bbc--2020-06-13--McIlroy in hunt as Varner III leads at Colonial on PGA Tour's return

World number one Rory McIlroy hit a superb seven-under 63 to move within two shots of American leader Harold Varner III at the halfway stage of the PGA Tour 's return event in Texas .
McIlroy holed an eagle and six birdies , with his only bogey coming at the last as he improved to nine under .
Varner III began with a triple bogey but had five birdies in his final six holes in a 66 as he reached 11 under .
Americans Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau are at 10 under after 65s .
England 's Justin Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven under with Varner III , birdied the first two holes but his momentum was halted by a bogey on the third .
Further bogeys followed on the 10th and 11th but birdies on the 13th and 18th saw him sign for a 69 and eight under total .
The Charles Schawb Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth marks the first PGA Tour event since The Players Championship was halted after one round on 12 March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Northern Ireland 's McIlroy catapulted himself up the leaderboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
He admitted after a two-under 68 on Thursday that he was having a little trouble with distance control with his wedges on a course he had not played before .
So , between rounds , he used the golf simulator at the house he is renting to `` dial them in a bit '' .
Clearly , it worked , apart from on the his last hole .
Starting on the 10th , he birdied three of his first eight holes and then drained a 23-foot eagle putt on the par-five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Further birdies followed on the second , sixth and seventh holes and he needed to birdie the last to shoot 61 and equal the course record .
However , he pushed his drive into the trees and could not reach the green with his second shot .
A poor pitch finished 15 yards short of the hole and after missing the lengthy par putt , he had to sink an eight-foot putt to avoid dropping two shots .
England 's Ian Poulter is four under after shooting a 70 , while Matt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think even yesterday , once we sort of got into the flow of the round .
Things started to become more normal , '' McIlroy said after his 63 .
`` When that first birdie putt went in and I did n't get a clap ... like my hand was trying to go up to wave to someone in the gallery , but there 's obviously no-one there .
But once you get into it , it 's the same .
`` I 'd love there to be fans here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserves to have fans but hopefully we can get back to playing in front of some big crowds soon . ''
Varner III , ranked 124th in the world and one of the few black American professional players on the PGA Tour circuit , has been at the centre of the tour 's racial and social injustice conversation this week in Fort Worth , in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody and the worldwide protests that followed .
He started on the par-four 10th , hit a bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunker and rough as he posted a seven .
Three birdies in his next six holes repaired the damage and his excellent closing run saw him post a clubhouse target that none of the later starters were able to match .
DeChambeau , who has noticeably bulked up in the three months since the last tournament , missed a birdie putt on the last that would have seen him join Varner III at the top of the leaderboard .
He was crushing drives way over 300 yards as he produced a solid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left him on the same score as three-time major winner Spieth , who had eight birdies , a bogey and a double bogey - after a four-putt on the third , which included three from three feet .
`` I have n't really been practising those kind of short-range putts , '' said the 26-year-old , who in January dropped out of the top 50 in the world for the first time since 2013 .
`` Those are ones where you 're picking them up a lot of times when you 're playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Xander Schauffele shot a four-under 66 to sit one further back on nine under , alongside compatriot Collin Morikawa ( 67 ) .
World number four Justin Thomas and US Open champion Gary Woodland are on eight under .
This first event back was always going to feature the world 's best players and 15 of the top 20 are in Texas this week .
However , world number two Jon Rahm missed the cut , which came at two under par .
The Spaniard 's one-over 71 was only good enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dustin Johnson , the fifth best player in the world , looked out of sorts as he finished on two over .
Defending champion Kevin Na looked to be struggling with a back injury but managed to card a three-under 67 , however , that was only good enough to get him to one under , the same score as Spain 's Sergio Garcia and Northern Ireland 's Graeme McDowell .
English players Danny Willett , Tom Lewis and Matt Wallace are also out , as is Scotland 's Russell Knox and @ @ @ @ @ @ @


bbc--2020-06-13--Serial winner and national figurehead - how Bale became a Wales icon

On what would have been the opening weekend of Euro 2020 and as the La Liga season resumes , BBC Sport reflects on the success of Real Madrid and Wales superstar Gareth Bale .
Some players can bring a game to life ; special ones can inspire a team or light up a tournament .
Then there are those whose greatness can elevate an entire nation to new heights .
Gareth Bale is one .
After scoring the decisive goal in Real Madrid 's 2014 Champions League final victory , his first thought at the final whistle was to grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red dragon what was arguably its largest ever global audience .
Real triumphed again in 2016 , 2017 and 2018 , when Bale scored with a jaw-dropping overhead kick to defeat Liverpool .
Once more he left the pitch with his country 's flag draped around his shoulders .
For most players , winning club football 's most coveted trophy four times - and scoring one of the most spectacular goals in European Cup final history - would represent an unsurpassable career high .
But Bale is different .
For him , playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so himself .
Already his country 's all-time leading goalscorer , the 30-year-old has carried his team through lean spells and repeatedly come to Wales ' rescue in their hour of need .
And as Wales dragged themselves up the world rankings and a nation started to believe , it was Bale who led the charge to qualify for a first major tournament in 58 years .
Euro 2016 was Wales ' moment in the sun .
Their journey to the semi-final was not only the football team 's greatest achievement , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nation , the recognition it had never enjoyed before .
This weekend was meant to mark the start of Wales ' Euro 2020 campaign but the tournament 's postponement means they will have to wait to rekindle the euphoria of 2016 .
Once that opportunity arrives next summer , in Bale they will have the ultimate figurehead , a true legend .
Bale has long led Wales by his deeds on the pitch and , with captain Ashley Williams losing his place in the side lately , the Real Madrid forward often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leader has taken time , as has his physical progression from a boyish Wales debutant to his current muscular frame .
Bale was a 16-year-old left-back when he was first called up in May 2006 , having only played his first two matches of senior football for Southampton a month earlier .
`` At the beginning , he was very shy , '' says Robert Earnshaw , Wales ' striker at the time .
`` When you 're a young man coming into an environment with lots of senior players , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , what your level is , and you could tell that was the case with him .
`` But at the same time , you could see him being himself , what he wanted to be in his mind .
`` He was quiet but , once he played , you could see him get more and more confident . ''
Bale was in Wales ' squad for an uncapped friendly against a Basque XI but , having not featured in Bilbao , he returned home to help the Under-21s beat Estonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now seems like a symbolic transition , Bale was restored to the senior squad after Ryan Giggs was injured .
At 16 years and 315 days , Bale 's substitute appearance against Trinidad and Tobago made him Wales ' youngest international , and he marked the occasion by assisting Earnshaw for the winning goal .
`` First of all I thought 'Well done , kid ' , '' Earnshaw recalls with a broad grin .
`` I 'd seen him a bit in training but you never know how a young player will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game .
`` Instantly , when he picked up the ball and got his first assist for me , when he went on his dribble , you could see his ability .
`` That 's when I thought 'OK , he sees things , this is a good player ' . ''
Now Bale was up and running , he started to relax .
`` He was joking , laughing - he 's always been one to have a laugh , '' Earnshaw adds .
`` At times you could see Gareth 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was comfortable at that level .
`` You see them grow as a person and a player .
That 's a really special thing . ''
Bale gave a further glimpse of what was to come on his third Wales appearance in September 2006 , scoring with a beautiful curling free-kick in an otherwise dismal Welsh display as they were thrashed 5-1 at home by Slovakia .
That was a snapshot of his early Wales years : moments of individual brilliance as fleeting rays of hope for a mediocre team .
At club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not without setbacks .
Tottenham fought off competition from Manchester United to sign him in 2007 but , after early promise , he struggled with injuries and a statistical quirk that showed he had failed to win a Premier League game over the course of two years and 24 fixtures .
Harry Redknapp , Spurs ' manager at the time , admitted he was reluctant to select Bale for fear the young left-back was cursed .
But once Bale broke that drought , he did not look back .
A series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the left wing , where he tormented defenders across Europe .
Brazil right-back Maicon was his most notable victim , as Bale scored three goals and provided two assists during Spurs ' two matches against Inter ; confirmation of the Welshman 's arrival at the top level .
Once the legendary Luis Figo hailed Bale 's performances as `` amazing '' , it was no surprise when the Portuguese 's former club , Real Madrid , showed an interest .
Bale was voted PFA Players ' Player of the Year in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time alongside the PFA Young Player of the Year and Football Writers ' Association Player of the Year awards - making him only the second player to win all three in the same season .
Cristiano Ronaldo was the other .
Real united the two in 2013 , signing Bale for a then world-record fee of £85m , eclipsing the £80m they had paid for Ronaldo four years earlier .
Protracted negotiations meant Bale 's presentation to fans at the Bernabeu came close to the transfer deadline , as well as Wales ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many , particularly in Madrid , assumed Bale would stay with his new club .
Even some in Wales were concerned , casting their minds back to Giggs ' international career and his perceived prioritising of Manchester United over his country .
But Bale boarded a private jet and was soon back home in Cardiff with the rest of the Wales squad .
He was setting the tone , emphasising his commitment to his country and making the fair but firm point to his new employers , however mighty they may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anybody .
Bale started strongly at Real , scoring on his debut and finishing his first season with 22 goals .
Flourishing at a club of that size alongside some of the world 's leading players seemed to give him a new swagger , which was evident when he returned to Wales for a friendly match against Iceland in March 2014 .
The fact he was there at all was another reminder of his determination to play for Wales , and he demonstrated how his improvement at Real might benefit his country with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep in his own half , Bale was forced off the pitch by an attempted foul but he stayed on his feet , powered forward and fired into the bottom corner .
Remarkably , he repeated the trick for Real in the Copa del Rey final against arch rivals Barcelona a month later , again starting from his own half and beating an opponent with strength and pace before applying the match-winning finish .
That was Bale 's first trophy with Real and within weeks he had his second , scoring in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Everything seemed to be going perfectly .
But like a child growing bored of a new toy , the Bernabeu crowd eventually turned .
Bale managed 18 goals in his second season and helped his team win three further Champions League titles as well as a La Liga championship in 2017 .
However , increasingly frequent injuries affected his form , and even the slightest dip in performance was seized upon by the Spanish media and Real 's fans .
The attacks became personal , with some criticising his Spanish and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Courtois - mocking him for playing golf and staying in rather than socialising at night .
`` I remember the original Ronaldo getting stick off Real Madrid fans .
I remember Cristiano getting stick early doors , '' Wales manager Ryan Giggs said at the time .
`` It 's that kind of club .
It 's a club like no other where the white handkerchiefs come out if they do n't like you .
That 's just the way it is . ''
Last year , the animosity reached a stage where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be `` best for everyone '' if Bale left .
Although Bale ignored the Bernabeu jeers and stayed in Madrid , his opportunities to play with Wales felt increasingly like an escape from the hostility - and Wales were happy to offer that haven .
While Welsh supporters loved Bale for all his glorious successes with club and country , they seemed to grow even closer to him because of this turbulent period .
Wales fans felt protective of him , one of their own .
Bale cherishes the bond he has with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , and that was clearer than ever when he took aim at his critics this season .
When Spanish media questioned Bale 's return to training with Wales after an injury had ruled him out for Real , the club 's former striker and director of football Predrag Mijatovic claimed Bale prioritised Wales - and even his interest in golf - over his club side .
That prompted one Wales fan to print a flag , which he displayed at November 's Euro 2020 qualifier against Hungary , reading : `` Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order . ''
After Wales beat Hungary to seal qualification , Bale was handed the banner and was pictured holding it alongside his team-mates .
It did not go down well .
In fact , Spanish newspaper Marca 's response was the headline : `` Disrespectful .
Misguided .
Ungrateful .
In that order . ''
Again Bale brushed off the criticism , pointing out it was a joke and that he was hardly going to stop celebrating after Wales had qualified for only a third major tournament in their history .
Besides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As recently as last month when Real returned to training after the season was halted because of coronavirus , a group of players struck a pose for a photographer .
Among them was Bale , mimicking a golf shot .
In Wales , the whole episode only enhanced his popularity .
Supporters have plenty of reasons to adore their country 's greatest player but perhaps what gives them that special sense of kinship with Bale is that they can identify with him ; that they can see themselves , the Welsh fan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vast body of work to establish his legendary status , his masterpiece was Euro 2016 .
He was one of the chief proponents of Wales ' motto for that campaign , 'Together Stronger ' , so there is no chance he would accept more credit than any of the team-mates he referred to as `` brothers '' in France .
Even when you consider the significant contributions of all players and staff , however , Bale still stands out .
Laying the foundations for this success took years .
There were growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in style under Gary Speed , whose death profoundly affected a young Wales squad but also brought them closer through a shared grief .
Chris Coleman , a friend of Speed 's , took on the project and , although he struggled initially , he knew he had one of Wales ' finest generations of players at his disposal .
With Ben Davies , Joe Allen , Aaron Ramsey and others by Bale 's side , Wales now had the strength in depth to allow their talisman to shine brighter .
In qualifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and assisted two of Wales ' 11 goals .
Three of those were winning goals , as time and again he proved his country 's saviour .
Qualifying itself was a seismic achievement for Wales , ending their 58-year absence from major tournaments and banishing a history of excruciating near misses .
Then the tournament in France gave Wales a golden summer which exceeded their most outlandish dreams .
Those in Bordeaux on 11 June 2016 will never forget the sunshine , the stirring Welsh anthem , the disbelieving faces in red shirts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really was happening It was Bale who gave them the first taste of that rare ecstasy of watching your country score in a major championship ; his free-kick against Slovakia sending the Red Wall in the stadium - and in fan parks up and down Wales - into raptures .
He scored with another free-kick against England and then again from open play in the 3-0 demolition of Russia under lilac skies in Toulouse , for many the single most joyous match of their lives .
Bale did not score in the knockout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Northern Ireland , and he played his part in the quarter-final victory over Belgium , the greatest moment in Welsh football history .
That is what Bale has done throughout his Wales career : produce the moments which provide a nation with a lifetime 's worth of memories .
But his tournament was about more than football .
Bale emerged as the team 's statesman , speaking passionately about Welsh pride and with articulate confidence about his nation 's blossoming on this grand stage .
He will not have the chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Euro 2020 comes around next year , Bale will be Wales ' great ambassador once more , a national hero .

