bbc--2020-08-17--Democratic National Convention: What to watch for at Biden's nomination party

Balloons .
Confetti .
Signs .
Big hats .
It 's the moment US election enthusiasts have been waiting four years for .
It 's convention season .
This week kicks off with the Democratic National Convention - four days of party events leading up to the main moment : crowning the presidential nominee .
Of course this year , things are going to look a bit different .
Here 's everything you need to know about this year 's convention , Covid-19 changes and all .
What is the Democratic National Convention ?
It is where the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hype up - their candidates .
You may be thinking , 'is n't Joe Biden already the nominee ? '
Yes - and no .
He 's certainly the presumptive Democratic candidate , but things are n't party-official until they announce it at the convention .
Party members will also unveil the 2020 Democratic platform , the list of party values and policy priorities which they believe distinguish them from their rival Republicans .
OK , so where and when is the 2020 convention ?
Officially , it 's being held in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midwestern state of Wisconsin , from Monday 17 August to Thursday 20 August .
But Covid-19 restrictions and concerns mean that the only people attending in-person will be those necessary to orchestrating the event .
Instead of 50,000 people gathering for the traditional calendar with days full of speeches , receptions and rallies , sessions will be streamed from the Democratic Party 's social media channels and aired live on most US news channels from 21:00 to 23:00 EDT each night .
How to follow the convention You can watch the convention here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GMT the next day ) every night between 17 and 20 August ) .
More on Joe Biden and the 2020 election BIDEN ON KEY ISSUES : What the US presidential hopeful wants to do POLLS : Who is ahead - Trump or Biden ?
US ELECTIONS 2020 : A really simple guide to the US election ELECTORAL COLLEGE : What is it ?
Will Joe Biden be there ?
Mr Biden will not be in Wisconsin .
The presumptive nominee will be dialling in from his home state of Delaware on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech from the Chase Center , in Wilmington .
Ms Harris will also speak at the same venue a day earlier .
• Where Joe Biden stands on the key issues Who are the speakers this year ?
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are closing out Wednesday and Monday night respectively .
Senator Bernie Sanders is also scheduled to address the virtual crowds on Monday night .
Former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden will be the final two speeches on Tuesday , after remarks from several lawmakers , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former secretary of state and the 2016 nominee , will take a prime time slot on Wednesday night , as will Senator Elizabeth Warren .
• How Kamala Harris could help - or hurt - Joe Biden Biden 's vice-presidential pick Kamala Harris will also get a chance to address the nation with an acceptance speech on Wednesday .
What to watch out for This political convention wo n't look like any we 've seen before but the stakes are as high as ever .
First and foremost , this is Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will attack President Trump not just for his policies - which he says have `` left the US in tatters '' - but for his behaviour in the White House .
Biden frames this election as a `` fight for the soul of the nation '' and will present himself as the candidate who can unite and heal America .
There have been doubts , encouraged by his political adversaries , that the 77-year-old has lost a step in recent years .
He 's traditionally been a compelling public speaker , and Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment and put doubts about his endurance and ability to bed for good .
Biden will use the convention to appeal to a national audience tuning into the campaign for the first time - especially independents and moderate Republicans - but he also needs to energise the base , including those on the left of the party .
Barack Obama was the last Democrat to build a winning coalition - with the former president , and his wife Michelle , closing out two nights , his campaign clearly hopes some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also a chance to highlight the party 's rising stars .
While Biden 's choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate has made her an heir apparent , there are other names on the speaking schedule who might someday challenge her .
That includes a gaggle of governors , such as New York 's Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom of California , five of Biden 's 2020 campaign rivals and several members of his vice-presidential short list .
Then there 's Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who at 30 is still several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but is already a power in the progressive wing of the party .
Will any of follow in the steps of then-state senator Obama in 2004 , and seize the moment ?
Why is a Republican on the bill ?
It 's rare , though not unprecedented , to have members of the other party show up .
This time , former Ohio Governor John Kasich , a Republican and Trump critic , is going to address the convention on Monday .
He represents moderate conservatives unhappy with the direction the president has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just be politicians speaking ?
Not to worry - you 'll hear from ordinary , relatable Americans too .
Planners have promised `` fewer people behind podiums - and more people in living rooms , on factory floors , at small businesses , and in schools and town squares '' .
This line-up includes educators , gun safety advocates , healthcare workers and even some former Republicans .
We 'll hear from a Pennsylvania farmer , Rick Telesz , who voted for Trump in 2016 , but changed his mind after his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war .
Another highlighted voice this year is gun safety advocate DeAndra Dycus , an Indiana mother whose 13-year-old son was shot and injured at a birthday party .
And it likely wo n't be just ordinary voters joining the e-party : expect appearances by celebrities .
In 2016 , we heard from actresses Meryl Streep and Lena Dunham , comedian Sarah Silverman and got a musical performance by Alicia Keys .
How is the candidate chosen ?
If you 've been following along with the primary election season so far , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formality for Biden .
Delegates from across the nation will vote at the convention for the candidate that won their state 's Democratic primary election or caucus .
They 're not obligated to do so , but at least this year , the options are limited with only Biden still in the running .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
As for those delegates who were promised to other candidates who 've since withdrawn from the race , they 're free to vote as they will .
Usually delegates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , but this year planners say a `` re-imagined roll call process will take convention viewers to all 57 states and territories '' on Tuesday .
If you want to know more about the delegate system , you can read about it in our guide to primaries and caucuses .
What happens next ?
Do n't worry , convention season is n't over yet .
We 've got the Republican National Convention coming up from August 24-27 though the pandemic has upended plans for that , too .
After that , presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general election on 3 November .
Make a note in your calendars for the debates too .
The first presidential debate is scheduled for 29 September with two more in October .

An appeal to multiple audiences: Biden will use the convention to appeal to a national audience tuning into the campaign for the first time - especially independents and moderate Republicans - but he also needs to energise the base, including those on the left of the party. Barack Obama was the last Democrat to build a winning coalition - with the former president, and his wife Michelle, closing out two nights, his campaign clearly hopes some of the Obama magic rubs off.


bbc--2020-08-17--England v Pakistan: Rain delays start of final day second Test

Last updated on .From the section Cricket Rain delayed play again at the start of day five in the second @ @ @ @ @ at the Ageas Bowl .
England , who lead the series 1-0 , are 7-1 @ @ @ @ @ 236 .
An overnight storm left the outfield sodden and , although the rain eased @ @ @ @ @ at 11:00 and 12:00 BST , a further one was scheduled for 12:50 .
Were @ @ @ @ @ play , it would be the fewest overs bowled in a Test in England since @ @ @ @ @ begins on Friday at the same ground .

