a refund, according to US media reports.

"This trial is about transactions that took place in 2010, when Facebook had no mobile advertising revenue, its international business was nascent, and its digital advertising products were unproven," spokesperson Bertie Thomson said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.

"We look forward to presenting our case in court and putting an end to this years-long dispute."

The judge is to hear from an array of Facebook executives during the course of proceedings.

Shifting profits to low-tax countries is a routine practice by international companies, and the judge's decision in this case is seen as a possible harbinger about whether that tactic will become less effective.

The tax period involved dates back nearly a decade to before Facebook became a publicly traded company and smartphones became primary devices for engaging with social media.

The IRS contends that Facebook undervalued technology it licensed to its Irish subsidiary, thereby cutting the amount of money that came to the US for taxation here.

Facebook has countered that it should have valued the technology even lower, further reducing the amount paid by the subsidiary and, therefore, the amount subject to taxation in the US.

"Throughout Facebook's history, we have worked with the IRS and complied with all applicable tax laws," Thomson said.

"Our business has had hits and misses but we stand behind the actions taken over a decade ago during a time of great risk and uncertainty for the company."

News: Dell sells RSA cyber-security unit for $2 bn

AFP NEWS
News
Dell sells RSA cyber-security unit for $2 bn



AFP/File / Pau Barrena The Dell Technologies logo is displayed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 26, 2019.Phone makers will focus on foldable screens and the introduction of blazing fast 5G wireless networks at the world's biggest mobile fair as they try to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones.

Dell Technologies on Tuesday announced a $2.08 billion cash deal to sell cyber-security unit RSA to a consortium led by Symphony Technology Group.

RSA specializes in defending computer systems and runs eponymous cyber-security conferences. The deal was expected to close by the end of this year.

The consortium includes a teachers' pension plan board and Alpinvest Partners.

"As one of the world's elite security brands, RSA represents a great opportunity for solving some of the rapidly developing customer challenges that go along with digital transformation," said Symphony group managing partner William Chisholm said in a joint release.

RSA has more than 12,500 customers, and its main conference is billed as the largest in the cyber-security industry, according to Dell.

"The transaction will further simplify our business and product portfolio," said Dell Technologies chief operating officer Jeff Clarke.

"It also allows Dell Technologies to focus on our strategy to build automated and intelligent security into infrastructure, platforms and devices to keep data safe, protected and resilient."

Founded in 1982, RSA invented a data encryption system. The US company was bought in 2006 for approximately $2.1 billion by EMC, which was acquired a decade later by Dell for $67 billion.

News: Top talent: six to watch at the women's Twenty20 World Cup

AFP NEWS
News
Top talent: six to watch at the women's Twenty20 World Cup



AFP / William WEST Silky stroke play: Australia's Meg Lanning sweeps against India in the recent tri-nations series

Six players to watch when the women's Twenty20 World Cup begins on Friday:

- Meg Lanning (AUS) -

Known for her silky stroke play and cricketing brain, Australia captain Lanning is one of the game's greats.

She made her domestic debut aged 16 and has routinely smashed batting records, while winning praise for her innovative approach to captaincy.

Nicknamed "Megastar", Lanning has played 98 Twenty20 internationals, hitting more than 2,600 runs with a top score of 133 not out, and skippered Australia to the 2018 world title.

- Heather Knight (ENG) -

The England captain is hitting form with the bat at just the right time, stroking a career-best 78 against host Australia in the recent tri-nation series and then crucial consecutive boundaries under pressure to set up a pulsating Super Over win.


AFP / William WEST In-form: England's Heather Knight


She also plundered 67 against India to end up as third highest run scorer in the series with 176 runs at an average of 44.00 behind India's Smriti Mandhana (216 at 43.20) and Australia's Beth Mooney (208 at 52.00).

- Suzie Bates (NZL) -

A multi-talented athlete, Bates represented New Zealand in basketball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She has played at every World Cup and has scored a record 22 innings of fifty or more in Twenty20 internationals.


AFP / Patrick HAMILTON Power-hitter: New Zealand's prolific Suzie Bates

One of the game's power hitters, she was captain from 2011 until 2018 when she relinquished the role to Amy Satterthwaite.

Bates has played 115 Twenty20 internationals, smacking 3,195 runs and taking 49 wickets. She is ranked the world's leading batswoman in the shortest format.

- Shafali Verma (IND) -

The youngest woman to play Twenty20 cricket for India, the fearless 16-year-old has the potential to set the tournament alight.


