bbc--2020-08-19--Mali coup: UN joins global condemnation of military takeover

The United Nations has joined global condemnation of the military takeover in Mali , which saw President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta forced to resign .
The UN 's Security Council echoed similar calls by regional bodies for the immediate release of all government officials and the restoration of constitutional order .
The soldiers said they acted to prevent the country falling into further chaos .
They say they will set up a civilian government and hold new elections .
Mali , a vast country stretching into the Sahara Desert , is among the poorest in the world and has experienced several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contain a wave of jihadist attacks and ethnic violence .
Mr Keïta won a second term in elections in 2018 , but since June has faced huge street protests over corruption , the mismanagement of the economy and disputed legislative elections .
There has also been anger among troops about pay and the conflict with jihadists .
The African Union earlier suspended Mali , saying military coups were `` something of the past which we can not accept anymore '' .
`` Whenever you have a crisis and the military people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the will of the people ' , this way of responding is not acceptable at all , '' the AU 's Commissioner for Peace and Security , Smail Chergui , told the BBC 's Focus on Africa programme .
The 15-member Economic Community of West African States ( Ecowas ) has also taken swift action against Mali - closing borders , suspending financial flows and ejecting it from decision-making bodies .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted his condemnation , and French President Emmanuel Macron urged a return to civilian rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the defence of democracy and the rule of law are inseparable '' .
Who are the coup leaders ?
Reports in Mali say Colonel Assimi Goita has been confirmed as president of the new military junta , which is calling itself the National Committee for the Salvation of the People ( CNSP ) .
He met senior civil servants earlier on Wednesday and told them : `` We have no political ambitions , we are soldiers , our objective is to rapidly transfer power .
The state will continue , we assure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work in tranquillity , we want to reassure you , '' the Malian newspaper Journal du Mali reports .
Other members of the junta identified in the report include Col Malick Diaw , CNSP vice-president , and Col Ismaël Wagué , the air force deputy chief of staff , who had earlier read a statement on behalf of the group .
• Who is behind Mali 's coup ?
The newspaper quotes local websites as saying four civilians were killed by gunfire during the military takeover , although this has been denied by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of the Mali 's opposition M5 movement , conservative Imam Mahmoud Dicko , announced he would be withdrawing from politics after meeting with the coup leaders .
No reasons were given .
Mr Dicko has called for reforms after rejecting concessions from Mr Keïta .
How did the coup take place ?
It appears that mutinying soldiers took control of the Kati army camp , about 15km ( nine miles ) from Bamako , on Tuesday .
They then marched on the capital , cheered by crowds who had gathered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers then stormed the presidential buildings , arresting Mr Keïta and his prime minister and taking them to Kati Camp .
The president 's son , the speaker of the National Assembly , the foreign and finance ministers were also reported to have been detained .
Appearing on TV on Tuesday night , President Keïta said he would resign as he did not want `` blood to be spilled to keep me in power '' .
• Africa Live : Latest updates on this and other stories • Are coups on the rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were closed in Bamako on Wednesday , there were signs of daily life resuming .
Some residents had gathered to celebrate the coup , while some were worried about who would now be in charge of the country , reports journalist Mohamed Salaha .
It was the war in Libya , almost a decade ago , that nudged Mali along the path to chaos .
Weapons from Libya flooded across the Sahara Desert , fuelling a separatist conflict in northern Mali , which morphed into an Islamist militant offensive , which prompted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been a mess ever since , in a landlocked nation that had been a West African success story .
Today French troops , American drones , UN peacekeepers , and British helicopters are all trying - and largely failing - to strengthen security , not just in Mali , but across a vast region increasingly threatened by Islamist insurgencies and other conflicts .
This latest military coup in Bamako appears to be a reaction to those security challenges , but also to corruption , disputed elections , and political drift .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it highlights a familiar truth - that while foreign intervention has its uses , the key to repairing a nation like Mali lies in its own hands , and with its own faltering democratic institutions .

Col Goita, said to be the head of Mali's special forces, met senior civil servants earlier on Wednesday and told them: "We have no political ambitions, we are soldiers, our objective is to rapidly transfer power. The state will continue, we assure you of our support in order to work in tranquillity, we want to reassure you," the Malian newspaper Journal du Mali reports.


bbc--2020-08-19--Manchester attack: Hashem Abedi refuses to face victims' relatives

The brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi refused to leave his cell as a court heard emotional testimony from bereaved relatives .
Hashem Abedi is due to be sentenced for the murder of 22 people in the 2017 terror attack .
At a two-day court hearing , family members of some of those killed have told of the impact of their loss .
One bereaved mother told the Old Bailey Abedi 's `` horrendous act of cowardice changed our lives forever '' .
The 23-year-old worked with his brother to source materials used in the `` sudden and lethal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017 .
During the hearing , parents broke down in tears as they recalled the moment they discovered their loved ones had died .
Some held up photos of their children as they paid tribute to them and described the `` devastating '' effect of their grief .
Others slammed the Abedi brothers , branding them as an `` evil '' pair who launched a cowardly attack on innocent people .
• 'There is always that empty chair where she should be' • The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rutherford , whose daughter Chloe was killed at the arena , said the `` horrendous act of cowardice changed our lives forever '' , adding that her loss was a `` pain that never leaves us '' .
It is normal for defendants to be present in court but Abedi - who dismissed his legal team - refused to attend .
Judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said he had `` no power to direct that force be used to compel him to come into court '' . '
A pain that never leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Old Bailey , the court heard a series of victim impact statements from survivors and the bereaved .
Jayne Jones , mother of 14-year-old Nell Jones , said words did not `` come anywhere near '' describing their grief .
`` We miss her laughter , her wicked sense of humour .
But we cherish her legacy , '' she said .
June Tron , the mother of Gateshead plumber Philip Tron , 32 , told the court `` my world fell apart '' when she was told he had died and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
`` I felt immense guilt .
I just want the trial over .
I want justice so I can start to breathe . ''
Michael Thompson said his family was `` going from day to day on autopilot '' since his daughter Michelle Kiss , 45 , had been `` taken from us in the most terrible and cowardly way '' .
`` We believe there is more good in the world than bad but unfortunately it only takes one bad person to devastate and destroy so many lives , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is always that empty chair where she should be' In March this year Abedi was found guilty of 22 counts of murder , one count of attempted murder - encompassing injured survivors - and conspiring to cause explosions .
Abedi would have been eligible for a whole-life term had he been over the age of 21 at the time of the bombing , the court heard .
Mr Justice Baker said it was a `` matter for Parliament who pass legislation which prevents the court of making a whole-life order in the circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bailey was told some of the victim impact and witness statements should not be read in open court , but instead be considered by the judge in private .
The hearing has been adjourned until Thursday when Abedi 's sentence is due to be handed down .
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram ?
You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline @ bbc.co.uk

Michael Thompson said his family was "going from day to day on autopilot" since his daughter Michelle Kiss, 45, had been "taken from us in the most terrible and cowardly way".


bbc--2020-08-19--Walkies could become the law for German dog owners

Taking your dog for walks twice a day for at least an hour in total could soon become the law in Germany .
There could also be a ban on keeping dogs chained for long periods .
Rules are also being devised to crack down on `` puppy farms '' by banning breeders from looking after more than three litters at any one time .
`` Pets are not cuddly toys , their needs have to be taken into account , '' Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner said about the planned changes .
'No knock on the door' • will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day for a minimum of one hour in total • will not be allowed to keep their dogs chained for long periods of time • will not be allowed to leave dogs alone the whole day Breeders will be restricted to looking after a maximum of three litters and puppies will have to spend a minimum of four hours a day in human company to ensure they get socialised .
• Why the French are 'champions ' at abandoning pets Ms Klöckner said the changes were based on expert advice to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the new regulations has already been drawn up and could become law early next year .
If passed , it will be up to the German states to enforce it .
A spokeswoman for the agriculture ministry said it was very unlikely private dog owners would receive police visits to check whether they had taken their pooch for a walk .
She said the emphasis would be on ensuring that dogs kept in kennels were treated well .
A ban is also planned on showing dogs which have had their ears or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules .
Dogs whose behaviour is not `` species appropriate '' could also be banned from dog shows .
Ms Klöckner 's plans also include new rules on transporting cattle with time spent in transit limited to four-and-a-half hours .
You may want to watch :

A spokeswoman for the agriculture ministry said it was very unlikely private dog owners would receive police visits to check whether they had taken their pooch for a walk. She said the emphasis would be on ensuring that dogs kept in kennels were treated well.


bbc--2020-08-19--Italy Viviana Parisi death: Child's remains found in mystery search

The remains of a child have been found 16 days after a four-year-old boy disappeared with his mother near a coastal motorway in Sicily .
Amid a mystery that has shocked Italians , investigators said they were 99 % sure that Gioele Mondello 's body had been found .
The body of his mother , DJ Viviana Parisi , was found earlier near an electric pylon after a minor accident .
Her death and the search for her son have gripped Italy all month .
The child 's remains were eventually found by a volunteer military policeman some 200m from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Parisi had been involved in an accident .
Her body had been found some 400m away from the site of the latest gruesome discovery .
Prosecutor Angelo Cavallo says investigators are working on three hypotheses for the boy 's death - a murder-suicide , an attack by wild animals or a sexual assault .
His mother 's death is being seen as either an accident , suicide or murder .
What do we know ?
Viviana Parisi had taken her son on a shopping trip to buy shoes in her grey Opel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minor collision with a van carrying workers in a tunnel on Sicily 's northern coastal highway .
The Corsa had a punctured tyre , so Parisi stopped the car once they had left the tunnel .
A private CCTV camera later captured the pair in their car and authorities appealed for family who stopped to help them to come forward .
A phone call by other witnesses was also made to an emergency number reporting the accident .
Parisi was seen climbing over the guard rail beside the road and walking away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely agitated '' , Ansa news agency reported .
The family eventually told police that she had been carrying Gioele in her arms and he was unhurt .
The DJ , originally from the northern city of Turin , had suffered a recent psychological breakdown , and her condition had been reportedly aggravated by the coronavirus lockdown in Italy .
• Italians battle for both mind and body under lockdown However , her husband , fellow DJ Daniele Mondello , insisted she had been calm and well on the morning of her disappearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she loved him too much , '' he said , also disputing the theory that she had been attacked by wild animals .
It was five days before Parisi 's decomposed body was found below a high-voltage pylon in scrubland near the town of Caronia .
She had suffered a broken arm , possibly from a fall from the pylon , and animal bites .
Ever since , several police units , firefighters and a mountain rescue team have taken part in the search for her son .
Eventually , the child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested his body had been dismembered by wild animals .
A DNA test is being carried out to confirm his identity .

