On 26 October 2024, over 4,500 people marched in the largest-ever demonstration in Lannemezan, calling for the liberation of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah the Lebanese Communist struggler for Palestine jailed in France for 40 years The annual march proceeds from the Lannemezan train station to the prison The demonstration also called for an end to the genocide solidarity with the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine and the liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea A wide array of organizations participated in the action the Unitary Campaign for the Liberation of Georges Abdallah collectives across France for the liberation of Georges Abdallah Palestine solidarity organizations like Urgence Palestine and the AFPS political parties and organizations like the NPA including parliamentarians from La France Insoumise; antifascist and anarchist groups; Lebanese the International League of Peoples’ Struggle Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle youth and student groups including Ligue de la Jeunesse Révolutionnaire and Fédération syndicale Étudiante; and many This marked the first major action since the passing of Suzanne Le Manceau lifelong activist and committed struggler for Georges’ freedom The massive turnout was a tribute to her work — and to the growing widespread movement for Georges’ release especially as Lebanon confronts the Zionist war machine and as a growing international movement stands together for an end to genocide A new request for his freedom — the 11th — was made on 7 October 2023 and the court is expected to rule on 15 November While Georges Abdallah has been eligible for release since 1999 and several of his requests for release have been approved they have been repeatedly blocked by French officials have continued to demand his ongoing imprisonment Georges Abdallah issued the following statement to the demonstration which was read out to widespread cheers and salutes from the crowd: yet the same determination and enthusiasm always echoes in your solidarity-driven mobilization… confronting these barbed wires and watchtowers just a few meters from my cell it is not our tireless Suzanne reading this short statement our dearly beloved Suzanne passed away a few weeks ago Certainly she lives on forever in our hearts and memories as a vibrant flame Your solidarity-driven mobilization leaves no one here untouched; you see changes when the echo of active life strikes the lifeless routine of a deadly prison existence… Thus the beauty and strength of inherently selfless human relationships solidarity despite so many years behind bars… survivors in cultural and emotional deprivation without real contact with society for years this awakening of enthusiasm and humanity does not go unnoticed; it is seen in their eyes and revealed in their often sincere yet fleeting spontaneous comments passes beyond these barbed wires and watchtowers it resonates in our minds and transports us far from these bleak places At the dawn of this forty-first year of captivity offers a resounding rebuke to all those who counted on the waning of your solidarity momentum It underscores that the shift in the balance of power in favor of incarcerated revolutionary protagonists always depends on the solidarity mobilization on the field of anti-capitalist/anti-imperialist struggle we can say without the slightest hesitation that the most meaningful support we can offer our imprisoned comrades is rooted in real engagement in the ongoing struggle Only by embracing solidarity on this ground does the imprisonment of our comrades start to weigh heavier than the potential threats tied to their release in this time of global capitalism’s crisis and the exacerbation of all its contradictions—this era of war and especially of the inspiring surge of active youth amid the inherent barbarism of dying capitalism… for the first time in human history millions of people are actively witnessing an ongoing genocide the genocidaires continue to wreak havoc in Gaza and the West Bank now expanding their war to Lebanon with the active support of the main imperialist powers in the West thanks to the heroic resistance of the Palestinian popular masses and their fighting vanguards and thanks also to the massive solidarity mobilization around the world reclaims its rightful place at the forefront of the international scene it may be useful to remember that active international solidarity is proving to be a an indispensable weapon in the fight against the ongoing settler colonialism in Palestine and the genocidal war deeply inherent to it It is always through this active solidarity that we can participate in changing the balance of power here and elsewhere in building the “Historical Bloc,” a global framework and potential subject of the Palestinian national liberation movement it is urgent to do everything possible to counter and stop the Zionist barbarism under way in Gaza large-scale aggression against Gaza these days in which tens and tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded have been added to the terrible widespread destruction of Gaza’s entire living space protected and endorsed by the Palestinian popular masses Gaza will never raise the white flag of surrender Neither the Zionists nor any other criminal force will ever succeed in breaking the will of the resistance in Gaza in the face of genocidal Zionist barbarism May a thousand initiatives flourish in support of Palestine and its glorious resistance Capitalism is nothing but barbarism; honor to all those who oppose it in the diversity of their expressions Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Enter your email address to receive all new Samidoun posts by email Palestinian prisoners call for international boycott of Israel You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed February 13, 2019JPEG An astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) shot this photograph of the Pyrenees Mountains covered in snow on an early morning in February 2019 The Pyrenees range stretches 430 kilometers (270 miles) from the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea acting as a natural border between France and Spain The central portion of the Pyrenees includes the highest summits of the range with