AFP / William WEST Teenage sensation: India's Shafali Verma


An attacking top-order batter, she debuted in September and became the youngest Indian to score an international half-century in her fifth outing against the West Indies -- surpassing a 30-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

She recently slammed a 78-ball 124 against Australia A in Brisbane, smashing 19 fours and four sixes.

- Stafanie Taylor (WIS)

Acclaimed Jamaican-born Taylor is the West Indian captain and has been the mainstay at the top of the order since 2008, scoring nearly 3,000 runs in 100 Twenty20 internationals.


AFP / DIBYANGSHU SARKAR Batting mainstay: West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor

She also bowls dangerous off-spin and is renowned as an athletic fielder.

Taylor was the 2016 World Cup player of the tournament, and is the heart and soul of her team. If she fires with bat and ball, the West Indies have a real chance of reclaiming the title they won four years ago.

- Ellyse Perry (AUS) -

One of the world's best all-round sportswomen, Perry not only plays cricket for her country but has won 18 caps for the Australian football team, including the 2011 FIFA World Cup.


AFP / William WEST Genuine all-rounder: Ellyse Perry of Australia


Now devoted entirely to cricket, she is one of Australia's pace spearheads, while also proving her credentials as a genuine all-rounder capable of turning any game.

She was the first Australian, male or female, to play 100 Twenty20 internationals.

News: London rapper Dave wins big at male-dominated Brit Awards

News
London rapper Dave wins big at male-dominated Brit Awards



AFP / Tolga AKMEN Twenty-one year-old Dave took home best album for his first offering "Psychodrama", which addresses black identity and institutional racism and topped the country's music charts last year

Breakthrough London rapper Dave won the top gong at a male-dominated Brit Awards on Tuesday after delivering a politically-charged performance at British pop's biggest night.

The build-up to the annual awards show was overshadowed by criticism of the lack of female nominees in mixed gender categories, with just four women named in 25 spots -- all losing out to men.

Twenty-one year-old Dave took home best album for his first offering "Psychodrama", which addresses black identity and institutional racism, and topped the country's music charts last year.


AFP / Adrian DENNIS Leading grime artist Stormzy delivered an explosive set which involved rain, firecrackers and more than fifty people on stage


He earned a standing ovation at London's O2 Arena for his performance of the album's standout track 'Black', to which he added a new verse accusing prime minister, Boris Johnson, of being a "real racist" and calling out the press treatment of Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle.

Dave's rival in the nominations, indie newcomer Lewis Capaldi, beat him to the awards for best new artist and best song for "Someone You Loved"

Glasgow-born Capaldi is riding high after his debut album, "Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent," became Britain's best-selling album of 2019.

But both Capaldi and Dave lost out on the best British male award to leading grime artist Stormzy, who delivered an explosive set that involved rain, firecrackers and more than fifty people on stage.

Collecting his award, he paid tribute to the women he works with.

"To be the best male, I have got the most incredible females in my team," he said.

- Billie Eilish has licence to thrill -

Other winners included teenage sensation Billie Eilish, who won best international female solo artist and performed her new James Bond soundtrack during the ceremony.


AFP / Adrian DENNIS Glasgow-born Capaldi is riding high after his debut album, "Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent," became Britain's best-selling album of 2019

The 18-year-old had been up against Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello and Lana del Rey.

"I felt very hated recently," she told the audience, after having revealed she no longer reads social media comments.

"When I was on stage and I saw you guys all smiling at me it genuinely made me want to cry and I want to cry now."


AFP / Adrian DENNIS Teenage sensation Billie Eilish won best international female solo artist and performed her new James Bond soundtrack during the ceremony


"No Time To Die" has already racked up nearly 26 million views on her YouTube channel, capping a remarkable few weeks for the singer who is the youngest artist to record a Bond track.

The Brit Awards have recognised the cream of British music since they were first held in 1977, but have often been peppered with scandal and farce.

The disproportionately male shortlists come despite the Brits' voting academy undergoing a major overhaul in 2017 to make it more gender balanced and diverse, with hundreds of new members joining the nominating pool.

But while women were under-represented in the awards, black artists dominated the nominations in 'best album' and 'best male'.

British artists account for an eighth of album sales worldwide, according to figures from BPI, which represents the British music industry.

