bbc--2020-01-21--Sharapova set to drop out of top 350 after first-round defeat

Maria Sharapova is not sure if she will be at the Australian Open next year , with a first-round exit meaning she is set to drop out of the world 's top 350 .
The five-time Grand Slam champion , who won at Melbourne Park in 2008 , lost 6-3 6-4 to Croatian 19th seed Donna Vekic .
It was only the Russian 's second competitive outing since September 's US Open because of a shoulder injury .
Asked whether this might be her last appearance at the tournament , she said : `` I do n't know .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was given a wildcard , added : `` I was fortunate to get myself to be here and thanks to [ the organisers for ] allowing me to be part of this event .
`` It 's tough for me to tell what 's going to happen in 12 months ' time . ''
This was the former world number one 's earliest exit at the Australian Open since 2010 and she has now gone out in the first round in her past three Grand Slams .
`` I put myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , I finished the match and it was n't the way that I wanted , '' she said .
• Konta , Edmund & Boulter out in first round Halep , Pliskova , Muguruza through to round two Wimbledon champion Simona Halep had to save three set points in the first set but eventually came through 7-6 ( 7-5 ) 6-1 against American Jennifer Brady .
Romanian Halep , who had her right wrist strapped after a fall in the first set , raced through the second set in 27 minutes after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number two Karolina Pliskova raced through the first set before having to work hard in the second as she beat Kristina Mladenovic to reach the second round .
The Czech took the opener in just 25 minutes on her way to a 6-1 7-5 win .
It was a tricky draw for the second seed , with Mladenovic a former top-10 player who helped France win the Fed Cup in November .
Pliskova is unbeaten in 2020 , winning the Brisbane International this month .
`` We had some good matches in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second set , '' said Pliskova , who had shared a 2-2 record against Mladenovic before this match .
In the next round , the 27-year-old will play German world number 72 Laura Siegemund .
Pliskova , chasing a first Grand Slam title , is joined in the second round by Swiss sixth seed Belinda Bencic , Dutch ninth seed Kiki Bertens , American 10th seed Madison Keys and Greek 22nd seed Maria Sakkari , but British 12th seed Johanna Konta was knocked out .
Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat American Shelby Rogers 0-6 6-1 6-0 .
Catherine Bellis , playing at her first Grand Slam in two years , breezed past Germany 's Tatjana Maria 6-0 6-2 .
American Bellis , who has fallen to 600 in the rankings , was told she may have to quit tennis after struggling with wrist and elbow injuries .
She had four surgeries in 2018 on her wrist , arm and elbow and only returned to the WTA Tour in November 2019 .
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Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Maria Sharapova had not lost in the Australian Open first round since 2010
2020 Australian Open Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 20 January to 2 February Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and online; Live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website and app.
Maria Sharapova is not sure if she will be at the Australian Open next year, with a first-round exit meaning she is set to drop out of the world's top 350.
The five-time Grand Slam champion, who won at Melbourne Park in 2008, lost 6-3 6-4 to Croatian 19th seed Donna Vekic.
It was only the Russian's second competitive outing since September's US Open because of a shoulder injury.
Asked whether this might be her last appearance at the tournament, she said: "I don't know. I don't know."
The 32-year-old, who was given a wildcard, added: "I was fortunate to get myself to be here and thanks to [the organisers for] allowing me to be part of this event.
"It's tough for me to tell what's going to happen in 12 months' time."
This was the former world number one's earliest exit at the Australian Open since 2010 and she has now gone out in the first round in her past three Grand Slams.
"I put myself out there. As tough as it was, I finished the match and it wasn't the way that I wanted," she said.
Halep, Pliskova, Muguruza through to round two
Fourth seed Simona Halep had to have her wrist strapped after falling on court
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep had to save three set points in the first set but eventually came through 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 against American Jennifer Brady.
Romanian Halep, who had her right wrist strapped after a fall in the first set, raced through the second set in 27 minutes after the opener took 69 minutes.
World number two Karolina Pliskova easily won the first set before having to work hard in the second as she beat Kristina Mladenovic to reach the second round.
The Czech took the opener in just 25 minutes on her way to a 6-1 7-5 win.
It was a tricky draw for the second seed, with Mladenovic a former top-10 player who helped France win the Fed Cup in November.
Pliskova is unbeaten in 2020, winning the Brisbane International this month.
"We had some good matches in the past and it was tough mentally in the second set," said Pliskova, who had shared a 2-2 record against Mladenovic before this match.
In the next round, the 27-year-old will play German world number 72 Laura Siegemund.
Pliskova, chasing a first Grand Slam title, is joined in the second round by Swiss sixth seed Belinda Bencic, Dutch ninth seed Kiki Bertens, American 10th seed Madison Keys and Greek 22nd seed Maria Sakkari, but British 12th seed Johanna Konta was knocked out.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza fought back from a dreadful first set to beat American Shelby Rogers 0-6 6-1 6-0 and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber of Germany saw off Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2 6-2.
American 26th seed Danielle Collins, a surprise semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, overcame Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1 3-6 6-4.
Czech 15th seed Marketa Vondrousova, a finalist at last year's French Open, lost 6-2 4-6 6-4 to Russian 34-year-old Svetlana Kuznetsova, while American 18-year-old Amanda Anisimova fell 6-3 4-6 6-3 to Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas.
Catherine Bellis, playing at her first Grand Slam in two years, breezed past Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-0 6-2.
American Bellis, who has fallen to 600 in the rankings, was told she may have to quit tennis external-link after struggling with wrist and elbow injuries.
She had four surgeries in 2018 on her wrist, arm and elbow and only returned to the WTA Tour in November 2019.


bbc--2020-01-21--Man Utd charged by FA for confronting referee at Liverpool

Manchester United have been charged by the Football Association for failing `` to ensure its players conducted themselves in an @ @ @ @ @ lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Sunday .
The charge relates to an incident where United @ @ @ @ @ after he had initially allowed a goal by Liverpool 's Roberto Firmino .
The video @ @ @ @ @ goal for a foul by Virgil van Dijk on keeper David de Gea in the @ @ @ @ @ Thursday to respond .
The incident , which happened in the 26th minute as Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ Gea booked for his protests to Pawson .

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
De Gea was booked for his protests after referee Craig Pawson allowed Roberto Firmino's effort
Manchester United have been charged by the Football Association for failing "to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion" as they lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Sunday.
The charge relates to an incident where United players confronted referee Craig Pawson after he had initially allowed a goal by Liverpool's Roberto Firmino.
The video assistant referee ruled out the goal for a foul by Virgil van Dijk on keeper David de Gea in the build-up.
United have until Thursday to respond.
The incident, which happened in the 26th minute as Liverpool led 1-0, saw De Gea booked for his protests to Pawson.


bbc--2020-01-21--'A good old-fashioned butt-whipping' - Lakers fall to heaviest defeat of season at Celtics

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to their heaviest defeat of the NBA season as they were beaten 139-107 by the @ @ @ @ @ .
Jayson Tatum scored 27 points while Kemba Walker - returning from injury - added @ @ @ @ @ Celtics .
The Celtics had lost six of their previous eight games .
`` Listen @ @ @ @ @ good , old-fashioned butt-whipping , that 's all , '' said the Lakers ' LeBron @ @ @ @ @ points and made 18 assists .
The Lakers - the Western Conference leaders - have @ @ @ @ @ and play the New York Knicks on Thursday .