a maximum elevation of 3,404 meters (11,168 feet) The western Pyrenees typically receive greater precipitation than the eastern Pyrenees due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean During the transition from winter to spring and rainfall mobilize the sediment on the mountain slopes—a process that erodes the mountain peaks over geologic time The sediment is carried down the slopes and carried further by rivers; some of that sediment is deposited into the Bay of Biscay A prominent feature of this region is the Lannemezan Megafan. This megafan started forming about 23 million years ago when the region had a much wetter climate than today Rivers cut into the mountain range and carried eroded sediment along the way When those rivers reached the lower slopes at the base of the mountain they spread out and deposited the sediments on the flat plains in a fan-shaped formation but still remains as a striking display of the fluvial history of the region View this area in EO Explorer and geological history have carved the landscape between Spain and France The peaks of these mountains are a dramatic expression of massive tectonic forces pushing continents together Sunrise is an opportune time to photograph fog as it rolls through the mountain range this natural-color image provides an uninterrupted view of the Alps France’s influential scrum-half is set to be the face of the Rugby World Cup but he has not forgotten his roots in the Pyrenees The Hotel Dupont had been sitting empty for more than a decade. Situated at the heart of Castelnau-Magnoac, a village at the foothills of the Pyrenees, a 90-minute drive south of Toulouse, the establishment was owned and operated by Antoine Dupont’s family for several generations before being closed in 2012. Read moreLooking to restore the restaurant to its former glory – its fame notably came from a distinctive duck magret recipe introduced in the 1970s – the local council renovated the building and re-opened it under a new name The emphatic signage on the building’s facade still bears the France star’s family name and stands as an imposing reminder that this is the village that shaped Dupont the Toulouse man would spend the entirety of his formative years in the hilltop Hautes-Pyrénées settlement before leaving for Auch at 15 and he was a cover star for GQ France the following January Later that year he led his country to a first Six Nations title in more than a decade The now-closed Hotel Dupont in Castelnau-Magnoac Photograph: Raphaël JucobinLes Bleus’ No 9 is unmistakably the face of the tournament – his image is ubiquitous in advertising campaigns across the country and is plastered in every host city he recently starred in a Volvic advert which was inspired by the brand’s campaign back in 2000 with Zinedine Zidane While the three-time French champion does not have the midfield legend’s lasting prominence on the national stage yet a home World Cup win of his own would undoubtedly boost his profile to similar levels Dupont has sought to make sure his link with his home would remain as strong as ever the scrum-half invested last year in renovating the Domaine de Barthas grounds and restaurant just outside the village where the two spent the bulk of their childhoods The three-time Top 14 winner is a regular face at the Stade Jean-Morère for the club’s end-of-season finals and also comes back whenever he can to see friends and family who also plays at scrum-half for Castelnau – the France international has not been changed by fame: “We don’t necessarily realise that we have a cousin or a friend who’s the best player in the world.” Antoine Dupont’s brother Photograph: Laurent Dard/AFP via Getty ImagesRousse says that Dupont’s stays in Castelnau offer him a much-needed break from the spotlight having now become a household name in France he knows that he’ll be seeing the people he knows he won’t necessarily have all the attention on him like in the city.” recalls that Castelnau’s most famous son started playing rugby “as soon as he could walk” and joined the local area’s rugby school once he was eligible for a federation licence He would hone his talent playing at the stadium with his brother cousins and friends whenever the senior team had vacated the pitch Playing against older boys would pay dividends for the young Dupont – to the point that there were youth competitions in which he was barred from scoring tries Bousquet explains that the club’s recent rapid rise up the divisions – four promotions in four years – has been down to a concerted effort to bring back locals who had gone on to play at a higher level cousins and childhood friends of Dupont have come back one by one bringing with them several players from their former clubs “We’re just missing Antoine now – we’ll give him a year or two Dupont made the journey an hour north into the Gers department The former first-tier regulars play at the Stade Jacques‑Fouroux – named after the Auch native scrum‑half who captained France to the 1977 grand slam before repeating the feat as manager in 1981 and 1987 After its previous iteration was liquidated in 2017 the club has had to climb up the divisions again and now plays in the fourth‑tier National 2 Antoine Dupont arrives at the Parc du Bois-Préau in Rueil-Malamaison Photograph: Blondet Eliot/Abaca/ShutterstockDespite falling on hard times the club’s reputation as a breeding ground for international level talent is now as strong as ever Four members of France’s squad for the World Cup came through the Auch system the club’s U18 team won their national championship last year and were promoted to the junior-level top flight a winger who also manages the club’s training ground and youth development underlines the depth of the south-west’s talent pool Keeping the region’s young talent away from the limelight “We have players who went under the radar to start with The collective knowhow when it comes to tapping into the surrounding area’s wealth of talent has been key in getting the club back on track “We look to work within our means as much as possible so that they reach the highest level we can’t go and sign players from elsewhere so 80% of our squad was brought up in the Gers.” Vandekerkof also points to a “legacy” of consistently producing top players that the club’s custodians