bbc--2020-08-06--Beirut: The bride being photographed in wedding dress as blast hit

A state of emergency hs been declared in Beirut after a blast killed at least 137 people and injured about @ @ @ @ @ more still missing .
The president of Lebanon , Michel Aoun , has said the @ @ @ @ @ tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse in the port area of the @ @ @ @ @ the authorities of corruption , neglect and mismanagement .
Israa Seblani was posing for her @ @ @ @ @ explosion shook the nearby port .

A state of emergency has been declared in Beirut after a blast killed at least 137 people and injured about 5,000 others, with dozens more still missing.
The president of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, has said the blast was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse in the port area of the city.
Many have accused the authorities of corruption, neglect and mismanagement.
Israa Seblani was posing for her wedding photographs when the huge explosion shook the nearby port.


bbc--2020-08-06--Saudi crown prince accused of sending hit squad to Canada

Saudi Arabia 's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of sending a hit-squad to Canada in order to kill a former Saudi intelligence official .
The failed plan to kill Saad al-Jabri was soon after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey , court documents filed in the US allege .
Mr Jabri , a veteran of the government of Saudi Arabia , fled into exile three years ago .
He has been under private security protection in Toronto since .
The alleged plot failed after Canadian border agents became suspicious of the hit-squad as they attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pearson International Airport , court documents say .
Mr Jabri , 61 , was for years the key go-between for Britain 's MI6 and other Western spy agencies in Saudi Arabia .
What does the complaint say ?
The 106-page unproven complaint , which was filed in Washington DC , accuses the crown prince of attempting to murder Mr Jabri in order to silence him .
Mr Jabri says this is down to him possessing `` damning information '' .
The document says this includes alleged corruption and overseeing a team of personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Tiger Squad were involved in the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi , who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 , it says .
• All you need to know about Jamal Khashoggi 's death '' Few places hold more sensitive , humiliating and damning information about defendant bin Salman than the mind and memory of Dr Saad - except perhaps the recordings Dr Saad made in anticipation of his killing , '' the document says .
`` That is why defendant bin Salman wants him dead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to achieve that objective over the last three years . ''
After fleeing Saudi Arabia ahead of a purge by the all-powerful crown prince in 2017 , Mr Jabri fled to Canada via Turkey .
He alleges Mohammed bin Salman made repeated efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia , even sending private messages , including one that read : `` We shall certainly reach you '' .
Then , less than two weeks after the murder of Khashoggi , Mr Jabri says the Tiger Squad travelled to Canada with the intention of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group - which included a man from the same department as the man accused of dismembering Khashoggi - were carrying two bags of forensic tools .
However , Canadian border agents `` quickly became suspicious '' of the group and refused them entry after interviewing them , it says .
`` Bin Salman in fact dispatched a hit squad to North America to kill Dr Saad , '' the claim asserts .
Mr Jabri is accusing the crown prince of attempted extrajudicial killing in violation of the US Torture Victim Protection Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Saudi government did not respond to a request for comment .
Canada 's Federal Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair said he could n't comment on the specific case but said the government was `` aware of incidents in which foreign actors have attempted to monitor , intimidate or threaten Canadians and those living in Canada . ''
`` It is completely unacceptable and we will never tolerate foreign actors threatening Canada 's national security or the safety of our citizens and residents .
Canadians can be confident that our security agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detect , investigate and respond to such threats , '' he said .
`` We will always take the necessary action to keep Canadians and those on Canadian soil safe and we invite people to report any such threats to law enforcement authorities . ''
In May , the BBC reported that Mr Jabri 's children had been seized as `` hostages '' , according to his eldest son , Khalid .
For years he was the right-hand man to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef , who was widely credited with defeating the al-Qaeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the linchpin in all Saudi Arabia 's relations with the `` Five Eyes '' ( US , UK , Canada , Australia , New Zealand ) intelligence agencies .
A quiet-spoken man with a doctorate in artificial intelligence from Edinburgh University , Mr Jabri rose to the rank of cabinet minister and held a major-general 's rank in the interior ministry .
But in 2015 everything changed .
King Abdullah died and his half-brother Salman ascended to the throne , appointing his young and untested son Mohammed bin Salman , widely known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2017 Mohammed bin Salman carried out a bloodless palace coup with his father 's blessing .
He effectively usurped the next in line to the throne , Prince Mohammed bin Nayef , becoming crown prince himself .
That deposed prince is currently arrested , his assets have been seized and those who worked for him have been removed from their posts .
Mr Jabri then fled to Canada .

"It is completely unacceptable and we will never tolerate foreign actors threatening Canada's national security or the safety of our citizens and residents. Canadians can be confident that our security agencies have the skills and resources necessary to detect, investigate and respond to such threats," he said.


bbc--2020-08-06--New York attorney general sues to dissolve NRA

New York 's attorney general has announced a lawsuit aimed at dissolving the powerful National Rifle Association over alleged financial mismanagement .
Letitia James said the NRA had diverted millions of dollars to leaders including its chief executive , Wayne LaPierre , for their personal use .
`` For these years of misconduct we are seeking an order to dissolve the NRA in its entirety , '' she said .
The NRA described the lawsuit as a `` baseless , premeditated attack '' .
• Why is US gun lobby NRA so controversial ?
What did the attorney general say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named defendants - Mr LaPierre , Wilson Phillips , Joshua Powell and John Frazer - `` instituted a culture of self-dealing , mismanagement and negligent oversight at the NRA that was illegal , oppressive and fraudulent '' .
The attorney general outlined a litany of charges against the defendants , but accused Mr LaPierre , long the face of the powerful gun lobby group , of being the `` central figure '' behind the organisation 's wrongdoings .
One example of misconduct alleged in the lawsuit states that Mr LaPierre visited the Bahamas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using funds intended for the NRA , for a total cost of $ 500,000 ( £380,000 ) .
The corruption `` is so broad '' , Ms James said , that total dissolution of the organisation is necessary .
Responding to questions , Ms James , a Democrat , rejected the notion that the charges against the NRA - closely tied to the Republican party - were at all influenced by her own politics .
`` We followed the facts and the law , '' she said .
`` We 've come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving as a personal piggy bank to four individual defendants . ''
The case filed by Ms James ' office alleges more than $ 64m ( £48.7m ) was lost in just three years as a result of the defendants ' abuse .
Also on Thursday , the District Attorney for Washington , DC filed a separate lawsuit against the organisation `` for misusing charitable funds to support wasteful spending by the NRA and its executives '' .
The New York lawsuit will almost certainly be contested in court by the NRA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an already beleaguered organisation , facing congressional inquiries , investigations in multiple states and internal complaints .
What is the NRA ?
Founded in 1871 as a recreational group designed to `` promote and encourage rifle shooting '' , the National Rifle Association has grown into one of the most powerful political organisations in the US .
The NRA now lobbies heavily against all forms of gun control and argues aggressively that more guns make the country safer .
It relies on , and staunchly defends , a disputed interpretation of the Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it argues gives US citizens the rights to bear arms .
The NRA spends about $ 250m per year , far more than all the country 's gun control advocacy groups put together .
The organisation has boasted some high-profile members over the years , including former President George HW Bush .
Mr Bush resigned from the group in 1995 after Mr La Pierre referred to federal agents in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing as `` jack-booted thugs '' .
Members have included former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin , and actors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organisation strongly backed Donald Trump in the 2016 election , but has faced scrutiny over its accounting practices in recent years and backlash from gun control advocates following high profile school shootings .
In a statement , NRA President Carolyn Meadows decried the lawsuit as `` a transparent attempt to score political points '' .
`` As evidenced by the lawsuit filed by the NRA today against the [ New York Attorney General ] we not only will not shrink from this fight - we will confront it and prevail , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , President Donald Trump called the suit a `` very terrible thing '' .
The Republican president - a vocal defender of the Second Amendment - has been allied with the NRA since he launched his campaign for president .
`` I think the NRA should move to Texas and lead a very good and beautiful life , '' Mr Trump said on Thursday .
`` Texas would be a great place , or to another state of their choosing . ''
The move against the NRA was celebrated by several prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and promotes members of Congress that turn a blind eye to the gun violence epidemic , '' wrote Senator Kamala Harris on Twitter .
`` It 's time to end the violence and recklessness .
End the NRA , '' wrote long-time Democratic congresswoman Barbara Lee .
The attorney general of New York has had it with the NRA , but the president has not .
Ms James alleges that the gun lobby is rife with corruption and no longer has the right to call itself a non-profit charity .
In contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one that is in search of a new home where it will be appreciated , and recommends Texas , a place famous for its gun lovers .
The president 's affection for the NRA goes back to his previous presidential campaign , a time when the NRA supported his efforts to get elected .
The NRA reportedly donated $ 30m to his 2016 campaign , making them one of his biggest supporters - if not the biggest .
The president has softened on some of his positions regarding the rights of gun owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But now that his colleagues at the NRA are really in trouble , he has shown his support and said they should move their offices .
In Texas , he told me and other reporters on the South Lawn today , the NRA can have a `` beautiful '' life .
Spoken like a true friend .