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Second Test, Ageas Bowl, Southampton (day five of five) Pakistan 236: Rizwan 72, Abid 60, Broad 4-56 England 110-4 dec: Crawley 53, Abbas 2-28 Match drawn; England lead 1-0 in series Scorecard
England and Pakistan played out a draw in the second Test at the Ageas Bowl.
The result was already all but confirmed with bad weather decimating the Test.
More rain prevented play starting until 15:20 BST, after which England reached 110-4 in reply to Pakistan's 236 before the captains agreed to a draw at 18:05.
Zak Crawley made 53 and Dom Sibley 32 but fell in consecutive Mohammad Abbas overs. Ollie Pope was out for nine 15 minutes before the close.
Only 134.3 overs - less than a day and a half's play - were possible in the match, the shortest Test in England since 1987.
England will take a 1-0 lead into the third and final Test, which begins on Friday at the same ground.
The low-key final day's play was played in perfect, sunny conditions that were a far cry from the previous four.
Frustrations have been voiced that there has not been more play - the players left the field on the first two days for bad light when it did not feel overly dangerous, and when the entire third day was lost there was a two-hour period when it felt like there could have been action.
The Test ends with a strong feeling that cricket must do more. That said, this was only the third draw in the past 43 Tests in the UK.
Sun shines at last as Test drifts to a close
Had there been more play, this could have been a fascinating match.
The final day was a mere formality but still the action was watchable and the little play there was on previous days was thrilling.
England resumed on 7-1 on day five - in batting conditions greatly improved on the seamer-friendly previous days - and Crawley played with impressive intent given the situation.
The 22-year-old hit seven fours in reaching his third half-century in seven Tests. The frustration he showed after being trapped lbw playing across the line showed he wanted more runs to secure his place in the team more firmly.
Sibley was more sedate, as is his style, but it will be of concern that he was caught down the leg side. It is a form of dismissal that is becoming common for the opener.
With little to lose, Pakistan pushed for more wickets with attacking fields and caused England's batsmen problems. Pope went back to a ball from leg-spinner Yasir Shah that skidded on and trapped him lbw.
What else was learned in short Test?
Following defeat in the first Test, the tourists showed enough resilience to suggest the series finale will be competitive, weather permitting.
Mohammad Rizwan impressed with 72 in difficult conditions and Babar Azam hinted again at why he is so highly regarded by making 47. Abbas showed once again how effective he is in English conditions.
For England the major positive was the return to form of James Anderson.
He was far more penetrative than at Old Trafford and his 3-60 leaves him seven wickets short of 600 in Tests. Speculation about his retirement should quieten again for now.
Stuart Broad's incredible summer continued. Another four wickets mean he has 26 in four Tests this summer at an average of 12.38.
The situation fell horribly for Rory Burns when he had to face Shaheen Afridi and Abbas in bowler-friendly conditions on the fourth day with little to gain. He got a fourth-ball duck but has more than enough goodwill in the bank to keep his place.
'Experience in the bank for young batsmen' - what they said
England captain Joe Root: "It would have been nice to have a result possible at the end of today but on a pitch like that it was impossible.
"We knew we needed to be professional today and put those partnerships on. It's experience in the bank for a young batting line-up.
"Zak Crawley, in particular, played with great fluency on a wicket that was very difficult to feel in on. He played extremely well.
"We'll go into every game looking to win it and trying to win the series 2-0. It's nice to be in position going into the final game."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan on BBC Test Match Special: "After the disappointment of Manchester I expected England to blow Pakistan away here.
"When I saw the ball moving as it did on day one I thought if Pakistan get beyond 150 I'd be surprised, but they showed a huge amount of skill.
"Abid Ali played beautifully, Babar Azam is a class act and Mohammad Rizwan is a firecracker. He's the kind of cricketer I'd love to have in my team."
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali: "The best thing out of his Test is that we didn't have to bowl too much. It's a big Test coming up and hopefully we're fit and ready."
Player of the match Mohammad Rizwan: "I was looking forward to a good contest - we've worked hard for it - but unfortunately we couldn't play the full game."


bbc--2020-08-17--Former England keeper Hart to join Spurs after leaving Burnley

Former Burnley and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is set to join Tottenham on a free transfer .
The 33-year-old @ @ @ @ @ expired on 30 June .
Hart , then England keeper , fell from favour after @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 , with loans to Torino and West Ham before a 2018 move to @ @ @ @ @ his place to Tom Heaton midway through the first season of a two-year contract and @ @ @ @ @ the bench behind Nick Pope .
He is due to have a medical and will @ @ @ @ @ be Hugo Lloris ' deputy at Spurs .

Last updated on .From the section Tottenham
Joe Hart was first-choice goalkeeper for England at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship
Former Burnley and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has joined Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.
Hart, 33, has signed a two-year deal with Spurs after leaving the Clarets when his contract expired on 30 June.
Hart fell out of favour at Manchester City - while still England's first choice - after Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016, with loan spells at Torino and West Ham before a 2018 move to Burnley.
"I feel I've got a lot of quality and a lot in the bank," said Hart.
I've got nothing holding me back - Hart
Having won the last of his 75 England caps in November 2017, he lost his Burnley place to Tom Heaton midway through the first season of a two-year deal and then spent 2019-20 on the bench behind Nick Pope.
Tottenham announced Hart's signing on Tuesday and he will compete with Paulo Gazzaniga to be Hugo Lloris' deputy at the north London club.
"I'm here to help the team any way I can. Be it on the field, off the field, I'm here to try and push the club forward," Hart added.
"No getting away from it, it has been a couple of difficult years for me on the football field - but I feel I've got so much more to give."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-08-16--'This Man Utd side have been exposed as nearly men'

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set up this Europa League meeting with Sevilla by insisting `` semi-finals are not good enough for Manchester United '' .
They are certainly not good enough when you keep losing them .
Sevilla 's 2-1 win in Cologne was the third time this season that manager Solskjaer and his Manchester United team have failed in the last four , following on from the Carabao Cup exit against Manchester City and the David de Gea-driven FA Cup defeat by Chelsea at Wembley .
• Sevilla come from behind to end United 's hopes • United have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The action as it happened from Stadion Koln Lack of ruthlessness must be addressed It sums up this United side who have been exposed as nearly men - Solskjaer 's first full campaign as Manchester United manager given respectability by finishing third in the Premier League with a recovery built on the signing of the outstanding Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January .
In reality , a top-four place with its reward of a spot in next season 's Champions League must be the minimum requirement for a club of Manchester United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that as well as anyone .
United have now gone three seasons without a trophy for the first time in more than 30 years .
As United let the pain of defeat sink in , several clues emerged as to their weaknesses and how they must be addressed .
It was easy to see why Solskjaer craves the added pace and creativity of Borussia Dortmund 's Jadon Sancho , as superiority and chances were wasted in a siege at the start of the second half when he would have backed Anthony Martial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bounou with at least one of the opportunities he had .
United 's lack of ruthlessness always risked haunting them against Sevilla , the Europa League specialists who won the tournament three times in succession not so long ago , and they paid the heaviest price when former Newcastle United forward Luuk de Jong swept in a cross from Jesus Navas , once of Manchester City with 12 minutes remaining .
What Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were doing , ball watching and generally allowing De Jong a free run for the winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a lapse that had unedifying recriminations as Fernandes angrily confronted Lindelof , who did not take the lecture lying down .
Frustration yes , but it was all too late .
Solskjaer 's desire for reinforcements was also illustrated by his refusal to make substitutions until very late .
Too late as it turned out .
Juan Mata , Daniel James and Timothy Fosu-Mensah were introduced with three minutes of normal time left , striker Odion Ighalo at the start of six minutes of stoppage time .
Solskjaer should have acted earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had no real faith in those behind him on the bench to change a Europa League semi-final that was getting away from Manchester United .
These are the sort of things he will be expecting United 's transfer negotiators and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to put right in these next few weeks .
And what about De Gea 's position in goal ?
De Gea was surprisingly restored ahead of Sergio Romero in Cologne .
It was a surprise because the Argentine has figured prominently in United 's Europa League campaign while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmitigated personal nightmare against Chelsea in the FA Cup .
It looks as if the Spain international will have Dean Henderson back from a successful loan spell at Sheffield United to breathe down his neck , with the Blades trying to complete an £18.5m deal for Bournemouth 's Aaron Ramsdale .
De Gea , who was not at fault here it must be stressed , must now step up in the face of improved and increased competition , which will be to Solskjaer and Manchester United 's benefit .
Manchester United have plenty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerging midfield partnership of Fernandes and Paul Pogba and an attack of pace and variety in the shape of Martial , Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood - with the possibility of Sancho still to come .
The record this season shows , however , that Manchester United have not come up with the goods in the cups when the pressure is on and are light years behind champions Liverpool in the Premier League , finishing 33 points adrift of Jurgen Klopp 's champions .
Nearly is nowhere near good enough for Manchester United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to secure that vital first piece of silverware .
A top-four place and Champions League football provides a measure of optimism and momentum - but this latest failure shows Manchester United still have a long way to go .
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It was Manchester United's third defeat in a cup semi-final this year
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set up this Europa League meeting with Sevilla by insisting "semi-finals are not good enough for Manchester United". They are certainly not good enough when you keep losing them.
Sevilla's 2-1 win in Cologne was the third time this season that manager Solskjaer and his Manchester United team have failed in the last four, following on from the Carabao Cup exit against Manchester City and the David de Gea-driven FA Cup defeat by Chelsea at Wembley.
Lack of ruthlessness must be addressed
Sevilla 2-1 Man Utd: ‘It’s hard to take’ - Solskjaer reflects on Europa League defeat
It sums up this United side who have been exposed as nearly men - Solskjaer's first full campaign as Manchester United manager given respectability by finishing third in the Premier League with a recovery built on the signing of the outstanding Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January.
In reality, a top-four place with its reward of a spot in next season's Champions League must be the minimum requirement for a club of Manchester United's status and ambition. Solskjaer will understand that as well as anyone.
United have now gone three seasons without a trophy for the first time in more than 30 years. As United let the pain of defeat sink in, several clues emerged as to their weaknesses and how they must be addressed.
It was easy to see why Solskjaer craves the added pace and creativity of Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho, as superiority and chances were wasted in a siege at the start of the second half when he would have backed Anthony Martial to beat Sevilla's excellent keeper Yassine Bounou with at least one of the opportunities he had.
United's lack of ruthlessness always risked haunting them against Sevilla, the Europa League specialists who won the tournament three times in succession not so long ago, and they paid the heaviest price when former Newcastle United forward Luuk de Jong swept in a cross from Jesus Navas, once of Manchester City with 12 minutes remaining.
Solskjaer's decisions betray lack of squad depth
Victor Lindelof (pictured) argued with team-mate Bruno Fernandes after the second Sevilla goal
What Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were doing, ball watching and generally allowing De Jong a free run for the winner, only they will know.
It was a lapse that had unedifying recriminations as Fernandes angrily confronted Lindelof, who did not take the lecture lying down. Frustration yes, but it was all too late.
Solskjaer's desire for reinforcements was also illustrated by his refusal to make substitutions until very late. Too late as it turned out.
Juan Mata, Daniel James and Timothy Fosu-Mensah were introduced with three minutes of normal time left, striker Odion Ighalo at the start of six minutes of stoppage time.
Solskjaer should have acted earlier but the fact he did not suggests he had no real faith in those behind him on the bench to change a Europa League semi-final that was getting away from Manchester United.
These are the sort of things he will be expecting United's transfer negotiators and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to put right in these next few weeks.
And what about De Gea's position in goal?
David de Gea played only his second Europa League match of the season
De Gea was surprisingly restored ahead of Sergio Romero in Cologne. It was a surprise because the Argentine has figured prominently in United's Europa League campaign while De Gea's last semi-final was an unmitigated personal nightmare against Chelsea in the FA Cup.
It looks as if the Spain international will have Dean Henderson back from a successful loan spell at Sheffield United to breathe down his neck, with the Blades trying to complete an £18.5m deal for Bournemouth's Aaron Ramsdale.
De Gea, who was not at fault here it must be stressed, must now step up in the face of improved and increased competition, which will be to Solskjaer and Manchester United's benefit.
Manchester United have plenty going for them, such as the emerging midfield partnership of Fernandes and Paul Pogba and an attack of pace and variety in the shape of Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood - with the possibility of Sancho still to come.
The record this season shows, however, that Manchester United have not come up with the goods in the cups when the pressure is on and are light years behind champions Liverpool in the Premier League, finishing 33 points adrift of Jurgen Klopp's champions.
Nearly is nowhere near good enough for Manchester United and Solskjaer has missed out on the opportunity to secure that vital first piece of silverware.
A top-four place and Champions League football provides a measure of optimism and momentum - but this latest failure shows Manchester United still have a long way to go.


