bbc--2020-02-18--Tesla's Elon Musk swipes at Porsche-buying Bill Gates

Elon Musk has lashed out on Twitter after billionaire Bill Gates praised Tesla in an interview - but admitted he had chosen a Porsche as his first electric car .
Mr Musk later described his own conversations with the Microsoft founder as `` underwhelming '' , in a tweet .
He was replying to a Tesla fan who expressed surprise at Mr Gates 's choice of car because , they said , he was `` really smart '' .
Many of the replies supported Mr Gates .
`` He 's only saving millions of lives around the world ... '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be underwhelmed ... call Tesla customer service , '' wrote another .
In the YouTube interview with Marques Brownlee , which has had more than two million views , Mr Gates expressed concern that the mileage between charges , the length of charging time , and the `` premium '' cost of electric vehicles were all factors currently deterring buyers .
However , he highlighted Tesla as a firm that had helped to grow the market .
`` And certainly Tesla , if you had to name one company that 's helped drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
He then said he had not chosen the brand himself .
`` You know I just got a Porsche Taycan , which is an electric car , and I have to say , it 's a premium-priced car but yeah , it is very very cool , '' Mr Gates said .
Prices for the model start at £83,000 in the UK ( $ 103,000 in the US ) .
By contrast , the Tesla Model 3 starts at £42,000 ( $ 40,000 in the US ) .
Elon Musk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others on Twitter .
In the past , he has tweeted that Mark Zuckerberg 's understanding of AI is `` limited '' and described Jeff Bezos ' ideas about living in space as `` mak [ ing ] no sense '' .
In December 2019 he won a defamation case against a British cave diver whom he had labelled `` pedo guy '' on Twitter .
The diver had helped to rescue trapped Thai schoolboys from a cave and had rejected Mr Musk 's offer of help .
Mr Musk has also got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2018 , he tweeted that he planned to make Tesla a private company and said he had secured funding to do so .
He later said he was joking but both he and the firm were ordered to pay $ 20m by the US financial regulator for disclosing information that had affected the market .
He then went back on Twitter to blast the regulator - the Securities and Exchanges Commission ( SEC ) - describing it as the `` Shortseller Enrichment Commission '' .
As part of an agreement with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information about Tesla in any form without approval , and resigned as chairman of the firm .

In the YouTube interview with Marques Brownlee, which has had more than two million views, Mr Gates expressed concern that the mileage between charges, the length of charging time, and the "premium" cost of electric vehicles were all factors currently deterring buyers.


bbc--2020-02-18--Venezuela crisis: US blacklists Russian oil firm for helping Maduro

The US has sought to increase financial pressure on Venezuela by blacklisting a subsidiary of Russia 's state-controlled Rosneft oil giant .
The move freezes any US-held assets of the Switzerland-based Rosneft Trading SA and its chairman , Didier Casimiro .
The firm is accused of helping President Nicolás Maduro to evade US sanctions on Venezuela 's oil industry .
The US accuses Mr Maduro of leading a corrupt and brutal regime , a charge he has repeatedly rejected .
• Why Russia has so much to lose in Venezuela Oil dominates Venezuela 's economy , accounting for almost all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production in Venezuela has collapsed in recent years , and the country is in a deep economic crisis .
The US is backing opposition leader Juan Guaidó , who last year declared himself interim president .
Earlier this month , the US imposed sanctions on Venezuela 's state-run airline Conviasa , saying the company was being used to `` shuttle corrupt officials around the world '' .
Meanwhile Russia , a key backer of President Maduro , has pledged to boost economic and military co-operation with the government in Caracas .
What are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were announced by the US treasury on Tuesday .
`` Rosneft Trading SA and its president brokered the sale and transport of Venezuelan crude oil , '' Trade Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement .
`` The United States is determined to prevent the looting of Venezuela 's oil assets by the corrupt Maduro regime , '' he added .
The statement said that the US sanctions `` need not be permanent and are intended to change behaviour '' .
`` The United States has made it clear that we will consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaningful , and verifiable actions to support democratic order in Venezuela , '' the statement said .
Rosneft and Rosneft Trading SA were already the subject of US restrictions relating to Russia 's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine that erupted in 2014 .
Neither Rosneft nor its trading arm have so far publicly spoken on the issue .
But the Russian foreign ministry condemned the sanctions .
`` Russia categorically does not accept unilateral restrictive measures by which the US , striving for global hegemony , is trying to subjugate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ministry said in a statement ( in Russian ) .
It added that the sanctions would not be able to influence Russian policies towards Venezuela or any other country .
What 's the background to the Venezuela crisis ?
Mr Maduro narrowly won a presidential election in April 2013 after the death of his mentor , President Hugo Chávez .
He was elected to a second term in May 2018 in an election seen as flawed by international observers .
Venezuela has experienced economic collapse - inflation was 800,000 % last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Mr Guaidó has accused President Maduro of being unfit for office .
He has won the support of many in the country as well as US and EU leaders .

"Russia categorically does not accept unilateral restrictive measures by which the US, striving for global hegemony, is trying to subjugate the whole world to its will," the ministry said in a statement (in Russian).


bbc--2020-02-18--Michel Barnier: UK can't have Canada trade deal with EU

The UK can not have the same trade deal with the EU as Canada , according to the bloc 's chief negotiator .
Michel Barnier said the EU was ready to offer an `` ambitious partnership '' with the UK post-Brexit , but its `` particular proximity '' meant it would be different .
It comes after the UK 's chief negotiator , David Frost , made a speech in Brussels calling for a `` Canada-Free Trade Agreement-type relationship '' .
The two sides are due to start negotiations next month .
The UK left the EU on 31 January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - following the majority of the bloc 's rules - while a post-Brexit trade deal is hammered out .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put a deadline of 31 December on agreeing a plan , saying he will not extend the transition period beyond then .
• Brexit negotiator : UK must be able to set own laws • What does the UK sell to the rest of the world ?
On his first speech about the trade deal since his general election win , Mr Johnson said he wanted to pursue a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which took seven years to negotiate .
Under the agreement , import tariffs on most goods have been eliminated between the two countries , though there are still customs and VAT checks .
But speaking to reporters as he arrived at the European Parliament , Mr Barnier cast doubt on the possibility .
`` We remain ready to offer the UK an ambitious partnership , '' he said .
`` A trade agreement that includes in particular fishing and includes a level playing field , with a country that has a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic closeness - which is why it ca n't be compared to Canada or South Korea or Japan . ''
Mr Barnier said the EU remained `` ready to work very quickly with the UK '' on the basis of the agreement with Mr Johnson ahead of Brexit , adding : `` We remain ready to propose this partnership if the UK wants it . ''
This is all about what 's known as the level playing field .
The UK and the EU will become economic competitors , as well as partners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how fair that competition is going to be .
Almost all trade agreements include them to some degree , but the EU is demanding particularly strict rules because the UK is a major economy right on its doorstep - therefore a bigger potential competitor than a country like Canada .
The EU wants a common set of rules on things like workers ' rights , the environmental regulations that businesses have to follow , and , in particular , state aid ( or support , including subsidies ) for business .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies tariff-free access to its single market if those companies also have the ability to undercut their rivals based in the EU .
But the British response , as articulated by David Frost on Thursday , is that the freedom to diverge from EU rules is the whole point of Brexit .
We 're going to have high standards , the UK insists , but they wo n't be your standards .
The EU says a promise is n't good enough , and that 's the argument we 're going to see playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Brussels on Thursday , Mr Frost said the UK `` must have the ability to set laws that suit us '' and not be subject to rulings from European courts .
He reiterated Mr Johnson 's desire for a Canada-type agreement and said if it could not be agreed , the UK would trade on the basic international terms it currently follows with Australia .
Mr Frost said the UK will set out more details of its vision for the future relationship with the EU next week .

