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Lewis Hamilton moved into the world championship lead for the first time this season with a dominant victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver pulled out an eight-second lead in three wet laps at the start of the race before switching to dry tyres, and controlled the race from there. Hamilton even had time to stop for fresh tyres with three laps to go to grab the extra point for fastest lap. Valtteri Bottas failed in an attempt to pass Red Bull's Max Verstappen for second, giving Hamilton a five-point championship lead over his team after three races. Verstappen's second place was extraordinary, for he crashed on the laps to the grid and damaged both his front wing and suspension. The Red Bull mechanics worked wonders to change his left front push-rod on the grid in the time permitted and get him into the race and he then drove a superb race to hold off Bottas at the end. Hungarian Grand Prix full race results Listen: Even Hamilton gets confused sometimes Hamilton supreme It was Hamilton's second consecutive victory in the third race of the season, and it came after another anti-racism protest from the drivers before the race. It ended up slightly chaotic, as it had in the Styrian Grand Prix a week ago, with the drivers rushing to take part. But as in the first two races, most of the drivers 'took the knee' alongside Hamilton, while a few chose to remain standing for their own reasons. Hamilton's win was never in doubt once he shot away from the field at the start, while Bottas may be considered lucky to get away with an apparent jumped start. The Finn moved before the lights went out and then stopped again, saying he had reacted to a light on his dashboard. The subsequent slow getaway dropped him to sixth place on the first lap. Race director Michael Masi said the movement had not been enough to trigger the sensors that determine what is a jumped start. Hamilton took advantage to show off his renowned wet-weather skills in the opening laps, moving six seconds clear of the Racing Point of Lance Stroll in two laps and adding a further two seconds before pitting at the end of the next lap as the initially wet track quickly dried. By the time the other front-runners had all stopped a lap later, Hamilton was 7.8secs clear and in a position to control the race, and he simply moved further and further away as the laps ticked by. It was his eighth win in Hungary - and he now shares the record for most wins at a single circuit with Michael Schumacher. Hamilton won in Hungary for the eighth time, equalling Michael Schumacher's record of winning the French Grand Prix eight times - the last being in 2006, above A missed opportunity for Bottas Verstappen and Red Bull had had a difficult weekend, the Dutchman qualifying only seventh in what he said was a difficult car. But after the scare on the grid, a brilliant first lap put him up to third behind Hamilton and Stroll, and he was second by lap five after the pit stops for dry tyres. There will be questions as to how Bottas was not penalised for moving before the lights - just as there were with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in a similar incident in Japan last year. Once the Finn got going, he drove patiently and by mid-race was up to fourth, taking third from Stroll when they pitted for fresh tyres. Bottas is now second in the drivers' championship, with Verstappen 25 points behind the Finn Bottas caught Verstappen with 25 laps to go and then Mercedes pulled the same strategy as they had to win the race with Hamilton last year, pitting him again for fresh tyres with the idea of catching and passing Verstappen before the end of the race. But while Hamilton managed it in 2019, Bottas did not catch Verstappen until the final lap, and it was too late to pass the Dutchman. It was a three-point boost for Hamilton and the sort of missed opportunity for which Bottas might pay this year, when the title fight seems to be a private one between the Mercedes. Stroll was a strong fourth for Racing Point, while Red Bull's Alexander Albon twice took advantage of unforced errors from Vettel - once early in the race and once close to the end - to take fifth ahead of the second Racing Point of Sergio Perez. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc could manage only 11th, out of the points, after a decision to put him on the unloved 'soft' tyres at his first pit stop. Most teams avoided them, as they were prone to 'graining' and Leclerc struggled with a lack of grip before being forced into an earlier-than-ideal second stop, which left him on old, slow tyres in the closing laps, when he lost out to McLaren's Carlos Sainz. After the race, both Racing Point cars were protested by Renault, as they had been at the previous race, on the claim that they have not designed their brake ducts themselves. The stewards ruled that as the ducts were identical to those used in Austria a week ago, there was no need to impound the parts, and the two protests would be dealt with as one once a date has been set for the hearing.

EU leaders trying to hammer out a huge post-coronavirus economic recovery plan are now in an unscheduled third day of a testy summit in Brussels. Some member states believe the proposed €750bn ($857bn; £680bn) package is too large and should come as loans, rather than grants. Austria said there was still a "way to go", while Hungary's PM lashed out at his Dutch counterpart. Germany's Angela Merkel said a deal might not be reached on Sunday. The third day of talks followed a record one-day rise in new infections worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that new cases rose by almost 260,000 in 24 hours. Officials said this was the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began, and the first time the number of new daily infections has surpassed a quarter of a million. The previous record rise in new confirmed cases was recorded by the WHO just one day earlier. The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus passed 14 million on Saturday, with over 600,000 recorded deaths, according to the tally kept by US-based Johns Hopkins University. How are the EU talks going? EU leaders first met on Friday in Brussels to discuss the bloc's €1 trillion seven-year budget and the planned stimulus package to help countries recover the pandemic. It is the first face-to-face meeting between leaders since governments began imposing lockdowns in a bid to stop the spread of the virus in March. Media captionGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel bumps elbows with EU Council leader Charles Michel Member states are split between those hit hardest by the outbreak, and those concerned about the costs of the recovery plan. Some northern nations like the Netherlands and Sweden have balked at the package, arguing it should take the forms of loans not grants. But nations including Italy and Spain are desperate to revive their shattered economies, and have accused the EU of not doing enough to help countries hit by the pandemic. Italy in particular was one of the earliest European countries to suffer an outbreak and has recorded 35,000 deaths - one of the highest tolls in the world. Big choices face EU leaders on Covid recovery cash Are Italians losing faith in the EU? Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said Europe was "under the blackmail of the 'frugals'" and described negotiations as "heated". Hungarian PM Viktor Orban accused Dutch PM Mark Rutte of a personal vendetta and of trying to link financial help to political issues. Mr Orban, and his ally Poland, have threatened to veto the package if it adopts a policy of withholding funds from nations who do not meet certain democratic principles. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there was "a way to go" but that it was possible a deal could be achieved. Mrs Merkel said: "I still cannot say whether we will find a solution. There is a lot of goodwill but also many different positions." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption European Council President Charles Michel, left, with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right Where is Europe at with the virus? Many European nations have ended lockdown restrictions, but the virus remains a major threat. Officials are facing localised outbreaks across the continent, with the largest appearing in Spain's north-eastern region of Catalonia. About four million people in Barcelona, La Noguera and El Segrià have been ordered to stay at home for 15 days. Among the measures imposed are a ban on public or private meetings of more than 10 people; a ban on visits to nursing homes; and the closure of gyms and nightclubs. EU budget commissioner Johannes Hahn tweeted a "solemn reminder" on Saturday that the pandemic was "not over". "High time to reach an agreement which allows us to provide the urgently needed support for our citizens and economies," he wrote. How is the virus spreading elsewhere in the world? WHO officials said the largest increases in cases on Saturday were in Brazil, India, South Africa and the US. Florida is currently the epicentre of the US epidemic. The state recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 90 more deaths on Saturday, bringing its total number of cases to more than 337,000 and its death toll to more than 5,000. In Brazil, where the coronavirus and measures to contain it have been highly politicised, cases continue to surge - although the WHO announced earlier this week that infections were no longer increasing exponentially. Scientists have also warned that India could still be months away from the peak of its outbreak - despite already having the third-highest number of confirmed cases. Hospitals in the worst-hit cities, including Mumbai and Bangalore, have been overwhelmed with patients. India recorded another 34,884 infections in a 24-hour period on Saturday, and another 671 deaths linked to coronavirus. And South Africa, which saw one of the largest single-day rises in cases, has the highest number of confirmed infections on the African continent.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel headed Valtteri Bottas' Mercedes in a wet second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Vettel was 0.272 seconds faster than Bottas, while Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes did not set a lap time. McLaren's Carlos Sainz was third fastest, ahead of the Racing Points of Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll. In the morning's dry first session, Hamilton was fastest, 0.086seconds quicker than Bottas. Only 13 of the 20 drivers set times in the session. Hungarian Grand Prix coverage on the BBC Vettel to take time over 2021 decision Two F1 personnel test positive for Covid 19 The fastest times were all set on 'extreme' wet tyres. Several drivers - including Vettel, Bottas and Sainz - tried the 'intermediate' tyres but were not able to go faster. The weather forecast is for intermittent rain for the rest of the weekend in Budapest. A number of drivers ran wide, but there were no major incidents despite the difficult conditions. The day offered no significant clues as to the true competitive order around the Hungaroring this weekend. Hamilton was dominant in the dry morning session Red Bull, Mercedes' closest challengers so far this season, were off the pace in the dry first session, but their chief engineer Paul Monaghan later admitted they were running with their Honda engine turned down compared to the Mercedes. Red Bull were also running on different tyres from Mercedes in the first session, preferring to focus on the 'soft' tyre, which they found wore out too quickly. Mercedes technical director James Allison said that he expected a challenge from Red Bull over the weekend. "It was a great first session," said Hamilton. "Got everything we needed to do. It's a shame it rained today. It didn't leave a lot for us to do in the second session. "Don't take too much from the first session - everyone is doing a different programme. But it was going OK. I think it will be a lot closer when we get to P3 and qualifying."

