bbc--2020-07-21--Coronavirus: How South Africa and Rwanda are coping without tourists

With its game parks , beaches and historic sites , Africa attracts a huge number of foreign tourists but numbers are sharply down because of the coronavirus outbreak , writes Larry Madowo .
Maria Maile has been cooking lunches and hosting overnight guests at her home in South Africa 's coastal city of Cape Town since her first three guests checked in nearly 22 years ago .
She lives there with her daughter and three grandchildren , but the spare room has been available to book - until that is the coronavirus outbreak shut down South Africa , and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not coming in so the only income I 'm getting is the social grant from the government , '' she told me from her home in Cape Town 's Khayelitsha township .
`` I fear for myself as well because I 'm 70 .
I need the money , but my health comes first , '' she added .
Ms Maile 's predicament underscores how the pandemic has crippled Africa 's tourism industry , depleted much needed foreign exchange earnings and left millions out of work .
A few countries on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
But this raises a dilemma : open up too fast and foreign tourists could bring a new outbreak of Covid-19 ; remain closed for too long and more livelihoods will be lost and there might be little left to salvage .
`` To say the impact of the crisis has been devastating is an understatement , '' said Naledi Khabo , CEO of Africa Tourism Association .
`` I do n't think tourism will ever look like it did before . ''
Africa received 71.2 million tourists in 2019 and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the UN 's World Tourism Organization .
Travel and tourism contribute 9 % to the continent 's economy but global movement restrictions and virus-induced travel anxiety have kept most people in Europe and North America at home as the summer holiday season begins .
You may want to watch : African countries have already lost nearly $ 55bn ( £43bn ) in revenues so far , according to the African Union .
`` Psychologically , people do n't necessarily feel safe enough to travel and even then , unemployment numbers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it needs to be any more , '' said Eche Emole , who runs the events and travel company Afropolitan Group .
He has already cancelled planned tour group trips to Kenya , Tanzania , Ethiopia and Ghana .
And now major end-of-year events in Accra , which attracted nearly 100,000 people in 2019 , could be next .
`` The goal right now is to stay alive .
Whatever else you lose ; you can always get it back , '' Mr Emole said .
Tanzania and Tunisia , famous for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the only major African countries that have reopened international borders and are welcoming foreign tourists .
Morocco and Mauritius , both popular destinations , have ended national lockdowns but foreign visitors are not yet allowed in .
Kenya , Seychelles and Rwanda will resume international passenger flights on 1 August but with restrictions and visitors will have to test negative for coronavirus .
`` Our rough estimate is that tourism revenues in 2020 will shrink by between 50 and 70 % , '' Clare Akamanzi , chief executive officer of the Rwanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` However , this will depend on what happens in the last few months of the year after the reopening of the airports . ''
The tiny East African nation , where mountain gorillas are a major tourist attraction , reported its highest annual growth in tourism in 2019 , attracting 1.63 million visitors and earning $ 498m .
Ms Akamanzi said recovery might take `` 12 to 18 months depending on how the Covid-19 situation evolves '' .
South Africa , the country hardest hit by Covid-19 on the continent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourists at all in 2020 .
`` I do n't foresee any international tourism happening within this calendar year , '' said Sisa Ntshona , chief executive officer of South Africa Tourism .
He expects that it may take two to three years to return to 2019 levels of 10.2 million tourists that visited the southern African nation .
Many South Africans were spooked after a widely shared news story at the beginning of the pandemic falsely claimed that Cape Town 's high numbers of coronavirus infections were caused by foreign tourists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Town Tourism , said the first cases of Covid-19 were more likely imported by South Africans who had travelled abroad .
The agency has been researching how badly `` the Mother City '' has been affected as much visited attractions like Table Mountain remain largely empty .
`` About 83 % of businesses indicated that they would not survive longer than six months under the current lockdown conditions with 56 % of businesses not having a recovery plan in place , '' Mr Duminy said in a statement to the BBC .
Few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict the future because the virus is so volatile .
But they know it will be different .
`` Covid-19 has shone a light on issues that have previously existed - digitization ; the need to shift traditional marketing efforts to target new diverse audiences especially the diaspora market ; making intra-Africa travel easier via visas , air connectivity ; and regional collaboration between destinations , '' Ms Khabo said .
Namibia , Kenya and Rwanda are among nations adapting to a work-from-home era with virtual tours to appeal to a younger population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself as a high value , low volume eco-tourism destination which we believe corresponds to the current trends that we are seeing today as tourists book their trips .
`` Secluded outdoor spaces are the new normal and Rwanda has plenty of that , '' Ms Akamanzi said .
Tourists at hotels , resorts and other properties on the continent may see less human contact as the experience evolves in an age of social distancing .
`` What 's going to change fundamentally is the behaviour pattern of the tourists .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trust .
And the less interaction they have with people , the safer they will feel , '' noted Mr Ntshona .
The Radisson Hotel Group , which has 45 hotels and more than 5,000 employees in Africa , has already seen the inevitable effect on headcount .
`` We really have focused on perhaps reducing hours , temporary layoffs or cutting costs in other parts of our business rather than taking very difficult decisions with our teams , '' said Radisson executive Tim Cordon .
Like the rest of the industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first to recover as countries gradually ease lockdowns .
As a result , Ms Maile in Khayelitsha could until next year be serving lunches to South African visitors rather than the usual tourists from Paris and beyond .

She lives there with her daughter and three grandchildren, but the spare room has been available to book - until that is the coronavirus outbreak shut down South Africa, and her business, in March.


bbc--2020-07-22--How deep are Britain and China's economic ties?

The economic relationship between the UK and China has grown significantly over the past two decades .
In 1999 , China was the UK 's 26th biggest export market .
It now sits in sixth place .
Trade between the two countries hit a record high last year , with large infrastructure projects and education playing major roles .
But as tensions rise between London and Beijing - following the UK government 's U-turn on using Huawei telecoms 5G equipment in the country 's networks - the ties that have benefited both nations may now be under threat .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixth largest export market , worth £30.7bn , according to the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) .
This was a record high , up from £23.4bn in 2018 , and the fourth year-on-year increase in a row .
In the other direction , China was the UK 's fourth largest source of imports , worth £49bn , also a record high .
Leslie Young , Professor of Economics at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing , told the BBC that in his view trade between the two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London-Beijing tensions .
`` The rising hostility between the UK and China is unlikely to have a strong effect on the leading components of their trade .
The major effect is likely to be on UK higher education and the role of the UK as a hub for Chinese companies . ''
China also plays an increasingly important role in the UK 's infrastructure , including its nuclear power capabilities .
China General Nuclear Power ( CGN ) is partly financing the building of the £20bn Hinkley Point nuclear power station in Somerset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an option to buy 20 % of another planned plant , at Sizewell in Suffolk , and a majority stake in an entity looking into several more nuclear power projects .
China 's state-run sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation ( CIC ) has an 8.7 % stake in Thames Water , along with a 10 % stake in the firm that owns London 's Heathrow Airport .
China also has a stake in the UK 's North Sea oil production via the China National Offshore Oil Corporation ( CNOOC ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has more than trebled since 2006 , according to the National Institute of Economics and Social Research ( NIESR ) .
Tuition fees from Chinese students add up to at least £1.7bn a year across universities and independent schools .
Experts have warned that UK universities will struggle financially if China imposes a ban on its students coming to Britain .
`` As Chinese students account for the largest body of foreign students , the financial impact would be large '' , said a spokesman for Shanghai-based market intelligence firm Emerging Strategy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs or find new ways to generate revenue . ''
But the British Council has downplayed fears of a mass exodus of Chinese students .
`` Long-term planning to study abroad is unlikely to be affected by short-term political relations .
The UK has always been one of the top destinations for Chinese students , '' a spokesman told the BBC .
China has been active in many high-profile acquisitions in the UK , resulting in billions of pounds flowing into Britain .
In March , British Steel was taken over by China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save more than 3,000 jobs .
The Chinese firm said it would invest more than £1bn to help modernise the steelworks .
Other notable takeovers include black cab maker LTI , which was bought by Chinese carmaker Geely , and Wolverhampton Wanderers football club , which was taken over by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International .
Technology firm Huawei 's investment in the UK is a high-profile and a long-standing one , dating back to 2005 .
While Huawei will no longer be involved in the rollout of new 5G equipment , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While much of the talk has been around Huawei , it 's not the only technology company that the UK and China share links with .
China 's thirst for high tech UK companies saw it take over chipmaker Imagination Technologies in 2017 .
The vast majority of the cash for the purchase came from the Beijing-backed China Reform investment fund .
While most of the flow is money into the UK from Chinese companies and government-backed entities , there are some big UK firms doing business in China , a country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incomes .
Significant British companies are spread across sectors such as energy , car production , pharmaceuticals and financial services Last year , China 's ambassador to Germany threatened `` consequences '' for its carmakers if Huawei was blocked from Germany 's 5G networks , raising concerns that Beijing may use such tactics against other countries ' interests .
`` Chinese citizens are prompt to follow boycotts based on national interests dictated by the party , '' said a Shanghai-based spokesman for market intelligence firm Emerging Strategy .
But Steven Lynch , managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China told the BBC that he was optimistic that such a situation could be avoided .
`` We hope that British automotive manufacturers who both import vehicles into China and manufacture locally will not be targeted for the UK government 's decision , '' he said .
The pro-business group warned that British telecoms and IT companies could also potentially be at risk .
But Mr Lynch added that the two countries should be able to `` sustain robust trade and investment in the coming months despite the challenging political environment '' @

"The rising hostility between the UK and China is unlikely to have a strong effect on the leading components of their trade. The major effect is likely to be on UK higher education and the role of the UK as a hub for Chinese companies."


bbc--2020-07-22--Ineos to be renamed Ineos Grenadiers for Tour de France

Last updated on .From the section Cycling Team Ineos are set to be renamed before this year 's Tour de France .
Ineos recently announced they would not renew the contract of four-time Tour champion Chris Froome beyond this year .
The team are yet to announce the squad who will ride at the Tour , which starts on 29 August .
It is expected they will race in a new strip and colour scheme , little more than a year on from the transition from Team Sky to Team Ineos .
Under the leadership of Sir Dave Brailsford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past eight Tours - six out of seven as Team Sky , and again last year as Ineos in the form of their new star , 23-year-old Egan Bernal .
The team , which has the biggest budget in cycling at about £20m a year , have the strongest squad in the sport , and are again favourites to win this year 's race - delayed from July by the coronavirus pandemic .
Ineos are keen to promote the Grenadier - a new 4x4 SUV - before its release next year to compete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company is also further increasing its presence in sports sponsorship , including Formula 1 and sailing 's America 's Cup .
Ineos , primarily a chemicals company , is Britain 's largest privately owned company and in 2018 posted annual pre-tax profits of £2bn .

