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Story highlights The trial date is set so far in the future because of Terry's football commitments He is "shocked and disgusted" by the accusation, his lawyers sayThe case stems from comments the Chelsea footballer allegedly made to Anton FerdinandRacist taunts, alleged and proven, have dogged English football for yearsEngland soccer captain John Terry, who is accused of racially abusing another player during a match, will go on trial July 9 after his lawyers entered a plea of not guilty in a London Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.Terry did not appear in person for the hearing. The trial date was set so far in the future because of Terry's football match commitments. Grosvenor Law, which is representing the football player, said it will put forward a "detailed and robust" defense, adding that Terry is "shocked and disgusted" by the accusation. The case stems from comments the Chelsea footballer allegedly made to Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand in an English Premier League match last year. Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for London, said Terry is being prosecuted for a "racially aggravated public order offense" because of the comments during the October 23 match. "I am satisfied there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute this case," Saunders said in December. The maximum penalty for the offense is £2,500 ($3,900).The London-born defender denied the allegations. Photos: Career of John Terry Photos: Career of John TerryChelsea breakthrough – John Terry made his Chelsea debut as a substitute against Aston Villa in 1998. After a short loan spell with second-tier Nottingham Forest, Terry established himself in the Chelsea first team during the 2000-01 English Premier League season.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryEngland debut – Terry's impressive form was recognized in 2003 when he was handed his England debut as a substitute in a 2-1 victory over Serbia and Montenegro.Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryThe wait is over – In his first full season as captain, Terry led Chelsea to a first English top-flight title in 50 years.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryBack-to-back titles – Chelsea sealed back-to-back Premier League titles in 2006, and in 2010 Terry became the first captain to lead the club to a league and FA Cup double.Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryLeading from the front – Terry's international profile continued to grow and he was named England captain by new manager Steve McClaren in 2006. He scored the opening goal in his first match as skipper, a 4-0 victory over Greece.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryMiss in Moscow – Chelsea faced Manchester United in the 2008 European Champions League final in Moscow. In the penalty shootout, Terry had the chance to give Chelsea the trophy for the first time but his spot-kick hit the post and United claimed glory.Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryCaptain come back – Having initially been stripped of the role in 2010, Terry was reinstated as England captain by Italian manager Fabio Capello in March 2011 following an injury to Rio Ferdinand.Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Career of John TerryCourt case – Terry pleaded not guilty to charges of racial abuse in a British court on February 1. The incident in question occurred during Chelsea's defeat to Queens Park Rangers in October. The hearing will be held from July 9.Hide Caption 8 of 8JUST WATCHEDEngland captain charged with racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEngland captain charged with racism 03:00"Mr. Terry has never racially abused another player in his entire career," his lawyers said Wednesday.Terry's club has also backed him up. "John has made it clear he denies the charge and is determined to do all he can to prove his innocence," the club said in a statement in December. "Chelsea FC has always been fully supportive of John in this matter and there is no question that we will continue to be so.Terry's position as England captain has come under scrutiny since the allegations were made, and the court case will come before the team's next match at home against the Netherlands on February 29.The English Football Association's former chief executive, David Davies, said the ruling body might take action later if Terry is found guilty."The FA would most certainly go down that road," Davies said in December. "England is the country which first embraced the idea of using the power of football to face racism back in the 1990s. England has not, unlike many other countries, swept this issue under the carpet."He can most certainly still play for England, as things stand. You always start with the premise of innocence until proven guilty. He will, to be sure, fight these charges with a vehemence."In another case last year, Liverpool's Luis Suarez was suspended and fined for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.Suarez was suspended for eight matches and fined £40,000 ($63,000), England's Football Association announced in December.Evra said Suarez repeatedly shouted a racial slur at him during the October 15 match and demanded that Suarez be held accountable.Suarez did not specify what he said, but said it wasn't offensive. And his club issued a statement saying it was "very surprised and disappointed" with the decision.Racist taunts, alleged and proven, have dogged English football for years. On Saturday, police arrested a man on suspicion of making a racially abusive gesture at a high-profile soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester United earlier that day.Also in January, Merseyside police arrested a 20-year-old man on "suspicion of a racially-aggravated public order offense" following a Liverpool match against Oldham. | 5sport
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(CNN)Given the history of motor racing stretches back to the 1890s, finding any new 'firsts' in the sport is rare.But Formula E has made its name by breaking the mold. Approaching the opening race of its sixth season -- a double header Ad Diriyah ePrix on November 22 and 23 -- racing fans can look forward to something never previously seen before in motorsport: Germany's 'Big Four' competing against each other.For the first time ever, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW and Audi will have cars racing in the same single-seater championship.Mercedes and Porsche will be making their Formula E debuts in the 2019-20 season, while BMW enters its second season as a full manufacturer after partnering with Andretti in 2018-19.Read MoreAudi is one of just five teams on the expanded grid of 12 to have been in the championship since its inaugural season, which could be a crucial factor in its battle against the other German manufacturers."It's going to be very exciting to see, because obviously these four are going to be trying to show the other who's boss," Nicki Shields told CNN ahead of the return of Supercharged."So to have those big four competing together I think is going to be absolutely incredible -- and obviously they're all going to be there trying to own this championship."JUST WATCHEDFormula E car vs. the fastest animalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFormula E car vs. the fastest animal 01:04READ: Mercedes-Benz and Porsche to join new championshipREAD: Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne punished with community serviceFrom F1 to FEPerhaps the most mouth-watering prospect ahead of the new season is Mercedes' introduction into the championship, with many pondering whether the Silver Arrows can emulate their total dominance in Formula One over the past six seasons.But Formula E is vastly different to any other racing championship and teams with a rich history in motorsport have previously struggled to make their mark.The tight, winding street circuits make overtaking opportunities scarce and the one-day format for qualifying and racing is a brutal test of mental and physical endurance for the drivers.However, Mercedes is likely to enjoy a smoother entry into electric racing than most after dipping its toes in the water last season with affiliate team HWA Racelab."I'm sure that's what Mercedes are hoping!" Shields says. "Eventually, I am sure they will be (dominant). "However, I think you do have to keep in mind that just because you know you're at the pinnacle of motorsport in Formula One, doesn't mean you're going to be the pinnacle in electric racing because it is a very different sport. "They do have, obviously, an incredible team. They've got all the skills, but it's going to take a little bit of time for them to embed in Formula E. I don't think they're going to come and win their first race -- I mean, who knows? JUST WATCHEDSusie Wolff: From driver to Venturi principalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSusie Wolff: From driver to Venturi principal 04:43READ: Jump aboard the eDumper, the world's largest electric vehicleREAD: Europe's first road-worthy autonomous delivery vehicle"But I think it is going to take them a few races to actually get to grips with Formula E -- it's very unforgiving and there isn't really much time to learn."Mercedes has also retained former Formula One driver Stoffel Vandoorne from his spell with HWA last season in the hope the Belgian can provide vital direction and assistance to new teammate Nyck de Vries, last season's Formula 2 champion and one of the most highly regarded youngsters in motorsport.Bye to the bromancePorsche's introduction means there will now be 12 teams and 24 drivers jostling for position on the grid, with Andre Lotterer -- part of last season's championship-winning team at DS Techeetah -- joined by Swiss driver Neel Jani.Jean-Eric Vergne, Lotterer's former teammate and the other half of one of sport's greatest bromances, remains at DS Techeetah and will be bidding to win his third Formula E title.The Frenchman made history last season by becoming the sport's first two-time winner and he'll be joined in the team garage by Antonio Felix da Costa, who moves from BMW Andretti."DS Techeetah have done incredibly well considering they are a very new team and they're battling it out against some of the world's biggest manufacturers," Shields says."Obviously the competition is going to be high but I think Jean-Eric Vergne is still, in terms of his driver capability, one of the best on the grid."But it's goodbye to his old partner ... he was best mates with, Andre Lotterer ... the bromance, they used to call themselves 'Jandre.' But his new teammate, Antonio Felix da Costa, is a phenomenal driver. He has raced in Formula E since the very beginning and they get on really, really well."So it's going to be tough given that the competition is the likes of Porsche and Mercedes, but I think DS Techeetah, having seen what they've already done in testing, are still going to be very competitive."JUST WATCHEDVergne clinches Formula E title in New YorkReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHVergne clinches Formula E title in New York 07:10'The dark side ... the green side'Off the track, Formula E continues to enjoy a rapid rise in both audience and revenue growth.Before the final two races of last season, Formula E said that an average of 32.6 million people tuned in to watch each individual race, a huge increase on the 27.1 million in 2017-18 and 18.6 million during the 2016-17 season.That means around 400 million people watched at least one race last season, a jump of 100 million in just two years.Race day attendances are also booming, with more than 400,000 fans coming through the gates in each of the last two seasons.Though the sport continues to make losses, which are now more than $160 million, year-on-year revenue has continued to increase.Formula E's green, environmentally friendly image and message make it an attractive proposition for sponsors, led by Swiss technology organization ABB as the sport's first title sponsor.JUST WATCHEDWill Formula E merge with Formula One?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWill Formula E merge with Formula One? 01:39"If we look back to that first race in Beijing in September 2014, we all arrived thinking: 'Is this first race even going to happen?'" Shields recalls. "There were so many things that had to go right -- fortunately they did. "So the championship has grown hugely -- not only are there more manufacturers on board, the caliber of drivers has massively increased, the number of fans as has dramatically grown. It's a very different world."Initially, the purists motorsport fans watching it thought: 'Oh, what are we going to do? We can't watch racing, they're electric cars!'"But actually they've come to realize that these cars are super quick, they have incredible acceleration and the racing is so fantastic because it is this wheel to wheel competitive nature on very tight unforgiving street circuits. "And there is never a race without drama. So I think we've persuaded quite a few of them to come to the other side, the dark side -- the greener side!" | 5sport
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(CNN)The batteries dying on a TV remote control? We've just about all been there. And Roger Federer -- one of the greatest tennis players of all time and the fifth highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes -- said it happened to him when he was trying to watch Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff's now famous interview at the US Open on Saturday. Defending champion Naomi Osaka ends Coco Gauff's US Open run, then comforts Gauff afterwardIn a poignant moment that won't soon be forgotten, defending US Open women's champion Osaka comforted the 15-year-old sensation Gauff after she beat her 6-3, 6-0 in the third round. Osaka then convinced Gauff -- who gained worldwide attention and masses of fans by making it to the fourth round at Wimbledon in July -- to take part in the on-court interview with her, something usually only reserved for the winner.Federer took note and wanted to listen in. Read MoreSerena Williams advances to US Open quarterfinals but injures her ankle"I was having dinner. ... I was just watching it from afar in the second set," the Swiss told reporters after crushing David Goffin in the fourth round Sunday. "Then I realized they were chatting to one another. I figured as they were both going up for the interview, let me listen in, what have they got to say?"I couldn't get the volume to work because the remote had no more battery. I'm trying to figure it out. Watching an interview with no words is kind of hard for me."I got it working at the end. I caught the back end of it. I saw highlights and all that."And what did Federer make of the interview? 'Tennis won on the night'"I just thought it was a nice moment," he said. "It showed both personalities from both players. In a way also tennis won on the night, not just Osaka. Also Coco, the way she handled herself anyway. It's incredible at 15. I can't even think being so well behaved at 15."Of course, everything comes crashing down on you. You're exhausted. It's finally over. There's even relief. You're sad about the result. I thought it was a big moment."There was huge momentum since Wimbledon with Coco here in the States. It was a great ending in some ways, that interview, rather than maybe just a 6-0 set in the second set, walking out, just getting a great ovation. I think it was a nice way to show that the players care for one another on this tour."It's not quite over yet for Gauff, though. Follow @cnnsport
She and fellow American 17-year-old Caty McNally, who took a set off Serena Williams in the second round in singles, upset ninth seeds Nicole Melichar and Kveta Peschke 6-3, 7-6(9) in the doubles second round Sunday in a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium."The crowd was unreal today," Gauff said. "I didn't think it would be that many people at the match, to be honest. I mean, I knew we were on Armstrong, but I couldn't see an empty seat and they were sold out and so supportive. I think that definitely helped us, especially when the pressure moments came."Gauff and McNally are the reigning junior doubles champions at the US Open and won a top-level title in Washington last month. They've yet to drop a set as doubles partners, and the teenagers have dubbed themselves as "McCoco."Their next opponent will be No. 8 seeds Ashleigh Barty and Victoria Azarenka. | 5sport
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(CNN)It's the game that everyone's talking about, and the game that has divided opinions across the sporting world. The US Women's National Team relentless 13-0 win against Thailand in their opening World Cup match has many questioning the sportsmanship of the reigning champions, with 10 goals coming in the second half. A number of records have already been broken in France during the opening round of fixtures of the competition and more are likely to follow. We take a look at some key statistics surrounding a tournament that promises yet more twists in the coming weeks. READ: Italy ends 20-year wait with shock winUnlucky 13 for Thailand Read MoreSeven different US players scored in the 13-0 win against Thailand, with Alex Morgan bagging five goals.The USWNT's victory is the biggest win in the history of the Women's World Cup, surpassing Germany 's 11-0 result against Argentina in 2007. It's also the largest margin of victory in the history of the FIFA World Cup (men's and women's).Morgan also became only the second player in Women's World Cup history to score five goals in a single game, 27 years and 199 days after fellow US international Michelle Akers managed this feat in November 1991.On top of all that, Samantha Mewis' opening goal for the USWNT was the 800th goal scored in Women's World Cup matches, with the US team responsible for 116 of them, more than any other nation.The oldest record breaker Aged 41 years and 98 days, Formiga stepped onto the pitch in Grenoble on Sunday and without even kicking the ball the unassuming Brazilian wrote a new page in Women's World Cup history. Not only did the Brazilian midfielder become the oldest player to feature in the tournament, but she is also the first to appear at seven finals. When Formiga made her World Cup debut against Japan on June 7, 1995, 150 of the players who will be in France for this year's tournament were yet to be born. Not only has she broken the record for the most separate World Cup's appeared in by either a male or female player, but she also surpassed American Christie Rampone's record by becoming the competition's oldest ever player. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is also third in the all-time appearance standings having appeared in 24 Women's World Cup matches. Top scorer Five-time world player of the year Marta has won almost everything there is to win in football. But although this is the 33-year-old's fifth World Cup, she has found that World Cup title elusive, coming closest in 2007 when she finished as a runner-up.The Brazilian has had a plenty of goalscoring success at the World Cup though, scoring her 16th World Cup goal in the opening week to become the first player to score in five editions of the tournament and, by the time her tournament was done, she'd made it to 17. Next closest is Germany's Birgit Prinz and USA's Abby Wambach who both have 14 goals at World Cups. Highest attendance Whilst recent World Cups have attracted bigger TV audiences, the record attendance is still held by the 1999 World Cup finals. Seen by many as a watershed moment for women's football, the 1999 World Cup tournament still holds records for the highest total attendance (1.194 million) and highest average attendance (37,319 per match).Alongside the 90,185 people that saw the USA beat China in the final, 17.9 million viewers in the US tuned in for the final -- the largest TV audience for a soccer match in the country's history until a group stage match in the 2014 men's World Cup, which drew 18.2 million, and the 2015 final, which drew 25.4 million. CapsCanada forward Christine Sinclair made her international debut in 2000 aged just 16. When the squads for this year's tournament were announced, Sinclair had racked up 282 caps for Canada -- the highest of any active international player. To put this in perspective, that's more than the cumulative total of all 23 Jamaica players. The USA squad has an unparalleled 1,893 caps and includes eight centurions.Quickest treble During the 2015 World Cup final, Carli Lloyd scored a 13-minute hat-trick, but that isn't the fastest hat-trick we've seen at a World Cup. In Switzerland's 10-1 hammering of Ecuador in 2015, Fabienne Humm scored a five-minute hat-trick, scoring in the 47th, 49th and 52nd minute. Humm's triple also eclipses the World Cup record in the men's format of the game, as Laszlo Kiss bagged a seven-minute hat-trick against El Salvador in 1982.Keeping opponents at bay A key part of any title-winning team is having a dominant goalkeeper -- just look at the difference Alisson has made at Liverpool after arriving from Roma last season. For the USA women's team, Briana Scurry was its dominant goalkeeper between 1994 and 2009. After making her World Cup debut in 1995, Scurry amassed 10 World Cup clean sheets, the most of any keeper. During her time as the USA's starting goalkeeper, Scurry earned a record 173 caps and had 71 clean sheets, helping the USWNT win the World Cup in 1999 and achieve a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Ever-present nationsThere are just seven nations that have appeared in every Women's World Cup since it was officially founded 28 years ago in 1991. Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and the USA are the omnipresent countries at the World Cup and will all make their eighth appearance at this year's tournament in France. Brazil, Sweden and Nigeria have yet to win the tournament, while Nigeria is the only one of this septet of nations to have never reached the semifinals. CoachesIn the 2015 Women's World Cup, eight of the 24 teams that competed were managed by female coaches. Four years later and that number has risen to nine, with just three of them having had previous playing experience at Women's World Cups.Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg played 13 times (and scored one goal) in three tournaments and Japan's Asako Takakura played in seven World Cup games. Hosts France now have Corinne Diacre at the helm, who played in three games in 2003.Stadiums This year's World Cup will be played in nine stadiums across France, with the opening fixture between France and South Korea having taken place in the Parc des Princes in Paris.Alongside the Parc des Princes, two other stadiums were used in the men's European Championships 2016 (Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon and the Allianz Riviera in Nice).The semifinals and final will be played at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, which has a 58,000 capacity, the largest stadium at this year's competition. | 5sport
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Munich (CNN)UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that a culture change is required to enable women across the world to work without fear of sexual harassment.In an exclusive interview with CNN, Guterres said that the allegations that have engulfed the British charity Oxfam served as a reminder of the "serious problem that is everywhere."Guterres, whose own organization has faced criticism over abuse by peacekeeping forces, said "everything possible" must be done to change the culture that has allowed "No form of sexual harassment... is acceptable," he told CNN.Oxfam's reputation has taken a battering after it was accused of attempting to cover up the behavior of some of its senior staff members deployed to Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake.Read More"I think we need to be fully aware that this is a serious problem that is everywhere, in public administrations, in the private sector, in international organizations like the UN... in the civil society and in nongovernmental organizations," Guterres said."There is a central question. We still live in a male-dominated culture, in a male-dominated world, and so these things happen and people are afraid to come out, to speak up, to denounce. So, we need to do everything possible to change this culture."António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke out over allegations of sexual harassment.The UN has faced its own abuse scandals. In 2016, there were 80 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by uniformed United Nations personnel and 65 allegations against civilian workers who support the peacekeeping missions, according to a report by Guterres published last year.Read: UN peacekeepers accused of raping civiliansAs a result of the report, Guterres unveiled recommendations from a task force attempting to eradicate sexual abuse by peacekeepers in the field."We have already appointed eight global victim advocates in the areas more dramatically impacted to make sure that there is support to the victims, for the victims to be able to come and denounce what has happened. Not to be afraid," Guterres told CNN Friday.In Oxfam's case, the aid workers -- including the Oxfam country director at the time, Roland van Hauwermeiren -- were accused of using prostitutes in a villa rented by the organization.Addressing the allegations, Van Hauwermeiren acknowledged his behavior was unacceptable. "I should have known better, I'm a man of flesh and blood," van Hauwermeiren told Belgian TV Thursday."Nobody is perfect, but I'm no pig. I don't feel good about the people who are told by perhaps less professional journalists that Oxfam is used to hold sex orgies with the money from good citizens, but that is absolutely... it is absolutely not correct." 'Urgent review'On Friday, Oxfam announced that an independent commission would carry out an "urgent" review into the allegations alongside a "comprehensive action plan to stamp out abuse."Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has vowed to ensure justice for survivors of abuse.In a statement, the charity's international executive director, Winnie Byanyima, said Oxfam is "absolutely committed to ensuring justice for survivors of abuse." "What happened in Haiti and afterward is a stain on Oxfam that will shame us for years, and rightly so," she said. "From the bottom of my heart I am asking for forgiveness."Oxfam said the commission would be headed by leading women's rights experts. I t has also pledged to triple its annual safeguarding funding to just over $1 million.The charity said it was committed to publishing its 2011 internal investigation into the Haiti scandal "as soon as possible." The names of the men involved have already been shared with the Haitian authorities,it said..Since the revelations were first reported in The Times last week, Oxfam has lost two high-profile ambassadors, the actor Minnie Driver and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu. On Monday, its deputy chief executive Penny Lawrence resigned.JUST WATCHEDOxfam deputy chief resigns over sex scandalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOxfam deputy chief resigns over sex scandal 00:53The British government has warned it could lose millions of pounds in public funding because of the scandal. Oxfam received about £32 million (about $44 million) from the government last year. The UK Charity Commission, an independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, opened a statutory inquiry into the allegations.Oxfam did not deny the accusations against its staff members, but it denied a cover-up, saying that it launched a swift internal investigation after it became aware of the allegations. Four people were fired and another three resigned, including van Hauwermeiren, the charity saidCNN's Nic Robertson reported from Munich. James Masters wrote from London. | 3news
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(CNN)American rapper A$AP Rocky has been detained in Stockholm and is accused of serious assault, according to CNN Swedish affiliate Expressen.The Swedish Prosecutor's Office said a performer was detained without identifying the individual, but said he was represented by lawyer Henrik Olsson Lilja. Olsson Lilja told Reuters that his client denied any wrongdoing. The American rapper was detained following a confrontation in the Swedish capital, according to Expressen."We are working hard with this and confident that the prosecutor will take a decision in favor of my client when he gets the full picture," Olsson Lilja said, according to Reuters.The 30-year-old, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was reportedly detained with three other people at around 1 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, after a brawl broke out in the city. Read MoreOn Instagram A$AP Rocky posted two videos that show him, and his companions, asking two men to stop following them."We don't know these guys and we didn't want trouble," he wrote as the caption on one of the videos, which was three minutes long. "They followed us for four blocks." View this post on Instagram A post shared by PRETTY FLACKO (@asaprocky) on Jul 2, 2019 at 8:06am PDT In another video posted by the rapper, A$AP Rocky says one of the men hit a member of his security "in the face with headphones." Referring to himself, A$AP Rocky added that authorities tried to arrest him and that he is "innocent." But in a video posted by TMZ, the website points to A$AP Rocky who appears to grab one of the men and throw him to the ground.Swedish prosecutors said in a statement that they have until noon Saturday to decide whether to keep the performer in custody, adding that the investigation is in the "initial" stages.The rapper is scheduled to perform at Wireless Festival in the United Kingdom on Saturday. CNN has reached out to A$AP Rocky for additional comment.CNN's Sarah Dean contributed to this report.CNN's Henrik Pettersson contributed to this story. | 3news
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Story highlightsJan transfer window is chance to buy playersDecision time for relegation-threatened clubs (CNN)With the Premier League grossing over $8 billion for its latest domestic television rights deal, the rewards for remaining in English football's promised land are richer than ever. So it's no coincidence that clubs occupying the bottom five positions in the table have already sacked four managers as they bid to stay in England's top flight.The next big decision for the owners of those clubs threatened by the drop is how much they should spend in the January transfer window.Do they break the bank and bring in a crop of new players to reinvigorate underachieving squads, or is it time to cut their losses and start planning for life in English football's second tier?CNN Sport looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the bottom five to identify what each squad needs and why. Read MoreREAD: Which Premier League signing is proving the best value for money?READ: Giroud dubbed 'Scorpion King' after wonder goalREAD: Guardiola: "I will not be a trainer at 60 or 65"READ: Spurs end Chelsea winning streakFollow @cnnsport
MiddlesbroughWith 10 goals in 21 international games, Spanish striker Alvarao Negredo's loan signing from Valencia was seen as something of a coup. Defensively, Aitor Karanka's men have been excellent -- conceding fewer league goals than the likes of Liverpool, Southampton and Everton. With six clean sheets, only Spurs (7), Southampton (7), Manchester United (7) and Chelsea (11) have more than the newly-promoted side. Karanka's issue is in attack. No team has had fewer shots (182) and no team has scored fewer league goals than Middlesbrough's 17 so far this season. It's frustrating because we think we were better than Burnley today. We had chances to score but must now learn from this & keep going. #UTB pic.twitter.com/PyPbCTIKLD— Aitor Karanka (@Karanka) December 26, 2016
What's needed?Experienced striker Alvaro Negredo has five goals to his name but cannot be expected to fire the club to safety alone. Aston Villa forward Rudy Gestede was secured on a three-and-a-half-year deal in the first week of the window and Boro should now press on to acquire a creative midfielder to complement Gaston Ramirez. Crystal PalaceWith a management career spanning over 25 years, new Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce will hope he has the experience to keep the Eagles in the Premier League.Only the Premier League's top six boast a better goalscoring record than Crystal Palace.With attacking players like Wilfried Zaha, Yohan Cabaye, Jason Puncheon, Andros Townsend and Christian Benteke, the Eagles have scored an average of 1.5 goals per game. So where did it all go wrong for previous manager Alan Pardew? The Palace frontline might have been prolific, but eight defeats in the 10 matches leading up to his departure epitomized a nightmare year. Christian Benteke provides value for money in Premier League ROI ratingsNo team lost more league matches in 2016 (22), and new manager Sam Allardyce has admitted keeping his side in the division is a "bigger challenge" than he expected. READ: How Sam Allardyce lost the England job after undercover newspaper stingIf he's to arrest the slump, getting the best out of Zaha and Benteke could hold the key; the Eagles have attempted the third-highest number of crosses (476) in the division this season and are clearly set up to exploit the strengths of their record signing.No player in Europe has won more headers than the 1.90m Belgian in 2016/17 and with eight Premier League goals to his name, it's now down to his teammates to start keeping them out. What's needed?January could prove to be a tough month for Allardyce's men, with Zaha away with the Ivory Coast for the African Cup of Nations between January 14 and February 5, and Benteke awaiting a scan on a shoulder injury sustained in the recent 2-1 defeat by Swansea.Airlifted to hospital after a road accident in September 2016, left-back Pape Soaré has also been missed at Selhurst Park. The Senegalese international admitted he felt "very lucky" to be alive in the aftermath of the crash, and with Palace currently relying on right-sided defender Joel Ward, Allardyce has reportedly already launched a bid for Norwich's Robbie Brady. SunderlandOnly Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa have scored more Premier League goals than Sunderland's veteran striker Jermain Defoe (11) this campaign.The Black Cats have only kept two clean sheets all season under the management of former Manchester United boss David Moyes.New faces Jason Denayer and Didier Ndong have shown industry in the middle of the park but, aged 21 and 22 respectively, perhaps lack the experience for a relegation scrap.That both are yet to register an assist in a Sunderland shirt typifies the team's lack of creativity going forward; full-back Patrick van Aanholt has made at least 10 more key passes (27) than any of his teammates, and only Jermain Defoe has scored more than three league goals. READ: Liverpool stall in title chaseWhat's needed?First and foremost, after a $7m bid from West Ham, Sunderland surely have to retain Defoe's services. His two penalties against Liverpool in Monday's 2-2 draw took Defoe's tally for the season to 11 and the 34-year-old has been involved in 68% of Sunderland's 19 league goals in 2016/17.With Ndong off to Gabon for the African Cup of Nations, Moyes could do worse than sign a central midfield player with the pedigree to match his star striker.SwanseaHaving worked as an assistant manager at Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, new Swansea boss Paul Clement will hope the only way is up.Until Tuesday's long-awaited victory against Crystal Palace, Swansea had the unenviable record of having as many managers as wins. What a difference three points can make. Despite conceding more than twice as many league goals as fellow strugglers Middlesbrough after 20 matches this season, the Swans currently lie just four points behind them. Head coach Paul Clement's appointment has brought fresh hope to the Liberty Stadium, but the Welsh club need to tighten up quickly if they're to avoid joining rivals Cardiff in the division below. What's needed?Ashley Williams made more clearances than any other Premier League player last season and, while he hasn't hit the same heights in the blue of Everton, the Swans surely miss their long-standing club captain. Efforts have reportedly been made to sign Barcelona right-back Aleix Vidal, but with Williams inadequately replaced this summer, any defensive reinforcements would be welcome. HullCan Hull City silence the doubters? With five goals and two assists in his past 11 games, midfielder Robert Snodgrass is certainly playing his part.Hull City has just three Premier League wins in 20 matches and the worst goal difference in the division by a distance. Record signing Ryan Mason has flattered to deceive and, rock bottom of the Premier League, owner Assem Allam has sacked head coach Mike Phelan less than three months into his permanent role. What's needed?A striker to lift the goalscoring burden from Robert Snodgrass.Having scored more than 40% of Hull's league goals, the Scotsman is exposing the limitations of the squad's current forward options.Between them this season, Adama Diomande, Dieumerci Mbokani and Abel Hernandez have three Premier League goals in 36 appearances so a proven striker is needed fast. Hull will also lose Mbokani and Ahmed Elmohamady during the African Cup of Nations.A forward like Leonardo Ulloa, who has made it clear he wants more playing time under Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri, could save the Tigers from the drop. Which three teams will be relegated come May? Have your say on our Facebook page today.
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Story highlightsIn/Out device can be put on net postBased on same technology as driverless Tesla carsDevice goes on sale this summerLondon (CNN)"It's in!" "No, it was most definitely out."It's a scene played out daily on tennis courts the world over.Although pros have had electronic line calling during matches since 2004, club players and juniors can now buy their own device for roughly the same price as a new tennis racket.The $199 In/Out promises to put a stop to those endless discussions about line calls once and for all.Read MoreThe device is the brainchild of French inventor Grégoire Gentil, who spent two years developing it in his living room in Palo Alto, California."Detecting the lines of a tennis court is like detecting the lines of the road in the Tesla," Gentil said in an email exchange with CNN.READ: Federer renaissance gathers paceREAD: Sharapova's return generates buzzREAD: 24 amazing sports photosArgumentsHis device, which is the size of a small camera and will be available this summer, can be set up in less than a minute on top of the net post. It provides real-time line calls."I'm an inventor and I understand electronics," said Gentil, an avid tennis player who learned to play on red clay during his youth in Paris. Gentil posing with his inventionAlthough the ball leaves a mark on clay, arguments over which mark is the right one first gave him the idea for the In/Out device."I'm aware of the progress of computer vision for the self-driving car," he said. "I knew that it was possible to apply the 'same' algorithms to sports."Here's how it works:Hawk-Eye, PlaySightWith a precision of two to three centimeters on average, In/Out may not be as accurate as Hawk-Eye and PlaySight but it doesn't come with the same hefty price tag.The Hawk-Eye ball-tracking and challenge system, brought in by the grand slam tournaments in 2006 after a number of highly controversial line calls against current women's world No. 1 Serena Williams during the 2004 US Open, costs around $60,000 per court.How does In/Out work?• Produces light, loud sound or both for each line call• Artificial intelligence software tracks the ball's spin, speed and movement• Stats and video can be downloaded to a phone or tablet• Works on all surfaces, as long as there are a few white lines• Fits any net post, in less than one minute• Is 99% accurate• Can detect a let serve• Works indoor but needs good quality lights• Has battery life of more than two hours for line callingPlaySight's SmartCourt system costs up to $12,500 on an outdoor court, with an additional $500 a month for maintenance and cloud storage.It offers multi-angle, instant high-definition video review and analysis and is used by clubs and elite performance centers across the world as well as top players such as former French Open finalist Simona Halep. "I'm a tennis player and I'm aware of Hawk-Eye and PlaySight," said Gentil, who holds a Master's degree in mathematics and physics from Ecole Polytechnique in France and a Master's degree of science in engineering management from Stanford University in California. READ: Can a SmartCourt be the secret weapon to beat Serena?READ: Maria Sharapova targeting the 2020 Tokyo OlympicsOther sports to follow?"I have always dreamed of the same but for any player on any court at an affordable price," said Gentil, who partly funded the development of the In/Out device from a company sale to networking technology giant Cisco Systems in 2004. Although Gentil is focusing on the market for recreational and junior tennis players, he said he's received "dozens of emails" from volleyball players.Visit cnn.com/tennis for more news and videos"I have the vision to do a bunch of other sports," said Gentil, whose main goal is to produce a versatile "smart sport camera" that can be used in a variety of games. | 5sport
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(CNN)A European doctor who provides abortion pills by mail to the United States is defying an order from the US Food and Drug Administration to stop."It is very important to continue ... because it is the only safe abortion alternative for some of the most vulnerable people," Dr. Rebecca Gomperts said in an emailed statement. "As a physician, I have the obligation to provide medical care to people in need." A letter drawn up by Gomperts' attorney was sent to the FDA late last week, offering a formal response to the federal agency, which had asked the doctor in March to "immediately cease causing the introduction of these violative drugs into U.S. Commerce." The FDA said in its warning letter, "the sale of misbranded and unapproved new drugs poses an inherent risk to consumers who purchase those products." But Gomperts called concerns about the medications she prescribes "totally unfounded" and said the FDA's restrictive handling of abortion medication is "based on politics, not science." Dr. Richard Hearn, a longtime physician-turned-attorney in Pocatello, Idaho, is representing Gomperts. He argued in his letter to the FDA that the agency is overstepping its role in going after a doctor, targeting the distribution of this medication while ignoring other drugs purchased online, including Viagra, and disregarding the proven safety of this early-stage abortion method. Read More"The effect, if not the purpose," of the warning and restrictions is to "place a substantial burden in the path of U.S. women" who've "been forced to attempt to exercise their right to a medical abortion by way of the internet," he wrote.Online abortion pill provider ordered to cease delivery by FDAIncluded with Hearn's letter was a 12-page list of 145 notes sent to Gomperts."It was assault, I'm homeless and trying to get off the street," one woman wrote. "I can't afford to get set back anymore. I can't do this and I don't want to. ... I want it to be over ASAP so please help me.""The father had taken off the condom without informing me," wrote another woman, who said in her thank you note that she lives in the Bible Belt and worried that her family would shun her. "There's no way I could have gotten to the local clinic. Abortions are only available on a few days a week, and they're always at times I work. I also don't drive, so discreetly visiting the clinic wasn't an option." "You all prepared me, answered my questions so quickly, I will always be grateful for you," a third woman said. "Between heart issues and the pregnancy hormones setting off my depression again to the point I wanted to die you guys saved my life."How abortion pills by mail workGomperts' organization, Aid Access, uses telemedicine, including online consultations, to offer services to healthy women who are less than nine weeks pregnant. If a woman completes the consultation and is deemed eligible for an abortion by medication, Gomperts writes a prescription for the two pills used to terminate the pregnancy. Prescriptions are sent to a pharmacy in India, which fills and mails orders to the United States.Abortion pills now available by mail in US -- but FDA may be investigatingThe first drug taken in the protocol is mifepristone, which blocks progesterone, a hormone that allows the pregnancy to continue. The second drug, misoprostol, stimulates the uterus, causing it to cramp, bleed and contract -- ending the pregnancy in what is "very similar to a spontaneous miscarriage," Gomperts explained. Obtaining the drugs in the United States, however, can be challenging. Many states have laws that require patients to first be shown ultrasounds or sit down with doctors. For women who can't get to or afford a clinic visit, medication abortion might not be an option.Plus, the FDA has imposed restrictions, such as requiring that providers have special certification to distribute the medication and that the medication be dispensed only in health-care settings. Rules like these are celebrated by anti-abortion groups, which expressed outrage when they first learned of Aid Access.Courts say anti-abortion 'heartbeat bills' are unconstitutional. So why do they keep coming?"Handing out deadly drugs through the mail is a disaster waiting to happen," Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said in a statement last fall. "Risking women's lives to make a political point and a quick profit makes no sense, and we sadly anticipate horror stories when inevitably something goes wrong."But clinicians and researchers often balk at these fears.Medical abortion has "benefited millions of women," according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which warns against efforts to limit access to, or criminalize use of, the evidence-based regimen. The professional association also points to the value of telemedicine.In the group's guidelines for managing first-trimester abortions, it says, "Medical abortion can be provided safely and effectively via telemedicine with a high level of patient satisfaction; moreover, the model appears to improve access to early abortion in areas that lack a physician health care provider."Why Aid AccessGomperts suggested in an email that the federal restrictions amount to hypocrisy."In direct opposition to its mission -- to protect the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of drugs -- the FDA has so severely restricted access to these safe and effective pills that few doctors are willing or able to prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol," she wrote.So through Aid Access, she began prescribing abortion medication to women in the United States last year. It was an outgrowth of her 13-year-old program Women on Web, which offers this kind of service to women in countries where abortion is illegal. The nearly 1,000 emails she'd received from people in the United States seeking help, some so desperate that they threatened to harm themselves, she said, prompted her to broaden her outreach. "I realized it was time," she said last fall. "Something had to be done."She has consulted "with women in all 50 states and the District of Columbia," attorney Hearn said in his letter to the FDA. "Of the 11,108 women who consulted with Dr. Gomberts in 2018, 2,581 were prescribed medicine approved by the FDA to induce a medical abortion during the early stages of their pregnancies." Debates over anti-abortion laws have raised common myths about abortion. These are the factsOf those she's served, Hearn said, Gomperts is "not aware of a single death, hospitalization or serious complication attributed to the prescriptions she prescribed for her patients in the U.S."There are other ways to get abortion pills by mail in the United States, for women who can't get to or afford clinic visits, but Aid Access is the most affordable option at $95, according to the grassroots group Plan C, which aims to educate women about self-managed abortion. Aid Access also offers the possibility of financial help, according to its website. Plus, it's the single source to offer physician oversight, according to a Plan C report card.Aid Access is the only one of eight suppliers to receive a grade of A.What happens nextA 2015 study showed abortions by medication to be about 97% effective. Interest in self-managing or self-inducing abortions is on the rise, according to reports.In a one-month period in 2017, research published last year showed, there were nearly 210,000 US Google searches for information about self-abortion. This indicates a demand for alternatives, perhaps driven by barriers to clinic access due to financial hardship, geographic distance, fear of being publicly shamed or other reasons.Hearn outlined further points of comparison to illustrate the safety of these abortions."Medical abortions have the same mortality rate as natural miscarriages, (approximately 1 death per 234,000 prescriptions)," he wrote. "That means that medical abortions are significantly safer than natural childbirth, (1 death per 3,788 births), penicillin (1 death per 100,000 prescriptions) and Viagra (1 death per 20,000 prescriptions)." Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.US women "have a 60-fold higher risk of death from childbirth than from a medical abortion," he wrote. The FDA, however, maintains its concern that drugs purchased online from foreign sources "are not the FDA-approved versions of the drugs" and, if unregulated, "may be contaminated, counterfeit, contain varying amounts of active ingredients, or contain different ingredients altogether," according to an email from the office of media affairs.The federal agency would not comment on its next steps, in light of Hearn's insistence that his client would continue her work and not turn US women away. But its media relations department recounted its warning from the March letter, saying, "failure to correct the violations of the law may result in FDA regulatory action, including seizure or injunction, without further notice."What that would look like in Gomperts' case is unclear, but Hearn is not concerned. He said that the FDA rarely enforces its warning letters, isn't in the business of regulating doctors and that it would be up to the Department of Justice to try to prosecute Gomperts. Because Gomperts lives in Europe, he suspects that the Department of Justice wouldn't bother. But if it ever comes to that, he insists, he's prepared to stand and fight for her and her patients. | 2health
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London (CNN)With the exception of the days he spent in intensive care, this past week has been Boris Johnson's worst since taking office.Johnson has been embroiled in a scandal surrounding his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, who it emerged had travelled over 260 miles with his wife and child after developing symptoms for Covid-19. He then drove to a nearby town, which local police say amounted to a minor breach of lockdown regulations, though no further action will be taken.Despite public outrage, opinion polls showing a dip in support for the government and members of his own party demanding that Cummings be sacked, the Prime Minister has publicly backed his adviser several times, saying that he believes Cummings acted reasonably, lawfully and that the matter is now closed.Critics say that Cummings' failure to adhere to official regulations and the spirit of government advice is a risk to public health. They say that citizens might legitimately wonder why there is one rule for Cummings and another for everyone else, and start breaching guidelines themselves.Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlines UK reopening guidelinesJohnson's unwavering support for Cummings has left him politically exposed.Read MoreNumerous lawmakers and officials in Johnson's Conservative party believe that he was too slow to act once the story broke, and that Cummings appeared dismissive and arrogant when asked about the allegations. Many believe that had Johnson and Cummings expressed contrition, the story would have gone away. Others believe that sacking Cummings is the only way out of the crisis.Instead, the Prime Minister doubled down so unequivocally that the scandal, the alleged hypocrisy, the impact it has on government and the damage it might do to public health is on his shoulders.All of which raises the question: why is Cummings so valuable to Johnson?If Johnson was the face of the campaign to leave the European Union, Cummings was its brain. Their relationship predates 2016, but it was those months in the Brexit bunker that cemented things.Sources close to Johnson say the Prime Minister has privately admitted that he believes his Brexit gamble would not have come off, were it not for Cummings' organizational skills.The Leave campaign's success catapulted Cummings into the spotlight. He was portrayed in the media as a Svengali figure who could read the public mood and intuitively understood how normal people thought. The highpoint of "Cummingsmania" saw Benedict Cumberbatch play him in a biopic, detailing how he bypassed political norms to win the most significant public vote in modern British history.People who have worked with Cummings over the years say that the public perception is very different to the real man, who is a quiet workaholic, obsessed with data, evidence and policy who doesn't like people talking about him. However, Cummings' unorthodox mannerisms and off-the-cuff comments to journalists have added to the air of mystery surrounding a man very often described as a political genius.Boris Johnson adviser Dominic Cummings may have breached lockdown rules, police sayThis all goes some way to explaining the unique dynamic between Johnson and Cummings. "A special adviser usually works with borrowed authority. They are the minister's person, rather than a person in their own right," explains Salma Shah, a former government and Conservative special adviser. "Dom came to the job with a level of authority that few had before him. He isn't quite level-pegging with Boris, but he's probably the second most important person in government."It's not just their close relationship that gives Cummings this unofficial second-in-command status. Every government has ambitions to bring in long-term, legacy defining change. What's different about the Johnson-Cummings project is the sheer breadth of that ambition."This administration wants to unsettle and dislodge establishment institutions that it believes have failed the public for decades," says Shah. "Dom is the symbolic figurehead of a group of people who have all wanted this for years. They are tight-knit and very loyal to him."Reports vary on exactly how much influence Cummings has over his boss. Several government ministers said to CNN that Johnson allowed Cummings an unprecedented level of control over the network of advisers serving across government, meaning many key roles were filled by Cummings loyalists who worked for and reported to him. Were Cummings to go, Conservative sources have said to CNN that there is a real question mark over whether these advisers would carry on serving the government.Cummings had previously been the subject of scandal, most notably after having a sacked adviser marched from Downing Street by armed police and hiring someone who had expressed support for eugenics. The fact Johnson's backed him three times in less than a year is some indication of how much he values Cummings.JUST WATCHEDSir David King on Cummings scandal: Confusion the worst possible outcomeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSir David King on Cummings scandal: Confusion the worst possible outcome 17:49Even ministers who privately find Cummings frustrating accept that keeping him in post might be the best thing. "We are where we are because Boris and Dom won the Brexit referendum and won the election. Anyone who seriously wants to stay in power and doesn't want that team at the top is making a brave call," said one government minister who was not authorized to speak to the media.However, there is a fear that Johnson has spent a lot of political capital on a man whose behaviour historically lands the government in trouble. "Knowing Dom, he will take from this that he is basically invincible," says a senior Conservative figure who has known Cummings for decades. "But the political will of the cabinet might not be there to help him next time he has a scrape."Which explains why so many think that removing Cummings now avoids problems further down the line. "He is someone I respect very much, but I'm afraid he should not have put the government in this position," says Lauren McEvatt, a former government special adviser. "I now see no way of moving the story on, and preventing his actions from having a negative impact on adherence to public health advisories, but for him to step aside, at least temporarily."Concerns regarding adherence to public health guidance are serious. John Ashton, a former regional director of public health in England, says that the scandal has undermined public trust in the government, "which is essential if there is to be effective cooperation during this next, fragile phase of the epidemic."For the time being, it seems that Johnson thinks sticking with Cummings is his best bet and that the story will eventually go away. However, it has cut through more than Cummings' previous scandals and is damaging Johnson's government at a critical moment."In politics you are always going to be hurt. It's where you wear the scar that matters," says Shah. However, by backing his adviser so emphatically, it might be the case that Johnson's scar is now even worse than Cummings'. And if this story rumbles, the Prime Minister might yet have to lose the support of the man who has so often helped heal his wounds. | 3news
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(CNN)A momentous day in Rio! Usain Bolt became the first Olympic sprinter to win three successive 100-meter gold medals (see 10.27 p.m.)And we had already witnessed Games history on Day 9 -- and a wedding proposal: (6.27 p.m.)South African beats longtime men's 400m record in final (10.08 p.m.)Andy Murray first tennis player to retain a singles title (9.05 p.m.)Simone Biles first US gymnast to win three golds at one Olympics (3.43 p.m.)Britain's Justin Rose wins golf's first gold medal in 112 years (4.01 p.m.)Scroll down for all the action -- and go to cnn.com/olympics for complete Rio 2016 coverage | 5sport
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Story highlightsThe woman in yellow is Nidhi Chaphekar, 40, a flight attendant from India for Jet AirwaysShe is in stable condition under sedation in a hospitalShe suffered burns to 18% of her face, a fractured foot, other burns to her body (CNN)She is the woman in yellow reeling after the Brussels airport attack. The blast ripped open her yellow tunic, exposing her bra and stomach. Dust and blood covered her head. A foot dangled, shoeless, bleeding, as she clung to a bench of seats.She looked at the camera as if wavering between collapse and strength.Her identity is now known: Nidhi Chaphekar, 40, is a flight attendant from India who works for Jet Airways, according to her sister-in-law, Madhuri Chaphekar, who spoke to CNN.'I'm very lucky' -- Brussels attack survivors tell their storiesNidhi Chaphekar was joining the crew about to board a plane to Newark, New Jersey, when the terror attack occurred, the sister-in-law said Friday.Read MoreA photo of a woman in yellow, bleeding and dazed after the Brussels airport bombing was picked up by news organizations around the world as word of the attack broke. The woman has been identified as Nidhi Chaphekar, a 40-year-old Jet Airways flight attendant from Mumbai. That explains why she was wearing the airline's uniform of yellow top with dark trousers.Nidhi Chaphekar remains hospitalized, the airline said Friday. Brussels stories: Grief for the lost, hope for the missing"The doctor has confirmed that Nidhi is in a stable condition and not in coma. She is resting and under sedation for her comfort," Jet Airways said in a statement.Nidhi Chaphekar suffered burns to 18% of her face, a fractured foot, and burns on other parts of her body, said Kumar Gaurav, spokesman for the Indian Embassy in Brussels.She's been moved out of intensive care and put in a special care unit, Gaurav said.She's showing improvement, he added.Nidhi Chaphekar lives in suburban Mumbai, India, with her husband and two children. She has been working for Jet Airways for more than 19 years, according to the airline and her family.JUST WATCHEDAmerican survivor: 'God is with us'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAmerican survivor: 'God is with us' 04:00Her husband arrived in Brussels Thursday from Mumbai, the embassy spokesman added.Nidhi Chaphekar was described as an in-flight manager who is originally from Amritsar and had lived with her sister in Mumbai while working as a cabin crew member, according to The Indian Express, which interviewed her brother-in-law.Her children, Vridhi, 11, and Vardhaan, 14, were told that their mother went through an accident, The Indian Express reported.Attack survivor pens note to unborn childShe met her husband, Rupesh Chapekar, in Mumbai. He owns a factory in Chakala, and the couple married 16 years ago, the newspaper said.The family has decided not to ask Nidhi Chaphekar to leave her job. "It can happen anywhere — to you, to me," the brother-in-law told the newspaper.Faces of fear and hope in BrusselsHer husband is glad he will be able to see her. He is looking forward to bringing her back to her children soon. "She just happened to be there. Why should terror attacks make someone leave their work," he told the newspaper.Follow @MMartinezCNN
CNN's Sugam Pokharel contributed from New Delhi. | 3news
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Story highlightsWorld No. 3 Roger Federer moves into the second round of the Dubai Championships16-time grand slam champion Federer beats France's Michael Llodra 6-0 7-6No. 3 seed Andy Murray labors to 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over qualifier Michael BerrerNo. 5 seed Tomas Berdych and Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro also winIt was a match of two halves for world No. 3 Roger Federer as he moved into the second round of Dubai Championships with victory over Michael Llodra.The 16-time grand slam winner took just 18 minutes to wrap up the first set 6-0 against his French opponent but struggled in the second before eventually taking it on a tie-break.The Swiss, who recently won the World Tennis Tournament in the Dutch city of Rotterdam to take his career titles count to 71, is gunning for a fifth crown in Dubai."It's always great to start off a tournament winning the first set 6-0," second seed Federer told the ATP Tour's official website.A family affair in Dubai but mixed results for the Djokovic brothers "After that, I really had to sort of make sure I controlled Michael as much as I could because I know he's a dangerous player. "I think I was solid. I could have served maybe a touch better. But still, I was never really in a whole lot of problems. JUST WATCHEDCan India win a singles Grand Slam?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan India win a singles Grand Slam? 05:33JUST WATCHEDMeet India's tennis 'prince'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMeet India's tennis 'prince' 04:11JUST WATCHEDSania Mirza tackles tennis obstaclesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSania Mirza tackles tennis obstacles 03:22"Tie-breakers, as we saw, can go quickly either way, especially on a quick court like tonight. I hope I back it up day for day now."Federer will face unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in round two, after he beat Nicolas Mahut, of France, 6-4 6-4.Britain's Andy Murray was far from his best as he labored to a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over German qualifier Michael Berrer in his first match since his Australian Open semifinal defeat to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic."It was a frustrating match because I was up a break in the second set, and I gave it back," Murray told reporters."In the third set, again I went up a break and gave the break straight back. So I could have made it a little bit easier for myself if I played a bit better."Murray's next opponent will be Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli after he beat Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-4 5-7 6-4.Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, from France, recorded a 7-6 6-4 win over Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis to set up a match with Lukas Rosol from the Czech Republic.Rosol's compatriot Tomas Berdych, seeded fifth, enjoyed a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over Germany's Benjamin Becker and will face Slovakian qualifier Lukas Lacko in round two.No. 8 seed Juan Martin Del Potro, from Argentina, beat Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 7-6 to set up a clash with qualifier Andrey Golubev. | 5sport
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Story highlightsMeow Parlour, New York City's first cat cafe, is now openThe cafe's founders teamed up with the no-kill adoption group KittyKindCoffee and pastries are made and sold at a separate storefront to meet health code regulationsJulian likes ornithology and "Downton Abbey." He's quite the gentleman, and hates being late for tea.For potential admirers, it's important to note that Julian is a cat. He is one of the stars of New York City's first cat cafe, Meow Parlour, which opened on Monday to much fanfare and a full reservation book. The cats that purr and pounce while patrons sip coffee and nosh on pastries aren't just there for added ambiance -- they're hoping to get adopted.Julian's portrait hangs on the wall with those tongue-in-cheek compatibility stats, alongside other potential matches like Marty, Spot, Squinkles and Lucky Lemon. Their personalities are classified in types like "bookish" for the reserved cat or "cheerleader" for a more high-energy, friendly one.But being billed as a novelty cat cafe merely scratches the surface, say cafe founders Christina Ha and Emilie Legrand."I think we'll feel really like we've made it when we get our first cat adopted," Ha said.She and Legrand teamed up with KittyKind, a no-kill, volunteer-run adoption group, in order to uniquely brand their cafe but also give it an altruistic twist. KittyKind currently takes in between 500 and 600 cats a year, with 27 cages in a Manhattan branch of a pet store and a network of foster homes.The duo were inspired by similar concepts in places like Taiwan, France and Japan, but didn't just want to jump on the bandwagon for the sake of pulling the heartstrings of cat lovers to sell more lattes. They wanted to give back by way of "fur-ever" homes. Ha rescued two cats, Mr. Socks and Pickle -- the latter from KittyKind -- and decided to partner with the organization after Meow Parlour was a go.JUST WATCHEDMarnie the Dog, queen of celeb selfiesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMarnie the Dog, queen of celeb selfies 01:31JUST WATCHEDGrumpy Cat starring in Christmas movieReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGrumpy Cat starring in Christmas movie 01:00"It brings tears to my eyes to see Lucky Lemon there," says Miriam Hibel, who serves on KittyKind's board of directors and is an adoption counselor.Hibel says KittyKind is particularly committed to helping cats with special needs, whether disease, old age or disability. For a cat to be placed in the cafe, it has to have a clean bill of health, get along with other cats and be nonaggressive. She says it's really an opportunity to showcase a cat that might get depressed or hissy in a cage and, therefore, be overlooked by an adopter elsewhere."If you're sitting at the cat cafe and you're having a cup of coffee and this beautiful 10-year-old calico cat comes and rubs up against your leg, and you're someone who is open to adopting, you're just as likely to have your heart connect to that cat as Julian, who is 10 months old," Hibel says. Ha and Hibel agree that the cafe is a boon for both species. The ultimate goal is that after an afternoon of cat companionship, a patron will want to extend that short-term visit into a lifelong relationship. Hibel says the application process is exactly the same as going through KittyKind's shelter: There's an application, interview, home visit and adoption fee of $125 to cover medical costs.As for the health code regulations relating to animals, Ha worked closely with the Department of Health in the planning stages. There is a separate storefront around the corner, the Meow Parlour Patisserie, where customers can purchase baked goods and beverages to bring into the cafe.And yes, they do have lint rollers. | 3news
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Story highlightsRoger Federer battles through to final of ATP Tour 500 event beating Nikolay Davydenko 4-6 6-3 6-4 Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro beats Tomas Berdych in straight sets to advance to final Victoria Azarenka through to final of Qater Open in Doha where she will face Samantha Stosur Andy Roddick knocked out of SA P Open by unseeded Uzbekistani Denis Istomin Roger Federer is through to the final of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam after a hard fought semifinal victory over Nikolay Davydenko on Saturday.The world number three came from a set down to eventually prevail 4-6 6-3 6-4 to claim his 17th win over the Russian in 19 meetings."I've played him a lot, we are the same age," said the 30-year-old Federer, AFP reported. "He was in the top four or five for years and we played a lot of big matches. I'm happy to live up to expectations, he's playing fantastic again but not enough to beat me. We had a great match," Federer added, AFP reported. The 16-time grand slam champion will face Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in Sunday's final. Earlier, del Potro dispatched Tomas Berdych with ease 6-3 6-1 to book his place in Sunday's final. 15-love: Top tennis romancesThe Argentine third seed ended the Czech player's eight-game unbeaten run to record his third straight win over the world number seven. "I'm really happy to beat a top-10 player. I'm getting closer to my best level again," Del Potro said, AFP reported. "But I still have a lot of work do to. I'm trying to work every day. Hopefully in the future I can fight again for number one," he added, AFP reported.Del Potro will be looking to repeat his performance at the 2009 U.S. Open final where he beat the Swiss legend in a five-set thriller. Meanwhile, second seed Andy Roddick crashed out of the SAP Open in San Jose on Friday losing to unseeded Denis Istomin from Uzbekistan in straight sets 6-2 6-4 in San Jose. The former U.S. Open champion was his usual gracious self in defeat. "He played better than I did in every aspect. He played well. I was hoping to be able to serve my way into it. That didn't work. From there, it was tough," Roddick said, ATPWorldTour.com reported. The reward for Istomin is a match up against number five seed Julien Benneteau from France who defeated Belgian Steve Darcis in three sets 3-6 6-1 6-2.Canada's Milos Raonic joins Istomin in the last four after a 7-5 7-6 win over number-six seed Kevin Anderson from South Africa.The big-serving number-three seed fired 16 aces in all in a match lasting one hour and 42 minutes. "Obviously, my job was to take care of my serve. That's the most important thing. If you fall behind, it's easy for him to close out the set. It's a straining match, but at the same time you just have to be patient," Raonic said, ATPWorldTour.com reported.Ryan Harrison stands between Raonic and a place in the final after the American defeated Bulgarian qualifier Dimitar Kutrovsky 6-1 6-4. | 5sport