Last updated on .From the section Basketball
The Los Angeles Lakers fell to their heaviest defeat of the NBA season as they were beaten 139-107 by the Boston Celtics at TD garden.
Jayson Tatum scored 27 points while Kemba Walker - returning from injury - added a further 20 for the Celtics.
The Celtics had lost six of their previous eight games.
"Listen, it was just a good, old-fashioned butt-whipping, that's all," said the Lakers' LeBron James, who scored 15 points and made 18 assists.
The Lakers - the Western Conference leaders - have lost nine games this season and play the New York Knicks on Thursday.


bbc--2020-01-21--'He thought about himself before the player' - Wright criticises Solskjaer for Rashford injury

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer `` thought about himself before the player '' when Marcus Rashford picked up a back injury which could keep him out for three months , says former England striker Ian Wright .
Rashford , 22 , came on as a substitute and then went off injured during United 's 1-0 home win over Wolves in last week 's FA Cup third-round replay .
Wright , speaking on the Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live , believes `` someone should be held accountable '' because it is likely to cost United .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rashford was struggling and played him against Wolves - now he 's out for three months , '' said Wright .
`` We 're talking about an explosive player that 's going to need to be right [ to play ] .
`` Solskjaer 's under intense pressure to get United back where they were and he 's thought about himself before he thought about the player - Solskjaer has put himself above Marcus Rashford 's health .
`` Now , one of their most promising and most important players is out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's door . ''
• No Rashford , no fear factor for Man Utd - Jenas analysis Rashford had featured in 13 matches - starting 11 of them - from the beginning of December to when he picked up the injury on 15 January , scoring nine goals in that period .
With the score 0-0 against Wolves , he came on in the 64th minute but then went off 16 minutes later with Solskjaer then saying the decision to play him had `` backfired '' .
because Rashford had been been `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking after the Liverpool game on Sunday , Solskjaer denied Rashford was already suffering from a back fracture before the Wolves match and reiterated that in his news conference on Tuesday .
`` He 's not had that injury before , '' he said .
`` He complained a little bit after Burnley [ on December 28 ] - he felt it the first time , and we managed him as well as we could then .
`` He had some days off for treatment , was taken off in games and suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't have any injuries before then . ''
Wright added : `` Rashford has started every game and for him to play that much football , with the problems he is having with his back , you ca n't mess around with that and Solskjaer has to take some blame in still playing him . ''
After the incident , Solskjaer said Rashford would be out for at least six weeks , but reports this week suggest he might not return until April .
United are fifth , five points behind fourth-placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a blow for England with Harry Kane also out until at least April with a hamstring injury .

Marcus Rashford has scored 19 goals for Manchester United in 31 appearances in all competitions in 2019-20
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer "thought about himself before the player" when Marcus Rashford picked up a back injury which could keep him out for three months, says former England striker Ian Wright.
Rashford, 22, came on as a substitute and then went off injured during United's 1-0 home win over Wolves in last week's FA Cup third-round replay.
Wright, speaking on the Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live, believes "someone should be held accountable" because it is likely to cost United.
"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he knew Marcus Rashford was struggling and played him against Wolves - now he's out for three months," said Wright.
"We're talking about an explosive player that's going to need to be right [to play].
"Solskjaer's under intense pressure to get United back where they were and he's thought about himself before he thought about the player - Solskjaer has put himself above Marcus Rashford's health.
"Now, one of their most promising and most important players is out and that has to come to the manager's door."
Rashford had featured in 13 matches - starting 11 of them - from the beginning of December to when he picked up the injury on 15 January, scoring nine goals in that period.
With the score 0-0 against Wolves, he came on in the 64th minute but then went off 16 minutes later with Solskjaer then saying the decision to play him had "backfired". because Rashford had been been "struggling for a little while".
Speaking after the Liverpool game on Sunday, Solskjaer denied Rashford was already suffering from a back fracture before the Wolves match and reiterated that in his news conference on Tuesday.
"He's not had that injury before," he said. "He complained a little bit after Burnley [on December 28] - he felt it the first time, and we managed him as well as we could then.
"He had some days off for treatment, was taken off in games and suddenly this was a new injury. He didn't have any injuries before then."
Wright added: "Rashford has started every game and for him to play that much football, with the problems he is having with his back, you can't mess around with that and Solskjaer has to take some blame in still playing him."
After the incident, Solskjaer said Rashford would be out for at least six weeks, but reports this week suggest he might not return until April.
United are fifth, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, while Rashford's absence is also a blow for England with Harry Kane also out until at least April with a hamstring injury.


bbc--2020-01-21--Trump impeachment trial starts with rule wrangling in Senate

The Senate impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump has begun , with Democrats and Republicans wrangling over the rules .
Republican Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell wants to block subpoenaing key witnesses or documents .
The Democrats say this will be no less than a cover-up .
Mr Trump is charged with abusing his presidential power with leverage over Ukraine , and of obstructing Congress as it looked into his conduct .
He denies all the charges .
Senators have taken oaths to act as impartial jurors , hearing arguments for six hours a day , six days a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Chief Justice , John Roberts .
• 'No crime , no impeachment ' - is that true ?
• Trump impeachment trial : All you need to know It is only the third time in US history that a president is facing an impeachment trial and it is unclear how long it will last .
BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says the chances of a conviction in the Republican-majority Senate are slim to none .
What were the opening manoeuvres ?
They have been as partisan and feisty as expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules that block subpoenaing key witnesses or documents as the sides make their case .
`` The basic structure we 're proposing is just as eminently fair and even-handed , '' Mr McConnell said .
In his opening statement , Adam Schiff , the House Democrat leading the impeachment case , said most Americans `` do not believe there will be a fair trial .
They do n't believe the Senate will be impartial .
They believe the result is pre-cooked '' .
He said Mr McConnell wanted the trial to `` go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : `` It 's completely backwards , trial before evidence . ''
Mr Trump 's Republicans have been looking to shorten the trial as much as possible .
The president 's legal team had earlier demanded he be immediately acquitted , calling the trial `` a dangerous perversion of the Constitution '' .
Mr McConnell had proposed condensing the opening arguments from three days to two , backed by the president 's lawyers .
But after a meeting with senators , including some Republicans , Mr McConnell agreed to three days for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be kept in the dark .
White House Counsel Pat Cipollone , the president 's lead lawyer , said : `` It 's a fair process .
There is absolutely no case . ''
Democrats said the president would `` rather discuss anything other than what he actually did '' .
Votes on trial rules could take place later on Tuesday , including on whether witnesses such as former National Security Adviser John Bolton can be called .
But several days of procedural tangles are expected .
What are the charges ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking help from Ukraine 's government to help himself get re-elected in November .
It is claimed that , during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , he held back military aid in exchange for an investigation into Hunter Biden - the son of Mr Trump 's political rival , Joe Biden , and a former member of the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma .
The second allegation is that , by refusing to allow White House staff to testify at the impeachment hearings last year , Mr Trump obstructed Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Democrat-led House voted to impeach Mr Trump on 18 December .

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bbc--2020-01-21--Viewpoint: 'No crime, no impeachment' is a shaky defence

The White House now contends that the ongoing impeachment trial against President Donald Trump is invalid because Mr Trump has not committed any criminal acts .
But this argument is deeply flawed , writes legal scholar Jonathan Turley .
Forty-five years ago , Cowboys quarterback Roger Stauback said : `` I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary . ''
The so-called Hail Mary pass is now a mainstay of American football where a quarterback , in the final seconds of a close game , throws the ball into the end zone on a hope and a prayer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate impeachment trial begins , Stauback 's strategy came to mind .
The White House has decided to frame its defence around a constitutional Hail Mary pass in arguing that the impeachment itself is invalid because articles of impeachment must be based on alleged criminal acts .
The `` quarterback '' in this play is Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz who believes that the Senate should simply dismiss the case as constitutionally invalid .
Hail Mary passes make for great football but perfectly lousy impeachment trials .
The problem is that this pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone but well beyond the stadium .
The argument is based on a literal reading of the standard `` high crimes and misdemeanors . ''
Those are criminal terms , to be sure , but they were never viewed as such by in England , where the standard was first forged , nor in the United States in past judicial and presidential impeachments .
• The case for and against impeaching Trump • Who will win battle for witnesses at Trump trial ?
American impeachments stand on English feet and English impeachments often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1604 , John Thornborough , Bishop of Bristol , was impeached for writing a book on the controversial union with Scotland .
Michael de la Pole , Earl of Suffolk , was impeached in 1386 for such offenscs as appointing incompetent officers and `` advising the King to grant liberties and privileges to certain persons to the hindrance of the due execution of the laws '' .
Others impeachments were based on `` giving pernicious advice to the Crown '' and `` malversations and neglects in office ; for encouraging pirates ; for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and especially for putting good magistrates out of office , and advancing bad '' .
The English standard was so vague and broad that the Framers were uncomfortable with replicating that process in the United States .
Indeed , when the ongoing impeachment trial of Governor General Warren Hastings of the East India Company was raised by a Framer , James Madison immediately objected that the standard in the United States should not include terms like `` maladministration '' that would effectively leave presidents as serving `` at the pleasure of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adoption of the English standard of `` high crimes and misdemeanors '' with a narrower scope of covered individuals ( judicial and executive officers ) .
However , it was never limited to criminal acts .
Limiting impeachment to the criminal code would have been a remarkable abridgment since there were crimes recognised at that time .
More importantly , the Framers discussed the need to deal with violations of public trust and other non-criminal violations of a president .
They wanted a narrower standard but not a purely criminal-based standard .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so and made the criminal code the scope of impeachment .
Finally , such a standard would create a nightmare where a president could engage in outrageous acts and remain unimpeachable by staying just short of indictable .
It is not surprising therefore that virtually every impeachment in US history has contained non-criminal allegations including the two presidential impeachments .
My disagreement with this argument puts me in a rather ironic position .
During the impeachment hearing , I argued against four articles of impeachment being touted by the House leadership , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations against Trump fall well outside of definitions and case law of these crimes .
While such definitions are not controlling , Congress has always looked to criminal cases on the meaning of such offenses .
The reason is simple .
The criminal code offers an objective and neutral source for defining acts free from political manipulation .
Not only do such cases put a president on notice of the range of impermissible conduct , but it shows the public that the president is being held to a clearly defined and understood standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Committee rejected those four articles and went forward with the two articles that I testified would be legitimate , if proven .
Now I have the inverse concern with the White House argument .
By framing this defense around this unwarranted interpretation , the White House is putting Republican senators in a terrible bind .
Many will not want to catch this Hail Mary pass and simply pray that no president in the future will ruin the Republic with unimpeachable but noncriminal acts .
Jonathan Turley is professor of constitutional law at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other constitutional experts in both the Clinton and Trump impeachment hearings .
Want to know more ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : If you want a basic take , this one 's for you • GO DEEPER : Here 's a 100 , 300 and 800-word summary of the story • VIEW FROM TRUMP COUNTRY : Hear from residents of a West Virginia town • CONTEXT : Why Ukraine matters to the US • FACT-CHECK : Did Ukraine interfere in the 2016 election to help Clinton ?