Last updated on .From the section Cycling
This year's Tour de France begins in Nice on 29 August
Team Ineos are set to be renamed before this year's Tour de France.
Cycling's biggest team will become the Ineos Grenadiers, named after a new model of car - an SUV - being released by billionaire Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in 2021.
Ineos recently announced they would not renew the contract of four-time Tour champion Chris Froome beyond this year.
The team are yet to announce the squad who will ride at the Tour, which starts on 29 August.
It is expected they will race in a new strip and colour scheme, little more than a year on from the transition from Team Sky to Team Ineos.
The team will officially unveil its new look in the week leading up to the Tour in Nice.
Under the leadership of Sir Dave Brailsford, the team has won seven of the past eight Tours - six out of seven as Team Sky, and again last year as Ineos in the form of their new star, 23-year-old Egan Bernal.
The team, which has the biggest budget in cycling at more than £25m a year, have the strongest squad in the sport, and are again favourites to win this year's race - delayed from July by the coronavirus pandemic.
The company is also further increasing its presence in sports sponsorship, including Formula 1 and sailing's America's Cup.
Ineos, primarily a chemicals company, is Britain's largest privately owned company and in 2018 posted annual pre-tax profits of £2bn.
In other news, last year's Tour winner Bernal arrived in Madrid on Monday from a specially chartered flight from his native Colombia.
Colombia has restrictions on flights until at least September, to limit the effects of the coronavirus.
Around 150 athletes were flown back to Europe to enable them to compete, including 2014 Giro d'Italia winner Nairo Quintana of Arkea Samsic, who has recovered from being knocked off his bike during a training ride earlier this month.


bbc--2020-07-22--'It makes it even more special' - Henderson joy at receiving trophy from Dalglish

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says receiving the Premier League trophy from Reds legend Sir Kenny Dalglish `` makes it even more special '' .
There will be a special ceremony on the Kop after Liverpool 's game against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday .
It is the first time the Merseyside club have won the league since 1990 , when Dalglish was their manager .
`` He 's an iconic figure at this football club , a huge person who we all love , '' Henderson told BBC Breakfast .
Henderson was signed for Liverpool from Sunderland in 2011 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the club .
Dalglish is one of the most decorated figures in football and iconic on Merseyside for his trophy-laden career as a player and then manager at Liverpool , as well as leading the club through the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster .
England midfielder Henderson , 30 , has been one of the club 's star performers this season .
He made 30 league appearances , scoring four goals , before being ruled out for the final four matches of the campaign with a knee injury suffered against Brighton on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the league title after lifting the 2019 Champions League , as well as this season 's Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup - says he uses his critics to motivate himself .
`` Ultimately , you will get criticised , whether that 's in the past , now or in the future as a footballer , '' he said .
`` I feel I 've learned to use it in the right way - as extra motivation and as energy .
So , yes , in a way that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : `` I experienced it a little bit at Sunderland , but when you come to a club like Liverpool , the expectation is so high .
`` I 'd just turned 21 , so it was more difficult when I was younger , but the only way you learn to cope is with experience .
`` Having gone through different experiences throughout my life and in my career - people telling me I was not good enough or not big enough or not fast enough or whatever it may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've always had questions marks .
`` As you get older , you just use it in a different way .
Now I look for the criticism because it gives me the extra motivation to prove people wrong . ''
Henderson also called on Reds fans to stay home and `` look forward '' to celebrating the title together in the future instead of gathering at Anfield .
Thousands of supporters gathered at the stadium and on the city 's waterfront on consecutive days after Liverpool secured the title .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 've waited for so long for this club to win the league and it 's huge , '' said Henderson .
`` Unfortunately they ca n't gather outside the stadium for the health and safety of the country , and we need to protect the NHS staff who have been working tirelessly over the past few months . ''
• Brave conversations : The black experience in the UK • The great escape : Will Villa stay up ?

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson speaks to BBC Breakfast before Premier League trophy presentation
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says receiving the Premier League trophy from Reds legend Sir Kenny Dalglish "makes it even more special".
There will be a special ceremony on the Kop after Liverpool's game against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday.
It is the first time the Merseyside club have won the league since 1990, when Dalglish was their manager.
"He's an iconic figure at this football club, a huge person who we all love," Henderson told BBC Breakfast.
Henderson was signed for Liverpool from Sunderland in 2011 by Dalglish during his second spell in charge of the club.
Premier League trophy engraved for Liverpool's presentation
Dalglish is one of the most decorated figures in football and iconic on Merseyside for his trophy-laden career as a player and then manager at Liverpool, as well as leading the club through the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.
England midfielder Henderson, 30, has been one of the club's star performers this season. He made 30 league appearances, scoring four goals, before being ruled out for the final four matches of the campaign with a knee injury suffered against Brighton on 8 July.
Henderson - who has won the league title after lifting the 2019 Champions League, as well as this season's Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup - says he uses his critics to motivate himself.
"Ultimately, you will get criticised, whether that's in the past, now or in the future as a footballer," he said.
"I feel I've learned to use it in the right way - as extra motivation and as energy. So, yes, in a way that's helped me in my career."
He added: "I experienced it a little bit at Sunderland, but when you come to a club like Liverpool, the expectation is so high.
"I'd just turned 21, so it was more difficult when I was younger, but the only way you learn to cope is with experience.
"Having gone through different experiences throughout my life and in my career - people telling me I was not good enough or not big enough or not fast enough or whatever it may be for Sunderland, Liverpool, England - I've always had questions marks.
"As you get older, you just use it in a different way. Now I look for the criticism because it gives me the extra motivation to prove people wrong."
'It's a bit like Christmas' - Klopp looks forward to lifting Premier League trophy
Henderson also called on Reds fans to stay home and "look forward" to celebrating the title together in the future instead of gathering at Anfield.
Thousands of supporters gathered at the stadium and on the city's waterfront on consecutive days after Liverpool secured the title.
"I know how difficult it must be as they've waited for so long for this club to win the league and it's huge," said Henderson.
"Unfortunately they can't gather outside the stadium for the health and safety of the country, and we need to protect the NHS staff who have been working tirelessly over the past few months."


bbc--2020-07-22--Football management a 'permanent state of psychological crisis'

Football management sometimes feels like a permanent state of psychological crisis , says the chief of the League Managers Association after the sacking of Watford boss Nigel Pearson .
On Sunday Pearson was fired with two matches of the season remaining .
The 56-year-old is the third manager sacked by the club this season following the departures of Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores .
`` It 's disappointing for a very talented manager , '' said LMA chief Richard Bevan .
Speaking to the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 , Bevan added : `` Nigel took over in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the bottom and they immediately had a run of four wins .
`` I believe that form would have kept them about 14th and they also had that great 3-0 win against Liverpool back in February .
But Nigel will be resting , recharging and will be ready for his next challenge . ''
Hayden Mullins has replaced Pearson until the end of the campaign but he could not prevent Watford from slipping to a 4-0 defeat by Manchester City on Tuesday .
Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster said his side 's confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat .
This , coupled with Aston Villa 's win over Arsenal , sent the Hornets into the relegation zone .
They travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday hoping for three points from their final game and that other results go their way .
Whoever replaces Pearson on a permanent basis will be Watford 's 13th such appointment since Sean Dyche took charge nine years ago .
Bevan urged club owners to give managers more time in order to `` build a team culture and recruit successfully '' .
`` Loyalty is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Bevan continued .
`` I think clear examples of that would be Chris Wilder taking Sheffield United from League One to challenging for Europe places in five seasons .
The great job Sean Dyche has done at Burnley .
[ Wycombe boss ] Gareth Ainsworth is the longest serving manager , eight years and promoted to the Championship for the first time in their 137-year history .
Bevan added : `` I would urge owners to take a step back when they 're assessing their club very carefully , we do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the manager with a feeling of being in isolation .
He needs to create that environment so that all of the club can be the best they can be . ''

