bbc--2020-08-04--James Lovelock: Gaia theory creator on coronavirus and turning 101

James Lovelock , one of Britain ’ s greatest scientists , is famous for developing the Gaia hypothesis , which @ @ @ @ @ self-regulating system .
In his long and influential career , he also revealed the chemicals @ @ @ @ @ layer .
He ’ s just celebrated his 101st birthday and the BBC 's chief @ @ @ @ @ him at his home in Dorset .

James Lovelock, one of Britain’s greatest scientists, is famous for developing the Gaia hypothesis, which sees the Earth as a self-regulating system.
In his long and influential career, he also revealed the chemicals that were destroying the ozone layer.
He’s just celebrated his 101st birthday and the BBC's chief environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt visited him at his home in Dorset.


bbc--2020-08-03--Beyond TikTok: Who else might President Trump ban?

TikTok 's time in the US may be running out , with President Trump and other senior officials talking of an imminent ban .
But other Chinese-owned apps and software-based services could also be targeted .
On Sunday , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged that some of the Asian nation 's technology companies were “ feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party '' .
So who else is at risk ?
The most obvious target is Tencent 's WeChat , which was the only product that Mr Pompeo called out by name in addition to TikTok .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ social network , but it 's really so much more - offering ways to make payments , run additional mini-programs , find dates and get the news , in addition to messaging and other social activities .
It 's perhaps best thought of as being a kind of secondary operating system that sits on top of iOS or Android .
It 's also viewed as being a key instrument in China 's internal surveillance apparatus - requiring local users who have been accused of spreading malicious rumours to register a facial scan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is allegedly commonly used by the Chinese Communist Party to pump propaganda to the Chinese diaspora .
A seminar held earlier this year by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank discussed how groups within the app would be used to recommend holiday destinations , restaurants and the like on a day-to-day basis , but then switch to spreading political messages in line with Beijing 's thinking at critical times .
Meanwhile , a recent study by security researchers at Canada 's Citizen Lab detailed how documents and images transmitted among non-China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Chinese authorities would consider to be politically sensitive .
It did not find that any were being blocked , but rather suggested the collected data was being used to refine censorship efforts within China itself .
Tencent has previously said all content shared among international WeChat users stays private .
India might give a hint as to which other Chinese apps could be barred .
The South Asian country recently banned 59 China-linked apps on the grounds they threatened its `` sovereignty and security '' .
TikTok and WeChat were on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included : • Baidu Maps and Baidu Translate - rivals to Google 's products from China 's leading search provider • Clash of Kings and Mobile Legends Bang Bang - two video games The BBC contacted several apps affected for comment , but did not receive a response .
India and China are engaged in a long-running dispute over their border .
But one expert suggested that a desire to help home-grown software developers , rather than `` genuine security concerns '' , might have been a factor in taking the decision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to signal is that India has had enough of China and wants to de-link itself , ” commented Gareth Price , a senior research fellow at London-based think tank , Chatham House .
In any case , Delhi may only be getting started .
According to local reports the government is considering banning a further 275 apps , some of which may be more familiar to a US audience , including : • Video games from NetEase , which publishes several Marvel super-heroes titles among others • Various Mi-branded apps from the mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested Finland 's Supercell - developer of the Clash of Clans video game - might also be banned in India , on the basis that Tencent has a large stake in the business .
Were the US to follow that line of attack , League of Legends ' publisher Riot Games , and Fortnite maker Epic Games , might also have reason to worry .
Mr Pompeo has also suggested that software which collects facial recognition patterns are a concern .
Although he did not mention any product by name , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The social network Kwai and beauty app YouCam Makeup both use facial recognition algorithms , and are among the Chinese apps banned by India .
It should be noted that US restrictions on Chinese firms are not entirely new .
In the past year or so , the Trump administration has added dozens of Chinese companies to economic blacklists , which restrict the firms in question from buying US technology without government approval .
Among those recently added are : China responded by saying it was firmly opposed to the move .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct its mistakes , ” a foreign ministry spokesman said at the time .
Zoom is a further service that might have concerns .
The video chat service was founded by China-born entrepreneur Eric Yuan .
It has faced criticism for having `` mistakenly '' routed some calls via China-based computer servers in the past , as well as having closed accounts that had hosted events critical of the Chinese government , but been based elsewhere .
The company has just announced it will stop offering its service directly to China-based users , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners .
“ We informed our customers that this will take effect on 23 August , '' it said in a statement .
The timing may be a coincidence , but the move demonstrates that tech companies may be wary of giving the US any reason to question where their loyalties lie going forward .

Meanwhile, a recent study by security researchers at Canada's Citizen Lab detailed how documents and images transmitted among non-China registered users were being screened for content that the Chinese authorities would consider to be politically sensitive. It did not find that any were being blocked, but rather suggested the collected data was being used to refine censorship efforts within China itself.


bbc--2020-08-03--The trees that survived the bombing of Hiroshima

When an atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945 , hundreds of thousands of people @ @ @ @ @ Despite many survivors believing nothing would grow in the city for decades , 170 trees @ @ @ @ @ 75 years later .
Green Legacy Hiroshima is a project that sends seedlings from those @ @ @ @ @ spreading a message of hope .
Tomoko Watanabe is a co-founder of the project and @ @ @ @ @ Witness History : The stories of our times told by the people who were there @ @ @ @ @ published in April 2020 .

When an atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945, hundreds of thousands of people were killed and injured.
Despite many survivors believing nothing would grow in the city for decades, 170 trees survived and are still growing 75 years later.
Green Legacy Hiroshima is a project that sends seedlings from those trees around the world, spreading a message of hope.
Tomoko Watanabe is a co-founder of the project and spoke to Witness History.
Witness History: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.
This video was originally published in April 2020.


bbc--2020-08-03--‘I feel guilty for surviving’: The deadly hunt for Jade in Myanmar

Si Thu Phyo was scavenging for leftover gemstones when he felt the earth shake loose around him .
The 21-year-old was hard at work in one of the world 's largest jade mines , in Kachin State in northern Myanmar .
He was just one of hundreds of jade pickers in the pits that day .
He tried to run , as the landslide crashed down , but before he could escape he was engulfed by a wave of water , mud , and stone .
Si Thu tumbled under the water .
`` My mouth was full of mud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the waves pushed me under again and again , '' he said .
`` I thought I was going die . ''
But Si Thu swam his way out .
Later , in hospital , he learned that seven of his closest friends did n't .
They were among an estimated 200 people who had died in the nation 's worst ever mining landslide .
`` We lived like brothers , often sleeping in the same bed , '' Si Thu said quietly , recalling his friends .
From his cramped home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he can see the mountain where he was searching for stones that day .
`` I feel guilty for being the one who survived , '' he said .
`` I wish this tragedy is a bad dream and I wake ; no landslide and my friends are back . ''
Deadly landslides occur almost every year during the rainy season at the vast mines in Kachin state .
The mines produce about 70 % of the world 's jade - a gem coveted by the Chinese and a trade worth billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslide was the deadliest on record .
Unlike some that went before , it was captured on mobile phone video .
`` Social media has made the people aware , '' said Si Thu .
`` When there was no internet and phone connection here , authorities and the companies could turn a blind eye . ''
Under pressure , Myanmar 's government appointed an investigative body , led by the Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation , Ohn Win , to determine responsibility and arrange compensation for the families .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President .
Its findings have n't been made public yet , but Mr Win has already angered many jade pickers by suggesting those who died were `` greedy '' .
He said the mines had been officially closed for the monsoon season and the Government had issued warnings about heavy rain .
`` It was greed , '' he said .
The nation 's de facto leader , Aung San Suu Kyi , suggested unemployment levels were to blame .
Yan Naing Myo was also in the mines that day .
He survived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrel .
Others clung to floating corpses , he said .
He was deeply hurt by the words of the environment minister .
`` The Government sent them to investigate , but they are just blaming us scavengers , '' he said .
`` It makes us very unhappy at a time when we are in the midst of grief . ''
Yan Naing , who is 23 , has 14 stitches in his head and extensive bruises on his body .
He also has a Bachelor degree in Burmese literature , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mines just for `` pocket money '' at first , during his holidays .
After graduating he felt unmotivated and returned to the mines .
Now sees it as the only work he can do , he said .
Si Thu did n't make it that far .
He was forced to drop out of school when he was 10 , after Cyclone Nargis destroyed his family 's rice paddies and livelihood in 2008 .
Now 10 members of the family live together in the shadow of the mines .
Si Thu usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , scrabbling for precious stones .
The jade scavengers are driven by unemployment and poverty .
Campaigners say they are able to operate in the dangerous territory around the mines because the Myanmar government has limited control over the areas .
`` To blame the victims does n't address the issues that make it possible for them to be there , which is conflict , lack of rule of law and armed groups , '' said Paul Donowitz , lead campaigner with Global Witness , an international watchdog that monitors natural-resource exploitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Myanmar 's biggest river Companies linked to the Myanmar military , or Tatmadaw , largely control the industry and operate in near secrecy , say campaigners .
Armed rebel groups , which are seeking self-rule in the region , also extract their own revenues and so do drug kingpins .
`` We have found evidence that the ethnic armed groups and the military are even cooperating on the mining fields , while being in armed conflict on the battle field , '' said Mr Donowitz .
A nationwide cease fire deal that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , `` could damage all their economic interests in the mine '' .
A 2019 analysis by the Natural Resource Governance Institute estimated the value of mined jade in Myanmar at somewhere between $ 15bn ( £11.5bn ) annually , but most of it is mined illegally .
Official government data puts the annual value somewhere in the millions .
`` The state is losing 80 % to 90 % of the revenue it should be generating , '' Mr Donowitz said .
Most of the jade mined in the Kachin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border in China .
As China has become wealthier , its appetite for the bright emerald stone has soared and at the top end jade can be worth more than gold .
When Si Thu finds a large jade stone , the mining company or the armed groups take a cut , or both .
Or in some cases they just seize the stone , he said .
`` One of my friends found a big precious stone in this mine here , '' he said , pointing to where the landslide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in the water because he was fed up with how we are treated .
We are living a hand-to-mouth existence and never given a chance . ''
There is also endemic drug use amongst the miners .
Users told the BBC that a shot of heroin cost just $ 1 .
One of four companies that operates in the area where the landslide happened is Kyauk Myat Shwe Pyi , locally known as the Triple One mining company .
U Min Thu , a senior official at the mining ministry and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the BBC that the company is a joint Chinese-Myanmar venture with connections to the Wa Ethnic armed group .
`` Armed groups , which have made peace agreements with the government , are allowed to invest in the country , '' he said .
And while a 2019 law prohibits foreigners from investing in jade mining , Chinese mining companies can simply create joint ventures , U Min Thu said .
The shares are then divided .
`` Government owning 25 % , and the company 75 % , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency , the government published information late last year about ownership of mining companies and potential conflicts of interest .
But in a new report that analysed the data , Global Witness found only eight of the 163 companies that took part said they had owners with close ties to high-ranking former or present military officials or leaders of ethnic armed groups .
According to the Global Witness report , the entries for the Myanmar military-owned company MEHL were `` incomplete and inaccurate '' , and the Triple One mining company was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site of the landslide that killed Si Thu 's friends , flowers and incense were placed late last month into the black and grey soil , during at a memorial service for the dead and the missing .
The service was led by one of the country 's most prominent monks , Sitagu Sayadaw .
More than 200 monks , along with hundreds of others , chanted Buddhist rites , so the dead could be reincarnated into a better life .
Among the crowd was Daw Mu Mu , who travelled 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her missing 37-year-old son , Ko Yarzar .
`` Every time I hear that another body has been found , I run down into the pits to see , '' she said .
Her knees were swollen from climbing up and down .
She needs to find her son 's body in order to gain the 3,500,000 Kyat ( 2,500 US dollars ) in compensation that is being offering to families of the decreased by the government and aid agencies .
`` I know I have lost him and hopes of finding his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` For now , I am just sleeping in my son 's room filled with grief , reviving good memories and consoling myself with the clothes he wore when he was alive . ''
A month after the disaster , people are beginning to return to the mines .
Among those making their way back to work are children who toil alongside their parents , searching for the precious stone on the fragile cliffs , knowing all the while that the cliffs could collapse around them .
On a rainy day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Si Thu walked back up to the mine .
He was waiting for his injuries to heal .
He said he would return to work when they had .
Standing at the edge of the pit where his friends died , he stared off into the distance .
`` Next time I 'll run away before bad things happen , '' he said .

