“Lebanon and Israel are currently incapable of bearing the repercussions of a war which will be destructive for both countries,” a Lebanese military analyst said.
The recent exchange of rockets between Lebanon and Israel do not necessarily imply an imminent risk of war between the two countries, Lebanese analysts said.
Youssef Diab, political analyst at the Lebanese University, told Xinhua that the recent exchange of rockets aimed mainly at conveying a message from Hezbollah that “any attack by Israel or the United States against Iran or Iranian ships in the Gulf will face a retaliation by the Iran-backed Shiite party from southern Lebanon.”
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Hezbollah fired rockets last Friday against Israeli targets in the occupied Shebaa Farms in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes one day before in southern Lebanon.
Confrontations began on Aug. 4 with a rocket strike on Israel from Lebanon for which no group claimed responsibility. That attack, on which Hezbollah has not commented, drew retaliatory Israeli air strikes.
According to Diab, Hezbollah saw a necessity to retaliate to Israeli airstrikes after Israel blamed Iran “for an attack implemented on July 29 on an oil tanker operated by an Israeli-owned company in the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea,” while announcing that it is rallying global action against Iran to respond to the attack.
“Hezbollah aimed to tell Israel that Lebanon’s front will be used for retaliation in the event of any attack by Israel or the U.S. against Iran,” Diab said.
Hisham Jaber, a military analyst and retired army general, said that recent confrontations between Lebanon and Israel meant to be limited, noting that both parties attacked unpopulated and open ground areas.
“Lebanon and Israel are currently incapable of bearing the repercussions of a war which will be destructive for both countries,” he said.
For his part, Mohammad Barakat, editor-in-chief of a global news website Asas Media, told Xinhua that tensions are expected to escalate on the Lebanese-Israeli borders as months of talks over Iranian nuclear deal failed to produce an agreement.
Israeli security members deal with the wreckage of a rocket launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, near the city of Kiryat Shmona, on Aug. 4, 2021.
Barakat cited earlier remarks by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz about Iran being 10 weeks away from acquiring weapons-grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon, as indicative of a possible escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran.
“Hezbollah will continue to reinforce its loyalty to Iran by opening Lebanon’s front if necessary,” Barakat said.
As for Diab, he believes that any miscalculated future confrontations between Lebanon and Israel may escalate into war if they result in casualties.
“Israel will not accept any casualties on its side,” he said.
Diab warned that any possible war will be destructive for Lebanon as hospitals are not sufficiently equipped to treat the injured given the shortage in medicines and equipment.
Meanwhile, Barakat said that any tensions on the border will threaten the lives of 5 million Lebanese people who are already suffering from the state’s complete failure.
Lebanon has been witnessing multiple crises caused by the absence of an efficient government capable of implementing structural reforms to attract aid by the international community. Lebanon’s crisis was further exacerbated by the Beirut port explosions on Aug. 4, 2020 which destroyed a big part of the city.
Recent confrontations between Lebanon and Israel sparked fears among the Lebanese about further escalations that may cause further damage on the economic, social, infrastructure and security fronts.
New York Governor Cuomo resigns amid sexual harassment scandal
The resignation would take effect in 14 days and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul would become the governor for the rest of Andrew Cuomos term.
new York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday said he was resigning amid mounting pressures from sexual harassment allegations and investigations as well as calls for resignation from other political figures.
The resignation would take effect in 14 days and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul would become the governor for the rest of Cuomo’s term.
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Cuomo has been working as New York governor since January 2011 and his third term will end at the end of 2021.
Cuomo said he doesn’t want to be “unhelpful in any way” and the best way he can help is to step aside given the circumstances.
New York Assembly is working on impeachment articles against Cuomo on sexual harassment and mishandling of nursing homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Judiciary Committee under New York Assembly has given Cuomo a deadline to turn over evidence to defend himself until this Friday.
Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women from 2013 to 2020, said a recent report by independent investigators appointed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
As many as 11 women were harassed by Cuomo including his top aides, according to the report.