My disagreement with this argument puts me in a rather ironic position. During Trump's impeachment hearing, I argued against four articles of impeachment being touted by the the leadership of the House of Representatives, including bribery. The problem is that the allegations against Trump fall well outside of definitions and case law of these crimes. While such definitions are not controlling, Congress has always looked to criminal cases on the meaning of such offences.


bbc--2020-01-21--New China virus: US announces first case

The United States has confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus on its territory .
The Centers for Disease Control said the virus , which originated in China , had been diagnosed in a US resident who arrived in Seattle from China .
The virus , which spread from the Chinese city of Wuhan , has infected almost 300 people , and six have died .
North Korea has temporarily closed its borders to foreign tourists in response to the threat , a tour operator says .
The patient diagnosed in the US - reported to be a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 15 January , the CDC said .
`` The patient sought care at a medical facility in the state of Washington , where the patient was treated for the illness , '' it added in a statement .
`` Based on the patient 's travel history and symptoms , healthcare professionals suspected this new coronavirus . ''
Laboratory testing of a clinical specimen confirmed the diagnosis on 20 January , the CDC statement continued .
• How worried should we be ?
The announcement that North Korea was barring entry to foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is based in China and specialises in travel to North Korea .
The company said in a statement that North Korea was implementing a temporary ban as a precaution .
`` Further details are yet to be confirmed by our travel partners in North Korea and we will continue to make all future announcements on our website , '' Young Pioneer Tours said .
Another tour group that travels to North Korea , Koryo Tours , also tweeted about `` possible limits to tourist entry '' .
Some experts have previously warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the country 's healthcare system , by restricting the delivery of aid and medical equipment .
Last November , US doctor Kee B Park wrote in USA Today : `` I have seen how the North Korean doctors have adapted to scarcity .
For example , they reuse intravenous catheters , scalpels , gauze and gloves by meticulously cleaning and re-sterilising them - until they become unusable . ''
Where has the virus spread ?
Earlier on Monday , Chinese officials confirmed for the first time that the virus could pass from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time Chinese state media said six people had died from the infection , which causes a type of pneumonia .
A total of 291 cases have now been reported across major cities in China , including Beijing and Shanghai .
However , most are in Wuhan , the central city of 11 million people at the heart of the outbreak .
The disease was first identified there late last year , and the outbreak is believed to be linked to a seafood market that also sells live animals .
Aside from the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Thailand , one in Japan , one in South Korea and one in Taiwan .
All those infected had recently returned from Wuhan .
Authorities in several countries , including Australia , Singapore , Hong Kong , Taiwan and Japan have stepped up screening of air passengers from Wuhan .
US authorities last week announced similar measures at airports in San Francisco , Los Angeles and New York .
They have now announced plans to introduce similar measures at airports in Chicago and Atlanta this week .
In Australia , a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed in isolation and is undergoing tests .
China is the largest source of tourists to Australia , with more than a million Chinese citizens visiting last year .
But the measures being put in place by North Korea are the strictest so far .
A report by the Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College , London , suggested there could be more than 1,700 infections .
However , Gabriel Leung , the dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong , put the figure closer to 1,300 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ?
The virus , known also as 2019-nCoV , is understood to be a new strain of coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans .
Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses , but only six ( the new one would make it seven ) are known to infect people .
The World Health Organization has advised people to avoid `` unprotected '' contact with live animals , thoroughly cook meat and eggs , and avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms .
Signs of infection include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortness of breath and breathing difficulties .

Authorities in several countries, including Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan have stepped up screening of air passengers from Wuhan. US authorities last week announced similar measures at airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. They have now announced plans to introduce similar measures at airports in Chicago and Atlanta this week.


bbc--2020-01-21--Duke and Duchess of Sussex issue legal warning over photos

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have issued a legal warning to the media after photographs of Meghan in Canada were published in newspapers and on websites .
Lawyers say the photos of the duchess walking her dogs and carrying her son were taken by photographers hiding in bushes and spying on her .
They say she did not consent and accuse the photographers of harassment .
The couple say that they are prepared to take legal action .
• Harry arrives in Canada ahead of new chapter • No other option but to step back , says Harry • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Harry and Meghan step back : What will happen next ?
They are believed to be alarmed by paparazzi activity near their current base on Vancouver Island , British Columbia .
Lawyers say there have also been attempts to photograph inside their home using long-range lenses and they accuse the paparazzi of being camped outside the property .
Under laws in British Columbia , the duchess may have grounds for a legal case if she can prove her privacy has been violated , although freedom of the press and expression is guaranteed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freedoms .
This comes after the Queen agreed to the couple 's wish to step back from being full-time royals , to become financially independent and to split their time between the UK and Canada .
On Monday , Meghan was pictured carrying the couple 's eight-month-old son Archie in a baby sling , while walking her two dogs , Guy and Oz , in Horth Hill Regional Park on Vancouver Island .
The Duke of Sussex arrived back in Canada on Tuesday morning after attending the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meghan and Archie for more than 10 days , after she flew back to Canada earlier this month .
It was announced on Saturday that from the spring , the Sussexes will no longer be full-time working royals .
They will stop using their HRH titles , no longer carry out royal duties or military appointments and no longer formally represent the Queen .
One day after that announcement , Prince Harry said he was `` taking a leap of faith '' in stepping back from being a senior royal , adding : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Prince Harry has long had an uneasy relationship with the media , having grown up aware of the impact the intense media interest had on the life of his late mother , Diana , Princess of Wales , who died in a car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi on motorbikes .
The driver of Princess Diana 's car - Henri Paul - had been drink-driving at the time of the crash on 31 August 1997 .
The prince has often compared his wife 's experiences of the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a statement announcing Meghan 's legal action against the Mail on Sunday last October , the prince said he and Meghan were forced to take action against `` relentless propaganda '' .
The duchess is suing the newspaper over publishing one of her private letters to her father , Thomas Markle .
Meghan accuses the paper of misusing her private information , breaching copyright and selective editing .
The Mail on Sunday rejects the claims and says there was `` huge and legitimate '' public interest in publishing the note .
Days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the duke announced he would take legal action against the owners of the Sun , the defunct News of the World , and the Daily Mirror , in relation to alleged phone-hacking .
Back in 2016 , Prince Harry attacked the media for subjecting Meghan - then his girlfriend - to a `` wave of abuse and harassment '' .
In 2017 , the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were awarded £92,000 ( 100,000 euros ) in damages after French magazine Closer printed topless pictures of the duchess in 2012 .