When Si Thu finds a large jade stone, the mining company or the armed groups take a cut, or both. Or in some cases they just seize the stone, he said. "One of my friends found a big precious stone in this mine here," he said, pointing to where the landslide took place. "But he threw it in the water because he was fed up with how we are treated. We are living a hand-to-mouth existence and never given a chance."


bbc--2020-08-03--Iran women's podcast gives voice to victims of abuse

Maryam 's voice trembles as she tells what happened when her husband attacked her in public .
`` People 's reaction was like it was normal to see a man beating his wife .
There 's no law , there are no safe houses , and even the police ca n't do much .
Some families also act like they 're so modern and they say , 'Oh it 's a private matter ' . ''
Her story is a rarely heard one in her home country of Iran , but since the creation of a new podcast , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to share unflinching accounts of their experience of domestic violence .
They have been encouraged by Maryam ( not her real name ) to use the medium as a platform to break their silence , challenging traditional societal taboos .
`` Become Scheherazade , '' Maryam tells them - an allusion to the mythical Persian Queen who prevented her own death through her gift for storytelling , one of the main protagonists in the epic The One Thousand and One Nights .
But these stories are a world away from the trappings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society that largely encourages women to keep quiet .
Maryam , 34 , met her husband at university where she studied child psychology .
She defied her parents in Tehran to marry the man she loved , who she initially considered a liberal thinker and an advocate of workers ' rights .
But just days into the marriage , she realised something was not right .
In the podcast she describes how `` pride and a reluctance to admit defeat '' prevented her from seeking help from her mother and father .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marriage and , to make matters worse , was made to believe that it was her own fault .
After all , like many women in Iran , Maryam grew up with the familiar maxim : `` A woman enters a man 's house in a white bridal dress and leaves only in a white shroud . ''
• The woman forced to flee her country for rapping • Violence against women : The stories behind the statistics Maryam says widely accepted social norms prevented her from getting out of the marriage sooner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and family issues usually remain behind closed doors .
Because of this , domestic abuse has become endemic and women are encouraged to remain loyal and be patient .
Maryam finally decided to leave after she ended up in a hospital bed after a sustained beating .
In her semi-conscious state , unable to move because of her injuries , she says she asked herself : `` Why am I here and why has this happened to me ? ''
Weeks later , she was discharged and filed for divorce .
Fortunately her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all victims are so lucky .
In each podcast , Maryam is joined by women who share their own experience of abuse at the hands of male members of the family .
As well as personal stories , the podcast also examines the issue of the systemic lack of protection for women suffering violence , particularly domestic abuse .
The only official statistics ever commissioned in Iran on the subject was 16 years ago , which found that two-thirds of Iranian women had experienced domestic abuse at least once .
The London-based human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 report on Iran that women in the country `` faced discrimination in law and practice in relation to marriage and divorce , inheritance , child custody , nationality and international travel '' .
The tragic murder of a teenage girl by her father in a so-called `` honour killing '' has prompted Iran 's President Hassan Rouhani to demand a speedy review of the bill on the protection of women from violence .
This , almost a decade after it was drafted .
The bill - which will still need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it becomes law - offers the potential for the biggest change to women 's rights since the 1979 revolution .
It recognises physical violence towards women as a crime and , for the first time , also assigns punishment for harassment in public and on social media .
Five years since the end of her marriage , Maryam says she has never been happier .
As well as podcasting , she also holds counselling sessions for victims of abuse , most of whom are women .
She hopes that giving people the freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture of secrecy that , she laments , `` only emboldens your abuser . ''
• If you 've been affected by domestic violence , help and support is available via the BBC Action Line .
• BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

"People's reaction was like it was normal to see a man beating his wife. There's no law, there are no safe houses, and even the police can't do much. Some families also act like they're so modern and they say, 'Oh it's a private matter'."


bbc--2020-08-03--Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko under fire

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is Europe 's longest-serving ruler and the 65-year-old former Soviet farm boss now wants a sixth term as president .
But in the run-up to the 9 August presidential election he has faced the biggest opposition protests for a decade .
There have been hundreds of arrests in a wave of demonstrations since May .
He has been in power since 1994 , with an authoritarian style reminiscent of the Soviet era , controlling the main media channels , harassing and jailing political opponents and marginalising independent voices .
The powerful secret police - still called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On 30 July tens of thousands rallied in the capital Minsk in support of political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , now his main rival .
She stepped in to challenge Mr Lukashenko after her husband Sergei Tikhanovsky , a popular blogger , was barred from running and sent to jail .
Two other leading contenders were also barred from running against Mr Lukashenko - Valery Tsepkalo and Viktor Babaryko .
• Why does Lukashenko take son Kolya to work ?
None of the previous presidential elections held during Mr Lukashenko 's long reign were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , a top election monitoring body .
For years Mr Lukashenko has sought to convince the nation of 9.5 million that he is the best guarantor of stability , a tough nationalist protecting them from foreign meddling .
That message still appeals to many older Belarusians .
The country was devastated in World War Two - victim of a Nazi scorched-earth policy - and lost nearly one-third of its population .
So suspicion of foreigners and pride in the security forces play well among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration of then US President George W Bush called Belarus `` the last remaining true dictatorship in the heart of Europe '' .
Mr Lukashenko once warned that anyone joining an opposition protest would be treated as a `` terrorist '' , adding : `` We will wring their necks , as one might a duck '' .
In recent years , however , Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungary 's Prime Minister Viktor Orban have also drawn strong Western criticism for harassing opponents and extending state power .
Coronavirus has added an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus .
Opponents consider Mr Lukashenko 's bravado about the virus to be reckless and a sign that he is out of touch .
In late May he said Belarus was right not to lock down .
`` You see that in the affluent West , unemployment is out of control .
People are banging on pots .
People want to eat .
Thank God , we avoided this .
We did n't shut down . ''
In March , as countries across Europe were imposing lockdowns , he said : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from panic than from the virus '' .
He suggested combating the virus with hard work , the sauna and vodka .
When the rest of Europe cancelled football matches the continuing Belarus fixtures - still drawing big crowds to stadiums - suddenly attracted international interest .
In this election Mr Lukashenko 's familiar warnings of foreign interference have acquired a new , sharper edge , as Russia is being cast as the villain .
Mr Lukashenko 's security chiefs have accused unnamed Russian forces of trying to help his opponents and foment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally - they have held joint military exercises and the struggling Belarus economy relies on trade with its powerful neighbour .
But in recent years relations have cooled since Moscow moved to end subsidised oil and gas supplies .
Last week the Belarus authorities arrested 33 Russians near Minsk - all but one at a sanatorium - and said they belonged to Wagner , a shadowy Russian mercenary group active in Ukraine , Africa and the Middle East .
Russia denied the Belarusian claim that the detained Russians were plotting acts of terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transit , waiting for a flight to Istanbul .
A former Soviet state farm director , Mr Lukashenko was first elected president in 1994 , after leading an anti-corruption drive in parliament .
In the August 1991 botched coup attempt against then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev , Mr Lukashenko supported the communist hardliners .
Like Vladimir Putin , Mr Lukashenko remains nostalgic for the Soviet Union .
And both are keen ice hockey players .
A referendum in 2004 lifted the two-term limit on presidents , making it possible for Mr Lukashenko to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humble - raised by a single mother in a poor village in eastern Belarus .
He is married to Galina Lukashenko , with whom he has two adult sons , Viktor and Dmitry .
He told an interviewer in 2015 that he had no intention of divorcing Galina , although they have not lived together for decades .
He has a third son , Nikolai , born in 2004 , whose mother Irina Abelskaya was Mr Lukashenko 's personal doctor .
`` An authoritarian style of rule is characteristic of me , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in August 2003 .
`` You need to control the country , and the main thing is not to ruin people 's lives . ''