Zinedine Zidane says sealing a first La Liga title with Real Madrid in three years has made him happier than winning the Champions League. Real wrapped up the title with a game to spare as they edged past Villarreal at an empty Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium. Karim Benzema fired between the legs of Sergio Asenjo and added a controversial second from a retaken penalty. In bizarre fashion, Sergio Ramos had rolled the first attempt for Benzema to smash in but the effort was disallowed. Vicente Iborra pulled one back but it mattered little to Real as the club wrapped up their 34th Spanish title. Zidane's side have won all 10 of their matches since Spanish football restarted in June. They head into the final day of the season with an unassailable seven-point lead over second-placed Barcelona. "This is better than anything. It takes a tremendous effort to win La Liga," said the Real Madrid boss. "After 38 matches, you have more points than anyone else. After lockdown and everything, it's astonishing." How Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane won back La Liga Barca lose as Real lift title Recharged Real end Barca dominance Real Madrid secured their 34th Spanish title - eight more than Barcelona have won Behind closed doors in a 6,000-seat stadium at the club's training complex is perhaps not the stage for the grand crowning Real would have imagined for their first title since 2017. But that did not stop Zidane's squad pulling on shirts with "Campeones 34" printed on the back before lifting the trophy in celebration as ticker tape fell over the pitch. "Today is one of the best days for me as a professional," said Zidane. "After everything that happened, the three-month break, it is fantastic what has been achieved." La Liga titles have been in shorter supply than Champions League triumphs for Real this decade, with this only their third in the past nine seasons. They won three successive European Cups in Zidane's first tenure but had recorded successive third-place finishes since their previous domestic title, as Barcelona were crowned champions. Zidane was in charge the last time they won the league and made it his aim to reclaim the title after returning midway through the last campaign - less than a year after his departure. It looked as if the Frenchman's side would fail to deliver on that objective when football in Spain was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic in March, with Barcelona top of the table. But Real have been in scintillating form since the restart and did not look like losing after Benzema's opener on Thursday. His second from the spot put the game beyond Villarreal's reach, despite a nervy final few minutes. In the end, Barcelona's defeat by Osasuna made the victory a little more comfortable but no less significant for Zidane, who was hoisted into the air by his players. Scheming Ramos let off the hook Karim Benzema scored his 20th and 21st La Liga goals of the season Real's title-winning moment looked like set to be relatively straightforward. Step forward Sergio Ramos. The defender was brought down as he entered the Villarreal box after a marauding run and, after a VAR check, put the ball down on the spot. The Los Blancos captain has netted 10 times in La Liga this season but, rather than go for his 11th, dummied to strike the ball and instead rolled it to his right for the onrushing Benzema. The forward fired past an unsuspecting Asenjo, only to for referee Alejandro Hernandez to blow his whistle for infringement - presumably by Benzema. Real were given the option to take the penalty again and this time Benzema converted to make it 2-0. Iborra then headed in seven minutes from time before substitute Marco Asensio thought he had re-established Real's lead, but Benzema had handled in the build-up. "It has been a strange season but our objective was very clear once the league restarted," said Ramos afterwards. "We wanted to win every game. This is the reward for all our hard work. 34 leagues, my fifth title. "Zidane has been key, he is the captain of the ship and led us from the start of the season - we have always felt protected with Zizou. He is a unique coach." 'La Liga makes me happier' Zidane's focus will now switch to Champions League opponents Manchester City. The La Liga champions travel to Etihad Stadium on 7 August trailing 2-1 from the first leg. But not until he has savoured the second league win of his managerial career. "The Champions League is the Champions League but La Liga makes me happier, because La Liga is what it's all about," said Zidane. "This is a tremendous feeling because what these players have done is incredible. I am lost for words because I am too emotional. "The players are the ones who have fought for this. It's true I've played my role but they are the ones who believe in what they are doing." Real have been playing at their reserve stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu is renovated and will not be doing their usual open-top bus parade to the Cibeles fountain in the centre of Madrid because of current safety concerns. "It's strange for everybody, we would have liked to have been with our fans at Cibeles but it's not meant to be," added Zidane. "But I'm sure everyone is happy in their homes tonight. The fans always love to see the team win and we've done this for them."

Russian spies are targeting organisations trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, US and Canada, security services have warned. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the hackers "almost certainly" operated as "part of Russian intelligence services". It did not specify which organisations had been targeted, or whether any information had been stolen. But it said vaccine research had not been hindered by the hackers. Russia has denied responsibility. "We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain. We can say one thing - Russia has nothing at all to do with these attempts," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Putin, according to the Tass news agency. The warning was published by an international group of security services: the UK's NCSC the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE) the United States Department for Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber-security Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) the US National Security Agency (NSA) One expert said it was "plausible" that, despite the Kremlin's denials, Russian spies were involved. "The received wisdom is that in cyber-space, attribution is difficult but not impossible," commented Emily Taylor from the Chatham House think tank. "Usually the security services are much more hedgy in their language if they think there is any doubt. "Cozy Bear [the named group] has been implicated in past cyber-attacks and has left quite a trail, and there are fairly good links to the Russian state itself." In recent years, Western security agencies have become more willing to call out hackers targeting companies and organisations in their countries in the hope it will deter them. But the latest accusations are more unusual since officials are directly pointing the finger at Russian spies rather than talking generally about "state-backed hackers" or using other more cautious references. And they are also challenging them over targeting something that the general public recognises as being highly sensitive - coronavirus vaccine research - rather than simply some company or government department's information. However, on another level we should not be too surprised by the claim. Understanding vaccine research and other details about the pandemic has become a top target for intelligence agencies around the world and many others, including Western spies, are likely to be active in this space. The UK, US and Canadian agencies said the hackers had exploited software flaws to get access to vulnerable computer systems, and had used malware called WellMess and WellMail to upload and download files from infected machines. They are also said to have tricked individuals into handing over login credentials with spear-phishing attacks. Phishing emails are designed to trick the recipient into handing over their personal information Spear phishing is a targeted and personalised form of the attack, designed to trick a specific individual. Often the email appears to come from a trusted contact, and may include some personal information to make the message seem more convincing But one cyber-security expert said the Russians were unlikely to be the only ones involved in such a campaign. "They have lots of people, we have lots of people, the Americans have even more people, as do the Chinese," commented Prof Ross Anderson from the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory. "They are all trying to steal this kind of stuff all the time."

Hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong have voted in pro-democracy primaries, despite warnings that doing so may breach a new security law. The two-day vote will determine the opposition candidates for September's elections to the legislative council. But it is being widely viewed as a test of opposition to the controversial new law that took effect last month. The law, which gives the Chinese state new powers over the city, drew widespread international condemnation. China has said the law is necessary to prevent the type of protests seen in Hong Kong during much of 2019, but its critics say it severely curtails freedoms guaranteed to Hongkongers for 50 years after British rule ended in Hong Kong in 1997. Young, radical and ready for tear gas The HK residents ready to leave for the UK HK pupils banned from political activity On Sunday, thousands of voters queued for a second day at more than 250 polling stations around the city. Opposition activists had hoped for a high turnout, and early estimates suggested that it had exceeded their expectations. Organisers set a target of 170,000 voters across the weekend, but officials said more than 500,000 people had taken part as of Sunday afternoon. The voters turned out despite one senior Chinese official suggesting last week that participation in the primary could breach the new security law. "Those who have organised, planned or participated in the primary election should be wary and avoid carelessly violating the law," Erick Tsang, the Secretary for Mainland and Constitutional Affairs, told the Sing Tao Daily newspaper. Media captionHong Kong residents are worried the new law means the 'one country, two systems' principle no longer exists Sunny Cheung, one of the candidates, told the Reuters news agency that a a high turnout would "send a very strong signal to the international community, that we Hong Kongers never give up". Eddie Chu, an opposition pro-democracy politician, called the vote a "proxy referendum against the national security law". The full turnout is expected to be announced early on Monday, with results coming shortly after. But there are fears among opposition activists that the authorities will move to prevent some candidates from running in September. "They can arrest or disqualify any candidate they don't like under the national security law without a proper reason," said Owen Chow, a young democratic candidate.