Parisi was seen climbing over the guard rail beside the road and walking away. One witness described her as "extremely agitated", Ansa news agency reported. The family eventually told police that she had been carrying Gioele in her arms and he was unhurt.


bbc--2020-08-19--Coronavirus vaccine: Australia rules out mandatory immunisations

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has back-tracked after suggesting vaccinations against the coronavirus could become mandatory .
Announcing a deal that could provide free doses to Australia 's entire population , Mr Morrison had said there should only be medical exemptions .
But after concerns raised by health experts , he clarified : `` There are no compulsory vaccines in Australia . ''
Meanwhile , visitors to Australia may also be required to have immunisation .
Health Minister Greg Hunt said he `` would n't rule out '' making it mandatory for anyone travelling to Australia - including Australians returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the advice from medical experts .
`` It would seem passing strange if we had a massive vaccination programme in Australia but we were then to allow people in who could bring it in , '' he told A Current Affair .
The Australian government announced it had signed a letter of intent with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University , which is one of five coronavirus vaccine-makers to have reached an advanced stage of clinical trials .
Mr Morrison said if the trials were successful , he hoped the vaccine would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians , '' he said .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
He told radio station 3AW that he expected it would be `` as mandatory as you could possibly make it '' , though his government was still forming its policy .
`` There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds , but that should be the only basis .
`` We are talking about a pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lives of hundreds of thousands all around the world , and over 430 Australians here . ''
The country would aim for 95 % of the population to be vaccinated , he added .
Vaccinations are not mandatory in Australia .
Behavioural scientist Julie Leask told the Sydney Morning Herald it was `` premature and unhelpful '' to talk about mandating a vaccine for Covid-19 `` when we do n't even have a vaccine that we know actually works '' , and she warned of a possible 'backlash ' .
Mr Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told 2GB radio station there would be `` no compulsory vaccine but there will be a lot of encouragement and measures to get as high a rate of acceptance as usual '' .
Mr Hunt said they hoped to encourage mass take up of the vaccine with a range of `` incentives and encouragement '' .
The cost of supplying the vaccine to the whole population has not yet been fixed .
Separately , Australia has also signed a deal worth A $ 25m ( £13.5m ; $ 18m ) with Becton Dickinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply 100 million needles and syringes .
Australia has recorded 450 coronavirus deaths , most from an outbreak in the state of Victoria .
Earlier this month , Victoria declared a state of disaster and imposed strict lockdown measures after a surge in infections .
It still has more than 7,000 active cases , but the number of new infections has declined in the past week .

He told radio station 3AW that he expected it would be "as mandatory as you could possibly make it", though his government was still forming its policy. "There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds, but that should be the only basis.


bbc--2020-08-18--Life in Death Valley, the 'hottest place on Earth'

`` I think we all lose our patience with how hot it is , '' says Brandi Stewart , who works at Death Valley National Park in California .
`` When you walk outside it 's like being hit in the face with a bunch of hairdryers . ''
On Sunday , what could be the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth , a toasty 130F ( 54.4C ) , was reported in the park - a vast , desert area filled with canyons and sand dunes that straddles the border with neighbouring Nevada .
However , in Brandi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature appears to have overheated .
The World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) says it is still verifying the record .
But Brandi does n't need experts to tell her just how hot it is .
She 's one of just a few hundred people for whom the location often referred to as `` the hottest place in the world '' is home .
Ms Stewart has lived in Death Valley on and off for five years , working in the park 's communication department .
`` It feels so hot that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get used to is that you ca n't actually feel the sweat on your skin because it evaporates so quickly , '' she told the BBC .
`` You might feel it on your clothes , but you do n't actually feel sweat on your skin because it dries so quickly '' .
Ms Stewart says a lot of time in the summer is spent inside , but some people choose to head to the mountains where temperatures are slightly cooler .
`` Once people do get used to it [ the heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalise it and then anything below 80F ( 26.6C ) seems chilly . ''
In terms of sleep , people in the town have air conditioning , which keeps their homes cool as long as the power does n't go out .
This can be an issue when everyone is trying to keep their homes at a comfortable temperature as the mercury soars .
The majority of people who work and live in the national park are located in Furnace Creek , where the recent record temperature was recorded .
The town is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 280 feet below sea level .
It is surrounded by high and steep mountain ranges .
Jason Heser , originally from Minnesota , lives in Furnace Creek and works on the golf course there .
It 's the lowest golf course in the world at 214 feet ( 85 metres ) below sea level .
`` I 've been to Iraq twice .
If I can take Iraq , I can take Death Valley , '' the former military service member said .
He starts work on the golf course just before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They told us once it starts getting hotter , like right now , we 'll start working at 04:00 .
At 04:00 , it 's still 100-105F ( 37.7-40.5C ) , '' he said .
The water used to keep the course up to scratch comes from a natural spring underground .
Mr Heser is part of a team that helps to keep the course in a good condition .
• 'Highest temperature on Earth ' recorded in US • Death Valley temperature could be highest ever recorded '' We 're picking up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so dry .
They 're so dry with the heat they 're getting heavy and breaking off .
A lot of our day is spent picking those up . ''
Mr Heser arrived in October 2019 and loves his job .
He plans to stay there for a number of years .
The winter makes up for the scorching summer temperatures , he says .
During time off , he likes to play golf on the course he works so hard to maintain .
But that means a fairly early start of 07:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least the worst of it - and get through 18 holes .
`` I just love to golf , '' he said .
`` When I got here , the temperature was amazing - shorts , polo , a cold beer or a cold soda .
Now , if you have a beverage it 's warm by the time you get to the green .
You 've got to drink it fast , which makes for interesting golf ! ''
Sunday 's temperature has been described as possibly the hottest ever recorded `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two higher temperatures in the record books - one in Furnace Creek in 1913 - 134F ( 56.6C ) - and another in Tunisia in 1931 - 131F ( 55C ) .
But these are contested by climate experts .
`` Modern day scientists and meteorologists suggest that those two readings were n't accurate , '' says BBC Weather 's Simon King .
`` When you have a massive temperature like this [ in Furnace Creek ] , the World Meteorological Organization investigates further and looks at a lot of different information to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Christopher Burt , a weather historian .
has suggested the 1913 temperature recorded in Death Valley was suspicious due to other readings in the area at that time .
The reading in Furnace Creek was two or three degrees higher than other weather stations around , he says .
This is one reason why Sunday 's record , if verified , is being described by some US experts as the highest ever `` reliably recorded '' .
The WMO says it is seeking to verify it but even if it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third-highest temperature ever recorded because it stands by the 1913 record in Furnace Creek and the 1931 record in Tunisia despite scepticism .
It has also been argued that other places might have seen hotter temperatures than the Death Valley , but weather-watchers simply do n't know about them due to the lack of any weather station nearby .
So for now , Furnace Creek is the hottest place in the world .
`` People ask me what it 's like , '' says Mr Heser .
`` The best way I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're cooking something in your oven and you want to check on it , you open the door and you get that blast of hot air from the oven ... .
that 's what it feels like . ''

This is one reason why Sunday's record, if verified, is being described by some US experts as the highest ever "reliably recorded". The WMO says it is seeking to verify it but even if it does, it will classify the temperature as the third-highest temperature ever recorded because it stands by the 1913 record in Furnace Creek and the 1931 record in Tunisia despite scepticism.


bbc--2020-08-20--Jessie and Austin: The Bodies in the Suitcase

In June , three teenagers were out making TikTok videos when they found a pair of suitcases washed up on @ @ @ @ @ were the bodies of Jessica Lewis , 35 , and Austin ‘ Cash ’ Wenner @ @ @ @ @ been shot .
The video of their discovery went viral .
Gina Jaschke , Jessica @ @ @ @ @ asked TikTok to remove the the video , which has had 29 million views - @ @ @ @ @ it does n't breach their guidelines .
The family has also set up a fundraiser @ @ @ @ @ information on the murders .