Pearson was sacked after seven months in charge
Football management sometimes feels like a permanent state of psychological crisis, says the chief of the League Managers Association after the sacking of Watford boss Nigel Pearson.
On Sunday Pearson was fired with two matches of the season remaining.
The 56-year-old is the third manager sacked by the club this season following the departures of Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores.
"It's disappointing for a very talented manager," said LMA chief Richard Bevan.
Speaking to the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4, Bevan added: "Nigel took over in December, Watford were seven points adrift at the bottom and they immediately had a run of four wins.
"I believe that form would have kept them about 14th and they also had that great 3-0 win against Liverpool back in February. But Nigel will be resting, recharging and will be ready for his next challenge."
Hayden Mullins has replaced Pearson until the end of the campaign but he could not prevent Watford from slipping to a 4-0 defeat by Manchester City on Tuesday.
Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster said his side's confidence is "crazy low" after the defeat. This, coupled with Aston Villa's win over Arsenal, sent the Hornets into the relegation zone. They travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday hoping for three points from their final game and that other results go their way.
Whoever replaces Pearson on a permanent basis will be Watford's 13th such appointment since Sean Dyche took charge nine years ago.
Bevan urged club owners to give managers more time in order to "build a team culture and recruit successfully".
"Loyalty is definitely the best recipe for success," Bevan continued.
"I think clear examples of that would be Chris Wilder taking Sheffield United from League One to challenging for Europe places in five seasons. The great job Sean Dyche has done at Burnley. [Wycombe boss] Gareth Ainsworth is the longest serving manager, eight years and promoted to the Championship for the first time in their 137-year history.
Bevan added: "I would urge owners to take a step back when they're assessing their club very carefully, we don't want boom or bust. Don't leave the manager with a feeling of being in isolation. He needs to create that environment so that all of the club can be the best they can be."


bbc--2020-07-21--Watford's confidence 'crazy low' after thrashing by Man City - Foster

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster admitted his side 's confidence is `` crazy low '' after a 4-0 defeat by Manchester City plunged them into the relegation zone .
Nigel Pearson was sacked as Hornets boss on Sunday , with Hayden Mullins put in charge for the final two games .
But the thrashing by City in the first of those , coupled with Aston Villa 's win over Arsenal , means Watford 's fate is now out of their own hands .
`` We have to look at ourselves , '' Foster told Sky Sports .
• Who needs what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence is so crazy , crazy low , I do n't know why it should be , but you get into a state of trying to minimise as much damage as you can and it 's a dangerous way to do things . ''
Pearson was the third permanent manager to be sacked by Watford this season .
After arriving in December with the club bottom of the table , he won seven of his 20 games , and left them just outside the relegation zone with two games left .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save themselves and even a win at Arsenal on Sunday may not be enough .
The Hornets must better the result of Villa , who are level with them on 34 points but are a goal better off and travel to West Ham on the final day .
The Hammers themselves are not yet mathematically safe , although a point in their game in hand against Manchester United on Wednesday would achieve this , while 19th-placed Bournemouth could yet stay up if they win at Everton and Watford and Villa both lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of relegation zone with one game left 'We have to stick together as a club , as a unit , as a squad' Caretaker boss Mullins took a much more positive stance than his goalkeeper on the club 's position .
`` You have to remember when you are a player and you are out on the pitch for 90 minutes , it feels a lot different , '' he said .
`` When he [ Foster ] gets in tomorrow .
it will be a completely different outlook . ''
Mullins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side stick together if they are to avoid returning to the Championship , where they last played in 2014-15 .
`` We have some big characters in the dressing room and we need to be ready for a big game on Sunday , '' he told BBC Sport .
`` It is the business end of the season and it has come down to two tough games - City today and then Arsenal .
It is about us now , recuperating , getting ready , sticking together as a club , as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need the players pulling in the same direction and believing in the one common goal of getting a result against Arsenal to stay in the division .
`` It is a tough league , it is a challenge , but it is about getting those players up for the challenge and positive again . ''
I have so much sympathy for Hayden Mullins .
Talk about being handed a hospital pass .
Of course he wants the job , but facing Manchester City after they have just lost a semi-final - it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all to do and I think it is actually unfair on him to take over in this situation .
Was he going to get a real response out of the players ?
I think they will be shell-shocked with what has gone on at the club , not just this week but the whole season .
It will have knocked them for six and he has to go and try to get them motivated .

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster has lost on each of his past 13 starts against Manchester City in the Premier League
Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster admitted his side's confidence is "crazy low" after a 4-0 defeat by Manchester City plunged them into the relegation zone.
Nigel Pearson was sacked as Hornets boss on Sunday, with Hayden Mullins put in charge for the final two games.
But the thrashing by City in the first of those, coupled with Aston Villa's win over Arsenal, means Watford's fate is now out of their own hands.
"We have to look at ourselves," Foster told Sky Sports.
"The confidence is so crazy, crazy low, I don't know why it should be, but you get into a state of trying to minimise as much damage as you can and it's a dangerous way to do things."
Pearson was the third permanent manager to be sacked by Watford this season. After arriving in December with the club bottom of the table, he won seven of his 20 games, and left them just outside the relegation zone with two games left.
Now, though, they have just one game to save themselves and even a win at Arsenal on Sunday may not be enough.
The Hornets must better the result of Villa, who are level with them on 34 points but are a goal better off and travel to West Ham on the final day.
The Hammers themselves are not yet mathematically safe, although a point in their game in hand against Manchester United on Wednesday would achieve this, while 19th-placed Bournemouth could yet stay up if they win at Everton and Watford and Villa both lose.
'We have to stick together as a club, as a unit, as a squad'
Watford 0-4 Man City: Hornets need to pull together to stay up - Hayden Mullins
Caretaker boss Mullins took a much more positive stance than his goalkeeper on the club's position.
"You have to remember when you are a player and you are out on the pitch for 90 minutes, it feels a lot different," he said. "When he [Foster] gets in tomorrow. it will be a completely different outlook."
Mullins also feels it is key that the side stick together if they are to avoid returning to the Championship, where they last played in 2014-15.
"We have some big characters in the dressing room and we need to be ready for a big game on Sunday," he told BBC Sport.
"It is the business end of the season and it has come down to two tough games - City today and then Arsenal. It is about us now, recuperating, getting ready, sticking together as a club, as a unit, as a squad.
"We need the players pulling in the same direction and believing in the one common goal of getting a result against Arsenal to stay in the division.
"It is a tough league, it is a challenge, but it is about getting those players up for the challenge and positive again."
'Talk about a hospital pass!'
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live:
I have so much sympathy for Hayden Mullins. Talk about being handed a hospital pass. Of course he wants the job, but facing Manchester City after they have just lost a semi-final - it is a nightmare situation.
He has it all to do and I think it is actually unfair on him to take over in this situation.
Was he going to get a real response out of the players? I think they will be shell-shocked with what has gone on at the club, not just this week but the whole season. It will have knocked them for six and he has to go and try to get them motivated.


bbc--2020-07-22--Trump to send 'surge' of hundreds of federal agents to cities

President Donald Trump is to send `` a surge '' of federal security forces to US cities in a crackdown on crime .
Chicago and two other Democratic-run cities are being targeted in the Republican president 's move , amid a spike in violence .
But federal deployments in Portland , Oregon , have proved controversial .
Local officials say they have raised tensions amid ongoing protests .
Critics say Mr Trump 's initiative is part of his re-election campaign .
Since the death on 25 May of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , in police custody in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests - sometimes descending into civil disorder - in scores of US cities .
Meanwhile , gun violence has spiked in cities including New York City , Philadelphia , Los Angeles , Chicago and Milwaukee .
It is named after a four-year-old boy , LeGend Taliferro , who was fatally shot in the face while sleeping in his family home in Kansas City in June .
The boy 's mother joined the president at Wednesday 's announcement .
Mr Trump said : `` This rampage of violence shocks the conscience of our nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats of being weak on crime , said : `` In recent weeks there has been a radical movement to defend , dismantle and dissolve our police department . ''
He blamed this for `` a shocking explosion of shootings , killings , murders and heinous crimes of violence . ''
`` This bloodshed must end , '' he said .
`` This bloodshed will end . ''
He added : `` No mother should ever have to cradle her dead child in her arms simply because politicians refused to do what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure their city . ''
US Attorney General William Barr , who was also with Mr Trump , said they had sent about 200 federal agents to Kansas City , Missouri , would send a `` comparable '' number to Chicago , and about 35 others to Albuquerque , New Mexico .
More than $ 60m in federal grants is also being made available so that more police officers can be hired in the affected cities .
Mr Barr said the expanded federal law enforcement would involve `` classic crime fighting '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security agents to `` defend against riots and mob violence '' in Portland , Oregon .
What is going on in those cities ?
On Tuesday night , federal agents fired tear gas , pepper balls and flashbangs at demonstrators in central Portland , which has seen 54 consecutive night of protests .
The officers quickly used crowd-control munitions in an attempt to disperse hundreds of people gathered outside a federal court .
The agents have been accused of driving in unmarked vehicles around Oregon 's biggest city while wearing military fatigues and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed on Tuesday that federal agents would be deployed to her city to beef up local police .
`` We welcome actual partnership , but we do not welcome dictatorship , '' Ms Lightfoot told a news conference , warning that the federal officers should not try the same tactics they have used in Portland .
In the latest incident in Chicago , at least 14 people were shot outside a funeral home in a suspected gang-related attack .
The city has seen 34 % more homicides than last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A 2018 FBI survey found the violent crime rate in Albuquerque was 3.7 times the national average .
The rates of murder and rape were more than double the national average that year .
Kansas City , meanwhile , is on track to record its most homicides ever in 2020 , according to the Kansas City Star .
The city has now seen 110 homicides , with another 50 recorded across the greater metro area .
Many people in Kansas City say the president 's plan is not what this place needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many are opposed to the president 's policies and object to his aggressive law-and-order mandate .
Traditionally crime-fighting programmes are popular during election campaigns , and critics of the president say this initiative is directed more at his conservative supporters in the rural heartland than those who live in Kansas City and other urban areas .
Mr Trump 's critics say the initiative is not really an effort to fight urban crime , claiming it is simply a way to drum up enthusiasm among the president 's base of supporters before the election @

According to CBS News, members of Chicago's police union recently encouraged officers in a text message not to volunteer for overtime, to limit arrests and to call in sick to make a point to city hall about the need for law enforcement.


bbc--2020-07-22--Bernice King: 'My hope lies in a new generation’

Bernice King has said her hopes for ending racial inequality lie in a “ new generation of young people ” @ @ @ @ @ presenter Colin Murray the American minister and the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr @ @ @ @ @ rights activists C.T .
Vivian and John Lewis saying “ We do n't give up @ @ @ @ @ the light of people like John Lewis and C.T .
Vivian - they became the @ @ @ @ @ of her fear that “ a very important moment ” could be “ missed ” @ @ @ @ @ If we don ’ t take this moment in time to look at all the @ @ @ @ @ people and organisations and figure out how to truly connect , collaborate and co-ordinate our @ @ @ @ @ to miss a very important moment '' .
To listen to the whole of Colin @ @ @ @ @ Bernice King click here .