British Gymnastics boss Jane Allen says she is "appalled and ashamed" following allegations of abuse within the sport. Chief executive Allen is under pressure after Olympians Becky and Ellie Downie claimed abusive behaviour in gymnastics became "completely normalised" and several athletes told the BBC of "a culture of fear" in the sport. An independent review will take place. "Any mistreatment of gymnastics is completely inexcusable," Allen said in a letter to all member clubs. "I pay tribute to those that have spoken out - their bravery will help drive change within gymnastics." She added that "we clearly need to do more and quickly" and that "fundamental issues within the athlete/coach relationship" have been highlighted. 'All gymnasts need a healthy and happy environment' Gymnastics boss calls on government to reopen indoor facilities Allen said British Gymnastics will "not seek to influence" the review. "The right thing is to ensure that an independent eye looks at the complaints raised this week and the systems we have in place," Allen said. On Thursday, the British Athletes Commission (BAC) said it had written to British Gymnastics and UK Sport about the review "to reiterate the need for a comprehensive, fair, and truly independent process". "Athletes must trust the integrity of the process and feel confident that they can provide further evidence without fear of retribution," a BAC statement added. The Downies say abusive behaviour in gymnastics training became "ingrained". "We certainly didn't realise how wrong it was at the time," they said in a statement on Twitter. "While exact experiences obviously vary, we both recognise the environment of fear and mental abuse those before us have described so bravely." The Downies said they had previously been afraid to speak out. British Gymnastics told BBC Sport on Thursday: "The behaviours we have heard about in recent days are completely contrary to our standards of safe coaching and have no place in our sport. "It is clear that gymnasts did not feel they could raise their concerns to British Gymnastics and it is vital that an Independent Review helps us better understand why so we can remove any barriers as quickly as possible. "This review will ensure that all those with concerns about safeguarding and abuse have the correct and proper channel to raise any issues." UK Sport 'knew of abuse allegations' The BBC has learned that UK Sport knew of allegations of abuse in gymnastics as recently as summer 2019. After several gymnasts spoke out earlier this week, UK Sport, which funds Olympic sports in the UK, responded saying the allegations were "shocking and upsetting". But the BBC has seen emails from last year in which two different parents separately emailed UK Sport's Head of Integrity in June and July 2019 regarding different allegations around safeguarding and alleged abuse. A face-to-face meeting was due to take place between the head of integrity and one parent - but was later cancelled by UK Sport. That parent said in an email: "I still hope that one day someone will finally listen and prioritise the welfare of children over medals. Perhaps you will be that person?" A spokesperson for UK Sport told the BBC: "There is absolutely no place in sport for abuse or bullying of any description. "It is important to note that UK Sport doesn't have the authority to intervene in employment matters within a sport, but we are absolutely committed to draw on all available measures to ensure that the high performance system is a safe environment for all athletes."

The world-famous Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul - originally founded as a cathedral - has been turned back into a mosque. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the decision after a court annulled the site's museum status. Built 1,500 years ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453. In 1934 it became a museum and is now a Unesco World Heritage site. Islamists in Turkey long called for it to be converted to a mosque but secular opposition members opposed the move. The proposal prompted criticism from religious and political leaders worldwide. Defending the decision, President Erdogan stressed that the country had exercised its sovereign right in converting it back to a mosque. He told a press conference the first Muslim prayers would be held inside the building on 24 July. "Like all our mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be wide open to locals and foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims," he added. Shortly after the announcement, the first call to prayer was recited at Hagia Sophia and was broadcast on all of Turkey's main news channels. The cultural site's social media channels have now been taken down. What has the reaction been? Unesco has said it "deeply regrets" the decision to turn the museum into a mosque and called on the Turkish authorities to "open a dialogue without delay." The organisation had urged Turkey not to change its status without discussion. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Hagia Sophia has huge significance as a religious and political symbol The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church has condemned the move, as has Greece - home to many millions of Orthodox followers. Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said it was an "open provocation to the civilised world". "The nationalism displayed by President Erdogan... takes his country back six centuries," she said in a statement. The court ruling "absolutely confirms that there is no independent justice" in Turkey, she added. Erdogan: Turkey's pugnacious president Is pandemic being used for power grab in Europe? BBC - Travel - An insider’s tour of Hagia Sophia Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The site is now one of Turkey's most visited tourist attractions But the Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court, said in its ruling on Friday: "It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally." "The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws," it said. The Church in Russia, home to the world's largest Orthodox Christian community, immediately expressed regret that the Turkish court had not taken its concerns into account when ruling on Hagia Sophia. It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions. While the move is po[CENSORED]r with conservative religious supporters of President Erdogan, Turkey's most famous author, Orhan Pamuk said the decision would take away the "pride" some Turks had in being a secular Muslim nation. "There are millions of secular Turks like me who are crying against this but their voices are not heard," he told the BBC. History of a global icon Hagia Sophia's complex history began in the year 537 when Byzantine emperor Justinian built the huge church overlooking the Golden Horn harbour With its huge dome, it was believed to be the world's largest church and building It remained in Byzantine hands for centuries apart from a brief moment in 1204 when Crusaders raided the city In 1453, in a devastating blow to the Byzantines, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II captured Istanbul (formerly known as Constantinople) and the victorious conqueror performed Friday prayers inside Hagia Sophia The Ottomans soon converted the building into a mosque, adding four minarets to the exterior and covering ornate Christian icons and gold mosaics with panels of Arabic religious calligraphy After centuries at the heart of the Muslim Ottoman empire, it was turned into a museum in 1934 in a drive to make Turkey more secular Today Hagia Sophia is Turkey's most po[CENSORED]r tourist site, attracting more than 3.7 million visitors a year

Rafael Nadal (right) claimed his 19th Grand Slam singles title at Flushing Meadows in 2019 but has not committed to playing this year The US Open is, for the moment, still on. And yet there is increasing pessimism within tennis that the tournament can survive the United States' escalating health crisis. On Tuesday, the US reported more than 60,000 new coronavirus cases: a new daily record. Cases in New York have fallen sharply since April, but concerns over quarantine - both on arrival, and when travelling on to Europe to prepare for the French Open - have not yet been allayed. World number six Stefanos Tsitsipas could speak for many when he says: "I am 50:50." "I personally would go and play, but if things get worse and our health is in danger, then the US Open and everyone involved should suspend the event for this year," the 21-year-old told Sportsworld on the BBC World Service. "The mood has gone south in the last week or two," was the way someone else put it, with one agent no longer expecting the championships to go ahead. The US Open is scheduled to be played behind closed doors in New York from 31 August, but if it is to be cancelled, the decision is likely to be taken by the end of this month. 'I think she will have a fresh perspective' - Evert backs Williams Battle of Brits mixed team event announced The governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, invested a lot of political capital in giving the US Open the green light last month, but in recent days has had to introduce a 14-day quarantine for travellers arriving from no fewer than 19 US states. Florida, which is either a home or a training base to so many professionals, is one of the states on the list. Will players be granted an exemption? And how will the Spanish, Italian and French governments view the arrival of players and their entourages from New York for the delayed clay court season? The European Union Council is still recommending a ban on non-essential travel from the United States. The advice will be updated every two weeks, although it is for member states to decide who should be exempt, and whether a period of self-isolation is required. Jamie Murray has won the US Open mixed doubles title for the past three years, and admits staying in Europe to play "seems like a less stressful option right now". "I think that will potentially come to a head soon with the ATP and US Open," he continued. "And I'd imagine for the ATP, it would be very difficult to support the US Open going ahead if the draw has to quarantine coming back to Europe where they have two Masters Series and another Grand Slam. "From my point of view as a player, you just want stability. Right now we don't have that. There have been a lot of things changing with not that fantastic communication I'd say." There is also the issue of fairness. If the EU Council's advice is followed to the letter, then on the grounds of nationality, barely half of the women's top 40 will be free to travel to Palermo and Prague for the resumption of the WTA Tour. Many are desperate to start playing again. The American number one John Isner has congratulated the US Tennis Association for their "forward thinking" in going ahead with the US Open, and Serena Williams committed to playing last month. Overseas players have been more circumspect, or in Nick Kyrgios' case, scathing. "Selfish" and "stupid" is the Australian's take on the US Open proceeding as things stand. Novak Djokovic - who has told Serbia's Sportski Zurnal he has been the target of a "witch-hunt" for his part in the ill-fated Adria Tour - says he is "not sure" whether he will play. He has been more vocal in his opposition in the past, though, while Rafael Nadal - another to have expressed reservations - is officially keeping "all options open". Both have said they will play in the Madrid Open the week after the US Open, with Djokovic making clear he wants to compete in Rome as well before the French Open gets under way on 27 September. In some ways, though, the prospect of a US Open without Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer - who will not play again this year - is the least of the USTA's worries. The organisation has had to cancel all five ITF World Tennis Tour events scheduled to take place in the US in August "to ensure the health and safety of all those involved". There is still no word on the entry deadline, which - in a normal year - would be just 10 days away. "I don't think we know from day to day if it's going to happen," the 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert told Today on BBC Radio 4. "I mean, right now in Florida, it's five times worse than it was two weeks ago."