In June, three teenagers were out making TikTok videos when they found a pair of suitcases washed up on a Seattle beach.
Inside were the bodies of Jessica Lewis, 35, and Austin ‘Cash’ Wenner, 27. They had been shot.
The video of their discovery went viral.
Gina Jaschke, Jessica's aunt, has repeatedly asked TikTok to remove the video, which has had 29 million views - but TikTok refuses, saying it doesn't breach their guidelines.
The family has also set up a fundraiser, offering a reward for information on the murders.
This story has been updated since publication. The TikTok video has now been taken down.
Produced, filmed & edited by Jamie Ryan
Commissioning Editor: Nisha Lilia Diu


bbc--2020-08-19--CEO Secrets: The company that tried having two CEOs

Cybersecurity company Darktrace experimented with having two joint CEOs for four years .
The arrangement ended this summer when the @ @ @ @ @ women in the roles say the system brought advantages .
Find more business tips at @ @ @ @ @ also follow the series on the BBC News app by adding the topic 'CEO Secrets @ @ @ @ @

Cybersecurity company Darktrace experimented with having two joint CEOs for four years. The arrangement ended this summer when the company restructured, but the women in the roles say the system brought advantages.
Filmed in December 2019 by series producer Dougal Shaw
Find more business tips at CEO Secrets. You can also follow the series on the BBC News app by adding the topic 'CEO Secrets' in My News.


bbc--2020-08-19--Apple helped make 'top secret' iPod for US government

Apple helped the US government build a `` top secret '' iPod with hidden sensors inside , a former employee has revealed .
Only four people at the company knew about the project , according to former Apple software engineer David Shayer .
Two men from a defence contractor had arrived at Apple in 2005 , on behalf of the US Department of Energy , he said .
They had wanted help to build an iPod that looked and worked just like a normal one but secretly recorded data using hidden extra hardware inside .
Apple had helped the engineers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software to accommodate the secret device , Mr Shayer said .
`` They were careful to make sure I never saw the hardware , '' he wrote in a lengthy post for Apple newsletter Tidbits .
`` And I never did . ''
He said the two engineers , from defence contractor Bechtel , had worked out of an office at Apple 's buildings for months .
`` They wanted to add some custom hardware to an iPod and record data from this custom hardware to the iPod 's disk in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he wrote .
`` But it still had to look and work like a normal iPod . ''
The pair had been given a copy of the iPod system 's source code on DVD and bought their own devices at shops to experiment on , Mr Shayer said .
`` This was n't a collaboration with Bechtel with a contract and payment , '' he wrote .
`` It was Apple doing a favour under the table for the Department of Energy . ''
Mr Shayer never found out exactly what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something like a stealth Geiger counter '' to measure radiation without being noticed .
The Department of Energy is , among other functions , responsible for nuclear power .
The story has been backed by other Apple employees of the time .
Tony Fadell , the former vice-president of the iPod division , tweeted the story was `` absolutely spot on '' and `` real without a doubt '' .
`` Crazy super cool technology the government was working on then… I can only imagine what is cooking these days , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for confirmation of the story .
The company has made privacy a key marketing point of its iPhones , leading to disagreements with the US Department of Justice .
But the high level of secrecy - and the fact the four people who had known about it had all since left Apple - meant , Mr Shayer said : `` The PR people would tell you honestly that Apple has no record of any such project . ''

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbc--2020-08-19--Former swimmer Harry Needs on coming out as bisexual

The former swimmer Harry Needs wants people to know that being bisexual is n't `` a gateway to becoming gay @ @ @ @ @ greedy '' .
The 28-year-old was married to two-time Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington .
They @ @ @ @ @ remain friends and continue to co-parent their five-year-old daughter , Summer .
Harry speaks about @ @ @ @ @ attracted to both sexes , his marriage to Becky , and having his first same-sex @ @

The former swimmer Harry Needs wants people to know that being bisexual isn't "a gateway to becoming gay" or about "being greedy".
The 28-year-old was married to two-time Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington. They split in 2016, but remain friends and continue to co-parent their five-year-old daughter, Summer.
Harry speaks about growing up knowing he was attracted to both sexes, his marriage to Becky, and having his first same-sex relationship.
Video by Jimmy Tam


bbc--2020-08-19--MC Soffia: The Brazilian teenager rapping against racism

Sixteen-year-old rapper MC Soffia rose to fame when she was just 12 , singing at the opening ceremony of the @ @ @ @ @ raps about black pride , female empowerment and everyday racism .
Following the global reaction @ @ @ @ @ movement , she spoke to BBC My World about racism in Brazil and how she @ @ @ @ @ it .

Sixteen-year-old rapper MC Soffia rose to fame when she was just 12, singing at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. She raps about black pride, female empowerment and everyday racism. Following the global reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement, she spoke to BBC My World about racism in Brazil and how she uses her songs to confront it.
Produced by Hannah Gelbart, Cordelia Hemming and Camilla Costa
Edited by Hannah Gelbart
BBC My World is a news service for teenagers around the world, brought to you by executive producers Angelina Jolie and the BBC World Service. You can watch more on BBC My World's YouTube channel