The NRA now lobbies heavily against all forms of gun control and argues aggressively that more guns make the country safer. It relies on, and staunchly defends, a disputed interpretation of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which it argues gives US citizens the rights to bear arms.


bbc--2020-08-06--Cameron Diaz found 'peace' by quitting acting

Cameron Diaz has said she found `` peace '' in her `` soul '' after walking away from her Hollywood career two years ago .
Diaz is well known for her roles in films like There 's Something About Mary , Charlie 's Angels and Shrek .
But the last movie appearance of her 20-year career came in the 2014 adaptation of Annie .
`` I got a peace in my soul , because I finally was taking care of myself , '' Diaz told Gwyneth Paltrow , on the fellow actress 's health podcast .
`` It 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people wo n't understand it , I know you understand it , but it 's so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there , '' added the 47-year-old .
`` There 's a lot of energy coming at you at all times when you 're really visible as an actor and doing press and putting yourself out there . ''
Diaz confirmed her retirement from acting in 2018 , but has previously stated that she will not rule out a return one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her breakthrough in the 1994 comedy The Mask opposite Jim Carrey , said the pressure of being responsible for multi-million dollar movies could be `` overwhelming '' , but that actors were mollycoddled and she wanted to be more self-sufficient .
'They own you' '' I stopped and really looked at my life , '' she continued .
`` When you 're making a movie , they own you .
You 're there for 12 hours a day for months on end , you have no time for anything else .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of myself , that I knew how to be an adult . ''
Diaz married 41-year-old Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden in 2015 and the couple had their first child , daughter Raddix , in December 2019 .
She credited Paltrow with having encouraged her to become a mum .
`` Being a mother at the age that I am , I do n't think I could have been this parent at 25 , '' Diaz admitted .
`` I would not have become a mother if it was n't for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paltrow .
`` You used to talk , I 'd be like , ' I 'm not having kids ' .
And you 're like : 'You are having kids , you 're getting married , you 're having children ' . ''
In a separate interview with British Vogue , Paltrow herself stated that the term `` conscious uncoupling '' , which she was roundly ridiculed for using to describe her separation from ex-husband Chris Martin in 2014 , sounded `` a bit full of itself '' .
The pair issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , containing the phrase which she revealed they were introduced to by their therapist .
`` Frankly , the term sounded a bit full of itself , painfully progressive and hard to swallow , '' she said .
`` I was intrigued , less by the phrase , but by the sentiment , '' she added .
`` Was there a world where we could break up and not lose everything ?
`` Could we be a family , even though we were not a couple ? ''
Paltrow , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , went on to say that the often-quoted phrase led to a `` a strange combination of mockery and anger that I have never seen . ''
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"It's a strange thing to say, I know a lot of people won't understand it, I know you understand it, but it's so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there," added the 47-year-old.


bbc--2020-08-06--US slaps 10% levy on some Canadian aluminium

US President Donald Trump has reimposed a 10 % tariff on some Canadian aluminium products , saying it was done to protect US industry .
Canada and the US reached a deal last year to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that had been imposed on grounds of `` national security '' .
The US had imposed a 25 % tax on steel and 10 % on aluminium on Canada in 2018 .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said he believes a new levy would have `` no justification '' .
Speaking in Ohio on Thursday , Mr Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US aluminium industry because Canadian producers had broken their commitment to stop flooding the US market with a cheaper product .
The step was `` absolutely necessary to defend our aluminium industry , '' he said .
As part of a 2019 agreement lifting the measures , the US and Canada said they would monitor imports and , if a country is determined to be buying in too much , one of the other nations could request a consultation and potentially reimpose tariffs .
A 10 % tariff on imports of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed on Thursday .
What does the US say ?
In a statement on Mr Trump 's presidential proclamation , the office of the United States Trade Representative said that `` imports from Canada of the product that accounts for the largest share of Canada 's aluminium exports to the United States have surged above historical levels '' .
• What has Donald Trump actually achieved on trade ?
• What Trump wants from global trade The surge has only intensified in recent months , despite a drop in US demand , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the tariffs in 2019 `` on the basis of an agreement that imports of steel and aluminium products from Canada would remain at historical levels '' .
The US Chamber of Commerce is warning that a decision to bring back the tariffs could raise costs for US manufacturers .
Myron Brilliant , head of international affairs for the industry group , told Reuters the move was `` a step in the wrong direction '' and that the measures are opposed by US aluminium manufacturers .
In late June , a group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer calling for continued tariff exemptions for aluminium in North America .
They said they had government data discounting a `` surge '' , and argued that current import levels are largely consistent with historical trends .
Canada 's deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland called the measures `` unwarranted and unacceptable '' and denied Canadian aluminium undermined US national security .
She said in a statement that Canada `` will always stand up for our aluminium workers '' and the country plans to `` swiftly impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` tariffs were the wrong instrument when they were first imposed in 2018 , and they remain the wrong instrument now '' .
National Foreign Trade Council , a US-based pro-trade group , called imposing the new measures a `` misguided action '' , warning it could undermine the new free trade agreement between the US , Canada and Mexico , which came into force in July .
But Michael Bless , chief executive of Century Aluminum , said the move `` helps to secure continued domestic production of this vital strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of American aluminium workers '' , according to Reuters .

As part of a 2019 agreement lifting the measures, the US and Canada said they would monitor imports and, if a country is determined to be buying in too much, one of the other nations could request a consultation and potentially reimpose tariffs.


bbc--2020-08-06--Teens arrested with AK47 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida

Three teenage boys have been arrested after inadvertently entering President Donald Trump 's Florida resort with a loaded AK47 assault rifle .
A chase began after Palm Beach police attempted to approach their car , which was parked near the president 's Mar-a-Lago club .
The boys , aged 15 , jumped a wall while fleeing and were later found hiding on the property .
Mr Trump was not there at the time and the resort is currently closed .
Police spokesman Michael Ogrodnick told AP News that the boys were found parked about two miles ( three kilometres ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers approached .
The boys later saw police conducting a separate traffic stop outside the resort and wrongly thought it was a roadblock set up to catch them .
According to a police report , they then left the car and fled into the club .
They allegedly dumped a backpack containing the loaded semi-automatic rifle and a 14-round magazine on a seawall at the property .
`` They had no idea where they were , '' Mr Ogrodnick said , adding that they were lucky that Mr Trump 's family was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been shot by the Secret Service .
The teens were charged with trespassing with a firearm , burglary with a firearm and resisting arrest without violence .
The suspects , who are not being named , are being held in a juvenile detention centre as authorities determine whether to prosecute them as adults .
There have been numerous intrusions to the Mar-a-Lago property since Mr Trump became president in 2017 , including the arrest of a Chinese woman carrying computer malware and a man who pretended to be a member of the president @ @ @ @

"They had no idea where they were," Mr Ogrodnick said, adding that they were lucky that Mr Trump's family was not there, as they might otherwise have been shot by the Secret Service.


bbc--2020-08-06--Coronavirus: Canada zoo struggles to return pandas to China

Two giant pandas are stranded in Canada with a looming bamboo shortage despite efforts to return them to China .
The Calgary Zoo says it has not yet been able to secure international travel permits to relocate Er Shun and Da Mao .
Pandas only eat fresh bamboo that the zoo had been importing from China , but coronavirus grounded most flights .
Since then , the zoo has been relying on trucking in a limited Canadian bamboo supply .
In May , the Calgary Zoo announced it would relocate the two animals back to China , where bamboo is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week it said that , despite working with both the Canadian and Chinese governments , China has not approved international permits due to pandemic-related changes in its import laws and quarantine facilities .
`` The continued delays in international permitting is putting the health and welfare of these two beautiful giant pandas in jeopardy , '' Calgary Zoo president Clément Lanthier said in a statement .
The zoo says the pandas are currently in good health and receiving `` exceptional care '' .
The pandas arrived in Canada in 2014 and were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of an agreement between Canada and China .
They were loaned to Canada six years ago as a sign of goodwill between the two countries , a gesture sometimes referred to as `` panda diplomacy '' .
It has become increasingly challenging to feed Er Shun , a female , and Da Mao , a male , the 40kg ( 88lbs ) of bamboo they require daily .
Bamboo makes up 99 % of their diet .
The Alberta-based zoo has been bringing in bamboo from the neighbouring province of British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run out in September .
• Pandas mate in lockdown after ten years trying • Other mammals lose out in panda conservation drive

But this week it said that, despite working with both the Canadian and Chinese governments, China has not approved international permits due to pandemic-related changes in its import laws and quarantine facilities.


bbc--2020-08-06--Beirut explosion: Macron calls for 'deep change' in Lebanon after blast

