bbc--2020-09-23--Tommy DeVito: Four Seasons founding member dies aged 92

Tommy DeVito , a founding member of US pop group the Four Seasons , has died aged 92 after contracting Covid-19 .
His death was announced by two other founding members of the group , Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio , who said he `` would be missed by all who loved him '' .
DeVito teamed up with Valli in 1956 and four years later they formed the Four Seasons with Gaudio and Nick Massi .
Their hits included Oh What a Night , Sherry , Big Girls Do n't Cry and Walk Like a Man .
DeVito , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the band , quit in 1970 saying he was tired of touring .
The Four Seasons were one of the most successful `` doo-wop '' bands of the 1960s and their story formed the inspiration for the award-winning musical Jersey Boys .
After breaking through in the '60s with pop hits , they had an unsuccessful attempt at psychedelic pop , and then moved on to a more Motown sound - which eventually led to Valli enjoying a solo career .
DeVito , who was born in Belleville , New Jersey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being admitted to hospital with coronavirus , Variety reported .
A friend , Alfredo Nittoli , posted on Facebook on Tuesday : `` My dear friend Tommy passed away in Las Vegas at 9:45 last night .
With deep regret I am writing this sitting in his living room .
I was informed by his daughter Darcel there will be a service in New Jersey . ''
DeVito and Valli began performing together in a group called the Four Lovers which then , with Gaudio and Massi onboard , changed into the Four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to enjoy a string of hits .
DeVito was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Four Seasons were inducted into the hall in 1990 .
Nick Massi died in 2000 at the age of 73 .

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bbc--2020-09-23--Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to gradually resume Umra pilgrimage

Saudi Arabia is to gradually resume a Muslim pilgrimage which has been suspended for seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic .
From 4 October , up to 6,000 Saudi citizens and residents will be allowed to undertake the Umra each day .
Pilgrims from countries deemed safe will be permitted from 1 November , when the daily capacity will rise to 20,000 .
The Umra is an extra , optional pilgrimage that can be undertaken any time of the year .
Although it includes some of the rituals of the most important pilgrimage , the Hajj , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Hajj is a journey that every adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able .
This year , Saudi Arabia allowed only a few thousand people living in the kingdom to undertake the Hajj .
It usually attracts about two million Muslims from across the world .
The upcoming 20,000 daily limit on pilgrims undertaking the Umra will remain in place `` until the official announcement of the end of the Covid-19 pandemic or the disappearance of the danger '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interior ministry source as saying '' The arrival of Umra performers and visitors from outside the kingdom shall be gradual from the countries that are free from health risks related to the coronavirus pandemic , '' the person said .
Pilgrims will be asked to adhere to preventative measures and health guidelines , including wearing face masks , practising social distancing , and avoiding physical contact , the news agency reported .
Saudi Arabia has reported more than 330,000 cases of Covid-19 in total and 4,542 deaths .

The upcoming 20,000 daily limit on pilgrims undertaking the Umra will remain in place "until the official announcement of the end of the Covid-19 pandemic or the disappearance of the danger", the state-run Saudi Press Agency cited an interior ministry source as saying.


bbc--2020-09-23--China 'coercing' thousands of Tibetans into mass labour camps - report

China is coercing hundreds of thousands of people in Tibet into military-style training centres that experts say are akin to labour camps , a study has said .
The report by the Jamestown Foundation is based on state media reports , policy documents and satellite imagery which Reuters news agency has corroborated .
The study also compares the situation to what has been documented among ethnic Uighurs in the Xinjiang region .
Chinese authorities have not yet commented on the findings .
The push to retrain rural workers is closely linked to President Xi Jinping 's vow to eliminate poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly-Buddhist Tibet is governed as an autonomous region of China , which is accused of suppressing cultural and religious freedom there .
Beijing says it is fostering progress and development in the Himalayan region .
Tibet 's president-in-exile Lobsang Sangay has been among those who have previously alleged that Tibetan people are being forced into labour camps and training centres for `` education '' .
However , the scale of the programme as detailed in this study indicates it is much larger than previously thought .
What are the findings of the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zenz , an independent Tibet and Xinjiang researcher , says that 500,000 people , mostly subsistence farmers and herders , were trained in the first seven months of 2020 and authorities have set quotas for the mass transfer of those workers within Tibet and to other parts of China .
According to Chinese government plans that have been cited , the training schemes are to develop `` work discipline , Chinese language and work ethics '' .
It adds that the aim is to change `` ca n't do , do n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do '' attitudes toward work , while also calling for `` unspecified measures to effectively eliminate 'lazy people ' . ''
The study adds the training programmes lead to most of the workers ending up in low paid jobs , including in textile manufacturing , construction and agriculture .
`` In the context of Beijing 's increasingly assimilatory ethnic minority policy , it is likely that these policies will promote a long-term loss of linguistic , cultural and spiritual heritage , '' it warns .
What are the comparisons to Xinjiang ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labour schemes in the troubled Xinjiang province where Chinese authorities are accused of the mass detention of the mostly Muslim Uighur population .
`` In both Xinjiang and Tibet , state-mandated poverty alleviation consists of a top-down scheme that extends the government 's social control deep into family units , '' it says .
In Xinjiang , China is accused of arbitrarily detaining hundreds of thousands of Muslims - while Beijing says the camps are vocational schools needed to combat terrorism and religious extremism .
However , the Jamestown study stresses that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially less coercive '' , with some Tibetans voluntarily participating and seeing their incomes increasing as a result .
Despite these differences to Xinjiang , the report concludes that `` the systemic presence of clear indicators of coercion and indoctrination , coupled with profound and potentially permanent change in modes of livelihood , is highly problematic '' .

The report, authored by Adrian Zenz, an independent Tibet and Xinjiang researcher, says that 500,000 people, mostly subsistence farmers and herders, were trained in the first seven months of 2020 and authorities have set quotas for the mass transfer of those workers within Tibet and to other parts of China.


bbc--2020-09-23--Nike to make Australia away football kit in female sizes 'by 2021'

Australia 's football authority has announced that replicas of the national team 's away shirt will be available in women 's sizes , after a fan backlash .
New kits for the women 's and men 's football teams , created by Nike , were unveiled last week .
Football Federation Australia ( FFA ) said on Wednesday the kits would now be ready for supporters `` in early 2021 . ''
The football body added that it would ensure `` future processes are aligned with the organisation 's broader vision and mission for the sport '' .
Manufacturer Nike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was `` committed to women 's football and serving our female athletes and consumers '' .
Last week 's news prompted outcry from fans and players .
Australian national player Elise Kellond-Knight wrote on Twitter the lack of women 's sizes was `` a fairly significant problem '' .
But the latest announcement has been welcomed by prominent figures in Australian football , including Moya Dodd , a former vice-captain of the national team .
Australia 's women 's football team , known as The Matildas , are currently ranked seventh in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck a historic deal with the FFA which means the top male and female players are on the same pay scale .
However the men are likely to keep earning more due to the greater prize money on offer at their matches .
They also now receive identical training conditions and other entitlements , such as business air travel , which had previously only been afforded to the lower-ranked men 's team .
Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the next Women 's World Cup tournament in 2023 .

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bbc--2020-09-23--Europe migration: EU plans mandatory pact to 'rebuild trust'

The European Union has called for a compulsory system across the bloc to manage migration , after years of division over how to respond to a big influx of migrants and refugees .
The recent fires that destroyed the Moria camp in Greece , housing more than 12,500 migrants and refugees , was `` a stark reminder we need to find sustainable solutions , '' she added .
Ever since the influx of over a million migrants and refugees in 2015 , mainly via Italy and Greece , the EU 's 27 states have been divided over how to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attracted criticism .
Italy and Greece have accused wealthier northern countries of failing to do enough , but a number of Central and Eastern European nations have been openly resistant to the idea of taking in a quota of migrants .
The new pact , which has been pushed most strongly by German Chancellor Angela Merkel , proposes a `` fair sharing of responsibility and solidarity between member states while providing certainty for individual applicants '' .
There would be : EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said she guessed that not one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the pact , `` but I think we would have 27 member states and parliament that would say it 's worth working on this '' .
The new pact is also designed to replace the ageing Dublin rule , which requires asylum claims to be handled in the EU country where the applicant first enters the system .
Of all the problems that have beset the European Union none is more chronic or more corrosive than migration .
The search for solutions began even before the upheaval of 2015 saw a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the bloc 's shores .
And the 2016 deal under which Turkey agreed to hold back part of that tide of humanity in return for substantial cash payments is now showing signs of strain .
That leaves the EU countries where migrants first land - notably Greece and Italy - bearing the bulk of the burden .
But Poland and Hungary have resolutely resisted plans for mandatory sharing in the past .
It 's unlikely that money or EU plans for quicker processing of asylum claims will change their views .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` no-one will be satisfied '' with these new measures , she is highlighting the compromise she has to strike between humanitarian duty and political reality .
The new pact , which has been pushed most strongly by German Chancellor Angela Merkel , has been brought forward following the fires at the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos .
The number of people arriving on Europe 's shores seeking refuge is down to about 55,000 so far this year and Ms Johansson made clear the situation was now very different .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrivals and the majority were refugees , '' she said .
The numbers were far lower now and refugees were in the minority .