In late May he said Belarus was right not to lock down. "You see that in the affluent West, unemployment is out of control. People are banging on pots. People want to eat. Thank God, we avoided this. We didn't shut down."


bbc--2020-08-03--Katie Mack: 'Knowing how the universe will end is freeing'

Terms like `` heat death '' , `` big rip '' and `` vacuum decay '' do n't sound all that inviting .
And they are n't .
They describe a few of the theories scientists have about how our universe will one day die .
But when cosmologist Katie Mack thinks about the end of everything , it gives her peace .
`` There 's something about acknowledging the impermanence of existence that is just a little bit freeing , '' she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
I 'd be willing to bet there are n't many people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katie , it 's not quite as simple as it sounds .
Katie can still remember vividly when she first realised the universe could end at any moment .
`` I was sitting on Professor Phinney 's living room floor with the rest of my undergraduate astronomy class for our weekly dessert night , while the professor sat with his three-year-old daughter on his lap , '' she writes in her new book , The End of Everything .
She learned that scientists have no idea why the early universe expanded in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cosmic inflation - and that means they also have no way of saying space wo n't start violently , rapidly ripping apart again at any moment .
`` It kind-of made it personal , this idea that the whole universe has these processes going on all the time , but in principle they could happen to me : I 'm in the universe , and I do n't have any protection from this stuff .
`` One of the things I 'm trying to do in the book is share that terror a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to help people have that more personal connection with what 's going on in the universe . ''
What 's going on out there in space , beyond our planet , has fascinated Katie from a young age .
But growing up in LA meant she did n't have access to what most astronomers might say inspired their career choice .
`` You do n't see the Milky Way .
You barely see stars , '' Katie tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
Instead it was `` all the weird stuff '' that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind-bending things like black holes and space time . ''
When she learned that Stephen Hawking called himself a cosmologist , Katie `` knew that was what I wanted to be '' .
I 'll be honest here , I did n't pass any of my sciences GCSEs , so there may have been better candidates available to interview a theoretical astrophysicist .
But after amassing 350,000 followers on Twitter , Katie has honed her skills at talking to plebs like me - and non-scientists are who her book is aimed at .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood every concept in the book , but Katie admits that `` you do n't just flip through it and absorb it all immediately '' .
`` I know that a lot of science writers try to avoid that completely and walk you through every single thing , but I think sometimes it 's good to take a moment . ''
Simple words like `` heat death '' are easy to understand - and that 's good , because it 's the most likely way our universe will come to an end .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expands and expands and cools , and everything kind of decays and fades away , '' Katie says , admitting that it 's not the `` most exciting possibility '' .
`` The one that I find most fun is vacuum decay .
And fun is probably not a word I should use about the destruction of the universe but it 's a fun idea .
`` You tweak something in the equations and then you find out that it 's possible for a sort of bubble of death to materialise somewhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the speed of light and destroy everything . ''
Science can say nothing to rule out the possibility .
`` The only thing that makes people doubt that it could happen is that it 's in that realm where we ca n't test any of the theory , so we do n't know if something changes about the theory in this higher energy situation , '' Katie says .
`` It 's probably not going to happen in the next , you know , trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions of years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it could happen at any time . ''
It 's big thoughts like these that Katie thinks can offer us a `` sense of perspective '' .
`` A lot of aspects of modern life are designed around trying to convince us that we are totally safe , protected , and in control of everything around us .
And that 's just not true .
Obviously there 's a whole situation in the world right now driving that home .
`` But cosmically speaking as well we 're just kind of out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept what it gives us . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"The only thing that makes people doubt that it could happen is that it's in that realm where we can't test any of the theory, so we don't know if something changes about the theory in this higher energy situation," Katie says.


bbc--2020-08-03--Brentford and Fulham meet in 'the richest game in football'

Brentford play Fulham on Tuesday for the chance to return to the English top flight for the first time in 73 years - and earn about £160m in the process .
The west London rivals , separated by just four miles , meet in the Championship play-off final at Wembley .
Fulham could seal an immediate return to the Premier League .
Victory in the match , often dubbed the richest game in football , would be worth £135m to Fulham and about £160m to Brentford over the next three years .
Brentford finished third in the table , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and won both league meetings during the regular campaign .
If they fail to win , the Bees will have taken part in more unsuccessful play-off campaigns in the English Football League than any other club , with this their ninth attempt .
Brentford recorded eight straight victories either side of the coronavirus lockdown to give themselves a chance of automatic promotion , but narrowly missed out on a place in the top two following defeats in their final two matches of the season .
Head coach Thomas Frank , who was appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking side which finished as the top scorers in the Championship this season .
Including their play-off semi-final win over Swansea , their forward line of Said Benrahma , Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have scored 59 goals between them - but the Bees also have the second-best defensive record in the division .
`` We have big ambitions and big dreams , '' Frank said .
`` We believe in ourselves but need to go to Wembley confident but humble . ''
The Bees have enjoyed their best campaign since suffering relegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will move into a new 17,500-capacity stadium before next season .
Opponents Fulham spent 13 consecutive seasons in the top flight before dropping back into the Championship in 2014 , and Slavisa Jokanovic led the Craven Cottage outfit to promotion via the play-off final two years ago .
`` They are a bigger club than us , '' Frank said .
`` This is not a mind-game , this is a fact .
`` They got relegated from the Premier League last year and have the parachute money .
`` They have experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have more experience in their squad to play a game like this than us .
`` Yes , we beat them twice [ this season ] and that can maybe give us a bit of confidence .
But the final is another story . ''
When Scott Parker took over Fulham in February 2019 , initially on a caretaker basis after the sacking of Claudio Ranieri , the Whites were heading for relegation from the Premier League .
He lost his first five games in charge , and the club had suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the top-flight campaign .
`` I realised that this season was going to be a massive challenge for us , '' Parker said .
`` When teams get relegated there are big wounds , and we were in a low spell .
`` The biggest challenge was obviously trying to implement a philosophy and install a real identity on the pitch .
`` It 's been a rocky road this season because you ca n't just have a magic wand to go from a weak mentality to fighting to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see a massive improvement from where we were , and a team that is progressing and resilient . ''
Fulham have their 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley in 2018 to draw on , with captain Tom Cairney and 26-goal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic among nine members of the matchday squad that day who remain at Craven Cottage .
`` We have got lads who have experienced it , been there with the pressure and got the job done , '' Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed said .
`` We can certainly use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Brentford captain Pontus Jansson thinks the fact the national stadium will be largely empty because of social distancing measures will level the playing field .
`` If it was a full Wembley , it would be a little bit of an advantage for them , '' the Swedish centre-back said .
`` I ca n't see any advantage for them , even if they have been there before .
It will be a normal corona game . ''
Brentford have never won promotion in their eight previous play-off campaigns , losing three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Wembley , with the most recent being the League One play-off final in 2012-13 - but there are no survivors from that team left in the Bees squad .
`` I do n't know any results in the past that Brentford have had in the play-offs , '' Jansson said .
`` We have a lot of new players and none of those played in the play-offs with Brentford before .
`` We just focus on this one .
This is a game which lives its own life . ''
Fulham striker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season , but the Serbia international missed both legs of the semi-final win over Cardiff City through injury .
However , Parker says he has a fully fit squad for the final .
Whether Mitrovic and forward Neeskens Kebano , who was withdrawn in the second leg against the Bluebirds with a hamstring issue , are fit enough to start remains to be seen .
Bees boss Frank has chosen a largely settled side during the run-in , with his biggest decision seeming to be a choice between Emiliano Marcondes and Josh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• From gamer to professional racer : How did simulation lead to the track ?
• The UK 's most unusual festivals : From Cheese Rolling to Gravy Wrestling Championships