Cuomo’s former assistant Brittany Commisso, who is one of the 11 women, recently filed a criminal complaint against Cuomo on accusations Cuomo groped her in the Executive Mansion in the state’s capital city Albany.
However, Cuomo has been denying sexual harassment accusations, saying that “I never did and I never would intentionally disrespect a woman, treat any woman differently than I would want them treated.
Photo taken from a video in New York, the United States, shows New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaking during a televised address, on Aug. 10, 2021.
Earlier, Cuomo offered apologies for bringing his personal experience into the workplace and for his gestures leading others to take offense.
The sexual harassment scandal emerged around half a year ago and Cuomo authorized New York Attorney General Letitia James to carry out an independent investigation.
Besides, the attorney general’s office issued a report in January saying the Health Department of New York State underreported the death toll in nursing homes from COVID-19 by as much as 50 percent.
Cuomo has largely ignored calls for him to resign until issuance of the latest investigation report from the office of Letitia James on Aug. 3.
U.S. President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer all called Cuomo to resign over the scandal.
As the 56th governor of New York, Cuomo is from a Democratic elite family with his father Mario Cuomo serving as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms.
Cuomo’s long-time aide and stalwart supporter Melissa DeRosa resigned late Sunday as DeRosa’s name appeared over 100 times in the investigation report.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia crossed 8.21 million, with 94,201 new cases reported on Tuesday, way higher than Monday’s tally of 80,208. There were 3,201 more deaths, increasing from Monday’s 2,463 and taking total Covid-19 deaths in Asean to 175,623.
Indonesia reported 32,081 new cases and 2,048 deaths on Tuesday, bringing cumulative cases in that country to 3,718,821 patients and a total 110,619 deaths so far.
The government extended the lockdown period in Bali and Java to August 16 while other areas will remain under lockdown until August 23 to curb the spread of the Delta variant. However, shopping malls will allow only vaccinated customers to enter, except for children and elders.
The Philippines’ Public Health Ministry meanwhile reported that one fifth of the hospitals in the country are now at full capacity after the number of new infections hit 8,000-10,000 patients per day in the past week, compared to an average of 5,700 patients per day in July.
It also reported that more than 22,000 medical professionals have contracted Covid-19 since the outbreak started. Of these, 102 medics have died.
Cuomo announces resignation in effort to head off likely impeachment after devastating report on his conduct
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced his resignation Tuesday in an effort to head off a looming impeachment effort in the state Assembly, a precipitous fall triggered by a state investigation that found he sexually harassed 11 women and oversaw an unlawful attempt to exact retribution against one of his accusers.
“Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing,” Cuomo said in a video address. “And I cannot be the cause of that.”
“Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is to step aside and let government get back to governing,” he added.
He said his resignation will be effective in 14 days. Cuomo will be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, who will be New York’s first female governor and will serve out the rest of the term through the next election in November 2022.
“I am prepared to lead,” she said in a statement, calling Cuomo’s resignation “the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers.”
Cuomo’s decision to step down represents a crushing defeat for the three-term governor, ending his nearly 11-year domination of state government that was known for its liberal policy victories and a hard-knuckle style of politics marked by bullying, intimidation and retribution.
The governor had remained defiant through months of escalating controversy over his behavior. He repeatedly denied improperly touching women – even as accusations multiplied – and dismissed the harassment claims as a misinterpretation of his affectionate political style and attempts to build office camaraderie.
“In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” Cuomo said Tuesday in a long defense of his actions that precipitated the announcement. “There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have no excuses.”
He announced his resignation shortly after his attorney, Rita Glavin, delivered a lengthy attack on a report commissioned by the state attorney general that was released last week.
“The report got key facts wrong, it omitted key evidence, and it failed to include witnesses who did not support the narrative that it was clear this investigation was going to weave from day one,” Glavin said during a virtual news conference, calling the events since the report’s release a “pile-on.”
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Cuomo’s standing collapsed quickly after Attorney General Letitia James released the results of her investigation on Aug. 3. Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie (D), a longtime ally, announced that the governor had “lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority,” adding that Cuomo “can no longer remain in office.” State Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, also called for Cuomo’s resignation.
