Samsonov eyeing home comforts

All eyes will be on the evergreen Vladimir Samsonov when he attempts to win the ITTF Belarus Open on home soil this week.<br /> <a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/19/605085header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/19/605085header.jpg" /></a><br /> The 38-year-old is the top seed for the event in Minsk, which starts on Thursday and will mark the first time a plastic ball is used in international competition rather than the celluloid model.<br /> <br /> Samsonov has played on the ITTF Tour every year since arriving on the scene in 1996, when he made a debut to remember by winning in Bolzano, Italy.<br /> <br /> That was a sign of things to come for the veteran, who has added another 22 titles since that victory 18 years ago, and he will be targeting another success this week.<br /> <br /> Now ranked 12th in the world, Samsonov will be out to ensure second seed Kaii Yoshida is unable to retain his title by taking his tally of tournament wins to 24 in what would be a hugely popular triumph in his homeland.<br /> <br /> Yoshida, the world number 36, beat Kohei Sambe in an all-Japanese final in Minsk last September and the 2013 runner-up - seeded 16 - will be eager to go one better this time around.<br /> <br /> Omar Assar won the Nigeria Open in June and the Egyptian is the third seed in Belarus following his success in Lagos.<br /> <br /> The top six seeds in the women's competition all hail from Japan and it is world number 14 Ai Fukuhara who takes the mantle as top seed.<br /> <br /> Big things are also expected of Sayaka Hirano and Yuka Ishigaki - seeded two and three respectively - in the Belarusian capital.<br /> <br /> Nadeen El-Dawlatly, meanwhile, heads into the event brimming with confidence after being crowned Nigeria Open champion.

ITTF news sports Vladimir Samsonov Samsonov eyeing home comforts

All eyes will be on the evergreen Vladimir Samsonov when he attempts to win the ITTF Belarus Open on home soil this week. The 38-year-old ...

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Kvitova, Bouchard bow out in Cincinnati

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599109header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599109header.jpg" /></a>Wimbledon finalists Petra Kvitova and Eugenie Bouchard continued their poor form since SW19, losing at the Western and Southern Open.<br /> <br /> Kvitova beat Bouchard for her second All England Club title in July but between them they have won one match of five since as they stumble into the US Open later in August.<br /> <br /> World number four Kvitova, of the Czech Republic, was beaten by Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-2 7-6 (7-2) in their second-round affair in Cincinnati.<br /> <br /> The third seed lost serve five times throughout, including the opening game of the match, as Svitolina took control early.<br /> <br /> Kvitova jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set but then trailed 5-4 as Svitolina served for the match.<br /> <br /> The pair would exchange three consecutive breaks, with Svitolina twice failing to serve it out, before the world number 39 won all four points on her serve in the tie-break to cause the upset.<br /> <br /> Canada's Bouchard, the seventh seed at the WTA Premier hard-court tournament, was bundled out by in-form Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.<br /> <br /> Kuznetsova, a two-time major winner, won through 6-4 3-6 6-2, with Bouchard's losing streak extending to three matches.<br /> <br /> World number one Serena Williams was one of eight seeds to progress to the last 16 on Wednesday, with the American beating Sam Stosur for the second time in as many tournaments.<br /> <br /> Williams, the top seed in Ohio, thrashed Stosur in Montreal but could not break the Australian's serve this time around as she posted a 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (9-7) triumph.<br /> <br /> Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska eased past Japan's Kurumi Nara 6-2 6-2, while German sixth seed Angelique Kerber had a surprisingly straightforward win over fellow lefty Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-4 6-1.<br /> <br /> Serbian seeds Jelena Jankovic (eighth) and Ana Ivanovic (ninth) both advanced in straight sets, Jankovic downing German qualifier Annika Beck 6-1 7-6 (7-0), while Ivanovic thrashed American wildcard Christina McHale 6-4 6-0.<br /> <br /> Italian 13th seed Flavia Pennetta dismissed American youngster and qualifier Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-3, while Spanish baseliner and 15th seed Carla Suarez Navarro beat French qualifier Pauline Parmentier 6-3 7-5.<br /> <br /> Wimbledon semi-finalist Lucie Safarova continued her impressive form, the 16th seed comfortably surpassing Kazakh qualifier Zarina Diyas 6-4 6-2.<br /> <br /> Germany's Sabine Lisicki ousted 14th seed Sara Errani of Italy 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-2) in a near three-hour battle.<br /> <br /> Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova accounted for Italian qualifier Karin Knapp 6-1 6-3, not before the Russian saved 11 of 13 break points faced.<br /> <br /> American Sloane Stephens broke opponent Barbora Zahlavova Strycova's serve five times in succession from late in the first set, to run out a 7-5 6-1 winner over the Czech.

All England Club Eugenie Bouchard Petra Kvitova US Open Western Kvitova, Bouchard bow out in Cincinnati

Wimbledon finalists Petra Kvitova and Eugenie Bouchard continued their poor form since SW19, losing at the Western and Southern Open. Kvit...

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Federer reaches Masters milestone, Berdych beaten

Tomas Berdych was the highest profile casualty at the Western and Southern Open on Wednesday, falling to Lu Yen-Hsun.<br /> <a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599123header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599123header.jpg" /></a><br /> It was the Chinese Taipei man's first win over Berdych in four career meetings, all of which have been played on hard courts.<br /> <br /> Lu prevailed 3-6 6-3 6-4 over the Czech fourth seed at the ATP 1000 event, the world number 43 reversing his loss to Berdych at the Rogers Cup in Toronto earlier in August.<br /> <br /> Other seeds to crash out in Ohio included Grigor Dimitrov (seven), Ernests Gulbis (nine) and Roberto Bautista Agut (13), with big names Roger Federer and Andy Murray safely through to the last 16.<br /> <br /> Swiss second seed Federer won his 300th career match at a Masters-level tournament, when he saw off Canada's Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-2.<br /> <br /> Eighth seed Andy Murray had less trouble getting past Portugal's Joao Sousa, the Briton a 6-3 6-3 winner.<br /> <br /> Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic downed American wildcard Robby Ginepri 6-2 6-2, while sixth seed David Ferrer of Spain endured an almighty struggle to beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4).<br /> <br /> Bulgaria's Dimitrov was outgunned by Poland's Jerzy Janowicz 6-4 3-6 6-3, while Latvian Gulbis was no match for American wildcard Steve Johnson 6-4 6-4.<br /> <br /> Frenchman Gael Monfils dumped out Spaniard Bautista Agut 6-4 6-1.<br /> <br /> American number one and 11th seed John Isner progressed with a 6-3 7-6 (7-1) win over Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic.<br /> <br /> Matosevic's compatriot Lleyton Hewitt joined him in a second-round exit, the veteran beaten by Italian 15th seed Fabio Fognini 6-1 6-4.<br /> <br /> Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo dispatched of American wildcard Sam Querrey 6-2 6-4, while Marin Cilic - the 14th seed from Croatia - advanced past Spain's Fernando Verdasco in a break-free contest 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5).<br /> <br /> France's Julien Benneteau saw off British qualifier James Ward 6-2 6-2, and Russia's Mikhail Youzhny defeated Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-3 6-4.