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Story highlightsQPR sack manager Neil Warnock SundayWarnock led QPR back to the English Premier League last seasonQPR owner Tony Fernandes blames poor recent resultsMark Hughes early favorite to succeed Warnock Neil Warnock became the second English Premier League manager to be sacked this season when Queens Park Rangers announced his departure Sunday.The promoted side have managed just four league wins this season and are hovering a point above the relegation zone.Only a last-minute goal prevented them from crashing out of the English FA Cup Saturday at third-flight MK Dons, Warnock's final match in charge.Steve Bruce left Sunderland in November to be replaced by Martin O'Neill."Queens Park Rangers Football Club has today parted company with manager Neil Warnock," said a statement on the club's official website.Malaysian businessman owner Tony Fernandes, who took over the West London club early in the season, gave the reasons for Warnock's exit."Sadly, our recent run of results has seen us slip alarmingly down the table and the board thought it was time for a change."Neil has acted with honesty, professionalism and integrity throughout his time at the club, and I would personally like to thank him for his significant contribution to QPR over the last 22 months."Warnock, who led QPR back to the top-flight last season, left proud of his record."Obviously I'm very disappointed, but having achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of pride."My biggest regret is that the takeover didn't happen earlier, because that would have given me the opportunity to bring in the targets I'd pinpointed all last summer and probably given us a better chance to succeed in the Premier League."Former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is the early favorite to succeed the 63-year-old Warnock at Loftus Road.Rangers said an announcement on Warnock's successor would be made in "due course." | 5sport
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(CNN)Before jumping into the Republican race for US Senate in Pennsylvania, Dr. Mehmet Oz regularly supported health insurance mandates and promoted Obamacare, taking positions that are unusual for a Republican candidate. A review by CNN's KFile of hundreds of Oz's television, radio, print and social media appearances over more than a decade found that Oz has supported a health insurance mandate for "everyone ... to be in the system" and backed government-provided health care coverage for poor Americans and for minors. Of the health care systems he liked most, Oz has cited Germany's and Switzerland's, which utilize mandatory universal systems administered by private companies. Pennsylvania Senate Republican race between Oz and McCormick turns ugly earlyMany of Oz's statements on health care align with some of the key tenets of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. In a review of his statements, CNN's KFile found that Oz praised how the law dramatically increased the number of insured Americans, while later criticizing it for not being well understood and not tackling the costs of health care. He also promoted Obamacare in a 2010 ad for the California Endowment, a left-leaning organization that says on its website it's dedicated to improving the well-being of Californians. Brittany Yanick, a spokeswoman for the Oz campaign, told CNN's KFile that Oz "does not support a big government takeover of the health insurance industry" and that he "would not have voted for Obamacare." Oz "believes that the American healthcare system is in need of improvement" but that Obamacare was "the wrong one," Yanick said in an email. Read MoreRepublicans largely abandoned messaging and plans on health care after they repeatedly failed to repeal and replace Obamacare. The party's 2016 platform, which it adopted again in 2020, advocated repealing Obamacare, saying that "it imposed a Euro-style bureaucracy to manage its unworkable, budget-busting, conflicting provisions." The GOP platform also laid out the party's goal to "reduce mandates." Oz is running in one of the most closely watched races of the 2022 midterms against a large field of candidates, including David McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, in the Republican primary on May 17. A Fox News poll from early March shows McCormick in the lead, with 24% of Republican primary voters in Pennsylvania saying they would vote for him if the primary were held that day and Oz at 15%, though a majority of voters said they could change their minds about whom they're supporting. Before running for the Senate, Oz was the host of a well-known daytime show, "The Dr. Oz Show," which first aired in 2009 after Oprah Winfrey frequently featured him on her own show. Oz's brand as "America's Doctor" has faced scrutiny from the medical community over treatments he promotes -- including from a group of doctors who in 2015 accused Oz of "manifesting an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain." Oz backed health insurance mandates As a physician, Oz advocated that everyone in America have insurance and has said the government should provide health care coverage to Americans who cannot afford it "It should be mandatory that everybody in America have healthcare coverage. If you can't afford it, we have to give it to you," Oz told The Seattle Times in 2009. He also frequently described the moral dilemmas he faced to provide care to uninsured patients. "There have been times when I have been tempted to break my Hippocratic oath, to put my patient first, because although I could save their life, they didn't have the ability to reimburse whoever had to pay for it. And what happens then is that the system goes bankrupt. You can't afford those services anymore. We can't have people who have given their life to healthcare being pulled in two directions because one party says you can't help that person. They're not in the system," Oz said in an appearance on CNN from July 2007. He said it was "heartbreaking" that millions of children were uninsured, and that politicians should mandate insurance for everyone under 18. "That's a good starting point for any candidate. You should -- if you're under 18 years of age in this country -- you should have insurance. Period. No questions. All you need is a birth certificate to prove that you're less than 18 years of age; it ought to be done," Oz said. In an interview with CNN's Don Lemon from September 2009, Oz said he liked the health care systems in Germany and Switzerland, which have mandatory universal health care systems run by private companies, and that the government has an obligation to provide coverage. "The systems that I like the most are actually the kind of systems they have in Germany or Switzerland, where they actually afford patients the opportunity to, to get insurance from many different companies, but they have to buy one type of insurance or another. You know, so we don't have the option as consumers to not have coverage, but the government has the obligation [to] and so do es [sic] the insurance companies providing coverage to us. I think we can make this happen in America," said Oz. In a CNN interview from January 2012, Oz insisted that "everyone has to be in the system. You cannot drive a system that's gonna be aiming at preventing illness if everyone's not in it." "The whole gaming of health insurance and, and health care in America is based on that fundamental principle: Insure people who aren't sick and you don't have to spend more money on them. But if everybody's in the system, then it pays for all of us," he said. Oz promoted Obamacare and proposed a healthcare plan that would lead to universal coverage While Oz has never supported Obamacare in full, despite appearing in a 2010 ad promoting enrollment of the program, he has continuously said that the law increased the number of insured Americans but noted that the compromise in getting it passed meant it failed to address the costs of health care. On the red carpet on his way to the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, Oz called Obamacare "half-good" for providing a "safety net" to keep uninsured Americans from receiving poor treatment in the health care system, saying you "have to provide something" for the uninsured. "Doctor Oz also believes that Obamacare had bad parts, like the destabilization of the health insurance market, the mandates, and the taxes. Finally, Doctor Oz would not have voted for Obamacare," Yanick said. In a Fox Business article from 2016, Oz said Obamacare was "a very brave effort to include more Americans in the healthcare system. The problem with it though is that there was compromise required to get it passed, which limited its ability to address the quality of care and more importantly the cost of care." As a candidate, Oz has offered a health care policy of his own, describing on his website that he would "expand access to private sector plans expanded by President Trump and beloved by seniors for their low costs and high quality that could be available to all Americans who want them." That plan, which he does not name on his website, is known as "Medicare Advantage for All," which would expand the Medicare program that enables seniors to choose private plans to deliver their health coverage to all Americans not covered by Medicaid. Yanick, Oz's spokeswoman, clarified that Oz calls his health care plan "Medicare Advantage Plus -- which is an expansion of privately run health insurance plans that happened under the Trump administration and are one of the Trump administration's great successes. These plans are high-quality, low-cost, are beloved by seniors, and should be available to everyone who wants them." Oz co-wrote a 2020 op-ed endorsing the plan, claiming it would create a "resilient health-care system for future health crises" and provide a path toward universal coverage in the US. Throughout the pandemic, he continued to tout the benefits of the plan and claimed that Europe's success in using plans like Medicare Advantage for All would address inequality in health care "across different socioeconomic spectrums." | 4politics
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(CNN)CNN Sport has been crowned Digital Sports Publisher of the Year for the second consecutive time at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards.Up against competition from Sky Sports, The Athletic UK, The Guardian, The Times and Mail Online, the judges said that CNN Sport's content was "thoughtful, beautifully presented and engaging.""The use of pictures, graphics, audio and video take the subject matter to a new sphere of understanding," added the judges. CNN's aim of offering an in-depth view of how sport intersects with society was reflected in the submission, often through untold stories. Here is a selection of submitted pieces:Read MoreThe Belgian Blueprint: How a small nation became a European football superpower Kylian Mbappé on the 'pleasure' of playing alongside Leo Messi at PSG and what's in store for his futureAbdihakim 'Abdi' Abdirahman: An extraordinary journey to Tokyo 2020 Executed Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari still offers 'message of freedom,' says motherFearing torture and possible execution, Iranian powerlifter quit team in Norway and ran for his life Running as equals: The elite athletes fighting for acceptance CNN Sport was also nominated in two other categories at this year's SJA Awards, which recognize the best contributors to the UK's sports journalism industry.Sana Noor Haq was shortlisted for Young Sports Journalist of the Year, while Amanda Davies was runner-up for Broadcast Journalist of the Year. | 5sport
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Story highlightsInter Milan win first match this season in debut for new coach Claudio RanieriSaturday's 3-1 victory at Bologna lifts 18-time Italian champions up tableSerie A champions AC Milan also win first game of season, against CesenaNapoli held 0-0 by Fiorentina to leave both clubs on seven points from four gamesClaudio Ranieri was delighted after guiding Inter Milan to a morale-boosting first victory this season in his first match in charge of the Italian club on Saturday.Diego Milito and Lucio scored in the last 10 minutes to secure a 3-1 victory away to 10-man Bologna which lifted the 2010 European champions away from the relegation zone and into mid-table."It was important to get off on the right foot. The lads needed a confidence boost," the veteran coach told Inter's website. "I said it didn't matter whether we played well or badly; what mattered was that we fought for every ball to get the result. And that's what we did. "These lads are hungry and they showed that. I was pleased with the self-sacrifice I saw in all of them. This is the right spirit."Former Juventus, Roma, Chelsea and Valencia boss Ranieri replaced Gian Piero Gasperini, whose tactics proved both unpopular and unsuccessful in his short five-game tenure.The 59-year-old's next task is to kickstart Inter's Champions League campaign in Tuesday's trip to Russia to face CSKA Moscow, following the opening defeat by Turkey's Trabzonspor.He will again be without key Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, whose injury is "worse than first thought."Inter bounced back from Tuesday's 3-1 defeat by promoted Novara as striker Giampaolo Pazzini netted the opening goal six minutes before halftime when new signing Diego Forlan and Esteban Cambiasso combined to set him up.Alessandro Diamanti leveled with a penalty in the 66th minute after Walter Samuel fouled Daniele Portanova, but substitute Milito restored the lead with nine minutes to play from the spot after he fell under contact from Archimede Morleo.Morleo was sent off, and Inter took full advantage as defender Lucio headed in a freekick by Sulley Muntari with three minutes to go. AC Milan moved up to eighth place with a much-needed 1-0 victory at home to bottom club Cesena -- the first in the league this season for the Serie A champions.Veteran Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf scored the only goal in the fifth minute to boost coach Massimiliano Allegri ahead of Wednesday's Champions League visit to the Sna Siro by Czech titleholders Viktoria Plzen.In Saturday's other match, Fiorentina drew 0-0 at Napoli to leave both teams in a group of five on seven points at the top of the table.Genoa, who lead on goal difference, travel to Chievo on Sunday while second-placed Juventus visit Catania and Udinese travel to Cagliari. | 5sport
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(CNN)At least one person has died and five have been injured as Moscow endures its heaviest snowfall in more than 60 years.More than 850 flights were either canceled or postponed, according to local media RBC. The Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that 2,000 trees fell overnight in the Russian capital.The snowfall broke a Moscow record set in 1957, authorities said."One person died from a falling tree that hit an electric power line," Moscow Mayor Sergi Sobyanin said in a tweet. "According to the latest data, there are five victims. Be careful."Sobyanin also said children were not required to attend school because of the severe weather. Read MoreThe Russian capital recorded 22 centimeters (8.6 inches) of snow Sunday -- more than half of its monthly average snowfall. The figure will rise to 47 centimeters (18.5 inches) by the end of Monday, deputy mayor of Moscow Petr Biryukov said.In one Moscow district, the military was deployed to clean up the snow which had become too much for local services to handle, Biryukov added.A bulldozer plows through snow in Red Square in Moscow on Sunday, February 4.A passenger gingerly leaves a bus during the blizzard in Moscow.A nun shovels snow in front of a nunnery in the village of Bogoslovo, 190km outside Moscow.A tramway track is cleared of snow.A woman skis on the grounds of the Kolomenskoye estate in Moscow.A girl rides a pony in the Botanical Garden in Moscow.People walk through Red Square in Moscow over the weekend.CNN's Nathan Hodge contributed to this report from Moscow. | 3news
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(CNN)The first day back in the classroom at her Houston elementary school was a joy for teacher Naseeb Gill. "Oh, this is exciting," she remembers thinking. "I'm back with kids again. I love seeing them face to face."Gill, a 5th grade English language arts teacher, had done her best when her school, like others across the country, switched from classroom to online instruction virtually overnight.She even began to enjoy it and was energized by figuring out new possibilities for teaching in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. When the Houston Independent School District announced it would return to hybrid learning last month, Gill was hesitant, unsure of what to expect. Houston teacher Naseeb Gill says she was scared that she could be putting herself and others at risk.What she and the thousands of teachers in Houston have gone through will be on the minds of the millions of teachers and support staff across the US, most of whom began the school year online, but are now looking at what returns to the classroom will look like.Read MoreThat first day back at Franklin Elementary eased Gill's mind. But the relief did not last. "By the second day, it was pretty clear that this was very different and in a very jarring situation," she told CNN. "One of the most basic things is, I'm used to being able to smile. Kids like your facial expressions. I work with a lot of English language learners, they need to see what I'm saying, they need to be able to see my mouth."There were more concerns too, and after that second day back in school, she felt she had to speak out. "The scariest part is you have no idea what you're walking into in those classes. I could be putting my students at risk, I could be putting my family members at risk," she said."I'm walking into a room where I actually don't really know what I'm breathing in -- a lot of our schools are very old and their HVACs, their AC units are very, very old."Gill was one of dozens of Houston schoolteachers who called in sick later that week, arguing for a different approach. Schools are 2 months into reopening under Covid-19 and no one's officially keeping track of how it's going"A lot of teachers started realizing this is not what we were hoping for and expecting and it's scary to not have any idea whether or not you're being exposed," she said. "I had so many teachers that were so excited to go back in person," Gill added. "And now, I just had a teacher today talk to me and say, 'I never thought I would say this, but we need to go back to virtual.'"Gill's school, along with at least 17 other public schools in Houston, did close again shortly after the reopening, but the move was temporary. Today, the district is reporting no school closures, with its dashboard showing 138 active cases among staff and students.In a statement to CNN, an HISD official wrote: "As the Houston Independent School District continues to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, we remain focused on providing our students with a high-quality education while ensuring that the health, safety and well-being of both our students and staff are held to the highest standard. Face-to-face instruction will continue to occur with safety measures in place in accordance with guidelines provided by the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CDC, state and local health authorities. The health, safety and well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority as we work to meet the educational needs of all families in the district."Stress driving teachers to leaveTeachers, administrators and families looking to Houston or other districts for pointers about their own future have little concrete to go on. While a dashboard created by Brown University shows very low rates of coronavirus cases among students and staff at the more than 5,000 schools surveyed, some large districts have reverted to virtual learning because of fear of Covid-19 spread. In October, Boston announced its public schools would all be remote learning due to rising cases in the city. And Philadelphia scrapped its plans to transition to a hybrid model, saying learning will be 100% digital until further notice.The changes and the stress and fear of working in a pandemic has led to one in three teachers saying they are now more likely to leave the profession earlier than planned, according to a study by the American Federation of Teachers released in September. In Houston, teacher Naseeb Gill says she can relate to that. "Every day I'm thinking maybe I should just move on to something else," she said. "But you don't. Because you know that, if you left those students, you would just potentially be another person who left them."The preliminary success of reopening New York City schools and what it may mean for other districtsStill, she is looking for leadership to take some pressure off teachers. President Donald Trump has demanded schools reopen, and while the Brown University research suggests schools may not be the superspreader locations they were feared to be, much is still unknown across the nation. And it seems there won't be any federal tracking from the government, with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos saying, "I'm not sure there's a role for the Department of Education to compile and conduct that research," at an event hosted by the Milken Institute.That infuriated Gill. "My secretary of education is saying it's not her job, nor the federal government's job. And then sometimes the local government's like, well, it's not really our job -- it's a district's job. And the district's going well, we're gonna put it on the schools and then, inevitably, it gets put on you," she said. "The teachers and the support staff are the ones that get the pressure."Change expected from the topThe political climate around schools reopening will change under the administration of President-elect Joe Biden, who has promised "clear, consistent, effective national guidelines" for reopening. Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings Program at Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health, hopes going back to school -- and safely -- becomes a national goal rather than a political act. 10 million people have been infected with coronavirus in the US -- and the rates keep rising in 43 statesHe published a plan in the summer for how schools could reopen safely with viable and inexpensive risk reduction strategies. And he still believes there is a way forward, even with cases rising nationwide and colder weather on the way."There's always something you can do," he said. "The single most important measure is an easy one -- and that's universal masking. This significantly drives down risk. "We can talk about all the complex air cleaning you want. But it's a simple mask that's going to have the most benefit." | 3news
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(CNN)As a nine-year-old he wrote to Tiger Woods saying he was "coming to get him," but now Rory McIlroy stands on the brink of joining his hero as a true legend of the game.McIlroy, 29, needs just the Masters to complete the set of all four major titles, an honor held by only Woods and four others.He's finished inside the top 10 in each of the past five years, and told CNN's Living Golf he "truly believes it will happen." But then McIlroy, the grinning, curly-haired kid from Holywood, Northern Ireland, has always been box office.Read MoreChipping golf balls into a washing machine on a TV talk show after winning the World U10 Championship was just the start.McIlroy grew up "fixated" by golf from a young age, learning the game through his Dad at the unassuming Holywood Golf Club outside Belfast. He'd cry when he was told it was time to go home. His idol was Woods, who clinched his breakthrough 1997 Masters win when Rory was not quite eight."I wrote a letter at nine saying that one day hopefully I'd be competing against him," McIlroy said in a documentary commissioned for the Open Championship. "Sometimes those things turn into reality and luckily for me it did." READ: McIlroy wins for first time since 2016'Mozart'But luck didn't really come into it. Innate talent, "passion for the game," and the dedication of his parents Rosie and Gerry, working multiple jobs and pouring "every penny" into their only child's obsession, were the foundations for a career which has so far yielded four major titles and north of $50 million in prize money."The word was this kid from Holywood was a bit extra special," says CNN Living Golf host Shane O'Donoghue, who first saw McIlroy in action in 2004."He'd just turned 14 and was clearly very different. He looked like a cherubic little boy but played with an exuberance that was totally different. It was like watching a virtuoso. I very quickly christened him Northern Ireland's Mozart, in golf terms."READ: Tiger Woods sparks 181% boost in TV audience The Irishman has seen him grow from precocious talent and child prodigy, to the boy who would be king and then global superstar, based in Florida with the huge mansion, fast cars and private jet."He was a nice, normal kid. He hasn't changed," adds O'Donoghue. "Circumstances have changed phenomenally around him and he's had to deal with all of that but he's still the same Rory. At the heart of it he's still Gerry and Rosie's boy."READ: Mickelson ends longest career droughtDespite the fame, wealth and celebrity status, the Holywood star is still very grounded with a close coterie of school friends. When he parted company with long-time caddie JP Fitzgerald in 2017 he turned to best mate Harry Diamond to shoulder the bag. He's had the same coach, former Holywood pro Michael Bannon, since he began the game using cut-down clubs. Though McIlroy was well known on the amateur circuit, he came to wider prominence as a chirpy, chubby 18-year-old at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, where he tied for third after the first round, bettering the then 12-time major champion Woods by one shot. He turned pro the day after the Walker Cup, the amateur version of the Ryder Cup, that September. Joining the paid ranks was like adding a spark to rocket fuel. JUST WATCHEDTiger Woods' ideal day: 'Caddyshack,' oatmeal?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger Woods' ideal day: 'Caddyshack,' oatmeal? 01:35 'Mercurial'He scored his first win as a 19-year-old in Dubai in February 2009, and first triumphed on the PGA Tour in May 2010, becoming the first player since Woods to win before his 21st birthday. Within five years of turning pro he was world No. 1.But McIlroy's professional career has been punctuated more by bursts of brilliance than the relentless domination of Woods in his heyday. McIlroy's mojo has occasionally gone walkabout when life gets in the way of what was once pure pleasure. "He is a bit mercurial but that's part of his normality," says O'Donoghue. "He's not a robot, he is an artist. "He will have down times, he will have the odd disaster, but my God, the highs more than make up for it because when he is on he's different class."JUST WATCHEDSergio Garcia on the Masters and his familyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSergio Garcia on the Masters and his family 05:34'Meltdown'McIlroy's trajectory was on collision course for a first major title, and for 63 holes of the 2011 Masters it looked like a coronation.He led by four heading into the final day, and still held a one-shot cushion on the 10th tee. What followed was an agonizing and public disintegration.He pulled his drive into the woods, and plunged into a downward spiral, dropping six shots in three holes. Shell-shocked, he carded 80. "I don't think I can put it down to anything else than part of the learning curve," he said ruefully at the time. Many observers thought the experience could scar him for life. McIlroy proved otherwise, smashing a host of records as he clinched the US Open at Congressional two months later. "It was a sensational rebound," says O'Donoghue. "He was approachable, accessible, attractive, CEOs wanted to be around him, kids wanted to be like him, men wanted to be his friend and woman wanted to either mother him or adore him. He just had the X factor." JUST WATCHEDPGA Tour Commissioner on Tiger Woods Effect ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPGA Tour Commissioner on Tiger Woods Effect 03:21'Authenticity'But the boom-or-bust cycle continued. That summer he coped badly with wild weather in the Open at Royal St George's, telling reporters: "I'm not a fan of golf tournaments predicted so much by the weather, it's not my sort of golf."It was blunt and honest, and created a stir. "He's never lost that boyish quality and never lost the quality of just telling it like it is. It gets him into trouble occasionally but the great ones are all a bit dogged in their opinions and views," says O'Donoghue. Victory back in the warmth of Florida the following March took McIlroy to the world No. 1 spot for the first time at the age of 22.That summer he landed a second major with the US PGA title in another record-breaking performance. He ended the season as the leading money winner on both the European and PGA Tours and was the game's hottest property.But he hadn't lost his impishness. A mess-up with his alarm clock meant he was nearly late for his tee time on the final day of the Ryder Cup and needed a police escort to reach the course. He still won his match against Keegan Bradley as Europe won the "Miracle of Medinah."McIlroy's stock was sky high, and early in 2013 he signed a multimillion dollar deal to use Nike equipment and clothing.Struggling to adapt, and having split from his management company, his form and confidence dipped. At the Open that summer, McIlroy gave another honest assessment of his inner thoughts, describing himself as "brain dead" after a disastrous first round. "Sometimes I feel like I'm walking around out there and I'm unconscious," he said."He's breaking news even when he's playing badly and a lot of that has to do with his authenticity," says O'Donoghue. JUST WATCHEDJordan Spieth tees it up with Lorena OchoaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJordan Spieth tees it up with Lorena Ochoa 03:36'Unbelievable talent'But McIlroy's ability to enter a higher realm was in evidence in the aftermath of his split with fiancée Caroline Wozniacki, a former world No.1 tennis star from Denmark, in May 2014. Three days later he won the European Tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship and then achieved his childhood dream, the Open Championship, at Hoylake in July. His dominant win emulated Woods' procession at Hoylake in 2006, and made him the only other player, alongside Woods, to win the silver medal and Claret Jug. He also became the first European to win three different majors, and he joined Woods and Nicklaus as only the third player to win three by 25. Not only that, but Gerry McIlroy was able to collect on a bet he and three friends had struck back in 2004 at odds of 500-1 that the young Rory would win the Open "within the next 10 years."They each scooped £50,000.Within a few weeks McIlroy won a World Golf Championship event and then his fourth major, the US PGA Championship. "Rory is an unbelievable talent. I think Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 majors or whatever he wants to do if he wants to keep playing. I love his swing," Nicklaus told reporters afterward.JUST WATCHEDGolf in India: The growth of the gameReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGolf in India: The growth of the game 22:29The magic dust has since dried up, at least in majors. He won the PGA Tour's season-long FedEx Cup in 2016, but a rib injury blew out much of 2017.However, McIlroy used the time to get married to fiancée Erica Stoll and take stock of his life and career.Refreshed, McIlroy's mojo returned with victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March amid the frenzy of Woods' latest comeback.At Augusta, however, he started the final day in the last pairing alongside eventual winner Patrick Reed but fell back to finish fifth, letting slip another chance to join Woods, Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as bona fide legends of the game.McIlroy has never claimed to be targeting the major haul of Woods, who in turn never hid his chase of Nicklaus' 18 majors, but he does have his eyes on another target: the seven majors of Jersey man Harry Vardon. "He wants to become Europe's most successful golfer of all time," says O'Donoghue. If inspiration strikes, Woods might need to look at the figure roaring up in his rear view mirror. | 5sport
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(CNN)The top US general in the Middle East said a Pentagon investigation into the August 2021 bombing outside the Kabul airport that killed 13 US service members was the result of a single bomber, and it was not the "complex" attack that US officials initially described.The bomber was able to approach Kabul International Airport's Abbey Gate, where he detonated an explosive device that killed the US troops and about 170 Afghans, without being stopped because Afghans had begun using alternate routes to the gate due to the difficulty of getting through Taliban checkpoints. Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, spoke at a Pentagon briefing Friday to unveil the findings of the US military investigation into the deadly bombing at the Abbey Gate entrance to the airport, where 11 Marines, 1 Army soldier and 1 Navy sailor -- along with approximately 170 Afghans -- were killed. "The investigation found that a single, explosive device killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members by explosively directing ball bearings through a packed crowd and into our men and women at Abbey gate," McKenzie said ahead of a briefing from the investigators.McKenzie acknowledged the conclusion was different from what the Pentagon initially believed.Read More"At the time, the best information we had in the immediate aftermath of the attack indicated that it was a complex attack by both a suicide bomber and ISIS-K gunmen," he said. "We now know that the explosively-fired ball bearings caused wounds that looked like gunshots, and when combined with a small number of warning shots that led many to assume that a complex attack had occurred."The investigation turned up no evidence that any Americans or Afghans were hit or killed by gunfire, McKenzie said.Investigators said medical examiners initially believed they were treating gunshot wounds of those wounded, but they later determined they were ball bearings from the bomb.Investigators spoke with more than 100 people for the investigation, they said, but they acknowledged they did not interview any Afghans as part of the US probe.The briefing Friday also included video of the bombing itself and several minutes of drone footage taken after the blast had occurred.The attack came as US and foreign troops were conducting chaotic evacuation efforts to help get Afghans and foreigners out of the country before US troops completed their withdrawal from the country on August 31. ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, said an ISIS militant carried out the attack. Alternate routes to airport gateInvestigators told reporters they determined it was "highly likely" that the assailant behind the deadly attack used an alternate route to reach Abbey Gate to avoid Taliban checkpoints, and as a result the bomber did not to have to show ID before getting close enough to US service members to launch the attack. There was a Taliban checkpoint at one end of the Abbey Gate entrance to the airport, which was the only available entry point for those trying to evacuate the country on August 26, the day of the attack. Other gates had been shut down due to threats and vulnerabilities. While the Taliban worked collaboratively with US troops as the evacuation proceeded, they often turned away or beat Afghans trying to flee. As a result, Afghans sought out alternate routes to avoid Taliban checkpoints, and there were established routes to the other side of the Abbey Gate via the canal where the bomber detonated his device. Lt. Col. John Naughton, one of the investigators, said that maps would be sent to potential evacuees "and would highlight the route they could use to bypass checkpoints and gain access to Abbey Gate."The potential evacuees would arrive at a parking lot area via the alternate routes, and would have "a few options for getting close to the outer gate area," Naughton said, noting that as people became more desperate, they began to use the sewage canal as an avenue to approach the airport.Investigators said that the situation on the ground at Abbey Gate changed dramatically in the days leading up to the bombing. The canal also became more and more crowded as the other gates closed and the planned US withdrawal date of August 31 approached.Friday's briefing included video footage of the blast itself. The video shot by a Marine shows the bomber some distance away on the other side of the canal in the background. A flash of light can be seen as the two Marines in the foreground of the video turn toward the bombing and then duck, as the video jolts downward.Three minutes after the bombing, a drone pilot began capturing footage of what was transpiring at the Abbey Gate. The footage shows Marines rushing toward the gate from inside the airport, as well as a number of bodies on the ground.Warning shots were firedWhile the investigation did not find evidence of people injured from gunfire, investigators said warning shots were fired from several locations in the aftermath of the blast from US and British service members.Shots were fired from three locations near the bombing site shortly after the attack. British forces fired 25-to-30 rounds as warning shots to try to disperse the crowd from one location, while a Marine fired four rounds over the head of an individual who appeared to be observing the bombing site.Separately, a team of Marines who observed the gunfire in front of them saw a man with an AK-47 on top of a building. The Marines believed he "exhibited hostile intent" equipped with a weapon and fired toward him, though they did not appear to hit the man. Marine Col. CJ Douglas, one of the investigators, said that the gunfire within Abbey Gate did not result in any injuries.Initially, however, US officials described the bombing as a "complex" attack at the airport, saying that two bombs went off along with an exchange of gunfire in the aftermath. Douglas said there were several reasons for the incorrect belief it was a complex attack, which included "the fog of war and disorientation due to blast effects." The ball bearings from the bombing also hit tear-gas canisters that Marines were wearing, releasing the gas. "The blast created instant chaos and sensory overload," Douglas said. "Marines were simultaneously enduring tear gas and blast effects while responding to a mass casualty situation."The warning shots also created an "echo effect" that caused some of those on the ground to think there was a firefight.US Marines initially considered the possibility that the Taliban could be responsible for the bombing, but they quickly determined that the Taliban were neither involved nor threatening US personnel, Douglas said.More than 100 interviewed in investigationMcKenzie said that the Pentagon investigation was undertaken to explain to family members of those killed what happened, and included testimony from more than 100 people.McKenzie said Friday that the investigation into the bombing "found that military leadership on the ground was appropriately engaged on force protection measures throughout the operation of Abbey Gate and that the medical services that were available and that were ready saved every life they possibly could through heroic efforts.""This was a terrible attack that resulted in tragic outcomes and a horrific loss of life," he said.Army Brig. Gen. Lance Curtis said that military leaders on the ground followed proper procedures when there was a threat on the ground. Asked if the bombing itself was preventable, Curtis said the investigation determined that it was not. "Based on our investigation at the tactical level, this was not preventable, and the leaders on the ground followed the proper measures," Curtis said. "Anytime there was an imminent threat warning, they followed the proper procedures. They lowered their profile, they sought cover, and at times, they even ceased operations at the gate."Asked whether the identification of the ISIS-K bomber was known before the bombing occurred, Curtis said that was outside the scope of the military probe and that investigation was being handled by the FBI.This story has been updated with additional details.CNN's Tara Subramaniam, Sonnet Swire and Christian Sierra contributed to this report. | 4politics
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Hong KongEditor's note: CNN has launched the Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here.One of China's wandering elephants has finally made it home.The herd of wild Asian elephants shot to fame last month while embarking on an epic journey through southwestern China. Since leaving a nature reserve last year, the herd has trekked more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) across the rugged landscape of Yunnan province, roaming free through fields, villages and large towns.Last week, a lone elephant who broke away from the herd a month ago was captured and returned to its home reserve. It had traveled more than 190 kilometers (118 miles) on its own, surviving on food prepared by local authorities and at times foraging into villages.Authorities said the 1.8-ton male had lingered near populated areas and posed a risk to public safety, prompting the decision to tranquilize it and send it home. Veterinarians found no external injuries on the elephant, which walked into the rainforest and took a dip in the river after being released, the Yunnan government said.Read MoreMeanwhile, the rest of the herd is still marching on what seems to be an endless journey, closely monitored round-the-clock by dozens of drones, and hundreds of emergency response personnel and police officers. A lone elephant that broke away from the wandering herd on June 6 was captured and returned to its home reserve last week.The elephants became a national obsession last month, with millions tuning in to watch livestreams of their daily life, captured by drones buzzing around them. People have followed transfixed as they trampled crops, broke into kitchens and -- when they were not wreaking havoc -- lay down together for peaceful group naps. But like all internet sensations, interest has inevitably begun to wane, with fewer and fewer people talking about the herd online. And while the elephants recede from public life, the environmental problems exposed by their year-long journey are just beginning.Some experts see the elephants' trip as a desperate quest for better resources. Asian elephants are a protected species in China, and thanks to conservation efforts, their population has doubled to about 300 in four decades. But at the same time, almost 40% of their habitat in southern Yunnan has been lost to commercial development over the past 20 years, a group of Chinese researchers wrote in a letter to scientific journal Nature last week.Amid China's rapid economic growth, rubber and tea plantations have proliferated in Yunnan, replacing large swathes of forests, while highways, railways and hydropower plants cut off migration paths. The province's elephant herds are left fragmented and isolated in ever-shrinking plots of land, with many forced to forage for food in agricultural areas instead.That has led to a rise in human-elephant conflict. Between 2014 and 2020, the Yunnan government paid over $26 million in compensation for damage caused by elephants, state media reported. Sometimes, such conflicts can be deadly too. From 2013 to 2019, 41 people were trampled to death and 32 others were injured by Asian elephants in Yunnan, according to provincial authorities. Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsThe herd began its journey in the southwestern province of Yunnan, traveling from a nature reserve in Xishuangbanna to Yuxi, a city of 2.6 million people.Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsThe elephants have traveled more than 500 kilometers (311 miles) and left a trail of destruction in their wake, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsIt is unclear why the elephants left the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in in southwestern China. The reserve is near China's border with Laos and Myanmar.Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsOfficials prepare a drone to monitor the elephant herd in Eshan County of Yunnan province on May 29.Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsA drone's infrared imaging system is used to track and monitor the elephants.Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsThe herd roams through a neighborhood near Shuanghe Township in Yunnan province.Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsOf the 15 elephants, one male has broken free from the herd and is currently about 4 km to the northeast of the group, according to the on-site command tracking the elephants.Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsA government official shows the migration route of the elephants in Eshan County on May 28.Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsMore than 360 people, 76 police cars and dirt trucks and nine drones are part of a task force following the elephants.Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsThe creatures have caused significant disruption during their trek. Residents were told to stay indoors while pedestrians and vehicles were evacuated in the town of Eshan after the elephants roamed the streets for six hours.Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsOfficials use a drone to track the herd in Kunming, Yunnan province, on June 5.Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: China's herd of wandering elephantsMonitoring images show the herd is comprised of six female adults, three male adults, three sub-adults and three calves.Hide Caption 12 of 12Perhaps less known to the public is that their beloved herd of wandering elephants also claimed the life of a villager last summer, near the city of Pu'er in southern Yunnan.For now, authorities are trying to steer the herd away from populated areas with food bait and roadblocks. Every day, the animals are fed with large quantities of corn, as well as bananas and pineapples, while heavy trucks form long lines to prevent them from entering villages and towns. But still, thousands of residents are evacuated each day to make way for their journey.In the long term, scientists say the only way to prevent a future elephant exodus is to restore, expand and reconnect their existing habitats."We call for an integrated system of national park reserves for China's elephants. This should be protected and take into account their foraging habits, migration patterns and other phased activities," the Chinese experts wrote in their letter to Nature.The tension of coexistence between humans and wildlife is a problem faced not only by Yunnan -- one of China's most ecologically diverse regions. As China undergoes rapid urbanization, wild animals in other parts of the country have increasingly faced similar problems, especially as the populations of some species have been boosted by conservation efforts.In April, a Siberian tiger wandered into a village in northeast China, attacking a woman and a car filled with passengers. Just last week, three wolves attacked villagers and killed a dog in Heilongjiang province. Two of the animals were shot dead by authorities and the other was sent to a nearby zoo.Around AsiaUnited States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reaffirmed the US' commitment to defend the Philippines' armed forces from attack in the South China Sea, under a 70-year-old mutual defense treaty.Activists in the Philippines are trying to change a law that allows 12-year-olds to consent to have sex, which they say has partly caused rampant child sexual abuse in the country.The owner of a factory where at least 52 people died in a blaze in Bangladesh has been arrested, along with seven other people.The capital of South Korea and Australia's largest city announced Friday they would increase their Covid-19 prevention measures to combat growing outbreaks of the Delta variant in both cities.After Didi, China looks to extend its control over overseas IPOsChina's crackdown on Big Tech just keeps growing.The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) — the country's powerful internet watchdog — this weekend proposed that any company with data on more than 1 million users must seek the agency's approval before listing its shares overseas. It also proposed companies must submit IPO materials to the agency for review ahead of listing. The agency said it will seek "public opinion" on the draft rules, which were published Saturday, before they are formally adopted.The move shows how much Beijing is broadening its control over the tech sector. The CAC is the same agency that banned Didi, China's largest ride-hailing service, from app stores, over "seriously violating laws" about data collection days after the company went public in the United States. The CAC's influence in China has ballooned over the years, since President Xi Jinping set up the agency as it currently operates in 2014 in the name of protecting China's internet and data security. Xi's move came after former CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked US intelligence secrets in 2013, sparking a global firestorm over privacy and security. The CAC on Friday also punished Didi even further, banning 25 of the company's other apps and accusing them of violating laws around collecting and using personal information. The apps include Didi Enterprise, Uber China (which Didi bought from Uber in 2016) and other apps designed for different services, from ride-hailing to financial programs.Other Chinese regulators have been pressuring tech, too. Over the weekend, the State Administration of market Regulation blocked Tencent's plan to merge two of China's top video game streaming websites, Huya and Douyu. The regulator cited concerns that the merger would give Tencent — which is the largest shareholder in each website — too much control over the marketplace. Huya and Douyu are publicly traded in New York and have a combined market capitalization of $5.3 billion. -- By Laura HeKeeping coolA cool game: In Chongqing, known as one of China's "furnace cities" for its extremely hot and humid weather, residents have come up with creative ways to escape the summer heat, including playing mahjong in a giant pool at a water park.BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines may finally be coming to TaiwanTaiwan may finally be getting Covid-19 vaccines developed by German drugmaker BioNTech, ending a months-long struggle to obtain the doses amid rising geopolitical tensions with China.On Sunday, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Co., the Chinese sales agent for BioNTech, said it had signed a deal to provide 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Taiwan. If followed through, the deal would alleviate the island's vaccine shortage, as it grapples with its worst outbreak since the pandemic began.The BioNTech vaccines will be sold to the two Taiwanese tech companies -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (better known as Foxconn) -- and a private charity controlled by Foxconn founder Terry Gou. They will then be donated to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for distribution, according to a statement from Shanghai Fosun.The Taiwanese government has blamed Beijing for blocking its access to BioNTech vaccines. Taipei was on the verge of signing a contract for 5 million doses with the German drugmaker in December, but Taiwanese officials said the deal fell through due to political pressure from China. The Chinese government has denied the accusation. Instead, it insists Taiwan should purchase the vaccine from Shanghai Fosun, which has a distribution deal with BioNTech in greater China.Taiwan had been slow in rolling out Covid-19 vaccines, as residents initially felt little urgency to get inoculated thanks to its successful containment of the virus. But in April, a rapid surge in infections sent residents rushing for vaccines, placing mounting public pressure on the Taiwanese government to boost supplies.In June, the United States pledged to deliver 750,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses, drawing the ire of Beijing. | 3news
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Story highlightsSaudi ambassador to London offers his condolences to the bin Laden family over the crashThree passengers and the pilot died in the crash at Blackbushe Airport in southern EnglandLondon (CNN)Three members of Osama bin Laden's family were among four people killed in a small plane crash in southern England, British police said.The plane crashed Friday at a car auction site on the property of Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire, to the west of London, Hampshire fire and rescue services said.Three passengers and the pilot died. Among those killed were three members of bin Laden's family, described as the mother, sister and brother-in-law of the plane's owner, Hampshire police said.Police named neither the victims nor the plane's owner. The bin Laden family members were visiting the United Kingdom on vacation, police said.The late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden -- killed in a U.S. raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in May 2011 -- was one of dozens of children of Mohammed bin Laden. The bin Laden family is large and is spread around the world.Read MoreThe UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said Friday it had sent a team to investigate the incident but declined to give further details. The team remained at the site on Saturday.Rare photos reveal Osama bin Laden's Afghan hideoutNo one on the ground was injured, police said.The official Saudi Press Agency did not identify those on the plane but said it was a Saudi-registered Embraer 505 Phenom 300 aircraft.Because the accident happened on British soil, the investigation will be in the hands of the AAIB. The Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud, offered his condolences via Twitter to the family of the late Mohammed bin Laden over the crash Friday, but he did not name the victims.Opinion: Secrets of the bin Laden treasure troveCNN's Damien Ward, Caroline Faraj and Jason Hanna contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsCredit ratings agency Moody's has put UK, France and Austria on negative outlookAll three countries at risk of losing "triple A" ratings due to eurozone debt crisisFirst time UK placed on negative outlook, opposition party blames severity of cutsEuro and pound both drop 0.3% against dollar in thin early trading in AsiaMoody's put the UK, France and Austria on negative outlook late on Monday night, raising the prospect that the three countries would lose their triple A ratings due to exposure to the eurozone debt crisis.It is the first time that the heavily indebted UK has been placed on negative credit outlook by a big rating agency since the eurozone crisis erupted.George Osborne, the UK chancellor, said the move supported the government's tough austerity measures and was "a reality check for anyone who thinks Britain can duck confronting its debts".But Ed Balls, Labour's shadow chancellor, described the decision as a "significant warning to a chancellor who himself made balancing the books by 2015 and the views of the credit rating agencies the key benchmarks for the success of his economic policy".He added: "We have consistently argued that the chancellor's gamble -- raising taxes and cutting spending too far and too fast -- would backfire because without a balanced plan that promotes jobs and economic growth the government will not succeed in getting the deficit down."Mr Osborne told the BBC on Tuesday morning however that it was wrong to pretend there was a 'false choice' between growth and reducing national debt.JUST WATCHEDUK credit rating teeteringReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUK credit rating teetering 02:08JUST WATCHEDThe wider impact of the Eurozone crisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe wider impact of the Eurozone crisis 03:41"The idea that I'm not behind growth is ridiculous...that's what I spend every day of my life trying to bring about," he said. Mr Osborne admitted there was no 'easy route' out of the UK's economic difficulties.A negative outlook means that Moody's could downgrade the UK in the next 12 to 18 months. The country now shares the same outlook from the rating agency as the US and France.Yves Lemay, managing director for European sovereigns at Moody's, said: "The signal is there is pressure on the rating, but we do recognise that the UK's triple A has some resiliency."Sterling fell to a two-week low against the dollar, falling to $1.5685, before recouping some of the losses. The yield on 10-year gilts was little changed at 2.13 per cent.French finance minister François Baroin said France's triple A rating was maintained by Moody's because of factors including "the size of its economy" and its "increased productivity". He added that the French government was "determined to press ahead with its actions to boost growth and competitiveness".Moody's said in a statement: "The primary driver underlying Moody's decision to change the outlook on the UK's [triple A] rating to negative is the weaker macroeconomic environment, which will challenge the government's efforts to place its debt burden on a downward trajectory over the coming years."It added that the UK was vulnerable to the eurozone and that its outstanding debt placed it among the most heavily indebted of its triple A-rated peers."Although the UK is outside the euro area, the high risk of further shocks, economic, financial, or political within the currency union are exerting negative pressure on the UK's [triple A] rating given the country's trade and financial links with the euro area."The euro and pound both dropped about 0.3 per cent against the dollar in thin early trading in Asia."Moody's tends to be more conservative than S&P but it's trailblazing here by placing the UK on a negative [outlook]," said Kathy Lien, director for currency research at GFT Forex.Moody's also downgraded a number of eurozone countries including Italy, Spain and Portugal.Italy was cut to A2 from A3, Portugal cut to Ba3 from Ba2, Spain downgraded to A3 from A1. Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta also had their ratings cut with negative outlooks.The move by Moody's comes after Standard & Poor's downgraded France and Austria, one notch to double A, last month.Moody's two notch downgrade of Spain places it rating one notch below that of S&P.Mr Lemay of Moody's said the tough economic outlook facing the eurozone was particularly acute for Spain, with an unemployment rate above 20 per cent and a banking system that is still very much challenged. | 3news
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(CNN)Eighteen athletes won gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sunday. Here's a breakdown of who clinched gold:Archery Women's Team: Republic of KoreaCyclingWomen's Road Race: Anna Kiesenhofer, AustriaRead MoreDivingWomen's Synchronised 3m Springboard: China FencingWomen's Foil Individual: Lee Kiefer, USAMen's Epee Individual: Romain Cannone, FranceJudoWomen's -52kg: Uta Abe, JapanMen's -66kg: Hifumi Abe, JapanShooting Women's 10m Air Pistol: Vitalina Batsarashkina, ROCMen's 10m Air Rifle: William Shaner, USASkateboardingMen's Street: Yuto Horigome, JapanSwimmingMen's 400m Individual Medley: Chase Kalisz, USAMen's 400m Freestyle: Ahmed Hafnaoui, TunisiaWomen's 400m Individual Medley: Yui Ohashi, JapanWomen's 4 X 100m Freestyle Relay: AustraliaTaekwondoWomen's -57kg: Anastasija Zolotic, USAMen's -68kg: Ulugbek Rashitov, UzbekistanWeightliftingMen's 61kg: LI Fabin, ChinaMen's 67kg: Chen Lijun, China | 5sport
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Story highlightsTwelve branded teams to compete over eight weeks of competition "The Series" follows Formula One's model of team ownershipOrganizers hope to broaden racing audiences (CNN)What do you get when you mix horse racing with Formula One?A new flat-racing competition called "The Series" will see 12 branded teams -- each with one trainer, four jockeys and 30 horses -- compete against each other at some of the UK's most famous racecourses from 2019. Just like Red Bull in F1 and Team Sky in cycling, the teams will be owned by major international brands. All 48 races across the eight meetings will have a prize money pot of at least £100,000 ($138,000) which will be divided among stable staff, owners, trainers or jockeys."This is a fantastic chance for racing to lead the way in changing how people watch sport, both live and in terms of bite-size, interactive content," said Jeremy Wray, chief executive of Championship Horse Racing (CHR), which developed the concept.JUST WATCHEDA look at South Africa's horse racing industryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA look at South Africa's horse racing industry 22:20Read MoreTwenty20 Cricket, Formula EOrganizers hope the new format will "turbo boost the audience, prize money and participation growth rates" of the sport, similar to how the Twenty20 format has aided cricket.The CHR's website also states it hopes The Series "will showcase the pure excitement of the sport", as well as distancing it from gambling."The Series" - what's it all about?12 branded teams to compete over the eight week competition Each team will have a squad of 30 horses and four jockeys, led by leading racehorse trainerEach race day will feature six handicap flat races, with each branded team nominating one runner for each race to create 12-runner fieldsMinimum total prize money pot: 4.8 million poundsA points system, similar to F1, will decide who wins the team and jockeys championshipsIt also aims to attract more casual fans, dismissing the idea "that 'expert' knowledge is a pre-requisite to following the action."Gambling -- or "having a punt" in British parlance -- is a staple of life in the UK, particularly on big horse racing days. Racing is of huge importance to the British economy. After soccer, it is the UK's best attended sport, with a total economic impact of £3.45 billion ($4.76 million), according to a 2013 report by consultancy firm Deloitte.READ: Female jockeys are just as good as men, according to this study'New approach'"Jeremy and his team are bringing a really far-thinking approach to the offer they're taking to market for brands to get involved," said Simon Bazalgette, group chief executive of The Jockey Club, which runs 15 racecourse venues in Britain. JUST WATCHEDSkijoring: One of the wildest sports aroundReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSkijoring: One of the wildest sports around 01:16The Jockey Club, which stages events including The Investec Derby, Randox Health Grand National, and The Cheltenham Festival, helped CHR to develop its concept. Visit CNN.com/horseracing for more news, features and videos Jeremy Gosden, a two-time champion trainer, has also put his weight behind the new series, calling the concept "the most creative and positive racing sponsorship opportunity I have seen." | 5sport
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(CNN)Royce Burton was teaching history at a New Jersey university when he decided to tell his class about a frightening experience he had as a young man.He was a Texas Ranger, patrolling the Rio Grande in 1940, when he got lost in a canyon after dark. He tried to climb out but lost his balance just as he neared the top of a cliff. Suddenly Joe, a fellow Ranger, appeared and hoisted him up to safety with his rifle strap. Burton thanked Joe for saving his life but lost contact with him after both men enlisted in the military during World War II.Burton was in the middle of sharing his story when an elderly man appeared in the doorway. It was Joe, the fellow Ranger. He had tracked Burton down 25 years later and walked into his classroom at precisely the moment Burton was recounting his rescue."I'll have Joe finish the rest of the story," Burton said, without missing a beat as the astonished classroom witnessed the two men's reunion.You could call Burton's story an amazing coincidence, but James Hollis calls it something else: "synchronicity" -- a meaningful coincidence.Read MoreAbout this seriesSome stories blur the lines between science, spirituality and the supernatural. These are stories from "The Other Side."Synchronicity is a term coined by Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and mystic. It is the occurrence of two events that have no apparent cause and effect relation but are nonetheless connected by meaning, often in profound ways.Synchronicity is an odd term, but it's a familiar experience to many people. Someone dreams of a childhood friend he hasn't heard from in years and gets a phone call from that friend the next day. Another person loses his mother and hears her favorite song on the radio on the day of her funeral. Someone facing a terrible personal crisis is the accidental recipient of a book that seems written just for him or her. "Everybody has stories like that," says Hollis, a Jungian analyst and author who knew Burton and shares his story in the book "Hauntings: Dispelling the Ghosts Who Run Our Lives." "We live in a haunted world where invisible energies are constantly at work."Yet few people understand how synchronicities work. Why do they happen, where do they come from, and does their existence suggest that everyone's life is somehow part of some cosmic drama shaped by unseen hands?Or, as critics insist, is synchronicity simply psychological narcissism, the result of a person's desperate need to find meaning in odd connections that anyone would notice if he paid attention.Those are the kind of questions that scientists, skeptics and psychologists have long asked about striking coincidences. The concept of synchronicity, though, is moving mainstream. Google the term and 5.4 million references pop up. Facebook has a page devoted to synchronicity. And there are people who collect synchronicity stories like kids used to collect baseball cards. They catalog them in pieces such as "29 Mind-Blowing Coincidences You Won't Believe Happened" or "20 Amazing Coincidences."Even those who have never heard of synchronicity are influenced by it, some say. If you flip open the Bible and randomly pick out the first Scripture you see for guidance, or you pay attention to premonitions or astrology, you are relying to some degree on the principles of synchronicity."The interest in synchronicity is exploding," says Gibbs A. Williams, a psychoanalyst and author of the book "Demystifying Meaningful Coincidences.""Many synchronicity disciples get off on this stuff as if they were junkies craving their next fix." Of plum pudding and golden beetlesSynchronicity groupies have their favorite stories. Some have been cited so much it's difficult to know if they're true or apocryphal -- or a combination of both.Consider the infamous tale of Emile Deschamps and his plum pudding.In 1805, Deschamps, a French poet, was treated to plum pudding by Monsieur de Fortgibu, a stranger he met in a restaurant. A decade later, Deschamps goes to a Paris restaurant and orders plum pudding again. The waiter tells him the last dish has been served to someone else -- a Monsieur de Fortgibu.The story gets odder. In 1832, Deschamps goes to a diner where someone offers him plum pudding. He jokingly tells his friends that the only thing missing is de Fortgibu -- and de Fortgibu, now an elderly man, promptly wobbles into the diner.No wonder Jung was drawn to such stories of synchronicity. He was fascinated by strange experiences. He was a lifelong believer in the occult and claimed to have personal encounters with the paranormal.
Monster stories have been around for millennia. Now sleuths are hot on the trail. Can they catch one?Jung's belief in synchronicity was, in fact, reinforced by a synchronistic encounter that was as eerie as Deschamps' plum pudding story.Jung was treating a highly educated young woman who he thought relied too much on her intellect. He said she was "psychologically inaccessible" and concluded that a breakthrough could only come if something unexpected and irrational turned up during their sessions.One day the woman told Jung she had a strange dream the night before in which someone had handed her an expensive piece of jewelry, a "golden scarab" shaped like a beetle. While the woman was sharing the dream, Jung heard a gentle tapping on an office window behind him. It was a large insect trying to get into the darkened office.Jung opened the window and caught the insect when it flew in. It was a golden scarabaeid beetle, whose gold-green color resembled the color of the golden scarab jewelry. "Here is your scarab," Jung said, handing it to the stunned woman.The moment proved to be a breakthrough for the woman, Jung claimed. His decision to use the synchronistic moment to forge a breakthrough with his patient would become a model for other Jungian therapists. Their message: Synchronistic moments don't happen just to inspire wonder; they arrive to force people to reconsider their values.Why synchronicity happensWhenever an improbable coincidence occurs, says Hollis, the Jungian analyst, people should look for the possible message in that moment."We should ask if there is another dimension to it (the striking coincidence) that would ask of me, what change of attitude and what insight I might draw from this," he says. "Is there a task there that is corrective to my way of looking at things?"In his book "Hauntings," Hollis explained the message behind the former Texas Ranger's improbable reunion. Hollis befriended him when both taught at the same university."For my colleague, who is a sensate 'facts are facts kind of guy,' the incident helped expand his psychic life by bringing a bit of mystery into it," Hollis wrote. "After his sensibility enlarged, he was even more aware of the presence of invisible energies amid his tangible world."Some believe that people can train themselves to summon synchronistic moments.Alex Marcoux, author of "Lifesigns: Tapping the Power of Synchronicity, Serendipity and Miracles," says that the "Universe" sends synchronistic signs to help people live more fulfilling lives. Marcoux, who insists that Universe be capitalized because of her spiritual beliefs, offers a five-step process on how to recognize and learn from synchronicity: Ask with intention, sense life's experiences, unravel the Universe's clues, validate the answer and express gratitude.Marcoux says she's relied on synchronistic moments to help her make decisions on everything from the plotlines of her novels to her finances and relationships.When asked how she can discern if a coincidence is a message or just a random moment, she says there are three indicators: The event is meaningful, improbable and she's hit with a sudden realization. The moment feels like an epiphany."The hair goes up on the back of your neck," she says.Jung introduced the concept of synchronicity to Western audiences with the publication of his book "Synchronicity -- An Acausal Connecting Principle." But the concept predates him by thousands of years. As Jung pointed out, the concept forms the foundation for an ancient Chinese text used for divination called the I Ching, or the Book of Changes. Jungians say advances in quantum physics and chaos theory also reinforced the principles of synchronicity. Why synchronicity could be a hoaxSome critics say synchronicity is not the result of an otherworldly influence. It's self-generated -- it's produced by people looking for answers to personal problems, says Williams, author of "Demystifying Meaningful Coincidences."Williams says synchronicities are neither random events nor coded messages from a transcendent divinity. Striking coincidences often occur when people are experiencing a psychological gridlock in their life.A person who swears off drinking, for example, may turn on the television set the same day of their resolution and see a movie about Alcoholics Anonymous. When one resolves to solve a personal problem, one will often see a "resonant message" embedded in a moment, he says."You're looking for patterns. It's like you're on your own psychological scavenger hunt. You look for pieces to fit the puzzle. The completed pattern is experienced as a synchronicity."