By the time Cuomo decided to leave office, he was politically isolated – having lost the support of President Joe Biden, the state’s two Democratic senators, most of the New York congressional delegation and the bulk of the state Assembly.
Public polls taken this month found that most New Yorkers – including fellow Democrats – wanted Cuomo to resign. A Quinnipiac University poll found that 70% of registered voters said he should step down, including 57% of Democrats. The poll found that 54% thought Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, and 55% said he should be charged with a crime.
“I think the governor did the right thing,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said on Capitol Hill after Cuomo’s announcement. “And I just want to commend the brave and courageous women who came forward. That was not an easy thing to do.”
The governor’s resignation may not end the Assembly’s impeachment investigation – multiple members of the Judiciary Committee said Tuesday that there is ongoing debate about whether to move forward with the process. Even after stepping down, Cuomo could still be banned from ever seeking state office again if he is impeached by the Assembly and then convicted in a trial before the state Senate.
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The legislative investigation has been looking at issues beyond the alleged sexual harassment, including Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in nursing homes, claims that he gave preferential virus testing to friends and family members, and reports that he used state resources to write a book. On Monday, Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Lavine did not rule out the possibility of continuing with the impeachment inquiry if Cuomo resigned.
Assemblyman Keith Brown, a Republican, who sits on the judiciary committee, said Tuesday that he was upset by Cuomo’s decision to keep attacking the attorney general’s sexual harassment investigation before announcing his resignation.
“I think it was disgraceful to go and discredit each of these women who bravely came forward to make accusatory statements about a very powerful sitting governor,” Brown said. “It took a lot to have them do that, and then to have his private attorney discredit them – it’s all theater.”
Assemblyman Phil Steck, a Democrat, said it was too early to say whether the judiciary committee will move forward with its investigation when it meets on Monday.
“There are a number of factors to consider,” Steck said. “It’s important to send a clear message on what are abuses of power, but continuing the investigation is very costly.”
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Cuomo had been ensconced in the Albany governor’s mansion for days, refusing entreaties from allies to resign as he assessed how he could survive politically. His efforts to defend his conduct were deemed ineffective even by some of his staunchest allies.
He still faces criminal investigations into his conduct by prosecutors in several counties, including New York, as well as an ongoing federal investigation by the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn into the administration’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. The New York attorney general is separately probing whether the administration misused public resources when it provided Cuomo relatives and other well-connected New Yorkers with preferential virus testing and when aides helped him write a book last year that netted him more than $5 million.
Hochul, a low-profile figure who started her career as an aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., and later served in Congress representing a western portion of the state, spent part of Tuesday calling around to reintroduce herself to influential political figures. The 2022 campaign for governor is expected to set in motion a competitive Democratic primary fight.
“She wanted me to know that she wanted to come to National Action Network,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said in an interview Tuesday afternoon, referring to his civil rights group. “I want to find common ground. We talked about some of the problems she’ll face in the Black community.”
In Albany, lawmakers breathed a sigh of relief at the prospect of working with the new governor.
“I have high hopes for her, especially at a time when we are torn apart by the end of the Cuomo administration,” said Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti, a Democrat, adding: “We need a peacemaker. . . . I am hopeful she will be. That will be her biggest challenge, to bring everybody together.”
Cuomo, a political survivor who spent more than three decades in public life, was ultimately felled by an independent report commissioned by James, a fellow Democrat, whose explosive findings detailed how Cuomo allegedly harassed women inside and outside his office with unwanted touching and inappropriate comments. The 165-page report – based on interviews with 179 individuals, including Cuomo and his top aides – concluded that there was evidence to substantiate claims against him by 11 women.
Joon Kim, the former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York appointed by James to help lead the investigation, said when the report was released that some women “suffered through unwanted touching and grabbing of their most intimate body parts.”
“The executive chamber’s workplace culture was rife with bullying, fear and intimidation on one hand while normalizing frequent flirtations and gender-based comments by the governor on the other,” Kim added.