News: Turkish rights defender Kavala re-arrested after acquittal

News
Turkish rights defender Kavala re-arrested after acquittal
AFP


AFP / Ozan KOSE Turkish sociologist Ayse Bugra, Osman Kavala's wife, reacts after Istanbul prosecutors issued a new arrest warrant for him

Turkey's civil society swung from hope to despair Tuesday after counter-terror police detained leading rights defender Osman Kavala just hours after a court ordered his release from jail.

Kavala and eight other defendants were acquitted by a court outside Istanbul in the highly controversial "Gezi Park" trial.

But within hours, a new warrant from the Istanbul prosecutor's office called for his arrest as part of an investigation into a failed 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, and under the charge of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

After his release from the heavily-guarded prison complex in Silivri outside Istanbul, where he has spent more than 800 days in pre-trial detention, the official Anadolu news agency said Kavala was taken by police to an Istanbul hospital for health checks before being formally detained.

The judge had earlier said there was "not enough concrete evidence" that he and the other defendants sought to overthrow the government.

Seven other defendants, who remain on the run, were not formally acquitted.

Kavala, the only defendant kept in jail throughout the trial, faced a life sentence without parole if convicted for his alleged role in orchestrating the "Gezi Park" protests of 2013 that presented the first major challenge to Erdogan, then prime minister.

News of a fresh arrest came as supporters waited for him to be released from the Silivri court and prison complex, and was met with shocked silence, while his wife Ayse Bugra was visibly upset.

Kavala has became a symbol of what critics say is a crackdown on civil society under Erdogan, and received loud cheers as he left the packed courtroom in Silivri.

- 'Cynical and outrageous' -

The mass protests of 2013 began over plans to demolish Gezi Park -- one of the only green spaces in Istanbul's centre -- but quickly spiralled into broader demonstrations against the government.


 AFP / OZAN KOSE The Gezi protests erupted over plans to demolish an Istanbul park but grew into a broader rally against the government


Critics have called the Gezi trial "a mockery" in which the prosecution failed to present any evidence of wrong-doing by the defendants.

And the re-arrest of Kavala on new charges sparked condemnation from rights advocates.

"This is a vindictive and lawless move, further demonstrating that Turkey's justice system is under tight political control," Emma Sinclair-Webb, of Human Rights Watch, told AFP.

Amnesty International slammed the "cynical and outrageous detention" and called for his immediate release.

"This decision smacks of deliberate and calculated cruelty," Amnesty's Turkey campaigner Milena Buyum said in a statement.

"It is time for Turkey to end the relentless crackdown on dissenting voices."

- Criticisms -

In December, the European Court of Human Rights heavily criticised the quality of the Gezi Park prosecution.

It ruled that the 657-page indictment against Kavala lacked "facts, information or evidence" to raise even the suspicion that he helped organise the protests, let alone attempted to overthrow the government, and called for his immediate release.

The Turkish court still put Kavala and the other defendants through two more hearings in December and January.


AFP / Ozan KOSE Security was high around the courthouse before the decision

Among the criticisms of the trial was the fact that defence lawyers were denied the chance to cross-examine the key government witness, identified as Murat Papuc, when he gave evidence in December after he claimed his life was in danger.

Lawyers also decried the inclusion of testimony from a police officer convicted of kicking a Gezi Park protester to death in July 2013, who now portrays himself as a victim of the demonstrations.

The defendants received support from Ekrem Imamoglu, the new high-profile mayor of Istanbul who took control of the city out of the hands of the ruling party last year.


 AFP / Ozan KOSE


"The acquittal of all the defendants in the #GeziPark trial is a true source of joy, and restores trust in the Turkish judicial system. I salute all those who stand to defend our city's history, culture and nature," he tweeted.

Kavala's supporters say he was targeted because he worked to build bridges across Turkey's often fractious ethnic and social divides, in contrast to the combative rhetoric favoured by Erdogan's ruling party.

News: Five ties to watch in the Europa League this week

News
Five ties to watch in the Europa League this week
AFP


 AFP / Glyn KIRK Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes his Manchester United side to Club Brugge in their Europa League last 32 first leg this week

The Europa League knockout phase begins on Thursday, with VAR being introduced to Europe's secondary club competition for the first time outwith the final for the last 32, first-leg ties. AFP Sport picks five games to watch this week:

- Man Utd in Bruges -

Manchester United's Champions League aspirations have been given a major boost in recent days, first with the news of Manchester City's two-year ban from the competition. Then, on Monday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side beat Chelsea 2-0 away to close to within three points of their opponents in fourth place in the Premier League.

Now they revert their focus to the Europa League, which could also offer them a ticket to next season's Champions League if they reach the final in Gdansk in May and lift the trophy.