Bernice King has said her hopes for ending racial inequality lie in a “new generation of young people”.
Speaking to 5 Live presenter Colin Murray the American minister and the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr also paid tribute to civil rights activists C.T. Vivian and John Lewis saying “We don't give up, and we look at the light of people like John Lewis and C.T. Vivian - they became the hope.”
She also spoke of her fear that “a very important moment” could be “missed”.
She said: “If we don’t take this moment in time to look at all the different gifts that exist with people and organisations and figure out how to truly connect, collaborate and co-ordinate our efforts we’re going to miss a very important moment".
To listen to the whole of Colin Murray's interview with Dr Bernice King click here.


bbc--2020-07-22--Canada court rules US 'not safe' for asylum seekers

Canada 's federal court has ruled that an asylum agreement the country has with the US is invalid because America violates the human rights of refugees .
The Safe Third Country Agreement ( STCA ) , in place since 2004 , requires refugee claimants to request protection in the first safe country they reach .
But on Wednesday , a judge declared the deal unconstitutional due to the chance that the US will imprison the migrants .
Lawyers for refugees who had been turned away at the Canadian border had challenged the agreement , arguing that the US did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seekers .
• Is Canada asking countries for a million immigrants ?
• They lost fingers entering Canada .
Then what happened ?
Nedira Jemal Mustefa , one of the refugees forced to remain in the US , told the court her time in US solitary confinement was `` a terrifying , isolating and psychologically traumatic experience , '' according to the court ruling .
`` We 're all too familiar with the treatment that the US metes out to asylum seekers , '' Maureen Silcoff , president of the Canadian Association of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 5,525 mile ( 8,891 km ) US-Canada border is the longest border between two countries in the world .
What is the Safe Third Country Agreement ?
The Safe Third Country Agreement is a policy implemented to better manage refugee claims and to avoid so-called `` asylum shopping '' between countries .
But it is also driving asylum seekers to make what the Canadian government calls `` irregular '' crossings to avoid being turned back at official border points .
Since 2017 , when President Donald Trump took office promising a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have crossed into Canada from the US in that manner to make subsequent refugee claims .
Canada had been processing their claims until the coronavirus pandemic , when the Canadian government said they would be turned back .
There have been calls in Canada to suspend or renegotiate the agreement with the US .
What did the judge say ?
Federal court judge Ann Marie McDonald ruled that the deal was in violation of a section of Canada 's Charter of Rights that bans the government from interfering in the right to life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is my conclusion , based upon the evidence , that ineligible STCA claimants are returned to the US by Canadian officials where they are immediately and automatically imprisoned by US authorities , '' Judge McDonald said in her ruling .
`` I have concluded that imprisonment and the attendant consequences are inconsistent with the spirit and objective of the STCA and are a violation of the rights guaranteed by section 7 of the [ Charter of Rights and Freedoms ] , '' she continued .
But the judge delayed the ruling for six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Congress to respond .
The ruling can also be appealed .
US immigration authorities not have yet to comment on the ruling .
A spokeswoman for the Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness told BBC News that they are `` aware of the Federal Court 's decision and are currently reviewing it '' .

"It is my conclusion, based upon the evidence, that ineligible STCA claimants are returned to the US by Canadian officials where they are immediately and automatically imprisoned by US authorities," Judge McDonald said in her ruling.


bbc--2020-07-22--Hiker stranded for 40 hours in the desert films himself

Robert Ringo went for a hike in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California when he fell and broke his @ @ @ @ @ in the desert with no mobile service for 40 hours before he was found by @ @ @ @ @ team .
He is recovering from a broken femur but looks forward to hiking again @

Robert Ringo went for a hike in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California when he fell and broke his leg. He was stuck in the desert with no mobile service for 40 hours before he was found by a search and rescue helicopter team.
He is recovering from a broken femur but looks forward to hiking again.


bbc--2020-07-22--Kim Kardashian West addresses husband Kanye West's mental health

Kim Kardashian West has publicly addressed her husband Kanye 's mental health issues following a series of erratic statements in recent days .
She wrote on Instagram : `` As many of you know , Kanye has bipolar disorder .
`` Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does , knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand . ''
He is a `` brilliant but complicated person '' whose `` words sometimes do not align with his intentions '' , she said .
The rapper is one of America 's biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run for US president .
But his first campaign rally and a number of recent Twitter messages have sparked confusion and concern .
Kim and Kanye married in 2014 and have four children together .
In her message on Wednesday , the TV personality and model said she had not previously spoken publicly about how his mental health had affected the family `` because I am very protective of our children and Kanye 's right to privacy when it comes to his health '' .
• What to say - and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote : `` But today , I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health .
`` Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behaviour know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor .
`` People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgemental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try . ''
Kardashian West went on to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions '' , but asked for greater empathy and understanding .
`` He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man , who experienced the painful loss of his mother , and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bipolar disorder , '' she added .
`` Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentions .
`` Living with bipolar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas , no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some .
`` That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed , many of his big dreams have come true .
`` We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole , however we should also give it to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this . ''
• There are different types of bipolar .
Those with type I experience periods of manic highs and depressive lows .
Those with type II experience severe depression and mild manic episodes - known as hypomania - that last for a shorter period of time .
Those with cyclothymia experience less severe mood swings , but they can last longer .
• During a manic episode , those with bipolar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of energy , ambitious plans and ideas .
But they can become aggressive , and experience symptoms of psychosis .
• The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown .
Some experts believe it can be developed as a result of severe emotional distress as a child , as well as genetic and chemical factors .
• One in every 100 UK adults will be diagnosed with the condition at some point in their life .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion @ @ @ @ @

In her message on Wednesday, the TV personality and model said she had not previously spoken publicly about how his mental health had affected the family "because I am very protective of our children and Kanye's right to privacy when it comes to his health".


bbc--2020-07-22--Prince Philip steps down as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles

In a rare public appearance at Windsor Castle , the Duke of Edinburgh has handed over patronage of The Rifles @ @ @ @ @ .
Prince Philip held the role of Colonel-in-Chief from 2007 , but his connection to @ @ @ @ @ to 1953 .
Four buglers , from The Band and Bugles of the The Rifles @ @ @ @ @ to mark the occasion and thank the 99-year-old for his service .
Camilla received the @ @ @ @ @ at her Highgrove home in Gloucestershire .

In a rare public appearance at Windsor Castle, the Duke of Edinburgh has handed over patronage of The Rifles to the Duchess of Cornwall.
Prince Philip held the role of Colonel-in-Chief from 2007, but his connection to the infantry regiment stretches back to 1953.
Four buglers, from The Band and Bugles of the The Rifles, came to Windsor Castle to mark the occasion and thank the 99-year-old for his service.
Camilla received the honour at a separate ceremony at her Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.


bbc--2020-07-22--Facebook: Trump posts misleading ad using Ukraine photo

A post by Donald Trump 's official Facebook account purports to show violence in the US but is in fact of an event in another country .
The advert shows one image of Mr Trump in a calm setting talking to police officers beside another of a security official being surrounded by protesters , saying : `` Public safety vs chaos and violence '' .
However , the image is a photo from a pro-democracy protest in Ukraine in 2014 .
Facebook have told the BBC they wo n't be taking any action against the post but gave no further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The post reads `` Evangelicals For Trump are ready to help re-elect President Donald J Trump . ''
On the image on the right , the officer is wearing a badge on his shoulder .
However , it is an insignia not recognisable as one US police wear - it 's a Coptic cross seen in countries which practice Orthodox Christianity .
Using a reverse image search shows that the image is actually from Ukraine and was first posted in 2014 , during the revolution that overthrew the government .
The security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US police officer .
That badge was worn by members of the `` Internal Troops of Ukraine '' , a now disbanded section of the national military that also assisted with policing .
The image is also on the Wikipedia page about the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution , and says it shows events in February 2014 when security officials clashed with anti-government protesters .
The old photo in the advert was picked up by a former Hillary Clinton staffer Jesse Lehrich in tweet that has been widely shared .
President Trump 's Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The imagery appears to have been made by campaign group `` Evangelicals for Trump '' and has mostly reached users in Florida and Texas who are older than 55 , according to Facebook 's estimates .
Social media companies Facebook and Twitter have taken steps in recent months to label posts by public officials .
Facebook has begun labelling posts on the pages of both the president and Joe Biden - the Democratic Party 's nominee for president in November 's election - with links to official information .
We have asked Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The security official pictured is in fact not a US police officer. That badge was worn by members of the "Internal Troops of Ukraine", a now disbanded section of the national military that also assisted with policing.


bbc--2020-07-22--How long does it take to get to Mars - and why is it so difficult?