The report included details of an alleged incident in November, when Cuomo embraced his executive assistant, Brittany Commisso, and reached under her blouse to grab her breast. Commisso went public with her story this week after filing a criminal complaint with the Albany County sheriff’s office. The governor has continued to deny the incident.
The attorney general’s investigation also revealed allegations that Cuomo harassed a female state trooper who was hired on to the governor’s detail after they had a brief exchange, even though she had not yet served the three years required for the post.
The governor touched the trooper inappropriately on several occasions, running his finger down her spine when he was standing behind her on an elevator in his New York City office, according to the report. In another episode, Cuomo allegedly ran his hand across the trooper’s stomach as she held the door for him at an event on Long Island.
Cuomo addressed her claims for the first time Tuesday, arguing that he had recruited her in an effort to diversify his mostly male protective detail. He said he did not remember touching her stomach, but he also did not deny doing so, explaining that he often touched state troopers in nonsexual ways when they held doors for him.
“I didn’t do it consciously with the female trooper. I did not mean any sexual connotation. I did not mean any intimacy by it. I just wasn’t thinking,” Cuomo said. “It was a mistake, plain and simple. I have no other words to explain it. I want to personally apologize to her and her family.”
The governor also allegedly grabbed the buttocks of an employee of a state office, made sexually suggestive comments to a young female assistant, inappropriately touched other women not employed by the state, and kissed another state employee without consent in his office.
In addition, investigators found that Cuomo made numerous suggestive sexual comments that constituted “unlawful sexual harassment.”
These included telling the female state trooper that his requirement for a girlfriend was someone who “can handle pain,” telling one assistant it was “about time you showed some leg,” suggesting a buttock tattoo to an aide, and calling two executive assistants “mingle mamas” while asking one of them whether she would be willing to cheat on her partner.
And the investigators found that Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo’s top aide, worked with other advisers to discredit one of his accusers, Lindsey Boylan – releasing her personnel file to reporters and circulating a draft of a letter impugning her credibility. DeRosa resigned from Cuomo’s staff on Sunday.
The attorney general’s office found that the campaign against Boylan, which included the circulation of the letter, amounted to “unlawful retaliation.”
“My clients feel both vindicated and relieved that Cuomo will no longer be in a position of power over anyone,” attorney Mariann Wang, who represented two Cuomo accusers, said in a statement after the governor’s announcement.
Cuomo’s announcement marked a dramatic fall for a politician who had attracted widespread acclaim last year for his handling of the pandemic in New York. He won a special Emmy award for his daily televised briefings and published a self-adulatory book about his leadership during the crisis. He was eyeing a fourth term that would surpass his father, Mario Cuomo, who served three terms as New York governor.
But for all his public popularity, he was known for governing through fear, screaming and threatening lawmakers and aides alike, and regularly attacking other politicians, such as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cuomo’s allies said his ruthless style allowed him to accomplish political goals, such as passing same-sex marriage and other liberal agenda items.
But he made few true allies, and many New York politicians felt schadenfreude at watching his troubles. Cuomo was viewed skeptically by many liberals in the city, but he was usually able to overcome any opposition from groups such as the Working Families Party.
After working on his father’s campaigns, the younger Cuomo served in the Department Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton.
He first ran for New York governor in 2002, only to see his hopes dashed before the primary by a critical comment about then-Gov. George E. Pataki. He made a comeback in 2006, when he was elected New York attorney general, clearing the way for his 2010 election as governor.
His third term in office was set to conclude in 2022, and he was widely expected to seek a fourth, with no clear Democratic rival.
Divorced from Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, Cuomo has three adult daughters.
He addressed his daughters at the end of his remarks Tuesday.
“I want them to know from the bottom of my heart that I never did and I never would intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated, and that is the God’s honest truth,” he said. “Your dad made mistakes, and he apologized and he learned from it. And that is what life is all about.”
Published : August 11, 2021
By : The Washington Post · Michael Scherer, Josh Dawsey, Ted Gup
Google limits ad targeting for teens, increases YouTube privacy
Google is limiting the targeted advertising of users younger than 18, among a series of changes by the search giant aimed at improving privacy protections for teens.