need to live up to A comprehensive programme involving daily training sessions looks to achieve that and has recently begun attracting players from across the country Free weekly newsletterThe latest rugby union news and analysis points out that training and giving chances to young players has always been the bedrock of Auch’s approach He goes as far as saying that the club would simply not survive without its youth training set-up – banking on their nationwide reputation in that regard is more important than ever given their recent financial troubles Kévin Ribreau is one of those who witnessed Dupont’s growth first-hand all the way, and was the coach when Auch reached the final of the Crabos cup in 2014, with Jelonch also in the team. Although they would end up losing to Racing 92 in 2014, Ribreau recalls that campaign as the one which saw the 18-year-old Dupont “explode”, having scored in every round of the tournament. By that time, the buzz around Dupont had spilled over well beyond the Gers borders. He would move to Castres the following summer, and soon joined the national youth teams. Read moreA focus on development and local identity has been key in getting both RC Auch and FC Castelnau back on their feet The south-west of the country has always been the beating heart of French rugby – and the impressive work being carried out by its clubs in challenging circumstances are ensuring it will continue to be so long into the future Castelnau-Magnoac’s “Dupont museum” consists of a collection of shirts from his previous clubs as well as mementoes and pictures charting the scrum-half’s career – from childhood tournaments to collective and individual trophies There’s a conspicuous blank space on the bottom right of the display When they gather in the rugby team’s clubhouse on Friday night for the World Cup opener the locals will be watching their player known as “Toto” begin his quest to fill it in with the one trophy that still eludes him Raphaël Jucobin is a French rugby and football writer Arkema employs nearly 7,300 people in France either directly or through its subsidiaries (MLPC International representing 36% of the Group’s total workforce Arkema fosters interaction with its stakeholders and provides its customers with concrete solutions for addressing the challenges of an ever-changing world and markets products and materials with high added value as well as adapted services across all industrial sectors.  Arkema France has 26 production sites and seven research and development centers throughout the country Arkema strives to maintain a strong foothold in France and is carrying out several modernization and development projects at its Lannemezan This commitment is reflected in the Group’s investments: on average nearly half of Arkema’s capital expenditure has been in France Discover where our products are in your daily life Watch the video or download the booklet to see examples of everyday applications with Arkema products and materials Download the booklet the Chabad shliach to Pau in southern France heard that there was finally going to be an all-French language trip to Israel for Jewish teenage girls He recalled a Jewish family living in a remote town an hour’s drive from Lannemezan and remembered that they had a teenage daughter When he inquired for more details about the trip he discovered that it was being arranged by CTeen Summer at Merkos 302 that it was geared specifically for teenagers who aren’t otherwise so engaged with the Jewish community It was as if this trip was custom-designed for this one teenager So he jumped into his car and drove the hour-plus to Lannemezan After speaking with the family and extolling the merits and benefits of traveling together with other Jewish teenagers on a trip to Israel He was shocked to learn that this was her first-ever Jewish experience This upcoming summer trip will G-d willing be her introduction to Judaism “After many years of arranging wonderfully successful programs all over the country we saw the need to zero in on the underserved demographic of teenagers who aren’t otherwise involved in anything,” said Rabbi Mendy Mottal Mottal describes the unique situation in France we brought a group of 600 teenagers to the CTeen Shabbaton in New York With so much engagement and close to 5000 teenagers enrolled in our program countrywide we need our own unique programming—in French it was time to take the next step and try to reach past the first layer of engagement and touch those who aren’t usually reached we threw together a first-class itinerary and program for French speakers: a highly subsidized 22-day summer trip to Israel We are excited to see how much impact it’s going to make on these under-engaged teenagers.” While the parent program in the United States has been running successfully since 2016 “European norms are much different than in the States So while it’s normal and accepted for teenagers to spend a significant amount of money on trips and activities we saw the incredible summer programs for the American teenagers and could only look on wistfully thanks to a jointly funded voucher by Mosaic United and Rabbi Bentzi Lipsker of the Meromim Foundation that have generously subsidized the program we have been able to bring the CTeen energy and this remarkable Jewish experience to France.” While the hubbub of Jewish life in France centers around a few major cities such as Paris registration for this particular program is pulling from all sort of remote corners of the country with little-known names such as Orleans and Pau for most of them like Eden from Pau this will be their very first Jewish experience French-speaking staff members have been hired as counselors for the trip As they trek around the Holy Land and take in the sanctity these French teenagers no longer have to crane their ears to a foreign tongue and scratch their head trying to translate that can only make everything all the more impactful—which it surely will “As Jewish teenagers across the world become involved and energized by the trademark CTeen Jewish excitement we’re excited to see various groups come together and deliver that experience in their native tongue,” said Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky Vice Chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch and Chairman of CTeen International and from such remote locations within their own country speaks to the Rebbe’s far-reaching vision of touching every single Jew For more information regarding the CTeen Israel Journey French Trip email [email protected]  Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" the Lebanese Arab communist struggler with the Palestinian resistance He has been imprisoned since 1984 and eligible for release since 1999 yet remains held behind French bars because he will not relinquish his political convictions and commitment to the liberation of Palestine and the peoples of the world he is one of the longest-held political prisoners in Europe recognized by the Palestinian prisoners’ movement as part of its ranks said: “As an emblematic personality of the anti-Zionist struggle the release of Georges Abdallah would undoubtedly constitute an event in Lebanon He will likely be celebrated as a hero on his return to his country and also by different movements engaged in the revolutionary struggle.” While they used this observation to justify his continued imprisonment it is for exactly this reason that we must struggle for his liberation Supporting the campaign to free Georges Abdallah is part and parcel of supporting the Palestinian people and their resistance to colonialism Samidoun is joining with over 60 organizations to call for a month of international mobilization to demand Georges Abdallah’s immediate release. The month of action will reach its peak on Saturday, 22 October at 2 p.m. with a major demonstration in Lannemezan, France marching from the train station to the prison where Georges Abdallah is being held more than 1,000 people were present for a large demonstration in support of Georges Abdallah and the Palestinian resistance we will make clear that Palestine and its prisoners are not alone Following the major march in Lannemezan, join us one week later in Brussels, where the March for Return and Liberation on 29 October marching at 2 pm from Lumumba Square to the European Parliament will include the liberation of Georges Abdallah as a major demand We urge all supporters of Palestine to join activities in your city or organize initiatives to highlight the case of Georges Abdallah and demand his liberation Contact us at samidoun@samidoun.net for more information or to let us know about your action or send us a message on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) Georges Abdallah has been imprisoned in French prisons since 1984 convicted on charges of participation in armed actions by the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction working to fight off colonialist and Zionist invasions in Lebanon working first with the Syrian Social Nationalist party and then with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) he resisted and was injured by Israeli forces invading Lebanon in 1978 A committed Communist and internationalist he views the Arab struggle for liberation from Zionism and imperialism as part and parcel of the international workers’ struggle for liberation from capitalism The Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction (LARF) was formed to fight off and resist U.S. Israeli and other imperialist attacks on Lebanon Georges Abdallah was accused of participating in attacks on U.S He has been eligible for release since 1999 yet continues to be denied parole despite having parole requests approved several times by French judges The Lebanese government has officially asked for his release and he is asking to be deported to Lebanon Yet the French state has intervened at the highest levels to deny Georges Abdallah’s parole requests the French government agreed to a prisoner exchange – to release Abdallah in exchange for a captured French diplomat the diplomat was released – and Abdallah remained in prison His own original lawyer was in fact a spy working for the French state and reporting on him to the highest levels of French intelligence; all of which was used against him in court People throughout France and around the world have campaigned for his freedom for decades His brothers and loved ones in Lebanon lead the International Campaign to Free Georges Ibrahim Abdallah He is considered to be part of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails His case represents also the coherence of U.S. Israeli and European colonialist interests in the imprisonment of Palestinian and Arab strugglers for liberation and the attack on the Palestinian people For any request, send us an email to  collectivepalestinevaincra@gmail.com  or a message on our various social networks ( Facebook ,  Twitter  or  Instagram ) Last time to Tour visited Plateau de Beille of which the only thing of note I can find is that it has its own special cake Plateau du Beille has been a stage finish of the Tour de France five times and four of those times the winner has won the Tour Drink: Cazottes has become a yearly Tour tradition for me the fruity and floral: Sweet White Elderberry had this to say about him "Authenticity Mercenary" Laurent Cazottes is on a mission - he revived vineyards planted in the 1970s returned to specific cultivation and distilling techniques traditional to French master practices and set about a life among the orchards and vines in the tiny village of Albi Using fruit from his organic orchard in the Albi area of Languedoc Laurent distils eaux-de-vie and liqueurs with an unparalleled elegance and aroma These elixirs have caught the attention of New Yorkers and some of the world's great chefs Until Nicolas Palazzi started importing these lovely bottles they could really only be found at the world’s top restaurants the renowned Grand Vefour and a host of others have honored his unwavering dedication to each "noble" essence Laurent monitors all from his home and garden at the center of the domaine's orchards It’s basically his garden in these bottles Food: Le Tour tells me that Croustades are a specialty of Plateau de Beille Petite Croustades: If you have glanced around the blog you may have seen that we are participating inTuesdays with Dorie I turned to Dorie Greenspan and her Baking Chez Moi She describes them as a pastry that straddles the line between tarts and pastries She also chooses to make smaller versions in a muffin tin essentially