Last updated on .From the section Welsh
Gareth Bale has scored 36 goals for Wales - more than anyone other male player - in his 99 appearances
This piece (which has been modified) was originally published in June 2020 as part of BBC Sport's Gareth Bale day.
Some players can bring a game to life; special ones can inspire a team or light up a tournament. Then there are those whose greatness can elevate an entire nation to new heights. Gareth Bale is one.
After scoring the decisive goal in Real Madrid's 2014 Champions League final victory, his first thought at the final whistle was to grab the nearest Wales flag and give the red dragon what was arguably its largest ever global audience.
Real triumphed again in 2016, 2017 and 2018, when Bale scored with a jaw-dropping overhead kick to defeat Liverpool. Once more he left the pitch with his country's flag draped around his shoulders.
For most players, winning club football's most coveted trophy four times - and scoring one of the most spectacular goals in European Cup final history - would represent an unsurpassable career high.
But Bale is different. For him, playing for Wales means more. He says so himself.
Already his country's all-time leading goalscorer, the 30-year-old has carried his team through lean spells and repeatedly come to Wales' rescue in their hour of need.
And as Wales dragged themselves up the world rankings and a nation started to believe, it was Bale who led the charge to qualify for a first major tournament in 58 years.
Euro 2016 was Wales' moment in the sun. Their journey to the semi-final was not only the football team's greatest achievement, but a voyage which gave Wales, as a nation, the recognition it had never enjoyed before.
Gareth Bale scored twice and was named man of the match in Real Madrid's 2018 Champions League final win over Liverpool
Bale the 'shy and quiet' teenager
Bale has long led Wales by his deeds on the pitch and the Real Madrid forward now wears the armband as well.
His development as a leader has taken time, as has his physical progression from a boyish Wales debutant to his current muscular frame.
Bale was a 16-year-old left-back when he was first called up in May 2006, having only played his first two matches of senior football for Southampton a month earlier.
"At the beginning, he was very shy," says Robert Earnshaw, Wales' striker at the time.
"When you're a young man coming into an environment with lots of senior players, you're trying to work out what to do, what your level is, and you could tell that was the case with him.
"But at the same time, you could see him being himself, what he wanted to be in his mind.
"He was quiet but, once he played, you could see him get more and more confident."
Bale was in Wales' squad for an uncapped friendly against a Basque XI but, having not featured in Bilbao, he returned home to help the Under-21s beat Estonia in Wrexham.
Then, in what now seems like a symbolic transition, Bale was restored to the senior squad after Ryan Giggs was injured.
At 16 years and 315 days, Bale's substitute appearance against Trinidad and Tobago made him Wales' youngest international, and he marked the occasion by assisting Earnshaw for the winning goal.
Gareth Bale replaced David Vaughan to make his Wales debut against Trinidad and Tobago in Graz, Austria, in 2006
"First of all I thought 'Well done, kid'," Earnshaw recalls with a broad grin.
"I'd seen him a bit in training but you never know how a young player will react until you see them in a game.
"Instantly, when he picked up the ball and got his first assist for me, when he went on his dribble, you could see his ability.
"That's when I thought 'OK, he sees things, this is a good player'."
Now Bale was up and running, he started to relax.
"He was joking, laughing - he's always been one to have a laugh," Earnshaw adds.
"At times you could see Gareth's cheekiness. Then you could tell he was comfortable at that level.
"You see them grow as a person and a player. That's a really special thing."
Bale's rapid - sometimes bumpy - rise
Bale gave a further glimpse of what was to come on his third Wales appearance in September 2006, scoring with a beautiful curling free-kick in an otherwise dismal Welsh display as they were thrashed 5-1 at home by Slovakia.
That was a snapshot of his early Wales years: moments of individual brilliance as fleeting rays of hope for a mediocre team.
At club level, Bale's ascent was rapid but not without setbacks.
Tottenham fought off competition from Manchester United to sign him in 2007 but, after early promise, he struggled with injuries and a statistical quirk that showed he had failed to win a Premier League game over the course of two years and 24 fixtures.
Harry Redknapp, Spurs' manager at the time, admitted he was reluctant to select Bale for fear the young left-back was cursed.
But once Bale broke that drought, he did not look back. A series of electrifying attacking displays saw him move up to the left wing, where he tormented defenders across Europe.
Brazil right-back Maicon was his most notable victim, as Bale scored three goals and provided two assists during Spurs' two matches against Inter; confirmation of the Welshman's arrival at the top level.
Once the legendary Luis Figo hailed Bale's performances as "amazing", it was no surprise when the Portuguese's former club, Real Madrid, showed an interest.
Gareth Bale, leaving Maicon in his wake, followed up a hat-trick in a losing cause at the San Siro with an even better display as Spurs beat Champions League holders Inter in November 2010
Bale was voted PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2011 and again two years later, this time alongside the PFA Young Player of the Year and Football Writers' Association Player of the Year awards - making him only the second player to win all three in the same season. Cristiano Ronaldo was the other.
Real united the two in 2013, signing Bale for a then world-record fee of £85m, eclipsing the £80m they had paid for Ronaldo four years earlier.
Protracted negotiations meant Bale's presentation to fans at the Bernabeu came close to the transfer deadline, as well as Wales' squad meeting before their game in Macedonia.
Many, particularly in Madrid, assumed Bale would stay with his new club. Even some in Wales were concerned, casting their minds back to Giggs' international career and his perceived prioritising of Manchester United over his country.
But Bale boarded a private jet and was soon back home in Cardiff with the rest of the Wales squad.
He was setting the tone, emphasising his commitment to his country and making the fair but firm point to his new employers, however mighty they may be, that he would not change for anybody.
Bale the under-fire icon
Bale started strongly at Real, scoring on his debut and finishing his first season with 22 goals.
Flourishing at a club of that size alongside some of the world's leading players seemed to give him a new swagger, which was evident when he returned to Wales for a friendly match against Iceland in March 2014.
The fact he was there at all was another reminder of his determination to play for Wales, and he demonstrated how his improvement at Real might benefit his country with an extraordinary goal.
Picking up possession deep in his own half, Bale was forced off the pitch by an attempted foul but he stayed on his feet, powered forward and fired into the bottom corner.
Remarkably, he repeated the trick for Real in the Copa del Rey final against arch rivals Barcelona a month later, again starting from his own half and beating an opponent with strength and pace before applying the match-winning finish.
That was Bale's first trophy with Real and within weeks he had his second, scoring in the Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid. Everything seemed to be going perfectly.
But like a child growing bored of a new toy, the Bernabeu crowd eventually turned.
Bale managed 18 goals in his second season and helped his team win three further Champions League titles as well as a La Liga championship in 2017.
However, increasingly frequent injuries affected his form, and even the slightest dip in performance was seized upon by the Spanish media and Real's fans.
The attacks became personal, with some criticising his Spanish and others - even team-mates such as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - mocking him for playing golf and staying in rather than socialising at night.
"I remember the original Ronaldo getting stick off Real Madrid fans. I remember Cristiano getting stick early doors," Wales manager Ryan Giggs said at the time.
"It's that kind of club. It's a club like no other where the white handkerchiefs come out if they don't like you. That's just the way it is."
Last year, the animosity reached a stage where Real manager Zinedine Zidane said it would be "best for everyone" if Bale left.
Although Bale ignored the Bernabeu jeers and stayed in Madrid, his opportunities to play with Wales felt increasingly like an escape from the hostility - and Wales were happy to offer that haven.
While Welsh supporters loved Bale for all his glorious successes with club and country, they seemed to grow even closer to him because of this turbulent period.
Wales fans felt protective of him, one of their own.
Bale cherishes the bond he has with those he dubbed the "Red Wall", and that was clearer than ever when he took aim at his critics this season.
When Spanish media questioned Bale's return to training with Wales after an injury had ruled him out for Real, the club's former striker and director of football Predrag Mijatovic claimed Bale prioritised Wales - and even his interest in golf - over his club side.
That prompted one Wales fan to print a flag, which he displayed at November's Euro 2020 qualifier against Hungary, reading: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order."
After Wales beat Hungary to seal qualification, Bale was handed the banner and was pictured holding it alongside his team-mates.
Gareth Bale and his Wales team-mates celebrate Euro 2020 qualification with the now infamous banner
It did not go down well. In fact, Spanish newspaper Marca's response was the headline: "Disrespectful. Misguided. Ungrateful. In that order."
Again Bale brushed off the criticism, pointing out it was a joke and that he was hardly going to stop celebrating after Wales had qualified for only a third major tournament in their history.
Besides, he simply did not care. When Real returned to training after the season was halted because of coronavirus, a group of players struck a pose for a photographer. Among them was Bale, mimicking a golf shot.
In Wales, the whole episode only enhanced his popularity.
Supporters have plenty of reasons to adore their country's greatest player but perhaps what gives them that special sense of kinship with Bale is that they can identify with him; that they can see themselves, the Welsh fan, in him.
Bale the national hero
While Bale has produced a vast body of work to establish his legendary status, his masterpiece was Euro 2016.
He was one of the chief proponents of Wales' motto for that campaign, 'Together Stronger', so there is no chance he would accept more credit than any of the team-mates he referred to as "brothers" in France.
Even when you consider the significant contributions of all players and staff, however, Bale still stands out.
Laying the foundations for this success took years. There were growing pains under John Toshack and an evolution in style under Gary Speed, whose death profoundly affected a young Wales squad but also brought them closer through a shared grief.
Chris Coleman, a friend of Speed's, took on the project and, although he struggled initially, he knew he had one of Wales' finest generations of players at his disposal.
With Ben Davies, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and others by Bale's side, Wales now had the strength in depth to allow their talisman to shine brighter.
In qualifying for Euro 2016, Bale scored seven and assisted two of Wales' 11 goals. Three of those were winning goals, as time and again he proved his country's saviour.
Qualifying itself was a seismic achievement for Wales, ending their 58-year absence from major tournaments and banishing a history of excruciating near misses.
Then the tournament in France gave Wales a golden summer which exceeded their most outlandish dreams.
Wales is the smallest nation by population to have a football team reach the semi-finals of a European Championship
Those in Bordeaux on 11 June 2016 will never forget the sunshine, the stirring Welsh anthem, the disbelieving faces in red shirts, pinching themselves to check that this really was happening
It was Bale who gave them the first taste of that rare ecstasy of watching your country score in a major championship; his free-kick against Slovakia sending the Red Wall in the stadium - and in fan parks up and down Wales - into raptures.
He scored with another free-kick against England and then again from open play in the 3-0 demolition of Russia under lilac skies in Toulouse, for many the single most joyous match of their lives.
Bale did not score in the knockout stages but he created the second-round winner against Northern Ireland, and he played his part in the quarter-final victory over Belgium, the greatest moment in Welsh football history.
That is what Bale has done throughout his Wales career: produce the moments which provide a nation with a lifetime's worth of memories.
But his tournament was about more than football.
Bale emerged as the team's statesman, speaking passionately about Welsh pride and with articulate confidence about his nation's blossoming on this grand stage.
Now set to win his 100th Wales cap, Bale will be Wales' great ambassador once more, a national hero.


