bbc--2020-08-14--Willian: Arsenal sign former Chelsea midfielder on free transfer

Arsenal have signed Brazil midfielder Willian on a three-year deal after the 32-year-old 's contract with Chelsea expired .
The Blues had offered the player a new deal but were unwilling to match what the Gunners had on the table .
`` I believe he 's a player that can really make a difference for us , '' said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta .
`` We had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions . ''
Willian made 339 appearances for Chelsea after signing from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala for £30m in 2013 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blues , including two Premier League titles and the Europa League , and was voted the club 's players ' player of the year twice .
`` He is a player that gives us a lot of versatility - he can play in three or four different positions , '' added Arteta .
`` He has the experience of everything in the football world but still has the ambition to come here and contribute to bring the club where it belongs .
`` I have been really impressed with all the talks I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted to come . ''
Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League last season , while Chelsea were fourth and secured a Champions League spot .
However , the Gunners did beat their London rivals in the FA Cup final - a game Willian missed through injury - to make sure of a place in the Europa League .
Willian follows compatriot David Luiz in moving from Chelsea to Arsenal , with the defender having made the switch last August .
Arsenal technical director Edu said : `` I know him very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we 've been working together for the Brazilian national team .
`` He has a lot of fantastic attributes as a person and as a football player . ''
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page .
• Escape Mix : Tracks to help you wind down today

Last updated on .From the section Arsenal
Willian follows compatriot David Luiz in moving from Chelsea to Arsenal
Arsenal have signed Brazil midfielder Willian on a three-year deal after the 32-year-old's contract with Chelsea expired.
The Blues had offered the player a new deal but were unwilling to match what the Gunners had on the table.
"I believe he's a player that can really make a difference for us," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
"We had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions."
Willian made 339 appearances for Chelsea after signing from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala for £30m in 2013.
He won five major honours with the Blues, including two Premier League titles and the Europa League, and was voted the club's players' player of the year twice.
"He is a player that gives us a lot of versatility - he can play in three or four different positions," added Arteta.
"He has the experience of everything in the football world but still has the ambition to come here and contribute to bring the club where it belongs.
"I have been really impressed with all the talks I have had with him and how much he wanted to come."
Willian said that the move was "the start of a new challenge".
In a post on Twitter, external-link he added that he was "excited about the Arsenal project and grateful to the management team at the club for all their efforts and their trust in me".
Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League last season, while Chelsea were fourth and secured a Champions League spot.
However, the Gunners did beat their London rivals in the FA Cup final - a game Willian missed through injury - to make sure of a place in the Europa League.
Willian follows compatriot David Luiz in moving from Chelsea to Arsenal, with the defender having made the switch last August.
Arsenal technical director Edu said: "I know him very well, since a long time ago because we've been working together for the Brazilian national team.
"He has a lot of fantastic attributes as a person and as a football player."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-08-14--Bottas fastest in first practice at Spanish Grand Prix

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1 Valtteri Bottas headed Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes dominated first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix .
Ferrari 's Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel were fourth and fifth , separated by just 0.011secs .
Haas ' Romain Grosjean was a surprise sixth .
Racing Point 's Sergio Perez was seventh on his return after missing two races because he caught coronavirus .
The pace of the Haas cars , with Grosjean 's team-mate Kevin Magnussen in ninth place behind the second Red Bull of Alex Albon , was the big surprise of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back of the field .
Perez and team-mate Lance Stroll , who was 10th , were slightly out of position but they were the only drivers in the top 10 to use the medium tyres to set their fastest time rather than the quicker softs .
Vettel showed improved form after struggling during the last two races at Silverstone .
Ferrari discovered a crack in his chassis when stripping the car on Sunday night and have changed it for this weekend .
The teams will have spent the session assessing the durability of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the struggles that cost Mercedes victory at Silverstone on Sunday .
Pirelli has supplied the hardest of its three compounds for this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya , while each tyre was one grade softer last time .
Barcelona , like Silverstone , is tough on tyres because of its series of long-duration , medium- and high-speed corners , and the temperatures this weekend are forecast to be even higher than they were on 70th Anniversary GP race day .
But at least in this first session there were no major indications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton did say his front-left tyre was showing some signs of problems when he did a long run late in the session .
McLaren 's Lando Norris was down in 13th place , two behind team-mate Carlos Sainz , while George Russell sat out the session for Williams to give development driver Roy Nissany some practice .
The Israeli was slowest of all , 0.3secs slower than race driver Nicholas Latifi .

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Second practice is live on the BBC Sport website and mobile app from 14:00 BST
Valtteri Bottas headed Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes dominated first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Bottas was 0.039 seconds quicker than Hamilton, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen in third was 0.939secs off.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel were fourth and fifth, separated by just 0.011secs.
Haas' Romain Grosjean was a surprise sixth. Racing Point's Sergio Perez was seventh on his return after missing two races because he caught coronavirus.
The pace of the Haas cars, with Grosjean's team-mate Kevin Magnussen in ninth place behind the second Red Bull of Alex Albon, was the big surprise of the day. They are usually towards the back of the field.
Perez and team-mate Lance Stroll, who was 10th, were slightly out of position but they were the only drivers in the top 10 to use the medium tyres to set their fastest time rather than the quicker softs.
Vettel showed improved form after struggling during the last two races at Silverstone. Ferrari discovered a crack in his chassis when stripping the car on Sunday night and have changed it for this weekend.
The teams will have spent the session assessing the durability of tyres in the hot weather, after the struggles that cost Mercedes victory at Silverstone on Sunday.
Pirelli has supplied the hardest of its three compounds for this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while each tyre was one grade softer last time.
Barcelona, like Silverstone, is tough on tyres because of its series of long-duration, medium- and high-speed corners, and the temperatures this weekend are forecast to be even higher than they were on 70th Anniversary GP race day.
But at least in this first session there were no major indications of problems for any team, although Hamilton did say his front-left tyre was showing some signs of problems when he did a long run late in the session.
McLaren's Lando Norris was down in 13th place, two behind team-mate Carlos Sainz, while George Russell sat out the session for Williams to give development driver Roy Nissany some practice.
The Israeli was slowest of all, 0.3secs slower than race driver Nicholas Latifi.


bbc--2020-08-14--England-Australia matches confirmed for September

Last updated on .From the section Cricket England will play three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals against Australia next month .
The T20s will be at Southampton 's Ageas Bowl on 4 , 6 and 8 September , with the second live on BBC TV Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester will stage the ODIs on 11 , 13 and 16 September .
England play T20s against Pakistan at Old Trafford on 28 and 30 August and 1 September .
England 's 50-over team , who won the World Cup last year , beat Ireland 2-1 in an ODI series at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The rivalry between England and Australia is the pinnacle of sporting competition , '' said England and Wales chief executive Tom Harrison .
`` These will be thrilling contests and a perfect way to culminate the men 's international season in this extraordinary summer . ''
Australia will leave Perth on 23 August and travel to Derby for four inter-squad matches .
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been named in the 21-man squad after recovering from an elbow injury .
Wicketkeeper Josh Philippe , left-arm pace bowler Daniel Sams and seamer Riley Meredith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included .
`` It 's vital for cricket that we do everything we can to keep the game going in these tough times , '' said Australia head coach Justin Langer .
Assistant coach Andrew McDonald will miss the tour to travel to the rearranged Indian Premier League , where he is head coach of the Rajasthan Royals .
• None Tracks to help you wind down today

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
England beat Australia in last summer's World Cup semi-finals
England will play three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals against Australia next month.
The matches, due to be played in July, were postponed as part of the restructured schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The T20s will be at Southampton's Ageas Bowl on 4, 6 and 8 September, with the second live on BBC TV
Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester will stage the ODIs on 11, 13 and 16 September.
England play T20s against Pakistan at Old Trafford on 28 and 30 August and 1 September.
England's 50-over team, who won the World Cup last year, beat Ireland 2-1 in an ODI series at Southampton that finished earlier this month.
"The rivalry between England and Australia is the pinnacle of sporting competition," said England and Wales chief executive Tom Harrison.
"These will be thrilling contests and a perfect way to culminate the men's international season in this extraordinary summer."
Australia will leave Perth on 23 August and travel to Derby for four inter-squad matches.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been named in the 21-man squad after recovering from an elbow injury.
Wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, left-arm pace bowler Daniel Sams and seamer Riley Meredith, all uncapped, have also been included.
"It's vital for cricket that we do everything we can to keep the game going in these tough times," said Australia head coach Justin Langer.
Assistant coach Andrew McDonald will miss the tour to travel to the rearranged Indian Premier League, where he is head coach of the Rajasthan Royals.
Australia squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Fixtures
Friday, 4 September: First T20, Ageas Bowl (18:00 BST)
Sunday, 6 September: Second T20, Ageas Bowl (14:00)
Tuesday, 8 September: Third T20, Ageas Bowl (18:00)
Friday, 11 September: First ODI, Emirates Old Trafford (13:00)
Sunday, 13 September: Second ODI, Emirates Old Trafford (13:00)
Wednesday, 16 September: Third ODI, Emirates Old Trafford (13:00)


bbc--2020-08-14--'BORE OFF!' Sportswomen speak out on sexism, racism and body image

The results of the BBC Elite British Sportswomen 's survey have been revealed .
With more than 65 % of @ @ @ @ @ in their sport , we spoke to a few athletes to hear their reaction to @ @ @ @ @ swimmer Alice Dearing , GB athletes Yasmin Liverpool , Naomi Ogbeta and Megan Davies , @ @ @ @ @ have their say , along with women 's sport journalist and podcast host Fadumo Olow @ @ @ @ @ Nasir .