making pouches with phyllo dough and butter before filling them with apples Will's preview says: Expect lots of comparisons between Plateau de Beille and Alpe d'Huez as they share similar statistics but far less developed than it's more famous Alps cousin This will be the 6th appearance of Plateau de Beille in the Tour Alberto Contador won here in '07 eventually winning the Tour that year - wow eight years ago the route will climb Col de Portet d'Aspet In 1995 the Italian cyclist - and Olympic Gold medalist - Fabio Casartelli crashed and tragically died here during the 1995 Tour There's a bit of a valley between all the climbs which means that I suspect most of the action will be on the last climb Plateau du Beille is one of my favourite climbs in the Tour longer and steeper than several other climbs that tend to get in more often The fastest time up it was set by Marco Pantani in 1998 The three climbs beforehand will toughen up the race but I don't expect to see any real attacks until Plateau du Beille It is very slghtly more difficult as La Pierre St Just a big a stage for this as stages 10 and 11 we have everyone three minutes behind Froome Contador has happy memories of Plateau du Beille after his 2007 victory Sagan had a great intermediate sprint and is back in green by seven points He'll probably keep it in the intermediate Froome could sew up the competition just by winning the stage Dan Martin and Pierre Rolland will try to get some points The only one of the GC contenders who can challenge Froome is Quintana though I don't expect Contador to be so far back Froome may not risk so much with such a large buffer though if it's all together at the start of the climb I expect (and hope) to see Gesink up there as well I would expect Pierre Rolland to have a go at this I expected him to be in the break on stage 11 Dan Martin may be another pick for a high finishing position Arkema has announced an investment of nearly €10m in its Lannemezan industrial facility in Hautes-Pyrénées The company recently increased its production of hydrazine hydrate-derived azoic initiators at its Lannemezan site by improving its manufacturing process and production capacity managing director of Arkema’s hydrogen peroxide business unit the company now has the resources to supply international businesses with agrochemicals Hydrazine hydrate is an essential component for purifying precious metals and effluent treatments It is also used as a synthesis intermediate in agrochemicals such as triazoles and azoic initiators (AIBN) are intermediates in the synthesis of phytosanitary and pharmaceutical products They are also used in acrylic and vinyl polymerisation initiators and halogenations The following video was released by the Campaign to Free Georges Abdallah to urge participation in the demonstration: The text of Sa’adat’s letter follows: with the most beautiful words and sincere declarations of pride in my name and in the name of my comrades in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine prison organization These sincere words reflect our unity of thought and common suffering in the face of the tools of oppression and our common struggle for a better world in which the people regain their stolen humanity and you are always a source of great pride and respect From your principled steadfastness through decades in prison our will and our intellectual conviction; from your head held high always accelerating our steps to become nearer to the sun of truth and liberation and with all of the forces of freedom in the world our strength is multiplied dozens of times renewed in our hope and confidence in the inevitability of victory You are a living witness to the falsity of the claims about the “free world,” “democracy,” “separation of powers” and “independence of the judiciary” of which the ruling class brags in media forums and lecture halls We are chained by the common injustices manufactured in the United States of America and I do not doubt that there are many examples in all of the strongholds of imperialism You and those who unite with you in support and solidarity are the natural extension of those who once carried hammers stormed the Bastille and broke into the prison walls…the extension of those who turned the cells of the Zionist occupation into revolutionary schools from which successive generations learn the meaning of will determination and commitment…the extension of all of the forces and movements for liberation in the world who resist for true democracy and a world free of exploitation Until we meet one day in the world of freedom you remain a symbol and a model for us to follow the Lebanese communist and Palestinian resistance fighter was arrested by French police in Lyon on October 24 He was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for complicity in the execution of a Mossad agent and a member of the CIA in a trial filled with numerous irregularities Israel occupied Lebanon and massacred the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples throughout the assault and later While the genocide in Palestine has been going on for a year and Israel is intensifying its assault on Lebanon supporting Georges Abdallah means supporting the resistance of the Palestinian and Lebanese people for their right to live freely in their countries At the initiative of many organizations, campaigns and support committees a large mobilization is being organized — as it is each year —  to demand the release of Georges Abdallah outside the Lannemezan prison where he is held The  Collectif Palestine Vaincra calls for broad participation in particular by joining these two initiatives: Meeting in support of Georges Abdallah and the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples with the participation of Palestinian activists Robert Abdallah (brother of Georges Abdallah — by video) and Jean-Louis Chalanset (lawyer of Georges Abdallah — subject to confirmation) Toulouse) – Free entry – Light refreshments on site Demonstration in Lannemezan (65) to the prison where he is incarcerated. Departure by bus from Toulouse at a free price, meeting at 11:00 a.m. in the Basso Cambo car park in front of Quick (Basso Cambo metro – line A). To register, fill out the online form by clicking HERE we invite you to participate with us