"A trade agreement that includes in particular fishing and includes a level playing field, with a country that has a very particular proximity - a unique territorial and economic closeness - which is why it can't be compared to Canada or South Korea or Japan."


bbc--2020-02-18--Jerusalem: Jordan condemns Israeli Western Wall railway plan

Jordan has condemned a decision by Israel to advance a plan to build a railway line and station underneath the heart of Jerusalem 's Old City .
The Israeli transport ministry said on Monday that a new route had been approved for an extension of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed railway .
A 3km ( 2-mile ) tunnel will lead to the Western Wall - one of Judaism 's holiest sites - in the city 's occupied east .
Foreign ministry spokesman Daifallah al-Fayez urged the international community to `` assume its responsibilities to resist the illegitimate and illegal Israeli steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseeing the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem - including the compound behind the Western Wall , known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif ( the Noble Sanctuary ) and to Jews as the Temple Mount - via an Islamic trust called the Waqf .
The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
Israel regards Jerusalem as its `` eternal and undivided '' capital , while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem - occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war - as the capital of a future state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed line to the Western Wall , which attracts millions of visitors and worshippers a year , was unveiled in 2017 by then Transport Minister Israel Katz .
He also said the station underneath the Old City would be named after US President Donald Trump , who controversially recognised Jerusalem as Israel 's capital that year .
On Monday , the Israeli transport ministry announced that the National Planning and Building Council had approved a new route for the railway extension following a directive from Mr Katz 's successor , Bezalel Smotrich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not provide any details about the route , but it will reportedly involve building two underground stations and digging a tunnel beneath central Jerusalem .
Mr Smotrich described the plan as `` historic '' and said it was `` very good news for Israeli residents and the millions of tourists who come to Jerusalem '' .
`` We are also succeeding in promoting the Zionist and Jewish agenda , '' he added .
Last November , the Israeli authorities approved a plan to build a cable-car network that would ferry visitors 1.4km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials said the project would reduce traffic congestion , but critics said it would damage the historic landscape of the Old City - a Unesco World Heritage site .

Jordan has special responsibility for overseeing the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem - including the compound behind the Western Wall, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount - via an Islamic trust called the Waqf.


bbc--2020-02-18--Britta Nielsen: Danish social worker convicted of stealing millions

A Danish woman has been convicted of stealing 117 million Danish kroner ( £13m ; $ 17m ) of government funding .
Britta Nielsen worked at Denmark 's social services board for 40 years , distributing funding to people in need .
But in 2018 she was accused of siphoning money to her own pockets .
A Copenhagen court sentenced her to six and half years in prison on Tuesday .
The case is unusual for Denmark , a country known internationally for its transparency and low corruption levels .
Nielsen fled to South Africa after the accusations surfaced .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interpol issued an arrest warrant .
She was accused of embezzling cash for more than 25 years .
Nielsen worked at the Socialstyrelsen , the National Board of Health and Welfare .
Groups like the Danish Cystic Fibrosis Association and the Danish Deaf Association were allocated funds , and it was her job to send them the money .
In 2017 , she was awarded an official Silver Medal of Merit for her years of service .
According to the Nordic Labour Journal , Nielsen 's defence argued during her trial that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that there were no safeguards in place to stop abuse of the system .
`` It was a standing joke that you could easily add your own account number and then be off to the Bahamas , '' the 65-year-old reportedly told the court .

According to the Nordic Labour Journal, Nielsen's defence argued during her trial that it was easy for her to take funds and that there were no safeguards in place to stop abuse of the system.


bbc--2020-02-18--No visas for low-skilled workers, UK says

Low-skilled workers would not get visas under post-Brexit immigration plans unveiled by the government .
It is urging employers to `` move away '' from relying on `` cheap labour '' from Europe and invest in retaining staff and developing automation technology .
The Home Office said EU and non-EU citizens coming to the UK would be treated equally after UK-EU free movement ends on 31 December .
Labour said the `` hostile environment '' will make it hard to attract workers .
But Home Secretary Priti Patel said the new system would mean `` the brightest and the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom '' .
• How has immigration changed in your area ?
The government , which said it was aiming to reduce overall migration to the UK , wants a `` points-based '' immigration system - as it promised in its election manifesto .
Under the scheme , overseas workers who wanted to come to the UK would have to speak English and have the offer of a skilled job with an `` approved sponsor '' .
They would be awarded 50 points if they fulfil these criteria .
In total , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to work in the UK , with points also being awarded for qualifications , the salary on offer and working in a sector with shortages .
But the government said it would not introduce a route for lower-skilled workers , urging businesses to `` adapt and adjust '' to the end of free movement between EU countries and the UK .
`` It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK 's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention , productivity and wider investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Instead , it said the 3.2 million EU citizens who have applied to continue staying in the UK could help meet labour market demands .
The government also pointed to a quadrupling of the scheme for seasonal workers in agriculture to 10,000 , as well as `` youth mobility arrangements '' , which allow 20,000 young people to come to the UK each year .
While the CBI welcomed some of the proposals , it said some firms would be `` left wondering how they will recruit the people needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobby group 's director general , Carolyn Fairbairn , said : `` Firms know that hiring from overseas and investing in the skills of their workforce and new technologies is not an 'either or ' choice - both are needed to drive the economy forward . ''
The UK Homecare Association described the lack of provision for low-paid workers in the proposals as `` irresponsible '' , with a spokesman saying they were `` dismayed '' by the government 's decision .
`` Cutting off the supply of prospective care workers under a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more people waiting unnecessarily in hospital or going without care , '' they added .
The government 's proposed immigration system represents a balancing act - broadening the base of skilled labour while restricting the flow of those seeking lower-skilled jobs .
People wanting to come to the UK from outside the EU will find rules are being relaxed , such as scrapping the cap on skilled workers or the drop in minimum salary .
But for EU migrants who are used to moving freely between Britain and the continent , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shock .
Visitors can come for six months without a visa , but they wo n't be able to work , those with skills must have a job offer and clear the 70 points hurdle , and there 'll be no work permits for migrants prepared to do menial jobs in restaurants , hotels , care homes and food processing plants .
There is some flexibility in the new structure .
But the question is , will it be enough to prevent labour shortages and companies taking their business elsewhere ?
Following recommendations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , the salary threshold for skilled workers wanting to come to the UK would be lowered from £30,000 to £25,600 .
The independent advisory body argued that lowering the threshold would help recruit teachers and skilled NHS staff .
Unlike the current system , applicants would also be able to trade points .
Those earning less than £25,600 , but more than £20,480 , could still apply for visas if they had a job in a `` specific shortage occupation '' or a PhD relevant to the job .
A list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the MAC , the government said .
Jobs currently on the MAC 's Shortage Occupation List include civil engineers , medical practitioners , nurses , psychologists and classical ballet dancers .
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the salary threshold system would `` need to have so many exemptions , for the NHS , for social care and many parts of the private sector , that it will be meaningless '' .
She added : `` Ultimately , it will also be very difficult to attract the workers we need at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment is in place .
It needs to go . ''
Under the new plan , there would no longer be an overall cap on the number of skilled workers who could come into the UK - one of the areas praised by the CBI .
Following recommendations from MAC , the definition of skilled workers would also be expanded to include those educated at A-level , not just at graduate level , as was previously the case .
But waiting staff roles would be removed from the list of skilled occupations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plasterers and childminders .
To study in the UK , overseas students would need the offer of a place at an educational institution , have to know English , and be able to show they can support themselves .
Changes to the system would be implemented through an immigration bill needing approval from MPs and peers to come into force .
Shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy told the BBC 's Newsnight : `` I feel like people have been duped a bit .
We were told this was an Australian style points-based system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to encourage migration across sectors .
I know that they do n't want to do that , but why are you calling it one thing when it 's another ? ''
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman Christine Jardine said the proposals were based on `` xenophobia '' .
The SNP 's immigration spokesman , Stuart McDonald called them a `` half-finished and disastrous one-size-fits-no-one policy '' .
Are you an employer affected by any of the issues raised here ?
You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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Even if it is classed as a skilled job - and even that is in doubt, as many workers do not come via an A-level route - the pay at under £20,000 on average is too low to qualify for any points. Nor is the role classed a shortage occupation.


bbc--2020-02-18--Osman Kavala: Turkey 're-arrests' activist hours after acquittal

A prominent Turkish businessman and human rights activist has been re-arrested , just hours after he was acquitted of trying to overthrow the government , Turkish state media says .
A court ordered Osman Kavala 's immediate release earlier on Tuesday , after dropping charges against him and eight others over protests in 2013 .
He had spent over two years in prison .
But hours later , a warrant was issued against him over a 2016 coup attempt which triggered a massive crackdown .
Rights group Amnesty International said Mr Kavala 's renewed detention `` smacks of deliberate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been granted release after almost two-and-a-half years behind bars only to have the door to freedom so callously slammed in his face is a devastating blow for Osman Kavala , his family and all who stand for justice in Turkey , '' the group 's Turkey campaigner said in a statement .
In December , the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Mr Kavala had been arbitrarily detained and called for his immediate release .
What are the new charges ?
The new case against Mr Kavala relates to a failed coup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250 people were killed and more than 1,400 wounded .
Since then , tens of thousands of people have been detained , with thousands more fired or suspended from public service .
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the coup on US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and people he accuses of being his followers , although Mr Gulen denies any involvement .
In a surprise ruling earlier on Tuesday , the judge had said there was insufficient evidence against the nine people accused of trying to overthrow the government - including Mr Kavala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gezi Park protests in Istanbul in 2013 .
Cheers could be heard in the courtroom as the verdict was read out .
The 2013 protests initially broke out over plans to redevelop Istanbul 's Gezi Park but transformed into wider unrest against then-Prime Minister Erdogan , which spread to other parts of the country .
A number of people were killed and thousands of others injured .