The results of the BBC Elite British Sportswomen's survey have been revealed. With more than 65% of women surveyed having experienced sexism in their sport, we spoke to a few athletes to hear their reaction to these eye-opening results.
British swimmer Alice Dearing, GB athletes Yasmin Liverpool, Naomi Ogbeta and Megan Davies, and football coach Nancy Baker have their say, along with women's sport journalist and podcast host Fadumo Olow and amateur rugby player Habiba Nasir.


bbc--2020-08-14--'A power seeker full of empathy' - who is Bayern boss Flick?

A year ago , Hansi Flick was a nobody in international football .
Now he is three games away from winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich .
Flick 's Bundesliga champions face Barcelona in Friday 's quarter-final , looking to take a big step towards their first Champions League triumph since 2013 .
He stepped up from the assistant coach 's role last November , replacing Niko Kovac in the wake of a 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern 's heaviest Bundesliga loss in 10 years .
At the time , Bayern were fourth in the table .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ low as seventh .
But Flick led a recovery that has delivered another league and cup double and now has his eyes on the biggest prize of all .
• Champions League last eight : all you need to know • Quiz : can you name the Champions League quarter-finalists How did he land Germany 's dream job ?
Being Bayern Munich 's head coach is the dream job in German football , given the vast resources , a reliable board , and state-of-the-art infrastructure .
But Bayern have made a few unsuccessful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past decade .
First , a man with an almost unparalleled international reputation in Carlo Ancelotti left after a bit more than a season .
Then Kovac was ousted after 16 months .
When the club looked for Kovac 's replacement , Bayern 's board could not quite find a 'big solution ' , so instead they opted for Flick .
Seen as merely a stand-in at first , the 55-year-old surprised many by going on to secure the job permanently .
At first glance , Flick 's low-key public persona and unimpressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charming outsider who could never do more than fulfil caretaker duties .
However , looking at Flick closely , you see someone with fierce ambition , a savvy networker and power seeker .
`` He is down to earth , but certainly not a naive Mr Nice Guy , '' says a source that worked with Flick at the German football association .
Flick is driven by his competitive nature and hates losing more than anything else .
In the shadow of Joachim Low Flick 's quest for greatness could have ended very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TSG Hoffenheim in Germany 's third division .
After failing to get promoted with the team , he was fired .
At that point , Flick , with little head coach experience , could have disappeared into amateur football obscurity .
But , instead , he benefited from his network in southern German football and , after a brief stint at Red Bull Salzburg under Giovanni Trapattoni , took a job as Germany 's national team assistant to Joachim Low in 2006 .
Flick willingly stepped into the shadow of Low and stayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cup at the end of his spell - before being promoted to sporting director of the German FA and later working briefly as chief executive at Hoffenheim .
A reason for his decision to sign with Bayern last summer and become an assistant coach to Kovac was possibly that he did n't want to be a boardroom official .
It 's very likely that Flick 's instinct told him Kovac 's days at Bayern were already numbered .
Flick had been involved at the highest levels in German football for more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't know much about him when he was announced as interim coach .
He has been smart about not overexposing himself .
He takes actions strategically , when he believes they have the most impact .
The most striking example of that came after a match last autumn when he offered Javi Martinez , who was going through a difficult spell , a hug and a sympathetic ear - for all camera lenses to capture .
Being the one that could watch from the shadows for years , he knew that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merciless coach that dismisses feelings and demands performance .
He did n't .
Flick worked with Low for eight years and learned how to manage a high-level group of players by talking to their hearts , manipulating their minds , and improving the team spirit .
He has seemingly adopted these techniques at Bayern .
Despite receiving the chance of a lifetime , Flick has not been an aloof leader .
He realised that Bayern 's squad was falling apart in the light of that crushing defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt .
After taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team and wanted to know what they thought about the failures of the previous weeks and months .
They were all unhappy with the low-intensity tactics Kovac had implemented .
Flick reacted immediately , ordering his team to go back to a high press and high defensive line .
He and his players wanted to recapture the magic of the successful 2012-13 Champions League campaign , when Bayern overpowered their opposition , squeezing the life out of them with relentless counter pressing .
The real test comes now Flick is often compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach in 2013 ; both are empathetic in the dressing room ; neither chase the spotlight unnecessarily .
What separates the two is that Heynckes had plenty of success as a manager before arriving at Bayern - winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in 1998 .
Flick can put the 2014 World Cup on his business card , but he was n't the man in charge .
He has to prove that he can sustain the pressure of these next few days and complete his story as the man that came out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
• Escape Mix : Tracks to help you wind down today

Hansi Flick (second from left) has led Bayern to the league title, the domestic cup and the quarter-finals of the Champions League in his first few months in charge
A year ago, Hansi Flick was a nobody in international football. Now he is three games away from winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich.
Flick's Bundesliga champions face Barcelona in Friday's quarter-final, looking to take a big step towards their first Champions League triumph since 2013.
He stepped up from the assistant coach's role last November, replacing Niko Kovac in the wake of a 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern's heaviest Bundesliga loss in 10 years. At the time, Bayern were fourth in the table. The following month, they slipped as low as seventh. But Flick led a recovery that has delivered another league and cup double and now has his eyes on the biggest prize of all.
How did he land Germany's dream job?
Being Bayern Munich's head coach is the dream job in German football, given the vast resources, a reliable board, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
But Bayern have made a few unsuccessful decisions when hiring head coaches over the past decade. First, a man with an almost unparalleled international reputation in Carlo Ancelotti left after a bit more than a season. Then Kovac was ousted after 16 months.
When the club looked for Kovac's replacement, Bayern's board could not quite find a 'big solution', so instead they opted for Flick. Seen as merely a stand-in at first, the 55-year-old surprised many by going on to secure the job permanently.
At first glance, Flick's low-key public persona and unimpressive CV might have made him appear a charming outsider who could never do more than fulfil caretaker duties. However, looking at Flick closely, you see someone with fierce ambition, a savvy networker and power seeker. "He is down to earth, but certainly not a naive Mr Nice Guy," says a source that worked with Flick at the German football association.
Flick is driven by his competitive nature and hates losing more than anything else.
In the shadow of Joachim Low
Hansi Flick (left) and Joachim Low helped guide Germany to World Cup success in 2014
Flick's quest for greatness could have ended very early. Between 2000-2005, he managed TSG Hoffenheim in Germany's third division. After failing to get promoted with the team, he was fired.
At that point, Flick, with little head coach experience, could have disappeared into amateur football obscurity.
But, instead, he benefited from his network in southern German football and, after a brief stint at Red Bull Salzburg under Giovanni Trapattoni, took a job as Germany's national team assistant to Joachim Low in 2006.
Flick willingly stepped into the shadow of Low and stayed there until 2014 - winning the World Cup at the end of his spell - before being promoted to sporting director of the German FA and later working briefly as chief executive at Hoffenheim.
A reason for his decision to sign with Bayern last summer and become an assistant coach to Kovac was possibly that he didn't want to be a boardroom official. It's very likely that Flick's instinct told him Kovac's days at Bayern were already numbered.
Flick had been involved at the highest levels in German football for more than a decade, yet even informed Bundesliga fans didn't know much about him when he was announced as interim coach.
He has been smart about not overexposing himself. He takes actions strategically, when he believes they have the most impact. The most striking example of that came after a match last autumn when he offered Javi Martinez, who was going through a difficult spell, a hug and a sympathetic ear - for all camera lenses to capture.
Being the one that could watch from the shadows for years, he knew that he could have walked away, portraying the merciless coach that dismisses feelings and demands performance. He didn't.
Players have a say
Hansi Flick (left) was named assistant to Niko Kovac (right) in July 2019
Flick worked with Low for eight years and learned how to manage a high-level group of players by talking to their hearts, manipulating their minds, and improving the team spirit.
He has seemingly adopted these techniques at Bayern. Despite receiving the chance of a lifetime, Flick has not been an aloof leader. He realised that Bayern's squad was falling apart in the light of that crushing defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt.
After taking over, he assembled key members of the team and wanted to know what they thought about the failures of the previous weeks and months.
They were all unhappy with the low-intensity tactics Kovac had implemented. Flick reacted immediately, ordering his team to go back to a high press and high defensive line.
He and his players wanted to recapture the magic of the successful 2012-13 Champions League campaign, when Bayern overpowered their opposition, squeezing the life out of them with relentless counter pressing.
The real test comes now
Flick is often compared to Jupp Heynckes, Bayern's head coach in 2013; both are empathetic in the dressing room; neither chase the spotlight unnecessarily.
What separates the two is that Heynckes had plenty of success as a manager before arriving at Bayern - winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in 1998.
Flick can put the 2014 World Cup on his business card, but he wasn't the man in charge. He has to prove that he can sustain the pressure of these next few days and complete his story as the man that came out of the shadow to surprise the football world.