Some not only share their life but moment of death with loved ones. Are these 'shared-death experiences' real?Some critics of synchronicity deny these events occur at all.Skeptics cite one of the most frequently touted examples of synchronicity: the strange parallels between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.Both presidents had seven letters in their last names and were elected to office 100 years apart -- 1860 and 1960. Both were assassinated on a Friday in the presence of their wives, Lincoln in Ford's Theatre and Kennedy in an automobile made by Ford. Both were felled by assassins who went by three names, John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald. And both were succeeded by vice presidents who were Southern Democrats with the last name Johnson.What does it mean?Absolutely nothing, wrote Bruce Martin in an essay for Skeptical Inquirer magazine. Mathematical probability ensures that some coincidences will occur, but people assign less probability to coincidences than they deserve. Probability ensures that in a random selection of 23 people, he says, there is a 50% chance that at least two of those people celebrate the same birth date.Synchronicity supporters also ignore facts that challenge the meaning of their coincidences, he says. Take Lincoln and Kennedy: They shared similarities, but they were also born and died in different months, states and at different ages. What about those differences?"For any two people with reasonably eventful lives it is possible to find coincidences between them," Martin wrote in the essay "Coincidences: Remarkable or Random?""Two people meeting at a party often find some striking coincidence between them, but what it is -- birthdate, hometown, etc. -- is not predicted in advance."Hollis, the Jungian analyst, readily concedes some coincidences exist apart from synchronicity. But he says there are other odd coincidences that go beyond mathematical possibility. You just can't explain them away. He says these strange stories reveal "the spectral presence" of some kind of energy that deliberately infiltrates people's daily lives.Consider one of the strangest synchronicity stories ever told:In 1938, Joseph Figlock, a street sweeper, was cleaning an alley in Detroit when a baby fell from an open, fourth-floor window. The baby hit Figlock in the head, the impact saving the child's life. A year later, Figlock was sweeping another alley when another baby fell from a fourth-floor window -- onto Figlock. Same fate. Both Figlock and the baby were unharmed.What does one make of such a story?Time magazine matter-of-factly reported Figlock's story under the headline, "Coincidence in Detroit." It did not include any interviews -- and the story is one the Internet loves to debate as truth or fiction. This much appears to be sure: No one ever caught up with Figlock or either of the babies to see how their lives were shaped by those amazing moments.Try to explain why these coincidences occur, and few agree. Even Jung struggled to grasp the implication of synchronicity -- some say he had at least three different definitions of it, and his followers disagreed about its meaning.Says Williams, the disbeliever: "I don't think anyone has had a bead on the absolute truth."So what are we left with? Puzzling stories of falling babies, plum pudding and odd coincidences that can shape people's lives -- and even haunt them. | 3news
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(CNN)Sydney will enter a hard two-week lockdown on Saturday night local time as authorities try to contain a fast-spreading outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant in Australia's largest city, the state leader said.More than a million people in downtown Sydney and the city's eastern suburbs were already under lockdown due to the outbreak, but health authorities said they needed to expand that after more Covid-19 cases were recorded, with exposure sites increasing beyond the initial areas of concern.The lockdown, announced by New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian, will also include the regions of Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, which surround Sydney.The curbs on Sydney, home to more than 5 million people, are the latest in a streak of short but hard lockdowns that have been imposed in Australia's cities in recent months to fight small outbreaks of the coronavirus. | 3news
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Story highlightsTriple world champion Niki Lauda tips Fernando Alonso for 2012 titleAlonso leads the championship by 29 points with six races of the season to goLauda says it is too soon for Sauber's Sergio Perez to join FerrariThe Austrian praises former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen on his comeback seasonThree-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda has tipped Fernando Alonso to clinch a 16th drivers' title for Ferrari his season.Alonso, a double world champion with McLaren in 2005 and 2006, currently leads the 2012 drivers' standing by 29 point with just six races of the season to go.Lauda, a winner of 25 grands prix between 1974 and 1985, says Alonso's approach this season has been close to perfect, grinding out results in a car which was considered substandard at the start of the season.Alonso: "Ferrari must improve"JUST WATCHEDFernando Alonso recovers from car crashReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFernando Alonso recovers from car crash 02:55JUST WATCHEDMontezemolo: Ferrari could leave F1 ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMontezemolo: Ferrari could leave F1 03:34"He is making all the right moves," Lauda, who won the drivers' title twice with Ferrari, told the sport's official website."He is fast and he is getting the car over the finish line. He is aggressive when needed. He is Mr Right, right now."I say that he will carry on racing the way he has done so far and then the list of those who count themselves still in the running is dramatically reduced."He will score the most points. He will be champion if he carries on like he has done up until now."Vettel triumphs in SingaporeWhen asked what Ferrari, the most successful team in F1 history, would be without the 31-year-old Alonso, Lauda responded: "Not as good. It is always the combination of driver and team that makes success."Rumors have suggested Ferrari may look to replace Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa for the 2013 season, with Sauber's Sergio Perez mooted as a potential successor to the Brazilian.But Austrian Lauda reckons it is too early in the Mexican's career for him to be a suitable fit at Ferrari.JUST WATCHEDHamilton's McLaren FutureReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHamilton's McLaren Future 03:02JUST WATCHEDSingapore: The future of F1 finance? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSingapore: The future of F1 finance? 04:20Latest Formula One standings"I don't see it," added Lauda. "Perez would be a risk. Massa is predictable and Alonso likes him, so I say that such a switch is not going to happen."Lauda also singled out former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen for praise.The Lotus driver sits third in the championship despite only returning to the sport this season after two years away.Raikkonen was the last Ferrari driver to win the championship when he fended off competition from Alonso -- then racing for McLaren -- and Briton Lewis Hamilton, who is still driving for the British team, to clinch the 2007 crown."The fascinating thing with Kimi is that he came back and didn't need any warm-up time. It's as if he had never been away," said Lauda. "Kimi came back as if he hadn't been away for two years. He was fighting immediately at the top. You cannot ask for more." | 5sport
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(CNN)The official pro-Brexit campaign group has been fined and referred to the police after the UK's elections watchdog found it had broken Britain's strict electoral laws.The Electoral Commission fined Vote Leave £61,000 ($81,000) for coordinating with another campaign group -- called BeLeave -- and exceeding spending limits during the 2016 referendum campaign.In a damning ruling, the commission said it had imposed a punitive fine on Vote Leave, and accused it of frustrating the watchdog's investigation.UK's May survives Parliament Brexit rebellion, but loses another minister"We found substantial evidence that the two groups (Vote Leave and BeLeave) worked to a common plan, did not declare their joint working and did not adhere to the legal spending limits," said Bob Posner, Electoral Commission director of political finance and regulation and legal counsel, in a statement."It (Vote Leave) has refused to cooperate, refused our requests to put forward a representative for interview and forced us to use our legal powers to compel it to provide evidence," said Posner. "Nevertheless, the evidence we have found is clear and substantial, and can now be seen in our report."UK investigates alleged Russian links to Brexit campaignRead MoreThe long-awaited report found Vote Leave exceeded its legal spending limit of £7 million ($9.3 million) by around £500,000 ($660,000).It ruled Vote Leave had broken rules by coordinating with BeLeave. Darren Grimes, the founder of BeLeave, was fined £20,000 ($26,000). Grimes and Vote Leave official David Halsall have been referred to the police.Vote Leave rejected the commission's findings, saying in a statement that the report contained "a number of false accusations" and that the campaign group had in fact provided evidence "proving there was no wrongdoing."Campaign group overspent by half a million poundsIn an accompanying blog post, the commission explained that in the 10-week period leading up to the referendum on June 23, 2016, "the two designated lead campaigners (one for the Leave camp and one for Remain) could spend up to £7 million each, while other groups had a limit of £700,000 each."JUST WATCHEDResignations create chaos for Theresa MayReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHResignations create chaos for Theresa May 02:40"Campaign groups can work together to achieve a particular outcome, but their spending -- when combined -- must not exceed their individual spending limit," it added. "Where a lead campaigner is working together with other campaign groups, all the spending will count towards the lead campaigner's total and needs to fall within the £7 million limit."Grimes and BeLeave made payments of around £675,000 ($894,000) to a Canadian data analytics firm Aggregate IQ, which "should have been treated as incurred by Vote Leave," the commission said. Grimes said in a statement Tuesday that he would be fighting the Electoral Commission's findings, adding that the "EC have caved to political pressure from those who despise Brexit."It is clear that the EC have caved to political pressure from those who despise Brexit enough to pour hundreds of thousands of pounds into thwarting it through our courts and backroom channels.Sadly for them I am not going anywhere and will be fighting this, my statement: pic.twitter.com/vJm9cSrAcK— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) July 17, 2018
A second referendum on the cards?Following the report, some MPs and campaign groups argued that the referendum results were now invalid, prompting calls for a second vote.Kyle Taylor, of Fair Vote UK, which campaigns for transparency in elections, said in a statement Tuesday: "The government needs to take urgent action to deal with the fact the referendum is now illegitimate."The criminal misbehaviour of the Leave campaign is now clear for all to see they cheated in the Referendum & we must now rerun a new untainted Referendum!— Barry Sheerman (@BarrySheerman) July 17, 2018
Labour MP Barry Sheerman went a step further, saying on Twitter that "we must now rerun a new untainted Referendum!"His fellow Labour MP, Darren Jones, is now writing to colleagues in an effort to garner support for a public inquiry into the referendum."If illegality can take place in our democracy, we must bring forward reforms," he said in a statement on Twitter. BREAKING: I'm writing to colleagues in Parliament today, to seek their support in calling for a public inquiry into the Brexit referendum. If illegality can take place in our democracy, we must bring forward reforms. Please write to your MP to ask for their support! pic.twitter.com/HwmxVc5KAS— Darren Jones MP (@darrenpjones) July 17, 2018
CNN's Samantha Beech and Simon Cullen contributed to this report | 3news
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Story highlightsA member of a U.S. rock band wipes the Russian flag between his legsState-run media report Russia's Interior Ministry has opened a criminal caseThe band left Russia Sunday, CNN has learnedRussia has opened a criminal case on an American band after one of its members stuffed the Russian flag into his pants, pulled it out his backside and whipped it between his legs, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Monday.A musician told the audience "Don't tell Putin" and then tossed the flag into the audience at a concert Wednesday in Odessa, Ukraine. RIA Novosti reported that Russia's Interior Ministry has issued a statement saying that a "specialized investigative unit" within the ministry "launched a criminal case regarding desecration of the national flag."The band, Bloodhound Gang, left Russia Sunday, CNN learned. The musicians, known for making satirical and provocative songs, had a big hit in 1999 with "The Bad Touch."The stunt was caught on video and posted to YouTube. It went viral in the Ukraine and Russia, and was flooded with angry Russian-language comments. Journalists later quoted the band as saying that all items that the band throws into the crowd must first pass through the bassist's pants.The group was scheduled to appear at the Kubana rock festival this week, near the southern Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, the news agency said, but the band was "deported."The band told CNN that it left Russia and was not deported. They said they canceled their concert at the festival.A member of the band's crew, who asked to not be named for security reasons, told CNN the band was attacked Saturday by Russian nationalists inside Anapa airport in Krasnodar Krai.The band members were "beaten up" by a crowd of men who punched and kicked them, the crew member said, adding that some of the attackers had whips.He said there were no serious injuries, and a Russian police guard was accompanying them as they waited to leave.RIA Novosti reported Monday that Russia's Criminal Code states that "foreign nationals ... who commit a crime beyond the boundaries of the Russian Federation are subject to criminal liability in line with this code if their crime is aimed against the interests of the Russian Federation or a Russian national."Desecration of the Russian flag can result in a one-year prison sentence, according to Russian criminal code, the news agency said.Russian prosecutors in the Krasnodar Region have said they had begun an investigation into local music festivals, including Kubana.Russian and Ukrainian lawmakers have also proposed permanently banning Bloodhound Gang members from entering the countries.Earlier U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul called the incident "disgusting" in a Twitter message but said the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protects flag desecration. Snowden case: What's in it for RussiaOpinion: Make Olympics in Russia the gayest ever | 3news
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(CNN)On Monday evening, less than 48 hours after the deadliest terror attack on American soil since 9/11, Anderson Cooper began his prime time program with a tribute to the 49 lives lost in the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting.Noting that his broadcast would neither display photos nor mention the name of the dead gunman, the CNN anchor emotionally listed the names of those killed in the attack at Pulse nightclub as their names scrolled on the ticker at the bottom of the screen."In the next two hours we want to try to keep the focus where we think it belongs, on the people whose lives were cut short," Cooper said.Orlando club fatalities include accountant, bouncerThe tribute lasted nearly seven minutes, and paired facts and faces to those victims who were still being identified as late as Monday night.Read More"They are more than a list of names. They are people who loved and who were loved," Cooper said. "They are more than a list of names. They are people who loved and who were loved." - @andersoncooper #Orlando https://t.co/DkxxPC1XtW— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) June 14, 2016
Jason Kurtz contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsAshley Cole scores late winner as Chelsea beat Stoke City 1-0Four wins from five games leave European champions top of EPLEverton go second with 3-0 win at 10-man SwanseaPromoted Southampton thrash Aston Villa for first points of season England international defender Ashley Cole turned goal scorer as his late winner at Stamford Bridge Saturday gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Stoke City to stay top of the English Premier League.Cole was finding the net for the first time in over two years and he left it until the 85th minute, set up by a brilliant pass by Spain's Juan Mata.His team had been made to struggle by the battling visitors and looked set for a fourth game without a win in all competitions before the full back's late intervention."I had a few shots in the first half and took too much time on the ball with them, but this time, the first thing that came into my brain was to dink it and I just did it," Cole said."It is mentally good to get a lead in the league table."Fernando Torres scuffed Chelsea's best chance but Stoke might have gone ahead in the first half when a Jonathan Walters' header hit the crossbar.The striker was also subjected to a strong challenge late in the game from Chelsea defender David Luiz, which left the Brazilian lucky to escape a straight red card.Luiz, who signed from Benfica last year, sealed a new five-year contract with the Blues later Saturday, extending his deal to 2017."It is a great club and I look forward to winning more trophies here. I want to play for a long time at the top level -- which is what playing for Chelsea means," he told the club's official website.Four wins from five league games have left Roberto Di Matteo's men three points clear of Everton, who secured an excellent 3-0 win at 10-man Swansea in the early kick off.Victor Anichebe and Kevin Mirallas put Everton 2-0 up by halftime and home hopes disappeared when substitute Nathan Dyer was sent off after the break.Belgian star Marouane Fellaini was rewarded for his fine efforts with a late third goal. He had set up Anichebe for the opener with a pass which TV replays indicated had been via his arm, but he was a constant thorn in the side of the home defense.West Bromwich Albion continued their fine start to the season with a 1-0 home win over promoted Reading, leaving them third in the early EPL standings.Southampton earned their first points of the season with a 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa at St Mary's.Darren Bent put the visitors ahead in the first half but two goals from Rickie Lambert helped the Saints storm back after the break. A Nathan Clyne effort and an own goal from Ciaran Clark added to Villa's misery.In other matches, Hugo Rodallega scored against his old club as Fulham won 2-1 at Wigan, while Sunderland drew 1-1 at West Ham.Sunday will see Liverpool face arch-rivals Manchester United, while champions Manchester City entertain Arsenal.Norwich visit Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur host Queens Park Rangers. | 5sport
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Story highlightsMalala chose the titanium over her own bone fragmentDoctors in Pakistan had removed the fragment to save her life, when her brain swelledHospital official: Malala has a great sense of humorThe Pakistani Taliban tried to kill her for standing up for girls' right to an educationMalala Yousafzai was glad to hear that her long ordeal of surgeries will soon be over. Just two more to go, doctors in Britain say. Hopefully.She will receive a titanium plate in the coming days, to cover an opening in her skull, and an inner ear implant.Read more: Malala's journey from near death to recoveryA gunman shot the teenage activist in the head and neck in October as she rode home from school in Pakistan's Swat Valley.Islamist extremists from Tehrik-e-Taliban intended to kill her for taking a stand for the right of girls to get an education. The terrorists have said they will target her again.JUST WATCHEDThe schoolgirl who took on the TalibanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe schoolgirl who took on the Taliban 02:26JUST WATCHEDMalala thanks supportersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMalala thanks supporters 00:52JUST WATCHEDMalala shooting: An eye opener?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMalala shooting: An eye opener? 01:21JUST WATCHEDMalala discharged from UK hospital ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMalala discharged from UK hospital 02:45Read more: Malala, others on front lines in fight for womenThe 15-year-old's brain swelled dangerously days after the shooting, so doctors in Pakistan extracted a section of her skull about the size of a hand. Otherwise, the pressure in her cranium would have caused severe brain damage, likely killing her."There is no doubt that the surgery performed in Pakistan was life-saving," Dr. Dave Rosser, medical director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK, said Wednesday at a news conference.Malala has made impressive strides and faced her medical treatment with bravery, Rosser said."She's very lively. She's got a great sense of humor," he said. She is aware of her high profile in the world and what that could mean for her safety."She remains incredibly cheerful, incredibly determined and incredibly determined to speak for her cause," Rosser said.Photos: Malala and the women of PakistanWith the patch of skull missing, Malala is limited in what she can do. Her brain is vulnerable to injury, if she bumps her head in the wrong way. Only her skin and soft cranial tissues stand between the outside world and her brain, and that's not enough.Doctors could have covered the breach with the original piece of her skull, which she has carried under her skin since October, where a surgeon in Pakistan implanted it for safe keeping.That's a common procedure to preserve bone fragments for later use, Rosser said.Girls + education: Your storyBut her own skull section would have no longer fit properly without the addition of some titanium parts, as her head and the bone fragment have changed.Titanium also has a low incidence of infection and can be handcrafted to near perfection, doctors told her."It was Malala's final decision," Rosser said. She picked the titanium plate.She will also receive a cochlear implant to restore hearing to her left ear, in which she is currently deaf. The gunfire broke the delicate bones that help turn sound into sensory impulses to the brain.The device will not allow her to hear completely naturally but will restore enough function to the damaged ear to allow her to hear in three dimensions, which is important for safety. It will allow her, for example, to hear an approaching car, Rosser said.Watch 'Girl Rising': 9 girls' quest for educationMalala also recently had surgery to reroute a facial nerve that was damaged in the attempt on her life, leaving part the left side of her mouth listless."There is a very good chance after this procedure that within a year to 18 months, this will completely recover," Rosser said.She will then hopefully regain her old smile.To make the titanium plate, prosthesis maker Stefan Edmondson had the section of Malala's skull with the gap in it reproduced by an object printer.Then he patched the hole with wax and carved it to fit the shape of her head, Edmondson said, and he used the wax section to give the titanium its form.As for the skull fragment she has carried inside her since that emergency surgery in Pakistan:"The bone will be removed from under the skin in her stomach and cleaned up and sterilized and given to Malala," Rosser said.She wants to keep it as a remembrance. | 3news
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Story highlightsEC seeks to know if government support gave the clubs an unfair advantage over rivalsIt announces "in-depth investigation into public funding of certain" clubsSpain's foreign minister says all the operations analyzed complied with Spanish lawInquiries will look at "possible tax privileges," land transfer, state-backed loansDid Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and five other Spanish football clubs get unfair advantage over their rivals through various government support measures potentially worth millions of dollars?That's what the European Commission wants to know, and it announced in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday an "in-depth investigation into public funding of certain" clubs."Professional football clubs should finance their running costs and investments with sound financial management rather than at the expense of the taxpayer," European Commission Vice President Joaquin Almunia said in a prepared statement."Member States and public authorities must comply with EU rules on state aid in this sector as in all economic sectors," said Almunia, a Spaniard who is reportedly an avid fan of Spanish football.Read: Cristiano Ronaldo opens CR7 museumThe seven clubs under investigation are Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Athletic de Bilbao, Osasuna (of Pamplona), Valencia, Hercules (of Alicante) and Elche.Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Monday that all the operations analyzed were in accord with Spanish law and that he expects the investigation to end once European officials get more information.JUST WATCHEDPele: Mourinho is 'good for Chelsea'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPele: Mourinho is 'good for Chelsea' 01:42JUST WATCHEDGareth Bale meets Real Madrid fansReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGareth Bale meets Real Madrid fans 01:33JUST WATCHEDPolice tackles football betting scandalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPolice tackles football betting scandal 01:24Garcia-Margallo on Monday made public the inquiry, two days before Brussels officially announced it.Spanish media reported that the seven clubs either professed innocence or had no immediate comment.The EC will first investigate "possible tax privileges for Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Athletic de Bilbao and Osasuna," Almunia's statement said.These four clubs are not private companies but instead have key decisions, such as the election of club president, done by their thousands of season-ticket holders.They were "exempted from the general obligation for professional football clubs to convert into sport limited companies" and currently have a lower tax rate than other clubs, the statement said.In a separate inquiry, the EC "will assess whether a widely reported land transfer between the City of Madrid and the club Real Madrid involved any state aid in favor of the club," the statement said.The land swap involved Real Madrid's old training grounds, near its home Bernabeu stadium, which became the site of four office and hotel skyscrapers, while the training ground was moved farther from downtown, near the airport."This swap was based on a re-evaluation of a plot of land at a value of 22.7 million euros, instead of its earlier supposed value, in 1998, of 595,000 euros," the EC statement said.The investigation will also look into state-backed loans of about 110 million euros to three clubs operating in the Valencia region -- Valencia, Hercules and Elche, the statement said.It will look into whether the alleged activities provided "advantages to specific clubs that carry out economic activities in the EU internal market," the statement said. | 5sport
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(CNN)It's probably not the news that US golf fans wanted to hear just over a week before the start of the Ryder Cup. 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau says he has "wrecked" his hands preparing for a long drive contest.The world No. 7 will feature in the Professional Long Drivers Association World Championship in Mesquite, Nevada, from September 27 to October 1, becoming the first PGA Tour professional to do so. DeChambeau looks on from the 17th tee during the final round of the BMW Championship.However, before then, he will be making his second appearance for Team USA at the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, from September 24-26. But in spending hours on the driving range, the 27-year-old admits that he has damaged his hands. Read More"People don't realize how difficult long drive really is. In golf, it's the one thing where you can judge your accomplishments by a number," he told Golf.com."Not necessarily by going out and playing golf because you can catch a sprinkler head or catch a bad break or bad wind. On Flightscope, you can see the ball speed number. And when you obtain a ball speed number, it's so different and unique."It's like a shot-putter shot-putting a new record number. You're trying to find that full potential to break through."Over the enforced break golf went through in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, DeChambeau added approximately 40 pounds of muscle which has transformed him into one of the biggest drivers on the PGA Tour. So far this season, as a result of the extra muscle and his focus on improving his club speed, DeChambeau is averaging 323.7 yards off the tee, almost four yards more than Rory McIlroy in second. Although his distance training has clearly impacted his body, juggling it and his preparation for the Ryder Cup isn't an unusual experience. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosDeChambeau hits from a drop on the 15th hole during the first round of the Tour Championship."I do it every week," he says. "Is it daunting? Hell yeah. "At first, when I was trying to do it last year, it was very scary. But now that I've been through it and experienced the worst pains from it and the most relaxed state of it where I'm not doing any speed training, I know how to kind of balance it -- for the most part. Why not go hard at life and do both?" | 5sport
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Sydney (CNN)A zookeeper in Australia is in critical condition after being mauled by two lions while cleaning their enclosure on Friday, authorities said. The 35-year-old woman was bitten in the head and neck in what one paramedic called an "extremely vicious" attack at Shoalhaven Zoo, about 100 miles (162 kilometers) south of Sydney in New South Wales state, CNN affiliate 9 News Australia reported. Paramedics were called to the facility at about 10:30 a.m. local time, police said in a statement. They arrived to find the woman unconscious in the lion enclosure and needed to enter it to retrieve her safely, according to 9 News Australia.She was then airlifted to a Sydney hospital in "a critical but stable condition," police said.Faye Stockmen, a duty operations manager at NSW Ambulance, told 9 News Australia it was "one of the most frightening experiences" of her career.Read More"We literally had to walk into a lion's den," she said. "This is one of the worst jobs I have ever experienced."CNN has reached out to the Shoalhaven Zoo for comment.The zoo was not open at the time of the incident. It has been closed for several weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. CNN's Hilary Whiteman contributed reporting | 3news
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Story highlightsControversy threatens to surround Bahrain Grand Prix for third year runningBahrain government and human rights organizations dispute recent arrests of up to 70 peopleIn 2012 the Bahrain GP went ahead, though in 2011 the race was canceledThe Bahrain Grand Prix is threatening to overshadow the Formula One season for a third year running as the kingdom's government and leading human rights organisations dispute the recent arrests of up to 70 people.In 2012 days of anti-government protests failed to halt the Bahrain GP which went ahead even as nearby streets were blocked with burning tires and trash.Protests in Bahrain started in February 2011 spurred by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.But demonstrations in Bahrain failed to gain the traction of other Arab Spring uprisings after a crackdown by authorities in the island state.The crackdown was backed by troops from nearby Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates under the banner of the Gulf Cooperation Council.The Bahrain Center for Human Rights told CNN Arabic that 20 people from the Dar Klaib and Shahrakan villages -- both near the Bahrain International Circuit -- had been arrested, with another 50 arrested from the Aldeir and Samaheij villages near to the airport.The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights described the government arrests as "attacks carried out by the security authorities", with BRAVO (The Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-violence Organization) president Nada Deif specifically linking them to the April 19 GP. Photos: F1: 2013 season preview Photos: F1: 2013 season previewHide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewLooking to Lewis – After 15 years with McLaren, Lewis Hamilton has flown the nest and landed in the Mercedes garage. The 2008 world champion is being tipped for success in 2013, with his new teammate Nico Rosberg showing in preseason that the new Mercedes is capable of topping the timesheets.Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewTo the four? – But if Hamilton is to win a second drivers' championship, he will have to overcome triple world champion Sebastian Vettel. The German has taken the title in each of the last three years, with his Red Bull team also leaving other manufacturers trailing in their wake.Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewRed Bull's rear-view mirror – The title race will not be as simple as Vettel vs. Hamilton. A fired-up Fernando Alonso missed out on the 2012 crown by just three points, and the double world champion will be looking to challenge at the front of the grid given the improvements in his Ferrari following last season's design problems. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewFive first-timers – Five rookies will be on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix, including Valtteri Bottas (pictured) who will be behind the wheel for Williams. Caterham drafted in Giedo van der Garde, while Esteban Gutierrez makes his debut for Sauber and Marussia boast an all-rookie line up of Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton.Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewBurned rubber – Pirelli will serve as the official tire supplier in the final season of its three-year contract. The new tire is made of a softer rubber than its 2012 equivalent, with lap times expected to increase by up to half a second.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: F1: 2013 season previewGrid shrinks – There will be 11 teams lining up for the first race in Melbourne following the collapse of Spanish outfit HRT after three seasons without scoring a point. Hide Caption 7 of 7 Photos: Vettel defies team orders Photos: Vettel defies team ordersVettel defies team orders – An unhappy Mark Webber, left, with Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel at the postrace press conference in Malaysia. Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Vettel defies team ordersVettel defies team orders – Webber had led after coming out of his final pit stop with 13 laps to go in Sepang, but Vettel claimed victory after defying team orders to overtake while the Australian was following instructions to conserve his car.Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Vettel defies team ordersVettel defies team orders – They shared the podium with third-placed Lewis Hamilton, whose Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg obeyed team orders and did not attack the English driver even though he felt he was quicker.Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Vettel defies team ordersUnlucky 200 for Alonso – Fernando Alonso won the race last year, but his 200th career grand prix was less successful. The Ferrari driver damaged his front wing early on and then made the mistake of staying out on the track too long and was not able to finish.Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Vettel defies team ordersMcLaren's mistake – Jenson Button's car is pushed back to the pit area after his crew let the McLaren leave with a loose front wheel. It ruined the 2009 world champion's chances of earning points and he retired before the end of the race. However, his new Mexican teammate Sergio Perez finished ninth.Hide Caption 5 of 5 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 cars Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Pastor Maldonado took the new Williams for a spin at Barcelona on February 19 following the launch at Circuit de Catalunya.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – The new Infiniti Red Bull Racing RB9 was launched at the Austrian-owned Formula One team's English headquarters in Milton Keynes on February 3.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Mark Webber, left, and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel pose with the Red Bull they will be driving this year.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Title rivals Ferrari launched the new F138 which they hope will power Fernando Alonso to glory in 2013.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – British team McLaren unveiled its car on January 31. New driver Sergio Perez (right) poses with 2009 world champion Jenson Button and the new MP4-28.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Former McLaren star Lewis Hamilton, left, and new teammate Nico Rosberg pose with the new Mercedes W04 on February 4.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Sauber's new C32 was launched in Switzerland on February 2. It will be driven by Perez's replacement Esteban Gutierrez and Nico Hulkenberg, who left Force India in 2012.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Force India's Paul Di Resta with the new VJM06 which was launched on February 1 at Silverstone. His new teammate had yet to be named.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Charles Pic and Dutch rookie Giedo van der Garde launched Caterham's new CT03 car on the first day of preseason testing at Circuito de Jerez on February 5.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: F1 teams unveil 2013 carsF1 teams unveil 2013 cars – Romain Grosjean was third-fastest on the opening day in Jerez for Lotus, which was the first team to launch its new car -- the E21 -- on January 28. Hide Caption 10 of 10"Most of the detainees are activists in the fields of journalism documenting and photography," said Deif."This latest crackdown and the way it's being carried out raises new questions about the Bahraini authorities' commitment to reform," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the organisation's website, which reported police have conducted up to 30 raids in on towns close to the F1 circuit and the roads leading to the capital, Manama."These raids and detentions suggest that officials are more concerned with getting activists out of circulation for the F1 race than with addressing the legitimate grievances that have led so many Bahrainis to take to the streets."However, the Bahrain government insisted the arrests were not linked to the GP."The recent arrests came after a terrorist assault on the Foreign Ministry building using Molotov bombs," the Bahraini communication minister and government spokeswoman Samirah Rajab told CNN Arabic. "Their arrest came under the rule of law and they were sent to Public Prosecution office ahead of their trial. It has nothing to do with the F1 race."It's the state responsibility to protect its people along with those who are living in the county and impose security. Also the security forces implement law when arresting someone and don't raid houses unless it has an order from the court of public prosecutor."The comments written by HRW are at best secondhand observations made without evidence. HRW is not on the ground in Bahrain to make such comments without verifying its source."Last year opposition calls for large protests had raised fears the Bahrain GP would have to be canceled for a second year in a row and pose a threat to F1 crews, workers, and fans.Anti-government protesters had called the race a publicity stunt by the country's rulers to make the nation appear more unified.F1 is the world's most popular motor sport, and races have a TV audience of more than 500 million, though the scenes last year in Bahrain were viewed as a public relations disaster for both the sport and the country's authorities.In 2011 the Grand Prix was canceled completely after drivers including former F1 star Damon Hill raised concerns following the death of at least 35 demonstrators as the government called in Saudi Arabian-led forces to help stamp out unrest. Canceling the race in 2011 cost Bahrain an estimated $480 to $800 million in potential investments. JUST WATCHEDEngines on, Formula 1 returns!ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEngines on, Formula 1 returns! 03:58JUST WATCHEDFormula One season off to a racing startReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFormula One season off to a racing start 03:45Bahrain's Sunni-ruled government crushed the Shiite protests, though the opposition has continued to demand political reform in protests and, occasionally, clashes with authorities.Earlier this week Hill called on the F1's ruling body the FIA and its president Jean Todt to come up with a definitive position on this year's race."The vast majority of people in the sport would like to say we don't want to come here to make life worse for people," Hill, who now works as a motorsport television pundit, was quoted as telling a number of British newspapers after a security briefing in Westminster in London. "We would like you to enjoy F1. It has lots of positive things to offer. But please don't, on our behalf, round people up and brutalize them. I don't see that being political. It's more ethical than political."Neither the FIA nor Todt were immediately available for comment."The messages I'm getting from various people in the opposition -- and there have been pretty regular street protest over the past three weeks -- is that the F1 race will be more of a focus than it was last year," British MP Richard Burden, who chairs parliamentary groups on motorsport and who was outspoken against last year's race taking place, was quoted as telling the Guardian newspaper:"That's what they anticipate happening. If anything happens it will be a tragedy for all concerned."I hope in the next few days that people will understand that words do have an impact." Bahrain plays a key strategic role in the Middle East and is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters.Additional reporting by Caroline Faraj and Schams Elwazer. | 5sport
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Story highlights Edward Snowden won't leave Russia to testify on U.S. spying claims, attorney saysSnowden would like to testify in Washington, German lawmaker saysStroebele: "He didn't present himself as an enemy of America, quite the opposite"Snowden would like to go to Germany if he were safe from extradition, Stroebele saidA German lawmaker who met Edward Snowden in Moscow on Thursday said Friday that the National Security Agency leaker offered to testify in front of the U.S. Congress. "He didn't present himself as an enemy of America, quite the opposite," German member of parliament Hans-Christian Stroebele told reporters in Berlin Friday.Stroebele said he had suggested Snowden testify before German lawmakers and that the former NSA contractor responded that in fact he wants to testify in Washington.Snowden said he might go to Germany, if he gets assurances that he could stay in a safe place afterward without being deported to the United States, said Stroebele, a well-known leftist legislator in Germany.However, Snowden's attorney, Anatoly Kucherena, told reporters in Moscow that his client would not be leaving Russia to testify on the U.S. spying allegations.JUST WATCHEDEdward Snowden's new jobReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEdward Snowden's new job 03:24JUST WATCHEDFmr. FBI agent: Snowden remains valuableReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFmr. FBI agent: Snowden remains valuable 03:10Kucherena said he would advise Snowden not to testify at all if it is not in his client's best interest.Snowden has been in Moscow since June, having fled there from Hong Kong. In August, after he spent five weeks holed up at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia granted him asylum for one year.Snowden: 'Heartened by the response'Stroebele returned from the meeting with Snowden on Thursday with a letter from the NSA leaker to German authorities, which was distributed to the media. In the letter, Snowden says he is "looking forward to speaking" with German authorities in Germany "when the situation is resolved" -- a reference to the current efforts by the United States to extradite him.Snowden also wrote that he was "heartened by the response to my act of political expression, in both the United States and beyond. "Citizens around the world as well as high officials -- including in the United States -- have judged the revelation of an unaccountable system of pervasive surveillance to be a public service."The benefits of this knowledge to society are becoming increasingly clear, and the "claimed risks are being shown to have been mitigated," he added.Stroebele said he didn't know if Snowden had sent a similar letter to other governments in Latin America or elsewhere.The United States has charged Snowden with espionage and theft of government property.The 30-year-old collected information on spy programs -- in which the National Security Agency mined phone and Internet metadata from thousands of people inside and outside the United States -- and exposed the programs to the media, prompting uproar at home and abroad.German outrageSnowden's letter to German authorities comes amid outrage among many German leaders about claims that an NSA surveillance operation targeted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone.Snowden "is an important witness for Germany," said Stroebele. But asked if Snowden could testify to German authorities via video link from Moscow, Stroebele said that could be problematic for several reasons.He suggested Snowden would be more limited in what he could say if he were in Moscow than if he were in Germany.So long as Snowden has asylum in Russia, he needs to avoid doing anything that would negatively affect his status there, the lawmaker said.In his closing remarks, Stroebele said that although the United States believes that Snowden has committed a serious offense, he believes he should not be penalized because his revelations have benefited the world.Stroebele also said Snowden, who was due to start a new job in Russia on Friday, appeared to be in good health.Kucherena told CNN on Thursday that the job was with a major Russian website but declined to give the employer's name for security reasons.He told Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti that Snowden would perform maintenance for the site. | 3news
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Story highlights Socialist leader Venizelos calls talks a "first step" toward a coalition Opinion poll suggests the leftist Syriza party would win most votes in a new electionTwo other politicians say they can't get enough backing from other parties to form a coalitionIf no government is formed by May 17, Greece has to call new electionsThe leader of the socialist PASOK party in Greece is starting efforts to build a government, his party said, making him the third Greek politician since Sunday to try to do so.PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos held meetings with the leader of the Democratic Left party, Fotis Kouvelis, in what Venizelos called a "first step" toward assembling a coalition of pro-European parties. He is scheduled to hold talks with head of the center-right New Democracy party, Antonis Samaras, on Friday. Samaras and another potential coalition partner -- Alexis Tsipras of the leftist Syriza party -- have tried and failed to organize a government already. If no one can pull together a coalition, and no national unity government can be formed by May 17, Greece must call new elections. Venizelos, who has three days to cobble together a deal, said Sunday's fragmented results show voters don't trust "any party on its own." But he says he wants Greece to stay in the eurozone, the group of 17 European countries that use a common currency."It is a given that we want Greece in the euro," he said. "We want something better, not something worse."Read why Greece will muddle through crisisGreece has been forced to impose punishing austerity measures to get international loans that have kept it from defaulting on debts. The election results were widely seen as a message to politicians to back away from the harsh economic austerity measures.Voters backed parties on the far left and right, withholding support from PASOK and New Democracy, the more moderate parties that made up the coalition that enacted the cuts. Seven parties won seats in parliament in Sunday's election, but no party captured more than 19% of the vote. JUST WATCHEDChairman: Greek government 'essential'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChairman: Greek government 'essential' 00:10As Tsipras began coalition talks Tuesday, he said PASOK and New Democracy "don't have a majority any more to vote for the plundering of the Greek people."JUST WATCHEDCan anyone govern Greece?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan anyone govern Greece? 03:12PASOK placed third in the election, behind New Democracy and Syriza. The latest opinion poll, by Marc-Alpha TV, suggests that if new elections are held, Syriza would come out on top, with nearly 24% of the vote, followed by New Democracy with 17.4% and PASOK with just under 11%. A coalition would still need to be formed.JUST WATCHEDCan anyone govern Greece?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan anyone govern Greece? 03:12JUST WATCHEDCNN Explains: Austerity vs. stimulusReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Explains: Austerity vs. stimulus 03:01Extreme-right party Golden Dawn would take a smaller share of a second vote than on Sunday, the poll suggests, but would still pass the threshold to have lawmakers in parliament. JUST WATCHEDElections leave Greece in paralysisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHElections leave Greece in paralysis 04:00A European Commission spokeswoman said this week that Greece needs time to work through its political process, but she reminded the country's leaders that they would be expected to abide by the terms of a bailout program meant to avoid a crippling financial meltdown."The commission hopes and expects that the future government of Greece will respect the engagements that Greece has entered into," spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen told reporters.New Democracy ended up with 108 seats in Greece's 300-seat parliament. Voters also delivered a rebuke to PASOK, leaving it with 41 of the 160 seats it held before Sunday's vote. Together, the parties fell short of the 50% necessary to continue their coalition, requiring formation of a new government.JUST WATCHEDEurope's elections: Lesson for the U.S.?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEurope's elections: Lesson for the U.S.? 01:25Last year, Greece's debt threatened to force it to drop Europe's common currency, the euro, prompting the European Central Bank and other lenders to swoop in with emergency funding. In exchange, they demanded that the government slash spending.The resulting measures have led to tax increases and cuts in jobs, wages, pensions and benefits -- and significant public outcry.Read why Greece shouldn't be allowed to sinkThe national unemployment rate for January, the latest month for which figures are available, was nearly 22%, prompting widespread protests and leading some young people to leave the country in search of work. Youth unemployment is even higher than the national average of one in five out of work.For two years, the country's massive amount of debt has threatened the stability of the eurozone.Greece pushed through a huge debt swap in March to save it from disorderly default and clear the way for it to receive a second bailout from the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, worth €130 billion ($171.5 billion).The debt restructuring deal gave some breathing space to the eurozone bloc, where fears that Greece might collapse had increased pressure on other debt-laden nations such as Spain and Italy. | 3news
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Muenster (CNN)A man who drove a van into a crowd of people killing two and injuring 20 Saturday in Germany acted alone, according to police.However, investigators told a news conference it's too early to say what motivated the driver, who has not been named, to plow his vehicle into a restaurant's open terrace in the western German city of Muenster before shooting and killing himself.German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at the conference Sunday said the man could have been mentally ill, though he told reporters authorities are "investigating in all directions." The attack happened about 3:30 p.m. in the old part of Muenster, an area popular on weekends. It was a warm sunny afternoon, one of the first nice days of spring, and many people were outside enjoying the good weather when the crash occurred, said Julian Reichelt, the editor of the popular German tabloid BILD.The timing of Saturday's incident prompted speculation about the driver's motives. It occurred on the one-year anniversary of an attack in Stockholm, Sweden, in which a man drove stolen beer truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing five. That suspect later admitted to carrying out a "terrorist crime."Firefighters walk through downtown Muenster, Germany, on Saturday after a vehicle drove into a crowd. Read MoreHerbert Reul, the minister for internal affairs in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia -- where Muenster is located -- said there was no known connection to radical Islam in Saturday's crash, but noted that investigators are still combing through the man's background.The driver had a history of petty crime, Muenster police spokesman Rolf Werenbeck-Ueding told CNN.Vehicles as weapons: Muenster part of a deadly trendPolice had said they are investigating witness reports of people fleeing out of the van after the attack. Spokesman Jochan Laschki said the driver had no accomplices, and the investigation is ongoing. Muenster, with about 300,000 people, is home to numerous universities and has a student population of about 58,000, the city government says. The city calls itself the cycling capital of Germany and says about 100,000 residents use a bike daily.CNN's Anna-Maja Rappard, Jason Hanna, Dakin Andone and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)The Catalan President has accused the Spanish government of imposing a "de facto state of emergency" after national police arrested several senior regional officials in an effort to halt a disputed independence referendum.Carles Puigdemont said Catalonia had been the "target of a coordinated aggression by the Spanish government's Interior Ministry", hours after police raided a number of Catalan regional government buildings.Puigdemont blasted the central government, saying "liberties are being suspended and repressed" and arguing that the raids hold "no legal basis." Catalan authorities insist they will defy Madrid and go ahead with the referendum on autonomy for the region on October 1."The Spanish government has overstepped the red line that separated it from authoritarian and repressive regimes and has become a democratic embarrassment," Puigedemont said.The dispute between the regional government in Barcelona and the national administration in Madrid has become increasingly bitter in recent weeks.Read MoreMadrid says the referendum is illegal, and argues that any Catalan official who participates in the organization of the vote is acting outside the law. The country's Constitutional Court suspended the vote on September 6, after the central government argued that Spain's 1978 constitution declares that the country is indivisible, Reuters reported. National authorities have stepped up their efforts to halt the vote in recent days. Officers from Spain's national police force, the Guardia Civil, arrested Catalonia's junior economic minister, Josep Maria Jove, along with eight other officials.Police raided three Catalan government buildings -- the Presidency, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- Catalan authorities confirmed to CNN. People hold a banner reading "Independence now!" in Catalan at a demonstration on September 11.The raids were believed to be linked to the referendum's website, a spokesman for the regional government said. Police also seized almost 10 million papers relating to the upcoming ballot at a warehouse in an industrial estate near Barcelona, the Ministry of Interior said. Papers such as voter lists, signs and paperwork for counting votes were also confiscated.The Ministry of Interior said the seized papers were "essential electoral material for holding the illegal referendum suspended by the Constitutional Court."Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy hit back at the Catalan President in a video address Wednesday. "What we have seen in Catalonia is an attempt to liquidize national sovereignty," he said in the address, posted to his official Twitter account.He added that all Spaniards should have a say in what their country looks like. As the operation got underway, protesters assembled outside the offices of Catalonia's economy ministry in the heart of Barcelona's tourist district, waving posters that read "Freedom for Catalonia" and shouting: "We will vote."Puigedemont called upon Catalan citizens to "defend democracy against a repressive and intimidating regime" by going to the polls as planned on October 1.Barcelona's football club said it backed the referendum. It said in a statement posted to its official Twitter account: "In the wake of the events that have transpired in recent days and, especially, today, with regard to the current political situation in Catalonia, FC Barcelona in remaining faithful to its historic commitment to the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination, condemns any act that may impede the free exercise of these rights." CNN's Milena Veselinovic and Stephanie Halasz in London contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)Runner Caster Semenya will be allowed to compete without having to take testosterone-reducing medication after a Swiss court ordered the International Association of Athletics Federations to suspend implementation of new regulations while Semenya's appeal is pending. The court ruled that the two-time Olympic 800-meter champion, the dominant force in women's middle distance running, is clear to race in events of all distances, according to a news release. Semenya reacted with a Tweet saying "Born a winner," and an image with the quote: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world."👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/meOYiCA0XS— Caster Semenya (@caster800m) June 3, 2019
Last month the IAAF -- athletics' governing body -- adopted a controversial policy which required athletes with a difference in sex development (DSD) to take medication to reduce their blood testosterone levels, if they wanted to compete internationally at middle-distance events."I am thankful to the Swiss judges for this decision," Semenya, who is hyperandrogenous -- meaning she has elevated levels of testosterone -- said in a statement. Read More"I hope that following my appeal I will once again be able to run free."READ: Semenya's fate isn't about running, it's about human rightsSemenya celebrates after winning the women's 800m during the IAAF Diamond League competition on May 3, 2019 in Doha. Semenya, 28, took her case to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland after an appeal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in May.In its ruling last month CAS announced that its three-person panel had rejected Semenya's challenge "by majority" but did add that it had "serious concerns as to the future practical application" of the new rules.Under the IAAF's policy all DSD athletes, who are usually born with testes, would have to reduce their blood testosterone to a specific level for a continuous period of at least six months -- and maintain that for the rest of their athletic career in order to compete in events from 400 meters to a mile. Semenya's legal representative, Dorothee Schramm, said in a statement: "The Swiss Supreme Court has granted welcome temporary protection to Caster Semenya. This is an important case that will have fundamental implications for the human rights of female athletes."The IAAF told CNN Sport Monday that it had no comment to make as it had not received any information from the Swiss court. Athletics' governing body believes DSD athletes have a competitive advantage -- findings that were disputed by Semenya and her legal team.South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, supported the decision on Twitter."We welcome the decision taken by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court to suspend the implementation of the IAAF's regulations for athletes with "differences of sex development" pending @Caster800m #CasterSemenya's appeal. We will never rest until justice is served!" | 5sport
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Tucson, Arizona (CNN)Dressed in a blue flight suit adorned with a US flag and her name, Martha McSally, the US Congresswoman representing this Tucson, Arizona crowd, scanned the airline hangar filled with supporters. Saluting, as the retired Colonel is well accustomed to doing from her 26 years in the US Air Force, McSally pledged to crack a political ceiling with a rallying cry that echoes her entire career."It might be the calling of my life to break another barrier. I'm ready for that mission!"Rep. Martha McSally in Tucson, Arizona, is now running for the US Senate.Her mission, this time, is to become Arizona's first woman US senator. Arizona, which has elected four female Governors and numerous state legislators, has never sent a woman to the US Senate. Her supporters believe McSally has the characteristics to change that. The Republican congresswoman blasted through barriers in the military as the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and she was the first to command a fighter squadron in combat in US history.But McSally is a rare bright spot for the GOP when it comes to female participation in this year's elections. In 2018, a year where unprecedented, historic levels of women are registering to run for office, the Republican Party is seeing unchanged engagement from women. From the grassroots training organizations to the registration rolls of national candidates, the so-called Year of the Woman has largely been only among Democratic women.Read More"I think we need more women in office for sure," said McSally. "On the Republican side, I think we have 22 women in the House. I'm the only female veteran woman Republican in the House. We need to represent the diversity of our country, right? The more women we can have running and winning, the better off we'll be."
"We need Republican women at the table," lamented Erin Loos Cutraro, the founder and CEO of She Should Run, a nonpartisan, grassroots networking organization with the mission to increase the number of women running for office in the United States.Before the 2016 election, She Should Run's network had about 100 women join per month. That rate has risen tenfold in the 17 months since Trump's victory, with close to 17,000 women joining. "We've seen a tremendous surge of women come into our programs," said Cutraro, pointing out that her organization does not ask members for partisan identification. But it's clear, she said, that female political engagement at the grassroots level, post-Trump, remains a movement of the left.A snapshot of US House candidates, both who have filed or intend to run, shows the increased political engagement as well as the lopsided numbers between the two parties. Data from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University shows a historic number of women running for office in 2018, especially at the US House level. But of the 440 women candidates running for the House, 332 are Democrats and 108 are Republican, according to a CAWP tally. In the Senate contests, again, Democratic women outnumber Republican women. The female partisan gap in the Senate races is smaller, at 32 Democrats to 22 Republicans, the CAWP research shows. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says Republican women are not being inspired to run."It is sad, it is depressing. And the numbers are getting worse," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the Republican congresswoman for Florida's 27th district, of the levels of female Republican lawmakers in Washington. Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring this year after nearly three decades in office, says the Capitol is certainly more diverse than it was in 1989 when she was elected. But the numbers for women in the GOP are not improving year upon year. There are more Republicans in the House than a decade ago, but the proportion of women has fallen. Overall, women make up 9.7% of Republican Senators and Representatives, following the appointment of Cindy Hyde-Smith as senator for Mississippi in April. For the Democrats, women now comprise just under 33% of voting members. RELATED: 11 states have no women representing them in Congress Women seize on their past abuse to fuel political ambition Ros-Lehtinen bluntly looks at the White House for part of the blame. "Just stop with the name calling," she said. "It turns women off. It turns a lot of people off, but especially young women. They just say this is ugly.""It's inspiring Democratic women to run," she said. "Unfortunately, it's not inspiring Republican women to run. The rhetoric of the White House is a recruiting tool for liberal women to counter that."Ros-Lehtinen, who bursts with energy and insists guests indulge in the cafecito of her Miami-Cuban upbringing, leaves Washington with an ominous warning to her own party."As long as we're seen as a party that's homogenous, not heterogeneous, a party that doesn't invite minorities and women, a party that excludes folks that may disagree with us a little bit, we're not going to be a welcoming party for the future. And that's to our detriment." The Trump EffectFor progressive women and outraged Democrats, Donald Trump's election and first term have served as a rallying cry, leading to the historic levels of women running for office in 2018. "Trump does anger a lot of people, especially women," said A'shanti Gholar, political director for Emerge America. "A lot of people will call this the Trump effect. He's in the White House; all these women want to run."Emerge America recruits women who want to run for public office and then offers them a six-month, 70-hour training program. The group, like the powerful Emily's List and newcomer Run for Something, is unapologetically left-leaning and seeks to get progressive women into office. There are numerous other training and recruiting groups, including the nonpartisan VoteRunLead, which says it is seeing exponential growth after Trump's election. Elissa Slotkin, a first-time candidate, in Holly, Michigan, is being helped by Emily's List.Democrat Elissa Slotkin, a first-time candidate running in Michigan's 8th district, is backed by Emily's List and is benefiting from the guidance and support women's groups are offering in her inaugural political run.Campaign finance reports show Slotkin's fundraising is keeping up with the incumbent, Republican Rep. Mike Bishop. And in the first quarter of 2018, she outraised him -- bringing in more than $800,000 against $457,000 for Bishop.Slotkin brings to the campaign a career in public service and military intelligence. She is a former CIA analyst and served three tours in Iraq. She spent the last five years of the Obama administration at the Pentagon and was an adviser to two secretaries of defense. She marries that international portfolio with a rural upbringing in Holly, Michigan, where she and her retired military husband now live on the family farm.Trump may have spoken to the so-called forgotten voters of the Midwest in 2016, winning her district by nearly 7%, according to the Almanac of American Politics, but Slotkin feels the constituency remains unheard and underrepresented in the Trump presidency. "I hear from people that Washington fundamentally does not understand what's happening in Michigan, in the Midwest, the great transition in our economy -- that we are just ignored and left out of the equation," said Slotkin.Seeing Rep. Mike Bishop, third from left, celebrating the House attempt to repeal Obamacare, drove Slotkin to challenge him.That moment when she personally felt shut out by Washington happened in May 2017, on the day the House voted to repeal Obamacare. Slotkin's mother, who died in 2011 of ovarian cancer, had allowed her health insurance to lapse because of the cost. By the time she discovered she was ill and went to the doctor, Slotkin's mother was already a stage 4 cancer patient.Slotkin watched her congressman beaming and applauding as the Republicans celebrated with the President, even though the House had failed to find a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. "Something just broke for me. It was the absolute straw that broke the camel's back," remembered Slotkin. Talking to the image of her smiling congressman on TV, "I said, 'you do not get to do this.' I decided to try and fire him."Trump's presidency has remained a constant source of energy and motivation for first-time candidates in the blue wave of women running for office. Targeting Republican strongholds"Every week there's something happening," said Emerge's Gholar. "And then we get another woman who's reaching out to us. 'Help me learn how to run for office. Help me determine what office is best for me. Help me become that great candidate.' All that great energy continues to just pile on."Emerge America, in the middle of a rapid expansion of its network, said it is pushing into the Republican strongholds of Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina in 2017. It's developing affiliates in Arkansas and Georgia.A worker in the Emerge America offices in Washington. Emerge says its growing infrastructure will stay for the long term.They see their expansion as a silver lining in Trump's victory and Hillary Clinton's loss. The events of 2016 sparked the wave of interest from Democratic women wanting to run for office. Then Emerge, and training groups like it, began supporting and developing that interest into full-fledged candidacies. The growing infrastructure, says Emerge, will not disappear if Trump were to leave office, ensuring Democratic women continue to train and run for office. The goal of these training groups is to boost the 20% representation of women in Congress to over 50%, matching the demographics of the United States.On the Republican side, Ros-Lehtinen lamented the lack of funding and energy for groups supporting conservative female candidates, like Main Street and VIEW PAC.The reason may simply be there's little political penalty in elections for national Republicans if they don't recruit women candidates, according to Kelly Dittmar, a scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics. "They've been winning without it," she says.