Why are there so many attempts to get to Mars at the moment - including UAE 's Hope mission and @ @ @ @ @ Well , summer 2020 is a popular time for missions to the red planet because @ @ @ @ @ align - but how long does it take to get there ?
Landing on Mars @ @ @ @ @ seven minutes of terror '' , and there are lots of reasons why .
Here @ @ @ @ @ explains how long it takes to get there and why it 's so difficult .

There are three missions to Mars happening in 2021.
The United Arab Emirate's Hope satellite has entered the planet's orbit while Nasa's Mars Perseverance has landed on the surface.
China's Tianwen-1 is due to land a rover on the red planet in May.
But how far away is Mars? And why is landing on Mars known as the "seven minutes of terror"?
Here BBC Science Correspondent Laura Foster explains how long it takes to get there and why it's so difficult.
Video by Laura Foster, Megan Fisher and Terry Saunders.


bbc--2020-07-22--Amber Heard: Johnny Depp threw bottles 'like grenades' at me

Actress Amber Heard has accused her ex-husband Johnny Depp of throwing around 30 bottles at her `` like grenades '' , the High Court in London has heard .
She said the incident happened during what she previously called a `` three-day hostage situation '' in 2015 .
Mr Depp , 57 , is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that labelled him a `` wife beater '' - but the newspaper insists it was accurate .
Ms Heard , 34 , was giving evidence in court for a third day .
It is the 12th day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• I was afraid Depp was going to kill me , says Heard Ms Heard said in court on Wednesday that she was not to blame for the tip of Mr Depp 's finger being severed while the couple were in Australia in March 2015 .
He has previously claimed that his ex-wife caused the injury by throwing a vodka bottle at him .
Ms Heard , who was married to the film star from 2015 to 2017 , has accused Mr Depp of repeatedly assaulting her during the Australia trip , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he denies .
She told the court on Wednesday : `` I got angry at times but not into a rage that would cause me to throw anything at him . ''
She said she had taken a bottle from him on the night of the alleged incident as she did not want him to drink any more and smashed it on the floor .
`` He started picking [ bottles ] up one by one and throwing them like grenades .
One after the other after the other , in my direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , I retreated more into the bar and he did n't stop . ''
`` I was too scared to look behind me .
He threw all the bottles that were in reach . ''
Ms Heard said she remembered that only `` a celebratory magnum-sized bottle '' was not smashed by Mr Depp `` out of 30 or so '' bottles .
Mr Depp 's lawyer , Eleanor Laws QC , put it to Ms Heard that Mr Depp 's fingertip was severed as a result of the actress throwing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replied : `` No . ''
Ms Laws said : `` According to you , Mr Depp sliced his finger off all on his own ... and then carried on attacking you . ''
Ms Heard said : `` Yes , he did .
I do n't think he meant to sever the finger but yes he did continue the attack . ''
The lawyer also asked about a photograph showing a mark on Mr Depp 's face and accused Ms Heard of stubbing a cigarette out on his cheek .
Ms Heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No , Johnny did it right in front of me , he often did things like that . ''
The lawyer then turned to an alleged incident of domestic violence in Los Angeles in December 2015 , which Ms Heard has described in her first witness statement as `` one of the worst and most violent nights of our relationship '' .
Ms Heard alleges that Johnny Depp slapped her , dragged her by the hair through their apartment - pulling clumps of her hair out - and then repeatedly punched her in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` I had bruised ribs , bruises all over my body , bruises on my forearms from trying to defend the blows .
I had two black eyes , I had a broken nose , I had a broken lip ... the really bad ones ( bruises ) were in my hairline , on my scalp . ''
The actress , who appeared on James Corden 's The Late Late Show the following night , described the moment when she says Mr Depp headbutted her .
`` He clenched his fists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into mine . ''
Questioning Ms Heard about her injuries , Ms Laws referred to medical notes made by a nurse , Erin Boerum , who saw Ms Heard shortly after the alleged incident and recorded that the actress was `` actively bleeding on her lip '' .
Ms Laws suggested that Ms Heard 's list of injuries were `` nonsense '' , adding : `` She ( Ms Boerum ) did n't see any bruising ... you had just bitten your lip because there was fresh blood on it .
Had you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ms Heard replied : `` Of course not . ''
Ms Laws put it to Ms Heard that a photograph of her with bruises on her face taken after the alleged December 2015 incident was `` completely set up '' , which Ms Heard denied .
A short clip of Ms Heard 's appearance on The Late Late Show was then played to the court , following which Ms Laws said : `` That is what you looked like on the show , there is no injury , is there ? ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tonnes of injuries . ''
She then said she had makeup on covering the injuries and added : `` You can tell by the size of my lip alone . ''
Ms Heard 's friend , make-up artist Melanie Inglessis , told the court that the pair had `` many conversations '' about Mr Depp and Ms Heard 's relationship .
She said she had planned to go bowling with Ms Heard the night before The Late Late Show appearance , but that Ms Heard did not turn up and later texted Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on me '' .
Ms Inglessis said Ms Heard told her that Mr Depp `` tried to suffocate her with a pillow ... those were her words '' .
She added Ms Heard was `` erratic , upset , you know , in between being sad and upset and furious '' .
The court also heard that Mr Depp `` was jealous '' of other actors with whom Ms Heard filmed intimate scenes , and that Mr Depp wanted her to do fewer nude scenes .
Joshua Drew , the ex-husband of Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennington , said in a written witness statement : `` Rocky told me , based on her conversations with Amber , that Johnny had a particular issue with James Franco because he and Amber had some intimate scenes in a project they were filming , which Johnny did not want her doing . ''
`` His name came up often and it would cause fights between them .
They were arguing about it very regularly . ''
The hearing also covered the events surrounding the actress facing criminal proceedings in Australia for taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pistol and Boo , into the country in 2015 without the proper paperwork .
She told the court she `` took the blame '' for illegally bringing the couple 's dogs into Australia because his lawyers had said it would make her ex-husband 's job `` less threatened than it already was '' .
She said it was n't her decision to take the dogs , adding : `` Johnny 's the boss . ''
Mr Depp 's lawyer suggested Ms Heard `` was the boss '' and she had tried to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blame '' .
This was denied by Ms Heard , who said : `` I had already pleaded guilty . ''
The libel case centres on an article published on the Sun 's website in April 2018 headlined : `` Gone Potty : How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy ' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film ? ''
.
The article related to allegations made by Ms Heard , which Mr Depp denies .
Her evidence was initially due to conclude on Wednesday but will now @ @ @ @

Joshua Drew, the ex-husband of Ms Heard's friend Raquel "Rocky" Pennington, said in a written witness statement: "Rocky told me, based on her conversations with Amber, that Johnny had a particular issue with James Franco because he and Amber had some intimate scenes in a project they were filming, which Johnny did not want her doing."


bbc--2020-07-22--US offers $5m for capture of Venezuela chief justice Moreno

The US is offering a reward of $ 5m ( £3.9m ) for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the chief justice of Venezuela , Maikel Moreno .
The US accuses Mr Moreno of participating in transnational organised crime , which he denies .
He is the latest senior official in the administration of President Nicolás Maduro for whom a multi-million dollar reward is being offered .
The US does not recognise the Maduro government as legitimate .
The 54-year-old judge has been leading Venezuela 's Supreme Court since February 2017 .
The Supreme Court has played a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed by the National Assembly , the only institution which is not controlled by the Maduro government .
What does the US accuse him of ?
The US State Department alleges that Mr Moreno has received bribes in exchange for telling judges to release defendants or dismissing cases altogether .
Earlier this year , he was charged with money laundering by a court in Florida .
On Tuesday , the US Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program offered $ 5m for information leading to his arrest or conviction for allegedly `` participating in transnational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Mike Pompeo said the US government was sending a clear message .
Mr Moreno dismissed the allegations , saying it was `` not the first time that the mouthpieces of the North American empire seek to attack me with their clumsy attacks , full of manipulations and lies '' .
He added that `` cowardly and unfounded accusations like these only strengthen my desire to keep working from the Supreme Court to guarantee access to justice and due process to all citizens of the land '' .
Human rights groups say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the form of arbitrary detentions , torture at the hands of the security forces and extrajudicial killings .
A United Nations report published last week also said that victims of alleged human rights violations had difficulty obtaining justice in Venezuelan courts .
The Maduro government dismissed the report as `` biased '' .
What happens next ?
Previous offers of rewards for top Venezuelan officials have so far had little effect .
In March , the US accused President Maduro of `` narco-terrorism '' and said it would pay $ 15m for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moreno , who as chief justice wields considerable power , is unlikely to face any problems within Venezuela , where the security forces continue to back the government of Mr Maduro .
However , he could face arrest if he travels abroad and he and his wife are now banned from entering the US .
Despite their anti-American rhetoric , many Venezuelan officials have in the past travelled to the US for holidays or shopping visits .
The US has been tightening its sanctions on the Venezuelan government for months , but Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite a rival claim to the presidency by Juan Guaidó .
Mr Guaidó , who leads the opposition-controlled National Assembly , declared himself interim president last year arguing that Mr Maduro 's re-election had been fraudulent and therefore was null and void .
The opposition leader is recognised by the US , the UK and more than 50 other nations as the legitimate president of Venezuela .