bbc--2020-08-13--A superstar young coach & a keeper from Hereford - the men behind Leipzig's dream

As Tinchy Stryder tops the charts and Manchester United celebrate a third Premier League win in a row , a new club is formed in Germany after a buyout of fifth-tier SSV Markranstadt .
Fast forward 11 years and RB Leipzig have - incredibly - reached the last four of the Champions League .
Shorn of main star Timo Werner before the resumption of the competition , Leipzig came up against the experienced and accomplished Atletico Madrid - and deservedly beat them .
Now they face Paris St-Germain - Neymar , Mbappe et al .
Can they go all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the happiest coaches in the world , '' coach Julian Nagelsmann said in the aftermath of the famous win against Diego Simeone 's side .
Like everything surrounding the club , Nagelsmann is young .
At just 33 he has already shone with two Bundesliga sides and has long been touted for even bigger things .
`` This club develops very fast , '' he added .
`` We reached the Bundesliga and qualified for the Champions League three times .
We 're still in the Champions League .
The progress is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
It took just seven years for the club to reach the Bundesliga .
Four more to go this far .
At the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday , the new boys will be in the unusual position of making PSG - 50 years old on Wednesday - feel like the establishment .
• Relive the action from the quarter-final • Leipzig : Why are they dividing football so much ?
The meteoric ascent is shared by individuals at the club too .
Two weeks before RB Leipzig 's birth , goalkeeper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rock bottom of League One as he was relegated with Hereford .
It 's unlikely he would have envisaged facing a £400m strikeforce in a Champions League semi-final as he fished goals out of his net from the likes of Bas Savage , Lloyd Owusu , Billy Paynter and Paul Hayes at the wrong end of the third tier of English football .
Such was Atleti 's poverty of ambition , the Hungarian only actually had to make two saves in Lisbon - but he was a calming presence throughout .
Elsewhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club in the third tier and Marcel Sabitzer , creator of the opening goal , played with them in the second division .
There is history within the ranks , even if that is relative .
What next for Simeone ?
Did this quarter-final defeat by knockout stage debutants feel like `` the end '' for Atletico Madrid 's much-admired coach Diego Simeone ?
The Argentine 's familiar tactics of getting his team to frustrate and suffocate their opponents for space before nicking a goal worked against Liverpool , but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When they did have possession in attack , forwards Diego Costa and Marcos Llorente struggled to convert that into chances with neither managing an effort on goal .
Should Simeone have started with £113m signing Joao Felix , who looked far livelier , won the penalty and scored from the spot when he came on ?
Simeone has managed Atletico since 2011 and led them to two finals and two Europa League successes .
But before this defeat his side had only lost a tie in the knockout stages at the hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Add a La Liga table which shows his 2013-14 champions finished 12 points behind second-placed Barcelona and it has led some to question whether his methods remain as effective at Atletico .
He explained after Thursday 's defeat that his side `` gave it everything '' they had .
He added : `` We have n't been able to play the way we wanted .
I liked Leipzig 's great enthusiasm and freshness .
`` There are no excuses .
We gave our best and made it to the quarter-finals . ''
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BT Sport : `` Tonight felt like the end at Atletico Madrid .
That mentality has not worked for Simeone in the Champions League .
I think there is a place for it , but playing that way teams find ways to break them down . ''
Champions League winner Rio Ferdinand believes Atletico do not have a `` second style of playing '' .
The ex-Manchester United defender told BT Sport : `` You need to play with a plan A and plan B .
You need to be adaptable in style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atletico have got that second style of playing . ''
• Vampire origins : Nine fangtastic facts on their history • Food and lockdown : Has it changed the way we eat ?

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Julian Nagelsmann (centre) has helped RB Leipzig qualify for next season's Champions League and guided them to this season's semi-finals
19 May 2009.
As Tinchy Stryder tops the charts and Manchester United celebrate a third Premier League win in a row, a new club is formed in Germany after a buyout of fifth-tier SSV Markranstadt.
Fast forward 11 years and RB Leipzig have - incredibly - reached the last four of the Champions League.
Shorn of main star Timo Werner before the resumption of the competition, Leipzig came up against the experienced and accomplished Atletico Madrid - and deservedly beat them.
Now they face Paris St-Germain - Neymar, Mbappe et al. Can they go all the way?
"I'm perhaps one of the happiest coaches in the world," coach Julian Nagelsmann said in the aftermath of the famous win against Diego Simeone's side.
Like everything surrounding the club, Nagelsmann is young. At just 33 he has already shone with two Bundesliga sides and has long been touted for even bigger things.
"This club develops very fast," he added.
"We reached the Bundesliga and qualified for the Champions League three times. We're still in the Champions League. The progress is faster than usual."
It certainly is. It took just seven years for the club to reach the Bundesliga. Four more to go this far. At the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, the new boys will be in the unusual position of making PSG - 50 years old on Wednesday - feel like the establishment.
Gulacsi has gone from facing Northampton in Coca Cola League One to playing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals
The meteoric ascent is shared by individuals at the club too. Two weeks before RB Leipzig's birth, goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was ending a loan spell rock bottom of League One as he was relegated with Hereford.
It's unlikely he would have envisaged facing a £400m strikeforce in a Champions League semi-final as he fished goals out of his net from the likes of Bas Savage, Lloyd Owusu, Billy Paynter and Paul Hayes at the wrong end of the third tier of English football.
Such was Atleti's poverty of ambition, the Hungarian only actually had to make two saves in Lisbon - but he was a calming presence throughout.
Elsewhere in the team, captain Yussuf Poulsen joined the club in the third tier and Marcel Sabitzer, creator of the opening goal, played with them in the second division. There is history within the ranks, even if that is relative.
What next for Simeone?
Will Champions League success elude Diego Simeone at Atletico?
Did this quarter-final defeat by knockout stage debutants feel like "the end" for Atletico Madrid's much-admired coach Diego Simeone?
The Argentine's familiar tactics of getting his team to frustrate and suffocate their opponents for space before nicking a goal worked against Liverpool, but it was ineffective against the German outfit on Thursday.
When they did have possession in attack, forwards Diego Costa and Marcos Llorente struggled to convert that into chances with neither managing an effort on goal.
Should Simeone have started with £113m signing Joao Felix, who looked far livelier, won the penalty and scored from the spot when he came on?
Simeone has managed Atletico since 2011 and led them to two finals and two Europa League successes. But before this defeat his side had only lost a tie in the knockout stages at the hands of a team featuring Cristiano Ronaldo.
Add a La Liga table which shows his 2013-14 champions finished 12 points behind second-placed Barcelona and it has led some to question whether his methods remain as effective at Atletico.
He explained after Thursday's defeat that his side "gave it everything" they had.
He added: "We haven't been able to play the way we wanted. I liked Leipzig's great enthusiasm and freshness.
"There are no excuses. We gave our best and made it to the quarter-finals."
Former England and Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas told BT Sport: "Tonight felt like the end at Atletico Madrid. That mentality has not worked for Simeone in the Champions League. I think there is a place for it, but playing that way teams find ways to break them down."
Champions League winner Rio Ferdinand believes Atletico do not have a "second style of playing".
The ex-Manchester United defender told BT Sport: "You need to play with a plan A and plan B. You need to be adaptable in style of play. I don't think Atletico have got that second style of playing."


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: 'Serious mistakes' made over Ruby Princess outbreak

Health authorities in Australia have been heavily criticised in an official inquiry into the Ruby Princess cruise ship coronavirus outbreak .
The inquiry found `` serious errors '' by New South Wales Health in its handling of suspected cases on board .
All 2,700 passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney in March without sufficient screening .
More than 100 of them felt unwell .
The ship , carrying mostly Australian passengers , had completed an 11-day cruise from Sydney to New Zealand and back when it docked on 19 March .
The passengers - some seen coughing and spluttering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Sydney Harbour , catching trains , buses and even overseas flights to get home .
But despite officials ' fears , the virus did not spread far beyond those who had been on board .
Excluding a cluster in the island state of Tasmania which spread through a hospital , only 34 people in Australia caught the virus through secondary transmission .
But it was Australia 's worst coronavirus episode before the current lockdown in Victoria .
What are the findings ?
The Commission of Inquiry said all passengers with `` acute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' should have been tested for Covid-19 , in line with new guidelines issued on 10 March .
`` NSW Health should have ensured that cruise ships were aware of the change to the definition of a 'suspect case ' for Covid-19 made on 10 March , '' its report says .
`` This would have resulted in the identification of such cases on the Ruby Princess .
101 persons fell within the suspect case definition by 18 March , and 120 by the time the ship docked . ''
• Where are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry describes these as `` serious mistakes by NSW Health '' .
It also describes as `` inexcusable '' a failure to obtain results immediately from coronavirus swab tests taken on 19 March - the day the vessel docked .
The decision by an expert panel of New South Wales Health to classify the Ruby Princess as `` low risk '' is condemned as `` inexplicable as it is unjustifiable '' .
A directive on 17 March meant all ship passengers disembarking after arriving from another country should have isolated themselves for 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government , the report says , `` should have arranged suitable accommodation for all passengers who were not residents of the state '' .
Passengers were incorrectly informed that once disembarked , they could travel elsewhere , the inquiry found , despite having been in contact with a Covid-19 case .
Though the advice was corrected by NSW Health on 21 March , it was too late to prevent many travelling onward , `` including some passengers who were symptomatic during transit '' .
The report makes several recommendations , but says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been largely recognised by the expert panel and NSW Health .
There are no `` systemic '' failures that need tackling and those involved are said to recognise `` they would do things differently if they had their time again '' .
What has the reaction been ?
New South Wales government leader Gladys Berejiklian said she would read the report over the weekend before responding .
The owner of the Ruby Princess , Carnival Corp , said the report had backed its position that none of its employees had misled the authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in Australia , we have always sought to co-operate honestly and professionally with officials in accordance with the regulatory environment , '' it said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • COMPARING COUNTRIES : Why it is not straightforward