Lu Yen-Hsun news sports tennis Tomas Berdych Western Federer reaches Masters milestone, Berdych beaten

Tomas Berdych was the highest profile casualty at the Western and Southern Open on Wednesday, falling to Lu Yen-Hsun. It was the Chinese T...

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Tomic handed US Open wildcard

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599009header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Tomic handed US Open wildcard" border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/14/599009header.jpg" title="Tomic handed US Open wildcard" /></a>Bernard Tomic received a wildcard into the US Open main draw, starting later in August.<br /> <br /> The Australian, 21, claimed his second career ATP World Tour title when he won a hard-court event in Bogota in July, after also receiving a wildcard into the draw there.<br /> <br /> Tomic is ranked 70th as it stands, but was outside the automatic entry spots when the cut off was made weeks out from the major at Flushing Meadows.<br /> <br /> Since his triumph in Colombia, Tomic has just one tour-level match win to his name after losing to Denis Istomin in Washington, Ivo Karlovic in Toronto and Gilles Simon in Cincinnati.<br /> <br /> Tomic received the wildcard as part of Tennis Australia's reciprocal agreement with the United States Tennis Association.<br /> <br /> The result of another reciprocal deal saw France's Michael Llodra handed a wildcard, the 34-year-old set for his 11th US Open appearance.<br /> <br /> The remaining wildcards all went the way of American talent, with Ryan Harrison, Tim Smyczek, Noah Rubin, Jared Donaldson, Marcos Giron and Wayne Odesnik.<br /> <br /> Smyczek is the highest ranked of that group at number 92 in the world, while Harrison (164th) and Odesnik (184th) reside in the top 200.<br /> <br /> Giron, 21, captured the National Collegiate Athletic Association tennis title in 2014 to earn his place in New York, while teenagers Noah Rubin - the under-18s national champion - and Jared Donaldson are also in the draw.

ATP World Tour Bernard Tomic news sports tennis US Open wildcard Tomic handed US Open wildcard

Bernard Tomic received a wildcard into the US Open main draw, starting later in August. The Australian, 21, claimed his second career ATP ...

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Cook certain Broad injury of no concern

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/cricket/2014/8/14/599509header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cook certain Broad injury of no concern" border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/cricket/2014/8/14/599509header.jpg" title="Cook certain Broad injury of no concern" /></a>England captain Alastair Cook is certain that Stuart Broad's broken nose will not be an issue during the fifth Test with India.<br /> <br /> England go into the final Test with a 2-1 lead over India, something that looked very unlikely when the tourists edged ahead in mid-July.<br /> <br /> The two sides drew the first Test and the second saw India win by 95 runs at Lord's, with Cook coming under immense criticism in the wake of the defeat.<br /> <br /> England have battled back and will win the series should they avoid a loss when the fifth Test starts on Friday.<br /> <br /> Cook has been given a boost on the eve of the clincher as Broad, who suffered a broken nose when edging a Varun Aaron delivery at Old Trafford on Saturday, was back in training on Thursday and looks certain to feature at The Oval.<br /> <br /> He told Sky Sports News: "We think Stuart will be absolutely fine.<br /> <br /> "We will wait until [Friday] morning in case something unusual happens overnight, but we are not expecting anything like that at all.<br /> <br /> "It is great news Broady has come through that blow, he likes playing in big games and this is a big game.<br /> <br /> "He batted this morning and he bowled six or seven overs and didn't get any pain from it. So we are expecting him to be absolutely fine.<br /> <br /> "I'm not sure if he will wear a mask, whether for batting or bowling, but I don't think it will affect his performance at all

Alastair Cook Cricket India New England news sports Cook certain Broad injury of no concern

England captain Alastair Cook is certain that Stuart Broad's broken nose will not be an issue during the fifth Test with India. Englan...

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Jayawardene falls cheaply as Sri Lanka collapse

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/cricket/2014/8/14/599561header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/cricket/2014/8/14/599561header.jpg" /></a>Mahela Jayawardene failed with the bat in his final Test as a last-session flurry helped Pakistan take control on day one against Sri Lanka.<br /> <br /> Jayawardene will bring the curtain down on a glittering career in the longest format of the game, which has yielded 34 centuries, upon the completion of the two-match series - which Sri Lanka lead 1-0.<br /> <br /> The 37-year-old fell for just four shortly after tea at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo as the hosts lost six wickets in the last session to reach 261-8 at stumps on Thursday.<br /> <br /> Junaid Khan (4-69) and Wahab Riaz (3-66) did the majority of the damage with the ball for Pakistan, who had initially been up against it as Upul Tharanga (92) made the most of Angelo Mathews' decision to bat after winning the toss.<br /> <br /> Tharanga and opening partner Kaushal Silva (41) were not out at lunch, but the latter was first to fall when he edged Junaid behind.<br /> <br /> Kumar Sangakkara (22) was Sri Lanka's only other victim before tea when he was bowled by Riaz and that brought Jayawardene to the crease in front an expectant home crowd.<br /> <br /> However, the prolific right-hander faced just 16 deliveries before Saeed Ajmal got some sharp turn from outside off stump and trapped him leg before.<br /> <br /> Tharanga, whose knock included 12 boundaries, was dismissed by Riaz just eight runs shy of his century and the wickets continued to fall.<br /> <br /> Mathews (39) put on 38 and 34 with Lahiru Thirimanne (20) and Niroshan Dickwella (24) respectively, but both of his partners were dismissed by Junaid.<br /> <br /> Dilruwan Perera then went for a duck and Pakistan rounded off an excellent final session when Mathews edged Riaz behind to get the decision overturned with a review just before the close.<br /> <br /> The tourists will now look to quickly dispatch the remainder of the tail before attempting to build a first-innings lead on day two.