"To have been granted release after almost two-and-a-half years behind bars only to have the door to freedom so callously slammed in his face is a devastating blow for Osman Kavala, his family and all who stand for justice in Turkey," the group's Turkey campaigner said in a statement.


bbc--2020-02-18--Kehlani releases a break-up song three days after Valentine duet with YG

Just days after Kehlani released the loved-up Valentine 's Day track Konclusions with her boyfriend YG , it seems the dream is over .
The R & B singer announced the couple had split up on Monday , with a separate , solo song that accuses YG of cheating .
On Valentine 's Day ( Shameful ) , she admits to checking YG 's phone while he was asleep and finding evidence to justify suspicions of an affair .
`` I 've seen everything I did n't want to see , '' sings the 24-year-old .
The two originally confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but split later in the year , apparently after a separate incident of infidelity .
But they seemed to be working things out , with Konclusions confirming their reconciliation .
`` When I say I love you , that means I love you , '' sang Kehlani in the song , released last Friday .
`` No matter what conclusion we come to / I 'm the one you run to . ''
By Monday , she 'd done a u-turn ; rush-releasing Valentine 's Day ( Shameful ) through her social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It details a catalogue of relationship misdemeanours by Kehlani 's now-ex , without actually mentioning him by name .
At one point she sings : `` I 'd say your name , but you do n't deserve recognition . ''
The R & B star continues : `` I am making amends with myself / Forgive me for loving you / I took a risk loving loudly / Defended you proudly .
`` Ignored all the signs / Yeah , it 's true / And the immature me wishes that I could make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left alone . ''
She also sings about about the difficulties within their troubled relationship , including YG 's addiction problems .
`` I got ta give myself credit for loving as hard as I did / I helped you fight your addiction and change your whole life , '' Kehlani says .
`` Just to find myself played in the end / Ai n't no regrets 'cause I 'm proud and my heart was so pure and I 'm never ashamed of my love '' Now I 'm finding strength in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I know the things I am above . ''
Kehlani also took to Twitter and said in a since-deleted post : `` Life really happens .
U Jus [ t ] got ta stay pure and move with love and thank god you are one of the ones that do . ''
The split is the latest instalment in the couple 's on-off relationship , which included YG being accused of kissing another woman on Hallowe'en .
Kehlani first achieved fame as a member of the teen group Poplyfe , going solo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Got Talent , where they came fourth .
Her first mixtape Cloud 19 was listed as one of the Complex 's `` 50 Best Albums of 2014 '' ; and it 's follow-up , You Should Be Here , earned her a Grammy nomination in 2016 for best urban contemporary album .
She released her debut studio album , SweetSexySavage , in January 2017 ; and duetted with Stormzy later that year on the track Cigaretes & Cush .
Rapper YG 's hits include debut track Toot It and Boot It , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Right and Who Do You Love ?
, featuring Drake .
His debut album My Krazy Life , received critical acclaim , as did his second studio album , Still Brazy .
In 2018 , he released his third studio album , Stay Dangerous , which included the single , Big Bank , his highest charting solo single , peaking at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart .
His fourth studio album , 4Real 4Real , was released in 2019 .
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

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bbc--2020-02-18--Locust swarms: South Sudan latest to be hit by invasion

Swarms of desert locusts that have been devouring crops and pasture in the East Africa region have spread to South Sudan , the UN food agency says .
Several million South Sudanese are already facing hunger as the country struggles to emerge from a civil war .
The UN has warned that a food crisis could be looming in East Africa if the outbreak is not brought under control .
The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pledged $ 8m ( £6m ) to help fight the invasion on his visit to Africa .
Mr Pompeo was speaking after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister of Ethiopia , which along with Somalia , Kenya and Uganda , has been hit by the pests .
The invasion is the worst infestation in Kenya for 70 years and the worst in Somalia and Ethiopia for 25 years .
• Africa Live : More on this and other stories Efforts to control the locust infestation have so far not been effective .
Aerial spraying of pesticides is the most effective way of fighting the swarms but countries in the region do not have the right resources .
There are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hundreds of billions - will multiply further .
The Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) said about 2,000 adult insects had entered South Sudan via Uganda into the southern county of Magwi .
`` These are deep yellow , which means that they will be here mostly looking at areas in which they will lay eggs , '' the AFP news agency quotes FAO South Sudan representative Meshack Malo as saying .
Agriculture Minister Onyoti Adigo Nyikuac said the government was training people to spray .
`` Also we need chemicals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will also need cars to move while spraying and then later if it becomes worse , we will need aircraft , '' he said , AFP reports .
About 60 % of South Sudan 's population is facing food insecurity - and destruction of harvests by locusts could lead to a drop in nutrition levels in children , rights group Save the Children warns .
• What is South Sudan like ?
• 'Soldiers will kill you for no reason' Even without the locusts , the charity expects that more than 1.3 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acute malnutrition this year .
The FAO says the insects , which eat their own body weight in food every day , are breeding so fast that numbers could grow 500 times by June .
The UN body last week called on the international community to provide nearly $ 76m ( £58m ) to fund the spraying of the affected areas with insecticide .
Somalia has declared a national emergency in response to the crisis .
The Ethiopian government has called for `` immediate action '' to deal with the problem affecting four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya has deployed aircrafts to spray pesticides in several regions and its Agriculture Minister Peter Munya said on Monday that the invasion was `` under control '' .
Meanwhile , Uganda has deployed soldiers to the northern regions to spray pesticides in the affected areas .
The locust swarms entered Africa from Yemen three months ago .

"Also we need chemicals for spraying and also sprayers. You will also need cars to move while spraying and then later if it becomes worse, we will need aircraft," he said, AFP reports.


bbc--2020-02-18--Radar captures huge bird migration over Florida

A huge swarm of birds migrating is nothing unusual - flocks can fly thousands of miles undetected .
But in a rare event on Monday , US National Weather Service radar captured birds migrating from South America over Florida .
Atmospheric conditions caused the systems to detect the birds , which took hours to fly over the Key West station .
The group measured at least 90 miles ( 145km ) in radius , according to meteorologists .
In 2017 a swarm of migrating Printed Lady butterflies was detected by radar over Colorado , but the phenomenon is rare .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows the migrating birds in green and yellow , and rain depicted in blue .
Millions of birds make arduous journeys of thousands of miles every year to migrate with the seasons to breed and seek food supplies .
In the Americas , birds fly north from South America and the Caribbean to the US , starting in the early months of the year , before returning .
An animation produced by Cornwell University shows 118 migratory species in the Americas , some beginning their journeys north in February , with the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the birds that flies over Florida after spending the winter in the Caribbean and Central America is the tiny northern parula , with a wingspan of just 6-7 inches ( 16-18cm ) .
The pectoral sandpiper also flies over Florida , making a round trip of nearly 19,000 miles .
It nests in Alaska and northern Canada , before wintering in southern South America .
The exact reasons how and why birds choose to migrate at a certain time are not fully understood .
`` Some birds might be hanging out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tailwinds to pick them up , '' Gina Kent , a conservation scientist with the Avian Research and Conservation institute , told the Tampa Bay newspaper .
`` On a good wind , more birds that might not otherwise be ready could jump on it . ''
The group that passed over Key West started in Cuba the day before , passed over the Keys and landed in Florida just before sunrise on Monday , said Weather Service meteorologist Kate Lenninger .
Specific weather conditions in Florida caused the radar to capture the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of a stable layer of air above us that was deflecting the radar beam closer to the surface , '' Lenninger added .
`` So , we were able to pick up more low level objects . ''
Weather radars use electromagnetic pulses to measure the location and intensity of precipitation , including rain .
Radar measures the time it takes those pulses to return from an object , which works out its location , the UK Meteorological Office explained .
`` It has been known for many years that other objects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flocks of birds . ''
Bird populations in the US and Canada are at risk , with the number declining by three billion or 29 % in the last 50 years , according to two studies .
Climate change may also be putting migrating birds at risk .
Golden eagles may be unable to change the time of their annual migration to match the changing arrival of spring .
In the UK , changes in the timing of migrations may also lead to mismatches between when chicks need to be fed and the @ @ @ @

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bbc--2020-02-18--US Election 2020: Meet the voters behind Bloomberg's surge