There are no "systemic" failures that need tackling and those involved are said to recognise "they would do things differently if they had their time again".


bbc--2020-08-15--US 2020: Postal service warns of delays in mail-in vote count

The US Postal Service ( USPS ) has warned that millions of mail-in votes may not arrive in time to be counted on the presidential election day , 3 November .
In letters to states across the country last month , the agency said `` certain deadlines ... are incongruous with the Postal Service 's delivery standards '' .
Critics have blamed the new USPS head - a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump - for a slowdown in deliveries .
A record number of people are expected to vote by mail due to the pandemic .
Mr Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boost to his rival Democrat Joe Biden , and lead to voting fraud .
Experts say the mail-in voting system - which is used by the American military and by Mr Trump himself - is safe from tampering .
Former President Barack Obama strongly criticised what he described as Mr Trump 's `` attempts to undermine the election '' , writing on Twitter that the administration was `` more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus '' .
• Does US postal voting lead to ‘ tremendous fraud ’ ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal service The agency has long been in financial trouble , carrying about $ 160bn ( £122bn ) in debt .
The new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy - a major Republican donor - has introduced changes such as clamping down on overtime and halting late delivery trips .
But critics say the overhauls have led to an increase in mail wait times .
On Thursday , Mr Trump said he was blocking additional funding for the USPS to help with election issues because he opposed mail-in voting .
The top two Democrats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , weighed in on the debate on Friday , calling on Mr DeJoy to `` quickly reverse his operational changes that have led to delays and service reductions for too many Americans and threaten to undermine our democracy '' .
`` House and Senate Democrats call on the President to immediately cease his assault on the Postal Service , make clear that he will allow the 2020 election to proceed without his sabotage tactics , '' they added in a statement .
Their comments come as a poll by Axios/ Survey Monkey found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote in person , while more than half of Democratic voters plan to use a mail vote .
What did the USPS say ?
The USPS sent letters to states across the US in July , warning that it could not guarantee that all votes cast by mail would arrive on time to be counted .
In a letter sent to Pennsylvania 's secretary of state , the USPS said mail-in ballots requested one week before the 3 November election - which the state allows under its election laws - may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state 's deadlines are too tight for its `` delivery standards '' .
USPS General Counsel Thomas Marshall said a `` mismatch '' between Pennsylvania 's laws and the delivery capabilities of the mail system `` creates a risk that ballots requested near the deadline under state law will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws as we understand them '' .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
• How you can be US president without winning most votes The letter was made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kathy Boockvar asked the state 's supreme court to allow ballots to be counted as long as they were received up to three days after the election .
Currently , votes are discarded if they are received after election day .
Pennsylvania is a battleground state , which Mr Trump won by less than 1 % in the 2016 election .
Other battleground states , including Florida and Michigan , also received letters , according to US media reports .
The Democratic governor in Pennsylvania 's neighbouring New Jersey announced on Friday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every registered voter in the state .
The process of sending out ballots is known as universal mail-in voting , and has been adopted in nine other US states .
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday , Mr Trump said he was blocking additional funding for the financially troubled agency because he opposes mail-in voting .
`` Now they need that money in order to make the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' he said .
`` Now , if we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do n't get the money .
That means they ca n't have universal mail-in voting , they just ca n't have it . ''
Remember the 2000 presidential election , and the angst over those dimpled and hanging chads ?
The run-up to this year 's US presidential election is threatening to make that contest seem straightforward .
President Trump has said he wants a clear result on election night , not a contest that drags on through the courts .
But by blocking the allocation of badly needed funding to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is potentially paving the way to a series of drawn-out legal battles that could stretch on for weeks .
According to reports here , conservative groups are marshalling a massive legal effort aimed not only at limiting the allocating of postal ballots , but challenging results that prove unfavourable to them on election night .
The recent appointment of a Trump ally - Louis DeJoy - to head the Postal Service , and his decision to cut overtime at the expense of increased delays in mail delivery , have only served to fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` politicised '' .
In possibly the harshest criticism of his successor to date , Barack Obama has accused Donald Trump of attempting to `` kneecap '' the US postal service in order to discourage people from voting , while Mr Trump 's Democratic rival Joe Biden has accused the man he is seeking to replace of launching an `` assault on democracy '' .
Amid the funding controversy , the 300,000-member National Association of Letter Carriers union on Friday endorsed Mr Biden for president .
The union warned that the `` very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stake and criticised Mr Trump for refusing `` to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic . ''
Mr Trump 's campaign has not yet reacted to the endorsement .

"Now they need that money in order to make the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," he said. "Now, if we don't make a deal, that means they don't get the money. That means they can't have universal mail-in voting, they just can't have it."


bbc--2020-08-14--US 2020: Biden campaign says Trump 'abhorrent' for fuelling Harris conspiracy

The campaign team for Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden has issued a scathing response after US President Donald Trump amplified a conspiracy theory about his running mate .
Mr Trump said he had `` heard '' that Kamala Harris - a US-born citizen whose parents were immigrants - `` does n't qualify '' to serve as US vice-president .
The fringe theory has been dismissed by constitutional experts .
The Biden campaign called the comments `` abhorrent '' and `` pathetic '' .
They noted that Mr Trump spent years promoting a false `` birther '' theory that ex-President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US .
Ms Harris , a senator from California , on Tuesday became the first black woman and the first Asian-American to be named as a running mate on a main-party US presidential ticket .
`` Donald Trump was the national leader of the grotesque , racist birther movement with respect to President Obama and has sought to fuel racism and tear our nation apart on every single day of his presidency , '' a Biden campaign spokesman said in an email .
`` So it 's unsurprising , but no less abhorrent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of himself straining to distract the American people from the horrific toll of his failed coronavirus response that his campaign and their allies would resort to wretched , demonstrably false lies in their pathetic desperation . ''
• How Kamala Harris could help - or hurt - Joe Biden Ms Harris was born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother in Oakland , California , on 20 October 1964 .
As such , she is eligible to serve as president or vice-president .
Constitutional scholars have dismissed the fringe legal theory that Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice-president or president , Kamala Harris `` has to be a natural-born citizen , at least 35 years old , and a resident in the United States for at least 14 years '' , Juliet Sorensen , a law professor at Northwestern University , told the Associated Press news agency .
`` She is .
That 's really the end of the inquiry . ''
Anyone born in the US and subject to its jurisdiction is a natural born citizen , regardless of the citizenship of their parents , says the Cornell Legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
After a conservative law professor questioned Ms Harris ' eligibility based on her parents ' immigration status at the time of her birth , Mr Trump was asked about the argument at a press conference on Thursday .
The president said : `` I just heard it today that she does n't meet the requirements and by the way the lawyer that wrote that piece is a very highly qualified , very talented lawyer .
`` I have no idea if that 's right .
I would have assumed the Democrats would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chosen to run for vice-president .
`` But that 's a very serious , you 're saying that , they 're saying that she does n't qualify because she was n't born in this country . ''
The reporter replied there was no question that Ms Harris was born in the US , simply that her parents might not have been permanent US residents at the time .
Earlier on Thursday , a Trump campaign adviser , Jenna Ellis , reposted a tweet from the head of conservative group Judicial Watch , Tim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fitton questioned whether Ms Harris was `` ineligible to be vice-president under the US constitution 's 'citizenship clause ' '' .
He also shared the opinion piece published in Newsweek magazine by John Eastman , a law professor at Chapman University in California , that Mr Trump was asked about .
What is the law professor 's argument ?
Prof Eastman cites Article II of the US Constitution 's wording that `` no person except a natural born citizen… shall be eligible to the office of president '' .
He also points out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says `` all persons born… in the United States , and subject to the jurisdiction thereof , are citizens '' .
Prof Eastman 's argument , which he claims is also being made by other `` commentators '' , hinges on the idea that Ms Harris may not have been subject to US jurisdiction if her parents were , for example , on student visas at the time of their daughter 's birth in California .
`` Her father was ( and is ) a Jamaican national , her mother was from India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizen at the time of Harris ' birth in 1964 .
That , according to these commentators , makes her not a 'natural born citizen ' - and therefore ineligible for the office of the president and , hence , ineligible for the office of the vice president , '' he wrote in the Newsweek op-ed .
Experts in constitutional law have dismissed his claims In 2010 , Prof Eastman ran to be the Republican candidate for California attorney general .
He lost to Steve Cooley , who went on to be defeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the general election .
Following furious backlash to the Newsweek op-ed , its editor-in-chief Nancy Cooper stood by the decision to publish , arguing on Thursday that Prof Eastman 's article had `` nothing to do with racist birtherism '' and was instead `` focusing on a long-standing , somewhat arcane legal debate '' .
What do other constitutional experts say ?
Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky told CBS News , the BBC 's US partner , that Prof Eastman 's argument about Ms Harris ' eligibility was `` truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 14th Amendment , anyone born in the United States is a United States citizen .
The Supreme Court has held this since the 1890s .
Kamala Harris was born in the United States , '' he said .
Jessica Levinson , a professor at Loyola Law School , told the Associated Press : `` Let 's just be honest about what it is : It 's just a racist trope we trot out when we have a candidate of colour whose parents were not citizens . ''

"Her father was (and is) a Jamaican national, her mother was from India, and neither was a naturalized US citizen at the time of Harris' birth in 1964. That, according to these commentators, makes her not a 'natural born citizen' - and therefore ineligible for the office of the president and, hence, ineligible for the office of the vice president," he wrote in the Newsweek op-ed.