United head to Belgium to take on Club Brugge in the first leg of their tie. Beaten by Liverpool in two European finals in the 1970s, Club Brugge are not a side to be taken lightly. They dropped out of the Champions League group stage despite holding Real Madrid away, and are nine points clear atop the Belgian league.

- Arsenal 'deserve our respect' -


AFP/File / Ian KINGTON Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are in Greece to take on Olympiakos, who held Tottenham to a draw in the Champions League earlier this season


Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight games under Mikel Arteta, although the Gunners' new Spanish boss could do with turning some of his team's many draws into more victories.

Currently in mid-table in the Premier League, last season's beaten finalists travel to face Olympiakos knowing this competition is surely their best bet if they are to return to the Champions League next term.

"They may not have started well in the Premier League this season, but they have great players, are dangerous and deserve our respect," said Pedro Martins, the coach of Olympiakos.

The Greek league leaders dropped out of the Champions League group stage despite holding Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-2 draw in Piraeus.

- Ajax set for battle in Spain -

After enchanting Europe on their run to the Champions League semi-finals last year, Ajax were brought crashing back to earth when they were eliminated from this season's competition in the group stage.


ANP/AFP/File / Maurice van STEEN Dusan Tadic (L) has warned his Ajax teammates to prepare for a battle in their tie with Spanish surprise package Getafe

The Dutch champions were then handed a tough Europa League draw against a Getafe side who have been one of the stories of the season in Spain.

The unfashionable outfit from the working-class satellite town just south of Madrid finished fifth in La Liga last season and are currently third under Jose Bordalas, whose his idol as a youngster was Johan Cruyff.

"They are warriors. They fight for every ball and really give everything," Ajax star Dusan Tadic told Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad. "They are physically very strong and go beyond the limits if necessary."

It is Getafe's first European knockout tie since they took Bayern Munich to extra time in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2008.

- Will Salzburg survive without Haaland? -

Erling Braut Haaland's eight goals were not enough for Salzburg to qualify from the Champions League group stage, and the Austrians have since lost their striker to Borussia Dortmund. Japanese winger Takumi Minamino also departed for Liverpool, leaving them looking seriously weakened for the second half of the season.

Salzburg did sign Swiss starlet Noah Okafor, but their first league game after a long winter break ended in a 3-2 home defeat by title rivals LASK Linz last weekend.

Now Salzburg face Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning a reunion with Adi Huetter, who coached Salzburg to a league and cup double in 2015.


 AFP/File / ANDY BUCHANAN Celtic topped their Europa League group and now take on FC Copenhagen


- Celtic fairytale in Copenhagen? -

Celtic have been eliminated at this stage in the last two seasons but should fancy their chances against FC Copenhagen as they head to Denmark.

While Celtic have claimed nine straight wins this calendar year, Copenhagen's first league game of 2020 ended in defeat last weekend.

Current Celtic manager Neil Lennon was a player when the Glasgow giants lost 3-1 on their last trip to Copenhagen in the Champions League in 2006.

His team qualified by topping their group, and of this tie he said: "It's great to have European football after Christmas, and it's a tough draw. It could have been tougher, but it could have been easier."

News: Every child under 'immediate threat' from climate, poor diet: UN

News
Every child under 'immediate threat' from climate, poor diet: UN
source: AFP


AFP/File / PETER PARKS No single country is protecting the next generation from the impacts of carbon emissions, the destruction of nature and high-calorie and processed foods, the report found

The world is failing to protect children from the health dangers posed by climate change and poor diet, a landmark UN report said Wednesday, warning that every child is under "immediate threat".

According to more than 40 of the world's pre-eminent child and adolescent health experts, not one country on Earth is adequately protecting the next generation from the impacts of carbon emissions, the destruction of nature and high-calorie and processed foods.

They said that excessive carbon emissions, produced overwhelmingly by wealthier nations, "threaten the future of all children" and will burden them with additional health dangers, from deadly heatwaves to the increased spread of tropical diseases.

The report, commissioned by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, also highlights the threat children face from harmful marketing of fat- and sugar-laden foods, alcohol and tobacco.

"The big message is that no single country is protecting children's health today and for their future," said Anthony Costello, professor of International Child Health and Director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London.

"When you look at the damage being done to children's lungs by air pollution, we've got a very limited time to sort this out," he told AFP.

"We have the solutions, what we don't have is the political leadership and will to make it happen."