bbc--2020-06-13--Lively fans, a last-minute winner and son defeats father - rugby returns in NZ

Rugby union returned in New Zealand on Saturday with fans , hugs and handshakes as Bryn Gatland scored a last-minute drop-goal winner for the Highlanders against his father Warren 's Chiefs team .
About 20,000 supporters watched on in the near-capacity Forsyth Barr Stadium as the Highlanders beat the Chiefs 28-27 in a thrilling opener to the new Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament .
New Zealand 's response to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in only 22 deaths , and no active cases in three weeks - meaning the social distancing measures enforced in Europe 's returning football leagues were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's far south .
The fans made noise throughout the game - no need for piped-in crowd noise here - tries were celebrated with embraces and there were handshakes before and after the game .
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was among those tuning in Chiefs coach Warren Gatland , the former Wales boss who will also take charge of the British and Irish Lions in South Africa next year , admitted beforehand that until recently he had thought that playing in front of fans was going to be a `` long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's eradication of the virus had accelerated the return of conventional sport .
Youth over experience as Gatland Jr comes out on top New Zealand Sports Minister Grant Robertson thanked essential workers for their efforts in a speech before kick-off at a rowdy Forsyth Barr Stadium , but Warren Gatland was unlikely to be thanking his son Bryn on the final whistle .
Gatland Jr , only called up to the bench as a late replacement for Josh Ioane , landed a last-gasp drop-goal to snatch victory , a minute after Damian McKenzie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match for the Chiefs .
Bryn Gatland had kept his promotion into the Highlanders matchday squad a secret from his father .
`` I found out I was on bench on Thursday , '' he told Sky Sports .
`` I had dinner with dad and mum last night and halfway through he got a text to tell him I was on the bench tomorrow .
I did n't want to give the gameplan away ! ''
`` If anyone was going to do it , it was going to be him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decisive score .
`` I do n't care if he is my son or not , I am still disappointed about the result . ''
Ash Dixon and Sio Tomkinson tries had given the Highlanders a 15-6 lead before a converted Sean Wainui try and McKenzie penalty put the Chiefs ahead .
Highlanders ' Marino Mikaele-Tu ' u and Chiefs ' Anton Lienert-Brown then crossed before the late drop-kick drama .
World Rugby has announced law changes but Super Rugby Aotearoa 's changes have been for entertainment rather than health reasons with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws contributing to a total of 30 penalties being awarded in the match .
The usual Super Rugby tournament , which also featured teams from Australia , South Africa , Argentina and Japan , has been suspended because of the pandemic , so New Zealand 's five teams are playing eight games each between themselves in this new event .