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: Thousands return to UK to beat France quarantine

Thousands of holidaymakers have just hours to return to the UK if they want to avoid quarantine measures imposed on France , coming into force on Saturday .
The 14-day isolation requirement from 04:00 BST also applies to people arriving from the Netherlands , Monaco , Malta , Turks and Caicos , and Aruba .
Eurotunnel trains sold out on Friday and air travellers face steep prices , but some ferries increased capacity .
France warned it would take `` reciprocal measures '' .
The Netherlands will warn against all but essential travel to the UK once the restrictions come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it will not introduce reciprocal measures .
The countries were targeted for quarantine restrictions because their infections rates exceeded 20 per cases 100,000 people over seven days , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said .
• I 'm in France right now - what do I do ?
• Lockdown to ease further in England from Saturday He told BBC Breakfast there were about 160,000 British holidaymakers currently in France , and said `` the last thing we want do is to have people returning and bringing the infection with them '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ frantic rush for plane , train or ferry tickets costing hundreds of pounds .
Tom Duffell , who runs a small business , cut short his holiday to Nice - with his wife and two children - by four days and booked a last minute flight home .
`` We were enjoying a nice cocktail last night and suddenly a news flash pops in and a scramble to book flights , '' he said .
`` We 've had to spend about £800 because we ca n't afford to take another two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing had `` gone out of the window '' in the scramble for transport , with `` huge queues '' at the airport .
Stephanie Thiagharajah , who returned to Kent from France , criticised the `` manic '' way the quarantine had been imposed and said the `` risky '' move had created `` a huge amount of people coming at the same time '' .
Eurotunnel said 12,000 people tried to book tickets for its Channel Tunnel trains in the hour after the new rules were announced at about 22:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds normally .
It increased its capacity on Friday but trains sold out , and the company warned people not to travel to its terminal without a confirmed booking .
The shuttle service was running between 90 minutes and two hours late from Calais by Friday evening .
Eurotunnel spokesman John Keefe told the BBC traffic at the terminal in Calais was running smoothly all day .
`` There were no huge queues .
Many people seem to have decided to stay in France , '' he said .
Prices of some flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than £450 , compared to £66 on Saturday .
Many direct flights from the south of France are sold out .
The cheapest Eurostar tickets were £210 , compared with £165 on Saturday .
One couple , Stuart and Anna Buntine , spent nearly £1,000 to make it back to the Midlands via Eurostar from Burgundy , central France .
P & O Ferries told the BBC it had increased its capacity on its Spirit class ships , but said passengers should still book in advance rather than just turn up at ports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And DFDS Ferries said it had added an extra four departures from Calais to help Britons return in time .
It said bookings must be made before arriving at port .
There is no visible sense of panic inside Schiphol airport , Amsterdam , as the final call before quarantine approaches .
Passengers bobbed up the escalators towards the check-in desks no faster than usual , I saw no queues or people pleading to be sold an empty seat .
Conor Wells and his friends said they were conscious of the rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off but as they were only staying for a couple of nights , they thought they 'd make it back before anything changed .
`` We did n't think they 'd give us a day 's notice to get out .
It came in so fast ... '' Martin Walter shakes his head as he scans the departures board .
Heading home 24 hours early has cost them more than an entire holiday .
They could n't afford to stay on and skip fourteen days of work upon return .
`` At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Povey rolls her eyes .
`` It 's a lose-lose situation ... '' Scott and Tracy Cuthbert , from Oxfordshire , said cutting their holiday in France short by six days was an `` easy decision to make '' because they need to work .
The couple and their daughter Milly , 16 , began `` frantically packing '' after they heard news of the rule changes .
The family booked themselves onto a ferry for Friday afternoon , only to realise they would n't make it to the port in time - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave Calais at 20:30 BST .
`` We 're driving up now and the sat nav says we 'll have about an hour 's leeway , '' Scott said from the car .
• Read more as holidaymakers weigh up whether to cut trips short On Friday , France reported 2,846 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours - the highest number since lockdown restrictions were eased .
The seven-day average increased to 2,041 , marking the first time it has surpassed 2,000 since 20 April .
Clement Beaune , France 's secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK 's decision was a matter of `` regret '' for the French , but that he was hoping for a `` return to normal as soon as possible '' .
The travel industry , already damaged by the pandemic , also criticised the move .
Gloria Guevara , president of the World Travel and Tourism Council , said the UK was lagging behind other countries that had `` shunned quarantines '' in favour of `` comprehensive '' testing programmes for everyone departing and arriving back into their respective countries .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Llewellyn , acknowledged that the new quarantine rule would be `` unwelcome news '' for Britons in the country , but stressed that people could continue with their holidays as long as they follow safety precautions and self-isolate on their return .
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said while the Labour Party supports `` evidence based measures '' at the border , it was `` vital '' that No 10 had a `` joined-up strategy '' and `` urgently '' puts in place a specific deal to support the heavily impacted travel sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has still not put in place an effective track , trace and isolate system has made matters far worse and made it more likely that we are reliant on the blunt tool of 14-day quarantine . ''
According to the data company Statista , people from the UK paid 10.35 million visits to France last year , putting it second behind Spain - with 18.12 million - in terms of popularity .
The Foreign Office is now warning against all but essential travel to France .
The quarantine measure was imposed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the rules in France and other parts of Europe ?
• How will the world vaccinate seven billion people ?
• You finally got abroad , but was it worth it ?
A list of more than 50 so-called travel corridors - allowing movement between the UK and the other countries with the need to self-isolate on return - was published at the start of last month and later expanded .
But the ending of some of the exemptions on the list follows a `` significant change '' in the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
It added that there had been a 66 % increase in newly reported cases per 100,000 people in France since last Friday .
For the Netherlands , it was up 52 % .
And the increase for Malta was 105 % , while it was 273 % for Turks and Caicos and 1,106 % for Aruba .
Ahead of a government meeting on the new measures , UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to be `` absolutely ruthless '' in deciding on rules for holidaymakers from abroad .
`` We ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation , '' he added .
According to the Home Office , a total of nine fines have been introduced at the border since quarantine restrictions were introduced on 8 June .
Under the rules , people who do not self-isolate can be fined up to £1,000 in England , Wales and Northern Ireland and £480 in Scotland .
There are fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• JOBS : Can my boss force me to go to work ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guard against them ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
Meanwhile , the government has announced that maximum fines for people in England who repeatedly refuse to wear a face covering could double to £3,200 , while organisers of illegal raves could face a £10,000 penalty .
But from Sunday , indoor theatre , music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences .
Casinos , bowling alleys , skating rinks and soft play centres will also be allowed to resume , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as facials , eyebrow threading and eyelash treatments .
• ALHAN 'S WORLD : Health tips to keep you in good shape in these socially distanced times • WAKE UP TO MONEY : Bracing for the Covid recession

Under the rules, people who do not self-isolate can be fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and £480 in Scotland. There are fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.