He 's one of the richest men in the world , a polarising candidate in a crowded race and he 's about to make his first appearance on the debate stage after rising to second place in the polls .
So who are Mike Bloomberg 's supporters , and why have they backed him ?
Recent polling by NPR/PBS/Marist puts Mr Bloomberg in second place , behind Bernie Sanders , with 19 % of the Democratic vote .
Mr Bloomberg will no doubt face questions on his political past - including recently revealed comments on women , farmers and minorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the debate stage for the first time in Las Vegas , Nevada .
He wo n't appear on any ballots , however , until Super Tuesday - 3 March , when some of the biggest states , like California and Texas , hold their primary contests .
While liberals have attacked him over controversial policies during his tenure as mayor , his billionaire status and for having switched party affiliations in the past , Mr Bloomberg has also been a strong investor in many key causes for Democratic voters .
He spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats in the 2018 mid-term elections , which saw a record number of women voted to Congress .
He founded the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety group to lobby for gun control policies .
He has given more than $ 1bn to public health causes and over $ 278m to climate change initiatives .
Think of a Bernie Sanders supporter and there 's a good chance an image pops into your mind of someone young , progressive , possibly male .
But what does a Michael Bloomberg fan look like ?
Looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it appears most of Mr Bloomberg 's grassroots supporters skew older .
Pro-Bloomberg groups on social media are run by older-than-middle-aged Americans ; there may be some racial diversity , but little when it comes to age .
A Quinnipiac poll last week found most of the former mayor 's support came from voters aged 50 and up who make over $ 50,000 a year .
Here 's how Mr Bloomberg 's grassroots supporters responded to some of the biggest criticisms against him - and why they say they are all in for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
For New Yorker Laura Wagner , Mr Bloomberg 's money is far from a downside .
`` You have to be a billionaire [ to run ] and then when you are , you 're criticised for it ! ''
she says , adding that most modern US presidents have been very wealthy .
Ms Wagner , a Sotheby 's realty associate and contributing columnist to the Italian and English newspaper La Voce , agrees the money plays a big factor in Mr Bloomberg 's candidacy .
But that , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` All the power to him because he 's using it , in my opinion , so effectively .
He 's not going to be bartering with these big oil companies and organisations , the NRA [ National Rifle Association ] , or trying to appease .
`` Donald Trump would like to be what Michael Bloomberg is in terms of the power , the money . ''
All of the supporters who spoke to the BBC echoed that Mr Bloomberg 's successful business record was a highlight , not a hindrance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City for three terms is pretty close to being president of the United States , '' Ms Wagner adds .
What about 'stop and frisk ' ?
Perhaps the biggest issue from Mr Bloomberg 's mayoral past is this policy , which allowed police to question and search individuals for weapons or illegal items based on extremely vague criteria .
Most people stopped were innocent ; most were black or Latino .
`` Stop , question and frisk '' began under Mayor Rudy Giuliani but peaked under Mr Bloomberg with over 680,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the years since has suggested the random investigative stops did not have a meaningful impact on crime .
This month , audio emerged from 2015 where Mr Bloomberg claimed male minorities perpetrate `` the real crime '' .
He 's since apologised for the policy and `` the impact it had on black and Latino communities '' .
• Bloomberg on tape : All crime is in minority areas • How Bloomberg could shake up 2020 race Sheikh Musa Drammeh , 58 , is a religious leader and community activist who has lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City for the last 30 years .
When asked about the controversial policy , Mr Drammeh emphasised : `` No candidate will ever do as much for the blacks and Latinos as Bloomberg . ''
`` I am black , '' Mr Drammeh continues .
`` Nobody can tell me about the ravages of crime in this city - I know it , I live it , I 'm a victim of it .
`` And Bloomberg did not create stop and frisk , [ but ] Bloomberg 's administration saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise investors , residents , high-earning individuals who will pay taxes to support social services , will leave the city . ''
Mr Drammeh says from what he has seen as an activist working to stop gang violence , people in his neighbourhoods have `` benefitted from stop and frisk '' .
`` It 's not discriminatory , it 's life saving .
The lives that are being saved are black and brown , not white . ''
What makes him the best to take on Trump ?
Carla Shead , a 49-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 'll take another New Yorker to beat Trump . ''
Ms Shead adds that Mr Bloomberg has proven himself by being `` a successful businessman and a successful mayor '' and `` has put his money where his mouth is '' .
`` When I started listening to his ads and what he had to say about building the community and what his plan was to do for the United States - he is everything Trump is n't .
And that to me , is the bottom line . ''
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country have been around for a long time .
Her family is from Mississippi , she says , and many were active participants in the US civil rights movement .
`` America is looking for a saviour right now , '' she says .
`` Trump from the beginning has split the nation and has dredged up old wounds .
`` My family and other African-American families - are vested in this - in seeing the country coming together and I think Mike Bloomberg is doing the exact opposite of what Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key campaign issues ?
• Ban assault-style weapons and implement better background checks for gun purchases • New 5 % wealth tax on annual incomes of over $ 5m What about his comments on women ?
Mr Bloomberg has come under fire for sexist comments he allegedly made in 1990 , including reportedly telling a pregnant employee she should `` kill it '' , which he has denied under oath .
The remarks have prompted comparisons to President Donald Trump .
• How Trump talks about women - and does it matter ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC that he does not see any similarities between these allegations of sexism .
`` I hear a lot of hearsay , '' he says .
`` I know there 's been inflammatory rhetoric but I have n't seen any smoking gun like we did with Donald Trump . ''
`` Just seeing everything he 's done to help people around him , people of colour , women - I take him at him at his word , '' Mr Morin says , adding that Mr Bloomberg has elevated women within his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say he 's trying to hold minorities down , I 'd argue vigorously he 's done the opposite . ''
Mr Morin , who lives in Franklin , Wisconsin , has also attended a number of rallies this election cycle and says while Mr Bloomberg has work to do when it comes to younger voters , he draws a generally diverse crowd .
`` I 'm Hispanic , there 's Asian Americans , African Americans , non-minorities .
It really is a more thoughtful crowd rather than just supporting a person or idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been respectful and that the former mayor answers questions about policies and his past in an upfront way .
`` Once people see that , they realise that this is a man that really has spent the latter parts of his life trying to help everyone have equal access to that American dream . ''
What about his electability ?
Despite his ad buys with Instagram influencers to target younger audiences , Mr Bloomberg 's biggest support base still stems from an older crowd .
But Joe Nicoletti , 53 , who helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` that 's what campaigns are for .
Telling your story and widening your tent . ''
Mr Nicoletti , who lives in Sandy Hook , Connecticut , told the BBC he liked `` the fact that [ Bloomberg ] has been both a Republican and Democrat '' .
And the former mayor 's views , he added , are moderate , and `` more in line with the majority of the country '' .
According to a February Pew Research Center analysis of the candidates ' supporters , Mr Bloomberg 's base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rivals .
Only 29 % describe themselves as liberal with the majority saying they are moderate or conservative .
In this vein , 79 % of Mr Bloomberg 's base say they want a candidate who will work with Republicans and compromise on policies if need be .
`` There 's a reason why Donald Trump and Donald Trump supporters want to face Bernie Sanders in the general election , '' Mr Nicoletti says .
`` Pete Buttigieg is an impressive candidate , but Mike despite the stop and frisk issue has much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He adds that some of the criticism levied at Mr Bloomberg is `` hypocritical '' .
`` When Mike Bloomberg used his money to help flip the house , elect more women candidates , push gun control legislation , and help flip the Virginia house , I do n't remember hearing them complain . ''
Who will take on Trump in 2020 ?
• Find out who else is running and who might join them

"When I started listening to his ads and what he had to say about building the community and what his plan was to do for the United States - he is everything Trump isn't. And that to me, is the bottom line."