The number of people arriving on Europe's shores seeking refuge is down to about 55,000 so far this year and Ms Johansson made clear the situation was now very different. "In 2015 we had 1.8 million irregular arrivals and the majority were refugees," she said. The numbers were far lower now and refugees were in the minority.


bbc--2020-09-22--UK lockdown seen from above

UK lockdown seen from above

Chris Gorman 's drone photos have revealed extraordinary scenes during the UK lockdown , with many of his images used in the media .
With 25 years photographic experience , Gorman captured the scale of the unfolding coronavirus story , with a number of his photos being used in national newspapers and international publications .
`` In the days leading up to the full lockdown , every day provided a new and unique picture , from panic-buying to empty retail parks and shopping malls and unsold cars stacked up on runways , '' says Gorman .
`` My first image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 16 March ( below ) .
This was the day that Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons that 'all unnecessary social contact should cease ' .
`` I knew an aerial image of one of the UK 's largest shopping malls would give an immediate picture of the effect on the economy in general . ''
His image of a deserted Leeds Castle in Kent at sunset was taken on the same day ( below ) .
`` Social media had started to become awash with various images of huge lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I arrived on site at 5.45am ( the store opened at 6am ) and to my astonishment the queue was halfway round the car park with people pouring in and literally running to get into the queue .
`` As the economic crisis began to unfold , I needed a picture that would unveil the true enormity of what was happening and the devastating impact it was having on the economy .
`` I had become aware that many disused runways in the Midlands were being used to store new and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The resulting images were probably my most successful of the whole lockdown , being used in the Daily Telegraph , The Daily Mail , The Daily Express and The Sun .
`` It had come to my attention that people were having mass clear-outs and were throwing a huge amount of rubbish out of their homes .
`` Unsure how to capture this in one image , the moment finally presented itself to me when I was photographing a virus testing centre in Wembley .
`` The local Tesco recycle point was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up around it .
`` The virus testing centres themselves were a constant source of images , if only for the fact that they were nearly always empty when I went to photograph them .
Here 's a selection of other eye-catching photos by Chris Gorman , taken throughout the lockdown .

"I arrived on site at 5.45am (the store opened at 6am) and to my astonishment the queue was halfway round the car park with people pouring in and literally running to get into the queue.


bbc--2020-09-23--Rakhmabai Raut: The Indian child bride whose divorce Queen Victoria approved

Rakhmabai Raut has gone down in history as a 22-year-old who was brave enough to petition the courts for a @ @ @ @ @ .
When she finally won her freedom - in part thanks to Queen Victoria - @ @ @ @ @ medicine .
And she became one of India 's first practicing women doctors .
This @ @ @ @ @ series on women icons from Indian history .
Here are other stories from the series @

Rakhmabai Raut has gone down in history as a 22-year-old who was brave enough to petition the courts for a divorce in the 19th Century.
When she finally won her freedom - in part thanks to Queen Victoria - she went on to study medicine. And she became one of India's first practicing women doctors.
Produced by Anagha Pathak
Animations by Nikita Deshpande, illustrations by Gopal Shoonya
This story is part of a series on women icons from Indian history. Here are other stories from the series:


bbc--2020-09-23--NBA stars could miss Olympics, says league's chief Silver

Last updated on .From the section Basketball The NBA 's best players could miss the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics if the @ @ @ @ @ .
A January start could mean the play-offs finish in August or September with the @ @ @ @ @ July start .
Silver said it was possible `` the top 15 NBA players are @ @ @ @ @ , but others are '' .
He added : `` And , obviously , there @ @ @ @ @ participate in the Olympics for other countries .
That 's something we 're going to @ @ @ @ @ '' The USA men 's basketball team will be going for their fourth consecutive title @ @ @ @ @ The team at Rio 2016 featured Brooklyn Nets ' Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving , @ @ @ @ @ and Portland 's Carmelo Anthony .
Both the delayed start to the new NBA season @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo Olympics are a result of the coronavirus pandemic .

Last updated on .From the section Basketball
USA men's team won their 15th Olympic title in Rio
The NBA's best players could miss the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics if the 2020-21 season begins in January.
A December start was suggested for the delayed campaign, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes it might now be the new year. external-link
A January start could mean the play-offs finish in August or September with the Olympics set for a 23 July start.
Silver said it was possible "the top 15 NBA players aren't competing in the Olympics, but others are".
He added: "And, obviously, there are many NBA players who participate in the Olympics for other countries. That's something we're going to have to work through."
The USA men's basketball team will be going for their fourth consecutive title in Tokyo next year. The team at Rio 2016 featured Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Golden State's Klay Thompson and Portland's Carmelo Anthony.
Both the delayed start to the new NBA season and the rescheduling of the Tokyo Olympics are a result of the coronavirus pandemic.


bbc--2020-09-23--Wolves sign right-back Semedo from Barcelona in £37m deal

Last updated on .From the section Wolves Wolves have signed Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo from Barcelona in a deal that could be worth £37m .
`` It is n't often that we have the opportunity to sign a world-class player from a world-class club , '' said Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi .
Semedo , 26 , has played 124 times for Barca and won 13 Portugal caps .
Barcelona said the deal is an initial 30m euros ( £27.61m ) plus 10m euros `` in variables '' .
Semedo , who has signed a contract until 2023 , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this transfer window , following the arrival of Fabio Silva from Porto and Ki-Jana Hoever from Liverpool .
If Wolves pay the full £37m then Semedo would become the club 's record signing , eclipsing the £35.6m they paid for Silva .
When asked why he chose to join Wolves , the defender told the club website : `` Last year they did a very good season and it 's a very important team in England , in also Europe .
I hope this year we can do very good things .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He did very good things here in Wolves , and in other teams too .
For sure I 'm going to learn a lot from him . ''
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page .
• None Amazing recipes and food hacks that wo n't break the bank

Last updated on .From the section Wolves
Semedo has been capped 13 times by Portugal
Wolves have signed Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo from Barcelona in a deal that could be worth £37m.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo had been seeking a replacement for Matt Doherty, who moved to Premier League rivals Tottenham last month.
"It isn't often that we have the opportunity to sign a world-class player from a world-class club," said Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi.
Semedo, 26, has played 124 times for Barca and won 13 Portugal caps.
Barcelona said the deal is an initial 30m euros (£27.61m) plus 10m euros "in variables".
Semedo, who has signed a contract until 2023, is the fourth permanent signing by Wolves during this transfer window, following the arrival of Fabio Silva from Porto, defender Marcal from Lyon and Ki-Jana Hoever from Liverpool.
If Wolves pay the full £37m then Semedo would become the club's record signing, eclipsing the £35.6m they paid for Silva.
When asked why he chose to join Wolves, the defender told the club website: external-link "Last year they did a very good season and it's a very important team in England, in also Europe. I hope this year we can do very good things.
"Coach Nuno is a very good coach. He did very good things here in Wolves, and in other teams too. For sure I'm going to learn a lot from him."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-09-23--Why Bellingham reminds me of a young Vieira

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Karen Carney spent nine years of her playing career with hometown club Birmingham City .
She is writing columns for the BBC Sport website and providing punditry on BBC Radio 5 Live this season .
If he has another 10 years of development , he is still only 27 .
That in itself is really scary .
Is he the finished product ?
No .
But for Borussia Dortmund , who signed him in July , it 's such a good investment .
Dortmund bought him because they can improve him and then his value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a top talent .
You always want your local kids to do really well .
When you saw he was a talent and he could hold his own , that got everybody more excited at Birmingham .
He was never physically dominated and he was always technically very good .
His profile as a centre midfielder and as an all-round midfielder attracted a lot of interest .
Why he reminds me of a young Vieira What I like about Bellingham is what he does when he gets the ball on the run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's running from deep .
His goal on his Borussia Dortmund debut - in the cup victory over Duisburg - was about getting himself into the box .
That 's where I think his strength is .
Dortmund manager Lucien Favre said Bellingham was versatile and can play in any position , which was why he was excited by him .
But I do n't think the holding midfield role - where he featured a lot for Birmingham - is where he is strongest .
He reminds me of a young Patrick Vieira @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with how he tackles and plays from box to box .
He 's fit , quick , powerful and he 's shown he can score goals .
I like him more when he is running from deep and getting into the box - like Frank Lampard used to do for England .
It 's a big responsibility for a young player to be a holding midfielder .
I watched him play in the England youth teams when the opposition held more of a low block and he was behind the ball a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suited him .
His finishing can continue to improve if he wants to be this box-to-box player and if he is going to play that holding midfield role then the tempo of his passing becomes even more important .
He has a good mentality though , all the physical attributes and technically he 's good .
I like the fact that at Birmingham , he always wanted the ball .
He never hid from it .
And at 17 , the world is his oyster .
The key thing is that Bellingham had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good going from the Championship to sitting on someone 's bench .
By going to Germany , I think he will play regular football with top players .
It was a similar thing with Jadon Sancho .
He was n't getting game time at Manchester City so went to Dortmund and now he 's touted all over the world .
You have to remember Bellingham was linked with some top clubs for such a long time and it did n't look like it fazed him .
He still conducted himself in a really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone so young - getting linked with Manchester United , Arsenal or Dortmund - he could easily have lost focus with all the attention .
He came in , did his job and was really professional and the Birmingham fans liked him because of that .
Not being in England now is a good way to get away from the media a little bit .
The Premier League is a different beast .
He can go to Germany , learn his trade at a massive football club and play a lot .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different country and potentially learning a different language can help him really grow and mature .
When I played abroad for Chicago Red Stars , it changed my whole perspective of things as a person and a player .
If he went to Manchester United , would he get the same game time that he likely will at Dortmund ?
I do n't think so .
Footballers want to play football .
At the age he is now , he has to play , because you develop so much during this period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing centre midfield for England one day but for now , he just needs to keep learning .
• None Amazing recipes and food hacks that wo n't break the bank