"There’s some magic in the water of the desert," says Korhonen JEDDAH: As she reaches the end of her second mission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, US Consul General Rachna Korhonen will soon be heading home, taking memories to last a lifetime. Known for her love for culture and the Arabic language and for her vast knowledge of the region, Korhonen became well known as a constant supporter of Saudi women and youth in the region, participating in numerous cultural and social events in the Eastern Province and across the Kingdom. After two more weeks in the Kingdom, Korhonen will return to the US capital to serve as the executive director of the Bureau of Near East Affairs (NEA) and the Bureau of South Central Asian Affairs (SCA) at the US State Department which supports the posts in the region, including Saudi Arabia, thus continuing her connection with the Kingdom. With 14 years of experience as a US diplomat, she served 3 years in Riyadh in 2010, and then came back to serve as the consul general in Dhahran in August 2017. “I would say Riyadh was the start of my relationship with Saudi Arabia, and Dhahran and the Eastern Province is the culmination of the relationship,” said Korhonen told Arab News on a video call. She almost feels herself Sharqawia, a resident of the Eastern Province, Sharqia. “Ana Sharqawia (‘I am a Sharqawia). The measure of any place is the people, it’s not about the place, it’s really about the people.” As consul general, her role was to build relations and promote the interests of her home in the country where she was posted. Korhonen went the extra mile, she joined in the region’s celebrations and understood its traditions and culture. Recalling her time in the Eastern Province, she said: “I’ve been getting to know Sharqawis, the people who live and work here, who have made this their home in the years since Aramco started or were born in Al-Ahsa. I think anyone who comes to the Eastern Province falls in love,” she said. “The biggest reason I’ve gotten to enjoy myself here is (because) it has quite a bit of America here. I think it’s difficult to realize how much America exists in Saudi Arabia until you come to the Eastern Province,” she added. As the drilling for oil began in 1935 with the help of the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (CASOC), which later became Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s oil capital has been home to thousands of Americans over the past 85 years, who have had a major influence on the region. “Aramco is definitely a reminder of home, and you put that in with the people, the hospitality, the normal way of being Saudi which is to welcome your guests no matter who they are. You put those things together, you get the best of the United States and you get the best of Saudi Arabia.” A native of New Jersey and big baseball fan, her love for the game didn’t stop her from supporting the Al-Ettifaq Football Club in Dammam, attending matches and singing their anthem. Her trips to Al-Ahsa, a place she calls the most beautiful place in the Kingdom, allowed her to discover the region’s vast experiences. Her appreciation of Al-Ahsa goes deep. Both the scenery and the hospitality of the people make it her favorite city — she even took Ambassador John Abizaid on a trip there in February. “As you drive towards Al-Ahsa, you can see the sand changing color, from a bright yellow to a reddish color,” she said. “You start seeing the desert turning green, which is amazing to me. I’m a mountain and forest type of person and I can tell you that I now like the desert too, it’s beautiful.” The uniqueness of Al-Ahsa called out to Korhonen and she recalls her first visit to the region in 2017. “The history, the people, the food, the culture, is very different from any place I’ve been to in Saudi Arabia, Hasawis (people of Al-Ahsa) are lovely. I think there’s some magic in the water of the desert,” she said. Korhonen developed an interest in regional cultural events, visiting local markets picking out sheep for Eid, learning about the Saudi love for falconry and participating in the traditional celebratory dance of Al-Arda. She even has a Diwaniya, a parlor where guests are received, at her home. When she returned to the Kingdom in 2017, Korhonen noticed the transformation of the Kingdom, noting that Vision 2030 has been the instigator for this noticeable change. “The changes have been tremendous, I think Vision2030 is really going to really bring Saudi Arabia onto the world stage. I think some parts are already there. In the energy sector, Saudi Arabia has always been a leader,” she said. “I’m betting you right now that you’re going to see Saudi women, you’re going to see Saudi men, you’re going to see Saudi kids, Saudi art, culture and music, the traditional Saudi things, all starting to show up on the world stage.” As the Kingdom heads towards diversifying its economy, Korhonen anticipates that the world will begin seeing more Saudi entrepreneurs with innovative ventures, as education is key. She noted that with the continuous flow of Saudi students on scholarships in the US, their return to the Kingdom will help bring forth a new business-like mindset with partnerships between the two countries that will help the Kingdom’s economy to flourish. “It’s coming,” she noted. “I’ve seen some of the (US) businesses here, but I haven’t seen enough yet and I’d like to see more of that in the next 2-5 years, because Vision 2030 will be a success if we can get entrepreneurs to start businesses and hire more Saudis,” she added. “That to me is the key and that is what you should be bringing back from the US.” As the end of her mission draws near, it's safe to say that we'll be seeing Korhonen back in the Kingdom in the near future. “I’ll honestly come back because of the people, because of the friendships I’ve made here.”

In this Jan. 1, 2018 file photo, Italian Maestro Riccardo Muti conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during the traditional New Year's concert at the golden hall of Vienna's Musikverein, Austria. Nine musicians from the Syrian diaspora in Europe are playing in the 24th friendship concert conducted by Riccardo Muti, this year at the Paestum archaeological site in southern Italy, but the coronavirus pandemic blocked others from arriving directly from Syria. (AP) RAVENNA: Nine musicians from the Syrian diaspora in Europe are playing Sunday in the 24th friendship concert conducted by Riccardo Muti, this year at the Paestum archaeological site in southern Italy, but the coronavirus pandemic blocked others from arriving directly from Syria.The concert Sunday by the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra founded by Muti, part of the Ravenna Festival summer series, is dedicated to Syrian archaeologist Khaled Al-Asaad and Kurdish-Syrian politician Hevreen Khalaf, both of whom were slain during Syria’s ongoing civil war.“These concerts give to Ravenna the possibility to be an important ambassador of peace and brotherhood from Italy,” Muti told The Associated Press earlier this month in Ravenna. Khalaf was killed by Syrian fighters trained by Turkey 2019, and Al-Asaad was beheaded in 2015 by fighters of the Daesh group after he refused to aid their destruction of the ancient Roman city at Palmyra, a UN world heritage site.Muti launched the Roads of Friendship concert series in 1997 in Sarajevo, shortly after Bosnia’s 1992-1995 civil war ended, and has since traveled to cities wounded by war, including Beirut, as well as in ancient and historic sites to “reestablish ties” with places that have made history, including the ancient Roman amphitheater in the southern Syrian city of Bosra.“We can build bridges between civilizations, between people, with music,” said Karoun Baghboudarian, a cellist living in the Netherlands who is playing in Sunday’s concert and who sang in the chorus during the 2004 concert in Bosra — before Syria devolved into war, a period when she said musicians’ lives flourished.Her brother, Missak Baghboudarian, conducts the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra and had hoped to travel to Italy to conduct a concert in Ravenna and attend the Paestum concert of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, known as the “Heroic,” but was unable to travel because of travel restrictions imposed by the coronavirus. Instead, the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra streamed Beethoven’s “Heroic” from Damascus on July 2.Karoun Baghboudarian said she hoped the concert would renew attention on Syrians’ suffering.“We hope that Syria will come through the war and all the difficult situations as heroes, and that they can live normally,” she said by phone from Paestum.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to earn more than $1 billion (€885m), according to Forbes magazine. The Juventus player ranked fourth on the publication's 2020 Celebrity 100 list after earning $105 million (€92.9m) before taxes and fees in the past year. He beat arch-rival Lionel Messi by one spot with the Argentinian netting $104 million (€92.1m). Ronaldo, 35, is not the first athlete to cross the $1 billion threshold while still active — golfer Tiger Woods and boxer Floyd Mayweather beat him to it — but he is the first to reach it in a team sport. His prowess on the field during his 17-year professional career has so far earned him $650 million (€575.8m) which will have grown to $765 million (€677.7m) by the time his current contract with the Italian team expires in 2022. The rest of his income has come from "leveraging his celebrity", Forbes said. He's had a lifetime deal with Nike since 2016 which has so far paid him $20 million (€17.7m) a year, and he also has deals with Clear shampoo, Herbalife and pharmaceutical maker Abbott. He also has his own trademark — CR7 — which includes branded underwear, a line of shoes, fragrances and denim wear. It is estimated to account for a quarter of his annual endorsement income. The father-of-four is also the most followed athlete on social media with more than 200 million followers on Instagram. His po[CENSORED]rity is also profitable to clubs. Juventus sold 520,000 Ronaldo jerseys worth over $60 million (€53.1m) within 24 hours of its release. Ronaldo has played for some of the world's best-known club including Manchester United, Real Madrid and now Juventus. His trophy cabinet includes three Premier League titles, two Spanish ones and one Italian championship trophy as well as five UEFA Champions Leagues. He also helped Portugal win the Euro 2016 championship. He has also scoped up five Ballon D'Or and he is the all-time leading goal scorer in the Champions League.