Cricket Mahela Jayawardene news news sports Pakistan Sri Lanka Jayawardene falls cheaply as Sri Lanka collapse

Mahela Jayawardene failed with the bat in his final Test as a last-session flurry helped Pakistan take control on day one against Sri Lanka....

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Profile Tsonga

<img alt="Jo-Wilfried Tsonga" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/tennis/players/150x150/24615.png" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.00299835205078px; padding-bottom: 1em; width: 120px;" title="Jo-Wilfried Tsonga" /><span style="background-color: #f4f4f4; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.00299835205078px;"></span><br /> <div class="clearfix" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.00299835205078px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <dl style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">First name</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">Jo-Wilfried</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Last name</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">Tsonga</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Nationality</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">France</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Date of birth</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">17-04-85</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Place of birth</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">Le Mans</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Age</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">29</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Country of birth</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">France</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Height</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">188 cm</dd> <dt style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 10em;">Weight</dt> <dd style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; width: 10em; word-break: break-all; word-wrap: break-word;">90 kg</dd></dl> </div>

France Jo-Wilfried Tsonga news sports profiles tennis Profile Tsonga

First name Jo-Wilfried Last name Tsonga Nationality France Date of birth 17-04-85 Place of birth Le Mans Age 29 Country of b...

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Ukraine´s Davis Cup tie set for neutral venue

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/12/597321header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/12/597321header.jpg" width="320" /></a>The International Tennis Federation (ITF) have ruled that Ukraine cannot stage next month's Davis Cup tie with Belgium in Kiev.<br /> <br /> Last week, the Davis Cup committee confirmed Kiev as a suitable venue for Ukraine's match against Belgium, despite ongoing political unrest in the eastern European country.<br /> <br /> However, that decision was challenged by the Belgian Tennis Federation, who have subsequently seen their appeal upheld by the ITF's board of directors.<br /> <br /> The Israel Tennis Association had also appealed to the ITF over the Davis Cup committee's ruling that they cannot host their tie with Argentina.<br /> <br /> However, that appeal was rejected by the ITF, who cited concerns over the security situation in the Middle Eastern country.<br /> <br /> Both Ukraine and Israel now have the option to nominate neutral venues for their respective World Group play-off contests, with the latter set a deadline of August 14 to do so.<br /> <br /> Should either nation not come up with a neutral venue, the Davis Cup committee can choose a setting of their own or decide to give home advantage to the opposition.<br /> <br /> ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "It is always a very difficult decision for the ITF to take away choice of ground in [the] Davis Cup.<br /> <br /> "The competition was founded on the principles of better understanding among nations and we believe it has done a good job in fostering this over 114 years.<br /> <br /> "However, the safety of players, officials and spectators has to take priority and the board believed that it was not prudent to hold ties in Ukraine or Israel because of political unrest in these countries at the present time and for the foreseeable future."

Belgium Davis Cup International Tennis Federation ITF news sports tennis Ukraine Ukraine´s Davis Cup tie set for neutral venue

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) have ruled that Ukraine cannot stage next month's Davis Cup tie with Belgium in Kiev. Last w...

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Azarenka withdraws from Western and Southern Open

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/12/597433header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Azarenka withdraws from Western and Southern Open" border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/12/597433header.jpg" title="Azarenka withdraws from Western and Southern Open" /></a>Defending champion and former world number one Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Western and Southern Open with a right knee injury.<br /> <br /> The two-time Australian Open champion, who only made her return from a foot problem at the Aegon International in June, had been due to play Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova in the first round of the WTA Premier event in Cincinnati on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> Azarenka beat Serena Williams in three sets to take the 2013 showpiece, but will not get a chance to defend that crown.<br /> <br /> Despite the setback, the Belarusian is confident that she will be fit for the US Open - which gets under way in 13 days' time.<br /> <br /> "It's tough to withdraw as defending champion," Azarenka said. "[The Western and Southern Open] is a great tournament and I really enjoy it.<br /> <br /> "I should be good for the US Open."<br /> <br /> Since her return to action, Azarenka has failed to add to her tally of 17 WTA singles titles and was knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon by Bojana Jovanovski.<br /> <br /> The 25-year-old has reached the final of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in each of the last two years, losing to world number one Serena on both occasions.<br /> <br /> Zahlavova-Strycova will now face Germany's Mona Barthel, who takes Azarenka's place in the draw as a lucky loser from qualifying.

news sports tennis Victoria Azarenka WTA Premier Azarenka withdraws from Western and Southern Open

Defending champion and former world number one Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Western and Southern Open with a right knee injury. ...

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Teen duo granted US Open wildcards

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597949header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Teen duo granted US Open wildcards" border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597949header.jpg" title="Teen duo granted US Open wildcards" /></a>Teenagers CiCi Bellis and Taylor Townsend have been handed two of eight women's singles wildcards for the upcoming US Open.<br /> <br /> Bellis, 15, will be the youngest player in the main draw for the last grand slam of the year, which starts on August 25.<br /> <br /> The right-hander, runner-up in the juniors at the French Open, took out the USTA Girls' 18s National Championship on Saturday to earn the wildcard.<br /> <br /> Bellis is one of six Americans granted a passage into the main draw.<br /> <br /> Townsend, Grace Min, Nicole Gibbs, Danielle Collins and Madison Brengle will also be in the first round.<br /> <br /> Townsend, who made the French Open third round, was controversially overlooked for a wildcard in 2012 due to concerns over her weight.<br /> <br /> Australian Jarmila Gajdosova and Frenchwoman Amandine Hesse received wildcards through reciprocal agreements the USTA has with Tennis Australia and the French Tennis Federation.<br /> <br /> The 101st-ranked Gajdosova, a former world number 25, has won 16 of her past 19 matches.<br /> <br /> "I am very excited to be main draw of a grand slam again," she said.<br /> <br /> "It's been a long road back but I've been working hard to get healthy and fit and improve my game and my ranking.<br /> <br /> "It's taken me six months since I started playing again to get myself back [near] the top 100.<br /> <br /> "So I hope to use this opportunity that I was given and I hope to play my best and have some good results."