Prince Harry has long had an uneasy relationship with the media, having grown up aware of the impact the intense media interest had on the life of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi on motorbikes.


bbc--2020-01-21--Fact-checking Trump's Davos speech

Fact-checking Trump's Davos speech

President Trump made a series of claims about his record in office - on the US economy and on the environment - during his speech to the World Economic Forum at the Swiss resort of Davos .
We 've looked at some of them : Claim : `` The United States has among the cleanest air and drinking water on Earth . ''
Reality Check : Mr Trump has praised his administration 's policies for improving air and water quality in the US before .
However , his critics point to steps that reverse environmental protection and to America 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Air quality in the US ranks as 10th best in the world , according to the Environmental Performance Index , created by researchers at Yale and Columbia universities .
Drinking water in the US is named as joint top along with countries including the UK , Canada and Finland .
Claim : `` The United States is in the midst of an economic boom - the likes of which the world has never seen before . ''
Reality Check : The annual rate of growth in gross domestic product ( GDP ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the economy - has been between 2 % and 3 % under Mr Trump .
But under President Clinton , the annual growth rate was higher - reaching over 4 % .
• US economy under Trump : The greatest in history ?
And if you look at the quarterly GDP growth rate , there was a period under President Obama , in 2014 , when it reached 5.5 % .
That 's not been matched during Mr Trump 's term in office .
Claim : `` Since my election , America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Reality Check : According to government statistics , just over seven million jobs have been added since November 2016 , when Mr Trump won the US election , although he did n't assume office until January 2017 .
Barack Obama added 7.8 million jobs in his last three years in office .
And there has been job growth in the US for 110 consecutive months , with the Trump administration continuing an upward trend .
• What is Davos and is it elitist ?
Claim : `` The experts predicted a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe even negative growth , high unemployment and a dwindling workforce . ''
Reality Check : Mr Trump did n't give details about which experts he was referring to or precisely when the prediction was made .
But the Congressional Budget Office in January 2016 predicted real GDP would grow by 2.7 % in 2016 and by 2.5 % in 2017 .
And it predicted that from 2018 to 2020 , the economy would grow at an average annual rate of 2 % .
As for jobs , the Bureau of Labor Statistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an average of 0.5 % a year between 2014 and 2024 - about 7.9 million in total .
Claim : `` After losing 60,000 factories under the previous two administrations ... America has gained 12,000 new factories under my administration . ''
Reality Check : Mr Trump frequently highlights his success in growing the manufacturing sector and compared his record against that of his his predecessors , George W Bush and Barack Obama , in this speech .
At the start of 2001 , compared with the end of 2016 , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( factories ) in the US , according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics .
In terms of new factories , the most recent statistics are for the second quarter of 2019 .
And compared with when President Trump took office , in 2017 , there were roughly 12,000 more manufacturing establishments .
Most of these are small businesses , with fewer than five employees .
The number of factories overall started to increase in 2013 , during the Obama administration .
Claim : `` Ten million people have been lifted off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Reality Check : We do n't know exactly which welfare programmes Mr Trump is referring to .
The US has federal welfare programmes administered by individual states , which may supplement these with their own schemes .
We 've looked at the biggest federal ones : • Two million fewer people received earned-income tax credit in 2019 than in 2016 • More than six million ( 6,081,859 ) people lost their food-stamp benefits between January 2017 and October 2019 • 4.7 million fewer people were enrolled on Medicaid and Children 's Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 than in January 2017 • Nearly 219,000 fewer people were receiving supplementary security income , in November 2016 than in November 2019 But we do n't know how many claimed more than one benefit , so it 's difficult to reach an overall number of people `` lifted off welfare '' under President Trump .
The Trump administration has been looking to cut welfare programmes and introduce changes in how poverty is measured that would result in reducing welfare assistance to some low-income households .
Reality Check : The African-American unemployment rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lowest rate recorded since the US Labor Department started collecting these statistics , in 1972 .
The unemployment rate has since risen slightly to 5.9 % .
However , there is a disparity in weekly wages between racial groups .
Black men on average earn 26 % less than white men and the disparity between Hispanic men and white men is wider still , according to the latest official statistics .

Trump Davos 2020: US president's speech fact-checked Published 21 January 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, "We must reject the perennial prophets of doom" - Mr Trump
President Trump made a series of claims about his record in office - on the US economy and on the environment - during his speech to the World Economic Forum at the Swiss resort of Davos.
We've looked at some of them:
Claim: "The United States has among the cleanest air and drinking water on Earth."
Reality Check: Mr Trump has praised his administration's policies for improving air and water quality in the US before.
However, his critics point to steps that reverse environmental protection and to America's intended exit from the Paris climate agreement.
Air quality in the US ranks as 10th best in the world, according to the Environmental Performance Index, created by researchers at Yale and Columbia universities.
Drinking water in the US is named as joint top along with countries including the UK, Canada and Finland.
Claim: "The United States is in the midst of an economic boom - the likes of which the world has never seen before."
Reality Check: The annual rate of growth in gross domestic product (GDP) - the value of goods and services in the economy - has been between 2% and 3% under Mr Trump.
But under President Clinton, the annual growth rate was higher - reaching over 4%.
And if you look at the quarterly GDP growth rate, there was a period under President Obama, in 2014, when it reached 5.5%. That's not been matched during Mr Trump's term in office.
Claim: "Since my election, America has gained over seven million jobs."
Reality Check: According to government statistics, just over seven million jobs have been added since November 2016, when Mr Trump won the US election, although he didn't assume office until January 2017.
Barack Obama added 7.8 million jobs in his last three years in office.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, People queuing to enter a New York job fair
And there has been job growth in the US for 110 consecutive months, with the Trump administration continuing an upward trend.
Claim: "The experts predicted a decade of very, very slow growth or maybe even negative growth, high unemployment and a dwindling workforce."
Reality Check: Mr Trump didn't give details about which experts he was referring to or precisely when the prediction was made. But the Congressional Budget Office in January 2016 predicted real GDP would grow by 2.7% in 2016 and by 2.5% in 2017. And it predicted that from 2018 to 2020, the economy would grow at an average annual rate of 2%.
As for jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in December 2015 jobs would grow at an average of 0.5% a year between 2014 and 2024 - about 7.9 million in total.
Claim: "After losing 60,000 factories under the previous two administrations... America has gained 12,000 new factories under my administration."
Reality Check: Mr Trump frequently highlights his success in growing the manufacturing sector and compared his record against that of his his predecessors, George W Bush and Barack Obama, in this speech.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Apple products being built in a US factory: Mr Trump says he's boosted manufacturing
At the start of 2001, compared with the end of 2016, there were about 54,000 more private manufacturing establishments (factories) in the US, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In terms of new factories, the most recent statistics are for the second quarter of 2019.
And compared with when President Trump took office, in 2017, there were roughly 12,000 more manufacturing establishments.
Most of these are small businesses, with fewer than five employees.
The number of factories overall started to increase in 2013, during the Obama administration.
Claim: "Ten million people have been lifted off welfare in less than three years."
Reality Check: We don't know exactly which welfare programmes Mr Trump is referring to. The US has federal welfare programmes administered by individual states, which may supplement these with their own schemes.
We've looked at the biggest federal ones:
Two million fewer people received earned-income tax credit in 2019 than in 2016
More than six million (6,081,859) people lost their food-stamp benefits between January 2017 and October 2019
4.7 million fewer people were enrolled on Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programmes (Chip) in October 2019 than in January 2017
Nearly 219,000 fewer people were receiving supplementary security income, in November 2016 than in November 2019
But we don't know how many claimed more than one benefit, so it's difficult to reach an overall number of people "lifted off welfare" under President Trump.
The Trump administration has been looking to cut welfare programmes and introduce changes in how poverty is measured, which would mean some low-income households losing access to welfare assistance.
Claim: "Unemployment rates among African Americans have reached record lows."
Reality Check: The African-American unemployment rate hit 5.5% in September 2019, the lowest rate recorded since the US Labor Department started collecting these statistics, in 1972.
The unemployment rate has since risen slightly to 5.9%.


bbc--2020-01-21--Troops called as record snowfall blankets Canadian province

Do you know what to do if your car skids in the snow or ice ?
Newsbeat 's William Chalk @ @ @ @ @

The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador was hit with more than 70cm (27in) of snow in a record breaking blizzard.
The military has been called in to help with recovery efforts.