Fans enjoyed the chance to come and watch rugby again
Rugby union returned in New Zealand on Saturday with fans, hugs and handshakes as Bryn Gatland scored a last-minute drop-goal winner for the Highlanders against his father Warren's Chiefs team.
About 20,000 supporters watched on in the near-capacity Forsyth Barr Stadium as the Highlanders beat the Chiefs 28-27 in a thrilling opener to the new Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament.
New Zealand's response to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in only 22 deaths, and no active cases in three weeks - meaning the social distancing measures enforced in Europe's returning football leagues were not needed in Dunedin, in New Zealand's far south.
The fans made noise throughout the game - no need for piped-in crowd noise here - tries were celebrated with embraces and there were handshakes before and after the game.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was among those tuning in
Chiefs coach Warren Gatland, the former Wales boss who will also take charge of the British and Irish Lions in South Africa next year, admitted beforehand that until recently he had thought that playing in front of fans was going to be a "long way off" but his home country's eradication of the virus had accelerated the return of conventional sport.
Youth over experience as Gatland Jr comes out on top
The final whistle brought contrasting emotions from Warren Gatland (left) and his son Bryn (right)
New Zealand Sports Minister Grant Robertson thanked essential workers for their efforts in a speech before kick-off at a rowdy Forsyth Barr Stadium, but Warren Gatland was unlikely to be thanking his son Bryn on the final whistle.
Gatland Jr, only called up to the bench as a late replacement for Josh Ioane, landed a last-gasp drop-goal to snatch victory, a minute after Damian McKenzie thought his own drop-kick had won the match for the Chiefs.
Bryn Gatland had kept his promotion into the Highlanders matchday squad a secret from his father.
"I found out I was on bench on Thursday," he told Sky Sports. "I had dinner with dad and mum last night and halfway through he got a text to tell him I was on the bench tomorrow. I didn't want to give the gameplan away!"
"If anyone was going to do it, it was going to be him," reflected Warren Gatland on his son's decisive score.
"I don't care if he is my son or not, I am still disappointed about the result."
Ash Dixon and Sio Tomkinson tries had given the Highlanders a 15-6 lead before a converted Sean Wainui try and McKenzie penalty put the Chiefs ahead.
Highlanders' Marino Mikaele-Tu'u and Chiefs' Anton Lienert-Brown then crossed before the late drop-kick drama.
Otago University's student population makes for a raucous atmosphere in the Forsyth Barr Stadium
World Rugby has announced law changes but Super Rugby Aotearoa's changes have been for entertainment rather than health reasons with a stricter implementation of the current breakdown laws contributing to a total of 30 penalties being awarded in the match.
The usual Super Rugby tournament, which also featured teams from Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Japan, has been suspended because of the pandemic, so New Zealand's five teams are playing eight games each between themselves in this new event.
The match was a near sell-out at Dunedin's Forsyth-Barr Stadium
Bryn Gatland hits the match-winning drop-goal


bbc--2020-06-13--Former Pakistan captain Afridi tests positive for coronavirus

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has tested positive for coronavirus .
The all-rounder , 40 , who last played for @ @ @ @ @ plays in global Twenty20 leagues , has been helping the relief effort in his home @ @ @ @ @ On Saturday he tweeted that he had been feeling unwell since Thursday with body aches @ @ @ @ @ .
Afridi said he `` needs prayers for a speedy recovery '' .
The coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ Pakistan in recent weeks with fears the health system could be overwhelmed .
There have @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
• Afridi speaks to BBC 's Doosra podcast about his work helping fight @

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Afridi played 27 Tests, 398 one-day internationals and 99 T20s for Pakistan in a 20-year international career
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has tested positive for coronavirus.
The all-rounder, 40, who last played for Pakistan in 2018 but still plays in global Twenty20 leagues, has been helping the relief effort in his home country during the pandemic.
On Saturday he tweeted that he had been feeling unwell since Thursday with body aches and has since tested positive.
Afridi said he "needs prayers for a speedy recovery".
The coronavirus crisis has been worsening in Pakistan in recent weeks with fears the health system could be overwhelmed. There have been 132,405 cases and 2,551 deaths.


bbc--2020-06-13--Saturday's gossip: Juve ready to sell Ramsey

Juventus are ready to sell Aaron Ramsey just a year after signing him from Arsenal as they try to save on his £400,000-a-week wages , with Manchester United a potential destination for the 29-year-old Wales midfielder .
( Mail ) Liverpool are planning a £110m double move for Wolves midfielders Ruben Neves , a 23-year-old Portugal international , and 24-year-old Spaniard Adama Traore .
( Sun ) Barcelona director Xavier Vilajoana has denied the club held talks with Manchester United over a transfer for Ansu Fati and says the 17-year-old Spanish forward is not for sale .
( Sport ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking price for 23-year-old left-back Ben Chilwell now the England international has made clear his desire to leave for Chelsea .
( Evening Standard ) Portuguese right-back Cedric Soares , 28 , could leave Arsenal without having a played a single match for them since joining on loan from Southampton in January .
( Goal ) Everton are waiting on Nice to make an offer for 30-year-old midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin , but they face a potential £17m loss on the Frenchman they bought from Manchester United .
( Mail ) Former Germany and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz , 21 , to turn down a move to Manchester United and join Chelsea .
( Mirror ) Thirty-four-year-old Real Madrid and Spain defender Sergio Ramos `` dreams '' of retiring at the Bernabeu despite not having been offered an extension on his current contract , which ends next summer .
( Marca ) Burnley 's English midfielder Dwight McNeil , 20 , has been told by his father to forget about interest from Manchester United and Leicester City and remain with the Clarets .
( Sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29-year-old France international N'Golo Kante from Chelsea with an offer of up to £71m for the midfielder .
( AS - in Spanish ) Marseille will try to sign Juventus and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain , 32 , if Fabrizio Ravanelli takes over as sporting director .
( L'Equipe , via Goal ) Chelsea are sorting out the final details of their move to sign Germany striker Timo Werner , 24 , from RB Leipzig before making an announcement .
( Telegraph - subscription needed ) There will be memorials to dead fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands at some Premier League grounds .
( Times - subscription needed )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Juventus are ready to sell Aaron Ramsey just a year after signing him from Arsenal as they try to save on his £400,000-a-week wages, with Manchester United a potential destination for the 29-year-old Wales midfielder. (Mail) external-link
Liverpool are planning a £110m double move for Wolves midfielders Ruben Neves, a 23-year-old Portugal international, and 24-year-old Spaniard Adama Traore. (Sun) external-link
Barcelona director Xavier Vilajoana has denied the club held talks with Manchester United over a transfer for Ansu Fati and says the 17-year-old Spanish forward is not for sale. (Sport) external-link
Leicester City may have to lower their asking price for 23-year-old left-back Ben Chilwell now the England international has made clear his desire to leave for Chelsea. (Evening Standard) external-link
Portuguese right-back Cedric Soares, 28, could leave Arsenal without having a played a single match for them since joining on loan from Southampton in January. (Goal) external-link
Supporting the movement Premier League players to wear 'Black Lives Matter' on back of shirts
Everton are waiting on Nice to make an offer for 30-year-old midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, but they face a potential £17m loss on the Frenchman they bought from Manchester United. (Mail) external-link
Former Germany and Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has urged compatriot and Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz, 21, to turn down a move to Manchester United and join Chelsea. (Mirror) external-link
Thirty-four-year-old Real Madrid and Spain defender Sergio Ramos "dreams" of retiring at the Bernabeu despite not having been offered an extension on his current contract, which ends next summer. (Marca) external-link
Burnley's English midfielder Dwight McNeil, 20, has been told by his father to forget about interest from Manchester United and Leicester City and remain with the Clarets. (Sun) external-link
Real Madrid are keen to sign 29-year-old France international N'Golo Kante from Chelsea with an offer of up to £71m for the midfielder. (AS - in Spanish) external-link
Marseille will try to sign Juventus and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, 32, if Fabrizio Ravanelli takes over as sporting director. (L'Equipe, via Goal) external-link
Chelsea are sorting out the final details of their move to sign Germany striker Timo Werner, 24, from RB Leipzig before making an announcement. (Telegraph - subscription needed) external-link
There will be memorials to dead fans among thousands of cardboard cut-outs in the stands at some Premier League grounds. (Times - subscription needed) external-link