Last updated on .From the section Championship
Brentford beat Fulham when the teams last met in June at Craven Cottage
Brentford play Fulham on Tuesday for the chance to return to the English top flight for the first time in 73 years - and earn about £160m in the process.
The west London rivals, separated by just four miles, meet in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Fulham could seal an immediate return to the Premier League.
Victory in the match, often dubbed the richest game in football, would be worth £135m to Fulham and about £160m to Brentford over the next three years.
Brentford finished third in the table, one place above Fulham on goal difference, and won both league meetings during the regular campaign.
If they fail to win, the Bees will have taken part in more unsuccessful play-off campaigns in the English Football League than any other club, with this their ninth attempt.
Free-flowing Bees eye historic promotion
Brentford recorded eight straight victories either side of the coronavirus lockdown to give themselves a chance of automatic promotion, but narrowly missed out on a place in the top two following defeats in their final two matches of the season.
Head coach Thomas Frank, who was appointed in October 2018, has moulded an attacking side which finished as the top scorers in the Championship this season.
Including their play-off semi-final win over Swansea, their forward line of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have scored 59 goals between them - but the Bees also have the second-best defensive record in the division.
"We have big ambitions and big dreams," Frank said. "We believe in ourselves but need to go to Wembley confident but humble."
The Bees have enjoyed their best campaign since suffering relegation from the top flight in 1946-47 and will move into a new 17,500-capacity stadium before next season.
Opponents Fulham spent 13 consecutive seasons in the top flight before dropping back into the Championship in 2014, and Slavisa Jokanovic led the Craven Cottage outfit to promotion via the play-off final two years ago.
"They are a bigger club than us," Frank said. "This is not a mind-game, this is a fact.
"They got relegated from the Premier League last year and have the parachute money.
"They have experience from the final two years ago and they have more experience in their squad to play a game like this than us.
"Yes, we beat them twice [this season] and that can maybe give us a bit of confidence. But the final is another story."
Parker revives Fulham fortunes
Fulham lost their home leg of the semi-final with Cardiff but went through on aggregate
When Scott Parker took over Fulham in February 2019, initially on a caretaker basis after the sacking of Claudio Ranieri, the Whites were heading for relegation from the Premier League.
He lost his first five games in charge, and the club had suffered 27 defeats and conceded 81 goals by the end of the top-flight campaign.
"I realised that this season was going to be a massive challenge for us," Parker said.
"When teams get relegated there are big wounds, and we were in a low spell.
"The biggest challenge was obviously trying to implement a philosophy and install a real identity on the pitch.
"It's been a rocky road this season because you can't just have a magic wand to go from a weak mentality to fighting to win the division you are in.
"I see a massive improvement from where we were, and a team that is progressing and resilient."
Whites have Wembley experience, Bees only play-off woes
Fulham have their 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley in 2018 to draw on, with captain Tom Cairney and 26-goal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic among nine members of the matchday squad that day who remain at Craven Cottage.
"We have got lads who have experienced it, been there with the pressure and got the job done," Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed said.
"We can certainly use that to our advantage."
However, Brentford captain Pontus Jansson thinks the fact the national stadium will be largely empty because of social distancing measures will level the playing field.
"If it was a full Wembley, it would be a little bit of an advantage for them," the Swedish centre-back said.
"I can't see any advantage for them, even if they have been there before. It will be a normal corona game."
Brentford have never won promotion in their eight previous play-off campaigns, losing three finals.
Two of those defeats came at Wembley, with the most recent being the League One play-off final in 2012-13 - but there are no survivors from that team left in the Bees squad.
"I don't know any results in the past that Brentford have had in the play-offs," Jansson said.
"We have a lot of new players and none of those played in the play-offs with Brentford before.
"We just focus on this one. This is a game which lives its own life."
Team news
Fulham striker Mitrovic won the Championship's golden boot this season, but the Serbia international missed both legs of the semi-final win over Cardiff City through injury.
However, Parker says he has a fully fit squad for the final.
Whether Mitrovic and forward Neeskens Kebano, who was withdrawn in the second leg against the Bluebirds with a hamstring issue, are fit enough to start remains to be seen.
Bees boss Frank has chosen a largely settled side during the run-in, with his biggest decision seeming to be a choice between Emiliano Marcondes and Josh Dasilva over who will start in midfield.


bbc--2020-08-03--Dortmund set 10 August deadline for Man Utd target Sancho deal

Borussia Dortmund have set a 10 August deadline to agree a deal for forward Jadon Sancho - who is Manchester @ @ @ @ @ target - to leave the club .
The German club have told United they want @ @ @ @ @ the 20-year-old England winger .
There is no agreement yet on a fee , which @ @ @ @ @ .
Dortmund have set the deadline because they want undisturbed preparation for the 2020-21 Bundesliga @ @ @ @ @ starts on 18 September , with the transfer deadline for international deals on 5 October @ @ @ @ @ Dortmund for three years , having signed from Manchester City in August 2017 for a @ @ @ @ @ In July , Dortmund beat United to the signing of 17-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham @ @ @ @ @ deal that could be worth over £30m .
They also bought Norway forward Erling Braut @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the season - another player United tried hard to bring to Old Trafford @ @ @ @ @ Go behind the scenes of his misadventures

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Jadon Sancho scored 17 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season as Borussia Dortmund finished second
Borussia Dortmund have set a 10 August deadline to agree a deal for forward Jadon Sancho - who is Manchester United's top summer transfer target - to leave the club.
The German club have told United they want in excess of £100m for the 20-year-old England winger.
There is no agreement yet on a fee, which would be paid in instalments.
Dortmund have set the deadline because they want undisturbed preparation for the 2020-21 Bundesliga season.
The new campaign starts on 18 September, with the transfer deadline for international deals on 5 October.
Sancho has been at Dortmund for three years, having signed from Manchester City in August 2017 for a fee of about £10m.
In July, Dortmund beat United to the signing of 17-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City in a deal that could be worth over £30m.
They also bought Norway forward Erling Braut Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg earlier in the season - another player United tried hard to bring to Old Trafford.


bbc--2020-08-03--Lewis Hamilton: FIA boss Jean Todt hails world champion's anti-racism stance

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1 Motorsport boss Jean Todt says he `` admires '' and `` respects '' Lewis Hamilton for promoting anti-racism .
FIA president Todt said : `` I respect somebody who has belief and who tries to use his image , his voice , his leadership to protect something .
`` I admire people who engage where they believe they can bring something . ''
Todt said motorsport governing body the FIA would continue to push the agenda `` as much as we feel we are able to contribute '' .
F1 boss Chase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own money towards the sport 's diversity programme , a figure matched by the FIA .
But F1 has faced criticism for what some have perceived to be mixed messages from its anti-racism demonstrations .
The first one at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix was well organised , although six drivers chose to stand rather than take the knee alongside world champion Hamilton .
After two subsequent demonstrations at the Styrian and Hungarian Grands Prix were messy and haphazard , F1 put aside some time for a more organised demonstration before the British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue for the foreseeable future .
A video of the drivers expressing their opposition to racism was played and all wore T-shirts bearing anti-racism messages .
One further driver - Haas ' Kevin Magnussen - chose to stand , taking the total to seven out of 20 .
Todt said the FIA stood by its decision to let the drivers demonstrate their opposition to racism in the way they see fit .
`` It would be inappropriate to push people to do something they do n't feel , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( the actor Michelle Yeoh ) is Chinese .
She deserves the same attention .
White , black , everyone needs attention .
Colour , religion , everybody 's life matters . ''
The phrase `` all lives matter '' has become controversial because some see it as taking away from the important issues around black lives that need to be addressed .
Todt spoke to Briton Hamilton about the anti-racism agenda between the Hungarian race and Silverstone but said the subject of the phrase `` all lives matter '' had not come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not speak about that , or the meaning of a special phrase .
We spoke about the principle . ''
• None What does the phrase 'Black Lives Matter ' mean ?
Hamilton is on course to break the two main F1 records held by Michael Schumacher , of seven world titles and 91 wins .
The Mercedes driver is favourite to win a seventh title this year after his British Grand Prix victory on Sunday gave him a 30-point lead in the championship over team-mate Valtteri Bottas after four races .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Ferrari team principal when Schumacher achieved five of his seven championships and most of his grand prix victories .
Asked what he felt about the likelihood of Schumacher 's records being surpassed by Hamilton , Todt said : `` To be very sincere , if you have a link to the record , you like the record to stay .
`` But normally a record has a duration in life .
All the records are due to be broken .
`` Clearly Mercedes and Lewis are putting everything together to break the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records have been broken .
It is amazing when you hear 91 pole positions , 85 or 86 wins compared to 91 .
`` The only thing you can say is times are different , but that has not to be taken into consideration for a record .
`` It 's admirable and if it 's well deserved you can only congratulate them . ''
• None Go behind the scenes of his misadventures

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Hamilton with fellow drivers on the grid before Sunday's British Grand Prix
Motorsport boss Jean Todt says he "admires" and "respects" Lewis Hamilton for promoting anti-racism.
Hamilton has been at the forefront of F1's decision this year to promote a pro-diversity campaign, including pre-race anti-racism demonstrations.
FIA president Todt said: "I respect somebody who has belief and who tries to use his image, his voice, his leadership to protect something.
"I admire people who engage where they believe they can bring something."
Todt said motorsport governing body the FIA would continue to push the agenda "as much as we feel we are able to contribute".
F1 boss Chase Carey has donated $1m of his own money towards the sport's diversity programme, a figure matched by the FIA.
But F1 has faced criticism for what some have perceived to be mixed messages from its anti-racism demonstrations.
The first one at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix was well organised, although six drivers chose to stand rather than take the knee alongside world champion Hamilton.
After two subsequent demonstrations at the Styrian and Hungarian Grands Prix were messy and haphazard, F1 put aside some time for a more organised demonstration before the British race on Sunday, something which will continue for the foreseeable future.
A video of the drivers expressing their opposition to racism was played and all wore T-shirts bearing anti-racism messages. One further driver - Haas' Kevin Magnussen - chose to stand, taking the total to seven out of 20.
Todt said the FIA stood by its decision to let the drivers demonstrate their opposition to racism in the way they see fit.
"It would be inappropriate to push people to do something they don't feel," he said. "Life does matter.
"My wife (the actor Michelle Yeoh) is Chinese. She deserves the same attention. White, black, everyone needs attention. Colour, religion, everybody's life matters."
The phrase "all lives matter" has become controversial because some see it as taking away from the important issues around black lives that need to be addressed.
Todt spoke to Briton Hamilton about the anti-racism agenda between the Hungarian race and Silverstone but said the subject of the phrase "all lives matter" had not come up.
Todt said: "We did not speak about that, or the meaning of a special phrase. We spoke about the principle."
On Hamilton threatening Schumacher's records
Hamilton is on course to break the two main F1 records held by Michael Schumacher, of seven world titles and 91 wins.
The Mercedes driver is favourite to win a seventh title this year after his British Grand Prix victory on Sunday gave him a 30-point lead in the championship over team-mate Valtteri Bottas after four races. It was his 87th win.
Todt was Ferrari team principal when Schumacher achieved five of his seven championships and most of his grand prix victories.
Asked what he felt about the likelihood of Schumacher's records being surpassed by Hamilton, Todt said: "To be very sincere, if you have a link to the record, you like the record to stay.
"But normally a record has a duration in life. All the records are due to be broken.
"Clearly Mercedes and Lewis are putting everything together to break the records.
"Already some of the records have been broken. It is amazing when you hear 91 pole positions, 85 or 86 wins compared to 91.
"The only thing you can say is times are different, but that has not to be taken into consideration for a record.
"It's admirable and if it's well deserved you can only congratulate them."