Challenges remain as cities return to life after lockdown, experts warn JEDDAH: Residents across the Kingdom are making the most of their newfound freedom 10 days after the lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. As cities come alive again with traffic returning and shops opening, it is business as usual for almost everyone. Social life and commercial activity in towns and cities fell to a minimum during the two-month lockdown, but with the the end of the curfew people are seizing the chance to meet up with friends and family members they have not seen in a long time — and possibly return to their normal activities, responsibly. However, readjusting to normality could prove challenging as Saudi health officials continue to issue warnings and insist the Kingdom “is not out of the dark just yet.” While the Kingdom continues to ramp up COVID-19 testing and contact tracing to prevent further outbreaks, residents are quickly adapting to social changes. According to sociologist Musaab Al-Abdullah, coping with change “is an essential characteristic in humans.” “Ever since we were created, it is the basis of progress and keeping pace with time,” he told Arab News. “People can get used to and adapt to anything, and they are prepared to adapt to the changes that surround them, but the speed of acceptance varies from person to person due to the nature of the individual and their ideas. Often, change comes gradually, so it is more easily accepted by individuals,” he said. Al-Abdullah said that in recent weeks it has become clear that people must accept a “new normal.” Many probably view the “new normal” as an exciting challenge, he added. “Life as we know it has changed. People are afraid and are isolating themselves. They now see that life before the lockdown was blissful and not as boring as we thought. People are now waiting impatiently for the virus to be eradicated so that they can return to their normal life with a new and appreciative outlook.” The lockdown helped people understand what is important to them because many options and places to visit were limited. “The concept of consumption changed and we were able to live without wearing ourselves out collecting so-called luxuries. It showed that family and safety always come first,” he said. Al-Abdullah said humans are social creatures, and being isolated from others is not normal for them. HIGHLIGHTS • Social life and commercial activity in towns and cities fell to a minimum during the two-month lockdown. • With the end of the curfew people are seizing the chance to meet up with friends and family members they have not seen in a long time — and possibly return to their normal activities. • Readjusting to normality could prove challenging as Saudi health officials continue to issue warnings and insist the Kingdom ‘is not out of the dark just yet.’ “When a person is isolated from society, depression will begin to dominate and affect their life, and life in their eyes loses its value. When you see a friend in light of this crisis, it will be a great pleasure just to see them in good health, but you will feel anxious because of the restrictions imposed on everyone.” Lujain Al-Jehani, 27, took the opportunity to meet friends, but made sure she followed the rules. “It was a small gathering, about four people, and we were all wearing masks and kept our distance from each other; we didn’t shake hands or hug each other. We also used plastic or paper cups and dishes,” she told Arab News. “I think it is acceptable to meet with family and friends while taking precautions and treating yourself and others around you like you are infected to avoid catching the virus,” said Al-Jehani. “It might sound like an exaggeration, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” The “new normal” could also pose a challenge from a mental health perspective. Lujain Sharawani, 27, prefers to stay at home most of the time and go out only when necessary. “As a family, we are doing our best by staying home and not meeting with other people outdoors,” she told Arab News. “I took the opportunity to meet with a few of my closest friends by inviting them over to my house, and we stayed in a big room to keep a safe distance between us while taking the necessary precautions such as wearing a mask and not making any physical contact,” she said. Saudi infectious diseases specialist Abdulaziz Al-Kinani said that the Health Ministry has placed its trust in people to follow precautions. “The ministry allowed us to return to our normal life but with new adopted behaviors, such as social distancing,” he told Arab News. “These behaviors will help to avoid the spread of diseases, whether they are highly infectious or not, with the simplest example being the flu. To adopt this behavior — keeping distance — is healthy. We can go out and enjoy ourselves, but we must keep the precautionary measures in mind.” However, Al-Kinani warned against being obsessively cautious, adding: “Calmly wash your hands and use disinfectants if you have touched surfaces in public places, and avoid crowds.” Though many many still feel anxious 10 days after the lifting of the lockdown, experts say that this is an ideal time to reassess priorities and adopt a positive mindset about the future.

Boss Scott Parker conceded Fulham face a "big ask" to win automatic promotion after they were hammered by Leeds, who went back to the top of the Championship table. Parker's fourth-placed side now look bound for the play-offs and are likely to see topscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic banned after an off-the-ball elbow. Mitrovic appeared to lead with his elbow into Leeds defender Ben White inside the opening two minutes and though it was unseen by the referee he is almost certain to face retrospective punishment. Patrick Bamford gave the hosts the lead with a cool finish inside the opening 10 minutes after an incisive run and cutback from Helder Costa. Leeds doubled their lead after the break when substitute Ezgjan Alioski scored with a low finish after two Fulham defenders failed to cut out Jack Harrison's low centre, and Harrison wrapped it up on the counter-attack. "I think it is going to be a big ask to go up automatically," Parker, who said he had not seen the Mitrovic incident, accepted. "I wouldn't write it off because the unexpected could happen with the way the division is and games are." He added: "I think overall the performance in the first half was exceptional. We took the game to a very good side. "I thought we were superb then but over the course of the game we needed to be more clinical." What proved to be an ultimately miserable day for the London side was compounded in injury-time as substitute Neeskens Kebano was sent off for a second bookable offence. Leeds, who had lost their first game back following the suspension of the season because of the coronavirus pandemic at Cardiff last week, are now eight points clear of third-placed Brentford with seven games to play. Relive Saturday's Championship action Fulham fail to take first-half chances Despite leading at the break, Leeds spent much of the first half on the back foot as Fulham mounted a succession of attacks. Winger Anthony Knockaert looked bright and he and Mitrovic forced relatively comfortable saves from home goalkeeper Illan Meslier. The visitors were incensed that they were not awarded a penalty when the ball struck Tyler Roberts on the arm in the area as Leeds were left hanging on for the half-time whistle. It was a different story after the interval, as subs Alioski and Pablo Hernandez both made pivotal impacts to secure a vital three points for Marcelo Bielsa's men. Fulham have now lost both of their games since the restart and are seven points off the top two with seven games to play. Perhaps more damagingly, they are now likely to be without 23-goal leading scorer Mitrovic for three matches if he is found to be guilty of violent conduct in his early challenge on White. A minute's silence was held at Elland Road before the game to remember former Leeds players Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry, and all victims of coronavirus Subs make difference Leeds struggled to create anything of note after Bamford's early goal and boss Bielsa decided to make two changes at the break, bringing on Alioski and Hernandez for Bamford and Costa. Alioski doubled Leeds' advantage after a quick counter-attack from Fulham's corner ended with Harrison's ball just evading two desperate visiting defenders and finding its way to the Macedonia international's feet in the area. Hernandez, who has so often been at the heart of the Whites' best play over the past four seasons, was making his first appearance since the restart but showed no signs of being rusty. He clipped a wonderful ball in behind the Fulham defence for Harrison to end the contest with a shot that went through visiting goalkeeper Marek Rodak. Leeds host struggling Luton on Tuesday, while Fulham will be looking to get their season back on track when they visit London rivals QPR on the same evening. Post-match reaction Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa told BBC Radio Leeds: "In the first half it was difficult for us to recover the ball in the opponents' half and when we were close to our box we lost it again quickly. "That is why the first half was better for them than for us. In the second half it was better. "The win was necessary for us and very important."