Exit polls in 2016 showed the majority of white women voted for Trump. "They can say, 'It doesn't matter to us, we're winning elections. We're winning women voters. There are conservative women voters still voting for us whether there are conservative women on the ballot or in office,'" Dittmar added.The places that will decide the 2018 midterm electionsCutraro, of the nonpartisan She Should Run, cautions Democrats from celebrating this record blue female wave or Republicans from ignoring it. If the only female representation in government is among Democratic women, then the voices of elected women will all come from a liberal viewpoint, and that wouldn't be representative either, she argues. And it would not make for the best policies."The reality is, you want to have people who disagree with you at the table," Cutraro says. "You want to have people who think differently. Smart, effective people who think differently. Because at the end of the day, you're going to come out with the smartest policy." Kyung Lah and Alberto Moya reported this story from Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, Washington, New York, and Holly, Michigan. | 4politics
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(CNN)For a brief 10-minute spell at LA's Staples Center earlier this month, one imposing NBA player got busy throwing his weight around -- literally. The man known as "Big Baby" -- all 206 centimeters and 131 kilograms (6'9", 289 lbs) of him -- contorted his body to sink improbable layups, dive for loose balls, rebound, block shots and turn into an all-around disruptive force for the Clippers in a win-or-go-home victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. A week later at Tropicana Field in Tampa, a 201 cm, 138 kg (6'7", 304 lbs) behemoth named C.C. Sabathia struck out nine batters in seven innings to clinch a win for the league-leading New York Yankees. The pitcher's protruding belly shook like a washing machine on fast spin after each delivery.Follow @cnnsport
In an era where top athletes obsess over body fat and favor kale smoothies over traditional pregame pasta, Sabathia and Glen "Big Baby" Davis are two of a handful of professional athletes thriving in spite of their girth. "People look down on them, because they say they shouldn't be out there," Ollie le Roux, a former South Africa rugby international, told CNN. "But the nice thing about the big guy, the fat guy, the guy that doesn't look athletic, is that when he runs over the little guy that looks like a superstar, it makes it more human." Read More"It's amazing to watch guys like Michael Jordan as well, but you don't relate to them on a physical level like you do the overweight guy," adds le Roux, who tipped the scales at 137 kg (302 lbs) during the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Big Baby TV: http://t.co/LBjSeeEixo via @YouTube— Glen Davis (@iambigbaby11) April 9, 2015
For professional athletes, however, registering as overweight on the body mass index (BMI) -- an overly simplified health indicator that divides a person's weight by the square of their height -- does have its disadvantages."There's a perception that to be an athlete you need to be a specific weight and a specific size," says Adebayo Akinfenwa, a striker for English club AFC Wimbledon nicknamed "The Beast." "I think (my size) has been a hindrance in terms of perception."The 33-year-old has an unusually stocky frame for a footballer, packing 105 kg (231 lbs) into a height of 180 cm (5'11"). Although he's considered the strongest man in football according to the FIFA 15 video game, his BMI of 32 classifies him as obese (the breaking point is 30). BMI detractors note that the index does not distinguish between fat and muscle. Who's your favorite 'overweight' athlete? Tell us on CNN Sport's Facebook pageDespite his fairly prolific scoring record of 15 goals in 52 appearances for the fourth-tier team -- including one in a defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup -- Akinfenwa has bounced around the lower divisions throughout his career. His size and strength have proved beneficial to his physical style, but the pace of Premier League football would likely prove too demanding. "There are things that I'm very good at, and that's because of my size. And there are things that I'm not so good at, because of my size," he says."There's nobody stronger than me," he adds. "You know, when it comes to a 50-50 (challenge), there is only going to be one winner. And that's purely because of my size; I have more muscle mass than the average footballer. Yo @kingjames I'm about that BasketBall Life😂😂😂😂😂 Peopl check out my No look Pass at yesterday @hoopsAid charity Basketball game. Yo @officialjet10 we did our ting 💪🏿💪🏿 #O2 #TheBeastHasGotGame #DimePass #EyesInTheBackOfMyHead #CheckTheCelebration #GetMeToTheBasketBallPlayoffs #BallOutKevinHartVoice #BMOBBall #BMOBoss #BMOSwagOnPoint #PointGuard #ArmsOnSmash #Blessed #Humbled #Grateful #BMOEmpire OfficialBMOStore.co.uk A video posted by Adebayo Akinfenwa (@realakinfenwa) on May 11, 2015 at 9:32am PDT
"The thing that is a negative is being able to run away from defenders. Because of my size, I can't run consistently for 90 minutes, which somebody who is much smaller than me will be able to do. So there are pros and cons." Despite proving his doubters wrong by scoring 152 career goals in 14 seasons so far, Akinfenwa admits he may have done even better had he watched what he ate. "I'm not going to lie, I don't calorie count," he says, noting that he is partial to the home cooking of his Nigerian heritage. "I built my size purely by eating chicken and going to the gym." "I am not that (obsessive) on dietary (needs), but at the same time I'm not against it because I know I didn't make it to the promised land of the Premiership elite. If I tweaked my diet when I was younger, who knows what would have happened?" Photos: How to supercharge your body Photos: How to supercharge your bodySuper Novak – Novak Djokovic has become the world's top tennis player since overhauling his diet in 2010. "I observed him playing in the Australian Open," says the Serbian's former nutritionist Dr. Igor Cetojevic. "The commentator repeatedly referred to 'his asthma' and the problems he had breathing."Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyGo gluten, go – However, Cetojevic said the problem was Djokovic's intolerance to gluten -- which is found in grains such as wheat and their byproducts -- so he had to eliminate it from his diet and add more fruit, rice, vegetables and fish protein. The Serbian has now won a record three successive Australian Open titles.Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyBefore – This image, provided by Australian naturopathic physician Hamish Everard, shows what blood looks like before going on a gluten-free diet. The cells are clumped closely together.Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyAfter – This image, taken after the subject went on a gluten-free diet, shows the blood cells are able to flow more freely -- allowing better transportation of oxygen around the body.Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyImmediate benefits – "After eliminating grains from the patients' diet, all of their symptoms began to resolve within only a few days," says Everard. "Not only did their gastrointestinal symptoms disappear, but so too did other metabolic symptoms such as chronic and general fatigue, diabetes (high and low blood sugar), high cholesterol, decrease in inflammatory markers, soft tissue injuries, joint pain and stiffness, improved cognition (concentration), less anxiety, decreased depression, increase in bone density in osteoporosis patients, eczema, psoriasis and a decrease in acidity levels."Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyThe price of 'progress' – Experts say many health problems stem from changes in food production. "The hybridization of the native European wheat with a shorter, hardier strain from South America in the 1940s produced the particular gluten protein that triggers the sensitivity in people's digestive system," says Cetojevic. "For thousands of years people ate and digested wheat without adverse effects, but we haven't yet adapted to the new protein in the hybrid variety that is now widely grown and marketed for its convenience and higher yield. People are better off eating the older strains such as spelt and kamut."Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyLearning to change – Pasta is another staple food for many athletes. "Educating people on long-term dietary habits often depends upon how bad they felt before," says Everard. "The worse you were, the more willing you are to make the change. Athletes are disciplined and often do whatever is required of them to improve physically, mentally and emotionally for their sport. I try to teach the 80/20 principle: 80% good 20% bad. Once the underlying causes of gluten intolerance has been corrected, most patients can consume it again in some form or another."Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyEnemy inside – People who are gluten intolerant suffer damage to their intestinal microvilli. "We have seen a definite link in gluten intolerant patients as far as a decrease in beneficial stomach bacteria, an increase in acidity and a decrease in both gastric digestive enzymes and pancreatic enzymes," says Everard.Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyRestoring the flora – Probiotics are used to repair the chronic inflammation caused by leaky gut. "We monitored our patients and found that when they did extensive exercise 82% showed symptoms of gut discomfort, reduced tolerance to the heat or a decrease in immune function," says Everard. "Probiotics (good bacteria) protect the gut and decrease this leaky gut/intestinal permeability, therefore improving athletes' performance, stamina, immunity, electrolyte balance and digestion of proteins (especially gluten and dairy)."Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyHidden dangers – Like his childhood friend Djokovic, U.S. Open champion Andy Murray has also gone gluten-free. This cake he received for his 25th birthday, even if made without wheat, could still be problematic for his diet as an elite performer due to any processed sugars and dairy in the ingredients. "Hamish's protocols basically remove sugar and the gluten from your diet, sometimes the dairy, to help cleanse and restore the hormonal system and the digestive system," says tennis coach Pete McCraw. "It's the gut flora that the sugar plays havoc with, it changes the bacteria levels in the stomach, which for some athletes, means they digest food inefficiently."Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: How to supercharge your bodyChanging times – Cetojevic believes the trend towards gluten-free diets is growing. "In 2011 I saw that most of the players' lounges on the tennis circuit offered gluten-free options, which was not the case in 2010," he says. "I observed that some of the top players have slimmed down and are faster on the court." Hide Caption 11 of 11 Photos: Eating the way to tennis success Photos: Eating the way to tennis successGluten free winner – Novak Djokovic has achieved even greater success since switching to a strict gluten free diet, cutting out wheat and chocolate.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successOld school – Bjorn Borg lifts the Wimbledon trophy in 1976, one of five straight wins at SW19. He relied on a diet of steak and potatoes during his incredible career.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successHearty breakfast – Borg is seen tucking into the traditional English breakfast of bacon and eggs after being knocked out of Wimbledon in 1974. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successStill going strong – Eric Butorac (left) with doubles partner Raven Klaasen after winning the Malaysian Open title. Butorac has paid close attention to diet during his long career. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successSpecial treat – Even the most tempting dishes and pastries can now be served up in gluten free mode. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successCheers Andy – 2013 Wimbledon champion Andy Murray jokingly drinks a bottle of beer given to him by at an exhibition in Australia, but like other star players he has cut out alcohol altogether.Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successChampagne style – Maria Sharapova enjoys the traditional champagne offering to winners at a tournament in 2012. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successBanana staple – Rafael Nadal and other star players eat copious quantities of bananas for quick energy release during long matches.Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Eating the way to tennis successPizza of the action – Roger Federer makes a tradition of giving out pizza to the ballkids at the annual ATP tournament in his hometown of Basel but the Swiss star keeps to a strict diet in his preparations. Hide Caption 9 of 9Although fastidious dieting has taken on a new level of popularity in sports as far ranging as golf, tennis, basketball and cricket, some athletes who tried shedding the pounds actually performed worse. Sabathia, one of the most effective pitchers in baseball over the past decade, hired a chef to put him on a low-carb diet two seasons ago in an attempt to lengthen his career.Despite shedding over 20 kg (44 lbs) off his frame and looking noticeably lighter, Sabathia lost velocity on his fastball and suffered two disappointing seasons before undergoing knee surgery.As part of his recovery, the 34-year-old ordered his chef to double his protein intake and reintroduce carbs to his meals, taking him back up to his ideal game weight of 138 kg (304 lbs). Although his 1-5 start to the season has been rocky, Sabathia said he has regained his balance and strength on the mound.NBA star Davis, who was raised on the rich cuisine of his native Louisiana, has experimented with different diets -- even going vegan for a few weeks. His new online cooking show creates traditional recipes of the South using gluten-free and other healthy options.Baseball slugger Prince Fielder, who tips the scales at 125 kg (276 lbs), has long considered himself a vegetarian. Though fast approaching a career mark of 300 home runs, the 31-year-old Texas Ranger would probably do himself a favor by eating seafood and fatty meats (including free-range bacon), while cutting out bread, salt and sugary drinks, according to dietary researchers."Obviously they are (succeeding), but there is a cost, of course," says Timothy Noakes, a professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town. "Their long-term health is going to be a problem." A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:24pm PDT
Noakes recently co-wrote a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine which concluded that diet is almost entirely responsible for a person's health, regardless of physical activity (the report generated controversy within the profession). An avid runner himself, he completed over 70 marathons before discovering he had type 2 diabetes.For 33 years, the South African academic adhered to the conventional wisdom that carb intake and sugary energy drinks were ideal for performance. Unfortunately, Noakes had a family history of diabetes and a genetic disposition for his body to become insulin resistant, storing carbohydrates as fat instead of burning them. "I realized that carbohydrates gave me diabetes," he says. "I was addicted to bread and sports drinks."JUST WATCHEDFrom obese to triathleteReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrom obese to triathlete 01:39JUST WATCHEDShould parents be punished for obese kids? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould parents be punished for obese kids? 03:03JUST WATCHEDKuwait's healthy food awarenessReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHKuwait's healthy food awareness 08:04Noakes now preaches a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet, variations of which are rapidly gaining popularity throughout sports."We accept that you might not be able to perform explosively quite as well when you are not taking carbohydrates," he says, "but your whole body is healed, you train better, you recover better, you get fewer injuries, you get fewer infections, and so you are on the court more often than not."Noakes even advocates LCHF as a way of maintaining concentration during competition, noting that carb and sugar intake affect an athlete's glucose levels, which can be distracting.He points to the success of the Australian cricket team, many of whom took on LCHF last year and went on to win the 2015 Cricket World Cup. "Cricket is like baseball," Noakes says. "You've got to concentrate for 10 seconds and then you relax, and then you concentrate. And that switching on and switching off is affected by carbohydrates and sugar, in my view. It's the same in golf."Indeed, English golfer Justin Rose credited his recent second-place Masters finish on a gluten-free diet (banning wheat and most grains) that allowed him to lose eight to 10 pounds."My joints feel amazing, no soreness, no early morning creaks," he told ESPN. "It has been amazing. I'm still training and still lifting in the gym and have kept my strength up. It's just the unwanted stuff that's disappeared."Rose took his lead from tennis star Novak Djokovic. Although the Serb had won an Australian Open in 2008, he often faded during long matches before discovering he had a gluten intolerance in 2010. Now known as one of the fittest players in the circuit, the world No. 1 has credited his gluten-free diet with helping him win nine further majors. Four-time NBA most valuable player LeBron James went on his own no sugar, no dairy, no carb diet for 67 days last year to shed pounds and adopt a faster pace leading up to the 2014-2015 season.In his playing days, rugby international le Roux says carb loading was preached by the team trainers -- a practice he reflects on as damaging to his career. He would often stuff himself with bacon and eggs in the morning, followed by a lunch of potatoes and pasta washed down with energy drinks. After games, the team would be served steaks as a treat. JUST WATCHEDStudy says no such thing as 'fat but fit' ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHStudy says no such thing as 'fat but fit' 04:15Now coaching at club level, the 42-year-old chicken farmer stays active by competing in Ironman triathlons, although his training regimen is completely different. After undergoing surgery to replace damaged cartilage in his hip with metal plates, le Roux began experimenting with different diets, including the now trendy Paleo diet (named for the Paleolithic Era), the Daniel Fast, and the Banting diet, a variation of LCHF. All of the diets required him to give up the carbs and sugars which were a staple during his playing career, a process which le Roux found excruciatingly difficult (though he admits to knocking back the occasional beer)."Carbohydrate addiction is as bad as smoking a packet of cigarettes a day," he says, adding that his waist size dropped from a 46 to a 40 shortly after he went back into training. Had he known then what he knows now, le Roux thinks he would have been better equipped to handle the physical toll rugby inflicted on his body. "I would have been lighter and extremely powerful, and that constant pain I got dealing with inflammation would have been much better," he says. "I would have had much less stress on my body."Still, le Roux will always have a soft spot for the larger-than-life competitor, no matter what diet the athlete is on."I root for the guys that shouldn't make it," he says, "and the fat guys normally shouldn't make it."Read: Grand slam diet - How to supercharge your bodyRead: Philippe Coutinho: The secret life of 'O Mágico'Read: Diego Maradona: FIFA president Sepp Blatter is a 'freezer' | 5sport
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(CNN)Ten years ago, Norwegian far-right extremist Anders Behring Brevik killed 77 people, many of them teenagers, in a bomb attack and gun rampage. The July 22 attacks left Norway, a small, close-knit Nordic country, stunned and grieving.Just over a year later, Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum possible term. And Norway, led by then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, came together in a show of unity in the wake of the deadliest violence seen there since World War II. A decade on, the anniversary will be an occasion of great sadness for many in the country of just over 5 million people. Several commemorative events are taking place Thursday in the capital, Oslo, and on Utoya Island, where the attacks took place.At a televised memorial concert, King Harald said lessons could be learned. "Certain dates are written into our country's story as defining days. Days, which in different ways, have contributed to making us who we are today," he said, according to Reuters."At the same time, we must acknowledge that we as a society have not done nearly enough to see, to help, to carry the burden together - and to counteract the dark forces," he added.Read MoreBut it has also prompted questions about the wider impact of Breivik's radical views on far-right extremism -- circulated in a 1,500-page "manifesto" shortly before the attacks -- and some soul-searching about how Norway deals with his legacy.How the far right is adopting the ISIS global modelIn a national memorial address at Oslo Cathedral just two days after the attacks, Stoltenberg called for "more democracy, more openness, and more humanity."Speaking with CNN's "Amanpour" show in an interview to mark the anniversary, Stoltenberg -- now NATO secretary-general -- repeated that message and applauded the way Norwegians had responded. But, he warned, the "hatred is still out there."JUST WATCHEDWe hoped the reports were exaggerated: Ten years later, Norway's PM reflects on devastating eventReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWe hoped the reports were exaggerated: Ten years later, Norway's PM reflects on devastating event 11:24Last month, the University of Oslo's Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) published a series of analyses looking at Breivik's long-term influence.The author of one of the reports, Dr. Jacob Aasland Ravndal, told CNN it appeared more limited than media coverage would suggest. "There was of course a lot of concern after the attacks that they would generate copycat attacks," he said. But "somewhat surprisingly," he said, there haven't been many clear-cut cases of direct inspiration from Breivik.Floral tributes lie outside Oslo Cathedral on Thursday on the 10-year anniversary of the July 22, 2011 terrorist attacks -- commonly referred to in Norway as "22 Juli." One of the more apparent links is to the shooting attack in Munich, Germany on July 22, 2016, in which an 18-year-old German-Iranian man killed nine people. The rampage was carried out on the fifth anniversary of the Norway attacks and the attacker had been "talking a lot about Breivik," Ravndal said. "But he was also deeply inspired by many other figures," Ravndal said, some of them school-shooters.The other obvious case is that of Brenton Tarrant, the Australian far-right terrorist who live-streamed an attack in which he killed 51 Muslim worshipers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019.But although Tarrant claimed to have been inspired by Breivik, investigators found that he had started his planning some time before he read Breivik's manifesto. "So even there, you can question how much of an impact Breivik had," Ravndal said. Tarrant's own manifesto is very different from Breivik's, including in its politics, he added.US Coast Guard officer Christopher Hasson, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison last year on weapons and drugs charges, consulted Breivik's manifesto for tips on amassing weapons, according to another of the papers published by C-REX. Prosecutors alleged that he was a White nationalist who was plotting an attack.Rightwing extremist Anders Behring Breivik arrives in court on April 16, 2012 for the start of his trial.The Counter Extremism Project (CEP), an NGO that combats extremist groups, said in a statement Thursday that survivors of Breivik's attacks had voiced concern regarding his "status as an inspirational figure among far-right extremists.""[This status] underlines the need for greater action to target the dissemination of known extremist propaganda with clear links to violence on online platforms," said David Ibsen, CEP executive director. "The continued presence of far-right views online, along with greater exposure to extremist content over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, is of particular concern."According to Ravndal, research indicates that within Norway the far right has not gained much appeal overall since the attacks and has been unable to turn out supporters in any numbers on the streets."Of course in Norway, as everywhere else, online activity has grown over these 10 years," he said. "But whether that reflects a substantial increase of far-right activity or simply mirrors the growth of social media on the internet, that's very difficult to say."Shooting spreeOn that quiet summer day in 2011, Breivik drove a van packed with a homemade fertilizer bomb into Oslo and parked it outside a government office. A few minutes later, it exploded, killing eight people, injuring many more and damaging several buildings.Firefighters work at the site of the explosion near government buildings in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, on July 22, 2011.Breivik, meanwhile, had set off by car on the 25-mile trip to Utoya Island, where a Labour Party summer youth camp was taking place. Posing as a police officer who was checking on security following the Oslo attack, he caught a ferry to the island and carried out a shooting spree in which 69 people died -- most of them teenagers. Many others were seriously wounded.During his trial, Breivik boasted of being an ultranationalist who killed his victims to fight multiculturalism in Norway, saying he acted out of "necessity" to prevent the "Islamization" of the country under the ruling center-left Labour Party.A court ruling meant his testimony was not televised, denying him a chance to broadcast his views to a wide audience. But Breivik believed his writings would inspire right-wing terrorists to follow in his footsteps.Police and emergency services gather following the massacre at a summer youth camp on July 22, 2011 on Utoya Island, Norway.While parts of his three-book manifesto were lifted from other sources, such as the writings of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski in the United States, Breivik also detailed his meticulous, years-long planning and gave strategic and operational advice.According to Professor Matthew Feldman, director of the UK-based Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right (CARR), Breivik's document can still "easily" be found in the darker reaches of the internet despite efforts to remove it.That manifesto was "paradigmatic," Feldman said, "not just because it showed what one individual can do in terms of the horrific loss of life" but also in its targeting of Muslims and what Breivik called "cultural Marxism."Even more importantly, Feldman said, Breivik's case showed the dangers posed by lone-wolf actors who self-radicalize online through networks of like-minded individuals and carry out their preparations for violent attacks online, making them very hard to detect. Ad hoc extremist groups come into focus in post-January 6 criminal charges At the same time, Feldman said, there has been the "slow rise, some would call it mainstreaming, of right-wing extremism," helped in part by exposure on right-wing media platforms. "For some it was laid bare on January 6 in the United States [in the assault on the Capitol] but it's something that's been gathering pace slowly but steadily in recent decades," he said.Despite this backdrop, Breivik's actions and manifesto have gained limited traction, according to Ravndal. His analysis for C-REX indicates that "in the beginning the far-right across the board rejected him," said Ravndal. An online support network that was established for Breivik later collapsed. It was only with the emergence of online forums like 4chan and 8chan that Breivik once again started to get positive mentions, Ravndal said."The main finding, all in all, both when it comes to tactics but also for political, ideological support, is that it's been surprisingly little," he said. "It's been possible to find support, but fortunately less than one might have worried about initially considering the high death toll and all the attention these attacks got globally."Societal impact Today, the debate has shifted in parts of Norwegian society to broader ideological questions, Ravndal said.Some -- particularly in the youth wing of the Labour Party -- feel that there has not been a reckoning with the country's far-right movement, the biggest player in which is the populist, right-wing Progress Party, he said. Breivik had been a member of the Progress Party when he was younger but the party distanced itself from him after the attack.In a joint statement published on the party's website earlier this month, party leader Sylvi Listhaug and deputy leaders Ketil Solvik-Olsen and Terje Søviknes pushed back against any suggestion that the Progress Party was not united with other Norwegians in rejecting Breivik's attitudes and actions. "We must all stand together against violent extremism -- regardless of whether it comes from the 'far right', 'far left' or extreme interpretations of religion," the statement said. "Only the extremists will win if we exclude each other from the grief after July 22 and weaken the unity around the struggle for democracy, freedom of expression and equality."Labour has promised that if it wins power in elections this September, it will set up a new commission to look at radicalization. There is also debate about whether the attack should be interpreted as an attack on Norwegian society as a whole, or as an attack on the Labour Party specifically, Ravndal said. "Today, some within the Labour Party perhaps feel that that part of the story has been neglected a bit."Leader of the youth organization of the Labour Party (AUF) Astrid Hoem, left, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, center, and leader of the Norwegian Labor Party Jonas Gahr Store, right, lay flowers at a memorial on Utoya island, on July 21, 2021.Feldman considers that Norway's response was shaped by the sense that the perpetrator was "one of their own," as were the victims, without a sense of "otherness" to force a more multicultural response."Norway essentially asked itself this question, and it's a very valid one ... 'How did Norwegian society produce such a monster?'" he said. "It's a very inward-looking question."By contrast, he said, New Zealand took a much more global approach as it looked at what led up to the Christchurch attacks. This was in part because Tarrant, an Australian, had targeted worshipers at mosques, many of whom were foreign-born.At the same time, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's response, including wearing a hijab to meet survivors and relatives of those killed, was central in bringing all New Zealanders together in support of the victims as fellow citizens, he said.Just weeks later, New Zealand collaborated with France to produce the "Christchurch Call" -- a commitment by governments and tech companies to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online -- and subsequently worked with the United States and United Nations to keep the issue on the agenda, Feldman said.He hopes to win further commitments to counter extremist content online at an event he is involved with in Bergen, Norway, next month. Members of the public pay their respects near Utoya Island on July 24, 2011 in Norway.Breivik's ideology 'is still out there'Speaking to CNN earlier this month, Stoltenberg spoke of the shock he felt as he realized the scale of the horrors perpetrated by Breivik -- and the personal sadness it brought, since he knew many of the victims.He also stood by the message he delivered to the nation as it was still reeling from the July 22 attacks.Norway's then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, left, embraces Eskil Pedersen, leader of the Norwegian Labour Youth league and a survivor of the Utoya attack, on July 23, 2011."I still believe that our answer was the right one," Stoltenberg told CNN. "[Breivik] wanted to attack our free, open democratic societies. So the best response is more openness, more democracy, because then we prove that he is not winning, we are winning. "He demonstrated hatred. The best response to hatred is love. So ... I really welcomed the strong message from the people of Norway, as (we) have seen also in many other countries that have been attacked, that we stand up for our values." That notwithstanding, Stoltenberg does not believe that Breivik has been entirely defeated."He is convicted, he is in prison. But his ideology, that is still out there. And therefore we need to continue -- I think we never will be in the position where we can say that we have won the fight, we can close the chapter fighting against extremism." Since 2011, Norway has implemented measures to protect -- as far as possible -- against such attacks in the future, Stoltenberg said. And, he added, Brevik -- whose 21-year sentence could be extended in the future if he still poses a threat -- has lost in one key respect."We have to understand that the purpose of this attack was to change Norway fundamentally. And ... yes, of course, this will be part of Norway's history," he said. "It will be part of who we are as long as we exist. But fundamentally, it has not changed who we are."CNN's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report. | 3news
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London (CNN)When Boris Johnson first took over as British Prime Minister, many in his Conservative Party couldn't believe their luck. After years of watching Theresa May's government rub out red line after red line on Brexit, the man who led the triumphant march to freedom in 2016 was in charge. Barely a year on, a decent chunk of that optimism has turned to frustration and agitation. Despite the fact Johnson has taken the UK out of the European Union and won a landslide election victory, there is fear the Prime Minister's desire to end the Brexit story on a personal note of triumph is clouding his thinking. In recent weeks, talks on a future trade deal between London and Brussels have been uneasy. Both sides are indicating that negotiations are going nowhere and that the other is making unacceptable demands. Both have made clear that unless things change the time to walk away could come soon, meaning a no-deal crash out of the transition period on December 31. In prepared remarks sent out prior to a speech Johnson is expected to give ahead of round 8 of EU negotiations which start on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said that unless there was an agreement by October 15, the UK would walk away. "There is no sense in thinking about timelines that go beyond that point. If we can't agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us, and we should both accept that and move on," said Johnson.Also on Monday the Financial Times reported that sections of a market bill slated for publication Wednesday, were expected to "eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement," the framework treaty that sets the terms of the UK's departure from the EU, according to three sources familiar with the plans. Johnson hailed it as a "great deal" when it was signed last October -- but there are aspects of it, relating particularly to Northern Ireland, that have always rankled with Euroskeptics in his party and some have been lobbying recently for him to repudiate it, at least in part.Read MoreEU officials were spooked by the story, and Downing Street moved quickly to reassure Brussels. A UK government official told reporters on Monday that the "government is completely committed, as it always has been, to implementing the NI (Northern Ireland) Protocol in good faith."Yet some Euroskeptics are concerned that Johnson's strong words are laying the ground for concessions to get a last-minute deal that he can claim as a great victory, avoiding the economic fallout of a no-deal cliff edge. Others worry that recent ruptures are theater, designed to make any agreement appear such a feat of diplomacy it eclipses any concessions. Euroskeptics worry that Johnson, who has had a difficult year to date, is laying the ground for concessions. There is some basis for this fear. Johnson's previous deal with the EU came after months of declaring that he would either renegotiate May's deal or leave the EU without one. The clock ticked as no progress was made on the former; the latter seemed inevitable. Suddenly, a deal was reached in Brussels just 14 days before the no-deal deadline -- a deal that looked an awful lot like the one struck by May that many Euroskeptics, including Johnson, hated and voted against. Johnson's moveable position on Brexit mattered less at the time, as this deal only covered how the UK would leave the EU, not the more permanent future relationship. The fact Johnson held his nerve and stood up to Brussels was enough evidence for many Euroskeptics that he'd do the same later on. But the world is different now. It's no secret that Johnson's has had a difficult 2020 to date. His government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been criticized on numerous fronts. The UK is both the coronavirus capital of Europe and the country that's suffered the deepest Covid recession of any major economy. He's been forced to make a series of embarrassing U-turns in the face of pressure from politicians across the divide. A big victory for the government before the end of the year would doubtless be welcome. Johnson's government has been forced to make a series of U-turns, including on A Level results after a national outcry. People who have recently worked in government can see how this outcome might become reality. David Davis, a long-standing Brexiteer and the UK's former Brexit secretary, thinks there are "three options which are equally likely": no deal, lots of micro deals and a free trade agreement. "If we are to arrive at option three, then there will need to be lots more of these public demands and counter demands to smooth the path to compromise." Tim Montgomerie, who previously worked as an adviser to Johnson, says "they like to be the people that pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last minute, which right now would suit them perfectly. They don't run marathons, they run sprints, so don't have much of a long-term strategy. This makes a last-minute compromise on Brexit that can be claimed as a victory an attractive prospect I think." And as Anand Menon, Professor of international politics at King's College London says, "at the moment it really will look like a success if he gets any kind of deal, regardless of the content. It's absolutely the case that talking the likelihood of no deal because of EU intransigence will make it look like Johnson has achieved the impossible." Members of Johnson's Conservative party see why this approach might appeal, even if it annoys Brexit hardliners in his party. "There would be a row with the Brexiteer purists, but he would carry with him the great majority of Leave-supporting Tory MPs if he declares it a triumph. Not to mention many of the former Labour voters in the north who voted for Johnson in 2019, who are less purist than Conservative leavers," said a recent Conservative cabinet minister. This calculation that Johnson might see merit in a public Brexit triumph combined with minimal risk of backlash from his backbenchers is what sources say is spooking the Brexit hardliners who used to support him. Truckers warn of UK border chaos as Brexit trade talks stall "Lots of MPs are expecting a huge concession in order to make a deal. They are reluctant to call out the government in public but are lobbying hard behind the scenes," says a senior Conservative figure whose work in the party would be compromised by speaking on the record. "I think the government is talking up no deal to reassure hardliners they are being firm with Brussels so that when they do make a concession they have the benefit of the doubt." Unfortunately for the government, the hardest Brexiteers have been here before. "These things aren't disguisable anymore. The government has set itself such a hardline on sovereignty, so I don't see how they could pull a rabbit out the hat and expect us to be happy. We've all become experts on this stuff," says another former cabinet minister who is currently lobbying the government on Brexit and didn't wish to be named. JUST WATCHEDScotland's Covid-19 approach is fueling independence movementReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHScotland's Covid-19 approach is fueling independence movement 03:56A third former Conservative cabinet minister and prominent Brexiteer said: "Many are sitting on small majorities that could be blown away by a perceived betrayal, probably focused on an event like a concession that blows up." Euroskeptics on edgeThe word betrayal is important. Johnson has suffered waves of public criticism from Conservative MPs for economic decisions taken during the pandemic that on the surface don't look very conservative. The third former minister went on to explain that some MPs "are very worried at not knowing what's going on in the Prime Minister's head," and that many are "assuming he is going to try and spend his way out of trouble" in order to appeal to his new voters, rather than the traditional conservative base. They added that this perceived willingness to move from the base on economic matters was putting long-standing Euroskeptics on edge. When CNN approached a long-standing Brexit campaigner to ask about any perceived betrayal, they exploded: "I don't care what other MPs are saying and I don't see why that has given you journalists reason to speculate. People voted leave in order to take back control and the Prime Minister has been clear that is what we will do. I have nothing more to say on the matter," before hanging up. Boris Johnson attempts to grip UK schools crisis as political disaster loomsThe senior conservative figure explained that such frustration with journalists asking questions of a perceived Brexit betrayal might be because this faction suspects if Johnson does make a concession and sell it as a triumph, there is little they can do about it. "If you're part of the hardcore, what do you do when it comes to parliament? You could vote against it, but then you risk having the whip removed and forced to sit on the outside post-Brexit. Ultimately, it's probably better to be part of the happy ending and say that you were on the right side of history rather than a 'Debbie downer,' no matter how much you hate the deal."This might be wishful thinking. Johnson's former foe, Nigel Farage, wrote recently that any final deal will not be the "true freedom" that he'd dreamed of. And history tells us that Farage is very effective at mopping up angry voters, forming a powerful political movement and hurting the Conservatives badly. There is still a long way to go before Brexit concludes. The EU thinks a deal needs to be agreed by mid-October in order for it to be ratified in time for December 31, which gives Johnson plenty of time to be convinced one way or the other. It's worth noting that Downing Street dismisses these claims as speculation, despite difficulties with talks. A senior advisor to the Prime Minister said: "We are serious about leaving without a deal. We aren't bluffing. If the EU don't take a more realistic approach to the issues of state aid and fisheries then we will have to leave on Australia terms. They are insisting on us replicating current rules which are at odds with our status as an Independent nation." And there are plenty of Conservative MPs who say that when it comes to Brexit, their leader will act in the best interest of the UK, whether he reaches a deal with Brussels or not. However, as Johnson's inner circle becomes tighter and his strategy more secret -- as tends to happen when negotiations reach a crescendo -- the coming weeks could be very uncomfortable for those former Johnson loyalists who've long dreamed of true independence. | 3news
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(CNN)Police in Cyprus are continuing operations to retrieve the remains of more victims in what appears to be the Mediterranean island's first ever serial killing case. The body of a fourth woman inside a suitcase was retrieved Sunday from a man-made toxic lake, west of the capital of Nicosia. Using robotic cameras to search the water, police located a second suitcase and are continuing efforts Tuesday to retrieve it. A 35-year-old suspect, who is in custody, was a career officer with the Cypriot National Guard. Police say he confessed to seven murders -- of five women and two children -- all foreign nationals. The suspect met at least some of his victims on an internet dating site, where he used the name "Orestes," police told CNN. Authorities said they will begin to review the online footprints of other women who have gone missing to see if they had contact with the suspect, fearing the list of victims may grow. Read MoreCypriot forensic police cordon off a suspected dump site at Mitsero Red Lake on April 26, 2019.With a population of just 1.2 million, Cyprus has never been faced with a case like this before. Following a request from local authorities, Scotland Yard experts have arrived on the island in a consulting role. The victims Authorities began their investigation after finding the body of 38-year-old Marry Rose Tiburcio, from the Philippines, in a flooded mine shaft in Nicosia, on April 14. Tiburcio and her 6-year-old daughter were reported missing on May 5, 2018. The child, whom the suspect has claimed he killed, has not been found.Days later, a second body, believed to be that of a 28-year-old woman also from the Philippines, was found in the shaft, police told CNN. Toronto gardener who buried victims in potted plants pleads guilty to 8 murder countsBoth women had accounts on the same dating site, police said. Police recovered a third woman's body near the village of Orounda, west of Nicosia. The investigator assigned to the case said the body may be that of a Nepalese woman, the Cyprus News Agency reported. Now, police have turned their attention to the Mitsero Red Lake, on the site of a closed copper mine around 17 miles from Nicosia.According to the news agency, the suspect confessed to killing two women and a child and throwing their bodies into the lake.The state news agency said the victims are believed to be 36-year-old Livia Florentina Bunea from Romania and her 8-year-old daughter, Elena Natalia Bunea, as well as Maricar Valdez Arquila, a 31-year-old woman from the Philippines, the state news agency saidCNN's Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)Barcelona came from behind to defeat La Liga leader Real Socieded in what was Lionel Messi's 300th victory at the Nou Camp.After a testing start to the season, goals from Jordi Alba and Frenkie de Jong gave Barcelona a 2-1 victory and eased some of the pressure on Ronald Koeman's side.Willian Jose gave Socieded, who dropped off the top spot after Wednesday's game, an early lead when he tapped in Cristian Portu's cross midway through the first half.But Barcelona responded quickly as Alba curled a shot into the top corner before setting up De Jong just before halftime following a VAR review."The first half was fantastic, we should have scored more goals," Koeman told reporters after the game, per Reuters.Read MoreJordi Alba celebrates with Messi after scoring Barcelona's opening goal."We were intense, we put them under a lot of pressure and we ran ourselves into the ground.""Real Sociedad are excellent on the ball but we kept robbing it off them, we pressed them so well. It was an open game because our opponents know how to play very well but the game belonged to us and it was a deserved triumph."Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresIn what was a landmark evening for Messi, the Argentine notched his 300th home victory, which includes 211 in La Liga, 53 in the Champions League, 30 in the Copa del Rey and six in the Supercopa, according to Opta. Barcelona next faces Valencia on Saturday, while Sociedad travels to Levante, a side which has gone nearly four weeks without a win. | 5sport
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Story highlightsStatement: Prince Harry to leave military service in JuneThe prince is set to continue work with wounded veterans (CNN)Britain's Prince Harry is preparing for a new chapter in his life.After nearly a decade with the British military, he has announced in a statement that he is leaving the armed forces."Moving on from the Army has been a really tough decision," he said in a statement released Tuesday. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do some very challenging jobs and have met many fantastic people in the process. ...[T]he experiences I have had over the last 10 years will stay with me for the rest of my life."Prince Harry was deployed to Afghanistan in his role as an Army helicopter pilot, the UK military announced on September 7, 2012."Captain Harry Wales," as he is known, from his official title and name of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, began his formal military duties in 2005 at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana seemed to thrive in a military setting. He managed to curb his wild ways (for the most part), served two tours in Afghanistan and achieved the rank of captain in 2011. He has also qualified as an Apache Aircraft commander. Prince Harry does have a few more responsibilities before he returns to civilian life. He'll spend the last two months of his operational service attached to Australian Defence Force units in Darwin, Perth and Sydney.Read MorePrince Harry trained in the U.S. as part of a military exercise for pilots of Apache helicopters. "We have prepared a challenging program that will see Captain Wales deploy on urban and field training exercises, domestic deployments, as well as participate in Indigenous engagement activities," said Air Chief Marshal Mark Binski of the Australian Defence Force. "While all our units are highly capable, we have selected those units that best utilise Captain Wales' skill sets and give him some experience of the diverse range of capability we have within the ADF."On a visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2013, Prince Harry met Staff Sgt. Timothy Payne, who lost his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan.Work with wounded soldiers will prepare the prince for the position he will take up in August. He will work in a volunteer capacity with the Ministry of Defence's Recovery Capability Programme and the London District Personnel Recovery Unit. Both groups assist wounded or sick soldiers either return to duty or transition to civilian life. "Wounded warriors" are a special interest for Prince Harry. He helped spearhead and continues to champion the Invictus Games, a competition for former military personnel who have been wounded in the line of duty. JUST WATCHEDPrince Harry pops up at Warrior GamesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPrince Harry pops up at Warrior Games 02:25Prince Harry will still have royal duties to attend to while he is finishing his military service. He will accompany Prince Charles on a trip to Turkey at the end of April, for commemorations marking the battle of Gallipoli. And he will undertake an official Royal tour of New Zealand in May, after his service with the Australian Defence Force is complete."This is a big, bold step for Prince Harry," said CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster. "The military provided him with an escape from public life. He thrived being 'just one of the guys.' But, as I understand it, he feels he's reached a natural crossroads in his career. The next steps would be staff college and desk jobs and that's not for him. He's passionate about the military, though, and I don't think will ever lose that connection."JUST WATCHEDWatch royals William and Kate shake their hips in BelizeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH (15 Videos)Watch royals William and Kate shake their hips in BelizeVideo: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "stand with Ukraine"How some Brits are reacting to Queen's announcement about CamillaQueen Elizabeth tests positive for Covid-19Prince Charles tests positive for Covid-19Queen cancels family Christmas gathering amid UK Omicron surgeSee how Barbados, world's newest republic, cut ties with the UKHear Prince Charles' speech as Barbados cuts ties with British monarchyWatch: Meghan surprises 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' audienceKate plays piano in Christmas Eve service shown on TVQueen will miss Remembrance Sunday service after spraining her backDecoding Queen Elizabeth II's colorful styleSome royals wanted Diana to be downplayed See Prince Harry's sneaky cameo in Meghan's birthday videoThe Queen has how many birthdays? | 3news
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New York (CNN Business)Purdue Pharma and the Sackler families reached a settlement with a group of states this week that would require the Sacklers to pay out as much as $6 billion to states, individual claimants and opioid crisis abatement, if approved by a federal bankruptcy court judge. The new agreement, reached after eight states and the District of Columbia ultimately appealed a previous deal, is civil and does not provide protection to the Sackler families from any future liability relating to the opioid crisis.If approved, the Sacklers will shell out a billion dollars more than the previous agreement.As part of the deal, the Sackler families will allow any institution or organization nationwide to remove the Sackler name from physical facilities and academic, medical, and cultural programs, scholarships, endowments so long as the Sacklers are notified first and public statements announcing the name removal do not "disparage" the family.Federal judge rejects Purdue Pharma's settlement of opioid lawsuits over legal protections for members of Sackler familyTwo days after the mediator's proposal is submitted to bankruptcy court, the Sackler families will also release a pre-drafted statement expressing regret that Purdue's opioid product, OxyContin, affected communities, but will not admit any illegal behavior or wrongdoing.Read More"The Sackler families are pleased to have reached a settlement with additional states that will allow very substantial additional resources to reach people and communities in need. The families have consistently affirmed that settlement is by far the best way to help solve a serious and complex public health crisis. While the families have acted lawfully in all respects, they sincerely regret that OxyContin, a prescription medicine that continues to help people suffering from chronic pain, unexpectedly became part of an opioid crisis that has brought grief and loss to far too many families and communities."Mediator Judge Shelley Chapman urged the bankruptcy court to allow victims of the opioid crisis to speak in court and address the Sackler families and require at least one member of each of the two branches of the Sackler Families attend the full hearing, according to the court filing. Opioid Crisis Fast Facts"We're pleased with the settlement achieved in mediation, under which all of the additional settlement funds will be used for opioid abatement programs, overdose rescue medicines, and victims. With this mediation result, we continue on track to proceed through the appeals process on an expedited schedule, and we hope to swiftly deliver these resources," Purdue Pharma said in a statement to CNN Thursday. Federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain must now approve the settlement after he overturned the previous agreement over concerns it provided broad protection to third parties related to the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma.The parties reached the settlement through court-ordered mediation that began in January, according to a press release from the Connecticut Attorney General's office. Purdue Pharma declared bankruptcy in 2019, putting on hold thousands of lawsuits filed against it. | 0business
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Story highlightsIn cadet school, Russian pupils have questions for NATOThey ask: why do you need to be on our borderPutin used strategic military reasoning to annexe CrimeaAmong general public, there's a feeling that Russia is at last standing up for its rightsIn a telephone call Monday between Russia's Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu and the U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel, Shoigu described the activity of U.S. and NATO troops near Russia's border as "unprecedented." According to the official Russian version of the call, his American counterpart assured him the alliance did not have "provocative or expansionist" intentions -- and that Russia should know this.But it hardly seems to matter how often NATO makes these assurances. The Kremlin will never trust them. Fear of the Western military alliance's steady march east is deep-rooted. It strikes at the very heart of Russia's national sense of security, a relic of Cold War enmity which has seeped down to post-Soviet generations.Ilya Saraev is a 15-year-old pupil at the First Moscow cadet school in Moscow. He thinks long and hard when I ask him about NATO. "I think NATO might be a friend to Russia but there's one point I don't understand: Why it needs to approach the border with Russia more and more," he says.Cadet school is an education in patriotism, like something from a bygone era. Besides the regular classes, there are lessons in ballroom dancing. Teenage cadets proudly leading local beauties through the waltz while outside their classmates rehearse the goosestep. Photos: Photos: Crisis in Ukraine Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man looks at a bullet shell next to a destroyed car after a gunfight between pro-Russian militiamen and Ukrainian forces in Karlivka, Ukraine, on Friday, May 23. Much of Ukraine's unrest has been centered in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where separatists have claimed independence from the government in Kiev.Hide Caption 1 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – The body of a pro-Ukrainian militia fighter lies along a road in Karlivka on May 23.Hide Caption 2 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A woman walks past a destroyed car after Ukrainian government forces fired mortar shells during clashes with pro-Russian forces in Slovyansk, Ukraine, on May 23.Hide Caption 3 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian activist carries a ballot box away from a polling station in Donetsk, Ukraine, as he prepares to smash it on May 23.Hide Caption 4 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Local citizens help support a woman at a rally protesting shelling by Ukrainian government forces in the village of Semyonovka, Ukraine, on Thursday, May 22.Hide Caption 5 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Bodies covered with blankets lie in a field near the village of Blahodatne, Ukraine, on May 22, as a Ukrainian soldier smokes next to his armored infantry vehicle.Hide Caption 6 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian soldier rests inside an armored personnel carrier at a checkpoint near Slovyansk on Wednesday, May 21. Hide Caption 7 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Yekaterina Len cries outside her home after it was hit by mortar shells during fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian soldiers in Slovyansk on Tuesday, May 20. Hide Caption 8 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian soldier stands guard on the road from Izium, Ukraine, to Slovyansk on Monday, May 19.Hide Caption 9 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A new recruit gets his hair cut at a training camp for the Donbass Battalion, a pro-Ukrainian militia, in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine on May 19.Hide Caption 10 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian armed militants guard a checkpoint in Slovyansk on May 19, blocking a major highway to Kharkiv.Hide Caption 11 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian militants detain three men on Sunday, May 18, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The men are suspected of spying for the Ukrainian government.Hide Caption 12 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A bodyguard of insurgent leader Denis Pushilin stands in front of a statue of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin during a pro-Russia rally in Donetsk on May 18.Hide Caption 13 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian militants guard a checkpoint outside Slovyansk on Saturday, May 17.Hide Caption 14 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Employees of the Ukrainian company Metinvest clear away debris in a government building in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday, May 16, after pro-Russian separatists relinquished their hold on it. Hide Caption 15 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists argue in Mariupol about how to thwart the upcoming Ukrainian presidential elections.Hide Caption 16 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian gunmen take up positions to fight Ukrainian national troops at a checkpoint outside Slovyansk on Thursday, May 15.Hide Caption 17 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A mortar shell sticks out of the ground at a checkpoint near Slovyansk on May 15.Hide Caption 18 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man surveys the damage to his home after a mine exploded during an exchange of fire between pro-Russian militants and government troops outside Slovyansk on May 15.Hide Caption 19 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man examines ballots at a printing house in Kiev, Ukraine, on Wednesday, May 14. The ballots will be used in early presidential voting on May 25.Hide Caption 20 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People collect mortar shells in front of a burnt-out Ukrainian military vehicle near Oktyabrskoe, Ukraine, on May 14.Hide Caption 21 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Two men collect parts of a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier, destroyed May 14 in what the Ukrainian Defense Ministry called a terrorist attack near Kramatorsk.Hide Caption 22 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A member of a "self-defense" squad smashes a slot machine with a sledgehammer Monday, May 12, at an illegal club in Slovyansk.Hide Caption 23 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People celebrate with fireworks in Donetsk on May 12 as separatists declared independence for the Donetsk region.Hide Caption 24 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Roman Lyagin, a member of a rebel election commission, shows referendum results to journalists at a May 12 news conference in Donetsk. Pro-Russian separatists staged the referendum asking residents in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions whether they should declare independence from Ukraine. Hide Caption 25 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An armed pro-Russian separatist takes up a position near Slovyansk on May 12.Hide Caption 26 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man with a "self-defense" unit checks people's identification in Slovyansk on Sunday, May 11. Hide Caption 27 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A person leaves a voting booth in Luhansk, Ukraine, on May 11. The Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine voted on controversial referendums to declare independence from the government in Kiev. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov called the vote "propagandist farce."Hide Caption 28 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Two men react after Ukrainian national guardsmen open fire on a crowd outside a town hall in Krasnoarmiysk, Ukraine, on May 11.Hide Caption 29 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian woman votes at a polling station in Donetsk on May 11. Hide Caption 30 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainians line up to cast their votes at a polling station in Donetsk on May 11.Hide Caption 31 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A voter casts her ballot in eastern Ukraine's independence referendum in Slovyansk on May 11.Hide Caption 32 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An armed pro-Russian man sits below a flag of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic at the barricades on a road leading into Slovyansk on May 11. Hide Caption 33 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Black smoke billows from burning tires used to prevent government troops' armored personnel carriers from passing through in Mariupol on Saturday, May 10. Hide Caption 34 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – The mother of Dmitriy Nikityuk, who died in a fire at a trade union building during riots in Odessa, Ukraine, cries next to his coffin during his funeral on Thursday, May 8. Hide Caption 35 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian soldier keeps guard at a checkpoint near Slovyansk on May 8.Hide Caption 36 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian activist stands with a Russian national flag outside the regional Interior Ministry building in Luhansk on Wednesday, May 7.Hide Caption 37 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, right, inspects an armored personnel carrier in Slovyansk on May 7.Hide Caption 38 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An armed pro-Russian separatist takes a position by the railway lines near Slovyansk on Tuesday, May 6.Hide Caption 39 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A relative mourns by the body of 17-year-old Vadim Papura during a service in Odessa on May 6. Papura died after jumping out of a burning trade union building during riots on May 2.Hide Caption 40 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian gunman holds his weapon while guarding the local administration building in Slovyansk on May 6.Hide Caption 41 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian supporters lead blindfolded men in front of the regional administration building in Donetsk on Monday, May 5.Hide Caption 42 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian policemen check documents at a checkpoint near the northeastern city of Izium on May 5.Hide Caption 43 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers stand at a checkpoint near Slovyansk on May 5.Hide Caption 44 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian Cossacks sit outside the regional administration building in Donetsk on May 5.Hide Caption 45 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian militants who were arrested during a Ukrainian unity rally are greeted on Sunday, May 4, after being freed by police in Odessa. The men released Sunday had been detained after bloody clashes in Odessa, which ended in a deadly blaze. Forty-six people were killed in the bloodshed.Hide Caption 46 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian militant reacts after being freed on May 4 in Odessa. Hide Caption 47 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian militants clash with police as they storm the police station in Odessa on May 4.Hide Caption 48 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An Orthodox priest, in front of the administration building in Donetsk, blesses a pro-Russian activist May 4 as people gather to honor the memory of fallen comrades in Odessa.Hide Caption 49 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Red carnations are left inside the burned trade union building in Odessa on May 4. Flowers, candles and photos of the dead piled up outside the charred building, a day after brutal clashes and the fire claimed 46 lives.Hide Caption 50 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters light candles in Donetsk on Saturday, May 3, to honor the memory of fallen comrades in Odessa.Hide Caption 51 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A woman cries in front of the burned trade union building in Odessa on May 3.Hide Caption 52 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man walks past burning tires near Kramatorsk on May 3.Hide Caption 53 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists beat a pro-Ukraine supporter trying to save the Ukrainian flag that was removed from a flagpole outside the burned trade union building in Odessa.Hide Caption 54 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters gather in Donetsk to honor the memory of comrades who died in Odessa.Hide Caption 55 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A portrait of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin is part of a barricade in the center of Slovyansk on May 3. The city has become the focus of an armed pro-Russian, anti-government insurgency that aspires to give the eastern regions of Ukraine full autonomy. Hide Caption 56 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian activist sits in front of policemen guarding the burned trade union building in Odessa on May 3.Hide Caption 57 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People lay flowers and candles at the burned trade union building in Odessa on May 3.Hide Caption 58 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers arrive to reinforce a checkpoint that troops seized Friday, May 2, in Andreevka, a village near Slovyansk. Two helicopters were downed Friday as Ukrainian security forces tried to dislodge pro-Russian separatists from Slovyansk, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said.Hide Caption 59 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Police take cover under shields as pro-Russian activists storm the prosecutor's office in Donetsk on Thursday, May 1. Eastern Ukraine was a heartland of support for President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February.Hide Caption 60 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian activist is wounded after storming the prosecutor's office in Donetsk and clashing with riot police on May 1. Hide Caption 61 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists storm the prosecutor's office in Donetsk on May 1. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades in an effort to disperse the activists.Hide Caption 62 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An injured Pro-Russian activist speaks with an armed protester during clashes with police in front of the regional administration building in Donetsk on May 1.Hide Caption 63 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists storm an administration building in the center of Luhansk on Tuesday, April 29. Hide Caption 64 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russia militants, armed with baseball bats and iron bars, hold flares as they attack people marching for national unity in Donetsk on Monday, April 28. Hide Caption 65 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Detained observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe arrive to take part in a news conference Sunday, April 27, in Slovyansk. Vyacheslav Ponomarev, the self-declared mayor of Slovyansk, referred to the observers as "prisoners of war."Hide Caption 66 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian troops stand guard behind a barricade made of sandbags at a checkpoint about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Slovyansk on April 27.Hide Caption 67 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Relatives and friends of a man killed in a gunfight participate in his funeral ceremony in Slovyansk on Saturday, April 26.Hide Caption 68 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – U.S. troops arrive at an air force base near Siauliai Zuokniai, Lithuania, on April 26. The United States is conducting military exercises in Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. The exercises are, in part, a response to the ongoing instability in Ukraine.Hide Caption 69 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian government troops in armored vehicles travel on a country road outside the town of Svyitohirsk in eastern Ukraine on April 26.Hide Caption 70 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russia armed militants inspect a truck near Slovyansk on Friday, April 25. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of plotting to control Ukraine, and he said the pro-Russia insurgents in the southeast would lay down their arms only if the Ukrainian government clears out the Maidan protest camp in the capital, Kiev. Hide Caption 71 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russia militants keep records of their duty in Slovyansk on April 25.Hide Caption 72 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian troops take position near burning tires at a pro-Russian checkpoint in Slovyansk on Thursday, April 24. Hide Caption 73 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian special forces take position at an abandoned roadblock in Slovyansk on April 24.Hide Caption 74 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian special forces member takes position in Slovyansk.Hide Caption 75 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Cossacks carry a coffin into a church in Slovyansk on Tuesday, April 22, during a funeral for men killed in a gunfight at a checkpoint two days before.Hide Caption 76 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, left, talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk during a meeting in Kiev on April 22.Hide Caption 77 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – An armed pro-Russian man stands on a street in Slovyansk on Monday, April 21.Hide Caption 78 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Demonstrators attend a pro-Russian rally outside the secret service building in Luhansk on April 21.Hide Caption 79 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Cars are burned out after an attack at a roadblock in Slovyansk on Sunday, April 20.Hide Caption 80 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A resident inspects burnt-out cars at a roadblock on April 20. Hide Caption 81 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian militant is seen at the roadblock near Slovyansk on April 20.Hide Caption 82 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Armed pro-Russian militants stand guard at a roadblock near Slovyansk on April 20. Hide Caption 83 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A masked man stands guard outside a regional administration building seized by pro-Russian separatists in Slovyansk on Friday, April 18. Hide Caption 84 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People walk around barricades April 18 set up at the regional administration building that was seized earlier in Donetsk.Hide Caption 85 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media after a nationally televised question-and-answer session in Moscow on Thursday, April 17. Putin denied that Russian forces are involved in the unrest in eastern Ukraine, though he did say for the first time that Russians were active in Crimea before the peninsula voted to join the country.Hide Caption 86 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian riot police officers stand guard during a pro-Ukrainian demonstration in Donetsk on April 17.Hide Caption 87 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Masked pro-Russian protesters stand guard in front of the city hall in Mariupol on April 17.Hide Caption 88 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reaches out to shake hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the start of a bilateral meeting to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The meeting took place April 17 in Geneva, Switzerland.Hide Caption 89 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A masked gunman stands guard near tanks in Slovyansk on Wednesday, April 16. Hide Caption 90 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian helicopter flies over a column of Ukrainian Army combat vehicles on the way to Kramatorsk on April 16.Hide Caption 91 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A masked pro-Russian gunman guards combat vehicles parked in downtown Slovyansk on April 16.Hide Caption 92 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man talks with Ukrainian soldiers as they are blocked by people on their way to Kramatorsk.Hide Caption 93 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers sit atop combat vehicles on their way to Kramatorsk.Hide Caption 94 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian Gen. Vasily Krutov is surrounded by protesters after addressing the crowd outside an airfield in Kramatorsk on Tuesday, April 15.Hide Caption 95 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists guard a barricade April 15 outside the regional police building that they seized in Slovyansk.Hide Caption 96 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian troops receive munitions at a field on the outskirts of Izium on April 15.Hide Caption 97 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Armed pro-Russian activists stand guard on top of a Ukrainian regional administration building in Slovyansk on Monday, April 14.Hide Caption 98 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A pro-Russian activist carries a shield during the mass storming of a police station in Horlivka, Ukraine, on April 14.Hide Caption 99 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian supporters attend a rally in front of the security service building occupied by pro-Russian activists in Luhansk on April 14.Hide Caption 100 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man places a Russian flag over a police station after storming the building in Horlivka on April 14.Hide Caption 101 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Men besiege the police station in Horlivka.Hide Caption 102 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – The Horlivka police station burns on April 14.Hide Caption 103 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian police officer receives medical care after being attacked at the police station in Horlivka on April 14.Hide Caption 104 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian supporters beat a pro-Ukrainian activist during a rally in Kharkiv on Sunday, April 13.Hide Caption 105 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists escort a man outside the secret service building in Luhansk on April 13.Hide Caption 106 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters guard a barricade in Slovyansk on April 13 outside a regional police building seized by armed separatists the day before.Hide Caption 107 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Armed pro-Russian activists carrying riot shields occupy a police station in Slovyansk on April 12.Hide Caption 108 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A group of pro-Russian activists warm themselves by a fire Friday, April 11, in front of a Ukrainian Security Service office in Luhansk.Hide Caption 109 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk speaks April 11 during his meeting with regional leaders in Donetsk. Yatsenyuk flew into Donetsk, where pro-Russian separatists occupied the regional administration building and called for a referendum.Hide Caption 110 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian young men look over the fence of a military recruitment office in Donetsk on Thursday, April 10.Hide Caption 111 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Armed pro-Russian protesters occupy the Security Service building in Luhansk on April 10.Hide Caption 112 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Members of the self-proclaimed government the "Donetsk Republic" vote April 10 during a meeting at the seized regional administration building in Donetsk.Hide Caption 113 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian lawmakers from different parties scuffle during a Parliament session in Kiev on Tuesday, April 8.Hide Caption 114 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Workers clean up on April 8 after pro-Russian separatists and police clashed overnight in Kharkiv.Hide Caption 115 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters burn tires near a regional administration building in Kharkiv after police cleared the building on Monday, April 7.Hide Caption 116 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A masked man stands on top of a barricade at the regional administration building in Donetsk on April 7.Hide Caption 117 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Protesters wave a Russian flag as they storm the regional administration building in Donetsk on Sunday, April 6. Protesters seized state buildings in several east Ukrainian cities, prompting accusations from Kiev that Moscow is trying to "dismember" the country.Hide Caption 118 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters clash with police as they try to occupy a regional administration building in Donetsk on April 6. Hide Caption 119 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian activists hold a rally in front of a Ukrainian Security Service office in Luhansk on April 6. Hide Caption 120 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A young demonstrator with his mouth covered by a Russian flag attends a pro-Russia rally outside the regional government administration building in Donetsk on Saturday, April 5. Hide Caption 121 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian soldier guards a road not far from Prokhody, a village near the Russian border, on April 5. Ukrainian and Western officials have voiced alarm about Russia's reported military buildup on Ukraine's eastern border. Hide Caption 122 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian cadets at the Higher Naval School embrace a friend who has decided to stay in the school during a departure ceremony in Sevastopol, Crimea, on Friday, April 4. Some 120 cadets who refused to take Russian citizenship left the school to return to Ukraine.Hide Caption 123 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Soviet military veterans take part in a flower-laying ceremony at the Soviet-era World War II memorial in Sevastopol on Thursday, April 3. Hide Caption 124 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers conduct a training session on the Desna military shooting range northeast of Kiev on Wednesday, April 2. Hide Caption 125 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian soldiers prepare for diving training in front of a Tarantul-III class missile boat Tuesday, April 1, in Sevastopol.Hide Caption 126 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People pass by barricades near the Dnipro Hotel in Kiev on April 1. Hide Caption 127 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – People walk past a train loaded with Russian tanks Monday, March 31, in the Gvardeyskoe railway station near Simferopol, Crimea.Hide Caption 128 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Russian solder sits in a tank at the Ostryakovo railway station, not far from Simferopol on March 31.Hide Caption 129 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks about the economic development of Crimea during a meeting March 31 in Simferopol.Hide Caption 130 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Members of the Ukrainian National Guard take part in military exercises on a shooting range near Kiev on March 31.Hide Caption 131 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A woman cries Sunday, March 30, during a gathering to honor those who were killed during protests in Kiev's Independence Square.Hide Caption 132 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A woman and child walk past a line of police officers during a rally in Kharkiv on March 30.Hide Caption 133 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers take part in a training exercise at a military base in Donetsk on Saturday, March 29.Hide Caption 134 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Demonstrators protest Friday, March 28, in Kiev, displaying police vehicles they seized during earlier clashes with authorities.Hide Caption 135 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Members of the Right Sector group block the Ukrainian parliament building in Kiev on Thursday, March 27. Activists called for Interior Minister Arsen Avakov to step down after the recent killing of radical nationalist leader Oleksandr Muzychko, who died during a police operation to detain him. Muzychko and the Right Sector are credited with playing a lead role in the protests that toppled Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych.Hide Caption 136 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian tanks are transported from their base in Perevalne, Crimea, on Wednesday, March 26. After Russian troops seized most of Ukraine's bases in Crimea, interim Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov ordered the withdrawal of armed forces from the Black Sea peninsula, citing Russian threats to the lives of military staff and their families.Hide Caption 137 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian marines wave as they leave a base in Feodosia, Crimea, on Tuesday, March 25. Hide Caption 138 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian sailors stand on the deck of the corvette ship Suzdalets in the bay of Sevastopol on March 25.Hide Caption 139 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian militia members remove a resident as Russian troops assault the Belbek air base, outside Sevastopol, on Saturday, March 22. After its annexation of Crimea, Russian forces have consolidated their control of the region.Hide Caption 140 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Soldiers in unmarked uniforms sit atop an armored personnel carrier at the gate of the Belbek air base on March 22. Hide Caption 141 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Russian sailor holds the Russian Navy's St. Andrew's flag while standing on the bow of the surrendered Ukrainian submarine Zaporozhye on March 22 in Sevastopol.Hide Caption 142 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian President Vladimir Putin signs the final decree completing the annexation of Crimea on Friday, March 21, as Upper House Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, left, and State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin watch. Hide Caption 143 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian serviceman leaves a Ukrainian military unit that Russian soldiers took control of in Perevalne on March 21.Hide Caption 144 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian border guards run during training at a military camp in Alekseyevka, Ukraine, on March 21.Hide Caption 145 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian soldiers patrol the area surrounding a Ukrainian military unit in Perevalne on Thursday, March 20.Hide Caption 146 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian protesters remove the gate to the Ukrainian navy headquarters as Russian troops stand guard in Sevastopol on Wednesday, March 19.Hide Caption 147 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russian forces walk inside the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 19.Hide Caption 148 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A member of pro-Russian forces takes down a Ukrainian flag at the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 19. Hide Caption 149 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Alexander Vitko, chief of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, leaves the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol after pro-Russian forces took it over on March 19.Hide Caption 150 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Russian flag waves as workers install a new sign on a parliament building in Simferopol, Crimea's capital, on March 19.Hide Caption 151 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Russian military personnel surround a Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on March 19.Hide Caption 152 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Nameplates on the front of the Crimean parliament building get removed Tuesday, March 18, in Simferopol.Hide Caption 153 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – From left, Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov; Vladimir Konstantinov, speaker of the Crimean parliament; Russian President Vladimir Putin; and Alexei Chaly, the new de facto mayor of Sevastopol, join hands in Moscow on March 18 after signing a treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.Hide Caption 154 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Demonstrators hold a Crimean flag at Lenin Square in Simferopol on March 18.Hide Caption 155 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint near Strilkove, Ukraine, close to Crimea on Monday, March 17.Hide Caption 156 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Former boxer and Ukrainian politician Vitali Klitschko addresses reporters in Kiev on March 17.Hide Caption 157 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Ukrainian troops stand guard in front of the Ukrainian Parliament building in Kiev on March 17.Hide Caption 158 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian man applies for the National Guard at a mobile recruitment center in Kiev on March 17.Hide Caption 159 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Civilians walk past riot police in Simferopol on March 17.Hide Caption 160 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian soldier stands on top of an armored vehicle at a military camp near the village of Michurino, Ukraine, on March 17.Hide Caption 161 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Policemen stand guard outside the regional state administration building in Donetsk during a rally by pro-Russia activists March 17.Hide Caption 162 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Armed soldiers stand guard outside a Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on March 17.Hide Caption 163 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A man holds a Crimean flag as he stands in front of the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol on March 17.Hide Caption 164 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Crimeans holding Russian flags celebrate in front of the parliament building in Simferopol on Sunday, March 16.Hide Caption 165 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A Ukrainian police officer tries to shield himself from a road block thrown by pro-Russia supporters in Kharkiv on March 16.Hide Caption 166 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – Pro-Russia demonstrators storm the prosecutor general's office during a rally in Donetsk on March 16.Hide Caption 167 of 168 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine – A woman leaves a voting booth in Sevastopol on March 16. See the crisis in Ukraine before Crimea votedHide Caption 168 of 168JUST WATCHEDRussia's president annexes ... wordsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia's president annexes ... words 01:41JUST WATCHEDRussia fires back in word war with U.S.ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia fires back in word war with U.S. 02:12JUST WATCHEDSeparatists seize buildings in Ukraine ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSeparatists seize buildings in Ukraine 01:30After the takeover of Crimea, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry accused Russia of behaving in a 19th century fashion in the 21st century. In some ways it's an epithet that seems to ring true here. The children are immaculately mannered and thoughtful. They write to their fellow cadets in Crimea. They say they feel sad there's this tension between brother nations -- Russia and Ukraine. "People still don't realize that war means despair and grief," says 16-year-old Vlad Voinakov. "They can't find a compromise because people's interests become involved and that's where the problem lies."Russia and NATO have never been able to find much of a compromise. Russia's repeated stance is that after German reunification, promises were made that NATO would never expand eastward -- and were promptly broken. NATO says this is simply not true. "No such pledge was made, and no evidence to back up Russia's claims has ever been produced," the alliance wrote in an April fact sheet entitled "Russia's accusations -- setting the record straight."NATO says it has tried hard to make Russia a "privileged partner." It has worked together with Russia on a range of issues from counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics to submarine rescue and emergency planning. NATO says that fundamentally Russia's anti-NATO rhetoric is an attempt to "divert attention away from its actions" in Ukraine. Now all cooperation is off the table."From the Russian side, that NATO-Russian cooperation was just a camouflage," says Vladimir Batyuk of Russian think tank, the Institute of USA and Canada Studies. "After the Cold War Russia tried several times to become a member and the Americans always said, 'it's not going to happen.'" He quotes Lord Ismay, NATO's first Secretary General, on the object of NATO's existence: "To keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down." JUST WATCHEDNew EU sanctions target key Putin alliesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew EU sanctions target key Putin allies 06:45JUST WATCHEDNATO planes chase out Russian bombersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNATO planes chase out Russian bombers 01:40JUST WATCHEDNATO: Pics show Russian military buildupReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNATO: Pics show Russian military buildup 02:31Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at his annual direct call with the Russian people that part of his reasoning for annexing Crimea was to protect Sevastopol, home of Russia's Black Sea fleet, from ever falling into NATO's hands. "If we don't do anything, Ukraine will be drawn into NATO sometime in the future. We'll be told: "This doesn't concern you," and NATO ships will dock in Sevastopol, the city of Russia's naval glory," he said. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yetsenyuk has said Ukrainian accession to NATO is not a priority. The nation is currently in such a state of disarray that NATO membership seems unimaginable. But a membership action plan was discussed for both Ukraine and Georgia at the Bucharest Summit in 2008. It was put on hold. But Putin does not forget."Ever since (former Ukraine President Viktor) Yanukovych fled his country and a pro-Western government took power in his country, of course this is something [Putin] couldn't stop thinking about," says Masha Lipman of the Carnegie Moscow Center. "So for him, to prevent Ukraine from becoming part of the western orbit if not of NATO, was something he absolutely cannot afford." This is why the rotation of 600 U.S. troops, small as it is, through the Baltic states and Poland for joint-training exercises is such an affront for Russia. This is why it is perhaps not strictly fair to accuse Russia of just engaging in propaganda when it declares its mistrust of NATO. Batyuk says he feels that the general public's attitude to the alliance has worsened since the end of the Cold War. Then, people were able to dismiss the Kremlin's line towards NATO as Soviet propaganda, he says. Now it's different. "A store of unsuccessful mishaps in relations between Russia and the West after the end of the Cold War has contributed to a rise in suspicions on the Russian side to Western policy in general and NATO in particular."That's one of the reasons Putin's popularity has soared since the annexation of Crimea. There is a feeling among the general public that, at last, Russia is standing up for its rights in the post-Soviet space where it has sat maligned for decades. Much as the Kremlin likes to nurture that narrative, it is also easy to see why it resonates with the Russian public.READ: Fighter jets, special forces: Photos 'show Russian military buildup' near UkraineREAD: Dutch fighter jets intercept 2 Russian bombers in their airspaceREAD: Ukraine crisis: Small numbers, global impact | 3news
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(CNN)Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed "many" of the 2,000 ventilators it committed to the national coronavirus fight, after apparent confusion last week over where they should be sent."Many of those ventilators deployed with the USNS Comfort and Mercy in New York and (Los Angeles), respectively. They are with our field hospitals. We have several field hospitals deployed in New York, in Seattle, in New Orleans and Dallas. And then we provided several hundred more that are pre-positioned and ready to go, particularly with regard to New York City when they're needed," Esper told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." CNN reported last week that despite having committed to transferring 2,000 ventilators in military stocks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services to fight the pandemic, the Pentagon had not shipped any of them because the agencies have not asked for them or provided a shipping location, according to the Pentagon's top logistics official. Esper, asked by Tapper Sunday how many of the pledged ventilators the department still has in its possession, estimated the Pentagon is "probably sitting on a few hundred."Pentagon says it still hasn't sent ventilators because it hasn't been told where to send them"But we're sitting on them in a sense that they're prepared to ship once they are needed. Once HHS exhausts its stock," he said. Read MoreBoth of the Navy hospital ships that were sent to New York and California are meant to only receive patients undergoing treatments unrelated to this virus. The ship docked in New York City harbor is now treating more than 30 patients, a US Navy official told CNN Sunday.Esper also said Sunday the Pentagon plans on "deploying over 1,100 additional doctors and nurses, and other medical professionals to New York," following requests from New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "The bulk of them will go to the Javits Center and then as of late yesterday, we agreed to deploy a few hundred of them to 11 New York City hospitals that are also seeing a deficiency when it comes to medical staff," the secretary said. Hospitals in New York, which is currently the epicenter of the virus in the US, are struggling to respond to the crisis, with officials there constantly sounding the alarm on a limited number of bed spaces, medical personnel and critical supplies needed to treat coronavirus patients. CNN's Jamie Crawford, Barbara Starr, Zachary Cohen, Veronica Stracqualursi and Ryan Browne contributed to this report. | 4politics
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Story highlightsZlatan Ibrahimovic scored all four goals in Sweden's 4-2 win over EnglandNetherlands and Germany finish goalless in bore drawFrance fights back to defeat Italy 2-1 in ParmaLeo Messi frustrated as Argentina held to 0-0 draw by Saudi ArabiaZlatan Ibrahimovic produced a memorable performance after his four-goal salvo helped Sweden defeat England in Stockholm.The 31-year-old, who has scored ten goals in as many games for club side Paris Saint-Germain, was on fire once again as Roy Hodgson's men were swept away.The Swedish skipper had given his side a 20th minute lead before goals from Manchester United's Danny Welbeck and Tottenham's Steven Caulker gave England a half-time.Ibrahimovic arrival marks watershed moment for Paris Saint-GermainBut it was Ibrahimovic who stole the show after the interval, with three strikes in the final 12 minutes.After netting a 78th minute equaliser, Ibrahimovic slammed home a rasping 30-yard free-kick before rounding off his night with a scarcely believable scissors kick.JUST WATCHEDA day in the life of Cristiano Ronaldo ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA day in the life of Cristiano Ronaldo 00:58JUST WATCHEDMourinho on the enigma of BalotelliReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho on the enigma of Balotelli 01:35 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneMessi magic – Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas, left, and Xavi Hernandez after matching Pele's 75 goals in a calendar year.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneSecond best – The Argentina star then moved past the Brazil legend with his second goal of the match against Mallorca, which left Messi nine short of the best tally for a year held by Germany's Gerd Muller.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneProud dad – The 25-year-old has had a new celebration since the birth of his first child, son Thiago, earlier this month.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneAward winner – Messi is in line to win a fourth successive world player of the year award in January. Pele presented him with the Ballon d'Or at the start of this year.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneGolden boot – Pele scored 75 goals in 1958, when he launched onto the football scene as a 17-year-old and helped Brazil win that year's World Cup. Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneGoal machine Gerd – That feat was surpassed in 1972 by Muller, who scored 85 goals as West Germany won the European Championship and his club Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.Hide Caption 6 of 6It ruined the night for England captain Steven Gerrard, who had hoped to celebrate his 100th cap with victory.Gerrard told ITV 1: "I still stick by Zinedine Zidane, he is the best player in the world as the best player of his generation, but his (Ibrahimovic's) performance was world class and he just scored one of the best goals I seen live. "It was his night. If someone scores four goals and the way he scored them....it's one of the best I've seen."Hodgson added: "The fourth goal was extraordinary, but it was the second and third goals which cost us."For 70 minutes we were playing very well and we deserved to be in the lead, but we made changes and they took the initiative."Elsewhere, France recorded an impressive 2-1 victory over Italy after it came from behind in Parma.Milan star Stephan El Shaarway gave the hosts the lead only for France to hit back through Mathieu Valbuena and Bafetimbi Gomis.The highly anticipated grudge match between the Netherlands and Germany failed to catch light as it finished goalless in Amsterdam.Messi passes Pele's goal milestoneLionel Messi drew a rare blank after Argentina was held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia.Despite boasting the likes of Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria in their starting line-up, Argentina were unable to make the breakthrough against a stubborn Saudi defence.Mikkel Diskerud scored a late equalizer as the U.S. grabbed a 2-2 draw in Russia.Fyodor Smolov had given the hosts a ninth minute lead before Michael Bradley's fine effort brought the U.S. level.Roman Shirokov looked to have won the contest with an 84th minute penalty but Diskerud fired home late on to ensure the game finished level.Elsewhere, Portugal was held to a 2-2 draw in Gabon, Uruguay defeated Poland 3-1 and Greece claimed a 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland. | 5sport
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Story highlightsWADA condemns "serious failings" in Rio 2016 drug testingSome days, less than 50% of tests were conducted (CNN)If doping dominated the prelude to the Rio Olympics after the exclusion of a number of Russian athletes, it turns out drug testing protocols undertaken during the Games had "serious failings," according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.So much so that on certain days, less than 50% of planned tests were carried out, with the report claiming out-of-competition targets for testing in the Olympic Village were "rarely met."Follow @cnnsport
WADA criticized the lack of support and training given to the Rio 2016 chaperones, who were tasked with finding and informing the athletes they were required to undertake testing.On several occasions, the report said, attempts to test athletes failed because more than half of the chaperones failed to turn up or arrived very late.IOC seeks to reform anti-doping with 'more robust' WADA Often, other volunteers at venues across the Olympics had to be called on at the last minute in order to fill in for the chaperones, despite having no relevant experience or training.Read More"Chaperones were often provided with little or no whereabouts information for athletes targeted for Out-of-Competition testing in the Athletes Village," the report said. "Therefore, the majority of times had to resort to asking team officials and/or athletes from the same team where the athletes they were looking for were located. "Providing the names of the athletes they were seeking was (at best) highly inefficient and obviously compromised the 'no notice' nature of the testing."'Mission aborted'Due to these problems, the expected daily maximum of 350 urine samples was never collected. The most came on August 11 when 307 samples were collected, otherwise the busiest days fell between 200-250 samples."In addition, when initial attempts to find an athlete in his or her room were unsuccessful, chaperones often lacked the training and/or the confidence to follow up with further inquiries and effort to find the athlete in other locations in the Village (such as the dining hall)," it continued."Ultimately, many athletes targeted for testing in the Athletes Village simply could not be found and the mission had to be aborted."Nonetheless, WADA president Craig Reedie said that he was pleased with some of the report's praise and "one or two significant improvements," but acknowledged the failings of sample collection.Doping: One man's fight against the drug cheats"I'm disappointed in the criticism which is, if you look at the report, restricted almost entirely to the sample collection process," he told CNN's Alex Thomas."The IOC are in charge of all the anti-doping work at their Olympic Games, but they supervise the process and they ask the organizing committee to provide all the people to do all the work."A combination of financial issues and manpower issues meant that the sample collection business was not as efficient as it should have been."Russian doping scandalHeadlines in the lead-up to Rio 2016 were dominated by Russian doping scandals after an independent study, the McLaren Report, revealed state-sponsored doping in the country.Russia avoided a blanket ban from the Olympics, although only 271 of its athletes were cleared to compete. Before the Olympic Games began, Alexander Zhukov, president of the Russian Olympics Committee, told reporters that no team has been drug tested as much as Russia. Earlier this month, Zhukov told Russian President Vladimir Putin he wanted to step down from his role.Read: 271 Russian athletes cleared for Rio GamesThe International Paralympic Committee, however, did impose a blanket ban on Russia.FIFA vs. IOCIn the report, WADA said there were other aspects that it found "surprising." For example, there was no out-of-competition tests conducted at all in football, while there was little or no in-competition blood testing in many high risk sports and disciplines, including weightlifting."I'd like to hear that they (FIFA) were ready to do it and for whatever reason it wasn't done," Reedie said. "Football was spread all around Brazil; it's a very, very big country as you know. "Sometimes it starts even before the Games start and there were logistical problems in Brazil, there's no doubt about that and that's disappointing." Olympics: Brazil beats Germany on penalties to win football gold CNN asked FIFA directly about the lack of out-of-competition testing at Rio 2016 and soccer's governing body said the responsibility of testing at the Olympics is solely with the IOC."Prior to Rio 2016, FIFA conducted unannounced out-of-competition anti-doping controls and collected 57 urine and 57 blood samples," world football's governing body said. "At the Olympic Games, however, the testing authority lies with the IOC."Read: Doping in soccer -- 'The submerged part of the iceberg''Outstanding legacy'In total, 498 fewer tests were carried out than planned and over the course of the Games, 3,237 individual athletes were tested, 28.62% of the total participating.However, the report did praise several members of dedicated staff as "without them, the Games anti-doping program would have almost certainly collapsed."WADA also commended the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory (BDCL), which responded to requirements prompted by the revelations made in the McLaren Report."The BDCL was superbly equipped, operated very securely and generally very efficiently," it said. "And now represents an outstanding legacy from the Games for the anti-doping movement in South America."CNN reached out to the IOC to ask why it, rather than WADA, is responsible for delivering the anti-doping program for the Olympic Games, but is yet to receive a response.Reedie also believes that any organization in charge of anti-doping at Rio 2016 would have struggled to achieve better results than the IOC."In retrospect, I think if anybody else had been in charge of the testing procedure they would have had the same logistical difficulties that appeared in Brazil." | 5sport
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Story highlightsThe number of people at risk is more than twice as high as previously thought, report saysA children's charity says it refers nearly one case a day to police or children's servicesEnglish prosecutors launched their first genital mutilation case this yearUNICEF estimates that 125 million girls and women around the world have been mutilated"All I can remember is being held down and the pain. I think it will haunt me forever," the young girl told counselors. "I try to avoid talking about what happened to me because I think people will judge me, but I'm scared that if I don't tell, it will happen to other girls."What happened to the girl is genital mutilation. She's one of more than two dozen girls to get counseling this year through Britain's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and new figures out Monday suggest what happened to her is part of a much bigger problem in England and Wales. The charity's helpline for female genital mutilation concerns has fielded nearly 300 calls already this year, and referred an average of nearly one case a day to police or children's services, the group said Monday. The society's figures come on the same day that a major new report suggests there are more than twice as many women affected by or at extreme risk of female genital mutilation as previously thought in England and Wales.JUST WATCHEDFighting female genital mutilationReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFighting female genital mutilation 03:26JUST WATCHEDFemale genital cutting victims speak outReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFemale genital cutting victims speak out 03:34The report estimates that 137,000 women are affected or at risk of FGM, as the practice is called.The study is based on a new examination of 2011 United Kingdom census data, an effort to determine how many women and girls have moved to the country from places where the practice of mutilation is common.The last major report on the problem in England and Wales, in 2007, estimated that there were 66,000 women affected in the country and 24,000 at risk. It was based on the 2001 census.There are 29 countries where FGM is practiced, mostly in Africa, according to the report from City University London and the campaign group Equality Now.The report estimates that there are an additional 60,000 girls up to 14 years old whose mothers suffered FGM. And though the report doesn't say so, those girls must be considered to be at risk of it themselves.The British government is trying to fight the problem. It has issued guidelines ordering hospitals and schools to be on the lookout for signs of FGM, such as girls being taken out of school early for summer vacation for extended trips to Africa.Three out of 10 callers to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children helpline were worried about children being taken to Nigeria, and about 16% expressed fears for girls being taken to Somalia.Half the calls to the helpline were from professionals, including teachers and health care workers, the charity said.The charity did not name the girl it cited as it released its figures.The Department of Health has ordered hospitals to report signs of genital mutilation, but the first statistics aren't due until September.And in March, the Crown Prosecution Service launched its first effort to get convictions for FGM -- of a doctor and a person who encouraged the practice. They're due to go on trial on January 13, 2015.Female genital mutilation has been specifically outlawed in England and Wales since 1985.UNICEF estimates that at least 125 million women and girls around the world have been subjected to FGM, the "partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons."As many as 30 million girls under the age of 15 may still be at risk, UNICEF says, although the practice appears to be declining. Mutilations are normally performed by people with no formal medical training, without anesthetics, using crude instruments such as knives, scissors or razor blades, the City University study says.Experts tie it to specific ethnic groups rather than religion or country and say there's a variety of justifications, including diminishing or controlling female sexual desire. 2013 Report: Millions of girls still at risk of female genital mutilationWoman challenges tradition, brings change to her Kenyan village | 3news
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(CNN)It was sent home humbled and in disarray after a heavy defeat by Europe in Paris, but the US Ryder Cup set-up has moved to avenge the loss by appointing Steve Stricker as captain. The 51-year-old, a non-playing vice-captain to Jim Furyk in the 17.5-10.5 defeat at Le Golf National in September, will lead a new-look US side against Europe and its new skipper Padraig Harrington at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin in 2020. Congrats Steve, looking forward to your Wisconsin hospitality and a great match at Whistling Straits @rydercup 2020. @RyderCupEurope @RyderCupUSA @EuropeanTour @PGATOUR— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) February 20, 2019
Stricker appeared in three Ryder Cups as a player, winning at Valhalla in 2008, before losing both in 2010 at Celtic Manor and in 2012 at Medinah. "Truly, it's a dream come true and an honor to represent the PGA," Stricker told a news conference in Milwaukee. "Truly a dream come true, an honour to represent the PGA, the competition itself, truly humbled by this opportunity because I'm very passionate about this competition.Read More"We want to win this more than ever and I'm here to help in any way I can."Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and video.@TigerWoods chimes in on @SteveStricker's captaincy.#GoUSA pic.twitter.com/iPn3eJ0lfA— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) February 20, 2019
The appointment of Stricker, a Wisconsin native, comes as little surprise.The former world No.2 is viewed as a popular figure within the game and well placed to get the best out of close friend Tiger Woods, who was out of sorts in Paris despite having just won the Tour Championship for his first title in five years.One of Stricker's main tasks will be to unite a team that left France under a cloud after claims of discord from Patrick Reed and rumors of a bust-up between Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka.'Overwhelming choice'Stricker, who served as a vice-captain to Davis Love III when the US comfortably beat Europe at Hazeltine in 2016, wasted no time in naming Furyk as his first vice-captain. The 12-time winner on the PGA Tour further boosted his credentials for the role when he captained Team USA to a 19-11 win over Nick Price's international team at the 2017 Presidents Cup in New Jersey. Stricker, the first US captain without a major title, will also act as vice-captain to his Woods at the 2019 Presidents Cup event in Melbourne in December.There's no greater honor for @stevestricker. 🇺🇸#GoUSA pic.twitter.com/JqyGyikcpX— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) February 20, 2019
Speaking to the media ahead of Thursday's World Golf Championship event in Mexico, Woods said of Stricker: "He was the overwhelming choice by all of us on the committee. "All of us felt it was his time, he was deserving, what he has done as a vice-captain in the Ryder Cup and captain in the Presidents Cup has been tremendous and we just thought with his leadership and the way the guys follow Stricks he would be the best captain there is for 2020, and the players were unanimous and want him as their team leader. "Everyone knows he is such a nice guy but beneath that is this fieriness and competitiveness and he is one of the most detail-oriented guys we know of. He'll be understanding and is very good at communicating with the players and getting their opinion but good at putting his foot down when he has to."When the Ryder Cup gets under way on September 25 next year, Stricker will be looking to arrest the US team's losing streak of seven losses in the last nine events.Not since 1959, when the tournament was contested by the US and Great Britain, has the American team regained the trophy at the first time of asking after losing the previous contest.However, a good omen for Stricker is that both of his country's victories since 2000 have come in the US. | 5sport
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(CNN)A new variant of Covid-19 found in Danish mink farms is disrupting the plans of international football teams for their upcoming fixtures, with UK-based footballers, including eight Premier League stars, notably affected.On Saturday, the United Kingdom banned travelers from Denmark due to the outbreak. UK citizens and visa holders will be able to return but will have to quarantine with all members of their household for 14 days."The decision to act quickly follows the release of further information from health authorities in Denmark reporting widespread outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19) in mink farms, with a variant strain of the virus spreading to some local communities," said the UK government in a statement.The new travel guidance has created complications for several international football fixtures, with the Danish national team's matches notably affected.Denmark is set to play at home to Sweden and Iceland in the coming days. Iceland is then due to travel from Denmark to England to play Gareth Southgate's side in the final Nations League group stage match on November 18.Read MoreSince June, around the time the Premier League agreed to return to play, elite athletes have been exempt from Covid-19 travel restrictions imposed by the UK government. However, there will be no exemptions provided to sports stars arriving in the country from Denmark.READ: As coronavirus cases surge, hundreds of footballers jet off thousands of miles round the worldLeicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who played in the Premier League against Wolves on Sunday, is set to miss out for Denmark.The Danish Premier League stars affected include Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel, Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, Everton's Jonas Lossl, Southampton's Jannik Vestergaard and Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, while the impacted Swedish internationals are Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof, Everton's Robin Olsen and Newcastle's Emil Krafth.One Scottish Premier League player -- Rangers defender Filip Helander -- and Watford midfielder Ken Sema, who plays in the Championship, are also affected.However, the Swedish quintet will be available for selection for the other two matches, against Croatia and France, according to Sweden's national team manager Stefan Pettersson.It also means that England's match against Iceland, scheduled to be played at Wembley Stadium next week, is in flux, with Iceland set to face Denmark in Copenhagen this coming Sunday.Danish Football Association (DBU) director Jakob Jensen said in a statement that the new situation is "regrettable and frustrating" and has forced head coach Kasper Hjulmand to call up nine new players."We all have a maximum interest in being responsible to both our own and others' players and coaches," Jensen said. "Safety first. That is why we also work with very detailed UEFA rules, both when we live, travel to and play international matches. "We experience the decision of the English authorities as too strong and far-reaching, as the entire set-up around the national team just minimizes a possible risk. "We are working hard for and hope that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible so that we can play with our strongest national team in the remaining matches."England's match against Iceland at Wembley is also under threat.UEFA, European football's governing body, outlines detailed regulations in its 'Return to Play' protocol -- with regards to certain medical and organizational obligations for venues hosting international fixtures -- but says requirements for players returning to their clubs are determined by domestic football bodies, national associations and the relevant local authorities."UEFA is regular contact with the Danish Football Union, who in turn, are communicating with the relevant local authorities, while the upcoming matches set to be played in Denmark are planned to take place as scheduled," UEFA told CNN in a statement.New regulations approved by UEFA's Executive Committee for the upcoming international fixtures state that any canceled matches will be rescheduled to a date fixed by UEFA, while it also has the authority to move fixtures to a neutral venue.Any match that cannot be rescheduled, the country responsible for the game being canceled will forfeit the match. In the event that the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body find both or neither country responsible, then the match will be decided by drawing of lots.Even if several players test positive for Covid-19, matches will still go ahead as long as teams have 13 players available, including one goalkeeper.Following the international break, Liverpool's Champions League fixture away to Danish club FC Midtjylland on 9 December could potentially also be under threat.The FA and Liverpool did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. | 5sport
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(CNN)The California teen accused of murdering an Italian police officer in Rome had been previously charged over an assault in the United States, according to a source with knowledge of the events following the incident. The source said Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, was charged over a 2016 assault of a high school classmate that resulted in severe injury. The details of the assault and Elder's involvement, which took place on October 29, 2016 in San Francisco, were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle Tuesday.Elder, who was 16 at the time, struck a fellow student and football teammate from the Sacred Heart Preparatory school in San Francisco resulting in the victim hitting his head on the pavement, the source told CNN. It's unclear what, if any, punishment Elder received.Elder, left and Hjorth, right, were arrested in their hotel room in Rome last Friday.Elder and a fellow American Gabriel Natale Hjorth, 18, were arrested last Friday in their room at Rome's Le Méridien Visconti hotel. They are accused by Italian police of killing a Carabinieri officer, Mario Cerciello Rega, earlier that day. Rega, who was unarmed and in plainclothes, was attacked while attempting to recover a backpack allegedly stolen by Elder and Hjorth after a botched drug deal, police say.Read MoreWhile both teens admitted to the assault, according to police, only Elder is accused of stabbing Rega 11 times with a seven-inch knife which officers say he brought from the US to Italy. Hjorth's father said Wednesday his son was "distraught" by what happened but is innocent of the officer's death. Fabrizio Natale told CNN Natale Hjorth did not know Elder was armed and only became aware of what actually happened after his arrest. He said he visited his son in an Italian detention facility on Wednesday morning, describing the encounter as "very emotional" and "very hard.""He's devastated by the Carabinieri's death. And I, for one, as a father painfully feel this family's grief," Natale said.'Put into a coma'The Chronicle reported Wednesday that back in 2016 Elder punched a fellow member of his high school football team at a night-time gathering of students. The San Francisco District Attorney's office would not comment on the case as it involved a minor and the juvenile records are sealed. The San Francisco Police did not immediately comment.Caleb Lagafua, who played on the football team with Elder at the time, told CNN that he was not present that night. But he remembered the fallout from the incident."I remember the kid he punched ... got put into a coma ... and then the parents were pressing charges. The kid didn't come back I think until the last few months of school," he said. Lagafua, who is now attending college in San Francisco, said Elder told him about the incident afterwards.Blindfolding US teen accused of killing officer 'unacceptable,' says prosecutor -- but interrogation is still valid"I remember Finn tried to tell me the whole story. He told me that it wasn't his initial contact that put him in a coma. He said that after he punched him, he fell and he hit his head on the rock."Lagafua said he was friendly with Elder, but tried to keep his distance from his teammate. He remembers Elder getting into fights with teammates during football practice. "It was over stupid stuff," Lagafua said."He was always running with like some bad kids and I didn't want to mess up my future being around that. But I do remember the fight because it happened over a weekend and I just remember I came back to school and everyone was talking about that Finn was in jail ... it was crazy cause I didn't think anything like that would happen at Sacred Heart. I just know that Finn had a lot of anger in him."An image of the knife Elder is alleged to have brought from the US to Italy was displayed prior to a press conference in Rome on Tuesday.Immediately following the incident, the Chronicle published a news story, citing a San Francisco police spokeswoman, reporting that the victim was hospitalized with "life-threatening injuries" and that Elder turned himself in and was booked with juvenile authorities on suspicion of battery involving serious bodily injury.The Elder family had no immediate comment but family spokesman and Finnegan Elder's uncle Sean Elder told the Chronicle that the 2016 incident was part "a mutual pre-agreed upon fight, which many football team members knew about and egged on.""I've known Finn for his entire life and have never seen him be violent, or even lose his temper," Sean Elder told the Chronicle. He added that Finnegan received no disciplinary action from the school. Forensic analysisSlain Italian police officer Mario Cerciello Rega with his wife on his wedding day.Italian investigators were carrying out forensic analysis on their hotel room on Wednesday, Italian police confirmed to CNN.Police images of their arrest show Elder with a partially missing middle finger. His mother Leah Elder told CNN Tuesday that her son fell off a ladder in an industrial accident a few years ago, leaving his left hand partially paralyzed and his finger amputated."He was hospitalized for days while they attempted reattachment surgery of the finger twice and then it didn't take and he had to have amputation surgery," she said.Arrest and court documents do not mention this physical detail. | 3news
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(CNN)The surprise decision to award Brazil hosting rights for the Copa America, South America's biggest international football tournament, with just 12 days until the start date is drawing widespread criticism.Brazil has suffered more than 465,000 Covid-19 deaths -- the second highest death toll in the world -- and there is an ongoing inquiry into President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic.The rapporteur of that inquiry, Brazilian Senator Renan Calheiros, referred to the Copa America as the "Championship of Death" on Tuesday and called on Brazil national team star Neymar to not take part in the tournament."Neymar, do not take the field in this Copa America, while your friends, your relatives, your acquaintances continue to die and the vaccine does not reach our country," Calheiros told Radio Eldorado. "This is not the championship we need to compete in. We have to compete in the vaccination championship. It is in this championship that you need to score goals, so that our score is changed. Read More"On this score [vaccination], we are in the last [few] places. In the 'death championship,' we are in second place, with the second highest number of deaths in the world," he added. "The Brazilian team cannot agree with this. ICUs and cemeteries are full. Under what conditions are we going to celebrate a goal for Brazil?"READ: Brazil's Bolsonaro says he regrets Covid-19 deaths, but aims to host Copa AmericaThe Copa America was scheduled to be co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia, before both were stripped of hosting rights.According to the World Health Organization, 60 million vaccine doses have been administered in Brazil.The 2020 edition of the Copa America was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and was set to be held in both Argentina and Colombia between June 13 and July 10, the first time in tournament history it was to be jointly hosted.However, Colombia was stripped of its co-hosting responsibilities on May 20 following protests across the country that were sparked by a controversial fiscal reform introduced by President Iván Duque, before Argentina followed suit on May 31.CONMEBOL, South America's football confederation, did not specify why the tournament had been removed from Argentina, but the country is suffering from a rise in coronavirus cases, with a seven-day average of more than 30,000 new daily cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Bolsonaro announced that the Copa America will be hosted in Brazil's Federal District and the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso and Goiás and said all four state governors had agreed to host the tournament.FIFPro, the worldwide players' union, says it has "serious concerns" about the Copa America being relocated with such little time to prepare and will support any players that decide it is unsafe to compete."The latest plan to arrange -- at extremely short notice -- for hundreds of footballers to compete in a tournament of such complexity leaves open uncertainty for each and every one of them, and their families," FIFPro said in a statement."As with previous national team competitions during the COVID-19 emergency period, players must be able to prioritize their own and their families' health without the risk of sanctions."The Copa America will be competed for by the 10 South American national teams.Peru head coach Ricardo Gareca, who guided the team to the final in 2019 where it lost to host Brazil, said it seems unfair from a sporting perspective for one country to host back-to-back tournaments."I believe that all of South America is having problems," he told reporters at Peru's pre-match press conference. "I don't believe there is a country in South America that has no problems with the pandemic. "I don't think that the Copa América takes place in the country where it was played previously, not so much because of the pandemic. The pandemic is everywhere."Chile, along with Ecuador and the United States, was one of the countries touted to step in an host the Copa America after Argentina was stripped of hosting responsibilities. The Chilean national team won consecutive Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, but the decision to press ahead with the tournament has not been supported in many areas of the country. Matias Walker, the representative for Chile's fifth district, said Chile should consider not sending a team at all."The Chilean Football Federation, the ANFP, have to seriously evaluate whether or not to expose the national teams, the officials, workers and the directors themselves to travel to a long tournament in a country like Brazil, which at the moment is the epicenter of infections and deaths on the continent," he said. "And which has been an example of government irresponsibility through the Bolsonaro government, where new variants appear every week." | 5sport
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Story highlightsAndy Murray reaches Miami Masters last four with win over Marin CilicMurray can pass Federer as world no. 2 if he wins Miami titleMaria Sharapova reaches fifth Miami final in the women's eventSharapova is aiming for rare Indian Wells and Miami doubleAndy Murray edged closer to taking the world no. 2 spot from Roger Federer as he reached the semi-finals of the Miami Masters in Florida.Victory in this week's Key Biscayne tournament will lift the British U.S. Open champion above the Swiss 17-time grand slam winner in the 2013 global rankings.Murray reached the last four with a 6-4 6-3 win over Croatian Marin Cilic that was fought out in hot conditions."I thought it was a pretty good match," said Murray -- who won the Miami title in 2009 but lost last season's final to world no. 1 Novak Djokovic -- on court after the match."Every time I was broken, I broke back straight away. I hit the ball well and used good variation. It was hot today, there were some long points. It was a tough match and I'm glad I came through it in the end in two sets."Murray, who began his professional career in 2003 ranked no. 779 in the world, last held the no.2 spot for three weeks in 2009.World ranking is important as it helps decide a player's seeding and their place in the draw for the second grand slam of the year, the French Open which begins on 26 May.But Murray insisted after his victory over Cilic that regaining the no.2 ranking was not his main priority.JUST WATCHEDIvan Lendl on managing Andy Murray ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIvan Lendl on managing Andy Murray 00:57JUST WATCHEDAndy Murray's summer of successReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAndy Murray's summer of success 07:13"Winning matches is my goal, by doing that the rankings take care of themselves," said the 25-year-old Scot."I could add extra tournaments to my schedule to try and get to no. 2 but I want to stick to the schedule that I've got and hopefully move up the rankings if I can."Murray will now face either Frenchman Richard Gasquet or Czech fourth seed Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals.Federer -- the man Murray is hoping to eclipse in the world rankings -- as well as Spanish star Rafael Nadal, who won the Indian Wells title on his comeback from injury, have both chosen not to play at the Miami Masters. Defending champion Djokovic was knocked out in the fourth round by Tommy Haas as the German became just the second player to defeat the Serbian in an ATP Tour event.In the women's event, Maria Sharapova stayed on course for her first Miami title as she swept aside Jelena Jankovic to reach the final.The Russian, who moved to Miami as a child, took just over an hour to see off the Serbian former world number one 6-2 6-1 at the Key Biscayne tournamentIt was the 11th straight win for Sharapova, who picked up her first title of 2013 at Indian Wells earlier this month by defeating Dane Caroline Wozniacki.Not only is Sharapova trying to capture her first title in Miami, she also wants to follow German Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters of Belgium as only the third player in the women's game to win both major march events at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.The effort to win two back-to-back hard-court tournaments is huge but Sharapova proved against Jankovic that she can raise her game when it counts.JUST WATCHEDMaria Sharapova's greatest hits ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMaria Sharapova's greatest hits 05:02"I thought I needed to step it up a lot from my last match," the 25-year-old, who battled into the semi-finals with a narrow win over Italian Sara Errani, told reporters. "I had a very tough opponent and I had to play much better. I was very happy at the way I was able to focus."Winning a title whether it is here or Indian Wells is a great achievement on its own but [both] would be nice."There is still one hurdle to face, however. The four time grand slam champion has been in the Florida final four times, losing on each occasion.This time she will face either U.S. world No. 1 Serena Williams or Polish defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska for the coveted crown.Radwanska ended Sharapova's Miami hopes last season while the Russian has also lost to Victoria Azarenka (2011), Svetlana Kuznetsova (2006) and Clijsters (2005). | 5sport
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(CNN Business)Facebook and YouTube said Wednesday that they removed uploads of a deepfake video of Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky that purported to show him yielding to Russia.The deepfake spread widely online Wednesday, as noticed earlier by Vice's Motherboard. In the video, which CNN Business has reviewed, Zelensky appears to stand behind a presidential podium and in front of a backdrop, both of which feature the Ukranian coat of arms. Wearing a green shirt, Zelensky speaks in Ukranian, appearing to tell Ukranians to put down their weapons in the weeks-old war against Russia.Deepfakes — which combine the terms "deep learning" and "fake" — are persuasive-looking but false video and audio files. Made using cutting-edge and relatively accessible AI technology, they aim to show a real person doing or saying something they did not. Experts have long been concerned that, as they improve, they would be used to spread misinformation.In a series of posts on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, Meta's head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, wrote that the company spotted and removed the video earlier that day. "We've quickly reviewed and removed this video for violating our policy against misleading manipulated media, and notified our peers at other platforms," he wrote.YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi said the video and reuploads of it have been removed from the platform because it violates the company's misinformation policies. "We do allow this video if it provides sufficient education, documentary, scientific or artistic context," Choi said in a statement.Read MoreA Twitter spokesperson said the company is tracking how the video is shared across the social network, and has taken "enforcement action" in cases where it violates company rules (such as its synthetic and manipulated media policy, which forbids users from sharing altered content that may confuse people or lead to harm; in some cases, Twitter may label tweets containing misleading media to give users more context).How a deepfake Tom Cruise on TikTok turned into a very real AI companyWhile the video doesn't look tremendously doctored, there are some telltale signs that the video is not what it appears to be. And Zelensky himself appeared in a video posted to an official Ukraine defense account on Twitter, saying he is continuing to defend Ukraine and refusing to lay down weapons against Russia. Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and digital forensics expert, pointed out several of the obvious signs that the video is a deepfake. First, it's a low-quality, low-resolution recording; this is a common trick to hide the distortions created when making a deepfake, as our brains tend to be more forgiving of glitches in low-quality videos. Second, the Zelensky in the video looks straight ahead without moving his arms throughout the clip — it's very tricky to make a convincing deepfake that includes head motions and hands moving in front of the face. Third, there are little visual inconsistencies in the video, he pointed out, that occur during the process of making a deepfake, which is created a single frame at a time. Though Zelensky's voice is harder for Farid to comment on, in part because he doesn't speak Ukranian, he said it sounds a bit off to him.The video comes weeks after the official Facebook account for Ukraine Land Forces posted a warning that such videos of Zelensky may appear. "Be aware - this is a fake!" the account wrote, soon adding, "Rest assured - Ukraine will not capitulate!" That warning was accompanied by an image that appeared to show Zelensky in a similar shirt as what appeared in the deepfake video, in front of the same backdrop and behind the same podium.As of Wednesday afternoon, the video could still be found online, such as in some posts CNN Business spotted on Twitter and YouTube in which users made clear that it was a deepfake.While Farid doesn't think the video fooled people, he thinks it "muddies the information waters," making it harder for anyone to trust what they see."Casting doubt on what you see and hear and read is a very powerful weapon in the information war and deepfakes are now playing a role in that," Farid said. | 0business
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(CNN)UK school students will now receive the grades their teachers predicted for them in their critically-important A-level and GCSE exams, after regulators announced a dramatic U-turn following a national controversy and protests over exam results.English, Welsh and Northern Irish regulators said Monday that A-levels, which determine university entrance and are usually taken by 18-year-olds, would no longer be determined by a controversial algorithm.After the exams were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, students were instead graded based on an algorithm -- the results of which were announced last Thursday. This saw close to 40% of students' A-level grades in England downgraded from those predicted by their teachers, according to the Office for Qualifications and Exam Regulation (Ofqual). More than 200,000 results were downgraded, changing the futures of tens of thousands of students who needed set grades to get into university.Read MoreMany students lost out on places at their chosen universities because they were not given the grades they were predicted. Campaigners say that the downgrading disproportionately affected students from more disadvantaged and diverse schools.The widespread downgrading left young people heartbroken and sparked mass protests, with students seen burning their results in London's Parliament Square.UK students protest against A-level exam results being decided by an algorithm, after their exams were canceled because of coronavirus.In an interview after the U-turn was announced on Monday afternoon, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was "incredibly sorry for all those students who have been through this."Williamson said the government had tried to "ensure that we have the fairest possible system," but that there were "unfairnesses" in the way the grades were allocated. "Over the weekend it became clearer to me that there were a ... number of students who were getting grades that frankly they shouldn't have been getting," he said, adding that it was "apparent that action needed to be taken.""We understand this has been a distressing time for students, who were awarded exam results last week for exams they never took," said Roger Taylor, Chair of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), in a statement."The pandemic has created circumstances no one could have ever imagined or wished for," Taylor said. "We want to now take steps to remove as much stress and uncertainty for young people as possible -- and to free up heads and teachers to work towards the important task of getting all schools open in two weeks.""After reflection, we have decided that the best way to do this is to award grades on the basis of what teachers submitted," he added.Center assessment grades (those predicted by students' schools) will now be used for final-year A-level students, and for GCSE results that younger (usually 16-year-old) students will receive later this week.Students hold placards at a protest outside the Department for Education in London, the day after the A-level results were announced.Taylor said that Ofqual had been asked by the government to develop a system for awarding grades that maintained standards, but recognized "that it has also caused real anguish and damaged public confidence."Thomas Chandler, from Richmond in North Yorkshire, was predicted three A*s by his teachers. He needed an A* in English or German to get into Cambridge University to study Classics, but both were downgraded to As and he was rejected. "It's incredibly frustrating and upsetting," he told CNN. "It could quite negatively impact my mental health. Financially, obviously it's also very hard."He said the way the UK government had handled the situation had been "atrocious."A document released by Ofqual showed that 40% of students received results one or two grades lower than their advance grades, according to the non-profit Good Law Project; 3.5% of A-level results -- more than 30,000 -- were reduced by two or more grades.U-turn too late for some?Ofqual initially said that students would be able to appeal their results for free, before saying on Sunday that the new criteria would need to be reviewed. This was followed by the about-turn on Monday. But for many students, it may already be too late.Gemma Abbott, the Good Law Project's legal director, told CNN: "On the face of it, reverting to center assessment grades is the fairest way to deal with the situation we are now in. It's not perfect, but it is significantly better than the Ofqual algorithm.More than 200,000 predicted grades were reduced by a controversial algorithm, throwing students' futures into doubt."There are ramifications to the government's incompetence and prevarications that cannot be undone, however: In particular, it seems likely that some university places will have to be deferred until next year due to issues of space. And I don't think the young people affected by this will easily forgive -- or forget -- the government's willingness to sacrifice their hopes and dreams in pursuit of the much less important goal of minimizing grade inflation.""This is a cohort of young people who have had unprecedented disruption to their education. So they've already been in a really difficult situation," she added.Boris Johnson may be taught a cruel lesson by coronavirus in bid to reopen schoolsThe Good Law Project, which launched legal action against Ofqual on behalf of six students, said the reductions affected students from disadvantaged and diverse schools to a much greater extent. Some institutions saw 80% of their students downgraded. Conversely, fee-paying schools saw an overall increase in the number of their students achieving the top grades -- by some 4.7% from 2019.The Good Law Project said this appeared to be due to the fact that students in larger classes were allocated grades almost exclusively based on patterns of attainment at their institution in previous years. Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, tweeted on Monday: "The Government has had months to sort out exams and has now been forced into a screeching U-turn after days of confusion."This is a victory for the thousands of young people who have powerfully made their voices heard this past week."A-level students at Newham Collegiate Sixth Form in east London queue to receive their exam results on August 13, 2020. Schools across Europe have faced similar challenges. France canceled its final baccalaureate exams and said grades would be awarded on the basis of the student's average grades from their first and second trimester. It then announced 10,000 extra university places to accommodate the higher number of pass grades.In the Netherlands, the education minister announced in June that final central exams were also canceled. Students were awarded grades based on their school exams, which they had until June to complete, with resits taking place after that. Newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported that a third of secondary schools awarded all exam candidates a diploma this year, at least five times more than normal, which was attributed to extra study time and more resits. A spokeswoman for schools' representative body VO-raad said: "This group of students had to take school exams under unexpected and difficult circumstances."In Italy, high school students took oral instead of written final exams, with social distancing and mask-wearing enforced, except during questioning.International Baccalaureate examinations were also canceled, and the governing body confirmed Monday that no student would receive a grade lower than ones they had been predicted.Additional reporting by Lauren Kent. | 3news
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Story highlightsPolish striker hits the fastest hat-trick, four- and five-goal haul in German football historyOnly a handful of players around Europe have managed to score five or more in a game (CNN)Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has entered the record books with the quickest hat-trick in Bundesliga history. Then he set the record for the fastest four goals. Then five. Giving new meaning to the term "super sub", the striker, who came on as a second-half replacement Tuesday for Juan Bernat, enjoyed a stunning nine-minute period, scoring a dazzling array of goals, from a first, easy tap-in, a sublime long-range second and a fraught, rebound-happy third to end with two stunning finishes as his confidence burgeoned. Follow @cnnsport
The Polish international more than doubled his goals tally for the season, from four to nine during the period from the 51st to 60th minutes. Hapless VfL Wolfsburg, which had enjoyed a rare advantage against Bayern at the Allianz Arena, was floored by "Lewy's" rapid onslaught and, despite being a goal up when the 27-year-old was introduced, ended up 5-1 losers. READ MORE: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million to help refugees"That was madness!" Lewandowski said after the match. "Five goals -- unbelievable! I'm very, very pleased. It's a massive evening for me."pic.twitter.com/8HQbpiLuBS— Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) September 22, 2015
He was presented with the match ball, signed by his teammates, after the game.His coach, Pep Guardiola, said that he was "delighted" for the player, and his expression as the fifth went in said it all. Teammate Jerome Boateng also lavished praise on the striker, saying that Lewandowski was "one of the best forwards in the world. I'm just glad he's on my team."Read MoreAs the BBC wryly noted, the Pole scored more goals in nine minutes than Liverpool have all season, also observing that his tally during the nine-minute blitz outdoes Wayne Rooney's for the entirety of 2015.Amazing what can be done in just 9 minutes. ⚽ ⚽ ⚽ ⚽ ⚽ pic.twitter.com/PcaxxMCNNh— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) September 23, 2015
How does Lewandowki's achievement stack up against European footballing history? READ MORE: Is the football transfer fee about to be consigned to history?ScotlandJimmy McGrory, who scored 550 goals from just 547 competitive appearances -- a feat which only six players have bettered -- knocked in eight for Celtic against Dunfermline in a 9-0 win back in 1928. It was also in that season that he set an as-yet unbeaten record with 63 goals in a single season. SpainTwo players, Athletic Bilbao's Agustin Sauto Arana and Barcelona's Laszlo Kubala, have each scored seven in Spain's top division. Arana, known universally as "Bata," scored his seven against Barca in a 12-1 win back in 1931 -- and famously said his ability was down to being able to "know where to place the ball where the goalkeeper wasn't."Kubala exacted some form of redemption for the Catalans in 1952 by scoring seven in a 9-0 win against Sporting Gijon. Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsBarcelona star Lionel Messi had quite a season ...Hide Caption 1 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsCristiano Ronaldo finished the season as La Liga's top goalscorer but it was Messi who had the last laugh, leading Barcelona to the Spanish league and cup double and a European Champions League triumph.Hide Caption 2 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 30, 2015 – Messi celebrates his stunning opening goal in the 3-1 Copa del Rey final victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Argentine grabbed a second later in the game.Hide Caption 3 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 23, 2015 – Ronaldo scores a first-half hat-trick in Real Madrid's 7-3 win against Getafe, meaning he wins the La Liga goal race by 48-43 over Lionel Messi.Hide Caption 4 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 23, 2015 – Messi scores his second goal in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Deportivo La Coruna, taking his season tally to 56.Hide Caption 5 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 17, 2015 – Messi's 55th goal of the season -- the Argentine finished off a typically intricate team move -- gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid to ensure the Catalan side won its 23rd La Liga crown.Hide Caption 6 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 17, 2015 – Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 win at Espanyol, but his trio of goals must have come with a bittersweet feeling given Barca's title triumph.Hide Caption 7 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 13, 2015 – Ronaldo fires his 55th goal this season, scoring Real Madrid's opener from the penalty spot against Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal. He joined Messi on a leading 10 goals in the competition, but Real exited 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw.Hide Caption 8 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 6, 2015 – Messi puts in a virtuoso display, scoring twice as Barcelona crushes Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. The Argentine now has a record 77 goals in the competition.Hide Caption 9 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 5, 2015 – Ronaldo netted his 54th goal of the season in his side's 2-1 first-leg defeat by Juventus in the Champions League semifinals. It took his overall tally Europe's top club competition to 76.Hide Caption 10 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 2, 2015 – Ronaldo quickly reclaimed his scoring supremacy with a hat-trick in the 3-2 win at Sevilla which kept Real Madrid in the title race. It took Ronaldo to 42 goals in La Liga and 53 in all competitions. Hide Caption 11 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMay 2, 2015 – Messi earlier moved ahead of Ronaldo with two goals at Cordoba, giving the Argentine a 51-50 advantage in their duel. Luis Suarez (R) also scored a hat-trick in his side's 8-0 romp against La Liga's bottom team.Hide Caption 12 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 28, 2015 – Messi took his tally for the month of April to six with a double against Getafe as Barcelona triumphed 6-0 to stay top of the league. Hide Caption 13 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 25, 2015 – Messi scores his 47th goal this season as Barcelona extends its league lead to five points with a 2-0 win in the Catalan derby at Espanyol.Hide Caption 14 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 18, 2015 – Messi scores in the final minute to double Barcelona's lead in a 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia. It was his 400th goal in the Catalan club's colors.Hide Caption 15 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 18, 2015 – Ronaldo also had to wait until the last minute to find the target as Real Madrid beat Malaga 3-1 in La Liga. It was his 50th goal this term.Hide Caption 16 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 11, 2015 – Messi scores Barcelona's opening goal of the 2-2 draw at Sevilla. He now has 35 goals in La Liga this season and 46 overall.Hide Caption 17 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 11, 2015 – Ronaldo blasts Real Madrid's opening goal from a free-kick in the preceding 3-0 win at home to Eibar -- his 38th in La Liga this season at the time.Hide Caption 18 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 8, 2015 – 300 and counting. Ronaldo scores his 300th goal for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano. It took him just 288 matches to reach that mark, and was his 37th in La Liga this season.Hide Caption 19 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 8, 2015 – Messi celebrates his 33rd La Liga goal of the season in typical style as it puts Barcelona on its way to a 4-0 win over Almeria.Hide Caption 20 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsApril 5, 2015 – Ronaldo grabbed a first-half hat-trick against Granada and went on to net five times in a 9-1 demolition job by Real.Hide Caption 21 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMarch 22, 2015 – Ronaldo equalizes for Real in the Clasico at Camp Nou. Messi didn't find the net that day, but Barca won 2-1 to steal a march in the title race. Hide Caption 22 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsMarch 8, 2015 – Messi was surrounded by Rayo Vallecano players in this La Liga match, but still managed the 32nd hat-trick of his career as Barca romped to a 6-1 win.Hide Caption 23 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsFebruary 15, 2015 – Messi's treble against Levante was part of the Argentine's seven-goal month, helping him draw level with Ronaldo on 38 for the season.Hide Caption 24 of 25 Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goalsJanuary 18, 2015 – Ronaldo retained his Ballon d'Or award in the first month of the year, but Messi outscored him 8-4 thanks to this hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna.Hide Caption 25 of 25Currently, of course, rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are lighting up La Liga; earlier this month Real Madrid's Ronaldo surpassed previous club record goalscorer Raul with a five-goal haul against Espanyol. Messi, of fierce rivals Barcelona, has scored four goals in a single game three times. READ MORE: Is "unlikable" Cristiano Ronaldo taking sheen off Ballon d'OrEngland Former gas inspector Ted Drake knocked in seven for Arsenal in a 7-1 win over Aston Villa in 1935, setting the English top flight record. Four other English league players -- including another three Englishmen -- have scored five. Andy Cole (for Manchester United against Ipswich), Alan Shearer (Newcastle United vs. Sheffield Wednesday), Jermain Defoe (Spurs vs. Wigan Athletic) and Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United vs. Blackburn Rovers) have all netted five times in a single league game. READ MORE: Wayne Rooney: England's greatest striker?Germany"Der Bomber," Gerd Muller (L) scores the second goal for West Germany despite being pressured by Dutch defender Rudi Krol, on the 7th July 1974 in Munich, during the World Cup final. West Germany defeated the Netherlands 2-1. Dieter Muller scored six for FC Koln against Werder Bremen in a 7-2 win in 1977, a record that still stands. He said that he "had a fire in his belly that day," and that he could have scored even more. Clearly, when footballers in Germany get started there is little stopping them, as there are thirteen other players with five, including Gerd Muller, who has knocked five in an astounding four times. Lewandowski, in addition to being the fastest to five goals, is also the only substitute in Bundesliga history to score that many. European competitionAnd feats of individual brilliance aren't just limited to domestic games, and indeed sometimes European mismatches can lead to players filling their boots. Mascarenhas of Sporting Clube de Portugal (also known as Sporting Lisbon) scored six in a 16-1 win over Apoel FC in a UEFA Cup Winners Cup first round match on November 13, 1963 -- a record for an individual in European competition. | 5sport
