bbc--2020-06-15--Paul Whelan: US 'outraged' as Russia jails ex-marine for spying

The US has said it is `` outraged '' after Russia sentenced an ex-US marine to 16 years in a high security prison on spying charges .
Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow in 2018 with a USB drive which security officers say contained state secrets .
Whelan says he was set up and called the trial a `` sham '' , saying that without an interpreter , he could not even understand the proceedings .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for his immediate release .
`` The United States is outraged by the decision of a Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whelan after a secret trial , with secret evidence , and without appropriate allowances for defence witnesses , '' he said .
Whelan , 50 , was found guilty of receiving classified information at Moscow City Court .
His lawyers said he would appeal .
Amid suggestions that Whelan could be used in a prisoner swap for high-profile Russians in US custody , a Kremlin spokesman said Whelan was not a `` political prisoner '' .
`` No , it is not possible .
He was sentenced by a court decision , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was charged and the charges were then proven in court and accepted by the court , '' Dmitry Peskov said .
Paul Whelan had hand-written a sign for this final court hearing , pressing it to the glass of his cage in court to denounce his trial as a sham .
TV cameras were banned from filming on Monday , supposedly as a coronavirus precaution .
So Whelan raised his voice to shout his innocence to the photographers instead .
With two FSB [ Russia 's Federal Security Service ] guards at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced the charges against him as fabricated and `` ridiculous '' .
`` They have got this so wrong , and all for political purposes , '' he told the BBC .
At past hearings , he has been openly angry and frustrated - talking over the judge and accusing his interrogators of threats and coercion .
On Monday , he was calm , even smiling - waving to the three ambassadors who came to court to support him , all in facemasks and gloves and carefully spaced out on the wooden benches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already declared this verdict `` pre-ordained '' , but when it came , no-one bothered to translate it .
The American was left shrugging , appealing to the judges to tell him his fate `` po angliisky '' - in English .
The panel of three ignored him , and swept out of court in their gowns .
Paul Whelan is a citizen of four countries - the US , Canada , the UK and the Irish Republic .
From Novi , Michigan , he was born in Canada to British parents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Military records show he joined the US Marine Reserves in 1994 , about six years after he had reportedly begun work as a police officer in Michigan .
He served two tours in Iraq , in 2004 and then 2006 , before becoming a security executive .
It was while serving in the marines that he made his first trip to Russia , and went on to visit the country many times .
• I 'm more Mr Bean than James Bond , says spy suspect Paul Whelan was arrested in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
He says he was getting ready for a wedding when an old friend turned up unexpectedly and gave him a flash drive containing what Whelan 's lawyer says his client thought were holiday photographs .
Moments later , security officers burst in and arrested him for receiving state secrets .
After Monday 's verdict , his family said in a statement it was the Russian legal system which had been `` found guilty of injustice '' .
`` The court 's decision merely completes the final piece of this broken judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court might show some independence but , in the end , Russian judges are political , not legal , entities , '' the statement said .

"They have got this so wrong, and all for political purposes," he told the BBC. At past hearings, he has been openly angry and frustrated - talking over the judge and accusing his interrogators of threats and coercion. On Monday, he was calm, even smiling - waving to the three ambassadors who came to court to support him, all in facemasks and gloves and carefully spaced out on the wooden benches like the press.


bbc--2020-06-15--Karachi affair: Six men sentenced to prison over arms deal

Six men have been sentenced to two to five years in jail in France over a scandal involving almost €2m ( £1.8m ) in kickbacks from a 1990s arms deal .
Three ex-French government officials and three others were found guilty of participating in the `` Karachi affair '' - a submarine deal with Pakistan .
The deal involved secret commissions that allowed funds to return to France .
Some of the money was allegedly used to fund ex-French Prime Minister Édouard Balladur 's failed presidential bid .
Mr Balladur , now aged 91 , and his then-Defence Minister François @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face trial at the criminal court in Paris in the coming months .
Monday 's convictions are the first in a long-running investigation into the scandal .
Who has been jailed ?
One of the former government officials sentenced on Monday was Nicolas Bazire , who was Mr Balladur 's former campaign manager and best man at ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy 's wedding to supermodel Carla Bruni in 2008 .
The court said that Mr Bazire , who was ordered to spend three years in prison , `` knew perfectly well '' that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's campaign accounts .
Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres , a former adviser to Mr Léotard , was also ordered to spend three years in jail .
Thierry Gaubert , a former aide to Mr Sarkozy - who was then the budget minister in charge of sales and commissions - got a two-year prison sentence .
The remaining men convicted in Paris were former defence contractor Dominique Castellan , who was also handed two years , and two so-called Lebanese middlemen , who were sentenced to five years .
The Lebanese businessmen , Ziad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to appear at the Paris court and warrants have been issued for their arrest , the AFP news agency reported .
Investigations into the so-called `` Karachi affair '' began after 11 French engineers were killed in a Karachi bombing in 2002 .
Pakistani authorities blamed Islamist militants , but there were suspicions that the car bombing , which wrecked a bus , was an act of revenge after then-French President Jacques Chirac ordered the payments of secret arms deal commissions to stop .
Mr Balladur is alleged to have earlier approved payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale of three submarines to Pakistan , and that from them so-called `` retro-commissions '' came back to France to fund his 1995 presidential bid .
The kickbacks are estimated to have cost 13m francs , or almost €2m .
Mr Sarkozy has faced legal scrutiny over the Karachi affair .
He has denied any connection to the deal .
A lawyer representing the victims of the deadly Karachi bombing praised the French court 's decision on Monday .
Olivier Morice said that `` if the families had not lodged a complaint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , adding that families were now waiting for the trial of Mr Balladur and Mr Léotard .
Mr Balladur was the French prime minister from 1993 to 1995 .
Both he and Mr Léotard were charged in May 2017 with `` complicity in misuse of corporate assets and concealment '' over the Pakistan deal .

Mr Balladur is alleged to have earlier approved payment of the commissions to intermediaries in the sale of three submarines to Pakistan, and that from them so-called "retro-commissions" came back to France to fund his 1995 presidential bid.


bbc--2020-06-15--Mali ambush: Gunmen kill 24 in attack on convoy

At least 24 soldiers were killed and others are unaccounted for after gunmen ambushed a convoy in central Mali .
The army said eight survivors had been found following Saturday 's attack , about 60 miles ( 100km ) from the border with Mauritania .
No group has admitted carrying out the raid but Islamist militants are active in the area .
Mali has been blighted by instability since 2012 when an Islamist rebellion broke out in the north .
Army officials said about 12 vehicles had been in the convoy and four of them were destroyed in Saturday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says that with reports of soldiers missing , it is possible that the death toll could be higher than the military is admitting .
• Why France is focused on fighting jihadists in Mali It is the biggest loss for the military since November last year when more than 50 soldiers died in an attack .
On Saturday two UN peacekeepers were also killed when a logistics convoy was targeted in the north of the country .
The UN has 13,000 troops in Mali .
Since 2012 , Malian forces have managed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of large swathes of territory taken by militants .
France has 4,500 troops deployed in the region .
But thousands of lives have been lost as Mali struggles to contain the violence , which has spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger .
President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita has offered to open dialogue with the jihadists but our correspondent says there seems little hope of that working .

BBC Africa editor Will Ross says that with reports of soldiers missing, it is possible that the death toll could be higher than the military is admitting.


bbc--2020-06-15--Brexit: New momentum needed in trade talks, say UK and EU

UK and EU leaders have said new momentum is needed in negotiations on their future relationship , after high-level talks on Monday .
The PM , who met EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen virtually , said there was a `` very good '' chance of getting a trade deal by December .
He said he saw no reason why it can not be `` done in July '' , after the sides agreed to intensify talks next month .
Mrs von der Leyen said they `` agreed to deliver the best deal '' for citizens .
The EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extend the transition period , which ends in December .
• Kuenssberg : Metaphors abound as talks get more urgent • What are the sticking points in the trade talks ?
• Reality Check : What does a 'WTO Brexit ' mean ?
In a joint statement issued after Monday 's meeting via video conference , the UK and EU `` welcomed the constructive discussions on the future relationship that had taken place '' .
`` The parties agreed nevertheless that new momentum was required , '' it said .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to find an `` early understanding on the principles '' underlying any deal .
The UK government has said the talks in July will involve a mix of formal negotiating rounds and smaller group meetings in London and Brussels , if coronavirus guidelines allow .
Mr Johnson said the EU and the UK were `` not that far apart '' with regards to the future relationship , but he added that `` a bit of oomph '' was needed in the talks .
Calling on the EU to `` put a tiger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister said the chances of getting a trade deal by the end of the year were `` very good '' , provided both sides focus now and `` get on and do it '' .
Asked what the cut-off date would be by which the UK government will give business certainty of what they can expect , Mr Johnson said he saw no reason why it can not be `` done in July '' .
`` I certainly do n't want to see it going on until the Autumn/Winter as I think perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't see any point in that so let 's get it done . ''
European Council President Charles Michel , who joined Mrs von der Leyen on the call along with European Parliament President David-Maria Sassoli , said a `` broad and ambitious agreement '' was `` in our mutual interest '' .
And Mr Sassoli tweeted in Latin that `` agreements must be kept '' .
Downing Street earlier said Mr Johnson would reiterate that the UK 's ambition is for a high quality free trade agreement consistent with others the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also due to make clear that the UK is ready to start trading on World Trade Organisation rules from 1 January if a deal can not be reached .
This was Boris Johnson 's first meeting with EU leaders since trade negotiations started back in March .
So , did we have an `` aha moment '' ?
A glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel of deadlocked talks ?
Well , not exactly .
But this was always going to be a stocktaking moment , rather than high level negotiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime minister express commitment to finding a deal .
And while Brussels privately regards as unrealistic , the UK aim of having the outline of that deal in place by the end of the summer , EU insiders say negotiators will try everything to find agreement as soon as possible .
You would n't expect them to say anything less .
But notably absent from today 's declarations was to what extent each side is willing to compromise .
And that , of course , will be key .
Without some concessions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-level declaration of intent to reach an EU-UK deal , is rather empty .
But a French former Europe minister has said the EU is preparing itself for a no-deal Brexit .
MEP Nathalie Loiseau told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : `` We are ready either for an agreement or for a no-deal and we are getting prepared more actively to a no-deal considering the circumstances .
`` We believe it is possible to have an agreement - it has to be ready in October so that parliaments on both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is possible because we have the political declaration which we negotiated together , signed together and should respect together - so , yes , the framework is here . ''
• Which countries does the UK do the most trade with ?
Monday 's virtual meeting comes after EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said there had been `` no significant areas of progress '' at the last negotiating round earlier this month .
Likewise his UK counterpart David Frost had said progress `` remains limited , '' and negotiators were `` reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieved in formal talks .
Differences between the two sides remain on fisheries , competition rules , police co-operation , and how a deal would be enforced .
Meanwhile , Downing Street confirmed that Mr Johnson and Emmanuel Macron will meet in London on Thursday .
The French president will travel to London to attend official commemorations of 80th anniversary of General Charles de Gaulle 's appeal to the French population to resist the German occupation of France during the Second World War .