China has said it is moving 20 martial art trainers to the Tibetan plateau to train its forces. No official reason for the decision has been given, but it comes after at least 20 Indian troops were killed in clashes with Chinese border forces. Under an agreement dating back to 1996, neither side carries guns or explosives in the area. China has not released any information about its casualties, while India says 76 of its soldiers were injured. Border clash a 'deliberate provocation' - China A freezing, inhospitable battlefield on a mountain India-China border dispute explained in 400 words News of the army's new martial arts trainers was reported by official Chinese news outlets on 20 June, according to Hong Kong media. State broadcaster CCTV said 20 fighters from the Enbo Fight Club would be based in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, although Chinese media had not confirmed they would be training troops on the border with India. China and India - both nuclear powers - have exchanged blame over responsibility for the fighting in the Galwan river valley in Ladakhon on 15 June. The area, with its harsh climate and high-altitude terrain, is close to Aksai Chin, a disputed area claimed by India but controlled by China. The deaths during the fighting were the first fatalities in clashes between the two sides in almost half a century.However, long-standing tensions between India and China over the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the poorly demarcated border between the two nuclear-armed powers, had risen again in the weeks leading up to the incident.

Denny McCarthy withdrew from the Travelers Championship on Friday after becoming the third PGA Tour player to test positive for COVID-19. McCarthy shot a 3-under-par 67 during the first round on Thursday, when he was paired with Bud Cauley and Matt Wallace. He also played in the first two events following the tour’s hiatus due to the coronavirus, finishing 66th at the Charles Schwab Challenge and missing the cut at the RBC Heritage. “I feel OK,” McCarthy said in a text to GolfChannel.com. “I woke up in the middle of the night and my body was really achy and sore and figured something was wrong.” McCarthy is the sixth player to withdraw from the Travelers due to the coronavirus and must self-isolate for at least 10 days, per tour protocols. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports “I’ll deal with it and move on,” he told the Golf Channel. “Sucks. Feel like I figured some things out this week and was ready for a nice stretch.” Cameron Champ withdrew after testing positive earlier this week, and Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell withdrew after their caddies tested positive. Koepka’s younger brother, Chase, withdrew out of an “abundance of caution” because he played a practice round alongside his brother, McDowell and the two infected caddies. Webb Simpson also withdrew on Wednesday after a family member recently tested positive. After the tour resumed at the Charles Schwab Challenge with no positive tests, Nick Watney became the first player to test positive, withdrawing ahead of the RBC Challenge. Tour commissioner Jay Monahan issued a new set of protocols on Wednesday geared at limiting the spread of the coronavirus around the tour. Speaking at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. — site of this week’s Travelers Championship — Monahan said that 2,757 COVID-19 tests had been administered so far between the PGA Tour and the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour, and that seven had returned positive as of Wednesday. “It’s a low number, and it’s a low number on a percentage basis. But every number hurts,” Monahan said. “As we look at where we are now, I think we all need to remind ourselves that we’re learning to live with this virus, and we all need to learn to live with this virus — as individuals, as family members and certainly within our businesses. “It’s pretty clear that this virus isn’t going anywhere.” COVID-19 protocol changes Players who take tour-arranged charter flights between events will have to be tested at the tournament, as players traveling on their own had been doing. The tour will continue to test players on Saturday before they are allowed to board the Monday charter flights. Golfing instructors permitted on site and at the driving range will now be required to be tested the same as the players. The tour will have its fitness trailer at events beginning next week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit to keep players out of local gyms. Stricter monitoring of players and caddie who test positive, requiring them to follow the tour’s self-quarantining protocols in order to receive the stipend set aside for self-isolating players and caddies. “All of us have an extraordinary responsibility to follow those protocols,” Monahan said. “For any individual that does not, there will be serious repercussions and I’m not going to get into the specifics of it.”

There’s been lots of discussion recently about Israel’s plans in July to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria (30% of the “west bank”) and to the Jordan Valley, in accordance with U.S. President Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” Middle East peace plan. With governments and various stakeholders each taking out positions, for or against, it was only a matter of time for Canada to wade into the matter with Prime Minister Trudeau publicly condemning Israel’s plans on June 2 in a media scrum and for our journalists to cover Canada’s official position. In the lead up to P.M. Trudeau’s public opposition to the U.S-Israeli plan, it’s been reported that he privately expressed Canada’s opposition to the plan in calls he had in May with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. (The calls were held to congratulate both leaders for forming Israel’s new government following three inconclusive elections.) On May 21, Evan Dyer, a CBC Parliamentary Bureau Senior Reporter, authored a news report entitled: “Critics say Canada’s silence speaks volumes as Israel races towards annexation” which HonestReporting Canada felt was highly problematic. Importantly, nowhere in the article was there any context explaining Israel’s claims to what it refers to as Judea and Samaria (the “west bank”) and why it might want to apply sovereignty to the region (watch this video from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs for context). Simply put, the Jewish state plans to apply sovereignty (make the region Israel proper and apply Israeli law) to the Jordan Valley and 30% of Area C territory per the Oslo Accords of Judea and Samaria (“west bank”) per the Trump peace plan and consistent with past U.S. peace proposals that have long understood that Israel will retain these areas in a final peace accord. Israel says international law enshrines its rights to these lands, while citing pressing security concerns and biblical, historical and political connections to the land. Importantly, a nation cannot “annex” land which it has sovereign claims to. According to international law, these lands were promised to the Jewish people at the San Remo Conference in 1920 which led to the establishment in British-mandate Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. Israel doesn’t regard the “west bank” as “occupied” because there was no sovereign prior to the defensive Six-Day-War in 1967. Jordan illegally occupied and administered the land from 1948-1967 after Israel’s War of Independence which was waged by pan-Arab armies seeking the nascent State of Israel’s destruction. Jordan didn’t have sovereignty over the land which was ruled under British Mandatory Palestine. As is commonly known, Israel accepted partition and the Arab world rejected it, instead, seeking the Jewish state’s annihilation. With respect to the comparison cited in Mr. Dyer’s article of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Israel acquired these lands in a defensive war and not an offensive colonial conquest and had preexisting claims to the area where there was no recognized sovereign. Russia was the clear aggressor of Crimea so the comparison falls flat. HonestReporting Canada was also concerned that there were no sources featured in Mr. Dyer’s article who might explain Israel’s rationale for its sovereignty application and those who perhaps support it. The only sources who Mr. Dyer quoted or referenced were those who are critical of the effort. We only heard opposition from Global Affairs spokesman Adam Austen, Corey Balsam from Independent Jewish Voices, UN Special Rapporteur to the Palestinian territories, Michael Lynk, the NDP’s Jack Harris, the Green Party caucus, a group of former Israel Defense Forces, Daniel Pipes and the Democratic Majority for Israel, who have come out against the plan, along with Mark Mellman, a longtime strategist for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). No doubt this plan is divisive and there are supporters for and against here in Canada, worldwide and in Israel itself where there’s no monolithic opinion on the topic, but why not at least feature some sources who support the decision, along with an explanation for why they are supportive? Wouldn’t that help CBC readers to better understand this issue? It was troubling that no Israeli diplomats were quoted (whether here in Canada or from abroad), no American officials were quoted and no Canadian pro-Israel organizations were quoted. Mr. Dyer, if he had wanted to, could have written the exact opposite article by talking exclusively to people who praise the Israeli decision. The article could have been called “Supporters say Canada’s silence speaks volumes as Israel races towards applying sovereignty.” So again, the two issues we had with this CBC article was that: 1) There was no context about Israel’s claims to the region and its security concerns and 2) there were no sources cited who supported the Israeli effort. From our perspective and with consideration that this is a very controversial issue about a disputed matter, this article was really quite one-sided, unbalanced and therefore unfair. HonestReporting Canada communicated these concerns directly to CBC News executives who, to their credit, conveyed our concerns directly to Mr. Dyer. In his subsequent reporting on the issue on June 2, we took note that his reporting now features the context we were seeking which explains Israel’s historical and religious claims to the land, while also acknowledging Israel’s needs for defensible borders along the Jordan Valley. We also appreciate that the article quoted a spokesperson from the Israeli Embassy in Canada on the topic. Mr. Dyer’s June 2 report was about how: “Four Chretien-era cabinet ministers are among 58 former Canadian diplomats and politicians who added their names to a letter calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government to show stronger resistance to a proposed Israeli annexation of a large part of the occupied West Bank.” Though the CBC’s article is indeed highly critical of Israel, it does include the following context we called for which serves to frame the discussion about the issue sat hand: Israel, claiming historical and religious links to the land, describes the territories to be annexed as “disputed” rather than occupied, and has implanted a large number of settlements there. It has often argued that Israel needs the Jordan Valley to have more defensible borders in case of war.” As well, per our request, Mr. Dyer cited a pro-Israel source from the Israeli Embassy in Canada in his article: Israeli Embassy reacts: The Trump administration has given a green light for the annexation under a Mideast “peace plan” drawn up by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. A joint U.S.-Israeli team has been in Israel and the occupied territories working on an annexation map for several weeks. Ohad Kaynar, chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of Israel in Canada, told CBC News that “the comprehensive U.S. Peace Plan is the only viable peace initiative currently on the table trying to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel has accepted its foundations, despite concessions which will be required on our behalf. However, the Palestinians have rejected it outright, once again closing the door on any option to negotiate a peaceful future. “While it is dismaying that diplomats would choose to attack Israel rather than try to facilitate dialogue between the two sides — or at the very least urging the Palestinians to return to direct peace negotiations – Israel will nevertheless remain committed to the U.S. peace plan, in hopes that we eventually find a way to resolve our differences.” While the Israeli plans to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley are divisive, of which, HonestReporting Canada does not take a position as we are a politically neutral organization, at bare minimum, our media must provide context and acknowledge Israel’s rationale so that Canadians understand the issue at hand.