bbc--2020-02-18--Plymouth Rock: Mayflower monument covered in graffiti

Plymouth Rock , the monument marking the landing site of the Mayflower in Massachusetts , has been covered in red spray paint , officials confirmed .
The rock is one of several monuments around the Plymouth waterfront found vandalised on Monday morning .
It is unclear if the incident is connected to the 400th anniversary this year .
It is not the first time a monument to the pilgrims has been damaged in the Massachusetts town .
The Mayflower sailed from Plymouth , UK in September 1620 , with 12 `` pilgrim fathers '' bound for a new life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Plymouth '' , Massachusetts on 21 December , at a spot now referred to as Plymouth Rock .
• 'Ghost ship ' washes up on Irish coast after storm The rock is located in Pilgrim Memorial State Park by the waterfront of the US town .
It is a small piece of a larger rock that was in the town at the time the pilgrims settled , according to local media .
Images posted to social media show several sites now covered in red paint including the rock , a pilgrim statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Filson , executive director of See Plymouth said : `` Seeing this type of disrespect for the historic reminders of the Mayflower story is both sad and unsettling .
`` The outpouring of concern and anger over the incident has been a positive ending to a thoughtless gesture , '' she added .
Melissa Arrighi , Plymouth town manager , said on Twitter that she was saddened by the recent vandalism .
Town officials confirmed on Facebook that a clean-up operation is already under way .
However it warned in a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


bbc--2020-02-18--Brit Awards: Red carpet in pictures

Brit Awards: Red carpet in pictures

The 40th Brit Awards is taking place at London 's O2 Arena on Tuesday evening .
The best of Britain 's musical talent and some top international stars have dressed up for the occasion , as ever .
A few of them no doubt are acting up too , if recent history is anything to go by .
• Lewis Capaldi expected to triumph at the Brits Before the prizes were dished out , here 's how they were looking on arrival .
Lewis Capaldi was the main man to watch , as he was up for four awards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Scottish star also performed at the ceremony .
He made some peace signs at photographers as he strolled down the red carpet this evening in a bright blue shirt jacket .
His main competition , in both the fashion and music prize stakes , came from London rapper Dave , whose debut album Psychodrama won last year 's Mercury Prize .
Fun fact : winning album of the year would make the 21-year-old only the second artist , after the Arctic Monkeys , to win both a Brit and Mercury Prize for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dave was up for four awards .
He was looking like a real sharp-shooter in that suit jacket .
Billie Eilish was set to perform her new James Bond theme , No Time to Die , for the first time live at the Brits .
She went almost full Burberry for her arrival and gave the cameras a thousand yard stare that any Bond villain would be proud of .
The 18-year-old was also nominated for best international female , alongside another US pop sensation ... ... And that 's Lizzo , sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dress .
Lizzo and Billie were up against Ariana Grande , Camila Cabello and Lana Del Rey in a crowded field of superstars .
It 's unlikely to faze either of them though , we reckon .
The Brits have been criticised for a lack of diversity this year , with only four women nominated across the four categories open to both male and female artists - best group , best new artist , best song and album of the year .
Stormzy had his cricket whites on tonight , in case an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won Brit awards before and delivered a moment to remember in 2018 , with his rain-drenched bare-chested attack on the government over their response to the Grenfell Tower fire .
The grime MC told Radio 1 's Nick Grimshaw it 's still `` weird '' having his picture taken by loads of photographers .
`` You feel like you 're getting attacked with flashing lights and cameras , '' he said .
`` If you see me on the red carpet , it 's not elegant . ''
Newsbeat reporter Sinead Garvin begged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three awards , including best album - looked and smelled `` delightful '' .
We ca n't confirm or deny that .
Tom Walker arrived in his signature hipster woolly hat rolled up above the ears and his shirt and tie .
He also had his shirt un-tucked so let 's hope the hallway monitors were n't lurking around or he would n't have been let in .
Which would be a shame as his track Just You And I was up for best song .
She made the headlines herself recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties from Caroline Flack , and this week paid tribute to her late friend live on her BBC Radio 5 live show .
BBC Sound of 2020 winner Celeste was channelling her inner Elizabeth Taylor and told BBC Radio 5 Live 's Colin Paterson she was feeling `` incredible '' .
She was in the comfortable position of knowing she 's got the rising star award already in the bag , but was slightly nervier about the prospect of performing her breakthrough track , Strange .
`` This will be the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this many people , '' she said .
We doubt it 'll be the last .
Celeste succeeds Sam Fender , who was named as the one to look out for last year .
This year he was up against the likes of his mate Lewis Capaldi in the best new act category .
He joked he was `` just going to turn up , watch Lewis Capaldi win everything and then go home '' .
The Geordie rocker could well be right but at least he looked good in the pictures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a loose fit , as The Happy Mondays once sang .
Bastille looked like they were in four different bands but somehow strangely pulled it off .
They were up for best British group , against Coldplay , Foals .
Bring Me The Horizon and D-Block Europe .
Newly-bleached blonde singer Dan Smith said they were ready to `` put on our best loser faces '' .
Come on lads , you 'll never win anything with that attitude .
Billie Eilish might be singing about Bond but Aitch could make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do n't you think ?
The north Manchester rapper was up for best new act , which he said he was excited about , despite the fact `` nothing much excites me '' .
He did promise to bring some `` mad bars '' [ lyrics ] to our ears in 2020 though .
Here are some more of the big names on the red carpet , so you have something to hand to your fashion adviser in the morning .
The Brit Awards are on ITV from 20:00 GMT .
Follow us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Image caption,
Joy Crookes, who was nominated for the rising star award, was dressed in a traditional south Asian dress so "young girls can see someone who looks like their mum, their auntie, their gran on the red carpet at the Brits".


bbc--2020-02-18--Caroline Flack death: Will people now 'be kind' in the media and online?

Former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack 's death prompted not just an outpouring of grief , but an overwhelming demand for it to become a turning point for the treatment of celebrities on social media and the press .
The night after hosting her first live edition of The X Factor in 2015 , Caroline Flack was not on a high after reaching another peak in her career .
She was in tears after looking at social media .
`` The reaction was quite overwhelming because I did n't think people would be talking about how I look , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how I laugh , '' she said at the time .
`` Not everyone is going to like you all the time , not everyone is going to think you 're beautiful , but there is a difference between opinion and abuse . ''
Those are words that many celebrities - especially women - will relate to .
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Tuesday , Billie Eilish - fresh from winning five Grammys , recording the new James Bond theme and having the best-selling album of 2019 - revealed she had recently stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruining my life , '' she said .
`` It 's weird , the cooler the things you get to do are , the more people hate you .
It 's crazy .
It 's way worse than it 's ever been right now . ''
Her brother and producing and songwriting partner Finneas O'Connell added : `` You might see someone who 's a 'famous celebrity ' and you might think sticks and stones , nothing I can say is going to actually be potent to them .