France 's President Emmanuel Macron has called for `` profound change '' from Lebanon 's leadership following Tuesday 's huge explosion in Beirut .
Visiting the devastated city , he called for an international investigation .
Many Lebanese say government corruption , neglect and mismanagement led to the explosion .
It killed at least 137 people and injured about 5,000 others , while dozens are still missing .
A two-week state of emergency has begun .
Lebanese President Michel Aoun says it was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse .
• How ship 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state news agency says 16 people have been taken into custody as part of the investigation .
Judge Fadi Akiki , a government representative at the military court , said more than 18 port and customs officials and maintenance workers at the warehouse had been questioned .
What did Macron say ?
The first world leader to visit since the explosion , Mr Macron described it as a `` metaphor for Lebanon 's current crisis '' and said a `` new political order '' was needed .
Funding was available for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms first , he said .
He also called for an international investigation into the explosion `` to prevent things from remaining hidden and doubt from creeping in '' .
An aid conference for Lebanon would be announced in the coming days , he said .
France would make sure aid was sent directly to relief organisations working on the ground .
An audit of Lebanon 's central bank was also needed - `` If there is no audit of the central bank , in a few months there will be no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of fuel and of food , '' Mr Macron said .
Earlier in the day the French president was mobbed as he walked around the blast-hit city , with residents imploring him to help and denouncing their leaders .
`` Help us , you are our only hope , '' one resident called out .
`` Please do n't give money to our corrupt government , '' said another , before adding : `` We ca n't take this any more . ''
France - the former colonial power in Lebanon - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical kit to Lebanon , with a fourth arriving later and a French navy helicopter carrier carrying French investigators and further supplies due to arrive next week .
This port was Lebanon 's lifeline to the whole world .
Something like 80 % of the country 's grain came through here .
The grain silos , which were built way back when , are teetering .
Just beyond there I can see a ship listing heavily .
I 've lived in Beirut for five years and it 's almost unrecognisable - it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings , of empty streets .
As I look at the neighbourhood of Gemmayze just behind the port , I ca n't see a single pane of glass left .
Entire roofs have gone - I can see friends ' apartments which are just open to the sky now .
All of this area , which was really heavily populated , has been abandoned .
No-one is coming back here any time soon .
What 's really noticeable as you walk the streets here is that every second person seems to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear-up teams everywhere , but it 's pretty low tech : tiny teams of people with pans and brushes to clean up an an entire city 's devastation .
The thing that really strikes me is how enormously stupid it was , what criminal negligence it took to leave this highly explosive material right in the very heart of this city , within yards of people , their homes , their businesses .
And the authorities here knew - they had been warned that these chemicals were dangerous and that they were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ammonium nitrate - which is used as a fertiliser and as an explosive - had been in a warehouse in the port for six years after it was unloaded from a ship impounded in 2013 .
The head of the port and the head of the customs authority said that they had written to the judiciary several times asking that the chemical be exported or sold on to ensure port safety .
Port General Manager Hassan Koraytem told OTV they had been aware that the material was dangerous when a court first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` but not to this degree '' .
The ammonium nitrate arrived on a Moldovan-flagged ship , the Rhosus , which entered Beirut port after suffering technical problems during its voyage from Georgia to Mozambique , according to Shiparrested.com , which deals with shipping-related legal cases .
The Rhosus was inspected , banned from leaving and was shortly afterwards abandoned by its owners , sparking several legal claims .
Its cargo was stored in a port warehouse for safety reasons , the report said .
More on the explosion in Beirut • AMMONIUM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous is it ?
• Q & A : What we know • THE CONTEXT : Why Lebanon is in crisis What is the latest on rescue efforts ?
A French rescue team working in the city said there was still a good chance of finding survivors , two days after the explosion .
One unnamed rescuer told Mr Macron that they hoped to find a group of seven or eight people believed to be trapped in a `` control room '' under the rubble .
Earlier media reports that a father-of-two , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sea on Thursday morning have been thrown into doubt after comments under an Instagram account set up to help families locate missing people suggested that the man pulled from the sea was not him .
A new account appealing for information about Mr Zahid has been set up .
Security forces have sealed off a wide area around the blast site .
Public Health Minister Hamad Hassan said Lebanon 's health sector was short of beds and lacked the equipment necessary to treat the injured and care for patients in critical condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been left homeless by the blast , said Beirut 's governor Marwan Aboud .
He told the BBC : `` Beirut needs food , Beirut needs clothes , houses , materials to rebuild houses .
Beirut needs a place for the refugees , for its people . ''
Economy Minister Raoul Nehme meanwhile said the country would have to rely at least partly on foreign aid to rebuild .
`` We 're not swimming in dollars , '' he told Sky News Arabia .
The explosion comes at a sensitive time for Lebanon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hospitals were already struggling to cope .
The country is also going through the worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war , and tensions were already high with street demonstrations against the government .
People have to deal with daily power cuts , a lack of safe drinking water and limited public healthcare .
Lebanon imports most of its food and large quantities of grain stored in the port have been destroyed causing fears of widespread food insecurity to come .
The future of the port itself is in doubt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ story ?
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The thing that really strikes me is how enormously stupid it was, what criminal negligence it took to leave this highly explosive material right in the very heart of this city, within yards of people, their homes, their businesses. And the authorities here knew - they had been warned that these chemicals were dangerous and that they were a great risk to Beirut and Lebanon.


bbc--2020-08-06--Coronavirus: Travellers from Belgium, Andorra, and the Bahamas must quarantine in UK

People arriving into the UK from Belgium , the Bahamas and Andorra will have to quarantine for 14 days .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the changes start at 04:00 BST on Saturday except in Wales , where they start midnight Thursday .
The countries are the latest to have a change in rules , after quarantines were reimposed for Spain and Luxembourg .
The Foreign Office is also warning against `` all but essential travel '' to the three countries .
But travellers from Brunei and Malaysia arriving in England and Wales will no longer need to self-isolate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The transport secretary has previously said he `` can not rule out '' other countries being included on the list as the travel advice is kept under review .
People who do not self-isolate when required can be fined up to £1,000 in England , Wales , and Northern Ireland and those returning to Scotland could be fined £480 , with fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders .
• What are the UK travel quarantine rules ?
• You finally got abroad , but was it worth it ?
Up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , while 150,000 visit Andorra .
The Bahamas , meanwhile , saw more than 36,000 visits from the UK in 2018 .
According to figures on Thursday , Belgium has a rate of 49.2 new cases per 100,000 people , above the UK 's latest rate of 14.3 .
For comparison , Spain 's rate was 27.4 around the time it was removed from the UK 's travel corridor list .
Last week , Belgium introduced new restrictions which mean that people can only meet the same five people outside their household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's neighbour , France , is also seeing a surge in cases .
Mr Shapps tweeted : `` Data shows we need to remove Andorra , Belgium and the Bahamas from our list of [ coronavirus ] travel corridors in order to keep infection rates DOWN .
`` If you arrive in the UK after 0400 Saturday from these destinations , you will need to self-isolate for 14 days . ''
Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the governments of all four UK nations agreed to the changes `` based on a shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imposing quarantine requirements on those arriving from another country is not a decision made lightly - but suppressing the virus and protecting public health remains our priority , '' he said .
These changes are not going to cause quite the same disruption as we saw when Spain was removed from the exemptions list .
Far fewer Brits head to these destinations ; just a few tens of thousands go to the Bahamas each year and it currently has a nationwide lockdown in force .
But the change to Belgium 's status will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to head to other European destinations too .
Anyone travelling through Belgium will now find they have to quarantine when they get back .
It 's also likely to make things a bit nervy for people planning a trip to other , more popular , holiday destinations where Covid rates have been on the rise .
All in all , it looks like the summer getaway is set to stay pretty unpredictable for a while yet .
The UK introduced the compulsory 14-day quarantine for arrivals from overseas in early June .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations unveiled lists of `` travel corridors '' , dozens of countries which were exempt from the rule , including France , Italy and Germany .
Since then , a few more countries have been added but Spain and Luxembourg have been removed .
• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our experts have answers • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• EUROPE LOCKDOWN : How is it being lifted ?
It comes as figures showed that demand for the Eurotunnel - which takes people between the UK and France with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels quicker than air travel .
The tunnel 's passenger numbers were down 21 % in July compared to July last year - whereas the UK 's biggest airlines are operating at less than half their capacities last month .
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Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
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People who do not self-isolate when required can be fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and those returning to Scotland could be fined £480, with fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.


bbc--2020-08-06--Sri Lanka election: Rajapaksa brothers declare victory

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared victory in the country 's parliamentary election .
His brother Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to be installed as prime minister , having held the role as caretaker since November .
The brothers ' party , Sri Lanka People 's Front , is approaching the two-thirds `` super majority '' of seats needed to carry out its promised constitutional changes .
The final tally is due early on Friday .
Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier tweeted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already called to congratulate him .
The controversial Rajapaksa family has dominated Sri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rajapaksa was previously president , from 2005 to 2015 .
• 'No dignity in death ' for Sri Lanka 's Muslims Sri Lanka has been one of the few nations to hold an election despite the coronavirus pandemic .
The vote had already been postponed twice because of the virus .
The country has had relatively few confirmed infections and deaths of coronavirus - with a total of 2,839 cases and 11 deaths .
Once again it 's a huge victory for the Rajapaksa brothers .
Just nine months after his impressive win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has led his Sri Lanka People 's Front close to a two-thirds majority .
He is hugely popular among the majority Sinhala masses for crushing the Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in 2009 when he was the defence secretary .
Many in the country also credit his administration for bringing stability and successfully containing the coronavirus outbreak .
Gotabaya Rajapaksa is accused of human rights abuses during the civil war and also of targeting those who dissented .
He denies all the charges .
A rise in Sinhala majoritarian nationalism in the run up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
Muslim leaders regret that their entire community is being vilified following the devastating Easter Sunday suicide attacks by Islamist militants last year , which killed more than 260 people .
With their dominant majority , the Rajapaksas could attempt to change the constitution , increase the powers of the president and reverse the work of the previous government .
Activists , who are already alarmed by the reducing space for dissent and criticism , fear if that happens , it could lead to greater authoritarianism .