bbc--2020-08-19--The king, his lover - and the elephant in the palace

In early August , Spain 's former King Juan Carlos left the country following allegations of financial wrongdoing .
But the country 's affection for its monarch began to unravel as far back as 2012 , following an ill-fated elephant hunt .
With the king on that safari was his former lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein .
She talks exclusively to the BBC about a multi-million euro gift from Juan Carlos , her claims of harassment by Spain 's secret service - and that elephant .
Except Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein does not really want to talk about the elephant - the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 April 2012 .
The media reported the animal was 50 years old and weighed five tonnes , with tusks more than a metre long .
Not that she is able to verify the creature 's vital statistics when asked about the incident .
`` I have no idea , '' says the Danish-born business consultant , who was brought up in Germany .
Yes , she was on the safari with the king , but she says she was at a distance when the shooting took place .
`` I saw it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says .
`` But I walked away after two minutes .
I 'm a hunter , but I 've never killed an elephant in my life and never would .
For me , the whole hunting experience was traumatic in that sense . ''
The safari in Botswana was a present from the king to her son on his 10th birthday .
Juan Carlos had become close to zu Sayn-Wittgenstein 's children during his romantic relationship with her from 2004 to 2009 - a relationship which the Spanish public knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1962 he has been married to Queen Sofia .
`` I was n't keen on going on this trip , '' zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says .
`` I felt that King Juan Carlos was trying to get me to come back to him , and I did n't want to give a false impression .
I almost had premonitions about this trip . ''
With good reason , as it would turn out .
Before dawn on 13 April 2012 , the king fell in his luxury safari tent , fracturing his hip .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ media fell on the safari story like a voracious lion on a fragile gazelle .
The revelation of the elephant hunt came very soon after a corruption investigation began into the king 's son-in-law , Iñaki Urdangarin - he is still in prison .
This was a time of real hardship in Spain , with unemployment running at 23 % .
After undergoing an operation , King Juan Carlos made his first tentative public appearance in hospital using a walking stick .
He was asked how he was .
`` I 'm sorry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a mistake , and it wo n't happen again . ''
King Juan Carlos had been largely untouchable because of his place in Spain 's tortured , bloody history .
As head of state after Francisco Franco 's death in 1975 , the king had overseen Spain 's transition from dictatorship to democracy and faced down a coup attempt in 1981 .
Now the damage to the popular monarch was immense .
• Listen to Spain : The elephant in the palace on Crossing Continents , on BBC Radio 4 at 11:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up later online '' The crisis blew up because the Botswana trip put several things on the table , '' says Jose Antonio Zarzalejos , a former editor of Spain 's right-wing , monarchy-supporting newspaper ABC .
`` Firstly , that the king was openly unfaithful to Queen Sofia .
Secondly , that in the midst of an economic crisis , Juan Carlos visited a country where Spain had no diplomatic representation .
So the king - as head of state - was off the radar of the Spanish government .
And thirdly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - we did n't know who paid for it .
It created a lousy image of the king . ''
King Juan Carlos and zu Sayn Wittgenstein met at a shooting party in February 2004 .
She says the king was having trouble with his shotgun .
`` And I 'm quite knowledgeable about all that , so I could explain what was wrong , '' she says .
`` I think he was quite surprised . ''
`` We ended up speaking on the phone for a few months , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early summer .
We always laughed a lot .
We immediately clicked on many things , and we had many common interests - politics , history , fantastic food , wines… '' I was living in London at the time , having just started my own consultancy business .
And I was a single mother of two .
So we would meet in Madrid in a small cottage on the larger estate , and we travelled together .
`` In the first year it was more difficult because I was very busy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he would phone me up to 10 times a day .
I mean , it was an immediately very strong , deep and meaningful relationship . ''
At one point , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says she asked the king how all this would sit with his wife , Queen Sofia .
`` He said they had an arrangement to represent the crown , but they led totally different , separate lives .
And the king had just come out of a nearly 20-year relationship with another lady who also had a very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life . ''
The king and zu Sayn-Wittgenstein became close .
She spent time with the king 's friends and she met his children .
In 2009 , her father received a visit from Juan Carlos .
`` He called me up and said the king had come see him and told him he was very much in love with me , and intended to marry me , '' she says .
`` He also told my father he could n't do it straight away , it might take some time .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very serious about me . ''
It was earlier during the same year that zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says King Juan Carlos had proposed .
`` Obviously , it 's a very emotional moment when something like that happens , '' she says .
`` And I was very much in love with him , but I foresaw - I 'm a political strategist - that this would be very difficult .
And I thought it might destabilise the monarchy .
`` That 's why I never really encouraged it - I just took it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the relationship , rather than something that would actually materialise . ''
The romance would end that same year .
`` My father was suffering from pancreatic cancer and had been given only a few months to live , '' zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says .
`` So I decided to spend time with him - we were very close .
To my great shock , just after his funeral , the king told me he 'd been carrying on a relationship with another woman for a period of three years .
`` It literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing I expected .
I really needed emotional support after the death of my father , and the news created a monumental shock for me emotionally .
I was just not expecting it after he 'd asked me to marry him and gone to see my father .
I was very unwell for a few months . ''
Apart from Queen Sofia , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says , she believed she was in an exclusive relationship with King Juan Carlos .
`` I 'd made it very clear I would n't tolerate him having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , '' she says .
`` I think in the end he was mortified by what he did .
But for me , that was something I could never overcome . ''
Although the relationship was over , the two remained friends - partly because the king was close to zu Sayn-Wittgenstein 's children .
At the end of 2009 , Juan Carlos asked to see her .
`` He had some bad news to tell me .
He 'd been diagnosed with a tumour on his lung and he was convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said his family did n't know about it .
And I did n't want to abandon him .
So I remained a very devoted , loyal , close friend during the time he was very unwell . ''
When the king was due to have an operation in 2010 , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says he asked her to be in the hospital with him .
`` I slept on a couch next to his bed prior to the surgery because he was very nervous about it , '' she says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benign . ''
`` I was unceremoniously asked to leave by some not-so-very-kind member of his staff , '' she recalls .
`` When Queen Sofia and some of the courtiers realised how serious the king was about me , quite a high level of hostility had developed . ''
Even so , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says her friendship with Juan Carlos continued .
`` He recovered very slowly from the surgery , '' she says .
`` So I would go to Madrid from time to time to see how he was doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovering . ''
Which brings us back to 2012 - Botswana , a dead elephant , and the king 's fractured hip .
`` It 's never been reported that I actually organised his repatriation , because there was no plan in place , '' zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says .
`` We flew in on a private plane , and I was mindful of the fact that the king was not in good health - he had two doctors with him - which is why I was apprehensive .
So I kept the plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility - he was prepped up ready for surgery .
And I was very , very nervous that we would n't get him home alive . ''
Quickly , the safari story became a media sensation - and zu Sayn-Wittgenstein believes this was all pre-planned .
`` I think this trip would 've been leaked regardless of the accident , '' she says .
`` Scandals involving the king 's son-in-law and daughter started to emerge at the end of 2011 , and I think that set in motion various factions inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were forces at work inside the palace that were working on moving Juan Carlos on , trying to speed up an abdication , '' she says .
The royal party arrived back in Madrid from Botswana late at night .
King Juan Carlos went straight to hospital .
`` From the moment I came back from that trip I was under full-blown surveillance , '' says zu Sayn-Wittgenstein .
`` This was the beginning of a campaign to paint me as this Wallis Simpson , Lady Macbeth , evil character who 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip during a big economic crisis . ''
It was after this African trip that zu Sayn-Wittgenstein claims she began to receive unwelcome attention from Spain 's intelligence service , the Centro Internacional de Inteligencia ( CNI ) .
First she claims her flat in Monaco was targeted .
`` The apartment was occupied when I was travelling , '' she says .
`` I suddenly received messages from a security company saying , 'We 've been contacted by your friends in Spain . '
And I was texting the king , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's going on ? '
He told me they were there to protect me from the paparazzi .
`` But had he been concerned about my security , he could have called his close friend , Prince Albert [ of Monaco ] , who 's also a longstanding friend of mine , and said , 'We have some security concerns - could you keep an eye on Corinna 's flat ? '
'' So what were they looking for ?
`` Documents - and in a very thorough way… They stayed for weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not know what kind of papers they were searching for .
On a business trip in Brazil , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says she was followed .
And that she received an anonymous death threat telling her there were many tunnels between Monaco and Nice - a reference to the crash that killed Princess Diana .
In her Swiss apartment , she says , a book was left in her living room about the princess 's death .
Later in 2012 , she claims she was visited in London by the head of Spanish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he was sent by the king , '' she says .
`` The primary warning was not to talk to the media .
`` He said if I did n't follow these instructions , he would not guarantee my physical safety or the physical safety of my children . ''
The BBC tried to contact Felix Sanz Roldan ( who is no longer head of Spanish Intelligence ) via the CNI , about these serious allegations .
There was no reply to these inquiries .
And Iberdrola , a Spanish company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to facilitate contact with him .
Certainly , Félix Sanz Roldán is known to be very close to King Juan Carlos .
`` When Félix Sanz was appointed director of the CNI , an intense friendship grew between them - he totally protected the king , '' says Fernando Rueda , an academic at Villanueva University , and an expert in the Spanish intelligence service .
`` But Félix Sanz was not the first head of the CNI to tell the king that the relationship with Corinna was very negative , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he adds .
So what does he make of zu Sayn-Wittgenstein 's claims of harassment ?
`` Nobody knows if it 's true or not , '' he says .
`` But it would n't surprise me , because if the intelligence service considered the security of the Spanish state was in danger , they would use all mechanisms to get someone to return documents . ''
In Spain , King Juan Carlos was not able to shake off the curse of the elephant .
In 2014 he abdicated in favour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ king , he was still busy with official engagements , trade trips and international travel - especially to the Middle East .
And it is those very close contacts Juan Carlos has in the Middle East that have become the subject of intense scrutiny - especially from prosecutors .
Judicial inquiries began after the recordings of a rogue Spanish police officer became public .
He taped all his conversations with the rich and powerful - including with zu Sayn-Wittgenstein .
In 2018 that audio was published in the Spanish media .
In one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asks rhetorically in Spanish about the emeritus king : `` How does he get money ?
He takes a plane , goes to Arab countries… And he returns with the cash in suitcases - sometimes with five million .
He has a machine to count it - I 've seen it with my own eyes . ''
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein has never officially confirmed it was her on the recording .
But the revelations from those tapes were sensational , and they became the catalyst for the opening of investigations in Switzerland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the heart of the proceedings is a $ 100 million payment from the late king of Saudi Arabia that was placed in a Swiss bank account linked to a Panama-based offshore foundation in 2008 .
The beneficiary was King Juan Carlos .
The Swiss prosecutor is investigating three people with ties to the former king .
And he is looking into whether this money was connected to the awarding of a massive contract to a Spanish consortium to build a high-speed rail link in Saudi Arabia three years later .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Spain , the Supreme Court has opened an investigation into emeritus King Juan Carlos himself - but it can only examine alleged wrong-doing after he abdicated in 2014 , when he lost his immunity from prosecution .
Then in early August 2020 , weeks after he was linked to the inquiry , the ex-king made the shock announcement that he had left Spain ; after two weeks of speculation about his whereabouts , the Spanish royal palace said he was living in the United Arab Emirates .
So where does Corinna zu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the individuals being investigated by the Swiss prosecutor .
And that is because in 2012 , after the Botswana debacle , the then-King Juan Carlos transferred what was left of that $ 100 million from Saudi Arabia - around €65m - to her .
`` I was very surprised because it 's obviously an enormously generous gift , '' she says .
`` I will say , though , that conversations about him managing his will during his lifetime had taken place in 2011 .
He started to talk about his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his will .
`` He also mentioned he wanted to take care of me , but no amounts were ever discussed .
He was worried that the family would n't respect his wishes , '' she claims .
She says she received the money after her flat in Monaco was ransacked and she was visited by the head of the CNI .
After the transfer was made , she flew to Madrid to thank the king , she says , and he told her that he felt guilty about what had happened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very shocked to understand the extent of pressure I 'd been put under , and the extent of the reputational destruction that had taken place . ''
In testimony to the Swiss prosecutor , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein said she believed the king had given her the money out of love .
`` I think it was recognition of how much I meant to him , how much [ her son ] meant to him , '' she says .
`` It was a gratitude for looking after him during his absolutely worst moments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to hide or launder this money by bequeathing it to her - even though in 2014 , he asked for the money back .
`` In 2014 he made desperate attempts to get me to come back to him , '' she says .
`` At some point he realised I was n't going to return , and he went completely ballistic .
He asked for everything back .
I think it was just a tantrum he threw .
`` So he 's confirmed to the Swiss proceedings that he actually never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I never carried money on his behalf . ''
In Spain , Juan Carlos ' multi-million euro gift to zu Sayn-Wittgenstein has generated intense interest - and outrage .
The news broke as Spain confronted one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Europe .
Ivette Torrent , a young lawyer from Barcelona , began an online petition calling for the cash to be transferred to the Spanish public health care system .
`` Exhausted health personnel were working a thousand hours with minimal resources , '' she says , adding that allocating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` fairest thing '' .
Close to 250,000 people signed .
So what would Torrent like the king 's former lover to do with the cash gifted to her ?
`` I do n't know if this money is illegal , '' she says .
But if the ongoing investigations establish an illegal origin for this money , `` they should return it '' .
`` I will leave this up to the Swiss prosecutor , '' she says .
`` Putting me under pressure on that is not the right way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that case , everybody needs to return everything .
What I find extraordinary is they 're rolling 40 years of the modus operandi of a family enterprise into a focus on one person .
And that 's me… Because there will be hundreds of other accounts in other jurisdictions . ''
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein maintains the obsession with her and the money she received from the emeritus King is part of a still on-going , pernicious campaign partly orchestrated by Spain 's CNI .
She has supplied the BBC with a catalogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she claims have occurred in the UK over the past few years .
`` The harassment has never ceased - it 's intensified if anything , '' she says .
`` But we will be talking about this in the proceedings coming up in the UK .
The case will treat all elements of the abuse campaign .
Juan Carlos will be the defendant , but he may not be the only defendant . ''
Those English legal proceedings are yet to be issued .
For Fernando Rueda , the expert on Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark over her claims .
`` It no longer makes sense for the Spanish secret service to harass her in the UK when things are already public .
What she 's doing is trying to defend herself by presenting herself as a victim , '' he says .
`` Corinna 's problem is that she 's facing legal cases , and she has to explain and justify why she has €60m .
She could be charged and end up in prison .
But Juan Carlos , according to Spanish law , can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In spite of the judicial hot water she finds herself in , zu Sayn-Wittgenstein says she does not have misgivings about her early relationship with the emeritus king .
`` I do not regret at all my romantic relationship with Juan Carlos , '' she says .
`` I have very sincere feelings for him .
And I am extremely saddened by the turn it has taken . ''