Liverpool is on the verge of ending its 30-year league title drought after cruising to a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday with an attacking display that exemplified a dominant campaign. Jürgen Klopp’s team can even clinch the Premier League title on Thursday without playing if Manchester City fails to beat Chelsea. It then plays City, the second-placed defending champion, next Thursday. “I’ll watch the game tomorrow night not to prepare a celebration, I’ll watch the game because we play against City a week later,” Klopp said. “Whatever happens tomorrow night we have no influence on it, so I’m not too much interested to be honest.” All that matters to Klopp is collecting the maximum two more points from seven remaining games to clinch the trophy. After stuttering in a 0-0 draw with Everton after the restart on Sunday, Liverpool was authoritatively rampant again against Palace. Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in a free kick to start the rout against Palace and Mohamed Salah swept in the second before half time from Fabinho’s dinked ball. Fabinho powered in the third from distance in the 55th minute and Sadio Mane raced onto Salah’s throughball to complete a counterattack in the 69th to make it 16 wins in 16 home games in the league this season. “It was the best counter pressing behind closed doors ever,” Klopp quipped. “The attitude we showed tonight, the passion we showed, was exceptional and we played some outstanding football.” The victory moved Liverpool 23 points ahead of City with seven games remaining of a campaign that will end without any fans in the stadium to celebrate the Reds’ first championship triumph since 1990. “We’ve waited a long time for this and we’ve worked hard for this over the last few years as a team,” Salah said. “As a club this is what we’ve dreamed of and we’re in a good position, so hopefully we’ll be able to get it across the line very soon.” Football returned to Anfield for the first time since March 11, when Liverpool lost in the Champions League to Atletico Madrid on the day the WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic and some medical experts believed mass gatherings should already have been shut down in England. One hundred and five days later, the Kop was silent for the visit of Palace. The seats were covered with a tapestry of banners and slogans rather than being packed with the fans who form the choir for club anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Liverpool’s Sadio Mane celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. (Phil Noble/Pool via AP) “We showed our supporters the respect they deserve — that we can play like they are here even when they are not here,” Klopp said. “They can push us to incredible things and without them, it’s nothing like it is when they are here. “I never miss them more than tonight because imagine this game would have happened with 55,000 people in the stadium and emotions that would have been there in the stadium. It would have been incredible.” One Liverpool great among the 300 people allowed into the stadium was Kenny Dalglish — the manager who who won the league title in 1990, three years before the Premier League trophy was handed out for the first time. Two Champions League titles have been won since then — including last year — but not the biggest prize in English football. What was once a record haul of 18 titles has been eclipsed by now 20-time English champion Manchester United. One of the managers who tried — and failed — to win the Premier League with Liverpool was back at Anfield in the away dugout on Wednesday. Roy Hodgson was fired by Liverpool in 2011 after only 20 matches in charge, to be replaced by the returning Dalglish. “Even in the last four or five minutes,” the Crystal Palace manager said, “they are desperately chasing every ball down, winning it back and trying to score again. With that type of attitude and desire there is no doubt the title is theirs, the big question is by how many points it is going to be.”

A Saudi woman walks with her luggage as she arrives at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, August 5, 2019. Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has imposed 24-hour lockdown on Dammam, the capital of the Kingdom’s Eastern Province, Al Arabiya reported Sunday morning. The move comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Saudi authorities have completely banned the entry to or exit from the 2nd Industrial City until further notice, while still allowing movement for shipping and transporting goods. Vital factories in the 2nd Industrial City will be allowed to operate at 30 per cent capacity, and the factories’ managers, engineers and workers will be allowed to enter the facilities but are not allowed to leave the city. The ministry also lifted the lockdown on Dammam’s Al Atheer district, which was imposed on April 15, and said it will allow residents to move around for essential needs from 9am till 5pm. Saudi Arabia had revised on April 21 its coronavirus curfew timings for the holy month of Ramadan, allowing residents in all areas and cities not currently under a 24-hour lockdown to go out between 9am and 5pm. However, areas under a complete lockdown will only be allowed to go out for essential needs, such as grocery shopping or medical visits, between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Residents in these areas must stay within their neighborhoods. A 24-hour lockdown was previously imposed on the cities of Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran, and Hofuf and throughout the governorates of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif, and Khobar. The government had imposed a full lockdown on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as well. Other cities and governorates had a curfew implemented from 3pm to 6am daily.