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(CNN)Europe is preparing for a Christmas season like no other, as governments desperately try to thread the needle between preserving public health and allowing families to gather for traditional celebrations at the end of a tough year. Countries across the continent are taking varied approaches, even as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in some nations.Here's what European nations are planning this festive season. AustriaAustria is opening ski resorts with limited capacity from Christmas Eve, for locals only. The country's chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on December 2 that skiing could resume from December 24, for the festive period -- but only for people living close to the slopes.Read MoreKurz said skiing, at least for the day, would be possible "for a large part of our population." But he added that lift capacity would be limited and hotels and accommodation providers would remain shut until January 7.Restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs will also remain closed until January 7, according to Kurz, allowing for the possibility that if infection rates drop, the government may loosen restrictions.But the limited relaxation of rules for locals has been accompanied by new quarantine requirements for travelers, which were unveiled by the government at the beginning of December. Snow cannons blow snow on the hills in the Abtenau ski resort on December 1.''Tourist travel is currently de facto not possible in Austria, in light of the measures against the coronavirus," the government statement said.The new rules mean that until January 10, all arrivals in Austria from a country with more than 100 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the previous two weeks will have to quarantine for 10 days. This period can be shortened if visitors test negative after five days in isolation.(As of December 3)BelgiumBelgium has allowed nonessential shops to reopen from December 1. Museums and swimming pools are also allowed to open, in accordance with their industry protocols.But the country will continue to require people to comply with social distancing protocols over the festive break. "During the Christmas period, social contact rules will continue to apply," Belgium's Consultative Committee said in a statement on November 30.People living alone will be allowed to be with two other people, maximum, "on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, to protect their psychosocial well-being," the committee said. "For meetings outside, the rule of four continues to apply."A general ban on large gatherings remains in place, as does a curfew between midnight and 5 a.m.Travelers will also be required to quarantine. "Persons who have spent more than 48 hours abroad and who will remain in Belgium for more than 48 hours will be subject to stricter controls," the committee said on November 30. These measures will apply until 15 January 2021. "At the beginning of January, the situation will be reassessed, based on the medical indicators, to see whether and for which industries a transition to the management phase ... is possible," the committee said.(As of November 30)BulgariaThe Bulgarian government has extended the closure of nightclubs, casinos, restaurants and sports halls nationwide until at least the end of January.A ban remains in place on events, conferences and visiting most retail shopping malls, except for businesses providing services such as banks, pharmacies, grocery stores and telecommunications companies. From January 1, theaters, museums, galleries and cinemas can reopen, at 30% capacity.Kindergartens, nurseries and classrooms for students from first to fourth grade will open after the holidays on January 4.Dining areas in hotels will operate a shift system for breakfast, lunch and dinner, at no more than 50% of seating capacity and with a closing time of no later than 10 p.m. On December 17, the country's Ministry of Health reported 1,959 new Covid-19 cases. (As of December 17)CroatiaCroatia is still considering the measures for its Christmas period, but Health Minister Vili Beros said on December 12 that "he did not believe a strict lockdown would be imposed." Beros noted that though a possible travel ban between countries was being discussed, it was unlikely to be introduced, according to Croatia's Public News Agency HIRA.Meanwhile, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, who is the head of the national Covid-19 response team, has called on Croatians to avoid visiting friends and relatives over the holiday period. All secondary schools in Croatia have switched to online classes. After a spike in cases, Croatia announced new restrictions, which include "locking down cafes and restaurants, and a ban on wedding parties, fairs and most sports events." These restrictions will be in place from November 28 to December 21.(As of December 12)CyprusIn Cyprus, the hospitality sector -- bars, restaurants and cafes -- will be shut until the end of the year. The stricter measures were announced by Cypriot Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou during the first week of December. High school students have also switched from in-person classes to online ones. Cyprus is also banning church attendance over Christmas. A 9 p.m. curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in houses remain in place. Retail and department stores can, however, remain open -- under strict rules.(As of December 14) Czech RepublicThe lower house of the Czech parliament has extended the country's state of emergency to December 23 -- one day before Christmas Eve, which is traditionally the main day of celebrations in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic has seen a surge in cases in recent months.Its state of emergency was originally scheduled to end on December 12. The government had sought an extension until January 11, arguing it was a necessary step to control the spread of the coronavirus.(As of December 9)A man enjoys a beer at a bar in Prague on December 3. DenmarkDenmark will enter a national lockdown over the Christmas period, after the country recorded its highest number of new coronavirus infections since the pandemic hit.From December 25, all stores, except those that sell food and medicine, will be closed. Hospitality venues will be closed except for takeout. Shopping centers will be closed across the country from December 17 and businesses such as hair salons will close on December 21. The lockdown will last until January 3.Hospitals will postpone all non-critical treatments for three weeks starting December 21, to prepare for a potential increase in cases.Officials have recommended that people keep to a maximum of 10 people in private homes and a maximum of 10 social contacts during the Christmas period and on New Year's Eve. People in Denmark are allowed to see their closest family members on Christmas Eve, and these family members will not be included in the 10 social contacts. Communal eating at social care institutions will be allowed for up to 50 people, in groups of no more than 10, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Religious communities will be able to host services conforming with health and safety requirements. (As of December 16)EstoniaEstonia has recommended canceling "all joint events," including Christmas parties, as part of new coronavirus measures that took effect from November 12, according to a government statement on November 10. "Celebrating Christmas with family is, of course, allowed," the statement added, noting that the cancellation recommendations apply to all events attended by people who do not come into daily contact. The Estonian measures also include the mandatory wearing of face coverings in all public places, and a recommendation for all employees to work remotely, if possible.Since November 16, the operating hours of bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues in Estonia have been reduced. All such venues must close at midnight and can have a maximum of 10 people per group.(As of November 10)FinlandFinland's restrictions are set at a regional level, as opposed to a national one. The number of participants at public events can be limited to 10 people and if necessary, events can prohibited altogether. Restrictions for restaurants and cafes are separated into three levels, depending on the region, and remain in force until February 28, 2021. Regions regarded as "stable" in terms of coronavirus transmission must stop serving alcoholic beverages by midnight.Lapland faces harder restrictions than much of the country. Businesses there must stop serving alcoholic beverages by 10 p.m. and those that primarily serve alcohol must close by 11 p.m., while other food and beverage service businesses may remain open until midnight at the latest. Pubs, bars and nightclubs in Lapland are only permitted half the normal number of customers in their premises at a time.(As of December 14) FranceThe French government on December 3 recommended that Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings be limited to a maximum of six adults -- with no limit on children -- due to the pandemic.An easing of coronavirus restrictions in France scheduled for December 15 was delayed in light of new infection figures, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on December 3. Cultural venues including theaters, museums, and cinemas had been due to reopen on December 15, but they will remain closed for three additional weeks, Castex said.France's curfew -- initially set from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. -- was extended from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Castex added. An exception to the curfew will be made on Christmas Eve, but not on New Year's Eve. However, French citizens will no longer need administrative certificates to leave their homes, as of December 15, Castex said. Citizens will also be allowed to travel to other regions. Restaurants and cafés are scheduled to reopen on January 20, 2021.(As of December 10)GermanyAs of December 16, all non-essential shops, services and schools across Germany will close until January 10, 2021. Christmas Day gatherings in the country will be reduced from 10 people to only five from two different households.The restrictions come as Germany grapples with a surge in cases.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on December 13 that "the philosophy is to stay at home." Christmas church services will be subject to prior registration, and no singing will be allowed. Alcohol will also be banned from all public spaces, and the annual New Years' Eve fireworks display will be canceled. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has pledged economic help for all businesses affected by the lockdown. Shoppers crowd under Christmas lights in Berlin on December 15.Some states are also implementing additional measures -- Bavaria, for example, will have a 9 p.m. curfew. Merkel has said she wants to implement a full lockdown for as long as two weeks after Christmas, to bring down infection numbers.Berlin Mayor Michael Müller has said the German capital is set to implement "significant restrictions" in the run up to Christmas, to curb the spread of cases. In Berlin, the Senate has closed schools and shops until January 10, 2021, and school vacations which are due to start on December 21 will be extended until January 10, with students having the option of attending online classes from January 4. Müller added that retail shops could close as early as December 20, or at the very latest December 23.(As of December 13)GreeceGreece is extending most of its Covid-19 restrictions through the Christmas holiday period, government spokesman Stelios Petsas announced earlier this month. Schools, restaurants and bars, entertainment venues, skiing centers and courts will remain shut until January 7, 2021. A night-time curfew and a ban on movement between regions will also remain in place until then.Petsas said that anyone entering Greece from abroad between December 18 and January 7 will have to quarantine for three days as a precaution, in addition to an already compulsory negative PCR test. Retail stores will operate under the "click-away" method, which allows customers to collect goods from shop entrance. Shopping inside most stores is not allowed. Seasonal shops, bookstores and hair salons will, however, be open throughout the Christmas period.(As of December 15)IrelandThe Irish government announced an easing of restrictions in November, following a six-week national lockdown. From December 1, once-shuttered businesses such as hairdressers and nonessential retail outlets were allowed to reopen their doors. And December 3 saw the return of indoor dining in restaurants and gastropubs across the country. From December 18 to January 6, travel between counties will be permitted once more, in order to facilitate Christmas celebrations. Pedestrians walk along a busy shopping street in Dublin on December 1During this period a household may mix with two other households.But despite the relaxed restrictions, fears of streets thronged with Christmas shoppers have prompted the Irish government to recommend the use of face masks in "crowded outdoor spaces where there is significant congregation."(As of November 28)ItalyItaly has banned movement between regions during the Christmas holidays, to contain the spread of the coronavirus. From December 21 to January 6, 2021, people will only be allowed to move from one region to another for work, health reasons and emergencies, according to a decree which came into force on December 3. During this period, people will not be permitted to travel to their vacation homes. On Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, movement between municipalities will be banned, with exceptions for work, health reasons and emergencies. People will also be allowed to return to their place of residence.Between December 24 and December 27, and on December 31, January 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the entire country will be declared a virus "red zone," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on December 18.This means residents can only leave their houses for health or work reasons or to cover essential needs (such as exercise or grocery shopping). Between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. residents can also go out to visit a maximum of two non-household family members. Households can host two extra family members on Christmas Eve, plus children under 14 years old and disabled persons. "We have thought of this measure to allow that minimum level of companionship that usually suits this period," Conte said in a press conference.Churches must close by 10 p.m., which rules out the traditional midnight Mass for millions of Italian Catholics. Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the Health Ministry, said on December 3 that the Christmas Eve Mass must end around 8:30 p.m. "so that worshippers can return home before the 10 p.m. curfew."On these days, all shops, bars and restaurants will be closed except for delivery and takeout.On December 28-30 and January 4, the country's risk level will be lowered to an "orange zone" and residents will be allowed to travel within their towns, but not toward big cities. A curfew will still be in place between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.In this period, shops may open until 9 p.m. but bars and restaurants will have to remain closed. The Prime Minister said approximately €645 million ($790 million) will be set aside to support the catering industry. Conte also said other activities hit by these measures will be eligible to access government funds.(As of December 18)LatviaLatvia declared an emergency situation from November 9, 2020, until January 11, 2021. Public events in the country are canceled and prohibited. And until January 11, the operation of all cultural sites, including Christmas markets, is banned.However, museums remain open to visitors. Private events are also banned, except those within a single household. Economic services related to entertainment and well-being -- such as bars and nightclubs -- are also banned from opening; restaurants are only allowed to provide takeout meals. On weekends and public holidays only pharmacies, service stations and shops selling foodstuffs (except for alcohol) are allowed to operate.People in Latvia are permitted to visit those who live alone and need care. (As of December 14)LithuaniaLithuania has banned travel between municipalities from December 16 until January 3 to deter people from visiting relatives and friends over the holidays. People are still allowed to travel for work, for health reasons and to attend funerals.Lithuania will set up roadblocks to stop Christmas travel, the health ministry press office told CNN. Police will set up 250 barriers nationwide and will patrol some checkpoints to enforce the Covid-19 holiday travel ban.The checkpoints will be in place over the weekend of December 19-20 and again in the days surrounding Christmas and New Year. On other days, control will be carried out on a mobile basis. Similar restrictions were in place last Easter, police said. The government ordered the closure of nonessential stores and hair salons from December 16 and told citizens to stay at home. Bars and restaurants have been closed for more than a month. (As of December 16)LuxembourgThe maximum number of visitors people can welcome into their homes in Luxembourg is two. The country has also banned people from going out in public between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Establishments serving food and drinks are closed to the public and any gathering exceeding 100 people is banned.With the exception of museums, art centers, libraries and national archives, cultural institutions are closed to the public. Places of worship are allowed to remain open, but visitors must respect social distancing rules and wear masks. These measures came into effect on November 26 and will remain in place until January 15.(As of December 15)NetherlandsThe Dutch government is dramatically escalating its lockdown to address rising coronavirus infections, according to national broadcaster NOS. The government has mandated the closure of all nonessential stores, schools, hairdressers, museums, and theaters from December 15 until January 19, 2021, NOS reported, citing government sources. Restaurants are closed for everything but take out. Meanwhile, household visits are limited to a maximum of three guests, regardless of whether they take place indoors or outdoors. Children up to 12 are exempt from that cap. (As of December 14)PolandPoland will enter a national lockdown from December 28 to January 17, with the closure of hotels, ski slopes and shopping malls as well as a New Year's Eve curfew, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski announced on Thursday.On New Year's Eve, residents are instructed to "stay at home" and avoid gathering with anyone outside their household.Movement will be prohibited throughout the country from 7 p.m. on December 31 until 6 a.m. on January 1, with the exception of necessary official activities.A 10-day quarantine will be required for those returning to the country by public transportation."Interrupting Covid-19 transmission is the only effective way to win the fight against coronavirus. The Covid-19 vaccine will make it possible. Before we start the vaccination process, however, we must be especially careful and responsible," Niedzielski said.Cultural institutions -- including theaters, cinemas, museums, art galleries and cultural centers, which have all been closed since November 7 -- will remain closed until January 17.Churches can allow in a maximum of one person per 15 square meters of space.Anyone attending an outdoor event should maintain a distance of 1.5 meters (5 feet) and cover their nose and mouth.Grocery stores, hotels, shops selling books and newspapers, pharmacies and free-standing large-format furniture stores will operate with limited function.Restaurants can continue to offer takeaway and delivery services only.Public gatherings in Poland are limited to five people; participants must cover their nose and mouth, and maintain a distance of 1.5 meters from each other.Weddings, communions and parties are banned. Gyms and fitness clubs remain closed.(As of December 17)PortugalOn December 5, Portugal extended its state of emergency and coronavirus restrictions until December 23, but it did announce the relaxation of some rules for Christmas.Between December 23 and 26, the country's internal travel ban will be lifted and the mandatory curfews of 11 p.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends will be extended. Restaurants may also stay open later; until 3.30 p.m. instead of 1 p.m. at lunchtime, and 1 a.m. instead of 10 p.m. at night. However, Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa has said that the plan to ease restrictions over the holidays will be reviewed on December 18, and will only go forward "if the current downward trend in cases" continues. Portugal's internal travel ban will be reinstated over New Year, meaning public parties will be forbidden and public gatherings will be limited to six people, the government has said.(As of December 5)RomaniaRomania announced additional coronavirus restrictions that will remain in place for 30 days from December 14; they include a ban on parties, and a night time curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. Authorities recommend that citizens limit indoor gatherings during the festive period to close family and friends that they would normally see on a daily basis while maintaining social distancing. Hotels can only cater for guests at a certain capacity, determined by the number of infections within the local area. (As of December 15)Slovakia Slovakia will close all schools and nonessential shops for at least three weeks, from December 21 until January 10, 2021. Gatherings in the country are currently limited to six people, and cafes and restaurants are only providing takeaway services. New restrictions are due to be announced this week.(As of December 15)SpainSpain will ban movement between its regions from December 23 until January 6, 2021, Health Minister Salvador Illa announced on December 2. Illa announced that family gatherings -- with a maximum of 10 people -- will be allowed on December 24 and 25, as well as December 31 and January 1.A national curfew will start at 1:30 a.m. on these dates. All regions will limit events and activities in order to avoid crowds during the festive period, Illa added. Religious ceremonies are permitted to take place indoors, providing that capacity limits are observed; singing is not recommended.(As of December 2) SwedenSweden's current limit of eight people for indoor gatherings will remain in place throughout Christmas and New Year. (As of December 14)Switzerland Skiers hit the slopes in the Swiss Alps on November 28.Switzerland's federal council has announced a series of coronavirus measures ahead of Christmas, in an attempt to curb rising Covid-19 infection numbers. They include the closure of bars and restaurants from 7 p.m.; sporting and cultural activities are limited to five people; markets and museums are to close on Sundays and public holidays. Up to five people from two households can gather for private events, but that number will increase to 10 for celebrations from December 24 to 26, and on New Year's Eve. Swiss ski resorts have been permitted to open for domestic tourism, but strict coronavirus measures are in place in ski resorts.(As of December 14)United KingdomThe UK has agreed to ease social contact restrictions during the festive period from December 23 to 27; people will be allowed to travel freely between the four UK nations to spend time with friends and family in an exclusive "Christmas bubble."But there has been conflicting advice from the leaders of the United Kingdom's four devolved governments regarding the rules.England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales had agreed to allow up to three households to form a bubble, but said they should be "as small as possible," and they cannot change, but with no maximum on the number of people.However, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford on December 16 said that no more than two households should form a bubble in Wales.Christmas illuminations are seen above shoppers on London's Regent Street on December 15.Households in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and most of England are currently banned from mixing indoors in private homes.Scotland will allow up to three households to form a bubble during this time, but it will restrict the number of people in any bubble to eight. There are no separate arrangements for New Year, when existing tiered restrictions will apply.Northern Ireland will impose a six-week lockdown beginning on December 26, the region's joint head of government, deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, said December 17. That means nonessential shops will close after Christmas Day in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.Travel across the border to the Republic of Ireland has already been the subject of much debate. The current advice from the Northern Ireland Executive instructs those traveling outside the region for Christmas to do so between December 22 and 28.(As of December 17)CNN's Nicola Ruotolo and Mia Alberti contributed to this report. | 3news
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Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. (CNN)This may be the world's oldest surviving evidence of supersize thirst quenchers. Mysterious scepters found in an ancient burial mound could actually be giant drinking straws -- and they were used to consume mass quantities of beer.The gold and silver straws, each measuring about 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) long, are over 5,000 years old. While these straws sound comically long, with Dr. Seuss-like proportions, researchers believe they were used to drink beer from communal vessels during banquets to honor the dead.This schematic drawing shows the set of straws, some of which were decorated with bull figurines.The fancy straws, four of which were decorated with bull figurines, include punctured metal pieces to filter out impurities in the beer, like sediment or husks. The straws, along with one of the beer vessels, were found at the Maikop kurgan, a prehistoric burial mound in the northern Caucasus in Russia. The vessel was so large that it would have enabled each of the eight drinkers to down seven pints apiece.A grand discoveryRead MoreThe mound was first excavated by archaeologist Nikolai Veselovsky, a professor at St. Petersburg University, in the summer of 1897. Within the mound, Veselovsky found graves belonging to elite members of Bronze Age society, including the remains of three people and hundreds of special objects. 50,000-year-old social network revealed in AfricaWithin the largest burial chamber were the remains of one individual wearing what was once a "richly decorated garment." Hundreds of beads, semiprecious stones, gold, ceramic vessels, metal cups made from precious metals, weapons, and tools were included in the grave. And then, there was a set of eight gold and silver tubes at the right hand of the skeleton. Veselovsky assumed they were decorative scepters and that the perforations at the tip of each one was once used to attach ornaments or horsehair.In the fall of 1898, Veselovsky moved all of the material from the mound to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, presenting the collection to Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov family during a special exhibition.These figurines were designed to slide up and down the straws and ranged from 2 to 3.5 inches (5.1 to 9 centimeters) in size.Over the last century, other researchers have debated the real purpose of the "scepters." One suggested that the tubes were part of the structure for a folding canopy used during the funeral procession for the person in the burial chamber. Another thought they may be symbolic rods used to represent arrow shafts, given that arrowheads were recovered from the mound.Communal drinkingViktor Trifonov, an archaeologist from the Russian Academy of Science's Institute for the History of Material Culture, and his colleagues poked holes in all of the previous theories, namely because those objects likely would have required solid metal pieces rather than hollow tubes. The number of tubes and their position at the right hand of the skeleton also suggested they were something else.Surprise! The world's oldest mummies are not in Egypt"A turning point was the discovery of the barley starch granules in the residue from the inner surface of one of the straws. This provided direct material evidence of the tubes from the Maikop kurgan being used for drinking," said Trifonov, lead study author, in a statement. Trifonov and his fellow researchers published their findings Tuesday in the journal Antiquity. While they cannot confirm that the barley residue in the straw had been fermented, there is other previous evidence to suggest that the researchers are on the right track: art.The oldest evidence of straws being used is actually depicted in art from Iran and Iraq that have been dated to the fifth and fourth millenniums BC, showing people using straws to drink from a communal vessel.Using long straws to drink beer together was also common for the Sumerians, an early Mesopotamian civilization from the third millennium BC, according to their artwork.This figure shows how the straws would have been used during a banquet.The Maikop straws looked remarkably similar when compared with the Sumerian depictions of straws, including metal strainers."If the interpretation is correct, these fancy devices would be the earliest surviving drinking straws to date," Trifonov said.A desire for luxuryThe Maikop straws came from a site that is hundreds of miles away from where straws were used in Mesopotamia, suggesting that the use of straws must have spread between regions. "The finds contribute to a better understanding of the ritual banquets' early beginnings and drinking culture in hierarchical societies," Trifonov said. Perhaps those at Maikop were connected with other societies to the south -- and wanted to enjoy a similar style of luxury and include drinking ceremonies. In Sumeria, communal drinking was part of a banquet that accompanied royal funerals. Given the placement of the straws in the Maikop burial mound close to a person of importance, it's likely that this group observed the same practices.While these decorated tubes may sound like the precursor to reusable metal straws that the environmentally conscious use today, it's unknown if they were reused before being buried."Before having done this study, I would never have believed that in the most famous elite burial of the Early Bronze Age Caucasus, the main item would be neither weapons nor jewelery, but a set of precious beer-drinking straws," Trifonov said. | 3news
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(CNN)Otmar Szafnauer, team principal of Racing Point F1 Team, has said last month's Australian Grand Prix could have gone ahead safely even though the coronavirus pandemic was sweeping across the world. Drivers, teams and fans had already arrived at the Melbourne track for preparations when the race, which was scheduled as the season opener of the 2020 F1 calendar, was canceled because of the pandemic. Speaking to CNN Sport's Amanda Davies, Szafnauer said: "It was difficult to predict the future, but looking back, had we raced ... I think we would have raced safely."The risk was very, very low. We could have put the race on. The Australian government gave us the go-ahead to do so. However, there was a big unknown at the time and because of the unknown I think we made cautious decisions not to race."Australian Grand Prix canceled because of coronavirus outbreak, two other races postponedREAD: Coronavirus pandemic is 'final wake-up call' for F1Read MoreThe decision to cancel the event came on the eve of race weekend following McLaren's withdrawal after a team member tested positive for the virus.Szafnauer, revealing the majority of teams initially voted to race, added: "The thing you have to remember is there are 10 independent teams, the FIA (motorsport's governing body), there's F1, and then there's the Australian government so there's 13 or so independent decision makers that unless you're all together you really don't know what the other is doing."In Europe, questions have been raised about the staging of Champions League matches in March between Atalanta and Valencia in Italy and between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid in the UK as well as the staging of the Cheltenham festival.According to latest figures from the John Hopkins University of Medicine, Australia has been hit by 6457 Covid-19 cases and 67 deaths. Szafnauer also said the Red Bull Ring, Austria's Formula One circuit, could host the first race of the season as Austria is one of the many European countries which has begun easing restrictions on daily life.Racing Point F1 CEO and team principal Otmar Szafnauer says he believes Formula One can fit in "12-15" races this season.The pandemic has caused the start of the season -- initially set to begin in March -- to be delayed, with the Canadian Grand Prix recently becoming the ninth race to be either postponed or canceled.The Austrian Grand Prix is set to take place on July 5. F1 rules stipulate that a minimum of eight races must be held for a season to be classified as a world championship.Szafnauer said: "Austria as a country is starting to come out of their lockdowns slowly but surely, and that's in April.Coronavirus pandemic is 'final wake-up call' for Formula One, says McLaren boss"So, if you can look forward and say that's happening in April, the barber shops and the beauty salons and the libraries are opening now and perhaps children go back to school in May, I can see a race without fans happening in July. "And if that happens ... we can get 12-15 races in."The Racing Point CEO said that if that many races can take place this season, the impact of the pandemic on the sport should not be as dramatic as some, like McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl, have predicted. Last week Seidl said the pandemic was a "final wake-up call" for the sport, warning that teams could fold if changes were not made."I think our financial impact won't be that bad this year," Szafnauer added. "It will still be significant, so we still have to save some cost; then, if we can have a full season next year, before we know it -- although this has taken a hit on us -- we'll be in better shape."Racing Point team principal Szafnauer says the Austrian Grand Prix in July could be the first race of the 2020 season.Szafnauer said the pandemic and its impact on F1 highlighted "the fine margins that we're working to financially" and compared what the sport is going through now to what happened after the 2008 global financial crisis. The cancellations and postponements have already hit teams hard, with most of their revenues coming from broadcasting deals, race hosting fees and sponsorship, according to a recent Reuters report. "We saw people leave the sport," said Szafnauer of the impact of the 2008 crisis. "We saw new teams coming in that didn't last very long, so we've got to make sure that if something like this happens every 10 years, the next one we're in better shape."Teams have already agreed to a $150 million budget cap for the 2021 season in an attempt to level the playing field, and last week discussed a possible further reduction without coming to an agreement. Szafnauer cautioned that while these financial precautions were positive they should not impact the intrinsic nature of F1."We're definitely [in better shape] through cost caps and maybe capping some of the expenditures, also maybe capping some of the development we do, especially the expensive development." he said. "But not at the cost of the DNA of Formula One." | 5sport
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(CNN)Researchers have launched a new study which hopes to better understand the link between playing soccer and developing dementia. The project by the University of East Anglia (UEA) hopes to serially test former professionals, both male and female, every six months in order to map their rate of decline. By using cutting edge technology, the project aims to detect signs of dementia long before noticeable symptoms, such as memory loss.The new initiative follows a landmark study released by the University of Glasgow that revealed former players were around a three and a half times more likely to die from neurodegenerative disease. "In former professionals, there is a problem. We now need to investigate that much further," lead researcher of the UEA project Dr. Michael Grey told CNN Sport.Read More"What we're interested in doing is looking at people who are actually still with us. I want to to follow them for years, ideally for the rest of their lives."Concussion in football: Temporary substitutions could be on the wayThe majority of participants will be able to take part in the tests from the comfort of their own homes, using their tablet or computer devices to complete simple tasks. The project will include a number of "novel" techniques including testing spatial navigation, an area of cognitive function that Dr. Grey says seems to degrade more rapidly than others."I think the easiest way to explain it is if you drove into work today, you could probably close your eyes and point to your car, and you'd be pretty close to being accurate," he said."People with dementia have challenges doing those types of exercises because it relies on an area of the brain that's responsible for remembering where we are in space."The UEA wants to raise £1 million ($1.32m) for new study and hopes 10% of that figure will be crowd funded.READ: 'Hopefully no one has to die': Taylor Twellman's fears over head injuriesResearchers believe heading the ball could lead to long-term damage. 'It does make you think'Despite concussions being a dangerous consequence of the game, Dr. Grey says repetitive head trauma, such as heading the football, is a bigger issue in terms of degeneration.There are concerns that the entire action of competing in the air, including accidentally clashing heads or falling awkwardly, can contribute to the problem.Dr. Grey also says the theory of modern, lighter balls being less dangerous than the heavy balls of the past is a red herring, explaining the velocity of the ball has increased over time which could cause further damage. "Each time we head the ball, there's a little bit of micro damage to the neurons in the brain and doing that over and over again in a professional career is what we think is resulting in degeneration," he said. International football's concussion protocols 'are the worst in the world'The project is now on the look-out for former professionals to take part, with former striker Iwan Roberts one of the first to register his interest.The Welshman, who represented clubs such as Leicester and Norwich City, played over 700 times in his 20-year career and heavily relied on his heading ability to score countless goals.The 51-year-old says he never thought about the possible dangers of his trade but is now keen to be involved in UEA's long-term project. "It does make you think," Roberts, who retired in 2005, told CNN Sport. "I'm not just talking about all the games that I played, I'm talking about repetitive heading on a daily basis to improve your heading ability, which as a big center forward I did every day at the end of a training session. "I'd go with a coach and we'd have a left winger and the right winger and they just crossed balls for 45 minutes to an hour. I would just get into the habit of scoring goals with my head."Former professional Iwan Roberts wants to be involved in the new project. 'People are not willing to talk'Roberts, who has been filming a documentary about dementia and soccer for Welsh language channel S4C, says people within the game are now more aware of the dangers but still believes the sport's governing bodies can do more in supporting ex-professionals. "It's something that people are not willing to talk about because certain authorities in this country [England] don't want to be blamed for certain things," he said. The English Football Association (FA) and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) both helped fund the University of Glasgow field study which published its findings in October.The FA responded by reissuing its best practices for concussion protocols and for coaching heading, saying "there is no evidence to show that heading can cause long-term damage."On its website, the PFA says neurological problems "have been on our agenda for the last 20 years" and have set up a dementia support document and helpline. Dr. Grey believes the sport is finally getting to grips with the potential problem and hopes such organizations will continue to develop its understanding of such issues. "I think the fact that we're having this conversation is a good thing," he said."It's a cultural change that we need to effect. It will take some time, but we'll get them on board."Researchers are looking for former professional players aged over 50 to take part in the study, in addition to active non-footballers aged over 50. | 5sport
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Story highlightsSecond seed Maria Sharapova cruises into the French Open third roundThe three-time grand slam winner is looking to complete a career grand slamWorld No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska and 2008 winner Ana Ivanovic both crash out2011 U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur safely into the fourth roundSecond seed Maria Sharapova continued her quest for a career grand slam with a convincing win at the French Open on Friday, while world No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska and former champion Ana Ivanovic crashed out of the Paris tournament.Sharapova has tasted success at three of tennis' four grand slams, but she has been no further than the semifinals at Roland Garros -- losing at that stage last year and in 2007.However, the Russian looked in fine form as she brushed aside Japan's world No. 88 Ayumi Morita 6-1 6-1 in exactly one hour to set up a third-round tie with Chinese 25th seed Peng Shuai. The match was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, but it was delayed by Paul-Henri Mathieu's marathon win against John Isner in the men's tournament."I had never faced my opponent before, and when she has time she really goes for her shots, so I wanted to get her on the move," the 25-year-old Sharapova said on the WTA Tour's website. JUST WATCHEDSharapova ready for tough clay challengeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSharapova ready for tough clay challenge 04:36 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Photos: Sharapova's winning design The epitome of style – Maria Sharapova strikes the perfect pose as she puts away a forehand during this year's Australian Open. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Suitably sporty – Her dress for the tennis season's opening grand slam was designed to embrace fashion and high performance. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fashion followers – Sharapova's collection is being sported by a number of players including Indy De Vroome of the Netherlands.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fleetness of foot – Sharapova's tennis shoes are color co-ordinated with the dress range and are among the lightest and most flexible in the market. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Serena's rival collection – America's 13-time grand slam champion Serena Williams also unveiled a collection of dresses for the 2012 Australian Open.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design The Little Black Dress – In 2006, Sharapova made heads turn with her "Little Black Dress" -- an outfit encrusted with beaded crystals which she wore as she claimed the U.S. Open crown. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Winning mentality – Sharapova's intensity and desire to win have kept her at the top of the women's game since her first grand slam title in 2004. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fashion icon – Sharapova at the launch of a Cole Haan collection of clothing and accessories bearing her name.Hide Caption 8 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dream Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamThe Sharapova story – Maria Sharapova has come a long way since turning professional on her 14th birthday in April 2001, having played the game since she was four years old.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamSharapova style – Sharapova's fame has brought endrosements that saw Forbes magazine rate her as the highest-paid female athlete in the world, with annual earnings of over $18 million. She has her own clothing line and is also working on a candy line called Sugarpova.Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamParis pain – The one thing separating Sharapova from a career grand slam is the French Open title. She has twice made the semifinals, most recently in 2011, when she was beaten by eventual winner Li Na of China.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamAt home in Rome – Despite never having won at Roland Garros, Sharapova is in good form in 2012, losing just once on clay this season. Most recently, she successfully defended her Italian Open title to offer hope she can finally win the French Open and complete a career slam.Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamEarly years – Sharapova was spotted at an early age by former great Martina Navratilova and after moving to the United States she was enrolled into the famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida at the age of nine.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamWimbledon breakthrough – The Russian became the third youngest female to win Wimbledon in 2004 aged just 17. She beat Serena Williams in the final to spark huge interest the papers labelled "Maria Mania."Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamFlushed with success – Sharapova's second major success came at the U.S. Open in 2006 when she beat Justine Henin at Flushing Meadows. By this stage she had already become the first Russian woman ever to hold the world No. 1 ranking. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamA major hat-trick – The 25-year-old made it a hat-trick of grand slam victories at the 2008 Australian Open and in some style. She didn't drop a set in the entire tournament on her way to defeating Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the final.Hide Caption 8 of 8 Photos: The noisiest players in tennis Photos: The noisiest players in tennisSharapova's shriek – World No. 4 Maria Sharapova has long been known for her on-court shrieks and the Russian has recently attracted criticism as a result. The three-time grand slam champion claimed she will continue to make the noises until they are outlawed.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: The noisiest players in tennisAzarenka aloud – Third seed Victoria Azarenka was the subject of taunts from fans at the Australian Open who began to mimic her unique screams during a second round win over home-crowd favorite Casey Dellacqua.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: The noisiest players in tennisSerena's screams – American Serena Williams has long been a leading light in women's tennis, in terms of winning tournaments and booming grunts. Whether the grunts benefit a player is the subject of some debate, but they certainly haven't hindered Williams. The 30-year-old has registered 13 grand slam triumphs.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: The noisiest players in tennisVocal Venus – It would appear that grunting runs in the family, with Venus Williams matching her sister Serena in terms of noise and top-level success. Venus, one year older than her sibling, has collected seven major titles.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: The noisiest players in tennisBlast from the past – Monica Seles was screaming her way to success long before any of today's professionals. The Yugoslavia-born American won nine grand slam titles during her 19-year ear-splitting career.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: The noisiest players in tennisIt's not just the women... – American Jimmy Connors has played more ATP Tour matches than anyone else, winning eight grand slams during a glittering 24-year career. Connors is also widely credited with introducing grunting to top-level tennis.Hide Caption 6 of 6 "I played well, aggressive, and moved in when I had to. With every round I'm going to be playing tougher opponents, and that's when you really want to raise your level. That's what I'll try to do in the next round."Sharapova's compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova produced the day's biggest shock by registering a comfortable 6-1 6-2 third-round win against Radwanska, who eliminated former world No. 1 Venus Williams on Wednesday."I haven't played that well in a long time," said the 2009 French Open champion. "I was in control of my things. "When I feel in control of my moves and am not depending so much on my opponent, it brings me the best feelings. That's why I really enjoy tennis, that's why I love tennis. And I haven't had this feeling for quite some time."The world No. 28's reward is a last-16 encounter with Italy's Sara Errani, who also upset the odds to progress as she knocked out Ivanovic.The 21st seed came from one set down to beat the Serbian 1-6 7-5 6-3. Ivanovic has not been past the fourth round of the clay-court event since winning the title four years ago."I was really pleased the way I started," said Ivanovic, who followed fellow former world No. 1s Serena and Venus Williams in exiting the tournament. "I was really aggressive and created a lot of opportunities for myself."Then in the second and third sets she started raising her level a lot and putting a lot more on the ball. I also started getting a bit flatfooted and hitting more unforced errors as the match went on."Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur, the beaten finalist in 2010, breezed past Russian No. 27 Nadia Petrova 6-3 6-3. The 2011 U.S. Open winner set up a match with American youngster Sloane Stephens.Stephens' 6-3 6-2 win against France's Mathilde Johansson meant the 70th-ranked 19-year-old reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time in her career. | 5sport
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Story highlightsRory McIlroy sets halfway pace at PGA Championship World No.1 cards second round 67 for nine-under 133Tiger Woods misses cut after second straight 74Phil Mickelson finishes with an eagle to go six-under The contrast could not be greater.As Tiger Woods hooked his tee shot at the first hole way left of the fairway, new world number one Rory McIlroy rolled home a birdie putt on his closing hole to lead the PGA Championship on nine-under-par.Woods, who bravely teed it up in the final major of the season despite a back problem, was eventually finish with a second straight 74 to be five shots outside the halfway cut mark for the weekend.McIlroy, bidding for a hat-trick of victories after winning the British Open and WGC-Bridgestone International, followed his opening 66 with a 67 to set a testing target for the later starters, which nobody was able to match.Jason Day of Australia got closest with a best of the day 65 to trail McIlroy by a stroke and he was joined on eight under by veteran American Jim Furyk.Read: Rory on top of the world againAs one of the early starters on the second day, the 25-year-old Northern Irishman had to battle torrential rain, which brought about a near hour delay to play at Valhalla, but carded just a solitary bogey on his card.JUST WATCHEDOne-on-one with Rory McIlroyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOne-on-one with Rory McIlroy 06:17JUST WATCHEDTiger's shot at Major mark slipping awayReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger's shot at Major mark slipping away 01:22JUST WATCHEDRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki splitReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki split 04:24Starting from the 10th, it came on the 12th to put him back to four-under, but McIlroy rebounded superbly with a birdie at the next and then an eagle on the par-five 18th, rolling home a 30-foot putt.A run of pars came on the first six holes of his back nine before a stunning 242-yard five-wood approach to the par-five seventh had the galleries gasping.McIlroy missed his putt for a second eagle of his round but the tap in birdie took him to eight-under and on his final hole, the ninth, came that final birdie to open up a lead on the field."I'm feeling good about my game. I'm confident," McIlroy said. Read: Rory shares tears of joy with his mum at Hoylake"I didn't hit it quite as well as I did yesterday, but still really in control of my game and my emotions," he told the official PGA Tour website.Britain's Lee Westwood and American Kevin Chappell, both leading on six-under after 65s on Thursday, carded respective second rounds of 72 and 74 to drop back into the pack in Kentucky.Woods did save par on the first after his errant tee shot, but left himself with an almost insurmountable task to make the weekend after a three-putt double bogey on the sixth.He appeared to be hampered by his injury, but the 38-year-old did finish with a flourish by birdieing the 18th.Phil Mickelson, who had been paired with Woods, went one better, rolling home a short eagle putt to signal his challenge after a 67 for six-under overall.The 2013 British Open champion has only one top-10 finish all season, but moved to within three shots of leader McIlroy with his late charge. | 5sport
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Story highlightsThey're accused of recruiting, sending fighters to aid the ISIS terrorist groupThe cell's suspected leader had been a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ministry saysThe arrests come just ahead of the proclamation of Spain's new King Felipe VI on ThursdayThis week, thousands of police and security forces will be on alert during coronation festivitiesSpanish police arrested eight suspected Islamic militants in Madrid in predawn raids Monday, for allegedly recruiting and sending radical fighters to aid the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.The arrests come just ahead of the proclamation of Spain's new King Felipe VI on Thursday in parliament, and the ministry last week raised the terror alert level from 2 to 3, to tighten security in the capital during the festivities.The suspected leader of the cell broken up Monday had been detained in Afghanistan in 2001 and later was a prisoner at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the ministry said.Just last month, police arrested six Spanish men in the Spanish enclave of Melilla, on Morocco's north coast, on suspicion of recruiting and sending 26 radical Islamic fighters for terrorist groups in Syria, Mali and Libya.Also in Melilla, last March, a Spaniard and two Frenchmen were arrested on similar charges.JUST WATCHEDSpain arrests 6 suspected terroristsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpain arrests 6 suspected terrorists 01:19The movement of Islamic militants from Europe and North Africa to conflict zones such as Syria, Mali and Libya -- and their eventual return to Spain to potentially carry out terrorist attacks -- has been a prime concern for authorities battling terrorism.This week, thousands of police and security forces will be on alert throughout Madrid; King Juan Carlos, 76, Spain's head of state and commander in chief, formalizes his abdication Wednesday, leading to the proclamation of his son, Crown Prince Felipe, 46, as the new King, in a nation where the elected government runs the country.The new King and his wife, Princess Letizia, who will become queen of Spain, are due to ride through the streets, from Parliament to the royal palace, and city officials have urged Spaniards to turn out for the parade and to hang Spanish flags from their homes. | 3news
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Story highlightsHarry has been learning to fly Apache helicoptersHe completed seven weeks of training in the US and could be deployed to AfghanistanHis brother William is a search-and-rescue helicopter pilotPrince Harry has returned to England from military training in the United States, the British defense ministry said Tuesday.The younger son of Prince Charles spent just over seven weeks in California and Arizona for the final phase of helicopter gunship training. He returned home Monday, the ministry said.Next, he will head to Wattisham Flying Station in Suffolk, southeast England, to complete his training to fly Apache helicopters. He will now "carry out a further short exercise before completing the Apache Conversion to Role course," the Ministry of Defence said.Capt. Harry Wales, as he is known in the military, trained at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, and Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Air Field in Arizona.When he completes pilot training, Prince Harry could possibly return to the front lines of Afghanistan, where the majority of pilots and crews successfully completing the Apache helicopter training are deployed, said British Army Lt. Col. Peter Bullen.The prince and his mates have four to six months more of training in England before they are considered fully combat ready, depending on their squadron's schedule, Bullen said.Prince Harry -- the younger son of Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and the late Princess Diana -- served on the front line in Afghanistan as a forward air controller and saw combat. But he was withdrawn in February 2008 after news of his deployment broke.His brother, Prince William, is also in the military, as an army officer. But as second in line for the throne, he is specifically barred from combat.William is a search and rescue pilot based in Wales, and participated in a helicopter rescue of sailors from a sinking ship over the weekend. | 3news
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(CNN)It's an experiment and the stakes couldn't be higher. The eyes of the world will be on the German Bundesliga this weekend as it becomes the first major European soccer league to return amid the coronavirus pandemic. The country has 174,098 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 7,861 deaths, according to the latest figures, but Germany's Football Association (DFB) has worked closely with league organizers (DFL) and hope strict safety protocols will protect those involved when matches are played. If the measures work, it could provide a template for other sports to get back underway. If they don't, then questions will be asked as to why football returned so soon. Philipp Köster, chief editor of soccer publication '11 Freunde,' puts it more bluntly -- German football is on "parole."Read More"This is an experiment with an unknown outcome," Köster told CNN's Fred Pleitgen. "It could indeed happen that we see two or more weeks of football and then everything gets canceled [...] if there are many infections or serious infections."READ: Chaos beckons as European soccer season is devastated by coronavirusBayern Munich striker Thomas Mueller wears a face mask as he leaves a training session.Soccer's new lookIt's an experiment which will involve no supporters, the component that provides the sport with its pageantry and emotion. As the saying goes: football without fans Is nothing.Germany's top-flight division regularly attracts an average of 43,300 people every game, but no more than 322 will be able to attend matches until the end of the season, with matches to be played behind closed doors. The select few allowed to attend games will then be split into three distinct zones -- the stadium exterior and interior as well the stands.Only 98 people (including players, coaches and referees) will be allowed around the pitch itself with a further 115 in the stands (including journalists, hygiene staff and emergency services) and 109 more outside of that (consisting mainly of security guards).A timetable will limit who is permitted into the stadium at any one time, including the staggered arrival of the teams around 90 minutes before kickoff. "The matches will feel different," said DFL CEO Christian Seifert. "After the first match-day we will all know why we prefer games with fans.""But that is the framework we have to operate in, and I expect the best possible sport within this framework."READ: Dynamo Dresden's game canceled after positive coronavirus testsBorussia Moenchegladbach has filled its stadium with cut-outs of supporters. Widespread testingOn the face of it, the DFL guidelines for football's new normal appear to have covered every eventuality. Everyone must practice social distancing, and players should alternate their time spent in the dressing room, while keeping 1.5 meters apart and continuing to wear a face mask. Hygiene staff will be on hand to disinfect the dressing rooms once the players have left for the pitch where the pre-match handshakes and team photos are among some of the pleasantries scrapped. The balls themselves will be disinfected before the match, and ball-boys (over the age of 16) will continue to clean them during games.The same goes for players and coaches on the substitutes bench who must sit at least one seat apart from each other and continue to wear masks where possible. Teams will now be able to use five substitutions per game to cope with the congested fixture list.Ahead of Saturday afternoon, all teams have been isolated in seven-day training camps where the DFL has demanded similarly strict safety protocols.Players will be tested at least twice a week throughout the season, needing a negative result before traveling to the stadium to play.Nonetheless, the decision to bring football back in Germany was dealt a further blow this week after two players from Dynamo Dresden tested positive for the coronavirus.Dresden's second-tier game against Hannover on May 17 won't be contested as a result, and the entire team has gone into a two-week quarantine. There have also been three confirmed cases at top-flight side FC Koln but the first-team has been able to continue training according to the hygiene and infection control measures. "It's free for every player to say they want to be part of it or they don't want to be part of it," FC Koln's head of football Frank Aehlig told CNN Sport ahead of the restart. "It was very important to talk to them and show them all the things in the concept [DFL protocols] and how it can work if we fulfill it."READ: Cut-out fans and virtual menus mark the new normal for German footballJUST WATCHEDCOPA90: Derby Days - FC Union Berlin v Hertha BSCReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCOPA90: Derby Days - FC Union Berlin v Hertha BSC 03:33Audience of billions A restricted number of television crews will be permitted inside the stadium with a potentially huge global audience keen for their first taste of competition for months. "The Bundesliga is now the first major league in the world to resume playing," Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sport Bild."And if the Bundesliga is the only league around the world to be broadcast on TV, then I assume that we will have an audience of billions all over the world."DFL's Seifert previously said clubs in the country's top two leagues stood to lose a total of $823 million if the season couldn't be completed, through losses in television rights, advertising and ticket sales.However, a new survey by ARD Deutschlandtrend found 56% of respondents were critical of the league's resumption and just 31% favored the restart.On the pitch, there will be plenty of interest in what promises to be a fascinating end to a season with all still to play for.Reigning champion Bayern Munich leads the table but has a number of rivals in hot pursuit. Borussia Dortmund sits just four points behind in second place, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach also within reach of the title with nine games remaining. Meanwhile, Werder Bremen and SC Paderborn are anchored to the foot of the league but can both reach safety.The DFL has confirmed there will be relegation in the top two divisions if the season can be completed and the deadline for season can be extended beyond June 30 if necessary. Additional reporting by Fred Pleitgen | 5sport
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London (CNN)Prince Philip, 95-year-old husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, is to step down from public life, Buckingham Palace has announced. The prince, who has been at the Queen's side for her 65-year reign, will stop accepting invitations for public engagements from September, the palace said. The Queen, who is 91 and has gradually scaled back her public appearances in recent years, will continue to carry out her duties supported by other members of the royal family.JUST WATCHEDPrince Philip arrives at St James's PalaceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPrince Philip arrives at St James's Palace 00:38"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen," the Buckingham Palace statement said, referring to the prince by one of this other titles."Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying The Queen," the statement added. "Thereafter, The Duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time." Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeBritain's Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, poses in his military dress uniform circa 1990.Hide Caption 1 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip was born into the royal families of Greece and Denmark. His family left Greece in 1922 and settled in Paris after his uncle, King Constantine I, was overthrown.Hide Caption 2 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip is dressed for a production of "Macbeth" while attending school in Scotland in July 1935.Hide Caption 3 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip is the youngest of five children and the only son. After his parents' separation in 1930, he was sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.Hide Caption 4 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip sits with his fiancee, Princess Elizabeth, in July 1947. He had become a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother's maiden name. He was also an officer of the British Royal Navy and fought in World War II.Hide Caption 5 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip and Princess Elizabeth married in November 1947.Hide Caption 6 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip plays in a village cricket match in July 1949.Hide Caption 7 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePhilip and Elizabeth hold their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne in August 1951.Hide Caption 8 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip and Princess Elizabeth dance in Ottawa in October 1951.Hide Caption 9 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip and Princess Elizabeth were on a tour of the commonwealth when her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952. She was next in line for the throne.Hide Caption 10 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after his wife's coronation in June 1953.Hide Caption 11 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip sails during the Cowes Regatta in August 1962.Hide Caption 12 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip laughs as the Beatles fight over the Carl Alan Award he presented to the band in March 1964.Hide Caption 13 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip, accompanied by sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, wave from a Buckingham Palace balcony during a parade in June 1964.Hide Caption 14 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe royal couple return to Buckingham Palace after a ceremony in June 1965.Hide Caption 15 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip leave Westminster Abbey in April 1966.Hide Caption 16 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip competes in a bicycle polo match in August 1967.Hide Caption 17 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip paints during the filming of the documentary "Royal Family" in 1969.Hide Caption 18 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip and his daughter, Princess Anne, prepare a barbecue on the Balmoral Castle estate in August 1972.Hide Caption 19 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in April 1976.Hide Caption 20 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip takes part in the World Carriage Driving Championships in 1980.Hide Caption 21 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Phillip fishes in a Scottish loch in 1993.Hide Caption 22 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Phillip hunts at the Sandringham estate in 1994.Hide Caption 23 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Phillip tours the London Stock Exchange in 1998.Hide Caption 24 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeFormer South African President Nelson Mandela chats with Prince Philip in November 2000.Hide Caption 25 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip rides a mini motorbike at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2005.Hide Caption 26 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attends a Commonwealth Day observance in London in 2011. Hide Caption 27 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in June 2011.Hide Caption 28 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip visits Sherborne Abbey during his wife's Diamond Jubilee tour in May 2012.Hide Caption 29 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen presents Prince Philip with New Zealand's highest honor, the Order of New Zealand, at Buckingham Palace in June 2013.Hide Caption 30 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip visits the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards in February 2014.Hide Caption 31 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe royal couple arrives at the Royal Ascot horse races in June 2014.Hide Caption 32 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip signs the guest book at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in June 2014.Hide Caption 33 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip smiles as he visits an Auxiliary Air Force squadron in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July 2015.Hide Caption 34 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Phillip and his grandson Prince Harry attend the Rugby World Cup final in October 2015.Hide Caption 35 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests in June 2016, during celebrations for her 90th birthday.Hide Caption 36 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip feeds a banana to an elephant in Dunstable, England, in April 2017.Hide Caption 37 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip talks to schoolchildren in May 2017 during a visit to Lord's cricket ground in London. He opened the venue's new Warner Stand.Hide Caption 38 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip makes his final public appearance before his retirement in August 2017, attending a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace. The event also marked an end to Philip's 64 years as captain general, the ceremonial leader of the Royal Marines.Hide Caption 39 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThis portrait, painted by Ralph Heimans, shows Prince Philip in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle. It was unveiled in December 2017.Hide Caption 40 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip attends the wedding of his grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.Hide Caption 41 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip poses with the wedding party after Harry and Meghan's wedding in May 2018.Hide Caption 42 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeQueen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attend a polo match in Egham, England, in June 2018.Hide Caption 43 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip is seen at the wedding of his granddaughter Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.Hide Caption 44 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip speaks with Sir David Attenborough ahead of an Order of Merit luncheon in May 2019.Hide Caption 45 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifePrince Philip leaves a London hospital in December 2019, after being admitted for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition.Hide Caption 46 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in June 2020, ahead of Philip's 99th birthday.Hide Caption 47 of 48 Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public lifeThe Queen and Prince Philip look at a homemade anniversary card that was given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in November 2020.Hide Caption 48 of 48Read MoreThe Queen, who is the world's longest-serving living monarch, will "continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements," supported by other members of the royal family.In a statement, British Prime Minister Theresa May paid tribute to the prince, offering him the country's "deepest gratitude and good wishes" following the announcement."From his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen to his inspirational Duke of Edinburgh Awards and his patronage of hundreds of charities and good causes, his contribution to our United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the wider world will be of huge benefit to us all for years to come," the statement said. Prince Philip to step down: Live updatesThe Queen and Prince Philip are due to celebrate 70 years of marriage in November. Prince Philip is 96 next month.JUST WATCHEDPrince Philip: The man behind the QueenReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPrince Philip: The man behind the Queen 01:37Royal staff summonedSenior royal staff members were called to London by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior member of Queen Elizabeth II's household staff, to be told of the announcement before the public statement. News of the meeting leaked out, causing a flurry of speculation over the nature of the announcement.The two senior royals have carried out a number of engagements in recent days. The Queen met the Prime Minister at the palace Wednesday as a formality to mark the dissolution of parliament, ahead of a general election in June.Also on Wednesday, Prince Philip was photographed during an event at Lord's cricket ground in London.Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opens the new Warner Stand at Lord's cricket ground.It is over five years since Buckingham Palace announced that Philip would gradually "wind down" his workload, though he remained keen to perform many of his duties.In 2016, he attended 200 events as he continued to represent the royal family with his own distinctive style.In an interview with the BBC to mark of his 90th birthday in 2011, Philip said it was time to take a step back from his responsibilities."I reckon I've done my bit, I want to enjoy myself now ... have less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say," he said.Prince Philip speaks to school children while opening the new stand at Lord's cricket ground.Longest-serving consortRoyal commentator Kate Williams described Philip's decision to step away from public life as "very sad.""He's the longest-serving royal consort in our history," she told CNN from outside Buckingham Palace."It is very sad to see Prince Philip stepping down from royal engagements but I think we can all agree he deserves a rest."He has been an incredible consort to Her Majesty — a man of great achievement and great intelligence. To him, his great role, his great job in life was to support the Queen, to support the monarchy."The royal family says Philip will continue to be associated with more than 780 organizations.Next generationIn recent years, the burden of public engagements has increasingly fallen to younger members of the British royal family.Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry during "The Patron's Lunch" celebrations for The Queen's 90th birthday.The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to move back to London from Norfolk in eastern England later this year to carry out more duties. They will take up residence in Kensington Palace, the former home of Princess Diana. JUST WATCHEDUK royals talk candidly about losing DianaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUK royals talk candidly about losing Diana 01:09The Duke, Prince William, recently announced that he would leave up his job as a helicopter pilot with the East Anglia Air Ambulance service.Both William and Catherine have also been promoting mental health awareness, along with Prince Harry.Harry has carried out a number of engagements on behalf of the queen and has visited countries on all seven continents.All three are likely to step up their public appearances in the wake of the latest developments.CNN's David Wilkinson and Judith Vonberg contributed to this article. | 3news
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Dublin (CNN)Emily Faulkner is in central Dublin, handing out leaflets featuring fetuses in various stages of development, when she's pelted by an egg. Covered in yolk, she turns to her fiancé, Nathan Berning, who has a GoPro video camera mounted on his chest."Did you get that on tape? Is it on, babe? Turn it on," she says.As Faulkner wipes the mess from her face, a fellow anti-abortion campaigner approaches her, saying she'll be calling the police to have a look."Ok," Faulkner says with a smile. "I'm excited."Read MoreWith just days until Ireland votes in a referendum on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the constitution -- which places the right to life of an unborn child on equal footing with that of the mother -- campaigners have become increasingly confrontational in their tactics.If a majority vote Yes on Friday, Ireland is expected to enact legislation that will allow for terminations up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. A No vote would keep the country's abortion laws -- some of the most restrictive in the developed world -- in place. But not all of those targeting voters with leaflets, placards and social media posts are Irish.Emily Faulkner canvassing on Dublin's Dame street on May 14.