bbc--2020-08-17--What to watch for at US Democratic convention

Balloons .
Confetti .
Signs .
Big hats .
It 's the moment US election enthusiasts have been waiting four years for .
It 's convention season .
This week kicks off with the Democratic National Convention - four days of party events leading up to the main moment : crowning the presidential nominee .
Of course this year , things are going to look a bit different .
Here 's everything you need to know about this year 's convention , Covid-19 changes and all .
What is the Democratic National Convention ?
It is where the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hype up - their candidates .
You may be thinking , 'is n't Joe Biden already the nominee ? '
Yes - and no .
He 's certainly the presumptive Democratic candidate , but things are n't party-official until they announce it at the convention .
Party members will also unveil the 2020 Democratic platform , the list of party values and policy priorities which they believe distinguish them from their rival Republicans .
OK , so where and when is the 2020 convention ?
Officially , it 's being held in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midwestern state of Wisconsin , from Monday 17 August to Thursday 20 August .
But Covid-19 restrictions and concerns mean that the only people attending in-person will be those necessary to orchestrating the event .
Instead of 50,000 people gathering for the traditional calendar with days full of speeches , receptions and rallies , sessions will be streamed from the Democratic Party 's social media channels and aired live on most US news channels from 21:00 to 23:00 EDT each night .
How to follow the convention You can follow the action and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live page from 2130 BST/ 1630 EST which you will find on the BBC News front page .
All the latest developments will also be tweeted @ BBCNorthAmerica You can also watch the convention on the DNC website ( sessions from 21:00-23:00 ET ( 01:00-03:00 GMT the next day ) every night between 17 and 20 August ) .
More on Joe Biden and the 2020 election BIDEN ON KEY ISSUES : What the US presidential hopeful wants to do POLLS : Who is ahead - Trump or Biden ?
US ELECTIONS 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US election ELECTORAL COLLEGE : What is it ?
ONE-STOP-SHOP : All our US election coverage Will Joe Biden be there ?
Mr Biden will not be in Wisconsin .
The presumptive nominee will be dialling in from his home state of Delaware on Thursday night , and he will deliver his speech from the Chase Center , in Wilmington .
Ms Harris will also speak at the same venue a day earlier .
• Where Joe Biden stands on the key issues Who are the speakers this year ?
Former President Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out Wednesday and Monday night respectively .
Senator Bernie Sanders is also scheduled to address the virtual crowds on Monday night .
Former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden will be the final two speeches on Tuesday , after remarks from several lawmakers , including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
Hillary Clinton , former secretary of state and the 2016 nominee , will take a prime time slot on Wednesday night , as will Senator Elizabeth Warren .
• How Kamala Harris could help - or hurt - Joe Biden Biden 's vice-presidential pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the nation with an acceptance speech on Wednesday .
What to watch out for This political convention wo n't look like any we 've seen before but the stakes are as high as ever .
Here 's what I 'm looking out for : Biden as the anti-Trump : First and foremost , this is Joe Biden 's moment in the spotlight .
He will attack President Trump not only for his policies - which he says have `` left the US in tatters '' - but for his behaviour in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election as a `` fight for the soul of the nation '' and will present himself as the candidate who can unite and heal America .
Signs of weakness : There have been doubts , encouraged by his political adversaries , that the 77-year-old has lost a step in recent years .
He 's traditionally been a compelling public speaker , and Democrats will be hoping he can rise to the moment and put doubts about his endurance and ability to bed for good .
An appeal to multiple audiences : Biden will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national audience tuning into the campaign for the first time - especially independents and moderate Republicans - but he also needs to energise the base , including those on the left of the party .
Barack Obama was the last Democrat to build a winning coalition - with the former president , and his wife Michelle , closing out two nights , his campaign clearly hopes some of the Obama magic rubs off .
The rising stars : While Biden 's choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate has made her an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the speaking schedule who might someday challenge her .
That includes a gaggle of governors , such as New York 's Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom of California , five of Biden 's 2020 campaign rivals and several members of his vice-presidential short list .
Then there 's Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who at 30 is still several cycles away from a possible presidential bid but is already a power in the progressive wing of the party .
Will any of them follow in the steps of then-state senator Obama in 2004 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a Republican on the bill ?
It 's rare , though not unprecedented , to have members of the other party show up .
This time , former Ohio Governor John Kasich , a Republican and Trump critic , is going to address the convention on Monday .
He represents moderate conservatives unhappy with the direction the president has taken the Republican Party .
Will it just be politicians speaking ?
Not to worry - you 'll hear from ordinary , relatable Americans too .
Planners have promised `` fewer people behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms , on factory floors , at small businesses , and in schools and town squares '' .
This line-up includes educators , gun safety advocates , healthcare workers and even some former Republicans .
We 'll hear from a Pennsylvania farmer , Rick Telesz , who voted for Trump in 2016 , but changed his mind after his family farm suffered amid the president 's trade war .
Another highlighted voice this year is gun safety advocate DeAndra Dycus , an Indiana mother whose 13-year-old son was shot and injured at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be just ordinary voters joining the e-party : expect appearances by celebrities .
In 2016 , we heard from actresses Meryl Streep and Lena Dunham , comedian Sarah Silverman and got a musical performance by Alicia Keys .
How is the candidate chosen ?
If you 've been following along with the primary election season so far , you know why the nomination vote is a formality for Biden .
Delegates from across the nation will vote at the convention for the candidate that won their state 's Democratic primary election or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so , but at least this year , the options are limited with only Biden still in the running .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
As for those delegates who were promised to other candidates who 've since withdrawn from the race , they 're free to vote as they will .
Usually delegates are in the convention hall when they vote , but this year planners say a `` re-imagined roll call process will take convention viewers to all 57 states and territories '' on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the delegate system , you can read about it in our guide to primaries and caucuses .
What happens next ?
Do n't worry , convention season is n't over yet .
We 've got the Republican National Convention coming up from August 24-27 though the pandemic has upended plans for that , too .
After that , presidential campaigning will be in full force until the general election on 3 November .
Make a note in your calendars for the debates too .
The first presidential debate is scheduled for 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The US election process can be confusing .
The BBC is here to help make sense of it .
Please put your questions below .
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .


bbc--2020-08-17--US Postal Service row: What is it about?