He is hugely popular among the Sinhala majority for crushing the Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in 2009 when he was defence secretary. Many in the country also credit his administration for bringing stability and successfully containing the coronavirus outbreak.


bbc--2020-08-06--Animal Crossing boosts Nintendo sales

Animal Crossing boosts Nintendo sales

More than 22 million copies of the latest Animal Crossing video game have been sold since its March release as the pandemic drives a gaming surge .
Developer Nintendo said the title 's popularity lifted profits from April to June to 106.4bn yen ( £.8bn ) - more than five times higher than a year ago .
Sales show `` no loss of momentum '' , and other games are also seeing strong demand , the Japanese firm added .
Animal Crossing 's success also boosted sales of its Switch gaming device .
Nintendo said it sold 5.7 million Switch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.1 million a year ago .
More than half of the consoles played for the first time in the quarter were used for Animal Crossing , it added .
The gains came despite lockdown-related production strains - Nintendo said it had difficulty getting parts .
The company said those issues have eased , although a lag between production and delivery means shortages continue in many regions .
`` We work hard to be able to deliver these products to consumers as quickly as possible , '' Nintendo said .
The original Animal Crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title , Animal Crossing : New Horizon - in which players share an island with anthropomorphic creatures and complete tasks to earn money - has been a runaway success during the pandemic , drawing in people looking for escape and alternative ways to socialise .
Nintendo said the 10.6 million Animal Crossing : New Horizons games sold in the quarter outstripped other Nintendo games sales by a factor of 10 .
In overall sales , it trails only the firm 's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe , which has sold more than 26 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overall Nintendo sales were 358.1bn yen in the quarter , more than double last year .
Profits reached 106.4bn yen , compared with 16.6bn yen last year .
`` The numbers are insane , '' industry analyst Serkan Toto of Kantan Games said on Twitter .
But Nintendo has said the gaming boom is likely to fade as lockdowns ease .
It did not change its full-year forecast for 200bn yen in profits , which would be a decline from the 259bn yen it earned in its last financial year .

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bbc--2020-08-06--Uber customer activity falls sharply

Uber customer activity falls sharply

The number of customers active on Uber 's apps has dropped nearly in half since last year as the pandemic devastates demand for the company 's taxi services .
The ride-hailing giant said it had an average of 55 million customers each month in the April-June period , down from 99 million last year .
The fall came despite a boom in its food delivery business , which saw orders more than double .
But trip bookings were down 75 % .
That is just a slight recovery from the plunge seen at the height of the lockdowns this spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as 80 % .
Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the two sides of the business will help the firm navigate the challenges ahead .
In the quarter , food delivery brought in more revenue than rides .
`` While we would have all hoped that by now we would have a clear line of sight to the end of the pandemic , hope is not a strategy , '' he said .
`` The bottom line is we have taken swift action on everything that 's within our control . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapse of its core taxi business due to the pandemic by increasing its food delivery operations .
Last month , it launched a feature that allows users in some cities in the US , Canada , Brazil , Chile , Colombia and Peru to order groceries through its app .
The move comes after the firm took a majority stake in Chilean start-up Cornershop last year .
It also announced a deal in July to buy US restaurant delivery start-up Postmates for $ 2.65bn - a move that could give it control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market .
Uber said Uber Eats revenue doubled to $ 1.2bn in the quarter , as people worried about coronavirus continued to order in rather than eat out .
Overall quarterly revenue dropped 29 % year-on-year , falling to $ 2.2bn , as the rides business weighed on results .
Revenue Uber collected from trips fell 67 % to $ 790m , while gross bookings - the total dollars from the trips - were down 75 % to $ 3bn .
In cities where the virus is under control , demand has bounced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have n't seen any signs now that there will be any kind of permanent damage to the business , '' he said .
Uber said its losses had narrowed to about $ 1.8bn , from $ 5.2bn a year ago , when its listing on the stock exchange swelled costs .
The improvement also follows Uber 's announcement in May that it was taking steps to slash costs by $ 1bn including cutting 6,700 jobs - roughly a quarter of its workforce .
The figures did not include drivers , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has drawn multiple lawsuits , including one filed this week by California 's Labor Commissioner .
Mr Khosrowshahi said he thought the firm had a `` strong path '' to fight those claims or win support among state voters for legislation that would overturn a California law intended to force Uber to change its driver classification .

"While we would have all hoped that by now we would have a clear line of sight to the end of the pandemic, hope is not a strategy," he said.


bbc--2020-08-06--Mandatory hotel quarantine for NSW arrivals from Victoria

People who enter the Australian state of New South Wales from neighbouring Victoria will have to go into mandatory hotel quarantine from Friday .
The new measures have been introduced due to rising coronavirus infections being reported in Victoria .
Visitors will need to remain at a hotel for 14 days at their own expense .
All returning New South Wales residents , unless they live within the state 's border regions , will only be allowed to return via Sydney Airport .
Victoria has been reporting record rates of new infections despite being four weeks into lockdown .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victoria 's spike in coronavirus case numbers sent a clear message New South Wales needed to be on high alert .
Queensland , for its part , is imposing restrictions on travellers from New South Wales 24 hours later .
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described the closure as `` a life and death situation '' .
Meanwhile , a job protection scheme , JobKeeper , will be relaxed in Australia to allow more people to access it .
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Covid-19 lockdowns in Victoria lockdown have forced the additional $ 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia has recorded 255 coronavirus deaths , faring better than many countries due to effective suppression measures early in the pandemic .
But since June - when most Australians emerged from a first lockdown - the outbreak in Melbourne has spiralled .
Infections in Melbourne over the past month make up more than half of Australia 's total cases since the pandemic began .

People who enter the Australian state of New South Wales from neighbouring Victoria will have to go into mandatory hotel quarantine from Friday.


bbc--2020-08-06--Tokyo Olympics: Rings temporarily shelved

‘ I couldn ’ t compete at Tokyo 2020 - but I can in 2021 ’ For some , it @ @ @ @ @ ’ t before .
For others , it ’ s a year too long to @ @

The rings for the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo have been taken away for cleaning and inspection.


bbc--2020-08-06--Twitter to label state-controlled news accounts

Twitter says it will no longer `` amplify '' tweets by state-controlled media organisations , by excluding them from its recommendation systems .
The move makes affected accounts less likely to appear in search results , notifications and on a user 's timeline .
The company will also label the accounts of government-linked media , as well as `` key government officials '' from China , France , Russia , the UK and US .
Russia 's RT and China 's Xinhua News will both be affected by the change .
Twitter said it was acting to provide people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the social network .
Other social platforms , including video-sharing giant YouTube , already label the channels of state-backed media organisations .
Twitter will label media organisations `` where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources , political pressure or control over production and distribution '' .
Editors and senior staff will also have their accounts labelled .
However , publicly funded news organisations with editorial independence will not be labelled , including the BBC and the US network NPR .
Twitter says it will label key government officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spokesmen and women from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council : China , France , Russia , the UK and US .
`` Our focus is on senior officials and entities that are the voice of the nation state abroad , '' Twitter said .
However , politicians ' personal accounts will not always be labelled .
For example , President Trump 's popular Twitter account @ realDonaldTrump will not be labelled , while his official account @ Potus will be identified .
Explaining the decision , Twitter said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , media attention , and public awareness '' .
Twitter said it would expand the list of labelled accounts and include additional countries over time .

Twitter says it will label key government officials, including foreign ministers, institutions, ambassadors and spokesmen and women from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, the UK and US.


bbc--2020-08-06--Coronavirus: Dr Fauci says daughters have been harassed

Top US virus expert Dr Anthony Fauci has spoken about how his daughters have been harassed due to his public statements about tackling the pandemic .
Dr Fauci , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , also told CNN he had personally received death threats .
As a result he said he had hired security to protect his family .
The top doctor has been at odds with President Donald Trump at several points during the pandemic .
`` Getting death threats for me and my family and harassing my daughters to the point where I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , it 's amazing , '' Dr Fauci , who has become a household name in the US , said .
`` I wish that they did not have to go through that , '' he added .
`` I would n't have imagined in my wildest dreams that people who object to things that are pure public health principles are so set against it ... that they actually threaten you . ''
He and his wife , bioethicist Dr. Christine Grady , have three adult daughters .
• The face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of immunology at the National Institutes of Health during the 1980s HIV/Aids epidemic , Dr Fauci , 79 , has been in the line of fire before amid a public health crisis .
Over Dr Fauci 's five decades as a medical researcher , he has seen his effigy burnt , been called a `` murderer '' by protesters and had smoke bombs thrown outside his office window .
He has been involved in a number of public disagreements with President Trump during the coronavirus crisis .
Late last month , Dr Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video which included claims masks are not needed to fight Covid-19 , `` not helpful '' .