"He called me up and said the king had come see him and told him he was very much in love with me, and intended to marry me," she says. "He also told my father he couldn't do it straight away, it might take some time. He wanted my father to know he was very serious about me."


bbc--2020-08-19--US Election 2020: Kamala Harris targeted by false conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories and false claims about Kamala Harris have spread online since she was appointed as the Democratic Party 's vice-presidential nominee by its presidential candidate , Joe Biden .
We 've looked at some of the most widely-shared examples .
Echoing unfounded claims he made about President Barack Obama 's birthplace , known as `` birther '' theories , President Donald Trump has referenced the conspiracy theory that Ms Harris is ineligible to serve as vice-president .
However , Ms Harris was born in the United States , to a Jamaican father and Indian mother , in Oakland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a US citizen and therefore , she is eligible to serve as president or vice-president .
In the past seven days there was a surge in the number of people around the world searching for `` Kamala Harris birther '' and other terms regarding her birthplace , according to Google Trends .
These claims about the former California attorney-general have been on the internet since 2017 , according to liberal media monitoring body Media Matters for America .
They have also been pushed on social media by supporters of the QAnon conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that Mr Trump is secretly investigating paedophiles within the government , business and media elites .
• What do black voters make of historic VP pick Further claims about Ms Harris 's heritage have emerged on right-leaning social media accounts .
Among them is an accusation that until accepting the vice-presidential nomination , she had not identified as a black American woman .
This is inaccurate because Ms Harris has been explicit about her dual heritage .
She wrote in her autobiography : `` My mother understood very well that she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya [ her sister ] and me as black girls , and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident , proud black women . ''
According to the Washington Post : `` Harris grew up embracing her Indian culture , but living a proudly African-American life . ''
An image shared thousands of times across Facebook and Twitter has screen grabs of two Associated Press ( AP ) news agency headlines , one from 2016 , when Ms Harris became the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent headline after she was named as America 's first black female presidential running mate .
It suggests the media only started to describe Ms Harris as a black woman after she was appointed Joe Biden 's running mate - or that Ms Harris had only identified herself by her Indian roots until now .
As we 've shown already , this is not correct .
And AP 's coverage of Ms Harris 's entry into the Senate in 2016 referred to her both as Indian American and a black woman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` pizzagate '' conspiracy theory that has been linked to Ms Harris .
Just to recap , during the 2016 presidential election thousands of people were convinced - with no evidence - that a paedophile ring organised by Hillary Clinton and senior members of the Democratic Party was being run from the basement of a pizza restaurant in Washington DC .
This time , it resurfaced after emails were shared on social media indicating that Maya Harris , Kamala 's sister , had apparently been invited to a pizza party in honour of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoting the QAnon conspiracy spread these rumours , and , a New York Times analysis found what they described as a falsehood had reached more than 600,000 people on Facebook the day after Kamala Harris was nominated .
There is not a shred of evidence to support the bogus conspiracy theory , but people on the far right continue to associate public figures with it .
Finally , the decision to appoint Ms Harris has also attracted baseless theories concerning George Soros , the Hungarian billionaire philanthropist .
• Why is this billionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A meme shared thousands of times on Facebook suggests that he gave the order to nominate Ms Harris , with an old photo of Mr Biden with President Obama .
Mr Soros is a major donor to the Democratic Party , but the notion that he would have the authority to decide the vice-presidential candidate is without evidence .
His son posted a message on Twitter congratulating Ms Harris , which has been shared by right-wing accounts , but that in no way indicates that Mr Soros had anything to do with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Soros is secretly controlling global events recall longstanding anti-Semitic tropes that are made against him by the far right , and he has been vilified in countries across the world for years .

An image shared thousands of times across Facebook and Twitter has screen grabs of two Associated Press (AP) news agency headlines, one from 2016, when Ms Harris became the first US senator of Indian heritage, and a recent headline after she was named as America's first black female presidential running mate.


bbc--2020-08-19--Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: The animals at risk from Alaska oil drilling

The US government is pushing forward with controversial plans to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , by laying out the terms of a leasing programme that would give oil companies access to the area .
The wildlife refuge in north-eastern Alaska sits above billions of barrels of oil .
However , it is also home to many animals , including reindeer , polar bears and different species of bird .
The idea of drilling in the area did not originate with President Donald Trump and his administration .
Rather , the leasing programme is just the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing since the late 1970s .
One side argues that drilling for oil could bring in significant amounts of money , while providing jobs for people in Alaska .
Others , however , are fearful of the impact drilling would have on the many animals that live there - as well as the damage burning more fossil fuels would have on our rapidly warming planet .
This push from the Trump administration comes just two months after the Arctic circle recorded its highest ever temperatures .
`` This plan could devastate the amazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home through noise pollution , habitat destruction , oil spills , and more climate chaos , '' Kristen Monsell , from the US-based Center for Biological Diversity , told the BBC .
`` The coastal plain is the most important land-based denning habitat for polar bears and is the birthing grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd .
`` Over 200 species of birds are found in the refuge along with Arctic foxes , black and brown bears , moose and many others . ''
Any oil spills , for example , would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they could be fatal .
Polar bears , Ms Monsell adds , are `` particularly vulnerable '' to oil spills .
`` Polar bears must maintain a pristine hair coat as insulation against the cold - but when a polar bear comes into contact with spilled oil , it can soak a polar bear 's fur and persist for several weeks .
It will be groomed and ingested , irritate the skin , and destroy the insulating abilities of the fur , '' she says .
`` Studies show that fatalities can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kidneys , blood , gastrointestinal tract , and other organs and systems .
An oil-coated bear that is not cleaned and rehabilitated will probably die . ''
Oil industry bosses insist they have a well-established record of environmentally responsible development of Alaska 's energy resources .
But environmentalists say the US government has not adequately considered the risks to wildlife and local communities .
Meanwhile , polar bears are far from the only animals who rely on this large stretch of wilderness .
The refuge is home to more than 200 types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental scientist from Columbia University , describes it as `` a huge nursery for avian species '' .
`` If you go up there in the spring it 's crazy , every little puddle , even if it 's just half a metre by half a metre ... you can barely see the water , it 's just covered in ducks and geese , '' she tells the BBC .
More on the climate crisis in the Arctic : • Siberian Arctic 'up to 10 degrees warmer ' in June She is particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any drilling would have on animals in the refuge , as well as on the indigenous communities that live nearby .
`` With industrial activity comes a great deal of sound , from aeroplane noise , helicopter noise , truck noises , seismic activity , '' she says .
`` There 's been very little scientific study into how this impacts the many different animals up there , but there 's a lot of anecdotal evidence that sounds that are associated with any anthropogenic activity really bother them . ''
This anecdotal evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Native Alaskan communities that live near the refuge .
`` Subsistence hunters who are really dependent on both caribou and waterfowl to sustain themselves and their families , they have a really hard time hunting when there 's air traffic going by , '' Prof Boelman says .
`` They report having to just give up hunting a specific animal as soon as a helicopter or aeroplane goes by , because it just wakes the animal up - and that 's a huge loss for them .
`` So we know it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals , and also that this then has an effect on the subsistence of communities .
But also , what does that noise do to animals ' stress levels ?
What does that do to their reproductive success ? ''
Conservationists also fear for the Porcupine caribou , a breed of North American reindeer which roams the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge .
The coast - where proposed drilling would take place , should it go ahead - is particularly important to them .
Maggie Howell , executive director of the Wolf Conservation Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal plain is the calving route for caribou , and the caribou also has one of the most impressive migrations of any land mammal .
`` The herd travels north to the coastal plain every year , about 400 miles ( 644km ) each way , and that 's where they 're having their babies .
Any drilling is going to impact their lives drastically , as well as all the other animals and people who depend on that caribou . ''
One animal that predates on caribou , and would therefore also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tundra wolf .
Ms Howell says her team has `` already seen '' the damage done by drilling in other areas with caribou and wolf populations , such as Alberta in Canada .
`` As a refuge , it 's there to be preserved , '' Ms Howell says .
`` It 's not only a safe haven for the wildlife , but also a symbol of our country 's national heritage .
`` And if these animals ca n't be safe in a wildlife refuge , where can they be ?
Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live their lives and fulfil their own purpose ? ''

One animal that predates on caribou, and would therefore also be at risk, is the Alaskan tundra wolf. Ms Howell says her team has "already seen" the damage done by drilling in other areas with caribou and wolf populations, such as Alberta in Canada.