Slower mail delivery times in the US have raised concerns about how one of the oldest and most trusted institutions in the US - the Postal Service - can handle an unprecedented influx of mail-in ballots in November 's election .
This year fewer voters are expected to vote in-person amid the coronavirus pandemic , in which the US has seen the highest number of deaths and infections in the world .
That drop-off is expected to lead to an unprecedented influx of voters submitting their ballot by mail .
It 's up to states to determine how they arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some are not ready .
A political appointee recently hired by President Donald Trump to run the US Postal Service ( USPS ) has been accused by top Democrats of implementing changes to how mail is processed in a deliberate effort to `` sabotage the election '' .
Republicans and Mr Trump counter that the new measures are needed to address the agency 's multi-million dollar budget shortfall .
Mr Trump has said the price tag for emergency funds requested by Congress to shore up mail-in voting is too expensive and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he told Fox News he was blocking $ 25bn in the latest draft coronavirus relief bill in order to prevent the expansion of voting by mail .
Meanwhile , delivery times on everything from postcards to medicines have already slowed and Congress has recalled lawmakers to Washington to address the growing crisis .
• Pelosi to recall House to 'save ' the post office Is there evidence of an intentional slowdown ?
In May , Republican megadonor Louis DeJoy was tapped by the White House to be the first postmaster general in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from within the agency 's own ranks .
Seeking to address the $ 160bn ( £122bn ) budget shortfall at the USPS , in July Mr Dejoy implemented several new measures which have come under scrutiny .
US media report that more than 600 mail sorting machines are being decommissioned head of the presidential election this November .
This would represent around 10 % of the service 's machines , but the Postal Service has said it `` routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been down so far this year , but there are concerns the reduction in machines - which process millions of pieces of mail per hour - could limit the handling capacity of postal ballots in the build-up to the election .
Postal unions have confirmed some machines have already been removed , but President Trump 's chief of staff Mark Meadows says no more will be extracted from service ahead of the election .
The option of overtime for employees is also being restricted , and additional trips to ensure mail is delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service says this is to save costs and improve efficiency , but employees say the move has led to delays .
What are states doing ?
Many polling stations in the US are often staffed by elderly volunteers who this year are expected to stay home due to their risk of falling ill from Covid-19 .
Other elections held during the pandemic , such as a much-criticised primary race in Georgia , have seen a majority of polling places closed due to a lack of staff and long queues form at those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chosen to respond by posting a ballot to every single registered voter in the state - a practice known as universal mail-in voting .
Nevada and New Jersey have in the past month become the latest states to implement universal mail-in voting .
Other states require voters to request a ballot be sent to them , while some Republican-controlled states such as Texas , Louisiana and Mississippi - but also Democrat-controlled New York - have said that a fear of catching coronavirus is not a good enough justification to vote by mail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to states to inform them that their election laws might mean that some ballots are returned too late to be counted .
Some states , such as Pennsylvania , are attempting to change laws so that ballots that arrive days after election day can still qualify .
• Democrats call for probe into US postal service Is mail voting more prone to fraud ?
Mr Trump has claimed that expanded mail-in voting would lead to the `` the most corrupt election '' in US history and even suggested delaying the election , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , to stop postal ballots leading to `` inaccurate and fraudulent '' results .
Critics say people could vote more than once via absentee ballots and then again in person .
But there is no evidence of widespread fraud , according to numerous nationwide and state-level studies over the years , apart from a few instances .
But these are rare incidents , and the rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004 % and 0.0009 % , according to a 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ‘ tremendous fraud ’ ?
Why is the post office in debt ?
Unlike other government agencies , the USPS does not run on taxpayer money and instead relies on revenue from mail and packages , as well as other services .
However , mail volume has dropped by 30 % since 2006 , according to NBC News .
It comes amid the rise of email and other computer-based messaging tools .
A May analysis by the US Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) found that $ 78bn had been lost in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , as increased delivery costs .
A law passed in 2006 required the USPS to pre-fund the pensions for all employees going 75 years into the future , a move that experts say cost around $ 72bn and is not required by any other federal agency or private company .
Can they handle an influx ?
Experts say the post office could easily absorb the expected influx of mail , even if every single eligible American were to vote by mail in November .
In the week before Christmas , the USPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 500 million cards per day .
And that 's not including packages .
According to a New York Times analysis , about 80m ballots might be sent through the mail this year - more than double than were sent in the 2016 election .
What do Americans think ?
The Postal Service is one of the oldest and most trusted institutions in the US , with its history often given a prime place in school textbooks .
The first postmaster general was chosen by the Second Continental Congress to be US Founding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's own postal career had began in 1737 when Great Britain chose him to be the postmaster of Philadelphia .
Absentee voting , which President Trump himself regularly uses , was born on the battlefields of the Civil War , according to National Geographic , with thousands of deployed soldiers sending their completed ballots in the mail back to their home states .
A survey in April by the Pew Research Center found that 91 % of Americans have a favourable view of it , making it the country 's favourite government agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about an 18 % approval rating , according to a Gallup poll from July .
Several Democratic lawmakers have called for an investigation into the new changes that have caused delivery delays , and have asked Mr DeJoy to testify to Congress next Monday in an emergency hearing .
The grilling he is expected to received will be held on the first day of the Republican National Convention , setting the stage for a bitter partisan fight .
`` The American people want their mail , medicines , and mail-in ballots delivered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election , '' said House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney , as she announced Mr DeJoy 's decision to voluntarily testify .
The committee 's top Republican welcomed the news by attacking Democrats for pushing a `` wild and baseless conspiracy theory about the United States Postal Service '' .
Meanwhile , several state attorneys general have said they are considering suing the Trump administration to block the changes to the Postal Service .

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bbc--2020-08-18--Bill Morneau: Canada finance minister quits amid charity probe

Canada 's finance minister has said he will resign after conflict-of-interest allegations involving WE Charity .
Bill Morneau has faced pressure to step down after it was revealed he did not repay travel costs covered by WE while on overseas trips to see its work .
He said he recently realised he had not repaid the C $ 41,000 in expenses and has since written a cheque .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also facing scrutiny for his and his family 's involvement with the charity .
Mr Morneau said he will step down from his position in the Liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of parliament for his Ontario riding , Toronto Centre .
• A simple guide to the new crisis engulfing Trudeau Addressing the media on Monday , Mr Morneau said he was no longer the `` appropriate person '' for his role in Mr Trudeau 's cabinet , but said the WE scandal did not prompt his decision to resign .
`` I met with the prime minister today to inform him that I did not plan to run again in the next election , '' he told reporters .
`` It has never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than two federal election cycles . ''
The finance minister said his successor should have a `` longer term perspective '' as Canada tackles its economic recovery amid the Covid-19 outbreak .
Mr Morneau has served in the Trudeau government since the prime minister was first elected in 2015 .
In a statement , Mr Trudeau thanked Mr Morneau for his `` unwavering leadership and commitment to service '' as well as his `` advice , and close friendship '' throughout his tenure .
It was reported last week that Mr Trudeau had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Canada Governor Mark Carney to be an informal adviser on the Covid-19 recovery plan .
Mr Carney has previously been touted as a future Liberal party leadership contender .
Meetings between Mr Carney and the prime minister fuelled reports that Mr Trudeau had plans to fire Mr Morneau .
But Mr Morneau on Monday refuted such speculation , denying that Mr Trudeau had asked him to resign .
Canada 's finance minister says he has plans to put in a bid to be the next secretary general for the Organisation for Economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a move he says is supported by the prime minister .