bbc--2020-08-03--Gianni Infantino: Fifa president to continue in role amid criminal investigation

Fifa deputy secretary general Alasdair Bell says controversy around the head of world football is as an `` Alice in Wonderland situation '' and a `` step backwards '' in repairing Fifa 's name .
Last week , prosecutors in Switzerland launched legal proceedings against Fifa president Gianni Infantino in relation to an alleged secret meeting with Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber .
Both men have denied any wrongdoing .
Infantino has opted not to step down until the matter is dealt with .
`` Most people would recognise if you go to meet the attorney general , you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bell told BBC Sport .
`` You would n't think you are going to be accused of criminal wrongdoing for having met the attorney general .
`` Yet this is the kind of 'Alice in Wonderland ' situation we are in today . ''
Bell said neither Infantino nor Fifa were aware of the source of the complaint that led to the charges being levelled .
However , he did accept it might have come from someone with an axe to grind against the 50-year-old Swiss , who took office in 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tarnished by the allegations levelled against his predecessor Sepp Blatter , who is currently serving an eight-year ban from football .
`` Yes , there might be some people who might be interested in that [ bringing the Fifa president down ] , '' said Bell .
`` We do n't know who made the complaints .
Maybe those people would like to see Gianni Infantino fall . ''
Lauber offered his resignation last week after a court said he covered up the meetings and lied to supervisors during an investigation by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor Stefan Keller was appointed in June to review criminal complaints against the two men and others .
He found indications of criminal conduct related to their meetings , the authority overseeing the Office of the Attorney General said .
While Bell said he is `` 100 % certain '' no criminal charges will arise in this matter , he accepts the reputational damage to Fifa will be significant .
`` Of course , this is bad for our reputation as an institution and the personal reputation of the president , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stigma of corruption `` is not something that is going to happen overnight '' , adding : `` To turn the ship around and to establish trust and credibility takes time .
`` We are definitely going in the right direction but it is a work in progress .
Events like this , the announcement of a criminal investigation , even if it is without any merit whatsoever , is a step backwards . ''
• Romesh Ranganathan : Go behind the scenes of his misadventures

Last updated on .From the section Football
Gianni Infantino was re-elected for a second term as Fifa president in June 2019
Fifa deputy secretary general Alasdair Bell says controversy around the head of world football is as an "Alice in Wonderland situation" and a "step backwards" in repairing Fifa's name.
Last week, prosecutors in Switzerland launched legal proceedings against Fifa president Gianni Infantino in relation to an alleged secret meeting with Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing.
Infantino has opted not to step down until the matter is dealt with.
"Most people would recognise if you go to meet the attorney general, you would be in pretty safe hands," Bell told BBC Sport. "You wouldn't think you are going to be accused of criminal wrongdoing for having met the attorney general.
"Yet this is the kind of 'Alice in Wonderland' situation we are in today."
Bell said neither Infantino nor Fifa were aware of the source of the complaint that led to the charges being levelled.
However, he did accept it might have come from someone with an axe to grind against the 50-year-old Swiss, who took office in 2016, vowing to clean up an organisation badly tarnished by the allegations levelled against his predecessor Sepp Blatter, who is currently serving an eight-year ban from football.
"Yes, there might be some people who might be interested in that [bringing the Fifa president down]," said Bell. "We don't know who made the complaints. Maybe those people would like to see Gianni Infantino fall."
Lauber offered his resignation last week after a court said he covered up the meetings and lied to supervisors during an investigation by his office into corruption surrounding Fifa.
Special prosecutor Stefan Keller was appointed in June to review criminal complaints against the two men and others.
He found indications of criminal conduct related to their meetings, the authority overseeing the Office of the Attorney General said.
While Bell said he is "100% certain" no criminal charges will arise in this matter, he accepts the reputational damage to Fifa will be significant.
"Of course, this is bad for our reputation as an institution and the personal reputation of the president," said Bell.
Bell believes ridding Fifa of the stigma of corruption "is not something that is going to happen overnight", adding: "To turn the ship around and to establish trust and credibility takes time.
"We are definitely going in the right direction but it is a work in progress. Events like this, the announcement of a criminal investigation, even if it is without any merit whatsoever, is a step backwards."


bbc--2020-08-03--Red cards can now be shown for deliberate coughing in football

Players who deliberately cough at other players or match officials can be red-carded , say football 's rule-makers and the Football Association .
The International Football Association Board ( Ifab ) said such an offence fell within `` using offensive , insulting or abusive language and/or gestures '' .
It added : `` As with all offences , the referee has to make a judgement about the true nature of the offence . ''
The guidance comes amid the global coronavirus pandemic .
`` If it were clearly accidental , then the referee would not take action nor if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance between the players , '' added Ifab .
`` However , where it is close enough to be clearly offensive , then the referee can take action . ''
The FA also issued guidance for grassroots football which will come into force immediately .
In a document , it wrote : `` If the incident was not severe enough to merit a sending-off , a caution could be issued for 'unsporting behaviour ' . ''
It added referees must not look to punish `` routine '' coughing and `` action can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a clear act against someone else '' .
In terms of the Premier League and English Football League , there is no written guidance and it would be down to the referee 's discretion as to the punishment .
• Romesh Ranganathan : Go behind the scenes of his misadventures

Last updated on .From the section Football
Players can be red-carded if a referee deems they deliberately coughed at an opponent
Players who deliberately cough at other players or match officials can be red-carded, say football's rule-makers and the Football Association.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) said such an offence fell within "using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures".
It added: "As with all offences, the referee has to make a judgement about the true nature of the offence."
The guidance comes amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
"If it were clearly accidental, then the referee would not take action nor if the 'cough' took place with a large distance between the players," added Ifab.
"However, where it is close enough to be clearly offensive, then the referee can take action."
The FA also issued guidance for grassroots football which will come into force immediately.
In a document, it wrote: "If the incident was not severe enough to merit a sending-off, a caution could be issued for 'unsporting behaviour'."
It added referees must not look to punish "routine" coughing and "action can only be supported where it is evident it was a clear act against someone else".
In terms of the Premier League and English Football League, there is no written guidance and it would be down to the referee's discretion as to the punishment.


bbc--2020-08-03--Willian to turn down Chelsea after Arsenal talks - Tuesday's gossip

Chelsea winger Willian , 31 , has turned down a two-year deal with the club and has held talks over a free transfer to Arsenal , who are willing to offer the Brazil international the three-year contract he wants .
( Guardian ) Arsenal are also keen on Bayern Munich 's Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho , 28 , and Atletico Madrid 's Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey , 27 .
( Times - subscription required ) Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to see the club sign Barcelona 's French forward Ousmane Dembele , 23 .
( Le10 Sport ) Manchester United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho on at least a five-year deal .
( Mail ) Manchester United will wait until late in the transfer window to move for Aston Villa 's English midfielder Jack Grealish , 24 .
( Mail ) Inter Milan have agreed to buy Chile winger Alexis Sanchez , 31 , for £13.5m from Manchester United and the deal will be announced after the Italian side 's Europa League game with Getafe on Wednesday .
( Corriere della Sera , via Mail ) Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step up plans to sign Leicester City and England left-back Ben Chilwell , 23 .
( Times - subscription required ) Chelsea will need to make Chilwell the world 's most expensive defender if they are to land his signature .
( Mirror ) Chelsea are interested in Real Madrid 's 23-year-old Spanish left-back Sergio Reguilon , who has been the subject of an £18m bid from Everton .
( Sky Sports ) Paris St-Germain want to sell former Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye and Wolves are interested in the Senegal international .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competition from Bayer Leverkusen for £30m-rated Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey , 22 .
( Sky Sports ) Lazio , Tottenham , RB Leipzig , Everton and PSV Eindhoven are all keen on South Korea centre-back Kim Min-jae , 23 .
( Gazzetta dello Sport ) Tottenham and England defender Danny Rose , 30 , says he is `` very happy '' to stay at the club going into the final season of his contract .
( Second Captains Podcast , via Guardian ) Aston Villa , Leeds United , Newcastle United and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Republic of Ireland midfielder James McCarthy , 29 .
( 90Min ) Borussia Dortmund are closing in on signing Manchester City 's 15-year-old English winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens .
( Mail ) • From gamer to professional racer : How did simulation lead to the track ?
• The UK 's most unusual festivals : From Cheese Rolling to Gravy Wrestling Championships