bbc--2020-01-21--People still want plastic bottles, says Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola will not ditch single-use plastic bottles because consumers still want them , the firm 's head of sustainability has told the BBC .
Customers like them because they reseal and are lightweight , said Bea Perez .
The firm , which is one of the biggest producers of plastic waste , has pledged to recycle as many plastic bottles as it uses by 2030 .
But environmental campaigners argue many Coke bottles would still go uncollected and end up in landfill .
• In the war on plastic is Coca-Cola friend or foe ?
The drinks giant produces about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year - equivalent to 200,000 bottles a minute .
In 2019 , it was found to be the most polluting brand in a global audit of plastic waste by the charity Break Free from Plastic .
But speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Ms Perez said the firm recognised it now had to be `` part of the solution '' .
Coke has pledged to use at least 50 % recycled material in its packaging by 2030 .
It is also partnering with NGOs around the world to help improve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the firm could not ditch plastic outright , as some campaigners wanted , saying this could alienate customers and hit sales .
She also said using only aluminium and glass packaging could push up the firm 's carbon footprint .
`` Business wo n't be in business if we do n't accommodate consumers , '' she said .
`` So as we change our bottling infrastructure , move into recycling and innovate , we also have to show the consumer what the opportunities are .
They will change with us . ''
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth activists , such as 19-year-old campaigner Melati Wijsen , who with her sister Isabel , convinced the island of Bali to ban single-use plastic bags , straws and styrofoam last year .
Such plastics were clogging up the seas around Bali , harming marine life .
Ms Perez also said she agreed with calls for Coca Cola to reach its environmental goals sooner than 2030 - although she would not say whether she would step down if the plans failed .
`` We have to reach this goal and we will - @ @ @ @ @ @

Ms Perez also said she agreed with calls for Coca Cola to reach its environmental goals sooner than 2030 - although she would not say whether she would step down if the plans failed.


bbc--2020-01-21--US census kicks off by counting first person in rural Alaska

The US 2020 census has officially begun in Toksook Bay , a remote fishing village on the coast of Alaska .
Steven Dillingham , head of the US Census Bureau , has kicked off the count with a ceremonial visit to a tribal elder , Lizzie Chimiugak Nenguryarr , 90 .
The census takes place every 10 years , and most of the country 's residents are counted from mid-March .
But census workers always make an early start in Alaska in January , when the ground is frozen enough to traverse .
If they were to wait a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to marsh and become almost impossible for them to cross .
• What 's a 'Science Princess ' doing in an ice field in Alaska ?
`` Alaska 's vast , sparsely settled areas traditionally are the first to be counted , '' the bureau says .
`` Local census takers must get a head start while the frozen ground allows easier access to the remote areas with unique accessibility challenges . ''
Census takers use dog sleds and snowmobiles to get to these places , it adds .
Toksook Bay is on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles ( 800km ) from the state 's largest city , Anchorage .
In the last census taken in 2010 , Toksook Bay had a population of 590 .
The bureau estimated in 2017 that this had risen to 661 .
Toksook Bay is not always the first village to be counted in the census .
In 2010 , bureau staff began in Noorvik , on the north-western coast .
In 2000 , they made their start in Unalakleet .
The indigenous peoples in Toksook Bay are Yup'ik - a group that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East .
Ms Nenguryarr speaks Yugtun , one of several distinct Yup'ik languages .
Alaska has 20 different official languages .
Usually , census materials are not available in any of the Alaskan languages , meaning that counters have to work with translators and local experts in order to communicate effectively with villagers .
However , in an effort to boost responses among indigenous groups , the Census Bureau has this year translated its materials into several indigenous languages - including Yup'ik .
What happened after the count ?
After visiting Ms Nenguryarr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ village 's residents , the census team is taking part in a day of celebrations that include ceremonial Yup'ik dance performances and a feast of traditional foods .
Mr Dillingham told Reuters news agency that the kickoff was n't just about counting the residents of one village - it was also about drawing the attention of the rest of the US .
`` It 's the first time the word is really getting across the nation that the 2020 census is here , '' he said .
Although it has now officially started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takers for the rest of the 2020 count .
It expects between 300,000 and 500,000 new census takers .
According to Mr Dillingham , they have already received about 1.8 million applications .

Alaska has 20 different official languages. Usually, census materials are not available in any of the Alaskan languages, meaning that counters have to work with translators and local experts in order to communicate effectively with villagers.


bbc--2020-01-21--Glenn Greenwald: Brazil accuses journalist of cyber-crimes

Brazilian authorities are seeking to bring charges against Glenn Greenwald , the journalist who published Edward Snowden 's intelligence agency leaks .
Mr Greenwald has been accused of `` helping guiding and encouraging '' a criminal group that hacked into the phones of Brazilian officials .
The journalist had recently published stories describing private messages between public prosecutors .
At this point , federal public prosecutors have proposed the charges .
However , a judge still needs to decide whether to formally indict him .
Six other individuals have also been accused of illegal telephone interceptions and conspiracy among other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , during his interactions with the group , Mr Greenwald advised its members to delete messages that they had passed on to him .
Mr Greenwald has not yet publicly responded to this particular allegation .
Last year , Mr Greenwald and colleagues published a series of ten investigative reports on news site The Intercept , which detailed `` a massive trove of previously undisclosed materials '' allegedly by Brazilian prosecutors and other officials .
They quoted from messages that had been sent via Telegram , a privacy-focused app that claims to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hacker attacks '' .
The Folha newspaper said that those whose accounts had allegedly been breached included justice minister Sergio Moro and prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol , who is coordinating Operation Car Wash - a probe into the country 's biggest ever corruption scandal .
After details of the accusations against him were published , Mr Greenwald issued a statement via The Daily beast news site .
In it , he noted that Brazil 's Supreme Court had ruled last year that the administration should drop its investigation into him because it violated his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months ago , the federal police , examining all the same evidence cited by the public ministry , stated explicitly that not only have I never committed any crime but that I exercised extreme caution as a journalist never even to get close to any participation , '' he added .
`` We will not be intimidated by these tyrannical attempts to silence journalists .
`` I am working right now on new reporting and will continue to do so . ''
The New York-based Freedom of the Press Foundation has described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as being `` beyond disturbing '' and an `` outrageous violation of press freedom '' .
Edward Snowden , who was granted asylum by Russia after he fled the United States in 2013 , tweeted his reaction to the news .
`` Absolute red alert : This is unbelievably naked retaliation for revealing extreme corruption at the highest levels of [ Brazilian President ] Bolsonaro 's administration and an existential threat to investigative journalism in Brazil , '' he wrote .
Last year , President Bolsonaro commented in public that he thought Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over his reporting activities .
Following news of the allegations levelled at Mr Greenwald , Eduardo Bolsonaro - the president 's son and an MP - tweeted : `` Glenn Greenwald always said he loved Brazil and wanted to get to know the country in-depth .
Maybe he will get to know [ one of Brazil 's ] jails… ''

"Less than two months ago, the federal police, examining all the same evidence cited by the public ministry, stated explicitly that not only have I never committed any crime but that I exercised extreme caution as a journalist never even to get close to any participation," he added.


bbc--2020-01-21--Unused emergency aid discovered in Puerto Rico

Pallets of unused emergency aid were discovered in a warehouse in Puerto Rico .
Some of the items dated back @ @ @ @ @ to go to Hurricane Maria victims .
The unused water , diapers , and other @ @ @ @ @ of the recent earthquake .

Pallets of unused emergency aid were discovered in a warehouse in Puerto Rico. Some of the items dated back to 2017 and were intended to go to Hurricane Maria victims.
The unused water, diapers, and other items will go to victims of the recent earthquake.


bbc--2020-01-21--Prince wrongful death legal claims dismissed

Wrongful death cases that were filed by Prince 's family have been dismissed , almost four years after the star died .
Legal claims had been filed against a doctor who prescribed Prince pain medication and a pharmacy that supplied him with medicine .
Dismissals usually occur after a settlement has been reached , but such agreements often remain confidential .
The 57-year-old died in 2016 after an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl at his home in Minneapolis .
Claims that had been filed against the Walgreens pharmacy chain and Dr Michael Schulenberg , who treated Prince in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed .
The star 's family had argued that failures in Dr Schulenberg 's treatment played a `` substantial part '' in his death .
Dr Schulenberg denied any wrongdoing .
A claim against the Trinity Medical Center in Illinois , where he was treated for an opioid overdose the week before he died , has also been dismissed .
A lawyer for Prince 's estate , John Goetz , told the BBC he could not comment on what led to the cases being dismissed .
• The real story behind Prince 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for medical negligence - remains against Dr Howard Kornfeld , an opioid addiction specialist who was called by Prince 's staff the day before he died .
Dr Kornfeld sent his son to Minneapolis to discuss treatment options , but it was already too late .
That claim was dismissed by a judge in September , but the estate has appealed against the decision .
After Prince 's death , an investigation revealed the musician had experienced significant pain for a number of years , and hundreds of painkillers of various types were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince had thought he was taking the prescription drug Vicodin , when in fact he was taking a counterfeit Vicodin pill laced with potentially deadly fentanyl .
Prosecutors said there was no evidence that the pills had been prescribed by a doctor .
No-one was criminally charged in relation to his death and the source of the counterfeit pills remains unknown .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

One final claim - for medical negligence - remains against Dr Howard Kornfeld, an opioid addiction specialist who was called by Prince's staff the day before he died. Dr Kornfeld sent his son to Minneapolis to discuss treatment options, but it was already too late.


bbc--2020-01-21--Davos: Greta Thunberg & Donald Trump clash on climate change

'This is not a time for pessimism ' - Trump The US president called for the rejection of `` the @ @ @ @ @ during his speech .