"I wish that they did not have to go through that," he added. "I wouldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams that people who object to things that are pure public health principles are so set against it... that they actually threaten you."


bbc--2020-08-07--Beirut explosion: Before and after images

The explosion at a portside warehouse in Beirut sent devastating shockwaves across the Lebanese capital , decimating seafront buildings and causing widespread destruction .
At least 137 people died and about 5,000 others have been injured .
Satellite and aerial images show the extent of the physical damage to a city more accustomed to such scenes as a result of war than accident .
The Orient Queen cruise ship was docked in Beirut a few hundred metres from the warehouse when the explosion happened .
Damage from the blast caused her to take on water and capsize .
One crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the ship 's operators Abou Merhi Cruises .
The company 's dockside offices were also wiped out by the force of the blast .
The grain silos - the large white building on the dockside - took the brunt of the blast .
Genevieve Langdon , Professor of Blast and Impact Engineering at the University of Sheffield , said the grain inside the silo would have compacted under the enormous blast pressure , but would also have absorbed and deflected some of the blast .
`` As the blast wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissipated a great deal of energy , '' she said .
`` Without the grain silos in the way , we expect the damage in the area behind them would have been even worse . ''
Aid agencies estimate that around 300,000 people have been left homeless by the explosion and there are fears of food and medicine shortages .
Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ) president Mego Terzian said warehouses storing medicines and vaccines in the port were damaged , and the country 's largest dialysis centre , in central Beirut , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aftermath of the blast to destruction caused during the country 's 1975-90 civil war .
`` We lived difficult and similar experiences during the Lebanese war , '' he told AFP .
Lebanon 's maritime trade will now shift to the country 's second biggest city , Tripoli , so that the country can start to receive medical aid , foodstuffs , fuel and basic goods .
Qatar , Kuwait and Jordan are reported to be sending field hospitals .
The shopping centre , restaurants and souks in downtown Beirut , to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't escape damage .
Windows and glass shopfronts were shattered by the explosion .
The city 's governor , Marwan Abboud , said repairing public property and heritage buildings was likely to cost billions of dollars .
More on the explosion in Beirut • WHAT HAPPENED : What we know so far • BACKGROUND : Why the country is in crisis • IN PICTURES : Chaos and destruction after the blast • AMMONIUM NITRATE : What is it ?
How dangerous is it ?
Worshippers at the Mohammad al-Amin Mosque , who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have started to clear the debris left by the blast .
The clean-up also started at the Saint George Maronite Church .

Damage from the blast caused her to take on water and capsize. One crew member died and another is still missing, according to the ship's operators Abou Merhi Cruises. The company's dockside offices were also wiped out by the force of the blast.


bbc--2020-08-06--Trump says Biden is 'against God and he's against guns'

President Donald Trump has accused his Democratic opponent of following the 'radical left agenda ' to 'hurt the Bible ' @ @ @ @ @ Amendment ' .
He suggested that former Vice-President Joe Biden would perform poorly in the @ @ @ @ @ the president was visiting a Whirlpool manufacturing factory .
Mr Biden has previously said he @ @ @ @ @ Catholic faith .

President Donald Trump has accused his Democratic opponent of following the 'radical left agenda' to 'hurt the Bible' and 'take away the Second Amendment'.
He suggested that former Vice-President Joe Biden would perform poorly in the state of Ohio, where the president was visiting a Whirlpool manufacturing factory.
Mr Biden has previously said he has been guided by his Catholic faith.


bbc--2020-08-06--US gun control: What is the NRA and why is it so powerful?

It is one of the most powerful players in one of the most hotly-debated issues in the US - gun control - but what exactly is the NRA ?
Here 's a quick guide .
What is the NRA ?
NRA stands for National Rifle Association .
The group was founded in 1871 by two US Civil War veterans as a recreational group designed to `` promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis '' .
The NRA 's path into political lobbying began in 1934 when it started mailing members with information about upcoming firearms bills .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the National Firearms Act of 1934 ( NFA ) and Gun Control Act of 1968 ( GCA ) , but became more politically active following the passage of the GCA in the 1970s .
In 1975 , it began attempting to influence policy directly via a newly formed lobbying arm , the Institute for Legislative Action .
In 1977 it formed its own Political Action Committee ( PAC ) , to channel funds to legislators .
The NRA is now among the most powerful special interest lobby groups in the US , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Congress on gun policy .
It is run by executive vice-president Wayne LaPierre .
In August 2020 , prosecutors in New York and Washington DC announced that they would seek to dissolve the organisation over allegations that senior leadership misused a charity fund , redirecting the money for lavish personal spending .
How big is its budget ?
The NRA spends about $ 250m per year , far more than all the country 's gun control advocacy groups put together .
But the NRA has a much larger membership than any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as gun ranges and educational programmes .
In terms of lobbying , the NRA officially spends about $ 3m per year to influence gun policy - the recorded amount spent on lobbying in 2014 was $ 3.3m .
That is only the recorded contributions to lawmakers however , and considerable sums are spent elsewhere via PACs and independent expenditures - funds which are difficult to track .
Analysts point out that the NRA also wields considerable indirect influence via its highly politically engaged membership , many of whom will vote one way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The NRA publicly grades members of Congress from A to F on their perceived friendliness to gun rights .
Those ratings can have a serious effect on poll numbers and even cost pro-gun control candidates a seat .
But since the election of Donald Trump in 2016 , NRA spending on campaigns in the states has plummeted .
The drop came amid the rise of pro-control groups , who have received millions of dollars from backers who oppose most NRA policies .
It was estimated that gun control groups may have outspent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 .
How big is the NRA ?
Estimates of the NRA 's membership have varied widely for decades .
The association claimed that membership surged to close to five million in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook school in 2012 , but some analysts put the figure at closer to three million .
The organisation has been accused of inflating the figure .
The NRA has boasted some high-profile members over the years , including late former President George HW Bush .
He resigned from the group in 1995 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents in the wake of a bombing attack on a government building in Oklahoma City as `` jack-booted thugs '' .
Current members include former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin , and actors Tom Selleck and Whoopi Goldberg .
The late actor Charlton Heston was president of the NRA between 1998 and 2003 .
Heston famously held a rifle over his head at an NRA convention following the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and told gun control advocates they would have to take it `` from my cold , dead hands '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has lobbied heavily against all forms of gun control and argued aggressively that more guns make the country safer .
It relies on , and staunchly defends , a disputed interpretation of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution , which it argues gives US citizens the rights to bear arms without any government oversight .
The association faced criticism from both sides of the political spectrum in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting , when Mr La Pierre said that the lack of an armed guard at the school was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposes most local , state and federal legislation that would restrict gun ownership .
For example , the NRA has lobbied for guns confiscated by the police to be resold , arguing that destroying the weapons is , in effect , a waste of perfectly good guns .
Likewise , it strongly supports legislation that expand gun rights such as `` open-carry '' laws , which allow gun owners to carry their weapons , unconcealed , in most public places .