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Karen Carney spent nine years of her playing career with hometown club Birmingham City. She is writing columns for the BBC Sport website and providing punditry on BBC Radio 5 Live this season.
When Jude Bellingham came through at Birmingham City at the age of 16, you thought 'wow'.
If he has another 10 years of development, he is still only 27. That in itself is really scary. Is he the finished product? No. But for Borussia Dortmund, who signed him in July, it's such a good investment.
Dortmund bought him because they can improve him and then his value will shoot through the roof. He's a top talent.
You always want your local kids to do really well. When you saw he was a talent and he could hold his own, that got everybody more excited at Birmingham.
He was never physically dominated and he was always technically very good. His profile as a centre midfielder and as an all-round midfielder attracted a lot of interest.
Why he reminds me of a young Vieira
What I like about Bellingham is what he does when he gets the ball on the run. He is so powerful when he's running from deep. His goal on his Borussia Dortmund debut - in the cup victory over Duisburg - was about getting himself into the box. That's where I think his strength is.
Dortmund manager Lucien Favre said Bellingham was versatile and can play in any position, which was why he was excited by him.
But I don't think the holding midfield role - where he featured a lot for Birmingham - is where he is strongest.
He reminds me of a young Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal and France midfielder, with how he tackles and plays from box to box. He's fit, quick, powerful and he's shown he can score goals. I like him more when he is running from deep and getting into the box - like Frank Lampard used to do for England.
It's a big responsibility for a young player to be a holding midfielder. I watched him play in the England youth teams when the opposition held more of a low block and he was behind the ball a lot. I don't think that suited him.
His finishing can continue to improve if he wants to be this box-to-box player and if he is going to play that holding midfield role then the tempo of his passing becomes even more important.
He has a good mentality though, all the physical attributes and technically he's good. I like the fact that at Birmingham, he always wanted the ball. He never hid from it. And at 17, the world is his oyster.
Why joining Dortmund made sense
Jude Bellingham (right), follows in the footsteps of England international Jadon Sancho (centre) who moved to Dortmund from Manchester City in 2017
The key thing is that Bellingham had to play regularly. There was no good going from the Championship to sitting on someone's bench. By going to Germany, I think he will play regular football with top players.
It was a similar thing with Jadon Sancho. He wasn't getting game time at Manchester City so went to Dortmund and now he's touted all over the world.
You have to remember Bellingham was linked with some top clubs for such a long time and it didn't look like it fazed him. He still conducted himself in a really good manner off the pitch.
For someone so young - getting linked with Manchester United, Arsenal or Dortmund - he could easily have lost focus with all the attention. He came in, did his job and was really professional and the Birmingham fans liked him because of that.
Not being in England now is a good way to get away from the media a little bit. The Premier League is a different beast. He can go to Germany, learn his trade at a massive football club and play a lot. His development will be brilliant.
Going to a different country and potentially learning a different language can help him really grow and mature. When I played abroad for Chicago Red Stars, it changed my whole perspective of things as a person and a player.
If he went to Manchester United, would he get the same game time that he likely will at Dortmund? I don't think so. Footballers want to play football.
At the age he is now, he has to play, because you develop so much during this period. I would love to see him playing centre midfield for England one day but for now, he just needs to keep learning.
Karen Carney was speaking to BBC Sport's Emma Sanders.


bbc--2020-09-24--US election: Trump won't commit to peaceful transfer of power

US President Donald Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses November 's election .
`` Well , we 'll have to see what happens , '' the president told a news conference at the White House .
`` You know that . ''
Mr Trump voiced concern about ballots , an apparent reference to postal voting , which he argues is susceptible to fraud even though he has voted in this way .
More states are encouraging mail-in voting , citing the need to keep voters safe amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday evening if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power `` win , lose or draw '' to Democrat Joe Biden .
`` I 've been complaining very strongly about the ballots , '' Mr Trump , a Republican , said .
`` And the ballots are a disaster . ''
When the journalist countered that `` people are rioting '' , Mr Trump interjected : `` Get rid of the ballots , and you 'll have a very - you 'll have a very peaceful - there wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a continuation . ''
• Does US postal voting lead to ‘ tremendous fraud ’ ?
Back in 2016 , Mr Trump also refused to commit to accepting the election results in his contest against the Democratic candidate , Hillary Clinton , which she characterised as an attack on American democracy .
He was eventually declared the winner , although he lost the popular vote by three million , an outcome on which he still cast doubt .
Earlier on Wednesday , the president defended his decision to seek the appointment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote to fill the vacancy left by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg , saying he expects the election results to end up before the court .
`` I think this [ the election ] will end up in the Supreme Court , and I think it 's very important that we have nine justices , '' the president said .
`` I think it 's better if you go before the election , because I think this scam that the Democrats are pulling , it 's a scam , the scam will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mr Trump was apparently referring again to his much-disputed claims that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to fraud .
The president has said he will name a female nominee for the court this Saturday .
She would replace Justice Ginsburg , who died last Friday .
Mr Trump 's supporters hope his nominee , if confirmed by the US Senate , will cement a 6-3 conservative ascendancy on the nation 's highest court for the forseeable future .

If Mr Trump were to refuse to accept the result of the election, it would take the US into uncharted territory and it is not clear how it would play out.


bbc--2020-09-23--Breonna Taylor: Police officer charged but not over death

A police officer has been charged over the narcotics raid that resulted in the fatal shooting of a black woman at her home in the US state of Kentucky .
Breonna Taylor , 26 , a hospital worker , was shot multiple times as officers stormed her home on 13 March .
Brett Hankison has been charged , not with Ms Taylor 's death , but with `` wanton endangerment '' for firing into a neighbour 's apartment in Louisville .
Two other officers who were involved have not been charged .
Under Kentucky law , someone is guilty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shows `` an extreme indifference to the value of human life '' .
This lowest-level felony offence can come with a five-year sentence for each count .
Mr Hankison was charged on three counts .
Ms Taylor 's relatives and activists for whom her death has become a rallying cry had been calling for the three officers , who are all white , to be charged with murder or manslaughter .
But this was rejected by a grand jury that reviewed the evidence .
What did the prosecutor say ?
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that had been brought by a grand jury against Mr Hankison .
Kentucky Attorney General Mr Cameron then held a news conference in which he expanded on the decision .
`` This is a gut-wrenching emotional case , '' he said .
`` There is nothing I can offer them today to take away the grief and heartache as a result of losing a child , a niece , a sister and a friend , '' he added in a message to Ms Taylor 's family .
Mr Cameron said a ballistics report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor , but only one was fatal .
That analysis concluded that Detective Myles Cosgrove had fired the shot that killed Ms Taylor .
The attorney general said it was not clear if Mr Hankison 's shots had hit Ms Taylor , but they had hit a neighbouring apartment .
The top prosecutor said the other two officers - Jonathan Mattingly and Mr Cosgrove - had been `` justified to protect themselves and the justification bars us from pursuing criminal charges '' .
Mr Cameron , a Republican who is the state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If we simply act on emotion or outrage , there is no justice .
`` Mob justice is not justice .
Justice sought by violence is not justice .
It just becomes revenge . ''
He added that the FBI was still investigating potential violations of federal law in the case .
Ben Crump , a high-profile lawyer for the Taylor family , said the outcome was `` outrageous and offensive '' .
Officials this month agreed to pay her family $ 12m ( £9.3m ) in a settlement .
Asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump told a White House news conference : `` I thought it was really brilliant . ''
He praised Kentucky 's attorney general , who addressed the Republican party convention last month , for `` doing a fantastic job '' .
`` I think he 's a star , '' he said , adding that he approved of the Kentucky governor 's decision to send in the National Guard .
Governor Andy Beshear , a Democrat , urged Kentucky prosecutors to release the evidence that was presented to the grand jury .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there so people can see , people can truly process it , is where we need to be , '' Mr Beshear told reporters .
A state of emergency was declared in Louisville on Tuesday and protests are expected .
The National Guard have also been deployed .
Mayor Greg Fischer has set a 21:00-06:30 curfew in the city that will remain in place for the next 72 hours .
He earlier said he had declared a state of emergency `` due to the potential for civil unrest '' .
Police have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been prevalent , and barricades have been erected around the city centre .
Demonstrations over Ms Taylor 's death have been held in the city for more than 100 consecutive days .
The National Guard deployment has been criticised because one of its troops fatally shot a black restaurant owner , David McAtee , as authorities dispersed Black Lives Matter protesters in June .
The police department said its officers had come under fire while they were trying to clear the area .
But after officers on the scene were found to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's police chief was sacked .
Shortly after midnight on Friday 13 March , she was in bed with her boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , when they heard a banging on the door .
Plainclothes Louisville police officers were carrying out a narcotics raid , and they used a battering ram to enter the property .
A judge had granted a warrant to search Ms Taylor 's home because investigators suspected a convicted drug dealer - her ex-boyfriend , Jamarcus Glover - was using the address to receive packages .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a licensed gun owner , later told police he thought the late-night intruder was Glover , according to the New York Times .
Officials say Mr Walker 's bullet struck a police officer , Jonathan Mattingly , in the leg - an injury for which he later required surgery .
The three officers returned fire , discharging 32 rounds , according to a ballistics report from the FBI .
Ms Taylor , who had also got out of bed amid the commotion , was shot and died on the hallway floor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers had been granted a `` no-knock '' warrant , allowing them to enter the property without warning .
But Mr Cameron said on Wednesday the officers had not actually served such a warrant .
The attorney general said the officers ' statements that they identified themselves `` are corroborated by an independent witness '' .
Some neighbours told local media they did not hear the officers announce themselves .
No drugs were found at the property , though Jefferson County prosecutor Thomas Wine has previously said the search was cancelled after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ errors , including listing Ms Taylor 's injuries as `` none '' and saying no force was used to enter , when a battering ram had been used .
Mr Walker was initially charged with attempted murder and assault of a police officer , but the case against him was dropped in May amid national scrutiny of the case .
What about the officers ?
Mr Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June after investigators found he had `` wantonly and blindly fired 10 rounds '' during the raid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Mattingly and Mr Cosgrove were reassigned to administrative duties .
The Louisville Courier-Journal has reported that six officers are under internal police review for their role in the shooting .
• Seven solutions to US police problems • Black Lives Matter in the UK : 'We 're still not being heard' Mr Mattingly wrote an email on Saturday to more than 1,000 colleagues in which he criticised city leaders and protesters .
`` Regardless of the outcome today or Wednesday , I know we did the legal , moral and ethical thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the message , which was published by media outlets on Tuesday .
`` It 's sad how the good guys are demonised , and the criminals are canonised . ''
`` Your civil rights mean nothing , '' he added , `` but the criminal has total autonomy . ''
Are you in Louisville ?
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bbc--2020-09-23--Ryan Reynolds in bid for UK soccer team