US offers $5m for capture of Venezuela chief justice Moreno Published 22 July 2020
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Maikel Moreno has been leading Venezuela's Supreme Court since 2017
The US is offering a reward of $5m (£3.9m) for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the chief justice of Venezuela, Maikel Moreno.
The US accuses Mr Moreno of participating in transnational organised crime, which he denies.
He is the latest senior official in the administration of President Nicolás Maduro for whom a multi-million dollar reward is being offered.
The US does not recognise the Maduro government as legitimate.
Who is Maikel Moreno?
The 54-year-old judge has been leading Venezuela's Supreme Court since February 2017.
The Supreme Court has played a key role in overruling or annulling laws passed by the National Assembly, the only institution which is not controlled by the Maduro government.
What does the US accuse him of?
The US State Department alleges that Mr Moreno has received bribes in exchange for telling judges to release defendants or dismissing cases altogether.
Earlier this year, he was charged with money laundering by a court in Florida.
On Tuesday, the US Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program offered $5m for information leading to his arrest or conviction for allegedly "participating in transnational organised crime".
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US government was sending a clear message.
Sorry, we're having trouble displaying this content. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
How has Mr Moreno reacted?
Mr Moreno dismissed the allegations, saying it was "not the first time that the mouthpieces of the North American empire seek to attack me with their clumsy attacks, full of manipulations and lies".
He added that "cowardly and unfounded accusations like these only strengthen my desire to keep working from the Supreme Court to guarantee access to justice and due process to all citizens of the land".
Human rights groups say the rights of Venezuelan citizens are routinely violated in the form of arbitrary detentions, torture at the hands of the security forces and extrajudicial killings.
A United Nations report published last week also said that victims of alleged human rights violations had difficulty obtaining justice in Venezuelan courts.
The Maduro government dismissed the report as "biased".
What happens next?
Previous offers of rewards for top Venezuelan officials have so far had little effect. In March, the US accused President Maduro of "narco-terrorism" and said it would pay $15m for information leading to his arrest.
Image source, EPA Image caption, There is also a reward for information leading to the arrest of President Maduro (right)
Mr Moreno, who as chief justice wields considerable power, is unlikely to face any problems within Venezuela, where the security forces continue to back the government of Mr Maduro.
However, he could face arrest if he travels abroad and he and his wife are now banned from entering the US.
Despite their anti-American rhetoric, many Venezuelan officials have in the past travelled to the US for holidays or shopping visits.
The US has been tightening its sanctions on the Venezuelan government for months, but Mr Maduro and his administration remain in power despite a rival claim to the presidency by Juan Guaidó.
Mr Guaidó, who leads the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself interim president last year arguing that Mr Maduro's re-election had been fraudulent and therefore was null and void.


bbc--2020-07-22--In pictures: 'Wall of Moms' joins Portland's anti-racism protests

Anti-racism protests have been taking place in Portland , Oregon , for almost two months - but in recent days they have been joined by a growing number of `` moms '' .
The `` Wall of Moms '' - as they have been dubbed - have been acting as a human shield between the protesters and the federal officers sent in to disperse them .
They arrived wearing yellow , some carrying sunflowers , and chanting : `` Feds stay clear .
Moms are here . ''
Some sang a lullaby : `` Hands up please , do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnum put out a call for a `` wall of moms '' on Saturday in a Facebook post .
She told CNN she was moved to act after watching media reports of federal officers `` displaying obvious human rights violations '' .
Tensions have been rising in Portland since President Trump sent federal agents into the city to quell nightly demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd in May .
President Trump says he is trying to restore order , but local officials accuse him of using it to try to boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witnesses have reported seeing federal officers in unmarked vehicles seizing protesters from the streets and detaining them .
Tear gas has also been used .
US Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf this week insisted that all agents have been wearing insignia showing they are police .
With as many as 2,000 mums now expressing an interest in joining the movement , it does not look like the protests will be ending any time soon .

With as many as 2,000 mums now expressing an interest in joining the movement, it does not look like the protests will be ending any time soon.


bbc--2020-07-22--Earliest evidence for humans in the Americas

Humans settled in the Americas much earlier than previously thought , according to new finds from Mexico .
They suggest people were living there 33,000 years ago , twice the widely accepted age for the earliest settlement of the Americas .
The results are based on work at Chiquihuite Cave , a high-altitude rock shelter in central Mexico .
Archaeologists found nearly 2,000 stone tools , suggesting the cave was used by people for at least 20,000 years .
During the second half of the 20th Century , a consensus emerged among North American archaeologists that the Clovis people had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about 11,500 years ago .
The ancestors of the Clovis were thought to have crossed a land bridge linking Siberia to Alaska during the last ice age .
This land bridge - known as Beringia - subsequently disappeared underwater as the ice melted .
And these big-game hunters were thought to have contributed to the extinction of the megafauna - large mammals such as mammoth , mastodon and various species of bear that roamed the region until the end of the last ice age .
As the `` Clovis First '' idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement were dismissed as unreliable and archaeologists stopped looking for signs of earlier occupation .
But in the 1970s , this orthodoxy started to be challenged .
In the 1980s , solid evidence for a 14,500-year-old human presence at Monte Verde , Chile , emerged .
And since the 2000s , other pre-Clovis sites have become widely accepted - including the 15,500-year-old Buttermilk Creek Complex in central Texas .
Now , Ciprian Ardelean , from the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas , Mexico , Tom Higham , from the University of Oxford , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretching back far beyond that date , at the Chiquihuite site in the central-northern Mexican Highlands .
The results have been published in the journal Nature .
`` This is a unique site , we 've never seen anything like it before , '' Prof Higham , the director of Oxford 's Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit , told BBC News .
`` The stone-tool evidence is very , very compelling .
`` Anyone can see that these are deliberately manufactured stone tools and there are lots of them .
`` The dating - which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` And so , it 's a very exciting site to have been involved in . ''
The team excavated a 3m-deep ( 10ft ) stratigraphic section - a sequence of soil layers arranged in the order they were deposited - and found some 1,900 stone artefacts made over thousands of years .
Researchers were able to date bone , charcoal and sediment associated with the stone tools , using two scientific dating techniques .
The first , radiocarbon dating , relies on the way a radioactive form of the element carbon ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The second , optically stimulated luminescence ( OSL ) , works by measuring the last time sediments were exposed to light .
Using two different techniques `` added a lot of credibility and strength , particularly to the older part of the chronology '' , Prof Higham said .
`` The optical dates and [ radiocarbon ] dates are in good agreement , '' he said .
And the findings could lead scientists to take a fresh look at controversial early occupation sites elsewhere in the Americas .
`` In Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stone tools that look robust to me and are dated 26-30,000 , similar dates to the Chiquihuite site , '' Prof Higham said .
`` This could be an important discovery that could stimulate new work to find other sites in the Americas that date to this period . ''
Prof David Meltzer , from Southern Methodist University in Dallas , Texas , who was not involved in the research , said the findings were `` interesting '' .
But he explained : `` It is not enough to argue that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , one has to show that they are not natural . ''
Natural processes could mimic some types of stone tool , Prof Meltzer said .
Second , he explained : `` With a stone tool tradition that long-lasting , one expects it would have been far more widespread in the region , raising the question of why that technology has n't been spotted elsewhere , '' adding : `` Perhaps more important , with modern humans one expects to see evidence of technological and cultural change over such a long span @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` the cave is 1,000 metres above the valley floor , but leaving aside the issue of why not camp closer to the valley floor , why keep coming back to that same place on ' a relatively constant basis ' over such a long period of time ?
I find that curious .
Not many sites have that kind of long term repeated occupation , unless there is something quite useful / available at the spot '' .
Between 26,000-19,000 years ago , sea levels were low enough for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via the Beringian land bridge .
But what about during earlier times ?
`` Before 26,000 years ago , the latest data suggest that Beringia might have been a rather unattractive place for humans to be .
It might well have been boggy and very difficult to traverse , '' said Prof Higham .
`` We still think the most likely scenario is for people to have come on a coastal route - hugging a coast - perhaps with some kind of maritime technology . ''
While people seem to have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were probably thin on the ground .
It 's only much later , between 14,000 and 15,000 years ago , that populations increase substantially .
It coincides with the temperature spike at the end of the last Ice Age , when jumps of 7C are seen in the space of two to three years .
The scientists also used `` environmental DNA '' techniques to look for human genetic material in the cave sediments .
But they could not find a strong enough signal .
Previous DNA evidence has shown the Clovis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
And scientists will now want to understand how these older populations relate to later human groups who inhabited the continent .
In the same issue of Nature , Prof Higham and Lorena Becerra-Valdivia , also from Oxford , describe how they used ages from 42 archaeological sites in North America and Beringia to explore how humans expanded .
The results reveal the signal of a human presence stretching back thousands of years before the Clovis people .