US gun control: What is the NRA and why is it so powerful? Published 13 April
Image source, Getty Images
The National Rifle Association (NRA) is holding its annual meeting in Indianapolis, with former US President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis due to address delegates.
The meeting is taking place amid increasing calls for tighter US gun laws in the wake of a record number of mass shootings in 2023.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 146 mass shootings in the country since January.
What is the NRA?
Founded in 1871 as a recreational group designed to "promote and encourage rifle shooting", the National Rifle Association has grown into one of the most powerful political organisations in the US.
It lobbies heavily against all forms of gun control and argues aggressively that more guns make the country safer.
It relies on, and staunchly defends, a disputed interpretation of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which it argues gives US citizens the rights to bear arms.
It directly funds US politicians and lawmakers who support its aims.
Who runs the NRA?
Chief executive Wayne LaPierre has run the NRA since 1991.
Image source, Getty Images
The group is currently in legal difficulties, having been locked in a court battle with New York's Attorney General since 2020.
Letitia James alleges that in the past the organisation diverted millions of dollars to leaders including Mr LaPierre for their personal use.
She is suing Mr LaPierre for millions of dollars he has been paid by the NRA, and wants the organisation to face financial monitoring.
The NRA has described her lawsuit as a "baseless, premeditated attack".
How big is the NRA?
Estimates of the NRA's membership vary widely. The association claimed that membership rose to nearly to five million in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook school in 2012.
However, some analysts put the figure at closer to three million.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, There are frequent protests outside the NRA's headquarters in Virginia
Current NRA members include former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and actors Tom Selleck and Whoopi Goldberg.
Former vice-president Mike Pence is expected to join Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis in Indianapolis for the 2023 meeting.
How influential is the NRA?
In 2022, the NRA received $97m (£78m) from membership dues. That is down by more than 40% from its peak year, 2018.
The organisation blamed the Covid pandemic for the fall.
However, the NRA still has a substantial budget which it uses to try and influence US politicians on gun policy.
In 2021, it spent $4.2m on lobbying, according to non-partisan US research firm OpenSecrets.
OpenSecrets' figures suggest that since 2010, the NRA has directed more than $140m to pro-gun election candidates.
The NRA also has considerable influence via its membership, many of whom will vote for a candidate based solely on their stance on guns.
It grades members of Congress from A to F on their perceived friendliness to gun rights. Those ratings can cost pro-gun control candidates their seats.
Why is the NRA controversial?
For decades, the NRA has aggressively opposed measures which would restrict gun ownership, despite a series of high profile mass shootings, including many in schools.
The late actor Charlton Heston - a former NRA president - famously held a rifle over his head following the 1999 Columbine High School mass shooting, telling gun control advocates they would have to take the weapon "from my cold, dead hands".
Image caption, Actor Charlton Heston was a long-serving NRA president
What has the NRA said about school shootings?
On 27 March, six people including three children were killed at a school in Nashville.
The NRA responded by calling for more security in schools, rather than restrictions on gun ownership.
The Nashville attack was the worst mass shooting at a US school since 19 children and two adults were killed in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022.
The NRA held its 2022 meeting in nearby Houston only days after the Uvalde attack, despite widespread calls to cancel the event.


bbc--2020-08-06--How 'lockdown birdwatching' is helping Australia's bushfire recovery

Birdwatching has boomed during the Covid-19 lockdown in Australia , and it 's having an unexpected benefit .
Scientists have @ @ @ @ @ data on bird identification apps to help with conservation efforts after Australia 's devastating bushfires @

Birdwatching has boomed during the Covid-19 lockdown in Australia, and it's having an unexpected benefit.
Scientists have been using an increase in data on bird identification apps to help with conservation efforts after Australia's devastating bushfires.
Video by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-08-06--Patrick Hutchinson: Viral 'hero' launches new project

On 13 June 2020 , Patrick , Lee , Chris and Jamaine went into central London to help mediate clashes @ @ @ @ @ .
A now iconic image was taken of Patrick lifting a counter-protester to safety .
@ @ @ @ @ the world .
Wanting to use their new found platform for something positive , the @ @ @ @ @ a new collective called United to Change and Inspire ( UTCAI ) to fight racial @ @ @ @ @ .

On 13 June 2020, Patrick, Lee, Chris and Jamaine went into central London to help mediate clashes between anti-racism protesters and counter-protesters.
A now iconic image was taken of Patrick lifting a counter-protester to safety. It quickly went viral around the world.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the men said they want to use their new found platform for something positive.
The four men have now formed a new collective called United to Change and Inspire (UTCAI) to fight racial inequality on a national scale.


bbc--2020-08-05--US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden?

Voters in America will decide on 3 November whether Donald Trump remains in the White House for another four years .
The Republican president is being challenged by Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden , who is best known as Barack Obama 's vice-president but has been in US politics since the 1970s .
As election day approaches , polling companies will be trying to gauge the mood of the nation by asking voters which candidate they prefer .
We 'll be keeping track of those polls here and trying to work out what they can and ca n't tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How are the presidential candidates doing nationally ?
National polls are a good guide as to how popular a candidate is across the country as a whole , but they 're not necessarily a good way to predict the result of the election .
In 2016 , for example , Hillary Clinton led in the polls and won nearly three million more votes than Donald Trump , but she still lost - that 's because the US uses an electoral college system , so winning the most votes does n't always win you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Joe Biden has been ahead of Donald Trump in national polls for most of the year .
He has hovered around 50 % in recent weeks and has had a 10-point lead on occasions but Mr Trump has recovered somewhat in the last few days .
By contrast , in 2016 the polls were far less clear and just a couple of percentage points separated Mr Trump and his then-rival Hillary Clinton at several points as election day neared .
• Does Trump have the power to delay the election ?
Which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mrs Clinton discovered in 2016 , the number of votes you win is less important than where you win them .
Most states nearly always vote the same way , meaning that in reality there are just a handful of states where both candidates stand a chance of winning .
These are the places where the election will be won and lost and are known as battleground states .
In the electoral college system the US uses to elect its president , each state is given a number of votes based on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college votes are up for grabs , so a candidate needs to hit 270 to win .
As the map above shows , some battleground states have a lot more electoral college votes on offer than others so candidates often spend a lot more time campaigning in them .
• What is the electoral college ?
At the moment , polls in the battleground states look good for Joe Biden , but there 's a long way to go and things can change very quickly , especially when Donald Trump 's involved .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads in Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - three industrial states his Republican rival won by margins of less than 1 % to clinch victory in 2016 .
But it 's the battleground states where Mr Trump won big in 2016 that his campaign team will be most worried about .
His winning margin in Iowa , Ohio and Texas was between 8-10 % back then but he 's neck-and-neck with Mr Biden in all three at the moment .
Those poll numbers may help explain his decision to replace his re-election campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` fake polls '' .
Betting markets , however , are certainly not writing Mr Trump off just yet .
The latest odds still give him about a one in three chance of winning on 3 November .
The coronavirus pandemic has dominated headlines in the US since the start of the year and the response to President Trump 's actions has been split predictably along party lines .
Support for his approach peaked in mid-March after he declared a national emergency and made $ 50 billion available to states to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point , 55 % of Americans approved of his actions , according to data from Ipsos , a leading polling company .
But any support he had from Democrats disappeared after that , while Republicans continued to back their president .
The most recent data , however , suggests even his own supporters have begun to question his response as states in the south and the west of the country have dealt with renewed outbreaks of the virus .
Republican support had fallen to 78 % by early July .
This may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about coronavirus recently , warning that the situation will `` get worse before it gets better '' He also donned a face mask for the first time recently and called on Americans to wear them , saying `` they 'll have an effect '' and show `` patriotism '' .
One leading model produced by experts at the University of Washington predicts the death toll will have passed 230,000 by 1 November - just two days before the election .
• Why are Americans so angry about masks ?
Can we trust the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls by saying they got it wrong in 2016 and President Trump frequently does exactly that .
But it 's not entirely true .
Most national polls did have Hillary Clinton ahead by a few percentage points , but that does n't mean they were wrong , since she won three million more votes than her rival .
Pollsters did have some problems in 2016 - notably a failure to properly represent voters without a college degree - meaning Mr Trump 's advantage in some key battleground states was n't spotted until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
Most polling companies have corrected this now .
But this year there 's even more uncertainty than normal due to the coronavirus pandemic and the effect it 's having on both the economy and how people will vote in November , so all polls should be read with some scepticism , especially this far out from election day .

On his own health, 72% of respondents said that Mr Trump did not take the "risk of contracting the virus seriously enough," while the same number said he failed to take "the appropriate precautions when it came to his personal health".


bbc--2020-08-07--Quiz of the week: What happened on FA Cup Final day?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
If you can not see the quiz , follow this link @ @ @ @ @ quiz via this link .

It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbc--2020-08-07--Africa's week in pictures: 31 July - 6 August 2020

Kenyan fashion-lover James Maina Mwangi , who once told the BBC he was Africa 's most stylish man , poses @ @ @ @ @ on Friday

Image caption,
Kenyan fashion-lover James Maina Mwangi, who once told the BBC he was Africa's most stylish man, poses with some of his pieces on Friday.


bbc--2020-08-06--TikTok twins charged over bank robbery 'prank'

TikTok and YouTube video-makers Alan and Alex Stokes have been arrested after allegedly staging two fake bank robberies for a video .
During one incident , an Uber driver was held at gunpoint by police .
The twin brothers , who have a total of about 30 million followers , have been charged with false imprisonment and falsely reporting an emergency .
If convicted , they face up to four years in prison .
The pair are accused of presenting themselves as criminals to an unsuspecting Uber driver and members of the public in Irvine , California , on 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the pair are seen running away from a building wearing ski masks , and carrying duffel bags filled with dollar bills .
They appear to ask bystanders to give them assistance in the form of clothes or free car rides .
The Uber driver refused to give them a ride .
The police were called by a member of the public , who thought they were trying to steal the driver 's car .
When police arrived , the driver was held at gunpoint .
It was later determined that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filmed by a videographer for the purpose of being shared on social media .
At the time , police let the brothers go with a warning , some of which was included in their video .
However , Orange Country district attorney Todd Spitzer said the elaborate `` prank '' had broken the law .
`` These are crimes that could have resulted in someone getting seriously injured or even killed , '' said Mr Spitzer .
`` Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect the public and when someone calls 911 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to respond to protect lives .
`` Instead , what they found was some kind of twisted attempt to gain more popularity on the internet by unnecessarily putting members of the public and police officers in danger . ''
On Thursday , the FBI confirmed it had raided the house of YouTube star Jake Paul .
Mr Paul is facing charges of looting in Arizona , and recently held a party that allegedly broke public health orders .
The 23-year-old social media star has more than 20 million followers on YouTube @