"I met with the prime minister today to inform him that I did not plan to run again in the next election," he told reporters. "It has never been my plan to run for more than two federal election cycles."


bbc--2020-08-17--Two men charged with 2002 murder of Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay

Two men have been charged with the nearly 18-year old unsolved murder of Jason Mizell , known as Jam Master Jay of the hip hop trio Run-DMC .
The late DJ was shot in 2002 by a masked man in his recording studio in Queens , New York .
On Monday , prosecutors said Mizell was killed by acquaintances in a `` drug related homicide '' .
The influential act he formed with Joseph `` Run '' Simmons and Darryl `` DMC '' McDaniel disbanded after his death .
They are famous for tracks such as It 's Tricky and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Attorney 's Office for the Eastern District of New York has alleged that Mizell was murdered by Ronald Washington , 56 , and Karl Jordan , 36 , who were upset that they had been cut out of a drug deal .
Mr Jordan was arrested on Sunday .
His accomplice is currently serving a prison sentence for robbery and will be formally charged next week , officials said .
They have both been charged with murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and other felony offences .
In a press conference on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 10kg of cocaine in the months before his death , and had threatened to cut out the suspects from the profit .
That dispute allegedly led to a murder plot .
Mizell was killed on 30 October 2002 while playing video games in his studio in Hollis , Queen , where he grew up as a child and had gone on to mentor other aspiring rappers .
`` They walked in and murdered him in cold blood , '' said prosecutor Seth DuCharme , adding that one of the men hugged Mizell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigating that case a very long time ago , in the early 2000s , but there were a lot of challenges in bringing that case , '' he continued , adding : `` For the crime of murder , the passage of time offers you no escape . ''
In court papers released in 2007 , Washington was first confirmed to be a suspect in Mizell 's murder .
The same documents name him as a suspect in the 1995 fatal shooting of Randy Walker , an associate of the rapper Tupac Shakur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either case , and in a sworn statement referred to Mizell as a `` childhood friend '' .
According to the New York Times , officials briefly pursued the theory that the killing stemmed from a dispute with rapper 50 Cent , who was a protégé of Mizell , but that theory was ruled out .
`` The gunshots that rang out in a recording studio in Queens nearly 18 years ago , taking this pioneering rap artist 's life , have been answered , '' said New York Police Department ( NYPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were announced .
`` Today 's indictment shows that no amount of time passed can erase the commitment of our NYPD detectives , federal law enforcement partners and prosecutors in the US Attorney 's Office for the Eastern District , to the pursuit of justice . ''
According to Rolling Stone , Run DMC `` officially retired '' one week after their DJ 's death , and have reunited infrequently since then .
Mizell left behind a wife and three children .

The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has alleged that Mizell was murdered by Ronald Washington, 56, and Karl Jordan, 36, who were upset that they had been cut out of a drug deal.


bbc--2020-08-17--China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang

A Uighur fashion model who filmed himself handcuffed to a bed in an epidemic prevention centre in Xinjiang has been lawfully detained , Chinese officials insist .
Merdan Ghappar sent video of himself , and a series of accompanying text messages , to his family in February .
They were passed to the BBC and published earlier this month .
The messages offered a rare , detailed account from inside Xinjiang 's highly secure and secretive detention system .
In his account , Mr Ghappar described 18 days spent shackled and hooded with over 50 others in a jail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an epidemic prevention centre , where he filmed the video .
Relatives say the 31-year-old was forcibly transported back to the far-western region of Xinjiang in January after completing a 16-month sentence for a drugs offence in the southern Chinese city of Foshan , where he 'd been living and working .
Now , more than two weeks after the BBC sent a list of questions to Chinese authorities , a response has come in the form of a written statement by the Xinjiang government press office .
`` According to article 37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Republic of China , '' it says , `` the people 's government shall help released prisoners to resettle . ''
`` During the transfer , Merdan Ghappar committed acts of self-harm and excessive acts against the police . ''
`` They took legal measures to stop him , and lifted those measures once his mood had stabilised , '' it continues .
• Who are the Uighurs ?
Although Mr Ghappar had spent years in Foshan - where friends and relatives say he made good money modelling clothes - he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kucha in Xinjiang .
We showed the Chinese government statement to Merdan Ghappar 's uncle , Abdulhakim Ghappar , who now lives in the Netherlands after leaving Xinjiang in 2011 .
`` If the police wanted to arrange help to get him resettled for work or something , they should have helped him in Foshan because he is working there , he has a house there , '' he told me .
`` So , he should n't have been sent back to Kucha by force . ''
In addition , Abdulhakim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' was made to the family when Mr Ghappar was taken away in January .
The BBC has been shown evidence that the authorities were saying instead that `` he may need to do a few days of education at his local community '' .
The family believe that `` education '' is a clear euphemism for the network of highly secure re-education camps where more than one million mostly Muslim Uighurs have been detained in recent years - and which China insists are voluntary schools for anti-extremism training .
Thousands of children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recent research shows , women have been forcibly subjected to methods of birth control .
The government statement does not address of Mr Ghappar 's allegations of mistreatment which , along with the shackling and hooding , included hearing sounds of torture from elsewhere in the police jail .
`` One time I heard a man screaming from morning until evening , '' he wrote in one of his text messages .
Nor does the statement refer to his self-shot video showing him sitting in silence in the epidemic control centre , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly handcuffed to the bed .
Instead , it lists a range of behaviours , from violence to self-harm , implying that his treatment was proportionate and lawful .
`` He resisted epidemic prevention staff when they tried to take his temperature , verbally insulted them and beat them up , '' the statement says .
`` As these behaviours placed him under suspicion of committing a crime , the police have subjected him to forcible measures . ''
His case `` remains in process '' , it adds .
James Millward from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's policies in Xinjiang , provided a translation and analysis of Mr Ghappar 's text messages alongside the original BBC article .
`` It 's interesting that nothing in the Xinjiang government 's response addresses the description of conditions in the Kucha local police station ; the overcrowding , the beatings , the unsanitary conditions , the sharing of eight sets of eating utensils by 50-60 people , '' he told me .
`` Regardless of why Merdan was put in detention in Kucha , his description of those conditions , especially during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Darren Byler is an anthropologist at the University of Colorado , Boulder who has written and researched extensively about the Uighurs .
`` This message from the Chinese state authorities reflects the type of victim blaming that is often used by the police when caught using excessive force , '' he said after being shown a copy of the statement .
`` Since the re-education campaign began in 2017 , detainees have not been permitted to protest their internment .
Instead they 're required to maintain a 'good attitude ' and admit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torture . ''
The Chinese government statement also makes no mention of how Merdan Ghappar was able to send out the video of himself handcuffed to the bed from inside Xinjiang 's normally highly-secure and secretive detention system .
The Chinese government statement also makes no mention of how Merdan Ghappar was able to send out the video of himself handcuffed to the bed , along with his description of Xinjiang 's normally highly secure detention system .
Family members have previously told the BBC that , unknown to his guards , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reunited with some of his personal belongings in the epidemic prevention centre .
The 4 minutes 38 seconds of footage is the last the family have seen of him .
`` The Chinese police have a long history of abusing restraints as a means of torture , '' Senior China Researcher at Human Rights Watch , Maya Wang , told me .
`` They have also been persecuting Xinjiang 's Muslims , '' she added .
`` Taken together , I do n't think the authorities ' explanation concerning Merdan Ghappar is convincing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hide , it should give independent observers , including UN experts , unfettered access to Xinjiang . ''
The statement leaves a number of the BBC 's questions unanswered - was Mr Ghappar , as alleged , kept shackled with a sack on his head ?
Has his uncle Abdulhakim - who believes he is wanted in China as a result of what he says is his peaceful activism - been charged with any offence ?
For the family though it is at least , they say , the first official notification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being detained .
After a few brief days of communication , the text messages fell silent in early March , just as suddenly as they had begun .
`` I know him very well , '' Abdulhakim told me .
`` I do n't believe he harmed himself , I think China harmed him and now I think they want to find an excuse for what they did to him . ''
`` Please show me he is alive and well , otherwise I wo n't believe a word of this statement @ @

"I know him very well," Abdulhakim told me. "I don't believe he harmed himself, I think China harmed him and now I think they want to find an excuse for what they did to him.


bbc--2020-08-17--Turkey's hidden domestic abuse: A survivor's story

Around the world , lockdowns have led to a rise in domestic violence .
But in Turkey , rates of @ @ @ @ @ high even before the coronavirus pandemic .
Last year , more than 470 women were @ @ @ @ @ , according to campaigners .
Turkey ’ s ruling AK party has sparked controversy by @ @ @ @ @ treaty designed to protect women .