bbc--2020-06-14--Atlanta police chief resigns over shooting of Rayshard Brooks

Atlanta 's Police Chief has resigned after the fatal shooting of an African-American who had fallen asleep in his car at a drive-through restaurant .
Rayshard Brooks , 27 , was shot by a police officer during a struggle on Friday , authorities say .
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Erika Shields handed in her resignation on Saturday .
Protesters in Atlanta took to the streets this weekend calling for action following Mr Brooks ' death .
People across the US have already been protesting over the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man in police custody .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time Erika Shields had served as police chief since December 2016 and had worked in the Atlanta police department for more than 20 years .
She will continue with the department in another role , Mayor Bottoms said .
`` Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as Police Chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities , '' Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bottoms has also called for the termination of the officer involved in Brooks ' death .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations ( GBI ) is probing the death of Brooks , 27 , and is looking at video from a security camera inside the Wendy 's restaurant and also eyewitness footage .
It says police had been called to the restaurant because Mr Brooks had fallen asleep in his car , which was blocking the drive-through lane .
According to police , Mr Brooks resisted arrest after he failed a breathalyzer test .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured from inside the Wendy 's restaurant shows officers chasing Brooks before he turns and points a Taser at an officer .
`` The officer then fired his weapon , striking Brooks , '' the report said .
In the eyewitness video , Brooks can be seen on the ground outside a Wendy 's restaurant , struggling with two police officers .
He grabs an officer 's Taser and breaks free from the officers , running away .
The other officer then manages to use a Taser on Brooks and both officers then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video .
Gun shots can then be heard and Brooks is seen on the ground .
He was taken to hospital but later died .
One of the officers was treated for an injury from the incident .
The Fulton County District Attorney 's Office is conducting a separate investigation into the incident , it said in a statement .
This is the 48th officer-involved shooting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has investigated this year , according to ABC News .
Of those cases , 15 of those were fatal .
A number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , according to the New York Times .
Protests then began again in the centre of Atlanta on Saturday .
Images from the protest show demonstrators holding signs with Brooks ' name and Black Lives Matter signs .
People in Atlanta had already been protesting following the death of George Floyd .
He died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes .
The officer has been sacked and charged with second-degree murder .
Demonstrations have taken place across the US and across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many in the US are calling for the police to be reformed .
In Minneapolis , where Mr Floyd died , the City Council passed a resolution on Friday to replace its police department with a community-led public safety system .
Just days before it voted to disband the police department .
The council said it would begin a year-long process of engaging `` with every willing community member in Minneapolis '' to come up with a new public safety model .
In New York , Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered police departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he would stop financing local authorities that failed to adopt reforms addressing excessive use of force and bias in their police departments by next April .
President Donald Trump said on Friday that the chokehold method for restraining some suspects should `` generally speaking '' be ended .
He was forced to postpone his first post-coronavirus lockdown election rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma so it does not fall on a holiday commemorating the end of US slavery .
Mr Trump moved the rally from 19 June to one day later , following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Tulsa saw one of the worst massacres of black people in US history in 1921 .

"Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities," the mayor said in a statement.


bbc--2020-06-13--French police clash with anti-racism activists in Paris

French police have clashed with activists protesting in Paris against racism and alleged police brutality .
Police used tear gas against stone-throwing protesters who tried to hold a march that was banned .
The rally is part is a worldwide movement inspired by America 's Black Lives Matter protests .
It was organised under the banner `` Justice for Adama '' , after Adama Traoré , a young black man who died in French police custody in 2016 .
About 15,000 anti-racism protesters gathered on the Place de la République in central Paris early on Saturday afternoon .
They chanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no peace '' .
Some climbed on the the statue of Marianne , the symbol of the French Republic .
Among the protesters was Assa Traoré , Adama 's sister , who called on them to `` denounce social , racial , police violence '' .
`` What 's happening in the United States is happening in France .
Our brothers are dying , '' she added .
Although the protesters were allowed to gather , they were prevented by police from marching to the Opera area .
The planned onward march had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to local businesses .
Clashes erupted and tear gas was fired as officers moved against the protesters on the Place de la République .
Le Parisien newspaper says 26 people were questioned by police .
By early evening the demonstrators had dispersed .
Smaller protests were held in other French cities , including Lyon and Marseille .
Why are French police in the spotlight ?
France 's police watchdog says it received almost 1,500 complaints against officers last year - half of them for alleged violence .
In one recent case , police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy when he was detained on suspicion of trying to steal a scooter in Bondy near Paris last month .
On Monday Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced a ban on the police `` chokehold '' method for restraining some suspects .
The announcement came after protesters took to the streets accusing French police of using brutality towards minorities .
Mr Castaner vowed that there would be `` zero tolerance '' of racism in law enforcement and officers strongly suspected of racism would be suspended .
He has faced a backlash from police unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was rampant within their ranks .
On Friday officers rallied on the Champs-Élysées throwing their handcuffs on the ground .
France is one many countries that has seen a wave of anti-racism marches modelled on the latest Black Lives Matter protests in the US .
They were sparked by the death of George Floyd , an African American man killed on 25 May by a white Minneapolis policeman who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes .
On Friday US President Donald Trump said the chokehold method should be ended .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?

In one recent case, police are accused of seriously wounding a 14-year-old boy when he was detained on suspicion of trying to steal a scooter in Bondy near Paris last month.


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: Fear of second wave in Beijing after market outbreak

An area of the Chinese capital Beijing has been put under strict lockdown measures after the city 's first coronavirus cases in more than 50 days .
The outbreak has been linked to the city 's largest wholesale market .
A total of 45 people out of 517 tested at the Xinfadi market tested positive for Covid-19 , a district official said .
None were displaying symptoms .
Lockdowns have been imposed in 11 nearby neighbourhoods , while 10,000 market staff will be tested .
The authorities also want to test everyone who has had recent contact with the market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district surrounding it .
These are the first new confirmed cases in Beijing for more than 50 days .
What do we know about the new cases ?
Xinfadi market in the city 's south-western Fengtai district was shut down in the early hours of Saturday , after two men who had recently visited the market were reported to have Covid-19 .
Tests at the market then showed 45 people had the virus .
`` In accordance with the principle of putting the safety of the masses and health first , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and surrounding neighbourhoods , '' Chu Junwei , a district official , told a briefing .
The district is in a `` wartime emergency mode '' , he added .
Hundreds of military police have entered the now locked-down facility .
Nearby transport links and schools have been closed .
• What did China do about early outbreak ?
• Did China test a whole city in 10 days ?
Right across Beijing sport has been cancelled and major public facilities are pulling down the shutters again .
There will now be fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the capital .
China 's coronavirus outbreak was brought under control through some of the world 's strictest lockdown measures after the disease was detected in the city of Wuhan .
More than 4,600 people in China have lost their lives to the coronavirus out of around 426,000 worldwide , according to the Johns Hopkins University .
Chinese officials are n't sure how the huge Xinfandi wholesale market - which supplies 80 % of Beijing 's vegetables and meat - has become the source of a new coronavirus outbreak .
In recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been to completely isolate any town or city where a coronavirus cluster has emerged .
This appears to have worked but locking down all of Beijing , at time when it seemed like the virus emergency had been brought under control , is not something they 'll want to do in a hurry .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LIKE 9/11 EACH DAY : A New York paramedic 's diary • HOW YOU CAN HELP : Write a diary , donate blood , read books to kids

This appears to have worked but locking down all of Beijing, at time when it seemed like the virus emergency had been brought under control, is not something they'll want to do in a hurry.


bbc--2020-06-13--Poland 'invades' Czech Republic in 'misunderstanding'

Poland has admitted to briefly invading the Czech Republic last month in what the Polish Defence Ministry described as a `` misunderstanding '' .
Polish troops guarding the frontier as part of coronavirus measures took up positions by a chapel on the Czech side of the border .
They apparently stayed there for several days .
The soldiers prevented Czech visitors from accessing the site .
The incident took place in north-eastern Moravia , in an area that forms part of the historical land of Silesia - part of which extends into today 's Czech Republic .
Poland has described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Czech Foreign Ministry has said it has yet to receive an official explanation .
The story first appeared in the regional Denik newspaper .
A construction engineer overseeing repairs at the chapel had wanted to take photographs of the plaster .
But he was turned away by Polish soldiers armed with machine guns , who had set up a roadblock on the path leading to the chapel .
Denik later dispatched a photographer to the site .
His photographs appear to confirm the man 's account .
The chapel lies 30 metres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formed by a small stream .
Denik claimed the soldiers had initially taken up positions on the Polish bank of the stream , but for unknown reasons had decided to make a brief incursion into Czech territory .
It is unclear how long the Polish `` occupation '' lasted .
The construction engineer says he was turned away from the site on Thursday 28 May .
The soldiers were still there at the weekend , reported Denik , when the Czech equivalent of Friends of the Earth was due to hold a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ village .
The movement 's local co-ordinator , Ivo Dokoupil , attempted to explain to the Poles that his group planned a brief visit to the chapel to take photographs .
He was unceremoniously rebuffed .
`` A soldier dressed in the uniform of a foreign state and carrying a sub-machine gun started giving me orders .
It was a terrifying experience , '' Mr Dokoupil told the paper .
`` They would n't let me get closer than 10 metres . ''
At this point , it appears , the local Czech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ordered to leave .
`` The placement of the border post was a result of misunderstanding , not a deliberate act .
It was corrected immediately and the case was resolved - also by the Czech side , '' the Polish Ministry of Defence told CNN .
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The construction engineer says he was turned away from the site on Thursday 28 May. The soldiers were still there at the weekend, reported Denik, when the Czech equivalent of Friends of the Earth was due to hold a small scheduled meeting in Pelhrimovy, a local village.