The police were called by a member of the public, who thought they were trying to steal the driver's car. When police arrived, the driver was held at gunpoint. It was later determined that he was not involved.


bbc--2020-08-05--Coronavirus: Barnsley bugler vows to 'play until there are no more deaths'

An Army veteran who has played the Last Post every night since lockdown began has vowed not to stop until there are no more coronavirus deaths in England .
Paul Goose , from South Yorkshire , began his nightly routine on 29 March and has so far kept it going for 130 days .
Each performance is live-streamed and dedicated to NHS staff , key workers and victims of the pandemic .
He said he hoped he had brought comfort to victims ' families and has pledged to keep playing `` as long as it takes '' .
The 52-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Light Infantry , said the daily renditions of the Last Post - a bugle call most commonly associated with military funerals - began following the death of his former regimental sergeant major .
He said the response to the first video , which has been viewed more than 3,000 times , prompted him to continue playing each night and from there he began receiving requests to dedicate performances to people who had lost friends or relatives to coronavirus .
`` I hope it gives some comfort to the families of people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` It means a lot if I can give people that [ and ] I will carry on playing until there are no more deaths .
`` I will play every night , it will take as long as it takes . ''
The history of the Last Post The Last Post was first published in the 1790s and was just one of two dozen or so bugle calls sounded daily in British Army camps to regulate a soldier 's day .
It was used to let soldiers know the duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentry-posts and the camp was secure for the night .
But , from the 1850s onwards , it became customary for the regimental bugler to sound the Last Post over the grave of any soldier who died overseas , where often there was no other music available to accompany him on his final journey .
Over time the custom was adopted at home as well as abroad and by the time World War One broke out in 1914 it was routinely played at soldiers ' funerals .
The tune - which has gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been played at the funerals of political leaders including Gandhi and Nelson Mandela .
Read more on The story of the Last Post Mr Goose said he hoped his efforts , which have also helped raise £7,330 for the intensive care unit at Barnsley Hospital , would remind people that coronavirus had not gone away .
`` I 'm highlighting that it 's still there and it 's still a danger , '' he said .
`` People seem to have relaxed a bit about it and I do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did , but it is still just as serious as it was before .
`` If I can give them that warning then hopefully people will listen . ''
Of his fundraising efforts he said he had only wanted to raise £500 so to have raised more than £7,000 was `` absolutely brilliant '' .
He said he had spoken to Guinness World Records about the feat and said the organisation had confirmed his unbroken run , when completed , would be a world record .
Jane Mills , charity development manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have said a big thank you to Paul .
What he has done for our intensive care unit is absolutely amazing and it is one of our highest ever amounts for a Facebook fundraiser .
`` We are very proud of what he has done for his local community . ''
• LOCKDOWN LIMIT : Can we lift lockdown any further ?
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How many cases in your area ?
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news @ bbc.co.uk or send video here .

But, from the 1850s onwards, it became customary for the regimental bugler to sound the Last Post over the grave of any soldier who died overseas, where often there was no other music available to accompany him on his final journey.


bbc--2020-08-05--Natasha Lambert prepares for transatlantic sailing challenge

Natasha Lambert is preparing for her biggest sailing challenge to date - crossing the Atlantic Ocean .
The 23-year-old from @ @ @ @ @ quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy , which affects her limbs and speech .
She sails using @ @ @ @ @ to control a boat using her breath and tongue .
After sailing the south coast @ @ @ @ @ channel , and from Scotland to Ireland , in November she aims to cross the @ @ @ @ @ ( 14m ) catamaran .
This story was filmed before coronavirus pandemic restrictions were introduced @

Natasha Lambert is preparing for her biggest sailing challenge to date - crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
The 23-year-old from the Isle of Wight has quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy, which affects her limbs and speech.
She sails using a system that allows her to control a boat using her breath and tongue.
After sailing the south coast of England, across the channel, and from Scotland to Ireland, in November she aims to cross the Atlantic in an adapted 46ft (14m) catamaran.
Reporter: Sarah Farmer
This story was filmed before coronavirus pandemic restrictions were introduced.


bbc--2020-08-07--'It took 32 years, but I finally found my kidnapped son'