Faulkner, 23, and Berning, 25, are founders of the Colorado-based anti-abortion group Let Them Live. They've travelled to Ireland for the month leading up to the historic poll to "sway the voters to vote pro-life and hopefully keep Ireland pro-life." "Basically it's a Roe v. Wade, but Irish style," Faulkner told a group of American students she was attempting to recruit for the journey, referring to the landmark 1970s court case that made it legal for women across the United States to have abortions. When the couple (both associated with the US-based conservative nonprofit The Leadership Institute) launched a $10,000 crowdfunding campaign to finance the trip, they had written they'd be volunteering with Ireland's Pro Life Campaign. But after they experienced an "unexpected" backlash from Irish pro-repeal groups, who said they weren't welcome and threatened to report them to immigration, they changed that description, removing any mention of joining the campaign in an official capacity.American anti-abortion campaigners (from left) Benyam Capel, Nathan Berning, Emily Faulkner, Chase Howell and Nicole Hocott in Dublin last week. "We were deathly afraid we were going to get turned away at the gate," says Berning, and "wanting to make sure that people didn't feel threatened by us coming."Groups dedicated to repealing the Eighth Amendment described the couple's tactics as deceptive.Faulkner said she and Berning arrived at Dublin airport in early May and told immigration officers they "had no specific plans for the trip other than documenting" the campaign. Once they were let through the airport gates, the pair began to mobilize, designing canvassing materials they described as "information outreach" that another member would carry to Ireland from the US.The members of Let Them Live are not the only Americans supporting the anti-abortion movement here.One branch of the national pro-repeal group Together for Yes told CNN its members have heard American accents on their doorsteps. LoveBoth, a prominent "No" campaign group, brought over Claire Culwell, an American activist who calls herself an "abortion survivor" to speak at its rallies across the country in April.Faulkner wears an Irish 'Vote NO' badge on her Let Them Live shirt. Faulkner says the group's shirts were designed in pink to "reappropriate the color pink back from Planned Parenthood."
That's a sore subject for the members of Let Them Live, who had been hoping to work in a more official capacity with the No campaign."I think there's just a paranoia," Berning explained of the reasons why No campaigners didn't want to get involved with his group. "They don't want to break any rules. For us, it sucks because we want to help them, but for them, they're being smart ... maybe." Under Irish law, foreign citizens and groups are not allowed to make any financial donations to Irish campaign groups. However, it is unclear if Let Them Live would have been allowed to campaign officially with the No campaign in a voluntary capacity.Although the Irish government states that "you need a Volunteer Visa to come to Ireland to do voluntary work, eg for a charity, non-profit or voluntary organisation," data obtained by CNN shows that no Americans are currently on those visas. Ireland's Department of Justice and Equality told CNN "volunteering 'per se' is not prohibited by law for those in Ireland on valid holiday visas." Nathan Berning speaks to an Irish voter in central Dublin. Berning says the group's members wears GoPros for their "safety" and to help record conversations for a documentary they are making.
Some Irish are outraged by foreign groups like Let Them Live, arguing that American campaigners are using their vacations to stage a proxy war on women's rights in their country. 'Irish abortions happen; they just don't happen on Irish soil'Máireád Enright, an Irish abortion rights campaigner and senior lecturer in law at the University of Birmingham in England, is more skeptical of their reach."I don't have a legal objection to it but it strikes me as a poor educational experience," she said."I would wonder about how they justify it -- whether they justify it as a human rights campaign or whether they are justifying it as a free trip to the 'old country' in which they will engage in politics that I would imagine they would have very little direct personal understanding of.""Personal engagement on a local level has always been crucial to Irish politics, so that kind of butting in is very difficult to do effectively. So the idea that a foreign group would think they would have much of an impact in the way of direct canvassing strikes me as terribly naive."Related: A baby's murder opened a dark chapter in Ireland that still hasn't been closedOn an overcast morning, the Americans huddled in prayer outside a city council building.They were there to attend and film an abortion rights campaign event.Berning films Ireland's Minister for Health, Simon Harris campaign for a Yes vote inside a Dublin City Council building on May 14.
Inside, members of Let Them Live filed into front seats, where they listened to a panel of abortion rights activists speak about the harm they believe the Eighth Amendment causes to women.Ireland's Health Minister warned about a "fog" of misinformation being used to "conflate" and "confuse" voters. A video played, featuring parents of a pregnant woman who traveled for a termination after being told her baby wouldn't survive outside the womb. They appealed for compassion. "You cannot judge people's actions and say you have the solutions," the woman in the video said.As the event wrapped up, Berning exchanged his video camera for a packet of Let Them Live flyers. He laid them out on the panelists' table as one of the group's members, Benyam Capel, was asked to stop filming with a concealed palm-size camera.US government employee Benyam Capel, 22. He told Irish immigration he was traveling for pleasure, "because I enjoy activism."They regrouped outside, where Faulkner and other members began to distribute flyers to passersby until building security informed them that leafleting on city council grounds was prohibited.Berning questioned that."Oh, that wouldn't be true, because they have the constitutional right to freedom of speech," he said.But laws in Ireland differ greatly from those in the US. And for some Irish, who fear foreign influence on their political process, it is this attitude that is worrisome.The self-described "pro-life warriors" then took to a central Dublin street, where their flyers were met with mixed reactions, perhaps an indication of the latest voter intentions. Recent polls suggest the Yes campaign is ahead, but only slightly. Berning handed a flyer to a woman who was walking briskly through the street with her partner. After glimpsing at the flyer, she then paused before ripping it up slowly.The group was also met with more positive responses, including a mother who politely smiled as she explained she already understood the various stages of embryonic development. Another man told them he wasn't interested in flyers but would be voting No because he didn't trust politicians. Then there were those who were upset to learn the group were not Irish.Chase Howell, 21, told immigration officers in Dublin airport: "I'm here to save the 8th [amendment] and to do political activity and swing the vote." Howell says he was temporarily detained for further questioning, where he "clarified" he was "doing information outreach." Howell says an officer told him not to exchange money with anyone and then let him through.
"It's a little bit curious because what you've got here are other people coming and interfering here," said George H. 23, who asked for his last name to be withheld. "It seems odd on the surface because it's an Irish constitutional issue.""It feels like Russia and America and Donald Trump -- and that wasn't wanted. Is this wanted [here]? Its slightly off, if you know what I mean."Ireland's referendum is taking place in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica revelations, the Brexit "Vote Leave" finance scandal and continued fallout surrounding alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Irish politicians are struggling to come to terms with the far-reaching impact social media can have on elections, while real-time indicators of foreign interference have sparked fears among transparency groups that Ireland could also be vulnerable to a similar fate as its neighbors to the east and west.Although Irish law bans foreign donations to campaigns, regulations around foreign advertising online don't exist. This effectively leaves Facebook, Google and Google-owned YouTube as prime campaigning grounds for anyone wishing to run an ad, regardless of location. 'Dark ads' cast a shadow over Ireland's referendum on abortionIrish lawmaker James Lawless first put forward a Social Media Transparency Bill in December 2017, with the aim to reduce the risk of foreign actors influencing upcoming campaigns. The bill was rejected last year, but it's now being reconsidered as the decisions of the two American tech giants have brought international attention to Ireland's electoral integrity.In early May, Facebook said it would ban foreign-bought ads related to the vote, while Google paused all ads related to the referendum.Pro-repeal groups applauded the decision, saying it would level the playing field.Anti-abortion groups said the move was evidence of a "rigged" election and a clampdown on free speech that would effectively "silence" their campaign.Berning views Facebook's move to ban foreign-bought ads related to the referendum as censorship.
Berning, who runs a tech startup and worked on former US presidential candidate Ben Carson's campaign, told CNN that Let them Live's Facebook page had been "unfairly" banned from posting material targeting an Irish audience, although a "few have slipped through."And those loopholes are popping up across the platform.The Transparency Referendum Initiative (TRI), a volunteer organization set up to monitor social media posts about the referendum, found at least 31% of new ads captured in the week after Facebook's announcement were administered at least in part by page managers outside Ireland, with a disproportionate amount of them connected to the No campaign.Meanwhile, some US-based anti-abortion groups have been able to continue running ads on their Facebook pages that have targeted Irish voters directly.One of them, the controversial New York-based Expectant Mother Care (EMC) FrontLine Pregnancy Centers, ran at least 10 anti-abortion ads targeting Irish voters following Facebook's announcement. Its founder is currently visiting Ireland in the lead-up to the vote.While that battle continues to rage online, the Let Them Live members are hoping their efforts on the ground can help sway voters. A confident Berning held a handful of flyers as he walked down a riverside promenade flanked with Yes and No campaign posters."Turns out nothing we were originally planning on doing was illegal at all," he said, adding that the group's plan for the final days of campaigning was to canvass highways and town centers with 5,000 posters they had printed in Ireland."It'll kind of be like if we're promoting a concert!" Faulkner said.The posters, which feature a picture of a fetus at 12 weeks, read "Say NO to abortion on demand.""It doesn't say 'vote No' or 'vote Yes,'" she added. | 3news
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Story highlightsFrancois Hollande: Islam is at home in secular France as long as it remains within the lawFrance is under a state of emergency after a string of terror attacks (CNN)French President Francois Hollande called for the creation of "an Islam of France" and the removal of foreign-trained extremist imams in a key speech Thursday on the challenges radical Islam poses to democracy.Addressing the debate surrounding Islam following a summer of terror attacks and burkini bans, he stressed that French secularism was not at odds with the religion."Nothing in the idea of secularism is opposed to the practice of Islam in France, as long -- and that is the vital point -- as it complies with the law," Hollande said in Paris, stressing that secularism was "not a religion of the state that stands against all other religions."JUST WATCHEDDid terrorists plan to attack the Notre Dame cathedral?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDid terrorists plan to attack the Notre Dame cathedral? 01:29"What we need to succeed in together is the creation of an Islam of France," Hollande said.He said that this could be achieved through the new Foundation for Islam in France, a measure announced in the wake of the terror attacks to improve relations between the state and the country's large Muslim community, which accounts for between 7% and 9% of the population.Read MoreLongtime French politician Jean-Pierre Chevènement was appointed head of the foundation last month, CNN affiliate BFM TV reported.Hollande said France also needed to create "a national association in order to obtain financing for the building of mosques and the training of imams." "The republic cannot accept a situation where a majority of imams are trained abroad and sometimes don't speak our language," he said.France's rules of secularism prohibit the use of state funds for places of worship, and there have been concerns about the radical vision of Islam practiced in some foreign-funded mosques. At least 20 Muslim places of worship have been closed due to extremism since December, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in July.Hollande said that radical Islam had created "a fake state, led by real killers. It skews the Islamic religion to spread its hatred."France is under a state of emergency introduced after the ISIS terror attacks in Paris in November and extended following the Bastille Day terror attack in Nice.Hollande: Islam compatible with republican valuesFrance has sought to clamp down on radical Islam following a string of ISIS-inspired attacks and concerns about the activities of hundreds of French jihadists who have joined the terror group's ranks in the Middle East. The Interior Ministry says more than 2,100 French citizens are involved in jihad, with 680 currently in Syria and Iraq and more than 200 having returned from the battlefield. Recent atrocities on French soil include the killing of an elderly Catholic priest in his church near Rouen in July and the killing of a police commander and his partner in Magnanville a month earlier.France's super jihadi and the teenage girl trapped in SyriaJUST WATCHEDSource: French church attacker was under house arrestReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSource: French church attacker was under house arrest 02:02Hollande said the core republican principle of separation of church and state was conceived at a time when Muslims made up only a tiny proportion of the French population."The question is to know if the principles laid down more than a century ago remain relevant when Islam is the second religion of France," he said."The answer is yes, clearly yes. The vast majority of our Muslim compatriots demonstrate it every day."President's swipe at right-wing rivalsIn a possible reference to the furor surrounding burkini bans in a number of French towns, enforced despite court rulings against them, Hollande said: "As long as I'm president, there will be no legislation of circumstance, be it inapplicable or unconstitutional."JUST WATCHEDFrance divided on burkini banReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrance divided on burkini ban 01:36He said the secular, democratic and pluralist values of the "French project" were admired by people throughout the world, and that the French should not lose their faith in those values nor sacrifice civil liberties in the face of the Islamist terror threat."Citizens of the world know that when you attack France, you are also attacking its liberty, its democracy, its culture and its way of life," he said."The danger would be that, faced with a challenge, France doubts itself, that it withdraws," he said. "How can one resist these attacks, build Europe, succeed in integration, if we do not believe in ourselves?JUST WATCHEDISIS planned for more operatives during Paris attacksReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHISIS planned for more operatives during Paris attacks 08:26"It is the trust we have in ourselves and our values which will enable us to triumph over terrorism."Without naming them, Hollande also took a shot at his right-wing political rivals -- who have attacked his track record on security and called for a harder line on Islamists -- saying that any suspension of civil liberties threatened the values of the French republic."We know that each time democracy doubts itself, populism, demagogy, nationalism is strengthened," Hollande said.No declaration of re-election bidHollande said that France, which will hold presidential elections in 2017, faced crucial questions about its future."It's the fight of a lifetime," he said. "We are in France, a country whose choices will be decisive for the future of Europe, for its very existence."France's war on terror has been painful, he said, acknowledging the country's Muslims had suffered due to the actions of fanatics, too."We have paid a heavy price. Two-hundred thirty-eight dead and many injured," he said. But France would prevail, he said. "Democracy will always be stronger."The speech was being watched closely for a confirmation that Hollande, who is faring dismally in opinion polls, intends to seek a second presidential term in the 2017 elections.While he made no such declaration, the center-left politician vowed not to "let the image of France deteriorate during the next few months or the next few years," suggesting he may seek to remain in office.Hollande's predecessor, the center-right politician Nicolas Sarkozy, announced his candidacy for 2017 last month.Journalist Camille Verdier contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsKakaes: Many people and institutions are intoxicated by the potential of big dataHe warns data can mislead us and not every valid judgment can be summed up in a numberKonstantin Kakaes, a program fellow at New America's International Security Program, is the author of the e-book "The Pioneer Detectives: Did a Faraway Space Probe Prove Einstein and Newton Wrong?" This is the fifth in a series, "Big Ideas for a New America," in which the think tank New America spotlights experts' solutions to the nation's greatest challenges. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. (CNN)One way to tell the story of human progress is to gawk at our increasing capacity to measure. Precise statements such as "the economy shrank by 2.7%" replace generalities like "times are tough." "Big data" and "evidence-based policy" are the dominant ideas of our moment. A May 2014 White House report put it this way: "Big data will become an historic driver of progress, helping our nation perpetuate the civic and economic dynamism that has long been its hallmark." The White House report presents big data as an analytically powerful set of techniques. It says the social and economic value created by big data should be balanced against "privacy and other core values of fairness, equity and autonomy."Konstantin KakaesBut the White House effort to balance the costs and benefits of big data misses the bigger picture. There are limits to the analytic power of big data and quantification that circumscribe big data's capacity to drive progress. Data-driven techniques are only one part of how government, industry and civil society should make important decisions. Bad use of data can be worse than no data at all. As a December 2014 New York Times Magazine story about Marissa Mayer, Yahoo's chief executive, pointed out:Read More"Mayer also favored a system of quarterly performance reviews, or Q.P.R.s, that required every Yahoo employee, on every team, be ranked from 1 to 5. The system was meant to encourage hard work and weed out underperformers, but it soon produced the exact opposite. Because only so many 4s and 5s could be allotted, talented people no longer wanted to work together; strategic goals were sacrificed, as employees did not want to change projects and leave themselves open to a lower score."Bad use of data can be worse than no data at all.Konstantin KakaesAs the Yahoo example shows, the presumption that quantitative techniques objectively assess "what works" is deeply flawed. Many attempts to collect and interpret data not only miss key factors, but transform for the worse the systems they claim only to be measuring.A legal testSheri Lederman, a fourth grade teacher on Long Island, sued the New York State Education Department in October 2014 in what is perhaps the clearest legal test case of the dangers of big data. Lederman is highly regarded by her peers and superiors, an "exceptional educator" in the words of her school district's superintendent. Yet a statistical technique called "value-added modeling" that purports to evaluate teachers based on students' standardized test scores said Lederman was ineffective. The American Statistical Association has criticized value-added modeling as an ineffective measure. "Ranking teachers by their VAM scores can have unintended consequences that reduce quality," the statisticians said.Despite the skepticism of statisticians — the experts best aware of the weaknesses of the tools they created — bureaucrats at the state Department of Education have embraced the use of value-added modeling. Lederman appears to be just one individual among the many who are being hurt by the vogue for data.The impulse to overuse data is not unique to educational bureaucrats. Quantification centralizes bureaucratic power and gives outsize importance to short-term effects because they are easier to measure. It is not a question of balancing the power of big data against its dangers, but of recognizing the nonobvious limitations of that power.The central claim of data proponents is that data always has some positive value. This premise is false. Data-gathering that seems innocuous enough to the managerial class often brings with it undue burden on the subjects of the data gathering.Monitoring workersTake reports attributed to Amazon customer service representatives about how each moment of their workday is monitored and measured, or similar practices recalled by people who said they had been Target employees. In both instances, the decentralized, human processes in which supervisors evaluate their subordinates have been replaced by centralized, quantitative metrics. This shift has been taking place across retail, customer service and food preparation sectors, which together account for over 20% of America's workforce.As a result, in the words of a person reported by Gawker to have been a manager at Target, "Of course we cheated, as the saying went, if you weren't cheating you weren't trying." According to the former manager's statement, Target's corporate management was trying to increase customer satisfaction by measuring customer satisfaction scores, which employees falsified. If those compiling the data cheat, the data won't be useful to the central office. The burden of compiling data causes retail employees who previously had some professional autonomy to feel constantly under centralized surveillance. Data is far more subject to manipulation than its proponents realize. Even the 2011 McKinsey Global Institute report that popularized the term "big data" acknowledged that its central claim that "we are on the cusp of a tremendous wave of innovation, productivity and growth ... all driven by big data," was supposition. "As of now," McKinsey admitted "there is no empirical evidence of a link between data intensity ... and productivity in specific sectors." In the intervening years, such evidence remains scant, even as the quantification bandwagon has gathered steam.College rankings and federal sentencing guidelines, for example, are both quantifications of complex social systems that are broadly agreed to have harmed the systems they set out to standardize and order. What data won't tell usMany important questions are simply not amenable to quantitative analysis, and never will be. Where should my child go to college, or when? How should we punish criminals? Are charter schools a good idea? Should we fund the human genome project, or basic science in general? Should we have preschools? Taking quantitative answers to these questions seriously not only risks getting the answer wrong, but shapes the underlying reality in ways that are detrimental to our collective well-being.Such questions call for informed judgment that balances values, incentives, context and other factors. It is often difficult to find disinterested individuals who can balance these factors and be trusted. That difficulty is inherent in all social systems.Settling vital questions on the basis of informed judgment only appears to be more subjective than using quantitative techniques. By laundering their biases and preconceptions into the methodology they use to devise quantitative metrics, policymakers and social scientists can fool themselves and others into believing they are impartial and unbiased.To take another example, ascertaining the worth of the human genome project ought to depend on one's view of the value of the knowledge derived from it within the domain of biology and medicine. JUST WATCHEDWhat is big data? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat is big data? 01:45In his 2013 State of the Union address, Barack Obama claimed, "Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy." Such claims are as irrelevant as debating whether the Parthenon was cost-effective. There is simply no useful way to assess the long-term economic impact of either the human genome project or of the Parthenon, and to do so is to miss the point. Pericles didn't build the Parthenon to draw tourists to downtown Athens 2,500 years later. The fact that it is now a tourist attraction does little to explain its value.Similarly, investments in understanding the human genetic code will be realized over time, and cannot be justified in terms of their short-term economic impact. To focus on the many methodological flaws in the return-on-investment techniques used by the Battelle Memorial Institute in the study Obama was referring to is to miss the point. (The Battelle study counts money spent on the human genome project as both a cost and a benefit, for example.) Measuring knowledge?Obama proclaimed the precise numerical return as a totem, which legitimized the money spent. But the strong case for the human genome project rests on the knowledge it created, rather than the economic benefit, which cannot be meaningfully measured. JUST WATCHEDBig data privacy ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBig data privacy 04:07The effect of new basic scientific knowledge on the structure of the economy is too diffuse and complex for economists to measure. We have no access to a counterfactual world in which the human genome project did not exist.Of course the fact that quantitative studies of social and economic systems were systematically flawed in the recent past is no proof that future investigations will suffer from the same shortcomings. However, it is reasonable to believe that if the same basic methodology is used — even if more data is gathered — these flaws will persist. The only way to understand the fact of the matter about whether butter is good or bad for you is to actually understand what happens when you eat butter, not to continue to try to tease out more intricate statistical regressions between health indicators and butter consumption. (Large effects — like the link between smoking and lung cancer — do show up using such techniques, but for more subtle effects, the answers depend very much on how statistics are compiled.)Chaos theoryIn the late 1980s, spurred by the publication of James Gleick's best-selling book, "Chaos: Making A New Science," there was a wave of popular attention paid to the then-nascent discipline of chaos theory. Gleick introduced the public to the idea that many real-world systems exhibit "sensitive dependence on initial conditions." Change the inputs slightly, and radically different outputs will emerge. It is impossible to pinpoint with certainty just what causes, say, a hurricane to form. Human social systems — public primary and secondary schools, universities or the criminal justice system — are complex systems, just like the weather. The vogue of attention to chaos theory passed before policymakers came to take it seriously. Understanding the complexity of social systems means understanding that conclusive answers to causal questions in social systems will always remain elusive. Gathering more data — twice as much, 10 times as much, a hundred times as much — won't change this.To effectively debate public policy or corporate strategy, we will have to continue to have debates over principles. In such debates, disagreement among individuals with different ideological presuppositions will continue.To believe that disinterested, "rigorous" quantitative judgment can be systematically substituted for such debate imperils programs and practices whose costs are direct, but whose benefits are indirect and thus more difficult to measure. Ease of measurement does not correspond with importance. The administrative apparatus of evidence generation does not, as it claims to, merely pursue "good policy" but is itself a self-interested actor pursuing particular political ends.A December 2014 book published by the Brookings Institution, "Show Me the Evidence: Obama's Fight for Rigor and Results in Social Policy," sums up this belief: "The vision of the evidence-based movement is that the nation will have thousands of evidence-based social programs that address each of the nation's most important social problems and that under the onslaught of these increasingly effective programs, the nation's social problems will at last recede." This grandiose vision of evidence as panacea is dangerous and damaging. Unless the evangelists of evidence are resisted, they will steamroll over what they cannot measure, leaving us poorer as individuals and as a society, buried in a bureaucracy of numbers untethered from reality.Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine.Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | 3news
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Story highlightsDecree announced as Turkey continues crackdown after failed coupMove is expected to make space in jail for those accused of involvement in coup (CNN)Turkey is to release on parole 38,000 prisoners jailed before last month's coup attempt, the country's justice minister said Wednesday. The move will free up space in crowded prisons as Turkish authorities continue a sweeping purge in the wake of the failed coup, which has resulted in the arrest or detention of more than 23,000 currently.Turkey's President Erdogan won't rule out death penaltyJustice Minister Bekir Bozdag tweeted that about 38,000 prisoners would be eligible for parole after having served half of their prison terms, as opposed to the standard two-thirds. The dispensation would only apply to those sentenced before July 1 -- weeks before the failed coup -- and would exclude those guilty of crimes such as murder, sexual or drug offenses and terrorism, he said.The move, he tweeted, was "not an amnesty."Read MoreExtensive purgeTurkey's crackdown on those it suspects of involvement in the coup attempt -- which claimed the lives of at least 240 people as well as 40 coup plotters -- has seen more than 35,000 people detained, with about one-third of them released.JUST WATCHEDPresident Erdogan to rally: I support death penaltyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPresident Erdogan to rally: I support death penalty 02:07What Turkey's crackdown looks like a month laterThe purge has also led to more than 81,000 people being dismissed or suspended from their jobs, including police officers, judges, teachers, soldiers and journalists, the country's semiofficial Anadolu news agency reported, citing Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.Further sackings were announced Wednesday -- 2,360 police officers, 112 military personnel and 24 members of the coast guard, according to a decree in the official government gazette.Since their dismissals came made under the country's state of emergency, they will have no right to appeal, according to the gazette. Those dismissed will be stripped of their respective firearms, pilot's and sailing licenses and will be ineligible to work for private security companies in the future.Turkish police escort an accused coup participant from an Istanbul courthouse last month.The decree also said 196 people were being dismissed from the government's Information and Communication Technologies Authority, while another decree announced the closure of the Telecommunications Directorate.Another one said that Turkey intended to employ 4,000 new judges and prosecutors.Turkey has accused a Pennsylvania-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, of being behind the coup attempt, and has requested his extradition from the United States. Gulen has repeatedly denied any involvement.Ankara has faced international criticism that it has been using the coup attempt to crack down on opponents and jail dissidents.CNN's Lauren Said-Moorhouse contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsCNN World Sport selects the top 15 romances involving the stars of tennisRich history of tennis love-matches over the sport's long historyMajor champions Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf still together after 10 years of marriageCaroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy -- known as "Wozilroy" -- recently started datingThe life of a tennis professional is tough, but the rewards are plentiful -- and not just in a financial sense.The long trawl around the globe on both the men's and women's tours has often been a breeding ground for blossoming courtships, as lovestruck couples decide it is game, set and match while gazing at the figure on the opposite baseline.With Valentine's Day upon us, CNN World Sport charts the 15 top romances involving the stars of tennis in the gallery above. If you disagree, or think we've missed any out, let us know in the comments section below the story.Who could forget the enduring romance of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, both multiple grand slam winners, whose love was reputedly cemented at the 1999 French Open champions' ball and is still going strong after 10 years of marriage?One of the game's greatest ever players, Roger Federer, met his wife Mirka when the pair represented Switzerland at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.JUST WATCHEDHow to play mixed doublesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow to play mixed doubles 03:25JUST WATCHEDWhat is the Hopman Cup?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat is the Hopman Cup? 05:50But it is not all happily ever after. Chris Evert, an 18-time grand slam champion, has served love games to two fellow professionals -- Jimmy Connors and John Lloyd -- only for cupid to return a double fault.Several high-profile recent relationships have proved the kinship between tennis and other sports too, especially golf.Golf star Rory McIlroy, who won the 2011 U.S. Open, is currently dating former tennis world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. The partnered pair refer to themselves as "Wozilroy."Another golfer, Australia's Adam Scott, has recently rekindled his romance with glamorous Serbian tennis star Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion.Tennis has long been linked with showbiz, and high-profile names in the game have often mingled with stars of stage and screen.British pop crooner Cliff Richard's relationship with 1976 French Open winner Sue Barker made waves in the early 1980s, while Agassi's brief marriage to American actress Brooke Shields also attracted a deluge of headlines. | 5sport
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Story highlights Prince Charles, Gerry Adams shake hands in the Irish city of GalwayIt's the first meeting of the Sinn Fein leader and a member of the British royal familyAdams had been tied to the IRA before helping broker peace in Northern Ireland (CNN)Gerry Adams met with Prince Charles on Tuesday in Ireland, the first public meeting between the Sinn Fein leader and a member of the British royal family. The two men shook hands Tuesday in Galway, a city on Ireland's west coast.The encounter took place on the first day of Charles' four-day tour of the Republic of Ireland with his wife, Camilla. During the trip, Charles will also visit the village of Mullaghmore, where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb during a boating trip in 1979.At the time, Adams condoned the attack, saying, "What the IRA did to him is what Mountbatten had been doing all his life to other people." Read MoreBefore he helped broker peace in Northern Ireland, Adams had long been associated with the IRA -- once considered the armed wing of Sinn Fein. He denies that he was a member of the IRA. Today, Sinn Fein is Ireland's second-largest opposition party.The peace in Northern Ireland came after decades of bloody conflict between Protestant loyalists who wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom and Catholic nationalists who wanted to see the North united with the Republic of Ireland.Adams' meeting with Charles is being viewed as another milestone in the fragile peace process. "This was agreed to promote the process of resolving past injustices and promoting reconciliation and healing," Sinn Fein Chairman Declan Kearney said on his party's website. JUST WATCHEDAdams: I reject allegations against meReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAdams: I reject allegations against me 13:13Journalist Peter Taggart and CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsBrazil defeat Argentina 2-0 in Beijing friendlyDiego Tardelli scores twice to give a Selecao victoryLionel Messi misses penalty just before half timeLionel Messi missed a penalty as Brazil defeated Argentina 2-0 in the Superclasico de Las Americas friendly fixture in Beijing Saturday.Goals either side of half-time from Diego Tardelli were enough to ensure Brazil trumped its great South American rival for the first time since 2012.A mix up in the Argentina defense enabled Atletico Miniero midfielder Tardelli to carefully place a volley beyond Argentina keeper Sergio Romero after 28 minutes.Messi then had the chance to draw la Albiceleste level after Angel Di Maria was brought down in the box just before half time. But the Barcelona star's tame penalty was easily saved by Jefferson in the Brazil goal.An unmarked Tardelli put Brazil out of sight when he took advantage of yet more poor Argentina defending to nod in an Oscar corner after 64 minutes.JUST WATCHEDNeymar frustrated with Santos transferReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNeymar frustrated with Santos transfer 04:10JUST WATCHEDLjungberg ready for Indian Super LeagueReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLjungberg ready for Indian Super League 01:44JUST WATCHEDFerdinand: Tackling racism can start in stadiumsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFerdinand: Tackling racism can start in stadiums 02:32While not a competitive fixture, the result marks Brazil's third consecutive win since its disastrous exit at the hands of Germany at the 2014 World Cup.A Selecao has made wholesale changes to its football operation since that 7-1 semi-final humiliation in July.Former midfield star and manager at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Dunga, has replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari in the dugout while players such as Kaka and Robinho have been recalled to the squad after missing out on the World Cup.Suarez makes international returnLuis Suarez returned to international football for the first time since biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil earlier this year and set up Uruguay's only goal in a 1-1 friendly draw against Saudi Arabia Friday. The Barcelona striker was initially banned from all football activity for four months and nine international matches. But an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport saw the initial punishment altered to nine competitive internationals and allowed the 27-year-old to train with his teammates and take part in friendlies.Suarez's 47th minute strike rebounded off the post before being turned in to his own goal by Saudi defender Hassan Muath Fallatah.Substitute Naif Hazazi equalized for Saudi Arabia in the closing minutes to deny Uruguay victory.Read: Will India's new league prove big hit?Read: Ebola fears sideline Guinea star | 5sport
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(CNN)When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, showering Pompeii with hot rock, volcanic ash and noxious gas, it buried the residents of the ancient city forever, preserving their remains in the ash.But they weren't the only ones preserved. Their animals were, too.One of those animals was found recently in a remarkable discovery at the UNESCO World Heritage site near Naples, Italy. The remains of an ancient horse was found in a section of a well-preserved villa, on a large, walled tract of land north of Pompeii that was used for farming.A 'thrilling' discoveryMassimo Osanna, director general of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, described the discovery as one of the most interesting in the history of the park and the first instance of archaeologists being able to reconstruct horse remains there, through a special plaster casting technique used at dig sites. As such, he said, the news was "thrilling" for the archaeologists who work at the ruins.Read More"It's a remarkable horse," Osanna said, adding that most likely it was a "thoroughbred." It was found, he said, in an area of the villa that has been particularly well-preserved. As a result, the horse's skeleton remained largely intact.A bed was also found in the same area as well as remnants of the fabric from a bed covering. The fabric suggests that most likely that part of the villa was where slaves lived, he said.He said the discoveries are amazing because they "help us understand who lived in this part of the property," where other items also were found such kitchen utensils."The things that's really interesting is that within the walls of the property we've found evidence of cultivation," Osanna said, who added that they are still researching what crops were grown there.A collapsing ruinPompeii is one of most famous historical sites in the world. Mount Vesuvius buried the town and its unsuspecting inhabitants nearly 2,000 years. Those who did not escape, suffocated or burned. Some were covered in several feet of ash and preserved and fossilized in the process. But over the years, flooding, excess tourism and neglect have contributed to the deterioration of the site, according to experts. Pompeii has made international headlines because of decaying or collapsing ruins and labor disputes that prevented tourists from visiting the site. Collapsing structures have been attributed to poor maintenance. | 3news
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(CNN Business)The Internal Revenue Service is halting a plan that would have required taxpayers to verify their identities with facial recognition software before signing on to its website following backlash from lawmakers and privacy groups.The IRS said in a statement Monday that it will "transition away from using a third-party verification service involving facial recognition." The IRS said it will bring online an "additional authentication process" that doesn't use facial recognition technology, and work with other partners in government to come up with ways to authenticate taxpayers that "protect taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools." It did not explain what that authentication process will include. Want your unemployment benefits? You may have to submit to facial recognition first"The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we understand the concerns that have been raised," said IRS commissioner Chuck Rettig. "Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition."The reversal, which comes as tax season is underway, hints at public discomfort around the expanded use of facial recognition technology in our daily lives and could raise questions about other parts of government that rely on the same private company as the IRS for verification purposes. It also raises questions about whether other government agencies will pull back on their own use of facial recognition software more broadly as the technology has been widely used across the US government for years. The IRS had previously planned to require a new verification process for logging in to its website starting this summer, which would include taking a picture of a photo ID, like a driver's license or passport, and then taking a video selfie with a smartphone or computer so software could compare the two. Read MoreIt was part of a partnership the IRS has with ID.me, a fast-growing company that uses facial recognition software as part of its identity-verification process. ID.me also verifies identities for 30 states' unemployment agencies, as well as a growing number of US federal agencies, including Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.Once a user had been authenticated via ID.me, they would be able to sign on to the IRS's website to request an online tax transcript or see information regarding tax payments or economic impact payments. The process had been optional for those who already had an IRS username and password, but those were set to stop working this summer.The IRS used ID.me in a more limited capacity last year, verifying people who wanted to opt out of receiving advance child tax credit payments. In November, the IRS announced it was expanding this verification process for all logins, but the move gained attention and scrutiny from privacy advocates as tax season begins and millions of people visit the agency's site. The federal government has no rules regulating the use of facial recognition software, but the technology has come under fire from privacy groups, who oppose it for privacy issues and other potential dangers. For instance, it has been shown to be less accurate when identifying people of color, and several Black men, at least, have been wrongfully arrested due to the use of facial recognition.In the past week, more than half a dozen members of Congress, including Sens. Ron Wyden, Roy Blunt and Jeff Merkley, wrote letters to the IRS, asking it to stop using facial recognition software for user verification."I understand the transition process may take time," Wyden said in a statement Monday, "but I appreciate that the administration recognizes that privacy and security are not mutually exclusive and no one should be forced to submit to facial recognition to access critical government services."In response to a request for comment, an ID.me spokesperson referred CNN Business to the IRS. The company has said in the past that an internal test of hundreds of faces of people who failed to pass its facial recognition check did not show statistically significant evidence of racial bias.Caitlin Seeley George, campaign director for Fight for the Future, which had been one of several privacy-oriented groups asking people to sign a petition urging the government to stop using ID.me, called the move "great news." "We also want all of this energy to continue," she said, "to ensure that other agencies like the VA and the Social Security Administration, as well as states using ID.me for unemployment benefits, end their contracts and commit to finding options that protect peoples' privacy and rights." | 0business
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Story highlightsGreek government orders closure of state broadcaster ERTSpokesman cited chronic corruption and mismanagement of fundsSeveral of ERT's three TV channels and radios went off air WednesdayIn a budget-cutting move, the Greek government closed, at least temporarily, state broadcaster ERT.Government spokesperson Simon Kedikoglou cited chronic corruption and mismanagement of funds as reasons for the closure. "At a time when the Greek people are enduring sacrifices, there is no room for delay, hesitation or tolerance for sacred cows," Kedikoglou said in announcement shown on the broadcaster.At least several of ERT's three TV channels and radio services went off the air early Wednesday. Television viewers saw screens go black.ERT has said the decision means 2,656 employees will lose their jobs. In order to meet its commitments to its creditors, the Greek government has to dismiss 2,000 people from the wider public sector by the end of the year and 15,000 by the end of 2014.The new television and radio broadcaster will open with a much smaller staff, Kedikoglou said. A "modern television and radio broadcaster will be established that will operate as soon as possible," he said.Existing employees will be able to apply for new positions. A time frame for the new organization has not been announced.Hundreds of employees gathered outside the ERT Athens headquarters to protest the move. Unions say they will fight the decision. | 3news
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(Reuters)With his inauspicious Argentina debut nothing but a distant memory, Lionel Messi became his country's most capped player on Monday in their 4-1 Copa América victory over Bolivia.A perennial candidate in the 'Greatest of All Time' debate, Messi marked the occasion in style with a virtuoso performance, scoring twice and setting up another in his 148th national team appearance, surpassing Javier Mascherano's record.It was all a far cry from his debut in 2005 when he was sent off after just 43 seconds.Coming on the pitch as a second-half substitute in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest, the then 18-year-old was red carded for swinging an arm in an opponent's face.Argentina's record scorer, Messi's 74th and 75th international goals helped extend the side's unbeaten run to 17 games on Monday and booked a quarterfinal tie against Ecuador on Saturday.Read MoreMessi is also Argentina's record scorer.Argentina have not won a major title since lifting the Copa América in 1993 and Messi, who has won every honor available to him at Barcelona, is desperate for some success in a blue and white shirt."I've been lucky enough to win everything at club level and individual level and it would be lovely also to win something with the national side," the 34-year-old said on the eve of this year's Copa. "That's my dream."His Spanish club were among those to send their congratulations for his record-breaking achievement on Monday: "A true legend, Leo! Congratulations."Messi has appeared in three Copa América finals, as well as the 2014 World Cup final, all of which Argentina lost. However, they are in good form going into the last eight of the Copa and are undefeated since 2019.They next face Ecuador in Goiania on Saturday for a place in the semifinals. | 5sport
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(CNN)Greenland's ice sheet melted more last year than any year previously recorded, according to a new study, in another sign of the devastating impacts of a warming planet.The research, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment on Thursday, found that in 2019 Greenland's ice sheet lost an annual record of 532 billion tons of ice, with 223 billion tons of ice lost during the month of July alone.To put that in comparison, between 2003 and 2016 the ice sheet lost about 255 billion tons of ice on average -- per year."We have documented another record loss year for Greenland," said Ingo Sasgen, a glaciologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research and co-author of the study. "What this shows is that the ice sheet is not only out of balance but it's increasingly likely to produce more and more extreme loss years."Read MoreThe report follows another study published last week that found Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, and is retreating in rapid bursts, leading to a sudden and unpredictable rise in sea levels. Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, according to new studyGreenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is the world's largest island. It's located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of Canada's Arctic Archipelago. Around 79% of its surface is covered in ice.Greenland's ice sheet is the second biggest in the world behind Antarctica's, and its annual ice melt during summer contributes more than a millimeter rise to sea levels every year. But that's set to get worse as increasing greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the planet. "We see an Arctic warming about one and a half times faster in summer compared to the global average," Sasgen said. In 2019, Greenland's ice sheet lost 15% more ice than the previous record set in 2012, the study found. And while the ice sheet has been increasingly melting since the 1990s, according to the report, several conditions led to the record melt in 2019. Last year was the third hottest year since records began and surface air temperatures at the Arctic were the second highest in 120 years of records, according to the State of the Climate 2019. Water from the Greenland ice sheet flows through heather and peat during unseasonably warm weather on August 1, 2019 at Eqip Sermia, Greenland. Sasgen said that these ever-increasing temperatures combined with a low snowfall, and warm atmospheric and cloud-free conditions that allowed more solar radiation to enter the ice sheet, led to the huge melt production seen last year. Interestingly, two colder years that preceded 2019 saw a reduction in the ice melt. Satellite data found that Greenland's ice loss in 2017 and 2018 was lower than in any other two-year period between 2003 and 2019, due to two abnormally cold summers in western Greenland, a snowier fall and winter conditions in the east, according to the report. However, Sasgen said those two cold years don't compensate for the dramatic melting in 2019. The report found that the ice sheet will continue to lose mass in response to Arctic warming. "This extreme melt kicks off feedbacks that may accelerate the mass loss. This is what is worrying, the extremes are increasing and we understand too little about how the ice sheet will respond to more extreme climate variability," Sasgen said. Ocean warming is causing massive ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica, NASA study showsSea levels are projected to rise by about 1 meter (3 feet) by the end of the century, inundating low-lying coastal areas and wiping away beaches and properties. Without building up defenses, some 300 million people worldwide -- including in the United States, Europe and across Asia -- could be at risk of losing their homes to rising seas over the next three decades, by some projections. From coastal US states such as Florida, major global cities like London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, to low-lying big cities like Bangladesh's Dhaka or India's Kolkata and entire Pacific islands are all at risk from rising sea levels.Reducing CO2 levels, Sasgen said, is the only hope to slow global warming and reduce future extreme ice melt. Like we think of the Romans as the civilization who invented the sewer system, Sasgen said we should consider how our society will be thought of in years to come. "If you think about our civilization in 2,000 years when the ice sheet has significantly shrunk and the sea level has risen by probably a few meters, our society will be regarded as the one that triggered this decrease in continental ice," he said. "It's not only four years, or 10 years or 100 years, it's a process that will continue for a very long time and we're just seeing the start of it." | 3news
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Story highlightsThe match will feature superstar Cristiano RonaldoRonaldo is grappling with a left knee injury The USA and Portugal will face off in notoriously humid ManausA loss to USA would mean elimination for PortugalBefore the match even starts, there's already one clear winner in the U.S.-Portugal match Sunday: American sports bars.Sure, they may be teeming with Americans who didn't know anything about the World Cup before USA's stunning victory over Ghana last Monday. But Sunday's game has enough drama and story lines to excite both fair-weather fans and diehard followers. Behold ... Ronaldo JUST WATCHED Iranian women watch World Cup in publicReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH Iranian women watch World Cup in public 00:10 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World Cup Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany's Mario Gotze scores the goal that would decide the World Cup final Sunday, July 13, in Rio de Janeiro. Gotze, a late substitute, scored the goal in extra time as Germany won 1-0. Click through the gallery to see all the goals scored in the World Cup.Hide Caption 1 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Georginio Wijnaldum of the Netherlands celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the third-place playoff match against Brazil on Saturday, July 12, in Brasilia, Brazil. The Netherlands defeated Brazil 3-0. Hide Caption 2 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Netherlands defender Daley Blind celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0.Hide Caption 3 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Robin van Persie of the Netherlands shoots and scores the first goal of the third-place match.Hide Caption 4 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Oscar of Brazil scores a late second-half goal against Germany during a World Cup semifinal match played Tuesday, July 8, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. But it was no consolation for the home team, which was knocked out of the tournament by a stunning score of 7-1. Hide Caption 5 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andre Schuerrle of Germany celebrates scoring his team's seventh goal. It was his second goal of the game.Hide Caption 6 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Schuerrle, right, pumps his fist after making the score 6-0.Hide Caption 7 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil's David Luiz stands near a group of German players as they celebrate their fifth goal. Germany led 5-0 at halftime. Hide Caption 8 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany's Toni Kroos, second from left, celebrates scoring his second goal of the game. It put his team up 4-0.Hide Caption 9 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Kroos is lifted in the air by teammate Sami Khedira after he scored to put Germany up 3-0.Hide Caption 10 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany's Miroslav Klose, second from left, scores his team's second goal. The goal also made Klose the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.Hide Caption 11 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Benedikt Hoewedes of Germany celebrates after teammate Thomas Mueller, not pictured, scored the opening goal against Brazil. Hide Caption 12 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina, left, celebrates his goal against Belgium in a World Cup quarterfinal match Saturday, July 5, in Brasilia, Brazil. It was the only goal of the match.Hide Caption 13 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia's James Rodriguez scores a second-half penalty against Brazil during a World Cup quarterfinal match Friday, July 4, in Fortaleza, Brazil. But Brazil held on to win 2-1 and advance to the semifinals.Hide Caption 14 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – David Luiz gave Brazil a 2-0 lead with a stunning long-range free kick in the second half.Hide Caption 15 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil's captain, Thiago Silva, redirects a corner kick into the net to give his team a 1-0 lead over Colombia early in the first half.Hide Caption 16 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – The ball flies by French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after a header by Germany's Mats Hummels opened the scoring in their World Cup quarterfinal July 4 in Rio de Janeiro. It was the only goal in the match as Germany won to advance to the semifinals.Hide Caption 17 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Julian Green of the United States scores a goal against Belgium during extra time of a World Cup round-of-16 match Tuesday, July 1, in Salvador, Brazil. Belgium won the match 2-1, however, to advance to the quarterfinals of the soccer tournament. Hide Caption 18 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku scores his team's second goal in extra time. The game was scoreless after regulation.Hide Caption 19 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne scores the first goal of the match.Hide Caption 20 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina players Lionel Messi, left, and Angel Di Maria celebrate after Di Maria scored the winning goal in extra time to beat Switzerland 1-0 and advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.Hide Caption 21 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Abdelmoumene Djabou of Algeria shoots and scores his team's first goal in extra time during a World Cup round-of-16 match against Germany on Monday, June 30, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Despite the late goal, Germany still advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory.Hide Caption 22 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mesut Oezil of Germany scores his team's second goal past Rais M'Bolhi of Algeria.Hide Caption 23 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andre Schuerrle, center, scores a backheel goal in extra time to give Germany a 1-0 lead over Algeria.Hide Caption 24 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – The ball hits Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo, right, before going into his own net during a World Cup match against France on June 30, in Brasilia, Brazil. France advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory. Hide Caption 25 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Paul Pogba of France heads in his team's first goal against Nigeria.Hide Caption 26 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Sokratis Papastathopoulos of Greece, left, shoots and scores late in the second half to tie Costa Rica during a game in Recife, Brazil, on Sunday, June 29. The elimination-round game ended with a final score of 1-1. Costa Rica advanced by winning a penalty kick shootout.Hide Caption 27 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Bryan Ruiz of Costa Rica scores his team's goal against Greece.Hide Caption 28 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of the Netherlands shoots and scores his team's second goal on a stoppage-time penalty kick during a World Cup game against Mexico in Fortaleza, Brazil, on June 29. The Netherlands won 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.Hide Caption 29 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Wesley Sneijder of the Netherlands (No. 10) celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Mexico.Hide Caption 30 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Giovani dos Santos of Mexico celebrates scoring his team's goal against the Netherlands.Hide Caption 31 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – James Rodriguez of Colombia, left, celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, June 28. Colombia won the game 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Rodriguez had both goals.Hide Caption 32 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Rodriguez shoots and scores his team's first goal against Uruguay.Hide Caption 33 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil's goalkeeper, Julio Cesar, concedes a goal to Alexis Sanchez during a World Cup game against Chile in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on June 28. The first game of the elimination round ended with a score of 1-1. Brazil advanced to the quarterfinals by winning a penalty kick shootout.Hide Caption 34 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Chile's goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo, can't stop the ball from going in for a Brazil goal. The goal was initially awarded to David Luiz, center, but it was later determined to be an own goal by Chile's Gonzalo Jara.Hide Caption 35 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen celebrates after scoring during a World Cup match against South Korea on Thursday, June 26, at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo.Hide Caption 36 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Algeria forward Islam Slimani, right, heads the ball to score a goal past Russia's goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev during a World Cup match at the Baixada Arena in Curitiba, Brazil. Hide Caption 37 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Russia forward Alexander Kokorin, center, scores his team's first goal past Algeria's goalkeeper Rais Mbohli, in blue.Hide Caption 38 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Portugal's forward and captain Cristiano Ronaldo scores during the match against Ghana on Thursday, June 26. Portugal won 2-1. Hide Caption 39 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Ghana's Asamoah Gyan heads the ball to score a goal against Portugal during a World Cup game in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 26.Hide Caption 40 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Thomas Mueller of Germany shoots and scores a goal against the United States in Recife, Brazil, on June 26. Germany won the match 1-0.Hide Caption 41 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Ghana defender John Boye, center, hits the ball to score an own-goal as Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho, right, watches on and Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda tries to defend on June 26.Hide Caption 42 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, third from left, celebrates with forward Josip Drmic next to Honduras' goalkeeper Noel Valladares after scoring his team's third goal against Honduras in Manaus, Brazil, on Wednesday, June 25. Switzerland won 3-0. Hide Caption 43 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Shaqiri celebrates with forward Drmic, back, after scoring his team's second goal against Honduras.Hide Caption 44 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Shaqiri celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Honduras.Hide Caption 45 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Avdija Vrsajevic of Bosnia-Herzegovina shoots and scores his team's third goal past goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi of Iran during a match in Salvador, Brazil, on June 25. Bosnia-Herzegovina won 3-1. Hide Caption 46 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Iran forward Reza Ghoochannejhad, right, kicks to score his team's first goal past Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Toni Sunjic runs during the match. Hide Caption 47 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko, front right, celebrates with teammates after Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Miralem Pjanic (not seen) scored his team's second goal. Haghighi, picks up the ball Hide Caption 48 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina defender Marcos Rojo celebrates his team's third goal against Nigeria in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 25. Argentina won 3-2.Hide Caption 49 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Argentina. Hide Caption 50 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina forward Lionel Messi scores his team's second goal against Nigeria. Hide Caption 51 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko, left, celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Iran.Hide Caption 52 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Musa, right, celebrates his goal with Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo during a match against Argentina.Hide Caption 53 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Messi, left, celebrates with his teammate Angel Di Maria, after scoring his team's first goal against Nigeria.Hide Caption 54 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Giorgos Samaras of Greece celebrates scoring his team's second goal on a penalty kick against the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, June 24, in Fortaleza, Brazil. Greece won 2-1.Hide Caption 55 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – James Rodriguez of Colombia shoots and scores his team's fourth goal against Japan on June 24 in Cuiaba, Brazil. Colombia won 4-1.Hide Caption 56 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Jackson Martinez of Colombia, right, celebrates with his teammate Rodriguez after scoring his team's third goal against Japan.Hide Caption 57 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Greece.Hide Caption 58 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Jackson Martinez of Colombia shoots and scores his team's second goal against Japan.Hide Caption 59 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia's goalkeeper David Ospina lies on the ground after Japan's Shinji Okazaki (not pictured) scored his team's first goal.Hide Caption 60 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andreas Samaris of Greece scores against the Ivory Coast.Hide Caption 61 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia's Juan Guillermo Cuadrado scores a penalty during the match against Japan.Hide Caption 62 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Uruguay's Diego Godin, second right, scores against Italy on June 24 in Natal, Brazil. Uruguay won 1-0.Hide Caption 63 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico fails to stop Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic from scoring on Monday, June 23, in Recife, Brazil. Mexico won 3-1. Hide Caption 64 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Fernandinho of Brazil, right, celebrates with his teammate Ramires after scoring his team's fourth and final goal against Cameroon on June 23 in Brasilia. Brazil won 4-1.Hide Caption 65 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mexico's Javier Hernandez celebrates after scoring his team's third goal against Croatia.Hide Caption 66 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andres Guardado of Mexico, center, celebrates after scoring the second goal against Croatia.Hide Caption 67 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mexico's Rafael Marquez, center, heads the ball to score his team's first goal against Croatia.Hide Caption 68 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Fred of Brazil scores his team's third goal on a header past Charles Itandje of Cameroon.Hide Caption 69 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil forward Neymar, left, celebrates with his teammate Dani Alves after scoring Brazil's second goal against Cameroon.Hide Caption 70 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Cameroon midfielder Joel Matip, right, celebrates with Allan Nyom and Vincent Aboubakar after scoring a goal against Brazil.Hide Caption 71 