Bellis news sports Taylor Townsend Teenagers CiCi Bellis tennis wildcard Teen duo granted US Open wildcards

Teenagers CiCi Bellis and Taylor Townsend have been handed two of eight women's singles wildcards for the upcoming US Open. Bellis, 15...

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Tsonga suffers letdown, Djokovic defeats Simon

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597975header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597975header.jpg" /></a>Rogers Cup winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered a letdown at the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday, while Novak Djokovic progressed.<br /> <br /> Tsonga, whose Masters tournament win in Toronto on Sunday was his second career success at ATP 1000 level, was humbled by Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 6-1 6-4 in the first round in Cincinnati.<br /> <br /> The Frenchman edged back into the ATP's top 10 after beating Roger Federer in the Toronto final, but Tsonga's booming serve let him down against Youzhny.<br /> <br /> Tsonga served at 52 per cent, but he won just seven of 23 points behind his second ball as the 25th-ranked Youzhny progressed.<br /> <br /> Youzhny now has a positive head-to-head record against Tsonga, although the win was only his second via match point - accounting for retirements.<br /> <br /> Tsonga was the only seeded casualty in Ohio, as top seed Djokovic and third seed Stan Wawrinka both negotiated their second-round matches.<br /> <br /> Serbia's Djokovic staved off the plucky Gilles Simon of France 6-3 4-6 6-4, while Swiss Wawrinka dispatched of German qualifier Benjamin Becker 6-3 7-6 (7-5).<br /> <br /> The pair are the first players through to the last 16 of the hard-court tournament, which serves as the penultimate warm-up event to the US Open starting later in August.<br /> <br /> In more first-round results, seeds Ernests Gulbis (nine), Roberto Bautista Agut (13) and Marin Cilic (14) advanced.<br /> <br /> Latvia's Gulbis took two hours to down Croatian Ivan Dodig in straight sets, winning 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-4).<br /> <br /> Bautista Agut, of Spain, clawed his way past Slovakian lefty Martin Klizan 6-2 4-6 7-5, while Croatia's Cilic dismissed another left-hander, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, 6-3 6-4.<br /> <br /> Frenchman Julien Benneteau saved two match points to fend off lucky loser Blaz Rola of Slovenia 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 7-6 (9-7).<br /> <br /> Similarly, Canada's Vasek Pospisil denied Czech veteran Radek Stepanek thrice on match point before posting a 5-7 6-1 7-6 (7-4) triumph.<br /> <br /> American wildcards Robby Ginepri and Steve Johnson both capitalised on their chances in the main draw with first-up wins.<br /> <br /> Ginepri battled past rising Austrian star Dominic Thiem 6-3 5-7 7-5, while Johnson was handed a straightforward 6-4 6-1 win over Benoit Paire courtesy of a poor performance from the French qualifier.<br /> <br /> Italy's Andreas Seppi overcame a deficit to defeat Colombian Santiago Giraldo 4-6 6-2 7-5.<br /> <br /> Down a set and at 2-2 in the second, Seppi reeled off eight straight games to earn a 4-0 lead in the decider - only to narrowly avoid a tie-break as Giraldo finished strongly.<br /> <br /> British qualifier James Ward hit eight aces as he defeated Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 3-6 6-1.

Cincinnati Jo-Wilfried Tsonga news sports Rogers Cup tennis Tsonga suffers letdown, Djokovic defeats Simon

Rogers Cup winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered a letdown at the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday, while Novak Djokovic progressed. Tson...

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Halep, Wozniacki post convincing wins

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/598017header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/598017header.jpg" /></a>Second seed Simona Halep progressed past Kirsten Flipkens in their Western and Southern Open second-round affair on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> Romania's Halep, the world number two, downed Belgian Flipkens 6-4 6-2 in one hour 27 minutes at the WTA Premier event in Cincinnati.<br /> <br /> Both players struggled on serve in the opening set, with 22 break-point opportunities shared between the two - with Halep taking the lead after saving a break point when serving for the set.<br /> <br /> The match found more rhythm in the second set, with Halep inflicting breaks in games one and five and losing just four points on serve for the remainder as she cantered into the last 16.<br /> <br /> Other second-round results saw fifth seed Maria Sharapova and 12th seed Caroline Wozniacki win their first matches in Ohio.<br /> <br /> Russia's Sharapova was tested by American Madison Keys before winning 6-1 3-6 6-3, while Denmark's Wozniacki continued her solid form with a 6-2 6-3 thrashing of China's Zhang Shuai.<br /> <br /> In first-round action, seeds Sara Errani (14), Carla Suarez Navarro (15) and Lucie Safarova (16) progressed with three-set wins.<br /> <br /> Italian Errani was down a break in the third set against Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer but bounced back to win 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-2).<br /> <br /> Suarez Navarro of Spain was too good for Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3 1-6 6-2, while Czech Safarova beat in-form American Venus Williams 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-4.<br /> <br /> Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova won 11 consecutive games on her way past lucky loser Mona Barthel of Germany 7-5 6-0.<br /> <br /> Zahlavova Strycova was set to play Victoria Azarenka, before the Belarusian withdrew from the tournament with a right knee issue.<br /> <br /> American Sloane Stephens broke Germany's Andrea Petkovic five times on her way to a 6-3 6-3 win, and Japan's Kurumi Nara thrashed Swiss Romina Oprandi 6-0 6-2.<br /> <br /> Qualifier Andrea Beck of Germany beat Spaniard Garbine Muguruza 6-3 2-6 6-3, and her countrywoman Sabine Lisicki defeated Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-3 2-6 6-2.<br /> <br /> Russian Ekaterina Makarova was a 6-2 6-2 winner over Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, and compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova hit 12 aces in a tough victory against Italian Camila Giorgi 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3.<br /> <br /> Wildcard Christina McHale won an all-American battle against qualifier Nicole Gibbs 4-6 6-3 6-1.<br /> <br /> Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas edged out fellow qualifier Irina-Camelia Begu 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5).