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Chelsea winger Willian, 31, has turned down a two-year deal with the club and has held talks over a free transfer to Arsenal, who are willing to offer the Brazil international the three-year contract he wants. (Guardian) external-link
Arsenal are also keen on Bayern Munich's Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 28, and Atletico Madrid's Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, 27. (Times - subscription required) external-link
Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to see the club sign Barcelona's French forward Ousmane Dembele, 23. (Le10 Sport) external-link
Manchester United are edging close to signing 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho on at least a five-year deal. (Mail) external-link
Manchester United will wait until late in the transfer window to move for Aston Villa's English midfielder Jack Grealish, 24. (Mail) external-link
Championship play-off final Brentford & Fulham set for richest game
Inter Milan have agreed to buy Chile winger Alexis Sanchez, 31, for £13.5m from Manchester United and the deal will be announced after the Italian side's Europa League game with Getafe on Wednesday. (Corriere della Sera, via Mail) external-link
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has made five defenders available for sale and will step up plans to sign Leicester City and England left-back Ben Chilwell, 23. (Times - subscription required) external-link
Chelsea will need to make Chilwell the world's most expensive defender if they are to land his signature. (Mirror) external-link
Chelsea are interested in Real Madrid's 23-year-old Spanish left-back Sergio Reguilon, who has been the subject of an £18m bid from Everton. (Sky Sports) external-link
Paris St-Germain want to sell former Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye and Wolves are interested in the Senegal international. (Le10 Sport) external-link
Gossip: Can Man City sign Nathan Ake, Ferran Torres, Kalidou Koulibaly & Lionel Messi?
AC Milan will face competition from Bayer Leverkusen for £30m-rated Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey, 22. (Sky Sports) external-link
Lazio, Tottenham, RB Leipzig, Everton and PSV Eindhoven are all keen on South Korea centre-back Kim Min-jae, 23. (Gazzetta dello Sport) external-link
Tottenham and England defender Danny Rose, 30, says he is "very happy" to stay at the club going into the final season of his contract. (Second Captains Podcast, via Guardian) external-link
Aston Villa, Leeds United, Newcastle United and West Ham are interested in Crystal Palace and Republic of Ireland midfielder James McCarthy, 29. (90Min) external-link


bbc--2020-08-03--Who were the post-lockdown winners and losers across Europe?

Who won the most games ?
Who scored the most goals ?
Did anyone fail to pick up even a single point ?
The football seasons that resumed after their pandemic-enforced suspension have finally been completed and BBC Sport , with the help of Gracenote 's head of sports analysis Simon Gleave , takes a look how teams from across Europe 's top footballing countries got on .
The return to action following the lockdown threw up mixed form from teams across Europe , with some hitting the ground running straight from the off and others appearing to have just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were the lockdown kings ?
Bayern Munich were immediately on it , winning all nine of their games after football 's return on their way to the Bundesliga title .
Real Madrid also picked up from where they left off as a run of 10 wins in 11 games secured the Spanish giants La Liga .
Interestingly , the champions in England and Italy 's top flight - Liverpool and Juventus - did not feature in the top 10 best performances from Europe 's top six countries following football 's return , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titles .
Instead , Manchester City were the best performing Premier League side and Atalanta were the form team of Serie A. Leeds United made sure of their return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence with the best form in England , averaging 2.44 points per game to win the Championship title .
*Teams from the top two leagues in England , Germany , Italy , Spain and Portugal , if they returned , are included in this table .
France would have been included but the remainder of their season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matches are excluded .
Who had a return to forget ?
That will be Norwich , who lost all nine of their games as they were relegated from the Premier League .
The Canaries were the only team in the top two divisions of Europe 's top six countries who failed to pick up a single point following football 's return .
Who scored the most and fewest goals ?
Manchester City turned on the style after the Premier League 's resumption .
Pep Guardiola 's side averaged 3.40 goals per game after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 games .
At the other end of the scale , Norwich and Portuguese side CD Aves were the lowest scorers as they managed just a solitary goal each .
Aves , like Norwich , finished bottom of their league .
Who had the best and worst defences ?
As well as scoring goals for fun , Manchester City also boasted the best defence following the restart .
They conceded just four goals in 10 matches and their form bodes well for their hopes of mounting a stronger title challenge next season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Europe 's top six countries since leagues returned , conceding 30 goals in 11 matches as they finished bottom of Serie A .
Who had the best turnaround in form ?
Manchester City 's statistics are certainly impressive - topping the tables for most points picked up in the Premier League , as well as most goals scored and fewest conceded .
However , Italian side Cosenza perhaps produced the most spectacular turnaround post-lockdown .
The Serie B team had 25 points from 28 games when the league was suspended , leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eight from missing the relegation play-off .
However , Cosenza took 22 points from their 10 matches after the restart and finished 15th , one point above the final direct relegation spot and both relegation play-off places .
• Romesh Ranganathan : Go behind the scenes of his misadventures

Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester City and Norwich feature heavily in the post-lockdown statistics - for contrasting reasons
Who won the most games? Who scored the most goals? Did anyone fail to pick up even a single point?
The football seasons that resumed after their pandemic-enforced suspension have finally been completed and BBC Sport, with the help of Gracenote's head of sports analysis Simon Gleave, takes a look how teams from across Europe's top footballing countries got on.
The post-lockdown winners and losers
Bayern Munich were the only team from Europe's best six footballing countries to win all of their league matches after returning to complete the league
The return to action following the lockdown threw up mixed form from teams across Europe, with some hitting the ground running straight from the off and others appearing to have just risen from a three-month slumber.
Who were the lockdown kings? Bayern Munich were immediately on it, winning all nine of their games after football's return on their way to the Bundesliga title.
Real Madrid also picked up from where they left off as a run of 10 wins in 11 games secured the Spanish giants La Liga.
Interestingly, the champions in England and Italy's top flight - Liverpool and Juventus - did not feature in the top 10 best performances from Europe's top six countries following football's return, but both did enough to secure their respective titles.
Instead, Manchester City were the best performing Premier League side and AC Milan were the form team of Serie A.
Leeds United made sure of their return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence with the best form in England, averaging 2.44 points per game to win the Championship title.
Best performances since the return of football - Europe's top six countries* Team Competition P W D L F A Pts Pts per game Bayern Munich Bundesliga 9 9 0 0 27 6 27 3 Real Madrid La Liga 11 10 1 0 21 6 31 2.82 AC Milan Serie A 12 9 3 0 35 12 30 2.50 Leeds Championship 9 7 1 1 21 5 22 2.44 Man City Premier League 10 8 0 2 34 4 24 2.40 Man Utd Premier League 9 6 3 0 22 6 21 2.33 Brentford Championship 9 7 0 2 16 5 21 2.33 Atalanta Serie A 13 9 3 1 28 14 30 2.31 Atletico Madrid La Liga 11 7 4 0 20 6 25 2.27 FC Porto Primeira Liga 10 7 1 2 24 6 22 2.20 Source: Gracenote, A Nielsen Company
*Teams from the top two leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, if they returned, are included in this table. France would have been included but the remainder of their season was cancelled. Play-off matches and cup matches are excluded.
Who had a return to forget? That will be Norwich, who lost all nine of their games as they were relegated from the Premier League.
The Canaries were the only team in the top two divisions of Europe's top six countries who failed to pick up a single point following football's return.
Worst performances since the return of football - Europe's top six countries Team Competition P W D L F A Pts Pts per game Norwich Premier League 9 0 0 9 1 23 0 0 SPAL Serie A 12 0 2 9 6 33 2 0.17 Schalke Bundesliga 9 0 2 7 5 22 2 0.22 Livorno Serie B 10 1 0 9 7 22 3 0.30 Birmingham Championship 9 0 3 6 6 18 3 0.33 CD Aves Primeira Liga 10 1 1 8 1 21 4 0.40 Hull City Championship 9 1 1 7 8 24 4 0.44 Crystal Palace Premier League 9 1 1 7 5 18 4 0.44 Paderborn Bundesliga 9 0 4 5 7 20 4 0.44 FC Koln Bundesliga 9 0 4 5 12 24 4 0.44 Source: Gracenote, A Nielsen Company
Who scored the most and fewest goals?
Manchester City turned on the style after the Premier League's resumption.
Pep Guardiola's side averaged 3.40 goals per game after hitting an impressive 34 goals in their 10 games.
At the other end of the scale, Norwich and Portuguese side CD Aves were the lowest scorers as they managed just a solitary goal each.
Aves, like Norwich, finished bottom of their league.
Who had the best and worst defences?
As well as scoring goals for fun, Manchester City also boasted the best defence following the restart.
They conceded just four goals in 10 matches and their form bodes well for their hopes of mounting a stronger title challenge next season.
Italian side SPAL had the leakiest defence in Europe's top six countries since leagues returned, conceding 33 goals in 12 matches as they finished bottom of Serie A.
Who had the best turnaround in form?
Cosenza produced an incredible run of form after the restart to avoid relegation from Serie B
Manchester City's statistics are certainly impressive - topping the tables for most points picked up in the Premier League, as well as most goals scored and fewest conceded.
However, Italian side Cosenza perhaps produced the most spectacular turnaround post-lockdown.
The Serie B team had 25 points from 28 games when the league was suspended, leaving them six points from avoiding direct relegation and eight from missing the relegation play-off.
However, Cosenza took 22 points from their 10 matches after the restart and finished 15th, one point above the final direct relegation spot and both relegation play-off places.


