The North American bid leader Carlos Cordeiro (centre) has urged FIFA voters not to let politics cloud their decision AFP/Anders Kjaerbye The choice is clear - between a slick bid based on gleaming stadiums in the United States, Mexico and Canada or an ambitious attempt from Morocco based on as-yet largely unbuilt facilities. On the eve of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, 207 FIFA member nations will cast their vote in a congress of world football's governing body. Morocco's bid for 2026 was only cleared to advance to the runoff vote earlier this month, despite a FIFA evaluation report which classified the north African nation's stadia, accommodation and transport as "high risk." The report left the US-Canada-Mexico bid as the clear front-runner after giving it a rating of four out of a possible five. Morocco received only 2.7 out of five, but advanced despite red flags being raised over several critical components of the bid. A FIFA summary of the bid task force's findings warned that … [Read more...] about FIFA to choose between North America or Morocco for 2026 World Cup
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Miss America to end its swimsuit segment during annual competition
Miss America to end its swimsuit segment during annual competition Texas Margana Wood reacts after advancing from the swimsuit component of the Miss America competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. September 10, 2017 - PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK (REUTERS) - The nearly century-old Miss America competition will drop its well-known swimsuit competition this year and will no longer judge contestants based on their physical appearance, a top organization official said on Tuesday. The event, founded as a swimsuit beauty pageant intended to draw visitors to Atlantic City at the end of the summer, will no longer call itself a “pageant,” in a bid to modernize its image at a time when the #MeToo movement has shone a harsh light on pervasive sexual discrimination and harassment in American life. “We are no longer a pageant, we are a competition. We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. That’s huge,” Gretchen Carlson, … [Read more...] about Miss America to end its swimsuit segment during annual competition
Photographic Society of America opens photo exhibition in Hanoi
Photographic Society of America opens photo exhibition in Hanoi The PSA international photo exhibition is open to visitors at the Vietnam Art Photograph Archives and Exhibition Center until June 17 - PHOTO: VIETNAMPLUS The Association of Vietnamese Photography Artists (AVPA) and the Photographic Society of America (PSA) are jointly hosting the PSA international photo exhibition in Hanoi through June 17, news website Vietnamplus reports. The exhibition, taking place at the Vietnam Art Photograph Archives and Exhibition Center, featuring 148 snapshots taken by professional and amateur photographers from 43 countries . They were selected from thousands of entries sent to the organizers since November 2017, according to Vu Quoc Khanh, chairman of AVPA. The photos are arranged based upon different topics, such as portraits, animals, nature and daily life. They capture moments in places the photographers live or visit. Because the photographers are from many countries around the … [Read more...] about Photographic Society of America opens photo exhibition in Hanoi
Abbas urges Latin America not to follow US example on embassy
CARACAS — Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas urged Latin American countries on Monday not to emulate the controversial US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem. The United States is pushing ahead with plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv on May 14, a move that has sparked major protests by Palestinians, who consider east Jerusalem the capital of their future state. "We hope that some countries across Latin America won’t go moving their embassies to Jerusalem, because that is against international law," Abbas said during a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. The Palestinian leader thanked ally Maduro for rejecting Washington’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate its embassy, reversing decades of US policy in the region. Guatemala has already announced it will relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, two days after the United States shifts its mission. — AFP … [Read more...] about Abbas urges Latin America not to follow US example on embassy
France’s Macron pushes back at ‘America First’ agenda
France's President Emmanuel Macron addresses a joint meeting of Congress inside the House chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP) The French leader's feisty speech to lawmakers was a dramatic twist near the end of a three-day visit that had showcased his warm personal relationship with Trump, despite the gulf between their visions of world affairs. The two presidents had literally embraced each other, repeatedly talking up their much-vaunted friendship during the trip, but in his speech to Congress Macron rigorously pushed back against Trump's trade, climate and non-proliferation policies. "We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable, and result oriented multilateralism," Macron said, defending the rules-based world order. Trump has threatened to tear up international trade deals, scorns the United Nations, accuses US allies of not pulling their weight, walked away from Paris climate … [Read more...] about France’s Macron pushes back at ‘America First’ agenda