Ryan Reynolds in bid for UK soccer team

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are interested in investing in Wrexham , the club have announced .
The fan-owned club 's members have voted overwhelmingly for talks to proceed .
Any potential takeover could lead to £2m being invested in the club , which has been in fan ownership since 2011 .
A total of 1,223 Wrexham Supporters Trust members - over 95 % of those asked - voted for the move and 31 against at a special general meeting on Tuesday .
Speaking before the names were confirmed , Trust director Spencer Harris said a vote from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be expected `` in weeks rather than months '' .
`` All we 're going to commit to - because we 're not going to pressure on ourselves - is that we will conclude the discussions as soon as possible , '' Harris told BBC Wales .
`` We will get to a position when the potential investors put forward a deal and the next stage… we would put that in front of the members for a vote if they wish to proceed with that deal or not . ''
Approval from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trust relinquish control of the running of the club .
Asked whether supporters would accept the terms , Harris said : `` That 's a matter for individual fans .
They will need to see what 's on the table and make their minds up on which direction they wish to see the club go .
`` But whoever runs Wrexham football club - or indeed any football club - where it really belongs is in the hearts and minds of its supporters and I would expect whoever is running the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Wrexham revealed last week they had been the subject of an approach to purchase the club , describing the individuals involved as `` extremely well-known '' and `` of high net worth '' .
The Trust-run club added they would n't reveal the names until they had permission from its members at a Special General Meeting to press ahead with takeover talks .
The deal - which will be detailed to members before any final decision is made - would see the purchase of the north Wales club for a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment of £2m for the purposes of taking it forward as a business and as a successful football team .
The Trust told members at the SGM that professional advisers had considered the proposed offer as `` entirely credible '' and will now seek a firm proposal .
It would not be the first time Hollywood stars have become involved with a Welsh club , with US star of The Office Mindy Kaling revealed as being among the stakeholders in an American consortium that purchased a controlling stake in Swansea City in 2016 @

Ryan Reynolds, whose film credits include The Change-Up, is also a successful entrepreneur, while Rob McElhenney has appeared in Fargo
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are interested in investing in Wrexham, the club have announced.
Deadpool and Detective Pikachu star Reynolds and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's McElhenney will share their vision for the club with members at a special general meeting (SGM).
The fan-owned club's members have voted overwhelmingly for talks to proceed.
Any potential takeover could lead to £2m being invested in the club, which has been in fan ownership since 2011.
A total of 1,223 Wrexham Supporters Trust members - over 95% of those asked - voted for the move and 31 against at a special general meeting on Tuesday.
Ryan Reynolds sent this tweet an hour after the news broke
Trust director Spencer Harris, who expects a further vote from fans on the outline of the deal "in weeks rather than months", told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the deal is in its early stages, but he has known the identity of the would-be backers for some time.
"We've known for a little while, but we wanted to come as early as we could in the process to involve supporters," Harris told the programme.
"As everybody knows we are community owned and therefore this has become public knowledge a little bit earlier than it would in any other normal circumstance, but yeah it's out there now so people know all about it.
"We started talking through representatives of theirs, talking about the club, and we're now in a position where we are able, following the SGM on Tuesday night, to get into detailed discussions about what a takeover deal could look like.
"There is some way to go and at the end of the day it will be the supporters who decide what the future direction of the club will be."
Mr Reynolds, who was among the world's highest paid actors this year after appearing in the Netflix films 6 Underground and Red Notice, has been a shareholder in Aviation American Gin since 2018.
In August 2020 drinks giant Diageo bought Aviation American, along with three other spirits, as part of a $610m (£460m) deal.
Harris has been impressed by their enthusiasm and approach to a possible takeover of the National League club.
"I've spoken to both of them several times," Harris explained.
"They are very serious, professional and successful people, not just as actors but in the business world as well and this is a very serious endeavour for them and they'll set out their vision in due course, but I know they are very passionate about this and have gone into a lot of depth to understand about the football club."
So far it is unclear why the Hollywood 'A-listers' are interested in a fifth-tier UK football club in north Wales.
"I think that's a question for them in good time," said Harris.
"I would answer 'why not?', because for us as Wrexham fans we are the third oldest professional team in the world, the oldest in Wales and play at the oldest international stadium anywhere in the world.
"We are a team with a proud history that's beaten Porto in the European Cup Winners Cup and there's lot's of potential at the club, so why not?"
"But... I don't want to get in front of them setting out their vision for the club which they will do in due course."
Approval from members for a deal would see the Trust relinquish control of running the club.
"It's very exciting news for a lot of people, but supporters will make a decision on whether this goes forward or not," explained Harris.
"Of course I would imagine we would see them at the Racecourse and we may have done already had it not been for Covid-19.
"It's a difficult time for all of football, not just at our level, even clubs at Premier League level are taking significant loans from government.
"We are in a relatively decent position versus many so there's no particular burning platform at the football club as we speak right now, however investment into any football club, especially at this level, does make quite some difference and obviously these are very serious professionals, successful people who I'm sure would have a lot to bring to any business."
It would not be the first time Hollywood stars have become involved with a Welsh club, with US star of The Office Mindy Kaling revealed as being among the stakeholders in an American consortium that purchased a controlling stake in Swansea City in 2016.


bbc--2020-09-23--Hunter Biden: Republicans release report on Joe Biden's son

Hunter Biden 's lucrative work at a Ukrainian energy firm while his father was vice-president was `` problematic '' , a report by Republican senators says .
But it found no evidence that US foreign policy was influenced by it .
Hunter Biden 's presence on the Burisma board led to an impeachment trial against Donald Trump earlier this year .
Mr Trump was accused of pressing Ukraine to probe what the Bidens were doing in the country , and using military aid as a bargaining chip .
He was impeached by the Democratic House but cleared by the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger Biden 's role at a company suspected of corruption `` awkward '' and `` problematic '' at a time when the US was trying to help clean up corruption in Ukraine .
However , the report found little additional information that had not already been publicly revealed in news reports and testimony to the impeachment committee .
Mr Trump has claimed that Mr Biden meddled in Ukraine to help his son 's business interests , but lawmakers found no evidence of this .
What is the background ?
The impeachment trial centred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Ukrainian president in which he seemed to pressure him to open an inquiry into the Bidens .
Mr Trump claimed that Mr Biden , who was vice-president under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017 , had sought to remove a Ukrainian prosecutor in order to assist energy firm Burisma , where Hunter Biden worked .
But the prosecutor whom Mr Biden was seeking to remove due to allegations of corruption , Viktor Shokin , had also been criticised by European and US officials - including Republicans .
How damaging is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is an autumn bombshell coming at the Biden campaign regarding the former vice-president 's family involvement in Ukraine or China , this report from Senate Republicans is n't it .
Calling Hunter Biden 's position on the board of a Ukrainian gas company `` awkward '' and `` problematic '' is weak sauce compared to the conservative media frenzy and Donald Trump 's own accusations lobbed at Joe Biden 's son earlier this year .
Beneath the headlines , however , the report does detail the breadth of Hunter Biden 's connections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ukraine and China - creating `` criminal financial , counterintelligence and extortion concerns '' .
It suggests Joe Biden 's son was profiting from his family name - a potential conflict of interest that is unsavoury but not unusual in Washington 's corridors of power .
The report acknowledges there are still unknown details , but time is running out for Republicans to turn this topic into something voters will care about .
If Joe Biden wins in November , however , his political opponents are likely to continue to dig , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the report to come up with more tangible evidence of misconduct that could damage his presidency .
What did the report find ?
The Senate Homeland Security Committee 's report found that two members of the Obama administration had complained in 2015 to the White House about Hunter Biden 's new lucrative role on the board of Burisma .
`` Hunter Biden 's position on Burisma 's board cast a shadow over the work of those advancing anticorruption reforms in Ukraine , '' the report says .
But the report failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenced by the younger Biden 's job , instead citing concerns from officials who called his job `` awkward for all US officials pushing an anti-corruption agenda in Ukraine '' .
`` Hunter Biden 's position on Burisma 's board was problematic and did interfere in the efficient execution of policy with respect to Ukraine , '' the report says , adding that Biden relatives `` cashed in on Joe Biden 's vice presidency '' .
But it continues : `` The extent to which Hunter Biden 's role on Burisma 's board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear . ''
Ahead of the report 's release - just six weeks before the presidential election - committee chairman Ron Johnson said in interviews that is was the committee 's goal to release it before the election in order for voters to learn more about Mr Biden and his family before casting their ballot .
• A simple guide to the US election • How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
• Will we get a result on US election night ?
• Why some older Trump voters are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden campaign rejected the report as an attempt by Republicans to undermine him and distract from the coronavirus crisis .
Last week Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney , slammed the committee 's investigation as `` a political exercise '' .
`` It is not the legitimate role of government , for Congress or for taxpayer expense , to be used in an effort to damage political opponents , '' he said .