bbc--2020-08-04--Donald Trump: US Treasury should get cut of TikTok deal

Donald Trump says the government should get a cut from the sale of TikTok 's US unit if an American firm buys it .
The US president said he made a demand for a `` substantial portion '' of the purchase price in a phone call at the weekend with Microsoft 's boss .
He also warned he will ban the app , which is owned by China 's ByteDance , on 15 September if there is no deal .
ByteDance is under pressure to sell its US business after Mr Trump threatened a crackdown on Chinese tech companies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ban ?
• How would the US go about banning TikTok ?
The Trump administration has accused TikTok and others of providing data to the Chinese government , which Beijing and TikTok deny .
`` The United States should get a very large percentage of that price , because we 're making it possible , '' Mr Trump said .
`` It would come from the sale , which nobody else would be thinking about but me , but that 's the way I think , and I think it 's very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for payment to the US Treasury further complicated negotiations as legal experts highlighted that such a demand to secure regulatory approval for a takeover deal would be highly unorthodox .
Nicholas Klein , a lawyer at DLA Piper , said generally `` the government does n't have the authority to take a cut of a private deal through '' the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States , which is the inter-agency committee that reviews some foreign investments in the US .
The state-run China Daily newspaper said on Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' of a Chinese technology company .
It also warned in an editorial that China had `` plenty of ways to respond if the administration carries out its planned smash and grab '' .
Charlotte Jee , a reporter at MIT Technology Review , a magazine owned by Massachusetts Institute of Technology , said Mr Trump 's comments were `` pretty astonishing '' .
Speaking to the BBC 's Today programme , she said : `` I hate to say this but it is kind of almost Mafia-like behaviour - threatening a ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'oh we should get a cut of that deal afterwards to say thank you for what we 've done there ' .
`` It is extraordinary behaviour as well because last week we had lawmakers in the US trying to look at whether tech companies are too big and now we 've got Trump trying to make one of them even bigger so it is a really , really bizarre situation to be in . ''
Talks over a potential deal looked to have been derailed on Friday when Mr Trump said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While Mr Trump now giving his approval to a possible takeover is a major shift in the White House 's position , the tight deadline for talks is another major hurdle for any potential deal .
Former FBI director James Comey once said that dealing with Donald Trump gave him `` flashbacks to my earlier career as a prosecutor against the Mob '' .
The US president has certainly made TikTok an offer it ca n't refuse .
If the video app does n't break away from its Chinese owner , ByteDance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft , Mr Trump will simply ban it - putting TikTok 's access to its 80 million active American users in jeopardy .
Mr Trump has already flexed his muscles against other Chinese firms , such as Huawei .
But what makes the situation with TikTok unprecedented is the demand for a cut of the sale price .
The US Treasury has not explained how this extraordinary demand for a cut of a private transaction would work .
Mr Trump reckons the government should get a big slice of the pie because `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the deal would n't be happening in the first place but for his administration 's claim that the likes of TikTok are feeding users ' data directly to the Chinese Communist Party .
Beneath the president 's bombast , perhaps this is simply payback for the US and its companies , some of whom claim China has stolen intellectual property from them .
Perhaps Mr Trump is just doing outwardly what some governments have been doing for years .
But one thing is certain , Mr Trump 's demand for payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraught situation .
TikTok 's US operations `` will close down on September 15 unless Microsoft or somebody else is able to buy it and work out a deal , an appropriate deal so the Treasury… of the United States gets a lot of money , '' he said .
As well as TikTok 's US business , Microsoft is also in talks to buy its operations in Canada , Australia , and New Zealand - countries that make up four of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance .
The UK is also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been speculation that TikTok could base its global headquarters in London , joining tech giants such as Google which has a major presence in the capital .
ByteDance said : `` ByteDance is committed to being a global company .
In light of the current situation , ByteDance has been evaluating the possibility of establishing TikTok 's headquarters outside of the US , to better serve our global users . ''
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro suggested that Microsoft could shed its holdings in China if it buys TikTok 's US business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Microsoft going to be compromised ? ''
Mr Navarro said in an interview with CNN .
`` Maybe Microsoft could divest its Chinese holdings ? ''
Microsoft confirmed on Sunday in a blog post that it would continue discussions on a potential deal with TikTok after a call between its chief executive Satya Nadella and Mr Trump .
The technology giant declined to comment further on the conversation between Mr Trump and Mr Nadella beyond the blog .
At the weekend , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Trump would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' against Chinese-owned software companies that he believed posed a national security risk .
Mr Pompeo told Fox News that TikTok was among those `` feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party '' .
However , he did not offer any evidence to back up his claim .

"It is extraordinary behaviour as well because last week we had lawmakers in the US trying to look at whether tech companies are too big and now we've got Trump trying to make one of them even bigger so it is a really, really bizarre situation to be in."


bbc--2020-08-04--What's going on with TikTok?

What's going on with TikTok?

With the short-video app already banned in India , Sophia Smith Galer looks at whether the UK or the US @ @ @ @

TikTok users in the US are rallying to save the app, as Microsoft confirms discussions to acquire the Chinese-owned short-video sensation after President Trump threatened it with a sweeping ban.
Produced by Xinyan Yu


bbc--2020-08-04--Audi drops 'insensitive' girl with banana ad

German carmaker Audi has apologised for an ad showing a little girl eating a banana in front of a high-performance car , which drew a torrent of criticism on Twitter .
`` We hear you and let 's get this straight : We care for children , '' Audi tweeted in its apology .
`` We sincerely apologize for this insensitive image and ensure that it will not be used in future . ''
Critics said the child 's pose was `` provocative '' and life-threatening .
Some pointed out that the driver would not be able to see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grille .
Others said the image was sexually suggestive , as bananas and sports cars have often been seen as symbols of male lust .
Audi 's slogan in English above the image reads : `` Lets your heart beat faster - in every aspect . ''
The firm says it is now investigating how the ad came to be published .
In May the German car giant Volkswagen , owner of Audi , became embroiled in a similar social media row .
Its ad showed a dark-skinned man being manoeuvred around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands , before being flicked away from a yellow VW Golf to a jaunty soundtrack .
The full ad for the Audi RS 4 on the firm 's website shows it being marketed as a family car - and that was apparently the context for the controversial Twitter ad featuring the little girl eating a banana .
Jane Bradford tweeted under the Audi apology : `` So , let your heart beat faster in every aspect ?
Picture of - child with banana in mouth and flash car- so wrong in EVERY aspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Little girl with phallic symbol in her hand .
Clear , super ... '' And DjBeeTee tweeted : `` Let 's add it up : Red=eroticism , sports car=substitute for potency , animal print mini-skirt=sex appeal , banana=phallic symbol .
But sure this is all just accidental ... '' However , Mark Kreuzer , an engineer and blogger , tweeted : `` Hmm , well for me the message is : Audi RS4 = family car .
Just as your own daughter makes your heart beat faster , so does the RS4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

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bbc--2020-08-04--Beach SOS saves men stranded on tiny Micronesian island

Three Micronesian sailors stranded on a tiny , remote island in the western Pacific have been saved after rescuers spotted their SOS message on a beach .
The men were found on Pikelot Island in Micronesia by Australian and US military aircraft on Sunday , the Australian Defence Force ( ADF ) said .
They had been missing for three days after their 7m ( 23ft ) skiff ran out of fuel and strayed far off course .
All were found in a `` good condition '' with no major injuries , the ADF said .
Authorities in Guam , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search on Saturday , after the men failed to complete a 42km ( 26 miles ) trip from Pulawat to Pulap atolls .
Instead their vessel ended up at Pikelot Island , nearly 200km west of where they had set off .
After their SOS was spotted from the air , an Australian helicopter landed on the tiny island and gave the men food and water .
The helicopter came from the HMAS Canberra , which had been on its way to Hawaii for naval exercises when it was called to help in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taken home by a Micronesian patrol vessel , Australian officials said .
Micronesia , in the western Pacific , consists of some 600 tiny islands scattered over a vast ocean expanse .

Cpt Terry Morrison of the Australian Navy said in a statement: "I am proud of the response and professionalism of all on board as we fulfil our obligation to contribute to the safety of life at sea wherever we are."


bbc--2020-08-04--Hurricane Isaias lashes Carolinas amid warnings of life-threatening surges

Hurricane Isaias has blasted ashore in North Carolina , battering coastal areas with heavy rains and winds of up to 85mph ( 140km/h ) .
It made landfall near the border with South Carolina at 23:10 EDT ( 03:10 GMT Tuesday ) , causing flooding and leaving thousands of homes without power .
The National Hurricane Center ( NHC ) warned of `` the danger of life-threatening storm surge '' .
The storm is now headed towards Virginia , New Jersey and New York .
Isaias - the ninth named storm of the year - was downgraded to a tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , but was recategorised as a category-one hurricane as it approached the Carolinas on Monday .
The NHC says it is now moving quickly up the eastern seaboard .
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper , who on Friday declared a state of emergency , urged residents to be on the alert .
`` North Carolinians have had to dig deep in recent months to tap into our strength and resilience during the pandemic , '' he said on Monday .
`` But with this storm on the way , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's keep each other safe from the wind and water as well as from the virus . ''
Mr Cooper said the state was equipped to open storm shelters where people could socially distance .
Isaias was later downgraded to a tropical storm .
However , further north , New York City is preparing for storm surges .
State officials in regions preparing for hurricanes this season have also been grappling with opening shelters that comply with social distancing regulations .
Over the weekend the storm churned past Florida .
In the Dominican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least two people .
It uprooted trees , destroyed crops and homes and caused flooding and landslides .
US disaster agencies have updated preparedness and evacuation guidance in light of Covid-19 .
The Centers for Disease Control recommends families add Covid-19 items to a disaster `` go kit '' that can be taken in an emergency situation : • At least two face coverings per person ( though masks should not be worn by those under two years old or those who are unconscious ) Here are some key guidelines for protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a shelter : • Keep 6ft of distance from anyone not among your household • If possible , wear a face covering and wash it regularly • Frequently disinfect your area in the shelter ( including toys and electronics )