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Second seed Simona Halep progressed past Kirsten Flipkens in their Western and Southern Open second-round affair on Tuesday. Romania's...

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Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever and one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity.

<a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2014/3/30//20143302515961734_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2014/3/30//20143302515961734_20.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Ebola virus disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever that was first discovered in Africa in the 1970s.<br /> <br /> The current outbreak in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone is the largest in history and has sickened more than 1,700 people and killed more than 900 this year.<br /> <br /> With a death rate of up to 90 percent, Ebola is described as "one of the world's deadliest diseases" by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).<br /> <br /> Many of those infected with the virus quickly get flu-like symptoms such as fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.<br /> <br /> MSF says that the symptoms are non-specific, making the disease difficult to diagnose. The symptoms can appear from two to 21 days after exposure.<br /> <br /> No vaccine<br /> <br /> There is no vaccine or cure available for the disease. The most serious cases require intensive care and a drip to combat dehydration.<br /> <br /> Ebola can be caught from both humans and animals. It spreads by direct contact with blood, body fluids or tissues of the infected.<br /> <br /> Funeral rituals in which relatives and friends touch the body of the dead play an important role in transmission, as does handling dead or living animals carrying the virus.<br /> <br /> In Africa, particular species of fruit bats are considered possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. Infected bats are thought to transmit the disease to humans, or indirectly through other animals which are hunted for their meat.<br /> <br /> Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Sudan and in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC outbreak was near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.<br /> <br /> The disease has since killed more than 1,600 people in parts of Africa.<br /> <br /> The outbreak that began in Guinea in early 2014 is the first among humans in West Africa. The virus strain detected is Zaire, the most virulent.

Ebola Ebola Virus Disease Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever and one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity.

The Ebola virus disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever that was first discovered in Africa in the 1970s. The current outbreak in Liberia, Gu...

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Ebola outbreak in West Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be an international public health emergency that requires an extraordinary response to stop its spread.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> WHO declared similar emergencies for the swine flu pandemic in 2009 and for polio in May.<br /> <br /> The WHO chief, Dr Margaret Chan, said the announcement on Friday is "a clear call for international solidarity" but acknowledged that many countries would probably not have any Ebola cases.<br /> <br /> "Countries affected to date simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own,'' Chan said at a news conference in Geneva.<br /> <br /> "I urge the international community to provide this support on the most urgent basis possible," she added.<br /> <br /> The agency had convened an expert committee this week to assess the severity of the ongoing epidemic - the largest and longest in history.<br /> <br /> The current outbreak of Ebola began in Guinea in March and has since spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia.<br /> <br /> The WHO said the situation is likely to get worse in the coming months.<br /> <br /> There is no licensed treatment or vaccine for Ebola and the death rate has been about 50 percent.<br /> <br /> Unclear impact<br /> <br /> The impact of the WHO declaration is unclear; the declaration about polio does not yet seem to have slowed the spread of virus.<br /> Stopping the world's worst Ebola outbreak?<br /> <br /> During a WHO meeting last week to reconsider the status of polio, experts noted countries had not yet fully applied the recommendations made in May, that there have been more instances of international spread and that outbreaks have worsened in Pakistan and Cameroon.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a national state of emergency on Friday over the Ebola outbreak in Africa's most populous country.<br /> <br /> He approved 1.9bn naira ($11.6m) of emergency funds to contain Ebola in the country, where seven cases have been confirmed since a man fell sick on arrival from Liberia, two of whom have died.<br /> <br /> In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have already elevated their Ebola response to the highest level and has recommended against travelling to West Africa.<br /> <br /> On Thursday, CDC director Dr Tom Frieden told a Congressional hearing that the current outbreak is set to sicken more people than all previous outbreaks of the disease combined.<br /> <br /> "I don't know what the advantage is of declaring an international emergency," said Dr David Heymann, who directed WHO's response to the SARS outbreak and is now a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.<br /> <br /> "This could bring in more foreign aid but we don't know that yet," he said.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be an international public health emergency that requi...

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Ebola outbreak in west Africa press briefings

<h1 class="headline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Ebola outbreak in west Africa press briefings</h1> <div class="meta" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px 20px 36px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div> </div> <h3 class="page_heading" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #d86422; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Video, audio and transcripts from the briefings</h3> <hr style="background-color: white; background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/lines.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border: none; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; height: 4px; line-height: 13px; margin: 10px 20px 10px 0px;" /> <h4 class="section_head2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 6px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 8 August 2014 press briefing on Ebola outbreak in west Africa by Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, and Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General for Health Security, WHO</h4> <ul class="list" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 3px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="link_external" href="http://www.tusfiles.net/plka38k874zy" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/who_sprite.gif); background-position: 100% -577px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; color: #723475; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 22px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Audio of the press briefing</a><br /><span class="link_info" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mp3, 99 Mb [01:11:00]</span></li> <li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 3px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="link_media" href="http://www.tusfiles.net/l0sdur9p2elt" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/icon_media_download.gif); background-position: 4px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; color: #723475; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Transcript of the press briefingpdf, 523kb</a></li> </ul> <hr style="background-color: white; background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/lines.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border: none; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; height: 4px; line-height: 13px; margin: 10px 20px 10px 0px;" /> <h4 class="section_head2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 6px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 8 April 2014 press briefing by Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General, Health Security, and Dr Stéphane Hugonnet, Medical Officer, WHO</h4> <ul class="list" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 3px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="link_external" href="http://www.tusfiles.net/21h6fl3flykq" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/who_sprite.gif); background-position: 100% -577px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; color: #723475; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 22px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Audio of the press briefing</a><br /><span class="link_info" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mp3, 42Mb [00:44:00]</span></li> <li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 3px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="link_media" href="http://www.tusfiles.net/ehj5bbwvrrv3" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/icon_media_download.gif); background-position: 4px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; color: #723475; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Transcript of the press briefingpdf, 162kb</a></li> </ul> <div> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.who.int%2Fentity%2Fmediacentre%2Fmultimedia%2F2014%2Fwho-ebola-outbreak-08aug2014.pdf%3Fua%3D1&docid=7af42315142eadec3cb6c0a1119140e2&a=bi&pagenumber=1&w=800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.who.int%2Fentity%2Fmediacentre%2Fmultimedia%2F2014%2Fwho-ebola-outbreak-08aug2014.pdf%3Fua%3D1&docid=7af42315142eadec3cb6c0a1119140e2&a=bi&pagenumber=1&w=800" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> WHO Virtual Press Conference following the Meeting of the International </div> </b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Health Regulations Emergency Committee Regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> in West Africa</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </b></span></span></div>