Finally, he said, "the cave is 1,000 metres above the valley floor, but leaving aside the issue of why not camp closer to the valley floor, why keep coming back to that same place on 'a relatively constant basis' over such a long period of time? I find that curious. Not many sites have that kind of long term repeated occupation, unless there is something quite useful / available at the spot".


bbc--2020-07-22--Madeleine McCann suspect investigated over rape link

Portuguese police are investigating whether a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case may also be linked to a rape in the Algarve three years before .
Child sex offender Christian B is being investigated over possible links to an attack on an Irish woman .
Hazel Behan , 37 , waived her right to anonymity to speak about the assault near Praia da Luz in 2004 .
Officers say they will pass on any evidence to their German counterparts probing the disappearance of Madeleine .
A police source told BBC Europe correspondent Gavin Lee they have `` credible information '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be linked to the rape of Ms Behan , who was working in the region as a holiday rep in 2004 .
No suspect was ever identified in her case and forensic evidence is understood to have been destroyed .
However , it has since come to light that a year after her alleged attack , Christian B was convicted of a similar rape in Praia da Luz .
• Madeleine McCann : Who is the German suspect ?
Ms Behan said she felt physically sick when she learned about Christian B , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Guardian reported that detectives in Portugal collected the archived case file on her assault last week , quoting a source in the public prosecutor 's office .
Rape cases that took place more than 15 years ago can not be tried in Portugal .
Christian B , who is currently in prison in Germany , was revealed as the main suspect in Madeleine 's disappearance , as German and UK police made a fresh appeal for help in the case in June .
He is believed to have been in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last seen while on holiday in Praia da Luz with her parents and siblings .
The Metropolitan Police , who are working with their German and Portuguese counterparts , have said the case remained a `` missing persons '' investigation in the UK because there was no `` definitive evidence '' as to whether Madeleine was alive or not .
But German prosecutors have said she is `` assumed '' to be dead .

The Metropolitan Police, who are working with their German and Portuguese counterparts, have said the case remained a "missing persons" investigation in the UK because there was no "definitive evidence" as to whether Madeleine was alive or not. But German prosecutors have said she is "assumed" to be dead.


bbc--2020-07-22--Coronavirus: Cracking the secrets of how bats survive viruses

Scientists have deciphered the genetic blueprints of six of the world 's bats .
Their codes of life contain genetic clues to their `` exceptional immunity '' , which protects them against deadly viruses .
Researchers hope to use the information to crack the secrets of how bats carry coronaviruses without getting sick .
They say this may ultimately provide solutions to help human health during this and future pandemics .
Prof Emma Teeling of University College Dublin said the `` exquisite '' genome sequences they have unravelled suggest bats have `` unique immune systems '' .
And understanding how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could help in the development of new treatments for viruses such as Covid-19 .
`` If we could mimic the immune response of bats to viruses , that allows them to tolerate them , then you could look to nature to find a cure , '' she told BBC News .
`` It 's already evolved , we do n't need to reinvent the wheel .
We now have the tools to be able to understand the steps we need to take ; we need to develop the drugs to do it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bat1K project , which aims to decode the genomes of all 1,421 living bat species .
`` These genomes are the tools needed to identify the genetic solutions evolved in bats that ultimately could be harnessed to alleviate human ageing and disease , '' she said .
Covid-19 is thought to have arisen in bats , passing to humans through another , as yet unidentified , animal .
A number of other diseases , including Sars , Mers and Ebola , are thought to have jumped to humans this way .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source in wildlife Ecologists and conservationists have warned that bats should not be persecuted ; when left undisturbed in their natural habitats , they pose little risk to human health .
And they are vital for the balance of nature .
Many are pollinators , dispersing the seeds from fruit , and others are insectivores , eating millions of tons of insects a night .
Six bat species : the greater horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus ferrumequinum ) , the Egyptian fruit bat ( Rousettus aegyptiacus ) , the pale spear-nosed bat ( Phyllostomus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Myotis myotis ) , the Kuhl 's pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus kuhlii ) and the velvety free-tailed bat ( Molossus molossus ) .
What do the studies reveal ?
An international team of researchers used cutting edge technologies to sequence the bats ' genome and identify the genes present .
By comparing the blueprint of the bat against 42 other mammals they were able to find out where bats are located within the tree of life .
Bats appear most closely related to a group that consists of carnivores ( dogs , cats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pangolins , whales and ungulates ( hooved mammals ) .
A trawl of genetic differences identified regions of the genome that have evolved differently in bats , which may account for their unique abilities .
The genetic detective work revealed genes that may contribute to echolocation , which bats use to hunt and navigate in complete darkness .
How could the information help fight this and future pandemics ?
The work has implications for human health and disease , by revealing a large number of genetic changes that give bats protection from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bat genomes could help explain how the flying mammals tolerate coronavirus infections , which may , in the future , help in fighting pandemics .
`` These changes may contribute to bats ' exceptional immunity and points to their tolerance of coronaviruses , '' said Dr Michael Hiller of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden , Germany .
In many viral infections , it is not the virus itself that leads to death , but the acute inflammatory response brought on by the body 's immune system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while they may be infected , they do not show visible signs of disease .
The research is published in the journal Nature .

"It's already evolved, we don't need to reinvent the wheel. We now have the tools to be able to understand the steps we need to take; we need to develop the drugs to do it."


bbc--2020-07-22--UK unveils new special visa for Hong Kong's BNO holders

The UK government has unveiled the conditions under which almost three million Hong Kong residents will be able to start on a path to citizenship .
Hong Kong 's British National ( Overseas ) passport holders and their immediate dependants will have the right to apply for a special UK visa from January , Home Secretary Priti Patel said .
The offer comes after China imposed a sweeping new security law in Hong Kong .
Beijing has previously warned the UK not to meddle in domestic issues .
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in May that all British National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passport holders `` are Chinese nationals '' and the move would `` violate international law '' .
However , Ms Patel said on Wednesday that the offer meant the UK was `` keeping our promise '' to Hong Kong residents `` to uphold their freedoms '' .
What are the conditions to get the special visa ?
BNO holders already have the right to visit the UK visa-free for six months .
However , this will now allow them to apply for two periods of 30 months ' leave or five years ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then eventually become full British citizens .
BNO holders are able to bring immediate dependants , including a spouse who does not have the passport , along with children under the age of 18 .
No one born after 1997 is entitled to a BNO passport , and it does not pass down through the generations .
However , holders ' children who were born in 1997 or later and are older than 18 will be able to apply if they are part of a family unit .
Read more about Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TENSIONS : The Hong Kong crisis and the new world order • THE NEW LAW : What it is and why Hong Kong is worried • WHAT COULD HAPPEN : Life sentences for breaking the law and more Applicants do not have to have a job before arriving in the UK , and there is no minimum salary attached to the visa .
However , the passport holders must be able to support themselves financially and will not qualify for benefits .
They will need to have a tuberculosis ( TB ) test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those convicted only of offences related to the recent demonstrations in Hong Kong will still qualify .
They also need to show a commitment to learn English .
Why is the UK offering the special visa ?
Hong Kong is a former British colony , which was handed back to China in 1997 .
But before Hong Kong was returned , the UK and China made an agreement to introduce `` one country , two systems '' , which meant , among other things , rights such as freedom of assembly , free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be protected .
• What is the BNO and what does the UK move mean ?
• Why we are taking our BNOs and leaving The agreement signed in 1984 was set to last until 2047 .
But the UK says this agreement - known as the Joint Declaration - is under threat because the territory passed a new law in June that gives China sweeping new controls over the people of Hong Kong .
What is the new security law ?
• Allows for closed-door trials , wire-tapping of suspects and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mainland • Means a wide range of acts , including damaging public transport facilities , can be considered terrorism • Requires internet providers to hand over data if requested by police China has said the law is necessary to prevent the type of protests seen in Hong Kong during much of 2019 .
However , the law has caused alarm both in Hong Kong and abroad , with opponents saying it erodes the territory 's freedoms as a semi-autonomous region of China .
You may also be interested in ...

UK unveils new special visa for Hong Kong's BNO holders Published 22 July 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The offer was made after China imposed a sweeping new security law on Hong Kong
The UK government has unveiled the conditions under which almost three million Hong Kong residents will be able to start on a path to citizenship.
Hong Kong's British National (Overseas) passport holders and their immediate dependants will have the right to apply for a special UK visa from January, Home Secretary Priti Patel said.
The offer comes after China imposed a sweeping new security law in Hong Kong.
Beijing has previously warned the UK not to meddle in domestic issues.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in May that all British National (Overseas) - or BNO - passport holders "are Chinese nationals" and the move would "violate international law".
However, Ms Patel said on Wednesday that the offer meant the UK was "keeping our promise" to Hong Kong residents "to uphold their freedoms".
What are the conditions to get the special visa?
BNO holders already have the right to visit the UK visa-free for six months.
However, this will now allow them to apply for two periods of 30 months' leave or five years' leave to remain in the UK, and then eventually become full British citizens.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Tea, drugs and war: Hong Kong's British history explained
BNO holders are able to bring immediate dependants, including a spouse who does not have the passport, along with children under the age of 18.
No one born after 1997 is entitled to a BNO passport, and it does not pass down through the generations. However, holders' children who were born in 1997 or later and are older than 18 will be able to apply if they are part of a family unit.
Read more about Hong Kong's new security law
Applicants do not have to have a job before arriving in the UK, and there is no minimum salary attached to the visa. However, the passport holders must be able to support themselves financially and will not qualify for benefits.
They will need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate and no serious convictions, though those convicted only of offences related to the recent demonstrations in Hong Kong will still qualify.
They also need to show a commitment to learn English.
Why is the UK offering the special visa?
Hong Kong is a former British colony, which was handed back to China in 1997.
But before Hong Kong was returned, the UK and China made an agreement to introduce "one country, two systems", which meant, among other things, rights such as freedom of assembly, free speech and freedom of the press would be protected.
The agreement signed in 1984 was set to last until 2047.
But the UK says this agreement - known as the Joint Declaration - is under threat because the territory passed a new law in June that gives China sweeping new controls over the people of Hong Kong.
What is the new security law?
The new, wide ranging law:
Makes "inciting hatred" of China's central government and Hong Kong's regional government illegal
Allows for closed-door trials, wire-tapping of suspects and the potential for suspects to be tried on the mainland
Means a wide range of acts, including damaging public transport facilities, can be considered terrorism
Requires internet providers to hand over data if requested by police
China has said the law is necessary to prevent the type of protests seen in Hong Kong during much of 2019. However, the law has caused alarm both in Hong Kong and abroad, with opponents saying it erodes the territory's freedoms as a semi-autonomous region of China.
You may also be interested in...


bbc--2020-07-22--'I just love helping, I'm not ready to give it up'

Dr Melissa Freeman is a doctor in New York City who has been practising for 65 years .
The BBC @ @ @ @ @ to the Covid-19 outbreak , about her journey into medicine .
She draws inspiration from @ @ @ @ @ enslaved as a child in Virginia .
`` I feel hurt that it happened .
@ @ @ @ @ happened , '' she told the BBC .
Now , Dr Freeman splits her time @ @ @ @ @ Lower Manhattan and her practice in Harlem .
Since the onset of the pandemic she @ @ @ @ @ work , but remains healthy and still lives in the city .