The report acknowledges there are still unknown details, but time is running out for Republicans to turn this topic into something voters will care about. If Joe Biden wins in November, however, his political opponents are likely to continue to dig, in hopes of building on the information in the report to come up with more tangible evidence of misconduct that could damage his presidency.


bbc--2020-09-23--Prince Harry urges US citizens to 'reject hate speech' and vote in the presidential election

Prince Harry has urged US citizens to `` reject hate speech '' and vote in the country 's upcoming presidential election .
He made the remarks alongside his wife , Meghan , in a US television broadcast .
A spokesperson for the couple said the comments did not refer to any specific political party or candidate , but were instead `` a call for decency '' .
Voting for the next US president , with candidates including Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden , is on 3 November .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Harry The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in a live video in what appeared to be their California home as part of the Time 100 - a list compiled by Time magazine to celebrate the world 's most influential people .
It was their first joint TV appearance since they ceased being working members of the Royal Family in March .
`` As we approach this November , it 's vital that we reject hate speech , misinformation and online negativity , '' the duke said as he sat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminded Americans to be discerning in the content they consumed online .
`` When the bad outweighs the good , for many , whether we realise it or not , it erodes our ability to have compassion and our ability to put ourself in someone else 's shoes , '' he said .
`` Because when one person buys into negativity online , the effects are felt exponentially .
It 's time to not only reflect , but act . ''
'You deserve to be heard' The 36-year-old duke said he would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not a US citizen , adding that he had never voted in UK elections either .
Members of the Royal Family traditionally do not vote , and the Queen is politically neutral .
Although UK law does not ban royalty from voting , it is considered unconstitutional for them to do so .
Harry and Meghan stepped aside from their roles as senior working royals in March in a bid for personal and financial freedom .
They now live in the US but are still members of the Royal Family .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ royals back in March , the official `` divorce '' statement read : `` While they can no longer formally represent The Queen , the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty . ''
It is Harry 's contribution to the Time video message which seems to have attracted the most comment .
His spokesman is clear that the duke was making a `` non-partisan call for decency '' .
But with the Trump administration commonly accused of the traits called out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and online negativity '' - his contribution has been widely interpreted as party political .
The expectation is that royals remain neutral and the question troubling many people today is whether that means Harry 's words are incompatible with the statement issued by the palace in March .
It was always going to be difficult to work a way through their royal/non-royal status to the satisfaction of the Sussexes and the Royal Family , as this latest episode once again makes clear .
Reacting to the couple 's remarks , Royal biographer Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out public duties , live abroad and are really completely detached from our monarchical system now so what difference would it make ?
`` Meghan , after all , holds American citizenship and has always voted .
The business about royals not getting involved in politics is less clear when it comes to Meghan or what the protocol should be in this case .
`` But as she is now back living in her country I am sure many would think it wrong that she is not allowed to exercise her democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Jobson said `` it would be better '' for Prince Harry to withdraw from the line of succession `` to avoid further confusion '' .
And if they were to leave their royal titles behind it may set the duchess `` free to pursue a political career , '' he added .
But former Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker said Prince Harry should not have remarked on the US election as he is still a `` representative '' of the UK .
There was `` no problem '' with a `` private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` the problem is Harry still has his HRH status '' .
`` He wants his foot in both camps , '' said the author of the book And What Do You Do ?
What The Royal Family Do n't Want You To Know .
The duchess , who mocked then-Republican candidate Mr Trump during a 2016 television appearance , said in the video that the November poll was the `` most important election of our lifetime '' .
`` When we vote , our values are put into action and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a reminder that you matter , because you do and you deserve to be heard , '' she said .
A spokesperson for the couple said : `` His message is not in reference to any specific political party or candidate , but is instead a call for decency in how we engage with each other , interact , and consume information - especially online . ''
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said : `` We would not comment .
The duke is not a working member of the Royal Family and any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal capacity . ''

When Harry and Meghan ceased to be working royals back in March, the official "divorce" statement read: "While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty."


bbc--2020-09-23--US 2020 election: The economy under Trump in six charts

Claim : President Trump says he built the greatest ever US economy prior to the coronavirus outbreak .
He claims to have generated historic economic growth , record low unemployment , and lifted millions of Americans out of poverty - and he says he will do it all again if re-elected .
Reality Check verdict : It 's true the economy was doing well prior to the pandemic - continuing a trend which began during the Obama administration - but there were periods when it was even stronger .
The US economy has now been hit by the biggest economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate in more than 80 years .
We 've looked at the economy in six key charts .
During his first three years in office , President Trump oversaw an annual average growth of 2.5 % .
The last three years of the Obama administration saw a similar level of growth ( 2.3 % ) along with a significantly higher figure ( 5.5 % ) in mid-2014 .
But the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year has triggered the sharpest contraction since records began .
In the second quarter of 2020 - accounting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy contracted by over 30 % .
That 's more than three times greater than the 10 % fall in 1958 .
If we look at growth rates as far back as comparable records allow , it 's clear there have been frequent periods when the growth of GDP - the value of goods and services in the economy - has been significantly higher than under President Trump .
In the early 1950s , for example , annualised GDP growth rate periodically exceeded 10 % .
President Trump often highlights the rising value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of success - in particular the Dow Jones Industrial Average .
The Dow is a measure of the performance of 30 large companies listed on US stock exchanges , and it reached record highs at the start of this year .
It then crashed as markets reacted to the coronavirus pandemic , wiping out all the gains made since President Trump took office .
But the financial markets have been remarkably resilient and they 've now largely recovered back to near pre-pandemic levels .
Prior to the pandemic , President Trump claims to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half a century .
This is true .
In February this year , the rate stood at 3.5 % , the lowest for more than 50 years .
However , the Obama administration added more jobs to the economy , comparing similar time-frames .
Under Trump , in the three years prior to the pandemic , there were an additional 6.4 million jobs .
In the last three years under Obama , seven million jobs were added .
As in many parts of the world , coronavirus lockdown measures very quickly led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The rate jumped to 14.7 % in April , the highest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The US Labor Department says more than 20 million people lost their jobs , eliminating a decade of employment gains in a single month .
Since the peak in April , unemployment has fallen back significantly to 8.4 % in August .
Real wages ( adjusted for inflation ) grew throughout Trump 's first three years in office - continuing a steady upward trend which began during the first of President Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.1 % per annum in February 2019 , prior to the pandemic .
This is lower than the real wage increases of up to 2.4 % that President Obama oversaw in 2015 The rapid increase in average earnings then seen at the start of the coronavirus lockdown were largely as a consequence of the lowest-earning Americans losing their jobs at a disproportionate rate , following the economic downturn .
With lower wage-earners out of jobs , the average hourly wage data skewed sharply upwards .
Average wages have since started to fall back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump claimed in 2019 that he had delivered `` the largest poverty reduction under any president in history '' .
In 2019 , around 4.2 million fewer people were living in poverty in the US compared with the previous year , according to official data .
This is a significant drop , but not the largest reduction in history .
The US Census Bureau has published this poverty data since the end of the 1950s .
The largest fall in a single year was in 1966 during the administration of President Lyndon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were lifted out of poverty .
The financial crisis of 2007/8 and subsequent economic downturn saw sharp rises in poverty , which only began to decline from around 2015 during the Obama administration , with a growing economy and rising levels of employment .
The continued strength of the economy under President Trump ( at least until the pandemic hit ) has been matched by a continuing fall in the poverty rate .
This overall national figure masks wide variations across regions and ethnic groups in America .
In 2019 , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as living in poverty , the figure for black Americans was 18.8 and for white ( non-Hispanic ) Americans it was 7.3 % .
Figures for 2020 are not yet available , but are expected to show a sharp rise in poverty as a result of the pandemic .