Police in New York City said a tree fell and killed a man inside his vehicle in Queens. A driver in Maryland was also killed when a tree toppled on to the car in the storm.


bbc--2020-08-04--Coronavirus: Millions return to lockdown in Philippines

Tens of millions of people in the Philippines are back in lockdown , after doctors warned a surge in new coronavirus cases could push the healthcare system to collapse .
Stay-at-home orders are now in place in Manila and four surrounding provinces on the island of Luzon for two weeks .
The country only just emerged from one of the strictest lockdowns in June .
But hospitals have been struggling to cope with a five-fold rise in confirmed infections , now surging past 100,000 .
The lockdown means a return to stay-at-home orders except for going out to buy essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been suspended and domestic flights are grounded , while restaurants are restricted to takeaways .
The new lockdown came after 80 medical associations on Saturday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to toughen restrictions in a bid to slow the spread of the virus .
On Sunday the Philippines announced a record 5,032 new infections .
In some areas hospitals are reported to have been forced to turn away soaring numbers of patients .
Doctors hope the reinstated restrictions will now give medical workers more time to deal with the spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the shutdown , which took effect on Tuesday , many people have found themselves stranded in the capital without any transport to return to their hometowns .
`` We 've run out of money .
We ca n't leave the airport because we do n't have any relatives here , '' Ruel Damaso , a 36-year-old construction worker , told AFP .
He was trying to return to the southern city of Zamboanga .
In other parts of Manila people were seen stockpiling food the day before restrictions began as they prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The earlier shutdown from mid-March to May was one of the world 's longest stay-at-home orders .
There have been 2,104 deaths in the Philippines from Covid-19 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .

With only 24 hours notice of the shutdown, which took effect on Tuesday, many people have found themselves stranded in the capital without any transport to return to their hometowns.


bbc--2020-08-04--Coronavirus: Melbourne police 'assaulted and baited' over lockdown rules

Authorities in the virus-stricken city of Melbourne have warned of a `` dangerous '' rise in people resisting lockdown measures , sometimes violently .
Police said this trend included so-called `` sovereign citizens '' being combative with officers in recent days .
In one case a woman repeatedly smashed a policewoman 's head into the ground , Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said .
Authorities have increased fines for repeated rule breaches as Melbourne endures a deadly virus second wave .
Over half of Australia 's 18,300 cases have been recorded in the past month in Victoria , of which Melbourne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 226 deaths nationally .
Melbourne has recently mandated wearing masks and tightened a stay-at-home order to reduce transmissions .
But authorities said many people were breaking rules , including some who claimed to be `` above the law '' .
Mr Patton said Victoria Police had seen an `` emergence '' of `` concerning groups of people who classify themselves as 'sovereign citizens ' '' .
The sovereign citizen movement - which has roots in the US - is typically used by those who do n't believe in their government 's legitimacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by public orders .
Mr Patton said the attack on the policewoman `` highlights the type of challenges that we 're experiencing '' , adding people were `` baiting '' police at checkpoints and refusing to disclose basic information .
`` On at least four occasions in the last week , we 've had to smash the windows of cars and pull people out to provide details , '' he said .
`` Most Victorians are doing the right thing , no question , '' said Victoria 's Premier Daniel Andrews .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are knowingly - not by mistake , but are knowingly - doing the wrong thing and putting people 's lives at risk by doing so . ''
Random checks by police on 3,000 infected people had found more than 800 were not home isolating , as they were supposed to be .
On Tuesday , the state government increased fines for repeated lockdown breaches from A $ 1,652 ( £900 ; $ 1,200 ) to A $ 5,000 .
Under the current `` stage four '' lockdown , Melburnians can leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give essential medical care or do frontline work .
Residents must shop and exercise within 5km ( 3 miles ) of their home , for no longer than one hour at a time .
An additional curfew for between 20:00 and 05:00 was implemented on Sunday .
The only exemptions are for work , medical care or care-giving , and workers must have a permit .
Authorities said recent breaches included `` Airbnb parties '' and people breaking the curfew to get alcohol and fast food .
Mr Patton said the policewoman had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopping a woman for not wearing a mask .
`` After a confrontation and being assaulted by that woman , those police officers went to ground and there was a scuffle , '' he said .
`` And during that scuffle , this 38-year-old woman smashed the head of the policewoman several times into a concrete area on the ground . ''
Since masks became compulsory about two weeks ago , there have been other prominent incidents involving `` anti-maskers '' and others questioning the legality of lockdown .
Widely shared videos include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask inside a hardware shop , and one woman deceiving police at a state border checkpoint .
• What exactly is a 'Karen ' ?
Australia had much early success in tackling Covid-19 , but the outbreak in Victoria 's state capital has pushed the nation to its worst position yet .

The sovereign citizen movement - which has roots in the US - is typically used by those who don't believe in their government's legitimacy, often arguing their rights are being suppressed by public orders.


bbc--2020-08-04--Spain's embattled ex-King Juan Carlos leaves country

Spain 's former King Juan Carlos has left the country for an unknown destination , weeks after he was linked to an inquiry into alleged corruption .
Juan Carlos , 82 , announced the move on Monday in a letter to his son , Felipe , to whom he handed power six years ago .
He said he would be available if prosecutors needed to interview him .
In June , Spain 's Supreme Court opened an investigation into the alleged involvement of Juan Carlos in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia .
The former king had most likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday , Spain 's El País newspaper reports .
It is unclear where Juan Carlos is , though some Spanish media report he is in the Dominican Republic .
It is a humiliating exit for a king who had once seemed set to go down in history as the leader who skilfully guided Spain from dictatorship to democracy after the death of General Franco in 1975 , BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake says .
Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 after nearly 40 years as king following a corruption investigation involving his daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip the monarch took during Spain 's financial crisis .
What did the letter say ?
In the letter , the former monarch wrote that he was making the decision `` in the face of the public repercussions that certain past events in my private life are generating '' and in the hope of allowing his son to carry out his functions as king with `` tranquillity '' .
`` Guided by the conviction to best serve the people of Spain , its institutions , and you as king , I inform you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave Spain .
`` A decision I make with deep emotion but with great serenity , '' the letter said .
The statement from the Zarzuela palace said that King Felipe VI had conveyed `` his heartfelt respect and gratitude '' to his father for this decision .
In March , King Felipe VI renounced the inheritance of his father .
The royal palace also said at the time that Juan Carlos would stop receiving an annual grant of €194,000 ( $ 228,000 ; £174,520 ) .
What is the corruption investigation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it aims to establish Juan Carlos 's connection with the Saudi project after his abdication in June 2014 .
At that point he lost his immunity from prosecution .
Spanish anti-corruption officials suspect that the former king kept some undeclared funds in Switzerland , and a Swiss investigation is under way .
The Spanish government has said that `` justice is equal for all '' and it would `` not interfere '' in the inquiry .
• Ascends the throne on 22 November 1975 , two days after the death of fascist dictator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely admired for steering Spain to democracy during a difficult period • But towards the end of his 39-year reign he drew growing criticism • Abdicates on 18 June 2014 in favour of his son Felipe

In the letter, the former monarch wrote that he was making the decision "in the face of the public repercussions that certain past events in my private life are generating" and in the hope of allowing his son to carry out his functions as king with "tranquillity".


bbc--2020-08-04--'How I found out Pablo Escobar was my father'

Roberto Sendoya Escobar , who lives in Mallorca under his adopted name of Phillip Witcomb , spoke to BBC Newsnight @ @ @ @ @ how he grew up not knowing his true identity until one “ extraordinary moment ” @ @ @ @ @ came ahead of the release of his book Son of Escobar : First Born .

Roberto Sendoya Escobar, who lives in Mallorca under his adopted name of Phillip Witcomb, spoke to BBC Newsnight about his infamous father and how he grew up not knowing his true identity until one “extraordinary moment” in 1989.
The interview came ahead of the release of his book Son of Escobar: First Born.


bbc--2020-08-04--Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Australia says lecturer jailed in Iran 'is well'

Australia 's ambassador to Iran has visited a British-Australian academic serving a 10-year sentence for espionage and found that she is `` well '' .
Kylie Moore-Gilbert , a lecturer at Melbourne University , has been detained in Iran since September 2018 .
She was tried in secret and strongly denies all the charges against her .
Concerns for her wellbeing escalated last week when news emerged that she had been transferred to Qarchak , a notorious prison in the desert .
The jail is sometimes used as punishment for Iranian political prisoners and conditions have been described by former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , Australia 's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ( DFAT ) said Ambassador Lyndall Sachs had been granted access to Ms Moore-Gilbert on Sunday and found her to be well .
She `` has access to food , medical facilities and books '' , the statement said , adding that Australia would continue to seek `` regular consular access '' .
`` We believe that the best chance of resolving Dr Moore-Gilbert 's case lies through the diplomatic path , '' it said .
Ms Moore-Gilbert 's family said they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit .
`` We remain committed to getting our Kylie home as soon as possible and this is our top and only priority , '' they added .
The Cambridge-educated academic was travelling on an Australian passport when she was detained at Tehran airport in 2018 as she tried to leave following a conference .
Before being moved to Qarchak prison , she had spent almost two years sleeping on the floor of a cell at Evin prison in the capital , Tehran , according to a friend .
She has been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and she is said to have been beaten for trying to comfort new prisoners by passing notes and writing to them on prison walls .
In letters smuggled out of Evin prison in January , the lecturer said she had `` never been a spy '' and feared for her mental health .
She said she had rejected an offer from Iran to become a spy .
`` I am not a spy .
I have never been a spy , and I have no interest to work for a spying organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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She has been in solitary confinement and on several hunger strikes, and she is said to have been beaten for trying to comfort new prisoners by passing notes and writing to them on prison walls.