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: France's ancient burial brotherhood defies Covid-19

The Covid-19 epidemic and the risk of infection have led to new rules in many countries about how we treat @ @ @ @ @ , like anywhere else , the restrictions make the process of bereavement even more difficult @ @ @ @ @ , in the northern part of the country , the Charitable Brothers of Saint-Eloi were @ @ @ @ @ , during the Black Death , to help families bury their loved ones .
More @ @ @ @ @ the Brotherhood is not just about folklore ; it 's part of the city 's @ @ @ @ @ And its work is more relevant than ever in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic @

The Covid-19 epidemic and the risk of infection have led to new rules in many countries about how we treat the dead. In France, like anywhere else, the restrictions make the process of bereavement even more difficult to bear.
In Béthune, in the northern part of the country, the Charitable Brothers of Saint-Eloi were founded in the 12th Century to help families bury their loved ones.
More than 800 years on, the Brotherhood is not just about folklore; it's part of the city's daily life and death. And its work is more relevant than ever in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic.


bbc--2020-06-13--Businessman close to Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro arrested in Cape Verde

Cape Verde authorities have arrested a businessman accused by the US of corrupt dealings with the government of Venezuela 's President Nicolás Maduro .
Alex Nain Saab , who is Colombian , was indicted by the US justice department for money laundering last July .
The 48-year-old was detained on Friday on an Interpol `` red notice '' stemming from the indictment .
Mr Saab was reportedly travelling to Iran on a Venezuelan plane and had stopped in Cape Verde to refuel .
His lawyer in the US , María Domínguez , confirmed the arrest , but declined to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know Mr Saab is accused by the US government of serving as President Maduro 's front man in a large network of money laundering and corruption .
He is accused of making large amounts of money from overvalued contracts , as well as Venezuela 's systems of government-set exchange rate and centralized import and distribution of basic foods .
Venezuela has faced chronic shortages of food and medicine as a result of years of political and economic crisis .
`` Saab engaged with Maduro insiders to run a wide-scale corruption network they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population , '' said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said when the sanctions were announced .
`` They use food as a form of social control , to reward political supporters and punish opponents , all the while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes . ''
Mr Saab was also wanted for money laundering in his native Colombia , where he is regarded as a fugitive from justice .
Washington has long accused the President Maduro of leading a corrupt regime in Venezuela - a charge he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US charged him and other senior officials in the country with `` narco-terrorism '' .
The Trump administration backs Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó , who declared himself interim president last year .

"They use food as a form of social control, to reward political supporters and punish opponents, all the while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes."


bbc--2020-06-13--Australian sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling

An Australian man has been sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling , the Australian government has confirmed .
The man was named in Australian media as Karm or Cam Gilespie .
He is believed to have been arrested at an airport in 2013 with 7.5kg ( 16 Ibs ) of methamphetamine , also known as ice , in his luggage , the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reports .
Australia 's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was `` deeply saddened to hear of the verdict '' .
`` Australia opposes the death penalty , in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the universal abolition of the death penalty and are committed to pursuing this goal through all the avenues available to us , '' it said in a statement .
Relations between China and Australia have been strained by trade disputes and mutual criticism during the coronavirus pandemic .
Australia angered China by calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of the virus , first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year .
Beijing subsequently warned citizens against travelling to Australia , saying there had been a `` significant increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and told Chinese students to consider the risks of studying there .
China has also banned Australia 's beef imports and imposed tariffs on its barley .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would `` never be intimidated by threats '' .
Karm Gilespie is thought to have been arrested seven years ago while trying to board an international flight from Baiyun Airport in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou .
Chinese media reports say the death sentence was announced by the Guangzhou Intermediate People 's Court on 10 June .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuses to disclose how many people it executes .
Rights group Amnesty International believes thousands are killed every year .
The sentence is carried out by lethal injection or by firing squad .
At least a dozen foreigners have been executed for drug-related offences , and many more are on death row .
One of the most high-profile cases involved British man Akmal Shaikh , who was executed in 2009 despite claims he was mentally ill and an appeal for clemency from the UK prime minister .
Australians have been sentenced to death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sherrif was arrested at Guangzhou airport after trying to smuggle methamphetamine between China and Australia .
At the time , Australia 's public broadcaster said Sherrif 's death sentence could be softened to life in prison after two years of good behaviour .
Australia also expressed concern when Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg was handed a death sentence in January 2019 .
Prosecutors allege that he tried to smuggle almost 227kg ( 500lb ) of methamphetamine from Dalian , in northern China , to Australia .
Schellenberg denied all charges and said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was then acting foreign minister and is now Australia 's trade minister - said at the time that the country was `` deeply concerned '' by the case .

"Australia opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances for all people. We support the universal abolition of the death penalty and are committed to pursuing this goal through all the avenues available to us," it said in a statement.


bbc--2020-06-13--London protests: Demonstrators clash with police

Police have been attacked by demonstrators in central London , where thousands gathered despite warnings to avoid protests .
Groups including some far-right activists congregated in the capital , claiming they were protecting statues from anti-racism activists .
Boris Johnson said `` racist thuggery has no place on our streets '' after officers were seen being punched and kicked .
Some peaceful anti-racism protests also took place in London and across the UK .
The Met Police had placed restrictions on several groups intending to protest , including having to finish at 17:00 BST , following violent scenes last weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the streets of central London after the official cut-off .
• Five factors behind the UK George Floyd protests • How many statues of black people are there ?
• Churchill statue 'may have to be put in museum' More than 100 people were arrested during the protests in the capital , Scotland Yard said , for offences including violent disorder , assault on police and possession of an offensive weapon .
Six police officers also suffered minor injuries in the violent clashes , a Met Police statement added .
Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has no place on our streets .
Anyone attacking the police will be met with full force of the law .
`` These marches and protests have been subverted by violence and breach current guidelines .
Racism has no part in the UK and we must work together to make that a reality . ''
A man who was part of the protest was pictured in Parliament Square urinating next to the memorial of PC Keith Palmer - the police officer killed in the Westminster terror attack in 2017 .
Home Secretary Priti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the memorial was `` utterly shameful '' .
Various groups from around the country , including some far-right activists , said they had come to London to protect symbols of British history .
Hundreds of mostly white men gathered around the Cenotaph war memorial in Whitehall and the boarded-up statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square .
There were a number of clashes with police in riot gear as crowds - chanting `` England '' and raising their arms - surged towards lines of officers .
Some protesters managed to break metal barriers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag poles , a smoke flare and a traffic cone towards police who were striking them back with batons .
Large groups of right-wing protesters then moved to Trafalgar Square , where fireworks were thrown across the crowds .
As some protesters moved towards Waterloo Station around 18:00 BST , both the underground and mainline station were temporarily closed due to the protests - but later reopened .
A statement from the London Ambulance Service said it had treated 15 patients , including two police officers , for injuries at the protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the public - have now been taken to hospital . ''
At the scene in Parliament Square From mid-morning hundreds of men - most of whom were already drinking - headed into Parliament Square .
Some were members of football hooligan networks who had put aside their differences for the day .
Others were from the far-right .
But despite claims that the day was about defending British heritage , it soon became violent .
Groups looked for opportunities to attack the police .
Bottles and cans were thrown at their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireworks set off .
Journalists who came too close were threatened .
One bare-chested man kicked a police officer to the ground and there were repeated attempts by others to storm barriers as the police contained the trouble .
By late afternoon , some had left to find more beer - only to find their way back blocked by riot police .
Others tried to regroup on nearby streets as the police played cat and mouse - using their numbers to repeatedly contain and block attempts to take violence around the city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence against police was `` completely unacceptable '' , adding `` no ifs , no buts '' .
He tweeted : `` Today 's protests in London were led by those intent on causing violence and sowing hate for their own ends .
We must not let them win . ''
The Met Police Federation described it as `` unacceptable '' , tweeting that its officers `` do not come to work to face this level of violence and abuse '' .
Peaceful demonstrations by anti-racism protesters in support of the Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Marble Arch .
Organisers from the Black Lives Matter movement had urged people not to join any rallies planned for the weekend over fears there could be clashes with far-right groups .
One demonstration planned for Saturday in London was brought forward by a day .
Speaking before the clashes in the capital , the leader of the far-right group Britain First , Paul Golding - convicted last month of an offence under the Terrorism Act - said they had turned out to `` guard our monuments '' .
The statue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from potential damage , after protesters daubed `` was a racist '' on it last weekend .
Hundreds of people also gathered in Glasgow , Bristol and Belfast as part of events organised to `` protect '' war memorials .
Many anti-racism protests have been held around the country , including in Brighton , Newcastle , Liverpool and Chelmsford .
In Brighton , thousands formed a mile-long line along the seafront as they staged a silent protest before marching through the city centre .
Tension briefly rose as they passed a small group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memorial .
In Newcastle , demonstrators supporting the Black Lives Matter movement were heckled by a large counter-protest .
Denise Richards , who is involved in the Black Lives Matter movement in Derbyshire , said her chapter had decided not to protest in London on Saturday .
She told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme that peaceful protesters feared they would be caught up in violent clashes with far-right demonstrators and this could `` tarnish '' the work of Black Lives Matter .
Nick Lowles , chief executive of campaign group Hope Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very serious '' threat of trouble from far-right activists and commended Black Lives Matter for standing down their plans to protest in London on Saturday .
`` There are some people who are genuinely concerned about the protection of their statues and monuments but many people are coming for a fight and they are talking openly about it on their social media accounts , '' he told the programme .
A Black Lives Matter demonstration took place in central London on Friday evening with leaders of the march urging those in attendance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend .
• The stories behind the statues targeted in protests The Met Police have imposed measures requiring all demonstrations to come to an end at 17:00 BST and giving officers enhanced powers to stop and search individuals , after police learned some people were coming into London to cause harm and were likely to bring weapons with them .
The Section 60 order will remain in place until 02:00 BST on Sunday .
The restrictions come in the wake of violence and serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests last weekend .
While police said those demonstrations were on the whole peaceful , there were dozens of arrests and 27 police officers were injured .
Demonstrations have been taking place across the world following the death in police custody of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month .