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil forward Neymar, right, scores Brazil's first goal past Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje.Hide Caption 72 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Memphis Depay of the Netherlands scores his team's second goal past Chile's goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in Sao Paulo on June 23. Netherlands won 2-0.Hide Caption 73 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Juan Mata scores the third goal for Spain past Mathew Ryan of Australia at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil, on June 23. Spain defeated Australia 3-0, but neither team will advance to the next round.Hide Caption 74 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Netherlands midfielder Leroy Fer celebrates scoring the team's first goal against Chile.Hide Caption 75 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Spain's Fernando Torres scores his team's second goal past Australian Mathew Ryan.Hide Caption 76 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – David Villa of Spain scores his team's first goal past Mathew Ryan of Australia.Hide Caption 77 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Portugal forward Silvestre Varela gets up after scoring his team's dramatic second goal in the last moments against the United States at Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, on Sunday, June 22. The final result was a 2-2 draw.Hide Caption 78 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Clint Dempsey, left, of the United States celebrates scoring his team's second and go-ahead goal against Portugal.Hide Caption 79 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Jermaine Jones of the United States celebrates scoring his team's first goal in the second half against Portugal.Hide Caption 80 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Portugal's Nani, center, celebrates scoring a goal against the United States. He scored on a cross about 6 yards out from the goal.Hide Caption 81 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – South Korean forward Koo Ja-cheol scores his team's second goal against Algeria at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 22. Algeria won 4-2.Hide Caption 82 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Yacine Brahimi, second left, scores Algeria's fourth goal against South Korea.Hide Caption 83 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Son Heung-min of South Korea scores his team's first goal past Madjid Bougherra of Algeria.Hide Caption 84 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Algerian forward Abdelmoumene Djabou celebrates scoring his team's third goal against South Korea.Hide Caption 85 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Algeria's Rafik Halliche scores the second goal against South Korea on a header.Hide Caption 86 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Islam Slimani of Algeria scores the first goal against South Korea.Hide Caption 87 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Belgium's forward Divock Origi, center, celebrates after scoring against Russia in Rio de Janeiro on June 22. Belgium won 1-0.Hide Caption 88 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Nigeria forward Peter Odemwingie, right, shoots past Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, left, on Saturday, June 21, in Cuiaba, Brazil. Nigeria won 1-0.Hide Caption 89 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany substitute Miroslav Klose does a flip to celebrate after equaling the World Cup record of 15 goals overall, giving his team a 2-2 draw with Ghana on June 21 in Fortaleza, Brazil.Hide Caption 90 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Asamoah Gyan of Ghana puts his team 2-1 head against Germany.Hide Caption 91 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andre Ayew scores Ghana's equalizer with a header past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.Hide Caption 92 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany midfielder Mario Gotze, right, scores the team's first goal against Ghana.Hide Caption 93 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina forward and captain Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the only goal in Argentina's World Cup victory over Iran on June 21 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.Hide Caption 94 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Enner Valencia of Ecuador scores his team's second goal on a header against Jerry Bengtson and Juan Carlos Garcia of Honduras on Friday, June 20, in Curitiba, Brazil. The goal brought the score to 2-1, Ecuador. Hide Caption 95 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Carlo Costly of Honduras celebrates scoring his team's first goal, tying the score 1-1.Hide Caption 96 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Enner Valencia of Ecuador scores the first goal of the game past Noel Valladares of Honduras.Hide Caption 97 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka scores on a volley in the second half against France on June 20. But France were well ahead by that point, winning 5-2 in Salvador, Brazil.Hide Caption 98 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris can't get to a free kick from Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili in the second half. France led 5-0 to that point.Hide Caption 99 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – French midfielder Moussa Sissoko celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal.Hide Caption 100 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Karim Benzema slips the ball past Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio for France's fourth goal. It was Benzema's third goal of the tournament.Hide Caption 101 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – France's Mathieu Valbuena runs past Benaglio after giving his team a 3-0 lead in the first half.Hide Caption 102 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Blaise Matuidi celebrates his first-half goal, which gave France a 2-0 lead.Hide Caption 103 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Benaglio kneels near the net after French forward Olivier Giroud, far right, headed in a goal to open the scoring.Hide Caption 104 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz heads the ball past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon during the first half of a World Cup match Friday, June 20, in Recife, Brazil. Costa Rica held on to win 1-0 and clinch a spot in the next round of the tournament.Hide Caption 105 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez drills a shot to score a late second-half goal and defeat England 2-1 in a World Cup match Thursday, June 19, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Suarez had both of Uruguay's goals. Hide Caption 106 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – England forward Wayne Rooney taps the ball past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to tie the match at 1-1. It was Rooney's first World Cup goal in his career.Hide Caption 107 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Suarez celebrates after steering a header past English goalkeeper Joe Hart in the first half.Hide Caption 108 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina fails to stop a second-half shot by Ivory Coast forward Gervinho during a World Cup match Thursday, June 19, in Brasilia, Brazil. Colombia won the match 2-1. Hide Caption 109 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombian forward Juan Fernando Quintero celebrates after his goal gave his team a 2-0 lead.Hide Caption 110 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia players dance after the first goal of the game, which was scored by James Rodriguez (No. 10) on a header.Hide Caption 111 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mario Mandzukic of Croatia scores his second goal past Charles Itandje of Cameroon during a World Cup match Wednesday, June 18, in Manaus, Brazil. Croatia won 4-0, eliminating Cameroon from World Cup contention. Hide Caption 112 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mandzukic, center, celebrates scoring Croatia's third goal with his teammates Dejan Lovren, left, and Vedran Corluka.Hide Caption 113 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic shoots past Itandje.Hide Caption 114 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Croatian forward Ivica Olic, center, celebrates after scoring against the team's opening goal against Cameroon.Hide Caption 115 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Chilean players celebrate together after midfielder Charles Aranguiz gave them a 2-0 lead against Spain. Chile won the match by that score, eliminating the defending world champions from the soccer tournament.Hide Caption 116 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Eduardo Vargas, right, scores Chile's first goal, firing past Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas.Hide Caption 117 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan can't reach a shot by Memphis Depay on June 18. Depay's second-half goal gave the Netherlands a 3-2 victory in Porto Alegre, Brazil.Hide Caption 118 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Robin Van Persie of the Netherlands ties the game at 2-2 with a close-range shot in the second half. It was Van Persie's third goal of the tournament.Hide Caption 119 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – A penalty kick from Australian captain Mile Jedinak gives the "Socceroos" a 2-1 lead over the Netherlands. The penalty was awarded after a handball was called against Dutch defender Daryl Janmaat.Hide Caption 120 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Australian forward Tim Cahill celebrates after scoring a goal against the Netherlands. His impressive volley tied the match at 1-1. Hide Caption 121 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Arjen Robben of the Netherlands opens the scoring. It was his third goal of the tournament.Hide Caption 122 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Russian forward Alexander Kerzhakov, second from right, scores the final goal of a 1-1 draw against South Korea on Tuesday, June 17, in Cuiaba, Brazil.Hide Caption 123 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev fails to stop South Korea from scoring the first goal of the game late in the second half. Hide Caption 124 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Belgium's Dries Mertens shoots what would turn out to be the winning goal during a World Cup match against Algeria on June 17 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Belgium won the match 2-1 after trailing 1-0 at halftime.Hide Caption 125 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Marouane Fellaini of Belgium, far right, tied the game with a powerful header in the second half. Hide Caption 126 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Sofiane Feghouli scores on a penalty kick to give Algeria a 1-0 lead. Hide Caption 127 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – American defender John Brooks, bottom left, celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Ghana during a World Cup match Monday, June 16, in Natal, Brazil. The United States won 2-1 thanks to Brooks' header in the 86th minute.Hide Caption 128 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Andre Ayew of Ghana celebrates after scoring a second-half goal to tie the United States.Hide Caption 129 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Clint Dempsey of the United States reacts after scoring in the first minute of the Ghana match.Hide Caption 130 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Germany's Thomas Mueller scores his third goal of the game -- and the fourth for his team -- en route to a 4-0 pasting of Portugal on June 16.Hide Caption 131 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mueller's second goal put Germany up 3-0 right before halftime in Salvador, Brazil.Hide Caption 132 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mats Hummels, right, celebrates after heading in a corner kick to put Germany up 2-0.Hide Caption 133 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Mueller opens the scoring on a penalty kick, slotting the ball past Rui Patricio of Portugal. The penalty was awarded after Mario Goetze was brought down in the box.Hide Caption 134 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Substitute Vedad Ibisevic shoots past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero to score Bosnia-Herzegovina's historic first World Cup goal Sunday, June 15, at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. But Argentina won the match 2-1.Hide Caption 135 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina's captain, Lionel Messi, celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina.Hide Caption 136 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Argentina's Marcos Rojo celebrates after Sead Kolasinac of Bosnia-Herzegovina scored an own goal in the early minutes of the game.Hide Caption 137 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Karim Benzema, left, celebrates with teammate Blaise Matuidi after scoring France's third goal against Honduras on June 15. It was his second goal of the match, which France won 3-0 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.Hide Caption 138 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares, right, scores an unfortunate own goal after a shot by Benzema rebounded off the post. It was confirmed by FIFA's new goal-line technology.Hide Caption 139 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Benzema celebrates with Patrice Evra after scoring France's first goal against Honduras.Hide Caption 140 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Substitute Haris Seferovic scores Switzerland's winning goal against Ecuador, beating goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez in the third minute of extra time to secure a 2-1 victory in the Group E opener June 15 in Brasilia, Brazil.Hide Caption 141 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Switzerland's halftime replacement, Admir Mehmedi, scores the equalizer against Ecuador.Hide Caption 142 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Enner Valencia's header puts Ecuador in front against Switzerland.Hide Caption 143 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Gervinho, left, celebrates with Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast after scoring the team's second goal in their World Cup match against Japan on Saturday, June 14. Ivory Coast trailed 1-0 at halftime but came back to win 2-1 in Recife, Brazil.Hide Caption 144 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima tries in vain to stop a Wilfried Bony header from going in for Ivory Coast's first goal. Hide Caption 145 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Keisuke Honda, second from right, celebrates scoring Japan's first goal with teammates Yuto Nagatomo, Yuya Osako and Hotaru Yamaguchi.Hide Caption 146 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Italy striker Mario Balotelli, left, heads the winning goal against England on June 14. Italy defeated England 2-1 in Manaus, Brazil.Hide Caption 147 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – England forward Daniel Sturridge celebrates after scoring a first-half equalizer against Italy.Hide Caption 148 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – England goalkeeper Joe Hart dives as Claudio Marchisio's long-range shot gives Italy the lead.Hide Caption 149 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, left, looks on as Costa Rica's players celebrate their team's late winner, scored by substitute Marco Urena, on June 14 in Fortaleza, Brazil. Costa Rica won 3-1.Hide Caption 150 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Oscar Duarte celebrates after scoring Costa Rica's second goal against Uruguay.Hide Caption 151 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Forward Joel Campbell scores Costa Rica's equalizer against Uruguay.Hide Caption 152 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Edinson Cavani puts Uruguay ahead with a first-half penalty kick.Hide Caption 153 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez celebrates after scoring his team's third and final goal during a match against Greece on June 14 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Colombia won 3-0.Hide Caption 154 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Colombia forward Teofilo Gutierrez scores the second goal.Hide Caption 155 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis fails to keep out a deflected shot by Colombia's Pablo Armero in the fifth minute of the match. Hide Caption 156 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Jean Beausejour of Chile shoots and scores the final goal during his team's 3-1 win over Australia on Friday, June 13, in Cuiaba, Brazil.Hide Caption 157 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Australian forward Tim Cahill heads in a first-half goal to cut Chile's lead to one. Chile had a 2-0 lead at the time.Hide Caption 158 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – The ball bulges the back of the net after Chile's Jorge Valdivia scored in the 14th minute of the game. The goal came within two minutes of Chile's first goal.Hide Caption 159 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Chile forward Alexis Sanchez kicks the ball past two Australians to score the opening goal of the match.Hide Caption 160 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, right, reacts after Dutch forward Arjen Robben, center, scored to put the finishing touches on a 5-1 win for the Netherlands on June 13. It was Robben's second goal of the match, which was played in Salvador, Brazil.Hide Caption 161 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Netherlands forward Robin van Persie, left, celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match to put the Dutch up 4-1. Hide Caption 162 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Stefan de Vrij, right, deflects the ball in for the Netherlands' third goal while van Persie collides with Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas.Hide Caption 163 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Robben slides on the ground after scoring his first goal. It gave the Dutch a 2-1 lead in the second half.Hide Caption 164 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Van Persie scores a diving header in the first half of the match against Spain. It tied the score at 1-1.Hide Caption 165 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Xabi Alonso scores on a penalty kick to give Spain an early 1-0 lead.Hide Caption 166 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Oribe Peralta celebrates after scoring the only goal in Mexico's 1-0 win over Cameroon on June 13 in Natal, Brazil.Hide Caption 167 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazilian midfielder Oscar, right, celebrates after scoring a late goal to give his team a 3-1 win over Croatia in the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday, June 12.Hide Caption 168 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Neymar scores a penalty kick to give Brazil a 2-1 lead. It was Neymar's second goal of the match, which was played in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Hide Caption 169 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Croatian goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa dives but fails to stop the ball as Neymar scores his first goal to tie the match at 1-1.Hide Caption 170 of 171 Photos: Photos: Every goal from the World CupGoooal! Keeping score at the World Cup – Brazil's Marcelo, second from right, accidentally deflects the ball past his own goalkeeper, Julio Cesar. It was the first goal of the tournament, and it put the host country in an early hole.Hide Caption 171 of 171Any confidence gained by beating Ghana will be tempered when USA faces Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. U.S. goal keeper Tim Howard is bracing for a serious challenge."He's the best in the world with the ball at his feet, good striker, left and right foot, dominant in the air ... the list goes on and on," Howard told reporters Saturday. "We're going to do the best to bottle him up." But even Ronaldo has an Achilles' heel -- or in this case, knee. The 29-year-old injured his left knee in the opening game against Germany. Portugal suffered a stunning 0-4 loss. But there's more to the team than just Ronaldo. "Portugal is not only one player ... they have a lot of good players, and we have to be completely 100% with the whole team to stop this team and to win that game," U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones said. "Group of Death"If USA wins Sunday, it's guaranteed a spot in the next round. If it draws or loses, the team still has one more game to try to escape the so-called "Group of Death."The Americans will have to play without Jozy Altidore, who will sit out because of his strained left hamstring.But the Portuguese have their backs against the wall. A loss to the Americans would eliminate Portugal.Rumble in the jungleAs if both sides didn't have enough challenges, they'll be playing in a giant sauna. Sunday's match will be in Manaus, a notoriously hot and muggy city in the Brazilian jungle. But U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said he's not too worried. "We are thrilled to be here in Manaus. We're thrilled that this game is coming closer and closer," he said. "I think we were very well prepared for this climate here. We have similar climates to play in."Howard said he hasn't prepared any differently for the game in Manaus. "I think we're fit and we're conditioned," he said. "As long as we've got good sleep and we stay hydrated, we should be fine." | 5sport
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Story highlightsAsamoah Gyan says pressure is on Ghana to win 2012 African Cup of NationsThe Black Stars have not won the competition since beating Libya in 1972Gyan has defended his September move from Sunderland to Al-AinThe 25-year-old wants to raise exposure of UAE side Al-Ain in AfricaStriker Asamoah Gyan has told CNN the pressure will be on Ghana to win the African Cup of Nations (CAN) when the tournament gets underway in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon in January.The Black Stars are four-time winners of the continent's biennial football tournament, but have not lifted the trophy since emerging victorious in Libya 29 years ago.With traditional African football giants such as seven-time CAN winners Egypt and Cameroon, champions on four occasions, failing to qualify for next year's competition, Gyan admits the pressure will be on Ghana to perform."A team like Ghana, people are wondering why we don't win the African Cup of Nations and it's a big worry to our fans," the 25-year-old said.2012 African Cup of Nations draw"You can see that there are many giants who are out of the competition. You're talking about Cameroon, you're talking about Nigeria (double CAN winners), Egypt as well. So now the pressure is going to be on us, because we did so well in the World Cup."JUST WATCHEDAsamoah Gyan's ambitionReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAsamoah Gyan's ambition 03:52JUST WATCHEDYaya Toure eyes Man City successReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHYaya Toure eyes Man City success 04:14Last year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa saw Ghana reach the quarterfinals in only their second appearance in football's premier competition, eventually losing on penalties to Oscar Tabarez's Uruguay.Gyan, who is currently on a season-long loan at United Arab Emirates (UAE) team Al-Ain from English Premier League outfit Sunderland, warned against coach Goran Stevanovic's team becoming complacent during the tournament."The other countries, we have to know that they are coming to win," he said. "That's what we have to watch out for, we can't be swollen headed. "We have to stick to our game plan. I think we have quality players who are capable of winning the CAN as well, so we have to see what is going to happen."Toure: Man City can be like BarcelonaGyan surprised many when he chose to leave England to join Al-Ain in September, but the forward, who has also played for French club Rennes, explained how he hopes his transfer will boost the club's profile in Africa."People move there at the end of their careers," he said. "Why do they move there? People might say because of money, because they want to finish their career there."I moved there while I'm on top of my game. That means I'm going to play good football and I want to bring exposure there ... As an African, people look up to me."There are a lot of people watching on the television. It's the big games like Manchester United playing Chelsea, but now even if United is playing, people don't watch it, they watch Sunderland. "So do you see the difference? When I moved to Sunderland, I brought more exposure to the league in Africa."Gyan's transfer to Al-Ain is temporary, with the one-time Udinese striker still contracted to Steve Bruce's Sunderland. The Accra native is unsure what the future holds and has not ruled out a move back to Europe or England."I'm going to decide at the end of the season whether to move back to Europe or wherever I want to go. It depends on me the player, and my happiness. "Everyone wants to play in England. I really enjoyed myself last season and I had many fans. Everyone was happy with my performance and I really, really enjoyed myself."Ghana are top seeds in Group D of the African Cup of Nations, having been drawn alongside Mali, Guinea and tournament debutantes Botswana. | 5sport
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(CNN)If you get the chance to visit the White House, it's an occasion you're likely to never forget.That's certainly the case for Kory Puderbaugh, who went to the White House in 2016, and made quite the entrance to the presidential residenceThe wheelchair rugby player had been invited by then President Barack Obama in late 2016, having made his first appearance for Team USA at the Rio Paralympics barely a year prior. "When we went, they didn't have an elevator [for wheelchair access], so they had to pull us in through the kitchen lift," he told the Olympics Information Service on Thursday.The White House did not respond to CNN's request for comment.Read MoreNonetheless, Puderbaugh has fond memories of his visit. He joked around with the former US President and enjoyed a tour of the the historic building."I asked him when he was going to get his six-pack abs back," he said. "He laughed and said, 'I'm still working on my four-pack.'""It was cool to meet him and his wife and get a tour of the White House. In movies, they portray it as being big and spacious, but it's actually smaller and a lot more cozy -- although there's a lot of bathrooms," he added. A matter of destinyWroclaw-born Puderbaugh was diagnosed with congenital limb deficiency at birth -- having been born without both of his legs below the knee, his lower left arm and most of his right arm -- but that didn't stop him from taking up wheelchair basketball and wrestling in high school and becoming a qualified aircraft pilot and former state chess champion. However, it was when a friend introduced him to wheelchair rugby that he found his true calling, participating in the sport in order to overcome the trials of his disability. "I said, 'I don't want to play this, this is a sport for guys in wheelchairs,' and he knocked me right on my butt my first time. I tried to knock him over, and I couldn't get him over, and I thought, 'Man, I have to figure out how to do this,'" he said, according to the Paralympics website. "In this sport, you'll see fast guys, you'll see guys that are a little slower, but it's a team sport, and everyone plays a crucial role," he added. Puderbaugh represented Team USA's wheelchair rugby team at the Rio Paralympics, eventually clinching silver at the final. Humble beginningsFor someone who was abandoned shortly after birth by his parents in Poland, Puderbaugh's journey to the Paralympics signals his unwavering sense of drive and optimism.When he was five, Puderbaugh was brought to the US by Florida non-profit organization Gabriel House of Care."I have memories of the orphanage and being visited by somebody who I think might have been my mother," Puderbaugh told the Olympics Information Service."And I remember flying over to America; I knew something was happening, but I didn't know exactly what," he added.He was eventually adopted at the age of 15 by a middle school teacher living in Idaho, John Cochrane, after various foster homes and adoptive families. "My childhood was a rollercoaster, and consistency was sometimes lacking," he said. "Later on, I had two host families who fed me, clothed me and gave me opportunities to excel at rugby, wrestling, chess -- whatever I wanted to do. They took me in as one of their own."While Puderbaugh says he's settled in the US, he's also curious about his own ancestral history. "My girlfriend has done some research to try and find out more about my birth family, but I'm still waiting a little bit longer before I take more action myself," he said. "I love my life and I have an amazing family in Idaho, I feel like I'm blessed and I'm just not ready to fully open that chapter yet."The 25-year-old was excited to compete in his second Paralympics at Tokyo 2020 this summer.Having reached the final with the men's wheelchair rugby team at the Rio Paralympics to win silver, Puderbaugh repeated his success in the mixed wheelchair rugby final in Japan, winning silver on Aug 29. And who knows, perhaps he'll soon be back at the White House. | 5sport
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Story highlightsMaria Sharapova will play Serena Williams in Sunday's final of Madrid eventThe winner will be world No. 1 when latest rankings are released next weekSharapova admits that she is dating Bulgarian men's player Grigor DimitrovRafael Nadal reaches his seventh successive final in the men's tournamentLife is good for Maria Sharapova right now. She's won two titles this year, added a new lucrative new sponsorship deal -- and has finally confessed to tennis' worst-kept secret, that she is dating young men's star Grigor Dimitrov.They were caught kissing in Madrid the day after he beat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, and she playfully wrote on a television camera after her Friday quarterfinal win in the Spanish capital: "How did you catch us??"While the 21-year-old Dimitrov was unable to follow up his shock victory, Sharapova has cruised into the final of the women's tournament after beating former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 6-4 6-3 on Saturday."We're official. We've been seeing each other for a while," the world No. 2, who has been fending off questions about their relationship since January, told reporters after the 500th victory of her career.Read: The man behind Maria's millions"You know, it's just news to us that someone took a picture of us now after this time. It's nice to have something in life that you're able to have for yourself, because so much of your lives are in the public eye." Photos: Brand Max: Maria Sharapova Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Maria Sharapova has capitalized on her on-court success by becoming one of tennis' most successful brands. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Her partnership with longtime agent Max Eisenbud has made her the highest-paid female athlete on the planet. They met 15 years ago when Sharapova was training at the IMG Academy in Florida. "There was so much going on and so many kids, so many parents to take care of, so it was actually fun to see him juggle all those different things and maintain a very clear vision of what he wanted to do," Sharapova recalls.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Pictured here during a shoot for CNN's tennis show Open Court, they are already plotting her future after tennis -- but she plans to play for several more years yet.Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Sharapova with two of the most important men in her life -- hugging her father Yuri after winning her first grand slam title at Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004, while Eisenbud looks on. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – That success allowed Eisenbud to court major sponsors, and helped Sharapova launch her own perfume among other non-tennis sidelines. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Sharapova has long been associated with Nike, and signed a reported eight-year deal with the sportswear giant in 2010 that could be worth up to $70 million.Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Part of that sum includes royalties from her fashion collection with Nike subsidiary Cole Haan. Sharapova is pictured here at a promotional event in Tokyo in 2009.Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Sharapova's "Sugarpova" candy collection is her first independent venture. "Everyone loves a treat and everyone loves candy. When I was young and I would finish a practice, what would I ask for? I would ask for little lollipops," she told Open Court.Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Brand Max: Maria SharapovaBrand Max: Maria Sharapova – Her portfolio of endorsements keeps growing -- in April 2013 she was named as a brand ambassador for German car manufacturer Porsche. She has now won the tournament it sponsors two years in a row.Hide Caption 9 of 9 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Still motivated – Maria Sharapova won the French Open last year to become the 10th woman to claim all four grand slams. But she plans on playing for several years before pursuing her business interests. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Comeback complete – At Roland Garros, Sharapova won her first major after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2008. Some thought she would never triumph at a grand slam following the injury. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Shoulder woes – After a win in Montreal in July 2008, an MRI revealed that Sharapova had two tears in the tendon of her serving shoulder. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Not quite ready – Sharapova attempted a comeback in 2009 when she played doubles in Indian Wells. But she still wasn't ready to return. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority German success – Once self described as a "cow on ice" on clay, Sharapova began her clay-court campaign last year by beating Victoria Azarenka in the Stuttgart final. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Another title – Sharapova defeated Li Na in last year's final of the Italian Open, the perfect buildup to the French Open. Sharapova and Li are the two highest-paid female athletes in the world and share the same agent. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Sweet success – Sharapova launched her own premium candy line, Sugarpova, with individual bags selling for $5.99. She has plans to expand to more markets, including Asia. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Tennis still Sharapova's top priority Helping hand – Max Eisenbud, Sharapova's agent, first met the player when she was 12 at the renowned IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Sharapova still lives nearby.Hide Caption 8 of 8JUST WATCHEDThe story behind Sharapova's successReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe story behind Sharapova's success 06:26JUST WATCHEDCan 'Baby Federer' become a champion?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan 'Baby Federer' become a champion? 04:54Sharapova has never before played in the final of the Madrid tournament, and faces a daunting task if she is to lift the trophy on Sunday.Her opponent is defending champion Serena Williams, who has the beaten Russian in their last 11 meetings -- including March's final in Miami, where the American came back from losing the opening set."It's always tough against her," said Sharapova, who will reclaim the top ranking if she can win her 50th career WTA final. "I haven't had a win against her in a long time, but the great thing is I'm setting myself up in a position where I can try to change that around.Read: Nadal battles into semifinals"I thought I did really well against her in Miami for the first set and a half -- obviously that's not enough, but the goal is to keep that level for the whole match this time. "It's been a while since we played on a clay court, too, and every match is different -- a different tournament and a different environment. I'm looking forward to it."Williams won last year's event when it was held on blue clay -- an unpopular experiment that was later banned by the tennis authorities -- but she has not played in a final on red dirt since 2002. "I feel like this whole tournament I've only played clay-court players from my first round to now, and everyone was also smaller than me," the 31-year-old said after Saturday's 7-5 6-2 win over Italian seventh seed Sara Errani -- beaten by Sharapova in last season's French Open final."So I think tomorrow will be a really good match -- a different game, more power obviously, but still a lot of the consistency. So I'm looking forward to it."Read: Federer humbled by NishikoriWorld No. 1 Williams is seeking to become just the 10th player to win 50 WTA titles, in her 66th final."Obviously I love being No. 1 -- in my heart I feel I'm No. 1. But I also love to win tournaments. So I think if I just win as many tournaments as I can, I'll be No. 1. Hopefully."In the men's tournament, Rafael Nadal cruised into Sunday's final with a 6-0 6-4 win over 113th-ranked compatriot Pablo Andujar.The Spaniard, who has now reached seven successive finals since his comeback from knee injury in February, will next face Swiss 15th seed Stanislas Wawrinka.Wawrinka, who beat Dimitrov in the third round, earned his place in the final with a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory against world No. 6 Tomas Berdych in just under two hours.Nadal, who won the tournament in 2005 and 2010, is seeking a record-extending 23rd Masters-level title. He was also the runner-up in 2009 and 2011. | 5sport
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Barcelona, Spain (CNN)The Catalan police chief appeared in a Madrid court Friday to answer allegations of sedition amid an ongoing deadlock after the banned independence referendum in Spain's restive northeast region.Josep Lluís Trapero appeared in the Spanish capital along with two leading figures in the Catalan independence movement. Spanish authorities believe Trapero's 17,000-strong force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, didn't do enough to prevent Sunday's vote from taking place.In Barcelona, Catalan authorities published official results from Sunday's referendum, showing 90% voted in favor of independence and nearly 8% against, with about 2% of ballots left blank. The turnout was 43% -- nearly 2.3 million people voting out of a possible 5.3 million.A session of the Catalan parliament to disccuss the "current political situation" would be held on Tuesday, a parliament spokesman said. The Spanish Constitutional Court had banned a session of the Catalan parliament planned for Monday in an apparent attempt to prevent Catalan President Carles Puigdemont's expected declaration of independence.Catalan regional police chief Josep Lluis Trapero, 2nd right, arrives at the national court in Madrid on Friday.Trapero did not speak to reporters after he emerged from court. No immediate action was taken against him, but the sedition investigation continues.Hidden ballot boxes, encrypted texts: How Catalans staged their referendumRead MoreJordi Cuixart, head of separatist group Omnium Cultural, told reporters after his court appearance that he exercised his right not to answer the judges. "I don't recognize the authority of this court over this," he said. He criticized the Spanish state for attempting to solve a political issue through the courts. "We are convinced that, sooner rather than later, the Spanish state will have to accept dialogue," he said.Sánchez, president of the Catalan National Assembly, told reporters he had denied the sedition allegations in front of the judge. "We are convinced that we didn't commit any kind of crime. I only declared in my defense to make clear the legitimacy of a peaceful, nonviolent demonstration."The sedition inquiry relates to violent protests on September 21 and 22 in the buildup to the October 1 vote.Fresh elections callSpeaking after a meeting of Catalan political party leaders in Barcelona, Carlos Carrizosa, a spokesman for the anti-independence Ciudadanos party, urged Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to use Article 155 of the Spanish constitution -- which allows Madrid to impose direct rule on a region if it acts outside the law -- to call for new elections.JUST WATCHEDCatalonia: What you need to knowReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCatalonia: What you need to know 01:10"Rajoy cannot allow the independence of Catalonia to be proclaimed on Tuesday, when he has an institutional instrument to prevent it," Carrizosa said.Such a step would be seen as a last resort as it would almost certainly require officers from the Guardia Civil, the national security force, to be deployed again on the streets of Catalonia.Madrid's representative to Catalonia apologized Friday for the violence which occurred during the vote.In the first note of contrition by a Spanish government representative, Millo told broadcaster Catalan TV3: "I insist, I'm really sorry, I want to apologize because I wouldn't wish anything like that to happen to any person, the fact that people got hit and required assistance."Only one of the 2.2 million people who voted remains in hospital, he noted.Catalonia crisis: Outside groups need to step in before it's too lateMillo added that there was only trouble in 13 of the 2,315 polling stations that opened in defiance of a ban. "In those 13 polling stations there were human barriers that surrounded the policemen who were unable to leave," he said.Madrid considers next moveThe Catalonia crisis is likely to be the main topic of discussion Friday at the weekly meeting of the Spanish Cabinet.It's not yet clear what course of action the Spanish government will take if the Catalan government goes ahead with a declaration of independence."I will do what's best for Spain and when I think it's the right time," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told Spanish news agency Efe on Thursday. "I will listen to all the positions, but the final decision will be mine."Asked Thursday whether the parliamentary session planned for Monday would take place, Puigdemont said: "That is for Parliament to decide. But the Constitutional Court has no right to impede a democratic parliament session, which by law is inviolable."Puigdemont was expected to meet with an "independent commission for mediation and dialogue" on Friday evening. Catalonia vs. Spain: Here's what could happen nextDivided regionThe referendum has exposed deep divisions in Catalonia. Rallies both for and against independence are planned for the weekend.In an indication of the uncertainty gripping the region, Banco Sabadell, one of Catalonia's largest banks, announced Thursday that it would move its registered headquarters outside the Catalonia region to the eastern city of Alicante. There are concerns that other businesses could follow suit, threatening stability in Spain's most economically productive region.CNN's Vasco Cotovio and Claudia Rebaza reported from Barcelona, while Laura Smith-Spark wrote from London. CNN's Lorenzo D'Agostino contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)World no. 3 Dominic Thiem has rejected the notion that top tennis stars should provide financial support to the game's lower-ranked players due to the coronavirus pandemic. It comes after Novak Djokovic, the president of the ATP Player Council, called for players to contribute to a fund set up by the game's governing bodies.Tennis has been suspended until at least mid-July while the world fights the coronavirus crisis, meaning some players will struggle to make a living during the shutdown. However, Thiem questioned why he should ease the burden on such players ranked lower than himself and said his donations would be better placed elsewhere in society. "No tennis player is fighting to survive, even those who are much lower-ranked," he said in an interview with Austrian outlet Krone. "None of them are going to starve."Read MoreREAD: Federer receives support after urging tennis to unify during the coronavirus crisisDominic Thiem says he would prefer to donate his money elsewhere. Donating money elsewhereHe added: "There are many, many players who don't put the sport above everything else and don't live in a professional manner. "I don't really see why I should give such players money. I'd rather give money to people or organizations that really need it."Thiem, 26, is yet to win a grand slam but has reached three major finals -- most recently at this year's Australian Open. The Austrian has earned nearly $24 million in career prize money, according to the ATP."None of us top players got anything handed to us, we all had to fight our way up. I don't have the guarantee in any job that I will do well and earn lots of money," he added. Meanwhile, a host of the game's most recognizable stars, such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, have publicly backed the scheme. READ: Murray predicts tennis will be 'one of the last sports to get back to normality'JUST WATCHEDSimona Halep: 2019 Wimbledon champion on lockdown in RomaniaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSimona Halep: 2019 Wimbledon champion on lockdown in Romania 01:20The struggleEarlier in the lockdown, tennis player Sofia Shapatava told CNN Sport how she was struggling to cope financially amid the crisis.The world No. 375 started an online petition asking for financial help from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for players struggling to pay the bills."I've talked to so many players and I've a couple of friends who don't know how to pay the rent this month. A petition is a way to be heard," she said. | 5sport
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(CNN)Three decades ago, Ireland was a very different place. Divorce was illegal, as was same-sex marriage. Abortion, already illegal in practice, was constitutionally banned in a 1983 referendum -- known as the Eighth Amendment.On Saturday Ireland emphatically voted to repeal that constitutional amendment in a referendum, paving the way for legalized abortion. "If you look at 1983, when the anti-abortion clause was put into the constitution, to now, the change is just extraordinary," said Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole.He said the diminishing influence of the Catholic church, along with the urbanization of a rural society, improved access to higher education, and an increasingly vocal women's movement, had all contributed to a shift in perceptions. 'Irish abortions happen; they just don't happen on Irish soil'Saturday's referendum is the latest in a series of recent liberalizations in Ireland, which last year elected its first gay and biracial Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. Read More"Thirty years ago if you had said there was any possibility the prime minister would be gay or from a biracial background, people probably would have found that just impossible to imagine," O'Toole said."And now it's not just possible to imagine, it's almost uninteresting, it's just taken for granted."Here's a look at some of Ireland's legislation in recent years:2018: Referendum paves way for legalized abortionYes voters celebrate after Ireland votes to repeal the 8th Amendment, paving the way for legalized abortion. Saturday's referendum, in which 66.4% of voters said yes to repealing the Eighth Amendment to the constitution, opens the doors to legislation allowing abortion up to 12 weeks gestation -- and later in cases in which there is a risk to the mother's life or the fetus is not expected to survive.Only one county voted no in the referendum -- the rural and religiously conservative Donegal in northwest Ireland.Up until now abortion has been illegal in Ireland -- except when there's a "real and substantial risk" to the mother's life -- with women caught breaking the law facing up to 14 years in jail.2015: Same-sex marriage legalizedGay couple Michael Barron and Jamie Nanci kiss during the referendum vote on same-sex marriage in 2015. On May 22, 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, with over 60% voting yes in a referendum.The measure was legalized on November 16 that year.1996: Divorce legalized Irish women push strollers under a government-sponsored poster in Dublin, 1995.In 1995 a referendum on legalizing divorce was passed -- just. The final tally showed 50.3% were in favor of ending Ireland's 58-year-old ban on divorce, with 49.7% opposed to the change.The measure was signed into law on June 17, 1996.1993: Homosexual acts decriminalizedAlmost two decades after homosexual acts were decriminalised in Ireland, supporters celebrate the same-sex marriage referendum in Dublin. Ireland has seen a huge change in LGBT rights. As recently as 1992, marchers in a gay pride parade in Cork reportedly wore masks so as not to embarrass family members. The following year, consensual homosexual acts between adults were decriminalized. Today, same-sex marriage is legal, and the country's leader is openly gay. 1979: Contraceptives legalized Contraception was legalized in 1979, but with tight restrictions. Doctors needed to write prescriptions after being "satisfied that the person was seeking the contraceptives for bona fide family planning purposes," according to the Irish Family Planning Association.How Trump's anti-abortion agenda impacts women around the world
However the reality was quite different, as O'Toole recounts. "I was a student in the 1970s and we were distributing condoms through the student union at the university," he said."In one case, police seized a condom-dispensing machine at the university. So all of that kind of stuff was going on. The law didn't really change behavior that much," O'Toole added.Much like the thousands of Irish women who each year travel to the UK for an abortion, it seems Irish people have long found ways to get around legislation."What you're seeing now is this culmination of a very long divergence between actual behavior, and the law," said O'Toole. | 3news
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Story highlightsManchester United heap pressure on rivals City with 2-0 win at Blackburn RoversAntonio Valencia and Ashley Young score late goals to move United five clear at top of leagueIn La Liga, Sevilla move up to eighth place after a 3-1 against Mallorca Manchester United went five points clear at the top of the English Premier League on Monday after a 2-0 win away to Blackburn Rovers. The reigning champions left it late to claim the three points as relegation-threatened Blackburn battled for vital points. But when United's goals arrived at Ewood Park, they came straight out of the top drawer with Antonio Valencia first on the score sheet. The Ecuadorian winger's swerving low drive from the right-hand edge of the penalty area evaded the grasp of Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson to give United the lead in the 81st minute. Five minutes later, substitute Ashley Young produced a bit of magic to put the game beyond the home side. With his back to goal, the England international quickly changed direction before curling a fierce drive into the bottom corner of Robinson's net. "It was a long night. We had to persevere and we got our rewards for it. We weren't making clear-cut chances, we put in a lot of great crosses but didn't finish them off," United manager Alex Ferguson said."We had them under the cosh but they were dangerous on the break. The goals came so late, which typifies the history of the club." The result left Steve Kean's Blackburn in the bottom three with 28 points -- the same as 17th-placed Queens Park Rangers and 19th-placed Wigan in the 20-team division. United can go eight points clear by beating QPR at Old Trafford in Sunday's early kickoff. A win would heap further pressure on title rivals Manchester City, who play third-placed Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium later that day. Meanwhile in Spain's La Liga, Sevilla moved up to eighth after a 3-1 win over Mallorca on Monday. Three second-half goals from Negredo in the 51st minute, Manu 11 minutes later and finally Jesus Navas in the 68th minute capped a dominant display by the hosts. Tomer Hemed pulled one back for the visitors in the 74th minute but Sevilla ran out comfortable winners to keep alive the prospect of European football next season. | 5sport
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Story highlightsElise Christie was disqualified from her 1,000m speed skating heatChristie crashed out of both the 500 and 1,500m earlier in the GamesThe British skater was disqualified from all three events at Sochi 2014 (CNN)If at first you don't succeed, then try and try again. And if it doesn't work that time, try again. And again.British speed skater Elise Christie is nothing if not persistent."I'm not crying. I'm just coughing," Christie insisted Tuesday after the latest chapter of an Olympic career that's mixed physical pain and emotional turmoil.By any standard, Christie's relationship with the Games is heartbreaking. A world and European champion, she arrived in Pyeongchang a contender for gold in three short track events -- the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.But she's leaving without a single medal. Disqualification from Tuesday's 1,000m heats followed heavy crashes in both the 500m final and the semifinal of the 1,500m.Read MoreIt was a familiar tale of woe for the 27-year-old, who was disqualified from all three events at Sochi 2014, triggering abuse on social media that prompted her to delete her Twitter account.JUST WATCHEDGus Kenworthy on the Olympics and that TV kissReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGus Kenworthy on the Olympics and that TV kiss 01:57READ: Winter Olympics Day 11 as it happenedBut Christie arrived at PyeongChang 2018 battle hardened. She's a world record holder in the 500m and a world champion over 1,000 and 1,500 meters.The stage was set for Christie to right the wrongs of four years ago. She was even back on Twitter.But, after setting an Olympic record during her first race of the Games, thing's quickly unraveled -- she slipped out of the 500m last Tuesday before sliding out of the 1,500m on Saturday.It was Saturday's painful crash that injured her ankle, casting doubt over her participation in Tuesday's 1,000m competition.She got to the start line, but it went from bad to worse for Christie, who fell on the first corner of her heat after a collision and limped gingerly across the ice before the race was restarted.She recovered to finish second before being carried out of the arena, seemingly safely through to Thursday's quarterfinals. But officials had other ideas, disqualifying her for causing two separate collisions during an eventful race.
READ: Golden comeback for Canada's figure skaters"Off the start one of the girls stood on my ankle, which is injured, so I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to skate," Christie said after the race. "So I skated round the middle just to see how I was feeling."I thought about the adrenaline that I would go through and thought it might take over, so I just tried. So I went slower off the start, I caught up, then I was just trying to make moves and I thought I was making quite good moves."However, Christie's Olympics were brought to an abrupt end when she was issued with a yellow card, much to her dismay."I was really happy that I'd qualified," she added. "But then obviously got the yellow card, which I was not expecting at all."If she's bumped and bruised, Christie isn't quitting anytime soon."I'm in a different place to Sochi. This is just short track and I'm a world champion and a world record holder and I've proved myself. I just really wanted to bring it home for Britain."It would have meant the world to me. I'm devastated that I couldn't." Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Canadian ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won gold, holding off France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. Virtue and Moir now have five Olympic medals. No other figure skater in history has won more than four.Hide Caption 1 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Canadian skier Cassie Sharpe won gold on the halfpipe with a spectacular second run.Hide Caption 2 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Short-track speedskaters Kim A-lang, left, and Choi Min-jeong celebrate after South Korea won gold in the 3,000-meter relay.Hide Caption 3 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Jamaican bobsledders Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian and Carrie Russell make their first run down the course.Hide Caption 4 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20British speedskater Elise Christie falls during a 1,000-meter short-track race.Hide Caption 5 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer sets her sights during a mixed relay event.Hide Caption 6 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Swiss goalie Florence Schelling celebrates after shutting out Japan in the fifth-place game.Hide Caption 7 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20US ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani pose with their bronze medals.Hide Caption 8 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20A DJ performs before the men's hockey game between Norway and Slovenia.Hide Caption 9 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Japan's Akito Watabe competes during the ski-jumping portion of the Nordic combined.Hide Caption 10 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20A fan watches the seventh-place women's hockey game. Sweden defeated the combined Korea team 6-1.Hide Caption 11 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20South Korean speedskaters train for a team pursuit race.Hide Caption 12 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20A fan cheers for Team USA before the men's hockey game against Slovakia.Hide Caption 13 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20US forward Ryan Donato falls into the crease during the game against Slovakia. Donato had two goals as the Americans won 5-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals.Hide Caption 14 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20US ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates fall during their free dance.Hide Caption 15 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20The Canadian duo of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier perform their free dance.Hide Caption 16 of 17 Photos: Winter Olympics: Tuesday, February 20Canadian fans cheer during a men's curling match against Japan.Hide Caption 17 of 17READ: Third Winter Olympian fails drugs testShe told BBC Sport: "It's just frustrating having to wait four more years -- it just wasn't meant to be this time."I would just like to thank all the kids who have sent me messages saying they are inspired."No tears, then. And don't be surprised to see Christie back on the ice for Beijing 2022. | 5sport
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Story highlightsUncle Toni to stop coaching NadalStarted coaching Rafa at the age of fourRafa's uncle to focus on family, work at academyPair have won 14 grand slams togetherLondon (CNN)It's one of the most familiar scenes in tennis -- Uncle Toni rising from his seat to cheer on Rafael Nadal.But from 2018, one of the most successful player-coach partnerships in the game will become a rarer sight as Toni Nadal has decided to stop accompanying his nephew to tournaments.Follow @cnnsport
"He wants to spend more time with his family and at the academy," Rafael Nadal's spokesman Benito Perez-Barbadillo told CNN in a phone interview Wednesday. JUST WATCHEDThe Matador's dream comes trueReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe Matador's dream comes true 05:11Rafael's old friend and former Roland Garros winner Carlos Moya and former tennis pro Francisco Roig will take the reins full time, with Toni available if needed.Toni Nadal, who is 57 years old and has three young children, is the director of the Rafa Nadal Tennis Aacademy, which opened last fall on the Spanish island of Mallorca. It currently has 75 children enrolled.Read More"There is a bigger team in place and Toni feels it's better to focus on something else, such as the academy, rather than traveling," Perez-Barbadillo said. "It's a hard life, the traveling." Golden slamThe partnership between Rafael and Toni began in the town of Manacor, Mallorca when the now 30-year-old Rafael was just four. Although Rafael was naturally right-handed, his uncle persuaded him to play left-handed, believing it offered him an advantage. Under Toni's guidance, Rafael became one of the most physically fit and mentally strong players on the men's Tour. His breakthrough came in 2005, when he won the first of a record nine French Open championships at the age of just 19. Rafael Nadal lifting the 2010 US Open trophy. Nadal has amassed 69 singles titles, including 14 grand slam championships, and occupied the No. 1 ranking for 141 weeks. In 2010, Nadal became only the second man after Andre Agassi to complete the career Golden Slam of all four major tennis tournaments and Olympic gold when he won his first US Open. Rafael won his last grand slam at the 2014 French Open, his fifth Roland Garros title in a row.Having been written off by many after an injury-plagued 2016, Nadal reached the final of last month's Australian Open, where he lost to his long-time rival Roger Federer. READ: Federer beats Nadal in Melbourne thrillerREAD: Why tennis needs Federer-Nadal rivalryREAD: 18 reasons to love Roger FedererREAD: Rafael Nadal to teach the secrets of his success at new academyRafael Nadal after winning his fourth-round match at this year's Australian Open. 'Good hands'Although Toni has decided not to travel with Rafael full-time from next year, he will make himself available whenever his nephew needs him, Perez-Barbadillo said.Just like in previous years, Roig will accompany Nadal at the start of the US hard court swing in Indian Wells in March, while Toni will join him at the next event in Miami before they head to Monte Carlo for the season's first clay-court event."There is no split, no rupture," Perez-Barbadillo said. "It's all very natural and organic."Toni Nadal told Spanish newspaper El Espanol earlier this week: "Rafa is in good hands. Visit cnn.com/tennis for more news and videos"I have been thinking this thoroughly. It's the right time to do it," Nadal told the paper. "It has been a very long journey, loads of seasons. If instead of my nephew, I had coached somebody else, I would have stepped down much earlier." | 5sport
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Story highlightsPutin says Russia wants friends, not enemies, in the worldHe says Russia wants to cooperate in fighting international terrorismMoscow (CNN)Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country is ready to cooperate with the new US administration, as he gave his annual state-of-the-nation address Thursday in Moscow.His comments come at a time when US-Russian relations have sunk to their lowest point since the Cold War, amid tensions over Syria, Russia's actions in Ukraine and allegations of Russian meddling in the US presidential election.US President-elect Donald Trump has, however, praised Putin as a firm leader and the pair have indicated they want ties to improve.JUST WATCHEDWhat's next for US and Russia?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat's next for US and Russia? 01:28"We are prepared to cooperate with the new American administration," said Putin in his address, although he did not mention Trump by name. "It's important to normalize and begin to develop bilateral relations on an equal and mutually beneficial basis," he said. Read More"Mutual efforts by Russia and the United States in solving global and regional problems are in the interest of the entire world."Putin also said he hoped to join the United States to fight the threat of international terrorism.This, he said, is exactly what Russia's military is doing in Syria, as it backs the forces of President Bashar al-Assad against opposition fighters."We have a common responsibility to ensure international security and stability and strengthening non-proliferation (of nuclear weapons)," he said. "I would like to underscore that attempts to destroy this strategic priority are highly dangerous and could lead to world catastrophe. We cannot forget about that for one second."Putin: Russia doesn't want confrontationIn a speech notably devoid of fireworks compared with his previous two state-of-the-nation addresses, the Russian President also said his country was ready to help solve international problems.JUST WATCHEDRussia: We're ready to develop good relations with Trump ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia: We're ready to develop good relations with Trump 09:16"We don't want confrontations with anybody -- we don't see it as necessary," he said. "Unlike our foreign colleagues, we don't look for enemies, we need friends."But, Putin said, "we will not allow infringements on our interests." Russia will continue to build its future without others telling it what to do, he said. "Justice, fairness and respect in international affairs -- this is what the trend should be in the 21st century, but sadly these developments in international relationships after the Cold War were wasted," he said."We should focus on new tendency of international development even if we have issues in our relationship with some countries, like the United States, which is a bit cold at the moment."JUST WATCHEDWill Donald Trump's victory help thaw US-Russia ties?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWill Donald Trump's victory help thaw US-Russia ties? 02:19Putin said he was confident that positive dialogue was possible with the European Union. At the same time, he spoke of Russia's pivot to the east, citing the importance of its relationships with China, India and Japan.Putin's more measured tone this year may reflect recent polling that indicates a clear majority of Russians want an improvement in relations with the West.He may also see the arrival of Trump in the White House as a chance to position Russia and the United States as equals on the world stage.Internal focusFor the first hour of his speech, Putin focused heavily on domestic economic issues, as he praised the Russian people for staying united in the face of "difficult conditions."FBI investigations into Trump-Russia ties yield littleThanks to a program of state help, he said, agriculture is now "a successful industry that feeds the country and goes to international markets." Putin said the international sanctions imposed after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 had helped its internal markets grow. He added that the export of agricultural products now contributed more to Russia's economy than the arms trade.The Russian leader also talked about the need for increased investment in health care, education, technology and science and said it was important that Russia boost its position in the global economy.Russia needs to strengthen its defense from cyber attacks, he said, "because that is the basis of our future defense and the security of our country."Over the summer, US intelligence officials accused Russia of meddling in the US presidential election by hacking the Democratic National Committee and releasing emails of Clinton campaign officials.Trump's relationship with Putin was heavily scrutinized during the campaign.On Wednesday, Putin told a foreign policy conference in Moscow that he had recently spoken by phone with Trump and that their "opinions coincided" that the relationship between the two nations had to be "straightened out."CNN's Jill Dougherty reported from Moscow and Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported from London. CNN's Milena Veselinovic contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsDemocrats and Republicans need to take a look in the mirror, Van Jones says"We have to do better" about disagreeing with each other on issues, he says (CNN)It's been one month since the historic US election, and Van Jones wants the country to come together. But first he wants to explain "The Messy Truth" about the political climate in the United States. Jones began his first live TV special, "The Messy Truth," on CNN on Tuesday night with what could be described as a cold dose of reality. "It feels nearly impossible to have a productive conversation with 'the other side'," he said. "We are still acting like one side is always right and one side is always wrong."Van Jones: The messy truth about the gulf between Trump and Clinton voters An outspoken Democrat who once was President Barack Obama's environmental adviser, Jones admits he is guilty of such behavior as well. Read MoreBut at some point, he said, "We have got to do better."Jones said both parties need to take a long look in the mirror. Why? "Because right now, they both kind of suck," he said. "At our best we (Democrats) are the champions of America's downtrodden working folks. But it's also true that some very obnoxious elitism has found a home in our party. Democrats have gotten so used to saying stuff like 'red state voters are stupid' that we don't even get how stuck up and terrible that sounds to anybody with good sense. That elitist attitude may have cost us the Rust Belt. And this election." Jones said, pointing to the states that Hillary Clinton lost in Donald Trump's upset win. He also gave his take on "The Messy Truth" about the Republican Party. "(Republicans) are the party of colorblind individual merit. That sounds great. But as much as Republicans hate to admit it, some nasty strains of some bigotry and some bias, including some actually scary white supremacists, have found a home in their party. And they don't seem to want to acknowledge that or even confront it in a serious way." It may be easy to try to blanket both parties with general statements, but Jones said, "I am not saying that every Democrats is an elitist. And I am certainly not saying that every Republican is bigoted. Far from it. I'm saying something else. I'm saying: Neither major political party today seems to truly respect all Americans. In fact, both parties seem to disrespect an awful lot of Americans, an awful lot of the time. That is no longer a partisan problem. That is now an American problem." It is normal to have some disagreements with your friends and family when it comes to politics, Jones said, but he called into question how we're handling such disputes with one another."Disagreement is good! In a dictatorship everybody has to agree. In a democracy, nobody has to agree. It's called freedom. That's the whole point of America," Jones said. "The Messy Truth" is a trademark of Magic Labs Media, LLC. All rights reserved. | 4politics
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