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World number one Novak Djokovic said he is "so sorry" after becoming the latest tennis player to test positive for Covid-19. Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all revealed they had coronavirus after playing at Djokovic's Adria Tour competition. Djokovic, 33, played fellow Serb Troicki in the first event in Belgrade. In a post on Twitter, Djokovic said it had been "too soon" to stage the tournament. "I am so deeply sorry our tournament has caused harm," added Djokovic. He said the tournament had been organised with "a pure heart", "good intentions" and a belief that they had "met all health protocols". "We were wrong and it was too soon," Djokovic said. The remaining Adria Tour events in Banja Luka and Sarajevo have now been cancelled Djokovic's brother Djordje, who is a director of the tournament, has confirmed. "Unfortunately, due to all the events that happened in the last few days, we have decided that the most important thing right now is to stabilise the epidemiological situation, as well as for everyone to recover," he said. Britain's Andy Murray said the positive tests were a "lesson for us", while Australian Nick Kyrgios called playing a "bone-headed decision". A statement on Djokovic's website said: "Immediately upon his arrival in Belgrade [after the second event] Novak was tested along with all members of the family and the team with whom he was in Belgrade and Zadar. He is not showing any symptoms." Battle of the Brits - follow live coverage as Andy and Jamie Murray feature There have been no ATP Tour events since February because of the global pandemic and the Adria Tour, which is not an ATP Tour event, was one of the first competitions to be staged since then. The first leg in Serbia attracted 4,000 fans, and players were later pictured dancing close together in a Belgrade nightclub. Bulgaria's Dimitrov played Croatia's Coric on Saturday in the second leg in Zadar, Croatia. With Croatia easing lockdown measures, players were not obliged to observe social distancing rules and were seen embracing at the net at the end of their matches. Pictures on the tournament's social media site from Friday showed Dimitrov playing basketball with Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Marin Cilic, while he also put his arm around Coric before their match. Djokovic and Dimitrov are among the tennis players to have tested positive for coronavirus. Zverev, Cilic and Andrey Rublev, who also played in the Adria Tour, have tested negative, but suggested they will all now self-isolate for up to 14 days. The ATP Tour season is set to restart on 14 August and the US Open will be held without fans from 31 August to 13 September, despite some players voicing concerns about travelling to New York. I am extremely sorry for each individual case - Djokovic's statement The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena's, while the results of our children are negative. Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions. Our tournament was meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region. The Tour has been designed to help both established and up and coming tennis players from south-eastern Europe to gain access to some competitive tennis while the various tours are on hold due to Covid-19. It was born with a philanthropic idea, to direct all raised funds towards people in need and it warmed my heart to see how everybody strongly responded. We organised the tournament when the virus had weakened, believing the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met. Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality we are learning to cope and live with. I am hoping things will ease with time so we can all resume lives the way they were. I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection. I hope it will not complicate anyone's health situation and everyone will be fine. I will remain in self-isolation for the next 14 days, and repeat the test in five days.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia recorded 39 new deaths and 3,139 new cases from the novel coronavirus, its Health Ministry said Tuesday. The new COVID-19 related deaths raise the total to 1,346 in the Kingdom. The Kingdom recorded 4,710 more patients that had recovered from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 109,885. Saudi Arabia has eased its coronavirus lockdown restrictions this week as it seeks to return cautiously to normal life amid the ongoing pandemic. Saudi Arabia to limit Hajj pilgrims to 1,000, says health minister Compulsory isolation before and after the pilgrimage will also be enforced Medical cadres will also accompany pilgrims throughout their journey JEDDAH: Hajj pilgrim numbers could be limited to less or more than 1,000 to protect public health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Saudi authorities. Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah told a press conference on Tuesday that compulsory isolation before and after the pilgrimage will also be enforced. He said Saudi Arabia is capable of ensuring pilgrims’ safety this year. “The health ministry has accumulated experience in the service of pilgrims, and thus has enough human and technical capacities to serve pilgrims and preserve their health,” he said. He added that an integrated hospital at holy sites will be provided, along with a health center in Arafat in case of emergencies during Hajj. Medical cadres will also accompany pilgrims throughout their journey. -------- READ MORE: Saudi Arabia announces Hajj with limited pilgrims from nationalities residing inside Kingdom Arab countries welcome Saudi Arabia’s decision on Hajj 2020 -------- Al-Rabiah said limiting the number of pilgrims this year is important. “Only people residing in the Kingdom, who are under 65 years of age and who do not have chronic diseases will be allowed to perform Hajj this year. They will get tested before arriving to the holy sites and will be subject to self-isolation after performing Hajj,” he said. He added that those serving pilgrims during Hajj will also be tested. Meanwhile, many East Asian countries decided to cancel their delegations to this year’s Hajj before the Saudi decision to limit pilgrim numbers. Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mohammed Saleh Bentin said: “We appreciate this decision as it aims to protect people above everything else, which was also the priority of the Kingdom since the start of the pandemic, where it canceled Umrah and has now decided to limit the number of Hajj pilgrims to people already residing in Saudi Arabia.” He added that the decision to limit numbers to less or more than 1,000 “was taken based on the Kingdom’s principles and past experience in managing Hajj. The main aim is preserving the health and safety of pilgrims in light of the coronavirus pandemic. “It is a delicate process and we are working with experts at the health ministry, the interior ministry and other authorities to ensure a safe Hajj,” Bentin said. He added that the Hajj ministry will cooperate with diplomatic missions in the Kingdom to determine the number of eligible non-Saudi residents. Media coverage of this year’s Hajj will be in line with adopted health measures, he said. Bentin said the Kingdom’s decision to limit Hajj pilgrims is based on the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic and the risks of it spreading in crowded spaces and large gatherings. It also comes amid a push to protect global health security. “We have been working alongside the health ministry to determine precautionary measures and protocols that need to be followed. Preserving human lives is our priority, therefore, special plans have been set in place for this year’s Hajj, including the self-isolation of pilgrims both before and after performing Hajj,” he said. He added that there will be no exceptions made for pilgrims arriving from abroad. “We are aware of the dangers of this virus. Countries around the world have closed their borders. Therefore, no exceptions will be made,” he said.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's close-range flick was kept out by the Brazilian before Tom Davies' shot from the loose ball struck the post. That was the closest either side came to scoring in a low-key Goodison Park encounter, which ended goalless. "We should not take him [Alisson] for granted," said Klopp. "Absolutely outstanding. That's what a world-class goalkeeper is - nothing to do for pretty much 90 minutes then he's there." Liverpool now need five points to be sure of the Premier League title and can still clinch their first top-flight trophy in 30 years against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday - but only if Manchester City fail to beat Burnley at Etihad Stadium on Monday. Alisson also saved well from Brazilian compatriot Richarlison as a largely tame game, with the surreal atmosphere of a derby played behind closed doors, sprang to life. Everton keeper Jordan Pickford saved well from Fabinho's free-kick in the closing moments but it was a game that highlighted two understandably rusty sides - although Liverpool's coronation will come soon. Liverpool would have hoped to set up a potential title win at Anfield on Wednesday with victory here at Goodison Park - but after 106 days out of action, it was perhaps understandable that a side that have overpowered so many were short of their best. Forward Mohamed Salah was only fit enough for the bench while left-back Andy Robertson was injured. Both were missed as Liverpool saw plenty of the ball but struggled to seriously test Pickford. Naby Keita looked energetic until he came off but boss Jurgen Klopp now has further concerns over James Milner, who sustained a hamstring injury, and Joel Matip who also limped off - although Joe Gomez is an ideal replacement there. Liverpool's star of the show was keeper Alisson, who was in superb form when called upon in those crucial late moments. This point - and Liverpool certainly did not deserve more - means the celebratory champagne may be on ice a little longer but it is only a matter of time, even days, before they are back at the peak of the domestic game by clinching that long-awaited title. "The point is one we deserve," added Klopp. "Everton were well organised so we had to run a lot but we looked fit and ready. "Now we've got three days. Crystal Palace looked good on Saturday and we have to make sure we are ready for Wednesday." Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti's predecessor Marco Silva was sacked after a 5-2 derby capitulation at Anfield in December - and the difference the decorated Italian has made since was in evidence here. Ancelotti had already made a good start to his Goodison career before the season was halted, but he has now had more of a chance to impart his methods and can be well pleased with what he saw here. In fact, he may feel disappointed his side did not win. Everton conceded possession for long periods but were superbly organised defensively, and Alisson was much the busier goalkeeper. Captain Seamus Coleman was simply outstanding for Everton, while the budding leadership qualities of young defender Mason Holgate could be heard as his instructions echoed around Goodison Park. Ancelotti also has two dangerous forwards in Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison while talented teenager Anthony Gordon, who struggled to make an impact, will be better for the experience. Ancelotti will know he needs more strength and physical presence in central midfield but this is a different Everton side to the one that capitulated so miserably in December, before also losing to a youthful Liverpool side in the FA Cup third round under the new manager. Everton will be better when Ancelotti has more of his own signings in the team, but the signs are still promising. "Honestly we were really close to winning but it was a tough game, difficult game," Ancelotti said. "We performed really well. We were focused, we sacrificed. We had opportunities to score at the end. "Liverpool played a good game, they had more possession but defensively we were really good." Man of the match - Seamus Coleman (Everton) Coleman put in a captain's performance with a dominant defensive display against Liverpool An expected result? The stats Seven of the last eight Premier League Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park have ended level. Indeed, Everton-Liverpool has finished goalless on more occasions than any other Premier League fixture (11, includes Anfield meetings). Liverpool have gone 22 games without defeat against Everton in all competitions, since a 0-2 loss at Goodison in October 2010 (W11 D11) - the Reds' joint-longest unbeaten run against a single opponent in their history (also a run of 22 games without defeat against Aston Villa from 1981-92). Everton remain winless in their last 22 matches against Liverpool in all competitions (D11 L11) - only against Chelsea (24 games from 2001-09) have the Toffees gone longer without a victory against a single opponent. Everton are the only Premier League side to remain unbeaten at home in 2020 in all competitions (P5 W2 D3). Liverpool have failed to win two of their last three Premier League games (W1 D1 L1) - as many as in their previous 38 (W36 D2). Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has managed more games against Everton in all competitions without defeat than against any other opponent in his managerial career (P11 W7 D4). The average age of Everton's starting XI here was 24 years 356 days - the Toffees' youngest starting line-up for a league match against Liverpool since February 1986 (24 years 250 days), when they won 2-0 at Anfield. Liverpool's James Milner made his 535th Premier League appearance in this game, the joint-fifth highest total in the competition's history, alongside Gary Speed. What next? Everton travel to Norwich on Wednesday, 24 June (18:00 BST) while Liverpool will hope to cement the Premier League title (if Manchester City fail to win on Monday) when they host Crystal Palace on the same night (20:15).