in various activities For any request, send us an email to collectifpalestinevaincra@gmail.com or a message on our various social networks (Facebook ,  Twitter  or  Instagram) Source: Collectif Palestine Vaincra Vollering drops Van Vleuten and race favourites on upper slopes of Tourmalet Jumping from a reduced peloton, Vollering caught and passed Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Racing) with 5 kilometres to go on the foggy upper slopes of the hors category climb to take the third win for SD Worx Niewiadoma held on for second and world champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) crossed the line in third place 2:34 later in extremely foggy conditions In a dominating show of strength, Vollering crushed her competitors and is the new overall leader with one stage to go. She leads by 1:50 on Niewiadoma, and 2:28 on van Vleuten, leader into the stage, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) dropped to fourth place overall at 2:35 Vollering followed an attack by defending champion Van Vleuten on the first climb of the day with Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Racing) also joining the move Niewiadoma attacked the two pre-race favourites who were playing cat and mouse on the category 1 climb one of the very best descenders in the women's pro peloton increased her gap to 20 seconds on the long descent off the Col d’Aspin van Vleuten and Vollering were reeled by a group of chasers that included the leader Kopecky Vollering put in a vicious attack with only Van Vleuten able to briefly match her pace the defending champion was 33 seconds in arrears fighting to limit her losses crossing the line 1:58 ahead of Niewiadoma I saw it a lot of times in my dream of course but to wear it [the yellow jersey] now in real life "Marlen and Lotte did a really good job today everybody is so super strong in our team and they believe so much in me Vollering intends to go all in tomorrow at the 22km time trial in Pau to conclude Tour de France Femmes Because it’s good training of course It’s also interesting of course to see how far you can come The peloton set off from the Pyrenean commune of Lannemezan with 89.8km ahead of them and the news of seven abandons from the race Most notable among them were the two Elisas from Lidl-Trek with Elisa Balsamo leaving the race with fatigue and Elisa Longo-Borghini suffering from a skin infection Further to those riders, though, Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) Martina Alzini (Cofidis) and Babette van der Wolf (Lifeplus Wahoo) would also not begin on stage 7 The early kilometres beyond the neutralisation were tense, and Lianne Lippert (Movistar) was caught in a crash within the first 10km Van Vleuten was lucky to narrowly avoid the fall and back to her duties as Van Vleuten’s lieutenant Attacks came quickly, with Julie De Wilde (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) amongst the early agitators while Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) also made a break for freedom from the group Susanne Andersen (Uno-X) and Margot Pompanon (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) managed to squeeze out around 45-seconds just ahead of the intermediate sprint enough for them to share the points between them a fierce peloton had pulled the escapees in Lippert began to tear apart the GC favourites with even Van Vleuten showing signs of fatigue during the effort Van Vleuten’s move came in the final kilometre of the climb and only Niewiadoma and Vollering found themselves able to keep pace.  The three riders stayed together over the summit of the Col d’Aspin and it began to look like the podium of the 2023 Tour de France was taking shape with the tactical stalemate between the major race favourites Vollering and Van Vleuten offering Niewiadoma a rare opportunity to ride free of the two duelling riders neither was eager to work to cut down Niewiadoma’s advantage - which grew to around 45 seconds at its largest the Tourmalet was set to be war of attrition for this leading group and the chilly and steep summit finish was likely to be where the decisive move would take place Niewiadoma held her lead for the first five kilometres of the climb and saw her gap reduce to a handful of seconds as she sat within the sights of the Tour de France Femmes favourites and the battle for the yellow jersey was beginning Niewiadoma managed to extend her lead back to 30 seconds as the race entered the final 10km Uttrup Ludwig was dropped from the favourites group along with Ane Santesteban (Jayco-AlUla) which wilted to a group of five containing Kopecky The major favourites rode into the final foggy 6km together as Niewiadoma managed to maintain her 45-second advantage ahead of the final ascent It was just outside 5km remaining that Vollering made her decisive move as Van Vlieten and her other chasers drifted into the mist behind her Ahead of her were 33 seconds to bridge to stage leader Niewiadoma She cut that lead apart in less than one kilometre and with the field blown to pieces behind her Vollering rode to the summit alone in a dominant display to take the stage victory and likely the overall win at the second Tour de France Femmes Van Vleuten was left to chase for a podium spot Lyne LamoureuxLyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.  he has organized the participation of fellow Arab and Basque prisoners behind bars The Unified Campaign to Free Georges Ibrahim Abdallah declared that “This fight of a lifetime is also ours He is part of our struggle and we are with his struggle That is why we call upon all who stand with the Palestinian resistance to fight capitalism colonialism and the Arab reactionary regimes to join us.” Protesters will gather at 3 pm at the Place du Colonel Fabien in Paris Demonstrators are invited to gather at 3 pm at 42 Boulevard de Regent to stand in solidarity with the Paris demonstration and call for the immediate release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah Another event is being organized on Monday, 19 June in Milan, Italy which will gather at 5:30 pm at Metro Pasteur in the city Saibaba and imprisoned Peruvian communist Chairman Gonzalo (Abimael Guzman.) The demonstrations are being organized in advance of 19 June the International Day of Revolutionary