The Mountain View, California-based company said it will begin blocking advertising that targets teenagers based on data compiled about their age, gender and interests. Facebook Inc.’s Instagram recently announced a similar policy against targeting users under 18.
Google said in a blog post Tuesday that it’s also planning privacy changes across video site YouTube, standard Search, Google Assistant, location history, the Google Play Store and Google Workspace for Education.
On YouTube, the company by default will make private the videos uploaded by users ages 13 to 17. The automated privacy setting means videos of those users can only be watched by them or approved viewers. These teenagers, however, will be able to unlock their videos to be viewed publicly. YouTube will also, by default, include reminders for younger users to take a break and to go to sleep at bedtime as well as disable the autoplay of consecutive videos.
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In search, Google said it is expanding its SafeSearch feature to filter out explicit results for users who are 13 to 18. This feature will also apply to Google Assistant on smart screens. The tool also lets users under 18 flag images of themselves that appear in Google Search for removal. The company also said it would no longer collect location history for the age group.
Google recently said it would add new data collection policy pages to the Google Play Store, mirroring a feature Apple launched last year. Protections for children in online services have gained a lot of attention in Silicon Valley lately. Apple last week announced new protections against explicit images in its Messages app and safeguards against the uploading of explicit or abusive images of children to iCloud Photo libraries.
Published : August 11, 2021
By : Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Mark Gurman
Apple readies new iPhones with pro-focused camera, video updates
Apples next iPhone lineup will get at least three major new camera and video-recording features, which the company is betting will be key enticements to upgrade from earlier models.
The new handsets will include a video version of the phone’s Portrait mode feature, the ability to record video in a higher-quality format called ProRes, and a new filters-like system that improves the look and colors of photos, according to people familiar with the matter. The camera features are seen as some of the biggest selling points for the iPhone 12’s successor, which is expected to go on sale in the next several weeks.
Beyond the camera enhancements, the new iPhones will get relatively modest upgrades. Last year, Apple revamped the iPhone design, added 5G wireless networking and updated the camera hardware. For this year, the company will retain the same 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch regular sizes and 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro screen dimensions, as well as their designs.
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The new phones will include a faster A15 chip and a smaller notch, also known as the display cutout, in addition to new screen technology that could enable a faster refresh rate for smoother scrolling.
The Cupertino, California-based company typically unveils its new iPhones in September, but last year’s launch was delayed until October due to production complications stemming from Covid-19. With Apple now pushing back its office return by several weeks, the company’s next iPhone launch is likely to be virtual. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
Apple first added Portrait mode to the iPhone 7 Plus in 2016, and it quickly become a fan favorite. The feature can put a person in sharp focus while blurring the background in what is known as a bokeh effect. For the new iPhones, Apple plans to add this same technique to video with a feature internally dubbed Cinematic Video. Like with still photos, the iPhone’s depth sensor will create the effect and allow users to change the amount of blur after recording.
A new ProRes video-recording feature will let iPhone users capture clips in a higher-quality format that gives editors more control during post-production.
The format is used by professional video editors in the film industry and isn’t normally intended for the mass market in part because of its large file sizes. ProRes will record in either HD and 4K resolutions on the next iPhones.
The ProRes feature would follow last year’s addition of ProRAW, a higher-quality still photo file format that gives professional editors more control. Like with ProRAW, the ProRes video recording may be exclusive to the pricier Pro models.
Another feature will let users better control the look of colors and highlights in their pictures. Users will be able to choose from several styles to apply to their photos, including one for showing colors at either a warmer or cooler temperature while keeping whites neutral. Another option will add a more dramatic look with deeper shadows and more contrast, and the company is planning a more balanced style for showing shadows and true-to-life colors with a brighter appearance.
The feature will differ from standard filters, available in the iPhone’s Camera app since 2013, by precisely applying changes to objects and people across the photos using artificial intelligence, rather than applying a single filter across the entire picture.