Around the world, lockdowns have led to a rise in domestic violence. But in Turkey, rates of violence against women were alarmingly high even before the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, more than 470 women were killed by men they knew, according to campaigners.
Turkey’s ruling AK party has sparked controversy by talking of withdrawing from a treaty designed to protect women.
Produced by Zeynep Erdim and Olivia Lace-Evans
Filmed by Tim Facey


bbc--2020-08-17--'Highest temperature on Earth' as Death Valley, US hits 54.4C

What could be the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth - 130F ( 54.4C ) - may have been reached in Death Valley National Park , California .
The recording is being verified by the US National Weather Service .
It comes amid a heatwave on the US 's west coast , where temperatures are forecast to rise further this week .
The scorching conditions have led to two days of blackouts in California , after a power plant malfunctioned on Saturday .
`` It 's an oppressive heat and it 's in your face , '' Brandi Stewart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park , told the BBC .
Ms Stewart has lived and worked at the national park on and off for five years .
She spends a lot of her time indoors in August because it 's simply too uncomfortable to be outside .
`` When you walk outside it 's like being hit in the face with a bunch of hairdryers , '' she said .
`` You feel the heat and it 's like walking into an oven and the heat is just all around you . ''
What were the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Furnace Creek in Death Valley .
Before this , the highest temperature reliably recorded on Earth was 129.2F ( 54C ) - also in Death Valley in 2013 .
A higher reading of 134F , or 56.6C a century earlier , also in Death Valley , is disputed .
It is believed by some modern weather experts to have been erroneous , along with several other searing temperatures recorded that summer .
• Summers could become 'too hot for humans' • Last decade confirmed as hottest on record According to a 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other temperatures in the region recorded in 1913 do not corroborate the Death Valley reading .
Another record temperature for the planet - 131F , or 55C - was recorded in Tunisia in 1931 , but Mr Burt said this reading , as well as others recorded in Africa during the colonial era , had `` serious credibility issues '' .
What about the heatwave ?
The current heatwave stretches from Arizona in the south-west , up the coast to Washington state in the north-west .
It is expected to hit its peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to drop later in the week .
However , the sweltering heat will continue for at least another 10 days .
As temperatures soared in California , a large `` firenado '' was observed on Saturday in Lassen County .
California 's Independent System Operator ( CISO ) , which manages the state 's power , has declared a Stage 3 Emergency , meaning `` when demand [ for electricity ] begins to outpace supply '' .
Because so much of the region 's power relies on solar and wind energy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air conditioning , during heatwaves the power grid becomes strained and is at risk of completely malfunctioning .
In order to manage the state 's demand for power and prevent a complete shutdown , officials are using scheduled rolling blackouts to control and conserve energy .
What are the effects of extreme heat ?
Officials define extreme heat as a period of two to three days of high heat and humidity , with temperatures above 90F ( 32C ) .
US public health body the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on average than any other extreme weather event in the country .
The immediate effects of heatwaves on the human body are heat cramps , dehydration and even potentially fatal heat strokes .
However , extreme heat can also exacerbate pre-existing health conditions , including respiratory diseases , heart conditions and kidney disorders , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) says .
• How to look after yourself in hot weather It can affect infrastructure , too .
As well as straining power grids and causing blackouts , extreme heat can ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inside of cars to overheat to dangerous levels .
Heatwaves can also have a severe impact on agriculture - either by causing vegetables to wilt and die , or by encouraging the spread of plant diseases .

"When you walk outside it's like being hit in the face with a bunch of hairdryers," she said. "You feel the heat and it's like walking into an oven and the heat is just all around you."


bbc--2020-08-17--Victoria Covid-19: Almost all cases linked to quarantine hotels

Almost all current cases of Covid-19 in Victoria , Australia , can be linked to returned travellers quarantined in the state , an inquiry has heard .
The inquiry also heard guards at quarantine hotels were given `` inappropriate '' training advice .
Australian media report that guards were told masks and other protection would not be necessary , as long as they adhered to 1.5m social distancing .
Victoria is currently in lockdown because of a second wave of infections .
Stricter `` stage four '' restrictions were put in place in the city of Melbourne on 2 August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victoria recorded 25 more deaths and 282 new cases of the virus , making it the state 's deadliest single day since the start of the pandemic .
At the end of March , Australia 's federal government said everyone returning to the country from abroad would need to enter mandatory quarantine programmes , which would be run by individual states .
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE BODY ?
Doctors on the front line explain • STRESS : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Ben Howden , director of the Melbourne-based infectious diseases centre Doherty Institute , told the inquiry into Victoria 's hotel quarantine system that genomic sequencing data suggested that at least 99 % of cases at the end of July could be traced to people who had returned after travelling abroad .
However , he did not specifically link the cases to people in these programmes or to any particular hotels .
The sequencing looked at 46 % of the state 's cases up to 23 July , he said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy of that clustering '' .
Barrister Tony Neal QC said the inquiry would aim to determine how the programme was structured and who was ultimately responsible for running it , as well as what improvements could be made for future quarantine programmes .
The quarantine programme `` fell short of its goal '' of preventing the spread of Covid-19 , and for some people in quarantine it was `` not clear who was in overall command of the operation '' , Mr Neal said .

The quarantine programme "fell short of its goal" of preventing the spread of Covid-19, and for some people in quarantine it was "not clear who was in overall command of the operation", Mr Neal said.


bbc--2020-08-17--Portugal president helps rescue two women in trouble at sea

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has helped rescue two women who came into difficulty at an Algarve beach when their kayak capsized .
The president , 71 , was pictured on Saturday swimming over to the kayakers who were struggling in the water .
He later told reporters that the women had been swept by currents from a neighbouring beach into the bay .
President Rebelo de Sousa is currently on holiday in the Algarve in a bid to promote tourism there .
Portugal 's economy relies heavily on its tourism industry , which has been hugely impacted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got abroad , but was it worth it ?
The president had just spoken to journalists at Praia do Alvor beach when he noticed the women struggling .
Video footage caught the moment he swam into the sea to assist them .
Another man was already there , trying to help turn the kayak over while a person on a jet ski also approached to offer help .
The man on the jet ski then managed to tow the kayak back to the shore .
After assisting the women , President Rebelo de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come from another beach .
`` As there is a very large west current , they were dragged out , turned around , swallowed a lot of water and were not even able to turn [ the kayak ] , nor to climb [ on it ] , or swim , such is the strength of the current , '' he told local media .
The president said he was helped by another `` patriot '' on the jet ski .
He warned that the women should be careful in future .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spending his holidays visiting different areas of the country to promote tourism .
Portugal remains off the list of countries that the UK government has exempted from quarantine restrictions .
The country is incredibly popular with British holidaymakers , with almost three million UK visitors a year .
More tourists from the UK head to the Algarve each summer than from any other country .

"As there is a very large west current, they were dragged out, turned around, swallowed a lot of water and were not even able to turn [the kayak], nor to climb [on it], or swim, such is the strength of the current," he told local media.


bbc--2020-08-17--Rafik Hariri tribunal: Verdict due over assassination of Lebanon ex-PM

The long-awaited verdict is due in the trial of four men allegedly involved in the killing of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri and 21 others in a 2005 bombing .
The defendants - suspected members of the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah - were tried in absentia by a special tribunal in the Netherlands .
Outrage at the attack in Beirut forced Hezbollah 's backer Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon after 29 years .
Hezbollah and Syria 's government denied any involvement in the attack .
More than 220 people were also injured when a van filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's convoy passed along Beirut 's seafront corniche .
The killing was a watershed moment for Lebanon and gave rise to rival alliances that shaped Lebanese politics for years afterwards .
Mr Hariri 's son , Saad , led the anti-Syrian , pro-Western grouping that emerged , and subsequently served three terms as prime minister himself .
He is expected to be at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon ( STL ) , which is based in a village on the outskirts of The Hague , when the verdict is delivered on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salim Jamil Ayyash , Hassan Habib Merhi , Hussein Hassan Oneissi and Assad Hassan Sabra - are not known .
None of them commented on the trial .
But their court-appointed defence lawyers dismissed the prosecution 's case , saying it relied on circumstantial evidence and did not prove they were guilty beyond reasonable doubt .
On the morning of 14 February 2005 , Rafik Hariri - then an MP who aligned himself with the opposition in parliament - was travelling in a motorcade past Beirut 's St George Hotel when a bomb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created a huge crater in the street , and left nearby vehicles smouldering and shopfronts blown out and blackened .
Hariri had been one of Lebanon 's most prominent Sunni politicians and at the time of his death had backed calls for Syria to withdraw its troops , which had been in Lebanon since 1976 following the start of the country 's civil war .
• Who are the men accused of killing Hariri ?
The killing brought tens of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets in protest against the pro-Syrian government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assassination pointed at Lebanon 's heavily influential neighbour .
The government resigned two weeks later and Syria withdrew its forces that April .
After collecting evidence , the UN and Lebanon 's government set up the STL in 2007 to investigate the bombing , and four suspects were ultimately put on trial in absentia on charges that included conspiracy to commit a terrorist act .
A fifth suspect , Hezbollah military commander Mustafa Amine Badreddine , was removed from the indictment after he was killed in Syria in 2016 .
Hezbollah 's supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the STL process is not politically neutral .
Why does the trial matter ?
Putting the four men on trial , albeit in absentia , was hailed as a historic moment for international justice and for Lebanon .
It demonstrated a will to hold accountable perpetrators of crimes in a country where patronage and protection might otherwise shield them from prosecution .
There were , though , deep divisions between those who supported having the trial and those who felt it was a political tool .
Hezbollah has vowed not to surrender the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is the most powerful military force in the country alongside the Lebanese army , and exercises wide influence over Lebanon 's caretaker government .
The end of the trial also comes at a time of deep crisis in Lebanon .
The country is still reeling from the catastrophic blast at Beirut 's port on 4 August , which killed at least 180 people and injured more than 6,000 others .
Even before that , Lebanon was in deep economic trouble , with a currency collapse , soaring inflation and spiralling unemployment triggering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes , fresh tensions are almost certain to follow .