Speaking before the clashes in the capital, the leader of the far-right group Britain First, Paul Golding - convicted last month of an offence under the Terrorism Act - said they had turned out to "guard our monuments".


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: How sex workers are surviving in Uganda and Nigeria

While African governments give aid to their citizens , one group has seemingly been forgotten - sex workers .
These @ @ @ @ @ talk about what life is like for them during the pandemic .
Names have been @ @ @ @ @ .

While African governments give aid to their citizens, one group has seemingly been forgotten - sex workers.
These women from Uganda and Nigeria talk about what life is like for them during the pandemic.
Names have been changed to preserve their anonymity.
Produced by Patience Atuhaire, Azeezat Olaoluwa and Maisie Smith-Walters
Filmed by Allan Atulinda


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: The Queen's official socially distanced birthday

The Queen has made her first official public appearance since lockdown began at a pared-down military ceremony at Windsor Castle @ @ @ @ @ .
Her Majesty 's actual birthday is in April , but it is publicly celebrated @ @ @ @ @ June every year .
The traditional Trooping the Colour parade was cancelled because of the @ @ @ @ @ only the second time in her 68-year reign that the parade in London has not @ @ @

The Queen has made her first official public appearance since lockdown began at a pared-down military ceremony at Windsor Castle to mark her official birthday.
Her Majesty's actual birthday is in April, but it is publicly celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year.
The traditional Trooping the Colour parade was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It is only the second time in her 68-year reign that the parade in London has not gone ahead.


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: Your pictures on the theme of 'self-portrait'

We asked our readers to send in their pictures on the theme of `` self-portrait '' during lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Here are some of the pictures sent to us from around the world .
Andrew D Jackson : `` Walking in Nice , my wife and I discovered a wall painting that very much resembled me .
Looking at this image today , we see a photograph of me looking at a painting of 'myself ' - a sort of self-portrait of a self-portrait . ''
Tika jabanadhvili : `` I wanted to convey my feelings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is titled self-portrait or Autoportrait as it is by the artist and of the artist .
Like the flowers in this photograph , art is a part of me .
It comes at the forefront of everything , just like the flowers which come before me . ''
Richard Hughes : `` Virtually every day in lockdown I picked up my camera and got some fresh air in the sounding fields in Woburn Sands .
It proved a great way for me to relax , stay sane and learn a new skill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ week seven of my series I call Selfie Isolation .
It started off on my 50th Birthday when I set up my own party , having had to cancel it .
It has since turned into a weekly event to give my friends and colleagues a smile .
Lilith Smith : `` My sisters and friends have been doing weekly quarantine challenges , and this week it was to take a self-portrait .
I used kitchen equipment in mine .
This one uses a crystal cake plate , and my camera was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
And finally Woody the Lab sent in this picture : `` I 'd love to be featured as part of the your pics feature !
Caught myself in a good light while basking in the sun last week and figured it was the perfect time to embark on an artistic career - starting with a self-portrait , of course . ''
The next theme is `` walking '' and the deadline for entries is 23 June 2020 .
Send pictures to yourpics @ bbc.co.uk or follow the link to `` Upload @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details and terms can be found by following the link to `` We set the theme , you take the picture '' at the bottom of the page .

Image caption,
Tika jabanadhvili: "I wanted to convey my feelings and attitude towards art in general. It is titled self-portrait or Autoportrait as it is by the artist and of the artist. Like the flowers in this photograph, art is a part of me. It comes at the forefront of everything, just like the flowers which come before me."


bbc--2020-06-13--ICMY: Thousands of turtles and robot graduations

From the world 's largest green sea turtle breeding colony to a virtual graduation , here are some stories you @ @ @ @ @ .

From the world's largest green sea turtle breeding colony to a virtual graduation, here are some stories you may have missed this week.


bbc--2020-06-13--George Floyd: How far have African Americans come since the 1960s?

In the weeks following the death of George Floyd , much has been said about the long struggle by African Americans for equality in the US .
It is 57 years this August since civil rights leader Martin Luther King led the March on Washington to demand racial justice .
So how much progress have black people in the US made since the 1960s ?
We 've looked at six measures .
In 2016 , the latest data available , the average wealth of a white family was almost seven times more than a black family in the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 than it was in 1983 , when black family wealth data was first collected .
In the 1960s , the data collected had non-whites all grouped together , rather than in separate groups .
The disparity was at a similar level then as in the most recent data , with white families having about seven times more wealth on average than non-white families .
Researchers at the Brookings Institute say : `` The wealth gap reflects a society that has not and does not afford equality of opportunity to all its citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family 's assets - such as a house or savings - minus their debts .
Inheritance accounts for roughly 4 % of annual household income in the US - so generational inequalities continue to have an impact , with less money being passed down through black families .
In 2016 , an average white family 's wealth was over $ 700,000 ( £550,000 ) more than that of an average black family .
Although the wealth disparity remains significant , African Americans have become more economically well off since the 1960s .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before , according to the latest data .
In 2018 , the black poverty rate was 20.8 % - about half of that in 1966 .
The white poverty rate has remained relatively steady .
There are 8.9 million African Americans living in poverty , according to the latest US Census Bureau data .
Poverty in the US is calculated by judging if a family 's total income is less than the family 's needs .
If it is , then every person in that family is considered to be in poverty .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been made since the 1960s .
More African Americans had completed four years of higher education by 2019 than ever before - 26 % compared with just 4 % in 1962 .
College attainment by white Americans has also increased since the 1960s - but at about half the rate .
The African-American unemployment rate reached a record low of 5.5 % in September last year - but it has spiked sharply because of the huge impact of the coronavirus crisis on the US economy .
Before this , the white unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black unemployment rate since records began , in the 1970s .
The recent uptick in job losses has also disproportionately affected African Americans - their unemployment rate is 3.5 % higher than the overall figure .
There has n't been much movement in the disparity between the wages of black and white Americans either .
The average income of black households is about 60 % less than that of white households , with this disparity barely changing over the past 50 years .
Black wages have gone up , but roughly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's average wage adjusted for inflation has about the same purchasing power as it did 40 years ago .
Progress has been made in black representation in politics , with today 's US Congress being the most diverse ever .
The current Congress - the US legislative branch of government , made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate - has 55 African-American members , up from 50 in the previous term .
As voting rights and protections were expanded during the civil rights movement , the number of black lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1960s had just four African-American members - but by the end of the 1960s , there were 11 .
This number has continued to grow and has more than doubled since the start of the 1990s .

Poverty in the US is calculated by judging if a family's total income is less than the family's needs. If it is, then every person in that family is considered to be in poverty.