Prisoners Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes these demonstrations and urges all to participate in building the campaign to free Georges Ibrahim Abdallah a prisoner of the Palestinian struggle inside French jails International Call for Action | Take Action | Events | Materials and Resources On 24 October 2018, we will mark the 34th anniversary of the arrest of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah revolutionary Lebanese Arab Communist struggler for Palestine one of the longest-held political prisoners in the world join Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network the campaign to Free Georges Abdallah and organizations in France and around the world campaign on social media and distribute information this week in your community to demand freedom for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah and all Palestinian prisoners Georges Abdallah has been committed throughout his life to the revolutionary struggle in Lebanon and the liberation of Palestine – and to a revolutionary vision of human liberation He worked with the Palestinian leftist organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine he joined other Lebanese revolutionary leftists in the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions socialist and revolutionary path to liberation for the people of Lebanon faced with civil war militias and Israeli invasion and occupation In 1987, when Georges Abdallah was sentenced, he was expected to receive a lengthy sentence of ten yearsor less – as recommended by the prosecutor in his case. Instead, he received a life sentence as argued by a private lawyer representing the U.S Despite being held in Lannemezan prison for 34 years of his life, Georges Abdallah is an active participant in struggle. He has written letters and issued statements in response to revolutionary struggles around the world and always maintains a special eye toward the Palestinian prisoners in solidarity with the hunger strikes of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails marches and activities to demand freedom for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah and all Palestinian prisoners from 17 to 24 October The central event of the week will be the 20 October mass march in Lannemezan for Georges Abdallah’s freedom Events are also being organized in countries around the world and past weeks have included actions in the United States Georges Abdallah is not alone; his imprisonment is part and parcel of that of nearly 6,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails and the prisoners of Palestine in U.S and other international jails – as well as the prisoners of struggles against capitalism Georges Abdallah and his fellow prisoners are imprisoned in an attempt to silence and suppress the anti-colonial struggle of the Palestinian people for justice their leadership remains a symbol of hope and inspiration to all those who struggle for freedom Join the movement to free Georges Abdallah free Palestinian political prisoners and free Palestine 1. Organize events, actions and protests at French embassies and consulates around the world. Where there is not a French consulate, protest at U.S. or Israeli embassies and consulates and in public squares. Send us your events! Use this form or email samidoun@samidoun.net 2. Join the broad national protest in Lannemezan on 20 October. Every year, hundreds arrive to demand George’s freedom, raising a call so loud the prisoners can hear us inside. Don’t miss this year’s action! 3. Distribute this call to action and take media actions, like posting photos with posters calling for freedom for Georges Abdallah and other Palestinian prisoners 4. Endorse this call! Join in the call for events and actions for the prisoners this October. Use the form or email samidoun@samidoun.net Share the materials below and use our social media materials like the poster at the top of this page or our Facebook cover photo Martigues: Speaking About Georges Abdallah Georges Abdallah and all Palestinian Prisoners Toulouse: Information stand for Georges Abdallah Birzeit: Seminar on Georges Abdallah and Palestinian Strugglers from Outside Palestine Shatila: Lecture on the case of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah Gothenburg: Victory to the Palestinian liberation struggle Paris: Bus departing to the national protest in Lannemezan Lannemezan: National protest for the liberation of Georges Abdallah Tunis: Protest at the French Embassy in Solidarity with Georges Abdallah Milan: Freedom for the Revolutionary Prisoners Brussels: Concert in solidarity with Mustapha Awad Saida: Cultural Evening of Solidarity for Georges Abdallah Ramallah: Protest to Free Georges Abdallah Geneva: Letter Writing Evening for Georges Abdallah Athens: Demonstration for Freedom for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah Belfast: Irish Solidarity for the Release of Georges Abdallah Materials and Information:  Poster 1: Click here to Download PDF Poster 2: Click here to Download PDF Poster 3: Click here to Download PDF Poster 4: Click here to Download PDF with a big climbing duel between Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Demi Vollering (SD Worx) ending up in a decisive Vollering victory.COL DU TOURMALET FRANCE - JULY 29: Demi Vollering of The Netherlands - Pink UCI Women’s WorldTour Leader Jersey and Team SD Worx - Protime celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 2nd Tour de France Femmes 2023 Stage 7 a 89.8km stage from Lannemezan to Col du Tourmalet 2116m / #UCIWWT / on July 29 (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images) Credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images ABC News News HomeThe World According to Lance - key playersShare The World According to Lance - key playersFour Corners 1999 file photo shows yellow jersey winner American Lance Armstrong during the 16th stage of the 86th Tour de France between Lannemezan and Pau in the Pyrenees Armstrong will be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from cycling for life The decision came after Armstrong announced he was dropping his fight against USADA's charges that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the most prestigious event in the sport from 1999 to 2005 Link copiedShareShare