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bbc--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: 'My beach will survive', says Italian grandad

As many European countries continue to ease their lockdowns , beach resorts in Italy are gearing up for a Covid-secure @ @ @ @ @ , hand sanitiser and more space between sun-loungers are being put in place .
One-way @ @ @ @ @ beaches , as well as food deliveries direct to sunbathers , are also being considered @ @ @ @ @ , 84-year-old Arnaldo Valentini , has lived through a series of events which threatened his @ @

As many European countries continue to ease their lockdowns, beach resorts in Italy are gearing up for a Covid-secure 2020 season.
Face masks, hand sanitiser and more space between sun-loungers are being put in place.
One-way systems to enter and exit beaches, as well as food deliveries direct to sunbathers, are also being considered.
One beach resort owner, 84-year-old Arnaldo Valentini, has lived through a series of events which threatened his livelihood.
Video produced by Trystan Young, filmed by Elisabetta Zavoli.


bbc--2020-06-15--Banjarmasin Diamond: Solving the mystery of the 'ugly, dirty' gem

Precious gems have been cut , polished and traded in Amsterdam for hundreds of years .
One of the most @ @ @ @ @ Diamond ’ , that ’ s on display in the Rijksmuseum .
It was taken @ @ @ @ @ Indonesian Sultan of Banjar , during their 350 years of colonial rule .
Now the @ @ @ @ @ it back .
Video produced by BBC Indonesia ’ s Endang Nurdin and Callistasia WijayaFilmed @ @ @ @ @ and Anindita PradanaAnimation by Davies SuryaCourtesy film archive : N.I.F.M .
Polygoon Harleem & eyefilm.nl

Precious gems have been cut, polished and traded in Amsterdam for hundreds of years.
One of the most infamous is the ‘Banjarmasin Diamond’, that’s on display in the Rijksmuseum.
It was taken by the Dutch from the Indonesian Sultan of Banjar, during their 350 years of colonial rule.
Now the descendants of the Sultan want it back.
Video produced by BBC Indonesia’s Endang Nurdin and Callistasia Wijaya
Filmed and edited by Kevin Kim and Anindita Pradana
Animation by Davies Surya
Courtesy film archive: N.I.F.M. Polygoon Harleem & eyefilm.nl


bbc--2020-06-14--George Floyd death: 'The same happened to my son'