But it all is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson , Brit Award winner Dua Lipa and former Girls Aloud star and The Masked Singer champion Nicola Roberts are a few others who have spoken about the impact of trolling .
`` There has to be a line , '' Roberts told BBC News on Monday .
`` There is a culture of a slight witch hunt that happens and social media certainly can prove to be toxic at times .
`` I think it would be great if we could eliminate those elements within society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny in the search for explanations and blame since Flack 's suicide on Saturday at the age of 40 - as have the mainstream media , and the Crown Prosecution Service ( CPS ) for pressing ahead with a trial after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend .
At her last hearing , on 23 December , where she pleaded not guilty , the TV presenter seemed to be struggling with the media attention and courtroom pressure .
The following day - Christmas Eve - she wrote on Instagram that `` this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to take on for one person to take on their own '' .
No-one will really know what Flack was thinking , and the reasons for any suicide are usually numerous and complex .
As well as the attention , Flack had lost her job on Love Island , having stood down after being charged ; been banned from contacting her boyfriend by the court ; and was facing trial for domestic abuse .
• Caroline Flack : Who decides if someone should face trial ?
The loudest refrain after her death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , especially on social media .
Laura Whitmore , who replaced Flack on Love Island , appealed to listeners on her BBC Radio 5 Live show `` be kind '' to others , and added : `` To paparazzi and tabloids looking for a cheap sell , to trolls hiding behind a keyboard - enough . ''
Whitmore added : `` I 'm not going to pretend she was perfect , but is anyone ?
She lived every mistake publicly , under the scrutiny of the media . ''
Comedian Russell Brand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I am angry because I have watched this play out before with vulnerable people in the public eye and I would like to slay with some righteous sword the salacious , foaming , incessant poking , trolling judgment that chased her to the grave , '' he wrote .
A petition calling for `` Caroline 's Law '' , which would make it an offence for the media to `` knowingly and relentlessly bully a person '' , has reached 700,000 signatures at the time of writing .
Brand said he admired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But the media is made up of people , the world of celebrity is made up of people , social media is made up of people .
All culture , all values pass through the consciousness of individuals and collectives , '' he wrote .
`` If we want the world to change , for less people to die in pain and shame then we should pause before we next vent a pleasurable stab of vindictive judgment or jeering condemnation . ''
Asked how long the spirit of kindness might last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who chairs the Mayor of London 's Violence Against Women and Girls Board , replied : `` It lasts for about 10 minutes usually , does n't it ? ''
Women like Flack attract a different kind of media attention than men , Smith told BBC Radio 4 's Woman 's Hour , noting that the presenter 's legal case had put her under an intense spotlight .
`` That kind of attention for somebody who is fragile is really frightening , '' she said .
`` I think part of the problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case-by-case basis .
'That 's really awful .
Something ought to happen . '
And then it all dies down again . ''
She added : `` But we did actually have an inquiry , The Leveson Inquiry , which I myself gave evidence to , and whatever happened to that ? ''
The 2011 and 2012 inquiry investigated the conduct of the press after the phone-hacking scandal , but the second part of the inquiry was scrapped by the government , and a new system of self-regulation was set up .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's not independent , it 's too much influenced by newspaper editors .
And I still think that 's the case , '' Smith said .
'We are feeding the monster' Labour MP Jo Stevens , who sits on the House of Commons Culture , Media and Sport select committee , said the second part of the Leveson Inquiry `` would have looked at precisely the role of newspapers in reporting on this sort of activity '' .
Her committee will `` want to look at '' what was said about Flack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she told BBC Radio 5 Live .
`` And we also need to look at ourselves and how we behave .
`` Because these stories that are written online , every time someone clicks on a story to read about it , salacious gossip stories about celebrities and personalities , we are feeding that monster because it is creating revenue for the websites . ''
But former Sunday Mirror editor Paul Connew said most of the coverage of Flack 's case had been based on facts in the public domain , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` She 's lived her life on the social media platform and in a way , once that 's in the public domain , you ca n't blame the mainstream media for focusing on it , '' he said .
`` But the mainstream media have n't adopted the sort of approach that 's taken place on social media , on the Wild West of cyberspace , where people can be as abusive and cruel and wildly inaccurate as they like because they are hiding in nearly all cases behind anonymity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents newspaper editors , said it was `` wrong to blame the media '' for Flack 's death `` without knowing the facts '' .
It cites Samaritans guidance , which states that speculation over the `` triggers '' can often `` oversimplify '' the `` complex realities of suicide . ''
In a statement , the society said : `` It is also wrong for politicians to use her tragic death as a means to attack the media and call for changes in the ways politicians themselves are reported . ''
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decision to pursue the assault case against Flack `` were in the public domain and should be covered '' .
`` To believe that by silencing mainstream media on such matters would prevent speculation on social media where rumour and accusations run unchecked by the regulations the media adheres to , is both naive and dangerous , '' it said .
PM : Social media firms 'must go further' There have been calls for tighter regulation of social media in the wake of the star 's death , with suggestions for measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who signs up to provide ID and a photo .
That would go further than proposals contained in a proposed new law to counter `` online harms '' , under which regulator Ofcom will `` set out steps that should be taken to tackle cyberbullying '' .
Responding to Flack 's death on Monday , a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said : `` The industry must continue their efforts to go further .
We expect them to have robust processes in place for removing content breaching their acceptable use policies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Center for Countering Digital Hate , published a report suggesting celebrities should respond to trolls by ignoring and blocking them .
• More powers for Ofcom to police social media firms • Are other countries tougher on social media firms ?
On Monday , broadcaster and former Big Brother contestant Andy West said : `` When we 're talking about practical solutions , if you 're finding social media difficult and it 's getting you down - and Lord knows it gets me down almost every day - try and control yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that by getting involved in the nastiness , and take your own personal responsibility .
`` But I absolutely agree that we 've reached a point now where , to earn your voice on social media , you have to prove you are who you say you are , and you have to be willing to stand by your words .
`` I would go further and say you have to have a photograph that you can have verified . ''
Monica Shafaq , chief executive of health and wellbeing charity The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delete their accounts .
Make people verified , for example , before they can actually start using Twitter .
`` There has to be some control in place because people are losing their lives as a result .
It 's not a joke .
`` Caroline 's not the first person to be a victim of this , and sadly she wo n't be the last until we make some significant changes . ''
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ @ @

Her brother and producing and songwriting partner Finneas O'Connell added: "You might see someone who's a 'famous celebrity' and you might think sticks and stones, nothing I can say is going to actually be potent to them. But it all is. It's all very equal online."


bbc--2020-02-18--Coronavirus: What could it mean for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

With the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo just over five months away , and coronavirus continuing to cause havoc for the sporting calendar , attention has turned to how the Olympics might be impacted .
BBC Sport 's Laura Scott has spoken to health experts , athletes and specialists , including major events underwriters , on the various factors at play and contingency plans .
The effects of coronavirus on sport are beginning to be felt by all , including by the athletes themselves .
Just last week , Jamaica 's double Olympic sprint champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce competed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave her young son at home .
`` That is one of the reasons I actually did n't bring my son with me to Glasgow because I did n't want him travelling because I do n't know what is happening right now , '' she told BBC Sport after winning the 60m .
Meanwhile , Britain 's Katarina Johnson-Thompson , who is one of Team GB 's top medal hopefuls after winning heptathlon gold at the World Championships , said she was `` lucky '' she had n't planned her winter training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which were due to be in Nanjing , China next month but have been postponed until next year .
`` Hopefully it [ coronavirus ] will clear up by Tokyo because a lot of athletes have put four years ' worth of prep into this , '' she added .
Tokyo 2020 organisers , the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) and International Paralympic Committee ( IPC ) have insisted cancellation is not being considered .
Last week , John Coates , the head of an IOC inspection team , said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track . ''
Dr Brian McCloskey , former public health director for London 2012 , agreed it is not necessary for cancellation to be on the cards at this stage .
`` It is important to remember there was a huge clamour for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to be cancelled because of the Zika virus outbreak , but those Games went ahead without any problem , '' said McCloskey .
`` And the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 were during the 2009 pandemic flu season and again they went ahead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country hosting or for other countries around the world .
`` So there is good precedent for saying these things can be done safely during a public health emergency but obviously it is important to keep the risks under review . ''
McCloskey said he had been told the first case of coronavirus in Tokyo was detected by the surveillance system set up as part of Olympics planning .
`` The system we put in place in London to ensure we could detect an unusual disease outbreak happening was something we shared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health in Tokyo , '' he said .
On whether there will be a deadline to make a decision , McCloskey said : `` Essentially they can make the decision any time they like up until the day of the opening ceremony , but in reality teams will be coming into Japan for their training camps from several months before the Games start .
`` I think by that stage it is unlikely people will want to change their mind after the teams have arrived in the country . ''
• Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much would cancellation of the Olympics cost ?
No Olympics has ever been cancelled or postponed due to anything other than war .
To do so for a virus would be unprecedented .
However , communicable diseases would form part of the insurance policy for Tokyo 2020 , at a premium of about £300m .
A leading Lloyd 's of London underwriter told BBC Sport : `` While a normal event cancellation policy might have a very specific exclusion with regards to communicable disease , normally when you buy a policy for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease exclusion .
`` So theoretically , if the Tokyo Games were cancelled due to coronavirus , and whether or not that is because they suddenly ca n't allow any Chinese athletes to attend and that is unacceptable , or if we just simply have a continued spread and it is decided that it is just not right and safe to continue with the Games , then the policy would be triggered . ''
Asked about how much the organisers may have paid to insure the Games , they said : `` A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , but you can pay anything from 1.5 % to maybe 3 % on the actual sum insured . ''
Given the Tokyo 2020 organisers recently said their budget was £9.7bn , if the premium was 3 % of the sum insured it would have cost £291m .
While the organisers would typically insure to cover lost revenue from ticket sales , the IOC may have also taken out its own insurance to cover sponsorship and broadcasting revenue .
Reports from London 2012 show that at this stage in the build-up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance system .
Health Protection Agency ( HPA ) documents show that between January and May 2012 there was a `` requirement for exception reporting so any significant issues that might affect the delivery of the Games would be reported .
In addition the HPA was looking at information received from athletes ' training camps '' .
The surveillance system involved collaboration with 200 countries and picked up `` routine infections , such as norovirus in several athletic teams '' before they got to the athletes ' village and `` chickenpox among crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Contingency plans included the ability to quarantine each team when they arrived at the athletes ' village .
Experts predict a similar arrangement would be possible in Tokyo , with the potential to screen athletes for coronavirus .
Tokyo will be 33-year-old Fraser-Pryce 's fourth and final Olympics .
`` I 'm hoping this situation will be cleared soon enough so we can all get back to not worrying and travelling , '' she said .
`` It definitely puts a dampener on a lot of things that are happening in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will settle down and go back to normal . ''
Landmark events like the torch relay - which begins in Greece on 12 March before the 'grand start ' in Japan on 26 March - and crucial team holding camps may yet be impacted by this global health emergency .
With several years ' worth of planning having gone into Tokyo 2020 , from organisers and athletes alike , there is widespread hope - and confidence from experts - that it can continue `` on track '' as the countdown to the opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics run from 24 July to 9 August
With the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo just over five months away, and coronavirus continuing to cause havoc for the sporting calendar, attention has turned to how the Olympics might be impacted.
BBC Sport's Laura Scott has spoken to health experts, athletes and specialists, including major events underwriters, on the various factors at play and contingency plans.
The effects of coronavirus on sport are beginning to be felt by all, including by the athletes themselves.
Just last week, Jamaica's double Olympic sprint champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce competed at the Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow but decided to leave her young son at home.
"That is one of the reasons I actually didn't bring my son with me to Glasgow because I didn't want him travelling because I don't know what is happening right now," she told BBC Sport after winning the 60m.
Meanwhile, Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who is one of Team GB's top medal hopefuls after winning heptathlon gold at the World Championships, said she was "lucky" she hadn't planned her winter training around the World Indoor Athletics Championships, which were due to be in Nanjing, China next month but have been postponed until next year.
"Hopefully it [coronavirus] will clear up by Tokyo because a lot of athletes have put four years' worth of prep into this," she added.
Tokyo 2020 organisers, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have insisted cancellation is not being considered.
Last week, John Coates, the head of an IOC inspection team, said: "We can confirm Tokyo 2020 remains on track."
Dr Brian McCloskey, former public health director for London 2012, agreed it is not necessary for cancellation to be on the cards at this stage.
"It is important to remember there was a huge clamour for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to be cancelled because of the Zika virus outbreak, but those Games went ahead without any problem," said McCloskey.
"And the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 were during the 2009 pandemic flu season and again they went ahead and created no particular problems either for the country hosting or for other countries around the world.
"So there is good precedent for saying these things can be done safely during a public health emergency but obviously it is important to keep the risks under review."
McCloskey said he had been told the first case of coronavirus in Tokyo was detected by the surveillance system set up as part of Olympics planning.
"The system we put in place in London to ensure we could detect an unusual disease outbreak happening was something we shared with the Japanese organising committee and the ministry of health in Tokyo," he said.
On whether there will be a deadline to make a decision, McCloskey said: "Essentially they can make the decision any time they like up until the day of the opening ceremony, but in reality teams will be coming into Japan for their training camps from several months before the Games start.
"I think by that stage it is unlikely people will want to change their mind after the teams have arrived in the country."
How much would cancellation of the Olympics cost?
No Olympics has ever been cancelled or postponed due to anything other than war. To do so for a virus would be unprecedented.
However, communicable diseases would form part of the insurance policy for Tokyo 2020, at a premium of about £300m.
A leading Lloyd's of London underwriter told BBC Sport: "While a normal event cancellation policy might have a very specific exclusion with regards to communicable disease, normally when you buy a policy for an Olympics you won't have a communicable disease exclusion.
"So theoretically, if the Tokyo Games were cancelled due to coronavirus, and whether or not that is because they suddenly can't allow any Chinese athletes to attend and that is unacceptable, or if we just simply have a continued spread and it is decided that it is just not right and safe to continue with the Games, then the policy would be triggered."
Asked about how much the organisers may have paid to insure the Games, they said: "A rate will depend on where the Olympics are, but you can pay anything from 1.5% to maybe 3% on the actual sum insured."
Given the Tokyo 2020 organisers recently said their budget was £9.7bn, if the premium was 3% of the sum insured it would have cost £291m.
While the organisers would typically insure to cover lost revenue from ticket sales, the IOC may have also taken out its own insurance to cover sponsorship and broadcasting revenue.
Reports from London 2012 show that at this stage in the build-up, reporting was under way within the disease surveillance system.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) documents show that between January and May 2012 there was a "requirement for exception reporting so any significant issues that might affect the delivery of the Games would be reported. In addition the HPA was looking at information received from athletes' training camps".
The surveillance system involved collaboration with 200 countries and picked up "routine infections, such as norovirus in several athletic teams" before they got to the athletes' village and "chickenpox among crew on a floating hotel for Games-related staff".
Contingency plans included the ability to quarantine each team when they arrived at the athletes' village.
Experts predict a similar arrangement would be possible in Tokyo, with the potential to screen athletes for coronavirus.
Tokyo will be 33-year-old Fraser-Pryce's fourth and final Olympics.
"I'm hoping this situation will be cleared soon enough so we can all get back to not worrying and travelling," she said.
"It definitely puts a dampener on a lot of things that are happening in the world so we're hoping things will settle down and go back to normal."
Landmark events like the torch relay - which begins in Greece on 12 March before the 'grand start' in Japan on 26 March - and crucial team holding camps may yet be impacted by this global health emergency.
With several years' worth of planning having gone into Tokyo 2020, from organisers and athletes alike, there is widespread hope - and confidence from experts - that it can continue "on track" as the countdown to the opening ceremony on 24 July ticks on.


bbc--2020-02-18--Boy Scouts: A wholesome US institution poisoned by predators

The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) - one of the largest youth organisations in the US - has filed for bankruptcy amid an avalanche of sexual abuse allegations .
The century-old group became as American as the Norman Rockwell paintings that immortalise their three-fingered salutes .
But its considerable membership - 2.4 million youth participants - is about half what it was in the 1970s , a decline that tracks mounting scrutiny surrounding the Scouts .
So what is behind the rise - and fall - of this American institution ?
Founded in 1910 , the non-profit claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country .
According to BSA , more than 130 million young people have participated in Scouts programmes since its inception .
It boasts famous alumni like ex-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates .
Considered a bastion of traditional American values , the BSA 's self-declared `` foundation of scouting '' includes an oath to fulfil one 's `` duty to God and my country '' , with a mission to `` prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices '' .
But behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paedophile ring on earth '' , a lawyer representing alleged victims said last year .
The BSA has been beset with a deluge of sexual misconduct allegations .
In February 2019 , as reports emerged that BSA was considering filing for bankruptcy , the Abused in Scouting group used television ads to reach Boy Scouts across the country and found nearly 2,000 people with complaints , including one in every state , according to the New York Times .
The organisation now faces hundreds of claims directed at nearly 8,000 Boy Scout leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new .
A 1935 article in the New York Times detailed files on hundreds of people , labelled as `` degenerates '' who had served as leaders with BSA .
The organisation says its transition to bankruptcy is intended to build compensation for victims of sex abuse .
`` The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologises to anyone who was harmed during their time in scouting .
We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programmes to harm innocent children , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered , we believe the Chapter 11 process ... will provide equitable compensation , '' he said .
But critics say the organisation has been negligent in addressing a culture of abuse , many pointing to more than 20,000 documents released by a state court in 2012 - initially concealed by BSA - which name more than 1,000 banned volunteers , and show that the Scouts had identified and monitored known abusers , without consistently reporting them to parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sex crimes may hinder some older cases from being pursued .
But amid other high-profile abuse scandals , like those in USA Gymnastics and the Catholic Church , some states like New York and New Jersey have amended their laws to allow old cases to be brought forward .
BSA 's liability could be substantial .
In a 2010 landmark case in Portland , Oregon , a jury held the organisation liable for $ 18.5m ( £17m ) .

But critics say the organisation has been negligent in addressing a culture of abuse, many pointing to more than 20,000 documents released by a state court in 2012 - initially concealed by BSA - which name more than 1,000 banned volunteers, and show that the Scouts had identified and monitored known abusers, without consistently reporting them to parents or the authorities.


bbc--2020-02-18--Nasa's 2020 rover: Can we finally answer the big question about Mars?