Prior to the recent post-pandemic fluctuations, if we look at growth rates as far back as comparable records allow, it's clear there have been frequent periods when the growth of GDP - the value of goods and services in the economy - has been significantly higher than under President Trump.


bbc--2020-09-23--Ruth Bader Ginsburg death: Mourners gather at US Supreme Court

Mourners have been honouring the judge and liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she lies in repose at the US Supreme Court in Washington .
Ginsburg , an advocate for gender equality and civil rights , died on Friday , aged 87 , from cancer .
Chief Justice John Roberts delivered remarks on Wednesday as her casket rested just outside the courtroom where she served for nearly three decades .
President Donald Trump will pay his respects at the top court on Thursday .
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg in pictures and her own words Since her death , makeshift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court .
Flowers , photographs , candles and signs have lined the steps .
The second woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice , Ginsburg will on Friday become the first woman to lie in state at the US Capitol .
She will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery .
Speaking before Ginsburg 's flag-draped casket in the Supreme Court 's Great Hall earlier , Chief Justice Roberts said her life was `` one of the many versions of the American dream '' .
`` Ruth wanted to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star instead , '' he said during the private ceremony , noting her battles against gender discrimination throughout her career .
The daughter of Jewish immigrants , Ginsburg struggled against sexism for decades .
She graduated top of her class at Columbia Law School but received no job offers .
She later remarked : `` I struck out on three grounds : I was Jewish , a woman and a mother . ''
The history-making jurist joined the top US court in 1993 , where she continued to advocate for equality and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why half of America panics when this woman falls ill Ginsburg was fond of joking that there would be enough women on the nine-seat Supreme Court `` when there are nine '' .
As family , friends and colleagues memorialised her inside the nation 's highest court , outside , crowds awaited their turn .
Later on Wednesday , due to Covid-19 concerns , her casket was moved to rest in front of the steps so that people could pay their respects outdoors .
Mr Trump has said he will nominate a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat .
Democrats have criticised the move , saying the process ought to wait until after the 3 November presidential election .
Ginsburg 's `` most fervent '' last wish , according to her granddaughter , was to not be replaced until after the election .
The US top court is often the final word on highly contentious laws , disputes between state and federal governments , and final appeals to stay executions .
• Why US top court is more political than UK's In recent years , the Supreme Court has ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion access and immigration .
With one vacancy due to Ginsburg 's passing , the bench 's ideological balance remains tilted to the right , favouring conservatives in a 5-3 split .

The second woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice, Ginsburg will on Friday become the first woman to lie in state at the US Capitol. She will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery.


bbc--2020-09-23--ICE whistleblower: Mexico investigating US immigrant 'sterilisations'

Mexico is investigating claims that six Mexican women were sterilised while in a US migrant detention centre , Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Tuesday .
`` We are already in contact with six ( Mexican women ) who could potentially have been subjected to this type of procedure , '' Mr Ebrard told a press conference on Tuesday .
`` If confirmed , it 's a major issue and measures must be taken , '' he continued .
More than 150 members of the US Congress , including top Democrat Nancy Pelosi , have called for an investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre and ICE have disputeed the allegations .
Last week ICE told the BBC that `` anonymous , unproven allegations , made without any fact-checkable specifics , should be treated with the appropriate scepticism they deserve '' .
What allegedly happened in the US detention centre ?
Women detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) were allegedly forced to undergo the procedures at the private Irwin County Detention Centre in Georgia .
The whistleblower , a nurse identified as Dawn Wooten who worked at the centre , expressed concerns about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving the removal of all or part of the uterus - performed on Spanish-speaking women there .
It said Ms Wooten and other nurses were alarmed by the `` rate at which the hysterectomies have occurred '' .
Ms Wooten alleged that one doctor removed the wrong ovary from a young detainee and that `` everybody he sees has a hysterectomy '' .
`` We 've questioned among ourselves like , goodness he 's taking everybody 's stuff out…That 's his speciality , he 's the uterus collector , '' she said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre to `` an experimental concentration camp '' , adding : `` It was like they 're experimenting with our bodies . ''
The company that runs the detention centre , LaSalle Corrections , refutes the allegations , according to the Associated Press .
In a statement reported in the New York Times , ICE health services director Dr Ada Rivera said that the agency `` vehemently disputes the implication that detainees are used for experimental medical procedures . ''
According to their data , only two women at the centre had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South , the Georgia Detention Watch , the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and South Georgia Immigrant Support Network filed the complaint with the watchdog that oversees the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) , which is responsible for ICE .
According to campaigners , there are between 500 and 800 individuals at the centre currently , where bed capacity is 1,200 .

In a statement reported in the New York Times, ICE health services director Dr Ada Rivera said that the agency "vehemently disputes the implication that detainees are used for experimental medical procedures." According to their data, only two women at the centre had been referred for hysterectomies since 2018.


bbc--2020-09-23--Uncle Ben's rice changes name to more 'equitable' brand

Uncle Ben 's Rice will change its name to Ben 's Original and remove the image of a smiling , grey-haired black man from its packaging .
The change follows through on a pledge its owner Mars Food made in June to review the brand amid global protests over police brutality and racism .
Uncle Ben 's entered the market in the 1940s and was for decades the best-selling rice in the US .
Its marketing has been criticised for perpetuating racial stereotypes .
Titles such as uncle and aunt were used in southern US states to refer to black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and respectful `` Miss '' or `` Mister '' .
The name Uncle Ben 's was supposedly inspired by a Texas farmer known for his high-quality rice .
The company asked the head waiter at a fancy Chicago restaurant , Frank Brown , to pose as the face of the brand , which launched in 1947 .
In 2007 , the company sought to update its marketing with a campaign that cast Ben as chairman of the board , a move away from the previous , more servile presentation .
`` We understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name and face of the previous brand , and as we announced in June , we have committed to change , '' Mars said .
The new packaging is expected to begin reaching shops in 2021 .
Mars said it would also work with the National Urban League in the US to support black chefs with a $ 2m donation toward scholarships and invest $ 2.5m in Greenville , Mississippi , where the rice is made .
`` The brand is not just changing its name and image on the package .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and equity and setting out its new brand purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table , '' the company said .
Mars was one of several food giants that promised to review brands in the wake of the protests triggered by George Floyd 's murder .
Earlier this year , Pepsi said it would overhaul the marketing for its popular Aunt Jemima line of syrups and foods , acknowledging the brand was based on a racial stereotype .

"The brand is not just changing its name and image on the package. It is also taking action to enhance inclusion and equity and setting out its new brand purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table," the company said.


bbc--2020-09-23--Canadian PM Trudeau promises 'ambitious' recovery plan

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled an `` ambitious plan for an unprecedented reality '' amid rising Covid-19 cases .
His expansive new legislative agenda includes new investments and initiatives to help the country recover from the pandemic .
It came with a vow to support Canadians `` through this crisis as long as it lasts , whatever it takes '' .
The Conservatives said it lacked a commitment to fiscal restraint and failed to address the needs of `` everyday Canadians '' .
The four-pronged approach to the pandemic and the recovery was delivered on Wednesday by Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative in Canada , in a Speech from the Throne .
Mr Trudeau warned Canadians in a televised address following the speech that a second wave of the pandemic was `` already under way '' .
`` We 're on the brink of a fall that could be much worse than the spring , '' he said .
What are some of the promises ?
The Liberal federal government said it would work with Canadian provinces to improve testing capacity .
There were also vows to assist in the economic recovery , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million jobs , a commitment to extend wage subsidies until next summer , and support for industries hardest hit by Covid-19 , like the travel , tourism and hospitality sectors .
There was a promise to make a significant , long-term investment in childcare , which is seen by some economists as key to helping women fully return to the workforce .
• ' I 'm just looking for whatever I can get' Long-term care homes were especially hard hit early in the pandemic in Canada , highlighting issues of inadequate care within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring in national standards of care and tougher penalties for cases of neglect .
Climate initiatives were billed as the `` cornerstone '' of the recovery efforts , including the creation of green jobs .
Canada 's chief public health officer said this week the country was at a `` crossroads '' because of the accelerating national count of Covid-19 cases .
In the last week , an average of about 1,100 cases were reported daily , compared to 380 cases reported each day in mid-August .
There have been over 146,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What was the reaction ?
While the speech made no specific spending commitments - those will come later - it said this was `` not the time for austerity '' .
Opposition Conservatives quickly panned the speech for failing to include more support for small businesses and measures to control government spending , and to address issues of national unity .
Earlier this year , Canada projected its largest budget deficit since World War Two - C $ 343bn , with more than C $ 212bn in direct Covid-19 support .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be some fiscal stability , '' said Conservative MP Candice Bergen .
The Bloc Quebecois said the plan did not respect provincial jurisdiction over healthcare and did not address the request from provinces for increased healthcare transfers .
Mr Trudeau 's Liberals formed a minority government last autumn , when they won more seats than any other party at a general election but failed to secure an overall majority in parliament .
The speech will prompt a confidence vote in the House of Commons - a key test of whether a sitting government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority .
The Liberals will need the support of at least one other federal political party to avoid possibly triggering a snap election .
That vote could happen as early as next week .
New Democratic Party ( NDP ) leader Jagmeet Singh said on Wednesday his party had yet to decide whether it will support the government .
The NDP will push for more support for Canadian workers who lost work due to the pandemic and for paid sick leave , he said .