bbc--2020-08-14--US election 2020: A really simple guide

US election 2020: A really simple guide

The president of the United States of America has a huge influence on how the world responds to international crises , such as wars , global pandemics and climate change .
So when the election comes round every four years , there ’ s a lot of interest in the outcome but not a lot of understanding about how the process works .
Even here at BBC News , we have to remind ourselves how the electoral college works and what a battleground state is .
So if you ’ re looking for a refresher or trying to understand it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide to the US election will help .
When is the election and who are the candidates ?
The election for president always falls on the first Tuesday in November , meaning this time around it ’ s on 3 November .
Unlike many other countries , the US political system is dominated by just two parties , so the president always belongs to one of them .
The Republicans are the conservative political party in the US and their candidate in this year ’ s election is President Donald Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in power .
The Democrats are the liberal political party in the US and their candidate is Joe Biden , an experienced politician best-known for serving as Barack Obama ’ s vice president for eight years .
Both men are in their 70s - Mr Trump would be 74 years old at the start of his second term , while at 78 , Mr Biden would be the oldest first-term president in history .
How is the winner decided ?
The winner is not always the candidate who wins most votes nationally - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , candidates compete to win electoral college votes .
Each state gets a certain number of electoral college votes based on its population and there are a total of 538 up for grabs , so the winner is the candidate that wins 270 or more .
This means that when someone votes for their preferred candidate , they ’ re voting in a state-level contest rather than a national one .
All but two states have a winner-takes-all rule , so whichever candidate wins the highest number of votes is awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college votes .
Most states lean heavily towards one party or the other , which means the candidates focus their efforts on a dozen or so states where either of them could win .
These are known as the battleground states .
Who can vote and how do they do it ?
If you ’ re a US citizen and you ’ re 18 or over , you ’ re eligible to vote in the presidential election .
However , lots of states have passed laws requiring voters to show identification documents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
These laws are often put into place by Republicans who say they ’ re needed to guard against voter fraud .
But Democrats accuse them of using this as a form of voter suppression as it is often poorer , minority voters who are unable to provide ID like a driving licence .
The majority of people vote at a polling station on election day , but alternative methods of voting have been on the rise in recent years .
In 2016 , 21 % of those who voted did so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a contentious issue this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Some politicians are calling for wider use of postal ballots , but President Trump has said - with very little evidence - that this could result in more voter fraud .
Is the election just about who is president ?
No .
All of the attention will be on Trump vs Biden , but voters will also be choosing new members of Congress when they fill in their ballots .
Democrats already have control of the House so they will be looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaining control of the Senate .
If they had a majority in both chambers they would be able to block or delay President Trump ’ s plans if he were to be re-elected .
All 435 seats in the House are up for election this year , while 33 Senate seats are also up for grabs .
When will we find out the result ?
It can take several days for every vote to be counted , but it ’ s usually pretty clear who the winner is by the early hours of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump took to the stage in New York at about 3am to give his victory speech in front of a crowd of jubilant supporters .
But don ’ t set your alarm clocks just yet .
Officials are already warning that we may have to wait longer - possibly days , even weeks - for the result this year because of the expected surge in postal ballots .
The last time the result wasn ’ t clear within a few hours was in 2000 , when the winner wasn ’ t confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month later .
When does the winner take office ?
If Joe Biden wins the election , he wouldn ’ t immediately replace President Trump as there is a set transition period to give the new leader time to appoint cabinet ministers and make plans .
The new president is officially sworn into office on 20 January in a ceremony known as the inauguration , which is held on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC .
After the ceremony , the new president makes their way to the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .

Click or tap on an underlined word for a short definition or explanation
The US president has a huge influence on people's lives both at home and abroad, so when the next election is held on 3 November, the outcome will matter to everyone.
The US political system is dominated by just two parties, so the president always belongs to one of them.
The Republicans are the conservative political party in the US and their candidate in this year’s election is President Donald Trump, who is hoping to secure another four years in power.
Skip Republicans The Republican Party is also known as the GOP, or the Grand Old Party. In recent years, it has stood for lower taxes, gun rights and tighter restrictions on immigration. Support for the party tends to be stronger in more rural parts of America. Former Republican presidents include George W Bush, Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. End of Republicans
The Democrats are the liberal political party in the US and their candidate is Joe Biden, an experienced politician best-known for serving as Barack Obama’s vice president for eight years.
Skip Democrats The Democratic Party is best defined by its liberal stances on issues like civil rights, immigration, and climate change. It believes government should play a bigger role in people’s lives, like providing health insurance. Support for the party tends to be stronger in urban parts of America. Former Democratic presidents include John F Kennedy and Barack Obama. End of Democrats
Both men are in their 70s - Mr Trump would be 74 years old at the start of his second term, while at 78, Mr Biden would be the oldest first-term president in history.
How is the winner decided?
Both candidates compete to win electoral college votes.
Skip electoral college Like most voting systems, the electoral college has a number of pros and cons but it is widely respected because of its historical roots in the founding of the US. It usually reflects the popular vote, but it has failed to in two of the last five elections, including when Donald Trump won in 2016. End of electoral college
Each state gets a certain number of electoral college votes partly based on its population and there are a total of 538 up for grabs, so the winner is the candidate that wins 270 or more.
This means voters decide state-level contests rather than the national one, which is why it’s possible for a candidate to win the most votes nationally - like Hillary Clinton did in 2016 - but still be defeated by the electoral college.
Skip Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton was Donald Trump’s opponent in 2016. She ended up winning nearly three million more votes than Mr Trump, mainly because she picked up a high number of votes in strong Democrat states like New York and California. However, her rival comfortably beat her in the electoral college race 304 to 227 because he won several tight contests in key states. End of Hillary Clinton
All but two states have a winner-takes-all rule, so whichever candidate wins the highest number of votes is awarded all of the state’s electoral college votes.
Most states lean heavily towards one party or the other, so the focus is usually on a dozen or so states where either of them could win. These are known as the battleground states.
Skip battleground states These states, which are often referred to as swing states as well, are where voters are split relatively evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Traditional battleground states include Florida and Ohio. Other states that have been strongly Republican in the past, like Arizona and Texas, are considered battlegrounds in 2020 due to increasing support for the Democratic Party. End of battleground states
Who can vote and how do they do it?
If you’re a US citizen and you’re 18 or over, you should be eligible to vote in the presidential election, which takes place every four years.
Skip eligible to vote In 2016, about 245 million people were eligible to vote, but fewer than 140 million people actually did. According to the US Census Bureau, the majority of people who didn’t register to vote said they just weren’t interested in politics. Those who registered but didn’t actually vote said they didn’t like the candidates. End of eligible to vote
However, lots of states have passed laws requiring voters to show identification documents to prove who they are before they can vote.
These laws are often put into place by Republicans who say they’re needed to guard against voter fraud. But Democrats accuse them of using this as a form of voter suppression as it is often poorer, minority voters who are unable to provide ID like a driving licence.
How people vote is a contentious issue this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some politicians are calling for wider use of postal ballots, but President Trump has said - with very little evidence - that this could result in more voter fraud.
Skip voter fraud Critics say postal ballots are susceptible to fraud - and there have been isolated incidents involving Republicans and Democrats - but numerous nationwide and state-level studies have found no evidence of any widespread fraud. End of voter fraud
Is the election just about who is president?
No. All of the attention will be on Trump v Biden, but voters will also be choosing new members of Congress when they fill in their ballots.
Skip Congress Congress is the part of the US government that writes and passes laws. It's made up of two chambers - the House of Representatives and the Senate. Members of the House serve two-year terms while senators serve six-year terms and are split into three groups, meaning a third of them are up for election every two years. End of Congress
Democrats already have control of the House so they will be looking to keep hold of that while also gaining control of the Senate.
If they had a majority in both chambers they would be able to block or delay President Trump’s plans if he were to be re-elected.
All 435 seats in the House are up for election this year, while 33 Senate seats are also up for grabs.
When will we find out the result?
It can take several days for every vote to be counted, but it’s usually pretty clear who the winner is by the early hours of the following morning.
In 2016, Donald Trump took to the stage in New York at about 3am to give his victory speech in front of a crowd of jubilant supporters.
But don’t set your alarm clocks just yet. Officials are already warning that we may have to wait longer - possibly days, even weeks - for the result this year because of the expected surge in postal ballots.
Skip postal ballots There are two ways to vote in the US - by going to a polling station on election day or by using a postal ballot - but the rules vary depending on which state you are in. All states offer some form of voting by post, but many require you to provide a reason for not being able to vote in person on election day. Some states are accepting the coronavirus as a valid reason to use a postal ballot, but not all of them are at the moment. End of postal ballots
The last time the result wasn’t clear within a few hours was in 2000, when the winner wasn’t confirmed until a Supreme Court ruling was made a month later.
Skip a Supreme Court In 2000, the race between Republican candidate George W Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore was so close that it came down to the result in Florida, where just a few hundred votes separated them. There were weeks of legal battles, which triggered a recount, but eventually the Supreme Court stepped in. Mr Bush was declared the winner, giving him all 25 of Florida’s electoral college votes and leaving him with a winning total of 271 overall. Mr Gore, who won more votes nationally than Mr Bush, conceded defeat. End of a Supreme Court
When does the winner take office?
If Joe Biden wins the election, he wouldn’t immediately replace President Trump as there is a set transition period to give the new leader time to appoint cabinet ministers and make plans.
The new president is officially sworn into office on 20 January in a ceremony known as the inauguration, which is held on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC.
After the ceremony, the new president makes their way to the White House to begin their four-year term in office.


bbc--2020-08-14--Belarus election: Exiled leader calls weekend of 'peaceful rallies'

Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called for peaceful rallies across the country , after she was forced to leave for Lithuania in the wake of a disputed election .
`` Do n't stay on the sidelines , '' she said , proposing a broad council to work on the transfer of power .
Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 but Sunday 's presidential vote was condemned by the EU and US .
Protests have erupted across the country calling for him to quit .
Some 6,700 people were arrested in the wake of the election , and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the security services .
As protests continued for a sixth day and walkouts from state factories grew on Friday , EU foreign ministers held an emergency video meeting and agreed to prepare new sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible `` for violence and falsification '' .
Russia on Friday said Belarus had handed back 32 suspected mercenaries who had been detained since last month .
Authorities in Belarus said the men were in the country to destabilise Sunday 's election , while Russia said they were just passing through .
Details of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tikhanovskaya was held for seven hours herself on Monday night , when she went to register a complaint about the election , before she was forced into exile .
The Central Election Commission says Mr Lukashenko won 80.1 % of the vote and Ms Tikhanovskaya 10.12 % .
But Ms Tikhanovskaya insists that where votes were properly counted , she won support ranging from 60 % to 70 % .
She has called on mayors to organise `` peaceful mass gatherings '' on Saturday and Sunday . '
I begged him to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Riot police threw him into a police van and started torturing him .
They kept asking who the organiser was and each time when he said that there was no such a person , they electrocuted him with a stun gun .
For every word he tried to say , they beat him with batons in response .
`` The scariest part was that these people knew no limits , '' he said .
`` You understand you 're totally without any rights , that they could do anything they wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begged him to stop but he continued . ''
After hours of torture , Sergiy could barely breathe .
Officers called an ambulance and sent him to hospital .
Otherwise he might not have survived the notorious Okrestina detention centre .
Many have faced more vicious beatings and the mistreatment of detainees remaining in prisons continues .
Volunteers outside the detention centre in Minsk on Friday asked us to be quiet and urged people not to clap and chant to support the detainees .
They say that otherwise those who remain behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prisoners continued to be released from the notorious Okrestina detention centre in Minsk on Friday , revealing their bruised and swollen bodies .
`` They beat people ferociously , with impunity , and they arrest anyone .
We were forced to stand in the yard all night .
We could hear women being beaten .
I do n't understand such cruelty , '' one man said as he showed the BBC his bruising .
Belarus Interior Minister Yuri Karayev said he took responsibility for people being injured and wanted to apologise to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian journalist Nikita Telizhenko wrote a harrowing account of his three days inside prison , detailing people lying on the floor of a detention centre , piled on top of each other , in a pool of blood and excrement .
They were not allowed to use the toilet for hours on end or even change position .
Ms Tikhanovskaya , who arrived in Lithuania on Tuesday , said in her video message that Belarus authorities should stop violence and `` engage in dialogue '' and her supporters should sign an online petition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a separate message she praised Belarusians for showing `` we are a majority and this country belongs to us , to the nation rather than one man '' .
She then called for : • a co-ordinating council made up of `` civil society activists , respected Belarusians and professionals '' to secure a transfer of power • involvement from personnel from industrial companies , trade unions and other civil society organisations • the international community and European states would help organise dialogue with Belarus authorities • authorities should free all detainees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets and prosecute those who ordered violence .
Ms Tikhanovskaya , 37 , only entered the presidential race after her husband was arrested and blocked from registering for the vote .
Her statements on Friday were a far cry from her last message on Tuesday , when she said she had left Belarus for the sake of her children and spoke of herself as `` a weak woman '' .
More about the protests in Belarus • LETTER FROM MINSK : Shocked by violence , people lose their fear What is happening on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets of several cities on Friday .
In the western city of Grodno , workers gathered outside a management office , demanding fresh elections , and car workers gathered in big numbers at the Maz plant in Minsk .
Walkouts were also reported at a number of other factories .
Mr Lukashenko , who has previously dismissed protesters as sheep condemned `` attempts to inflame workers '' and spoke of walkouts involving 20 people .
Tractor workers taking part in a big march in Minsk on Friday carried a banner reading : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a herd , we 're not little people ... there are not 20 of us but 16,000 . ''
EU foreign ministers agreed on Friday to draw up a list of people to be targeted with sanctions .
The bloc , which has condemned Sunday 's vote as `` neither free nor fair '' has imposed sanctions before but eased the measures four years ago when President Lukashenko released other detainees .
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said sanctions should be imposed `` until free and transparent elections are held in Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Poland has promised to loosen visa restrictions on its neighbour to help support civil society .
Ahead of the emergency EU meeting , Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said his country was ready for `` constructive and objective '' talks with other countries .

Many have faced more vicious beatings and the mistreatment of detainees remaining in prisons continues. Volunteers outside the detention centre in Minsk on Friday asked us to be quiet and urged people not to clap and chant to support the detainees. They say that otherwise those who remain behind the prison walls will get beaten in revenge.


bbc--2020-08-14--Mueller report: FBI lawyer 'altered email' to wiretap Trump aide

An ex-FBI lawyer is expected to admit falsifying a document that was used as part of the inquiry into alleged Russian interference with the 2016 US presidential election .
Kevin Clinesmith 's plea deal comes as prosecutors investigate the origins of the investigation by Robert Mueller .
His inquiry found no criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign , though it did not clear the president of obstructing justice .
Mr Trump says it was a `` witch hunt '' .
• Eight new things in the Mueller report • Mueller : Trump was not exonerated by my report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
What did the ex-FBI lawyer do ?
Mr Clinesmith is due to accept responsibility for altering an email used to obtain permission to wiretap a Trump campaign aide .
The email from another FBI official was changed to suggest that the aide , Carter Page , had never been a CIA `` source '' - whereas Mr Page was in fact a CIA informant .
The document was cited in support of the contention that there was `` probable cause '' to suspect Mr Page was `` a knowing agent '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - who during his time at the FBI had been critical of Mr Trump - stem from a US justice department investigation into the origins of the Mueller inquiry .
`` The fact is they spied on my campaign and they got caught and you 'll be hearing more , '' the Republican president said on Friday .
Why is the Mueller report being investigated ?
The review of the Mueller investigation which began last year is being overseen by US Attorney General William Barr and run by US federal prosecutor John Durham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the collection of intelligence on the Trump campaign in 2016 was lawful .
Critics have accused Mr Barr of launching a review more in the interests of the president than the interests of justice .
Mr Trump has previously accused the FBI investigators who first launched the probe into his election campaign of treason .
Was there a 'deep state ' conspiracy against Trump ?
Mr Trump has cited the surveillance of his aide as part of a supposed deep state plot against him that he says was orchestrated by President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December 2019 did find `` serious performance failures '' in the FBI counterintelligence inquiry , but no evidence of political bias .
The report found `` 17 significant errors or omissions '' in the FBI applications to spy on Mr Page .
However , the watchdog said there was `` no documentary or testimonial evidence that political bias or improper motivation influenced '' the opening of the counterintelligence investigation .
• 'No political bias ' in FBI probe of Trump campaign What was the Mueller report ?
The 448-page report did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Moscow and the Trump campaign to influence the 2016 US presidential election .
However , it did detail 10 instances where Mr Trump possibly attempted to impede the investigation .
The report concluded that Russia had interfered in the election `` in sweeping and systematic fashion '' .
That interference took the form of an extensive social media campaign and the hacking of Democratic Party servers by Russian military intelligence , the report said .
• September 2016 : House Intelligence Committee members announce that Russia is making `` a serious and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' • May 2017 : US Deputy Attorney General appoints Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and any alleged coordination with the Trump campaign • December 2017 : Ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn admits lying to the FBI about meetings with Russia 's ambassador weeks before Mr Trump became president • August 2018 : Former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort is found guilty of fraud .
He agrees to co-operate with the Mueller inquiry the following month • November 2018 : President Trump submits written answers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions • December 2018 : Mr Trump 's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen is sentenced to 36 months in prison for lying to Congress , tax evasion and campaign finance violations • March 2019 : Attorney General William Barr receives the special counsel 's report .
He does not release it immediately , but publishes a summary Robert Mueller criticises as lacking `` context '' • May 2019 : Robert Mueller says in his first public remarks that his report does not exonerate President Trump , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mueller appears before Congress and reaffirms that his report does not exonerate Mr Trump

The charges against Mr Clinesmith - who during his time at the FBI had been critical of Mr Trump - stem from a US justice department investigation into the origins of the Mueller inquiry.


bbc--2020-08-14--Dolly Parton: 'Of course black lives matter!'

US country music star Dolly Parton has come out in support of Black Lives Matter , in a rare comment on politics .
She told Billboard Magazine : `` Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter ?
No ! ''
With a broad fan base that spans the right and the left , the singer generally eschews political subjects .
Her comments come amid a nationwide reckoning on race that has impacted all of US society , including country music .
Although Ms Parton has not attended Black Lives Matter marches , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest .
`` I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen , '' she told the music magazine .
What did Dolly say about Dixie ?
The entertainment mogul - who owns Dollywood amusement park in her home state of Tennessee as well as other attractions - also spoke about her decision in 2018 to drop the `` Dixie '' from her Dixie Stampede attraction .
`` Dixie '' was often used as a nickname for the southern states that made up the Confederate States of America during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country band Dixie Chicks drop the Dixie from their name '' There 's such a thing as innocent ignorance , and so many of us are guilty of that , '' she told Billboard .
`` When they said 'Dixie ' was an offensive word , I thought , 'Well , I do n't want to offend anybody .
This is a business .
We 'll just call it The Stampede . '
`` As soon as you realise that [ something ] is a problem , you should fix it .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where my heart is .
I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose . ''
Why did she speak out now ?
George Floyd 's death , and the subsequent nationwide protests , has impacted industries from publishing to sport to country music , inspiring some artists to join marches while forcing others to reconsider their own racial blindspots .
Two other country acts , the Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum , have dropped words linked to the Confederacy from their names , becoming The Chicks and Lady A , respectively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach , describing protesters as `` anarchists '' and condemning those who kneel for the national anthem .
Ms Parton 's comments come as the 2020 presidential election campaign heats up , a stark contrast with four years ago when she assiduously avoided criticising Mr Trump when he was running against Hillary Clinton .
In 2017 , she remained quiet on stage at the Emmys next to Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda , when her former 9-to-5 costars decided to use the spotlight to slam the president .
More recently , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms Parton said : `` If you hate the president so much , why do n't we pray for him ? ''
This is not the first time the 74 year old , who is seen as both an LGBT and feminist icon , has supported progressive causes .
She came out in favour of gay marriage in 2014 , a year before it was legalised nationwide , spoke against anti-transgender `` bathroom bills '' , and supported the Me Too movement .
But her support for left-leaning issues is usually carefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , often urging people to `` judge not lest ye be judged '' .
`` The sin of judging is just as bad as any other sin they might say somebody else is committing .
I try to love everybody , '' she told Billboard in 2014 .