bbc--2020-06-13--Kathy Sullivan: The woman who's made history in sea and space

Making headlines is never something that has motivated Kathy Sullivan .
Already in the history books as the first US woman to complete a spacewalk in 1984 , the 68-year-old found herself in the news again this week after becoming the first woman to travel almost seven miles ( 11km ) to reach the lowest known point in the ocean .
The two missions , total opposites in the minds of some , represent two extremes of a lifelong passion for Dr Sullivan : to understand the world around her as much as possible .
`` I was always a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider and more varied than the stereotype of a little girl , '' Sullivan told the BBC in a phone interview from the Pacific Ocean .
She was born in New Jersey in 1951 and spent her childhood in California .
Her father was an aerospace engineer who , along with her mother , would always encourage their two children to think freely and join in with discussions .
`` They really fed our curiosity on anything we were curious about or interested in , '' she says .
`` They were our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see where it might take us : it might die out in a couple of days , it might be something that became our best hobby or it might turn into the central focus of our career . ''
By the time they were five or six , it was already clear her brother wanted to grow up to fly aeroplanes .
Sullivan , meanwhile , became fascinated by maps and learning more about the interesting places on them .
`` Both of our careers have basically been remarkably wonderful fulfilments of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a little girl , Sullivan was already devouring every newspaper , magazine and television report she could find on the subject of exploration .
It was a time when Jacques Cousteau was making pioneering undersea discoveries and the Mercury Seven were propelling the image of astronauts into America 's mind .
`` I saw these people - they happened to all be men , that did n't bother me ...
I saw there are people in the world that have continually inquisitive , adventurous lives : they 're going to places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store of knowledge and they 're learning more . ''
`` My way of thinking about it never crystallised into : I want that job , I want that title or that label , '' she explains about her ambitions as a teenager .
`` But what I knew really clearly was what I wanted my life to be like , I wanted it to have that mixture of inquiry and adventure and competency . ''
Her pursuit first took her into foreign languages and then , as an undergraduate , into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , around 1970 , it was an area still overwhelmingly male-dominated .
`` The guys went out to field camps and they dressed all grubby and they never showered and they could swear and be real , rowdy little boys again to their hearts ' content , '' she says .
Her presence was treated like a disturbance to their fun .
Sullivan felt that by this time , there was already some change under way .
She was never , for instance , harassed or bullied for her gender .
`` In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instances , I had some tremendously supportive male professors and colleagues that were definitely , definitely on my side and just saw me as a very capable fellow student , very capable geologist , very capable fellow shipmate . ''
Sullivan saw in her marine science professors her ambitions for her own life realised - and so began to further her studies in oceanography .
She applied to Nasa as a way to deepen her knowledge of the earth further still .
`` My primary motivation for applying to be an astronaut was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and actually got chosen - I could get to see the earth from orbit with my own eyes . ''
Sullivan was admitted into Nasa 's class of 1978 .
It was the first recruitment drive that brought women into its astronaut ranks .
Six were selected from the class of 35 and Sally Ride , seen on the far left of the image above , became the first of them to fly into space in 1983 .
Ride would later recount the unique challenges of being the first women recruited into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special make-up kits and wildly overestimated how many tampons would be needed for week-long missions .
Sullivan 's first mission , STS-41-G , set off on 5 October 1984 .
It was the 13th flight of Nasa 's Space shuttle program and the sixth trip for the Space Shuttle Challenger .
On 11 October 1984 Sullivan made history when she became the first American woman to leave a spacecraft , along with fellow mission specialist David Leestma , on a spacewalk to demonstrate the feasibility of an orbital refuelling system .
She went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missions , including the 1990 launch of the Hubble Space Telescope .
She logged 532 hours in space in total and was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2004 .
`` My spacewalk was three and a half hours long .
It 's a spacewalk that counts but that 's actually very short as spacewalks go , '' Sullivan says .
`` I was just delighted to see women come after me and do , you know , much more elaborate , much more complicated , much more demanding spacewalks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been buoyed to see women increasingly involved at senior levels throughout the space program - including in commanding roles and managing missions from the ground .
`` These are all wonderful things and I think help show young girls that you can make your way to these places , '' she says .
`` No one 's promising you a primrose path .
You know , you 're gon na have your setbacks , you 're gon na have to persist and persevere .
`` You 're going to have to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least ajar - it 's not wide open , but you can make your way through it . ''
Last year an all-female spacewalk eventually happened for the first time .
It was a nice little `` bookend '' moment for Sullivan , especially given Christina Koch wore the same life support system backpack Sullivan had all the way back in 1984 .
Upon leaving Nasa in 1993 , Sullivan went on to serve as chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) and later as its administrator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she spent years as president and CEO of the Center of Science and Industry ( COSI ) and in a distinguished position at Ohio State University .
The surprise invitation for her latest adventure came from Victor Vescovo , a former naval officer and investor who has spent years and millions of dollars on technology to take people underwater , to the depths of our planet .
The Challenger Deep is the deepest known part of the earth 's seabed .
Part of the Mariana Trench , it is almost seven miles ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean .
It was first reached in 1960 by two men - US Navy Lt Don Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard - and has only been reached a handful of times since , including by Titanic director James Cameron .
Vescovo , a keen explorer himself , has said the primary motivation for his private endeavour is to spur interest in the sea and science .
Last year he became the first person to visit the deepest points in every ocean using his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Limiting Factor , launched from dedicated support ships .
Sullivan said he contacted her via email to invite her on his latest mission , because he thought it was `` really time '' for a woman to get down there .
She suspects it was her friendship with Don Walsh , the oceanographer first to reach the Challenger Deep , that earned her the recommendation .
After researching Vescovo 's endeavour , she excitedly agreed .
Last Sunday she accompanied him down more than 35,800ft ( 10,900m ) inside the two-person submersible - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman to reach the bottom .
She describes the journey as like being inside a magic sphere .
Seeing the lander - an unmanned robotic vehicle that descends to the seafloor - alongside them at such depth was like stumbling upon `` an alien space probe '' , she says .
`` I mean , it 's just magical that we can go to these places because of the ingenuity and the engineering prowess of these teams of people , we can take our bodies to places that we really have no business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , essentially , in street clothes .
I mean , I ate lunch 31,000ft below the surface of the ocean on Sunday .
That 's crazy . ''
EYOS Expeditions , which organised the expedition , also facilitated a call between the pair and the International Space Station ( ISS ) when they emerged - a fitting representation of the two extremes of humankind 's exploration .
In a press release for the dive , the organisers drew the comparison between Vescovo 's enterprise and what is being done with SpaceX - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential '' of private companies contributing to technological advancement worldwide .
Sullivan believes that as nations and individuals we should continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge about the world we live in .
She also expresses her hope for improved diversity and female representation across the world of science , technology , engineering and mathematics ( Stem ) .
`` The stereotype is a very dull person in a lab coat that just knows numbers and just knows principles , '' she says .
`` But in so many fields where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what you 're doing , it 's completely creative . ''
So does she have any plans for her next adventure ?
`` I think exploration can take many forms - it does n't have to be venturing off physically to the middle of the Pacific Ocean or to the earth orbit , '' she says .
`` There are topics , there are subjects , that there are lots of dimensions to exploring .
`` I think I will be exploring until they put me in a little wooden box at @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"They really fed our curiosity on anything we were curious about or interested in," she says. "They were our best allies to explore that interest further and see where it might take us: it might die out in a couple of days, it might be something that became our best hobby or it might turn into the central focus of our career."


bbc--2020-06-13--Coronavirus: Island isolation over as Greece lets tourists back

Every morning Michael Ermogenis leaves his house in Oia , Santorini , to walk his dog .
The picturesque island 's famous domed churches and sunset views helped draw more than two million overnight visitors last year .
For months he has been able to wander the marble paths all day and barely see another other person , as the coronavirus pandemic has stopped tourism .
But on Monday that is all set to change , as Greece reopens its borders with the aim of kick-starting its tourist season .
Usually the crowds and traffic on Santorini are so hectic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour to leave his village .
Tourist numbers had been growing so much that the EU warned they were putting `` the future of the destination at risk '' .
`` It 's just unbelievable , '' he says .
`` I feel like I 've been given the keys to Disneyland .
But at the same time , I know this has n't been done for my benefit .
It 's a major global disaster . ''
The halt to global travel has proved devastating to a Mediterranean country such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as 30 % of economic output and commands up to one in five jobs .
It welcomed a record 33 million visitors last year , and for many islands tourism really is the main source of private sector employment .
Some island residents are now wondering if this could be an opportunity to move to a more sustainable tourism model .
• The paradise island that wants to ditch plastic • How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
• Fast on coronavirus , now they need to save summer '' Right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come off the boil , '' says Michael Ermogenis .
He was previously so worried about visitor numbers that he started a Save Oia campaign , erecting signs around the village asking tourists to treat their surroundings with respect .
`` The question is , how soon will it become an issue again , unless the authorities try do things in a more thoughtful , strategic way ? ''
How Greece is reopening for tourism on 15 June Greece begins phase two , allowing international flights into Thessaloniki airport ; until now only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of Europe , Israel , Japan , Australia and New Zealand : • Arrivals by air - from 29 countries considered low-risk - will face random tests for Covid-19 • Arrivals from some European countries deemed higher risk , including Belgium and the UK , will face compulsory testing .
A negative result will require a week in quarantine , two weeks for a positive result • Land border arrivals are allowed from Albania , North Macedonia and Bulgaria and face random testing 1 July : International arrivals allowed into all Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing .
On the nearby island of Mykonos , famous for its parties and celebrity visitors , Stacey Harris-Papaioannou admits she has been enjoying having the beaches largely to herself .
`` But nice as it is , we ca n't pay our bills with sand , '' she laughs , explaining that she makes an income renting accommodation to seasonal workers .
Cruise ships have been one of the islanders ' biggest complaints , she says .
`` On any given day we might have seven of them show up at once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extra 20,000 people within an hour , '' she says .
For years , she and others have been calling for boat arrivals to be staggered .
The pandemic has put paid to the cruise industry for now and this year none of the big ships will be docking in the harbour .
Many Mykonians are happy about this , although some businesses such as cafes and mini-markets will take a hit .
Another problem has been the demand on infrastructure , as capacity has not increased to keep up with visitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to excessive energy use .
Waste management too is a huge issue .
Santorini has no recycling facilities , just an illegal dumpsite not up to EU standards .
Tourism has been used by successive Greek governments as a means of resuscitating the country after crises .
In the 1950s , the government built five-star , state-run hotels in a bid to attract upmarket visitors after World War Two .
After the military dictatorship took power in a coup in 1967 , the focus turned to mass tourism , and continued after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greece recover from its financial crisis , too , although many argue it has not been properly managed .
`` There is still a lack of specific policies regarding tourism flows , '' says Prof Efthymia Sarantakou at the University of West Attica .
`` One basic weakness is that the government structure does not give regional authorities the power to manage and regulate tourism at a local level . ''
Could Greece use the pandemic to change ?
Another complaint in Greece is that over-reliance on tourism has led to a deluge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's an industry that employs a lot of women , migrants and young people worldwide , '' says Kristina Zampoukos , from the department of tourism studies at Mid Sweden University .
`` It 's a sector that 's not highly valued or paid because of its association with feminised skills , such as cleaning , serving and caring for others . ''
Other destinations that have previously suffered from over-tourism , such as Venice and Amsterdam , have already declared they are using the pandemic as an opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Greek government has not made any similar moves .
For the moment many islanders are focused on whether they can make an income and avoid a second wave of the virus .
But they will be wary of seeing the old problems return .

"On any given day we might have seven of them show up at once, and the island gets deluged with an extra 20,000 people within an hour," she says. For years, she and others have been calling for boat arrivals to be staggered.