Li Jingzhi spent more than three decades searching for her son , Mao Yin , who was kidnapped in 1988 and sold .
She had almost given up hope of ever seeing him again , but in May she finally got the call she had been waiting for .
At weekends Jingzhi and her husband would take their toddler Mao Yin to the zoo , or to one of the many parks in their city , Xi'an , the capital of Shaanxi province in central China .
And one of these outings has always remained especially vivid in her memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old at the time .
We took him to the Xi'an City zoo .
He saw a worm on the ground .
He was very curious and pointed to the worm saying 'Mama , worm ! '
And as I carried him out of the zoo , he had the worm in his hand and put it close to my face , '' Jingzhi says .
Mao Yin was her only child - China 's one-child policy was in full swing , so there was no question of having more .
She wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so she nicknamed him Jia Jia , meaning `` great '' .
`` Jia Jia was a very well-behaved , smart , obedient , and sensible child .
He did n't like to cry .
He was very lively and adorable .
He was the kind of child that everyone liked when they saw him , '' Jingzhi says .
She and her husband would drop him off at a kindergarten in the morning and pick him up after work .
`` Every day , after leaving work I played with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was very happy . ''
Jingzhi worked for a grain exporting company and at harvest time she would have to leave town for several days to visit suppliers in the countryside .
Jia Jia would stay at home with his dad .
On one such trip , she received a message from her employers telling her to come back urgently .
`` At that time , telecommunications were n't very advanced , '' Jingzhi says .
`` So all I got was a telegram with six words on it : 'Emergency at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did n't know what had happened . ''
She hurried back to Xi'an , where a manager gave her devastating news .
`` Our leader said one sentence : 'Your son is missing , ' '' Jingzhi says .
`` My mind went blank .
I thought perhaps he had got lost .
It did n't occur to me that I would n't be able to find him . ''
This was October 1988 , and Jia Jia was two years and eight months old .
Jingzhi 's husband explained that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kindergarten and stopped on the way home to get him a drink of water from a small hotel owned by the family .
He had left the child for just one or two minutes to cool the water , and when he turned round Jia Jia was gone .
Jingzhi assumed he would quickly be found .
`` I thought perhaps my son was lost and could n't find his way home and that kind-hearted people would find him and bring him back to me , '' she says .
But when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken him to a police station , she knew the situation was serious .
She began asking if anyone had seen Jia Jia in the neighbourhood of the hotel .
She printed 100,000 flyers with his picture on them and handed them out around Xi'an 's railway and bus stations , and placed missing person adverts in local newspapers .
All without success .
`` My heart hurt ...
I wanted to cry .
I wanted to scream , '' says Jingzhi .
`` I felt as though my heart had been emptied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw her missing son 's clothes , his little shoes and the toys he used to play with .
At the time , Jingzhi was unaware that child-trafficking was a problem in China .
The one-child policy had been introduced in 1979 in an attempt to control the size of China 's rapidly growing population and alleviate poverty .
Couples living in cities could have only one child , while those in rural areas could have a second if the first was a girl .
Couples who wanted a son to carry on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in old age could no longer keep trying for a boy ; they would face stiff fines and their additional children would be denied social benefits .
The policy is believed to have contributed to a rise in the number of child abductions , especially of boys .
But Jingzhi knew nothing about this .
`` Sometimes on TV , there would be notices about missing children , but I never thought that they had been abducted and sold .
I just thought they were lost , '' she says .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jia 's disappearance , was to blame her husband .
Then she realised that they should work together to find their son .
As time went on , though , their obsession meant that they rarely talked about anything else , and after four years they divorced .
But Jingzhi never stopped searching .
Every Friday afternoon when she had finished work she would take the train to surrounding provinces to look for Jia Jia , coming home on Sunday evening ready to return to work on Monday morning .
Whenever she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who looked like Jia Jia , perhaps - she would go and investigate .
• Listen to Li Jingzhi talking on Outlook , on the BBC World Service ( producer Deiniol Buxton ) On one longer-than-usual trip in the same year that Jia Jia vanished , she took a long-distance bus to another town in Shaanxi , and then a bus into the countryside in search of a couple said to have adopted a boy from Xi'an who looked just like Jia Jia .
But after waiting until evening for the villagers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the couple had taken the boy to Xi'an .
So she rushed straight back again , arriving in the early hours of the morning .
Then she spent hours looking for the flat the couple was renting , only to find out from the landlord that they had left two days earlier for another town .
So she hurried to that town and when she got there , again at night , spent hours going from one hotel to another , trying to track them down .
When she finally found the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checked out .
Even then she did n't give up .
Although it was now already the middle of the night again , she travelled to another town to find the husband 's parents , but the couple was n't there .
She wanted to go straight to the wife 's home town , but by this stage she had gone more than two days without sleeping properly or having a decent meal .
After resting , she set off and found the woman and the child .
But to her great disappointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I thought for sure this child was Jia Jia .
I was very disappointed .
It had a huge impact on me .
Afterwards , I kept hearing my son 's voice .
My mum was worried I would have a mental breakdown , '' Jingzhi says .
Her son was the first thing she thought about when she woke up each morning , and at night she dreamed he was crying `` Mama , mama ! ''
- as he had before , whenever she left his side .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a doctor , she checked herself into a hospital .
`` A doctor said something that had a big impact on me .
He told me : ' I can treat you for your physical illnesses , but as for the illness in your heart , that 's up to you . '
His words made me think all that night .
I felt I could n't go on like this .
If I did n't try to control my emotions , I might really go crazy .
If I became insane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out to look for my child and one day if my child came back and saw a crazy mother , it would be so pitiful for him , '' Jinghzi says .
From that point onwards she made a conscious effort to avoid getting upset , and to concentrate all her energy on the search .
Meanwhile , Jingzhi 's sister packed away all of Jia Jia 's clothes and toys into a box , as the sight of them was causing Jingzhi so much heartbreak .
Around this time , Jingzhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children had gone missing , not just in Xi'an but further afield , and she began working with them .
They formed a network spanning most provinces in China .
They sent big bags of fliers to each other and posted them in the provinces they were responsible for .
The network also generated many more leads , though sadly none brought Jia Jia any closer .
Altogether , Jingzhi visited 10 Chinese provinces on her search .
When her son had already been missing for 19 years , Jingzhi began volunteer work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which helps reunite families with their missing children .
`` I no longer felt lonely .
There were so many volunteers helping us find our children - I felt very touched by this , '' Jingzhi says .
There was another benefit too : `` I thought even if my child is not found , I can help other children find their home . ''
Then in 2009 , the Chinese government set up a DNA database , where couples who have lost a child and children who suspect they may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was a big step forward , and has helped solve thousands of cases .
Most of the missing children Jingzhi hears about are male .
The couples who buy them are childless , or have daughters but no sons , and most of them come from the countryside .
Through her work with Baby Come Home and other organisations over the past two decades , Jingzhi has helped connect 29 children with their parents .
She says it 's hard to describe the feelings she went through when she witnessed these reunions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Why could n't this be my son ? '
But when I saw the other parents hugging their child , I felt happy for them .
I also felt that if they could have this day , I definitely could have this day too .
I felt hopeful .
Seeing their child go back to them , I had hope that one day my child would return to me , '' Jingzhi says .
• The father searching for his abducted son ( 2015 ) There have been times , though , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every time a lead turned out to be nothing , I felt very disappointed , '' she says .
`` But I did n't want to keep feeling disappointed .
If I had kept feeling disappointed , it would 've been hard for me to keep living .
So I maintained hope to continue living . ''
Her elderly mother also served as a reminder to keep looking for her son .
`` My mum died in 2015 at the age of 94 , but before she passed away she still really really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told me she dreamed that Jia Jia came back .
She said : 'It 's been nearly 30 years , he should return , ' '' Jingzhi says .
When her mother fell unconscious shortly before her death , Jingzhi guessed she was thinking of her grandson .
`` I whispered in my mother 's ear : 'Mum , do n't worry , I will definitely find Jia Jia , ' '' she says .
`` It was n't just to fulfil my own wish , I wanted to fulfil my mother 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother passed away in 2015 on 15 January , on the lunar calendar - that 's Jia Jia 's birthday .
I felt that it was God 's way of reminding me to not forget the mother who gave birth to me and the son I gave birth to .
On the same day one passed away and one was born . ''
Then on 10 May this year - Mother 's Day - she got a call from Xi'an 's Public Security Bureau with the amazing news : `` Mao Yin has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't dare to believe it was real , '' Jingzhi says .
In April , someone had given her a lead about a man who was taken from Xi'an many years ago .
That person provided a picture of this boy as an adult .
Jingzhi gave the picture to the police , and they used facial recognition technology to identify him as a man living in Chengdu City , in neighbouring Sichuan province , about 700km away .
The police then convinced him to take a DNA test .
It was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a match .
The following week , police took blood samples to do a new round of DNA tests and the results proved beyond any doubt that they were mother and son .
`` It was when I got the DNA results that I really believed that my son had really been found , '' Jingzhi says .
After 32 years and more than 300 false leads the search was finally over .
Monday 18 May was chosen as the day for their reunion .
Jingzhi was nervous .
She was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
He was now a grown man , married , and running his own interior decoration business .
`` Before the meeting , I had a lot of worries .
Perhaps he would n't recognise me , or would n't accept me , and perhaps in his heart he had forgotten me .
I was very afraid that when I went to embrace my son , my son would n't accept my embrace .
I felt that would make me feel even more hurt , that the son I had been searching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't accept the love and hug I give him , '' Jingzhi says .
Because of her frequent appearances on television to talk about the problem of missing children , her case had become well-known and the media was excited about reporting the story .
On the day of the reunion , China Central Television ( CCTV ) ran a live broadcast which showed Jia Jia walking into the ceremony hall at the Xi'an Public Security Bureau , calling out `` Mother ! ''
as he ran into her arms .
Mother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` That 's exactly the way he used to run towards me when he was a child , '' Jingzhi says .
Jingzhi learned later that Jia Jia had been sold to a childless couple in Sichuan province for 6,000 yuan ( £690/ $ 840 in today 's money ) one year after he was abducted .
His adoptive parents renamed him Gu Ningning and raised him as their only child .
He attended elementary school , middle school and college in Chengdu city .
Ironically , he had seen Jingzhi on television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was a warm-hearted person .
He also thought the picture of her son she showed looked like him when he was a child .
But he did n't make the connection .
As for who gave Jingzhi the lead about her son 's whereabouts , that person prefers to remain anonymous .
After their reunion , Jia Jia spent a month in Xi'an , taking turns staying with his birth mother and father .
During this time , mother and son spent time looking at old photos , which both of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory of his childhood before he went missing .
But sadly for them , Jia Jia does n't remember anything that happened to him before the age of four , when he went to live with his adoptive parents .
`` This is something that makes my heart ache , '' Jingzhi says .
`` After my son came back , he also wanted to find an image or memory of the life he had when he was still with me , but as of now , he still has n't found it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a visit to a scenic spot in Xi'an , that it is impossible to relive the past .
`` That day we went to the mountains and on the way down I said , 'Jia Jia , let Mama carry you . '
But I could n't carry him .
He was too big .
`` I felt if he could return to my side , we could start all over again from when he was a child , we could fill this 32-year gap .
I said to my son : 'Jia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way you were before ?
You start at age two years and eight months and Mama will start at age 28 - let 's relive our lives all over again . '
'' But Jingzhi knows that in reality this is impossible .
Jia Jia continues to live in Chengdu while Jingzhi still lives in Xi'an .
Many people have suggested that she should persuade him to return to Xi'an to be by her side , but even though she would love for this to happen , she says she does n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He 's a grown-up now .
He has his own way of thinking .
He has his own life .
Jia Jia has got married and has his own family .
So I can only wish him well , from a distance .
I know where my son is .
I know he 's still alive .
That 's enough . ''
They are able , anyway , to communicate daily on China 's popular social media app , Wechat .
`` My son 's personality is very similar to mine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think of him a lot , '' Jingzhi says .
`` After all these years , he 's still so loving towards me .
It feels as if we had n't been separated .
We are very close . ''
Jia Jia prefers not to be interviewed and police are not revealing information about his adoptive parents .
As for who took Jia Jia away 32 years ago and how they did it , Jingzhi says she hopes the police will work it out .
She wants to see the culprits punished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anguish , and changing her life and Jia Jia 's .
She is now busy creating new memories with her long-lost son .
They 've taken many pictures together since their reunion .
Her favourite picture is the first they took together , the day after their reunion , when they spent time alone in a park .
In the picture , mother and son stand side by side , looking like exact replicas of each other , overjoyed finally to be reunited .
Jingzhi says in the past few years thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese media to publicise the problem , the number of child abduction cases has fallen .
But there are still many families looking for their missing children and many grown children looking for their birth parents .
And this means there is more work for Jingzhi to do .
`` I will continue to help people find their families , '' she says .
Photographs courtesy of Li Jingzhi unless otherwise indicated Li Jingzhi was interviewed by Emily Webb for Outlook on the BBC World Service ( producer Deiniol Buxton ) You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pohler was abandoned in a market in China when she was three days old .
Her parents left a note saying they would meet her on a famous bridge 10 or 20 years later .
When the time arrived , it became a huge story in China , but Kati was living in America and had no idea .
This is how she finally met her biological family .

"A doctor said something that had a big impact on me. He told me: 'I can treat you for your physical illnesses, but as for the illness in your heart, that's up to you.' His words made me think all that night. I felt I couldn't go on like this. If I didn't try to control my emotions, I might really go crazy. If I became insane, I wouldn't be able to go out to look for my child and one day if my child came back and saw a crazy mother, it would be so pitiful for him," Jinghzi says.