Youa Vang Lee was at her home in Minneapolis when her son showed her the video of George Floyd dying under a police officer 's knee .
Lee , a 59-year-old Laotian immigrant who assembles medical supplies at a factory , heard Floyd cry out for his mother .
It triggered a deep and familiar pain .
`` Fong was probably feeling the same way , too , '' she said in Hmong , her eyes filling with tears .
`` He was probably asking for me , too . ''
In 2006 , Lee 's 19-year-old son Fong - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Thailand - was shot eight times by Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen .
The officer remains on the force to this day , a fact that the Lees were not aware of until told by the BBC .
The officer was terminated twice , but has apparently since been rehired .
Although security footage showed Lee was running away at the time , Andersen claimed the teenager had a gun .
A grand jury declined to indict him and the police department ruled the shooting justified .
The family sued in civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gun found beside Fong 's body was planted .
An all-white jury found against them .
Youa had n't spoken publicly about her son in over a decade , not since the family came to the end of their legal road with nothing to show for it .
But after Lee saw Floyd 's death , she began asking if anyone knew of marches she could attend .
`` I have to be there , '' she said .
• Inside the community at the heart of the protests • ' I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be American' Although no one directly discouraged her , some members of her community questioned the decision .
The Twin Cities , as Minneapolis and St Paul are known , are home to the largest urban population of Hmong in the US , many of whom came to the area as refugees in the 1980s and 90s .
The Hmong are an ethnic group from South-East Asia , with their own language , mainly drawn from southern China , Vietnam and Laos .
Within that community , there has been heated debate about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter and Justice for George Floyd movements , which are demanding systemic change to policing .
For Youa Lee , however , there was no debate .
She wanted to get involved for one reason - when Fong died in 2006 , the first people to show up in support of her family came from the black activist community .
`` They were the loudest voices for us , '' recalled Shoua Lee , Fong 's older sister .
`` Even before we asked for help from other communities , they had come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Although four officers have been charged with the murder of George Floyd on 25 May , the viral video of the incident only captures two of them - former officer Derek Chauvin , who kneeled on Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes , and former officer Tou Thao , who kept the crowd back , rather than going to Floyd 's aid .
`` Do n't do drugs , guys , '' Thao said at one point to distressed onlookers .
Thao , an 11-year veteran of the department , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder .
He is also Hmong .
As soon as Boonmee Yang , a fourth-grade public school teacher in St Paul , saw the video , he knew things were going to get complicated in the Hmong community .
`` Oftentimes , it 's always been black victims at the hands of white officers .
But now that someone else who looked like me was also involved in this , it made me really concerned , '' he said .
As a Hmong activist , Yang said that it has n't always been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black community .
He said some suffer what he calls `` sheltered Asian syndrome '' , meaning they rarely interact with others from outside the Hmong community , and that their knee jerk response was to defend Thao 's actions .
There is also a history of conflict between the two communities , particularly in the early days of resettlement , according to rapper , artist and activist Tou SaiKo Lee .
Refugee families often wound up in the Frogtown neighbourhood of St Paul and in East St Paul , areas that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There was conflict between youth .
Fights between new immigrants , new refugees and those that are currently living in the neighborhood - I was a part of that , '' he recalled .
`` There 's some that still hold that tension . ''
Unlike the more broadly defined `` Asian American '' demographic , the Hmong community has a much shorter history in the US .
Almost half of the Laotian Hmong fled their country in 1975 , after the fall of Saigon in the Vietnam War .
For 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hmong soldiers to fight a so-called `` secret war '' against the North Vietnamese , but after the US pulled out without providing an evacuation plan for their allies , those who cooperated with the Americans , or were perceived to have , fled .
Some were killed by the communists , thousands wound up in Thai refugee camps .
• Viewpoint : US must confront its Original Sin to move forward Tens of thousands were resettled in Minnesota , an overwhelmingly white state with few resources for the new immigrant population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many could not find work .
Today , the Hmong population in the US actually has much in common with the African-American population in terms of socioeconomic and other quality of life factors .
According to figures from the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center , one in four Hmong Americans lives below the poverty line .
While 50 % of the broader category `` Asian Americans '' have graduated university , only 17 % of Hmong Americans have a college degree .
And while 72 % of white families own a home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and African Americans do .
The Hmong community has also long struggled with interactions with police .
Initially , there was no Hmong representation among its ranks .
Officers struggled to understand and to serve the new population .
In an infamous 1989 case , a police officer shot two sixth-grade Hmong boys in the back as they ran away from a stolen car .
The officer was never charged .
Tou SaiKo said he was often racially profiled by Minneapolis police as a teenager , at one point spending two nights in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knife in his trunk .
He said he was never charged , but he remembered getting pulled over many times and asked `` What gang do you affiliate with ? ''
Still , those common struggles between the black and Hmong communities did not prevent old tensions from leaping to the fore in the aftermath of Floyd 's death , particularly as looting and property damage hit Asian-owned businesses in the Midway neighbourhood of St Paul .
`` Tou Thao '' is a very common Hmong name , and many who share it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and harassment .
And as young Hmong activists - in particular women and members of the LGBTQ community - attempted to express support of Black Lives Matter , they faced condemnation and vitriol from within their own community , even threats .
Annie Moua , a recent high school graduate , saw plenty of comments online within her Asian American political groups that she calls `` anti-black '' , saying things like `` all lives matter '' and asking , `` They never helped us during our protest - why do we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that week I lost a lot of friends , '' she said .
It was during the worst of that online fighting that Yang got a Facebook invite from a friend to join a group called `` Hmong 4 Black Lives . ''
There were only three members at the time .
`` I was on it , '' he said .
He saw that a large Black Lives Matter demonstration was planned at the Minnesota State Capitol the next day , and created an event page for the nascent group .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hmong 4 Black Lives ( as of this writing there are now over 2,000 ) .
By afternoon the next day , a group of about 100 Hmong activists had gathered at the capitol , carrying signs that read , `` I 'm a Thao and I stand with Black Lives Matter '' and `` I am Hmong and for BLM - period '' .
For 18-year-old Moua , it was her very first protest , and after the amount of turmoil she 'd witnessed online , she was scared .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
`` I did not know what was going to go down . ''
Among the marchers was a small , elegant woman in a face mask and a baseball cap - Fong Lee 's mother , Youa .
After fleeing their farm in Laos , and four years of waiting in a refugee camp in Thailand , Youa and her husband dreamed of giving their children a brighter future in the US .
America was supposed to be a refuge .
She never dreamed her middle son would wind up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer .
`` I feel like it was a mistake to bring my children here , '' she said in Hmong , translated by her daughter Shoua .
`` Now my son is gone . ''
Fong Lee was 19 years old when he went for a bike ride on 22 July , 2006 .
He was with a group of his friends in the parking lot of Cityview Elementary , a school in North Minneapolis , when officer Jason Andersen and a state trooper pulled up in a squad car .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following Fong .
A security camera from the school captured the final moments of the chase - Fong runs from the parking lot around the corner of the school , and Andersen is seen close behind with his gun pointed at Fong .
Though blurry , the security footage does not clearly show a gun in Fong 's hands , a fact that Andersen acknowledged at trial .
In the final frame , Fong is seen lying on his back , bloodied and unmoving .
He was hit four times in the back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke , Al Flowers , a longtime Minneapolis activist who has sued the police department multiple times over charges of brutality , started showing up to protests - at the school , at the courthouse .
The Lees always saw him and another activist , the late Darryl Robinson of Communities United Against Police Brutality .
They did n't ask to show up , Shoua Lee said , they just showed up .
For his part , Flowers said that after years of fighting for justice in the killings of black men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Asian , there was a greater possibility that the officer would be convicted .
`` We felt like he was treated like we was always treated , '' Flowers recalled .
`` [ We thought ] he 's going to get justice .
And then he did n't .
So we were shocked . ''
Mike Padden , the Lee 's family attorney in the civil case , said losing the case even with surveillance camera footage and the strange history of the gun recovered at the scene has always troubled him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for suing cops was way different than it is now , '' he said .
`` It bothers me .
It was probably the most disappointing case in my career . ''
An old , Russian-made Baikal .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun was found about three feet from Fong 's left hand , free of fingerprints or blood .
In 2004 , a man reported his gun stolen in a burglary .
He was later told by Minneapolis police that his gun had been recovered in a snowbank and it would be in police custody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun matched the serial number on the Baikal .380 caliber found by Fong Lee 's body .
When that was pointed out at trial by Padden , the police provided an explanation -- the gun found in the snowbank was not the Baikal .380 .
There had been a mix-up with the identification and the paperwork , and the Baikal had never been in their custody .
The Minneapolis Police Department did not respond to questions from the BBC about the case .
Andersen was back on the street two days after Fong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later awarded him the department 's `` medal of valour '' for his actions that day .
The Minneapolis Police Department tried to fire Andersen twice after that - once after he was arrested for domestic violence , and once after he was indicted by federal investigators for kicking a teenager in the head during an arrest .
The domestic violence case was dropped due to lack of evidence , and a jury acquitted Andersen in the assault on the teenager , despite the fact that other officers had reported his actions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police union helped get Andersen rehired .
The union is often cited as the reason why it is so difficult to fire officers with problematic records .
In the aftermath of George Floyd 's killing , the city of Minneapolis is trying to take on the union by withdrawing from negotiations .
Andersen is still an employee of the Minneapolis Police Department , and serves as the chaplain coordinator .
Social media posts show him handing out donations , like car seats , bed sets and kitchen supplies to needy families in Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC , Andersen confirmed that he is the same officer from the Lee shooting and referred all questions to the department 's media spokesperson .
`` It 's something that 's been put in the past and I know that was very , very hard for them because they lost their son , '' he said of the Lees .
`` I care for the family a lot and they went through something traumatic .
`` Both of us had to live through this so when this gets dug back up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they never want to hear about again . ''
It was Tou SaiKo Lee who asked Youa if she 'd like to come to the state capitol , march with Hmong 4 Black Lives and speak about her son .
It 'd been almost 10 years , and Tou was also worried that bringing the case back up might be too traumatic .
But her answer was instantly , yes .
That day , as they walked towards the capitol steps to join the larger Black Lives Matter group , Youa was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hmong participants chanted around her .
At some point , someone handed her the microphone .
Even though she could n't do it in English , she spoke passionately about supporting George Floyd 's family and the movement that was born in his name .
She promised to do anything she could for the Floyd family .
`` We have to join hands with them , '' she told the crowd .
`` We come here to beg for justice and righteousness . ''
She wept openly , bringing many gathered around to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not understand her .
`` Without Fong Lee 's family it would just be Hmong people bickering back and forth , '' said Tou SaiKo .
`` Many people see their own mother in Fong Lee 's mother , many Hmong people , and so to see her in that emotional state , with those empowering words calling for solidarity , I thought that was a breath of fresh air . ''
When told that Fong 's mother had joined the George Floyd protests , Flowers was pleased .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` My memory is watching her have to go through that and not understanding the law , not understanding what was really happening in the United States - that this could happen .
`` We as African Americans , we knew what was the possibility and we knew that could happen .
That was sad because we lost another case .
That was another case we lost . ''
And although not everyone in the crowd for the first ever Hmong 4 Black Lives march could understand her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person who took the microphone immediately after Youa summed it up perfectly .
`` You do n't need to understand [ Hmong ] to know what this pain feels like . ''

Unlike the more broadly defined "Asian American" demographic, the Hmong community has a much shorter history in the US. Almost half of the Laotian Hmong fled their country in 1975, after the fall of Saigon in the Vietnam War. For 15 years, the CIA recruited thousands of Hmong soldiers to fight a so-called "secret war" against the North Vietnamese, but after the US pulled out without providing an evacuation plan for their allies, those who cooperated with the Americans, or were perceived to have, fled. Some were killed by the communists, thousands wound up in Thai refugee camps.


bbc--2020-06-15--Atatiana Jefferson: 'Why I will no longer call the police'