Apple’s new iPhones, codenamed D16, D17, D63 and D64, are just a few of the new devices poised to launch in the coming months. The company is also working on revamped MacBook Pros with in-house chips likely to be dubbed M1X, a redesigned iPad mini and an entry-level iPad geared at students. It’s also preparing new Apple Watches and entry-level AirPods.
Published : August 11, 2021
By : Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Mark Gurman
Phuket offers ‘Olympic buffet’ of 7 sports for visitors to try
The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) is inviting Thais and foreigners in Phuket to try seven different sports at its post-Olympics festival over the next three weeks.
“SAT-Phuket New Normal for Sports Excellence” runs from this Friday to October 7 at the new public exercise area outside Central Festival Phuket department store. From 11.30am to 7.30pm every day, sport stations will offer surfskating, Thai boxing, golf, cycling, basketball, table tennis and badminton. All trainers are professional and sports equipment is provided, the SAT said.
Different sports will be available to try each week, so people can visit more than one time without being bored, it added.
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Phuket offers ‘Olympic buffet’ of 7 sports for visitors to tryPhuket offers ‘Olympic buffet’ of 7 sports for visitors to try
Analysis: Whats behind Italys record Olympic medal haul from Tokyo?
As Italy finished strongly at the Tokyo Olympics with 40 total medals, including 10 golds, the Italian Olympic Committee, experts and local media try to analyze the countrys sporting success.
Italy’s headline-grabbing success at the Tokyo Olympics may have added to the country’s sports bragging rights this summer. But there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on what is behind its record haul of Olympic medals.
When the Olympics concluded on Sunday, Italy had 10 gold medals, equal to France, Germany, and the Netherlands by that measure. But with 40 total medals – including 10 silver and 20 bronze medals – Italy became the first among the 27 European Union member states.
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The total was also a dozen more than the country earned at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and four more than the previous national record set at the 1960 Rome Games. Based on total medals, Italy was seventh in the final ranking.
But there’s no clear-cut theory on why the country’s athletes did so well.
According to Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian Olympic Committee, smart investments and organization are behind the wave of Olympic victories.
“Over the last several years, when we make a commitment we see it through to the end,” Malago told local newspaper Corriere della Sera. “We have made major efforts to organize sporting events around the country and we have given visibility to companies that have trusted us, and now, today the credibility of Italian sports is at the highest level.”
Il Fatto Quotidiano, another leading newspaper, speculated that the successes come from a changing focus on athletes, noting that the country earned no medals at all in fencing, shooting, and the team sports – usually Italian strongholds – but instead took in record hauls in swimming and track and field. The newspaper noted that Italy’s 40 medals came from 19 different sports, more than the medals in 17 sports, the previous record for Italy, from Athens in 2004.
“This is a tangible sign of how sport in Italy is headed in a new direction,” the newspaper said.
The point is well taken: Italy’s victory in the men’s 100 meters came from the country’s first-ever appearance in that Olympic final. The men’s 4×100-meter relay gold was the first for the country. High-jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, who tied for first in the event with Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, was the first Italian to ever earn a medal in his event. Italy also won both 20-kilometer race walks, with Antonella Palmisano winning the women’s title and Massimo Stano taking the men’s crown.
According to Giovanna Russo, a professor of sports sociology at the University of Bologna, the Italian team’s diversity was a major factor.
“We can look at the gold medal-winning 4×100 meter relay team that was a microcosm of the team as a whole,” Russo told Xinhua, referring to the team that featured 100-meter gold medalist Lamont Marcell Jacobs, born in the United States to an African-American father and an Italian mother; Fausto Desalu, born in Italy to Nigerian parents; together with Lorenzo Patta and anchor Filippo Tortu, who are of fully Italian descent.
“I look at the success at the Olympics as a symbol of the new, more inclusive Italy,” she said.
But Antonio Polito, a columnist for Corriere della Sera, took a different view. While Polito praised the winners, he also gave the credit to a new, young generation of Italians – and not just athletes. Polito noted that before the Olympics this summer saw unusual success in winning football’s European Championships, earning a spot in the Wimbledon tennis final for the first time, and even winning the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time since 1990.