Hariri's son Saad, who is himself a former prime minister, told reporters outside the court: "I think today everybody's expectation was much higher than what came out, but I believe the tribunal came out with a verdict that is satisfying and we accept it."


bbc--2020-08-17--Juan Carlos: Spain's former king confirmed to be in UAE

Spain 's former king Juan Carlos has been living in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) since 3 August , the Spanish royal palace has confirmed , putting an end to speculation over his whereabouts .
On 3 August , the ex-king made the shock announcement that he was leaving Spain amid a corruption investigation .
The 82-year-old travelled to the UAE on 3 August `` and he remains there '' , a spokesman said , giving no more details .
The ex-king 's finances are under scrutiny in a major corruption probe .
He denies any wrongdoing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to interview him .
Earlier this month , he announced the move in a letter to his son , Felipe , to whom he handed the throne six years ago .
He said at the time was making the decision `` in the face of the public repercussions that certain past events in my private life are generating '' and in the hope of allowing his son to carry out his functions as king with `` tranquillity '' .
It was first reported that he had travelled to the Dominican Republic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived in Abu Dhabi , the capital of the UAE .
However until now , neither the palace nor the government had confirmed his whereabouts .
The former king is said to have travelled to the UAE on several occasions since his abdication in 2014 .
He is reported to be close to a number of key figures including the UAE 's de facto leader , Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 after close to 40 years in power and handed power to his son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the throne came after a corruption investigation involving his daughter 's husband and a controversial elephant hunting trip the monarch took during Spain 's financial crisis .
The controversies however did not stop there .
In June this year , Spain 's Supreme Court launched an investigation into Juan Carlos 's alleged involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia , after the ex-king lost his immunity from prosecution following his abdication .
Juan Carlos played a pivotal role in Spain 's transition to democracy after Gen Francisco Franco 's death in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health declined in the final years of his reign , leading him to pass the baton to his son .

He said at the time was making the decision "in the face of the public repercussions that certain past events in my private life are generating" and in the hope of allowing his son to carry out his functions as king with "tranquillity".


bbc--2020-08-17--Quique Setien: Barcelona sack manager after Bayern thrashing

Barcelona have sacked manager Quique Setien , three days after his side 's humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League .
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman , who played for the Catalan giants between 1989 and 1995 , is set to replace Setien at the Nou Camp .
Former Real Betis manager Setien , 61 , was appointed in January and took charge for just 25 matches .
Barca finished second in La Liga this season , five points behind Real Madrid .
A new coach will be announced `` in the coming days , '' said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champions Bayern on Friday was the fourth time in the past five years they have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage of Europe 's elite competition .
Setien , who replaced Ernesto Valverde at the Nou Camp , had said after the defeat that it was `` time for us to review and take the decisions which are needed for the future '' .
After he was sacked on Monday , Barcelona said : `` This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team . ''
The club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , scheduled for June , will be brought forward to March 15 .
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said he would be the `` first to leave '' if the club wished to make changes .
Koeman is going to be given a two-year deal .
He would have said yes to a one-year deal .
He has been trying to get to Barcelona for a long while .
Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was contacted and there were talks with him even though the chairman realised the fans would n't like him [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
Pochettino is a better option .
There is no doubt about that .
But we 're not talking about the real issue .
A club that 's in disarray with a debt that some calculate could be 700m euros unable to move on because they spend 70 % of their income on wages for the first team .
They have no clear idea where to go next partly because they ca n't get rid of these guys and partly because they 've got no vision .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Quique Setien's Barcelona conceded eight goals in a match for the first time since April 1946
Barcelona have sacked manager Quique Setien, three days after his side's humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman, who played for the Catalan giants between 1989 and 1995, is set to replace Setien at the Nou Camp.
Former Real Betis manager Setien, 61, was appointed in January and took charge for just 25 matches.
Barca finished second in La Liga this season, five points behind Real Madrid.
A new coach will be announced "in the coming days," said the club.
Barca's thrashing by German champions Bayern on Friday was the fourth time in the past five years they have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage of Europe's elite competition.
Setien, who replaced Ernesto Valverde at the Nou Camp, had said after the defeat that it was "time for us to review and take the decisions which are needed for the future".
After he was sacked on Monday, Barcelona said: "This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team."
The club also announced next year's presidential elections, scheduled for June, will be brought forward to March 15.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said he would be the "first to leave" if the club wished to make changes.
Analysis
Guillem Balague, Spanish football expert speaking on Radio 5 Live
Koeman is going to be given a two-year deal. He would have said yes to a one-year deal. He has been trying to get to Barcelona for a long while.
Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was contacted and there were talks with him even though the chairman realised the fans wouldn't like him [as a former Espanyol player and manager].
Pochettino is a better option. There is no doubt about that.
But we're not talking about the real issue. A club that's in disarray with a debt that some calculate could be 700m euros unable to move on because they spend 70% of their income on wages for the first team.
They have no clear idea where to go next partly because they can't get rid of these guys and partly because they've got no vision.


bbc--2020-08-17--Major child sexual abuse trial begins in Germany

A cook has gone on trial in Cologne accused of sexually abusing his baby daughter , in Germany 's biggest post-war paedophile investigation .
Police say tens of thousands of people in paedophile networks viewed the pictures that Jörg L , 43 , posted on the Swiss secure messaging service Threema .
A raid on his home last October in Bergisch Gladbach , near Cologne , led police to investigate dozens more alleged paedophiles .
His wife will testify against him .
Eighty-seven suspected paedophiles have been identified in all 16 German states as a result of this case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months to 15 years , have been removed from abusive parents .
Three investigators traumatised by the images have taken sick leave .
Court spokesperson Michaela Brunssen said Jörg L `` is alleged to have committed sexual violence , sometimes severe violence , against his daughter in 61 cases '' .
German media say 130 investigators are still combing through terabytes of video and image files in this case .
For legal reasons Jörg L 's full name has not been given and , in order to protect his young daughter , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be given behind closed doors .
The trial is expected to last 11 days and Jörg L could face 15 years in jail .
• Germany urges paedophiles out of the shadows As many as 30,000 people are believed to be linked to the paedophile chat groups under investigation .
Some of the online chats had up to 1,800 participants at a time .
The indictment says Jörg L met up with one chat partner several times and they sexually abused each other 's children .
In May that man , a 27-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years in jail for severe sexual abuse .
Germany , and specifically North Rhine-Westphalia , has been rocked by several recent child abuse scandals : • In June 11 people were arrested for alleged sexual abuse of children after photographs and videos were found in a cellar in Münster .
At the time investigators said they had identified three victims aged five , 10 and 12 • In an earlier scandal , it was discovered that several men had abused children several hundred times at a campsite in Lügde between 1998 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the ages of three and 14 at the time

For legal reasons Jörg L's full name has not been given and, in order to protect his young daughter, his testimony and that of his wife will be given behind closed doors. The trial is expected to last 11 days and Jörg L could face 15 years in jail.


bbc--2020-08-17--Louisiana man goes from hospital security guard to medical student