James Smith has never wanted much to do with the police but he called them to check on his neighbour in the Texas city of Fort Worth , because it was late at night and her front door was wide open .
Soon afterwards he heard a gunshot , and later saw the dead body of a 28-year-old woman , his neighbour 's daughter , carried out on a stretcher .
James Smith is angry , hurt and tired .
Every death of a black person at the hands of a police officer takes him back to the moment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I have to live with this guilt , with this cloud hanging over me for the rest of my years , '' he says .
Because he was the reason that the police were there that night .
At around 02:30 on 12 October he was woken by his niece and nephew , who told him the front door of their neighbour 's house was wide open and the lights were on .
The owner of the house , Yolanda Carr , had a heart condition and had recently been in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was worried something had happened to her .
He went across the road and noticed the lawnmower and other gardening equipment were still plugged in , which he thought was strange .
So he dialled a number in the phone book to request a `` wellness check '' - expecting that a police officer would come out , knock on the door and check the family was OK .
He did n't know that Carr was in hospital that night and that her daughter and grandson were up late playing video games .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the police arrived .
One of the officers , Aaron Dean , had his gun drawn as he approached the front door and then walked around the side of the house to the back garden .
Seconds later there was a gunshot .
`` When that bullet went off I heard her spirit say , 'Do n't let them get away with it , ' '' Smith says .
`` And that 's pretty much why I stayed out there all night long until they brought her out . ''
Police soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't tell him what had happened .
It was n't until they wheeled a body out six hours later that he knew Yolanda Carr 's daughter , Atatiana Jefferson , had been killed .
The two families were still getting to know each other .
Yolanda Carr had bought the house four years earlier and was fiercely proud of it .
Her house is separated from James Smith 's by a road and their wide , green , manicured lawns .
Smith is a veteran of the neighbourhood .
He 's raised children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his family still live on the same street .
Keeping the yard straight is like a ritual in the area , he says , one that Atatiana 's family had been quick to adopt .
He describes Yolanda Carr as a hard-working lady .
`` She had some problems in life that she overcame and her home was her trophy . ''
Atatiana had been staying in the house while her mother was unwell .
She was saving for medical school while caring for her mother and her eight-year-old nephew .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a car crash on the street , James Smith remembers .
Atatiana rushed out to help , and she stayed with the people in the car until the ambulance came .
That was just her nature , he says .
`` She intended to become a doctor , '' he says , before going silent for a moment .
`` But that 's not going to happen now . ''
Sometimes he would mow their lawn for them , Atatiana would bring him water and they 'd chat .
The day that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawn herself , showing her nephew how to do it .
On the footage from the officer 's body cam , released after she was killed , officer Aaron Dean can be seen walking up to a window at the back of the house , where Atatiana briefly appears .
`` Put your hands up , show me your hands ! ''
he shouts .
He has barely finished speaking when he fires through the window .
He never declared he was a police officer .
Aaron Dean resigned before he could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December he was indicted for murder , but the trial has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic .
Fort Worth police chief Ed Kraus said he `` could not make sense '' of why Atatiana Jefferson had to lose her life .
In a press conference he seemed emotional as he spoke about the damage that her death had done to relations between the police and the community .
But James Smith does n't find any of this reassuring .
Atatiana 's death has destroyed what little faith he had in law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relationship with the police because we do n't trust the police , '' he says .
`` So if we can stay out of their way , we 're fine . ''
He 's more reluctant than ever to call them .
Recently , when his sister heard gunshots in the neighbourhood she asked him to call 911 , but he refused .
`` It 's an experience that unfortunately , you would have to be a person of colour to understand , '' he says .
`` I do n't buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we 've been kneeling and hugging and praying for 60 years . ''
He does n't feel that the case against Aaron Dean is being pursued properly .
It troubles him that no-one from law enforcement has come to speak to him since the night of the shooting .
It 's his belief that if he had n't spoken to the media the following morning , Atatiana 's death might not have been investigated .
He 's also upset with the pace of the trial .
`` With the pandemic going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this thing starts .
On the other hand , had it been a person or colour we 'd be tried , convicted and have started our sentence already , '' he says .
`` We 're still holding our breath .
Pardon the phrase , but we ca n't breathe . ''
There are about 1,000 `` officer-involved shootings '' in which someone is killed every year in the US .
These statistics are not centrally collected but various organisations and researchers have been compiling the data , mostly from media reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mapping Police Violence , in 2019 black people represented 24 % of those killed by police despite making up only 13 % of the population .
Dr Philip Stinson of Bowling Green State University has also compiled an extensive database on police crime and , analysing cases where police have been arrested , has found that police crimes against black people tend to involve violence more often than police crimes against other races .
Convictions for these crimes are rare .
Between 2013 and 2019 , Mapping Police Violence recorded more than 7,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone , but according to Stinson 's database only 71 were charged with murder or manslaughter and only 23 were convicted of a crime related to the killing .
Since 2005 , Stinson calculates , only five non-federal police officers have been convicted of murder .
When James Smith went on TV to talk about his neighbour 's death he learned that this was the seventh officer-involved shooting of 2019 in Fort Worth , a city of less than one million people .
But shootings are only part of the problem .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early June , a Fort Worth police officer called Tiffany Bunton spoke out about the death of her uncle in police custody two years ago .
Christopher Lowe died in the back of a police vehicle after being detained by two officers .
The body camera footage of his arrest shows officers dragging him to their car .
It 's disturbing to watch .
Though he 's compliant throughout the arrest , the officers taunt Lowe as he struggles to stand up and to walk .
He tells them he 's sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says , `` I 'm dying . ''
`` Do n't pull that [ expletive ] , '' the officer says .
And later , `` If you spit on me bud I 'm going to put your face in the [ expletive ] dirt . ''
Thirteen minutes later Lowe was found dead of a drug overdose in the back of the car .
Tiffany Bunton believes his death could have been prevented if the officers had called an ambulance , instead of ignoring his symptoms and insulting him when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Five officers were fired in January 2019 , as a result .
A year later two of them got their jobs back .
When I asked James Smith if he was familiar with this case he simply replied , `` That 's what we go through .
So we avoid the police as best we can . ''
Two weeks after Atatiana 's funeral , her father , Marquis Jefferson , died from a heart attack .
His brother believes it was grief that killed him .
Her mother Yolanda Carr was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was too sick to attend her funeral .
In January she was well enough to return home , and James Smith said he 'd treat her to lunch .
He was waiting for the barbecue place to open when an ambulance screeched down the street and parked outside the house .
He rushed over and found paramedics trying to resuscitate her .
She was wearing a T-shirt covered in portraits of her daughter , and lying on a cushion that Smith had given her , decorated with a print of Atatiana 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Fort Worth , Betsy Price put out a statement on the death of George Floyd - who was killed in Minneapolis when officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck .
In the statement the mayor mentioned Floyd by name but referred to Atatiana only as Fort Worth 's `` own tragedy '' .
`` She did n't even mention Atatiana 's name , '' Smith says .
It felt like a knife being twisted in his gut .
As he watches protests all over the country in response to George Floyd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't respond to the killing of Atatiana in the same way .
`` The quieter we are the more likely that Atatiana is forgotten and I do n't want her forgotten , '' he says .
On 19 June Atatiana 's remaining family - her sisters and brothers - are launching a foundation in her honour , funded by donations they received in the wake of her death .
The Atatiana Project will focus on education and on improving relations between the police and the community .
It will be based in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , James Smith proudly posts pictures of a wall in his home , filled with framed photos of his children , nieces and nephews in their graduation gowns and mortarboard hats .
They 're smiling , holding rolled up bachelors and masters ' degrees .
He and Yolanda Carr should be American success stories .
A postal worker and a nurse who worked hard , saved money , educated their children and bought beautiful homes on a quiet street to enjoy into their old age .
But James Smith is not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbourhood again .
`` I look through my dining room window and I see Atatiana 's house .
When I wash my dishes I look out of my window I see Atatiana 's house .
When I sit on my back deck I see Atatiana 's house . ''
And every time the image of that night comes back to him .
`` I 'm going to see these people coming across the street and going to the back of the house and bang !
I 'm going to see this when my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a rocking chair . ''
You may also be interested in : Robert Jones was arrested in 1992 , accused of killing a young British tourist in New Orleans .
Four years later , he went on trial - by this time another man had already been convicted of the crime , but he was prosecuted anyway .
The judge who sentenced the young father to life in prison now says his skin colour sealed his fate .
Locked up for 23 years - when the real killer had already been jailed @ @ @

Her mother Yolanda Carr was in hospital the night her daughter was killed and was too sick to attend her funeral. In January she was well enough to return home, and James Smith said he'd treat her to lunch. He was waiting for the barbecue place to open when an ambulance screeched down the street and parked outside the house. He rushed over and found paramedics trying to resuscitate her.


bbc--2020-06-15--Ertugrul: The Turkish TV drama enthralling Pakistan

A popular Turkish historical TV drama , Dirilis Ertugrul ( Ertugrul 's Resurrection ) has been all the rage in Pakistan since the state broadcaster began airing a dubbed version in April .
The show 's immense popularity has generated contrasting opinions in Pakistan .
Some feel it 's a threat to local culture and promotes violence , while others support it for glorifying Muslim heroes .
But it 's not just celebrities and analysts who are commenting on the show - the country 's politicians are also actively involved in the debate .
This is not the first Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But what is different about Ertugrul - often described as the Muslim Game of Thrones - is that it 's being promoted directly by Prime Minister Imran Khan for reasons thought to be personal and political .
Mr Khan is possibly one of the main reasons why this foreign serial is creating waves in Pakistan .
He not only recommended the show and told PTV to air it but said it would help Pakistan understand the significance of Islamic civilisation .
• Is Iran facing a second wave of coronavirus ?
Ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is being aired as Ertugrul Ghazi ( warrior ) in Urdu - has been breaking viewership records in Pakistan .
Critics believe Mr Khan has backed the show because he relates to its promotion of Islamic values and it matches his goal of establishing Pakistan as an ideal Islamic society .
Since he took over as prime minister , Mr Khan has been saying that `` I want to create a Pakistan which is in line with the first Muslim society created by Prophet Muhammad in Medina . ''
But it seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of personal interest .
An article in the leading daily Dawn suggests that `` the reason may lie in a much-publicised , behind-the-scenes meeting , where Prime Minister Khan met with Turkish President [ Recep ] Tayyip Erdogan and [ then ] Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad at the UNGA [ UN General Assembly ] . ''
In September 2019 , Mr Khan along with Mr Erdogan and Mr Mahathir floated the idea of launching a TV channel to create a counter-narrative against what they said was rising Islamophobia .
Mr Erdogan praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's heart '' at an award ceremony in Turkey in November 2016 .
By promoting the show , Mr Khan `` was also probably trying to score political points in Turkey , a country with which Pakistan is strengthening its partnership '' , The Diplomat said in an article .
But the Pakistani PM has been facing some criticism at home for backing it openly .
Opposition senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan recently said in parliament : `` You [ Khan ] can not build the State of Medina by broadcasting the Ertugrul show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is based on the life of the 13th-century Muslim Oghuz Turk leader Ertugrul , whose son Osman Ghazi is considered to be the founder of the Ottoman Empire .
It depicts the bravery of Muslim Oghuz Turks fighting the Mongol invaders , Christians , Byzantines and the Knights Templar in Anatolia .
In Pakistan , some media outlets such as the Naya Daur website find that the drama `` glorifies the Muslim value system and the Ottoman Empire '' .
An article in popular local daily The Nation also believes that the drama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history and ethics '' .
Muslims have mostly been shown `` through the gaze of negativity '' in TV serials and films , hence this serial is a welcome change , analysts say .
`` Muslims craved for a powerful and positive depiction in the media globally .
And Dirilis Ertugrul seems to have satiated that desperation to see a glorifying depiction of Muslims , '' says an article in English-language website The Global Village Space .
Some , such as journalist Aamna Haider Isani - writing in The News daily - feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important purpose of combating Islamophobia in the world '' .
But critics such as activist Pervez Hoodbhoy disagree .
`` If it [ Ertugrul ] seeks to project Islam as a religion of peace and to counter Islamophobia , then the very opposite is achieved , '' he wrote in Dawn , citing the extensive violence and beheadings shown in the drama .
And some , such as social activist-turned-politician Jibran Nasir say the show is creating an `` identity crisis '' among Pakistanis .
Turkish media have also noted the popularity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency on 24 May quoted locals in Pakistan praising the show for `` raising the Islamic flag '' and `` showing how a Muslim leader should be '' .
Some feel the absence of good content in Pakistani TV serials is also one of the reasons for the foreign drama 's massive popularity .
Several Pakistani Twitter users feel Ertugrul is `` a distinct piece of entertainment over the typical and lifeless storyline of domestic issues in Pakistani serials '' , according to The Global Village Space .
`` It is more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channels and not enough quality content being made , '' says an article in The News .
Pakistan 's TV industry is popular , but it is n't particularly known for its focus on Islamic values , though it has produced shows like `` Alif '' in this genre .
Pakistani producers are feeling threatened by the Turkish series , and many people , including federal minister Fawad Chaudhary , fear that foreign content will ultimately harm the local entertainment industry .
But amid the raging debate , journalist Isani hopes that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better productions at home .