articleTake a look at the key players in the Four Corners investigation into the Lance Armstrong doping scandal: The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) has found that Lance Armstrong was using performance enhancing drugs throughout his racing career and that he formed part of an organised conspiracy by the US Postal Service Team to conceal their 'doping' from the authorities ...direct documentary evidence including financial payments scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding Referring to the widespread use of doping in cycling, USADA said the report must put an end to what they call the "EPO and blood doping era". USADA statement and dossier New Zealand cyclist Stephen Swart has alleged that Lance Armstrong offered him $50,000 in 1993 to help fix the outcome of a series of races in the US worth $1 million in prize money Swart gave sworn testimony about the alleged offer: Question: What was the offer?Swart: If my memory serves me right we didn’t be aggressive and challenge for the rest of the race and obviously for the final race in Philadelphia …Question: So is it fair to say that you were offered money to not challenge Mr Armstrong to allow him to win?Swart: That’s correct...Question: Did you guys agree to keep this quiet?Swart: Yes...Question: Why?Swart: Well it’s not a – it’s not ethical if you look at it in the sporting arena Lance Armstrong has denied making any such offer Armstrong went on to win the 1993 Thrift Drug Triple Crown of Cycling - comprising three races: the Thrift Drug Classic in Pittsburgh the K-Mart Classic of West Virginia and the CoreStates Championship in Philadelphia - and with it the million dollar reward were close friends with Lance Armstrong during the 1990s and Frankie rode with Armstrong on his team Ms Andreu says she was in a room with Armstrong at Indiana University Hospital where he was being treated for cancer in 1996 when she said Armstrong made a startling admission: "...the doctor started asking Lance a couple of banal questions have you ever used any performance enhancing drugs My eyes popped out of my head and Frankie said 'I think we should leave the room'..." Frankie Andreu corroborated Betsy’s account of what occurred but Armstrong denied the exchange with his doctors had taken place In his deposition when asked what might have been Betsy's motive Question: Is it your testimony that Mr Andreu was also lying when he said that he heard you say those things regarding your prior use I think he's trying to back up his old lady… But in her interview with Four Corners Ms Andreu remains undeterred: Question: Are you absolutely certain that he said that?Betsy Andreu: Indubitably Emma O'Reilly was a US Postal Service Team soigneur and Armstrong's personal masseuse in 1998 and 1999 It was during a post-race massage that she says she overheard an urgent discussion took place between Armstrong and his management team about how to handle a positive test for cortisone In her deposition Ms O'Reilly said a decision was taken to issue a prescription to Armstrong for cortisone cream for saddle sores - and backdate it Armstrong responded aggressively to her evidence and in his own deposition suggested she had invented the story because she bore a grudge against the team director Johan Bruyneel Afraid that we were going to out her as a… as a whore In her interview with Four Corners Ms O'Reilly explained her motivation: "All I did was tell the truth and it was actually never about Lance Armstrong later sued Ms O'Reilly for a million Euros – a lawsuit which he later dropped Joerg Jaksche is a German cyclist who began his professional career in 1997 He later admitted to EPO doping during his very first Tour de Suisse in the same year one day he took me by his side like a father.. "So I was confronted with the situation that there is organised doping in cycling." In the mid-2000s Jaksche says he began blood doping along with the American cyclist Tyler Hamilton In 2006 Spanish police conducted a raid against Dr Fuentes and found blood bags Jaksche was suspended by his team and decided to confess Question: In the end why did you decide to come clean I didn’t like the hypocrisy in the sport....the Operación Puerto in which I was implicated also and in which a lot of riders were implicated they kind of showed me the real face of people running the cycling system And the same people that first brought me to Fuentes or asked me to do EPO doping or use other performance-enhancing drugs they were the same people that suddenly started a movement for the credible cycling and were pointing the finger at us riders Jaksche later gave detailed evidence to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) implicating team officials and doctors in systematic doping Phil Anderson was Australia’s best-known professional cyclist and was the first non-European rider ever to wear the coveted yellow jersey During the 1990s he mentored a young Lance Armstrong who was making his debut on the professional circuit as a member of the Motorola team Anderson says he never saw Armstrong use or even discuss performance-enhancing drugs: he'll always be the champion that won seven tours.. I can only name half of the riders that got second during those tours." New Zealand cyclist Stephen Swart claimed that Phil Anderson was present when Lance Armstrong offered him $50,000 to fix the outcome of a race Anderson told Four Corners he has no memory of any such meeting taking place NB: Sworn depositions (2005-2006) are taken from a case brought by Lance Armstrong against an insurer (SCA Promotions) based in Dallas The insurer guaranteed huge bonuses to Armstrong for winning the Tour de France in successive years but refused to pay Armstrong after his sixth Tour de France victory in 2004 Watch the Four Corners report The World According to Lance Read the USADA statement and dossier CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) After 40 years in prison French justice has ordered the conditional release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah Arrested in 1984 and sentenced to life imprisonment for complicity in the assassinations of a U.S Abdallah has become a symbol of resistance for some and a divisive figure for others and website in this browser for the next time I comment