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Ebola outbreak in west Africa press briefings Video, audio and transcripts from the briefings 8 August 2014 press briefing on Ebol...

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WHO to convene ethical review of experimental treatment for Ebola

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Early next week, WHO will convene a panel of medical ethicists to explore the use of experimental treatment in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Currently there is no registered medicine or vaccine against the virus, but there are several experimental options under development.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The recent treatment of two health workers from Samaritan’s Purse with experimental medicine has raised questions about whether medicine that has never been tested and shown to be safe in people should be used in the outbreak and, given the extremely limited amount of medicine available, if it is used, who should receive it.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We are in an unusual situation in this outbreak. We have a disease with a high fatality rate without any proven treatment or vaccine,” says Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant Director-General at the World Health Organization. "We need to ask the medical ethicists to give us guidance on what the responsible thing to do is.”</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The gold standard for assessing new medicine involves a series of trials in humans, starting small to make sure the medicine is safe to use. Then, the studies are expanded to more people to see how effective it is, and how best to use it.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The guiding principle with use of any new medicine is ‘do no harm’. Safety is always the main concern.</span></div> <h4 class="section_head2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 6px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Media contact:</h4> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gregory Hartl<br />WHO Department of Communications<br />Telephone: +41 22 791 44 58<br />Mobile: +41 79 203 67 15<br />E-mail: <a href="mailto:hartlg@who.int" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; color: #723475; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">hartlg@who.int</a></span></div>

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Early next week, WHO will convene a panel of medical ethicists to explore the use of experimental treatment in the ongoing Ebola outbreak i...

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Ebola Outbreak in West Africa 'WHO'