This is not the first Turkish drama to have become popular in Pakistan. But what is different about Ertugrul - often described as the Muslim Game of Thrones - is that it's being promoted by Prime Minister Imran Khan, for reasons thought to be both personal and political.


bbc--2020-06-15--Navajo Nation: The people battling America's worst coronavirus outbreak

When Valentina Blackhorse tested positive for coronavirus , she texted her sister and told her not to worry .
A former pageant queen , Valentina was known for her love of her Native American Navajo heritage , her passion for helping others and her playful sense of humour .
She doted on her one-year-old daughter , Poet , and worked as a government administrator , with dreams of leading her people some day as Navajo president .
When coronavirus reached the reservation on which she lived , Valentina warned her family to stay indoors and take precautions .
Weeks later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tended to him at their home in Kayenta , a small town near the sandstone buttes of Arizona 's Monument Valley .
She 'd lived with rheumatoid arthritis her whole life , but soon her joint pain started to feel different , and breathing was n't so easy .
She took herself for a test and the results came back a week later , confirming her fears .
The next day , when Valentina 's breathing got worse , Bobby rushed her to a health clinic .
She died hours later , aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of things in her life , '' said her sister , Vanielle .
`` I thought she was strong enough to pull through . ''
Valentina was one of the youngest victims of coronavirus in the Navajo Nation , a Native American reservation grappling with what is America 's worst outbreak .
Since Covid-19 was first reported in the Nation on 15 March , infection rates per capita have grown to be the highest in the country when compared with any individual state .
As of 14 June , 6,611 cases have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died after contracting the virus as well - a toll higher than 15 states .
The Navajo Nation is the largest reservation of its kind , in both size and population .
More than 173,000 people live within its borders , in pockets of communities spread across the deserts and canyons of Utah , Arizona and New Mexico .
If it were a state , the Nation would be larger than 10 others .
The Navajo - or Diné , as they call themselves - have lived in the region for centuries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construct .
After US expansion forced thousands of Navajo to leave their homes , America carved out a stretch of land where they could maintain some sovereignty .
In return , the federal government pledged to support its people with funding for education , healthcare and other services .
The Navajo have contributed much to America 's development .
Perhaps most famously , Navajo soldiers invented a military code , based on their language , that kept American communications secure during World War Two .
But as coronavirus has swept through the reservation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social and economic inequalities that continue to affect the tribe - all contributing to one another , and all making the outbreak worse .
`` If we had better resources , maybe [ Valentina ] would still be alive , '' said Vanielle .
Many residents struggle with money .
The reservation 's unemployment rate is approximately 40 % , and a similar number live below the poverty line , earning less than $ 12,760 ( £10,191 ) a year .
These factors exacerbate health problems among the Navajo and a third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions and lung disease .
In some cases , people have fallen ill after years of radiation exposure from hundreds of abandoned uranium mines dotted around the desert .
Severely limited access to healthy food also plays a role .
The Navajo Nation spans 71,000 sq km ( 27,413 sq miles ) but has only 13 grocery stores , forcing many residents to drive for hours to towns outside the reservation with better facilities .
It is common for people from different households to travel in one vehicle during these excursions because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heightening their risk of catching coronavirus .
Relief efforts have been hampered by limited healthcare resources , too .
The reservation 's dozen medical facilities hold just 200 hospital beds - approximately one bed for every 900 residents , and a third the national rate .
As a result , some coronavirus patients have been moved to makeshift quarantine facilities , while others have been transferred to hospitals outside the reservation .
Many homes are multi-generational as well , making it easier for the virus to spread to elderly and vulnerable residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to running water or electricity either , making it hard for thousands of people to wash their hands regularly and to stave off infection .
`` This is something that is year-round , it 's been going on since we were put on reservations , '' says Emma Robbins , head of Dig Deep , a charity that 's delivering bottled water and improving access to running water in the Nation .
Ms Robbins was born on the reservation .
She now lives nearly 600km ( 373 miles ) away in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return due to travel restrictions .
`` I fear for my family and I fear for my friends , '' she told the BBC , tearfully .
`` Hearing these stories and not being able to go home is really hard and I feel so hopeless . ''
But despite their hardship , Ms Robbins says she feels frustrated by the tone of victimhood that often colours discussions about her tribe .
`` It 's really trendy to do things surrounding the Navajo Nation in terms of 'Oh look how bad it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think people highlight enough of the amazing efforts on the ground and the positivity , '' she adds .
In response to the outbreak , the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs told the BBC it had taken `` unprecedented actions to support Indian Country , '' providing the Navajo with protective equipment , contamination trailers , and other technical assistance .
The Navajo Nation has also received $ 600m under the CARES Act , a $ 2tn economic stimulus package to shore up local economies and communities during the pandemic .
But local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the bill was signed into law .
In the meantime , the Navajo and 10 other tribes successfully sued the US Treasury over funding disparities in the CARES Act for Native American groups .
In the midst of federal funding delays , the Navajo Nation had to rely on donations and its own resources in the crucial early weeks of the outbreak .
Navajo President Jonathan Nez has co-ordinated the distribution of food and medical supplies to local residents , and introduced some of the strictest lockdown measures in the US - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew .
Locals are stepping in to help as well .
More than $ 4.7m has been raised through a crowdfunding campaign started by Ethel Branch , a former Navajo attorney general .
In an unusual twist , thousands of dollars have come from donors in Ireland - many paying respect to Choctaw Indians who , in 1847 , donated $ 170 towards relief efforts in Ireland during the Great Hunger .
With help from volunteers , Ms Branch has used the donations to deliver food , water and hand sanitiser to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But poor infrastructure has presented a challenge at times .
`` There 's one community that 's really isolated and we 're trying to figure out how to get food there , '' she told the BBC .
`` The easiest way would be to go directly , but it 's all dirt road , and if we stick to the pavement , that adds on another hour and a half . ''
Language barriers have also been a deciding factor in the Navajo Nation 's response to the outbreak .
As with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates in the Navajo language as well as English .
This is driven by desires to maintain cultural heritage , but is a practical step as well because some residents speak only Navajo , or have limited English skills .
In Navajo , coronavirus is translated as Dikos Ntsaaígíí-19 , or Big Cough-19 .
But several residents have told the BBC they believe this translation downplays the severity of coronavirus .
Among them is Agnes Attakai , a Navajo Nation native and a director at the University of Arizona 's School of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be explored in consultation with traditional Navajo healers .
`` You have to be respectful of using the language and not invite the negativity of that particular illness , '' said Ms Attakai .
`` Once you start respecting and addressing it appropriately… people will be engaged more to change their behaviours rather than linking it up with cough and pneumonia . ''
But Navajo President Jonathan Nez said it was `` unfair '' to suggest the translation did not adequately convey the dangers .
`` That 's an excuse being played out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're respecting our elders and our traditional teaching by avoiding utilising the word death and anything that would bring negativity or hardship on our people . ''
Looking ahead , as surrounding states begin easing lockdown measures , many residents are concerned about a possible second wave of infections hitting the reservation .
`` There 's still much uncertainty right now , but I 'm hopeful , '' said President Nez .
`` You 've got to be hopeful to be the leader of the Navajo people . ''

The Navajo - or Diné, as they call themselves - have lived in the region for centuries, but the Navajo Nation is an American construct. After US expansion forced thousands of Navajo to leave their homes, America carved out a stretch of land where they could maintain some sovereignty. In return, the federal government pledged to support its people with funding for education, healthcare and other services. The Navajo have contributed much to America's development. Perhaps most famously, Navajo soldiers invented a military code, based on their language, that kept American communications secure during World War Two.