Dr Melissa Freeman is a doctor in New York City who has been practising for 65 years. The BBC spoke to her, prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, about her journey into medicine.
She draws inspiration from her grandfather, who was enslaved as a child in Virginia. "I feel hurt that it happened. I feel angry that it happened," she told the BBC.
Now, Dr Freeman splits her time between a methadone clinic in Lower Manhattan and her practice in Harlem. Since the onset of the pandemic she has taken a break from work, but remains healthy and still lives in the city.
Video by Colm Flynn


bbc--2020-07-22--QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult

A bizarre conspiracy theory has surged in popularity in the US since the pandemic , according to exclusive research seen @ @ @ @ @ and its believers say that Donald Trump is here to save the world from an @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s had a surprising level of interest around the world from Brazil to @ @ @ @ @ Indonesia .
And this week Twitter announced it would delete 7,000 QAnon-related accounts , saying @ @ @ @ @ help to prevent `` offline harm '' .
BBC Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty has spoken @ @ @ @ @ families to find out why this cultish conspiracy has gained so much traction .

A bizarre conspiracy theory has surged in popularity in the US since the pandemic, according to exclusive research seen by the BBC.
QAnon and its believers say that Donald Trump is here to save the world from an evil cabal of paedophiles and it’s had a surprising level of interest around the world from Brazil to Germany, the UK and Indonesia.
And this week Twitter announced it would delete 7,000 QAnon-related accounts, saying it hoped the action would help to prevent "offline harm".
BBC Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty has spoken to QAnon followers and their families to find out why this cultish conspiracy has gained so much traction.
Produced by Emma Ailes
Edited by Emma Ailes & Robert Timothy
Animation by Peter Caires


bbc--2020-07-22--Taika Waititi on charity, homeschooling, racism and Star Wars

Taika Waititi 's had enough of home schooling .
The Oscar-winning filmmaker of Jojo Rabbit and Thor has spent lockdown @ @ @ @ @ two children .
As well as writing scripts for Thor , Star Wars and a @ @ @ @ @ Factory over the past few months , the New Zealander has been raising money for @ @ @ @ @ adaptation of James and the Giant Peach .
He spoke exclusively to the BBC 's @ @ @ @ @ experiences .

Taika Waititi's had enough of home schooling.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker of Jojo Rabbit and Thor has spent lockdown in Los Angeles with his two children.
As well as writing scripts for Thor, Star Wars and a new Charlie and The Chocolate Factory over the past few months, the New Zealander has been raising money for key workers with a special adaptation of James and the Giant Peach.
He spoke exclusively to the BBC's Alex Stanger about his lockdown experiences.


bbc--2020-07-22--Latin American Foto Festival: Culture and coronavirus

Clowns , culture and the coronavirus pandemic are some of the themes of the Bronx Documentary Center 's third Annual Latin American Foto Festival , which features award-winning photographers from the Caribbean and Latin America .
Relocated outdoors due to the pandemic , this year 's festival will feature large-scale photographs displayed throughout New York 's Melrose community .
Works by artists from Colombia , Brazil , Puerto Rico , Mexico , Venezuela , Chile and Argentina will be displayed with photos from a variety of projects focusing on social issues .
Here is a selection of some of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their projects .
`` Historically , as in other countries , women have been largely excluded from Brazil 's cowboy culture .
`` But in recent years , women are on a winning streak , whether as rodeo pageant beauty queens , horse riding champions or platinum-selling country music stars .
`` The current political climate has made this work a necessity for me .
`` It is a portrait of the juxtaposition of modern Brazil , of the transition from historic to pop culture .
Ultimately , it is a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All my life I 've been called 'trigueña ' , which is a euphemistic word used in Puerto Rico to describe someone who is black or mixed race .
`` It is a word that confused me because it was always employed to make me feel good about my skin colour .
`` Growing up , I knew that I was not white - I was constantly reminded of it .
`` But , I was always trying to figure out if I was black enough .
`` This is the first part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black identity in Puerto Rico . ''
`` In October 2019 , massive failures in public transportation triggered a wave of uprisings against the 30 years under a neoliberal system that prioritises economic power over social character in Chile .
`` The first to rise were high-school students , who made the calls through social networks , and quickly people of all ages and different social strata joined .
`` Thousands of people walked the streets and burned trains .
`` Chile had woken up .
I had to contribute with what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I felt the need to show what was happening in the country and what the mass media was hiding . ''
`` In the state of Guerrero , Mexico , there is a region called La Montaña , which is one of the many places in Mexico which the government seems to have forgotten .
`` For decades the indigenous people of La Montaña have been producing opium paste to survive .
`` This paste was the main income for many of the towns in the region until the price dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many local producers and farmers have lost their income .
`` Many of the celebrations and traditions , both Catholic and pre-Hispanic , were done with income from the opium trade .
`` Now , with no production and no money , many of the traditions are not being celebrated .
`` Poverty is growing and in addition , public security has deteriorated , forcing locals in many towns to rise up against the drug cartels . ''
`` [ This project ] focuses on the complexities of the crisis and the nostalgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call home but that you no longer recognise .
`` There are only intermittent flashes of beauty that people desperately cling to as a way of feeling home again , of not feeling completely estranged from the Venezuela that existed before .
`` From everyday encounters with violence and the many shapes that takes , to the rise of authoritarianism and ongoing political turmoil , these stories amount to an untenable situation , framed by the promise of a dream that became a nightmare . ''
Covid Latam is a collective project focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Colombia , Brazil , Peru , Bolivia , Ecuador , Argentina , Chile , Uruguay , Venezuela , Guatemala , Costa Rica , Cuba and Mexico .
The collective of 18 photographers aimed to show the similarities and differences of the impact in specific areas , depending on the conditions , views and response of each country .
`` Gang of Clowns analyses the constitutive elements of this tradition through formal portraits .
`` This project tries to visually explore the idea of Syncretism and how this works as a political tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not break free .
`` The clearest example of this is the Virgin of Guadalupe , the dark-skinned virgin .
`` Colourful , surreal and vivid imagery that faces us with oppression , social decadence , and actions that go back to the beginning of the construction of America as we know it today . ''
Born in Kishinev in the former Bessarabian region of Russia ( now Moldova ) , Goldstein settled in New York City in 1906 .
Taking up photography when he joined the Photo League in the late 1940s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his East Harlem body of work , which now provides a window into historic socio-economic and political landscapes of New York City .
`` I travelled through Cauca , walking the heart of my Nasa indigenous family 's community , finding various ways to name the world , to understand the present , the past and the future .
`` Behind the Mountain portrays the daily life of this region in constant conflict , seeking to understand the deep and intimate connection that communities have with their territory and the need to exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This image is part of my monographic work Detrás de la Montaña ( Behind the Mountain ) , which delves into the indigenous life of Cauca in contemporary Colombia , in a personal journey through the roots of my indigenous Nasa family . ''
The Bronx Documentary Center 's third Annual Latin American Foto Festival takes place in New York , from 23 July to 2 August 2020 .

Image caption,
Working in a tull (house garden) in Cauca, Colombia. The tull is the space next to the home where the most important plants of the house are planted, as well as its food security: corn, beans, aromatic and medicinal herbs, among others.


bbc--2020-07-22--Birmingham students' pain to be the best at Bhangra

A behind-the-scenes BBC documentary has revealed the pain , sweat and tears it takes to be a top Bhangra dancer @ @ @ @ @ Bhangra Showdown , held this year in Birmingham , were filmed for months as they @ @ @ @ @ routines .
Ajay Palflora , from the University of Birmingham , is seen pushing his @ @ @ @ @ training sessions .
The competition is organised by the Punjabi Society at Imperial College , @ @ @ @ @ is the biggest of its kind in the world .
Bhangra or Bust - Our @ @ @ @ @ BBC One on 5 August at 19:30 BST .

A behind-the-scenes BBC documentary has revealed the pain, sweat and tears it takes to be a top Bhangra dancer.
Teams competing in the Bhangra Showdown, held this year in Birmingham, were filmed for months as they tried to perfect their gruelling routines.
Ajay Palflora, from the University of Birmingham, is seen pushing his team to its limits during training sessions.
The competition is organised by the Punjabi Society at Imperial College, London, which claims it is the biggest of its kind in the world.
Bhangra or Bust - Our Lives will be shown on BBC One on 5 August at 19:30 BST.
Producers: Joel Mapp and Satnam Rana. Edited by Martin Weinberg
Online editor: Catherine Mackie