Up Next. Forget about net zero, we need real zero - Greta Thunberg. Video, 00:01:13Forget about net zero, we need real zero - Greta Thunberg


bbc--2020-01-21--Deadly storm Gloria batters Spain, then shifts to France

Powerful storm Gloria has battered much of eastern Spain , with officials linking at least four deaths to it .
The Balearic Islands and the region around Valencia were the worst-hit on Monday , with heavy flooding and strong winds causing havoc .
More than 30 provinces in Spain were put on high alert .
The storm later moved into southern France .
One French forecaster was quoted by local media as saying the storm was the worst in the region since 1982 .
A man died in his home in the Spanish province of Ávila after being hit by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
A homeless woman froze to death near Valencia , a municipal official told Reuters news agency .
One man was killed in a car accident on a snowbound road in the Asturias region , while another man was found dead outside his home in the town of Moixent with signs of hypothermia .
Social media users in Spain have been publishing footage of flooded streets in Valencia and other cities and towns in Spain .
Spanish forecasters on Monday reported winds of up to 115km/h ( 71mph ) , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alicante airport was forced to close , resulting in the cancellations of many flights .
Storm Gloria has arrived in Pyrénées-Orientales , France 's southernmost Mediterranean department , which has been placed on high alert .
Dozens of extra police and firefighters have been deployed in the region .
The A9 motorway on the French side of the border was closed as a precautionary measure .
Gloria was the worst storm to have hit the region in the winter period since January 1982 , Météo France forecaster Olivier Proust told Franceinfo .
Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding in October last year .

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bbc--2020-01-21--Brazil dam collapse: Murder charges filed by prosecutors

Brazilian prosecutors have filed charges including murder in relation to the collapse of a dam a year ago that killed at least 250 people .
The collapse in Brumadinho , Minas Gerais state , in January 2019 was Brazil 's worst industrial accident .
Mining giant Vale and German auditor Tüv Süd face environmental charges , with 16 individuals who worked for the companies facing charges of murder .
The prosecutors ' charges will have to be approved by a judge .
Among the individuals charged is the former chief executive of Vale , Fabio Schvartsman , Reuters news agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been charged with environmental crimes .
• Vale : The pride of Brazil becomes its most hated company • Looking for bodies , looking for answers Vale has been accused of failing to report warning signs before the dam engulfed a canteen , offices and farms .
Last July , a Brazilian judge ordered Vale to pay compensation for the collapse of the dam , saying that the company was responsible for fixing all the damage , including the economic effects .
The same month , emails emerged that showed Tüv Süd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet official requirements .
Tüv Süd inspected the dam in the months before the collapse .
It was a `` tailings '' dam - an embankment filled with waste product - and decades of waste from the nearby mine had been piled up and grassed over .
The German firm said it was co-operating with `` authorities and institutions in Brazil and Germany in the context of ongoing investigations '' .
It said it was `` deeply saddened '' by the disaster but added that the `` real causes '' had yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment on the charges .

Last July, a Brazilian judge ordered Vale to pay compensation for the collapse of the dam, saying that the company was responsible for fixing all the damage, including the economic effects.


bbc--2020-01-21--Swiss police 'exposed Russian spies in Davos'

Police apprehended two suspected Russian intelligence agents in Davos last August , a Swiss newspaper reports .
Tages-Anzeiger says the men , who had diplomatic passports , may have been preparing a spying operation targeting the World Economic Forum ( WEF ) .
It adds that the pair , one of whom was posing as a plumber , were subsequently released .
Swiss police confirmed to the BBC that two Russians were `` checked '' in August 2019 .
The Russian embassy in Bern told the BBC that the newspaper was just trying to `` whip out a scandal out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davos and is it elitist ?
• Putin critic Bill Browder freed after brief arrest in Spain The annual WEF gathering in Davos , which brings together leading politicians and business leaders from around the world , opened in the Swiss town earlier on Tuesday .
In a separate development , US-born financier Bill Browder , who is in Davos , told Reuters the Swiss security service had foiled a Russian operation that targeted him last year .
Mr Browder , a high-profile critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin , said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
Mr Browder is widely credited with the creation of the Magnitsky Act - a 2012 range of sanctions from the United States on top Russian officials accused of corruption .
The act was named after his former lawyer , Sergei Magnitsky , who uncovered an alleged tax fraud in Moscow - and died in a Russian prison in 2009 .
What did the Tages-Anzeiger say ?
In its report , the German-language newspaper said the two Russians were stopped and checked by police in August .
It said they were suspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' for spying on the WEF .
The police in the Graubünden canton became suspicious when they learned that the two Russians had planned to stay for three weeks in the expensive Alpine resort .
Tages-Anzeiger did not name the two suspected agents , or specify what kind of spying operation they had reportedly been preparing .
What did the Graubünden police say ?
Graubünden police spokeswoman Anita Senti confirmed to the BBC that two Russian nationals were `` checked '' by police in August .
Ms Senti said they both had diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people were being regularly checked for documents in the area , without providing any further details .
And what about the Russian embassy ?
Stanislav Smirnov , the press attaché of the Russian embassy in Bern , told the BBC that the diplomatic mission in the Swiss capital had only learned on Monday from the local media about the August incident .
Mr Smirnov said Tages-Anzeiger was trying `` to whip out a scandal out of nothing '' and wanted to catch `` a popularity wave '' .
The diplomat added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian nationals questioned in August .
In 2018 , two Russian men were arrested on suspicion of spying on a Swiss laboratory investigating the poisoning in March earlier that year of Sergei Skripal , a newspaper investigation claimed .
The Swiss lab in Spiez , near Bern , analysed samples from the poisoning of the former Russian double agent and his daughter in the UK .
It has also dealt with evidence of suspected chemical weapons use from the war in Syria .
• Skripal suspects : 'We were just tourists in Salisbury' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' on OPCW Russia made no comments on the issue at the time .


bbc--2020-01-21--Michael Avenatti 'living in El Chapo cell'

Lawyer Michael Avenatti is being held in a Manhattan prison cell which once housed Mexican drug lord Joaquin `` El Chapo '' Guzman , his legal team claims .
Mr Avenatti is charged with attempting to extort millions of dollars from Nike .
He has pleaded not guilty .
His lawyers are now demanding that he be transferred from the high security cell to a normal one ahead of his trial which could start next week .
He served as lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels .
She attempted to sue the president to get out of a non-disclosure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Avenatti was denied bail after prosecutors in California said he violated bail conditions in a separate criminal case .
His lawyers claim he is in solitary confinement and under 24-hour lockdown in the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in Manhattan .
• The president and the porn star : Why this matters '' The temperature in his cell feels like it is in the mid-40s [ Fahrenheit ] .
He is forced to sleep with three blankets .
Not surprisingly , he has been having great difficulty functioning , '' a letter sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district judge said .
They also said when visiting Mr Avenatti for a non-contact legal visit , it was difficult for him to review papers relating to his case as the glass partition had no window through which they could be passed .
His lawyers had to ask prison staff to hand the documents to him .
On Tuesday , the prison 's warden said Mr Avenatti would be allowed to make phone calls and keep legal materials in his cell .
`` Due to Mr Avenatti 's high profile case , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his own safety , '' the warden said in an email to the district judge .
The warden denied Mr Avenatti had been placed under `` special administrative measures '' .
Aside from the Nike trial , the lawyer has two other cases pending .
One charges that he defrauded Stormy Daniels , allegedly taking money from her book deal , while another case in California alleges financial dishonesty in his dealings with clients .
El Chapo last year described living in his cell at the Manhattan prison as `` psychological , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day . ''
The prison also housed former inmate financier Jeffrey Epstein who committed suicide in his cell last year while awaiting trial on sexual abuse charges .