Exactly a year from now , a capsule will come hurtling through the atmosphere of Mars with the Americans ' next big rover .
If it survives the `` seven minutes of terror '' that describe its descent to the surface , the new robot promises a very different mission to all those that have gone before it .
Because although Mars 2020 ( a new name is coming ) looks like a simple copy of the Curiosity vehicle of 2012 , its goals take a decisive turn towards answering the most fundamental of questions : is there - or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Red Planet ?
Recent investigations have concentrated on characterising the `` habitability '' of Mars .
That 's to say , these prior missions asked only if past conditions were conducive to biology .
A less direct approach .
Mars 2020 , on the other hand , will be engaged in an explicit hunt for life 's traces .
Undeniably it 'll be a difficult quest .
Evidence for life on the early Earth always attracts a degree of scepticism , even controversy , and laboratory equipment the size of a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a claim .
So how will people react if a rover finds something intriguing imprinted in billions-of-years-old rock on another planet ?
2020 mission scientist Jim Bell from Arizona State University is candid in his response : `` We can make a claim about a biosignature , but it 's not clear to me anyone would believe us , '' he said .
`` So , let 's bring the samples back .
So if those extraordinary claims are made , they can be verified . ''
This then is the strategy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cache it for later return to one of those big Earth laboratories .
The rover will trundle across equatorial Jezero Crater seeking out rocks that look as though they might have been laid down in the presence of biology .
The best examples will be drilled and sealed in small tubes the size of whiteboard markers .
These canisters will then be placed on the surface for a later mission to pick up and take home .
But what would putative biosignatures look like ?
A good example , says Katie Stack Morgan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dome-like structures associated with ancient communities of microbes .
On Earth we know such structures as stromatolites , which form at the edges of salty lakes and lagoons .
It 's all about recognising tell-tale patterns , textures , and chemical compositions , the deputy project scientist told BBC News : `` What [ these microbes ] leave behind in the rock record are very thin layers , but with concentrations of particular elements or organics at those repeated intervals that represent the ancient fossilised microbial mat .
So as those mats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so we 're looking for those fine laminations with concentrations of organics or certain elements that would n't be expected if these things were just abiotic , or did n't involve life . ''
When Curiosity landed in Gale Crater in 2012 , scientists were uncertain about its history , how the mountain at its centre formed and what sort of influence water may have played in the evolution of the deep depression .
Jezero carries far more certainty .
Satellite pictures clearly illustrate the outline of a once great lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enticing is the sliver of carbonate rocks that seem to mark what would have been the palaeo-lake 's shoreline .
`` When we think of carbonates on Earth , we think of reefs and we think of shallow warm water , '' said Dr Stack Morgan .
`` We do n't know that we 're going to find reefs on Mars but we do think with these shallow waters where carbonates were precipitated , it could be that we had organisms that were making use of that carbonate just like we have here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Curiosity has astonished us with its discoveries of river-worn pebbles and lake muds that point to periods of abundant water moving across Mars early in its history .
But the veteran rover 's instrumentation - frustratingly - can only grasp a course , or bulk , view of the chemistry that persisted at the time .
It must crush up its samples before testing them .
2020 , alternatively , will carry instruments that will be able to examine a rock 's fine-scale textures while at the same time mapping the detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everything about Mars 2020 should be regarded as a step up on what 's gone before , believes Dr Bell .
The Arizona scientist is leading on the main camera system that sits atop the rover 's mast .
`` They look like the MastCams on Curiosity ; they 're in the same place .
But unlike the Curiosity cameras , ours will zoom from wideangle all the way to telephoto .
So , we 'll collect a lot more stereo and 3D data .
All that was possible with Curiosity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We also have microphones .
We 're hopeful that we 'll be able to capture some of the sounds of entry , descent and landing ; and some of the sounds of driving around , merging that sound with the video that we can take . ''
The rover has recently arrived at Nasa 's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its final preparations for launch .
This will take place between 17 July and 5 August .
It 's a seven-month cruise to the Red Planet .
Engineers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GMT on Thursday , 18 February , 2021 .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

It's all about recognising tell-tale patterns, textures, and chemical compositions, the deputy project scientist told BBC News: "What [these microbes] leave behind in the rock record are very thin layers, but with concentrations of particular elements or organics at those repeated intervals that represent the ancient fossilised microbial mat. So as those mats grow, they basically form the rock. And so we're looking for those fine laminations with concentrations of organics or certain elements that wouldn't be expected if these things were just abiotic, or didn't involve life."


bbc--2020-02-18--Syria: Who's in control of Idlib?

Syria: Who's in control of Idlib?

The northern Syrian province of Idlib is the last remaining stronghold controlled by forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad .
Syrian government forces have been pushing into rebel-held territory with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian airstrikes .
Dozens of towns and villages have been captured by Syrian forces including a key strategic highway , the main economic artery through Syria from north to south , linking Damascus , Homs and Aleppo .
According to the UN , as many as 900,000 people , mostly women and children , have been displaced since the escalation of violence in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Idlib matters • Why is there a war in Syria ?
The fighting has led to the collapse of a fragile cease-fire brokered in 2018 by Turkey , Iran and Russia .
Turkey supports the Syrian rebels , while Russia backs the Syrian government 's campaign to retake the area .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to drive back Syrian troops already in Idlib province unless they withdraw by the end of February .
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , a UK-based war monitor , said 1,240 Turkish military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with around 5,000 soldiers .
Idlib has been controlled by a number of rival opposition factions since government forces lost control of the province in 2015 .
The main armed groups operating there are : In January 2019 , Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) , an alliance of jihadists groups , launched a large-scale offensive against rival rebel groups in the area .
HTS has now become one of the strongest militant groups in northern Syria .
It largely controls Idlib province , including the provincial capital and the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HTS is the latest incarnation of al-Nusra Front , which was al-Qaeda 's official affiliate in Syria .
In 2016 , al-Nusra Front declared that it had severed formal ties with the al-Qaeda network and renamed itself Jabhat Fateh al-Sham .
The following year , it merged with several small jihadist groups fighting in Syria and formed HTS .
Although HTS insists it is independent and not linked to an external entity , the UN , US and Turkey consider it a group associated with al-Qaeda and list it as a terrorist organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerical estimates , Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi , an independent analyst , says he believes HTS is the biggest group , which still controls large parts of Idlib province , carries out most of the fighting against government forces and has between 15,000 to 20,000 fighters .
`` HTS has also set up and backed a civilian administration in the area - the Salvation Government- that has thousands of employees , '' Al-Tamimi says .
In a report published in January , the UN gave a slightly lower estimate of between 12,000 and 15,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including many foreigners .
This report says that there are an additional 3,500 to 5,000 fighters affiliated with the Hurras al-Din group .
Syrian government supporters say the numbers are significantly higher .
Pro-government politician , Fares Shehabi , told us that he believes there are there are as many as 100,000 HTS fighters in Idlib .
He says HTS is affiliated to al-Qaeda despite its denials .
`` They carry al-Qaeda flags , they practise al-Qaeda methods , '' he said The other significant force is the National Liberation Front ( NLF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by rebel factions wanting to counter HTS .
It is a Turkish-backed alliance that includes hardline Islamist groups like Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Sham , as well as several groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army ( FSA ) - a force considered more `` moderate '' by Western powers .
In October NLF merged with other rebel groups in northern Syria and rebranded itself to become part of the Syrian National Army ( SNA ) under the command of the Syrian Interim Government 's ( SIG ) Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow with the US-based research group The Century Foundation , says the NLF `` is still the same group of Idlib-based factions as before the SNA rebranding '' , noting that the alliance is held together by Turkish leadership , as well as Turkish money , weapons and supplies .
`` They 're clearly a weaker force than HTS , '' according to Lund .
`` They lack the cohesion , logistics , and organization of that group , and they are not as well armed .
However , they add some manpower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be key to what happens next in Idlib , '' he says .
According to a report by the US Department of Defense released in February , the `` Turkish-supported opposition likely consists of between 22,000 and 50,000 fighters from more than 30 different groups . ''
There are other groups as well .
One is Hurras al-Din ( Guardians of Religion ) , a splinter group from HTS that is widely believed to be al-Qaeda 's new affiliate in Syria .
Hurras al-Din is largely made up of HTS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far found it difficult to set aside their differences and work together beyond occasional , limited collaboration .
There are also many foreign jihadists in Idlib , many of whom are fighting for groups associated with al-Qaeda .
The Turkistan Islamic Party ( TIP ) is a group of Uighur fighters , who mostly fight alongside HTS .
The Uighurs - a Muslim ethnic minority primarily based in China 's Xinjiang province - established a presence in northern Syria in the early years of the civil war .
There are also the predominantly-Uzbek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aligned with HTS , and the Imam al-Bukhari Brigade .
`` We believe there are about 30-40,000 foreign fighters mainly Uighur , Tajik , Uzbek , Turks , and others from 103 nationalities - many with their migrated families , '' says Syrian MP Fares Shehabi .
But Raffaello Pantucci , of the UK-based security think tank the Royal United Services Institute , believes this number is too high .
`` They and their families may not number more than several thousand , '' he says .
There are also believed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chechens and Uzbeks , although the numbers are likely to be smaller .
A major concern now is for the civilians living in Idlib .
The UN estimates it is home to 3 million people , including 1 million children .
More than 40 % of these come from other areas previously held by opposition forces .
The UN says the air and ground attacks in Idlib have been causing both `` massive waves '' of displacement and `` major loss of civilian life '' .
At least 1,710 civilians have been killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the escalation of the conflict in northwest Syria in April 2019 .

"They're clearly a weaker force than HTS," according to Lund. "They lack the cohesion, logistics, and organization of that group, and they are not as well armed. However, they add some manpower and are closer to Turkey whose role is going to be key to what happens next in Idlib," he says.