A former security guard has returned to the hospital where he used to work , but this time as a medical student .
Eleven years ago , Russell Ledet , 34 , was a security guard at Baton Rouge General Medical Center , studying chemistry on flashcards on his shift .
Now , the ex-Navy intelligence officer has a PhD and is working towards a joint MD/MBA at Tulane University in his home-state of Louisiana .
`` It 's a dream come true , '' he told the BBC .
His story of full-circle success has been making headlines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national attention for organising a photo of 15 black med students in front of the former slave quarters at the Whitney Plantation , a slavery museum in Louisiana .
The photograph went viral , and since then he has co-founded a company called The 15 White Coats , whose mission is to raise money for minority medical students .
They also sent poster-sized copies of the photograph to schools across the US to inspire the next generation of black doctors .
`` When you go ask a black kid right now what does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to tell you a white male .
In order to change that , they got to see imagery that aligns with reality , '' Mr Ledet told the BBC .
Growing up in Lake Charles , Louisiana with a single mother , Mr Ledet never thought he would go to university , let alone earn a PhD in molecular oncology or go to medical school .
As a child , he remembers combing through dumpsters with his sister to find dinner .
`` I thought growing up only rich people go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrolled in the Navy after high school because it was `` a way out '' .
It was in the military where he says he started meeting people who showed him that success was possible - first in Washington , DC and then in Pensacola , Florida , where he studied to be a military cryptologic technician .
`` I started to realise that the world was more than where I was from , '' he says .
In Pensacola he met his wife , who he says was instrumental in encouraging him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife was like 'you 're smart as hell you just do n't know it yet ' , '' he remembers .
After several tours overseas , he left the Navy so that he and his wife could settle down and start a family .
They moved to Baton Rouge , Louisiana in 2009 , where he enrolled to study at Southern University and A & M College , a historically black college .
Although he had a full scholarship , he still had to work full time to make ends meet , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Baton Rouge General Medical Center .
He would attend classes during the day , and work from late afternoon to midnight , using any downtime to do his homework .
On Saturdays after finishing his shift , he would drive all night to Pensacola , where he was stationed as a reservist .
• The awkward questions about slavery from tourists in US South In the midst of it all , his first daughter was born , putting extra pressure on him to finish his degree and get a better-paying job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at New York University in molecular oncology .
`` I had accomplished all this stuff , and I thought : I can do anything .
The world became my oyster , '' he says .
His second daughter was born on 20 February , 2018 - the same day he got the news that he was accepted to Tulane University School of Medicine with a full scholarship .
Since returning to Baton Rouge General Medical Center in July as a medical student , he has reconnected with his old boss , who Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him when he was caught studying organic chemistry during his shift .
Mr Ledet says that after medical school he wants to work in paediatrics and psychiatry , so that he can help increase access to mental-health care in poor communities .
He hopes his success will inspire other young African Americans .
`` Coming from where I come from , nobody tells you that you can do things in the world , you can make an impact , '' he says .
`` If nobody tells you , you do n't know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can tell the kids . ''

The photograph went viral, and since then he has co-founded a company called The 15 White Coats, whose mission is to raise money for minority medical students. They also sent poster-sized copies of the photograph to schools across the US to inspire the next generation of black doctors.


bbc--2020-08-17--Microsoft Flight Simulator: The entire world in a game

Microsoft has revived its Flight Simulator series after more than a decade , promising gamers a replica of the entire @ @ @ @ @ It does so using new AI-driven technology - one that needs a constant fast internet @ @ @ @ @ best .
The BBC 's David Molloy took to the skies to find out if @ @ @ @ @ lofty promise .

Microsoft has revived its Flight Simulator series after more than a decade, promising gamers a replica of the entire globe to play on.
It does so using new AI-driven technology - one that needs a constant fast internet connection to work at its best.
The BBC's David Molloy took to the skies to find out if it lived up to its lofty promise.


bbc--2020-08-17--Belarus: Two rivals, two very different messages

'He threatened to burn us alive' The BBC speaks to some of those arrested and detained during anti-government protests in @ @

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko dismissed heckles by factory workers challenging his authority as anger mounts over his disputed re-election.
In contrast, the main opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya presented herself, in a video message, as willing to act as interim leader.
Read more: Belarus protests: Workers boo Lukashenko as election unrest spreads


bbc--2020-08-17--Thai protests: Thousands join rally in Bangkok

Police in Bangkok say 10,000 people joined an anti-government rally in the Thai capital on Sunday .
It 's thought @ @ @ @ @ the biggest in Thailand in six years .
Read more : Thousands gather in Bangkok @ @ @

Police in Bangkok say 10,000 people joined an anti-government rally in the Thai capital on Sunday.
It's thought the protest in Bangkok is the biggest in Thailand in six years.
Read more: Thousands gather in Bangkok to demand reforms


bbc--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Fighting fake news in a refugee camp

False beliefs about coronavirus are especially dangerous at South Sudan 's Yida refugee camp , which is ill-equipped for any @ @ @ @ @ haven ’ t even got the tools to take temperature , ” says Raga Gabreel @ @ @ @ @ Charity .
More than 46,000 people live in the Yida camp , most of them @ @ @ @ @ in neighbouring Sudan .
But some of the young refugees are doing their best to @ @ @ @ @ inform the camp ’ s residents .
More like this : Debunking fake coronavirus stories @ @

False beliefs about coronavirus are especially dangerous at South Sudan's Yida refugee camp, which is ill-equipped for any virus outbreak.
“They haven’t even got the tools to take temperature,” says Raga Gabreel, director of Green Kordofan Charity.
More than 46,000 people live in the Yida camp, most of them young people displaced by war in neighbouring Sudan.
But some of the young refugees are doing their best to fight the myths and accurately inform the camp’s residents.
Video producer: Georgina Pearce for BBC My World
More like this: Debunking fake coronavirus stories in Africa


bbc--2020-08-17--In pictures: Belarus rocked by anti-government protests

Belarus has been gripped by unprecedented mass protests , with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets in recent days .
The mounting anger was triggered by a disputed presidential election on 9 August that saw long-time authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko re-elected despite widespread allegations of vote-rigging .
The wave of anger has been fuelled further by police violence towards opposition supporters .
An opposition rally in the capital , Minsk , on Sunday was described by local media as `` the largest in the history of independent Belarus '' .
Unofficial estimates for the gathering ranged between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally was also held in the city , but attracted far fewer people .
Prior to election day , there were widespread fears about possible falsifications .
No independent observers were invited and numerous irregularities were documented .
The Central Election Commission said Mr Lukashenko had won 80.1 % of the vote and opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya 10.12 % .
But Ms Tikhanovskaya , who left for Lithuania after denouncing the results , insists that where votes were properly counted she won at least 60 % .
Disbelief and anger at what appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results quickly spilled out onto the streets .
This anger has snowballed in recent days , culminating in Sunday 's rally - the largest yet .
The opposition flag - white with a red stripe - has become synonymous with the movement and is seen at every rally .
Protesters also carry flowers and balloons to show that their movement is peaceful .
In the above image , demonstrators can be seen forming a heart shape during a solidarity rally in the Czech Republic .
Solidarity rallies of varying sizes have also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Russia .
As well as the flag , white bands have also become a symbol of the protests .
Here , drivers are seen raising their wrists and showing their bands as an expression of solidarity with the demonstrators in Minsk .
Throughout the unrest , drivers have honked their horns in support of the crowds prompting people to wave back and cheer .
On the night after the election , violent clashes led to 3,000 arrests in Minsk and other cities .
Police fired tear gas , rubber bullets and stun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged of alleged police brutality , with detainees badly beaten and forced to endure overcrowded prisons .
Many sought medical help and posted pictures of their injuries on social media .
In the above image , demonstrators hold pictures of people who were injured in a recent opposition rally .
The allegations of police brutality led to a new wave of demonstrations .
Friends and relatives gathered at detention centres .
Women dressed in white and carrying roses linked arms and marched through the streets .
Women marched in big numbers down Independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and were accompanied by a chorus of hooting cars .
While reports suggest the majority of the security forces and police remain loyal to Mr Lukashenko , striking pictures have emerged of protesters hugging law enforcement officers .
This one was taken in central Minsk during an opposition rally last week .

Protesters also carry flowers and balloons to show that their movement is peaceful. In the above image, demonstrators can be seen forming a heart shape during a solidarity rally in the Czech Republic.