bbc--2020-06-15--Diamond Platnumz and Africa's most popular YouTube stars

A bare-chested Diamond Platnumz was surprised by his record producers last week when they rocked up at his house with a cake iced with YouTube 's logo to mark a milestone for the Tanzanian pop star .
As he was filmed getting dressed , the 30-year-old was proudly told by his team that he was the first sub-Saharan African singer to get one billion views on his YouTube channel .
Over the last 10 years , the award-winning musician has popularised `` bongo flava '' - a uniquely Tanzanian offering : romantic melodies with an urban beat influenced by traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Diamond Platnumz is very hard working and has great showmanship , '' says DJ Edu , who hosts the weekly pan-African music show This Is Africa for the BBC World Service .
And with more than 43 % of Tanzania 's 55 million people having access to the internet , mainly via mobile smartphones , there is a huge home-grown Swahili-speaking audience ready to lap up his loves songs .
Other Tanzanian musicians like Harmonize are also huge on YouTube .
So how big is a billion views on YouTube ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ significance of the 1 billion figure , given that Diamond Platnumz has more followers on Instagram than he does subscribers on YouTube - 9.7 million compared to 3.7 million .
DJ Edu says Instagram is more of an influencer of lifestyle and new platforms such as TikTok , which allows a 30-second copyright free use of songs , are a great way of getting younger fans .
`` Some songs are becoming viral through TikTok , like Diamond Platnumz ' new one called Quarantine , '' he says .
This can drive people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made through adverts .
More importantly for musicians in Africa , over the last decade YouTube has allowed them direct access to an audience , rather than relying on TV stations .
How does he compare with other African stars ?
Diamond Platnumz still languishes behind some North African stars , who have huge followings in the Middle East .
And then there are African artists based elsewhere such as Malian-born singer Aya Nakamura , who trumps the be-jewelled Tanzanian musician , with more than 1.7 billion YouTube views .
The 25-year-old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a young girl , is best known for her 2018 hit Djadja .
And Akon , the Senegalese-American rapper , smashes them both with 3.5 billion views .
In sub-Saharan Africa , Diamond Platnumz 's main competitors in the YouTube numbers game are Nigerian Afrobeats stars : Davido 's and Burna Boy 's numbers are particularly impressive given they only opened their YouTube channels in 2018 .
Diamond Platnumz has been on the platform since 2011 .
And StarboyTV is Wizkid 's record label , so if you add the figures to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views .
Some stars opt to have their own channels to promote songs and cut bureaucracy as record labels take time to issue new releases .
Other notable mentions are Magic System from Ivory Coast - with more than 477 million views .
The group is particularly popular in French-speaking West Africa and France .
`` This following is literally built on their 2001 song Premier Gaou - it 's the one song that really connected the whole continent , '' says DJ Edu .
While lower YouTube figures for South African musicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make money through local labels , says DJ Edu .
And of course YouTube is not the only streaming service .
WizKid worked with Canadian rapper Drake on the 2016 hit One Dance - that alone has been streamed more than 1.8 billion times , but it was not officially released on YouTube .
Drake has more than seven billion views on YouTube and Beyoncé , who worked with African artists for last year 's Lion King album , has more than 12 billion .
You may also be interested in : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out for • Who gains most as Beyoncé champions African stars ?
To put that all into perspective , Justin Bieber , the 26-year-old Canadian singer who found fame in his teens , has a whopping 21.6 billion views .
K-pop stars can also gain huge YouTube audiences quickly - Blackpink , a girl group formed in 2016 , has more than nine billion YouTube views .
Surprisingly female Afrobeats stars Yemi Alade and Tiwa Savage have far fewer views than their male counterparts , with 434 million and 239 million YouTube views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been harder for women to break through in Africa , where the music industry is so male-dominated - they have to spend time fighting their corner , concentrating on their image and less time churning out tracks , says DJ Edu .
`` And until very recently they were n't booking female artists for big shows - and if you 're in front of big audiences you can generate a following , '' he says .
Ahead of both Alade and Savage is phenomenally popular female Nigerian gospel singer Sinach , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt boosted by her international tours and her following at the Christ Embassy mega church where she is a worship leader .
`` I find gospel singers have an unfair advantage - lyrically they just pick a few verses from the Bible and the following is already there .
They do n't have to fight for their followers , '' says DJ Edu .
Which is better - online or live shows ?
Some musicians , like Uganda 's Eddie Kenzo , with 388 million YouTube views , focus on building an online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's C4 Pedro , it is more about touring .
The Kizomba star can pack stadiums around the world - Diamond Platnumz 's appeal is less global .
Generally YouTube is where new and younger artists in Africa thrive and strive to make their name .
Take Zimbabwe , where 32-year-old musician Jah Prayzah has 99 million YouTube views , while Afro-jazz legend Oliver Mtukudzi , who was on tour until a few weeks before he died last year , did not even have an official YouTube page .
`` Oliver was too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you looked at his tour dates , he was touring the whole year round - and sometimes it 's better to do 50 shows than to have 100 million views , '' says DJ Edu .
`` For one million views [ you earn ] about $ 3,000 [ £2,400 ] - if you were to do a show you 'd make 10 times that .
`` It 's not so say that Diamond Platnumz does n't perform , but you pick your poison . ''
• Listen to DJ Edu @ @ @ @ @ @

"Oliver was too busy touring to be bothered with YouTube. If you looked at his tour dates, he was touring the whole year round - and sometimes it's better to do 50 shows than to have 100 million views," says DJ Edu.


bbc--2020-06-15--Bangladesh fears a coronavirus crisis as case numbers rise

As hospitals in Bangladesh turn patients away , and frontline workers bear the brunt of rising case numbers , there are fears the densely populated South Asian country could become a new global hotspot .
For years , Vernon Anthony Paul served in the Pakistan air force .
He fought in the Bangladesh war of independence in 1971 and was held as a prisoner of war .
The 75 year old died on a Wednesday evening in May 2020 , when the coronavirus isolation unit he was being treated at in Dhaka burnt to the ground .
`` He used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own trenches during the war .
Even the bombs could n't kill my dad , '' said his son , Andre Dominic Paul .
`` But the carelessness of our own people in Bangladesh killed my father . ''
In the days before his death , Vernon Anthony Paul reported severe breathing problems but tested negative for Covid-19 .
It 's thought he had pneumonia .
He was turned away from the ICU unit of a hospital because it was full .
His family took him to the private United Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could n't be admitted to the ICU unless he was tested again by them , to be sure he did n't have Covid-19 .
Stigma and fear around the virus has seen some patients in Bangladesh denied proper treatment .
Andre said his father was offered a bed in the makeshift coronavirus isolation unit , built on a badminton court in the hospital grounds , until his test results came .
`` We tried to say , why would you put him there with other Covid patients ? ''
his son recalled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ admit his father because he had no other option .
He said he was asked to agree that if Vernon caught the virus while there the hospital would not be responsible .
It was a decision he would regret forever , he said .
Andre was standing in the hospital car park when he first saw sparks fly from an air conditioning unit .
`` It was all smoke , black thick smoke , and it was hard to breathe , '' he said .
`` The one thing on my mind was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
All five patients in the unit died in the fire .
A police investigation found the structure was unsafe and had been built using flammable materials .
Hand sanitisers and oxygen canisters which were stored inside added to the risk , and the unit had just one fire exit and insufficient fire extinguishers .
Shudip Chakroborty a deputy police commissioner who led the inquiry , told the BBC that the private hospital had failed to take proper precautions .
The hospital denies negligence .
The tragedy was a reminder of Bangladesh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenges the nation faces with an already under-resourced healthcare system .
Less than 3 % of Bangladesh 's GDP is spent on healthcare , compared with about 9.7 % in the UK .
The country has one of the lowest ratios of hospital beds to patients in the world .
There has been a shortage of ICU beds during the coronavirus outbreak - figures vary but it is estimated that there are just over 1,000 beds for a population of more than 160 million .
And with limited beds , stories of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to emerge .
Dr Moyeen Uddin tested positive for the virus at the end of March , but was unable to get onto a ventilator at the very hospital he worked at , in his home city Syhlet .
`` At that time there were no ventilators dedicated to Covid patients , '' said Salahuddin Ahmed , another doctor who had been friends with the doctor for decades .
Dr Uddin was transferred to a hospital in Dhaka , more than 200 km away , but he later died , leaving behind a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Sheikh Hasina was among those to offer condolences .
`` This noble-hearted physician gave treatment to the people taking risk of his own life , '' she said .
There was anger on social media that his own hospital had not treated him .
A spokesman told a newspaper in Dhaka that the hospital was a general hospital which lacked facilities to treat Covid patients .
Mr Ahmed , a leading epidemiologist in Dhaka who works for Johns Hopkins and Edinburgh universities , said his friend 's death illustrated the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff as case numbers rise .
`` He was in the middle of his career and we lost him .
It was a huge impact for all of us , '' he said At least 34 doctors have died of Covid-19 in Bangladesh , and as many as 1,180 have reportedly been infected .
And cases are now rising sharply among the general population after a nationwide lockdown was lifted .
The first cases were confirmed in the country on 8 March , and lockdown began on 26 March - three days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed an opportunity , '' said Dr Romen Raihan , a public health expert in Bangladesh .
`` I think the so-called lockdown did n't work properly . ''
Dr Raihan said that as time progressed , exemptions were made to the lockdown , with thousands of garment workers allowed back to work to fulfil orders for Western brands , and places of worship reopening .
In April , more than 100,000 people took to the streets to attend the funeral of Maulana Jubayer Ahmed Ansari , a popular member of Bangladesh 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thousands of migrants travelled home to their villages .
As in many nations , frontline workers have born the brunt .
More than 7,000 police officers have contracted the virus , at least 1,850 of them in the capital city Dhaka , the most densely populated in the world .
As well as maintaining curfews , police officers have been disinfecting streets , distributing food and relief , and escorting people to hospital , in some cases with inadequate PPE .
As Bangladesh opens up , frontline workers will continue to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus will sweep the population at large .
Some areas with high numbers of cases are being contained to control the spread , but with a healthcare system already bursting at the seams , Bangladesh could slide into a crisis it can not control .
According to Dr Raihan , containing the virus is the only hope .
`` A curative approach is suicidal in Bangladesh , '' he said .
`` Our health system is not prepared . ''