<h1 class="headline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> WHO Statement on the Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee Regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa</h1> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The first meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] regarding the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD, or “Ebola”) outbreak in West Africa was held by teleconference on Wednesday, 6 August 2014 from 13:00 to 17:30 and on Thursday, 7 August 2014 from 13:00 to 18:30 Geneva time (CET).</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee met by teleconference on both days of the meeting<span style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 0px; bottom: 0.8ex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 1px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span>. The following IHR (2005) States Parties participated in the informational session of the meeting on Wednesday, 6 August 2014: Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">During the informational session, the WHO Secretariat provided an update on and assessment of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The above-referenced States Parties presented on recent developments in their countries, including measures taken to implement rapid control strategies, and existing gaps and challenges in the outbreak response.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After discussion and deliberation on the information provided, the Committee advised that:</span></div> <ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">the Ebola outbreak in West Africa constitutes an ‘extraordinary event’ and a public health risk to other States;</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">the possible consequences of further international spread are particularly serious in view of the virulence of the virus, the intensive community and health facility transmission patterns, and the weak health systems in the currently affected and most at-risk countries.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">a coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola.</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It was the unanimous view of the Committee that the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) have been met.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The current EVD outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013. This outbreak now involves transmission in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. As of 4 August 2014, countries have reported 1 711 cases (1 070 confirmed, 436 probable, 205 suspect), including 932 deaths. This is currently the largest EVD outbreak ever recorded. In response to the outbreak, a number of unaffected countries have made a range of travel related advice or recommendations.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In light of States Parties’ presentations and subsequent Committee discussions, several challenges were noted for the affected countries:</span></div> <ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">their health systems are fragile with significant deficits in human, financial and material resources, resulting in compromised ability to mount an adequate Ebola outbreak control response;</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">inexperience in dealing with Ebola outbreaks; misperceptions of the disease, including how the disease is transmitted, are common and continue to be a major challenge in some communities;</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">high mobility of populations and several instances of cross-border movement of travellers with infection;</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">several generations of transmission have occurred in the three capital cities of Conakry (Guinea); Monrovia (Liberia); and Freetown (Sierra Leone); and</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">a high number of infections have been identified among health-care workers, highlighting inadequate infection control practices in many facilities.</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Committee provided the following advice to the Director-General for her consideration to address the Ebola outbreak in accordance with IHR (2005).</span></div> <h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> States with Ebola transmission</h3> <ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Head of State should declare a national emergency; personally address the nation to provide information on the situation, the steps being taken to address the outbreak and the critical role of the community in ensuring its rapid control; provide immediate access to emergency financing to initiate and sustain response operations; and ensure all necessary measures are taken to mobilize and remunerate the necessary health care workforce.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Health Ministers and other health leaders should assume a prominent leadership role in coordinating and implementing emergency Ebola response measures, a fundamental aspect of which should be to meet regularly with affected communities and to make site visits to treatment centres.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should activate their national disaster/emergency management mechanisms and establish an emergency operation centre, under the authority of the Head of State, to coordinate support across all partners, and across the information, security, finance and other relevant sectors, to ensure efficient and effective implementation and monitoring of comprehensive Ebola control measures. These measures must include infection prevention and control (IPC), community awareness, surveillance, accurate laboratory diagnostic testing, contact tracing and monitoring, case management, and communication of timely and accurate information among countries. For all infected and high risks areas, similar mechanisms should be established at the state/province and local levels to ensure close coordination across all levels.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should ensure that there is a large-scale and sustained effort to fully engage the community – through local, religious and traditional leaders and healers – so communities play a central role in case identification, contact tracing and risk education; the population should be made fully aware of the benefits of early treatment.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is essential that a strong supply pipeline be established to ensure that sufficient medical commodities, especially personal protective equipment (PPE), are available to those who appropriately need them, including health care workers, laboratory technicians, cleaning staff, burial personnel and others that may come in contact with infected persons or contaminated materials.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">In areas of intense transmission (e.g. the cross border area of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia), the provision of quality clinical care, and material and psychosocial support for the affected populations should be used as the primary basis for reducing the movement of people, but extraordinary supplemental measures such as quarantine should be used as considered necessary.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should ensure health care workers receive: adequate security measures for their safety and protection; timely payment of salaries and, as appropriate, hazard pay; and appropriate education and training on IPC, including the proper use of PPEs.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should ensure that: treatment centres and reliable diagnostic laboratories are situated as closely as possible to areas of transmission; that these facilities have adequate numbers of trained staff, and sufficient equipment and supplies relative to the caseload; that sufficient security is provided to ensure both the safety of staff and to minimize the risk of premature removal of patients from treatment centres; and that staff are regularly reminded and monitored to ensure compliance with IPC.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should conduct exit screening of all persons at international airports, seaports and major land crossings, for unexplained febrile illness consistent with potential Ebola infection. The exit screening should consist of, at a minimum, a questionnaire, a temperature measurement and, if there is a fever, an assessment of the risk that the fever is caused by EVD. Any person with an illness consistent with EVD should not be allowed to travel unless the travel is part of an appropriate medical evacuation.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">There should be no international travel of Ebola contacts or cases, unless the travel is part of an appropriate medical evacuation. To minimize the risk of international spread of EVD:</li> <ul class="disc" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 36px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif) 0% 0.5em no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Confirmed cases should immediately be isolated and treated in an Ebola Treatment Centre with no national or international travel until 2 Ebola-specific diagnostic tests conducted at least 48 hours apart are negative;</li> <li style="background: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif) 0% 0.5em no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Contacts (which do not include properly protected health workers and laboratory staff who have had no unprotected exposure) should be monitored daily, with restricted national travel and no international travel until 21 days after exposure;</li> <li style="background: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif) 0% 0.5em no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Probable and suspect cases should immediately be isolated and their travel should be restricted in accordance with their classification as either a confirmed case or contact.</li> </ul> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should ensure funerals and burials are conducted by well-trained personnel, with provision made for the presence of the family and cultural practices, and in accordance with national health regulations, to reduce the risk of Ebola infection. The cross-border movement of the human remains of deceased suspect, probable or confirmed EVD cases should be prohibited unless authorized in accordance with recognized international biosafety provisions.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should ensure that appropriate medical care is available for the crews and staff of airlines operating in the country, and work with the airlines to facilitate and harmonize communications and management regarding symptomatic passengers under the IHR (2005), mechanisms for contact tracing if required and the use of passenger locator records where appropriate.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States with EVD transmission should consider postponing mass gatherings until EVD transmission is interrupted.</li> </ul> <h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> States with a potential or confirmed Ebola Case, and unaffected States with land borders with affected States</h3> <ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Unaffected States with land borders adjoining States with Ebola transmission should urgently establish surveillance for clusters of unexplained fever or deaths due to febrile illness; establish access to a qualified diagnostic laboratory for EVD; ensure that health workers are aware of and trained in appropriate IPC procedures; and establish rapid response teams with the capacity to investigate and manage EVD cases and their contacts.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Any State newly detecting a suspect or confirmed Ebola case or contact, or clusters of unexplained deaths due to febrile illness, should treat this as a health emergency, take immediate steps in the first 24 hours to investigate and stop a potential Ebola outbreak by instituting case management, establishing a definitive diagnosis, and undertaking contact tracing and monitoring.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">If Ebola transmission is confirmed to be occurring in the State, the full recommendations for <i>States with Ebola Transmission</i> should be implemented, on either a national or subnational level, depending on the epidemiologic and risk context.</li> </ul> <h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> All States</h3> <ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">There should be no general ban on international travel or trade; restrictions outlined in these recommendations regarding the travel of EVD cases and contacts should be implemented.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should provide travelers to Ebola affected and at-risk areas with relevant information on risks, measures to minimize those risks, and advice for managing a potential exposure.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should be prepared to detect, investigate, and manage Ebola cases; this should include assured access to a qualified diagnostic laboratory for EVD and, where appropriate, the capacity to manage travelers originating from known Ebola-infected areas who arrive at international airports or major land crossing points with unexplained febrile illness.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">The general public should be provided with accurate and relevant information on the Ebola outbreak and measures to reduce the risk of exposure.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">States should be prepared to facilitate the evacuation and repatriation of nationals (e.g. health workers) who have been exposed to Ebola.</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Committee emphasized the importance of continued support by WHO and other national and international partners towards the effective implementation and monitoring of these recommendations.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Based on this advice, the reports made by affected States Parties and the currently available information, the Director-General accepted the Committee’s assessment and on 8 August 2014 declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Director-General endorsed the Committee’s advice and issued them as Temporary Recommendations under IHR (2005) to reduce the international spread of Ebola, effective 8 August 2014. The Director-General thanked the Committee Members and Advisors for their advice and requested their reassessment of this situation within 3 months</span></div>

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WHO Statement on the Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee Regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa ...

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Robredo reaches second round in Cincinnati