They also said when visiting Mr Avenatti for a non-contact legal visit, it was difficult for him to review papers relating to his case as the glass partition had no window through which they could be passed. His lawyers had to ask prison staff to hand the documents to him.


bbc--2020-01-21--Black British women speak out about Meghan

As Meghan and Harry start their new lives in Canada , do people think race is a factor in the @ @ @ @ @ Last week actor Laurence Fox sparked a row when he clashed with an audience member @ @ @ @ @ issue .
We took to the streets of South London to find out what black @ @ @ @ @ how she is perceived by British people and the media .

As Meghan and Harry start their new lives in Canada, do people think race is a factor in the way she is treated?
Last week actor Laurence Fox sparked a row when he clashed with an audience member on Question time about the issue.
We took to the streets of South London to find out what black women had to say about how she is perceived by British people and the media.
Video produced by Miriam O'Donkor, Janay Boulos and Megan Fisher


bbc--2020-01-21--'Forget about net zero, we need real zero'

Swedish climate activist , Greta Thunberg has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland .
The teenager @ @ @ @ @ emissions is not enough and that while planting trees is good , much more needs @ @ @ @

Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The teenager warned that net zero carbon emissions is not enough and that while planting trees is good, much more needs to be done.


bbc--2020-01-21--The challenge of photographing Taal volcano

When he heard that the Taal volcano had erupted , rather than run photographer Ezra Acayan reached for his camera @ @ @ @ @ Talisay , to witnessing the environmental and human devastation that followed , Mr Acayan describes @ @ @ @ @ the Philippines 's second most active volcano .

When he heard that the Taal volcano had erupted, rather than run photographer Ezra Acayan reached for his camera.
From travelling to lakeside Talisay, to witnessing the environmental and human devastation that followed, Mr Acayan describes the risky business of shooting the Philippines's second most active volcano.


bbc--2020-01-21--South African man breaks own barrel-sitting record

In 1997 , Vernon Kruger set a new Guinness World record for the longest duration 'pole sitting in a barrel @ @ @ @ @ surpassed his 67 day record , he set out to beat it himself .
On @ @ @ @ @ he did .
Speaking to the BBC from his barrel in Dullstroom on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ when he 'll come down .

In 1997, Vernon Kruger set a new Guinness World record for the longest duration 'pole sitting in a barrel'.
But after no-one surpassed his 67 day record, he set out to beat it himself.
On Monday 20 January 2020, he did.
Speaking to the BBC from his barrel in Dullstroom on Monday, he hasn't decided yet when he'll come down.


bbc--2020-01-22--Ten-man Arsenal hit back to earn point against Chelsea

Arsenal showed the `` togetherness and leadership '' that Mikel Arteta is demanding as they overcame David Luiz 's red card to twice fight back and share the spoils in an eventful London derby .
Luiz was sent off against his former club for shoving Tammy Abraham in the penalty area as the Chelsea striker looked set to score following a terrible backpass by Shkodran Mustafi when the game was goalless .
Jorginho scored from the resulting spot-kick before 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli scored a brilliant equaliser after a slip by N'Golo Kante only for Cesar Azpilicueta to restore Chelsea 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capped a spirited display when Hector Bellerin marked his return from injury with a dramatic equaliser from the edge of the penalty area .
`` To do that against this kind of opponent in this stadium , I really value , '' Gunners boss Arteta told BBC Sport .
`` The way they have done it , with the spirit they have done it , that 's great .
`` I was n't here a few weeks ago but what I am demanding every day they are trying their best to do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , this is what I wanted to see .
`` We are going in the right direction but I think tonight is a special night for everybody . ''
Arsenal remain 10 points off a Champions League spot and , despite this battling performance , they have won just one of their last eight Premier League games .
They also face the prospect of finishing outside the top six for the first time since 1994-95 .
In addition , Arteta remains without an away win since taking charge in December yet he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who played better with 10 men than they did with 11 .
Luiz , who has given away three penalties in the Premier League this season - more than any other player - was left with little choice after Mustafi 's under-hit pass let in Abraham .
Mustafi made up for his error with a clearance from a Chelsea corner which allowed Martinelli to burst forward and , after Kante 's slip in the centre circle , produce a sublime finish under Kepa Arrizabalaga .
Chelsea looked like they had secured a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in four years when Azpilicueta restored their lead in the closing minutes but Arteta 's side were not done .
Having dropped 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season , they showed a determination that has been missing and , with just their second shot of the game , Bellerin rifled in an equaliser to seal a fourth successive away league draw .
`` We showed big character , '' Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka , who moved to defence after Luiz 's red card , said .
`` A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character in the team .
We showed in this game we have . ''
This result will feel like a defeat for Frank Lampard and his Chelsea players .
Even before Luiz 's dismissal and Jorginho 's goal from the spot , the Blues dominated and should have been ahead after a hesitant start by the Gunners .
Having lost to a 93rd-minute goal at Newcastle on Saturday , Chelsea came flying out of the blocks .
Andreas Christensen headed wide from a corner when the Denmark defender should have done better while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nodded another early chance straight at Leno .
Callum Hudson-Odoi hit the top of the bar with a looping cross before Chelsea - who forced 17 corners and peppered Arsenal 's goal with 19 shots - eventually took the lead .
Yet Chelsea have managed just three clean sheets in the last 15 league and cup games and their failure to take their chances came back to haunt them .
On a disappointing night for the hosts , Abraham had to be helped off the pitch at full-time after colliding with an advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game .
• Arsenal have been shown more Premier League red cards against Chelsea than they have against any other side in the competition ( 8 ) .
• The Gunners have scored four Premier League goals from outside the box against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - three of these have been netted by full-backs ( Nigel Winterburn in 1997 , Sylvinho in 2000 and Hector Bellerin in this match ) .
• Bellerin 's goal for Arsenal was his first in the Premier League in 737 days , since netting at Bournemouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cesar Azpilicueta has scored four goals in 29 appearances in all competitions this season - his best return in a single season for the Blues .
Indeed , he 'd scored just four goals in 109 appearances across the last two campaigns combined .
Both teams are in FA Cup fourth-round action next with Chelsea travelling to Championship Hull City on Saturday ( 17:30 GMT ) , while Arsenal are at Bournemouth on Monday ( 20:00 ) .