His family took him to the private United Hospital in the city, but were told he couldn't be admitted to the ICU unless he was tested again by them, to be sure he didn't have Covid-19. Stigma and fear around the virus has seen some patients in Bangladesh denied proper treatment.


bbc--2020-06-15--Somehow, things are getting even worse in Syria

Protesters are back on the streets in southern Syria , where the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad started in 2011 .
They are not mass demonstrations , as they were back then , but the slogans are the same .
The old grievances have never gone away .
This time , the edge comes from a lack of food .
The country is more closed than ever to foreign journalists , but all the measures of misery suggest hard lives are getting even worse .
The war is not over and it has already lasted almost as long as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates that something like 700,000 people have been killed and that 90 % of the survivors inside Syria live in poverty .
No-one exactly knows how much damage the war has done to Syria 's economy .
One estimate is something like half a trillion pounds ( $ 630bn ) worth of destruction .
The pieces that remain are being battered by a new and severe crisis .
The result , says Sir Mark Lowcock , head of the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs , is that `` Syrians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way which was n't true one or two years ago '' .
It is happening , he says , as the economic consequences of Covid-19 start kicking in , not just in Syria but across the world .
`` What we 're projecting globally is a doubling of the people all across the planet who will be at starvation levels of hunger . ''
You can hear more from Jeremy Bowen in Meanwhile in ... Damascus , which will be broadcast on Monday at 20:00 BST on BBC Radio 4 .
In Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expensive as it was last year .
The global slump caused by the pandemic is an increasingly serious reason , but the critical factor is the near collapse of the banks in neighbouring Lebanon .
Syria has used Lebanon as a link to the outside world .
When Lebanon 's central banks imposed severe restrictions to stave off a total collapse of the country 's banks , the Syrian currency fell off a financial cliff .
The numbers , if all you have are Syrian pounds , are terrifying .
For those lucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the average monthly salary of 50,000 Syrian pounds has fallen from around £50 at the end of 2019 to around £12 now .
Another blow could be about to fall .
Tough new US sanctions are being applied this week , under a law called the Caesar Act .
Its title commemorates the code name of a military photographer who escaped from Syria with 53,275 images of torture and death taken inside the regime 's prisons .
The law states that US policy is that `` diplomatic and coercive economic means should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bashar al-Assad to halt its murderous attacks on the Syrian people and to support a transition to a government in Syria that respects the rule of law , human rights , and peaceful co-existence with its neighbours '' .
• Too big , too rich : Syrian president turns on his cousin Apart from the Assad regime itself , one of the targets is Iran , Syria 's key ally alongside Russia .
President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State , Mike Pompeo , see Iran as America 's enemy number one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directing a campaign of `` maximum pressure '' against it .
Whatever the intentions of US lawmakers , if applied to the letter , the sanctions could wipe out much of what 's left of the Syrian economy .
Economic sanctions tend to be a blunt instrument that often hit the people they are supposed to help more than the people they are designed to hurt .
President Assad is much more secure now because of the military victories his allies , especially Russia , have helped him achieve .
But it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not leading to peace .
Northern Syria 's fate will be decided not by Syrians , but by Russia , Turkey and the United States .
The jihadist extremists of Islamic State are reconstituting themselves in the deserts of central Syria , killing government forces in hit-and-run attacks .
Rebels in southern Syria surrendered in 2018 , but an underground insurgency continues .
Now the economic crisis has forced demonstrators back into the streets openly chanting the slogans of 2011 that demand the fall of the regime .
President Vladimir Putin is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's power in the Middle East .
But Russia 's victory could be as flawed as Bashar al-Assad 's , according to Robert Ford , who was the last US ambassador to Syria .
`` The Russians are left with a Syrian ally who 's economically very weak and they have no means of addressing those economic weaknesses of their allies .
In a sense , they have a large dead albatross hung around their necks . ''
Even so , Bashar al-Assad is not going anywhere , believes Mr Ford .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western countries that sanctions are so severe that he will be compelled to leave power .
But that strikes me as a hope rather than an analysis , since it 's not clear what would follow Bashar anyway . ''
Syria has no chance of a political settlement as matters stand , which means no chance of peace .
With the world economy in intensive care , neither the regime 's friends nor enemies have the billions needed for reconstruction .
And Syria 's own economy spirals rapidly downward , and its people @ @ @

The law states that US policy is that "diplomatic and coercive economic means should be utilized to compel the government of Bashar al-Assad to halt its murderous attacks on the Syrian people and to support a transition to a government in Syria that respects the rule of law, human rights, and peaceful co-existence with its neighbours".


bbc--2020-06-15--Fans on big screens and 'celebration cameras' for Premier League return

Fans on big screens and specific cameras to celebrate towards are some of the `` broadcast enhancements '' that will be used when the Premier League season restarts this week .
A number of innovations , including tunnel cameras and audio from the coin toss , have been developed .
Some viewers will also be given the option of listening to games with or without artificial crowd noise .
Players will not hear the audio effects in the behind-closed-doors games .
The seats nearest the pitch will also have covers designed by each club `` to improve the environment both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the plans , the Premier League has said live video feeds featuring 16 supporters from each club will be made available to broadcasters and to clubs for use on big screens during matches .
Some grounds , including Anfield , do not have giant screens and it is understood there are no plans to install a temporary one at the home of the Premier League leaders .
For goal celebrations , players should maintain distance from one another and `` where feasible , broadcasters will identify a celebration camera which players can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been told that they must not surround match officials and there must be `` no spitting or nose clearing '' , while opposition managers will not shake hands .
There will also be drinks breaks `` lasting no longer than one minute '' midway through each half , with the time added to the end of each half , and warm-downs can take no longer than 25 minutes .
With only about 300 people present at each match , there will be no ball boys and girls , with spare balls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also resume , with extra rooms used in the VAR Hub for social distancing .

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
AGF Aarhus installed a 'virtual grandstand' for their fans when the Danish Superliga returned in May
Fans on big screens and specific cameras to celebrate towards are some of the "broadcast enhancements" that will be used when the Premier League season restarts this week.
A number of innovations, including tunnel cameras and audio from the coin toss, have been developed.
Some viewers will also be given the option of listening to games with or without artificial crowd noise.
Players will not hear the audio effects in the behind-closed-doors games.
The seats nearest the pitch will also have covers designed by each club "to improve the environment both visually and acoustically".
As part of the plans, the Premier League has said live video feeds featuring 16 supporters from each club will be made available to broadcasters and to clubs for use on big screens during matches.
Some grounds, including Anfield, do not have giant screens and it is understood there are no plans to install a temporary one at the home of the Premier League leaders.
For goal celebrations, players should maintain distance from one another and "where feasible, broadcasters will identify a celebration camera which players can head to after scoring".
Players have also been told that they must not surround match officials and there must be "no spitting or nose clearing", while opposition managers will not shake hands.
There will also be drinks breaks "lasting no longer than one minute" midway through each half, with the time added to the end of each half, and warm-downs can take no longer than 25 minutes.
With only about 300 people present at each match, there will be no ball boys and girls, with spare balls positioned around the pitch.
VAR will also resume, with extra rooms used in the VAR Hub for social distancing.


bbc--2020-06-15--'League wants to be on right side of history' - Wright

Premier League players wearing 'Black Lives Matter ' on their shirts shows the league wants to be on the right side of history , says Ian Wright .
Players ' names will be replaced on the back of their shirts with 'Black Lives Matter ' for the first 12 matches of the restarted season .
A Black Lives Matter badge will feature on all playing shirts for the rest of the season .
`` What the Premier League have done , is to give them the power , '' said Wright .
`` Wes Morgan and Troy Deeney , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the captains , to give them that much power is a line in the sand for the Premier League about where they are going and on what side of history they want to stand . ''
Watford captain Deeney played a pivotal role in the discussions between club captains and the Premier League , alongside Leicester City 's Morgan .
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live 's Monday Night Club , former Arsenal and England striker Wright added : `` It is about changing attitudes .
We see that with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level in UK governing bodies , it 's embarrassing .
`` You need change because unless you get people of colour in positions of power who can say 'that 's not right ' , being there to speak and let their voices be heard , then how is it going to change ?
`` When you see Wes Morgan and Troy Deeney with the captains and everybody , they 've been so vocal - Kevin de Bruyne , Jordan Henderson have been so vocal in their support towards these guys because they know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple as that . ''
Wright , who was sent racist abuse on social media last month , said he now felt there was `` momentum '' behind the movement for racial equality for the `` first time in his lifetime '' .
It comes after the death of George Floyd in the United States , which has sparked protests worldwide .
Floyd , a 46-year-old unarmed black man , died after being restrained by a white Minneapolis police officer on 25 May .
`` For the first time in my lifetime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago myself - it 's still prevalent - this moment we are in right now in respects of movement and momentum , is the best it 's been , '' said Wright .
He added : `` The Premier League has done brilliantly to back it and hopefully now it will continue with the momentum .
`` We are not waiting for an incident before we talk about stuff now because people will be having the conversation .
We do n't need a player to get racially abused before we say 'what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` As a 56-year-old black man , who not too long ago it happened to me again , we 're in a time now where something 's happening , something 's changing and that 's what 's good about it .
`` The Premier League have come out and made their statements and once they 've made their statements you can then hold them to that and that 's what you could n't do before .
`` Now they are going to continuously move forward and that 's what you want . ''