“Unlike other countries, there aren’t many areas of Italian life where young people have an advantage over older generations,” Polito told Xinhua. “Italy is no longer a place where a hard-working young person without connections can hope to excel in the workplace. But our youth unemployment is among the highest in the industrialized world. There is no future for young people in politics. So all the talent and enthusiasm is being funneled into a few key areas, like sports or music. Areas where success is based on merit.”
Polito said this change has not helped Italy to over-achieve at the Olympics, but rather to take its rightful place among its peers.
“Italy’s success seems strongest compared to its previous results, not compared to other countries,” he said.
“In terms of medals Italy was more or less tied with France and Germany, countries with broadly similar-sized populations and economies,” Polito said. “Great Britain, another country with a similar-sized population and economy, did better than Italy. The Netherlands’ population is less than a third of Italy’s and they did as well as Italy did. Australia has less than half Italy’s population and they did better than Italy.”
Polito went on: “Italy didn’t really exceed expectations,” he said. “We basically had the level of success we should have had. But that’s a new thing.”
Six-time Ballon dOr winner Messi lands in France to join PSG
Lionel Messi arrived at Le Bourget airport in the northeastern suburbs of Paris on Tuesday afternoon to finalize his signing with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
Lionel Messi arrived at Le Bourget airport in the northeastern suburbs of Paris on Tuesday afternoon to finalize his signing with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, following his tearful farewell to Barcelona on Sunday.
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Hundreds of fans have been waiting at the airport since Monday as the 34-year-old Argentine has been linked with the capital-based club right after his shock departure from Barcelona was announced.
PSG released a video later in the afternoon on its Twitter which heavily implied that the signing is completed.
Reserve your spot at the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale, Thailand’s biggest online property sales event
The Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale sees discounts of up to 40 percent placed on condominium units, villas, houses and other real estate in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin and Pattaya.
Thailand’s biggest online property sales event returns in 2021 with more properties and bigger discounts. Registration is now open for the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale and property seekers can secure their spot at the two-day event scheduled for August 27th and 28th.
The Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale sees discounts of up to 40 percent placed on condominium units, villas, houses and other real estate in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin and Pattaya. These never-before-seen prices are only made available during Thailand’s biggest online property sales event.
Registering in advance for the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale comes with several benefits. For starters, those who sign up today are eligible to participate in an exclusive sneak peek where you can view select discounts before the start of the event.
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Reserve your spot at the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale, Thailand’s biggest online property sales event
Secondly, advance registrants can enter the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale directly on August 27. That means you can be among the first to explore deals and message developers. This is the best way to secure the property you want during the sale because once a unit has been sold, it’s gone for good.
Whether you are searching for a place to call home, after a vacation property or want a strong investment, it will be available at Thailand’s biggest online property sales event. The Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale features an exclusive collection of the Kingdom’s best real estate at the lowest prices ever seen.
“Last year’s event saw buyers from Thailand and overseas secure their dream home and helped set a Dot Property Group single-day record for website visitors. The sale promises to be even bigger in 2021 with greater synergy between Dot Property Group’s five leading property portals, including Thailand-Property, Dot Property and Hipflat, ensuring increased visibility and attracting even more property buyers” said Mr.James Claassen, General Manager of Dot Property Group
Due to the heavy traffic expected during the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale, we’re encouraging everyone to register ahead of time. Not only will this provide you with direct access to the best deals as soon as the event begins, but you’ll also be able to take part in an exclusive preview where you can see some of the discounts on offer. Don’t wait, register today!
If you’re a developer interested in joining the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale, contact us at: event@dotpropertygroup.com
Israeli security members deal with the wreckage of a rocket launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, near the city of Kiryat Shmona, on Aug. 4, 2021.
Photo taken from a video in New York, the United States, shows New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaking during a televised address, on Aug. 10, 2021.
Phuket offers ‘Olympic buffet’ of 7 sports for visitors to try
Phuket offers ‘Olympic buffet’ of 7 sports for visitors to try
Reserve your spot at the Dot Property 48 Hour Mega Sale, Thailand’s biggest online property sales event
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