<a href="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8ffyR6ZDnsmqupSygf48fg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTY2NztweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz05NjA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/Sports/ap/201408111609581851353" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Robredo reaches second round in Cincinnati" border="0" height="222" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8ffyR6ZDnsmqupSygf48fg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTY2NztweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz05NjA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/Sports/ap/201408111609581851353" width="320" /></a>MASON, Ohio (AP) -- Madison Keys accomplished something Serena Williams couldn't - beating Alize Cornet.<br /> Keys pulled off a 6-2, 6-4 win over Cornet in the first round of the Western & Southern Open on Monday.<br /> <br /> ''I don't have many complaints about today,'' the 19-year-old American said. ''I definitely played pretty well and stayed in my game for the most part. There's obviously a couple of things that I still want to work on and have better for next round, but I'm pretty happy with today.''<br /> <br /> Cornet, who upset the top-ranked Williams in the third round at Wimbledon six weeks ago, was playing with an injured left leg that she said started bothering her during her second-round loss to Victoria Azarenka last Tuesday at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.<br /> <br /> ''That's not the reason I lost, but it didn't help,'' said the Frenchwoman, who lost to Keys earlier this year. ''She was very aggressive, hitting all winners.''<br /> <br /> Three qualifiers advanced in other women's first-round action. Taylor Townsend outlasted Klara Koukalova, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, while Pauline Parmentier eliminated Casey Dellacqua, 7-6 (4), 6-2, and Karin Knapp upset wild-card Belinda Bencic, 6-2, 7-6 (1).<br /> <br /> Also, Kirsten Flipkens defeated qualifier Polona Hercog, 6-3, 6-2, while Zhang Shuai beat Heather Watson, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, and Elina Svitolina cruised past Lauren Davis, 6-3, 6-2.<br /> <br /> In the men's draw, Tommy Robredo survived a first-set tiebreaker to advance to the second round with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over wild-card American Jack Sock.<br /> <br /> Fernando Verdasco needed three sets to eliminate Marcel Granollers, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Three other players advanced with first career wins over their opponents, led by qualifier Benjamin Becker, whose 7-6 (5), 6-4 upset of Ivo Karlovic was the German's first win in seven matches against the 28th-ranked Croatian. Also, Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Jeremy Chardy, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, the 24th-ranked German's first win in three matches against the Frenchman, and Lu Yen-Hsun advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win Denis Istomin, Lu's first win in four matches against Istomin.<br /> <br /> Qualifier Marinko Matosevic moved on with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Nicolas Mahut, while Gael Monfils needed three sets to get past 63rd-ranked Federico Delbonis, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Serena US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final Robredo reaches second round in Cincinnati

MASON, Ohio (AP) -- Madison Keys accomplished something Serena Williams couldn't - beating Alize Cornet. Keys pulled off a 6-2, 6-4 win...

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Radwanska beats Williams in Montreal for first title of 2014

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/10/595523header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Radwanska beats Williams in Montreal for first title of 2014" border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/10/595523header.jpg" title="Radwanska beats Williams in Montreal for first title of 2014" /></a>Agnieszka Radwanska claimed her first silverware of 2014 as she beat Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 in the Rogers Cup final on Sunday.<br /> <br /> The Pole, who has 13 career titles to her name, has struggled to make too much of an impact this season, but was convincing in disposing of Williams at the WTA Premier hard court event in Montreal.<br /> <br /> Third seed Radwanska won four games in a row in the first to storm into a 4-1 lead after Williams had claimed the opener.<br /> <br /> Williams battled hard to break back in a tight game six, but was unable to complete a comeback after seeing two break points come and go at 4-3 down.<br /> <br /> The American struggled on her first service throughout and that fact was emphasised by a second set in which she mustered only a 42 per cent success rate.<br /> <br /> Combined with an inability to win points on her second serve - Williams won just one out of 12 in the second set - it proved to be a recipe for disaster.<br /> <br /> Radwanska claimed the opening game of the second on Williams' serve to put the former world number one on the back foot from the off.<br /> <br /> Williams broke back to level matters at 2-2, but Radwanska won the next game to love as the seven-time grand slam winner's chances of coming away with the win grew ever slimmer.<br /> <br /> As it turned out, Williams would not win another game, leaving Radwanska to emphatically serve for the title.

Agnieszka Radwanska Rogers Cup tennis Venus Williams Radwanska beats Williams in Montreal for first title of 2014

Agnieszka Radwanska claimed her first silverware of 2014 as she beat Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 in the Rogers Cup final on Sunday. The Pole, w...

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Tsonga into top 10, Halep climbs to second

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/11/595783header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/11/595783header.jpg" /></a>Jo-Wilfried Tsonga climbed back into the ATP's top 10 for the first time in five months after his Rogers Cup triumph.<br /> <br /> The Frenchman more than deserved his rise from 15th to 10th in the rankings, as he downed four top-10 players - including Roger Federer in the Toronto final - to clinch his second career Masters title.<br /> <br /> The only other change in the top 10 was David Ferrer of Spain rising one spot to sixth, at the expense of Canada's Milos Raonic (seventh).<br /> <br /> The top five of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych remained.<br /> <br /> Feliciano Lopez rose to his highest ranking since May 2012 - 16th, up nine spots - after his run to the Toronto semi-finals.<br /> <br /> South Africa's Kevin Anderson - a Rogers Cup quarter-finalist - rose four places to 17th, his equal-highest career standing first achieved in July.<br /> <br /> Such is the fickle nature of sport, Anderson blew match points in his last-eight match against Grigor Dimitrov - had he converted, Anderson would have reached a career-best ranking.<br /> <br /> Big sliders in the top 50 were Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov - down five to 22nd - and Canada's Vasek Pospisil, who fell 19 spots to 46th.<br /> <br /> Australia's Nick Kyrgios continued his rise, climbing 12 spots to 58th, while Poland's Jerzy Janowicz dropped 13 places to 65th.<br /> <br /> Kyrgios' compatriot Marinko Matosevic was shuffled 30 places down the pecking order to 89th.<br /> <br /> Back inside the top 100 was Cyprus' Marcos Baghdatis, who won a Challenger-tour event in Aptos to catapult 24 places up to 82nd.<br /> <br /> In the WTA Tour rankings, Romania's Simona Halep is officially the new world number two, assuming the mantle virtually due to Li Na's inactivity.<br /> <br /> Li, of China, has already flagged her withdrawal from the US Open due to a knee injury, which has seen her out of competition since Wimbledon.<br /> <br /> Returning to the top 10 was Belarus' Victoria Azarenka, up from 11th, with Serbia's Ana Ivanovic falling out.<br /> <br /> Rogers Cup finalist Venus Williams moved to 20th from 25th, while her fellow American Coco Vandeweghe - who had to qualify for the main draw in Montreal - rose 13 spots to 38th.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Rogers Cup tennis Tsonga into top 10, Halep climbs to second

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga climbed back into the ATP's top 10 for the first time in five months after his Rogers Cup triumph. The Frenchman mo...

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