The report, published in The Lancet medical journal, ranks the performance of 180 countries when it comes to child survival, education and nutrition rates.

Under these criteria, less-developed nations such as Central African Republic and Chad perform particularly poorly compared to rich countries such as Norway and the Netherlands.

However the rankings are largely reversed when the impacts of air pollution from per capita carbon emissions were assessed.

"The world's decision makers are failing today's children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet," said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

- 11-fold obesity surge -

Around 250 million under-fives in low- and middle-income countries risk being stunted due to malnutrition and other impacts of poverty, the authors said.

At the same time, the number of obese children worldwide has surged 11-fold since 1975 to stand at 124 million.

Children in some countries see as many as 30,000 adverts on television in a single year. And despite industry self-regulation, one study showed that children in Australia were exposed 51 million times to alcohol adverts in just one year of televised sport.

"Industry regulation has failed," said Costello.

"And the reality could be much worse still: we have few figures about the huge expansion of social media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children."

The authors called on governments to radically reduce carbon emissions in line with the Paris climate goals and to tighten regulation of harmful marketing.

Current emissions pledges put Earth on course to warm more than 3C by 2100, which "would lead to devastating health consequences for children", from rising sea levels and heatwaves to disease and malnutrition.

News: Pompeo closes Africa tour with warning about China's 'empty promises'

News
Pompeo closes Africa tour with warning about China's 'empty promises'



POOL/AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS Pompeo made a pitch for the United States as Africa's investment partner in a three-nation tour of the continent

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday closed a three-nation Africa tour with a thinly-veiled swipe at China as he talked up Washington's ability to stimulate growth and entrepreneurship on the continent.

"Countries should be wary of authoritarian regimes with empty promises. They breed corruption, dependency," Pompeo said in a speech to diplomats and business leaders at the UN's Economic Commission for Africa in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

"They run the risk that the prosperity and sovereignty and progress that Africa so needs and desperately wants won't happen."

Pompeo in his remarks did not explicitly mention China -- Africa's largest trading partner -- but analysts predicted ahead of his trip that he would attempt to pitch the US as an alternative source of investment.

On Wednesday Pompeo name-checked US companies operating in all three countries on his Africa tour, the first by a US cabinet-level official in 19 months: Bechtel in Senegal, Chevron in Angola and Coca-Cola in Ethiopia.

He also hailed the free market generally, blasting "failed socialist experiments of years past" in places like Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

And he criticised a proposed constitutional amendment in South Africa that would allow private property to be expropriated without compensation -- a plan that seeks to overcome inequalities set down in the apartheid era.

The amendment would be "disastrous for that economy and most importantly for the South African people," he said.

Pompeo left later for Riyadh.

-Mixed messages-

Pompeo's attempt to lay out a positive vision for US cooperation with Africa has been undermined by President Donald Trump's Africa policy so far, analysts say.

Critics are quick to cite Trump's widely-reported remarks in 2018 when he used a profanity to describe African and poorer Western Hemisphere nations whose citizens migrate to the United States.

Washington is currently discussing military cuts in Africa, and the US recently announced tightened visa rules targeting Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, as well as Tanzania, Sudan and Eritrea.

"Pompeo is unlikely to undo the damage from the Trump administration's travel bans, the proposed budget cuts, or the president's disparaging comments about the region," said Judd Devermont, Africa director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think-tank in Washington.

But African leaders would nonetheless "welcome his long-overdue engagement and focus on the positives as much as possible," Devermont said.

Even so, countries like Ethiopia have benefitted from Chinese engagement, rendering Pompeo's message less effective, said Abel Abate Demissie, an Ethiopian political analyst.

"It is undeniable that Chinese investment was quite crucial in keeping Ethiopia on track as one of the world's fastest-growing economies for many years," Abel said.

He added that much Chinese money has gone toward tangible projects like roads and buildings, while American money is more often funnelled to "less visible" fields like education and health.

"The fact that Chinese loans and sometimes grants have less bureaucracy also makes it quite convenient for Ethiopia and Africa at large," Abel said.

China has funnelled cash and loans into infrastructure projects across the continent.

However Beijing has faced accusations, which it denies, of saddling poor nations with debt, siphoning off mineral resources and leaving environmental damage.

Pompeo insisted Wednesday that Trump was eager to play a bigger role on the continent.

"If there's one thing you should know about our president –- my boss –- you should know that he loves deals," he said, drawing laughs from the audience.

"He wants more to happen between the United States and nations all across Africa."