Ian Wright was recently sent racist abuse on social media
Premier League players wearing 'Black Lives Matter' on their shirts shows the league wants to be on the right side of history, says Ian Wright.
Players' names will be replaced on the back of their shirts with 'Black Lives Matter' for the first 12 matches of the restarted season.
A Black Lives Matter badge will feature on all playing shirts for the rest of the season.
"What the Premier League have done, is to give them the power," said Wright.
"Wes Morgan and Troy Deeney, the way they've got that going with the rest of the captains, to give them that much power is a line in the sand for the Premier League about where they are going and on what side of history they want to stand."
Watford captain Deeney played a pivotal role in the discussions between club captains and the Premier League, alongside Leicester City's Morgan.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, former Arsenal and England striker Wright added: "It is about changing attitudes. We see that with the lack of black people at board level in UK governing bodies, it's embarrassing.
"You need change because unless you get people of colour in positions of power who can say 'that's not right', being there to speak and let their voices be heard, then how is it going to change?
"When you see Wes Morgan and Troy Deeney with the captains and everybody, they've been so vocal - Kevin de Bruyne, Jordan Henderson have been so vocal in their support towards these guys because they know it's right. It's as simple as that."
Wright, who was sent racist abuse on social media last month, said he now felt there was "momentum" behind the movement for racial equality for the "first time in his lifetime".
It comes after the death of George Floyd in the United States, which has sparked protests worldwide.
Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died after being restrained by a white Minneapolis police officer on 25 May.
"For the first time in my lifetime, even being racially abused a couple of weeks ago myself - it's still prevalent - this moment we are in right now in respects of movement and momentum, is the best it's been," said Wright.
He added: "The Premier League has done brilliantly to back it and hopefully now it will continue with the momentum.
"We are not waiting for an incident before we talk about stuff now because people will be having the conversation. We don't need a player to get racially abused before we say 'what are we going to do?'
"As a 56-year-old black man, who not too long ago it happened to me again, we're in a time now where something's happening, something's changing and that's what's good about it.
"The Premier League have come out and made their statements and once they've made their statements you can then hold them to that and that's what you couldn't do before.
"Now they are going to continuously move forward and that's what you want."


bbc--2020-06-15--'The eyes of the world will be on us' - Villa boss ready for Premier League restart

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says `` the eyes of the world will be on us '' when his side host Sheffield United in the first Premier League game since the coronavirus shutdown .
The English top flight has been on hold since 13 March , with Villa 's 4-0 loss at Leicester the last game played .
Smith 's comments were echoed by Blades boss Chris Wilder , who says his players `` understand the magnitude of the game '' .
`` First game back is going to be a little bit different , '' said Wilder .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game last year and would possibly have been seventh or eighth on [ BBC 's ] Match Of The Day but now it is 18:00 BST on the TV and worldwide coverage . ''
Sheffield United are seventh in the table and in contention for a top-four finish with 10 games remaining , but Wilder will not allow his players to be distracted by the prospect of Champions League football .
`` If it gets to the situation where we are one or two games out and we are still in a fantastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , '' said Wilder .
`` But at the moment we have quarter of a season to go , near enough .
There are some incredible challenges in front of us . ''
Victory at Villa Park would move the Yorkshire club up to fifth in the table , while a win for the hosts would lift them out of the relegation zone .
Smith added he is not in favour of the temporary rule change to allow up to five substitutions per side , saying it will `` help the clubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just believe we started the season with certain rules and now we have changed it , '' he said .
`` There was talk of more risk of injury but having more subs does n't help that . ''

Everybody has written us off already - Villa boss Smith
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says "the eyes of the world will be on us" when his side host Sheffield United in the first Premier League game since the coronavirus shutdown.
The English top flight has been on hold since 13 March, with Villa's 4-0 loss at Leicester the last game played.
Villa face Sheffield United at 18:00 on Wednesday.
Smith's comments were echoed by Blades boss Chris Wilder, who says his players "understand the magnitude of the game".
"First game back is going to be a little bit different," said Wilder.
"Villa v Sheffield United was a Championship game last year and would possibly have been seventh or eighth on [BBC's] Match Of The Day but now it is 18:00 BST on the TV and worldwide coverage."
Sheffield United are seventh in the table and in contention for a top-four finish with 10 games remaining, but Wilder will not allow his players to be distracted by the prospect of Champions League football.
"If it gets to the situation where we are one or two games out and we are still in a fantastic position then we will possibly talk about that," said Wilder.
"But at the moment we have quarter of a season to go, near enough. There are some incredible challenges in front of us."
Victory at Villa Park would move the Yorkshire club up to fifth in the table, while a win for the hosts would lift them out of the relegation zone.
Smith added he is not in favour of the temporary rule change to allow up to five substitutions per side, saying it will "help the clubs with bigger squads".
"I just believe we started the season with certain rules and now we have changed it," he said.
"There was talk of more risk of injury but having more subs doesn't help that."


bbc--2020-06-16--North Korea blows up joint liaison office with South in Kaesong

North Korea has blown up a joint liaison office with the South near the North 's border town of Kaesong .
The move comes just hours after the North renewed threats of military action at the Korean border .
The site was opened in 2018 to help the Koreas - officially in a state of war - to communicate .
It had been empty since January due to Covid-19 restrictions .
In a statement , South Korea warned it would `` respond strongly '' if the North `` continues to worsen the situation '' .
The destruction of the office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes of everyone who wanted the development of inter-Korean relations and peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula '' .
`` The government makes it clear that all responsibility of this situation lies in the North . ''
Tensions between North and South Korea have been escalating for weeks , prompted by defector groups in the South sending propaganda across the border .
• Why did North Korea destroy the liaison office ?
The North Korean leader 's sister , Kim Yo-jong - considered a close and powerful ally - threatened at the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kim Jong-un , has ruled North Korea as Supreme Leader since 2011 .
There were hopes for improved relations between the North and the South and its close ally the United States after Donald Trump met Mr Kim at the North-South border last June , but nothing materialised and the atmosphere has since deteriorated .
North Korea is under crippling US and UN economic sanctions over its militarised nuclear programme .
Washington has not yet commented on the North 's latest action .
Analysts say Pyongyang may be seeking to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations with the US are at a standstill .
South Korea 's Unification Ministry in Seoul said there was an explosion at the liaison office at 14:49 local time ( 05:49 GMT ) .
North Korea 's state-run Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) , using characteristically colourful language , said the destruction of the building reflected `` the mindset of the enraged people to surely force human scum and those , who have sheltered the scum , to pay dearly for their crimes '' .
In recent weeks , North Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propaganda into its territory .
Defector groups regularly send such material via balloons , or even drones , into the North .
Last Tuesday , Pyongyang announced it was severing all official communication links with Seoul , and over the weekend Kim Yo-jong threatened to send troops into the demilitarised zone ( DMZ ) at the inter-Korean border .
`` North Korea 's violent destruction of the liaison office at Kaesong is a symbolic blow to inter-Korean reconciliation and co-operation , '' said Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at Ewha University in Seoul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how such behaviour will help the Kim regime get what it wants from the world , but clearly such images will be used for domestic propaganda . ''
North and South Korea are technically still at war because no peace agreement was reached when the Korean War ended in 1953 .
What is the Kaesong liaison office ?
The border town of Kaesong has for years been a symbol of the fragile relationship between North and South Korea .
In 2003 , it sprung to life as the site of an industrial zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was set up between the North and South .
At its peak , it saw more than 120 factories , employing more than 50,000 North Koreans and hundreds of managers from the South .
But in 2016 it was shut down after political tensions reached a head - bringing to a halt a symbol of co-operation .
So , in 2018 , it looked like things were back on track when both Koreas agreed to set up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong .
It allowed officials from the North and South to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time since the Korean War , and was meant to be staffed by up to 20 people from each side .
But in March 2019 , North Korea announced that it was withdrawing from the office - following a failed summit between the US and North Korea .
In recent years the younger sister of Kim Jong-un has emerged as his close and powerful ally .
From 2014 , Kim Yo-jong 's main job was to protect her brother 's image , taking up a key role in the party 's propaganda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was elevated to an alternate member of the politburo , it seemed to indicate a shift in seniority - although her main role remained in propaganda .
In 2018 , she shot into the international spotlight when , at the Winter Olympics , she became the first member of the Kim family to visit South Korea .
Her continued rise shows she has gained the deep trust of her brother , and when Mr Kim 's disappearance in April prompted questions about his health , she was touted as a possible successor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been responsible for delivering several strongly-worded messages against the South - and has emerged as North Korea 's new point-person on inter-Korean affairs , according to specialist site NK News .
However , North Korea 's power mechanisms are notoriously difficult to understand .
It 's therefore hard to gauge how much power - or how much of her own political network - the 32-year-old might have .

There were hopes for improved relations between the North and the South and its close ally the US after Donald Trump met Mr Kim at the North-South border last June, but nothing materialised and the atmosphere has since deteriorated.