bbc--2020-08-19--Gunjan Saxena: India female pilot’s war biopic flies into a row

A Bollywood film inspired by the life of India 's first female pilot to fly in combat has been accused of showing the air force in a negative light , writes the BBC 's Geeta Pandey in Delhi .
In the summer of 1999 , as India and Pakistan traded missiles and gunfire , Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena flew repeatedly over the Line of Control , the disputed border that divides Kashmir between the two South Asian neighbours .
Conflict had erupted after Pakistani forces infiltrated into the Indian side of the de facto border and occupied icy heights in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I spent about 20 days in June flying a helicopter on recce missions , '' Flt Lt Saxena told the BBC .
`` My main job was to find out where enemy posts were , do battle damage assessment for the India army and evacuate casualty . ''
She was among the first batch of women to join the Indian air force in 1994 - the year they started inducting female transport and helicopter pilots - and among two female pilots who flew reconnaissance flights during the Kargil conflict .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with missiles and bullets flying around her in the battlefield - she once had a close shave when a missile missed her helicopter by inches .
`` No , never , '' came the prompt reply .
`` It was risky , but we accepted the risk willingly . ''
She received a gallantry award in her home state of Uttar Pradesh for `` displaying exemplary courage '' for her role in the conflict and has been hailed as `` a pioneer '' who `` broke the glass ceiling '' and inspired many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I never saw a ceiling , '' she laughs , `` and never went there to break one .
If I broke it , I 'm glad .
And if I inspired others to break it , I 'm fortunate . ''
More than 20 years later , her Netflix biopic , Gunjan Saxena : The Kargil Girl ( out last week ) , and her autobiography , The Kargil Girl ( out this past Monday ) , are meant to celebrate her life and achievements .
`` She 's an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the co-authors of the autobiography .
`` Over the years , people had begun to forget her achievement and it was an attempt to revive an interest in her story . ''
`` It required a lot of courage to go on the battlefield just a few hundred metres form the Line of Control and within the range of Pakistan 's small arms fire and carry out recce missions and casualty evacuations , '' adds Nirvan Singh , the other co-author .
`` In the chaos of battle , her instinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The film , which stars Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role , has raced to the top of the charts of Netflix in India and received warm reviews from critics and audiences - one newspaper has described it as `` a deeply moving tale of a feminist father and his feisty daughter '' .
Flt Lt Saxena says she has received `` lots of messages from little girls saying that after watching the film , they too want to join the air force and become pilots '' .
But the biopic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unseemly row , mostly over its portrayal of sexism and gender disparity in the air force .
In the movie , 24-year-old Flt Lt Saxena lands up at a base where there is no ladies ' toilet or changing room - because , as the senior officer informs her , `` this place is n't made for women '' .
She is in the midst of men who are mean and faces sexism that 's blatant .
Her superiors miss no opportunity to humiliate her , she misses out on practice sorties because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her , and in the evenings , she stands alone in the bar because no male officer wants to share a drink with her .
This portrayal has obviously not gone down well with the Indian air force - even though the film starts with a disclaimer that says its makers have `` taken creative liberties and dramatised events '' .
• The forgotten victims of the world 's highest war '' It is a well-known fact that the Indian Air Force ( IAF ) has the largest number of women officers serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The IAF was the first to open all its branches to women officers , including combat roles in 2015 .
This would n't have been possible without an unbiased policy .
Everything in the defence forces is done on merit alone . ''
The air force has sent a letter expressing their disappointment to producers Dharma Productions , the Central Board of Film Certification ( CBFC ) and Netflix , the spokesperson said .
Many others have also complained about the film .
The head of India 's National Commission for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stop screening it , and there have been calls to boycott it .
Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta called the film `` a national embarrassment '' and said that there should be some `` limitations to how much liberty one can take with the facts '' .
In the past few days , several female officers who were Flt Lt Saxena 's contemporaries have also spoken out - some have talked about the subtle sexism and prejudices they encountered in the air force ; but others have criticised the film for `` twisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
One former officer even claimed that it was her , and not Flt Lt Saxena , who was the first female pilot to fly in Kargil - a claim that Flt Lt Saxena has strongly rejected , pointing out that her `` firsts '' are well documented in the air force records .
I asked her to set the record straight - I have watched the film and read the book and wanted to know which one is the real deal .
The film and the autobiography , she agrees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I liked the film as a viewer , it 's very entertaining , but it 's been dramatised , '' she says , adding that the book is the real deal .
`` Twenty-five years back when I joined the air force , society was very different .
And we were the first female pilots , so it was a new situation for the air force too .
There were real issues - there was no ladies ' toilet or changing room on the base - but they dealt with them .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation for them so initially they were awkward and hesitant , so they took their time to adjust .
But the change and acceptance did come and it did n't hamper our duty , '' she adds .
The intention of the film and the book , she says , is not to create any controversy , but to inspire the future generations - `` not just those wanting to join the air force , but we want to get the message across to everyone who has a dream that there can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in yourself '' .

Her superiors miss no opportunity to humiliate her, she misses out on practice sorties because no male officer wants to fly with her, and in the evenings, she stands alone in the bar because no male officer wants to share a drink with her.


bbc--2020-08-19--'We have had parents crying for us to open'

Children 's summer camp provider Richard Bernstein says he has had mums and dads sobbing down the line to him .
`` We had parents on the phone , literally crying , asking us to open this year , '' says Mr Bernstein , director of UK company XUK Camps .
`` They said they needed to take their child somewhere so they could work , and if they could n't they would effectively lose their jobs . ''
Like children 's activities and entertainment businesses around the world , XUK has n't been able to open this year due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've lost 95 % of our income , and we 'll make a six figure loss [ this year ] , '' says Mr Bernstein .
`` We 're in a position that we 're able to ride this year out , but there will be a lot of organisations in the sector that will not be able to cope with what has happened in 2020 . ''
If you have young children , then you 'll realise the importance of pre- or out-of-school classes for kids - they give mums and dads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to stay with your little darlings , at least someone else is keeping them interested and entertained .
And for mums or dads with babies , they are a very welcome bit of socialising , a chance to meet and talk to other new mothers or fathers at what can be a lonely and challenging time .
Yet the global kids ' activities sector says it is the forgotten industry when it comes to Covid-19 .
Such businesses around the world say governments have failed to given them the support and guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these firms also being important economically .
In the UK alone there are estimated to be more than 40,000 companies offering classes and other activities for children , with combined revenues last year of £12.5bn .
In Melbourne , Australia , Carlo Chincarini 's business Fit Kicks has been closed for the past five months .
His firm offers fitness and confidence-boosting classes to young children .
`` We have n't earned anything , we have n't had any income since March , '' he says .
`` I 'm lucky that my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise it would have been incredibly rough . ''
Meanwhile , in the Philippines , full-time magician Dale Rubio says he is now reluctantly having to look for alternative employment after bookings dried up .
`` It hit me pretty hard because I do n't have another job , '' he says .
I 'm now looking for anything [ any jobs ] online .
I used to work in business process outsourcing , so I could do that .
But I love magic so maybe I 'll still do it on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such firms has varied from country to country .
In the UK , providers have been able to use the government 's furlough scheme , while Fit Kicks has relied on an Australian government grant .
However , Mr Rubio says he has no financial support from the Philippines government .
In Canada , Veronika Tzach , owner of Princess Parties Toronto , also says she was not able to get any financial support from her government .
She says she was `` left high and dry '' because she was considered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant that she did n't qualify for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit Scheme .
Mr Chincarini says these examples show that the industry is unfortunately `` not taken seriously because it 's about kids '' .
He adds : `` But we are an important part of the investment that we put into our kids for the future '' .
Even if firms have been able to access state financial support , such as in the UK and Australia , they say they have not had enough guidance from governments who more often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific sector of the economy .
As a result they claim they have struggled to get answers to key questions , such as when they can reopen , the number of children they can have per class , how far apart children must be kept , and how any toys or sports equipment should be sanitised .
`` The guidance from the UK government has been an absolute farce , '' says Mr Bernstein .
`` It was late and very badly written , and not there to help the providers . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the fact that health is a devolved matter , so the governments of Wales , Northern Ireland and Scotland can have different rules to the UK government in London .
A spokesman for the UK Department of Education said that firms in England should follow the guidelines of Public Health England .
Amid all the uncertainly , providers have been contacting each other , both directly , and via social media forums and groups , to gain and share help and advice .
`` We have been trying our best to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sandford , who is an administrator of UK Facebook group Leap ( Leisure & Educational Activity Providers ) Networking .
`` But as lockdown has eased there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding class sizes , venues and safety regulations . ''
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • The millions being made from cardboard theft • The islands that want tourists as well as fish Ms Sandford , who owns and runs Amazing Futures , a marketing consultancy for children 's activities companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new UK trade body for the sector - the Institute for Children 's Activity Providers ( ICAP ) .
Founder Andy Georgiou says that in the short term it aims to provide vital information to the industry .
He adds : `` The goal longer term is to have more ability to lobby government , and to seek [ official ] guidance for what is now quite a sizeable sector . ''
While owners and workers in the sector obviously want everything to go back to normal as soon as possible , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children going without their activities .
Elliot Beech , a nine-year-old Londoner , says he has been greatly missing his mini-rugby , which he hopes can restart next month .
`` I have been really looking forward to playing rugby again in September , '' he says .
`` If the season does n't start again , it will literally be the worst thing ever . ''
Elliot 's mum Rachel adds that Elliot , like other children around the world , has found lockdown a challenge .
`` Everything in his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - his rugby stopped , his swimming lessons stopped , birthday parties have stopped , his school stopped .
`` Everything was stopped overnight .
For adults there 's ways around things , we can work from home , but for children it has been different . ''