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Jorginho (right) is the first Chelsea player to score home and away against Arsenal in the same Premier League season since Juan Mata in 2012-13
Arsenal showed the "togetherness and leadership" that Mikel Arteta is demanding as they overcame David Luiz's red card to twice fight back and share the spoils in an eventful London derby.
Luiz was sent off against his former club for shoving Tammy Abraham in the penalty area as the Chelsea striker looked set to score following a terrible backpass by Shkodran Mustafi when the game was goalless.
Jorginho scored from the resulting spot-kick before 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli scored a brilliant equaliser after a slip by N'Golo Kante only for Cesar Azpilicueta to restore Chelsea's lead late on.
Yet 10-man Arsenal capped a spirited display when Hector Bellerin marked his return from injury with a dramatic equaliser from the edge of the penalty area.
"To do that against this kind of opponent in this stadium, I really value," Gunners boss Arteta told BBC Sport. "The way they have done it, with the spirit they have done it, that's great.
"I wasn't here a few weeks ago but what I am demanding every day they are trying their best to do it. The togetherness and leadership they showed today, this is what I wanted to see.
"We are going in the right direction but I think tonight is a special night for everybody."
Resolute Gunners show fight
'This is what I want to see' - Arteta on 'special' night for Arsenal
Arsenal remain 10 points off a Champions League spot and, despite this battling performance, they have won just one of their last eight Premier League games. They also face the prospect of finishing outside the top six for the first time since 1994-95.
In addition, Arteta remains without an away win since taking charge in December yet he witnessed a gutsy response from his side, who played better with 10 men than they did with 11.
Luiz, who has given away three penalties in the Premier League this season - more than any other player - was left with little choice after Mustafi's under-hit pass let in Abraham.
Mustafi made up for his error with a clearance from a Chelsea corner which allowed Martinelli to burst forward and, after Kante's slip in the centre circle, produce a sublime finish under Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Chelsea looked like they had secured a first top-flight double over their London neighbours in four years when Azpilicueta restored their lead in the closing minutes but Arteta's side were not done.
Having dropped 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, they showed a determination that has been missing and, with just their second shot of the game, Bellerin rifled in an equaliser to seal a fourth successive away league draw.
"We showed big character," Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, who moved to defence after Luiz's red card, said.
"A lot of people say we have no character in the team. We showed in this game we have."
Wasteful Chelsea pay the price
Chelsea do not have killer instinct - Lampard
This result will feel like a defeat for Frank Lampard and his Chelsea players.
Even before Luiz's dismissal and Jorginho's goal from the spot, the Blues dominated and should have been ahead after a hesitant start by the Gunners.
Having lost to a 93rd-minute goal at Newcastle on Saturday, Chelsea came flying out of the blocks.
Andreas Christensen headed wide from a corner when the Denmark defender should have done better while Abraham was six yards out when he nodded another early chance straight at Leno.
Callum Hudson-Odoi hit the top of the bar with a looping cross before Chelsea - who forced 17 corners and peppered Arsenal's goal with 19 shots - eventually took the lead.
Yet Chelsea have managed just three clean sheets in the last 15 league and cup games and their failure to take their chances came back to haunt them.
On a disappointing night for the hosts, Abraham had to be helped off the pitch at full-time after colliding with an advertising board in the closing moments of the game.
Man of the match - Hector Bellerin (Arsenal)
It's been a frustrating season for Hector Bellerin but the Spaniard marked his return from injury with a goal while wearing the captain's armband in the absence of suspended forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Red mist - the stats
Arsenal have been shown more Premier League red cards against Chelsea than they have against any other side in the competition (8).
The Gunners have scored four Premier League goals from outside the box against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - three of these have been netted by full-backs (Nigel Winterburn in 1997, Sylvinho in 2000 and Hector Bellerin in this match).
Bellerin's goal for Arsenal was his first in the Premier League in 737 days, since netting at Bournemouth in January 2018.
Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta has scored four goals in 29 appearances in all competitions this season - his best return in a single season for the Blues. Indeed, he'd scored just four goals in 109 appearances across the last two campaigns combined.
What's next?
Both teams are in FA Cup fourth-round action next with Chelsea travelling to Championship Hull City on Saturday (17:30 GMT), while Arsenal are at Bournemouth on Monday (20:00).


bbc--2020-01-21--Miami Grand Prix: Formula 1 makes further changes to plans for Florida race

Formula 1 has made further changes to its plans for a Miami Grand Prix in the hope of overturning objections to the race from locals .
F1 was forced to abandon the original location for the race , which was in the downtown area and over a bridge .
But the latest attempt to secure a deal for a race around the Miami Dolphins ' NFL stadium has also hit snags .
The changes come before a crucial meeting of Miami-Dade county commissioners on Wednesday .
At that meeting , commissioners will vote on a proposal to change the stadium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold motor racing , which would have the effect of preventing the grand prix from taking place .
F1 has been consulting residents and various stakeholders in Miami as it seeks to persuade locals to back the grand prix .
Those talks have led to another new track configuration , and alters the race weekend schedule so there is no on-track action before 15:00 local time on the Friday of the race weekend , to avoid disrupting local schools .
F1 said in a statement it had `` provided substantial scientific evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to local residents caused by the racing '' .
It added : `` However , a primary concern voiced by residents related to the use of a stretch of Northwest 199th Street for a portion of the racetrack and the disruption it would cause to local traffic on 199th Street . ''
Tom Garfinkel , the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium vice-chairman and CEO , said : `` Like the Super Bowl , an event like this provides a unique opportunity to proudly showcase our region to the world .
We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , including local Miami Gardens residents . ''
The developments on Tuesday are the latest steps in a long-running saga as F1 seeks to establish a race in what departing commercial boss Sean Bratches calls a `` destination city '' in America .
Bratches , one of three senior executives appointed when US group Liberty Media took over the sport in 2017 , leaves his post at the end of this month and will not be directly replaced .
F1 chairman and chief executive Chase Carey said at the Abu Dhabi Grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sport had other possibilities in America if Miami fell through .
Carey said : `` We are engaged in other opportunities in the US and that 's not a negative statement about Miami .
We are in the final stages of getting over the line or not .
We have the luxury of demand that exceeds supply . ''
One of the other possibilities is known to be Las Vegas , where F1 's former boss Bernie Ecclestone sought on and off for nearly 30 years to hold a race on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never managed to pull it off .
Ecclestone also failed in his attempts in the last decade to secure a race in New Jersey overlooking the Manhattan skyline .
F1 already has one race in America - the popular and successful US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin , Texas .
But Liberty is determined to establish at least one further race in the States as F1 seeks to strengthen its position in a marketplace where it has for decades struggled to break through into the national consciousness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have a race in Africa , and F1 is also looking for a second race in China to add to the existing Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai .
This year , the calendar features two new races - one , the revival of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort , which was last held in 1985 , and another the inaugural race in Vietnam , to be held in the capital Hanoi .
That takes the schedule to a record 22 Grands Prix , but new rules now give Liberty the option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 25 races .
Many teams are not keen on expanding the calendar further - some feel it is already too long - and there have been warnings about the risks of damaging F1 's exclusivity by holding too many races .

Red Bull took part in an F1 festival in Miami in October 2018
Formula 1 has made further changes to its plans for a Miami Grand Prix in the hope of overturning objections to the race from locals.
F1 was forced to abandon the original location for the race, which was in the downtown area and over a bridge.
But the latest attempt to secure a deal for a race around the Miami Dolphins' NFL stadium has also hit snags.
The changes come before a crucial meeting of Miami-Dade county commissioners on Wednesday.
At that meeting, commissioners will vote on a proposal to change the stadium's zoning rights and withdraw its rights to hold motor racing, which would have the effect of preventing the grand prix from taking place.
F1 has been consulting residents and various stakeholders in Miami as it seeks to persuade locals to back the grand prix.
Those talks have led to another new track configuration, and alters the race weekend schedule so there is no on-track action before 15:00 local time on the Friday of the race weekend, to avoid disrupting local schools.
F1 said in a statement external-link it had "provided substantial scientific evidence proving there are no credible health threats to local residents caused by the racing".
It added: "However, a primary concern voiced by residents related to the use of a stretch of Northwest 199th Street for a portion of the racetrack and the disruption it would cause to local traffic on 199th Street."
A map of the new proposed track for the Miami Grand Prix was released on Tuesday
Tom Garfinkel, the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium vice-chairman and CEO, said: "Like the Super Bowl, an event like this provides a unique opportunity to proudly showcase our region to the world. We want these events to benefit everyone in the region, including local Miami Gardens residents."
The developments on Tuesday are the latest steps in a long-running saga as F1 seeks to establish a race in what departing commercial boss Sean Bratches calls a "destination city" in America.
Bratches, one of three senior executives appointed when US group Liberty Media took over the sport in 2017, leaves his post at the end of this month and will not be directly replaced.
F1 chairman and chief executive Chase Carey said at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last season the sport had other possibilities in America if Miami fell through.
Carey said: "We are engaged in other opportunities in the US and that's not a negative statement about Miami. We are in the final stages of getting over the line or not. We have the luxury of demand that exceeds supply."
One of the other possibilities is known to be Las Vegas, where F1's former boss Bernie Ecclestone sought on and off for nearly 30 years to hold a race on a track that includes the famous strip but never managed to pull it off.
Ecclestone also failed in his attempts in the last decade to secure a race in New Jersey overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
Lewis Hamilton clinched his sixth world title with second place at last year's US Grand Prix
F1 already has one race in America - the popular and successful US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
But Liberty is determined to establish at least one further race in the States as F1 seeks to strengthen its position in a marketplace where it has for decades struggled to break through into the national consciousness.
Carey has said he would also like to have a race in Africa, and F1 is also looking for a second race in China to add to the existing Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
This year, the calendar features two new races - one, the revival of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, which was last held in 1985, and another the inaugural race in Vietnam, to be held in the capital Hanoi.
That takes the schedule to a record 22 Grands Prix, but new rules now give Liberty the option to extend the calendar to as many as 25 races.
Many teams are not keen on expanding the calendar further - some feel it is already too long - and there have been warnings about the risks of damaging F1's exclusivity by holding too many races.