There were also vows to assist in the economic recovery, including a plan to create more than a million jobs, a commitment to extend wage subsidies until next summer, and support for industries hardest hit by Covid-19, like the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.


bbc--2020-09-23--Coronavirus: Health chief hails Africa's fight against Covid-19

The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control ( CDC ) has praised African states for managing to curb the spread of coronavirus .
These figures are far lower than those in Europe , Asia or the Americas , with reported cases continuing to decline .
The continent of more than one billion people accounts for just under 5 % of cases globally and 3.6 % of deaths .
`` We may not have been picking up all the cases , just like in other parts of the world ... but we are not seeing people around the continent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burials going on , '' Dr Nkengasong said .
African states introduced a series of measures to tackle the virus as soon as the first cases were reported .
Many , including South Africa , introduced nationwide lockdowns , but others such as Ethiopia opted for less strict measures .
Dr Nkengasong , however , attributed the low number to a `` joint continental effort '' , which focused on `` scaling up testing and following up contact tracing and very importantly masking '' , or the wearing of face masks .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I live , if you go to the streets of Addis Ababa you will see there is almost 100 % masking , '' he added .
What other reasons did he give ?
Furthermore , the emphasis on community-driven initiatives , and experience in contact-tracing from fighting diseases like Ebola , had helped countries to tackle the virus , he said .
`` This virus is in the community , and without a strong community response and strong community engagement there is no chance we can fight it , '' Dr Nkengasong added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in the number of Covid-19 cases on the continent is mainly driven by South Africa , which accounts for nearly half of Africa 's cases but also a big proportion of tests .
As of Tuesday , South Africa had conducted more than four million tests .
In comparison , the entire continent of more than 50 countries crossed the 10 million tests mark a month ago .
By international standards , this is a relatively low number , and it is blamed on global shortages of testing equipment and a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to undermine the Africa `` success '' story .

"We may not have been picking up all the cases, just like in other parts of the world... but we are not seeing people around the continent falling dead on the streets or mass burials going on," Dr Nkengasong said.


bbc--2020-09-23--US election 2020: Trump attacks McCain widow after Biden endorsement

Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on John McCain , after his widow announced her support for the president 's Democratic rival Joe Biden .
Cindy McCain announced her support for Mr Biden in a tweet on Tuesday , saying he was the only candidate `` who stands up for our values as a nation . ''
Mr Trump tweeted that he was `` never a fan '' of the veteran Republican senator , who died in 2018 .
Mr McCain was one of the president 's most outspoken Republican critics .
Mr Trump , in turn , publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• A really simple guide to the US election • Has Trump delivered on his promises ?
In her tweet on Tuesday , Mrs McCain said while her husband and Mr Biden had some `` passionate arguments '' and while she did not `` always agree on the issues '' with the Democratic presidential candidate , `` he is a good and honest man '' .
In response , President Trump said she `` can have Sleepy Joe ! ''
- a nickname the president has for his rival .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` lapdog '' , denouncing `` bad decisions on endless wars '' .
`` I hardly know Cindy McCain , '' he added , `` other than having put her on a Committee at her husband 's request . ''
Cindy McCain made an address at the Democratic National Convention last month , and her endorsement may prove a hindrance to President Trump , who is trailing Mr Biden in most national polls .
Mr Biden has since thanked her , saying on Twitter that he was `` deeply honoured '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCain was the Republican party 's presidential candidate in 2008 , and a senator for Arizona , a key battleground state in November 's elections .
He and Mr Trump had a fractious relationship .
In 2015 , Mr Trump questioned his heroism for being captured during the Vietnam War .
`` He 's a war hero because he was captured , '' he said .
`` I like people that were n't captured . ''
The president has also complained that he `` did n't get a thank you '' for approving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you a former Republican planning to vote for the Democratic nominee Joe Biden this November ?
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bbc--2020-09-23--Belarus: Mass protests after Lukashenko secretly sworn in

Mass street protests are continuing in Belarus 's capital Minsk , following the inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko at an unannounced ceremony .
Several hundred people earlier attended Mr Lukashenko 's swearing-in ceremony for a sixth term .
One opposition member described it as a `` thieves ' meeting '' .
The country 's electoral commission said Mr Lukashenko won more than 80 % of the vote , triggering weeks of mass protests across the country .
Several EU countries and the US say they do not recognise Mr Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus .
The inauguration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have changed the mood of both Belarus 's demonstrators and the security forces .
In the capital Minsk protesters were more confrontational , blocking roads and at times chasing the police vehicles away .
In response , water cannon was used and masked riot police used tactics that have n't been seen since the violent days immediately after the disputed election in August .
Video posted to Telegram channels shows batons being used on crowds and both men and women with bloody injuries to their heads .
During his inaugural address , Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed the election were over .
That 's clearly not the case .
How was Wednesday 's inauguration different ?
Instead , state news agency Belta reported on Wednesday : `` Alexander Lukashenko has taken office as President of Belarus .
The inauguration ceremony is taking place in these minutes in the Palace of Independence . ''
Mr Lukashenko , who has ruled the former Soviet republic for 26 years , said Belarus needed security and consensus `` on the brink of a global crisis '' , an apparent reference to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not , I have no right to abandon the Belarusians , '' he added .
How has the opposition reacted ?
The opposition Nexta Live channel on the Telegram messaging app called for street protests from 18:00 local time ( 15:00 GMT ) and urged drivers to block roads and create traffic jams .
`` Starting from this very day , he [ Lukashenko ] officially becomes a bandit and fraudster who is not recognised anywhere in the civilised world , '' the channel said .
On Wednesday evening , protesters marched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing fake crowns to mock the inauguration .
One placard read : `` The king has no clothes ! ''
But there is a heavy police presence and a number of people have been detained .
Mr Lukashenko 's main political rival , Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , who fled to neighbouring Lithuania amid mass arrests , said `` after today [ he ] is neither a legal nor a legitimate head of Belarus '' .
Fellow opposition politician Pavel Latushko posted on social media : `` Where are the jubilant citizens ?
Where is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is obvious that Alexander Lukashenko is exclusively the president of the Omon ( riot police ) and a handful of lying officials . ''
What is the background ?

Mr Lukashenko, 66, claimed a sixth term as president in the widely disputed election of 9 August. He insisted that he had won fairly with 80% of the vote and depicted the protests against him as a Western-backed plot. Earlier this month, he secured a $1.5bn (£1.2bn) loan from Russia.


bbc--2020-09-23--Juliette Gréco: Doyenne of French singers dies at 93

A true icon of the French chanson , Juliette Gréco , has died aged 93 after a fabled career that spanned eight decades .
Born in 1927 , Gréco was imprisoned by the Nazis during World War Two , but afterwards began performing in cellar clubs and cafes .
Dressed in black , she became a muse to philosophers and writers including Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus .
Gréco was also a celebrated actor , working with some of cinema 's greats , such as Jean Cocteau and Ingrid Bergman , Orson Welles and Ava Gardner .
In France she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing the role of a schizophrenic in the spooky TV miniseries Belphégor .
She sang with Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens .
Her haunting rendition of Sous le ciel de Paris ( Under Paris Skies ) is one of the classics of the French chanson .
But she was loved internationally too , from Germany to Japan and beyond .
In 1967 , she sang in front of 60,000 people in Berlin and in 2005 released an album of songs in German .
She was married three times but also had a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What was it about Gréco that makes her death touch us so deeply , asked Le Monde .
Her voice , elegance , power , and flying , spinning hands , it said .
Gréco was less a composer than a great interpreter of other people 's songs .
The French newspaper , Libération , said she spat and caressed `` the words like a Fauvist painter crushes colours onto his canvas with his knife '' .
Si Tu T'imagines , Parlez-moi d ` Amour and Je Suis Comme Je Suis were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later , there were collaborations with Serge Gainsbourg too .

But she was loved internationally too, from Germany to Japan and beyond. In 1967, she sang in front of 60,000 people in Berlin and in 2005 released an album of songs in German.


bbc--2020-09-23--Nigerian fuel tanker explosion kills 25 in Lokoja

At least 25 people have been killed in central Nigeria after a fuel tanker exploded following a collision with other vehicles .
A primary school pupil and students are reported to be among the dead .
The crash happened on Wednesday morning on a major highway in Lokoja when the driver lost control of the tanker after the brakes failed , local police said .
These type of incidents are common on Nigerian roads , reports the BBC 's Chris Ewokor in the capital , Abuja .
Lokoja police spokesman Willy Aya said that several victims were burnt beyond recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the students who were crossing the road to go to college , local resident Iliyasu Zakari told the BBC .
Others who died included a group who were killed inside their car , he said .
Footage of the aftermath shared on social media shows a huge plume of black smoke rising into the air at the site of the crash .
In June , four people were killed in the country 's biggest city , Lagos , after two petrol tankers collided .
The fire then spread to another tanker carrying @ @ @

Many of them were pedestrians, including the students who were crossing the road to go to college, local resident Iliyasu Zakari told the BBC.