"We've lost 95% of our income, and we'll make a six-figure loss [this year]," says Mr Bernstein. "We're in a position that we're able to ride this year out, but there will be a lot of organisations in the sector that will not be able to cope with what has happened in 2020."


bbc--2020-08-19--Anthony Horowitz: 'I feel the need to do the unexpected'

Author Anthony Horowitz talks quickly , very quickly .
Words scramble from his mouth in a race against an imaginary stopwatch .
Judging by his bibliography , it should n't be a surprise .
Ideas clearly come thick and fast to Horowitz and drive his world .
He 's not only prolific , with his works numbering more than 50 , but also varied .
He 's written multiple books for children and young adults , including his Alex Rider stories ( now being dramatised on Prime Video ) , alongside adult fiction .
And he 's tackled just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is writing for cinema and TV , including episodes of Midsomer Murders and Poirot , and he 's the creator of Foyle 's War , Collision , Injustice and New Blood .
This industry has earned Horowitz an OBE but arguably created something of a conundrum - just where to place him on bookshop or library shelves ?
`` Maybe it 's done me no good in the sense that 's it 's easier to categorise or pigeonhole a writer and know exactly where to find them .
You know , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen King , '' he acknowledges .
`` But I do n't choose when ideas come into my head .
And I have a lot - all very different .
I 've had an idea for a literary novel for 10 years and it just wo n't go away .
I 'll probably fall flat on my face .
`` All I can do is write the ideas and believe in them and not worry about anything else .
I love every aspect of writing .
It 's totality .
That is all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page and nothing else . ''
For his latest work he 's in the realm of the murder mystery , which he first entered in 2017 with Magpie Murders - a devilishly complicated whodunnit within a whodunnit .
Yes , he 'd written crime stories for TV and two Sherlock Holmes books commissioned by the Conan Doyle estate but Magpie Murders was the first murder novel from his own imagination .
It introduced us to editor Susan Ryeland , her obnoxious , best-selling crime writer Alan Conway and his Poirotesque 1950s private detective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrates the latest Conway/Pund mystery , a double murder case set on the well-trodden ground of a sleepy village .
But when the story comes to a tantalising unfinished halt , it 's Susan who finds herself investigating a murder - and narrowly swerving her own death .
It was a best-seller and reviews were generally favourable .
Writing in the Guardian , Alison Flood said : `` Horowitz peppers his pages with clues and red herrings aplenty ... the story takes a while to get going ...
But once it does , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a fabulous twist . ''
The Washington Times ' Muriel Dobbin wrote : `` Mr Horowitz is not a simple writer and this is no simple mystery , but it is most enjoyable to read and its conclusions never disappoint .
Perhaps the only problem is trying to keep up with the plot which is like investigating a spider web . ''
Horowitz is now revisiting Susan and Co in Moonflower Murders , another riddle-laden murder within a murder adventure .
But there 's been a lot of change .
Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiancé and , with Conway dead , she believes he and Pund have been banished from her life .
That is until two guests beseech her to help find their daughter and solve a murder at their own Suffolk hotel , believing the answer to both lies in a one of Conway 's early mysteries .
As with Magpie , readers are given the full Pund story within a story about Conway , both encased by the wider narrative , so need their wits about them to keep tabs on who 's who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra , semi-metafictional , layer are the multiple nods to real life - restaurants , people and musings on literature and publishing .
It 's an approach to storytelling that Horowitz himself found testing .
`` It makes me tired just remembering how difficult it was to write .
The fun of it is that it is like a Russian doll , '' he says .
`` I 've been doing this [ writing ] for so long , I do feel the need to experiment , challenge myself to challenge the reader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 's attitudes ...
I 'm trying to give more than a murder mystery . ''
What is familiar is the country village setting for the crimes .
Midsomer Murders has this down to a T , following the path forged by the legendary Agatha Christie .
`` In a village everybody knows everybody .
So if one person has a secret , it is quite likely five other people will know it .
Someone is murdered at breakfast everyone knows by elevenses , '' Horowitz says of the village 's appeal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unchanging quality , which is very useful for crime writers , where information takes time to come . ''
In between the Susan Ryeland books , Horowitz wrote two other crime novels featuring the private investigator Daniel Hawthorne .
Again , he twisted the genre by inserting himself into the first story , The Word is Murder , as the narrator .
But quirky or conventional , crime thrillers remain consistently popular and topped the best-selling category list in 2019 , according to the market tracker Nielsen .
A further recent Nielsen survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more to these stories during the pandemic .
Horowitz says the genre `` brings people together in a very fast and immediate way '' .
`` Somebody murders somebody else so you know from the beginning the stakes are very high and the emotions are very serious ... there 's an immediate attraction .
`` And in a funny way , in a world where truth is hard to pin down - fake news , 24-hour news , politicians who are endlessly found to have been economical with the truth - a murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a satisfying ending .
`` They also open a door into people 's lives in a way that no other fiction does .
A detective and the reader progress through the book shoulder-to-shoulder , they are united .
You do n't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mr Darcy or Dumbledore . ''
Horowitz 's affiliation to murder mystery started from his first breath as he was brought into the world by the renown gynaecologist Joseph Suchet - father of Poirot star David .
`` When I delivered my first Poirot script , I mentioned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It seemed a neat fit , '' he says .
However , Horowitz says he 's not a big reader of Poirot 's creator Christie , describing her writing as `` serviceable rather than inspirational '' .
`` But I 'm a huge fan of her plotting and her genius for changing the formula and she never cheats on the reader . ''
As for Conan Doyle , well then you 're talking , says Horowitz , who adds the offer to write his own Sherlock books was too good to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so beguiling , how could I resist sitting in the chair in the corner with those two men ?
Doyle is such a good writer that it was also an opportunity to raise my game , to write better and try to write like him .
He 's had a huge impact on my life and career , '' he explains .
But , as an avid reader from childhood , Horowitz could say the same about any number of writers , and he reels off a list from Willard Price to Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a writer at the age of 10 when I wrote my first play .
I can still visualise my squidgy handwriting .
I was unhappy .
I was in a horrible school and books were a lifeline , '' he says .
`` I still see books as a lifeline in a world in which I find myself understanding less , and that becomes evermore the case .
`` They are an escape from reality and no matter how unhappy you might be , the moment you engage with a book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Escaping from reality has a greater appeal if you consider the holes in which Horowitz has found himself with some of his public comments .
`` In the last 10 years I 've noticed that if I 'm not thoughtful in what I say , I read things that I wish I had n't said .
It 's the world we live in . ''
As such , his books wo n't be focusing on modern issues , he says , adding , `` I 'm not sure I have much to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something positive , to give people pleasure and entertainment in a world in which people are , by and large , quite kind - when they 're not murdering each other . ''
Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz is available now .

"The Holmes-Watson relationship is so beguiling, how could I resist sitting in the chair in the corner with those two men? Doyle is such a good writer that it was also an opportunity to raise my game, to write better and try to write like him. He's had a huge impact on my life and career," he explains.


bbc--2020-08-19--Lyon 0-3 Bayern Munich: Bayern breeze through to final showdown with PSG