"There's such a thing as innocent ignorance, and so many of us are guilty of that," she told Billboard. "When they said 'Dixie' was an offensive word, I thought, 'Well, I don't want to offend anybody. This is a business. We'll just call it The Stampede.'


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: South Africa crime rate plummets during lockdown

Crime in South Africa dropped by up to 40 % during the first three months of its lockdown , official figures show .
The police minister said most types of crimes went down between April and June - including sexual assault and arson .
He added that a controversial alcohol ban during the coronavirus lockdown had helped , but that attacks on liquor stores had increased in the pandemic .
South Africa among the world 's highest crime rates .
It has also recorded over half the coronavirus cases in Africa .
More than 500,000 infections and 11,000 deaths have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Africa Editor Mary Harper says this may be because of its reliable testing rates .
Police Minister Bheki Cele told reporters on Friday that the figures `` paint a never-seen-before 'rosy ' picture of a peaceful South Africa experiencing a `` crime holiday '' .
`` These statistics show major decreases in all crime categories compared to the same comparative period last year , '' he said .
`` A 40.4 % decrease in the number of rape cases were reported during the three months . ''
Contact and property-related crimes - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down by 29 % .
The ban on alcohol and cigarettes in lockdown South Africa has been controversial .
The country implemented a ban on alcohol sales between 27 March and 1 June .
The ban was reimposed on 12 July , and remains in place .
In April , at the start of the lockdown , Mr Cele warned that his officers would `` destroy the infrastructure where the liquor is sold '' .
The police minister has been accused of encouraging a heavy-handed approach towards people caught drinking - including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his own garden .
Bar and restaurant owners have also protested against the ban , saying it will destroy their businesses .
Last month , the South African Police Service released the country 's overall crime stats for the year 2019/2020 .
Overall in the last year , carjacking , robberies of non-residential properties and murders all increased from the previous year .
Sexual offences , driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol , and possession of illegal firearms were also up .

"These statistics show major decreases in all crime categories compared to the same comparative period last year," he said. "A 40.4% decrease in the number of rape cases were reported during the three months."


bbc--2020-08-14--Princess Anne gets military promotion as she celebrates 70th birthday

Princess Anne has been promoted by the Army and Royal Air Force to mark her 70th birthday .
The Princess Royal - the Queen 's second child - will take up the role of general and air chief marshal , bringing her ranks in line with her rank in the Royal Navy .
It is a tradition that senior royals are treated as military members and receive promotions as they get older .
Earlier this year , Prince Andrew was due to be promoted but it was deferred .
Princess Anne turns 70 on Saturday and her birthday is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photographs taken at her home in Gatcombe Park , Gloucestershire .
The pictures were taken in late February by John Swannell , who has also photographed other senior royals as well as Tony Blair , Sir Michael Caine and Sir Elton John .
Speaking earlier this week , Anne 's son-in-law Mike Tindall said plans to mark the day have been `` scaled back '' because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` We did have plans - it would 've been up in Scotland - but obviously with Covid and Aberdeen being locked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been scaled back a little bit , '' said the former England rugby star , who is married to Anne 's daughter Zara , on The One Show .
`` It 's a shame .
I 'm sure we 'll do something as a family to celebrate her 70 amazing years , she 's just an incredible woman in terms of how much work she can get through in the year .
`` We will be doing something , as yet I do n't know whether she knows - so my lips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military promotion , which has been approved by the Queen , the Ministry of Defence said Anne had been `` hugely supportive '' of the armed forces .
`` This promotion on her 70th birthday recognises her invaluable contribution and commitment to the military . ''
Anne 's birthday has also been marked by a TV documentary , which was over a year in the making , and she also guest-edited an issue of Country Life magazine .
She commented in the magazine about her love of nature and the need to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
In the ITV documentary , she spoke about social media , suggesting it is adding to the pressures faced by younger royals .
Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born in 1950 , the second child to the Queen and Prince Philip and their only daughter .
She is 14th in line to the throne .
She is a horse-riding enthusiast who competed in the British equestrian team in the 1976 Olympics and and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1971 .
In 1973 , she married her first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to have two children , Peter and Zara .
Anne decided her children would not have royal titles .
The couple survived a kidnapping attempt in 1974 , as they were returning to Buckingham Palace in a chauffeur-driven limousine .
Her first marriage ended in divorce after 19 years and she married her second husband , Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence , in 1992 .
In 1990 , she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work as president of the charity Save The Children .
In 2002 , Anne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ royal family to be convicted of a criminal offence .
She pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act after her pet Dotty bit two children in Windsor Great Park .
She lives in the 18th-century country house Gatcombe Park , near Stroud in Gloucestershire , which was a present from the Queen .
It has 730 acres of land , large stables and a trout lake .

"We did have plans - it would've been up in Scotland - but obviously with Covid and Aberdeen being locked down a bit, I think everything's been scaled back a little bit," said the former England rugby star, who is married to Anne's daughter Zara, on The One Show.


bbc--2020-08-14--Fortnite: Epic Games sues Google and Apple over app store bans

Fortnite-maker Epic Games is taking legal action against Google after being banned from the Google Play app store , hours after doing the same with Apple .
Apple and Google both removed the hit game from their app stores after Epic Games bypassed their payment systems , to avoid giving them a cut of sales .
Both platforms take a standard 30 % of purchases on their app stores .
Google said it runs an `` open '' system and would work to bring Fortnite back to its official app store .
On Android phones , app stores other than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it still possible to install Fortnite from Epic Games ' own launcher app and the Samsung Galaxy app store , making it less restrictive than Apple 's system .
Fortnite 's latest update offered all players a 20 % discount on its in-game currency V-bucks - but only if they paid Epic Games directly rather than using Apple or Google 's payment systems .
This broke rules applied by both stores .
On Thursday , Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store , leaving new players with no way to install the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen , quickly publishing a video mocking Apple 's famous 1984-themed television advert about fighting a police state .
It published court documents almost immediately .
Hours later , the app also vanished from the Google Play store .
Compared with the high-profile publicity blitz it had prepared to ridicule Apple and mobilise support , Epic has been quiet about Google .
Officially , Fortnite has only tweeted that the app is unavailable on Google Play and `` more information will be forthcoming soon '' .
What is in the court case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records system show that Epic Games has filed a complaint against Google in a California court , just as it did against Apple .
Much of the complaint is about the compulsory 30 % cut Google takes from sales in the Play store , similar to Apple .
The document highlights that Google 's motto was once `` do n't be evil '' .
`` Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought , and is using its size to do evil upon competitors , innovators , customers , and users in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to monopolise , '' it says .
• Apple digs in over its App Store fees It describes a deal that Epic Games had reached with phone-maker OnePlus to make its games available `` seamlessly '' on their devices .
`` But Google forced OnePlus to renege on the deal , citing Google 's 'particular concern ' about Epic having the ability to install and update mobile games while 'bypassing the Google Play Store ' , '' it said .
It said LG had also revealed its contracts with Google prevented it from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What does Epic want ?
Epic Games says it wants to change the mobile app stores to be fairer for all developers .
In both the Apple and Google court documents , it says it is not seeking a compensation payout or more favourable deal for itself .
It has launched a consumer-rights focused campaign using the social media tag # freefortnite .
However , any reduction of the 30 % cut taken by Apple and Google would benefit Epic Games enormously .
In a press briefing , the company said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.6bn ( £1.2bn ) - excluding iOS and Google Play purchases .
Games analyst Piers Harding-Rolls from Ampere told the BBC the company generated tens of millions of dollars every month on mobile platforms such as Apple 's iOS .
What does Google say ?
In a statement , Google pointed to the fact that users can technically install apps from other locations , and said using the Google Play store was a `` choice '' .
It added : `` The open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For game developers who choose to use the Play Store , we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users .
`` While Fortnite remains available on Android , we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies . ''
What does Apple say ?
In a statement , Apple said : `` Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade , and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem - including it 's tools , testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developers .
`` Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we 're glad they 've built such a successful business on the App Store .
The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users .
`` We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store .
@

"Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought, and is using its size to do evil upon competitors, innovators, customers, and users in a slew of markets it has grown to monopolise," it says.