bbc--2020-09-23--Covid-19 New Zealand: Mask rules eased as cases drop

Face masks are no longer mandatory on public transport in most of New Zealand as Covid-19 cases continue to drop .
From midnight on Wednesday , they are required only in Auckland , the heart of a recent outbreak , and on planes .
The rest of New Zealand lifted all pandemic restrictions on Monday .
New Zealand was widely praised for its swift response to Covid-19 and everyday life largely went back to normal in June , but the virus reappeared in Auckland in August .
The country 's biggest city went back into lockdown , temporarily , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand has now recorded 1,468 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths .
• New Zealand records first virus cases in 102 days Everywhere except Auckland returned to level one - the lowest of a four-tier alert system - on Monday after seven days of no Covid-19 community cases .
This means life almost as normal - no more social distancing or caps on gatherings such as weddings or sporting events .
Everyone can return to work without restriction and wearing a mask is no longer compulsory on public transport .
The government says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general public when there is no evidence of community transmission .
But it is still encouraging people to wear masks on public transport .
In Auckland , now at level two , they are still compulsory .
Also , passengers on planes flying to , from and via Auckland - as well as on all Air New Zealand flights - are still required to wear masks .
On Wednesday , authorities reported three new community cases that are not linked to the Auckland cluster .
They are connected to a recent chartered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks have become one of the big dividers of the pandemic .
Long embraced in many Asian countries , they ’ ve been resisted by some citizens in the US , Europe and at times New Zealand too .
It only became mandatory four weeks ago to wear facial coverings on public transport at alert level two and above .
Now as most people return to the old normal , top epidemiologists have raised concerns about the dropping of masks .
We ’ ve argued to `` retain mask use in specific situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” until there is no community transmission for around four weeks and it ’ s clear the virus has been eradicated again , said Michael Baker , professor of public health at the University of Otago .
But the epidemiologist , who advises the government on its Covid-19 response , acknowledges the challenge masks pose .
“ It gets harder to sustain interest in mask use when people think there ’ s no virus any more .
We don ’ t have masks ingrained in our culture .
And I think people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , ” he told the BBC .
On Monday New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , who has championed social distancing and masks , apologised over a maskless selfie with supporters last week , admitting she made a mistake .
What are other nations doing ?
More than half of the world ’ s countries have issued nationwide mask mandates to curb the spread of Covid-19 , said the Council on Foreign Relations , a US-based think tank , in early August .
Vietnam was among the first to introduce compulsory mask-wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and extended rules last month .
Both places have been internationally lauded for their success in containing the virus with very low caseloads .
In some parts of the world , like Hong Kong , wearing a mask while sick was already a cultural norm after the deadly 2003 Sars outbreak .
• Why are Americans so angry about masks ?
• Why some countries wear face masks and others don't But face coverings have also ignited fierce debate .
In the US , which has the most recorded Covid-19 deaths in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue .
Self-described “ anti-maskers ” have even taken to the streets to protest against mandatory rules .
US President Donald Trump earlier said mask-wearing was a personal choice and has been criticised by experts for his inconsistent messaging .
The shifting advice on masks earlier in the pandemic is also thought to have confused some people about their utility .
At first the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there wasn ’ t enough evidence that healthy members of the general public should wear masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask where social distancing was unfeasible to help curb the spread of coronavirus based on growing evidence .
Dale Fisher , a professor in infectious diseases at the National University of Singapore , said while it was logical for New Zealand to unmask if the virus was eradicated , he questioned how it would respond when the country opened up to the world again .
“ It ’ s wonderful in the short-term .
They can go to the rugby , not wear masks , crowd pubs , ” he told the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to have to say we ’ re opening the borders and we ’ re going to have cases and clusters.
” No one believes the `` fairytale '' that there will be a fully effective and fully taken up vaccine so masks `` will be an important part of the defence '' , he added .

“It gets harder to sustain interest in mask use when people think there’s no virus any more. We don’t have masks ingrained in our culture. And I think people have not got used to them at any point,” he told the BBC.


bbc--2020-09-23--The pandemic is fuelling a surfing boom - in Ohio corn country

With holidays to beachside destinations scuttled by the pandemic , adventure seekers in America 's Midwest are hitting their local waterways , writes Stephen Starr .
In any year but this , landlocked Ohioans would descend in their thousands on the beaches of the Florida panhandle and the Carolinas for summer vacation .
The pandemic , unsurprisingly , has changed all that .
In July , a Covid-19 outbreak in central Ohio was blamed on holidaymakers returning from Florida and Arizona , two states badly affected by the virus this summer .
News such as this has forced many to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for locals missing the sea waves , a new community of surfers has this summer sprung up in the most unlikely of places .
In Dayton , Ohio , the pandemic has fuelled an emergent river surfing scene that 's drawing adventure seekers down to their local rivers .
On the banks of the Great Miami River in downtown Dayton , Jake Brown is face down on a surfboard , giving instructions to a group of student surfers watching intently .
For seven years , Brown lived in Santa Cruz , California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When he returned home to Ohio - more than 600 miles from the nearest ocean - in 2017 , he immediately missed the beach , but especially the surfing scene .
One day while driving in Dayton , Brown was stunned to see someone standing on a surfboard in the middle of the Great Miami River .
That fellow surfing fanatic was Shannon Thomas .
Last year , the pair got together to establish Surf Dayton , one of only a handful of river surfing schools in the country .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We did 22 clinics in 2019 ( with three or four participants per clinic ) , '' says Thomas , who regularly straps his board to his scooter and hits the river on his lunch break .
`` This year , we have already done around 64 clinics . ''
Surrounded by endlessly flat farmland , Dayton is not a place one might expect to find a booming water sports scene .
Today , however , it boasts a tight-knit and growing river surfing community , the water serving as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Florida and the Carolinas out of reach for now .
`` I 've lived in both Florida and California .
While I tried ocean surfing a few times in Florida , I never quite caught on and honestly , California waves were just too intimidating for me to even attempt , '' says Kathleen Hartshorn , who took up river surfing this summer .
`` I met Shannon a few years ago .
So , when he began teaching lessons , I knew I wanted to try it out . ''
Hartshorn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach outside Ohio for summer holiday `` at least for a few days , '' but with many busy coastal towns being Covid-19 hotspots , she 's decided to stay close to home .
`` There is just something really magical about seeing people out on the river trying to surf for the first time .
Or seeing some of the same people coming out and getting stronger at surfing . ''
Sitting at the confluence of the Mad , Stillwater and Great Miami rivers , Dayton finds itself ideally located for fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features are a half-mile from each other in the downtown area and have separate entry chutes to cater to both skilled and novice water enthusiasts .
A third is located four miles upstream on the Mad River .
Help for a hollowed out downtown Best known as the hometown of the Wright brothers , the Gem City was for decades a hub of innovation .
At the turn of the 19th Century it boasted more patents per capita than any other US city .
Thousands of African-American workers migrated here in search of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and manufacturing capacity .
• Boom time for bikes as virus changes lifestyles But since the 1960s , Dayton , like dozens of other Midwestern cities , has seen countless factories shutter and residents leave .
Many of those who remained moved to sprawling suburbs on the city 's periphery , leaving downtown a sea of shuttered stores and empty office blocks .
But in a move to attract suburbanites and residents of nearby cities ( Dayton is an hour 's drive from Cincinnati , and Ohio 's state capital , Columbus ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders set about raising $ 4.4 million ( £3.37 million ) to convert dangerous low head dams , built in the early 20th Century to control flood water , into white-water recreational amenities .
The aim of the project was to attract young people by `` providing a vibrant downtown with dynamic recreational opportunities '' , says Carrie Scarff , chief of projects and planning at Five Rivers MetroParks , the Dayton area 's main parks organisation .
`` Companies would choose to locate where they know they could attract and retain talent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intent was to create a downtown where workers could live , work , play , and learn . ''
The rivers were also seen as a way to encourage locals to be more active .
These efforts appear to be paying off .
`` This year I knew of people travelling in from Chicago just to go surfing in Dayton .
Those people are staying in Airbnbs , going to restaurants , '' says Kathleen Hartshorn 's husband Wes , who took up river surfing last year and has spent most of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only is river surfing fun but I love telling people I surf in Dayton . ''
With so many new surfers from , and coming to , Dayton , local stores specialising in paddle and surf boards are experiencing a welcome pandemic-fuelled boom .
`` They ( river surfing boards ) are one of our bigger sellers .
They 're going out faster than we can get them in , '' says Bernie Farley , co-owner of Whitewater Warehouse , perched on the banks of the Mad River .
Farley , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white-water features built , says sales of boards this year are up 50 to 60 % on 2019 .
As for the actual sport itself , river surfing is a great entry point for first-time fans of adventure water activities .
Brown recommends beginners start out on longer , wider inflatable boards , the kind used for stand-up paddle boarding , since they provide more stability on the wave .
For the more experienced surfers and for when the wave level falls , shorter boards are recommended .
Unlike its ocean equivalent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be time-consuming , river surfing sees surfers enter directly from the side and immediately get on the wave .
Also unlike ocean surfing , once surfers do fall into the water , it only takes a few minutes to swim back to the wave and get back on the board again .
That said , adds Brown , `` Once you stand up and start turning ( on the wave ) , it feels very similar to ocean surfing . ''
As temperatures begin to drop over the next few weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Dayton 's best ever river surfing season .
But virus or not , fans say they 're only getting started .
`` It has created a community of people , '' says Kathleen Hartshorn .
`` It 's such a unique thing to say we do in Dayton , Ohio . ''

Also unlike ocean surfing, once surfers do fall into the water, it only takes a few minutes to swim back to the wave and get back on the board again. That said, adds Brown, "Once you stand up and start turning (on the wave), it feels very similar to ocean surfing."


bbc--2020-09-23--Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at US Supreme Court steps

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is lying in repose at the steps of the US Supreme Court for two days .
Mourners @ @ @ @ @ their respects to the late justice , who died last Friday at the age of @ @ @ @ @ lie in state at the US Capitol on Friday .

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is lying in repose at the steps of the US Supreme Court for two days.
Mourners are flocking there to pay their respects to the late justice, who died last Friday at the age of 87.
Her body will lie in state at the US Capitol on Friday.