Bayern Munich 's relentless march through this season 's Champions League continued as they brushed aside Lyon to book an 11th appearance in the final of the competition and a showdown with Paris St-Germain .
The German champions have barely had a glove laid on them in Europe this season , with this their 10th straight Champions League win - equalling the record for winning streaks in the competition set by Real Madrid in 2015 and Bayern themselves in 2013 - as part of a 28-game unbeaten run stretching back to December .
And Lyon simply did not have ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buck that trend .
The French side will be left to rue two missed opportunities in the opening quarter , though , with Memphis Depay shooting wide after running clear before Karl Toko Ekambi struck the upright from close range after cutting in from the right .
Moments after the latter effort , Serge Gnabry moved infield and fired a stunning opener for Bayern , who never looked back .
Gnabry also scored the second , with a much simpler finish , following up to tap in after Anthony Lopes had blocked Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ekambi could have made matters interesting had he been able to find a way past Manuel Neuer after being set up by Houssem Aouar , but the chance went begging and Lyon 's belief with it .
Philippe Coutinho saw a finish ruled out for offside before Lewandowski had the final word , scoring for the ninth European game on the bounce with a header - his 15th in the competition this season .
Bayern 's win ends their run of having lost the previous four Champions League semi-finals in which they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on course for a treble of trophies in Hansi Flick 's stellar debut campaign as coach .
Sunday 's final promises to be a thriller , pitting arguably the best side in world football against one of the planet 's finest forward lines .
• 'What you dream about ' says first Canada international to reach Champions League final It is hard to come up with any fresh superlatives for this Bayern side .
After the stunning 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the last eight - which had pundits and fans alike purring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meltdown - Wednesday 's game was always going to feel somewhat anticlimactic , despite it being at a later stage of the competition .
The German giants rode their luck a bit early on but once they got their noses in front the tie was only going one way .
Against Barca it was Thomas Muller and Coutinho scoring doubles , here it was Gnabry with polar opposite finishes - one a solo screamer , the other an unmissable tap-in .
Gnabry 's goals mean he now has nine Champions League goals this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight matches in the competition and has been directly involved in six goals in his last four .
He is second in the scoring charts only to Lewandowski , who has 55 goal in 46 games this season and becomes only the second player to score 15 or more Champions League goals in a single campaign after Cristiano Ronaldo ( who has managed it on three occasions ) .
This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding Bayern 's impressive stats : • They are on the longest unbeaten run across Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ W28 D1 L0 ) , scoring 97 goals during this run ( 3.4 per game ) and winning each of their past 20 .
• They are only the fourth team in Champions League history to surpass 40 goals in a single campaign .
Only Barcelona in 1999-2000 have netted more in a single campaign in the competition ( 45 ) than Bayern 's 42 this season .
• They already have two trophies this season , scoring 100 goals to claim their 30th Bundesliga title before also claiming the German Cup .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For PSG supporters , they are frankly terrifying .
There is no shame in losing a semi-final to this Bayern side .
Lyon finished seventh in the curtailed Ligue 1 and were expected by many to last just one more Champions League game when the tournament resumed on 7 August .
But through a mixture of stubbornness , quick , ruthless counter-attacking and possibly some underestimation from their opponents , they were able to shock Italian champions Juventus and Premier League runners-up Manchester City .
Bayern , though , are not as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims .
If Lyon were to stand a chance then scoring first was imperative , and with a bit more composure from Depay and Ekambi - making the most of the space in behind Bayern 's high defensive line - they would have done just that .
It was a particularly tough night for Ekambi , who also missed a glorious chance to redeem himself and restore his side 's hope in the second half .
Lyon have still have not reached the final of a major European competition in their 70-year history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that there is n't only one club in France . '
A dream come true ' - what they said Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick , speaking to Sky : `` We knew it would be difficult , they came in off the back of great performances against Manchester City and Juventus .
They are strong tactically and they caused us problems early on .
`` We know we need to defend better , we said before we could n't afford to give away the ball easily , but we did .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davies , speaking to BT Sport : `` It feels good .
Everyone is happy and playing well .
We are happy to make it to the final .
PSG is a good team , right now we celebrate a bit then we focus on the next game .
`` It will be a good game , there will be goals in that game .
This is what you dream about as a footballer , playing with the best and against the best in Europe .
`` It is a dream come true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting to the final is everything you could ask for . ''
Lyon striker Karl Toko Ekambi , speaking to RMC Sport : `` We 're thinking we could have done better and we could have scored some goals before they did .
Luck was n't on our side .
We missed chances and we were up against a great team .
We found out they were unbeatable . ''
Only Real Madrid have reached more finals than Bayern • Bayern Munich will play in the final of the European Cup/Champions League for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history ( equalling AC Milan 's record ) , with only Real Madrid ( 16 ) having participated in more .
• Lyon have been eliminated in both of their Champions League semi-final ties , with both coming against Bayern - they have failed to score a single goal across the three games , while conceding seven in return ( previously 4-0 on aggregate in 2009-10 ) .
• Only Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003 ( 9 ) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 ( 11 ) have scored in as many successive matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lewandowski .
• Serge Gnabry has been directly involved in 11 goals in the Champions League this season ( nine goals and two assists ) ; only Robert Lewandowski has had a hand in more ( 20 ) .
• Gnabry is only the second German player to net a brace in a Champions League semi-final , after current Bayern team-mate Thomas Muller back in 2012-13 ( two goals v Barcelona ) .
• Lyon 's Rayan Cherki became the youngest player to appear in the knockout stages of the Champions League , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• DEVS : Mystery drama that will get you hooked • Watch the Small Axe trailer : New and powerful series from Steve McQueen

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Serge Gnabry has scored eight goals in his last eight Champions League games
Bayern Munich's relentless march through this season's Champions League continued as they brushed aside Lyon to book an 11th appearance in the final of the competition and a showdown with Paris St-Germain.
The German champions have barely had a glove laid on them in Europe this season, with this their 10th straight Champions League win - equalling the record for winning streaks in the competition set by Real Madrid in 2015 and Bayern themselves in 2013 - as part of a 28-game unbeaten run stretching back to December.
And Lyon simply did not have ability or approach over the 90 minutes to buck that trend.
The French side will be left to rue two missed opportunities in the opening quarter, though, with Memphis Depay shooting wide after running clear before Karl Toko Ekambi struck the upright from close range after cutting in from the right.
Moments after the latter effort, Serge Gnabry moved infield and fired a stunning opener for Bayern, who never looked back.
Gnabry also scored the second, with a much simpler finish, following up to tap in after Anthony Lopes had blocked Robert Lewandowski's scuffed effort from point-blank range.
Ekambi could have made matters interesting had he been able to find a way past Manuel Neuer after being set up by Houssem Aouar, but the chance went begging and Lyon's belief with it.
Philippe Coutinho saw a finish ruled out for offside before Lewandowski had the final word, scoring for the ninth European game on the bounce with a header - his 15th in the competition this season.
Bayern's win ends their run of having lost the previous four Champions League semi-finals in which they had appeared. It also keeps them on course for a treble of trophies in Hansi Flick's stellar debut campaign as coach.
Sunday's final promises to be a thriller, pitting arguably the best side in world football against one of the planet's finest forward lines.
Bayern's remarkable 2020 continues
It is hard to come up with any fresh superlatives for this Bayern side.
After the stunning 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the last eight - which had pundits and fans alike purring and sent the Spanish club seemingly into meltdown - Wednesday's game was always going to feel somewhat anticlimactic, despite it being at a later stage of the competition.
The German giants rode their luck a bit early on but once they got their noses in front the tie was only going one way.
Against Barca it was Thomas Muller and Coutinho scoring doubles, here it was Gnabry with polar opposite finishes - one a solo screamer, the other an unmissable tap-in.
Gnabry's goals mean he now has nine Champions League goals this season, has eight in his last eight matches in the competition and has been directly involved in six goals in his last four.
He is second in the scoring charts only to Lewandowski, who has 55 goal in 46 games this season and becomes only the second player to score 15 or more Champions League goals in a single campaign after Cristiano Ronaldo (who has managed it on three occasions).
This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding Bayern's impressive stats:
They are on the longest unbeaten run across Europe's top five league's (P29 W28 D1 L0), scoring 97 goals during this run (3.4 per game) and winning each of their past 20.
They are only the fourth team in Champions League history to surpass 40 goals in a single campaign. Only Barcelona in 1999-2000 have netted more in a single campaign in the competition (45) than Bayern's 42 this season.
They already have two trophies this season, scoring 100 goals to claim their 30th Bundesliga title before also claiming the German Cup.
To a neutral fan these are ominous. For PSG supporters, they are frankly terrifying.
Lyon made to pay for missed chances
There is no shame in losing a semi-final to this Bayern side.
Lyon finished seventh in the curtailed Ligue 1 and were expected by many to last just one more Champions League game when the tournament resumed on 7 August.
But through a mixture of stubbornness, quick, ruthless counter-attacking and possibly some underestimation from their opponents, they were able to shock Italian champions Juventus and Premier League runners-up Manchester City.
Bayern, though, are not as fallible as the French side's previous victims.
If Lyon were to stand a chance then scoring first was imperative, and with a bit more composure from Depay and Ekambi - making the most of the space in behind Bayern's high defensive line - they would have done just that.
It was a particularly tough night for Ekambi, who also missed a glorious chance to redeem himself and restore his side's hope in the second half.
Lyon have still have not reached the final of a major European competition in their 70-year history, but they have at least reminded people that there isn't only one club in France.
Man of the match - Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Gnabry is only the second German player to net a brace in a Champions League semi-final, following current Bayern teammate Thomas Muller back in 2012-13 (two goals v Barcelona)
'A dream come true' - what they said
Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick, speaking to Sky: "We knew it would be difficult, they came in off the back of great performances against Manchester City and Juventus. They are strong tactically and they caused us problems early on.
"We know we need to defend better, we said before we couldn't afford to give away the ball easily, but we did."
Bayern Munich's Canadian full-back Alphonso Davies, speaking to BT Sport: "It feels good. Everyone is happy and playing well. We are happy to make it to the final. PSG is a good team, right now we celebrate a bit then we focus on the next game.
"It will be a good game, there will be goals in that game. This is what you dream about as a footballer, playing with the best and against the best in Europe.
"It is a dream come true. Playing in the Champions League and getting to the final is everything you could ask for."
Lyon striker Karl Toko Ekambi, speaking to RMC Sport: "We're thinking we could have done better and we could have scored some goals before they did. Luck wasn't on our side. We missed chances and we were up against a great team. We found out they were unbeatable."
Only Real Madrid have reached more finals than Bayern
Bayern Munich will play in the final of the European Cup/Champions League for the 11th time in the club's history (equalling AC Milan's record), with only Real Madrid (16) having participated in more.
Lyon have been eliminated in both of their Champions League semi-final ties, with both coming against Bayern - they have failed to score a single goal across the three games, while conceding seven in return (previously 4-0 on aggregate in 2009-10).
Only Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003 (9) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 (11) have scored in as many successive matches in the competition's history as Robert Lewandowski.
Serge Gnabry has been directly involved in 11 goals in the Champions League this season (nine goals and two assists); only Robert Lewandowski has had a hand in more (20).
Gnabry is only the second German player to net a brace in a Champions League semi-final, after current Bayern team-mate Thomas Muller back in 2012-13 (two goals v Barcelona).
Lyon's Rayan Cherki became the youngest player to appear in the knockout stages of the Champions League, aged just 17 years and two days.